#nicneven

[blackthornwren]

Here's to the deathless remembrance, the queen who stays the course. She is the longing in the storm-worked waves, and separation is an art of severance by ice. Snow-spangled lashes and cold calculating stars in her eyes, she is my sharp wife, my bent beldam.

[moonwitchryder]

Ryder’s Moonlight Readings Shop:

*<3*

Heyo…

The names Ryder! I’m British, 17, and I do a whole selection of readings, because I’m cool. Here’s my carrd: https://ryderisawesome.carrd.co/

Prices:

- Shufflemancy - Free

- Dice - £1/$1/€1

- Tarot - £5/$5/€5

- Oracle - £4/$4/€4

- Runes - £3/$3/€3

Payments can be made with Paypal, I’ll link it to you before I do your reading. I will also do read for reads.

I’m now going to be cool and list what I will do, and what I won’t do.

WHAT I OFFER

- general readings

- yes/no

- love readings

- deity confirmations (practicing, and will also be £6/€6/$6)

- deity messages

- past / present / future (£6/€6/$6)

- anything that’s not in my what I don’t offer section.

WHAT I DO NOT OFFER

- pregnancy, sex, fertility

- health, suicide, death, starseeds

- if there’s a topic that makes me uncomfy I will mention it to you.

Also! My instagram is @moonwitch.ryder !

Dm me with any questions or reading requests.

(https://docs.google.com/document/d/12AL7DYNhdFuLJ-YZV26zLJcb-HTSyl7e15EmKfneDX8/edit)

[greenwitchcrafts]

October 2023 witch guide

Full moon: October 28th

New moon: October 14th

Sabbats: Samhain

October Hunter's Moon

Known as: Blood moon, drying rice moon, falling leaf moon, freezing moon, migrating moon, moon of the changing seasons, shedding moon, ten colds moon, winterfelleth & windermanoth

Element: Air

Zodiac: Libra & Scorpio

Nature spirits: Frost faeries & Plant faeries

Deities: Apollo, Astarte, Belili, Cernunnos, Demeter, Hathor, Herne, Horned God, Ishtar, Kore, Lakshmi & Mercury

Animals: Elephant, jackal, ram, scorpion & stag

Birds: Crow, heron & robin

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress & yew

Herbs/Plants: Angelica, apple blossom, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, sweet Annie, thyme & Uva ursi

Flowers: Calendula, cosmos & marigold

Scents: Apple blossom, cherry & strawberry

Stones: Amethyst, beryl, obsidian, opal, tourmaline & turquoise

Colors: Black, dark blue, Dark greens & purples

Energy: Artistic works, balance, creativity, harmony, inner cleansing, justice, karma, legal matters, mental stimulation, partnerships, reincarnation & uncovering mysteries or secrets

It is believed that this name originates from the fact that it was a signal for hunters to prepare for the upcoming cold winter by going hunting. This is because animals were beginning to fatten up in preparation for the winter season. Moreover, since fields had recently been cleared out under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily spot deer and other animals that had come out to search for remaining scraps. Additionally, foxes and wolves would also come out to prey on these animals.

The earliest use of the term “Hunter’s Moon,” cited in the Oxford English Dictionary, is from 1710. Some sources suggest that other names for the Hunter’s Moon are the Sanguine or Blood Moon, either associated with the blood from hunting or the color of the changing autumn leaves. 

Samhain

Also known as: All Hallow's Eve,  Ancestor Night, Feast of Apples, Feast of Sam-fuim, Feast of Souls, Feast of the Dead, Geimhreadh, Hallowmass, Martinmass, Old Hallowmas, Pagan New Year, Samana, Samhuinn, Samonios, Shadowfest & Third Harvest

Season: Fall

Symbols: Apples, bats, besom(brooms), black cats, cauldrons, ghosts, gourds, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, scarecrows & witches

Colors: Black, gold, orange, silver & white

Oils/incense: Basil, cloves, copal, frankincense, gum mastic, heather, heliotrope, mint, myrrh & nutmeg

Animals: Bat, boar, cat cattle & dogs

Stones: Amber, anatase, black calcite, black obsidian, black tourmaline, brass, carnelian, clear quartz diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, iron, jet, marble, pearl, pyrite, ruby, sandstone, sardonyx, smokey quartz, steel & tektite

Foods: Apples, ale, beef, cider, corm, fruits, garlic, gourds, grains, hazelnuts, herbal teas, mushroom, nettle, nuts, pears, pomegranates, pork, poultry, pumpkin pie, sunflower seeds, thistle, turnips & wine (mulled)

Herbs/plants: Acorn, Allspice, catnip, corn, dittany of Crete, hazel, mandrake, mugwort, mullien, oak leaves, pine, rosemary, sage, straw, tarragon, thistle, wormwood & yellow cedar

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, deadly nightshade, rue & fumitory

Goddesses: Al-lat, Baba Yaga, Badb, Banba, Bast, Bebhionn, Bronach, Brunhilde, Cailleach, Carlin, Cassandra, Cerridwen, Copper Woman, Crobh Dearg, Devanyani, Dolya, Edda, Elli, Eris, Erishkigal, Fortuna, Frau Holde, Hecate, Hel, Ishtar, Kali, Macha Mania, Morrigan, Nemesis, Nephthys, Nicneven & Rhiannon

Gods: Arawan, Baron Samede, Belenus, Coyote, Cronus, Dagda, Dis, Hades, Loki, Nefertum, Odin, Osiris, Pluto, Woden & Xocatl

Issues Intentions & Powers: Crossroads, darkness, death, divination, honoring ancestors, introspection, the otherworld/underworld, release, visions & wisdom (of the crone)

Spellwork: Divination, fire magick, night magick, shape-shifting, spirit calling & water magick

Related festivals:

• Day of the Dead- (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed & is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. Although related to the simultaneous Christian remembrances for Hallowtide, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

• All Saints Day- is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints & martyrs of the Church, whether they are known or unknown

Activities:

• Dedicate an altar to loved ones who have passed

• Boil a simmer pot to cleanse your space

• Have a silent dinner

• Light a candle for your loved ones & yourself

• Decorate your house and/or altar

• Release negative energy & cleanse your with a ritual bath

• Pull tarot cards to see what may be in store for you ahead

• Cleanse, clean & de-clutter your space

• Leave offerings to the Fae

• Journal & reflect on your accomplishments, challenges & everything you did this year

•Go on a nature walk

• Learn a new form of divination

• Have a bonfire with your friends and/or family

• Carve pumpkins

• Express yourself creatively through art, music, ect

• Visit a cemetery & help clean off areas that need it or to visit a family member/ ancestor & leave an offering

• Hold a seance

• Bake spooky treats & bread as offerings

• Refresh your protection magicks, sigils & rituals

Samhain is a Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or "darker half" of the year. Celebrations begin on the evening of 31 October, since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset.

This fire festival is celebrated on October 31st & is considered the Pagan New Year. It is the first Sabbat on the Wheel of the Year, a cross-quarter festival & the third (final) harvest festival of the mundane year. This is the time when the veil between the worlds of the living & those who have passed is the thinnest, which allows greater communication between the two

Some believe this is the time of the Goddess's mourning of the death of the God until his rebirth at Yule. The Goddess's sadness can be seen in the shortening, darkening days & the arrival of cold weather

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's 2023 magical almanac: practical magic for everyday living

Wikipedia

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

[blairstales]

The Fairy Queen of Scottish Folklore

Perhaps thanks to the terms seelie court and unseelie court, or maybe because of fiction, there is now modern folklore that there are two opposing fairy kingdoms. One is good, and the other is bad. However, the Seelie/Unseelie Court terms were historically just ways to categorize typically good fairies and typically bad fairies.

There is only one queen and king of the fairies mentioned in Scottish folklore.

"The Fairy Queen" by Arthur Rackham(1914)

The queen rarely has a name(though is sometimes called Nicneven), and is more often simply called The Fairy Queen, or The Queen of Elphame, which is within the Otherworld. She is described as being clothed in green, as having otherworldly beauty, and having great power.

Within church lore, she must send a human soul to hell every 7 years, otherwise hell will take a fairy soul. This is also related to the changeling folklore, where those souls are sometimes swapped out with something (or someone) enchanted to look like the missing.

