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I honestly haven’t been on here in months but I don’t know where to go at this point and this probably isn’t the right place but idk. I’m having such a crisis of faith rn. If you follow me you may know that I have considered myself a Christian witch for a few years now but I just don’t know anymore. I can’t deny that I love the God I grew up with - not the actions of many of Their followers but the Deity Themself. But I have been feeling so distant and disconnect lately, my prayers feel hollow and my heart not in the right place. Ever since becoming a witch I have teetered on the edge of abandoning my Abrahamic faith and becoming a pagan, following either Norse gods or dedicating myself to Brigid of the Celtic pantheon. But I just don’t know what I want anymore. I feel so called to both in very different ways. I know that Christopaganism exists but I have already discerned that this is not the right path for me. I feel the need to choose but feel so torn apart by the decision. I am lost and I don’t know what to do.

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Papercraft is the sort of think that seems deceptively simple, when in reality, I spent over six hours putting this thing together. Here you are world, Distelfinks, intended to be printed in a repeating ogee pattern. Also I love Pennsylvania Dutch folk art and the magic(k) of hex signs.

September 2013

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History of Powwowing: Becoming a Powwower in the Modern World

In modern times, anyone can ‘become’ a Powwower, as in, regularly practice Powwow traditions and magic. However…This is a commitment. If it’s to be a hobby, it will be one of your few hobbies (simply for lack of time or energy). It is better as a career, or a constant spiritual practice. This is a LIFETIME of learning. 

You can always use Powwow charms in your day-to-day practice. It’s not a closed belief system. But they won’t hold they same power as a practicing Powwowers’ would.

I can’t promise that this is how ‘everyone’ does it. But this was my families practice and beliefs. So without further ado…

Becoming a Powwower in the ‘Historical’ Sense

1. Are you a Christian?

2. Do you believe in Jesus? Do you know your prayers and scripture?

3. Do you believe that the Holy Spirit gave to humanity the ability to cause direct change in the world, through ‘powers’ given to select people by the Holy Spirit?

4. Will you care for your neighbor, whether they are man, beast, or land?

If you answered yes to all of these….then you can Powwow. It’s that simple.

There’s an argument to be made that Powwow doctors could be other religions besides Christian, but I’m not going to go into that here, as that isn’t historically accurate. Remember, Powwowers protect and defend. After that, everything else is subject to the individual.

Learning to Powwow Traditionally

For the easiest start: have a strong background in secular Witchcraft. I don’t mean the ‘cursing people and wearing black kind’. Learn magical signs and plants, the terminology used. in various cultures Learn ritual and associations, moon magic and theories of magic. It will help you start to build an internal repertoire. 

Read read read! Read online, read at the library. Read about traditional witchcraft, read about modern witchcraft. Read the myths of the world, read the origins of religions. Read! Learn! Learn all you can about various types of magic/magical practices and religions, or at least be familiar with them. This isn’t a week or twos worth of work: it’s DECADES. Read! 

Now, if you already have a strong background in witchcraft/magical knowledge…

***I would suggest getting a GOOD copy of the King James bible, and two different copies of ‘Long Lost Friend’: the one by Daniel Harms (blue cover), and the one released by Forgotten Books. Consider these your starters. 

1.) First: learn about the history of Powwow/the Braucherei. Listen to someone speak Deitsch: the rhythm and flow is exactly the rhythm and flow you want to have in your spells. There is a good history in the front of Daniel Harm’s Long Lost Friend: learn it well.

2.) Read the Bible critically. It is not an exact history, it is a collection of stories and biographies that come together to tell the tale of Christianity. Find the parts that you can use in your practice: the imagery that stands out, sentences that sound powerful. Read the Psalms; they’re beautiful. Notice that, when calling on God, you alternate praises and supplications. Notice that when calling on Jesus, you call to him like a friend. And when you call to the Holy Spirit, you do so with such reverence that the air goes still.

3.) Read both copies of “Long Lost Friend”. The one by Daniel Harms explains the history of Powwow, and how to do the spells. But it is very clinical: there’s no magic or ‘artes’ in it. The one released by Forgotten Books is very accurate to the original. The spells are not explained, but they feel magical. 

