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Books High Magic’s Aid by Scire (Gerald B Gardner)  Witchcraft Today by Gerald B Gardner Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald B Gardner -These are the books that started the modern revival of witchcraft. When I was starting to research BTW, I was surprised in myself that I had actually never read Gardner’s books all the way through. I was further surprised by how much traditional lore is in the books themselves. I could see how it trickled down into traditional witchcraft as it is known today.  Witchcraft for Tomorrow by Doreen Valiente 

-If you’re looking for a great primer to witchcraft in general, as well as some rituals and rites to try as you are Seeking, Valiente’s book is excellent. Her writing is very conversational, but she fills you in on everything you need to know in order to understand witchcraft through comparisons with other traditions. She hows you how the traditions that we have today came to be.  Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente

-If you want to the Tea, henny, you need to read this book. Valiente is one shady witch, and she tells you all the gossip about Gardner, Cochrane, Montebank, Howard, and others! 

Covensense by Patricia Crowther

-I love this book. It’s an interview format with Crowther, who founded one of the more secretive lines of Sheffield. Her idiosyncrasies are abound in this book! 

Lid Off the Cauldron by Patricia Crowther

-This is Crowther’s more practical book, akin to Witchcraft Today. There is information in here that will interested traditional crafters, including the Lame Foot Dance, certain calls, and the use of the Stang. 

Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton

-This should be on everyone’s shelf

Trials of the Moon by Ben Whitmore 

-And this book should also be on your shelf. It is a response to Hutton’s work, criticizing his sources, and his conclusions, much like how people critiqued Murray’s work. 

Witch Amongst Us by Lois Bourne Dances with Witches by Lois Bourne -These two books are autobiographies of the high priestess of Bricket Wood coven, Lois Bourne. I find them charming and witty.  King of the Witches by June Johns

-The biography of Alex Sanders, founder of the Alexandrian tradition. 

What Witches Do by Stewart Farrar

-A look into Farrar’s coven. He was a journalist investigating witchcraft when he decided to join in! 

Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide by Thorn Mooney -This is such a great book, and I wish I had read it before my initiation. I still enjoyed it, but it answered a lot of the questions that I pelted at my high priest and priestess. Thorn goes over some of the history of initiatory witchcraft; some questions Seeker’s may have about ritual nudity, coven structure, and training; and also some red flags to watch out for that may alert the Seeker to a fake or abusive coven. 

Meanings~

Flower correspondences (X) (X) (X)

Flower color meanings

Edible flower correspondences (X) (X)

Floral tea correspondences (X) (X)

Floral witchcraft~

Flower witch - a concept

Flowers in witchcraft

Flowers for types of witches

Flowers and the signs

Creating~

Rose water spray 

Flower crown magic

Floral sleep circle

Candying rose petals for magic

Spells~

Lucky flower bath

Snow drop protection spell

Floral spell to bring joy to another

Full bloom spell

Dried flower jar for positive self image

as a non-american, i’m not able to actively participate in the protests. as a witch though, i’ve designed some sigils for those who can!!

these can be invoked in a huge number of ways. some simple ways to use these are:

trace the sigil onto your skin with your finger

trace the sigil in the air in front of you and walk through it

draw the sigil onto your skin with a marker

draw the sigil on a piece of paper and carry it on your person

whatever method you choose, the most important thing is concentrating on the intent of the sigil (the statement written above each one) while you trace/draw.

Tomorrow is full moon and lot of us will be doing spells the help. I decided to shere with you a spell, that I’m going to do.

What will you need:

black candle - protection

blue crayon - communication

amethyst - to rise awarnes, to initate change, communication, justice, protection, succes and strenght

tiger’s eye  - confidence, to avoid danger, knowledge

carnelian - courage, to repel negativity, protection, succes and new begginings

citrine - to bring changes, protection, succes and to bring new beggining

paperclips from iron or steel - warding, protection, strenght, will-power

bay leaves - protection, succes

black pepper - to banish negativity, strenght, confidence and protection

thyme - strenght and courage

rosemary - protection

basil - courage, luck and health

pine insence - protection and resillience

salt - protection

Make a spell candle this way - here use the candle, crayon, bay, pepper, thyme, rosemary, basil and insence.

than put the candle on a plate, form a square (equality foundation, directions) with the paper clips and make a salt circle and crystals around that. 

it should look like this:

I will be burnig this tomorrow.

