tarot + kulam

The point of this post is to raise awareness on what kind of pattern of thinking and words we may use during the manifestation process that may cause the process to go slower. These are personal experiences I’ve found while working on manifestations so I thought I’d share. I’ve seen a significant difference in manifestation time because I’ve stopped saying these phrases as much as I can as of lately.

❌ Phrases to avoid:

❌ “I can’t wait” - the universe responds to vibrations and not words necessarily. But if your vibration is representing impatience, or anxiety, rather than excited eagerness and full faith that what you desire is yours, the universe will respond to that and the manifestation process can take longer, thus making you wait.

❌ “I want” - this indicates that what you desire isn’t really yours yet simply because it hasn’t manifested physically. Instead of saying “I want”, practice saying “I AM”. I am loved, I am prosperous, I am successful, etc. Saying it in the present is full confidence that it’s yours already.

❌ “I will” - although you are confident and sure of getting/doing what you desire, “I will” can also indicate doubt or the possibility that you won’t. Again, saying “I am” is more presently active more so than “I will”.

Who is Hecate? She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, Necromancy, Ghosts, Magic, and, in some instances, the Night, Darkness, The Mist, and Moon. For some She is also the goddess of motherhood, protection, and the sea. She is a Hellenic deity, born of the Titans Asteria and Perses. There’s a few beliefs circling around Her being a crone goddess or a Triple Goddess, but those are modern and neopagan beliefs—which She predates. I also consider Her to be a part of the Chthonic deities.

Symbology: Black dogs, Wolves, Keys, Torches, Flames, Torches, Crossroads, Serpents, Daggers, Birds of Prey (crows, ravens, owls), the Moon, witchcraft tools (such as cauldrons, tarot, athames)

Offerings & Devotional Acts for Her:

Figurines of any of Her symbols

keys, skeleton keys, lockets

fire witchcraft and candles, flames, matchsticks

dedicating any lunar or symbolic jewelry to Her

black/dark crystals such as obsidian and onyx

nocturnal animal imagery

black/cool colored glitter

baneful/poisonous herbs and plants

pomegranates/berries (She seems to really like blackberries)

dark blend wines

honey, cinnamon, poppy seeds, chocolates (dark)

mugwort, lavender, roses, jasmine, dragon’s blood

bones and feathers from birds of prey (please check your local laws about obtaining these)

pinpricks of blood (please DO NOT attempt this if you struggle with self harm/etc, blood magic is particularly strong and isn’t for everyone. She will understand if you cannot offer that to her).

Taking midnight walks, setting up altars and rituals at crossroads, paying respects to the dead and practicing your craft in a cemetery 

Any playlists, poems, literature, whether it be your own or just a piece you associate with Her, also make wonderful offerings. 

Lunar Influences & Connections: Reaching out to Hecate tends to work best at night, and really any time the moon is at it’s peak. The Witching Hours, midnight to 3A.M., during strong lunar influences (blue moons, blood moons, eclipses, new moons, etc) all hold strong bonds with Hecate. Also, any time it is particularly foggy or your surroundings are covered in a mist is a good time to try to connect with Her.

As we move through autumn, a popular time for those wanting to get into spirit work for the first time, I wanted to link followers to some posts about working with ancestors and link to some excellent examples of ancestor altars. Obvious credit to the original posters whose work I find so helpful. 

Why You Need an Ancestor Altar

Ancestor Work FAQ

What is Ancestor Work

Ideas for your Ancestor Altar

Ancestor Altar Examples: 1, 2, 3

Holding a Silent Supper this Samhain

What if my Family Sucks Pt. 1

What if my Family Sucks Pt. 3; or, What If I Have No Family

Spirit Work Resources Masterpost

1. Treat it like treasure.

“Your deck is a conduit to the goddesses. Always handle it with reverence.”

2. Nurse it to health.

Upon receiving a deck, inspect it for damage. The more battered it is, the more love it needs. Wipe away any dirt. Bend it to fix any curve.

3. Acquaint yourselves.

Overhand-shuffle it face side up, as you tell it your name and your intentions. Watch it respond each time you stop with the card that lands on top.

4. Introduce it to the others.

“Your first deck will always be the alpha of your instruments. Let the new ones know this, so they can pay their respects.” 

5. Offer it to the goddesses.

“Invite the Fates to claim it. To show you glimpses of destiny through it.”

6. Keep it in a drawer.

Let it rest in the dark with the others. Not where it’s exposed to the sun, liquids, dust or cinders.

7. Breathe it in before a reading.

Just as mortals have a soul, decks have a scent. Connect to it.

8. Never riffle-shuffle.

It bends the cards over time, accidentally on purpose. Playing decks can handle this harshness. Divination decks need far more tenderness.

9. Have all your cards upright.

That’s how they’re meant to be. And as you shuffle, let them decide. They will jump out reversed if that’s what they desire.

10. Use it—and use it often.

Some have been spilled on. Some have been torn.

So, as many of you know, I’m a Hellenic Polytheist. I also have depression and anxiety which can make small things overwhelming and/or exhausting to deal with. So worshiping the gods the normal way takes a lot out of me. So here’s a few ways I keep my day to day life and my worship functional.

1. Bullet Journaling

Now, you may be thinking, how is bullet journaling helping you worship your deities? Well. Here’s how. I use a bullet journal to not only keep track of things I need to do each day, but I also write journal entries, which I direct to my deities. It’s also a good way to put in the Hellenic Holidays so I won’t forget them!

2. Altars

So I only make altars for my patreon deities. My Patreon Deities, in order of coming into my life, are Hades, Persephone, Artemis, Apollo, and Dionysus. I don’t have a lot of space, so I asked my deities if they would be okay sharing an altar. For awhile Artemis and Apollo had shared one, but Artemis felt cramped when Dionysus came into my life and requested to be separated. So I di. She’s the only deity who has her own altar space. Hades and Persephone share one and Apollo and Dionysus also shares one. I don’t use altars as a place to pray, I use altars like a place for the gods within my home. I (try to) keep them clean and organize them when I get the chance to. For the most part, these are the places I keep their offerings. 

3. Offering Candles and Incense

So this is one of the few offerings I am able to provide my deities. Incense, if I remember correctly used to be given as offerings in Ancient Greece. So usually on holidays, Greek or Witch, I’ll burn an incense stick for all of them and light their candles. Due to their candles nearly being gone and me not having the money to buy new ones, I’ve been lighting incense and making an offering to their offering jars :)

4. Offering Jars

I think I made a post on this but I don’t know if I deleted it along with the rest of my posts when I started my posting life over. Anyways, essentially, it’s a jar I filled with herbs, plants, and items(usually biodegradable). These items are meant to symbolize my deities. I then, when I need to make an offering, pour maybe a teaspoon of honey into each jar. I again usually make offerings on holidays and when I’ve asked for something.

5. Music

I shockingly listen to a lot of Christian music. Mostly because I think of specific gods with each song. Like Head Above Water by Avril Lavinge makes me think of Hades. But aside from that I listen to music as a way to not only help me calm down after a bad day, but as a way to feel my deities. My music usually is on shuffle so I take each song and try to feel who is trying to speak to me.

6. Art, Oragami, and Writing

I’m naturally a very creative person. I love drawing and writing. Origami I genuinely suck at tbh. But Anything I can do that’s creative I dedicate my time and energy doing it to my gods, especially when I can’t focus or make myself do anything but these things. Like right now I”m world-building for a choose your adventure type stories. I’ve been mostly working with Apollo and Dionysus on it, and shooting some ideas they give me off of a friend. But oragami I usually make into offerings for my deities. Artemis usually gets Stars and Persephone Flowers. 

7. Tumblr

I have a side blog, which I need to actually add to, where I put posts that remind me of my deities. I tag them to their respective spaces Like anything for Apollo gets tagged with his name. And so forth.

