Ways To Celebrate Litha

honestly like real talk like real actual ““discourse”“

the problem with trying to define who is and isn’t lgbt+ is like….that’s…not….really how it works…..

like we don’t have membership. there’s no test to take. no one has a roster of people with gay credentials. and even if there were, the people demanding this stuff aren’t part of any High Council with the power to banish people. if someone says they’re lgbt+ the traditional way of dealing with it is just…believing them and not bothering to comb through every action they’ve taken to prove anything. and labels are so deeply personal and the possibility of mislabeling yourself is always on the table, so it’s really just like. if you feel an affinity for the community then sure. you’re probably right, at the very least you’re questioning now. so what up enjoy your stay.

Witchy Playlist Share

Add your favorite witchy songs in the comments!!

1. Black Magic - Jaymes Young

2. Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac

3. Black Magic Woman - Santana

4. Palo Santo - Years & Years

5. Black Magic - Magic Wands

6. A Little Wicked - Valerie Broussard

7. Crystals - Magic Wands

8. I Put A Spell On You - Annie Lennox

9. Witchy Woman - Eagles

10. The Witch Queen of New Orleans - Redbone

11. Black Magic - Little Mix

12. Third Eye - Florence + The Machine

13. Karma - Years & Years

14. The Hanging Tree - Angus & Julia Stone

15. Sisters of the Moon - Fleetwood Mac

16. Moonrise - WILDWOOD

17. Wicked Ones - Dorothy

18. Trouble - Valerie Broussard

19. Astronomical - Svrcina

20. Monsters - Ruelle

21. Dark Side - Bishop Briggs

22. Dark Secret - Matthew Sweet

23. Dark Lady - Cher

24. Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band

25. After Midnight - Dorothy

26. Superstition - Stevie Wonder

27. Bottom of the River - Delta Rae

28. Love Potion No.9 - The Clovers

29. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

30. Full Moon - The Black Ghost

31. Season Of The Witch - Alixandrea Corvyn

32. Magic Dance - David Bowie

33. Magic - Coldplay

34. Dancing in the Moonlight - Toploader

35. Full Moon Tonight - Silvastone

36. Moondust - Jaymes Young

37. Raise Hell - Dorothy

38. I Did Something Bad - Taylor Swift

39. Seven Devils - Florence + The Machine

40. Control - Halsey

41. Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

42.  Dead of Night - Ruelle

43. Secrets and Lies - Ruelle

44. Bad Moon Rising - Rasputina

45. Under the Moon - Claptone

46. Intuition - Jewel

47. Visions - Maroon 5

48. Crystal Ball - Styx

49. Crystal Ball - Keane

50. Fortune Teller - Robert Plant

51. Fortune Teller - Maroon 5

52. Meet Me In The Woods - Lord Huron

53. Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars

54. The Age of Aquarius - Sons of Anarchy: VOL. 4

55. Dark Nights - Dorothy

56. Come Away to the Water - Maroon 5

57. Dangerous Type - Letters To Cleo

58. Dance Around The Fire - The Golden Filter

59. Strange Magic - Electric Light Orchestra

60. Witch’s Rune - S. J. Tucker

61. Way Down We Go - Kaleo

62. House of the Rising Sun - Lauren O’Connell

63. Voodoo Doll - 5 Seconds of Summer

64. Voodoo Doll - Clare Means

65. Black Magic Woman - VCTRY

66. Smoke And Mirrors - Gotye

67. Broken Bones - Kaleo

68. Supermoon - Neko Case

69. Lavender Moon - Haroula Rose

70. Howl - Florence + The Machine

71. Sanctified - The Veronicas

72. Witchy Woman - Kristin Chenoweth

73. Cosmic Love - Florence + The Machine

74. Bad Moon - Hollywood Undead

75. The Killing Moon - Space Gang

76. Devil’ s Resting Place - Laura Marling

77. Devil’s Spoke - Laura Marling

78. Season Of The Witch - Donovan

79. Supermassive Black Hole - Muse

80. Witch - the bird and the bee

81. You Can Do Magic - America

82. Stand By Him - Ghost

83. Moon And Moon - Bat For Lashes

🔮3 OF SWORDS–ACE OF PENTACLES–KNIGHT OF CUPS🔮

This week (and every day) a lot of pain has been surfacing for survivors and resistors. There is heartbreak in the fact that with the way things are set up, we are all trained to hate women/femmes/gender non conforming folx and not be surprised when they are hurt, traumatized, and/or killed. Take the space that you need to recover from the weight of this. You might also be processing the fact that the men/masc ppl in your life haven’t shown up for you in this life, that they still have so much to learn and still do that learning at your expense. It is ok to be angered by this. It is ok to live into the fullness of whatever emotions surface for you, now. You are allowed to feel big, cry big. Remember that you are far more powerful than any person who comes for your dignity. Remember your self-knowledge, the fact that you have survived your whole life until this point. Remember all that you have striven for and worked towards in your healing process, whatever that looks like for you. Celebrate, my loves, because an opportunity