Also remember, that just this will help only little, please donate if you can and educate yourself on this topic.

https://ighoulettei.tumblr.com/post/619840995822059520/ways-to-help-protestors-if-you-are-unable-to

WITCHY:

https://thepastelpriestess.tumblr.com/post/619980732094431232

DONATE:

https://ighoulettei.tumblr.com/post/619606257322590208

https://unseelie-witch.tumblr.com/post/619958844667396096/25-black-owned-bookstores-you-can-support-right

PASSIVE DONATION:

https://thepastelpriestess.tumblr.com/post/619924855833427968

LEARN:

These crystals are some of the best crystals I have found to have protective qualities.

Black Obsidian - good for general protection, I keep a big chunk on my altar

Amethyst - first protective crystal I ever got, given to me by my uncle, protects travelers/people on literal and metaphorical journeys

Fire Agate - good for protection from self doubt/hate

Smokey Quartz - good for general protection + protection from fear, excellent grounder and stabilizer

Fluorite - protects from negative energies and spirits + illness and disorders

Jasper - protects from unbalanced energies + confusion

Black Tourmaline - protects from negative energies by absorbing them

now that i’ve begun working more with energy, i wanted to share my methods of casting circles! when i first started working with energy, it was really hard to find references for casting circles, especially ones not dealing with the traditional Wiccan god/goddess. here are some methods and uses of casting circles!

Why Cast a Circle?

the primary reason i cast circles is to protect me from outside energy influences. most people associate circles to protection from ‘malevolent’ spirits, however, it’s just a great barrier in general!

here are some following scenarios i cast circles:

divination- to protect me from energies that might influence my cards or my interpretation o the cards

spellwork- pretty self-explanatory. i cast circles to protect from energies i don’t want in my spells, or from potential spirit attraction.

meditation- again, for energy use and to also not be disturbed from anything spiritual.

Methods of Casting

1 - Invoking Elements

a very basic way, if not the go-to way, of casting is to place each of the four elements at each of the cardinal directions. Earth at the north, Air in the east, Fire at the south, and Water in the west.

fire

Candles (color them for intent if used in a spell! alternatively, electric tea lights work fine.)

here is a post about color associations for candles!

Anything symbolic of fire colors (red or warm-colored cloth, figures/statues,etc.)

water

moon/sun water (in a jar works really well, or in an open container if being used for blessing anything)

blessed water, or water related to whatever you’re working with (storm water, diluted essential oils, etc).

here is a good source of different kinds of water and how to cleanse them!

blue or purple colored items

earth

stones or crystals (this is what i love to use! just be wary that some stones are aligned with other elements. clear quartz is a go-to.)

salt

dirt (from your backyard or specific, such as hospital or graveyard. make sure to cleanse it.)

herbs (especially roots)

brown or black colored items

air

incense (different scents have uses as well!)

here is a post with scent correspondences!

steam

yellow or white colored items

alternatively, any of these could be replaced with a tarot card of the corresponding suit! (wands for fire, cups for water, pentacles for earth, and swords for air).

to close the circle, walk clockwise starting in the east (air) and complete a full walk around the circle. do this as many times as you feel needed to envision a complete circle! after your use for it is done, unwind it by walking the same number of times counter-clockwise.

note: if you live in the southern hemisphere, you may want to reverse fire and earth in your directions and walk counter-clockwise to close the circle, and clockwise to end it.

2 - Envisioning

this is a very, very simple way to cast a circle! if you have very little time, simply imagine a ring of light around your workspace. you could align color to purpose as well.

the only downsides to this method include the fact that it may not be as strong as a physical circle for beginners especially, as i have learned many times over as i find energy that i don’t want in the circle. on top of this, to make it very successful, you may have to keep this image in your head throughout your spell or energy work, which may distract or hurt your concentration.

however, like i said before, it’s very easy, discreet, and requires no clean up! with practice, it could be very easy to maintain.

3 - Salt Circle

by simply spreading salt in a circle clockwise (or counter-clockwise depending on your location), you can create a strong barrier. as you walk around, envision your purpose of protection and safety.

if you are working outside, do not use salt. it will kill plant life! instead, consider alternatives such as: egg shells, diluted salt water, crushed herbs, flower petals, etc.

if working inside, consider setting out foil, cloth, or a tarp for easy cleanup. 

