You don't need to do anything to be a witch. Being a witch goes beyond the superficial images on social media. It's a profound journey of self-discovery, a daily fight to become who you aspire to be. It's about forging connections with yourself and the Earth, cherishing the blessings it offers and the abundance of resources it gives you.. Witchcraft is finding your community and caring for it while prioritizing self-care. No one has the right to define your journey; it's a deeply personal exploration filled with passion and purpose. That's your journey for you to decide.
Eating food that you love, especially comfort foods
Hosting or attending parties
Hanging out with loved ones
Celebrating your accomplishments, big or small
Having a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)
Putting on grape-scented or fruit-scented perfumes/colognes
Wearing jewelry that reminds you of him
Seeking community; LGBTQ+ support groups, gamer groups, fandom groups, etc.
Having a bull, leopard, goat, or cat stuffed animal
Decorating parts of your room with real or fake ivy vines
Growing a plant, especially ivy or vined plants
Wearing showy or lavish outfits; wearing outfits that make you feel good about yourself
Taking care of your mental health; finding new and healthy ways to cope with issues
Keeping a mental health journal
Keeping a picture of him in your wallet
Having leopard, bull, or big cat imagery around
Taking a hike/walk in a local forest or nature preserve
Taking a walk at night, especially on a new or full moon (only if safe in your area, please)
Dancing, especially to songs that make you feel wild, free, and expressive
Listening to energizing or expressive music
Watching/reading musicals or plays
Performing in a musical or play (including backstage and tech)
Taking your medications; setting reminders for them
Taking care of yourself physically and emotionally
Learning to accept both the "dark" and "light" parts of yourself
Being kind to those outcast by society, especially the homeless and addicts
Volunteering at a homeless shelter
Engaging in activities that bring you joy, especially those that are looked down upon
Finding ways to be rebellious, especially towards authority (don't do this if it risks your own safety)
Expressing yourself in little ways if unable to be open about it (wearing a bracelet that represents your gender identity, shoelaces that are pride flag colored, etc.)
Embracing all the unique things that make you who you are
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May add more later! This is my list of discreet ways to worship Dionysus. I hope it helps, and take care! 💜
Make your body wash/shampoo/conditioner rose scented
Have a rose or sweet scented candle that you light (doesn't have to be on an altar)
Create a skin/body care routine
Have perfume/cologne that you dedicate to her
Wear jewelry that reminds you of her
Carry a pocket charm that reminds you of her (dove works well in a Christian household and is a sacred animal of hers)
Keep a small picture of her in your wallet (maybe carry modern art and claim she is a character from something if asked)
Wear a locket with a picture of someone you love or of her
Give compliments to strangers
Drink water regularly and dedicate a glass of it to her
Collect seashells (if possible)
Collect things you simply find pretty
Get a stuffed animal of a dove or swan/have imagery of those animals around (dove works especially well in a Christian household)
Plan your outfits/wear clothes that make you feel good
Keep a journal of poetry dedicated to Aphrodite and love-related topics; can also be a general positivity journal or diary (maybe a diary in a way of writing letters to her but saying a code name instead of "Aphrodite")
Keep heart-shaped imagery around
Embrace yourself; give yourself love
Forgive yourself of past mistakes
Give yourself compliments; start small if needed; I recommend doing this in a mirror
Pin up pictures of loved ones on a mirror or wall
If possible, burn some incense in honor of her; strawberry always has a great smell to it
Watch a love-focused movie (romantic or platonic)
Listen to or read stories about acts of kindness and love
Paint your nails or wear make-up (if you enjoy those things and are able to)
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I may add more to this later, but here is my list of subtle ways to worship Aphrodite so far! Worship can absolutely be discreet, and if it needs to be for safety or the like, know that the gods will almost certainly understand. Take care, y'all! 🩷
I’ve been dwelling deep into Hellenism, learning about the deities of the beautiful path. I feel a calling towards Hekate, Ares & Athena. I also want to further educate myself on the primordial deities. Any tips on getting really involved with Hellenism?
eat something. take your medicine. you are not a burden to others. your emotions are just as real as theirs and deserve to be listened to. relax your jaw and shoulders. it’s okay to take a break sometimes you deserve rest. it’s okay to be yourself. you’re not hard to love and anyone who opposes that does not deserve your time. you’re going to be okay.
I was doing a tarot reading and I pulled the Death card, however I wanted a bit more insight so I pulled another card for clarification and it was the Death card. Again.
I'm neurodivergent and i experience really intense burnout. I get to a point where I struggle to even get out of bed, take my meds, remember to drink water, let alone practice. But, when I want to practice i have a list of things i can usually do. Everyone's experiences with burn out/low energy are different so this list may not apply to you, and that's okay. Take what resonates, leave what doesn't and i hope you enjoy my silly little list :)
create a playlist and infuse it with an intention. eg, a money spell playlist filled with songs about wealth.
draw sigils with soap when in the shower. (you can also use a wet wipe if you can't shower)
found some juice? give it a little shake and use the ingredients as a spell.
have food that has grains as ingredients? wow! an abundance spell!
the classic add intention to your tea and coffee.
bind your hair. for me with is as simple as putting my hair in a ponytail.
watch a witchy video. while not technically practising witchcraft, sometimes all you need is to sit back and relax to connect with your practice.
when I have a decent amount of energy I'll grab a large pillar candle and carve sigils into it. I use it as a long-term spell; all I have to do to activate it is light the candle. I like to light one of these spell candles when I'm having a bad day.
if you're religious, pray. Even if you're lying in bed. Even if you haven't showered in a week. If it makes you happy and you can, do it
burn some insence! it smells good, you don't have to really worry about forgetting about it, it's good for cleansing. it's great!
take a nap with some crystals. any restorative crystals or calming crystals work great! just make sure that they aren't geodes or roughs. i'd hate for you to hurt yourself while sleeping.
if you don't have any crystals for your nap, set an intention instead. please let yourself rest.
It's important to remember that you're allowed to take breaks from your craft. If you're forcing yourself to practice when you have no energy because "that's what a good witch would do!" then you're probably going to make your situation worse. it's a great way to fall out of love with witchcraft. give yourself some grace. rest is infinitely more important than 1 full moon, 1 new moon, or missing your daily/weekly/monthly cleanse. You aren't a bad person if you don't pull your morning tarot card or check the astrology forecast for today. and you aren't a bad person if you miss your daily prayer. take care of yourself. your health is WAY more important than your craft. Go get a drink of water and take care of yourself <3
It's a lot healthier to go for a daily walk than to sign up for a gym membership you won't be using because you hate that kind of exercise. It's a lot healthier to eat a frozen meal than to skip a meal because you were too tired to cook something healthy. It's a lot healthier to take a quick shower than to procrastinate an elaborate routine for days. Don't aim so high that you won't be hitting anything!
My dad was dealing with some mixed feelings so I told him "In therapy when something is too complicated to do a simple 'pro and contra list' we sometimes do an excercise where you imagine all these mixed feelings around a table in some kind of conference, letting each tell their bit and you leading the debate."
and my dad didn't really respond and just stared ahead so I kept preparing lunch. Until a few minutes later when he suddenly piped up: "I am having a bad time at the conference"