#my tools: witching hour oracle

[khajiit-reads]

Hello! I would love a free reading, if it's ok. c:

Name: Stag

Pronouns: They/them

Question: How can I become more committed to myself?

Context: I've realized lately that I may be dealing with some emotional exhaustion/burn out that's preventing me from taking care of myself and my life in the way that I want to. I've given myself time to rest but am still struggling with motivation and even the will to communicate with others. I'm hoping this reading could offer some basic advice on how to turn my attention back to myself. Thank you if you choose to answer! No worries, if not! ^^

Well met, internet traveler!

Today I'm using Samir (xe) primarily, but Caoimhe (xhe) and Gracian (they/xhe) volunteered themselves up as well for some extra advice/encouragement, so we'll be seeing what they have to say on top of it.

Samir gives Knowing, The Initiation, and The Spell Is Cast.

Instead of seeing Knowing as "You already know you're burnt out", I'll take it instead as "The secret to recovery is known to you, but deep down". You've already taken the first step to burn out recovery - But now it's up to something you haven't tried yet, as you know. Let's look to the other cards for context on what it might be... Knowing, however, also speaks of "Don't wait. Go, now." You need to be sure you're taking initiative in healing and recuperating from the burn out, which might be something you're already aware of from the sounds of it.

The Initiation is a challenge, it's a period of hardship to prove that you are capable. The card itself says "A sacred trial", so perhaps a good step is to acknowledge your own sacredness. You are wonderful, you are wondrous, you are grand and majestic and deserving of good things. By simply being alive, you are sacred. This card in a more positive aspect says that it's going to be over soon, and you'll be moving onwards to something else soon.

The Spell Is Cast asks one to let go of what's been bothering you and to just trust in either a higher power or just the will of the universe. It's partially out of your hands, if not entirely out of your hands to fully recuperate from this. Turn to any spirit guides you have for advice and support - They are committed to you in return to your commitment to them, and let them provide for you to help you find the means to be more committed to yourself. Now, with this one, it doesn't have to be a full blown conversation. Just speak in whatever way you prefer to, and ask them to take care of you for a while, and let them do so.

Caoimhe gives Passion.

This deck provides a few questions to ask yourself with every card. This question is "What are my greatest passions? How can I incorporate them into my life?"

I think this one is simple - What is your passion? Commitment to oneself includes making oneself happy and providing for oneself, and pursuing ones passions can absolutely do such a thing. Throw yourself down the rabbit hole of your passions and enjoy the ride.

Focus on yourself for a while. Don't worry about everything so much. Yes, do what you need to upkeep the metaphorical house from falling apart, but you can let the dishes sit for a bit before doing them. You can put off the dusting for a bit. And you can rely on others to help you without needing to work with them deeply, as well.

To focus on yourself here, in what I mean, is to bring yourself joy without worrying about what others think or want from you right now. Go! Do the (reasonable) happy purchase! Go to the park and swing on the swing set for a while! Play that game you've been wanting to pick up! Whatever it is that you seek.

Gracian gives Rainbow Boundary.

This card talks about protecting the parts of you that are vulnerable and nurturing them in the process. It might be time for some deeper introspection - What led you to get so burnt out in the first place? What places in your life aren't you happy with? What about yourself aren't you happy with? Why do you feel these obligations to upkeep, and how many can you realistically put on hold while you recuperate?

But at the same, protect yourself. Look where you're upset and unhappy, and protect yourself from those things. Is socializing just too much right now? Take a day or two alone, self-caring the whole way through. Things of that matter and of that sort, y'know?

Burnout is rough, and it's not an easy thing to deal with. The cards are kind of all over the place in this one (which is fine! I signed up for this, it's my job to interpret!), which I think is just another indicator that the road forward is a bit of a complex one. I feel a bit as though the cards didn't answer your question very much and went in a different direction, but hopefully it helps regardless.

Thank you so much for your patience with me performing this reading.

Reviews are helpful, but optional. You can send them in replies, my ask box, or reblogging this post. Feel free to reblog this post with your thoughts in general, or without a review! You can also reblog my guidelines post if you like. If you feel particularly satisfied with my work, you may leave a tip in my Ko-fi.

Please do not reblog this post if you are not the querent. If you want something to reblog, please reblog my guidelines post. If there’s something within the post you want, you may ask, and depending on the request, I might fulfill it! Thank you!

I hope you, and all readers, have a wonderful day!

[windvexer]

i haven't done much spirit work besides leaving offerings and asking for help. so i was wondering what can i do to get from here to the point where i can see and commune with spirit the way more accomplish witches talk about?

thanks in advance should you answer this.

Hi!

This is a big answer, because it mostly depends on where you're going.

Psychism isn't the same thing as spirit work. I've written on both topics (these links are to my masterposts) and I think there might be some stuff there that can help you regarding communication.

But the downfall of all of these online guides (mine, or anyone's) is that most of them are about how to develop a specific skill and I'm not too familiar with any on the topic of how to find and develop your natural strengths.

Oh, and also the important cousin to all these topics, a lot of witches exaggerate, change, or misleadingly talk about exactly how they "see and commune" with the spirit world. (Or, as @friend-crow would likely point out... some people really do just get on the internet and lie.)

If the point of your post is that you received spiritual input that helped you correctly manifest a spell, you might say "my fairy husband told me to use thyme, and it worked!", which conveys the point.

However, this can conceal the reality of what really occurred, which could be something more like, "over the past few days I kept feeling like he wanted offerings of French food, and then I kept hearing commercials and songs about time, and then I got a strong urge to listen to Simon and Garfunkel, and then I realized he meant thyme the herb, and when I cast the spell it felt really good and manifestation was strong, and I attribute these choices and successes to my fairy husband."

So I think it's wise to pick apart some of the assertions from "more accomplished witches," especially when they are talking about what was communicated and not how it was accomplished; and especially putting an asterisk next to any experiences which are likely being shared because they are exceptional and exciting.

But even if communication is very clear and strong, there is often a price to be paid (either up front or on credit), like:

You spend more than an hour a day practicing (I mean... a lot of practice; often being immersed in the spirit world)

You have been cursed with Second Sight and can't shut the spirits out

You regularly perform powerful rituals of communication

You've built your life to welcome and house the spirits long-term, and over the years have developed very strong abilities of communication

You have become bound to spirits or gods in some form or another, making you an Oracle, and all the consequences that come with that

Beyond becoming bound to/initiated under spirits for whom you operate as an oracle, also building relationships with gods of communication and witchcraft, or especially any entities that let you See and Hear Things.

You've developed, built, and practiced with tools and rituals that facilitate clear communication

There are a lot of paths you can take, is my point, and you're probably best off exploring any of them you feel most comfortable with. Oathing up isn't for everyone, for example. I vouch for an eclectic approach. Give lots of different things a try, and lamps will light themselves along the path of experience until the fog slowly fades from the map.

If you'd like a list of specifics, here you go. Don't say I didn't warn you. (The warning is, if you See and Hear Things, you are also Seeing and Hearing Things. You know?)

Work with Lunar powers, perhaps including relevant Moon deities, who are associated with divination, clear-sight, and spirits.

Hekate, I bet, probably works well to unlocking the roads to spirit work. I don't know her myself but it seems like a vibe.

Enchant a holey stone to assist you with spirit communication.

Perform regular rituals, perhaps on the full moon or cross-quarter days, to open channels of communication and strengthen your abilities.

Blend and enchant incenses and oils to facilitate spirit communication; use as needed.

Fuck around with doors and keys.

But before all of this, definitely get a guardian spirit of some sort, or at the very least like a guy who you can trust.

[kingnlionhearts]

♱ Sun Bleached Flies

Anakin Skywalker x Celine Palpatine (oc)

TAGS: Jedi x Witch, House Palpatine, Sun x Moon, Mortis Gods, Daddy Issues, Dear Wormwood, Family Line, Force Dyad, Forbidden Romance, palpatine is a shit dad, Additional Chosen One Prophecy, my next application to be your favourite house palpatine & mortis gods writer, Canon Adjacent

TIMELINE: tpm – rots

The Witching Hour darkened the world and Celine Palpatine knelt beneath the moonlight. "Forgive me, divine mother. I am not the daughter I should be."

☾ ˚｡⋆

     The river chilled Celine to her marrow. Her black dress clung to her skin as the Sisters helped her wade waist-deep into the depths. Green mist peeked around the trees, tendrils waited with bated breath to ensnare her. Mother took Celine's hands and chanted in the ancient tongue the girl had not yet been taught. With gentle grace, Celine was lowered into the water. She floated easily, staring into the sky — darkened by a blood moon eclipse. ("The perfect night," Mother had boasted with a smile. "It is a rare privilege. The moons call to you.") The mist — ichor — reached out as Celine was pushed beneath the red water. Under the surface, there was peace. Celine closed her eyes. She felt the magick wrap around her. But instead of pulling her back to the surface, it pushed her deeper. Celine screamed into the water — calling for her Mothers (her coven leader; her blood; her moon goddess). She sank deeper, slipping beyond the riverbed.

Celine landed on her back in a dull room. Beige and lifeless — nothing like the witches' land of Dathomir, and nothing like Celine's homeworld of Naboo. The green mist dissipated, drawing the crimson river from her lungs so she could draw breath. Even her dress had dried. A boy sat in the room: tinkering with a small-scale model of a ship. He looked up, blue eyes blazing with intrigue. He set his tools down. "I know you." Celine stared at the boy. He was her age, dark blond, a long braid behind one ear.

"You're a Jedi." Celine was quickly on her feet, looking for an escape. The boy looked amused. He looked calm to say she had fallen through a river into his room.

"I am." He gave a proud grin. "What are you? A witch?"

Celine shrugged. Not until after her baptism. This was the test — to see if she was worthy of becoming a Nightsister of Dathomir, like her mother. But why had the magick sent her to a Jedi?

"You were at the victory parade on Naboo after the invasion." The boy rose to come closer, as if to see if she was real. "You're the Chancellor's daughter!"

"And you are?"

"I'm Anakin Skywalker. But why are you here? I read about the Force connecting people across space and time."

Celine didn't want to share the Nightsisters' sacred rituals with a boy she had just met. "Perhaps it is destiny."

Anakin smiled. "Destiny. I like that."

Celine rose from the river — water choked her lungs, blonde hair plastered to her face. The magickal ichor hung from her like a second skin. She lifted her hands, energy moved between her fingers. She was not the same girl that had entered the blood river. Celine smiled. On the riverbanks, her Sisters cheered. Celine stared back at the moons, gazing upon the central one, the largest — the one turned crimson in its eclipse. As a daughter of the moon, Celine knew her destiny laid in pursuit of the Great Prophecy (the oracle of the Nightsisters that decreed one day their Maker would return, and their magick would increase tenfold beneath her beautiful Chaos). But the Nightsisters were not the only ones who prayed for the First Mother's return from beyond the stars.

The Jedi's Chosen One was a pawn, a tool for a wider game — so Chancellor Palpatine believed. When he laid eyes on the boy beneath the clear skies of Naboo, Palpatine knew the boy would be the perfect means to an end, a puppet and an apprentice to bring the Sith to their ultimate power. Born of the Force and destined to bring balance by destroying the Sith, Palpatine knew that luring Anakin Skywalker into his web would be crucial to all his plans. So, he deployed his greatest weapon to draw in the young Jedi and destroy any hope of fulfilling his prophecy — his daughter.

available on wattpad

This fic is vaguely inspired by Dune and the Bene Gesserit. It will use some lore from Legends, and my own lore created for my other Star Wars series The Courage of Stars (there will be plot similarities, but they approach the same endgame from different positions). Basically, I hope this fic will be a culmination of my love for the Mortis Gods and the lore I have created for them, and my love for witches (shout out to my uni dissertation!). Celine is a little inspired by Lucrezia Borgia and Lady Jessica from Dune. I have also made Corvus (Morgan Elsbeth’s planet in The Mandalorian & Ahsoka) a moon of Dathomir!! Only one of Dathomir’s moons is named in Legends, so I’m taking some creative liberties. It is also important to note that Celine does not know that her father is a Sith. She knows that he has an interest in magick and the Force, but nothing more. Additionally, Mother Talzin and the Nightsisters don’t know Celine is a Palpatine — she leads two lives: the witch and the Chancellor’s daughter. There isn’t overlap between them (except maybe until tcw…)

ALSO STARRING..... Natalie Dormer as Talea Corvidae & Sarah Bolger as Solara Palpatine.

[zzencat]

Paid Readings Info!! - zzencat

-> Last updated: October, 2024 PST

Confidential + Personal + Raw + Clarification + Advice + Some readings may include potential 18+ material

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Feedback 5 (currently updating)

Teddy Opening: Hey guys!! So this is everything you need to know for personal paid readings. Why pay? You will help in supporting me in my daily life and I hope to support you in yours with guidance, reflection, advice, help with your introspection, and whatever else 😎👍

*** About Language: English is the primary language I’ll be using. This includes some English slang, abbreviations, or curse words. If you need clarification on anything or help understanding what I mean, PLEASE DON’T EVER HESITATE TO ASK 😎👍 Ask and I’ll be happy to help you understand in any way that I can. No, you’re not a burden or a bother. You can count on me. No judgment whatsoever. (If you struggle with English and you’re worried about how your English, it’s 999999% fine with me. I’ve had many clients whose first language was not English. We’ll work it out, I promise. My parents don’t speak English as their first language either, so I grew up learning how to communicate to where you can understand.)

• My readings are sent through email or Tumblr DM, and are in the form of PDFs from Google Docs (unless the answers in the readings are shorter than a page or 2; then I’ll send the answers directly through dm or email.)

• Regular paid readings take 1-7 days maximum to complete upon payment. For Packages, please allow up to 7-8 days max. I will be transparent with you about how much time and how much I’ve finished for any reading.

1) First and foremost, you HAVE to be a follower of my blog and you have to have seen my readings before.

Why? Because I need you to be familiar with how I do my readings—which include of bullet points, hella commentary and extra notes from the Teddy + spirit team pov (which can be funny, helpful, or both), some slang, cursing, and letting my spirit team ramble. A lot of the info is blunt and very no bullshit. (Bear w/ me; I got the Queen of Swords on my spirit team lmfao 😂) My readings could get a bit long, thorough, and maybe overly detailed, varying from the info I receive. My body serves as a host for my Spirit guides, and connecting with Spirits :)

Make sure you read through my Quick Starters Post (it’s pretty short n simple). Keep in mind that tarot readings are a tool for clarity, and not an all seeing eye. Everything is susceptible to change. Time is fluid, and nothing is fixed. The readings are based on your energy now.

***When to request? You can request at any time. (I’m in the PST timezone so if I don’t respond to you, that’s because I’m sleeping or doing summer hw. I always respond within 24 hours tho!)

Where + How?: You can dm me on Tumblr or email me ( teddiebearrr69@gmail.com), and state the reading number that you’d like. Your reading will be received within 7 days (unless some issue comes up, then I’ll let you know. If it’s late, no later than an extra day.) and I’ll send you the PayPal link where the money will go through. You will choose 3 photos out of a pile of 9 (that I have chosen for you.) The decks I frequently use: Everyday Witch (primary), Tarot of Sexual Magic, RWS (circular edition)! Oracle cards will be pulled if I need more info, advice, or further clarification.

