Eclectic Nocturnal WitchPagan//Pisces//She/Her//22If you produce AI generated content and post it, I will instantly block you!This blog is a collection of ideas from many different sources and denominations. Not everything i reblog represents my practice or beliefs, theyre simply references for my own research and journey. Thanks for visiting :) Follows and Likes from @monsterlover5595
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Text
Herbs for Emotional Healing
Let your healing be slow, herbal, and sacred. One breath at a time.
🌹 Rose
Heals heartbreak, nurtures self-love, and softens grief. Use in baths, teas, or charm bags for emotional comfort.
🪻 Lavender
Calms anxiety, promotes restful sleep, and brings peace. Ideal for sachets under your pillow or in moon water sprays.
🌼 Chamomile
Soothes stress, eases tension, and welcomes gentle joy. Brew in tea or carry in a pouch for comfort on hard days.
🌿 Rosemary
Cleanses emotional heaviness, encourages clarity and resilience. Burn to lift lingering sadness or fog.
🌙 Mugwort
Connects with dreams, intuition, and shadow work. Helps process suppressed emotions through dream recall or meditation.
🍋 Lemon Balm
Lifts the spirit and supports emotional renewal. Add to teas for lightness after sadness or change.
🌾 Peppermint
Energizes and clears the mind. Great for moments when sadness feels numbing or heavy.
169 notes
·
View notes
Text
Whats the difference? Warding vs. Banishing vs. Cleansing”
🛡 Warding
Protects your space from future negative energy. Think of it like locking the door and setting alarms.
Examples: protective sigils, black tourmaline at entry points, jars with pins and herbs.
🚪 Banishing
Removes something already present — energy, spirits, intrusive thoughts, or even people.
Examples: banishing spells, cord-cutting rituals, assertive smoke cleansing with rosemary or bay leaf.
💧 Cleansing
Neutralizes and refreshes. It clears out lingering energy, not just the bad kind.
Examples: sound cleansing, moon water sprays, sweeping with a besom, salt in bowls or corners.
Start with cleansing to clear the air.
Use banishing if anything is actively affecting your energy.
Finish with warding to keep your space protected and sealed.
159 notes
·
View notes
Text
Moon Phases & Their Unique Magic
🌑 New Moon
A time to begin. Set intentions, plant seeds, and envision new goals.
Magic: manifestation, wish work, goal setting.
🌒 Waxing Moon
Energy builds. Focus on growth, momentum, and drawing things in.
Magic: abundance spells, attraction, confidence rituals.
🌕 Full Moon
Power at its peak. Reflect, charge, release, and celebrate.
Magic: divination, protection, high-energy rituals, crystal charging.
🌖 Waning Moon
A time for letting go. Release what no longer serves you.
Magic: banishing, cleansing, cord-cutting, shadow work.
🌑 Dark Moon
The final rest before rebirth. Go inward. Be still.
Magic: deep introspection, dreamwork, ancestor work, solitude.
Working with moon phases aligns your magic with the rhythm of the cosmos. You don’t have to rush. Just flow.
195 notes
·
View notes
Text
𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁





⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
What is Litha?
Litha is a solar festival celebrated between June 20th and 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere, and around December 20th to 22nd in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and the moment when the sun reaches its peak power. Traditionally, Litha honors the height of light, the fullness of life, and the abundance offered by the Earth in bloom. It is the midpoint of the Wheel of the Year, when nature is at its most alive: fields are green, flowers are open, fruit begins to ripen, and warmth fills every corner. Litha celebrates vitality, strength, joy, and the energy of the sun at its zenith. Fires are lit in its honor, herbs are gathered, and the power of manifestation is strong. Yet, within this brightness lies a quiet turning point, from this day forward, the light will begin to wane. Litha carries both celebration and awareness: the joy of what has flourished, and that all things are cyclical, Now it’s a great time to reflect on personal radiance, express gratitude and to honor the sun and all solar deities.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
History of Litha
The name Litha comes from Anglo-Saxon sources and was recorded by Bede as the name of the months around midsummer. However, the solstice has been celebrated across many cultures for thousands of years. In Celtic lands, midsummer was a sacred time when druids lit bonfires on hilltops to honour the sun and support the fertility of the land. Sacred herbs were gathered at dawn, believed to be especially powerful when infused with the longest light of the year. In ancient Rome, this period was dedicated to Juno, goddess of marriage and women, and to Vesta, the goddess of the hearth fire. Her temple was opened to women, and offerings of grain were made to ensure household blessings. In ancient Greece, midsummer was connected to Hera, Aphrodite, and it was also believed that Prometheus stole the fire from the chariot of the sun and gifted it to humanity at this time. In ancient China, the summer solstice was linked to yin, feminine, earthly energy, in balance with the winter solstice, which represented yang. ⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Litha and the Faerie Folk
Midsummer is also a time when the faerie realm is believed to be especially active. Just like Beltane, Litha is considered a liminal time, when the veil between worlds grows thin and the unseen becomes just a little more visible. In Celtic folklore, the fae wander freely during the solstice, drawn to beauty, music, laughter, and offerings left in nature. People once left milk, honey, or bread under sacred trees, near springs, or in gardens to honour them and ask for protection or blessings. Wildflowers and oak groves are especially associated with faerie energy at this time, and some believe that in the shimmer of heat on the solstice horizon, you can sense the opening of other realms: Avalon, Tir na nÓg, the Land of Youth. It’s believed that faeries hold their grand celebrations within mystical faerie rings. These circles, often found in grassy meadows or forest clearings, are thought to mark the dancing spots of faeries. To honor these elemental spirits, offerings of honey, butter, or creamy milk are left in the hopes of gaining faerie favor. (source)
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Midsummer Herb Ritual
Litha is also traditionally a time for harvesting herbs used in potions, elixirs, and spells, a moment long held sacred in magical practice. Since ancient times, it has been believed that when the sun is at its peak and the earth is overflowing with life, the bond between plants and those who work with them grows especially strong. Witches, healers, druids, and others in tune with the land’s rhythms would venture out to gather herbs with deep care, following the natural flow of the day. Some plants were picked at dawn, others at noon, some at sunset, and a few in the gentle quiet of late afternoon. They used small blades, sometimes curved or shaped like serpents, and approached the task slowly, with reverence. Before cutting, they would sit with the plant in stillness, offering a soft prayer or moment of presence. Only a small amount was taken, never more than needed, always leaving enough so the plant could continue to grow and thrive. Gratitude was at the heart of the act, gratitude for the plant, for the living earth, and for the unseen spirits watching over the wild. The herbs gathered during Litha were believed to be especially potent. Little was required. Just sunlight, clear intention, and a respectful hand. Many flowers are linked to this time of year, but the most well-known is St. John’s Wort, valued for its protective and healing properties. Roses, in every color, are also deeply connected to Litha, representing love, passion, and the fullness of life under the midsummer sun.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
The Rise of the Holly King
The myth of the Oak King and the Holly King is often told to explain the shifting balance of light and dark throughout the year. The Oak King rules from the winter solstice to the summer solstice, he is the spirit of the waxing year, of expanding daylight, growth, and vitality. He represents the rising power of the sun and the energy that brings life back to the land. But at Litha, when the light reaches its peak, his brother, the Holly King, returns. The Holly King rules from the summer solstice to Yule, guiding the year into the waning half. He is the spirit of stillness, reflection, and retreat. Their meeting is not a violent battle, but a symbolic shift, one steps back so the other may rise. This story reminds us that light and dark are both sacred, and that every high point contains the seed of return. Just like the sun, we too rise, peak, rest, and begin again.
