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atiny-piratequeen · 4 years

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*Image of Jongho and Whiro posted is a paid commission from twt artist Hizu with permission. Please respect both Hizu and I and do not repost or use the artwork anywhere else. Thank you

Character Analysis: Choi Jongho, the 'Great Evil'

Languages: Māori, English, Samoan (Modern Day), Tahitian (Modern Day), Hawaiian (Modern Day), Japanese (Modern Day), Korean (Modern Day), Icelandic (Modern Day), Haitian (Modern Day), Thai (Modern Day)

Crew Position: Gunner

Powers: Umbrakinesis/Darkness (Inherited from Maori God, Whiro)

Compass Position + Arrowpoint Stone: South West, Right Hip (Mirrors Yunho’s), Obsidian

Eye Color: Brown (Natural), Red (Whiro/ Full Demonic Form)

Hair Color: Black, Blonde (Demon Form)

Piercings: Jacob’s Ladder

Tā Moko: Along his left pectoral, a complete ta moko from his buttocks down to his ankles, along his face and arms (Situational, using his Umbrakinnesis and Whiro himself)

Likes: Fighting (Specifically with Whiro Nowadays), Being in Wooded Areas, Showing Off His T�� Moko, Having His Lovers Run Their Fingers Over His Tā Moko and Scars

Dislikes: People Being In His Space, Whiro’s Complaining, Excessive Amounts of Affection, Bell Peppers

Jongho, Māori warrior of Aotearoa.

The son of the village’s tohunga tā moko, Jongho lived most of his life in comfort. He had the honor of being one of the village’s most promising warriors, excelling in his training and being loved by all of the members of his village.

They were all close, a family.

No one is closer to him than Mateo, the chief’s son. Together, the two of them are inseparable. As long as they stay together, nothing can touch them, not even the rival tribe threatening peace as they know it.

As long as they stay….together….

Bounty Hunter Jongho.

Loss shapes a man. Hollowed out and gutted of most emotion other than fury and rage, loss burns away all that you once were. Revenge is his mission now. Redemption.

Redeeming himself is just a matter of bringing down more and more of the world’s lowlifes. The more people he takes out, the closer he is to redeeming himself for his past errors. It’s just that simple.

Life is simpler when you don’t have to think.

Gunner Jongho.

Through some chaotic and unorthodox circumstances-though, at this point, its to be expected-Jongho is now surrounded by Hongjoong and co. He’s by no means welcomed by all, but as long as he can make amends for his mistakes, he’s willing to deal with the scrutinizing and disapproving glances cast his way.

The winds of change are blowing for the young gunner. Though bullheaded and stubborn, Jongho will soon realize just how valuable he is to the crew.

Ah, as soon as he can quiet that annoying asshole, Whiro first. Gods, he really doesn’t shut up, does he?

-Mythology-

Whiro-te-tipua (Whiro the demon) is the Maori god of all things associated with evil, darkness, and death. It is said the reason why people have darkness in their hearts is his doing.

Whiro’s story begins somewhat at the same time as his siblings. As their father, the sky itself, Ranginui embraced Papatūānuku, their mother, earth, all of their offspring became trapped between them. This created a divide between some of them.

For some, they enjoyed the darkness and crampedness that came from being so close together because of their parents.

For others, namely Whiro himself, the dark and dreary conditions were ideal.

The conflicting ideals lead to a struggle, as Tāne-mahuta, the god of forests and light came up with a plan to separate their parents. The amount of offspring that were against the idea and stood with Whrio were outnumbered by the ones who wished to be free and sided with Tāne, and as such, Tāne separated their parents, forcing their father Rangi up and away from Papa.

Whiro despised the mere thought of separating their parents, for reasons ranging between not liking how cold and vast the outside would be if they did so, to disagreeing with the method of separating their parents being to sever their limbs. His words, however, were not as convincing as Tāne’s, and thy proceeded with the younger god’s plan.

As such, the sky was separated from the earth, and the offspring were allowed to finally separate.

...and evil himself, Whiro, was also unleashed into the world, as well.

The ills of the world-including sickness and disease-are said to be Whiro’s doing in his constant mission to destroy man and mankind, as they are the creation of Tāne after he separated their primordial parents.

In one of their neverending feuds, Tāne began an ascent to the heavens to obtain the Wananga (important and sacred knowledge and lore) on behalf of Io. Whiro, once again, flew into a jealous rage, as he offered himself to ascend to obtain the knowledge, but his method of ascent was shot down, while Tāne’s method was preferred by their siblings, and he was chosen over Whiro-again.

Fed up with being bested, Whiro took matters into his own hands and decided to try beating Tāne to the heavens, getting a head start to try and obtain the knowledge all for himself instead.

This did not go unnoticed, and Tane was accompanied by the Whanau-puhi (the Wind Children) to aid in his ascent as Whiro began sending animals and insects to try and slow him down. Flying insects, reptiles, and carrion-eating birds were all sent Tāne’s way to hinder him as Whiro tried to best him, even drawing blood from the god to be used later in potions that destroy life itself.

Getting cocky, Whiro didn’t utilize his advantage and stopped several times to taunt Tāne, waiting for his younger brother to continue before sending another horde after him, reveling in the fact that he had the upper hand for once.

Whiro’s cockiness cost him the opportunity to get the knowledge he had set out to obtain, as Tāne somehow beat all the odds and got to the top, regardless.

During his decent from the heavenly mountain, Whiro-now pissed once more at yet another loss to Tāne-sent another horde after him. The Whanau-puhi stepped in again, taking some of the horde as captives and bringing them to our world.

