#chthonic feminine

[goldenyew]

Joseph Dilnot. Winged and Faceless. 2023

Instagram: @ josephdilnot

[kastalani123]

There's something about the idea that gods change according to belief.

There's something about Aphrodite having to drop her sword and shield and pick up a makeup brush and mirror.

There's something about Zeus's Crown overtaking his hospitality.

There's something about Ares being scrubbed of his care with blood.

There's something about Hera's care being thrown in her face because of her cruelty.

There's something about Dionysus having his artistry and wildness ripped away from him due to his partying.

There's something about Hermes losing his chthonic connections in favour of his trickery.

There's something about Demeter surrendering her fierce, protective love and power over life and death to become a hysterical mother.

There's something about Athena's femininity and protectiveness fading to make her grip her spear and grasp her thoughts tighter.

There's something about Hephaestus forgetting his creations' finesse and intricacy to focus on pure function and efficiency.

There's something about Poseidon's earth-shaking rage that causes waves to rise above the tallest mountains being reduced to occasional vengefulness.

There's something about Apollo giving up his herds and truth and wisdom and plagues to speak the future and heal the wounded through song.

There's something about Artemis turning from children and childbirth to fixate on the wilderness.

There's something about the idea that gods change according to belief.

[doshmanziari]

I'm participating in a group show this summer that's organized around monochromatic drawings, and have been making work for it over the past few months. Here's my latest finished drawing. It was done on printmaking paper using a thick and thin ink pen.

This piece existed in the rough draft state for about three years (hey, you never know when you might return to something), and is based on the so-called Lourdres apparition. If you'd only ever read the Wikipedia page on this, you'd not know that the apparition first manifested in the grotto as a golden-colored cloud. I'm fascinated by the pattern of "Marian" encounters -- quotation marks because the feminine figure here never identified herself as Mary; such identification was a Catholic imposition -- and I feel that this kind of mystical-chthonic aspect fits into my other recent work involving architecture as, to use my own terminology, numinous altars.

[amphorographia]

So, the Pathologic 2 Artbook includes a bunch of character descriptions from the design documents and (as a pretentious literature postgrad and obesssive lover of this game and its lore) I wanted to share some of my favourites.

--

The Heroes:

“The Changeling is skin, this [story] is about contact and caress, kinaesthetic things . . . as a means to create meaning, develop the world and bring peace to it”

“The Haruspex is blood and organs . . . [this story is about] the interconnectedness of everything and restoring the connections”

“The Bachelor is about vision and the brain . . . [this story is about] comprehension and rational (analytical) interpretation”

“The Bachelor sees

The Haruspex hears (rhythm)

The Changeling talks”

--

The People:

Aglaya Lilich -��“To her, contending with God, too, is a form of restoring justice and natural law.”

Commander Block - “inspired by Antonius Block from The Seventh Seal” (a disillusioned knight who returns to find the Black Plague choking his country. Tormented by his own lack of faith, he is determined to evade Death long enough to redeem himself)

Georgiy Kain - “above all, a Smith, a Sculptor. [. . .] as a rock can be turned into a statue by chiselling away the unnecessary, so can a human be turned into a superhuman.”

Grief - “He’s an ‘anti-Immortell’ who runs an ‘anti-Theatre’ at the Warehouses”

Mark Immortell - “He has no past: he is the Theatre incarnate, its spirit materialized in a carbon-based avatar. [. . .] Mark is a harlequin.”

Maria Kaina - “A mistress in the making . . . still barely more than a child, very immature” / “Das Ewig-Weibliche [the Eternal Feminine] comes to mind.”

Murky -  “she follows [the Haruspex] everywhere. Conscience itself, walking on dirty feet.”

Vlad the Younger - “His life’s goal is an attempt to turn the Kin into the Town . . . [much like] those naïve landowners who sought to ‘enlighten’ the peasants”

Foreman Oyun - “He governs the Kin on the Olgimskys’ behalf . . . like a Nazi-appointed village elder. There is an important difference, though: no one despises this elder.”

Andrey Stamatin - “an impetuous and amoral adventurer . . . based on Benvenuto Cellini” (a talented Renaissance sculptor, goldsmith, and writer who was repeatedly prosecuted for sodomy, theft, and murder)

Peter Stamatin - “Not to be turned into a drunken clown . . . This is a tragic character who must elicit sympathy and compassion.”

Stakh Rubin - “[He is] like Levi Matvei in The Master and Margarita” (a student near-crazed in his devotion to his Master, tragically unaware of his inability to fully comprehend or follow said Master’s life and teachings)

Kasper ‘Khan’ Kain - “a Kai from H. C. Anderson’s The Snow Queen” (a boy who falls victim to corrupting influences which replace his youthful innocence and sense of wonder with cold realism and rationalism)

Yulia Lyuricheva - “She’s a ‘scientific mage’ in the same sense that the Stamatins are architectural mages.”

The Rat Prophet - “A demon, a chthonic ‘thing from below’ . . . a dweller of the underside of Kain’s enlightened world.”

[elvthron]

🌸 Spring Equinox 🌸

I know I’m late but I was busy cherishing these moments!

