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happy autumn equinox everyone

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Homemaking, gardening, and self-sufficiency resources that won't radicalize you into a hate group

It seems like self-sufficiency and homemaking skills are blowing up right now. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic crisis, a lot of folks, especially young people, are looking to develop skills that will help them be a little bit less dependent on our consumerist economy. And I think that's generally a good thing. I think more of us should know how to cook a meal from scratch, grow our own vegetables, and mend our own clothes. Those are good skills to have.

Unfortunately, these "self-sufficiency" skills are often used as a recruiting tactic by white supremacists, TERFs, and other hate groups. They become a way to reconnect to or relive the "good old days," a romanticized (false) past before modern society and civil rights. And for a lot of people, these skills are inseparably connected to their politics and may even be used as a tool to indoctrinate new people.

In the spirit of building safe communities, here's a complete list of the safe resources I've found for learning homemaking, gardening, and related skills. Safe for me means queer- and trans-friendly, inclusive of different races and cultures, does not contain Christian preaching, and does not contain white supremacist or TERF dog whistles.

Homemaking/Housekeeping/Caring for your home:

Making It by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen [book] (The big crunchy household DIY book; includes every level of self-sufficiency from making your own toothpaste and laundry soap to setting up raised beds to butchering a chicken. Authors are explicitly left-leaning.)

Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust [book] (A guide to simple home repair tasks, written with rentals in mind; very compassionate and accessible language.)

How To Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis [book] (The book about cleaning and housework for people who get overwhelmed by cleaning and housework, based on the premise that messiness is not a moral failing; disability and neurodivergence friendly; genuinely changed how I approach cleaning tasks.)

Gardening

Rebel Gardening by Alessandro Vitale [book] (Really great introduction to urban gardening; explicitly discusses renter-friendly garden designs in small spaces; lots of DIY solutions using recycled materials; note that the author lives in England, so check if plants are invasive in your area before putting them in the ground.)

Country/Rural Living:

Woodsqueer by Gretchen Legler [book] (Memoir of a lesbian who lives and works on a rural farm in Maine with her wife; does a good job of showing what it's like to be queer in a rural space; CW for mentions of domestic violence, infidelity/cheating, and internalized homophobia)

"Debunking the Off-Grid Fantasy" by Maggie Mae Fish [video essay] (Deconstructs the off-grid lifestyle and the myth of self-reliance)

Sewing/Mending:

Annika Victoria [YouTube channel] (No longer active, but their videos are still a great resource for anyone learning to sew; check out the beginner project playlist to start. This is where I learned a lot of what I know about sewing.)

Make, Sew, and Mend by Bernadette Banner [book] (A very thorough written introduction to hand-sewing, written by a clothing historian; lots of fun garment history facts; explicitly inclusive of BIPOC, queer, and trans sewists.)

Sustainability/Land Stewardship

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer [book] (Most of you have probably already read this one or had it recommended to you, but it really is that good; excellent example of how traditional animist beliefs -- in this case, indigenous American beliefs -- can exist in healthy symbiosis with science; more philosophy than how-to, but a great foundational resource.)

Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer [book] (This one is for my fellow witches; one of my favorite witchcraft books, and an excellent example of a place-based practice deeply rooted in the land.)

Avoiding the "Crunchy to Alt Right Pipeline"

Note: the "crunchy to alt-right pipeline" is a term used to describe how white supremacists and other far right groups use "crunchy" spaces (i.e., spaces dedicated to farming, homemaking, alternative medicine, simple living/slow living, etc.) to recruit and indoctrinate people into their movements. Knowing how this recruitment works can help you recognize it when you do encounter it and avoid being influenced by it.

"The Crunchy-to-Alt-Right Pipeline" by Kathleen Belew [magazine article] (Good, short introduction to this issue and its history.)

Sisters in Hate by Seyward Darby (I feel like I need to give a content warning: this book contains explicit descriptions of racism, white supremacy, and Neo Nazis, and it's a very difficult read, but it really is a great, in-depth breakdown of the role women play in the alt-right; also explicitly addresses the crunchy to alt-right pipeline.)

These are just the resources I've personally found helpful, so if anyone else has any they want to add, please, please do!

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This is going to make me sound like a cantankerous old bitch, but meh, I'm gonna say it anyway.

Witchcraft is too commercialised nowadays.