***ALSO IMPORTANT, if you’d like me to do readings for you, please leave your door OR window open at any point of our session (for at least a couple of hours.) You may close when you’ve received your reading. This helps me connect with your Spirit team better :)

Readings I do are belowowowow👇

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• • • • • Readings (for now) • • • • •

Reading #1 (and also my most requested reading):

(*For Singles*) Future Spouse (with optional brief 18+ section) | $8 USD

Note: This is different from final spouse bc I can’t say whether you will or won’t face divorce/separation 😅). However, I can give you a vibe of where it’s headed. (Prepare yourself!!)

HEAVY DISCLAIMER: We will take a look into your past and your future lover’s past to see if there should be any trauma to be worked on. This means we will potentially cross very private and vulnerable information on both yours and your lover’s side.

↳ We will cover:

• their current energy now—if you met now vs when you meet later.

• positive and negative aspects of this person/relationship, and how this can develop (pos or neg.) over time (with examples. Like I said, these readings will be similar to the ones I have posted but a lot more in depth and personalized.)

• rockiness and toxicity within the relationship; what to expect while dating; how you both can help improve the relationship; a look into their past selves (relationship, hardships, IF THEY ALLOW THIS INFO TO BE TOLD, but I will try to reason with them.)

• things they need to work on before and after meeting you + what you can do to prepare for this person coming in

• how will you recognize them + how they will recognize you

• their possible occupations at the moment and later — basically where they’re at in life ( + emotionally)

• overall advice for both you + future spouse

🔓 $2.44 USD to unlock: a brief, general overview of sexual relationship + potential kinks. there will be a small deal of vulgar language and graphic descriptions. BUT the 18+ section here is not as detailed as #2.

***PLEASE KEEP IN MIND !!!!! that I will give you “warnings” here and there, and will be transparent if their inner child or spirit guides do not want me discussing some issues/does not want me going in depth.

This is how you’ll get an idea or hint on what they might be secretive about, and personally, this isn’t a good sign, especially if they’re likely to hide mistakes. I would advise you pay attention to these *cryptic* areas, because those are where the bigger problems are at. Yes, some are insecure about it, but that just means they have some work to do. The more open they are about their past, the better. It shows maturity and a desire for growth, and that they won’t hide if they’ve messed up somewhere. That’s a good sign to me.

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Reading #2:

(18+) What does your sexual relationship say about your overall relationship? - Next Partner/Final Spouse | $7 USD

↳ We will uncover:

• Your person’s 18+ thoughts/fantasies from your first meeting/impression to developing friendship to newly dating stage.

• What will lead to your first time with them, feelings + emotions on their side, what will happen during the act?

• Their feelings/overall sex life mood when you’re both comfortable with each other (including yours!) Stagnancy? Contentment? Needs more spice? Sexual conflicts?

• Their kinks!!! Graphic imagery and descriptions, but not at a smut novel level haha (maybe tho…depends on the cards and context)

• Fears and how to improve the relationship, where it could go wrong

• Honestly this reading could get suuuper thorough real quick- hopefully your partner gives me permission to pry heheh 🙂‍↕️

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Reading #3:

(18+) What Your Sexual Energy Says About Your Past + How To Achieve Peace in Your Life | $7.44 USD

↳ We will uncover:

Intrusive-ish reading to an extent. It shouldn’t be too bad (I hope...) But there’s no need to be embarrassed! (I used to write smut lmfao)

This is where I will do a regular card reading for you to see where you are, mainly relying on my Sexual Magic deck (which is cleansed before each reading.)

• your desires/hidden fantasies (now + possibly future) and potentially why you have them

This reading lets us know where you are in your life, what blockages or concerns your subconscious is facing and how this affects your daily life and even future.

Note: I personally like doing sexual readings and they come out very accurately since my sacral chakra and sensuality is so essential to me as…well, me hahaha. My highest good keeps me in high sexual energy, which is probably why I connect to the Tarot of Sexual Magic deck so well :)

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Reading #4:

“I’m Still Feeling Stuck. Where Did This Come From? What can I do about it?” (95% Trauma based.) | $6 USD

↳ We will uncover:

If you‘ve seen my reading on stagnancy or reading on little things to uplift your life, this will be pretty the same BUT more in depth and in accordance to your energy. It’ll be personalized to you 🤗

advice!!

I think the messages do need to be taken seriously so if you learn a bit about yourself in this reading, I’d be seriously happy.

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Reading #5:

Wtf happened in my past life? What did I do to deserve this? Can I still turn things around? / Past Life Reading | $7 USD

↳ We will uncover:

One of my favorite concepts ever. We all wonder where we went wrong to go through such hurt in this life. Wtf exactly happened? You and I will unlock what and who you possible were, your occupation(s), family life/relationships, conflicts, romantic relationship(s), potential betrayals, life lessons your soul carried from that life to this one. This can also be read as just a past life reading!!

Approx. 10-12 questions asked about past life during reading

What can you learn from? What can you let go and move on?

Or perhaps…this is your first life? What lessons do you need to learn in this life?

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Reading #6:

A question and some advice (can get pretty deep depending on the person.) | $3 USD/per question. You can ask any question of your choice (read “no questions about” for more info), as many questions as you’d like, but each question is $3 USD., relating to a specific situation or different things.

❌ No questions about: if you and [celebrity] will date 😂😂, altho you can ask about what your compatibility would be! Singular future spouse, warning, or what to look forward to, 18+ questions in your current/future relationship are welcome. No death-related or specific physical + mental illness/disease questions please.

Feel free to reach out for further questions or details, or if you’re confusion as to what you can or can’t ask! And please don’t feel embarrassed (I’ve seen it all fam ✋🥲)

One of my readers,🫀(on feedback), has become a regular and a friend of mine!! She’s asked if it was okay to do an anime character relationship compatibility between her and said character with her personal list of prompts/questions!! Pricing varies based on how many questions there are. | $3 USD / question

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Reading #7:

Warnings in the near future based on your current energy? (within 3 months to a year from now) - $4.44 USD

↳ We will uncover:

• advice, how to see it when it comes, what to look forward to, what’s likely to happen?

+ $3.22 USD to unlock: Your prediction sounding kinda rough? How can I likely prevent it? Can I change it or do I need to go through this?

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Reading #8

“Okay, be honest. Does this person like me? Do I stand a chance with them? Are they the right person for me?” - $8 USD

↳ We will uncover:

• applies to situationships, potential partners, the person on your mind, secret admirers, unrequited love

• get ready for honesty right here babyyyy (if you buy this reading, ya gotta brace yourself. I’m telling you here and now and when you dm me as well!!)

• things they need to work on before they’re ready for commitment

• How will I know if they’re the one?

• red and green flags about your person

• personalized advice to you

+2 USD to unlock: How do they see me in general?

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Reading #9

(Single or Currently Seeing Romantically) Future Spouse’s Past Life!! - $7 USD

• Refer back to reading #5 about your past life!! Everything there is applied here but about your future spouse this time!

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-> Introducing Packages! :

1) Cat-Sees-All Package - $26

↳ We will uncover:

• reading #1 - future spouse reading (optional brief 18+ section)

• reading #5 + #9 - past life reading on yourself

• overall advice

Disclaimer: these can get heavy realllllly quickly. My future spouse ones are usually extensive and deep anyway (especially since we look into more subconscious and past issues/trauma so I suggest you grab some popcorn. Maybe some tissues too if you need.

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2) LENZ Package - $24 (minors dni)

↳ We will uncover:

• dark, sensitive, mature and potentially triggering material

• this is pretty much a combination of readings #3 + #4, but we tap into your future spouse’s/lover’s sexual energy/preferences/lifestyle as well yours through kinks!!

• figuring out significant events in yours and their childhood and if trauma has played a role on your daily life and theirs; AND both yours + their individual feelings/energy/view towards and of sex (including deep rooted trauma)

• how sex preferences heal their inner child + how your sex preferences heal yours

• how do they seek this in daily, normal behavior and communication with others + how do you seek it? how does this seep into your daily lives?

• overall advice

🔓 + 2 USD to unlock: Will you be able to heal your wounds together through sex? What is it about you that attracts your partner, personality and sex-wise?

Disclaimer: this is also a really deep reading that includes psychological factors and sensitive topics, so if you’re an empath or are sensitive to this material in general, you might wanna take a couple breathers and come back. It can get pretty dark and negative as well, so I recommend that you don’t get to your reading until the end of the day or when you’re certain nothing can ruin your day.

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3) Custom Package!!

• here, you’ll be able to create you own list of questions (within the boundaries ofc- rmr, nothing about death, illness, politics, etc.) | $3 per question

this is catered towards those who have very specific questions they want answered, anything they’re curious about that hasn’t been answered in the “we will uncover” section of the readings! This allows for modifications or adjustments to be made in order to create the best list of questions well suited for you 😎👍

Ex) 5 questions = $15 USD

7 q’s = $21 USD, etc., etc….

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-more coming soon…brr brrr

**Constructive feedback is heavily encouraged so pls lemme know how it was for you, how it resonated, however many paragraphs you’d like. I’m happy to talk about it w you!! No judgment here.

- Teddy :)

[the-clumsywitch]

What to Expect from My Tarot Readings

I just realized I've never given much information on what to expect from my tarot readings, if you've ever been interested in getting a reading from me but didn't know what you'd be getting, this will explain!

General Tarot Reading - This reading doesn't require that you ask any questions, I will simply pull cards and tell you what I am getting for you. It could be present, future, or past energies that come forth during this reading. Each person is different and sometimes it will be a mixture of energies (hopefully that makes sense).

1 Question Reading - The client asks a single question and I pull cards to provide insight into the situation.

2 Question Reading - This is the same as the one question reading, except the client asks two questions, these questions can either be related to each other or two completely different questions.

Love Reading - This reading can either be a general love reading, as in I pull cards to see the general situation surrounding your love life. Or you can ask up to three love related questions, these questions can be about romantic, familial, or platonic love.

Career Reading - This reading can also be conducted as a general reading or you can ask up to three career related questions.

How many cards are pulled for each reading?

There is no limit to the amount of cards pulled for each reading.

Is there a time limit for readings?

There are no time limits for my readings, I've done readings that lasts for 10 minutes and readings that have lasted for a couple of hours.

How are readings conducted?

You have two options when it comes to readings, we can do them by phone or by email. A lot of people prefer the convenience of an emailed reading because there is no need to take time out of their day for a reading. They can simply look at the reading when it is most convenient for them. If you'd like a telephone reading that can be arranged as well. When you book your reading on my website, simply put your phone number in the phone number field on the page.

What else can be expected during a reading with me?

I often use oracle cards along with tarot for my readings, this is only if I feel called to do so, if not the reading will be conducted strictly using tarot. I am also not the type of tarot reader to tell you that something is set in stone, as that is not in line with my beliefs. I am of the belief that energy is ever changing and tarot is a tool that can be used for guidance.

I hope that covers any questions you might have had about a reading with me (if you've ever wondered) and if it doesn't, feel free to message me!

- Erika, The Clumsy Witch

[monotheisticpagan]

A short discussion on Witchcraft Topics

I begin with an increase in noticing toxic elitism within some witchcraft communities, namely online.

Recent occurrences have been

Hearing "I learned from" or "I had a teacher."

Another

" I have known many younger practitioners whom seem to know more than older practitioners...."

So here we have our topics

Solitary vs Taught and Instant access to knowledge, younger witches, Vs The start of the internet, not as many published books, many published revolving around Wicca, aka early 90s witches.

Being solitary and not being taught in the sense of having a teacher for a lengthy time, can be very rewarding.

We are self taught. Everything we learned we worked very hard to come by. Folk magic was not discussed outside of family members. Many solitaries of the 90s era did not have a lot of information on folk or traditional witchcraft. We were given Wicca and left to dissect it, re-shape it and mold it into our own.

The knowledge of the folk magic of my grandmother came recently. I am in my early 40s, and it took me years to learn of my ancestry, the oracle cards at the table, the ringing of the bells, and the superstitions.

One does not learn a practice over night.

I never had a teacher. The majority of my practice has been very intuitive, and a very long process of learning from mistakes. "If this works I will use it" "Don't do this" and "Hey this does something pretty interesting!"

Being taught by a teacher, doesn't necessarily make one more knowledgeable, in fact I'd say it doesn't require the same amount of effort.

Next we come to younger practitioners, much respect, btw.

Again, information has been abundant during these eras. Be it spells, information on specific practices, types of magic, forms of divination etc.

This does something interesting. Those interested can learn an awful lot in a very short amount of time.

Add in social media and individuals can learn from multiple sources.

The issue comes from the possibility of learning from incorrect or misleading sources and there are many out there.

There are older practitioners whom don't exactly know as much, an example is my mother. She doesn't research witchcraft in any way, yet she is still a powerful practitioner. She doesn't use any tools, simply her intent.

And this leads me to my conclusion. Knowledge about the practice is important to make some distinctions, Voodoo is a closed religion, there is French Witchcraft, though you won't find too much written on it as it was Catholicized and practiced and passed down orally within the family. Scottish Witchcraft, Chaotic Practice, folk magics of all kinds, Wicca.

Yet some of the most powerful practices utilize next to nothing, don't come from a book, or an Instagram page.

My short rant or vent over.

Simply a few thoughts before dark enters the early hours.

[neshatriumphs]

XI. Why Do We Need a Queen?

The journey back to the realms of the One was harsh. The Queen decided that they needed to go without magic. With the staff, Amelia would be able to detect the moment magic like theirs was used in the realms. Grace was fairly used to that, as she generally had to sneak out and about without hers in order to avoid being caught by her mother. Simon and the Queen were not nearly as comfortable with it, but both as determined, as he had vengeance to inflict and she had a Kingdom to recover. Grace had a father to send off respectfully and a mother to avoid speaking to. If she had just BEEN there, she could have saved him! She didn’t know any of the details, but she was sure of that much.

It would take a few days. Simon insisted that they didn’t have that long. Amelia would devastate the realms of the One within hours. The Queen was confident that she wouldn’t be as successful in an attack against the witches of the One as she had been sneaking up on the communities of denizens. And even though she was healed from her sickness, she was still not as young as the two of them and not as fueled as Grace, who kept getting out of their range, refusing to wait as her mother slowed them down and Simon tried to be sure that they didn’t just leave her behind…

Three long days and cold nights later, they were back… and Amelia had been busy. 

Firstly, the King’s body was impaled outside of the castle, along with other warriors. There was a wall of bodies around them. It was a monument and a warning. Grace immediately brought him down. She wouldn’t be able to bring him back to life, but she could make him more presentable, for a goodbye. Simon shuffled his feet and looked at the Queen. She refused to look at her husband. He was gone and there was nothing that they could do about it now, but there was something that they could do about the Conductor who had taken over the mothership. The Queen outstretched her arms and winds began to blow. Faithful fighters began to appear. Among them, Lucy. 

Grace rushed to collect her into a hug. The girl was filthy and caked in blood. Her eye patch was gone and her hair was pulled up into a mini ponytail. “Are you okay?”

