The Eclectic Drow

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Chthonic (or chthonian) deities are are Gods that dwell beneath the earth. This includes any Underworld deities, as well as deities that are associated with the Underworld (Gods like Hecate would be included, since They often visit the Underworld). Some of you may have noticed that there’s hardly any information on how to worship certain chthonic deities. Here, I give you some starting tips:

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With most chthonic deities, offerings are usually poured down instead of sent up. This means incense is a less common offering, as you want to offer things that are poured down into the earth, where They symbolically reside. I usually offer oils (often olive oils) and teas. Other offerings may include wine, juice, blood and essential oils. I pour the physical remains into the earth after ritual–just make sure you’re not harming any nature when you’re doing this!

I know that in some pantheons, it’s common  to take a sip of a drink before offering it to a heavenly deity. With chthonic deities, don’t take a sip before you offer it. It’s traditional to offer the entire drink to Them. (I got such a death glare from Hades when I didn’t do this correctly pun intended).

If you God is associated with the dead, cleaning up cemeteries and tending to old graves are GREAT versions of philanthropic worship! 

Stones are often used with chthonic deities, in spells aided by Them and on Their altar. Check your deity’s symbols for appropriate stones, but in general, any dark, jagged stone works best (such as obsidian and smoky quartz).

You may make an altar to chthonic deities easily. Black, grey, metallic, and purple candles are common (depending on your God). Stones, money, any bones (or representations of bones) you have, and items passed down in your family (a form of ancestral worship) also work well on the altar!

You may create an altar to spirits of the dead or your ancestors too if you wish!

Remember that the element of earth is sacred to most chthonic deities as well. Using dirt, herbs and any other earth elemental magic works in devotion to Them.

Although spirit work is common with chthonic deities, it is not required. Again, spirit work is not required. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it, don’t.

If you do pursue spirit work, treat them kindly but remember that some spirits do lie. Pendulums, tarot, astral projection, and offerings work well as beginning spirit work.

If you don’t feel comfortable using your blood in magic, don’t. It is not required.

You do not have to be a certain type to witch, or even a witch, to worship a chthonic deity.

Do not forget to study up on your God! Learn their stories, associations, powers, and traditions. All chthonic deities are different!

And finally, but most importantly, talk to Them. Talk to Them silently, out loud in front of an altar, or write to Them in a journal (which I do all the time). They are Gods, so They will listen to you, and respond when They think best.

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OP NOTE: Your worship is YOUR worship. This post is a guide for people who have had trouble finding information on worship for their deities. It is not law. You worship how you feel best, and it’ll be worth more than anyone else’s advice will.

==I am putting this freely out into the internet and am not responsible for what you choose to take away from this.==

-Ideas Under the Cut-

Water scrying is the art and practice of gazing into water to see the future or receive a vision. Water scrying is a great way for clairvoyants to develop their skills, but can also be done by anyone. -Mod J

To start, you are going to need a bowl or something that holds water. Preferably the bowl or water holding object should be a solid color inside so you don’t get distracted by patterns. Black, white, or a metal bowl are ideal because these are colors that are easy to gaze at for extended periods but any solid color should work.

Fill the bowl with water

Now set up your space. It helps to turn off the lights and have a candle or a few around the bowl giving some light but not close enough that you see the reflection in the water.

Now this is the hardest part, gaze into the water in the bowl and let your eye lose focus. Your vision might get a little blurry but try to fight the urge to look around and refocus your vision. After a while of doing this you might be able to correct the blurriness without losing focus on the water. Around this point when your gaze softens some kind of vision should appear in the water. It’s important to understand that what you see might be a real depiction of what your scrying for/about but it’s more common for you see symbolic images instead. Learning to translate these symbols takes some time and practice so keep working at it. Another thing to note is that you might feel like your mind is just making you see things in the water that isn’t there, and i guess on some level that is correct. The water it’s self isn’t what’s producing the vision, you are receiving because you asked to, and are using the water and bowl as tools to help perceive it.

Here are ways to help enhance your water scrying that i know of:

You can charge your bowl over night with tea made from certain herbs. I like to steep some mugwort and lavender in my bowl to charge it while i sleep and empty it in the morning.

