the poll that i put up the other day (which i know isn't even done yet) has dictated that this post shall be about devotional jewelry/prayer beads! which honestly, i'm really excited for this, i've been meaning to get an excuse to show these off
btw i did provide image descriptions but if they're missing something or you have suggestions please don't be afraid to comment them!
(SOME) EXAMPLES
japa mala: hindu. usually consists of 108 beads (separated by a larger one at the beginning/end), these are used to keep track of mantras/prayers/sacred phrases recited during meditation
mala: buddhist, most commonly tibetan. likely adapted from hinduism, these also have 108 beads (ending in a tassel or amulet), used to count mantras or direct breathing during meditation
prayer rope: eastern orthodox. usually made of 33, 100, or 300 knots ending in a cross (also made of knots) and/or a tassel. used to count repetitions of the Jesus Prayer
rosary: catholic. arranged in five decades (sets of 10 beads) each separated by a larger bead and ending in a strand with a crucifix on the end. traditionally, a person does three cycles, saying Hail Marys on the small beads and different prayers relating to the mysteries on the larger beads
misbaha/subha: islamic. three groups of beads totaling to 99, each section with a different prayer separated by imams and ending in the yad (used as a handle), used in dhikr after regular prayer
ANCIENT GREECE: as far as i can tell, prayer beads were not in use in ancient greek worship. however, jewelry was a somewhat common offering at temples, and a large part of archeological findings have depictions of deities on them. these are my favorite
HADES (left) -red/gold glass beads: reminds me of pomegranate seeds
-gold: association with wealth (Plouton)
-silver: association with wealth
-snowflake obsidian: protection, associated with the underworld
-smokey quartz pendant: protection, association with the underworld
PERSEPHONE (right) -unakite: association with nature/the earth
-rhodonite: pink to remind me of spring
-flower beads: association with her Roman form Flora
-hematite: protection, association with underworld
APHRODITE (left) -pearls: association with the ocean (i venerate her strongly as an oceanic deity)
-shells: association with the ocean
-art deco style beads: opulence and beauty
-mint quartz: it's kinda a sea green, reminds me of the ocean where i live
ATHENA (right) -sodalite: intuition, complex thought (wisdom, some might even say)
-lapis lazuli: intuition (also associated with zeus)
-blue aventurine: just fit the theme lol
-obsidian: protection (like against enemies)
-sword pendant: representative of her war aspect
DIONYSUS (left) -aventurine: prosperity, fortune (similar to fertility, kinda?)
-fluorite: just fit the theme
-amethyst and pendant: bc of the story of rhea curing his madness with an amethyst
this was one of the first pieces i made, so i didn't have as big a variety of beads to work with
HEKATE (right) -garnet: associated with Persephone, a companion of Hekate
-labradorite: magic
-bloodstone: the underworld/the dead
-skull beads: underworld/the dead
-tarot cards: representative of her domain of the sky, earth, and seas, also divination/magic
-black tourmaline pendant: the underworld
i chose specifically three skulls on the short section to represent her tripartate depiction
APOLLO (left) -tree agate: nature and hunting
-wood beads: nature
-bells: music (yes they actually make noise!)
-the sun tarot card pendant: he's the god of the sun AND oracles/seers, which this kinda represents
this is one of my faves but i never wear it just bc the bells can be obnoxious in public lmfao. i know most people wear yellow or orange for him but tbh i don't really enjoy those colors and it's important to me to explore his other aspects
ARTEMIS (right) -lepidolite: aids in transitions
-moss agate: nature
-obsidian: protection (i see her as a personal protector)
-labradorite: looks like the moon
i actually went shopping for this one specifically (i had another set for her i wasn't happy with) so that's why there's so many plastic and glass beads (i got them from a craft store). the old set had howlite cause howl=wolf=lykeia and blue aventurine for the sky
personally, devotional jewelry is my first go-to when i have low spoons and need to spend the day in bed. i can wear it taking a nap, making my lunch, taking a walk, whatever! i don't always wear it though, since i try to keep it meaningful. this may differ from person to person, but that's just the way i do it
you can also use them as prayer beads and count each bead as a set prayer or phrase to your deity OR use them to help you focus on relaxing during meditation
for those who are devoted to one deity/oathbound/etc., this could also be your way of showing your faith, like you would in a romantic relationship (although you don't need to be godspoused)
they also work as a great altar decoration, you can wear it while doing prayer and put it back after
but also, at the end of the day, i got a lot more value out of the making of these than wearing them (i forget oftentimes), and it was a great devotional activity for me
for my specific pieces i used a style that's commonly seen in modern rosaries--the bead(s) on separate but connected pieces--but you can use whatever style you like
here's an example of what my friend's looks like:
and my brother's:
if you want them all on one strand like these, i say go ahead! if you want them all separate bead by bead then do that! if you want plastic, stone, wood, shell, seed, whatever, go ahead!
ultimately i make my devotional jewelry personal to me and my relationship with the deity, and i encourage you all to do the same. don't worry about what other people are doing (although im always down to provide suggestions!)
