Practicing Witchcraft In Secret

Practicing Witchcraft in Secret

image

I love things that are traditionally “witchy.” I love dressing candles with herbs. I love setting things on fire. I love making poppets and charms. But not everyone is able to be so obvious in their craft. For various reasons, some witches choose to be secretive about their magical practice.

Why Would You Want to Keep It a Secret?

Historically, witches kept their practice a secret because it wasn’t safe to be open about their beliefs. In the late middle ages, the Catholic Church began to actively persecute witchcraft, herbal medicine, and folk spirituality with the publication of “witch hunting guides” like the Malleus Maleficarum. This witch hunting fervor would continue even after the Protestant Reformation, with some of the most famous witch hunts (such as the Salem trials) carried out by Protestants.

It is important to remember that the witch hunts were political at their heart and that very few of the people executed for witchcraft were what we would recognize today as witches. They were mostly women, poor folks, or members of ethnic or religious minorities. But even so, the danger of being accused of witchcraft and/or devil worship drove many medieval witches, herbalists, and pagans to hide their practice.

The United States experienced a modern witch hunt of sorts in the 1980s with the “Satanic Panic.” We still don’t entirely understand what caused this cultural phenomenon, but what we do know is that it resulted in widespread paranoia about devil worship. Anything that could be misconstrued as “satanic” was shunned or outright persecuted, from Dungeons & Dragons to heavy metal music to nature-based religions like Wicca — and, yes, witchcraft. People who had been comfortably open about their spirituality suddenly found themselves practicing behind closed doors. If you’re over 30, you may remember this. If you’re under 30, the Satanic Panic probably shaped how your parents view witchcraft and paganism, and they may still be grossly misinformed as a result.

Even today, a lot of witches choose to keep their practice a secret because it would be unsafe or uncomfortable to go public. Many witches have family members, friends, or coworkers who would be uncomfortable if they knew about their witchcraft, and may even choose to end the relationship because of it. Some witches live in culturally Christian areas where it might be harder for them to get jobs or make friends if they were openly self-identifying as a witch. Some of us live in places where an outdoor ritual could get the cops called on us, or have missionaries showing up to save our souls.

On the other hand, some witches just like privacy. You may feel like your spirituality is nobody’s business but yours, and for that reason you may prefer to do witchcraft in a way that is more subtle and secretive. Desire for privacy is a perfectly valid reason to stay “in the broom closet.”

There are also some magical traditions that require members to swear a vow of secrecy and to keep the group’s secrets. However, these traditions usually require an in-person initiation, so I won’t be discussing them here.

Inconspicuous Witchcraft

If you haven’t read my posts about magical journaling and kitchen magic, I highly recommend you check them out. Those are two forms of magic that are very easy to practice discretely.

No matter what your reason for keeping your practice a secret, here are a few tips for making magic without drawing attention.

Use scented candles. Candle magic is one of the easiest and most versatile forms of spellwork, and all it requires is a candle and your intention. Scented candles are perfect for undercover witches because, rather than adding herbs and oils, you can simply buy a scent that matches your intention. (For example, a vanilla candle is great for love, while a pumpkin spice scent will attract wealth.) Plus, they’re so commonplace that no one will think twice about seeing one in your bedroom or on your desk at work. If you’re a purist and want to make sure you’re using real plant materials, you can get all natural candles scented with essential oils — but lots of witches use artificial scents and get good results, so don’t feel like you have to go with the more expensive option.

Diffuse essential oils. Essential oils contain the concentrated essence of a plant, which makes them a must-have tool for witches. Essential oils are also extremely popular right now, both for holistic healing and for aromatherapy, so you definitely won’t attract any negative attention for using them. You can get a good essential oil diffuser for under $20 online. Some brands overcharge for their oils, but you can find good quality oils for under $10. When choosing an essential oil, look at the magical correspondences for the plant it is made from. You can diffuse oils to infuse your space with their energy, similar to the way you would use incense.

