New Year’s Eve is a liminal time exploding with the energy of renewal, transformation, and change. Marking the end of one calendar year and the beginning of another, it offers a secular reason for people to celebrate together. As we look upon a new calendar year full of possibilities and opportunities, it is important to start off the right way. Along with making resolutions, I like to ring in the New Year with a bit of magic aimed at accomplishing my goals. removing obstacles over the next twelve months, calling in abundance, and protection. This is a time for celebrating the changing seasons by incorporating spells into your New Year’s Eve festivities. Doing this can set the tone for a vibrant, abundant, and magical calendar year ahead.
What is the new year?
The new year is a symbolic time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. The new year is the beginning of a new calendar year. The new year is celebrated on January 1st in most countries that use the Gregorian calendar, including the United States. However, the new year is celebrated on different dates in other calendars, such as the Chinese, Jewish, and Islamic calendars.
History of the New year
While it seems secular now, New Year’s is actually very much tied to ancient pagan celebrations. Many of our modern traditions are passed down to us from the ancients cultures and peoples. New year celebrations go back at least to the Babylonians. The Romans took these celebrations to the next level with copious amounts of drinking, feasting, and partying.
The new year hasn’t always been celebrated on December 31st/ January 1st. In 2000 B.C. the new year was celebrated around the time of the vernal equinox, in mid-March, in Mesopotamia. Today, most New Year’s celebrations start on New Year’s Eve, December 31, the final day of the year on the Gregorian calendar, and continue through New Year’s Day on January first.
The New Year a Liminal Time
As the old year fades away and the new one begins, we find ourselves in a liminal space. This is a time of transition and transformation, when anything is possible. It’s a time when we sit on the edge of one calendar year turning a page for another one to begin. The liminal space between one year ending and another beginning is a special time that should be embraced fully!
The New Year a time of abundance
When the calendar new year comes again it opens up a portal of abundance and wealth. The transition from one year to the next is seen as a chance to “clean the slate” and start anew, creating an optimistic outlook for the future. This includes the abundance of having all our needs met in life. This is a time when we set our intentions for the year ahead and what we all want to manifest. So, on this new years eve we do our best to have our life look like what we wish to manifest in the year ahead. We surround ourselves with an abundance of feasting, drinking, being around community, and loved ones as we ring in the new year ahead. We show the universe and the gods and goddesses all we wish for them to give us in the year ahead.
The New Year a time of reset
The calendar New year is the closing of one new year and the opening of another opening of a new one. This new start comes with a naturally feeling of renewal and reset. It is a chance to press the reset button on our lives, a chance to get it right this time. This is a time to relook at all the past year and reset for something brand new you have never seen before to unfold in front of you. If you want to learn how do to reset your entire life this new year’s eve check our my guide here.
Common folklore traditions
There are many different folklore and traditions around the world for how to celebrate New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is usually celebrated by most with gathering alongside friends and family. Popular rituals include serving food that symbolizes good fortune and making resolutions focused on what one hopes to accomplish in the next year. Along side doing things to draw in good fortune and to protect yourself and the home from unwanted spirits to come into your home. Let’s take a look at some of the many but, certainly not all, of the ancient traditions and folklore from across the earthly realm I have found below.
Ancient Babylonians celebrated the new year with feasts and returning farm equipment that had been borrowed from others.
In Norse traditions, Yule celebrations ended around the new year. The last feasts of the Winter Solstice were huge on this final night to celebrate the turning of the wheel.
In both Ancient Egyptian and Greek societies they paraded a baby around to symbolize the beginning of the new year.
The romans would kiss each other at midnight to bring love and prosperity into the next year plus to also ward off unwanted and malevolent spirits.
For the Aztecs, this was a time to sacrifice children by drowning in order to buy the favor of the rain gods.
DON’T do any laundry on New Years Day. In china it’s thought if you do laundry on New years you are setting up your next year to be full of cleaning
Do NOT cry, crying on January 1st instills a sad and negative mood throughout the next 12 months.
Make sure you wake up at dawn. In fact, according to a Polish tradition, getting up early on New Year’s Eve will make you wake up to the crowing of the rooster (and without the slightest effort) for the rest of the year.
If your dream for the next year is to travel the world on New Year’s Eve in Colombia, people go around with an empty suitcase which, according to ancient superstition, would ensure a nice trip within the year.
Eat 12 grapes (one after the other) just like they do in Spain, where they are said to bring good luck.
Have black cabbage and lentils be apart of your new years feast like the do in the southern United states to call in good luck, prosperity, and wealth
According to the ancient Chinese tradition, on New Year’s Day, you should not clean the house, as removing the dust or sweeping the floor would literally “sweep” away the good luck and the good vibes that would have been attracted by the celebrations and decorations dedicated to the new year.
Observe the weather in the very early hours of January 1st; if the wind blows from the south, the new year will be rich and prosperous; if instead, it comes from the north, then the new year will be problematic and turbulent, so better fasten your seat belts. The wind from the east also brings famines and calamities, while the wind from the west means that the new year will be rich and lush.
According to an Italian tradition, men and women should wear red underwear on New Year’s Eve if they want to find love, passion, good sex, and good luck in the next year to come.
If you live or are celebrating near a lake or ocean, try out this Brazilian ritual on New Year’s Eve, which involves jumping seven waves. With each jump, you make a wish for the upcoming year.
An ancient Persian New year’s tradition that is still celebrated by some in Iran is to light a bonfire and once you do you jump over it twice. On the first jump you say a blessing releasing your past years pain into the flame and then on the jump back. You say a blessing asking for the health of the flame to bless your life in the coming year ahead.
Eat round foods. In many cultures, eating round foods on New Year’s Eve is believed to bring prosperity and abundance in the new year. In Europe and the United States, people eat 12 round fruits to represent each month of the year. In the Philippines, people eat 13, which is considered a lucky number.
Smash pomegranates. In Ancient Greece, pomegranates were viewed as a symbol of abundance and luck. On new years eve people were seen smashing pomegranates outside their doors to bring good luck to the new year. The more pomegranate seeds spilled in the smash, the more luck you’ll have for the new year.
In Denmark, they break plates this tradition is done to ward off malevolent spirits and is symbolic of a fresh start to the new year.
Preparing mochi, which is a Japanese rice cake, on New Year’s is symbolic of renewal and is seen to bring about blessings for the year.
Grab some bread and bang the bread against the walls. The Irish believe that doing so wards off malevolent spirits and brings abundance to the coming year.
Danish tradition includes standing on the chair and “jumping” into the new year at midnight. It’s also believed that if you forget, it’s bad luck. ( I do this one every year)
The New Year and Duality
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred times like New year’s eve. I have always loved New Year’s Eve for it’s duality. It’s a time of reflection for me and a time to set my intentions for the new year. It’s a time to reflect on the past while looking towards the hope of the future ahead. It’s a time to not just look at what I want to change and let go of but, to congratulate myself for the all the mountains I climbed. It’s a time when I take a look at what worked from the past year and what didn’t. I am reminded of the constant ebb and flow in life, the constant change, and how to live in the balance of liminal transformation as one chapter ends and a new one begins.
Correspondences for the New year’s
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like the calendar New year. I will list below for you to use. Remember this is not an all encompassing list and there may be other correspondences to use. Just follow your intuition and use what calls to you.
Planet-Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Saturn
Animal-Deer, opossums, whichever Chinese zodiac we are in that Chinese New year
Element- All elements
symbol-sparkles, babies, fireworks, glitter, the clock, the Gregorian calendar, father time
colors-Silver, gold, red, white, black
Herbs/flowers- rosemary, clover, thyme, pine, cinnamon, Lavender, Basil, Oregano, Spearmint, Patchouli, bay leaves, sage, fennel, rose, Cardamom, mugwort, orange, apple
Food/drinks- wines, beer, mead, collards, lentils, black cabbage, pork, soba noodles, mochi, rice cakes, fruits, round shaped foods, NO CHICKEN
Ways to work with the energy of New years
However you choose to work with the New year’s eve magic and energies make sure to follow your intuition where it leads you. Make sure you tap into the energies of abundance, renewal, and the closing of one chapter, and the opening of a new one. In your everyday life, you can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for abundance, new beginnings, endings, reflection, and the changing of the calendar year. Let’s take a look at some of the many different ways you can magical work with the energy of New year’s eve.
Imagine and set your New year SMART goals
One of the number one ways to celebrate new years eve is to sit down, let your imagination run wild and think of all the biggest and wildest goals you wish to set for the year ahead. This is the eve when you are observing the calendar year that you can really think big, let the walls down and don’t think about what you can’t have but, come from a mindset of abundance and focus on what you can have. But, don’t forget to not only let your imagination run with your goals but take the time to set them in a specific way by making them SMART goals. If you have been with me the last year I have written about SMART goals many times, but I do so because using this method changed how I was able to take those goals in my imagination and bring them to life. To learn all about SMART goals and how to set them this New Year’s eve head over to my guide here now!
Visualization
Visualization is great way to set intentions for the new year. This is going to be the practice I am really intentionally committing to this New years eve and all 2025 long. I’ve come to learn with my manifestation work in the past year just speaking things out loud is not enough. I must see myself already having what I want in my hands. So, close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by all of the things you want to manifest in the new year. Picture yourself living out your dreams, achieving success, and feeling fulfilled by all that you have accomplished. Hold onto this image as you move forward into the new year, knowing that it will come true if you put in the effort and stay focused on your goals.
Cast protection spells
New Year’s Eve is a liminal time where the energies around us are more susceptible to change. As we look upon a new year full of possibilities and opportunities, it is important to start off the right way. Protecting ourselves, our family, and our space is something essential to do before we commence into the new year. A New Year’s Eve Protection Spell can be a powerful tool to keep us safe and supported as we let go of the old year and prepare for the future. So cast those protection spells this New Year’s eve to protect you home, your family, and your life all year long. Ps. don’t forget to cleanse yourself, your tools, and your space as well before you cast your protection spells.
Reflection through Shadow work
Remember how New years eve is a liminal time. It is time when we are sitting on the edge of change and transformation. In order to move onto the next stage of evolution and change that we are greeting in the new year ahead we must first look back. We must look at the highest heights we reached and lowest depths we sank to down deep. We must decide what we want take from one chapter into the next and what we wish to leave behind. The best way to do this for me is through shadow work. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
Release work spells
As we go into the new year ahead with hope for a bright future we have to make sure we have left the things we no longer need in the past. One way to do this is to make sure we energetically and magically release the things from the past year. One of my favorite ways to do this on New year’s eve is to write down the things I wish to release. The patterns in the past year that no longer serve me and I no longer wish to repeat. Along with the blockages I met during the past year to align with the correct energies to manifest all of my goals being met. Once I write them down I wait until the clock strikes 12 then I read them out loud and burn them in fire to release the blockage from life. To no longer carry any of that into my new chapter of life.
Abundance and good luck spells
With a New calendar year unfolding before us on New Year’s Eve this is a day we can set ourselves up for a long and prosperous year ahead. We can tap into that unlimited potential this magical unknown year has for us. There are countless different traditions you can do like some we talked about above from around the earthy realm that will bring in abundance and good luck. Along with just as many spells. One really poplar one I like is to place a bowl of coins outside my threshold. When you return home for the first time in the new year (perhaps after a late-night party),bless them for everything you want in the new year to come. To get more ideas for abundance and good luck spells head over to my Pinterest where I have many or check out my abundance guide and my guide all about Thursdays magic.
This spell is my favorite one to do every single New Year’s Eve. It masters the liminal space and energy of change on the night, the magic and mastery of time to bring in a very abundant, vibrant, and magical life in 2025.
Shortly before midnight on New year’s eve Grab 12 candles, I prefer to use white or green, 12 coins, and an herb bundle made of rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay leaves. Take your candles and set them on the floor in front of in a circle to mimic a clock and place one coin under each candle. Then get yourself into sacred container while you focus on what it is you want to manifest in the next year ahead. Once you feel you have a clear vision in your head and your intent is set, sit with it until the clock strikes midnight. Once the you hear the clock chime, start lighting each candle in your circle starting at the top aka 12 o’clock and going clockwise until all 12 candles are lit. Don’t forget to focus on your intention you are setting for the year ahead as you light each candle in your magical clock. Once this is done go around your entire home and smoke cleanse your space bringing in your most abundant year yet. Let the candles burn until they go out on their own or if you are not comfortable with that for safety reasons burn them for 12 minutes for each candle and then blow them out by 1 as the time is met.
Other ways to work with New Year’s Eve
Divination-pull some cards or do some mirror scrying. Ps. don’t forget you can always book me for a reading in the shop
Perform a gratitude ritual like writing a list of all the things you are grateful for and reading them out loud to the multiverse
Cast fertility spells to speed up your manifestation work done on new years eve night
Do a chord cutting or uncrossing ritual for ties you no longer need in your life ( you can find both on my pinterest page)
Stay up until the stroke of midnight and jump over a fire to release the pain of the past year and welcome in the health of the new year
Work with snow magic for your manifestation and intention set his year
Place coins on your window seal, and/or throw them threw your front door, and/or bury them outside your threshold for a constant money flow all year long
Tie a bulb of garlic to a red string and hang it above your front door to ward off any ill will for the new year and break hexes from the past year
Open your front door at midnight and make a lot of noise to keep unwanted spirits away.
Write a wish or resolution on a piece of paper and burn it on New Year’s Eve, ideally at midnight.
Open all of your windows and doors to help reset and cleanse for the year ahead
Right before midnight switch off the lights in your home then right at midnight flip them back on to bring in new light and to symbolize the changing moment of the year
DO NOT eat chicken or you will bring in bad luck all year
Meditation focused on reflection and new beginnings
Open your front door right at midnight to greet and welcome the new year into your home
Hang a horseshoe above your front door to bring good luck into your home
Make sure your wallet is full of money and maybe even add a herb of abundance in there as well like bay leaves or clover
Do dream work or travel to the astral realm for guidance in the new year
Start a dream journal and a bullet journal
Declutter and cleanse your technology like your apps, email, social media
Create a good luck talisman or spell bag to carry with you throughout the year to come
walk a labyrinth
Make a spell jar to harness the manifestation, abundance, and renewal energy of the new year
Wish magic
Create a simmer pot to cleanse, purify, and protect your home
Write a letter to your future self to open at a later date when you need it during the year
Have a bonfire with friends and family until dawn then release our wishes and blockages into the fire
drink, dance, feast, and be merry
Do some sex magic either solo or with a partner to manifest your goals for the new year
Final thoughts
The New Year has long been used as a time to purge the old and add new meaning to life. In witchcraft, this is done by focusing our energy towards personal goals and intentions. No matter what type of witchcraft practice we choose, the New Year is a great time to reflect on the past and set intentions for the future. Set your eyes high on your highest goals, reflect on the past year to release blockages, reset your life, and protect your family, yourself, and your home. The new year comes with this magical potential in the air swirling all around us, that anything is imaginable in the coming year. With the start of a new cycle upon us, we have a portal of possibility to start fresh, redefine our lives, and cast our vision for the life we choose to live this coming year.
Don’t forget to check out my New year’s blog from 2024 here as well!
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Friday the 13th has held our fascination in culture for a long time now, for many it has gotten a bit of an infamous reputation even. Because, most of the beliefs are that this day is unlucky. While that is the case in some cultures and practices it’s not the case for all. For many, we see that by bringing the beautiful and loving energies of Friday and the transformative and whole energies of the number 13 together, Friday the 13th is in fact, a very powerful day. A day for feminine energy, manifestation, and creativity. We see the magic of this day and it’s energy mirrored in the 13 lunar cycles of the year and in the blood women shed each month. It is also an extremely powerful time of death and rebirth as it represents that mid-point in the cycle between something new emerging and something old slipping away. Friday the 13th is a day that invites us to explore the depths of our soul and embrace our spiritual journey. Join me under the night sky as you speak to the moon, to learn all about the magic you can harness on this mysterious and mystical day instead of being afraid.
History and legends of Friday the 13th as unlucky
To truly understand the significance of Friday the 13th, we need to delve into its historical origins, explore its spiritual interpretations, and unravel the common beliefs and myths associated with it. The number 13 has a long and intriguing history, steeped in superstition and lore. Its reputation as an unlucky number can be traced back to various ancient civilizations and cultural beliefs. In fact, fear of the number 13 even has a specific name: triskaidekaphobia. The fear of the number 13 is so strong that it has influenced architecture and design. Many buildings and hotels skip the thirteenth floor entirely, jumping from the twelfth to the fourteenth floor in a practice known as; “floor numbering avoidance.” Let’s take a look at some of the myths that have lead to this deep seated fear and feeling of being unlucky.
First up an example of this day being unlucky and it comes from Norse mythology. From what I can find this may even be the oldest one. There was a dinner party being held in Valhalla amongst the gods for all, but one. The trickster god loki was not invited. When he heard of this he decided to attend anyways as the 13th guest of the party. Than during the party he convinced Höðr to shoot Balder with a mistletoe-tipped arrow killing him. Thus marking this day as unlucky.
Next up, we look at Christianity where we see the number 13th portrayed again as being unlucky. This comes up in the story of the last supper when the one who betrayed Jesus was the 13th guest; Judas. Not only that, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday, which has led some to view the day as a symbol of suffering and sorrow adding more bad luck to this day for some. We see it again in history with Christianity and the knights templar as well. Many even trace the origins of Friday the 13th superstitions back to the day they were arrested. Which was on Friday, October 13, 1307 by French King Philip IV. Most were imprisoned and later executed. This association between the number 13 and betrayal has resonated throughout history and has contributed to the belief that it brings bad luck.
The energies of Friday the 13th
Throughout history, the number 13 has been steeped in mystery and superstition. In numerology, this number is often considered to be symbolic of change, transformation, and spiritual growth. It is believed to possess a powerful energy that can bring about both wanted and unwanted outcomes. Similarly, the day of Friday has its own spiritual connections. In many cultures, Friday is associated with the planet Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. It is seen as a day of romance, creativity, and spiritual connection. When you combine these two energies the ripe fertile energy of manifestation appears. It is said to be a day when the veil between the physical and spiritual realms is thin, allowing for deeper insights, heightened intuition and spiritual awakening.
Friday the 13th; A day of the goddess
Friday the 13th is not only seen as an unlucky day, but a day of deep beauty and fertility. Before patriarchal times, Friday the 13th was considered the day of the Goddess. It was considered a day to honor the Divine Feminine that lives in us all and to honor the cycles of creation and death and rebirth. With it being the day of the Goddess it is a beautiful day for creating and celebrating life. It is a lovely day for getting in tune with your emotions, sensitivities, and giving thanks to the beautiful Goddess that lives in us all. All this fertile divine feminine energy makes Friday the 13th, a very powerful day to manifest, honor creativity, and to celebrate beauty, wisdom, and nourishment of the soul.
Friday the 13th; manifestation and spiritual awakening
Friday the 13th is a very fertile day for setting intentions, visualizing goals, and engaging in rituals to bring about positive change in our lives. the combination of Friday, associated with Venus, the planet of love and abundance, and the number 13, which is associated with transformation and rebirth, creates a potent energy for manifesting desires and intentions. The alignment of these cosmic energies amplifies our ability to attract what we desire and manifest our dreams into reality.
Friday the 13th is also seen as an opportunity for deep introspection, self-reflection, spiritual awakening, and personal growth. Friday the 13th is seen as a time to delve into one’s inner world and confront any emotional or spiritual challenges that may be hindering our personal growth. It is believed that by embracing this day and its energies, we can embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, shedding old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve us.
Friday the 13th and duality
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred times like Friday the 13th. Man does, this day have so much duality to it and honestly I hope I have made it obvious at this point throughout this post even. While most people think of Friday the 13th as something to be fearful of as a day full of bad luck, dreadful omens, and misfortune. It’s also a time that is fertile with beautiful and loving energy to guide you towards spiritual awakening and manifestation with creativity. You can’t get much more dualistic in energy then that. Plus this day is also connected to a very liminal pocket of time and energy. It’s a time of death and rebirth, representing the midpoint between something new and something old.
Correspondences for Friday the 13th
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for time of the year like a month, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of mystical day like Friday the 13th. Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!
Planet-Venus & the moon Animal- Black cat Element- Air & earth colors-black, red, blue, white, pink Symbol- Friday, the number 13, skulls, coffins, eggs, broken mirrors, ladders, black cats Herbs-roses, rose buds, lavender, apples, saffron, hibiscus, heather, water lily, coltsfoot, Turmeric, Lion’s mane, Holy basil, Ashwagandha, Oregano, Echinacea, vervain, mistletoe, Rhodiola rosea Stones/ crystals-rose quartz, peridot, aventurine, jade, rhodonite, lapis lazuli, garnet, coral, emerald, Celestite, pyrite, black tourmaline, Deities-Aphrodite, Venus, Frigg, Freya, Inanna, Juno Zodiac- Aquarius Themes-bad luck, misfortune, duality, protection, manifestation, good luck, bad omens, divine feminine, the goddess, fertility, cleansing, love, beauty, glamor, transformation, spiritual awakening, creativity
Ways to work with the energy of Friday the 13th
As witches, we can associate a lot of great, and magical, things with Friday the 13th. Friday is ruled by Venus, the planet of love, harmony, and money. It’s a good day for self-care, self-love, and to make for some great Venusian-style hedonism. When it comes to this mysterious, mystical, and fertile day there are countless ways to work with it. I will go over some below.
Shadow work
One of my favorite ways to work with this energy is to tap into the very fertile energies prime for personal growth and spiritual awakening on this day is through shadow work. Shadow work on this day is profound leading us to places inside ourselves to release blockages to create a life we have always wanted to manifest. Guiding us to the inner goddess within the creative energy swirling in our womb space. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
Sex Magic Own your sexuality! Use your orgasms to set intentions. As you pleasure yourself or consensually with a partner, think of a goal that you want to achieve and attain. While climaxing, state the intention over and over. Being that sex and orgasms are full of fertile manifestation energy, you can make your visions true by manifesting them this way into your life. On top of that it adds a very intimate and magical layer to your sex life and relationship. To learn more about sex magic you can watch my class with Divination Academy on YouTube here.
Harness the bad luck for protection magic
A reality we all have to face in life is that from time to time we will need protection from energies that come our way. Whether it be from a thing, place, or person in our life. So, why not work with the unlucky energy that exists within this day to help you do that. This is one of my favorite ways to work with this day! Taking bad luck, harnessing it, and directing it towards others to protect you can really put a damper on others day. Plus you can get pretty creative with your hexes and curses you cast that are anchored in the energy of bad luck and misfortune. You can make them as elaborate or as simples as you want as well! From writing their name on a piece of toilet paper, then taking it and flushing it down the toilet to flush away all of their good luck and bring only bad luck from this day on. You can cast hexes to just annoy them throughout the day as well; like having one of their shoes never being able to stay tied, or losing sight of their phone every time they set it down. The last way I like to work with this bad luck energy is using it in my protection spells as an amplifier by using its energy in things like bad luck charms and spell bags. Or even weaving it’s energy into my reflective shield causing bad luck and misfortune to befall anyone who sends unwanted energy my way.
Cast spells for peace, harmony, friendship, and strengthening relationships
Make a poppet of someone who has done you harm in your life, then place somewhere dark and keep it there until the next Friday the 13th or you want to bring them back into the light
Death and rebirth magic, maybe even had to a graveyard for some graveyard magic
Inner child healing and healing the mother wound
Get creative and artistic today
Friday the 13th manifestation spell
Use this spell I created below with me today, to manifest 13 of your deepest wishes and dreams with the divine feminine and the energy of 13!
This spell is meant to use the ripe and fertility energy of Friday the 13th to manifest your wishes and dreams. What you will need is a cauldron or fire safe bowl, a marker, a white candle and 13 bay leaves.
When you are ready to begin get yourself into sacred container by visualizing white, warm, feminine energy surrounding you. Once you feel anchored in your container focus on 13 things you want in your life right now and focus on them clearly with every detail in your minds eye. Then take your 13 bay leaves and write one manifestation/wish on each bay leaf as you visualize it being in your life. Once done focus on the energy and number of 13 and light your candle sitting within the cauldron or bowl. Next, focus on the flame and as you burn each bay leave in the flame releasing your wish to the multiverse say. “ By the power of 13, my wishes I burn. By the power of 13 all my dreams come to me.”
Final thoughts
While some associate this day with bad luck and misfortune, others perceive it as a time of powerful manifestation and spiritual awakening. It is up to each individual to decide how they want to interpret and engage with the energies of this unique day. Friday the 13th is a day that invites us to explore the depths of our soul and embrace our spiritual journey. It is a time to release fears and embrace the unknown, trusting that the universe has a plan for us. By understanding the spiritual meaning of Friday the 13th, we can navigate this day with confidence and harness its powerful energy to manifest our desires and cultivate a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us. Embrace the magic and mystery this day holds and use it as a catalyst for spiritual awakening and transformation. Remember, the power lies within you to make any day, even Friday the 13th, a day of growth, abundance, and spiritual connection.
December is a time of reflection, renewal, stillness, rest, introspection, hope, celebrating community and our own uniqueness. The magic of December calls us inward for deep introspection to be a catalyst of rebirth and growth to bloom. Now is the time when we rest while we wait for the spring when the ground thaws and life begins again. In December the energy is focused on the journey deep within as the spirits from the other world are held off by the wild hunt and Odin seated upon Sleipnir. December calls us to focus on transformation, shadow work, releasing the past, and choosing the goals we will focus on this coming year to create the life we truly want. December is associated with Yule and the winter solstice marking the rebirth of the sun and the return of light after the longest night of the year. It’s a time to celebrate the return of light to the world next to the glowing hearth with our family and friends. It is a time to set intentions for the coming year, and reflect on the past year’s experiences. This month envelopes us in the duality and magic of winter. By showing us the introspection in dark nights and the hope of day light finally getting longer again. During December in the stillness and silence as the snow falls, and the ground freezes profound secrets of wisdom are whispered with each inhaled breath. Come join me in this blogpost to learn all about the magic falling down in each silent snowflake covering the realm during the month of introspection, rest, and rebirth; December.
History of December
December is the 12th month of the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The name December comes from the Latin word decem, which means “ten”. This is because it was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar, which began in March. December has marked the end of the year and the start of winter since the ancient Romans created their first calendar.
Zodiac Signs For The Month Of December
Those born in December are said to be born under either the sign of the archer Sagittarius or the mythical seagoat Capricorn.
Sagittarius are typically born between November 22 and December 21. Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac, and is represented by an archer. They are known for being self-sufficient, independent, free and are a one-of-a-kind, and wise beyond their years. Sagittarius, is the learned healer whose higher intelligence forms a bridge between Earth and Heaven.
