Hi, I’ve been wanting to study greek religion for quite a time now. Even considering worshipping deities but I don't want to disrespect anyone. What can you suggest to where I can start? If there are reading the most accurate materials, please do tell.
Χαίρε, anon :) Thank you so much for your question!
I actually do have a RECOMMENDED READING FOLDER
If you're only just getting into the study of ancient Greek religion, I would suggest reading the following books/articles:
Jon D. Mikalson's "Ancient Greek Religion"
K.A. Rask's "Devotionalism, Material Culture, and the Personal in Greek Religion"
Mary Depew's "Reading Greek Prayers"
Jennifer Larson's "Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide"
I also suggest reading the following primary texts:
Apostolos N. Athanassakis' translations of "The Homeric Hymns," and Hesiod’s "Theogony, Works and Days, Shield"
And Richmond Lattimore's translations of the Iliad and Odyssey :)
If you have any questions, please feel free to message me!
Keeping this here for safe reminders
The Ace of Wands could mean finding a new hobby, like painting or hiking. The Two of Wands could mean planning the renovation of your home, if interior design or woodworking is among your passions.
Passion is related to creativity. So the Six of Wands could mean your Instagram posts gaining a lot of attention, if you are into fashion or photography.
And we tend to be very passionate about our favorite celebrities and our crushes, so the Eight of Wands could mean receiving attention from someone famous or somebody you are interested in.
The Ace of Cups could mean the arrival of a new lover, while the Two of Cups could mean romance blooming between you and a friend.
Emotions are not always positive. Sometimes it is as if they do not even exist, like in the Four of Cups, where you are bored from feeling nothing. Other times they are negative, like in the Five of Cups, where you could be grieving a death or a breakup.
The Page of Cups could be an invitation to go out on a date. The Knight of Cups could be a marriage proposal. Both offers involve strong emotions.
These thoughts could be mundane, like the Two of Swords asking you to decide between steak and salmon for dinner.
Other times, they could be of the higher kind, such as the Four of Swords conveying that your mind is at peace, because you have found your true spiritual path.
Most of the time, though, these thoughts are about day to day affairs, such as the Page of Swords confirming that you will get the job, or the Eight of Swords predicting how stressed you will be because of an exam.
Since we are living in a material world, most of our foundations are material. The Ace of Pentacles could mean starting at a new job, while the Six of Pentacles could mean receiving a bonus.
Foundations are related to stability. So the Five of Pentacles does not necessarily mean you will lose everything and become a beggar. It could simply be predicting that you will suffer a salary deduction because of the pandemic, causing you to feel less financially stable than usual.
For this reason, the King of Pentacles is the most stable figure in this arcana, closely followed by the Queen and the Knight.
Because all of life overlaps.
If what you are most passionate about is money, then when the Suit of Wands talks to you, it would be speaking about finances, instead of hobbies. And if you are emotionally focused on spirituality, then instead of symbolizing a new lover, the Ace of Cups could mean a new religious journey.
The Three of Swords, for example, is about heartbreak. So why is it not under the Suit of Cups? Because when we are heartbroken, our heart is actually quiet. It is our mind that screams in pain, and that is the Suit of Swords’ domain.
Tasseomancy symbols and meanings
What to do on a full moon as a witch in the broom closet
- affirmations (you can either say these out loud ou in your head)
- charge crystals (leave them outside for a while, doesn't even have to be the whole night)
- make moon water (just leave some water outside and say you forgot it there or stay outside with it for a while then store it somewhere safe)
- star gazing
- moon gazing!! She's so beautiful
- moon journal
- light candles with intention (if anyone asks, say they are aesthetically pleasing or you like the smell
- open the windows and curtains to let the moonlight in
- meditate and visualize
- practice tarot (you can do this with normal playing cards so no one is suspicious)
- take a full moon bath!
- bless and drink herbal tea
Most importantly: remain safe, be kind and stay witchy my friends
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Support your local witch on KoFi
seeing these numbers repetitively with no outer influence has these messages
111: Manifestation Invitation 222: Life imbalance in some way 333: Life purpose 444: You’re on the right path 555: Change ahead 666: You are giving too much of yourself mentally, physically, and/or emotionally in a particular aspect of your life 777: Sacred number, spiritual evolution/growth 888: Future Abundance 999: A chapter in your life will end and a new one will begin
use these numbers to manifest specific correlations
0: totality, realm of potential, primordial void 1: leadership, strength, confidence 2: duality, partnership, opposition 3: luck, success, intuition, the divine principle 4: stability, grounded, calmness 5: adventure, freedom, sensuality 6: balance between earth/spirit, intuition 7: synchronicity, spiritual awakening, introspection 8: abundance, prosperity, financial well-being 9: wisdom, enlightenment, higher consciousness 10: completion, wholeness, integration
if you have a feather appear in your path here’s a form of divination to try
Gray: Peace Ahead, Neutral Answer, Harmony Black: Protection During Spiritual Awakening Purple: Spirituality, communication Yellow: Reminder to stay positive, you’re on the right path Spotted: Let go of the past Brown: Judgement is clouded, grounding, wait for better time White: Keep Faith Pink: Love (whether it be self, friends, family or partners) Red: Life force, passion, spiritual gifts Blue: Listen, psychic abilities, intuition Green: Someone you love is healing, Wealth is coming your way
Reblog to give your mutuals one of each
I made this tarot cheat sheet after being inspired on tiktok <3 I hope this can help anyone who needs it!
