thecraftwitchrachel

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Having a coffee and working on my witchy #TBR so far I'm really liking this book, the same author also has Occult Russia which is also in my pile. Even though I'm not Russian, that area of the world, historically, had ambiguous territory lines

[thecraftwitchrachel]

A domovoi, which can be spelled domovoj or domovoy, is a house spirit in pre-Christian Slavic mythology, a being who lives in the hearth or behind the stove of a Slavic home and protects the inhabitants from harm. Attested from the sixth century CE, the domovoi sometimes appears as an old man or woman, and sometimes as a pig, bird, calf, or cat.

In Slavic mythology, all peasant houses have a domovoi, who is the soul of one (or all) of the deceased members of the family, making the domovoi part of ancestor worship traditions. The domovoi lives in the hearth or behind the stove and householders took care to not disturb the smoldering remains of a fire to keep their ancestors from falling through the grate.

My personal practice includes working with my hearth spirit as I tend to dabble in Kitchen Witchery. I keep a small gnome figurine on my stove as a representation of my apartments Domovoi. I keep it secured with a bit of museum wax which is necessary for all over my apartment because my black cat, Vlad likes to knock things over.

Slavic Chronicles writes that "the domovoi tries to take good care of pets – if a cat gets too noisy during the night, that means it is playing with the home domovoy". I have two cats, Greta and Vlad and Greta's favorite spot is by the stove so I like to think she is keeping our Domovoy company or vice versa. I try to keep my apartment up to our Domovoy's standards but as someone who struggles with depression that leads to some executive dysfunction, chores often are the first thing to be ignored when I'm "down bad". So when my depression finally lessens, I do cleanings and cleansings along with giving my Domovoy an offering as an apology. I work with other ancestral energies, so I like to think that my spirits are understanding that keeping my home in this state isn't a sign of disrespect so they don't act out, which I am grateful for.

Britanica and Madame Pamita gave me the idea of when I moved into my new apartment to make sure I did something to invite my ancestral Domovoy from my previous apartment to my new one. So after getting my new keys and checking out the apartment, I did a smoke cleanse of mugwart and rosemary, said a small 'prayer' in my previous apartment inviting my Domovoy to my new apartment and when in my new apartment I cleaned my stove and brought my gnome figurine and put it on my stove and welcomed the spirit to it's new home.

[thecraftwitchrachel]

The Witch of the forest

[thecraftwitchrachel]

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

Back to school Witchcraft

- make a sigil for good grades and either wear it for tests or write it on your tests

- bless hand sanitizer to keep you safe from sickness

- bless perfume, lotion, anything that you put on to keep you smelling good through the day

- veil if you can

- write a protective sigil on the bottom of your shoes

- bless your jewelry for protection

- cleanse yourself after each day

- before school cleanse everything your phone case, school supplies, everything

- bring crystals to school like carnelian for creativity and confidence and sodalite for focus

- color code with color magic when doing notes

- use a back to school oil (mine has cloves, eggshells and a few other things so I’m protected, confident, and I’m less stressed)

- make a satchel if you can’t use an oil and carry it with you

- put a little moon water in your water bottle for clarity

- use music to your advantage

- do a quick meditation before school

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Tea Magickal Correspondences

[thecraftwitchrachel]

10 Reasons Why I Love Being a Witch

1) Witchcraft loves me back.

With witchcraft, you get what you give. If you respect a spell’s instructions and perform it with faith, it will work. If you treat your tarot deck with regard, it will give you honest answers. Witchcraft yields results here and now, instead of promising eternal happiness after death.

2) It embraces who I am.

Witchcraft will never censor your truth by asking you to suppress your emotions. Pride, anger, greed, lust, envy… These are what make you human. And they are fuel for rituals. The craft teaches you how to harness and direct them, so you can live up to your potential.

3) It does not care about money.

Whether you use a $30 or a $3 candle will not affect the outcome of your spell. And the number of tarot decks, crystal balls and pendulums you own does not reflect how good a diviner you are. With witchcraft, faith and power are the only currencies that matter.

4) It allows me to avenge myself.

Turning the other cheek may sound nice. But it and self-love cannot co-exist. And in witchcraft, you have to love yourself before the occult allows you command it. The craft lets me practice self-love by giving back malice to anyone who sends it to me.