For the equinox we went to the Valley of Treja, at the border between the provinces of Rome and Viterbo.

Here, near the stream of the river Treja lies the Sactuary of Monte Li Santi, temple that for some is linked to the chthonic cult of Demeter and Persephone/Kore (suggested by the sacrificial offerings found), others sustain that it was dedicated to fertility, birth and, given the location close to the river, to the cult of water.

Upon our arrival we noticed some offerings on the altar were already made: flowers, rosehips, feathers and some salt too?

Carrying on the temple’s visit I noticed this other…. Offering, I presume. I love how the dry flowers stay still in a shape that reminds me of the womb, reconnecting with the cult of fertility, maternity and the sacred feminine.

I was unsure of what to offer too, Lungwort? Forgetmenot? Wild violets?

The decision was too difficult to make, so that I decided to just let those beautiful flowers live, and to just meditate into the temple without interfering with other people’s offerings.

[thedansemacabres]

Hinthial, ais of the ghostly reflection

[ID: An image of a pond at dusk. The woodland shore is visible to the viewer, curving slightly to the left. Above the pond is a forest of trees, reflecting onto the pond. The water also reflects the dark sky with hues of pink.]

By Morgan, poetry by Nico

THE AISER OFTEN HAVE NAMES THAT DIRECTLY RELATE TO THEIR DIVINE PRESENCE, and Hinthial’s means ‘ghost’, ‘reflection’, and ‘mirrored image.’ Like many of the aiser, little evidence exists for her. While this post is short, Hinthial’s existence does implicate more on the ideas of Rasenna afterlife and perhaps a chthonian Turan.

Hinthial’s name tells us the most about her. In scenes with ghosts, spirits are addressed as “hinthial”, before their name such as the scene of hinthial Tereais or hinthial Patroclus. This tells us that ghosts, with hinthial also meaning ‘reflection’, are ghastly mirror images of the living in Rasenna cosmology.. Considering this, we can see Hinthial as a goddess of ghosts, but also of mirror reflections, mirror divination, and related to beauty through her divine reflections. 

THE ETRUSCAN MIRROR 

One of the very few direct attestations we have of hinthial is from a divine dressing scene. These scenes depict Turan being adorned by her circle/her handmaidens, as Turan represents the aristocratic lady in Rasenna society. 

Hinthial here is depicted as a finely dressed older woman holding a mirror. As such, we can understand the mirror—called malena or malestra—as her symbol, befitting for the ais of the ghostly reflection. 

Scenes of Turan often show her being attended to by her divine circle, many of which share aspects or relation to her—Zipna is associated with beauty, Thalna with childbirth which is a possibility of Turan’s blessing of pleasure, Mean with Turan’s association with peace, etc. Turan likely has a chthonic aspect like Venus, as a statue of her named the “Cannicella Venus” was discovered at an Rasenna necropolis. Fascinatingly, this kouros style statue was likely modified from a traditional male kouros into a feminine one, essentially undergoing gender reassignment. Hinthial being in her circle could possibly give more to the concept of a chthonic Turan.

MODERN WORSHIP 

As with most of the aiser, worship of hinthial will have to largely rely upon UPG and inferences we can make about her. Firstly, as a goddess of the mirror image, she can be venerated in connection to beauty and our reflections. Secondly, we can honour her as a goddess of ghosts. She guides the reflections of life we see when we interact with the undead—perhaps making her of interest to modern necromancy and death-focused practices as a unique beauty and death ais. To our current knowledge as of November 2023, there are no worshippers of her, and so the newest generation of Rasenna polytheists can become her first devotees in a millenia. 

Hymn to Hinthial by @poeticnorth

I call out to Hinthial

The ghostly queen within mirrors

She who is the reflection of the dead

And serves as Handmaiden to Turan

You are the shadow of the dying

The shade of the departed

You weave fate deftly

And reflect it from your realm

Matcher of lovers, patron of beauty

Who reveals flaws and strengths

From within the looking glass

Ghost of Tiresias, friend of the buried

O Hinthial, I sing to you now

wordpress link

References 

De Grummond, N. T., & Simon, E. (2009). The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press.

de Grummond, N. T. (1985). THE ETRUSCAN MIRROR. Source: Notes in the History of Art, 4(2/3), 26–35. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23202423

Bonfante, L. (1993). ETRUSCAN NUDITY. Source: Notes in the History of Art, 12(2), 47–55. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23202935

File:Bronze mirror from London with Zipna Malavisch Hinthial Munthuch Turan Drawing.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. (n.d.). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bronze_mirror_from_London_with_Zipna_Malavisch_Hinthial_Munthuch_Turan_Drawing.jpg

[infjtarot]

Magician. Mystic Spiral Tarot

Themes and Keywords: Will. Magic. As above, so below. Words and thoughts with power to bend reality. Words as trickery. Illusion versus change in accordance with will. Knowledge. Skills. Tools. Connection. Transmission. Universal access to all realms. Mind, with all its virtues and flaws. The wand.

