#i use pagan at times but like its not how Id self describe

[percabeth4life]

I’m a gay pagan! Why isn’t Camp Half Blood Pagan!? Chiron sucks! PERCABETH! Anti will solace don’t come at me. Just cuz Percy didn’t end up with the 12 year old or the adult who tried to kill him doesn’t mean he’s straight!

It's queer pagan

Impersonate me in my inbox

[hexandbalances]

Keeping Her Keys: a Review

Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction to Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen. I bumped this up on my reading list when @hairyleggedgoddess​ asked about it.

TLDR Summary of Brannen’s work:

It is a course book for her workshops

Is an organized consolidation of her blog and Patheos articles

Establishes Brannen’s Modern Hekatean Witchcraft as her own system

System is based on Wicca and is anti-reconstructionist

Develops its own contemporary view of Hekate

Views Hekate as the Crone aspect of the Triple Goddess

Focused on personal development

Emphasis on journaling as a part of practice

What it is: an introductory course book for Modern Hekatean Witchcraft, pulling from her published blog starting in October of 2017. I emphasize course book because Brannen is direct that Keeping Her Keys is tied to her organization and her purchasable ($350-550 including registration fees) workshops.

“While this course is not part of a tradition, your completion of it represents a substantial training in Modern Hekatean Witchcraft. As such, you’ll have the opportunity to complete the initiation process to become a Guide in the Keeping Her Keys community. You can personally acknowledge yourself as a Keeper of Her Keys.”

Brannen refers to herself as a voice of the Modern Hekatean Witchcraft movement. “Modern Hekatean Witchcraft” (abbreviated to MHW hereafter) specifically is a term of her making. I cannot say how she’s regarded in the wider community that exists outside her work (e.g. the Covenant of Hekate, est. 2010) because I do not know, but it seems Brannen wishes to establish her MHW as a formal, distinct system of practice.

Brannen views Hekate as a guide through the personal Underworld of abuse, trauma, or invalidation and work in personal development. Brannen describes MHW as “Applied Modern Witchcraft with Hekate” and is based on Gardnerian Wiccan practice and ethical system; e.g. creating a Book of Shadows, elemental magic, crystals, referring to Hekate as Maiden-Mother-Crone as a whole or as just the Crone aspect in association to other goddesses (Persephone, Demeter), the Wheel of the Year, etc. 

Brannen insists that there is no right or wrong way to worship but considers refusal to consider Hekate as the Triple Goddess (or part of it) as a legitimate interpretation as reconstructionist and “putting [Hekate] in their concrete box.” Brannen takes Hekate’s historical triform to be evidence of Maiden-Mother-Crone, and not the other way around, and later reinvents the tri-form as Gatekeeper, Guide, and Guardian. Brannen also consolidates Hekate’s many epithets into four categories: world soul, primordial force, dark goddess, triple goddess/crone.

MHW follows a progressive social agenda (Brannen nearly named it Progressive Hekatean Witchcraft) and is described as inclusive. This is sketched out in Chapter 2: 

“For example, unlike in some other Pagan traditions, there is no use of female and male energy or accompanying tools. Instead, we use the underlying energies that are typically associated with either masculinity or femininity, such as aggression or kindness. It was my goal in developing this perspective that I do my best to make it as inclusive as possible.” 

The wording seems to imply that there is novelty in this approach and that strikes me as disingenuous. Wicca, Brannen’s base framework, is one of the most popular forms of paganism globally, uses a male-female dichotomy, and assigns attributes to them according to socially created gender roles. No effort is made to discuss issues class, race, sexual orientation, ability, etc or how her framework accommodates for them. Inclusivity appears to only address gender (male) and gender identity and in so doing sets itself apart from Dianic Wicca. Brannen briefly discusses charity (and activism in passing) as devotional acts.

Brannen draws on her background as a psychologist for much of the core practice work. Focused on personal development, Brannen instructs the practitioner to record intentions, feelings, states of mind, organize thoughts on self-drawn charts, etc. It is outlined in the course book as:

Affirmations

Gratitude

Journaling

Intention Setting

Meditation

Self-Checks (review)

Tarot Practice

Brannen blends Freud’s Id, Ego, and Super Ego with chakra concepts for her Lower, Middle, and Higher Self and later divides these between the True Self and the Shadow Self. Elements of yogic practice in breathing, hand position, meditation, and chanting are also mixed in. Much of the rest of the book focuses on ascribing meanings to objects or ideas for later spellwork. Chapter 7 Establishes Brannen’s Hekatean Wheel of the Year, with specific aspects to celebrate on the equinoxes and solstices, seasons, and days of the week. Chapter 9 assigns meanings to colors, animals, and crystals. Chapter 10 to plants. Chapter 11 to Tarot, and Chapter 12 to dreamwork or the “liminal realm.”