to make real change is possible. Where do you fit in the change process ? What is your place in the revolution ? Where do you find your work ? Maybe it’s in direct service, in healing work, in planning, in organizing, in balancing budgets, in waking up each day so that you can continue to support others. Wherever your work is, know that there is a lot of potential for success. Together, we can move into the next way, the next moment. Into a time when ppl arent afraid to walk on the street or wear a piece of clothing or have a conversation in fear of pain and death. This is a time to mourn. To feel. So that we can move forward with the lessons from that mourning. Don’t ever let someone tell you what it looks like for you to grieve. Do what works for you, live into the whole self. With what you have to offer, we can start building stronger communities. Even if what you have to offer right now is your depression or anger or joy or comfort, we can use all of these in conjunction with our collected knowledge to make things happen. There is power in vulnerability and emotion. . 🔮: Rider-Waite https://www.instagram.com/p/BojubQoF-vn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=mimm3me666aw

Common Toxic Herbs and their Effects

This is not a complete list by any means, but these commonly noted plants, herbs, and flowers should be handled with care or avoided altogether. 

Aconite (Wolfsbane, Monkshood) - all parts: dermatoxic, hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic

Adam and Eve (Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Wild Arum) - root: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested

African Sumac - leaves: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

Agave - juice: dermatoxic  

Angel’s Trumpet - all parts: cardiotoxic; often fatal

Apple - seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

Apricot - leaves and seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

Arnica - gastrotoxic 

Asparagus - berries: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested

Azalea - all parts: cytotoxic and neurotoxic; rarely fatal

Betel Nut Palm (Pinyang) - all parts: gastrotoxic if ingested

Bittersweet Nightshade - all parts: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; rarely fatal

Black Hellebore - all parts: cardiotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Black Locust (False Acacia) - root bark and flowers: gastrotoxic

Black Nightshade - all parts except ripe fruit: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Bleeding Heart - leaves and roots: neurotoxic

Bloodroot - rhizomes: cytotoxic

Blue Passion Flower (Common Passion Flower) - leaves: cytotoxic

Bracken - all parts: carcinogenic

Buttercup - all parts: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic 

Calabar Bean (Ordeal Beans) - seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested in large doses

Cassava - leaves and roots: cytotoxic in large doses

Castor Bean (Castor Oil Plant) - seeds: cytotoxic if ingested or inhaled

Celandine - nephrotoxic 

Cherry - leaves and seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

Christmas Rose - all parts: gastrotoxic

Cocklebur - seedlings and seeds: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic

Columbine - seeds and roots: cardiotoxic; easily fatal

Corn Lily (False Hellebore) - all parts: cardiotoxic; often fatal

Cowbane (Water Hemlock, Snakeweed) - root: neurotoxic if ingested

Daffodil - bulbs and stems: gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Datura/Moonflower - all parts: gastrotoxic and cardiotoxic

Deadly Nightshade (Belladonna) - all parts: cardiotoxic and neurotoxic; often fatal

Desert Rose (Sabi Star, Kudu) - sap: cardiotoxic with skin contact

Dumbcane - all parts: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

Elder (Elderberry) - root: gastrotoxic

Elephant Ear (Angel Wings) - all parts: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic

Ergot - neurotoxic 

Foxglove - leaves, seeds, and flowers: cardiotoxic; often fatal

Garlic - all parts: gastrotoxic in some animals

Giant Hogweed - all parts: dermatoxic

Golden Chain - all parts, especially seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Goldenseal - all parts: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic in large doses

Grapes/Raisins - all parts: gastrotoxic in dogs

Greater Celandine - all parts: gastrotoxic in large doses

Hemlock (Spotted Cowbane, Poison Snakeweed) - all parts: neurotoxic; possibly fatal

Hemlock Water Dropwort - roots: neurotoxic if ingested; possibly fatal

Henbane - all parts: neurotoxic and cardiotoxic

Holly - berries: gastrotoxic

Honeybush - all parts: gastrotoxic

Honeysuckle - berries: gastrotoxic in mild cases and cardiotoxic in severe cases

Horse Chestnut - all parts: neurotoxic

Hyacinth - bulbs: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic; possibly fatal

