Beginning Witch - Tumblr Posts

Welcome!

I thought it might be a good idea for me to explain/organize this blog a bit, and wanted to share some main purposes/goals with this blog

When they made their presence known to me, Hades and Persephone called upon me to share myself, my knowledge, and my kindness with the world. This page will focus primarily on knowledge, and goes along with my efforts to be more social and to be kind to everyone. My goal right now is to write reflections/thoughts on the Divine, and to share my learnings with anyone who would like to know. I’m still getting used to these short journal excerpts because my spiritual journey right now has been primarily dealing with triggering, personal topics that I don’t want to unload on y’all! I’ll also be reblogging helpful advice and information from other blogs, along with some aesthetic and the occasional humorous post!

These posts are just my personal reflections, and a core part of my beliefs is that there is no one true path to the divine. Saying that, I am not asserting my beliefs/interpretations of the world as the only spiritual path to follow, as everyone has their own journey and spirit(s) to guide them!

I’d love for you to follow me along this journey, and would love to hear others’ insights and advice! I’m also always open to new witchy friends, and want to emphasize that I respect all walks of faith as long as they don’t seek to harm others.

August 20, 2024

I have some ideas for some bigger concepts I’d like to write about, but for today I’ll stick with my perception of Lord Hades and Lady Persephone at this moment in my life.

Lady Persephone has intrigued me for as long as I could remember. I was taught Greek mythology at a young age in school, and I remember being instantly drawn to this figure who was only mentioned in passing at the time. All my teachers taught me was that she was abducted and ate the fruit of the underworld, so she has to go back every year, and thus we get the seasons. Even at a young age I could tell there was more to the story than that, for both Hades and Persephone. As I grew older, I did more research and have always held certain preconceived notions about them, some of which have changed since my spiritual encounters with them:

My first encounter was with Persephone, and I immediately got the sense that her age changes with the seasons. As it is the start of fall now, she appeared to me as a young woman with light brown, braided hair in her late teens/early twenties. Such joy radiates from her, you can feel her smile moreso than see it on her physical form. But this is not all there is to her. I have found that if I begin to think of her too much as a young, innocent figure, she sends me warnings, such as sending a bird to fly into my car. She is an incredibly gifted and powerful force, and her strength increases even more when she and her husband both seek something or desire to send a message. She’s a figure of duality-the all powerful queen of death and the joyful spirit of life.

What has intrigued me the most with Hades is how he has appeared to me during meditations (where I have most of my direct spiritual encounters). Unlike Persephone, the aspect of Hades I have been working (and will continue to work) with has appeared to me as a figure made entirely of shadow. I can’t make anything out about his physical appearance - as opposed to Persephone who has a distinct physical form - but I get the distinct feeling that he is male. My intuition tells me that he does have a physical form he can take, but is waiting for me to give more to him before showing me. This is perfectly fair and reasonable in my opinion, as I have been doing much more work on connecting to Persephone than to him. Mostly that was out of me being intimidated by him, but now that I know they are both present in my life, I must work to honor both of them equally, as they reign.

Are there any other Hades and Persephone worshippers/people who work with them out there who’d like to chat? I’d love to make some friends with a similar interest in the spiritual!

August 26, 2024

I’m really thankful and grateful to Lord Hades and Lady Persephone for their supporting presence with me over the past few days. I’ve been really drained with a lot going on at work and in my personal life, and today when I sat down to do my morning tarot with them a message came through loud and clear: take care of yourself.

It’s really wonderful to get the affirmation that I’m not imagining it, that they do really care about me and want me to focus on my wellbeing, even if that means spending less time creating more elaborate rituals to celebrate them.

When reading historic texts about the ancient worship of the gods, sometimes it can feel a bit impersonal. But I believe the gods give us what we need, if we ask and work for it. And Hades and Persephone knew I needed some support and permission to relax.