She kneeled in front of the Queen and began to report. Apparently, while they were gone, everyone looked to Lucy for leadership. She was the most familiar person that they knew of who was close to the palace. They accepted her as their guide through this perilous event and she always had a very detailed and accurate report of everything. Her eyes were everywhere. The Queen nodded her head and then spoke with them about the plans that she and Simon had made. 

Grace spoke up, as well, “Umm… I must have been out of it whenever these plans were made… but what makes you think that you can take this woman on? She has your staff because you couldn’t fight in the first place.”

“She has my staff because I let her get close enough to touch me, which happened because I was sick. Which, thanks to you, I no longer am, and thanks to experience, I won’t make that mistake again.”

“It has to be Simon,” Grace said. “The oracle said…”

The Queen wondered, “Yes?”

“She said that the Conductor messed up the magic ecosystem and it would take a very powerful conductor to restore the balance.”

“That could mean a number of things,” The Queen complained. They thought for a moment. “It could mean that he is meant to defeat her. But, it could also mean that he is meant to rule this kingdom. It can even mean that he is meant to father a savior. That’s a very vague and unhelpful prophecy, Grace!” 

“Aren’t they usually?” Simon asked.

“Yes!” The Queen agreed. 

“If I may,” Lucy offered. They all turned to look at her. “The title The Conductor was not one that Amelia took for herself. It was how she was referred to whenever they didn’t know her identity, only that she had been draining power from the realms. In the first writings about her crimes against the One, the witches wrote that a conductor was draining energy without replenishment. That was referring to a tool. They thought perhaps an entity, but presumed most likely a tool was used. It is my judgement that the prophecy given to Our Princess was not about a person, but about a tool. Whatever type of tool that the Conductor uses to drain the magic.”

Simon nodded, “We collect it into crystal spheres. We can’t just drain magic and take it into ourselves. We collect it and then we’re able to control it with possession of the sphere and the guidance of our runes.”

“So… We need a sphere to take her magic away from her?” Grace wondered.

Lucy blushed, “It was only a thought. I know less than everyone here.”

“Nonsense. You actually READ the royal books, and you REMEMBERED something very helpful!” Grace hugged her again. “Simon, where can we find one of those spheres?”

He shook his head, “Amelia usually provided them to me, but I always thought that they were somewhere in her cave. 

The Queen ordered, “Simon! Show Lucy where the cave is…” She kneeled to be at Lucy’s level, for the first time ever, “Lucy… Find a sphere and immediately bring it to me in the Queen’s hidden chambers.”

“Yes, My Queen!” Lucy said louder than she intended. The Queen had never called her by name before. Simon looked at Grace. “She’ll be fine. She’s with me. I won’t let anything happen to her. It’s my top priority.” Grace folded her arms. She wished that it had been a priority to save her father. 

Still, whenever Simon reached for her, she melted against him. She hadn’t really been that warm or gentle with him these past few days, stuck in her own mind and her deep pain. He kissed her on the forehead and said something, some type of chant. She felt something tickle her wrist and she looked down to see some type of bracelet… tattooed on her. “It isn’t permanent. Just something to let you know I’m alright.”

“And when it fades?”

“That means I’m dead.” 

She frowned. She didn’t even want to think about that. But, she noticed that he had one too. “Is that mine?” He nodded. She threw her arms tightly around him and whispered, “If you don’t come back, I don’t know how I’ll keep going!”

“I’m always with you. We’re a team.”

Lucy tugged Simon’s cloak and the two of them stepped off and vanished together. 

Grace looked around and saw the Queen avoiding looking at her. “I’m going to take Daddy’s body, so that we can grant him a proper sending off. The rest, we will do once we’ve succeeded. But, I’m not going to let Our King… my father… just rot here.” The Queen nodded once. “What are the Queen’s hidden chambers?”

“I’m unable to say. There could be spies. But, if you had read the royal books, you would know, and since Lucy apparently has, she knows.” They brought the King’s body some place that Grace wasn’t familiar with. It appeared to be a mausoleum of sorts. There were statues of kings and queens, familiars and pets… They cleaned him up themselves, dressed him in clothes that the Queen summoned, wrapped him in the fabrics of buried royalty, and performed the usual ritual. Grace had heard that the whole kingdom would be present whenever this day came. That they would present gifts, magic, blessings, and that everyone would give him all of their joy and love, and spend days mourning without them. Whenever joy and love returned to their hearts, it would be their sign that the king was at peace and the kingdom was ready to live without him…

But, it was just the two of them, in an empty place made for the decaying shell that a once beautiful and brave man resided in. 

Once he was in the coffin, the Queen shut it and the ground swallowed it and erected a statue in its place. So, that was how it happened. “How are you okay? Did you even love him?” Grace wondered. She hadn’t seen her mother shed a tear. She hadn’t seen her so much as shiver once. She placed a hand on her shoulder with the intent of turning her around and was hit with a flood of loneliness and grief. She hissed and removed her hand. She noticed that she didn’t have her gloves… When had she taken them off? 

The Queen still didn’t react to the emotions that Grace had just felt inside of her. Instead, she said, “You’d better get your gloves back on. You can’t have everyone’s ailments distracting you from the mission. Our Kingdom is relying on us to protect them and save them from this. Your father trusted me to protect his kingdom. He gave his life to ensure that I would be here to do it.”

“I… I don’t want to have to do that. Why do we have kings and queens? Why can’t we have… something else? Someone who WANTS to do these things?”

“Because nobody would take this job if they had the choice.”

“Well… Why do we need a queen?”

“Grace, we have been without a Queen for three days, and Amelia has taken over and killed our people. There will always be forces of evil, powers of destruction, enemies who seek to harm us and our people. We need a queen to ensure their protection.”

“Why can’t the people protect themselves?” Grace asked, sobbing. “Why did Daddy have to die for you or anybody else? Why couldn’t HE choose?”

“He DID choose!” The Queen said, finally losing track of a few tears. She wiped them away and pretended that they had never been. “And I am choosing to do my duty and protect our kingdom...” Lucy appeared, holding a sphere in her hand. The Queen smiled and accepted it. “And now, the plan is back in action.”

“Where is Simon?” Grace asked Lucy. 

“He didn’t get the invitation, so he said to meet him at the Mothership.”

Grace gasped. “He went after her alone? Did he have a sphere?” Lucy shook her head. Grace looked at her mother, “We’re raised that the Queen protects the kingdom. Simon was raised that the people protect the Queen…” They rushed to the Mothership, where Simon was waiting outside, his green eyes and runes glowing and staring at the barrier. Grace let out a sigh of relief and rushed to hug him. 

He stopped glowing and gave her a half smile. “I couldn’t have been gone that long...” 

The Queen circled her hand around the top of the sphere, as she held it in her palm. Amelia had definitely reinforced a barrier of her own, but the sphere absorbed the power in it and the crew was able to get inside. 

Simon was right at the Queen’s side when he heard a small noise and turned to see Lucy vanish through a door. He gasped and said, “Lucy!” to which Grace turned her head too, and no sooner than she realized that Lucy had disappeared, than a door appeared and sucked her through it too, causing a far more dramatic and painful yell from Simon. “GRACE!” He barely had a moment to process seeing her vanish before yet another door appeared and he felt himself being sucked through it..

.

Amelia cursed this place! Where was that throne??? She had been wandering for days, and the only path that she ever really seemed to find was the one that led outside of the Mothership. The One must have been playing tricks. But, she would show him. She was longsuffering and very persistent. The mazes and challenges in this cavern were no match for her sheer will to take all power for herself and then, MAYBE THEN, she could find a way to bring Alrick back. She had taken the king’s body out and given instructions to her army. They were to have everyone line up and offer their magic, in exchange for their lives. All who refused would be killed and laid to rest at the king’s feet.

She went back into this place, only to find that this time, it looked different on the inside. She tried to specify where the magic was, but the bloody staff would try to show her all magic, used everywhere! She wasn’t in tune with it yet, or it's magic purposefully thwarted her. She wasn’t going to let it go, though. Her visions had shown her that the ruler of this staff would stop her heart with it. 

Visions were tricky business. You could only see a part of a picture, a series of pictures, or a moment in time. You had to receive it from a place of organic magic - the spirit of a dead witch, the heirloom of a seer, or the projection of a destiny from someone’s aura.

That was how she knew she needed to take Simon. She was given all of these things through him. He was magic! His small body, in trying to fight off illness was manifesting magic, without his knowledge. She saw part of a picture: him holding hands with a little brown girl. She saw a series of pictures: Them together, growing up, growing close, falling in love. She saw the projection of his aura: Him wearing a crown and her being stripped of all of her power…

But, if she could twist fate. If she could recalibrate his destiny, she would be able to change that unfortunate future. She thought about killing him. Just telling his mother, “This child will die, then magically snuffing the life out of him. But, there was something about him that stopped her. Perhaps it was magic that she didn’t know of. Maybe there was protection over him. But, she didn’t kill him. She wasn’t even sure if she healed him. But, after her ritual, he wasn’t sick anymore, and he… reminded her of Alrick. She came to think of him like she did Alrick… no, not like he was her person, but a tiny person of hers. It would be a stretch to say that she felt like his mother, or like he was Alrick’s child, but she used a portion of Alrick’s remains in her healing spell, and the first rune, the one that was meant to seal the magic that would keep Simon healthy… it resembled Alrick’s birthmark. So… she did have some type of attachment to him for a time. 

He cried a lot. It was annoying. She was thankful when the cat showed up. “I believe that you have my ward.” She had seen the rune and hissed at Amelia, became a person and tried to leave with him… but the boy began to cry whenever she tried to take him away from Amelia. His attachment had already begun. Samantha dared not to honor it, but she felt compelled. It was a true attachment that Simon had made with Amelia. Samantha would have to… just stay with him, until he no longer wanted Amelia.

That day didn’t come soon enough. “And why the bloody hell am I thinking about that anyway?”

“Because that boy loved you more than himself and you betrayed him. Alrick would be disgusted at what you’ve become,” a voice that sounded like hers said. She turned and saw her own reflection in a clear waterfall that read like a mirror. “You want to bring him back, but you wouldn’t be the woman he left behind. He wouldn’t want to come back to you. You’re a monster. You’re a fiend. You’re worse than the people who killed him. You’ve done terrible things to all forms of life, even to children, even to a boy who would have given his life for you, and you’ve done it in Alrick’s name… He would curse himself if he knew that teaching you magic would lead to this.”

“Shut UP!” Amelia lunged and stabbed the waterfall to rid herself of her pesky reflection. “Magic cunt.” She marched away, angrily. “Alrick saw the best in me. Whenever nobody else did. He was kind and loving and supportive. They killed him for being different! They didn’t care that he was kind, because he broke their stupid laws. He didn’t KNOW! He thought that being able to access and conduct magic meant that he was entitled to it. He thought that if not, magic would not have worked and for exposing the lie that only magical born people could use magic, they murdered him and pretended it was an accident. Brought me his body and an apology. A silly excuse. He fell off of a horse and it trampled him… He wouldn’t have fallen had he not been detained in the first place!” 

“Well, what about Simon? What did he do to make you hate him?” Another voice said. It wasn’t as familiar as her own, but she heard it through the pendant, several times. She turned to see the Princess. But, she was the way that she had seen her in the vision. She was adorned in purple and gold, with a high headdress and jewelry covering her flesh. “You raised him, then you sent him to die.”

“I sent him to kill YOU!” 

“Why? Why did Simon have to kill this princess?”

“SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!” The Grace-being stood tall as Amelia came towards her. “Some innocent, by chance meeting in the enchanted forest. He would have seen her and fallen instantly. He would have flirted with her. He would have started changing his ways from being around her. He would have begun lying to me to get back to see her. He would have convinced her to run away with him. From her throne. And from me.”

“And if you couldn’t have him, nobody could?”

“No matter what, I couldn’t stop their destinies from being intertwined. So, I tried to make him sever that entanglement. He owed me faithfulness. He owed me his life! I saved him! I made him who he is.”

The being turned into a version of Amelia and she shrugged, “But, he’s rubbish, thanks to you, isn’t he?” Amelia roared and swung the staff to dissipate the haunting. “I’m not leaving here, no matter WHAT YOU DO!” She screamed to whomever was responsible for the magic making her have to look inside and at herself. The scenery of the portion of the cavern she was in changed colors and arrangement. She fumed and continued in the direction she thought that she was going in…

Lucy whimpered when she lost the others. Where were they? Why was she alone? “Grace?” she called. She saw lights up ahead and she went to check on them. It was a crowded event, with a stage of performers, singing and dancing. 

“Lucy!” Someone whispered loudly and waved her over. 

“Mommy?” She wondered and went over. The woman collected her in her lap, kissed her on the cheek and said, “This is a great show, Dear. Just sit here and watch it with me and I’ll protect you.”

“Protect me from what?” Lucy wondered. She felt like there was definitely something here that was dangerous, something she was supposed to be helping to fight… Helping who though? How did she get here? Wasn’t her Mommy gone somewhere?

“Shhhh. Just enjoy the show, Baby Bird.” The woman kissed her on her left eye and Lucy touched her face. She had two eyes! Of course she did. Everyone had two eyes… Of course she did. 

“When I look at you, I see me,” the music was singing. Lucy settled into her mother's lap and smiled at the show that she was watching.

.

“Lucy!”  

“GRACE!” 

After the noise of the portals taking the children in her care away stopped, The Queen sighed and said, “They’re safe. Now, let me at the bitch that killed my husband…”

[chroniclackofselfpreservation]

Creatures of the Night

Chapter 33 - could you find a daydream in the dead of night?

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AO3

Masterlist

(TW: scary/nightmarish imagery, memories of an abuser, dissociation,)

(The title of the chapter comes from "Unbroken" by Birdy.)

It was late afternoon by the time Daveigh had forced Patton to call it quits for the day. He’d been going at it nonstop for hours, and while he wasn’t physically tired, his mind felt raw and tender, like thinking too hard might give him an aneurism. Projecting-wise, the memories weren’t getting any easier to handle no matter how hard he tried to distract himself, and he couldn’t get farther than a couple dozen yards from his body without his mind yanking him back out of fear.

“It’s only your first day of training,” she said as they hiked back to camp. “You’ll get it.”

“Thanks,” Patton said, surprised at the genuine optimism in his reply. He wasn’t only confident that he’d get it down eventually, but was eager to contact Roman and Virgil as soon as possible. Patton wasn’t naïve enough to think it would end well given the difficulties projecting was already giving him, but he had to try. He wasn’t blind. Patton could see the strain all of this put on Logan. He always tried to have control of a situation—especially one concerning the safety of his friends. It was the least Patton could do to ease his stress.

The two of them arrived at camp to find Logan sitting by the unlit firepit whittling a stick with a familiar, pale stone. Patton recognized it as the one Mikhail had tried to hand to him before he’d projected into the past. The man in question stood at one of his handmade tool sheds, smashing rocks together at an angle and testing the subsequent edges with his thumb.

Daveigh wandered over to chat with Mikhail, and Patton approached the hunched, focused figure at the firepit. Logan didn’t look up, engrossed in his task.

“What are you carving?” he asked gently, trying to keep from startling him—especially while he wielded such a sharp blade.

Logan looked up, knife halting mid-stroke. His face immediately brightened. “Patton! Oh, it’s—well, I was attempting to make a face, but I’m not very good at it yet.”

