Duolingo Is Being Weird Again! I Finished A Little Reading Exercise, And On The The Little Stats Screen

kansas-sun-witch

4 months ago

Telling the bees

The custom of "telling the bees" is a charming and ancient tradition where beekeepers inform their bees about significant events in their lives, such as deaths, births, marriages, and other major occurrences. This practice is believed to have its roots in Celtic mythology, where bees were seen as messengers between the human world and the spirit world. The presence of a bee after a death was thought to signify the soul leaving the body. The tradition became particularly prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries in Western Europe and the United States.

To tell the bees, the head of the household or the "goodwife" would approach the hives, gently knock to get the bees' attention, and then softly murmur the news in a solemn tone. This ritual was believed to keep the bees informed and prevent them from leaving the hive or dying. The custom underscores the deep connection and respect that people historically had for bees, viewing them as integral members of the household and community. (The Historian's Den)

I can easily see how you can turn this in a magical tradition with some little adaptation: plant flowers and plants for bees in your garden, invoke the spirit of the bees, keep bee-telling to the bee-spirits and take care for the plants. I am sure that one day the spirit of the bees will be your ally and that you will learn from it. And a big plus: you are helping the bees to survive in a world full of mono-cultures and poisons. Witchcraft and care-taking for your environment can go hand in hand if you wish to.

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kansas-sun-witch

2 months ago

As somebody with ADHD as well, how do you balance a secular witchcraft practice and deity worship? Also, ty for showing me that I can separate the two!!

Good question! UPG and secular witchy things ahoy.

The way I see it, my witchcraft and my pagan practices are pretty much two separate things. When I'm venerating my deities or making offerings, that is Bree the Pagan doing the thing. While there may be special occasions where magical ritual as part of that, like around Samhain, it's not the focus.

When I'm creating or casting a spell, 99% of the time I'm not asking for divine aid, I don't require it, I don't think about it. I'm relying on my own resources and tools to make things happen. And while there may be some special occasions where I invoke my patrons for aid, usually for protection, that's not the focus.

So I'm a witch who also happens to be a polytheist pagan, rather than a polytheist pagan witch, if that makes sense. When I talk about my witchcraft, I talk about magic and technique and theory and such, but not my deities. When I talk about my paganism, I talk about my deities and veneration and my experiences with them, but not my witchcraft.

Surprisingly, my ADHD doesn't really affect my ability to compartmentalize in this way. I rather feel like it makes it easier to say The Witchcraft Is Over Here and The Paganism Is Over Here. Separating the two also helps eliminate a source of anxiety for me. Relying on the input of others to help me accomplish my goals has, historically speaking, been fraught with disappointment. So if I'm just relying on myself, it's easier to fully invest my energy and determination into the working, without the distraction of worrying whether the additional aid will come through or if I'm doing something "wrong" with regard to the inclusion of a deity or annoying them by asking for help.

So yes, it is perfectly possible to separate the two things. You can be a witch without being a pagan or a pagan without being a witch. Or you can be both without putting chocolate in your peanut butter, as it were.

Hope this helps!

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kansas-sun-witch

3 months ago

As long as you don't shoplift at my store while I'm on shift, you'll be alright.

ANUBIS

WHO IS HE?

Anubis, also known as Inpu and Anpu in Ancient Egyptian mythology, is the god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the Underworld, in Ancient Egyptian mythology, usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine head.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: in Egyptian mythology, Anubis is typically depicted as a jackal-headed deity or a man with the head of a jackal. He is often depicted wearing a loincloth and holding a flail or a pair of scales. The jackal head represents Anubis' role as the guide to the Underworld, while the flail and scales represent his role as the judge of the dead. Some later representations of Anubis also show him holding a scepter, which is a staff symbolizing power and authority.

Personality: he is often portrayed as a serious and mysterious figure. He is known as the guide and guardian of the Underworld, and he is responsible for helping the dead on their journey to the afterlife. Anubis is also depicted as just and fair, using his scales to weigh the heart of the deceased against the Feather of Ma’at to determine their worthiness for the afterlife. Despite his association with death and the Underworld, Anubis is also seen as a protector and guide for the living, and he is believed to help those who call upon him for protection and guidance.

Symbols: flail, crook, sceptre, and mummy gauze

God of: the dead, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, and tombs

Culture: Egyptian

Plants and trees: star anise, benzoin, cloves, cardamom, frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, cypress, pomegranate, cedarwood, blue lotus, juniper, lilies, and black roses.

Crystals: black obsidian, onyx, jet, garnet, smoky quartz, babingtonite, augite, alabandite, agate geode, petrified palmwood, brochantite, agate, labradorite, trolleite, melanite, dendritic opal, larvikite, biotite, fire opal, merlinite, bloodstone, hematite, and black tourmaline.