The gods know us all as individuals and care for us as our unique needs call for it, and I just think that’s so beautiful

What are your thoughts on how often you can call upon the gods? Lately I’ve been starting each day by asking Hades and Persephone what they want me to focus on for that day, and doing a tarot reading. This has been a pretty successful form of communication for us so far, but I’m worried if I reach out to them every morning and meditate on them every night (as I’m doing now) that’ll be too much and I’ll annoy them. What do y’all think?

August 28, 2024

One of the biggest things I’m struggling with right now is getting the courage to do the hard things that need to be done. I have a really unhealthy friendship that I know I need to let go of, especially in the spirit of the waning moon. Messages have been coming through in my divination sessions (mainly tarot at the moment) from the spirits that encourage me to do what’s healthiest for myself and cut ties with this person; during my meditations Lord Hades and Lady Persephone have echoed these same messages.

I know it’s something I need to do, for my sake and the other person’s, and it’ll be the best in the long run. But this other person is in a position of power and authority in my life, and I’m scared of her getting angry and retaliating.

I know that I have the support I need from others to catch me if I fall, but I need to make that first step and cut ties with him on my own.

Today, I pray for the courage to take steps towards slowly distancing myself from her and other negative forces in my life, and protection over any emotional harm they may send my way. I pray for patience from the spirits on my part, and hope they are understanding if it takes me a long time to grow in the way I need to

Witchcraft Basics Masterlist!

Witchcraft Basics and Giggles:

Everything to know before you start! The various practices The Tools healing, protecting, and grounding. shielding and banishing herbs,oils and crystals.| Herbs | Oils | Crystals the sabbatsthe Elements astrology + astrology calendar spells, hexes and curses energy manipulation the various entitis Divination tool Symbology Shadow Work Witchy hack Offerings Grimoire/book of shadows

more master lists!

Deities and time

I’ve noticed that, ever since I opened myself up to the divine and spiritual realm, I’ve been having a lot of strange things happen with my perception of time.

I frequently have been experiencing periods (often happening when I’m spending time meditating or reflecting on the divine) where I feel like time is passing at a faster rate than usual, or a slower one. I’ve also been having an unusually high number of times I’ve been experiencing deja vu. Lots of these instances will be long periods of conversations or other events in my life that I swear I’ve experienced before, and knew what was going to happen before it did.

Is this something anyone else has experienced as a part of their work with deities? I work with Hades and Persephone and they’ve both been very vocal, clear communicators in their messages.

Or could this be a sign of another deity reaching out to me? What are some gods related to time/the passage, speed,and order of events, that y’all would recommend I look into?

Thank you in advance for your time and suggestions, I really appreciate any and all input!

It’s been a really trying morning, and I’ve been dealing with a lot of tumultuous emotions, so I sad down and meditated, envisioning myself meeting with Persephone. I spent some time there with her just venting a bit and crying, and she was such a supportive force. She gave me all the space I needed to get my feelings out and helped me work through them. Afterwards, I had such a clear mindset and was able to deal with my emotions more rationally.

Moral of the story: your deities care about you and many of them love to have personal connections. Even through sharing bits of your mundane life, you can open yourself up to be vulnerable with them, and strengthen your relationship. And when you really trust and believe in them, they can give you such immense help

Things have been very difficult lately. In the spirit of the new moon, I cut off an unhealthy relationship in my life. Even though it’s for the best for all parties involved, I’m having to deal with a lot of anger and resentment from the other person involved.

This has also been trying because, despite how unhealthy our relationship was, this person was my closest and really only friend. Even though I’ve spent most of my life alone, it terrifies me, and I doubt every little step that I take. I also am terrified of them trying to hurt me for leaving the relationship when they didn’t want to let me go.

I thank Persephone for her guidance and support that led me to this decision, and I humbly ask that Hades give me the strength and wisdom to live independently and solitarily

On today’s episode of Hades being unintentionally funny with his signs:

It’s been a bad day and I’ve been reaching out to him a lot for strength, which is something I do with him relatively frequently (he’s been helping me become stronger and stick to my values more).