Iris - rhizomes: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic 

Jequirity (Crab’s Eye, Rosary Pea) - seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; often fatal

Kava Kava - nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic 

Kidney Bean - raw: gastrotoxic

Larkspur - young plants and seeds: neurotoxic; often fatal

Lemon - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic to animals  

Lily - all parts: nephrotoxic

Lily of the Nile (Calla Lily) - all parts: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested; possibly fatal

Lily of the Valley - all parts: cardiotoxic; possibly fatal

Lima Beans - raw: gastrotoxic

Lime - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic in animals

Lobelia - all parts: gastrotoxic 

Mandrake - roots and leaves: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic

Mango - peel and sap: dermatoxic

Mangrove - bark and sap: dermatoxic and eye irritation

Mayapple - all green parts and unripe fruit: gastrotoxic

Meadow Saffron (Autumn Crocus) - bulbs: gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Mistletoe - leaves and berries: gastrotoxic, cardiotoxic, and neurotoxic; rarely lethal in adults

Moonseed - fruits and seeds: gastrotoxic; often fatal

Mountain Laurel - all green parts: gastrotoxic

Nutmeg - raw: psychoactive in large doses

Oak - leaves and acorns: gastrotoxic; rarely fatal

Odollam Tree (Suicide Tree) - seeds: cardiotoxic; often fatal

Oleander - all parts: dermatoxic, cardiotoxic, and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Onions - all parts: gastrotoxic in animals

Orange - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic in animals

Peach - seeds and leaves: cytotoxic in large doses

Pokeweed - raw leaves, berries, and roots: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic; often fatal

Poison Ivy/Oak/Sumac - all parts, especially leaves: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

Poison Ryegrass (Darnel) - seeds: neurotoxic

Potato - raw: cytotoxic

Privet - berries and leaves: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

Ragwort - all parts: hepatotoxic

Redoul - all parts: gastrotoxic, neurotoxic, and causes respiratory issues; can be fatal in children

Rhubarb - leaves: nephrotoxic

Skullcap - hepatotoxic

Spindle (Spindle Tree) - fruit: hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic; possibly fatal  

Stinging Tree (Gympie Gympie) - bark and sap: dermatoxic; sometimes fatal

Strychnine Tree - seeds: neurotoxic; often fatal

Sweet Pea - seeds: neurotoxic and damaging to connective tissues

Tomato - leaves and stems: cytotoxic in large doses

Uva Ursi - neurotoxic, dermatoxic 

White Baneberry (Doll’s Eyes) - all parts, especially berries: cardiotoxic; possibly fatal

White Snakeroot - all parts: gastrotoxic; often fatal

Winter Cherry (Jerusalem Cherry) - all parts, especially berries: gastrotoxic; occasionally fatal, especially to children

Wisteria - gastrotoxic

Yew (English Yew, Common Yew) - leaves and seeds: gastrotoxic if ingested and respiratory issues if inhaled

definitions of terms used in this list: 

carcinogenic - a substance that can cause cancer

cardiotoxic - toxic to the heart 

cytotoxic - toxic to living cells

dermatoxic - toxic to the skin

gastrotoxic - toxic to the gastrointestinal system (stomach, intestines, etc.)

hepatotoxic - toxic to the liver

nephrotoxic - toxic to the kidneys and urological system (ureters, bladder)

neurotoxic - toxic to the neurological system (brain, nerves, brainstem, spinal cord, etc.)

psychoactive - pertaining to substances that change brain function and result in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness

last updated: 6-29-2016

Save The Date : 2019.

Full Moon Dates.

🌕 Full moon : Jan 21

🌕 Full moon : Feb 19

🌕 Full moon : Mar 20

🌕 Full moon : Apr 19

🌕 Full moon : May 18

🌕 Full moon : Jun 17

🌕 Full moon : Jul 16

🌕 Full moon : Aug 15

🌕 Full moon : Sep 14

🌕 Full moon : Oct 13

🌕 Full moon : Nov 12

🌕 Full moon : Dec 12

Sabbat Festivals.

🕯 Imbolc - Candlemas : Feb 1

🌸 Ostara - Vernal Equinox : Mar 20

🔥 Beltane - Mid Spring : May 1

☀️ Litha - Summer Solstice : Jun 24

🌾 Lammas - Harvest Festival : Aug 1

🍁 Mabon - Autumnal Equinox : Sep 21

🎃 Samhain - All Hallows’ Eve : Oct 31

❄️ Yule - Winter Solstice : Dec 21

Celestial Signs.