You can a few drops of essential oils to your bowl while scrying, or before to help charge the bowl and water’s energy. The oily surface can also help keep you from getting distracted and gives your eyes something to focus on.

Another way to prevent distraction is to put a small crystal at the bottom of the bowl around the center. It gives you a fixed point to look at, but I’ve noticed for me that is often cut off some of the vision and everything will move around the crystal rather then appearing in the whole bowl.

Using your bowl for offerings. I find this helps charge and enhance my scrying bowl’s energy by putting offering in it when i work with other spirits and deities.

Sometimes it can also help to instead of building up the energy in the bowl do a cleansing and put some salt water in the bowl to soak.

You can also use moon water, sun water, or any magically enhanced water that might be specific to the type of reading you are doing. I find moon water is always good for all water scrying.

1 - Nervous about a situation? Shuffle and look for The Fool. The two cards on either side will advise you on how to approach it.

2 - Are you looking for a new romance? Shuffle and look for The Lovers and the Ace of Cups. The cards in between will help guide you to finding love.

3 - Looking for a new beginning? Are you ready to start a new venture? Shuffle and find The Magician. The cards on either side will guide you in the right direction.

4 - Doing some soul searching? Find The Hermit. The cards around him will shed some light on your introspection.

5 - Going through some major life changes? Shuffle and find The World. The cards around it will give you the advice you need for this new chapter. 

I was having a conversation with @grimnirslee​ earlier today about the State of Things. We were both in a mood, so it quickly devolved into a list of all the things that are wrong with the world.

“I just want to make the world a better place,” Lee said. “What decent person doesn’t? - but where do you even begin? You can just try to make it a better place for the people whose life you impact and hope others do, too.”

When I look at the world, most of the problems I see exist because people are acting on fear. People go to extreme lengths to hoard weapons and resources because they’re afraid. People vote for fascists because they’re afraid. Politicians break the law because they’re afraid. Law enforcement officers attack innocent people because they’re afraid.

You would think that people who are afraid would become more selfish, but fearful people act in ways that are self-defeating. Billionaires who are afraid of the mob act like Marie Antoinette. Racist cops go into minority neighborhoods guns first. Voters beg for the deportation of the people they rely on to grow their food and heal the sick. Leaders get their hands dirty trying to find dirt on other people.

Fear doesn’t make you ruthless. It makes you stupid. It makes you hurt yourself and other people.

There is a lot of fear-based behavior in the Craft. People get obsessive about wards and witch bottles and curses and hexes and cleansing and avoiding superstitions. But the goal of the Craft is, fundamentally, to align your actions with your will. It’s about learning to do what you want on purpose.

Will and fear are fundamentally incompatible. A person who is acting out of fear is just flailing around. You can’t be an effective witch and make fear-based decisions at the same time any more than a surgeon in a cold panic can effectively perform open heart surgery.  

Every decision made from will is a decision that isn’t made from a place of fear. That may seem like a small thing, but what would the world look like if there was a movement of people committed to consistently acting with will and purpose instead of flailing around in a cold panic all the time?

I’m sorry for what we have done to Paganism. I know we’ve colonized it.

And I know it’s why you fearful: Of your gods, of your magic, of the unknown. Of trying new things. Of making mistakes. Of holding space for your own learning. Of holding space for your own self and all that you are.

I’m sorry you’ve escaped colonialist Christianity only to encounter the same worldview here–of fearmongering and “doing it right”. I’m sorry you don’t know that there even IS another worldview in which you are already worthy.

I’m sorry we don’t say this when you show up:

“Welcome! Come as you are with your magic eagerly waiting, and grow with us in our community.

The world has many gods and many paths, and none of them are wrong. All humans have their own magic, and none of it is wrong. You will find what you way and it’ll be all okay. Here is a space for you to be and become. Here is a space for us to share. Here is a space for us to celebrate.”

But instead, I and many others still go on about rights and wrongs and “us” vs. “them”. We still try to be saviors when we are simply insecure.

this month, i turn inwards. i release the rigid expectations i’ve placed on myself and move without restraint. i allow myself the rest that is needed to recenter myself. i look back on my accomplishments with pride. i release all that has held me back. i look forward to the new endeavors i will succeed in. i release all doubts that cloud my mind. throughout, i remain grounded in the present moment, allowing myself to feel deeply, to speak freely, to think clearly.