These are all things I took issue with and brought to my employer for further discussion before signing the contract. Most of my coworkers signed without reading, treating it like an internet terms of service contract.

Companies BANK on the fact you’re not going to read it. Then they slip in shit like ‘you can’t talk about your wages’ because they want you to keep quiet, so thy can pay that guy six bucks, and pay the guy over there fifteen and pay you eight. They want you to accept it all blindly. PLEASE DON’T STAY BLIND.

Yes, I’ve lost out on jobs because I wanted to read it and they didn’t want me to. Or they wanted m to resign and I said no to to the things they added that I pointed out were unfair and borderline illegal. 

I have a book recs tag that contains most of the titles that I regularly recommend for witchcraft studies, but there are a few I could mention by name:

History:

Drawing Down The Moon (Margot Adler)

Triumph of the Moon (Ronald Hutton)

The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present (Ronald Hutton)

The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic (Owen Davies)

Witchcraft, magic and culture 1736–1951 (Owen Davies)

Witchcraft:

The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft: Seeking an Intentional Magical Path Seeking an Intentional Magical Path (Fire Lyte aka Don Martin)

New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic (Cory Thomas Hutcheson)

By Rust of Nail & Prick of Thorn: The Theory & Practice of Effective Home Warding (Althaea Sebastiani)

Sacred Actions: Living the Wheel of the Year through Earth-Centered Sustainable Practices (Dana O'Driscoll)

Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration (Mallorie Vaudoise)

Spellcrafting: Strengthen the Power of Your Craft by Creating and Casting Your Own Unique Spells (Arin Murphy-Hiscock)

The Magical Writing Grimoire: Use the Word as Your Wand for Magic, Manifestation & Ritual (Lisa Marie Basile)

Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis (Lisa Marie Basile)

Sigil Witchery: A Witch's Guide to Crafting Magick Symbols (Laura Tempest Zakroff)

The Hearth Witch's Year: Rituals, Recipes & Remedies Through the Seasons (Anna Franklin)

Previous Posts:

Here are the Top Ten foundational texts that I started out with.

Here are the books I recommend if you want to work with plants.

Here are the three titles I have on the market.

Here is the Dropbox I made with free (legal) historical texts on witchcraft and magic.

For my witches who cannot speak, struggle to speak, or choose to remain quiet.

This post is a compilation of ideas and personal methods from fellow nonverbal witches. Not everything may fit for you, but hopefully it will give you a starting point!

Spells:

Write the words and focus your energy on bringing them into being. You could burn the piece of paper to finish off the spell. One contributor also mentions burying the paper. 

Our thoughts are powerful. Focus, and say the words in your mind.

You can also mouth the words without speaking them, if that helps you.

Whispering is also great if that works for you!

Find power in silence, use it as its own tool.

Use instruments to create certain rhythms for different spells, instead of chanting. 

If sound is helpful, play music that you feel relates/connects you to the spell.

Cast circles and finalize spells by snapping.

Sigils are concentrated intention–use that to your advantage. They can absolutely be a base for spellwork. 

Use a power source; the elements (candles, soil, the air around you, a bowl of water, etc.), crystals, burning herbs, etc.

To feel energy without using words to confirm: use tools that have stronger energy that you can physically feel.  

Make spell candles, jars or sachets. 

Use sign language! I’m of the opinion that everyone should at least learn the basics, and there are plenty of free resources out there!

Specific spells:

Casting a circle: “You can cast a circle by walking in a circle and visualizing your footsteps imprinting on the earth below, creating a barrier of light (color chosen to correspond to intention at the time), walk the circle 3 times and see the barrier in your mind forming a perfect sphere around your work space, becoming brighter and stronger each step you take.”*

To banish: write the things you wish to banish on a piece of paper, light them on fire with a black candle and place in a burn bowl. 

To release and invite: use two pieces of paper. On one, write down everything you’d like to release from your life. On the other, write down everything you’d like to invite into your life. Burn the release paper and dispose of the ashes, keep the invite paper. (Optional: I like to do this on the new moon, and have a black candle above the release paper and a white candle above the invite paper).

