Phoebus Apollo, Slayer Of Python, Protector Of Delphi, And Patron Of The Oracle?

my fandoms are many. my concepts are scattered to the winds of tumblr. my tags are varied and messy, entire statistical margins of length and quality running rampant across my multiple blogs.

but you know what? i’m having fun with it.

here’s a map for you dorks anyway:

@capricaruscrow - main blog, u are here, mostly witchy stuff, good old tumblr history memes, and where I save the good ish for my brain

@duskrosecrow - writing content, mtg jokes, fandom stuff related to writing, and my absolutely destructive blorboposting, also where my ao3 is linked to so guess you’ll see fic posts soon huh-

@visctheriananalogs - secret secret secret project in the works, no touch unless gentle, world i’ve been writing for over ten years and needed somewhere to say dumb things about the serious concepts

i’ll keep this list updated I hope, have fun and have a good day y’all!

There are so so so many ways to experience the gods.

There is no right or wrong way. There is no blunt way. Its all feeling and ephemeral.

If you’ve felt warmth, if you’ve had a dream, if you’ve seen a crow that stares at you for too long, if something inexplicable happens and you’re lucky suddenly, if you’ve caught eyes with a stranger and felt like you knew each other. If the candle flickers a certain way, if one time when you’re singing your voice sounds gorgeous in a way you weren’t expecting, these are all the presence of a god.

God phoning is popular on witchtok but half the time what they’re saying is bullshit. I’ve very very rarely heard a voice and every single time it was my own voice, just suffused with something, saying something I normally wouldn’t say. Or maybe I would. I’ve never heard a clear, distinct, audible voice. Its an invisible world we’re connecting with, its a different plain. We cannot experience it the same way we experience every day life.

We’ll never sit down at a coffee table across from the physical manifestation of our god, and know that its them, not until after. And even then we can never be sure. That’s the nature of it. There are no absolutes, there cannot be. That’s what makes it beautiful. That’s where belief comes in. It isn’t about being good enough or worthy enough or devout enough, that doesn’t exist. That isn’t what its about at all. You are worthy even if the divine doesn’t manifest in a way we’ve been told is the only real way, and you are connecting even if you cant see it now. My most intense spiritual experiences are never something I realize are happening in the moment, its always only after that I can see it clearly.

The gods are all around us.

Web of Control.

What I've Done Instead of Shadow Work

This is going to be the last thing I say on the topic of shadow work, because, honestly I'm getting bored of the subject and would rather go back to talking about spirit work, or spells, or any of the many other subjects that I care a thousand times more about. Some folks seem to be hearing “I refuse to do any introspection” when I say "I have never and will never do shadow work". I have done lots of introspection, I've done therapy that follows evidence based practices, I just see no reason do try and guide myself through a method of therapy with little to no scientific evidence. But in case anyone's curious, or wants some tips, here's what I've done instead! Mindfulness exercises: I love mindfulness exercises that train you to think about your thoughts, but not judge them. Consistent mindfulness practice has really helped me become more aware of my internal thought processes, what I get hung up on, what I struggle with, what emotions I’m feeling and what caused them.

The Artist Way & Embrace Your Weird: These are both self help books for creative folks with a heavy emphasis on journaling and self expression. I found both of these helpful in different ways when I felt like I was struggling with creative burnout or felt like I was stuck in the daily grind of my day job.

Journaling: I keep multiple journals! One is a commonplace book that I fill up with on the spot thoughts, quotes, song lyrics, etc. just stuff I want to remember. The other I write in every morning when I first wake up, a continuation of the morning pages from the Artist’s Way, to just unpack and process whatever going on in my head.

Therapy: Actual real therapy with a licensed professional. I specifically see a pain psychologist because most of what we focus on is the impact my chronic pain has on my and developing healthy coping mechanisms for that.

I think what gets a bee in my bonnet the most about the few negative reactions I’ve gotten on this topic is that these folks seem most concerned about the trauma and “inner demons” aspects of shadow work. There’s always something about how dangerous or unhealthy it is for me or even those around me for me to have not delt with my trauma via shadow work. I don’t like that they presume to know my life and mental health history without having ever spoken to me. And I really don’t like the insistance that everyone has the same kind of trauma that needs to be healed in the same way.

totally agree there’s tons of stuff out there! let me further rephrase:

I work a lot 😂 kitchen jobs I can’t churn through audio versions of texts because no headphones, and while I do my best to read things, it takes me considerably longer to complete research than I would like.

I more was seeking your opinion and thoughts as a fellow practitioner looking to expand my knowledge! I always ask for help where I can, worst case scenario I don’t get it! but if I can give myself the leg up with peer review, i’ll always take that opportunity

so as a fellow long term hellenic polytheist (around 10 years of loosely dedicated practice) who has recently (1 year) decided to crack down and get more serious about learning the actual texts… what do you think is the best to start with?

we’ve all been inundated with tumblr terms for years, and when you learn the concepts with bad vocabulary, it’s hard to drop. it’s easier to replace. so what terms have you seen that you would recommend for the practice of decentrifying the tiktok/media-based “knowledge” that we all drown in everyday?

if there’s no specific terms, do you have any recommendations for sources that specifically helped you reach this point in your practice?

thanks for actually making this a conversation and entertaining my questions!

I hate a lot of terms adjacent to HelPol spaces. So many of them are indicative of 1. Being raised with Christianity 2. Lack of deconstruction of those beliefs and 3. Utter lack of research (what I call Tik-tokisms)

I do not like the terms deity, misuse of the term “altar”, ever using patron, “my gods or goddesses”, devotee, “reach out” (as in a spirit is reaching out), “talking to the gods”, offending the gods.

I’ve got some REALLLY unpopular opinions about Ares, some primordial spirits, Khaos, like.

I am selective about the term “god”, (Theos and Theoí are commonly more appropriate to my conversations). I’m also slightly apprehensive around the phrase “work with”, but that being said I don’t care as much.

Tumblr Code.

I FUCKING KNEW IT BUT I FORGOT WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE IN THE PIC WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS

whoever said healing was a never-ending process can take a seat for a second, because i have something to say.

no, healing doesn't stop. but it's not linear either. take breaks from your healing.

you can't work out at the gym 24/7, you'd pass out and eventually die on the gym floor. you have to stop for food, water, bathroom breaks, and sleep bare minimum, not to mention that exercising outside of every bodily function WOULD kill you. you have to have days you don't go to the gym. why would deconstructing be any different?

if you are unpacking trauma and healing old bad habits, you have to have days where maybe you don't make considerable progress, but you take some time to feel good about the progress you've made already. maybe you sit outside for a bit and think about how you would have dealt with current situations as the old you vs how you handle them now. what has changed, about your surroundings and you?

recognizing your progress is just as an important part of growth as the growth itself is, and if you don't take some time to rest and heal from the healing, you will have no strength left to tackle those dark parts of you.

rest. take a breath. revel in your success so far, and get back up the next day. it's okay to pause and catch your balance before you stumble.

It's okay to take a break from deconstructing growing up in a cult and being terrified with the teachings of Christian fundamentalism and evangelicalism right?

I just need some reassurance because I feel like a failure because I'm so emotionally overwhelmed between this and my job.

*quickly shoves my mtg commanders back in the box i have charged to affect the people i associate them with* YEAH Mtg adn maggic is cool and normal things that are very separate 👍

Tumblr does not seem to understand the difference between Magic (the spiritual practice) and Magic (The Gathering) and seeing posts about the latter come across my dash will always be funny