4 - Cleansing the Room Itself

if you find that you for some reason cannot cast a circle, or maybe are just starting out, consider cleansing the entire room instead!

some methods include:

smoke cleansing (NOT smudging. please do not call this action smudging unless it is part of YOUR culture.)

salt or protective mixture

dance/song

salt/water spray

incense and candles

for smoke cleansing, light your bundle and start facing eastward, spreading the smoke and asking for protection from either the corresponding element or any deities/spirits/etc. you worship. move clockwise or counterclockwise.

for salt or protection mixtures, simply place a small pile in each corner of the room or at the cardinal directions.

dance and song can celanse the room when accompanied with smoke especially. 

the salt water spray can be used similar to the protection mixture – spray a little in each corner or at the cardinal directions.

incense and candles can be placed in corners, the directions, or just throughout the room to act as protective energy.

Final Notes

make sure to remove your circle after you’re done!! leaving it up isn’t safe and could be draining on your energy or health.

try not to leave the circle in the middle of your work, if it can be avoided. ive had to do it before and nothing bad happened, but sometimes it ocould break the circle, or bring unwanted energy or precense in.

do your absolute best to have all your materials in the circle before you cast it. bringing items that were not in the circle before could carry energy that you just do not want in your circle. i’ve messed up plenty spells because of it already. if it is really necessary, cleanse the item as thoroughly as you can (quickly if you need to), and enter the circle from the east.

if these methods don’t work right away, don’t worry! these take lots of practice. some easy ways to try casting daily include:

cast a circle before you meditate

cleanse your room before you do homework for a safe space to work

if you have a form of divination, cast a circle before drawing a daily reading (i do this in the morning to see how the day will go or seek advice for the day!).

So I decided for the very special blue moon, to do a very special spell for a very special person in my life. What I used •Charm bag •White candle •Sage •Basil •Cinnamon •Rose Quartz •Small Sea Shell •Sea Salt •Piece of Paper •Protection Sigil/ any other sigils you would like to use Optional •music that reminds you of that person (very helpful for me) •picture/article of clothing of person

The cards are not just for divination. They are for cursing your enemies and protecting your loved ones.

Step 1: State your case.

In a dim, quiet, private place… shuffle your cards, as you tell them why you cannot physically protect someone you love… why you need their help to do it. Explain to them the urgency of the situation. Let them understand your petition.

Step 2: Choose the barrier.

What kind of magical gate would you like to create?

The Fool: Barrier against imprisonment

The Magician: Barrier against manipulation

The High Priestess: Barrier against lies

The Empress: Barrier against lack

The Emperor: Barrier against abuse

The Hierophant: Barrier against theft

The Lovers: Barrier against enchantments

The Chariot: Barrier against accidents

Strength: Barrier against cruelty

The Hermit: Barrier against invasion

Wheel of Fortune: Barrier against curses

Justice: Barrier against unfairness

The Hanged Man: Barrier against blame

Death: Barrier against discrimination

Temperance: Barrier against disease

The Devil: Barrier against addiction

The Tower: Barrier against disasters

The Star: Barrier against delusions

The Moon: Barrier against spirits

The Sun: Barrier against despair

Judgement: Barrier against sudden death

The World: Barrier against weapons

Step 3: Build the barrier.

Place your chosen card on a surface.

Trace it on paper using a pencil.

The more faithful your drawing is, the stronger the spell will be.

When you are done, put your card back in the deck as you say your thanks.

Step 4: Install the barrier.

Fold your traced portrait until it is as small as can be.

Unknown to anyone but yourself, slip it inside your loved one’s purse or wallet. Something they always take with them.

These salts are super easy to make and are good for any sun magic, an offering to solar deities, solar bath salts, cleansing, energy, positivity, healing, creativity, protection, and more 🌞

What you need-

🔆A mortar and pestle

🌼Sea salt

🍊Dried orange peel (and/or orange essential oil)

🌻Chamomile, marigold, sunflower, or any yellow petaled flower (dried)

🌾A dash of cinnamon powder

Instructions:

🔆Gather your ingredients

🔆Combine them one by one in a mortar and pestle until the salt changes color (yellow or orange) or until its powderized

🔆Let it charge in the sunlight (sunrise-sunset) with your favorite sun crystal

ASTROLOGY is divination using celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

CARTOMANCY is fortune telling using cards such as the Tarot.