4.) Get comfortable with the hand motions: the crosses, the brushes, the switching and the circling. Memorize the holy prayers in Christianity: The Apostles Creed, the Beatitudes, Our Father, Hail Mary (Powwow has some Catholic flavor in it), etc. Memorize the important psalms for magic workers: 23, 121, 51, whatever you feel connected to. Get used to the layout of the spells and talismans. Start making them, and practicing them on plants. Powwow can be done on all that lives.

5.) Get a basic knowledge of gardening/farming. Learn the cycles of the land: work on a farm if you can, or at least grow some things if not. Learn death, learn birth. Learn animals and plants: if you’re afraid of dogs, cat, hogs, or horses, or other such animals, then it’s time to get over it and deal with that fear. Powwow is HEAVY on companion-animal imagery: confront your fear with the help of a professional, and deal with it.

6.) Initiation. Some believe it’s necessary, others don’t. Personally, I do (unless you come from a family line, in which case, you should at the very least self initiate). 

Does this sound a little vague? It’s supposed to. I can’t walk you through this step by step: Powwow is still, above all things, a mystery practice. There are mysteries you have to discover for yourself. 

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Powwow (Braucherei) Lore

Mobile blogging: forgive the layout errors. gardenofthequeen you inspired me:)

Many people have this notion that, because Powwow is a (mostly) Christian healing and magic practice, that the Powwowers would only spread love and light, and sweet little forest animals….

But that’s not true. Powwowers could and did ‘curse’, but they’d never have called it that.

Hexes, curses….those were the work of Hexerei. Evil sorcerers who cast malevolent spells without rhyme or reason. A person could go to a Hexerei and say, “I want to curse Mister Holztz’s cattle with the fits, because I want to force him to sell some land cheaply for me to buy.”, and the Hexerei would do it. They couldn’t, or wouldn’t, care less. It’s money in their pocket.

On the other hand, a Powwower would only ‘cast trouble’ on someone if they deserved it. If there was righteous fury enough to need it, much as their master and progenitor, Jesus, punished the scales and businessmen at the temple.

Though I can’t speak for everyone, my ancestral practice was that Powwowers only put trouble on the person themself. Not their land, or possessions, or family. There is a legend in my town about just such a working. While the words have undoubtedly been altered over the generations, the meaning is still very well preserved.

In Which a Beaten Woman was Avenged ___________________________________

She was scrubbing the front steps when the beaten wife came up. She was terribly thin and gaunt, and her clothes were cheap and patched often. There was a bruise on her chest, and another on her arm.

“Powwow woman, are you doing work today?” she asked, meaning ‘Are you doing magic today?’

The Powwow lady sat back and rinsed her hands off in the bucket. “What are you here for?”

The beaten wife walked over and sat on a bench facing the old spice bush (which had been placed there for just such a purpose). She leaned forward and began talking to the bush, loud enough that the powwower could hear too. “My husband does not love me. He doesn’t let me keep the money I make, and he won’t buy food. He goes out and eats, but won’t let me eat or leave home. If I leave, he beats me. He is cheap and mean, and I have no one to go to if I leave him. He hurts my good hound too, and makes him limp. My family is all dead, and I have no friends. He tells people I’m mad, so they don’t believe me. He is at work now, and doesn’t know I’m here.”

The powwower answered the bricks, (which one must do, for big magics) “I have heard him speak so of you.“ And they spoke that way long into the evening, until the Powwow lady came to a decision, and told the bricks she would take care of it.

Without another word (as is custom), the beaten wife stood up and left the yard. At the gate, she dropped a few pennies, which was all she had, for everyone knows you shouldn’t directly pay a Powwow doctor.

The Powwow lady had the beaten wife write the man’s full name on a piece of paper, cut a lock of his hair, and cut dirt from a place where his footprint was. The wife fetched all these things back to her in a big glass bottle. Then the Powwow woman sent her spirit (as a Mary cat, of course) out to fetch the man’s breath while he slept. She threw that into the bottle and corked it tightly, then read Creation to the bottle and shook it at the end of every verse.

Once she had this bottle, she went to the church at midnight. She said a powerful spell and many words of Jesus, and smashed the bottle against the door of the church. The next day, the man fell from the mill ladder and broke his back. He died, and his spirit was not allowed into heaven.

