Every single month has it’s own energy, and frequencies we can connect to that are unique. When we connect to the month’s energy and frequencies we can find ourselves living a much more aligned, and magical life. We have the ability to amplify our magical workings, intentions, and manifesting. Let’s talk about how to do that with the month of May.
May is a vibrant, energetic, creative, lustful, fertile, and compassionate month marked by the celebration of Beltane and the height of spring’s fertility. It’s a time to honor the Earth’s abundance, to embrace the energy of growth and renewal, and connect with the magic of the natural world all around us in the passionate cosmic dance of the co-creators. An explosion of vitality floods the Earth this month. And that joy of living is transferred to the spirit in everything all around us like; in the activities of humans, the full hustle and bustle in nature, and even in celebrations this month like Beltane and Mother’s day. Love is around every corner in May; sexual love as well as self-love and motherly love. Use this flaming energy to add motivation to your goals and dreams to bring them into reality.
In the month of May we see some themes from both April and March continued as well like fertility, growth, prosperity, and abundance. This month continues to be a time to focus on positive change, growth and new opportunities. This month is a time to truly focus on aligning ourselves with the natural rhythms of the Earth and the turning of the wheel. It’s a month to take the time to go deep into the caverns of who you really are and make sure you are living life truly in your purpose and intentions. Make sure to use those energies and themes to nourish your seeds planted in March, and that you watered in April. Focus on making sure you are really putting the movement, passion, and nutrients into your manifestations, intentions, and goals for the year to really take root, flourish, and begin to multiply in the coming months bursting forth with vitality and passion.
History Of The Month Of May
The word “may” comes from the ancient Greek goddess Maia, who was the goddess of growth and mother of Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Her name translates to “mother, nurse, midwife” or “good mother”. Maia is also the Greek goddess of growth and fertility, and is associated with renewal, joy, and magic. The Romans also had a goddess named Maia, who was associated with fertility and spring. The month is also said to be a time for freedom, adventure, and creativity, and to explore new opportunities and spur dreams.
May is the fifth month of the year according to both the Gregorian and the Julian Calendars. May was the third month in the early Roman calendar. People born in the month of May are born under the Sun Sign of either Taurus or Gemini.
Sacred Days And Celebrations In May
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! Let’s talk about a couple of the important and sacred days and celebrations for the month of May.
Beltane
One of the most well known and important sacred days in May is Beltane. 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 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. To learn more about this sacred day and celebration you can read all about it in my previous blog post here.
The 5/5 Portal Of Abundance
Certain dates hold a special significance in the terms of celestial alignment and they create a portal through which we can access heightened energies, spiritual insights, and opportunities for growth. The 5th of May is a really important date as it is the 5th day of the 5th month of the year. This is known as the 5/5 portal. The May 5 Portal, is also known as the 5/5 Gateway or the Beltane Portal, and it occurs annually on May 5th. This date holds significance in various spiritual traditions, including astrology, numerology, and indigenous cultures as a time of heightened spiritual activity and cosmic alignment. It’s often thought that at this time, the veil between the physical and spiritual realms is thinner, putting the collective in a liminal space allowing us to access higher frequencies of energy to receive guidance, and blessings from the divine. This portal creates a powerful alignment of cosmic forces that opens a gateway to transformation, renewal, manifestation, abundance, and purpose. The energy will be ripe on 5/5, the ultimate portal of change, enlightenment, and finally seeing elements in your life “as they are” and not what you perceive. It is the portal that unlocks the door for us to begin a deep manifestation journey. To learn more about this portal and how to work with it you can read all about it in my previous blog post here.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s day is another well known day of celebration that happens during the month of May. Not only is a day to honor mothers of all kinds but, there is a much deeper meaning to mother’s day as well. The deeper meaning of Mother’s Day is to not only honor our mothers for giving us life physically, but also to honor our true Parent, the goddess and source, who gave us life at all levels: physically, intellectually, and spiritually. When we remember our mothers, we should also remember the goddess and source for creating us. Mothers Day is a chance for each of us to consciously reconnect with the principle of the Divine Feminine within ourselves, which is where the true Power Unconditional Love resides, waiting to embrace and nurture us. Celebrate the Divine Feminine this Mothers Day and notice how loved you really are.
Other Important Dates
Beltane is celebrated on the first of May.
The Bona Dea festival was celebrated in ancient Rome on the first of May.
May 1st was also Vinalia.
May 9th is the Roman festival of Lemuria.
May 15th is the birthday of the Roman God Mercury or Mercuralia
May 21st is the Roman festival Vejovis.
May 23rd is the Roman festival Rosalia
Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in May.
Armed Forces Day is the third Sunday in May.
May 5th is Cinco De Mayo, commemorating the Mexican defeat of the French at Puebla
It is said that King Arthur died on May 30 542
Joan of Arc died on May 30, 1431
May Magical And Witchcraft Themes
In witchcraft, May is often celebrated as a time of fertility, growth, and abundance. As spring reaches its peak in the Northern Hemisphere, witches embrace the energy of the season to nurture their intentions and projects. They take the time to go into the depths of nature to understand who they truly are and where their deepest desires and passions lie. Many witches celebrate and honor Beltane, a traditional Celtic festival celebrating the union of the god and goddess and the flourishing of life. It becomes a time to relish in the cosmic dance of the divine co-creators. Witches may participate in rituals and ceremonies honoring fertility, love, and the blooming of the natural world; as well as perform potent sex magick during this time of the year. They may also work with symbols such as flowers, maypoles, and bonfires to harness the potent energies of May.
The Gods And Goddesses Of May
With every season and month there are certain themes, magic, and energies we have the ability to connect to including deities. 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.
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 going to be those who represent spring, fertility, abundance, sex, love the divine co-creators, maternal love, nature, and any deities connected to Beltane. Below we will talk about some of the deities you can work with this month.
Iris
Iris, is the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods, and she has an important place in Greek mythology. Known for her vivid look and elegant presence, Iris is the divine connection between gods and mortals. But Iris is more than a messenger. She symbolizes the radiance, brilliance, and enchantment of rainbows, a sight that humans have been charmed by for a long time. Iris is different from other goddesses. Other gods sometimes meddle with human affairs out of fun or interest. But Iris is devoted to her mission. She shows loyalty and adherence to duty, never stopping in her mission to keep communication between Olympus and Earth open.
Even though she is most well known as the goddess of rainbows and messenger to the gods; she is also known as a goddess of the sea and sky. In some regions she is depicted as a virgin goddess and was believed by the coastal-dwelling Greeks to replenish the rain clouds with water from the sea. She was often described as Hera’s personal messenger and one of her handmaidens. To learn more about her you can read all about her in my previous blog post here.
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.
Artemis
Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting and nature, was born as the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis, was the twin sister of Apollo. Their mother, Leto, faced numerous struggles during her pregnancy, as she was relentlessly pursued by the jealous Hera. Artemis helped her mother give birth to her brother Apollo, earning her reputation as the goddess of childbirth. Artemis would establish herself as the revered goddess of hunting, protector of young girls, and a powerful force in Greek mythology. Associated with various spheres of influence, she protected young girls and women and favored the Trojans in the ancient Greek literature. Depictions of Artemis show her with sacred symbols like the bow and arrow, a quiver, and her sacred animal, the deer. Stories of her wrath, such as the myth of Artemis and Actaeon, highlight her powerful vengeance.
Artemis is widely recognized as the virgin goddess in Greek mythology, embodying chastity and purity. Revered for her unwavering dedication to remaining unmarried and abstaining from romantic relationships, she symbolizes the ideal of a self-sufficient and independent woman. As the goddess of the hunt and nature, Artemis was revered as a role model for young girls and women. Her commitment to virginity set her apart from other deities and granted her a unique status within the Greek pantheon. Worship of Artemis played a significant role in ancient Greek society with numerous temples and rituals dedicated to her.
Cernuous
The horned god of the forest, Cernuous is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Cernuous 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. Cernuous 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
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.
Xochiquetzal
The Aztec goddess Xochiquetzal was one of the most important goddesses in the Aztec pantheon. She was associated with most of the aspects relating to women and femininity: she was the deity who presided to fertility and pregnancy, but also to handicrafts traditionally linked to women, such as weaving. Her most important characteristic was surely her strongly accentuated sensuality: she was the only Aztec goddess to be represented as a young woman, all the others being usually portrayed as mature ladies. Because she was represented as a young woman, the Aztec goddess Xochiquetzal was also the goddess of eroticism. According to this fact, she was thought to have had relationships with many among the most important gods of the Aztec religion. The most renowned was surely Tezcatlipoca, the omniscient god of the night sky and one of the creators of the world.
It is known that the Aztec goddess Xochiquetzal, often revered as the goddess of love and fertility, had a twin brother, or alternatively a male counterpart: a god named Xochipilli who was associated with dance, games, and the arts. Xochiquetzal, also recognized as the Mexican goddess of love, was thought to have been born in Tamoanchan, one of the thirteen heavens of the Aztec cosmos, from a couple of hairs on the head of her first husband, Piltzintecuhtli. She would have been the mother of the god of corn, Cinteotl, further cementing her role as a fertility goddess.
Maia
I saved the goddess the month is named after for last; the Greek goddess Maia. Maia is a Greek goddess associated with various aspects of mythology and culture. As one of the Pleiades, she resides in the constellation of the same name. Maia is known as the mother of Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Maia, a prominent figure in Greek mythology, and holds a significant place among the pantheon of gods and goddesses. Her story begins as the daughter of Atlas and Pleione, and she resides in a deep and shadowy cave atop Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. Often depicted as a shy and reclusive deity, Maia captivates with her enigmatic presence. Her connection to the natural world, particularly the earth, is a prominent aspect of her character, leading some texts to identify her as Gaia, the goddess of the Earth. In Greek Mythology her role was as a mother and caretaker, and her symbolic association with the Earth and growth.
Correspondences For May
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.
Deities- bel, pan, Artemis, iris, Hera, cernuous, Xochiquetzal, Xochipilli, flora, Aine, Apollo, The Green Man, Maia, Bast, Aphrodite, Venus, Diana, Faunus, the horned god
Symbols- Maypole, flowers, bonfires, ribbons, the goddess, the phallus, flower moon, fairies, elves
Zodiac- Taurus, Gemini
Trees- hawthorn, apple
Themes- Fertility, love, abundance, growth, sex, grounding, personal growth, duality, creativity, passion, lust, grounding, nature, desire, blooming world, the divine cocreators, healing, spiritual growth, balance, maternal love
How To Connect To The Magic Of May
We’ve talked a lot about all the different types of energies the month of May has and gives us access to work with. So, how can you specifically connect to those energies? In your every day life you can make sure your affirmations and manifestation work align with the energies of abundance, prosperity, love, desire, passion, maternal love, creativity, and nourishment. You can celebrate and honor any of the sacred days and holidays like Beltane, and work with the season of spring and the soon to be here Summer.
