I treated life like it was a report card, like I was being graded on every single moment of every single day. And if I got less than an A-, I pretty much felt completely worthless. I still struggle with that every day. But what I would say is that life is not a report card. You’re not being graded on this moment to moment. Go easy on yourselves, kids. Be kind to yourselves.
Taylor on a piece of advice she wishes she could give her teenage self (Sirius XM Fan Q&A)
FAVORITE MOVIE GENRE? WOMEN
Acorn - Good luck, personal power, protection and wisdom. Dried acorns are a natural amulet for youthfulness. It's associated with the Sabbat of Litha and the element of water.
Angelica - Also called Archangel. It is a very powerful protection herb, healing, creates harmony and courage and helps in exorcisms. Aids vision. Element Air.
Apple - Garden magic, love, healing and wisdom, also vanity, marriage and beauty. Associated Mabon & Samhain. Element water.
Basil - Also called witches herb. Use in spells for Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, and protection. Associated with Imbolc. Aids astral projection. Element Fire.
Bay Leaf - Protection, success, purification, strength, wisdom and healing, also increases psychic powers. Element Fire.
Belladonna - Also Called: Deadly Nightshade. Toxic. Use for forgetting past loves. Protection, beauty and original flying ointments. Adds energy to rituals. Element Water.
Bergamot - Money, prosperity and sleep. Protects from both evil and illness. Good for luck and wealth. Increases magical power. Element Fire.
Black Pepper - Banishing negativity, exorcism, and offers protection and help with inner strength. Element Fire.
Blueberry - Protection of children, keeps evil out, and strengthens the aura. Associated with the Great Spirit. Element Water.
Calendula - Also called Marigold. Attracts success and justice in legal matters. Increases psychic/spiritual powers and aid prophetic dreams. Dispels negativity. Element Fire.
Cardamom - Lust, love, and fidelity. Sweetens the personality Use in handfastings. Element Water.
Chamomile - Love, sleep, protection and purification, also reduce stress. Use for meditation work and to attract money. Solar Magic. Element Water.
Cinnamon - Also called Sweet Wood. Use for Solar magic. Meditation and astral projection. Increases spirituality, success, healing, protection, power, luck, strength, and prosperity. Element Fire.
Clove - Use to protect, banish negative forces, and divination. Also helps with any teeth spells. Aids money and draws love. Element Fire.
Dandelion Root - Magical uses include divination, wishes and calling spirits. It also enhances dreams and works well in astral projection. Element Air.
Evening Primrose - Ideal for moon magic. Also use in love charms and to attract fae. Element Water.
Ginger - Increases magic power. Success, love, money and power. Element Fire.
Hibiscus - Attracting love and lust. Use in divination. Associated with lunar magic. Element Water.
Horsetail - Use for strength and resolve. Protection, cleansing and clearing unwanted emotions. Element Earth.
Jasmine - The herb of attraction. Helps prophetic dreaming, money and love. Element Water.
Lavender - Magical uses include healing, sleep and peace. It also promotes chastity and love. Increases longevity of life, tranquility and happiness. Element Air.
Lemon Balm - Also called Melissa. Love, success and healing. Aids psychic/spiritual development. Supports mental health disorders and compassion. Element Water.
Lemon Grass - Psychic cleansing and opening. Use in lust potions and when using Dragon Magic. Element Air.
Lime Tree Leaf - Healing, calm and love. Aids strength and tranquility, Element Air.
Marjoram - Use for cleansing, purification, and dispelling negativity. Also aids grief and sadness. Element Air.
Mint - Promotes energy, communication and vitality, protection and draws custom. Element Air.
Mugwort - Use for strength, protection and healing. Mugwort amplifies magic. Aids astral projection, and psychic power. Element Earth.
Nettle - Uses include dispelling darkness & fear,and curse breaking. Healing and protection and increases lust in partners. Renewal. Element Fire.
Orange Peel & Flower- Attracts abundance, luck. Love and happiness and strengthens divination. Element Fire.
Passion Flower - Attracts friendship and passion. Caming, peace and instills passion into stale relationships. Good for house blessings too. Element Water.
Patchouli - Used in spells for connecting with spirits. Money attracting, increases fertility and lust. Calming and peaceful. Element Earth.