Astrology/Element Speedy, tiny Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, has an orbit of only eighty-eight days. It has no moons and flies solo. Because of its proximity to the sun, it rises and sets with it, so it is difficult to see in our night sky. Because its orbit lies inside that of Earth’s, it has phases, but we can never see its full phase as it is always behind or in front of the sun. It’s never more than twenty-eight degrees from the degree of the sun, being either in the same sign or an adjacent one. The sun governs force (Spirit), the positive (masculine) polarity, while the moon rules form (body), the negative (feminine) polarity. But Mercury is androgynous, being the mind or messenger between the two. It’s one of the most important influences on a chart because it tells much about the mind, which creates reality, and describes the intellect and style of communication. It rules messages transmitted and received, travel, motion, magic, the sciences, and logic.

Mercury’s glyph combines the circle of Spirit above the cross of matter and is topped by the crescent of personality (which looks remarkably like a figure wearing a winged cap or transmitting antennae). Mercury has dual rulership over mutable air sign Gemini as its day sign and mutable earth sign Virgo as its night sign. As Gemini, it expresses its quicksilver nature, curiosity, versatility, and wit. As Virgo, it expresses common sense, attention to detail, deep analysis, and logical thought.

Mythology/Alchemy Mercurial gods all bear the creative and compelling power of the logos: the will and word. Hermes (Mercurius) was known as “he of the persuasive tongue.” He wears the talaria (winged sandals that give swiftness) and either the petasos (traveler’s cap) or winged helmet, and he carries the herald’s staff, or caduceus. He is the messenger of the gods, a mischievous trickster, the patron of travelers. Hermes is a friend of those who pursue the occult arts, merchants, thieves, orators, and those in the fields of art and science. In his chthonic form, he takes on the role of psychopomp. Hermes Trismegistus (Thrice Great) is a form of Hermes combined with the Egyptian god Thoth. Thoth ruled in Hermopolis over the Ogdoad (eightfold), a pantheon of eight primordial gods. He was the measurer of time and the scribe of the gods, and he was credited with the inventions of all branches of knowledge, human and divine: astronomy, writing, science, law, mathematics, medicine, and the measurements that established the heavens and Earth. As a scribe, he appears with the head of an ibis. In the underworld, he appears as an ape. His feminine counterpart was Seshet, “she who scrivens”: Mistress of the House of Books, overseer of the royal scribes and library, and dually credited with all of Thoth’s inventions. The “ape of Thoth” trope on the Thoth deck’s Magus is a mercurial reference; here is the ape-as-Magician, complete with the usual wand and analemma. (Prometheus, who stole fire from heaven and gifted it to man, is also a mercurial figure. Other figures cognate are Loki, Ganesha, and Hanuman. It’s usually the Magician, as the Mercury card, where one thinks to find alchemical mercury. In alchemy, mercury represents the spirit (mind), sulfur represents the soul (consciousness, life), and salt represents the body (matter). Because alchemical mercury is spirit and mind, both the Fool and the Magician share this role just as one evolves from the other. Susan T. Chang

[hayaomiyazaki]

Je tends les bras (1931 or 1932) gelatin silver print on paper Claude Cahun

I Extend My Arms is a black and white photograph showing a dramatically gesturing pair of arms apparently emerging from inside a stone monolith. A tanned female left arm, ornamented with three beaded wooden bangles on its wrist, extends from out of a large hole in the lichen-covered stone. Its partner – wearing a ring on its little finger – emerges from the other side of the monolith, which is of similar dimensions to a human body. A section of low wall made of similar lumps of stone and cement extends towards the foreground of the image. An old iron fixing sticking up from the wall below the hole suggests that it was drilled to fit elements of a gate or other similar structure, supported by the monolith and wall. The owner of the arms is standing behind the monolith so that her body is completely concealed; this creates the illusion that she is inside the stone or has somehow become fused with it. The simple upright block-like form, softened by many years of weathering, is tightly cropped into the picture frame. Brightly lit by full sun, it stands out starkly against a sepia-coloured blue sky. As the work’s title indicates, the arms extend outwards with spread fingers as though they are reaching out for something – possibly attempting to grasp or embrace somebody. There are three known variations of this image (reproduced Downie, p.178): two photographed from similar angles showing the arms in different positions and a third viewed from a different perspective in which only one arm is visible. In an image titled Combat de pierres (Battle of the Stones), 1931 (private collection, Paris) Cahun used Tate’s version of the image in a double exposure with one of the other variations reversed, so that the two versions of the figure appear to be attempting to grasp one another. In all three images, the arms are held in stiff positions, either bent at the elbow or stretched out straight, palms facing or turned away from the shutter so that the splayed fingers are always displayed in full. The effect is comic, recalling slapstick gestures in early film. While the monolith has an inevitably phallic form, the arms with their ornamentation are feminine, defying a single-gendered reading of the image. The beaded bangles with their African and Oceanic resonances represent a form of exoticism that relates to primitivism which the totemic simplicity of the image also evokes. As a reflection of the interest invested by the Surrealists in the ‘primitive’, ritual objects including Eskimo masks and Amerindian mummified heads were included among other ethnic artefacts listed in the exhibition catalogue for the Exposition surréaliste d’objets at Galerie Charles Ratton in Paris in May 1936, in which Cahun participated with objects of her own making. In I Extend My Arms, the ancient rock evokes the chthonic, essential, primal non-gendered self that Cahun’s many self portrait images express, particularly an image from 1928 which shows her back and profile, her head shaven but her eyes and lips made up, combining a non-gendered human form (the head reduced to its bare structure) with the clichéd feminine masquerade. At the same time it links with the notion of masks and death evoked in the artist’s photograph Crystal Heads, 1936 (P79321), taken at the British Museum. — Elizabeth Manchester, January 2008