Some Rituals and spell workings during this time that will be really intensified will be based on prosperity, wealth, growth, and fertility. You can do things like create a lucky money bag, a prosperity bowl, or perform some spells using egg magic. May is a time of the year where many witches are able to get back into nature, using this time to physically reconnect with nature through all kinds of nature magic, earthing, grounding, and elemental magic. If you were not able to plant your garden last month this is a perfect time to do so and to perform some seed magic at the same time.
Other rituals and spell workings that would be powerful to perform during the month of May; will be based on passion, lust, sex, and desire. The month of May starts with a fiery and passionate blaze of sex and cocreation with Beltane and that energy is felt throughout the entire month. You see it in nature even as the bees are busy pollinating flowers, the animals are mating, and humans are much more active in nature as well. So, take the time to really allow yourself to access your true desires and passion, this month by doing some sex magick rituals or spells.
With May being about passion that also opens us up to the energy of expansion. You can access this a few different ways; by casting spells based on transformation or by doing shadow work. Another way you can access the energy of expansion is through the expression of creativity. To access this expression you can mindfully make art and give it as an offering to a deity or place it at your altar, you can move you body especially by moving your hips, go on an adventure, and you can cast any spells to enhance and boost your creativity. This month is the perfect month to really let your expression of expansion run free and work on new projects and ideas you really want to bring to life this year.
When we want to use the energy around us to affect our magical practices and rituals we can amplify that by doing things in our every day life to align with the energy as well. You can align with the energy of abundance, lust, sex, passion, compassion, fertility, expansion and creativity with affirmations, mantras, intentions, goal setting, being in nature, and adding the passion of fire to our lives with candles, lit fireplaces, and bonfires.
The month of May is a month full of love starting from the first day of the month with passionate and fiery Beltane, then the maternal love of mothers day and the love of gratitude and loss with memorial day. This month take the time to focus on the energy of love for yourself, and others in all ways and really explore all facets of the energy of love this month. You can do things like making sure you get yourself outside breathing the fresh air and getting in touch with the earth. You can also make sure to nourish yourself and show yourself some self love by taking a self love ritual bath. Lastly, take some time to look at your relationship with your mother, and with the divine mother to determine if you have a mother wound that you may need to work on healing this month.
If you didn’t start working with them last month in April don’t worry; May is also the perfect month and time to start working with the Fae and the Faery realm. You can start doing this by planning and than planting your Faery Garden so your flowers will start blooming in the next month. Some things I recommend to have for your faery garden will be listed below and keep a look out for a blogpost coming to go in depth on adding one of these to your yard and practice.
Plant Foxglove and Pansies
Make sure to have plenty of small plants and flower bushes
Have small mirrors laying around
Decorate with shiny crystals likes quartz and agates
Plant roses
Plant berry bushes for offerings
Build a Fairy House
Include moss and mushrooms
Include a butterfly feeder and water station
Plant Nectar producing flowers and plants
Duality And The Month Of May
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 May. May 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. May starts off with Beltane which 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. That cosmic unions energy is present during the entire month allowing us to access such dualistic energies like sex, lust, passion, desire, creativity, and expansion.
Let The Passion, Creativity, And Abundance Of May Nourish Your Blossoming Intentions
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, how to connect to those energies, deities we can honor and worship, and how to work with the magic of May. No matter how you choose to work with the energies and magic of May make sure to be focused on continuing your rebirth for this year, abundance, and nourishing yourself and the seeds your planted a few months back. Making sure those seeds that are now blossoming truly have all they need for the nutrients to continue to bring you creativity, passion, and your truest desires and passions into your life. If you do this your life will become so much more magical and aligned. All the nourishment you give your seeds that are now plants this month will allow you to bloom the rest of the year.
Every thing in nature is usually seen in the eyes of most pagans as being dualistic. Many paths consistently teach of how one must be able to understand and work with these seemingly opposing forces. These are the two forces and divisions of male and female, physical and spiritual, etc. It’s often commonly thought throughout practices that, these two forces only exist in division now but, were once of a previous unified force, or the divine. These two generally represent any of the dualistic polarities, this includes the polarities of positive and negative aka dark and light; or how I choose to view them as wanted and unwanted. To put it simply; the divine is neutral, grey. It is both positive AND negative, light AND dark, unwanted AND wanted. The divine, nature, and magic are all neutral and the grey witch encompasses this truth in all that they do and they are. They take this truth and use it to intimately work with all of the energies around them in a balanced way. I know this because, I myself am one of those witches! Let’s journey into grey Magic, walking the balanced path of Witchcraft together.
Magic itself is a neutral energy or force
Since the divine, the source, the multiverse, is neutral and grey and magic comes from the divine and source magic itself has to be a neutral energy and force as well. Magic itself is neither “dark nor light”, but it’s the way the magic and energy is sent out into the world. It is all about our intention, the energies we connect to when using it and where we choose to direct it.
White, Black, And Grey Magic
Generally speaking, white magic is magic done for the benefit of ourselves or others by raising positive energy for a particular outcome. It helps us connect with spiritual forces, gain wisdom, and more enlightenment. Black magic is done to bring harm to others, and grey magic is exactly what it sounds like: the grey area in between the two.
(Note: I don’t use the terms “white” and “black” in my practices for many reasons but, mainly because they have clearly negative racial connotations. However, I’m including them here because this is typically how grey magic is described by others.)
The Grey Witch
What does it mean to be a grey witch? A grey witch embodies a unique approach to witchcraft, incorporating elements of both left-hand (dark magic) and right-hand (light magic) paths into their practices without showing a preference for either. These types of magics may also sometimes be referred to as destructive and constructive magic, respectively. You may also see it referred to as positive “light and love” vs negative “baneful and evil” magic as well. Like I talked about above; I use the terms and view of wanted vs unwanted. The term “grey” derives from the mixture and balance of black and white magic. Grey witches greatly value magical and spiritual balance not only in their craft but also in their lives. They are neutral. This neutrality characterizes the grey witch as a force that exists between the extremes in the world of witchcraft.
It is not just the forces of “good” and “evil” that the grey witch toggles between. A grey witch also sees the polarity of femininity and masculinity, day and night, life and death. The secret to becoming a grey witch is keeping your power balanced. Grey witches recognize that to be whole, they must embrace both “positive” and “negative” energy.
Let Go of “Do No Harm”
Over and over and over again the Wiccan Rede is touted as some universal law that all witches must obey or face some kind of horrific consequence. Many witches particularly those who follow the religion wicca preach endlessly that witches must follow this rule. While on the surface this might seem like a well meaning rule with good intentions, but the ramifications of this rule are actually quite problematic. This rule creates a massive energetic imbalance in themselves, the collective, and the multiverse.
The biggest flaw in the push for the rede to be accepted by all witches is that it’s specific to one religion! It is called the Wiccan Rede for a reason, it’s a rule for Wiccans! If you’re not Wiccan, why would you follow their tenants? There are tons of other religions that get combined with the practice of witchcraft. These beliefs all tend to have their own moral view of the world and those moral views may or may not mesh with the rede. If you’re Wiccan, obviously the rede is meant for you and you can ignore this point.
If you’re still not convinced that “harm none” is a ridiculous rule then let me point out just how completely impossible it is to actually uphold. If you think about it, you can never be perfectly certain that the consequences of your actions aren’t harming someone. You could cast a successful job spell and while that spell might seem very positive for you, it inevitably will cause another candidate to be passed over for that job. Being passed over that job could be the catalyst for all kinds of unwanted things to follow.
Every single action you take has ramifications that could negatively impact other people without your knowledge. And I mean every single action! If you were to try and never harm anything ever again you would have to stop participating in life in any way. All actions in the world have both wanted and unwanted results and how you perceive these results is entirely based on perspective. Perspective changes everything, nothing is black and white and what is wanted in one persons eyes will undoubtedly be unwanted in someone else’s.
And what about morally grey spaces? Say somebody tries to break into your home and harm your family and the encounter become violent. Is it morally reprehensible for you to hurt this person in self-defense? I mean, you are still harming them so under “harm none” this is not ok. I think most people would agree that defending your life, your home, and your family from an attacker is not a “bad” thing though. And if you wouldn’t defend yourself, what if it was someone else being hurt? If you saw someone being attacked, dragged into an alley towards a vehicle to be kidnaped and did nothing, your inaction would be contributing to the harm they’re experiencing now and after. If you intervene and harm the attacker, however, your action is causing harm. In situations such as these “harm none” falls apart entirely because no matter what you do it’s completely impossible to abide by the rule.
Instead of trying to maintain some totally unreachable standard of moral purity, delve into the complexity of human life. Stop looking for dictated moral solutions and actually take charge of your own actions, beliefs, and consequences. Think about yourself in relation to the world around you, reflect! Find purpose in your actions, decide what matters to you most and make it a center point, do the work to go within yourself and find that guiding inner voice that can help you navigate the trickier moral challenges that you encounter. THIS is real power and true control over your own circumstances. That is how you create a life that is truly in alignment with your joy, your will, and your purpose. This is a key step to walking the path of the grey witch.
A Grey Witch Lives In Duality
Being a grey witch is a person who practices witchcraft and is comfortable with the idea of duality. Duality has been pinned against each other since the dawning of time, a struggle of “good versus evil” a grey witch understands this. Central to the philosophy of a grey witch is the belief that the world operates in shades of grey rather than in simplistic black and white, and this perspective influences their practice of the craft. Grey witches must incorporate duality and balance into their mentality and into their everyday lives.
A Grey Witch Understand Human Nature
A grey witch is a person who has made a decision that humans are both “good and evil”. Philosophy has questioned whether humans are inherently born “good or evil” and if our actions become the true definition of our nature. A grey witch has decided that they don’t have to choose either side. Is it possible to accept that we are only human, which means depending on the moment we can be either wondrous or terrible? Absolutely, and a grey witch has wrestled with this question coming to peace within themselves when choosing this path. This is the path that the grey witch has taken upon their path, recognizing in all things created by nature there is a balance between greatness and evil.
(Note: I don’t use the terms good or evil in my practices or beliefs. These are not terms I agree with nor how I view the world. I don’t believe anything, anyone, or event its wholeheartedly “evil” or “good”. I View the multiverse, it’s energies, and the results of entities actions as wanted or unwanted and that will depend on the entities involved.)