It's great to see so many witchcraft books and supplies available. I can walk into kmart or big w and find witchcraft books, tarot cards, and crystals now.

The problem, though, is that everything that's readily available to the masses (i.e. the first thing witchlings may interact with) is all so watered down to be socially acceptable that it gives a warped view to new practitioners while being simultaneously useless to experienced practitioners.

As much as I love how personalised the craft is, I genuinely wish more experienced witches published their personal grimoires and gnosis. I would love to see what others are working on/what works for them.

So here's my plea: if you're an experienced witch (I.e. practising for over 5 years and working your own path), please share a little titbit of what you're currently working/researching/crafting.

☆Marci☆

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them: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST MEANS HUMANS MUST BE INDIVIDUALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT AND COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT

biologist:

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Elminx's Long-Form Lemonade for Sweet Cleansing

If you've been hanging out for more than a hot minute, you have probably caught on to a secret about my kitchen witching: it's not the NUMBER of ingredients you enchant; it's how you enchant them. For the purposes of witching, I prefer simple recipes (ingredient-wise) that have a bit of oomph to them. Do you need to stir a pot for 45 minutes straight? (see also my french onion soup recipe) What about starting a vinegar infusion that needs to be shaken every day?

This, as the saying goes, is where the magic is made. At least, for me.

So, imagine my surprise when my friends introduced me to a long-form way of making lemonade. Rather than simply juicing the lemons and adding some sugar and water - you combine the sugar and lemon peels and let them sit for some time to release the lemon's essential oils.

Not only does it make a superior lemonade (can confirm!), but it immediately had my magic wheels turning.

The goal is to make lemonade that will sweetly cleanse you of what ails you. This spell can easily be adapted to add specifiers—see the end of this post for more details.

As always, I will not tell you how to do YOUR magic. This is a technique, not a magic tutorial.

The Basics: When Life Gives You Lemons

Lemons have a long history of use as a cleansing agent. Cunningham's infamous green book lists them as a feminine plant, under the purview of water and the moon and used for the powers of "longevity, purification, love, friendship." (for what that's worth) From an herbal energetic perspective - lemons are considered to be cooling - they are used in the summer to cool hot termperatures and applied to the sick to help bring down fevers. Citric acid is also a bladder stimulant, which we will be making use of for the purposes of our potion-making.

What we associate with lemon as the "cleaning agent" is believed to come from limonene, a terpene found in the peels of most citrus fruits that is both antiviral and antibacterial. Lemonene is used in many cleaners that you can buy on the market but can also be extracted directly from the fruit, as we will do in this recipe.

The Technique

This standard high-end bartender technique makes wonderful, complex sour mixes that can absolutely make the perfect cocktail. Rather than extracting the limonene from the citrus using alcohol or vinegar, we use sugar.

This technique is called oleo-saccharum, which means "oil-sugar" - you are using sugar to draw the essential oils out of the lemon peels, making a natural (no heat) syrup. Note here: this syrup can be used on its own for all sorts of syrupy needs - you could stop the preparation here if you don't love lemonade.

This can be done on the fly (an hour or so), but I highly suggest letting this sit for 12-24 hours for the full effect.

The Recipe

You will need:

5-6 lemons, the best-looking ones you can find

1 1/4 cups sugar

Filter Water (to taste)

Peeler, citrus juicer, optional

Additional magical flavoring, optional

Become better acquainted with your lemons. For the purposes of this recipe, I do this by holding them, talking to them about what I want from them (general or specific cleansing), and rolling them across a hard surface. This last part helps to separate the peel from the pith, which will help you cut away the peel in the next step. Because we intentionally try to release the limonene compounds in this recipe, you may wish to begin by carving your lemon at this step (BEFORE you peel). You could carve your intentions, your name, the names of the people you are looking to cleanse, or any cleansing runes or sigils that you use in your craft.