Enchant your perfume. You can choose a perfume to match your intention or make your own custom perfume by mixing essential oils in a carrier oil. Focus on your intention as you spray the perfume, letting it infuse your energy field with magic. You can also buy magical perfume blends from witch-owned businesses online or on Etsy.

Learn shufflemancy. “Shufflemancy” is a modern form of divination that is done by putting a playlist on shuffle — whatever song plays first contains an intuitive message for you, either in the lyrics or in how it makes you feel. You can find playlists specifically made for divination by Googling “shufflemancy playlist,” or you can make your own by compiling a playlist of songs from different genres that deal with different topics. Just be sure to keep it diverse — if your playlist only has love songs on it, you might not get very helpful messages if you have a question about your career.

Learn bibliomancy. This divination method is similar to shufflemancy, but much older. Bibliomancy is done by asking your question while holding a book, focusing on your question while connecting with the book’s energy, and then opening it to a random page. There is a long, long tradition within Christianity of doing this with the Bible — if you feel connected to a certain sacred text, you could use it for bibliomancy. You could also use a book of poetry, a novel, or even a dictionary. However, I think it’s important to use a book you feel a connection to, rather than something randomly grabbed off the shelf.

Use Pinterest and Spotify as manifestation tools. You may have heard of vision boards, a tool used to manifest something by creating a detailed collection of images that match your intention. Pinterest boards are already essentially virtual vision boards, and creating one with focused intent can be a spell by itself. Likewise, you can use Spotify playlists for manifestation. To do this, create a playlist of songs that match your intention (songs about money or love, for example) and listen to it while meditating on your desired outcome.

Choose your outfits with intention. You can pick clothes based on color correspondences (see this post for a guide to color magic), the material they are made from (a wool sweater vs. a cotton T-shirt), or some other symbolism. For example, if you want to feel empowered, you might wear leopard print to channel the energy of a fierce predator.

Enchant a piece of jewelry for a specific purpose. You can choose your jewelry based on the correspondence of the metal or gemstones it is made from, make your own piece, or use whatever you already have on hand. You can enchant this jewelry by passing it over the flame of a candle or through the vapor of an essential oil diffuser. State what purpose you want this charm to serve, either out loud or in your mind. Wear this jewelry whenever you need to tap into that energy, and make sure to cleanse it often.

Create magical art. If you want to manifest something, draw or paint a picture of it. You don’t have to be a skilled artist — what matters is that you are taking your mental image of what you want and bringing it into the physical world. Fold up the picture and keep it in your pillow, or in some other special place. Likewise, if you want to banish something, draw or paint a picture of it and then rip it into little pieces and throw it out. This ritual allows you to purge yourself of the negative emotions tied to the thing you are banishing.

Take a magical bath. We rarely have more privacy than when we’re in the tub. Taking a bath is already a ritual of sorts, and it’s easy to add magic. You can, of course, make magical bath salts by mixing essential oils into Epsom salt, but you can also create bath spells with household objects. For example, a bath with salt and vinegar will clear up nasty energy, while adding milk to your bath will attract love and abundance.

Practicing in secret does not have to mean a less deep or well-rounded practice. There are lots of magical acts that can be done subtly or kept private. The suggestions in this post are by no means exhaustive, and I hope they will give you some ideas for other ways to fill your life with undercover magic.

Resources:

“Introduction” from The Malleus Maleficarum at http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org

The Fat Feminist Witch podcast, “Episode 34 — Witches, Midwives, and Doulas”

“Most witches are women, because witch hunts were all about persecuting the powerless” by Bridget Marshall for The Conversation

New World Witchery podcast, “Episode 118 — The Satanic Panic”

Tags

More Posts from Forestwitchnika and Others

1 year ago

We love to worship and revere our beautiful and magnificent Gods, but did you know historically, on a day to day basis there were other entities more routinely worshipped?

