just thinking of how our meaning or purpose in life is merely to experience. eating an orange segment, hoping for snow, being in love, returning over and over to one painting, stepping outside for the full moon, submersion in water, having a favourite colour, knowing beauty, feeling alone, feeling connected, feeling longing… it is enough.
an altar is like a temple in miniature, a diorama if you will, that contains small representations of the different types and directions of energy, categorized as elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. These elements correspond to the suits of the Minor Arcana in the tarot. ☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
In Wicca:
✡Water is represented by the ritual cup, or chalice, which is just a Christian word for cup. In the Minor Arcana, the cup (water) is a mystical shorthand for emotions.☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
✡Earth is represented by a pentacle, or five-pointed star, constructed of a natural substance, like wood or metal. In the Minor Arcana, the pentacle references foundational matters of physical practicality, labor, and money.☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
✡Air is often represented by an athame, a ceremonial witch knife, usually dark-handled (as opposed to the boline, a traditional white-handled witch knife used for everyday things like cutting herbs or carving), or by a sword (if you have that kind of space and you like LARPing). In the Minor Arcana air is represented by the blade, which is meant to indicate the uncanny quality of thought and language as tangible forces in the world, cutting through space. Which, incidentally, is what people actually do with their blades in ritual: point them as if to cut through the air, thereby directing energy.☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
✡Fire element is represented by a wand. Wands are usually about a foot long, give or take, composed of wood, metal, precious stones, or some combination thereof. In the Minor Arcana wands (fire) are used similarly for directing energy, and in Wiccan liturgy, they are meant to symbolize one's deeds and actions. (some folks like to reverse the two and use wands for air and thought and knife/sword for fire and action) ☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
✡Spirit is the animating force, often represented by the image of some deity.☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
Keep in mind, use what best resonates with your style. ☾ ⋆*・゚:⋆*・゚
source: Book: Enchantments A Beginner Witch's Guide by Mya Spalter
so i don’t think a lot of people really understand how often south asian culture is misinterpreted and appropriated so i’m making a post about it right here.
any mention of third eyes
any mention of chakras
people wearing bindis when they shouldn’t be
fucking “om” or “aum” tattoos or appliques on things like yoga pants. do you know how fucking disrespectful it is to put a symbol that is so important to my religion and culture on the ass of some white chick’s yoga pants
people wearing maang tikka when they shouldn’t be
anklets with bells on them are very important to the dance culture of south asia and it’s disrespectful to wear them outside of a traditional dance setting
feel free to add any more that i missed because i’m fucking tired
Fungi dragons 😍🥺 🍄🐉by https://www.instagram.com/coliandrium/
Since my altar/offering idea list seemed to get a good response, here’s another list on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Be warned, some of this stuff is dangerous to handle, like, physically, not just magically. Don’t leave a curse jar full of anything that might rot in or near your house. I’m not responsible for the results of whatever you do with this information, or the results of any hexes you cast.
cemetery dirt
maceration water (if you’re not familiar with taxidermy terminology, it’s the water leftover after you let animal parts sit in it for a while to clean flesh off of bones)
labyrinth dirt
animal claws/teeth (pick an animal that corresponds with your intention)
rotten flesh/meat/eggs (be sure to bury the damn thing outside as far away from you as possible if you go this route)
the cheapest, nastiest vodka you can find, or malt liquor (good for spells targeting an abusive alcoholic)
vinegar
dead insects (especially spiders)
thunderstorm water
urine
cat shit
bullets
thorns
wasps nest
barbed wire
rusty nails/coffin nails
needles
spanish moss
bloodstone
iron filings
broken glass
razor blades
goofer dust (this one might be a bit controversial; depending on your views, this might be best to skip and leave for hoodoo practitioners to use)
mars water (especially if made on the day of mars, hour of mars)
crushed ants, wasps, and scorpions
blood root
black snake root
deerstongue
asafoetida
high john root
whole chili pepper
dragon’s blood
blackthorn bark
masterwort
coriander seed
I present to you my fellow goblins, fearies, cottagecores and other forest friends...
Put these things 'round your house. Make it shiny. Make it leafy. Make it full of plants
Silver Moon Petal by Natalia Drepina
on earth we’re briefly gorgeous, ocean vyoung / we are okay, nina lacour / @fairycosmos / how this ends, andrea gibson / the zahir, paulo coelho / alex hirsch
Artwork by Dave Dick