Because of this, we have mosquitos, sandflies, mantises, hawks, bitterns, bats, owls, parrots, and keases.

The two continued to feud, eventually breaking out into a full war.

One of which, again, Tāne won.

Whiro now resides in the underworld, and is considered one of the most active of Māori deities. His persistence is ruthless and neverending in his mission to destroy man.

He is represented by a lizard and other reptiles native to New Zealand, and as such, the creatures were both feared and incredibly respected. A lizard is said to be an emissary of Whiro and a harbinger of death.

Some said when the gods themselves are ready and decide to destroy a man, they place a lizard inside of his body, allowing the creature to devour his vitals, ultimately killing him.

For now, a mere fragment of the great god resides inside of our Jongho.

He really likes Yeosang’s cooking, so I doubt there will be any vital eating lizards anytime soon.

-Power Applications/Demon Transformation-

Jongho was born and raised a Māori warrior, and as such, is a force to be reckoned with even without Whiro’s assistance. Through training games such as ti rākau, poi rākau, tītī torea, and te whai wawewawe a Māui, his eyesight has been sharpened to pick up even the most minute of bodily or environmental changes in battles in an instant. His body is incredibly nimble and his footwork in battle far surpasses the others.

Before being paired with Whiro, Jongho could hold his own with his weapons from home and his bare hands. He carries three weapons on him at all times, at the very least.

The first of these weapons is his taiaha, a weapon made of either whalebone or wood that is very similar to a quarterstaff and a spear. Feathers were attached to the neck of the weapon, just below the sharpened end of it used for stabbing. The purpose of the feathers was to cause a visual distraction in the form of the ruffling feathers, be it from a sharp or subtle movement from the wielder to catch the attention of an opponent. Once distracted, the wielder would use both their footwork, flexible wrists, and speed to strike with the other end of the weapon and either go for a bludgeoning shot with the blunt end or a stab with the sharpened one.

The second weapon Jongho usually keeps on his person is a blunt weapon that sports intricate carvings in it. It, like many Māori traditional weapons, was made either by whalebone or wood. They are striking weapons used for close quarter type fighting and with the right amount of power and force, can break bones or dislocate shoulders.

They are also used in important meetings as a tool to command attention and punctuate important points to pay attention to.

The final physical weapon Jongho carries on him at all times, even in Modern Day AtT, is the mere pounamu he took on when Mateo passed away from battle wu. Highly prized and considered to be one of, if not the most sacred of Māori weapons. It is a weapon passed down generations and used as a sign of chieftainship. The weapon is teardrop-shaped, and made from jade stone. There is a hole drilled into the base of it for a wrap to be attached to the wrist to keep it from slipping during combat. He used it faithfully to honor Mateo after his death until Yunho gifted him with a mere he and Geb crafted themselves created from charoite.

Though the two of them butt heads, Whiro and Jongho come together for combat, with Whiro often forming beside Jongho as a mirror image of him, sans the tā moko that covers his face and his hair taking a blonde color. Both of their eyes turn a crimson red, and when they are further attuned to each other, Jongho also gains a tā moko across his face, the most sacred type of tā moko (though all of his tā mokos that are formed from Whiro’s umbrakinesis are temporary and can be dispelled at any time).

Though the two don’t get along at all when they first merge, they fight in unison, with both of their warrior instincts tugging them through battle with the combined strength and knowledge of a warrior and a god.

Jongho’s shadows can fluctuate and are one of the stronger of the powers the crew members has. He can still create shadows in a completely lit room from nothing, though Whiro thrives even more in darker conditions. They can be solid forms, forming powerful tendrils to lash out with, or be shot at like projectiles, but they can also be used for reconnaissance, with the shadows able to go under doors and the like.

Though, recon isn’t Jongho or Whiro’s thing.

When not in combat, Jongho uses his powers, even when resting, keeping Whiro’s shadow form stretched across his arms like a tā moko. At first, this was solely because Jongho didn’t trust the god not to try and strangle him in his sleep (despite him being immortal) or inconvenience him if he fully let his guard down, but the more the two spend time together, the more it seems neither minds each other’s presence as much, and it comes second nature to them.

Maybe there’s even a base level of fondness and respect forming. Though you didn’t hear that from me.

-Character Song Breakdown-

All of the main boys have a song assigned to them in the AtT playlist to go alongside their origin chapters. Jongho’s character song is Lose My Life by Papercut Massacre. I will go over some spoiler things, but if you made it this far, you may know this already.

Trigger Warning: Jongho’s self-destructive behavior, while not intentional on his behalf, is borderline suicidal, so please tread with caution when reading the short character song breakdown, if not, feel free to skip to the character blurb and take care, everytiny.

Jongho’s song breakdown will be on the shorter end, but the song was chosen because of Jongho’s disposition during the majority of his chapter after Mateo’s death.

As a warrior, losing your life in battle is the highest honor one can have, but Jongho takes the full brunt of the blame for Mateo’s death for not being with him when he was fatally wounded.

-Don’t fret, they’re coming

They’re lining up to join me

To save us all

Which ones will fall

They don’t even care we’re here

How do you save someone without fear?

The voices screaming

Stop!

Look what we started

The heroes falling

Could you say that you would give your life tonight?

The sky is burning

The fear consuming

I’ll live forever if I lose my life tonight.-

Jongho spends years of his life completely uncaring if he lives or dies, as long as he can redeem himself for, in his own mind, being the one who let Mateo down and lead to his death. This develops a form of dark hero-complex within the warrior-turned-bounty hunter that persists after Wooyoung and Hongjoong save him and take him aboard the ship.

