#beginner pagan

[ravenswritingroom]

Ok question for the witch/pagan side of tumblr. So you know how god-spouses are a thing some people believe in. Is there a parent/child version of that? Like is there such thing as a type of practice where the devotee sees their god as their parent/ god sees the devotee as a child? Like surely that a thing that at least someone does. I just had the thought the other day and couldn’t find anything through googling it and wondered is any more experienced witches/pagans who have heard of something like that.

[themirroredmoon]

Superstitions!

The following list are some of the superstitions that I’ve heard or learned about over the years, in no particular order: • Throw rice in the air to make it rain • Carry a potato during winter to ward against colds • Smell dill to get rid of hiccups • Lay thorn branches by your doorstep to keep evil away • Place chips of cedarwood in a box with coins do draw money to you • Hang seaweed in the kitchen to ward off evil spirits • Burn allspice to draw money, luck, and healing • Place a piece of cotton in a sugar bowl to draw good luck to your home • Scatter chili flakes around your house to break a curse • Scatter salt/sugar to purify a room • Put a pine branch above your bed to ward off illness • Carry a chunk of dried pineapple to draw luck • Ask an orange a question before you eat it, then count the seeds. Even # = no. Odd # = yes • Toss oats outside your back door to ensure beautiful crops/plants • Place lilacs around the house to rid unwanted spirits • Add salt to bath for purification • Write your sigils on stones and carry them with you • Put sigils on medication bottles to help quicken their efficiency or for added healing benefits • When guests come over, light a white candle by the door; it will take their negative energy and purify the home. • To get rid of guests overstaying their welcome, turn any broom in your house upside down (bristles up) • Toss salt on the front porch every Friday for good luck and prosperity • Carry a blade of grass to increase psychic power • If something or someone is bugging you, write it on toilet paper, wipe, and flush it down the toilet

[suairceagsionadh]

preparing for samhain

[hiddenhearthwitch]

📚 Small Intro To Polytheism📚

One of the most frequent asks I receive is how and where to get started when it comes to polytheism. This is a fairly broad subject and I’ll try to be as general as I can for advice but I will include specific references for Norse polytheists as that’s my shit. This information can be used to help you find a pantheon or to help you pick deities to work with it. If you’d like to use it to pick a patron deity that’s super, if you want to worship 20 gods and not have a patron deity that’s cool too. You do you dude. Please keep in mind this is all reflective of my research and personal practice. 🌻

Picking A Pantheon/Deity

This really boils down to personal preference. You’ll read a lot of posts and books that tell you many different ways and it’s entirely up to you because it is your practice.  That being said, there’s a couple of different ways to go about it. 

Research! This is one of my favorite ways to delve in. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with reading the stories of multiple pantheons and picking on that calls to you. You can also talk to other devotees and see what they have to say about deities and their religions. It is important to keep in mind that some religions are closed so please do proper research!

For example, I wasn’t originally a Norse pagan. I read some stories and thought the Hellenic pantheon would best suit me. I reached out to Eros for a while but after feeling no real connection to the pantheon I continued my research! After reading up on the Norse pantheon I decided to reach out to them out. Obviously, I fucking loved it because here I am. Point being, you can pick a pantheon based on research and not some divine message or whatever. You are also more than welcome to try out a religion, decide it doesn’t suit you, and move on. 

Divination! You can use runes, a pendulum, tarot, etc.This can go a few different ways. You can write pantheon/deity names on separate pieces of paper, mix them up, and place them face down then ask the pendulum to pick. You can assign a deity/pantheon to each suit of cards or major arcana card or even do the same thing with runes. 

For example, this is how I found a devotion to Frigg and Hel. I asked if there were any deities who were interested in working with me and pulled the runes Hagalaz and Berkana which read as Hel and Frigg to me. I followed up with tarot cards and pulled Death(Hel) plus the Queen of Pentacles(Frigg).