[theeclecticwitchblog240]

Hecate: How To Work With The Goddess Of Magic & Necromancy

BY TEAANDROSEMARY2

JANUARY 4, 2022 APRIL 8, 2022

DEITIES/WITCHCRAFT

Hecate is the Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic, necromancy, and spells, so it’s no surprise that the worship of this archetype has boomed in popularity with the dawn of a new era of witchcraft.

In the Underworld, she guides those who have passed on, lighting the way in the darkness with her torch as she once did to find Persephone.

Whether or not you believe in or worship this goddess, it’s hard not to adore her more and more with each fascinating story of feminine badassery, unbridled kindness, and acceptance that she brings forth.

The Goddess Hecate In History & Myth:

Hecate is a chthonic goddess born of titans and has existed since long before the creation of Mount Olympus.

She’s such an ancient deity that there’s quite a bit of confusion surrounding who her parents were – although much credit is given to the titans Perses and Asteria. Some texts say that she was a daughter of Zeus, but others speak of her as the very midwife who aided in his birth.

Nevertheless, Zeus adored and honored Hecate enough to allow her to maintain power over heaven, earth, and sea once he staked his reign over the gods.

Hecate & Persephone

Regardless of how you interpret the story of Persephone and Hades, when Demeter discovered her daughter was missing, goddess Hecate showed up with torches blazing to light the way back into the Underworld and find her. When they did, Hecate hugged her, held her close, and swore companionship to Persephone in her return to the Underworld.

To this day, Hecate roams Hades with the Lampades, her loyal torch-bearing nymphs, who act as handmaidens to Persephone during the cold months below. She also guides spirits crossing over so that they too may find their way in Hades.

Hecate As The Triple Goddess

In many ancient artworks and statues, we see Hecate depicted in triplicate. In some texts, she possesses three heads or faces, or even three separate forms entirely.

Hecate also shares distinct commonalities with the goddesses Artemis and Selene, and their epithets are used almost interchangeably in late Roman texts.

But it’s not only Greek and Roman mythologies with tales of triadic deities. We also see Brigid and the Morrigan of Irish culture, the Libyan serpent goddess Anatha, Zorya of Slavic lore, and the Hindu Tridevi represented as triple goddesses at times.

More famously, we see the ever-present holy trinity in the Christian faith, and some modern Wiccans have adopted Hecate as their maiden-mother-crone archetype.

Why is the number three so significant?

Using numbers as symbols has been practiced all over the world since before recorded history. In Greek numerology, the number three represents harmony and unity. We see the trinity echoed in many other cultures, often representing the omnipresent and all-knowing.

In some cultures, the trinity represents birth, love, and death; waxing, waning, and full moons; the maiden-mother-crone archetype; past-present-future, or even the mind, body, and soul.

Hecate’s Appearance:

The goddess Hecate sometimes wears a short dress and hunting boots, much like the Goddess Artemis. In other depictions, she dons a floor-length gown and bears a torch in one hand and a serpent in the other.

Godess Hecate’s statues often appear in triplicate, posed back-to-back as if standing watch over a three-way crossroads.

Other records describe her as a terrifying monster with three necks or heads – a horse, a dog, and a lion head, respectively.

Hecate is almost always portrayed with black dogs by her side. It is even said that she has taken the form of a dog herself.

Hecate’s Powers:

Hecate has power over all realms of existence – the earth, heavens, and sea – and walks the liminal spaces in between. As such, she holds dominion over thresholds, gates, hedges, and boundaries of all kinds. She then helps us to build personal boundaries and challenges us to invest in and take care of ourselves.

As the Witch Mother, goddess Hecate is powerful in all realms of magic and sorcery and has a deep sense of intuition. If she chooses to lend her favor to your craft, then your manifestation abilities can become more powerful than you have ever imagined.

With a mighty reign over the Underworld and the domain of necromancy, Hecate is the deity you want to have by your side if you have an interest in reaching out to those who have crossed beyond the veil. Through working with her, we can unlock the secrets of life, death, and the liminal space, and learn to safely and respectfully commune with spirits.

Not only a guardian to souls who have recently passed on, Hecate also attends to women and children and oversees childbirths. Travelers and sailors may also find themselves in her favor if they’re lucky.

Along with Artemis, Hecate is a goddess of the wilderness, which holds a trove of magic and wonder in its own right. In her ties to Selene, she harnesses the moon’s powers of regeneration and deep intuition.

Hecate is also an herbalist who honors the use of medicines, poisons, and even psychoactive plants in practicing one’s craft.

How Do You Know If The Goddess Hecate is Calling To You?

Although you can theoretically call upon a deity with extensive amounts of worship, deities often reach out to us when they want to work with us.

The Goddess Hecate tends to reach out in very subtle ways. It can be difficult to determine if she is the goddess reaching out to you, but there are a few specific tells.