Capricorn are typically born between December 22 and January 19. Capricorn’s symbol is a sea-goat, a mythical creature that is part goat and part fish. This is representative of Capricorn’s ability to navigate both the material and emotional realms. Capricorns are said to be hardworking, honest, loyal, and persistent. They are also known for being determined, responsible, and focused.
Sacred Days And Celebrations In December
Every Single month has sacred and important days and celebrations to help you connect to the energies of the month. Plus they usually are a lot of fun to take part in! Below you will find a list of the sacred days and celebrations for the month of December! The common theme you will find is connection to family, our homes, light vs dark and rebirth. But, first we are going to talk about a few that take centerstage during this month having us focus on the introspection in dark nights and the hope of day light finally getting longer.
Saturnalia
First up, one of my favorite festivals and holidays to read about in December because, it just sounds like so much fun; Saturnalia. The Saturnalia Festival is an ancient Roman holiday that mainly celebrated the Winter sowing season, as well as honored the god Saturn. The actual dates vary but most scholars agree it was once celebrated between December 17th and the 23rd OR December 25th through the 31st, depending on the calendar that was used. What we know for sure is that it was observed around Midwinter a.k.a. the Winter Solstice. Saturnalia was a jovial time for the entire city of Rome because, everyone in ancient Rome had off of work and participated in the excitement. Especially the most interesting tradition of this festival when the social norms of society were lifted. For example, slaves were able to be the masters and masters turned into the slaves. Women could switch roles with the men and vice versa. It was a true time of merriment and debauchery for all.
Krampusnacht, or Krampus Night
Krampusnacht, or Krampus Night, is a holiday celebrated on December 5th to celebrate the horned, cloven-hoofed companion to St. Nicholas; Krampus. Krampus is a terrifying winter devil who accompanies Saint Nicholas in Eastern and Central European Christmas parades. You’ll find him in Bavaria, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, and parts of Croatia and Northern Italy. Krampus is said to punish children who misbehave, while St. Nicholas rewards the good ones. Krampus is said to have been part of pagan rituals for the winter solstice and is thought to be the son of Hel, the Norse god of the underworld. There’s also an uncanny resemblance between Krampus, Pan, fauns and the Celtic horned deity Cernunnos. But as with almost every pagan entity he Christianity came along and he became associated with Christmas despite efforts by the Catholic church to ban him.
Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice, occurring around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, is the moment when the sun takes its lowest arc across the sky, marking the longest night and the shortest day.The Winter Solstice is a special event that occurs when the Earth tilts farthest away from the sun. It is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It’s a special day when one part of the Earth, where you might live, gets the least amount of sunlight in a whole year. The Winter Solstice has been important to many cultures and religions throughout time. It represents a moment of stillness, reflection, and gratitude amidst the busyness of our day-to-day activities.
Yule
As the days draw short and the nights grow long, there are celebrations full of cheer as well as a tinge of fear in the cold, crisp air as Yule is celebrated far and wide. Yule is one of the oldest winter solstice festivals, with origins among the ancient Norse thousands of years ago. Yule or Jol is believed to be first an ancient Germanic holiday season. The name Jol is believed to come from a name for Odin himself – JÓLFAÐR, which translates to Yule Father. Some say Yule lasted for 12 days, from the Winter Solstice forward, while others say the festivities lasted an entire two months. From December through January, if we’re looking at a modern calendar. At this time of year, people are experiencing both the height of darkness and the knowledge and hope that the light and warmth will return. Yule is a time for people to rest, enjoy good food and drink, and turn their thoughts to the gods and ancestors. Plus during this time it was thought that Odin seated upon Sleipnir stampeded across the sky leading the wild hunt keeping the spirits on their side of the veil.
The Celts also celebrated Yule, but their focus was on the rebirth of the sun and the coming of a new year. They believed that the burning of the Yule log was a way to symbolize the sun’s return and that the exchange of gifts was a way to honor the gods and ask for their favor in the coming year. Some mark the holiday with reenactments of the battle between the Holly King (representing darkness) and the Oak King (representing light) of Celtic legend.
Other sacred days and celebrations
Saint Nicholas’ Day – December 6
Egil Skallagrimsson’s Day – December 9
Human Rights Day – December 10
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe – December 12
Saint Lucia’s Day – December 13
Festivus – December 23
HumanLight – December 23
Yule – December 21
Christmas – December 25
Hanukkah- December 25- January 2
Boxing Day – December 26
Kwanzaa – December 26 – January 1
Dies Natalis Solis Invicti – December 25
Brumalia
Saturnalia – December 17
Mōdraniht
Holy Innocents Day – December 28
New Year’s Eve – December 31
Yalda Night
Toji (shinto)
Dong Zhi
Magical And Witchcraft Themes For December
During this month the darkness and silence calls to us to take a break from everything. We have put in the hard work all year, reaped what we have sown during the harvest festivals and now is the time to turn inward and rest. Between Samhain and Yule during the month of December, can be an ideal time for shadow work, working on anything that you want to heal, and release. Allowing for a profound rebirth and personal growth. Leaving room this month to focus on the next year ahead and what intentions you wish to set. To begin our new year with an inner flame of power that is burning bright all year long. Lighting the way for a year to manifest all that we truly desire. Performing intention setting and goal rituals during December will have a lasting affect on what you manifest in the year ahead. Don’t forget to cast fire spells as well during this month to bring you heat and warmth during the cold winter months. As well as connecting you to the hope of brighter and warmer days soon to come. I love to perform fire magic via candles during this month to create a beacon of light and hope for my mental health during the darkest days ahead. Lastly, if you live in a part of the world that freezes during the winter with frozen water ways and falling snow, binding and banishing magic can be extremely powerful and protective right now. Use the power of the alchemy in ice and snow to banish things from your life you need to let go, or to bind someone or something in place that no longer serves you in a wanted way.
The gods and goddesses of December
This month is a good time to get to know the winter goddesses that rule at this time. Some are associated with the dark goddess aspect as of the divine feminine as well. Allowing for a powerful portal to ancient wisdom and magical knowledge during this month as the snow falls. Everyone works with and views deity energy a little differently. Whether you view them as archetypes of the human consciousness, representations of the source energy, or as being entities on their own, there are certain deities that now is the time to connect to and honor them in the most sacred and amplified way.( Don’t forget to grab my eBook in the shop to help you explore this)
During this month a few deities take center stage because they have festivals or sacred days during this month to help you connect with them in a very intimate way. The deities that are going to be the best for you to connect to right now are deities connected rest, rebirth, protection, winter, snow, renewal, darkness, reflection, wisdom, and the winter solstice. Below we will talk about some of the deities you can work with this month. I could never list them all here. Plus take note how most of them are dark goddesses as well.
Hestia– Greek goddess
The first deity I want to talk about I personally feel is overlooked far too often especially during the cold winter months. December is the month that ushers in the winter season. Which means we need warmth and heat for us to survive and thrive. Which is why I always feel pulled to her during this time. Especially living in Minnesota I need her to bless my hearth with continuous heat during the long winter months. Not only that, but she can make your home extra cozy during this month while you spend more quality time with your family. Hestia is the sole attendant to the celestial hearth of the gods. As the goddess of the hearth, she personified the fire burning in the hearths of every home in Greece. On a very tangible level, Hestia rules the domain of fire. This means that she is directly responsible, at least according to the Greeks, for the fire, the stove, and the heat in your home. Honoring her during December, the first month of winter when the temperatures begin to drop, and snow begins to flitter down. She will bless your hearth as she stokes and fuels the flames all winter long. Don’t forget all month long to present her and your hearth with the first offering sacrificed to keep those flames burning strong.
To learn more about and meet Hestia, you can come join me in my upcoming class all about her with Divination academy on Sunday December 15th @ 2:pm CST
Odin-Norse god
Odin is a Norse god who rules over wisdom, war, magic, and sovereignty. Odin is known by many many names. Wodan, Wotan, All Father, One-Eyed Seeker are but just a few. He is the ruler of the Aesir and steward of Asgard. In Germanic lore, it is said he leads the Wild Hunt while being seated upon Sleipnirs back. This hunt is a spiritual parade of sorts that flies through the sky on Winter nights. Sometimes the Wild Hunt collects lost souls and sometimes a person joins the Wild Hunt in their sleep. In Nordic countries, the people gave sacrifices to Odin in the Winter months to ensure safety from them and prosperity. Including the children leaving hay in their boots by the hearth for Sleipnir to snack on as he flew by. Does this sound familiar to you at all? A white bearded old man, riding across the sky with a stead bringing blessings to those as he goes by? Many believe Odin is the actual inspiration for modern day santa claus? Check out my class all about this on YouTube here and decide for yourself.
Skaði (Skadi / Skathi) – Norse goddess
Skaði is a Norse goddess, often called the “Winter Queen,” associated with the mountains, hunting, skiing, and the wild, primarily known as a giantess (jötunn) who married the sea god Njörðr. Daughter of a fallen giant, Skadi walks the windswept mountains, a huntress sculpted from ice and legend. Her eyes, sharp as glaciers, scan the frozen realm. Bow in hand, she glides through the snow on swift skis, a predator born of the wilderness. Tales paint her as fierce, her spirit forged in the fires of vengeance and tempered by the unforgiving cold. She is mistress of the mountains, where the sun dances on glacial edges and the howl of the wolf echoes through empty valleys. But beneath the hardened exterior lies a yearning for connection. A goddess caught between two worlds – Asgard, home of the gods, and the wild embrace of the giants. Skadi’s place in Norse mythology is multifaceted and we see this as she is featured in stories with Odin, Loki, and Njordr among others. She’s even associated with snowshoes, and in later stories is said to have married Odin and bore him many children. She is the embodiment of both the untamed wild and a yearning for understanding. She is a warrior queen, a skilled hunter, and a goddess who walks the line between two worlds. Her story reminds us of the power of resilience in the face of loss, the importance of honoring our true nature, and the ever-present tension and duality between harmony and conflict.
Boreas-Greek God Boreas is the Greek God of the North wind, winter and ice. He’s also known as The Devouring One. He is the spirit of Winter and can be both violent and benevolent. Depending on the person and situation. The Greeks believed he came from the North, being the North Wind, and because of this was considered Thracian in origin. He is often depicted as a powerful, bearded man with wings, with two faces – one in front and one in back. He is the son of the Titan Astraeus and Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and brother to Zephyrus (the West Wind) and Notus (the South Wind). He is said to be the one who brings cold winter weather and is known for his violent temper, most famously abducting the Athenian princess Oreithyia to become his wife.
Cailleach – Celtic / Scottish
Cailleach stands as a prominent figure in Celtic mythology, embodying the essence of wisdom, transformation, and the cycles of nature. Her presence is deeply rooted in the folklore and traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. She is a divine figure often depicted as a weathered, old woman wielding a staff or a wand. This staff is said to have mystical powers for when she slams it on the ground winter will freeze all the land. She represents the embodiment of winter, sovereignty, and the primal forces of the natural world. Since, the ancient Celts celebrated two seasons only, her reign bringing cold all over the land began on Samhain. So, take your time this month to connect to her allowing you a smoother and blessed time during the long cold winter months ahead as the snow begins to really fall and the temperatures freeze the ground.
Baba Yaga
The next goddess we have gives me a very similar energy and feel when I work with her as the goddess we just talked about above; Calileach. To modern witches and Slavic pagans, Baba Yaga is a witch goddess who lives deep in a birch forest moving from place to place among the trees in her hut she calls home on top of giant chicken legs. From time to time when she needs to gather more supplies you might catch a glimpse of her flying by up in the sky from her magical mortar and pestle. She’s a wild and untamed old woman, often seen as a hag or crone, but can transform herself into a beautiful woman to manipulate or trick someone if she desires. Baba Yaga is a goddess of wisdom, healing, transformation, death, rebirth, renewal and autumn/winter. When healing is needed, whether it’s from colds/flu or emotional healing, Baba Yaga can offer healing often in the form of herbal teas brewed by herself. Calling on her during this December can lead you through the forest now frozen and blanketed in snow, to her skull fenced lined home. To peer into the darkness of her cauldron and gain the most ancient wisdom from the darkness of the cosmos that she guards. To learn more about her you can read my previous post here.
Correspondences For The Month Of December
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for time of the year like a month, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of December. Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!
Planet-Saturn
Animal- stags, bears, owls,
Element- fire and earth
colors-Red, green, gold, silver
Symbol-Evergreen trees, candles, yule log, stars, bells, krampus, santa claus
Deities-Dagda, Cernunnos, Odin, Thor, Freyr, Morigan, Cailleach, hestia, Baba yaga, Amaterasu, Skaði, Mithras, Sol Invictus, Alcyone, Baldur, Holda, Bona Dea, Dionysus, Helios, Osiris, Sunna, Nyx, Isis, Freya, Apollo, the oak king, the holy king
Zodiac- Sagittarius and Capricorn
Themes-Rebirth, renewal, light, generosity, reflection, darkness, stillness, silence, coldness, introspection, to endure, wisdom, Personal alchemy, Spiritual paths, Purification, Meditation, banishing, binding, cleansing, home and hearth, family, shadow work, healing, transformation, duality, balance, goals, intentions, new beginnings, endings
How to connect to the magic of December
We’ve talked a lot about all the different types of energies the month of December has and gives us access to work with. So, how can you specifically connect to those energies? In your everyday life you can make sure your affirmations , intentions, and manifestations align with the energies of renewal, reflection, healing, new beginnings, and aligning ourselves with the cycles of the natural world with the darkest nights and coldest days ahead of us in this month. Make sure to grab onto the energy of warmth in the fire crackling in your hearth and home as well as you let go of the past year and head into new beginnings with hope as the next one unfolds. You can celebrate and honor any of the sacred days and holidays this month like Saturnalia, Yule, and many of the celebrations to honor the winter solstice and turning of the wheel.
Some Rituals and spell workings during this time that will be really intensified will be based on cycles of the seasons, rest, reflection, the winter, stillness, silence, and the darkness of the shadows surrounding us. Other spells that will have some significant meaning right now and help you connect to the energy of December should be centered around new beginnings. Setting intentions for you to manifest the life of your dreams in the new year to come. This month is another month when you can really get some clear and transformative messages from your guides. through any means of divination you prefer but, fire gazing or Cryomancy ( snow and ice divination)are some to think about to align with the correspondences of this month.
December creates a very potent liminal pocket of time that is teeming with duality, balance, and the power of transition from not only one season to the next but, from one year to the next.. It’s a month that really pulls us to go deep within ourselves in the darkness, stillness and silence for introspection, reflection, self awareness, and growth. This makes it a great month to do any work on transformation, reflection and preparation for dark times through shadow work. Allowing the energy of the frozen winter in the final days of the year to prep you for the long introspective months of winter ahead. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred times like a month of the year like the one we are currently in, December. I’m going to be honest until this year I really struggled with the duality of this month. I used to hate the bitter cold, and the wetness that chills to the bone with falling snow. All I would focus on was the untold stories and lost dreams frozen in silence all around me. I would let the harshness of this month drown me in the things of the past and let the darkness hold me back. But, now this year I am able to see clearly the other side to this month. There is absolute beauty in the pure whiteness of the snow blanketing the world right now. It washes all of nature in a cleansing and healing way as it goes into a deep rest to hibernate. Waiting to awaken when the ground thaws and spring begins to bloom as new being that was able to get the rest it needs to reflect. The silence and wisdom you find whispered in the creaks of trees is profound as each breath you take in reminds you of being alive with a bitter bite. The duality of this month send us into, what I am coming to learn may be the most liminal pocket of time in the entire year. Allowing us to be reborn by the sunrise of the brand new year when the solstice blesses us with hope as the days get longer and bright again.
Final Thoughts
We talked about many things in this blogpost including the history, some celebrations, the different energies and magical themes we can work with during this month. Along with how to connect to those energies, deities we can honor and worship, and how to work with the magic of December. December is a uniquely magical time that invites everyone to plant the seeds for hopes and dreams. December reminds us that even in the darkest nights, in the harshest conditions, and the coldest times we can still find hope and light. It’s the month that shows us the depth of our resilience and our willingness to thrive in harsh conditions. December invites you to let go and open up, to give out of yourself and to receive. It asks you to look within and tend to our inner garden. It asks you to weed out the old that no longer fits, and to make room for the new that holds endless magical possibilities. December shows us that just like nature we have the ability to every year become a blank canvas. Ready for us to paint and create something brand new and beautiful again. As the snow falls and blankets nature December’s magic brings the promise of rest, introspection, new beginnings, and endless possibilities.
Autumn is a magical time, perfect for witchcraft, as we approach the latter half of the year and the long, dark, cold, months of Winter drawing near. In witchcraft we use many things in our lives as tools for our spell work from nature or our home, like one of the most popular symbols and flavors of fall; Pumpkins. Pumpkins are synonymous with the autumn season we see them everywhere; especially around Halloween / Samhain and carrying through the month of November until Thanksgiving here in the USA. But, Pumpkins and gourds have been used for centuries in magic though as a form of protection, a connection to abundance and fertility, a boost to love and more. Let’s take a look at the biggest fruit, full of seeds of potential inside, who takes center stage during the spooky and fall season; the pumpkin in this blogpost.
Pumpkins what are they?
The pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo, is a type of Winter Squash though technically it is classified as a berry! The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word Pepõn, which means large melon. Most pumpkins are typically large, round and ribbed and of a distinctive orange color. However, they can also be white, green, yellow and other shades depending on the cultivar, as there are 3 or 4 different kinds of pumpkins overall. Harvested in October, this nutritious and versatile orange fruit features flowers, seeds and flesh that are edible and rich in vitamins. The pumpkin, though popular in many places throughout the world today, is native to North America and Mexico and has been cultivated since at least 7000 BCE. They were even a common crop to be planted and grown before beans and corn.
Medicinal properties of Pumpkins
Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, pumpkins aren’t just the most popular fall flavor and a common witches’ tool set out on our front doorsteps but, they are incredibly healthy for us as well. Pumpkins are loaded with nutrients that can boost your immune system and help you stay healthy like vitamin C, E, and A. Pumpkins are also high in carotenoids, which are compounds that can function as antioxidants and some believe may help protect against certain cancers like, stomach, throat, pancreas and breast cancers. The health benefits keep rolling in with them being high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber, which have been linked to having heart benefits. Plus these popular fruits can help you stay looking younger since they are loaded with nutrients that are great for your skin. Pumpkin seeds can also help boost your mood. They contain tryptophan which helps boost serotonin.
Magical themes of Pumpkins
In witchcraft every single ingredient and tool we use in our spells and rituals has magical themes and energies it can align with and be used for. Pumpkins are no different. They can be used in spells, rituals, or charms to enhance your fertility, boost your manifestation, and connect you to the gratitude of the harvest. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Don’t forget the most common magical use of all; calling on them to aid in protecting your home and guarding your threshold. Take a look below for some more themes you can use pumpkins for in your magical workings, spells, and rituals. . Don’t forget you can use all parts of the pumpkin too! Especially the seeds for potent fertility spell workings.
Protection
Divination
Prosperity
Healing
Good health
Death
The harvest
Gratitude
Abundance
Good luck
The dead
Love and matters of the heart
Fertility
Transformation
Pumpkins in myths and lore
Pumpkins are a true symbol of Autumn and spooky season, most likely because, that’s when they are harvested. We’ve also seen them as part of Fall and spooky season festivals and celebrations for thousands of years across cultures especially during Samhain. Below are a few myths and common lore we have involving pumpkins.
The Origin of carving pumpkins
The act of carving faces into a vegetable originates with the Scots and Irish but they didn’t carve pumpkins in ancient times, they carved vegetables like turnips or potatoes. Later on, after the Scotts-Irish migrated to the New World, they brought their Samhain traditions with them but, started to use the native fruit of the land pumpkins instead. The frightening faces carved into pumpkins were thought to serve as guardians. People believe these glowing, eerie faces could scare away malevolent and confused spirits, and other dark entities, keeping homes safe during the Samhain season when the veil is pulled back from the other side.
The origin of the Jack o lantern
The term Jack o lantern actually originated in England and is linked to a supernatural phenomenon called Ignis Fatuus or “foolish fire”. This is an eerie, spectral light that sort of bobbs and dances. It seduces people off the beaten path and often to their death. In addition to the jack o’ lantern being a spook light, the name also has a couple legends behind it and refers to a character or man named jack or stingy jack who made a deal with the devil. Because of this deal with the devil, he is not permitted to go to Heaven or Hell and is doomed to wander the earth forever with a glowing carved turnip ( now pumpkin) as his head.. And apparently he amuses himself and passes the time by leading people to their doom down dark and haunted paths on Halloween night.
Other mentionings of pumpkins
According to a Huron creation story, pumpkins arose when a divine woman died in childbirth. All of the plants necessary for life sprang up from her body: Beans grew from her legs, corn sprang from her body, and pumpkin vines grew from her head.
In religions that sprang from the Africa, pumpkins are associated with several major deities, particularly Oshun and Shango. Oshun is a goddess of rivers, love, and fertility, which echoes the connections between pumpkins, the element of Water, and the concepts of fertility and abundance as seen in other cultures and traditions.
Duality and Pumpkins
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including the tools and spell ingredients I use. Pumpkins are full of duality in the properties they represent and energies they allow us to work with. On one hand they are a symbol of prosperity and abundance. Connecting us to the unlimited and generous flow of abundance calling it INTO our lives. While on the other hand they connect us to the energy of death and protection. Being a common symbol sitting at our front doors protecting our homes and threshold by keeping unwanted entities and spirits OUT.
We can’t forget that the most popular time to work with this tool is in the fall when they are being harvested and there are plenty to go around. The fall season is a really unique pocket of liminal space and time for us to connect to duality. We get to be surrounded by the bounty and abundance of the fall harvest and all the joy, celebration and gratitude that brings. While we are also confronted with the reality of nature beginning to die around us and the dark cold winter that is very soon going to be upon us.
Correspondences for the Pumpkin
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for a magical tool/ fruit the pumpkin, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of the pumpkin. Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!
Holidays- Lughnasadh, Diana’s Festival, Mabon, Samhain, the fall harvest, Alfablot
Zodiac-Virgo, Capricorn, Taurus, Scorpio
Ways to work with the pumpkin
We’ve talked a lot about pumpkins in this post so far, including the magical themes associated with them. Those themes are the energies we can connect to with Pumpkins. They are how we can use them to build our spells and rituals. You have many options on how you want to include them in your spells and rituals and many different ways to work with them. Below you will find a list I put together of some ideas for spells, rituals, and ways you can work with them using the themes and magic we can harvest in each rounded and fruitful one.
Use their seeds as a spell ingredient for potent fertility spells in spell packets, spell jars, offerings at altars and more
Save their stems and grind them up to add to wish spells and manifestation magic
Hold a small pumpkin while working on balancing and aligning your sacral chakra
Get 3 smaller pumpkins and paint or carve symbols of fertility on them. Then mediate while focusing on them and thinking about what you would like to bring into life
Take a carved pumpkin and place a wish written on a bay leaf inside the pumpkin and bury it in the ground before sunrise
Pumpkin Scrying with water
There are countless forms of divination across the Earth using many different tools. Pumpkins can be powerful tools for divination, particularly in the practice of scrying due to their connection to transformation. Scrying is a form of divination that involves gazing into a reflective or translucent surface to receive visions or insights. Using pumpkins for scrying combines the seasonal magic of autumn with ancient divination practices.
How to perform pumpkin scrying
Hollow Out the Pumpkin- Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Save the seeds for fertility magic spells for later Smooth the Interior- Scrape the interior walls until they are smooth. Create a Reflective Surface- place a small mirror at the bottom of the pumpkin before adding water. This enhances the reflective quality of the water.
Fill the Pumpkin with Water-Pour clean water into the hollowed-out pumpkin, filling it to about three-quarters full. Create sacred container- Do this in any way that works for you but, I recommned lighting black and white candles and setting them around the pumpkin to enhance the reflection
Gaze into the Water-Look into the surface of the water, allowing your gaze to soften. Don’t force any images to appear; simply observe and remain open to any visions or impressions. Interpret Your Visions-Take note of any shapes, symbols, or scenes that appear in the water. Trust your intuition to interpret their meanings.
Samhain Pumpkin Protection Spell
Like we talked about above pumpkins were thought to be used as very strong symbols of protection during the fall especially when the veil was it’s thinnest during Samhain. While the veil is pulled back and entities, spirits, and the dead walk among us and come out to play. Don’t forget to protect your threshold. Making sure only those you wish to cross it on that hallowed eve are the ones who can. Try this protection spell using a carved pumpkin on that night to give those unwanted spirits ghosts and entities a fright! I will even pull this spell out during different times of the year if my home ends up with an increased about of spirit activity for some reason.
What you will need:
A carved pumpkin, white candles, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, coriander, cloves
How to perform:
First take your white candles and set them in your pumpkin envisioning them bringing protection and being the guardian of your home this hallowed night. Next add your herbs of protection and connection to the dead to your pumpkin leaving out the bay leaves. Then take your bay leaves and add them one by one while saying out loud the names of the passed loved ones you would like to be able to cross your threshold and enter your home this hollowed night. After that take the top and with a deep breath seal the spell inside. Knowing this pumpkin will be the one now to decide who will come into your home on this hallowed night.
Kitchen Magic; Baking a pumpkin pie to bless your home
Kitchen magic is a very powerful type of magic that fills up the walls of your home. Allowing you to bless those you love while you can also create memories together and then fill their bellies with food. One common item to be baking right now especially with Thanksgiving at the end of this month when families will gather for a meal is a pumpkin pie. The entire process of making and baking the pie becomes a magical ritual. The spices used have their own magic properties helping you create your spell. You can then draw sigils or symbols in the pie crust before baking to add more magic and blessings for those you choose to serve it too.
Pumpkin Prosperity spell
Pumpkins are a significant sign of abundance and fertility for the fall. Think about when you cut open a pumpkin, it’s absolutely packed with seeds, each representing the possibility of new life and expansion. They can also be used to represent long term abundance as pumpkins can be kept for a long time before they start to decay. Another reason why they are plentiful for the fall harvest during this time right now. Try this prosperity spell using the very fertile and abundant pumpkin and watch your money flow get so much richer.