Animals: jackal, dog, flies, scarab beetle, Ibis bird, and snake

Incense: cinnamon, sage, frankincense, cedarwood, pomegranate, myrrh, copal, dragons blood, and vanilla

Practices: death witchcraft, necromancy, protection, death magick, guidance (especially through transitions), shadow work, funerary rites, cremation rituals, death positive activism, funeral service provision, divination, and ancestor worship

Colours: black, gold, green, and red

Number: 13

Zodiac: Scorpio

Tarot: Death

Planets: Pluto

Days: Monday, Thoth (Thuty) Festival, Opening of the Mouth ceremony, Festival of the Divine Birth, Nile Flood Festival, Festival of the Dead, and Festival of the Jackal

Parents: Ra (his father originally), Hesat (mother), Bastet (sometimes referred to as his mother), Osiris (his father in later stories), and Isis (his mother in later stories).

Siblings: Horus, Babi, Sopdet, Wepwawet, and Bata

Partner: Anput and Nephthys

Children: Kebechet

MISC:

• Flail: the flail is associated with Anubis because it was believed to have been used by him in the process of mummification. In ancient Egyptian mythology, the flail was a tool used to separate the body of the deceased from its wrappings. It was also associated with the idea of balance and justice, as the flail had two heads that were believed to represent the balance of life and death. In some depictions, Anubis is shown holding a flail in his hands as a symbol of his role as a judge of the dead.

• Crook: it was a staff with a curved end and was used by shepherds to guide their flocks. In Egyptian mythology, the crook was associated with the god Osiris and later with Anubis as well. It was believed to represent Anubis' role as a shepherd of souls, guiding the deceased through the afterlife and protecting them from danger. Additionally, the crook was seen as a symbol of authority and power, as the pharaohs were often depicted carrying one as a sign of their divine rule.

• Sceptre: in ancient Egypt, a sceptre was a staff that was carried by the pharaohs and gods to symbolize their power and authority. For Anubis, his sceptre was known as the Pesesh-kef Sceptre, and it represented his role as a guide and protector of the dead. The Pesesh-kef was a symbol of his status as a god and was used to perform rituals and ceremonies related to the afterlife. It was also believed to have healing or magical properties and was sometimes buried with people to protect them on their journey through the afterlife.

• Jackal: Anubis is often depicted with the head of a jackal, which is one of the reasons why jackals are associated with him. Jackals were considered scavengers and were known to be present in the deserts where many Egyptian burials took place. For this reason, they were believed to have been closely associated with death and the afterlife. The jackal was also said to have the ability to navigate the underworld, which further strengthened its association with Anubis, who was considered the guide and protector of the deceased in the afterlife.

• Mummy gauze: the material used to wrap and bind the mummies of the deceased. Anubis, as the god of mummification and the afterlife, was closely associated with the practice of mummification and often depicted holding rolls of mummy gauze as a symbol of his role. In addition, mummy gauze was believed to have magical or protective properties, and some Egyptians would use it as a talisman to keep themselves or their loved ones safe from harm. As a result, mummy gauze became a potent symbol of Anubis' power and connection to the underworld.

• The colour black: often associated with death and the underworld, this is likely because of the dark, fertile soil of the Nile River banks, where many Egyptian burials took place. Anubis, as the god of death and the afterlife, was closely associated with the Underworld and the process of mummification, which required the use of black resin and tar. As a result, the color black became a powerful symbol of Anubis and his domain, and was often used in paintings, carvings, and other representations of the god.

FACTS ABOUT ANUBIS:

• He likes metal music (especially black metal), dark crystal jewelry, gothic style, and dark coloured sports cars.

• In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, it is said that Anubis weighs the heart of the deceased against the Feather of Ma’at to determine their worthiness for the afterlife.

• Anubis was regularly invoked for protection as well as vengeance.

• He helped Iris bring Osiris back from the dead.

• His time of day is dusk.

• Anubis is very caring and kind to his worshipper.

• The name “Anubis” is the Greek form of the Egyptian name “Anpu” which means to decay.

• He is not a demon or evil entity.

• Anubis was said to be the creator of embalming.

• The Greeks associated Anubis with Hermes, the Greek god who guided the dead to the afterlife. The two would be joined together to create Hermanubis, making him more accessible to non-Egyptians.

• A very sweet entity and only wishes to help guide people in the right direction.

• He knows the date of everyone’s death and may be petitioned to reveal it.

• Anubis is one of the oldest Egyptian gods.

• He is represented by the colour black.

