#pagan things

Me: oh, I'm pagan- norse, mainly.

Ppl: oh OK. What does that mean exactly? Like who is your god?

Me: I worship the pantheon at large, but currently have a space on my altar for Odin and Freyja.

Ppl:

It feels like in CONCEPT most people are alright enough with paganism, even if they think it's strange, but I've found (frustratingly) that the second I ACTUALLY MENTION the Gods or my practice people just shut off, often into assumptions of the Gods as pop culture figures.

The Celtic crone goddess Cailleach of the British isles gathers Her firewood for the winter’s remainder during Là Fhèill Brìghde during Imbolc. 🔥 (Imbolc/g starts sunset February 1st and lasting until sunset February 2nd.) The Cailleach will make sure the weather that day is bright and clear if she intends to make winter last longer so she can gather plenty of firewood to keep herself warm in the coming months. Traditionally folks celebrate stormy or especially frigid weather on Là Fhèill Brìghde since it means The Cailleach has decided sleep in and will soon run out of firewood ensuring a sooner end to winter‘s chills ❄️

The Dutch who brought a similar legend about a badger to America where the badger became a groundhog, native to the “new world” upon ancient Turtle Island, which is where the Groundhog Day tradition based in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, USA came from 🦡 Cailleach is by contrast decidedly human in form, said to have snowy white hair, often veiled, her name translated from Gaelic literally as “old hag”. She is mother of weather, most poignantly storms. ⛈ She rules over winter as a seasonal deity in balance with fire-wielding, milk-laden Brighid who in turn oversees the time between Beltane and Samhain, from May 1st to November 1st. Imbolc is known as St. Brigid’s Day honoring the awakening of spring but it is still within the dominion of the divine crone Cailleach, depicted here in my watercolor sketchbook in honor of Imbolc 🌱

I am lucky to be pagan. and you, too, are lucky to be pagan. It's important that you and I are pagan. it's life-changing and life-affirming and transcendent to be called by the gods themselves to be pagan. and I am so glad to be on this road with you.

A Full Moon Spell to find balance both internally and externally

What You Need

Full moon preferred but not necessary. As long as you can see the moon, it works just as well.

Yourself

Dissolvable paper, Pen or Pencil

Water in a small bowl

White candle (cleansing, balance, clarity)

Incense- (Bergamot, Benzoin, Cedar) for balance

A bottle or jar for the water

What To Do

Prepare both yourself and your workspace as necessary. Meditate, ground, center, call on the powers you invoke, cast a circle and so on.

This is important. Acknowledge the moon. Invite it to be a part of your working. Embrace and Meditate on the moon in all of its forms. The light, the gravity, the phases and its effect on the tides, the fact that it reflects the sun’s light.

Light the candle and incense. Apply those aspects of the moon you meditated on to yourself and your life. What kind of light do you reflect? What kind of ‘gravity’ do you have? What things/ people does your gravity effect? What phases do you go through?

For the next two steps think of the writing in terms of “I am usually late; but I try to make up for being late.” Find the positives and their negative reverse aspects in yourself. Do this on a one to one scale. Every positive should have a negative.

Write them down on the paper, balancing the scales of yourself. Find the tides both high and low in yourself. Find the internal balance. Do this likewise outside of yourself. How do you bring balance or imbalance to the world around you? How do you effect other people? What kind of waves and tides do you create in the world? Write these out as well.

Once you’ve gotten these two bits written out, place the paper into the water and allow it to dissolve as you hold the bowl of water up in the moonlight. Say “O great moon, shining brilliantly, Teach me the balance I seek, As you move the tides, move within me, Let your many phases guide my soul, So that your balance I may know, I offer up my best and my worst, Tied together on the scales, Silver lady, shining bright, Show me the power in your light.” *Light more incense and another candle if need be.*

As the paper dissolves, visualize yourself achieving the balance you seek. Visualize yourself being on time more often, or cleaning more often, or being less angry or whatever it is you’re seeking to bring into balance. Envision if happening step by step, every action it will take to achieve it.

Acknowledge and adjust the negative, work towards the positive. When the spell is done, you must ACTIVELY work toward these goals.

Take the bowl of water and pour it into the jar, label it as you see fit and let it sit out in the moonlight.

Thank the moon, acknowledge it every time you see it as a reminder that you’re working to find the same balance it has. Blow out the candle and incense.

Good luck and happy casting witches!

M.G.

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Anyone have any suggestions?