MATERIALS I USE -pre looped pins OR bead stringing wire
-a kit like this if using wire string (crimp the small beads or the vertical rectangle with the loop on top instead of tying the wire)
-just jumprings if using pre looped pins
-a round and flat pair of jewelry pliers
-a one step looper (optional)
-whatever beads and pendants i can five finger discount from stores or find at home
if you want recommendations for what crystals or colors to go with you can see my common crystals post and my altars for series. i choose crystals related to the domain of the deity, or ones that show up in their myth
techniques or materials may vary depending on what piece of jewelry you're doing. if you're doing earrings ofc you won't need the wire string and you'll need a different kit with earring backs
don't have the dexterity, materials, tools, or money to make your own jewelry? here are some ideas: -thrifting/buying them pre made
-thrifting beads
-using old jewelry you already own and just consecrating it for a specific deity (ill make another post about that)
-making something other than a necklace, like friendship bracelets, kandi, earrings, or even a knotted rope
but ultimately, you don't have to have or wear devotional jewelry. it isn't necessarily a vital part of my craft, i just really enjoyed making them. if you don't enjoy making them or can't, don't! you don't need to stress about forcing it into your practice
SOURCES
britannica
wikipedia on misbaha (briefly)
getting signs from asmodeus :33 who knew i’d be so popular among demons /j
oh man it’s beltane today and i don’t think i even have the energy to do anything for it :// sucks
Deities are individuals – no two are identical.
Some deities are easier to offend than others – and some will take that better than others.
Some deities enjoy talking to you by way of pendulum, tarot, oracle, etc. But others find it insulting if you try it – especially if you don’t ask them how they feel about it first.
While one deity that feels insulted might refuse to talk to you for a while, another might use rather more aggressive tactics, to make you realise your mistake.
What is warding?
Warding is the practice of shielding or protecting something, someplace, or someone. There are a million and two different types of wards you can create-- in many ways, you are only limited by your own creativity and knowledge.
I always recommend having, at minimum, a protective ward for yourself and your living space if you practice witchcraft (or something adjacent to witchcraft). What a ward does is dependent on what it was created to do. Different people have different needs, and wards are not one-size fits all. Wards can be generic or specific, but my personal preference is a well-defined ward. By well-defined, I mean "clear in what it will and will not do".
In order to figure out what sort of ward you may need, ask yourself these questions:
What does my practice focus on?
Where might I be vulnerable?
What are my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to witchcraft?
Who and what am I comfortable with having in my space?
When and where am I comfortable with having others in my space?
What do I need to keep out, and what do I need to keep in?
What existing practices/habits may affect my wards? (e.g. cleansing, banishment, rituals, etc.)
Do I have an energy source for a ward? How do I intend to upkeep my wards?
Do my wards need to be moveable or changeable?
What resources are available to me? Are there people or entities that are willing to help me?
What, in my mundane life, do I need help with? What do I need to protect?
What actions am I taking, in my mundane life, to protect myself? (e.g. driving safely, practicing good fire safety habits, etc.)
As previously stated, there are a million and two different types of wards-- and a million and two different ways to create them. Best practice is generally to lean on your personal strengths and resources to make one. Here are some more specific examples:
Herbalism: A witch who works primarily with herbs could create a protective sachet or jar that is filled with protective herbs.
Kitchen Witchcraft: Someone who practices kitchen witchcraft could cook protective foods, or incorporate small actions into their regular cooking that add protective qualities into their food (i.e. stirring a certain way, routinely using certain ingredients, etc.)
Storm Witchcraft: A witch who works with storms could use the energy of storms to protect their home. They could call on fearsome breezes to blow away harm, rainfall to wash it away, darkness to hide their home, etc.
Glamour witchcraft: A glamour witch can work on how they are perceived. Don't want someone approaching you? Make them afraid of you. Have a fearsome appearance to those who would wish you harm. Make them hesitate. Or hide yourself altogether, as if you were never there.
Deity witchcraft: Ask your gods to guide your hand, to show you how to protect yourself. Ask them to protect you, and clarify what you need protection from.
Green Witchcraft: Grow a plant with the intention of having it take the blow for you, if anything negative gets sent your way. Or have it purify your space.
Divination Wards: Use the energy of specific tarot cards to protect yourself. Write protective runes on things you care about.
Music Witchcraft: Play empowering music. Belt out a song about how nothing can harm you. Hum a tune to make things go away.
Energy Witchcraft: Envision great shields and walls, fortresses and moats. Whatever screams "protection" to you.
Etc.
Keep in mind that any ward can be for both the magical and mundane (though, always act with common sense, and act as if your wards do not exist. A ward will not make you immortal, and they can be counteracted and/or destroyed. They are there for when shit hits the fan-- but they are not a free pass to start throwing shit AT the fan!)
Transmutative wards: Tranform harmful energy sent your way into something positive and useful. (e.g. negative rumors -> increased opportunities, bad intentions -> abundance)
Baneful wards: If someone hits you, hit them back. Reflect whatever they sent to you back on them, and thensome.
Banishment Wards: If something steps into your space, kick it back out.
