#to all the new pagans and witches:

[playthe-piper]

“Being a Celtic pagan is cultural appropriation” SHUT!!! THE!!! FUCK!! UP!!

I am a pagan who believes that religion/the gods have changed as cultures and worship did. No matter how you worship, no one can tell you that you’re practicing wrong. That’s bullshit. Don’t gatekeep how someone chooses to honor their gods, that makes you a dick.

“New religions” are just as valid as any other old gods, please shut the fuck up and let people be happy. No one made you the pagan police.

[serepentstonetemple]

New Neo-Pagan Discord Server!

~ * Welcome to Serpentstone Temple and Village! * ~

This is an 18+ server. Those under 18 will be confined to the Grove (welcome chat), just outside of the village and temple until they come of age.

This server was created for the purpose of giving neo-pagans, Wiccans, New Age, eclectics/syncretists, and other earth-centered spiritualists a place to talk about the more worshipful and/or ritual parts of their path and less of magick and the occult, though there will be channels for that as well!

Anyone of any faith may join, as long as you are respectful of other paths!

This server is very LGBTQ+ friendly!

A very simple, small server with a relaxing atmosphere. No bots as of yet, but there is always room to grow!

We hope you will join us and help us build a beautiful community together!

Invite:

[animisticpagan]

I hope everyone had a good Samhain yesterday! I didn't get to celebrate how I thought I would, but I had a wonderful time regardless! I went trick or treating with my brother and his girlfriend and had a wonderful time watching a play I had been search for earlier in the day. (That play being Venus in Fur, played by Hugh Dancy- my favorite actor- and Nina Adrianda!) Today, however, is Dia De Los Muertos! I couldn't make soup yesterday, so I will try my best to make it today for the stretched thinning of the veil across the holidays I celebrate- Samhain (Yesterday), Dia De Los Muertos (Today), and All Soul's Day (Today and tomorrow)! Even if I don't do anything, even if I don't make soup, simply resting, or doing work, or thinking of ideal devotional acts and/or festivities for these holidays- and any other ones you may celebrate- it was still a good holiday. You don't have to do anything for it to be a successful holiday. Holidays are meant to be times of comfort, times to be spent at the hearth, and even those brought to life with parades and communal gatherings, away from the hearth, still have the alternatives for those who cannot- or don't want to- leave their homes. For those who cannot participate in all the extravagant acts that come with the day- like trick or treating, or making soup, or even just getting a sugar skull, let alone setting an altar to the dead. Simply sleeping, restfully or not, or eating, or drinking, or laying down, or just waking up can be a perfect enough act of festive spirit for the holidays if you don't hold yourself to the high, picture-esc standard that is strewn about everywhere. Take your practice, and remember that you are at the center of it. Your practice does not exist without you, so make yourself comfortable in it, and make yourself loved within it. The holidays you celebrate in your practice are yours to celebrate, and while there are traditional ways of celebration, or popular, well known ones, that doesn't mean you have to do them. Take care of yourself, and have a wonderful Celtic New Year. May your ancestors bless and guide you through the thinned veil. Blessed be <3

[streganonalearns]

Hello to whomever may be reading this!

I’ve been putting it off for a long time, but I’ve finally decided to seriously try to get better with divination. I’ve got a tarot deck and an oracle deck that seems centered on relationships and people. I’ve got more experience with tarot than this newer deck.

I’m trying to bond with them and my tarot deck already seems to be very brutally honest and blunt in personality, but in a way that helps and is productive

Anyway if anyone has any tips or guides they used when they were getting started that they wouldn’t mind linking to me I’d be ever so grateful or if you want to help me practice I believe my DMs and asks are open and I’d really appreciate that as well

[mossygrove333]

ᴡʜᴏ ɪ ᴀᴍ: ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇɴᴇʀɢᴇᴛɪᴄ ᴀᴜᴅʜᴅ ᴡᴇɪʀᴅᴏ (ᴀʟꜱᴏ ᴀ ᴍɪɴᴏʀ)

ᴍʏ ᴀᴇꜱᴛʜᴇᴛɪᴄ: ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ꜰʟᴇꜱʜ ʜᴀꜱ ɴᴏ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅꜱ (ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴅᴏ ᴛᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ꜰᴇᴍɪɴɪɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜʏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴄᴏᴛᴛᴀɢᴇᴄᴏʀᴇ)

ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛꜱ: ᴘᴏᴇᴛʀʏ, ꜱᴀᴘᴘʜɪᴄ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ ᴋɪɴᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ʙᴜᴛ ᴍᴏꜱᴛʟʏ ꜰᴀɴᴛᴀꜱʏ, ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴛʀᴀɢᴇᴅʏ, ᴅ&ᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ ɪɴᴛᴏ ꜱɪʟʟʏ ʟᴀɴᴅ, ʙɢ3 ʙᴄ ᴀꜱᴛᴀʀɪᴏɴ ɪꜱ ʜᴏᴛ, ᴏʟᴅ ʜᴏᴜꜱᴇꜱ, ꜱʜᴀʀᴋꜱ, ᴅᴀʏᴅʀᴇᴀᴍɪɴɢ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴅᴀʏ, ᴘᴀɢᴀɴɪꜱᴍ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄɪᴢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴄᴀʙʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴜᴇꜱᴏᴍᴇ

ʜᴏɴᴏʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ: ᴡᴏᴍᴇɴ ɪɴ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟ (ʙᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴡɪꜰᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛʟʏ)

ᴍʏ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟ ᴠɪʙᴇ: ᴀ ʙɪᴛ ꜱɪʟʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ. ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ (ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇꜱ, ɪ ᴅᴏ ᴄᴀʀᴇ). ɪ ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴍɪʟᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴍ ᴠᴇʀʏ ꜱᴏᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴀᴡᴋᴡᴀʀᴅ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ.

ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ꜰᴀᴄᴛꜱ: ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴀᴡʙᴇʀʀɪᴇꜱ, ɪ’ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴘᴏᴇᴛʀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ꜰᴇᴡ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ɪᴛ, ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ɢꜰ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀ ɴᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴀ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴇꜱ ᴍʏ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ (ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ), ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʟᴇᴛᴛᴇʀꜱ, ɪ’ᴍ ᴘᴀɢᴀɴ, ɪ’ᴍ ʙɪꜱᴇxᴜᴀʟ ʙᴜᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ꜰᴇᴍ ʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴜꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇʀᴍ ꜱᴀᴘᴘʜɪᴄ!

more abt me!

my other accounts!

[wisdomofthegecko]

just now realizing ive heard so many harmful things affecting me as a witch and pagan i need to work through again from my time practicing folk magic

[yourlocalwitchstuff]

Spending the day cleaning my room, doing my laundry, and washing my sheets and comforter for the first time since January and dedicating it to Lady Hestia ❤️

[dark-points]

I got the Greek magical papyri book and boy is it nearly useless for my purposes :c . I wanted things like info about correspondences and lists of ingredients used by the ancient Greeks for Hellenistic witchcraft and shit because I want more traditional Ancient Greek things to use for my work with Circe, but 99% of the spells are like bodies of drowned cats and using the fat of a black ass and blood from a virgin goat, not really possible despite the fact I have lots of animal parts already. Don’t have things like that! Interesting, but I can’t really use it! A bit disappointing :c

Anyways, hello! I’m trying to be more active in my craft and figuring out how to make things feel right and more my style, as there are a lot of flavors of witchcraft that are very much not for me. I am part of a local witch FB group and have been getting familiar with things, and there are some lovely people that use language and have beliefs that I can’t see myself believing in. I don’t know what I would call myself as I’ve not practiced very much, I hate to use the phrase ‘casual’ but that’s kinda how I feel compared to others.

I am starting to work with Circe, as non human ‘shapeshifting’ (like mentally and in dreams of course) is my number one goal I am seeking and honestly always has been in general. Always wanted to not be myself! I’ve been getting good feedback and she definitely is the right person for the job c:

[glowdevil]

I hope more pagans take this season to investigate the alleged origins of "Ostara" and come to terms with the lack of evidence towards the existance of a germanic goddess/festival by that name. I hope people take the news well knowing that it is ok to just make up a holiday but it is not ok to propagate "appeal to the ancient wisdom" thing that Gardnerian era occultists found so necessary. Like brother, Ostara is made-up. Happy Ostara tho.

