Book of (Reblogged) Shadows

Who is Hecate? She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, Necromancy, Ghosts, Magic, and, in some instances, the Night, Darkness, The Mist, and Moon. For some She is also the goddess of motherhood, protection, and the sea. She is a Hellenic deity, born of the Titans Asteria and Perses. There’s a few beliefs circling around Her being a crone goddess or a Triple Goddess, but those are modern and neopagan beliefs—which She predates. I also consider Her to be a part of the Chthonic deities.

Symbology: Black dogs, Wolves, Keys, Torches, Flames, Torches, Crossroads, Serpents, Daggers, Birds of Prey (crows, ravens, owls), the Moon, witchcraft tools (such as cauldrons, tarot, athames)

Offerings & Devotional Acts for Her:

Figurines of any of Her symbols

keys, skeleton keys, lockets

fire witchcraft and candles, flames, matchsticks

dedicating any lunar or symbolic jewelry to Her

black/dark crystals such as obsidian and onyx

nocturnal animal imagery

black/cool colored glitter

baneful/poisonous herbs and plants

pomegranates/berries (She seems to really like blackberries)

dark blend wines

honey, cinnamon, poppy seeds, chocolates (dark)

mugwort, lavender, roses, jasmine, dragon’s blood

bones and feathers from birds of prey (please check your local laws about obtaining these)

pinpricks of blood (please DO NOT attempt this if you struggle with self harm/etc, blood magic is particularly strong and isn’t for everyone. She will understand if you cannot offer that to her).

Taking midnight walks, setting up altars and rituals at crossroads, paying respects to the dead and practicing your craft in a cemetery 

Any playlists, poems, literature, whether it be your own or just a piece you associate with Her, also make wonderful offerings. 

Lunar Influences & Connections: Reaching out to Hecate tends to work best at night, and really any time the moon is at it’s peak. The Witching Hours, midnight to 3A.M., during strong lunar influences (blue moons, blood moons, eclipses, new moons, etc) all hold strong bonds with Hecate. Also, any time it is particularly foggy or your surroundings are covered in a mist is a good time to try to connect with Her.

Who is Hecate? She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, Necromancy, Ghosts, Magic, and, in some instances, the Night, Darkness, The Mist, and Moon. For some She is also the goddess of motherhood, protection, and the sea. She is a Hellenic deity, born of the Titans Asteria and Perses. There’s a few beliefs circling around Her being a crone goddess or a Triple Goddess, but those are modern and neopagan beliefs—which She predates. I also consider Her to be a part of the Chthonic deities.

Symbology: Black dogs, Wolves, Keys, Torches, Flames, Torches, Crossroads, Serpents, Daggers, Birds of Prey (crows, ravens, owls), the Moon, witchcraft tools (such as cauldrons, tarot, athames)

Offerings & Devotional Acts for Her:

Figurines of any of Her symbols

keys, skeleton keys, lockets

fire witchcraft and candles, flames, matchsticks

dedicating any lunar or symbolic jewelry to Her

black/dark crystals such as obsidian and onyx

nocturnal animal imagery

black/cool colored glitter

baneful/poisonous herbs and plants

pomegranates/berries (She seems to really like blackberries)

dark blend wines

honey, cinnamon, poppy seeds, chocolates (dark)

mugwort, lavender, roses, jasmine, dragon’s blood

bones and feathers from birds of prey (please check your local laws about obtaining these)

pinpricks of blood (please DO NOT attempt this if you struggle with self harm/etc, blood magic is particularly strong and isn’t for everyone. She will understand if you cannot offer that to her).

Taking midnight walks, setting up altars and rituals at crossroads, paying respects to the dead and practicing your craft in a cemetery 

Any playlists, poems, literature, whether it be your own or just a piece you associate with Her, also make wonderful offerings. 

Lunar Influences & Connections: Reaching out to Hecate tends to work best at night, and really any time the moon is at it’s peak. The Witching Hours, midnight to 3A.M., during strong lunar influences (blue moons, blood moons, eclipses, new moons, etc) all hold strong bonds with Hecate. Also, any time it is particularly foggy or your surroundings are covered in a mist is a good time to try to connect with Her.