CLAIRAUDIENCE is “clear hearing” of divinatory information. Parapsychologist generally regard as a form of extrasensory perception.

CLAIRVOYANCE is “clear seeing” of divinatory information. Parapsychologist generally regard as a form of extrasensory perception.

CRYSTALLOMANCY is divination through crystal gazing.

DOWSING or DIVINING RODS are methods of divination where a forked stick is used to locate water or precious minerals.

NUMEROLOGY is the numerical interpretation of numbers, dates, and the number value of letters.

OCULOMANCY is divination from a person’s eye.

PALMISTRY is the broad field of divination and interpretation of the lines and structure of the hand.

PRECOGNITION in an inner knowledge or sense of future events.

PSYCHOMETRY is the faculty of gaining impressions from a physical object and its history.

RADIESTHESIA is the general term for divination using a device such as a divining rod or pendulum. Other forms include “table tipping” which was practiced at the White House in the 19th century, the Ouija board, automatic writing (or superconscious writing), and scrying.

SCIOMANCY is divination using a spirit guide, a method generally employed by chanelers.

SCRYING is a general term for divination using a crystal, mirrors, bowls of water, ink, or flames to induce visions.

TASSEOGRAPHY is the reading of tea leaves that remain in a tea cup once the beverage has been drunk.

Uncommon Types of Divination

AEROMANCY divination from the air and sky, particularly concentrating on cloud shapes, comets, and other phenomena not normally visible in the heavens.

ALECTRYOMANCY is divination whereby a bird is allowed to pick corn grains from a circle of letters. A variation is to recite letters of the alphabet noting those at which a cock crows.

ALEUROMANCY is divination using “fortune cookies”; answers to questions are rolled into balls of dough and once baked are chosen at random.

ALOMANCY is divination by table salt.

ALPHITOMANCY uses special cakes that are digestible by persons with a clear conscience but are unpleasant to others.

ANTHROPOMANCY is the long-outlawed means of divination by human sacrifice.

APANTOMANCY is divination through chance meetings with animals (e.g., a black cat), birds, and other creatures. Mexico City is said to have been founded where Aztec soothsayers saw an eagle flying from a cactus carrying a live snake.

ARITHMANCY or ARITHMOMANCY is an earlier form of NUMEROLOGY where divination is made through numbers and the number value of letters.

ASTRAGLOMANCY or ASTRAGYROMANCY is a form of divination by dice where the faces of the dice bear numbers and letters.

AUGURY is the general term for the art of divination and is chiefly applied to interpretations of signs and omens.

AUSTROMANCY is divination by the study of the winds.

AXIOMANCY is divination through the observation of how an ax or hatchet quivers or points when driven into post.

BELOMANCY is an ancient form of divination performed by tossing or balancing arrows.

BIBLIOMANCY involves divination by books.

BOTANOMANCY is divination from burning tree branches and leaves.

BUMPOLOGY strictly a modern term, a popular nickname for PHRENOLOGY

CAPNOMANCY is the study of smoke rising from a fire.

CATOPTROMANCY is an early form of crystal gazing that utilizes a mirror turned to the moon to catch moonbeams.

CAUSIMOMANCY is divination from behavior of objects placed in a fire.

CEPHALOMANCY refers to divination with the skull or head of a donkey or goat.

CERAUNOSCOPY seeks to draw omens from the study of thunder and lightning.

CEROSCOPY, CEROMANCY is a form of fortune telling in which melted was is poured into cold water.

CHIROMANCY is divination from the lines on people’s hands.

CHIROGNOMY is the study of the general hand formation.

CLEROMANCY is divination by “casting lots”, similar to dice but with objects such as pebbles or sea shells.

CLIDOMANCY or CLEIDOMANCY is divination using a dangling key. see RADIESTHESIA.

COSCINOMANCY is divination using a hanging sieve. see RADIESTHESIA.

CRITOMANCY is the study of barley cakes.

CROMNIOMANCY is divination using onion sprouts.

CYCLOMANCY is the practice of divination from a turning wheel.

DACTYLOMANCY is an early form of RADIESTHESIA using a dangling ring.

DAPHNOMANCY requires one to listen to laurel branches crackling in an open fire.

DEMONOMANCY is divination with the aid of demons.

DENDROMANCY is divination with either oak or mistletoe.

GASTROMANCY is an ancient form of ventriloquism whereby the voice is lowered to a sepulchral tone and prophetic utterances are delivered in a trance state.