Protective charm: (click here)

To raise you out of a dark place: (click here)

Spell of destruction: (click here)

Energy work:

Use a cajon, bells, singing bowl, steel tongue drum/moondrum, or other instruments to raise energy!

“I have a specific snapping rhythm that is ‘magic time’. When I snap the rhythm once or three times it’s go time and I fall into the zone.”*

“For energy work and to raise energy I dance and as my heartbeat gets louder in my ears I mentally chant with it, focusing on a short phrase, intention, or incantation with the energy I physically raised and the meditative repetition of my mind.”*

Use a power source; the elements, crystals, burning herbs, etc.

Most energy work involves movement, rather than words (click here for energy work with restricted movement).

Other ideas:

Worship: write letters, devote your actions, decorate an altar. Prayers don’t need to be spoken! Or write your prayers and place them on an altar, burn them, or keep them. (Bedridden worship)

Divination doesn’t require spoken word, especially once you have a bond with your tools. You can always use writing, sigils, or your thoughts to channel your intent/question. (Bedridden divination)

Charge crystals with your intent and wear them/carry them in a pouch. 

Kitchen witchcraft, garden magic, tea magic, etc. etc. 

Utilize the correspondences of the items in your life. 

You may also like:

Bedridden witch series

Bedridden witch: Discreet edition

Limited hand mobility + witchcraft

Spoonie witch masterpost

Sigils: (pain + symptoms) (mental illness + energy) (healing + misc.) 

Chronically ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

With suggestions and contributions from: 

@mynameisvernal, @melinoealtar, @steffithesciencewitch​, @the-corset-witch​*, @healing-sun-witch​ and anonymous. Thank you!

Hex Positive

A modern witchcraft podcast hosted by Bree NicGarran

On May 1st, 2020, I embarked on a new project - a podcast based in practical secular witchcraft which combined advice for practitioners, discussion of the modern witchcraft movement, and the history behind our practices. Needless to say, it’s been a RIDE!

Whether you’re just beginning to listen or want to revisit some old favorites, here’s the episode listing for all of the Hex Positive monthly episodes and the Witch Ways minisodes. All of these (plus lots of bonus eps) are available on your favorite podcatcher and the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network site and show notes are available on my Wordpress.

Remember to rate and review on Apple Podcasts, check out my Patreon, and recommend the show to your witchy friends and neighbors. The more, the merrier!

Hex Positive Episodes

Ep. 001 - Welcome to the Table

Ep. 002 - What Is A Witch?

Ep. 003 - Hex Positive

Ep. 004 - Advice for Beginner Witches

Ep. 005 - They Blinded Me With SCIENCE…Denial (Guest Host: Trae Dorn)

Ep. 006 - Come In For A Spell, pt. 1

Ep. 007 - Come In For A Spell, pt. 2

Ep. 008 - Things That Go Bump, pt. 1 (Guest Host: Jenn aka The Ouija Girl)

Ep. 009 - Things That Go Bump, pt. 2

Ep. 010 - Personal Traditions with Kai (Witchcraft for the Restless)

Ep. 011 - Secular Celebrations

Ep. 012 - Witching From The Broom Closet

Ep. 013 - Consent and Modern Love Magic

Ep. 014 - American Druidry with Dana O'Driscoll

Ep. 015 - Let’s Get Wyrd with Lozzie Stardust

Ep. 016 - Listener Questions Episode

Ep. 017 - Hex-Scuse Me!

Ep 018 - When Spells Don’t Work

Ep. 019 - The Trouble With Tarot

Ep. 020 - Witchcraft and the Law

Ep. 021 - Witchcraft and Modern Law

Ep. 022 - Bree and Lozzie vs The Witch Hunters

Ep. 023 - The Name of the Game

Ep. 024 - Warding A Witchy Home

Ep. 025 - The Witches of Picnic with Guest Host Jenna

Ep. 026 - The Healer’s Path with Jai McGrainer

Ep. 027 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday

Ep. 028 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle

Ep. 029 - Outgrowing Our Cocoons with Trae Dorn

Ep. 030 - Atheist Witchcraft and Placebo Magic with Sedna Woo

Ep. 031 - Witching With ADHD with Lozzie Stardust

Ep. 032 - Guides Not Gatekeepers

Witch Ways Episodes

Witch Ways 01 - Bree’s Banishing Powder

Witch Ways 02 - Seven-Year Bath

Witch Ways 03 - The Water of Life

Witch Ways 04 - Sickroom Salt

Witch Ways 05 - Don Thy Armor

Witch Ways 06 - Blackberry and Thyme

Witch Ways 07 - More Flies With Honey

Witch Ways 08 - Ornament Charms

Witch Ways 09 - Threshold Powder

Witch Ways 10 - Apple Of My Eye

Witch Ways 11 - Simple Joys Powder

Witch Ways 12 - Not On My Watch Vinegar

Witch Ways 13 - Straw Into Gold

Witch Ways 14 - Fearless in the Fire

Witch Ways 15 - Harmony Salt

Witch Ways 16 - Sweetening Powder

Witch Ways 17 - The Golden Tree

Witch Ways 18 - The Nesting Toad

Witch Ways 19 - All Heads Off But Mine

Witch Ways 20 - Eyes Like Coals

Witch Ways 21 - Quickie Charms

Witch Ways 22 - Spinning Up A Sweetheart

Witch Ways 23 - The Three Ravens

Witch Ways 24 - Mirror, Mirror

Witch Ways 25 - Home Blessing Powder

Watch this post for updates and check out Hex Positive on your favorite podcatcher for all these episodes and more!

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop.

My mother’s family are native Gaelic speakers (Scottish Gaelic, not Irish), and the family that lives on the Western Isles still speaks Gaelic with their children. Many of my cousins are native bilingual speakers, but I grew up in England and was divorced from all of that. I tried to learn Gaelic as a child, but my grandparents actively discouraged it and eventually I stopped. 

A while ago it occurred to me: how is it I am learning Chinese when I can’t even speak their language? Or Welsh, or any of the languages of the UK? How can I think about language endangerment in other countries when I can’t speak Gaelic, as someone with half of their family from the islands? It seems bizarre when you frame it in those terms. 

Throughout the last few months Gaelic has been a casual on-again off-again project for rainy days, when Chinese gets too onerous. I’m keeping it light and fun, because I know I’ll be here for the long ride. Here are some of the resources I’ve been using:

1) Learn Gaelic with Jason: https://gaelicwithjason.thinkific.com - Jason is an American who developed an interest in Gaelic from a young age, with a degree from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye. This course is paid, but it’s one of the best things I’ve found - not just for Gaelic, but for *any* language. It’s a series of complete immersive videos about 20-30 minutes long requiring no prior knowledge, building on each other. Jason really understands the idea of comprehensible input, and I could learn a lot from him as a teacher. He also hosts the lessons in a yurt, is a terrible drawer, and wears a torque. Cool guy. 

You can check out his videos for free here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVX7RajLZmm8i7LEuli05tw

Jason also has an intermediate course where he teaches Gaelic through folk tales from Scotland and Ireland which I will definitely use once I get there. It’s a wonderful way into stories I heard as a kid and have partly forgotten. 

2) Jason’s graded readers: Yes I love this man. He is a god. I’m not going to link to Amazon, but he has two graded readers and working on more. This is my favourite method of learning: of just opening a book and going ‘That..looks like…a verb?’ Very repetitive language, very high frequency, with an absolutely excellent glossary at the back - plus you get to read some lovely folk-tales. I’ve learnt so much from the one I have. 

3) https://learngaelic.scot : this is one of the best websites there is. It is a modern, well-designed accumulation of Stuff - it has flashcards, links to the old BBC Alba video series (highly recommended), grammar explanations, audio, more flashcards. And also tips for each level. They also have a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqZrsYGwxA0g1KA3nKB6Y_A

4) Speaking Our Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxeyZABaHeI&list=PLX1DGbPK9r2HHyLN062V_ASbIh3xXpyvb - This is a great playlist, very nicely old-fashioned, of Gaelic spoken in context for beginners. 

5) Learn Gaelic dictionary: https://learngaelic.scot/dictionary/index.jsp - This has sound, which is crucial

6) Beag air Bheag podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34wGOU9sDTE7Vzg0qMexfv?si=2dF4YuqNQy6vdEL_smON4g&dl_branch=1 - Look. I understand none of this. But it’s an amazing podcast for intermediate learners, and I enjoy getting the occasional ‘agus’, ‘sin ceart’ and ‘ooooooo thaaaaaaaaa’. It’s nice to hear different accents and other learners too. 

7) GLOSSIKA!!!!!! I know what you’re thinking but - and it’s a big but - Glossika is free for certain small languages, and Gaelic is one of them!!! I’d really really recommend it, but best probably after the first 200 or so words to get the most from it. Basically it’s spaced repetition listening, and spoken importantly at a normal pace. Use glossika. 

(Also, for other languages, the free PDFs with standard IPA is available, uhh….quite easily…if you look..)

If anyone has any other resources you’d recommend for beginner level, let me know!! At the moment I’m more than preoccupied with Jason’s course and book, and Wiki as ever has all the grammar I need. For vocabulary, I’m not using Anki or anything specific yet, just memorising as I go along. It’s all very chill, and we’ll see how it goes. 

I…don’t know how to say 加油 in Gaelic. But. You get the picture.

This list is a table of contents of numerous modern druid orders. Each link is tied to one comprehensive analysis of that druid group. Use it to learn about the differences and similarities between the modern types of druidry, especially if you are considering joining one but don’t know which one you would want to explore first! If anything needs to be rectified, please contact me with proof for correction.

The list is organized roughly by the age of the druid group and is mostly current as of posting date: 28 September, 2021.

RDNA Reformed Druids of North America

OBOD Order of Bards, Ovates, & Druids

AODA Ancient Order of Druids in America

NRDNA New Reformed Druids of North America

SDNA Schismatic Druids of North America

HDNA Hasidic Druids of North America

ZDNA Zen Druids of North America

BDO British Druid Order

ADF Ár nDraíocht Féin, AKA “A Druid Fellowship”

RDW/MOCC Reformed Druidic Wicca, now Missionary Order of the Celtic Cross

HoK Henge of Keltria

DCD Druid Clan of Dana

OMS Order of the Mithril Star

OWO Order of the White Oak

NOD New Order of Druids

RDG Reformed Druids of Gaia

CDT Celtic Druid Temple

NRG Northern Roots Grove

TDC The Druid Circle, AKA “Druid Order of Blest Stone and Wood”

DANA Druid Alliance of North America

🌊 God of the sea, weather, navigation

🌊 Able to stir up or calm the seas (Cotterell and Storm 148).

🌊 Ruler of the Land of Promise (Tir Tairngire) (Daimler 25).

🌊 Master of disguise and love magic (Daimler 26), healing magic (Cotterell and Storm 148), and illusion magic (MacLeod 54).

🌊 He may have had multiple wives but one of the most prominent was Fand, who Cú Chulainn fell in love with when he was in the Otherworld. Cú Chulainn’s wife, Emer, went to find him and negotiated with Fand until she agreed to return to Manannán mac Lir and let Cú Chulainn return home with Emer (MacLeod 78).

Animals

🌊 Horse: He had a horse named Aonbharr (Water Foam) that could ride on land and water (Daimler 41).

🌊 Pig: Manannán gave his swine to the Tuatha Dé Dannan as a gift. The pigs could be killed one day but be resurrected the next (Daimler 41).

🌊 Cow: Manannán owned cattle that were white with red ears (MacLeod 116).

🌊 Seal: Selkies are sometimes considered inhabitants of the Otherworld realms in the sea, which Manannán rules (MacLeod 119).

Sacred Day

🌊 Summer Solstice: On the Isle of Man (where Manannán may have gotten his name), reeds were offered to Manannán for protection (Daimler 46).

