💗— Day 1: Love In Magick

🌙 Unconventional Ideas to Include in a Book of Shadows ✒

Here are some of the more bohemian things that take up space in my Book of Shadows:

Warded Cover Page: every Book of Shadows I’ve ever owned has begun with a cover page that is warded out the ass. The style and technique of these wards has grown and evolved with my craft, but they always involved an invisibility spell tied to my name and bound with a blood taglock. The purpose is to make the book go unnoticed by everyone but me (and anyone who I allowed to read it)

The Headless Rite: a goetic invocation of your higher self/heavenly energies

Channeled Deity Artwork: Similar to spirit writing; I find that I create my best artwork when I’ve invoked a higher power, and I have currently created devotional portraits of Hekate, Lucifer, Demeter, Persephone, and several other deities by invoking the deity in question and then sketching whatever comes to me

Channeled Spirit Writing: Attuning to the energy of a spirit, ancestor, or guide and writing whatever comes to me

Magickal practices and techniques of various cultures in my heritage

Pieces of advice I’ve learned from various witches throughout the years

Manifestation Page: Similar to a mood board or an intention board; fill the page with words and pictures of your goals and desires 

Deity Sigils: I do find that some deities prefer to be evoked/invoked without the use of sigils, but for those that do have their own specific sigil, I record them here

Journals of instances where I have witnessed manifestation first-hand

Encounters I have had with spirits or other supernatural phenomena

Personal associations for herbs, crystals, colors, etc., and not just the ones you can find on Google

Spell Ideas that I find particularly intricate, beautiful, or devilishly enticing, but don’t quite have use for or the time to execute yet

Lists of names of my ancestors and of historical witches

Recurring symbols that appear repeatedly in dreams, tarot readings, or in the physical world

Omens that appear to me, such as wild animals or strange weather

Record of spells that I’ve performed: I long ago gave up on the pretty idea of recording every single act of witchcraft I performed in great length, detailing the position of the sun and moon, the exact procedure, and any and all outcomes. Instead, I just try to keep a bullet list of every spell I perform with a very brief description. It shouldn’t take me longer than 60 seconds to write max; very useful to reference, especially if a spell goes wrong and you don’t notice its negative impact until much later 

Brightest blessings, and best of luck 🕉

Teshuvah Tarot Spread

Putting things into tarot spreads helps me process and understand them better, so this spread was born! Especially with Yom Kippur coming up, this felt good to share. Teshuvah is a Jewish process of repentance, designed to aid us in confronting our own wrongdoings, making right on them, and working to make sure we are better people in the future. Gentiles are welcome to use this spread for their own self-improvement, but please do not use it for a profit!

CARD ONE- Going astray. Identifying the wrongdoing, the harm we have caused, and where we have strayed off the path of doing the most good. This can be used to identify a transgression you might not be aware of. If you are reading for a specific wrongdoing, treat this card as a “why?” card; what troubles or toxic elements led us to act this way? Is there a larger problem that needs addressing?

CARD TWO- Making right. Card two doesn’t necessarily have to go before card three in this spead, both “occur” at the same time. It’s important to try and help repair any damage we caused, apologize, and make things right, if possible. This card guides us on how we can best do so, what actions we can take to restore the balance.

CARD THREE- Casting away. It’s not enough to just address the aftermath of our actions; we must also look at the root. We looked at where the harm came from in card one; how can we distance ourselves from that place? What actions can we take so that we won’t it again?

CARD FOUR- Prepare for the future. They say the real test of repentance is not the apology, but changed behavior, aka how you act the next time a similar situation comes up. This is advice for that moment: when life goes on and we find ourselves faced with the same demons/temptations/conflicts, what lesson should we keep in mind?

CARD FIVE- Honor your path. We are all working to be the best versions of ourselves. What can we do to continue down that path? What actions can we take to welcome in more truth, more loving-kindness, more balance, and more opportunities to do good? How can we best honor our journey of becoming the kind of people we want to be?