Patton tilted his head. “I can see it if I squint,” he teased good-naturedly, taking a seat by Logan’s side. “I doubt I could do much better,” he admitted.

I know a warrior when I see one. Patton still balked at Mikhail’s words. He may know how to shiv someone before they could do the same to him, but he was no trained fighter and his hands weren’t steady enough for detailed work like whittling. Logan, on the other hand, surely could have been a surgeon if it had interested him.

“How did you training with Daveigh go?” he asked, the edge of his bottom lip held between his teeth in concentration as he worked the blade around a lump Patton assumed was a nose.

“It went well,” he said. “I’m definitely making progress. I—” he glanced over at Daveigh and lowered his voice. “I think I might try contacting Roman and Virgil tonight.”

Logan’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t look up. “Are you sure? You’ve only been at it for a day, Patton. I don’t want you to risk yourself if you aren’t ready.”

“I can do it,” Patton assured him, and he wasn’t completely lying. Heck, he’d projected back in time to see Virgil and hadn’t so much as sneezed. Given that he had similar feelings for Roman, it made sense that traveling there would be easier than simply projecting somewhere random. Daveigh had said that their powers flowed easily toward those they loved. Besides, Patton wasn’t as concerned with how it would affect him afterwards. All that mattered was getting the message to them. Once they had that peace of mind, they could deal with the repercussions.

Logan stopped and met his eyes, searching. Patton hated how easily his face clicked into an innocent smile, his mind racing, coming up with a million different outcomes and subsequent excused he could use.

“I trust you, Patton,” he said, and if not for Patton’s already firm façade, he probably would have flinched at the words. “You know more about his area of magic than I do.” Logan turned back to his work. “What did Daveigh have to say about it?”

“She’s curious, mostly,” he said, quickly sorting out a believable lie. “There hasn’t been an oracle like me, well, ever. She said it could go either way, but I’m confident I can handle it.”

The best lies, Merri had taught him, are almost completely true.

For the rest of the evening, Patton, Logan, and Daveigh helped Mikhail around camp. He’d finished their sleeping mats, which they moved into Daveigh’s hut and discussed where they could build a hut of their own in the future. Jorryn appeared from the jungle just as the sun was setting, arms laden with food. Berries and nuts, roots, melons, and mangos; it was the most food Patton had seen in a while. Thankfully, there was more than enough for everyone to eat their fill.

They sat around the fire Daveigh telling them of ancient kingdoms and daring adventures. Patton pierced pieces of mango with a sharp stick and roasted them over the fire for Logan and himself.

“…swung her sword down with a mighty roar—but she noticed the assassin’s hidden dagger too late. The blade took her in the side, right at the joint in her armor,” Daveigh said, eyes wild with excitement as she wove her tale. Patton gasped, and Daveigh’s smile grew wider. Mikhail listened passively, whittling a stick into various shapes and designs with far more dexterity than either of them could dream of. Jorryn sat forward, elbows resting on his knees, hands hanging down limply. Tiny, almost translucent vines sprouted from the ground and twined through his fingers—as if the island itself were a child gripping the fingers of its father. He stared at the fire without expression, lily-pad skin turned rich olive-gold in the firelight. The patches of orange and white lichen mottling his face, arms, chest, and legs turned warm and flickering. Patton hadn’t paid the Green Man much attention since arriving, however he went off on his own most of the time, rarely hanging around the rest of them. Patton hadn’t heard him speak more than a few brief sentences.

Patton could see a pervasive melancholy lingering behind his defensive air. Patton looked away, not wanting to stare.

“Blood spilled from the wound, and Lady Fenroy knew she had little time left. Her trusty bowman shot an enchanted arrow at the attacker from his perch, forcing the enemy back. The Lady’s panther bared its fangs and—”

Something rustled from the shadows of the jungle, hidden by the darkness of night. Patton shot to his feet and Daveigh paused, looking confused. Mikhail also looked as if he’d heard it, though he didn’t seem nearly as worried about it. Alert, but not tense.

“Patton?” Logan inquired softly, taking the stick of roasted mangos from him before they brushed the dirt. “What’s wrong?”

As if on cue, two figures emerged from the foliage, blinking in the light from the fire. Patton relaxed, sitting back down. It was Eudora and Killian.

A smile broke across Logan’s face.

“Would you two care to join us?” Mikhail asked, equally pleased at their arrival.

“Oh, they’re invited, now?” Jorryn muttered. “After wanting nothing to do with us for the past few centuries?”

“Killian wanted to come,” Eudora said curtly. “I have no intention of bothering you all.”

“It’s alright if they stay, right?” Patton said, plowing through the tension by force.

“I see no reason why not,” Logan said, looking quite excited. Patton felt a besotted smile work its way onto his face at Logan’s expression.

Killian pulled Eudora by the hand, coming around to sit next to Mikhail. Thankfully, Daveigh cleared her throat and continued her story, gradually easing the tension in the group. Even Jorryn relaxed a bit. Killian leaned over and talked to Mikhail about his knife, inspecting the runes with a smile. Daveigh eventually fell back into her excited, animated way of storytelling, doing exaggerated expressions and voices that made Patton giggle. Eudora lingered outside of conversation, but Patton could tell she was listening to the story and trying not to react at each twist and turn.

Patton picked the hot, dripping mango off the stick, handing one to Logan and popping the other into his mouth. He smiled and hummed happily as the juice covered his tongue, the sugars sticky and caramelized. Logan looked at him with a strange expression on his face, a faint smile of his own crawling its way onto his face.

Patton couldn’t remember being this content since their arrival on the island.

Daveigh finished her story and they all clapped—some more enthusiastically than others.

“Thank you, thank you,” she said, bowing with a flourish. “Now, excuse me while I stuff my face. I’m starving,” she laughed, accepting the roasting stick Mikhail passed to her over the fire.

Logan cleared his throat. “At risk of dampening the festivities,” he started, “I’d like to get some more specifics from you all about the curse on this island.”

Jorryn’s expression darkened, his fingers twitching.

Daveigh and Mikhail both looked at Eudora. She reddened a bit, looking… awkward almost. “I’ve told you everything I know. What more is there to say? We’re stuck here forever and we’ll never die.”

“If Ursula dies, will the curse break?” he asks.

Eudora snorted. “That is impossible.”

“Will it break?” Logan repeated, firmer.

“Yes, I suppose. If she were to somehow die despite her immortality.”

Logan leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “As of right now, I have very good reason to believe the last heir to the Witch Queen’s Inheritance is working to solve this very problem,” he said and everyone stared at him as if he’d gone completely insane, but he continued before anyone could interrupt him. “Regardless, if the curse breaks, we have no guarantee we will be returned to where we came from. We’d simply be in danger of dying on the island, no one knowing our location, yes?”

“And the one person with the power to transport us out of here would be dead,” Jorryn muttered.

Daveigh raised a finger. “Well, if this heir was powerful enough to kill her, maybe he could do it?”

Eudora didn’t look as optimistic. “Even if the heir learned to Displace—assuming he was powerful enough in the first place, it would take several years of training regardless—Ursula is the only person who knows the exact location of the island. A witch cannot displace themselves or anyone else somewhere they cannot picture exactly in their minds.”

Logan perked up. “You’ve studied displacement, then?”

“In all but practice,” she admitted. “A single witch with enough raw power to displace themselves, let alone a group of people, is a rare breed. Even if I did have the power necessary, I’ve been away from the Witchlands for so long, I don’t know if I’d trust myself to remember the location properly. It would be extremely dangerous.”

“Very well,” he said. “Thank you.”

Mikhail passed around more food, and the mood gradually lightened once more, Daveigh prodding Mikhail into telling a story of his own—though quite less animated.

Patton watched as Logan sat back, staring at the fire. He could practically see his mind working the problem like those ring puzzles Logan always had sitting on his desk back home, turning it over and over, looking at it from all its angles for the solution.

Patton smiled and popped another piece of sugary-sweet mango into his mouth.

* * * * * * * * * *

Patton lay on the new sleeping mat Mikhail had made for him, staring up at the ceiling, Logan and Daveigh asleep beside him. Daveigh slept almost as silently as Patton did, and he only knew she was still breathing due to the slow rise and fall of her chest. She occasionally shifted around, though. Logan slept on his stomach, a mass of tangled limbs and even messier hair. For someone so organized, Patton wouldn’t have thought he’d sleep so disheveled.

It was adorable, really.

Patton was certain Logan hadn’t forgotten what he’d said about trying to contact Roman and Virgil tonight. Rather, tonight was the first night in a while that, despite their predicament, it seemed as if everything would be okay in the end. The sheer relief of actually enjoying themselves for the first time in several days was exhausting in of itself. Patton couldn’t blame him for falling asleep seconds after laying down.

Patton closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He knew what he’d likely see when he projected—especially so far away—but he couldn’t afford to be nervous. As he’d quickly learned during his training, the emotions he felt would directly influence his mindscape, and therefore his experience while projecting.

He just had to stay calm.

Patton pictured the house in Wakeby, letting the small, rhythmic breaths puffing from Logan’s nose lull him into the meditative state. Patton felt his body suddenly weighed down, and he jerked up.

He was still in the hut. Patton looked down at his semi-translucent hands in frustration. He hadn’t officially projected to somewhere else—on purpose, at least. Still, it seemed ridiculous that he could astral project through time on accident, but when he finally wanted his freak powers to work they were stubbornly weak.

No, I can do this, Patton thought firmly, pulling himself back into his body. He opened his physical eyes, set his jaw, then closed them again.

The next four tries all ended the same: Patton sitting up in the hut, still overlapping his own body. He returned to his body and sat up for real, cradling his head in his hands and sighing. Why couldn’t he get this?

Patton glanced at Logan’s sleeping form. Waking him up at this point didn’t sound like a good idea. He’d risk alerting Daveigh as well, and there was no way she’d condone any of this. He just had to think about it like Logan would. On the surface, it seemed as if nothing had triggered the projection into the past. All he’d done was stand up and walk around the fire to take Mikhail’s knife from him. He was lucky he hadn’t passed out on his way to find Logan. He could have stabbed himself. But it didn’t make any sense for something that astounding to happen for no reason. Patton just had to figure out why.

What would Logan do? he thought desperately. Well, he’d probably have Patton walk through the events leading up to the projection. Patton thought back. Daveigh had been asking him about his family history—which he hadn’t been too forthcoming about, though not due to a lack of willingness. Mikhail noted that Logan was still gone, and Patton had asked if there were any predators on the island.

A few, Mikhail had said. The thought should have terrified Patton, but all he’d felt was an overwhelming urge to protect. Almost anger at the image of something hurting Logan. The darkness inside him ready to rip open the throat of anything daring to harm those he loved. Usually, thoughts like those would have troubled him, but at that moment, he’d accepted them. Used them as fuel. Channeled them.

Then Mikhail had offered him the knife, he’d stood to grab it, and then…

Patton rested his chin in his hands, tapping the point of his nose with a finger as he wracked his brain. He wouldn’t be surprised to see steam leaking out of his ears. He usually relied on the adrenaline of danger to help him make quick strategic decisions. Did Logan think like this all the time? Patton smiled to himself. That boy was truly amazing.

Shaking his head, Patton returned to his problem. The only significantly different thing that had happened was the surge of protectiveness. That had somehow had flung him several hundred years into the past… right to when Virgil was having a rough time.

Patton’s eyes narrowed and lips pressed together in a frustrated pout. He didn’t want to end up in the past again. Especially without someone like that nice witch to help him orient himself. Unfortunately, that was the only sort of lead he had. He hadn’t gone as far as integrating the person he’d grown up as into the personality he’d crafted for Dot, but after his conversation with Roman that night, Patton had learned to tolerate it. Maybe even accept it. As long as he focused on Roman and Virgil, he’d end up seeing one of them. Hopefully.

Nothing to do but try, I guess, Patton thought, laying back down. He set his jaw and proceeded to let his imagination run wild with all the horrible things that could be happening to Roman and Virgil. It was a particular kind of trick to both rile himself up and stay in enough control to still project. The darkness inside him unfurled almost hesitantly, as if it didn’t trust Patton’s deliberate goading.

Slowly, it filled him. How dare someone hurt his friends. He’d kill them. Tear them limb from limb.

A sudden dizzy weightlessness took hold of him, and it took all of Patton’s willpower not to freak out and inadvertently pull himself back into his body. A second later, he blinked, finding himself standing in their living room. Whispers of memories immediately bombarded his ears.

Patton. Patton! Patton… dozens of voices screamed, cried, growled, whispered, laughed. He recognized them all. Patton plugged his ears, but it didn’t make a difference. It’s okay, he assured himself, taking a breath. Just stay calm. They aren’t real. He had to stay focused. He could still feel his body lying on its mat back on the island, the gentle breeze across his skin. He’d be alright.

“Roman? Virgil?” he called. Nothing. Would they be able to hear him in this state? Patton couldn’t be sure, so he rushed upstairs—running wasn’t much different as a projection, though it was a little odd when his feet didn’t sink into the carpet at all. Checking both their rooms, Patton found himself alone in the house. Roman’s truck was in the driveway.

They’re probably just out of the house, he thought halfheartedly, standing alone in the upstairs hallway. Last he and Logan had seen, they’d been facing off against an angry immortal witch. Patton shook his head. They weren’t dead. He wouldn’t accept it. He’d just have to leave them a note for when they got back. Daveigh had explained how they couldn’t interact with most physical objects while in the astral plane. Patton would just have to figure something out in that case—

A towering figure blocked the stairs, so tall he had to bow his head. Patton froze, feeling as if his heart was squeezed to stillness inside him. The hallway light wasn’t on, so he couldn’t make out the man’s face, but he didn't have to. The figure had a bottle held loosely in his hands, a stained wife-beater hanging from his shoulders and stretching over his beer belly. The smell forced its way up Patton’s nose, choking him. Still, it wasn’t a perfect memory of the man. The figure’s arms were gangly and inhumanly long, and his neck looked disjointed, bent as it was against the ceiling.

The whispers swelled in a frantic crescendo. Patton felt his limbs going numb as his body began to pull him back.

No, he thought hopelessly, squeezing his eyes shut. I have to leave a note. I have to let them know we’re okay. He isn’t real. He can’t hurt me. Even in his head, he sounded breathless and pathetic, and he knew he didn’t believe himself.

The man grunted, as if annoyed by the cramped hall and took a lumbering step toward Patton. The house around him flickered, almost glitching and giving way to empty, nightmarish darkness. Seatbelts sprouted from the ground and began winding around his wrists and ankles. He could feel them. Patton, at last, let out a scream as the man charged, lifting his bottle like a club.

Patton’s vision of the Wakeby house flickered, and he felt suddenly dizzy. He was getting pulled out and into a nightmare.

“No,” he growled, that same feral protectiveness sputtering to life inside him. Patton's mind felt as if it were being torn in half, but he suffered through it, forcing himself to stay aware. In the back of his mind he could feel his physical body trembling and gasping, responding to the fear without knowing where it was coming from.

Just as the man was about to bash him over the head, Patton relaxed his arms and managed to wriggle free from the seatbelts. He dove past the man’s feet as he took a clumsy wing, falling over.