Magical Items

🌊 Craeb-Síde or Craeb-Sidamail (Síd Branch): a silver branch with three golden apples on it that produces music when shaken that can cure disease and make people fall asleep. It is sometimes considered a wand/staff instead of an actual branch (MacLeod 86). The branch can also make people forget their sorrows (Daimler 24).

🌊 Corr Bolg (Crane Bag): A magical bag made from the skin of a crane (which was actually his son’s lover, Aoife, transformed into a crane) that holds Manannán’s powerful magic items. (Daimler 43).

🌊 Manannán’s Cloak: A magical and shining cloak that looked like the sea. In the stories, Manannán shakes the cloak between Fand and Cú Chulainn so they won’t meet again (Freeman 133).

🌊 Scuabtuinne (Wave Sweeper): Manannán’s boat that brought people wherever they wanted to go, however it would not work if it was treated poorly by its passenger (Daimler 44).

🌊 Magical Cup: A cup that breaks into three pieces when three lies are told and is repaired if three truths are told.

Celtic Myth and Religion by Sharon Paice MacLeod

Manannán mac Lir by Morgan Daimler

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Mythology by Arthur Cotterell and Rachel Storm

I just thought this was worth sharing right now. I’m not sure who made it, but if you actually do some research, you’ll see that Ishtar has nothing to do with Easter.

The Christian celebration of Easter may involve some fertility symbols nowadays, but, as I understand it, the actual concept originated with the Jewish celebration of Passover. This is why, in most languages, “Easter” actually takes its name from Passover. Either way, none of this is Mesopotamian, and history does matter.

I will add that, last year, I received death threats and was called every name in the book for posting this on a Facebook group, because apparently a lot of Facebook pagans get extremely upset by it.

First of all, the hypothetical Eostre isn’t even Celtic, secondly the only real “link” we have of a Celtic goddess being made into a saint is Brigid, in which case it’s more that there was an actual person named Brighid who became a saint and when they were writing her hagiography pulled aspects from the lore behind the goddess NOT just taking a goddess and making her a saint.

I have this post discussing why most historians don’t believe Eostre is real, with even her academic proponents admitting that the general consensus is that she was made up.

And this post with a lovely friend of mine, where we point out that Ostara was invented in the 1970s and is actually a rip off of the Christian Easter.

Cats have been worshipped and seen as heavily spiritual beings for years in many cultures such as the Ancient Egyptians and throughout Europe in the middle ages since the cats would kill the rodents spreading the black plague. 

According to solidgoldpet.com, “Others believed that cats were actually humans that committed bad deeds and were forced to return to the world and while it’s hard to imagine that anyone ever considered these beautiful animals to be evil, these beliefs ultimately lead to the superstitions people have of black cats, even to this day.”

Felines were evolved to be efficient hunting animals that first came to be about 65-33 million years ago. Each kind of cat has different energy, whether this means a difference between a lion and a Jaguar, or a calico and a siamese cat.

Cats were associated with evil forces, and ergo witches, back when the witch hunts were occurring because of their nocturnal and independent natures. Black cats in particular are associated with death like crows and ravens because of their color.  Both witches and black cats were persecuted and killed together because people thought that black cats assisted witches in their evil deeds/were their familiars, and also that witches could transform into black cats to lurk in the shadows and cast spells on people. 

“According to Man, Myth & Magic, an Italian legend tells of a cat that gave birth to her kittens under the manger in which Jesus was born. “but the cat was not destined to be venerated in Christian Europe, for the Church with its violent repudiation of paganism succeeded in reducing the status of this once sacred animal to that of a devil …During the persecution of the Cathars the belief was fostered that these heretics worshipped the Devil in feline form, and the stage was set for the cat’s unwitting participation in the witchcraft tragedy.”– Martha Gray Grimalkyn: The Witch’s Cat: Power Animals in Traditional Magic 

There are more black cats then cats of any other color, 33% of all cats are black, whilst 28% are grey. There is a popular myth that black cats are more likely to be abandoned, but studies show that, “although euthanasia numbers for black animals are at or near the top (both black and white dogs were near 19 percent; black cats were at 30 percent, with gray cats and white cats coming in just under that, at 28 percent and 26 percent, respectively), their total adoption numbers were also the highest of any color.” (Is It a Myth That Black Shelter Pets Are Less Likely to Be Adopted? By Kristen Seymour). This could be because of the fact that there are simply more of these animals than any other, so they are most likely to be put down. This however adds to the belief that black-coated animals are neglected because of color.  