Some of the indicators that the Goddess Hecate is reaching out to you include:

1. She comes to you in your dreams. This may be in the physical/personified form or as a symbol.

2. You’ve found yourself doing more shadow work. Hecate challenges us to acknowledge the darker parts of our being in order to become the best forms of ourselves. In learning to embrace these difficult parts of ourselves, she teaches us how to be truly whole.

3. She called out to you in times of darkness or great distress. As the torchbearer, it’s not uncommon for Lady Hecate to reach out a helping hand in times of dire need. If you’re facing the Dark Night of the Soul, this chthonic deity will help you to get back up and see the light.

4. You are undergoing a difficult transformation. If you feel like you’re going through a tough transitional phase in your life, then the goddess of the crossroads may be reaching her hand out to you.

5. You’re seeing her symbols everywhere. If you’ve been encountering more animals and symbols associated with goddess Hecate then it’s very possible that she may be reaching out. It might also mean that the animal is just more active this time of year, so be sure to do your research of the local flora and fauna before assigning any sort of spiritual significance to something.

Symbols Of Hecate:

Dogs, particularly black dogs.

Deer

Polecats

Snakes and the Ouroboros

Spiders – although this is more of shared personal gnosis rather than something taken from historical texts.

Torches

Keys

Rope

Hecate’s Wheel

Sickles

Crossroads

Triple Moon imagery

Daggers or athames

The number three

How To Work With The Goddess Hecate:

The goddess Hecate is known to be very particular about those with whom she chooses to work. If she doesn’t see that you’re willing to put in the time and effort, Hecate won’t waste her time on you either.

It’s also imperative to cleanse yourself before approaching Hecate. I do this out of respect for her, but I also think she encourages her worshipers to practice self-love through acts of cleanliness and mindfulness by asking this simple task of them.

Dating back to the Chaldean Oracles, it’s clear that Hecate favors the virtuous, and expects her followers to show kindness and integrity to others through acts of charity.

Hecate is not only the goddess of physical crossroads and boundaries but spiritual ones as well. In working with her, she will push you to set personal boundaries for yourself and provide guidance on the many crossroads your life path may have in store.

While this may all sound very cheerful, many know Hecate for having a darker side. Those who work with her may do so with the intent of working on their traumas through shadow work. Others choose to consort with this liminal goddess for her guidance in communing with the dead.

As the goddess of witchcraft, magic, and spells, I often evoke Hecate to ask for guidance on intent, stronger manifestation, and more effective spellwork.

One thing I’ve learned about working with Hecate is that you have to put in the physical work to see results – she won’t sugarcoat things for you or give you an easy ride. A great way to earn her favor is by performing mindful acts of devotion to show your commitment to her and her core principles.

Devotional Acts To Hecate:

Dedicate altar space to Hecate – this can be as simple as a single candle if you’re just getting started or if you need to keep it low-key.

Clean your home as part of a new moon ritual.

Plan, create and cast spells.

Perform other dark moon spells and rituals.

Light a devotional candle in Hecate’s honor.

Finish projects you started earlier in the month.

Volunteer at your local animal shelter.

Serve a local soup kitchen or food pantry.

Practice green witchery by taking care of houseplants and being mindful of your local ecosystem.

Clean up a cemetery.

Perform Hecate’s Deipnon.

What is Hecate’s Deipnon?

Deipnon is the Ancient Greek word for supper and is practiced by leaving a meal or offering for Hecate and the spirits of the dead.

Hecate’s Deipnon is typically observed on the night of the dark moon, but for me is a process that begins much earlier in the day.

Start with a New Moon cleansing ritual to purify the home, beginning by sweeping the halls and entryways. If you have dogs or other pets, collect some of their hair or claws from your dustpan to include in your offering.

I also like to take care of any other messes that I don’t want to bring with me into the next lunar month. This may mean different things depending on what needs to be done around the house.

Then, cleanse your home with incense, smoke, or bells, and ask for Hecate’s blessing and protection during the next blossoming of the moon.

Next, I gather my offering in a bowl or tray to prepare for nightfall. During this time, I like to make sure I’ve showered before I present my offering.

Offerings For Hecate:

These can be left as part of Hecate’s Deipnon, but offerings can be made at any time that works for you!

Garlic

Onion or leeks

Wine

Honey

Almonds

Grapes

Apples

Mushrooms

Bread or cakes

Fruit

Flowers

Bay leaves

Incense

Used up spell components

Crystals like moonstone or labradorite

A piece of paper with aspects you’d like to leave behind written on it

Plant debris, if you’re a green witch. (Avoid cuttings of invasive plant species!)

Strands of dog hair collected from your new moon sweepings

Other biodegradable materials gathered from your monthly cleaning

Anything that calls out to you! If you have a strong feeling that she’ll enjoy something, then it’s likely a sign that she wants it as an offering. Just make sure leaving it outside is safe for the environment and local ecosystem.

Once gathered, the offering is left at a three-way crossroads just before nightfall, and Lady Hecate would have you know that the poor, starving, and strays have just as much claim to it as she does.

