#egyptian god prayer beads

[forceyourway]

EGYPTIAN GODDESS ASET (ISIS) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE

*On sale for Cyber Week!*

https://www.etsy.com/.../egyptian-goddess-aset-isis-necklace

Black Agate, Red Coral, and Apatite with Silver-Colored Metal spacer beads, and a Silver and Apatite Pendant *Commissions also available!*

[bajaarizonabooksart]

Malas Malas originated in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions where they are used as a meditation aid. Each bead represents a mantra or prayer. Malas are now found all world where they continue to be used as meditation aids and often are worn as necklaces.

These malas all have an amulet. Top: Hamsa-Hand of God (upper left), Ankh, the Egyptian symbol for Life (upper right). Middle: Buddhist Guan Yin, Goddess of Compassion. Lower row: Om, the symbol for the sacred sound of the universe and consciousness.

You can find your new mala handcrafted by me at my two Baja Arizona Treasures shops:

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BajaArizonaTreasures

GoImagine: https://goimagine.com/bajaarizonatreasures/?category_id=17698

Free shipping on all U.S. orders via USPS coming to you from artist/maker and writer C.J. Shane in Tucson.

[shalomanna]

EXODUS • by Megan Arkenberg

From her balcony by the Nile, Hatshepsut looked out over the land of Egypt and wept. There was nothing else to do.

Her once-delicate hands, now marred by burns and plague scars, clenched tightly around the balcony railing. From the mud-brick houses and straw huts clustered at the foot of her half-completed tomb, she could hear slaves singing in a mixture of Hebrew and Egyptian as they gathered their meager belongings. They can sing, the pharaoh thought bitterly. Their children are alive.

She went back into her bedchamber, where the gauze curtains stirred listlessly as she passed. No other breeze came to ease the humidity, just as no rain had come to clean the bloody rivers and no sun shone to dispel the darkness. Without her maid-servants, the chamber seemed oppressively empty.

Hatshepsut removed her flax sandals and sank into a chair near the courtyard door; from there, she could see the Nile lotus-garden where she had pulled the tiny Hebrew baby up from the river all those years ago. It was thick and overgrown now, covered with weeds and thick with ash and silt. She had meant to have it cleaned for the celebration marking the start of her daughter’s sixteenth summer.

It’s just as well, she thought, looking out her window at the tomb where Neferure would soon be laid to rest, that there are no slaves left to do it.

“Moses,” she said aloud, and buried her face in her hands. He had been as precious to her as Neferure, once, when she was twelve and foolish and didn’t know what it was to be a mother. A new flood of hot tears ran down from her eyes. If she had not been so eager to draw Moses out of the water, would Neferure still be alive?

“Pharaoh.”

Hatshepsut jumped at the voice, struggling to hide her tears before she recognized the young man addressing her. It was Senemut, Neferure’s teacher, the khol and malachite around his eyes smudged down to his high cheekbones. He knows my sorrow, the pharaoh thought, and met his gaze without shame.

“The man is waiting for you in the antechamber,” Senemut said, bowing low. “The Hebrew.”

Hatshepsut straightened in her chair. “Send him to me.”

By the time Moses came in, she had managed to compose herself fit for a royal audience. “I have already sent word that your people are to be freed,” she said. “What more can you ask of me?”

He shook his head, a strange, almost gentle look in his brown eyes. “Nothing more. I only wanted… Mother…”

She flinched at the word, raising a hand as if to ward off a blow. The silence hung heavy in the room for a moment, as heavy as the moisture beading on the curtains. At last, she seemed to regain her breath. “What god do you serve, Moses, that he exacts such a terrible price for disobedience?”

“The Lord’s choices are more than any of us can predict,” he said. “Why were you so stubborn?”

“I don’t know!” The words came out more fiercely than she intended. “I don’t know. If I had only known…”

“‘A great cry will be heard in Egypt,’ you said.”

“Yes. I just didn’t know it would be my own.” She turned away from him, covering her face with one hand and choking back a sob.

“I will pray for you,” Moses said softly. “You, and all who have lost a child.”

“I don’t want your prayers,” she said. “I want you to go. Go! Now, before I change my mind and extract vengeance on your people. There is nothing more your god can do to punish me.”

“Mother… Hatshepsut…”

She said nothing. After a few moments, she heart the soft sound of his footsteps fading away.

The singing in the streets was getting louder, but underneath it, Hatshepsut could hear another sound growing. Deep and shrill at once, like music from a pair of harpists, it made her bones feel like ice. The mothers and fathers of Egypt had woken.

“Take your people, Moses,” she said, her eyes burning. “And let my people go.”

--------ABOUT THE AUTOR

Megan Arkenberg is a writer and poet from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her work has appeared in many webzines and anthologies, including The Lorelei Signal, Rose & Thorn, A Fly in Amber, and numerous haiku and tanka publications.

[city-witch-magix]

Yule, the Winter Solstice

Begins on Winter Solstice and lasts 12 days (Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, December 21st) 

Focuses on rebirth and renewal as the sun makes it way back to the earth. New beginnings with magical workings and welcome light and warmth into your home 

History: There are many variations of yule throughout the world. The Norse people celebrated Jul and viewed it as a time for feasting and merrymaking. Icelandic sagas believed it was a time of sacrifice. The Yule log, decorated Christmas tree, and wassailing can be traced back to the Norse people. Little is known of what the Celts did as celebration but it is said they sacrificed a white bull and gathered mistletoe in celebration. The Romans had a week long party full of merrymaking and debauchery that involved gift-giving, sacrifice, special privileges for slaves, and feasting. Ancient Egyptians celebrated the sun daily until they realized the cooler weather and cycle of life coincided. 

Decorate your altar with blues, silvers, reds, greens, and whites for the season. The reds help with chakra work because it is associated with chakra root. White helps focus on purifying. Gold can also be incorporated because it is associated with the sun and coincides with Yule. 

Symbols of Yule include gold discs, yellow candles, anything bright and shiny, a large pillar candle with solar symbols, evergreen boughs, sprigs of holly, pinecones, Yule log, Santa Claus, Antlers/reindeer, fruits (fresh apples/oranges), nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts), snowflakes, icicles, bowl of snow, candy canes, bells, and sunwheels 

Prayer to the Earth- Cold and dark, this time of year, the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return of the sun, and with it, life. Far beneath the frozen surface, a heartbeat waits, until the moment is right, to spring.

Yule Sunrise Prayer- The sun returns! The light returns! The earth begins to warm once more! The time of darkness has passed, and a path of light begins the new day. Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun, blessing us all with its rays.

Yule Sunset Prayer- The longest night has come once more, the sun has set, and darkness fallen. The trees are bare, the earth asleep, and the skies are cold and black. Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night, embracing the darkness that enfolds us. We welcome the night and all that it holds, as the light of the stars shines down.

Prayer to the Winter Goddess- O! Mighty goddess, in silvery ice, watching over us as we sleep, a layer of shining white, covering the earth each night, frost on the world and in the soul, we thank you for visiting us. Because of you, we seek warmth in the comfort of our homes and hearths.

Prayer for Counting Blessing- I am grateful for that which I have. I am not sorrowful for that which I do not. I have more than others, less than some, but regardless, I am blessed with what is mine. [If you have a set of pagan prayer beads or a witch's ladder, count off each bead or knot, and consider the things you are thankful for, like so:] First, I am thankful for my health. Second, I am thankful for my family. Third, I am thankful for my warm home. Fourth, I am thankful for the abundance in my life. [Continue counting off your blessings until you have thought of all of the things that enrich your life and the lives of those around you.]

Prayer for the Beginning of Winter- See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way for the bright sun soon to come. See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way, for the world to awake once more. See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way for the longest night of the year. See the gray skies overhead, preparing the way for the sun to finally return, bringing with it light and warmth.

Nordic Yule Prayer- Beneath the tree of light and life, a blessing at this season of Yule! To all that sit at my hearth, today we are brothers, we are family, and I drink to your health! Today we do not fight, We bear no one ill will. Today is a day to offer hospitality to all that cross my threshold in the name of the season.

Snow Prayer- From the reaches of the north, a place of cold blue beauty, comes to us the first winter storm. Wind whipping, flakes flying, the snow has fallen upon the earth, keeping us close, keeping us together, wrapped up as everything sleeps beneath a blanket of white.

Prayer to Old Gods- The Holly King is gone, and the  Oak King reigns— Yule is the time of the  old winter gods! Hail to Baldur! To Saturn! To  Odin! Hail to Amaterasu! To Demeter! Hail to Ra! To Horus! Hail to Frigga, Minerva Sulis and Cailleach Bheur! It is their season, and high in the heavens, may they grant us their blessings this winter day.

Celtic Yule Blessing- The food is put away for the winter, the crops are set aside to feed us, the cattle are come down from their fields, and the sheep are in from the pasture. The land is cold, the sea is stormy, the sky is gray. The nights are dark, but we have our family, kin and clan around the hearth, staying warm in the midst of darkness, our spirit and love a flame, a beacon burning brightly in the night.

Elemental Prayer- As the earth grows colder, the winds blow faster, the fire dwindles smaller, and the rains fall harder, let the light of the sun find its way home.

Prayer to the Sun Gods- Great sun, wheel of fire, sun god in your glory, hear me as I honor you on this, the shortest day of the year. Summer has gone, passed us by, the fields are dead and cold, all of earth sleeps in your absence. Even in the darkest times, you light the way for those who need a beacon, of hope, of brightness, shining in the night. Winter is here, and colder days coming, the fields are bare and the livestock thin. We light these candles in your honor, that you might gather your strength and bring life back to the world. O mighty sun above us, we ask you to return, to bring back to us the light and the warmth of your fire. Bring life back to earth. Bring light back to earth. Hail the sun!

Some recipes: https://www.learnreligions.com/yule-cooking-and-recipes-2562933 (Yule Plum Pudding, Savory Sun King Soup, Baked Spaghetti Squash, Sunshine Skillet Casserole, Divine Yule Peppermint Fudge, Chocolate Yule Log, Wassail, and Hot Buttered Rum)

Source: https://www.learnreligions.com/all-about-yule-2562972

[martykatewrites]

The Tomb in the Cliffs

What is this place?" Roma ran the beam from her electric torch along the walls of the chamber while Ardeth followed with his lantern. "Look," she said as she flashed the torch overhead, "The ceiling hasn't been worked but the walls are smooth and carved. It's rough just like the walls of the corridor. I see the gods of the underworld, Horus, Osiris, Isis, Hathor, carved into the walls along with an image of the weighing of the heart, but where are the hieroglyphs?

She pointed the torch at the floor, revealing a shiny stone sarcophagus without its lid. "That's basalt, it's very hard to carve and polish but look at it! It's plain, though, not a carving in sight! And what happened to its lid?"

She walked over to the plain stone coffin and peered inside, "Nothing on the inside, either, no traces of gold leaf." She sat back on her legs, thinking, running her hand through the sand at its base.

"Look!" she commanded and he came over to her side. She held up three beads carved of lapis lazuli. "Someone was here, this tomb was raided at least once, but what self-respecting Egyptian would bury themself in a tomb without their name or spells painted on the walls from the Book of the Dead? They used them to guide them on their journey through the Underworld. And why did he, and I think it was a he, choose to be buried so far from the Valley of the Kings? He should have been buried where the other nobles had their tombs."

She went over to a wall with a carving of what might have been the owner and his wife. "Look, this isn't bas-relief, this was carved directly into the wall. They carved the corridor and the chamber but only half-finished it. She crossed to the other side, "And here's two boys, these may have been his sons, but why no hieroglyphs? Egyptians wanted their names to be spoken to assure that they would have a place in the afterlife."

"There should be pictures of him harvesting grain, maybe hunting ducks, and one of Anubis attending his mummy, but there's nothing. This was most certainly a noble, but he was buried away from the others in the middle of this godforsaken place, no temple for funerary offerings or priests to say prayers for him. The sarcophagus is exquisite---even though it is plain there was a lot of work put into it. I wonder if there are any ushabtis here with his name on them?"

Outside they could hear the howling of the wind as it blew clouds of sand about, but inside the chamber they were safe. Roma ventured as far down the corridor as she dared until the sands started reaching her and she retreated into the tomb.

"How long do you think the storm will last, Ardeth? I want to get out of here, something is feeling very wrong. This is not a good place."

"Usually about half an hour, but no two storms are alike. Remember the story of the Persian soldiers that were buried alive by a sandstorm? We should stay here until we are ready to leave for the night. You need to get some sleep, do not tell me that you don't, you are half dead on your feet. Enjoy the chance to rest someplace cool.

And it was cool in the tomb if it was a tomb, refreshingly so, but she was not convinced. "I don't think he wants us here; we should leave."

"He? Who is he? If this tomb was ever used it was abandoned long ago. What have you found besides a few beads? We'll leave tomorrow evening, so rest and take it easy. Explore this place if you must, I know you want to. The spirit of the occupant no doubt disappeared with his grave goods and his mummy."

In the end, she found it hard to resist his logic. He removed the cots from the pack camel and set them up, but when she laid down, she found it hard to keep her eyes closed. She was tired to the point of exhaustion, yet sleep eluded her. Her mind and body had begun to accustom themselves to sleeping during the day and staying awake at night. Fatigue might yet overcome her, but she was not ready to give in to sleep, not yet.

She waited until Ardeth's breathing became steady, then picked up her torch and began to explore the chamber further. The carvings on the wall were of such exquisite quality that the occupant must have been a member of the nobility or a minor member of the royal family. She ran her finger along the wall, kneeling at its base feeling for chips of painted plaster, but found none. A tomb this elaborate would surely have been painted but she found no sign.

She found a frieze of baboons that represented the hours, but none of the hieroglyphs that should have accompanied them. How curious, she thought, this place is devoid of writing, and all the sacred spells that should be on the walls are missing. It's as if the person who rested in this place demanded complete anonymity and was willing to risk not naming his name. Or the Pharaoh issued orders that there should be none.

She walked around slowly, keeping to the wall, shining her light downwards, looking for indications that enough sand was present that could provide a shield for hidden artifacts.

She stumbled upon one when she tripped over a loose bootlace. A glint of blue showed sticking out of the sand and she dug eagerly, mindless of the fact insects might be hiding, and discovered a blue faience ushabti.

Eagerly she brushed the sand from its surface and saw that it had the face of a man. She showed the torch on it, hoping that she might, at last, find a name, but all she saw, written in gilt letters now badly faded, was, "I am the servant of he who dwells in this tomb." She repressed an urge to throw it against the wall but slipped it instead into her pocket.

She dug around and found only two more. She returned to the sarcophagus and dug in the sand around its base finding some beads of turquoise, amethyst, and carnelian. Whoever had robbed this tomb had done a very thorough job, almost nothing had been left behind. The coffin had probably been gilded wood inlaid with semi-precious gems such as the ones she had found. The mask could have been cartonnage, gilded, and painted with an idealized face of the owner.

The tiny bits of gems went into her pocket with the ushabtis. From the size of the tomb it might have held many treasures if the owner had been wealthy, but why oh why were there no signs of writing anywhere?

"You are supposed to be sleeping," Ardeth's tall body loomed over her, but she paid no attention.

"I couldn't; see what I found, look." She drew the ushabtis from her pocket and showed him the handful of gems. "Whoever was buried here must have been wealthy, a noble or a member of the royal family, maybe. This must have been a rich burial, but I cannot understand why there are no names or hieroglyphs."

He looked briefly at her finds and nodded and she returned them to her pocket. What he did next took her by surprise. "What am I going to have to do to make sure you do as you're told?" The look of affection, visible even in the darkness, took her by surprise, then he took her in his arms and kissed her.

She had not expected this, nor ever dreamed of it, let alone the fact that she would kiss him back—and Ardeth knew how to kiss.

What am I doing, she would have thought in other circumstances but all she could think of was how it felt to be in his arms, how right she seemed to feel there. And she didn't want him to let her go.

She thought of something her father had said after she and Ardeth had yet another fight. "The two of you fight like brother and sister, or like a married couple." She had denied any such thing but he looked at her and smiled.

Was it possible that there had been an affection percolating between them that neither would admit? She felt confused, a feeling that always made her uncomfortable.

"Ardeth," she said tenuously, but he laid his fingers on her lips. "I have been waiting to do that for a very long time," he said, "I did not wish to frighten you." She could see him smiling in the faint light of her torch.

"You didn't, but you took me by surprise. Maybe father was right," she said dreamily, "He used to tell me that you and I fought like a married couple."

He threw his head back and laughed, then walked over to the cots, and put them side by side.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked.

"I am going to make sure you do not get up again. If I have to, I will bind your hands and feet so you cannot move. Come and lay down, I want you to sleep and be rested when we set out again. The storm is over but it is cool in here so I wish to take advantage of it. It will cost us time, but you will be better rested if we remain here until tonight."

She could not sleep for a long time, the memory of him kissing her would not leave her. She was surprised but not surprised, she had known him for most of her life and Ardeth never hesitated to be direct. It was her feelings that she feared the most, but with Ardeth next to her she felt protected, and safe.

Having him so close felt comforting, she could reach out and touch him if she wished. She had never imagined that she could have felt like this for him, but his kiss had awakened her to a feeling she knew had only been waiting to emerge.

But could he protect her from whatever might be living in this tomb?

[ichorhalf]

                   ❛                        wipe    the    𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅    off    your    hands    ,    little    owl    –    it    doesn’t    matter    .    you’re    still    a    𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫    .    ❜

❝    you’re    hardly    innocent    yourself    ,    𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓    –    godhood    looks    cruel    on    you    ;    if    i    had    to    do    it    again    ,    𝐢    𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭    𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞    𝐚    𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠    .    ❞

                                         𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭  ,  𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬  ,  𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝  𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

                   excuse  the  dramatics  ,  but  hello  !  i’m  cc  ,  can’t  read  ,  can’t  write  BUT  i  will  be  dramatic  about  it  nonetheless  .  i  am  SO  excited  for  this  ,  i  am  the  biggest  pjo  fan  in  the  world  &  i  love  pjo  rps  sm  i  have  been  blessed  by  the  gods  ,  paige  &  dani  with  this  .  dana  is  a  very  old  muse  i  used  to  have  &  recently  re  fell  in  love  w  ,  so  here  she  is  .  tidbits  before  diving  in  :  she  fought  for  kronos  &  the  titans  in  the  war  ,  she’s  a  daughter  of  athena  that  spent  five  years  unclaimed  in  the  hermes  cabin  &  she  is  for  the  new  cabins  –  it’s  what  she  was  fighting  for  anyway  .  if  you’d  like  to  plot  PLS  like  this  &  i’ll  come  to  u  ,  uwu  .  p.s  this  is  long  for  no  reason  PLS  come  to  me  if  u  want  a  tl;dr  .

〔  JEON    HEEJIN,  TWENTY,  CIS    FEMALE,  TELUMKINESIS  〕╰    DANA    AHN    just    came    over    half  -  blood    hill  .    you    know  ,    the    child    of    ATHENA    who    was    claimed    four    years    ago  ?  i’ve    heard    chiron    say    that    she    is    INSTINCTUAL    &    COGENT  ,    but    if    you    ask    the    aphrodite    kids  ,    they’d    say    they’re    DISPARAGING    &    GLACIAL  .    i’d    say    they    remind    me    of    quiet    grief    spent    in    lonely    hours    –    invalidated    by    people    she    swears    never    cared    for    her    ,    watching    a    new    constellation    form    with    crystalline    tears    in    exhausted    eyes    ,    a    lethal    slice    of    celestial    bronze    ;    it    brands    her    a    traitor    &    pile    of    painted    beads    crushed    underfoot    when    loyalties    are    chosen    ,    especially    since    they’re    FOR  THE  NEW  CABINS  .

❛   𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗   𝖔𝖓𝖊   ╱  𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭  

inspiration

         ❛  you’re  a  monster  .  ❜   ❝            better  a  monster  ,  than  an  arrogant  god  .  ❞

ethan  nakamura  (  percy  jackson  &  the  olympians  )  ,  ❛  one  of  my  sons  recently  traded  an  eye  for  the  ability  to  make  a  real  difference  in  the  world.  ❜  

❝          no  one  made  me   ,  i  made  me  –  so  give  me  a  bitter  glory  .  ❞

cato  (  the  hunger  games  )  ,  ❛  go  on  .  i’m  dead  anyway.  i  always  was,  right  ?  i  didn’t  know  that  till  now  .  ❜  

❝          am  i  the  villain  in  your  story  ,  when  i  was  always  the  hero  in  mine  ?  ❞

erik  killmonger  (  black  panther  )  ,  ❛  the  world  took  everything  away  from  me  !  everything  i  ever  loved  !  ❜  

full  name  .  ahn  ji  su  /  dana  ahn  nickname(s)  /  aliases  .  dane  ,  traitor    age  .  twenty  gender  /  pronouns  .  cis  gendered  female  ,  she  /  her  orientation  .  demisexual  ,  panromantic  hometown  .  boston  ,  massachusetts  faceclaim  .  jeon  heejin

aesthetic  .  a  walking  plethora  of  bad  decisions  made  by  a  rotting  heart  ,  remnants  of  red  rimmed  eyes  after  losing  so  much  more  than  others  in  the  war  ,  the  quiet  ,  ominous  static  electricity  before  a  lightning  strike  ,  watching  a  new  constellation  form  with  crystalline  tears  in  her  exhausted  eyes  ,  a  lethal  slice  of  celestial  bronze  ;  it  brands  her  a  traitor  ,  shouting  commands  over  the  sounds  of  her  kind  dying  at  her  feet  &  a  pile  of  painted  beads  crushed  underfoot  when  loyalties  are  chosen  .

label  .  the  premonition  ,  the  potentate  ,  the  traitorous  moral  alignments  .  chaotic  good  /  chaotic  neutral  ( + )  positives  .  strategic  ,  instinctual  ,  cogent  ,  potent  (  -  )  negatives  .  fustian  ,  disparaging  ,  glacial  ,  acerbic  hogwarts  house  .  gryffindor  godly  parent  .  athena  deadly  sin  .  pride  fatal  flaw  .  holding  grudges

❛   𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗   𝖙𝖜𝖔   ╱  𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞  

TRIGGER  WARNING  :  death  ,  murder  ,  injury  description

              𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫  𝐢  .  her  mother  ,  a  goddess  in  her  own  right  ;  ahn  soo  ah  joins  the  navy  as  kennedy  ahn  .  bright  eyed  &  wise  beyond  her  years  ,  she  graduates  from  the  united  states  naval  academy  with  notable  achievements  under  her  belt  .  she  is  astute  ,  a  walking  resource  that  the  navy  uses  as  a  strategist  –  one  of  the  brightest  minds  of  her  generation  ,  gone  unknown  as  she  helps  the  military  create  top  secret  missions  .  war  written  &  loved  ,  kennedy  has  an  affinity  for  battle  –  she  attracts  many  people  that  she  knows  are  more  than  human  .  but  they  search  for  romance  ,  they  ask  for  her  love  when  kennedy  has  never  sought  after  it  –  romance  comes  slow  to  her  ,  it’s  a  process  &  the  only  person  to  get  that  is  a  grey  -  eyed  liaison  named  dana  astbury  .  she  arrives  in  a  swirl  of  intuitiveness  &  intelligent  that’s  incredibly  attractive  –  but  their  connection  isn’t  one  based  on  romance  .  the  way  their  minds  bond  is  unlike  anything  kennedy  has  ever  felt  before  –  she’s  eager  to  work  with  her  for  the  short  time  ;  together  they  create  the  perfect  brain  child  .  two  months  after  astbury’s  departure  ,  a  golden  bassinet  appears  with  a  baby  girl  wrapped  in  silk  –  the  product  of  two  of  the  wisest  minds  ,  a  mix  of  godhood  &  mortality  .  kennedy  doesn’t  know  who  the  goddess  really  is  ,  but  she  knows  the  baby  is  hers  .

              she  grows  as  ji  su  ,  americanized  as  dana  –  the  smartest  woman  kennedy  has  ever  gotten  to  meet  &  dana  grows  up  loved  .  what  the  gods  lack  in  familial  love  ,  mankind  makes  up  for  it  ;  ji  su  ,  as  called  by  only  her  mom  ,  grows  into  a  remarkable  child  .  grey  eyes  that  look  like  they  belong  to  a  middle  aged  woman  ,  a  mind  that  knows  too  much  for  someone  so  young  –  they  see  everything  .  the  horns  hidden  the  mailman’s  hair  ,  the  one  eyed  man  giving  her  a  kind  smile  when  she  hands  him  a  daisy  ,  the  winged  creatures  flying  over  her  mom’s  new  job  ;  dana  holds  enough  wisdom  to  make  a  god  stop  .  kennedy  loves  her  more  than  herself  ,  waters  her  with  knowledge  &  sunshine  to  raise  her  as  an  extraordinary  human  being  .  dana  never  knows  life  without  love  until  she  returns  home  from  an  after  school  club  just  in  time  to  see  a  creature  hold  a  sword  of  celestial  bronze  through  her  mom  .  ten  years  old  ,  witnessing  her  a  woman  with  one  goat  leg  &  one  metal  leg  kill  kennedy  –  on  the  basis  that  kennedy  knew  something  about  olympus  .  she  didn’t  ,  but  she  paid  the  price  anyway  &  dana  runs  after  the  creature  ,  intent  on  getting  revenge  .

             𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫  𝐢𝐢  .  labelled  officially  as  a  missing  person  ,  it’s  a  lot  harder  than  she  thinks  to  survive  without  getting  caught  .  but  dana  has  always  been  smart  ,  she  is  sharp  ,  witty  &  quick  on  her  feet  .  it  takes  only  DAYS  for  her  to  find  the  creature  –  an  empousa  ,  learned  from  research  &  any  other  monster  that’ll  help  her  .  the  monsters  on  the  streets  are  kind  to  her  ,  they  spot  a  helpless  demigod  with  a  dirt  caked  face  &  dana  doesn’t  know  it  ,  but  it’s  the  most  kindness  she’ll  experience  for  years  .  a  month  later  ,  the  celestial  sword  taken  from  the  empousa  hangs  on  her  hip  –  along  with  a  lessoned  learned  ;  vengeance  &  revenge  don’t  feel  as  good  as  she  thought  it  would  .  the  monster’s  dead  ,  but  so  is  her  mom  .  a  prayer  sent  to  gods  of  every  pantheon  –  greek  ,  roman  ,  egyptian  ,  norse  ;  she  asks  for  help  ,  for  a  blessing  because  she  knows  they’re  real  &  if  they’re  real  ,  wouldn’t  they  help  a  child  ?  NO  ANSWER  .  it  takes  another  month  before  she  stumbles  past  the  borders  of  camp  half  blood  ,  bloodied  &  bruised  .  it’s  chiron  who  shows  her  around  ,  places  her  in  the  hermes  cabin  with  other  greek  demigods  like  her  .  some  have  lesser  gods  as  parents  ,  some  –  like  her  –  are  unclaimed  .  the  game  ,  to  figure  out  which  god  is  her  parent  ,  which  god  has  deemed  her  unworthy  to  sit  alone  in  the  hermes  cabin  .  everyone  knows  –  even  she  does  ,  the  eyes  are  a  dead  giveaway  .

              but  the  claim  doesn’t  come  &  what’s  supposed  to  be  home  quickly  turns  into  a  prison  .  she  wastes  away  alongside  the  bitter  ,  she  barely  gets  to  go  on  quests  (  on  the  basis  that  upon  completion  ,  she’ll  be  claimed  –  mr  .  d  tells  her  to  shove  it  ,  chiron  agrees  with  her  )  only  to  return  empty  handed  with  one  less  companion  .  scar  after  scar  ,  death  after  death  ,  she  turns  to  the  gods  empty  handed  ,  rid  of  the  offerings  she  used  to  make  .  a  CURSE  upon  athena  ,  a  CURSE  on  all  the  gods  who  sit  by  &  watch  their  children  fight  THEIR  battles  .  demigods  ,  their  children  ,  born  to  be  pawns  for  the  divine  –  to  fight  enemies  their  parents  made  for  them  ,  to  DIE  so  the  olympians  don’t  have  to  .  resentment  in  her  core  ,  she  falls  into  ranks  with  the  blond  boy  in  cabin  eleven  .  luke  castellan  ,  the  one  who  whispers  with  the  sleeping  one  ,  the  scarred  boy  who  promises  her  glory  &  change  .  the  gods  need  a  wake  up  call  ,  who  better  to  give  it  than  their  children  ?  she  leaves  the  summer  after  the  son  of  poseidon  arrives  –  keeps  a  hand  on  luke’s  shoulder  with  a  promise  of  changing  the  way  the  gods  treat  their  children  .

              𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫  𝐢𝐢𝐢  .  a  year  spent  with  a  rising  army  before  luke  asks  her  to  go  back  .  thalia’s  tree  is  dying  ,  an  inside  man  or  two  never  hurt  anybody  .  a  little  bit  stronger  ,  a  little  bit  more  trained  ,  she  arrives  at  the  same  place  she  had  stumbled  into  five  years  prior  –  four  years  stuck  in  the  hermes  camp  ,  one  spent  on  the  run  with  a  boy  king  .  almost  immediately  upon  her  arrival  ,  a  blessing  is  sent  from  athena  –  some  call  it  a  welcome  back  ,  but  dana  is  smart  enough  to  know  the  true  reasoning  behind  her  claim  .  the  gods  are  scared  ,  athena  herself  knows  of  dana’s  potential  &  the  claim  is  an  attempt  at  appeasing  her  but  dana  is  far  too  gone  .  it’s  not  enough  ,  she  leaves  when  the  golden  fleece  is  brought  back  .  one  of  many  demigods  to  go  missing  ,  she  finds  solace  on  board  the  princess  andromeda  .  the  monsters  here  have  shown  her  more  kindness  &  familial  love  than  the  gods  ever  have  .  under  luke’s  instruction  ,  she  grows  into  a  formidable  opponent  –  boasting  extraordinary  skill  with  any  weapon  she  chooses  .  she  grows  closer  to  the  commander  as  well  ,  shares  his  troubles  from  a  distance  while  she  keeps  her  head  down  .  dana  pledges  herself  to  his  cause  ,  pledges  to  stand  by  himself  through  all  of  it  &  mourns  luke  when  kronos  arrives  in  his  place  .  blue  eyes  turn  to  gold  ,  dana  goes  from  warrior  to  sword  .

              chosen  by  kronos  himself  ,  she  spends  an  unprecedented  amount  of  time  with  the  titan  –  often  out  of  sight  from  other  demigods  .  he  freezes  time  for  them  (  like  he  does  every  demigod  he  chooses  to  twist  )  ,  fractions  of  the  care  she’s  always  searched  for  shining  through  the  cracks  ;  she  learns  a  different  way  of  fighting  ,  a  different  way  of  feeling  ,  of  thinking  .  dana  learns  from  the  best  a  titan   reminding  her  of  her  worth  .  wrapped  in  resentment  &  the  blessing  of  a  titan  ,  respect  turns  to  admiration  to  a  twisted  psyche  before  she’s  gearing  up  for  the  battle  of  the  labyrinth  with  a  sour  reminder  –  the  gods  never  cared  ,  he  did  .  with  her  features  hidden  behind  a  helmet  made  of  GOLD  ,  she  proves  her  prowess  erupting  from  the  labyrinth  ,  striking  down  demigods  &  the  family  that  never  cared  for  her  .  after  an  untimely  defeat  ,  one  more  year  is  spent  preparing  .  underneath  his  instruction  ,  dana  continues  to  grow  into  a  weapon  at  his  disposal  &  she’s  blind  to  the  obvious  fact  –  he  never  loved  her  ,  she’s  simply  a  tool  for  them  to  use  .  blindly  naive  ,  she  continues  to  launch  herself  into  battle  ,  lay  her  life  down  in  hopes  of  waking  the  gods  up  .  she  ascends  to  her  peak  ,  unaware  that  everyone  is  waiting  for  her  to  come  crashing  down  .

              𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫  𝐢𝐯  .  charged  with  her  own  command  in  the  battle  for  manhattan  ,  monsters  &  demigods  alike  listen  to  her  orders  .  demigods  of  her  own  kind  fall  under  her  sword  &  she  doesn’t  know  it  ,  but  dana  is  only  one  of  many  chosen  champions  –  one  small  member  of  a  small  class  .  they’re  all  tools  at  his  disposal  &  he’s  manipulated  them  all  in  their  own  ways  ;  to  the  other  demigod  commander  slain  by  an  arrow  ,  he  promised  glory  .  to  the  other  commander  who  charges  the  hunters  of  artemis  ,  he  promised  revenge  .  to  dana  ,  struck  down  by  a  celestial  bronze  sword  ,  he  promised  love  .  they  all  have  their  titles  gifted  to  them  ,  unbeknownst  that  NOBODY  takes  them  seriously  .  demigods  ,  they’re  pawns  in  kronos’s  game  .  it  isn’t  her  first  time  being  injured  in  battle  ,  often  times  she  returns  to  him  &  lets  him  take  back  the  injury  ,  watches  her  cuts  close  up  underneath  his  power  –  but  this  time  ;  hubris  mixes  with  wrath  &  she  lets  her  guard  down  .  her  hands  around  her  neck  &  blood  pours  from  a  deep  cut  that  silences  her  ,  stranger’s  hands  wrap  around  her  armor  straps  as  she’s  pulled  into  safety  ,  holding  back  blood  with  pale  fingers  .  she  chokes  on  her  own  blood  while  her  life  is  begged  for  ,  she’s  close  to  the  underworld  when  she’s  healed  by  people  she  swears  never  cared  for  her  .  her  survival  is  a  travesty  –  to  both  her  &  camp  half  blood  alike  ;  apollo  himself  tries  to  heal  her  fully  ,  but  in  punishment  he  lets  her  suffer  .  twenty  years  old  ,  her  throat  slit  in  retribution  for  her  actions  .

              after  the  war  ,  a  month  spent  recovering  as  she  radiates  like  a  beacon  of  disappointment  .  grief  ,  for  the  titan  &  his  host  –  mixed  with  resentment  &  distrust  .  they’re  split  on  whether  she  should  stay  –  she  chose  the  opposite  side  until  her  dying  breath  ,  the  demigods  that  saved  her  can  still  account  for  the  blood  flung  from  her  mouth  while  she  tried  to  curse  them  .  so  she  keeps  her  distance  ,  but  she  stays  because  she  has  nowhere  else  to  go  –  no  degree  ,  no  identification  ,  not  direction  .  in  the  rivalry  ,  she  keeps  her  mouth  shut  but  she  stands  with  the  cabins  –  it’s  everything  she  fought  for  ,  it’s  all  the  forgotten  wanted  &  she’ll  gladly  go  to  war  for  it  again  .  but  ,  she’s  changed  –  the  image  of  a  lethal  opponent  turned  to  crestfallen  girl  .  she  doesn’t  talk  much  anymore  ,  she  doesn’t  use  her  ability  for  much  ,  doesn’t  train  ,  doesn’t  fight  .  most  often  found  with  a  couple  of  scared  satyrs  while  she  spends  the  day  at  arts  &  crafts  .  but  though  quiet  ,  she  still  harbors  unimaginable  HATRED  for  the  gods  –  she’ll  never  love  or  respect  them  the  way  they  want  her  to  .  they  want  her  to  shed  her  title  of  traitor  but  refuse  to  call  her  the  sword  of  kronos  ,  they  want  her  to  beg  for  a  new  title  at  their  feet  ;  dana  will  never  beg  them  for  anything  .

❛   𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗   𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊   ╱  𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

exterior  .  an  outlier  in  camp  ,  dana  pretty  much  spent  more  time  with  the  titans  than  she  did  at  camp  half  blood  .  a  faint  scar  on  her  neck  ,  she  wears  it  like  a  brand  burned  onto  her  skin  .  despite  the  power  that  she  displays  (  a  gift  of  telumkinesis  ,  along  with  skill  &  prowess  learned  by  both  kronos  &  luke  himself  )   ,  she  doesn’t  use  her  power  for  much  these  days  .  cogent  ,  she’s  good  with  her  words  &  swaying  people  onto  her  side  –  which  she  used  a  lot  more  during  the  war  ,  since  these  days  she  mostly  keeps  her  mouth  shut  .  

a  beacon  of  pessimistic  energy  ,  dana  still  isn’t  shy  about  her  dislike  for  the  gods  .  she  says  often  ,  that  if  she  had  to  do  it  all  again  ,  she  wouldn’t  change  a  thing  .  the  gods  continue  to  disappoint  her  ,  continue  to  wrong  her  &  do  everything  in  the  crudest  of  ways  ,  so  dana  continues  to  be  a  blasphemous  follower  in  the  camp  .  she’s  still  here  simply  because  she  has  nowhere  else  to  go  –  no  degree  ,  no  schooling  ,  nothing  to  give  her  a  way  out  –  dana’s  technically  still  a  missing  person anyway  ;  so  until  she  figures  out  a  permanent  way  to  leave  ,  she’s  stuck  .

interior  .  she  almost  misses  kronos  –  at  this  point  ,  she  can  see  that  he  was  the  greatest  manipulator  of  all  but  she  really  felt  so  loved  underneath  him  .  he  saw  her  for  her  ,  molded  her  into  an  outstanding  warrior  &  dana  owes  him  EVERYTHING  .  but  she  understands  now  how  bad  he  is  ,  how  much  chaos  could’ve  been  unleashed  had  he  won  ,  but  it  doesn’t  erase  the  twisted  care  she  still  holds  for  luke  or  the  quiet  idolization  that  still  lingers  for  kronos  .  she  held  a  title  in  the  titan  army  &  it  still  makes  her  see  red  when  she  thinks  about  how  she  went  from  the  sword  of  kronos  to  traitor  in  the  blink  of  an  eye  .

honed  with   pessimism  ,  dana  is  still  incredibly  intelligent  ,  incredibly  potent  but  she  spends  a  lot  of  time  alone  .  she  prefers  the  isolation  in  contrast  to  spending  time  with  her  siblings  or  any  other  demigod  ;  festers  alone  in  very  toxic  thoughts  about  ‘  hm  shoulda  died  hate  it  here  ’  vibes  .  a  lot  of  regret  ,  a  lot  of  very  twisted  thoughts  having  grown  up  with  the  Worst  Villain  Ever  pretty  much  raising  her  .

midway  .  an  entirely  too  gifted  demigod  ,  completely  wasted  on  the  bad  guys  .  in  a  theoretical  letter  from  athena  ,  dana’s  godly  mother  expresses  her  disappointment  that  she  created  such  a  potent  warrior  just  to  watch  her  fight  for  the  wrong  side  .  determined  to  give  up  her  powers  ,  she  was  only  recently  informed  she  HAD  telumkinesis  .  convinced  she  had  been  trained  by  a  titan  himself  &  that’s  where  her  weaponry  mastery  stemmed  from  ,  she’s  learned  that  it  all  stems  from  a  power  .

still  ,  she  has  room  to  grow  ;  in  her  dreams  sent  by  the  goddess  herself  ,  she’s  been  told  that  should  she  want  a  new  title  ,  she  would  have t o  earn  it  –  but  does  she  want  it  ?  does  she  want  to  use  her  power  to  fight  for  the  gods  that  have  only  ever  seen  her  as  a  weapon  ?  dana  doesn’t  know  ,  she  frankly  doesn’t  care  enough  right  now  .

❛   𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗   𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖗   ╱  𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

as  usual  ,  this  got  way  too  fuckin  long  &  i’m  so  sorry  but  dana’s  an  old  &  complicated  muse  .  tl;dr  ,  fought  w  the  titans  ,  kronos  trained  her  personally  (  &  manipulated  her  ,  mayb  there  was  a  lil  sumn  sumn  but  she’s  ,  in  my  opinion  ,  dumb  &  didn’t  realize  she  was  bein  played  )  ,  she  almost  fuckin  died  &  was  saved  by  the  people  she  was  fighting  even  though  she  herself  killed  numerous  demigods  &  now  is  a  quiet  ,  pessimistic  loner  .  hee  hee  ,  all  her  connections  are  here  ,  all  her  wanted  connects  are  here  .  if  u  read  this  all  i  guess  i  owe  you  my  life  ! 

[ceasarslegion]

A few nights ago my friends and i had this galaxy brained idea to get high as a kite together and then walk right into an art gallery to experience transcendency

Here's some things that happened:

-they were playing mechanical ballet. That famous french avant garde movie. Ive actually seen it perfectly sober before but this time i just... sat cross-legged on the floor with the most wide-eyed stare on my face, drooling on myself and borderline astral projecting while i stared at it and just couldn't look away I have NEVER been so hyper-focused in my life. I think i met the egyptian god anubis for a second. I unlocked secret visceral emotions. One friend got paranoid from the music and daunting imagery and had to stumble out. The other passed out for a quick 5 minute nap on my shoulder.

-there were prayer beads. One of my friends said that one was kinda shaped like a furby. I see it. I nearly collapse my lungs keeled over the table openly weeping and gasping for breath from the sheer effort it took not to lose my entire shit laughing. I think I died for a second with how hard that laughter was coming at me. In the quietest part of the gallery. In regards to traditional catholic prayer beads.

-there was something about the thumb people from spy kids being the image of god but i dont remember the context and honestly i am too afraid to dig through my weed memories for it

-one of my friends tried to pet a priceless painting of a sheep before we had enough presence of mind to stop her

[enchantresspenelope]

Book Of Shadows

There are two main books used by Witches with their Craft. The Grimoire, and the Book of Shadows. Both books are used to collect information related to the Craft. The Grimoire is often used by a Coven. It includes the Coven rules, rituals, and practices, and is otherwise much like a textbook for Magick. They rarely have personal notes or observations. The Book of Shadows is a personal Grimoire, a shadow of the self. Many Witches never show their Book of Shadows to anyone. It has everything a Grimoire has but created by the individual Witch, plus it will have personal information, thoughts, observations, and rituals.

While a single book is the stereo-type, many Witches will have multiple books, divided by topics or dates. An encyclopedia of Grimoires. There is a lot of information that can go into this book, each one as unique as the person owning it. Below is a very long list of ideas. Include what you need to get your crafting done, and what feels right for your book.

The Book of Shadows Lengthy List

Book Blessing (and/or Dedication and/or Initiation)

Protective Charm and/or Warning

Dedications, Charges, and Redes Dedication to the Craft Dedication to the Creator Dedication/Initiation to your Coven or Tradition Dedication to your Pantheon Dedication to certain God and Goddess Dedication to the Divine Dedication to Nature, etc Witches/Wiccan Rede Charge of Goddess Charge of God

Laws Of your Coven or Tradition The Acceptable Rules of Magick (according to YOU, this is your book) Spiritual Rules Witches Pyramid 13 goals of a witch The Four Agreements Witchcraft Oath Calls to Gather

Yours Introduction Name, age, birthdate, birthplace What inspires you Likes and Dislikes Thoughts and beliefs What inspired you to become a witch? What is/was your path to becoming a witch? Are you religious and what are your thoughts? What is witchcraft and magick to you? What do you want your life to look like? What do you want your life to feel like? Write down your needs, wants, and fears, and get to know yourself a little better.

Daily Practices Daily Rituals Daily Blessings Morning Intention Nightly Close

Regular Practices Weekly Rituals Monthly Rituals Moontime Rituals Birthday Ritual Yearly Ritual

Calendar What is Time? Cycle of Life and Death Phenology Wheel Times of the Day (Hourly and Key times) Days of the Week Months and Seasons Zodiacs and Calendars Festivals and Celebrations* Sabbats* Quarters/Cross-Quarters * Esbats *

Astrology and Astronomy Sun Moon Planets Zodiacs Constellations Retrograde Void of Course Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable

Symbols and Runes Letters Symbols Moon Runes Magic Circles Ogham Staves Sigils, Sigil Wheels Egyptian Hieroglyphs Runes and Runic Codes Theban Alphabet (Witch’s Alphabet) Amulets and Talisman (as tools often inscribed) Secret Languages and Coding/Decoding/Creating them

Tools of the Craft Origins, What Each Tool Is Used For, How to make, & Proper Usage Meanings and Symbolism Correspondences Bells Besom Mirrors Cauldron Grimoire Crystal Ball Pendulums Special Clothes Dream Catchers Altars – layouts, use Wands/Staves/Staff Ritual Knife/Athame Incense/Bundled Herbs Ouija/Divination Boards

Correspondence Tables Candles Colors Cords Elements Essential Oils Feathers Fragrance Incense Metals, Minerals Planetary Seashells Teas Salt – types, purpose Zodiac and calendars Phases of the Moon Time of Day (Hourly) Days of the Week Numbers, numbering systems Crystals, Gems, Stones Flowers, Spices, Herbs, Trees Directions – calling of the four directions, etc

Divination Arithmancy and Numerology Astrology, Planets, Meanings and Definitions, Birth Charts Biorhythm Bones Cartomancy * I Ching Gazing (Crystal Ball) Geomancy Lithomancy Necromancy Palmistry Pendulum (How To, Charts, Boards) Radiesthesia Runes Scrying Tea Leaf Reading (Symbols, Meanings) (there are so many other ways)

Magickal Recipes Herbs and Herbal Blends Oils and Essential Oils Incense Candles Potions Infusions, tinctures, balms, lotions, teas Food and Magickal Correspondences Recipes for Sabbats and Esbats, Festivals, Quarters, Cross Quarters Rosewater, Moon Water, Silvered Water, Lavender Syrup, Black Salt, Purification Salt Other Kitchen Witchery

Magickal Spells, Incantations, Curses, and Ritual Spell Workings Secret Names Spell Timing Preparing a Spell Prepping a ritual Consecration/Anointing of Tools, how to Consecration Rhymes, Blessings Casting and Closing a Circle Amulets, Charms, and Talisman Sachets, Magick Bags, Conjuring Bags Protection Sachet, Charm Bags Elemental Spell Golden Psi-ball for Happiness Drawing Down the Moon Spell Moon Magick/Moon Water Spell Charging/Balancing/Grounding Cleansing/Smoke Bathing/Purifying Banishing, Binding, Hexing, Cursing Nature Rituals (wind, storm, rain, etc) Crystal Grids Bath Rituals Spell of life The Honey Jar The Witch Bottle The Witches Rune Protection Spells The Oak Pentagram Amulet To Bring Joy to a Negative Person Prosperity, Money, or Employment Spells To Get Noticed at Work Retrieval Spell (find what is lost) Candle Magick Garden Magick Kitchen Magick Knot Magick Sex Magick Blood Magick

Science Anatomy Alchemy Archaeology Architecture Astronomy Environments Meteorology Mineralogy Neurology Philosophy Psychology Quantum Physics Sacred Geometry Flora (info, care, guides) Fauna Mycology Drugs and Hallucinogen Familiars and Totem Animals Creatures and Cryptozoology Taxidermy, Insect Preservation, Herbal and Floral Presses Herbalism (Preparation of Herbs, Potions, Infusions, Baths, Teas, Cosmetics, Perfumes etc.) Natural Medicine (Salves etc.) Alternative Medicine (Acupuncture, Meditation, Bach Essences, Reiki, etc) Physical Movement – Salutations, Stretching, Yoga, Meditation Poses, Martial Arts Natural Phenomenons and Catastrophes Science in relation to Energy and Magick Parapsychology (Telekinesis, Telepathy etc) Physiognomy, Kinesics, and other studies related to body language

Otherworld Ghosts and Spirits and How to Communicate with Them (Ouija etc.) Dreams, Lucid Dreaming, Dreamwork Astral Projection Spirit Guides, Angels, Archangels, Daemons, Beings Invocation, Evocation, and Conjuring

Other Spiritual Practices Different Studies of Energy Work, Magick, and other Spiritual Practices Auras, Chakras, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism, Kabbalah, Mysticism, Gnostic Study, Wicca, Thelema, Voodoo Philosophical Texts

Poetry, Stories, Artwork, Mythology, Theology, Thealogy, History, Herstory, Spiritual and Religious Stories Witch – history, etymology, how to say in other languages The Origins of Witches and the History of Magick Witch types Deities List Pantheons Mythical Beings Myths, Legends, and Stories of Gods, Goddesses, and Beings Lore and Superstitions Pagan Lore Divine Information about the Creator Creation Stories Spiritual Pictures or Artwork People (that inspire or interest you) Any other lore, legends, parables, fables, or stories you like Secret Societies Poetry

Prayer, Intentions, Mantras, and Sacred Text Prayers Blessings Prayers for Prayer Beads and/or Mala mantras (and make beads) Intentions – for morning, for moon cycles, yearly, daily, birthday, etc Close – nightly, for ending moon cycles, year close, weekly close, etc Chants (for individuals, groups, and for circle) Energy Share (sending strength or “vibes” or peace, etc) Meditation mantras and expression

Miscellaneous Pressed Leaves and Flowers (Herbarium) Witch Challenges Mundane Tasks Made Magickal Song Lyrics and Lists Quotes Drawings and Sketches Dream Journal Photos D. I. Y Ideas and Tutorials Books to Read and Favorite Summaries Terminology

*Festivals and Celebrations (Birthday, Handfasting, Funerals, Dedications/Christenings, etc) *Sabbats – History, Lore, Myths, Associations, and Rituals, Food, Drink, Recipes, Activities, Songs, Music, etc – Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltaine, Litha, Lughnassadh, Mabon *Quarters/Cross-Quarters – Autumn Equitherm – Samhain – October 31st – opposite Beltane – temperate Winter Solstice – Yule – Dec 19th/22nd. opposite Litha – least light Winter Thermstice – Imbolc – Feb 2/3 – opposite Lammas – most cold Spring Equinox – Oestarra – March 20/21 – opposite Mabon – equal day and night Spring Equitherm – Beltane – May 1st – opposite Samhain – temperate Summer Solstice – Litha – June 20/22nd – opposite Yule – most light Summer Thermstice – Lammas – August 1st – opposite Imbolc – most heat – midway between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox Autumn Equinox – Mabon – Sept 22/23 – opposite Oestarra – equal day and night *Esbat Lunar Names, Meanings, and Associations Monthly History, Myth, and Lore Monthly Rituals Phases of the Moon Full Moon and New Moon in each Constellation *Cartomancy – Tarot and Oracle Decks (Pictures, Meanings, Spreads, Symbolism and History)

[springtimeholidaysworldwide]

Springtime Holidays Worldwide

https://youtu.be/7T6o4EDUlRI - Welcome To IM Best Reviews YouTube Channel!  We Are Elated that you are here to watch our Welcome To Springtime Video!  Please get comfy, sit back, relax and enjoy the video!

Mardi Gras - February 25, 2020 First, let’s take a look at Mardi Gras which is celebrated in February or March of each year.  This year 2020 it was celebrated on February 25.  It is a time to party and eat!    Bourbon Street in New Orleans is the place to celebrate Mardi Gras!  Wearing beads is a huge tradition.  Plus eating delicious food, dressing up In costumes, dancing to great music, parades and having fun.

Hindu Holi – March 10, 2020 This is a popular ancient Hindu Festival.  Other parts of Asia and even some countries in Europe and America celebrate this colorful holiday.  Holi is popularly known as the Indian "festival of spring” – “beginning of the harvest season", the "festival of colors", or the "festival of love.

St.  Patrick’s Day – April 17, 2020 Saint Patrick's day is in honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isles -Ireland in the 400’s AD. It is truly a day of celebrating Irish history, ancestry, traditions and customs.  Such as shamrocks and leprechauns, to green beer and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Saint Patrick's Day parades are popular in many cities around the U.S. Interestingly, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade did not take place in Ireland. It took place in New York City, in 1762.

April Fools’ Day – April 1     Traditionally, April Fool's Day is an opportunity to play jokes or tricks on one another. The stranger and the more absurd the trick the better. The challenge is to carry out a trick that is believable, if only for a little while. Tricks are most successful if played earlier in the day before a person is wise to what is going on.  Any tricks or jokes must be harmless and in good taste for the unsuspecting "victim". And, we suggest you think twice before pulling one on the boss, even if he or she is known to be of good humor.

Passover – April 8, 2020 Passover begins at Sundown on April 8, 2020, this year.  It is the celebration of the freeing of the Jews from Egyptian rule around 3000 years ago. At the time, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians’ ruler Pharaoh Ramses II. God instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh and ask for freedom for the Jews. His plea of "Let my people go" was ignored despite Moses' warning of punishments by God if the Israelites were not freed. God then sent 10 terrible plagues upon the people of Egypt. The Pharaoh then freed the Jews who immediately fled Egypt.  Moses led them through the wilderness and he even, with God’s help, parted the sea so that the Israelites could pass through it to dry land. They had not time to take food with them when they left Egypt, so they took dough and baked it into thin crackers in the hot dessert sun. These crackers were called Matzoh.

To commemorate the freeing of the Jews, matzoh is eaten in place of bread during Passover.

Good Friday - April 10, 2020 On Good Friday, Jesus Christ died on the cross. But he only died in human form.  Christ was nailed to the cross at noon. His death came at three o'clock pm in the afternoon. He then arose from the dead-on Easter Sunday morning to show us that there is life after death in heaven.

Easter: - Sunday, April 12, 2020 The date for Easter changes every year. It is the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. The real meaning of  Easter, is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To Christians, it is the most special day of the year. The word "Easter" comes for the Saxon pagan festival, honoring the goddess "Easter.” The goddess Easter's symbol is the rabbit. Easter also is celebrated along with the Easter Bunny, colored eggs, jelly beans, and a lot of chocolate. The Easter Bunny comes on Saturday night leading to Easter Sunday morning. Early in the morning kids go outside to find Easter eggs in many different colors that the Easter bunny has hidden the night before. The Easter Egg Hunt was the first game ever invented. Then the family will dress in their finest new spring clothes and go off to church to celebrate Christ's resurrection. Easter Lilies are a popular flower and sign of Easter. They are great as gifts for mom or grandma, or to decorate your home or office.

Islamic Ramadan – April 23 – May 23 Ramadan is the ninth month* of the Muslim calendar, which is a lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon.   Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture. ... During the daylight hours of Ramadan, Muslims fast, abstain from pleasures and during Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque) and spend several hours praying and studying the Quran. The fast lasts the entire month – this year April 23 to May 23. During the fasting daylight hours, practicing Muslims are not permitted to consume water.  

Muslims can eat a pre-dawn meal (usually including protein and fats) known as suhur to sustain them during the day. At the end of each day, the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar.  But the fast is resumed the next morning. The holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which means "festival of breaking the fast", marks the end of Ramadan and the start of the next lunar month. This day is declared when the crescent new moon has been sighted or if sighting of the moon is not possible due to the weather.

Thank you so much for stopping by our IM Best Reviews YouTube Channel.   Have a beautiful spring!  Enjoy the Springtime Holidays Of your choice! Please like and subscribe and come back to check out new review videos.  Our second Spring video with May and June holidays will be coming soon!

[forceyourway]

KEMETIC DEVOTIONAL NECKLACES https://www.etsy.com/shop/tjemsypresents Help support a multiply-neurodivergent creator with chronic pain during COVID-related loss of work! All necklaces pictured above are still available, with many more to choose from in my shop, featuring deities like - Bast (Bastet) - Heru-Wer (Horus the Elder) - Hethert (Hathor, Hetheru) - Nefertem - Nit (Neith) - Sekhmet (Sachmis)  - Set (Seth, Sutekh, Setesh)

**Commissions also available** 

first row:

EGYPTIAN GODDESS NUT (NUIT) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE black agate, gold hematite, and lapis lazuli with silver-colored metal spacer beads, and a silver & sapphire (lab-created) heart/butterfly pendant

second row, left to right:

EGYPTIAN GODDESS TEFNUT DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE black agate, rainbow fluorite, opalite, and angelite, with silver-colored metal spacer beads, and a silver, owyhee opal, & blue topaz eye-shaped pendant

EGYPTIAN GODDESS SERQET (SELKET, SERKET, SELKIS) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE black agate, gold hematite, and red jasper with a silver & red snakeskin jasper “scorpion” pendant

EGYPTIAN GOD WESIR (OSIRIS, AUSAR) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE  black agate, green aventurine, and green moss agate, with silver-colored metal spacer beads, and a silver, green tourmaline, & jade tree-shaped pendant

third row:

EGYPTIAN GODDESS NEBTHET (NEPHTHYS) & EGYPTIAN GOD YINEPU (ANUBIS, ANPU) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE  black agate, rose quartz, amethyst, howlite, and snowflake obsidian, with a silver & onyx pendant

EGYPTIAN GODS YINEPU (ANUBIS, ANPU) & WEPWAWET (UPUAT) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE   black agate, snowflake obsidian, and blue spot jasper with silver-colored metal spacer beads, and a silver & silver sheen obsidian pendant

bottom row:

EGYPTIAN GOD HERU-SEMA-TAWY (HORUS THE UNITER) DEVOTIONAL NECKLACE   black agate, red banded agate, brecciated jasper, and snow quartz with silver-colored metal spacer beads, and a silver & laguna lace agate pendant

Thank you for your support! <3

[bajaarizonabooksart]

Malas

Malas originated in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions where they are used as a meditation aid. Each bead represents a mantra or prayer. Malas are now found all world where they continue to be used as meditation aids and often are worn as necklaces.

These malas all have an amulet. Hamsa-Hand of God (upper left), Ankh, the Egyptian symbol for Life (upper right) and the lower two are both Guan Yin/Kwan Yin, the Buddhist goddess of compassion.

You can find your new mala handcrafted by me at my two Baja Arizona Treasures shops:

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BajaArizonaTreasures and at goimagine: https://goimagine.com/bajaarizonatreasures/?category_id=17698

Free shipping on all U.S. orders via USPS coming to you from artist/maker and writer C.J. Shane in Tucson

[pilgrimbenham]

Drive By Evangelism

One of my worst experiences I can remember as a teenager was when a group of Christians once tried to share the Gospel with me. I now call what they were trying to do: “drive-by evangelism”.

One late night some friends and I were hanging out in a mall parking lot--most likely about to be up to no good. Suddenly a minivan full of Christian kids came flying up to us aggressively in the parking lot, and we assumed we were going to be struck by a water balloon or worse. Without warning, they rolled the window down and threw a bunch of Gospel tracts out the window at us and kept driving, yelling out the window as they peeled off: “Jesus loves you!!!” Picture that: the most important message ever given to man...the greatest news we can ever share with someone else was just tossed out the window at our feet as if we were catching beads at a parade.

This is the essence of 'drive-by evangelism'.  

The late Billy Graham said,

“The evangelistic harvest is always urgent. The destiny of men and of nations is always being decided. Every generation is strategic. We are not responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear the responsibility for the next one; but we do have our generation. God will hold us responsible as to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age and take advantage of our opportunities."

It has been said that the best evangelism tool is not tracts nor crusades nor apologetic arguments nor even servant evangelism, but simply being a faithful witness, (and I would add that we need to be a witness with both our lives and our lips).

So why is drive-by evangelism truly a problem? Here are 3 reasons:

1. Many people have demonstrated a poor Gospel witness with their lives.

Most of us have seen the spiritual damage that a poor witness can do for the Gospel. Using Google’s 'predictive search', if you go and type this in: “Why are Christians so” look what pops up. These results are based on historical searches that real people have looked up. But I warn you: don’t do so with liquid in your mouth, because it is bound to be spit out! These searches occurred because somewhere in the past someone who purported to represent Jesus actually misrepresented Him. Many restaurant servers have admitted that Sunday afternoons are the worst days to work because the tips are so bad. That is usually when Christians have left their morning worship services and are going to be “salt and light” and “cheap” to the world. And that’s just stinginess and a lack of generosity. What about more grievous sins, like when a pastor falls into sexual sin? How does a local community see our message when the shepherd of a faith community is not even practicing what he preaches? Or when the guy at your workplace tells everyone he’s a Christian but he curses  and is pugnacious and dishonest and displays lust and wickedness and not godliness?

The Gospel message is offensive enough without us helping make it more offensive with our sinful behavior! The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing--but it is also the power of God for salvation to all who believe. Men will get tripped up over the offensiveness of the Christian message, so why would we want to add a few more hurdles in there with our sinful behavior?