Canvas: creativity, new beginnings, potential, possibilities
Cashmere: comfort, warmth, luxury
Chiffon: feminine, delicacy, vulnerable, elegance
Cotton: simplicity, harvest, protection, rain, good luck
Denim: ruggedness, durability, labour, working, independence, rebellion
Felt: protection, good luck, wealth (white felt), sacrifice, strength
Flannel: mojo bags, comfort, relaxation, warmth
Flax: weakness of man, prosperity, gift of the gods, Hulda
Gauze: uncertainty in wealth, healing
Hemp: travel, burial, trance, opening gates and doors, vision, enlightenment, Bast
Lace: sacredness, rite of passage, feminine, privilege, sensuality, sexuality, duality
Lamé: luxury, wealth, royalty, sun or moon
Leather: protection, covering, animals, instinct
Linen: righteousness and purity, does not cause sweat, rest, elegance, luxury, sophistication, light and purity, (display of) wealth
Satin: lustrous, sensual, shine, love
Silk: wealth, luxury, softness, smoothness, prestige, transformation, magical insulation
Velvet: distinction, honor, sensuality, emotions, royalty, leadership
Voile: secrets, unveiling, hidden, wedding
Wool: Hope, renewal, spinning, women’s crafts, durability, comfort and warmth
I think people very often oversimplify what shadow-work is and typically don't know what it's for.
The term Shadow in Shadow-work refers to the Jungian archetype. Jung said the Shadow "represents our darkest desires, our untapped resources, or even rejected qualities. It can also symbolize our greatest fears and phobias." Exploring the Shadow is inherently uncomfortable and can bring a reaction out of us when we come close to it. For example, we feel anger or hostility to others often because they represent or demonstrate an aspect of our Shadow.
Shadow-work, however, is the practice of acknowledging, identifying, and understanding the contents of our Shadow. So not only are we not ignoring the Shadow, we're deliberately exploring it.
The purpose of Shadow-work is to facilitate personal growth, identify and heal lifelong traumas, promote personal accountability, understand the mind's conditioned responses, add context behind our personal behaviors, to know what our values are and why we hold those values, and to be consciously aware of our actions, their consequences, and why they produced the consequences they had. The Shadow is not some kind of evil programming inside us designed to ruin our lives, but rather parts of ourselves we've chosen to bury as opposed to addressing their needs.
Why is this work important? Becoming adept at Shadow-work turns someone into the orchestrator of their life as opposed to the byproduct of it. We learn act as opposed to react. We happen to life as opposed to life happening to us. This state of sovereignty is essential for magical and spiritual growth, which is why you see many practitioners undertake it.
It's uncomfortable work, but it's work worth doing.
literally just a rock. it can be a protective crystal if you want, but also if you pick up a rock from outside it can be a ward.
black salt (or any salt, if you wish) on windowsills. i also have black salt in jars in the 4 corners of my room.
sticks. dude trees are SO cool and protective, just don’t cut off a branch (unless you’ve been given permission, but i doubt a tree would like one of their limbs being cut off when you can easily find naturally dropped ones on the ground).
sigils! sigils are so versatile, make your own or find some online, draw it on a paper, and put it in your room. i have some thumbtacked to my wall as well as on my altar.
thread or ribbons around doorknobs. tbh, im not sure where this one comes from (maybe witch bells? which are also an idea) but you can tie black (or any color, but black is good for protection) ribbon around your doorknobs as a form of protection.
i’ll probably add a second post if i think of more. hope these can help you come up with your own ideas, too!! happy witching!
All About: House Spirits
Well, it's about time I brought them up once again, in their own post. This guide may be on the lengthy side, but it's here to explain what they are and how to begin working with them.
What the hell is a house spirit?
House spirits come from all different cultures and folklore. Known as, you guessed it, guardians of the home. They protect the house itself, the land around it (they get along with the land spirit(s) most of the time), and they also protect the family if treated right. A home certainly doesn't feel like one without these presiding spirits helping. In fact it gives the home a life of it's own.
