witchyfern

[witchyfern]

small witchy workings from today and yesterday :)

happy solstice! it’s been a bit rainy here so less sunshine but that’s okay

[witchyfern]

Bedridden devotion to Hestia

A lot of you may know me and my bedridden posts from my main blog, @heatherwitch. For those of you who don’t: I’m both mentally and chronically ill and do a majority of my worship to Hestia from my bed! 

Burn a candle on your nightstand, or use an electronic one!

Open your curtains and let the sunlight warm the room. 

Make a potful of tea and keep it in a large thermos.

Watch movies that make you feel nostalgic and cozy.

Make a spray that smells yummy and use it when things feel a bit stale.

Set aside time to read a good book.

Knit or crochet. Craft something with your hands.

Say goodnight and good morning to her. 

Get an electric blanket and feel the warmth connect you to her.

Cuddle with pets if you have them (or a stuffed animal).

Make a blog/journal filled with cozy, homely things.

Keep a few locally baked goodies nearby for when you need them. 

String up fairy lights and use them as your only light source.

Whisper prayers and devotional pieces before you go to sleep.

Use a Himalayan salt lamp to connect to feeling of a fire.

Invest in little things (pillowcases, photos, curtains, etc.) that make your room feel welcoming and peaceful.

Make a little bottle filled with herbs, crystals, and other things that remind you of her, and keep it near - like a portable altar!

Listen to music that makes your soul happy and your heart content.

Take care of yourself. Brush your hair, use a wet cloth on your face. Be gentle and kind to yourself.

Flameless hearths and devotions

My other post on devotional acts for Hestia can be found [here], and my posts on bedridden witchcraft [here].

[witchyfern]

Super easy and cheap devotional acts for beginners.

A nice cup and some clean, fresh, water on the altar can often be all you need for daily offerings

Grow a plant on your altar, use your weekly watering as a devotional act. Hermes is currently helping my peace lily grow :)

Draw their sigil on your nails and then paint over them with nail polish that matches their color correspondences.

If you can’t acquire alcohol for your deities (wine, vodka etc) because you’re too young, white vinegar also works. The quality we’re looking for is the purification aspect. White vinegar is natural, antibacterial and never goes bad. You can leave it on your altar until it evaporates if you want.

If you work with a deity involved with self love like Aphrodite, investing a little more time into your skin care and scent can be very rewarding. Nothing super boujie, it can be as simple as getting some nice smelling lotion at the dollar store.

Food and water offerings don’t have to be external, especially if you’re in the broom closet and don’t have an altar. Reserve the first bite of your meal for your deity. Savour its taste while you think about them. Pour yourself a crisp glass of cold water and guzzle it as a devotional act.

Use a washable or dry erase marker to draw sigils on your shower wall for bath rituals. It’ll come right off when you’re done.

Tea bags are just bags of dried herbs. You can use these as offerings or draw sigils on them and burn them for witchcraft. No one is ever suspicious about a little tea. Adding a tea bag to your water offerings also gives them an extra kick.

A couple dollars at the thrift store will take you a long way. I love thrifting items because they’re usually well loved. I especially like thrifting spirituality books that past practitioners have written in. Sometimes my deities communicate with me through the books that are available on any given day. If I was just talking to Leviathan about the power of water and I see a book about Hydromancy, I know that he’s sending me a sign. Like, 90% of the books Lucifer has sent me popped up at the thrift store. Most expensive one was $7.99. (and I tag swapped it for 2.99 😊 thanks, Hermes-

and on this note, literally steal. Not from small local thrift stores, but I mean this with my whole chest, steal from Value Village. If you can sneakily swap a tag and get something for cheaper literally do it. Value Village gets all their inventory for free I literally do not care. Corporate thrift stores don’t deserve rights. I steal from Value Village as a devotional act to Hermes 😊 lmao )

If you don’t have money to spend on really nice paintings and posters of your deities for your altar, start buying books about them. It’s a double win. A book about Greek religion will certainly have multiple beautiful sculptures and paintings of Aphrodite that I can cut out and put on my wall. A book about angels might have a cool painting of Lucifer. Books about Goddesses, ancient religions, anthropology, astrology etc. You get the opportunity to learn, and if it’s a book you don’t particularly care too much for, you can take it apart for imagery. People ask me all the time where I got all of my paintings and pictures from. BOOKS.

Does your deity have a kind of complicated sigil that you love but you also kinda hate redrawing every other day? Sorry Cerberus (Naberius) I love you but that sigil is so complicated babe.

Learn how to block print! It’s very simple. You get a block of linoleum (usually pretty cheap, I think mine were like $5) , some ink (~$10), and a carving tool (varies depending), and make a sigil stamp! All you gotta do is draw your sigil and carve it out nicely one time. You can still bless it and imbue it with your energy, and you can easily put it on prayers, talismans etc.

Chalk is your best friend. Use it to draw sigils on the floor or wall that can easily be wiped away. You can imbue special chalk and use it for casting circles if you don’t like the mess of salt.

[witchyfern]

Hestia: 

I imagine her robed in warm colors, wrapped, like my grandmother, in soft warm flannel, and a threadbare apron, a streak of flour on her forehead where she used the heel of her hand to push back the wisps of hair that had escaped her bun. I imagine her standing over a stove, lifting the lids of pots and pan, tasting and then seasoning with an expert flick of her wrist. I imagine her holding out the tasting spoon to me, asking, “Taste this; Do you think it needs anything?” 

[witchyfern]

Celebrating Imbolc as a solitary practitionner

You'll find that some of these ideas wander a little outside your typical Imbolc rituals, as I've included many of my own experiences alongside your more traditional practices!

Baking sweets or bread! Oatcakes, honey cakes, scones, herb bread (bonus points for use of rosemary), and lamb are among my favorite Imbolc dishes. Anything herb, oat, dairy, or honey is typical.

Cleaning your home, coupled with cleansing of the rooms and objects of your choice.

Make yourself a nice cup of tea! Lavender and chamomile tea are staples. Bonus: sweeten it using honey and milk, both traditional ingredients of the season.