2. Drive-by evangelism doesn’t show genuine care for the person receiving the good news.

The “victims” of drive-by evangelism feel very little vested interest on the part of the professor, like my friends and I in that mall parking lot. There is little risk, little involvement, no relationship nor vulnerability on our part when we toss tracts at people we don’t know. The person who is on the receiving end of this poor method of evangelism feels almost violated or punched randomly in the gut by the gospel. 

Certainly the Lord can and does use random encounters and if we don’t have the means to serve and live among certain people we must resort to “faster” means to get the word out. But this should be a concession, not a normative practice. When Philip encountered the Egyptian eunuch in Acts 8, he spent enough time to share Christ and see the man won to faith, but as soon as the man was baptized, Philip was “caught away” (v.39), and the man “went on his way rejoicing”. These situations will happen, undoubtedly.

However, most of us will have more contact with people then just thirty seconds to give them a drive-by gospel. My rule of thumb is that if I have more than five minutes together talking with a stranger, perhaps the Lord wants me to simply come right out and ask, "Do you know Jesus?"...or saying something like, "The world seems crazy right now! It makes you really contemplate life and death and the future. So what are your spiritual beliefs?"

3. Jesus demonstrates incarnation at its best.

We’ve just spend the last month or so celebrating the birth of Jesus during the Christmas season, but it is important in the midst of the eggnog and ugly sweater parties not to miss perhaps the most important doctrine about Jesus: His incarnation. Jesus, according to Isaiah 7:14, is “Immanuel, God with us”. Jesus demonstrates to us how we are to live a faithful Gospel witness in the very action of how He came from heaven to earth.

Jesus Christ was born of a woman. He was born to parents. He had uncles and aunts, and cousins. He hungered. He thirsted. He got tired. He fell asleep. He yawned. He had internal organs and hands and feet and hair. His family was a part of a tribe of people in Israel. His family had traditions and beliefs. They celebrated holidays. They celebrated birthdays and traditions and sat around and had conversations. They laughed and cried and talked together.

The application of this is powerful: God wanted to identify with us! Whenever I read the genealogy of Jesus I am just so blown away that there are actually people listed! The Father loves us enough to send His Son to become one of us. He certainly could have broadcast His love and truth and nature from afar for all the world to see. But He sent Jesus to become one of us, to exegete the Father to mankind.

Augustine of Hippo said "Man’s maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother’s breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; that Truth might be accused of false witnesses, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die.”

Jesus, the Word, became flesh and dwelt among us. He tabernacled among us. The tabernacle is of course the location where God’s glory met man’s need, which was was fully realized in Jesus. However, you and I are a temple of the Holy Spirit, where His presence abides (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are to be “Christ incarnate” to the world, and that means willful, intentional, relational community that is purposeful and prayerful. We must be “in” the world and display with our lives the Gospel message we affirm with our lips.

Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 "So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” As we have opportunity, let us consider how we may live the Gospel with incarnational intention, not merely in drive-by encounters. 

Thankfully in my life I had great examples of Christ-followers who shared Jesus and loved Jesus, and their message resonated with me until one day I too trusted my life to Jesus. If not for their faithful witness, I may have never found Christ. I’d still be in darkness wondering what happened years ago in a mall parking lot with some church kids who had the right intentions but a missed opportunity to truly help some hurting, lost teens. When we do this faithfully, people will begin to take notice and will ask us “the reason for the hope that we have”. Are we ready to answer?

You are writing a gospel, A chapter each day, By the deeds that you do, By the words that you say; Men read what you write, Whether faithless or true, Say—what is the gospel, According to you? -Paul Gilbert

Pastor Pilgrim Benham

[starsandepithets]

Ritual review - ‘Bazzu Level Daily Egyptian Rite’

by Kerry Wisner as described in; Eye of the Sun the sacred legacy of Ancient Egypt (2000), p. 95-101.

☀️ Please note that this ritual was designed for use by members of Akhet Hwt-Hrw, which I am not. ☀️

The ritual comes from multiple sources

☀️☀️☀️

Offered items

Incense

Ma’at

Ankh

Water

Bread

Hymns and prayers

Extra equipment needed

Altar cloth

Reed basket+

Offering bowls

Natron

Sand% and bowl for sand

Candle and candle holders

Incense holder, charcoal disks

Matches/lighter

Sistrum/menat*

Ritual broom

+I substituted the reed basket with a box which was painted to look like a wicker box.

%I mixed in some sand from the Mediterranean with normal cauldron sand to make enough.

*I substituted the sistrum with a glass jar full of beads.

Expected prep time

40 minutes

Ritual purity

Elaborate ritual to purify, washing with natron water. Bath and mouthwash with natron water.

☀️Altar set up

I had to set up a new altar for this ritual, as the ritual involves walking around the altar. The altar should be facing the north and contain all of the items that are needed for the ritual. The altar cloth should be white or gold. Candle in the centre and incense burned directly in front.

The set up also requires all offerings to be laid out in a reed basket, which I did.

And to make the altar match I laid out all my tools on the other side.

Please note that I didn’t properly set up the altar, as the book describes a seven day purification and consecration ritual for your altar space, which I didn’t do and I don’t intend to keep my altar in this position.

☀️Time

To be performed everyday at roughly the same time.

☀️Ritual garb

Clean white robe, long sleeved that reaches the ground. Should open at the front. Tied with a sash - specific sash colours meaning different things.

I don’t own a robe like this and couldn’t find anything to buy that would be appropriate, so I wore my white summer dress with a teal sash.

☀️☀️☀️

Thoughts before performing the ritual.

My first thoughts were that this book has an advantage over every other book I’ve used so far, because it is thin and A4 meaning that the pages happily stay open so I hope this ritual will involve less fumbling around trying to find my place.

I really like this book as it goes into a lot of detail, and really working through it from start to finish has been a great help. It’s on the longer than most of the rituals that I’m going to review, but I actually had all of the equipment and the ritual itself isn’t too complicated.

This book and to sequel are the rituals that I would love to be able to perform everyday for the gods. This is the kind of ritual that I’m aiming towards. Unfortunately it requires a lot of space, and ideally an entire room should be put aside as a mini-temple. I simply don’t have the space to do so.

☀️☀️☀️

How I felt performing this ritual

Truly beautiful.

This ritual is well timed, and a good balance between action and speech. It creates a deep connection. It was also really lovely to properly tend my resin incense burner and for the act to be incorporated into the ritual.

The book also contains a much simpler version of this ritual at the start of this book, and it functions almost as a religious workbook. Learning more with each page. So by the time you arrive at the ritual, I understand every detail of what I’m doing and why. And it really adds another layers to this ritual.

I would probably rate this ritual as beginner plus, because while everything is simple to do, finding all the supplies, having the room and being able to spare the time require a more experienced worshipper.

Some of the ritual purity requirements would prohibit me from performing this every day, for example not having sex for three days, not eating at all for twelve hours before and drinking a glass of wine an hour before hand. Hungry, drunk and sexually frustrated are not what I associate with the worship of Hathor.

☀️☀️☀️

Final notes

Pros

Extremely good for connecting with Hathor and is currently the ritual where I can form the deepest connections with Hathor.

Good balance between action and speech.

Cons

This book can be difficult to get a copy of, but it can be found here;

☀️ http://www.lulu.com/shop/kerry-wisner/eye-of-the-sun-the-sacred-legacy-of-ancient-egypt/paperback/product-16797632.html

I imagine that it wouldn’t be easy to adapt for other gods.

I found that the ritual is physically draining, and so I’m not sure if it would be good for every day.

Possibly not appropriate for every day.

9/10.

[malamala]

April Birthstone – White Topaz

Aries natives are thought to be spontaneous, courageous and adventurous. They are highly energetic and skilled at initiating projects. The birthstone associated with Aries is White Topaz.

History and Myth

White Topaz is associated with the planets Jupiter, Mercury and Venus. It symbolises hope, affection, and peace.

The etymology of the word ‘Topaz’ has many diverse roots, reflective of its popularity amongst ancient global traditions:

The name ‘Topaz’ comes from the Island of Topazas in the Red Sea

‘Topazas’ means ‘to seek’ in Greek

In Hinduism, it takes its roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Tapas’ meaning ‘fire’

Egyptians believed that it was coloured by the Sun God, Ra

Romans believed that White Topaz was associated with the Sun God ‘Helios’

The gemstone has also made numerous appearances in folklore and legend, being mentioned numerous times in the holy text of the Bible. With a reputation to cure one of lunacy, provide protection for travellers and enhance the mental capacity of the wearer, the gem is a popular addition to prayer beads and crystal collections.

Benefits:

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Aids digestion

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Corrects dimness of vision

Aids in problem-solving

Provides emotional support

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Aries – White Topaz

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Read more at https://www.mahamala.com/bhakti-blog/ideas/april-birthstone-white-topaz/