We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A
We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A

Meet the Landvættir (nature spirits),

the Landvættir (nature spirits),

the Disir (female spirits),

the light elves (ancestral spirits),

We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A
We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A

the Fylgja (spirit animal),

Trolls (spirits that assist with magic),

We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A
We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A

húsvættir (house spirits)

fjallvættir (mountain spirits), 

sjóvættir (sea spirits), 

skogvættir (forest spirits),

We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A
We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A

vatnavættir (guardians of the specific waters),

and the Dwarves (underground spirits that are experts in crafting).

We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A
We Love To Worship And Revere Our Beautiful And Magnificent Gods, But Did You Know Historically, On A

So what can this tell us?

Via Telegram


Tags
4 years ago

🌱 grow ur psychic gifts! 🌱

✨ Hi everyone! By popular request, I’m going to be covering the topic of psychic/spiritual gifts and how to fully utilize them. Before I get into it, I want to clarify that EVERYONE has these abilities but not everyone is aware of them. Some people have easier access to their gifts, much like how some people struggle at math while others naturally excel (lmao not me). Like any skill, psychic abilities can be strengthen and exercised through dedication, consistency, and patience. You won’t instantly wake up as fucking Jesus. Another note, being ‘psychic’ isn’t as wild and whimsical as it sounds. It can be at times  but don’t expect to start seeing ghosts popping up on every corner or fairies chilling out in your bedroom. It doesn’t work like that! The energy is much more subtle and takes time to understand, much like learning anew language. Anyways, lemme shut up and get into this shit….🔮🔮

1.  Be conscious of you health & drink tons of water! Your body is  a vessel for your spirit and, if it’s not functioning at it’s fullest capacity, it will limit your connection to your higher-self. Water is also a cleansing/charging tool for the body, mind, and spirit. When you’re doing readings or energy readings for other people it can be extremely draining for your soul. It’s important to replenish through water, high-vibrational foods, and keeping the energy circulating with exercise. For those of you with chronic illness or physical limitations, it’s okay if you can’t do intense exercise everyday. Do as much as you can within your given situation! Respect your body, it takes good care of your soul and is the vehicle for all of your spiritual work!

2. Meditation + meditation + meditation.  I feel like this is the dreaded tip because so many people convince themselves that meditating is hard!  My suggestion is to sit or lie down for five minutes after you take a shower in the morning/night. Be still and take a few breaths. It’s completely normal for thoughts to pop into your head. Don’t try to push them away! Instead, acknowledge them & then set them aside. Keep focusing on the stillness. Move your attention into your body. Is your breathing natural and rhythmic? Are your shoulders tense? Is there any discomfort? Keep breathing deeply until all of the tension evaporates. Next, try to extend your awareness to the energy around you. What does the energy of the room feel like? What are you hearing? Are you smelling anything new or unusual? Can you physically feel energy? Keep expanding your energy during meditation until you feel connected to the space that you’re in. You should finish feeling a buzzing energy flowing through your body. This is called a receptive or psychic state. Learn how to reach and hold this state because it will increase the clarity of your intuition x100! 

3. Be present. Realize that these gifts are with you 24/7 and you can practice them whenever, all you have to do is live calmly in the moment. If you’re not actively listening then how are you ever going to receive messages? Psychic energy usually comes in gentle, subtle waves which means we have to be attentive if we wan’t to feel it. Focus is also necessary. You can’t fully receive info from your intuition while also thinking about a million other things!

4. Listen to high-vibrational music!  I’m a hoe for rap music and alternative-pop artists with lyrics that are either depressing af or kind of trashy haha. While music is awesome, it also carries a vibration that can influence our own state of being. The majority o music being made now produces a lower vibration which blocks some of our receptivity. In order to boost your vibration again, listen to about 5 minutes of 528hz or 432hz beats at the end of the day! 528hz & 432hz are described as restorative, healing frequencies that help us get our energetic shit together. I always feel 100x better after five minutes of listening! I’ll link some of my faves!

