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witchboxco · 1 year ago

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Imbolc Altar Ideas & Correspondences

Imbolc, also known as Candlemas or Brigid's Day, marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It's a time to celebrate the returning light and the awakening of the Earth.

Altar Decorations:

Candles: Imbolc is strongly associated with the element of fire. Decorate your altar with candles in shades of white, yellow, and light blue to represent the increasing daylight.

Brigid's Cross: Craft or purchase a Brigid's Cross, a traditional symbol associated with the Celtic goddess Brigid. Hang it on your altar as a protective charm.

Seasonal Flowers: Place early spring flowers like snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils on your altar. These symbolize the first signs of life returning to the land.

Herbs: Incorporate herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and cinnamon for their purifying and invigorating properties. Bundle them together with a red or white ribbon.

Seeds: Represent the potential for growth by adding a dish of seeds to your altar. Consider seeds associated with early spring crops like wheat or herbs.

Imbolc Symbols: Include symbols like lambs, ewes, and the sun to capture the essence of this seasonal transition.

Candle Holders: Choose unique candle holders or lanterns to enhance the ambiance. Consider using candle holders in the shape of suns, stars, or nature-inspired designs.

Divination Tools: Add divination tools like tarot cards or runes to your altar for seeking guidance during this transitional period.

Symbolic Stones: Integrate crystals such as citrine for abundance, aquamarine for clarity, and moonstone for intuition. Arrange them aesthetically around your altar.

Feathers: Symbolizing air and spirituality, feathers can be incorporated to invoke the energy of the season. Choose feathers from birds associated with the goddess Brigid, like swans or owls.

Artwork: Display artwork or illustrations that resonate with the themes of Imbolc. This could include depictions of Brigid, snow-covered landscapes, or symbols of growth and renewal.

Imbolc Incense: Craft or purchase incense blends with scents like frankincense, myrrh, and chamomile to fill your sacred space with a soothing and purifying aroma.

Correspondences

Goddess Brigid: Imbolc is sacred to Brigid, the Celtic goddess of hearth, home, and inspiration. Invoke her energy for healing, creativity, and protection.

Colors: White, yellow, light green, and light blue are associated with Imbolc. Use these colors in candles, altar cloths, and decorations to align with the festival's energy.

Stones: Crystals such as amethyst, garnet, and clear quartz resonate with Imbolc's energies.

Foods: Dairy products, especially cheese, and foods made with seeds like bread or muffins are fitting for Imbolc. Set offerings on your altar or incorporate them into your celebration feast.

Water: Imbolc is also associated with the element of water. Include a small bowl of water on your altar to symbolize purification.

Creativity Symbols: Imbolc is a time for inspiration and creative endeavors. Include symbols of your creative pursuits, such as a paintbrush, musical instrument, or writing quill.

Anointing Oils: Create or purchase anointing oils infused with herbs like lavender, rosemary, and frankincense. Use them to anoint candles, tools, or yourself during Imbolc rituals.

Animal Representations: Incorporate figurines or images of animals associated with Brigid, such as lambs, cows, or swans, to honor her connection to the animal kingdom.

Wheat or Corn Dolls: Craft small dolls from wheat or corn husks, symbolizing the harvest to come. Place them on your altar as a representation of the Earth's fertility.

Bell or Chimes: Hang a bell or wind chimes near your altar to symbolize the awakening of nature and the stirring of life. Ring it during your Imbolc rituals to mark significant moments.

Decorative Cloth: Choose an altar cloth with intricate patterns or symbols related to Imbolc, such as suns, wheels, or Brigid's crosses, to add a touch of magic to your sacred space.

May you find warmth in the returning light. <3

#pagan #witchcraft #paganism #witch #occult #wicca #dark #magick #neopagan #wiccan #imbolc #february #witchblr #imbolg #brigid of kildare #goddess brigid #st brigid

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creativesaturn · 1 year ago

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Okay, so I have recently started watching criminal minds (literally on ep 10 of first season) anyways, Spencer with a bimbo! Reader who loves to listen to him even if she doesn't understand anything, she just keeps nodding along with whatever he says and he realizes she doesn't UNDERSTAND SHIT and he tries to dumb it down for her and it turns her on because it's so sweet of him to do so-

sorry if it doesn't make sense, he has me in a brainrot

Summary: It's almost Spencer's favorite holiday, meaning he's been going on rants every chance he gets. He knows you're interested, but it's not worth getting too confused about.

Genre: Fluff

Pairing: Spencer Reid x bimbo!reader

Warnings: None

Word count: 390

a/n: couldn't think of something for him to rant about but my favorite holiday also happens to be Halloween so hope this is okay!!!

It was Halloween Eve, on the jet who sat in front of you was, Spencer. The stars feeling like they were chasing after you as the jet moved.

You knew Halloween was Spencer's favorite holiday. It was obvious when he'd show up to work with a random monster masks and attempt to scare anyone who walked by.

You couldn't help yourself but ask what he was doing tomorrow, intrigued on what he spends his time doing because you knew it wasn't trick or treating.

This, of course, turned into a long rant. Your eyes focused on his as he moved his hands to express every word.

"The origins of Halloween actually date back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on October 31st, on the eve of their new year. The Celts believed that the dead returned to earth that night, and so they lit bonfires and donned costumes to ward off the ghosts." He smiled as he went on, his eyes having that sparkle every time he noticed you were deep into the conversation.

"Celtic festival?" You asked, tilting your head. He shifted in his seat to get more comfortable to speak once more, "Ancient Celtic festivals included religious and seasonal events such as bonfires, harvest festivals, storytelling and music festivals, and dance festivals. Its actually quite interesting, when you read more onto their culture." He nodded, cracking his knuckles against his palms.

You asking Spencer questions wasn't bait. Although you find it quite attractive when he'd get into something, you were still always confused. Not even just when Spencer would go on rants, anything anyone would say that was slightly out of your vocabulary suddenly hitting you like a brick when you realize you don't understand.

"Huh.." You nodded, "Wait, so they kinda, invented Halloween?" Your voice always had curiosity laced inside of it, you were never not curious or confused about something you didn't quite understand.

"Uh--well..." He wanted to go on again, but you'd be even more confused if he did so. "Yeah, basically." He nodded, smiling at the way he understood he was going to have to dumb things down for you.

You subconsciously formed a smile when you realized he stopped to give a basic explanation, but at least you understood it. Or, at least some of it.

reposts and comments are appreciated <3

#creativesaturn #syd's spencer fics #criminal minds #criminal minds smut #spencer reid #spencer reid smut #criminal minds fic #fanfic #fanfiction #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfiction #doctor spencer reid #spencer reid criminal minds #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #spencer reid x self insert #spencer reid fluff #fluff

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chthonic-sorcery · 8 months ago

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PSA for new Pagans❗️🚩🚩🚩

(Overlooked pagan holidays)

Paganism isn't a singular religion,

it is an umbrella term for thousands of different pre-christian polytheistic faiths that span Antiquity. Heathenry (Norse polytheism) Mesopotamian, Phonecian, Hellenic Polytheism, Kemeticism/Netjerism, Slavic Polytheism, Celtic, Roman, Basque, etc. It goes on and on. Sometimes, these religions are even combined or synchronized, like Greco-Egyptian polytheism.

So, no, not all pagans celebrate Yule, or Beltane, or whatever.

Yule itself seems to be more of a Wiccan (new age) revival than a continued tradition.

There are quite literally thousands of holidays and traditions celebrated that no one talks about because people, especially newer converts, seem to believe paganism is its own singular religion.

So, here are some of my favorite holidays I celebrate that aren't usually talked about:

The Anthesteria:

A 3 day drunken celebration in honor of Dionysus and the Dead. Houses would be decorated with spring flowers, ghosts swept from the home; feasting and drinking no matter your status, and offerings given to the Dead and the Furies so that may not harm you, as they were said to roam the earth at this time.

Tar/pitch was also spread onto doorframes and black hellebore was hung to protect the home.

It was held each year from the 11th to the 13th of the month of Anthesterion, around the time of the first full moon of the year.

The Haloea:

The closest Greek equivalent of "Yule" celebrating the winter solstice and which honored Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, crops, fertility, and harvest.

During the festival, people would celebrate by preparing a rich meal with dough cakes in the shape of genitalia, telling lusty jokes and swearing with vulgarity, singing, drinking, and dancing.

The festival took place in Athens and ended in Eleusis during the month of Poseideon, which is December.

The Dionysia:

where plays originated! Comedy, tragedy, and drama.

The Festival of Dionysus, otherwise known as the “Greater Dionysia” took place in the spring (around our March) when playwrights would compete to entertain Athenian citizens,

complete with parades of giant phalluses and sacrifices of bulls!

The Feat of Sekhmet:

an annual festival at the beginning of the year, which began around August for the Egyptians following Wep Ronpet, or the New Year.

The festival was a time of drunkeness with red beer and wine, where Egyptians would dance, play music.

The goal was to imitate the drunkenness that had once stopped the goddess Sekhmet from destroying humanity.

According to Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet became so bloodthirsty from humanity betraying her father Ra, that she nearly destroyed all humans on Earth. The other deities asked Ra to stop her, and he eventually pacified her by making her believe the wine or beer was blood and she drank herself to sleep, turning into either Hathor or Bastet.

the Aphrodisia:

The festival of Aphrodite! The festival occurred during the month of Hekatombaion, which modern scholars recognize as starting from the third week in July to the third week of August.

the first ritual of the festival would be to purify the temple with the blood from a dove, the sacred bird of Aphrodite. Afterwards, worshipers would carry sacred images of the goddess, as well as Peitho, in a procession to be washed.

During the festival it was not permitted to make bloody sacrifices, since the altar could not be polluted with the blood of the sacrifice victims, which were usually white male goats.

This of course excludes the blood of the sacred dove, made at the beginning of the ritual to purify the altar. In addition to live male goats, worshipers would offer fire, flowers, and incense.

This was even celebrated in Thebes, Egypt, where Aphrodite had a large cult following.

Wep Ronpet:

Wep Ronpet is the Kemetic New Year.

It falls usually somewhere btwn late July and mid-August. The date for Wep Ronpet varies each year, as it is marked by the rising of Sopdet, modernly known as Sirius. Wep Ronpet is in fact one day long.

However, there are 5 days of excitement leading up to Wep Ronpet that we typically call the Epagomenal Days, or the Intercalary Days.

The Epag. days came about from a myth where Nut got pregnant with 5 kids. Ra got upset about this and forbade her from giving birth on any day of the year. Thoth, being the tricky guy that he is played a game of Senet with the moon, and upon winning this game of Senet, he received a small portion of the moon which he used to create an extra 5 days which she can use to birth her five children.

Traditionally, these days are said to be a little weird because they are ‘outside of the norm’. Usually great care was taken not to take too many risks.

So, each day is dedicated to the god that was born on that particular day. The order that it goes in is:

Osiris

Heru-wer (Horus the Elder)

Set

Aset

Nebhet (Nephthys)

Normally, celebrations of Wep Ronpet include prayers to Sekhmet against the 7 arrow or plagues of the year: libations and offerings to the Netjeru, song, dance, feast.

Ritual bathing for purification is sometimes done afterwards.

Personally, I like to perform execration, banishing all the illness, negativity and harm from the previous and coming year.

#ancient history #hellenic pagan #paganism #paganblr #psa #polytheism #Greco egyptian polytheism #ancient greece #pagan community #dionysus #aphrodite #sekhmet #new year #hellenic polytheism #hellenic deities #hellenic polythiest #helpol

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wild-wombytch · 8 months ago

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Anyway, if any of you come and visit Brittany or just go to this fest, DM me! I'd be more than happy to be a tour guide and I have a 3P tent for the fest if needs be! Can also teach you some French if you want to talk to vendors or we can just fist bump.

Some of the female owned businesses I bought stuff from : (if you need, I can translate stuff from the artists' websites or help you write a message to the artists in French)

Art Celtique a small business owned by the sweetest mamm-goh! I'm 100% coming back next year to eat pastries with her over a tea, idc. Lots of Breton-themed curios. Pins, patches, handmade soaps, Saints statues (Sant Ivo, Santez Anna, Sant Konan...) [btw Saints in Brittany are more like a remnant of a cult of the deads that was Christianised than something really recognised by the Church], shirts, local leather-crafted bracelets and the traditional white and blue bowls with your name on (that aren't Made in China like most of those you'll find elsewhere, you actually have to order them or be lucky. You can call in advance so you pick up yours after the festival! The shop is essentially her house, so she can let you get them at your discretion)

She's a bit of a punk at heart and was really sweet to talk to. She has a lady cat, Minnig (small name of "Hermine", also the nickname of Anna of Brittany, Duchess of Brittany and later Queen of France) watching over the shop and begging to be pet!! Careful, the doorbell is a bit surprising! Butches : she also sells ties and bowties and axes pendants!

Shirt reads "Breizh Metal"

[No pic available]

Ose small metaphysical shop. I only bought some incense and balm so nothing you won't see elsewhere, however the owner is more of an artist than anything and makes her own candles and decorations. She has decorative potions that are like snowballs but cooler, changing colours and stuff. She resells a lot from local crafters and artist. Her brother is a tattoo artist nearby and designed this year's Motocultor's shirt, so she had pins and stuff with that design and other exclusive stuff. Also sells keychains with colorful wichy cats and beautiful gemstone jewels and gems. Some tarots, of course. She also sell hand gathered and hand made plant balms and tinctures from a friend and second hands books and tarot/oracle decks (her philosophy is that books are to be read by as many people as possible). She's very kind and upbeat and was delightful to talk to. She's obviously a lover of craft arts. She drew me in with her music and incenses.

I don't have the name of this business. Forgive me, it was 2am and I was piss drunk.

Anyway, ma'am is a middle-aged Latina who does the leatherwork herself (lots of macrame) and does the most STUNNING jewels. Lots of them were beautiful but too femme for me, just like the lacey clothes also sold here. I didn't think of taking a pic either. I found a "labrys" earring there. Anyway, she sold her stuff directly on the festival's lawn, and apparently is here every year (again, I'm not sure anymore, I was a few liters of cider ahead of sobriety 💀). Lots of these shits would likely have a lot of you alty and lesbian girlies to succumb to the evil of spending money. It's not even much in proportion of the handiwork that got into the items. That small business is a treasure!

La-Lori is such a talented illustrator and was very patient with my drunken ass, like the following seller.

I fell in love with her (non-sexualised nor beheaded...it's harder to find that one may think) Medusa (who got the owner of the metaphysical shop Ose gush about when she saw my shirt. Three women, three based tastes). My blurry pics don't do her work justice, it's extremely detailed and the colors aren't toothpaste white, they actually blend amazingly on the shirts! Her dark aesthetic is so tasteful and you can tell a lot of thinking and spirituality got into the symbols and the way things are drawn. I'm in love for real!

Texts reads "Medusa" and either "Horned You" or "Horned God" depending on how you read it.

Poulettes-Sisters and their sister site for activism Poulette d'Assaut. The aesthetic here is more pin-up/femme, and I think more libfem, but I really wanted to support these queens! The staff is female only except for the photographer and treasurer.

I couldn't see their other stand, but they proposed to glitter up your faces while discussing feminism and selling mugs and stuff. I think they might have been near the SSV table, which sold anti-drug cups lids and condoms and talked about sexism.

In terms of activism, they do girls only nights in bars (wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't sex-based), take donations to gift menstrual products to women and girls who don't have the money for that and they also take second hand bags to give to modest kids along with school items while talking about feminism to students. Their photographer also shot portraits of female festivalers last year, to show the face of those who are often erased from punk/metal. You can support them on their second page.

Since the pics were a bit awkward to take : the first tops says "Born to kick your ass", "Fucking Fabulous" and "Irreducible". The pin is "Power Rageuse" (rageuse = female hater) and the last shirt says "All women are witches", "Fuck Misogyny" and "Unchain your Poulette power" ("poulette" could be translated to "chick", which is often derogatory -but less and less used- when said by men but usually affectionate and not sexual at all in nature when used by women, often close to each other or addressing a little girl). Illustrator is credited as Cerise-la-Castagne! They also gave me a sticker and their wrapping was super cool.

Motocultor 2024, Friday the 16th, Karaez, Poher (Kernev) and neighbouring cities and landscapes

(Too many passerby/friends in my other pics that could be identified, that's why I'm not posting much of the festival itself)

It was my first Motocultor. A friend kindly abducted me into going there. Honestly, great experience. If the organisation stays as it is, it is safe for women to go alone. There is a libfem association that was patrolling to ensure it. There were a lot of women (including in security and staff), it was quite accessible for people with physical disabilities. Toilets are clean and well thought. Everyone sleeps about everywhere on the festival undisturbed. There are many tasty vegan/vegetarian options in foods (and a good selection of Asian and African foods). You can dress however you want without being harassed (some women were in bras for comfort -yours included- and there were male travestites and they seemed to feel safe). Also, you can wash yourself/brush your teeth, fix your muddy shoes etc about 5min of walk outside of the fest (technically there is water on the fest but it's less crowded outside and actually made for that purpose (it's a sport's spot).

The vibe it gave was very libfem, so don't expect some activist radical lesbians everywhere, of course, or to not see bdsm stuff or performances of feminity. But it was still better than most festivals with a lot of very toxic macho males a lot of people don't feel safe around. They had stuff to protect your drinks and your ears. They had power banks. You have a market so if any of your clothes for some reason tear or whatever you can find some stuff. The light is well thought so there aren't dark isolated corners. The control of items at the entrance is good. You can have a cashless account you can add money to in advance as soon as you have your ticket, so you don't need physical money. You just need a credit card if you want to buy merch, but you can 100% come to the festival without credit cards or money anywhere else than in the bracelet they give you at the entrance. Also, Nazi symbols were explicitly banned in the rules THANKS FUCKING HELL. But according to the girls who were our tents neighbours, the other fest in this city, Les Vieilles Charrues, had some of those guys as well. Be careful for festivals in France in general (especially WOC), the people are becoming properly insane and violent these days. For the head up, as far as I know this is a far left separatist city, so people here are Bretons, not French. We unite in hatred of Paris.

The musics were a bit of everything. It depends of the days. We had Faun and Opeth at the same time, to give an idea. Some groups were rap/metal, other electro/metal, folk/metal, symphonic/metal and uh....well, just listen to Igorrr yourself, I can't explain it but it was fire and rhe female singer was fucking POSSESSED she was amazing and touching and funny as hell. We had punk on the Saturday, a good amount of female bands in comparison to other fests. Not just metalheads in the public, a lot of punks and other alt cultures as well. Booze was great (and unlike the previous fest I've been to where we got harassed by homophobic white supremacists, there was coffee and energy drinks, as it should).

Camping was crowded but had a good mentality. We had about twenty people cheering for us when we were trying to put the tent back in its bag. We asked for a Qeshua expert around and ended up at five people trying to wrap it up like idiots. Then -of course it was a woman 😭✨- Our Lady of Qeshua came out of thin air to our rescue and wrap that shit up on her own in about 30s, like a proper badass. I love you my sister in tent. Also we had the honour of witness a 4am dumpsters joust and the next day to talk with one of the dumpster warriors. So uh...maybe bring earplugs if you intend on actually sleeping. There is also the Makumba here, where it's purposely shitty and memeish old pop songs being played and remixed for people who are still alive and not dead-drunk after 2am. We did shitty dance. It was funny. Except I was tired, in sandals (because honestly fuck combat boots after one to many miles of walk and pogo) and it took about 2min for someone to spill his whole beer on my feet and for another dude crowd surfing in my back and falling from the sky on me (I'm fine, I believe he is?). The morning, if younre early you may miss the queue for a well-deserved watery coffee.

Honestly the ticket is expensive for my budget (now kinda dead because I shamefully admit I fell a bit for the capitalist evil. But I'm wealthier of sturdy leathers that will last a lifetime and supporting a lot of female owned businesses) but it ended up being a wonderful investment! 100% recommand (maybe 1-2 day for a start, because you need a medal if you survive to 4 days).

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