Asking/waiting for a sign. This isn’t something I’ve personally done so I don’t have much to say on the subject. You can go about meditating, praying, doing a ritual, or whatever and essentially wait for a sign after. It can come via a dream, something you experience, symbols you see in your daily life, it’s pretty much up to your intuition to decipher it. If anyone has information they’d like me to add in here please let me know!

If there’s a god you’re curious about and don’t want to do any of the above it’s totally cool to just reach out and ask if they want to work with you. 

Idk How To Research

Same, tbh my keyword search game is weak. Anyways, good portion of us are looking up dead religions with little reliable resources. To give those curious about the Norse an easy head start here’s a compiled list of  books by yours truly(click me!!) . It’s important to take everything with a grain a salt of salt when doing research. In my experience a lot of the retold Norse sagas have been Christianized or written under heavy Wiccan influences. It’s a good idea to do research on the author before reading one of their books.

Other blogs! There are tons of great witches and pagans on tumblr that have information waiting for you. 💗 You can search their blog/tags for good references for books, websites, podcasts, etc. Plus lots of blogs are open to answer asks. If you don’t know where to start for searching it’s best to try things based around your interest like: “norse polytheist”, “hellenic witch”, “gaelic polytheism”, etc.

Media! How lucky are we that we live in the age of technology? Knowledge is right at our fingertips! There are countless documentaries, podcasts, and audiobooks on youtube full of information for different cultures and religions. I’d personally recommend almost anything by BBC, Myths & Legends, and World Mythology!

Books! I love starting on goodreads to find good books and trust worthy authors. They’ve had almost every book I looked up with bunches of different reviews so you can get varying perspectives. Check out your local library as well! A lot of city libraries have online databases now of all of their books so you can “check it out” online and read the PDF(personal fave). 

Feeling Lost Still?

That’s completely reasonable and your feelings are more than valid. It can be overwhelming and lot of information to soak up. Just do your best and take it at your own pace, there’s no rush to find a deity or pantheon. 💞 Below are a few other general concerns I hear a lot that I was hoping to address.

“I’m leaving a monotheistic(Christian, Catholic, Jewish, etc) religion and it’s giving me anxiety.” This is entirely common and almost expected in my opinion. I was raised Roman Catholic and my first year to two looking into polytheism riddled me with anxiety. I was constantly concerned that god would smite me down or I’d face an eternity in hell for worshiping false gods. While I can’t speak for everyone that fear was entirely erased for me when I found my gods. I’ve never felt so safe and strong and hopefully with time you can find the same in your gods!

It’s okay to want to learn more or to seek something more. I can’t tell you how to handle your anxiety but please know you’re not alone in that fear. There’s whole communities out there willing to support you and help you find your safe space(including me)!

“What’s UPG?” You’ll see a lot of posts, mine included, that mention UPG - UPG is Unverified Personal Gnosis. This is essentially someone’s personal thoughts and beliefs about a deity. For example, I associate Sif with hazelnuts. There’s nothing in the lore or any book that says that she likes hazelnuts; that’s just a personal opinion(aka a UPG).

“How do I reach out to the gods?” I have a lot of information on my blog about this topic although a lot of it is Norse specific. You can check out my beginner polytheist tag here and my beginner norse post/ask here.

Altar! This is my go to typically. Altars aren’t limited to the cookie cutter image that comes to mind(no hate though I have a few); one thing you can make a side blog dedicated to your pantheon/deity, make a small one in a tin can, or even make one in a video game like Minecraft or some shit. You can be as creative or as to the book as you want. It’s up to you.

Prayer! You can totally just sit down and be like, “Hey man wanna work on some shit together?”. While I’m not 100% that all gods would be down with you being that casual it’s still something you can try.😂 You can reach out to them by sitting down in a quiet space and meditating into prayer, praying in the car or in the shower, or just pray at the altar you set up if you did. Again, I can not reiterate this enough, it’s your practice, reach out to them as you please.

Do something personal! This is more like devotional work in my opinion. Let’s say you knit and you want to reach out to a creative or domestic deity, you can knit something as a devotional act to them and as a way to reach out. For example I pick up litter in honor of the Vanir and Jörð, or I play Skyrim for Thor and Týr.

Most importantly just be honest and up front with the god that you’re reaching out too. Considering that statement be honest with yourself as well. There’s no point going into a relationship with a god if you can’t be upfront, it’ll end up in nothing but grief.

“Can deities reach out through gods/signs?” They totally can. However, it is up to you and your intuition if a deity has and it’s not likely another witch will decipher that for you. Sounds, experiences, images, all have different meanings to each of us - they may show you something that’s very personal to you but would be mundane to someone else. Trust your instincts. However, please remember that not everything is magical, sometimes a raven is just a raven and not Odin.

✨Take everything you learn with a grain of salt. Including this post.✨

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[when-november-ends]

it's okay if you have to re-read the myths or re-watch videos explaining them regularly because you forget what happens in them.

it's not something to be ashamed of.

[khaire-traveler]

Deities & Entities Masterpost

Deity Work

"Deity Work" info

"All Or Nothing Myth" info

"Some Things A Deity Will Never Do" info

"You Can Casually Work With Deities" tip

"Tips For Working With Deities" tip

"Deities, Entities, & Spirits... Do You Need Them To Practice Witchcraft And Magic?" info

"What Do They Want? Hints For The Headblind" tip

"Different Types Of Deity Work" info

"How To Stop Working With A Deity" answered ask

"Sometimes Deities Leave You" tip

"Being Called By A Deity" answered ask

"Deities Reaching Out To You" answered ask

"It Is Ok To Not Follow Deities As A Witch" answered ask

"Asking A Deity If They Want To Work With You" answered ask

Deity Worship

"Deity Disconnect Got You Down?" info

"Bonding With Your Deities" info

"Inexpensive Offerings" info

"On Offerings And Altars" info

"Methods Of Bonding With Your Deities" tip

"You Just Gotta Do It" tip

"Falling Out Of Practice" tip

"Do We "Work With" The Gods?" info

"Thanking The Theoi In Ancient Greek" info

"Historic Offerings For Theoi" info

"How To Pray" answered ask

"Fun & Easy Habits To Develop As A Pagan" tip

"The Gods Are Within Daily Life" info

"Why Water Is Not A Lazy Offering" info

"Subtle Worship Master List" info & tips

Reassurance

"The Gods Won't Hurt You" reassurance

"The Gods Don't Judge Small Behaviors" reassurance

"The Gods, Your Potential, And Your Limits" info

"Your Deity Relationships Are Valid" reassurance

"What Your Deities Want" reassurance

"Loving Yourself As Offering" tip

"Your Gods Love You" reassurance

"Just Because Your Gods Are Angry..." reassurance

"The Gods Love Transfolk" ask response

"Insecure About My Altar..." info

"Faith Can Be Inconsistent" reassurance

"Gods Make Worthy What They Touch" reassurance

"Gods Cheer For Us" reassurance

"You Get Who You Ask For" info

Spirit Work

"A Bad Spirit" info

"When You Shouldn't Be Working With Entities" tip

"How To Know If An Entity Is Who You Think It Is" info

General

"Deity Tip - Reaching Out" tip

"Deity Tip - Offerings" tip

"Pagan Pro Tips" tip

"How To Tell If You've Received A Sign" tip

"Deity Communication 101" info

"So You've Been Contacted By A Closed Deity..." info

"Deity Deep Dives Masterpost" info

"Respecting The Gods" tip

"Ways Gods Can Contact You" info

"Trying To Narrow Which Deities Are Contacting You" tip

"How To Get Started With Deities" info

"Meditating With Your Deities!" info

"The Gods Do Pass Judgements" rant

"There Is A Middle Ground" ramble

"It's Ok For A God To Be Upset With You" ramble

"How Do I Get Started With Paganism?" answered ask

"How To Offer To The Theoi" info

"Yes, Because I Want To" ramble

"Is It The Gods, An Imposter/Trickster Spirit, Or Your Own Trauma?" info

"Bigotry Is Not Authentic" rant

"The Gods Hear Our Silent Prayers" info

"The Nine Muses" & "Offering Ideas For The Muses" separate posts

"Sniffing Out The Bullshit: Spotting Misinformation" info

"Low Effort Ways To Connect With The Gods" tips

"Removing Offerings From Altars" info

[devouredbyflame]