When you arrive at the crossroads, create a circle of protection in which to leave your offering. Remember that this circle should protect the needy that may take from your bowl, not keep them from it.

All hail Hekate!

I am not the author, just sharing the knowledge.

Blessed be!

[elminx]

Energy Update: January 2023

January is an “8” Universal Month [1 (January) + 7 (2023) = 8] in a “7” Universal Year.   8 is an upright infinity symbol, also known as the ouroboros; it represents that path that we travel in our lives and the cycles that we must endure - both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.   An 8-month represents the “whole package” - when the numerological energy of 8 is in the air, things tend to come full circle.   This is in alignment with the astrological energy of January where we end three retrograde cycles (Mercury, Mars, and Uranus). It is worth noting that the energy of January (and more specifically the energy of January 1st) sets the tone for the year ahead.   Our 7-year will likely be introspective and for many quite spiritual and our 8-month will allow us to bring all of these intense energies into perspective.   What goes up, must come down.   But what goes down will also, eventually, come back up. The Details

We begin January with the Sun, retrograde Mercury, Venus and Pluto in Capricorn, retrograde Mars in Gemini, Jupiter and Chiron in Aries, Saturn in Aquarius, retrograde Uranus in Taurus, and Neptune in Pisces.   By month’s end, each of the three retrograde planets will have stationed direct ending retrograde season for the moment.   Additionally, the Sun will have entered Aquarius and Venus will have moved all the way through Aquarius and into Pisces.

We may all feel a bit like we are Merlin or other famous time distortionists. Most of the strong aspects fall at the beginning of the month while both Mercury and Mars remain retrograde. Then, as we exit the retrogrades, things get less frantic. A lot of getting done is going to come due all at once but none of it will need doing. That isn't supposed to make sense.

The Nitty Gritty

To a greater or lesser degree, the energies of the first day of the year affect the entire year ahead.   So, as far as our time construct year of “2023” goes, it is worth taking a moment to carefully look at the transits specifically for 1/1/2023.   As mentioned above, we have a strong stellium between retrograde Mercury, Venus, and Pluto in play, and the exact conjunction between Venus and Pluto falls on the first.   Additionally, Mercury Mars, and Pluto are in retrograde motion.

I think that there is wisdom in reading the energies of Venus and Mars as a pair - even if you’re not personally into their roles as the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine, they still should be read as the “pull vs push” energies that affect us at all points in time.   Mars is currently very poorly placed while retrograde in Gemini - there is no push.   And Venus is being augmented by the deep chthonic energies of Pluto, the planet of death and resurrection.   This will give the entire year a bit of a dark feminine feel to it - this is the energy of the death goddess who is the earth herself, the feral energy of the “me too” movement, this is the energy of the howling fury on a cold and frigid night.   Here I predict that 2023 may not be the faint of heart but, as we live in “interesting times”, this should be expected.

With Pluto so strongly aspected on the first day of the year, one should expect that death will be a part of our lives throughout 2023; but I do not say that to scare you.   Pluto is more often the Death card in the tarot than a Grim Reaper figure.   Things change, whether you want them to or not.   It is when we can sit in observance of the change that we do not get so caught in its web.

As the first week of January (and the new year) progresses, things may just feel a bit strange. On Monday, retrograde Mercury makes a quick sextile with Neptune in Pisces: this is your high fog warning. Don't trust the sounds that you hear in the night, and so forth. Insert your favorite superstitions here as is appropriate to your culture. Venus enters Aquarius on Tuesday and immediately makes a sextile to Jupiter in Aries which will spice things up. We have a full moon in Cancer on Friday which lights up the sky with the Sun and Mercury in trine to Uranus in Taurus. The energy will be high, as is chance of all kinds.

Proceed with caution or enjoy it as fits your personality.

We're all pretty in it right about now. Capricorn feels a bit touchy about Uranus's recent squares with Saturn. There is a feeling of consequences in the air. We all have to pay up sooner or later.

Be aware of what you are saying this week. The Sun and Mercury have been moving towards each other since this Mercury retrograde began and they complete this conjunction on Saturday. That day is poorly aspected to do anything that involves mercurial pursuits of all kinds. Everybody is talking too much and not listening enough. People are out there looking to take offense. The energy will carry all the way through the weekend as Mercury makes an exact trine with Uranus on Sunday 1/8. Venus in Aquarius makes a trine to retrograde Mars in Gemini on Monday 1/9 which sounds like it should be nice, but I smell an argument. Mars in Gemini is furious about being forced to retrace his steps and Venus in Aquarius isn't holding back any harsh words. If yelling it out is helpful to you and yours, this day could be really cathartic. Watch out for those arguments between you and your closest. Yeah, that argument. You know the one.

If Mars actually shows up that Monday, it could be a really good day. It's a good day to get together with your favorite friends who like to play Scrabble, sing karaoke, or go to strange museums and learn something together. This is an air trine no matter whether Venus and Mars can get along so Monday 1/9 is a very auspicious day for air magic of all kinds. I just think that, in general, Mars in Gemini doesn't remember to show up in the best of times and Mars retrograde is not even on the same plane of existence, so how COULD they show up? It's not really Mars's fault here. On Thursday, Mars stations direct at 08° Gemini so by Monday he's already basically standing still. Whatever change you're feeling, it may need to wait a bit. Remember that Mars still has to retrace his way through his post retrograde shadow. Again, I get that feeling of consequence - this is a time to make right with whomever you owe things to. The Sun will be sextile to Neptune adding to the haze of it all.

