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crazycatsiren · 1 year

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To understand mythologies, myths, folklores, folk tales, you kind of have to try to look at them through the eyes of those who lived and breathed during the eras when they were written, in the places where they were told and retold and passed down the generations.

You kind of have to learn how people lived and worked back then and where they were, how societies were structured and maintained, how cultures were made and kept, how things were in those time periods and how they impacted and influenced folks' ways of living and thinking.

If you only ever see them through a 21st century first world lens, I guarantee you, it just ain't gonna work.

#mother witch ramblings #witchblr #paganblr #mythologies #myths #folklores #folk tales #history #anthropology #folkloric witch #witches of color #religions

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magicaguajiro · 6 months

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Swamp Witch Travels: Finding Sacred Space

Myakka River and Paynes Creek State Parks

As I dive deeper into my practice of bioregional animism, I look to parks for sacred space and places to connect with spirits of all kinds. In Florida we live in cities divided by nature preserves and swamps, and we are also incredibly blessed to have an amazing State Parks system. These parks offer us peaks into ecology and history of the Land that reveal to us some of Its Mysteries. Here are a few things I’ve learned as a Folk Witch.

Make an offering when entering. For ancestral reasons, I use tobacco. Use what you're guided to. Introduce yourself, your intentions, etc. Also, pick up trash and be respectful. Don't wander in places you don't know, or take things you don't have knowledge on. It’s usually best to practice Leave No Trace but when have Witches been known to follow rules… Do as ye will. But always ask and give something in return.

There are different spirits!

Trees, plants, rivers, hills and even entire forests and parks can have their own spirits. At parks like Myakka and Payne’s Creek, there are platforms you can climb for an aerial view of the park. This is a great place to connect with the Genus Loci of a place! (For more on Genus Loci, I recommend Folk Witchcraft by Roger J Horne) Some spirits will want to talk to you, some won’t. Respect their choices and don’t expect anyone to talk for free.

Protection is Key!

Protection is important for witches and animists. Many spirits and natural places are dangerous, for example some Rivers are known for drowning and can be seen as having a harsh and dangerous spirit. When protecting myself day to day I wear spiritual jewelry from my Cuban traditions. Shark and gator teeth serve as great protection from water spirits and in general. My spiral shell ring is protective and I often use it in ritual. Bodies of water are also great places to bless things and hold rituals of cleansing and power! Not only spiritual protection, but physical protection is needed as well. In these swamps, we have gators, sharks, panthers, bobcats, bears, snakes, PEOPLE and even more things that would gladly expedite your role in the food chain. I’m not saying be afraid of animals, rather have respect and recognize you are in their domain. Carry bear spray, don’t wander too far off known trails, and be careful of other people.

I once heard a saying, the Swamp knows everything about death, and doesn’t consider it a tragedy.

Enjoy the Scenery, and Learn!

Take it all in and take your time! If you need to escape heat and mosquitos check out the visitor centers and gift shops! I justify spending a bit too much here on considering it an offering to the Land. Try talking to the people who work here or making friends! This is a great way to learn Folklore and secret places to explore.

On Remembering Ancestors of the Land

In working with the Land, you must honor the Ancestors of the Land. These are the spirits of all the people who lived on the Land before you. For me, this begins with my Ancestors and the other Indigenous groups of the area. In Florida, the tribes who remain today are the Seminole and Mikasuki. We should look to Indigenous tribes for wisdom on how to approach and respect the Land, but that doesn’t mean read online about it and go appropriate it. It means go and actually talk to real life people. You can and certainly should also honor other people, including any folk saints or historical figures who may serve as tutelary spirits or otherwise.

And always remember to say Fuck the Colonizers!

Happy Witching Friends, May the Dry Season bring us all Renewal!

#witchcraft #florida #bruja #brujeria #witch #bioregional animism #florida witch #santeria #swamp witch #traditional witchcraft #espiritismo #taino #taino spirituality #atabey #folk magic #folkloric witch #folk witchcraft #folk witch

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czortofbaldmountain · 2 years

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Offerings for Lucifer

Fruit and anything made of fruit - especially apples, pomegranates or whatever your culture pictures as The Fruit. Strawberries for Venusian (Morningstar) associations, citrus for Solar. Cider, wine, juice, kompot, fruit teas. Cakes and other sweets made with fruit.

Strong spirits - often associated with the Devil.

Roses - Venusian. You can also give him rose water, alone or mixed with vodka.

