#closed practices

[cultkinkcoven]

k

I’m not native american or indigenous to the land I live in. So i can’t speak as an authority on this subject

but I will speak based off of what my indigenous friends and local indigenous practitioners have told me

If you’re concerned about using white sage, if you’re worried it’s closed or whatever but you want to use it, this applies to all herbs by the way,

simply, very simply

BUY WHITE SAGE FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

BUY 👏 WHITE SAGE 👏 FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE 👏👏👏

SUPPORT INDIGENOUS BUSINESSES

White sage is a common herb in hoodoo and other folk practices outside of the indigenous peoples of America, the native americans were not the only ones to use it. It is a very important herb to multiple groups of people. This does not mean to say that it isn’t tragically over harvested by large corporations that expend the very culturally significant resource from actual practicing natives.

SO BUY WHITE SAGE FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

That’s all you have to do. Put some money into the pockets of indigenous people. If you can buy it in person, even better, you can speak to indigenous people and learn a thing or two about its use. Every single time I’ve bought herbs from indigenous people (not just sage, literally anything) they’re always so welcoming and happy that I’m there. They’re excited to share. All of my herbs and tools come directly from small local farmers and artist markets. We have one in my town every Wednesday and one in the city every Sunday. You most probably have some going on where you live too. Take the time to look around.

I consider interacting with these small businesses to be a devotional act, and it’s a million times more fulfilling than buying a bundle on amazon or from the witchy section of the craft store, not knowing whether the shit is quality or even what it claims to be.

I think the “white sage is banned point blank period” take is extremely retractive, especially when white people start talking over indigenous people so they can crowd control other white folks.

Most of the harvesters of white sage are indigenous, and it’s silly as fuck to see people harassing indigenous sellers on etsy because it’s “closed”. It sucks to see their sales dip to an all time low because everyone is being told to avoid them.

I wish the popular opinion this entire time had just been “witches who are not native can only use white sage that comes from native harvesters. We’re collectively cancelling big corp herbs and putting all of our attention into uplifting small indigenous businesses.”

All you have to do to assure that you’re not being disrespectful to indigenous people, is support them. This debate is so tired and frankly dumb as hell. It’s so so easy guys. The solution has been in front of us the entire time.

[oheziraphael]

There has been such an unbelieveable amount of antisemitism on Tumblr, so, I'll just say this.

Lilith is closed.

The Kabbalah is not an occult-y thing you can just use, It is closed to Judaism, always has been, always will be.

The Jewish G-d is not just every other abrahamic deity, they are not the same.

Abrahamic religions are not evil, stop generalizing, if you had a bad experience with Christianity or Judaism or Islam, that is not the whole religion, do not put others down because of it.

and i'll just ask this; why are goyim so, so, interested in jews? why? why does it matter to you? If you aren't trying to learn and be respectful, why are you so interested in telling them why something is closed or open?

[unlimited-witchcraft2]

Closed Practices

Closed practices are branches of spirituality not accessible to you unless you have been born or initiated into it. These are usually tied to cultures that have been persecuted, and as a defense mechanism they have closed their practices to outsiders to prevent colonization.

What is closed?

Indigenous practices, Voodoo, Hinduism, Judaism, Brujería, Santería, and Hoodoo are examples of closed practices. Do not touch these unless you have permission.

There are also closed communities such as the Amish, Roma, Jewish, and Shintō.

This is another reason research is so important, so you do not accidentally steal something or offend the spirits.

It is okay to research these practices and learn from them, using them as inspiration to create your own rituals and such as long as you don’t deliberately copy.

Research everything, especially neopaganism, wicca, and eclectic witchcraft if you’re interested in practicing them. They are known for mixing everything they could find to make one practice, don’t blindly follow that.

[adobealmanac]

Hello, I wonder if you have seen difference between brujeria in certain regions and countries, like would Mexican brujeria be different then Salvadoran brujeria.