1 //  2 //  3 

5. Journal & then journal some fucking more! Write down predictions so you can check them later, record any spiritual experiences, and possibly try some automatic writing. To tap into my intuition, I like to just as a question and write down the first things that come to mind. Don’t worry about rather or not they make sense, literally DO NOT THINK ABOUT IT. When you feel like you’ve written everything you need, read over what you wrote and see if any of it connects. Look for an answer within the random shit that came to mind. 9/10 you’ll find what you need! This teaches you to trust that little voice in your head or the visions that come to your minds eye. 

6. Practice, duh. Ask your friends if they’re okay with you trying to read their aura or pull some cards for them! Think of your psychic abilities as a muscle, in order to strengthen them you have to actually put in the work. One of my favorite exercises is a guessing game involving cards. You can use playing cards, tarot cards, UNO cards, whatever! Place the deck face down and, before you pull from the top of the deck, try to guess what card you’re going to flip over. Then do it again and again until you’re damn near 100% accurate. Or until you’re wrist is exhausted form flipping over cards all night. Whichever one comes first! Another wonderful exercise is psychometry which is the act of reading an object. It’s easier to start off with an object with tons of energy such as a wedding ring, anything metal, a beloved stuffed animal, or a crystal. Try to find the story behind the object and really feel the energy behind it!

7.  Get yo self some crystal babies! I’m obsessed with crystals. I seriously can not live without my children! Crystals hold energetic properties that can help us align with out psychic nature and enhance our gifts. There are tons of options but some of my personal favorites for intuitive + psychics are amethyst, clear quartz, black tourmaline, labradorite, rose quartz, and fluorite.

8. Leave your house and go out in nature. You don’t have to live near an abundant forest or breathtaking mountain to reap the spiritual benefits of fresh air! Mindfully spending time in nature is a refreshing form of meditation and brings us closest to our own intuition!

9. Sage + Incense! Clear space = clear mind. Spoke cleansing and burning incense allows us to remove any blockages in our surroundings. Before reading for a client, I always burn some sage or light up the incense. For those of you in dorms or are hush hush about your spirituality, use Florida Water! It’s a liquid household cleansing and spiritual cleansing tool that I adore. You can buy it as a spray or in a bottle. 

10. Visualize. Practicing visualization stimulates your third eye, allowing you to receive vivid and powerful clairvoyant messages. There are a hundred different ways to practice visualization but I recommend visualizing your third eye/pineal gland, located between your eyebrows, opening up. As you imagine it opening and glowing, you may even feel a slight tingle on your forehead. This is a sign that you’ve actually opened your ‘third eye’ chakra. From there, simply have fun visualizing whatever you want. Imagine a tiny pink dinosaur flying over your wall or something lmao. This just warms up the psychic muscle!

Once again, these gifts require effort and consistency. Your psychic intuition is not an accessory to play around with. It should be taken care of with hella respect and gratitude! At the same time, don’t stress too much of none of this comes easily to you.  I’ve worked incredibly hard to get where I am, incorporating every single one of these tasks + more & I still have way more to grow! If I can make sense of this weird psychic shit, you can too haha. Start applying a few of these tips and you should see improvement within weeks. Now go out there are slay the spiritual game of life bby! ⭐️⭐️


Tags
6 months ago

About Lucia

About Lucia

Going by the old Julian calendar, December 13 was the darkest night of the year — the eve of the winter solstice. This, however, changed after the calendar reformation in 1753, when the Gregorian calendar was put into use in Sweden, and the winter solstice shifted to December 21. But the folk tradition still stood — the night before the 13th was still popularly known as the darkest night, and therefore also the most dangerous, for the darkness allowed evil entities to thrive longer than any other night. This, in turn, has led to a number of traditions, but the most important aspect has always been the one of light and feasting. To keep the evil away, it was important to stay awake and to stay indoors with lights.

About Lucia

But to be able to stay awake a whole night, one must eat. Tradition decreed that almost all preparations for jól (the midwinter celebration) should also be completed by the 13th, including the slaughter of the festive pig, meaning there was fresh food prepared already and the long night served as a good reason to get an early start on the seasonal feasting. Sometimes, the teenagers and young adults would walk from neighbor to neighbor, singing songs in exchange for food and drink, protected with light. Sometimes they would dress up, and sometimes they would do some pranks to scare people.

