#death work

[hillbillyoracle]

I don't normally post about these sorts of efforts but this is really important to me as someone who does a lot in my practice centered around death, ancestors, and spirits generally.

The FTC is considering making funeral homes post their prices online and to make their embalming disclosures clearer to clients - this is vital. We absolutely need this in the US.

Please watch the video and consider taking five minutes to comment on the FTC page in support of the changes.

[runhildforne]

Need to bite someone's neck 🦇💋

[gothyween]

𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍𝖈𝖗𝖆𝖋𝖙; 𝖓𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖞 & 𝖒𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖚𝖒𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖕⚰️🕯️

[please reblog or like if you saved]

cr. nonalimmen

[xnoctifers-eveningx]

Looking for blogs to follow and or mutuals to discuss practices with !! I'm also open to exchanging discords!! :)) Anyone who posts original content about or practices;

• Luciferianism / Satanism / Demonolatry

• folk magic / folk Christianity

• death work / necromancy / vulture culture

• animism / nature spirits

• ancient Mesopotmanian polytheism

[poisonnxkki]

Working In Graveyards & Graveyard Etiquette🕯

Why Incorporate Graveyards?

Graveyards have always been associated with the supernatural and metaphysical. In both ancient and modern cultures, funerary rights and the dead have always held great significance in society. When working in these spaces, the most important thing to remember is respect. The dead are not as mutable as the living and it may take longer to rectify a mistake and earn their trust again than it would have been to learn the proper etiquette from the start.

Which begs the question, why work in these spaces and with these spirits? Well lots of reasons, some people choose to only work in graveyards that they have a direct ancestral connection with (ie. family members or distant relative are buried there). Others, like myself, find it a good way to honour the local spirits. Even spirits of people you don't know and have no connection too are worth honouring. Some people believe that since all of humanity has a common ancestor, we are all related and so even cemeteries you have no direct connection to, are connected to you by our common ancestor (another reason I am quite fond of). Maybe you just think it's cool, which is valid. Whatever your reason, just make sure you have one and are not going there with insincere intentions.

What is Graveyard Etiquette?

Graveyard etiquette are the ways in which we should behave when entering and visiting a graveyard in order to be respectful to those resting there. Although there are general rules of thumb which many witches follow, as you develop a relationship with a particular graveyard, those customs can change. Here are some I like to follow:

Leaving an offering- I always bring an offering of coins or flowers. If I'm visiting a graveyard that I've never been to before, I will leave coins at the gate, for the guardian and at some of the older and unkept headstone (also graves of young children if I find any). During regular visits, I leave offerings with the guardian and at headstones of spirits I've developed a relationship with.

Walking the entire graveyard- this is not something I do every time but I like to walk around the entire site and introduce myself especially if I plan on having a working relationship with the spirits there (this may be more difficult for larger sites, I recommend picking an new area each time you visit if that is the case).

Entering and leaving through the same gate- this is not one I stick to every time if I know the spirits really well. If I've never visited before I will always leave through the same exit that I entered from.

Throwing salt or spinning- I heard this one from ChaoticWitchAunt (on TikTok) and it's something that I've just always done. They recommended spinning around three times before leaving to prevent spirits from following you home. I've also thrown a bit of salt over my left shoulder outside the entrance for the same purpose (beware: salt is not good for the earth). This is definitely something that just resonated with me after a bad experience and that's why I continue to do it.

A Note on Necromancy & Death work:

Necromancy is often a term used in many scary movies and cult fiction. It is actually a form of divination which utilizes the dead. Anyone can learn necromancy however it is an integral part of death work. Death worker (practitioners who practice death work) are involved with crossing spirits over. The job requires some level of mediumship abilities and can be very taxing on your mental health. Some death workers take on the lingering emotions of the deceased (pain, fear, anger, etc.) in order to help that spirit. Death work is much more than the small bit that I've described but it is important to note that the path is not for everyone. You can still work in cemeteries and utilize necromancy without doing death work (& a big thank you to the death workers who continue on their path despite the toll it takes, we love you!).

*All images are from Pinterest*

[psychopomp-recital]

Beginning ways to test the waters if you’re considering the Death Witch/Worker path.

✦ Cemetery & Graveyard Volunteer Work

- Picking Up Trash

- Cleaning Tombstones

- Grave Cataloging

✦ Death Doula Certifications

- Mundane, but will allow access

✦ Funerary Rites & Customs

- Research different cultures

~ *more than your own*

- Research certifications to perform them

✦ Ancestor Work

- your cultural customs

- generational trauma

- asking for aide in workings

- and so on…

✦ Spirit Work

- starting with local spirits

- animal spirits

- plant spirits

- kinds of spirits

- and so on…

✦ Forensic Sciences

- how death affects the body

✦ Religious Beliefs

- kinds of Underworlds

- kinds of Otherworlds

- kinds of souls

- what happens after death

- death & chthonic deities

While I do think it is important to have a mentor of some kind, hopefully this can let you test the waters a bit.

[fragmentedhekatean]

wonder how many of us on the Death Work/Witch Path struggled with abandonment and betrayal. there's a certain element of a death of trust that haunts us. I haven't ever literally died but I feel as if parts of me have died over and over again bec I was left alone, I was abandoned and made to feel small and like I had to make up for being me

death has surrounded me and chipped at me for years. It's no wonder I have found so much peace and comfort from deities who have walked hand in hand with death and chaos

there's a loneliness in death I understand and working with the dead and death gods feels less lonely and like I'm helping people make sure they're not forgotten too

[path-of-grass-and-leaves]

How I Practice Death Work

Please keep in mind that this is a post about my own practice. My relationship with death work is intertwined with my individual path and is highly personal. What is written here may not apply to everyone.

Through working with "Death Energy"

Death Energy as I define it is simply energy sourced from things associated with Death. Some examples of this include dead leaves, rotting wood, snow, compost, soil taken during winter, ash, and plants associated with Death. I prefer to use the root of the plant because I associate it with the spirit world/underworld.

Some practitioners like to use bones and grave dirt in their workings. This isn't something that I do often because I believe that these things are tied to specific spirits and in my practice it's important to let the dead rest, with some circumstances being an exception. This is by no means true for everyone and I think it's fine to take graveyard dirt or bones as long as they're ethically and respectfully sourced.

I find that death energy works great for transformative magic, for endings and rebirth, and for connecting with certain spirits. I'm sure it could also be used in baneful workings.

Through Mundane Action

From the outside, how I practice death work probably seems very ordinary. I take in roadkill from my street and bury it, remove dead animals from yards and set the corpses somewhere quiet. I compost. I clean for a recent widow and bring her food and gifts, offer support and guidance for grieving loved ones, cook for them. These are expressions of love and forms of veneration, which helps me connect with the dead on a deeper and more intimate level.

Through Veneration and "Safe-Passing"

This includes building altars and leaving offerings for ancestors, passed loved ones, pets, and even local wildlife.

In terms of helping spirits pass on, I have a specific incantation/prayer that I recite for dead animals that I pass while driving. I encounter mostly animal spirits because my practice centers around the local flora and fauna. I will also hold burials and mourning periods, leave offerings, and conduct spirit communication when the situation calls for it. When I'm performing more complicated rituals of this nature, I'll enlist the help of my local/personal spirits.

Through Compassion For The Living

Life and Death are interwoven and are of the same cycle. If I kill bugs and set out glue traps, will the local insect and mouse spirits want to work with me?

Some of the things that I do to show compassion for the living include helping animals in need, growing native plants and rewilding my yard, giving money to strangers when possible, gifting things to my friends and neighbors, cleaning, cooking, or doing favors for loved ones. I believe that what we do in this world reflects how we interact with and are perceived in the spiritworld/otherworld.

Through acknowledging Grief and Fear

Believe it or not, I'm actually terrified of death and dying. My path to deathwork came to me through a time of intense grief and through the acceptance of mortality.

Reflecting on death, talking about it openly with loved ones, and even thinking about what I would want for my own burial and funeral are things that have helped.

For grief, I leaving offerings and create altars, speak fondly to/of passed loved ones, and let myself feel what I need to feel. I don't have much more to say on this matter, but I think it's worth mentioning for those who are apprehensive about death work for these reasons. You're not alone.

I hope this resonated with some people. Once again, all of this is personal and nothing written here is universal. I write because I love to share.

[elminx]

Elminx considers: Graveyard etiquette as a witch or other magical practitioner

Note: I am going to use the term graveyard here to refer to all types of burial places. Yes, there are differences. For this purpose - they don't matter. Note: I am going to try to make this an ongoing series about graveyard etiquette and dealings with the dead in general. If I have done so, I may have made a masterpost which I will try to remember to link, here. If you think that this should be on a masterpost, message me.

It can be a hard thing to wrap your mind around (and I am sure that you are trying to do the Right Thing) but your Graveyard Etiquette isn't worth shit if the spirits of the graveyard don't follow the same etiquette.

That means that it is not one size fits all. Go figure.

A Catholic graveyard will demand different etiquette than a Baptist graveyard that will have different etiquette from a non-denominational graveyard from the 1700s. Fuck it, a French Catholic graveyard will have different etiquette from an Irish Catholic graveyard.

I see a lot of posts floating around with things like: always carry iron, always bring a gift, always wear protection, always cover your head, always pay the gatekeeper with coins, etc.

These are all culturally specific superstitions (nothing wrong with that) but taken out of context they mean absolutely nothing.

The big thing that those of us from Western cultures need to get over is the idea that things are universal. They just aren't. The dead are just people who lived within a certain culture. That culture and their own lives determine what they will view as rude or polite. We actually get no say in the matter.*

They are just people. Dead people. Some were lovely old grandmothers who will dote on every living child they encounter. Some were angry teenagers who died too young. Some were infants who don't really know what it is to live or to die. Each individual in a graveyard has their own story and each graveyard has its own story.

Those are the things that you need to take into consideration when approaching a graveyard.

Spirits should be treated in the same way that you would a loved one. We all know Uncle Jake can't drink so we don't drink around him. Grammy doesn't like apple pie so we make cherry instead. Cousin June can't eat the gluten so we make it a gluten-free pie instead. Spirits are the same way - they have the same likes and dislikes they had in life (for the most part? my dead family does at least).

This is why a random food offering, while well intended, might not work out so well for you. (I don't mean getting haunted not well, it just might just go over like a lead zeppelin, ya know?)

So here I am telling you that nothing is right?

More truthfully what I am trying to confer here is that nothing is AUTOMATICALLY right and that if you want to work with and get to know a graveyard, you need to fucking ask. Just like you would with any other spirit or human being. Something like "Hi, <name on grave>, I would really like to bring you something to eat. Do you like blueberry pie? My grandma just made some." or "Hi, <name on the grave>, I would like to give you some whiskey. Do you like this type of whiskey?"

Sometimes, nothing will happen. You can take that as an assent. It could mean that the spirit of that grave is no longer present in this world, or it could mean that they aren't paying attention to you, or that they just don't care. But if you get a bad feeling or something bad happens immediately afterward, skip it. Sometimes you'll get a good feeling too - that's an obvious yes.

If you are more comfortable as a spirit worker, you can ask the spirit what it would like you to bring it. Please remember to be careful with boundaries and not promise anything because spirits - very occasionally - ask you for some pretty weird stuff. Then, listen. Wait. Be patient. You might smell fresh doughnuts as you are leaving, or have a sudden craving for rose tea. Over the next few days, look for synchronicities that could be the spirit answering you. If you are new to this, divination can be a great tool to help you understand what is and is not spirit communication. I would point out here that there is an inner knowingness that happens for a lot of people during spirit communication - you smell church incense and instinctively know that the spirit misses the smell of frankincense and myrrh, for example.

If there is something that you feel that you need to do before you enter a graveyard - by all means, do it. Magic that is meant for you will resonate WITH you - if you feel the need to cover your head, cover your head. But be wary of doing it because some rando (even big-name Tumblr-wise people because they are still randos, just randos with a following) told you that you "had to".

There is no absolute or right answer. There's only the right answer for you and that graveyard. And that's something that you have to figure out for yourself.

*We get no say in the matter about what a spirit finds to be rude or polite. We obvs get boundaries about what we think is rude and polite, and those are equally important.

[unseendeity]

books on death, burial methods, funeral industry, etc. y'all recommend? 👉🏽👈🏽

[ocean-not-found]

I love you, Santa Muerte. My Lady Holy Death. My Rose. My Life. My Hope.

I love you i love you i love you

Mwah mwah mwah

🥀💀🖤

[vacantwoodsenthusiast]

Spending my autumn equinox blessing and prepping my small beloved dead shrine. I just received these beautiful prayerbeads from @laracreates88 that i commissioned in honor of my beloved dead, with beads made from Jet (used historically in Victorian mourning jewelry), Garnet (which related to underworld mysteries), and fossilized coral (death and its relationship with water and going to the earth).

[xnoctifers-eveningx]

Domestic pig skull a friend found the other day and gifted to me !! She's BEAUTIFUL and probably the cleanest piece I've seen so far. Givin her a little bath and then finding her a place on my altar :))

[necrofleshgoat]

Gentle reminder cause I've seen it float around more often than I'd like recently ‼️

Death work, death magic and/or necromancy are not a closed practice in itself.

I have no clue where people keep pulling this bs from but they do and as a death worker myself I'm tired of it. First of all, death is universal. Do you know a culture that doesn't have some form of belief and rituals surrounding death? Me neither. This simple fact makes death work open to anyone, because it's something EVERY SINGLE CULTURE HAS.

Of course, certain practices within death work are closed when they're tied directly to a closed culture/belief. But death work in itself is open.

People who claim otherwise often don't have any proper sources or arguments and it stems from a feeling of edgy superiority over other witches and practitioners that shouldn't be tolerated in our community. Not only that, but it also lowkey feels like a mockery towards actual closed practices.

Do research! Don't believe anything you see someone say without a second thought, folks!!

[psychopomp-recital]

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Let’s talk about working with the Water Element; divination, magical waters, workings and cultivating a relationship with it and its spirits.

🎶Sharing my experiences and thoughts, don’t rely on just this make your own experiences and thoughts.🎶

How do I grow my relationship with Water itself?

Begin opening yourself up to it more and incorporating it into your daily life. When I began building my relationship with it this is what I did:

To be done over a months period

Washed my hands & face with cold water when waking up and letting them air dry as much as possible.

Brushing out my hair and braiding it, picturing my hair flowing like a river with every movement of my fingers.

Beginning my day by intentionally drinking a glass of water, sitting down to really appreciate it and how it aides your body. I like cold water because you can easier feel it flow through you, I also like charging it beforehand.

Visit as many water sources as possible during this period. I am lucky enough to live by the pacific ocean and I would go and swim in it everyday to cultivate my relationship. However, if that is inaccessible for you there’s options such as sitting by a public pool, taking a bath, standing in the rain, eating your lunch by a river, etc.

While you’re spending time with water just talk to it. Tell it stories, sing it songs, ask it questions, water is living and it longs for a connection.

Record your progress throughout the month either in written journal entries, scrapbooking, or digital trackers. Just have a way for you to look back at how you’ve changed during this period.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Examples of Magic that can include water:

research topics

Magical or Blessed Waters

Baneful Folk Workings

Release / Banishing Spells

Water Plant Workings

Elemental Spirit Magic

Death Work

Charged Sprays

Travel Magic

Weather / Storm Magic

Meditation

Shell Magic (like crystal magic)

Hydromancy

Carromancy (wax in water)

Magical Baths / Showers

Glamour Magic

And Much More...

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

What can I benefit from working with water?

Regardless on where you are from, what path of life you are following or anything else we are connected by our need for water. It is not only our connection to other humans but our connection to the natural world as well. It makes up 3/4 of our planet and 60% of your body. You can get a better understanding of yourself just by going back to that fundamental need to sustain yourself with water as a life-force. The element itself is well known to be a very introspective force and most spirits representing or associated are similar (spg). When you are inviting it into your home you are inviting that connection and energy in too.

Water takes life without discrimination, just as it gives life. Working within that provides a confidence and at least in my experience a sense of balance within ones self. If you are feeling like you are being tossed by the path of life, as if you are a lone ship at a storming sea, this might be your sign to stop fighting the current and start moving with it. If you can make the waves move at your asking then what is there to stop you.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Hydromancy

hy·dro·man·cy /ˈhīdrəˌmansē/

noun

divination by means of signs derived from the appearance of water and its movement.

Some argue this is the first form of scrying Hydromancy is a very useful tool. It can be done with natural bodies of water, or things like tubs, cups and bowls. It can be frustrating to begin so this is how I would begin if I were you: (works better with an established connection to water)

Go somewhere quiet and still, I prefer outside at night but do what is safe and comfortable for you.

Prepare your space and yourself however you normally would set the tone for a divination reading. Some choose to say a blessing prayer, drink a divination tea blend, or anoint themselves with particular salve or oil. I will usually ritually prepare myself (let me know if you want me to go more into this).

In a shallow dark colored bowl (or scrying bowl), pour your preferred water of choice. I usually go with waning moon water.

Relax and begin to gaze into the water. Let yourself open up to messages. Sometimes it comes as scenes of images, or a shape or even words that can come through.

Write down anything you receive to interpret later on.

If you are struggling try this ritual but use the light of a candle or the moon to interpret those shapes. Or meditate with the bowl and pour it out onto the ground and scry the shape it leaves behind.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

Magical Associations

✦ Death & Life ✦ Duality ✦ Change ✦ Rage ✦ Grief ✦ Peace ✦ Creation ✦ The Moon ✦ Ice ✦ Emotions ✦ Mental Health ✦ Cleansing / Purification ✦ Storms ✦ Distaster ✦ Dreams ✦ Cancer / Scorpio / Pisces ✦ Psychic Abilities ✦ Shape-shifters ✦ Travel ✦ Corrosion

Irish Divine Beings Associated

✦ Brigid (keening mother & keeper of the sacred well) ✦ Boann (river personification) ✦ Aengus (The Young Son) ✦ Lir (sea personification) ✦ Manannán mac Lir (son of the sea)