Dandelions - for their chaotic, wild, untamed, unconquerable spirit.

Any plants associated with the Devil in your culture. Research your local lore and especially folk names to find them. Check their biological properties too - many of them can be poisonous so be careful.

Snake imagery - pictures, figurines, photos, any kind of arts and crafts. You can even make something yourself. As well imagery of goats and other animals associated with him.

Star imagery - especially Morningstar and falling stars.

Shed antlers - for Lucifer in his horned Devil of The Forest aspect.

Sunflower seeds - Solar.

Perfume or oils, especially of scents associated with him (apples etc.)

Your art of any kind dedicated to him.

Picrews of them - they enjoy it in my experience.

Queer symbols - Lucifer is a nonbinary shapeshifter.

Cakes, cookies and chocolate - just a delicious UPG.

(Made for Lucifer the Devil, offerings for the Roman Lucifer may vary.)

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serpentandthreads · 2 years

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I love that people are wanting to reconnect with their region's/their ancestors region's folk practices, but there I something I need some of y'all to understand.

For many folk practices, Christianity is a major influence. For some folk practices it's just part of the foundation, and for some it was integrated as a means of survival. You can choose to remove the Christian aspects and replace them with your own religious views, but understand that Christianity itself isn't the problem.

The way many "Christians" portray the religion is extremely out of context to the Bible, and often time they make claims that aren't even part of the Bible. I doubt many of them have actually read the Bible word for word. Are there problematic concepts in the Bible? Yes, just like all other religious texts and mythologies. No religion is without flaws. The key point here is to never take a religious text or mythology literally.

That being said, if you're coming from a place of religious trauma: so am I. Work on healing that and understanding that the people who did you wrong are not good people, and that their views on the religion are not accurate.

Edit: I'm not saying that Christianity has no flaws and I am not saying Christianity is historically innocent. I'm saying that when it comes to folk practices based on Christianity, the Christian aspects do not always need to be treated in a negative manner.

#witchblr #witchcraft #folk magic #folk witch #witch community #witches of tumblr #folkloric witch #christian witch #christopagan

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chaoticlullaby · 2 years

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🕯Making Saint Promises

TW: Religious devotional practice.

“Gran, why don’t you eat some ice cream if you love it so much?” I asked after watching her eying my big cone of chocolate ice cream.

“I will never eat ice cream again, my love. I promised it for your father’s safety a few years ago.” She replied tenderly.

This was my first of many encounters with saint promises.

Growing up, religious taboos were very common, understood, and respected. Individuals giving up something valuable for their saint’s favor is perhaps one of the oldest forms of Catholic folk magic. So how does it work?

Making Promises

Based on paradigms, you may see the inner workings differently. It could be the energy of the promise. It could be the actual saint responding to your pleas. Maybe something entirely different. However, at the core it is the same:

You ask a saint for something through prayer, ritual, or whatever means you subscribe to.

You promise the Saint something in return for their assistance.

For example, a common health promise was to ask San Lazaro for the recovery of a very ill family member and in exchange the devout promises to make the trip to his church on their knees and elbows for 20 years on his Saint Day.

The graver the situation, the more ‘expensive’ the repayment tends to be.

Some saints are prone to ‘demand’ different types of repayment. The payment depends on the promise made, the arrangement, cultural costumes, the gravity of the situation and so much more.

Breaking Promises

Well we all know promises are not meant to be broken. Perhaps you promised more than you are able to give. Perhaps you regret the promise.

The actual consequences of breaking a promise will vary from saint to saint. Some tend to be more forgiving than others. Some may make substitutions for you. Some may wreck you.

The best solution is to be very intentional with promises and how they are made. Ensuring we know exactly what we are getting ourselves into. And if a promise is broken, seeking an elder to help! Reparations may need to be made!

#brujeria #folkloric witch #saint magick #witchcraft #witch tips

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skeletonsandwildflowers · 10 months

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Hey y’all! It’s been a bit, hasn’t it? On top of all of my witchy happenings, moving across the country, getting engaged to a Viking, living in Washington state, etc…

I am now a full time artist! I know so many of you have reblogged my work over the years, and now I want to give you all access to my web store, and for following me for literally SO LONG, I’m gonna give you a specialfrickin treat, only for you real ones out there. 🤍🤍🤍 my website is linked to this post, and with the code SWEETPEAS you’ll get 50% off my prints! Even if you just wanna share this and get it out there, that’d be rad of ya. 🤍

#witchcraft #traditional witchcraft #traditional witch #witches of tumblr #witch #luciferian #cottagecore #folkloric witch #witchblr #blessings and curses #witchy art #occult art #occult #art for sale #prints for sale

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reno-matago · 2 years

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Mandragore / Bryone

Confluence museum, Magic

#diary #journal #july 22 #Mandragora #witch #witchcraft #folkloric witch

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ex0skeletal-undead · 5 months

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Heilung by Yuri Hill

#art #illustration #digital art #dark art #horror #fantasy #macabre #folklore #occult #fire #witch #antlers #forest spirit

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broomsick · 8 months

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My favorite simple wards to guard the home

Hanging rosemary above the doorstep, and/or above doors of the house for protection.

Sprinkling a line of dried red pepper on a windowsill, to counter a curse.

Placing a mix of dried & ground eggshells and black pepper in every corner of a room to keep out unwanted spirits.

Placing a decoration representing a witch in the kitchen, to keep away illness and to favor health.

Crafting an effigie (no matter how crude!) and make it into the guardian of your home by charging it with your intent of protection and placing it near the front door.

Crafting small witch ladders to hang around the house.

#witchcraft #paganism #spirituality #wards #spells #folklore #folk witchcraft #polytheism #rituals #magic #witchy tips #witch

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zmijowka · 1 year

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Hand painted second-hand leather gloves - inspired by old Slavic embroidery and traditional Balkan tattoos

#custom clothing #slavic #slavic culture #slavic folklore #slavic art #slavic witch #slavic paganism #pagan art

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bebs-art-gallery · 14 days

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Mountain Fairies by Marthe Jonkers

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crazycatsiren · 11 months

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The hopeless romantic in me will never be able to resist a folklore in which a demon falls in love with a mortal and against all odds, they stay together.

#witches of color #mythologies #folklores #myths #chinese mythology #folkloric witch #folk tales #asian witch

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magicaguajiro · 2 months

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Caribbean Folk Saints and Mighty Dead: A Precursor

We all have family members who take on an almost Mythic quality after they pass on. They may have been a character in life, or a perhaps a spiritual practitioner. Maybe they were known for their generosity, or lack of it, or their strength or brilliance. Nonetheless, it is someone who, even in death, still makes an impact. In personal practices, we may work with these ancestors for guidance and healing, but what happens when their influence spreads past your family, into the local community or even entire country? This and many other strange circumstances often explain the origin and powers of Folk Saints and Elevated Dead. I will be going into the various Folk Saints and Deified Ancestors of the Caribbean, (including Florida), but before I can do that I need to explain where these spirits come from, and why they are so potent in our everyday lives.

What are Folk Saints and Mighty Dead?

Folk Saints and Mighty Dead are spirits of dead people who were either elevated in life, or became elevated after death. Their elevation often is then connected to their ability to grant various petitions made to them. Some of the Folk Saints I will be talking about were used to disguise other figures who were outlawed by the Colonial government at the time, while others are various figures of marginalized communities who gained sorcerous or otherworldly reputations after death.

Cuba and Florida are Lands of diaspora and syncretism. Many different traditions abound and each tradition has multiple lineages, so the classification of spirits differs depending on the worldview of the person explaining. Some practitioners work within a framework of Catholicism, some use elements and some flat-out reject Catholicism completely for decolonization purposes. For this reason, I have differentiated Folk Saints from the Mighty Dead.

Folk Saints will include those spirits who are worked with in a Catholic context, but are usually not canonized or not at first. On the other hand, the Mighty Dead will include spirits who are venerated amongst Indigenous and African traditions in Cuba as well as the surrounding areas, as to not group them under a title created by Colonizers. If you are Cuban or Caribbean, these Folk Saints and Mighty Dead offer power at a closer degree because they are more proximal to your Spirit Court, and may even already have bonds with them.

It is important to note, spirits like Orisha and Cemí have very specific protocols, manners and taboos when approaching them, so this is best done with the help of a priest, such as Oloricha or Babalawo, or a Taíno Behike. These are not energies you simply feel drawn to and work with. Orisha and Cemi are in some cases Deified Ancestors and others Personified Forces of Nature, among other things. This varies from the Ancestors and Spirits I will be discussing in this series.

Benefits of Working with The Mighty Dead

Folk Saints and Ancestors give us a closer connection to the divine through their proximity to the Divine and their individual virtues and personalities. As with all spirit relationships, you will get out what you put in.