The Grey Witch and Emotions
Grey witches must incorporate duality and balance into their mentality; often these witches have powerful mental power once mastering this. The hermetic law “As within, so without, as above, so below, as the universe, so the soul.” Teaches us this. This philosophical perspective outlines the idea that who we are on the inside will be created in the world around us. The grey witch understands this law and incorporates this into their life and how they handle their emotions.
They allow themselves to be happy but, leave enough room for bad feelings to run their courses, such as jealousy, anger, and sadness. They do not suppress themselves when dark clouds are around them; they harness the energy of the storm to heal without masking. They understand that every emotion serves a function, is meant to be felt, and is there to communicate something to us.
The Liminal Space
Similar to the hedge witch, the grey witch lives and thrives in the liminal spaces; since they are dripping in grey energy and magic. What is a liminal space? Liminal comes from the Latin root word Limen, meaning threshold. Therefore, liminal spaces are places where a threshold is crossed. Spaces of transition or between spaces if you want to call them. It’s a space where you leave where you are but you aren’t fully in another space yet. In general a liminal space; is in the between where we can commune with spirit and otherworldly beings, preform energy work such as reiki and other healing methods, revisit past lives to heal personal trauma, and the list goes on. There are physical, spiritual, and magical liminal spaces.
Magical liminal spaces are a type of spiritual liminal space that is unique to each practitioner. These magical liminal spaces are personal times of power when the veil between worlds is thinnest for the practitioner
Personal liminal spaces are personal characteristics which we embody that are in-between.
Spiritual liminal spaces, which can also be identified as experiential liminal spaces, are events or states of being in which we leave something behind but haven’t arrived at our destination when we part with them
Some examples of liminal practices include things like:
spirit work – mediumship, possession
divination – pendulum, cards, tea leaf reading, palmistry, etc.
casting spells – anything requiring manifestation and intention
invocation of deity – asking a deity to fill your space with their presence
ancestor work – asking for help from your ancestors
energy healing – reiki, meditation, trancework, shamanic journeying
Views Grey Witches Often Have
They think it is critical to incorporate the paths of light-work and shadow-work into your practice
They do not believe in Karma, the threefold law, or the Rede of “harm none”
The phrase “a witch who cannot harm, cannot heal” resonates with them
They believe that people are both good and evil
They often feel they are forcing positivity or numbing pain
They believe there is not only one path but two. To protect themselves and their loved ones, they will weave through light or darkness
They may not even believe in the terms “good” and “evil”
They might find that misusing energy can be harmful and reserve their energy work for times they feel personally called to justice.
They might also only use their magic when trying to gain balance in the universe for themselves or those they hold dear.
Being a witch is a political act in itself, however, a grey witch has the great hope that they can help restore justice for humanity.
They could also have the belief that they are a neutral force rather than a dual one.
It doesn’t matter to a grey witch how you view them; they know that opinion is subjective from person to person
How to Incorporate Grey Witchcraft into Your Practices
Grey witches work with a broad spectrum of spirits, celestials, and ancestors both living and those to come. Grey witches follow their intuition and the ebb and flow of balance and call on the entities needed to either create and/or maintain balance with each spell, working, or ritual, they perform or cast. What matters to them is how they feel when inspired at that moment, how they process their inner healing, at times enacting justice, and most importantly maintaining balance.
Find ways to include balance in your mindset and spiritual practice
Utilize magical intentions that involve Nature because the natural world is also neutral and balanced
Integrate shadow work into your practice. Allow yourself to work through negative thoughts and feelings; don’t try to suppress them
Study and incorporate spell work and magical intentions that create balance and combine positive and negative energy
Connect with ancestors, gods, goddesses, or deities that embrace balance and duality
Meeting your shadow self can be traumatic. Working through it doesn’t mean you cover up stuff with light or light work though, you can only work through it, and accept it. You embrace the darkness as it is, and allow it to grow, mold and reshape itself as it sees fit, if it sees fit. This is the difference between a grey witch and others when it comes to shadow work. You don’t work through your shadow to get to your light, or work with it in the sense to transform it. You simply embrace it, comfort it, understand it, and allow it grow and mold and shape as it sees fit. You allow it to express itself in the way it needs to be like in rage, grief, fear, etc. and you access that expression for some potent magic, energy, and self awareness.
Grey Magic; Walking The Balanced Path of Witchcraft
The main intention of a Grey witch is to be a catalyst in healing. The light is a symbol of our higher divine mind and the dark the deeper, unconscious part of self, the primal, the animal, the profound power of physicality. A balance between the two unlocks the magic of our spiritual potential on our path of witchcraft. Being a grey witch is the most beautiful evolved form of a human being. The one without illusions and lies or masks. It’s just you, the whole you, a raw force and undeniable spirit that captures and commands everything around you .Whether embracing the shadow that lives within us all or changing your frequencies to rise above, the grey witch is a powerful being mastering all the energies in the multiverse in one being.
“A grey Witch I am and forever will be, a balance of both dwells deep inside of me. For I am not black, nor am I white. I will walk in the darkness, I will walk in the light. I seek no harm and my intentions are just.But make no mistake, I’ll do what I must. So take heed of my word, I give you insight. For I am grey, I will defend, and I will fight.”
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!
Loki is a very complicated, controversial, and charismatic Germanic and Norse deity. Just saying his name turns heads and invokes lengthy conversations full of debate. This may be because in modern times, Loki has often been compared to the figure of Satan. Though this is incorrect since he is still interested in preserving the cosmic order, while Satan is a fierce rival of that order. Even at times you may be told things meant to terrify you away from even looking into who he is, like he is destructive, deceitful, chaotic, and the bringer of the end of the world. Are some of these things true? In a way yes but, you also have to look at your perspective of those words and I also feel he is this way for many justifiable reasons as well.
First, is he deceitful? Well isn’t everyone at times? I find him too much more mischievous than deceitful. That he likes to play pranks, and manipulate things at times to get what he wants. At times being mischievous, doing things you shouldn’t, and breaking rules is how you get the attention of the truly powerful. Sometimes it’s what’s needed to shake things up and get the attention of those who really need to hear what you have to say.
Secondly, with him being a God of Mischief, destruction, and chaos he inherently is feared. But, like I have talked about in almost every single class I have ever taught or blogpost I have written, destruction is necessary for anything new to be rebuilt. Death is necessary for rebirth. There has to be an energy exchange in order for anything new to be created, or birthed into this multiverse. And as much as you may fear Ragnorak it has happened before and will happen again as it is meant to for the multiverse to stay in balance.
Third, Loki in my eyes has very justifiable reasons for the actions that he does take and for his feelings against the Aesir and Odin in particular. Depending on which version of his parentage and story you look at Odin is his brother and by blood. So, wouldn’t you treat a brother the way loki does when you look at their relationship like that? Banishing Loki’s children and punishing them for the same reason. Is that justifiable? Was Loki’s punishment for killing Balder really okay if you think about it?
My experience with Loki
I briefly touched on it above. I have worked with Loki and do still when I feel the call from him or when I want to work with chaos and transformation magic. He is not a patron deity of mine nor am I Gothi or goði in the norse path either. I have spent quite a bit of time studying him due to the region I live in and my family’s heritage. I have worked in my own solitary practice. Since, I am a Grey witch and thrive in the liminal space; I honestly hit it off right away with him. He is honestly one of thef ew of them I have even extensively studied and worked with in the Norse and Germanic Pantheons. He has always been easy for me to understand, communicate with and he really helped me deepen my understanding of the liminal space through his access to chaos.
Who is Loki?
Loki; trickster, shapeshifter, and the cause of—and solution to—Asgard’s greatest troubles. Famously known for his cunning and tricky nature. Although his father was the giant Fárbauti, he was included among the Aesir (a tribe of gods) according to some and others do not consider this to be true of him and consider him to be simply a giant.
One way in which Loki is different from the Aesir gods is that he did not have an area of responsibility that he symbolized, such as war or fertility. While he was considered a trickster, his mischief was mostly a foil for the Aesir gods, and not for men.
Loki is a Deity of Germanic and Norse Origins. According to the Eddas written by Snorri Sturluson, Loki is a god that will cause a war known as Ragnarok between the Norse gods. Basically, he is the cause of the end of the world.
In Old Norse the word ‘loki’ means knot or tangle, and he may have been considered responsible for some of the misfortunes that befell men, and therefore be a kind of trickster god, but there is little evidence for this.
Loki was represented as the companion of the great gods Odin and Thor, helping them with his clever plans but sometimes causing embarrassment and difficulty for them and himself. He also appeared as the enemy of the gods. He frequently causes problems with the gods, stirs shit up, and then comes back to save the day. But why?
Loki is the epitome of the Divine Paradox. He is…and he isn’t. He’s male, then he’s female. Then he’s an animal. He’s foe, then friend. Interestingly, he’s also credited as the reason the Aesir gods are gifted with powerful weapons and magical tools. Odin’s magical spear Gungnir and Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, for example. He is both a devoted and loving father and yet he killed Baldur. Loki is meant to represent the spectrum of humanity and the struggle of trying to balance it all.
Loki is much more than a trickster. He’s much more than the god of mischief. Writing him off as this ONE thing is a big mistake on our part. Keep in mind, Odin calls Loki his brother, calling him blood of his own blood. And Thor needs Loki as a traveling companion for reasons we can only try to comprehend. He may also be a creator god….one who was there during the creation of man. In another guise – Lodur. Doesn’t it make sense that a destructive god would also be a creator god? There’s that divine paradox.
Loki is also remembered as the father of witches. In fact, it is said that he had found a half-cooked woman’s heart among the glowing embers of a bonfire, and eating it he was impregnated, giving life to witches.
Family and his children
Loki was the son of Fárbauti, an unspecified jötunn whose name meant “cruel striker.” His mother was usually called Laufey, though she was also referred to as Nál. Loki’s brothers were Helblindi and Býleistr, also jötnar.
With the giantess Angrboda, Loki had three children. The Aesir gods so feared the potential chaos that could be caused by these children that they placed each of them in a place where they could do the least harm.
The first, the giantess Hel, was given dominion over the underworld of Helheim, where all souls that did not fall bravely in battle found themselves after death. If you want to learn more about her I already taught a class on her you can watch the class here.
The second Jormungand, was a mighty serpent and the Aesir threw him into the sea surrounding Midgard, the world of men. There he grew to such a great size that he could surround the entire world.
Their third son was a might wolf named Fenrir. He was chained up in Asgard using a magical ribbon made by the dwarves.