What do they look like? Are there types?
Across many cultures, there are these spirits and the folklore varies for each. In my tribe, we consider them to usually be little dwarves or goblins that must be appeased, otherwise they will cause bad luck or even resort to curses. Regular offerings are required. Then there are the land spirits, which is a whole other topic. If given regular offerings and respect, we believe that they will not only generate good luck and events for us, but protect us and help with our daily lives. For the witches of the tribe, they will often assist in rituals and spells. That all being said, this has carried over into my personal beliefs. Many cultures describe house spirits assisting with the same things and if they are displeased, bad occurrences following. As far as looks go, it depends on the folklore surrounding your area and your cultural background(s). You may believe in one or two types or an entire spectrum of house spirits from the realm of the fair folk. You could have one house spirit or twelve. It's entirely up to your home. In some cultures, there are door spirits (yes, that guard the doors) and ones that work in the kitchen, among others for different functions of the home.
Okay so, I live in an apartment building. Can I still work with them?
Yes. When I used to live in apartments, I found it was an either/or situation regarding how many were there. Some buildings have only a few that roam around, sometimes only one that protects the entire building, or there may be multiple hanging out in one apartment. Most complexes have multiple however. And then for the lucky buildings that have one for each apartment...those are nice. I've included a short offering ritual at the end of this post, which you can use to ask questions about whatever you wish to know, including how many there are in the building.
What kind of offerings do they like?
Milk, honey, bread, and herbs are a safe bet. They especially like bread baked by you, as they see it as a labor of love and that your energy is in there. Taking time to tend to the garden and taking care of your property & home in general are things they like to see. Don't leave the house a huge mess, as many prefer a tidy atmosphere. Not an offering per say, but important to mention nonetheless.
What should I put on their altar?
I keep my altar for them in the kitchen, as it is in a place that is undisturbed and can't be torn up by my land shark (aka, my dog). I also feel that most of the house spirits I have worked with in my life enjoy hanging out in this area of the home. They seem to like assisting in kitchen magic and cooking in general and the warmth of the stove. You may also want to include a small area near the front door if you believe that there are separate spirits for there. I'd recommend a shelf, as it won't take up as much space in the entryway.
Okay, back on track. Plants (if the space gets enough light), a cauldron, candles, offering bowls, a chalice, glass, or mug of some sort. A special spoon to stir the drinks or potions with. Decorative pieces from nature. Things you craft by hand.
How can I begin working with them?
Anytime, in reality. However, you do have to develop an actual relationship with them. This can take time and the more you speak to them, give offerings, and invite them in as you cook or clean, the more they will be willing to help with your spellwork, wards, and healing. Try the introduction ritual I've included. See what happens. Document it. Try again another time the following week. And just...keep going. Make sure that they know you haven't forgotten about them by leaving a small nightly glass of milk out before you head to bed. It doesn't have to be filled to the rim (hey, cost of living is ridiculous right now). It can be a splash with a squirt of honey added. Or a sprinkle of herbs on their bowl. Or maybe a small helping of what you whipped up for dinner. Point is to show them that you acknowledge and respect their presence. That will be the biggest component. Do the ritual once a week until you start seeing signs of contact. Once you do, make your own ritual with them. Incorporate them into your daily life. Ask them to help with blessing your cooking. Ask them to make sure your wards are in tact. Ask the door spirit to purify the energy of anyone that walks in & make bad people resist coming by. Start seeing if they'd like to sit in on a ritual, if you feel comfortable with that idea. Ask for a blessing when you clean the house & to assist you in removing all the bad energy.
Brief introductory ritual
To introduce yourself to your house spirits, I recommend sitting in your kitchen. If you consider your hearth to be the living room, you can choose to do it there. Make sure to bring offerings with that you feel will be applicable. Freshly baked bread (from your own hands) and some milk with honey stirred in would make a wonderful first treat. I usually introduce myself in a new home by bringing these treats to the location of choice, and start by speaking my intention aloud which goes something like:
"Spirits of the home,
Guardians and Protectors of this dwelling,
Please come sit with me and enjoy these offerings.
I wish to have a working relationship where we can honor, respect, and help each other."
I usually spend about ten-twenty minutes meditating after this is spoken aloud. Sometimes you will feel a strong presence. This is the time I take to set up my kitchen altar as well. If there is a place that I am able to create a mini-altar by the front door, I do so there for the door spirits. The land spirits get their own little thing out in the backyard. I've found in the many places I've lived, they almost always work together and some house spirits spend quite some time out there too!
From here on out, you'll develop your relationship with regular offerings and take it from there!