Litha and Goddess Áine
Áine is a Celtic goddess very closely associated with Litha. is the Celtic Goddess of Midsummer and Queen of the Faeries, deeply tied to both the light of the sun and the mystery of the fae. As a solar deity, she is honored during Midsummer celebrations, being associated with summer, love, protection, fertility, wealth, and sovereignty. On the eve of the 23rd, just after the solstice, people used to gather on Cnoc Áine, where she was said to dwell. They would light bunches of straw and hay tied to poles. These poles were then carried in procession to the top of the hill. Later, people would run with the flames through their fields and between the cattle to bring good luck for the rest of the year. Áine is also connected to horses, animals considered sacred and symbolic of midsummer in Irish tradition. It was said that she could take the form of a red mare named Lair Derg and ride through the fields during the solstice, blessing the land with fertility and magic. Offerings to Áine might include flowers, honey mead, and horseshoes.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Magic Correspondences
Planets: Sun
Season: Summer
Element: Earth, Fire
Time Of The Day: Noon (when the Sun is at its highest)
Tarot Cards: The Sun, The Empress, The Wheel Of Fortune, 9 Of Cups, The Emperor, The Strength
Colors: Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Gold, Red
Herbs: Fennel, Ivy, Yarrow, Verbena, Mugwort, Sage, Mint, Basil, Clove, Thyme
Fruits: Cherry, Raspberry, Peach, Strawberry, Berries, Pineapple, Orange, Apricot, Nectarines
Vegetables: Spinach, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Carrots
Crystals: Jade, Carnelian, Peridot, Citrine, Tiger’s Eye, Sunstone
Runes: Kenaz, Fehu, Ehwaz, Sowilo
Trees: Oak, Birch, Elder, Linden
Goddesses: Brigid, Hel, Amaterasu, Hestia, Juno, Hera, Aphrodite, Áine, Freyja, Bastet, Hathor, Sunna, Flora, Vesta
Gods: Apollo, Helios, Lugh, Baldur, Ra, Zeus, Horus, Dionysus, Aten, Loki, Jupiter, Thor, Cernunnos
Dragons: Fafnir
Flowers: Daisy, St. John’s Wort, Rose, Lavender, Sunflower, Poppy, Calendula, Honeysuckle, Foxglove, Chamomile, Marigold, Jasmine, Peony
Animals: Horse, Bee, Butterfly, Lion, Wren, Moth, Bull, Cow, Hawk, Lizard, Donkey, Hawks, Eagles, Swans
Magical Powers: Good Energy, Solar Magick, Confidence, Healing, Love, Power, Warmth, Success, Fire Magick, Fertility
Symbols: Birch, Sun, Horseshoe, Flower, Butterfly, Summer Birds, Sea Shells, Sun Wheel, Bonfire, St. John’s Wort, Faerie Rings, Roses, Oak, Spiral
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Activities to Do:
☀️ Read A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
☀️ Take a bath with rose petals or rose essential oil
☀️ Swim on this day to honor both the water and fire elements
☀️ Drink St. John's Wort tea
☀️ Craft faerie houses in your garden
☀️ Meditate while lying in the grass, letting the sun touch your skin
☀️ Bake a honey cake for the sabbat
☀️ Go camping to connect with nature
☀️ Craft a homemade sundial
☀️ Leave offerings for the faerie folk
☀️ Create a Litha altar
☀️ Make a flower wreath or crown
☀️ Honor solar deities
☀️ Dance around a Birch tree
☀️ Wear bright colors (yellow, orange, green, blue) to reflect solar energy
☀️ Make lavender lemonade
☀️ Spend time in the sun (don’t forget sunscreen!)
☀️ Do a tarot reading outdoors
☀️ Read poetry in nature
☀️ Host a garden party or BBQ
☀️ Make a Litha magick jar
☀️ Watch the sunset or sunrise from a peaceful place
☀️ Water your garden with intention
☀️ Leave water bowls outside for animals
☀️ Dance around a bonfire at dusk
☀️ Eat fresh fruits in celebration of the season
☀️ Meditate outdoors and ground yourself in the sun’s energy
☀️ Bake sun-shaped cake or bread
☀️ Make a fruit and veggie salad
☀️ Cleanse your crystals in the sunlight
☀️ Leave seeds out for the birds
☀️ Plant trees or herbs in your garden
☀️ Make sun tea by infusing herbs in a jar under the sun
☀️ Hang a horseshoe on your door for luck and protection
☀️ Create a sun catcher
☀️ Spend time outside with your pets
☀️ Make sun water
☀️ Eat honey
☀️ Host a mini gather with loved ones
☀️ Learn about sea witchcraft
☀️ Do your makeup, nails, or outfit in festive Litha colors
☀️ Go collect seashells if you live near a beach
☀️ Draw the sun wheel symbol and place it on your altar
☀️ Bake sun shaped cookies
☀️ Collect flowers and place them on your altar
☀️ Read about solar deities and their myths
☀️ Make lemonade with herbs or edible flowers
☀️ Reconnect with your inner child: play, dance, read, do activities you loved as a kid
☀️ Make a daisy chain
☀️ Set intentions at sunset for the rest of the year (until Yule)
☀️ Craft a sun wheel
☀️ Honor the sun through rituals
☀️ Harvest herbs from your garden
☀️ Start a herbarium
☀️ Research about draconic magick, dragons resonate with Litha’s fire energy
☀️ Have a picnic at noon to soak in the sun’s peak
☀️ Get yellow or orange candles and inscribe them with runes or sigils
☀️ Engage in gardening and connect to the Earth
☀️ Practice a solar plexus chakra meditation
☀️ Perform spells for confidence, personal power, and abundance
☀️ Visit a botanical garden
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Food and Drinks:
Grilled veggies, grilled chicken with rice, barbecued or flame-grilled food, honey cakes, honey, lavender cheesecake, lemonades, orange juice, summer salads, croissants with jam, bread and pastries, cakes with edible flowers, mead, sun tea, mint tea, spiced punch, rum, ale, wine, milk (for the faeries), strawberries, raspberries, peaches, oranges, lemons, pears, grapes, summer squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, butternut squash, carrot cupcakes, tomato soup, mushroom appetizers, spicy foods, curries, spiced cakes, cinnamon toast, pumpernickel bread, bread with grapes, white bread, potato salad, pasta salad, rice salad, strawberry tart, raspberry tart, leafy green vegetables, spinach, basil, thyme, sunflower seeds, pine nuts.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
sources: Midsummer: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Litha (Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials, 3); Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice by Anna Franklin; Magie Blanche by Eric-Pier Sperandio; https://thebusypagan.com/pagan-holidays/litha/
940 notes
·
View notes
Text
WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE SABBATS



IMBOLC (CANDLEMAS)
Clean your home and space to welcome the coming of spring.
Bake a traditional Imbolc loaf of bread or other seasonal foods.
Use the colours white and yellow in your decorations and outfits.
Light a bonfire or light candles to represent the returning light.
Plant seeds or bulbs to symbolize the rebirth of nature.
Honour deities associated with Imbolc, such as Brigid, Cailleach, Danu, Persephone, Demeter, Pan, The Morrigan, and Freyja.
Perform a ritual to honour the coming of spring and ask for protection and blessings.
Make a Brigid's cross or other handcrafted decorations with herbs and other natural materials.
Perform a blessing of your home and surroundings with holy water or smoke cleansing.
Set up an altar or sacred space to honour the Celtic goddess Brigid, associated with Imbolc.
Make Brigid's bed, a traditional ritual of placing straw under your bed to bring fertility and growth into your life.
Connect with nature and spend time outside to honour the changing season.
OSTARA (SPRING EQUINOX)
Participate in fertility rites and rituals to celebrate the coming of spring and the planting season.
Honour deities associated with Ostara, such as Ēostre, Aphrodite, Persephone, Dementer, Flora, Pan, Hecate, and Freyja.
Create baskets filled with seasonal treats and decorations for loved ones.
Decorate your altar or sacred space with symbols of Ostara, such as eggs, bunnies, daffodils, and pastel colours.
Perform a spring cleaning of your home and life, releasing old habits and welcoming new beginnings.
Light a fire or light candles to honour the return of lighter, longer days.
Bake a traditional honey cake or other seasonal sweets to celebrate the sweetness of spring.
Plant seeds or herbs for new growth and prosperity.
Go for a nature walk or hike to connect with the natural world.
Participate in an egg hunt or egg rolling, traditional Ostara games.
Celebrate the coming of spring with those you care about by sharing a meal.
Perform a protection spell or ritual to honour the increasing light and longer days.
Create a spring bouquet or wreath by using flowers like daffodils, crocuses, and other spring blossoms.
Practice self-care rituals to nourish and rejuvenate your mind and body.
BELTANE (MAY EVE)
Celebrate the fertility of the earth with bonfires and rituals honouring the fire god, Belenos.
Make a maypole and decorate it with colourful ribbons.
Participate in a maypole dance, a traditional celebration of fertility and joy.
Make a wish list and tie it to a tree on Beltane eve.
Collect flowers, especially May blossom or hawthorne flowers, and make a garland or crown to wear.
Honour deities associated with Beltane, such as Belenus, Cernunnos, Freyja, Pan, Flora, Aphrodite, Lilith, Daina, Artemis, and Green Man.
Create a flower crown or wear one made of wildflowers to honour the faery folk and fertility spirits.
Perform a ritual to bless your home and land for prosperity and protection.
Jump over the Beltane bonfires, symbolizing jumping over obstacles and embracing new beginnings.
Have a picnic or gathering with friends and family to celebrate the abundance and growth of the season.
Create a sacred space or altar for Beltane, decorat with flowers, herbs, and other nature-related objects.
Perform a cleansing ritual to rid yourself of negative energy and welcome the energy of new beginnings.
Make a bouquet of wildflowers or herbs, and hang it on your front door to welcome the spirits of Beltane.
Go for a walk in the woods or a natural setting and connect with the beauty and energy of the season.
LITHA (SUMMER SOLSTICE/MIDSUMMER)
Participate in a bonfires or lighting a sacred fire, celebrating the arrival of the longest day of the year.
Collect herbs and flowers, especially ones associated with the sun, such as calendula, yarrow, and St. John's wort, and make a solstice garland.
Perform a ritual to honour the sun and ask for protection and blessings.
Dance around the bonfire or engage in other traditions associated with the Summer Solstice, such as singing and drumming.
Have a solstice feast, filled with summer bounty, seasonal foods, and family.
Celebrate in the natural world, go for a walk, or have a picnic during the longest day.
Honour deities associated with Litha, such as Gaia, Freyja, Sol, Lugh, Sulis, Apollo, Belenus, Lucifer, Danu, Hestia, Asmodeus, Hades, and Ra.
Start summer resolutions.
Get your hands dirty and embrace the earth. Consider planting a vegetable garden for fall harvest or add to your flower garden to mark the occasion.
LAMMAS (LUGHNASADH)
Baking bread.
Crafting corn dolls.
Pick wild flowers.
Honour the earth and the cycles of nature.
Perform Sun magick.
Give thanks to the spirits and/or deities for the beginning of the harvest season.
Collect and honour the first fruits of the harvest, such as grains, corn, and apples.
Perform a ritual to honour Lugh and thank the gods and goddesses for the harvest.
Hold a harvest festival or feast, sharing the bounty of the land with family and friends.
Make a Lughnasadh altar or shrine with symbols of the harvest, such as corn, grains, and apples.
Participate in a traditional Lughnasadh celebration, such as a harvest dance or ritual.
Honour deities associated with Lammas, such as Lugh, Demeter, Ceres, Tailtiu, Danu, Persephone, Freyja, The Morrigan, and Green Man.
Collect herbs and plants for healing and protection, as Lughnasadh is traditionally a time for preparing for the winter months.
MABON (AUTUMN EQUINOX/FALL HARVEST)
Celebrate the balance between light and dark, and the onset of the harvest season.
Participate in a harvest celebration, collecting and honouring the fruits of the land.
Gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods.
Make a corn dolly or a straw figure as a reminder of the abundance of the harvest.
Perform a ritual to honour the balance of the seasons and thank the gods and goddesses for their blessings.
Spend time writing in your journal. You could reminisce about your summer experiences, reflect on the shifts you feel with the changing season, contemplate what you're ready to release, or express gratitude for the blessings in your life.
Adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.
Honour deities associated with Mabon, such as Demeter, Persephone, Ceres, Freyja, Pomona, Green Man, Loki, Modron, Freyr, Osiris, The Morrigan, Dionysus, Epona, Donn, the Muses, Hermes, Thor, Mabon, and Thoth.
Participate in a nature walk or ceremony, taking time to connect with the natural world and the turning of the seasons.
Enjoy your favourite fall beverages.
Make a gratitude list or write a gratitude letter, expressing your appreciation for the abundance and beauty of the harvest season.
Connect with nature.
Bring the beauty of fall indoors by decorating your home with seasonal touches.
Make wine.
Performing a gratitude or release ritual.
SAMHAIN (ALL HALLOWS/FINAL HARVEST)
Carving pumpkins with friends.
Relax and watch some horror movies.
Treat yourself to sweets.
Participate in a haunted house, hayride, or corn maze event.
Declutter/organize your home.
Focus on letting go to make space for the new year.
Honour deities associated with Samhain, such as the Morrigan, Hecate, Cerridwen, Persephone, Hades, Lucifer, Pomona, Lilith, Cailleach, Santa Muerte, Odin, Loki, and Hel.
Collecting leaves.
Bake treats that contain pumpkin.
Creating a spooky, atmospheric decor for your home or workspace, such as cobwebs, faux spiders, and other creepy décor items.
Gathering friends and loved ones for a Samhain feast, feasting on symbolic foods like apples, pumpkin, or corn.
Visit a local pumpkin patch.
Making personalized altar items and decorative pieces for your sacred space, such as witch jars, mandalas, sigils, symbols of the harvest, items associated with death, etc.
Participating in a divination practice like tarot reading, scrying, or rune casting to gain insight and connect with the energy of the night.
Go to a harvest festival or carnival.
Hold a Samhain seance or mediumship session to contact the spirits of loved ones who have passed on.
Participate in a potluck dinner with witches and pagans, dressing in traditional Samhain garb.
RESPECTFULLY visit a graveyard.
YULE (WINTER SOLSTICE/MIDWINTER)
Burn a Yule log.
Make an evergreen Yule wreath.
Decorate a Yule tree.
Make a Yule wish list or a Yule resolution, as Yule is a time of reflection and intention setting.
Practice Yule carol singing, participating in a community sing-along or carolling event.
Celebrate in candle light.
Give back to nature.
Exchange nature-based gifts.
Host a feast for those you love with foods associated with Yule, such as: roast goose, Yule ham, nuts, berries, spices, squash, and potatoes.
Cook/bake or eat Yule ham, gingerbread, mulled wine, roast goose, spiced cakes, shortbread, snowball, caraway, ginger snaps, honey cakes or pastries, and biscuits.
Eat or give sweets flavoured with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or peppermint.
Participate in the longest night of the year and prepare for the return of the light.
Honour deities associated with Yule, such as Odin, Baldur, Hel, Loki, Sol, Freyr, Njörðr with lights, candles, and bonfires.
Participate in a Yule spell or ritual, asking for blessings and protection for the coming year.
Decorate your home with evergreen boughs and wreaths, representing the evergreen nature of the sun and eternal life.
Host a Yule log ceremony.
Participate in an outdoor activity, like sledding or ice skating, to honour the winter season.
571 notes
·
View notes
Text
🌿🍊Litha Orange Honey Cake🍊🌿
Hello my greenies! Happy Litha! I hope you’re all enjoying the summer sun and nature. Even during quarantine, if you’re able to take a walk in nature without contact with others, I highly recommend doing so. If you’re unable to go outside, I recommend taking the time to bake and maybe listen to some nature sounds on youtube. Those have helped me during these times. I wish you all the best with this yummy cake! I hope you all like this recipe:)
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup softened unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2/3 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla extract
around a tbsp of orange zest
Optional Glaze
½ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
some lemon juice
juice of 4th of orange
couple pats of ground cinnamon
dash of vanilla
½ cup (maybe.. I never measure this out)sliced almonds
Mix until syrup state.
Directions
Preheat Oven for 350°F and coat pan with non-stick or other alternative. I honestly don’t know what size my pan is…so I’d say eyeball it and see how much you can fit? Lol
In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients (including the orange zest). Set that to the side while you mix the other ingredients in a larger bowl.
Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl with the other ingredients in batches. So, sift a little in and mix then repeat that until all the dry ingredients are mixed in.
Pour the mixture into the pan and cook for about 28 to 35 minutes. Check with a long toothpick:3 After you take out you can pour over an optional syrup that I think is amazing!
There’s no particular chant I do for this recipe, I mostly just pray for the sun and for the health of those I care for. I like to visualize the sun and its heat and color wrapping me in an embrace and that same warmth infusing the cake.
I hope you call have a lovely Litha and special time with those you love a care for.
- Kenzie
3K notes
·
View notes
Text
🏳️🌈🕯️ Queer Witchcraft for Pride Month: Fresh Spell Ideas 🕯️🏳️⚧️
Not your average rainbow magic. These spells honour queer identity, chosen family, healing, and resistance — with a little glitter and a lot of intention.
⸻
1. Disco Ball Warding Charm
✨ For queer joy and psychic protection.
Hang a mini disco ball in your space. Charge it with a chant:
“Joy is a shield, laughter is a sword, and I dance in my power.”
Reflects bad vibes like light across a club floor.
⸻
2. “They/Them, Hear Me” Name Spell
Write your name and pronouns on a strip of cloth in your favorite colors. Wrap it around a candle (or wear it as a bracelet). Every time you light it or wear it, say:
“My voice is clear. My name is holy. I am valid in all forms.”
⸻
3. Full Moon Drag Glamour Spell
Pick your boldest look or most comfortable outfit. Under the full moon, dance or strut with intention. Visualize every step affirming your identity.
Spellwork can be heels and eyeliner too.
⸻
4. Closet Banishing Box
Decorate a small box like a mini closet. Write down phrases like “shame,” “silencing,” “fear of judgment” and place them inside. Burn or bury the contents on the dark moon.
Out with the old closets — you don’t live there anymore.
⸻
5. Queer Thread Spell for Chosen Family
Take colored threads (one for each chosen family member or friend who supports your identity). Knot them together in a braid while saying their names and a blessing for each.
Carry it in your bag, wear it on your wrist, or keep it on your altar.
⸻
6. T4T Devotion Ritual (or Any Queer Love Expression)
Light two candles in your colours. Place a small offering between them — a flower, a poem, a personal item. Say:
“Our love is sacred. Our magic is entwined. May the world rise to meet our beauty.”
Perfect for queer couples, friends, or even self-devotion.
120 notes
·
View notes
Note
do you have any ideas for easy beginner spells ? i love your blog btw x
Beginner-Friendly Spells for Baby Witches ✨🌿
Thank you so much angel! 💌 Here are a few super simple spells that are perfect if you’re just starting out:
1. Mirror Confidence Charm
Stand in front of your mirror, light a pink or white candle (or just imagine one!), and say:
“I see beauty, I see light,
I am powerful, I shine bright.”
Say it three times with belief. Instant self-love boost.
2. Salt Bowl Protection
Take a small dish, fill it with sea salt, rosemary, and cloves. Place it by your door or window to absorb negative energy. Replace monthly and thank it for its protection.
3. Intention Candle
Grab a tea light, carve a word into the wax (like “focus” or “love”), anoint it with olive oil, and light it while visualising that energy surrounding you.
4. Paper Sigil Spell
Write your intention (like “I am calm”) on a piece of paper, cross out repeating letters, and combine the remaining into a unique sigil symbol. Draw it, focus on it, then burn or tuck it away in your journal.
5. Moon Water Creation
Leave a jar of clean water under the full moon overnight. In the morning, use it to anoint your space, tools, or self with loving moon energy.
Let me know if you want themed ones (love, protection, glam, etc.) 💋
— Genesis xox
39 notes
·
View notes
Text
🕯️ 5 Easy Beginner Spells (No Tools Needed!)
Just your energy + intention = real magic. For babes starting their craft ✨
1. ✨ Morning Glamour Affirmation
Look in the mirror and say:
“I am beauty, I am charm,
My energy is sweet and warm.”
Say it while doing your skincare or brushing your hair to enchant your aura.
2. 🧂 Salt Line Protection
Sprinkle a line of salt at your doorstep or windowsill and say:
“Only love may enter here,
All else disappears.”
Brush it away after 24 hours.
3. 💌 Self-Love Paper Spell
Write your name on a piece of paper. Around it, write words like “divine,” “worthy,” “radiant.” Fold it into a tiny heart and keep it under your pillow or in your journal.
4. 🌙 Moonlight Charging
Place a glass of water, crystals, or jewelry under the full moon overnight. Say:
“Moon above, charge with love.”
Use it to anoint yourself the next morning.
5. 🔥 Release & Let Go Spell
Write what you want to release on paper (ex: “fear,” “self-doubt”). Safely burn it in a fire-safe dish. Say:
“I let this go, I set me free,
New light, new love now comes to me.”
207 notes
·
View notes
Text
RECIPES I KEEP IN MY ONLINE KITCHEN WITCH JOURNAL #2
I love making these oh my gosh.
Why?
It's really fun
It's been a while since my last one
I get an excuse to try yummy recipes
You all are way too good at what you do
It's fun x2
Teas, Drinks, And Syrups
🍊 Orange Peel Tea 🍊
Violet Lemonade
Coconut Summer Drink
Dandelion Honey
The Best Hot Spiced Cider recipe you’ll ever try
Apple Cider is basically a homesteading spell
Rose Lemonade Syrup
100-Year Garlic (Garlic Honey)
Fire Cider Spell for Winter Protection
Blackberry & Apple Jam
Witchy Recipes - Blackberry Lemonade
Baked Goods + Sweets
Prosperity Bread
Lavender Earl Grey Cookies
Easy Rosemary Focaccia Loaf for Love and Protection
Heavenly Lavender Scones
Honey Vanilla Peach Butter 🍑
Pumpkin Pie Dip 🎃
Vanilla-Pumpkin Cupcakes
Soups, Stews, And Dinners
Super simple secret potato soup
Forest Porridge
Heartwarming potato soup
Perfect Homemade Garlic Bread
Creamy vegetable soup
Springtime Soup
Stuffed Maple dijon glazed roasted butternut squash
Summertime stir fry
Sabbat Stuff
Litha Orange Honey Cake
Litha Thyme Chicken
Stuffed Apples for Mabon
Mabon Mug
Imbolc Pretzel wreath
Oatmeal Bread for Lughnasadh
Samhain Mulled Cider
Samhain Irish Apple Cake
Angel's Best
(my favorite recipe posts I've made over the years, plus backstories that sound like your grandmother's reminiscing over the past.)