What you will need: A piece of pumpkin 3 bag leaves A pen A piece of twine A dollar bill 7 pumpkins Cinnamon- abundance Sugar- to sweeten the results and add speed Rosemary-connection the dead Basil-abundance/wealth Nutmeg-abundance
How to perform: Get yourself into sacred container focusing your energy and breath on abundance, prosperity and what it feels like to have more than all your needs met. Then take your piece of pumpkin and sprinkle each one of your herbs on the entire thing continuously focusing on abundance and prosperity. Next take your bay leaves and write the dollar amount you wish to receive on each of the three. Take your pumpkin piece in your hand and as you envision that dollar amount coming to you freely grab it, the dollar bill and your three leaves and use the twine to bind and wrap the money to you and your family securely around your bright golden piece of pumpkin. Once securely tied with the magic of a binding knot and your hand go outside somewhere you can bury it into the land. When you have your spot take your spell in your hand and recite out loud as you bury it into the ground. ” Pumpkin, pumpkin tightly bound bring your prosperity to me from the ground. Pumpkin, pumpkin rich and bright bring this prosperity to me day and night.”
Now watch the money amount you requested begin to flow to you and your home.
The air is getting a little crisper, and chillier as it blows through the trees around us. The leaves are following the cycle of the season as they change into their vibrant fall colors. We feel the pull to get outside in nature and soak up this changing season and the beauty fall has to bring us. One popular fall activity does just that as we find ourselves walking through an apple orchard and feel the living, moving, earth-shattering energy that swirls invisibly around us. Wrapped up in each juicy, ripe, colorful apple waiting for us to pick from the branches they weigh down. As we walk among the rows of the orchard, growing the food even cherished by the gods, we feel the magic of Autumn itself. As the veil thins during this season, we become more attuned to the other world, and the thinning of the veil. It’s a time when we can cast some potent spells and rituals connected to transition, gratitude, abundance, duality, protection, and accessing our ancestors. Let me show you in this blogpost how that basket of apples you just picked in the orchard can be a magical tool in all of these different kinds of spells and rituals!
Apples what are they?
Apples (Malus domestica) are among the most common fruits eaten in the US and Europe. This is because they grow just about anywhere! Apple trees have been cultivated for over 4,000 years, with origins in Central Asia. Although we do also know they’ve been grown in Europe for thousands of years and were brought to North America with European immigrants over the past few centuries. The apple tree’s ability to self-pollinate makes it a resilient tree and allows it to have many different varieties of colors, tastes, and sizes. Their five-petaled flowers appear in the spring blooming with a brilliant fragrance. The petals are white on top and pink underneath as they bloom. The fruit appears in late summer and ripens in autumn. The fruit can be red, yellow, green, or streaked red with yellow.
Medicinal properties of apples
Many have heard the common phrase ” An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” What if there was some truth to that? Apples are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, making them beneficial for overall health from boosting your immune system to aiding in weight management. Apples have been used for centuries in healing remedies, thanks to their antioxidants. Apples are great to use to treat constipation, other digestion issues, and even support a balanced gut microbiome. Apples contain malic and tartaric acids which helps neutralize the chemicals associated with gout even! Apples have even been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and certain types of cancer. They even clean your teeth! The act of eating a whole apple (not sliced and peeled) cleans the teeth and freshens the breath. It helps remove plaque and pushes back the gums to remove deposits.
Symbolism of the apple in magic, lore, and myths
Apples are a true symbol of Autumn and Winter, most likely because, that’s when they are harvested. We’ve also seen them as part of Fall and Winter festivals and celebrations for thousands of years across cultures. But, don’t be fooled while apples are a key focus of fall they are seen throughout the year as well in different cultures. So, don’t be afraid to use them year round. Not only do we see them in festivals throughout the year we also see them apart of many myths and lore. So, many I’d never be able to cover them all here. From seeing the apple as a center piece to Christianity, a gift of healing in Celtic lore, a way to immortality in Norse mythology, an agent of chaos and discord causing the Trojan war, to it popping up in modern pop culture delivering poison to a princess.
First up, in Western and European lore, apples are strongly used to symbolize forbidden knowledge (aka sin), divine wisdom, and self-awareness. We see this in one of the most commonly known myths from the bible and Christianity, which includes Eve ( the first women according to all versions after king James), a serpent, the garden of Eden, and of course an apple!
According to Christian lore, Eve was the first woman who lived alongside the first man Adam in paradise aka the garden of Eden. They were to use the garden as it’s home and care for it’s creatures. But, for some reason neither Adam nor Eve were supposed to ever eat the fruit from this ONE tree within the garden. God himself had commanded them not too. Than one day along came a serpent (aka Satan) slithering his way into the garden and into Eve’s ear. Where he convinced her to grab an apple (aka divine wisdom) from the forbidden tree and to take a bite. She than convinced Adam to do the same. God got pissed for their disobedience and exiled them from the garden and gave Eve the bonus punishment of childbirth for being the first to take a bite.
Next up, we see the apple as a symbol of healing, immortality, and the dead in a few key Celtic, Norse, and Germanic traditions and lore. In the Prose Edda, a key writing to reference for Norse Mythology; the goddess Idunn is the guardian of an apple orchard that grows apples of eternal youth a.k.a. immortality for the gods. Also, in the Old Norse tradition, the alfablot was a sacrifice to the elves/alfar and one of the most commonly used offerings was, you guessed it, apples! In Celtic myth, the enchanting fairy goddess Cliodhna; offers apples of healing and immortality to journeying heroes in the Celtic Otherworld. We see apples again in Celtic traditions as the food of the dead where it is used as an offering to them at different festivals. Like, Samhain which is coincidently also known as the feast of apples. It was also said in Celtic lore, that a magical apple branch called the silver bough allowed the person who held it to pass into the Otherworld safely.
In other myths like with the Greeks, apples symbolize love, beauty, discord, and war. They are often associated with deities like Zeus, Aphrodite, Hera, Athena, and Eris. My favorite Greek myth involving apples involves the goddess of discord Eris and the cause of the famous Trojan war. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War is probably the most famous event. Today, anyone with any knowledge of the war assumes that it began as a result of the abduction of Helen. But the abduction of Helen by Paris is just one starting point, and preceding this was another starting point where the goddess Eris and a golden apple was involved.
Zeus had arranged for Peleus ( a greek hero) to marry the sea nymph Thetis, so he decided to throw a huge wedding ceremony and celebration. This wedding was so big all of the gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon were invited to the festivities; all except for the goddess of discord Eris. Who of course found out about the festivities AND that she was the only one not invited. Being the goddess of discord she decides to crash the party in a fit of rage, bringing with her a gift to throw in their faces and cause a little chaos. Now, there are a few different versions and theories as to how she got this gift and if you want to hear them all you can listen to me tell them here. But when she arrives, in hand she has a golden apple with the inscription ” to the fairest of them all”. She takes it and tosses it into the room amongst those who rejected her and watches the discord fall upon them all. You see that shiny golden apple would cause a fight between three goddesses (Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite) to claim it that would start a war between human kingdoms resulting in many to fall.
To the Ancient Romans apples were so sacred and important they were to be treasured and guarded. So, much so, this one fruit had their own deity to preside over and protect them! Her name was Pomona. Unfortunately, she’s one of those pagan deities whom most of their information has been lost to history. What I can find about her, is that she was a virginal nymph of the woods who married the personification of Autumn, named Vertumnus. They were a very fertile and passionate match which made them the reason for the bountiful apple harvest every fall. We would see them honored when offerings would be left for them at the edges of orchards. Apples pop up again with the Romans during the festival of Diana, when apple boughs were carried around for luck and prosperity.
We see the apple pop up in English lore and myth as well with the Isle of Avalon. The Isle of Avalon is a mythical island in Arthurian legend that is said to be a place of magic and healing. It is described as a utopian paradise, a fairyland island that is said to be lost in the mists of time. Ruled by the enchantress Morgan le Fay and her eight sisters. This sacred Isle of Avalon is also known as, you guessed it, the Isle of Apples. Because legend says apples grow there all year round as food.
Even now in pop culture the apple is everywhere we look on the iPhone, iPad, and computers. Reminding us of the access to wisdom and knowledge that comes with them. And let’s not forget the apple’s role in one of the world’s most beloved fairytales; Snow white. Its most pivotal moment is undoubtedly when a naïve Snow White bites into an apple poisoned by the jealous Evil Queen, lulling her into a slumber that can only be reversed with Prince Charming’s kiss. Showing us the dark, poisonous, and protective side apples have to offer.
Magical themes of Apples
In witchcraft every single ingredient and tool we use in our spells and rituals has magical themes and energies it can align with and be used for. Apples are no different as you saw in the myths and lore we talked about above. Some of the most common themes associated with apples are love, romance, and attraction spells. They can be used in spells, rituals, or charms to enhance love in an existing relationship, attract a new romantic partner, or promote harmony between others. Apples are also very popular with abundance and prosperity spells. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Below, you will find a list of some of the other many magical themes associated with apples. Don’t forget you can use all parts of the apple, the bud, petals, leaves fruit, seeds, and wood from its tree as spell and ritual ingredients too!
Love
Luck
Fertility
Immortality
Money
truth
the divine feminine
opens portals and gateways
Healing and promoting health
Vitality
lust
Garden magic
Wisdom
The Otherworld / Afterlife
Deception
“Poisoning” and Malefica
Faery magic
Abundance
forbidden knowledge
Ancestors
protection
discord
chaos
beauty
Vanity
The soul
divination
intuition
The apple and the pentacle
The apple and the pentacle have a unique and potent relationship binding them together. Did you know if you cut an apple in half (the “fat way,” not the “tall way,” if that makes sense), you will find a pentacle star in the middle? This along with it’s seeds, which are poisonous, are where apples get their protective qualities from. The apple reminds us that we do not have to close ourselves off to the world in order to protect ourselves. We can bring healing to others AND be open without overstepping our own boundaries. You can also use this center star or pentacle, as an altar by pressing spell ingredients into the flesh of the apple. Using the apple core as an all natural protective altar.
Apple Peel Reading
Apples have been used in divination practices, such as apple peeling or apple seed reading. They are believed to enhance psychic abilities, intuition, and provide insights into the future. Apple peel reading, is a form of divination also known as pomatomancy. It is a traditional practice that uses the shape and letters formed by apple peels to gain insight and predict future events. This method has been used for centuries to seek guidance and answers and is really popular to do around the fall harvest time. The practice is really very simple, carefully peel your apple skin in one piece and remove it, allow the peel to fall, and let it reveal messages through its shapes, letters, and symbols to you.
Duality and the apple
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including the tools and spell ingredients I use. And man is the apple ripe with the energy of duality. We see it in the themes it represents from love and discord, to death and immortality, to healing and protection. This fruit is connected to opposing energies and forces in almost every sense, along with the changing of the seasons and transition. Not only that, it’s such a versatile tool you can use it, in pretty much every area of your life. Which adds another juicy layer of duality to this fruit with each bite.
We can’t forget that the most popular time to work with this tool is in the fall when they are being harvested and there are plenty to go around. The fall season is a really unique pocket of liminal space and time for us to connect to duality. We get to be surrounded by the bounty and abundance of the fall harvest and all the joy, celebration and gratitude that brings. While we are also confronted with the reality of nature beginning to die around us and the dark cold winter that is very soon going to be upon us.
Correspondences for the apple
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for a magical tool/ fruit the apple, which I will list below for you to use. Remember this is just a start to the list for you. You can use any correspondences that connect the magical themes and energies of the apple Just follow your intuition on what you choose to work with!
Planet- Venus
Gender- Feminine
Day-Friday
Element- water
colors- Greens, reds, yellows
Deities- Eris, Venus, Aphrodite, Inanna, Morgan Le Fay, Rhiannon, Cliodhna, Diana, Zeus, Apollo, Idunn, Hera, Dionysus, Gaia, Olwen, Pomona
Holidays- Lughnasadh, Diana’s Festival, Mabon, Samhain, Yule, Alfablot, the Esbats and Ostara
Zodiac- Taurus
Ways to work with the apple
We’ve talked a lot about apples in this post so far, including the magical themes associated with them. Those themes are the energies we can connect to with apples. They are how we can use them to build our spells and rituals. You have many options on how you want to include them in your spells and rituals and many different ways to work with them. Below you will find a list I put together of some ideas for spells, rituals, and ways you can work with them using the themes and magic we can harvest in each juicy one.
Apple cider can be used in place of wine during rituals
Apple wood can make an excellent wand
Visit an apple orchard, pick apples, and leave an offering at the edge of the orchard
Use apples to represent the element of earth in elemental magic
To ensure fidelity, give an apple to your lover as a gift. You eat one half, the lover the other.
Use an apple in poppet magic- poppet magic has been around for thousands of years and is found across cultures. Use an apple as base for your poppet during mabon or samhain
Apples symbolize the food of the dead, so leave them on the altar to honor your ancestors and welcome them to “feast with you” during the harvest season.
decorate your home with them to connect to the magic of September
Create caramel apples and imbue magic into each one as you dip them
If you peel an apple all in one piece and throw the peel over your shoulder, it will fall in the shape of your future mate’s initials.
Bobbing for apples is a centuries old tradition from the British Isles and Ireland. It likely also has origins in both ancient Celtic and Germanic festivals.
Include apples on your altar for any of the holidays they are associated with like mabon or samhain
candle magic-encircling a candle with apple slices, dried apple slices, or apple blossoms. Or using an apple to hold your candles even as they burn.
Sigil magic- draw sigils on apples for spells and rituals
Use apples to call on deities that are connected to them in myths like Eris
Add apple slices or oil to a self care ritual bath
Create an apple wreath or garland and hang in your home for prosperity and luck especially during Yule
Make studded apples- This is an English and Irish tradition involving studding an apple with cloves, nutmeg, and mistletoe and carry it around on new years for good luck.
Use apple blossoms in beauty spells, glamors, and love spells
Red apple love spell
One of the most common spells associated with apples are all about love, romance, and attracting a partner. Try this simple tried and true love spell using a red apple to attract that special someone whose been the apple of your eye today!
What you will need:
red apple
lavender buds
twine or some string
rose petals ( I like to use pink for love but you can use red for pleasure and romance as well)
a small piece of paper
How to perform this spell:
First, take a knife and cut your red apple in half the long or tall way revealing the pentacle star in the middle. Next, take your piece of paper and write your name and the name of that special someone whose caught your eye. Once done take as many deep breaths you need to in and out until you feel yourself surrounded by love and comfort within your sacred container. Visualize that love surrounding you and that special someone. What it feels like, looks like, and will be like to have. Than, take your piece of paper and fold it towards you. when done place it in the center of your apple over the pentacle. Next, take your rose petals, and lavender buds placing them on top of the paper. With all your spell ingredients now placed in the center of your apple, take the other half and place it on top to make it whole again. Wrap it up tightly in the twine to seal the love and attraction in. Take your spell outside and bury it in the earth under a healthy growing tree giving it a place for your love to bud and bloom.
Rotten apple banishing spell
Don’t forget apples aren’t only juicy and sweet but, their seeds give a poisonous and protective side to them as well. This makes them a great tool to use in protection spells like banishing a problem or situation from your life. Try out this simple spell using an apple to do just that below!
What you will need:
an apple
a black ribbon or string
bay leaves
a skewer
How to perform:
First, take a knife and cut your red apple in half the long or tall way revealing the pentacle star in the middle. Next, take your bay leaves and rub each half of the apple with them visualizing the problem or situation in your life you wish to be banish. Take the two halves and put them back together still focusing on the problem or situation you wish to banish. Next, take a deep breath in as you pick up the skewer and on your exhale as you visualize the problem or situation no longer affecting you, stab the skewer through both halves with force. Then, take your black ribbon or string and tie your apple together sealing the problem or situation in the center where it can no longer affect you. Take your spell outside and bury it in the earth. As the apple rots with the problem or situation inside it will be banished from your life.
Autumn abundance simmer pot
Apples are very popular with abundance and prosperity spells. They can be utilized to attract wealth, success, and opportunities for financial growth. Paired with the abundance of the harvest and autumn swirling around us now is great time to do some kitchen magic .One of my favorite types of kitchen magic spells to do are simmer pots. Simmer pots are easy to do, very potent, and they leave your house smelling amazing and full of magical energy! Use this recipe to bring the abundance of autumn into your home today using apples as the core. If you need to learn more about how to use simmer pots you can read my blogpost in the link here!
Beltane is the time when the Earth is literally buzzing with fertility. Spring is in full swing, flowers are blooming, the birds are building nests for their young, many animals are seeking mates, and farmers are planting their fields in preparation of the abundant Summer months. It is time to celebrate the fertility and prosperity of the world during this warm time of growth, abundance, and transformation. It is time to connect to the duality of the sacred dance between the co-creators; that seed all of life. It is a time when our souls are lit with a burning blaze of passion, creativity, and sexuality to allow us to transform into our true forms this coming season. Let’s dance with passion, sexuality, and creativity in the flickering flames that is beltane together through this article.
The History of Beltane
It is thought that the ancients only recognized two seasons, these being Summer and Winter. Beltane is a celebration of the earth and nature and marks the start of the traditional planting season. Beltane is the pagan Celtic fire festival dating back to ancient times. In fact, the name Beltane is derived from the name of the Celtic god Belenes, or Bel, and the word tene meaning “fire”. The earliest mention of the holiday was in an Irish medieval text known as Sanas Cormaic, written by Cormac mac Cuilennáin king-bishop of Munster sometime before the year 908. The word Beltane, which in traditional Irish is spelled Bealtaine, means “Fire of Bel” or “Great Fire”.
It occurs officially upon moonrise on April 30th, lasting through the next day, May 1st, in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the dates are reversed: so it begins October 31st and lasts through November 1st.
Although Beltane is Celtic in origin, there are literally hundreds of other fire and fertility festivals celebrated around the world at this time. In England, Beltane is known as May Day. In Germany, it’s Walpurgisnacht (aka the Witches Night). Beltane is the festival that honors the change from winter to summer and the union of the god and goddess. It is a time of fertility, growth, and new beginnings
Beltane is also known as one of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year many pagans especially wiccans observe this as their magical calendar for the year. The sabbats tend to reflect each season, with Beltane being the halfway point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. As one of the four fire festivals, Beltane is a cross-quarter holiday along with Imbolc, Samhain, and Lughnassadh. These sabbats were celebrated with large bonfires often to represent the Sun and its transition throughout the seasons.
The Fires of Beltane
First and foremost, Beltane was and is a fire festival. In ancient times and all the way up to the nineteenth century, farmers in Ireland drove their cattle downhill and between two large fires. This act purified the cattle from disease and protected them for the Summer. In more practical terms these bonfires could also have been used to burn brush piles and make more room for planting and pastureland. People would often snuff out their own household fires, and then relight them from the sacred communal bonfires. It was also thought to be part of the festivities because; people would light fires on the hillsides to honor the sun and bring fertility to their crops and animals. It was also a time for young people to jump over the flames, which was said to bring good luck and fertility. To create a sacred Beltane fire required wood from nine different species of trees, the fire was then lit with only a friction method (not a flint and steel).
Beltane and fertility
At the beginning of Summer, we see the earth bursting forth with fruit and bounty. The Great Mother is fertile and beginning to bear fruit at this time. Therefore, if the Earth is fertile, so are human beings and animals. As above, so below. And the Sun’s return to the sky, getting brighter and warmer at the same time to nourish the seeds of the Earth brings us the cosmic divine counterpart to the great divine feminine. We see the divine co-creators represented and it’s resulting offspring blooming all around us.
Beltane and Sexuality
We just talked about how beltane is all about fertility and we see the representation of the divine co-creators all around us including their offspring. Well, how do we get that offspring? By sex of course! During beltane we get to see and experience the very passionate and intimate dance of cosmic sacred sex that seeds life to all in the cosmos. The fires blazing in our loins ignite and our passions come alive. We feel the pull to experience this dance and seed some life ourselves with the burning passion of our sexual energies to manifest our true life and form this coming season.
The Sacred Dance of Duality
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred days and/or holidays like beltane. Beltane is burning with duality, in the sense of looking at the divine masculine and feminine. These are two forces that coexist and intermingle in the cosmos and we are made of both of these energies no matter the gender we identify with or are physically born into it. Beltane is the sacred day that represents these two forces. It allows us to look into the flames of our souls and connect these two forces existing within us. In my opinion it is the day of the year we can connect to the duality of them the most when we experience the intense heat of the flames when they come to together in union.
The Maypole
The maypole is traditionally a tree that was brought into the village and decorated with paints, ribbons, and a floral wreath crowning the top. People were known to dance around the maypole, weaving the ribbons around in celebration of love and fertility, this is called a maypole dance. The Maypole represents the phallus, and the ribbons represent the feminine energy of the earth. As people dance around the Maypole, they weave the ribbons together, symbolizing the union of the god and goddess.
Common Traditions
Druids would collect the dew prior to Sunrise on May 1st. This water was believed to have magickal powers such as healing ailments or creating beauty.
Handfastings and other pagan wedding celebrations often take place during this sabbat as it is a time to celebrate love and fertility.
Special oatmeal cakes are a popular food item for this sabbat. Often the cakes had knobs that could be torn off to sacrifice into the bonfires as an offering.
Decorating the interiors and exteriors of homes with flowers during this time was a common practice to celebrate the fertility of the land. The most common were yellow flowers such as primrose and marigolds. Cows were also decorated with flowers as well.
The May Bush was a small thorny tree or large bush, and was decorated with flowers, ribbons, and so on. People could have a May Bush for their home or for their community as a whole. Dancing around it was thought to bring good luck!
Couples would often spend the night in the forest together on the Eve of Beltane, they would return in the morning bearing floral decorations for the homes. This was sometimes termed a Greenwood Marriage.
May Baskets would be filled with small candies, baked goods, and flowers. They were placed on the doorknobs of neighbors as tokens of friendship.
Beltane Deities
In many mythologies, and pantheons, gods and goddesses of Beltane play a vital role in the seasonal cycle, symbolizing fertility, abundance, the earth, the sun, fire, and the divine union of the co-creators. Working with deities is one of my favorite things to do. You can honor them during their festivals for them and by bringing them into any of your prayers, rituals, and spells you want to in order to celebrate and connect to this holiday. Let’s take a look at some of the Deities that can be worshipped during this sacred time and holiday.
Brigid
The most popular goddess associated with Beltane is the Celtic goddess, Brigid. She is a goddess of fertility, creativity, and healing. She is often depicted as a triple goddess, representing the three aspects of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. As such, she is a powerful symbol of transformation and growth. The Celtic goddess of fire, healing, and fertility, Brigid is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. She is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance.
Bel or Belenos
Bel or Belenos is a Celtic fire god who may have been the catalyst for this sabbat thousands of years ago. When we translate Bel’s name, we get “Shining One”. Not only was Bel associated with fire and fertility, he was also a well-loved healing god whose cult stretched all the way from Italy to the British Isles, at its peak. Bel was also a sun god who rode the sun like a chariot across the sky each day, led by his sacred, most powerful totem – horses. There are those who believe Beltane originates in honor of Bel, and those who disagree.
Pan
Part man and part goat, Pan was the Greek god who was patron of shepherds and hunters, who watched their flocks. Pan was the Greek god of nature and the untamed wilderness. PAN was the god of the meadows and forests of the mountain wilds. His unseen presence aroused panic in those who traversed his realm. He was even thought to be the cause of the musical sound of the wind through the trees. He was Associated with music, fertility, and spring. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat; he was the chief of the satyrs, who were similar in appearance and character to Pan.
Pan, ruled over nature and pasturelands. Pan is essentially the father of the wild things. He is frequently depicted in literature and artworks. Although he is not one of the major gods of Ancient Greece, he is one of most often referenced figures in Greek mythology. Pan has come to represent the unstoppable power of nature throughout the ages and still today. To learn more about pan and how to connect to him you can do so in my previous blog post here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/pan-the-shepherding-greek-god-of-the-untamed-wilderness/
Cernunnos
The horned god of the forest, Cernunnos is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Cernunnos is an ancient Celtic god who was known for his power over wild nature. He was often depicted in art as a horned figure with antlers, embodying the balance between life and death. Cernunnos can be seen by many as a symbol of power and transition – from death to rebirth. He teaches us the importance of understanding our place in Nature and how to connect with it – learning from nature’s ebbs and flows, respecting its cycles and giving back when possible
Aine
The Irish goddess of love and fertility, Aine is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. She is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. To connect with her energy, create a special ritual to honor her. Aine is a powerful Irish goddess associated with Beltane who brings joy and abundance to those who honor her. Her strength is the power of manifestation, bringing healing and liberation with her presence. Those who recognize Aine’s energy can connect deeply with their true path in life. She brings forth inner resources and courage to follow new inspirations. Aine offers a powerful source of guidance and protection when we call upon her. Honoring Aine can enliven your connection to Mother Nature, while also providing energies necessary for manifesting dreams into reality.
Cerridwen
The Welsh goddess of wisdom and knowledge, Cerridwen is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. She is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Cerridwen’s energy personifies serpentine fertility, free-thinking, and independence. She encourages her followers to let go of any self-limiting beliefs and attitudes, allowing for clearer consciousness and introspection. Connecting with Cerridwen during Beltane offers an opportunity to create positive life changes through personal power. To learn more about her you can keep an eye out for my previous class on her to be posted to Divination’s youtube channel
Lugh
The Irish god of the sun, Lugh is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Lugh is a powerful deity said to have brought learning and knowledge to man. He is an Irish God of the Tuatha De Dannan, associated with Beltane and the summer season. As the Celtic solar deity, Lugh has hegemony over life, light and law. His traditional symbols represent energy and creativity, from a shining sun held aloft in his hands to fiery arrows that stand for passion and lust.
The Morrigan
At the heart of the emerald isle is a legendary Goddess that cloaks the battlefield in darkness. The Morrígan is a symbol of feminine strength, wisdom, and power. Though she may be attached to the darkness of death she also is the light in the dreariness of battle. When warriors are in doubt, the Morrígan will appear and lead the way to victory. She is a majestic and ethereal being that resides at the core of Irish mythology. The Phantom Queen on the battlefield. The crow that soars above the wreckage and ruin. The seeress, the warrior, the protector. The Morrigan, while often thought of as purely a warrior goddess of death, becomes the fertile earth on Beltane and unites with the Dagda to birth new life. She is both light and dark. Life and death. War and love. A Divine Paradox. To learn more about her and MEET her you can watch my previous class I taught on her with below.
The Correspondences Of Beltane
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like Beltane, like I will list below for you to use.