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We went to the Kutztown Folk Festival yesterday, and there was a small, but very nice, display of a few items commonly used in Braucherei. These are some of those items, as well as a couple of goats and ducklings, because who doesn’t love goats and ducklings?

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Hex sign info, Patrick Donmoyer delivering a talk on the subject, and Eric Claypoole’s fantastic work.

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Moar Powwow (Braucherei) Lore

Family and local lore on Powwow:

-Powwowers’ spirits can leave their bodies as a Mary-cat, and go out to fight witches shaped like black cats. If you ever see a Mary-cat walking about purposely, or sitting around your property, give it a bit to drink or eat. It may very well be a Powwower, chasing away witches in cat form. -Farmer in lower township

-Powwowers may also travel as a hound/bitch (with a cross or flame-shaped mark on their chest), as a goose, as a hawk, as a mink, or as many other large and small animals. But those few are most common. -Farmer in lower township

-Jesus was the first Powwower. It is his teachings and power that gives Powwowers their abilities. -Church member

-A Powwower should never be handed payment, unless the payment is an eatable or goods. If money, it should be left on a counter, or dropped on the ground, or perhaps sat in a special bowl put out for such a purpose.-Family practice/common knowledge

-When discussing very big works of magic (that do not involve healing the mind or body, or crops or livestock, or the deflection of bad luck or magic), one should speak to an inanimate object within hearing of the Powwower. That way, the magic has no chance of following you instead of its target, and absolves you of any possible guilt. -Family practice

-Powwowers have special songs which, when sung, can call a cherubim to help a person if they are very ill. -Church member

More to come as I comb my notes and make sense of it all!

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witchy German terms ☆

THE ELEMENTS / DIE ELEMENTE

fire - Feuer

water - Wasser

air - Luft

earth - Erde

spirit - Geist

WITCHCRAFT / HEXEREI

witch - Hexe

mage - Magier

wand - Zauberstab

broom - Besen

chalice - Kelch

crystal(s) - Kristall(e)

candle(s) - Kerze(n)

cauldron - Kessel

bell - Glocke

incense - Weihrauch

potion - (Zauber)trank

jar spell - Glaszauber

charm - Glücksbringer

amulet - Amulett

talisman - Talisman

spell - Zauber(spruch)

curse/hex - Fluch

banishment - Verbannung

(to) ward - abwehren

(to) bind - blockieren

divination - Wahrsagung

POSITIVITY / POSITIVITÄT

contentment - Zufriedenheit

happiness - Glückseligkeit

enthusiasm - Begeisterung

awareness - Achtsamkeit

friendship - Freundschaft

admiration - Bewunderung

acceptance - Akzeptanz

prosperity - Wohlstand

abundance - Reichtum

health - Gesundheit

empathy - Empathie

harmony - Harmonie

knowledge - Wissen

fertility - Fruchtbarkeit

fidelity - Treue

beauty - Schönheit

courage - Mut

healing - Heilung

peace - Frieden

protection - Schutz

wisdom - Weisheit

success - Erfolg

destiny - Schicksal

memory - Gedächtnis

energy - Energie

curiosity - Neugier

dreams - Träume

friends - Freunde

pets - Haustiere

animals - Tiere

truth - Wahrheit

trust - Vertrauen

goals - Ziele

love - Liebe

luck - Glück

joy - Freude

COLORS / FARBEN

white - weiß

yellow - gelb

orange - orange

red - rot

rose - rosa

pink - pink

purple - lila

violet - violett

blue - blau

teal - petrol

turquoise - türkis

green - grün

brown - braun

grey - grau

black - schwarz

gold - golden

silver - silbern

THE SIGNS / DIE STERNZEICHEN

aries - Widder

taurus - Stier

gemini - Zwillinge

cancer - Krebs

sagittarius - Schütze

capricorn - Steinbock

aquarius - Wassermann

pisces - Fische

leo - Löwe

virgo - Jungfrau

libra - Waage

scorpio - Skorpion

THE PLANETS / DIE PLANETEN

earth - Erde

sun - Sonne

moon - Mond

mercury - Merkur

venus - Venus

mars - Mars

saturn - Saturn

uranus - Uranus

neptune - Neptun

pluto - Pluto

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your bare minimum isn’t actually that bare or minimum. my dad once told me that there’s nothing in this world that’s easy and that’s true tbh. everything we do takes energy, time, and effort. even the little things. if you feel like you’re not doing enough please try to think about your circumstances and what’s currently available to you: chances are, there’s something that’s diverting or otherwise draining you. and to pull away from that and get something done regardless? well, i think that’s really admirable! please try to take pride in the things you do accomplish in a day, no matter how small or trifling you perceive them to be. you can’t be proud of your growth if you don’t notice where you already are!

