How does this work?

2) any vegetable is better than no vegetable

Animistic beliefs have appeared across the world in many cultures. Many Indigenous cultures throughout the Americas have traditions involving relationships with animal persons, land spirits, and ancestors who stay within the landscape. In Japan, Shinto recognises kami, spirits or presences associated with natural places and phenomena. In pre-Christian Europe, many cultures left offerings to springs, rivers, sacred groves, and local spirits connected to the land. Similar beliefs can be found in parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and elsewhere. While these traditions differ greatly from one another, many share the understanding that humans exist within a wider network of relationships instead of being set apart as higher beings. 

Something seen in most animistic worldviews is the existence of land spirits. These are spirits associated with particular places: forests, mountains, fields, coastlines, and other landscapes. Land spirits are often viewed as guardians, residents, or embodiments of a place. Rather than seeing a forest as a resource waiting to be harvested, an animistic perspective may see it as a community that deserves respect. Historically, people often acknowledged these spirits through offerings, prayers, or customs that showed gratitude for what was taken from the land.

House spirits are also in many different culturesl. Examples include the domovoi of Slavic folklore, the tomte or nisse of Scandinavian traditions, and tons of similar beings found throughout Europe and beyond. These spirits are often believed to watch over homes, families, and livestock. In folklore, maintaining a good relationship with them involved respect, cleanliness, and occasional offerings. Whether taken literally or symbolically, these traditions meant that a home was more than just a building. Rivers, springs, lakes, and other bodies of water have also been associated with spirits. Water provides life, sustains communities, and can be generous and dangerous simultaneously. For this reason, many cultures developed customs surrounding rivers and springs, treating them as reverence-deserving beings. Offerings were often given before crossing, fishing, or drawing water. In some traditions, specific rivers were believed to have distinct personalities, preferences, and powers.

Some animistic traditions also recognise spirits associated with human-made places. This idea can seem unusual to modern people, who will usually separate the natural and human worlds. However, many cultures have believed that buildings, bridges, shrines, or entire settlements possess spiritual presences. A place where people live, work, celebrate, and mourn accumulates stories and relationships over time. From an animistic perspective, this can create a spirit of place just as important as one found in a forest or river.

One of the biggest modern misconceptions about animism is the idea that spirits are simply tools to be used. Contemporary spiritual spaces sometimes present spirits as resources that can be summoned for favors, protection, information, or power. However, historically, relationships with spirits were reciprocal. People gave offerings, maintained customs, showed respect, and understood that relationships involve responsibilities. Another misconception is that animism requires a person to believe that every object is literally conscious in the same way a human is conscious. Many animistic traditions are far more nuanced than this. Different beings may have different forms of awareness, communication, and personhood. A river is not a human. A tree is not a human. But they may still be regarded as beings worthy of respect and relationship.

For modern practitioners, animism can be approached less as a list of beliefs and more as a way of relating to the world. It encourages observation, respect, gratitude, and attention. Instead of asking what a place can provide, it asks what kind of relationship can be built with that place over time.

Exercise:

Spend 20 minutes sitting quietly in a natural place. This could be a park, a forest, your backyard, or any outdoor location where you can remain undisturbed.

During this time:

Avoid listening to music or using your phone.

Pay attention to sounds, movements, smells, and changes in the environment.

Notice which animals appear and how they interact with the space.

Observe any feelings, thoughts, or impressions that arise.

Consider how the place exists when no humans are present.

General Christianity

“The first and most important thing you need to do to practice Heathenry is read the Eddas.”

“You must worship Odin even if you don’t want to, because he’s the head god.”

“The point of being Heathen is to live life in a way that grants you entry to Valhalla.”

“Valhalla is the good/awesome afterlife and Helheim is the bad/boring afterlife.”

“The Æsir are good and the jötnar are evil.”

“Odin is like God, Loki is like the Devil, and Baldr is like Jesus.”

“Odin is more powerful than the rest of the gods.”

“Ragnarok is the End Times.”

(“Us vs. them” attitudes.)

(Not knowing what to do with the the goddesses in general, regardless of one’s gender.)

Catholic-Specific

“To be Heathen, you must serve the gods.”

“We can’t truly know the gods, only attempt to understand them through the Eddas.”

“The gods are distant and don’t care about our personal needs or lives.”

“We must act as the gods’ ambassadors on Earth.”

