Forsakensnakeskin - Liberation

Ways to Get Intimate with the Gods

For those special gods in your life. 

Leave space for them on your bed when you sleep

Dedicate a piece of jewelry to them and wear it all the time

When you’re emotional, write a letter to them until your hands start to hurt

Make them a cup of tea and sit down across from it and just talk

Make some time to sit in ritual in silence and just feel them

Wear their colors for them and let them know you did it for them

Orgasms are great offerings

Take care of yourself physically and pamper yourself while you talk to them and visualize them helping you (example: washing your hair, doing your nails)

Magic is made from passion, so when you need an extra kick in the spell, visualize them touching you and whispering in your ear all the passion that you need 

Eat dinner with them

Create a place where you meet in meditation 

As an addendum: I talked to my therapist about spiritual psychosis, because I've had visions, and I have a therapist, and she had some thoughts.

If you are noodling over what kinds of spiritual experiences are psychologically healthy and not, Abraham Maslow wrote a book called _Religions, Values, and Peak Experiences_ that you should probably read.

Psychosis comes with compulsions. If you have an experience and still feel free to choose for yourself what you do and do not do, religiously speaking, it's not spiritual psychosis. Spiritual psychosis is psychosis with spiritual window dressing. It is spiritually themed, but not actually spiritual in nature, if that makes any sense. If your visions are threatening, and you feel like you can't say no to them, that is spiritual psychosis. If Hekate appears and tells you everything is going to be ok, but you should probably work on being nicer to people (and you think about that, and tell her maybe, but that's really hard, and you don't know if you can do that) that isn't.

Another problem, also with spiritual window dressing, but far more common, is spiritual bypassing. This is when you use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks. So, if you take a theological position that the gods hate everyone who does X because it triggers your trauma, that is spiritual by-passing. If the gods comfort you when you are hurting, that is not.

Edit: If you want to know what causes psychosis, here is an article. Funky religious and spiritual practices aren't on the list.

Many of those who praised or turned to the Devil appear to have done so only on a few occasions and under extraordinary circumstances. But some individuals clearly maintained worldviews or belief systems in which he constituted the major supernatural principle - a prince by whose name lesser spirits could be summoned, a god of the outsiders and the disposessed; a principle considered more powerful, more reliable, or more real than even God.

'It is better to believe in the Devil': Conceptions of Satanists and Sympathies for the Devil in Early Modern Sweden written by Mikael Häll in The Devil's Party: Satanism in Modernity edited by Per Faxneld and Jesper Aa. Peterson.

Bedridden Witch: Bath Edition

For many of us, taking baths/showers is physically exhausting or impossible. Here are some ways to incorporate bath magic into your life without actually taking a bath or leaving bed!

Using wipes:

Wipes come in a variety of types, making them perfect. There’s usually a good fit for everyone, I personally enjoy the Burt’s Bees brand. I use correspondences to give my wipe-down a little oomph! I’m making this Burt’s Bees specific but you get the idea!

Cotton: Purity, healing, luck, protection. 

Cucumber and Sage: Recovery, growth, soothing. Protection, cleansing, wishes. 

Grapefruit: Cleansing, purification, energizing, healing.

Peach: Vitality, love, longevity. 

White Cypress: Grounding, purification, soothing. 

White Tea: Cleansing, clarity, blessings, glamour.

You can also draw sigils on the packaging, charge it with crystals, place the package in the sun/moonlight, etc.

Using washcloths/hand towels:

When I’m stuck in bed for a while, I keep a stack of washcloths and a vessel of water nearby so I can wash my arms and legs, or to put on my forehead to cool down. There’s a couple different ways to make this witchy!

Color correspondences for the washcloths themselves.

Use water charged in the sun/moon, or rain/storm water.

Charge your water with crystals or sigils. 

If you put the crystals in the water, which is not required, here is a list of crystals that cannot go in water:  [X] [X]

Infuse your water with some herbs beforehand.

If I’m placing it on my forehead, I’ll add a couple drops of diluted essential oils. 

Using a spray bottle:

Sometimes you just gotta mist yourself, which is especially helpful for the hair or days when it’s stuffy. 

I love adding some herbs or a bit of rosewater into the spraybottle.

Once again, you can use sun/moon and rain/storm water.

You can also charge the bottle with crystals or sigils.

I like to say a little chant: “Like the rains cleanse the earth, let this water cleanse me/my body/my mind”.

Sometimes I just spritz myself with rosewater.

Other things:

Dry shampoo. Use to refresh, glamorize, etc. Charge it beforehand if you so desire.

