notyourmothersspellbook

[notyourmothersspellbook]

"Modern folk witches don't strictly adhere to the eight-spoked 'wheel of the year' used by other neopagans. We prefer to watch our local landscapes and identify days that correspond to the shifting of the seasons where we live. The wheel of the year is a modern invention, and no pagan societies can be said to have observed all of these dates. It's best to look to the lore for specific rituals for seasonal celebrations. Witches who live in Australia or Iceland may prefer different dates for their seasonal rites. What's important is that the days be governed by the tides of nature, not the shackles of convention."

- Roger J Horne's Folk Witchcraft: A Guide to Lore, Land, & the Familiar Spirit for the Solitary Practitioner

I appreciate this perspective as here in Australia, our seasons are just not the same. I'm up in Queensland, and I would say that our seasons are nowhere near as distinct as the classic spring, summer, autumn, and winter that you get in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm currently working on making a seasonal calendar by conferring with Gubbi Gubbi elders about traditional song lines that dictate the changing seasons. Here is a seasonal calendar that the The Wakka Wakka, Jarowair and Barrumgum tribes follow who are the traditional owners of the Bunya Mountains.

Many witches follow an inverted wheel of the year to 'match our seasons' but neither the traditions nor the actual seasons match and it just feels wrong... like sure the solstices (longest and shortest days of the year) can be celebrated but... our celebrations should match up with our regional seasons.

[notyourmothersspellbook]

probably relatively clear based on what i’ve been posting, but i’d like to reiterate that trump voters and trump supporters are NOT WELCOME here

if you fall into this category just go ahead and unfollow/block me — i don’t care what you have to say about it and i won’t be discussing it further

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Honestly this is the best thing I've ever heard

[notyourmothersspellbook]

If you don't know, here's the Wikipedia page. I strongly recommend you read it because it's very relevant to many of you! (Also, it exists for a good reason.)

Please reblog for larger sample size!

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Mabon Altar Ideas & Correspondences

Mabon, also known as the Autumn Equinox, marks the midpoint between the summer and winter solstices. It's a time to celebrate the abundance of the harvest season and express gratitude for the blessings of the year. One way to honor this occasion is by setting up a Mabon altar, adorned with items and symbols that resonate with the energy of the season. Here are a few ideas for when you’re putting your altar together.

The Altar Cloth: Choose an altar cloth in rich autumnal colors such as deep red, orange, or brown. These colors represent the changing leaves and the bountiful harvest.

Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables: Incorporate apples, pumpkins, squash, and corn, or any local harvests you have in your area. These are traditional symbols of the harvest and abundance during Mabon.

Candles: Use candles in colors associated with Mabon, such as gold, yellow, orange, or deep red. These represent the changing colors of the land. Alternatively, you could use black and white candles to represent the balance of dark and light on the equinox.

Crystals: Consider placing crystals like citrine, amethyst, or jasper on your altar. These stones resonate with the energies of balance, gratitude, and abundance.

Symbols of Balance: Include items that represent the balance of day and night, such as a yin-yang symbol or two candles, one for the sun and one for the moon.

Leaves and Acorns: Collect fallen leaves and acorns to symbolize the changing season and the promise of new growth in the future.

Chalice and Bread: A chalice filled with wine or cider and a loaf of bread represent the traditional elements of water and earth, symbolizing the harvest's bounty.

Deity Representations: If you work with specific deities in your practice, add representations of them to your altar. Some gods and goddesses associated with Mabon include Demeter, Persephone, and the Green Man.

Mabon Correspondences

Colors: Deep red, orange, yellow, brown, and gold.

Herbs: Sage, marigold, hops, and thistle.

Foods: Apples, grapes, nuts, grains, and root vegetables.

Symbols: Scales, cornucopias, and the autumn wreath.

Activities: Apple picking, making wreaths, offering prayers of gratitude, and sharing a feast with loved ones.

Intentions: Reflect on balance in your life, give thanks for your blessings, and set intentions for the darker months ahead.

May you be blessed with abundance and gratitude.

[notyourmothersspellbook]

I think people have become so far removed from the natural world that "witnessing nature do it's thing" is often misinterpreted as having mystical significance.

This is not meant to be a judgement of anyone, no one here is the reason we live in a society away from the wilds. But I think that the little to no exposure people have with non-human spaces turns perfectly ordinary occurrences into something of a spectacle.

"I keep seeing large groups of crows around, who is trying to reach out?" Probably no one, crows are diurnal flock animals that actively seek out people because they are smart and know we have lots of stuff they can scavenge.

