#Red Ruby haRe

[misscloudiedays]

Red Ruby haRe

[differentsoulsweets]

Aphrodite : Introductory post

Αφροδιτη [Venus] War Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Procreation

Epithets: ⟡ Ourania - Heavenly ⟡ Pandemos - Common to All ⟡ Areia - of ares, Warlike ⟡ Hoplismene - Armed ⟡ Symmakhia - Ally (In Love) ⟡ Kypris - Of Cyprus ⟡ Philomeides - Laughter-Loving ⟡ Aphrogenia - Foam-born ⟡ Khysee - Golden ⟡ Pothon Meter - Mother of Desire

Domains: ⟡ love ⟡ Sex & procreation ⟡ Seduction ⟡ Beauty ⟡ Pleasure ⟡ War

Devotional acts: ⟡ Give compliments! ⟡ Create a skincare and bodycare routine ⟡ Collect pretty things ⟡ listen to music that makes you feel good, dance to it if you are able ⟡ have a dedicated chapstick, gloss, lip tint or lipstick!

Associations

Symbol: ⟡ Dove ; Apple ; Myrtle-wreath ; Flower

Color: ⟡ Pink ✧ Red ✧ Blue ✧ Green ✧ White ✧ Gold

Metal: ⟡ (upg) bronze

Crystals & stones: ⟡ Garnet ✧ Ruby ✧ Rose Quartz ✧ Pearls ✧ Diamond ✧ Sapphire ✧ Aquamarine

Fruits,Vegetables,Flowers,Herbs: ✧ Rose ✧ Anemone ✧ Apple ✧ Daffofil ✧ Myrtle ✧ Myrrh ✧ Lettuce ✧ Pomegranate

Animal: ✧ Hare ✧ Turtle - dove ✧ Sparrow ✧ Goose ✧ Swan

Incense: ✧ Frankincense ⟡ Rose ⟡ Myrrh ⟡ Vanilla ⟡ Cinnamon ⟡ Cypress ⟡ Jasmine

Food & Drinks: ✧ Pink ⟡ Red ⟡ Blue ⟡ Green ⟡ White ⟡ Gold

Day, Season, Time of Day: ✧ Venus ; Friday

Tarot: ✧ The Empress ✧ The Star ✧ The Lovers

[causeimhappinesss]

Rome's devotion (part 1)

Warnings: Emperors Geta & Caracalla are a warning themselves, (slight?) blasphemy, slight non-con/dub-con, misogyny (Ancient Rome, so…)

Pairing: Geta x Christian!reader x Caracalla (tell me which pairing I should focus on, please)

Words: 2,8k

Disclaimer: English isn't my first language (I'm french), so you can correct me if you spot some mistakes :)

Part 2

-

The marble floor chills my knees as I scrub, the rough bristles of my brush rasping against the stone, lifting away the grime left behind by sandaled feet. My fingers are raw, my knuckles cracked from soap and water. The scent of oil and damp stone clings to the air, thick with the lingering aroma of roasted meats and spiced wine from earlier feasts. My back aches, but I do not stop. Stopping means being noticed.

“Y/N.” A voice cuts through the quiet, low and urgent.

I look up. Claudia kneels beside me, her face damp with sweat. Her tunic clings to her skin, her eyes darting about like a frightened hare.

"Lucius is sick. Fever." Her fingers curl around my wrist, gripping hard. "You must serve the Emperors tonight."

I recoil slightly, though I do not pull away completely. My stomach knots.

"Me?"

"Who else?" Her voice is hushed, but sharp. "You know what happens when orders aren’t followed."

I do. I have seen it. The punishments are swift, brutal. I have no choice.

I push myself to my feet, brushing dust from my tunic. The linen is rough against my skin, but that is the least of my worries. My Ichthus pendant shifts beneath the fabric, a small weight against my ribs, its presence both a comfort and a warning.

The Palatine dining room looms before me, impressive and opulent, the doors opened by the Pretorians guards. Braziers with candles cast flickering light over marble columns, their polished surfaces reflecting scenes of conquest and gods in golden relief. The air is thick with incense, a heady mix of myrrh and cinnamon that does little to mask the underlying musk of sweat, wine, tangled with the lingering smoke. Heavy tapestries hang from the walls, their deep reds and golds a sharp contrast to the dull gray of the stone. The long table before me is draped with a rich purple cloth, its surface cluttered with silver platters piled high with meats and fruits, wine flowing freely from golden goblets. The air smells of roasted meats, spices, and the faint musk of sweat and incense. Servants move quietly, their sandals barely making a sound on the cold floor. Every corner of the room feels weighted, heavy with power and the sharp, expectant gaze of those who sit at the head of the table.

Being silent, I step inside, my eyes low, my body tense.

Emperor Geta reclines on a couch draped in deep purple fabric, his golden curls slightly disheveled, his tunic a shimmering blend of silver and dark blue embroidery. Rings weigh down his fingers, glinting in the dim light. Across from him, his brother, Emperor Caracalla, sits more rigid, broader of shoulder, softer in the face. Isn’t ironical from someone with such a reputation? He lifts a cup to his lips without looking at me, his grip tight around the handle, knuckles slightly whitening. His tunic is red, with gold ornaments, the color matching his jewelry.

I step forward, the amphora of wine heavy in my hands. My pulse thuds in my throat as I tilt it carefully, the thick, ruby-red liquid flowing into Geta’s cup. The scent rises—rich, aged, laced with spices I cannot name. A drink I will never taste. My own wine is bitter, watered down, tasting of sour dregs and dust. This wine is liquid gold. Made by the Gods for the gods, as I heard.

Neither brother acknowledges me. Their conversation continues, words slipping between them like the edge of a blade.

“The legions are restless,” Geta says, swirling his cup, watching the wine cling to the sides. “You’ve heard the rumors.”

Caracalla scoffs and lick his lips before he pouts like a child.

“I hear everything. And I crush what needs crushing.”

Geta smirks, taking a sip. “So you say.”

The tension between them crackles like a storm on the horizon. I step back, keeping my hands folded before me, head bowed. I must be invisible. I must be nothing.

The doors open again, and a new tray is carried in. The rich scent of roasted fowl, honeyed dates, and spiced garum fills the air. My stomach twists. The taster, a woman older than me, her hands calloused from years of servitude, steps forward. She does not hesitate. She lifts a knife, slices into the meat, then the vegetables, brings them to her lips. Chews. Swallows.

Caracalla watches her closely, his fingers tapping against his goblet. His gaze is sharp, calculating.

“And?” he asks, his voice like a blade drawn from its sheath.

The taster inclines his head. “It is good, Augustus.”

Caracalla doesn’t respond, only reaching for his knife, playing with it, waiting for the effects of a potential poison to act on its victim. His shoulders remain tense, his eyes never leaving the taster. I glance at the older servant only briefly as she retreats on the side. Her hands do not shake, but I wonder if her heart does.

I stand still, waiting, watching from beneath lowered lashes. The Emperors laugh, their conversation shifting from war to more trivial matters: women, entertainment, the foolishness of senators. Their voices rise and fall, their words edged with cruelty and indulgence. I try not to listen, but their words coil around me, impossible to ignore.

My heart beats against my ribs, a frantic rhythm that doesn’t match the leisurely pace of their meal. My pendant presses into my skin, a silent prayer written in silver.

They do not see me.

I must make sure they never do.

Again, when their cups are empty, I step forward, the amphora of wine heavy in my hands. My pulse thuds in my throat as I tilt it carefully, the thick, ruby-red liquid flowing into Geta’s cup.

A giggle. High, sharp. Caracalla.

My blood turns to ice.

I shiver, my breath catching in my throat. A presence, heavy, scorching like a brand, settles on me. I don’t look. I dare not.

“You. More wine.” Geta’s voice is smooth, languid.

Without a word, I comply, the amphora steady in my hands despite the tightness in my chest. His fingers brush mine as I pour. A slow touch. My pulse pounds, but I keep my expression neutral, my voice low. Unfortunately, I can feel his gaze lingering on me.

Breathe… Just breathe…

“Look at me, woman.”

I hesitate, then lift my eyes on his own his iris, brown, deep as the earth after rain, studying me with something unreadable. He tilts his head.

“I have never seen you before.” He comments with a tone full of curiosity.

He shifts his focus on Emperor Caracalla who smirks, flashing us like thunder his gold tooth.

“Brother? Have you noticed her?”

“A servant? Should I?” he chuckles.

Geta's lips curve slightly before turning back to me. “Your name?”

I wet my lips and clears my voice, bowing my head.

“Y/N, Augustus.”

Caracalla hums and pats his fingers on the wooden table, in a strange rhythm, almost a soothing one. I know better than falling in his trap. I heard the rumors about their behavior, their hysteria, their violence, their anger for blood.

“That’s not your real name. That accent… You are not from Rome, mmmh.”

As a knot tightens in my stomach, I nod. My real name feels foreign on my tongue, yet I speak it, which makes Caracalla giggles and claps in his hands.

“Too complicated. The Roman version suits you better.”

The older twin leans back, satisfied and licks his lips, tilting his head on the side.

“How long have you been here?”

“Since Martius, my Emperor. Two months.”

My reply seems to satisfy them and soon, their focus come back on their plates full of food. The taster still stands, unharmed and the young Emperors begin their meal. As young as terrifying.

At some point, the large doors swing open. Praetorian guards step aside. A flood of silk and painted lips enters. The scent of perfume, heavy and cloying, fills the hall. Laughter, high and lilting, rings against the walls. Women dress so thinly, in clothes way too revealing, fills the place. Their concubines and whores, I realize. Heat rises to my cheeks. The air thickens, pressing against me like a weight.

They are not only Emperors, they are knows as kings of debauchery.

Geta flicks a wrist and slams his cup on the table.

“You may go.”

Caracalla chuckles. “Look how red she is. Shy little thing. Probably a virgin.”

I turn sharply, my heart pounding against my ribs as I slip from the room, leaving before my shame burns me alive.

*

Next day, same hour, same place, I step into the dining room again, heart pounding in my chest. The emperors, Geta and Caracalla, are already seated, their eyes following my every movement. The heavy scent of roasted meats and wine fills the air. I bow my head as I approach them, my hands trembling slightly as I prepare to serve.

“Ah, Y/N,” Geta murmurs, his voice smooth, teasing. “Come closer.”

I glance at him. His dark eyes glimmer with mischief. I swallow hard but approach as ordered. A goblet of wine rests in my hands. I kneel beside him, offering it with a steady arm.

“Not yet,” he says, his smile widening. “First, feed me.”

My breath catches in my throat. I know where this is going. I’m pretty sure he’s done this before to taunt other servants. A cruel game, and I am the unwilling pawn. Unfortunately, he picks a cluster of grapes from the bowl before me and holds it out, his eyes locked on mine with an unsettling intensity. Without a word, I grab one up, bringing it to his lips. The weight of his gaze presses down on me as he opens his mouth and bites into the fruit. My skin prickles. His fingers brush mine, sending a jolt through my body.

What is this? What’s happening…?

The touch is deliberate. I know it’s meant to embarrass me. He licks his lips, slow, tasting the juice, then brushes his lips over my fingers. I shudder. The sensation is enough to make my knees feel weak, but I force myself to remain still. My heart is hammering in my chest and blood boils in my veins. Veins they could slit if they just wanted it, without a single reason.

Caracalla laughs, his voice rich and cruel.

“Look at you, Y/N. So shy, so innocent” he comments, leaning back in his chair, his eyes flickering over me like a predator eyeing prey.

I feel his fingers on my thigh, just above the fabric of my tunic. Heat spreads across my skin. My breath catches, my heart racing. He presses gently, but the touch is enough to make my face burn with shame. I shouldn’t allow any men to touch me this way, inappropriately. I should reserve all of this for my future husband, one day…

Dear Lord, please, don’t hate me. I’m sure you know I don’t have a choice…

“Do you act this way for all men, or just us?” Caracalla keeps asking to make fun of me.

I try to speak, but my throat feels dry. He leans closer, his voice soft, dangerous.

“Are you a virgin, Y/N?”

I don’t answer. A wave of anxiety grips me. My body stiffens. Caracalla’s eyes, usually blue like the sky, are darkening just like the Mediterranean sea during a storm, and I feel his gaze sharpen.

“Answer him,” Geta commands, his voice smooth and insistent.

I hesitate, my pulse thrumming in my ears. The room feels too warm, too tight. Slowly, I nod.

“Yes. I am.”

The brothers exchange a glance, one that sends a chill down my spine. I wish I could disappear, but I hold my ground, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. A quick glance at the other servant, who’s standing nearby, offers me a flicker of comfort. Her eyes tell me to remain calm, though my heart is racing in my chest. Suddenly, Caracalla’s hand lingers on my thigh, his touch softer now, almost gentle. The tenderness doesn’t ease my anxiety. If anything, it makes it worse. I can feel the heat of his palm through the thin fabric of my tunic.

Then, as if their gods are toying with me, there’s a sudden rustling sound. I glance up, startled, as a small monkey, dressed in a brightly colored tunic, clambers onto Caracalla’s shoulder.

“Dondus, my sweet girl” Caracalla says, his voice full of amusement, “I think she likes you, Y/N.”

The monkey’s beady eyes twinkle as it hops from Caracalla’s shoulder to mine. I stiffen, trying not to show my discomfort. The creature sniffs at my hair, its tiny paws brushing against my neck, in a soft manner, almost playful.

But then, Dondus does something unexpected: the cute little creature tugs at my necklace, the Ichthus pendant I wear close to my skin. My breath hitches. Before I can react, the monkey yanks it free, the chain slipping from my neck with ease.

I feel sick. The color drains from my face as the necklace dangles from the monkey’s tiny paws. I try to steady my breath, but the tightness in my chest grows. The Ichthus is all I have left of my family, but it also betrays my faith… A faith I have to hide. Even if those Emperors are not the worst Emperors when it comes to the persecution of Christians, we are still frowned upon, sometimes rejected and condemned in harder ways than regular citizens.

“That’s mine,” I whisper, but the words feel lost in the heavy silence of the room.

Caracalla laughs again, his voice mocking as he watches me. “She’s not even upset, Geta. I think she likes our little Dondus more than you.”

Geta glances at me, his smile widening.

“She’s been so... obedient.”

I don’t know what to say. My throat tightens, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. The warmth from Caracalla’s hand still lingers on my skin. But all I can feel is the emptiness where my necklace once lay.

Dondus hops back onto Caracalla’s shoulder, still holding my necklace in his tiny hand. The little monkey looks up at his master, almost proudly. Caracalla grins, his gaze shifting to the pendant in the creature’s grasp. He reaches out, taking it from Dondus with a flick of his fingers, inspecting it with mock curiosity.

“My, my, my...” he murmurs, his lips curling into a sly smile.

Geta chuckles softly, his voice rich with amusement. “Christian,” he says, his tone dripping with mockery, with a spark of distaste.

As I feel the heat rising in my cheeks, I lower my gaze to the floor, trying to hide the shame that claws at my chest. The pendant is now dangling between Caracalla’s fingers, and I can almost hear the mocking laughter in his silence.

“You wear this?” Caracalla’s voice cuts through the stillness, dripping with mock disbelief. “Tell me, Y/N, what do you think of the gods?”

 “I respect every religion,” I reply, my voice steady, though my heart pounds in my chest. I know where this is going. I swallow hard.

Geta snorts, shaking his head in amusement. “Respect? Is that what Christians are taught? To respect everything?” He leans back in his chair, a knowing look in his eyes.

I meet his gaze, refusing to falter. “Indeed.” I answer quietly.

Caracalla lets out a low chuckle, and I feel his eyes on me, cold and calculating. His fingers stroke the inside of my thigh again, just like the day before. The warmth from his touch spreads through me, but there’s no comfort in it. Only tension.

“Where was your god when you needed him?” Caracalla’s voice is soft, but there's a dangerous edge to it. “Where was he when you had no choice but to come to Rome and serve us?”

The question hangs in the air, and I take a slow, steady breath, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “It’s His will,” I say, my voice calm, though the weight of the words presses on my chest. “My God has a plan for all of us.”

The silence that follows is thick with their amusement. Geta laughs first, a low, taunting sound that makes my skin prickle. Caracalla’s lips curl upward, his fingers still tracing over the curve of my thigh, sending shivers through me. His brother’s laughter fades, but his eyes remain sharp.

“Your god has no power here. Rome has no need for him. Rome’s devotion is the most important.”

He strokes his lips against my neck, making me bite my lower lips.

“You’re ours now. You’ll never escape.”

My heart skips a beat. His words are cold, cruel. I try to push the fear away, but it lingers in my chest, tightening with every passing second.

But then, Geta surprises me. He stands up, his hand outstretched. Before I can react, he pulls me toward him, forcing me to sit on his lap. I freeze, my breath caught in my throat. His fingers slip around my waist, gripping me tightly, and I can’t help the surge of heat that rises in my face. My body stiffens, my mind a whirlwind of confusion.

It’s wrong, and yet… it isn’t.

“Your god won’t help you, Y/N,” Geta whispers, his voice soft and dark. “Not here. Not in Rome. You’re mine now. And your god? He’s powerless against us.”

PART 2

- - -

Okay, this is the first time I've written in English in a long time, and for these characters. I hope it's not too bad! Should I write another part? If so, what would you like to read next?

Who should the reader end up with? Geta? Caracalla? Both?

Let me know <3

My AO3: BetrayedWriter

[razorblade180]

Ruby:Hey Jaune, what do you want for my birthday?

Jaune:Excuse me?

Ruby:You heard me. You know exactly what I want for my birthday, so the real question is what Halloween costume should be the “present wrap.”

Jaune:….Is this a judgment free zone?

Ruby:….Does the costume involve clown makeup?

Jaune:This sounds like judgment.

Ruby:Are we talking DC clown, or Ace Attorney clown?

Jaune:*sweating*……

Ruby:…..Is it Pomni?

Jaune:*covers face* Just breakup with me. I can take it.

Ruby:And here I thought you were a normal fan watching it with me!

Jaune:Like how you’re a “totally normal” Transformer fan?

Ruby:*red* Sir, lower your voice. *hugs gently* Make peace, not war.

Jaune:How quickly the judgment fades.

Ruby:I wasn’t judging! I just don’t understand liking someone that’s kinda cute but is also kinda pathetic at times.

Jaune:…..

Ruby:…..

Ruby:Fight me.

Jaune:I didn’t say anything!

Ruby:You didn’t have to! *pouts* Can it at least be in my colors?

Jaune:Isn’t that just Harely Quinn but as a sad jester?

Ruby:That’s- damn it! Am I just clown with no makeup!?

Jaune:You know what’s worse? You can’t be a Mime in your colors either.

Ruby:….Today is a dark day.

[broncoburro]

They do a bit - the biggest difference is between the "wild type" hares still used by nomads, and the "standard" stockier varieties you'll find in cities and towns. Standards have over time gotten shorter and more compact to work better as cart animals.

They are entirely black with red eyes. But try to tell someone haretouched this, and they'll insist they range an infinite number of colors, and that their eyes run a gamut from sparkling ruby red to deep scarlet. It's true that different pelts will shine different greens and blues in the light, but... the color naming can get almost fanatical.

Hares also can have some general individual differences like ear length, tail shape, snout length. To the layman though, they're hard to tell apart.

They're not bred for color. In fact, they're rarely bred for... many reasons. Hares have a long lifespan (longer than humans, sometimes...) and a haretouched human will usually only bond to one hare in their lifetime. They are difficult to breed too-- they get aggressive.

Hares are not purposefully bred in nomadic society. (You just go find one on the tundra, or sometimes a doe comes back pregnant.) In the settled north, they're bred only when too many cart hares have died in mining accidents or the like.

Still, if they were capable of coming in colors other than black, it seems like it would have happened by now.

...There are some old nothern legends about a snow white hare who only appears to those the "most cursed", but they're half-forgotten oral traditions at this point.

[greenwitchcrafts]

May 2025 Witch Guide

New Moon: May 26th

First Quarter: May 4th

Full moon: May 12th

Last Quarter: May 20th

Sabbats: Beltane- May 1st

May Flower Moon

Also known as: Budding Moon(Ojibwe), Dancing Moon(Tunica), Hare Moon, Faery Moon, Flowering Moon(Ojibwe), Flower Moon, Milk Moon, Planting Moon(Dakota, Lakota), Planting Month(Cherokee), Egg Laying Moon(Cree), Sproutkale, Snake Moon(Catawba), Summer Moon(Inupiat), They Plant Moon(Oneida), Thrimilemonath & Winnemanoth

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Taurus & Gemini

Nature spirts: Elves & faeries

Deities: Aphrodite, Artemis, Bast, Cernunnos, Diana, Flora, Horned God, Kali, Maia, Pan, Priapus & Venus

Animals: Cats, leopard & lynx

Birds: Dove, swallow & swan

Trees:  Hawthorne & rowan

Herbs: Cinnamon, dittany of Crete, elder, mint, mugwort & thyme

Colors: Brown, green, orange, pink, red & yellow

Flowers: Foxglove, lily of the valley, rose & yarrow

Scents: Rose & sandalwood

Stones:  Agate, amber, carnelian, emerald, garnet, malachite, rose quartz, ruby, tourmaline & tsavorite

Issues, intentions & powers:  Divination, enchantment, fertility, love & well-being

Energy: Abundance, creativity, faeries & spirt contact, intuition, love, material gains, money, propagation, relationships & tenacity

May is commonly referred to as the Flower Moon  and the name should be no surprise, because flowers spring forth across North America in abundance this month.

• “Flower Moon” has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, as confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario.

May’s Moon was also referred to as the “Month of Flowers” by Jonathan Carver in his 1798 publication, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768 (pp. 250-252), as a likely Dakota name. Carver stayed with the Naudowessie (Dakota) over a period of time; his expedition covered the Great Lakes region, including the Wisconsin & Minnesota areas.

Beltane

Known as: Beltaine, May day, Roodmas & Cethsamhain

Season: Spring

Element: Fire

Symbols: Eggs, flowers, faeries, faery circle(mushrooms),  maypoles, may bush & priapic wands

Colors: Blue, brown, green, light pink, orange, rainbow spectrum, red, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: Frankincense, jasmine, lemon, lilac, mint, passion flower, pine, rose, tuberose, vanilla, woodruff & ylang ylang

Animals: Bee, cattle, frog goat & rabbit

Birds: Dove

Stones: Bloodstone, emerald, lapis lazuli, orange carnelian, rose quartz & sapphire

Mythical: Faeries

Food: Beltane cakes, cherries, dairy foods, green herbal salads, honey, lemonade, meade, May wine(made with white wine, lemon slices & woodruff milk), nuts, oatmeal cakes, oats, strawberries & sweets

Herbs/Plants: Almond, angelica, blackberry, burdock, cinquefoil, damiana, frankincense, gorse, ivy, meadowsweet, mint, mugwort, rosemary, saffron, satyrion root, St John's wort & woodruff

Flowers:  bluebell, daisy, hibiscus, honeysuckle, lilac, lily of the valley. marigold, primrose, rose, rosehip, violet & yellow cowslips

Trees: Apple, ash, birch, cedar, elder, fir, hawthorn, juniper, linden, mesquite, oak, pine, poplar, rowan & willow

Goddesses: Areil, Aphrodite, Artemis, Astarte, Bona Dea, Chin-Hua-Fu-Jen, Cybele, Danu, Diana, Dôn, Eiru, Elen, Eostre, Fand, Flora, Freya, Frigg, Horae, Maia, Niwalen, Rauni, Rhea, Rhiannon, Sarasvati, Var, Venus & Xochiquetzal

Gods: Apollo, Baal, Bacchnalia, Balder, Belenus, Bele, Beltene, Cernunnos, Chung K'uei, Cupid, Eros, Faunus, Freyr, Grannus, The Green Man, Lares, Manawyddan, Odin, Pan,Pluto, Puck, Ra & Taranis

Tarot cards: The Empress, The Emperor, The Hight Priestess & The Magician

Spellwork: Abundance, birth, cooperation, Earth magick, growth, healing, health, love, manifestation, passion, pregnancy, protection, purification & union

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, creativity, fertility, lust, marriage, the underworld/otherworld, pleasure, psychic ability, purification, sensuality, sex, visions, warmth & youth

Activities:

•Decorate & dance around a Maypole

• Set up an outdoor altar & leave offerings to faeries

• Prepare a ritual bath with fresh flowers

• Light a bonfire or candles & dance around them

• Set aside time for self care

• Gather flowers & use them to decorate your home or altar

• Prepare a feast to celebrate with friends/family

• Make flower crowns

• Bake bannocks, oat cakes or cookies

• Hang wreaths decorated with ribbons & flowers

• Start a wish book/box/journal

• Visit sacred wells

• Participate in handfasting or romantic partnerships

• Work on/ create a community garden

• Go on a walk & give thanks to nature

• Remove litter from outdoor areas like streams & banks

• Plant flowers in your home, garden or neighborhood(check for non-invasive flowers for your area)

• Cast fertility spells/ participate in sacred sex

• Fill small baskets of flowers & small goodies, then leave them on your friends/neighbors doorstep as a gesture of goodwill & friendship

Beltane is mentioned in the earliest Irish literature and is associated with important events in Irish mythology. Also known as Cétshamhain (‘first of summer’), it marked the beginning of summer & was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect cattle, people & crops, and to encourage growth. (Today, Witches who observe the Wheel of the Year celebrate Beltane as the height of Spring.)

