bitchywitchypan

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The Seven African Powers & Who They Really Are.

The Seven African Powers are a common spiritual force that people petition within Santeria but there is a common misconception that's been going around about who they are and how they function. If you visit any botanica (spiritual shop) you’ll find candles that look like the image above claiming to be 7 African Powers candle. Along with other spiritual supplies that claim the same thing.

Who are these powers is the question:

The image above shows a collection of seven different saints: Our Lady of Mercy, The Virgin of Regla, Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, Saint Barbara, Saint Joseph of Arimathea, Saint John the Baptist, and Jesus on the Cross in the center. Under each saint image is the name of one of the Orishas. The name Olofi is under the image of Jesus. The images of saint are linked together with a metal chain along with 7 of Ogun’s tools hanging from the bottom.

Because of the image to the right, most people mistakenly think that the Seven African Powers are the orishas: Elegua, Ogun, Orula, Chango, Oshun, Yemaya and Obatala. But how did this come about?

Who really are the Seven African Powers if they aren’t the Orishas? Can anyone work with the Seven African Powers or is it limited to initiates of Santeria practice only?

The Syncretization Of The Orishas:

With the individual Catholic saints isn’t that unusual but the grouping of these particular Orishas together is what makes it unique. Well Santerismo developed out of Puerto Rican Espiritismo (Spiritualism) blended with Orisha worship outside of a Lucumí practice. In Santerismo it is common for spiritualist mediums to become possessed by Catholic saints referring to themselves by the names of the Orishas. Santerismo took its roots in the Puerto Rican community in New York City in the 1950’s.

Santerismo is NOT Santeria:(Lucumí/Lukumi). Santerismo is a spiritualist tradition open to revelation while Santeria is an initiatory religion.

But the spiritualists in Santerismo didn’t understand the difference and they assumed they were the Orishas. The images of seven Catholic saints put together in a manner dedicated to the Seven African Powers but that didn’t come about until the 1970’s and 80’s and the Espiritismo tradition’s influences.

Who the Seven African Powers Really Are:

They are Spirit Guides they are spirits of the dead from the seven different African tribes that were brought to Cuba.

When a person speaks of the Seven African Powers they refer to a group of 7 different spirits, one from each of the following tribes: Yoruba, Congo, Takua, Kissi, Calabari, Arará, and Mandika. A person who has a connection with the Seven African Powers will have one spirit guide from each of these tribes unique to him. The importance of the drum as a tool to call down the Orishas.

The Seven African Powers are called upon for help with spiritual evolution, overcoming obstacles, and personal power. Anyone can petition the Seven African Powers as they are spirit guides and everyone, initiated or not, have access to spirits of the dead for their guidance. (They can be petitioned by lighting vigil candles that are of 7 colors, or using 7 different candles of different colors.) It is also traditional to tie strips of cloth or handkerchiefs of seven different colors in a bundle. By whirling this bundle of loose multicolored cloth in the air over your head, as you call the Seven African Powers and petition them for help. Can can also work with your own spirit guides as well.

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Crystal/Gemstone magic uses infographic, part one. [Part two] [Part three] [Crystal care]

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This tumblr honors the African traditional religions that found new ways to survive as as a form of resistance, resilience, and ingenuity during the Atlantic slave trade within the African diaspora in South America, the Caribbean and North America.

Instagram.com/hoodoogardens ✨

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Cuban priestess of Lucumi

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Remember even in the darkest times you are never alone

The spirits, your ancestors, and the Orishas themselves walk beside you

With them by your side nothing can block your path for long

Ashe

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greek mythology: melinoe

goddess of ghosts, bringer of nightmares and madness

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“When witches don’t fight, we burn.”

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Botanical Glassware // Conscious By Em

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I love being able to stock neat collector's pieces like these!

Orthoclase feldspar with aegerine and smoky quartz from Malawi.

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Astrology Observations!

hey, this is my first time posting something on here! :D these are obviously just my observations, they don’t have to apply to everyone, also take into consideration that other placements/aspects can change everything, you should look at your natal chart as a whole!

  ☆ its true, cancer mars always start crying when they’re mad, they also tend to victimize themselves very fast, when they’re underdeveloped… ☆ in my experience capricorn/libra mercuries easily analyze people (subconsciously) and then adjust the way they speak and act in order to get along with everyone ☆ aquarius suns always have messy rooms, but they kind of appreciate the chaos? like they don’t mind having a messy room ☆ scorpio risings look so mean/unapproachable most of the time? idk why, my best friend has a scorpio rising and everyone always thinks she’s mean/doesnt like anyone ☆ ascendant square uranus/pluto are always so mean and they don’t even notice it? like they’re saying such hurtful things and if you point it out they’re just like ‘i’m just being honest bro’ ☆ cancer moons have really round facial features, like a soft nose, round lips, round eyebrows etc.

