theinformedpagan

[theinformedpagan]

question for rune people

This isn't rhetorical. I actually want people to respond with answers. You can do it anonymously if you want. As specific as possible please. I'm specifying this because usually when I ask questions like this I get a dozen likes and no answers.

If you're into runes and you've recommended books (or websites, or whatever) about runes to people, what is it about those books that you identify as good or bad? How do you know it's good? Why are some books better than other books? If it's more "accurate," accurate to what? And how do you know?

[theinformedpagan]

Lugh Lámhfhada’s foster mother, the goddess Tailtiu during this time of year died clearing woodland for crops. Lugh then proclaimed that this time of year would mark the festival of Lughnasadh (“Lugh’s Fair”), in honour of her.  One of the well known harvest festival sites of Lughnasadh was held at Emain Macha, near Co. Armagh. Emain Macha was a circular ceremonial hilltop site of healing and ritual and the home of Macha Mong Ruadh (“Macha of the Red Hair”). There are different Macha’s in the old Irish texts, one whom is seen as one third of the Goddess Morrígan. Another is Macha, who while heavily pregnant was forced to outrun the king of Ulster’s horses and died of exhaustion.

This illustration is to represent the celebration of Lughnasadh, as well as the struggle and sacrifice of the mother. (at Navan Fort) https://www.instagram.com/p/CR4L41frGkj/?utm_medium=tumblr

[theinformedpagan]

A solstice flame, kindled last night in the hope that the sun would rise again. May your days fill with light and warmth and may you remember that all dark days end. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJEp6bQnbsx/?igshid=1t1edsxymr0cu

[theinformedpagan]

A vigil - a light for the Sun, and the turning of the Wheel. (And maybe a little extra light for my coven siblings and myself, to keep between us even though we’re far apart.)

[theinformedpagan]

I’ve been thinking a lot about Patron/Matron deities for the passed few days.

I don’t have one-at least, I don’t think I do. So, IDK why I would be thinking about it. 

But, what, exactly, is a Patron/Matron deity?

[theinformedpagan]

Not being mean, I honestly want to know, what are the main tenants of ma'at everyone should follow?

So the answer to this could probably be a couple of miles long, tbh. But I’m going to try and give you guys a concise list of some of the most common themes I’ve seen over the years while reading up on ma’at. Most of this stuff comes from Karenga, Quirke and Muhlenstein. I’ve bolded the key points to help for readability.

So, to start off with…

Humility. You are supposed to be humble. Conversely, you’re supposed to not be arrogant or overly prideful.

Moderation is another common theme. This is why Set is often othered, because he lacks moderation in many respects. This is reflected in what you consume, how you respond to people, how you act, etc. I would also argue that it’s also about how you live (aka the wealth you obtain), but I don’t know that that is historically corroborated (probably not, tbh, because you were supposed to give your wealth to those who had less, and so long as you were giving back, you’d be golden afaict).

Giving to those who have less than you. This is commonly worded as “clothing the naked, giving a home to the homeless, a boat to the boatless, feeding the hungry, etc.” It’s about giving to those who have less than you. Egypt failed on this a lot. A lot of modern practitioners also fail on it.

Not being a jerk to other people. Esp. if they have less than you. It’s written in the wisdom texts that if someone who is of lesser rank than you spouts off, it’ll do you well to listen to them, but not to berate them. Leave that to someone who is of an authority to do so. This also goes back to moderation.

All in all, finding your place within your community, and doing what you can to help the community. This is probably because before the modern era, humans truly required their fellows to help them survive. No man was an island before the modern era, and everyone was needed to help keep everything running smoothly. Hence the emphasis on community in the here and now. This, ofc, means more than just the Kemetic community, but also the ppl you live next to. Conversely, it also seems to tie into not suffering people who would destroy your community.

Doing your job well, being a hard worker, having a good work ethic. Not being a cheating, swindling jerkface.

Self-reflection and making self-awareness and growth something of a priority. Taking the time to look at yourself and being honest with what you need to improve, and working to make improvements as you are able.

Maintaining the cult of the gods. This is arguably more relevant to the people whose jobs it was to do this on the regular (aka the king, priests), but it still deserves a place on the list. The gods helped us maintain Order, maintain our world. As such, it benefited us to take care of them. Conversely, if the gods weren’t fulfilling their roles, it was also within ma’at to call them on it (see my point about doing your job well) and refuse to take care of their needs until your needs (or the community’s needs) are met.

