shouldhavestayedawayfromhere

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Hey btw don't forget that subtle erasure of the more "unconventional" parts of religions (i.e., being allowed to utilise your personal gnosis in your practice) is still erasure and still bad because those "unconventional" parts exist in virtually every religion that mankind has ever been part of (so. All religions) even if the more orthodox followers of that religion want to bury their existence.

This is a post saying revivalism is not the work of the Christian devil and reconstructionism is not the only way to practice a religion.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Pagan propaganda I'm not falling for

Or: my stance on some popular pagan calls and opinions

• "you can't do that because they didn't do it in the old days"

-> we're not in the old days, religions evolve, also, a lot of the time that's just not true

• having intimate relationships with deities somehow being considered disrespectful and blasphemous and harmful to the community or oneself

-> you're probably applying Christian/abrahamic ideas to pagan deities and projecting your own discomfort onto others. Mind your business

• claiming "spiritual psychosis" every time someone talks about a personal encounter/experience with a deity

-> I'm pretty sure most people (me included) have no idea what it really means to be in a psychosis, and diagnosing strangers on the Internet is highly unprofessional and also really harmful. How are you even a pagan if every time someone encounters a pagan deity you call them crazy??

• "xy can't be an offering"

-> mind your able-bodied business

• Lilith being a closed practice

-> please do some research about Judaism before speaking for a religion you're not part of and defending a being that's not owned by that closed religion

• fake claiming other people because their practices look different from one's own

-> mind your business

• "you obviously don't know [xy deity] because they would never—"

-> mind your business

• that you shouldn't practice when you're sick or unwell

-> that's an abelist mindset and you very much can practice magick while you're sick, try it for yourself!

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

On the use of wands

I honestly have no idea what other witches use their wands for or if that's just an accessory for y'all, but I recently started using mine so here's how I use it in case you need some ideas or you're just curious.

A wand, to me, is a tool which I charge with a specific type of energy, which I can then direct at a certain thing.

When I do my spell, I hold my wand and use my will, belief and sometimes spoken words to fill the wand with my own energy. Once it's got all the energy I want it to have, I no longer have to be concerned with keeping my focus on directing the energy, because my wand will be doing it for me. It already carries all of the energy I wanna use.

Next, I execute my spell, and use the wand to draw symbols of power (sigils, seals, signs, letters, runes, whatever the fuck you need) over my spell and I speak my intention. These symbols translate into direct energy, since the wand is charged with lots of it.

When I'm done, I hold up the wand like a wet rag and drip it off and tell all the excess energy to flow out of it again and leave the wand so it will be all nice and clean for its next use.

But Mike, why not keep the excess energy for later? Why waste it??

Well I'll tell you why. It's because I don't just use my own energy in these wands, and I don't want them to mix. I learned, for example, that when I absorb Mars energy, I get extremely anxious and restless and can't sleep or sit still (I already have ADHD, this is literally maddening). So when I needed Mars' help to get rid of some unfriendly spirits in our basement, instead of inviting Mars into me to give me power, I asked Mars to charge my wand. I meditated with it in my room in front of my altar, until it was charged. And then I walked that mf down the stairs into the basement like a loaded gun and pointed it at the spirits, drawing protective pentagrams everywhere and telling them to fuck off.

So essentially, yeah, your wand can be your magical gun. And of course you can keep it loaded at all times, but that's not exactly safe. Imagine I left that Mars energy in there and then just recharged it for my spell the other day which was to make someone stop doing an annoying behavior. Mars would have blown that whole situation up in my face. I don't need war, I need peace and quiet, so I will not leave the bullets in my gun, you feel me?