Peppermint - Use for headaches and other forms of healing. Increases sleep and love. Use for increasing psychic power and divination. Element Air.
Rose - Use for divination, increased psychic power, love, lust and healing. Helps strengthen close friendships. Place around sprains and bruises to help them heal faster. Element Water.
Rosemary - Use in healing poppets and love/lust spells. Improves memory. Increases sleep, mental power and protection. Burn to help purification and removing negativity. Associated with faery magic. Element Fire.
Sage - Used for self purification and cleansing. Helps grief and loss. Healing and protection, also increases wisdom. Element Air.
Strawberry Leaf - Attracts success, good fortune, and favorable circumstances. Increases love and aids pregnancy. Element Water.
Thyme - Attracts loyalty, affection, and love. Increases good luck and psychic power. Drink in tea to aid sleep. Element Air.
Verbena - Psychic protection, peace and purification. Healing and helps depression. Increases beauty and love. Mind opening and clearing. Ideal use for exams. Element Earth.
Willow - is Used for lunar magic, drawing or strengthening love, healing, and overcoming sadness.. Element Water.
From the Herbal Grimoire by the blog The Wiccan Lady. Here's the link to the blog for the complete list and further reading:
ameliorate 🌱 (stickers)
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A pot-in-pot refrigerator, clay pot cooler is an evaporative cooling refrigeration device which does not use electricity. It uses a porous outer earthenware pot, lined with wet sand, contains an inner pot (which can be glazed to prevent penetration by the liquid) within which the food is placed - the evaporation of the outer liquid draws heat from the inner pot. The device can be used to cool any substance. This simple technology requires only a flow of relatively dry air and a source of water.
Source: [x]
Shadow Work
Origins, Meaning and Utility
Carl Jung theorized the existence of three levels/spheres in the human psyche: the Ego, representing the conscious mind, the Personal Unconscious where memories are contained and the Collective Unconscious, where all knowledge and experiences of the species are shared.
Each Sphere has in it a certain number of Archetypes, used to better describe the components of those structures, and the Shadow is one of them.
The shadow can be seen as a instinctual or primitive part of ourselves, it exists as part of the unconscious mind and is composed of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, and shortcomings.
It is this archetype that contains all of the things that are unacceptable not only to society, but also to one's own personal morals and values, normally going against social norms and rules as well as what we personally consider right.
The Shadow is often described as the darker side of the psyche, representing wildness, chaos, and the unknown, and it is common for people to deny this element of their own psyche and instead project it on to others.
Art: Unknown
The Shadow, in witchcraft, can represent The Unknown, hidden depth of ourselves. Speaking in terms of energy, this is an area that can be a deep source of energetic issues, because it’s locked up in the dark and always striving to reach the light.
To not work with one’s Shadow is to make it greedy and aggressive, as well as denying a big part of oneself, making everything a half of a whole.
Through that brief explanation, we can already establish the importance and role of the Shadow in witchcraft, and with that in mind, comes the concept of Shadow Work.
Shadow Work can be seen in a number of practices, meditation, trances, inner journey’s, lucid dreaming, astral travels, spells and divination.
The method can change, but the principle is simple: Centering your intent to self discovery, self knowledge and self acceptance.
Working with one’s Shadow is not only beneficial to one’s craft, as it allows one to get in touch with their intuition as well as allows for easier connection with one’s guide/guides, but it also allows for healing and acceptance of one’s feelings and needs.
Think of all aspects of life as a wheel. If there is one part bent, the wheel can turn, but with more effort. If the owner spends time fixing that bent part, the wheel will turn in a much more smooth manner.
That is what happens when you take the time to do Shadow Work, you have to put in effort, and most of the time it’s not easy, but once done, all other components on the wheel of your life will be relieved to move on without that obstacle that makes their job harder.
The Shadow is not evil, as evil is just a moral compass invented by humans. It is a part of one’s nature, and to deny it is to supress a connection with yourself.
Take the time to know and accept your shadow, and you’ll see that life will be a little easier.
References:
A Natureza da psique (Structure & Dynamics of the Psyche) by C.G. Jung
The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by C.G. Jung
A handy resource guide of 100+ witches from across history, literature, mythology, and pop culture. Not all of these women would have identified as such, but many were persecuted and marginalized in the name thereof. This is not complete, nor comprehensive. I will be adding to it as I continue the project, as there are many, many witches I have yet to include.