Special bonfires were kindled, whose flames, smoke & ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people and their cattle would walk around or between bonfires & sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires would be doused & then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire.

These gatherings would be accompanied by a feast, and some of the food & drink would be offered to the aos sí. Doors, windows, byres & livestock would be decorated with yellow May flowers. They possibly did this because the yellow flowers evoked fire.

In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: typically a thorn bush or branch decorated with flowers, ribbons, bright shells & rushlights. Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty & maintain youthfulness.

• The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or faeries) were thought to be especially active at Beltane. Like Samhain, which lies directly opposite from Beltane on the Wheel of the Year, this was seen as a time when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. At Samhain the veil between the worlds of the living & the dead is thin enough that we can connect & convene with our beloved dead, here at Beltane it’s the veil between the human world, & the world of faeries & nature spirits that has grown thin. Offerings would be left at the ancient faerie forts, the wells & in other sacred places in an effort to appease these nature spirits to ensure a successful growing season.

Other celebrations:

•  Rosealia- May 23rd

Rosalia or Rosaria was a festival of roses celebrated on various dates, primarily in May, but scattered through mid-July. The observance is sometimes called a rosatio (“rose-adornment”) or the dies rosationis, “day of rose-adornment,” & could be celebrated also with violets. As a commemoration of the dead, the rosatio developed from the custom of placing flowers at burial sites. It was among the extensive private religious practices by means of which the Romans cared for their dead, reflecting the value placed on tradition (mos maiorum, “the way of the ancestors”), family lineage & memorials ranging from simple inscriptions to grand public works. Several dates on the Roman calendar were set aside as public holidays or memorial days devoted to the dead.

Roses had funerary significance in Greece, but were particularly associated with death & entombment among the Romans. In Greece, roses appear on funerary steles  & in epitaphs most often of girls. Flowers were traditional symbols of rejuvenation, rebirth &memory, with the red & purple of roses & violets felt to evoke the color of blood as a form of propitiation

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

Encyclopedia Britannica

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2025 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

aianta.org/native-american-moon-names

Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials: Beltane

[the-mortuary-witch]

HERMES

WHO IS HE?

Hermes is a Greek god who is known as the messenger of the gods, the god of travelers, and the god of commerce. In Greek mythology, Hermes is a son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, and he is often depicted as a swift and clever god who is able to move quickly and silently. As the messenger of the gods, Hermes is responsible for transporting messages and news between the gods and mortals, and he is also known as the god of thieves and cunning. Hermes is often portrayed as a young and athletic figure, with curly hair and a mischievous or sly expression.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: Hermes is often depicted as a graceful and athletic figure. He is typically portrayed as young and handsome, with curly hair and a mischievous or sly expression. He is often shown wearing a traveller's hat or cap and winged sandals, which enable him to move quickly and silently. He also often carries a caduceus, a staff entwined with two snakes, which is a symbol of his role as a messenger of the gods.

Personality: he is known for his quick wit, cleverness, and mischievous nature. He is often portrayed as a god of communication, travel, and commerce, and he is known for being able to move quickly and silently. Hermes is also known for his love of pranks and tricks, and he is often depicted as a god of thieves and cunning. Despite his playful side, Hermes is also considered to be a wise and understanding god, and he is often depicted as a god of wisdom and knowledge.

Symbols: caduceus, shepherds pipes, travellers hat, lyre, rooster, talaria, winged helmet, tortoise, and satchel or pouch Talaria, and petasos

God of: messenger of the Gods, heraldry, omens, poetry and fables, trade, travel, boundaries, thieves, education, psychopomp, wealth, luck, roadways, animal husbandry, sleep, language, and known as the divine trickster

Culture: Greek

Plants: palm tree, crocus flower, Greek strawberry trees, hydrangeas, chrysanthemum, almond tree, iris, and marjoram

Crystals: alexandrit, amethyst, smoky quartz, hematite, agate, orange quartz, amber, citrine, peridot, quartz, malachite, ruby, bloodstone, and orange topaz

Animals: hummingbirds, tortoise, hare, cattle, hawk, goat, fish, ram, snake, and rooster

Incense: frankincense, myrrh, saffron, and dragon’s blood

Practices: travel protection, luck and prosperity magick, setting boundaries, chaos magick, and insight

Colours: gold, red, silver, copper, yellow, orange, grey, light blue, and green

Number: 4

Zodiac: Gemini

Tarot: Judgment, The Magician, The Fool, The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Star, and Suit of Swords

Planet: Mercury

Days: Wednesday, April Fools Day, 4th of every month, Hermea, Noumenia, Pompaia, Heliogenna, Anthesteria (maybe), Asklepia (maybe), Olympeia (maybe), Bendideia (maybe), Panathenaia (maybe), Eleusinia (maybe), Zeus Epoptes (maybe), Genesios (maybe), and Theseia (maybe)

Parents: Zeus and Maia

Siblings: N/A

Partners: Aphrodite, Brimo, Daeira, Peitho, Persephone, Penelopeia, and Palaestra

Children: Evander, Pan, Hermaphroditus, Abderus or Abderos, Autolycus, Eudoros, Angelia, Myrtilus, Palaestra, Aethalides (Argonaut), Arabius, Bounos or Bunus, Cephalus, Cydon, Pharis, Polybus, Prylis, and Saon or Samon

MISC:

• Winged sandals: according to Greek mythology, Hermes had a pair of winged sandals that he used to fly around the world.

• Caduceus: the caduceus is a staff with two snakes wrapped around it, and it is a symbol of Hermes and his role as a messenger.

• Thieves and tricksters: Hermes was often associated with thieves and tricksters, reflecting his role as a god of cunning and wit.

• Commerce and trade: he was also associated with commerce and trade, and was often invoked for success in business or financial endeavors.

• Messages and communication: Hermes was the god of messages and communication, and he was often invoked for help in sending or receiving important information.

• Travel and transportation: as a messenger and a god of travel, Hermes was often associated with the sea, rivers, and roads, and was invoked for protection and safe passage.

• Poetry and arts: Hermes was also associated with the arts, particularly music and writing, and was said to have created the first lyre, which he gave to Apollo.

• Magic and witchcraft: he was often associated with magic and witchcraft, and was believed to possess some magical powers himself.

FACTS ABOUT HERMES:

• One of the more popular myths of Hermes is the myth of him stealing Apollo’s cattle as a baby. Hermes was freshly born, escaped his crib and stole his half-brother’s herd of cattle. In order to avoid getting caught, Hermes plays some devious and clever tricks, though the tricks he plays depends on the myth-teller. At some point on his journey with the cattle he finds a tortoise whose shell he turns into the very first lyre. Inevitably he gets caught by Apollo but the sun god is so charmed by the lyre that he allows Hermes to keep the cattle or at least forgives him.

• Not only this myth, but others depict him as a trickster who enjoys a good prank.

• Hermes was known to be the patron god of Arcadia as he was born in Mount Cyllene in Arcadia according to Homer.

• Hermes is also a psychopomp, a traveler between the realms of the living and dead who aides souls headed to the Underworld.

• He was notably charming, even as a baby, considered a darling of the gods where many of the deities in the pantheon would teach or entertain young Hermes.

• Hermes was said to have invented wrestling and racing.

• He is often depicted as both young and old, as a mediator between god and man, and as a dream bringer. It’s possible that this ties into his involvement as an initiator for young adulthood.

• The Hermea were festivals held in honor of Hermes.

• Hermes’ staff or wand, the caduceus (staff with two snakes wound around it), is often mistaken for the Rod of Asclepius (staff with one snake wound around it).

• Inventor of fire: Hermes is credited with inventing fire, which he used to cook the stolen cattle.

• Protector of flocks: Hermes is also known to protect shepherds and their flocks, ensuring their safety and fertility.

• He likes rock music because of its high energy, energy drinks (especially red bull and original monster), elephants, yellow things, bergamot, dogwood, and vanilla.

HOW TO INVOKE HERMES:

Create a dedicated space on your altar or in your home for Hermes, with objects associated with him, such as the caduceus, winged sandals, or a statue of the god. Make offerings to Hermes, such as incense, food, or small trinkets. Set aside time each day to connect with Hermes through meditation, prayer, or journaling, and ask for his guidance or assistance. Take up activities that are associated with Hermes, such as writing, traveling, or communicating.

PRAYER FOR HERMES:

Great and wise Hermes, messenger of the gods, I call upon you to be with me now. Guide me on my journey, and fill me with your wisdom and wit. Help me to communicate clearly and effectively, and to approach each new challenge with confidence and ease.

Hail Lord Hermes, swift as the wind, cunning as a fox, and wise as the stars.I open myself to your presence and await your guidance. So mote it be.

SIGNS THAT HERMES IS CALLING YOU:

• A strong desire to learn, especially in the areas of communication, travel, or creative expression.

• Increased synchronicities or occurrences of things that are related to Hermes, such as twinning (seeing identical numbers), winged sandals, the caduceus, or the symbol for Mercury.

• A feeling of being inspired or compelled to take action, particularly in a situation that requires quick thinking or communication.

• Recurrent dreams or visions involving Hermes or objects associated with him, such as winged sandals or the caduceus.

• Sudden onset of good luck or fortunate opportunities, especially in areas related to communication or travel.

• An increased sense of curiosity or playful energy, such as a desire to explore new places or learn new skills.

• A feeling of being guided or protected, as if a benevolent presence is watching over you.

• An increased sense of intuition or insight, as if Hermes is guiding your thinking or decision-making.

OFFERINGS:

• Rocks, specifically stacked rocks from the roadside.

• Koumara.

• Petasos (winged helmet).

• Talaria (winged sandals).

• Naturally shed feathers.

• Animal skins.

• Silver or golden objects.

• Food and drinks: white or red wine, olive oil, water, citrus fruit, honey, strawberries, milk, chocolate, wheat, lemons, almonds, cinnamon, coffee/energy drinks (especially red bull and original monster), candy, ramune, foreign foods, candies, or drinks, cheeses, shepherds pie, mutton, pork, beef, eggs, cookie dough ice-cream, blackberries, apricots, chamomile tea, beer, pineapple, bread, and milk mixed with honey.

• Statues/depictions of him.

• Herbs: cinnamon, feverfew, mint, dill, mustard, parsley, angelica, poppy seed, and coriander.

• Souvenirs/objects from trips.

• Incense: frankincense, myrrh, saffron, and dragon’s blood.

• Zodiac or astrology related items.

• Souvenirs from your trips.

• Coins and money (unique or foreign).

• Silver/yellow/orange/red candles.

• Stamps.

• Turtle shaped objects.

• Sunglasses.

• Depictions/imagery of cattle’s, turtles, rams, hawks, hares, rooster, guard dogs, and snakes.

• Dice.

• Maps.

• Flowers: crocus flower, hydrangeas, and chrysanthemum.

• Wands.

• Musical instruments.

• Rock or indie music.

• Foreign items.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

• Write poetry.

• Play pranks, I won’t advocate for harsh pranks, personally, but he is known as a trickster so do with that what you will.

• Travel, he is the patron god of travellers.

• Watch a funny show or movie.

• Watch travel videos.

• Play or watch sports, he is known as a god of athletics and during his festival days people would play sports.

• Pray to him.

• Go to the gym or otherwise exercise, he has been cited as the patron deity of gyms.

• Learn astrology.

• Learn about agriculture and animal husbandry.

• Practice public speaking.

• Write His stories, poems, or jokes.

• Donate to homeless shelters.

• Honour the dead.

• Honour his children and his companions.

• Build a cairn, DO NOT STACK ROCKS IN NATURE as it disrupts the natural environment! However, feel free to build one on your porch or in your house with rocks you may already have.

• Watch a comedy special.

• Write letters and send them.

• Learning how to make drinks (wine, alcoholic mixed drinks, juices, etc).

• Traveling.

• Celebrate Hermea, I was unable to find a set date-range for these festivals. Some suggested around the beginning of August, possibly due to his conflation with the Irish god Lugh’s holiday Lughnasadh; others suggested May 15 due to the Roman god Mercury’s holiday Mercuralia. That said, he was known to be worshipped during other holidays in Greek tradition alongside other deities.

• Write stories.

• Exploring areas.

• Working.

• Making a money bowl.

• If able, learn a new language, if unable to do that listen to music in a foreign language or watch a movie or show in a foreign language.