Then, my coworker starts absolutely blasting some terrible early 2000s music (she never plays music) and honestly? That nostalgia made me really feel better. I like to think that he had a hand in providing me this small comfort and happiness, but it’s funny to picture him actively choosing an old Taylor Swift song to play lmao

I know most people picture Hades in his very serious, king of the underworld aspect, but he has shown me a ton of his hidden sense of humor.

Like the other day I ordered a little statue of him for my altar. I get the package today and guess what? The package contained 16 of the same statue! I went back and checked my receipt-I was only charged for one but they must have somehow went me a whole pack of them by accident!

It honestly had me cracking up so much like he’s so not subtle and has his unserious moments and that’s what I love so much about working with him

TW: vague mention of suicide

I got really drunk tonight and slipped up and made a tasteless joke about offing myself (I used to be really bad about making these kinds of jokes, but I’ve been working on not saying them, especially since I’ve started working with Hades and Persephone). My hair suddenly got caught on my chair and it was lightly pulled, something that has never happened in the months and months I’ve had this chair. My gut tells me that was one of them warning me not to make those jokes anymore, which is perfectly understandable! I deeply regret my actions and, once I’m sober, will meditate and convey my apologies to Them.

I’ve been trying to find deities associated with ladybugs, but haven’t found much on the topic. Does anyone know of any gods?

Thanks in advance!!

My full moon messages

Lord Hades and Lady Persephone have been encouraging me a lot recently to share my faith more with others (I haven’t been writing much on here about my relationship with them because it feels very personal and intimate, but if they want me to be more open about my faith, I’ll follow their guidance in doing so!), so I thought this would be a good place to write down the highlights of my full moon divination session with them. I really loved these messages, and they were exactly what I needed to hear, so hopefully they inspire some of you too!

They both want me to work on my selfishness. I cut myself off from others too often, and need to be more aware of how I can help others/the world at large, and act upon those opportunities. They both emphasize that I am under their protection and should not be afraid. They also remind me to cherish the small things in life, and to treat everyone with kindness and compassion. Now is a good time in my life to connect more with nature. I’ve grown a lot recently, and They want me to celebrate that progress and be proud of myself!

In her tarot session, Lady Persephone encourages me to work on letting go of negativity, especially in regards to grudges I hold or resentments I have for the past. It’s not a good use of my time and energy, to be hung up on something that happened years ago that I can’t change, so it’s time to release those negative emotions. This may be something I’ve struggled with for years, but now I am strong enough to start making real progress on changing.

Lord Hades encourages me to keep working with him, especially as I go through transformative periods of my life, but also reminds me that my own power comes from within. I can be a lot more self-reliant than I think, and can use this independence to strengthen myself. No matter how much guidance He gives me, it’s ultimately up to me to make the changes I need to become the person I want to be. Balance is key when it comes to my relationships, in addition to how I live my life in general.

I was a little frustrated with myself yesterday, because I was worried my ritual for the autumn equinox wasn’t elaborate enough (which is ridiculous-rituals don’t have to be big and fancy in order to be fulfilling!). I did a ton yesterday, and was just already pretty tired by the time it came to do my ritual. When I was meditating towards the end of it (something that I usually spend a long time doing), I felt Persephone reaching out very quickly and suddenly. I felt that she was telling me not to worry-that she was pleased with the ritual and wanted me to get the rest I needed. So I wrapped things up a bit earlier than usual.

It’s so wonderful to work with gods who are so understanding and caring-I could really feel her concern for me and my gut was just so sure about this message that I didn’t feel guilty about wrapping it up early. Even on a day that celebrates her, Persephone just wants me to take care of and better myself. And knowing that she and Hades care for me makes me want to take better care of myself in their names!

Major Arcana Cheat Sheet

The Fool: The Fool is a very powerful card in the Tarot deck, usually representing a new beginning – and, consequently, an end to something in your old life. The Fool’s position in your spread reveals which aspects of your life may be subject to change. The Fool portends important decisions ahead which may not be easy to make, and involve an element of risk for you. Approach the changes with optimism and care to gain the most positive outcome.