Each of these children of Loki and Angrboda are prophesized to have a role to play in Ragnarok, the Armageddon of Norse mythology, with Fenrir killing Odin himself, and Thor and Jormungand slaying one another in the final battle. As such, they are some of the ultimate symbols of chaos and destruction in Norse mythology.
Loki also had a wife Sigyn, who was probably one of the Aesir gods. We actually don’t know much about her but I am working on a post about her coming soon. They had a son Nari. Narfi, Loki’s son with Sigyn, meets a tragic and grisly fate in the annals of Norse mythology. In a twist of events following the orchestration of Baldr’s death by Loki, the gods sought to punish Loki for his role. To do so, they turned Vali, one of Odin’s sons, into a wolf. In his feral state, Vali attacked and tore apart Loki’s son Narfi. The gods then used Narfi’s entrails to bind Loki, ensuring his punishment was both symbolic and severe. This act not only served as retribution for Loki’s deeds but also highlighted the intricate and often brutal nature of Norse myths.
Loki was also the mother of Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged steed. This was the result of Loki’s shapeshifting ability. According to the old Norse story, near the beginning of time an unnamed builder offered to build the fortifications around Asgard in exchange for the goddess Freya (who was very beautiful and seductive), the sun and the moon.
The gods agreed to this, but only if he completed the work within one season and with the help of no man. The man agreed on the condition that he could have the help of the stallion Svadilfari, and Loki convinced the gods to accept the deal.
The stallion helped the builder complete the work extremely quickly, and with only three days to go before the deadline it looked as though he was going to finish the work on time. The gods blamed Loki for putting them in this terrible situation of having to pay the agreed price, and they demanded that he ensure that the builder did not complete his work.
In order to do this, Loki turned himself into a stunning mare, successfully distracting the stallion and delaying the work of the builder. This distraction also resulted in Loki’s pregnancy and Some time later, Loki birthed Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse, who was to become Odin’s favorite mount. It is hard to see Loki as the bad guy in this particular story, especially since the god’s not only went back on the deal, but Thor also killed the builder.
Loki in Myths and stories
Let’s talk about the myths and legends he shows up in. We don’t exactly know what his true origins are prior to him showing up in the Eddas. There are thoughts and theories though amongst researchers, historians, and archeologists that he was a much older deity than we realize and he was originally considered an elemental deity of the hearth. We don’t have any written documentation of this but, we do have some archeological evidence of this throughout Northern Europe.
Loki’s entrance into Norse mythology came later than most, his origins remained difficult to discern. In the oldest poetic works, such as the Grímnismál (which had fragments going back to the eighth century), Loki was conspicuously absent. In non-Norse sources of pre-Christian Germanic religion, Loki was once again either absent or presented in a very different manner.
So, if he was originally a very primordial ancient deity of fire, home, and hearth how did he end as this demonized, and malicious intent deity many see him as today. Well, like I’ve said before with other deities I really think we have the Christian and Roman Catholic church to blame for this. You have to remember the author of the Eddas was christian himself. As with other deities I have taught about before, they really like to do this with deities they deem too powerful or that have too widespread of influence to be able to completely write out. They take them and turn them into that region or culture’s version of satan. I really feel this is a possibility for what happened here.
The Betrayal of Baldur and the Binding of Loki
The critical turning point in Loki’s relationship with the gods came with his role in the story of Baldur, one of Odin’s sons and the half-brother of Thor. While the full story was spread out amongst a number of old sources, the narrative generally remained consistent between them.
It all began when Baldur was troubled by dreams of his own death, dreams that his mother had as well. Seeking answers, Odin summoned a völva from the dead. The völva confirmed Odin’s fears and told him that Baldur would indeed die, but did not reveal how his death would occur.
Desperate to protect her son from all harm, Frigg went around and secured an oath from every living thing in the universe that they would never hurt Balder, or assist in hurting him.
This basically made Balder invincible, something which amused the other gods, who would often throw weapons at Balder for the pleasure of watching them bounce off him causing no harm.
Loki, jealous of Balder (some claim) and generally always looking for a way to make trouble, used his shapeshifting abilities to trick Frigg into telling him that she may have forgotten to secure the oath from the humble mistletoe plant.
Learning this information Loki immediately made a dart of mistletoe and tricked Balder’s blind brother Hod into throwing it at Balder as part of the gods’ regular game. It struck him dead immediately, much to the surprise of all the gods. After Balder’s death, Odin beseeched Hel, Loki’s daughter and the keeper of the Underworld, to allow Balder to return to Asgard, explaining to her that the world should not be robbed of this most beloved being.
Hel actually agreed to return Balder, but only on the condition that every living thing in the universe weep for him. And this they did, except for one giantess, who many believe was Loki in disguise. As such, Balder was not able to return.
For his part in his tragedy, Loki was finally expelled from Asgard by the Aesir gods. They chained him to two rocks, hanging a poisonous snake above his head to drip painful poison onto his face.
Loki’s loyal wife Sigyn tries to protect Loki from this pain by catching the poison in a bowl, but when she must leave to empty the bowl, Loki is inflicted with the pain of the poison, and it is his shudders that cause earthquakes.
When the time for Ragnarok itself comes, it is prophesied that Loki will slip his chains, and will join the giant movement against the Aesir gods. During the battle it is foretold that he will engage Heimdall in hand to hand battle and that the two will slay one another.
Ragnarök
During Ragnarök (the “fate of the gods”), the sequence of events leading to the death and rebirth of the world, Loki was said to play a decisive role. Ragnarök’s beginning would be marked by Loki’s release from bondage, and the trickster would eventually join the side of the jötnar in their conflict against the gods. Loki’s children, Jörmungandr and Fenrir, would also contribute to the demise of the gods. In the end, Loki himself would turn into a seal and battle Heimdall; both were fated to die in the melee.
Where Loki is mentioned in myths and stories
Poetic Edda In the Poetic Edda, Loki appears (or is referenced) in the poems Völuspá, Lokasenna, Þrymskviða, Reginsmál, Baldrs draumar, and Hyndluljóð. Prose Edda Gylfaginning The Prose Edda book Gylfaginning tells various myths featuring Loki, including Loki’s role in the birth of the horse Sleipnir and Loki’s contest with Logi, fire personified. Norwegian rune poem Fjölsvinnsmál Poem Hyndluljóð Poem
Key Stories Loki is in
Fortification Of Asgard And Birth Of Sleipnir I talked about this one earlier but, Loki’s cunning shines again when the gods are at risk of losing a bet with a giant builder. To prevent the giant from claiming the sun, moon, and Freyja, Loki transforms into a mare, distracting the giant’s stallion. This act not only prevents the completion of Asgard’s wall but also leads to the birth of the eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.
Abduction Of Idunn Loki’s cunning is on full display in the tale of Idunn’s abduction. Initially, he tricks Idunn into leaving Asgard, leading to her capture by the giant Thjazi. Without her rejuvenating apples, the gods begin to age rapidly. Realizing the gravity of his actions, Loki transforms into a falcon, rescues Idunn, and returns her to Asgard, restoring youth and vitality to the gods.
The Otter’s Ransom In a thoughtless act, Loki kills an otter, only to discover it was a transformed dwarf. To atone for his mistake, he embarks on a quest to retrieve cursed gold as compensation. This tale showcases Loki’s ability to rectify his misdeeds, even if they were born out of mischief.
Sif’s Golden Hair After mischievously cutting off Sif’s beautiful locks, Loki finds himself in a predicament. To make amends, he commissions the dwarves to craft golden hair even more beautiful than Sif’s original locks. This act indirectly leads to the creation of iconic artifacts like Thor’s hammer Mjölnir and Odin’s spear Gungnir.
Þrymskviða: The Deceptive Wedding In the Þrymskviða, Thor’s hammer, Mjöllnir, is stolen by the giant Thrym, who demands Freyja as his bride in exchange. Loki devises a plan: Thor will disguise himself as Freyja, with Loki as his bridesmaid. The duo travels to Thrym’s hall, and despite some close calls due to Thor’s behavior, Loki’s quick explanations keep their cover. When Thrym brings out Mjöllnir to bless the “bride”, Thor seizes it, dispatching Thrym and his court. The tale underscores Loki’s cunning and the gods’ resourcefulness in dire situations.
Lokasenna: Loki’s Taunts In the Lokasenna, Loki crashes a feast of the gods and hurls insults, revealing uncomfortable truths and secrets. His sharp tongue and audacity lead to heated exchanges, showcasing his fearless nature and his delight in causing discord.
Correspondences to connect to Loki
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 he zodiac energy the moon, an archetype energy , or a deity like I will list below for you to use.
Symbols: infinity snake and ouroboros, number 8, chaos star, runes that spell out his name: Laguz, Othala, Kenaz, Isa as well as the rune Hagalaz
Lokean Practice; Modern day Loki Worship
A Lokean is someone who works with, worships, and/or venerates the Norse god Loki, typically as a main deity. The term “Lokean” has two uses. The first describes patronage to Loki similar to saying “Lokisman” or “Odinswoman”, while the second implies a subcultural identity distinct from Heathenry. For this reason, not everyone who works with Loki may identify with the term Lokean or Lokean Heathen, and may opt to use “Heathen” or “Norse Pagan” instead.
The word “Lokean” originates in North America, growing out of controversy, superstition, and queerphobia sometime in the 1990’s.* Lokispeople were excluded from Heathen spaces and a division in the community occurred as a result. Whether “Lokean” was created by this division, or was simply propagated by it, is hard to say. Either way, it became something of its own identity as the years went by.
Because its identity was separated from Heathenry in such a way, not all Lokeans think of themselves as Heathens; some may be Wiccan Lokeans, agnostic Lokeans, Left-hand Path Lokeans, or may otherwise work with Loki in a non-Heathen context. Lokean practice is unique in that it intersects with Heathenry at varying degrees.
What does Lokean Practice Look Like?
The only needed component of Lokean practice is Loki, so it can be whatever a Lokean would like it to be. Generally it’s marked by very typical staples of neo-Paganism, such as deity-work, offerings, holiday observances, and even creating an altar or sacred space for him. But again, this is all up to the practitioner and there’s no right or wrong way to venerate Loki. The purpose of this spiritual practice is to foster a relationship with Loki that feels fulfilling, so everything about it can and should be tailored to your needs.
Other ways to work with Loki
Read, Research, and study Just like I teach and write with every single deity the number one and most important way to connect to a deity is by learning all that you can about them. Earlier I gave a list of the key myths and stories you find him in that are a great place to start. Find other books on him like; One book I recommend is Dagulf Loptson’s “Loki: Trickster and Transformer”. You can find many podcasts, youtube videos and more to learn more as well.