“Making sacrifices should be painful. That’s why it’s called a sacrifice.”

“Ragnarök is the End Times and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

(Treating the Hávamál as scripture.)

(Using medieval Icelandic law-tracts as a stand-in for Heathen religious orthodoxy.)

(Observing strict worship and insisting others do the same.)

(Adopting a very feudalistic relationship with the gods; lord/servant dynamics.)

Protestant-Specific

“Showing devotion to the gods is done by acting as their hands and feet on earth.”

“You must think about the gods all the time and involve them in everything you do.”

“Why should we merely ‘work with’ the gods when we can worship them?”

“Ragnarök is the End Times and we must prepare to fight on the side of the gods.” OR...

“Ragnarök is the End Times and we must help fulfill it.”

(Behaving as marginalized on the basis of their faith.)

(Reacting badly when confronted with new information about Heathenry.)

(Making bold or even standoffish declarations of faith.)

If you come from a Christian background and hear someone make statements like this, you’re probably going to feel pressured to come up with a counterargument for why it’s okay for you to disagree. What you actually need to do is dismiss the premise entirely. These arguments aren’t reflective of Heathen truths and you don’t have to argue with them as though they are.

This is also not a dig at those who’ve made these statements / done these behaviors before. It’s not exactly second-nature for us to break out of the habit of believing in a specific idea or behaving in a specific way when we believed / behaved that way for most of our lives. However, it’s still worth understanding how specific to Christianity these things are and trying to move away from them.

It’s up to you if you want to point out the nature of these arguments to the people making them. But if you do, I recommend doing so tactfully, with a clear head, and with a very clear understanding about what makes the premise Christian in nature.

The Blue Moon is a portal for release, rebirth, manifestation, and becoming the version of yourself you keep dreaming about. This moon carries “once in a while” energy, rare, intense, transformative.

✶ cleanse ✶ release ✶ romanticize yourself ✶ call your power back home

𓆩☾𓆪 SELF LOVE GLAMOUR RITUAL light a white or blue candle. sit in front of a mirror and speak softly to yourself like you are already the woman you are becoming.

say:

“everything meant for me arrives naturally.” “i am the luxury.” “my energy is soft, protected, and magnetic.”

anoint your body with oil or lotion slowly + intentionally. treat yourself like sacred art.

⋆｡𖦹°⭒ MOON WATER leave a glass jar of water under the moon overnight. whisper your intentions into it before bed.

use it later for:

spiritual baths

beauty rituals

cleansing your space

watering plants tied to abundance

𓇼 MANIFESTATION LETTER write a letter from your future self:

“i’m so grateful everything worked in my favor...”

fold it toward yourself 3 times. place it beneath your pillow or candle overnight.

☾ ITEMS TO WORK WITH ☾

moonstone for intuition

rose quartz for self devotion

selenite for cleansing

lavender for peace

cinnamon for attraction

honey for sweetness + favor

𖤓 REMEMBER 𖤓 magic is intention. your words hold frequency. your softness is not weakness. the universe responds to certainty.

There are worlds that open if you look at them the right way. Enough to take a glimpse inside. The world of the Fae is one of them.

It offers no warmth. It gives no explanations. It makes no promises. And yet, if you stand at the edge, quiet and attentive, you may feel it: a shift in the air, a sense that something ancient is watching, measuring, deciding whether you are worth noticing.

This is a world you do not enter to take!

That is the first and most important truth.

You cannot approach the Fae with hunger. No wish to gain beauty, power, knowledge, or transformation. The moment you reach, you have already offered something in return, whether you meant to or not. In their world, desire is a term.

And terms are binding.

The Fae move beyond human deception. They have no need for it… They speak precisely, and they listen even more precisely. Every word matters. A name becomes a thread that can be followed. A gift forms a structure of exchange. A simple acceptance, a careless “anything,” a moment of curiosity without restraint—these are openings. And once opened, they do not close easily.

There are rules, if you want to stand near that threshold without losing yourself.

* Do not give your full name.

* Do not accept what you cannot immediately balance.

* Do not eat or drink what is offered.

* Do not step where you do not understand the boundary.

* Do not agree quickly.

* Do not exaggerate what you are willing to give.

The danger of the Fae lives in permission.

They allow you to participate. To step closer. To say yes. And once you do, the world rearranges itself around that agreement, perfectly and without mercy.