Hypatia (350/370- 415)
Joan of Arc (1412-1431)
Mother Shipton (1488-1561)
Agnes Waterhouse (1503-1566)
Agnes Sampson (1591)
Alse Young (1600-1647)
Tituba
Catherine Deshayes (1640-1680)
In Memoriam
Red Haired Witches
Occultists🔮
Pamela Coleman Smith
Dion Fortune
Helena Blavatsky
Marie Laveau*
Mothers of Modern Witchcraft/Wicca🕯
Doreen Valiente
Monique Wilson
Maxine Sanders
Edith Woodford-Grimes
Janet Farrar
Eleanor Bone
Margaret Murray
Vivianne Crowley
Old Dorothy Clutterbuck
Lois Bourne
Patricia Crowther
Sybil Leek
American Witches and Pagan Elders🌿
Margot Adler
Starhawk
Selena Fox
Silver RavenWolf
Zsuzsanna Budapest
Laurie Cabot
Jeane Dixon
Stevie Nicks
W.I.T.C.H.*
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Eglantine Price
Bell, Book, and Candle
Gillian Holroyd
The Witches of Eastwick
Alexandra Medford, Jane Spofford, Sukie Ridgemont
Witches from Oz
Glinda
Mombi
Wicked Witch of the West
Witches from Narnia
Jadis, The White Witch
Witches from Harry Potter
Minverva McGonnogal
Bellatrix Lestrange
Hermione Granger*
Animated Disney Witches
Ursula
Maleficent
Madam Mim
Grimhilde (The Evil Queen)
Practical Magic
Sally and Gillian Owens
Frances and Bridget Owens
The Addams Family
Grandmama Addams
Hocus Pocus
The Sanderson Sisters: Winifred, Mary, Sarah
Wicker Man
Miss Rose
Witches
Grand High Witch
Rosemary’s Baby
Minnie Castavet
The Craft
Nancy Downs/Fairuza Balk
Rachel True
The VVITCH
Thomasin*
Miyazaki Witches
Kiki
Yubaba and Zeniba*
Pirates of the Caribbean
Tia Dalma
Macbeth
The Weird Sisters/Three Witches*
Bewitched
Samantha Stephens
Endora
Aunt Clara
Sabrina The Teenage Witch
Sabrina Spellman
Hilda and Zelda Spellman
Game of Thrones
Melisandre
The Magicians
Julia Wicker, Margo Hanson, Alice Quinn, Kady Orloff-Diaz
Penny Dreadful
Vanessa Ives
Joan Clayton
Charmed
The Halliwell Sisters: Phoebe, Prue, Piper, and Paige.
Cartoons
Witch Hazel (Donald Duck)
Witch Hazel (Looney Tunes)
Halloweentown
Agatha Cromwell
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Willow Rosenberg
American Horror Story: Coven
Miss Robichaux’s Academy*
Biblical
The Witch of Endor
Lilith
Greek
Cassandra
Calypso
Circe
Medea
The Graeae/ The Moirai
Hecate
British Folklore
Jenny Greenteeth/Nelly Longarms/ Peg Powler
Black Annis
Allison Gross
Arthurian Legend
Morgan le Fay
Nimue: The Lady of the Lake
Italian Folklore
Aradia
La Befana
Celtic Mythology
Ceridwen
Slavic Folklore
Baba Yaga
American Folklore
The Bell Witch
Room on the Broom
Witch
Strega Nona
Strega Nona
Mother Goose
Mother Goose
Wendy the Good Little Witch
Wendy
X-Men/Avengers
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
*denotes I was unable to complete their original post. I will be returning to these and adding a full analysis.
This list stems from my original project that I did for the 100 days before Halloween 2018. The nature of the project I discuss in my 1st post, which happened to be The Witch of Endor. I will be adding dozens other witches I did not get to in the initial 100 over time, and plan on producing a second series for male witches. Stay Tuned!
On the horizon
Bonnie Bennett (Vampire Diaries)
Witch of the Waste (Howl’s Moving Castle)
Mary Poppins
Louise Miller (Teen Witch)
Smol gang here to tell u that everything will be okay!
Not everyone on tinder is a dick apparently
18- Baba Yaga (Slavic Folklore).