5) It allows me to help myself.

When your natural gifts are not enough to survive a challenge or accomplish a task, witchcraft lets you call upon the old gods and their minions for assistance. Spells that protect and disarm, heal and harm, grant and transcend are all at your fingertips.

6) It allows me to help others.

Witchcraft requires you to give back. But not through tithes or other taxes like that. Whenever you come across another soul who you think deserves your assistance, you can cast spells for them or perform divination on their behalf.

7) It lets me master myself.

Most people only know their conscious self. As a witch, you will be introduced to your other selves: your higher self and your shadow self. When the three of you have a strong understanding of one another, there is no obstacle you cannot conquer.

8) It lets me glimpse what is hidden.

Through divination, witchcraft allows you to witness things that have not yet come to pass. It also gives you access to the concealed present and the hidden past. This means you can look into people’s souls and see all their hidden motivations.

9) It dissolves my fears.

As a witch, you know that you are always where you are meant to be. Any unexpected, painful or tragic detours are only meant to reroute you to your true purpose. Witchcraft leads you to your true path. It is impossible to get lost.

10) I am the Pope of my religion.

Even though my family taught me the craft, I was given the chance to put that knowledge to the test. Nobody forced me to believe in anything that did not show itself to be true. And whenever I want to talk to my gods, I do not need a middle man. I always have a direct line.

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Hello! Fellow slavic practitioner!! 😁👋💓

Hello! Welcome to my page, I hope you find it helpful!

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Have you read Slavic Witchcraft book by Natasha Helvin? If yes, what are your thoughts on it?

Me personally, i think it kinda lacked the slavic part itself most of the time! But i would like to hear your thoughts!

Hello! Yes, I have read it. I think it was the first one I read on the topic before realizing I needed to do my own research and exploring. I think it's a nice place to start but I had some issues with the text. I agree, there felt to be a lack of Slavic influence for me as well and I also, personally struggled with the author being a Haitian Vodou priestess but growing up in the Soviet state as noted in her website bio. While Haitian Vodou is not a closed practice in my understanding. It is an African migratory religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries through a combination of Roman Catholicism and traditional religions from West and Central Africa. Haitian Vodou, has no central authority and practitioners have a lot of diversity. But for me, it felt like toeing the line into a closed practice in a time where representation matters.

I've been thinking of re-reading the book and doing a review/thoughts post in light of a new book of hers being released soon that looks interesting, Ancestral Slavic Magic

I personally use more from Baba Yaga's Book of Witchcraft which is also on my list to re-read and post about

[thecraftwitchrachel]

10 Simple Ways to Worship Mother Nature

These could apply to any earthly god or goddess really, so feel free to borrow any ideas that speak to you! And please tell me about how you worship your deity, I'd love to know 💚🪲

Going for daily, mindful walks. Sometimes I'll listen to music, other times I'll just listen to the world around me.

Wear a lot of greens and browns, as well as recycled and more sustainable fabrics (a lot of my clothes are also thrifted, and I try to avoid overconsumption)

Decorate my space with earthy colours, posters and pieces of the earth - I have crystals, bones, pressed flowers and even rocks and twigs in my room

Learn about nature and the world around me - I am a zoology student so my academic career is also a devotion to Mother Nature but I also learn about what animals I can see locally, I study when and where flowers bloom and how to tell when rain is coming etc

Reconnect with my more primal side - a significant part of my work with Mother Nature is reognising and accepting that humans are animals, and we behave as such; we cannot allow ourselves to become seperate from wilderness. To me, this involves connecting with my intuition and gut feelings, recognising my emotions and desires and working with them

Making and wearing daisy chains or flower crowns

Creating art inspired by the world around me and myself

Caring for animals (that includes other humans) when I can and it's safe: from helping a snail move across the path, to making sure a dying bird can rest peacefully, to giving food and money to the homeless

Loving myself, though it isn't always easy

Spending time outside with my hands in the dirt or streams, speaking with the trees and birds and listening to their replies

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Moon Phases Correspondences

New Moon

New beginnings

Purification

Love and romance

Health

Fresh starts

New projects

Personal Growth

Removal of bad habits

Binding spells

Bringing things to justice 

Banishing

Dreaming/Prophecies

Banishing magick

Waxing Moon

Constructive Magick

Love

Wealth

Success

Courage

Friendship

Luck

Health/Healing

Growth

Protection

Prosperity

Attraction

Any type of positive magick

Financial Growth

Full Moon

Good for all types of magick

Love

Knowledge

Money

Dreams

Protection

Divination

Cleansing and charging crystals and tools

Psychic awarness

Family and Friends

Protection

Waning Moon

Banishing magick

Bindings

Removing addictions

Clearing negativity from your life

Getting rid of illnesses and sicknesses 

Harvests

Exorcism

Cleansing

Getting rid of bad habits

tip jar

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Book Review: Slavic Kitchen Alchemy-nourishing herbal remedies, magical recipes & folk wisdom by Zuka Zak

A few weeks ago I was finally able to check out a new-ish bookstore near me that I had been following on social media for a while, TheUnreliableNarrator in Rochester NY. They ultimately had a small section dedicated to witchcraft and paganism so I bee-lined it there. I found a few books including Slavic Kitchen Alchemy (2023). Zak (2023) set up this book in a clear and concise way based on season and recommended that the read start in the season in which they were currently in. It was really nice to hear personal stories from the author about their Polish roots as I share that and trying to find Slavic information that isn't Russian heavy is sometimes hard to find.

After reading the introduction, I took the author's recommendation and skipped the first chapter which was Spring so that I would begin in the Summer section as I purchased the book around the summer solstice. Each season or chapter includes recipes and anecdotes from the author along with stories of folklore that pertained to the chapter. Zak (2023) wrote about many things and my book ended up with a lot of handwritten notes or changes to recipes and a lot of sticky tabs that I labeled for ease.

The recipes and remedies in the book have a wide variety of uses from stomach ailments to skincare. I ended up taking a deep dive into the Slavic remedy of Nalewka (i) which is an alcohol based tonic of sorts that is similar to a tincture. I even found a scholarly article studying the effectiveness from homemade to store bought.

I found the folklore, additionally interesting, especially about the Rusalky because it was a refreshing take on the stories I've seen. Zak (2023) also provided historical context to the herbs mentioned in the recipes and where the names came from that linked to many stories that the Slavic people have.

I only just finished the book but am looking forward to starting my own Nalewka for the upcoming fall and flu season since it seems less messy then how I make my elderberry syrup each year. Overall, I think many people will be able to use this book if they want new ideas for their folk or kitchen practices. While it is heavily influenced by the author's background and heritage with the recipes and remedies they grew up with, I found that many of the recipes can be altered or applicable to all practices.

[thecraftwitchrachel]

I finally finished reading The Magic in Your Genes (2023) by Cairelle Crow. I found it at my local Barnes and Noble for $18.95 USD but I used my BN points for some money off.

I was interested in picking this book up for a few reasons; the artwork on the cover "Mothers Eve" (2013, Ramy Tadros) was beautiful and having a background in history along with an intense passion for genealogy and ancestral work in my practice. The book itself is 234 pages and has sections about the biology of our genes/DNA, ethics of genealogy, family trees (including examples), then going into the metaphysical properties of our genes and DNA, ancestral healing, crystals/herbs for genealogy magic and ending off with a section on remembrance and resources to help you start or expand on your journey.

What I liked about this book was how easy it was to digest for folks just starting off on their family history or genealogy journey but also being applicable to those of us that have already done some work with our ancestors and family trees. I also have a background knowledge in biology and DNA but didn't feel that folx without that knowledge would be confused. I ended up seeing our DNA and biology in a new light and as a magical part of each of us.

Something to note because as Crow notes throughout the book, family trees can be messy or confusing. Especially for those within the LGBTQIA+ community, those with family members who were enslaved or were enslavers, adoptees and people who are more connected with their Found Family. Crow spends a lot of time in the beginning of this book acknowledging that biology and DNA terms aren't inclusive to these groups as some people don't see those who contributed parts of their DNA as their mother or father. I respected that Crow went to members of the LGBTQIA+ community to ask about how to write about this in a affirming way, especially around the Trans Community.

Most, if not all sections comes with a spell/ritual that Crow has used for their ancestral magical practice and the end of the book in the resources section provides blank family trees to get you started along with a wide range of online or other media resources to help you find your ancestors.

Some impactful quotes from this book:

"It's important work, even for those who do not have genetic offspring and, instead, will one day become ancestors of influence" (pg. xii)

"While we cannot fully escape history, family dynamics, the documents of the past, or the facts of basic genetics, we can, and should, choose now to document and communicate in a way that shows an acceptance of all people, as well as demonstrate a sincere effort to be inclusive and to share what we know with those who have less information due to circumstances beyond their control" (pg. 20)

speaking of auras..."when I started working on my own genealogy, realized this energetic field was the obvious place for our non-inherited DNA to reside, and a way for those ancestors to share with use the essence of their wisdom and their experiences, both good and bad" (pg. 151)

"Remember that all our ancestors, even the ones from whom we inherited no physical DNA, are the people who are responsible for our existence. We carry them within us as a physical manifestation in our body, and as an energetic presence within our aura." (pg. 154)

"My physical DNA, and my energetic DNA, and the genetic memory it carries, were loaded with trauma and dysfunctional patterns from the moment I was born, even though I was born to parents who wanted me, and who loved me." (pg.172)

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Image Credit: Duchess of Lore

Marzanna or Morana was a Slavic goddess portrayed as a figure representing death, winter, and disease. The figure is braided from straw into the shape of a human and dressed in traditional local women's clothing. The tradition started by burning the straw doll and drowned it in the river afterward.

Personal Practice:

Once learning about the Drowning of Marzanna in Poland, I had an instinct of feeling how disrespectful that practice was, and I felt very connected to the duality of her spirit and always loved winter and felt more as peace during the cold.

I changed up the purpose of the drowning to my personal practice to be more of a ritual of letting Marzanna know that her work has been completed and she can rest. So I make her a cup of sleepy time tea and offering of dead plants. Then in the Autumn, I 'wake her up' with coffee to let her know that the world needs her attention.

I found her based on how she looks. I did a YouTube mediation to find your inner witch and I visualized walking down stairs into the woods and there stood a pretty but mysterious woman with dark straight hair in the woods. I later read that Marzanna and Baba Yaga could be connection through the Mother, Maidan, Crone archetype and the two represent similar powers.

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Enjoying a warm beverage and a good book on this snowy day

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Adding more historical context to my practice. As a history nerd, it's also fascinating but one of my resolutions was to focus more on my practice.

[thecraftwitchrachel]

Spiritual Practice: Working With Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga isn't one you easily work with, in my opinion she can be quite stubborn and also a no-nonsense presence in my life. Many know her as the scary witch in the woods from Slavic Folklore but when she presented herself to me in 2019 at the start of my formal practice, she gave me exactly what I needed; a swift kick in the butt (Think Gibbs from NCIS and how he smacks people upside the head or a grandmother shaking her spatula at you).

I first met, whom I refer to as babcia (Polish for Grandmother) during a magical mediation on youtube. I wasn't sure at the time if it was her other Marzanna but as I research there are some theories that they work together (Baba Yaga as the Crone and Marzanna as the Maiden). I was lead down a green forest and came across a younger woman with long dark hair and medieval dress. She gave me the impression that we were family which makes sense because Baba Yaga works with ancestral magic and why I call her Babcia. It wasn't as much about what she showed me in the meditation but the feelings she elicited.

As I continue to research her and work with her I find that she's been a guiding light that is so unlike her stereotype. She has provided me wisdoms and guide me on a path to completion of tasks to get me to where I need to be.

I now have her house tattoo'd on my leg so she is always with me and helping take steps forward when I need her. I honor her with tobacco and 'manly' scents in my home and offerings of liquor (she's been liking salted caramel whisky lately). I also honor her whenever I am working with herbs from everyday cooking to magical kitchen witchery.

She is not someone to fear in the traditional sense but she will let you know when you need to get your act together and she only gives guidance to those who deserve it so I feel honored to work with her.

[thecraftwitchrachel]

I put together a Amazon storefront list of items that help start and maintain my witchy practice if anyone is interested. Each item has a note on how I use/used it