And still, the invitation remains. The Fae are something you need not turn away from completely. They are the shape of a deeper kind of beauty. One that carries edges, consequence, precision. They belong to a world where everything has weight, where nothing is casual, where presence matters. If you are drawn to that, you are not wrong… But you must approach differently. Not as a seeker, or a supplicant. Not as someone hoping to be changed by them.

You stand at the edge as yourself. Observing. Learning the patterns. Respecting the boundaries.

And in doing so, something interesting happens.

You begin to carry that same quality within your own world. The precision, the restraint, the quiet power. The sense that words matter, that actions shape reality, that beauty does not need to beg to be seen.

Basil:  money, luck, prosperity, happiness

Bay Leaf: energy, cleansing, can be charged with almost any intention

Camomile: Caring, kindness, luck, growth, self-love growth, confidence, avoiding negativity, happiness

Cinnamon: passion, quick success, fire magick

Chia seeds: Growth, health, kindness, Property

Chilli flakes:  Pride, confidence, power, strength, Passion

Cumin: Courage, bravery, protection, loyalty

Dandelion: wishes, charisma, success, good luck

Dill: sexual love, luck, protection

Eucalyptus: cleansing, healing, purifying, relaxing, comfort

Fennel:  hate, anger

Flax seeds: Prosperity, growth, new beginnings

Ginger: fiery passion, success, and personal power

Jasmine: love, dreams, sensuality, luxury and kindness

Lavender: love and attraction, purification, relaxation, restful sleep

Nutmeg: luck, Health, Fidelity, Love, Prosperity, comfort, loyalty

Oregano:  comfort, love, warmth

Paprika:  Pride, confidence, power, strength

Parsley: Cleansing. purification

Peppermint: healing, purification, love and energy, cleansing, prosperity

Poppy seeds: protection, intuition, self-assurance, hexing and cursing

Rose: love, beauty, harmony, romance, attraction

Rosemary: cleansing, purification, wisdom, protection

Sesame seeds: Prosperity, growth, health, nurturing

Spearmint: love, cleansing, renewal, blessing

Sunflower seeds: happiness, growth, joy

Thyme: beauty, strength, courage

Turmeric: confidence, creativity, energy

Vanilla: love and sexuality

Some of my YouTube subscribers comment on how my readings are always to the point. How I never need to pause before interpreting a spread or a card. Maybe it's the two decades of reading. Maybe it runs in the family. Maybe I peek at the cards and rehearse before I start recording. (LOL Who has the time?) Or maybe it's just because I know all these techniques by heart. Hope they help you too.

Learn to interpret synchronicities

Learn 10 ways of reading a spread

Learn to avoid blanking when reading

Learn the right meaning to use each time

Learn to interpret tarot cards literally

Learn to read for yourself objectively

Learn to interpret in a personal way

Learn the importance of the card underneath

Learn to read suits in unconventional contexts

Learn to read reversals the right way

Learn the difference: advice vs. outcome

Learn the meaning of The Fool’s Journey

Learn how to predict timing reliably

Learn to interpret physical appearance

Learn the meanings of tarot’s colors

Learn the meanings of tarot’s numbers

Learn to determine locations with tarot

Learn traditional ways of dealing the cards

Learn how to deal with rouge cards

Learn to earn the trust of your tarot decks

get them accustomed to your presence, feed them at different times in a handful of different locations that you rotate between, so they learn to associate the feeding with you, specifically, and not the time and place that you are in. Always keep the feed in your pockets just in case.

teach them a specific word you'll call out as loudly as possible whenever you're about to distribute the food.

that specific word is ATTACK!

if you ever feel threatened by another person while walking down the street, you can just yell out ATTACK! at the top of your lungs.

ideally, the threat has no idea that this is the birds' cue for Food Person Is About To Distribute Food, and is scared shitless by the sight of a flock of wild birds swooping in at your call, and flees.

if this does not work, there is a very low, but above zero possibility of the birds seeing that their usual feeding routine has been interrupted by someone bothering The Food Person, and actually do start swooping at this inconvenience so that they can have their meal.

in either case, feed the birds as reward and payment for their work.

?????

When in reality, if you go 'What year is this?!?' people will just say '2024. Crazy huh.' and you go 'Wtf where has my youth gone.'

"Hey, what month is it?"