These all seem pretty self-explanatory, imo. And they are probably the most commonly sighted tenets of ma’at. The rules shift, however, when ma’at is threatened. Muhlenstein writes about this extensively in his text “Violence in the Service of Order.” In order to get a complete idea of what ma’at entails, we need to examine this side of things, too:

Being willing to smite isfet when it shows up. This is often referred to as “smiting Set’s confederates” or something similar. Ma’at is all about creating something, and maintaining that creation–which means defending it when necessary. So when someone shows up and tries to wreck the party, you wreck that person’s face and send them packing.

Once any isfet is eradicated, you are supposed to replace it with ma’at. It’s not good enough to just cut down isfet where it stands. You need to replace that void with ma’at, otherwise the isfet will return to fill the void.

Taking care of your community is another aspect of this. Egypt used this as an excuse to go conquesting. Pretty sure most of us know that colonialism is bad and would add in extra caveats on what is acceptable for “taking care of your own”, but from a purely historical standpoint, this meant beating down anyone who had stuff you wanted so that you could bring more resources back to your home. In a more modern context, I would argue that it means helping your fellows to succeed and to be safe. This is also more than just our Kemetic community, and should include people who are a part of your life or in-person community.

Protecting what you have built (usually referred to as Order, protecting Order.) This honestly is just a succinct way of saying what I said in the last three bullets.

Now, obvs, not everyone is cut out to smite isfet or help defend things on the regular. And that’s fine. However, just because you’re not able or not necessarily comfortable with it doesn’t mean that you should get in the way of those who are willing and able to do so. I think that’s honestly one of the largest issues I see in most situations. “I’m made uncomfortable by this, and therefore you shouldn’t do the thing, because I personally wouldn’t want the thing done.” Even though defending the community and those who are adherents of ma’at is part and parcel with ma’at in certain contexts.

Given how extensive ma’at is, it’s possible that I’ve missed some things, but these are probably the highlights of what comes to mind. If anyone else can think of anything I’ve missed, feel free to add.

[theinformedpagan]

Autumn Leaves Incense

Well pleased with this recipe, so I thought I’d share it.

1 pt. frankincense 1 pt. white oak bark 1 pt. pine needles 1 pt. pomegranate skin ½ pt. cinnamon ½ pt. nutmeg ½ pt. turmeric Dragon’s Blood oil Patchouli oil

A part is any measure - I just use a set of measuring spoons myself, but so long as you use the same cup, spoon, or container to measure with the proportions will come out right.

Oils are to taste in my recipes. I generally use about 10 drops of each per cup of incense, but it’s not exact. Bear in mind that the more you put in, the smokier your incense will be.

Aging your incense will allow it to develop a fuller scent, so give it some time to blend and mature. If you make incense with oils, store the incense in a glass container if you can. Plastic can let the oils seep out, and not only will it not be in your incense, it will scent anything and everything around it.

[theinformedpagan]

Witchs’ Cauldron Creations is back!

Thank you for your patience, and enjoy. :) Please like, reblog, and share with your friends!

[theinformedpagan]

Full “Mead” Moon, June 2020

Witches (whether actual or simply accused of such) have historically been amongst the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised, marginalized scapegoats for violence and greed. Those of us who take up the title of ‘witch’ now should remember that. Use the power and privilege you have on the behalf of those that do not.

[theinformedpagan]

How Find Safe Groups, Teachers, and Authors in the Pagan and Witch Community

In my last post, I talked about how to recognize if a group is a cult or is using cult techniques to control its members. As I pointed out in that post, cults can be based on any ideology – including pagan spirituality or secular witchcraft.

So now that we know how to identify the bad teachers and groups, how do we find communities, teachers, and resources that are safe, healthy, and helpful?

Obviously, the first step is to compare any teacher, group, or author to Steven Hassan’s BITE model (the four-part model of Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotional control used by cults to control members) and see if it matches up with their behavior – anyone who employs the BITE model is not someone you want to involve in your spiritual journey.

Beyond that, here are some more things that you SHOULD look for in a teacher, author, or group:

1. A safe teacher, author, or group prioritizes the individuality, independence, and autonomy of every student, reader, or member.

A good teacher can share information and even their own personal experiences without telling students how to think or what to believe. The same goes for authors. Safe teachers and authors encourage students/readers to use their own judgement to decide if what is being taught is right for them.

Likewise, a healthy group may be founded on a common belief or practice, but group members recognize that each person’s experiences within that framework are going to be different.

Be wary of groups with imbalanced power dynamics. If a group has a clear hierarchy (official or unofficial) with some members getting special treatment, ask why. Some pagan groups do perform ordination, and it’s normal for students pursuing ordination to get extra training or coaching from leaders. But even then, they should not be treated as if they were superior to other group members.

Avoid groups that put pressure on new members to make public commitments, such as baptism, initiation, or ordination. Again, some groups do offer these, and that’s perfectly fine. What isn’t fine is new group members being pressured to make major commitments before they feel ready for them. In groups that offer these commitments, they should be available for students who feel ready for them, but should not be treated like the default or like they are mandatory.

2. Safe teachers, authors, and groups are honest and transparent about where they get their information.

If you’re considering buying a book on witchcraft, paganism, or any other spiritual topic, perform this quick test before you do: flip to the back of the book and look for the “Resources” section. In a well-researched book, this section will be several pages long. In a really good book, it will include sources from non-pagan, non-witch authors, like historians and scientists. If the book doesn’t have a resources section, or if the resources section is especially short, don’t bother with it.

Likewise, when you’re attending a class or group meeting, teachers and leaders should be open about where they got their information. If a teacher doesn’t specify where their information is coming from, don’t be afraid to ask them – if they can’t answer off the top of their head or they dodge the question, you may want to consider finding a different teacher.

Don’t be afraid to ask teachers and group members for book recommendations! Most witches and pagans do a lot of reading, and will have no problem giving you a list of their favorite resources.

If you notice that a teacher or group is only using books from one or two authors, that’s a red flag. This goes double if a teacher or author only uses or references books that they wrote themselves.

If a teacher or group relies heavily on information from a single author, do your own research into that author’s legitimacy. For example, Silver Ravenwolf was a very popular Wiccan author in the ‘90s and early 2000s, and a lot of older witches still recommend her books to newcomers – but a quick Google search will reveal that Ravenwolf is extremely controversial and has been accused of knowingly spreading misinformation in her books. If a teacher or group relies heavily on Ravenwolf or other authors that have been publicly exposed as frauds, you’ll want to take what they teach with several grains of salt.

(For the record, the points in this post are based on the work of cult researchers like Steven Hassan, Margaret Singer, and Luna Lindsey. See? It’s not that hard.)

3. Safe teachers, authors, and groups are open to analysis and criticism.

If you really want to know an author’s integrity, look at how they respond to their negative reviews. Someone who accuses those who disagree with them of being ignorant and small-minded, or of “persecuting” them is not someone you want to rely on in your spiritual journey.

Likewise, if you’re considering joining a group, pay attention to how they talk about ex-members. A healthy group is able to acknowledge that what they offer isn’t for everyone, and doesn’t take it personally when someone leaves.

A good teacher will lead class discussions that encourage questions from students. Avoid teachers who belittle students for asking “stupid” or “irrelevant” questions, or who refuse to answer questions on certain topics. You should also be wary of teachers who use canned answers that don’t really address what was being asked.

4. A safe teacher, author, or group leader is qualified, approachable, and down to earth.

Determining someone’s qualifications gets a little tricky in witchy and pagan communities, because many of these traditions don’t have a formal clergy, and I have yet to see an accredited school offering degrees in magical theory. In some cases, the only qualification a person can have is being an experienced practitioner.

But there are some cases where you can – and should! – ask someone for their credentials. If someone uses a title like “High Priestess,” “Elder,” or “Reverend,” make sure they were ordained by a legitimate religious organization. (Even if a group isn’t legally classified as a church, you can still research them and their reputation.) If someone is teaching a formal system like Reiki, they should be certified to teach in that system. Any time someone claims to have a certain title, status, or certification, ask to see the paperwork to prove it.

A good teacher is accessible. If they charge for their services, the price should be reasonable for the service being offered. It’s entirely appropriate for someone who is putting a lot of time and energy into teaching a class to expect payment, but it isn’t appropriate to overcharge or exploit people.

A good teacher, author, or group leader is down to earth and approachable. They don’t claim to be anything more or less than a human being looking to share their knowledge and experience with others.