Hiding Wards: Hide something from prying eyes. Make it invisible, or make it appear boring/uninteresting.
Reflective wards: Reflect something's image back at them, let them see what they expect to see, or let them see themselves.
Healing wards: Protect your health, or force healing upon those who brush up against them (e.g. if someone lashes out at you because they have not been working on themselves, a healing ward can be just as painful as an outright baneful one.)
Scrambling/maze Wards: Scramble any information someone/something gets, or make them lose their way. Commonly used for unsolicited divination.
Protective wards/wall wards: Stop anything from getting in or out. Stop or prevent harm
Alarm bell wards: Warn you about things coming your way.
Comfort wards: Keep comforting/soothing energy around you.
Name/Reputation wards
Household/common places wards
Wards for safe travels
Wards to keep specified spirits/entities out
Wards for malicious intent
Wards for curses/hexes
Wards for natural disasters
Wards for misfortunes
Please feel free to ask any specific questions you may have, this is only a very brief overview to introduce the topic.
Early Summer Morning by Mikhail Kornilov
Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) by Will Burrard-Lucas
SELF-REFLECTION SPREAD
I mostly use tarot as a tool for personal introspection. Even people who don’t believe in divination of any kind can use tarot as an aid to explore different perspectives to a situation or even their own psyche. These are some things which I believe I need to confront about myself before achieving any real personal growth.
1. FIXATE
What are the parts of yourself or your life that you tend to get hung up about. Confronting yourself can be good, but overly obsessing on a particular problem or aspect of yourself can inhibit growth.
2. IGNORE
Conversely, what do you tend to push to the side. This can go both ways: some are unable to see the good things in themselves or their lives, while others gloss over their faults and avoid addressing their problems.
3. FALSE
What are the things we think to be true about ourselves, or our lives that are not. These are often negative qualities, a lot of people think they are less capable, less deserving or less worthy than they really are.
4. DECIPHER
What about ourselves have we yet to understand. Everyone has some things about themselves which they don’t yet fully grasp or cannot quite put to words.
5. WANT
What do we most want from ourselves and our lives. The things we wish were more true about ourselves or that we aspire to be. This is a long process to achieve, and part of that is learning that we can’t just skip to this step, we need to deal with the other parts of ourselves too, including the undesirable parts, before we can achieve true personal growth.
Note: Tarot is not a substitute for professional counselling and other forms of licensed therapy! Feel free to use it as a complimentary practice (unless otherwise advised), but do not rely on it as your sole means of treatment if you believe you need professional counselling.
✨don’t remove my caption or repost anywhere else!✨
Once you have your sigil all charged up, and filled with your intent all there is left to do is to cast it into the universe to gain what you want, and desire. This casting into the universe can be done in two ways actively, or passively. Both of these ways have their own benefits, and setbacks, but it is important to determine which way you should activate certain types of sigils, because it changes the way the energy is released into the universe, and allowed to manifest. So we will be taking a look at both these activation styles, and when they would be most effective to use over the other one.
Active Sigil Activation:
In active sigil activation the energy is usually released all at once, or in a very immediate fashion. This is usually done through the means of destroying the sigil to allow all its energy to manifest at once. This type of activation is good for sigils that only have to be used once, or in a single situation. Sigils I would use in this activation method would be sigils for banishing, exorcising, purifying, cleansing, manifesting, summoning spirits, removing negative energy, removing spiritual blockages, removing emotional blockages, and one off curses, among many others.
Ways to activate active sigils:
Putting the sigil on a piece of paper, and burning it in fire
Putting the sigil on a piece of paper, and submerging it in water until it dissolves.
Putting the sigil on a piece of paper, and ripping the paper in half.
Drawing the sigil in to the sand at the beach, and letting the sea wash it away.
Drawing the sigil in the air with your energy, and pushing through it in order to destroy it.
Making the sigil out of dust, or powder, and then blowing it away to destroy it.
Making the sigil in your mind, and then imagining it being destroyed to activate it.
Putting the sigil on food then eating it.
Drawing the sigil on a firework, and then set it off.
Drawing the sigil on a balloon, and then pop it.
Drawing the sigil on your body, and then wash it away.
Singing the sigil out loud for all to hear.
playing a music, or an audio sigil out loud for all to hear.
and much more…
Passive Sigil Activation:
In passive sigil activation the energy is usually released overtime through a very moderate, and controlled fashion. This is done through the means of charging a sigil, and keeping the sigil around with you, or in the area where the energy is needed for it to continuously produce its energy. This type of activation is good for sigils that are needed to continuously affect the world around them. Sigils I would use in this activation method would be sigils for protection, luck, empowerment, healing, psychic abilities, transformation, attracting energy, retaining energy, changing, and continuous curses, among many others.
Ways to activate Passive Sigils:
Putting the sigil on a piece of paper.
Drawing the sigil on your body.
Carving sigils into a candle, and lighting the candle.
Carving sigils into soap, and washing your body with the soap.
Making a sigil amulet.
Writing the sigils upon stone.
Placing the sigil as your computer, or phone background.
Posting an image of the sigil online.
and much more…
Dreamy