Learn about the Goddess Brigid! I'm a heathen, but I've always found it rewarding and fulfilling to learn about other mythologies and deities of other pantheons! You'll find the myth of Brigid is tightly intertwined with the celebration of Imbolc, and understanding one leads to a better understanding of the other.

Decorating with white, blue, red and gold! Lambs, the moon, corn dolls, fire, brooms, sunwheels, eggs, candles, and snowdrops are imagery associated with this celebration.

Work with the moon, or with a moon deity that you worship.

Making or decorating candles, and crafting Brigid's crosses.

Enjoy a glass of milk! Feel free to flavor it using honey, blackberry syrup or leaves, chamomile, or elderflower! (Important note: elder flowers, not berries or other parts of the elder plant, which are poisnonous when uncooked.) Bonus points if you enjoy an apple alongside it! I've taken to making apple quarters to eat when night has fallen on February 1st.

Make a list of elements of your life that you would like to see "grow"! What are your current ambitions? What projects do you want to see bear fruit?

Start a knitting project, or learn how to knit! Making a cloak, referred to as Brigid's mantle, is a common way to honor the Goddess Brigid.

Visit a local body of water, especially springs! They are the perfect spot to notice the end of winter, when their ice begins to melt. It's common practice to make pebble offerings to bodies of water, in order to thank the earth for its gift of sweet water.

Make an offering to the faerie folk (for example, milk and biscuits), or start learning how to work with them.

Acquire a new house plant, or even better: sow a seed for a new plant to grow in your home!

Work with the element of fire, for example, by practicing fire-based magic, by lighting candles in the house, or by lighting a bonfire/hearth fire.

Play calm music, especially harp music!

Appreciate the quiet and calm of nighttime, for example, by leaving your home in the dark once the sun sets, and lighting it up with nothing but candles as a symbol of the returning sun.

Reading or reciting poetry! Especially poetry pertaining to the night, winter, spring, nature and the like. Feeling inspired? Why not try writing some poetry yourself!

First picture Second picture: Spring by Ruth Sanderson

[witchyfern]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Hestia is proud of you.

She is proud of your successes, however big or small they seem to you. She’s proud that you kept pushing through, and that you keep pushing through. She’s proud of when you said yes to something, and when you said no. Saying no is a powerful boundary.

She’s proud when you fail too. Failures can be tough, but she’s there by your side and is proud you put yourself out there enough to fail. Failures lead to different successes.

She’s proud of how you handle things, and how you learn. She’s proud of the days where you get some unpleasant, but needed, things done and she’s proud when you choose to spend the day focusing on you.

She’s proud of you for everything you do, even if you feel like you don’t deserve it. All of those things contribute to who you are, whether you are simply surviving it, embracing it, or learning from it.

HESTIA IS PROUD OF YOU.

[witchyfern]

Do you know spells for justice or protection for other people? Like the protesters?

I know a few, but it’s difficult to pick one exactly. Here’s everything I could find in my personal spellbook that I thought might be applicable.

Ninja Dust

Intent: To enable a person to make a quick unseen exit or go unnoticed; formulated to work in crowded places.

Ingredients:

1 pt White Oak

1 pt Bloodroot

1 pt Black Salt

1 pt Red Poppy

1 pt Mustard

1/2 pt Rosemary

1/2 pt Sage

1/2 pt Clove

1/2 pt Willow Bark

Optional:

Pinch of Galangal Root

Pinch of Heather Blossom

Pinch of Devil's Shoestring

Pinch of Black Cohosh

This powder was prepared for a friend of mine the night before she attended a large-scale protest march. It's meant to help you stay safe in a crowded situations and affect a quick exit when and if you have to.

Sprinkle a pinch or two on your shoes before you go out, or carry a small vial or packet with you. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to leave quickly, toss down the powder and step on it as you leave.

Of course, this should always go along with whatever practical safety measures are deemed prudent for your situation. If you find yourself in a position where you are in immediate physical danger, forget the powder, just get to safety however you can. Be careful out there!

Liza Hempstock’s Invisibility Charm

Inspired by The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.

Use this charm when you want to pass unseen and unremarked in a crowd or need to escape a situation without being noticed.

Put a pinch of poppy seeds in your shoe or carry a packet of them in your pocket. When you need to make a quick exit, turn three times, spit over your left shoulder, and whisper:

Be hole, be dust, be dream, be wind Be night, be dark, be wish, be mind, Now slip, now slide, now move unseen, Above, beneath, betwixt, between

Gather yourself together, find your exit, and GO.

No Fear Here

To help dispel fear, ward off danger, and promote bravery. This blend is meant for a home ornament witchball, but it can also be put into a sachet or a bottle charm if mobile magic is needed.

Agrimony

Yarrow

Black Pepper

Thyme

Jasmine

Black Tea Leaves

Walking Ward Protection Oil

For personal warding spells of all kinds

Sweet Basil

Witch Hazel

Fennel Sprigs

Mix the herbs in equal parts and soak 1 tbsp of the blend in 1-2 cups of bland oil for about a week to make the infusion. Strain and bottle the oil. If desired, add a couple of drops of Basil or Rosemary essential oil.

Short Notice Travel Protection Charm

If you're called to make an unexpected trip and don't have time to prepare a full-sized bottle charm, making a braid or knot-string out of white yarn or string. As you tie it, say seven times over:

By water and fire, by sky and by stone, This charm will see me brought safely back home.

Tie the string around your wrist or ankle for the duration of the trip. You can remove it when you return home or let it fall off on its' own.

"Bibbity Bobbity Back Off" Banishing Spell

This spell grew out of a quip that I made in response to some hate mail that came my way. Some weeks of experimenting with word-activated protection magics later, this is what I came up with.

Intent: To repel or banish harmful things that attempt to accost you.