I hope you enjoy and please feel free to let me know what you think! If you like this spread, consider getting a reading from me (@will-o-the-witch) for PWYW! 

Hellenic Polytheism Start Pack

Pillars of Hellenismos

Hellenismos in Application Post #1

Xenia

Miasma

Khernips

Veiling & Binding

Giving Offerings to Cthonic Theoi

Giving Offerings to the Ouranic Theoi

Offering Ideas

How I Deal With Being a Secret Hellenist Post #1

How I Deal With Being a Secret Hellenist Post #2

How I Deal With Being a Secret Hellenist Post #3

Festivals and How to Start

Hekate’s Deipnon, Noumenia, and Agathos Daimon

How to Make a Kathiskos

Hestia in Hellenismos

How to Pray, Praise, and Worship the Theoi

The Titanomachy Post #1

The Titanomachy Post #2

The Ages of Mankind

How to Make a Shrine { @modernhellenismos }

Ritual in Hellenismos { @mythologyrules }

Pillars of Hellenismos   { @mythologyrules }

Pillars of Hellenismos { @soloontherocks }

Finding Your Ritual Calendar { @hearthfirehandworks }

Hellenic Terminology Page { baringtheaegis }

What Even is Hellenic Polytheism? What are Some Good Links to Read When First Getting Started? { Royalautumnfrost }

Building Your Worship { @pomegranateandivy }

Pomegranateandivy’s Hellenic FAQ { @pomegranateandivy }

What’s Miasma? { Royalautumnfrost }

Household Shrines { @baringtheaegis }

Household Gods {@hearthfirehandworks } 

Difference Between Hellenic and Hellenistic { @soloontherocks }

Delphic Maxims (Printable PDF) { Hellenicgods.org }

Example of Daily Rituals { baringtheaegis }

Ritual Formula { @mythologyrules }

Relationships with the Theoi { @baringtheaegis }

How to Pray and Praise (Hymn and Prayer Formula) { @baringtheaegis }

“She was extraordinary - a genuine witch. She had powers. Unusual powers. Extra powers. She kind of knew things before they happened. She loved a full moon.”

_Kenneth Anger describing Marjorie Cameron

I made some lavender milk for my spirit companion L <3  I used this recipe if anyone was interested in making their own! It tastes wonderfully sweet and floral

setting up an ancestor altar

Witch’s Ladder Iron Key Curse

“Take a length of waxed cotton twine to bind the spirits tight, as long as your forearm, soaked in red wine for a fortnight.

Tie three sprigs of mugwort, culled under the summer moon, dried through the winter, burned as spectre’s commune.

With cunning words we bind together in aged knotted script, three iron nails dug from the earth of a rotted crypt.

Take an old penny with a hole driven into the Queen’s eye, and through it slip the wine soak cotton so that it may lie.

Bind a rabbit bone to give agency to that earthbound wight, that from the grave they may ride out in harrowed flight.

With an iron key to anchor our spell and lock away secrets true, or open forgotten doors through which our dreams are born anew.”

ASTEROID KALLISTO

IB: Linda Goodman

Asteroid Kallisto can show the most beautiful parts of your life. Kallisto is based on a Greek nymph of Artemis. Her name means “the most beautiful” in Greek. She was also known as someone who was very charming; Code: 204

Kallisto aspecting the Sun: Your identity or fame

Kallisto aspecting the Moon: Your emotional intelligence

Kallisto aspecting Mercury: Your voice or communicating style

Kallisto aspecting Venus: Your charm, style, and beauty in general

Kallisto aspecting Mars: Your sex appeal or your passionate nature

Kallisto aspecting Jupiter: Your optimism/joyful personality

Kallisto aspecting Saturn: Your humbleness

Kallisto aspecting Uranus: Your intelligence

Kallisto aspecting Neptune: Your kindness

Kallisto aspecting Pluto: Your magnetic personality

Masterlist

© astrostell all rights reserved

Witches Sabbats: Lughnasadh

Autumn draws near and with it, comes Lughnasadh.

