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Pocket Altars and Travel Shrines

I, like many Hellenic Polytheists, or just pagans in general, have one large altar dedicated to the worship of my deities and the execution of various rituals. But I also know that for many that isn’t feasible, due to unapproving family, or even just lack of space or frequent travel and moving. This is a guide on how i assemble my smaller pocket alter that I bring with myself on any longer trips that i may go on than a day or two. Note, how I may do it is very different than you, and that is completely ok, these are just some suggestions.

This is the container I use to carry everything, the rubber band is very useful in making sure it doesn’t open up and spill, and the metal tin helps keep the contents protected. I also have many other repurposed altoid containers holding everything from erasers to bandaids, so a pocket shrine like this is very discreet.

This is what I see when i open it up…

… and these are all of the contents spread out. They fall into a few main categories, items for offerings, representatives of each of the gods I worship, and decoration. Going through each of the items one by one let’s start in the offerings category.

A simple bottle cap! I use this as a temporary offering bowl to hold libations or food or whatever i need.

A small incense stick and matchbook. These can be lit as on offering themselves or to prepare khernips. Next, are diety representations.

These I feel are all pretty simple so I’ll run through them all together. From top to bottom we have a horse statuette for Poseidon, a small yellow ribbon flower for Apollo, and a coin for Hermes. Finally, we have decor type items.

These start with a small assortment of crystals, (from top to bottom) obsidian, smokey quartz, quartz, and amethyst. These I only use during the occasional ritual, or when I am in a place long enough to set up a temporary altar.

And last but not least is my mini altar cloth with the bottle cap from earlier for scale. This I’ll often layout over the area if I set anything up.

Now, this is of course how I do the idea of a pocket altar, and it is suited entirely to my lifestyle and needs. Being that, I can have a large main altar at my house, and when I travel I usually stop in a location for multiple days before moving on. If you need this to be your main altar set-up, design it so it doesn’t need to be assembled, maybe glue pictures of your deity(/ies) to the lid of the tin and simply set the offerings inside the container. If you’re really worried about disapproving family, try instead an e-shrine! But remember, the most important part about you and how you worship, is that you do what feels best to you! Just be creative and try new things out!

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hestia  /ˈhɛstiə /  the goddess of the hearth, family and home. “this old house she’s quite the keeper. quite the keeper of you.”

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🌟Tips for interpreting Tarot🌟

1. The most important clues may be in the background! 

In the Rider Waite Smith deck, many cards show a figure with a number of significant items behind his or her back. What happens behind one’s back is, for oneself, something unseen, shadowy, something to which one has no conscious access. This could point to the idea that the figure in the foreground is unaware of the nature or scope of their issues. You can’t grasp what you cannot see, and that can reveal a lot about the nature of the card’s meaning.

2. The color of the sky reveals a lot!

Again referencing the Rider Waite Smith deck, the color of the sky on a given card often leads to a simple but important clue for its interpretation.

3. Pay close attention to proportions!

In the image of the Four of Wands, the figures are depicted much smaller than is the case in other images; they fall short. Or perhaps they are of normal height and are painted so small in order to emphasize the comparatively huge size of the wands. This sort of thing can be found in many other cards. 

4. Court cards represent developed personalities or facets of oneself!

The Queen: impulsive, an initiator, an investigator (water type)

The King: thorough, intensive, consolidating (fire type)

The Knight: magnifying, expanding, a drawer of consequences (air type)

The Page: makes something tangible out of or with the element in question (earth type)

4. Pay attention to numbers!

Numerology can play a big role in your interpretations of the cards, especially in the Minor Arcana:

Ones (Aces): Something new with vast potential is indicated when you have many aces in your readings. They are pure energy without form - and it depends on you to shape it and bring the opportunities that they represent into fruition. Because they are raw, they are also unstable, and can very quickly overwhelm if not taking care.

Twos: Coming together in pairs is the theme of the twos, and all the complexities that this union represents. We leave the individuality of the ones, and the twos are a taste of union. 

Threes: Group dynamics rule the threes in the tarot, and they depict different outcomes that can occur when a group comes together - whether they are groups of individuals, or groups of ideas. Because it is also symbolically thought of as completion (the first polygon, the holy trinity, etc) it also indicates an initial completion of a first phase of some sort.

Fours: The fours usually indicate that some foundation has been created and is ready to grow and evolve. To grow and evolve is the key here, because though the foundation is created, there is some disappointment indicated sometimes because things may not have progressed entirely as hoped for - thus, the fours are also the universe’s way of pushing us to grow and move forward.

Fives: Change, fluctuations and conflict are represented by the fives. After the fours, the fives are amplifications of that same energy. When that energy explodes, the fives ask us to look within ourselves for a deeper reason of why to progress. To move forward and beyond these instabilities, we have to push forward.

