#pagan resources

[devouredbyflame]

If Deities came to speak with humans face-to-face, most modern polytheists would be wrong.

If called down, Deities would actually be capable of making our lives easier when it comes to working with Them and listening for Their voices. The reason why it’s so hard for people to listen for the Gods is because people don’t necessarily know how important it is to develop their own personal relationship with the Divine.

We are so, so worried about being wrong and we look to other people to tell us which way we go. But there are very few experienced practitioners, even fewer effective teachers (if any at this point) and it is the blind leading the blind.

In all of my years of working with Loki, every single time I had a problem with discernment, it was always due to other people telling me I’m wrong or that their opinion was more important than my intuition. And I believed them because they seemed more knowledgeable. My beliefs I held strongly to in the beginning of my devotion to Him were always bent down by other people thinking they know more than me even though years later, they turned out to be truer than the thoughts I had after I was in a community.

You can call it beginner’s luck, but after years of seeking community, His voice became quieter and quieter. It was when I left pagan groups that I became explicitly aware of what He actually wanted from me. Confirmations started happening, the energy became denser, and things just magically started to work out that never did before and I could hear His voice speak to me in ways I didn’t think were possible prior to this reawakening.

I’m not saying we should be without community, but community resources need to be rewritten to accommodate the fact that us in the West know very little about working with the Gods. We used to. But we have no context for it anymore within society.

We can try to reconstruct a dead culture because you feel like yours is lacking but unless you’re actually receiving direct correspondence with the Divine, you will likely be unlucky in finding Their truest nature.

[psychopomp-recital]

In search of Manannán mac Lir resources!

I want to deepen my relationship with him but resources aren’t great. Anyone have any good ones?

[juniper-divination-and-witchery]

The Irish Pagan School is one of the best places for getting well-sourced and accurate information on Irish customs, traditions, myths, and legends.

During May they have a FREE class on The Mórrígan that is really worth checking out if you have any interest in Her.

[creature-wizard]

"How can I be a witch/pagan without falling for conspiracy theories/New Age cult stuff?" starter kit

Posts & Articles

Check your conspiracy theory. Does any of it sound like this?

Check your conspiracy theory part two: double, double, boil and trouble.

QAnon is an old form of anti-Semitism in a new package, experts say

Some antisemitic dogwhistles to watch out for

Eugenicist and bioessentialist beliefs about magic

New Age beliefs that derive from racist pseudoscience

The New Age concept of ascension - what is it?

A quick intro to starseeds

Starseeds: Nazis in Space?

Reminder that the lizard alien conspiracy theory is antisemitism

The Ancient Astronaut Hypothesis is Racist and Harmful

The Truth About Atlantis

Why the Nazis were obsessed with finding the lost city of Atlantis

The Nazis' love affair with the occult

Occultism in Nazism

Red flag names in cult survivor resources/groups (all of them are far right conspiracy theorists/grifters)

The legacy of implanted Satanic abuse ‘memories’ is still causing damage today

Why Satanic Panic never really ended

Dangerous Therapy: The Story of Patricia Burgus and Multiple Personality Disorder

Remember a Previous Life? Maybe You Have a Bad Memory

A Case of Reincarnation - Reexamined

Crash and Burn: James Leininger Story Debunked

Debunking Myths About Easter/Ostara

Just How Pagan is Christmas, Really?

The Origins of the Christmas Tree

No, Santa Claus Is Not Inspired By Odin

Why Did The Patriarchal Greeks And Romans Worship Such Powerful Goddesses?

No, Athena Didn't Turn Medusa Into A Monster To Protect Her

Who Was the First God?

Were Ancient Civilizations Conservative Or Liberal?

How Misogyny, Homophobia, and Antisemitism Influence Transphobia

Podcasts & Videos

BS-Free Witchcraft

Angela's Symposium

ESOTERICA

ReligionForBreakfast

Weird Reads With Emily Louise

It's Probably (not!) Aliens

Conspirituality

Miniminuteman

Behind The Bastards

[tiredwitchplant]

Everything You Need to Know About Crystals: Carnelian (Red)

Carnelian (The Sunset Stone)

Color: Red, orange, pink, brown

Rarity: Common, easy to obtain

Hardiness: 7

Type: Agate or Chalcedony

Chakra Association: Solar-Plexus, Sacral, Root Chakra

Angels: Michael

Deities: Isis

Astrological Signs: Leo, Taurus, Aries

Element: Fire

Planet: Sun

Origin: Britain, India, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Peru, Iceland, Romania

Powers: Success, Confidence, Motivation, Courage, Sexual Energy, Vitality, Action

Crystals It Works Well With: Aquamarine, Beryl, Super Seven

How It is Created: It is part of the chalcedony family. It is made up of silicon dioxide colored by different levels of iron impurities, with specks, banding, or stripes in many shades of brown or orange-red. The stone itself has a beautiful warm orange color that is best appreciated when it is polished.