☆ fire risings are HAIRY, like their hair & eyebrows are thick, they have lots of arm hairs etc. (especially leo risings) ☆ i noticed that mercury in leo/5th house often talk really loudly without noticing it ☆ mars in retrograde often have a problem managing their anger, as soon as something bothers them they kind of explode ☆ venus in capricorn LOVE the dark academia aesthetic

☆ venus in aries act immediately when they see someone they like, they’re the type to approach their crush without hesitating ☆ women with cancer in big three often have a really feminine, curvy body

[bitchywitchypan]

So I'm feeling a little down and very low energy, and writing and helping brings me joy, so here's some "it's far too overcast and cold for me to be mentally well" witch ideas:

Light incense. Don't visualize or do magic. Light it up and say, "yay, I like incense."

Make tea. Sloosh it around in your mug a little. Say, "it's just like the ocean." Drink the ocean.

If you are a little cold, say, "I manifest warmth." Go find a bigger, cozier sweater or a blankie. Get warm. Your spell has manifested. You are magic.

Find some of your clickity clackity rocks. Make a crystal grid of no more than three rocks. No matter what grid you make, the intent is, "I have just done a productivity." When you are done, your spell has simultaneously been cast and become manifest.

Wash one dish. Look at it and know that it loves you. You and the dish are friends now.

Imagine what kind of cat you would like to have, if you did want a (new) cat. Think about its appearance and personality. Give it a name. It is now your thoughtform. Enjoy.

Watch that one Netflix show you've been saving forever for a time when you're ready to focus. Do or do not focus. When you are done watching the show, say, "I knew it."

[bitchywitchypan]

The Year Ahead Tarot Spread!

✨ Cleanse your deck of any past readings and anyone else’s energy from those readings. This can be done with herbs, selenite, or even incense. (Counter clockwise motions remove energy.)

✨ Protect yourself, however you feel so inclined. I typically say a little mantra and put on a piece of labradorite jewelry.

✨ Start by shuffling your deck 7 times. (Once for each day of the week.) Make sure you are asking your deck and your guides about what 2022 has in store for you during this process and as you pull.

✨ Now lay out 13 cards total, saying what each card is for as you pull them. You are choosing one card for each of the 12 months, and a 13th in the middle for the overall feel of your year.

If you aren’t able to read tarot yourself, I do offer these detailed spreads in my Etsy shop. Here is a discount code for 10% off: ‘THANKS10’

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“2022 will be full of love laughter happiness good fortune and peace and prosperity and abundance for all”

🔮2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ ✨ 🌹💗😆 🌅🍀☮️💰💵💶💷💴🤑🍇 🔮

Likes to charge

Reblogs to cast

[bitchywitchypan]

House Guardian

House Guardians help keep wayward negative energies from accumulating too quickly or from “sticking” from day to day activities. They do not, however, stop massive amounts of it from being brought in.

Materials:

River stone that catches your eye and “feels right” (can be a land stone, any color but preferably you have a stock of these things you have picked up and can pick the one that your guard symbol can stand out on)

pen or brush (I prefer a short quill as you can see from the photo)

Black ink (Normally I have some ink I’ve made from fire ash but I haven’t had the chance to restock yet, so India Ink it is!)

Process:

Your House Guardian is going to essentially be your security guard, so treat it accordingly. 

As you pick out your stone, feel its energy. If it seems to resonate with a particular frequency that you associate with masculine or feminine, or if the stone outright says it refuses to be referred to in such a manner, give it that dignity. Most stones are neutral in that regard but “identifying” a stone in such a way only helps in naming and building a relationship. Every stone is different.

This process can take a long time, so don’t expect to get it done in a half hour. With this particular stone pictured above, I have been working at building a connection for a few months (and asked permission for it to be a part of this post). Over this time it has let me know what to call it, how to treat it, and what “face” it was comfortable with displaying. Sometimes a stone won’t tolerate a face but a symbol, sigil, glyph, sometimes a word in a certain language, sometimes even random squiggles or nothing at all. The stone will let you know.

The important thing to remember is that stones are OLD. They’re made up of millions of tiny dust particles that have traveled on the wind and water, been buried and compressed under immeasurable amounts of pressure, melted and “frozen” throughout the life-age of the Earth. They are parts of a larger whole broken off and slowly eroding away again to start that cycle anew. Essentialy they are the Earth’s “blood.” They’ve been through so much more than any of us can imagine and carry with them a steadfast stubbornness that has allowed their spirits to persist for so long. 

Being labeled and used as a House Guardian is hardly a lasting moment for them, but aside from that… and like a security guard they might divulge a few old war stories or open up about the state of things in the Hidden World. Just keep in mind as well that what they may share is not often comprehensible by humans….and is said VERY slowly.

When you’ve given it a face (literally or metaphorically) you’ve also more than likely been given suggestions on where your House Guardian would prefer to be stationed, now that it knows what you want out of the relationship as well.

Be it on a windowsill, in a forgotten corner of your home, buried in a flowerpot or in the yard somewhere, even in a purse or messenger bag (should they be a rolling stone ^w^). 

At this point the “process” is little more than suggestions as each stone reacts differently to different people and different situations it is asked to guard within and against. Listen to your chosen stone and come to a compromise that works for you both and don’t be afraid to chose another stone if the one you are currently working with just isn’t working out (generally if it’s been a year you know for sure the stone does not want to be a House Guardian).

[bitchywitchypan]

Haiiiiiirrrrrrrrr 💗💙