Sixes: While the fives represent conflict, the sixes represent the movement away from that conflict into a solution, whether they are internal or external, whether that means reconciliation or letting go. They are the cards of overcoming suffering, light after the dark.

Sevens: When seeing many sevens in a reading it usually indicates that it is a time to step back and introspect. The sevens ask us to assess, and reevaluate whether the path that you are taking is what is best for you. Sometimes this is a lonely pursuit, but this period is needed to go forward with your authentic desires.

Eights: A completion of a second phase is indicated with the eights, and usually corresponds to some sort of achievement, whether in the worldly sense, or in an emotional sense. Growth either way is indicated here, and sometimes it can take place in a form where we least expected it.

Nines: Nearing completion is indicated by the nines, and this can take the form of entering a plateau of some sort. What looks like the finish line, may actually be just a transitory stage. While the feeling of completion is here, it is usually just a pause before the final part of the cycle comes.

Tens: In the tens, we see the actual completion of the cycle, that something has come to a full circle - it indicates that from this point forward, we can move towards a new beginning.  ✨🔮✨ Sources: Biddytarot, The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot by Johannes Fiebig and Evelin Burger, Understanding Tarot by Liz Dean

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Ace/Aro Protection Sigil 

I am safe and protected from A-Phobes 

Ingredients to make the corresponding sigil powder:

fennel

bay laurel 

mugwort

rosemary 

black pepper

cinnamon

nettle

Instructions on how to craft sigil powders can be found here.

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Summer Witchcraft

Some tips for witchy things to do in the summer. Feel free to add! I also have two about fall witchcraft part 1 & part 2

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🌻 Meditate outside. Stay in the shade so you don’t get sunburned

🌻 Carry around a water bottle, stay hydrated! Infuse your drinking water with moon water for a boost

🌻 Carry a waterproof talisman (crystal, necklace, ring etc) so it won’t get damaged if you’re at the beach

🌻 Say a prayer to your water deities when swimming in a lake/river/the ocean

🌻 Gather seashells, leaves, stones, and other things for your altar. Remember not to harm nature! It can be nice to change your altar from time to time, one can decorate with yellows, oranges and golds during the summer. Or maybe some plants?

🌻 Gather water, sand etc for spells

🌻 Have a picnic

🌻 Take a walk in a nearby forest, get closer to nature

🌻 Practice sensing energy by meditating or focusing on clairvoyance while you’re on a walk in nature

🌻 Have a bonfire and burn bay leaves with sigils, pray to fire deities, or just dance and enjoy yourself. Remember to be careful while practicing fire magic outside! It can get hot and dry in the summer and we want to avoid accidents

🌻 Draw sigils in the sand at the beach or make them out of sticks, rocks, seashells etc

🌻 Leave offerings for your deities. If you do so outside, which is likely, make sure it’s degradable!

🌻 Spend time with loved ones

🌻 Create your own spells or chants

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And perhaps most important: relax. If you’re on summer break you should relax, take a break. If you want to go out and hike, that’s great! If you want to watch Netflix and sleep, that’s fine, too. Just remember to stay healthy, go out once in a while, and do what makes you happy!

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Hello witches!

The witchblrdex is a new witchcraft directory blog dedicated to helping witches find each other based on interests and practices, as well as popular search categories, country of residence, religion, age, and more! 

While there are other directories out there, most of them are no longer active, are filled with inactive links, don’t have comprehensive categories, or are bogged down with non-directory posts. Our goal is to provide the most complete listing possible, in as many categories as possible, so we can find each other more easily. 

Currently, the directory is empty. Please spread this post around and submit your blog if you are interested in being listed! The submission form can be found here as well as in the sidebar.

New directory listings will be posted as separate entries to the blog so that we can tag them and make each entry searchable, as well as introduce new members of the community.

Our ask is open, so please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. 

Thank you! <3

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Faunwand’s Wildcraft Tarot Deck 🌿 

First part: Suit of Pentacles. 

I made the whole deck with real plants; leaves, herbs, flowers, roots and reindeer moss. Backside: Real tree bark.

Instagram

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🌒🌕🌘

Credits: instagram.com/thewitchandthegoddess

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Book of Shadows pages 11-14/?

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Sometimes your gods know exactly what you need even if you don’t want it.

Haven’t made a comic in a while, but I’m still around for the most part.

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GATHERING MULTIPLICITY

One who descends from the root of roots to the form of forms must walk in multiplicity. One who ascends from the form of forms to the root of roots must gather the multiplicity, for the highest form unites them all, and the root extends through every form that arises from it at any time. When the forms are destroyed, the root is not destroyed. – The Essential Kabbalah by Daniel C. Matt, p.117 Yggrasil is a shamanic glyph which represents the macrocosm (the universe both subtle and material) and the microcosm (the human body). the tree glyph itself in all cultures represents the path the shaman takes, from the roots, embedded in matter, up the trunk and into the branches and the stars, to the rarified spiritual spheres and beyond, to unite with godhead itself. – The Dragon Legacy by Nicholas de Vere, p.124

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Rosemary, Lavender, and Thyme.