Stones/ crystals-amber, bloodstone, carnelian, malachite, green aventurine, moss agate, fire agate, red jasper, opal, citrine, emerald, garnet, sapphire, rose quartz, black tourmaline
Deities-Bel/Belenus, Apollo, Rhiannon, Dziva, The Horned God, Frey, Brigid, Pan, Aine, Cerridwen, Lugh, The morrigan, Aphrodite, The green man, Diana, oak king, flora, Mauve, Danu, dagda, Gaia
Symbols- bonfires, the fae, the sun, sacred sex, floral crowns, maypole, phallus, womb, cauldron, eggs, chalice, ribbons, baskets, antlers, flowers
Gender- masculine and feminine
Magical Themes Of Beltane
Every season and every pagan holiday has certain concepts and magical themes. Which means, depending on your tradition and needs, you can weave one or more of these themes into your personal celebrations. On Beltane, we see the following magical rituals and spells below.
Abundance
Fertility
Sexuality
Union
connection
creation/creativity
love/lust
Growth
marriage
Purification/cleansing
protection
Fires
Divine feminine and Masculine
The cycles of nature
Manifestation
Transformation
Passion/desire
Enchantment
Weather divination
Fire scrying
Working with the fae
Ways to Celebrate Beltane
We have talked about many different themes, and energies you can connect to during this time from fertility, abundance, sexuality, passion, creativity, transformation, and more. Let’s talk about how we can connect to and celebrate those themes and energies now. First, you can participate and honor any of the deities listed above or that are associated with Spring, Summer, The god, the Goddess, and the sun. You can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for manifestation, passion, union, creation, abundance, fertility, sexuality, and transformation. Check out below more ways to work with and celebrate this holiday and time of year.
Have a bonfire
As we talked about above, first and foremost beltane was celebrated as fire festival and the ancient celts used to pass their cattle through two of them to purify and cleanse them. So, what better way to connect to beltane and celebrate it than to build, lit, and enjoy a bonfire of your own! It’s common to do this with others, have some drinks, and leap over the flames for good luck and prosperity. Just be safe!
Perform a burning release
You already have the fire burning so why not use it for some release magic? One of my favorite ways to release unwanted habits, energies, people, and things from my life is to burn it away with fire. Take a piece of paper, focus on what it is you want to release from your life, write it on that piece of paper than walk up to your bonfire and as you let the paper fall and be burned in the flames visualize what you wrote being burned to ashes in your life as well.
Erect a Maypole The Maypole has been a traditional May Day activity for centuries. What better way to celebrate Beltane, and honor your ancestors, than to make your own Maypole? Grab a pole, some ribbon, and some flowers, and erect one in your own yard and braid the ribbons together as you dance around in the warmth of the summer sun.
Dance
Beltane is a very fertile time full of energy, passion, and creativity, so what better way to connect to that energy than to move with it. We can do this by moving our hips, our womb spaces and moving our body through dance. Dancing allows us to move energy around, connect to the movements of energy around us in a dynamic way, and opens up our womb space to connect to sexual energy. So, get up move your body through dance and maybe even do so around a bonfire!
Perform Sex Magic
Beltane is a time burning with passion, sexual desire and is all about connecting to the sacred union of the divine co-creators. Now, is in my opinion the most potent time to connect to not only their sexual energy around you but, to yours as well. Take this time to perform both solo sex magic and sex magic with a partner to connect to your true sexual form, to perform the most potent manifestation work, and to unleash your raw primal sexual desires like never before. It was a common tradition in ancient times for couples to perform sex rites out in the woods even;on beltanes eve. I promise you sex on beltane is one of the most orgasmic, cosmic, and pleasurable experiences you can have. Give it a try this beltane! If you need to learn more about sex magic you can watch part 2 of my class on it below.
Wild Flower Crafting Wild flowers have always been a big part of the Beltane celebrations. In ancient times, specific white and yellow flowers were gathered and hung over the doorways in Ireland to celebrate the day and invoke fertility and abundance. So go and pick wildflowers, Beltane is the perfect day for it! Then return home and make a bouquet. Or if you’re feeling really crafty, make flower wreaths, crowns or garland to decorate yourself and your home or to place on your altar
Refresh Your Altar Another way to connect to a holiday and/or sacred day I always recommend is to cleanse and refresh your altar and/or sacred space. This is particularly beneficial if you have Celtic gods you honor and connect to already. Use water or fire to cleanse, then decorate with wildflowers, images of the fae, the divine masculine, the divine feminine, and any of the Beltane correspondences we talked about earlier.
Work with the Green Man The Green Man is a legendary figure in Celtic lore and throughout Europe. He is a guardian of the forest and likely a type of elemental. When he’s seen, he is typically covered from head to foot in leaves, branches, flowers and moss. Some believe he is an ancient god of the wilderness, who protects the wildlife and sacred, unspoiled places in nature. Work with the Green Man’s energy on Beltane by hiking in the woods, or even by creating space for him on your altar.
Simmer pot for beltane
Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year! Simmer pots are easy to create and customize to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want! So, why not make one specifically to call in and honor the energy of Ostara and the Spring Equinox?!
What are simmer pots? Simmer pots are basically potpourri in a pot! You choose your ingredients, put them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it do its thing. They couldn’t be any easier, just be sure you don’t let your pot boil dry! If you want to keep the pot going simply add more water when it gets low. And obviously never leave it going when you are not home. To learn more about how about this magical practice you can check out my previous blogpost on the topic here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/simmer-pots-and-the-magic-behind-them/
PerformFae Magic In ancient times, and up to the modern era, the Celtic people believed strongly in the Fae, also called the faery folk, good folk or sidhe. Every Beltane, great care was taken to appease the fae, to prevent them from whisking away all the butter and milk. By leaving out faery offerings on Beltane, you’re carrying on this tradition and starting a working relationship with the fae. Or make a witch’s ladder with intention of appeasing the fae. Make faery houses and a space for the garden. To learn more about the fae you can check out Divination’s class series on it here; https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeHvi9fxqgzRhsWAM7Bt31RwvyV1InMiO&si=t6aPtiWsOPvqJCtO
Perform Purifications and Cleansing Rituals
We talked about above how beltane was seen as time to purify and cleanse for the celts. They would take the time to pass their cattle through two bonfires to cleanse them even. This is a great time for you to do some cleansing and purifying as well. Before cleansing and purifying rituals on your home and yourself like smoke cleansing, ritual baths, floor washes, or any rituals you prefer to use in your practices.
Candle Spells Not everyone can have a big fire on Beltane. So for those of us who want to invoke the power of the fire element, simply lighting a few candles is enough. Casting candle spells on Beltane is also a potent way to send your intentions into the ether. Particularly if you’re looking to increase fertility, prosperity and creativity in your life.
Perform a Beauty Ritual
Any beauty rituals performed on Beltane are amplified by the fiery, Summer magic on this sacred day. Take a ritual milk bath, drink an herbal beauty concoction, and craft your own magical beauty products.
Five Senses Nature Walk
Beltane is the midway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice which is all about the cycle and movement of nature and marking the most fertile time for new life to grow, blossom, and be seeded. So why not take the time to connect to nature itself? Soak in all the fertility and abundance in nature right now. You can do this by going on a five sense nature walk. After you have engaged all your senses, walk back to your home. Reflect on your experience by writing it down in a journal
Perform Egg magic for fertility
Across practices Beltane is considered to be a time of fertility and is the time of the divine union.To many modern Wiccans it is known to be one of the days of the Great Rite. This is essentially the union of man and woman. In Irish Celtic lore we see it again when, The Morrigan unites and couples with the Dagda on Beltane as well. This is an act and tradition of fertility, especially of the earth. If your intention is to be fertile and have a baby, Beltane is a great day to cast fertility spells. Some of the most potent fertility spells are based in egg magic, a universal symbol of fertility. So, perform some egg magic this beltane to enhance those fertility spells. To learn how to do egg magic you can read all about it in my previous blog post here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/the-magic-of-eggs-the-magical-meanings-and-uses-of-eggs/
Make a Beltane Spell Jar
Spell Jars are one of my most favorite spells to create and tools to use in my magical practice and life. Spell jars are great to create a container of energy for you to harness and come back to over and over again when you need it! A quick run down on how to create a spell jar. Pick your items, and add them to your jar after you wash, cleanse and charger your jar. As you add your items focus on visualizing the energy of abundance and what it is you very specifically want to call into your life with that energy. Once you feel the intention and energy is set inside the jar you can take your lid and seal it shut. To add more power to your jar you can add sigils to the outside or seal the lid with wax even. Place the jar on your altar or anywhere in your home, office, or car where you can see it and come back to it when you need to call on the energy and spell again. You can shake the jar to activate the magic whenever you come back to it as well. Keep an eye out for more spell jars on my Pinterest or Facebook page and in an upcoming blogpost and eBook.
Wrap Up
We talked about alot from the history of beltane, the energies of beltane, deities of beltane and many ways you can celebrate beltane. However you choose to celebrate beltane; remember it is a time to celebrate the fertility and prosperity of the world during this warm time of growth, abundance, and transformation. It is a time to connect to the duality of the sacred dance between the co-creators; that seed all of life. Let beltane light your soul with a burning blaze of passion, creativity, and sexuality to allow you to transform into your true form this coming season.
The basis of life is in the five elements. We only live and survive because of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. The earth is beneath us, provides us shelter, stability, and nourishment. A place to call home. We breathe the air around us, it fills our lungs and our blood with life-giving oxygen. Fire gives us heat, protection, and helps us cook our food. And water? Well, we are made up of over 60% of this element and need it to survive, as well. Spirit is the magical fountain within each of us; our individual source. Within Spirit, all the basic four elements come together to work in harmony with one another. These elements are also the foundation of modern natural witchcraft.
As practitioners of magic, we understand the power and significance of the elements in our craft. Understanding the elements and their energies can help us deepen our connection with the natural world and enhance our magical abilities.
Let’s learn how to use this knowledge to enhance our magical practice and deepen our connection with the natural world. I’ll do a sequence of articles on each element. This one will serve as the introduction to the topic.
Before we begin
Before we begin, it is important to note that elemental magic is a complex form of magic that requires a deep understanding of the elements and their properties. It is essential to approach elemental magic with respect and caution. It is also important to note that this guide is intended to serve as a starting point for your elemental magic journey. It is not an exhaustive guide, and you should continue to research and learn about elemental magic as you practice it. It is also important to note that not all witches, and practitioners use the same correspondences for the elements. It can differ from person to person, practice to practice and from culture to culture.
What is Elemental Magic?
Elemental magic refers to the magic of the elements of nature: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.. Spells and rituals will typically consist of using a single element most related to the goal of the caster. They may also contain more than one, even all of the elements like when using them to cast a magic circle, working with the watchtowers, or creating an altar. Most elemental magic requires only basic ingredients that can be found anywhere: bowls of water, stones, candles, and so on. This makes it perfect for learning the foundations of magic.
Energy
Before we dive into the elements themselves we have to touch on energy. Energy is the foundation of all elemental magic. The words and actions accompanying a spell are the least important part. The words and actions of the spell serve only to guide your focus on the energy involved.
There are huge stores of energy in your body. You will learn to tap into this energy when doing elemental magic and to transfer it. When a spell calls for you to inscribe a rune into the dirt, the physical motion’s purpose is to help you transfer your personal energy. There is also the energy already present in each element which we will discuss later.
Depending on your practice and your magical journey this may not be news to you but, for others it might be. There are more than 4 elements to work with, there are at least 5! If you started your path and journey in wicca or alchemy or have studied Chinese, Japanese, Buddhist, Greek, some Indigenous north american tribes,some African tribes , and Babylonian cultures this won’t be news to you. If it is new for you we will go over the most commonly used five elements in rituals and spells; earth, air, fire, water, and spirit aka ether.
Each of these five elements is a fundamental building block of the universe and symbolically represents the various stages or forms of matter. Each of these elements also has its own qualities and correspondences. In most if not all traditions, each element is associated with very specific correspondences and used in specific ways based on their nature.
The five elements are most often invoked during the consecration of a magic circle, or at the very beginning of a ritual. Each element is linked to a cardinal direction. As each element is called and welcomed into the circle it is termed ‘calling the quarters’. Calling the quarters can be simple or it can be dramatic, poetic, and complex. It can work in a theme such as the human body if it is a ritual for healing or it can be written to target a specific pantheon of gods and goddesses. The possibilities are endless! If you need to learn more about how to cast a magic circle or calling the quarters you can read all about here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/the-magic-of-casting-a-circle/ and watch my previous class on it below.
Let’s explore the characteristics, correspondences, and how to work with each element below.
Up First, EARTH
The earth element is powerful in so many ways. The earth is our planetary home. It is where all life abounds and is the source of our sustenance. The natural cycles of the earth are growth, harvest, decay, and regeneration. A myriad of topographical landscapes are found all over the earth complete with diverse flora and fauna. But the earth is not simply the living things that inhabit it. The earth consists of deep caves, reaching mountains, and dense forests.
Depending on the tradition and even the individual, earth’s magical properties will vary. When the earth element means growth and grounding to one person, it may mean death and psychic abilities to another. In Wicca and other western magical traditions, it is one of the 5 major elements from which all life is sustained. The earth is inherently our mother.
Earth embodies the embodiment of stability, grounding, and material abundance. It is the fertile soil that nurtures life, the mountains that rise with unwavering strength, and the foundation on which we build our spiritual journeys. Just as the Earth provides sustenance for all living beings, this element enables witches to manifest their desires, anchor their intentions, and connect with the physical world. It aligns us with the rhythms of nature and helps us find balance, resilience, and prosperity.
Earth is often connected with the practical aspects of life, including abundance, prosperity, physical health, and fertility. It influences our connection to the physical body and the material realm. Earth magic is especially potent for grounding and centering oneself, establishing boundaries, and bringing stability during times of chaos or emotional upheaval. By harnessing the Earth element’s energy, witches can create foundations for their intentions and manifest their desires in a tangible and grounded manner.
From a blade of grass to a mighty mountain, witches use the earth element in their magic and spiritual practice for many different purposes. In spell work, Earth is often used for grounding and centering, to make a spell stick, or to bring abundance and prosperity. So, sit with the element and follow your intuition to use the element in the way the best serves you.
Earth Folklore
When it comes to the Earth, much of the focus of our folklore focuses on how our planet was actually formed. These myths shed a great deal of light on our magical associations with the element Earth, especially in regards to rebirth, fertility, and death. The name Earth comes from the Norse goddess Jord, pronounces “yurdth,” who was a personification of Earth. While she is not an official goddess of the Norse pantheon as she was a jotnar, it is believed she coupled with Odin to bear a son known as Thor. Jord was believed to be the life force of the planet, causing trees to fruit and seeds to sprout at her touch, thus strongly associating her with fertility, birth, and new beginnings.
Her personification was adopted by a number of cultures across Europe and eventually became known as Mother Earth or Mother Nature. Greek Mythology has a similar goddess known as Gaia. According to Greek creation myths, Gaia (the Earth) emerged from Chaos. Without assistance, she bore Uranus the Sky who then fertilized her. From this union, the Titans were born of which the Gods and Goddesses were born. As such, Gaia is the personification of Earth, the mother of all life. In Roman mythology she is referred to as Terra, meaning Earth. In the babylonian myth earth is literally the great goddess Tiamat’s body split in half.
Similar myths can be found in every culture around the world, but they all have two things in common, the Earth is usually a feminine figure associated with birth and life.
Apart from creation myths, Earth also appears as the golem. According to Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated human-like creature made of mud and clay. Through ritual work, a creature could be brought to life using clay and mud to do the life-givers bidding. Some reports say to bring the golem to life, the Hebrew equivalent of the word “shem” was written on a piece of paper and placed in the golem’s mouth while other reports say “emet” which means truth was written on the forehead of the golem. To “kill” the golem the paper was removed or the last letter of the word truth was removed to turn the word into dead.
The rest of our Earth folklore focuses on ley lines, a grid of Earth energies that circle the globe that connect important sacred sites. In the British Isles, these lines were sometimes referred to as “fairy paths” and it was believed to be dangerous to walk along them for fear of being snatched by the fairies. In general, these lines not only connected sacred sites, but also certain hilltops in the countryside, and were liminal places between realms. We still view them as such today, recognizing the energy found among them is potent as well as liminal.
Earth Correspondences
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or to connect to an element like I will list below for you to use.
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus, Saturn
Time: Midnight
Season: Winter
Direction: North (although if the closest body of earth to you is a different direction, use that instead)
The earth element works in conjunction with all other elements to sustain life on this planet. In fact, it IS the planet. Think about how earth works with the others: earth feeds fire, requires water for growth, produces air (trees/plants) in conjunction with water. But can also suffocate fire and air and impede water. We live on the earth, our feet and homes planted in the soil, and grow our food in the earth. Without earth, we would not survive. Earth is nurturing, grounding, loving, growing, replenishing, moving, sowing, and reaping.
Ways to connect to Earth
If you are an earth zodiac sign, your most powerful magic will facilitate the earth element to make change. Earth magic doesn’t have to be complicated, unless you want it to be. Here are some easy ways to cast earth magic and harness the energy of the earth element:
growing and maintaining a magical garden
making herbal infusions and brews
burying spells i.e. witch’s bottles and jars
using different kinds of dirt and sand in your spells
Air, the element of wisdom, communication, reasoning, logic, and breath. It is the perfect element to work with during the fall months because this shifting of the seasons often requires us to look inward and assess our situation; to take a deep breath and let go of what no longer serves us; to communicate our truths.
The air element is powerful in so many ways. The air is felt through the breath, the skin, and the view of the swaying trees. It is movement in the purest form as the wind travels around the globe spreading seeds for life, changing the landscape of the earth, and allowing the creatures of the sky to move amongst us. The air holds clouds, birds, and the stars above us.
Air is a force that is both seen and unseen, carrying the energies of communication, intellect, inspiration, and transformation. Just as the wind whispers secrets through the trees, Air symbolizes the realm of thoughts, ideas, and the power of the mind. It holds the potential for clarity, mental agility, and the swift currents of change. By tapping into the essence of Air, witches can amplify their intellectual capacities, enhance their intuition, and facilitate the free flow of energy within their craft.
Air magic encompasses themes of intellect, communication, inspiration, and travel. It aids in enhancing mental clarity, fostering effective communication, and seeking truth and wisdom. By working with the Air element, witches can harness its energy to stimulate creativity, promote clear thinking, and invite swift transformation in their lives. It serves as a conduit for ideas to take flight and for intentions to be carried far and wide.
Depending on the tradition and even the individual, air magical properties will vary. When the air element means communication or activation to one person, it may mean emotions and abundance to another. From a gust of wind to a gentle exhale, witches use the air element in their magic and spiritual practice for many different purposes.
Air Folklore
Much of the folklore associated with Air encompasses weather magic and the wind itself. In Greek mythology, the Anemoi were the four winds, each of them corresponding to the four cardinal directions. They were the children of Eos, goddess of dawn, and Aeolus, Keeper of the Winds.
The first of the sons was Boreas, the god of the north wind and bringer of cold winter air. He is often depicted with a beard in a short, pleated tunic and said to have a violent temper. When Orithyia, a princess of Athens, refused to marry Boreas, he stole her away to marry her in the clouds where they later had two sons and two daughters together. From then on, Boreas was seen as a relative by marriage and they called upon him for protection when attacked by neighboring kingdoms. In 480 B.C. Boreas supposedly sank 400 Persian ships that threatened the Athenians.
The second son, Zephyrus or Zephyr, is the god of the west wind. He is the gentlest of the winds, blowing in Spring and warmer weather. Zephyrus appears in a number of stories, each one often depicting a different lover both male and female. His amorous relationships make him a fertility god, which makes sense since he is said to bring in Spring, the ultimate icon of fertility.
The god of the south wind, Notus, is associated with the hot, desiccating winds of Summer that blew in after the Summer Solstice. It was him that brought late summer storms, destroying crops in his wake.
And finally, there was Eurus, god of the east winds, who was believed to be responsible for the turbulent winds during storms at sea. Seafarers would often try to appease Eurus to ensure a safe trip and would place protection charms on their ships to ward off ill will.
In other traditions, Air is deeply associated with breath, the life-giver. In ancient Greece, this breath of life was referred to as pneuma, which later became translated into soul or spirit. I’ll address pneuma in more detail in later posts, but I wanted to mention it here because, without breath, life ceases to exist, and as such a number of superstitions arose around breath. For example, when passing by a cemetery one should hold their breath to avoid breathing in the spirit of someone who recently passed. In multiple cultures around the world, we see tales of the night hag, a demon who sits on your chest and steals your breath away, a phenomenon now referred to as sleep paralysis. For centuries in England, it was believed cats should suck an infant’s breath away, causing the baby to die. In 1791, a jury in Plymouth, England convicted a cat of infanticide while in 1929 in Nebraska, a supposed doctor claimed to have witnessed a cat “lying on the baby’s breast, pay on either side of the babe’s mouth, the cat’s lips pressing those of the child and the infant’s face as pale as that of a corpse, its lips with the blueness of death.” This idea persists even in modern times, despite their not being any evidence that cats suffocate babies in this way. However, the idea that breath is linked to life is an important one, giving Air its association with life and death.
Air Correspondences
Remember, a correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or to connect to an element like I will list below for you to use.
If you are an air zodiac sign, your most powerful magic will facilitate the air element to make change. Air spells don’t have to be complicated, unless you want them to be. Here are some easy ways to cast air spells and harness the energy of the air element:
make a wish while blowing bubbles OR divine a message using bubbles
burn incense as offering to the gods and to manifest your intentions
write your air spell on a piece of paper, take it to the top of a cliff, let it blow away in the wind
keep a magical grimoire or book of shadows
make a wish and blow out the birthday candles
smoke-cleanse your home with burning herbs to rid it of negativity
blow a dandelion seed-head and make a wish
balloon magick (although not recommended for the environment nowadays)
storm magick: harnessing the energy of a storm to manifest your air spell
cloud scrying: divination using the patterns in clouds to tell the future
cloud bursting: moving air with the power of your mind
whispering air spells into the wind
working with air element fairies and spirits
volunteering your time or resources to a local bird rescue (the energy you offer to these creatures may help manifest your intentions)
automatic writing
writing and reciting poetry
learning and playing an instrument (particularly woodwind, flutes or stringed)
singing your intentions
chanting your intentions
daily words of affirmation
feather magick: divination or spells
The Unique Magic of the Air Element
The air element works in conjunction with all other elements to sustain life on this planet. Think about how air works with the others: air fuels fire, moves earth, makes clouds with water. You may notice how some of the air element’s magical properties and associations cross over with the elements. That’s because they all work together flawlessly in the circle of life. As for air, we inhale and exhale air, it cools us off, but it can also be destructive and blow down houses. Without air, we would not survive. Air is whirling, twirling, twisting, freeing. Whipping, swirling, caressing, calling, kissing, misting, clouding, flying. Speak it into existence, whisper it into the wind.
Let’s Dive into the Element of Water
The water element is powerful in so many ways. Humans are predominantly comprised of water. Water flows into and through our bodies and is necessary for our continued existence. We are suspended in a life giving liquid while growing inside of the womb. Water falls gently from the sky to nourish the earth and help the flora to grow and thrive. The water embraces sea creatures, an unexplored underwater landscape, and falls from the sky above to feed the earth.
Water, the element of fluidity and intuition, mirrors the ebb and flow of life itself. It represents the vast seas, serene lakes, and soothing rivers that nourish the Earth and all living beings. In the realm of emotions, Water governs the depth of our feelings, encouraging us to embrace vulnerability, intuition, and empathy. By connecting with the Water element, witches can navigate the currents of their emotions, tap into their psychic abilities, and embark on a journey of healing and spiritual transformation.
Water magic encompasses themes of emotions, intuition, healing, purification, and spiritual transformation. It allows witches to dive deep into their emotions, heal past wounds, and connect with their inner wisdom. By working with the Water element, practitioners can harness its energy to enhance their psychic abilities, facilitate emotional healing, and invoke a sense of divine flow and receptivity within their craft.
Water, the element of emotions, healing, purification, and renewal. It is the perfect element to work with during the winter months because it is during winter that we spend time reflecting and setting goals for the future. This reflection process often includes shadow work where we confront past traumas to heal and break bad habits. Shadow work is by no means easy and takes more than a little self-reflection to work, but Water can help with the process greatly, especially in the beginning stages.
From an ocean wave to a dew drop, witches use the water element in their magick and spiritual practice for many different purposes.Depending on the tradition and even the individual, water’s magical properties will vary. When the water element means dreams and emotions to one person, it may mean destruction and purification to another.
Water Folklore
Humans have always been deeply connected with water, which makes sense considering we are mostly comprised of water and need it to survive. Just a couple days without water and we die. Our ancestors knew this as well and discovered quite quickly that water had the ability to sustain and restore life, as well as take it away. Throughout history and across all cultures, water was revered, being associated with deities, spirits, souls, and the Otherworld. One of the most famous tales is of the River Styx, the river in Hades or the Underworld that separates the living world from that of the dead. To cross said river, you had to secure passage from Charon, the ferrymen, by paying him a coin. However, water folklore goes back even further.
Before the Roman invasion, much of Europe was inhabited by a series of tribes, united by a common language and similar spiritual beliefs, called the Celts. The Celts believed water to be sacred and viewed it as a liminal place, a place between our world and the Otherworld. As such, a series of myths arose around major water sources across Europe. When the Romans, who had their own set of water beliefs and rituals, invaded, they meshed many of the Celtic ideas of water with their own. These traditions were so prevalent and such a cornerstone of society, that when the Christians invaded sometime later, they found it impossible to squash the pagan beliefs. Instead of trying to stamp it out, they wrote over the pagan names with Christian names (much like they did with our holidays), thus preserving much of the folklore related to water, even to this day. From wells and springs to rivers and lakes to the wide-open ocean, folklore abounds.
Across Europe, especially in the UK, there are several sacred wells and natural founts or springs riddled with folklore. While different in location and water type, it was generally believed that these sources of water were imbued with healing properties that could cure just about any ailment. Archeological sites, folklore, and existing wells inform us that there were a number of sacred wells designated across Europe as healing wells.
But not all folklore surrounds freshwater sources. Being as vast and dangerous as it is, the ocean has played a dominant role in human history and thus has its own magical properties and folklore. You could write an entire book on sea folklore and witchcraft, and people have, so I am just going to give a brief overview here. The ocean played a major role in the development of civilizations around the world. For a long time, the ocean was impassible and untameable, which led our ancestors to tie the sea to destruction, instability, and chaos.
And these are all just bodies of water! There is numerous folklore about dew, mists, and rain! Again, there is absolutely too much folklore on these subjects to include in this post, so I’m going to very briefly summarize. Dew has long been a prized magical ingredient, especially in protection and glamour magic. Especially lazy and dirty women and children were believed to be taken away by faeries where they were carefully cleansed by morning dew becoming more beautiful upon their arrival home. Most famously, however, dew was often collected and applied before sunrise on May Day (Beltane) to heal and as a glamour. On the Summer Solstice, it was believed that dew would increase one’s strength. Across Europe, especially in Britain, dew was believed to have curative properties. It was often applied to the eyes to help eye pain or rubbed on warts and freckles to remove them. Dew collected from stones with depression or cups called Bullaun Holes were used by wise women and men in medicines to enhance their restorative qualities. Sometimes the dew was collected with a white rag and tied around the ailing part to help it heal faster.
