Pagan Prayer Journaling Prompts

Azazel

The name Azazel only occurs one time in all of the canonical Bible, in Leviticus 16:8-10. As the Catholic Encyclopedia records, this passage explains the ceremony that the Jewish people should perform as part of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

As a personification of evil, the Jewish Encyclopedia refers to Azazel as "in some degree a preparation" for the idea of Satan. The figure of Azazel is likely pre-Israelite in origin and is probably closely tied to a communal fear for the mountainous desert region that he came to personify.

According to the Nahmanides the scapegoat rite is a symbolic expression of the idea that the people's sins and their evil consequences were to be sent back to the spirit of desolation and ruin, the source of all impurity.

1 Enoch portrays Azazel as responsible for teaching people to make weapons and cosmetics, for which he was cast out of heaven.

In the extra-canonical text the Apocalypse of Abraham (c.1st CE), Azazel appears as an unclean bird who came down upon the sacrifice which Abraham prepared. (This is in reference to Genesis 15:11: "Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away" [NIV]).

In the Apocalypse of Abraham, Azazel is described with his own Kavod (Magnificence), a term usually used for the Divine in apocalyptic literature, already indicating the devil as anti-thesis of God, with the devil's kingdom on earth and God's kingdom in heaven. Azazel is also identified with the serpent which tempted Eve.

In De occulta philosophia (1509-1510), Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Scale of quaternary: Four Princes of devils in the elements: Azazel: Air

In later lore, he is fallen and is punished by having his nose pierced.

The word "scapegoat" has developed to indicate a person who is blamed and punished for the actions of others.

The illustration depicts him with horns, a pitchfork, a banner, and, of course, a goat. There's a frog on the banner. From Dictionnaire Infernal by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy

Alternative Spellings

Hebrew: עֲזָאזֵל ʿAzāʾzēl

Arabic: عزازيل, romanized: ʿAzāzīl

Asael

Azael

Azazyel

Azzael

Epithets

The Adversary

Advisor

The Angel of Darkness

Blender of Eyeshadows

Counselor

The Crafty Adversary

The Crafty Worm

The Cunning Worm

The Fallen Archangel

Forger of Swords

Guardian of Goats

The Lawless One

The Rebel Angel

Seducer of Mankind

Identified With

The Devil

[Apocalypse of Abraham] Here there is the idea that God's heritage (the created world) is largely under the dominion of evil – i.e., it is "shared with Azazel" (Abr. 20:5), again identifying him with the devil, who was called "the prince of this world" by Jesus. (John 12:31 niv)

Gadriel and Rameel

Some of the fallen angels that are given in 1 Enoch have other names, such as Rameel ('morning of God'), who becomes Azazel, and is also called Gadriel ('wall of God') in Chapter 68. (A source is not cited for this)

Gadreel (Hebrew: גדר האל, romanized: Gader ha-el, lit. 'Wall of God') is listed as one of the chiefs of the fallen Watchers. He is said to have been responsible for deceiving Eve. Schmidt lists the name as meaning 'the helper of God.'

Iblis

In Islamic lore, Azazel or Azazeel was the name of Iblis before he disobeyed God by not bowing to humans and was sent from the Earth.

Satan

Origen ("Contra Celsum," vi. 43) identifies Azazel with Satan.

Azaz, as in Azazel, means strength, so the name Azazel can refer to 'strength of God'. But the sense in which it is used most probably means 'impudent' (showing strength towards), which results in 'arrogant to God'. This is also a key point in modern thought that Azazel is Satan. Also important in this identification is the fact that the original name Rameel, is very similar in meaning to the word Lucifer ('Morning Star') which is a common Latin name of Satan in Christianity.