Avoid anyone who claims to be an incarnated deity, angel, demon, or other non-human figure, or who claims to be the spouse, consort, or child of such a being. Avoid anyone who claims to be a reincarnated master or historical figure. Be very skeptical of anyone who claims to be on a unique divine mission or have been “chosen” by a higher power. These are all common tactics used by cult leaders to gain respect and worship from their followers.

If a teacher, author, or other authority figure asks to be “paid” for their services with sexual favors or says you have to have sex with them as a form of initiation, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AND NEVER LOOK BACK. Any person who tries to coerce you into sex is an attempted rapist, and you need to get away from them as soon as possible, no matter what title or authority they have.

5. A safe author, teacher, or group believes in science and history and does not try to discredit them.

Contrary to popular belief, you can have faith in magic, divinity, or some other cosmic force and still believe in science. Paganism and witchcraft are no less compatible with science than any other spiritual practice.

Avoid anyone who tries to twist history to make themselves look more sympathetic. Any author, teacher, or group who talks about “the Burning Times” or claims that there was a unified “witchcraft cult” in ancient Europe is either a liar or willfully ignorant. These things never happened. We know they never happened because there is no historical evidence to support them and a lot of historical evidence that disproves them.

Likewise, pseudoscience should not be taught as fact. You may hear people talk about how your emotions vibrate at different frequencies which have the power to positively or negatively affect your life – what they won’t tell you is that these ideas come from a book about political theory (Power vs. Force by David R. Hawkins) and have no scientific evidence to support them. Or, you may hear people say that psychoactive medications block your psychic abilities – how can this be true, when most medications are derived from the same plants and herbs that witches have been using for healing magic for centuries? Most of these conspiracy theories have little to no backing in the scientific or witchcraft communities, and they have no place in a spiritual learning environment.

Most importantly: If YOU feel uncomfortable, then it is not the right group for YOU.

A group doesn’t have to be cultish or unhealthy to be a bad fit for you and your spiritual path. Ultimately, both witchcraft and paganism are highly intuitive, and you will have to do what feels right for you.

[theinformedpagan]

Hey Y’all?

If you haven’t seen this?  You need to see this.

Practical Polytheism Part I: Knowledge

Practical Polytheism Part II: Practice

Practical Polytheism Part III: Polling the Gods

Practical Polytheism Part IV: Little Gods and Big People

[theinformedpagan]

Using crystals to fight coronavirus

Step 1 - gather your favorite crystals into the coziest room in your abode

Step 2 - stay inside with your crystals

Step 3 - if you have to go outside, wear a mask

[theinformedpagan]

Wiccan Rede

*Note: This Rede mainly refers to White witches. If you practice Black or Grey magick, that’s great, but this post won’t be of much help for you.

Bide the Wiccan Law ye must

In perfect love, in perfect trust.

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:

An’ ye harm none, do as ye will.

And ever mind the Rule of Three:

What ye send out comes back to thee.

Follow this with mind and heart

And merry meet, and merry part

                                                        🌒🌕🌘

The Wiccan Rede actually comes from an excruciatingly long book about the Wiccan way, but wiccans have long since agreed that these stanzas are among the most important to note. It is important to have in your grimoire as a reminder of the code of ethics in the Craft. 

But, Whisper, what does it mean?

The first stanza is an urge for you to understand and follow the law. Just like civies have laws, so too do witches. But because there’s no law enforcement specifically for witches, it’s based on the honor code. You choose what you send into the world.

The second stanza is arguably the most important and well known line of the Wiccan Law. “An’ ye harm none, do as ye will”. It means you are free to do as you like with your magick, but if it harms anyone you should not do it. 

Next, the stanza mentions the Rule of Three, or as I like to call it, the Threefold Law. This basically says that whatever energy you send into the world will come back to you three times stronger. 

The last stanza refers to the previous, saying that you should keep in mind the Threefold Rule during any magickal workings. Merry meet and merry part are wiccan greetings similar to ‘good to see you’ and ‘have a good day’. 

