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vhstown · 3 months
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super short london slang guide !!
i haven't got a scooby doo about cockney so this is mainly gonna be mle and like the way 14 year old secondary school boys talk oookay let's go (just so yk i am a londonder!!!!!)
direct things to call people (or avoid calling people)
bruv, blud, man, mate, fam (can use in replacement of a pronoun like he, she, you and i or for emphasis — "man's got a meeting, bruv!")
more on "man" it can be used in plural too — "us man" or "them man" or "you man"
my g, my guy (for referring someone you are friendly/friends with)
bossman (something you'd call a shop or business owner — "aye bossman get me the 3 wings and chips yeah")
big man (usually used in a sarcastic friendly but kind of demeaning way, the older cousin of "big guy" — "oi big man what you sayin' cuz?"
i wasnt going to put these here cause of personal preference but 😭 people are gonna use them anyway so i might as well tell you what they mean:
peng (adjective cute/pretty — "her? she's peng!")
leng (adjective hot/sexy — "rah, he's leng you know?)
nouns
ting (usually to refer to a girlfriend but can also just mean "thing"... or a knife? — "don't chat to my ting fam!")
grim (very outdated word for a promiscuous woman — "she's a grim bruv!")
skeng (gun)
shank, spinner (knife)
paper, Ps, pronounced "peas" (money)
ends (neighbourhood, area — "if i catch you in my ends yeah")
mandem (group of friends — "having a laugh at the pub with the mandem" aha)
gyaldem (group of women / female friends)
ganja (weed)
blem (cigarette)
pagan/paigon (snitch or untrustworthy person, not a super common you might wanna use "snake" or "snitch" instead)
wasteman (someone who's useless, a lowlife)
pussio/pussyo (pussy, coward)
other common words and phrases
wagwan, or "wag1" in text (what's up, what's going on)
bare (a lot — "i got bare problems with him!")
gassed (prideful, full of yourself — "im actually so gassed, man got promoted"
"and that" (instead of "and stuff" — "i got links and that")
"allow it" (let something slide — "i forgot my wallet allow it bossman")
safe (like "alright cool", or as a bye — "aight safe")
"pattern up" (fix up, get it together)
hard, tight (cool, good, though "hard" is also used in an offensive way — "bro thinks he's hard, pussio")
blam (to get shot, not actually very common to hear in my experience)
sheffed (up), shanked (to get stabbed)
ahlie (used as an interjection when in agreement with something, similar to phrase "am i lying?")
non-mle specific words i hear sometimes
thick (dumb, stupid)
clapped/tapped (ugly, weird, unattractive)
merk/murk (kill, beat up)
slag, sket (slut)
chav (used to refer to someone of the low social status, associated with violent or rude behaviour)
taking the mick, taking the piss (being annoying)
mad (means crazy obviously but people use it a lot, can have positive and negative connotations — "that's mad!")
nonce (literally means pedophile / sex offender, do what you will with it 😭)
dickhead, bellend (similar to douchebag)
wanker (used towards someone you dislike, or in a joking way)
geezer (usually to refer to an old man)
also!!!
depending on which communities are predominant in the area, words from other languages can come in / have come in
some words are common with US slang too because they share origins 😁 ain't that cool
there's a lot of influence from jamaican patois due to the history of british jamaicans in london for ex in words like "ting" or "mandem" or "wagwan" (hence why mle is sometimes referred to as "jafrican") and its not strange to hear "bomboclaat" or "bloodclaat" here either
in communities where there's muslims and arabs (especially in east london) you might hear arabic terms like "wallahi", "khalas" or "astagfirullah" (though people debate whether that's cultural appropriation or not)
south asians have also had an influence with words like "gora" or "ganja" though again this is largely area based and the impact of hinglish is also found a lot outside of london
some people have a mix of different dialects! i mainly alternate between mle and estuary (sometimes yorkshire don't ask it is very easy to pick up...)
you're not gonna hear every single word here all the time the usage varies throughout london. the way north and west londoners speak can be v different for example
uhhhh if you wanna learn properly just listen to some grime or sutn . listen to londoners speak!
for some more resources in-depth PLEASE check out these guides made by other british people ! (one and two)
ok that's it bye bye british ppl & londoners feel free to add on! it is midnight rn so ive probably missed stuff lol... dms are open in case you've got any questions or want any help :p
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thegodthief · 3 months
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What're you most looking forward to next year? It can be spiritual / religious, or magical, or just completely mundane!
Every time I have looked at this ask, it has been a different time of day, and my answer will have changed accordingly! Let's see... since it looks like I'm going to stick around and make it everyone else's problem, what kind of problems do I want to get into?
LASAGNA! Garfield had it right, a good lasagna is a reason to keep going. Not the modern thick slabs of barely cooked pasta with meat flavored "sauce" and whipped cellulose cheese substitute. I want something that Baba made after sending us kids to all the grocery stores for just the right collection of cheeses. I want a lasagna slice so dense with animal proteins, a deep-dish pizza is going to spill itself in the oven in jealousy. I want a lasagna that requires a steak-knife to cut, none of this "press firmly with a spatula" bullshit. I need my ribs spackled!
Finishing Book Two. Really. Seriously. It's time to let the guilt of falling down go away and get back up and get back in it. When I look back and see what had happened that year, that so many people at work saw that I was spiraling in a bad way but chose to get popcorn, or worse, do nothing, so that when I crashed and openly broke down it was to no one's surprise... when I look back and see what I fucking lived through... Fuck it. Melissa's story is not going to get told unless I tell it. Even though I don't expect anyone to read it. I've noticed that stories set during the height of the pandemic are vigorously avoided. And I get that. A lot of people don't want to be reminded of what happened. But some of us don't have the luxury of forgetfulness and if finishing Book Two (and eventually, the planned series) is what helps me heal, well, it's cheaper than anything the medical system can offer me.
Change of Address. Last year, I had the opportunity to purchase a house. Between credit score and income, it looked like I was going to be able to do the thing after all. I had the help of some competent agents that were frank about what I could afford and what kind of neighborhoods that looked like around here. I almost jumped for it at the time, but did not. Staying put was the right thing to do after all that happened, but I haven't forgotten the opportunity is still there. I just want a better launch pad to go from. (Besides, if all works out, I might even get to host a dinner.)
Connecting with others. Because of what had happened to me at the local Well-known Pagan Occult Shop (they don't like being called pagan because SEO) a literal decade ago, I had given up on any local meet-ups, seminars, or even just safe places to hang out. I was well played and was being set up to be the Bad Person™ when I walked away and I knew that any attempt to tell the truth would just result in me being targeted harder for retaliation either by the asshole that took advantage of me or the people who thought he walked on water such that he was incapable of being a sexual predator. Just when I thought I could start again in other areas, the pandemic showed up, and in the midst of that, a Big Name Occultist revealed what all the outsiders knew about his leanings and getting away from all that left me stained and crushed because I thought I had learned my lesson from the first grifter, but apparently not. But. I survived that, just like I survived everything else, and learning how to make friends is going to be harder than learning how to live, but I'll give it a try.
MOAR BITCHING! I have become competent enough in Spanish that I can speak it at work and hold my own to the point where some of the native Spanish speakers look at me funny when they realize that I'm conversing with them because it's fluid enough for them to forget that it's not my first language. It feels like I've hit a critical milestone in that my lessons now are about the more obscure words, phrases, and topics to round things out. I'm not going to throttle down on the Spanish, but it's time for me to begin on a few other languages that I've always wanted to learn but my childhood teachers said I was too stupid to pick up. Spite is an incredible motivator. My goal is to be able to bitch out a cunt in at least three different languages in the same breath and still be parsable to any eavesdropping native speaker.