History: Since ancient times, carnelian has been polished and worn as jewelry. The Egyptians used it to contrast with onyx and lapis lazuli in the making of collars and necklaces. The Romans were fond of it set in gold, using small beads in earrings or larger polished stones in finger rings for men and women. In the Middle Ages, carnelian was also popular as a healing stone. It was said to dissolve anger or rage, protect the wearer from negative influences, and promote courage.

What It Can Do:

Can be used in spell for success, confidence, and motivation

Can bring a burst of inspiration and energy

Is good for sex magic and sometimes menstrual support

Can cleanse and restore other crystals

Can help those in abusive situations by providing inner strength and movement to the right path

Help with mental preparation with childbirth

Calms angry emotions and puts a stop to mental lethargy

Can restore vitality and remove the fear of death

Was used to protect the dead to their journey to the afterlife

Dispels apathy and motivates success

Improves analytics abilities and clarifies perception

Removes extraneous thoughts in mediation and tunes daydreamers into reality

Can stimulate metabolism and improve your life force

Can influence reproductive organs and increase fertility

How to Get the Best Out Of: Use as a pendant or belt buckle, or place in contact with the skin as appropriate.

How to Cleanse and Charge: You can cleanse and charge carnelian with the sun.

Crystal Grid:

Creativity Grid

Shape: Flower of Life or Vesica Piscis

Mantra: “Creativity flows through me.”

Center Stone: Carnelian sphere or tumbled stone

Secondary Stones: Rainbow moonstone, larimar, kunzite, orange calcite

Moon Phase: Waxing phase or full moon

Day: Wednesday

Sources

[this-possum-cries]

Quincy's Golden Milk Tea

[that-enby-witch]

Witchy Resources

Astrology

Cafe Astrology - does your birth chart and it’s presented in a really cute way imo. It also gives you info about each placement and you can check compatibility and stuff too

Co—Star - I downloaded is the other day, it gives you quick daily horoscopes, do’s and dont’s for the day, and a longer breakdown of the horoscope

Dream work

Little Book of Dreams - I got this at a local store but you can get it for £4. It’s really cute and small, with just little summaries for what common dreams mean. It’s very simple but good for beginners in dream work

Deity worship (These are specific to Hellenism. You don’t have to worship Greek deities to be a witch but it’s what I have resources on because it’s what I follow)

Wikipedia - no seriously. It has info on so many different deities and their mythology so it’s actually quite useful.

r/Hellenism - a good place to ask questions if you’re new to deity worship and get some SPG on less common deities. Be sure to fact check

Amino - there’s a couple of Greek mythology and Hellenist communities on here. Like with Reddit, fact check!

Theoi.com - so much basic info on various deities, and it’s got epithets and things too that Wikipedia doesn’t have.

Tarot

Nata Soul Taro - probably the best pick a pile tarot readers I’ve found on YouTube. she also has a website and does personal readings. The videos are very calming and often really accurate

Zodianz - gives you three tarot cards and their meanings. Includes whether they’re yes or no, zodiac signs, planets and elements that correspond with each card, keywords for the card and then a short paragraph about the meaning. It also gives the meaning of the numbers in the card (like in 8 cups it tells you about 8)

If anyone knows any websites where you can learn tarot meanings let me know and I’ll add them to this list

Spell work

The Works - if you’re British, The Works has a lot of trinket boxes that you can keep spell ingredients in, and some potion bottles which are meant for crafts but they’re perfect for spell jars

Witchipedia - has some basic info about spells and some simple ones that you can do without needing many tools. Perfect for broom closeted witches, beginners or witches who can’t afford fancy stuff.

@strangesigils has some posts on common sigil methods, or, you can use some of their existing sigils!

Shadow work

Pinterest - I’m not kidding Pinterest has some great shadow work prompts if you just type in shadow work. Some are meh and some are really good

Co—Star - as well as astrology this also has a section where you can write a message to yourself and it’ll pop up the next time the stars are in the same position as they were when you wrote it

Crystal work

Holly’s Hope Beads - handmade crystal jewellery! My mum knows the girl who owns it and I’ve gotten a few pieces here. Really pretty and good quality

[cajunwitch101]

[ceo-draiochta]

Forgive me if this is a foolish question, but would you happen to know if there’s any sources out there on historical prayer behaviors? IE body position, gestures, etc. I don’t come from a religious background, so I struggle to know to go about praying even when I know what I want to say

Gestures and actions during Irish/Gaelic Pagan prayer.