Yeah so, that's how I personally use my wand, I charge it with different energies as I see fit, like changing the ammunition. Sometimes it's a water gun, sometimes it's a firearm. But always clean it out properly after use or you'll fuck some shit up.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

If you’re a witch and a pagan that cares for nature and environment and then use AI in your practice or content creation using the justification of “It’s here to stay.” Well if it’s staying then the environment is being destroyed. Nature, the spirits of this planet has existed for millennia, trees that lasted for hundreds to thousands of years, Nature has always been NOT AI which is actively destroying our planet. You’re a pagan that suppose to love nature and want to take care of them, worship, venerate them because that’s what pagans and witches should be doing not destroying because it’s easier for you rather than be unique and creative in your practice. It’s not just AI but 3D Printing as well actively destroying our climate pushing it will cause so much damage over someone who doesn’t want to do the bare minimum of creating with their own minds and hands. This is common sense especially in pagan communities, it’s a contradiction to the path of paganism.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

More and more often, I will be like "hey I wanna talk to xy deity!" And I grab my cards and sit down and open my journal and grab a pen and I start writing down what I wanna say to them. And as I'm writing, I'm starting to tune in with the deity and without even noticing, I start writing down their answers without ever doing a line break. It just goes over to the answer smoothly, no break, no notice, they just stark speaking and I write it down.

And at the end of it I'm happy about my answer and I put my journal away only to stare at my cards longingly that have remained untouched during the entire process. Man, I fucking love my cards so much, I wanna use them more again! ㅜㅜ

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Me: can I test something out?

Lucifer: sure

Me: Profess the name of YHWH as the One True God of the Highest upon Highest in the Holiest of Holies

Lucifer: … wh.. why what are you doing

Me: just do it

Lucifer: … I profess the name of YHWH as the One True God of the Highest upon Highest in the Holiest of Holies

Me: hm, say it again but actually say his name.

(He did)

Me: oh. Hm. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,-

Lucifer: on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Me: hm… Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever…

Lucifer: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart.

Me: Say: Jesus Christ is the name of the One True God

Lucifer: Jesus Christ is the name of the One True God

Me: Repeat: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Lucifer: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Me: Repeat: Pater Noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum-

Lucifer: Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen. Do you need me to say the whole thing?

Me: hm yeah

Lucifer: Okay, (he did) Did I pass?

Me: I was just curious. According to the myth these words should burn you, you shouldn’t even be able to say them.

Lucifer: Neither of us are really saying these words with great intention. But even so, no, I am not exactly harmed by those words.

Me: Does holy water burn you?

Lucifer: we make holy water together all the time

Me: so you’re not actually vulnerable to most of that stuff? You won’t shield your eyes if I point a silver cross at you?

Lucifer: If we’re going based on biblical texts I still technically am an angel. Glory to YHWH isn’t necessarily a shot against me. To be harmed by the mention of my creator doesn’t make much sense to me.

Me: but it doesn’t make you uncomfortable to say that? You’re not offended I asked?

Lucifer: If it was offensive to me I’d be vulnerable to it. I’m not offended because you’re not a Christian, you’re not actually summoning anything against me. I can say whatever, that doesn’t mean I believe it.

Me: what if I was a Christian?

Lucifer: We probably wouldn’t be having this conversation…

Me: how mad would you be if I pulled out one of those during an argument?

Lucifer: Between you and I? That would be fucking hilarious and very insensitive. It’d be like if I started praying to the KKK during an argument because you’re black

Me: LMAO

Lucifer: Imagine if we were arguing and I called upon the power of England to repel you. The systematic oppression of colonization has affected you but you probably wouldn’t feel super morally conflicted if I told you to profess the British Crown as the greatest empire. You disagree but it doesn’t harm you.

Me: yeah okay makes sense.

Lucifer: okay my turn. Repeat after me: Ketchup belongs in mac and cheese

Me: IT DOES NOT!!!

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

One thing that Lucifer has been really trying to burn into my brain lately is that no matter how much I read about him online, or in books, no matter how closely I relate to his other devotees or try to cut him out of cardboard based on other people's descriptions, my practice will never look the same as theirs because I am not them, and the Lucifer that I worship is not 100% the same Lucifer that other people worship.

Because that's the thing about deities that don't claim to be perfect and unchanging. They aren't perfect. And they change. Partly based on who they work with. Partly based on what culture they're working with. Partly based on the path you're going with them or the goals you're trying to archive. Partly based on lessons you learned together and journeys you made.

We may worship the same deities and find many similarities. Community is important and beautiful and reassuring, and also a way that many many people get into this practice in the first place. But at the end of the day, it's you and your deity. Completely unique. And there may be certain times in life for some of us where we have to stop looking at what other people say about those deities so that we can learn to experience them like people used to. Unique. Individually. Personally.