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deathby-vines · 7 months
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Practical Guide to Beginning Magic (p.1)
(Mental and Emotional Safety)
Severely undervalued skill in the community but a very important one is keeping yourself mentally well while exploring the spiritual and witchcraft communities.
The first thing I want to say in this vein is that there is no 1 way to practice magic. Magic/witchcraft/mysticism/spirituality is a winding path that everyone follows in their own way. That means everyone will practice differently and have a different perspective on their own practice.
I highly encourage you to interact with other practicioners of any or all paths, backgrounds, ages, ect. If you have the ability to do that in person, go for it. Research clubs, covens, events, happening in or around your area. Metaphysical shops can be a good way to meet more of the community in your area. Some places around the U.S I know host Pagan Pride events at different points throughout the year, this can also be a way to make friends in the community.
If you can't go out and meet people in person for whatever reason, you can use the internet to connect with other practicioners, but go forth with caution. I find that the internet tends to 3-demensional topics down into 2 demensional arguments, this can foster resenments and misunderstandings. In general, when looking for community online I would try to find a Forum style platform- as opposed to the screaming into the void style social media- the reasoning for this is 2 fold.
This style was built for more interaction between people, which in my opinion fosters more of a communal feeling.
2. These forums most likely have a moderator that is there to keep things civil and to keep the members of the forum safe from hate speach, harmful misinformation, scammers, toxicity, ect. This isn't flawless because these moderators are people and thus just as flawed as the rest of us, but it is something.
Which leads me to my next topic...
Avoiding Cults/ Unhealthy Power Dynamics
(A youtuber called Ivy the Occultist has a video all about how to avoid unhealthy coven dynamics.)
In every area of your life there is a chance of someone treating you poorly, this doesn't change in the spiritual community. There are certain tactics that are commonly used by people who want to have control over you. The main one is shaking your foundations, meaning your sense of yourself, your sense of reality, and your support systems.
If someone tells you that you aren't who you think you are; you're actually so and so from hundreds of years ago, or some otherworldly being, or a "natural magic", ect. be wary.
Mostly people start out with this to convince you that they know you better than you know yourself to get you to trust them more than you trust yourself. I promise you that no stranger knows more about you than you do, honey, keep your money.
In a similar vein; if someone tells you that your reality isn't real- that nothing in the world is really there, that certain people aren't really people, that everything you know to be true is wrong (and everything they know is right)- Be Wary.
By convincing you that you don't know what's real, but they do, they once again get you to stop trusting yourself and trust them instead.
Last, but certainly not least, if someone tells you that you need to get away from your friends/ family/ mundane community, because they don't believe or they "bring bad vibes" Be Very Wary.
If you leave everything you know for a person or a group, they know that you don't have anywhere to go, so they can treat you however they want.
Grounding (physical grounding)
In the spiritual community there is a lot of playing around with how we think of reality, but one thing is true, objectively; You are/live in a physical being that interacts with the physical world.
Keeping yourself grounded in this physical world makes you much less vulnerable to manipulation tactics like the one's above. It is also important to your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Don't get lost in all the woo woo, remember to touch some grass every once in a while literally or metaphorically.
Engage with your physical body and your physical environment however you are able. If that is exercises, cleaning your self or your space, some manual hobby, some goofy t.v show that has nothing to do with spirituality or magic, or just looking out a window and paying attention to what goes on out there. Doesn't matter, just remember to do it.
And last but not least:
Respectful Skepticism
Skepticism is a good thing!! Be curious! Ask questions!
Look into where certain beliefs come from, think about why you believe what you believe, think critically about information, look into scientific explanations, look at mundane and/or academic sources.
Don't come at it with hostility towards the people you're learning from, but with a respect for the fact that you need question and find out for yourself whether a piece of information/ a source/ a practice is reliable and safe for you.
Especially if you are someone who grew up in an environment where questioning authority is a big no no; start getting more comfortable with respectful skepticism. It will leave you with a deeper understanding of yourself, your path, and the world around you.
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leam1983 · 5 months
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The Only War we Shouldn't Care About
You know what time it is. December's a few short weeks away, most stores are starting to freak about Christmas, I've already covered my shopping for Walt and Sarah - all that's left is for the seasonal classics to settle in. There's just one classic I don't want to deal with.
Up here in Montreal, the War on Christmas is this absurd Conservative bugaboo we look at derisively, as we tend to wish one another Happy Holidays. Legally, whether you celebrate or not, no matter if you're Jewish, Muslim, Sikh or Buddhist, you'll get a certain amount of time off from your employer, between mid-December and early January. That's all it is to us - time off. If you don't celebrate, your only recourse is to not decorate and, well, maybe show an ounce of patience for TV networks who won't have gotten the message. They obviously won't have; the Western-dominant culture practically demands its yearly re-appropriation of Pagan elements like the effective transformation of a tree into what's effectively a votive symbol, even if you do it from an Atheist perspective. We ask of the right to cling to memories of the last Season of Plenty, as that's what our ornaments are - the brief presentation of an evergreen tree into the affected appearance of a fruit-bearing tree - and I can definitely see how that can be overbearing.
Add to that the more overtly religious aspects - what actually gets the Kirk Camerons of this world crowing about persecution in the most laughable way imaginable; and it's easy to get the sense that for several people, Christmas Season can be, well, too much.
It explains the seasonal blues, the way some workplaces cut the Gordian knot and simply ban seasonal decorations altogether or the way others default to a neutral "Happy Holidays", up here. It's fair of some people to expect the legally-provided time off with no further requirements.
The thing is, some of my remote colleagues are very Christian. Not in the sense you might be familiar with if you're American; they're still a lot more into tolerance and general goodwill than what you might consider the norm for these types - and for them, Christmas isn't quite religious enough, as strange as it might seem. They're not pushing it into Cromwellian excess, but they do get the sense that this is a holiday meant to celebrate renewed hope, spiritually speaking - and I've seen Nicole's WFH office setup start to feature both a Santa Claus figure and a small Nativity diorama. Nicole is the sweetest Compliance Officer you'll ever meet, she's technically retired from the industry but joined us to round out her pension - and she's a hardcore believer, coming from first-generation Sicilian immigrants to Canada.
On the one hand, she's a "good" Theist, in that she isn't overbearing in her spirituality, the same way we avoid discussion topics like war and politics in our workplace-focused Slack channels. On the other, when she says "God bless you", she means it. It's always a bit of a shock, when you're used to everyone and their mother tossing that offhandedly. It makes the less tolerant Theists - usually Evangelicals - that we'll run into while shopping around town, sort of stand out like a sore thumb.
I try and conflate Christmas Season, considering all this, into a time where all of us are allowed to be openly spiritual in the broadest sense possible. If you don't practice anything and are a hardlining Atheist, you could say it's a great time for self-reflection and for preparation. It's a great time to focus on the more holistic aspects of existence, as even Skeptics like me could agree that meeting people can be good for the soul. Putting more time down at the soup kitchen isn't a question of racking up more Redemption Points or whatever, it's about meeting people at a time where my potential assistance will be most useful. Nights are getting cold, warm meals are starting to require some investment of time and resources, and if you have no warm place and no kitchen to work in, you're not going to get that. That's pretty much the extent of my spirituality. Unsurprisingly, it's gotten surprised looks out of some colleagues during our Zoom meetings.
"You're not worried? I mean, you lost people, haven't you? Don't you think you have a soul?"
The fact is I just don't know. Considering, why bother imposing my beliefs on anyone else? Why bother trying to pay lip service to anyone else's belief or lack thereof? We'll decorate the condo because Walt and Sarah love that stuff, but I've been the exact time to forget to pull out the boxes of decorations until December 20th. It'll look pretty for a week or two, then we'll pack it all back in - same as Halloween.