Associated With

Alchemy

Antimony (use of)

Beauty

Coloring tinctures

Cosmetics

Cunning

The earthly realm

Fatherhood

Forbidden knowledge

Freedom of choice

Goats

Dye making

Herbalism

Knowledge

Magic

Marriage

Metallurgy

Metalworking

Mirror making

Occult arts

Ornamenting the body

Pleasure

Pride

Rebellion

Scapegoats

Seduction

Self preservation

Sensual experiences

Sexuality

Temptation

Warfare

Weapon making

Wisdom

Witchcraft

Attributes

Abyss, hole, pit

Air

Antimony

Banner with a frog on it

Black

Bracelets

Breastplates

Chain

Coats of mail

Cosmetics

Darkness

Desert

Dragon

Dudael, Dûdâêl (God's Kettle/Crucible/Cauldron)

Dye

Fallen/falling star

Fire

Goat, goat skulls, goat bones

Grapes, grapevine

Herbs

Jewelry

Knives

Metals

Metalsmithing tools

Mirror

Mount Azazel (Jabel Munttar) in the Judaen Desert

Nose piercing

Precious stones

Red

Rough and jagged rocks

Serpent

Shields

Swords

Unclean bird, bird of prey, carrion bird

Uninhabited places

Weapons

Wilderness

Depictions

His form is described as a dragon with "hands and feet like a man's, on his back six wings on the right and six on the left." (23:7)

Originally, Azazel was one of heaven’s angels, a gloriously beautiful man with wings on his back.

Today, like many demons, Azazel is drawn with red skin, glowing yellow eyes, and a barbed tail. He may also be found wearing goat skulls or dressed in goat bones.

He is a shape-shifter and may appear in any form, including a winged angel.

An unclean bird, bird of prey, carrion bird

Different types of water & their magickal uses

Creeks & streams: Purification, harmony, cleansing

Dew: General health, eyesight, beauty. powertul if gathered at dawn on Beltane.

Ice: Transformations, balance, creativity

Lake water: Peace, contentment, relaxation, self-reflection.

River water: Cleansing, moving forward, protection

Snow: Transformations, balance

Spring water: Growth, holy water, cleansing, protection, prosperity

Swamp & waste water: Banishing, binding

Waterfalls: Power, energy, success

Well water: Healing, wishes, intuition

Beaches: Rituals, spells, fascinations, meditations

Rain water: Energy, protection, cleansing.

{The first rain of May is considered sacred}

I honestly believe the gods want you to be independent. They do not want you calling on Them five times a day. They are not constantly hanging over our shoulder, telling us "make the bed, eat healthy, don't skip breakfast, work out, try harder on that math question, take the water instead of soda, do your homework right after school, shower, brush your teeth, go to sleep on time, etc"

We should be able to manage ourselves. They are there to support us, and They might help in certain areas, like if you have an ED then yes maybe They do push a little harder for you to eat healthily, but for the most part no. They are gods, not our parents.

If you rely on Them too much throughout the day, if you keep calling on Them out of loneliness and needing someone to tell you to make the right decision, you've got

✨ A co-dependent relationship ✨

Which means if that deity leaves, takes a break, or if your connection is severed for some reason, you will completely break down. That is not sustainable. That is not healthy.

And no god wants that for Their worshiper.

The Daemonesses Of The Ars Goetia 🔥

It's unfortunate that cultural appropriation of Lilith and other Jewish daemonesses has such a large influence and prominent following in the Daemonolatry community nowadays. In order to counteract some of this, I wanted to offer alternatives to working with Lilith, specifically from the infamous grimoire that is the Ars Goetia!

The entirety of the Ars Goetia daemons are referred to as male. But are they all really just guys?

Although all 72 of the Goetian Daemons are referred to with masculine pronouns (he/him/his), I don't personally believe that all of the Ars Goetia are or identify as male/masc. I see daemons as gender-fluid and believe that they appear to everybody differently.