In his mind, for a while, he’ll be redeemed if he can give his life protecting or saving someone else, and it isn’t until he does so and is saved by being the last man turned by Hongjoong that he lets go of the self-destructive behavior and learns to be more cautious when protecting the people around him.

-Character Blurb-

Jongho stared out at the waves, the black lines on his arms shifting every now and again as he stared at the horizon. The air was good today, and he breathed in deeply before he stiffened ever so slightly when the wood behind him creaked.

“It’s just me.”

His shoulders relaxed marginally as Wooyoung appeared at this side, watching the horizon with him. Jongho sent him a look before he turned his head back towards the ocean.

“Sorry. Force of habit.”

“No, I get it. I should know better than to come up behind you like that.”

The two fell into silence again, just enjoying each other’s presence. Jongho pursed his lips for a moment before he looked down at Wooyoung.

“Why did you save my life back then? Why didn’t you let me get what I deserved?” He inquired. Wooyoung sent him a look, opening his mouth to rip him a new one when Jongho waved his hands, slightly flustered.

“No, no, I don’t mean it like that. I mean, at the time I did but like. Ugh just, why did you save me?”

Wooyoung stared at him for a moment before he laughed lightly and looked out at the sea.

“You reminded me of San. Just...you kicked my ass a bit more than he did. But you reminded me of San so much when you actually listened to me...well, when you read what I had to say. I thought ‘well, if we could save San and bring light to his eyes, maybe we can do it to this dude too, y’know, if the others don’t kill him for crushing my windpipe and shattering my voice box.’” he chirped nonchalantly, despite the way Jongho cringed. Whiro barked out a laugh in his head, but he ignored him for the time being, running a hand through his long hair.

“The same eyes, huh. That’s something.”

“Yeah. I may have been naive, but following my heart lead to me saving another piece of myself so I think it’s okay.” Wooyoung mused, a soft smile on his face as he reached down to hook his pinky with Jongho’s. The younger man looked at their hands and fully pushed them together, lacing their fingers together as he gave him a squeeze.

“I’m glad for your naive heart, then.”

“Ew, all of these soft ass emotions are going to make me barf. I’ll do it, you know. Right in your mind. Mind barf, everywhere. Dunno if I can actually do it, but I’ll find a way.”

“Whiro, shut the fuck-”

-M.List-

#fie writes #against the tide #att #att analysis #att character analysis #long post #tw self destructive behavior #jongho #lets pretend i managed to post this on his bday my tz ok

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aeosedo · 4 years

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A guide to Tech Witchcraft

Hello lovelies this has been something in which has been requested or talked about among my students on discord, so i wanted to make a guide covering all the information and decided to share it to the public of fellow witches , this is a brief introduction on tech witchcraft an the direction it is going now!

Technology and Witchcraft: A Guide to Techno Witchcraft

Introduction

With the day of age we now live, we go to a point where we are experiencing so much progression in the ways things are done, in our day to day life. Witchcraft is no expectation to this rule as witchcraft is constantly formatting and changing everyday through new age magic, While there is still much work to be done, There are some wonderful formulas in which you can use to boost your work through the power of electricity.

On top of the concepts of technology witches I will also be going over apps in which I enjoy and use, in which can help you with your witchy needs How does it work? Well, To start off I think we need to go back and look at what exactly magic is in the first place. Typically magic explains the manipulation and manifestation of energy through oneself and one's mind. It can be used to content with the conscious and subconscious mind.

It is idealistically all witchcraft leads to a goal typically under these things , however are also not limited to: 1) self improvement

2) to connect to the divine

3) to keep or follow a pre existing or new traditions/ lifestyle

4) Healing

5) Banishing

Now keeping this in mind , the tools of magic we use work because they are stored with intent and energy. All items are charged with energy from one self or divine energy as well. Any items we chose to work with will have energy and intent. Money does not really matter in the situation as long as you can get creative.

However this in mind there are correspondences with the elements In western culture the elements include: Air, Fire, Earth, Water and Spirit

In Eastern Culture the elements include : Wood, Iron, Fire, Earth and Water

Correspondence plays about 40 percent of the magic in the situation as long as something matches with an element or deity , and you can put energy and intent in it, it could potentially work.

We can see the light used in smartphones, computer screens, and so on and so forward the element of fire. In the early days of Greece when we looked at the elements: Light, Fire, Soul and Temperature were all considered things of fire, if something was warm ( such as the human body) it would be associated with fire.

For example:

Typically this is how one of the concepts of medicine started with human temperature, if a person was too hot , they needed water and earth to balance it out ( water and food) so using it in this retrospect works with the light being warm and as well as bright like a torch or flashlight. Often when a phone uses a lot of energy or a computer when gaming it also gets warm due to all the energy in which is needed.

Now in terms of Eastern Retrospect, the Metal element represents human advancements and Technology, the original concept was the “ Age of Iron” which was a time of building, machines etc. The Metal element shows the progression in humanity and the ability to create and go. In the Chinese Zodiac this is often empathized with the concept of the Metal Element being referred to as the “ Gold” element. Gold was typically something used in royal buildings and statues as well as Jade. In terms of eastern retrospect

Gods of the Technological World

Now, you may be thinking what kind of god would be willing to work with you through a screen? How is it possible to talk to a deity through screens?