Stumbling into a diner and asking "What town is this" isn't weird, the workers will think you're on a road trip

If you ask them "Where's the nearest Nano Deck?" they'll assume it's a shop they've never heard of and say "Sorry, I don't know where any of those are"

Going into a store and telling a cashier "I need pods for my comm device" will just get you a "Never heard of those, maybe try Radio Shack?"

Human technicians start hopping ships and upkeeping the general maintenance, the stuff that most aliens put off or don't notice because they never access the crevices of their ships. As human companies become more popular and lead the tech world in everything from warp cores to game stations ("it's so compact! How are the graphics so good?" Says a 60' tall grimbleback, holding a new VR headset that has all of its components included because it's so BIG by our tech standards), soon many things have accessibility ports for humans to be able to use as well. This means that these shiprats hoping ship to ship cause such a huge improvement in everything running smoothly, and there's a huge downtick in pests on ships because those "pests" are not only big enough and aggressive enough to bite a pitbull or a person in half, they're invasive to so many planets and humans hate nothing more than dog killing planet overrunning monsters.

All the while, from the Aliens perspective, humans are an elusive race that don't fraternize much with them. You almost never see a human as most places aren't exactly safe for the little things to run around in. They do export so much stuff though, and the custodial staff at the Central Galactic Outpost insists that there's more humans around than any other race if you just know where to look.

And sure it's somewhat known that some of the little daredevils hop ships and help out in exchange for room and board, usually without permission, but that can't be that common, can it?

Maybe your ship is running better this cycle ever since you stopped at the last station, that just means that tuneup was better than you thought. And maybe for some reason that program you were working on last night is finished when you wake up, but you're so tired maybe you finished it before you passed out. Somehow that faulty light in the galley has fixed itself as well, which is odd, but maybe the Engineer finally got to it. You'd know if there was someone else on your ship.

Right?

“And how is the little one?”

Miori took the offered cup of Ch’a from the waiter and took a sip as Divini continued.

“It must make be a bit of a shock for you to be dating a human that may become your new mate.”

As ever, Divini was ever one to stick her hooked nose into things that did not concern her; least of all Miori’s mate prospects. She imagined it only registered on her friend’s radar as she was pursuing a potential prospect with a human instead of a Nimorian like herself.

She had met Will during a galactic translation stop while she was taking her offspring Mina to visit her grandparents. In the hustle and bustle of the space port Miori lost track of Mina. She began running back and forth between departure gates searching for her to no avail and just when she thought she had lost her only offspring the intercom came to life.

“Ms. Miori, please come to the security office on level 4; we have Mina here waiting for you. Ms. Mori, please come-“

The announcement had barely made it through its second repetition before Miori was there panting and gasping like a belly gna realizing it was at a slaughter farm.

Sitting in a chair with her legs hanging off the side sucking on some sort of treat was her darling Mina, and next to her telling her everything would be okay was Will. He was a security officer at the port and had found Mina wandering alone scared and had taken her back to the security office to wait. He’d comforted her and gave her a sweet while the pair waited together for Miori to come.

Ever since then they’d kept in touch and eventually one thing led to another.

“Are you sure Mina is okay with you being with a human?” Divini said drawing her back to the present.

“At first she wasn’t.” Miori began, setting her drink down. “But a few nights ago Will did something that won her over.”

“Oh?”

Divini’s curiosity was enough for Miori to continue.

“Mina’s been having trouble sleeping at night ever since her father died. He would comfort her each night before she went to bed and tell her everything would be alright. But since he passed she says she’s been having nightmares about monsters coming to get her.”

A look of sadness fell over Miori as she recounted her tale. “I tried to comfort her, but it wasn’t the same.”

“So how does this Will figure into your story?” Divini inquired.

“One night,” Miori began, “I had Will over. The three of us were having such fun that we lost track of time and by then it was too late for him to go home so I invited him to say the night.”

“I bet you did.”

Miori dismissed Divini’s suggestive smile and continued.

“So as we were getting ready to go to bed Will saw Mina laying upright in bed looking at her closet. He asked her what was wrong and she said that there were monsters in her closet waiting to get her.”

“I thought he would laugh at her or try to offer some form of minimal comfort, but to my surprise he went to the living room and pulled up a chair and placed it in front of the closet. He looked at her and said “Don’t you worry; if there are any monsters they’ll need to get through me first.””

“He did not.”

“He did.” Miori confirmed. “And he stayed like that all night long and I swear Mina has not slept as well since my mate’s passing.”

“She now asks for him to come over more and more often.”