So here are the Goetian Daemons that I personally consider to be Daemonesses, in regards to my UPG! :)

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NOTE: Please keep in mind that I have not communed or worked with every daemoness listed here. I have attained most of my knowledge of them through research and sigil gazing. And as always, this is just my UPG so please don't take this as fact! If what I've written here doesn't resonate with you, that's completely okay! Please form your own conclusions and opinions on the subject matter. 🖤

NOTE: In this post I will be referring to the spirits listed as both goddesses and daemonesses interchangeably, as I see daemons as deities in their own right.

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+: Queen/Countess Vinea :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Forty-fifth Spirit is Vine, or Vinea. He is a Great King, and an Earl; and appeareth in the Form of a Lion, riding upon a Black Horse, and bearing a Viper in his hand. His Office is to discover Things Hidden, Witches, Wizards, and Things Present, Past, and to Come. He, at the command of the Exorcist will build Towers, overthrow Great Stone Walls, and make the Waters rough with Storms. He governeth 36 Legions of Spirits. And his Seal is this, which wear thou, as aforesaid, etc."

Lady Vinea is a sun goddess of battle, chaos, strength, storms, and war. She can also assist in matters of divination and scrying. She can help one with self-esteem and confidence, making you stronger in the face of your enemies. She could also be worked with as a protective deity.

It was no surprise to me that Vinea shares a lot of the same characteristics with Lady Sekhmet, an Egyptian sun goddess depicted with the head of a lioness. From my findings, she seems to be a spirit shard＊ of Sekhmet herself.

＊ In my UPG, a spirit shard is when an aspect or piece of a deity or spirit breaks off from its original fountainhead and becomes its own individual spirit or deity in their own right. They could be seen as a relative or creation/child of the original spirit/deity.

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+: Queen Beleth :+

From The Ars Goetia: "The Thirteenth Spirit is called Beleth (or Bileth, or Bilet). He is a mighty King and terrible. He rideth on a pale horse with trumpets and other kinds of musical instruments playing before him. This Great King Beleth causeth all the love that may be, both of Men and of Women, until the Master Exorcist hath had his desire fulfilled. He is of the Order of Powers, and he governeth 85 Legions of Spirits. His Noble Seal is this, which is to be worn before thee at working."

Lady Beleth is a sun and moon goddess of music, love, desire, emotions, lust, and peace. Despite the Ars Goetia describing her as "terrible", she actually has a very calming nature. She can help you with emotional regulation and the understanding of both your own and others' emotional experiences, thus assisting in relationships of any kind. Beleth can also assist in creative matters, especially of music.

Beleth is a spirit shard of Lady Bastet, and is cousin to Lady Vinea. Much like Bastet, Lady Beleth is associated with domestic cats and appears as cat-headed, just like her fountainhead deity.

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+: Duchess Bune :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Twenty-sixth Spirit is Bune (or Bim). He is a Strong, Great and Mighty Duke. He appeareth in the form of a Dragon with three heads, one like a Dog, one like a Gryphon, and one like a Man. He speaketh with a high and comely Voice. He changeth the Place of the Dead, and causeth the Spirits which be under him to gather together upon your Sepulchres. He giveth Riches unto a Man, and maketh him Wise and Eloquent. He giveth true Answers unto Demands. And he governeth 30 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, unto the which he oweth Obedience. He hath another Seal (which is the first of these, but the last is the best)."

Lady Bune is a goddess of necromancy, wealth, enlightenment, hidden wisdom, death, and the shadows. She can help the living commune with the dead and vice versa, and can also help "lost souls" with moving on into the afterlife. She can also assist in matters of self-improvement, personal growth, learning from past mistakes, and changing for the better.

I believe Duchess Bune may be a somewhat distant relative of the Lernaean Hydra of Greco-Roman mythology. Both of their connections with water and the underworld seem to confirm this.

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+: Duchess Crocell :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Forty-ninth Spirit is Crocell, or Crokel. He appeareth in the Form of an Angel. He is a Duke Great and Strong, speaking something Mystically of Hidden Things. He teacheth the Art of Geometry and the Liberal Sciences. He, at the Command of the Exorcist, will produce Great Noises like the Rushings of many Waters, although there be none. He warmeth Waters, and discovereth Baths. He was of the Order of Potestates, or Powers, before his fall, as he declared unto the King Solomon. He governeth 48 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, the which wear thou as aforesaid."