Folk Saints who are related to the Land you live on, such as Uncle Monday or Bessie Graham for us Floridians, can help to deepen your connection with the local community. They can help you to further your relationship with the Earth and introduce you to other Land spirits.

Spirits related to your Ancestry can help to work through generational issues. Some ancestral spirits, like José Martí or Guamá for us Cubans, are related to ideas of War, Rebellion, and overcoming oppression. These spirits can be worked with for the same pursuits of defeating oppressors in the modern day. Each spirit has a story and is multi-faceted, so it really depends on what your connection is to the Spirit and what you are capable of offering them.

How to Work with Deified Dead

Working with these spirits is individual to each spirit, based on what their heritage is, as well as their personal tastes. When starting out, it’s best to keep things simple. Instead of going and creating an entire altar dedicated to a spirit, begin by praying about it at your Bóveda or ancestral altar. Here, you may find that a spirit is not compatible with your current situation, or doesn’t want to work with you ever! Should the omens be good, however, and you may begin establishing a connection to that spirit Research and talking to other devotees can give you great insight into what a relationship with that Spirit can look like.

My formula for reaching out to these spirits is always different, but I follow basic principles. I always begin with a representation of the spirit, a small offering and a candle. The representation can be anything, from a statue to a printed picture or even just their name on some paper. The offering is in most cases water until the spirit makes other wants known to me, but when a spirit doesn’t take water I offer food or tobacco instead. The candle is something I was taught helps to enhance spirit communication, carrying messages between the worlds. It is helpful to research about whoever you are attempting to communicate with, and if possible you should speak to other practitioners who work with the same Spirit. Often times, this is someone-you-know’s father or grandmother. From here, you should sit with whatever entity you are contacting, allowing yourself to experience a personal relationship with them. I will share individual experiences of what each spirit has been like in practice for me, or people I know, but for beginning this is a good basic way to start out.

I look forward to sharing more about these incredible figures who influence my favorite corner of the world to this day.

Paz y Progreso 🕯️

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czortofbaldmountain · 2 years

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Faces of Lucifer #3

Devil of the Forest

This is the wild Lucifer, Lucifer with hooves and horns, Lucifer of the deep dark woods.

He is an untamed creature. You can meet him in a primordial forest and in the flowers growing out of the cracks in a sidewalk, everywhere where the wilderness finds its way.

He was cast out from Heaven, but now he runs free in the wild. He dances in the meadows and teaches us to appreciate the earthly.

He is of the wilderness inside, too, and though that can be scary, he can help you to make friends with that part of yourself.

He is the Spirit of This World, and a fierce protector of Earth and its creatures. And he can show human beings they are part of this world too, not separate from it.

He has deep knowledge of nature, and teaches witches its magic, as well as the magic of wild ecstasy and the strange gnosis it brings.

Lucifer brings liberation and knowledge from the night realm, yet he remains the Lightbringer - with his flame betwixt the horns shining bright.

Luciferian Journal Prompts

What does the wild mean to you in Luciferian context?

What is your local devil lore? Research!

How could you integrate the local lore into your Luciferian practice? Would you like to?

Ritual acts

Cleaning a wild space, then leaving an environment-friendly offering.

Ecstatic dance.

Meditating in a forest, preferably at night (safely).

Offering ideas

Forest fruit.

Wildflowers.

Any plants associated with the Devil in your local lore (many are poisonous, so be careful).

Imagery of horned animals.

Shed antlers.

Donations to help the environment.

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serpentandthreads · 2 years

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Southern Superstitions #5

When a family member dies, all the mirrors in the house must be covered for three days. The spirit of the deceased person could get trapped in them otherwise.

Different cultures and religions have similar beliefs about mirrors and the deceased, but this is something I've found people in the south do regardless of their religious beliefs. I've been told that it's best to cover all the mirrors in the home if the individual hasn't died, but is close to death, just to be safe. If the mirrors are left uncovered the person's spirit could get trapped in one of the mirrors.

#witchblr #witchcraft #folk witch #folk magic #folkloric witch #southern witchcraft #southern witch #serpentandthreads

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fallbabylon · 7 months

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Details of the museum of folklore and magic-Falmouth Cornwall

#occult #gothic #folklore #goth #skull #folk horror #skulls #mari lwyd #black dog #barghest #padfoot #black shuck #museum #witch #witchcraft #witches #wicca #pagan #museums #cornwall #kernow

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