"[The Titanis] Asteria (Starry One) of happy name, whom [the Titan] Perses (Destroyer) once led to his great house to be called his dear wife. And she conceived and bare Hecate. Tender-hearted, bright-coiffed. The maiden daughter of Perses, Brimo [Hecate] Trimorphos."

— Hesiod, Theogony 404 ff, Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter 19, Lycophron, Alexandra 1174

𓆸 Χθονια, Chthonia — of the earth/Underworld

𓆸 Καρποφοροσ, Carpophorus — bringer of fruit

𓆸 Σωτειρα, Soteira — saviour

𓆸 Μεγαλα Θεα, Megala Thea — great goddess

𓆸 Ἁγνη, Hagne — holy one

𓆸 Δαειρα, Daeira — knowing one

𓆸 Πραξιδικη, Praxidice — exacter of justice

𓆸 Δέσποινα, Despoina — the mistress

𓆸 Μελιτώδης, Melitṓdēs — sweet as honey, honeyed

𓆸 Μαλιβίνα, Malivina — sweet friend, soft

𓆸 Αυξησία, Auxesia —  who grants growth and prosperity to the fields

𓆸 Ἀζησία, Azesia — to dry fruits, to seek

𓆸 Νεωτέρα, Neōtéra — the younger one

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙣 𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙭 🌾🍎🕯

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What is Mabon?

Mabon, celebrated around September 21 to September 29, marks the autumnal equinox and the second harvest of the year. It’s a time of balance, as the hours of light and dark stand equal, symbolizing the transition between summer and winter. It's a time when witches and practitioners honor the changing seasons, express gratitude for the Earth's abundance, and connect with the energies of balance and transition. The term "Mabon" for this celebration is named after Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology. It is often associated with the mythological theme of the abducted and imprisoned child who later becomes a hero, which parallels the changing seasons.

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Who is Mabon Ap Modron?

Mabon ap Modron, also known as Maponus, is a character from Welsh mythology. In some versions of the myth, Mabon is portrayed as a divine hero or a child who was abducted from his mother, Modron, and imprisoned. He is rescued after 3 years and plays a significant role in Welsh mythological tales. The name "Mabon" itself means "son" or "young man" in Welsh, and it is connected to the theme of rebirth and the return of the light.

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Hades × Persephone and the Autumn Equinox

Legend has it that on the last day of summer, Hades, the god of the Underworld, saw Persephone picking flowers in a field. He immediately fell in love with her and abducted her, wanting to keep her by his side as the queen of the dead. Upon discovering the disappearance of her daughter, Demeter, the goddess of harvest, set out to find her. Unable to locate Persephone, Demeter’s sorrow and despair were so overwhelming that the flowers, trees, and all vegetation withered, bringing all growth on Earth to a halt. The gods of Olympus, who were powerless to ignore the prayers of humans, reached a compromise with Hades regarding Persephone’s return. She would spend only six months each year with Hades in the Underworld. To avenge herself, Demeter decreed that during those six months, nature would mourn, and nothing would grow on Earth until Persephone ascended again from the Underworld.

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Magical Correspondences

Planets: Sun, Mercury

Season: Autumn 

Element: Water 

Time of Day: Dusk

Tarot: The Hermit 

Colors: Brown, Maroon, Red, Orange, Purple, Yellow, Gold

Herbs: Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Chamomile, Cedarwood, Juniper, Mugwort, Dried Apple

Fruits: Grapes, Apples, Pears, Plums, Blackberry, Pomegranates

Vegetables: Carrots, Corn, Onions, Pumpkin, Squash

Runes: Dagaz, Inguz, Eihwaz, Jera

Crystals: Amethyst, Agate, Citrine, Tiger's Eye, Amber, Yellow Topaz

Trees: Apple, Oak, Aspen, Cedar

Goddesses: Pomona, Demeter, Epona, Inanna, Ishtar, Kore, Modron, the Morrigan, Persephone, Banbha, Autumnus, Hestia