The second weekend of January will also be quite Uranian as Venus in Aquarius squares off with Uranus in Taurus. This may feel like the one final personalization of the lessons brought up by all of those Saturn-Uranus squares from 2021-2022. This energy will be quite liminal, use it if you know how. On Wednesday, 1/18 The Sun meets up in conjunction with Pluto at the end of Capricorn and Mercury stations direct at 08° Capricorn. Pay attention to what happens in and around that date. It's also worth noting that Mercury is in trine to the North Node during this as well. Check in with the messengers in your life - what do the people around you have to say?

On Friday 1/20, the Sun enters Aquarius and we have a new moon at 01° Aquarius on Saturday while Venus and Saturn also meet up at 22° Aquarius. It will be a very Aquarian weekend. Is that different from a very Uranian weekend? Time will tell. Venus may be harsh while she is conjunct to Saturn so hold your tongue if you can. Sometimes the nicest thing that you can do is not say anything at all.

Uranus stations direct on Sunday 1/22 at 15° Taurus. Uranus isn't quite square to either Saturn and Uranus of that early new moon but it will be felt all the same. That whole week is a week to play it safe - no more games of chance, please. The fourth week of January will be quieter. On Wednesday, 1/25, the Sun in Aquarius makes a sextile with Jupiter in Aries which is highly auspicious. It is a good day to have a good day. Enjoy yourself.

Venus enters Pisces on 1/27 which will shift the mood from a lot of air to something a bit...wetter. We will probably be dehydrated AF so it may be a nice change. This is when you might finally see the waterworks that the explosions early in the month should have created. As I said, this whole month feels like walking backward.

If your experiences seem to happen out of time (and there's not a mental health reason that you are experiencing this, see also any other needed disclaimer here), know that you are right on time.

It's okay to take your time. This energy is dense and most people won't be able to see more than 5 ft of their own faces.

The big flex all month is going to be to look up and see that there are still other people around you. The big flex this month is going to be to stay in your heart as Venus in Aquarius whips up her wind storms. The big flex this month is going to be to stay present and in your body. Also, drink some water. So much air dries out the soul.

Do you like my work? You can support me over on Kofi.

[oak-n]

Can you tell us more about your view of Sundowner and Sam's dynamic/relationship? I love your art 💕 you got me intrigued by Sundowner and Sam.

Oh what you got yourself into! Sorry in advance, it’s a lot. And genuinely thank you for asking <3 I have to rely on mythology to keep it comprehensible lol greeks already established all these dynamics. I use these two to experiment with various interactions and ideas. It’s lotta fun since their primary themes are polarized and never fail to combust. Sam is an embodiment of death, tradition, commune, reaping, earth, and cyclicity. Being detached from any of these concepts causes him reserved suffering, like a crack on the inside. His identity (quite masculine at that) is morbidly bound to Murasama, which I associate with chthonic feminine energy. Hence the muted vocal line once the player manages to disarm Sam during the fight as if his identity has been split. He’s basically Ares - all passion and alienation. And Sundowner is an embodiment of volatility, intuition, generosity, vitality. He’s a shock content, a hit of outrage and sensuality. The concepts of death and burden are foreign to him. His world is of commerce, ideas, and traveling. His identity had plenty of time to develop and gain balance, which is translated into weapon design. A unity of maturity and juvenility, humane and animalistic nature, feminine and masculine parts, much like a caduceus. So yeah, Hermes, a mediator between the worlds and patron of children. This pairing kinda has a similar function to SamuRaiden, except Sundowner playing the psychopomp part, not Sam. He’s highly provocative and Sam’s all reaction. He’s the one to water the dry roots with blood and innovation - and Sam’s the one who got his roots severed (his dominant hand, expectations, family ties, a chance to pass the heritage). Their relationship is a test site to let the energy flow, much like Hermes’s always been a liberator for Ares and his… inner child, guess what. They practice violence, debate, sex, and anything in between, but it’s certainly not a symbiotic romantic couple. To Sam, there’s a lot of exploration on subjects of his own identity, dignity, boundaries. Where it hurts the most, how to let go, how to enjoy and go past the threshold. The end goal is probably to learn how to give. That’s why Sam was able to pass Murasama to Raiden, as well as Sundowner passed Raiden to Sam. I mean, MG in general has a lot to do with “passing”. Wouldn’t call it a friendship (even with benefits) cause these two have quite different concepts of what friendship means. To Sam, it’s more about the brotherhood, and he currently has none. To Sundowner it’s more about being business partners, and you can’t really do business with Sam. But they do respect each other as hinted, despite all the banter. Sam wouldn’t even bother to banter with someone he’s not invested in tbh. And Death is pretty into Vitality. Hope it sums it up well, I'm happy to chat about them any time if you wish to!

[rosebleue]

Ok, so the pagan priestess course is come to the sacred healing part, what gods to pray to and what not.

