Dwelling into non-patriarchal faiths
536 posts
Dianic-witch - Dianic Witchcraft - Tumblr Blog
"The original sin was matricide. The toppling of the matriarchies and the rape and murder of the mothers was, and still is, the greatest of all sins. No purging of our culture has occurred since the Inquisition no public accounting for the sins of the 'fathers.' A major contribution to the continuing hostility and alienation of males is their deep core of guilt. Men continue to be guilty of matricide. No amount of purification will take that blemish away."
-Z. Budapest, The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries
Menstrual Cycle Magick
đź’— raspberry leaf tea spelled to cleanse and heal the body, charged with the Mother Energy of crystals and the suns lifegiving renewing light.
đź’— inverted yoga flows in the morning sunlight, moving energy from the pelvis (root chakra) to the crown, to align and harmonize the full Self.
đź’— crystal satchets, cleansed and charged with the intention to access the intuition and empower psychic abilities that are heightened during the cycle (apatite, amethyst, fluorite, malachite).
đź’— abdominal massages following the laying of crystals (selenite, moonstone, rose quartz) with a Love Oil, done with the intention to calm and offer love to the Self.
đź’— tarot spreads to provide insight into what is being cleansed and released with the blessing of the Goddess.
đź’— mindfulness meditation through waves of cramps.
đź’— offerings and prayer to Goddess.
đź’— journaling, as the menstrual cycle is the optimal time to reconnect to your Self with love and no judgment.
đź’— connecting to familiars, plant and crystal allies. Cleanse and tend to your supporters, reconnect and strengthen powerful energies.
i'm gonna make my painful contribution to The Discourse and say i do not see the harm in women reclaiming female centric spirituality.
i am not a religious person nor do i want to become one but spirituality is also about culture, community and celebration. i would much rather women celebrate nature, the female form, and "divine femininity" than patriarchal phallocentric religions. that "divine femininity" is used pejoratively has always tickled me considering we live in a world hooked on divine masculinity. the old matricentric religions are really the only form of female culture devoid of male-centric worship we can grasp at, since men have dominated our belief systems for thousands of years. and women learning about the old religions is the best way to unravel the myth of the male creator, and realise it is really women who are the closest thing to a "god" on Earth.
there's also an element here, which i think is deeply capitalist, patriarchal, and a little racist, of people considering the connection to & celebration of nature as somehow primitive. i think that the lifestyles most of us live now, with none of us knowing anything about the land around us is actually very infantile and regressive for humanity as a whole. the ways of life we consider "primitive" (primitive communism, matrilineal societies) are really what we need to find ways to return to post-capitalism. they were in tune to nature, sustainable, and much more communal & equal. how can nature be primitive or ascientific when science *is* in nature, and the practices of these old societies were early scientific discoveries & practices. as a Black person, my community is often trying to reclaim our lost practices. it makes sense to me that women would try to do so too.
I've never met a religious person who is as smug and self righteous as the average atheist just saying
are you joking
christianity will be like, nooo, don't worship life-giving nature, thousand year old trees or mountains or sources of clean water or animals that existed long before us, or women who created all human life on earth, those are just resources! Don't learn about the medicinal plants or how to safely deliver children and cure women's diseases, that's devil's business!
... this m*n we nailed we sadistically nailed on a stick and let slowly die, tho... thats D I V I N E
the way yall are projecting your conceptualizations of "spirituality" & "magic" onto shit we're saying while being so wildly wrong about it, not grasping that we aren't using these words the way you apparently are... just making assumptions about what we're saying that are incorrect while calling it rationality instead of taking a step back and trying to understand... it's demoralizing fr.
like i dont have an issue with "critiques" or "skepticism" but i DO have an issue with being portrayed as saying/believing something im simply NOT. unfortunately a lot of yall are doing the latter.
fact: there is so much of the natural world we don't understand yet
many forms of women's spirituality is just... celebrating how cool that is. not believing in any fictional narrative. just celebrating nature and how much we have yet to understand.
that's why I take issue with the "it's just as fictional as Christianity etc" narrative. some forms, sure, but not any I'd ever be interested in.
it's just ignorance. your idea of witchcraft vs what I'm actually talking about. but you aren't taking the time to ask or listen. there's literally nothing "unscientific" about what I personally practice. it's just about my relationship to the scientific unknown.
🌙 Subtle Artemis Worship 🦌
Spend time out in nature (e.g. go on a hike, take a walk outside, visit a nature preserve, etc.)