Deepening Relationships with the Divine

I see a lot of posts on Tumblr about how to go about having casual relationships, or showing your devotion subtly but never have I seen ways in which those who wish to move on from that realm of being would actually start having a dedicated practice. People don’t need to be subtle to worship the Gods - in fact, most practices aren’t blatant and don’t need to be blatant. It is understandable and often necessary to be in a closet but you can still have a very deep relationship with the Gods while it still being meaningful.

Here’s a list of things you can do to strengthen your devotion with the Gods as well as build and deepen your relationship.

Build a shrine dedicated to an individual Deity and take time to know Them by using it.

The idea that you need to have multiple Deities all the time and worship all of Them together is a very strange way of doing polytheism and it is a more powerful usage of space to have one singular Deity at a time rather than a mix together. People may feel less of a need to be so bent out of shape if they can’t afford offerings for an entire pantheon of Gods if they only have one household Deity and the rest are specific to other tasks or needs. I’m not saying you need to pick one above the rest, but I am saying that when you work with the Gods, it’s not about quantity of your relationships, it’s about quality and how long you actually spend together in a similar fashion.

Design your shrine to be simple.

You don’t need a bunch of things on your shrine and in fact, that won’t make it any more detectable to the Gods or show how dedicated you are as a polytheist. It is not about how much work you put into the shrine to make it more about the Gods you worship but it’s more along the line of what needs to happen when you go to the shrine, what actions you take while you’re there.

Hypothetically, all you need is a candle to light to show that you wish for a Deity’s presence, but to make it more usable and detectable to a Deity, it is recommended you also have an image, statue, or likeness of the Deity. You can also have a bowl or a glass to fill for your offerings. Do not make huge offerings if you are going to forget to empty them out. Only make the offerings that won’t rot should that be the case, and only do that if you know you’re going to throw it out, eat it, or dispose of it shortly after.

Make a plan to go to your shrine at least once a day if not several times a week.

The more time you spend at the shrine, the easier it will be for the Deity to realize your intent of showing interest. It isn’t because you’re more devoted, are special, or show any signs that you’re worth looking into, but rather, the concept is mostly around how much energy is built up gradually over time. Energy is only built up because of the amount of time you spend there and how much meaning is there. It is not some moral issue you should feel guilty about should it not happen.

The fact is, the Gods aren’t waiting around and checking off boxes above your head so when you fail They mark it against you for the rest of your time with Them. They are, however, flawed in the way that They only can go about recognizing the material world based off of the flow of energy and how much is stored that is unique to Them.

Having a journal at your shrine to write to Them in while a candle is lit is a perfect way of building a relationship. The act of writing is a perfect way to build energy.

Keeping a specific divination tool at the shrine for that single Deity to use and to build Their energy around is also extremely important. It has to be unique to Them while also being used and stored at the site where you are making the most attempts at being at your shrine.

It is important to keep the shrine contained in a way that makes sure that other energies cannot get in. So even if you are closeted or must keep it on the low, go to the craft store and get a photo storage box. You only need a few items in there to make it meaningful. Over time, the use of those items will become more and more sacred. You can take them in and out of the box - it doesn’t matter how it’s stored but as long as it is contained and out of reach of animals and other things that can be hazardous to them and also maintain the cleanliness of the shrine. If not a box, a closet, cabinet, or bookshelf that is high up are all good places to keep it.