Que Dios de bendiga

The different paths of Brujeria

There are many distinct branches of Brujeria. In my opinion, I simply see the term as the Spanish word for "witchcraft". Therefore, there are many types of it. I've coined the term 'Brujeria de frontera' for my practice -- I am a border witch. I live in a place where the cultures of the southwestern USA and Mexico blend into a unique branch of Brujeria on its own. It is not entirely the same as Mexican Brujeria, but it is also not entirely "American". There are distinctions between what I practice than that of my Bruja friends from Mexico.

Sure, I do believe there is a general theme to all Brujeria, that being regaining our own power; regaining control over our spirituality. However, I do think each unique region of Central and South America provides a different backdrop for their spirituality. For example, there may be plants that grow better in Chile than in Mexico, so that plant is more likely to be used in Chilean Brujeria than in Mexican Brujeria. A good analogy would be that of the different branches of Voodoo. There are clear differences from Haitian Vodou compared to Louisiana Voodoo. These differences can come from a variety of sources, such as the different colonial powers, the different tools and ingredients available to practitioners, or the different origins of the enslaved peoples who's religion combined to form Voodoo. Thus, they are distinct branches of a religion.

Another example could be that of the different Christian denominations, such as the differences between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, however I will not delve into too much detail here as there are many sources out there for information on this.

So, for example, the Maya people practiced a religion that was hidden and intertwined into Folk Catholicism and Brujeria due to the Spanish colonization of Mexico, creating a unique religion that is different than say, that of the Andean peoples. Another thing to note is that branches of Brujeria often share more common threads, such as Spanish colonizers, the Spanish language, and Catholicism. These lead to them to develop similarities, such as the use of saints as a concealment for praying to the original pantheon. So, while different cultures blend differently with Catholicism, many of them used Catholicism as a way to keep their spirituality in a way that the colonizers approved of.

While my Abuelita may do a limpia different than my Puerto Rican friend's, they still share many common threads that unite us as practitioners of the folk religions, and of Brujeria. This is my stance on the idea of different branches of Brujeria and how distinct or connected they all really are.

[god-blog]

Is it ok for me (a white person) to acknowledge the indigenous gods of where I live?

I’m not talking about worshiping, I know it’s a closed practice.

But the land I live on was the home of the Lenape people before the Dutch took it from them and colonized it. There’s a wood on this land that I go to to worship my own deities and a few times I’ve seen Lenape people worshiping there as well (there’s still a large local community).

I’ve never interrupted, I’ve never asked specifically what they’re doing, I’ve never asked to join, but it feels wrong to me to do my own worship there to other gods without at least acknowledging the gods of the land I’m on.

So my question is: is it ok for me to give a brief thank you to them for letting me pray in their woods before I worship my deities?

[the-trans-folk-witch]

New Year's Resolutions and Necromancy: Uniting People Through Language. My 2024 love story.

To those who have noticed, I havent been very active on socials the past year or so. Ive posted on this blog occasionally but not as much as I would like. This next post is kind of all over the place because it discusses whats been going on in my life and practice in a more emotional or open way than ive been on the internet before. and because of that the writing is a bit too long for tumblr. So here is a google doc. Please read this. I hope to talk more about my plans for releasing my thesis on sociolinguistics but I want to discuss its place within ancestor veneration and language learning in regards to the language of ancestors. Enjoy this diary type entry thats way less formal than usual.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12jQlDczXdXfS89zMbkTvCOD06K27b5vCAqD7I4UfqJ0/edit?usp=sharing

[magnetothemagnificent]

Hi, sorry this might be a very dumb question but.. I saw your post about heritage and all that and you said that if you convert to Judaism you are then 100% Jewish. But I've seen over and over people saying that Judaism is a closed practice and you can not convert into it? I'm not Jewish myself and where I live I have no points of contact with any Jewish people so all my information is from the internet and this part really confuses me? (I know this sounds ignorant and stupid, I'm not trying to invalidate anyones statements or mean any harm or disruption, I'm genuinely confused about this)

Judaism *is* a closed practice, but conversion is possible, it's just a long and intense process and we don't go out encouraging people to convert (proselytizing is forbidden).