Materials:

Piece of Personal Jewelry

Small Jar with Flat Lid

Tealight Candle

Herbs: Angelica Root, Peppermint, Marjoram, Willow Bark

Make a potpourri blend out of the herbs and place it in the jar. For extra potency, spit in the jar. Place the piece of jewelry in the jar, close the lid, and shake gently. Set the jar somewhere level and safe, set the tealight on top of the lid, and burn it for a few minutes.

Focus on the flame of the tealight and chant, as many times as you feel you need to:

I cannot be snared, I cannot be caught However you try, no harm is wrought

When you've finished, blow out the candle. Wait for the candle cup and the lid to cool before opening the jar. Retrieve the jewelry and wear it when you need a little extra protection.

Should you need to activate the protection, simply breathe on your fingers, touch the charmed object, and whisper, "Invictus." (Latin, pron. in-VIK-toos; “invincible.”) The charm will last until you remove the piece and breathe on it again. You'll need to return it to the jar of herbs to recharge within 24 hours of use, or you'll have to cast the charm all over again. For best results, I recommend changing the herbs in the jar between charges.

This is a short-term heavy-duty banishing spell. It can't ensure physical safety, but it can help keep you safe from emotional and mental attack, and may provide an opportunity for escape if one is needed. It may also diffuse aggressive outside energy long enough for you to make a prudently-timed getaway if a confrontation seems imminent.

"Not On My Watch" Vinegar

 Intent: An all-purpose preventative potion for use in protective and binding spells.

 Ingredients:

Jar with Tight-fitting Lid

2 cups Vinegar

Coffee Filter

Funnel

Bottle for Storage

Knife and Cutting Board

Fresh Ginger or Horseradish Root

Peppermint Essential Oil

Herbs: Bay Leaves, Coriander, Lemon Peel, Cedar Tips, Pine Needles, Witch Hazel, Clover Leaves

This is a heavy-duty protective vinegar that I created in a fit of rage. If the ingredient list seems excessive, it's because I was angry enough about the situation to basically throw the book at it. I've used it a few times since then and it's been very effective.

To make this potion, you'll need a jar with a tight-fitting lid. A large brand-new mason jar is best for this. For some other spells and potions, you can use recycled food jars, but for this one, you want a fresh jar with no chance of leftover food particles.

First, clean your piece of ginger or horseradish root. For best results, you'll want a fresh root, not dried pieces, as you want the juice and oils to blend with the vinegar. Cut several slices from the root and place them in the mason jar. Wash and dry the knife before continuing.

Note: Fresh horseradish root has a very strong peppery-sour smell, and can produce fumes like onions do. The fumes may cause your nose to run and may irritate your eyes. (It's a great way to clear the sinuses though.) If you are sensitive to such things, you may want to wear a surgical mask and goggles, or just use ginger root instead.

To help your herbs fit more easily into the jar, you may want to carefully dice them into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can work with fresh or dried herbs for this potion, whichever works best with your available supplies. If you want additional aromatic qualities in your potion, I recommend using fresh Lemon Peel, Cedar Tips, and Pine Needles if possible. It adds a nice fresh, clean scent, a little bit like a certain name-brand floor cleaner, but less chemical. Using fresh versions of these ingredients will also help to cut the vinegar smell to a certain degree. But again, if you only have dried herbs, that will work just as well.

Dried or fresh, you'll need approximately 2 ½ ounces of chopped herbs altogether. That's about five tablespoons or 71 grams of herbs. Mix them together and add them to the jar. If you've used fresh herbs, you'll need to dry or discard any leftovers. If you used only dried herbs, put any extra mix into a container for future use. Waste not, want not.

Add two cups of vinegar to the jar. I used white vinegar, but cider vinegar or wine vinegar will do as well. Use whatever you have available. White vinegar may be less expensive, if you need to purchase a fresh bottle. Add 2-3 drops of Peppermint essential oil, close the lid tightly, and give the jar a good shake.

Leave the vinegar jar in a warm, dry place to steep for three full days. Strain the resulting liquid into a clean bottle using a funnel and coffee filter, and discard the herbs. The mason jar can be used again after it has been thoroughly cleaned and dried.

Use the potion in home protection magics, particularly if you need to repel unsavory persons, "accidents" which are not at all accidental, or harmful magics. It can also be an additive in spells meant to make the home a sanctuary for those who need it. Add a small amount to your washwater when you clean hard floors or your doorstep for additional protection. Splash a little on your front door or at your property line to discourage trespassers.

(I’m sure this could be put to use for keeping yourself safe during protests, keeping cops away from your home, blessing marchers and venues, and so forth.)

I’ll try and search up my post with magical measures for justice as well.

Hope this helps!

[witchyfern]

The Wall of Thorns - A Spell of Protection

Then round that place there grew a hedge of thorns thicker every year, until at last the whole castle was hidden from view, and nothing of it could be seen but the vane on the roof. […] From time to time many Kings’ sons came and tried to force their way through the hedge; but it was impossible for them to do so, for the thorns held fast together like strong hands, and the young men were caught by them, and not being able to get free, there died a lamentable death.

- The Sleeping Beauty

Intent: To protect one’s home and property.

Ideal Timing: Full Moon, but can be made anytime.

Materials:

Glass Jar with Lid

Black Taper Candle

Planter Pot & Soil

Super Glue

Pins & Thorns

Duct Tape

Herbs: Dill, Basil, Salt, Vinegar, Lemon or Pickle Juice

Load the bottle with the pins, herbs, and just enough of your chosen liquid to fill it about ¾ full. It should be noted that some witches prefer to use urine for their home protection bottles, both for traditional and territorial reasons. This is certainly a viable choice if you are comfortable with it, but if not, then the options listed above will be quite effective.

Seal the top and secure with a strip of duct tape or electrical tape to prevent leaks. Once it is sealed well, begin to attach the flat ends of the thorns to the outside of the bottle using the superglue so that the points face outward. Be very careful not to stick yourself while handling the bottle!

Once all the thorns are in place, light the black candle and drip the wax over the top of the bottle. As the wax falls, hold the image of a thorny protective barrier in your mind and continue to turn the bottle, letting the wax spill down the sides to help hold the thorns in place. Keep dripping the wax until the cap is completely covered and all the thorns have been secured.

