Wayward Witch

Sun or Moon?

Candles or Incense?

Sigils or Runes?

Tarot or Oracle?

Crystals or Herbs?

Coffee or Tea?

Folklore or Mythology?

Mortar + Pestal or Cauldron?

Self-Written Journals or Books?

Candles

Sigils

Tarot

Crystals

Coffee

Myth (this was by far the hardest decision)

Cauldron

Books

People will often notice patterns to the cards they pull - you’ll notice that certain cards come up more often. This tends to be based on a feeling though, rather than any real data about which cards you’ve pulled - and the real data may surprise you. 

I’ve kept track of the cards I’ve pulled in my single card readings over the past three months, and here are some things I’ve noticed: 

I pull one card more frequently than any other card. In my case, that card is The Magician. It’s really useful to know - not just suspect - that one card turns up constantly for me. 

Some cards don’t actually appear as frequently as I think they do. I recently pulled the Nine of Pentacles and thought, “Again?? Why do I pull this card so much??” but when I look at the actual data… I’ve pulled other cards way more frequently. I think it’s a form of the Baader-Meinhof effect - a card can stick in your brain for some reason and you remember it as appearing more often than it actually does!

There are interesting things about the cards that I don’t pull. In three months, these Major Arcana cards have never come up at all: The Emperor and The Devil. I can look at the data of what archetypes don’t appear in my life and draw some interesting conclusions. I’ve also not drawn a single court card (page, knight, queen, or king) from the suit of swords - swords tend to deal with conflict, which I maybe have less of during this particular time in my life

I can identify which suit and which numbered cards appear the most and the least in my readings. While the totals of Swords, Wands, Cups, and Pentacles I pull are pretty close to even, Wands eke out a little bit higher total than the others. Cups and Pentacles are tied, with Swords coming in last. If I didn’t have this data, I’d probably assume I pull Swords the most - because they leave the biggest impact on me when I do pull them! Of the numbered cards: I pull Aces of any suit the most, and Twos of any suit the least. This makes for some interesting patterns: The Magician is sort of the “Ace” of the Major Arcana, as well. Aces are about a very singular willpower whereas Twos are about partnership and duality. Through this pattern I can identify the focus the cards have on my life at this particular point in time.

I pull Major Arcana cards more than is statistically likely. The Major Arcana makes up 28% of the deck, but 39% of my pulls. The Major Arcana are more associated with long-term messages, and so my life may have more long-term type changes needing to be made during this period.

Persephone🥀🦇🌾🌼

Goddess-Queen of the Underworld, goddess of spring growth, grain seed, agriculture, necromancy, ghosts, & curses

🍁Invocation :

Persephone, glorious goddess,

fair one with hair that flows like rippened grain,

eyes that catch the clear blue sky,

a smile sweet yet shadowed,

O-light footed one who dances in flowered fields, I praise you.

Persephone, lovely one who knows the feel of sun on skin,

who knows as well the press of cold stone on warm flesh,

in the world of the living, no maid is so alive as you,

In the world of the dead, Persephone, you reign as queen, crowned with riches unsurpassed, enthroned in splendor,honored above all others.

Goddess, child of the earth, bride of the darkness, i honor you.

🍁About Persephone:

Symbols: Pomegranate & Torch

Sacred Animals: Bats, Black Rams, Parrots & all other talking birds, & Monkeys

Sacred Plants: Asphodel Wheat, Narcissus, Willow Tree, Lily, Ivy, Lily of the Valley, Oriental Lily, Maidenhair Fern, Daisy, & Lavender

Retinue: Hekate, Iacchus, & the Erinyes

Other names: Kore

Cult terms: terms related to her religious praxis

Eleusinion: Temple of the Eleusinian

Kthonia: Festival of Kthonia

🍁 Titles & Epithets:

Khthonia(Cthonia): of the earth

Azêsia(Azesia): Of the dried fruits, or who seeks

Brimô(Brimo): The Angry, The terrifying

Karpophoroi(Carpophori): Bringer of Fruit

Dêïônê(Deione): Daughter of Demeter

Despoina(Despoena): Ruling Goddess or The Mistress

Eleusina: Of Eleusis

Epainê(Epaine): Fearful

Melitôdês(Melitodes): Sweet As Honey

Praxidikê(Praxidice): Bringer Of Justice

Sôteira(Soteria): Savior

🍁Offerings

Pomegranates

Pomegranate juice

Honey

Dark Chocolate

Floral tea

Spring water

Bread

Grain

Cakes

Sweets

Flower crown

Wild flowers

Fake flowers

Rose with thorns

Dried flowers

Natural Moss

Jewelry

Keys

Potted plants

Floral, Lavender,Almond, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Narcissus, Bergamot, frankincense, storax, or pomegranate incense

Crushed Mint(HAS TO BE CRUSHED)

Crowns

Statues or paintings of rams, bats, and/or deer

Statues or paintings of her

Sugar skulls or floral design skulls(to represent her duality)

Things that are reminiscent of Spring (when she returns to Demeter), & Fall(when she reunites with Hades)

Autumn leaves

Spring flowers

Rose quartz, garnet, citrine, green tourmaline, topaz, black onyx, agate, quartz, pink tourmaline, malachite, jasper, coral, sapphire, and obsidian

Small animal bones

Animal skulls (real or fake)

Artwork

Poetry, hymns, letters

Seeds

Tarot cards(and/or other tools of divination)

21+ offerings

Pomegranate Wine

Honey infused wine

🍁Devotional acts

Tend to a garden or take care of a plant

Study herbalism

Learn about flowers & the seasonal cycle

Make a playlist of songs reminiscent of her

Meditate Outside

Go on nature walks or hikes

Clean up nature trails

Smell the flowers

Celebrate the coming of spring & her return

Celebrate the coming of Autumn & her reunion with Hades

Honor the dead

Visit graveyards & help clean them up

Honor Hades, her husband

Honor Demeter, her mother

Honor Zeus, her father

Honor Hekate, her companion

Honor the Erinyes/Furies, her servants, Tisiphone(vengeance), Megaera(jealousy), & Alecto(anger)

Dedicate an outfit to her

Wear jewelry dedicated to her

Wear pomegranate scented things

Tend to wild plants if they need care

Go barefoot more often & feel the earth

Honor the death of animals and if you can bury them or move them to wear nature will care for them, I personally do this now in utah but im moving to Las Vegas in November where theres no nature or soft ground so I’ll have to dispose of them i cant bury or anything so if this is the case for you too just say words of respect & pray for the spirit to find peace

Buy or make a Bouquet of Flowers

Place flowers on neglected graves

Spread seeds of native flowers on the sides of highways or other unincorporated areas

Wear something fancy

Wear a flower crown

Paint your nails dark red or wear red lipstick

Build up your night vision, be familiar with the darkness

Shadow work

Take time to enjoy the sun

Practice assertion & demand respect & a listening ear from others

Decorate your home with dried flowers in the winter

Hold people accountable to their actions, do not forgive easily

Grow a rose bush or buy roses

Visit an arboretum or large garden

Volunteer for organizations that clean and restore forgotten places-graveyards, empty plots of land, etc

Offer a few dollars to those in need

Wear floral or fruity scents

Spend time outside in the winter too

Stand up for the abused

Dance in the rain

Defy stereotypes

Take a candlelit bath

Don’t let anyone dictate who you can and can’t love

Practice self love

Write poetry, hymns, songs, and/or letters to her

Make art for her

Donate to those who can’t afford a funeral service

Support local farmers & beekeepers

Support those who are grieving especially if they’re financially struggling bc of the loss

Donate to environmentalist organizations to help combat climate change

Digital Devotions:

Make an E-shrine to her

Make a mood board for her

Make blogs about her, agriculture, cemeteries, seasonal cycles, climate change

When playing video games you can dedicate any agricultural or funeral related actions to her, if you play AC Odyssey you can also visit the Eleusian Temple, the cult center of the Eleusian Mysteries that devoted themselves to Demeter and Persephone & theres also the Temple of Demeter and Kore in Tegea you can visit

🍁Altar/Shrine ideas

reblog if ur an introverted, anxiety ridden witch ☽🪐

i wanna find more of my people :3

Sometimes you have no specific question at all. But you find yourself curious about life in the long haul.

Step 1: Sort your deck.

Separate the Major Arcana (22 cards); the court cards (16 cards); the Wands, the Cups, the Swords, and the Pentacles (10 cards each). You should have six piles.

Step 2: Ask about life.

Overhand shuffle the Major Arcana, while asking, “What can I expect from life?” If a single card jumps out and lands face side up, that is your answer. Otherwise, put any rogues back in the pile and take the card on top. Read it.

Examples:

Justice – Life will give you whatever you deserve.

Death – Life as you know it now will change completely.

The Sun – Life will make you very happy.

Step 3: Ask about help.

Overhand shuffle the court cards, while asking, “Who will help me?” If a single card jumps out and lands face side up, that is your answer. Otherwise, put any rogues back in the pile and take the card on top. Read it.

Examples:

King of Wands – A Leo. Someone brave and protective.

Queen of Wands – An Aries. Someone strong and powerful.

Page of Cups – A Water sign. Someone emotional and loving.

Step 4: Ask about passion.

Overhand shuffle the Wands, while asking, “Where will I find passion?” If a single card jumps out and lands face side up, that is your answer. Otherwise, put any rogues back in the pile and take the card on top. Read it.

Examples:

Ace of Wands – In something you have not tried before.

Five of Wands – In sports or competition.

Eight of Wands – In communication or travel.

Step 5: Ask about love.

Overhand shuffle the Cups, while asking, “Will love find me?” If a single card jumps out and lands face side up, that is your answer. Otherwise, put any rogues back in the pile and take the card on top. Read it.

Examples:

Ace of Cups – Yes, a new love will find you.

Five of Cups – Yes, but it will not stay.

Ten of Cups – Yes, and it will last forever.

Step 6: Ask about demons.

Overhand shuffle the Swords, while asking, “Will I defeat my demons?” If a single card jumps out and lands face side up, that is your answer. Otherwise, put any rogues back in the pile and take the card on top. Read it.

Examples:

Ace of Swords – Yes, you will slay them.

Three of Swords – They will always stay with you.

Ten of Swords – Never.

Step 7: Ask about wealth.

Overhand shuffle the Pentacles, while asking, “Will I know wealth?” If a single card jumps out and lands face side up, that is your answer. Otherwise, put any rogues back in the pile and take the card on top. Read it.

Examples:

Ace of Pentacles – Yes, like never before.

Five of Pentacles – You will know poverty.

Ten of Pentacles – Definitely.

Step 8: Ask about time.

Put the whole deck together again. Overhand shuffle all 78 cards, while asking, “When will any of this begin?”

Quite a few actually! I’ll try to organize this the best I can. I am also going to include some information on familiars as well too, because sometimes they go hand in hand for people with familiars.

General

Crystals for Animals

Recommended Reading: Animal Communication, Healing & Guidance

Tarot Readings for Pets and Familiars

The Domestic Garden Witch: Making Pets Happy

Witchy Things to do with Your Pet

Blessings

Bless a Pet

Cat Blessing

Cat Blessing

Pet Blessing

Finding/Locating a Lost Pet

Crossroads Lost Animal Spell 

Lost Pet Spell

Spell to Find a Lost Pet

Spell to Find a Lost Pet/To Find a Missing Cat Spell [2 Different Spells]

There Is No Place Like Home: Return Home Protection Spell

To Call a Lost Pet

To Call a Straying Pet

Health

***If your pet is sick, it is important to take your pet to the vet for proper care. Just like with humans, spells and witchcraft is NOT an alternative to proper vet/medical treatment if your pet needs it. Be responsible.***

Healing Crystals and Stones for Pets

Healthy Pet Spell

Pet Healing and Wellness Spell

Pet Health and Protection Spell Bottle

To Heal a Pet

Protection

Animal Candle Protection Spell

Animal Candle Protection Spell

Animal Protection Spell

Animal Protection Spell

Animal Protection Spells

Blessing a Cat - A Protection Spell for a Cat

Cat Protection Bag

Pet Protection Powder

Pet Protection Spell

Pet Protection Spell

Pet Protection Spell Bottle

Protective Chant for Cats

Protective Chant for Dogs

“Watch Over Me” Pet Protection Guardian

Release, Death & Remembrance

Animal Release Spell

Kept in my Heart: A Spell to Honor the Dead

Pet Farewell Ritual

Pet Funerary Spell

Pet Loss Ritual

Pet Release Ritual & Jar Spell

Prayers for a Deceased Pet Cat

Prayers for a Deceased Pet Dog

Prayers for a Dying Pet

Other

A Spell to Find a Furry (or Finned or Feathered or Scaled) Friend

Communicate with Your Pet Spell

Feed The Birds Spell

Here, Kitty Kitty: A Few Of Your Favorite Things

Make Animals Less Afraid of Your Presence

Spells Involving Cats

Twitterpated

Familiars: General Info

Brief History of Witch’s Familiars

How To Create a Familiar (Thoughtform)

Tips About Familiars

The Familiar Spirit: Companion to Witches [External Link]

When You’re Away From Your Familiar

Additional: My familiar tag, with a bunch of asks & ask responses about familiars.