Lughnasadh, pronounced “LOO-nah-sah” and known also as Lammas, is a Celtic festival that occurs from the 31st of July through into the 1st of August. It was observed fervently throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man and marks the beginning of the harvest season.

Also called: Lúnasa (modern Irish), Lùnastal (Scottish Gaelic), Luanistyn (Manx Gaelic).

Lughnasadh is the celebration and ritual of the first harvest of fruit, wheat, and grain. This festival both acknowledges and celebrates the waning of light - Lughnasadh is the initiation of Winter preparation.

It is named for Lugh Lámhfada. and is in honour of his step-mother, Tailtiu who perished of exhaustion after clearing the fields of Ireland ready to be planted, sowed and seeded. Lughnasadh was originally a set of rituals, gatherings and funerary games (named Tailteann Games, or Áenach Tailteann) in honour of Tailtiu’s death and sacrifice. 

Some Symbols of Lughnasadh:

Wheat

Corn

Barely

Oats

Onions

Grapes

Straw dolls/straw bales

Corn dolls

Wood

Tarot (strength)

Runes (Eihwaz)

The Colours of Lughnasadh:

Yellow

Orange

Red

Violet

Dark green

Brown

The Stones & Crystals of Lughnasadh:

Carnelian

Cat’s Eye

Citrine

Marble

Sale

Granite

Lodestone

The Herbs of Lughnasadh:

Heather

Blackberry

Rose

Sandalwood

Goldenrod

Important/Celebrated Foods of Lughnasadh:

Bread

Apples

Corn

Beer/Ale/Mead

Grapes

Onions

Apricot

Pear

Activities to be done during Lughnasadh:

Baking/Cooking: Sharing food is a good thing to do with each sabbat, especially those with agricultural ties. If you incorporate seasonal foods, and foods associated with the sabbat itself, it can be seen as an offering or as being done in honour of what you’re celebrating.

Take some time to enjoy nature: Lughnasadh is a time when the seasons are changing, so take this time to walk and enjoy the last that summer has to offer. Collect things whilst you walk to put on your altar if you have one.

Construct an altar: if this is something you do, decorate your altar with some of the items mentioned in the list above. If you’re pagan and have a deity who corresponds with this holiday, leave an offering on your altar. In Lugh’s case, he is a god known for his skills in craftmanship and His ability to turn His hand to anything. He is also known for playing the harp, so anything you have crafted or that has taken skill to create will be well received by Him.

Decorate your home: if you like, small decor changes can really get you in the mood and act as a celebratory act.

Bonfires: Invite friends and/or family to a bonfire. Not only is Lughnasadh a celebration of waning light and of the god Lugh, it is a celebration of fire. Share plans to remove negative habits or influences from your life with your loved ones, burn representatives of negativity, drink to future prosperity and toast to Lugh.

Light a candle and do the same, if you are not yet an outed witch.

Craft: as mentioned before, Lugh is a god of craft and skill. Make something! Finish a project you’ve been putting off! 

If you don’t want to do something in Lugh’s name, you can make dolls out of corn (a very traditional activity) and they can be left on an altar if you have one, used as decoration or turned into a poppet.

Acts of athelticism: The funerary games of Lughnasadh were its primary reason for creation. To honour this, you can do something on a small scale, such as jogging or yoga, or going to the gym, if you are able.

Trading: Bake some bread and give it to your friends/family/coven in exchange for herbs, or some canldes! That’s just an idea. but you get the gist of it.

Lots of trading took place at historic Lughnasadh celebrations, as they assembly for this season festival was always large.

Feasting: Ties into the baking/cooking aspect, but using things that come from the first harvest is a good way to honour Lughnasadh and Tailtiu.