There are gods in which are gods of human communication. Typically they are gods who are associated very closely with the throat chakra. The throat chakra represents the ability to communicate and as you know there are a million and one ways to communicate , one way humanity communications with clothes is through technology. If you're one of the first people reading this you may be reading this through a computer screen!

It is also worth mentioning even if you do not practice reiki, plenty of elements in western lore and gods focus on the energy of communication and

It is amazing to think about how men and woman have made it possible for this to happen.

Who are the gods of communication?

Mercury

(Mercury is a god in which I work with who represents Communication. The first time he talked to me was through a you tube video pop up in fact! , is was quite a experience )

Hermes

This is Mercury's Greek counterpart. Hermes is the god of: Communication, Medicine Transportation, Advancements and Commerce.

Papa Legba

He is a Caribbean God in Haitian Vodou which represents Communication Speech, and understanding

Al-Kutbay

A Nabataean god of Wisdom, Communication and Writing

Saraswati

The Hindu goddess of knowledge speech and creativity

Benzaiten (Benten)

The Japanese god who is the Counterpart of Saraswati, She represents the way the universe flows, water, advancements in society such as : Music , words, speech,knowledge etc

Nabu

A Babylonian god of wisdom and writing

Nidaba

A Sumerian goddess of communication writing, progression and learning

This is just to name a few of the major ones from different cultures. There are many many more They are all typically connected in some way with the throat chakra and throat energy systems that focus on communication and advancements that humans make on earth

With that being said technology has become a part of our day to day lives, one of our main forms of communication and such. Many gods adapt and change as we do, they are the ones who help steer the wheel in the way we go with technology and also more than enough use the energy in which cellphones and computers naturally generate to work with and manipulate if they need be.

The more and more we spend with items , our energy naturally ends up on the item, due to this we can fill items, apps etc with intent to help you manifest your energy and help you become the best you , now we can get into the question im sure you may have “how? “

First I will be going over some methods in which a closeted witch can use in replacement of items in which they may not be allowed to have at home due to the nervousness of being caught

Altars:

Pic Collage

Animals Crossing Towns and Houses

Playlist via Spottily, sound cloud or you tube

Draw Sigils Using IBS Paint / Procreate

ORAS Pokemon Secret Bases

A good way to manifest energy with pic collage and picture based altars are making them your wallpaper ! , and just spending time there meditating with your device and setting intention.

The Pros and Cons

Pros

With being able to draw , and spend personal time and energy allowed for more customization than store bought items, you are putting together the item from scratch which is beneficial. I find video games and such are easier to get your energy over and even gives you more room for items : ex: getting actual gold bars in real life is thousands of dollars, for one offering to Pluto, however in animal crossing this becomes a reality.

Cons

It can be harder to get your energy on the items if you are new to energy manifestation as well as conducting energy, you are also not able to touch your items, or use them in more direct spells: ex: pouring candle wax on items is impossible , being able to carve sigils in your items is also impossible as well as of right now. However despite this there is in a way more customization, and not everyone uses their altar as a workspace, rather just a place of worship.

While not all gods are gods of communication, gods can still talk through technology however it could be difficult for them if there are not the right correspondences made in order to make communication.

Now there is an app coming soon called build an altar, and it could be a nice doorway for more customization but for now we do not have that option! the future looks bright however !

Even if you have a main altar at home, having a digital altar can be helpful on the go, if you're traveling and with friends or family!

Grimoires / Book of Shadows

There are few cons when looking at making a digital grimoire, if anything it can be a saving grace if your handwriting is awful or you prefer to do digital art. You can easily transport your digital grimoire on any device and you can also prevent page loss and also it is easier to edit. Some Apps for Grimoires Include :

Google Docs

Word Press

Notes App

Pro-create

Lunar Diary

Tumblr ( you can make private / public books to share)

Twitter ( you can also make private blogs as well

You can also put them on a USB when you're done to carry it around and share , and even divide information like it pro-tip: Draw Small Sigils with Sharpies for protection / binding spells

Cons

One thing to consider on this method is this method: some people feel as if using ink is better for sealing and writing spells as well, and it is more personal with adding energy/ easier to put in energy to your grimoire as well as making binding spells to protect your grimoire, however it all comes down to personal taste nor is it impossible to make a binding spell for your grimoire either.

Witch Apps

Even if technology is not your thing here are some helpful apps in which can help you with your journey

( TOOLS)

Labyrinthos

This is an app in which you can use for learning tarot, it does an extraordinary job with correspondence meetings and has small quizzes and is set up like a small academy in which to help you

Golden Thread Tarot

Golden thread Tarot Deck is a Tarot App in which you can do your daily tarot and do tarot readings and also has spreads and such you can use too. Golden Thread Tarot also sells their own decks which are pricey however extremely beautiful and worth the money if you want a physical deck

Seventh Sphere

A app by Tina Gong focusing on Lenormand Tarot Divination

Since Lenormand is a newer form of tarot, and harder form of tarot, it has some meanings in which you could read the cards/ base your interpretations about.