LATE WINTER BUTTER ROLLS
My first post I ever made. I was pretty new to the tumblr community at the time. I loved kitchen witchcraft, and I'm the type of person who will ramble on about how much I love cooking and baking. This blog gave me an outlet to express my love of cooking, baking, paganism, and witcraft. And these rolls are very tasty, I make them to this day!
WITCHY TOMATO BASIL SOUP
Tasty, simple, and a crowd-pleaser. It's perfect for a beginner kitchen witch! It was also the second recipe I ever posted.
SWEET CREAM BUNS
It was a recipe given to me by one of my good friends at the time. Every time I make it, it gets devoured in less than 10 minutes. It was also my first recipe to get over 50 notes. I was shocked but ecstatic that so many people would even give it the time of day lol.
WITCHY THUMBPRINT COOKIES
These ones were just fun to make and delicious lol.
A WITCH’S COZY BUTTERNUT WINTER SOUP
A quick soup that feeds a lot of people during the fall season. Fall is my favorite season, so of course I'm very biased lol.
SAMHAIN PUMPKIN BREAD
I love pumpkin bread and apple cider... So why not combine the two? This one was definitely one of my favorites of all time. Moist pumpkin bread and chocolate chips have to be one of my favorite things on this planet. It also makes for the perfect gift for friends and family. Yummy!
ANGEL’S AWARD-WINNING LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD
I love dessert loaves of any kind, so naturally, this would be on the list lol.
MAPLE BUTTER COOKIES
Super simple comfort food! I love any time of cookie with brown sugar.
BRING ME POSITIVITY PECAN FRENCH TOAST BAKE
I love French toast, and I love positivity~
SAMHAIN SOUL CAKES RECIPE
These are really good! And traditional. If you celebrate Samhain, I recommend you make some soul cakes and have friends and family help decorate. I give the littles a bag of orange frosting and let them go crazy lol.
FEEL BETTER CHICKEN SOUP
One of my most recent is my witchy twist on chicken noodle soup!
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE SABBATS



IMBOLC (CANDLEMAS)
Clean your home and space to welcome the coming of spring.
Bake a traditional Imbolc loaf of bread or other seasonal foods.
Use the colours white and yellow in your decorations and outfits.
Light a bonfire or light candles to represent the returning light.
Plant seeds or bulbs to symbolize the rebirth of nature.
Honour deities associated with Imbolc, such as Brigid, Cailleach, Danu, Persephone, Demeter, Pan, The Morrigan, and Freyja.
Perform a ritual to honour the coming of spring and ask for protection and blessings.
Make a Brigid's cross or other handcrafted decorations with herbs and other natural materials.
Perform a blessing of your home and surroundings with holy water or smoke cleansing.
Set up an altar or sacred space to honour the Celtic goddess Brigid, associated with Imbolc.
Make Brigid's bed, a traditional ritual of placing straw under your bed to bring fertility and growth into your life.
Connect with nature and spend time outside to honour the changing season.
OSTARA (SPRING EQUINOX)
Participate in fertility rites and rituals to celebrate the coming of spring and the planting season.
Honour deities associated with Ostara, such as Ēostre, Aphrodite, Persephone, Dementer, Flora, Pan, Hecate, and Freyja.
Create baskets filled with seasonal treats and decorations for loved ones.
Decorate your altar or sacred space with symbols of Ostara, such as eggs, bunnies, daffodils, and pastel colours.
Perform a spring cleaning of your home and life, releasing old habits and welcoming new beginnings.
Light a fire or light candles to honour the return of lighter, longer days.
Bake a traditional honey cake or other seasonal sweets to celebrate the sweetness of spring.
Plant seeds or herbs for new growth and prosperity.
Go for a nature walk or hike to connect with the natural world.
Participate in an egg hunt or egg rolling, traditional Ostara games.
Celebrate the coming of spring with those you care about by sharing a meal.
Perform a protection spell or ritual to honour the increasing light and longer days.
Create a spring bouquet or wreath by using flowers like daffodils, crocuses, and other spring blossoms.
Practice self-care rituals to nourish and rejuvenate your mind and body.
BELTANE (MAY EVE)
Celebrate the fertility of the earth with bonfires and rituals honouring the fire god, Belenos.
Make a maypole and decorate it with colourful ribbons.
Participate in a maypole dance, a traditional celebration of fertility and joy.
Make a wish list and tie it to a tree on Beltane eve.
Collect flowers, especially May blossom or hawthorne flowers, and make a garland or crown to wear.
Honour deities associated with Beltane, such as Belenus, Cernunnos, Freyja, Pan, Flora, Aphrodite, Lilith, Daina, Artemis, and Green Man.
Create a flower crown or wear one made of wildflowers to honour the faery folk and fertility spirits.
Perform a ritual to bless your home and land for prosperity and protection.
Jump over the Beltane bonfires, symbolizing jumping over obstacles and embracing new beginnings.
Have a picnic or gathering with friends and family to celebrate the abundance and growth of the season.
Create a sacred space or altar for Beltane, decorat with flowers, herbs, and other nature-related objects.
Perform a cleansing ritual to rid yourself of negative energy and welcome the energy of new beginnings.
Make a bouquet of wildflowers or herbs, and hang it on your front door to welcome the spirits of Beltane.
Go for a walk in the woods or a natural setting and connect with the beauty and energy of the season.
LITHA (SUMMER SOLSTICE/MIDSUMMER)
Participate in a bonfires or lighting a sacred fire, celebrating the arrival of the longest day of the year.
Collect herbs and flowers, especially ones associated with the sun, such as calendula, yarrow, and St. John's wort, and make a solstice garland.
Perform a ritual to honour the sun and ask for protection and blessings.
Dance around the bonfire or engage in other traditions associated with the Summer Solstice, such as singing and drumming.
Have a solstice feast, filled with summer bounty, seasonal foods, and family.
Celebrate in the natural world, go for a walk, or have a picnic during the longest day.
Honour deities associated with Litha, such as Gaia, Freyja, Sol, Lugh, Sulis, Apollo, Belenus, Lucifer, Danu, Hestia, Asmodeus, Hades, and Ra.
Start summer resolutions.
Get your hands dirty and embrace the earth. Consider planting a vegetable garden for fall harvest or add to your flower garden to mark the occasion.
LAMMAS (LUGHNASADH)
Baking bread.
Crafting corn dolls.
Pick wild flowers.
Honour the earth and the cycles of nature.
Perform Sun magick.
Give thanks to the spirits and/or deities for the beginning of the harvest season.
Collect and honour the first fruits of the harvest, such as grains, corn, and apples.
Perform a ritual to honour Lugh and thank the gods and goddesses for the harvest.
Hold a harvest festival or feast, sharing the bounty of the land with family and friends.
Make a Lughnasadh altar or shrine with symbols of the harvest, such as corn, grains, and apples.
Participate in a traditional Lughnasadh celebration, such as a harvest dance or ritual.
Honour deities associated with Lammas, such as Lugh, Demeter, Ceres, Tailtiu, Danu, Persephone, Freyja, The Morrigan, and Green Man.
Collect herbs and plants for healing and protection, as Lughnasadh is traditionally a time for preparing for the winter months.