While dew was often seen as a healer, mists were viewed as a magical veil that was used by spirits of the Otherworld to shroud themselves. Furthermore, Celtic folklore suggests that not only did the fae and other spirits arrive with the mist, but the mist could carry you away as well, bringing you to the water if you weren’t careful. With mist and fog, it is believed all manner of devilish creatures can walk the Earth. People often report seeing black dogs, an omen of death, in the mists or hearing the luring voices of women calling them out to sea. However, in the Haudenosaunee myth The Maid of the Mist, the maiden is a savor who warns her village of impending doom. In almost all legends, the mists act as a portal or gateway between realms, thus becoming an excellent hedge riding tool for astral travel.
Rain, on the other hand, as a complete set of unique myths, but in most cases, rain is associated with life, fertility, and healing. Originally, the rain was associated with spontaneous generation and was believed that frogs and worms came directly from rain, thus associating it with life, abundance, and fertility. Oden, a Norse god of fertility among other things, was also associated with the rain. I’m sure you can figure out what the rain was meant to be in this case. In Greek mythology, rain is believed to be the tears of Calandra, daughter of Hades, mourning the death of her beloved, Orestes, son of Zeus. Zeus and Hades, upon hearing of their love, struck down Orestes and locked Calandra in the clouds to mourn for all eternity. Rainwater has been used in all manner of magical ways, including spells for rejuvenation, healing, protection, cursing, and nourishment. Rainwater alone deserves a post of its own, which I’ll likely do this year sometime in April because “April showers bring May flowers…”
I’ve only scratched the surface of water folklore. There is plenty more from Asia, Africa, and the Americas that wasn’t touched on here. There simply isn’t enough time for me to cover everything in great detail, but this folklore provides a deeper understanding of how important water has been throughout human history. It is the bringer of life and death, a healer and a curse. Without water and all its amazing, properties humans would not be where we are today. It nourishes our bodies, helps our cells and organs function and while aiding plants in creating food. It helps us and our planet maintain a relatively constant temperature and allows cell membranes to form a double layer.
Water Correspondences
Remember, a correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or to connect to an element like I will list below for you to use.
Nature Spirits: Undine, nymph, mermaid, finfolk, lake ladies, water maidens, Cailleach, water horse, kelpie, bean-nighe, banshee, white woman, washerwoman, water cows, faeries associated with wells, streams, ponds, or lakes
Colors: Blue, silver, white, gray, seafoam, indigo, aquamarine, bluish-silver, black
Food and Drink: water, tea, apple, pear, coconut, strawberry, watermelon
If you are a water zodiac sign, your most powerful magick will facilitate the water element to make change. Water magic spells don’t have to be complicated, unless you want them to be.
The water element works in conjunction with all other elements to sustain life on this planet. Think about how water works with the others: water extinguishes fire or is evaporated by fire, water feeds the earth, water is made with and moved by air. We require water to live and our bodies are made up of at least sixty percent water. The planet is mostly made up of water. Water is our great mother, the creator, and yet in an instant becomes the great destroyer. But remember, where there’s destruction then after comes creation.
Next, The element of Fire
Fire isn’t just without. It comes from within. It’s as much a part of this world as it is a part of ourselves. Fire drives away the darkness. It warms our cold bones and stirs the passions inside of us. Fire does not have its own physical existence like the other elements. It comes into being as light and heat in a powerful and dramatic fashion and then once it has consumed an object, it disappears back into another realm. Fire is often linked to the masculine energies as it is protective. Fire is depicted in volcanoes, the phoenix, and transformations.
Fire is quite the element, associated with new beginnings, energy, courage, anger, passion, lust, war, and purification. It’s the perfect element to work with during the summer months when the Sun is at its strongest, the ultimate source of Fire. Fire is also the perfect element to work with when trying to enact change, especially social change.
Fire dances with an intense and captivating energy, embodying the qualities of passion, creativity, willpower, and transformation. It is the spark of inspiration that ignites our desires, fuels our ambitions, and drives us forward. Just as fire can both nurture and consume, the Fire element in witchcraft represents the potent force of change, the catalyst for spiritual growth, and the embodiment of personal power. By harnessing the essence of Fire, witches can kindle the flames of their intentions, manifest their desires, and embody the transformative nature of this element.
Fire magic encompasses themes of passion, willpower, courage, purification, and transformation. It empowers witches to ignite their creativity, fuel their ambitions, and embrace their personal power. By working with the Fire element, practitioners can tap into their inner strength, channel their intentions with fiery determination, and embark on a path of self-discovery and transformation.
From a candle’s flame to a bonfire, witches use the fire element in their magical craft for many different reasons. Depending on the tradition and even the individual, fire magical properties will vary. When the fire element means passion and success to one person, it may mean emotions and cleansing to another.
Fire Folklore
Fire has long been coveted by humankind as not only a life-bringer but as a source of transformation as well. How we first acquired Fire is debatable and we will likely never know, but the fact that we did allowed humans to prosper and ultimately dominate our surroundings. There are myths found in every single culture around the world explaining how humans first acquired Fire, from the Greeks to the Cherokee to the Hindus to the Aztecs. Almost all of these stories tell a story of theft, the Fire is stolen from some greedy source and given as a gift to humans. In Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus stole Fire from the gods, giving it to man along with the skill of metalwork because he loved humans more than the Olympians who had banished his family to Tartarus. This gift resulted in the progress of civilization and ultimately resulted in Fire temples across Greece.
In various Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest and First Nations, Fire was stolen by Coyote, Beaver, or Dog and given to humans, while in Algonquin myth it is Rabbit that steals Fire from a man and his two daughters to share with other humans. The Cherokee myth, however, is my favorite of the Native American Fire myths. After both Possum and Buzzard failed to acquire Fire, Grandmother Spider weaves a web to sneak into the land of the light, where she steals Fire from the Sun and hides it in a clay pot. She brings the clay pot back, giving it to humans so they may see in the dark. In Rig Veda, a Hindu text, it is Matarisvan who steals Fire that had been hidden away from humans. All of these myths reveal the nature of Fire; that is it deeply associated with trickery and chaos, most likely because we may think we have control over Fire, but ultimately it is in control. Furthermore, Fire is extremely destructive but transformative, thus leading to the progress of civilization in all of these stories.
Fire was so revered by our ancestors that shrines, temples, and festivals were dedicated to Fire. In Ancient Greece, every private and public hearth or prytaneium was regarded as a sanctuary for the hearth goddess Hestia. In Greek mythology, Hestia was assigned the duty by Zeus to feed and maintain the fires in the Olympian hearth with the fat from animal sacrifices to the gods. As such, she was usually given the first offering during a sacrifice so that she may share a portion with the gods to maintain their Fire.
Hestia’s Roman equivalent, Vesta, played a much more prominent role in Roman culture. She was very rarely depicted in human form, but instead as a flame. Vesta’s temple in the Forum Romanum only allowed entry to Vesta’s priestesses known as Vestals. The Vestals tended the sacred hearth fires of Vesta which were believed to be indispensable for the preservation and continuity of the Roman State.
Across the ocean, two important Celtic deities were honored for their sacred flames. The first was Brigid, who later was Christianized St. Brigid. Brigid, who is deeply associated with holy wells, was also associated with sacred flames. In Kildare, Brigid’s sacred fire was tended to by priestesses since pre-Christian times. However, it wasn’t just Brigid who was associated with Fire in Celtic lore. Belenus (Belus or Baal), whose name means “Shining One,” was one of the most widely worshipped of the Celtic deities. He was the Celtic god of the Sun and was celebrated year-around, but honored specifically at Beltane, an ancient Fire festival on May 1st.
Other Sun gods from around the world, including Ra, Aten, Nanahuatzin, Helios, and Sol, were worshipped year around with the Sun’s heavenly movement. Early humans recognized that as the Sun traveled through the sky that it drove the changing of the seasons. From this knowledge, myths arose to explain what happened to the Sun god during each transformation. In modern Wicca, the equivalent of this story traces the birth and death of the God, who represents the Sun. These myths were so prevalent around the world that early Christianity adopted them and associated them with Jesus.
Apart from Fire’s association with deities, it has long been viewed as a protective force. This likely arose from the fact our early ancestors found that keeping fires lit through the night safeguarded against beasts of the night. Fire quickly became associated with warding off evil spirits, especially in the case of childbirth. Multiple cultures around the world light candles and lamps and keep them burning to ward against demons waiting to pounce on the newborn child and mother. This custom still persists in parts of Britain, Scandinavia, and Germany, where candles and fires are lit around the new baby to keep evil spirits away.
Fire has also been used as a form of divination and as an omen. As mentioned earlier, the extinguishing of Hestia’s and Vesta’s fires were believed to be ruin and bad luck. The Banyoro in Central Africa and the people of British New Guinea will not hunt the following morning if their fire goes out overnight, an omen of bad luck and death. In modern Greece, the behavior of logs in a fire is said to foretell the future. Crackling means that good news or a friend is coming, while sparks and ash flying are believed to foretell trouble and anxiety brewing. On the other hand, in parts of Britain cinders were read to predict major future events, such as births, marriages, and deaths.
The vast amount of folklore around Fire suggests a few things. First, Fire is an important source of life. It warms, cooks food, and inspires. Second, Fire is an important protector and purifier, yet has the ability to consume all that it touches. In modern times, witches use fire for these same reasons, often as in protection rituals, and to send messages to the spirit world.
Fire Correspondences
Remember, a correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or to connect to an element like I will list below for you to use.
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun, Mars
Time: Noon
Season: Summer
Direction: South (although in the Southern hemisphere, North may work better for you)
Tarot Cards: Wands or Swords (depends on belief system)
The fire magical properties are fueled by air. So, essentially, air can be used to fan or increase fire. Water may be heated by fire OR in larger quantities can put out the fire. Fire cooks or burns up earth or can be extinguished by earth.
People who are fire signs tend to be very passionate, driven people. They are sometimes easy to enrage, and love working with the fire element in their magick. If you are a fire sign, fire magic spells and charms will be your most potent form of witchcraft.
Candle spells
Sun-bathing / re-charging by sunlight
Burning papers with wishes/intentions in bonfires
Burning old belongings to release old habits and negativity
Hearth magick: cooking, brewing, baking, etc.
Fire scrying: divination in candle flames and bonfires
Smoke scrying: divination with smoke
Burning Incense and Smoke-cleansing
Storm magick, particularly harnessing the energy of lightning
Burning candles as offerings to gods, ancestors, spirit guides
Blacksmithing and forging
Working with crystals linked to the fire element
Following your passion in life
The Unique Magic of the Fire Element
Fire is creative and destructive. It warded off wild animals, intruders, and illness for our ancestors. It also kept them warm and provided a means of cooking. But it could also destroy entire villages and forests, destroying life as we know it. Fire dries/evaporates water, is fueled/extinguished by air, and is fueled/extinguished by earth. The interaction with fire all depends on the amount of each element used. Without heat and fire, our ancestors wouldn’t have survived and neither would we. In Greek mythology, fire was gifted to humans by a god. Let the fire element cleanse you of your past and prepare a path for the future.
Lastly, the element of spirit
This fifth element is not recognized by all paths. It has been known as Akasha or Aether. No matter what you call it Spirit or Ether (or Soul!) is the element of self-awareness, wholeness, and transcendence. It is a bridge that connects the spiritual and physical soul. It is often represented as white or purple. It is the crown chakra in eastern religious practices and the halo in Abrahamic traditions. Spirit is the element called forth in ritual as it is the force that connects us to the magickal realm.
Spirit is the ethereal essence that exists beyond the physical realm, encompassing the divine, the collective consciousness, and the interwoven tapestry of all existence. It is the universal life force that breathes energy into every being and every element. Spirit, in witchcraft, represents the connection to the divine, intuition, spiritual growth, and the transcendent nature of our existence. By embracing the essence of Spirit, witches can tap into the boundless wisdom of the universe, commune with higher beings, and embark on a transformative journey of spiritual awakening.
Spiritual magic encompasses themes of intuition, divination, spiritual growth, and connection to higher beings. It allows witches to tap into their innate wisdom, connect with spirit guides and ancestors, and seek guidance from the divine. By working with Spirit, practitioners can deepen their understanding of the unseen, explore their spiritual gifts, and experience profound transformations within their spiritual journeys.
Spirit Folklore
Spirit has always existed within folk beliefs, with some of the earliest forms appearing in animistic religions and spiritual practices around the world. Animism, which is derived from the Latin anima which means breath, Spirit, or life, is the idea that all things, living and non-living, have a Spirit within them. It is this Spirit or energy that modern-day witches use when working with magical correspondences, and it’s the foundation of nature-based spiritualities around the world.
Later, humankind began differentiating living Souls or Spirit from that of non-living objects through the use of blood. Prior to the reign of Psammetichus (664-610 BC), Egyptians equated wine with blood, saying it was the life force of those that had warred against the gods. For this reason, they didn’t leave wine as an offering and believed that drunkenness would drive a man mad for the drunkard supposedly had consumed the life-blood of their ancestors. We see modern manifestations of this idea in Christianity with wine being part of the sacrament as the blood of Christ. The idea that the Soul was derived from blood is also found in a number of myths around the world, including a Chaladae myth which says that humans and animals were born from the blood of a decapitated deity when it mixed with clay.
Later, the Soul became something intangible as the breath of life. In Genesis ii. 7 we see an allusion to this: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” In Greece, this breath of life was referred to as stoic pneuma, which originally meant “air in motion” or “breath” and later became religiously known as the Soul or Spirit. It was believed to be a mixture of Air and Fire that when combined created life. Pneuma was adopted by Judaism and Christianity, sometimes being used to describe the Spirit and other times to describe the wind. No matter the religion, however, Spirit is often a central focus, and protecting the Spirit or Soul is believed to be fundamental in ascending into the afterlife.
Other topics that can be considered tied to the folklore of the spirit or soul would involve soul eaters, demons, ghosts, mental illness and much more but that is for another time. If you want to learn more about demons though you can check out my previous class on them below.
Spirit Correspondences
Remember, a correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or to connect to an element like I will list below for you to use.
Crystals and Gemstones: Quartz, pearl, opal, amethyst
Animals: Dove, deer, cat
Ways to connect to Spirit
The spirit magical properties are fueled by everything. Every thread of energy, and everything in between weaving to hold the multiverse, universe, and collective together. The way we think of the spirit element today is rooted in the Greek thinking of Aether as the fifth element, it was literally the air the gods breathed. How to connect to those propeties will all revolve around your spiritual beliefs, and practices, and how you choose to connect to the divine both within and without yourself.
Spirit works with all the elements in the same manner: Spirit supports each of the elements and each of the elements supports Spirit. Spirit cannot be separated from the other elements as it is infused in all that we do.
We have talked a lot about the elements but, have you ever heard of the elementals? Or elemental spirits? Let’s take some time to talk about them now.
What are Elementals?
Elementals are considered interdimensional beings, which means that they can move through different planes. Likewise, they maintain a strong bond with Nature, which is why many cultures consider them protectors or guardians of the earth. Physician and alchemist Paracelsus (1493 – 1541) mentioned elementals in his works, highlighting the hybrid quality of these entities, as they are neither humans nor spirits
Each of these beings has the function of guarding and protecting everything that is within its realm of influence. They are considered lower spirits, incapable of incarnating in the material world, so they are generally invisible to us. However it has been claimed that they are capable of assuming human form and other appearances.
These guardians watch over our planet and can aid us in our spiritual journeys if treated with respect. Let’s explore all four types of elementals and see how you can invoke them in your practice.
Gnomes, the Elementals of Earth
Gnomes and gnomids are the elementals of the Earth. They look like old men with their long white beards and ceremonial charm, and reside in the underbrush found in trees, roots, and soil. They can live in the mines of the earth or take care of the hidden treasures that lie there. Gnomes are the guardians of all treasures and precious metals hidden under mountains and deserts.
As Earth elementals, they also like gardens, hence the custom of placing figures of gnomes around the green areas of the home, to call for their protection and wisdom. Though generally a bit grumpy, gnomes are happy to help humans in their earthly quests. They stand ready to impart deep wisdom upon us. As keepers of material safety, you can ask Gnomes for protection in physical matters, and for aid in doing what’s right for the planet.
Their planet is Mars and their zodiac signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
To invoke an Earth elemental, salt can be used as an offering on a plate. You can also bury a coin in the soil to ask them to intercede with the spirits of the earth, so that prosperity and riches come to our lives. Spend time outside and let your intuition guide you to a spot that is special.
Undines, Water Elementals
Undines derive their name from the Latin word unda, meaning “wave”. They come in different shapes such as mermaids or nymphs, but are also thought of as the collective body of water itself. Undines are present in each drop of water.
Their presence represents beauty and dreams. They like to live in and protect the waterways and are relatively benign elementals, historically aiding sailors in safe passage. They are the most closely linked to humans and their appearance can be that of beautiful angels.
To keep Undines present in your daily life, think of water as a close friend. Treat it with reverence; never waste it. With increased honor for this sacred element, the Undine is sure to support your emotional life. Their planets are Saturn and Mercury, and their zodiac signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
Invoking water Elementals
To invoke the elementals of Water in your practice, work with the cycles of the moon. Perform rituals on full and new moons (also known as Esbats).Set up an altar with water at the center. Allow it to soak up the energy of the moon (Moon Water), and then mindfully drink or bathe in the water the next day.
Salamanders, Elementals of Fire
The Salamander does not necessarily appear as the slithery amphibian one might think, though it does often appear in a reptilian form, closely related to dragons. Fire elementals can appear as little balls of light that glide across water. They are thin and dry, very similar to the grasshopper or cricket, although much larger in size.
The Fire element is associated with two opposites: Creation and destruction. Salamanders can cause, control and extinguish fire. They can root out negative forces, hexes and curses that fall on a person. Fire elementals also have the ability to clean and purify all low passions and all vices, helping to make a change that allows improving everything that hinders one’s development. Their planets are the Sun and Jupiter, and its zodiacal signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Invoking Fire Elementals
Invoke the Salamander with a flame. Safely light a fire, burn a candle or incense, and practice gazing at the flame’s licks or at the smoke. Feel the warmth of the fire lighting your own internal flame. Call upon the Salamander to reignite lost passion, or give you the strength to carry through difficult tasks. The Salamander is ready to aid in your evolution.
Sylphs; the Elementals of Air
A Sylph, like air, is ethereal. It does not take on a physical form but is seen in wispy fancies, much like clouds. Though some folks actually see fantastical flurries of light and color, the Sylph can appear mentally, even in the thinnest of air.
These creatures of Air are said to look like very beautiful children with rosy faces. They can be the most mischievous in character and they represent thought. They are directly related to inspiration, knowledge, communication and travel.
The spirits of Air are the ones that cause the winds and shape the clouds, they have a preponderant role in the growth of plants, flowers in particular. Sylphs are carriers of the life-sustaining energy that nurtures all living things, the breath. On subtle levels, sylphs transmit the currents of Spirit from heaven to earth. Their planets are the Moon and Venus, and their zodiac signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
Invoking Air Elementals
Working with Sylphs is all about intention. Because they lack form, the Sylph is greatly comforted by your faith alone. Pay respect to the Eastern sky, or pay extra attention to the breezes that caress your cheek. To invoke the Sylph in your ritual or spell, practice different forms of breathwork, or gaze at clouds and stars. Look to Sylphs for inspiration and clearing mental blocks.
Conclusion
While the five elements are linked with the beauty of the self and the natural world, each element also contains a darker component. It is through these components that change comes in drastic forms. The earth shakes with tremors, the water rises in tsunamis, the air rises as tornadoes, and fires rage out of control. Each element should be respected for its ability to exist in all forms and treated accordingly.
Take time to work with the powers of each element in your practice. As you journey down the pagan path, usually an element will feel natural to your own magickal working. Embrace it and relish in working with your element, but don’t forget that they all work in tandem with one another!
To expand your knowledge about this path and if you’d rather listen than read; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on YouTube below!
Energy! Nothing is solid; Everything is made up of energy. Me. You. Your family. The chair you’re sitting on. Your bed. The ground you walk on. That’s why energy work is so important. The language of our higher self is spoken to us through our intuition and intuition communicates with us through the language of energy. It allows us to understand the world around us, both in practical everyday matters and in the mystical and sacred stuff!
Because we are always moving in a sea of energy, and that energy is feeding our energetic body, it informs us of what is happening around us. It is important that we pay attention to how this process works. Just as we can live better by knowing how the food we eat affects us, we can do the same with knowing how energy affects us, and how to nurture it and bring ourselves into mental and physical balance.
On top of this, we can use energy to pick up information around us and become more intuitive. Having great intuitive skills enhances our lives, giving us comfort knowing where to go and what to do through our inner guidance. By learning how to develop our intuition coupled with learning about energy, we become powerful in our connection to divine wisdom.
Why knowing about energy is so important
Part of being good at rituals, spells, magick is having a solid relationship with energy. If you think about it with any magickal work that you are doing you are working with energy. It’s incredibly important to understand that energy and to know how to work with it in order to find the most success in your work.
You have to develop a relationship with energy in order to be able to work with it in the best way. Everything in the world is made up of energy so the more types of relationships you have the more success you will find.
Energy Work
What is energy work, and what are some of the options out there? Energy work is simply put tapping into the body’s own frequencies to promote well-being.
Energy work is any work that involves changes to the human energy field or subtle body. It is commonly used as part of a holistic healing regimen or alternative medicine. The practitioner makes adjustments to the flow of life energy using various techniques including acupuncture, acupressure or may use crystals or their own energy through Reiki or Laying on of hands.
Energy work is the intentional effort to manipulate your or someone else’s energy for spiritual, emotional, or physical healing. There are countless modalities of energy work practices in cultures around the world. You can perform energy work on yourself or seek it out from a professional.
Energy work affects both the subtle body system (the energetic body) and the physical body in various ways. The subtle body system shows up differently across cultures. Here are some of the subtle body systems we see across the world: chakras and nadis (Hinduism), meridians (Chinese Medicine), the three cauldrons (Celtic), aura (cross-cultural), Ojos de luz (Incan energy system), and the list goes on. Most cultures around the world have some reference of an energy or subtle body system.
Energy work and magic
Magic is probably the purest, the most basic, and the oldest form of energy work there is. Plus if you think about it almost all magical workings can be classified as energy work. Because magic itself is the practice of manipulating and changing energy. You do not have to practice witchcraft to do Energy Magic. You are just you. you have a power within you that is divine. This power allows you to merge, draw upon, and contain for a few moments an ancient force and then propel it in the direction where someone asks for help.
History
Energy work has been around for 1000’s of years across many cultures.
The ancient eastern medicine masters learned 5,000 years ago that energy makes up everything in the Universe, including our bodies and our minds. While the Western world is beginning to scientifically prove that everything is energy, the Eastern philosophies have figured out how to manipulate it to create health, wellness and even abundance.
The spiritual tradition of energetic healing was commonly used throughout ancient India and China. In India, energetic work is based in the belief of Prana, or universal energy, breathing life into all things. In China, vital life-giving energy is referred to as Chi. Chi is made up of two opposing forces, Ying and Yang. When these forces are balanced, optimal health is displayed.
Energy Flow
All energy does is flow. It is us who have blockages that makes the flow of energy need to re-route itself. This stream of life-force energy is always flowing through you. The more you allow it the more it will flow.
Within the natural world there is a primal energy force. It is what people sense when they are out in nature, that uplifting energy that makes people feel better. But what we sense as humans only scratches the surface. This energy is as ancient as the Earth, and it stems from an energy that is as ancient as the Universe itself. Magic is created using this primal, natural force of nature. The caster of any spell is a conduit for this energy.
Energy System- Chakra system
Chakras are wheels of energy within our bodies and interwoven with our auras. If your chakras are blocked, negative vibrations, attachments and illness occurs. The seven chakras are the main energy centers of the body within Indian culture and practice within the buddhist and hindu religions. Chakra translates to “wheel” in Sanskrit, and you can imagine them like wheels of free-flowing positive energy. Chakras are used to describe the way energy “moves” throughout the body. Each of the seven chakras are said to correlate with different abilities, expressions, and types of health.
Each person has 7 major chakras aligned along the spine from the top of your head to the bottom of your spine. When energy flows freely through our chakras, it flows freely through our entire bodies including our physical, emotional, mental, and astral bodies. When the chakras are blocked or imbalanced, energy doesn’t flow and therefore causes issues throughout the person’s entire being.
Root Chakra
Your root chakra is a spinning wheel of energy located at the base of your spine. It’s color is dark red to black and links us to the energy of the earth beneath us. If you’re grounded and connected to the Earth’s energy, your root chakra will be unblocked and spinning freely. You attract financial prosperity and have a level head.
The Muladhara, or root chakra, represents our foundation. On the human body, it sits at the base of the spine and gives us the feeling of being grounded.
When the root chakra is open, we feel confident in our ability to withstand challenges and stand on our own two feet. When it’s blocked, we feel threatened, as if we’re standing on unstable ground.
When Your Root Chakra is Blocked…
When your root chakra is blocked, you may feel scattered and have financial problems or money blocks. You feel disconnected to the earth and anxious. You may even have back or hip pain or problems – reasons to unblock chakras ASAP. In addition, your spirituality may suffer when it comes specifically to ancestor work. Why? Because the ancestors dwell in the earth, in the roots of the World Tree below our feet. And as our root chakra connects us to the earth, it also connects us to our ancestors.
Sacral Chakra
Your sacral chakra is the wheel of energy located between your navel and coccyx. It spins in the area of your reproductive organs and is the color orange. The sacral chakra represents sexual health and creativity. When it’s unblocked, you express your sexuality in a healthy way AND creativity flows into all aspects of your life.
The Swadhisthana, or sacral chakra, helps inform how we relate to our emotions and the emotions of others. It also governs creativity and sexual energy. Those with a blocked sacral chakra could feel a lack of control in their lives.
When the sacral chakra is blocked…
Your sacral chakra governs sexuality, so when it’s blocked sexuality isn’t expressed or satiated. You may have blocked sexual energy, be confused about your sexuality, have low libido OR struggle with imagination and creative thought put into action. Illness, infertility and infection with sexual or urinary organs may also be present. For men – prostate issues may also arise. And, as the sacral chakra is located near the lower intestines and bowels, your digestive system may also suffer. Mentally, your creative ideas might not come to fruition if the sacral chakra is blocked.