Today, the tradition is still standing: to lussa is to dress up as Lucia and walk to neighbors or family members with song and cakes. However, the act of lussa was originally to stay awake during the night between the 12th and 13th and was called Lussevaka (Lusse watch). Lucia can still be equally called Lussefirande (Lusse celebration) today.

About Lucia

But why Lussa? Lussi, otherwise known as Lussekäringen (the Lussi witch) or Lussegubben (Lussi man), was an evil entity. She often took the form of a woman who came riding through the skies with her companions called lussifreda. She was one of the evil spirits who would lurk around in the night and take naughty children away through the chimneys, or punish those who had not completed their jól preparation.

And it is due to this, in the dark of the longest night with a despair for light, with evil all around, that the myth of a female figure of light arose. During the pre-Christian era, the light was sworn to keep evil away. The tradition of a light-bringing woman may therefore have its foundation in a heathen goddess of light who was invoked during this night. The tradition of celebrating light in this manner through Lussevaka has stayed on in different forms ever since.

About Lucia

There is also a theory that Lusse is Freya, hence the traditional bread called “lusse cats” would refer to the cats pulling her wagon.

About Lucia

Lusse bread is baked to honor Sunna (the sun) and attract it back when it was at its darkest, today's lusse cats still have the old Sunna symbols (the spirals at the ends).

About Lucia

In the 19th century, a special interest sparked in the Lusse celebration, due to the first wave of nationalism and the search for old folk traditions all around Sweden. Lusse, which was mainly celebrated by men or women dressing up in white with a crown of flowers, holding candlesticks and walking around the farm with food while singing in the morning, gave the foundation to the modern Lucia.

About Lucia

Tags
4 years ago

Lucid Dreaming Masterpost

Lucid Dreaming Masterpost

What is Lucid Dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is when you are in a dream but fully aware that you are in a dream, leading to you often being able to control the outcomes or certain aspects of the dream. You are able to live your fantasies and also are more likely to remember your dreams come morning.

With work Lucid dreaming can be improved into astral projection via sleep or dream walking where you can exit your dreams to enter the dreams of others or walk about the “dream plane”. Skilled lucid dreamers also often use their dreams for divination and problem solving due to how vivid they are and how it is easier to remember them.

Herbs for Lucid Dreaming: African Dream Bean, Blue Lotus, *Datura, *Mexican Dream Herb, Lavender, Mugwort, Rose Buds, Valerian Root, Wild Asparagus

Crystals for Lucid Dreaming: Albite, Angel Phantom Quartz, Danburite, Herkimer Diamond, Lazulite, Moonstone, Rhodonite, Scolecite

Foods for Lucid Dreaming: Almonds, Bananas, Cherries, Chicken, Kidney Beans, Lamb, Oats/Oatmeal, Pumpkin/Pumpkin Seeds, Rice, Soybeans and Tofu, Sunflower Seeds, Tomatoes, Turkey

Essential Oils for Lucid Dreaming: Lavender, Mugwort, Patchouli, Rose

Other things to achieve Lucid Dreaming:

Keep a dream journal and write in it regularly.

Interpret the meanings behind your dreams after recording them

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking cigarettes before bed

Keep a regular sleeping schedule

Sleep in complete darkness if possible

Meditate before going to sleep

Openly state before you go to bed “I will lucid dream tonight” and repeat this either out-loud or in your mind as you get ready for bed. When you lay in bed continue focused on that in your mind

Along with that before bed tell yourself, preferably in a mirror if it helps, that you will remember your dreams come morning

Do “reality checks” meaning in your dream check to see if you are dreaming. If you see mirrors, see if you can see the background behind you or if it is misty/blurry. If see a clock look at it, look away, then look back, often in dreams the time will change. This is the same for signs and street signs. You can also before going to bed mark up your hand with ink and in your dream look down and see if it is there still. If its not you know you’re dreaming. Look down at your feet, often in dreams they will seem oddly unfocused. If you see a bookshelf, see if any of the book titles are visible or repeat.

Okay, I know I am dreaming, now what do I do?

Well now you practice. It is rare to immediately be able to control your dreams completely. To gain full control you need to practice. Start small and take baby steps. Try hopping in place in your dream, see if you can make yourself hover for even just a second. Keep at it, try to float in place longer and longer with each jump. In time and with practice and patience you will be able to soar through your dreams one night and it’s easy from there. If you come across a locked door try opening it while saying out loud “this door is unlocked”. Keep at it, because hopefully you will be able to open it soon enough.

Start talking to the ‘characters’ in your dreams. Try to influence their behavior such as suggesting they do something. You can also approach a ‘stranger’ in your dream and see what happens if you state that you two are friends. If they start acting as if they know you and are indeed your friend, you know you have improved your control.

Take notes in your dream journal on these tests. Write down if they failed or succeeded and keep at it. With time you will be able to change things in your dreams with ease.

The Positives of Lucid Dreaming:

You can control your dreams! That is just awesome, you can live out things you can’t do in real life.

Prevent or stop nightmares, when you are lucid dreaming you can just tell whatever is causing you the nightmare to ‘fuck off’ and usually they will. Nightmares can be quickly changed into enjoyable dreams

From my personal experience and experiences of others, after a lucid dream you feel more awake and alive come morning, it’s almost energizing to wake up from

Its calming, I can relieve my stresses from the day and not worry about them in my dreams

You can attempt to solve your real life struggles in your dreams or making plans

Eventually you can work your way to Astral Travel and Dream Walking

Using your dreams for divination

Improve sleep, many people who lucid dream fall asleep faster and deeper than most people leading to them having improved sleep patterns and habits

For artists and story writers, dreams can really inspire you and help you test out your ideas

Deity communication, for those who do worship deities you can communicate or even interact with them in your dreams if you welcome them in.

Spirit and entity communication, just like deities lucid dreamers can interact with entities in their dreams by letting them in. Many lucid dreamers interact with their guides and guardians through dreams as well

Happy Dreaming everyone~


Tags
2 years ago

“i don’t like writing about my day, but i want to keep a journal”:

quotes and copywork. when reading, if you find something you enjoy, just copy it into the notebook. you can copy a whole chapter if you wish, highlighting what caught your attention the most.

definitions. look up on a dictionary and copy it. you could write your own dictionary as well, making up definitions for words.

lists. a classic, write movies to watch, books to read, the playlist of the month or just the groceries you have to buy.

maps. when going somewhere, you could draw the route you took or just a map of the place itself. just look up the place on google maps and copy it. you can draw a little map of all the places you have lived or the schools you have attended as well.

photos

take “notes” as you watch movies / documentaries. write down phrases that caught your attention or doodle.

illustrations and clippings. if you see an image or piece of art that you liked, put it in your journal. if it’s from a book or from a magazine I would recommend scanning it, tho’. it will serve as a record of what kind of art you enjoy through the years.

newspaper clippings from the day.

tickets and pamphlets. from movies, museums, transportation.

postcards

records. you could record for a month what the temperature was when you woke up and when you went to sleep. if you do that for a year, it gives you a better notion of the passing of seasons. you could record rainfall and other seasonal changes as well. you could choose something (an animal, a plant, an item or object) and write down every time you see it.

rubbings of leaves, coins, landmarks.

count. there’s a scene in the movie Caroline (2009) where Caroline’s dad tells her to go count the windows. you could do the same type of counting game if you are bored and write down.

mindmaps/sketchnotes + timelines of books, movies, music albums.

collages

pressed leafs and flowers

your collections. if you collect anything you could write down an inventory or maybe try to draw the items.

recipes. write down recipes and give it a score every time you try it. you could do the same for drinks you try out.

stickers

comic strips. you can find a bunch of it online, glue your favorites in your notebook.