Co-star

While this app does not have all the information in a natal chart it is good to get a general look on your chart when looking at all of your planetary placings and have your chart on the go. There is also horoscopes and you can add and compare charts with your friends

My Moon Phases

This is a app used to track moon phases based on your location and shows percentages very good for using it if you want to know what types of moon magic you can use and how to celebrate and manifest accordingly

Wicca Calendar

This is a app in which has all the wiccan holidays together in a wheel along with dates and count out timer to keep the hype of the next holiday coming up

Stone

This is an App that helps you identify gemstones and rocks along with their properties and in information about them

Plant-Net

This is a app to help you identify plants just by taking a picture of them, and then it takes you directly to their Wikipedia page

Head Space

An app for guided meditations and allows you to keep track of your practices with logs and goals. It helps you manifest your energy with professionals hypnotherapists and helps teach lessons on how to meditate and mindfulness. While there is a paid membership it is most certainly worth it for those who love meditation

Calm

This is another guided meditation app in which i enjoy, it is cheaper and has more free features , it has nice calming music as well and is made to help rewind and relax

Down Dog

A free app for yoga with all different types of yoga in which can help heal and restore

Spell Work

Disclaimer

The biggest issue with being unable to do these is the manifestation of energy, it can take a longer period of time than in real life, until you figure out how to manifest through energy work through technology some things can not be touched the same way, but i truly believe the soul has no bounds. Gods have made this possible by adapting over millions of years

Virdi Keep a online garden and water and care for your plants

Candle Apps

Some candle apps let you make color correspondences as well

IBS Paint

Draw sigils, runes and alchemy symbols and keep them in folders or use them for your grimoire

Mighty Timer / Timer Time your teas to let them cool down/ Steep!

Breathing exercises for meditation

Here you can also find more on you tube as well! , One of my favorite hypnotherapist is Micheal Sealy

Another hypnotherapist i have tend to love recently is Liza and her work can be found here

Hypnosis and meditation are steps in the right direction for shadow work and becoming your higher self using guided meditations rather free or paid for can show a lot of progress and can be used to heal!

Pins Help manifest your goals by putting them collectively together in a vision board you can also use these for altars and such, making them your wallpaper or printing them out can help you manifest your greenery. consider meditating in front of your vision boards while working with intent for good results

There are so many more ways you can personalize your craft and be a tech witch, This is a wonderful place to start though and i hope you were able to take away from it

Thank you for checking out my guide and I hope it can teach you something ! :D

#tech wicca #tech witchcraft #guide #beginners guide #witch guide #newage #reiki #wicca #dieitywork #spell work #spells

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naderhaitian-art · 1 year

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Myriam Nader Haitian Art Gallery in New York offers the most impressive and important collection of Haitian artwork with a stellar service experience specializing in selling and appraising Haitian art. We also offer flexible hours and personalized consultations tailored to our client's individual needs. Our gallery is based in New York and is independently owned and directed by Myriam Nader-Salomon who has been dealing with Haitian Art since 1989.

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terminusantequem · 1 year

Photo

Didier William (Haitian, b. 1983), Poto Mitan, 2022. Acrylic, ink, wood carving on panel, 106 x 70 in.

#didier william

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thegnosticdread · 4 years

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The Witch & Their Tools

Originally posted on: https://thegnosticdread.com/the-witch-their-tools/

"Witch". A word that to many is frightening, to others is offensive, and yet still to a few, empowering. What is a witch? In the most broadest sense, a witch is a practitioner of magick or witchcraft, though what actually constitutes being "witchcraft" can vary depending on context and cultural/societal views. Some other names that can be used are Alchemy and Alchemist, Shamanism and Shaman, Healers, and High Priest/Priestess. In all, these titles describe a person who practices "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will" as Crowley so eloquently defines magick. Looking at witchcraft and magick from this perspective gives a more positive and realistic point of view of the Craft rather than the stereotypical stories and images that are often seen in society and pop culture.

Being a witch is a lifestyle, not a trend. I want to avoid sounding dogmatic, but in the same way doing yoga and being vegan doesn't make you spiritual, burning a sage stick while holding a crystal in your hand doesn't make you a witch. There's a true mentality to living this lifestyle. The witch sees themselves as being the sole Master and Controller of their reality. Because of this, you'll rarely see them being self-victims or having a victim mentality, blaming scenarios in their life on some external factor or stroke of chance. The witch doesn't believe in coincidences. Divination whether it is in the form of astrology, tarot, ifa, or some other system makes up a large part of the witch's daily life and doesn't allow for coincidences. The Sixth Hermetic Principle of Cause & Effect says "Chance is but a name for Law not recognized."

The witch may help and heal others with their spellwork, though this is not their obligation to do so. The witch may indeed hex and curse others as well, though myself and none of the witches I know would go out of their way to inflict harm on undeserving people. Not every witch holds the same morals and ethics. Many witches are solitary practitioners while at the same time there are many who choose to join covens. There are also many different magical traditions and religions as well. Wicca is a modern magical religion, but not everyone who claims to be a witch practices Wicca. Thelema is another magical religion created by Aleister Crowley. It is from Thelema the saying "Do what thou wilt" originates, and it's philosophy in part inspired Wicca and the many different modern Paganism and New Age religions that exist today.

Vodun in it's original West African form as well as in the Haitian and New Orleans branches is a magical religion, yet its practitioners are rarely if ever referred to as witches, the appropriate names being Houngans (Male Vodou Priest) and Mambos (Female Vodou Priest). In Louisiana specifically, practitioners were historically referred to as Voodoo Queens and Kings. Hoodoo is often confused with Voodoo, but it is also its own magical tradition though without the religious aspects of the former. Other names for Hoodoo are Rootworking, Conjure, and Juju. Santería, also known as Regla de Ocha is a religion that venerates the Orisha in ritual. Though the worship of the Orisha has its origins stemming back to the Yoruba of West Africa, Santería is heavily practiced in Cuba and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Other similar religions include Candomblé, Kélé, and Obeah. Brujería is the Spanish word for witchcraft, its practitioners being referred to as brujas or brujos respectively, and they may take practices and rituals from multiple traditions and religions to incorporate into their Craft. Other popular magick traditions that aren't necessarily religions are Chaos Magic, Candle Magic, Goetia, Tantra, and Sex Magic.