• Learn about the Underworld and His role as a psychopomp.

• The story of Him stealing Apollon’s cattle always makes me laugh, so if you’re feeling down maybe read about that or watch a video about it.

• Eat food from a foreign country or watch cooking videos with recipes from foreign countries.

• Make a bucket list of places you’d like to travel (doesn’t necessarily have to be other countries. It can be within your own country or in your own state, or maybe there’s places in your own town/city you haven’t checked out yet that you’d like to go see).

• Learn some geography.

• Listen to or make a devotional playlist for Him.

• Play some board games or card games or dice games

• Learning how to send letters and packages.

• Stand up comedy and memes.

• Roller skating.

[stalkerofthegods]

Ares Deep dive

Ares is the Greek god and patron of many things, he is the edge of the sword while you hold the soft side, no god can be the god of war without the bloodshed, so don’t judge so quick, he is an amazing god, we love Ares here.

Herbs • Garlic, basil, buttercup, yarrow, ginger, anything with tiny yellow flowers, spicy stuff (ex- peppers, paprika), Water hemlock, Snapdragon, Poppy, Nettle, Magnolia, Ginger

Animals• Vulture, Colchian Dragon, serpents, barn owls, woodpeckers, dogs, horses, Stymphalian birds, boars

Zodiac • Aries

Colors • Red, black, and dark purple

Crystal• garnets, rubies, bloodstone, obsidian, red scoria, smoky quartz, red jasper, carnelian

Symbols• a helm, a shield, a spear and sometimes a sheathed sword, flaming torch, armor, palace, four fire-breathing horses 

Jewelry you can wear in their honor• Iron, armor

Diety of• masculinity, civil order, Battle lust, courage, City guards/police, Rage, Violent deeds, Fights, Murder, Manslaughter, Quarrels, cheese, dancing, rebellion 

Patron of• the Amazons, City defenses, City defenders

Offerings• Dragons, Dragon imagery, Dragon art, Strong dark red wine, Strong whiskey, Pure water, Black coffee, Black tea, Olive oil, Beef, Red meats in general, Cooked fat from meats, Blood from cut meats, Heavy spices, Spicy foods, Garlic, Red, black, and dark purple candles, Art or statues of Him, Statues of horses or dogs, Weapons, armor, and shields (ex- art, statues, toys, handmade.), Trophies, Spicy jerky, Sport drinks / protein shakes, Hand drawn or printed art of HimArt or images of dogs, horses, and vultures, Feathers from vultures, woodpeckers, or barn owls, Iron or steel jewelry, Red flowers (ex- roses), Thorns, Miniature or toy weapons and armor (especially helmets), Snake skin, Animal teeth, Write down your fears or successes and give them to Him, Medals and ribbons you’ve earned, Antiques, Photos of riots or past wars, hot sauce, Pork ribs, homemade meals, poultry, hare, venison, wolf hearts, chili peppers, lemons, green bananas, unripe peaches, batons, bullets, kendo swords, shields, military helmets, bullet-proof vests, military boots, military belts, dynamite sticks, grenades, lion pelts, shark teeth, ram skulls, explosives (handle carefully), Medals or Certificates, dog fur or dog teeth (ethically sourced), horseshoes, bull horns, war memorabilia, broken glass, spicy jerky or twiggy sticks, Carmel, sushi, stormwater, spicy salsa, Mexican food, chocolate or chia pudding, burnt matches, cigarette butts

Devotional• Create a playlist and listen to music that makes you feel brave/empowered, Donate to the Rape Crisis Center or other similar programs, Donate and support victims of war, Cook with garlic or heavy spices that you haven’t tried before, Try new things and don’t feel ashamed about doing so, Tell Him about your accomplishments, Tell Him about your fears, Learn about shadow work and try it for yourself, Learn about history, past wars, and past riots, Learn what they accomplished or failed to accomplish, Learn and educate yourself about the downsides of war and what can happen to the people affected by wars, Partake in combat sports (ex- martial arts, fencing), Exercise, Play some strategy games like chess, Risk, and Civilization, Stand up for yourself and what you believe in, write to your governor/mayor for things you want to see changed, attend riots, Pray to Him (ex-strength, ability to fight and defeat enemies, courage, to keep others safe, and help in a battle), go to a protest, learn first aid, educate yourself on PTSD, do unharmful things that give you adrenaline rushes (ex- amusement park rides, bungee jumping), watch action movies with him, pet a dog, Playing Strategy Games, Work on managing your anger, bones, go do axe throwing, a playlist that makes you feel, brave, energized and confident, keep track of your successes (this can be daily tasks, when you conquer them cross them off, and then offer the list to Ares), write down or draw art of your fears, go to a rage room, pray or meditate during thunderstorms, watch war movies and documentaries and play war/combat and strategy video games

Ephithets•Adámastos/adamastus/ἀδάμαστος/ΑΔΑΜΑΣΤΟΣ/ἀδάμας -unconquerable & indestructible, Ænyálios/enyalius/ἐνυάλιος/ΕΝΥΑΛΙΟΣ -war-God, Alcimus, Álkimos/alcimus/ἄλκιμος/ΑΛΚΙΜΟΣ/Adj - valiant, brave, Alloprósallos/alloprosallus/ἀλλοπρόσαλλος/ΑΛΛΟΠΡΟΣΑΛΛΟΣ- loyal to the struggle and to the souls who are engaged in it, Ánax/ἄναξ/ΑΝΑΞ -lord, king, Aphneiós/aphneius/ἀφνειός/ΑΦΝΕΙΟΣ -rich, wealthy, Arrectus, Árriktos/arrectus/ἄρρηκτος, ΑΡΡΗΚΤΟΣ -unbreakable, Brotoctonus, Enyalius, Hippius, Hoplochares/Hoplodupus/Hoplophorus,  Íppios/hippius/ἵππιος/��ΠΠΙΟΣ -horseman,  Mægasthænís/megasthenes/μεγασθενής/ΜΕΓΑΣΘΕΝΗΣ/μεγασθενές -very strong,  Megasthenes/Mægasthænís., Ombrimothymus:See Omvrimóthymos/Omvrimóthymos/ombrimo hymus/ὀμβριμόθυμος/ΟΜΒΡΙΜΟΘΥΜΟΣ/ὀβρῐμόθῡμος -doughty, indomitable, Oplódoupos/hoplodupus/ὁπλόδουπος/ΟΠΛΟΔΟΥΠΟΣ -clattering in his armor, Oplokharís/hoplochares/ὁπλοχαρής, ΟΠΛΟΧΑΡΗΣ -rejoicing in arms, Oplophóros/hoplophorus/ὁπλοφόρος/ΟΠΛΟΦΟΡΟΣ - he who bears arms, Phrictus/Phriktós/phrictus/φρικτός/ΦΡΙΚΤΟΣ - horrifying, Polæmóklonos/polemoklonus/πολεμόκλονος/ΠΟΛΕΜΟΚΛΟΝΟΣ -he raises the clamor of combat, Polemoklonus/Polæmóklonos, Sceptuchus/ Skiptoukhos/Skiptoukho/sceptuchus/σκηπτοῦχος/ΣΚΗΠΤΟΥΧΟΣ -he who bears a scepter, Teichesipletes/Teikhæsiplítis/Teikhæsiplítis/teichesipletes/τειχεσιπλήτης/ΤΕΙΧΕΣΙΠΛΗΤΗΣ—he who storms the cities in battle, Vrotoktónos/brotoctonus/βροτοκτόνος, ΒΡΟΤΟΚΤΟΝΟΣ -the slayer of men.

Equivalents• Mars (Roman), Onuris-Anhur (Egyptian god), Tiu-Tyr (Germanic god),  unnamed war-god (Scythian god).

Courting• unmarried, but courting Aphrodite. 

Past lovers/crushes/hookups• Aerope, Agraulos, Harmonia, Otrere, Astyokhe, Demonike or Sterope, Kyrene or Asterie, Astyokhe

Personality• He’s a great father, and a great lover, I talk to a godspouse of his and they talk about how he calmed them and was always there. He’s a great father because I’ve talked to a person who their father is ares and he’s always there for them, he’s also generous.

Home• Mount Olympus 

Mortal or immortal • immortal

Fact• Ares was the only male greek god that never raped or sexually assaulted any woman

Curses• Routing armies, Cowardice, Death on the battlefield, Military invasion, Sacking of cities, Rebellion, Uprisings, Sedition

Blessings•Driving armies, Bravery, fighting strength & endurance,  Averting war (peace), Repelling invading armies, Maintaining civil order, Crushing rebellions, Restraint violent instinct,

Roots• Thrake, Ancient Greece.

Parentage• Zues and Hera

Siblings• Enyo (twin sister), Eris (sister), Apollo (half-brother), Artemis (half-sister), Athena (half-sister), Hephaestus (brother), Hermes (half-brother), Dionysus (half-brother), Hebe (sister), Heracles (half-brother), Aphrodite (half-sister).

Pet• four fire-breathing horses (Aithon (Red-Fire), Phlogios (Flame), Konabos (Tumult) and Phobos (Fear))

Children •ANTEROS (God of reciprocated love, son of Ares and Aphrodite), DEIMOS (God of fear, a son of Ares and Aphrodite.), ENYALIOS/Enyalius (A war-god son of Ares and Eris), EROS (God of love, a son of Ares and Aphrodite),  HARMONIA (Goddess of harmony, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite.), NIKE(The goddess of victory, a daughter of Ares), PHOBOS (God of panic, son of Ares and Aphrodite),AEROPOS/Aeropus (son of Ares and Aerope.), ALKIPPE/Alcippe (daughter of Ares and Agraulos), AMAZONES/Amazons (Warrior women of Assyria, daughters of Ares and Harmonia), ANTIOPE(daughter of Ares and Otrere), ASKALAPHOS/Ascalaphus (son of Ares and Astyokhe), DIOMEDES (son of Ares and Kyrene or Asterie), DRYAS (son of Ares), EUENOS/Evenus (son of Ares and Demonike, and sometimes the son of Ares and Sterope), HIPPOLYTE (daughter of Ares and Otrere.),IALMENOS/Ialmenus (son of Ares and Astyokhe), KYKNOS/Cycnus) (son of Ares and Pelopia or Pyrene), LIKYMNIOS/Licymnius (son of Ares most say his father was King Elektryon), LYKASTOS/Lycastus) (son of Ares and Phylonome.), LYKOS/Lycus (son of Ares who used to sacrifice strangers to his father), MELANIPPOS/Melanippus (son of Ares and Triteia.), MELEAGROS/Meleager (son of Ares and Queen Althaia, but most call him a son of King Oineus), MOLOS/Molus (son of Ares and Demonike), NISOS/Nisus (son of Ares, but most accounts say he was a son of the Athenian prince Pandion), OIAGROS/Oeagrus (a son of Ares but some say his father was King Kharops),OINOMAUS/Oenomaus (son of Ares and the Pleaid Sterope or Princess Harpinna), OXYLOS/Oxylus (son of Ares and Protogeneia), PARRHASIOS/Parrhasius(son of Ares and Phylonome.),PARTHENOPAIOS/Parthenopaeus (son of Ares and Atalanta, many say his father was Melanion or Meleagros), PENTHESILEIA (daughter of Ares and Otrere), PHLEGYAS (He was a son of Ares and Dotis or Khryse.), PORTHAON (son of Ares or according to others of Agenor), PYLOS/Pylus (son of Ares and Demonike.), REMUS (son of Ares and Ilia), ROMULUS (son of Ares and Ilia), TEREUS (a son of Ares.), THESTIOS/Thesius (son of Ares and Demonike or Agenor and Epikaste), THRASSA (daughter of Ares and Tereine.), DRAKON ISMENIAN (A monstrous dragon-serpent, it was a son of Ares and the Erinys Telphousia.)

attendees• DEIMOS & PHOBOS (The twin gods of terror and fear), ERIS & ENYO (goddess of strife, hatred and war), KYDOIMOS/Cydoemus (The god of the din of war), NIKE (goddess of victory), OTHER ABSTRACTIONS(spirits described such as Rage, Anger, Threats, Death and Valour)

Appearance in astral or gen• In ancient Greek art, he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior armed for battle, or as a nude, beardless youth with a helm and spear.

Festivals • Artemis Agrotera/Kharisteria , and Genesios, maybe.