Gods: Dionysus, Mabon ap Modron, Hades, Dumuzi, the Green Man, Hermes, Thoth, Cernunnos, Osiris, Freyr

Flowers: Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Aster

Animals: Deer, Dog, Wolf, Blackbird, Squirrel, Salmon, Swan

Magical uses: Abundance, Accomplishment, Agriculture, Balance, Goals, Gratitude, Grounding, Harvest, New Beginnings, Reflection

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Activities to do:

🍎 create your own Cornucopia

🍎 make a special Mabon jar

🍎 bake an autumn recipe

🍎 eat apple pie

🍎 harvest your garden

🍎 light a bonfire and dance or tell stories with your loved ones around it

🍎 do a guided meditation to welcome the new season

🍎 clean your garden

🍎 listen to Mabon music on Youtube or Spotify(there are plenty of playlist you can find!)

🍎 spend time with your deity/deities

🍎 grab some autumn flowers and bring them into your home

🍎 rest and relax♡

🍎 read about Mabon

🍎 clean your house to prepare for the season

🍎 take a walk outside to connect with nature and be grateful for the summer that has passed and warmly welcome the beauty of autumn

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Food and Drinks:

apple pie, apple cider, wine, grapes, root vegetables, apples, cornbread, baked good made from wheat or grains, cakes with cinnamon or nutmeg, roasted meat, pork chops, mashed potatoes, peach jams, fruit tarts, apples in all forms, pumpkin pie

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useful sources: Magie Blanche by Eric Pier Sperandio

gifs credit: Pinterest

a quick guide on which planets to utilize for spellwork based on intent.

banishing: sun, moon, saturn, pluto

beauty: moon, venus, neptune

business: sun, mercury

binding: saturn, pluto

career matters: sun, jupiter, saturn

cleansing: sun, moon

communication: mercury, jupiter

confidence: mars, jupiter

courage: sun, mars, jupiter

creativity/imagination: moon, venus, neptune

cursing: saturn, neptune, pluto

divination: moon, uranus, neptune

dreams: moon, neptune

empathy: moon, venus, neptune

energy: sun, mars

fertility: moon, venus

happiness: sun, jupiter

healing: sun, moon, venus

illusion: moon, neptune

independence: mars, uranus

invisibility: moon, neptune, pluto

legal matters: sun, jupiter, saturn

love/lust: venus, mars

luck: mercury, jupiter

manifestation/power: sun, moon, mars, pluto

meditation: moon, neptune

mental clarity & power: sun, mercury, uranus, neptune

peace: moon, venus, neptune

prosperity/wealth: sun, mercury, jupiter

protection: mars, saturn

psychic abilities: moon, uranus, neptune

relaxation/calming: moon, neptune

sexual relations: venus, mars, pluto

spell-breaking: saturn, pluto

strength: sun, mars

success: mercury, mars, jupiter, saturn

technology: mercury, uranus

transformation: neptune, pluto

travel: moon, mercury

wisdom: mercury, uranus, neptune, pluto

wishes: sun, jupiter

RECIPE INDEX

(This is a continuously updated quick-access list of all my uploaded recipes.)

BAKED GOODS AND SWEETS:

WITCHY SAGE BUTTER ROLLS

BAKED APPLE HAND PIES

STOP BEING SO HARD ON YOURSELF FUDGE BROWNIES 

WITCHES PUMPKIN PIE 🥧

ANGEL’S AWARD-WINNING LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

ANGEL’S SWEET HOTCAKES

RED VELVET CAKE FOR SELF-CONFIDENCE

“LOVE YA LIKE A LOVE SONG” FUDGE

WITCHES FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

BAKLAVA

MAGICK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

WITCHY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

SWEET CREAM BUNS

LATE WINTER BUTTER ROLLS

BRING ME POSITIVITY PECAN FRENCH TOAST BAKE

MAPLE BUTTER COOKIES

WITCH STYLE VEGAN CHAI LATTE COOKIES

PUERTO RICAN STYLE AVENA OATMEAL WITH A WITCHY TWIST

SAVORY THINGS AND DINNERS:

LUCKY LENTIL SOUP

WITCHY MUSHROOM LINGUINE

WITCHY BREADED COCONUT CHICKEN TENDERS

FEEL BETTER CHICKEN SOUP

WITCHY SAGE SKEWERS

A WITCH’S COZY BUTTERNUT WINTER SOUP

MAGICK BUTTER CHICKEN FOR GAINING BALANCE AND CONTROL

WITCHY KOREAN STYLE PORK CUTLET

HERMES HONEY BEER BATTER FISH

COTTAGE CORE MEAT PIE

NO FAKE FRIENDS WITCHES RAMEN

SWEET AND SOUR CAULIFLOWER FOR PROTECTION

WITCHES STEAK DINNER 

WITCHY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

SNACKING:

ANGEL’S SUMMER SALAD FOR HAVING A DAMN GOOD TIME

HONEY ALMOND CEREAL BARS FOR HAPPINESS

HOT COCOA TO WARM A ICY HEART POTION

EDIBLE VEGAN COOKIE DOUGH RECIPE

SABBATS:

LUGHNASADH SWEET CORNBREAD

PAN-FRIED LUGHNASADH CHICKEN

LUGHNASADH BLACKBERRY DANISHES

LUGHNASADH HARVEST SALAD

SAMHAIN SOUL CAKES

EARLY SAMHAIN PUMPKIN BREAD!

BELTANE STRAWBERRY LEMON PASSION BARS

-Leave shit at the gate (coins, cigarettes, eggs, flowers)

-If alone go in silence, if with others speak in a hushed tone

-Wear a hat or head covering to prevent possession or bringing home unwanted spirits.

-Bring bells and/or rattles to wake the dead if desired

-Smoking in the graveyard or carrying a flame is an easy way to get the attention of the dead at night.

-Bring a knife or object made of iron should things get hairy (always bring a knife). Canes are also excellent tools for working with the dead

-have a way of gathering occult materia without being noticed by people or spirits (invisibility charms work best)

-If you're bringing spirits home with you (intentionally), don't turn around until you're across the threshold of your home

-Upon leaving the cemetery, say a prayer for the dead and wild things that inhabitant there

Source - The Little Book For Modern Witches by Astrid Carvel

Basil - prosperity and inner strength

Parsley - fertility and honesty

Bay - wisdom, foresight, strength, and good fortune

Cinnamon - love, comfort, power and success

Black pepper - purification, inner strength, and protection

Sage - cleansing and protection (my own note - white sage is for specifically closed cultural practices so please bear this in mind and be respectful in your craft)

Oregano - health and happiness

Cardamom - love and friendship

Chilli - passion, virility and inspiration

Rosemary - purification, positivity and memory

Thyme - concentration, and business success

Grief sucks. It’s weird, it’s exhausting, and it never looks the way you expect. One minute, you’re crying into your tea, and the next, you’re furious at the universe. It could be anticipatory grief (I see you), grief over death, grief over a society we're losing, or anything else. Someone/something doesn't have to die for you to grieve. If you're a witch dealing with grief (or just a person, honestly), here are some things that might help:

🔮 For the “I have no energy” grief – Light a candle. That’s it. No elaborate rituals, no full moon graveyard walks. Just light a candle, maybe whisper their name, and let that be enough. If even that’s too much? Sleep. Spirits know how to wait.

🔥 For the “I’m so fucking mad” grief – Channel it. Burn shit (safely). Scream at the sky. Write down every angry thought, then tear it up or toss it into running water. Grief is messy, and magic doesn’t have to be polite.

🌿 For the “I just wanna feel close to them” grief – Make a little spot for them, if that feels right. A photo, a trinket, their favorite snack. Talk to them, even if it feels weird. Signs can be subtle, but sometimes they’re loud as hell.