♑️ Capricorn : Dec 22 - Jan 19

♒️ Aquarius : Jan 20 - Feb 18

♓️ Pisces : Feb 19 - Mar 20

♈️ Aries : Mar 21 - Apr 19

♉️ Taurus : Apr 20 - May 20

♊️ Gemini : May 21 - Jun 20

♋️ Cancer : Jun 21 - Jul 22

♌️ Leo : Jul 23 - Aug 22

♍️ Virgo : Aug 23 - Sep 22

♎️ Libra : Sep 23 - Oct 22

♏️ Scorpio : Oct 23 - Nov 21

♐️ Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21

Fluffy Bunnies

C&P’d from Wicca for The Rest of Us

http://wicca.cnbeyer.com/fluffy.shtml

Willow: Talk. All talk. ‘Blah, blah, Gaia. Blah, blah, moon. Menstrual life-force power thingy.’ Buffy: No actual witches in your witch group? Willow: No. Bunch of wanna blessed be’s. Nowadays every girl with a henna tattoo and a spice rack thinks she’s a sister to the dark ones.

Q: How many New Agers does it take to change a light bulb? A: (Waaayyy too perky) We don’t use light bulbs, we just think happy thoughts at our quartz crystals and they glow.

Fluffy Bunnies, Insta-witches, McWiccans, One-Book Witches, Wicclets, and Whitelighters: these are those people who, most broadly categorized, give the rest of us a bad name, not by doing bad or objectionable things but instead being unserious, sophomoric, or just plain wrong. Wiccans will say that everyone is allowed to follow their own beliefs, and that any form of belief, whether another person agrees with it or not, counts as religion, and I agree. However, it does not necessarily make the practitioner a member of my religion, and I for one would prefer for them to stop embarrassing the rest of us with their antics.

The primary definition of a Fluffy Bunny is one who refuses to learn, refuses to think, and refuses to consider the possibility that they could possibly ever be wrong. Generall, they find one book, author or website and follow it as if it were the holy word, frequently denouncing anything that disagrees with it as obviously false. Fluffy Bunnies rarely get past the defense of “Because [insert favorite author here] says so.” Sometimes they don’t even get that far, responding to any and all criticism with something like, “You’re just trying to persecute me!”

When I speak of Fluffy Bunnies, I do NOT mean those who disagree with me. Lots of people disagree with me. People I respect sometimes disagree with me. I respect them because they have actual reasons for their beliefs and are willing to consider the opinions of others - but just because they consider my opinion does not mean they are required to agree. Blindly agreeing with me is just as fluffy as blindly agreeing with the author of the week.

Likewise, being a newcomer to Wicca does NOT make one a Fluffy Bunny. All of us were new to this at one point in our lives. Moreover, having bad information does not make one a Bunny. There’s still a lot of bad information available in books and websites, and if that is the first information you find, how can you know it’s bad? There’s only a problem when one stubbornly refuses to question that original information regardless of the mountains of contradictory evidence put before them.

Fluffy Bunnies are frequently attracted to Wicca for the sake of appearance. This includes those who:

Are into Wicca to upset their parents and just plain “be different”. This generally occurs during the teenage years, but its amazing how many of the Fluffy Bunnies never really grow out of this stage.

Think black clothes and huge pentagrams are appropriate Wiccan dress. You’re allowed to wear anything you want. If goth’s your thing, so be it. But those who dress that way do so out of personal choice, not because of their religion. Author Laurie Cabot is the absolute worst, dressing day to day in a long black robe which she describes as “traditional Wiccan garb.” And before you load yourself down with ten pounds of silver pentagrams, imagine a Christian wearing an equivalent amount of religious jewelry. I think we’d all find that truly obnoxious.

Believe the God and/or Goddess are an embodiment of love and want nothing but what’s best for us. For a religion that has no embodiment of evil, how in the name of balance can our gods be dedicated to good and benevolence? The world that these gods are a part of exists in a state of equilibrium. Things live and things die. It is necessary, but it is not benevolent.

Think picking up one book on Wicca ever makes them Wiccan. No one possesses the Divine and Ultimate Truth. Wiccans are seekers, and everything you read helps you further develop and understand your faith. You’re not going to agree with everything you read, and that’s fine. You should allow yourself the opportunity to choose what you accept and what you do not. One book does not allow you to do that, and if you never put that information to use, then it doesn’t matter if you have read a thousand books. Just reading books makes you student of the subject of Wicca. Wiccans actually practice and live by Wicca.