Day • Tuesday 

Scared places• Odrysia in Bistonia, Thrake (his birth-place)

Planet• Mars

Tarot cards• Chariot & Emperor card

Scents/Inscene • Frankensince, Sandalwood incense, resin, burning wood (especially if Himalayan salt in thrown in since it reminds him of blood), and red sandalwood incense

Prayers• 

Prayer to Ares for the Safety of a Soldier

Bold-hearted Ares, bright-helmed son of thundering Zeus and noble Hera, well-honored god of war, any battle will you face, any foe will you fight, without fear and without hestitation. Ares, god of warriors, ally of those who risk their lives on the field, to you do soldiers offer their prayers. You know each one’s name, O Ares, you know their lives, you know their worth. Great Ares, I pray to you, watch over ____________ who heeded your call, who practices your art, whose name you know well, for s/he is one of your own who does you honor with each day s/he serves. Ares, I pray to you.

In general 

Bright-helmed Ares, strong of arm and stern of visage, firm of stance, unyielding of will, ever ready to face any foe, to hold the line against all who may come, to battle until the end. Ares, son of noble Zeus and wise Hera, cherished by golden Aphrodite, honored by those who call on you for strength and courage, in the north were you much honored in times of old, in Thrace and Thessaly were you held in esteem by those whose lives were harsh, whose world was stony, whose comforts were hard-won. Ares who answers the prayers of the despairing, I honor you

For Courage

Ares, fierce-hearted son of Zeus and noble Hera, full-famed you are as god of war. To you do soldiers pray when battle is most heated, when mettle is most needed. To you as well do we turn in desperate times, to you do we call for strength, for the spirit to endure. You understand the terror of struggle and strife, you confront it in every way. Ares, your courage is unquestioned, your might and your prowess unequaled. Ares, friend to those in direst need, I pray to you, grant me the nerve to face what must be faced, grant me the will to do what must be done, grant me the heart to forge ahead.

Links/websites/sources •https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/ares/

https://twelfthremedy.tumblr.com/post/624476009567289344/ares-offerings/amphttps://aspisofares.wordpress.com/tag/offerings/https://www.tumblr.com/warriots/622104378198933504/a-guide-to-ares-worship https://www.tumblr.com/warriots/622104378198933504/a-guide-to-ares-worship https://scarletarosa.tumblr.com/post/187742800571/ares-greek-god-ofhttps://www.tumblr.com/diana-thyme/722942201197363200/greek-gods-101-ares @enyalios-shrinehttps://greekpagan.com/category/prayers-2/ares/

BIG HELP TO

https://www.tumblr.com/tarotbee

Ares is the Greek god and patron of many things, he is the edge of the sword while you hold the soft side, no god can be the god of war without the bloodshed, he is an amazing god, we love Ares here.

I use resources, I do not own the info, and most deep dives have UPG (that I use in my work.) And I only take some information from sources. I am 14, this is my hobby, I am learning but I spent many hours and days on this, and I am always open to criticism. I have been doing worship for 5 years. Please know you can use the info, I do not sue, but I will take action if this work is used without permission and not put as a resource if used in any work. without permisson and not put as a resource if used in any work, for the public.

[themanicnami]

💖Witchcraft Correspondence: Love💖

Love is one of the parts of life humans chase after in many ways. Not just in ways of romantic desire and sexual interactions but the love of family, friends and love of oneself. It is a common topic when it comes to magic and divination so with that - may this be an easy reference for all of you looking to incorporate love of any kind into your craft. Please note: this isn't every possible correspondence out there - this is more a quick reference guide. Happy witching~

💖Herbs for Love: Anise, Basil, Bay, Catnip, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Coriander/Cilantro, Clove, Damiana, Dill, Fennel, Ginger, Hawthorne, Hibiscus, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Meadowsweet, Myrrh, Parsley, Rose, Rose Hip, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Spearmint, Thyme, Vanilla, Valerian, Yarrow

💖 Flowers for Love: Aster, Baby's-Breath, Bleeding Heart, Carnation, Cherry Blossom, Daffodil, Geranium, Hyacinth, Iris, Jasmine, Lavender, Lilac, Orchid, Rose, Sunflower, Tulip

💖 Fruit for Love: Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana, Cherry, Cranberry, Fig, Guava, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Nectarine, Orange, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Pomegranate, Peach, Pear, Plum, Raspberry, Strawberry

💖 Vegetables for Love: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Endive, Leek, Lettuce, Onion, Peas, Pumpkin, Radish, Sweet Pea, Tomato, Zucchini

💖 Foods for Love: Chocolate, Pistachio, Rye Bread, Sugar (sweets), Wine

💖 Crystals for Love: Agate, Amber, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Carnelian, Emerald, Garnet, Green Aventurine, Kunzite, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Moonstone, Obsidian, Onyx, Pink Topaz, Pink Tourmaline, Pink Quartz (dyed), Rhodochrosite, Rhodonite, Tiger's Eye, Rose Quartz, Ruby

💖 Oils for Love: Anise, Basil, Bay, Birch, Cardamom, Clove, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Juniper, Lemongrass, Lemon, Lime, Marjoram, Mints, Myrrh, Rose, Rosemary, Vanilla

💖 Incense/Scents for Love: Amber, Bamboo, Catnip, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Dragon's Blood, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Patchouli, Rose, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Ylang-ylang

💖 Colors for Love: Pink, Red, White, Orange, Purple, Gold, Silver

💖 Moon Phase for Love: New Moon, Waxing, Full Moon

💖 Day of Week for Love: Friday

💖 Elements for Love: Fire, Water

💖 Zodiac for Love Virgo, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Gemini, Pisces