The workings and the rituals the witch chooses to incorporate into their Craft will be based on the individual's chosen school of thought, religion, and personal taste, but there are tools the witch uses that are near universal in all magical traditions.

The Mind & Body

The most important tool the witch has at their disposal is their own Mind. Every other tool is but an extension. Spellwork requires intense meditation, concentration, libido, and Willpower. Therefore the witch should have a healthy and sharp mentality which can be maintained through study, introspection, mental exercises, and most importantly being aware of the things that they allow to influence their thoughts, consciously and subconsciously. The Body itself is the ultimate talisman and altar. It must be remembered that magick doesn't originate from any object or some external source, rather magick flows from within the practitioner. It is very possible to do magick and see results using the Mind and Body alone if the witch's Mind is well developed. Even still the witch may desire and choose to use other tools as extensions for any particular working.

The Wand

The Wand has been one of the witch's main tools since prehistoric times. The priesthood of the ancient Zoroastrian religion used what is called a barsom. This is a bundle of slender twigs which they believed established a link between the material world and the spiritual realm and acted as the conduit through which the archetypal principles and powers manifest their presence and receive the offerings. The Wand is also seen to have been used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans and is described as being used in many of the grimoires of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The Wand is a Masculine tool in function representing the Phallus and is used for directing the practitioner's Will, desire, and energy during ritual. Of the elements, it represents Fire (though in Wicca it represents Air). The Wand is traditionally made from either laurel or hazel (mine above is hazel), however wands can be made from all types of different wood and even formed out of crystals, all having their own specific traits and different uses.

The Athame

The Athame is the witch's ritual blade. Attested to within the grimoire The Key of Solomon, the Athame is also a Masculine tool that usually has a black handle and is used in banishing rituals. Those who practice Wicca use the Athame in place of the Wand as their main tool for directing Will and energy and to them it represents the element Fire. Wiccans usually use a double edged Athame with the edges dulled as their use of it is purely symbolic. Any cutting of herbs or cords are done with a different ritual knife referred to as a boline.

Outside of Wicca, the Athame represents the element Air and it is encouraged that it be used for cutting or carving. This is because the more it is used, the more powerful the tool becomes. For me personally it was important to find a single edged, sharpened Athame to use so that I can cut herbs, carve names or sigils into candles, and for bloodletting. When I couldn't find one that was satisfactory, I decided to find someone to forge me an Athame out of a used railroad spike. In Hoodoo, railroad spikes are used for securing one's home and property. Being that my personal use of the Athame is also for banishing rituals, slicing through hexes, and severing unwanted energetic ties, having my Athame forged from a railroad spike served a personal symbolic significance. Note also that while the witch may primarily use the Wand when divining, working with the elementals, or directing energy, they may choose to use the Athame when working with spirits and demons. Where the Wand is seen as more welcoming, the Athame is seen as more commanding.

The Chalice

The Chalice is the witch's cup that holds the water, wine, or a different liquor that is used in ritual. The Chalice is a Feminine tool in function representing the Womb and the element of Water. When used in combination with the Wand in ritual by dipping the tip of the Wand into the Chalice, a symbolic act of sexual intercourse is performed, merging the Divine Masculine with the Divine Feminine to bring about Divine Creative Energy to manifest. This act is known as "hieros gamos" or the "holy marriage" and can be performed symbolically with the Wand and Chalice or literally between a man and a woman in a sex rite. Within Wicca, this is known as the Great Rite and the Athame is used in place of the Wand. At the end of certain rituals, the liquid inside the Chalice is drank by the practitioner so that they will embody the energy that was evoked during the ritual, and if it's a group ritual the Chalice will be passed around so that everyone gets a sip. The most famous Chalice in history is none other than the Holy Grail, which is said to be the Chalice Christ used during the Last Supper and which according to legend, was used by Joseph of Arimathea to collect and store the blood of Christ at the Crucifixion.

The Pentacle

The Pentacle is the witch's personal talisman which in function is also Feminine and represents the element Earth. Though a popular modern Pentacle design is the pentagram within a circle, traditionally a Pentacle can be a magical talisman inscribed with any symbol or character, the hexagram historically being used more often than the pentagram whenever the symbol used in the Pentacle was star shaped. When worn around the neck, the Pentacle is serving the witch as a form of protection. It is recommended that a Pentacle be worn during all spellwork and ritual as a spiritual shield. In ritual, Pentacles are used to summon and command different energies and spirits. Many of the Pentacles used are made out of silver or a different type of metal but Pentacles can also be made out of parchment and clay as well.

Some Honorable Mentions

Though not as universally used as much as the main tools I've already presented here, there are still a few more tools many witches use regularly. Crystals are one such tool. Crystal Quartz is the most popular and readily available crystal and you'll see that most witches at least have one of these as they can be used in the place of any other crystal due to its universal energy. I'll have a separate, in-depth post about crystals and my collection shortly. As I mentioned earlier, divination is a large part of the witch's daily life and their divination tools will vary. Tarot and oracle cards are among the most popular divination tools a witch will have. Runes are another popular divination tool. A Book of Shadows is a common tool the witch will have which is their personal grimoire and record of spellwork, rituals, recipes, and information relevant to their Craft. Candles, cauldrons, incense burners, bells, and many other different altar items are useful tools for the witch, but these will all vary greatly as some magical traditions don't use these items at all.