Solar Plexus
Your solar plexus IMO is one of the most important chakras in your body. It’s located between the bottom of the sternum and above the belly button. The solar plexus is a yellow color and connects us to the divine energy of the sun and the light. It is your energy zone that supports self esteem, courage, and your personal power. If your solar plexus is healthy, you exude confidence and tackle goals with clarity and fervor. People may see you as vivacious and lively.
The third chakra, the solar plexus chakra, speaks to your ability to be confident and in control of your life. Think back to the last time you had butterflies or felt a pit in the stomach: That’s the Manipura chakra at work.
If your solar plexus chakra is blocked, you might feel overwhelming amounts of shame and self-doubt. Those with open sacral chakras are free to express their true selves.
When your solar plexus is blocked…
you may struggle with self esteem and confidence. You look in the mirror and don’t recognize your true power and beauty. Depression may result from a blocked solar plexus, as well as struggles with career paths, maintaining healthy relationships, making new friends, etc. Digestive illness and problems may surface. A blockage of masculine energy could also be present because of disconnection with the sun.
Heart Chakra
Your heart chakra is located over and through your heart. In the middle and middle-left of your chest. It’s green in color and manages all things related to love in your life – romantic love, friendships, family members, etc. It also governs self-love. If your heart chakra is freely aligned, you give and accept love freely, maintain healthy relationships, and love yourself wholly.
The Anahata, or heart chakra, is the bridge between the lower chakras (associated with materiality) and the upper chakras (associated with spirituality). As the name suggests, this chakra can influence our ability to give and receive love—from others and ourselves.
Someone with a blocked heart chakra will have difficulty fully opening up to the people in their life. If someone’s heart is open, they can experience deep compassion and empathy.
If your heart chakra is blocked…
you have trouble loving yourself and may engage in reckless behaviors to self-medicate the emptiness. Low self esteem and feeling isolated from others. You may be overly-defensive and don’t trust others. You may also have heart or lung problems. Arterial and vascular problems may also arise from a blocked heart chakra. If your heart chakra is imbalanced, you likely have problems loving yourself and others. And lose your fervor for love.
Throat Chakra
Your throat chakra is located over your throat in the middle of your neck. It’s blue in color and governs how you speak to others and how you speak of yourself. Communication is the key aspect of the throat chakra and relates to ALL forms of communication including writing and music. It’s how you express (or don’t) express your truth. If your throat chakra is functioning well, you communicate your feelings and needs with others in a healthy manner AND express your true self.
The Vishuddha, or throat chakra, gives voice to the heart chakra and controls our ability to communicate our personal power.
When it’s functioning at full capacity, it allows us to express ourselves truly and clearly. Someone with a blocked throat chakra will feel like they have trouble finding the words to say how they truly feel.
When your throat chakra is blocked…
you may have a problem with pathological lying or simply “stuffing down” your feelings. You are afraid to be yourself and express your truth. Communication is blocked in your relationships and with yourself. Throat, digestive and thyroid problems may occur.
Third eye
Your third eye is located between your brows, slightly above the bridge of your nose. It’s purple in color and allows you to see the truth in others, energy in the spiritual realms, and brings clarity of mind and soul. When your third eye is open, you see the beauty in the world and in others, as well as being able to see auras, invisible truths, etc. Your ability to tap into psychic awareness comes easily.
As we move up the body, we’re getting closer to communion with the divine. The Anja, or third-eye chakra, controls our ability to see the big picture and connect to intuition. Think of it as the eye of the soul: It registers information beyond the surface level.
Visions and intuitive hits are not uncommon for someone with an open third-eye chakra.
When your third eye is blocked…
You have a spiritual block and don’t see the beauty in others or the world around you. Signs from the universe go unnoticed. You feel disconnected from others and your own spirituality. Headaches, sinus infections, eye problems and other head illnesses may occur. This is a common chakra blocked with many people due to the way society functions. We are taught not to believe, not to see. To focus on what’s directly in front of us. And therefore, ignore our third eyes.
Crown Chakra
Your crown chakra is located at the very top of your head and is the color white. It is your direct link to the energy of the universe – to Source energy a.k.a. God,Goddess, or the Divine. Its your source of spiritual connection and gives you the ability to hear god’s voice, accept divine healing, and feel the presence of your guides and angels.
The Sahasrara, or crown chakra, the highest chakra, sits at the crown of the head and represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually. When you fully open your crown chakra—something very few people ever do!—you’re able to access a higher consciousness.
When your crown chakra is blocked…
you may not believe in god or any other power outside of physicality. Hearing divine guidance or feeling the presence of spirit guides is non-existent. You may feel “unlucky” or angry because of past traumas. You’ll feel disconnected spiritually and alone in the universe. Headaches, migraines, and other neurological illnesses may occur. Sensory processing issues could surface, as well as issues with dizziness and regulating temperature and sensory stimulus.
Chi-China
Chi is your life force, the energy that flows through you and through everything. It is that which gives you life.
The concept of chi (also spelt Qi) has its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Martial Arts. But the idea of a vital life force energy and its role in our health can be found in many cultures. For example, in yoga and Ayurveda we describe this life force as Prana.
Chi energy moves through the body like breath and blood and is nourished by a healthy diet, enough sleep and movement practices, however its qualities go beyond the physical or tangible.
Chi can be described as the purest energy that arises out of consciousness, awareness, stillness – through you into your body and all expressions of life. Chi in short can be described as the essence of your true self. Chi is the bridge between physical form and pure awareness
Chi energy is like a bridge between your form, which is your body, your thoughts, emotions, sensations, and the formless which is your essence, consciousness, awareness. In a way, when we trace chi back from form to formless, this is the journey of being on the spiritual path. Various practices including Qigong, Tai Chi, yoga, pranayama (breathing exercises), acupuncture and working with marma points all work to support the free flow of chi or prana. They work on strengthening chi and removing any blockages.
The Three Celtic Cauldrons
What is it? Well, the Cauldron of Poesy is a medieval Irish bardic poem extolling the virtues of a trio of metaphysical cauldrons located within the human body.
The three cauldrons the poem talks about are the Cauldron of Warming, the Cauldron of Motion, and the Cauldron of Wisdom. Each cauldron is positioned in a different part of the human body. The Cauldron of Warming is located within the pelvic region, in the depths of our bellies. The Cauldron of Motion is located in the center of the chest, where our heart and lungs reside. Lastly, the Cauldron of Wisdom can be found within our head or sitting on top of it like a crown.
The poem further explains that when we’re born, these spiritual cauldrons are situated differently. Upon birth, the Cauldron of Warming is found in the upright position—basically how we expect a cauldron to sit normally. It is said to contain the basic energy and wisdom we need to live, breathe, grow, and survive at the instinctual level. It can be upset by sickness or unhealthy choices, though.
The Cauldron of Motion is supposedly on its side when we are born, meaning that it is partially empty. Being situated close to the heart, we can connect the Cauldron of Motion to what inspires us—what makes us move. As we pursue what we love and immerse ourselves in culture, the cauldron shifts into the upright position. When we deny ourselves artistry and emotional exploration, we can feel drained and unbalanced. If we immerse ourselves too much, we can flood ourselves and unbalance ourselves physically and mentally.
Lastly, we come into the world with the Cauldron of Wisdom completely overturned and empty. This cauldron guides our spiritual development—exploring the divine, our own places in the universe, and each other. We can upright and fill this cauldron as we become aware of our purpose and seek to make wise choices on our paths.
Each cauldron can be in one of three positions: upright, tilted, or inverted. The position indicates the ability of a cauldron to function. An upright cauldron can hold and ‘cook’ its ingredients; a tilted cauldron allows ingredients to slip away; an inverted cauldron cannot hold on to anything.
Why to use this method?
It resonates with a threefold idea of how many have viewed human consciousness/divinity. Coincidentally, there are a multitude of practices and belief systems from all over the world that see the human soul as being made of three parts. In the Modern Tradition of Witchcraft, we identify the three parts as the animal/physical self (our most basic raw form), the conscious self (that which is aware on this plane—it has reason, emotion, and artistry), and the self-divine (our connection to the tapestry of the universe, the gods, and our own god-selves). So we could connect each of the parts to a different cauldron: animal/physical self to the Cauldron of Warming, conscious to the Cauldron of Motion, and self-divine to the Cauldron of Wisdom.
kabbalistic tree of life in Jewish mysticism
a 2,000 year old poem is a description of Ten Sefirot-Ten Energies is the basis for the Tree of Life –a Kabbalistic map developed in the south of France in the 12th century in the mystic school of Rabbi Isaac the Blind. The Tree depicts the flow of energy from the infinite source (above)to the finite expression/manifestation (“below”).
In Transformational Kabbalah the Tree of Life becomes a pragmatic tool for seeing how and why things, people, and events manifest in our lives -and how and why we go about creatively manifesting things, people, and events.
Prana
Life force (Prana) simply means energy. All matters in the universe are made up of energy. It is not just about our physical body we are talking about here. Even, our thoughts and feelings are also energy waves which actually can be measured through proper instruments. Pranic healing requires no physical touch. Pranic healing is a three-step process in which it accelerates the body’s inner healing ability to heal at all levels like physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Medicine Wheel
The medicine wheel (also called the Sun Dance Circle or Sacred Hoop) is an ancient and sacred symbol used by many Tribes. It signifies Earth’s boundary and all the knowledge of the universe. The Indigenous medicine wheel represents the alignment and continuous interaction of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realities.
The Medicine Wheel, sometimes known as the Sacred Hoop, has been used by generations of various Native American tribes for health and healing. It embodies the Four Directions, as well as Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Spirit Tree—all of which symbolize dimensions of health and the cycles of life.
Quantum Healing
Quantum healing is a pseudoscientific mixture of ideas which purportedly draws from quantum mechanics, psychology, philosophy, and neurophysiology. Advocates of quantum healing assert that quantum phenomena govern health and wellbeing.
Quantum healing is a term coined by Deepak Chopra to describe how our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect the way we experience illness and health in our lives. According to this principle, our consciousness does not just control the function of our brain and nervous system.
Working with your Energy- Raising the Vibe
You have probably heard others talking about raising their vibe or going to a higher vibration. When they are saying this they are talking about energy work.
When you raise your vibration you become consciously aware of your mental and emotional state. As this awareness increases so does the perception of your blocks. But keep in mind that this is all good information.
A lot of people think that raising your vibration means that you’re going to feel better, lighter, and even imagine stepping into fantasy picture of riding in on a unicorn. Additionally, while “raising your vibration” sounds like a lovely result, (and of course it is), its the entire process that will show you where you are out of balance with that higher vibe.
Let’s say for instance, you want to be more loving. So your light body will begin to hold more love. But as you hold more love, you will be shown all the frequencies that are out of alignment with love. This is not the fun part. So now you are seeing things like hatred, trauma, disgust, rejection all come to the surface because you are holding more light, and these shadows can no longer be hidden.
But hang in there! Don’t throw away all your amazing work just because it is getting hard. It’s all part of the experience.You actually have the chance here to do the spiritual healing work to release these stale emotions, memories and experiences that will change your entire life!
With a higher vibration, you’re able to hold higher states of consciousness and this consciousness lift will help you move through your inner blocks more and more quickly.
Raising Your Vibration means that a lot of your old trauma, past memories, and old energy is revealed so that you can heal it and bring in a new higher vibration to hold in your mind, body and soul.
Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese style of bodywork founded by Mikao Usai. The name translates to “spiritually guided life force energy”. It is a spiritual and vibrational healing intervention without the involvement of physical manipulation. Reiki is spiritual in nature but is not a religious practice, the intent is to maintain physiological balance through a subtle vibrational field.
Reiki has been used to treat ailments alone or as a supplemental treatment to promote recovery and enhance the quality of life.
To learn more about reiki you can watch the Divination class series on it below.
Polarity Therapy
This method was founded by osteopathic physician Randolph Stone in 1947. Polarity Therapy is a holistic wellness practice used in alternative medicine. Inspired both by Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicines, the intent is to rebalance the distribution of energy throughout the body using a mix of bodywork, exercise, nutrition, and counseling to alleviate or prevent health issues.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘ayur’ – life and ‘veda’ – knowledge, translating to knowledge of life. This natural medicine practice originated in India over 3,000 years ago and is based on the idea that diseases are a result of an imbalance within one’s consciousness. In India, Ayurvedic medicine is regarded as equal to conventional Western medicine.
Ayurveda treatment starts with an internal purification process, followed by a special diet, herbal remedies, massage therapy, yoga, and meditation. The primary concepts of the practice are universal interconnectedness, the body’s natural constitution (prakriti), and life forces (doshas). Herbs, plants, oils and spices are all commonly used in Ayurvedic treatment.
Currently there is no national standard in the US for Ayurvedic medicine, so be sure to research your practitioner’s background and experience and consult your medical professional before using herbal medicine.
Centering
Centering gives you perspective on your own energy by allowing you to differentiate between what is yours and what is in the environment around you.
Think of centering like cleaning up your house after several weeks of not putting things away where they live. There are half-finished projects, maybe a couple dishes, you haven’t unpacked a shopping bag. All of those material possessions belong somewhere.
It’s the same with your energy. Whenever you experience extreme emotions, little bits of your energy can become detached. This can make you feel sort of, spread too thin. Centering helps you to call back and reattach all your bits of energy and helps you feel whole again.
If you don’t have any energy fragments scattered around, centering can simply gather and focus your energy so that it’s ready to work toward your next intention. To learn more about centering send me a message on facebook and ask me how to get access to my witchcraft basics bootcamp for a week of detailed work on centering!
Method:
Lay down or sit comfortably. Enter a meditative state by focusing on your breathing.
Find your center. This is the place where all of your energy radiates from. For me, this is the center of my pelvic region in my root chakra. Some people find their energy center is the middle of their forehead at the third eye chakra. Yours may be somewhere else entirely. Wherever it is, feel the energy circulating from it.
Now visualize that you—and your energy center—are the nexus of a galaxy. Orbiting all around you are stars and planets and comets and meteors. These are your energy fragments.
Notice that some of the orbits are large while others are nice and close to the center. Feel the gravity of your center grow and pull the furthest fragments of energy closer to you.
As the gravity of your center continues to grow stronger, the bits of your energy galaxy circulate right near your center. Everything is back in it’s home, and your energetic universe is harmonious.
At this point, you are centered and can ease yourself out of the meditation. Sometimes it’s nice to hang out in your energy galaxy, though. It’s a good opportunity to close up any energy leaks and to get to know your energy a little better.
Take note of how you feel in contrast to how you felt before you centered.
Grounding
Grounding is a term used to help center and calm a person’s energy and emotions. It is a process that helps us to energetically and physically connect deeper to the healing frequencies of the Earth and puts us more in a present state of awareness.
Grounding is a way to connect you to the earth and to your purpose. It gives you the opportunity to take a strong stand in your intention.
To learn more about grounding you can learn about it here in the study guide from my previous class I taught on it. Grounding &earthing
Breathwork
What is breathwork? It’s breathing, but not like you know it. Think of breathwork like an active meditation, where you change your breathing pattern to boost mental, physical and spiritual health.
Breathing also helps move energy and you can use the breath to facilitate its movement in and around your body. As you breathe in, imagine drawing in pure divine energy. This can be very powerful. As you breathe out you can imagine you are sending energy out in a particular direction. Send out the negative energy you may have accumulated, sort of like dirt or pollution, into the ground where it will be neutralized.
Sound Healing
Sound Healing is a powerful therapy that combines different healing sounds, music, and sound healing instruments to improve our multidimensional well-being by creating a beautiful experience where all layers of our luminous energy field (body, mind, soul, spirit) are awakened gently and lovingly.
Integral Sound Healing is highly effective at triggering our relaxation response, which counters the many symptoms caused by chronic stress, while helping to balance our whole being.
Sound Healing Instruments that are easy to play can be applied both on the body and off-the-body, whilst also incorporating vocal sounds and tones.
Sound Therapy techniques are delivered using instruments such as Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, gongs, drums, tuning forks, and more, both during a one-on-one sound healing session or sound bath
Work with crystals
Crystals are such amazing tools to help us harness energy and use it in a much more effective way in our lives, and magical practices. Using crystals help us be in alignment with the energies surrounding us and can also help us call on certain energies when we want to use them.
Crystals come directly from the earth and therefore vibrate with healing earthly energy. All of our medicines come from the earth and so why can’t natural resources also provide some sort of healing? They can! This includes crystals and stones of various types and colors.
Thought alignment
An important key to working with energy, is using your thoughts. Energy follows thought. Using your thoughts and your imagination are the tools for directing, manipulating and controlling energy.
With every thought we think, energy reacts to that thought by moving. So learn how to manipulate your energy and the energy around you with your imagination. When you do so, you’ll tap into your intuitive guidance system because energy is the language of your intuition. By moving energy with your intention and your imagination, you can control and move energy to pick up intuitive information about things. For example, you can expand your energy field to connect with a place or area you would like to pick up intuitive information about.
Protection And Energy
There are ways you can shield yourself from negative energy or energy that you don’t want to experience. The amplitude of your energy, which is the LOUDNESS of your energy, will overwhelm the energy of other things. Have you ever noticed that when you’re near someone who is extremely happy and excited, the energy rubs off on you? By the same token if you are near someone who is very, very depressed, sad and down, that you feel it as well? Sometimes their energy is so “loud” that you can’t help but absorb it and feel the way they do. If you are a sensitive person you’ll pick up and absorb all the nuances of that energy until it becomes yours. The solution is to turn up your own energy so it shields you from energy of those around you. If your energy is ‘louder’ than the “Negative”nergy around you, you will drown it out and not be affected by it. You can stay light and happy yourself. Remind yourself to observe those people and not absorb their feelings, thoughts and energy. Remember energy follows thought. If you can’t do that, then your intention can create an energetic shield against the negative energy.
Here’s how to do that.
Step 1: Pull your energy back in to yourself – close to your physical body with your intention.
Step 2: Imagine a shield, like a force field, or a wall made of steel, titanium, or diamond, whatever is strong to you.
Step 3: You can physically move away from the ‘source’.
You can imagine being in an energetic egg of protection with energy that allows the good to come in but the bad bounces off. You can also use a physical shield, by putting something between you and the negative energy source, or simple step back, or walk away.
The last energy work type I’ll discuss here is called shielding. In my opinion, this is the most important energy work practice that you can learn as an energy manipulator. If you can commit to starting a daily shielding practice and keeping it up, you are committing to keeping your energy safe and secure.
Shielding is a way of keeping your energy safe. You set up a barrier to separate the feelings, emotions, and thoughts of others from your own space. It can prevent energetic vampires from draining your energy, and it protects your energy from spirit attacks and other unfriendly things. It’s a great way to help protect empaths from absorbing all of the negative emotions of other people as well.
Shielding can be especially useful before going to areas with lots of people like a concert, convention or fair. These types of events have a lot of free-floating energy that can be overwhelming.
You can build a shield around anything you want to protect: your loved ones, children, and pets, your home, your car.
Method:
Ideally, you would ground and center before you build a shield.
Sit down or lie down. You could stand up to do this, but it helps to close your eyes, which—while standing—could potentially make you get wobbly.
Visualize your body surrounded by a sphere of glowing light. Make sure it completely surrounds you with no cracks or weak areas.
Imagine the light forming to your body like a second skin. Let it lock into place around you.
Now visualize that the outside of this shield is shining and reflective like a mirror. Imagine negative energy coming toward you and bouncing off the mirror back to its sender.
This is a basic, yet effective method of shielding yourself from negativity. Do you feel safe and protected after shielding?
Alternatives:
If this shield doesn’t feel strong enough to you, or it just doesn’t feel right, try something else. Here are some other ideas for shields you can test that may feel more comfortable or satisfying. Construct them in the same way, by visualizing them surrounding you.
A whirlpool or hurricane of water swirling around a calm eye of the storm where you are
Big gusts of wind or a tornado blowing around you and sending away negative energy
A sphere of burning flames to incinerate any negative energy that tries to get close
Mountains of solid, impenetrable rock
A tangle of thorns sticking out away from you, with beautiful flowers on the inside
Clouds of smoke and mist that obscure you from enemies
Anything else you can imagine! Whatever feels right to you.
If you would like to expand your knowledge on energy and energy work you can purchase my Ebook on the topic in the shop, and reach out me for a booking on many different types of energy services I offer for 1:1 guidance, and clearing. Or if you’d rather listen than read; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on YouTube below!
Pan, the horned – and horny – furry little half man half goat god of Greek mythology speaks to such basic instincts and has so many names and attributes that he is probably one of the most ancient Greek gods – perhaps even predating Greek religion as we think of it. This is due the fact that even though Pan isn’t one of the great Greek gods, references to him are more common than references to any other character in Greek mythology.
Part man and part goat, Pan was the Greek god who was patron of shepherds and hunters, who watched their flocks. Pan was the Greek god of nature and the untamed wilderness. PAN was the god of the meadows and forests of the mountain wilds. His unseen presence aroused panic in those who traversed his realm. He was even thought to be the cause of the musical sound of the wind through the trees. He was Associated with music, fertility, and spring. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat; he was the chief of the satyrs, who were similar in appearance and character to Pan.
Pan, ruled over nature and pasturelands. Pan is essentially the father of the wild things. He is frequently depicted in literature and artworks. Although he is not one of the major gods of Ancient Greece, he is one of most often referenced figures in Greek mythology. Pan has come to represent the unstoppable power of nature throughout the ages and still today. Let’s journey into the dark, unseen parts of the forest and meet the musical, lustful, primal hunting spirit, the patron deity of shepherds and greek god of the wilderness; Pan!
Who is Pan?
Pan is considered to be one of the oldest of GREEK GODS. He is associated with nature, wooded areas and pasturelands, from which his name is derived. The worship of Pan began in rustic and rural areas, far from the populated city centers. Communities were modest and he didn’t have any large temples built to worship him. Rather, worship centered in nature, often in caves or grottos. He ruled over shepherds, hunters and rustic music and was the patron god of Arcadia. Pan was often in the company of the wood nymphs and other deities of the forest.
In literature and art, Pan was commonly represented as a carefree and easygoing god (as long as his midday siestas were not disturbed). He spent his days hunting, dancing, or playing his beloved pipes. Pan was known above all for his insatiable lust and for pursuing beautiful nymphs throughout the woodlands and mountains—though these chases tended to end in frustration, with the objects of his desires fleeing him or changing their shape.
It is possible that Pan was once a far more powerful and all-encompassing figure in Greek mythology. In some of the less common myths, he had the powers of a sea god and had the epithet Haliplanktos. He was also a god of oracles and a healer of epidemics through the cures that are revealed in dreams
A representation of nature in all its wild strength, the god Pan has always been seen as the generating force in male form and is still recognized today by the Wiccan religion as the beneficial father, as opposed to the Goddess, the Earth, Gaea, who is the primary force.
As a fertilizer, he had a great sexual connotation from the beginning, which together with his repellent aspect have made him the symbol of male supremacy.
History and worship
Though there is no evidence of Pan’s mythology prior to 500 BCE, it is likely that he was known in some form—at least in his native Arcadia—from a very early period, perhaps even as early as the Bronze Age. Pan may have emerged as a deity of the Mycenaean period (ca. 1600–1050 BCE) named “Aegipan” (Αἰγίπαν/Aigípan), a kind of goat god of shepherds. Pan’s origins may also be connected with the early Indian god Pushan, whose name is cognate with his.
But, Pan was most commonly worshiped in Arcadia, although a number of cults were dedicated to him in Athens and other major Greek centers by the fifth century B.C.E. The Roman counterpart to Pan is Faunus, another nature spirit.
Ancient Arcadia, a mountainous area in central Peloponnessus. The majority of Greeks disdained Arcadia and its inhabitants, as the society was far removed from Classical Greece, with a pastoral economy and rudimentary political system. Furthermore, the mountain dwelling Arcadians themselves were considered somewhat backwards and primitive. Thus, the fact that they held a figure of the wilderness in such high regard is not surprising.
Worship of Pan began in Arcadia and remained the principal area of his worship. Pan was considered Lord of Arcadia and guardian of its sanctuaries. One enclosure dedicated to Pan stood on Mount Lycaeus and functioned as a sanctuary for animals that were stalked by the wolf, consistent with the idea that Pan protected all creatures. His ability to bestow sterility or fertility upon domesticated animals gave him particular significance in the worship of Arcadian hunters and shepherds. In fact, Theocritus notes that if Arcadian hunters or shepherds had been disappointed in the chase or with the sterility of their animals, respectively, they would undertake a rite in which the statue of Pan was whipped and scourged in hopes of calling back the god from inactivity.Arcadians believed that Pan was the keeper of the mountainous lands in which he lead his own flocks, and also considered such places to be his sanctuaries.
It was not until the fifth century B.C.E. that a cult of Pan began to develop in Athens, shaping the image of the god into that which is most recognizable today. According to Herodotus’s account, Pan was declared an official deity in the city after appearing to the messenger Phillippides on an assignment that took him to Arcadia before the battle of Marathon. Pan questioned Phillippides as to why the Athenians had not yet dedicated a cult to him, despite all his benevolence. After the battle, Athenians remembered this epiphany, and consecrated a grotto on the northwest slope of the Acropolis to Pan. In contrast to his consistently exalted position in Arcadia, Pan went on to lose his status as a major god in the major centers of Greece, assuming a marginal position in the pantheon when compared to more prominent deities such as the Olympians. However, Pan’s symbolic value was greatly enriched during this period. Rituals involving the god were no longer confined to the pastoral sphere, and his myth and iconography began to spread throughout other major Greek centers such as Attica, Boeotia, and Delphi.
Festivals and Holidays
Some festivals of Pan were documented in antiquity. In Athens, for example, Pan was honored annually with sacrifices and a torch race. But he was most often worshipped in an individual, private capacity. Shepherds would sacrifice kids (i.e., young goats) in his honor, as well as other animals. They would also dedicate statuettes and other votive offerings (vases, lamps, and so on) at the shrines of Pan.
Some rituals connected with Pan were more surprising or strange. On the island of Psyttalea near Attica, Pan was regarded as the patron god of Athenian fishermen. In Arcadia, young men would ceremonially beat a statue of Pan after unsuccessful hunts.
Pan’s Appearance
Perhaps because of his association with nature and animals, Pan did not have the appearance of a normal man. The bottom half of his body was like a goat, with the top half of his body being like other men. He is also depicted as having the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, with the upper body and hands of a human male, resembling a faun.