💖 Planets for Love: Venus, Moon

💖 Animals for Love: Beaver, Butterfly, Cow, Crane, Dolphin, Dove, Elephant, Flamingo, Hare, Horse, Ladybug, Lion, Lovebird, Owl, Penguin, Starfish, Swan

~~~~~

Like what I post? Want to support me or buy me a delicious coffee? Feel free to check out my Ko-Fi Page!

[bumblebeesfromvenus]

Aching Heart left there in The Cold ♡

Character of your choice x reader, (ex. Leon Kennedy, Jason Todd, Link, Ghost, etc)

A/N:...I don't know what came over me. This is probably the most heart-wrenching thing I've ever written. You can blame (or thank) Blackbriar for that. I recommend the songs 'You're Haunting me', 'Bloody Footprints in the Snow', or 'The Séance' by the aforementioned culprit, if you really want to get into the story! I'd love to know which character you imagined while reading this, let me know <3

~Fi ❄️

Warnings: GORE, graphic depictions of dead animals, ANGST, this hurt to write but also I love it, hurt no comfort, AU but idk what this is tbh, I'll buy you tissues <3

Word count: 2.2k

Please don't copy my work! I put a lot of effort and heart into the things I write.

@pinkalmondcake @vampkennedy you wanted snow, but I don't think this what you meant.......

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

The cold nipped at your fingertips as you slowly gained back your consciousness. You were absolutely freezing. Your eyes slowly fluttered open, having a hard time adjusting to the blinding white that enveloped you.

With a groan, you slowly managed to sit upright and take in your surroundings. You were sitting in the middle of a snowy forest. The thick blanket of flakes was covering the trees, making their branches sag. There was nothing but trees and snow, no matter where you looked. No end in sight, not a clearing or perhaps a wooden cabin. There was absolutely nothing except your cold, shivering self that still rested in the middle of these endless woods with rosy cheeks.

You held onto a nearby log to heave yourself off the freezing ground. Your legs were shaky and unreliable and your thick wool clothes that were once to keep you warm were now completely soaked and doing nothing to keep the cold and humidity out.

Gentle flakes were floating down upon you, catching on your hair and blanketing you in the same manner as they once had the plants. There was almost like a fog hanging close to the ground, dipping the scenery in an eerie atmosphere. It was dead silent. Not one little noise from the various animals that you knew lived here, not a creak of the tree branches who should be giving out under the weight of the snow. Not a breeze, let alone another human.

Your heart ached at the sight. What happened? You remember these woods, but not like this. They were always prosper, full of life. The flowers would bloom and the trees would carry bright leaves on their crowns. Birds and insects would harmonize to make a beautiful symphony that had your soul blossoming in your chest. The squirrels and hares that lingered around the plush forest floor were gone, no fawns and does were in sight. It was... dull. But at the same time so incredibly peaceful.

Not a single sound except your soft breaths. You could feel your muscles relax, yet there was a tightening feeling in your chest that you couldn't seem to shake.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Before you could even realize it, your feet were carrying you down what you remembered was a path, leaving the imprint of your body in the snow behind. The more you walked, the more the atmosphere changed. It was still quiet and white, but it became tense. Incredibly so. Like a string that was about to snap.

You could make out a faint pink glow across the snowy ground in the distance. Hope bubbled up in your chest. There had to be something there, right? Something that could explain all of this.

Without a second thought you bunched up snow in your palms and tried to wash the ruby on your hands away. With teary eyes you harshly scrubbed at your skin, hoping, praying that you would get the blood off. Thankfully, you did, and your fingertips were now red from the cold and not from blood.

Your breaths became shorter as you subconsciously sped up your pace to make it to that eerie glow. Before you could get far, though, you stepped on something with an echoing crunch. You stopped in your tracks and took a step back, wanting to see what was under the imprint of your boot. Kneeling down, you began digging, exposing deep crimson tainted snow.

Blood. It was now staining your hands. With panicked and labored breaths, you dug your fingers deeper, unveiling what looked like a bone. It was now in pieces from you stepping on it. You stumbled back as much as you could as you were still kneeling, your hands leaving red traces in the snow.

As soon was your hands were clean, you gathered up your many wool skirts and ran. As fast you could, dragging your boots through the snow. You were getting closer and closer to the pink glow. Now, it felt like you shouldn't be running towards it, but you couldn't go back to the horror you had found. You didn't want to go back.

Something caught your eye. Small, dark spots in the pure snow. You slowed your pace, intrigued by the tracks. Fear shot through you when you realized they were red. It was blood. Again. Your eyes were glued to what seemed drops of blood. They got bigger and bigger as you went on, turning into puddles. There were deep traces in the snow behind them, like something or someone was dragged across the snow.

You were too focused on the stained snow, tears cascading down your rosy cheeks at the absolute horrors before you that you tripped over something, falling forward into the cold. You were able to catch yourself with your hands, letting out a grunt at the impact. You recovered quickly, turning around to see what exactly it was that you stumbled over.

The scream that ripped through you echoed through the forest. Before you laid the carcass of a deer. Bloodied and ripped open. Deep gashes adorned the animals body. You could see some blood dripping from where it's ribcage had been cracked open, sinking into the snow. It was fresh. A recent kill. By what? Or who? Your heart broke for the poor animal.

You pulled your damp shawl tighter around your shoulders, continuing onwards. Nothing could've prepared you for what you saw next. A trail of slaughtered animals. All kinds, big and small, predator or prey. It seemed like whoever did this didn't discriminate. Their bodies were torn open, insides spilling onto the snow. Ribs were poking out, spines were exposed, and tufts of fur and feathers littered the ground. You felt sick to your stomach. A massacre, pools of blood tainting the snow.

The once curious and innocent eyes now drained of all life, staring back at you empty and dull.

"What happened to you..?" You whispered shakily, having the urge to reach out to it.

But there was nothing you could do anymore, not much at least. You muttered a quick prayer under your breath, gently stroking down the deer's face, hoping that at least its soul would be granted some peace.

Snow, something so beautiful and pure was now stained with the spilled blood of innocent creatures. You kept your gaze to the ground in front of you, silently weeping over all of these poor animals. You swallowed the bile that rose in your throat, its burn like acid.

When you eventually did raise your head, you saw someone. A man who had buried his sword into the chest of a wolf, twisting it and cracking its bones. He pulled the sword free and it dragged in the snow as he walked, leaving crimson streaks. His back was to you, thank the gods, but he just slowly went on.

You were frozen in place, your breath stopping in your throat as your heart beat faster. You couldn't move, you couldn't breath, you could only stand there, helplessly, wondering why he would do such a thing. Despite your brain screaming and yelling at you to turn back, your feet moved in his direction, following the bloody footprints he had left.

You tried your best to keep your eyes off the slaughtered creatures, focusing on his haunting silhouette instead. He came to a halt, letting go of his weapon which landed in the snow with a thud. He fell to his knees soon after, his shoulders sagging as his head fell forward. Sobs and cries racked through his body, making his form shake. You had the instinct to hold him, keep him close to your chest.

But he was a stranger, was he not? Cautiously, you stepped closer, hoping to not alert him of your presence. The hem of your skirt was now also stained with blood, leaving faint marks as it gently brushed against the surface of the snow. There was something so familiar about him, but the more you tried to think what it was, the hazier your mind got.

His cries were tugging at your heart uncomfortably, but you didn't know why. It was only when he cried out your name in pure agony that something in your mind clicked.

It was your lover.

The man you loved so deeply and fully that it hurt. The one you wanted to spend your entire life with. The one that you were devoted to so wholly. Without thinking, you breathlessly called out his name, making him freeze as a sob got caught in his throat.

His head whipped around, eyes wide and red, the tear streaks on his cheeks looking like they were beginning to crystallize from the bitter cold.

"My love.. is that really you?" He breathed out, fully turning towards you, still on his knees.

You could see the shock, the relief, and the excruciating pain in his eyes.

One arm was tightly wound around your waist while the other was gently stroking your damp hair. His face was buried in the crook of your neck as he continued his wailing cries. You could feel his hot tears running down your neck, despite it all, they felt freezing, sending shivers up your spine. Your hands found his cheeks and you softly pried his head from your neck.

"Yes... why wouldn't it be..?"

You brows were furrowed in concern.

Why wouldn't it be you? What, in the Gods' name, was going on? Another sob tore through his chest as he reached out for your hands and pulled you down against his chest.

"I-I.. I thought I'd lost you.." he sighed, leaning into your touch. He looked so incredibly tired. Exhausted, really.

"What's the matter, my darling?" Your voice soothed all of his aches and ailments.

The gentleness it held was something he'd never experienced before. Until you. The tears spilled from his beautiful eyes still, even as he forced a wobbly smile onto his lips.

A soft, understanding smile settled on your face, though the furrow of your brows didn't waver.

"You'll never lose me. I'll always find my way back to you. No matter what." The words pumped blood back into his cold heart. He sighed in relief, you could almost feel the heavy weight on his chest falling away for yourself. His eyes fell shut as he basked in the warming feeling of your touch, the pads of your thumbs stroking over his tear stained cheeks.

When no response came and the warmth left his cheeks, he opened his eyes. Nothing. Absolutely nothing in front of him but the forest and the gruesome scene he had left behind. His blood froze in his veins. No. He searched for any indication of your presence. Footprints, kicked up snow or maybe a lingering warmth on his face. Nothing.

"I love you. With my whole being and soul do I love you. I'd carve out my heart if you'd ask me too."

The confession made its way off his tongue with such ease, it had to be nothing but the truth.

Had he gone mad and it was all a delusion? Or were you really here and someone took you away again? He couldn't tell. He only felt his heart shatter into a million shards again. He would scream for you until his throat was sore and his voice would give out. He had managed to lose you, the love of his life, twice in one lifetime.

"No... No, no, no, no!" His heart-wrenching yell managed to shake the trees, dusting everything in a fresh layer of white.

"Not again..." he sobbed, steadying myself with hid hands as he grasped at the snow where he was sure you had been. Trying to hold onto you desperately. He wailed and wept, clutching at his heart.

His hands balled into fists as an overwhelming rage took over him. He would make them pay. He would hunt down the abominations that had cost him his love, and he would rain hellfire down upon them until they felt even a sliver of the pain that he had.

Picking himself up with a grunt and a scowl on his face, he reached for his sword. He tightly gripped the blood-soaked weapon and turned around to go down the path from wence he came. His gaze was stone cold as he walked past the field of death and destruction he had left.

He left his aching heart there in the cold, hoping you'd come back one day to keep it safe for him. But for now, he buried it deep in the snow where you were, vowing he would never feel that kind of agony again.

What he didn't know, however, was that you were always with him. Your ghastly pale and transparent hands were always reached out towards him or placed right above his heart.It pained you just as much when your touch would phase through him, the cruel reality twisting your heart.

So you went back to wander aimlessly around these endless woods, waiting for him to join you inevitably. You picked up his discarded heart and held it close to your chest, promising to give it back to him when the time came.

For now, you'd gently remind him of your presence with little breezes fanning over his cheeks, almost like a kiss and pleasant dreams, hoping to stitch up the gaping hole left in his chest.

You'd be together again. You'd wait eons for him because he would always return to you, just as you would to him.

Not even the thin veil of death could keep your souls apart.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

... *hands you a box of tissues and offers a hug* I'm sorry :(

[magentacat]

I had a weirdest dream.

RWBY: the Movie, but directed like those late 2000s/early 2010s adaptations.

By that I mean the movie itself tries to cram as much plot as possible into the 90 minutes runtime (say, volumes 1 through 3), and the point-of-view character is more of a secondary character (Jaune) through which we see the main characters (Ruby and co.).

What's weird is that I even pictured the visuals.

It would have started with Jaune as a kid being bullied by everyone at his village for being half-faunus (his mother side, hare). His dad tries to cheer him with the tales of huntsmen and huntresses, but the stress of an entire village gets to him, so he runs away to become a huntsman and be more for his family's sake.

Cut to the classical montage of visuals and music intro of movies from that period, with a cover/remake of 'This Will Be the Day' that focuses more on the battery than on the singing.

The visuals themselves are Team RWBY in their trailer fights, only hyper saturated in a way that they were more like flat colors silhouettes with only small break (Ruby was all black and red, Weiss white and silver, Blake black and white and Yang gold and black).

It's all quick cuts between all four, gaining speed between the cuts until they're interrupted by the big bold letters of "RWBY: the Movie". Then those get smashed by Team RWBY jumping to the side in a team shot, followed by teams JNPR and CFVY, Penny and Sun, finally cut to black to display the in memoriam for Monty Oum.

Plot wise, the first act is teams RWBY and JNPR (without their names or teams formed yet) learning the ropes of Beacon academy, with Team CFVY being some sort of 'the ace' for the academy. At first Ruby and Jaune are antagonistic, with the 'teams' heading to a fight until they're interrupted by two giant grimms attacking Beacon. They learn to work together and all it's good.

Second act is a crimewave by Roman and the White Fang, but it's revealed none of the White Fang are faunus and they're posing as such to cover their tracks. Ruby meets Penny and Jaune meets Sun, with both teams converging in a fight with Adam and the fake White Fang (forcefully revealing Blake is a faunus and ex-member of the real White Fang).

In the end it's revealed that it was all a distraction and the real deal was an all out assault (Fake Fang and a wave of grimms) on Beacon. Big fight again, with Team CFVY joining in and showing off. In the middle of it, Ruby, Weiss, Jaune and Pyrrha make their way through a literal wall of grimms into the main building, witnessing Ozpin dueling a hooded woman (and getting thrown out of a window).

Final fight is with all four tag teaming the hooded woman, with Red Like Roses in the background. They're overwhelming her until she lands an arrow to Pyrrha's heel, which makes Ruby's eye glow and she goes berserk, blitzing the hooded woman so fast it looks like she's in four places at the same time, forcing her to escape.

Jaune saves Pyrrha's life by discovering his semblance (a plotpoint of the movie), and Ozpin appears again. He explains that what happened was in order to uncover a secret in Beacon Academy that could either save the world, or set it on fire.

Movie ends with a ceremony where Teams RWBY and Team JNPR becoming official and running off the academy's entrance for a wide team shot.

So, yeah. My dreams are weird like that.

[misscloudiedays]

“Say my name all 6 letters”

[sapphirelotus]

a guide to the witch’s sabbats

This honestly took a lot longer than I thought but here’s my post on each of the Sabbats

POSTER’S NOTE: I will be posting the dates for each Sabbat when they are celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere

•Imbolc

Northern Hemisphere: February 1-2

Southern Hemisphere: August 1-2

Midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox

Fire Festival • Quickening

Animals: bears, ewes, goats, groundhogs, sheep, snakes, wolves

Beverages: beer, milk, spiced wine

Colors: blue, green, red, white, lavender

Gods: Aengus Mac Og, Eros, Faunus, Februus, Freyr, Innus, Lupercus, Pan

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, Brigid/St. Brigid, Diana, Gaia, Persephone, Selene, Venus

Foods: butter, cheese, garlic, grains, leeks, onions, peppers, shallots, yogurt

Gemstones: amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby

Incense: basil, cinnamon, frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, vanilla

Plants: acorns, crocus, grape hyacinth, primrose, snowdrops

Symbols: besom, Brigid’s Cross, candles, seeds, Shepherd’s Crook, sun wheel

Magickal Energies: agriculture, beginning, birth, cleansing, courtship, divination, fertility, growth, life, love, protection, purity, rebirth, return of the sun, spring

•Ostara

Northern Hemisphere: held between March 19-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between September 21-23)

Spring Equinox

Solar Festival • Growth

Animals: bears, bees, butterflies, birds, goats, rams, rabbits/hares

Beverages: milk, cream

Colors: gold, green, lavender, light blue, pink, white, yellow

Gods: Adonis, Attis, Dagda, Holly King,Oak King, Jesus, Odin, Osiris

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Cybele, Demeter, Eostra, Hera, Ishtar, Persephone

Foods: chard, dairy, eggs, honey, lemon balm, lettuce, marjoram, nuts, seeds, spinach, thyme

Gemstones: agate, amethyst, red jasper, lapis lazuli, moonstone, clear quartz, rose quartz

Incense: cinnamon, dragon’s blood, frankincense, jasmine, myrrh, orange peel, rose, strawberry, violet

Plants: daffodil, daisy, dandelion, honeysuckle, hyacinth, jasmine, lily, primrose, tulip, violet

Symbols: basket, cauldron, eggs, feathers, seedlings

Magickal Energies: balance, beauty, beginnings, birth, cleansing, duality, fertility, life, nurturing, rebirth, renewal, sex

•Beltane

Northern Hemisphere: May 1

Southern Hemisphere: October 31

Beginning of summer

Fire Festival • Rebirth

Animals: bees, bulls, cats, cattle, goats, rabbits, sheep, snakes

Beverages: milk, water, wine

Colors: green, light blue, orange, pink, purple, red, yellow, white

Gods: Apollo, Bacchus, Cernunnos, Cupid, Dionysus, Eros, Frey

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Bast, Brigid, Diana, Flora, Freya, Rhiannon, Venus

Foods: butter, dairy, oat/barley cakes, fresh fruit, herbs

Gemstones: amber, carnelian, emerald, garnet, malachite, rose quartz, pink tourmaline

Incense: vanilla, jasmine, lilac, rose, peach

Plants: daisy, honeysuckle, ivy, mint, primrose, rose, violet

Symbols: bells, bonfire, candles, cauldron, chalice, faeries, flowers, may basket, may doll, may pole, may queen, sun, wool, yggdrasil

Magickal Energies: bounty, commitment, community, divination, divine marriage, fertility, fire, fruition, good fortune, growth, handfasting, happiness, healing, health, joy, life, light, love, lust, mating, maturity, prosperity, protection, sex, summer, sun, vows, warmth

•Litha

Northern Hemisphere: held between June 20-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between December 20-22)

Summer Solstice

Solar Festival • Fire Festival • Culmination

Animals: bees, birds, cattle, donkeys, horses

Beverages: fruit juice, herbal teas, mead, milk

Colors: gold, green, orange, red, white, yellow

Gods: Bel/Belenus, Lugh, St. John the Baptist, Holly King, Oak King, Apollo, Dagda, Helios, Ra, Ares, Mars, Zeus

Goddesses: Artemis, Isis, Vesta, Diana, Freya, Aphrodite, Venus, Inanna, Epona

Foods: barbecue chicken, barbecue pork, cheese, cinnamon, eggs, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, ginger, honey, lemon, lime, mint, nuts, oranges, turmeric, yogurt

Gemstones: amethyst, emerald, jade, lapis lazuli, malachite, gold topaz

Incense: jasmine, lemon, lotus, rose, sandalwood

Plants: basil, chamomile, daisy, dogwood, lavender, mint, mistletoe, oak, rose, saffron, sage, sunflower, thyme, verbena, vervain

Symbols: bonfire, candle, circle, dagger, feathers, oak leaf, sun dial, sun wreath, sword, wreath

Magickal Energies: abundance, blessing, blooming, divination, faery work, feasting, fertility, fire, fulfillment, good health, growing, life, light, love, luck, marriage, maturity, passion, pregnancy, prosperity, protection, repelling evil spirits, success, summer, transformation, unions

•Lughnasadh

Northern Hemisphere: August 1

Southern Hemisphere: February 1 

Midpoint between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox

Fire Festival • Harvest Festival • Decline

Animals: calf, phoenix

Beverages: beer, cider, herbal tea

Colors: gold, green, red, orange, yellow

Gods: Adonis, Hermes, Jesus, Lugh, Mercury, Osiris, Vulcan

Goddesses: Ceres, Corn Grandmother, Demeter, Isis, Persephone, Rhiannon

Foods: apples, breads, fish, fruit, grains, honeycomb toffee

Gemstones: amber, aventurine, carnelian, citrine, obsidian, peridot, gold topaz

Incense: chamomile, rosemary, sandalwood

Plants: apples, barley, corn, garlic, marigold, myrtle, onion, sunflower

Symbols: candles, corn dolly, scythe, wheat sheaves

Magickal Energies: agriculture, competition, cultivation, fertility, gardening, growth, harvest, hope, preparation, rebirth, reflection, resurrection, transitions

•Mabon

Northern Hemisphere: held between September 20-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between March 20-22)

Autumn Equinox

Solar Festival • Harvest Festival • Harvest

Animals: goose, swan

Beverages: beer, cider, mead, wine

Colors: blue, brown, gold, green, orange, red, yellow

Gods: Adonis, Arwan, Bacchus, Cernunnos, Dagda, Dionysus, Freyr, Hades, Odin, Osiris, Pluto, Saturn

Goddesses: Ceres, Demeter, Freyja, Gaia, Isis, Persephone, Proserpina, Terra

Foods: apples, corn, grain, nuts, pears, pomegranates, pumpkin, sweet potatoes

Gemstones: amber, citrine, sapphire, tiger’s eye, gold topaz

Incense: frankincense, myrrh, pine, sage

Plants: acorns, apples, corn, grain, grapes, gourds, nuts, pinecones, pomegranates, pumpkins, wheat

Symbols: cornucopia, double spiral, scales, scythe, sun wheel

Magickal Energies: acknowledge hard work, agriculture, balance, bounty, completion, crone, harvest, reflection

•Samhain

Northern Hemisphere: October 31

Southern Hemisphere: May 1

Midpoint between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice

Harvest Festival • Death

Animals: bats, cats, spiders, owls

Beverages: cider, mead, mulled wine

Colors: black, green, gray, orange, purple, white

Gods: Anubis, Cernunnos, Odin, Osiris, Mercury

Goddesses: Baba Yaga, Hecate, Demeter, Pomona, Hel, Ishtar, Isis, Lilith, Morrigan, Persephone, Rihannon

Foods: allspice, apples, cinnamon, corn, gourds, meats, pumpkins, root vegetables, rosemary, sage, turnips

Gemstones: apache tears, carnelian, smokey quartz, onyx, obsidian

Incense: copal, rosemary, sandalwood, sweetgrass

Plants: calendula, gourds, grains, mugwort, oak leaf, pumpkins, rue, wormwood

Symbols: ancestor photos, bat, black cat, broomstick, cauldron, coffin, crossroads, faeries, ghosts, ghoul, jack-o-lantern, mirror, pumpkin, skeleton, mirror, skull

Magickal Energies: ancestors, astral travel, changes, chaos, courage, crossroads, darkness, death, divination, harvest, honoring the deceased, life changes, memorials, mortality, scrying, séance, shadows, souls, spirit contact, transformation, transitions

•Yule

Northern Hemisphere: held between December 20-22)

Southern Hemisphere: held between June 20-22)

Winter Solstice • Longest Night

Solar Festival • Rebirth

Animals: goats, pigs

Beverages: mead, mulled cider, mulled wine, wassail

Colors: green, gold, white, red, silver

Gods: Bacchus, Dionysus, Holly King, Oak King, Jesus, Mithras, Odin, Ra, Saturn, Thor, Sol, Apollo, Baldur, Cronus

Goddesses: Ceres, Frigga, La Befana, Ishtar, Skadi, Lachesis, Brigid

Foods: cookies, fruits, pork

Gemstones: bloodstone, orange calcite, citrine, diamond, garnet, ruby

Incense: bayberry, cedar, cinnamon, clove, frankincense, myrrh, pine, sandalwood, spruce

Plants: balsam, evergreens, fir, holly, ivy, mistletoe, oak, pine, pine cones, poinsettias*

Symbols: bonfires, candles, caroling, coal, evergreens, fire, garlands, gifts, lights, mistletoe, ornaments, poinsettias*, reindeer, sleigh, stars, stockings, Sun Wheel, trees, wreaths, Yule Log

Magickal Energies: beginnings, birth, daylight, death, divination, feasting, fertility, good health, good luck, growth, life, life cycle, light, luck, miracles, rebirth, resurrection, return, sacrifice

*I feel as if it’s important to note that the name “poinsettia” is the colonized name of the plant cuetlaxochitl, as the plant is native to Mexico and also has roots in Aztec culture. It was introduced to the United States in the 1820s by Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was an American ambassador to Mexico at the time and is where the name “poinsettia” comes from.

[the-crystal-femmes]

Collective kintypes / identities / sources

[ pt: collective kintypes / identities / sources /end pt ]

Host

The Diamonds' Pearls (Blue, Yellow and White, does include CG Pearl) (Yellow Pearl is similar to the deadwooddross design)

Spinel (fictive)

White Diamond, Pink Diamond / Rose Quartz

Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli

Opal (unrelated to headmates of Opal's components, more connected to the "Pearl" component than "Amethyst")

Draculaura (Monster High, all iterations)

Rouge the Bat (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Chococat (Sanrio)

Harley Quinn (Batman: The Animated Series)

Alice Angel (cartoon, Bendy franchise)

Black cat, lion, bat, vaporeon, vampire, doll, werewolf and plush

General clownkin (most prominently circus clowns, jesters, pierrots and harlequins)

The Puppet (FNaF 2)

Sarabi (1994 TLK)

Pearl / Dewdrop

Pearl (deadwooddross design, uses source design as a veil) (Fictive)

Lapis Lazuli (fictive source, albeit source disconnected)

Pearl (the mineral)

Blue Diamond

Garnet (Doesn't feel connected to Ruby or Sapphire)

Yellowfang (Warriors)

Scar (TLK 1994)

Mufasa (1994 TLK)

Foxy (Five Nights at Freddy's 1, the animatronic, not the child's soul)

Susie Campbell / Twisted Alice (Bendy franchise)

Model Three Generative Android (M3GAN)

Enderman

Secretary bird, snow leopard / lion hybrid, hare, Pikipek

Woodpecker ambitype (mainly red-bellied woodpecker)

Circle Circle, Dot Dot - Frances Focalor

Maria Robotnik (Sonic the Hedgehog, Movie Version) <- Dewdrop will NOT talk about being Maria unless asked at least for now

Solaris

Yellow Pearl

Lion (animal, not SU character)

Simba (1994 animated TLK)

Greg

Greg Universe

Horse

Frankie

Frankie Stein (Monster High, all iterations)

Ruby

Jasper

Jasper

Tiger

Anyone else not listed doesn't have any kintypes minus their sources.

Disclaimer; none of us are related or see our kintypes are related. /srs

[ Dividers by enchanthings-a ]

[bestworstcase]

Heya, so your meta on RWBY alluding to "The Marvelous Land of Oz" has been rotating in my head like a baked potato for the past few days and I'm all about it. One question that I've come away with though is where exactly does Theodore fit into all this? Everyone assumes he's Dorothy but obviously that wouldn't quite work given the parameters. I was wondering if you could maybe share your thoughts on Theodore and his role in the story to come. Thank you and have a pleasant day :)

there's this thing rwby does with the classic lit allusions—they did this with alice in wonderland too—where the true reference is to the original text and that is layered under an allusion to the better-known pop culture. i think the pop culture layer serves a few key purposes:

it flags the correct allusion for viewers who may not be familiar enough with the original text to recognize the allusion otherwise,

it creates opportunities for narrative sleight-of-hand, both setting up red herrings and rewarding viewers who are familiar with the original texts (<- this was part of what made V9 SO much fun for me as a Wonderland Person), and

it enriches the wider narrative themes about the power of storytelling to shape perception and the idea that truth is hard to find and things are not always what they seem by actually doing that with the key allusions.

for example: in V9, jaune presents as the white rabbit... but his white "rabbit" steed is actually a jackrabbit—i.e., a hare—and after falling backwards in time he became stuck in a metaphorical "time loop," going in circles doing the same things every day without reprieve or any real chance for escape. he lost a quarrel with time and in a sense he is being "punished" for a crime he hasn't yet committed but remembers having committed in the future—that's the hatter / hatta, not the white rabbit. (the alice in wonderland allusion also has a third layer of reference to the frank wildhorn musical, and that layer does some really neat stuff that deserves its own post.)

<- i first noticed this in V9, in part because the wonderland allusion is contained within the arc of a single volume and thus the layering is easier to spot, and in part because i'm better versed in wonderland than i am in the land of oz; but there are also—now that i know what to look for—some obvious signs that the ozian allusion is layered in the same way.

the clearest of those being glynda goodwitch. as i've mentioned before, the classic film adaptation combines glinda and the good witch of the north into a single character and thus creates the problem of why glinda didn't simply tell dorothy from the beginning that those ruby slippers could carry her home. in the book, the good witch of the north directs dorothy to travel to the emerald city to seek the wizard's help because she believes that he's a powerful wizard who will know of a way to send dorothy home. glinda—who is the witch of the south—knows that the wizard is a fraud and does not come into the story at all until dorothy seeks her out after the wizard has been revealed as a fraud and left her behind in oz.

oz is divided into four color-coded provinces: in the north, everything is purple; in the west, yellow; in the east, blue; and in the south, red. the emerald city, in the center, is made to appear entirely green because the wizard "put green spectacles on all the people" to "make the name fit better."

so, in the first episode, rwby introduces:

glynda goodwitch—whose clothing and magic are purple, and who is established in opposition to a mysterious adversary clad in red.

ozpin, the headmaster of beacon academy—note the wizard's initials are OZPINHEAD; his full name is oscar zoroaster phadrig isaac norman henkle emmanuel ambroise diggs.

glynda brings ruby to ozpin and over the course of the next few volumes it's established that she is not only ozpin's deputy but also part of his inner circle and unwavering in her faith in ozpin himself. her narrative role is that of the good witch of the north—not glinda—but her name references the pop culture composite character invented by the classic film.

'the marvelous land of oz' begins after the wizard's departure from oz. insofar as the beacon arc culminates with ozpin's death, this part of the story correlates to 'the wizard of oz'—although it is not 1-to-1 and i would argue that the role of dorothy is diffused between all of team RWBY and JNPR because the only part that matters is how the story utilizes the end of 'the wizard of oz' to subtly insinuate salem into the role of glinda.

see, the wizard intends to bring dorothy with him in his balloon when he leaves oz, but she's delayed—searching for toto—and the ropes anchoring the balloon snap before she can come aboard, leaving dorothy stranded in oz. eventually someone suggests that she ask glinda—the witch of the south—for help. glinda is said to be "the most powerful of all witches" and there is a bit of ambiguity as to whether she is a good witch or not:

"Glinda is a Good Witch, isn't she?" asked the child. "The Quadlings think she is good," said the soldier, "and she is kind to everyone. I have heard that Glinda is a beautiful woman, who knows how to keep young in spite of the many years she has lived." "How can I get to her castle?" asked Dorothy. "The road is straight to the South," he answered, "but it is said to be full of dangers to travelers. There are wild beasts in the woods, and a race of queer men who do not like strangers to cross their country. For this reasons none of the Quadlings ever come to the Emerald City."

(note how she's "the witch of the south"—unlike "the good witch of the north" and the wicked witches of the east and west.)

