#paganpages

Pagan Pages: Baby Witchery 101

Starting out, witchcraft can seem overwhelming due to the vast amount of information out there. When I first began, I saw all these amazing witches on social media and was shunned by the same ones for asking questions they didn’t want to answer. As a whole, the witch and pagan communities are welcoming and open. However, there are always those few that feel the need to spread hate instead of information for those witches that are just starting out. Witchcraft is just that, a craft. While my craft may not be exactly the same as yours, it does not make either one “better” than the other. For those searching for information, I will list things I believe will help anyone starting out and looking for guidance.

Firstly, decide what kind of practitioner you want to be. I’m not referring to your “title” so much as figuring out which areas appease most to you. For myself, divination practices came naturally due to being a conduit, but the options are endless. Perhaps you love the beach, or cooking, or feel the pull of different dimensions and spirits. Your craft is meant to fit you, so explore the areas that call to you the most.

Secondly, read and read some more. In my opinion, knowledge is power. The better informed you are, the better you can adapt your craft to fit you. I recommend any book by Scott Cunningham or Arin Murphy-Hiscock for beginners. Their books are packed full of easy to comprehend information. They are good books to see what resonates with you.

Most importantly, DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. Just as with any other craft, it can take time to build up all the tools that you need/want. Get what you can, when you can, and the rest will come with time. You are your most important tool. Your intention and state of mind shape your reality, and witchcraft is nothing more than harnessing the abilities that lay dormant within you. Your tools simply amplify your intentions.

Lastly, welcome to the family. You will never be alone again because you are now part of an ancient, tight-knit community. We make mistakes and we learn together. Additionally, La Morte XIII understands how difficult and overwhelming it can be, so reach out anytime on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr. Let us know if you have a specific question or would like us to do a post pertaining to a topic you are learning.

Blessings to you all, SoloVVitch

Photography by: @solovvitch Pagan Pages by: @solovvitch

Pagan Pages: Many Faces Of The Moon

As it traverses the stars, the moon affects many things in the world around us. For witches, it provides important insight into our day to day lives and is one of our most important tools. At any given moment, the moon has a phase and zodiac sign that represent the energy that can be harnessed. For instance, a new moon is the best time for manifesting new goals. A third quarter moon, on the other hand, is best for releasing unwanted energies.

Just as the phases can be harnessed for certain purposes, specific energies become heightened when the moon is in the vicinity of each of the zodiac constellations. For example, the moon is currently in Cancer. That means the general mood for the next few days is going to be filled with heightened emotions and a desire to cling tightly to familiarity. A full explanation of your sun, moon, and rising signs will best help you understand how each zodiac sign will affect you. Coincidently, the moon changes zodiac every 2-3 days, and it’s not unheard of for it to travel through each of the 12 zodiacs in a single month.

The moon can be a witch’s most powerful tool; one can harness the energy of the moon phase, planet locations, and its current zodiac to enhance any spell or ritual.

Art by: @solovvitch Pagan Pages by: @solovvitch

Pagan Pages: Ways to Celebrate Beltane

I will be making a post with the background and reasons for Beltane, or May Day, next week. However, I wanted to share with everyone a couple of ways to celebrate the upcoming fire festival.

Flower Crowns: Typically made from daisies, flower garlands and crowns are a traditional way to honor the solstice. Wear them as you celebrate Mother Earth by dancing outside, taking a stroll, or simply sitting outside surrounded by nature.

Maypole: Traditionally, the Celtics celebrate Beltane by erecting a tall pole adorned with flowers and paintings, with long ribbons attached to the top of it. Patrons hold onto each of the ribbons while dancing around the pole, wrapping the ribbon around as the dance progressed.

Altar: Decorate your altar with earthy tones and colors, a candle, and something representing fertility. This is the time that we honor the Gods and Goddesses of fertility, fruitfulness, and abundance. Try to incorporate something masculine for the God(s) and something feminine to represent the Goddess(es). You can also include small offerings to the fairies and/or house elves.

Light a fire: Beltane is one of four fire festivals represented by the Wheel of the Year. While most light a bonfire outside and cleanse themselves in the smoke, that isn’t practical for practitioners that live in the middle of a city or in an apartment. Try to incorporate fire the best and safest way that you can, whether it’s lighting some candles, light a fire in a small fireproof container, or using battery powered candles.

Beltane is all about fertility and new life. For couples struggling to conceive, it is suggested that they try on the night of April 30. Sexual energy is powerful during this time, and many pagans partake in sexual rituals on Beltane. As always, make sure your partner knows and is willing to be a part of it. Never do sexual work with an unwilling/unknowing partner.

These are just a handful of possible ways you can celebrate this solstice. Do your own research and decide what works best for you. How do you plan on celebrating?

Photography by: @solovvitch Pagan Pages by: @solovvitch

Pagan Pages: The Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction is the belief that you are ultimately the one responsible for how your life turns out. Think of your universe as a sponge. If your thoughts are constantly negative, then your sponge will become saturated with negative energy. The same can be done with positive thinking; your sponge will absorb whatever energy it comes into contact with.

The Law of Attraction has been around for centuries and has been taught by a number of different factions. The Buddha taught ìwe are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. In Psalms 23:7 of the Judeo-Christain bible, it states ìfor as he thinketh in his heart, so is. Scott Cunningham explains the principles behind how our thoughts ìprogramî our energy in his book, Wicca.

Regardless of which teaching you follow, the same principle applies: our thoughts and actions ultimately shape our own reality.