🌊 For the “everything hurts and I need comfort” grief – Water is your best friend. Drink it, bathe in it, cry in it, leave an offering in it. Emotions move like water—let them flow instead of bottling them up.

The witches of old knew how to speak with the land. They didn’t just live in the wild, they wove themselves into its fabric, calling on the hidden ones in the earth, water, and wind. How did they do it? The answers would be as varied as the forests and fields they walked. But there are patterns we can see in all of them. Here are some of the ways I have discovered witches (in European folklore) reached out to the spirits of the land.

𖤐 Offerings at Spirit Dwellings

A witch rarely arrived empty-handed. Milk poured at the base of an ancient tree, ale left at the mouth of a cave, a bit of bread crumbled into a stream, these were ways to invite the unseen to draw near. Scottish folklore describes the gruagach, a guardian spirit, receiving libations of milk at stones and riverbanks (Campbell, Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, 1900). In Belgium and the Netherlands, witches were accused of offering beer and bread to the duivel, a local spirit often conflated with the Devil in later Christianized accounts (De Blécourt, Het Duivelspact, 1993).

𖤐 By Bone and Blood

In Scandinavian folklore, the practice of bjarmic magic involved burying bones to anchor spirits to the land, while Livonian witches were said to whisper their desires into a skull before placing it in the earth (Rääbis, Eesti Rahvapärimus ja Nõiakunst, 1926). In the 17th-century Scottish witch trials, accused witches described sealing pacts with land spirits by pricking their fingers and pressing the blood into soil or stone (Pitcairn, Ancient Criminal Trials in Scotland, 1833).

𖤐 Spirit-Flight and Dreamwalking

Witches didn’t always wait for spirits to come to them. Many traveled in spectral form, slipping into trance states with the help of charms or salves to reach spirits. The Trollenfrauen of German folklore and the Heks of Scandinavian folklore were said to enter deep sleep while holding a stone, allowing them to fly in spirit to the places where land spirits dwelled (Müller, Sagen aus Westfalen, 1857). In 17th-century witch trials from Flanders, accused witches claimed to lie still in darkness, feeling themselves lifted away to converse with spirits at crossroads and hollow hills (Proces tegen Tanneken Sconincx, 1606).

𖤐 Bone Charms & Rattles

A witch’s tools were often made from the dead. Flemish folklore mentions witches carrying duivelsfluitjes—small bone whistles said to call spirits when blown at twilight (De Meyer, Volksverhalen uit Vlaanderen, 1970). The bohnenzauber of Germanic folklore involved threading small bones together to create a rattling charm that stirred spirits of the wild (Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, 1835).

𖤐 Turning Up the Soil

Some witches were accused of whispering into the ground, digging their fingers into the soil as they spoke. In Swedish folk belief, jordfastan involved burying a charm/offering (usually a piece of cloth or a coin) under a tree to call on spirits of the land (Hylten-Cavallius, Wärend och Wirdarne, 1863). Scottish trial records mention witches placing coal or burned bones in the earth as a form of spirit-binding magic (Pitcairn, Ancient Criminal Trials in Scotland, 1833).

𖤐 Skin-Turning and Familiars

In Breton folklore, witches who wished to meet the hidden spirits of the woods were said to transform into black dogs or other beasts before travelling into the deep forest (Sébillot, Le Folklore de la Bretagne, 1904). In Scotland, it was believed that witches who took the form of hares or crows could cross into the spirit world more easily (Popular Tales of the West Highlands, Campbell, 1860).

𖤐 Betwixt Earth and Water

The land’s voice is loudest in the places where two worlds meet. Marshes, riverbanks, and tidal flats; these places belonged to neither land nor water, making them perfect for spirit-calling (my favourite method). In English and Welsh folklore, witches were said to stand barefoot in water at night, calling on spirits with secret words (Henderson, Folklore of the Northern Counties of England, 1866). In Estonia, it was believed that standing in a bog at sunset allowed one to hear the voices of spirits whispering in the wind (Loorits, Eesti Rahvausund, 1949).