Lotion. Use to rejuvenate, heal, etc. Scent/ingredient correspondences!

Deodorant. Charge, scent correspondences, you get the idea!

Brushing your teeth. If you can’t make it to the bathroom, I like to keep a travel sized kit by my bed and spit into a cup (definitely different than the one I drink from). Don’t underestimate the cleansing and refreshing powers of brushing your teeth!

Anything else you can think of!

Low energy + ingredient magic for in the tub:

Pour some Epsom salts in there. Bonus points if they’re infused with anything. You know the deal, correspondences. You can also do this for a hand/foot soak if you’re able to access the floor and have a bowl!

Plop some tea bags in the bath. Mint really helps me with migraines and stomach stuff! You can also place them over your eyes/on your forehead.

Simple shower spell/glamour

Soak in positivity: a magical bath

You may also like:

Spoonie witch masterpost

Bedridden witch - Stale energy edition

Bedridden witch series

Magic to Replenish Energy

Chronically ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

Mentally ill witchcraft: For your symptoms

Got asked if I was a devil worshiper once, and I said:

I don’t worship Satan.

I don’t worship demons.

I don’t worship Lucifer.

And when I give them that answer, they look at me like I just sprouted multiple heads. They look at the grimoire that I’m holding, dripping with the secrets whispered to me on black sabbaths and through candle flame. They stare at the sigil of Lucifer that I wear around my neck, one that replaced the crucifix of my Catholic childhood. They listen to the advice that I give customers that come into our shop, and how I discuss the ways that Azazel and Berith have influenced my path. They make assumptions.

Assumptions that these entities demand worship and groveling like the ones that belong to the Catholic church.

Make no mistake: my relationship with all of these entities are that of a teacher and student. An ally. They are a guiding force.

As a little kid, I was told that the only way to get help was to “let go and let God handle it”, to sit on my knees with my hands folded, waiting for a miracle. I was being raised in an environment where I was told that I had no power, therefor, I couldn’t make things better for myself. I had to wait for someone else, the divine, to intervene and fix everything. 

The mentality of the Catholic church is cruel:

Love the sinner, hate the sin.

                 (If I want to be loved, I have to hide my attraction to the same sex.)

Things are all in God’s hands, it’s happening for a reason.

                 (I’m being abused for a reason.)

Wait and pray.

               (I have to endure these hands on me until something else happens.)

Respect your mother no matter what.

              (Because I have to love the sinner, but hate the sin.)

Put your money in the offertory basket.

             (Or else you’re shamed for being poor in the house of the poor.)

The church wanted me helpless, so that they could be my only help.

It made me resent the idea of worship. I was scared, I never wanted to hand my power over again. It was a lifetime of gaslighting from the Catholic church and my Catholic family that made me believe that I was helpless.

And then came Lucifer.

I’m not sure what the initial reason was for reaching out to the Morningstar. There were many things going on in my life. Maybe I felt helpless, without direction, unable to figure out what to do with myself. I was down in the dumps, I lost a lot of friends and was in a job that I despise. And I’d always been the black sheep of my family. But what I knew was that Lucifer was hated, and I was feeling pretty hated as well.

When I tell you that Lucifer told me things that changed my life, I am not exaggerating:

“You spend so much time trying to be whatever it is that you wish you were, that you continue to be your old self. You just need ‘to be’.

Everything you want is right there, so why aren’t you taking it?

Make your own reality, and discard what doesn’t serve you.

You own your own destiny. Don’t subscribe to the purpose that you were assigned.”

You see, Lucifer did not want me to worship them. They wanted to teach me. They watched me fall over multiple times, but they did not pick me up and coddle me, no. They would then show me what I needed to do instead, putting responsibility into my hands. And it was honestly fucking difficult, they put me through the fucking wringer and made me face what was wrong with me.

Lucifer did not gift me anything, they showed me the way to do it myself.

It was then that things clicked: instead of having my hand held, instead of being guided by a shepherd with a flock of sheep, the path was pointed out to me, and I was given the opportunity to walk it and face the hardships– or remain stuck where I was. 

All Lucifer did was shine a light on what I was doing wrong, and then illuminate the next step in the dark. They didn’t walk in front of me and take the lead, they walked next to me and watched me as I opened my eyes to the truth of my own reality: that I have much more control of it than I was ever allowed to believe.

Every demon that I have worked with since then has contributed to that illumination, and the process of gaining ownership of myself.

And it started a chain reaction. I’m still not completely where I want to be, but in roughly three years I have gone from working dead-end jobs, being a people-pleaser to my awful family members and being content with my shit life, to meeting my long distance boyfriend in person, working to strengthen our relationship, enrolling in regular therapy, eating much healthier, working my dream job, cutting out my abusive mother, and getting myself back into school. And, as far as I know, within the next 16 months I will be preparing to immigrate to a new country to start my new life with my boyfriend.

So, no. I am not a devil worshiper.

I don’t worship anything, because I can’t go forward with my life if I’m sitting on my knees.

(this is my magic and Hellenic polytheism sideblog)

I like how the description fits both part of my situation and some of the aesthetic stuff I like lol

That said, this type of reading is quite interesting. It's like a first impression but it's your energy.

When I do an energy reading it comes across to me with an item representing each of the 5 senses. Overall it paints a picture of the persons energy

Below is the energy reading for @thirstyvampyre thank you for your patience!

SIGHT: I see a smooth road stretching off into the distance and disappearing over the horizon. There is no one around and it seems a bit unnerving.

TASTE: I can taste the sour/sweetness of a crisp granny Smith apple. The taste brings me a sense of comfort.

SMELL: I smell the scent of burning rubber. It's overwhelming in its assault of this sense.

HEAR: I can hear the low mournful sound of the wind passing through a semi enclosed space.

TOUCH: I feel emptiness. It reminds me very much of reaching out for something to steady yourself but finding nothing there and stumbling.

OVERALL: Overall I am getting the sense that there is perhaps a journey you've been contemplating but haven't embarked on yet because it's one you have to do on your own. There will be things to comfort you along the way once you start but it's very much indicating that you will have to rely on yourself

Hello!🦋✨ I was wondering what your opinion of devotion/worship of Greek figures that arent gods is? Im asking bc I want to honor Sappho in some way but I havent seen any opinions on it. Even if shes not recognized as a Goddess I feel that Sappho could be a great deity/spirit for wlw to work with. I feel like maybe worship is the wrong word but i cant think of another word rn? 🙊 Would it be wrong to consider her a Goddess? How would I go about this (honoring her) in a respectful manor? ✨💖

Hello, sweetness!! The Ancient Greeks have been worshiping non gods since forever! I mean they deified a lot of heroes just so they could worship them as gods. And today a lot of non god figures are worshiped by modern Hellenics such as Alexander the Great, Chiron, and most likely many others. So there’s nothing wrong with you wanting to honor Sappho.

I do think you can honor her (which would be a nice way to describe it if you dont want to say “worship”) without referring to her as a Goddess. I personally think its best you don’t refer to her as a Goddess because she isn’t one and could be seen as offensive and disrespectful to actual Goddesses. But like i said you don’t need to see her as a Goddess in order to honor her and work with her. 

I truly believe you can pretty much go about honoring her however way you want to. Like you can do similar things that we as worshipers do for the gods. I think giving her the label of Goddess would piss off the gods more so than anything you do for her. So you can give offerings and do things in her honor if thats what you choose to do.

But I do also want to stress that this is strictly my opinion. 

Various Powers of Mermaids 🌊

Weather Magic - whether it’s because a mermaid was captured and inclement weather dooms and follows whoever took them, or simply a power the mermaid has, this is something that happens often in mermaid lore. the weather and mermaids are almost intrinsically tied to one another. (ex: Sea Mithers, Ningyo, Cecelia)

Disguise - many mermaids have the ability to disguise themselves as something appealing to humans, or to hide themselves from humans entirely. the ability to transform comes in many shapes, from a cap or coat to mystical powers.  (ex; Melusina,  Merrow, Finfolk, Ceasg, Selkie)

Enchanted Voice - perhaps the most famous quality of a mermaid is the voice, as throughout mythology they are known for their beautiful singing. it is also a common theme that their voices can bewitch the listeners, though sometimes for less than virtuous reasons. (ex; Siren, Merrow)

Drowning - drowning can be interpreted in both the physical and metaphysical sense, to drown the spirit of a person and surround it with negative energy that is hard to rid.

Granting Wishes / Prosperity - just as a mermaid might curse varying types of doom and damnation and bad weather on those who harm or threaten them, there are those that will bless those kind to them, often with wealth and good weather. (ex; Ben-varrey, Ceasg)

Prophecy - some mermaids, though less heard of, may even prophesize the future for a human, though their reasons for doing so are often unknown. (ex; Siren, Amabie)

Crying Pearls - though it is little more than a curiosity that pops up in lore, the idea that mermaids are able to cry tears of pearls is present, though its purpose or reason is unknown. (origins in chinese lore, but doesn’t refer to any specific kind of mermaid)

Reciprocity

There are a lot of things pagans value. Most of them are the same universal values everyone appreciates, like kindness, personal responsibility, and community. One that seems to be unique to paganism, at least among Western religions, is reciprocity.

Reciprocity means a mutual positive exchange. It means rewarding kindness and respect with more of the same. It means that all parties involved in a relationship benefit from the relationship in some way.

This is similar to, but not quite the same as, fairness. When you strive for fairness, or justice, or any other similar concept, everyone gets what they deserve based on their actions. If you act like a jerk, you lose favor or get excluded from the group.

Reciprocity is a similar concept, but it has the added connotation of working toward positive relationships. When the word “reciprocity” is used in social psychology or in politics, it almost always refers to an exchange that benefits both parties. This desire for mutual benefit is a big part of pagan philosophy, especially in how pagans interact with their gods.

Pagans don’t worship their gods just because the gods exist, or because they feel a moral obligation to. Pagan worship is a relationship — and like any relationship, it is based on reciprocity.

You probably already practice reciprocity in your interpersonal relationships without even realizing it. If you want someone to be your friend you treat them well, pay attention to their needs, and respect their autonomy. In exchange, you get quality time with a person you like, a fulfilling emotional connection, and help when you need it.

Building relationships with pagan gods works much the same way. The focus is on the connection, rather than on what the gods can do for you or vice versa.

That’s not to say that pagans are casual about their worship of the gods. The gods are ancient, wise, and incredibly powerful, and all of that deserves respect. Pagans approach their gods with a sense of awe and humility, just like practitioners of any other religion. The difference lies in the belief among pagans that the gods also benefit from relationships with humans. We need the gods but, likewise, the gods need worshipers.

This is part of the reason offerings form the backbone of most pagan worship. Offerings “feed” the gods, giving them a metaphyiscal boost. (I’ve heard some pagans call them “energy snacks.”) These small gifts are a great, friendly way to get a god’s attention. After all, who doesn’t like presents?

It’s important to remember that offerings aren’t just payment for divine favors. Many pagans (myself included) have fallen into the trap of only making offerings or saying prayers when they need something from the gods. That’s no way to maintain a healthy relationship! We all have friends who only contact us when they need a favor — and most of us are annoyed and fed up with these people. Why would we assume that the gods are any different?

Reciprocity doesn’t just mean making an offering before you ask for something. It’s an ongoing commitment to a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship. Regular offerings and prayers are a great way to outwardly demonstrate this commitment.

How often “regular” offerings are depends on the pagan. Some pagans offer to their gods every day. Others only make offerings on major holidays or festivals. Once you begin working with deities, you’ll get a feel for how often you need to offer to your gods.

In general, it’s polite to make an offering when you first introduce yourself to a god or goddess. Don’t ask for anything at this point — think of the offering as a “getting to know you” gift. From there, continue making regular offerings for as long as you work closely with that god. You should also make an offering any time you ask for a big blessing or favor. (More on offerings in a future post.)

Offerings are an important part of practicing reciprocity, but they aren’t the only part. Reciprocity also requires you to uphold shared values.

For example, if you have a friend who can’t stand liars, and they find out you’ve been lying to them, you probably won’t stay friends for long. Likewise, if you want to keep a good relationship with a god, you need to value the things they value and live in a way they can approve of.

If you abhor violence and confrontation, it may be difficult for you to maintain reciprocal relationships with warlike deities like Ishtar or the Morrigan. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who thrives on confrontation, a relationship with these deities may be natural for you. This is why I cannot stress enough how important it is to choose gods who share your core values. Like any relationship, you need some common ground to build a strong foundation.

(When we talk about specific pagan paths in future posts, we’ll talk more about their gods and what those gods ask of their followers. We’ll also talk about the difference between a religion that challenges your assumptions and a religion that violates your core values.)

This may seem complicated, but here’s the basics: reciprocity means that both parties benefit from a relationship. If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: pagan worship is a mutually beneficial partnership, not one-sided servitude.

Resources:

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

The Way of Fire and Ice by Ryan Smith

Where the Hawthorn Grows by Morgan Daimler

Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler

A Practical Guide to Irish Spirituality by Lora O’Brien

Finally, the promised list!

Of Bald Mountain

Luciferian Reading List

I’ve been asked for book recommendations many times, and finally decided to make a more comprehensive list I can direct people to. As I cont