8. Watching Shows

I used to be a spirit worker, so I”m used to just asking my gods to come to join me when I watch TV because that’s what I did with my spirit companions. I don’t do it purposefully, but I do enjoy feeling Hades or Apollo sitting with me. But I’ve always had an easier time sensing them than I do my other patreon Deities. So whose to say Artemis or Dionysus haven’t joined me once or twice.

9. Just Talking

I talk out loud to myself a lot when I’m at home. I talk about being hungry, debating on taking a nap or what to eat. It doesn’t matter what it is, I talk when I’m alone in the house. Now I did this before I became Hellenic and now that I am, I take the time to actually just talk to my deities, especially if I’m not in the emotional state to write it out in a journal.

10. Astral Travel

Now, again I used to be a spirit worker, I’m not anymore due to how much it drained me, but I sometimes will go to my astral home and just… visit. Sometimes my deities drag me there, but that’s only happened twice and both times depression was hitting me really hard. Other times I go and they come to me to see what I’m up to and I take that time to just have tea or go on a walk with them. I again don’t do this too often because it drains me really badly.

Witchcraft isn’t just organized spells and ceremonial magick.

Magic is talking to your plants and explaining to them why they’re being re-potted.

Magic is wearing your favorite shirt for good luck.

Magic is saying “thank you” to old items before discarding them.

Magic is a deep breath and a murmured assurance of, “I can do this” before a big day.

Magic is keeping a candle lit on your desk because you find it relaxing.

Magic is throwing open your windows and playing some comforting music.

Emoji spell to help boost self- image & self-esteem.

Likes charge.

Reblogs cast.

Do / Don't 

Life / Death

Problem / Solution

Now / Later

Logical / Emotional

Yes / No

Internal / External 

Past / Future

Growth / Stagnation

Love / Hate

Apathy / Empathy

Find / Lose

Flaws / Strengths

Day / Night

Physical / Abstract

Stay / Leave 

Creation / Destruction 

No, but seriously, the reason plants have useful chemicals that we can use medicinally is because they have evolved those chemicals as poisons to prevent predation. Humans were just smart enough to figure out through trial and error how to balance these chemical extracts to counteract abnormalities in our bodies.

Helllloooooo Witchblr! 

I’m searching for more blogs to follow! If you blog about:

~Witch basics

~Herbs/Plant info

~Spells

~Runes/Taort/Divination 

~Really anything I love to look at things hahaha

AND/ OR You devote/follow/pray to god(s)/goddess(es) such as:

-Persephone

-Hades

-Hel

-Odin

-Demeter

-Loki 

“i have the inner strength within to overcome the obstacles i face”

like = charge

The Wheel is one of several change cards; the others are the High  Priestess (unseen change), Death (transformative change), the Tower (sudden change), and the Moon (cyclic change). The Wheel is a change of position that arises from what has passed before.

In fact, you probably shouldn’t.

When most of us enter the craft, we step into a new world where suddenly so much we thought was impossible is now alive and at our fingertips. We have to keep our ingrained skepticism at bay and reshape what we believe, and for a while we resign ourselves to just believing in everything.

I think that’s a dangerous place to stay in, though. It’s a mindset that stops us from really believing firmly in anything because we opt instead for the easier “I guess so.” It provides no structure for defending what we believe in. It leaves room for wishful thinking to be accepted as fact without analysis. It also leaves the door wide open for extremism and toxic misinformation to just be accepted without question. (Example, the love-and-light woman who inspired me to write this believed that other people’s “bad vibes” were directly and very literally carcinogenic. She also couldn’t seem to register why actual cancer survivors and their loved ones were so upset with her.)

There are people who push themselves past their limits because someone told them they could easily do the impossible if they just tried a little harder. “Magic spells” that encourage repeated self-harm for the promise of physical wings. People that abandon accessible medical care for alternative methods they learned online, while the illness worsens. Self-delusion is still absolutely possible, even if the line has moved.  Finding that line is important.