If you’re going to keep the shrine out in an open space, make sure the environment around the area is kept free from dust, dirt, animal hair, organized and vacuumed around it. Dirt that is built up makes it harder for the Gods to reach you energetically - cleaning the room it is in is going to be required if you have it outside of a container. If you’re low on spoons or live in a place that is impossible, a box is perfect. As long as the items are kept tidy energetically, no harm would be done if you’re not super hellbent on keeping a very energetically and physically pristine home.

Most people don’t have the space to have a dedicated area that is solely meant to remain clean for the Gods it is dedicated to. If that’s you, don’t worry about having it out at all.

I realize I’ve spoken a lot about using a shrine in this post and that is really a very important thing when trying to build a better relationship with a Deity. It isn’t about who you are or what you’re doing, it’s about recognizing the importance of what the Deity needs to get to where you are first before going about creating a relationship. That’s all that matters for those starting out on the path looking for ways of transmuting their effort into a meaningful way instead of basing it off of appearances and looks.

Gods don’t have eyes and do not see the way humans can. It is necessary that you build up energy as that is what They are and how humans and Deities can interact. Your devotional actions will likely be unseen unless you do them based on the idea that it is repeated, somewhere dedicated to that Deity, or building up a framework of a practice to continue daily.

Not because it’s a moral issue, not because you should feel obligated, but because the Divine are not omnipotent beings who know everything going on and can see everything. Otherwise, you’re not going to get very far in your devotional activities or rituals.

The usage of a dedicated space over time will make communicating with the Gods easier. Consider a shrine like a window in this world for the Gods to look into. The more you use it, the easier it will be for Them to have access to you and the easier it will be for you to hear Them. Yes, discernment is important and having a sensitivity is a great start, but it’s not the only thing that matters in communicating with your Gods.

If you are having issues listening for and hearing the Gods, the problem likely is not just you, it’s that They cannot reach you. The Gods are the most obvious beings on this realm. They are enormous. They take up a lot of space and energy. Those who have experienced Them know that it is not subtle and the more you make it easier for Them to access you, the easier it will be to have Their energy available in order for Them to talk back in a meaningful way and use what’s available in your life to communicate.

Their presence is about as subtle as an elephant sitting in your bedroom. It really isn’t that hard to detect Them once you get the hang of having Them in your specific area in this way. You’ll also know you’re not hallucinating because there is no other experience quite like it. You really won’t know what hit you.

That’s all for now. For more tips on building a shrine or finding more material on this topic, check out my blog.

[vidaamour]

I said last night we should talk about tattooing runes and sigils on your body, so here it is; (Note, the reference pictures I’m using I found Pinterest and best visually describe what I’m trying to convey)

Tattooing in itself is an ancient ritual that dates back to indigenous people, my people have been telling stories on skin with ink for thousands of years. That being said when you get a tattoo you bleed, and your blood is a form of your life force, your energy, a signature not just of your energy but of your DNA. We tend to get tattoos of things we like or something that has meaning to us, however it started as a way to document warriors, spirits, deities, and of course magick, these markings were significant to each tribe and custom to the person wearing them. How does that translate now into tattooing sigils and runes of your body? Well I’m gonna tell ya,

Blood magic

Tattooing is a form of blood magic, which isn’t as scary as it sounds. It’s simply put a form of magic that is stronger because a part of your DNA is used. So if you were to tattoo say a protection rune or sigil on your body it would draw it’s power from you directly, we trace invisible sigils or runes on use when we need to use them so the same quote rule and quote would apply here. When you need the power of the sigil or rune you’d simply finger trace over the tattoo to activate it. As mentioned up top it would draw from your own energy so, depending on how powerful the sigil or rune is you May feel dizzy, or get a headache. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re considering getting them tattooed. You can always temporarily draw it on your skin and see how it vibes with you before you get it permanently.

Choosing an artist

You’ve decided to get a sigil/Rune tattoo, amazing now you need to pick an artist carefully. If you’re not tattooing yourself (which I don’t recommend unless you know what you’re doing) choosing an artist is highly important not just to find someone willing to do the design but because let’s be real some people’s energy is highly crusty. You absolutely DO NOT want someone with off vibes tattooing you, especially tattooing something as energy heavy and important as a Rune or sigil. I recommend checking out each tattoo shop and artist available and feeling out the vibe, LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION!

