blackthornwren

[blackthornwren]

[blackthornwren]

a suneater for solstice

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"If you get stabbed, save the knife for me, won't you?"

Watching the 10th Kingdom is just as much a holiday tradition for me as The Hogfather at this point.

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So I’m re-reading Hogfather

As it’s my holiday tradition, and I’m really struck by the parts that don’t get discussed as much as others. People online quote the hell out of the section where Death and Susan talk about the nature of belief, about how mercy does not naturally exist in the universe, and so on, but the part of Hogfather which has always resonated with me the most, and is the most important part of the story comes immediately before that section.

Susan saves the Hogfather from the Auditors, thereby literally saving Christmas, but more importantly, she ensures the safety of the Sun:

***

“Thank you. Now … tell me …”

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HADN’T SAVED HIM?

“Yes! The sun would have risen just the same, yes?”

NO.

“Oh, come on. You can’t expect me to believe that. It’s an astronomical fact.”

THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN.

She turned on him.

“It’s been a long night, Grandfather! I’m tired and I need a bath! I don’t need silliness!”

THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN.

“Really? Then what would have happened, pray?”

A MERE BALL OF FLAMING GAS WOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED THE WORLD.

***

Because the two ARE NOT THE SAME. This passage, as a pagan, is incredibly meaningful. The Sun is more than a flaming ball of gas. Susan saved the Hogfather, but she also ensured that the winter Solstice happened properly, the world passed safely through the longest, darkest night, and saw the Sun rise, heralding the return of Light.

How any pagan could miss this and instead focus on grinding the Universe down in search of a single atom of mercy is utterly beyond me.

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"...her name comes from the Greek word ‘bárbaros’, meaning both ‘stranger’ and ‘babbler’; someone who spoke in a language that couldn’t be understood. The Early Christians would sometimes call themselves ‘barbarians’ to differentiate themselves from the occupying powers of their lands. She is with the people of Palestine and Lebanon as they stand against Occupation. She is with the badger hiding from the cull. She was with the miners on the picket lines. She is the sun of human and other-than-human dignity waiting to be reborn from the darkness of Empire and Capitalism. She is the spark in the dark..."

see also: #article, #saint barbara

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tumblr discourse after 13 years on this fucking website

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the intersection of pop psychology, self help, and witchcraft has a lot of people making very good money telling people you should never ever ever use witchcraft as a form of witchcraft.

[blackthornwren]

Magic of the Sweet Cake: Sorcery to Do Harm

This recipe is fairly unknown, for it belongs to the latest letter sent by Lady Michaella das Chagas, but many people have used it and obtained excellent results.

Whoever takes a wheat flower cake, which was made with honey, cider, sweet lime peel, and places this in the armpit of the left arm, very well tied and pressed, so as to absorb the sweat, for seven days and feeds this to any person, can achieve anything they desire. 

During this seven day period however, you should pray every morning the following prayer to Saint Lucia, so as she may free us from all evil when we see this person. 

Oh Saint Lucia Who heals the eyes Free me from the dangers Night and day; Oh Saint Lucia Blessed be For being blessed In heaven thou rests

Prevention: only in extreme cases should this magic be performed for Saint Albertus Minor says that, after the bewitched person dies, they will appear in the late hours of the night to whomever gave them the cake, and with such insistency that, only after having three masses prayed for them will they no longer appear.

-From the Opuscula Cypriani: Variations on the Book of Saint Cyprian and Related Literature. Jose Leitao. Page 676.

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Joy Sullivan, from Instructions for Traveling West: Poems; “Of Wildflowers”

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Modranicht Prayer

Wise Mothers of years long past, we honor your death and remember you. Bless you for your powerful gift of creation, for without you we would not be. I honor the Mothers of Blood, those who branch prolifically in our family trees. I honor the Mothers of Spirit, those who inspire us through connection of the heart. I honor the Mothers of Bones, those native peoples who walked this land before me. I pray for your guidance. Mothers I know, and Mothers I do not, help me remember your lessons. Help me know when to fight, and when to walk away. Mothers' hands, Mothers' hearts, Mothers' voice, may you hold me safe against your bosom. May I do you justice in remembering you. Tonight, and always, may it be so.

[blackthornwren]

Me, smelling another witch with no obvious identifying features: "ah yes i am very perceptive"

Me when getting smelled by another witch when i have no obvious identifying features visible:

[blackthornwren]

can i ask for your advice? if not that's perfectly fine, i just appreciate you regardless because you've been one of my favorite bloggers on here for a while and i really trust you. i feel very intimidated by the mountain that is The Craft, and tbh i don't even know how to get the ball rolling. especially in regards to my interest in tradcraft, it seems like i need so so so many books and so many tools and i can't afford it, nor does the beachside town i live in offer much by way of "witchy" foraging. i feel like i'll be old and grey by the time i've learned enough and read enough and studied enough to cast my first spell, and even then i worry it won't be as "real" or "authentic" as the works of other witches. does that make sense? i just feel like i'll never be able to be "enough" of a true, authentic witch.

Hey there! First of all, thank you for the kind words, that's really sweet and was a welcome surprise after a hellish day ❤️

Second, I can tell you that we've all been there - and a lot of us are still there - with feeling like we just can't read or learn enough in the tiny lifespans we have. You're not alone!

Unfortunately, witchcraft of any flavor has sort of thrived on this weird contradiction of saying "all you need is you!" But also "here's this $300 trinket that you totally need if you ever want to be a real witch. Oh and buy my book, and take my masterclass, and don't forget to subscribe to my patreon." Ignore this, it's really easy to fall into this trap early on.

So you live near the beach? You can do a lot with the rocks and water and the spirits around you. And that's where I would start. Make offerings to your local spirits - you don't need to have anyone in particular in mind, they'll reach out more and be individual as the relationship builds. Keep an eye out for things that seem to come to you, and focus on working with what you have.

Books - I'll be honest, once you've read one tradcraft book, you've read most (if not all) of them. They've become the new Wicca 101 primers. Ultimately, they are another person's practices and methods laid out in an easily digestible format. You can take them or leave them, but what you really want is to find what resonates with you. Do the words and movements feel alive and electric, or do they fall flat? Look for that feeling and chase it.

Please feel free to dm if you want to discuss anything I've said here further. I hope you have a wonderful night!

[blackthornwren]

maybe if that united healthcare shooter knocks out 33 more CEOs he'll be up to 34 felonies and he can run for president...

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I knew poinsettias "faked" having big flowers by just turning some leaves red but I didn't know the real tiny flowers in the middle looked like such idiots

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Afternoon offering to Loki. Sponge cake, fresh strawberries and whipped cream.