GELOSCOPY is the divination from the tone of someone’s laughter.

GENETHLIALOGY is divination by the influence of the stars at birth.

GEOMANCY is the study of figures on the ground and the influence of the Earth’s “currents”.

GRAPHOLOGY is the analysis of character through handwriting.

GYROMANCY is a divination procedure where a person walks in a circle marked with letters until they become dizzy and stumble at different points, thus spelling out a prophesy.

HALOLMANCY see ALOMANCY

HARUSPICATION is fortune-telling by means of inspecting the entrails of animals, as practiced by priests in ancient Rome.

HIEROMANCY or HIERSCOPY is divination by observing object of ancient sacrifice.

HIPPOMANCY is a form of divination from the stamping and neighing of horses.

HOROSCOPY is the practice of casting of astrological horoscopes.

HYDROMANCY is divination by water including the color, ebb and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in a pool.

ICHTHYOMANCY is divination using fish.

LAMPADOMANCY is divination using lights or torches.

LECANOMANCY uses a basin of water for divination.

LIBANOMANCY is the study of incense and its smoke.

LITHOMANCY is divination using precious stones of various colors.

MARGARITOMANCY is the procedure of using bouncing pearls.

METAGNOMY is the divination using “visions” received in a trance state.

METEOROMANCY is divination from meteors.

METOPOSCOPY is the reading of character using the lines if the forehead.

MOLEOSOPHY is the study of moles and indicators of a person’s character and future indications.

MOLYBDOMANCY draws mystic inferences from the hissing of molten lead.

MYOMANCY is the study of the prophetic meaning of behavior of rats and mice.

OINOMANCY is divination using wine.

OMPHALOMANCY is counting the number of knots in the umbilical cord to predict how many more children the mother will have.

ONEIROMANCY is the interpretation of dreams and their prophetic nature.

ONOMANCY is the study of the meaning of names.

ONOMANTICS is the application of ONOMANCY applied to personal names, particularly in the sense of occult interpretation.

ONYCHOMANCY is the study of fingernails.

OOMANTIA and OOSCOPY is the method of divination by eggs.

OPHIOMANCY is divination from serpents.

ORNISCOPY and ORINITHOMANCY is the study of omens associated with birds, particularly birds in flight. see APANTOMANCY

OVOMANCY is another type of egg divination.

PEGOMANCY concerns itself with spring water and bubbling fountains and the omens contained therein.

PHRENOLOGY is the long practiced study of head formations.

PHYLLORHODOMANCY is a means of divination whereby one slaps a rose petal against the hand and judges the favorability of the omen by the loudness of the sound.

PHYSIOGNOMY is the study of character analysis through physical features.

PSYCHOGRAPHY is a form of mysterious writing having a divinatory nature.

PYROMANCY and PYROSCOPY are forms of divination by fire or flame, often assisted by substances thrown onto the flames.

RHABDOMANCY is divination using a stick or wand. These methods were forerunners of the divining rod.

RHAPSODOMANCY is a means of divination using a book of poetry whereby the book is opened at random and a passage read.

SIDEROMANCY is the burning of straws with a hot iron, the resulting figures having divinatory properties.

SORTILEGE is the casting of lots and the assessment of omens indicated.

SPODOMANCY is divination using cinders or soot.

STICHOMANCY is another form of throwing open a book and selecting a random passage for the purpose of divination.

STOLISOMANCY draws omens from the way people dress.

SYCOMANCY is performed by writing messages on tree leaves; the slower they dry, the more favorable the omen. A modern variation is to write on slips of paper (always including one blank) and rolling them up. They are then held in a strainer over a boiling pot; the first to unroll will be answered.

TEPHRAMANCY is divination by ashes obtained from the burning of tree bark.

TIROMANCY is a type of divination using cheese.

Section 1: Visualization and Basic Energy Work

Disclaimers: I am young and still learning, so information may be incomplete, but for the sake of documenting my own craft and helping others, I felt it was too important to at least start this series. These will also be based off of my beliefs, so if something doesn’t work for you then I urge you to do more research elsewhere. Also, magic cannot replace modern medicine and therapy - if you need dire help, find a professional.

There are many “firsts” a beginner should learn when delving into witchcraft, all of arguably equal importance. To me, the most important thing is to know that witchcraft is not inherently religious. It is a craft. It can be religious if you want, but you do not need to be Wiccan or Hellenistic or Pagan or anything else to be a witch. “Witch” is also a gender-neutral term, and the craft is open to everyone.