Since it's written VERY BADLY, I'm going to summarize it for myself and anyone that stumbles upon this:

Dividing Healing Deities in Five Archetypes, by Some Anonymous Author who wrote A Sketchy Priestesshood Manual, summarized by yours truly

(All art under the cut is fair use under public domain license and can be found here, it's just there to make it look prettier)

So, according to Some Dude, there's five archetypes of Healing Deity. You can categorize gods in any of these five categories, or several simultaneously, and that will teach you what to invoke them for. You won't call upon the same god for helping you cope with grief and like, helping you endure a headache.

1. The Nurturer

These are the compassionate deities, the ones you search for unconditional love, care and support. They're all about helping you love yourself. An example is any father or mother god ever. You call upon them to feel loved, and love yourself.

2. The Wise Healer

These are the gods of knowledge and wisdom you go for knowledge related issues. They will encourage you to gather the resources you need to heal, be it knowledge of your own body or medical research, second opiniones, self advocacy. You can fit gods like Horus or Athena in this category. (Side note, the painting is fantastic, immaculate vibes, I have great tastes)

3. The Transformer (I was going to use Optimus Prime for this)

This one's about growth. It's also nurturing, but in a roundabout way. It's embracing change as it comes and adapting to it, flexibility. About being a dandelion rather than a perfectly manufactured lawn. There's no suggested gods for it, but like, Osiris? Inari? Things like that, I assume. This text is not very good.

4. The Alchemical Healer

This one, rather than adapting to all circumstances like the transformer, it's specifically about transforming bad things into good things. Like grief into tender memories, pain into wisdom. That shadow archetype thing jungians love. Liminal and chthonic deities go here, your Hecate, your Hel, what have you.

5. The Sacred Feminine

This one's bullshit. They just needed something to add to the top of the pentacle. Since this is about integration, yourself with nature, harmony and so on, you go and choose whatever you want to place here. I have no time for gender essentialism.

IN CONCLUSION this is too broad of a classification, but if that is useful for self-help and modes of self-healing, then it's a fun way of summarizing complex relationships I guess! Map is not territory and bla bla. Steal these ideas and run, I don't respect this text.

[raktanag]

@gin-n-chthonic replied "Pretty"

"This would be a traditional feminine dress from my country but i don't give a damn. I look fabulousss~"

Snek man said Fuck Gender Roles

[poisonerspath]

Atropa belladonna- Devil’s Cherry- Deadly Nightshade Berries 🖤 toxic to ingest sold as curio only. Use in ritual to connect with fierce-some feminine archetypes, undermine patriarchal constructs and masculine bullshit. Belladonna teaches power, poise and prowess through honoring all the parts of the self, even the darkest. “Goddesses to do not speak in whispers. THEY SCREAM.” -The Countess, AhS Hotel SALE THIS WEEKEND ONLY! Lots of discount codes floating around! #scrying #chthonic #valkyrieberry #hela #underworld #hexing #influence #glamourmagic #sexmagic #maleficia #veneficium https://www.instagram.com/p/CjLSM7tr_So/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[mysyerious]

Hi!!! ASDFGHJKLÑ

I am searching through my files for a photo of the Moon for you 🌙

I have so much garbage 💀 like I have been searching for almost 15 minutes straight.

🥰🫶🏻

I would love, love Love to learn and I really don't have a starting point of what to ask 🫣🥺🫠 I would say, everything you are open to share 🥰

oh! OH!! HELLO!!!

my ask box is always open to moon photos I'm absolutely buzzing at my desk at the prospect

I'm a little rusty at my baltic knowledge however some neat little thing I love is that while the majority of the sky deities are masculine in form, most of the chthonic deities are feminine

another thing is a lot of the deities are referred to as 'mothers' and I'm not entirely sure where this stems from, but it might be because of the earth being personified and called mother earth (zemes māte)—to name a couple we have mother of the fields (lauka māte) and mother of barley (mieža māte)

many of our deities or at least the ones I grew up knowing of are associated with farming and agriculture (which makes sense since I grew up rural butt-fuck nowhere latvia with parents who grew up on farms and grandparents who still own farms)

[graveyardghoulhorror666]

Witch's Soul

A poem about witchcraft, witches, the Divine, feminine rage.

Ancient soul, full of divine knowledge The Goddess of the moon beckons thee upon the crooked path Bathe in the ethereal rays of the glimmering moon Unite with all the lost souls with a witch wound Ashamed to embrace their true self, afraid of persecution, a witch hunt

Have faith Sisters, for you are divine, immortal Forge your path, follow the signs & synchronicities Explore your inner magick, inner power Delve deep into your subconscious Transcend the mundane to reach the metaphysical The Divine awaits thee, they are always with you Guiding your path, along the way

Don't be afraid seek comfort from the universe When all you feel is feminine rage Give your pain a voice, express yourself freely Scream into the void and release control Ground yourself in the earth, the waves of the ocean, the wind in your hair, the warmth of the sun on your skin Connect with nature, in a primal, chthonic, carnal nature Reclaim your archetypal, cosmic, right as a divine feminine to thrive Condemning, unworthy, evil-minded, monstrous wickedness of ignorant non-believers