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Book of Shadows page 10/?

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Witchy Sleepover Ideas

A bunch of fun witchy activities that can be done with friends at sleepovers or when just hanging out.

Cleanse the house using salt or incense, good thing to do before anything else witchy

Turn a recipe for food or baked goods into a magical one and make it together

Decorate cookies or cupcakes with sigils that will activate when you eat them

Make flower crowns with fresh or fake flowers

Practice tea magick and then give each other readings from the leaves (tasseography)

Practice palm reading on each other

Do some tarot readings, oracle readings or other cartomancy techniques especially if everyone brings their own deck

Get some rounded wood pieces and some paints and make yourself some homemade simple runes

Practice knot magick by making each other friendship bracelets

Use beading supplies and charms to make other types of jewelry with intent corresponding with the colors, shapes, and charms of the jewelry and then enchant them to make them even more magickal

Make your own poppets with cloth, stuffing, rice, buttons and other ingredients to be used for positive purposes such as self love

Enchant each other’s favorite plushies or stuffed animals

Make homemade bath bombs, salts, and/or bath potions

Do each other’s make up hiding sigils in it and/or practicing glamours

Do each other’s nails using color magick, sigils, and other symbols

Make homemade magickal candles

Watch witchy movies!

Decorate binders to make unique new grimoires using paper, glitter, stickers, felt and other materials

Work out each other’s natal charts 

Practice group energy work and aura reading

If everyone is comfortable make a homemade custom Ouija Board/Spirit Board and use it (please note that only do this if everyone is emotionally ready and before I get backlash for suggesting this check out @theouijagirl‘s blog)

Make homemade wands using crystals, beads, wires, and paint

Make pendulums or dowsing rods

Make sachet or jar spells for one another or together

Write a brand new spell!

Listen to music and use lyrics to write spells, incantations or chants

Do witchy arts and crafts like enchanted flower pots using sigils, rock charms, witch’s ladders, pine cone/acorn charms, acorn/seashell candles, ceremony/ritual masks, jewelry, sensory bottles/jars, enchanted slime, witch’s web, offering bowls, etc

Make a camp or bonfire and burn some (safe to burn) herbs (practice fire safety and only do this if you have a safe place to make a fire)

Soap making/carving

Make collages of things that make you feel witchy to put into your grimoires

Work on grimoires together and make custom pages, calenders, charts, illustrations, pressings, etc

Use erasers and x-acto knives (carefully) to make custom stamps of sigils, animals, words, etc

Dream interpretation the next morning

Make witchy tea and coffee together

Have fun!

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Moons n Holidays 2019

*if the exact time of the new/full moon is past midnight and thus technically in the next day I’ve put the previous day’s date so you know which evening to be prepping your rituals etc*

January

5th: New Moon in Capricorn

20th: Full Wolf Moon in Cancer->Leo (Blood Moon Eclipse)

February

1st: Imbolc

4th: New Moon in Aquarius

18th: Full Snow Moon in Leo->Virgo

March

5th: New Moon in Pisces

20th: Ostara - Vernal Equinox

and Full Worm Moon in Virgo->Libra

April

4th: New Moon in Aries

18th: Full Pink Moon in Libra->Scorpio

May

1st: Beltane

4th: New Moon in Taurus

18th: Full Flower Moon in Scorpio->Sagittarius

June

2nd: New Moon in Gemini

17th: Full Strawberry Moon in Sagittarius->Capricorn

21st: Litha - Summer Solstice

July

2nd: New Moon in Cancer

16th: Full Buck Moon in Capricorn

31st: New Moon in Cancer->Leo (Black Moon)

August

1st: Lughnasadh

14th: Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius->Pisces

29th: New Moon in Virgo

September

13th: Full Corn Moon in Pisces

23rd: Mabon - Autumnal Equinox

28th: New Moon in Virgo->Libra

October

13th: Full Hunter’s Moon in Aries

27th: New Moon in Libra->Scorpio

31st: Samhain

November

11th: Full Beaver Moon in Taurus

25th: New Moon in Scorpio->Sagittarius

December

11th: Full Cold Moon in Gemini

21st: Yule - Winter Solstice

25th: New Moon in Sagittarius->Capricorn

sources:

Phases of the Moon app

PaganCentric

The Old Farmers Almanac

Sky & Telescope

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tips for giving off

big witch energy

crystals in your pocket

softly chuckle to yourself while staring into a strangers eyes like you know

dirt

talk to plants you walk by

nod at passing cats like old friends

when someone offers a hand to shake look at their palm instead and sigh deeply

rocks

stare at the sun stare right at it you coward

use a cauldron to cook all meals

…sage