“C’mere, boy,” he groaned, writhing around as he tried to right himself in the too-small corridor. Patton raced down the stairs, heart picking out a frantic trot in his incorporeal chest. He came to the living room and kitchen, but his mind was blank. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t interact with anything. It wasn’t as if he could pluck a sticky-note from Logan’s desk and leave them a nice little note on the bathroom mirror.

“Get back here,” the man’s grating voice called, lumbering footsteps descending the stairs. Patton panicked, his mind lancing with pain as he resisted the pull back to his real body. He swayed as he rushed to the cellar door—somewhere to hide. The pain got so bad he couldn’t see straight.

Something ground beneath his shoe as he instinctually grabbed for the door handle despite his hand passing through, and he spared a second to glance down. He’d stepped in the leftover rosemary powder from when Virgil had sealed Remus in the cellar.

And he’d left a footprint.

Thinking as quickly as his pain-addled mind could, Patton dropped to his knees and spread the half-burned powder across the floor in a thin sheet with his hand.

“Don’t you run away from me,” the figure said, coming to the bottom of the stairs. Patton didn’t look up, quickly scrawling “We are OK” in the powder with a hasty P&L beneath it.

He finished the tail of the L right as the man reached him, grabbing him and lifting him into the air with too-long fingers clamped around his neck. The sight of the man’s face was what finally did it. Grubby and scratchy, the feeling of fingers around his throat.

Patton’s mind finally broke.

* * * * * * * * * *

Logan woke to Patton’s screams. He jerked awake, Daveigh’s confused mumbling behind him. Patton shot straight up to a seat, gasping for breath and dry heaving.

Logan rose to his knees. “Patton? What’s wrong?”

“I’m slipping. I’m…” he said gasped, sitting back against the wall of the hut. He met Logan’s eyes with considerable effort, a wan smile flickering across his pale face. “I did it. I told them.”

“What’s going on?” Daveigh asked.

Logan’s heart skipped a beat. How could he have forgotten? Patton had said he was going to try contacting Roman and Virgil tonight, and Logan had fallen asleep instead.

Mikhail was at their door in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

“Da… Daveigh,” Patton managed, voice sluggish like he was sedated. “I’m slipping. S…. sorr….” the rest of the word ended in a long breath and Patton seemed to wind down like a toy, eyes glazing over.

Daveigh sat up, taking everything in for a moment before sighing. “He did it, didn’t he. Contacting your friends?”

“I believe so,” Logan said. “What does he mean he’s slipping?”

“He’s dissociating,” she said, crawling forward and placing a gentle hand against Patton’s temple. “Quite extensively from the looks of it. He must have really gone past his limit. Everything’s fine, Mikhail. You can go back to bed.”

He gave a nod and a concerned glance Patton’s way before retreating back into the darkness.

Logan worried his bottom lip between his teeth. “Is he going to be okay?”

“He’ll be fine after a few hours,” she said. “Patton? Do you want to lay down? You’ll get sore sitting up all night.”

Patton’s index finger twitched and a breathy, strangled hum limped out of him. Not much Logan could decipher there.

“Patton, could you blink for me? Once for yes, twice for no?” he offered gently.

Patton blinked once, slowly. Yes.

“Would you like us to lay you down?”

Another affirmative. Daveigh helped him situate Patton back onto his sleeping mat, the hut creaking beneath them.

“There isn’t much more we can do until he recovers,” she said, yawning. “Be ready for a lecture in the morning, kid.” With that said, Daveigh returned to her own mat and promptly fell back asleep.

Logan knelt at Patton’s side for a while longer, feeling helpless. He pulled his mat a few inches closer to Patton’s and lay on his side, watching him. Patton stared at the ceiling, expressionless, and yet his eyes were pooling with tears. One slipped free and cascaded down the side of his head and into his hair. Instinctively, Logan reached out and wiped it away with a knuckle. Patton closed his eyes, squeezing out more tears and leaning almost imperceptibly into the touch.

“I’m sorry this happened, Patton,” Logan whispered. “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.”

Another soft note from Patton’s throat, his eyes still closed. Logan could interpret the meaning well enough on his own. He hesitated for a split second and then said, “Please blink twice if you want me to stop.” Patton opened his eyes, still unfocused, but perhaps a bit confused. Logan held his breath as he carded his fingers through Patton’s curls. They were slightly tangled and Logan could feel sand and dirt throughout, but they were still so soft.

Patton’s eyes fluttered shut, a relieved little sigh leaking out of him. In a fit of lucidity, Patton rolled over onto his side, curling in on himself. Logan froze, holding his breath. Patton was so close, now. He could feel his breath against his shirt. Slowly, he relaxed again, running his fingers through Patton’s hair until they both fell asleep.

[atlasxrose]

As many of the Christmas ones with Xander you want

tw:nsfw, tw: sex mention, tw: singing, tw: dancing, tw: GLEE

🎁   /   our   muses  exchange  gifts  to  one  another .

Atlas was tired, Xander had apparently been away all week and for the first time in months the witch was forced to reacquaint himself with how deafeningly loud Alarick’s snoring was. The wall that divided their rooms practically vibrated, the entire night. But, it was Christmas Eve, and Xander had promised to be back, so after he’d pulled on a heavy sweater, the witch had headed closer to town and towards the vampire’s home. 

There was something different about the place as the oracle approached Xander’s front door, he pulled the key that the vampire had given him out of his pocket and slid it into the lock. There was a warmth when Atlas entered the home that felt almost palpable, was that cookies? Xander stepped around the corner, a bright smile on his face, unusual, but welcome, as the two were quick to embrace. Atlas breathed out a few words, I missed you, I love you, Merry Christmas Xander, as Xander’s arms wound aptly around his back and pulled him close. The vampire’s face buried in his hair, he spoke the same soft words in return as the pair lingered there for a while. 

“Do you wanna see what I made you?” Atlas asked, a smile on his lips, it had been expressly difficult given how dilapidated his old work space in the forest had become, the long hours spent weaving out in the wilderness was now less of an soothing retreat and now more of a hassle. His loom did not fit in Alarick’s cabin and nature had worn away at its once sturdy frame. 

“Another sweater?” Xander quipped, Atlas shook his head, still in the vampire’s arms as he leaned back, Atlas added a heavy roll of his eyes, his hands rested on the back of Xander’s neck. 

“It’s a blanket, actually.”

“Ah great, because I can never have enough blankets.” 

The witch felt his face bright slightly, he enjoyed the labor that went into it. The satisfaction that gift giving gave him. 

“I’m kidding, I’m literally wearing the sweater you gave me. I can’t wait to sleep with it, now c’mon, I want to show you what I got you.” 

Xander took his hand and pulled Atlas deeper into his home, the silver rose-petaled daylight ring that the witch had gifted the vampire previously glinted as they passed through rays of sun that flooded from above. The ring felt cool to touch as Xander gripped his hand and led him through the den and to a back study that, as far as Atlas knew, had mostly gone unused. 

“Ready?” Xander asked, his hand fell from Atlas’ as he reached for the double doors, he looked back with something akin to mischief in his eyes. Perplexed, Atlas merely folded his arms across his chest.

“I suppose.” There was no small part of the oracle that was not concerned, there was every possibility that he was going to hate whatever was through these doors. Atlas braced himself as Xander swung open the doors and all at once the oracle’s breath hitched, a gasp escaped his lips. 

The study had been refurbished, significantly. Dusty shelves had been revitalized with every spellbook and reference guide the vampire had apparently been able to get his hands on. The witch moved to run his fingers along a herbalist’s guide to the native forests of Greece, bestiaries and spellbooks, hand written journals of witches and oracles alike. Shelves of every regent the witch could think of, fresh and powdered, local and imported; there were planters that hung across floor to ceiling windows that allowed for natural light to come through and join the soft rays that filtered through the skylight. Beneath sat a wide-brimmed cauldron, freshly polished and - bronze? Before the windows between planters was a desk, stocked with tools and equipment, items for enchanting, for brewing, for divining. 

Perhaps the most beautiful portion of the room was along the far wall to his left, rows of different materials, and above all a hand crafted loom, the finely polished wood and detail was stunning, all at once Atlas was upon it before he turned towards Xander at the sound of his voice. A clearly satisfied smile on the vampire’s face. 

“I want you to have somewhere you can work,  why not here?”  Xander stepped in, “I love you, and I don’t want you to go, so, stay - stay here, with me.” Atlas threw his arms around the vampire all at once, his lips upon Xander’s as he breathed yes, yes, yes, in between each kiss. 

🍞   /    to  invite  my  muse  to  a  holiday  dinner  with  their  family  .

“You look fine,” Atlas insisted, his family had been making their own clothes for centuries, they absolutely were not going to care about the state of Xander’s holiday attire. Actually, he does look a little too put together.. The oracle shook the thought from his mind, he was only slightly nervous, and the last thing he wanted was for those nerves to rub off on his vampire fiance. 

“Easy for you to say, what am I supposed to tell your father again, I’m thirty-two and holding?” Atlas rolled his eyes. 

“Just be yourself, he’ll love you. They all will, I promise.”

🔌   /   help  hang  lights  or  decorate  with  my  muse.

“This is stupid.” Xander commented as he held the ladder while Atlas climbed it. 

“No, it’s festive.” Atlas corrected. He reached off of the top to hook the last strand over the eavestrough, the witch wobbled a bit and Xander all but hissed. 

“Be careful, just come down.” 

“I’ve almost got it, just... a little more... -” All of a sudden Atlas lost his balance and he was suddenly falling from the top most part of the ladder, he landed in Xander’s arms and heard the ladder clatter to the side beside them. His face red, his arms wound around Xander’s neck, the vampire just shook his head. 

“Can we go in now?”

🎄   /   decorate  and  help  my  muse  with  a  christmas  tree.

Atlas hummed in between verses as carols played over the radio, they had been nearly nonstop since November first and while Xander was not amused, they were presently decorating the Christmas tree together and thus the music was on theme. 

“You have a nice voice,” Xander commented, 

“Thanks, it’s the only one I have.” Atlas offered, the vampire scoffed as the witch continued to go behind Xander and reposition the ornaments he had just hung up. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Just... It’s important to space things out so there isn’t any weird vacant spaces.” 

“Right.” Xander shook his head and continued to not adjust his technique for placing ornaments. 

🌿   /   our  muses  catch  themselves  under  a  mistletoe  .  

“Look,” Atlas offered, his hands on Xander’s chest after they’d bumped into each other. One of their friends had a holiday party, and truthfully, neither had really felt like attending but here they were. Being social. being seen, together. The witch pointed above them as the pair swayed lightly to whatever holiday anthem played around them. “mistletoe.”

“Is this why you like the holidays so much?” Xander asked, an inquisitive but playful look in his eyes as Atlas merely shrugged.

“Maybe.” 

Xander kissed him then, strong, certain, less of a formality and more of a promise: we’ll do this again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, too.

💨  /   our  muses  are  trapped  inside  a  cabin  during  a  snow  storm.

The snow had hit suddenly, and hard. The two of them were visiting Atlas’ parents, and while they were enjoying the holidays with the Coven, the two had slipped away to steal a few quiet moments alone, and while they were out and away, a storm rolled in overhead. Out of blind luck, a cabin appeared in the distance, all at once Xander scooped the witch into his arms and sped ahead through the dense snow bank to burst through the cabin door. 

Wind and snow bellowed behind them as their laughter rang through the small structure, their lips pressed together as Atlas kicked the door closed. It’s freezing in here, the oracle smiled as the vampire moved their lips in a heavy tandem. The other’s hands worked away at their clothes as articles were haphazardly discarded about the abandoned cottage. 

I can think of one way to keep warm. 

✨   /   our  muses  watch  the  northern  lights  together .

“So, why the top of the world?”  Xander asked, the pair had traveled about as far North as you could, beyond the closest National park, to a place that the coven had only ever heard whispers about. From within their walled tent, the pair managed to keep warm against the minus forty degrees weather that roared outside in the night air. 

“Just wait.” Atlas promised his head nestled on the delicate curve of Xander’s shoulder, his hand wandered idly across the vampire’s chest as he traced small lines across cool skin. All at once Xander’s eyes went wide, the witch drew his gaze from the ethereal green glow that had been cast across his lovers eyes, to look at the roof of the tent. 

The aurora borealis was close enough to brush the top of their tent, lines of green and gold and pink danced through the walled enclosure. Atlas’ eyes sparkled as he watched with some delight, his head canted to take in Xander’s expression, it was one of bewilderment and wonder, there was a smile, and that was all the oracle longed to see. 

“It’s beautiful.”

NAUGHTY  :

💋   /   give  my  muse  a  hot  steamy  kiss  .

“Xander?” Atlas called out, his home was welcoming, cozy, comforting. It had transformed recently, infused with new life, perhaps a bit of happiness. “Helloooo,” the witch called out again, he went from room to room until the oracle pushed open the bedroom door and all at once he felt Xander’s lips upon his. All at once Atlas groaned as he pushed his hands through the back of Xander’s hair, his lips parted as the vampire moved his lips against his in a fiery tandem. The witch kissed out of need, necessity, out of desire, he emptied himself into the other and continued to pour. Kissing Xander had always been unlike anything else, anyone else, and while the vampire slipped past Atlas’ lips he greeted him warmly, eagerly, hungrily. The oracle remembered every story ever told about Hephaestion and his prowess, his generosity, his willingness to please, and truly, he held nothing back thousands of years later. When Xander at last broke away Atlas was pressed against the door, nothing but his own hot breath between them as he panted, lips suddenly sore. Xander smiled, “I missed you.”

👗   /   my  muse  dresses  up  as  a  sexy  Santa  for  your  muse .

The auditorium lights kicked on and from the stage, Atlas heard the doors swing shut. He felt some nerves as he wrung his hands together just off stage, this was a stupid idea, it had to be stupid, whose idea had this been again? The oracle looked down at the skimpy outfit he’d put together for this number and sighed, he’d spent too many hours hemming this sexy Santa skirt, too many days stitching these knee-high boots to not go through with it. Atlas fixed his hat one last time, the white pom-pom bounced idly on the side of his head as he walked with confidence onto the stage and took center. 

The witch could tell by the look on Xander’s face that the vampire was shocked, good. 

With a smirk he pulled the cropped red and white velvet top a little down so it at least met his upper abdomen before he leaned forward and folded his pleather-gloved hands on his knee. Leaned forward, the opening to Jingle Bell Rock began to filter through over the radio. 

Preferring to sing acoustic, Atlas began on time, his choreography leading him to sway from side to side as he stepped to the beat.

“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock,” The witch smiled, he did a short twirl as he pittered across the stage, “Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring, snowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of fun,” the talented tenor breezed across the lyrics, Xander’s stunned expression egging him on as he pun amidst a fake snowstorm. “Not the jingle hop has begun!”

“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock, jingle bells chime in jingle bell time.” Atlas effortlessly hit the high note as he stepped to the beat and did a broad wave of his arm, he drew it across his field of vision as if beckoning a massive and unseen audience. 

“Dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square, in the frosty air!” Atlas twirled again into a high kick as the tempo increased, “What a bright time, it’s the right time, to rock the night away.” He punctuated this with a turn before he slapped his bare thighs, “Jingle bell time is a swell time, to go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh!”