HOW TO INVOKE ANUBIS:

Connect with Anubis as you would any other deity—with profound respect and gratitude. He selects devotees who are willing to face their shadows, and who aren’t afraid of spirts and death. Come to him with a pure heart and pure intentions.

To work with him, you can: read about him, create sacred altar space for him, leave offerings for Anubis in his sacred space, call him by his real name Anpu (to decay), research the mummification process and purpose, explore your beliefs about death, do shadow work and ritual work with him, and visiting cemeteries.

PRAYER FOR ANUBIS:

"Oh great and powerful Anubis, Lord of the Dead and guide of souls, I call upon you now in this moment. I honor and respect your wisdom and strength, and I seek your guidance and protection on my journey through this life and into the next.”

“Please bless me with your presence and wisdom as I embark on this new path. Show me the way to make the choices that will lead to a good and honorable life, and give me the courage to face the unknown with bravery and confidence.I offer this prayer to you with gratitude and reverence. Hail to you, Lord Anubis.”

SIGNS THAT ANUBIS IS CALLING YOU:

• Spiritual signs, such as meditative visions or dream visitations.

• Seeing black dogs and bones.

• A strong feeling of connection to Anubis or the Egyptian pantheon.

• Finding yourself increasingly drawn to topics related to death, the afterlife, or spirituality.

• A sense of being guided or protected in times of difficulty or distress.

• Finding objects related to death, burial, or the occult in unexpected places.

• Experiencing unusual synchronicities or coincidences related to the god.

• Having a strong desire to learn more about the Egyptian pantheon or the lore surrounding Anubis.

OFFERINGS:

• Cool water.

• Strong liquor, like rum.

• Spicy foods.

• Dark and bitter chocolate and beer.

• Practicing divination.

• Strong incense: frankincense, cedarwood, and myrrh.

• Black coffee.

• Shadow work (only if you’re emotionally prepared for it).

• Pomegranates.

• Feathers.

• Aged cheese.

• Sourdough.

• Red meat: beef (especially steak), pork, lamb, and goat.

• Bitter chocolate.

• Cypress oil.

• Bones and skulls.

• Pumpkin spice.

• Locks and keys.

• Bread.

• Crystals: black obsidian, onyx, jet, garnet, smoky quartz, labradorite, bloodstone, and hematite.

• Scales.

• Logical puzzles.

• Dog things.

• Bandages.

• Karkadeh.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

• Honour the dead and your ancestors

• Leaving flowers on graves.

• Support orphans and the homeless.

• Act as a guide for someone.

• Live your life as if it was your last (mindfully).

• Volunteer in cleaning cemeteries or in your local mortuary.

• Dress in neutral and dark colours.

• Collect animal bones. Clean then and breathe life into them (do so ethically, killing animals for bones is a blatant disrespect for Anubis, the animal, and the law).

• Adopt unwanted animals (the ones who are critically ill or are of old age) and give them the best life before they pass.

• Wearing black clothing in his honour.

• Volunteer or donate to local dog shelters.

• Research him.

• Get involved with spirit work.

• Practice divination; in the Papyri, Anubis is noted to be an intermediary for divination.

• Get into herbology: his priests were skilled herbal healers and dealt with many herbs during the mummification process.

• Draw, paint, or sculpt something in his honour.

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kansas-sun-witch

2 months ago

SPELL JAR FOR LUCK

Hello all,

It has been a very long time since I posted anything but I am back to practicing as of recently! I hope to continue posting more of my grimoire for you all to see. To ease myself back into the craft, I decided to do a spell jar as I am moving house soon and I need as much luck around money and prosperity and abundance as possible.

What you’ll need:

Nutmeg - money, prosperity, protection, good luck

Cinnamon - success, healing, protection, luck, money

Poppy seeds - good luck

Thyme - good luck

Mint - wealth, prosperity

Dandelion flower - hope, wishing

Salt - protection, good luck

Honey - prosperity, abundance

Buttercup - luck, money

Hair and saliva (optional) - I wanted this to be as specific to me as possible, and I felt sacrificing some of my hair would be sacrificial to boost the power of the spell.

Steps:

Cleanse the utensils you are going to use such as the jar and any measuring equiptment.

Write on a piece of paper what you need luck towards - are you moving house? Do you need luck with an exam or a job? Try to be specific, but not overly so to allow room for adjustment. (Optional: write this in yellow, green or gold pen as these colours are associated with wealth or luck. You can also include a sigil of your choosing).

Put the piece of paper in the jar alongside the rest of your ingredients.

Once the lid or stopper is fitted, light a candle and seal the jar with yellow, green or gold wax (I used yellow).

Once you have done this, hold the jar in your hands for a few seconds and think of what this luck will grant you. Imagine yourself in the position you'd like to be in if this luck is granted to you. Blow out the candle you used to seal the jar and watch as the smoke dissapears.