Maybe there is an afterlife, but it's not worth any respect if my accession to it depends on my putting the right little Caucasian Porcelain Baby in my Nativity scene made up of equally whitewashed characters in someone else's distorted story of Middle-Eastern displacement.
So, maybe consider putting your chips down on all the other seasonal symbols, instead: the clean smell of the first few snowfalls, the way cold air always feels cleaner than anything hanging in summertime urban haze, the taste of a good cup of hot cocoa after some exposure to the elements, the return of Sweater Weather, the way the season's blithe consumerism always intersects with your younger relatives getting "the best Christmas ever" every single year as their eyes light up at the sight of the One Thing They Wanted - or the way it all translates to base thoughtfulness between adults.
Kindness. Brotherly love. Friendship. The giving of oneself, really. Things anyone of any culture or religious background could agree on.
That, to me, seems essential. Far, far more than anything related to Christianity.
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leatherpenance · 2 years
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for more than a decade i've been trying to make sense of my nonhuman identity and what to call myself; whether that be angelkin, a shard, incarnate of something, idk. time's been passing but i don't have answers still and there's not many resources to help me pick this apart. i'm using this post to write out some of what i've experienced this past decade and if anyone reads it and can relate, i would love to talk with you.
i would like to preface this with the fact i do have a psychotic disorder, but i've also experienced spirits & ghosts that i know were not a product of my brain because i've experienced the paranormal in the presence of other people. when i am having a psychotic break, my thinking also becomes fractured and i can't make sense of my reality, so i'd like to think i can tell the difference between a paranormal experience and psychosis when reflecting. part of me also suspects i have mental illness because of the influence the being i identify with has over me.
ten years ago, my older brother took me to a witch shop after hours to participate in a ritual to "greet the archangels". my older brother and i were both into the occult and paganism, and at the time i worshipped a moon goddess to whom i had an altar for in my loft. this was my first time at a public ritual.
during the ritual, the priestess would ask us to turn to face north, south, etc and we would ask one of the archangels associated with that direction to aid us in our lives. when we turned to greet Michael, we were supposed to ask him to give us strength.
i heard a voice laugh, it was from inside of me but not my own inner dialogue, and he sneered and said toward Michael, "i don't need your strength". i felt a "heat" like fury come toward me that i believed was Michael, and i panicked and said sorry. i was in a cold sweat the rest of the night and tried telling my brother about it later. he was upset at me when i told him, and it was difficult to try and tell him that it wasn't me who said those things to Michael.
i kept feeling like something was there with me after that, both inside and outside of me.
i started researching beings that might be adversaries of Michael. it's been a while now, and i only remember fragments, but i remember speaking to a woman who suggested the name Samael to me. and i believe it is Samael.
when i connect to this piece of myself, i feel unstoppable and manic. it's a feeling that quickly spreads over me and feels like electric shocks running along my bones. it's starts from the ground up, into my feet and up my legs, grows heavy in my stomach and spreads up into my throat, and it feels amazing.
i ended up going to college next to downtown Salem MA, and every weekend i frequented the witch shops there. i ended up befriending a woman who ran one small store, as i was friends with her niece from my hometown and we got along so well. she was a wonderful mentor.
one evening i was in her shop telling her about Samael, but i wasn't using his name. i tend to avoid using his name out loud because it draws him out, and it can be overwhelming. but a man came into the shop in the middle of this, who interrupted our conversation and started talking about himself to my friend. he was a rude, self-obsessed neckbeard type. he began talking about what he believed in and brought up Samael's name.
he told us that Samael loves him so much, and is always there to protect him and cares about him especially. the more he spoke, the more the shop began to heat up. it was like the place was filling up with wrath and i felt like i was going blind, insane, and was sweating uncontrollably. i was full of disgust for him and his ego.
he finally left and my friend turned to me, and confirmed she also felt the awful heat filling the shop, and that something felt terribly off about what just happened. i told her he had been talking about the same angel i had just been telling her about, but hadn't used his name.
in more recent memory, i was joking to my boyfriend that if i am indeed his shard, then i wonder how something like that would work. are shards chosen, or happen by mistake? i told him i didn't feel like any sort of worthy vessel and that it would suck to be stuck with my fucked up ass. this didn't sit well with him, whether it was demeaning myself or demeaning him through doing so, and i felt like i had been slapped in the face. i told my boyfriend i couldn't speak on him anymore that day.
i also feel like all my life i've struggled with two halves of myself. one that was me, and the other a greater, darker, meaner force that made me feel drunk and massive, and was capable of terrifying things. i wouldn't say now it's bad, or inherently evil, and i think i had a lot of things to learn from that part of myself. over time i feel like i've become more whole and less separated. i have felt like i've had to fight against another 'nature'.
there's other little things, such as the archetype of being an "adversary" or "accuser". if i had to describe my relation to so many others, it would be that. i don't know what it is about me that's so polarizing to others, but i draw in certain kinds of people who seem to go off the walls around me, and they bring out the worst in me. it's driven me crazy on countless occasions.
i think it's also relevant that these people tend to be scorpio suns. i don't put much thought into astrology, but it's bizarre that every adversary is a scorpio. my sun sign is Aries, as Samael rules Mars but also has some influence in Scorpio. i bring out the worst in them, and they bring out the worst in me and i confront a frightening amount of shit through it. this hasn't just happened just a couple of times either, it's been at least seven instances. this has dragged me into the lives of rapists, abusers, fucking cult leaders even.
i've hesitated many times to call myself an angel, because that's not exactly it, and i feel bizarre saying that about myself. i don't quite get the difference between a shard and being incarnate either. he's both inside and outside me. i think that would be shard?
i have a lot of thoughts about what Samael means in the universe, who he is, and i've been reading Kabbalistic texts to try and piece together more of my understanding about, everything. but i'll save some of that for another time.
if you read all of this, thanks. if you have any advice, or can relate, or are struggling with knowing your place among angels, i would love to talk with you.
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mychaotic-academia · 7 months
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I’ve never posted any “about me” stuff so here’s some random me-based facts if anyone was curious!
I am 27 going on 28 (my birthday is October 21st)
I’m married to the love of my life, Vee, and she and I met when I was 18 and she was 21. I auditioned for her A Capella group in college and she fell in love instantly (the funny part is I was just thinking “I hope this girl lets me into her A Capella group” but I wasn’t far behind)
I have a cat named Bunny that I’m obsessed with. She’s a calico short hair and I do sometimes post pics! I tag them #Bunny
I work as a paraeducator in a high school, which basically means I help students with IEPs and such in classrooms. Right now I work in a classroom for students returning to school after school avoidance or hospitalizations. I love my job!
I’m in graduate school to get my Special Education degree so I can become a Special Ed teacher. I love being in classes again and I’m excited for the new step in my career!
I majored in Psychology in my Undergrad, and the 4 years I spent at University were amazing! I was originally going to be an adjustment counselor, but changed my mind.
I’m a creative person, and I write (poems, stories, novel length projects that never come to be), paint, play music, and sing. I sometimes post some of my creative content here too!
I’ve been a voracious reader since I was old enough to read. Before that my Dad read to me every night before bed. We kept that up through sometime in Middle School as we read all the Harry Potter novels, most as they were coming out (I’m old!)
I’m a pagan and a not quite professional but working on it psychic. I love doing readings for folks so ask away! I’m working on getting fluent enough to pick up a gig somewhere as a reader.
My parents are both writers. My mom has a published book of poetry and is published fairly widely for her poetry. My dad has self published two novels (he didn’t want to deal with getting a publishing deal but his books are good!)