MABON (AUTUMN EQUINOX/FALL HARVEST)
Celebrate the balance between light and dark, and the onset of the harvest season.
Participate in a harvest celebration, collecting and honouring the fruits of the land.
Gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods.
Make a corn dolly or a straw figure as a reminder of the abundance of the harvest.
Perform a ritual to honour the balance of the seasons and thank the gods and goddesses for their blessings.
Spend time writing in your journal. You could reminisce about your summer experiences, reflect on the shifts you feel with the changing season, contemplate what you're ready to release, or express gratitude for the blessings in your life.
Adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.
Honour deities associated with Mabon, such as Demeter, Persephone, Ceres, Freyja, Pomona, Green Man, Loki, Modron, Freyr, Osiris, The Morrigan, Dionysus, Epona, Donn, the Muses, Hermes, Thor, Mabon, and Thoth.
Participate in a nature walk or ceremony, taking time to connect with the natural world and the turning of the seasons.
Enjoy your favourite fall beverages.
Make a gratitude list or write a gratitude letter, expressing your appreciation for the abundance and beauty of the harvest season.
Connect with nature.
Bring the beauty of fall indoors by decorating your home with seasonal touches.
Make wine.
Performing a gratitude or release ritual.
SAMHAIN (ALL HALLOWS/FINAL HARVEST)
Carving pumpkins with friends.
Relax and watch some horror movies.
Treat yourself to sweets.
Participate in a haunted house, hayride, or corn maze event.
Declutter/organize your home.
Focus on letting go to make space for the new year.
Honour deities associated with Samhain, such as the Morrigan, Hecate, Cerridwen, Persephone, Hades, Lucifer, Pomona, Lilith, Cailleach, Santa Muerte, Odin, Loki, and Hel.
Collecting leaves.
Bake treats that contain pumpkin.
Creating a spooky, atmospheric decor for your home or workspace, such as cobwebs, faux spiders, and other creepy décor items.
Gathering friends and loved ones for a Samhain feast, feasting on symbolic foods like apples, pumpkin, or corn.
Visit a local pumpkin patch.
Making personalized altar items and decorative pieces for your sacred space, such as witch jars, mandalas, sigils, symbols of the harvest, items associated with death, etc.
Participating in a divination practice like tarot reading, scrying, or rune casting to gain insight and connect with the energy of the night.
Go to a harvest festival or carnival.
Hold a Samhain seance or mediumship session to contact the spirits of loved ones who have passed on.
Participate in a potluck dinner with witches and pagans, dressing in traditional Samhain garb.
RESPECTFULLY visit a graveyard.
YULE (WINTER SOLSTICE/MIDWINTER)
Burn a Yule log.
Make an evergreen Yule wreath.
Decorate a Yule tree.
Make a Yule wish list or a Yule resolution, as Yule is a time of reflection and intention setting.
Practice Yule carol singing, participating in a community sing-along or carolling event.
Celebrate in candle light.
Give back to nature.
Exchange nature-based gifts.
Host a feast for those you love with foods associated with Yule, such as: roast goose, Yule ham, nuts, berries, spices, squash, and potatoes.
Cook/bake or eat Yule ham, gingerbread, mulled wine, roast goose, spiced cakes, shortbread, snowball, caraway, ginger snaps, honey cakes or pastries, and biscuits.
Eat or give sweets flavoured with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or peppermint.
Participate in the longest night of the year and prepare for the return of the light.
Honour deities associated with Yule, such as Odin, Baldur, Hel, Loki, Sol, Freyr, Njörðr with lights, candles, and bonfires.
Participate in a Yule spell or ritual, asking for blessings and protection for the coming year.
Decorate your home with evergreen boughs and wreaths, representing the evergreen nature of the sun and eternal life.
Host a Yule log ceremony.
Participate in an outdoor activity, like sledding or ice skating, to honour the winter season.
571 notes
·
View notes
Text
Litha starts in 18 days, so I made a fragnant linden blossom cake and 1 gallon of dandelion mead.


As the Wheel of the Year turns toward Litha—the Summer Solstice—I’ve been working with sun-kissed botanicals that radiate midsummer magic. With 18 days to go, I honored the golden light with a homemade linden blossom cake, richly soaked in syrup and crowned with fresh blooms, and a gallon of dandelion mead that will capture the solar spirit in liquid form.
The linden (Tilia spp.) is beloved in Slavic, Germanic, and Japanese folk traditions alike for its calming, heart-centered energy that represents the divine feminine. Dandelions, those radiant solar wheels of the Earth, carry wishes and persistence—perfect symbols of Midsummer intent.
Here are the recipes if you'd like to join me in celebrating the solar tide:
Fragrant linden blossom cake (makes one 8" cake)
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. fresh linden blossoms (plus more for decoration)
For the syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. fresh linden blossoms
1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture gradually.
Stir in lemon zest, milk, and linden blossoms.
Pour into pan and bake 35–40 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the syrup: bring water and honey to a simmer, stir in blossoms and lemon juice, and let steep 10 minutes.
Once the cake is out of the oven and still warm, poke holes on top and slowly pour over the strained syrup.
Cool completely and garnish with fresh linden flowers and leaves.
Dandelion mead (1 gallon / approx. 3.8 L)
Ingredients:
1 gallon spring water
3 quarts dandelion petals (just the yellow, no green bits)
2.5–3 lbs raw wildflower honey
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
1 small piece of fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 packet wine/mead yeast (Lalvin D-47 or EC-1118 work well)
Instructions:
Boil half the water and pour over the dandelion petals in a sanitized container. Let steep for 24–48 hours, then strain out the petals.
Warm the rest of the water and dissolve the honey in it.
Combine the honey water with the dandelion infusion in a sanitized 1-gallon jug. Add lemon juice, zest, ginger, and yeast nutrient.
Once the mixture cools to room temperature (68–75°F / 20–24°C), add your yeast.
Cap with an airlock and store in a dark, cool spot.
Fermentation will take 2–4 weeks. Once bubbling slows, rack the mead into a clean container, avoiding sediment.
Age at least 1–3 months before drinking. It improves dramatically with time.
May your Litha be full of light, laughter, and honey-sweet enchantment. 🕯️🌞🌻
55 notes
·
View notes
Text
☀️ Dates for June 2025 ☀️
🌼05 June: Venus enters Taurus
✨️08 June: Mercury enters Cancer
🌼09 Jupiter: Jupiter enters Cancer
🌕11 June: Strawberry Moon in Sagittarius🍓
✨️17 June: Mars enters Virgo
♋️ 20 June: Sun enters Cancer ♋️
☀️21 June: Litha (Summer Solstice)☀️
🌑25 June: New Moon in Cancer
🌼26 June: Mercury enters Leo
19 notes
·
View notes
Text
LOW ENERGY LITHA ACTIVITIES
light colourful candles
watch the sun rise or sun set
brew a honey & chamomile tea
burn a floral scented incense
decorate your altar with flowers
eat fresh fruits and berries
open the windows and let fresh air in
admire flowers
read a faerie related book
have a cleansing bath or shower
meditate outside
press some wildflowers in a book
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁





⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
What is Beltane?
Beltane is a fire festival celebrated on the night of April 30th into May 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, and around October 31st into November 1st in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, honoring fertility, passion, and the sacred union between the divine feminine and masculine. Traditionally, it signals the beginning of the light half of the year, a time of growth, abundance, warmth, and blooming life. Beltane celebrates freedom, love, lust, creativity, and the return of life to the natural world, bringing with it new, flourishing beginnings. May 1st is a day of joy and play. After a harsh winter, it becomes a celebration of renewal, of aliveness, and of nature’s wild rebirth.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
The History of Beltane
The name Beltane comes from Old Irish Beltene, meaning "bright fire" or "The fires of Bel". Some people link it to the Celtic god Belenus, a solar and healing deity, while others have drawn comparisons to Baal, a fertility god, though that idea is debated and not widely accepted.