**I don’t know of any Rede for Black or Grey magicks, but if there is one, send it my way because I’d love to read it!

[theinformedpagan]

anyway how to explain the whole Medusa Athena Poseidon deal to a beginner polytheist without them hating the gods and understanding the situation? i'm not good at this kinda stuff but i want to help

Perseus, Medusa, and Hermes. Black-figured olpe (jug), attributed to the Amassis Painter, circa 550BC-530BCE, Attica, Greece. Collection of the British Museum, London, England. (X) Image license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

For those unfamiliar with the problem to which Anon refers, some modern reimaginings of this myth depict Medusa as a human priestess who was raped by Poseidon in Athena’s temple.  In these stories, Medusa was subsequently punished by Athena for having broken a vow of celibacy to the goddess.

These retellings are modern re-workings of ancient mythology designed to support Goddess Spirituality, a practice that emerged from a merger of analytical psychology and feminist ideology in the 1970s. Goddess Spirituality is a pagan movement which sometimes includes the worship of Greek goddesses, but has little to do with modern Hellenic polytheist practices.

I find the best way to deal with this issue is to look at ancient mythology as ancient people saw it.

The earliest stories we have about the Gorgons are from Hesiod, around the 8th-7th centuries BCE. The Gorgons were daughters of the monstrous sea-gods Phorcys and Keto. Their other sisters were the Graeae, three monsters with one eye and one tooth between them; Scylla, a monster who devoured sea-farers in The Odyssey,; Ladon, a hundred-headed monster; and Echidna, the half-snake/half-woman monster who married the monster-god Typhon. It’s spelled out very clearly: the Gorgons were monsters, from a family of monsters. They were Bad News. 

Hesiod, writing around 750-650 BCE, says:

“…the Gorgons who, beyond the famous stream of Okeanos (Oceanus), live in the utmost place toward night, by the singing Hesperides: they are Sthenno, Euryale, and Medousa (Medusa), whose fate is a sad one, for she was mortal, but the other two immortal and ageless both alike. Poseidon, he of the dark hair, lay with one of these, in a soft meadow and among spring flowers.” (X)

Hesiod doesn’t describe Medusa’s appearance, speculate why she alone of the Gorgons was mortal, imply that the relationship was non-consensual, mention the temple of Athena, or say that Athena cursed her. 

Ovid, writing six or seven hundred years later, tended to sensationalize everything for his (primarily male) audience. He wrote: 

Beyond all others shewas famed for beauty, and the envious hopeof many suitors. Words would fail to tellthe glory of her hair, most wonderfulof all her charms—A friend declared to mehe saw its lovely splendour. Fame declaresthe Sovereign of the Sea attained her lovein chaste Minerva’s temple. While enragedshe turned her head away and held her shieldbefore her eyes. To punish that great crimeMinerva changed the Gorgon’s splendid hairto serpents horrible. (X)

Who knows what was going on in Ovid’s mind when he wrote this? He may have been thinking about Poseidon’s known rivalry with Athena to become the patron deity of Athens, which Athena won, and may have intended the incident to be read as Poseidon’s revenge on Athena by desecrating her temple through having sex there with Medusa. Athena was understandably angry, and it sounds like her vengeance was to make Medusa look like her sisters. Was Athena’s vengeance directed solely at the mortal monster from a family of immortal monsters? Are we supposed to believe that Poseidon, god of the sea, was horrified to learn that his  beautiful inamorata was actually a Gorgon, the daughter of the god of sea-monsters? Or, perhaps he did know, and thought that bringing a monster to Athena’s  temple would be a special insult to goddess? Was he implying, “You were born from your father’s head, you’re a monster, too?” Did he suppose Athena cursed Medusa with mortality so that she could eventually be killed by a hero? Or is this just a modern person over-thinking Ovid’s tale? 

Speaking of which, there is NO story from Antiquity in which Medusa was a priestess of Athena, or sworn to celibacy. That is a modern version of the myth which, as far as I can determine, originated with a comment made by Robert Graves in The White Goddess:

“Peeping from his bag there is now a Gorgon’s head, which is merely an ugly mask assumed by priestesses on ceremonial occasions to frighten away trespassers; at the same time they made hissing noises, which accounts for Medusa’s snake locks.” (From Chapter 13)

The story of Medusa-as-priestess falls apart on other grounds as well. In ancient Greece, priests and priestesses were from respected families; no one would appoint a maiden from a family of monsters to a priesthood. No ancient Geek in their right mind would have had sex in a temple, when even having sex at home with one’s spouse incurred ritual pollution which required purification before one could visit a temple. 