Create an altar for him If you are new to deity work one of the main ways to connect to a deity is through an altar. Add any of the correspondences listed above or any of these offerings; Loki enjoys alcohol, candy, hot peppers, spicy foods, meat, and some folks even give him toys. One tip I have for him is I seem to have better results if he is in my kitchen, or near my sacred space where I do my magical workings. I also do not recommend putting him together with other deities or pantheons outside of having Odin, Thor, Sigyn, or Hel with him. Things just tend to get chaotic and messy in my life and my workings if I have him mixed in with other deities and pantheons.
FIRE Loki was born when a lightning bolt struck a birch tree. He is known as a “hot” deity and indeed manifests as fire. So, what better way to honor him and get to know him than with fire? This could take many forms: cooking on open fire, lighting candles as offerings, fire poi (if you’re so brave),or my favorite fire scrying. Just remember to be on the safe side when working with this particular element.
Shadow work Being a grey witch and mystic I thrive in the liminal space which makes the practice of shadow work one of my favorite things to do and I am a very unique guide through it. Every class I teach I always talk about the benefits we get from shadow work and how we can use a deity to assist and guide us on some of those journeys into the darkness.
Loki is my favorite male deity to call on for shadow work. He is my favorite guide into not only my divine masculine but, to really truly understand the balance of both and how to move in between the energies fluidly like the shapeshifter in him has the ability to do.
Loki also has this ability to pull on our inner child and yank them out of the shadows where they either like to hide or we have pushed them to disappear into. He will pull them out and let them feel all it is they have to feel. Which for some can be really chaotic, overwhelming and hard to handle at first but, working with them and letting them feel what they need to will lead you through a death and into your next rebirth.
When working with Loki, you’ll notice he likes to dredge up those pesky shadows we tend to ignore. In fact, I see this as an inherent ability he uses time and time again with the gods themselves. His trickster spirit takes things away, only to return them in a new form OR to allow for something new entirely to take their place. When Loki steals things from the gods, he forces them to face their shadows. To re-examine the value of the things they hold dear. He tends to do the same to his devotees and friends. To learn more about how to do shadow work you can watch my previous class on it here.
Number 13
One of loki’s symbols is the number 13. Consider implementing the number thirteen into your rituals, offerings, magick, and daily life in honor of the Trickster God. Examples: draw thirteen runes (if you’re adept to the runes), light thirteen candles (keep an eye on those bad boys!), hail his name thirteen times, etc.
Play pranks on others
I don’t know if this is something you are comfortable with doing honestly, this one is hard for me to do. But, playing some harmless pranks on others can help you connect to that playful mischievous side of Loki.
Enhance your magic
Loki is a very gifted and powerful magic practitioner. His skills in shape shifting are evidence of that alone. So, call on him in your magical workings to help transform and amplify your magic and your understanding of it.
Exploring Paradox
What is paradox? Paradox is defined as “a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.” Loki embodies the Divine Paradox – he is a walking, godly contradiction in many facets. He often appears as a man, yet he is also gender fluid and can appear as a woman or any other gender he likes. He’s a god, then animal. Then back again. He’s good. And yet he’s bad. And yet neither. By exploring your personal paradox, you connect further with Loki’s true essence.
Use Loki to unbox yourself
As a shapeshifter who changes aspects about himself often. He
Changes gender, species, agendas, and so much more. He never restricts himself to be one thing or one way. No matter what outward appearance he chooses to project. So, use him and his energy to do the same for you wherever you may need it in your life. He was pivotal for me as well when it came to my sexual identity and not feeling the need to be boxed in by the assumptions the image my marriage portrays.
Prayer to Loki
“My beloved god of chaos, My beloved god of hoaxes and lies, My Beloved god that guides me to journeys inside. You pull out what must be seen, and remove all barriers to access my true identity. My beloved god loki I ask that, Your powerful destructive energy might be mine. To destroy what must be to have space for new creation. I am open to receive your blessings, guidance, power. I am ready to keep creating and destroying in your name. Amen. Aho. So mote it is.”
Loki’s Roles And Responsibilities: The Dual Nature Of The Trickster God
I always talk about duality if you are new to learning from me it is in every class I teach. I also teach that I do not view it as good vs evil at all but, there are times I title it this way or teach it this way because that’s how most view these opposing energies. With, that being said Loki really does embody all of this in my opinion the best way of any male deity I have found and worked with so far.
Have you ever wondered if Odin is the all the father and Thor is so powerful why haven’t they just gotten rid of Loki at this point and stopped him from annoying them and wreaking havoc on them constantly? For many reasons, but this is one of them he needs to be him and doing what he does to keep the universe in balance. Also, they like the friction he causes and they know it. It makes things interesting for them.
His role with humans
I want to touch on something I feel is important when it comes to Loki and why I really like to work with him. If you look through all of his stories and myths and where he comes up the only time he is in conflict with humans and even then indirectly is in Ragnorak. Other than that, his myths and legends have to do with the gods not humans.
This aspect about him even makes him all the more intriguing to work with and why he is so inviting when it comes to that deep shadow work. I think it is also both why his histories were erased and changed in my opinion and why he is making such a huge comeback in modern times.
If you choose to work with him now, be prepared to look deep within yourself to understand the true divine paradox we are simply for being humans. He will allow you to unbox your identity and remove any barrier that may be in your way to fully understand all parts of who you are. He welcomes you into the liminal space and will be a great guide for you.
To continue learning more about him, and even get a chance to meet him, you can also watch my free class on Youtube with Divination Academy below!
Books to Read
To Further look into Loki and who is these book would be the ones I recommend to start with!
Pagan Portals – Loki: Trickster and Transformer by Dagulf Loptson
Loki by Mike Vasich
Loki of Midgard: The Making of a Magician by Jennifer Meinking
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!
We have entered a new lunar phase today, the full moon and this full moon in April is bringing us into the Sign of Scorpio. The Scorpio Full Moon is the most serious of the lunations. Full Moons are highly emotional and serious, and Scorpio is an emotional water sign and ruler of the serious. Scorpio is intense, passionate, deeply transformative and unrelenting, and we can have a hard time letting things go with a Scorpio Full Moon. We’re really invested, and we’re a bit stubborn about it, but we likely need to recognize that it’s not doing us any good, and it’s time to move on.
The Scorpio Full Moon is a moment of profound transformation and self-discovery. We likely need to work on a major transformation, and this can be intense, but ultimately leads to solutions and frees us. You may feel things a little more passionately, or you may be willing to go to extremes that you might not otherwise go to.
This is also a time of when you’ll look within to truly understand the depths of your feelings. This period of introspection could lead to greater self-awareness as well as an awareness of those around you. The ability to get in touch with the intricacy of your own emotions gives you the insight needed to understand others’ motivations. We do need to be mindful of frustrations boiling over with this Full Moon though, and especially coming after that Aries Solar Eclipse, you’ll react a little more sharply and with that stinger Scorpio is known for.. We need to bite our tongues and try to be rational and think things through before blowing up.
Let me show you in this post the depths of the full moon in the water sign scorpio. And how to connect to this unrelenting, transformative, serious and emotional enegy this full moon. To harness the most potent energy to connect to for us to manifest our desires and dream life today!
First, What is the Full Moon
Over the centuries, the Moon has played a significant role in different cultures and traditions. The full moon simply put is when the moon is completely illuminated in the sky and it has reached it’s peak in this lunar cycle in the sky. When the moon is completely illuminated it’s time for all to reach full expression. The full moon is the most powerful and potent time of the entire lunar cycle.
A full moon occurs when the transit (moving) Sun and Moon are in the exact opposite positions in the Zodiac (called an opposition). The full moon greatly affects humans and it’s no wonder it does because, there’s a scientific reason for this – we are made up of 60% or more of water. Full Moons are the peak point of the lunar cycle: at this time of the month, the light of the Sun is fully illuminating the Moon, and the luminaries are exactly opposing one another from our perspective on Earth. This potent alignment offers us opportunities to gain more awareness about what is moving in our inner and emotional world, and information previously uncertain or hidden could be revealed at this time.
With the moon being fully illuminated it creates this portal to some of the most potent energy to connect to for us to manifest our desires and dream life. This portal creates a connection to our peak creative energy and the deep seated creative passions we all have within us. This creative energy and power is the energy we need to actually do and create the things and lifestyle we need to manifest what we desire. With the new moon phase being about planting the seeds of what you want to manifest, the full moon is about actually doing the work and moving the energy to make your manifesting happen. The full moon allows you to bridge the connection between these energies and themes and bring them into your life while reminding you how important it is to have them in your life not only when the moon is illuminated in the sky for you to see.
There are so many ways to work with the full moon, to learn more about the basics of working with the full moon energy check out my blog post here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/working-with-the-practical-productive-and-nurturing-virgo-full-moon/ But, remember each full moon will be slightly different and have different practices to add and different ways to do it based on which zodiac sign the full moon is currently in at the time.
So, who is Scorpio?
Scorpio is one of the most misunderstood signs of the zodiac. Because of its incredible passion and power, Scorpio is often mistaken for a fire sign. In fact, Scorpio is a water sign that derives its strength from the psychic, emotional realm.
Scorpio is all about TRANSFORMATION, who you are becoming in relationship to life and the journey of embodying your true authentic power. Themes related to intimacy, control, power, money, and sharing will be a strong focus. This is an opportunity to WELCOME and honor how you are changing shape. It is Scorpio who companions us on the journey to the underworld as we look at the areas of our life that need our tender love and compassion.
This is a potent time for manifesting anything around mystical abilities, sex, love, intimacy, death, transformation, and rebirth. This sign rules over transformation, death, the occult, and sexuality. Scorpio can be a very intense energy, and this is partly because it’s a water sign, so it’s ruled by emotions. It is known as a time of deep introspection caused by the depth of our emotions. This period of introspection could lead to greater self-awareness as well as an awareness of those around you. The ability to get in touch with the intricacy of your own emotions gives you the insight needed to understand others’ motivations. Don’t be surprised if you have a few light bulb moments during this time.
It’s also ruled by Pluto, the planet of transformation, the underworld, and death. This means death in the sense that something comes to an end and transforms into something else (very similar to the Death card in tarot). I talk about this all the time in my classes. Death is crucial and central to every area of our lives especially when it comes to profound transformation, healing, and enlightment. A death of some kind must happen for something to be born Scorpio isn’t afraid to explore dark or deep things, making it a very psychic and sexual sign that isn’t afraid of topics considered taboo or to help you on journeys like shadow work into some of the darkest depths of who are.
