shouldhavestayedawayfromhere

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Random religious rant

I found it really funny when the other day, someone from my close circle brought up how jokes are being made about Christianity and the Bible and how no one would dare to make such jokes about the Quran, because muslim terrorists would bomb those people. First of all, it's kinda telling how their mind immediately jumped to terrorists when thinking about Islam.

But they forget how Christians used to execute people for the wildest shit back in the days when almost anything could be interpreted as blasphemy.

"But that was back then, we're talking about today!"

But they don't like to use that logic when talking about how some pagan religions did bad things, like human sacrifice, in the past, but not anymore today. Not so convenient now, is it?

Also, Christianity is almost twice as old as Islam. They had way more time to do bullshit and they sure used the time well. I'm not trying to defend any horrendous actions here, I just find it ironic how fast Christians are to compare themselves to Muslims and feel superior to them, and how easily offended they are about a couple jokes, but then go and consume content that makes fun of pagans.

This same person literally listened to an audio story with me a few weeks ago that they bought that was about a bunch of Christian kids stopping an "evil pagan ritual" during Samhain. It was absolutely overdramatized and ridiculous and I didn't even know what to say to that, since they don't know I'm a pagan myself and have celebrated Samhain before! And somehow this doesn't count as disrespecting another religion to them.

It's really stupid cherry picking, so maybe just don't compare religions against each other. How about that? No religion is perfect. All religions have done harm in the past and are still doing it today. There's no one "better" than the other. Suck it up.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

I don't think there's any demon that can be considered "beginner". Every demon will teach you their own ways, and they're demons, they will not be all love and light. Honestly I wouldn't trust anyone who says a demon is "easier to work with for beginners" just because they have a warm aura or a friendly reputation. That is missing the point of deity work in my opinion. Demons are incredible versatile and nuanced, everyone will be drawn towards different ones.

You just gotta go with whoever feels right for you and also wants to work with you. I expected Amducious to be really intimidating because he is the demon of destruction, and it has proven that he was super happy and eager to work with me.

That's not to say he can't be intimidating or dark, but that's not his general attitude towards me and I would've never found out if I hadn't talked to whoever I felt drawn to and stayed scared of him.

hard pill to swallow but sometimes you gotta give the less popular "aggressive" demons the time of day. they have valuable things to teach you too, and in my personal opinion only sticking to "beginner-friendly" super docile demons is still ignoring a whole group of demons that can be just as kind, protective, assisting, knowledgeable, what have you.

you gotta believe in yourself! you can do it!

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Things for beginners to know before starting demonolatry or demonology practices

1. The classifications of demons were written by humans, not demons.

Different occult schools of thought will have different understandings of the Hierarchies of Hell, whether Hell even exists, and what attributes are associated with each demon. In some sects Lucifer reigns supreme Emperor of Hell, in others it is Sammael, Moloch, or Baal. It all depends on the perspective of the practitioner. All of these models are equally correct and incorrect. Documentation of de(a)mons were often written by right hand practitioners who saw them as evil, therefore their negative attitudes are emphasized. Other times devotees have documented the same entity as being very kind and affectionate. It is incredibly important to take into account who is speaking whenever you read about demons. No single book or author can deliver to you the most **objective** facts about these demons or the model of reality, if they claim to, they’re lying to you. You as the practitioner must discover and decide what reins true in your reality. Teachers and gurus may influence you but ultimately you must make the decision for yourself.

2. Assume all spirits are multi dimensional

Lucifer, the light bringer, is also the spirit of darkness. He is the sweet prince and the adversary, he is a devil and an angel. It is extremely rare that you will encounter a spirit that is only one thing. There is a little bit of truth to everyone’s interactions. To a Luciferian, Lucifer is a guide, a companion, and a positive presence. To a Christian he is an adversary, a tempter, liar and bringer of evil ; and there is an entire rainbow of other experiences that contribute to the understanding of “Lucifer”. Demons are not all good nor are they all bad, trying to paint them in only one light will only lead to disappointment and confusion. It is just as foolish to assume that a so called angel will always be pleasant and nice, as it is to assume a so called demon will be terrible and mean. Every energy interacts with every person uniquely.

3. Scary and intimidating doesn’t automatically mean “evil”

Nice and pleasing doesn’t automatically mean “good”

If you’re interacting with demons or spirits associated with death, it shouldn’t be very surprising that they’re dark, mysterious, or have a frightening appearance. If you’re dealing with demons or spirits of sex and lust, it shouldn’t be very surprising that they’re alluring, attractive, or beautiful. This doesn’t mean that the scary demon is going to kill you, and this doesn’t mean that the sexy demon is going to fuck you. There are very likely going to be times when your demons will scare you. This doesn’t mean that they’re going to hurt you or possess you (they shouldn’t be frightening you to the point of constant paranoia, but seeing some “disturbing” or strange imagery isn’t out of the norm when you’re contacting a de(a)mon).

If you enter a deep dark cave looking for a bear, don’t be surprised when you see sharp teeth. Demons of violence may summon gory imagery. Demons of death my feel cold and distant. A large part of demonolatry is understanding your fear and overcoming it.

4. Yeah, it’s intense.

Okay. This is hard for me to explain. Infernal spirits and angels alike are entities that force you to confront your innermost self and change. It’s not always spooky and scary and whimsical. Sometimes it’s losing your dead end job, having a serious breakup, losing toxic friends, or having a personal epiphany. When I say it’s intense, I don’t mean that I’m levitating and seeing gnarly gory shit and summoning demons while covered in blood all the time. I have dreams and experiences of course, but seeing a demon work is not about the theatrics. Are you ready to confront the things you rrrrreeaaaaalllly don’t want to think about? Your trauma, the lies you tell yourself to get through the day, and the toxic cycles you comfort yourself with?

Lord Lucifer has made me cry many MANY times. But it was never because he hurt or scared me. I’ve seen many demonolaters refer to Lucifer as a therapist and I couldn’t agree more. He not only changes your understanding of yourself, but others and the world. Through this understanding you can change yourself, and others, and the world.

5. You as the practitioner need to be able to withstand the symptoms of your demonic relationships

Being in a relationship with Lilith or Asmoday is not an excuse to develop a porn addiction. Being in a relationship with Lucifer does not give you the right to psychoanalyze all of your friends, being in a relationship with Eligos is not an excuse to destroy all of your relationships or be cruel towards others. Demons represent energies and concepts that are unfavourable to the masses. When working with Astaroth I will feel more lustful, just by being in her proximity. That is not justification to cheat on my partner or force myself onto him. As much as demons like Lucifer for example can inspire us to be wise and sharp, he can also influence us to be vein and narcissistic. We must always be aware of these effects and resist them, working with demons and shadows does not mean becoming the worst version of ourselves, quite the contrary. Interacting with these negative aspects is meant to show you how to overcome them.

6. Demons cannot and will not replace your relationships with humans

I am very pro godspousing and having friendly and affectionate relationships with demons and spirits. Having said that, as much as our spirits may love us and care for us, they will not be the ones to text you good morning. They will not make you soup when you’re sick, or buy you flowers after a hard day. Demons are guides and companions, but they are not people. Trying to use demons to solve your loneliness will only lead to heart ache. You very much can have a sincere relationship with a demon or other spirit, but be aware that that relationship will not mimic your relationships with humans, and it shouldn’t. Gods and demons are not humans, therefore your relationships with them will not feel human.

7. There’s always more to learn

Devotion to any spirit is an endeavour that can take years or even a lifetime. Your work is not done because you read 3 books and browsed the Occult Wiki for an hour and a half. Become very dedicated to learning about your demons of interest and the culture that surrounds them. Yes, this means boring, tedious research.

8. No, ______ is not mad at you. Please talk to them

You will at some point inevitably do something wrong, especially if you are freshly initiated. Demons understand that we are human, we make mistakes. Instead of becoming paranoid and avoiding your demon out of fear of consequences, put on your big boy pants and confront them directly. Understand what you did wrong and learn from your mistake. There may or may not be consequences, every demon is different. But making yourself sick thinking they’re going to smite you down doesn’t make anything better. I guarantee you that talking to them about it will serve you a million times better than running away.

9. You need to know your boundaries BEFORE you reach out

As important as it is to research your demons, it is equally important to research yourself. You need to have strict boundaries that you will not negotiate. These boundaries should be outlined in your contract if you have one. If blood magic is uncomfortable for you, don’t allow any demon or spirit to coerce you into giving it until you are ready. If you’re a minor you’re more than allowed to not do sex magic. This relationship belongs to you as much as it does your demon(s). If it doesn’t serve you, simply refuse it.

10. On that note, demons can and will reject you. You can and will reject them as well.

On many occasions I have approached spirits who did not want to work with me at the moment. Sometimes they end up showing up later in my life, other times they never do. Oftentimes this is because of an incongruency on an alchemical level, we just aren’t meant for each other. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong. Sometimes you are, but your demon or deity will usually make that clear to you in some way. Don’t force it. If I’m already terribly preoccupied with life or other spiritual relationships, I’m within my right to reject another demon trying to enter my circle. That isn’t a rude thing to do. I’m within my right to deny a ritual I don’t have the energy or resources for. We can put it on the back burner for now.

Likewise, if a demon or spirit is repeatedly overstepping my boundaries or harming me in any way, I can (and should) leave that demon. If I’m not doing enough or causing insult, that demon can leave me. As binding as devotional contracts can be, we are not trapped with each other if we choose not to be.

11. Protection shouldn’t only be against spirits. Be very aware of your surroundings and the people around you

Learn the power of secrecy. As a Luciferian living in an extremely conservative area, I have to be extremely careful about when my pendants are visible. I have to be careful when entering certain places because I don’t want to be hate crimed or harassed. Yes, being out and proud of my demonic relationships is very important to me, but it is not worth risking real danger from bigots, or risking my employment. When I go to work, I have to leave my Lucifer ring at home, not because my work is discriminatory, but because I don’t know when I’m speaking to a christofascist grandma who would make a complaint to my boss because she saw my devotional ring. I don’t know which of my coworkers would make my life more difficult if they knew about my practice. If you are visible, people will approach you and make comments. Now, there are those of us who don’t give a fuck, and on most days I don’t. But for those of us who are vulnerable to that kind of discrimination, please be aware.

12. Self mutilation is not demonolatry

If you choose to offer blood it should be no more than a few drops. You should be using safe tools like a lancet, and disinfecting the area you extract from. This should be done in the least harmful manner possible. Devotional markings or tattoos should be done by a professional.

13. This stuff takes time. Relax

These relationships don’t develop in 24 hours. It takes a tremendous amount of repeated effort to gain the favour of a demon or spirit. If you’re not getting the results you want, take a break, reevaluate your methods, and try again later.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

My plans for the future:

Live in a castle in the woods

Master the dark arts

Own biggest occult library in the world

Sell little spells n' potions to the townspeople

Have a dark, mysterious aura surrounding me that keeps everyone at a distance

So, where do I get the giant fire-breathing serpents?

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

My witchy secret to eternal youth 😌

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Shout out to pagans who have a romantic relationship with their deities and others don't believe them.

Shout out to pagans who have sexual relationships with their deities and are judged or attacked for it.

Shout out to pagans who have a parental relationship with their deities and don't feel taken seriously or belittled by others.

Shout out to pagans that are aro-/ ace- spec and feel uncomfortable with the idea of bringing romance or intimacy into relationships with their deities.

Shout out to pagans who see/hear/feel their deities and are called crazy or mentally ill for it.

Shout out to pagans who cannot sense or feel their deities at all and feel left out or disconnected from the community.

Shout out to pagans who are mentally ill and have a hard time knowing if something is real or not and aren't sure how exactly their relationship with their deities is.

Shout out to pagans who are chronically ill or disabled and feel like they can't do as much for their deities as they'd like to/as other pagans.

Shout out to young and new pagans who have no idea where they're at with their deities.

Your relationship with your deity is uniquely your's. It's beautiful and it's valid. You're a pagan, and the pagan community is your community, no matter what part of the spectrum you fall onto.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

There is so much about my practice that I don't share here, and that's actually something I recommend. Keep some things private, sacred - things only for you and your practice to know. The internet has popularized this idea of sharing every thought all the time constantly, but in my opinion, that takes the fun out of it. Keep some of that mystery for yourself, and hold onto it tightly. Not everything needs to be shared.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Tarot reading is like making a phone call. You know who you want to talk to, you typed in the number. Simply thinking about the deity you want to talk to is enough. They'll pick up most of the time.

You set an intention , you ask a question, then you pull the cards. That is your answer. You are now talking to your deity. If you've never talked to them ever before, I recommend trying to meditate on them a bit before starting your reading.

See if you can feel their energy or presence and what it feels like. If you cannot feel them, that doesn't mean they're not around. Sometimes it takes practice, too.

When it comes to knowing what deity your cards are talking about, it all comes down to situational context and how well you know your deities. I'm sure you will figure that out the more you interact with them.

Happy witching :)

I have a question for other devotees of any Gods and Goddesses

How do you do a tarot reading with the said deity?

How do you know if it's them

I'm having a hard time differentiate

Or like do tarot reading including deities in it like which is which on the said cards

A lil help pls :'))

-from a beginner devotee

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Sometimes when I read through my own posts before posting them, they sound almost ai-generated. In my head, I have a number of layouts for sentences and how they connect and I just fill those with words. I guess my autism works similar to an AI sometimes.

This is me telling you guys that nothing I have ever posted or will ever post is AI generated or inspired. I pinky promise I don't use Chatgpt for my posts. I'm just a little autistic and I love writing really long and elaborate posts about how to do things and make stuff :')

My blog is 100% created with human intelligence and I'll never change that. I despise the use of AI in any kind of creative activity, be it art, writing, or spirituality. If you have to go to an AI to make posts online about religion and witchcraft, I'll block you.

I can tell when someone is using AI in their posts because I've played around with AI a lot. It's fun, that I do admit. But it just disgusts me to see people pretending to give others advice from experience that they themselves gathered over life and when I start reading I realize that it's all fabricated.

Don't do this! What is it even for? Why pretend to have a super grand and elaborate practice and come from a lineage of witches when you could just talk about what it's like to be new to everything and use real resources to learn and build your practice?

There's nothing wrong with being a newbie. But I'll never tolerate the use of AI in my craft. If you've done it, just stop now. It's a good time to think over that. It's okay to change your mind at any time. I've made mistakes concerning AI too before. We're all allowed to learn. It's not the ultimate catfish you think it is.

A lot of people can tell when something is made by AI, and if you're someone who uses it, I can tell you, you just look pathetic. It's sad how you can't come up with stuff yourself. Go stare at the wall and hallucinate for a while, maybe that will do the trick.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Documenting your practice (a step-by-step guide)

When I started doing spells and rituals regularly, I saw a post where someone said you should write everything down in a designated notebook. It's been the absolutely best advice I've gotten on how to evolve my practice, so I wanted to share what I write down and how I do it in case anyone else wants to try it.

1. Pick out a notebook only for this purpose

Do not use your book of shadows or grimore for this, as it will get too full too fast. This is not the same as your book of shadows. That's only where information and spells go. In this notebook, you will document your actual workings. It will have it's own categories.