Color magic

If you want you can use color magic when deciding what rune/sigil you wish to have tattooed. Say you really wanted a pink tattoo, you’d find a rune/sigil that corresponds with what energy pink brings. You don’t have to do this of course, you can choose any color, rune, sigil you want.

Pictures/video

Note, the picture shows large runes tattooed all over the body, YOU DO NOT have to have runes/sigils tattooed all over your body, YOU DO NOT have to have them large. YOU CAN have them any size, any color, any location that you so wish. YOU CAN even incorporate them into your next tattoo piece, which would look rad in my opinion. Work with your tattoo artist to figure out what you like best.

REMEMBER THE PICTURE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A TATTOOED RUNE OR SIGIL MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE WHO NEED A VISUAL. Once again I found the picture on Pinterest under ‘rune/sigil tattoos’

[ambermotta]

Finding "Your Path" — Not as Straightforward as it Seems

In the pagan and witchcraft community, you will often see or even be asked about "your path", and may eventually wonder which one you are on.

Today's post is about reflecting on this subject, rather than providing information.

As such, please keep in mind I only speak for myself.

What is a "Path"?

The definition of path may change from person to person. It can be what type of magic you do, the deities you worship, the many branches within your religion or even the esoteric orders you have joined.

Are you a green witch? Sea witch? Norse pagan? Crystal witch? Rosacrucian? Tarot reader?

A lot of beginners will get caught up on these terms and find themselves in a bit of an identity crisis. "What the heck am I?" is something I'm sure many people can resonate with.

I would like to invite you to look at things from a different perspective regarding what "the path" is all about. Of course, you are welcome to disagree and have different interpretations.

Your path ≠ Your labels

We have hundreds and hundreds of labels we use for every sort of thing in our lives. You can be a father, co-worker, genderqueer, bisexual, animal lover, sculptor, gym rat... all at the same time, though not necessarily in the same contexts. Yet none of these could fully describe who you are. In paganism and witchcraft, the same applies.

We might be called to (or pressured into) choose one or a few labels to describe who we are and what we do, then find ourselves seeing a lot of labels fit but not fully or not on their own. This might make us feel lost and unsure of what "our path" is.

This is just how things are. Labels can't possibly be all-encompassing. And one label can hardly describe the path you are walking. No two persons calling themselves a grey witch or a hellenic pagan have walked the same path. Even their current personal practices are probably different.

The label might be the same, but the whole living experience behind them is not. They may share similarities, but they are still singular.

What is "My Path" then?

We tend to see paths as traditions, ethics, codes and practices we follow, but I will ask you to put that aside for now. I want to share something I've experienced with you a few years ago.

I once told a wise spirit "I don't know what my path is, I'm afraid I'm walking down the wrong one".

At the time, I thought of my path as a road I walked to achieve a certain goal, and as my religion, my practices. I often found myself feeling drawn to many things at once and somehow failing at following any of them through. I thought my path was a mess, and that I was lost.

The spirit answered, in sum: "your path is the path you are treading right now. It is what you make of it".

Sidenote: for those wondering, the spirit was talking through a trusted medium in serious and proper ritualistic setting.

What he said was simple, right? But what does it actually mean?

I am constantly walking down my own path. No matter if it can be categorized as "right" or "wrong", it is my path, my journey, my own growth... With all of its twists and turns. My path can't be wrong because there is no right path either.

It is not a set, definite thing, and instead a continuum of experiences. It was, it is, and it will be.

We tend to see "our path" as a means to an end, a road meant to take us to a destination. We think that if we are not doing something we think we are meant to do, that we are in the wrong path.

I believe this is because we mistake our path with our purpose. We can have a life purpose, or even a fate, but these are not inherently our path.

Try to look at your path as a continuum of your own experience, instead of a means of achieving something. It's not immutable, or a predestination, or even what you are.

Think of it as the ground you walk on... no matter where you go, you'll always be standing on it. It may change its appearance or its characteristics, but it's still ground.

The ground you have walked, the ground you currently stand on, and the ground you'll walk upon is unique to you. No one could follow your exact footsteps or walk the same way as you did. And it exists as long as you continue experiencing things.

So what does it all mean?

It is what you make of it. If you are like I was, maybe this reflection will resonate with you, and maybe one day it will bring you some peace of mind (at least as far as this matter is concerned).

Colloquially, people will still ask about your path reffering to your practice, religion, etc. But I hope that internally, you feel less bound by the constraints that labelling yourself can put upon you.

Remember Your Path is unique to you, with all its twists, turns and your perceptions of them.

Don't feel pressured into "choosing a path" or "finding your path". Enjoy the beautiful singularity that it already is.

If you feel like you need to find your path, try to take a look at it as a whole. Reflect upon where you are, where you have been, and where your heart tells you you are heading to.

And if you feel you don't like your path right now, well, that's a sign maybe it's time to stir it in a different direction. One that you can feel proud of, someday.

Thank you for reading!

[actiwitch]

I wish someone explained to me when I was new to paganism that a gods energy is not the same as their presence or interaction!

To clarify-- I feel my gods' energies most days, in the rain, or baking for my family, or reading mythology, or just putting on my mjolnir necklace in the morning. Their presence is different- their names and voices in dreams, a great booming feeling in my chest, my oracle cards spilling out, the trees shaking in sudden wind. The distinction isn't always clearcut, but it's there.

Especially for those of us who are sensitive to energies (and ESPECIALLY as new pagans), recognizing this distinction can be a problem.

When I was knew to paganism and learning about deities I was overwhelmed with their energies. I just assumed that meant they were calling out to me or their presence was with me, when in reality I was simply connecting with their energies and lore.

I don't know if this made any sense (I'm quite tired right now) but I hope this helps someone.

[liindwyrm]

How to start out as a pagan and/or polytheist;

Read (or listen) to the myths. Learn a bit about the culture and the people the myths came from. Look into the history. Research how the gods were worshipped in the past. Read different translations of the myths.

You can take your time with this. You can start worshipping a deity before you've done all of this, if you want. But it's important to know the myths, and the history and culture from when they were written. You don't need to go super in-depth if you don't want to. You don't have to research everything at once.

You can look online for ideas, inspiration, interpretations, and community, and you can find books on modern paganism/polytheism. But you need to learn how to vet things, and learn what the red flags are.

Remember that your practice is yours. You don't have to do it the way someone else is doing it. You don't have to do it the way it was done in the past.

As for how you should start worshipping a deity;

Just start.

Sit down and talk to them, or pray. Or draw something for them. Sing a song for them. Light a candle for them. There's no specific way. Do whatever you want, whatever feels right. Don't worry about not having the impressive or aesthetic altars that practitioners of 5+ years have. Don't worry about having to hide an altar or not even having one.

I know it feels daunting starting out. But I promise you it isn't as intimidating as it sounds.

[themirroredmoon]

Wine in Witchcraft - Meanings and Associations

Wine is generally associated with Happiness, Success, Love, Relationships, and Offerings. However, specific types can be broken down further and have more associations.

RED WINE (In General) Element: Earth Season: Winter Associations: Love, Warmth, Contemplation, Happiness, Success, Money, Passion, Health, Lust

[Cabernet Sauvignon] Tastes Like: Full-bodied, dark fruit flavors of blackcurrant (cassis), black cherry, blackberry with notes of green bell pepper, spice, tobacco, wood, and vanilla Element: Earth Associations: Grounding, Protection, Banishing, Strength, Energy, Lust, Fertility, Ancestors, Written Magic (Sigils)