I use this metaphor a lot when explaining Judaism:

Imagine a house surrounded by a courtyard with a gate. Both the door to the house and the outer gate have a lock and key. Sometimes, the outer gate is unlocked and opened, and anyone is allowed into the courtyard if they're invited.

This represents religious events gentiles can participate in, as long as they were invited to do so. Think things like public menorah lightings, going to a Jewish friend's house for Shabbat dinner, attending a Jewish friend's B' Mitzvah in synagogue, etc.

Then there's the house itself. Only people with a key can get in and are allowed in. Most people inherent their key from their parent/s, but some people work really hard to earn their key. Only people with a key are allowed inside the house.

This is Jewish identity. Only people who were born Jewish or who went through the rigorous process of conversion are Jewish, and only Jews are allowed to partake in certain rituals and practices. Only Jews can make up a Minyan (group of ten or more Jews for prayer), only Jews can get an Aliyah (get called up to the Torah), only Jews can keep Shabbat to its fullest (this is why a lot of people in the process of conversion who have taken on every other commandment in Judaism will do a symbolic action to violate the Shabbat until they actually become Jewish (and then their first Shabbat as Jew is so special)).

You can convert to Judaism, but it's not as easy as waking up one day and deciding to be Jewish. It's a long process and must be done with the sponsorship and support of a Rabbi and Jewish community. It often takes years from when a person begins the process to when they dunk in the Mikvah (ritual bath) and are officially declared Jewish. A person must dunk in a ritual bath and have a Beit Din (court of Jewish judges) witness. People with penises usually have to be circumcised, or if they were already circumcised, have a Hatafat Dam Brit, a symbolic pinprick of blood. Once someone becomes Jewish, they are given a new Jewish name.

So, Judaism is closed to anyone without a key, and you must be born with a key or earn the key.

[freckledfortuneteller]

My local witch shops are crazy like why are you selling items from closed practices and why are your chime candles basically a whole dollar ???

[thewitcheslibrary]

Closed Practices

Please make sure that you do additional research, this post is just the basics of closed practices! - if you arent part of the culture that practices or you arent invited to practice a practice listed, then dont practice it! - it is not for you and can be considered cultural appropriation

What is a closed practice? There have been many damaging misconceptions regarding what constituted a "closed practice" in spirituality. Simply described, a closed practice in witchcraft and the occult is one in which you can only participate if you were born into it or underwent an initiation procedure. One of the most popular misconceptions about closed practices is that if you were not born into the group, you would never be allowed to practise. This can be true in a number of situations, but there are certain exceptions. It is critical to remember that these practices remain locked until the individual has been verified and the authorised start process has been completed.

There is always a cause for some religions to be closed. Some reasons may include that it is founded on specific cultural values and beliefs that would never be understood by outsiders who were not truly immersed in the community. Brujería and Santería are examples of this. 

Closed Communities and Race Locked Spirituality:  

While it is critical to analyze specific practices within some religions, it is even more vital to address, on a larger scale, how entire communities can be closed. Differentiating between closed communities and closed practices reduces the likelihood of gatekeeping and reinforced marginalization. Some closed communities include the Amish, the Roma, Judaism (along with their type of mysticism, Kabbalah), Hoodoo, and Haitian Vodou. A reason a variety of communities may close their practices is that they are deemed as “race locked”, indicating that these communities were created as an attempt to unify together during times of hardship, with their beliefs formed around their shared experiences. 

Region Locked religion: While some religions are closed because they are "race locked," others are closed because they are "region locked". This indicates they are closed since they are based on variables unique to the place. Many of these numbers are based on local factors that would make little sense to someone from another place. This is why some (but not all!) minor Shintō sects are considered closed. 