Carefully peel your lemon. You want to get as little pith (white parts) as possible, as they don't taste good. Take your time here. Really breathe in the scents of the lemon during this. This is the first part of the cleansing process - you are incidentally cleaning yourself and your kitchen as you do this part of the spell. Lean into this. It smells amazing. Revel in it. Think about how it reminds you of everything being shiny and clean as a child. Lemons ARE cleansing - really feel into this here. We won't use the rest of the lemon until tomorrow; you can juice it here or store it overnight in an air-tight container)

Add your lemon peels and the sugar to a mixing bowl and thoroughly massage the sugar into the lemon peels. This should take some time - think fives of minutes at least. You want to do this until you can feel the change in consistency in the sugar - try to incorporate all of the sugar with all of the lemons. Remember, sugar is inherently sweetening, and lemons are inherently cleansing - you combine these two elements here to make a sweet, cleansing spell. Let the smell of it clean out your nose and your sinuses. This is the meat of your spellcasting - you are working your spell into your ingredients. Talk to it. Use your energy. Pray over it. You will know when this step is complete.

Cover your bowl and let it sit at room temperature overnight or for up to 24 hours. The longer this extracts, the more intense the flavor in the finished product. In a pinch, give it an hour, but I suggest waiting at least 8-10 for the best effect.

The next morning, add 2 cups boiling water to your lemon paste and stir until it has thoroughly combined - this is a great place to reinforce your magic from the day beforehand. (This version had the addition of some freshly picked sour cherries which gives its red color)

6. When this has cooled, add the lemon juice and additional water to taste. I personally put this in a half-gallon ball jar and filled it with water, and then my partner and I further diluted it from there.

7. Drink and enjoy. For an extra cleansing effect, consider that part of the act of citrus is that of a urinary stimulant - it will make you pee. Think about how peeing removes things from your life. Remove what needs cleansing. Your spell is complete.

This spell is as simple as that but it can be dressed up in some many different outfits with very little effort. Do you know a flavor (remember, all edibles here) with the right magic associations to add to this spell?

Add some blackberries at the infusion stage for good old-fashioned hedge witch protection. If you really need something out, you could experiment with infusing some jalapeno after you've made the lemonade (tread with a lot of care here...). I've worked with lavender and hibiscus here for calming, cool energies. I recently added a cup of sour cherries to Step 3 for a love-cleansing effect.

There are two ways you can add flavors to this spell: you can mix your flavor in during the sugaring phase, or you can do a secondary infusion after your lemonade has been made. Use your best judgment here - fruits can go in with the citrus peels for sure, but herbs and other more "tea like" ingredients might be better steeped afterward.

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm eager to use some of my savory kitchen herbs the next time I near to clear out my money flows.

Or alternatively, use it as the first step in a witchy cocktail (my go-to, as you know). This lemonade makes an exquisite base for a margarita—for a bougie twist, use white Patron and some Chambord; you will not be disappointed.

This is almost a blank slate - sweet cleansing could be used for anything you put your mind to.

Do you like my work? You can support me over on Kofi by tipping me, ordering an astrology commission, buying some art, or signing up to be a monthly supporter of my work.

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"There's no wildlife here. The land is barren and stripped from farming chemicals"

I just saw two blue herons fly super low over our house, which means they've been fishing in the creek behind us, which means there's fish there. Which means there's bugs to feed the fish and algae to feed the bugs, which means the water and soil is worth something damnit.

Yes, I'm sorry the suburb isn't the grand, sweeping swath of uninhabited land that you so desperately crave but would learn to loathe, but saying that the land here is barren and that there's no wildlife here and that there's nothing to salvage- that's a You problem. Nature might be struggling, but against all odds it is at least trying.

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‘Despair is paralysis. It robs us of agency. It blinds us to put own power and the power of the earth. Environmental despair is a poison every bit as destructive as the methylated mercury in the bottom of Onondaga Lake. But how can we submit to despair while the land is saying “Help”?

Restoration is a powerful antidote to despair. Restoration offers concrete means by which humans can once again enter into positive, creative relationships with the more-than-human world, meeting responsibility that are simultaneously material and spiritual. It’s not enough to grieve. It’s not enough to just stop doing bad things.’

Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

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thinking about what is and what isn't allowed in frame with reference ecosystems in prairie restoration

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Spells To Do For Each Phase of the Moon

New Moon: Spells related to personal growth, manifestation, abundance, fertility, new relationships, grounding, and stability.

Waxing Crescent: Spells related to success, growth, attraction, communication, and intellect.

First Quarter: Spells related to courage, motivation, breaking bad habits, passion, and creativity.

Waxing Gibbous: Spells related to balance, organization, completion, emotional healing, and intuition.