Dancing, especially at night and to music that makes you feel wild and free
Playing an instrument (although this is more for Apollo, I believe it also works as a form of Artemis worship)
Wearing jewelry that reminds you of her
Having imagery of deer, horses, or dogs around
Having literally any sort of animal symbolism around (she is a Goddess of Animals)
Investing in nature/animal conservation efforts (can simply be spreading the word if you can't afford to donate or volunteer)
Creating art of your favorite flower, plant, or animal
Keeping a picture of her in your wallet
Taking a walk outside during the crescent or full moon (only if it is safe in your area to do so)
Learning about self-defense (I feel dedicating a pocket knife, if legal, to her is a great idea)
Learning archery
Befriending neighborhood animals, such as cats, birds, or dogs; leaving food out for them
Lighting a bonfire with friends and having a good time together; dancing around it is especially great (please be safe about doing so; I don't recommend drinking first)
Star-gazing and moon-gazing
Showing compassion to others, such as through volunteer work or holding doors
Taking a warm bath at night
Having a candle that reminds you of her (no altar needed)
Wearing animal-inspired outfits or doing animal-inspired makeup
Visiting a local zoo, aquarium, or butterfly pavilion; taking the time to learn about new creatures
Watching nature documentaries or movies about animals (it can be movies/shows starring anthropomorphic animals)
Being curious about local fauna and flora
Learning how to safely forage for food, such as picking berries or mushrooms
Meditating in the dark of the night, especially on a crescent or full moon
Making a list of your goals; focus on completing these one step at a time
Taking new risks, especially ones that give you a sense of thrill and excitement
Sending kind messages to loved ones, especially those having a difficult time
Learning to prioritize your own well-being; taking care of yourself first and foremost
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May add to this later! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Artemis. I hope someone finds it helpful. Take care, everyone! đź’š
truly don't get how some radfems seem not just disinterested but outright dislike witchcraft. like, I get being atheist or agnostic - frankly, it's something I really like about witchcraft: there's plenty of ways to practice that don't require you to believe in a literal deity. you can just believe in nature & the beauty of the universe. but the existence of female-centric, & even female-exclusive, & even explicitly radfem (& lesbian co-founded with lesbian spiritual leaders etc), spiritual practice is so fucking enticing to me. the idea of gathering with other women, other radfem lesbians even!, to honor femaleness and nature together, that's everything I've always wanted. I don't get being a radfem (esp lesbian) and not just not being curious about it at all but like, actively losing respect for those of us who practice. it's saddening fr.
also me & @sappheia aka @vvitchscvm-deactivated20230666 are gonna be the creatrices of the biggest and best lesbian feminist Dianic path in modern history t b h
“Most new-age types will say that we all carry within us male and female energy but I am going to say it right now : there is no female that has male energy and there is no male that has female energy. We are completely different beings.
The idea that feminine energy is passive, nurturing, accepting, allowing and intuitive while male energy is active, individualistic, antagonistic and resistant is spiritually castrating to women. When a woman views her action, her power, her dynamism as a “male” archetype within her, she on some level is denying her own power, potential, and ultimately ability to break free from the male supremacist matrix she’s been born into. After all, the patriarch is living within her. This is a dead-end for feminists looking to reclaim their spirituality.” x
Menstrual Cycle Magick
đź’— raspberry leaf tea spelled to cleanse and heal the body, charged with the Mother Energy of crystals and the suns lifegiving renewing light.
đź’— inverted yoga flows in the morning sunlight, moving energy from the pelvis (root chakra) to the crown, to align and harmonize the full Self.
đź’— crystal satchets, cleansed and charged with the intention to access the intuition and empower psychic abilities that are heightened during the cycle (apatite, amethyst, fluorite, malachite).
đź’— abdominal massages following the laying of crystals (selenite, moonstone, rose quartz) with a Love Oil, done with the intention to calm and offer love to the Self.
đź’— tarot spreads to provide insight into what is being cleansed and released with the blessing of the Goddess.
đź’— mindfulness meditation through waves of cramps.
đź’— offerings and prayer to Goddess.
đź’— journaling, as the menstrual cycle is the optimal time to reconnect to your Self with love and no judgment.
đź’— connecting to familiars, plant and crystal allies. Cleanse and tend to your supporters, reconnect and strengthen powerful energies.
one of my fav period rituals is cooking a steak (or heart or roast or other particularly bloody red meat lol) the first day i have fresh blood (i don’t consider this the first day of my cycle but ik some women do, for me i chart my first day as when i see dry/coagulated blood which usually starts a day or two before i’m fully bleeding). i don’t avoid red meat otherwise but i do try to focus on getting it toward the end of my luteal phase through my bleed, and i try to prioritize raw/fibrous/vegetable-heavy meals leading up to ovulation. i love having a steak & a glass of red wine though, blood for blood, it’s both symbolic and nourishing and i feel it helps my energy levels throughout my bleed. today i’m trying something new, dry brining sirloins with a salt i made that has truffles and coffee. i normally do oil-based marinades but i do love how dry brining comes out so i’ve been wanting to play around with it more.
i love building my life around my cycle so much, it’s so fulfilling and feels like i am truly honoring and revering my body. little shifts in diet, sleep, the kind of exercise i’m doing, even something like how often i wash my hair, all serve as ways to venerate the processes happening within me. i tend to shy away from resolutions because the idea of making a list and having it hanging over me just makes me feel worse when i can’t accomplish everything, but if there’s one thing above all else i want to commit to this year, it’s leaning deeper into my cyclical practice, learning to listen better to my body, learning to sense & feel as much as possible within/through myself, and hopefully my cycles will continue to regularize as i continue to prioritize them.