Poached practices:

Because of the huge quantity of misinformation propagated by uneducated internet users, there has been a significant surge in Native cultural appropriation and improper usage of Indigenous spirituality. There are other holy Indigenous rituals that are considered closed, like white sage smudging and the usage of palo santo. To survive, marginalised groups were traditionally mistreated and even punished for their beliefs, therefore these communities had to keep their religion hidden from outsiders. As restricted practices such as smudging gain popularity, the quantity of holy plants intended for Indigenous groups gets depleted. The colonizer's economic gains harm not just the environment, but also the purity of Native practices. Exploring safe, effective, and courteous alternatives to smoke cleaning are an excellent method to express direct gratitude to people who sacrificed their livelihood for spiritual freedom

Closed cultures:

Many Native American cultures

Many African cultures

Saami (in Finland)

Closed religions:

Shinto (Some branches of Shinto practice are open, although they should be approached with caution, while some are completely closed. Jinja Shinto would be the most visible example of an open denomination.

Druidism (proper not neo)

Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca

Haitian Vodou

Hawaiian

 African Vodou

Hinduism (There are open and accessible Hindu denominations, as well as closed sects. Some "open sects" are quite troublesome, thus one should proceed with caution when considering joining a Hindu sect. Dharmic law is part of what makes this difficult to traverse, so proceed with caution.

Hopi

Inuit

Judaism (You must earn the right to be called Jewish)

Raastafari Movement

Tribal (almost all)

Voodoo (Dependent on the group which you decide to learn from) 

Voudon

Zoroastrianism *some of these you can be invited to practice, but please research into which ones you can and can't. I as the author do not know much about these practices, as I don't personally practice them. People who do practices will have more correct answers*

[magicaguajiro]

Caribbean Folk Saints and Mighty Dead: La Caridad del Cobre

Few symbols represent Cubanía or Folk Saints better than that of La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre. For almost as long as Cuba has existed as a colonial country, Cachita has been its Patroness.

La Vida de La Caridad

La Virgen de Caridad del Cobre is the Patroness of Cuba, copper miners, Rivers and Storms, and of violent rebellion. She is a Spirit unique to this part of the world, worshipped as a Goddess, venerated as an Ancestor, worked with like a Witch. The lore and practice of her Folk-Cults have become so intertwined with ancient Indigenous and African Spirits that its almost impossible to separate them. The story of Cachita, as she is called, is where many of her perceived areas of influence come from. Here is a concise telling of her story, of which I will break down and explain the folkloric elements;

"In the 16th Century, three men from Barajagua were out at sea to collect sea salt. Indigenous brothers Juan and Rodrigo de Hoyos and a young Black boy named Juan Moreno, "The Three Juans". A fierce storm came, so they turned to the young boy's Marian medallion in prayer. As soon as they finished their prayer, the skies cleared and up floated the physical statue, which stayed dry in the water. Attached to it was a sign that read "Yo Soy La Virgen de La Caridad".

The Virgin’s Vessel

These men brought it to an official and a church was erected, and all was well for a time. Until one day, when the priest went into her locked chapel to find the statue missing. He alerted authorities and a search ensued, only for her to reappear the following day. This happened three more times, so the people of Barajagua decided she must want to be moved to a different location. They took her to El Cobre, a copper mining town. The people here loved her, and rang bells and celebrated upon her arrival. The disappearances continued.

In 1801, a mestiza girl known as Jabba or Apolonia in the Sierra Maestras came upon the statue atop a mountain, and thus a church was built and the statue moved once again but not far. This is where her church was built once again. Eventually, she made her way to the colonial capitol of Santiago. This was seen by many as a power grab of influence by the government over the Indigenous and African Communities’ sovereignty.

There are many elements to this that represent her patronage. We have it starting with her being found by two Indigenous and one African men. Barajagua is still to this day an epicenter of culture preserved by Indigenous and Black communities of the Island, and in this time it was no different. This shows her patronage and reason for syncretization amongst these oppressed groups. Her power over weather has clear syncretic significance as well. Her being moved to the mining town of El Cobre shows her patronage of Copper and Miners. I will go into more detail, but the message is clear: La Caridad is more than just a Marian Apparition. She is a Spirit of her own, with pacts to act with authority in certain traditions.

