Witchy Makenna

Hey Skeptics! As a member of the Spoonie community due to my severe mental illnesses (gotta love that chronic fatigue /s) I wanted to share some low energy things that Spoonie witches can do.

Note: These activities are low energy for me, I hope that it can maybe help those who experience the same type of low energy that I do!

Create a digital altar on pinterest or a social media site of your choice.

Meditate (in bed, in your chair, wherever you are that you feel comfy)

Read up on your favorite paths and practices

Create some sigils

If you have a deity, speak to them. You can truly do this anywhere. Out loud or in your head. They understand if it's not formal (anytime I prayed to a deity I was very casual about it because that's just the way I roll)

Listen to an audiobook on witchcraft

Listen or watch some Youtube videos on witchcraft

Read through witch blogs to see what you identify with and what you don't, this can help you understand your beliefs better!

When deciding to add a religious component into your practice, there’s a lot of factors to consider. 

What practices are closed to me? 

What kind of relationship do I want to build with the Divine? 

How do I practice a religion that most believe to be long gone? 

Have I dealt with any negative experiences/beliefs/mindsets that may be hard to let go of from my old religious practices? 

While all of these are important, I want to focus on a simple but crucial distinction within deity work- what it means to respect or honor a deity compared to devotion to a deity. 

Respect:

Respecting a deity is basically extending common courtesy towards Divine entities that you are not directly involved with. Speaking of them with respect and engaging in discussion of theological differences without deliberate contempt or ridicule. 

Why? Well, for one, I think it’s a good idea not to antagonize a being I can’t even comprehend, even if I don’t believe in them. But primarily, it’s an extension of my respect towards those of different faiths. It’s important to note that respecting a deity doesn’t mean respecting people or organizations who use their faith as justification to harm others. It doesn’t mean agreeing or supporting every aspect of a religion’s theology. 

My common courtesy does not extend to religious leaders within the Catholic church that have refused to apologize or take responsibility for the decades of abuse of Indigenous children. 

If you live in the U.S. or Canada- go to this website and learn what Native land you’re living on. If you can, make a donation to a local or national Indigenous organization to start making a dent in these injustices. 

Respect is simply having good manners. It’s how we want others to treat our deities, symbols, and traditions.

Honor: 

Honoring a deity is when you believe in a deity, you engage in practices with/for/associated with them but you do not have a personal commitment to a relationship with them. 

For example, I honor all of the deities of the Hellenic pantheon. I might make offerings on days of significance or participate in specific festivals but I don’t have a dedicated altar space or have a committed practice of worship. And I also don’t honor all of the Hellenic deities in the same way or with the same frequency. I honor Artemis and Dionysus more than others because of personal connection. 

I think it’s important for polytheistic pagans not to feel pressured into honoring every single deity within that pantheon. Setting aside the 12 Olympians, there are dozens of deities within the Hellenic pantheon. Learning and feeling confident enough to work with 1 deity is already challenging, so please be kind to yourself. 

Devotion: 

Devotion is making the commitment to a personal relationship with a deity. It takes a lot of time and emotional energy to devote yourself to a deity, lots of learning and understanding of them and their traditions. 

There’s no framework for how to devote yourself or if you should become devoted to a deity. It’s a very personal journey and it’s impossible for anyone to tell you exactly what to do if you’re interested in a deity. I can offer advice about my experience with Apollo, but your experience with Him will be completely unique to you. 

Devotion to a deity as a practice also looks very different. I have a dedicated altar, I pray, I make offerings and celebrate festivals. But if your relationship with a deity doesn’t include any of that? That is okay. Especially if you’re a solitary practitioner and learning on your own- the Divine are patient and understanding. We’re human and I really believe that the Divine prefer you at your most genuine rather than perfection. Especially if that fear of not being “good enough” is what’s keeping you from establishing that relationship in the first place. 

I hope that helps clarify the differences. You can always send a message or an ask with questions on deity work or other witchy topics. Just know that with deity work in particular, it’s hard to get specific answers because of how personal that journey is. 