The Magician: The Magician generally associates with intelligent and skillful communicators. His presence in your spread indicates a level of self-confidence and drive which allows you to translate ideas into action. A practical card, the revelations it brings are best applied to the pragmatic and physical aspects of your life, rather then the ephemeral or theoretical. Your success in upcoming ventures in politics or business will likely hinge upon your own strength of will and determination.

The High Priestess: Your identification with the High Priestess suggests you possess inherent good judgment, in the form of strong intuition. She may indicate that reason should take second place to instinct. Your head must trust in the wisdom of your heart for a change. Yet, she is also an aide by nature, and her presence in certain parts of your spread could be indicative of someone close to you coming to your rescue with their own intuition. Intuition is most effective at seeing what is hidden to the senses, so the High Priestess may also come as a warning of concealed facts or influences that are, or will be, important to you.

The Empress: Traditionally associated with strong maternal influence, the presence of the Empress is excellent news if you are looking for harmony in your marriage or hoping to start a family. Any artistic endeavors you are currently associated with are also likely to be more successful, as this card often finds those exposed to strong bursts of creative or artistic energy. That creative energy may not be in the form of a painting or art project, however: This card also suggests a very strong possibility of pregnancy – not necessarily yours, but you might be seeing a new addition to your extended family or the family of a close friend in the near future! This card is a good portent for you and those around you.

The Emperor: Counterpart to the Empress, the Emperor is signifies a powerful influence, generally male in nature. This can also include concepts in your life historically considered masculine, such as leadership and authority, self-discipline, and stability through the power of action. Its positive influences suggest you may be on a path to advancement or promotion, but it can also be neutral. Often a companion to those destined to take on greater responsibility, it may presage change or loss that necessitates you stepping forward to shoulder a greater burden than you have in the past. Whatever the impetus for the change, it indicates you may possess an uncommon inner strength that will compel you act and to lead.

The Hierophant (Pope): Depending on your own nature, the Hierophant can mean very different things. At its root, it represents doctrine, but doctrine can come in the form of teaching and guidance or rigid authority. Where it appears in your spread is also important, as it is most often indicative of your own approach to the moral, religious, and social conventions of the world. Considered wisely, it helps show the path towards fulfillment. 

The Lovers: Your first instinct will most likely be to associate this card as representing love, but, much like love, it does not possess a simple nature. Not only does love comes in many forms, but the Lovers may indicate important or difficult choices ahead in your life. This is bad, in that the choices it portends are generally mutually exclusive, paths to two very different futures, but also good, in that it also confirms that at least one of those paths will take you to a good place. As such, if you happen to find it in your spread, you should consider it carefully, but not fear it. It tells a story of difficult choices, likely painful, but that the correct decision and a positive outcome are within your grasp. 

The Chariot: You have some hard work ahead of you. It may be resolved quickly, but the Chariot is a powerful card, and the labor you are undertaking will probably trend towards long and difficult. You will quite possibly experience rough roads, long uphill slopes, dead ends, and painful setbacks. A good outcome is only assured if the card is upright, but do not let yourself lose hope: This hard road will instill in you a strength of purpose, the ability to overcome through organization and endurance, and the confidence possessed only by those who have done what they thought they could not. Harnessed correctly, few forces can stand against an individual like that. 

Strength: Strength is the rawest form of power, and you possess it in some form. It is a very happy card if you are fighting illness or recovering from injury. As might be suspected, its influence over you, and the use you put it to, can trend towards light or dark. You likely trend towards facing your problems courageously, head-on, and conquering them through perseverance and will. With this ability to overcome life’s obstacles, though, comes the responsibility to control yourself, and it this card may be a warning to take command of your own actions or emotions before they damage you or the people you care about.

The Hermit: There are times in every life, when one must step back and make a careful examination of their situations and decisions. Finding the Hermit in your spread suggests this is just such a time for you. You are in need of a period of inner reflection, away from the current demands of your position. This retreat can be physical, or a search within. Only a deep and honest introspection will lead to a solution, however.

Wheel of Fortune: Symbolic of life’s cycles, the Wheel of Fortune speaks to good beginnings. Most likely, you will find the events foretold to be positive, but, being aspects of luck, they may also be beyond your control and influence. Tend those things you can control with care, and learn not to agonize over the ones you cannot.