lately my “pattern” has been incredibly frustrating - i’ll have 50ish days, then 45, then 35, and then randomly i’ll have a 70-80 day cycle. like i keep seeing improvements and then they just stop and i ovulate super late or not at all. i have to suspect that i’m getting complacent without realizing it once i have a few semi-regular cycles, so my biggest goal this year is to not get complacent. i think one thing that would be really helpful for me is using a paper chart, but even the extended charts people make only go to around 50 days. unfortunately with super long cycles, digital charting seems to be a way more feasible option. i’ll probably stick with kindara for now because i know the layout and the past two years of cycles are already in it, but i’d like to start a journal specifically for cycle-related stuff so i can easily keep track of what i’m doing, what i’ve done, what’s worked and what hasn’t, and also to write down new information i learn. maybe a binder would be better so i could have tabs for information about each phase and then a section for my own data/notes.
going to redo my altar today, it’s already pretty cyclical health themed but could definitely use an update for the new year/new cycle (maybe i should update it with every bleed?). i want to think of some small and specific goals for each cycle, so i’m going to try to make that another little ritual that happens while i’m bleeding (which is the rest/rebirth/wisdom phase so very fitting for analyzing and planning!) and as always i am eager to hear about anyone else’s rituals, especially how women with PCOS/amenorrhea/irregular cycles handle that kind of thing <3
When I lectured about my understanding of mysticism, others often came up to me and said something like, "Do you mean that feeling I had two years ago while hiking in the woods was a mystical experience? It seemed important at the time, but since then, I'd kind of forgotten about it." I think most of us have had "that feeling" not once, but many times in our lives, but we have not had the words to name it as spiritual. And thus "it" has not shaped our understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe.
-Carol P. Christ, Rebirth of the Goddess: Finding Meaning in Feminist Spirituality
Interpretation of experience involves an element of choice. For example, many women have had the experience of feeling excluded by masculine language for God, but they have interpreted this experience differently. One woman perceives the experience of being excluded by male language and symbolism as threatening to her faith, so she tries to suppress it. Another decides to work from within her religion to create change. A third concludes that all religions are patriarchal plots against women and becomes an atheist. A fourth explores Buddhism. The last seeks the Goddess.
-Carol P. Christ, Rebirth of the Goddess: Finding Meaning in Feminist Spirituality
The Goddess of All Life is apt to defy you if you try to interfere with Her works out of pride. Her real work is not to drop everything (volcanoes, earthquakes, rivers) just because one witch is summoning. Weather work performed consciously, as a service to the community, is what the job is all about. However, you must still accept the possibility of failure without sadness or getting an attitude. The Lady may have better things to do, or decide that no rain is a better plan.
But in case of dire need of the people, priestesses brought the rains down with enough regular success that the Goddess appears to have taken notice of the people's wishes.
-Z. Budapest, The Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries
When you invoke the Goddess, whom are you addressing? For me, invocation is an external and internal experience of communing with Her. Both experiences meet at a central point within me. The Goddess exists within and without simultaneously. In calling Her forward, I am awakening Her within myself and asking that She come into my conscious awareness. At the same time, I am calling Her from Her own realm where She exists independently of me. For example, when I have a need to strengthen my autonomy, energize my political activism, and awaken the part of myself that is strong and independent in defending the rights of women, I invoke the goddess Diana or Artemis. It is a multi-layered process. I am a part of Her; She is a part of me. Once I invoke Her, I open myself to embody Her. This is different than becoming Her. For me to experience Her presence, She must already live within me, so that I can recognize Her energetic presence when She arrives.
Think of the name of a goddess as the container of Her energy and attributes carried upon the breath of the spoken word. The vibration contained in the sounding of words, and the life force in our breath, travel between the seen and unseen realms, creating a pathway for the Goddess to enter the ritual circle. The name of a goddess must be carefully chosen. The attributes of the deity invited must resonate with the desired qualities to be utilized in the ritual. If you are seeking physical manifestation, address an earth goddess. For mental powers, choose an air goddess. For creativity, call for a water goddess. Passionate emotions and life-force energy are usually associated with the realm of fire goddesses. If you are going to address a specific goddess, get to know Her before calling on Her. A relationship with a goddess is a two-way street. Before you ask something of Her, be prepared to give something to Her.
-Ruth Barrett, Women’s Rites, Women’s Mysteries
knowing u existed when ur grandmother was carrying your mother is such a raw female experience and things like that rlly puts into perspective why men r so jealous and had to come up with whole religions that put like the father the son and the holy ghost above real female power. “you were made from Adam’s rib” yeah haha ok buddy. you’ve existed inside two female reproductive systems before u even knew u were ALIVE and have the gall to say some dumb shit like women come from? A RIB? LMAO