I’m majorly into aesthetics and general awe. I see beauty everywhere and I’m constantly amazed by the world. My theory is that I’m a brand new soul and so everything is exciting to me, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
My old blog (if I follow you it is unfortunately still my “main”, nullnvoyd) was a BPD blog. I deleted everything and pretty much deactivated it as far as I could because it wasn’t helping. I’ve struggled with mental health since I was a kid, but am in a very good place right now, which feels amazing.
I was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago and it has explained so much!
I live in Massachusetts and am watching the trees for any signs of leaves turning because it truly is a marvel to live in New England in the Fall.
I was born in Newfoundland Canada. My parents grew up there. In the early-mid 90s (when I was born) the fishery crashed and Newfoundland had unemployment of around 30+%. My dad got a job down here because he was, at the time, one of the few people who could do what he does with computers. I’m still only a Canadian citizen, mainly because its expensive to become a citizen in the US. I want to be a citizen for the next election though so I’ll have to prioritize it.
I used to own a crystal shop, but its down for now because I’m working and in school full time.
I was on Tumblr back in the day, when it was at the height of its popularity. I think it was 2011 or 2012 when I made my first account. Crazy how time flies once you leave public education and start getting older.
I love makeup and fashion, and I was self conscious about it for a long time because it didn’t feel like an “intellectual” pursuit, but that was completely a misconception. They are forms of art!
So thats a bit about me! Theres more, I’m sure, because people always contain untold multitudes, but those are what I could think of on half a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning.
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ash-and-books · 10 months
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Rating: 4/5
Book Blurb: From internationally bestselling author JULIE JOHNSON... a bewitching new standalone romantic comedy set in magical Salem, Massachusetts!
GWENDOLYN GOODE LIVES A CHARMED LIFE.As owner of an occult shop in downtown Salem, Massachusetts she’s accustomed to all things odd and otherworldly. But when a bloody animal sacrifice is left as a warning outside her place of business, the police seem to think Gwen might be the target of some truly evil-doers. Suddenly, her sunny existence is riddled with danger in the form of crazed pagans, rogue employees, and nefarious henchmen. And there’s only one man who can protect her until the storm passes...
GRAHAM GRAVES HAS NO TIME FOR WITCHY NONSENSE.Not in his love life, and definitely not in his line of work. Despite the ever-present oddities of his hometown, the private investigator and acclaimed police consultant prides himself on staying objective in every case that comes across his desk. That all changes when Gwendolyn — a woman who gets under his skin like no other — finds herself in the crosshairs of dangerous criminals. Graham is determined to make her safe, even if her presence tests his steely resolve. But as their mutual dislike sizzles into unexpected attraction… he becomes even more determined to make her something else: HIS
BAD LUCK CHARM is a total standalone romance of 450+ pages, featuring cameos from a fortune-telling parrot, a modern day pirate, and a coven of well-meaning octogenarians. With characters that leap off the page and plenty of spooky twists and turns to keep you guessing, fans of Johnson's previous Boston Love Story series in particular will adore this blend of heat, humor, and suspense.slow burnenemies to lovers grumpy/sunshinewitchy vibes zany side characters small town charmspicysuspenseful laugh-out-loud funny 
Review:
Gwendolyn Goode is the owner of an occult shop in Salem, Massachusetts, she’s friendly, sunshine and sweetness personified.... unless it comes to Graham Graves, the attractive private investigator who Gwen had a crush on since she was 10 until she overhears him telling her best friend he thinks girls like her were freaks and didn’t want to be set up on a blind date with her and now they treat each other but ice. Gwen goes out of her way to avoid him as much as possible, but it’s kind of hard when his best friend is dating her best friend.  Graham suddenly comes into her life again when she becomes the main target in a case, and this time it seems Graham is not backing down or letting her bolt from him like she normally does. Graham is here to stay and to make her finally acknowledge the chemistry between them, if she’d just give him the time or day. Gwen believes she can’t be in a long term relationship, she can’t have a serious one after her childhood, but somehow Graham wants nothing more than to prove to her that he’s here to stay, and he’s been hers since the moment he met her... he’ll just have to find a way to not only convince and prove it to Gwen but to also help her catch whoever is killing animals and people and is targeting her. This was a really sweet romance mystery story and I liked how much Graham worked towards proving Gwen that he was going to be there for her and how serious he was about their relationship. He really won her over and I thought it was really cute how hard he tried and how he did call her out on her tendencies to push people away and withholding herself from having serious relationships because of her fear of getting hurt. He really went above and beyond in getting Gwen to realize that he was very serious about her and that he cared so much. Overall, really cute! 
*Thanks Netgalley and Johnson Ink, Inc. for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
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witchcraftingboop · 1 year
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78, 88, 103!
78. What's your favorite sigil/symbol?
Huehue the cross
My familial background, of the non-practitioner and practitioner varieties, rely fairly heavily on utilizing Christian symbols and methods and such (like psalms, Saints, the bible, etc.). So at first, I was introduced to the cross as a symbol of sacrifice/triumph/adversity/loss etc etc, and it carried a transformative or bridging energy into my earlier involvement in all things spiritual. The best way I can think to explain it is like how a rosary will often be placed in/on fuentes on a boveda; to my understanding, this is done to honor and reach my ancestors, but also to further build the bridge the currents provide in such a way that the divine and material are brought closer together, ultimately building the heart of the table. Later, I viewed the cross in terms of crossroads and dirt paths as well, with the earlier associations carrying through. But really, to keep it short, crosses mean a lot in my personal practice, whether Jesus is on them or not.
88. How have you created your path? What is unique about it?
I wouldn't say it's unique or "created."
On my mother and my father's sides of my family, I grew up presented by different ways of living. One called it witchcraft, another magick (yes, with a k, my older relatives are not beholden to the changing of times), the other life-- just life, not an allusion to it, you just live. My mother, when able/willing, was very open to and supportive of me calling my way of living whatever I so chose. Even now, my terms change day to day, year by year. So I think, if anything, I view my path as just that: a path. I am walking, and along the way, if I am in the right place at the right time, there have been resources available that helped me pick which routes to take. But in the end, I am still just walking and my path, though its course may change, is the same. I didn't create it in the same way that one person walking through the forest doesn't impress a path into the earth unless many more have come before them. And so it's also not unique. It just so happens to be where I am. I think this is probably how I've come to my current way of practicing; it's easier to be fluid and take things as they are and are not, for me at least, if I maintain this kind of mentality.
I've been asked things like this before, so my thoughts are a bit... involved, to be fair. But I think the narrative of "I created this path" is rather burdensome for me, and I feel that it discredits the influence and impact of my spirit court on how my path has changed over time. At times, it can feel less like I am choosing to do something and more like they have pushed a tower of stones upon the earth, and in my clumsy stumbling, I ended up where they thought I might want to or where I ought to have gone.
103. What is one question you get asked most by non-practitioners or non-pagans? How do you usually respond?
Well, I avoid discussing such things with them, so let's start there. Unless I'm galavanting through a terribly gaudy New Age shop, I'm very lowkey irl and will go out of my way to keep it that way (unless they enter my apt, but like why tf would they get that far and not know I'm deep in the pits already?).
So the only recent thing that comes to mind is my coworker who had asked me about a black rosary I was wearing. He happened to know I'm not religious, and he thought it was odd that I'd been wearing it for several days. I stick to the truth usually, so I simply told him it was for St. Cyprian's novena and upcoming feast day. I don't remember what he responded with (he says a lot of bs most of the time, so my brain just dumps it out like weekly recycling), but that's a pretty good representation of how questions by non-practitioners get answered, if I answer at all. Most of the time, I don't answer questions - practice-related or otherwise.