I would have liked specific citations where ancient texts were referred to as sources for symbolism and assigned meanings as Sorita d’Este did in Hekate Liminal Rites. I am now more interested in comparing Brannen to d’Este’s other works. While it is a consolidation of her previous public work Keeping Her Keys is coherently organized and expands on ideas previously glossed over. Attempting to catalog historical inaccuracies when the system is very explicitly not rooted in it is not a productive use of time; they are fundamentally different ideas. I would not recommend this to a Hellenic polytheist, or someone who is interested in adopting ancient Greek magic into their practice. It is a good source of inspiration and a good framework for Wiccans who want to focus their practice on Hekate. For all intents and purposes, MHW would more accurately be described as “Hekatean Wicca.”

[lovebunnie]

Do all the asks coward

1. what does your wallet look like?

-i got it as a present from my uncle for christmas and its really expensive but also so ugly im sorry uncle tom. its like that ‘southern fashion’ bullshit that white MAGA moms wear. but it was better than my old wallet, which looks like this and i got when i was 12:

2. favorite color?

- baby pinnk

3. do you own a pride flag, or more than one?

-heres the thing: my parents basically know im not straight but i havent told them. my brother has thought i was a lesbian since freshman year, i have a small pride pin on my backpack, ive never been on a date, its complicated. but no, i dont have one. maybe one day, hopefully.

4. describe your favorite outfit

-black pants, platform doc martens, hoodie under a jean jacket, one clip on earring, and holding my crushes hand :]

5. when was the last time a girl made your heart flutter, and what’d she do?

-okay so theres this girl in my theatre class who is really cute, and she put her head on my shoulder and shes pagan so she drew a little sigil on my arm that means “safe and homely” so like :)))))))))))))

6. do you use nail polish?

-i do, i mostly do black tho

7. do you keep organized?

-absolutely. i have things online filed accordingly, i pick out my outfits the day before, my binders are neat, i learned how to army fold my shirts, i keep my shit CLEAN

8. ever take naps?

-only accidentally. ill be laying in bed watching youtube and next thing you know my autoplay has me watching a markiplier video even tho i dont like him and its 4 hours later

9. who was your first crush?

-idk if this is a real person or not so ill do both. my first fake person crush was either troy from high school musical or frankie stein from monster high. and my first real crush was on a boy named dominic in elementary school. i told him i liked him at the end of 5th grade because i thought i was switching schools but then i didnt and we never spoke again.

10. what are your crush tendencies? fall hard or often?

-both both both. i am the worst with crushes. i have crushes all the time because im romantic and a fucking fool. i have 3 crushes off the top of my head rn and i like them all for different reasons. thats not to say that i want to date them, but its that i like them a lot and i kinda wanna kiss their cheek or hold their hand idk

11. describe your ideal day

-play overwatch with my best friend (u gonble >:) ) then hang out with my cat, go get a smoothie, buy some cool shoes or something, take a shower and be asleep by 9 :,)

12. describe your ideal date

-i have stated that build a bear is an amazing first date and im NOT BACKING DOWN. ITS CUTE AS FUCK AND ILL ACCEPT NOTHING LESS!!

13. whats your favorite food?

-either sushi or strawberries :3c

14. who do you feel most comfortable around?

-my theatre class, people from camp, and gobble

15. what is your favorite compliment to receive?

-i dont have a favorite, any and all are going to make my face go red so i have to cover it and maybe make me cry

16. did you/do you like highschool?

-the first 3 years fucking sucked but senior year has been amazing so far. mostly because i just kinda stopped giving a fuck but its amazing

17. favorite animal?

-i think its cats now. i really like cats

18. do you like your name?

-eh, its okay. its pretty but also it seems like there are 60 million fucking people named grace and its so annoying. i wish it was something more unique idk

19. what kind of weather is your favorite?

-a light rain. no swinging trees or thunder, just lots of rain. its nice to stay inside and feel secure

20. do you believe in horoscopes?

-absolutely not. but theyre fun if you like them

21. tell us about your music taste

-its horrific. to sum it up, my two favorite musicians are the gorillaz and frank sinatra. take from that what you will

22. have you had your first kiss? if so, what was it like?

-i havent had my first kiss yet. gonna be honest, i felt like i was going to, a few times at camp and recently when classes ended. but yeah, nothing yet

23. did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a kid?

-i went thro cycles of favorites. but one ive had for years is a plush shadow the hedgehog from universal studios i got when i was 6. i used to carry him around, even to a pool once

24. what time do you usually wake up and go to bed?

-if you know me, you know i go to bed ridiculously early. i usually get tried at around 6pm and fall asleep between 7:45 and 8:30. and i always wake up before 6 am. i havent slept past 6 am continuously since the end of junior year. please help me

25. what dream trip would you take with your wife?

-maybe to go explore new york, just the two of us that sounds like fun :]

26. do you have any pets?

-i have 2 dogs and a cat. the family owns the dogs but that cat is mine

27. what pair of underwear is your favorite?

-uhhhhhhhhhhh i have some with rainbows that are cool? i dont have favorites, none of them are cute anyway

28. what makes you smile?