Lady Crocell is a goddess of freshwater, healing, purity, life, and fertility. Being a goddess of purity, she can help one to cleanse any space of negative energies. She can also heal and cleanse someone by immersing them in the water of her astral springs.

I've found many similarities between Duchess Crocell and Lady Sulis, a Celtic goddess of the thermal spring of Bath. I believe Crocell is a creation/child of Sulis.

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+: Duchess Gremory :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Fifty-sixth Spirit is Gremory, or Gamori. He is a Duke Strong and Powerful, and appeareth in the Form of a Beautiful Woman, with a Duchess’s Crown tied about her waist, and riding on a Great Camel. His Office is to tell of all Things Past, Present, and to Come; and of Treasures Hid, and what they lie in; and to procure the Love of Women both Young and Old. He governeth 26 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc."

Lady Gremory is a goddess of love, passion, friendship, beauty, lust, desire, and feminine attributes. Not only can she help you form and/or mend relationships with others, but she can also assist in developing self-love and self-acceptance. She is especially fond and protective of women, including trans women and fiaspec people in general! The Infernal Divine does not discriminate. Xx

I think Duchess Gremory could be a relative of Lady Branwen, a Celtic goddess of love and beauty. They have similar correspondences and I can't help but feel like they may be kind of related in some way.

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+: Duchess Vepar :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Forty-second Spirit is Vepar, or Vephar. He is a Duke Great and Strong and appeareth like a Mermaid. His office is to govern the Waters, and to guide Ships laden with Arms, Armour, and Ammunition, etc., thereon. And at the request of the Exorcist he can cause the seas to be right stormy and to appear full of ships. Also he maketh men to die in Three Days by Putrefying Wounds or Sores, and causing Worms to breed in them. He governeth 29 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc."

Lady Vepar is a goddess of the sea, protection, sickness, healing, medicine, storms, and marine life. Being a goddess of sickness, she can also help heal said illness and helps find cures for any ailments. She can assist in addressing traumas you've kept buried within the depths of your soul, so that you can emerge above the waters a better version of yourself.

Duchess Vepar may be associated with Lord/Lady Leviathan and Lady Tiamat, due to the correspondences with the ocean and seawater. I believe she may also have ties to the Kuliltu and Kulullu daemon races from Mesopotamian mythology, some of the many children of Mother Tiamat.

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+: Duke/Duchess Astaroth :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Twenty-ninth Spirit is Astaroth. He is a Mighty, Strong Duke, and appeareth in the Form of a hurtful Angel riding on an Infernal Beast like a Dragon, and carrying in his right hand a Viper. He giveth true answers of things Past, Present, and to Come, and can discover all Secrets. He will declare wittingly how the Spirits fell, if desired, and the reason of his own fall. He can make men wonderfully knowing in all Liberal Sciences. He ruleth 40 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, which wear thou as a Lamen before thee, or else he will not appear nor yet obey thee, etc."

Lord/Lady Astaroth is a god(dess) of love, sorcery, lust, passion, friendship, androgyny, and magic. Similar to Lucifer, they are an enlightenment and knowledge daemon. They also assist in building relationships with others, as well as self-love. Astaroth can help you strengthen and further develop your divination skills as well, making it easier to communicate with the spiritual realms in general.

In my UPG, Duke/Duchess Astaroth isn't the same as Astarte (Ashtoreth), but rather a spirit shard of her. This spirit shard was then further developed into a daemon by Lord Lucifer himself. These are just my personal beliefs though!

