Yay! I'm Learning Things! I'll Share Later! But I Must Get Back To Work.

Blue Kyanite

pls reblog with your favorite crystal thank uuuuu ✨️

Okay now that I got the bitchiness out of my system a bit, let's see if I can write a bit on """"rules"""" of witchcraft as I would like to see them.

Stop bitching about other people's practices and focus on your own. If you spent a lot of time worrying or raging about how other people practice, how will you ever grow your own? Focus on yourself and your own power and let other people do their thing.

Other people's practices are inspiration, not goals. On the flip side, if there is someone who you look up to, or someone's practice you love seeing, take it as inspiration for your own, but don't look it at as a goal to achieve. Firstly, what people share online is not the whole of their practice, and secondly you're not them and their path is not yours.

Be curious. Why are people harping on "black and white magic"? Why are Starseeds bad, but Alienkin and Starkin are fine? Why is cultural appropriation such a bad thing? (If you answered "because racism" on all three of these, have a cookie!) And not just curiosity about these concepts, but also about correspondences (Why are red roses a symbol for love?) or ingredients you have in your home (will this basil work as well as rosemary for this spell?) or other paths and techniques, or spirits, or -- you get the point. Once you know the "why" you can use your own discernment. Does this work for me? Do I agree with the why? Etc. etc.

Be respectful -. To other people, to other practices and cultures, to spirits and deities. Find out their customs and cultures if you can, and act accordingly. Did you know that not saying "thank you" to the Fair Folk is only a custom in Irish and Scottish folk tales? Yeah, exactly.

-But don't be terrified. You're a witch/wizard/warlock/unicorn/whatever dammit! Act like one! Witchcraft is about empowerment, so be fucking empowered! An anarchy saying is "no gods, no kings, no masters". As a polytheist witch who works with the Fair Folk for me it's more "lots of Gods, some Kings, no masters!" I meet them with respect, but on equal footing. I experiment because if I screw up, well, I'll have learned something, and I've learned a lot about getting myself out of weird stuff.

Have fun. For fuck's sake, your practice is supposed to bring you joy. If it doesn't bring you joy or make you feel fizzy with inspiration and energy, try something else. If you need to, toss the whole thing out and start over. Trust me, it helps.

ANUBIS

WHO IS HE?

Anubis, also known as Inpu and Anpu in Ancient Egyptian mythology, is the god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the Underworld, in Ancient Egyptian mythology, usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine head.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: in Egyptian mythology, Anubis is typically depicted as a jackal-headed deity or a man with the head of a jackal. He is often depicted wearing a loincloth and holding a flail or a pair of scales. The jackal head represents Anubis' role as the guide to the Underworld, while the flail and scales represent his role as the judge of the dead. Some later representations of Anubis also show him holding a scepter, which is a staff symbolizing power and authority.

Personality: he is often portrayed as a serious and mysterious figure. He is known as the guide and guardian of the Underworld, and he is responsible for helping the dead on their journey to the afterlife. Anubis is also depicted as just and fair, using his scales to weigh the heart of the deceased against the Feather of Ma’at to determine their worthiness for the afterlife. Despite his association with death and the Underworld, Anubis is also seen as a protector and guide for the living, and he is believed to help those who call upon him for protection and guidance.

Symbols: flail, crook, sceptre, and mummy gauze

God of: the dead, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, and tombs

Culture: Egyptian

Plants and trees: star anise, benzoin, cloves, cardamom, frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, cypress, pomegranate, cedarwood, blue lotus, juniper, lilies, and black roses.

Crystals: black obsidian, onyx, jet, garnet, smoky quartz, babingtonite, augite, alabandite, agate geode, petrified palmwood, brochantite, agate, labradorite, trolleite, melanite, dendritic opal, larvikite, biotite, fire opal, merlinite, bloodstone, hematite, and black tourmaline.

Animals: jackal, dog, flies, scarab beetle, Ibis bird, and snake

Incense: cinnamon, sage, frankincense, cedarwood, pomegranate, myrrh, copal, dragons blood, and vanilla

Practices: death witchcraft, necromancy, protection, death magick, guidance (especially through transitions), shadow work, funerary rites, cremation rituals, death positive activism, funeral service provision, divination, and ancestor worship

Colours: black, gold, green, and red

Number: 13

Zodiac: Scorpio

Tarot: Death

Planets: Pluto

Days: Monday, Thoth (Thuty) Festival, Opening of the Mouth ceremony, Festival of the Divine Birth, Nile Flood Festival, Festival of the Dead, and Festival of the Jackal

Parents: Ra (his father originally), Hesat (mother), Bastet (sometimes referred to as his mother), Osiris (his father in later stories), and Isis (his mother in later stories).