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icedfae · 1 year
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closed starter for @rxscss​
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Conning Presley into coming to assist her had been surprisingly easy, though Millie was not above begging to avoid having to stand on a high ladder. Yule was one of her favorite Pagan holidays to celebrate, finding the overlap between the Christmas traditions she had grown up with and her current religion comforting. It was the time of year where she felt able to reflect on the path going forward. Her shop was closed for decorating purposes and by the time it opened she wanted it to feel cozy and every inch dressed up for the occasion. “I’ve been thinking of doing something for Yule to celebrate this year. Do you think people would come? If it doesn’t coincide with the days that are traditionally celebrated?” It was unlikely. though if she made drinks there were plenty of people that would show simply to drink free booze. The thought rattled around in her brain as she gave Presley her full attention. “Could you help me hang this over the register?” She put the evergreen wreath over his head, looping it around his neck, trying to keep herself from laughing at the sight.
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deahariasa · 1 year
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"Good Christians fear hellfire, so to avoid it, they are kind to their fellow man. Good pagans do not have this fear, so they can be who they are, good or ill as their nature dictates. We have no fear of God, so we are accountable to no one but each other. "⁠⁠ (Quote from TV show Penny Dreadful) I offer photo editing! You can find all the information in my shop 🖤⁠ ❖ Etsy Shop ❖ Instagram ❖ Facebook
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Hey, first off, just wanted to say it’s really nice to see good historically grounded paganism (especially stuff that doesn’t have super unnuanced “christian conversion was the worst thing in the world” content) :) I did have a question (though feel free to ignore it if it’s awkward): Do you think it’s possible to do historically grounded eclecticism, instead of sticking to one particular ancient pantheon/religious system? A lot of stuff I’ve been seeing around seems to present it as if the only choices are ahistorical woo with no regard for lore or strict reconstructionism of one path only. On the one hand, as someone with a history degree, I definitely wish to avoid basing my religion on historical nonsense (it’s actually why I avoided paganism for a couple of years.) On the other hand, having to pick one specific ancient culture to engage spiritually with feels… weirdly limiting? Does that make sense? Also, if it is better to pick just one culture/pantheon, do you have any advice on how to figure out which one to choose?
So, I mean, I got lucky when finding my culture- as I was literally told these myths in the oral tradition from someone who grew up on them - I was encouraged to read Thomas Kinsella as a child etc. it was sort of handed to me, and when I decided to look into polytheism as a faith system it just…….. fit- I didn’t have the shopping around problem that I know is common for a lot of people, and I was halfway through a history degree with an advisor who was a medieval theologian at the time so it all just sort of fell into place.
But this being said, the ancient world wasn’t quite as….. clearly divided as it’s often presented. There’s evidence of ancient trade routes and cultural exchange all over, and if you feel limited by just one ancient culture I do think that there certainly are ways to expand your horizons while still remaining historically grounded.
In order to do that I’d look at what cultures interacted with each other, where are we seeing trade networks and how are those connections being established? Do you notice common trends in the lore are there key values shared between the cultures? Similar legal codes? Etc.
Finding places where syncretism occurred can help you keep your practice historically grounded while also not limiting you to just one culture.
I’m actually currently helping a dear friend that’s a Hellenic Recon with branching out into Gaelpol as well - looking at connections the lore gives us between Greece and Ireland and going through to find common threads of connection.
The ancient world is full of many distinct and vibrant cultures - but it was also full of exchange- and I think what you’re really looking for is those points of exchange.
All this being said even as a recon who focuses solely on Gaelic polytheism I do pull from Greek and Norse polytheism to fill in gaps when I have to. Many practices even if they’re focused on one culture are still not based solely on that one culture and have influence from others.
It’s a complicated question that doesn’t necessarily have a clear answer. And while eclecticism and I don’t mix - I don’t think that it’s impossible to make it work while grounding yourself in historical basis. If that makes sense?
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dandthegods · 1 year
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Mythology, The Melting Pot, and Me
As a pagan in America, and a bit of a folklore enthusiast, I’m struck by how disconnected to my country’s and my religion’s folklore sometimes. Let me explain. 
When it comes to my country’s folklore, I have two options: studying the folklore, the myths, and the legends and stories of the native tribes, or become familiar with the seemingly random cryptids and legends that come from the new born culture of the United States. And there’s some hesitation on both for me. On the former, it’s a fine knife’s edge trying to avoid cultural appropriation while still having a desire  to express some cultural appreciation. I try, I love hearing stories and delving into them as I would any other mythology, but it’s always in the back of my mind that those aren’t ever my stories and they aren’t really meant for me? If that makes sense. 
Then the latter group, the legends of the United States, are mostly born from magazine deadlines and meant to bolster a sanitized white origin of the America that leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Because they aren’t and weren’t ever really legends or myths that people BELIEVED in. Paul Bunyan was birthed out of an ad agency in the 1900’s. The Mothman is more of a joke than an actual believed in thing. And things like Area 51 are basically silly conspiracy theories. That lack of true belief, the lack of generational belief, leaves them feeling empty when my pagan self wants to connect to where I am. 
So that leaves me with my religion and my ancestral mythologies and stories. While yes, I find a deep connect with them, I worship and believe in the Gods and venerate the gods of my ancestry, there is a thin veil between feeling truly intertwined with them. Just being so distant from the lands they originated and  it’s been several generations since my family voyaged to Ellis Island. They just barely feel out of reach. 
That’s why I think I gravitate towards, and write my own, modern American myths and stories. Why American Gods has become my all time favorite book almost instantly. The stories I write are of the creatures, monsters, gods, and beings from mythologies living and existing in and dealing with the world of America. It fulfills and bridges that gap I feel. And they become part of my beliefs. I can end up believing that it’s possible that a Leprechaun owns a comic book shop. It’s an option that Hermes runs a rural auto body shop. I can see Zeus and Thor being airline pilots. 
America is a melting pot, with people, with culture, and with mythology. The reason I write what I do, the reason my mind works in that way, is because it has tasted the mythology stew and wanted to add a little bit of my own ingredients into it. 
I write stories, but I also believe in them. 
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mistysworldboutique · 2 years
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This is my face when someone tells me that it's too early to think about Halloween.😡 I never stop thinking about Halloween!⁣My Shop Manager doesn't either, because we have lots of vintage Halloween images for sale on magnets, postcards, etc. Just like the big retailers, Halloween is one of our busiest times. Use the code LISA2024 or 15% off. ⁣https://mistysworldboutique.etsy.com
⁣Halloween wasn't always called such. It originated a few thousand years ago with the ancient Celts who celebrated their New Year at the end of the harvest season. It was a time when preparations needed to be made for winter, and they celebrated with a festival called Samhain.⁣⁣
The only problem was that they believed the onset of cold and dark made it easier for spirits to cross into the world of the living.👻 You could never tell what kind of mood a dead spirit might be in, and they kind of wanted to avoid them. So when they had to go out, they'd wear masks to confuse the spirits.👺 I guess it's like Americans who go out in public drinking liquor from plain brown bags to confuse policemen.
⁣⁣In the year 837, Pope Gregory III decided that November 1 would be celebrated by the Church as All Saints Day, and the evening before would be All Hallows Evening. Although not the official reason, some say he chose that day to try to stop the old pagan celebrations. If so, it didn't work. The name Hallow Even (Hallowe'en) caught on, probably because it's easier to pronounce than Samhain, but the traditions persisted. ⁣⁣
Sometime during Irish history, a legend developed about some guy named Jack who played a few tricks on the devil.👹 He cheated the devil out of claiming his soul, but since he'd hung around with the devil, he was banned from heaven too when he died. Heaven was running full background checks long before the internet. ⁣⁣
So Jack was doomed to wander the roads of earth with a glowing coal inside a turnip to light his way. The Irish made their own hollowed out, lighted turnips for their windows, to keep the spirit of Jack away. These were called Jack-o-lanterns.