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Strawberry and Rosemary Jam for Joy, Luck, and Protection.

500g strawberries

500g white sugar

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Rosemary leaves (a bunch, it’s not precise, add it to your taste)

Rince and remove the leaves of the strawberries.

In a big large pan add the strawberries, sugar and the lemon juice and zest

High heat first until it boils, then medium heat for about half an hour.

Towards the end, pour a few drops of jam in an cold plate to let it cool fast and see the texture. Do it regularly until you are happy with the texture.

Add the finely chopped rosemary leaves.

Once ready, pour the jam in sterilized pots.

Enjoy!

I made Strawberry and Rosemary Jam to bring Joy, Luck and Protection and it has been a long time that I’ve never felt so magical. :-) I don’t have a garden, they come from the farmer market and they were grown in a farm near Edinburgh. I’m really trying to live by the motto “Think global, Act Local.”

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oh to be a little bumblebee sitting on a dandelion

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i know i say how much i love alison croggon all the time but…. i love this woman Edit: Since this post got really popular it would be awesome if y'all supported her by checking out her books! She does her best to be super inclusive and also her writing is beautiful and poetic. If you like fantasy, check out The Books of Pellinor, and if you like sci-fi, Fleshers is awesome!!

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Capitalism at its best.  Some role models we should all consider.  I am a fan of Hagen Daz, but after reading this, I need to get me some Cherry Garcia!

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By: @/KyraSheaMedleys on Twitter 

General Orders, No. 3.

The people are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor. The Freedmen are advised to remain at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.

Wanted to share this thread I saw on Twitter on here. It’s devastating how we weren’t taught this in our American History classes. 

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Ar.design.shop

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You are so damn special.

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WAYS TO SUPPORT/BE AN ALLY

Here is a compilation of places to donate (IF you can, simply reblogging and sharing this can help) and petition to sign. I found these websites and organizations on twitter.

DONATIONS

THE MINNESOTA  FREEDOM FUND: Donate to this to collect funds to pay jail bonds for the protesters who get arrested.

BLACK LIVES MATTER: An organization fighting for the BLM movement. Donate if you can. 

BLACK VISIONS MN: an organization that is led by Black, Queer and Trans people. Donate if you can.

NAACP Legal Defense Fund: Fights for the overall equality fight. Donate if you can.

PETITIONS

Willie Simmons has spent 38 years in prison for a $9 robbery. He had two prior convictions similar to robbery that he served time for. He was prosecuted under the Alabama Habitual Offender law and was given a life sentence for his third strike - stealing 9 (NINE) dollars. Sign his petition. 

Breonna Taylor was killed by police who were conducting an UNANNOUNCED drug raid, where they gave no request to enter. They bashed her door and entered, shooting her EIGHT times. They were in the WRONG HOUSE. 

George Floyd was killed by a police officer who knelt on his neck and suffocated him to death, after George pleaded with the officer and told him he couldn’t breathe. The officer had pulled him from where he sat in his car on an alleged FORGERY. You can also text “FLOYD” to 55156

ARREST THE OFFICERS WHO KILLED GEORGE FLOYD: The main police officer who murdered George is being kept in PROTECTIVE CUSTODY. You probably have heard he was arrested, but this is NOT TRUE. He was placed under PROTECTIVE custody because of the riots and “threats” on his life. 

If you know of ANY other organizations or petitions, PLEASE ADD TO THIS LIST. The fight for justice doesn’t end here, it will never end. Especially when the president of the United States calls white supremacists good people and protesters of a mans death THUGS. USE YOUR VOICE. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. FUCK COPS. FUCK “BLUE LIVES”. ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER!