You have no power over me.

luxettenebris:

To be honest, I never even knew this was an actual ‘thing’. I didn’t have a name for it, I just knew it was what my workings with Lu largely consisted of.  But apparently a lot of other people have gone through it and call it Shadow Work, based off of Jung’s Schattenarbeit (psychological shadow work), which fits rather nicely I think.

Others have noted that it isn’t really talked about within the pagan community—sure, there’ll be mentions about its importance here and there, but there are no guidelines or helpful tips on how to go about it. And that’s because Shadow Work practices are unique to each person’s needs. It’s an introspective practice that deals with our inner selves, so it wouldn’t make much sense for another person to tell someone how to go about it.

Shadow Work is a self-built process—it is ultimately up to us what we want to confront and what we’re willing to risk. That being said, this isn’t going to be a how-to guide. It’s only an overview of the broad expanse of Shadow Work as I have come to know it.

For some, Shadow Work may consist of confronting one’s own inner demons. Facing one’s fears is usually a crucial step in this practice. This can be potentially dangerous, not to mention traumatizing. Even our mental fears can have scarring effects. Others must make peace with the darker parts of themselves, their shame and regrets. Already, you can probably see why many would not be willing to share their own experiences with Shadow Work, due to the intensely personal nature of such work. Shadow Work tests limits, and seeks to break them.

You know those ‘difficult questions’ I always talk about? The ones that rip holes in the fabric of our spirituality, or that make us doubt that which we love and hold on to for support? Those are a part of Shadow Work too. The answers may not always be pretty, may not be what we want to hear, but it’s what we need to hear. Each one of those questions has the potential to tear apart the vision of reality we have built for ourselves, the ‘truth’ we cling to like a security blanket. We have the option of letting those questions haunt us or facing up to them. And on the occasion that they cause our truths to crumble around us, we have the choice of leaving it in ruins or attempting to rebuild it.

But it isn’t about morphing our fears into something more acceptable, or sugarcoating our flaws. It’s about owning up to them. Sometimes, we can even use them to our advantage. And it’s not always about overcoming or getting rid of our fears—sometimes a healthy dose of fear can be a good thing.

The end goal is not about defeating your shadow self. Those shadows are essential for spiritual growth. They are as much a part of our world as the more pleasant aspects. Instead, it’s about learning how to deal with them, living in a controlled sort of flux with our shadows. A balance, if you will. Comfort and security are nice, but fear keeps us sharp and aware. It is not a balance between ‘good’ and ‘evil’, or ‘light’ and ‘dark’.

And as you can imagine, not everyone reaches the end of some phase of their Shadow Work. Some might give up halfway, and it’s important to note that this is NOT a sign of weakness or failure. There are very real reasons as to why we fear things, why we hide away from some parts of our shadow selves, and sometimes the cons outweigh the pros in such situations. Emerging from the entirety of a phase of Shadow Work does not always equate with emerging a happier, stronger person. It isn’t a battle to be fought, with only two outcomes. If anything, it’s about how much you’re willing to ‘connect’ with the shadow. How much can you accept as a part of yourself, as a part of your reality?

I’ve heard the theory that we as humans cannot possibly hope to contain the amount of energy/knowledge/power/whatever that deities are capable of, because we would break under the sheer force or pressure. I see Shadow Work as being similar to that concept. Not everyone can delve as deeply into their shadow for fear of losing themselves or their sanity. There are very real consequences of Shadow Work that affect our mental and physical states, a common one being severe depression and/or suicidal thoughts.  

So how do we know when to stop or keep going when it comes to Shadow Work? We don’t. But personally, if I feel that something is not worth the effort or I’m in serious danger of losing everything I’ve achieved thus far, I would stop. Sometimes we have to recognize when it’s prudent to cut our losses and move on to something else.

I don’t know how others reconcile Shadow Work with their respective deities, but for me, Shadow Work is mostly solitary. Lucifer oversees my progress, but he doesn’t play an active part in it.  He does not ‘guide’ me in any way that might influence the end result. He has only once been an active participant in my Shadow Work, but that was because I was dealing with my Christianized fear of Him at the time. But even then, it was almost as though he was trying to dissuade me from making the choice I thought he wanted me to make. But mostly, he only initiates phases of my work by presenting me with questions or situations, and then leaves me to flail and deal with the consequences on my own. Then again, that’s just the type of mentor he is.

aeternamduo:

“By blood willingly offered on naked earth and charmed candle-fire be this troyl hood. By the sixfold sign of the serpent and hare, toad and crow, and the Buckas’ fires. By the red spirits, white spirits, grey spirits and black I adjure thee O’ Ram-bearer who dwells in the bones of the dead. In your high name and by the breathe of Ankow, I conjure thee, I conjure thee, I conjure thee O’ Bucka Grand. Hallow and hood, so shalt it be.”