Pour some dirt into the planter pot, place the bottle inside, and pour in more dirt until the bottle is covered. Keep the pot somewhere on your property. You can even grow flowers in it, if you like, but it is not recommended that you use it for anything edible.

If you move to a new home, be sure to take the pot with you, or dig up the bottle and take it along; to remove the ward, break the wax seal and empty the contents of the bottle somewhere safe.

-From The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells & Charms For Your Happily Ever After, 2nd ed., © 2017 by Bree NicGarran.

Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits!

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[witchyfern]

a poem for Brigid

Tell me, O Goddess

when they weave their words into worlds

do they still beseech you to grant them inspiration?

Brigid, of smiths, of healing, of poets

do you crown them with their wish

whether they do or don’t ask?

Goddess of many names, which have you favoured?

Bride, Brigantia, Saint Brigid

were you shaped by them as time passed

and again, and again, 

as folk put letters upon you anew?

In this age of constructs that pierce the sky 

and disdain for ancestral beliefs

what is it that keeps you here, watching over 

as the twentieth day stretches on for centuries?

Let it be that you yet know remembrance. 

Let it be that you get know honour. 

O Brigid, know that the poets still pray. 

please don’t repost this as your own!! it isn’t!! (reblogs are okay)

[witchyfern]

how do i offer things to hestia? i’m new to paganism and am a baby witch, so i’m really curious. like, i know what to offer her, but i don’t know how to.

my parents aren’t that cool with witches n stuff, so is there a way to offer things to Her subtly?

Hello! Here are a few posts you may find helpful:

Resources for Hestia devotees

Hestia small devotional acts

Flameless hearths and devotions

HP 101: where to start

Some of my favorite offerings to Hestia include: the first bite of my food (either setting it aside for her or savoring it), a cup of tea, and the action of cleaning and caretaking my living space. The act of cooking and baking (and setting aside a bit for her if you can) are also great. Offerings can be savored, set aside on a separate plate/dedicated space or burned.

One of my most consistent offering/altar pieces throughout multiple moves has been this jar, and I usually place a small wooden bowl on top of it for more temporary offerings. It’s one of those things that if questioned and I don’t want to explain it, I can just say it looks pretty.

I hope this is a helpful starting point and what you where looking for, I’m happy to answer any additional questions that come up! :)

[witchyfern]

Travel Altars: Hestia

A guide to travel altars for Hestia. Please tell me if you want a certain deity covered!

In this guide, I’m assuming you’ve added a tea-light or LED candle. It isn’t necessary, but it’s not going to be included in any of these guides. I’m also going to be assuming you’ve added a photo of the deity and prayers. These guides will not include those, either.

Bells

Lighters or Matches

Coins

Ceramic Pieces

Fire Imagery

Hearth Imagery

Home Imagery

Brick Pieces

Wood

Dollhouse Furniture

Mugwort

Olive Oil

Mini Brooms

Paper/Worry/Etc. Dolls

See more deities here.

[witchyfern]

Hestia Deep Divs

Herbs • Chaste trees, Rosemary, Parsley, Basil, Sorrel, vanilla, Cinnamon, coriander, Marjoram, Mint, Lemon balm, cloves, clary sage, Allspice, Angelica, Coriander, poppy seed, chamomile, Angelica, Bay, garlic, mint, peppermint, pepper, marjoram, The lavender, the chaste tree, the datura, the California poppy, the goldenrod, the hollyhock, the yarrow, the purple coneflower, all white flowers, Lavender, White roses, angel’s trumpet, goldenrod, hollyhock, and yarrow, pine, Wildflowers & sunflowers, raspberry leaves, sage, pearly everlasting, yellow rose

Animals• pigs, donkeys, one-year-old cows, a Crane. 

Zodiac & scared number  • unknown, I cannot find out what month she was born on, or the day. But I would associate numbers 1, and 6 because she is the oldest and the youngest (and etc, but who even likes my rambles?)

Colors •Gold, yellow, orange, red,  White, Gold, Lavender, light purple, black, silver, and dark red

Crystal•Carnelian, Garnet, Goldstone, Calcite, Topaz, garnet, amethyst, lapis lazuli, green tourmaline, Vanadinite, Quartz, gold, silver, and brass, Amber colored crystals, citrine, clear quartz, sunstone.

Symbols• a kettle, the hearth (fireplace), torch, candle

Jewelry you can wear in their honor• friendship bracelets 

Diety of• the virgin goddess of the home and hearth fire, cooking of meals, and sacrificial food for feasts, architecture, domesticity, family, and the state, and sacrificial flame

Patron of where the families ate and congregated, hospitality, family.

Offerings• give her prayer beads that remind you of her that are not Christian (or make one, which is better), wooden beads, Oil Lamps, Seven Day Candles (because they burn for 7 days), LED Candles, A Candle that reminds you of home, White or red candles, Apple juice, cider, Wine, Baked goods, keys to the home (preferably not stolen(looking at Hermes devotees))), Small kitchen antiques/objects,  pottery/cups/bowls, artwork of homey things, a meal, your favorite things, poetry, books, items you made, fall-themed stuff, spring-themed stuff, First/last foods & libations from a meal, Candles/flame, Honey, Pork, Cakes or Cookies made to look like one of Her symbols,), Keeping a candle/hearth fire or lamp constantly burning, Pictures of homes you want to live in one day, pictures of homes you have lived in, Pictures of architecture that you like, Teacups, teaspoons, tea towels, Childhood memories (ex- stuffed toys, baby clothes, old photos), Homegrown herbs, Toys or art of donkeys and pigs, Leaves or blooms from a chaste tree, Tea light candles (real or fake), Your favorite poetry or poetry you have written for Her, Your favorite books, Stories you have written, Art of flames, fire, candles, Garmets that you have made such as clothing, blankets, beanies, Homemade lotions, bath bombs, shower gel, bubble bath (You can ask Her to bless them then use them she probably won't say no), Beeswax products, honey, olive oil, pumpkin pie 