The Full Moon in emotionally intense Scorpio is always a dynamic event. During any Full Moon we feel the tug of war between opposing signs, and in this case, the passionate waters of Scorpio counter the practical Taurus Sun. This illuminating event could put a spotlight on what it is you really need in your life and what it is that needs to go since full moons are also a potent time to release and shed all that no longer serves us.
We have talk about some aspects of who scorpio is; now let’s dive deep into the details of how scorpio can affect you and benefit you especially during a full moon!
Unlease your sexual desires with Scorpio
Scorpio is the sign most closely associated with sex: this is due to their enigmatic nature which is what makes them so seductive and beguiling. This sign even rules our reproductive and sexual organs! Sex isn’t solely about pleasure for these sensual scorpions though. They also crave the physical closeness, spiritual illumination, and emotional intimacy sex can provide.
When the moon is in the sign of scorpio it is oozing sexual passion, and desire. With it also being a time about going into your dark depths you may have some desires being illuminated you normally shy away from or simplely have not acknowledged. This is the perfect time to not run and hide from them but, to aproach them without fear and experience the waves of pleasure those dark sexual desires can bring you and your partner. Use this energy to expand and unleash your sexual pleasure with your deepest sexual desires coming to the surface.
Liberation thru transformation with Scorpio
This Full Moon in Scorpio brings to light all the problems you insist on hiding. But sooner or later, you will have to face them head-on to have them resolved and to overcome it. It will be responsible for putting you face to face with your greatest fear or trauma. Take advantage of this transformational moment and try not to run away from the darkness and the breaking apart. The intention is to break to rebuild. Scorpio has this ability to regenerate and transform like no one else and always comes out stronger from a battle.
I talk about this all the time. Things have to break to rebuild, die to be reborn, and burn down to sprout from fertile soil. This sign is all about transformation, transforming to align with our soul’s purpose and to do that we must face those dark depths and allow them crash over us with the forces of transformation. With transformation, comes healing, alignment, and complete liberation from your past, traumas, unwanted energies and all things that do not truly serve you. Being alive means engaging in a continual process of transformation. Nothing in the natural world stays the same so allow the energy of scorpio to guide you in this process.
As the sign of extremes, Scorpio energy can draw out both our darkest shadows and our most enlightened selves. This Scorpio full moon could bring some eye-opening awakenings for anyone who’s been refusing to deal with a lingering conflict. This transformational full moon can support deep processing and healing, if that’s what is needed and guide you into a complete sense and expierence of liberation.
The unrelenting, intense waves of emotion with Scorpio
Have you already heard that Scorpio is the most intense sign of the zodiac? This sign is all about deep and strong emotions. This is for a few reasons, one scorpio is tied to the element of water which is deeply associated to our emotions. And with the sign of scorpio we tend to dive deeper into the depths of our emotions where the water is darker, and seemingly endless. And like the depths of the ocean even if we come up for a breath Scorpio will pull you relentlessly back down. Down, into the depths of your emotions until you no longer fight the waves of your emotions but, succomb to the ebb and flow of the endless waves.
The second reason scorpio is so intenses is because, Scorpio is always looking inside like a detective. Its gaze is investigative and never fears the truth. So, Full Moon in Scorpio comes to invite everyone to closely examine what goes through your heart and mind.
Things to look out for with Scorpio
Since Scorpio has a tendency to bring anything hidden to the surface, your truth radar may be sending you additional communications. Listening to your gut instinct is important now, and especially due to the volatility of this energy. But, be very mindful to exercise emotional maturity if something needs to be addressed. It could be easy, during this window, to end up in emotional drama, conflict, or to simply blow up on others with our words. So stay conscious of your emotional awareness and use this powerhouse energy to fuel your desires instead of getting steeped in drama, conflict, and damaged relationships.
Themes of Scorpio
We have talked a lot about who scorpio is and how scorpio can affect you and benefit you. Now let’s list all the topics to consider that correspond to the full Moon in Scorpio. Keep in mind that the full Moon relates to the contiuation of your journey to manifest your desires and dreams. To release all the things that no longer serve us and create blockaged to our manifesting. It is the time to really truly nuture the seeds of intention you had planted during the new moon so, they can bloom and thrive. So, try and have any of your workings based on these topics be grounded in those seeds of intention you had planted on the new moon.
Sex / Intimacy / passion
Emotions
Depth and darkness
Love
Transformation/ Change
Psychic Abilities
The Occult—anything supernatural, mystical or magical
Intuition
Taboo Topics and desires
Death
Regeneration / Rebirth
Life
Relationships
Desire
Secrets/ Mysteries
Seriousness
Honesty/ Truth/ Investigative
Reflection / Insight
The Scorpio Myth
In Greek mythology, the constellation Scorpius was identified with the scorpion that stung Orion, the mythical hunter. The two constellations lie opposite each other in the sky, and Orion is said to be fleeing from the scorpion as it sets just as Scorpius rises.
In one version of the myth, Orion tried to ravish the goddess Artemis and she sent the scorpion to do away with him. In another version, it was the Earth that sent the scorpion after Orion had boasted that he could defeat any wild beast.
The Pink Moon Meaning
The Pink Moon is a name given to the April full moon, originating from the pink flowers, known as wild creeping phlox, that typically bloom during this time of year in North America. However, despite the name, the Moon itself doesn’t actually appear pink but instead takes on its usual golden or white hue.
Combining the Pink Moon’s energy with Scorpio’s intensity can create a powerful time for personal growth, transformation, and letting go of what no longer serves us. It’s a time to delve into our subconscious, release emotional baggage, and embrace change and renewal. This period invites us to embrace our vulnerabilities, confront our shadows, and emerge more robust and more self-aware on the other side.
Hebe Asteroid
We have another cosmic energy affecting us at this time as well on 4/22 Hebe asteroid 6 appeared vertical to virgo in the skies which will have an affect on us. Combined with the scorpio energy this aestroid could bring about some very deep traumas, emotions, and triggers for us especially around childhood traumas and rejection. So, let’s touch briefly on this asteroid and who it represents.
Hebe is the goddess of eternal youth. She served as the cup-bearer to the gods before Ganymede took her place. Her name comes from the Greek word meaning “youth” or “prime of life”. Hebe is associated with being of service; she can be a servant or even a slave. There are negative associations with abuse, probably from her elders or elites. She could also be about healing from childhood trauma, especially in the context of this Scorpio/Pluto moon energy.
There is an account that Hebe’s demotion as cup-bearer was because she fell, ripping her dress, shamefully exposing her naked body publicly. Hebe is also associated with the Fall in terms of the change of seasons. Similar to Demeter and Persephone, Hebe is the maiden version of Hera, her mother. So Hebe is the springtime Virgin goddess. Other positive associations with Hebe are elixirs that rejuvenate, eternal life, mercy and forgiveness.
Correspondences for the Scorpio full moon
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.
Now, that we have talked about the themes of this intense, serious, emotional, sexual, transformative, Scorpio full moon and how it is going to affect you let’s talk about how you can specifically connect to and work with this moon.
With this moon there are certain spells and rituals that will help connect you this moon in the most effective way. Remember these are just some of the many ideas follow your intuition and the energy of this moon.
connect to deities of the underworld, rebirth and transformation like persephone and hades
Transformation and rebirth magic and spells
Write down and release all things that no longer serve into a body of water
moonlight bathe in the nude
Ritual Full Moon Bath
Taking a full moon bath is an extremely soothing way to harness the power of this moon phase. A Moon bath can be an especially powerful practice when the Moon is transiting the water signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. This is because the element of water is activated, i.e charged up – like a crystal, it has more potential to HOLD intention and frequency. So, this Full moon take a ritual bath to help you connect to your depth of your emotions in scorpio right now. I would recommend to have your items added to your bath right now be focused
Top tip: Using Moon water in your ritual bath will take it to the next level!
Self-love mirror gazing ritual
This is a very transformative ritual to be doing every single full moon but, I really like using this one during a scorpio moon. The feeling of self love and passion for myself I feel seems to be so much more amplified after acknowledging my deepest, darkest emotions needed to be addressed. This ritual helps remind me during a scorpio moon to remember that even while working through those deep, dark emotions and traumas I still am worthy to be loved and to have all my needs met. You can find the ritual below and to learn more about one of my favorite types of magic; mirror magic in general you can read about in my previous blogpost here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-whose-the-most-magical-of-them-all-a-guide-to-mirror-magic/
Self -love mirror gazing ritual You will need: A mirror Under the light of the full Moon, do some stretching, shaking, dancing, or deep breathing, to bring your awareness into the fullness of your body.
Place the mirror beneath the Full Moon in the night sky, so that you can sit looking at your own reflection AND have moonlight falling on your face.
Look into the mirror at your own reflection. See, sense and feel the light of the Full Moon fall onto your face, and feel yourself soaking up her rays.
Now gaze into your eyes, holding the intention to both give receive more love. Say the words: “I am loved, I am held, I am whole” aloud.
Searching the depths with scorpio meditation
This meditation is all about helping being a guide for you while you dive deep into the depths of your soul and emotions with the scorpio full moon. The ideal time to perform this ritual day or night of the full moon. If possible do it under direct moonlight. or the day after the full moon.
You’ll need: 15-30 minutes of quiet and uninterrupted time Vessel of water Pen/pencil and paper Optional: amethyst
Meditation/Ritual: Create sacred space by grounding yourself and connecting with your breath and body. If casting a circle or calling in the quarters is in your practice, you could do this too. To learn how to do that you can do that by reading my previous blogpost here and watching my previous class on the topic with Divination Academy. https://youtu.be/MwDSVeNPjfs?si=mEMMrUwKy37bI-K0 Sit, close your eyes, and begin to connect with your breath and body. If you’re using amethyst you can hold it or place it near you to inspire your intuition. In this meditative state, ask aloud or in your mind, “Show me my soul’s deepest desire. show me where I have not been acting in alignment with my intention” Breathe and allow your mind to take you where it wants to go. Be open to visualizations, messages, or feelings that may arise. After spending some time with the first question, and when you feel ready, ask aloud or in your mind, “Show me my next steps to be in better alignment with my soul’s deepest desires?” Again, breathe and allow your mind to take you where it wants to go. Be open to visualizations, messages, or feelings that may arise. The subconscious mind often works through symbols. Be open and curious about anything that comes through to you, understanding that even though it may not make sense at the moment, it may later. When you feel ready to come out of your meditation, thank any guides who came through to offer guidance, then write down any insights that came to you. Place your paper in your vessel of water to remain there until the moon is new. Check in with your bowl of water with the paper in it each day to refill with water if needed, touch into the feelings you experienced, and as a reminder to take continued action towards your soul’s desires, even when it feels challenging. At the time of the next new moon, bury your paper outside and pour the water on top of it, trusting that you will be guided in your soul’s journey.