Siblings: Horus, Babi, Sopdet, Wepwawet, and Bata

Partner: Anput and Nephthys

Children: Kebechet

MISC:

• Flail: the flail is associated with Anubis because it was believed to have been used by him in the process of mummification. In ancient Egyptian mythology, the flail was a tool used to separate the body of the deceased from its wrappings. It was also associated with the idea of balance and justice, as the flail had two heads that were believed to represent the balance of life and death. In some depictions, Anubis is shown holding a flail in his hands as a symbol of his role as a judge of the dead.

• Crook: it was a staff with a curved end and was used by shepherds to guide their flocks. In Egyptian mythology, the crook was associated with the god Osiris and later with Anubis as well. It was believed to represent Anubis' role as a shepherd of souls, guiding the deceased through the afterlife and protecting them from danger. Additionally, the crook was seen as a symbol of authority and power, as the pharaohs were often depicted carrying one as a sign of their divine rule.

• Sceptre: in ancient Egypt, a sceptre was a staff that was carried by the pharaohs and gods to symbolize their power and authority. For Anubis, his sceptre was known as the Pesesh-kef Sceptre, and it represented his role as a guide and protector of the dead. The Pesesh-kef was a symbol of his status as a god and was used to perform rituals and ceremonies related to the afterlife. It was also believed to have healing or magical properties and was sometimes buried with people to protect them on their journey through the afterlife.

• Jackal: Anubis is often depicted with the head of a jackal, which is one of the reasons why jackals are associated with him. Jackals were considered scavengers and were known to be present in the deserts where many Egyptian burials took place. For this reason, they were believed to have been closely associated with death and the afterlife. The jackal was also said to have the ability to navigate the underworld, which further strengthened its association with Anubis, who was considered the guide and protector of the deceased in the afterlife.

• Mummy gauze: the material used to wrap and bind the mummies of the deceased. Anubis, as the god of mummification and the afterlife, was closely associated with the practice of mummification and often depicted holding rolls of mummy gauze as a symbol of his role. In addition, mummy gauze was believed to have magical or protective properties, and some Egyptians would use it as a talisman to keep themselves or their loved ones safe from harm. As a result, mummy gauze became a potent symbol of Anubis' power and connection to the underworld.

• The colour black: often associated with death and the underworld, this is likely because of the dark, fertile soil of the Nile River banks, where many Egyptian burials took place. Anubis, as the god of death and the afterlife, was closely associated with the Underworld and the process of mummification, which required the use of black resin and tar. As a result, the color black became a powerful symbol of Anubis and his domain, and was often used in paintings, carvings, and other representations of the god.

FACTS ABOUT ANUBIS:

• He likes metal music (especially black metal), dark crystal jewelry, gothic style, and dark coloured sports cars.

• In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, it is said that Anubis weighs the heart of the deceased against the Feather of Ma’at to determine their worthiness for the afterlife.

• Anubis was regularly invoked for protection as well as vengeance.

• He helped Iris bring Osiris back from the dead.

• His time of day is dusk.

• Anubis is very caring and kind to his worshipper.

• The name “Anubis” is the Greek form of the Egyptian name “Anpu” which means to decay.

• He is not a demon or evil entity.

• Anubis was said to be the creator of embalming.

• The Greeks associated Anubis with Hermes, the Greek god who guided the dead to the afterlife. The two would be joined together to create Hermanubis, making him more accessible to non-Egyptians.

• A very sweet entity and only wishes to help guide people in the right direction.

• He knows the date of everyone’s death and may be petitioned to reveal it.

• Anubis is one of the oldest Egyptian gods.

• He is represented by the colour black.

HOW TO INVOKE ANUBIS:

Connect with Anubis as you would any other deity—with profound respect and gratitude. He selects devotees who are willing to face their shadows, and who aren’t afraid of spirts and death. Come to him with a pure heart and pure intentions.