Devotional• Pick up rubbish in communal areas, Offer the first or last bites/portions of food your to her, Cooking/baking for yourself or others, Having a candle lit whenever possible (electric or real), playing a video of a fire place, Volunteerring at homeless or DV shelters, donating to homeless or DV shelters,  Setting healthy boundaries with friends and family, reading about Tea/Coffee magick, Getting involved with your local community, Advocating for policies you believe will better the community Allowing yourself to rest,  Do a chore you've been putting off for a long time, organize to hang out with some loved ones, Veil or bind your hair, Wear something red or orange, Make a devotional playlist for her, make a Pinterest board or a mood board for her, Learn about kitchen witchery, Cook a meal in her name, Clean the House, Put together a puzzle, Eat popcorn and watch a movie, do Knitting, read about knitting, donate yarn and

knitting supply’s, prepare food for family, make the table before eating, garden, Harvest berries, pick flowers, Donate to food charity/drives, Support people who lost their homes to natural disasters, Welcoming others into your home, Keeping the peace (especially in the home), Donations of time & money to Habitat for Humanity, Do little (or big) acts of kindness, If you have a fireplace light it for Her or build Her altar around it, Meditate next to a fire, Read poetry or a book, play a playlist for Her and play it while you clean or cooks, Clean your house/room and keep it nice and tidy, Take a cooking or baking class, Collect recipes and keep a recipe book, Host celebrations at your home, Remember your ancestors and learn more about them, Spend time with your pets, Take care of yourself and your mental and physical health (Your body is a home for you),  Take a hot bath, eat some ice cream, chill at home for a day, Pray to Her( ex- for protection, inspiration, happiness, guidance, and help getting rid of negative entities in the home, peace in the home, good food, an abundance of food, independence), help to start/tending to the hearth, work on having strong family bonds, Open your curtains and let the sunlight warm the room, Make a potful of tea and keep it in a large thermos, Watch movies that make you feel nostalgic and cozy, Say goodnight and good morning to her, Get an electric blanket and feel the warmth connect you to her, Cuddle a stuffed animal, Make a blog/journal filled with cozy homely things, Keep a few locally baked goodies nearby for when you need them, String up fairy lights and use them as your only light source, Whisper prayers and devotional pieces before you go to sleep, Use a Himalayan salt lamp to connect to feeling of a fire, Invest in little things (ex- pillowcases, photos, curtains) that make your room feel welcoming and peaceful, Make a little bottle filled with herbs and crystals and other things that remind you of her, Listen to music that makes your soul happy and your heart content, Take care of yourself (ex- Brush your hair, use a wet cloth on your face), Keep a tealight on you, Clean one small area of your house, Savor a hot drink, Do small, unnoticed acts of kindness, Always greet animals (both big and small), Do anything by candlelight,  Wear colors you associate with her, Practice your patience (both external and internal), Be a listening ear or shoulder to cry on for those who need it, Make compromises when it is healthiest for both parties, always have a lighter or matches, Listen to music that reminds you of her, Spend time tending to your body, Leave a big tip the next time you have a chance, Practice kindness in all areas of your life (including driving), Take a hot bath or shower with no time limit, Decorate a space, Build a fire, Compliment people (both strangers and loloved ones), Donate something (ex-clothes, money, or your time), Look at photos and embrace the happy nostalgia, Wear makeup or jewelry that reminds you of her, Wake up early to see the sunrise - or watch the sunset, Watch/read about acts of kindness to be inspired, wear prayer beads that are for her, go to a high school reunion, do a family reunion, do budgeting in her honor, do meal planning, set healthy boundaries, have a household notebook, do seasonal cleaning, try home remedies,As you light your gas stove, say a prayer to Hestia, Spend quiet quality time at home, Gather your family (including your chosen family) for a festive candlelit meal, Commit to spending more time with children and old people.

Ephithets•Äídios - eternal, Aïdius – See Äídios., Basileia - See Vasíleia, Bulaea - See Voulaia., Chloömorphus – See Khlöómorphos, Daughter of lovely-haired Rǽa, Khlöómorphos - verdan, Polýmorphos - multi-formed, Polyolbus – See Polýolvos, Polýolvos - rich in blessings, Potheinotáti - beloved, Prutaneia – See Prytaneia, Prytanei, Vasíleia - queen, Voulaia - of the council, Prytaneia -”of the Prytanis.” 

Equivalents• Vesta (Roman), loki (Norse), Brigid (Celtic), Hathor (Egyptian)

Signs they are reaching out• having a strong urge to Vail in her honor, seeing her animals and symbols in your dreams, and seeing her imagery a lot, everything at home suddenly going well.

Vows/omans• that she “would be a maiden all her days”

Morals• morally light/pure

Courting• None 

Past lovers/crushes• None

Personality• She avoids drama, and is generous, but her temper is volcanic in nature, she is slow to anger, but when she gets angry her rage is a force of nature. She is modest, tranquil, and industrious

Home• Mount Olympus 

Mortal or immortal • immortal 

Fact• Historically she is supposed to be the first deity offered to in a ritual due to being the goddess of fire, she's the oldest Olympian, She is spat out last by Kronos so she is also the youngest, she shares her seat with Diyonisus, she did not give it up, she receives a share of every sacrifice/prayer to the gods, and she is commonly seen alongside with Hermes, I would recommend putting their alters close together.

Element• fire 

Curses• a bad family life, food being burnt, having not enough food, being turned away at restaurants, being homeless, your house catching on fire 

Blessings• all domestic happiness and blessings

Roots• Greek mythology….and she was raised in her father's stomach, and at the first years of theogony era.

Friends• all of the gods, but most notably Hermes, but is not friends with Priapus, she dislikes him (he tried to rape her.) 

Parentage• Cronus and Rhea

Siblings• Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, Demeter, Hera 

Pet• she has no pets.

Children • she has no children.

Appearance in astral or gen• she was typically represented wearing a veil and robe. In some images, she held a flowering branch or kettle as well.