Sex Magic To enhance your sex life
With the full moon of scorpio being so deeply connected to our sexual desires, passions, and energy this moon is an extremely potent time for any type of sex magic and sex work. This includes doing spells to enhance your sex life. We can all use a little enhancement from time to time for many reasons and even if you don’t why not add some enhancement to increase your pleasure, your partners pleasure and have some really body alterating orgasims at that! I am passionate about sex magic and use it in my life, magical practices and my marriage ALL the time! To learn more about sex magic you can check out part two of class on the topic here and the study guide with divination academy here!
The spell below is a great spell enhance and intensify any of sexual pleasure sessions!
Carve your name and your partners name into your red candle
Anoint your candle with honey while thinking of all the passion, desire, and freedom you want to experience in your sex life.
Take your anointed candle and roll it in your cinnamon and sugar again viualizing all the passion, desire, freedom and climaxing you want to experience with your partner.
Be as specific as possible.
Light your candle during your next sex session together to ignite your passions and let it burn until it goes out on it’s own
Reflection topics and questions for Scorpio Full Moon
Every full moon is a great time to for reflecting on those seeds you had planted during the new moon and how they are doing now at the end of the lunar cycle and how you can celebrate your success and adjust the future for even greater success. Whether you do it thru meditation, shadow work, or divination like tarot; below is a list of prompts and topics to connect with the energy of the Scorpio full moon.
What is my soul’s deepest desire?
What emotions are sitting in the deep that I avoid?
What do I need to release from my past to fully transform?
Are there any mysterious about myself or others in my life i need to explore?
Where is my intuition trying to guide me?
Is there something in my life I need to listen to my gut about?
What parts of myself am I avoiding?
What are my deepest sexual desires, needs and passions? are they being met? Am I afraid to have them met? If so why?
What could I achieve if I stepped outside my comfort zone?
What areas of my life do I need to address to transform?
What fears and hidden emotions do I need to face?
What areas of my life do I need to transform to be in alignment with my soul purpose?
What emotions, wounds, or traumas coming up for me and how will I face them?
However you choose to work with, connect to, or celebrate, follow your intuition, and passion to guide you the rest of this lunar cycle to finish growing your seeds of manifestation. Use this full moon in scorpio and its unrelenting crashing waves of emotions, sexual passion, and desire to transform yourself!
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!
The magic circle — also known as the magic circle of protection, ritual circle, witch’s circle, and even sacred circle — is one of the most iconic trademarks of magic. You hear over and over again about how we should know how to do one and when you attend ceremonies and rituals you hear the facilitator/ practitioner use one often but, do you really know why we cast a magic circle and what one really is?
What is a magic circle?
A magic circle is a sacred space that practitioners of magic believe contains energy. The magic circle is an area of non-physical space created and constructed of personal power. It creates an energetic and psychic container – a safe, protected space – for magic and healing to take place. When you cast a circle, you are said to be in a space between worlds – void space, magic space, liminal space, grey space, spiral space beyond linear time. It’s a magical environment in which the deities are welcomed and celebrated, and where rituals and magical workings take place.
Many magical practitioners create a circle as part of their magical ritual. The circle may first be marked out with chalk or paint, or drawn in salt or, more usually, it is visualized with no physical representation of the circle at all. All of the participants may stand around the perimeter of the circle or may stand in the center.
A solo practitioner generally stands in the center. The circle is established using the energy of the practitioner(s) using means specific to their tradition. The energy encircles the area horizontally as well as vertically, creating something more like a sphere or bubble of spiritual energy.
There are two main types of magic circles used. Those formed by ceremonial magicians are designed to protect the magician from the forces that he or she raises. While those formed by witches and wiccans, are mainly used to create sacred space in which to meet and commune with the Goddess, God and Spirits. The magic circle is essentially a magical seal or sigil. Circles may or may not be physically marked out on the ground, and a variety of elaborate patterns for circle markings can be used. A castor may even add tools, candles, and other items as well.
When it comes to casting a circle there really are endless possibilities to how you choose to cast one, when you choose to cast a circle, and what/if you call in to add energy to your circle as you cast it as well. Continue to read to learn all about the history of casting a magic circle, why you should use and when, and some of the many ways you can cast a magic circle and decide if this staple of magic workings will be added to your practice.
A Circling Group
A group of witches or magic users may sometimes refer to themselves as a Circle or Circling group rather than a coven. A coven implies the group’s shared set of beliefs and oaths. Using the term Circle to describe a group of magical practitioners implies that while the group performs magic together and gathers for some spiritual and social occasions, they do not necessarily share the same belief system and owe each other no oaths.
Circles are often formed for training purposes or for family groups and general fellowship and Circle members may be involved with other groups as well.
History of casting a circle
Manly P. Hall once said, “The most primitive and fundamental of all symbols is the dot [circle].”
They considered geometry holy teaching in antiquity. Scholars and wise men of old deemed the circle sacred and studied it along with other divine natural sciences in studying the stars and mathematics. At the time, they saw mathematics as a discipline to aid in communication with their gods. Ritual magicians utilized solving geometric equations like squaring the circle. We see this in the mystical teachings by Pythagoras.
Circle casting has been around for 1000s of years. We see evidence of it as far back as Sumerian culture. Evidence of its practice can be found in texts like the Lesser Keys of Solomon as well. It is mentioned in other “high magick” grimoires; many of dubious origin. In this early metaphysical literature, casting a circle was a means of containing spirits and energies conjured during complex rituals of evocation. The means of conjuring these spirits was risky to all involved and it’s easy to imagine that many spirits were not too happy with the mages doing the summoning. Circles also functioned as a way to protect the humans performing the ritual and were often combined with sigils.
Over time, the reason for casting a circle has changed. Most contemporary witches who cast circles do so to create a sacred space or vortex of power that sits between and connects the physical world with the spiritual. In this space, the witch is free to work with the energies they choose to evoke. The circle, no longer just a means of protection, has become an energetic focus and sphere of unadulterated power when properly created. This modern idea of circle casting began with the work of traditional English witches in the early 1900’s and was popularized afterward by Gerald Gardner, the creator of the Wiccan religion.
Mesopotamian Magic
In Mesopotamia, called by some the cradle of civilization, most people created rituals. Both individually and as a community. The Sumerians called the use of ritual circles Zisurrû.
Sumerians used a common technique in casting ritual circles. They drew the circle with flour or chalk. They spread the flour around figurines of deities and figures of protection entities. For example, I, An, and Enlil who were all gods of Mesopotamia and are within the seven gods. Sumerians believed they attributed to the gods with this ritual.
The type of flour was crucial as different grains held unique properties. Wheat flour specifically invoked deities. Barley encircled beds to protect against disease-causing demons, and šemuš-flour repelled ghosts.
Archaeologists have also discovered the use of magic circles. Similarly, not on the ground but in pottery. Written on the bowls, called “incantation bowls.” In spirals were magical words of invocation, multiple names of deities, and seemingly “nonsense” words that hold mystical power.
Greek Magic
In Greece, Magic circles were protective necessities. However, this motif of the circle as protection against negative spirits is a constant theme in all cultures.
The ancient Greeks used prayers from priests as a spoken magic circle.
Charles Stewart, the author of Magic Circles, says,
“An exorcism prayer for clearing a space of evil spirits describes how the priest’s blessing establishes a circular ‘boundary of fire’ within which all terrestrial, aerial, and astral spirits will be bound and rendered subordinate to Christ and the saints.”
Hermetic Magic, Golden Dawn, Thelema, and Others
A significant tradition exists within the magical Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. They named this tradition the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram or LBRP.
Physically, you will draw out pentagrams representing the four cardinal directions. The archangels are usually the magic circle and will not have markings. The figures you draw and envision form a protective circle around you.
Wicca
In the early 1900’s and was popularized afterward by Gerald Gardner, the creator of the Wiccan religion.
In Wicca, a magic circle is typically nine feet in diameter, though the size can vary depending on the purpose of the circle, and the preference of the caster.
Some varieties of Wicca use the common ceremonial color attributions for ‘quarter candles’: yellow for air in the east, red for fire in the south, blue for water in the west and green for earth in the north (though these attributions differ according to geographical location and individual philosophy).
Have you ever been told that you can’t enter a circle or leave a circle once it has been cast? That is a wiccan belief and actually doesn’t spread across all castors when it comes to magic circles. This is because wiccans believe the barrier is believed to be fragile, so that leaving or passing through the circle would weaken or dispel it. This is referred to as “breaking the circle”. It is generally advised that practitioners do not leave the circle unless absolutely necessary.
In order to leave a circle and keep it intact, Wiccans believe a door must be cut in the energy of the circle, normally on the east side. Whatever was used to cast the circle is used to cut the doorway, such as a sword, staff or knife (athame), a doorway is cut in the circle, at which point anything may pass through without harming the circle. This opening must be closed afterwards by reconnecting the lines of the circle. The circle is usually closed by the practitioner after they have finished by drawing in the energy with the athame.
Purposes
Casting a circle can have many purposes to benefit your magical workings and practices. What purpose you are meaning to use it for as well will help you determine when and how to cast one in your magical workings, practices and even in your daily life.
Create Intentional Space
Part of casting a circle is about mindset. It allows us to shift out of the mundane world and into the sacred. As you get used to casting a circle, it will start to signal to your body and brain that you’re entering into a ritual space, and your energy will likely begin to shift automatically. Your body, brain, soul, and spirit will automatically shift into a more grounded, mindful, and energetic state.
Protection
When you open yourself up to working with energy, it’s important to protect yourself from unwanted energies. Working with magic and ritual, especially any astral or Akashic work, it can leave us vulnerable to unwanted energies coming in. When you cast a circle you are creating a potent extended barrier of energy around you and your space to help you filter the energies you are allowing in. It can be even more potent if you add deities, other entities, guides, the watch towers, elements, and more.
Focus the energy of your workings
Casting a circle isn’t just about keeping unwanted energy out; it’s also about keeping the desired energy in. Our magic is more powerful when we can focus it in a specific direction, rather than let it scatter and diffuse. An energetic circle helps us gather and concentrate more energy to support the purpose of our magical workings!