As if on an invisible sleigh, Atlas held the reigns as he stomped across the stage, his high-heeled boots echoed like a dozen hooves as he walked, “Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feet, that’s the jingle bell, that’s the jingle bell, that’s the jingle bell rock!!!!”

👅   /   my  muse  licks  your  muse .

“Stop.” Xander swatted at the oracle as the witch ran a hand through his hair. The vampire was not amused, his gaze on whatever book he was reading remained fixed before Atlas ran his hand through his hair again. Again, the vampire swatted at Atlas’ hand. “Stop,” Xander empathized, “what has gotten into you lately?” The vampire pressed, his gaze severe as he leveled his eyes on Atlas at last. The witch smiled, grabbed Xander’s head between his hands and pulled his face towards his so that he could run the flat of his tongue across the entire length of the vampire’s face. “Ugh.” Xander objected as he pushed a laughing witch off of him, the hint of a smile on the vampire’s face despite his disgust. “You’re gross.”

“You love me.”

[hearthandhomemagick]

The Cottage Witches Journey Journal 18+ Trigger Warning (discusses adult situations and mentions abuse, assault & suicidal thoughts)

I would like to start this journal entry with who I am. My name is Carly, and my spiritual practice is focused on my Hearth and Home. I am writing this to kind of freely express myself, my experiences, and even speculations I may have. Feel free to follow me through this journey, or even offer conversation if you have a thought. I’m open for human connection and communication!

So, I’d say my journey started at a very young age. I grew up along side a river in Florida, where my family has owned land next to the water for quite a few generations. I grew up with a sizeable family and a lot of spiritual survival practices, including identifying plants and herbs for healing purposes, learning to read the land in front of me, and cleansing my heart in the current of the river when I am hurting. These were a part of my nature, and the tree bent by Native Americans, directing the flow of the water, was an asset to the land that felt like magical anytime I touched it. I was raised under the Christian faith and followed it for many many years, until I reached college. But, before I get fully into my religious transition, let me describe the woman I used to be.

As a young woman entering the world on her own for the very first time, I felt as though I had to prove my morals to the world. I felt a longing to prove to everyone why my approach to life was the best approach, and often fought with no thought to the other person in order to get my point across. I used to be fierce in my beliefs and would argue my corner until my lungs gave out. While this is admirable as a trait in defense, it is not admirable in a trait of happiness.

You see, I was learning that fighting for what I thought was right was more important than anything else, including myself. But if I am not fighting for myself, then who am I truly fighting for? The fight for “justice” took precedent over the fight for my own sanity. This was a reoccurring contemplation that passed through my mind effortlessly one day, creating an immediate explosion of, “What is Justice to me, for me?” Now, I am still no where near knowing exactly what Justice means to me. I don’t believe I will ever have a clear answer for that question, either, because it will be forever changing and growing as my understanding expands and grows. With that urge to fight my corner, I was also very extroverted with people in general. Being bullied as a kid, I never wanted anyone to feel the way I felt, so I never held back from giving positive compliments or speaking my truth. This saved and hindered me all at once because while I loved human interaction and never met a stranger, I never truly picked up on negative gut feelings for people and gave so much of my energy to everyone that I had no energy for myself. Throughout that stage of my life, I was selfish and insecure all at the same time. My roommates were from India and China in college, and were smarter than me on paper because they had better educational opportunities than I did. I say this not because I’m jealous or envious, but because they pointed it out frequently. I could feel the insecurity of my own intelligence washing over me and their comments about me being overweight didn’t make me feel any better. These insecurities caused a heavy layer of selfishness, where I wanted to only worry about my own feelings & thoughts. While a fun period I am happy to have lived in my life, it was also a side of me that should have been put into check much earlier. 

At some point, I couldn’t go back to college due to finances and was thrusted back into my hometown in Florida. This sent me into an anxiety filled depression which rocketed me into fits of self hatred, lack of motivation, lack of confidence, and staring at the pill bottle sitting on my bed side table. Through this time, I was forcing myself to pray to God that everything would be okay, & that I wouldn’t hurt anymore. I prayed, and knew I didn’t believe the words I spoke.

Let me repeat that. I prayed, knew it wouldn’t work, and still I prayed. This feeling of disconnect from my beliefs and religion rocked everything I had imagined, and yet forced me to fix my problems myself. Because I didn’t believe some magic man in the sky would magically fix all of my issues, I started contemplating whether I was connected to any spirituality at all. 

Now, when I had moved back to my hometown, I started looking for friendship and found drama. I would go to karaoke at a bar with my older sister, singing is something I breathe for, and grew tired of the criticism given to people who enjoyed what they were doing, but never met the standards of professionals. My sister started talking shit about people, and I wasn’t for that energy or drama so I stopped going. I started hanging with my friend Raven, but she moved to Jacksonville shortly after I moved back. I then started hanging with a high school friend named Jordan, whom took me different places to interact with people every once in a while. Jordan knew an old high school friend, Logan, and invited me to smoke cannabis every once in a while on the weekends. While hanging out with Jordan and Logan, Logan and I started getting closer. While my mind felt as though it was packed full of passing negative thoughts and deterioration, Logan was teaching me my morals again. 

At this point, my faith had been falling apart, but I had not vocalized it until I told Logan. The moment I went over to his apartment and started expressing that I felt religion was beautiful and yet not for me, his eyes lit up and a spark flew. We talked for hours that night, and for hours the nights after. He taught me to be an individual and made me feel as though I was smart again, he made me feel worth it. We eventually got into a relationship together and started working together to build a heathy foundation of trust, understanding, communication & sustainability. He is my equal, and I started my spiritual journey with him by my side. 

Fast forward to the end of 2019, I’m in Gainesville (Florida) with my best friend, Tiana, for Christmas shopping. We had stopped in a few stores prior and decided that going into a spiritual store would be cool, so we sought out the Bodhi Tree. This shop was a sizeable metaphysical store that I had been in every so often when in town. Once we got there, I was immediately pulled to the back of the store where the divination tools & books were located. I had always found interest in magic and the elements, especially as a child, and caught myself eyeing the oracle cards in front of me. I could feel an energy pushing me towards a specific deck, but I couldn’t figure out which it was. So I stood for a moment, contemplating why I was attracted to that area with no interest in the decks presented to me. That’s when I noticed a blue box sticking out from behind a different deck. I picked it up & observed the lovely Angels & Ancestors Oracle box in front of me, and knew from that moment on that they were meant to be mine. 

As they called to me, I found myself taking them to the check out counter and purchasing them without a second thought. I had no preface of what to expect from this, nor did I know whether this was even something I would be capable of committing to. All I knew was that my body and mind owned them before I even paid for them. The Universe confirmed the connection was meant to be when we then went to a book store and discovered an array of tarot and oracle decks & books. I bought a purple velvet tarot bag, and everything started falling into place. 

After a month of playing with the cards, connecting with and enjoying their messages and images, I proceeded to buy my first ever tarot deck, The Herbcrafter’s Tarot. I fell in love with this deck, even though it was hard to read. It was my learning deck and I started recognizing what my spirituality meant to me. 

Over time, I remained Agnostic in terms of Religion, and focused on the energy I held & self expansion. I didn’t know what to believe, think or even how far or long I was going to venture this path. Eventually, though, I recognized why I put a besom over my door and felt protective of my home and its comfortability. I started seeking more spiritual energy in my home and was beginning my path to becoming a Hearth Witch. I got with my cousin and at the beginning of 2020, I started my spiritual awakening journey. 

It started when Logan didn’t have a job to go to. I was working as a Sexual Violence Outreach Advocate and, after a few months of struggling financially, got a second job as a CBD Store Associate on the weekends. I worked harder than I ever have in my life and learned my own independence in the process. Spiritually, my vibes were low and I was experiencing anxiety, depression and PTSD from the re-traumatization of counseling Sexual Violence Survivors. I even went through a horrible time where for months on end I would wake up throwing up non stop. The doctors couldn’t figure out what it was and I lost 50 pounds from the malnutrition. I was at my lowest, and felt like focusing on myself was destroying me more than it was helping. I took shadow-work as self hatred and criticism, and forgot to put honey on my tongue before looking in the mirror. I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out why I was as sick mentally and physically as I was. 

Then, something happened. After a terrible event between my cousin and nieces, where my cousin told my nieces that chopped up dead children were in the walls of their brand new home, I recognized the importance of boundaries with everyone. Now, a lot more happened between my cousin and I prior to this, including her assuming my boyfriend was abusive because she received a reading that she felt was meant for me, but never was. So, after the drama settled, I ghosted.

I left everyone’s problems to themselves and started worrying about the things in my life I can change. This resulted in actual self reflection, self awareness & peace of mind. My tarot card readings became more clear and precise, and tarot decks started being given to me as gifts. Eventually, I noticed that my job as an Advocate was a huge problem in my life.

I experienced Sexual Violence in the past, and in my year as an Advocate, I had been paid $11 an hour to counsel up to 7-12 different Survivors in a week. I was asked to do everything, including my Supervisors job, and went above and beyond with little to no credit going towards my work. I didn’t even feel safe making a mistake or two, simply because I watched Advocates get fired for having a quiet personality or making mistakes and asking too many questions. The days leading up to my final day at that job, I was throwing up everything in my stomach every morning until 5 minutes before I had to leave, so I was late for work everyday. 

The day after my last day as an Advocate was my first time not throwing up in months. And I haven’t thrown up since I left. 

Logan started a new job that gave him ample finances, and I was making more in a week at my new job than I was as an Advocate. This is where my healing started. I started giving my mental more attention, speaking softer to myself, and appreciating the people around me. Logan even started showing me more affection, and being nicer to himself. 

Spiritually we were growing together. 

Ugh, I have so much I want to discuss and talk about with others!!!! There will definitely be more thoughts and entries as time goes on. Especially with the end of 2020.

So, this is where my journey begins. I am here because I like to talk, to speculate & even debate certain things and ideas. I love energy, and the energy people bring forward is always fascinating. So please, drop an ask, message me, or let me know your thoughts!

[pluvie-burr]

Readings Available

Hi there! Here’s a friendly reminder of the online services I currently offer:

$1 Pendulum Readings- Send me a Yes/No question via tumblr/instagram 

$5 Card Readings- Send me a question that’s been on your mind, or a general overview of what you would like clarity on, and I’ll do a Tarot/Oracle card reading using three cards (any extra cards that may pop out will be read to you free of charge!). You may request specific decks for your reading, I currently work with Angel Gabriel, Daily Guidance From Your Angels, Past Life, The Psychic Tarot, as well as The Witches Tarot. I may use a pendulum to help clarify a reading, with no added charge to you.

$30 1hr Readings- For a one hour session you may ask multiple questions, request multiple readings, and ask for clarity on any situations you’d like. Scheduling available to fit your schedule. This will be one hour of my undivided attention, using the tools I have available to me as well as any other guidance that may come through. All sessions will be conducted over chat, whether this is through tumblr or instagram. 

I reserve the right to end any session I deem unhealthy, abusive, or with ill intent. Please feel free to ask me clarifying questions about my services prior to payment. Refunds only permitted under extenuating circumstances. I do not claim to be psychic, all abilities or guidance I experience are of my own and are in no way fabricated for marketing. Thank you for your understanding. 

Leaving a like or reblogging this post is so appreciated!

[anomalietwelve]

Rory Gimore Reading Challenge

I put it there has a reminder to myself that I want to read more (so much more). The public library will be more accessible to me when I am going to be where I’m moving this summer, so, no excuses. Even if I should really work on my art more than on my reading. Would be nice if it could help me feel less... inadequate. Somehow. Just a little.

1984 by George Orwell

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Archidamian War by Donald Kagan

The Art of Fiction by Henry James

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Babe by Dick King-Smith

Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath – read – June 2010

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Beowulf: A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney

The Bhagavad Gita

The Bielski Brothers: The True Story of Three Men Who Defied the Nazis, Built a Village in the Forest, and Saved 1,200 Jews by Peter Duffy

Bitch in Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel

A Bolt from the Blue and Other Essays by Mary McCarthy

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

Bridgadoon by Alan Jay Lerner

Candide by Voltaire – read – June 2010

The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer

Carrie by Stephen King

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger – read

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman

Christine by Stephen King

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

The Collected Short Stories by Eudora Welty

The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty by Eudora Welty

A Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

Complete Novels by Dawn Powell

The Complete Poems by Anne Sexton

Complete Stories by Dorothy Parker

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas père

Cousin Bette by Honor’e de Balzac

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Cujo by Stephen King

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Daisy Miller by Henry James

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

David and Lisa by Dr Theodore Issac Rubin M.D

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol

Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Deenie by Judy Blume

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx

The Divine Comedy by Dante

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Don Quixote by Cervantes

Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhrv

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems by Edgar Allan Poe

Eleanor Roosevelt by Blanche Wiesen Cook

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe

Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn

Eloise by Kay Thompson

Emily the Strange by Roger Reger

Emma by Jane Austen

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Ethics by Spinoza

Europe through the Back Door, 2003 by Rick Steves

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende

Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Extravagance by Gary Krist

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore

The Fall of the Athenian Empire by Donald Kagan

Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World by Greg Critser

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

The Fellowship of the Ring: Book 1 of The Lord of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (TBR)

Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Finnegan’s Wake by James Joyce

Fletch by Gregory McDonald

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut

Gender Trouble by Judith Butler

George W. Bushism: The Slate Book of the Accidental Wit and Wisdom of our 43rd President by Jacob Weisberg

Gidget by Fredrick Kohner

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels

The Godfather: Book 1 by Mario Puzo

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Alvin Granowsky

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford

The Gospel According to Judy Bloom

The Graduate by Charles Webb

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – read

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The Group by Mary McCarthy

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (TBR)

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry (TBR)

Henry IV, part I by William Shakespeare

Henry IV, part II by William Shakespeare

Henry V by William Shakespeare

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

Holidays on Ice: Stories by David Sedaris

The Holy Barbarians by Lawrence Lipton

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III (Lpr)

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

How the Light Gets in by M. J. Hyland

Howl by Allen Gingsburg

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

The Iliad by Homer

I’m with the Band by Pamela des Barres

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee

Iron Weed by William J. Kennedy

It Takes a Village by Hillary Clinton

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

The Jumping Frog by Mark Twain

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Just a Couple of Days by Tony Vigorito

The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 

Lady Chatterleys’ Lover by D. H. Lawrence

The Last Empire: Essays 1992-2000 by Gore Vidal

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield

Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

The Little Locksmith by Katharine Butler Hathaway

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – on my book pile

Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The Lottery: And Other Stories by Shirley Jackson

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

The Love Story by Erich Segal

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

The Manticore by Robertson Davies

Marathon Man by William Goldman

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir

Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman by William Tecumseh Sherman

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

The Meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Mencken’s Chrestomathy by H. R. Mencken

The Merry Wives of Windsro by William Shakespeare

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Miracle Worker by William Gibson