Familiars: Spells

A Potion to Commune with an Animal Familiar

Calling a Familiar Spell

Finding a Familiar

Simple Ritual of Familiar

Spell to Ask for a Familiar

Spell To Bring You a Cat Familiar

To Call a Familiar

Other Masterposts

Resources for Familiars and Animal Partners

Spells and Sigils for Animals, Pets, and Familiars

To anyone who needs this post, I am sending gentle and loving energy your way. Know that grief is meant to hurt, and with time it WILL get easier (but may not go away, and that’s okay). Please utilize this post only as a supplement, and talk to a therapist or loved ones if you need to.

Spells/Rituals:

Grief powder

Sage drops spell

Relieving grief

Jar of grief spell

Ease the grief spell jar

Honoring the dead

Ritual of grief

A remembrance spell

Remembrance spell/ritual

A spell for grief and moving on

A spell for passing and mourning

“Grief seed” pop culture spell

Sigils:

Grief over death is easier for me and effects me less

My grief does not control me

I grieve in peace

To bring aid in times of crisis and grief

Loss of pets:

Funerary spell

Animal Release Spell

Pet Farewell Ritual

Pet Funerary Spell

Other:

Emoji spell to bring comfort to those who are grieving

Tarot spread to ease grief

Norse spells/prayers for grief and death

Crystals in death magic (includes some for grief)

Crystals for PTSD (includes some for grief)

Helpful posts:

Masterpost for overcoming heartbreak

Rejuvenating witchcraft

Magic to replenish energy

Recommended tags to utilize when you’re ready:

#Moving on spell + #Moving forward spell + #Letting go spell

#Mental health sigils + #Mental health spell

#Self love magic + #Self care magic

#Release spell

Witchcraft is to be used in addition to proper medical care, treatment and medication, not as a sole alternative.

New Age Chakra. It totally ignores the actual history of Chakra and talks about it in ways that make little to no sense. It's not actually Chakra.

Light & Love rhetoric. Not everything is good and happy and nice. It is toxic positivity and it makes me so uncomfortable. It is also very harmful to people in general.

New Age Manifestation. It promises things that cannot happen and promotes this idea that when bad things happen you just don't try hard enough to manifest change and you need to try harder. It also doesn't tell you that you actually need to act on whatever you're manifesting.

Energy Healing. Pretends it can heal mental illness, physical illness, chronic illness, disabilities, and disorders. It cannot and never will be able to.

Crystal Healing. Pretends it can heal mental illness, physical illness, chronic illness, disabilities, and disorders. It cannot and never will be able to.

Spiritual Awakening. Pretends that your mental illness is actually just your psychic powers coming into being. It's not and this kind of rhetoric enables psychosis, delusions, and is extremely dangerous for mentally ill people. Do not romanticize us and pretend we have super powers. We don't.

Indigo Children. This straight up just romanticizes Autism, ADHD, and neurodivergency. It also dehumanizes people who are neurodivergent by making them seem like alien star children. Also is a way to ignore neurodivergency and prevent neurodivergent kids from receiving help.

It’s really common to find witchy mental illness/health related content that is catered towards specific illnesses (usually anxiety and depression). This is more catered to specific symptoms.

Witchcraft is to be used as a supplement to proper medical care, medication and therapy - not as a sole alternative!

Anger:

Amethyst anger release spell

Easy anger release spell

A quick way to cool anger

Anger dispersion magic tea

Anger reducing bath

Bath spell to release anger

“I channel my anger in a healthy, safe and productive manner” sigil

“My anger is under control” sigil

This masterpost

Anxiety:

Anti-anxiety shower spell

Soothing bath spell

Rainy day anxiety spell

I will be okay spell

Anti-anxiety spell jar

Anti-anxiety spell charm

Anti-anxiety tea

Brain Fog + Memory:

ADHD concentration spell bottle

Brainfog lifting

“Brainfog begone” sigil

Rosemary memory spell

Finding things/ memory spell

Memory and concentration spell

Memory and awareness spell bottle 

Depression:

Post depressive episode bath spell

“Last hope” spell for depression

Anti-depression tea

Gems for depression

Dissociation: 

Spell for dissociation 

Witch’s dissociation bracelet 

“I am protected from dissociating” sigil

“No dissociation” sigil

“I am grounded and in control of my emotions + reactions” sigil

Flashbacks/trauma

Spell to release emotional blockage

Piece by piece trauma healing spell

Healing from childhood trauma spell bottle

Spell bottle for reassurance 

“My trauma does not hold me back” sigil

Insomnia + nightmares:

Restful sleep and sweet dreams sachet

Sleep crystal spell

Stuffed animal sleep spell

Sleepy witch tip

Nightmare repellent

Nightmare prevention - crystals and herbs

Dream witch nightmare tips

Intrusive thoughts:

Spell to help against intrusive thoughts preventing sleep

OCD assistance bath

Spell to banish intrusive thoughts

Spell to control intrusive thoughts

Banish intrusive thoughts incantation

Intrusive thought banishing spell

“I am in control of my OCD” sigil 

Panic attacks:

Panic attack relief pouch

Anti-panic attack spell earrings

Rose quartz calming spell

“Ease my panic attacks” sigil

“I have less panic attacks” sigil

Paranoia:

Crystals for paranoia

“My paranoia does not control me” sigil

“I don’t let paranoid thoughts overcome me” sigil

“My paranoia does not affect me” sigil

Picking (hair, skin, etc.):

Ease skin picking spell

“I resist the urge to pick my skin” sigil

“I keep from picking” sigil

“My trichotillomania is under control” sigil

“I don’t pull out my hair or eyelashes” sigil

“I am in control and resist the desire to pick my hair” sigil

Mood Swings/Emotional Balance: 

Crystals for BPD

“I regulate my emotions well”

“I am happy and do not have mood swings” sigil

If anyone has content on a category I wasn’t able to include, or for a category that is lacking, feel free to send it my way and I’ll get a part two started for this post! Click [here] for the chronically ill symptoms masterpost. 

(image source)

Hello, friends, enemies, Witches and Pagans. I have worked in a library for one whole month now! (Wow!) I have spent hours and hours checking out books, shelving books, and telling people about the amazing services libraries offer for free, partially because I am paid to do it but mostly so that I can see the astounded look on people’s faces. I was telling people way before they actually hired me to tell people things. Sue me. I love libraries.

Now, I can’t say that each and every library will have all, or even some of these services. A conversation with a fellow witch whose county is not even a half hour away revealed that their library has, full stop, banned any and all witchcraft and witch-adjacent topics in the library. Still, most libraries can’t get away with similar full-on bans, and it is 100% worth still checking out what your local library has to offer, witchblr.

Are you a witch? Probably! The library probably has stuff for you! Yes, you! Here is my list on the top ways to take advantage of services you might already have access to:

A collection of categorized posts for your Litha needs! What is Litha? [X] Litha is celebrated on slightly different days depending on who you ask/the year, but the broad spectrum is: June 20th-25th in the Northern Hemisphere and December 20th-25th in the Southern Hemisphere. 

The Basics:

Simple ways to celebrate Litha

Litha: how do I celebrate this sabbat?

Celebrate Litha! / Let’s talk Litha!

Litha for lazy witches

Witches sabbats: Litha

Celebrating Litha: lore, decor and festivals

Litha + faerie interactions masterpost

Litha practices

Ideas for Litha

Litha correspondences

Litha: a midsummer night

Things to do on midsummer

Summer solstice celebration

Litha Crafts:

DIY flower pressing

Make flower crowns / Litha flower crown / DIY flower headband

Litha Recipes:

Litha orange honey cake

Summer solstice honey cakes

Litha herbal honey cookies

Litha lavender cookies

Litha buttermilk bread

Litha lavender thyme chicken

Litha recipes and food correspondences

Litha iced drinks masterpost

Litha sun tea / How to make sun tea

Summer tea

Litha iced chamomile tea

Sun seeker cocktail

Litha frozen strawberry lemonade sangria

Litha Spells & Rituals:

Simple spell for sunshine

Litha blessings

Litha candle spell

Summer solstice ritual

Midsummer ritual

A midsummer bath

Litha emoji spell

Litha Tarot Spreads:

Litha tarot spread (3 card)

The light: a tarot spread for Litha (3 card)

Summer solstice tarot spread (3 card)

A midsummer spread (5 card)

Litha tarot spread (5 card)

The baking sun tarot spread (5-6 card)

Other:

Sun oil

Litha/Midsommar sun oil

Solar cleansing brew

Litha altar decorations

Imbolc / Ostara / Beltane / Litha / Lammas / Mabon / Samhain / Yule / Bedridden ideas

First and foremost, every single element has an ability to be used for cleansing and banishing.