To work with him, you can: read about him, create sacred altar space for him, leave offerings for Anubis in his sacred space, call him by his real name Anpu (to decay), research the mummification process and purpose, explore your beliefs about death, do shadow work and ritual work with him, and visiting cemeteries.

PRAYER FOR ANUBIS:

"Oh great and powerful Anubis, Lord of the Dead and guide of souls, I call upon you now in this moment. I honor and respect your wisdom and strength, and I seek your guidance and protection on my journey through this life and into the next.”

“Please bless me with your presence and wisdom as I embark on this new path. Show me the way to make the choices that will lead to a good and honorable life, and give me the courage to face the unknown with bravery and confidence.I offer this prayer to you with gratitude and reverence. Hail to you, Lord Anubis.”

SIGNS THAT ANUBIS IS CALLING YOU:

• Spiritual signs, such as meditative visions or dream visitations.

• Seeing black dogs and bones.

• A strong feeling of connection to Anubis or the Egyptian pantheon.

• Finding yourself increasingly drawn to topics related to death, the afterlife, or spirituality.

• A sense of being guided or protected in times of difficulty or distress.

• Finding objects related to death, burial, or the occult in unexpected places.

• Experiencing unusual synchronicities or coincidences related to the god.

• Having a strong desire to learn more about the Egyptian pantheon or the lore surrounding Anubis.

OFFERINGS:

• Cool water.

• Strong liquor, like rum.

• Spicy foods.

• Dark and bitter chocolate and beer.

• Practicing divination.

• Strong incense: frankincense, cedarwood, and myrrh.

• Black coffee.

• Shadow work (only if you’re emotionally prepared for it).

• Pomegranates.

• Feathers.

• Aged cheese.

• Sourdough.

• Red meat: beef (especially steak), pork, lamb, and goat.

• Bitter chocolate.

• Cypress oil.

• Bones and skulls.

• Pumpkin spice.

• Locks and keys.

• Bread.

• Crystals: black obsidian, onyx, jet, garnet, smoky quartz, labradorite, bloodstone, and hematite.

• Scales.

• Logical puzzles.

• Dog things.

• Bandages.

• Karkadeh.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

• Honour the dead and your ancestors

• Leaving flowers on graves.

• Support orphans and the homeless.

• Act as a guide for someone.

• Live your life as if it was your last (mindfully).

• Volunteer in cleaning cemeteries or in your local mortuary.

• Dress in neutral and dark colours.

• Collect animal bones. Clean then and breathe life into them (do so ethically, killing animals for bones is a blatant disrespect for Anubis, the animal, and the law).

• Adopt unwanted animals (the ones who are critically ill or are of old age) and give them the best life before they pass.

• Wearing black clothing in his honour.

• Volunteer or donate to local dog shelters.

• Research him.

• Get involved with spirit work.

• Practice divination; in the Papyri, Anubis is noted to be an intermediary for divination.

• Get into herbology: his priests were skilled herbal healers and dealt with many herbs during the mummification process.

• Draw, paint, or sculpt something in his honour.

Welcoming Anubis Back

Anubis chose the copper pendulum. And I just wanted to get to know him again. He agreed and picked the Egyptian Tarot to use, not really surprising.

Card 1. Which card best represents him right now?The Chariot- represents victory, breaking down obstacles, honor

Card 2. Which card represents me? The Tower- chaos, upheaval, lack of balance, change

Card 3. What kind relationship he is wanting to establish? 2 of Wands- choices, decisions, prepared

Card 4. What's the goal for us to reach? 8 of Pentacles- effort, dedication, progress, confidence

This makes sense, Anubis is all about mummification but also he is said to watch the scales in the Weighing of the Heart. My life has been very chaotic these last couple of years so he wishes to help get my life back on track.

Warding & Protection 101

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.

Why/when should I use a ward?

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".

Basics

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.)

How to make a ward

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.

Types of Wards/Ideas for Wards

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.

Examples of Useful Wards

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.

✨️🫙✨️Spells✨️🫙✨️

I love library journeys!!

i had a dream that one of the things i did to more, like, apart of the community was go to the local library - weird because i'm not much of a leisurely reader.

but i'm not from here!! so going anywhere alone still freaks me out even after two years.

for whatever reason, i have received a sign to go to the library so i may very well do just that.

Y'all, I have finally found some proper chocolate scented incense!

Beautiful evening!