The Cemí of Horizontal Waters

As with many aspects of Cuban culture, her roots in ATRs are clear and undeniable. What is lesser known are her ties to Indigenous practices within Cuba. I will mention that some refute these claims, but I recommend the in depth analyses by Olga Portuondo Zuniga and Maria Nelsa Trincado which is where I draw much of my information here apart from family and cultural history. I have spoken before about Atabey, and there is a wealth of information (and misinfo) on her all over the internet. She is the primary feminine Cemí, or ancestral spirit, of the Taíno groups in the Caribbean. She is called the Mother of Waters and is a primordial force of nature as well as an ancestor. She also has significant ties to La Caridad del Cobre, as well as other Cuban Madonnas venerated by the Indigenous Cubans.

Firstly, in her origin story, we see La Virgen has power to dispel storms. Later on, even as recent as COVID, we see dances and festivals held in her honor to bring rain or stop fire. This part has been attributed to come from Atabey, specifically to her destructive form known as Guabancex (Gwa-Ban-Sesh). She is the Cemí of natural destruction, called Cacique of storms and earthquakes with various sets of Twins at her aide. One set rules the wet and dry seasonal cycle of the Caribbean, known as Boinayel and Marohu respectively. Another set known as Guatauba, Cacique of Winds who would call all the Spirits of the Land with his Guamo (Conch Shell) and Coatrisque, Cacique of Torrential Waters who would gather and then release them unto the Land. One of her helpers, Jurakan, is where we get the word hurricane because he’s the cemí of Spiral Winds. Some even believe that this specific spirit was created to represent Atabey/Guabancex and baby Jesus to represent Yocahu/Jurakan. Cemí were also physical objects many times, carved or crafted to literally have the spirit inside of it.

These statues were considered alive, and could speak and move around according to colonial accounts. This is interesting because in her story we see how her statue moves around to various locations, often moving from indoors to somewhere in nature. This is strikingly similar to the accounts by Fray Ramon Pane on the behavior of a Cemí who “wished to be under the stars”. This Cemí statue would often get tired of the enclosed space he was in and would choose to run off to various locations. In this way, we see that La Caridad herself is a Cemí in a way. In analyzation of her physical vessel, they have also found her head is her original and is made of Corn fiber, meaning at this point in history it must have been made in the Americas. This further cements her Indigenous connections.

Something interesting to note is that almost immediately following first contact, my Indigenous ancestors welcomed the spiritual beliefs of the newcomers, but not in the way the colonizers wanted. Rather than turn away from ancestral faiths in favor of the Catholic Saints and Madonnas, they simply added these European statues to the same altars as the Cemi. While this was not the case for all Taino people, we do have one specific case in Cuba where a Cacique named Comendador and his people worked with a painted image of Mary, to whom they would petition for aide in War. While Caridad del Cobre is not this exact Mary, it is believed some of her traditions and virtues are sourced from this and other similar Spirits from the Island. I see her as merely one very specific face of Atabey, and there are many other Spirits and Saints who are others.

Afro-Cuban Liberation

You will often see La Caridad del Cobre syncretized, or associated, within Lúcúmí spaces with the Orisha Oshun, but she also has come to be used as a mask for many female spirits in other African Traditions, such as with Mama Chola Wengue in Palo. These religions and systems were often outlawed, so to continue them they had to be hidden. Its important to note that La Caridad is NOT an Orisha or mpungo or Lwa, she is a Saint who Afro-Cubans recognized as having similar domains of influence as their Ancestral Spirits. From these associations we see a rise in her popularity among practitioners in petitions for beautification and love, as well as for protecting mothers in childbirth once again.