Historically, Beltane was celebrated in Celtic regions, most notably Ireland and Scotland, as a pastoral festival. Bonfires were lit on hilltops, and cattle were driven between two of them to protect them from disease and ensure fertility. People would jump over the flames, not just for luck, but as a way to connect with sacred fire and invoke fertility, health, and courage for the coming summer season.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Beltane and the Fairy Realm
Beltane is a liminal time, one of the two key points in the year (along with Samhain) when the veil between our world and the Otherworld grows thin. While Samhain leans into the realm of spirits and ancestors, Beltane belongs to the fae.
It is said that on the eve of Beltane, the Fair Folk wander freely, drawn to laughter, music, and offerings left with care. In many old traditions, people avoided disturbing fairy mounds or sacred groves during this time, choosing instead to leave gifts like milk, honey, or sweet bread beneath hawthorn trees. These offerings were meant to honor the fae, invite blessings, and protect against mischief.
Wearing a crown of bluebells on Beltane Eve is said to help one see the faeries, as bluebells are sacred to them. A ring of blooming bluebells is also believed to be a favorite gathering spot for garden faeries.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Beltane and the Hawthorn Tree
Few trees are more sacred to Beltane than the hawthorn. Often called the “fairy tree” in Irish and Scottish folklore, it is said to guard the entrances to the Otherworld. Blooming right around May 1st, its soft white-pink blossoms carry the energy of protection, love, and the unseen.
In Celtic tradition, hawthorn trees were deeply respected as portals to the realm of the fae. During Beltane, it was common to tie ribbons or small offerings to the branches while making heartfelt wishes, not demands, but gentle hopes whispered like prayers. Damaging or cutting a hawthorn tree, especially during this sacred time, was believed to bring terrible luck or stir the wrath of the Fair Folk.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
The Sacred Fire
Fire is the central symbol of Beltane. The festival’s original name literally refers to Bel’s fires, honoring the sun and invoking purification and fertility.
Traditionally, two large bonfires were lit at Beltane, and people, along with their animals, would walk, dance, or even leap between them for blessings, healing, and protection. In some regions, ashes from the sacred fire were scattered over fields to encourage fertility. Couples, especially newlyweds, often passed hand-in-hand through the smoke as a symbol of unity and renewal.
The fire wasn’t just a ritual, it was a living spirit. Lighting it the old way, through friction rather than matches or lighters, was seen as a sacred act, calling upon the raw elemental force of nature itself.
Even today, many Beltane celebrations honor this ancient custom through bonfires, candle magic, and fire rituals. You don’t need a blaze on a hilltop, even a single flame, lit with intention, can carry the sacred spark of Beltane into your home and heart. :D
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
The Maypole
The maypole is one of the most central symbols of modern Beltane celebrations. Though it has roots in English May Day traditions, it’s been beautifully woven into Beltane for its rich symbolism of life, fertility, and union.
The tall, phallic pole rising from the earth represents the God, masculine energy, vitality, and the spark of creation. The colorful ribbons and flowers spiraling around it, often held by dancers weaving in circles, represent the Goddess, the womb, fertility, and abundant life. Together, they form a sacred spiral: a dance of harmony between the masculine and feminine, of earth and sky, movement and stillness.
As dancers move around the maypole, their steps create a living mandala, a spell in motion, tied with laughter and bright ribbons.
The dance itself is a celebration of harmony between forces, of weaving ourselves back into the rhythm of the land.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Beltane x Handfasting
Beltane is also a favored time for handfasting, a traditional pagan betrothal or wedding ritual where a couple’s hands are bound together with ribbons, cords, or braided threads to symbolize their union. In ancient times, a handfasting ceremony could last for a year and a day, after which the couple had the choice to stay together or part ways. Today, many modern pagans choose Beltane as a powerful and romantic time to make such commitments, drawn to the fertile energy of the season. Handfastings are often held outdoors, in nature, near fire, under blooming trees, or surrounded by loved ones in sacred space. The vows exchanged during these rituals can be traditional or deeply personal, as the magic of the ceremony lies in the heart connection and the intention to walk beside each other, bound by love and commitment.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Magic Correspondences
Planets: Venus
Season: Midpoint between spring and summer
Element: Fire
Time of the Day: Noon
Tarot Cards: The Strength, The Lovers, The Sun, Three of Cups
Colors: Green, Red, Pink, Yellow, Purple, White, Sky Blue, All Pastel Colors
Herbs: Mint, Rosemary, Thyme, Ivy, Nettle, Sage, Basil, Juniper, Clover, Mugwort
Fruits: Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Lemon, Cherries
Vegetables: Cucumbers, Carrots, Garlic, Lettuce, New Potatoes
Crystals: Emerald, Bloodstone, Rose Quartz, Carnelian, Red Jasper, Green Aventurine, Moonstone, Fire Agate
Runes: Kenaz, Wunjo, Ingwaz
Trees: Hawthorn, Elder, Willow, Birch
Goddesses: Artemis, Diana, Brigid, Aphrodite, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Astarte, Venus, Juno, Freyja, Epona, Bastet
Gods: Pan, Cernunnos, Belenus, Dionysus, The Green Man, Bacchus, Priapus, Faunus, Eros, Ra
Dragons: Sairys, Fafnir
Flowers: Lilac, Bluebells, Daisy, Lilies, Foxglove, Lily of the Valley, Marigold, Tulips, Violets, Primrose, Peony, Poppy, Honeysuckle
Animals: Frogs, Swans, Cows, Deer, Squirrels, Sheep, Ducks, Cats, Bees, Rabbits, Swallows, Leopards, Lynx, Hares
Magical Powers: Love, Sex, Fertility, Protection, Cleansing, Transformation
Symbols: Maypole, Ribbons, Phallus, Bonfire, Flowers, Faeries, Sex, Floral Crowns, Frogs, Celtic Knots
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Activities to do:
🌸 Make flower-shaped biscuits
🌸 Do candle magick
🌸 Find a local hawthorn tree and make a wish to the faeries
🌸 Wear flowers in your clothes, hair, or as bracelets
🌸 Leave offerings for faeries, as this is the season when they’re most present, you can leave them honey, milk, or biscuits
🌸 Go out for a walk in nature and feel the arrival of summer
🌸 Make a fire in the yard and dance around it (only in safe circumstances, of course); if you don’t have resources, you can light candles in your room (again, be careful)
🌸 Eat anything with oats, as it’s associated with Beltane, such as oatmeal, oatcakes, or other oat-based foods
🌸 Do a tarot or rune reading in the morning of Beltane
🌸 Take care of the trees in your yard or nearby by watering them
🌸 Honor all deities associated with fertility
🌸 Practice faerie magick
🌸 On the morning of Beltane, open your windows or door to warmly welcome the energy of the sabbat.