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion by Jim Irvin

Moliere: A Biography by Hobart Chatfield Taylor

A Monetary History of the United States by Milton Friedman

Monsieur Proust by Celeste Albaret

A Month Of Sundays: Searching For The Spirit And My Sister by Julie Mars

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall

My Lai 4: A Report on the Massacre and It’s Aftermath by Seymour M. Hersh

My Life as Author and Editor by H. R. Mencken

My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru by Tim Guest

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin

Nervous System: Or, Losing My Mind in Literature by Jan Lars Jensen

New Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson

The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Night by Elie Wiesel

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism by William E. Cain, Laurie A. Finke, Barbara E. Johnson, John P. McGowan

Novels 1930-1942: Dance Night/Come Back to Sorrento, Turn, Magic Wheel/Angels on Toast/A Time to be Born by Dawn Powell

Notes of a Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Old School by Tobias Wolff

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Opposite of Fate: Memories of a Writing Life by Amy Tan

Oracle Night by Paul Auster

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Othello by Shakespeare

Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan

Out of Africa by Isac Dineson

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition by Donald Kagan

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Peyton Place by Grace Metalious

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Pigs at the Trough by Arianna Huffington

Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain

The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby

The Portable Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker

The Portable Nietzche by Fredrich Nietzche

The Price of Loyalty: George W. Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O’Neill by Ron Suskind

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Property by Valerie Martin

Pushkin: A Biography by T. J. Binyon

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

Quattrocento by James Mckean

A Quiet Storm by Rachel Howzell Hall

Rapunzel by Grimm Brothers

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – read

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Rescuing Patty Hearst: Memories From a Decade Gone Mad by Virginia Holman

The Return of the King: The Lord of the Rings Book 3 by J. R. R. Tolkien (TBR)

R Is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton

Rita Hayworth by Stephen King

Robert’s Rules of Order by Henry Robert

Roman Fever by Edith Wharton

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

A Room with a View by E. M. Forster

Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

Sacred Time by Ursula Hegi

Sanctuary by William Faulkner

Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

The Scarecrow of Oz by Frank L. Baum

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand

The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette by Judith Thurman

Selected Letters of Dawn Powell: 1913-1965 by Dawn Powell

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Several Biographies of Winston Churchill

Sexus by Henry Miller

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Shane by Jack Shaefer

The Shining by Stephen King

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

S Is for Silence by Sue Grafton

Slaughter-house Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Small Island by Andrea Levy

Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway

Snow White and Rose Red by Grimm Brothers

Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Lord and Peasant in the Making of the Modern World by Barrington Moore

The Song of Names by Norman Lebrecht

Song of the Simple Truth: The Complete Poems of Julia de Burgos by Julia de Burgos

The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker

Songbook by Nick Hornby

The Sonnets by William Shakespeare

Sonnets from the Portuegese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Sophie’s Choice by William Styron

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

A Streetcar Named Desiree by Tennessee Williams

Stuart Little by E. B. White

Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust

Swimming with Giants: My Encounters with Whales, Dolphins and Seals by Anne Collett

Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Tender Is The Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Term of Endearment by Larry McMurtry

Time and Again by Jack Finney

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Tragedy of Richard III by William Shakespeare

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The Trial by Franz Kafka

The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson

Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Ulysses by James Joyce

The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath 1950-1962 by Sylvia Plath

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Unless by Carol Shields

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

The Vanishing Newspaper by Philip Meyers

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray – read

Velvet Underground’s The Velvet Underground and Nico (Thirty Three and a Third series) by Joe Harvard

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Walt Disney’s Bambi by Felix Salten

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

We Owe You Nothing – Punk Planet: The Collected Interviews edited by Daniel Sinker

What Colour is Your Parachute? 2005 by Richard Nelson Bolles

What Happened to Baby Jane by Henry Farrell

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion 

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh 

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Konde

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace 

Wild by Cheryl Strand

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts About Being a Woman by Nora Ephron

My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard

[thestarlitcrossroads]

I couldn’t even see the moon to not see her!!!

But I got up at 4:45 am anyways and hauled a box of tools and offerings out to my stone altar in my back yard, broke up a catfight, and performed the Dragon Book of Essex oracle rite, modified to focus on the deep meaning of the actions and best parts of the poetry rather than just monologuing for an hour.

I cut 90% of the three exorcisms liturgy because a few words said about each element is plenty as they were already very charged. I had used these elements during my Hu stellar spells for the last fortnight so yeah didn’t need extra power at this point. I enunciated the sorcerer’s cry the appropriate number of times with the various tones rather than explain aloud what each tone meant. I also reduced the quarter guardian callings to a short improvised line for each and focused on visualizing their dragon forms. I kept the full dragon’s rune as it is very nice and did the associated actions like flailing my black cord and waving about my athame. The 8 trees and the consummation also hold a lot of power and meaning do I did not shorten them. This felt very good.

The ritual left me feeling satisfied and connected to my vessel and especially aware of its voidic potentiality. I very much recommend adapting the rites after you have done them through fully a few times. They become more natural that way and continue to be enriching instead of growing annoying.

I wanted to tie these rites back to traditional craft for a moment. The 8 trees charm affects all significant practical and witchy areas of your life and you do it monthly working with historically precedented wood folk magic. The witch’s cords are well attested and here the knots are used to capture and preserve celestial powers, much like the sea witch charm of tying up wind and weather powers. The cords being also flails relates to Welsh and West Country traditions of using whips to conjure spirits and cast circles and it does even with my yarn cords whip up the land powers. The land here is like a turtle dragon more than a snake dragon, but still it works. The black handled knife also is of long history and also the iron being a star metal.

@spiritscraft

[eyesaremosaics]

Hey, Megan :) The High Priestess, The Hierophant, Temperance, The Hanged Man and The Tower :)

Hi sweetheart! How are you? Happy new year! Let’s see…

The High Priestess: How did you first discover your path?

My path as a witch/spiritualist? It has always been in me. My mom says I was a very wide eyed and psychic child. That I used to unnerve people sometimes. She said when I was 3, I sat and described the entire process of how the Native American’s made pillows. In great detail, with no prior concept of their culture or anything.

I could see auras, spirits, (was always having conversations with people who weren’t there. Mom said I would pause, listen to the inaudible response, and then reply to whatever it was I heard. Prophetic dreams, with all my past lives…. Because of this, mom put me in a psychic pre-school. Many people avoid me because my energy and intensity, forces people to look at and evaluate themselves on a deeper level–which most people don’t like to do.

Mom used to crush herbs, make her own incense, and would cast spells with me at a very young age. Probably 6 or seven… But she taught me how to perform ritual magic when I was a bit older 11 or twelve (and could be trusted with dangerous tools such as fire). My best friend at the time, went to a catholic school, she was defying her parents in secret, though she was genuinely interested in learning about paganism .

We both did a lot of research, and began practicing together. She would come over every other weekend to perform a ritual. It was a fun time. After that I practiced almost every day on my own. My first relationship was with a girl, and her mother was also a witch. Together we would cast spells, dance around each other giggling in my room… Very soft memories. Sad how nothing stays.

Still practice, I meet friends every once in a while who enjoy it as well. My friend Diane and I used to get together to manifest desires with creative visualization using ritual magic. One of the spells we cast, was for me to find an apartment (during the tech boom when prices were sky high), within a few days–I signed a lease.

I cast a spell to bring love to my friend Teresa, within a week she reconnected with a former acquaintance, who has now been her live in boyfriend/life partner for the last 4 years. I find it easier to manifest for others, yet only manage it for myself in desperation. Strange.

So I guess I was sort of born into it. It’s in my blood, my ancestry.

——

The Hierophant: Best advice you’ve ever received from a witch?

“Be sure to say goodbye and close the board of you use the Ouija oracle.”

I don’t mess with Ouija anymore. The last time I participated in a seance, it was Halloween at the speakeasy. I had been in the parlor reading tarot for hours. Took a break to head into the boss’ office to see what my friend Holly was up to. The room is an emerald green, lit with art nouveau lamps, dark oak furniture and flickering candles. Holly excitedly beckoned me in.

“Join our seance.” She asked me cheerfully. I told her that I don’t mess with the board. Last time my friend Talia and I did it, something followed me into my dreams saying in a demonic voice “I am going to take you and everything you love”, it hid in my closet feeding off me while I slept. No joke. I woke up to the feeling of something watching me. I felt something sitting in my closet. The creepiest feeling.

She assured me that she takes it very seriously, and that she always closes the board or banishes the negative entities. I hesitantly agreed. Two patrons were seated on either side, Holly across from me. She asked if there were any spirits present. Instantly I felt a needle go through my solar plexus. Suddenly I could ’t breathe, and broke down into hysterical tears. Out of nowhere. When she asked if it was a good spirit. The planchette went to “NO”. The pain worsened. And I collapsed on the couch, hyperventilating. Whatever it was, it felt my sadness. It burrowed inside me and ate it like candy. Gives me the chills just thinking about it.

She told it to leave immediately, and forced the planchette to the word “goodbye” on the board, before turning it over. She had to burn sage for a few minutes to get me to stop shaking. Fuck that. I don’t mess with Ouija, but my message to you is this: it is so important to close the board.

If you don’t, you leave the portal open.

————

The Hanged Man: Which area of witchcraft are you least familiar with?

Hmm… Black magic I suppose. Hexes, jinxes, curses. I have studied them, grimoires, satanic rituals but never attempted to use any. My interest in the dark arts is all academic, morbid fascination. I would never invoke that sort of darkness into my life, I am far too sensitive.

——-

The Tower: Have you ever cursed someone?

No. Unless you count the voodoo doll I made of this boy who bullied me in the 4th grade. I had just seen “the craft”, and my friend and I thought we could torture him. It was made out of binder paper stapled together haha. Needless to say, we did not do it right. It was foolish child’s play.

When I got older and seriously studied the occult, I quickly realized that I wanted no part of black magic. I am a firm believer in karma, and the threefold law. The threefold law states: do harm to none. Any harm you cause will come back to you threefold. My pagan girlfriend that I mentioned earlier, cast a curse on an ex boyfriend who broke her heart. A few days later… He got hit by a car while skateboarding. He survived, but was hurt pretty bad. Within the years/months following this incident, her grandfather died of tuberculosis, her cousin commit suicide, and her brother died of an overdose.

You could say it was all coincidence, but I don’t like creating bad karma. My soul is too old and wise for that. I created enough bad karma in my past lives, my mission is to repair the damage, not create more. I feel very strongly about that.

[emberkissed-blog]

105 Witchy Questions

Prepare for a big wall of text, because I’m about to answer A LOT of questions.

1. Are you solitary or in a coven? I’m solitary, but my fiancee and a couple of my best friends are also practicing witches or pagans (or coming into practicing one or the other) so I have a tiny community to talk to and a partner to work with.

2. Do you consider yourself Wiccan, Pagan, witch, or other? I am a pantheist pagan and a witch.

3. What is your zodiac sign? sun: Libra ( ♎ ); moon: Leo ( ♌ ); sun/moon midpoint: Scorpio ( ♏ ); ascending: Gemini ( ♊ ).  I don’t have my other heavenly bodies on hand, but these are the ones I pay attention to the most.

4. Do you have a Patron God/dess? Loki is my patron god.  I do not have a matron right now.

5. Do you work with a Pantheon? I focus on the Norse pantheon, but I’m open to being called by other deities.

6. Do you use tarot, palmistry, or 
any other kind of divination? I looooooove tarot and oracle card divination.  I would like to learn runes and get a set or two at some point, but right now I’m completely dedicated to cards.

7. What are some of your favorite herbs to use in your practice? (if any) Rose petals are one of my go-to things, I include them in so many of my herbal workings as a representation of myself or as a dash of love.  Roses are my favorite flowers and their smell just makes me feel so good.

8. How would you define your craft? Eclectic and freeform.  I do a lot of research and learn from others, but ultimately I choose how I do my craft.  I modify the spells, recipes, etc. I find all the time, and let my heart guide my actions in ritual.

9. Do you curse? If not, do you accept others who do? I don’t curse but I don’t care if others do.

10. How long have you been practicing? I declared myself a pantheist in 2007, learned tarot in 2008, became a pagan and started witchcraft in 2010, and re-devoted to my craft and spirituality after a long time away in 2016.

11. Do you currently or have you ever had any familiars? I’m not sure.  I am still not well versed in what a familiar is to a witch in real life.  I do have a black cat and we are very attached to each other, though.

12. Do you believe in Karma or 
Reincarnation? Absolutely.

13. Do you have a magical name? I do not.

14. Are you “out of the broom closet”? In and out at the same time.  I’m out to my friends, in to my family.  (Incidentally I don’t believe a witch who isn’t queer should use this phrase, but since I am queer I won’t make a big fuss about it right now.)

15. What was the last spell you performed? I did a day-long prosperity ritual ending with a candle spell at midnight on New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day.

16. Would you consider yourself knowledgeable? In some things, but I know I have a lot to learn about others.

17. Do you write your own spells? Most of the time, yes.

18. Do you have a book of shadows?
If so, how is it written and/or set up? I prefer to call it my grimoire, but it serves the same purpose so yes.  It’s a mix of typed and handwritten pages and is a collection of personally made stuff, as well as resources I print out, and it’s all compiled in a binder.  A few years down the line I might make a proper book, but right now a binder suits my study best.

19. Do you worship nature? I’m not sure I worship nature, necessarily?  But I do revere nature.

20. What is your favorite gemstone? Clear quartz and black tourmaline are tied.  I like to joke that my favorite stones are quartz, tourmaline, and tourmalated quartz.

21. Do you use feathers, claws, fur, pelt, skeletons/bones, or any other animal body part for magical work? I do, but only objects that were found or taken from an animal that was hunted for food.

22. Do you have an altar? Absolutely, I love my altar.  I hope to upgrade it to a working altar later this year.

23. What is your preferred element? Fire.

24. Do you consider yourself an Alchemist? I’m not sure, what do you consider an alchemist?

25. Are you any other type of magical practitioner besides a witch? Would you count diviner as a magical practitioner?

26. What got you interested in witchcraft? The active aspect of it.  I never liked the idea of only having prayer because it felt so passive.  Witchcraft felt like I was making an active change to my life and holding some level of control, and that felt really right for me.

27. Have you ever performed a spell or ritual with the company of anyone who was not a witch? I’ve attended rituals with people who weren’t declared witches but were interested in the craft and wanted to observe.

28. Have you ever used ouija? Nnnnnnnnooooooo.

29. Do you consider yourself a psychic? I have strong intuition and can sense strong spirits sometimes, but I don’t personally consider myself a psychic.

30. Do you have a spirit guide? If so, what is it? I have a white dragon spirit companion.  I used to have a wolf, but it turned out she was a fragment of my patron that he would separate from himself to guide me sometimes.

31. What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started? To check my local library for metaphysical books and not assume that because I lived in a Christian place that they wouldn’t have any.  Also to do plenty of research before you ever try anything.

32. Do you celebrate the Sabbats? If so which one is your favorite? I do, my favorite is Samhain.

33. Would you ever teach witchcraft to your children? I don’t intend to have children, but if I did I would teach them to be open to religions and spirituality, and if they decided they wanted to learn witchcraft when they were older (say, 15+) I would be willing to teach them.

34. Do you meditate? I do, but not often because I’m still learning to meditate without guided audio.

35. What is your favorite season? Right when spring is turning to fall is my favorite, but if I have to pick a general season, then autumn.