La Caridad del Cobre also became associated with Oshun because of her connection to Copper, similar to that of Oshun’s Gold. Also, being found by an enslaved person and being housed in El Cobre, a town majorly built of enslaved Afro-Cuban Copper Miners. Similar to the Erzulies in Haiti, I have heard Oshun masked as Caridad inspired the miners to fight against the often fatal conditions they worked in. As a matter of fact, the edict which freed all the miners was read in front of the Statue of Cachita at her chapel in 1801. This further strengthened and showed how she was a Patron and Liberator of the oppressed, especially the Enslaved and their descendants.

There is also Cachita Tumbo. I include her here because she is from ATRs. She is a Lwa or Misterio venerated in Haitian and Cuban Vodou alike, as well as other practices. Sometimes mistaken for Anaisa Pye, another Indigenous-related spirit. It is important to note La Caridad also has connections as Ercilli in Cuban Vudu, but this is a syncretisation where as Cachita IS La Caridad herself. She is considered a New World or Indigenous or Creole/Mixed Spirit, connected to the River, sexuality, femininity, childbirth and the like. Her name Cachita is thought to come from the Taino language, and Tumbo an Afro-Cuban word meaning a dance involving thrusting the body. Think "La Negra Tiene Tumbao". This shows how she has roots as both Indigenous and African. She is a Spirit associated with La Virgen during the Slave Revolts, a connection strengthened in Cuba's Revolution against Spain. In this war La Caridad becomes known as La Virgen Mambisa, and it seems the War-Hungry Mary of Comendador is shining through once again. It is hard to find where Cachita ends and La Virgen Mambisa begins.

Traditional Catholic Practice

DISCLAIMER: Nothing I say here will include practices or knowledge that is closed, nor part of closed practices. Anything I share from this point on should be assumed to be UPG. DECOLONIZATION: This "saint" went unrecognized by the church for over three centuries. She was originally a Spirit venerated by Indigenous and African Cubans for resistance who was taken by the church and used to push Nationalist Ideals and Mestizaje. Know her history and preserve her ways that the Catholic Church has tried to erase.

Working within the Catholic Framework is the safest and most approachable way to work with any Saint, canon or not. I will say it is important to recognize that this particular saint went unrecognized by the church for over three centuries, most of her history up until relatively recently. She was originally a Spirit venerated by Indigenous and African Cubans who was taken by the church and used to This is because there is a set system and rules that can be followed. If I were approaching La Caridad the way Catholic Cubans would, it would be by either simply carrying her with me and visiting her holy sites or by setting up a space for her in my home. This would be a clean, bright space with a yellow candle, a depiction of her and any offerings I may choose to include, like Sunflowers or a glass of water. I would NOT include Orisha or Cemí imagery, as you should be wary to approach her as anything other than La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre unless you are under the direction of an elder. She does have a traditional feast day, which is September 8th. This day, devotees of all paths will visit her chapel, ‘ermitas’ that house replicas, or to the river to make offerings. Gold Milagros and prayers of healing, like those offered to San Lazaro, are a common Catholic charm used with La Caridad as well.

In Folk Practice

In my experience, La Caridad del Cobre is a spirit deeply tied to this part of the world I am in, the Caribbean (including Florida). She IS the Land in a way, a face of the Earthen Mother. I have spoken before on how I like to call her La Madre Mojada or the Wet Mother, the Mother of Swamps. Sometimes even Mother Gator depending on the situation. This is because she is the very Spirit of the pact between the Water and the Land that allows our wetlands to exist. Its important to remember she is not a historic figure who died and is venerated, she is a more of a Land Spirit given an image and name to facilitate her worship, so she often wears many faces. I also see her as a Witch Queen type figure, being the Creatrix and Immaculate Mother of God. I take this to mean shes the Mother of all the spirits of this Land as well.