🌸 Make a Beltane magick jar
🌸 Water your flowers
🌸 Listen to music and dance :D
🌸 Celebrate life, fertility, love, and union
🌸 Take care of your garden, plant seeds, clean dried leaves, and prepare for summer
🌸 Make special Beltane treats
🌸 Casting your circles with oats around this time of year is also a good idea, as oats are a traditional Beltane grain for good luck
🌸 Have a picnic with your loved ones, or organize a gathering with food and grilling
🌸 Honor your ancestors
🌸 Place decorations in your garden
🌸 Plant a tree with any intention you want and take care of it
🌸 Draw runes and specific symbols on paper and burn them
🌸 Do self-love activities
🌸 Practice sex or love magick
🌸 Look for hawthorns in your area and honor them with water and offerings for faeries
🌸 Make a maypole
🌸 Collect flowers
🌸 On the morning of May 1st, wash your face with May Dew or natural spring water
🌸 Connect with the fire element
🌸 Read about the fair folk
🌸 Have a bonfire with your loved ones
🌸 Place ribbons or colored thread in trees with intentions for each, you can use color magick to attract what you need in your life right now (pink for love,
🌸 Meditate
🌸 Make flower crowns and wreaths
🌸 Perform spells for fertility, purification, and love
🌸 As this is a day of love, if you are of an appropriate age, comfortable, being sexually active is part of the celebration
🌸 Buy seeds and plant them in your garden, welcoming the growth of new life
🌸 Create a Beltane altar
🌸 If you don't have a maypole you can dance around your favorite tree <3
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
Food and Drinks:
Oats in all forms (oatmeal, oat cookies, oat bread, oatcakes, bannock), strawberries, blueberries, honey, whipped cream with oats, strawberry biscuits, oat and honey bread, blackberry pie, lavender cake, cheese (including Swiss), seasonal potato dishes, fresh fruit salads, tomato and cucumber salads, dairy or plant-based milks, vanilla-flavoured foods, ice cream, grilled food, BBQ, spicy dishes to honor the fire element, May Day wine, white wine, regular wine (with a strawberry placed at the bottom of the glass if you wish), tarts with cheese, mayonnaise.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁
3K notes
·
View notes
Text
Spiritual protection in the Greco-Roman world
This was this week’s hot topic, so I’m using the opportunity to make some things clear from a purely hellenic and historical perspective. Needless to say I am tired of seeing modern magical concepts being slapped on ancient beliefs and I am not writing this post unbiased.
Amulets Etymologically, the word amulet probably means “something that can be carried”. It’s, personally speaking, my favorite type of protection. Technically speaking, an amulet could, therefore, be a lot of different things as long as they serve two main purposes: tutelage (protection) and prophylaxis (preventive).
Let’s go through some of the most common types:
Bulla: typically given to male roman children 9 days after birth. It is worn like a locket where other amulets are placed (typically phalluses).
Lunula: a crescent moon pendant worn by little and young roman girls until their mariage.
Fascinum, tintinnabula and other phalli: the symbol of protection par excellence, found in many shapes and forms. The tintinnabula is more potent, as it also has bells, which are considered apotropaic as well. Bells could also be put around children’s and animal’s neck for a similar protective effect.
The Eye (mati): still widely in use, it appears as soon as the 6th century BC on Greek cups. Sometimes added on the phallus for a double protective effect (also true for wings).
Gorgoneion: Often worn simply as a pendant and easily found a bit everywhere, from house thresholds to carved on bullae.
Hercules’ Club: late Antiquity amulets shaped like wooden clubs and most common in Roman Germany between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. An examplary speciment bears the inscription “Deo Herculi”, thus confirming its link to Hercules hero worship.
Amulet strings: Mostly seen for Athenian children. It is a cord with several amulets attached to it that is worn diagonally (or on the chest) instead of around the neck so the child can’t choke on it.
Garter and waist amulet strings: Mostly worn by Greek women. Their function is debated, but it seems that amulets that were worn this way might have had something to do with easing childbirth, menstruation and sexuality in general (eg. to avoid miscarriages or, the opposite, as a contraceptive).
Coiled snake ring/bracelet: Common protection for young Roman women.
Depiction of gods on medaillons and other objects: quite a straightforward way to put yourself under the protection of a deity. Helios and Semele together seem to both have been a popular choice.
Coins: Especially old reused coins, sometimes pierced in the middle but not always. This is especially the case for coins which have the image of a deity or hero (Alexander the Great got very popular for this function). Other notable examples include Fortuna, Nike or Helios. The image on the coin matters more than the coin itself.
This is not even an extensive list, but it’s worth noting that when we’re talking about the ancients, we’re talking about people who have been put under some kind of magical protection since their first days of life. I personally have used 2 types of amulet cited above so far, a silver coiled snake ring which I worn until it broke, which I replaced by a fascinum. This one travels with me, as I keep it with my apartment keys but I have 2 consecrated phalli in my apartment that also serve a purpose: one to Dionysus and one to Priapus. The latter being by definition, a protective deity.
Protection starts at the threshold
I know this can be hard to pull off, but in ideal conditions, you’d want to have a small altar or shrine by the main door of your place. Amulets are meant to follow you around, but protecting your space is just as important. In one of the ridiculous arguments I’ve witnessed this week, someone said, and I paraphrase, that “you could have negative entity living in your house and fucking your life up” when trying to honor the gods, which is “why you should banish“. The problem here is banish against what? If the answer here is “negative spirits”, then, by hellenic standards, this is a whole other process that:
1) Doesn’t happen at the altar 2) Protects the household on the long term instead of a one shot thing
This, alongside other elements of ancient greek theology, is why you don’t need to “protect yourself when you approach the gods” and other ridiculous claims I’ve seen. If you need to protect yourself in such manner, it means you never either 1) developped kharis with a deity to protect you or 2) took care of protecting your place.
The first protection for a typical greek door would be an aniconic pillar dedicated to Apollo Agyieus aka “of the street” because that pillar was outside of the house. This Apollo, protector of entrances is also called Thyraios in later sources:
Apud Graecos Apollo colitur qui Θυραῖος vocatur, eiusque aras ante fores suas celebrant, ipsum exitus et introitus demonstrantes potentem. The Greeks worship Apollo under the name Thyraios and tend his altars in front of their doors, thereby showing that entrances and exits are under his power.
-Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.9.6
It’s important to note that the same epithet is attested for Hermes, which makes total sense since he and Hekate are also traditionally linked to the protection of thresholds (represented by hekataia and herms).
Why am I insisting so much on doors? To quote Johnston:
“Divinities who guard the entrances to cities or private dwellings would be expected to avert all sorts of dangers that might threaten those dwelling within, from burglars to mice, but in ancient Greece (like many other places), they were particularly expected to ward off unhappy souls and other demonic creatures, who were believed to congregate at entrances for two reasons. First, because inhabitants vigilantly used protective devices to keep them out, these creatures were imagined to lurk near entrances, patiently awaiting those rare moments of laxity when they might dart back inside.”
It’s important to note that the protection granted by threshold deities, whether it is Hecate, Hermes or Apollo is that it concerns both the mundane and the spiritual, restless spirits are one thing but it seems to extend to general ills.
Conclusion
I should add, before wrapping this up, that there is an evolution in time with how the Ancients considered their protection to work. As such, between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, amulets weren’t so prevalent. The gods were considered the only ones who had the ability to protect. After the end of the 5th century onwards, there is a gradual shift towards a more “DIY” approach to protection, where human action is considered impactful, thus making the use of atropopaic amulets relevant.
Further reading:
Faraone C., The Transformation of Greek Amulets in Roman Imperial Times, 2018
Habib R. R., Protective Magic in Ancient Greece: Patterns in the Material Culture of Apotropaia from the Archaic to Hellenistic Periods, 2017
Johnston I. S., Restless Dead: Encounters between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece, 1999
Kerr M. D., Gods, Ghosts and Newlyweds: exploring the uses of the threshold in Greek and Roman superstition and folklore, 2018
Porto C, V., Material Culture as Amulets: Magical Elements and the Apotropaic in Ancient Roman World in: Philosophy Study, 2020
2K notes
·
View notes