This classic witch originates from Russian mythology and Slavic fairytales. Baba Yaga appears in various legends, often occupying the role of the witch residing deep in the woods that the main character must interact and barter with. She is the predecessor to witches like those found in the fairy tales of Charles Perrault, as well as those found in the Grimm Brothers’ works. Baba Yaga retains many unique characterizations and attributes not found in any other witch, however, making her singularly iconic.
Baba Yaga is described as a hideous, deformed, and vicious looking woman, resembling the classic hag archetype. In some versions of her story, Baba Yaga is not one, but three sisters all named Baba Yaga, each sister being older than the next. In this way, Baba Yaga is intimately connected to both The Graeae and the Moirai (#64), and illustrates the triple goddess. More specifically, Baba Yaga is a representation of the Crone phase, and is associated with death, darkness, and winter. Her function in the legends she appears in further matches this archetype, as she “may help or hinder” the characters that beseech her. She stands at the crossroads of death and mystery, allowing some to pass unscathed.
Baba Yaga is best known for two specific attributes that have defined witch iconography and contributed to Baba Yaga’s mythological uniqueness. Her residence, as well as her choice of aerial transportation, are some of the most distinctive out of any witch in this series. While most fairy tale and fictional witches fly through the sky on their iconic brooms, Baba Yaga sits her little old body inside a mortar, and steers her “spice-craft” with a pestle as rudder. The iconography and symbolic nature of this, with the mortar representing the divine feminine/womb and the pestle representing the divine masculine/phallus, shows Baba Yaga to be a character in balance with nature, called by some as a “phallic mother”. Other depictions show Baba Yaga riding through the sky in a cauldron, further solidifying the relationships between witches and their love of these cast iron pots (Ceridwen #56).
Baba Yaga’s hut is similarly iconic and unique, and has influenced centuries of witch-lore. Her house sits upon a pair of chicken legs (sometimes just a single claw). It jumps in the air and spins around, constantly moving from place to place and turning direction. I’ve seen dozens of references and depictions of witch-homes on chicken legs, but they are all imitations of Baba Yaga’s. Her yard is surrounded by a fence impaled with skulls, furthering her placement at the gates of death and dying. Her fowl-legged home appears in the earliest references to Baba Yaga, so whatever this strange attribute means, its intimately connected to her being.
The etymological roots and significance of her name are disputed. It’s generally agreed that the Baba is the same root as babushka, meaning grandmother. Other roots in Old Russian bring the shared meaning of Baba to “midwife, sorceress, and fortune teller”. The Yaga part of her name is less conclusive, however, with no root universally agreed upon. Some believe it has its origin in “serpent, snake”, while others see it from anything from “horror”, “witch”, “evil woman”, and “pain and worry”. In this way, Baba Yaga principally means Grandmother Witch, the Slavic etymological counterpart to the Italian version, Strega Nona (#21). Both Strega Nona and Baba Yaga are examples of the tradition of witch names ending in an A, with Baba Yaga perhaps being the earliest (See: Hilda and Zelda #36, Sabrina #62, Samantha/Endora/Clara #s 89/54/39, Glinda 76, et. al.).
In modern times, Baba Yaga has become more of a bogeyman character, used to scared children into good behavior. She’s described as flying through the air in her cauldron, stealing kids away to eat them. She is often shown as a consort to the personification of Death, sealing her Crone status. This association expands beyond the original source material for her, however, and while she is now often seen as evil, she was more thoroughly understood as being morally ambiguous. Baba Yaga’s ultimate good or evil was brought out by the decisions and/or actions of the main character in the fairy tale who interacted with her, serving as a reminder of caution, thoughtfulness, and sure-footedness.
Baba Yaga remains one of the classic hag witches from world folklore and mythology. I am absolutely enamored with her flying around in a Mortar/Pestle, as I find her to be one of the prototypes for modern Kitchen Witch iconography. Her witch residence goes down in history as one of the most unique, rivaled only by the far removed castles of witch/queens. I find her manifestation as three Baba Yagas, each living in a chicken-clawed home, to be her most allegorical and fascinating. In this way, Baba Yaga illustrates the singularity and unity of the Triple Goddess into one character, promoting the final stage of Crone as the most pertinent to the archetypes of witchcraft.
Hello!This blog is run by two witches Comet and Angel. Feel free to talk to us !
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