Offerings that I have given that have been well received include various perfumes, gourds/pumpkins, gold and copper things but especially mirrors, sunflowers, oranges and local honey. As she is a bioregional spirit, I tend to bring her offerings to a River for her as this is one place she is often associated with in all traditions. I also try to source my offerings and workings for her as locally as possible. She also enjoys bells, which is attributed to the bells rung upon her arrival to El Cobre. She likes the number 5 and its multiples, and enjoys music and dancing. Yellow is classically associated with her, but also blue.

Much of my work with her is simply veneration, honoring and respecting her and my Ancestors through her. Seeing as she is barely Catholic in many ways, she has few qualms about lending her aid to witches and spiritual workers. She especially is a great ally to any marginalized people, and can help them to work or fight their way to a better position. She can be petitioned to for help in abusive relationships or in finding love or beauty. She is very ‘elevated’ even for a Saint, so while she does have certain domains, she can also be petitioned to for just about any situation for which you have no other recourse.

Baños de Caridad - Baths of Charity

There are many spiritual bath recipes associated with each of the previously mentioned spirits, but I’m gonna share a folk recipe associated specifically with La Caridad del Cobre so that anyone can use it. This recipe, literally called Baños de Caridad, is great for when you have had some rough luck and need a pick me up. Best made on a friday, this sweet bath is used often for finding employment, bettering health and attracting love. The process is as follows:

Light a yellow candle for La Caridad and dedicate it to her with a prayer. Light her some incense as an offering and to cleanse the space. Then place a large bowl of cool water in front of her. To this, add the sweet plants basil (albahaca) and boton de oro (gold medallion), working them into the water with your hands. Both of these plants are known for attracting money, improving health and clearing up the vibe overall. Then, add a drizzle of honey to increase sweetness and magnetism. Finish it off with two raw eggs, representing the divine twins and new life.

Charms of the Rainmaker

I’ve mentioned before the many connections between the many Mother of Waters figures in the Caribbean and her Divine Twins. This is seen in both Taíno and Seminole legends, as well as even within Lúkúmí with the Twins known as Ibeyi. There are also many charms in this area associated with the Weather, specifically protecting from storms and calling in rain.

One charm that is used in Taíno Indigenous Communities to this day to bring rain in times of drought is to take find stones, each representing one of the twin Cemí of weather. Tie them together and then find a tree brand to hang them in, preferably a Holy Tree like a Ceiba. Pray to the Wind, Rains, La Caridad del Cobre, whomever you are working with. Say that you will not untie the stones until it rains. Once the rain starts, and it will, quickly untie the stones and place them somewhere dry with offerings of flowers, water, fruit, tobacco or a song. You may choose to blow a Guamo when first petitioning, and then again when finishing the rite. This lends an extra power in calling the Spirits of water, harkens to Guatauba’s role.

Another charm I shared in my recent post on the Everglades the charm of tying a blade to part of your house in the direction of an coming storm to make it split and go around your dwelling. In the past a form of matari stones was used. These are basically Caribbean arrowheads, indigenous artifacts once used for their sharpness, now used in practices like Ochá and called ‘Thunder Stones’. You can also use any sharp outdoor tool, Seminole have an almost identical charm using an axe. The idea is the same in both cultures, you are splitting the Weather Twins apart and both have corresponding myths I talked about in that post.

A Note on Honey: Historically, there is a taboo associated with offering honey to La Caridad that you have not tasted yourself. This is a Lúcúmí belief stemming from practices related to Oshun, that transferred to popular zeitgeist. I include this not to recommend following it, but instead to say you may want to omit offering Honey to her altogether.

Fe, Amor, y Caridad

La Caridad is a complex and multifaceted spirit. She is now a recognized Saint, but she is definitely more than that. She has a deep relationship with this Land, and with the other Spirits that she was syncretized with. I hope this post helps adequately share what I’ve been lucky enough to learn and experience with Cachita and Elders who have spent their lives devoted to her.