- Hearthside conjuration of the hearth, 2012.

victoriousvocabulary:

VODYANOY

[noun]

In Slavic mythology and Norse mythology, vodyanoy (Russian: водяно́й, literally “watery”), vodyanoi, Belarusian vadzianik (Belarusian: вадзянік), Ukrainian vodianyk (Ukrainian: водяник), Polish wodnik, Czech and Slovak vodník, Bulgarian and Macedonian vodnik (Bulgarian: водник), or Serbian vodenjak (Cyrillic: водењак) and Norwegian havmannen is a male water spirit. Vodník (or in Germanised form hastrman) in Czech fairy tales is the same creature as the Wassermann or nix of German fairy tales.

Vodyanoy is said to appear as a naked old man with a greenish beard and long hair, with his body covered in algae and muck, usually covered in black fish scales. When angered, the vodyanoy breaks dams, washes down water mills, and drowns people and animals. (Consequently, fishermen, millers, and also bee-keepers make sacrifices to appease him.) He would drag down people to his underwater dwelling to serve him as slaves.

fuckyeahitchywitch:

Theban Script

The Theban Alphabet, also called Runes of Honorius or Witch’s Alphabet , emerged during the medieval period when Cabbalistic studies were prominent in the practices of European magicians and is often referred to as “Witch Writing,” “Witches’ Runes,” or the “Witches’ Alphabet. Although there are witch groups today that use this alphabet and claim it has a history with witchcraft, the language originally appeared in the 16th century in The Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Cornelius Agrippa. Agrippa states that an 13th century Italian magician attributes the alphabet to Honorius.

The alphabet seems to be just that, an alphabet with no associated language. It was used write out messages either in the magician’s own language, or more likely, Latin.

Many Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans use the Theban alphabet to encode their writings in their Books of Shadows or spell books. The Theban Script is also known as the “Witches’ Alphabet”. Many Witches use the alphabet in carving the letters on stone or wood to use as an amulet, or for candle spells.

The earliest known source for the Theban alphabet is as said above from Cornelius Agrippa’s “Three Books of Occult Philosophy” first published at Antwerp in 1531. Agrippa provided the Theban Script in Book III, Chapter 29 and wrote, “Of this kind of character therefore are those which Peter Apponus notes, as delivered by Honorius of Thebes”. This is almost certainly a reference to the author of the early 14th century “Liber Juratus, or the Sworne Booke of Honorius”.

However, it is believed that the Theban alphabet actually originated as a Latin cipher before the 11th-century. The origin of the letterforms is obscure, but all the evidence is consistent with an origin as an early alchemical cipher alphabet influenced by Avestan. Others say that the alphabet first appeared in the book entitled, “The Magus” by Honorius II (Pope from 1216 to 1227) Users of this magickal alphabet often include a stylized character at the end of a writing. This character is translated as the Greek Alpha and Omega.

The Theban alphabet, is today, and always has been employed primarily for talismanic inscriptions and magickal spells and works and the letters can be carved on stone or wood as an amulet, or on candles for candle spells.

Beltane Wedding

victoriousvocabulary:

NORNS

[noun]

Norse mythology: female beings who rule the destiny of gods and men, a kind of dísir comparable to the Fates in classical mythology. According to Snorri Sturluson’s interpretation of the Völuspá, the three most important norns, Urðr (Wyrd), Verðandi and Skuld come out from a hall standing at the Well of Urðr (well of fate) and they draw water from the well and take sand that lies around it, which they pour over Yggdrasill so that its branches will not rot. These norns are described as three powerful maiden giantesses (Jotuns) whose arrival from Jötunheimr ended the golden age of the gods. They may be the same as the maidens of Mögþrasir who are described in Vafþrúðnismál. Beside these three norns, there are many other norns who arrive when a person is born in order to determine his or her future. There were both malevolent and benevolent norns; the former caused all the malevolent and tragic events in the world whilst the latter were more benign and protective.

witchssoul:

Being new to Paganism, I have found that I have become fascinated with the Sabbats. My favorite one has to be the Fire and Fertility festival of Beltane. Since I was outside today writing in my book of shadows, I came across the history, and also ways to celebrate this festival. Since it is coming up here soon, I figured I would give everyone the history and ways to celebrate it.

Beltane

Beltane is a fire and fertility festival that lands on April 30th and May 1st. Since the ancient Celts had their days from sundown to sundown, the festival falls on both days. There are several deities that are related to the festival, including the May Queen, Stag Lord, and the Green Man. 

Beltane was originally started to welcome summer; the word Beltane comes from the Welsh words’ tan (fire) and Bel (a Welsh sky god) combined it means fire in the sky.  Traditionally, two babies were chosen, both male and female and were trained to be the Stag Lord and May Queen.