This is not a foolish question at all! In fact it is a great one. Honestly finding the right words is the hardest part. There is little in the way of documented proof of how pre christian Gaels prayed so reconstruction is necessary. This makes it tricky to find authentic sources, thankfully there is a few practice's we can reconstruct with a lot of certainty. (Sources in bracketed links)

Clockwise/Deiseal movement The act of moving in a circle in a clockwise direction (deiseal) is frequently seen to be auspicious and is used in many Irish Christian rituals. Many of these practices are still done today, especially at holy wells or other pilgrimage sites such at the various stations on Croagh Patrick (link). The opposite of this is anti-clockwise or Tuathal is frequently used in curses. This is a recurring theme throughout Irish and Scottish folklore and has been argued to be partially of a pre Christian origin(Link to book containing a chapter on the topic specifically chapter 10)

This is usually done at Holy Wells while doing the rosary. The well itself or an object near it like a statue, rock or tree is encircled by the worshiper usually 3 or 7 times while reciting the rosary. (link)(link)(link). And is a still living practice.

This clockwise movement was also used in medieval rituals, with supposedly in the Book of Fenagh, an inauguration ritual is described where a bell shrine was walked around a king and his solders clockwise. (in book chapter 10).

The use of the word deiseal and its association with blessing led it in the past to be an equivalent to "bless you" after a sneeze. (link). The sunwise or clockwise direction is synonymous with blessings.

Head down, eyes up The Carmina Gadelica contains a number of prayers from gaelic scotland. Many of which follow a standard christian practice and just as many are situational in nature like to be said while washing ones hands, however certain ones stand out as being representative of a greater traditions of actions due to their unusualness.

References to raising ones eyes (link) and leaving the palms open and outstretched are mentioned (link page 290)

Both women and men were said to curtsey with men doing a bowing motion much like a curtsey in that it involved the bending of the left knee to the side and the right one straight as a show of respect (link)

To summarise with a quote:

"So the lifting of hands, raising of the eyes, and the bowing of the head are all actions that could be done during our prayers. In raising our hands we show a gesture of giving, just as we ‘give’ prayers of thanks, or blessing, or whatever other purpose we might be praying for, especially since there seems to be a since that we’re meant to raise the palms up to the sky (or moon, more to the point) instead of simply holding our hands out, palms up. It’s less a gesture that might suggest we’re asking for a handout than it gives a sense that we’re reaching out." -An Introduction To Gaelic Polytheism by Marissa Hegarty

Curse pose While not involved with worship, poets when preforming a satire, often magical in nature were said to stand on one foot, with one eye closed, holding up one hand, and sometimes speaking with one breath. This seems to specifically used for cursing however.

What to incorporate into your pagan practice I would then recommend that while praying, walking in a circle in a clockwise direction with a bowed head, eyes up, while holding out your hands with the palms skyward would be appropriate. I like to have one hand over the other. After the prayer has concluded a curtsey should be done.

If anyone else has anything to add please do so with what gestures and actions you take during prayers. I hope this answers your question and that it was at all helpful.

[pigeonflavouredcake]

My Grimoire Research Library

this is a list of my major resource I've referenced/am currently referencing in my big grimoire project. For books I'll be linking the Goodreads page, for pdfs, websites and videos i'll link them directly.

There are plenty of generalised practitioner resources that can work for everyone but as I have Irish ancestry and worship Hellenic deities quite a few of my resources are centred around Celtic Ireland, ancient Greece and the Olympic mythos. If you follow other sects of paganism you are more than welcome to reblog with your own list of resources.

Parts of my grimoire discuss topics of new age spiritualism, dangerous conspiracy theories, and bigotry in witchcraft so some resources in this list focus on that.

Books

Apollodorus - The Library of Greek Mythology

Astrea Taylor - Intuitive Witchcraft

Dee Dee Chainey & Willow Winsham - Treasury of Folklore: Woodlands and Forests

John Ferguson - Among The Gods: An Archaeological Exploration of Ancient Greek Religion

Katharine Briggs - The Fairies in Tradition and Literature

Kevin Danaher - The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs

Laura O'Brien - Fairy Faith in Ireland

Lindsey C. Watson - Magic in Ancient Greece and Rome

Nicholas Culpeper - Culpeper's Complete Herbal

Plutarch - The Rise and Fall of Athens: Nine Greek Lives

R.B. Parkinson - A Little Gay History: Desire and Diversity Around the World

Rachel Patterson - Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Tarot Journey to Self-Awareness

Raleigh Briggs - Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills

Robin Wall Kimmerer - Braiding Sweetgrass

Ronald Hutton - The Witch: A History of Fear in Ancient Times

Rosemary Ellen Guiley - The Encyclopaedia of Witches and Witchcraft

Thomas N. Mitchell - Athens: A History of the World's First Democracy

Walter Stephens - Demon Lovers: Witchcraft S3x and the Crisis of Belief

Yvonne P. Chireau - Black Magic: Religion and The African American Conjuring Tradition

PDFs

Anti Defamation League - Hate on Display: Hate Symbols Database

Brandy Williams - White Light, Black Magic: Racism in Esoteric Thought

Cambridge SU Women’s Campaign - How to Spot TERF Ideology 2.0.