⁣⁣When the Irish started migrating to North America in large numbers, they found there pumpkins, which were much easier to carve than little turnips🎃. And imagine the story, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" if the Headless Horseman had thrown a turnip at Ichabod Crane .
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aspenforest732 · 2 months
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Bello Licentiae Chapter 20: Curiosities
Summary:
tw: trauma, ptsd, flashback, gang mentions, court proceedings, child abuse mentions, torture, psychological abuse A little fanart at the end 'text' JSL Text thoughts
The next day, Mad Banquet set out for Curio, a shop nestled in the midst of cafés and boutiques that comprised the historic district of Musutafu. Inside hung a variety of artworks and handmade knickknacks, and deeper in the shop lay crystals, stones, and a variety of paraphernalia for Christianity, Shinto, Buddhism, and what Akira assumed was Pagan. Out back, a small group of people dressed in autumnal colors stood around a cookout and drank what almost looked like honey.
"Excellent, you've arrived," Fumikage made his way over as Dark Shadow emerged to say hi to the group. He led them to where covered dishes spread across one of the tables and a few of the older ladies sat.
"Ah, are these your friends? Pleasure to meet you," an elderly woman wearing a flowing dress with drooping sleeves smiled at them. "My name's Den Ban, she/her. I lead our little group for celebrations. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me or any of our members."
The group bowed in respect, and Fumikage introduced them to the other members of the community. Most seemed to follow different paths, although one of his moms also practiced death work. Some followed non-pagan religions in addition to their path, and others worked with deities from a few cultures. Overall, it was a pretty casual affair centered around celebrating the turning of the year, community, and the harvest. They were invited back for the group's Samhain ritual that was scheduled for October 30th so people could still go to costume parties.
"It still hasn't disappeared?" Yamada asked as the pair paused for water.
Akira tapped their crutch twice and rested both against one of the tables on the tea room's patio. The only changes they'd picked up on so far with Midoriya was that the clones took more energy to maintain the further away they were and didn't last as long. Eri had a doctor's appointment, so Yamada volunteered to be their escort off campus.
Since there wasn't much Akira could do to respond without text messages, Yamada shared stories of mostly the rooftop squad in his days at U.A. Akira snorted at the idea of Aizawa thinking he was terrible with kids, and it was fascinating to hear how Oboro was before All for One. After Akira warped their clone again, the pair walked for a few minutes past the tea shop when they felt it drop. They immediately stopped and sent a quick text to Midoriya with their coordinates including elevation.
"While we're out, do you need anything in town?" Yamada asked, eyes sparkling.
' What did you have in mind? ' Akira huffed, knowing that look.
Yamada grinned and launched into how winter was fast approaching, they didn't let the couple get them much last time, and blankets would be good. Akira sighed in exasperation, knowing from the past few months with the couple he mostly just wanted to spend time with them. Akira froze as he mentioned their upcoming birthday, memories crashing into them at the reminder. Yamada stopped a moment later, turning to them in concern.
"Mori, are you okay?" Yamada asked softly, crouching in front and a little to the side.
Akira's breath caught before they shook the memory back. Come on, you know him. After a steadying breath, they signed, ' I don't celebrate my birthday. Please don't bring it up. '
"Okay, little listener," Yamada said with a hesitant smile. "Would you like me to tell anyone else so they know to avoid it?"
After a moment's hesitation, they nodded. ' Sleepy Cat. ' Akira still went with Yamada to the small shopping center servicing this outer section of Musutafu. He did talk them into some admittedly practical long johns and grabbed a pair of fuzzy cat socks they looked at a little too long. It still felt weird that Yamada and Aizawa didn't want anything in return, but they were gradually warming up to the idea.
On Tuesday, Mad Banquet made sure Shoto knew they were available after his testimony, and Akira promised to check in after their patrol. Dabi's testimony was slated for the last slot on Thursday, although the recording should be enough. Fragments left of the gangs under Shie Hassaiki were still a concern in Esuha, comprising most of the blue-collar crimes.
Akira settled in front of the tv in the common area as the news switched to live at the courthouse. The defense had moved to dismiss Dabi's evidence and testimony if he didn't come in person to prove his identity, so the media was of course trying to get a picture of the elusive Toya. With Aizawa escorting him, he managed to avoid showing his face until they were almost at the door and an especially bold vulture got just the right angle.
Akira sighed as a plate smashed and the small talk stopped. They turned to the rest of their classmates in various states of shock and signed while Koji translated, ' I'm sure you have questions. One at a time. '
"Dabi is Toya?" Midoriya asked almost to himself. "That makes so much sense..." he started muttering up a storm.
' Yes, although his preferred name is Dabi, ' Akira clarified.
"You've been living with a villain?" Kirishima asked, hardening and unhardening in spots reflexively.
' On a technicality, yes, he's an informant. '
"Wait, did you know about this?" Mina turned to Mad Banquet and Katsuki in confusion and hurt.
' I only told them what I needed to based on their own observations and unfortunate circumstances, ' Akira quickly corrected. The others didn't deserve the suspicion they brought on themself.
"Were you ever going to tell us? Does Aizawa know?" Sato asked, anger and uncertainty seeping through.
Akira shifted slightly away and thought about it for a moment. ' No, I wasn't going to tell you unless I had to. Yes, Eraser knows. '
Yaoyorozu frowned, looking over Akira like seeing them for the first time. "Why were you living with a villain when you're an Inoue?"
Don't react. Don't react. Keep them safe . Akira carefully kept their expression neutral as anger boiled up at the name. ' I haven't been an Inoue in years. '
"Were they like Endeavor, ribbit?" Tsu asked.
' No. Any more questions about Wildfire or can I go? ' Akira stiffly signed. No one seemed convinced, but only Ida started to say something. Midoriya quickly jostled his arm, stopping him with a look. Akira retreated to their room, only stopping briefly and grabbing a blanket before heading back to the elevator to the roof. They shot off a text to Aizawa as they opened the door. Akira pulled the blanket tighter around their shoulders against the biting wind.
The cold helped keep them in the present, although after a couple hours, they had to stiffly get to their feet and head back inside as their chronic pain flared. A pigeon glided back down to Koji's balcony, making a small smile slip onto Akira's face. It turned into a full grin as they saw the news and sent congrats to Shoto and Dabi. Messages flooded in from Blue Fang members, checking in on the brothers and Akira with how close to home the trial hit.
' Gentler, ' Akira demonstrated rubbing along Eri's scars again while Yamada interpreted. ' You should be able to feel the movement of your fingers on your skin but not uncomfortably so. '
Eri frowned, trying again before realization crossed her face. "Like this?"
Akira nodded with a sad smile, ' Exactly! ' They helped her with a few more grounding techniques they'd found helpful during derealization episodes before their deconstruction scars faded. The burning tearing she felt was different from the burning vibrations Akira experienced, but they suspected that was just the different ways deconstruction-construction quirks manifested.
Akira, Togata and Hitoshi played with Eri for a bit longer before she was off to nap time. Togata frowned thoughtfully once she was out of earshot and mused, "The others affected by Overhaul didn't have lingering pain, and from what Sir has explained, that seems to be the norm."
' Oh it is, ' Akira clarified as Hitoshi glanced at them. ' The first thing you learn before you can use your quirk on people is how to construct with little to no pain. With their experience, it's absolutely intentional to leave the victim with pain around the scar. '
"Hey, Mori?" Midoriya shuffled over, fidgeting and glancing over his shoulder as the rest of class filtered out.