36. What is your favorite type of magick to preform? Candle magic, probably.

37. How do you incorporate your spirituality into your daily life? I spend time at my altar and work with my divination cards everyday.  Lately I’ve read or studied something to do with my spirituality everyday also.

38. What is your favorite witchy movie? I’m not sure tbh. 

39. What is your favorite witchy book, both fiction and non-fiction. Why? I’m not sure about this one either.  I’ve read/am reading so many witchy books that it’s hard to pick favorites.  (I mean it’s hard for me to pick favorites in general, so.)

40. What is the first spell you ever preformed? Successful or not. I performed a ritual to declare myself a witch and be recognized by the Moon.

41. What’s the craziest witchcraft-related thing that’s happened to you? About 8 hours after I did a quick money spell a friend I don’t talk to often gave me $30, that was pretty surprising at the time.

42. What is your favourite type of candle to use? Hands down the tall glass candles.  I know them as 7-day candles, but I know that’s not their common name.  I’m just.... blanking on what their common name is...

43. What is your favorite witchy tool? CRYSTALS.  And divination cards.

44. Do you or have you ever made your own witchy tools? I’ve gathered components for things but haven’t fashioned any tools.  Right now I’m hoping to make a wand or athame out of some deer bones pulled from a leg gifted to us by my fiancee’s brother-in-law.

45. Have you ever worked with any magical creatures such as the fea or spirits? Dragons count, right?  Since a dragon is my spirit companion I feel like I can count that.

46. Do you practice color magic? To a degree.  I do incorporate color into my overall spell and sigil work.

47. Do you or have you ever had a witchy teacher or mentor of any kind? When I first became a pagan I had a mentor for about a month who taught me tarot and was helping me learn, but we parted ways because I moved away.

48. What is your preferred way of shopping for witchcraft supplies? I prefer going to local shops so I can pick out everything myself, especially since I work a lot with crystals and want to get the ones I feel the best about.  It can be expensive, though.

49. Do you believe in predestination or fate? I believe our decisions are constantly creating or changing the fate we could have.  Big decisions set us on certain roads with certain outcomes, but we can always change at least part of that if we try hard enough.

50. What do you do to reconnect when you are feeling out of touch with your practice? I spend time at my altar and light all the candles on it, I handle my crystals and feel their energy, I handle my tarot and oracles, and sometimes I meditate.

51. Have you ever had any supernatural experiences? Several of them from childhood and adulthood.  It would take me a while to go into detail with them all.  Remembering them was one of the driving forces to me becoming a pagan and witch. 52. What is your biggest witchy pet peeve? Elitism, when people think Wicca and witchcraft are synonymous, and “men can’t be witches.”

53. Do you like incense? If so what’s your favorite scent? I looooove incense.  I’m not sure what is my favorite scent, though.  I haven’t been able to burn any for a while because one of our roommates gets headaches from it, so I feel like I’ve forgotten what my different ones smell like.

54. Do you keep a dream journal of any kind? I write my dreams into my regular journal if I feel like they’re worth recording.

55. What has been your biggest witchcraft disaster? Overspending on several supplies when I shouldn’t have been and feeling like I “needed” them to practice “proper” witchcraft.

56. What has been your biggest witchcraft success? Meditative journeying, probably.  I’ve seen some amazing results from it.

57. What in your practice do you do that you may feel silly or embarrassed about? I get sheepish about talking out loud when doing any spell or deity work while others might be in the house, so I tend to whisper softly.

58. Do you believe that you can be an atheist, Christian, Muslim or some other faith and still be a witch too? Yes I do.  Witchcraft is a practice separate from religion.

59. Do you ever feel insecure, unsure or even scared of spell work? Sometimes, yes.  I think a lot of people who come from a Christian background struggle with those feelings when they’re first starting out, or even for a while afterward sometimes.

60. Do you ever hold yourself to a standard in your witchcraft that you feel you may never obtain? Umm, I don’t think so.  There is definitely a standard I want to be at, but it doesn’t feel unattainable to me.

61. What is something witch related that you want right now? A BIGGER ALTAR (and the space for it.)

62. What is your rune of choice? Kenaz and Eihwaz.  They’re both tattooed on my chest, opposite my heart.

63. What is your tarot card of choice? I know this is weird, but I love the Ten of Swords.  For me the Ten of Swords reminds me of the hard times and the traumas I endured and survived through.  

64. Do you use essential oils? If so what is your favorite? I do.  My favorite right now is lemongrass.  I find it very calming.

65. Have you ever taken any kind of witchcraft or pagan courses? I haven’t, but I’d be open to the idea.

66. Do you wear pagan jewelry in public? I do, but most people don’t seem to notice because I tend to wear my stuff on my wrist.

67. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your faith or being a witch? Not yet, knock on wood.

68. Do you read or subscribe to any pagan magazines? Not right now.

69. Do you think it’s important to know the history of paganism and witchcraft? To a degree, yes I do.  It’s important for all of us to know some of the history of where we or the people before us came from.

70. What are your favorite things about being a witch? Can I say everything?  All of it just makes me feel so good.

71. What are your least favorite things about being a witch? How much I end up spending on supplies lmao.

72. Do you listen to any pagan music? If so who is your favorite singer/band? I don’t right now, but I’m into the idea of looking for some at some point.

73. Do you celebrate the Esbbats? If so, how? I tend to do some kind of ritual or something on full moons.  Charging crystals, spell work, putting out offerings, charging water.  Something or other.

74. Do you ever work skyclad? I do not due to my dysphoria.

75. Do you think witchcraft has improved your life? If so, how? Absolutely.  It would take me too long to tell you just how it has, so I’ll just say yes, it definitely has, and I never want to go back.

76. Where do you draw inspiration from for your practice? My connection to deity and the experiences with true magic that I’ve had.

77. Do you believe in ‘fantasy’ creatures? (Unicorns, fairies, elves, gnomes, ghosts, etc) Kind of have to since I have a dragon in my life, huh?  I believe fantasy creatures, like deities, are energy beings that take certain forms when they interact with us, whether it’s just the form they devised for themselves or the form that works best for us when interacting with them.

78. What’s your favorite sigil/symbol? I made my own sigil out of my name and shaped it like a crown, my personal symbol.  That’s definitely my favorite.

79. Do you use blood magick in your practice? Why or why not? So far I haven’t at all.  Blood magic is a pretty Big Thing to me so it’s not something I’m ready to do.

80. Could you ever be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t support your practice? No, absolutely not.  I would understand them respecting my right to do it and just not being into it themselves, but if they actively didn’t support me that would be an end to our relationship.  This is a very important part of my life.

81. In what area or subject would you most like your craft to grow? Right now, meditation.

82. What’s your favorite candle scent? Do you use it in your practice? ROSESSSSS.  I would, but I don’t have any right now.  I should get some.

83. Do you have a pre-ritual ritual? (I.e. Something you do before rituals to prepare yourself for them). If so what is it? If it’s a big ritual then I’ll shower and clean the space.  If not, I generally light the candles I always keep on my altar before the ritual itself and let them burn for a few minutes.

84. What real life witch most inspires your practice? There are these two witches on Youtube named Owlvine Green and Kelly-Ann Maddox, and I adore their videos.  I watch them all the time and will repeat their videos when I feel like it.  I find them very inspiring.

85. What is your favorite method of communicating with deity? Meditation and divination.

86. How do you like to organize all your witchy items and ingredients? I put stones in those plastic organization boxes for jewelry and beads and alllll my herbs are stored in jars.  We have a drawer shelf for organizing all our supplies, ingredients, and altar furniture not being used at the time.

87. Do you have any witches in your family that you know of? Not that I know of.

88. How have you created your path? What is unique about it? Just from experience and study, really.  It’s unique because it’s mine.  We all do things a little different, and that’s what makes them ours.

89. Do you feel you have any natural gifts or affinities (premonitions, hearing spirits, etc.) that led you toward the craft? If so what are they? I have a strong intuition and I can sense spirits sometimes.  Not so much hear them, just feel like they are there.  It was a factor in me becoming a witch, yes.

90. Do you believe you can initiate yourself or do you have to be initiated by another witch or coven? Well to be just a witch I don’t believe you have to be initiated at all.  To my knowledge that’s a pretty Wiccan belief and part of their religion.

91. When you first started out in your path what was the first thing or things you bought? Crystals, for sure.  Crystals and gemstones have always been one of the things I was drawn to the most, even before I became a witch.  Also a tarot deck.

92. What is the most spiritual or magickal place you’ve been? Kodiak Island, Alaska.  I grew up there and experienced a number of magical incidents there.

93. What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who is searching for their matron and patron deities? Don’t rush.  You don’t need a patron or matron.  It took me seven years to have one.  It’s nice, but it doesn’t make you any less of a pagan not having one.  If you feel like you’re on the way to one, still take your time.  Develop a relationship, live in it for a while, then consider making them your p/matron.

94. What techniques do you use to ‘get in the zone’ for meditation? I lie down in bed in a comfortable position that won’t make me feel sleepy, ground myself, get my breathing under control, and let go.

95. Did visualization come easily to you or did you have to practice at it? It came very easily for me because I’ve always been a really creative and imaginative person and have visualized what I make or read all the time.

96. Do you prefer day or night? Why? Neither, I prefer twilight.

97. What do you think is the best time and place to do spell work? The time you think is most appropriate for the spell you want to do and the place you feel safest/most at home doing the spell.

98. How did you feel when you cast your first circle? Did you stumble or did it go smoothly? I probably stumbled a little, but overall I felt fine about it.  I don’t feel as strongly about the idea that the circle must be cast as others.

99. Do you believe witchcraft gets easier with time and practice? Sure.  Most things do get easier in some way with enough time and practice.

100. Do you believe in many gods or one God with many faces? I believe there is a Great Conscious Energy to the universe and all the gods are the facets of that energy, because we would not be able to fully comprehend this energy as a whole.  One are many and many are one.  The gods we worship are the facets of that great energy we connect to the most.

101. Do you eat meat, eggs and dairy? Yes I do.  I’m against factory farming, but not against the idea of eating meat and animal products responsibly.

102. What is your favorite color and why? Purple and pink are my faves, but I couldn’t really tell you why.

103. What is the one question you get asked most by non-practitioners or non-pagans? How do you usually respond? “Do you worry that you’ll go to Hell?” “I don’t believe any mortal being goes to Hell.”

104. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? Sight, maybe?

105. What is a pagan or witchcraft rule that you preach but don’t practice? "You don’t need all the fancy tools to be a witch.”  I fall victim to wanting tools for everything allll the time.  They make me feel better, because I know one of my primary faults as a person is materialism.

[halfwayinlight]

This is a collection of books mentioned or read on Gilmore Girls, minus travel and cooking books. Bold the ones you have read.

I italicized ones I’ve read part of

1984 by George Orwell The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank Archidamian War by Donald Kagan The Art of Fiction by Henry James The Art of War by Sun Tzu As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Atonement by Ian McEwan Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy The Awakening by Kate Chopin Babe by Dick King-Smith Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie Bel Canto by Ann Patchett The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Beloved by Toni Morrison Beowulf: A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney The Bhagava Gita The Bielski Brothers: The True Story of Three Men Who Defied the Nazis, Built a Village in the Forest, and Saved 1,200 Jews by Peter Duffy Bitch in Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel A Bolt from the Blue and Other Essays by Mary McCarthy Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Brick Lane by Monica Ali Bridgadoon by Alan Jay Lerner Candide by Voltaire The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer Carrie by Stephen King Catch-22 by Joseph Heller The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman Christine by Stephen King A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse The Collected Short Stories by Eudora Welty A Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare Complete Novels by Dawn Powell The Complete Poems by Anne Sexton Complete Stories by Dorothy Parker A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas père Cousin Bette by Honor’e de Balzac Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber The Crucible by Arthur Miller Cujo by Stephen King The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon Daisy Miller by Henry James Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende David and Lisa by Dr Theodore Issac Rubin M.D David Copperfield by Charles Dickens The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Deenie by Judy Blume The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx The Divine Comedy by Dante The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells Don Quijote by Cervantes Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhrv Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales & Poems by Edgar Allan Poe Eleanor Roosevelt by Blanche Wiesen Cook The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn Eloise by Kay Thompson Emily the Strange by Roger Reger Emma by Jane Austen Empire Falls by Richard Russo Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Ethics by Spinoza Europe through the Back Door, 2003 by Rick Steves Eva Luna by Isabel Allende Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer Extravagance by Gary Krist Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore The Fall of the Athenian Empire by Donald Kagan Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World by Greg Critser Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson The Fellowship of the Ring: Book 1 of The Lord of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom Finnegan’s Wake by James Joyce Fletch by Gregory McDonald Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut Gender Trouble by Judith Butler George W. Bushism: The Slate Book of the Accidental Wit and Wisdom of our 43rd President by Jacob Weisberg Gidget by Fredrick Kohner Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels The Godfather: Book 1 by Mario Puzo The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Alvin Granowsky Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford The Gospel According to Judy Bloom The Graduate by Charles Webb The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Expectations by Charles Dickens The Group by Mary McCarthy Hamlet by William Shakespeare Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry Henry IV, part I by William Shakespeare Henry IV, part II by William Shakespeare Henry V by William Shakespeare High Fidelity by Nick Hornby The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon Holidays on Ice: Stories by David Sedaris The Holy Barbarians by Lawrence Lipton House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss How the Light Gets in by M. J. Hyland Howl by Allen Gingsburg The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo The Iliad by Homer I’m with the Band by Pamela des Barres In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Iron Weed by William J. Kennedy It Takes a Village by Hillary Clinton Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare The Jumping Frog by Mark Twain The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Just a Couple of Days by Tony Vigorito The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Lady Chatterleys’ Lover by D. H. Lawrence The Last Empire: Essays 1992-2000 by Gore Vidal Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken Life of Pi by Yann Martel The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens The Little Locksmith by Katharine Butler Hathaway The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Lottery: And Other Stories by Shirley Jackson The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Love Story by Erich Segal Macbeth by William Shakespeare Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert The Manticore by Robertson Davies Marathon Man by William Goldman The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman by William Tecumseh Sherman Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris The Meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer Mencken’s Chrestomathy by H. R. Mencken The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides The Miracle Worker by William Gibson Moby Dick by Herman Melville The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion by Jim Irvin Moliere: A Biography by Hobart Chatfield Taylor A Monetary History of the United States by Milton Friedman Monsieur Proust by Celeste Albaret A Month Of Sundays: Searching For The Spirit And My Sister by Julie Mars A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall My Lai 4: A Report on the Massacre and It’s Aftermath by Seymour M. Hersh My Life as Author and Editor by H. R. Mencken My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru by Tim Guest My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin Nervous System: Or, Losing My Mind in Literature by Jan Lars Jensen New Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Night by Elie Wiesel Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism by William E. Cain, Laurie A. Finke, Barbara E. Johnson, John P. McGowan Notes of a Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Old School by Tobias Wolff Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens On the Road by Jack Kerouac One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch by Alexander Solzhenitsyn One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez The Opposite of Fate: Memories of a Writing Life by Amy Tan Oracle Night by Paul Auster Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood Othello by Shakespeare Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan Out of Africa by Isac Dineson The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton A Passage to India by E.M. 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