Luz y Progreso 🌻

[themuseumofwitchcraftandpaganism]

Open Practices and Closed Practices

Open Practices- noun, magical and spiritual traditions that anyone can explore and use, no matter their background or culture

source

Closed Practices- noun, magical and spiritual practices in which participation is restricted. To participate, one must be born into the practice or go through an initiation process

source

Closed Practices are typically restricted by race or culture and it's disrespectful for people outside of this heritage to participate.

[sacredstoriesoldnorsetradition]

Welcome to my new channel 𝒮𝒶𝒸𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈! ⚒️ Where we learn about the Old Norse Religion, also known as Norse paganism & Ásatrú.

In today's video, I will be talking about closed spiritual practices and how they apply to our modern world. No, Norse Paganism is NOT a closed practice, therefore you are free to practice if it calls to your soul, but we will discuss how to go about it with cultural sensitivity.

𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊 💞 𝐬𝓣έקĤÃᑎ𝓲𝐄

[khensaptah]

Hi, I don't know anything about the Egyptian pantheon but might be interested to learn about it and maybe incorporate it to my practice. But I don't know if it is a closed practice ? I am white and European and I am not sure if that would be considered cultural appropriation ? Sorry if it is a stupid question, I genuinely am ignorant on the subject.

This is an important question, and I am glad you are being considerate of others before moving forward with Egyptian polytheism.

The short answer: no, it is not a closed religion. Both ancient and modern Egypt were part of a larger multi-cultural conversation between the peoples of the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Levant. Pharaonic Egypt was a culture that built empires: colonizing and spreading their beliefs was a part of that. Egyptian belief spread with the Romans even as far as the British Isles!

The longer answer: it's not a closed religion, but being mindful of cultural context is critical to practicing Egyptian/Kemetic polytheism. As white practitioners, we need to be mindful of uplifting Egyptian, African, and Arab voices in our community. Egyptology and Kemeticism both have a huge whitewashing problem. In the twelve years I've been practicing, I've seen this problem come up again and again in multiple groups.

Since the center of Kemeticism is ma'at, I highly encourage you to take time to find and follow folks sharing their experiences (both within and without the religion) as Egyptian, African, and Arabic peoples so you can better understand their perspectives... especially given everything happening in the world right now.

Feel free to send any other questions you have my way, always happy to chat!

[strega-nonna-nevvie]

A Bit of a Rant:

As someone who is in a closed practice, when someone tells you to leave closed practices alone and not to mess with them, we have our reasons! Closed practices are not a "follow your heart" thing if you aren't a part of that culture. Full stop. In my practice I am sworn not to teach anyone outside my blood descendants because our magic is not for people outside our culture. You don't know how to work with our entities! You don't know how to deal with them when they decide to knock your ass down a peg!

If you are not a part of a specific culture, leave that culture's practices alone. To drive in my point I will share a story about my experience with a Lwa (An entity integral to a cultural practice for African-American people- Hoodoo) in a dream as a message to someone who that practice was meant for.

To preface this, I am not black. I have trace African ancestry but that's it. Not enough to claim black culture as my own. I am Italian-American and Irish, that's it. It's why I am a Strega.

Cw for graphic dream shit below this line.

But anyway, I had a dream of a Lwa and my roommate, who is black and has since taken up some Hoodoo practices after I told them about this dream.

This Lwa warned me to get out of the way as she was going toward my roommate to defend them. I did, but her claws grazed my face. So began a long, painful process of boils, skin necrosis, coughing up some weird substance, losing teeth. It hurt. My roommate appeared beside me and smeared some kind of remedy on my face and I began to vomit up something like wet skin. My teeth regrew, my skin stopped rotting and regenerated. My roommate in the dream said, "This is my path. Be careful not to get in her way again." And I woke up still hurting- still THROBBING- in the face.

The moral of the story, don't mess with things you're not a part of. They can and will fuck you up.

This rant is brought to you by a very irritated Strega.

[bolszaja-miedwedica]

guys i have a question about if shinto is a closed practice? google says everyone can worship kami even if you're white or non japanese but idk so maybe someone here knows something?