How do you perform deity work? What’s something you love about your particular path or pantheon?

Many find it confusing when a difficult card falls in the advice position. Death is not asking you to die. But the Five of Cups wishes you would cry.

Death

Purge your soul of what no longer serves you. It will only be more painful if you wait for life to force you.

Three of Swords

Acknowledge your pain. The wound will fester if you keep denying its presence. Healing begins only with acceptance.

The Devil

Dive into it with all your might. Do not go gentle into that good night. It will all be worth the fall.

Five of Cups

Cry till the tears run dry. Till the darkness has gone, leaving only the light. Then turn around for a wondrous sight.

Two of Swords

You will never be completely certain. No one is in life. All you can do is follow your heart. It will lead you to what is right.

Five of Wands

There is a time for peace. But it is not today. You have to fight for your beliefs. Let nothing stand in your way.

Seven of Swords

Leave your morals at the door. This is no place for principles. What matters is survival. Time to think like a criminal.

Ten of Wands

You are walking through fire, and the pain is unbearable. But give it one more minute. The hurt will all be worth it.

Eight of Swords

You look at yourself and see a prisoner. And yet the ropes are loose and the lock is open. Stop acting the victim.

Five of Swords

So you lost. Cry for a while. Then dry your eyes and try again tomorrow. No need to drown in sorrow.

Nine of Swords

Turn your fear into fuel. Do not sit there waiting for destruction. Fight with all your might to escape annihilation.

Five of Pentacles

If you bother to look up, you will notice a shelter. Enough with the self-pity. Time to outsmart the weather.

Nine of Wands

As things stand, it is not safe for you to love. This is not the time to fall. Protect your heart, and build a wall.

Ten of Swords

Some pains demand to be felt. So feel them. Give them their deserved recognition. Then banish them to oblivion.

The Tower

1. Calendula: • Cuts & Scrapes • Minor Burns • Inflammation

2. Clove: • Toothaches • Strained Muscles • Flu Aches

3. Chamomile: • Indigestion • Rashes • Inflammation

4. Eucalyptus: • Antiseptic • Insect Bites • Minor Wounds • Minor Burns

5. Fennel Seed: • Indigestion • Gas • Bloating • Aids in Breast Milk Production

-cool and fun blend of cottagecore aesthetics with punk values

-what’s more punk than reading abolitionist literature while sipping your tea and having some fresh fruit

-baking fresh bread from scratch and then making little sandwiches to give out to protesters

-romping around in a meadow wearing your old beat up docs, stopping to rest in the shade, laying on your DIYed leather jacket like a blanket

-fingers stained with spray paint from making ACAB murals by the road, a crown of wildflowers in your hair

-mutual aid!! free soup for the revolution!!

-guerrilla gardening, basically vandalism but with gardening. making use of unused spaces to plant a nice community vegetable garden or some pretty flowers

-covered head to toe in tattoos of various herbs, wildflowers, mushrooms, fruit, and other nature things

-running away to a cottage in the woods!! whats more punk than abandoning capitalism and building a happy little life for yourself and living off the land. good for the environment AND bad for corporations. that’s how you stick it to the man.

-jam sessions in the woods when your bellies are full of fresh fruit and the sky is clear above you, everyone sings along to woody guthrie

This one is for my Water sign, beach loving, mermaid believing, sandy spellcasting witches.

4 Ounce warm Coconut Oil

2 drops Sandalwood essential oil

5 drops Orange Essential oil

2 drops Vanilla essential oil

3 drops Lime essential oil

2 Drops Patchouli essential oil

Mix them together thoroughly. Reheat and rub on skin as a warm oil. As you massage into the skin visualize the ocean and manifest that power into you. 

Did you know the difference between “Abracadabra” and “Avada Kedavra” is: Abracadabra means “I will create when I speak”Avada Kadavra means “I will destroy as I speak.” The words come from ancient Aramaic and was said to be used by witches in spell work. Abracadabra is a powerful spell, you can see it down below. You would write this downwards to rid yourself of evil, and write upwards for good luck. Some wore is as an amulet.