(Side Note: I believe that Duke/Duchess Astaroth goes by all pronouns, but personally I just use they/them/theirs pronouns most of the time to refer to Astaroth. Xx)

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+: Marchioness Gamigin/Samigina :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Fourth Spirit is Samigina, a Great Marquis. He appeareth in the form of a little Horse or Ass, and then into Human shape doth he change himself at the request of the Master. He speaketh with a hoarse voice. He ruleth over 30 Legions of Inferiors. He teaches all Liberal Sciences, and giveth account of Dead Souls that died in sin. And his Seal is this, which is to be worn before the Magician when he is Invocator, etc."

Lady Gamigin, also known as Lady Samigina, is a goddess of death, necromancy, dying, darkness, the afterlife, and the Underworld. She assists with spirits crossing over to the afterlife, and can also assist in communicating with the dead. Gamigin could also function as a grave-keeper type of spirit.

Marchioness Samigina may be related to the Gallo-Roman goddess, Lady Epona; a protector of equine animals, and a goddess of fertility. The "leader of the souls to the afterlife" correspondences seem to confirm the correlation between Gamigin and Epona.

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+: Marchioness Marchosias :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Thirty-fifth Spirit is Marchosias. He is a Great and Mighty Marquis, appearing at first in the Form of a Wolf (or Ox) having Gryphon’s Wings, and a Serpent’s Tail, and Vomiting Fire out of his mouth. But after a time, at the command of the Exorcist he putteth on the Shape of a Man. And he is a strong fighter. He was of the Order of Dominations. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits. He told his Chief, who was Solomon, that after 1,200 years he had hopes to return unto the Seventh Throne. And his Seal is this, to be made and worn as a Lamen, etc."

Lady Marchosias is a goddess of war, battle, strength, chaos, and protection. She can help one to feel powerful and assist in taking back control in your life. She can help you feel motivated and confident. Marchosias can also assist with curse work and help you rise up above your enemies.

Marchioness Marchosias may have ties to Lord Fenrir from Norse mythology. I've noticed they both share the same chaotic energy. They only seem distantly related to one another though.

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+: Marchioness Phenex :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Thirty-Seventh Spirit is Phenex (or Pheynix). He is a great Marquis, and appeareth like the Bird Phoenix, having the Voice of a Child. He singeth many sweet notes before the Exorcist, which he must not regard, but by-and-by he must bid him put on Human Shape. Then he will speak marvellously of all wonderful Sciences if required. He is a Poet, good and excellent. And he will be willing to perform thy requests. He hath hopes also to return to the Seventh Throne after 1,200 years more, as he said unto Solomon. He governeth 20 Legions of Spirits. And his Seal is this, which wear thou, etc."

Lady Phenix is a sun goddess of transformation, rebirth, resurrection, creativity, passion, nature, and fire. She can help ignite the creative fires within one's soul so they can express their full artistic potential. She can also help one burn up negative traits so that you may emerge from the ashes a better version of yourself.

Marchioness Phenex can be considered either synonymous with or an aspect of the Greco-Roman Phoenix bird. I personally see Lady Phenex as being a daemonic aspect of the Phoenix.

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+: President Amy/Avnas :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Fifty-eighth Spirit is Amy, or Avnas. He is a Great President, and appeareth at first in the Form of a Flaming Fire; but after a while he putteth on the Shape of a Man. His office is to make one Wonderful Knowing in Astrology and all the Liberal Sciences. He giveth Good Familiars, and can bewray Treasure that is kept by Spirits. He governeth 36 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc."

Lady Amy, also known as Lady Avnas, is a goddess of volcanoes, the wild, nature, strength, fire, wisdom, and protection. She can assist one in the studying of desired topics and subjects, but especially astrology and the zodiac. She can also shield one from negative energies, as well as help the individual to become stronger.

I can't help but feel like President Amy has associations with Lord Pan/Faunus... However Amy isn't as prominently sexual or lustful as Pan. They both seem to be deities of nature and the wild though.