2. Personalize the notebook

This is optional, obviously, but it really adds a layer of connection to personalize it. I like to paint it and put stickers on it and I also add some sigils of deities who help me on my spiritual journey and whom I want to watch over this book. I also add my own sigil to it, so if you have one, feel free.

3. Index

Make a little content index in the beginning where you list the different kinds of entries you will be making. You can color code them or use other methods to identify them. Here are mine:

I used to have a category for dreams, too, but I didn't use it frequently enough so I'd put that under new information/insights or notes. You can add any category you like, though, it's completely up to you.

4. Making layouts

Each of these entries will have it's own layout. While ideas, notes, new information and prayer may just be a single text that you write down and that's it, a formal ritual, book notes, meditations/invocations or readings will be a bit more elaborate.

For your ritual layout, find out how much guidance you need. Are you very familiar with rituals? Then you might do with a simple

Ritual purpose

Ingredients

Ritual body

Results

If you are farely new to rituals or just someone who likes or needs some more elaborate guidelines, I recommend something like this:

Ritual purpose

Deities invoked

Objects/herbs needed

Ritual space

Ritual body

Thoughts/feelings before

Thoughts/feelings after

Write down for every of these topics what applies to your ritual. Especially the reflection in the end can be really helpful. Write down any and every thought you have about the ritual you held and what you'd do again or do differently next time. This is a huge resource for building your own practice over time. It allows you to look back and see how far you've come, which can be really helpful for growing in your craft.

For book or video notes, you can use a simple layout. It's important that you know where you got your information from. My layout looks like this:

[Name of the book] [date]

by: [name of Author]

P.xy [chapter title]

Then you take your notes. This way you'll find exactly where you read something. Apply the same to videos if you watch any documentaries or video essays etc. on a topic.

Something I also did when I began taking book notes was to write down my intention when first starting to read the book. Why are you reading this book? What are you hoping to learn or find out? What perspective are you reading this book from? Is there a bias that you have that influences how you interpret the information in this book? You can add this too.

For meditation and invocation, I have a quite flexible layout. I usually write down what deity I am contacting at the top. Then, if accessible, the deity's sigil and enn. If I don't know the deity yet or have never contacted them before, I also gather some information about them. You can write down anything you find, these are just some examples:

History of the deity

Domain(s)

Rank/family

Associations

Offerings they might like

Then, you make your invocation. If you already know this deity, you probably have a reason for why you want to invoke them. Write that down. Write down what they're telling you. What you feel, what all your senses are picking up on.

Sometimes, this quality time between you and your deity can turn into a divination session. So let's talk about that layout next.

When doing a reading with your deity, or any kind of divination, really, you can be pretty free with how to start. Maybe you had a thought that you wanted to talk about with your deity, then you write that thought down. Or maybe you came with a specific question.

Personally, I write down my readings like a Q&A. I write down Q: [my question] and then A: [all the cards I pulled]. Then, I interpret the cards and write down my interpretation.

I know that sounds like a lot of work and writing to do. If that doesn't sound like you, you can find a different way to document your readings. Maybe only note your questions and the cards and the interpretation stays only in your head.

I just found that this helps me think more organized during readings and remember them better. I tend to forget things that my deities told me easily, so it's helpful to me, but it might not be for everyone.

These are some examples on how to document your practice. I started mine in the beginning of the year (literally 01.01.2024) and have already filled about 1½ notebooks by now. I love writing, so that might be a lot for some people, but even if you only take a few notes every time you make a reading, a meditation, or a ritual, you will soon be able to look back at your process.

You'll probably learn a lot over the course of time and look back at your first entries in awe one day. At least that's what I tell myself. So I hope this is useful for some of you.

Remember that everyone's craft looks different, there's no "right" or "wrong" way to practice magic, and it's for you to enjoy and explore on your own accord. That being said, happy witching!

Ave Lucifer <3

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

do i desperately want to meditate in the woods, connect with the gods and the spirits of the land and become known as that weird person living in a small cottage somewhere in the forest?

yes.

am i also too depressed to leave the house even just for a 10 minute walk?

oh, absolutely.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

BIG shoutout to those who are practicing in secret

y'all don't get enough recognition because leading a double life is exhausting (i know because i'm one of those people leading that very same double life)

shoutout to those who can't tell anyone about their practise

shoutout to anyone who can't own tarot or oracle decks and so use household items to do divination

shoutout to those who can't have candles or fancy altars

shoutout to those who practice in secret.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

I haven't prayed to god in a church in ages. I pray in libraries, in fields, in the summer heat and in the first bite of a warm meal.

I don't pray to god anymore, I don't think I ever did.

I pray to the world around me, to the bugs in the fields, the sunflowers on the side of the road, the water in my garden and to the rain coming down.

I pray to everything beyond this world, to the stars, the planets, all the different masses that fill the space around us.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Part 2 of funny stories about how I first got into witchcraft

When I first learned about manifesting things, I found a million different tactics. Idk if you remember, but during the lockdown it was a big trend online. At this point I was really excited to learn more about spiritual things, but I didn't know how anything worked. I just really wanted a fancy ritual. Something that you'd think of if you had no idea about how magic works.

So what I did was take a little bowl and pen and paper and set up my space. I grabbed a random self-made choker, cut out of an old shirt and decorated with a bff-necklace heart. I decided that this would be my amulet. (I had no idea what an amulet is or does at that point.) I brought it all to my bed and did my first "ritual" at night. It might even have been midnight.

I took a golden glitter pen and started writing down my manifestations one by one. They were mostly about me and my best friend at the time. I was obviously wearing the "amulet".

Then I took my moon water (with the "bead crystals") and put some of it on my forehead because it just felt right to do that for some reason (I swear I was never catholic!)

I read out every manifestation and then put them away. Then I ended my little ritual and hid everything away again and waited for the manifestations to work. I lost my best friend, probably for the better, but I found the papers two years later and most of the things I wrote down about myself actually happened.

And that's the thing, when you believe it'll work it doesn't matter how much knowledge you actually have. Obviously that amulet did nothing, but I believed it did. I also didn't know how to use moon water, but I believed that it did something. And that's enough to work magic :)

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Here's what shadow work is not:

Relentlessly digging in your past, trying to find the reason for everything you do and are in an attempt to understand every cell in your body to the last bit.

Here's what shadow work really is:

Identifying narratives that you keep telling yourself and patterns you keep repeating and connecting them to a belief from your past, eliminating the beliefs that no longer serve you and replacing them with new, healthier beliefs and then working towards them.

It's called shadow work for a reason. The journaling and prompts are only the first step. You have to actively remind yourself of the new beliefs in your daily life and push yourself to act on those beliefs to make your own mind and body accept them.

You will not feel safe acting on those new beliefs and that's exactly why you do it. So you learn to feel safe being yourself. The you that you wish to be. The you that you already are now, but doesn't have the chance to show itself because of those beliefs you're still allowing to hold you back.

Shadow work isn't just slow mornings and diary writing, it's being brave and doing things you're not comfortable with so future you will be comfortable doing them.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

There’s a lot of new witch activity happening on the site and something I need every single “baby witch” to understand is that this website is a squawk box of coal mine canaries with gas poisoning.

Not a single person here has all the answers, hell most of us don’t even agree on what “witch” even fucking means! Never let tumblr be your only resource. Read books, watch videos, find community, find your own answers.

I and many other people here are more than willing to answer questions but there’s a lot of power in discovering the answer through your own research or trial and error.

[shouldhavestayedawayfromhere]

Witch tip: Be sure to distinguish which correspondences are social constructs (for example, associating roses with romance), and which are informed by nature (for example, associating the color red with life, because blood).

This isn't to say that social construct correspondences are bad or lesser - they aren't! But distinguishing between the two helps you develop a better sense of what you can play around with, and how.