fat and funky magic

Aries: alder – chastity, confidence, protection, weather magic

Taurus: willow – healing, love, love divination, protection

Gemini: hawthorn – chastity, fertility, fishing magic, happiness

Cancer: oak – fertility, healing, health, luck, money, power, protection

Leo: holly – anti-lightning, dream magic, luck, protection

Virgo: hazel – anti-lightning, fertility, luck, protection, wishes

Libra: vine – image magic, money, persistence, protection, renewal

Scorpio: ivy – divination, fidelity, healing, love, protection

Sagittarius: elder – exorcism, healing, prosperity, protection, sleep

Capricorn: birch – exorcism, protection, purification

Aquarius: rowan – healing, power, protection, psychic powers, success

Pisces: ash – health, prosperity, protection, sea rituals

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Here’s the explanation for fellow baby witches

In addition to wands of crystal, wands can be made of a branch from a tree. Each sign of the zodiac is associated with a particular tree, so if you’d like a want compatable with your sign, pick one of the above that lines up with your sign.

If you’re lucky enough to have these trees in your area, use a fallen branch, or ask the spirit of the tree for permission to cut a small branch (you’ll get an overwhelming positive feeling if it’s a yes).

In addition, you can use tree bark, leaves or fallen twigs/branches to decorate your altar. Each sign also corresponds with a planet, so if you have a planetary altar, you can use the correlating wood (I will post a list of these in the future and link it here).

CHANGE IS THE SOURCE OF ALL JOY

EVERY LEAF IS A MIRACLE

YOU DO NOT ‘HAVE’ A BODY. YOU ARE YOUR BODY. YOU HAVE A MIND THAT IS BEING CRUEL TO YOU

EAT FRESH FRUIT

DESTROY NEOLIBERAL FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL

DANCING IS OLDER THAN COMPUTER

SICK FUCKING TUNES

RADICAL HOPE IS REBELLION

EVERY PERSON AROUND YOU HAS YOUR CAPACITY FOR HUMAN EMOTION

NO MORE FACADES

GOOD WORK BRINGS FULFILMENT

THE PATTERN IS ALSO JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE DAY

I take my associations from the 1st century Roman poet Marcus Manilius, who assigned each of the Zodiac signs to an Olympian god in his work Astronomica. He designates those rulers as such:

Aries - Athena

Taurus - Aphrodite

Gemini - Apollo

Cancer - Hermes

Leo - Zeus and Rhea-Cybele

Virgo - Demeter

Libra - Hephaestus

Scorpio - Ares

Sagittarius - Artemis

Capricorn - Hestia

Aquarius - Hera

Pisces - Poseidon

Thus we see six pairs of deities formed by the Zodiacal oppositions: Zeus and Hera, Demeter and Poseidon, Hephaestus and Athena, Ares and Aphrodite, Artemis and Apollo, Hestia and Hermes.

The monthly rulers are simply derived from where each sign falls in the year. December is covered by Sagittarius because its Tropical dates are from November 22–December 21 while its Sidereal dates are from December 16–January 15. Between the two Zodiacs, the Sun is always in Sagittarius throughout December, thus Artemis is the monthly ruler.

Part 1: The Vættir

Hello everyone! Today I thought I would give a quick lesson on the vættir and their importance in Norse Heathenry. The gifting cycle is a central part of heathenry, and thus establishing such a cycle with the vættir is important to keep relations up. This will be a two-part lesson, the first part will be on the vættir and the second part will be on the gifting cycle and selecting offerings.

Now, lets discuss the vættir; what they are, the different classes, and the purpose they serve. The term vættir refers to supernatural beings, including deities (Æsir and Vanir), giants (Jötnar), dwarves (Dvergar), elves (Álfar), and most commonly, spirits. The spirits can be broken into two distinct classes, nature spirits (Landvættir) and house spirits (Húsvættir). We will be focusing on these two types of spirits today.