Full Moon: Spells related to love, intuition, psychic abilities, abundance, protection, releasing negative energy, and grounding.

Waning Gibbous: Spells related to banishing, breaking bad habits, releasing negative energy, and communication.

Last Quarter: Spells related to endings, closure, forgiveness, passion, and creativity.

Waning Crescent: Spells related to rest, renewal, dream work, divination, emotional healing, and intuition.

My Ko-Fi

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5/22/24

ok so after a few months of reading/watching videos and basically reaffirming my own interest, i've decided to start the first year AODA curriculum because 1) it's free and fully diy-ed and 2) the AODA, from what I understand, see druidry as a practice/philosophy/spirituality rather than a religion, strictly speaking, which is good for me since I don't see myself doing deity work atm and i'm more on the atheopagan side of things. while i do plan to keep track of my studies/reading/practice, i'm still undecided on whether i want to actually get involved to the point of sending in a reflection -- idk i'm just wary of any kind of spiritual/religious space and being pressured into things but i also crave that sense of community idk.

but anyway i'm going to keep both a digital journal on here as well as try out keeping a physical one, but i have historically hated physical journals because my handwriting is ass and it kills my hand, so we'll see.

here's my plan:

don't spend money yet. wait at least 6 months to make sure the hyperfixation doesn't immediately end as well as determine if spending the $50 is worth it or if i can keep doing things on my own (honestly it might be worth it just for access to the books for free lol, but there's also my above mentioned hesitancy to get involved in any official capacity)

make book list for earth path

3 changes: start going to refill shop (soap, dish, body wash, laundry once back at school -- body wash/shower gel, shampoo, conditioner now?) + bring reusable cup to work + be more consistent with recycling

for the relationship with a plant, i'm planting wildflowers in the yard this summer

ovate exploration: i'm taking an environmental science class this summer, which will involve a lot of exploration into local ecology and such. in case this doesn't count (since this is technically an elective but i am an environmental engineering major, so idk), i'll be getting more involved with the mycology group in hydroponics club at my school. since this started only a couple months ago, it's not like it's a continued interest i don't think?

druid exploration: i'm going to be doing research into the historical roots of druidry, as well as trying to figure out how to develop my own practice by combining elements of druidry and appalachian folk magic, so i feel like making a plan around what i'm going to look into when and keeping a record of it should qualify as a personal course of study?

I'm hoping all of this will help me figure out if i want to be formally affiliated with the AODA and/or whether this path is right for me. hopefully more updates to come here!

[druid-soup]

Knot Magic

Knots are an incredibly versatile tool to use in your spells. They allow you to cast powerful spells with pretty much anything you can tie in a knot. Some people will tell you that things like the material and colors that you choose heavily impact your magic but really, these things are only helpful if they speak to you. If color affects your magic a lot then by all means, choose a cord for the color but otherwise it isn’t necessary.

Possible materials to choose from include:

Rope

Chord

Yarn

Floss

Copper wire

Chains

Vines

Sinews

Scarves

Etc…

So, the basic premise is that as you tie the knot you’re binding your intention. You can think of the knot as an anchor point for an idea that you want to manifest.

What kinds of ideas?

Pretty much everything. I’m not joking, I can’t think of a type of spell that can’t be performed using a knot. Curses, binding spells, healing spells, protective spells, prosperity and luck spells, it can all be done with a knot. Traditionally, knot spells were heavily associated with air elemental magic and with weather spell casting.

What kinds of knots can be used in spells like these?

Absolutely any knot can be used to cast a spell. For quickies I like your typical overhand knot, for more complicated spells you might choose a more ornate knot or even an entire set of knots to make jewelry.

Along those same lines, needlework like knitting and crocheting can be used in the exact same manner. This type of knot magic can become very elaborate, including the use of various stitches, patterns and projects to achieve your intent.

Are there any bad things about knot spells?

Yes, unfortunately there are. Since knots are a physical representation of the spell, if the knot gets broken the spell is broken as well. This isn’t always a drawback however, it means that your spells are easily broken if you ever feel the need.

Now for my favorite part, examples! The spells below are spells that I’ve designed myself but they’re not particularly specific and I’m certain that I’m not the first person to think of them. As with most of my spells, they’re incredibly versatile. Change things in whatever way suits your practice and your intention.