However, there are even more stories that contrast this dark side by painting her in a kinder light. In those, the queen will remove curses off people and give gifts. Even The Silver Chanter is sometimes said to be given by the fairy queen to Ian Maccrimmon, after she was impressed with his musical talent (and good looks). In his hands only, it would play the sweetest music.

There is sometimes a fairy king also mentioned in folklore, but the queen seems to hold the most power.

“There was also a king of elf land. From the accounts extracted from or volunteered by witches, etc., preserved to us in judiciary and Presbyterian records he appears to have been a peaceable, luxurious, indolent personage who entrusted the whole business, including the recruiting department, to his wife.” “Folk Lore in Lowland Scotland” by Evelyn Blantyre Simpson (1908)

Not only does the king take a background roll, but there are more stories of her taking human lovers than there are with even mention of the king. The most famous of these human lovers might be “Thomas the Rhymer.” He was said to be an amazing singer, but what instrument accompanied him can change depending on the tales; some times he is a famous lute player, other times a harp, and sometimes another instrument.

It was a dreadfully hot day when Thomas had set out walking, so he decided to take shade under a tree — called the Eildon(or Eldyn) tree — to catch his breath. There, on the slope of the east-most of the three Eildon hills, he found the spot so pleasant that he decided to stay and play a song on his instrument.

As he played, he began to hear a twinkle of bells on the wind. The source of the bells turned out to be a gorgeous woman who rode out of the woods on a white horse.

“Her skirt was o ‘ the grass green silk , Her mantle o ‘ the velvet fine ; At ilka tett of her horse’s mane hung fifty silver bells and nine.” "Folk Lore in Lowland Scotland" by Eve Blantyre Simpson(1908)

After much talking between the two, the woman admitted to being the fairy queen, and asked if he would go with her to the fairy realm. Awestruck by her beauty, he readily agreed. There, he enjoyed himself so thoroughly, he had no idea how much time was passing.

"They came at last to the fairy kingdom where revelry and dancing were the order of the day . Thomas passed so delectable a time that when the queen asked him how long he thought he had been there , he calculated some seven days had been passed chasing the golden hours with flying feet . He could scarce believe the beautiful sovereign when she assured him he had been gone from earth five years and two." "Folk Lore in Lowland Scotland" by Eve Blantyre Simpson(1908)

This marks another crossroads in how the tale (and the perception of the fairy queen) differs. As per the church lore, Thomas was supposed to be one of the souls given to hell, but the queen had grown a soft-spot for Thomas and advised him to run.

In other stories, he simply returned to the human realm and remained there for some time.

In both versions, before they parted, she charmed him to have a tongue that could not lie, as well as a gift of prophecy. He had thought the truthfulness would be a hindrance, but back in the human realm, his honesty earned him the name “True Thomas.”

There are many prophecies said to originate from Thomas, some of which people claim came true. If you are interested in a list, there is a lengthy one in the book “Popular Rhymes, Fireside Stories, and Amusement of Scotland” by Robert Chambers(1842).

After many years, he abruptly stated “I have been here long enough,” and simply left our world, never to be seen again. Some say the queen reclaimed him and he is now forever trapped in the Otherworld, while others say it was his own choice to return to the woman he loved.

Note: If you want to research further, I have more quotes and sources on my website.

[adarkrainbow]

An example of the book's fascinating studies: as I said before, the chapter about Sleeping Beauty notices how fin-de-siècle authors, when "perverting" the tale, focused on the fairies around the baby's cradle - and Jean de Palacio notices that the names chosen for these fairies are very revealing of this "perversion".

Indeed, some authors in their twist-take on Sleeping Beauty, decided to name the group of fairies around the cradle. Anatole France, in his take on the Sleeping Beauty story in 1909, listed eight fairies: Titania, Mab, Viviane, Mélusine, Urgèle, Anna de Bretagne, Mourgue. Catulle Mendès, in 1888, had evoked in his work a total of 12 fairies - Oriane, Urgande, Urgèle, Alcine, Viviane, Holda, Mélusine, Mélandre, Arie, Mab, Titania, Habonde. Jean Lorrain did this list twice - once in 1883 including Habonde, Viviane, Tiphaine, Oriane, Mélusine, Urgèle, Morgane ; and another in 1897, simply removing Urgèle. As for Joséphin Péladan, he also did a double list: one in 1893, Mélusine, Morgane, Viviane, Mourgue, Alcine ; and another in 1895 to which he removed Mourgue to add Urgèle, Nicneven and Abonde.

These names can be taken as just random famous fairy names - but Jean de Palacio highlights that... They are not just chosen randomly, and all denote a way to discredit the fairies or to highlight their ambiguous if not negative nature. Of the recurring names four are taken from the matter of Britain, Arthurian and medieval legends: Viviane, Melusine, Anna de Bretagne (a variation of Anne of Britanny, an actual queen of France) and Mourgue/Morgane. Famous characters, right... But who is present here, around this baby's cradle to deliver gifts? Morgan le Fay, half-main villain of the Arthuriana half-healer of Avalon. Viviane, the good lady of the lake, oh yes... but also a shameless seductress who used Merlin's lust and love to steal his secrets and get rid of him. And Melusine - a national treasure, one of France's beloved legends... And a snake-woman with a strong demonic aura and devilish reputation. Viviane, Melusine and Morgan are all manifestations of the "femme fatale", of the deadly though seductive woman.

There is also a British influence at work here, since we have Titania and Mab, the two famous Shakespearian fairy queens. But Titania's reputation had already been soiled in Shakespeare's play by her mad love for a donkey - sorry, an ass ; as for Mab, in the minds of fin-de-siècle century, she is still strongly associated with the "materialistic atheism" of Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Queen Mab". Not perfect example of "godmothers"...

But let's return to Mourgue/Morgue briefly. Yes, she is the Franco-British Arthurian character of Morgan le Fay... But she is also part of the Italian literary tradition thanks to the Orlando Furioso, where she is Morgana, the incest-born sister of the enchantress Alcina who... Oh look! She is there too! Alcina in French is "Alcine" and in the lists you find... Alcuine. Once again, a new discredit over the fairies, as you have two wicked enchantresses dedicated to the dark art - including a lustful old hag so vain she hides her true appearance under a glamour of youth and beauty.

Of the various fairies presented in this list, only Urgèle seems to be free of any same, flaw or negative side - but that's because she is the most "recent" of them all, and not an old literary heritage or cultural figure, but rather a fresh creation. Urgèle was created by Voltaire in 1764 for a short tale/fairytale of his, "Ce qui plait aux dames", "What pleases the ladies", and immediately taken back for an "opéra-comique" adaptation by Favart in 1764, "La Fée Urgèle, ou Ce qui plaît aux dames". And while Théodore de Banville made her a good fairy victim of a wicked enchanter in his comedy "Le Baiser", "The Kiss" ; it didn't refrain Michel Carré and Paul Collin to make her the wicked fairy of Sleeping Beauty in their theatrical-opera adaptation of the fairytale in 1904...

[As a personal note, if you are interest in the other fairy names, Habonde is a variation of Abonde - la fée Abonde was a figure of popular folklore and superstitious beliefs in medieval France, an embodiment of abundance and prosperity fought off by the Church and who was tied to the rite of leaving "meals for the fairies" on special nights such as Christmas or the Epiphany. Holda is of course the same as Frau Holda/Frau Holle of Germanic mythology ; Arie is a reference to "Tante Arie", a Christmas gift-giver of eastern France, and Nicneven is a variation of Nicnevin/Nicnevan of Scottish folklore. I have to admit I do not know about the origins of Mélandre or Tiphaine.]

[tiredwitchplant]

Everything You Need to Know About Fruits and Veggies: Pumpkins

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo)

*Culinary *Medical *Masculine *Samhain

Folks Names: Big Tom, Jack Be Little, Baby Boo, Autumn Gold, Jumpin’ Jack, Sweetie Pie, Pepon, Winter Squash

Planet: Moon

Element: Earth, Water

Deities: Selene, Nuit, Luna, Artemis, Sin, Inannur, Khonsu, Nicneven, Morrigan and Crom-Cruach

Abilities: Granting wishes, Love, Prosperity, Fertility, Protection, Banishment, Health

Characteristics: Part of the gourd family. Native to North America but are planted worldwide. They are annual plants with twining stems, lobed leaves, yellow flowers, and large orange fruit. Can be harvested in autumn.

History: The pumpkin has been much used as a medicine in Central and North America. The Maya applied the sap of the plant to burns, the Menominee used the seeds as a diuretic, and European settlers grounded and mixed the seeds with water, milk, or honey to make a remedy for worms. Is the symbol of harvest and used as a beloved jack-o-lantern to protect the hearth and home by scaring away trickster fairies, evil spirits, and other restless souls wandering the Earth.

How to Grow:

Is it easy to grow: Yes

Rating: Beginner/Moderate

Seeds Accessible: Yes

How to Grow Pumpkins

Video Guide

Where to Buy Seeds

Magical Properties:

On October 31st, illuminating a carved, hollowed out pumpkin with white candle inside of it will protect one from intrusive and pesky negative spirits.

Magical energy of pumpkins can transport you to the land of dreams where wishes come true

Can bring prosperity and attract positive vibrations

Can be used in full moon ritual because its shape resembles a full moon

You can use its seeds to cast magical circles. It will give you energy and feed the animals at the same time

Offering it on Samhain can help with bringing fertility and abundance

Medical Usage:

Is a great deworming agent, most effective in tapeworms

Pulp of the fruit used as a decoction can relieve intestinal inflammation

Has antioxidant and anticancer activity in the body

Sources

[randowitchythings]

Tarot Card Major Arcana Deity List

0 - The Fool: Loki, Pan, Zeus (rarer), Dionysus, Hermes (rarer), Aeolus

I - The Magician: Loki (Rarer), Odin, Hermes, Thoth, Nephthys, Asteria, Circe, Selene (rarer), Medusa, Medea, Cerridwen, Rhiannon, Brigid, Pazuzu, Vasago, Paimon

II - The High Priestess: Persephone, Nyx, The Morrigan, Hekate, Frigg, Selene, Isis, Artemis, Feyja, Ganesha, Daphne, Eir, Nicneven, The Virgin Mary, Guan Yin

III - The Empress: Aphrodite, Persephone (Rarer), Nyx, The Morrigan, Frigg, Hera, Freyja, Isis, Hathor, Astarte, Demeter, Ishtar, Leto, Rhea, Artio, Rashoon, Gremory, Guan Yin

IV - The Emperor: Hades, The Morrigan (rarer), Odin, Ares, Lucifer (semi-rare), Zeus, Horus, Osiris, Ra, Sobek, Beelzebub, Anubis (rarer), Morpheus

V - The Hierophant: Apollo, Hekate (rarer), Osiris, Thoth, Athena, Horus, Hermes (rarer), Odin, Brigid, Saraswati, Ganesha, Dionysus, Prince Stolas, Orobas

VI - The Lovers: Loki (Rarer), Aphrodite, Anubis (Rarer), Hera, Frigg, Rhea, Gaia, Demeter (rarer), Ishtar, Parvati, Hathor, Isis, Brigid, Freyja (semi-rare), Osiris, Cernunnos, Freyr, Dionysus, Pan (semi-rare), Eros, Psyche, Furfur, Gremory, Lilith

VII - The Chariot: Apollo, Ares, Athena, Hades (Rarer), Thor, The Morrigan (Semi-rare), Nike, Astarte, Ishtar, Freyja, Bast, Odin, Hebe, Helios, Eos, Rhea

VIII - Strength: Athena (Rarer), The Morrigan (Rarer), Thor, Hestia, Bast, Sekhmet, Brigid, Isis, The Dagda, The Virgin Mary, The Muses, Heracles, Nike, Sigyn, Fenrir, Malphas, Vapula, Archangel Michael

IX - Hermit: Persephone, Loki (rarer), Hekate, Odin, Isis, Hestia, Hades (rarer), Brigid, The Muses, Hermes (Rarer), Saraswati, Asteria, Nyx, Circe, Erebus, Ceto, Morpheus, The Morrigan, Cerridwen, Vesta

X - Wheel of Fortune: Tyche, Fortuna, Odin (rarer), Hekate (rarer), Frigg, Zeus, Hathor, Isis, The Dagda, Loki (rarer), Fortuna, Jormungandr

XI - Justice: Athena, The Morrigan (semi-rarer), Hekate (rarer), Hera, Lugh, Nemesis, Themis, Nike, Zeus (semi-rare), Fenrir, Skadi

XII - The Hanged Man: Loki (Rarer), Odin, Lucifer (rarer), Artemis, Osiris, Persephone (rarer), Ishtar, Buddha, Jesus, Green Man, Poseidon, Arachne, Anubis (rarer), Apolla (rarer)

XIII - Death: Hades, Nyx, The Morrigan, Hekate, Odin, Lucifer, Persephone (rarer), Isis, Hel, Freyja (rarer), Anubis, Osiris, Thanatos, Morana, Nephthys, Cerberus, Melinoe, Santa Muerte, Baron Samedi, Jormungandr, Medusa

XIV - Temperance: Selene, Hekate (rarer), Aphrodite (rarer), Artemis, Isis, Apollo (semi-rare), Hestia, Iris, Sigyn

XV - The Devil: Loki, Lilith, The Morrigan (semi-rarer), Odin (semi-rare), Lucifer, Dionysus, Pan, Set/Seth, Cernunnos

XVI - The Tower: Loki (Rarer), Odin (semi-rare), Eris, Ares, Sekhmet, Hel, The Morrigan (rarer), Horus, Ceto, Poseidon, Beelzebub, Malphas, Kali

XVII - The Star: Aphrodite (Rarer), Nyx, Hermes, Lucifer, The Star (rarer), Thoth, Ishtar, Astrea, Isis, The Virgin Mary, Nuit, Hebe, Fama/Pheme, Psyche

XVIII - The Moon: Selene, Hekate, Nyx, The Morrigan, Artemis, Chang'e, Rhiannon, Isis, Phoebe, Thoth, Anubis (rarer), Hypnos, Cerberus, Morpheus, Leviathan

XIX - The Sun: Apollo, Amaterasu, Ra, Helios, Artemis, Athena, Lucifer (rarer), Lugh, Helios, Brigid, Bast, Sekhmet, Ra, Horus, Freyr, Eos

XX - Judgement: Anubis, Athena, The Morrigan, Odin, Hera, Persephone (rarer), Osiris, Hephaestus, Isis, Horus, Hades (rarer), Nemesis, Archangel Michael

XXI - The World: Konshu, Aphrodite (Rarer), Gaia, Hermes, Demeter, The Dagda, Isis, Gaia, Cernunnos, Green Man, Iris, Antheia, Skadi, Guan Yin, Eos, Tyche, Jormungandr

[analexthatexists]

Hear me out.

For the love of god.

Guys, you like ARG Websites right?

And you like eyestraining visuals and flashy over saturated colors?

Maybe even some deep, incomprehensible yet entertaining LORE?!

Then please.

Terminal 00.

Check. 👏 It. 👏 Out. 👏 PLEASE. I BEG YOU!

ITS SUCH A FUN WEBSITE TO EXPLORE, PLEASE, I DON’T SEE CRAP ABOUT THIS THING ON TUMBLR.

Just prepare yourself. This baby has disturbing imagery, sound design, flashing lights and colors, loud sounds, and demonic spinning triangles.

Oh, and good luck probing…

It’s a long way down from here.

[sadmonstress]

It's close to being a year since my discovery of Cas Mackenzie's album, The Whispers. The final track, Without Words, was featured on Terminal 00 in instrumental form. I would highly recommend anybody to check out both of them.

[blackthornwren]

As the frost covers the ground and the last of the leaves have long since fallen, I awaken early to the cold sun casting gold across the freezing land. The snows cannot seem to get started this year and I am sadder for it.

In my hands a rosary of hawthorn and rowan berries strung upon the waxy red thread; a cross of thorns graces the end of this charm. Crafted with care by a dear friend whose words give voice to my utter love and devotion for Her. My voice is rough as I work the rosary, but the prayers fall with ease and soon I am lost in the trance and the cold wind of the coming winter.

The Queen is coming, riding silent and sure on the dapple grey horse. Her velvet cloak dusts the ground and leaves snow in its wake and her hammer strikes the branches and biting their skin with ice.

She is blue, my transfixed and transformed Queen. Silent and watchful, she carries the countenance of one of the dead in their soft repose. They alight behind her, a court of corpses and Fae creatures - roused from sleep in the cool earth while they waited patiently for the blistering heat of the summer to fall away.

Upon each Rowan berry, another prayer and a call. She is listening, she hears every word. And like breaking branches, I begin to hear her in return.

Upon each Hawthorn berry, an entreaty. Hear me, dance with me, I am yours. I give of myself freely and take what is offered, and at the last recitation, I am blinded and breathless. I cannot see, and fumbling, I reach for pen and paper to scrawl her whispered words:

A lady came walking from the watery west A pale sun at Her brow and moonlight at Her breast She wore a mantle made of stars And flowers bloomed at Her behest

Her steps put sound to storms One of many of Her shifting forms. And everywhere that She would fly, Her ghastly horde was seen close by.

She poured the water into the well With ink to make Her mirror black She knew all between the heavens and hell She gazed into the mirror and She saw me looking back.

She saw me in Her looking glass And took my hand in Hers And from out my mouth my soul did pass To join Her in the Sabbat Dance.

My deepest gratitude goes out to Mahigan, who created the breathtaking rosary and set of prayers dedicated to the Queen of Winter. And while I cannot share the rosary prayers here with you - some things need to be experienced in person - this tool and prayer set is a complete act of devotion to Winter’s Maiden and every word ring out with the weight of her presence. I cannot thank you enough for this, my dear friend.

Mahigan’s brilliant work can be found at www.kitchentoad.com and you can find them on Instagram @kitchentoad.

[hagothehills]

Did you know Scotland has it's own version of Hekate?

Nicnevin (sometimes Nicneven or Nicnevan) is a Queen of the fairies or the Queen of Elphame within Scottish Folklore. She rules the unseelie court of Alba, unusual creatures, spirits and nymphs. She is very much an otherworldly deity associated with witchcraft and necromancy and she has been connected to several other deities with similar attributes. She has been referred to as the Scottish Hekate in the works of Sir Walter Scott due to her ties to witchcraft and all things otherworldly.

I love this image by Brian Froud which makes me think of Nicnevin with her fairy spirits and imps.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hearth and Hame (@hearthandhame)

[pollylindartist]

This week is all about the photography,and today is about band photography. A Faery Bluegrass band. Although I do not have a double base, and finding one the right size (think American doll size, which I would love to get my hands on) but we will do it anyway, I have a few extra not strictly bluegrass instruments, *coughs*… heheh . In the mean time here is a group shot of all the Fetches that I have finished for this collection from left to right , top row, Mr Brian James Baphomet, Mrs Doretha Bree Thronapple, Mx Orlando Shani Ingstad, and the bottom row, Mrs Nicneven Bernadette Foxglove, and Lady Kathryn Regina Bastet, of the Levin Bastet’s. . these ones are all sold and will eventually be winging their ways to new homes in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And yes, I will be individually introducing them, in the near future. . [image description. five fetch art dolls sitting in two rows three at the top and two at the bottom, all are dressed in Victorian/Edwardian inspired clothing. they are on a photo set. The Fetches look very formal.] . #fetch #artdoll #witch #thornapple #baphomet #ingstad #foxglove #nicneven #bastet #bast #traditionalwitchcraft #hedgewitchcraft #hedgewitch #pagan #magic #pollylindartist https://www.instagram.com/p/CAd1wfyH7L8/?igshid=x5jl8nqpsas

[spiralthicket]

The Fairy Queen, Bone Mother, Grandmother witch. She leads the hunt and lights the fire in our heads. She is The Great Lady of Elphame. 

A piece I did for Witches Sabbat 2018 in which I’ll be attending. It was nice to draw the lady herself. 

[lunaplena]

nicneven replied to your post “everyone reblogging the brain cells uquiz from me is getting 3 brain...”

I would give you one but I need it for school

absolutely not, i am giving you MY half of a brain cell i don’t use it or need it

[maddytimes-blog]

Click the link below to find out why Terminal 00 is the perfect example of psychological horror.

https://www.screencritics.net/terminal-00-review-2017/

[zillion-ronald-manus]

That face when some uninvited entity makes it into your secure terminal and then immediately falls asleep when you start asking it questions