Tags
1 year ago

I post about #witchcraft, #paganism, #herbalism and stuff with witchy vibes under #inspo

since these topics can be intertwined, some posts are listed on multiple tags

Enjoy 🖤


Tags
2 years ago
Ostara Page Redo
Ostara Page Redo

Ostara page redo


Tags
6 months ago
🔥🪶🌉🪶🔥

🔥🪶🌉🪶🔥

Flursegen der Frau Holle

Auch dieser Zauberspruch stammt aus der Zeit nach der Christianisierung, trägt aber eindeutig heidnisches Gepräge. Es handelt sich um einen Fruchtbarkeitszauber:

Himmel und Erde werden angerufen, sie mögen die Felder und Fluren schwellen lassen. Im Mittelpunkt des Spruches steht die personifizierte „Mutter Erde“ (eorđan modor), deren Name dreimal wiederholt wird: „Erce“.

Die Erde bitt‘ ich und den Oberhimmel...

Erce, Erce, Erce, Mutter Erde!

Es gönne dir der Allwaltende

Äcker, wachsend und aufspriesend,

voll schwellend und kräftig treibend...

und des weißen Weizens Fruchtbarkeit und alle Frucht der Erde...

Heil sei dir, Erdflur, der Menschen Mutter!

Sei du grünend in Gottes Umarmung,

mit Futter gefüllt den Menschen zum Nutzen.

Bis heute ist nicht geklärt, um welche Göttin es sich bei „Erce“ deren Name sonst nirgends überliefert ist handeln könnte. Durchaus begründet wurden Vergleiche gezogen mit Jörđ („Erde“) oder Nerthus („Mutter Erde“). Eine dritte Deutung geht davon aus, dass es sich bei allen diesen Erdgöttinnen um ein und dieselbe mythologische Figur handelt, die regional lediglich unterschiedlich benannt wurde. In Südgermanien unter anderem als -Frau Holle.

Frau Holle ist weltweit bekannt aus dem gleichnamigen Märchen der Gebrüder Grimm. Sie lebt in einem Hexenhäuschen auf der grôni godes wang, der immergrünen Götterwiese, welche unterirdisch und doch im Himmel liegt. Sie zeigt sich verantwortlich für das Wetter, das auf der Erde herrscht, sowie die Nahrung der Menschen (Apfelbaum, Brot, Kuh). Weniger bekannt ist, dass Frau Holle oder Holle, Holda auch eine Figur der Sage ist. Dort erscheint sie als weiße Göttin badend in einem Bergsee auf dem Hohen Meißner (Hessen). Frauen, die zu ihr in den See steigen, werden gesund und fruchtbar; die Kinder kommen aus dem Frau Holle-Teich. Sie erscheint als Fruchtbarkeitsgöttin, die im Frühling über die Äcker zieht und diese grünen und gedeihen lässt. Welche Zaubersprüche und Flursegen mögen die Germanen dieser Göttin dargesagt haben, um sie gnädig und hold zu stimmen? „Erce, Erce, Erce, Mutter Erde“?

Dass es sich bei der Frau Holle fürwahr um eine alte Göttin der Germanen handelt, und keine Erfindung der Grimms, wie immer wieder behauptet wird, hat die Germanistin Erika Timm geltend gemacht. Sie konstatiert, dass es sich bei dieser Figur um keine Geringere handelt als die Gemahlin des Göttervaters Odin/Wotan die Göttermutter (nordgerm.) Frigg bzw. (südgerm.) Frîja. Timms sprachgeographische Analyse hat ergeben, dass sich die Namensvariante „Holle“ insbesondere auf den Bereich Mittel-und Westdeutschland beschränkt. In anderen Region trägt dieselbe Göttin andere Namen: Frau Gode, Frau Wode oder Frau Herke,

Frau Percht oder Perchta/Bertha, vereinzelt auch Huld/Hulda/Huldr, Free/Frick, Berchthöldere oder Murawa. Alle diese Figuren werden mit den immergleichen mythischen Attributen assoziiert. Sie sind namentlich verschieden, mythologisch jedoch identisch.