But you don’t need an entire lesson to teach you that. So this will be on what I think is the second most important thing to learn as a witch: visualization and basic energy work. While these two things are different, to me they are inseparable.  

Much of your spell work and other witchy endeavors will inevitably tie back to these two basic concepts. Thus, having a basic understanding will make further learning so much easier.  

Persephone: Shamelessly cheats in board games. You’ll never catch her tho, so try to just accept it.

Zeus: Answers serious questions regarding all life on Earth with “Life is a mystery”, then proceeds to strike some tree with lightning to scare the ever-loving shit out of humans. Laughs himself to tears every time.

Hades: Secretly runs one of those dog-rating websites. Thinks no one in the family knows. Everybody knows. The others regularly gather to laugh at his descriptions. He gives every dog a 10/10.

Poseidon: Drank 10 ounces of sea water to win a bet once and almost died. To this day, considers it one of his finest accomplishments. Would do it again without a blink. Please don’t dare him.

Hera: Hasn’t slept in weeks, doesn’t even know where she is. Everything she does is stupid. Somehow still makes the best avocado spread you’ve ever tasted.

Athene: Thinks coffee can be a supplement for any fluid. Any. Fluid. She once tried to wash her clothes with coffee so even their smell would “keep me awake, I’m tellin ya”. Didn’t work, never will. Hermes still laughs about it.

Demeter: Tried to put braids into Cerberus’ fur once. Once.

Apollo: Bites all his nails. According to Artemis, even his toenails. That information is to be handled with doubt.

Artemis: Once called herself Apollo. She cried after. “The biggest mistake of her life”

Ares: Has a weird obsession with Japanese game shows. Has no idea where Japan is.

Hestia: Once wore the same socks for a week to prove feet don’t really stink. Turns out they do.

Hephaestus: Was convinced by Dionysus to try to forge himself into a sculpture for a Halloween prank. Got halfway done and realized he can’t escape with his hands buried. Was a half sculpture-half man for two days until Persephone took pity on him and rescued him.

Dionysus: Slept for three days straight. Nobody knows how. All he remembers is that he “peed for like 20 minutes” after waking up and considered taking a nap. Went for burritos instead, didn’t come home until a week later in nothing but a Hawaiian grass skirt. No one really cared. This shit happens weekly.

Hermes: Drunkenly tried to pierce his own ear, missed and landed a hole in his neck. Refused to get treatment, calls the scar his “earhole”, thinks it’s the funniest thing ever.

Time passes. The world changes. Temples fall. People nowspeak their names as if they are fairytales.

The gods are dead.

~

Apollo’s chariot lies broken and forgotten in the ruins of acity no one knows the name of anymore. He watches the sun crawl across the skyof its own volition, without him to push it forward.

“Do you miss it?” Artemis asks him, appearing by his side.  They stand at the top of a sparkling glassbuilding, almost the same as ever. She walks among the mortals more than hedoes, she always has, and She’s dressed like one of them. Tight clothes and halfher head shaved, sparkling gems curling up the delicate shell of her ear. Shelooks like one of the teenagers that fill his concert stadiums.

He thinks of the way his chariot threatened to escape hisgrasp every morning, the oppressive heat of the sun beating down on him, theburns and the undercurrent of fear that one day he would lose his grip on thereins and plunge the world into darkness.

Apollo leans his head on his sister’s shoulder. The sunrises slower without him, but it rises just the same. “No. Not really.”

~

Hephaestus’s workshop has evolved with the times – from avolcano base to a modern lab, but always a workshop bursting with creation. Thecyclopes are still his best assistants.

Aphrodite steps over discarded parts and expertly walksaround frantic cyclopes carrying bubbling concoctions. Her dark hair is sweptup in a bun and she wears chunky glasses and a blood red pantsuit that almosthides the fact she’s the most beautiful woman to walk the earth. “I have aclient, try not to blow up the house. Again.”

“Yes dear,” he says, but doesn’t looks away from hissoldering. She hadn’t expected him too. His prosthetics are off and on thefloor besides him, and he’s seated on a too-tall chair to compensate for theloss of height.