Air: Used to literally "blow away" energy

Open your windows

Turn on a fan

Use your breath (there's a reason you sometimes snuff a candle and other times blow it out)

Water:

Running water over an object (make sure this object is safe to do that with, okay? Don't be like the raccoon with the cotton candy)

Ritual baths and showers

Washing/cleaning

Earth:

Salt (again, careful with where you put the salt, but still)

Plants can be used as protective barriers

Burying an object for a period of time before digging it back up and cleaning it off

Certain rocks and crystals

Fire:

To get the obvious out of the way - burning. This does not mean you should commit arson. This is more "burning photographs of past relationships" not "light your ex on fire"

Burning candles

Spirit:

Meditation

Self care as a priority

Cleaning your space regularly

Now, most common forms of cleansing do not use only a single element (especially fire, for obvious reasons). So here are some of the most common and easy ways to practice cleansing in a practical, everyday manner.

Smoke cleansing - combines air, fire, and earth. Practices by burning protective and banishing dried herbs, plants, incense, or wood.

Salt water - combines earth and water. Can be used in either ritual baths or on its own, spread near the borders of a space. But again, careful with where you put salt.

Crystal grid - combines earth and spirit. Create by placing protective crystals in each corner of a space.

Steam cleansing - combines air and water. Use essential oils if you so choose.

Ritual bath or shower - combines water, spirit, and if you want to add bath bombs, salt, or flower petals, earth.

Tea magic - combines water, earth, and (if you inhale the steam) air.

Today I’d like to introduce y’all to the formal format of a Hellenic polytheist prayer. Of course, you can have whatever interaction with the gods on whatever terms both you and them wish, but if you’re interested in a more formal, traditional prayer, this should hopefully function as a good set of guidelines to assist you. A formal prayer is different from a casual prayer or an introductory prayer in many ways. Primarily, a formal prayer is typically used to request something of the gods or to formally praise and honor the gods. Generally speaking, you should build your relationship with the god you will be praying to, through libations, casual prayer, performing acts in their honor, living your life with piety, and the other values the Theoi encourage us to observe.

1. Naming the gods

You always want to begin by naming the god or gods you wish to supplicate to. Starting with “Hear”/”Hear me”/some variation on getting the gods’ attention, you want to go on to name the specific god or gods you wish to pray to, along with the specific epithet(s) that you are invoking. It is incredibly important to name the gods and the epithets you want; if you are asking the gods for something, you want to list an epithet that invokes the specific dominion that god has, which is related to your ask. For example, if you are praying to Zeus to help your relationship/marriage, you will call Zeus Gamelii, Zeus who presides over marriages. If your friend needs divine assistance, and you are praying to Zeus, you should call Zeus Hetaereius, Zeus who protects friends and companies of friends. Theoi.com is a great resource for locating the specific epithet(s) you wish to call to.

2. Name relevant myths, perhaps of things that god(s) has done in a myth that is similar to what you are asking for, or a myth that particularly honors the god(s)

In my opinion, this is similar to legal precedent. You want to establish that you are seeking something or intend something which has been asked of the gods before. You can also use this time to honor and flatter the gods by reciting a myth that honors them or glorifies them. This section doesn’t need to be a full retelling of a myth; for example, for Zeus Hetaereius, Hetaereius was used to honor him after Jason first sacrificed to him to protect the Argonauts on their journey. You can summarize this in one line; “He who protected and led the brothers of the Argonauts to glory”

3. Justify your intention of this prayer by establishing what you have already done to honor that god/gods.

This is not about literally justifying or trying to persuade the god you’re praying to, to grant you what you wish because of what you’ve already done for them. It’s about invoking the relationship you’ve already established with the god, and showing that you’re actually dedicated and not just interested in a transaction with the god. You’re basically saying, I’m serious about this religion and about you. “If ever I have poured a libation out to you/erected a holy shrine in your name/sacrificed xyz to you/performed xyz act of charity in your name…”

4. State your intentions of this prayer

 Here is where you say what you want. Sometimes you want to formally honor a god or gods. Sometimes you want the gods to protect you, or bless you, help you pass a test, protect someone else from harm. I personally like to connect steps 3 and 4 into the same sentence. Continuing with Zeus Hetaereius, “…cloak my friend xyz under your protection and bless them and our bond.”

5. Vow to freely offer something