I Am Not Kidding When I Say I Want To Run Away Into The Woods To Live Amongst The Moss And All The Woodland

Weißdorn- Der Weg zum eigenen Herzen.

Gudrun Dieta Walcher, 2021.

I think the winter and the darkness can cause a lot of unnecessary suffering when we are trying to force ourselves to feel the same as we do in the summer. It's okay to feel tired. It's okay to feel lack of inspiration. And it's okay to need more sleep and to let things slow down.

A flower would never force itself to bloom in the cold winter, so why would we?

- jonna jinton

Underworld Ariel’s Guide to…

Reading Pendulums

So, pendulums are a form of divination which many seem to shy away from as they cannot make them work. I won’t claim to know exactly what everyone means by that, because I’ve never really had that problem, but pendulums do take some reasoning with.

Pendulums can work through a variety of sources, again, that’s something you’ll need to ask your own pendulum for yourself, but one thing which applies to all pendulums is that they work via energy. Pendulums will use energy, from you and/or deities or spirits or however your pendulum works, and use this to divine answers. That’s an important note because if you don’t know how your pendulum is working, it may not be able to work to it’s full potential!

The first thing you need to establish is how your pendulum says yes and no because no two pendulums are the same. Simply ask! Do so twice over to really get the idea, then ask test questions. Here’s how my session with a new pendulum usually starts:

Which direction is yes

Which direction is no

Just to clarify, please swing yes

And swing no

So is my middle name G* (will swing yes)

And my dad’s name is F* (will swing no)

Am I X (yes question)

And Y (no question)

Doing a little session like this gives you the chance to see how your pendulum swings. If you use pendulum boards, this won’t be as applicable because it’ll respond via a board, but it’s still good to get an idea of how your pendulum moves freestyle.

One thing you’ll notice right off the bat is the change in direction is not abrupt. After asking a question, wait a few seconds, and you may notice your pendulum begins to swing a circle, before settling in a new direction. A circle can be “Maybe” to some pendulums, or “Can’t answer” and so on, but if it doesn’t settle on a circular motion, it is gaining momentum to swing a new direction.

I quickly made these gifs to give everyone an idea of how your pendulum may move. They’re a bit shaky because nothing was supporting my arm in these, haha!

For my pendulum, the gifs left to right show: yes, changing answer, no

(Full video for example)

In some parts of the gifs, you can see my arm shake a bit. Slight tremors and shakes doesn’t mean you can’t use pendulums, we all get them in some form! If your hand jolts, shakes, or moves, simply steady yourself again (re-ask your question) and wait on a clear answer.

Which brings me onto a big point: wait for an answer. Sometimes my pendulum is swinging a 180 degree answer at me, other times it’s practically non-moving, and some times it just means you need to wait for the energy to move it. You can also take the strength of an answer as part of the answer: mild, certain, strong.

And that basically sums up how to read a pendulum! It’s a lot of asking and checking. You can also make pendulum boards for answers which can’t be answered with just yes or no. Such board ideas include:

Number board

Letter board

Astrology wheel

Seasons wheel

Months wheel

Past, present, future triangle

The next thing is why you’re reading a pendulum. What is it you can ask a pendulum? Well, again, some don’t want to answer certain questions. You know when someone says their pendulum doesn’t like test questions? Just like that, some pendulums won’t be happy to answer certain things. Death questions, fatalistic questions, and invasive questions usually fall into that category. But there’s still so much more to ask! Some ideas include:

What species is your X past life

How many past lives have you had

Is Y a good decision

Will Z happen by H

Whatever your question may be, a pendulum can probably answer it in some way shape or form. Which brings me onto another thing: how can you use a pendulum? Plenty of ways! Here’s some methods I often find myself using:

Interrogative Pendulum

If I think I’ve been lied to or someone is trying to haze me, I grab my pendulum (and perhaps a friend also in that situation with a pendulum), I write out many questions around the topic, and I ask them all. Many will be very similar questions or slightly different wording, so that I can get as close to the truth as possible. This works best with another person also doing so, because when your answers align you know its more valid, and if they don’t, you can work out why. An example of a session may go like this:

Is E hiding something

Has E omitted the truth

Has E told 100% of the truth

Is E telling the truth about B

Is B fully accurate

Is B actually X

Is B actually Y

Is B affected by Z

And so on. Take your situation and tear it into multiple tiny chunks, then ask all your questions. Write down each answer, then once you’re done, you should have a better idea of the full story.

Estimation Pendulum

This is just using a pendulum to arrive at a number. I do this in past life readings. First, I intuitively feel a number, or I am told or see a number or an idea. Let’s say it’s how many lives you’ve had. I then do big grouped numbers, e.g. “Has D had more than 50 lives?” no, and from there I go down “40?” no, “30?” no, “20?” yes. Now I know it is over 20 but below 30. Then, try “more than 25?” no. “Has he had 24 lives?” yes. You get the idea. Big to small, finding the number by shortening the ranges as you get better answers.

Intuitive Direction

This one is very fun to do when you want a new and unique way to pull tarot or oracle cards, pick crystals, or almost anything. Let’s say it’s tarot. Lay out as many cards as you please on your surface, hold your pendulum over them, ask your question, and move your hand with its direction. It’s pulling left? Move your hand left. Follow it’s pull until it circles over a card. Simple, that’s the card answering your question! It’s nothing too serious, just like a physical intuition guide for those who may trust their own intuition a little less. I like to use this method when I’m having doubtful days.

There’s plenty of other wonderful ideas on how to use pendulums out there, like drawing out signs or letters, or carrying them into spiritually charged areas to sense spirit energy. However you wish to use your pendulum, however your pendulum works, there’s steps you can take to help center yourself and find answers more accurately or clearly:

Carry your pendulum around or put it under your pillow to help strengthen your connection

Talk to it as you ask your questions, just as you may do a friend

Take mild answers and ask questions which can clarify off of it, until you’re happy you understand the answer

Meditate and ground before a pendulum session

Draw tarot cards alongside each answer for more clarity

Spend time understanding your pendulum by writing about it in your grimoire

Be open because your energy affects your pendulum

Aaaaand that sums up my advice on reading pendulums! Your answers may not always be strong, but as long as you understand how your pendulum is working and what you can ask, your journey with it should be long and thought provoking.

Love, light, and everything bright 🌻

Vila is a Slavic name for female spirits or nymphs who can appear in a plethora of different variations. Some live in clouds, meadows, ponds, trees or even high up in the mountains and their appearance can be either almost human-like as beautiful maidens with long white hair, nearly translucent skin and green eyes or they can be similar to ghosts, see-through and with billowing cloaks wrapped around their bodies. 

It is said that if even one of their hairs is plucked, the Vila will die, or be forced to change back to her true shape. A human may gain the control of a vila by stealing a piece of the vila’s skin. Once burned, though, she will disappear. Though they seem deceptively frail, vilas are fierce warriors skilled in combat and will attack lone travellers. However, offerings of cakes, flowers, fruit and ribbons might win their favour. 

Grimoire/book of Shadows decoration ideas and ideas of what to put in them:

I struggle sometimes with what to write in my grimoire, so I thought I’d write a list to help myself and others :) and even though I keep my personal grimoire plain on the covers, I will include decoration ideas because not all people want theirs plain, and the decoration could also be for the inner pages :)

Decoration:

📖 paint the covers a colour or pattern that gives you energy

📖 a picture collage

📖 a pressed flower and leaf collage

📖 draw sigils, which are practical as well as pretty

📖 draw a pendulum or ouija board in your book, which is also functional as well as decorative

📖 washi tape borders, book marks and page keys!

📖 when writing in your grimoire, you can separate bits of information in boxes. Using coloured pens/pencils or patterned lines looks nice :)

📖 carefully paint the edges of the pages. I like it when this is done with metallic paint but the colour is a personal choice :)

Content ideas

✨ write a list of trees, types of animals, flowers etc that you feel a connection to if you think nature is important to your craft

✨ you could also do a list of objects in general

✨ write magical recipes that you like into your grimoire and what properties you feel the finished product has

✨ a list of your crystals and stones and what vibe they give off, and their properties

✨ write about solstices if you follow them

✨ when you do a spell, I recommend writing down your method and what result you got, for future reference. This way you can repeat the spell easily and it can be tweaked if necessary :)

✨ write about deities you have a connection to, if any

✨ write about your familiar if you have one

✨ If you feel drawn to a certain type of animal, you could write about what animal you have this feeling towards. It may be worth looking into getting one if your situation allows it! I believe that the animal I feel drawn to (more so after practicing witchcraft for a while!) could be a future familiar for me. For example you could write about how to care for them, whether they have any magical connotations, and name ideas if you think you’ll get one! :)

✨ tarot card spreads

✨ results of tarot/pendulum/ouija sessions

✨a list of sigils so you can remember them (they don’t have to be activated if they’re just for reference)

✨ if you feel drawn to a particular tarot card or one of your pendulums (if you don’t have multiple pendulums that’s fine! You could write about the one you have) write about it and how it makes you feel

✨ magical correspondences of herbs

✨ general information about the path you follow (or if you are eclectic, parts of each type that interests you :))

Obviously there is way more to write about and way more decoration ideas! Feel free to reblog and add ideas if you have any!!

Mit Weide und Salbei das Leben grundlegend erneuern.

Nadja Zwecker.

Via Telegram

𝕾𝖆𝖇𝖇𝖆𝖙𝖘

{Art by Julia Nikita}

The sabbats are holidays celebrated throughout the year on solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoints between them. These sabbats form the Wheel of the year.

There is a controversy surrounding the dates of these holidays, as people celebrate them all over the earth, not only in the northen hemisphere but in the southern too. 

One viewpoint is that the Sabbats should be celebrated as they were originally created to be… in other words, Samhain is October 31st, regardless of where you live. In the Southern Hemisphere, even though you are just gearing up to summer on October 31st, this perspective says that you celebrate the cleansing and releasing, the honouring of the dead just as you would if you lived in the Northern Hemisphere. The other viewpoint (the one I personally agree with) is that you should celebrate when you feel like the season corresponds with the holiday, in other words, your craft, your rules. So if you live in the southern hemisphere, you have the choice.

I’ll be writing the dates for each holiday starting with the northen hemisphere and then the dates that many people celebrate them in the southern hemisphere

🌲𝐘𝐔𝐋𝐄

{December 21st//June 21st}

Yule focuses on rebirth and renewal as the sun makes its way back to the earth. It’s all about new beginnings, reflection and embracing warmth. Much like Christmas, many celebrate with a feast, gift giving, being cosy and appreciating the good.

↟Nature: cedar, frankincense, myrrh, mistletoe, pine, birch, ivy.

↟Foods//flavours: ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, wintergreen, apple, dried fruit.

↟Stones: citrine, ruby, garnet, alexandrite, green tourmaline.

↟Activities: decorate your altar with incense associated with Yule, burn ash wood for prosperity, bake using Yule flavours like ginger or cinnamon, make wreathes to hang around the house, spend time with loved ones.

🕯️𝐈𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐂

{February 1st//August 1st}

Imbolc focuses on celebrating the nature that is preparing to grow and renewal, also known as “candlemas” and the “Feast of Pan”.

↟Nature: basil, blackberry, heather, celandine, iris, wisteria, vanilla, bay, yellow and white flowers.

↟Foods//flavours: pumpkin and sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, peppers, onions, spices, and herbal teas.

↟Stones: amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby, onyx.

↟Activities: decorate with candles and sun decorations, go hiking, have a bonfire, bake foods with poppy seeds, and burn any leftover winter herbs.

🌼𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐀

{March 21st//September 21st}

Ostara focuses on manifesting creativity and love. As the days become longer, energy becomes stronger.

↟Nature: ash, alder, daffodil, honeysuckle, narcissus, primrose, violet, jasmine.

↟Foods//flavours: olives, maple syrup, honey, edible flowers, chocolate, pine nuts, nettle or lavender tea, local fruits and vegetables.

↟Stones: amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone.

↟Activities: gardening and planting seeds, bake breads with olives or honey for example, start new projects, talk to plants, do some painting, decorate with wildflowers.

🌰𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐄

{May 1st//November 1st}

Beltane focuses on fertility, love and abundance. Also known as “may day”, on this sabbat many celebrate with dancing, bonfires and many high energy activities, including enjoying themselves sexually with a partner or even conceiving children.

↟Nature: frankincense, lilac, ivy, marigold, woods, rose, thyme, mint, yarrow.

↟Foods//flavours: oats, leafy greens, fruits, breads, honey.

↟Stones: malachite, amber, fire opal, red jasper.

↟Activities: dance, decorate with florals and symbols of the sea, go to the beach, go hiking, have a bonfire, feast on fruits, vegetables and grains, laugh and let your hair down. And if you’re trying to conceive or simply would like to have sex, Beltane is a wonderful time to do so.

🦋𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐀

{June 21st//December 21st}

Litha focuses on growth and celebrating the longest day of the year and the sun, before the shorter days begin.

↟Nature: fern, yarrow, sage, rose, oak, mugwort, lavender, chamomile, myrrh, pine.

↟Foods//flavours: herbed bread, honey, sunflower seeds, iced herbal tea, lemon, vanilla.

↟Stones: lapis lazuli, amethyst, malachite, tiger’s eye.

↟Activities: make or buy a sun catcher, surround yourself with warm tones, watch the sunrise and sunset, make sun water, spend time outdoors, make use of herbs.

🌾𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐒//𝐋𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐇

{August 2nd//February 2nd}

Lammas, or lughnasadh focuses on celebrating the first of the three harvesting sabbats and taking time to really feel the positivity in different aspects of life.

↟Nature: cornstalks, heather, acacia flowers, hollyhock, oak leaves, wheat, myrtle, spices.

↟Food//flavours: grainy bread, corn, potatoes, nuts, blackberries, wine.

↟Stones: amber, agate, citrine, clear quartz, obsidian, tiger’s eye.

↟Activities: bake bread, make corn dolls, visit a sunflower field, spend time in nature, acknowledged what you are grateful for, journal.

🍁𝐌𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐍

{September 21st//March 21st}

Mabon focuses on honouring the change of the seasons, balance and peace.

↟Nature: sage, pine, marigold, thistle, acorns, milkweed, oak leaves, myrrh.

↟Food//flavours: cinnamon, nuts, beans, dark fruits, pies, soup, butterscotch.

↟Stones: citrine, carnelian, clear quartz, sapphire, yellow agate.

↟Activities: collect pine cones, donate food and old clothes, meditate, dry herbs, spend time with loved ones, speak to the nature around you.

🎃𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐍

{October 31st-November 1st//April 30th-May 1st}

Samhain focuses on celebrating life, and honouring those who are no longer with us.

↟Nature: heather, sage, pumpkins, straw, flax, patchouli, myrrh.

↟Foods//flavours: apples, cider, pumpkin, pies, soups, stews, potatoes, ginger.

↟Stones: amber, black obsidian, fossils, onyx, sandstone, bloodstones.

↟Activities: honour the deceased, spend time with family, make a hearty comforting meal, make or buy a scarecrow, spend time practicing divination.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐭

↟Do a tarot reading relevant to that sabbat.

↟Spend time in the moonlight, charging your crystals and tarot cards, as well as meditating.

↟Bake something using at least one traditional food of that sabbat to share with others.

↟Sage cleanse your living space and any of your magickal items.

↟Write down how you’re feeling and how you’d like to feel in the weeks to come.

List of Greek Gods & Goddesses Version 2.0 - (3/1/22)

Okay, so I’ve updated the original list about a hundred times since I first posted it and now there are a  hundred different versions re-blogged all  over Tumblr  😅

So I  just decided to rewrite and update it and post it as a new list. I’m confident that this version has enough detail and is organized enough to help the novice, enthusiast, polytheist and whoever else get a basic understanding of the Greek gods.

THE TWELVE OLYMPIANS + DIONYSUS & HADES

THE GODS & GODDESSES WHO RESIDE ON OLYMPUS

Zeus ( ΖΕΥΣ ) Pronounced: zĕfs; the diphthong εύ is pronounced like the ef in ‘left’.

Zeus is the supreme god of the Greeks. It is said even fate is subservient to him. He is the great olympian, whom even the gods obey; he is the king and father of gods and men. His sister Hera sits at his side and is his equal. He oversees and manages the whole cosmos, he hears everything; therefore it would have to be assumed that he possesses some sort of omnipresence. Zeus is the source of all prophecy and Apollo speaks his oracles. He rules the sky, lightning and thunder and tempest (winds), which he produces by shaking his mighty Aegis. He cares for all the affairs and sufferings of man and punishes those who commit injustice. He presides over the entire state and every family and person. The dominion of Zeus is that of justice, law and order. Zeus is god of hosts and god of guests who protects travelers and strangers and presides over hospitality and the rights and sanctity of suppliants. He presides over oaths, which are sworn to his name. The lion and the eagle are associated with him, as well as the oak.

Hera ( ΗΡΑ ) Pronounced: EE-rah.

Hera is often depicted in the mythology as an angry wife, defending her marriage against what is portrayed as Zeus’ infidelity. She pursues and torments the recipients of her husband’s advances, including the resulting offspring, most famously Herakles. While the mythology fabricates a negative impression of the goddess, her majesty and greatness of soul are ineffably prodigious. Hera is the queen of the heavens, the matriarch, she looks over women and their families, and protects the institution of marriage and the fidelity which should accompany it. She is on equal footing with Zeus and possess the same amount of power and authority over the cosmos. Similar to Artemis and other goddesses, she watches over childbirth.

Poseidon ( Ποσειδῶν ) Pronounced: poh-see-DOHN, accent on the last syllable

According to the mythology, he was determined by lot to have dominion over the seas and oceans. Therefore, he has the ability to grant safe voyage over the sea and save seafarers from marine calamity. Poseidon is said to have a similar power as Zeus, the ability to cause storms, but at sea. He has a particular interest in horses, according to Homer, he created the horse, and taught man how to ride with the bridal. He is said to have instituted the racing of horses. Poseidon is described as holding the earth, because his dominion, the sea, is thought to surround the earth, and, therefore, he has the ability to shake the earth, i.e. to produce earthquakes.

Demeter ( Δημήτηρ ) Pronounced : dee-MEE-teer, the d (delta) is pronounced like the soft th in ‘this’.

Demeter is the great Goddess of fertility and of the fruitful earth. She has given us agriculture and, particularly, the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and grains, and by doing so she has given us the ability to rise above the level of the beasts of the world. She is the goddess of abundance, breathing life into the seed, allowing all plant, animal and human life to grow and multiply. Demeter is the mother and the giver of food and nourishment. Because she is in control of the life and death cycle of nature she is also worshipped as the goddess of seasons. Demeter gives us awesome mysteries which sweeten our lot in this life and bestow hope for good things after death. She is one of several goddesses who protects marriage and bestows peace and the laws which enable peace to flourish.

Hestia ( ΕΣΤΙΑ ) Pronounced: ĕs-TEE-ah.

Hestia is a virgin goddess. According to the homeric hymn to Aphrodite, Apollo and Poseidon asked her hand in marriage, but she swore an oath to Zeus to remain a maiden. In ancient times the temple of delphi was the home of an eternal flame or hearth representing the fire of the goddess. In like manner, every city had a sacred hearth which ordinarily procured its fire from delphí. The fire of Hestia dwells in the hearth of the home. Since the hearth, symbolically, is the center of the home, and the goddess is its fire, Hestia is the source of all the blessings of domestic life, the very founder and support of the family. Hestia is, therefore, the tutelary goddess of the home and, by extension, she is the protector of the safety and concord of the state. She is the recipient of the first portion of all sacrifices. In every ritual, she is honored first, always, with the recitation of her orphic hymn. In addition, it is traditional to offer a libation before and after meals to her.

Hephaestus ( ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ ) Pronounced: EE-fĕs-tohs, with the accent on the first syllable.

The most important characteristic of Hephaestus is his fire. In the theogony, he, along with his sister Athena, were taught skills by the cyclopes. They taught him how to make beautiful works of bronze. He is depicted in the mythology as dwelling in a glorious palace in Olympus, in which he crafts beautiful things such as the armor of Achilles, the palaces of the gods, their jewelry, and many other things. Therefore, Hephaestus is associated with workers, smiths, sculptors, skill, and craftsmen. Both Hephaestus and Athena bestow skills to artists and craftsmen and teach the arts to civilize and beautify life. He is the son of Hera and Zeus, this according to Apollodorus, although some sources say that he is a “wind-child” of Hera alone, that is, conceived without the help of Zeus, this according to Hesiod.

Athena ( ΑΘΗΝΑ ) Pronounced: ah-thee-NAH, the accent falling on the final syllable, or not accenting any syllable.

Athena is the daughter of Zeus and Metis. Zeus swallowed Metis while she was pregnant with Athena for fear that Metis would give birth to a son who would overthrow him. Hephaestus, split the head of Zeus with an axe and Athena emerged in full battle-gear. Athena is prudently warlike in that she protects the state from external enemies. She is the protector and companion of heroes such as Odysseus and Perseus, who are distinguished for their valor and strength of character. Athena is a great goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and the arts: those things and institutions which civilize man and distribute wise counsel. She maintains and protects law and justice and has an interest in everything which creates stability, strength and abundance in the state. She is the patroness of invention, weaving, various crafts, and martial metalwork and martial craft. She invented all sorts of womanly arts. She invented numbers, the trumpet, the chariot, and navigation. Athena taught mankind to yoke oxen, having invented the plow and rake. She taught the breeding and taming of horses. Like Artemis and Hestia, Athena is a virgin Goddess.

Hermes ( ΕΡΜΗΣ ) Pronounced : ĕr-MEES, accent on the second syllable and rolling the r very slightly.

Hermes is the great herald. He is the angel or messenger of Zeus. He also performs this task for others of the high gods in all the three realms. Thus he is a great god of speech; he is the deity who bestows skill, cleverness, and eloquence in language and communication, as well as gracefulness in social interactions and persuasion. Hermes is the messenger who delivers to man the dreams sent by Zeus in sleep. He is the psycho pomp, the great escort, who guides the souls of the dead as they embark on their journey between lives. He is the great friend of mankind and the protector of slaves as well as their liberator. The interests of Hermes include commerce and measures and weights, and thus he bestows wealth, especially unexpected good fortune. He watches over roads and protects travelers. Thus, statues of the god were erected at forks in roads and doors and gates. Hermes is associated with gymnastic games and is the patron of the gymnasium. Hermes invented the military arts, numbers and the alphabet, and the science of astronomy. A pastoral god, he protects the flocks and bestows fertility to sheep and protection to shepherds and pastures.

Apollon ( ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ ) Pronounced ah-POH-lohn.

Apollon speaks out the unfailing testament of his father Zeus, at whose right hand he sits. He is the god of truth for he never tells a lie. He is the patron of the divine, prophets and oracles. Zeus speaks through Apollon and Apollon speaks through his oracles. He is the god of light, who has dominion over the sun (Helios) itself. He is not the personification of the sun, despite what some ancient literature would have us believe; he simply has dominion over it, especially it’s light. The actual sun god is Helios. He is the great god of enlightenment, fostering everything which brings about understanding: reason, education, logic, knowledge, and every kind of expansive thinking. Like his sister Artemis, Apollon possesses the bow and arrow. He rules over the realms of archery. He is believed to use his arrows to both bring disease upon men and boys and relieve them of it. He is a skilled musician who plays the cithara, a type of lyre. Apollon is involved with all which is splendid, music, song, poetry, theatre, dance, science, astronomy, history, and literature.

Artemis (ΑΡΤΕΜΙΣ) Pronounced: AHR-tæ-mees

Like Athena and Hestia, Artemis is a virgin goddess. She is unblemished and overflowing with wholesomeness, energy, and health, all of which she bestows on mortals. She is the patron of the wilderness and the animals that call it their home. She prefers to run through the countryside, forests and mountains with her entourage of maidens and hunting dogs. Artemis protects children generally, young girls before they marry, and the sucklings and young of wildlife. She assists in childbirth and protects the flocks of herdsmen. Artemis has dominion over the moon (Selene) itself. She is not the personification of the moon, despite what some ancient literature would have us believe; she simply has dominion over it, especially it’s light and the effect it has on nature. The actual moon goddess is Selene. She is the huntress who pursues game and like her brother, she possesses the bow and arrow. She is believed to use her arrows to both bring disease upon women and girls and relieve them of it. She can be seen in the iconography hunting and is, therefore, the goddess of the chase.

Aphrodite ( ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ ) Pronounced ah-froh-DEE-tee, roll the ‘r’ slightly; the d (δέλτα) is pronounced like the soft th in ‘this’

Aphrodite is the great goddess of sexuality and beauty. She is said to be the most beautiful and desirable of all the goddesses and no one, except Athena, Hestia and Artemis, can ignore her powers. She is often associated with the sea because of the mythology that she was born from the foam which arose from the severed genitals of Ouranos which fell into the ocean, and, thus, the scallop-shell is associated with her. Aphrodite is the personification of nature’s generative ability. Thus, she is popularly believed to be the goddess of love and procreation, and thought of as the most beautiful and graceful of the gods. Like the Goddess Hera, Aphrodite governs and blesses marriage. She possesses a girdle or belt which has the ability to attract the object of one’s desire to the one who wears it. The poppy flower as well as the rose, myrtle, and the apple are sacred to her. The dove and the swan are birds which are sacred to the goddess, as well as swallows and sparrows.

Ares ( ΑΡΗΣ ) Pronounced: AH-rees.

Ares is the deity who presides over courage and war. According to the mythology, Eris or strife, the sister of Ares, calls forth war supported by her many children, and that Zeus, who has dominion over fate, directs its course. Ares is accompanied by his sons Deimos (Fear) and Phobus (Strife) and his other sister Enyo, the goddess of battle. It is said that Ares loves war. He is known to relish in the confusion and roar of battle, and thus he confronts these struggles with great force and pleasure. And because he has dominion over war, over battles, over struggles, he loves and understands it. The greeks were ambivalent toward him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war but can also personify sheer brutality and blood-lust. An association with Ares endows places, objects and other deities with a savage, dangerous, or militarized quality.

The Question of Dionysus and Hades (Plouton)

Many sources include Dionysus as one of the Olympians. Those who promote this belief say that Hestia stepped down from her seat and gave it to Dionysus. This silly idea was concocted by English poet and novelist Robert Graves. There is no evidence of this idea from antiquity and it is not even viewed as worthy of discussion by teachers and scholars. For many reasons, the idea does not make any sense at all. The tradition held by many is strictly Orphic. While Dionysus is not an Olympian, he is incredibly important. He is the great son of Zeus but he is not an Olympian God!

Although Hades is a major Greek god and was the brother of the first generation of Olympians (Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia), his realm is the underworld, far from Olympus, and thus he was not usually considered to be one of the Olympians.

Dionysus ( ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ ) Pronounced: The D in Dionysus is pronounced like the soft th in thee, not like the hard th in thesis. The accent is on the second syllable: thee-OH-nee-sohs.) Dionysus is commonly called by the name Vákkhos (Βάκχος) or Anglicized as Bacchus.

Dionysus is the god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy. He is depicted as either an older, bearded god or an effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes include the thyrsos (a pine-cone tipped staff), a drinking cup and a crown of ivy. He is usually accompanied by a troop of Satyrs and Mainades (wild female devotees). The origins of theater in the west have their roots in ancient Greece, with their source the festivals of Dionysus called the Rural Dionýsia. It is said that the plays began as performances of religious hymns by groups of men in goat-masks, the goat being sacred to the god. Dionysus is described as the god of drunkenness and irrationality. He is often contrasted with his brother Apollon who exemplifies moderation and reason. According to the orphic theology, Zeus conceived his son, Dionysus, who came to mankind with his mysteries to free them from the sorrowful cycle of births. Dionysus is the action of Zeus working on earth in a plan to save us from our suffering.

Hades ( Ἅιδης ) Pronounced: HAY deez and / or Plouton ( Πλούτων ) Pronounced: PLOO-tohn

Hades is the king of the underworld and god of the dead. Not only does he have patronage over the souls of the dead but is a terrestrial (chthonic) deity as well. He presides over funeral rites and defends the right of the dead to due burial. Hades is also the god of the hidden wealth of the earth, from the fertile soil which nourishes the seed-grain, to the mined wealth of gold, silver and other metals. Hades is depicted as a dark-bearded, regal god. He is depicted as either Aidoneus, enthroned in the underworld, holding a bird-tipped scepter, or as Plouton (Pluton), the giver of wealth, pouring fertility from a cornucopia. The Romans named him Dis, or Pluto, the Latin form of his Greek title Plouton, “the Lord of Riches”.

THE PRIMORDIAL GODS

THE FIRST GENERATION OF GODS

Achlys- The goddess and personification of the death-mist–the clouding of the eyes preceding death, goddess of poisons. The personification of misery and sadness. Said to have existed before Chaos itself.

Aether - The god and personification of light and the upper atmosphere.

Aion- The god and personification of eternity, personifying cyclical and unbounded time.

Ananke- The goddess and personification of inevitability, compulsion, and necessity.

Chaos- The goddess and personification of nothingness from which all of existence sprang. Depicted as a void. Initially genderless, later on described as female.

Chronus- The god and personification of empirical time, sometimes equated with Aion. Not to be confused with the Titan Cronos (Kronos), the father of Zeus.

Erebus- The personification of darkness and shadow.

Gaia – The goddess and personification of the earth. The ancestral mother of all life. Mother of the titans and wife of Ouranos.

Hemera- The goddess and personification of the day.

Hypnos – The god and personification of sleep. Brother of Thanatos.

Nemesis- The goddess and personification of retribution. Also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia

Nesoi - The goddesses and personifications of the islands and seas. They were thought to have been ‘Ourea’ who were cast under the sea during one of Poseidon’s rages.

Nyx - The goddess and personification of the night.

Ourea- The gods and personifications of the mountains. the deep abyss that is used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and as the prison for the Titans.

Phanes- A first-born god of light who was said to emerge from a void or a watery abyss and gave birth to the universe. Orphic tradition states that Phanes passed the sceptre to Nyx; she later gave the sceptre to her son Ouranos; Cronus seized the sceptre from his father Ouranos; and finally the sceptre held by Cronus was seized by Zeus, who holds it at present.

Pontus- The first sea god, father of the fish and other sea creatures. Husband of Thalassa.

Tartarus- Both a deity and a place in the underworld. The deep abyss that is used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and as the prison for the Titans.

Thalassa- The goddess and personification of the sea and consort of Pontus.

Thanatos - God and personification of death. Brother to Hypnos (Sleep) and in some cases Moros (Doom).

Ouranus (Uranus) - The god and personification of the sky and one of the Greek primordial deities. According to Hesiod, Uranus was the son and husband of Gaia (Earth), with whom he fathered the first generation of Titans.

THE TITANS

THE SECOND GENERATION OF GODS

Anchiale-  Titan goddess who perhaps represented the warmth of fire.

Anytus- One of the younger titans or curetes. Anytus was said to be an attendant of the goddess Demeter who fostered her arcadian daughter Despoine.

Asteria- Titan goddess who presided over the night, stars and nocturnal prophecy. She was the mother of the goddess Hecate. After the fall of the titans, Asteria was pursued by Zeus and but leapt into the sea to escape him where she was transformed into the island of delos.

Astraeus- Titan god of the dusk, he married Eos, goddess of the dawn. Together as nightfall and daybreak they produced many children who are associated with what occurs in the sky during twilight. He was originally a titan god of the stars, the winds, and the art of astrology. He is the father of the four directional winds and the five wandering stars (the planets).

Atlas- Originally a titan god of astronomy and the revolution of the heavenly constellations. After the titan war he was arrested by Zeus and condemned to bear the heavens upon his shoulders.

Aura- Titan goddess of the breeze and the fresh, cool air of early morning.

Clymene- Titan goddess of fame and renown. She was the wife of Iapetos and mother of Prometheus.

Coeus- Titan god who presided over the axis of heaven in the north around which the constellations revolve. At the end of the titan war, he was confined by Zeus into tartarus.

Crius- Titan god of the heavenly constellations and the measure of the year. Associated with the constellation Aries. He was later cast into tartarus by Zeus. Crius was sometimes named as a leader of the Gigantes who rebelled against the rule of Zeus.

Cronos - The youngest of the titans, the son of Οuranos (Uranus) and Gaia. He was married to Rhea, by whom he became the father of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus, who are known collectively as the Cronidae. Cronos should not be confused with Chronus.

Curetes- A group of shield clashing daimones who came to the aid of Rhea to act as guardians of her infant son Zeus. The child was hidden in a cave on Mount Ida in crete. They drowned out his cries with a frenzied dance of clashing spears and shields.

Dione- Titan goddess who presides over the oracle at Dodona alongside Zeus. Sometimes named the mother of Aphrodite in some sources.

Eos- Titan goddesses who is the personification of the dawn. She is the mother of the wandering stars (the planets) and the four directional winds by the titan Astraeus who represents the dusk.

Epimetheus- Titan god who was appointed with the task of creating the beasts of the earth. His wife was Pandora, the first woman, as a means to deliver evil into the house of man. Despite the warnings of his brother Prometheus, Epimetheus happily received her as his bride, but as soon as she arrived she lifted the lid of a jar entrusted to her by the gods, releasing a plague of harmful daimones (spirits) to trouble mankind.

Eurybia- Titan goddess who represented the power of the sea and rising of the constellations.

Eurynome- Titan goddess who was believed to rule over earth’s flowery meadows and pastures. Her true identity isn’t fully known. Some sources say she was the first titan queen who ruled beside the titan Ophion who were both eventually replaced by Cronos and Rhea. She is also said to be the mother of the three lovely graces by Zeus.

Hecate / Hekate- Titan goddess of boundaries, crossroads, witchcraft, ghosts and necromancy. She supported the olympians in the titan war and ended up retained all of her privileges. Revered as a goddess of great honor, she was given domain over the sky, earth, and sea. Hecate is associated with the mythology of the eleusian mysteries. She and Helios, the sun, were the only witnesses to the abduction of Persephone. Feeling bad for Demeter, Hecate assisted her in her search for her daughter with flaming torches.

Helios - Titan god and personification of the sun. He is said to ride across the sky in a chariot drawn by four fiery, winged horses. He is brother to the goddess Selene (moon). He supported the Olympians in the titan war and retained all of his privileges as a solar deity. He is a guardian of oaths and also the god of sight.

Hyperion- Titan god of light, and of the cycles of time measured by the lights of heaven – the sun, the moon and the dawn. Hyperion was one of the four brother titans who held Ouranos fast while Cronus castrated him with the sickle. At the end of the titan war he was cast into the pit of tartarus by Zeus.

Iapetos- Titan god of mortality and the allotment of the mortal life-span. He was cast into tartarus by Zeus at the end of the titan war.

Lelantos- Titan god of the breezes of the air.

Leto- Titan goddess of motherhood, womanly demure and the night. She is the mother of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis by Zeus.

Menoitios- Titan god of violent anger and rash action. Zeus blasted him into Erebus with a thunderbolt, where he became a bondsman of Hades.

Metis- Titan goddess of memory and good counsel who was swallowed by Zeus. The Mother of Athena.

Mnemosyne- Titan goddess of memory, words and language. She was the mother of the nine muses by Zeus.

Oizys - Goddess of misery, anxiety, grief, and depression.

Okeanos- Titan god of the oceans. Husband of Tethys and father of the rivers and lakes. According to Hesiod, Oceanus sent his daughter Styx, with her children Zelus Envy), Nike (Victory), Cratos (Power), and Bia (Force), to fight on Zeus’ side against the titans. During the war Hera was sent to Oceanus and Tethys for safekeeping.

Perses- Titan god of destruction. Father of Hecate.

Phoebe- Titan goddess of bright intellect and was the original prophet of the oracle of delphi. She was the grandmother of the gods Apollo and Artemis.

Prometheus- Titan god of forethought. He is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, knowledge, and more generally, civilization. In some versions of the myth he is also credited with the creation of humanity from clay.

Rhea – Titan goddess who was the mother of the gods, and goddess of female fertility, motherhood, and generation. Rhea was the wife of the titan Cronos and queen of heaven. She had six children with Cronos: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus in that order.

Selene -Titan goddess and personification of the moon. She rode across the sky in a silver chariot drawn by two white horses. Her brother is the god Helios (sun). She supported the Olympians in the Titan war and retained all of her privileges as a lunar deity. Selene is best known for her affair with the beautiful mortal Endymion.

Styx- Titan goddess and river that forms the boundary between the earth and the underworld. The rivers acheron, cocytus, lethe, phlegethon, and styx all converge at the center of the underworld on a great marsh, which sometimes is also called the Styx. According to Herodotus, the river Styx originates near Pheneus. Styx is also a goddess with prehistoric roots in Greek mythology as a daughter of Tethys, after whom the river is named and because of whom it had miraculous powers.

Tethys- Titan goddess of the sources of fresh-water. She was known as the great nurse of life and spawned the rivers, clouds and springs. She was the wife of the titan Oceanus, and the mother of the river gods and the Oceanids.

Theia- Titan goddess of sight and by extension the goddess who endowed gold, silver and gems with their brilliance and intrinsic value. She was the mother of Helios, Selene and Eos.

Themis- Titan goddess of the natural order, divine law and tradition. By Zeus she was the mother of the Fates and of the seasons, and has a seat by his side on Olympus as adviser.

…..

THE EROTES

A group of winged gods associated with love and sexual intercourse. They are part of Aphrodite’s retinue.

Anteros - The god of requited love. He punishes those who scorned love and the advances of others, and is the avenger of unrequited love.

Eros - The winged god of love, lust and sex. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is described as one of the children of Aphrodite and Ares.