Lovers Knots

Nobody freak out. This isn’t your average “make him love me” love spell. Instead this spell is designed to be made by a pair who are already lovers. It’s designed as an activity to bring you together and to remind you of each other when things get rough. Think of it as a magic reservoir of each other’s love for when you can’t be together or are having a spat. Each of you will make a bracelet for the other and place intentions into the bracelet you make. Your intention could be to protect them (love is excellent for protection), to tie the two of you together or to help solve a particular problem between the two of you. The important thing about this is that both parties participate and have discussed what they want out of the spell.

Here are a few knot bracelet tutorials as ideas :)

Friendship Bracelet

Another Friendship Bracelet

Beads and Braids Work Too

Pick one and get knotting! With each knot that you make think and meditate about your intention but this doesn’t need to be a somber thing. Laugh and chat with your lover and really get the love flowing between the two of you (breaks for kissing and stuff are a good idea if you want). Basically just use this as a chance to really get close with your partner. The emotion and energy that you have during this is going to stick so no being mad at each other or arguing or nit picking or talking about the dishes or anything. Take this time to just be in love.

If you want, when you’ve finished making the bracelet you can let it charge in sunlight or moonlight or say an incantation or prayer to a deity over it, whatever works with your practice. Now swap and wear your new lovers knots. 

If, for any reason, you wish to undo the spell, each knot in the bracelet must be broken. This can be done by going through and untying each one, by cutting each one or by burning the entire bracelet (if it’s flammable). A single knot left unbroken will still retain its power.

Despite being named “Lovers Knots”, this spell can be used by any pair of people or even a group! Friends, siblings and parents with their children can all modify this spell for their use. In a group you can have a rotation of sorts, each person begins a bracelet, makes maybe an inch and then passes it in one direction around the circle where the next person will make another inch and continue passing it. Each bracelet will have been made in part by every member of the group.

Luck Knot Spell

Another good example for the uses of knots in magic, this spell works a little differently than the last. Each knot is designed to be a pre-made “quick release” spell. You should choose a cord material that is easy for you to untie.

Prep for this spell however you like, cast a circle, consecrate your cord, call your deities, whatever. Now, pick a number for your spell, my first choice would be my lucky number but use whatever number associations you’d like.

Begin by creating your first knot. This knot is your anchor, it sets the framework for the entire spell, imbue it with the intention that each subsequent knot will be a holder. The idea is to have a spell attached to each knot and as the knot is untied, the spell is released and activated. Once you finish with your first knot you can start on the rest of them, with each that you make charge the knot with your intention, in this case, luck. You can do this in a number of ways, meditating, chanting, incantations and prayers all work. The incantation below is just an example of something I’ve used before.

Ex. Winds of fortune blow, let my good luck grow.

Finish up in your preferred way, close your circle, ground, thank any spirits that you work with, etc. You can now keep the cord with you and whenever you need a little burst of luck (before a test or interview, talking to your crush, competing, anything like that) just untie a knot.

If anyone has more questions about knot magic or specific spells then feel free to drop me a line :)

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i love when there’s trees

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Bro, you ok? Bro, humans aren’t separate from the ecosystems around us. We’re a part of them, bro. Bro, we’re never going to have absolutely zero effect on ecosystems, because we live here, bro. Bro, I never said it had to be a bad effect. We don’t have to immediately be perfect either, bro, sometimes doing what you can is what you can, and its way better than nothing. Bro what do you mean humans are a plague. You’re starting to sound a bit like an ecofascist, bro… Bro?

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“Is it wicked to take a pleasure in Spring and other seasonal changes? To put it more precisely, is it politically reprehensible, while we are all groaning, or at any rate ought to be groaning, under the shackles of the capitalist system, to point out that life is frequently more worth living because of a blackbird’s song, a yellow elm tree in October, or some other natural phenomenon which does not cost money and does not have what the editors of left-wing newspapers call a class angle? Certainly we ought to be discontented, we ought not simply to find out ways of making the best of a bad job, and yet if we kill all pleasure in the actual process of life, what sort of future are we preparing for ourselves? If a man cannot enjoy the return of Spring, why should he be happy in a labour-saving Utopia? What will he do with the leisure that the machine will give him?”

— George Orwell, Some Thoughts on the Common Toad

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"you should be at the club" i should be in the woods. performing the ritual.