In American folk magick, black cats and witches have a good relationship still, and black cats’ shed brings protection and luck in spells! They are especially useful for luck in gambling. British and Irish sailors brought black cats on their ships believing it to be good luck as well. 

Here is a link about cats on ships :) https://www.litter-robot.com/blog/2020/09/19/cats-on-ships-history/

Here are my sources:

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/is-it-a-myth-that-black-shelter-pets-are-less-likely-to-be-adopted

https://www.ethosvet.com/blog-post/where-did-black-cats-get-their-bad-rep/#:~:text=Other%20theories%20suggest%20that%20during,streets%20of%20these%20bad%20omens.

https://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/working-dogs/black-cat-superstition/

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/2017/10/12/black-cats-witchcraft-goddesses-bad-luck/

https://solidgoldpet.com/heres-actual-reason-witches-black-cats/

https://www.petfinder.com/cats/living-with-your-cat/cats-and-witches-history-black-cat/

And here is a book I found that has some very good info! https://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Portals-Grimalkyn-Animals-Traditional/dp/1780999569/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1507842744&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Grimalkyn:+The+Witch%E2%80%99s+Cat:+Power+Animals+in+Traditional+Magic+Read+more+at+http://admin.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/?p=1302#UPS1WJ5iM7bxlwVp.99&linkCode=sl1&tag=theastr-20&linkId=5f701fdc45cb909d5fb853e3699b12f5

BECAUSE THIS SHIT IS NOT CAROL OF THE BELLS

IT IS CHRISTMAS EVE/SARAJEVO 12/24 AND IT IS SO MUCH FUCKING MORE THAN CAROL OF THE BELLS.

so during the bosnian war (which was this nasty-ass conflict in bosnia and herzgovina) there was this badass cello-playing motherfucker named vedran smailovic. He was from Sarajevo, was upset about all the shit and nastiness that came about through this war (this was full-on brother-killing-brother shit!) that he went around to bombed-out, blown up buildings and funderals––where he was at risk of FUCKING SNIPER FIRE––and playing the cello. This guy was so set on providing one tiny spot of beauty in a seriously nasty war he was risking being fucking SHOT OR BLOWN UP.

AND THIS IS THE GUY WHO INSPIRED THIS SONG.

He’s why there’s the calm cello part at the beginning before everything gets all violent-sounding. It’s THEMATIC.

Friendly reminder that Vedran’s performances also included a pile of rubble that used to be a fountain IN THE CENTER OF A TOWN SQUARE WITH NO COVER.

When asked years later why he’d down something so apparently suicidal, he shrugged and replied that it was his way of proving that “the spirit of humanity was still alive in that place, despite all evidence to the contrary.”

May we all be as brave and stalwart in protesting violence and injustice as Vedran “The Most Bad-Ass Cellist Ever” Smailović.

Summer is over, Winter is in full swing, and Yule is upon us. 

Yule, pronounced “yool”, falls on the 21st of December in the Northern Hemisphere, a date that is also known as the Winter Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere (below the equator), Yule falls on the 21st of June.

The Winter Solstice is the day of the year when the night is longest and the day is shortest. After the solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter.

Some Historical & Cultural Stuff:

Yule is the time of the year when the “dark half” of the year ends and the “light half begins”. 

Until the 16th century, the winter months were infamous for being times of famine in Europe - most cattle were slaughtered during this time so that they did not need to be fed during the winter. The feed was needed for the mouths of the farmers and the people. This meant that the solstice was a time when meat was plentiful, and is the reason why a lot of the celebrations surrounding this time of year centre around feasting and merriment.