Curiosity piqued, Akira signed for Mad Banquet to go ahead to the changing room. He'd been full of nervous energy the whole day, and they couldn't see what set him off. ' Can I help you with something? '
"You've been hanging out with Aoyama for a bit, right?" Akira slowly nodded. "Does he ever... just give you cheese? Like out of nowhere?"
Akira laughed and nodded, grateful it wasn't anything serious for once. ' Yeah, I think it's his way of trying to make friends? Sparkles really likes cheese, and I think it's like Blank sharing their space. '
Midoriya sagged in relief and chuckled, "Oh thank kami. I was so confused and then he left cheese on my balcony last night, and...sorry, I'm rambling again. Thanks."
In Heroics, Akira focused on reaction time and doing different things with different hierarchy levels of clones. Progress felt slow compared to what most other students were already capable of, and Akira kept having to remind themself that they started much later than the others.
"We're going to have a school festival," Aizawa announced. As he went on to explain the importance of the event for business, gen ed, and support course students, and Akira bit back a chuckle as he "fell asleep." It seemed most of the class still hadn't caught on that he never let his guard down that much in the classroom.
Everyone had drastically different ideas, making Akira increasingly confused about what the festival was even supposed to involve. A quick search on the forums mostly turned up results for the other courses' presentations. By the end of homeroom, the list of options was a conflicting mess, and Aizawa threatened the class with a public lecture if they didn't figure it out by the next day.
As they were getting ready for patrol with Kirishima and Taishiro, Akira checked the class group chat and looked up at Kirishima confused. ' Was a concert one of the options? '
"Huh?" Kirishima finished attaching one of his shoulder cogs. After checking the chat, he laughed, "I don't think so? But it does sound pretty manly. Mina was showing off her dance moves earlier, and Jiro practically had a music store in her room."
"That sounds like fun, kiddos!" Taishiro beamed as he waited for them to finish getting ready. "It's too bad the festival's closed to the public this year; I'd love to see you in person."
' We can probably get it recorded if you want, ' Akira offered. Nezu had eyes everywhere.
"That would be great!" Taishiro grinned and swept Kirishima into a hug, offering an arm for Akira as well.
After a brief hesitation, they thought fuck it and stepped into the embrace. Surprised at the warmth, Akira relaxed further into his leg, grounding themself in the softness of the fabric and the smell of warm lavender to remind themself who they were with. All too soon, Kirishima pulled away, and Akira followed suit.
Mortis cringed back as people kept wishing them a happy birthday, forcing a pleasant smile on their face as they took the sweets and extra servings thrust upon them. Thankfully, Fat Gum caught on when their façade presumably cracked enough after the first several gifts and started intercepting the well-meaning civilians. Red Riot grew increasingly confused at their discomfort but tried to keep himself between them and the crowds. The occasional graffiti and murals they were able to ignore before now loomed over them, reds turning to blood and odd angles turning into ears and eyes.
About halfway through patrol, Mortis slipped into an alley to get away from the pressure while Fat Gum and Red Riot talked with a store owner. Leaning against the wall, they took a few steadying breaths while tuning the city out for precious moments.
A door slammed open as they heard club music pour out from where there had been no indication of such a place. Mortis went on high alert as they looked around and saw a drunk person stumble out, bottle in hand. Curious, they moved at the edge of his senses, counting on his lack of awareness to check through the door and see a dive bar through the open doorway. Before the door could swing back closed, Mortis sent a quick text to Fat Gum with their location and a pop-up or hidden club.
Slipping inside, Mortis winced at the pulsing bass and mass of people on the dance floor and the various patrons they wove through. They recognized a few from wanted posters of varying severity and others from the gangs Fat Gum worked with. No one had noticed them so far due to their height, but Mortis knew they couldn't rely on that for long.
The point was proven as they recognized an underground hero at the same time as she spotted them, her eyes widening for a moment before she signed ' Follow. '
Mortis cautiously followed Jinx to a quieter area, steering clear of her quirk's radius. ' Sorry if I'm intruding on something, I wasn't aware this place existed. '
' You're the big man's new intern, right? ' Jinx asked, respecting the distance and keeping an eye out towards the patrons. ' He's probably worried about you. This place has signal blockers. '
Mortis winced but nodded as they realized this was more than just a club. ' Does he know about this? '
Jinx chuckled humorlessly and tensed. Her eyes tracked one of the patrons Mortis had clocked earlier as he headed towards one of the private rooms. ' No, tell him Jinx sent you off and he can explain what this is. I have work. '
Mortis inclined their head and quickly signed before she stepped away, ' I'm aware. Thanks for your time. ' They slipped back through the crowds, narrowly avoiding the gaze of one of the bartenders before slipping back out. Their phone immediately started buzzing and dinging constantly as they quickly turned the sound off, grateful the alley was empty at the moment. They quickly activated their coms and said, "I'm back and safe. Same location."
"What the hell happened?" Fat Gum immediately replied, concern dripping from his voice.
Mortis exited the alley as they heard him approach and replied, ' Info Hub. Jinx sent me off. '
Understanding and fond exasperation passed over Fat Gum's face as Mortis deactivated their transmission of coms. Red Riot looked between them confused and started to ask a question when Fat Gum said, "I'll explain later, Red Riot. Of course you would stumble into one when Jinx is involved."
Mortis chuckled at the irony and turned to Red Riot. ' Jinx is an underground hero who has a constant aura of bad luck around her. She's learned to work with it, but it has given her a bit of a reputation. '
Eventually, they returned to the agency, and Taishiro walked Akira through the paperwork of unintentional interference with an information hub while explaining what they were to Kirishima. They were excellent tools for intel gathering and underground heroes due to being filled with underworld denizens. Info Hubs were viewed as safe spaces for anyone with information or money as long as they didn't bring twilights and limelights into the space and didn't make active moves against members in the hub. Information gained from the hub could be used outside at the risk of the individual. The hubs always had signal blockers to enforce the isolation and were usually nigh impossible to get into without a connection or leak.
Since Jinx was an underground hero, the best way to contact her was through one of her many dead drop locations spread throughout her territory and a little beyond. As Akira's mentor, Taishiro would be making the drop, but Akira did agree to give their number in case any complications arose from their presence.
Back at the dorms, there was a sign-up sheet on the wall with various roles and instructions for the work study students to write their name next to whatever role they felt comfortable with doing or learning. After a moment, Akira wrote their name under Keys, Dancer, and Interpreter while Kirishima added himself under Singer and Special Effects.
Before they fell asleep, a message came through from Dabi. "Doctor wants Hand Job to prove himself. We'll be off grid for a while."
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Notes:
I work with Loki, Artemis, Apollo, an St Cyprian. Curio is inspired by a shop I found while exploring my neighborhood back when I first moved here. The grounding Akira shows Eri how to do is actually how I end particularly stubborn voluntary hyperphantasia episodes. Sometimes works on involuntary, but depends on the source. The timeline on the villain arc is really weird so figured I'd just go ahead and start it Is the art comment too weird? I couldn't figure out a better spot to put it and didn't want it to just suddenly be a thing in Libertias aut Mortis.
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tipsycad147 · 5 months
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Your First Pagan Altar: Basic Layout and Ideas
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Written by Francisco Huanaco Posted on March 12, 2019
Your Personal Space
The first thing you need is a personal space. It is essential to be able to practice your spells without anyone bothering you, and also to have a place where you can safely store your Witches tools, books and supplies. Ideally, you should have a space apart from your everyday world, such as an attic, basement, a corner of your bedroom, or even a space outside. The important thing here is that you can have privacy and silence to meditate and focus on your goals.