Festivals • None, at every feast and meal a liberation was made to her name first and last, but I associate Thanksgiving with her, but her Roman counter part Vesta has 1-15 June of each year, an then another festival celebrated on 8-9 July.  Hestia is also mentioned on 8 June. But a neo-pagan sets aside 26 December – 22 January as a month devoted to Hestia.

Status• Virgin theoi goddess.

What disrespects her turning away people at your home (she is a goddess of hospitality and it was seen as disrespectful to her to do so.)

Planet• unknown 

Her Tarot cards• the Temperance, the fourteenth Major Arcana card.

Remind me of• Hot cocoa, and Thanksgiving. 

Scents/Inscene • Lavender, Rose, spring water,  rain, Pumpkin, Apple pie, cinnamon, fall leaves, Chamomile, Myrrh, Frankincense, Iris, Angelica, Peony, Angelica, iris, Sandalwood 

My opinion • I like her, but I'm scared of her too. (what a shocker!) 

Prayers• 

Historical-

Holy Queen of Sanctity, we hymn you, Hestia, whose abiding realm is Olympus and the middle point of earth and the Delphic laurel tree! You dance around Apollo’s towering temple rejoicing both in the tripod’s mantic voices and when Apollo sounds the seven strings of his golden phorminx and, with you, sings the praises of the feasting gods. We salute you, daughter of Kronos and Rhea, who alone brings firelight to the sacred altars of the gods; Hestia, reward our prayer, grant wealth obtained in honesty; then we shall always, dance around your glistening throne.

For the lost -

Blessed Hestia, the first and the last, and the always flame. May your light burn bright and strong, May your prayers be those of respect and love, May you guide the lost, And give to those who have nothing. I give thanks to you, Hestia, for all that you have done And continue to do.

For people with intrusive thoughts -

I ask Hestia, the kind goddess, to help those who feel down. May they find comfort and peace inside of their homes and inside their own minds. Protect them for their destructive thoughts, and be the safe place they need so much

A prayer for homeles—

In Hestia’s name, may you always have a home and a roof over your head. May you always be comfortable and warm with a full belly. May you always be in good spirits and good company, never knowing the pervading loneliness that envelopes the soul.

Morning 

Blessed Hestia, Fill this home with your light and bounty, As the day fills it with golden sunshine.

Evening

Glorious Hestia, Let your hearth fire warm this house, As night draws her shadowed cloak over it now.

Blessings of the kitchen-

Hestia bless my little kitchen, I love it’s every nook And bless me as I do my work, Wash pots and pans and cook. May the meals that I prepare, Be seasoned from above, With thy blessings and thy grace, But most of all thy love

Links/websites/sources •

ts-witchy-archive, constantly-disheveled, saryoak, eldritchhorror06, https://twelfthremedy.tumblr.com/post/625205765818515456/hestia-offerings/amp, https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/179727039352/offerings-to-hestiahttps://twelfthremedy.tumblr.com/post/625205765818515456/hestia-offerings/amphttps://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/179727039352/offerings-to-hestiahttps://www.learnreligions.com/hestia-greek-goddess-of-the-hearth-2561993#:~:text=Keep%20a%20candle%20dedicated%20to,prayers%2C%20songs%2C%20or%20hymns.https://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Hestia.html#:~:text=In%20myth%20Hestia%20was%20the,youngest%20of%20the%20six%20Kronides.https://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Hestia.htmlhttps://greekmythology.fandom.com/wiki/Hestia#google_vignettehttps://greekmythology.fandom.com/wiki/Hestiahttps://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/hestia/https://www.hellenicgods.org/festivals-of-hellenismos---eortai https://hestiasservant.wordpress.com/2018/05/27/honoring-hestia-a-festival-every-day/https://www.elissos.com/the-family-goddess-hestia-mother-of-all-gods/#:~:text=The%20birth%20of%20Hestia%20dates,to%20his%20throne%2C%20his%20children.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhea_(mythology)#:~:text=According%20to%20Hesiod%2C%20Rhea%20had,and%20Zeus%20in%20that%20order.https://www.reddit.com/r/pagan/comments/14sy8cj/is_hestia_reaching_out_to_me/https://mythopedia.com/topics/hestia

http://persephoneandhecate.blogspot.com/2011/06/exploring-archetypes-hestia.html?m=1https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/170063420188/bedridden-devotion-to-hestiahttps://honeyandhestia.tumblr.com/post/170063420188/bedridden-devotion-to-hestiahttps://www.tumblr.com/heatherwitch/160613514230/hestiavesta https://constantly-disheveled.tumblr.com/post/156636591525/can-a-hearth-fire-just-be-a-candle-that-you-lighthttps://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/169551188078/devotional-activities-for-hestiahttps://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/167758105763/jar-to-help-me-connect-to-hestia-chamomilehttps://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/171225676313/burn-herbs-and-spices-as-an-offering-to-hestia-i https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/183383795283/what-kind-of-crystals-would-yall-associate-with https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/171208375440/a-historical-prayer-to-hestiahttps://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/169394109439/i-ask-hestia-the-kind-goddess-to-help-those-who https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/166938581678/if-youre-still-doing-prayer-requests-may-you-be https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/178225408393/lady-hestia-goddess-of-comfort-and-warmth-to https://www.tumblr.com/honeyandhestia/183772520921/a-little-kitchen-prayer-for-hestia https://www.hellenicgods.org/festivals-of-hellenismos---eortai

[witchyfern]

Resources for Hestia Devotees

Hestia, virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and sacrificial fire. Formal Pronunciation: EH-stee-uh [source]

The only traditional epithets: 

(1) Boulaia = “of the council”. 

(2) Prytaneia = “of the Prytanis.” 