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kansas-sun-witch

3 months ago

How did you gain such extensive and well rounded knowledge of astrology? Any book/resource recommendations? I’ve been highly interested in learning more about it for a while and I feel ready to dive in!

The short answer is that I've been studying astrology since the Fall of 1996 so we're coming up on 26 years of study. The longer answer is that I have read every single astrology book that I've ever gotten my hands on (I used to sit in the astrology section of Barnes & Noble and just read), I have investigated my own chart and the chart of every single person that I've ever been close to (and more than a handful of my "enemies"), and I am completely unafraid to ask questions. I have unabashedly made my friends, loves, and others my test subjects. This will be a long answer and I will write a separate post on astrology books (I've been meaning to anyway) BUT astrology is impossible to learn if you tackle it all at once. What you can see my synthesize IS 100% 26 years of study - I didn't start out here. Not by any means. I don't know where you are on your astrological journey, so I'm going to start very basic. The first thing that you need to learn is the signs. Inside and out. You need to understand the elements. You need to understand the modalities. You need to understand the seasons. You need to understand how each of these things comes together to create the energies that we associate with the signs. There is a reason that Taurus is fixed/earth/spring versus Virgo's mutable/earth/summer versus Capricorn's cardinal/earth/winter. You need to learn the ways that earth interplays with water and the ways the fire interplays with air and how the signs create oppositional energies with each other. Other than looking at your own birth chart (which you should ALWAYS be studying), I would not go any farther than that until you feel like you have reached a level of mastery of the signs themselves. Then, you need to understand the planets. These relate closely to the signs as each planet rules one or more of the signs, so your understanding of the signs will help you here. This is your first point of synthesis - you will realize that you were ALWAYS studying how the Sun shows up as a sign because that is what we are taught in pop culture astrology is. Don't focus on the outer planets - stick to the Sun and Moon here at first and then go on to look at the personal planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars). This is where most of the meat of natal birth chart interpretation lies and is what you will, inevitably, spend the longest time in study. Until you think that you can explain why Mars in Scorpio is different from Venus in Scorpio which is different from Sun or Moon in Scorpio, you really need to remain here. Understanding how the energies of each sign work with each planet is vitally important - this is the longest course of study for a reason. Next, you need to understand aspects. This is how the planets interact with each other in positive or negative ways. This is a lot of math and you can have programs do it for you but you really should learn to somewhat do the math yourself if you are capable. This is really just basic geometry - everything is about angles because the horoscope is a wheel. The most important aspects are calculated at 30 degrees intervals - 30 degrees is two planets in conjoining signs, 60 degrees is a sextile or two signs in aligning elements (earth to water or air to fire), 90 degrees is square or two signs in non-aligned elements (earth to fire or air, as an example), and 120 degrees is rrine or two planets which share an element, and so on. Until you can explain this as well as I just did and understand the orb of effect (how many degrees apart from an exact angle if allowed for you to consider the planets in aspect with one another) - this is where you should remain. This is the meat of the natal birth chart - it shows our natural strengths and our weaknesses. After you have mastered this - you finally have a choice. If you are interested in continuing down the path of the personal birth chart, I would tackle houses next. If you are more interested in how we interact with each other - I would tackle synastry - the study of how two charts interact

with each other. If it's especially important to you, you could also specialize at this time by doing a deep dive into planetary retrogrades, or the outer planets and how they impact our lives, or some other astrological niche. (I went with Synastry here and no regrets, it's a fascinating subject) Transits - what I post about most often on this blog - as a synthesis of my knowledge of the signs, the planets, and the aspects. You need to have a deep knowledge of how a planet affects an individual who is born during a transit before you can start to understand how people living in the world will experience that very same transit. This point is the hardest to explain how to get here - all I can say is that I asked the planets to show me. This came to me when I started working planetary magic - primarily with Mercury and Venus but also with the others as well.

That was a lot. I hope that helps. Feel free to send me additional asks if this wasn't what you were looking for.

-Minx

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kansas-sun-witch

6 months ago

Witchy Shop Finds

This is shop is called Mystic Menagerie, it's our second time going. We love this place, truly run by pagans for pagans and like minded folk. Like I said before this is the shop where the owner does a lot of stuff in house or locally sourced, if not locally sourced she has connections with people that she gets her goods and wares from.

She makes her own wreathes and I finally got one!

I also had a pendulum be drawn to me. She even could sense it but she's a medium so no surprise there

She also makes spell jars, and with all the sadness I have been dealing with I bought a grief spell jar. Her grief spell jars do not take the grief away but rather help navigate and heal through the pain