How to Setup a Witch Altar
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Your Altar
When casting spells, we use the word “altar“ (not alter) to talk about our work table. Actually, it could be any flat surface and even just a mat on the floor. Your altar will be the focal point of your spells or rituals and it is where most ritual actions and Magical works will be performed.
Setting up a basic altar is quite simple. Usually it’s just a table where you will place the tools you are about to use and any symbols depicting your beliefs.
Rule #1 of your Pagan Altar
Anything goes! The most important thing is that you feel free to decorate, explore, re-arrange, and above all, have fun when creating your altar, which is a never-ending process. Your altar is unique to you and nobody else should be telling you what is right or wrong about it.
Witchy Tip: Before adding any new item to your altar, learn about its meaning. Ask yourself why you like it and how you can use it.
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Rule #2 of your Pagan Altar
Don’t clutter it! Remember that this is actually a workspace and you’ll need room for ingredients, tools, and more. Empty it when you’re not using it. Avoid cluttering your altar by finding a nice place for your tools. Store them in a drawer, box, or shelf when you are not using them.
How to Decorate your Altar
Altar Cloth
No matter what kind of altar you are creating, it is advisable to cover its surface with a piece of cloth that will act both as an ornament and as protection from liquids, scratching, and wax drippings. Go shopping for an altar cloth or make your own. If you see any that you like with symbols, be sure to ask about their meanings.
Some Witches like to change their altar cloth according to the type of ritual they are doing, or following the Wheel of the Year, having a different one for each season and each Pagan holiday. If you’re on a budget, simply use any piece of cloth that you have at home.
Or make a DIY altar cloth! Find ideas at the Spells8 Forum: Altar Cloth Suggestions
Religious Symbols
If you are an Eclectic practitioner and feel connected to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism or any other spiritual traditions, you can add images or figures that symbolize your beliefs and remind you of who you are. If you are devoted to a specific deity, you could add a statue or drawing of them on your altar. For example, statues of the Wiccan Deities.
Some Pagans like to place a figure or drawing of their spirit animal and keep it as company and protection for their altar. If you’re Wiccan, add a pentacle in the center, or keep reading to learn how to set up a Wiccan altar. Set your altar however you prefer but especially in a way that feels comfortable to you.
Candles & Candle Holders
If you plan to work with Candle Magic – and you probably will after Lesson 7 – you’ll need at least one candle holder. Take your time when looking for one. Make sure that it’s sturdy enough to withstand the heat of the candle and that it won’t fall over if you accidentally bump into your altar. I encourage you to work with biodegradable, eco-friendly tools. Materials such as ceramics, glass and metal are ideal.
Incense Burners
An incense burner will come in handy whether you are casting a spell, meditating, or simply using aromatherapy for relaxation. Incense burners come in many shapes and styles. Check out also some incense holders. Alternatively, you could use your cauldron to burn herbs in it.
Creating a Wiccan Altar
In Wicca and Nature spirituality, the building blocks of your altar can be the four traditional Elements, which you can align using the four cardinal points.
Here’s a basic altar layout example:
A bowl of sand, dirt or a plant on the North end of your altar to represent the Element Earth,
A stick of incense in the East can symbolize the Element Air,
A candle or some charcoal in the South for Fire,
A glass or bowl with Water will be facing West.
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Witchy Lifehack: The bowl of water will come handy should you need to quickly extinguish anything. Always practice Candle Safety
You can light the incense and candle before a meditation, during a devotional, a prayer, to start your day or before going to bed. Just make sure you don’t leave candles burning unattended. If you’re going somewhere else, simply blow it out or snuff it off with a candle-snuffer.
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Some Wiccans prefer to simply use four candles to represent the four directions, and a candle or figure for the Goddess and one for the God. You could use candles in different colors to easily distinguish them. For example:
North = Green candle (Earth) 
East = Yellow candle (Air) 
South = Red candle (Fire) 
West = Blue candle (Water) 
You can always just use white candles if you don’t have colored ones. Light all of them at the same time before your rituals, always being careful not to burn anything on your altar. Make sure there’s nothing above your candles, such as a cupboard or shelf.
Combine these ideas in any way that you like. Being an Eclectic Wiccan is all about trial and error. There are no set rules.
An Altar for Everyone
Not everyone can have a fixed altar in a central place of their homes, especially if you live in a shared space with someone who might be offended or annoyed by it. 
In the event that the other members of the house don’t want to see your altar, you can keep it hidden by putting together a portable altar which you will assemble at the time of casting a spell, and then fold it back and put it away. Your portable altar could be a folding table or two easels with a board on top, and a nice wooden box with your tools inside.
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On the other hand, if you live on your own or with people who accept your beliefs, you can have a permanent altar, for example a small table, dedicated solely to fulfill that function. To others, it may seem a strange exhibition of objects, but for us, not only does it have ritual importance, but it also reminds us of our spiritual path. 
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tonysolomon4jc · 2 years
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The Ten Commandments are recorded in the Bible in Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. The second of those commandments, in its entirety, is this: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:8).
This command is closely linked with the first, which says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Having other gods is idolatry. Idol worship was rampant among the nations surrounding Israel. Most of those nations had carved images to which they bowed, sacrificed, and performed various acts of worship. Often that pagan worship involved infanticide and prostitution (Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 23:17). The Israelites were strictly warned to keep themselves separate from the pagan nations around them and to avoid any activities that resembled their vile worship rites (Leviticus 20:23; 2 Kings 17:15; Ezekiel 11:12).
God hates idolatry in any form (Deuteronomy 6:14–15; 32:21; Jeremiah 2:5; Leviticus 26:1). It steals the attention and honor that belong only to God (Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27). In many nations today, carved gods and goddesses are still an obvious violation of this commandment. However, the sin of idolatry is ultimately a sin of the heart. An idol is anything we depend upon to meet the deep needs of the heart—love, security, worth, or significance. When we seek to find identity and security in something besides God, we have made it an idol. John Calvin said, “The human heart is an idol factory.” We often search for peace or identity through relationships, substances, money, or entertainment. Addictions are forms of idolatry, as are a host of other worldly enticements that cannot ultimately satisfy. When we give ourselves to the pursuit of manmade gods, we are breaking the second commandment.
Even good things can become idols if we are not careful. Ministry, hobbies, charity work, or family can usurp the rightful place only God should hold in our lives. When we emotionally rely on anything other than our relationship with Him to validate us, we are breaking the second commandment.
This commandment also contains a warning for future generations. God is saying that, if we don’t deal with idolatry in our generation, we will pass it down to our children and to their children. Children learn to handle life by watching their parents. When children observe mom and dad running to a bottle, a pill, another romance, or a shopping spree to make them feel good about themselves, they follow that pattern. When children watch their parents spend time, money and energy on worldly pursuits, they naturally copy those values and will raise their own children to do the same.
However, God also promises blessing for those who model godly values for their children (Deuteronomy 7:9). Just as children learn to run to idols by watching their parents do so, they can also learn to turn away from idols by observing their parents giving God His rightful place in their lives. When we make Him our hiding place (Psalm 32:7), He fills our deepest heart needs like nothing else can. When we have no gods but Him, He is faithful to shelter us with His love and protection (Psalm 36:7; 144:2; Malachi 3:17–18). Psalm 103:17 says, “The LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.” We must give the Holy Spirit free rein to smash any idols our hearts have erected. When we allow Him to remove anything that has established itself as an idol, we can then be filled with His joy and peace (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 6:18).
I got this from the gotquestions website.
I recommend that you get the gotquestions app or go to the gotquestions website. They have answered thousands of Bible questions and back everything up with scripture.
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