Modern/UPG epithets

Resources:

Theoi.com

On what she presides over and sacred symbols

On first and last born

On Hestia abdicating to Dionysus

Hestia followers on tumblr

Helpful links:

On introducing yourself

Bedridden devotion to Hestia

Bedridden Hestia altar

Altar ideas: here / here

Devotional acts/honoring her: here / here / here / here

Morning ritual

Offering ideas: here / here

Crystals associated with her (UPG)

Ways to honor Hestia this holiday season

Flameless hearths and devotions

Prayers:

Historical prayer to Hestia

Guide the lost and those who have nothing

For mental strength

Strength in mental illness

For comfort and self love

For generosity and love

Guidance through hardship

May you always find a home

Helper of the homeless

Morning and evening prayer

Morning and night prayer

Hymn/prayer for prayer beads

Tea prayer/blessing

House blessing

Kitchen prayer

Devotionals and Hymns:

Patron of hometowns

Seeking guidance on paths

Helper of the homeless

Patron goddess

Hail Hestia

Hestia

To Hestia

Hestia’s home

Hymn to Hestia

Orphic hymn 84

Holy hearth flame

Hymn to Hestia-of-the-Cabled-Cardigan

Sigils and Emoji Spells:

My relationship with Hestia is strong (sigil)

My connection to Hestia is strong (sigil)

Sospidonum (sigil)

Hestia (sigil)

Emoji prayer to Hestia

To make your house a home (emoji spell)

Heal your heart and spirit (emoji spell)

Warm your heart and soul (emoji spell)

To feel connected to Hestia (emoji spell)

Updated 10/10/19

[witchyfern]

Hestia Devotional Activities

I was cleaning my room last night and found this list on a random piece of paper. I've been worshipping/working with Lady Hestia for roughly 2 years now so I have no idea when these ideas are from but I hope you enjoy!

Pick up rubbish in communal areas

Offer the first or last bites/portions of food your to her

Cooking/baking for yourself or others

Having a candle lit whenever possible (electric or real)

Alternatively, playing a video of a fire place. (This is my favourite)

Volunteering at or donating to homeless or DV shelters

Setting healthy boundaries with friends and family

Tea/Coffee magick is always a great devotional opportunity

Get involved with your local community in anyway possible.

Additionally, getting involved in politics! Advocating for policies you believe will better the community is absolutely in alignment with Hestia and her role in ancient Greece.

Allow yourself to rest (this is UPG but i've always found that she just wants you to take care of yourself more than anything).

Do a chore you've been putting off for a long time and dedicate it to her

Organise to hang out with some friends and/or family

Be kind to other AND YOURSELF!!

Veil or bind your hair!

Wear something red or orange (I normally opt for a red hair tie and bind my hair with it. 2 birds, 1 stone)

Make a devotional playlist for her

While we're on the topic of digital witchcraft, make a pinterest board or a mood board for her

Learn about kitchen witchery

[witchyfern]

The Lowest Spoon Offering to the Gods

It is an absolute requirement for Sumerian Polytheists to give some sort of liquid or food offering. Many Hellenic Polytheists feel a similar obligation to give liquid or food at some point.

There are numerous posts out there about how to give offerings both historical based, personal based, and fun ideas. But what do you do when you’re at your absolute lowest? When your mental energy or physical abilities are near zero? When your chronic illness (or temporary for that matter) prevent you from doing most day to day tasks?

You could offer up the meals you eat by being clean before eating and saying a short prayer to designate it as an offering. But most of the time my spoons (i.e my ability to complete tasks either physical or mental) are so low it leads me to forget that method, I remember after I'm done eating and end up feeling bad. Often I feel literally too dirty to give an offering, or just haven’t eaten. So what then?

Well, do you wash your hands at a sink or take showers? If yes, then I have a solution for those of us with some of the lowest spoons. I suggest the sink method for those of us that have a hard time even with showers.

🌺 Shower 🌺

1. Wash your body / do whatever shower routine you have.

2. Cup your hands and let the stream of water fill it up

3. Say “Dear Great Gods* I thank you for being in my life. Let me pour this liquid out to you”

4. Open your hands and watch the water fall to the basin.

5. End shower.

🌺 Sink 🌺

1. Wash hands. (Or brush teeth; whatever reason you are at the sink for)

2. Cup hand(s) under water.

3. Say “Dear Great Gods* I thank you for being in my life. Let me pour this liquid out to you”

4. Slowly pour the water out of your cupped hand(s).

5. Dry hands and go back to your day.

🌺Zero Spoons🌺

If you have no spoons that even the above is a challenge I have a suggestion:

Hopefully you're still drinking something to hydrate. While drinking you could do any of the following:

Say "I offer this [liquid] to you great gods. Thank you" and drink; without pouring any out

Utter the Gods name related to the drink. Drinking water just say "To Enki." Drinking milk just say "To Hera." So on.

Simply say "To the Gods*."

You can say it before you drink or at any point, since for me, I often forget to do it at the very beginning as I mentioned above.

--I recognize some disabilities require different hydration methods when drinking is not possible, I'm not sure I have a suggestion in that case, my apologies.

🌺Note on Tap Water🌺

I realize that not everyone lives in a place where the tap water is safe to drink. Whether or not you wish to libate that type of water to the gods is your own personal decision.

I don't drink my tap water unless its gone through a filter but I do use the sink method anyways.

If you cannot use these tap water based methods my suggestion would be to offer what you drink. With or without pouring any down the sink. And uttering words I mentioned above.

—🌺--

If you want you can always add a supplication to the small prayer.

This not only helps you give an offering, the shower & sink methods also helps you fulfill the personal purity "requirement" before giving an offering, 2 birds 1 stone. With the zero spoons option my purity standard is essentially "brain is able to think of the Gods."

“But Michi how can this possibly count? Its not nearly enough!” If you’re so low spoon that this is all you can manage than the gesture in and of itself is a beautiful show of love towards the Gods. I’m here, at my sink, in my shower and I remembered the Gods, their greatness, and my love for them— so I thanked them and poured out water to them, in the modern day isn’t that the essence of our offerings?

*Instead of "Gods" you could fill it with: Theoi (Hellenic), Diĝirene (general Mesopotamian), Ilum (to specify Akkadian/Assyrian), ‘iluma (Canannite/Ugaritic), or 'ālihat (general Arabian). To be specific about pantheon(s). I’d add Kemetic or Roman but do not know their traditions well enough to feel comfortable giving a green-light of sorts.