She reaches out and carefully touches the corner of his eye.Crow’s feet have started to work their way onto his face. They’re getting old. “It’sthe couple that’s fighting because he wants kids and she doesn’t want to carryany kids but doesn’t want to say that. It would probably be easier if I justtold them to adopt and threw them out the window.”

“Yes dear,” he repeats, sparks flying. A few land on her,but she doesn’t burn. Of course.

She moves her hand up and pushes it through his hair andresists the urge to pull him from his work and abandon her own so they can makeout on his worktable. “I love you.”

Aphrodite turns to leave, but Hephaestus grabs her wrist andpulls her back. He holds up a single copper lily, the edges of the petals stillglowing with heat it had taken to shape them. He carefully slides the stem intoher hair so it sits at the base of her bun. He grazes her bottom lip with histhumb as he pulls his hand back to his side. “Yes dear.”

~

Demeter rages.

She makes imprudent deals to control an earth that no longerfalls under her domain, and she enacts her revenge against the mortals inwhatever way she can. They have forgotten her, forgotten the earth, and intheir ignorance they seek to destroy it.

She shakes the bedrock and splits it open, but still they donot learn, and as the temperature of the earth rises so does her temper.

The sea is not hers to command, her power is of earth and ofearth alone, and even now she gave more than could afford to lose to keep hergrasp on it. But these mortals do not learn.

Demeter goes to the sea and makes an inadvisable bargain. Shegoes to the crumbling remains of Olympus and makes an even worse one.

Typhoons and hurricanes whip across the land. If they seekto destroy her, she will simply destroy them first.

~

Hera sits on a pure white couch in an elegant mansion,smiling for the journalist seated across from her.

“What do you think is the most influential decision you evermade?” he asks, “If you could pinpoint the success of your business to onemoment, what would it be?”

She tilts her head as the light of the camera flashes. “Why,divorcing my husband, of course.”

“Would that be your advice to young women hoping to be as successfulas you?” he asks, “To not get married?”

Hera thinks of thousands of years by Zeus’s side, and howlittle it got her. She thinks of Hestia’s men, and Artemis’s women, of Hephaestus’slove for Aphrodite, of the way Hades softened the sharpest of Persephone’s edges.

She says, “Do not get married to someone who makes you lessthan you are. If you are not a better person for being together than apart,then do not be together. It’s as simple as that.”

Simple, but not easy.

Leaving Zeus was the hardest thing she’s ever done.

~

Persephone isn’t forced to spend half the year on the mortalearth anymore. She goes when she pleases, which isn’t often.

Sometimes she’ll sit by Artemis’s side while she brings anew life into the world and holds the warm, wriggly child first. She visitshospitals and makes the flowers bloom out of season, and spends long hourssitting under the sun and feeling it’s warmth touch her face.

Hades left his realm rarely before, and even more rarelynow. More people are being born than ever, meaning more people are dying thanever. Their realm is massive, comprising of all the dead of several millennia.Hades and Hecate spend their days as always – desperately trying to expand therealm so that they don’t all have to live on top of each other.

“Have you heard?” she asks one day, seated on his desk andleaning across it so he can’t work on the latest draft for another level oftheir realm. “The gods are dead.”

He gives up on attempting to tug it out from underneath her.“Are they? That’s odd, none of them are here.”

Persephone doesn’t bother to hide her smile. They haven’tfigured it out yet. Maybe they never will. But when death comes for them, asdeath does for all, it will be to Hades and Persephone’s door they are brought.Hades himself will usher Gaia and Amphitrite into the underworld, when the timecomes.

That time is not today.

“Darling, I really do need to work on this,” heineffectually tugs on the map again.

She pushes him back into the chair, climbing on top of himand pressing their foreheads together. “No, you don’t.”

“No, I don’t,” he agrees, and obligingly moves his head soPersephone can nibble at his neck. He manages a whole thirty seconds beforegoing, “I mean, I really do, Hecate said if I didn’t have a plan by the timeshe leaves for the mortal realm tomorrow, I’ll either have to wait until shegets back or do it by myself, and I’d really prefer to do neither–”

Persephone kisses him to shut him up, twisting and pushingthem through the realm so they land on their bed. “I’ll help you finish itlater. Focus on me now.”

Hades doesn’t answer, but he does flip them so he’s aboveher and reaches below her skirt, so she’ll take that as agreement.

~

Hestia sits around a bonfire, watching a group of teenagersget drunk and dance around the flames. They’ll never be younger than right now,never feel as much love for each other as they do right now.