However, he is also often depicted with horns on his head, and his face is usually unattractive. He often holds either a shepherd’s crook, used for hunting small game, or else a syrinx, a flute-like instrument also known as the panpipe. With the advent of Christianity, his hooves, thick beard, tail, and horns were often associated with Satan.
Pan’s Lineage
The parentage of Pan is unclear, I mean I found 14 different versions of it. He is most commonly considered to be the son of Hermes and a nymph, either Dryopeor Penelope. He has been variously considered a son of Zeus, Apollo, Cronus, Uranus, Odysseseus, Antinoos, or Amphinomos.
The story of his birth in the homeric hymn says that his mother was so distressed by his unusual appearance that she ran away, but he was taken to Mount Olympus where he became the favorite of the gods, especially Dionysus.
In other versions, Pan was raised by nymphs, spirits of nature, whose life force are attached to things such as trees, rivers, and plants. Pan was welcomed into the divine pantheon by all the gods.
Despite suggestions that Pan was the son of an Olympian god, he often appears in some myths to be older than the Olympians. For instance, this is implied in the story which explains that it was Pan who gave Artemis her hunting dogs.
Pan’s name
In the classical age the Greeks associated his name with the word pan meaning “all”. However its true origin lay in an old Arcadian word for rustic.
Pan Powers And Symbols
Like the other GODS OF OLYMPUS, Pan possessed enormous strength. He could also run for long periods of time and was impervious to injury. It was believed he could transform objects into different forms and was able to teleport himself from Earth to Mount Olympus and back. He is depicted as very shrewd with a wonderful sense of humor.
In Ancient Roman mythology, a SIMILAR GOD is called Faunus.
As the god of nature, shepherds, and flocks, Pan had dominion over the pastoral realms. He could instill fear, navigate through forests without a trace, and had a mesmerizing musical talent, especially with his flute, which could soothe, enchant, or terrify listeners.
The symbols associated with Pan provide insights into his roles and attributes. The Pan flute, made from reeds, is a testament to his love for Syrinx and his musical prowess. His goat features, especially his horns and legs, connect him to the wild and untamed aspects of nature. Additionally, the pinecone is often linked to him, symbolizing fertility and the natural cycle of life.
Pan Roles And Responsibilities
In the vast pantheon of Greek gods, Pan held a unique position. As the god of shepherds and flocks, he was the protector of pastoral lands and livestock. Shepherds often prayed to him for the well-being of their animals. His role wasn’t limited to the pastures; as the god of nature, he was the guardian of forests, mountains, and meadows.
Pan’s music had the power to inspire, soothe, or terrify. His melodies on the Pan flute could bring about harmony or chaos, reflecting the dual nature of the wild. Additionally, his ability to instill “panic” made him a formidable force during times of war, where his mere presence could scatter enemies in terror.
Lastly, Pan’s association with fertility made him a deity invoked during various agricultural festivals. His blessings were sought to ensure bountiful harvests and the prosperity of the land.
Pan and Music
The MYTHOLOGICAL STORIES involving Pan usually involve his romantic interest in a lovely goddess of the woods who spurns his advances and gets turned into an inanimate object to escape him or who otherwise flees from his ugly appearance.
One of the famous myths of Pan describes the origin of his trademark pan flute. It begins with Pan experiencing immense feelings of love for Syrinx, a beautiful nymph who, as a follower of Artemis, maintained a strict vow of chastity. Though she scorned them all, Syrinx was nonetheless beloved by the satyrs and other wood dwellers. As she was returning from the hunt one day, Pan ambushed her. She ran away without pausing to hear his flattery, and he pursued her from Mount Lycaeum until she came upon the bank of the River Ladon. Here he overtook her. Desperate, Syrinx called upon the river nymphs for help, and just as Pan laid hands on her, she was transformed into the river reeds. When the air blew through the reeds, it produced a plaintive melody. Pan took these reeds to fashion an instrument that he dubbed the syrinx in honor of his lost love.
On another occasion, Pan had the audacity to compare his music with that of Apollo, the sun god who was a formidable player of the lyre. He then proceeded to challenge Apollo to a trial of skill. Tmolus, the mountain god, was chosen to umpire the competition. Pan blew on his pipes, and with his rustic melody gave great satisfaction to both himself and his faithful follower, Midas, who happened to be present at the time. Then Apollo struck the strings of his lyre. Tmolus at once awarded the victory to Apollo and everyone in attendance save Midas agreed with the judgment. Midas dissented and questioned the merit of the award. Apollo would not tolerate such an insipid listener any longer, and turned Midas’ ears into those of a donkey.
Another musically-inclined myth involving Pan tells the story of Echo, a nymph who was a great singer and dancer. She also scorned the love of any man. This angered Pan, and he promptly instructed his followers to kill her, which they did, tearing the nymph to pieces which scattered all over the earth. The goddess of the earth, Gaia, received these pieces of Echo, whose voice remained, repeating the last words of others. In some versions, Echo and Pan conceive a daughter before Echo is destroyed: this child has been identified as either Iambe, the goddess of verse, or Inyx, a girl in the form of a bird.
Pan and Duality
Pan and the natural habitat in which he was said to live became a metaphor for the pastoral as it exists in contrast to the urban. Pan’s dual nature as both divine and animal plays upon the tenuous balanced between disorder and harmony, the primal and the cultivated. He represents in his literal form the blending of our animal side, our connection to nature, and our primal wild instincts and the divine, spiritual connection, and our humanity.
Pan and sexuality
Pan is famous for his unfettered sexuality, and is often depicted with an erect phallus. This rampant desire prompted him to do much philandering, plying his charms primarily on maidens and shepherds, such as Daphnis, a Sicilian nymph with whom he consorted, and later taught to play the panpipe. However, Pan was rarely successful in his courting. Just as he was avoided by Syrinx, so too was he abhorred by a nymph named Pitys, whom he stalked untiringly. She escaped his pursuit only when the gods turned her into a pine tree.
Though Pan failed with Syrinx and Pitys, he was not so unfortunate with the Maenads, making love to each of them. It is also said that Pan enticed the moon goddess Selene. Pan accomplished this feat by wrapping himself in a sheepskin to hide his hairy black goat form, and drew Selene down from the sky into the forest where he seduced her.
Pan’s Lovers And Relationships
Pan, the god of the wild, was not only known for his rustic nature and musical prowess but also for his numerous romantic escapades. His relationships with various nymphs and deities are woven into the fabric of Greek mythology, each tale more intriguing than the last.
Syrinx
One of the most famous myths associated with Pan involves the beautiful wood-nymph Syrinx of Arcadia, daughter of the river-god Ladon. As Syrinx returned from a hunt, Pan, smitten by her beauty, pursued her. To escape his advances, she ran until she reached her sisters, who transformed her into a reed. When the wind blew through these reeds, it produced a haunting melody. Unable to find the specific reed that was Syrinx, Pan fashioned an instrument from several reeds, creating the pan flute, which he named in honor of his beloved.
Echo
Echo, another nymph, also caught the attention of Pan. However, when she scorned his love, he, in a fit of rage, ordered his followers to tear her apart. Yet, even in death, her voice lived on, forever echoing in the mountains, giving birth to the phenomenon we now know as an echo.
Pitys
Pitys too was an object of Pan’s affection. The tales say that to escape his advances, she was transformed into a pine tree.
Selene
There’s also a legend that suggests Pan seduced the moon goddess Selene. He did so by covering himself with a sheep’s fleece, deceiving her with its softness.
These tales not only highlight Pan’s romantic pursuits but also shed light on his persistent nature and the lengths he would go to for love. Whether it was crafting an instrument in memory of a lost love or disguising himself to woo a goddess, Pan’s escapades are a testament to the complexities of love and desire in Greek mythology.
Pan’s Offspring
Pan’s escapades not only involved various lovers but also resulted in the birth of several offspring, each with their own unique tales and significance in Greek mythology.
Silenus
Silenus, often depicted as a jovial and rotund individual, was one of Pan’s most notable children. He was a companion and tutor to the wine god Dionysus. Known for his wisdom, Silenus possessed knowledge of the past, present, and future. However, extracting this knowledge was a challenge, as he was often found intoxicated and had to be coaxed or even forced to share his insights.
Iynx
Iynx was a daughter of Pan and Echo. She was transformed into a bird, often identified as a wryneck, and became associated with magical spells that stirred up desire. The “iynx wheel,” a charm used to invoke passionate love, was named after her.
Krotos
Krotos was a unique creature, part man and part horse, known for his exceptional skill in archery and his love for music. He lived among the Muses and is credited with the invention of rhythmic applause – the act of clapping hands to appreciate music. His musical talents and contributions were so significant that the Muses requested Zeus to place him among the stars, leading to the creation of the constellation Sagittarius.
Xanthus
Xanthus was one of the twelve offspring of Pan, though specific tales about him are less prevalent. His name, which means “golden” or “fair,” suggests a radiant or beautiful being, but details about his role or significance in myths remain elusive.
Pan’s offspring, like their father, played diverse roles in Greek myths, from imparting wisdom to influencing love and music. Their tales further emphasize the vast and varied influence of Pan in the tapestry of Greek mythology.
Pan and the nymphs
Nymphs have always been associated with Pan and his satyrs, primordial creatures, spirits of nature themselves, which were generated by it. Beautiful girls, also custodians of a strong sexual charge, to the point that the word nymphomaniac derives from their name.
The nymphs and satyrs have always mated in the thick of the forests, under the branches of thousand-year-old oaks, in an ancient sexual game. That was the primary occupation of such creatures, beings created by nature itself and dominated by it.
Generate. Generate life, crops, every plant species, herds, and wild animals. Protectors of the woods and fields, they led a simple and bucolic life, played their flutes, slept in the shade of old trees, tasted all the pleasures of sex.
Christianity changed everything, assimilated the old religions by adapting them, and since there was no place for them in Heaven, they were thrown into Hell. Pan became Satan, and his satyrs the devils. The lascivious nymphs became wicked witches, and the pleasant amusements of satyrs and nymphs in the heart of the forest became infernal sabbaths where witches mated with goats and deformed devils. Once again, poor Pan had been betrayed by his bestial aspect.
Obviously, a religion that repressed sex and considered it the cause of all misfortune could not accept mythology that had made sex its very reason for being. It could not simply forget them and consign them to oblivion, but it was necessary to demonize them, so that they were always a warning to men. In their eyes, the very union of apparently human girls with beings of animal descent was an abomination, which they tried to erase through centuries of oppression and inquisition.
Pan and Myths of Wanderers
The Greek countryside was more than a place to tend to sheep and goats. With rugged mountains, deep caves, and hidden grottoes it was a favorite place for those looking to hide. Spending his time in that landscape, it’s not surprising that Pan features prominently in myths involving a flight into the wilderness.
In one such story, Pan encounters the goddess Demeter.
Demeter’s beloved daughter, Persephone, had been “abducted”by Hades and made queen of the underworld. Grieving the loss of her child, Demeter had abandoned Olympus.
Wearing a black cloak of mourning, she wandered the wilderness. Eventually, she shut herself in a cave to be completely alone in her suffering. Without Demeter, though, the world began to die. Plants withered, causing a famine for humans and animals.
Knowing the mountains well, Pan set out to find the missing goddess. He eventually discovered her hiding place and reported it to Zeus. Zeus sent the Fates, who persuaded Demeter to return to her duties. To learn more about both hades and persephone you can my classes on both of them here; Dark Goddess Devotionals: Persephone and below!
In another story, Pan came across the beautiful princess Psyche.
Against the wishes of Aphrodite, Eros had fallen in love with the girl. He took her away, but made her promise never to look upon his face. When Psyche broke that promise, Eros abandoned her. She wandered the world, searching for her lost love. In her despair, Psyche considered ending her own life by throwing herself into a river. As she had this thought, Pan happened to come by.Knowing what had happened to cause her misery, Pan tried to comfort the girl. Psyche did not reply, but she did continue on her way. Eventually, she would win Aphrodite’s favor and be reunited with her husband as a goddess.
These legends did more than just tie Pan into the stories of the major gods. They reinforced his position as a companion to anyone who wandered the wilderness.
Whether someone lived a rustic life or simply found themselves lost in Arcadia’s miles of hilly wilderness, they could count on Pan to be nearby.
Pan and Dionysus
Of all the gods, Pan is most closely linked to Dionysus.The god of wine and feasting, Dionysus represented a release from the constraints of society’s rules and order. A wild god who loved music and sex, Pan was a natural companion for the god of parties.
Pan is often seen with, or conflated with, the Satyrs. These wild spirits with the tails of horses were similarly associated with wild merriment and unchecked sexuality.
The Satyrs and Pan were often the companions of the Maenads, the wild followers of Dionysus. Their worship was a wild, drunken revelry that often descended into a chaotic frenzy of sex and violence.
Pan’s son, Silenus, had served as tutor and foster-father to Dionysus. The two became virtually inseparable. Association with Dionysus was not always about parties and revels, however. Even the god of wine went to war.
The story of the Indian War of Dionysus was a later one, from after the time of Alexander the Great. In his campaigns he had introduced the Greek world to India, and the Dionysiaca was an attempt to incorporate this new land into Greek tradition.
In this epic poem, Zeus tells Dionysus that he must convince the Indians to worship the gods of Olympus if he wishes to be counted as one himself.
Dionysus sets off in a war on India. His army is composed largely of his usual followers – the wild Satyrs, Maenads, and Panes – as well as more organized troops provided by Rhea.
Dionysus and his men easily overpower the Indians and the battle is a bloodbath. He takes pity on his enemies, turning the water of a nearby lake to wine.This was the first time Indians tasted wine. When they had drunk themselves to sleep, Dionysus had them bound.
As one of his chief followers, Pan was a part of the army of Dionysus.
When the god attempted to talk to the Indian leaders, Pan was with the heralds sent. They were rudely chased away, inciting the anger that led to the great battle. When the battle was over, Pan played his flute while the Greek and Indians enjoyed the ample wine Dionysus had provided.
Pan Gave Humans the Word “Panic”
Pan also was thought to inspire panic, the paranoid fear that has the potential to reduce human beings to their most animalistic instincts, particularly when they are in lonely places. It is from the name Pan that this word derived.
The story of Pan’s birth in which his appearance causes his mother to flee in terror serves as something of an origin myth for this variation of fear.
Another story that may be the origin of this myth involves Pan in the tale of war, in which Pan helps his friend survive a vicious struggle by letting out an immense cry that frightened the enemy and caused him to run away.
Pan and the Pans
Pan was sometimes multiplied into a mob of “pans,” goat-featured woodland creatures much like him; some sources even spoke of female pans. Sometimes these creatures were the offspring of Pan,while other times they were the offspring of Hermes, who in certain traditions was also the father of Pan. These pans, like Pan himself, were often represented as members of Dionysus’ entourage.
One of the pans, Aegipan, was more notable than the others; in fact, he may have been identical with Pan himself. Some of the myths involving Aegipan were also told of Pan, and both creatures were connected with the constellation Capricorn
Constellation
Pan was sometimes connected with the constellation Capricorn, which the Greeks knew as Aegocerus (meaning “goat-horned”). He was given this honor, at least in one tradition, because his advice had saved the gods when they were attacked by the monster Typhoeus. Pan suggested the gods disguise themselves as animals and hide from their terrible enemy (he followed his own advice by turning into a goat). After Zeus defeated Typhoeus, he rewarded Pan for his sage counsel by putting him in the stars as Capricorn, the celestial goat.
Pan The dead god
If you choose to believe the Greek historian Plutarch in The Obsolescence of Oracles, Pan is the only Greek god who is dead. During the reign of Tiberius (14 C.E.–37 C.E.), the news of Pan’s death came to Thamus, a sailor on his way to Italy by way of the island of Paxi. A divine voice hailed him across the salt water, saying “Thamus, are you there? When you reach Palodes, take care to proclaim that the great god Pan is dead.” Thamus did just this, and the news was greeted from shore with much lamentation. The death of Pan upset Tiberius to such an extent that he called together a committee of philologists to find out who exactly the god was.
Other Interpretations
There were other important interpretations of the god Pan in antiquity. In philosophy, especially Stoic philosophy, Pan was seen as the embodiment of the universe—a notion that arose from the pseudo-etymological link between Pan’s name and the Greek tò pân, meaning “everything, universe.”
A similar view of Pan was adopted in Orphism, an ancient Greek religion with its own distinctive beliefs, rituals, and pantheon. In Orphism, Pan was regarded as the god of “everything.”
Why work with Pan?
Given his status as a nature deity, Pan exhibited a degree of capriciousness befitting his status. He had both benevolent and destructive sides to his personality. A person whose main credo in life was liberty, Pan was well-known for his boundless zeal and his relentless pursuit of his ambitions. The life Pan led was one of carefree abandon. Most of his time was spent frolicking through the highlands, where he herded sheep, played the pipes, sang, and danced.
When you experience sexual desire, childlike wonder, or genuine happiness, Pan is there to help you celebrate. In the sights of any romantic or in the beating heart of anyone who accepts life as it is, flaws and all. The magical energies of Pan are those of ecstasy, oneness with nature, joy, sexuality, and stability.
Therefore, Pan teaches us to enjoy life and love to the fullest, to access that wildest part of the self. On a literal level, the Greek god Pan can teach you how to connect with nature, but on a metaphorical level (and the two often go together), Pan shows you how to find the wildness within, even if the journey may be frightening.
Pan has the ability to teach you all of this! To teach you to be more carefree to let go of control, to follow your passion and desires, and to welcome your deepest sexual desires. As one of the “old gods,” working with Pan is no walk in the park. He will show you the darkest parts of yourself, analogous to the inner forest where no light shines, but he will also show you the intrinsic beauty and power in those parts. Lastly he can help you to tap into your own personal power of who you are beyond your looks and the acceptance of others. He reminds you that neither of those things are needed to live a carefree, and wildly fun life.
Correspondences
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be the zodiac energy the moon, an archetype energy , or for a deity like I will list below for you to use.
colors- greens, browns, reds, earthly tones and colors
Tarot- the devil
Themes- wilderness, fertility, the unseen, nature, sexual desire and passion, carefreeness, joy, wanderlust, rejection, music, shepherding, animals, panic, rural areas, ecstasy, grounding,
Chakra-Root
Herbs- musk, pine, frankincense, myrrh, patchouli, water reeds,
Stones/ crystals- bloodstone, jasper, smoky quartz, amber, carnelian, black tourmaline
How to work with Pan
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from.. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. But,below you find many different ways to get you started with working the god Pan.
When working with Pan remember, He can form bonds easily, so if you’ve been looking for a loving, laid back God who certainly doesn’t mind any of your more earthy habits, He may be the God for you. Pan is also a God who seems to not go where He isn’t wanted. He can be persistent but if heartbroken you’ll never see Him again. So be gentle, He’s had it hard enough between people declaring Him dead or calling Him ugly. Pan is a very sweet-natured God and all He asks in return is love and affection.
Study Pan
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a godlike Pan, is to dive into their history and qualities. Begin by studying the myths, verses, and incantations featuring this wild god. Read about his origin story, his connection to Hermes, Dionysius, and his connection to the nymphs. Then read about the culture from which he arose and the region his worshiped was centered around Arcadia. Then study some more. Keep a section in your journal and/or book of shadows dedicated to Pan.
Shadow work
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the god Pan. With him being a deity of the wilderness, the unseen, sexual passion, and the duality of our animalistic side he can bring us into some of the darkest places of ourselves that we truly fear to venture into. He can open our eyes to some of our deepest wants and desires that we may not even want to admit to ourselves. He reminds us that we are primal beings connected to nature and there is no shame in honoring and connecting to that. With his story being full of rejection especially from his own mother; he can truly help us to accept ourselves and who we are even when the world and even our loved ones do not. To learn more about shadow work and how to use it in your life and magical practices you can watch my previously taught class on the topic below.
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Pan.. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Pan there, be sure to cleanse the space before you invite him in. Include his earthy colors, his symbols, and representations of satyrs, and a wooded wild place and any of his other correspondences you can use to connect to him. This will be a space that reminds you to connect with his primal, raw, and wild energy. To learn more about how to set up an altar for a deity you can read about it in my study guide here;
Everyone likes receiving presents. Pan is no different. You don’t have to give him offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. The Greek god Pan prefers offerings that are wild and based on nature. You can place these offerings at your altar space dedicated to him or when performing any work to connect to him like meditation, prayer, and visualization.
Wine and honey cakes.
Grapes, wine, and meat
Sunstone, carnelian, and obsidian
Musk, saw palmetto, patchouli, and myrrh
Honey and milk
offerings of music or song
It is well-known that he had a particular fondness for gold-coated grasshoppers.
Vases and works of pottery
If possible you can sacrifice a portion of your livestock
If you are a hunter or fisher you can offer one of your catches or kills
Connect to Pan through music
As we talked about many times, Pan was deeply tied to music so much so he is commonly depicted with his pan flute and he even believed he was more musical than Apollo. This makes using music to connect to him great! You can do this by simply listening to music, especially flute music or even learning to play a new instrument.
Use him to help ease Anxiety and panic attacks
He can help, naturally, with panic attacks. As Pan is the God who can induce two kinds of panic (mental as in battle terror and erotic) He can also reverse it. Through the sound of His pipes, voice or mere presence He can cut through the mindless terror. You can use him to help alleviate anxiety by calling on him in prayer, saying his name, listening to his music and going to him in meditation.
Wander carefree
One of the main characteristics we see often about Pan is that he was a very carefree deity who could be found wandering the rugged mountainside often and there are even many myths were he is stumbled upon. So, why not connect to him by doing the same thing. Head out of your home and simply wander with no goal, no destination and no purpose other than to enjoy where you go and see where you end up. Use this method to help you release some control and understand you are going to experience so much joy when you simply just exist in the world.
Cast a sex spell or use sex magick
If you need to boost your sex drive and your sex life, you can ask Pan for help. Invoke him and ask him to support your spell casting with his energy and his power. You can create a custom prayer for him and use a statue or picture of him as a special addition to your sacred space. To learn more about how to use sex magick in your life you can watch part 2 of my class on sex magick here;
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into god like Pan is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on youtube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred space. You can focus on hearing him and visioning him playing his flute to help you begin. In addition, ask Pan to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with him in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Connect deeply to nature
Pan is the deity of nature and the wilderness. Spend some time outside—especially at midday, as that’s Pan’s hour—and drink a few glasses of wine in his honor, have some fun while in nature. Truly soak up all that nature has to offer you. Both the seen and the unseen part of nature.
Gather objects from the outdoors
Pan is the deity of nature and the wilderness so when you are connecting to nature take the time to gather some things like feathers, rocks, mosses, etc. to infuse your home with natural energy. Having this natural energy in your home will help you connect to Pan daily and allow your home to be filled with the wild vital energy of nature.
Cast a fertility spell
Pan is god of nature and the wild which makes him a deity associated with fertility. So, cast a fertility spell to connect to him, especially, If you’re a man and struggling with infertility, ask him to help you. Cast a fertility spell and dedicate your craft to him. He will definitely help you boost both your fertility and your sex life.
Call on him to amplify Protection magic and spells
Pan is protective. He won’t think twice about protecting those He loves and His music, mere presence or fearsome shout can inspire mindless terror. I’m not saying you cause trouble and expect Pan to save you, but He can and will protect those who are truly kind to Him. To learn how to use him in protection magic and about protection magic in general you can watch both part 1 and part 2 of my protection magic class here; Magick And Witchcraft Basics: Protection and Warding Part 2 and below.
Use color magic and earthy tones
What is color magic? Color magic is using the color spectrum and the intention of each color to invoke its magical response and connect to that energy and vibration of the color.
Each color has it’s own magical properties you can connect to. You can use those colors in spells, on your altar, to connect to elements and/or deities, and to set intentions and manifestations. You can even use color magic in your every day life like in the clothes you wear, the décor of your home, the color you paint your nails and more! The sky is the limit it really is up to you! To connect to pan using color magic you need to make sure to use earthy tones that connect you to the outside and nature.
Ritual for abundance with Pan
This ritual helps you attract the finest things in life together with abundance, wealth, and luck. This ritual should be performed during the night of a full moon.
Ingredients
A green candle, A statue or any other representation of Pan,A magnet
How to perform it
Light the green candle.
Hold the magnet in your hands and recite 8 ( 8 is the number of good fortune and wealth )times:
“God Pan, God Pan, God Pan. Luck is flourishing, luck is real, luck is mine. God Pan, God Pan, God Pan. Your vibrant energy feeds me with joys, luck is flourishing, luck is true, luck is mine. Your vibrant energy feeds me with immense and luxuriant joys. My eyes explode with joy. My mind is free and welcomes all the good in the world. God Pan, God Pan, God Pan. Your vibrant energy feeds me with joy and I feed the highest with my joy. An immense and luxuriant joy forever. Flowering joy, true and mine. In the heart, in the soul, and along the way. “
Let the candle burn out and bury the remains near your home.
Prayer for Pan
“Pan, my beloved god of the woods,
Let your joy and your powerful energy take over,
let it be the energy to rule my whole life,
Give me the chance to enjoy nature, life, and the pleasures around me
Amen. Aho. So Mote it be”
How to know Pan is calling you
How can you know when the Greek god of the wild, Pan, is actually beckoning you? You can keep an eye out for any of the signs listed below.
You hear his name over and over again randomly
You feel a strong pull to go deep into a wooded area or the wild
You are seeing goats or centaurs often
You hear the whistling of musical wind often around you
He comes and visits you in your dreams
You see reminders of Pan coming up often in your life like in tv shows, books, etc
Hearing pan flute or flute music around you often
You live in a rural area
You are connected to shepherding, and livestock for your profession
You have a dramatic increase to your libido and sex drive
You feel the need to explore your animal side
You see his symbols, image, or name in your life often
when a storm comes up, you feel excited by the destructive force of nature
Conclusion
Pan, a prominent figure in Greek mythology, is known as the god of nature, shepherds, and the wilderness. He possesses a unique appearance, with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a goat, complete with goat horns. Pan is recognized for his musical talent, often playing the pan flute with mesmerizing and enchanting melodies.His presence could invoke fear and panic, giving rise to the term “panic.”As a protector of shepherds and a symbol of the wild, Pan embodies the untamed and instinctual aspects of the natural world and human nature, leaving a lasting impact on art, literature, and culture.
Working with Pan has the ability to teach you so much! To teach you to be more carefree to let go of control, to follow your passion and desires, and to welcome your deepest sexual desires. As one of the “old gods,” working with Pan is no walk in the park. He will show you the darkest parts of yourself, analogous to the inner forest where no light shines, but he will also show you the intrinsic beauty and power in those parts. Lastly he can help you to tap into your own personal power of who you are beyond your looks and the acceptance of others. He reminds you that neither of those things are needed to live a carefree, and wildly fun life. Enjoy the wild, carefree, shepherding, and animalistic energy he will bring to your life and magical practices.