To conclude, I strongly suggest that new polytheists avoid modern sources of myths, such as those by Thomas Bullfinch (yes, 1855 counts as modern), Edith Hamilton (1942), and Robert Graves (1955). There are two thousand years of Christian cultural bias, sometimes with atheistic bias on top of it, between us and Antiquity.  I don’t even advise reading Ovid in seeking religious truth; in my opinion, though he provides good information on Roman festivals in his Fasti, his Metamorphosis is basically pervy fanfic, not a reliable source about the characters of the gods. This is also why learning Latin and Greek is still important: translations aren’t always accurate, and a single word interpreted incorrectly changes a story of consensual sex into one of sexual assault.

I encourage beginner polytheists to read sound articles about understanding myths, such as those found in A Companion to Greek Mythology edited by Ken Dowden and Niall Livingstone (2011). I also recommend reading Hesiod and the Homeric Hymns, some academic works about ancient Greek religious practices, such as Greek Religion by Walter Burkert (1987), consulting a scholarly dictionary of mythology, and visiting accurate websites, such as theoi.com, to learn the traits and epithets of the gods, so as to know them as did their ancient worshipers.

In short, readers need to understand who wrote a version of a myth, and whether they had a bias or an agenda in writing it. Look for scholarly books; they’re usually written by someone with academic credentials in Classical studies, published by a university press, with lots of notes, and a lengthy bibliography with solid primary sources and reliable secondary sources. Check the Bryn Mawr Classical Review to make sure a modern work is based on sound scholarship, and isn’t a study of archetypes or written to promote an ideology.

Remember, kids: if you read something about the gods that makes you angry, chances are that it’s NOT an historically accurate depiction of what ancient people believed about that deity. 

“Modern Retellings of the Myth of Medusa and Hellenic polytheism” by  honorthegods  is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

[theinformedpagan]

🌻🌸🍷Celebrating Anthesteria🍷🌸🌻

TW: alcohol. As this festival focuses heavily on wine and drinking, you should only celebrate if 21+ or find nonalcholic alternatives. Please drink responsibly.

Name of Festival: Anthesteria or "Festival of Flowers"

When: February 11-13, 2020

Deities: Dionysus

Main Themes: Welcoming the Spring, romance, celebrating newly fermented wine, honoring the Dead

Hymns: Orphic Hymns 30 and 45, Homeric Hymns I, VII, and XXVI

Decor: Flowers, flower crowns, masks, branches, items associated with Dionysus

Source: Hellenion

🌻🍷Modern Celebration Ideas🍷🌻

Day One: Pithoigia (Opening the Jars)

This day was historically the celebration of opening new jars of freshly fermented wine.

Open a fresh bottle of wine. Pour a glass for Dionysus and recite the hymns of your choice.

Ask for the wine to be blessed

Share drinks with a group of friends

Decorate your altar with fresh flowers

Save any remaining wine for the following days of the festival

Day Two: Khoes (Day of Cups)

This day was historically a celebration of romantic pursuits and the sacred symbolic marriage of Dionysus and the Queen. Celebrations included drinking games and merriment.

Play drinking games like Champagne Pong with friends (drink responsibly! Never drink and drive!)

Spend some time with that Special Someone; this day was often about romance and sensual enjoyments.

Make a feast to share with your loved ones, friends, and family. Set aside some of this food for Dionysus.

Leave an offering of flowers to Dionysus and recite the hymns of your choice

Cast love spells on this day

Day Three: Khytrai (Day of Pots)

This day was historically devoted to honoring and celebrating the Dead, and offerings were left to them in pots.

Leave offerings to the Dead, including libations of wine and water. You can also give food offerings. Ideally, bury these offerings, but only if environmentally safe.

Honor your ancestors by burning incense and offering them prayers. You may ask for their blessing.

Perform divination on this day, especially divination with the Dead.

Cast protection spells on this day, lest the Dead get too close.

Recite hymns to Dionysus, particularly his Chthonic aspects.

At the end of Day Three, shout “Through the doors, Kares, it’s no longer Anthesteria!” to officially close the festival.

What are your plans for Anthesteria? How do you like to celebrate?🍷🌸🌻

If you enjoy my writing on Witchcraft and Spirituality, please consider supporting me at

patreon.com/nightshadeandroses or

ko-fi.com/nightshadeandroses!

[theinformedpagan]

fönn f. ‘snow; snowdrift’. Bóndadagur, the first day of Þorri, falls on Friday, January 23 this year.