Blogs and Websites

Anti Defamation League

B. Ricardo Brown - Until Darwin: Science and the Origins of Race

Dr. S. Deacon Ritterbush - Dr Beachcomb

Folklore Thursday

Freedom of Mind Resource Centre - Steven Hassan’s BITE Model of Authoritarian Control

Institute for Strategic Dialogue

Royal Horticultural Society

The Duchas Project -National Folklore Collection

Vivienne Mackie - Vivscelticconnections

YouTube Videos

ContraPoints - Gender Critical

Emma Thorne Videos - Christian Fundie Says Halloween is SATANIC!

Owen Morgan (Telltale) - The Source Of All Conspiracies: A 1902 Document Called "The Protocols"

The Belief it or Not Podcast - Ep. 40 Satanic Panic, Ep 92. Wicca

Wendigoon - The Conspiracy Theory Iceberg

Other videos I haven't referenced but you may still want to check out

Atun-Shei Films - Ancient Aryans: The History of Crackpot N@zi Archaeology

Belief It Or Not - Ep. 90 - Logical Fallacies

Dragon Talisman - Tarot Documentary (A re-upload of the 1997 documentary Strictly Supernatural: Tarot and Astrology)

Lindsay Ellis - Tracing the Roots of Pop Culture Transphobia

Overly Sarcastic Productions - Miscellaneous Myths Playlist

Owen Morgan (Telltale) - SATANIC PANIC! 90s Video Slanders Satanists | Pagan Invasion Saga | Part 1

ReignBot - How Ouija Boards Became "Evil" | Obscura Archive Ep. 2

Ryan Beard - Demi Lovato Promoted a R4cist Lizard Cult

Super Eyepatch Wolf - The Bizarre World of Fake Psychics, Faith Healers and Mediums

Weird Reads with Emily Louise -The Infamous Hoaxes Iceberg Playlist

Wendigoon - The True Stories of the Warren Hauntings: The Conjuring, Annabelle, Amityville, and Other Encounters

[devouredbyflame]

Deepening Relationships with the Divine

I see a lot of posts on Tumblr about how to go about having casual relationships, or showing your devotion subtly but never have I seen ways in which those who wish to move on from that realm of being would actually start having a dedicated practice. People don’t need to be subtle to worship the Gods - in fact, most practices aren’t blatant and don’t need to be blatant. It is understandable and often necessary to be in a closet but you can still have a very deep relationship with the Gods while it still being meaningful.

Here’s a list of things you can do to strengthen your devotion with the Gods as well as build and deepen your relationship.

Build a shrine dedicated to an individual Deity and take time to know Them by using it.

The idea that you need to have multiple Deities all the time and worship all of Them together is a very strange way of doing polytheism and it is a more powerful usage of space to have one singular Deity at a time rather than a mix together. People may feel less of a need to be so bent out of shape if they can’t afford offerings for an entire pantheon of Gods if they only have one household Deity and the rest are specific to other tasks or needs. I’m not saying you need to pick one above the rest, but I am saying that when you work with the Gods, it’s not about quantity of your relationships, it’s about quality and how long you actually spend together in a similar fashion.

Design your shrine to be simple.

You don’t need a bunch of things on your shrine and in fact, that won’t make it any more detectable to the Gods or show how dedicated you are as a polytheist. It is not about how much work you put into the shrine to make it more about the Gods you worship but it’s more along the line of what needs to happen when you go to the shrine, what actions you take while you’re there.

Hypothetically, all you need is a candle to light to show that you wish for a Deity’s presence, but to make it more usable and detectable to a Deity, it is recommended you also have an image, statue, or likeness of the Deity. You can also have a bowl or a glass to fill for your offerings. Do not make huge offerings if you are going to forget to empty them out. Only make the offerings that won’t rot should that be the case, and only do that if you know you’re going to throw it out, eat it, or dispose of it shortly after.

Make a plan to go to your shrine at least once a day if not several times a week.

The more time you spend at the shrine, the easier it will be for the Deity to realize your intent of showing interest. It isn’t because you’re more devoted, are special, or show any signs that you’re worth looking into, but rather, the concept is mostly around how much energy is built up gradually over time. Energy is only built up because of the amount of time you spend there and how much meaning is there. It is not some moral issue you should feel guilty about should it not happen.

The fact is, the Gods aren’t waiting around and checking off boxes above your head so when you fail They mark it against you for the rest of your time with Them. They are, however, flawed in the way that They only can go about recognizing the material world based off of the flow of energy and how much is stored that is unique to Them.

Having a journal at your shrine to write to Them in while a candle is lit is a perfect way of building a relationship. The act of writing is a perfect way to build energy.

Keeping a specific divination tool at the shrine for that single Deity to use and to build Their energy around is also extremely important. It has to be unique to Them while also being used and stored at the site where you are making the most attempts at being at your shrine.