In pre-Christian Scandinavia, there was a feast (named the Feast of Juul) that lasted for twelve (12) days. It celebrated the rebirth of the sun, and from this feast came the custom of burning a Yule log.

In ancient Rome, the Festival of Saturnalia (famously referenced in an episode of The Big Bang Theory) was the pillar of solstice celebrations. It was used to honour the God of agricultural bounty, Saturn and lasted around a week. Saturnalia was characterised by feasting, debauchery and the exchanging of gifts. Does that sound familiar? Well, it should! Many of these customs were absorbed and assimilated into Christian Christmas celebrations upon Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. This was done to make the conversion less of a shock.

Yule Associations: 

Colours:  Red, green, gold; white; silver; yellow.

Herbs & Plants: Mistletoe, Snowdrop, Lemongrass; Chive; Cinnamon; Sage; Rosemary; Ginger; Garlic; Orange Peel; Dill; Basil; Black Pepper; Bay Leaf; Ash; Thistle; Evergreen; Cedar; Frankincense; Holly; Ivy; Juniper; Mistletoe; Oak; Pine; Sandalwood; Yew; Cypress; Fir; Comfrey; Elder; Chestnut; Myrrh.

Symbols: Mistletoe, pillar candles in any associated colour, evergreen boughs and wreaths; fruit studded with cloves; wassail; Yule logs; holly.

Food & Drink: Yule log, wine (mulled), cider; turkey; lamb; venison; beef; cranberries; stew; pork; nuts; oranges; clementines. Seasonal vegetables. Wassail. Apples. Fruit. Cakes soaked in alcohol.

Stones Crystals & Metals: Gold, silver, diamonds; rubies; emeralds; bloodstone’ quartz.

Activities & Things to Do: Carolling. Wassailing, feasting, exchanging gifts; burning fires/candles; decorating a Yule tree and making decorations to put on it, such as Witch Balls, clove pricked fruit; make Winter potpourri.

2) The main purpose of language is to communicate. Even if communication is a little awkward, as long as we can understand what the other person is trying to say, there’s no need for it to be perfect.

Cultural appropriation occurs when cultural practices are taken out of their original context and misused by outsiders. Cultural appropriation is different from cultural sharing, which occurs naturally in any multicultural society. Eating at an Indian restaurant is not cultural appropriation. Wearing a bindi when you don’t understand its significance in Indian culture is.

Cultural appropriation is a huge issue in modern witchcraft. When you have witches using white sage to “smudge” their altars, doing meditations to balance their chakras, and calling on Santa Muerte in spells, all without making any effort to understand the cultural roots of those practices, you have a serious problem.

When trying to understand cultural appropriation in witchcraft, it’s important to understand the difference between open and closed magic systems. An open system is one that is open to exchange with outsiders — both sharing ideas/practices and taking in new ones. In terms of religion, spirituality, and witchcraft, a completely open system has no restrictions on who can practice its teachings. A closed system is one that is isolated from outside influences — usually, there is some kind of restriction on who can practice within these systems.

There are different reasons a system might be closed. Some systems require a formal training and/or initiation, but there is no restriction on who can be initiated. Reiki and some forms of Wicca operate this way. (All other forms of Wicca are completely open.) Some systems are closely tied to a complex set of cultural beliefs that may not be fully understood by outsiders, so they are closed to people outside of that culture. Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) is an example of this. Some systems require a family lineage, so you must have been born into the system to practice within it. Zoroastrianism and some forms of traditional witchcraft fall into this category. And finally, some systems are closed as a kind of self defense, usually because they have been the target of persecution from outsiders — keeping the system closed is a way to preserve beliefs and practices that might otherwise be lost. African Diaspora Religions fall into this last category.

If a belief or practice is part of a closed system, outsiders should not take part in it. It really is that simple. If you aren’t Native American, you should not be performing smudging ceremonies. If you aren’t Jewish, you should not be practicing Kabbalah or working with Lilith as your “goddess.” If you aren’t Black, you should not be practicing Hoodoo. You get the idea.