Justice: Justice is a very good card to find in your spread if you have acted with kindness and fairness towards other and, especially, if you have been a victim. It is a significant indicator of a positive resolution, although how and what sort will depend on your own experiences. If you have been unfair, abusive, or otherwise shady and immoral in your dealings, though, pay heed. For the unjust, this card is, at best, a dire warning to change your ways before retribution falls upon you, and, at worst, a simple statement that it is already too late. In neutral cases, it may simply be telling you to seek out balance in your life. 

The Hanged Man: The Hanged Man can be interpreted in two very different ways. All change is a small kind of death, as the old must die to create the new, and it may simply indicate upheaval or change in your future, perhaps beyond your control, but more likely a decision that, for good or ill, you will not be able to turn back from. The other interpretation is one of sacrifice, although whether this sacrifice is small or great may not be easily interpreted. Both interpretations imply permanence, and that you should give very careful thought to the decisions in your life. 

Death: Death is indicative of change in your future. This change can be in almost any aspect of your life, but it will almost certainly be permanent, significant, and absolute. Death suggests a complete severance between the past and the future, and it will likely be painful. Despite the sense of loss that may accompany it, Death fills an important and natural role in life, and leads eventually to acceptance. It is a necessary part of moving forward, and you will find the changes easiest if you embrace them, rather than fight them. Expect the end of a close friendship, a job, a marriage, or even a life, but do not focus too greatly on the negative.

Temperance: An optimistic card, Temperance encourages you to find balance in your life and approach problems with a calm demeanor. It recognizes that opposing forces need not be at war within you. Tread carefully in any major decisions you make, with confidence that good decisions will lead to a good resolution for you.

The Devil: The Devil is in the business of entrapment. It signifies a situation from which there is no escape, or a road leading to one. Forewarning may let you avoid the trap, or it may not. What sort of trap, and how you might avoid it, depends on where the Devil appears in your spread, and what other cards surround it. This card does not foretell doom, only the need for prudence.

The Tower: Dark and foreboding, the Tower is the embodiment of disruption and conflict. Not just change, but the abrupt and jarring movement caused by the unforeseen and traumatic events which are part of life. The Tower in your spread is always a threat, but life inevitably involves tragedy, and you must decide whether you will face it with grace.

The Star: The Star’s presence signifies a period of respite and renewal for you. This renewal may be spiritual, physical, or both. It is a particularly positive sign if you or someone close is recovering from illness or injury. It is a light in the darkness, illuminating your future and your past.

The Moon: Something in your life is not what it seems. Perhaps a misunderstanding on your part, or a truth you cannot admit to yourself. It may also indicate something important being kept from you by another. This may be a source of worry or depression in your life, and the Moon is a strong indicator that you must rely on your intuition to see through the subterfuge.

The Sun: As an inherently good influence, finding the Sun is a positive development. It is suggestive of personal gain, and that personal goals and joy are within reach, if you are willing to invest the effort to actualize them. If you are embarking on a new personal venture, such as marriage or beginning a family, the Sun is of particular influence. 

Judgement: Judgment tells a story of transition, but unlike Death or the Tower, it is not sudden change, or born of luck or intuition, but change that springs from reason. It signifies plans, often long in the making, coming to fruition. If it points towards the future, it may also speak towards the nature of the change; if there is a choice that needs to be made, ruminate and let your mind guide the decision. Logic, in this case, is a better guide than intuition. Be prepared to make a major decision in your life, likely one that will shape the next chapter of your life.

The World: The World is an indicator of a major and inexorable change, of tectonic breadth. This change represents a chance for you to bring about a desirable end to the Old and a good beginning to the New. It is indicative of growing maturity, a sense of inner balance and deeper understanding. It suggests that you may be approaching a more final sense of identity, and the security in the self that comes with age. It also represents the falling away of boundaries, sometimes in the effusive sense of the spiritual, but sometimes in a purely physical sense, indicating travels or journeys in the future.