Conclusion

The witch is one who has come into realization of the Divine spark that lays within them, and uses their power along with their tools to manifest their Will. Keep in mind that though I feel this is an accurate treatise on what a witch is and the tools they use, this is only MY PERSPECTIVE that I feel many will agree with me on, but some may disagree as well. That's fine as every witch is different and there are so many different schools of thought and magical traditions. I consider myself a Left-Hand Path following Gnostic Witch/Mage with Hermeticism being my preferred tradition, but I truly borrow from all different traditions. With this you can see that while there are key things all witches will have in common, witches are not a monolith. A final note - though I personally find it empowering, not all magick practitioners like to be called a witch, so be mindful before putting that title on someone. Also don't call male witches warlocks. Warlock doesn't mean male witch, rather it means "oathbreaker" and usually refers to one who has betrayed their coven.

Peace, Love, & Balance

#gnosticism #hermeticism #spirituality #knowledgeofself #lefthandpath #thegnosticdread #alchemy #astrology #theurgy #magick #divination #tarot #tantra #yoga

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zwischenstadt · 4 years

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Selflishness in private life was often seen as witchcraft, though only the individual witch or selfish person had to answer for it. But public greed or selfishness might be divinely punished by public disaster. Thus Kongolese sought to cope with such disasters by public measures to reaffirm social harmony. This is illustrated by the institution of mbumb kindonga, recorded by Luca da Caltanisetta, a Capuchin priest in Bwenze, eastern Kongo, in November 1697. The need for a mbumba kindonga occurred when a village “had much sickness or many died.” A spirit medium (nganga ngombo) was consulted, who pronounced when possessed that the sickness or “universal mortality” came about because “someone had done wrong to someone else, or by the argument that such-and-such had with so-and-so”- in short, by social tension, arguments, and rampant selfishness. As a remedy each household “both of the living and the dead, [took] some item of ash or wood or other substance and were put together and buried together.” Over all was raised a symbolic marker of cloth and seeds of the mba, a palm fruit.

Thus a collective sacrifice was needed to solve the problems of distress, death, and misfortune brought on by excess of selfishness. In eighteenth-century Christian Kongo, the term mbumba is only attested in the mbumba kindonga, but an eighteenth-century dictionary of coastal Kikongo (Kisolongo) spoken outside the Christian kingdom defines mbumba as “rainbow”. In non-Christian areas north of the Zaire, a cult of mbumba seems to have been a fertility cult, often represented by a rainbow or a snake, which involved this peaceful and harmonious dimension of life, although it might also punish the wicked with a special disease. In the Christian kingdom this cult of the snake, attested as early as 1491, was a regular part of the religious life of the people in the eighteenth century as well, especially on the coast.

This may also have been associated by Christians with Jesus and with feminine nurturing. An interesting spoon in the collection of Ernst Anspach, undated but perhaps carved in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century in Christian Kongo’s coastal province of Soyo, displays Christ crucified on the handle while a snake moves from his body down the handle to the ladle. Other brass and bronze crucifixes from about the same period made in many parts of Kongo show Christ, like the blackmith’s furnace, as a woman, sometimes even nursing a child. Thus, both the snake and the feminine characteristics of the blacksmith were associated by Christian Kongolese with Christ and with decentralized and democratized power.

These principles, with their emphasis on the ruler’s responsibility to be unselfish and to support the public interest, were difficult to maintain in a centralized, absolutist polity. Rulers of such polities might be seen as witches because of the behavior of the founders of the states, who had killed freely and without reaproach. But they could still be seen as morally correct if they used the power that derived from their absolutist origins in the public interest. Kongolese were not anarchists who disapproved of authority, and thus the king’s power to kill or use violence was seen abstractly as the state’s power, which should be used in the public interest, specifically to counteract evil behavior and witchcraft. The idea of witchcraft could therefore be applied in the political realm only when kings or other political authorities used exploitation or corruption to pursue private wealth or power, and not simply because power was centralized.

- John K. Thornton. “’I Am the Subject of the King of Congo”: African Political Ideology and the Haitian Revolution. Journal of World History. Vol 4(2) Fall 1993.

#congo #africa #christianity #religion #political theory #haiti

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babayagatestblog · 4 years

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Ivory snuffbox showing the Abduction of Io, 1825. V&A Museum, London.

Over the last few weeks, during my lockdown drift, I’ve been browsing through a collection of pocket snuffboxes held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Snuffboxes were lavishly decorated containers used to store pulverized tobacco, a popular stimulant and panacea for the aches and pains of the European aristocracy during the colonial period. The boxes at the V&A – available to view in intricate detail online – are glitzy, ostentatious combinations of gold, silver, tortoise shell, fine wood, diamonds, and semi-precious stones. Many include tiny porcelain paintings of lovers or tales from antiquity. This one, made in London in 1825, features an elaborately carved ivory depicting the rape of Io, a priestess of the goddess Hera, seduced by Zeus in the form of a cloud. Another box from Germany in 1765, made of a lawn-green chrysoprase and diamonds laid over pink, orange, and yellow tinsel, slightly resembles a rose garden, or a really gaudy Claire’s compact.

Before the French revolution, the most sought-after architects, designers and craftsmen in Paris had workshops for the production of little boxes and trinkets. At the height of the craze for courtly elegance, these ‘toys’ could be found all over Europe and Russia, in pockets newly sewn into trousers and skirts. King Frederick of Prussia, a huge collector of little boxes, carried one around with him at all times. It was even said that his snuffbox stopped a bullet from killing him during the Seven Years War. Later, before he died, he had them all laid out in his room, surrounding him like reliquaries, or miniature tombs.