On a similar note, just because a system is open does not mean you can do whatever you want with its teachings. You should still make a point of educating yourself on the system you are practicing and take care not to take things out of their original context. Some forms of Shinto are open, but you wouldn’t involve the kami in a Wiccan- or pagan-style ritual — Shinto has its own rules for ritual, which are very different from Western paganism. If you feel called to work with a cultural system you are not already part of, you need to be willing to put in the work of respectfully learning about and preserving that system.

It is impossible to appropriate a dominant culture. For example, in the United States, white American culture is treated as the default. There is tremendous pressure on all other cultural groups to speak English, dress like white Americans, and act like white Americans. White American culture has deep roots in Protestant Christianity, and these religious influences are enforced through social norms and sometimes through laws. Many businesses are closed on Christmas and Easter, and I live in an area where it is illegal to sell alcohol on Sunday mornings. White (Christian) American culture is literally being shoved down everyone’s throats all the time. A non-Christian immigrant wearing a cable-knit sweater, taking Sundays off work, or celebrating Christmas isn’t cultural appropriation, because they are expected to adopt these elements of the dominant culture.

It is also impossible to appropriate your own culture, even if you weren’t raised in it. For example, a Latinx person who decides to learn brujeria does not need anyone’s permission to do so. That practice is a part of their cultural heritage.

Dead cultures are a gray area, but the general consensus is that you cannot appropriate a system that isn’t connected to a living culture. For example, Hellenic polytheism is very different from modern Greek culture. A non-Greek person practicing Hellenic polytheism isn’t appropriating Greek culture, because that religion hasn’t been openly practiced in Greece for thousands of years. The same goes for many other types of reconstructionist paganism (paganism based on recreating ancient beliefs and practices) such as Kemetic (Egyptian) polytheism, Celtic paganism, Norse paganism, etc.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t still make an effort to be respectful of the cultural origins of these religions. If you worship the Kemetic gods, you should probably educate yourself on at least the basic history and philosophy of Ancient Egypt. You should probably try to be faithful to the ancient beliefs in your practice. But you don’t need any sort of initiation, because there is no direct connection between the ancient religion and modern reconstruction.

So How Do We Avoid Appropriation?

Know the difference between open and closed systems, and respect if a system is closed.

If a system is open or only partially closed, try to find a teacher or mentor who is already a part of that system. If an in-person mentor isn’t possible, try to find books and other resources created by people who are actually part of that culture.

Only use items or practices in your witchcraft if you have a good understanding of their cultural, religious, and/or spiritual significance.

If a member of a culture or magic system tells you their system is closed and asks you to stop using it, listen to them.

Educate yourself on how cultural appropriation contributes to systemic racism and other social issues.

Don’t try to sneak around culture appropriation. If you burn white sage to cleanse your space, you are still appropriating Native American spiritual practices (and contributing to the overharvesting of an endangered plant), even if you don’t use the term “smudging” or appropriate the entire smudge ceremony. If something is not yours to practice, leave it alone.

Learning about other cultures is not the same as cultural appropriation. Here’s a personal example: I live fairly close to New Orleans, and I think New Orleans Voodoo is a fascinating tradition. When I visit, I like to speak to local Voodoo practitioners and learn from them about their practice. That being said, I recognize that I am not a part of that practice, and I’m not about to start incorporating elements of Voodoo into my personal practice.

As a white woman, my track record is not perfect when it comes to cultural appropriation. When I first started my witchcraft journey, I burned white sage and worked with the chakra system. I didn’t know any better, and these things were presented to me as if they were open to anyone. But now I do know better, and I’m making a conscious effort to avoid appropriation in my practice.

And about the dead practices–I think it’s important to understand the history and cultural practices of the religions. If they were the kind that didn’t share and kept them amongst themselves, than practicing may not be respectful even if there is no living authority. Whereas, when you have folks like the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians who were large on sharing and conquering (with the exception of the Greeks), than that’s fine!