-funny jokes make me smile real hard, and if you compliment me at the right time, i kind of pull my legs up and hide my face? its cute and charming i promise

29. what makes you feel heavy?

-in both the physical and metaphorical sense, eating bread

30. what makes you feel better?

-watching bo burnham always makes me feel better, hes my go to whenever im really depressed

31. how do you show your love?

-i show my love in everything i do. everything i do is for love, i love love so much its sickening

32. when is it time to get a haircut?

-whenever u want to lol?

33. where would you live if you could live anywhere?

-maybe san francisco, its beautiful and i love the city

34. do your friends and family take good care of you?

-as much as i allow them to. sometimes i go days without communicating and i know thats annoying but my friends put up with it (they shouldnt have to, i know) and my family is okay. its cliche to say, but they honestly dont understand what im going thro alot of the times, esp with my anxiety and shit

35. have you always used the labels you use now?

-back in the beginning of highschool, i used they/them pronouns and identified as asexual/aromantic. eventually, it didnt feel right, so i know identify as cis and bisexual and that feels right to me

36. what makes you laugh?

-my friends, when people shit talk gobble and i in overwatch even tho???? we didnt know him?????? and the mcelroys always get me

37. who is your favorite fictional character?

-too many options, see list here

38. who do yo admire?

-my father when hes not threatening to throw my phone into a fucking lake and my friends for putting up with me

39. describe yourself in three words

-i am baby

40. how long does it take you to get ready in the morning? 

-usually about 45 min, more or less as each day goes

41. what do you wish you could tell your younger self?

-listen: STOP GIVING A FUCK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE. YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN, BE YOURSELF. STOP HIDING AND BEING SCARED OF YOURSELF, BE GENUINE!!!!

42. what would you do if you win the lottery?

-get my parents settled, see about other family members, and then distribute the money to charities accordingly, starting with flint and getting them water

43. would you call yourself a romantic?

-yes

44. what is your gayest childhood memory?

-my mom had cosmos magazines

45. do you have tattoos or want any?

-i dont have any tattoos but ive been obsessed with them since the 6th grade. id love to get tattoos, i just dont know what or where and also im afraid of pain

46. whats your worst habit?

-either biting my thumbs, starving myself, or ghosting my friends. prob ghosting my friends

47. what are you proud of?

-i guess coming out of my shell finally? idk, i actually have friends now and it feels amazing tbh. im in 5 group chats now. i havent been in a group chat since 6th grade. :))))))

48. did you know that youre actually a gift to the world, for real?

-hi i love you?

49. whats your favorite memory?

-there are so so many. but what comes to mind first is our dance night at camp where we all stood outside and i finally gave ian my tumblr and we all ran inside to dance to mr. brightside then ran outside again and we requested nightcore and rivers was fucking dancing their hearts out and we all sang along and im going to crying just typing this out

50. do you have a sweet tooth?

-i guess so. too much makes me feel like shit but i do really enjoy smarties

51. what do you like most about yourself?

-this is dumb, but my sense of style. since i got a job ive been wearing shit i actually like and its amazing. ill admit i have cool clothes

52. what makes you fall for a girl?

-besides acknowledging me, probably getting to know me and not like, putting me on a pedestal. idk its weird, ive met a lot of people this year who like to place me so high it feels like i cant make a mistake around them without disappointing them. idk, i want someone to call me out on my bullshit instead of assuring me im okay. i want to know what i do wrong so i can fix it

53. make a recommendation

-for what? uhh okay for music, listen to ‘clay pigeons’ by michael cera (yes i know michael cera) and for television, watch bojack horseman and for movies, watch the docuseries called ‘7 days out’ on netflix

54. have you ever had your heart broken?

-yeah, when i broke up with maddy because we werent ready to date. i cared and continue to care about her and i didnt want to hurt her but i knew its what we both needed. its what i needed, atleast. and i cant be a good girlfriend if i feel like im doing badly. but also ive had friends break my heart and family break my heart. but im okay now, this heart is ready to be broken again

55. when do you feel most yourself?

-def when i was at camp, that place is magical in the way it allows you to be yourself. but also when i talk to gobble because hes my best friend and when im at college, we can talk more and its gonna be dope as shit

56. name a gorgeous celeb

-jake gyllenhaal jake gyllenhaal jake gyllenhaal 

57. what are some of your favorite songs this week?

-fake happy by paramore, im not okay (i promise) by my chemical romance, tomorrow comes today by gorillaz

58. tell us 2 or your biggest hopes and fears

-biggest hopes: i publish a book someday & i get a job doing something i love

-biggest fears: i end up homeless and broke & something horrific happens in college

59. what flavor chapstick/lipbalm is the best?

-raspberry i guess

60. are you okay?

-i answered a lot more honestly then i shouldve for some of these and i start new classes tomorrow so im feeling really anxious so im doing alright i guess.

gobble you test me but i do love you