So offenbar auch Erce, die sich gleich wie Holle für das Fruchtbarmachen der Felder verantwortlich zeigt. Bei dem Namen „Erce“ handelt es sich offenbar um eine Nebenform von „Herke“, also „Holle“. Linguistisch lässt sich ein solcher Abfall des vorvokalisch-haupttönigen h-auch bei anderen altenglischen Wörtern feststellen (z. B. eard für „hart“ oder aorta für „Herz“).

Für die Gleichstellung von „Erce“ und „Holle“ spricht außerdem die Tatsache, dass im Zauberspruch vom „Allwaltenden“ die Rede ist, vom Himmelsgott, der die Erde befruchtet. Wahrscheinlich ist damit Wotan gemeint, der Himmelsherrscher und Schamanengott, der in der Edda auch „Allvater“ genannt wird, weil er der Vater aller Götter ist. Er ist der Ehemann der Holle, die ja auch Frau Wode heißt. Wie Wotan in dem Zauberspruch nicht in seiner namentlichen Hauptform auftritt, sondern als allgemein gefasste Personifikation des Alls, so erscheint auch die Frau Holle entsprechend in der allgemeinen Form als Personifikation der Erde.


Tags
Loading...
End of content
No more pages to load
  • lectercel
    lectercel liked this · 4 weeks ago
  • neta-haha
    neta-haha liked this · 7 months ago
  • witchhazelgreene
    witchhazelgreene liked this · 8 months ago
  • mawipolska
    mawipolska liked this · 8 months ago
  • blinkingstarwitch
    blinkingstarwitch reblogged this · 8 months ago
  • clowneyedgirl6
    clowneyedgirl6 liked this · 8 months ago
  • cherrypcky
    cherrypcky liked this · 8 months ago
  • theyellingwoods
    theyellingwoods liked this · 8 months ago
  • gothhyacinthus
    gothhyacinthus liked this · 8 months ago
  • dumbfoundened
    dumbfoundened liked this · 8 months ago
  • samwisethewitch
    samwisethewitch reblogged this · 8 months ago
  • xavetycistrunk
    xavetycistrunk liked this · 11 months ago
  • glwrmsntclng
    glwrmsntclng liked this · 1 year ago
  • pastel-plague-doctor
    pastel-plague-doctor liked this · 1 year ago
  • z3nko-kitsune
    z3nko-kitsune liked this · 1 year ago
  • greenspacewitch
    greenspacewitch liked this · 2 years ago
  • augustfrogust
    augustfrogust liked this · 2 years ago
  • weidenbruck
    weidenbruck liked this · 2 years ago
  • eclecticwinehaunt
    eclecticwinehaunt liked this · 2 years ago
  • is-it-art-yet
    is-it-art-yet liked this · 2 years ago
  • heretic-maverick
    heretic-maverick liked this · 2 years ago
  • noweyesee
    noweyesee reblogged this · 2 years ago
  • claws-of-scorpio
    claws-of-scorpio liked this · 2 years ago
  • nerdsgaysandarcherybabes
    nerdsgaysandarcherybabes liked this · 2 years ago
  • laisio
    laisio liked this · 2 years ago
  • h-e-x-a-g-o-n
    h-e-x-a-g-o-n liked this · 2 years ago
  • friendly-neighborhood-mage
    friendly-neighborhood-mage reblogged this · 3 years ago
  • magpie-art
    magpie-art liked this · 3 years ago
  • deer-intelligence
    deer-intelligence liked this · 3 years ago
  • lavender-tea-time
    lavender-tea-time liked this · 3 years ago
  • daicussaurio
    daicussaurio liked this · 3 years ago
  • evilscholarme
    evilscholarme liked this · 3 years ago
  • submissivebttmboy
    submissivebttmboy liked this · 3 years ago
  • kendal8766
    kendal8766 liked this · 3 years ago
forestwitchnika - ♡ Nika the witch ♡
♡ Nika the witch ♡

side blog about herbalism, witchcraft and paganism

156 posts

Explore Tumblr Blog
Search Through Tumblr Tags