Photography by: @solovvitch Pagan Pages by: @solovvitch

Pagan Pages: A Witch’s Cupboard

Building a proper witch's cupboard can be a lengthy process for beginners. How do you know which herbs you need? And in what quantity? You see spellwork on social media platforms and think that you could never be able to do a spell like that because you lack the proper materials. For baby witches there is SO MUCH information out there, it is difficult to know where to begin. So this post will be a breakdown of 5 of the ingredients that I use the most often for spellwork and cooking.

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) - A couple of the common names for mugwort include Felon herb, St. John's Plant, sailor's tobacco, Artemis Herb, Naughty Man, and Old Uncle Henry. Its leaves are green on the top, white on bottom, with pointed tips and purplish stems. Practical uses of the herb include burning it as an incense, smoking it, or drinking it as a tea to help with divination work and to aid with protection during spellwork. It is feminine in nature, and sacred to the Goddesses Artemis, Diane, and Hecate (Hekate). It can also be used in dream satchels to enhance prophetic or lucid dreaming. As a topical, the antifungal and antifungal properties can assist in relieving common skin ailments and remove warts with continued topical application. Over time, mugwort has been used to terminate unwanted pregnancies in Europe, treat painful menstrual cycles and prevent miscarriages in China, and put in the shoes of Roman soldiers to protect their feet from getting tired. Do not ingest in large quantities or for an extended period of time.

Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile or Matricaria recutita) - Roman chamomile or German chamomile work very much the same, it just depends on where you live as to which will be easier to find. Roman chamomile is a perennial (lives more than 2 years), reaches up to 12 inches tall, with daisy-like petals and an apple scent. German chamomile is an annual (dies and drops seeds each year), grows up to 20 inches high, and has a daisy-like scent. For the Anglo-Saxons, chamomile is one of their 9 sacred herbs. In spellwork, chamomile is associated with the element water and the sun Gods Ra, Lugh, and Cernunnos. It is used in spells focusing on love, money, peace, tranquility, and letting go of the pain. It can be infused into a tea to assist with the throat chakra, stomach ailments, muscle spasms, and insomnia. Additionally, it can be added to a bath to help cleanse before a ritual.

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) - Bay laurel, or bay leaf, is one of the first herbs I ever added to my collection. You can find it at your local grocery store as “bay leaves”, or at your garden center as “laurel”. It has shiny, dark green, oval-shaped leaves with a lighter bottom. It will blossom yellow flowers in the spring, followed by dark berries on the female plants. It can grow up to 10 feet tall outside of its native area. The bay laurel is sacred to Apollo, and a wreath of laurel was used to crown important figures in both ancient Greek and Roman history. Garlands of laurel were given to the winners of Pythian and Olympic games in ancient Greece. In spellwork, bay leaves are masculine, ruled by the sun (Leo) and the element fire, along with being sacred to the Gods Apollo, Aesclepius, Ceres, Zeus, Fides, Hermes, and Cerridwen. They can be added to almost any spell to enhance psychic abilities, burned in a smudge to banish an area of unwanted energies, or written and burned to make a wish come true. It can also be carried in a wallet to attract money. Made into an oil, laurel can alleviate arthritis pain, bruises, and other common skin ailments. As a tea, it calms nerves, aids in digestion, and cleanses your body of impurities.

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) - A member of the mint family, sweet basil has a square, fuzzy stem and white, pale pink, or purple flowers and a spicy aroma. It is masculine in nature, sacred to Vishnu, Tulasi, and Erzulie, and associated with the planet Mars along with the element fire. In African history, it was taught that basil would keep scorpions at bay. European folklore states it is an herb of “Satan”, and one must curse the ground before planting it to ensure its success. It was also believed that witches used to drink basil tea before they would fly on their brooms. In spellwork, it is used to attract love, money, happiness and to keep your mind clear. It’s also been stated that carrying a leaf of basil in your wallet will protect you on trips outside of your home. Basil oil is high in antifungal and antibiotic properties and can be used to treat common skin irritations. It can also be drunk as a tea to help calm nerves, headaches, upset stomachs, and to prevent flatulence.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) - As one of the best-known ingredients in a witch’s cupboard, lavender can be used as an oil, ground up, or as the whole flower. As a member of the mint family, it holds a sweet scent on its tall stalks of purple, white, or blue flowers. Over time, we have come to discover that the Roman soldiers used lavender in their bathwaters, to wash their clothes, and burned as incense. To this day, there remain cultures that continue the tradition of burning lavender to ward off “evil” spirits on St. John’s Day or during a solstice. Lavender is masculine in nature and associated with the element air, planet Mercury, and Virgo sign. The dried flowers can be used in dream satchels to aid in sound sleep. The oil has a very calming effect and can be added to bathwater to relax and help cleanse away unwanted energies. The dried flowers can be braided together and burned to aid in sleep or to clear the mind.

One thing to remember, it can take time to build the witch’s cupboard you want. Specific ingredients can be difficult to find if you cannot grow them or they are out of season. That’s okay. Begin with the plants and herbs that you can find easily and will serve multiple purposes. Eventually, you will have everything you need at your fingertips, but that will not happen overnight. These are only 5 of the infinite amount of ingredients you can keep. All I have shared comes from my personal studies and experiences. Do not ingest anything without speaking to a medical professional. Any oils should be diluted before applying to the skin and may cause adverse reactions to some. Do your own extensive research before you try something new to ensure the best outcome.

Photography by: @solovvitch Pagan Pages by: @solovvitch