dorothy and her friends set out on the dangerous journey south to find glinda. the beacon arc ends by setting RWBY and JNR on a course to discover salem, whose existence is revealed to the audience in the last moments of V3. the kids, collectively, are in dorothy's shoes and like glinda, salem is the one person on remnant who understands what the shoes are and how to use them properly—figuratively speaking.

<- so the purpose of glynda goodwitch is to articulate an important thematic conceit: she's glinda the good witch of the north, a character who does not exist in the original book yet dominates the pop culture frame of reference for the land of oz, a character who is also embodies a narrative problem introduced by the conflation of two different characters who fulfill contradictory roles (one believes in the wizard and cannot help dorothy; the other knows he's a fraud and can help dorothy). glynda goodwitch is not just a red herring; her character allusion also comments thematically on ozpin's use of fairytale to distort and control the narrative regarding salem.

anyway.

the salient point with regard to theodore is that while rwby is retelling 'the marvelous land of oz,' it also alludes to the classic film in service of both the retelling and its own deeper themes.

i bring that up because theodore—on top of literally being named dorothy-but-backwards—is described like this:

Finally the double doors to the headmaster's office opened and Theodore strode out, his glittering red-gloved fists raised above his head like he had just one a fight. [...] A flowing gray-blue cape, the color of a stormy sky, was clasped around his shoulders with a silver chain. He had a silver belt with a round buckle, matching boots, and bright white slacks with deep side pockets, all carefully orchestrated to draw even more attention to himself.

his appearance is clearly intended to call the pop culture image of dorothy to mind. the glittering red gloves evoke the classic film's ruby slippers, and dorothy is of course transported to oz by a storm.

but mind the details.

theodore fastens his cloak with a silver chain. his belt is silver. his boots are silver (and that is stated obliquely, easy to miss if you skim over this description). silver silver silver. in the original book, the magic slippers are silver, not red. and his wardrobe is "carefully orchestrated" to attract attention.

the land of oz is surrounded on all sides by desert, impassible except by magical means. when dorothy uses the silver slippers to travel back to kansas, they fall off her feet en route and are lost in the desert forever. theodore is the headmaster of shade and de facto king of vacuo—which is a inhospitable wasteland surrounded on all sides by harsh desert. he wears ruby gloves... and silver boots. like glynda goodwitch, his attention-grabbing outward appearance locates itself in a contradiction between the book and the film.

which dorothy is he?

trick question. he represents the silver slippers, fallen to rest somewhere in the desert separating oz from the rest of the world. this serves two important, and interlocking, purposes:

it tells us not to look for a dorothy—because dorothy isn't here. she went home. she's in kansas. dorothy doesn't figure at all in 'the marvelous land of oz' except insofar as the scarecrow and the tin man remember her fondly. (the god of darkness is the real dorothy—because he's gone.)

it marks vacuo as the desert outside of oz—not part of oz.

the second point matters because marvelous land's climactic sequence begins with glinda chasing mombi all the way from the emerald city to the desert past the edge of oz, where mombi collapses from sheer exhaustion and glinda binds her and hauls her bodily back to the emerald city to account for her wrongdoing. this weaves the ozian narrative together with the maiden-in-tower allusions and the little prince like this:

glinda must subdue mombi in the desert before ozma can be released from her curse;

rapunzel's prince is blinded and wanders alone in a wasteland until her voice leads him back to her and her tears restore his sight;

the pilot is stranded in a desert and must learn to see with his heart instead of his eyes in order to find water.

if we examine these together, understanding salem as glinda and rapunzel, mombi as the god of light, and ozma as both the prince and the pilot, that is very strongly suggestive of what is going to happen in vacuo. should rwby continues to follow the plot structure of 'the marvelous land of oz' as closely as it has been, i predict that:

salem will take cinder and return to vale, where her villain -> hero arc will begin facilitated by character development in relation to cinder and summer rose;

they will identify what sort of "deception" ozpin used to hide the relic's location, realize that the extra layer of defense cannot be circumvented, and go to vacuo. (specifically, i suspect ozpin incorporated the branwen twins into the crown's protections);

in vacuo, salem will put all her cards on the table, tell everyone what she is trying to accomplish and why. negotiations ensue. the possibility of freeing ozma from oscar is introduced and possibly carried out. the god of light is symbolically defeated—everyone rejects the divine mandate.

everyone returns to beacon to bring the crown of choice out of its vault and initiate the final confrontation with the god of light.

with most of the curve balls coming from what the vacuo coalition faces while salem is preoccupied with the beacon relic and how everyone reacts to the olive branch of summer rose being... alive.

insofar as theodore figures into this, given the prominence of silver in his character design i wonder if he won't turn out to represent not just the silver slippers that were lost but also the silver wishing pills.

in marvelous land, tip comes into possession of a set of wish-granting silver pills that can grant any wish after being swallowed. when he and his friends escape the conquered emerald city, they accidentally overshoot glinda's home and fly all the way to the far side of the desert before crash landing in a nest of antagonistic jackdaws. tip tries to use one of the pills to get them home, but when he swallows it, it hurts him so badly that he cries out in pain and wishes that he'd never taken it in the first place—which comes true at once. the pill is uneaten. then the woggle-bug uses the same pill to repair their flying contraption* so they can escape from the jackdaws and return to oz.

(*it's called the gump and it's two couches lashed together with leaves for wings, a broom for a tail, and a stuffed elk-like head for a head, brought to life by magical powder. it defies easy description)

so there is some obvious overlap in role between the silver shoes and the silver wishing pills in that both are magical silver items the main characters use to get home—and like the slippers, the pills are lost during the journey home. (the characters conclude that tip must have left them behind in the jackdaws' nest by mistake.)

but the interesting part, as it pertains to theodore, is that when tippetarius tries to use one of the pills, it poisons him. there is nothing actually wrong with the pill itself—the woggle-bug uses it without coming to any harm. the incident is not really explained, but of course tippetarius is under a curse that hides his true identity as the princess ozma and later in the book glinda implies that certain kinds of magic simply do not mix well together; for all her great power, she cannot undo mombi's curse herself because her own magic abhors deception and illusion. so perhaps the silver pill poisons tippetarius because he is not himself. the curse mombi placed upon him blinds him to his true self.

now in rwby, theodore is the last headmaster standing and the effective ruler of vacuo, and the sword of destruction that ozma last used to end the great war is locked in a vault underneath shade academy. if salem does not arrive to lay siege to vacuo as the coalition expects her to, the coalition will face pressure to do something in order to counteract the fraught social and political divisions threatening to tear vacuo apart—remember, this is a country on the brink of civil war that weathered a failed popular coup during the events of V7.

that creates strong incentives for a counter-offensive. to find out where salem is "hiding" after her (as the coalition will see it) pyrrhic victory in atlas and take the fight to her—which sounds great on paper but becomes a rather fraught proposition once salem is discovered to be at beacon. if the vacuo coalition attacks her forces at beacon, vale gets caught in the crossfires—and attacking beacon of all places will not be good for the morale of the coalition's fighters either. but doing nothing may still be the worse option, because that risks the coalition breaking apart without an immediate common enemy to confront. and theodore—as characterized in 'before the dawn'—very much seems like the type of character to favor a counter-offensive under these circumstances.

and that's tip's poison pill—ozma's submission to the divine mandate and the distorted narrative he's constructed around salem prevent anyone on his side of this conflict from seeing another option besides "defend" and "counterattack," when the true solution is "negotiate." the woggle-bug—raven—is able to find the true solution because she holds knowledge about salem (and summer) that the other characters do not. if theodore and his silver trappings represent the pill tippetarius cannot use, then summer and her silver eyes represent the pill the woggle-bug can.

[greenwitchcrafts]

May 2024 witch guide

Full moon: May 23rd

New moon: May 7th

Sabbats: Beltane-May1st

May Flower Moon

Known as: Bright Moon, Budding Moon, Dyad Moon, Egg Laying Moon, Frog Moon, Hare Moon, Leaf Budding Moon, Merry Moon, Moon of the Shedding Ponies, Planting Moon, Sproutkale, Thrimilcmonath & Winnemanoth

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Taurus & Gemini

Nature spirits: Elves & Faeries

Deities: Aphrodite, Artemis, Bast, Cernunnos, Diana, Frigga, Flora, Horned God, Kali, Maia, Pan, Priapus & Venus

Animals: Cat, leopard & lynx

Birds: Dove, Swallow & Swan

Trees: Hawthorne & rowan

Herbs: Cinnamon, dittany of Crete, Elder, mint, mugwort & thyme

Flowers: Foxglove, lily of the valley & rose

Scents: Rose & sandalwood

Stones: Amber, Apache tear, carnelian, emerald, garnet, malachite, rose quartz, ruby, tourmaline & tsavorite

Colors: Brown, green, orange, pink & yellow

Energy:  Abundance, creative energy, faerie & spirit contact, fertility, intuition, love, marriage, material gains, money, propagation, prosperity, real-estate dealings, relationships & tenacity

May’s Flower Moon name should be no surprise; flowers spring forth across North America in abundance this month!

• “Flower Moon” has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, as confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario.

May’s Moon was also referred to as the “Month of Flowers” by Jonathan Carver in his 1798 publication, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768 (pp. 250-252), as a likely Dakota name. Carver stayed with the Naudowessie (Dakota) over a period of time; his expedition covered the Great Lakes region, including the Wisconsin and Minnesota areas.

Beltane

Known as: Beltaine, May day, Roodmas & Cethsamhain

Season: Spring

Symbols: Eggs, faeries, fire, flowers & maypoles

Colors: Blue, dark yellow, green, light pink, orange, red, white yellow & rainbow spectrum

Oils/Incense: Frankincense, lilac, passion flower, rose, tuberose & vanilla

Animals: Bee, cattle, goat & rabbit

Mythical: Faeries

Stones: Bloodstone, emerald, lapis lazuli, orange carnelian, rose quartz & sapphire

Food: Beltane cakes, cherries, dairy foods, farls, green herbal salads, honey, meade, nuts, oat cakes, oats, strawberries & sweets

Herbs/Plants: Almond, ash tree, birch, bramble, cinquefoil, damiana, frankincense, hawthorn, ivy, meadowsweet, mushroom, rosemary, saffron, satyrion root, St.John's wort & woodruff

Flowers: Angelica, bluebell, daisy, hibiscus, honeysuckle, lilac, marigold, primrose, rose, rose hips & yellow cowslips

Trees: Ash, cedar, elder, fir, hawthorn, juniper, linden, mesquite, oak, pine, poplar, rowan & willow

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Areil, Artemis, Cybele, Danu, Diana, Dôn, Eiru, Elen, Eostre, Fand, Flidais, Flora, Freya, Frigga, Maia, Niwalen, Rhea, Rhiannon, Var, Venus & Xochiquetzal

Gods: Baal, Bacchnalia, Balder, Belanos, Belenus, Beli, Beltene, Cernunnos, Cupid, Faunus, Freyr, Grannus, The Green Man, Lares, Lugh, Manawyddan, Odin, Pan, Puck & Taranis

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, creativity, fertility, lust, marriage, the otherworld/Underworld, pleasure, psychic ability, purification, sensuality, sex/uality, visions, warmth & youth

Spellwork: Birth, Earth magick, healing, health & pregnancy

Activities:

• Create a daisy chain or floral decorations

• Decorate & dance around a Maypole

• Set up an outdoor altar & leave offerings to faeries

• Prepare a ritual bath with fresh flowers

• Light a bonfire or candles & dance around them

• Set aside time for self care

• Gather flowers & use them to decorate your home or altar

• Prepare a feast to celebrate with friends/family

• Make flower crowns

• Bake bannocks, oat cakes or cookies

• Hang wreaths decorated with ribbons & flowers

• Plant flowers in your garden

• Start a wish book/box/journal

• Go on a walk & gice thanks to nature⁸

• Cast fertility or a bunch spells

• Fill small baskets of flowers & small goodies, then leave them on your friends/neighbors doorstep as a gesture of goodwill & friendship

Beltane is mentioned in the earliest Irish literature and is associated with important events in Irish mythology. Also known as Cétshamhain ('first of summer'), it marked the beginning of summer & was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect cattle, people & crops, and to encourage growth. (Today, Witches who observe the Wheel of the Year celebrate Beltane as the height of Spring.)

Special bonfires were kindled, whose flames, smoke & ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people and their cattle would walk around or between bonfires & sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires would be doused & then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire.

These gatherings would be accompanied by a feast, and some of the food and drink would be offered to the aos sí. Doors, windows, byres and livestock would be decorated with yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire.

In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: typically a thorn bush or branch decorated with flowers, ribbons, bright shells & rushlights. Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty & maintain youthfulness.

• The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or fairies) were thought to be especially active at Beltane. Like Samhain, which lies directly opposite from Beltane on the Wheel of the Year, this was seen as a time when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. At Samhain the veil between the worlds of the living & the dead is thin enough that we can connect & convene with our beloved dead, here at Beltane it’s the veil between the human world, and the world of faeries & nature spirits that has grown thin. Offerings would be left at the ancient faerie forts, the wells and in other sacred places in an effort to appease these nature spirits to ensure a successful growing season.

Some believe this is when The Goddess is now the Mother & the God is seen as the Green Man or the wild stag. It celebrates the symbolic union, mating or marriage of the Goddess & God & heralds in the coming summer months. It represents life rather than Samhain on the opposite side of the Wheel of the Year.

Other Celebrations:

• Rosealia- May 23rd

Rosalia or Rosaria was a festival of roses celebrated on various dates, primarily in May, but scattered through mid-July. The observance is sometimes called a rosatio ("rose-adornment") or the dies rosationis, "day of rose-adornment," & could be celebrated also with violets. As a commemoration of the dead, the rosatio developed from the custom of placing flowers at burial sites. It was among the extensive private religious practices by means of which the Romans cared for their dead, reflecting the value placed on tradition (mos maiorum, "the way of the ancestors"), family lineage & memorials ranging from simple inscriptions to grand public works. Several dates on the Roman calendar were set aside as public holidays or memorial days devoted to the dead.

Roses had funerary significance in Greece, but were particularly associated with death & entombment among the Romans. In Greece, roses appear on funerary steles  & in epitaphs most often of girls. Flowers were traditional symbols of rejuvenation, rebirth &memory, with the red & purple of roses & violets felt to evoke the color of blood as a form of propitiation

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living