Hope this helps 💙

--Edited to add Zero Spoons and Tap Water sections--

[witchyfern]

List of recommendations *ongoing* 

Please feel free to add to this list in the comments, I will be adding to this list in the future as well <3

Books

General

→ Spells For Change - Frankie Castanea

→ The Book of Candle Magic - Madame Pamita

-> The Witches Path - Thorn Mooney

→ Witchery - Juliet Diaz

→ The Book Of Spells - Ella Harrison

→ Weave the Liminal - Laura Tempest Zakroff

→ Mastering Magick - Matt Auryn

Green/Elemental

→ Plant Witchery - Juliet Diaz

→ Elixirs, Potions and Brews - Anaïs Alexandre

→ Elements of Witchcraft series (four parts) - Astrea Taylor

→ Wild Witchcraft - Rebecca Beyer

Baneful/Ancestral/Shadow

→ Of Blood and Bones - Kate Freuler

→ Honouring your Ancestors - Mallorie Vaudoise

→ Protection & Reversal Magick - Jason Miller

→ Hex Twisting - Diana Rajchel

→ The Crooked Path - Keldon

→ Walking the Twilight Path - Michelle Belanger

→ A Witch's Shadow Magick Compendium - Raven Digitalis

Astrological

→ Psychic Witch - Mat Auryn

Mythology/Folklore

→ Treasury of Folklore, Woodlands & Forests - Dee Dee Chainey & Willow Winsham

History

→ A History of Magic, Witchcraft and The Occult - DK publishing

Folk Practice

→ Italian Folk Magic - Mary-Grace Fahrun

→ Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft - Madame Pamita

→ Sister Karol's Book of Spells, Blessings, & Folk Magic - Karol Jackowski

Spirit

→ Consorting with Spirits - Jason Miller

→ Encyclopaedia of Spirits - Judika Illes

→ Encyclopaedia of Mystics, Saints, and Sages - Judika Illes

→ The Book of Séances - Claire Goodchild

Reference

→ The Crystal Bible - Judy Hall

→ The Tarot Bible - Sarah Bartlett

→ Sigil Witchery - Laura Tempest Zakroff

→ Year of the Witch - Temperance Alden

→ Encyclopaedia of Spells - Judika Illes

Education

→ Witchcraft Activism - David Salisbury

→ Queering Your Craft - Cassandra Snow

→ Revolutionary Witchcraft - Sarah Lyons

Creators

Multiple Platforms

→ @chaoticwitchaunt 

→ @thewitchofwonderlust 

→ @jaqswitchyways 

Instagram

→ @craftingwitch 

→ @_hearth_witch_ 

→ @the_celestial_witch 

Youtube

→ @thegreenwitch 

Tiktok

→ @terminallyhomosexual 

→ @thecrystalpatch 

→ @astralwitch 

→ @thathoneywitch 

→ @witchy_apothecary 

→ @king_clairvoyant 

→ @sourpatchtarot 

→ @ravensandcrow 

→ @witchycannamom 

→ @theglamourwitchla 

→ @highpriestsiah 

→ @lokiladdusaw 

→ @ofbatbones 

→ @curvyblackwitch 

→ @cautionmagik 

→ @astralarchangel 

→ @onyxsouls 

→ @fairytarotgoddess 

→ @lightwands 

→ @jewitches 

→ @youngblkwitch 

→ @sand.witchh 

→ @jasminesgarden23 

→ @innergymedgroup 

→ @dark.moon.witch

And as always, merry meet,

Atti <3

[witchyfern]

SOME BOOKS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I THINK ARE GOOD

FOR BEGINNER AND NON-BEGINNER WITCH :

psychic witch by mat Auryn

Secret teaching of all ages encyclopedia of esoteric teaching

weave the liminal by Laura tempest zakroff

six ways by aidan wachter

the grek magical papyri in translation edited by dieter betz

the complete grimoire by lidia pradas

witchery by juliat diaz

spells for change by frankie castanea

celtic witchcraft by mabh savage

the althlone hiatory of witchcraft and magic in europe

the spell book for new witches by ambrosia hawthorn

kate freuler of blood and bones by mat Auryn

the kitchen witch's spell book by cerridwen greenleaf

love spells by anastasia greywolf

encyclopedia of magic herbs by scott Cunningham

guided tarot by stefanie caponi

the witch's journal by selene silverwind

the casting of spells by Christopher penczak

sacred essential oils edited by claire waite brown

the crystal bible by judy hall

the magical household by scott Cunningham

wicca in the kitchen by scott Cunningham

the house witch by arin Murphy-Hiscock

the heart witch's compendium by anna franklin

the heart witch's kitchen herbal by anna franklin

a spell book for the season

the complete illustrated book of herbs

italian folk magic by mary grace fahrun

the complete illustrated guide to palmistry by peter west

apractical step by step guide to herbs for the home and garden by Shirley reid

top 50 edible plants for pots by angie thomas

the mystical magical marvelous world of DREAMS by wilda b. tanner

the eclectic witch's book of shadows by deborah blake

plant witchery by Juliet diaz

the witch at thd forest's edge

subtle energy by keith miller

protection&reversal magick by jason miller

curses,hexes&crossing by S. connolly

modern witch by devin hunter

the complete book of incense,oils&brews by scott Cunningham

encyclopedia of 5000 spells by judika illes

the good witch's journal by selene silverwind

inner magic a guide to witchcraft

spell crafting by arin Murphy

the green witch by arin murphy

moon magic by diane ahlquist

protection magick by cassandra eason

the little big book by ileana abrev

herbal remedies by andrew chevallier

witchcraft for healing by patti wigington

complete book of correspondences by sandra kynes

poppet magick by silver davenwolf

earth medicine by kenneth meadows

earth power by scott Cunningham

a century of spells by draja mickaharic

positive magic by marion Weinstein