Hello my greenies! Happy Litha! I hope you’re all enjoying the summer sun and nature. Even during quarantine, if you’re able to take a walk in nature without contact with others, I highly recommend doing so. If you’re unable to go outside, I recommend taking the time to bake and maybe listen to some nature sounds on youtube. Those have helped me during these times. I wish you all the best with this yummy cake! I hope you all like this recipe:)

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

½ cup softened unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup milk

½ tsp salt

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2/3 cup honey

1 tbsp vanilla extract

around a tbsp of orange zest

Optional Glaze

½ cup honey

¼ cup brown sugar

some lemon juice

juice of 4th of orange

couple pats of ground cinnamon

dash of vanilla

½ cup (maybe.. I never measure this out)sliced almonds

Mix until syrup state.

Directions

Preheat Oven for 350°F and coat pan with non-stick or other alternative. I honestly don’t know what size my pan is…so I’d say eyeball it and see how much you can fit? Lol

In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients (including the orange zest). Set that to the side while you mix the other ingredients in a larger bowl.  

Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl with the other ingredients in batches. So, sift a little in and mix then repeat that until all the dry ingredients are mixed in.

Pour the mixture into the pan and cook for about 28 to 35 minutes. Check with a long toothpick:3 After you take out you can pour over an optional syrup that I think is amazing!

There’s no particular chant I do for this recipe, I mostly just pray for the sun and for the health of those I care for. I like to visualize the sun and its heat and color wrapping me in an embrace and that same warmth infusing the cake.

I hope you call have a lovely Litha and special time with those you love a care for.

Witchcraft Recipe Book Masterpost

Here are all of my favorite witchy recipes compiled from all corners of Tumblr 🤗

coffee magic ☕️

a list of simple tips and correspondences for coffee magic

— sun water | energy, happiness

— new moon water | new beginnings, new projects

— full moon water | manifesting, calming

— cinnamon | love, happiness, money

— honey | friendships, relationships, protection

— sugar | manifesting, attraction

— nutmeg | legal matters, good luck

— clove | protection, clarity, abundance

— cardamom | love, lust, confidence, beauty

— anise | purification, protection, love

— ginger | quicken manifestations

— cocoa | grounding, prosperity

— vanilla | calming, good luck, love

— hazelnut | protection, fertility, wisdom

— milk I growth, fertility, strength

— oat milk | prosperity, abundance, fertility

— almond milk | love, prosperity, wisdom

— coconut milk | cleansing, protection, blessing

— stir clockwise | to manifest

— stir counterclockwise | to banish

— paint sigils on your coffee mug / glass

— read your coffee grounds / cream clouds

A pun post crossed my dash, and I reblogged it with an equally bad pun in return. A couple of my followers find it funny, it's a good day for everyone.

That was on July 7th.

Virality on Reddit was entirely algorithmic. You could garner a couple crossposts, but the success of a post was entirely dependent on whether or not it hit r/all--the main page of Reddit. If your post does that, it's immediately exposed to 10x the number of people and immediately gets upvoted.

On my pun post, I get a couple reblogs. And those reblogs get a couple reblogs--nobody really adds any content to the post, it just gets a couple reblogs here and there.

There's a specific chain of reblogs that I'd like to focus on. The most popular post on this chain has about 25 reblogs on it. Half the posts have three reblogs or fewer. Five posts in this chain have just one reblog total.

But the reblog chain keeps going. And going. It breaches containment many times over. And finally, after a chain THIRTY SIX posts long, at 9:30 AM, July 22nd this morning, it hits a popular account.

99% percent of the people who have seen the post--virtually unchanged from how it left my dash--have seen it because it was curated by 36 different people. That's insane to me.

None of those 36 people know that they're part of this chain. They saw a post, reblogged it, and moved on. If any one of these people had not reblogged, the post would have a fraction of the impact it has.

And yet, after two weeks, the post has effectively hit the main page of tumblr. It was picked up, only because people liked it enough to show it to their followers. There were no algorithms necessary.