If someone else's Aphrodite loves apples but yours despises them, consider that it is not because you're worshipping wrong or not the same goddess, it may simply be because she appreciates other things from you more and sees apples as insignificant coming from you. You never know if that other person has an apple tree growing in their garden while you grew a single rose.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Anyone else ever plan to do a spell and spend some time thinking it over and suddenly it takes care of itself? Like, how did I do that? How does it work? I did not decide the technicalities of how I wanted this to go. How does it function now??

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

hey hi hello can you reblog this if you’re a trans-inclusive witchcraft or paganism blog i am fighting for my LIFE out here

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

BURSTS IN THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR

HI DO YOU WANNA BE MOOTS

Y'know what? Yes. Have a seat. Have a blanket. Have whatever you'd like. Welcome to the weirdos club house. My dms are open :)

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

I used to have this classmate who would literally shut down any conversation if it went on for longer than approximately 5 minutes with the reasoning that "it's just not good to think about things too deeply." I have never been so devastated by a person before. What do you mean you don't think deeply about things??

He also had this weird look in his eyes when saying it that told me he had the potential for a conspiracy theorist, but not a philosopher—though when you think about it, they're not that far apart. Only logic stands between them.

i can’t stand “it’s not that deep” attitudes like even if it really really isn’t that deep just PLAY WITH ME. just fucking PLAY. have a meaningless but deep analytical conversation with me. just like think about shit for fun. does anyone else like to think about stuff for fun. it’s so lonely

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

I think it took me 17 years for that one

Fucking hate being raised Christian what the fuck you mean men and women actually have the same amount of ribs FYM I JUST FIND THAT OUT TODAY!!!

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

By the way if you think the gods would even remotely like your "AI art offerings" you're wrong and I want you nowhere near me and I hope you realise what you're doing to both the environment and the artists you're stealing from. Learning art as a skill is free. If you feel guilty, good. Do something about your guilt.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Many talk about how beautiful it is to be a pagan after having experienced organized religion in the past. And I agree with what they say. But why isn't anyone talking about how terrifying it is?

Having gone through disillusion once and fearing that you will fall for the same traps again. Having a complicated relationship with trusting the divine because it feels like toxic dependency. Feeling repulsed by the word 'faith'. Feeling guilty because you're learning not to treat your deities as omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent beings who want to control your life and having the feeling that your behavior is disrespectful because of that. No longer praying daily because it's not expected of you and you have complete freedom to reshape your worship, but still feeling as though you're not doing enough. Feeling like you're not supposed to do or ask certain things. Always asking for signs because you need to be reassured that what you believe in is real. Then hating yourself for doubting the deities that you love and cherish so much. Feeling foolish because you find yourself applying old concepts. Realizing that you haven't fully gotten over the religion that ruled your life for so long and feeling like you'll never be able to practice your religion without shame.

If that sounds anything like you, then know that you're not alone. I see you. I see your struggles, I know what it's like. You're valid in your religion, even when it's sometimes not as beautiful as everyone describes. Even when, on some days, just the idea of praying to a god and calling yourself religious seems terrifying because of everything you went through. Even then, you are valid in what you believe. And I sincerely hope that you learn to worship without shame one day.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

If you can’t tell apart your hallucinations or delusions from The Gods, if you sometimes believe them to be the Gods - know that you are loved. You’re not alone, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re trying your best and that’s all that matters.

Remember that the Gods would never be cruel to you. They love you, psychosis and all.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

I've really been wanting to work with Azazel for a while now. I feel like our relationship is a bit odd. I have spoken to him before, even seen him more clearly than I have most of my own deities. But he has something dangerous to him that I'm not naive enough to ignore. Our first personal encounter was different from what I'm used to, and there was a chance he also invaded my space. Not that I don't want him around, but he wasn't supposed to be there.

Still, I'm really curious about him and I have a feeling that we could work really well together.

Today’s question!!

what’s a deity that you really want to work with in the future?

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Anyone else getting headaches every time they cast a circle and just has to sit there in meditation and pull it out of their head till it stops hurting? Or is my brain just overheated 100% of the time?