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+: President Haagenti :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Forty-eighth Spirit is Haagenti. He is a President, appearing in the Form of a Mighty Bull with Gryphon’s Wings. This is at first, but after, at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape. His Office is to make Men wise, and to instruct them in divers things; also to Transmute all Metals into Gold; and to change Wine into Water, and Water into Wine. He governeth 33 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc."

Lady Haagenti is a goddess of sorcery, transformation and transmutation, fertility, magic, creativity, and change. Like her masculine counterpart (President/King Zagan), she teaches spiritual alchemy and can assist one with attaining spiritual enlightenment in this way. She can also help with developing creative skill so one can excel in their desired creative fields.

Some have aligned President Haagenti with the previously mentioned Lady Bastet. Personally, I don't really see them as being linked in any way, nor could I find any good sources as to why people conflate them with one another. If anything, I feel like Lady Haagenti, along with President/King Zagan and Count/President Morax, evolved from the Minotaur in Greek mythology. I also believe Morax may be an aspect of the Minotaur, but that's for another post lol.

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+: Prince(ss) Seere :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Seventieth Spirit is Seere, Sear, or Seir. He is a Mighty Prince, and Powerful, under AMAYMON, King of the East. He appeareth in the Form of a Beautiful Man, riding upon a Winged Horse. His Office is to go and come; and to bring abundance of things to pass on a sudden, and to carry or recarry anything whither thou wouldest have it to go, or whence thou wouldest have it from. He can pass over the whole Earth in the twinkling of an Eye. He giveth a True relation of all sorts of Theft, and of Treasure hid, and of many other things. He is of an indifferent Good Nature, and is willing to do anything which the Exorcist desireth. He governeth 26 Legions of Spirits. And this his Seal is to be worn, etc."

Lord/Lady Seere is a god(dess) of the skies, astral travel, peace, clouds and rain, fertility, beauty, and androgyny. They can help one with astral travel as well as dream interpretation and walking the dreamscape. They can also help one attain insight about yourself and whatever is going on in your life. They can also help you attain an abundance of whatever it is that you seek.

Prince(ss) Seere and their steed may have ties to the Pegasus in Greek mythology, though I wasn't able to entirely confirm this.

+: Princess Sitri :+

From the Ars Goetia: "The Twelfth Spirit is Sitri. He is a Great Prince and appeareth at first with a Leopard’s head and the Wings of a Gryphon, but after the command of the Master of the Exorcism he putteth on Human shape, and that very beautiful. He enflameth men with Women’s love, and Women with Men’s love; and causeth them also to show themselves naked if it be desired. He governeth 60 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, to be worn as a Lamen before thee, etc."

Lady Sitri is a goddess of love, passion, relationships, sex, fire, lust, and desire. She can help one with love spells and sex magic, as well as mending relationship conflicts. She can also infuse any creative project with passion, and help you overcome creative blocks.

I personally feel that Princess Sitri has ties to Lady Aphrodite/Venus, given the associations with love, desire, and sex. I also believe she's related to Duke Flauros/Haures in some way too. Sitri appears to me as a cheetah rather than a leopard, but that's just how I see her lol.

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Welp, that concludes the daemonesses of the Ars Goetia! Please keep in mind that these are just my personal beliefs, and I encourage you to take from this post what you wish and form your own opinions and beliefs on the matter.

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There are many goddesses and daemonesses that span across several different practices and cultures that are open to work with...

Lilith doesn't need to be one of them.

+. GIF Credit .+

I hope you all found this post helpful! And as always, I wish you well on your spiritual path. 🖤

~ Many Blessings ~

-Korv

would you have any tips for being a respectful theistic satanist? i am aware that satanism is often used as an antisemitic dogwhistle as well as of the antisemitism that often presents within the field, and i do my best to recognize and combat these things and listen to jewish voices, but is there anything in particular you would recommend avoiding? i am asking in terms of actions or practices, not organizations, btw

Unfortunately, that's not really my call to make. I encourage you to bring the question to a jewish practitioner, so im gonna throw the question over to @will-o-the-witch

Miguel Carbonell Selva (1854-1896) - Death of Sappho, 1881

If any of y’all didn’t know, there’s a free online library, aka

https://openlibrary.org/

and I found like, twelve ebooks I’ve been wanting to read on there, and blasted through like three of them during the course of a boring-ass shift.

Ways to Get Intimate with the Gods

For those special gods in your life. 

Leave space for them on your bed when you sleep

Dedicate a piece of jewelry to them and wear it all the time

When you’re emotional, write a letter to them until your hands start to hurt

Make them a cup of tea and sit down across from it and just talk

Make some time to sit in ritual in silence and just feel them

Wear their colors for them and let them know you did it for them

Orgasms are great offerings

Take care of yourself physically and pamper yourself while you talk to them and visualize them helping you (example: washing your hair, doing your nails)

Magic is made from passion, so when you need an extra kick in the spell, visualize them touching you and whispering in your ear all the passion that you need 

Eat dinner with them

Create a place where you meet in meditation 

A Sea Witch’s Guide to Seashells

A handy guide to properly cleaning shells, when and how to collect them, and a few creative ideas for using them in witchy matters or altar decoration! 

By rainy-day-witchcraft

Cleaning

Seashells, whether inhabited by an organism or abandoned on the beach, almost always have that funky sea smell~ which can only grow as they are dried and left out. When cleaning shells, there are many different techniques. You can:

Boil ~ gently drop your shells into a stove-top pot and turn up the heat until the water reaches a boil. After a few minutes, turn it down to about half that heat, and let them simmer for 20-30 minutes. Tips: Shells must be dropped into the water while it is still lukewarm, so they gradually heat and do not break or crack from the cool to hot transfer / Take caution not to let the pot boil over, as the water is salty and will leave a residue that will need to be cleaned afterwards 

Bleach~ Soak your shells in a 50/50 water/bleach ratio for an hour or so. There is no set time, but be careful not to leave them in for too long, as the bleach will break them down!

Baking Soda scrub~ Mixing a paste-like mixture of water and baking soda, take an old toothbrush and scrub the shell for a few minutes. If you are dealing with a sanddoller, be sure to scrub more gently and in small circular motions

Burying~ Because barnacles, tiny organisms, or bits of the previous shell-owner can be left in hard-to-reach areas of the shell, burying a shell 18 inches into the ground for a few weeks is a useful technique to get rid of any stink-inducing sea thing. Because it is buried at this depth, it allows insects, larva, and ants to eat the remains of organism and leave the shell with no reason to smell after cleaning! If using this technique, bury it opening-down; it works especially well to preserve glossy shells, as most of the other methods may cause de-shining

If you are more of a pro-collector, consider using:

Muriatic acid~ dipping a shell in this chemical can majorly restore color and finish. However, on OLIVE shells (seashells that already have a shiny finish) this will do the opposite, and dull them

Shell Collecting

The best times to collect shells are during the New Moon and Full Moon, when the tide is at it’s most powerful. Beginning your collecting an hour before and after low tide is also a key time when seashells end up on the sand! While searching near the wet sand usually yields fresher shells, make sure you also do a little digging or check near the high-tide line.

The DON’T’s

Fragile shells, such as sand dollar, can crumble if cleaned too harshly or left in the sun

Do not clean with any type of vinegar! Vinegar can erode calcium, which is a main component in almost all shells

If you find two shells sealed tightly together, or anything that resembles a live clam or shellfish, do not collect these! There is an organism living inside, and it is illegal at many beaches to collect living seashells. Do the little guy a favor (and the environment) and throw it back into the ocean or leave it be ~ 

If any trace of sea creature is left inside or outside the shell, it will mostly never loose the fishy smell

Putting Shells to (Magickal) Use

In addition to looking nice or being cleaned/polished and made into decoration, they can also be used as:

Offering bowls

Talismans or Amulets

Representation of ocean or sea related gods/goddesses

Various magickal utensils (Magickal tools adorned with seashells, decorated on bowls or cups, hung as ornaments or charms, etc.)