Hedylogos - The god of sweet-talk and flattery. He is not mentioned in any existing literature, but is depicted on ancient Greek vase paintings.

Hermaphroditus - The god of hermaphrodites, effeminacy and androgyny. He is the son of Hermes and Aphrodite.

Himeros - The god of desire and unrequited love.

Hymenaeus / Hymen - The god of weddings and marriage.

Pothos - The god of longing or yearning.

…..

THE NINE MUSES

The inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They are considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs, and myths that are related orally for centuries in ancient Greek culture.

Calliope - Epic poetry

Clio - History

Euterpe - Flutes and music

Thalia - Comedy and pastoral poetry

Melpomene - Tragedy

Terpsichore - Dance

Erato -  Love, poetry and lyric poetry

Polyhymnia - Sacred poetry

Urania - Astronomy

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THE ONEIROI

The Oneiroi are the dark-winged spirits of dreams which emerge each night like a flock of bats from their cavernous home in Erebos. The Oneiroi passed through one of two gates (pylai). The first of these, made of horn, was the source of the prophetic god-sent dreams, while the other, constructed of ivory, was the source of dreams which were false and without meaning.

Epiales - The god and personified spirit of nightmares. He was also known as the melas oneiros “black dream”

Ikelos - The god and personification of people seen in prophetic dreams;

Morpheus - God of dreams. The name signifies the fashioner or moulder, because he shaped or formed the dreams which appeared to the sleeper.

Phantasos- God of strange and surreal dreams. They are said to be symbolic and of a deep meaningful nature.

Phobetor- God of nightmares.

…..

THE FOUR SEASONS:

They are the daughters of the titans Helios and Selene, and are described as the four handmaidens of Hera:

Eiar (Spring)

Theros (Summer)

Phthinoporon (Autumn)

Cheimon (Winter)

…..

THE TWELVE HOURS:

Auge, first light (initially not part of the set),

Anatolê or Anatolia, sunrise,

Mousikê or Musica, the morning hour of music and study,

Gymnastikê, Gymnastica or Gymnasia, the morning hour of education, training, gymnastics/exercise,

Nymphê or Nympha, the morning hour of ablutions (bathing, washing),

Mesembria, noon,

Sponde, libations poured after lunch,

Elete, prayer, the first of the afternoon work hours,

Aktê, Acte or Cypris, eating and pleasure, the second of the afternoon work hours,

Hesperis, end of the afternoon work hours, start of evening,

Dysis, sunset,

Arktos or Arctus, night sky, constellation (initially not part of the set).

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THE NYMPHS:

Female spirits who represent different elements of nature.

Oceanids (Nymphs of the ocean),

Nereids (Sea nymphs),

Dryads and Hamad Dryads ( Nymphs of ash trees)

Oreads (Mountain Nymphs),

Epipotamides (River nymphs),

Naiads (Nymphs of brooks, lakes and springs),

Crenids (Nymphs of springs),

Limnades (Nymphs of lakes, marshes and swamps),

Nyseides ( Bacchant Nymphs),

Potameides ( Nymphs of fountains, lakes rivers, and springs),

Limoniades ( Nymphs of meadows of flowers) ,

Napaeae ( Nymphs of glens).

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THE CHARITIES (The Graces)

Goddesses of charm, beauty and nature.

Aglaea- Splendor

Euphrosyne- Mirth

Thalia - Good Cheer

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THE MORAI / THREE FATES

The three goddesses who control the thread of life of every mortal from birth to death.

Clotho (Nona) Spins the “thread” of human fate.

Lachesis(Decuma) Dispenses it.

Atropos (Morta) Cuts the thread (thus determining the individual’s moment of death).

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MINOR GODS AND GODDESSES

Achelous - Oldest of the river gods. Son of Oceanus and Tethys.

Acheron- A river god. Son of Oceanus and Tethys.

Adrestia- Goddess of the revolt and equilibrium between good and evil.

Aeolus- God and ruler of the winds.

Afer- the south-west wind.

Agathodaemon- A spirit of vineyards and fields, providing luck, happiness and health.

Aidos - Goddess of modesty, shame, reverence and respect. A companion of Nemesis.

Alethia - Goddess of truth.

Alpheius- River god of Elis. He pursued Arethusa until she was changed into a spring by Artemis.

Amphitrite - Goddess and queen of the seas. The wife of Poseidon. Mother of Triton.

Angelos- Daughter of Zeus and Hera. Possibly an early form of Hecate. Connected with the underworld.

Arte - Goddess of virtue.

Aristaeus - Protector of beekeepers.

Asclepius- God of healing and medicine. Son of Apollo. He was struck down and killed by Zeus for bringing the dead back to life. He became the constellation Ophiuchus.

Asopus- A river god.

Asterion- A river god. Judged the contest between Hera and Poseidon for the patronage of Argos.

Astraea- Goddess of justice.

Ate - Goddess of evil, mischief and moral blindness.

Boreas - God of the north wind.

Caerus- God of opportunities and favorable moments.

Cephisus- A river god. Father of Narcissus.

Cer - Goddess of violent death.

Charis - Goddess of delight.

Chione – Goddess of snow. Daughter of Boreas.

Chloris - Goddess of flowers. Wife of Zephyrus.

Corus - God of the north-western wind.

Crimisus - A river god. Son of Oceanus and Tethys.

Cybele - Anatonian mother goddess who was closely associated with Rhea and Gaia.

Deimos- God of terror. Son of Ares and Aphrodite.

Dike - Goddess of justice and the spirit of moral order and fair judgement

Doris - A sea goddess. Daughter of Oceanus and Tethys.

Dysnomia - The spirit of lawlessness.

Eirene - Goddess of peace.

Eleithyia - Goddess of childbirth. Daughter of Hera and Zeus.

Elpis - Personification of hope.

Enyo - Goddess of battle, destruction, conquest, and blood lust who accompanies Ares on the battlefield. Daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Eosphorus - God of the morning star.

Eris - Goddess of discord and strife. Daughter of Zeus and Hera. Started the Trojan war by creating the apple of discord.

Eunomia - Goddess of lawfulness and good order.

Euphrosyne - Goddess of joy and festivities.

Eurus - God of the east wind / south-east wind.

Granicus- A river god. Granicus was a river of Ida near Troy.

Harmonia - Goddess of harmony and concord. Daughter of Ares and Aphrodite.

Hebe - Goddess of youth. Cup-bearer to the gods and daughter of Zeus and Hera. Wife of Herakles.