To expand your knowledge about him, and meet him during a guided mediation or if you’d rather listen than read; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on YouTube below!
Sekhmet, lioness goddess of Ancient Egypt, is the powerful precursor to the more docile, fun-loving Bastet. She’s known as the Lady of Terror, Mistress Dread, and Lady of Flame. Yes, she’s fierce and a goddess of war. But she also has a protective, healing side that many sources don’t tap into. Like a lioness, Sekhmet watches over her pride, and will hunt and defend as the need arises. Sekhmet, the Bloodthirsty, could be both a loving mother and a ruthless foe.
She is an ancient Egyptian goddess of war, healing, the sun, and plagues. She was also the patron deity of physicians and healers, and could at one time spread disease and cure it. Equally feared and worshiped, the lioness Sekhmet was without a doubt one of the most prominent goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon.
Sekhmet is an ancient Egyptian goddess of healing, protection and war. With the fierce powers of both a lioness and a cobra, she is seen as a powerful protector to those working in witchcraft. Let’s Learn about Sekhmet, Goddess of War and Healing and how to work with her energy in your spiritual practice and daily life.
Who is Sekhmet, the Lioness Goddess of Egypt?
Sekhmet is an ancient Egyptian goddess of war whose belief and worship was born in Lower Egypt. Next to Bastet, Sekhmet is the most important and influential of leonine goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon. Some believe that the Ancient Egyptian goddess Sekhmet was actually the goddess Hathor, which transformed herself due to the power of the Eye of Ra.. In some mythology, She is the daughter of Ra; in others, She is the daughter of Nut, the Sky, and Geb, the Earth.
She’s known as the Eye of Ra, one of his formidable daughters, of whom he employed to punish humanity when he got sick of us. (I’ll go over the myth in more detail later.) She nearly destroyed the entire human species with her wrath and fiery breath. Sekhmet is frequently portrayed as the embodiment of the Eye of Ra, meaning she was a personified enactor of Ra’s vengeance and a destroyer of his enemies. Sekhmet is a lioness, but she is also a representation of the blazing, hot desert sun. Her name likely means “strong”, “powerful”, “violent” or “mighty”.
Some sources see Sekhmet as a manifestation of the powerful creator god Ra. Her fiery breath not only destroys, but it creates. Many scholars claim from stories that her “hot breath created the desert”. In addition to using her fiery breath to destroy, she also has the power to call on plagues for further death and destruction. Sekhmet is a known healer, therefore granting life on the other side of death and decay. We see a sacred polarity with Sekhmet, as she indeed has a softer side and grants healing to those she deems worthy. In fact, at one point, Sekhmet’s physicians were the most well-known and beloved.
What is Sekhmet Goddess of?
Sekhmet is first and foremost a goddess of war and destruction. She is the Eye of Ra, and he called on her to exact his revenge and wrath in the old myths. It’s said that when Sekhmet rained wrath down upon humanity, the only way to stop her from destroying us was by pouring out red-dyed beer to trick her into thinking it was blood. She drank it and became intoxicated which stopped her. This was an act completed by Ra when he realized he had to stop her.
Sekhmet is also known to bring plague, or call on epidemics, yet has the power of giving life and healing to those she feels are worthy. The “Seven Arrows of Sekhmet” were feared by the Egyptian people and certain rituals were performed and offerings given to appease this terrifying goddess. Sekhmet is the hot breeze of the desert and a solar deity.
But despite the monstrously violent aspects of Sekhmet, she was also worshiped as a goddess of healing. This stems from her ability to invoke and manipulate plagues and diseases.
Not only can she brandish them as a weapon or a scourge of humanity, but she can also cure them and restore life to the afflicted. As such, Sekhmet, goddess of war and healing, is a patron of doctors or physicians. Her priests were known for being physicians: they were originally established to worship and honor Sekhmet to appease her. And to keep her wrath at bay. Eventually, they would play a crucial role in medicine by reciting spells and prayers to Sekhmet while also applying herbal remedies to those in need of healing. Amulets were worn in the shape of Sekhmet to appease her and to invoke her protection and healing. Her priests performed a rite known as “appeasing Sekhmet” to ward off pestilence and plague.
Sekhmet and Duality
She evokes a distinct sense of duality; of violence tempered by compassion. Like a lioness, she is a guardian and is fiercely protective of those in her charge. But paradoxically, she also wields a capacity for inestimable violence and terror.
In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, there are multiple mentions of Sekhmet as both a constructive and destructive force. But even in her destructive facet, she is, above anything, the keeper of cosmic balance or Ma’at. However, sometimes, she tried too hard to keep the balance between life and death, resorting to extreme practices to control the population. Plagues in ancient Egypt were often called “messengers” or “slaughterers” of Sekhmet, for they were supposed to follow her commands.
Sekhmet and the divine feminine
As women, we are told that showing our anger is not becoming, it is not lady-like, but anger, as every other emotion, is valid. Sekhmet represents the sacred rage that is ours, our true strength as women. Our anger is sacred and holy; it is the anger to change worlds — think Joan of Arc, Rosa Parks. Anger forces us to action. Use her to help you connect to your true divine feminine power and your rage to protect those who need protecting as a role of a fierce protective feminine energy.
Sekhmet as symbol of the state
Sekhmet is also known as a goddess of sovereignty. One of her roles was protector of the pharaohs, even beyond death — once a pharaoh passed away, Sekhmet would bring them to the afterlife.
Sekhmet as a dark goddess
She is the Goddess of the Sun, Lady of the Flame and Guardian of the gateway of rebirth. She is fierce but loving, protecting her own and those loyal to her, strong and powerful and will see hidden truths. Warrior, hunter and a healer.
Sekhmet will encourage you to live and follow your sacred path of inner integrity, help you to speak your truth and be honest and will empower you. She will help you with self healing and healing for others and will protect you.
A dark Goddess, she will help you with shadow work and to look deep within.
What does Sekhmet look like?
In Egyptian art, she was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, and sometimes her skin would be painted green just as Osiris was. She carried an ankh sign on her left hand and a long-stemmed lotus flower on her right hand. Her head was crowned by a large solar disk, relating her to the sun god Ra, and an uraeus, the serpent associated with Egyptian kingship.
Often she was seated on a throne and wears a long red dress. This is why she is sometimes referred to as the Mistress of Scarlet or Mistress of Red Linen. The red dress is a nod to her wrathful nature and fiery breath. Sometimes she has symbols painted over her nipples, which are assumed to be illustrations of lioness fur OR a representation of stars in the Leo constellation. With which she is inherently linked.
There were some six hundred statues of Sekhmet erected at the glorious temple of Karnak, commissioned by Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
Her name
Sekhmet’s name comes from the adjective sekhem, meaning “powerful” or “mighty”, while the ending –t is a suffix for female names. Of her many epithets, all were equally terrifying. She is sometimes referred to in Egyptian texts as “She Before Whom Evil Trembles”, the “Mistress of Dread”, “The Mauler”, or the “Lady of Slaughter”.
History of her worship
Sekhmet’s origins are unclear, but she seems to have been born in the Delta area, where lions were rarely seen and were thus regarded as mysterious and magical beasts. According to the Memphite Theology, an important text engraved in the famous Shabako Stone, the lioness Sekhmet was the wife of Ptah, patron god of artisans, and the mother of lotus god Nefertum. She was also the firstborn of the sun god Ra.
Sekhmet was worshipped throughout Egypt, particularly whenever a wadi opened out in the desert edges. This is the type of terrain that lions are often found. Many of them having come from the desert in order to drink and prey upon cattle in the area. Some believe that the worship of Sekhmet was possibly introduced into Egypt from Sudan because lions are more plentiful in that region. Sekhmet’s main cult center was located in Memphis, and was part of the Divine Triad of Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nefertum (fig. 4). Sekhmet, as the wife of Ptah, the ‘Creator’, and their son Nefertum is also closely associated with healers and healing. Some scholars believe that Sekhmet’s worship might pre-date Ptah by at least several hundred years, but because of the shift in power from Memphis to Thebes during the New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) the Theban Triad made up of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu resulted in Sekhmet’s attributes being absorbed into that of the goddess Mut.
She was also revered as the “Mistress of Asheru” in the Mut Temple, at Karnak, and her cult was strong in the regions of Luxor, Memphis, Letopolis, and all the Delta. At some of the temples there, she was offered the blood of recently sacrificed animals, in order to placate her rage. If her anger was contained, it gave her worshippers control over their enemies and the vigor and strength to overcome weakness and illness.
Priests would perform rituals before a different statue of this Egyptian goddess every day, to appease her considerable anger. This is the reason why so many different images of Sekhmet have survived to our days. In Amenhotep III’s temple there have been found as many as 700 statues of Sekhmet. In Leontopolis (the city of the lion, in Greek) some sources inform that there were tamed lions and lionesses kept captive as living images of Sekhmet.
Sekhmet was known to enjoy the taste of blood. Every year, on the feast of Hathor and Sekhmet, Egyptians commemorated the saving of mankind by drinking copious amounts of beer stained with pomegranate juice. The surviving records of such feasts talked about how they did so to worship “the Mistress and Lady of the Tomb, the Gracious One, Destroyer of Rebellion, Powerful with Enchantments”. During the celebrations, a statue of Sekhmet was dressed in red facing west, while one of Bastet was dressed in green and facing east. Bastet was considered to be Sekhmet’s counterpart or twin, and during the festival, they embodied duality, which was an important concept in Egyptian mythology. Sekhmet represented Upper Egypt, while Bastet stood for Lower Egypt. Bastet was the tame, good goddess, while Sekhmet was the Bloodthirsty, the chaotic and dangerous deity of war and love.
Such a bad reputation was awarded to this Egyptian goddess due to a myth in which she had threatened to wipe out humanity which we talked about earlier. The only thing that prevented her from ending humanity was getting drunk on beer which had been dyed red as blood. Thus, during her annual festival, held at the beginning of the year, Egyptians danced, played music, and intoxicated themselves in an attempt to soothe the wrath of the goddess. This ritual had another meaning, too, and that is to prevent the excessive flooding of the Nile, which ran blood-red every year carrying upstream silt.
Her Mythology
In Egyptian mythology, there is a long and interesting tale in which the story of Sekhmet is told. It is known as The Destruction of Mankind. This story is written on a funerary papyrus from the New Kingdom (1539-1292 BCE), and the tale it tells is extraordinary. At the beginning of time, the story goes, when gods lived among men, a rebellion aimed to overthrow Ra, king of the gods. Despite being a god, Ra had become old, and grew weaker every day, until humans decided he was not fit for ruling over them. Before this insurrection, Ra had been ready to give up the throne and return to the Nun, the primordial ocean. But now he was angry at humankind, and took one of his eyes which transformed into Sekhmet. He then ordered the eye to strike the seditious men with a heat close to the sun’s: “The desert was dyed red with the human blood, while the Eye was pursuing traitors and killing them one by one. It didn’t stop until the sands were covered with bodies. Then, temporarily satiated, Sekhmet returned triumphantly to his Father”.
Sekhmet continued to kill every man and woman in sight for the next few days, but at one point, Ra considered that it had been enough punishment, and decided to spare the rest of humanity. The problem now resided in how to stop Sekhmet from fulfilling her task. Ra ordered his Eye / Sekhmet to stop the killing to no avail for “his Eye had tasted human flesh and she liked it. She decided to kill again”. The only way to stop Sekhmet from killing was to get her drunk with beer, her favorite drink. Ra brought a red pigment from the desert and ground it into a fine powder, which he mixed with the beer. He then made seven thousand red-beer jars and poured them into the Nile. When Sekhmet saw the red liquid, she thought it was blood, so she drank it eagerly until she was too drunk and fell asleep. When the Egyptian goddess finally woke up, she had forgotten about her purpose of killing every single human being, and felt satiated. She then returned to her father, Ra, who welcomed her back and rewarded her for her services.
In one variant it is said that she drank until She fell asleep and She became Hathor again when she woke up.
In some versions of this tale, she becomes angry again when she finds out she was deceived, and she leaves Egypt until Toth persuades her to come back.
In yet another variant on this story, when Sekhmet awoke from her stupor, the first creature she laid eyes on was the god Ptah. She fell instantly in love with him. Because of this, she is usually portrayed as the bride of Ptah, god of architects and craftsmen, as well as mother to Maahes and Nefertem. The union between Sekhmet and Ptah epitomizes harmony: on the one hand, we have Sekhmet the destroyer, and on the other, we have Ptah the creator. As such, the marriage of these two deities symbolizes the balance and order of the universe.
When it comes to statuary, this is even clearer when we consider the fact that Sekhmet, goddess of war and healing, with her red robes was often depicted facing westward, while Ptah was clad in green and facing the east.
They are positioned as opposites, and yet together their duality is neutralized. They form a complete whole.
Why Work With Sekhmet?
Sekhmet is often sought out by those who are facing challenges, obstacles, or a need for protection. She is known to bring strength, courage, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Sekhmet is also associated with healing and renewal, making her a popular deity for those seeking to heal from physical or emotional wounds.
Correspondences
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use.
planet-sun
Animal-lioness
Element- Fire
Sex- Feminine
Symbol- Lioness, Lions, Sun, Sun Disk, Ankh, Egyptian Spitting Cobra, Septer formed from Papyrus (symbolizing the union of Heaven and Earth), Flames, Fire, Blood, Desert.
colors- Red, yellow, orange, gold
Themes- destruction, chaos, war, plagues, fire, royalty, and the afterlife
Motto- “I am pure strength. I honor my anger by giving voice to it”
Stones/ crystals- Red spessartine, Carnelian, Garnet, Red agate, Ruby, citrine,Cinnabar, tiger’s eye, fire agate, Zincite, orange calcite, bloodstone, amber
How to work with Sekhmet
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from.. However you incorporate deiteis in your practice is up to you. But here are our ideas to get you started:
To work with Sekhmet, it’s important to approach her with respect and reverence. She is known to be a fierce and powerful goddess, and may not always be easy to work with.
Study Sekhmet
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Sekhmet, is to dive into their history and qualities. Begin by studying the myths, verses, and incantations featuring this fierce goddess. Read about her connection with Ra, syncretization with goddesses Mut and Hathor, and how she might be the predecessor of the cat goddess Bastet. Then read about the culture from which she arose. Then study some more. Keep a section in your journal and/or book of shadows dedicated to Sekhmet.
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Sekhmet. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Sekhmet there, be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include her color red, her symbols, and representations of lions and the sun and any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a space that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To bring that ferocity and self-protectiveness to your daily life. To learn more about altar and how to work with them in your practice you can read about it here in my study guide on my previous class taught on the topic; All About Altars study guide.docx
Work with her as part of the triple goddess archetype
Many pagans and witches who work with the divine feminine work with that energy in the essence of the triple goddess. You can do this with Sekhmet as well. She is commonly known as being part of the Egyptian triple goddess with Hathor, Bast, and Sekhmet. Hathor is seen as the mother aspect, Bast the maiden, and Sekhmet the crone aspect. To learn more about working with the triple goddess archetype you can read my previous study guide here;Triple Goddess Study Guide.docx
Offerings
Everyone likes receiving presents. Sekhmet is no different especially since this was so central to her worship and mythology. Give her beer, pomegranate juice, representations of arrows, gold, and incense like frankincense, myrrh, and kyphi. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. You can place these offerings at your altar space dedicated to her or when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, and visualization.
The best offerings for Sekhmet include:
Alcohol, especially red alcohol.
Blood, or substitutes like bloodroot soaked in wine.
Images of cats or lions.
Incense.
Fire, from bonfires to candles.
Milk.
Spicy foods.
Red gemstones.
Dragon’s blood resin.
Stand Up For Yourself
Women are beginning to realize they are their own people, and they have immense power in this world. They are beginning to claim their power and take it back.. And they’re beginning to stand up for themselves. If you find yourself in a situation or a relationship in which you’ve allowed yourself to be used or abused, Sekhmet is in your life to teach you to stand up for yourself. Invoke her power and energy to aid you in speaking your truth, being your own person, and standing in the sunlight of your own soul and personal power.
Protection Rituals
If you’re in need of extra protection at home or at work, or anywhere for that matter, call on Sekhmet to guide and shield you. While performing your protection rituals at home, such as cleansing, shielding, and warding, invoke Sekhmet’s energy to set up a barrier of fire around your home. She will only allow those with good intent to cross it. Wear an amulet dedicated to Sekhmet while traveling or leaving the home to keep her protective shield around you at all times. To learn more about protection you can read about it here in my previous study guide; All about protection study guide.docx
Obviously Sekhmet is a solar goddess and therefore she enjoys warmth, sunlight, and hot climates. So why not get out in the sun and do a little sunbathing like a cat? It feels great, gives you energy, and allows you to soak up the magical energy the sun has to offer us humans as the vital energy of our existence.
Connect with an Ankh/Sun Disk
Find an Ankh or a sundisk, you can even have a piece of paper with the symbol on it in your hands. Close your hands around the symbol or place on your heart space. Close your eyes and ask Sekhmet to connect to you through the symbol.
Perform solar magic
Like we just talked about, Sekhmet is a solar goddess so a very obvious way to connect to and work with her would be performing and working with any kind of solar magic. There are so many different ways to work with solar magic and the sun from meditating under it’s bright rays, making sun water, drawing down the sun and more. To learn all about solar magic and connecting to the sun and how to do so you can read about it here in my previous blogpost; https://modgepodgemystic.com/solar-magic-a-guide-to-harness-the-bright-vibrant-and-confident-magical-energy-of-the-sun/
Alternative Healing
Sekhmet was once a mother goddess of war and healing in ancient times. You can tap into her healing vibrations by learning a mode of alternative medicine. Consider taking a class or reading a book on herbalism, DNA activation, past life regressions, or energy healing modalities like Reiki.
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Sekhmet is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. You can even use listen to the guided meditation in my class below! In addition, ask Sekhmet to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with her in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Meditation to connect with Sekhmet
Find a quiet spot, put on some incense or an oil diffuser, light a candle and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths and relax. Hold your intention in connecting to Sekhmet. You could say this in your head three times, ‘My intention is to connect with Sekhmet.’
Imagine you are in a desert. Sand is all around you, the sun is high in the sky and its hot. In the distance you see pyramids. You start to make your way towards them as there is nothing else around. Although its a tiresome and long journey you know its worth it.
You finally get to the pyramids. There is one large one in the middle and two either side. You walk up the steps of the middle pyramid and enter it. Inside is quiet, painted with wonderful pictures and symbols. There is a door in front of you and you decide to walk up to it. It slides open and you hear a voice say ‘Enter’. So you enter and see a beautiful woman on a throne in front of you. ‘Who are you?’ the woman says. You answer her and state you are here to connect with Sekhmet. She nods for you to approach her and tells you she is Sekhmet. That is all she says and you wait in silence as you do not want to force anything. She then stands and starts to talk to you. What does she say?
Take this time to connect with her, listen to what she has to say and ask questions. When you have finished connecting and she has gone and ready to go yourself, take three deep breaths and come back to the room. Write down your experience. What did she say to you? Did you ask questions? Were they answered? What else happened?
Study the Lioness
Since Sekhmet is a lioness goddess one way to connect to her would be to study the lioness. If you’ve never watched the lioness move in the wild, now’s your time to. Watch videos on YouTube, documentaries on the TV, and read books about how lionesses hunt to feed their pride and defend their families. This is how the lioness moves, and this is how Sekhmet moves.
Move your body and be active
Sekhmet is a very vital, active goddess, and she appreciates action. You can take a martial arts class and dedicate it to her, or join a group to combat injustice.
Stand up for others
Sekhmet stands against those who don’t believe in equity, harmony, and reciprocity, so you can align yourself with her by helping to bring more justice and balance to the world.
Live according to the principles of Ma’at
In the legend of her enacting Ra’s vengeance, she destroyed people who didn’t live according to the principles of Ma’at. One of the best ways to work with Sekhmet is to live according to these ideas.
The seven principles of Ma’at are:
Truth, the ability to see between fact and fiction.
Justice, the state of equity between all things.
Harmony, the state of alignment and balance between all things.
Balance, both within an individual and with the world outside.
Order, the state of clarity and a lack of excess.
Reciprocity, the acknowledgement that what goes around will come around.
Propriety, performing correct actions to uphold truth, justice, harmony, balance, order, and reciprocity.
Shadow work
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the goddess Sekhmet. With her being considered a dark goddess due to her destructive nature she has the ability to bring us into a very liminal space that is also steeped in duality with her connection as a healing goddess as well. When doing shadow work with her she is going to be able to shed some light with her burning fire on topics more focused on healing, past wounds, standing in your own personal power, justice, retribution, anger, and destroying barriers, bridges and things that no longer serve your highest good. To learn more about shadow work and how to use it in your life and magical practices you can watch my previously taught class on the topic here;
An Invocation of Sekhmet
“The Powerful, powerful in her existence, She that impurity fears. The one who’s face is beautiful, remarkable of image, who thrusts back sadness. The solar feminine disc, radiant, rejuvenating, illuminating the country. The Mistress of the sky, appearing in her sanctuary. Sekhmet, powerful against the enemies, inspiring terror in the rebels. The Mistress of Iunet, entering into her chapel, whirling and dancing in her temple.”
(translated into English by Kerry Wisner, 1999-2000, from the French text “Dendera – I Traduction” by S. Cauville)
A Prayer to Sekhmet
Behold, I smell the earth before the mighty one. Behold how I have kept the vigil in the shrine of Sekhmet. Behold, I am the child, the child of Sekhmet, the lady of the east. I am with her. I am one with her. I am Sekhmet and the flames of all those who praise her. I am the hand of the powerful goddess, wearer of the solar disc. I am the twice beautiful one, more splendid than yesterday. I am she who goes forth with Ra. I am she. My hair is the hair of Sekhmet, the golden one. My eyes are the eyes of the lioness. My ears are the ears of the goddess. My nose is the nose of she who can sniff out all evil. My teeth are the fangs, which can devour the darkness My neck is the neck of the divine goddess. My hands are the hands with long claws. My forearms are the forearms of the mighty one. My backbone is golden and it shines with splendourMy chest is the chest of the mighty one of terror. My Belly and back are the belly and back of Sekhmet. My buttocks are strong, as the goddess . My hips and legs are the hips and legs of the goddess My feet are the clawed feet of the lion goddess. There is no part of me that is not of the goddess. I am Sekhmet who cometh forth in the dawn. I am the power of Ra by day. I shall not be dragged back by my arms and none shall lay violent hands upon me, lest I destroy them utterly. Nether man nor god shall hurt me, nor shall the living, Nor shall the holy dead detain me. Nor shall the demons destroy me in battle, for I am Sekhmet And I shall eat off their faces. I am she who cometh forth. I am yesterday and I am the seer of millions of years. I am the power of the divine judge. I dwell in the east. I am the lady of eternity, the unveiled one. My name is created to defy all evil. I am the flame that shineth in the sanctuary. I am Sekhmet.
Prayer of Protection
Lady of the Burning Sands, Sekhmet, Mistress of Terror! May no enemy find me, May no harm approach me, Your sacred fire surrounds me, No evil can withstand Your Eye.
Prayer To Overcome Adversity
“O Sekhmet, Source of Strength and Mercy, I am beset by sorrow and many troubles; wounded by injustice and the offensive wrongdoing of others. Grant me the strength to meet adversity with quiet courage and unshaken will. O Sekhmet, Overcomer of All Enemies, Forgive my weakness and renew my hope. Place your protective mantle around me, help me remain steadfast and resolute in front of my enemies. Shield and defend me and my loved ones from the ravages of fear and anxiety. O Sekhmet, Who Rouseth the People Grant me the fortitude to show forbearance to those who would sin against me. May I allow no trial, however severe, to embitter my soul and destroy my trust. May my heart not despair of human good. O Sekhmet, I praise and honor Thee with gratitude for your help.
Sekhmet’s Message
I am the Sun. Powerful and bright. Full of energy and life. I am also the darkness and the mystery. I will protect you, help you to know your inner wisdom and find your true self. I will help you look at your shadow to help heal your issues and to face your fears. When you are ready, call to me, I will be waiting.
Sekhmet’s Message
Sekhmet ~ Be Strong: “You are stronger than you think you are, and your strength assures a happy outcome.”
“See yourself as strong and victorious. Do not complain about anything. Do not blame anyone or any condition. You are the embodiment of strength, not victim hood. As you rise above the old tendencies and see yourself in the new light of beautiful feminine strength, your life will automatically shift in miraculous ways. You will attract new opportunities, forms of abundance, and relationships to help you manifest your highest potential. Being strong means seeing yourself in the most favorable light you can imagine. Be real, allow yourself to feel genuine emotions, but most of all, be strong.”
How to Know She’s Calling You
What if Sekhmet was calling you to her? Here are some of the signs that Sekhmet is calling you:
Lions and lionesses start showing up everywhere: TV, radio, books, etc.
You hear the name Sekhmet over and over in random places and conversations
You are drawn to lions and large cats
Your occupation is in the medical field or alternative healing
Your zodiac sign is Leo OR is another fire sign like Sagittarius or Aries
You’re drawn to ancient Egypt and the Egyptian pantheon
You descend from the ancient Egyptians
Your phase in life calls for ferocity, standing up for yourself, or even justifiable wrath or revenge
The desert seems to call to you
You feel more aligned with the sun than the moon
You feel strong pulls to fight for social justice issues
You start seeing and hearing things about lions all the time
An encounter with a large cat (or even a lion) may be another sign that she’s trying to get your attention.
If you feel a powerful, protective, or even intimidating presence around you, that may be Sekhmet.
The sudden urge to take up a martial art or otherwise improve your offensive and defensive skills can be another sign of Sekhmet’s attention.
How Sekhmet will help you
Sekhmet will help you look deep within and give you the courage to look at your shadows. She will help and guide you through this healing process and give you strength and empowerment. She will help you speak your truth and empower you to be who you are meant to be and not shy away from the world. Helping you to become whole again, happy and complete. Call on her when you need courage and strength. When you wish to do shadow work. Call on her to help with healing yourself and others. Call on her for protection.
I will leave you with this poem about the power and identity of anger and the fierce protection of the burning flames that is Sekhmet. Just remember if you choose to work with Sekhmet she is fierce, has high standards, roars with protection, and will burn down anything that she sees as injustice and not serving the greatest good of all man. She is a fierce deity who will protect those who are part of her pride and bring about the most transformative healing with the cleansing power of flames.