In magick and witchcraft, they represent and are useful in:

The element of Water/West direction

Rounder, whiter shells can represent the moon, because of it’s influence on the ocean tides

Spells for emotion (water=emotion) protection (A shell is the protective covering for an ocean organism) creativity (water also=creative spirit), love (In reference to Aphrodite), and prosperity (Used as currencies around the world long ago) 

Particular shells also have their own meaning, such as these~

Abalone - general use and containment of empowered herbs and stones

Clam shells - purification and love

Conche shell - love

Cone shell - protection

Cowrie shell - prosperity, money - if you look at a cowrie shell is also looks very ‘feminine’)

Whelks - dramatic positive change

Limpets - courage, confidence, strength

Scallops - travel, movement

Sand~doller- prosperity, good luck

(Information gathered here)

Leave a message for Rainy-day-witchcraft if you have any questions, comments, or would like to see similar witchy guides! ➺ Rainy

Bedridden Witch: Bath Edition

For many of us, taking baths/showers is physically exhausting or impossible. Here are some ways to incorporate bath magic into your life without actually taking a bath or leaving bed!

Using wipes:

Wipes come in a variety of types, making them perfect. There’s usually a good fit for everyone, I personally enjoy the Burt’s Bees brand. I use correspondences to give my wipe-down a little oomph! I’m making this Burt’s Bees specific but you get the idea!

Cotton: Purity, healing, luck, protection. 

Cucumber and Sage: Recovery, growth, soothing. Protection, cleansing, wishes. 

Grapefruit: Cleansing, purification, energizing, healing.

Peach: Vitality, love, longevity. 

White Cypress: Grounding, purification, soothing. 

White Tea: Cleansing, clarity, blessings, glamour.

You can also draw sigils on the packaging, charge it with crystals, place the package in the sun/moonlight, etc.

Using washcloths/hand towels:

When I’m stuck in bed for a while, I keep a stack of washcloths and a vessel of water nearby so I can wash my arms and legs, or to put on my forehead to cool down. There’s a couple different ways to make this witchy!

Color correspondences for the washcloths themselves.

Use water charged in the sun/moon, or rain/storm water.

Charge your water with crystals or sigils. 

If you put the crystals in the water, which is not required, here is a list of crystals that cannot go in water:  [X] [X]

Infuse your water with some herbs beforehand.

If I’m placing it on my forehead, I’ll add a couple drops of diluted essential oils. 

Using a spray bottle:

Sometimes you just gotta mist yourself, which is especially helpful for the hair or days when it’s stuffy. 

I love adding some herbs or a bit of rosewater into the spraybottle.

Once again, you can use sun/moon and rain/storm water.

You can also charge the bottle with crystals or sigils.

I like to say a little chant: “Like the rains cleanse the earth, let this water cleanse me/my body/my mind”.

Sometimes I just spritz myself with rosewater.

Other things:

Dry shampoo. Use to refresh, glamorize, etc. Charge it beforehand if you so desire.

Lotion. Use to rejuvenate, heal, etc. Scent/ingredient correspondences!

Deodorant. Charge, scent correspondences, you get the idea!

Brushing your teeth. If you can’t make it to the bathroom, I like to keep a travel sized kit by my bed and spit into a cup (definitely different than the one I drink from). Don’t underestimate the cleansing and refreshing powers of brushing your teeth!

Anything else you can think of!

Low energy + ingredient magic for in the tub:

Pour some Epsom salts in there. Bonus points if they’re infused with anything. You know the deal, correspondences. You can also do this for a hand/foot soak if you’re able to access the floor and have a bowl!

Plop some tea bags in the bath. Mint really helps me with migraines and stomach stuff! You can also place them over your eyes/on your forehead.

Simple shower spell/glamour

Soak in positivity: a magical bath

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