[Merlot] Tastes Like: Soft/round, dark fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, and raspberry layered with herbal notes and undertones of vanilla and mocha Element: Water, Fire Associations: Unity, Love, Passion, Self-Care, Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Sexuality, Sea Witchcraft, Water Magic

[Pinot Noir] Tastes Like: Delicate and fresh, complex flavors that include cherry, raspberry, mushroom and forest floor, plus vanilla and baking spice when aged in French oak Element: Earth, Air Associations:  Prosperity, Protection, Wealth, Success, Beauty, Passion, Glamours

[Shiraz] Tastes Like: Hearty, spicy, black pepper, black currant, clove, blackberry, plum, leather, tar Element: Fire, Earth Associations: Wealth, Banishing, Divination, Tech Witchcraft, Comfort, Mystery, Secrets, Endings

[Zinfandel] Tastes Like: Rich, zesty, raspberry, raisin, black cherry, blackberry, pepper Element: Earth Associations: Growth, Wealth, Plant Magic, Vigor, Stamina, Happiness, Love, Healing, Versatility 

WHITE WINE (In General) Element: Air Season: Summer Associations: Joy, Happiness, Love, Relationships, Friendships, Endings, Success, Energy, Purification

[Chardonnay] Tastes Like: Wider-bodied, light, velvety, apricot, mango, green apple, citrus, melon, vanilla Element: Water Associations: Peace, Emotions, Safety, Success, Happiness, Balance, Polarity, Purification, Mental Power/Abilities

[Moscato] Tastes Like: Sweet, acidic, fruity, grapefruit, musk, citrus, apricot, rose, caramel Element: Air Associations: Love, Mystery, Lust, Relationships, Fertility, Purity, Cleansing, Healing, Love Magic

[Pinot Grigio] Tastes Like: Crisp, dry, fruity, peach, pear, acidic Element: Air Associations: Rebirth, Endings, New Beginnings, Happiness, Reality, Creativity, Longevity, Divination (especially open-ended, like tarot)

[Riesling] Tastes Like: Steely, crisp, fresh, slightly sweet, pear, apple, peach, petrol, honey Element: Fire, Water Associations:  Energy, Movement, Growth, Rebirth, Love, Friendship, Attraction, Activity/Movement (dance, preparation, cleansing, etc)

[Sauvignon Blanc] Tastes Like: Herbal, grass, bell pepper, green apple, lime, gooseberry, jalapeno, melon, mango, black currant, passionfruit, peach Element: Air, Earth Associations: Love, Peace, Friendship, Companionship, Arts, Healing, Happiness, Joy, Spirit Work

ROSÉ WINE (In General) Element: Air Season: Spring Associations: Beginnings, Happiness, Excitement, friendship, New Romance, Love, passion, Playfulness, Relaxation, Luck

SPARKLING WINE Element: Fire Season: Summer Associations: Success, Completion, Celebration, Wealth, Opportunity, Setting Things in Motion, prosperity, space Witchcraft, Weather Magic, Adding a “Spark”

[ashkynlillith124]

Not random, but do people have good folk song or folk music recommendations? Or good songs for witchcraft? Or good songs that are related like at all to paganism or witchcraft? Not random, just curious and want recommendations lol. Thank you! I appreciate it. Happy Yule <333

[hiddenhearthwitch]

Generic Norse Prayer 🕯️🤍

Hail to the gods, hail to the goddesses, hail to the mighty, hail to the wise.

Hail to the earth, hail to the sky, hail to the sea, with its ebb and flow.

Hail to the sun, hail to the moon, hail to the stars, that light up the night.

Hail to our ancestors, hail to our kin, hail to our friends, and hail to our foes.

May the gods bless us, may the goddesses guide us, may the spirits protect us,

May our deeds be honorable, may our words be true, and may our hearts be brave.

So be it.

[when-november-ends]

feel free to tell me anything i haven't listed here, that you'd be interested in! <3

[suairceagsionadh]

with samhain round the corner, here's a list of correspondences!

not my list, credit goes to livingwiththeseasons.com