When to cast a circle
So, when should you cast a circle you ask? Again, the possibilities really are endless and there isn’t just one answer to when you should be casting a magic circle. For example, you can cast a magic circle of protection around yourself before you leave on a long trip in your car or flying in a plane. Or you can do one when you are taking a ritual bath, calling down the moon, creating a spell jar, on Samhain, and even during meditation. The list really is endless. You can cast a circle whenever you feel you need to use its magical and energetic purposes in your life. Here is a list of some more idea below;
Any pagan holidays or festivals
When honoring the Wheel of the year
When doing divination
While calling down the moon
Shadow work
During cleansing
Meditation
Spell work/ Casting
When working with a deity
Coven/ group work
When in need of protection
When you need to focus
For amplification purposes
Astral travel
Akashic/ Spirit Work
As Protection magic
When working with the Elements and/or planets
property/home magic
Where to Cast a Circle
I feel like I am going to sound like a broken record here but, guess what guys? Your possibilities for where to cast a circle are again going to be endless. You can cast one one your way to work in your car to help you with dealing with coworkers, you can cast one in your living room, your front yard, your bedroom for enhanced sex magic, literally the list could go on. It all just depends on the purpose you are using the circle for, the time you have to cast it, and how you want to do it. Then you just make sure your location fits all of those needs.
Do you have to cast a circle?
Is casting a casting a circle you have to do each time you cast, or do deity work, or celebrate Samhain? No, you don’t. Casting a circle is completely up to you. You can choose when you cast a circle, and if you even cast a circle at all. Most of the times when I am working with a deity I cast a circle but, not every time. Other magic workings like when I am making spell bags I have never cast a circle when doing. This is going to all be up to you and what you decide. One of the many beauties of this path.
What you’ll need to Cast a Circle
Depending on your practice, purpose, and space this could mean many different things. You could need nothing to cast your circle but yourself and a quite space alone or in a group. Or you may need representations of the four elements, a deity, the four directions, and the list could go on. So, this is really going to be up to you.
Some common items you may need when casting a circle will be listed.
A bowl of salt or herbs to represent earth
A chalice of Water
A wand or Athame
Incense or feather to represent Air
Candles to represent fire
Crystals
Images of deities
Statues of deities
Offerings
Anything you can use to outline your physical circle if you choose to like flowers, salt, flour, branches, rocks, etc.
Prep for your circle
So, you know you’re going to be casting a magic circle. Is there any prep for casting one? Yes, for every type of circle casting there is at least a little bit of prep. I say this because, even if you are doing a quick one in your car or a daily one in the mirror at home you still have some prep work.
Your prep work for casting a circle will look different every time as a whole but, each time you need to decide what is the purpose of your circle you are going to cast, do you need to cleanse and prep your space, will you be physically drawing your circle and do you need any tools? Once you answer those questions then you do what needs to be done. You decide the purpose, you grab any tools if needed and you cleanse the space if you need to. If you decide to cleanse I like just doing a simple smoke cleanse with incense or an herb bundle. After that your next step to prep work is to go to your chosen space, physically draw your circle if you chose and than get grounded, enter sacred space, take some deep breaths and get ready for your visualization and circle casting.
How to Cast Circle
There are so many ways to cast a circle. It’s my belief that magical practice is always more powerful when it is YOURS. When you take the time to study it, sit with it, experiment with it and develop it to be your own personal magic and style. However you choose to cast your circle, one thing is common: you’ll work with visualization and energy.
Below is one example of how to cast a circle using the four directions and elements;
Center yourself with a few deep, grounding breaths.
Let your eyes close and start to call on the elements.
Starting in the East, with the element of Air, speak aloud to invite the energy of Air, of breath, of voice, of mind, to hold the circle.
Then turn your focus to the South, the element of Fire, and speak aloud to invite the energy of Fire, of transformation, of passion, of the sun, to hold the circle.
Turn your focus again to the West, the element of Water, and speak aloud to invite the energy of Water, of feeling, of surrender, of the ocean, to hold the circle with you.
Lastly, turn your focus to the North, to the element of Earth, and speak aloud to invite the energy of Earth, of holding, of soil, of forests, to hold the circle.
Feel the shift in your body and your space as the circle forms. Visualize a golden circle of light around you, supported by the powerful energy of each of the elements, holding a sacred and safe container for you.
When you feel ready, say out loud: “The circle is now cast.”
When you need a quick circle for protection in public places, here’s how to cast a simple circle:
Relax your body and mind as much as possible.
Cleanse your body with 5 deep breaths and allow the tension to leave your body.
Close your eyes (if you can) and visualize a bright white light bursting from the top of your head.
Continue visualizing – this white light now showers over your body, forming a circle from head to feet.
Hold the image of an impenetrable, shining white bubble. This circle protects from energetic intrusion. Hold the image as long as you can and it will protect you for the day.
How to Cast a Circle for Pagan Rituals (AKA Calling the Quarters)
For pagan rituals and sabbats, after cleansing and preparation
Stand at the North point of the circle (have your wand/athame ready, if you use one.) Turn and draw a circle with your wand, ending where you are standing in the north.
Then, take a breath and envision a cave of impenetrable crystals encircling you.
Face the north, raise both arms, and say, “I call on the element of Earth. Nourish and protect us this magical night.”
Walk towards the east. Envision a powerful, illuminated wind encircling you.
Face the East and say, “I call on the element of Air. Inspire and guide us this magical night.”
Turn from the east and walk towards the south. Envision a fire that ignites passion and power from deep within you.
Stand facing the south and say, “I call on the element of Fire. Ignite our spirits and empower us this magical night.”
Now turn and walk towards the west. Envision a gentle rain falling all around.
Stand facing the west and say, “I call on the element of Water. Give us powers of dream and intuition and purify us this magical night.”
Next, stand in the middle of the circle and visualize a white bubble of light where you walked the circle. This circle isn’t just one dimensional – it reaches above your head and below your feet forming a perfect sphere.
At this point, you may call the ancestors or gods of your choice (this is optional).
Say, “The circle is cast. Let no one enter or leave the circle until it is released.” Proceed with the ritual.
An example of one of my circle Castings
My circle castings change every single time I do one. When I am casting for my home and property I will physically create one with the points of my property and items, when I do shadow work I at times will invoke deities, sometimes I use just my energy and others I use crystals and all the elements. I follow my intuition and the purpose I have for this particular circle.
Below is a short example of what I usually include in a circle casting in most of classes and rituals; ( Each element part changes each time)
I call to the spirit and guides to each and every soul in this circle.
I ask that you encircle us in protection, guidance, connection, and wisdom.
I call to guardians and gatekeepers of the four directions and I thank you ever so much for turning your gaze towards us and I ask for you to join us.
I call to the direction of east and the element of Air
For you are the breath in my lungs the reason I can breath
You bring transformation and wisdom on your wides of change each time you blow through my life.
I honor your breath, your power of change and that you are my breath of life.
I ask you element of air to hold the eastern gateway
I call to the direction of south and the element of fire.
You are my passion, my spark, and the ember in my soul for motivation.
You teach me to blaze and burn brightly to be a guide in the dark and warmth to those who seek my shelter.
To have passion and desire and also to know when to use my flames to burn those who need to be taught a lesson
I ask you element of fire to hold the southern gate.
I call to the guardians and gatekeepers of the direction of west and the element
Of water.
You teach me water that your depths are vast and deep and moving in your tides can cause your to drown or float just like our emotions.
You teach me to swim with grace when I need to and float when your depths call.
You are the life force for each living being and the reason earth is so very unique.
I call to you element of water and ask you to hold the western gate this evening.
I call to the guardians and gatekeepers of the direction of north and the element of Earth.
You are the home of every living being.
You are the resting place of every ancestor of every line and every generation.
You are where we all begin and where we all end.
You are the populated cities and the vast uncharted territories yet to be found.
I call to you element of earth and ask you to hold the northern gateway.
I call to the guardians and gatekeepers, spirit guides, inter dimensional beings, elementals, any deities, and all other entities willing to protect, guide and assist of both above and below and thank you so very much for holding those gateways.
Amen. Aho. So mote it is
Other ways to Enhance a Circle
You can make casting a circle as simple or as complex as you’d like. Here are some other ways you can choose to enhance and cast your circle.
Place your Ritual Deck element or direction cards around you in each of the corresponding directions.
Place physical items representing each of the elements around in the corresponding directions. Learn more about how to represent each of the elements here.
Place four crystals around you in each of the corresponding directions. Hematite or snowflake obsidian work well for Earth/North, amethyst or kyanite for Air/East, citrine or pyrite for Fire/South, and moonstone or carnelian for Water/West.
Place four lighted candles around you in each of the corresponding directions. A black or brown candle for Earth/North, a yellow or purple candle for Air/East, a red or orange candle for Fire/South, and a blue silver candle for Water/west
Walk the circumference of the circle.
Use a wand or athame (ritual knife) to draw the circle around you.
Physically draw your circle using salt, sugar, or flour
Add offerings and image of deities or other entities
Add sigils at the four directions and/or corners
The Elements Vs. The Guardians of the Watchtowers
Some people prefer to invoke the elements when casting a circle, while others call on the guardians of the watchtowers. What’s the difference between the two? When the elements earth, air, fire, and water are invoked to cast a circle, we are calling those elements specifically and the energy they bring. When the guardians of the watchtowers are called, we invoke the highest beings that watch over each directional point and related element. These are sometimes seen as gods and goddesses, sometimes seen as angels.
Breaking a Circle
Have you ever been told you can’t enter a circle once the castor has begun or that if you leave you can not re enter or you will be ending the circle for everyone? Are these things true? I am not going to say it’s a definite no. For some the answer is yes. For others like many wiccans, you have to open a door by cutting one in the circle using your left hand and athame. For others like myself I don’t think it is true unless I make the decision for it to be true. I believe your circle is being constructed with your energy which means you get to decide if no one else can enter, if they can under certain circumstances, or if anyone can enter at anytime.
Closing Your Circle
You cast your spell, meditated for shadow work, focused your energy, or cast protection now what? Now, you have to make sure to do one more important thing, close your circle. Your circle is a sacred energetic space you created and you are also energetically keeping it in existence. When your circle has served its purpose and intention do not forget to thank your circle for how it assisted you and then ask it to be released/ dispelled and your energy to come back to you or go to where it came from.
Wrap Up
Casting a circle in magic has a long history across many cultures and practices and how you choose to cast yours is up to you. Remember it may change each time as well. Experiment with it and decide what works best for you, using the elements, tools, the directions, a deity, or just yourself. It really is up to you! And remember you can decide to never cast one as well and that’s okay though I really think you should give it a try the benefits are worth it!
To expand your knowledge about this magic or if you’d rather listen than read; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on YouTube below!