She is besides an old man who warms his hands from the firecoming from an abandoned trash can.

She lies on a bed as a girl lights two dozen candles around itas a surprise for when her lover gets home.

She watches a young man make dinner for his boyfriend forthe first time and burn the chicken on both sides. They eat it together anyway.

She sits on the kitchen counter when a sister takes out apie from the oven, made special for her little brother’s birthday.

She is there when a father ticks the thermostat up high infreezing dawn of morning so it will be warm by the time his wife and children awaken.

Most people don’t have hearths anymore. But there is warmth,and love, and for Hestia that is enough.

~

As their names fade from existence, as his name is calledless and less on the battlefields of mortal men, the more Ares sleeps.

He falls asleep in too tall trees and on park benches. Hesleeps in seedy motel rooms and naps in every one of Athena’s libraries. Hesleeps curled up on a chair in Aphrodite’s office, and on the floors of a lotof veteran resource centers. As fast as he can tell, that’s the most they helpany veteran.

Still, his favorite place to sleep is the underworld.

He goes knocking on Orpheus’s door, who is always willing toplay for him. “Hades is here,” Eurydice says, “Would you like to me to go gethim?”

He shakes his head, “Persephone is home. I wouldn’t want tointrude.”

Eurydice and Orpheus share the same look of faint disapproval,but neither of the say anything, for which he is grateful.

He lies in the soft grass of the garden Persephone made, andlets Orpheus’s playing lull him to sleep.

Later, he’s woken by strong arms picking him up and holdinghim against a familiar chest. He doesn’t even have to open his eyes to know who’sholding him. “I can go,” he yawns, his actions at odds with his words as hepulls himself even closer the warmth coming off the king of the underworld.

“No,” Hades says. “Stay.”

Ares lets out a content sigh as Hades presses his lips tohis forehead, and he’s not great about touch, about people laying their handson him and getting in his space. But Hades has always felt safe, felt likehome.

He stays.

~

The gods are dead.

Long live the gods.

gods and monster series, part xiv

Zeus

Oak

Carnations

Olive branches

Styrax incense

Eagle, bull, swan images

Hera

Lilies

Peacock feathers or images

Pomegranate

Incenses

Cuckoo images

Athena

Olive branch/oil/fruit

Weavings

Myrrh incense

Perfume

Owl images

Apollon

Laurel

Red roses, sunflowers

Frankincense (manna) incense

Palm tree

Raven, swan, wolf, mouse, dolphin images

Artemis

Cedar, palm and cypress trees

Tokens of deer

Jasmine

Myrtle, white flowers

Frankincense (manna) incense

Amaranthus

Peanut

Wormwood

Deer, dog, bear, partidge, quail images

Hestia

Incenses

Chaste-tree

Pig images

Poseidon

Sea anemone

Myrrh incense

Pine

Bull, dolphin, horse images

Dionysos

Ivy

Grape vine

Pine

Styrax incense

Leopard, panther, donkey, bull images

Hermes

Tongue-shaped tokens

Rosemary, saffron

Almond tree and pine tree

Frankincense and styrax incense

Mint (for Kthonios epithet)

Cow, ram, hawk, turtle, hare images

Wild strawberry (purslane)

Ares

Bronze weapons

Frankincense (manna) incense

Swan, vulture, dragon/poisonous snake, owl images

Aphrodite

Roses, myrtle, anemone (poppy)

Quince

Apple, pomegranate

Perfumes and fragrances as incense

Dove, goose, sparrow, turtle images

Hephaistos

Daisies

Frankincense (manna) incense

Donkey, dog, crane images

Asklepios

Frankincense (manna) incense

Bread

Serpent, dog, goose, rooster images

Pan

Pine, beech trees

Fern

Wild flowers

Herbs burnt as incense and the smell of perfumes

Reeds

Goat, turtle images

Demeter

Poppy

Tokens of pigs

Styrax incense

Mint (for Kthonia epithet)

Wheat

Dove, bee, pig images

Persephone

Asphodel

Wheat

Hades

Pitchfork

Pomegranate

Daffodil

Styrax incense

Dried laurel leaves

Poplar, cypress trees

Mint

Hekate

Saffron

Rosemary

Garlic

Red Mullet

Amphiphon (candy)

Styrax incense

Dry laurel leaves

Oak

Ferret, dog, bull, lioness images