[breelandwalker]

2024 Witches' Calendar

For all my witches out there, here's a handy list of the 2024 dates for the solstices, quarter days, full and new moons, and special events. I've listed my sources at the bottom.

Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Standard Time, USA, Northern Hemisphere. Adjust for your location as needed and check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what special events will be visible in your area. Enjoy!

Solstices, Harvests, and Quarter Days

February 1-2 - Imbolc / Candlemas

March 19 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

April 30-May 1 - Beltane / May Day

June 20 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer / Litha

August 1 - Lughnasadh / Lammas / Summer Harvest

September 22 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon / Fall Harvest

October 31 - Samhain / Halloween / Final Harvest

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Yule

Full Moons

January 25 - Wolf Moon ♌

February 24 - Snow Moon ♍

March 25 - Worm Moon ♎

April 23 - Pink Moon ♏

May 23 - Flower Moon ♐

June 21 - Strawberry Moon ♑

July 21 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♑

August 19 - Sturgeon Moon* ♒

September 17 - Harvest Moon* ♓

October 17 - Hunter's Moon (aka Blood Moon)* ♈

November 15 - Frost Moon (or Beaver Moon)* ♉

December 15 - Cold Moon ♊

*- Supermoon

Fun Fact: The title of Harvest Moon is given to either the September or October full moon, whichever falls closest to the autumn equinox. Once again this year, that month will be September.

New Moons

January 11 ♑

February 9 ♒

March 10 ♓

April 8 ♈

May 7 ♉

June 6 ♊

July 5 ♋

August 4 ♌

September 2 ♍

October 2 ♎

November 1 ♏

December 1 ♐

December 30 (black moon) ♑

Special Celestial Events

January 3-4 - Quadrantids meteor shower peak

March 25 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

April 8 - Total solar eclipse

April 22-23 - Lyrids meteor shower peak

May 6-7 - Eta Aquarids meteor shower peak

August 11-13 - Perseids meteor shower peak

August 19 - Sturgeon Supermoon / Seasonal Blue Moon

September 17 - Harvest Supermoon / Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

October 2 - "Ring of Fire" solar eclipse

October 17 - Hunter's Supermoon

October 21-22 - Orionids meteor shower peak

November 15 - Frost Supermoon

November 16-17 - Leonids meteor shower peak

December 13-14 - Geminids meteor shower peak

December 30 - Black Moon

(Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)

Mercury Retrogrades (in case you need them)

April 1 - April 24

August 4 - August 27

November 25 - December 15

Happy Witching!

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

Bree's Lunar Calendar Series

Bree's Secular Celebrations Series

Moon Info - Full Moon Dates for 2024

Calendar-12 - 2024 Moon Phases

Full Moonology - 2024 Full Moon Calendar

AstroStyle - All the 2024 Full Moons

Your Zodiac Sign - Astrology Calendar 2024

Old Farmer's Almanac - Mercury Retrograde Dates 2023-2024

Lonely Planet - Best Star-gazing Events of 2024

Sea and Sky - Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2024

DarkSky International - Dark Sky Placefinder for Stargazing

Pagan Grimoire - Wheel of the Year: The 8 Festivals in the Wiccan Calendar (2024 Edition)

=

If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊

EDIT: Mercury is stationed direct on Jan 1st, 2024. The source I used which stated it was in retrograde until the 18th had a typo.

EDIT: Fixed the zodiac signs for the full moons using a new source.

[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

[hail-our-lady-underground]

Solidarity between all religions, especially between those threatened by colonialism! Pagans, polytheists, and witches of all creeds unite for Palestine!

Share:

Prayers

Offerings

Protest posters

Spells

News

Donations

And other symbols of solidarity colored by your faith!

Never before in history had we the tools for everyone, all over the world, to resist genocide simultaneously and with such fierceness. Everything you do to keep eyes on Gaza counts. Every prayer, every action, it all amounts to something grander.

Keep talking about Israel’s genocidal, colonialist ‘war’ against Palestine. Keep praying. The divine are with us.