It is important to keep the shrine contained in a way that makes sure that other energies cannot get in. So even if you are closeted or must keep it on the low, go to the craft store and get a photo storage box. You only need a few items in there to make it meaningful. Over time, the use of those items will become more and more sacred. You can take them in and out of the box - it doesn’t matter how it’s stored but as long as it is contained and out of reach of animals and other things that can be hazardous to them and also maintain the cleanliness of the shrine. If not a box, a closet, cabinet, or bookshelf that is high up are all good places to keep it.

If you’re going to keep the shrine out in an open space, make sure the environment around the area is kept free from dust, dirt, animal hair, organized and vacuumed around it. Dirt that is built up makes it harder for the Gods to reach you energetically - cleaning the room it is in is going to be required if you have it outside of a container. If you’re low on spoons or live in a place that is impossible, a box is perfect. As long as the items are kept tidy energetically, no harm would be done if you’re not super hellbent on keeping a very energetically and physically pristine home.

Most people don’t have the space to have a dedicated area that is solely meant to remain clean for the Gods it is dedicated to. If that’s you, don’t worry about having it out at all.

I realize I’ve spoken a lot about using a shrine in this post and that is really a very important thing when trying to build a better relationship with a Deity. It isn’t about who you are or what you’re doing, it’s about recognizing the importance of what the Deity needs to get to where you are first before going about creating a relationship. That’s all that matters for those starting out on the path looking for ways of transmuting their effort into a meaningful way instead of basing it off of appearances and looks.

Gods don’t have eyes and do not see the way humans can. It is necessary that you build up energy as that is what They are and how humans and Deities can interact. Your devotional actions will likely be unseen unless you do them based on the idea that it is repeated, somewhere dedicated to that Deity, or building up a framework of a practice to continue daily.

Not because it’s a moral issue, not because you should feel obligated, but because the Divine are not omnipotent beings who know everything going on and can see everything. Otherwise, you’re not going to get very far in your devotional activities or rituals.

The usage of a dedicated space over time will make communicating with the Gods easier. Consider a shrine like a window in this world for the Gods to look into. The more you use it, the easier it will be for Them to have access to you and the easier it will be for you to hear Them. Yes, discernment is important and having a sensitivity is a great start, but it’s not the only thing that matters in communicating with your Gods.

If you are having issues listening for and hearing the Gods, the problem likely is not just you, it’s that They cannot reach you. The Gods are the most obvious beings on this realm. They are enormous. They take up a lot of space and energy. Those who have experienced Them know that it is not subtle and the more you make it easier for Them to access you, the easier it will be to have Their energy available in order for Them to talk back in a meaningful way and use what’s available in your life to communicate.

Their presence is about as subtle as an elephant sitting in your bedroom. It really isn’t that hard to detect Them once you get the hang of having Them in your specific area in this way. You’ll also know you’re not hallucinating because there is no other experience quite like it. You really won’t know what hit you.

That’s all for now. For more tips on building a shrine or finding more material on this topic, check out my blog.

[samwisethewitch]

Witchcraft, Occult, New Age, or Pagan? What's the difference?

For folks just getting into alternative spirituality, terminology can be confusing. What's the difference between New Age and pagan? Are all witches pagan? What does occult even mean? And where do my beliefs and practices fit into all that?

Truly, you don't need to label your spiritual practice unless you want to. Labels can sometimes feel uncomfortably restrictive. On the other hand, knowing what common labels mean can help you find resources, teachers, and groups that are relevant to your practice, so in this post I'll explain some of the ones that are commonly misused or confused with each other.

I want to make one important note: All of these are umbrella terms, which means for each of these labels there is a whole range of belief systems that fit under that label. Keep in mind that these are very broad and very general terms.

Also, none of these approaches is inherently better or worse than the others, and there's no rule against combining one or more of them. Wicca could be considered paganism, witchcraft, and occultism, and many modern witchy authors incorporate New Age elements in their books. You may find that more than one of these labels could apply to your practice.

New Age

I want to start with the label New Age, because this is the one I see misused most often. Some people use "New Age" as a catch-all term for anything outside conventional, mainstream spirituality, but this is incorrect. Someone who does witchcraft or reads tarot is not necessarily New Age, and New Age beliefs are very different from traditional witchcraft, paganism, and occultism.

Modern New Age spirituality began in the 1970s, but it has roots in several 19th century movements, most notably New Thought, Spiritualism, and Theosophy.

The New Thought movement began in the US in the 1800s. It grew out of dissatisfaction with mainstream Christianity at the time and was dedicated to a "mind over matter" approach to spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. New Thought practitioners believed that the spiritual realm was higher or more real than the physical world and that spiritual causes create physical effects. (Basically, everything comes from a spiritual cause.) These are all ideas still present in New Age beliefs.

Spiritualism is another 19th century American movement and is based on the idea that the souls of the dead can communicate with the living. Spiritualists tried to contact the dead, usually with help and/or guidance from a medium. Some spiritualists also believed in other psychic phenomena, like clairvoyance, telepathy, and precognition. This is where the New Age concept of "channeling" comes from.

Theosophy (from the Greek theos, "god," and sophia, "wisdom") is a movement that grew out of Western occultism in the 1800s. Theosophy was focused on connecting to a deeper spiritual reality through trance, meditation, and other mystical practices. Theosophists believed that all world religions have an esoteric "inner meaning" and that all religions contain some truth. They also believed in a single, all-encompassing divine source and that the goal of human life was to return to our spiritual home. These concepts are foundational to most modern New Age movements.

Modern New Age spirituality began in the US in the 1960s and 1970s as several loosely organized groups with a shared interest in mystical, transcendental spirituality and practices like alternative healing, Asian-style meditation, channeling spirits, and psychic phenomena. From there, it spread through magazines and periodicals, then later through books. Some authors claimed their books were "channeled" -- revealed to them by spiritual beings.

New Age spirituality is not an organized religion, but many individuals around the world who read the same books, have similar beliefs, and engage in similar practices.

Common New Age practices include meditation, energy work, crystal healing, channeling, and sometimes practices drawn from world religions like yoga (from Hinduism), mantras (also from Hinduism), or working with angels (from Christianity).

Witchcraft

Witchcraft, to put it bluntly, is poor people magic. Less bluntly, it's folk magic: the use of charms and spells to create a desired outcome. It could also be classified as natural magic -- that is, magic that deals directly with natural forces, as opposed to ceremonial magic, which deals with summoning spirits. (Although some witches do call forth spirits in their rituals.) Witchcraft is typically low magic, which is simple, practical, and intuitive, as opposed to high magic, which involves intricate and complex ceremonies.

It's important to note that the way the word "witchcraft" is used by most witches today is very different from how it was used historically. Before the 20th century, witchcraft meant magic that was done explicitly to harm people. Modern witches are closer to historic "cunning folk," who used charms and spells to help their communities.

The reclaiming of the word "witch" is a long and complicated story, but in many cases it's about recognizing feminine power and agency. As author and witch Starhawk says, "To reclaim the word Witch is to reclaim our right, as women, to be powerful; as men, to know the feminine within as divine."

The witch label has historically been used to demonize marginalized people -- not just women, but Jewish and Muslim people, Black and Brown people, queer people, disabled people, and poor people. To reclaim the word witch is a political statement that sends the message that we are powerful despite our marginalization.

Witchcraft is usually very practical. It's not really about theory -- it's about doing what works. It's usually pretty simple, and it's almost always very intuitive. It can be a structured or as freeform as you make it, but there is usually some internal logic.

Witchcraft is not religious, but it is spiritual. Witchcraft itself is not a religion, although some religions do incorporate witchcraft into their practices. Witchcraft can coexist with any religion a that doesn't have taboos against magic. However, most witches do feel that there is a spiritual component to witchcraft.

Witchcraft is culturally relative. Witchcraft in Italy looks very different from witchcraft in the Czech Republic, which looks very different from witchcraft in New England, which looks very different from witchcraft in Mexico. Even within a single country there may be many different traditions shaped by different cultural influences.

Not all magic is witchcraft. Witchcraft is only one of many approaches to magic.

Pagan

"Pagan” is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of different religious faiths. These different faiths are linked by a shared history, rather than by shared beliefs or practices. Someone who practices Wicca, for example, will have very different beliefs from someone who practices Hellenismos, but both are pagans.

The word “pagan” comes from the Latin paganus, which literally means “area outside of a city” or, to phrase it slightly differently, “countryside.” This adjective was used to describe people and things that were rustic or rural and, over time, came to also have the connotation of being uneducated. Originally, the word had no religious association, and was even used to refer to non-combatants by the Roman military.

From this definition, we can gain some insight into what makes a religion or practice pagan. Pagans feel a kinship with the wild or rural places of the world, and are comfortable walking “off the beaten path.”

But how did paganus come to refer to a type of religion, anyway?

To understand the religious meaning of paganus, we have to understand a little bit about the religion of Ancient Rome. Rome (the city) was built inside a pomerium, a sacred boundary that formed a spiritual border around the city and its people. Paganus folks were those who lived outside the pomerium and may not have been strict adherents of the state religion — they certainly wouldn’t have been able to travel into the city for every major festival. They may have gotten a bit more creative with their worship of the gods. However, the word paganus did not have an explicitly religious meaning in ancient times.

The use of paganus as a religious label began after the legalization of Christianity by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 C.E. Christianity would not be adopted as the official state religion until 380 C.E., but Constantine’s conversion and decriminalization of Christian worship paved the way for Rome’s transformation into a Christian state. It was around this time, as Christianity was quickly growing in urban areas, that early Roman Christians began using the word paganus (pagan) to refer to those who still practiced polytheism. Rather than referring to those outside the city’s boundary or to untrained civilians, the label now referred to those outside the Church, those who were not “soldiers of Christ.”

As Christianity spread in popularity throughout the Mediterranean, Europe, and Northern Africa, the pagan label was applied to all non-Christians in those areas. The word “pagan” became a derogatory label, implying an inferior and backwards religion.

So, really, the thing that makes a religion pagan is a historical conflict with Christianity. Pagan religions are those that were suppressed or completely destroyed after Christianity became the dominant faith in the region.

This is why Norse Paganism and Kemetic (Egyptian) polytheism, which are very different, are both considered pagan while Shinto, a Japanese religion that shares a lot of common features with many pagan faiths, is not. Because Christianity never achieved total dominance in Japan, Shinto was never pushed aside to make room for Jesus.

In the 20th century, people who felt drawn to these old religions started to reclaim the pagan label. Like many other reclaimed slurs, “pagan” became a positive label for a community united by their shared history. Today "pagan" is an umbrella term that incorporates both reconstructionist religions, which seek to reconstruct a pre-Christian religion, and neopagan religions, which seek to apply pagan concepts like honoring nature and worshiping the divine feminine in a modern context.

Occult

Wikipedia actually defines occultism really well: "a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic, sorcery, and mysticism and their varied spells."

Basically, occultism is Religion After Dark. Virtually every major religion or spiritual movement has its own occult movement, which often takes the teachings of that religion or movement and applies them in unorthodox ways, like magic rituals.

The word "occult" comes from the Latin occultus, meaning "hidden" or "secret." This implies that occult practices are secret or underground in some way.

In Western cultures, when we talk about the occult we are usually talking about Western occult traditions, which have roots in European Christianity and, in some cases, pre-Christian religion. (And, unfortunately, a lot of appropriated Jewish and Muslim practices.) The word occult originally referred to practices like astrology, alchemy, divination, and magic.

The occult includes both folk magic practices like witchcraft and formal systems like ceremonial magic -- however, people and groups that identify as occult tend to place a focus on esoteric knowledge. In my experience, self-identified "occultists" tend to be more interested in high magic systems than in folk magic, or their interest in folk magic is academic rather than intuitive. There are also occultists who identify with modern occult fields like demonology, cryptozoology, parapsychology, etc.

One of the most influential works in Western occultism is the Corpus Hermeticum, texts on occult sciences attributed to Hermes Trismegistos (a syncretization of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). Occult systems based on the Corpus Hermeticum are called Hermetica.

Another major influence on Western occultism is the Kabbala, an ancient Jewish mystical tradition. To be clear: Kabbala is a closed practice. Not only that, but to truly understand Kabbala requires a grounding in Jewish philosophy and culture that really isn't possible for outsiders. Western occultism is not based on Kabbala -- it is based on a misinterpretation of Kabbala by Christian magicians in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. (And if you're not Jewish, Kabbala shouldn't be part of your occult practice.)

Secret societies play an important role in many Western occult traditions. One of the most famous of these is the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which was active in Great Britain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notable members of the Golden Dawn include Aleister Crowley (whose writings are incredibly influential in modern occultism), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (author of Sherlock Holmes), Dion Fortune (another well-known occult author), Pamela Coleman Smith and A. E. Waite (creators of the modern tarot deck), and Bram Stoker (author of Dracula), among others.

The Golden Dawn has had a huge influence on modern occultism. Gerald Gardner, founder of Wicca, was influenced by the Golden Dawn, and as a result Wicca combines GD-style occultism with paganism and witchcraft. Aleister Crowley founded his own religion/spiritual tradition called Thelema.

Some more recent occult movements include chaos magic, demonolaltry, and many forms of Satanism.

Some examples of occult practices are: alchemy, astrology, divination with tarot cards, using magic circles in spellcasting, calling the quarters, invocation and evocation of spirits, and creating sigils.

Sources:

"Religion Library: New Age" - Patheos

"New Thought" - Encyclopedia Britannica

"Spiritualism" - Encyclopedia Britannica

"Theosophy" - Encyclopedia Britannica

Witchcraft for Everyone by Sam Wise

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk

"Natural Magic" - Wikipedia

"What Does It Mean to be Pagan?" by Sam Wise

"Occult" - Wikipedia

"Occultism" - Encyclopedia Britannica

"Our Problematic Occult Ancestors" by Mat Auryn

[isuckmorethanjustblood]

Alternatives to physical altars for witches and pagans who can’t practise openly:

If you don’t have the money or space for an altar or you live with someone who does not support your craft, there are a few altarnatives for you to consider:

A SMALL POCKET ALTAR INSIDE OF A MINT TIN

this could contain incense, prayer cards, a tea light, small crystals or some herbs

Pros:

- easy to hide and portable

- inconspicuous

- inexpensive

- simple to make

Cons:

- you can’t keep a lot of things in there

- you can’t really use it for offerings unless they are very small

- not very customisable

A DIGITAL ALTAR / GRIMOIRE

this could be in the form of a tumblr blog, a Pinterest board or a simple notes page

Pros:

- simple to make

- very customisable

- unlimited space

- easy to hide

- you can access it from anywhere

- you can get very creative with your spells and offerings

- useful for shadow work and divination, since you can document your progress

- very easy to navigate and organise

Cons:

- you can’t make physical offerings

- no physical spell work (like jars or candles)

A NOTEBOOK AS AN ALTAR

an analogue notebook that you can use like a mix of a journal / grimoire / altar

Pros:

- very versatile and customisable

- you can use it as an altar to place physical offerings on

- easily portable

- useful for a lot of different things

- great for small offerings (like pressed flowers and herbs, photos, drawings and poetry / prayer

- useful for shadow work and divination, since you can document your progress

- easy and cheap to make

- inconspicuous

Cons:

- no unlimited space, if you fill it up you need to buy a new one

- no offerings larger than the book

- difficult to navigate if you don’t have a good index system

- not great for physical spells like jars or candles

DIGITAL ALTAR IN VIDEO GAMES

this can be an altar space that you build in games like Minecraft or animal crossing

Pros:

- somewhat customisable

- very fun to build

- you can make offerings like Minecraft flowers or dressing your character up in clothes that remind you of your deity

- playing the game and putting energy into it can be an offering in itself

- unlimited space (depends of the game)

Cons:

- no physical offerings and very limited options for spells

- how much you can do depends a lot on the game

- good video games and consoles often cost money and are thus not accessible to everyone

- no (or very limited) options for writing down prayers and the like

- limited option for devotional acts

Whatever your altar space looks like and whether you even have one at all, remember that you are still valid and your gods love you and understand your situation.

[antionettepilled]

occult books and references!

collections: (pdfs on google docs)

https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1rQeBdU91DN74tYBRY9-qb5jp8b0fayzDFN5drULV3pk/mobilebasic

above is the holy grail for beginners! so many great resources.

satanic bible:

beginner chaos magick

mirror magick

preotection and reversal magick

72 angels

ars vercanus advanced witchcraft

art of evocation

[tiredwitchplant]

Everything You Need to Know About Herbs : Ginger (root)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

*Kitchen Herb *Medical Herb *Masculine

Folks Names: African Ginger, Sheng Jian, Singabera

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Deities: Hecate, Ameretat, Artemis

Abilities: Love, Money. Success, Power, Safety

Characteristics: A perennial plant growing to 2 ft with lance-shaped leaves and spikes of white or yellow flowers. Is native to Asia and is grown throughout the tropics. Ginger prefers fertile soil and plenty of rain.

History: Wild or cultivated, ginger root is an ideal herb to add to rituals and spells because it acts like a booster for the power involved. Apart from its use as a spice and as a base for alcoholic liquors of one kind or another, ginger has for a very long time enjoyed a reputation for medicinal use, from the prescription of Arabian and Persian doctors for impotence, to its still popular reputation as a stomach settler, and this use dates from the earliest records. Ginger tea, even ginger biscuits, help to combat travel sickness, or morning sickness and nausea generally. It was used for asthma in Russian folk medicine. The recipe given is a pound of ginger grated, put in a quart bottle, which was filled with alcohol. This was kept warm for two weeks, shaken occasionally, until the infusion was the color of weak tea. This was strained, and the sediment allowed to settle. Then the liquid was poured into another bottle, and the infusion taken twice a day.

How to Grow:

Easy to Grow: Yes

Rating: Beginner Friendly

Seeds Accessible: Sort of but root is

How to Grow Ginger (article)

How to Grow from Seeds

How to Grow from Store Bought

Where to Buy Seeds

Magical Properties:

Can boost the power of spells and rituals with its own heat like energy when consumed beforehand

Used to jump-start love, stimulate finances, and increase potential success in anything

In an elixir, the root acts as an energizing tonic and brings strength, courage, and health

Putting ginger in your pillow can create a better night’s sleep

Can give protection during childbirth

Whole ginger roots planted and grown can attract money, along with sprinkling powdered ginger into one’s pocket

Dobu islanders with chew and spit ginger at the “seat” of an illness to cure it and to halt oncoming storms

To promote lust, sprinkle ginger around your home

Medical Usage:

Speeds up the rate of gastric emptying and aids the absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract, which helps treat anemia

Relieves nausea and vomiting, especially with morning sickness

Reduces muscle pain after exercise and is effective against menstrual pain

Excellent remedy for indigestion, nausea, gas, bloating, cramps and other digestive complaints

Stimulates circulation and helps with the flow of blood to the surface

Remedy for coughs, colds, flu and other respiratory problems

Stimulates sweating and helps to cool and control fevers

Sources