The landvættir protect the specific places they inhabit. They can make these places flourish, or they can cause the land to wither if they have been dishonored. From this, we can see that the landvættir would be extremely important to the Norse farmers who need their crops to flourish.

The húsvættir protect the home. They can make the home a warm, inviting place, or they can make the home chaotic and unrest by either being ignored or feeding off of negative energy in the home. The way to a happy home is through happy húsvættir, thus honoring them is extremely important.

For many of us, the húsvættir are more accessible and more prominent in our lives than the landvættir might be, but it is important that we give our respect and offerings to both classes, as to not dishonor either. Even if you do not have much of a yard, the landvættir inhabit all natural things — rocks, trees, streams, and so on.

Both spirit types play a huge role in the heathen lifestyle, thus honoring them, being respectful towards them, and simply being mindful of them is important to incorporate into your daily life.

Part 2: The Gifting Cycle

This is the second part of the vættir-gifting cycle lesson. In this part, we will be focusing on what the gifting cycle is, its importance in Norse Heathenry, and how to establish such a cycle. Specifically, we will be focusing on establishing a gifting cycle with the vættir.

A regular gifting cycle is critical to keeping relations up with the vættir. Sporadically giving offerings, then ignoring the vættir for a few months, will lead to negative consequences and a damaged relationship between yourself and the spirits. By honoring the vættir regularly, you are prioritizing a positive relationship with the spirits and fostering good tidings.

Now, lets discuss establishing a gifting cycle with the vættir and how to give offerings to them. In practice, you may find what I suggest doesn’t work for the vættir around you. It’s important to pay attention to how the spirits react to your offerings, and from there you can adjust as needed to keep the spirits happy.

When it comes to offerings the vættir like, you will likely end up doing trial and error until you figure out what the spirits near you enjoy. To give you a starting point, you could try giving offerings of coffee beans, milk, wine, spices or herbs, or grains.

When it comes to actually giving the offerings, you don’t need to do anything extravagant. It helps to give offerings in the same spot every time, however, and it may be helpful to put the offerings in bowls or on a plate. After setting your offering out, it’s vital that you explicitly make it known that the offering is for the vættir  — either by saying so out loud, or meditating on the thought. Be sure to give your thanks and respect, then repeat during the next cycle.

You don’t have to drink/offer alcohol to participate/celebrate.

I personally recommend tea as an alternative if you need to make any ritualistic toasts—but it certainly doesn’t have to be any of mine! Pick something that’s comfortable, accessible, and feels right for you.

Imbolc: - (warm) milk with honey, especially sheepmilk - jasmine or white tea - light fruit juices - slemp (a Dutch spiced milk)

Ostara: - infused water - fruit juices

Beltaine: - rose tea or -lemonade - infused water with strawberry - grape juice - cherry juice or tea - milk

Litha: - iced tea, especially lemon or ginger - infused water with orange, or with cucumber and watermelon, or with strawberries - fruit juices like orange, mango, tropical blend - strawberry tea (here we call strawberries “summer kings”)

Lughnasadh: - oatmilk - apple juice or cider - grape juice

Mabon: - applejuice or pearjuice - nutmilks, like almond- or cashewmilk - pomegranate juice or tea - apple cinnamon tea

Samhain: - apple juice or cider - pumpkin spice latte - pumpkin juice - grape juice - cinnamon tea - nutmilks, like almond- or cashewmilk

Yule: - teas: cinnamon, vanilla, apple, caramel, winter blends, mint - hot chocolate - orange juice (the sun returning) - cranberry juice - wassail - spiced apple cider (as in, the non-alcoholic cider, of course)

General ideas: - grapejuice, in our supermarket they also have merlot grapejuice for example - elderflower lemonade or tonic - seasonal tea blends

- 1 liter (4 and ¼ cups) of lingonberry juice (can be substituted for cranberry) for a darker glögi, or apple juice for a lighter variety

- 1 stick of cinnamon

- 3 whole fruits of star anise

- 5 cloves