[greenwitchcrafts]

October 2023 witch guide

Full moon: October 28th

New moon: October 14th

Sabbats: Samhain

October Hunter's Moon

Known as: Blood moon, drying rice moon, falling leaf moon, freezing moon, migrating moon, moon of the changing seasons, shedding moon, ten colds moon, winterfelleth & windermanoth

Element: Air

Zodiac: Libra & Scorpio

Nature spirits: Frost faeries & Plant faeries

Deities: Apollo, Astarte, Belili, Cernunnos, Demeter, Hathor, Herne, Horned God, Ishtar, Kore, Lakshmi & Mercury

Animals: Elephant, jackal, ram, scorpion & stag

Birds: Crow, heron & robin

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress & yew

Herbs/Plants: Angelica, apple blossom, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, sweet Annie, thyme & Uva ursi

Flowers: Calendula, cosmos & marigold

Scents: Apple blossom, cherry & strawberry

Stones: Amethyst, beryl, obsidian, opal, tourmaline & turquoise

Colors: Black, dark blue, Dark greens & purples

Energy: Artistic works, balance, creativity, harmony, inner cleansing, justice, karma, legal matters, mental stimulation, partnerships, reincarnation & uncovering mysteries or secrets

It is believed that this name originates from the fact that it was a signal for hunters to prepare for the upcoming cold winter by going hunting. This is because animals were beginning to fatten up in preparation for the winter season. Moreover, since fields had recently been cleared out under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily spot deer and other animals that had come out to search for remaining scraps. Additionally, foxes and wolves would also come out to prey on these animals.

The earliest use of the term “Hunter’s Moon,” cited in the Oxford English Dictionary, is from 1710. Some sources suggest that other names for the Hunter’s Moon are the Sanguine or Blood Moon, either associated with the blood from hunting or the color of the changing autumn leaves. 

Samhain

Also known as: All Hallow's Eve,  Ancestor Night, Feast of Apples, Feast of Sam-fuim, Feast of Souls, Feast of the Dead, Geimhreadh, Hallowmass, Martinmass, Old Hallowmas, Pagan New Year, Samana, Samhuinn, Samonios, Shadowfest & Third Harvest

Season: Fall

Symbols: Apples, bats, besom(brooms), black cats, cauldrons, ghosts, gourds, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, scarecrows & witches

Colors: Black, gold, orange, silver & white

Oils/incense: Basil, cloves, copal, frankincense, gum mastic, heather, heliotrope, mint, myrrh & nutmeg

Animals: Bat, boar, cat cattle & dogs

Stones: Amber, anatase, black calcite, black obsidian, black tourmaline, brass, carnelian, clear quartz diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, iron, jet, marble, pearl, pyrite, ruby, sandstone, sardonyx, smokey quartz, steel & tektite

Foods: Apples, ale, beef, cider, corm, fruits, garlic, gourds, grains, hazelnuts, herbal teas, mushroom, nettle, nuts, pears, pomegranates, pork, poultry, pumpkin pie, sunflower seeds, thistle, turnips & wine (mulled)

Herbs/plants: Acorn, Allspice, catnip, corn, dittany of Crete, hazel, mandrake, mugwort, mullien, oak leaves, pine, rosemary, sage, straw, tarragon, thistle, wormwood & yellow cedar

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, deadly nightshade, rue & fumitory

Goddesses: Al-lat, Baba Yaga, Badb, Banba, Bast, Bebhionn, Bronach, Brunhilde, Cailleach, Carlin, Cassandra, Cerridwen, Copper Woman, Crobh Dearg, Devanyani, Dolya, Edda, Elli, Eris, Erishkigal, Fortuna, Frau Holde, Hecate, Hel, Ishtar, Kali, Macha Mania, Morrigan, Nemesis, Nephthys, Nicneven & Rhiannon

Gods: Arawan, Baron Samede, Belenus, Coyote, Cronus, Dagda, Dis, Hades, Loki, Nefertum, Odin, Osiris, Pluto, Woden & Xocatl

Issues Intentions & Powers: Crossroads, darkness, death, divination, honoring ancestors, introspection, the otherworld/underworld, release, visions & wisdom (of the crone)

Spellwork: Divination, fire magick, night magick, shape-shifting, spirit calling & water magick

Related festivals:

• Day of the Dead- (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed & is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. Although related to the simultaneous Christian remembrances for Hallowtide, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

• All Saints Day- is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints & martyrs of the Church, whether they are known or unknown

Activities:

• Dedicate an altar to loved ones who have passed

• Boil a simmer pot to cleanse your space

• Have a silent dinner

• Light a candle for your loved ones & yourself

• Decorate your house and/or altar

• Release negative energy & cleanse your with a ritual bath

• Pull tarot cards to see what may be in store for you ahead

• Cleanse, clean & de-clutter your space

• Leave offerings to the Fae

• Journal & reflect on your accomplishments, challenges & everything you did this year

•Go on a nature walk

• Learn a new form of divination

• Have a bonfire with your friends and/or family

• Carve pumpkins

• Express yourself creatively through art, music, ect

• Visit a cemetery & help clean off areas that need it or to visit a family member/ ancestor & leave an offering

• Hold a seance

• Bake spooky treats & bread as offerings

• Refresh your protection magicks, sigils & rituals

Samhain is a Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or "darker half" of the year. Celebrations begin on the evening of 31 October, since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset.

This fire festival is celebrated on October 31st & is considered the Pagan New Year. It is the first Sabbat on the Wheel of the Year, a cross-quarter festival & the third (final) harvest festival of the mundane year. This is the time when the veil between the worlds of the living & those who have passed is the thinnest, which allows greater communication between the two

Some believe this is the time of the Goddess's mourning of the death of the God until his rebirth at Yule. The Goddess's sadness can be seen in the shortening, darkening days & the arrival of cold weather

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's 2023 magical almanac: practical magic for everyday living

Wikipedia

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

[coinandcandle]

Coin's Resources for Research

Here's a list of my personal favorite resources for researching witchcraft, magic, and the occult!

Websites

Sacred Texts - This site is a collection of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics. Almost all of it is in the English language (translated) and when possible they give the original language (which is quite often)!

Jstor - Home to thousands of scholarly content. While there are limitations to the open and free content on the site, they still have quite a lot to offer! If you can afford the paid version I highly suggest you do so.

Wikipedia - I don't care what your high school lit teacher told you, Wikipedia is a great resource and a wonderful way to find where to start when you're learning a new topic. 

Encyclopedia Britannica - A fact-checked online encyclopedia with hundreds of thousands of objective articles, biographies, videos, and more.

Hoopla - A digital library where you can borrow books, audio books, and more! It's connected to your local library so make sure you get a library card!

Libby - Same situation as Hoopla.

Worldcat - A website that helps you track down reliable sources that you can only find in libraries.

PDFDrive - A website with thousands of free pdfs. It doesn't always have what I'm looking for but it's always worth a shot to check!

Youtube

Esoterica - Run by Dr. Justin Sledge, Esoterica is a channel that discusses the arcane in history, philosophy, and religion.

Angela's Symposium - Dr. Angela Puca's channel where she covers peer-reviewed research and scholarship on magic, witches, esoteric traditions, the occult, Paganism, shamanism and related currents.

ReligionForBreakfast - Dr. Andrew M. Henry's channel that discusses--you guessed it--religion! His goal is to improve the public's religious literacy by exploring humanity's beliefs and rituals through an anthropological, sociological, and archaeological lens. 

Misc

Ronald Hutton - Hutton is an invaluable resource and a fantastic historian. He writes the facts without being pretentious and is often quite funny too! 

Wiki's List of Occult Writers

Wiki's List of Occult Terms

[conjuredsun]

The Witch Father

In traditional witchcraft, we often come across mentions of the enigmatic Witch Father. His Folklore is scattered, and there is little consensus to who He is. The mythology of Witch Father folklore is spread across centuries, hidden in tales of the Devil and in the transcripts from witch trials. He is a multifaceted being who rules over life, death, initiations, knowledge, and the untamed wilderness lurking at the edges of society.

The Witch Father is an archetypal Divine Masculine Spirit that illuminates life and is a lord of death. Witch Father is a catchall title for the myriad spirits witches have historically contracted with and have since been omitted by the witch trial transcripts across Europe. 

He is most commonly known as the Devil in today’s craft. As we know him, The Witch Father is an initiator and holds the keys to our disinhibition towards pleasure. He opens the way to occult knowledge and gives us the opportunity to explore (legal) pleasures without the need for guild or shame. Walking with the Witch Father allows us to dive into the hidden realms and learn the Occult Arts to change our lives. He also allows us to revel in primal human desires. 

As the Initiator into Witchcraft, the Witch Father takes on the mantle of the Light Betwixt the Horns. He comes into our lives and offers us the choice to go down this path and walk with Him. He grants us an understanding of magick, nature, and pleasure. He empowers us to uncover our Truth and the Truth of the World. As the initiator, some see the Witch Father as Lucifer. He is also the Serpent who revealed to Eve that the fruit from the Tree of Life will not cause her to die but will grant the wisdom of the universe.

The Witch Father allows space for us to free ourselves from the inhibitions placed on us by general society, and especially the church. He encourages us to rebel, sing, dance, and uncover wisdom. He leads the Witch’s Sabbath, which grants us a place to revel in the freedoms offered there. By leading us to this sacred experience, He fills his role as an emanation of the untamed wilderness, the primal subconscious of our most human desires. He gives us the Church of Nature. Taking the liturgical prayers of the Church and the Book of Psalms, mixing that with more ancient pagan animism, we are given access to a hidden power through His teachings.

Now, while I talk as if the Witch Father is a God, he is not. He is an ancient and powerful spirit who has led witches over the centuries and demands reverence. He is not all-powerful and is not a creator. He works his charms through magic and shapes the world. He is not a distant, impersonal being. He is immediate to us and is a mentor for us. 

Disinhibition

At the Witch’s Sabbat, our spirits fly away to commune with Our Devil, other witches and spirits in His retinue. It was a place to mix business and pleasure. At the Sabbat, witches would learn new spells, come together to work rituals, learn new forms of magick from the Witch Father, and of course partake in enjoyment. 

The Sabbath is a place of Initiation for new witches and also a place for learning new aspects of the craft. Once the business concludes, the Sabbat becomes a celebration. We may forget the staunch rules of mundane society and revel in our animalistic and beastial joys. There is singing, dancing, food and drink. We can indulge in these desires and these delicacies. All of which is orchestrated and gifted to us by the Witch Father. 

The Wild

There is a deep connection between the Witch Father and Nature. They are ‌synonymous with each other. He is an emanation of the land and its spirits. As Christianity became the dominant religion, and as society shifted further away from living in harmony with Nature, the figure of the folkloric Devil grew. He calls to us to return to the untamed lands and to forget the society that weighs us down. He offers liberation instead of our oppression. 

The Witch Father, as Nature, holds a duality over life and death. He is life itself and the bringer of light. But he is also the Lord of Death and of shadows. As the year turns, we see both aspects and the cyclical nature of them. Death giving way to new life and of life giving way to death. He is destruction and creation. Death and resurrection. 

Even His iconography and the existing descriptions that we have of the Devil show the immense connection He has to the Land. He is a shapeshifter comfortable in being a recognizable animal, a humanoid form, or even a hybrid. He reminds us of our baser instincts and that we are not above animals or the land just because we, as humans, have subjugated them for centuries. 

He is the Horned one, the light betwixt the horns, Terra Pater, Primus Magus. And he has revealed himself to us in so many other forms throughout the centuries. It’s hard to pigeonhole the Witch Father as any one being, or to even say “this is what he looks like.” He’s shown us he is comfortable changing his shape on a whim. He takes on the mantles of mentor, guide, and is a safe space for us to let our guard down and find enjoyment outside of our mundane lives. 

Old Scratch

Old Scratch is a more antiquated term for The Devil or Satan primarily found in the Southern United States and the South Midlands. This name has been memorialized in Faustian Folklore such as “The Devil and Tom Walker” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster” where our protagonist sells his soul to the devil for prosperity. 

This reinforces the theme that our Witch Father, the Folkloric Devil, offers us a chance to change our luck and our lives. Now, in these stories, the protagonist is taken away and dragged into the fires of hell, but in the living practice of Traditional Witchcraft, it doesn’t happen that way. We see these stories as what happens when trying to break deals with the Otherworld. Contracts and Pacts made with Spirits should be kept up with. It’s imperative. 

Black Shuck

In East Anglian folklore, Black Shuck is an omen of death. If you see him, it is said that you will die before the year is up, and if you meet his eye you’ll be dragged away. 