Hesperus - God of the evening star.

Horcus - The personification of the curse that would befall upon any person that broke an oath they had taken.

Hygieia - Goddess of good health.

Iaso- Goddess of healing.

Limos - Goddess of starvation and famine.

Iris - Goddess of rainbows and the messenger of Hera.

Kakia - Goddess of vice.

Ktesios - Spirit who guarded storerooms.

Melicertes - God of ports and harbours.

Moros- Personification of doom.

Nereus - The old man of the sea. Son of Pontus.

Nike - Goddess of victory. A constant companion of Athena.

Nile- The River-God of Aigyptos (Egypt) in North Africa.

Notus - God of the south wind.

Pan - God of nature, the wild, shepherds, flocks, beekeepers, goats, of mountain wilds, and is often associated with sexuality.

Peitho - Goddess of persuasion

Persephone - Queen of the underworld. Goddess of the dead. Wife of Hades and daughter of Demeter. She is the embodiment of spring and the personification of vegetation and crops.

Pheme - Goddess of rumour and report.

Phobos - God of fear and terror. Son of Ares and Aphrodite.

Phyllis - God of escape.

Ponos - God of hard labour and toil.

Praxidice- Goddess of enterprises, evil deeds and their punishment.

Priapus - God of fertility, vegetables, nature, livestock, fruit, beekeeping, sex, genitals, masculinity and gardens.

Psyche - Goddess of the soul.

Satyrs - Half-human woodland spirits, with the legs and feet of goats. Followers of Pan and Dionysus. They have hairy bodies with short horns on their foreheads. Older Satyrs were called Sileni.

Telesphorus- God of convalescence.

Thaumas - God of the awe-striking wonder of the sea. Embodiment of the sea’s dangerous aspects

Triptolemus - One of the original priests of Demeter, one of the first men to learn the secret rites and mysteries of Eleusinian Mysteries. When he died he was deified as the god who presided over the sowing of grain-seed and the milling of wheat.

Triton - The messenger of the sea. Son of Poseidon and Amphitrite.

Tyche - Goddess of fortune and luck.

Zephyrus - God of the west wind. Husband of Chloris.

FOR A LIST OF ROMAN GODS CLICK HERE

FOR A LIST OF NORSE GODS CLICK HERE

SOURCES: Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition): Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton and Jim Tierney /  The Greeks: A Global History by Roderick Beaton / The Library of Greek Mythology by Robin Hard /  Mythology: Who’s Who in Greek and Roman Mythology by E.M. Berens /  Apollodorus’ Library and Hyginus’ Fabulae: Two Handbooks of Greek Mythology by R. Scott Smith and Stephen M. Trzaskoma /  The Iliad by Homer, Adam Nicholson, et al. /  The Odyssey by Homer and Emily Wilson / 

Historical Witchcraft 101: Familiar Spirits

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the witch’s familiar. Nowadays, a familiar is considered to be an animal that has an unusually close bond and a spiritual connection with its owner. This animal could be a cat, a dog, a mouse, a toad, a rabbit, or even a fly; and birds such as owls and ravens could also be considered familiars. The familiar’s function is to aid the witch in their craft, accompany them on their travels, as well as provide general companionship.

[Image description: Frontispiece to Matthew Hopkins’ ‘The Discoverie of Witches’. Matthew Hopkins, witch finder, stands at the top. Two witches sit in chairs either side of him, naming their familiar spirits, which are shown at the bottom of the print.] [Image source]

A physical familiar is certainly one form a familiar can take. Looking at the records we have, it’s often suggested that the familiar is a spirit (often referred to as a devil, imp or a fairy) that is seen as taking physical form. The witch is sometimes said to possess their physical familiar and go out and perform magic. (This will appear again in a later post on shapeshifting)

The idea that familiars were spirits that took physical form could be part of the reason why it was commonly believed that witches fed their familiars blood, as blood would be necessary to give a spirit physical form, although obviously a desire by the elite to make witches seem as horrific as possible plays a large role in this as well. Other food/ payment for familiars includes milk, bread, leftovers from your plate, and in the case of a ‘fairy wife’ (we’ll get onto that), sex.

The practice of feeding familiars bread and milk in particular points to a different type of familiar: a familiar spirit, or a fairy familiar. This is especially resonant of the practice of leaving out bread, milk, beer and/ or water in the kitchen in case the fairy host visited your home overnight. These familiar spirits play a more active role in aiding the witch with their craft, often performing tasks, acting as a spy, or even teaching magic to the witch. They were often described as either very small or very tall, wearing black, white or green (all fairy colours, especially green).

A final type of familiar is the ‘fairy wife’, or fairy lover, I mentioned earlier. The best example of this is probably Tam Lin, or perhaps the Queen of the Faeries in Thomas the Rhymer. The fairy wife often takes humanoid form, sometimes with some small marker such as horns or animals to show that they are more than human. They give the witch magical knowledge in exchange for sex. For example, Aberdeenshire cunning man Andro Man claimed that the Faery Queen was his lover, and he had had several children with her. In witch testimonies, this is normally sex with the Devil, and could even extend to marriage: Rebecca West, in Essex, claimed that the Devil promised to be her loving husband until death.

Familiars can be obtained in a number of ways. In some stories, they appear to those in need and offer assistance, such as appearing to those who are hungry and offering to teach them skills that can help them make a living, typically healing and the power to locate lost objects. For others, familiars are granted by the Devil when they first become a witch, at their initiation. Another common theme is hereditary or bloodline familiars, which are passed down between family members and sometimes covens. For example, Elizabeth Francis confessed to receiving her familiar, a white spotted cat named Sathan, from her grandmother.

In all these cases, there is an implicit or explicit contract being made: freedom from want, assistance, knowledge and companionship; in exchange for food, good treatment, sex, the renunciation of one’s faith, and/or the witch’s soul.

Sources:

“A Note on the Witch-Familiar in Seventeenth Century England”, F. H. Amphlett Micklewright

“The Witch’s Familiar and the Fairy in Early Modern England and Scotland”, Emma Wilby***

“Concerning the familiar spirit”

“Familiar Spirits”

“Of Imps and Familiars”

“Familiars and familiar spirits”

“The Witch’s Familiar”, Charlotte Smith

‘Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits’, Emma Wilby***

‘The Visions of Isobel Gowdie’, Emma Wilby

‘The Element Encyclopaedia of Witchcraft’, Judika Illes

‘The Discoverie of Witchcraft’, Reginald Scott