Their time came at fourteen when the young boy in his role as Stag Lord ran with the deer. At some point, the great stag, or the most dominant buck would sense the young boy, and it was up to him to over come the buck. Coming back unharmed he would then mate with the May Queen in a symbolic consummation of the marriage of the Goddess and God.

Though this was a big tradition, it was not the only one. There was dancing around the Maypole in a clockwise motion, the direction of the sun’s journey across the earth. While weaving flowers and vines around its surface. The pole stayed in place all year, until it was used next year in the Beltane fires.

The fire burned throughout the festival as a symbol of the sun’s reign in the sky. Livestock was driven between two bonfires, to ward of sickness the coming year. In the same respects, the ill would walk between in hopes of getting better. Now days it for couples to jump over the fires, to bring both luck and fertility.

Ways you can do ritual on this day are by.

• Doing ritual outdoors
• Use a dark-green  altar cloth
• Decorate with foliage and flowers
• arrange green candles around altar and surround with floral.
• Burn a Beltane Incense by using any herbs that remind you of summer.

Beltane is a time to usher in summer so spend the day outside and feel the warm rays of the sun on your neck. Light a candle at sundown on the 29th and let it burn until the 1st to welcome the Sun God.

Anything you that involves the element fire will have a special meaning. So enjoy my favorite holiday and Bright Blessings!

fuckyeahitchywitch:

A closer look at the pentagram.

The pentagram, or five-pointed star, is a symbol most commonly associated with Paganism today. This association, in particular the wearing of a pentagram as an amulet, has only been with us since the late 1960s, or so it is believed. However, the pentagram itself is a very ancient symbol, and one that has long been connected with mysticism and magick.

Although the origins of the magickal five-pointed star may appear to have been lost in time, early known examples have been discovered dating back to around 3,500 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq). From that time onwards, the pentagram has been referred to by differing names and used by various people, all of who have felt connected to this five-pointed star.

The Hebrews referred to the Pentateuch, which related to the first five books of the Bible that represented the concept of truth. In ancient Greece, the followers of Pythagoras referred to the Pentalpha, a five-pointed star formed by five “A”s (“alpha” being the first letter of the Greek alphabet), and this symbol represented absolute perfection. The Druids were believed to consider the pentagram represented a symbol for “Godhead”, while to the Egyptians, it represented the “underground womb”. Even medieval Christians were drawn to the pentagram, attributing its five points to the five wounds of Christ.

In magick, the pentagram is considered as the very important symbol for it represents the four elements of Life (being Earth, Air, Fire and Water), as well as Spirit, which makes up the fifth point. Therefore, when the pentagram is drawn upright, Spirit (the Unseen, the Divine Source) presides over the other four more Earthly bound elements.

* Air is the element that represents intelligence and the arts, and is represented by the upper left point of the pentagram.

* Water represents emotions and intuition, and is represented by the opposite point on the upper right of the pentagram.

* The element of Earth relates to stability and physical endurance, and is represented by the lower left point of the pentagram.

* Fire is the element which represents courage and daring, and is represented by the lower right point.

* The top most point is representative of Spirit, all great Divine.

The pentagram, as drawn above, represents the Higher Consciousness ruling over the lower Elements of our being. It signals the awakening of cosmic consciousness, and our human psyche moving beyond the realms of physical form and the perceptions limited to the five senses. This movement allows for infinite possibilities, which exist within the Universe, to be explored.

Another variation of what the pentagram means is that the three upper points represent the Goddess in her triple aspect - Maiden, Mother, and Crone - while the lower two points represent the God in his twin aspects - God of Light and God of Darkness.

Regardless of whether the points of the pentagram represent the elements or the God and Goddess, one thing is clear - all the points are connected. This means that each element, or image of the God or Goddess, are, in fact, an aspect of all the others - each are a part of the same whole.

But what of the inverted pentagram, where the point is drawn downwards? This symbol is often associated with Satanism and is, therefore, often misunderstood. If, as explained above, each of the points of the pentagram represent an element, then the inverted pentagram, therefore, represents the physical world (four material elements) dominating over Spirit, or Spirit hidden in matter (the material). However, this is not the only meaning the inverted pentagram has.

In some traditions of Wicca, in particularly Gardnerian Wicca, the inverted pentagram is used as a symbol of for someone who has obtained an advanced degree. In this case, the two upper points represent the horns of light, symbol of the God, who is the consort to the Goddess. Also, in medieval times, the inverted pentagram was a sign for Winter. The connection of the inverted pentagram with “evil” is believed to only relate back to the 19th century, when magickan Eliphas Levi illustrated the upright pentagram of microcosmic man beside an inverted pentagram with the goat’s head. This goat was referred to as the “Goat of Mendes” (or Baphomet), a name given to a mysterious Deity who the Order of the Knights Templar were believed to have worshiped.