I don’t know what got me thinking about this object, but now it won’t leave me alone. It keeps coming into my mind, troubling me during moments I least expect it. Maybe it has something to do with the word. ‘Snuffbox’ conjures up all sorts of unsettling associations. ‘Snuff out,’ ‘snuff film,’ putting something in a box, a casket. In addition to keeping someone’s hands busy, offering snuff evolved into a secret social code of wordless gestures, the ‘Language of the Tabatière.’ I can’t help but imagine that these boxes were somehow a precursor to the iPhone, their role as addictive distraction well outliving the form.

Chrysoprase & diamond snuffbox owned by Frederick II, 1765. V&A Museum.

Although hugely popular in Europe, snuff was originally used by indigenous populations across Brazil and the West Indies. While traveling the New World as part of Columbus’ second voyage, a Franciscan monk came upon a priest in Haiti snorting pulverized tobacco. The still mysterious herb was then introduced to the Spanish court and promoted as a cure for headaches. Under the reign of Queen Anne, snuff was called the “final reason for the human nose,” while Catherine de Medici proclaimed it the “Herba Regina.” By the 17th century, England, Portugal, and Spain all had colonies in the Americas in order to satisfy a growing demand in Europe. Having exhausted the labor of native populations, roughly 10.5 million Africans were transported to work on tobacco, rice, and sugar plantations in South America and the Caribbean. (For comparison, only about 6% of people enslaved as part of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade were shipped to North America). In retrospect, the winsome décor of the snuffbox seems to contradict, obscure, or deny this wider history of cultural robbery and enslavement.

“Jack and the Golden Snuffbox” is an English fairy tale recorded by folklorist Joseph Jacobs in an 1890 anthology of English children's stories. In the story, Jack, a young boy, decides to leave his provincial home in order to explore the world and discover a new life for himself. To help him along his journey, his father gives him a magical snuffbox. After wandering for some time, Jack is taken in by a maid and her father. Jack falls in love with the maid, but her father won’t let him marry unless the boy satisfies an impossible demand. “At eight o’clock in the morning,” he says, “I must have a great lake and some of the largest man-of-war vessels sailing before my mansions, and one of the largest vessels must fire a royal salute, and the last round must break the leg of the bed before where my young daughter is sleeping. And if you don’t do that, you will have to forfeit your life.” Without any recourse, Jack decides to open up the golden snuffbox. Out come three little red men, who build him a large, supernaturally endowed war vessel floating on a lake.

Rococo engraving by Jean Mondon, 1740.

I’m no authority on folklore, and this is just the beginning of the tale. But the imagery is striking. It isn’t surprising that the snuffbox would be considered an enchanted object. The powder, originating from the Haitian ritual, was thought to have mysterious healing properties. The box could also be considered a protection from death, as the legend of King Frederick shows. But what about the psychological drama behind Jack and his future father-in-law? I’m reminded of a passage from Toni Morrison’s Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination, in which she investigates the allure of the New World as an opening for Englishmen looking to escape the “powerlessness felt before the gates of class, caste, and cunning persecution.” One could move from “discipline and punishment to disciplining and punishing; from social ostracism to social rank.” We are told that the pressures Jack faces are inordinately difficult, blown out of realistic proportion. Essentially a penniless boy, he builds himself a war vessel, clears a piece of land, travels the world, but only through the help of the red men, imagined to be otherworldly, mute, exploitable.

When I started investigating the snuffbox, an object I came across more or less at random, I did not expect to discover such a layered history. It’s colonial background, magical suggestion, and excessive decoration are rooted in a historical time and place, but it isn’t disconnected from the here and now. “Sometimes first impressions gather up some of the residue of centuries,” says John Berger. Maybe it isn’t so strange I would have thought about this object when white Europe and America are again realizing how far off the mark they are in attempting to right the wrongs of the colonial past. This highly crafted, dazzling, revealing little object makes me consider the difference between a beauty that seeks to conceal or compensate for brutality, versus the kind of beauty in art that challenges violence, rejects it, and ultimately enables us to see more clearly our own tendencies for both violence and compassion. These are questions I am thinking about in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, when the virality surrounding his death – as well as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Elijah McClain – has been such a prominent part of current visual culture.

Death has never had a mimetic afterlife quite like this. It is there in our hand-held devices, flattened to fit into a stream of other images. Names of people who have lost lives to police brutality have occasionally been aestheticized with the help of colorful graphics for wider sharing. Are there conflicting desires behind these pictures – to both reveal and obscure? Many writers have recently challenged us to think harder about sharing on social media, including Allissa V. Richardson in her new book, Bearing Witness While Black. In her brilliant film essay and lecture, “The Black Meme,” Legacy Russell points out that there has been a certain amount of ‘gamifying’ in attempts to fit Breonna Taylor’s name into clever tweets, grocery lists, and crossword puzzles. We do not yet have the ability to look back and see what the real-life outcome of widespread sharing on social media will be. But I wondered, when scrolling through the images of the boxes on the V&A’s website, whether it wasn’t possible for people to give more consideration to what it was they are holding in their hands, and the meanings behind their own rituals of sharing. Do trends on social media somehow anesthetize us to the pain of the story? Are they themselves a form of distraction? Could I be involved in more pro-active forms of justice, and working on a more transformative form of art? The past filters into the present in ways we least expect it. It is there to help, if only we can tune in and listen.

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