"This tree in my yard put out SO many flowers but seems to be dying now, did someone curse me?" Nope! Trees, particularly fruit trees, can stress bloom, where they put out tons of flowers in response to any number of stressors. Might wanna see if you can fix the stressors to save the tree.

"I was walking around during a storm and lightning hit a tree I was near, what does that mean?" It means you should thank your lucky stars you didn't get hit yourself. Lightning wants to touch the ground so badly and will zap the tallest thing around because that is the fastest way there.

"A cat gave birth under my house, do I have a familiar now?" Maybe. But under the house is dry, warm and relatively safe. She picked that spot because its a good place to keep her babies.

All of these things and more happen ALL THE TIME, we just aren't as aware of them as we used to be. Seeing nature in action is incredible and special in it's own right, just maybe not in the way you want it to be.

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Beginner witchcraft used to be causing milk to spoil. Striking the neighbors livestock with misshapen young. Ruining the marriage of an honest man. Making upstanding ladies of the church into fallen women. Yall just making suncatchers and shit. Sleepaway camp ass mfkrs. YOURE GROWN. RUIN SOMETHING.

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Hot take but you can’t learn about paganism without also learning about white supremacy and how it uses pagan religions to push hate group agendas all over the world today. If you don’t learn about the connections between the two and how it operates, your ignorance enables white supremacists to keep on doing it and using it to recruit others. People in our community who do nothing and stay silent are literally a part of the problem, there is no opting out whatsoever. Divorcing the two makes the issue repeat itself over and over and over again.

It’s not hard to include this in your research and stay aware. It’s the bare minimum.

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Odin in Hanover:

And Athena (unsurprisingly) in Athens, GA:

Pagan Cities?

It's known that Nashville, TN belongs to Athena, Birmingham, AL belongs to Hephaestus/Vulcan, & New Orleans, LA belongs to Dionysus/Bacchus - what other cities belong to gods that you know of? The Parthenon in Nashville

The Vulcan statue in Birmingham

The Bacchus parade in NOLA

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Fascinating! Mercury in Rotterdam:

Pagan Cities?

It's known that Nashville, TN belongs to Athena, Birmingham, AL belongs to Hephaestus/Vulcan, & New Orleans, LA belongs to Dionysus/Bacchus - what other cities belong to gods that you know of? The Parthenon in Nashville

The Vulcan statue in Birmingham

The Bacchus parade in NOLA

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Pagan Cities?

It's known that Nashville, TN belongs to Athena, Birmingham, AL belongs to Hephaestus/Vulcan, & New Orleans, LA belongs to Dionysus/Bacchus - what other cities belong to gods that you know of? The Parthenon in Nashville

The Vulcan statue in Birmingham

The Bacchus parade in NOLA

[notyourmothersspellbook]

This was well-received on Instagram and the clock app, so here's the easiest way to acquire red brick dust for Southern folk magic. You absolutely do not need to pay $20 for a tiny bag online, I promise.

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Look sometimes witchcraft is standing at the crossroads at midnight on the third Friday after a full moon at 3 in the morning with a black rooster tied up and screaming and a knife ready to draw its blood and sometimes witchcraft is banging pots and pans in your front yard yelling like an idiot at a storm and the real skill is learning when to use what. 

[notyourmothersspellbook]

*bends over seductively and drives a nail into your footprint*

[notyourmothersspellbook]

Hi! I don't know much about witchcraft but recently I've been taking an interest, would you mind giving me some suggestions about how to deal with bad luck please. I've been really unlucky for as long as I can remember, it's mostly tripping, knocking thing over or bumping into things. I'm so tired of it, desperate times call for desperate measures, I'll do anything you say!

Thank you :)

Oh dear this has been sitting for a while. Apologies for that. Linking some luck spells here, but I also recommend two others things as well. The first is fairly practical - try mindfulness practices or exercises or hobbies even (dance, skating, yoga) that make you more aware of your body and how it moves in space. The second is to try connecting with your ancestors and leaving small offerings to form a relationship with the dead who have a real interest in the success of your life. They can be a big help with things so it's a worthwhile relationship to foster. Many good luck spells are aimed towards monetary gain so be on the watch for ingredients like basil, gold, coins, jewelry, etc. that are clearly meant for taking the spell in that direction. Highly recommend introducing objects that you associate with luck and with balance, stamina, control - what you are trying to manifest. Bottle of Luck

Spells for Luck Masterlist

Ring Luck Spell

Simple Spell Jar for Luck

[notyourmothersspellbook]

do you actually believe in tarot?

Y'ALLS INCESSANT BINARY THINKING WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME