Ideas for Hestia devotees/worshippers who are unable to use a fireplace or flames in their worship. Welcome for all who find this helpful!
(For the occasional need)
Use a tea light or lighter outside; on a fire-safe surface such as concrete or gravel.
Burn objects over your sink or a bowl of water.
Outdoor fire pits or grills.
Your hearth should feel like a central, focused place that represents your home. Someplace where you feel calm and safe. Traditionally, this was often in the kitchen; but it can be anywhere in your home. It can also be in multiple places, or small and contained.
My shelf altar. I keep it clean and tidy. It contains items that remind me of home, and offerings to Hestia. It represents hearth and home, and is a space I can visit when I wish to feel connected to her.
My dedication wall. I used to have a wall with a dried marigold garland, soothing poetry, devotional poetry, artwork and prayers on it. This is an excellent way to have a discreet (if you so choose) dedicated space that doesn’t take up much surface area.
My stovetop. Each time I put the kettle on for tea, I feel connected to Hestia. I offer the first sip to her. I simmer pots of water with herbs, spices or other scented things (such as orange peels) to spread a beautiful aroma around my home.
Don’t have a stove? An electric kettle and microwave will do!
My oven. Each time I bake (both the preparation and the baking itself) I feel connected to her and give a portion as an offering.
My woodstove or outdoor firepit. It is worth noting that because I have these things (and use my woodstove as a primary heating source) I do often use these as my hearth and burn offerings here.
What feels right to you? What matches the energy/warmth of fire and flame?
Electric candles, especially ones that flicker and have warmer colors.
Electric tealights in candle holders.
Solar charged lanterns
Fairy lights in a jar
Himalayan salt lamp
Wax or oil warmers (with heat bulbs).
Electric fireplace
Flame ambiance videos
For me, certain smells embody home. And this is wonderful, because we can control them–even without candles or incense!
Essential oil or reed diffusers
Wax or oil warmers
Scented electric candles
Potpourri
Scented sachets
Room/pillow sprays
Pot of water on the stove with scented things
Resources for Hestia devotees - a masterpost
Hestia small devotional acts
Bedridden devotion to Hestia
Missionaries are inherently xenophobic.
Missionaries to Jews are inherently antisemitic.
There is no debate here - the above statements are inescapable true. Intentions do not matter. It LITERALLY DOES NOT MATTER that Christian missionaries BELIEVE they are doing something good by saving other people from hell. IT. DOES. NOT. MATTER.
Because the people you're missionizing ALSO have beliefs, that are part of their own religions and cultures and histories and ethnicities. And your assumption that only YOUR beliefs are correct and must be spread is the LITERAL definition of xenophobia.
Missionaries and bigotry are not seperable.
If you proselytize in your personal life (congratulations, you are also a model of xenophobia and bigotry), or if you support missionaries or missionary activity (ideologically or financially), you are now being instructed to unfollow me, because I don't like you as a person, and I can't respect you while you willfully disrespect others. In either case, you are also now being instructed to cut that shit the fuck out. No one wants to hear about the love of Jesus from you, and if they do, they will ask you DIRECTLY and EXPLICITLY. Literally no one else gives a fuck.
I will be accepting apologies in writing and reparations via venmo.
Baklava Recipes 😍
(recipes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
“In modern practice Nicnevin is believed to ride out on The Wild Hunt at Samhuinn Eve as The Queen of Elphame with her spirits and mysterious creatures, whereas others say her sacred days are 9th and 11th November. Yule or Midwinter is also said to be sacred to her. Nicnevin can be called upon for aid in otherworldly travel, communicating with spirits, protection at night, and pretty much everything within the domain of witchcraft. “
ENTIRE ARTICLE SOURCE: https://hagothehills.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/nicnevin/
Al Khazneh, Petra, Jordan
In regard to the relationship..
1. What I want out of this relationship
2. Expectations that aren’t being met
3. Underlying fears
4. Where you don’t see eye to eye
5. What’s not being confronted
6. What you need to let go of
7. What your heart says
8. Part of me that needs time to heal
This post will specifically discuss warding and protections, not cleansing, banishing, or grounding, though those are related and important
Sense memory- if you have a strong ability to imagine sensations, imagine things that make you feel safe. This can be the click of locking a door, the feeling of a shield on your arm, the weight of a thick jacket to protect your shoulders
Physical actions- actually lock your door, and put the intention of keeping out what you want kept out. Put on that jacket, imagine it as a barrier against harm.
Objects/correspondences. Put pieces of lodestone at the four corners of your space, carry a smoky quartz in your pocket, put a plant root on your altar/desk, a big round rock in your windowsill.
Black candle- light a black candle, set it in your space. Do not burn your house down.
Make a tea with protection herbs, and drink it before/during your spell or ritual. My suggestions would be anything with licorice, cloves, dandelion root, ginger, or cinnamon, but you can use whatever correspondences that work for you
Play music. Something soft that feels safe, or something fast that puts you in a fighting mood. Music can also be used for cleansing/banishing, if you’re mixing them all together into one ritual
Long term wards can be put in jars or sachets and placed somewhere innocuous. A capsule of black salt next to your door, a jar with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a piece of obsidian in your window.
Imbue your stuff with protective energy. This works well with clothing, crystals, herbs, and handheld objects like pens or water bottles. Make it an anchor for your protective energy.
Sigils. Write a protective sigil on the inside of your phone case, or a paper in your pocket of bag. Embroider a sigil on fabric.
Intention words or phrases work the same, though may take longer to embroider. Write a protective phrase on a paper, keep it in your pocket. Some good ones are- ‘I am safe’ or ‘I am protected from harm’ or ‘evil things stay away from me.’
Actual safety precautions- research the laws in your area. What’s the biggest knife you can carry, and what designs are legal. Walking sticks are always legal and can be used in self defense. Lots of online shops and sporting goods stores sell tactical pens, which are heavy and often have a pointed end.
In the same vein- good sturdy shoes, a thick jacket, a strong belt, a heavy bag.
Some tips I’ve learned along my path.
✨Make a vision board on Pinterest with things you want!
✨Be grateful! There are so many things we can be grateful for, so write it down or say it in your head/out loud
✨I prefer not using specific time like “…by Tuesday” etc. Use “in divine/perfect timing” instead. The Universe is always working to get you want you desire, so trust that everything will come at the right time when you are truly ready for it!
✨Scripting is very powerful and fun way to manifest! Don’t forget to write in present tense (I am, I have…). Do not use I want, I need etc.
✨Connect with the moon and do new moon rituals! New moon is the best for new beginnings and setting intentions.
✨When asking for money, use the phrase “money comes to me by happy means” or something similar. You need to be specific, because otherwise you could receive money through some bad accident or something unpleasant.
Tips for Manifesting PART 2
If you are panicking because you think you’ve missed Imbolc, it’s ok. While the 1st of February is the traditional date, the astrological date is always when the sun reaches 15° in the sign of Aquarius. This year, the astrological date is the 4th of February. So take a breath, and do what you can when you can. You haven’t missed anything.
Edited to add:
The other major Sabbats fall astrologically as such:
Beltane: Sun at 15° Taurus
Lughnasadh: Sun at 15° Leo
Samhain: Sun at 15° Scorpio
The minor Sabbats fall astrologically as such:
Winter Solstice: Sun at 0° Capricorn
Spring Equinox: Sun at 0° Aries
Summer Solstice: Sun at 0° Cancer
Autumn Equinox: Sun at 0° Libra
I wrote a post all about secret witches and how they could potentially form wards from everyday objects, and/or keep them under wraps. This post is for those that don’t have to hide anything, and also for those of you who just want to know how to enchant a ward. There are many ways to do so, I have only mentioned a few. Happy warding!
Creating Your Ward
Now, in terms of creating a ward, there are two main options: intangible, and tangible. You can make them a combo of the two as well (ex: a tripwire made of energy connected to a tangible mirror that will lead the intruder straight into the mirror, thus being reflected). Whatever you choose, there are a few steps you can follow if you want to. These are my suggestions:
Decide what it will do. Is it going to keep away spirits? Only certain ones? Curses sent by others? Negative energy? Spells cast on you without consent (though not necessarily considered a curse? You can choose all of the above, a few, or just one. The more things you have one ward do, the less energy it can put into each individual task (in my experience). Write down your intent for this ward, and work it out until you are happy with it. On that note, I recommend working on one ward at a time if you fear being distracted and confused, but if you find it is difficult to do so, use it to your advantage: string them together as if they are part of a circuit. It may help you connect each one to each other, thus ensuring no conflicting energies.
Design the ward. Will it be a ball of energy? How about a basket? A box of mirrors? Pick something that resonates with you and makes you feel protected. Personally, I would probably choose a labyrinth style ward if I wanted a new one, which may confuse and diffuse an energy before it reaches me or another ward. I would fill it with things that might slow it down, such as nightmare-based energy, or illusions. Keep in mind the physical properties of an item if you want it to be tangible; what makes this a good option for a ward? Ex: a dog’s tag may be great, not only for protecting them, but also for acting as a constant ward within whichever room they travel to.
Enchant the ward, and put it in its designated place. I will explain a few different processes that one may use to enchant a ward in the next section of this post. However, placement is important and I do want to discuss that. I find that placing things throughout the home instead of in just one area is more affective. In this way, there aren’t as many neglected barriers, and it is easier to switch them out in a staggered period of time and location. Place a few in each main part of your home to prevent any barrages in one spot. Another thing I feel I should mention is that windows, doorways, and even faucets/outlets can be methods of entry for spirits. I rarely have any problem with the latter, but it has come up once, maybe twice. Place your wards according to what you think is best for your home.
Enchanting Your Ward
Everyone seems to do this a bit differently, so take my methods with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that I honestly will not share all of my methods, simply because it’s safer that way. The best protection from other witches, in my opinion, is not giving them a key to your energetic home.
Cleanse the ward beforehand.
Gather your ward, and whatever else you use for a basic ritual. If you do any circle casting with salt, or prefer to use a wand while enchanting things, grab those, too.
Situate yourself with the ward, holding it in some way. Place your hands/wand/etc. over it, or just focus your energy onto fueling this ward without moving.
Think of the intent of this ward. If you are making an intangible ward, figure out exactly what you want it to look like from the planning steps in the last section. Visualize it working in action, deflecting and repelling any unwanted forces that may be around you. Strengthen it each second with your energy, growing more and more. I tend to like swirling my hands around the object to build the energy and draw in any of it that may be escaping.
Visualize the energy bonding to the ward, and the intent being instilled into its very core. Connect this ward to another energy source that will fuel its intent when you stop doing so. The Earth, the sky, energetic leylines, and even the moon or sun are good options, ad they all let off immense amounts of energy.
Place the ward in its proper location.
Cleanse and charge the crystals beforehand. Do the same with the ward.
Gather your ward, crystals, herbs, or whatever it is you are charging the ward with. If you find yourself easily drained, I recommend adding three candles to this ritual to aid in the energy you may be using
Place the objects you will charge your ward with in some sort of circle, line, or pyramid. If it is a circle, place your ward in the center. If it is a line, have one end pointing at you, and the other pointing at the ward. Similarly, if it is a pyramid, have the large portion facing you, and the point facing the ward. If you are also using the candles I suggested, place those between you and the crystals/herbs/etc. Light them and wait for one minute or so until the energy from the flame begins to seep into the air around you.
Push the energy of the objects into ward by expending a little of your own. In short bursts, like a pulse of electricity, shoot out energy from your being. Try to have as neutral as possible, or have some warding properties instilled in it. If you are using the candles, try to take in that energy to use as often ad you need to.
Wait one minute after you feel the ward has been charged, and then put it in its place.
Charge as often as you feel the need, which, for me, would be about once every 1 ½ weeks.
Cleanse your ward beforehand.
All you need for this method is the chants you wish to use (verbally or otherwise) and your ward. I find tangible wards to be the best option, otherwise, I have noticed my ward dissipates quickly.
Chant over the ward using my chant listed below, or your own personal one. Depending on the ward, you may want to switch it up or change the wording.
This is the method I have tried that needs the most upkeep and charging, so it’s great for temporary issues such as passing storms.
This ward will protect all who I welcome within this home.
With these words, I form a shell,
An opaque, strong dome.
Let nothing in I do not permit,
And let no one learn my ways.
I give you the power to (insert instructions)
Now I leave and trust in you and the energy I provide,
May we all be well and shaped with love, with nothing left to hide.
The Wild Called Me Back.
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