Think speaking a few words out of a book over a candle is how one makes magic. An entire library of books will not allow you to practice magic on their own. Magic involves belief, focus, practice, and serious intention. It also involves responsibility and a healthy dose of common sense. One class on magic at the local new-age store does not bestow mad majickkal skilz.

Preach that Wicca is all “goodness and light”. The corollary to this is the exclamation of “So-and-so couldn’t have done that. She’s Wiccan!” Like everyone else in the world, we are not saints.

Other things to look out for:

Claims that Wicca is a “woman-thing”. Both genders are equally welcome, which some women find to be a positive change from previous religious experiences, but Wicca is not about femininity. Some people will even say being a woman is the only reason they are a Wiccan. Wicca is a religion, not a political movement. For more on this, read Goddess Worshippers.

Those who took up Wicca to spite their Christian upbringing. We are not against any religion. Moreover, most of the accusations leveled at Christians in the name of Wicca were never committed against Wiccans, if indeed they were committed at all.

Overly ostentatious ceremonial tools. I have found that, in general, the more flashy (or even gaudy) the tools, the more interested the Wiccan is in appearances over any actual religion.

Liberal advertisement of titles or degrees. Since each coven is autonomous, the titles bestowed by one may mean quite a bit within the coven or even within the Tradition, but they don’t mean squat to the rest of us. High Priestess So-and-so could be presiding over an entire coven of fluffy bunnies for all you know, while solitaries, no matter how well-learned, have not had the chance to have any titles bestowed upon them. Likewise, some covens denote their High Priest and High Priestess by the titles of “Lord” and “Lady.” This means quite a bit within a Tradition, but is pretentious outside of it. If nothing else, we have no way of knowing who honestly earned that title and who has just tacked “Lord” or ‘Lady" to the front of their name. If someone has honestly earned that title, it should be evident in their knowledge, not in their titles

Quoting Margaret Murray. This woman’s writing is the basis of a lot of our supposed history. The problem is her work was debunked decades ago and the only people who take her seriously are some Wiccans and Pagans, including some very influential writers. For more information, see Murray’s Unlikely History.

Users of “White Magic”. This term makes no sense. It’s most often used by those who swear up and down that witchcraft is not evil and was in fact only called evil by the Church as part of a smear campaign. If that’s the case, then why the clarification? The existence of white magic implies an existence in black magic. The simple fact is that magic, like any tool, is neither good nor evil, although it can be used toward either purpose.

Odd spellings of magic. While some people have specific reasons for speaking of magick, a great many users of this term are simply looking for attention. It doesn’t prove you’re more knowledgable. It just shows you can’t spell. More extreme Fluffies will even speak of “majick” or (good grief) “majik”. For more on why strange letters get added to “magic”, check out Magic.

find earth in my mouth and rust in my seams. just shroud me in grasses and set me to dream. gone are my days in the suns golden beams, but don’t worry– I’ll never forget how to gleam. 

Flower Magick

Geranium- heals domestic conflict and trouble in the workplace, for first or new love, money

Hyacinth- self esteem, rebuilding trust after betrayal, domestic happiness, increasing radiance, attracting beauty 

Jasmine- powerful love, sacred sex, optimism

Lavender- love, self-love, fertility, happiness, health, guards against cruelty and spite, all healing, anti stress and addiction 

Marigold- positive energy, protects against the night and domestic matters, resolution of justice and legal matters, love and commitment 

Rose- Love and reconciliation, self esteem; healing the young, old and abused; attracting money, fertility, (Pink=New love, Red=commitment, Yellow=Love in later years, White=Secret love)

Orchid- Love, Fertility 

Daisies- Lust, Luck, Protection 

Dandelion- Divination, wishes, calling spirits

I don’t know why, but moonbathing like this does seem to make it easier to understand myself.

More than 400 years after Galileo Galilei discovered the first of Jupiter’s moons, astronomers have found a dozen more — including one they’ve dubbed “oddball” — orbiting the planet. That brings the total number of Jovian moons to 79.

The team of astronomers originally wasn’t even looking for the 12 new moons. Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science says he and his colleagues had been trying to track down a giant planet they think may be lurking at the outer reaches of our solar system.

As part of that search, Sheppard was using the 4-meter Víctor Blanco Telescope in Chile in March of last year and realized that Jupiter was right near the part of the sky he wanted to search.

“So we could also search for Jupiter moons while looking for things that are well beyond Pluto,” Sheppard says.

Galileo Would Be Stunned: Jupiter Now Has 79 Moons

Image by Roberto Molar Candanosa, courtesy of Carnegie Institution for Science