The first mention of the Black Shuck is in “The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle” in 1127 where He is affiliated with a Wild Hunt that was in Petersborough from Lent through Easter. Later on, in the 1500s, he is said to have broken into a church and killed two paritioners while kneeling in prayer. 

Here we see the Chthonic side of the Devil. He is a psychopomp taking souls to the Other Side. He is a shepherd of the dead, warns us of impending doom, and teaches us about life, death, and ways to travel between the Worlds.

[autumnsvoice87]

Spoonie Witchcraft- Full moon

So I have been thinking about low energy magic. As someone who is disabled I haven't had the energy to do withcraft the way I used to. I have not been doing much at all for the last year. There has been no moon water made, no ritutual magic, and I haven't even been able to smoke cleanse my home.

I have been stressed financially, as well as in extreme pain this past year. I decided to see what other spoonies had to say about what to do on a full moon. I want to do something, but I am not sure what I can or am able to do. I went to my witchy discord servers and Facebook groups and asked around. I also thought of a couple of ideas on my own as well.

Here are some ideas to use for the spoonie witch.

Sit outside under the full moon. This would be called moon bathing but sometimes theres a full ritual around it. However, just sitting out under the full moon and basking in its light is good enough. This is also only if weather permiting. Don't go out into a hurricane or other severe weather. You may just end up being blown away instead.

Prayer. Praying to the God's you believe in or work with in silence. Praying to your ancestors and giving them thanks for thier guidence and wisdom. Obviously this is more for pagan witches and not for the atheists.

Sigils. You can do sigils everywhere. You can draw a sigil on your palm and visualize its purpose. For example, drawing an abundance sigil and visualize money coming to you. It's a good simple spell. Can also draw sigils in your food with a knife or other utensil depending on what you are eating. Peanut butter jelly time!

Birthday candles. Using birthday candles in candle magic instead of regular candles can be a quick spell and still work just as effectively. Making wishes on cake is magic. Maybe make a wish on a chocolate swiss roll.

Tea and coffee. You speak intentions into your drinks. Maybe have a full moon tea blend and do this when the sun goes down. You can buy different blends of tea on etsy or at a farmers market.

Watching youtube videos. Watch videos about magic and the full moon. There might even be a live meditation on there you can join in on.

Tarot readings. A low spoonie tarot reading. A basic 3 card spread that is for fun and not the deep soul searching/healing that you may normally do. Another tarot idea is just to pull one card to just see what the message would be.

Gemstones on nightstand. Put stones on your nightstand that have the intentions you'd like to draw to you. For example, amethyst for protection against nightmares. Maybe green adventurine for bringing in luck and abundance to your life. Use black obsidian for protection against gossip. Well, by now, you get the idea.

Cleansing. There are multiple methods of cleansing. If you have enough energy, a small ritual shower could be what is needed to get more energy. Or, at the very least, feel more refreshed. If you can't stand for a shower, soaking in a tub with salt water will work. You may use a shower chair for the shower if you have one. I use a bar of soap that is hand-made by other witches. They tend to put essential oils and intentions, so there is a cleansing effect. If you are too low energy for that, going back to youttube idea; they have cleansing meditation music. You can sound cleanse with the music. You may also play witchy ambient music. There are a vast number of options for sound cleansing.

Journaling. Journaling is something that can be done lying down. You can find some journal prompts on Tumblr, or you can find them on pintinterest. You can do shadow work journaling as a form of releasing. It's fun to select a new journal or even get a fancy pen.

Dressing up. If you have a witchy shirt, dress, or robes. It is fun to dress up on the full moon in honor of the moon. Like going to a magical witchy party. I have 2 witchy dresses, a witchy sweater, and a long sleeve stars and moons blouse. I also have a regular black dress for if I want to be more subtle.

Self care. It is okay to just watch a movie or binge watch a favorite TV show. You could also read a book for fun. If you are very into astrology, depending on the astrological sign of the moon phase, self care would be more important. Tomorrow, the full moon is in Pisces, and there is a lunar eclipse. Self care may be the best option during this full moon in September.

I wanted to say a big thank you to The Four Winds Coven on Discord as well as the modern witch collective for helping me brainstorm this list. There are more of us spoonie witches out there than we think. This list is also great for someone who is just too busy to do much either. I hope you all enjoy these tips and tricks!