The-bewitching-belladonna - 🧿Bella🧿

A spread based on how your being is doing, how to learn more self-love, and what your heart wants you to know! I would suggest using this spread when you really need your heart’s advice.

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Blessed be!

My advice regarding romantic relationships with Hellenic deities

This is a bit of a complex topic, but I feel like it's worth my time to write something about. Intimate and sexual relationships with gods is nothing new. Mythologies are filled with stories of gods taking mortals for lovers and even spouses. Like any relationship between a god and a mortal, it's going to vary from god to god, and mortal to mortal. Being romantically involved with a divine being is going to be different for everyone, so I'm going to offer some insights and advice based on my personal experiences.

You don't have to say "yes". You don't have to date anyone you're not interested in, even if they're a god. A god can take "no" for an answer. A divine being will not force themselves on you or coerce you into any arrangement against your will. If it's not something you want or are up for, just politely decline. If it's something you're nervous about but still might be interested in, request some time to think about it, and give your answer at a later time.

You need to set boundaries. The first thing I did was writing down a list of conditions that I will abide by, and boundaries that are not to be crossed. A divine being will respect your boundaries and will have no problem agreeing to reasonable conditions. Once again, if you need time to sleep on this and ponder this through, simply communicate that you wish to do so. Gods are patient. They literally have forever. They will give you the time you need. They will wait.

You can expect reciprocity. A relationship with anyone, mortal or divine, is a two way street. It's going to be a give and take. You can expect certain things from them, and they can expect certain things from you. There's going to be a level of commitment and devotion, and some amount of work involved.

You don't need to rush. Like mentioned above, gods have eternities. Time is not an issue for them. Take your time, get to know them, figure them out, and build a relationship with a foundation. Don't jump into anything you're not ready for. The Hellenic gods are creative with romantic gestures. They will be happy to woo you, to court you, to press their suits to you.

You don't have to be exclusive. The Hellenic gods themselves are not known for monogamy. They're not going to mind your existing or future romantic bonds with other mortals or other gods.

Most importantly: you don't have to marry them. Taking a lover is not automatically a step toward marriage, at any point, by any means. No one has to marry their lover in the end, no matter how long the affair lasts. This was the first condition I put down: I will not marry you. I have no intention of binding myself to a god in a marriage contract. I'm not interested in being a godspouse. I already have a husband in the mortal realm, and that's enough for me. No divine being would require a marital pact for you to remain in their favor. A love affair can end amicably. An oath of marriage, on the other hand, will be much harder to walk away from, and the Hellenic gods aren't ones to take kindly to the breaking of oaths.

I found these awesome crystal bullets at the flea market today so I gave them to Lord Ares

Morning Prayer

God of love, as dawn breaks, we praise you; you are one, called by many names. Cleanse us of selfishness as we start this day anew. May our hands be your hands, doing good upon the earth. 

Opening Salutation: 1. From Spring equinox to autumn equinox The sun is bright and the days are long. Blessed are you, Regina Caeli, triumphant Mother of Life and Growth! Hail to Persephone, Mystical Rose, Maiden of Flowers, Ave! 

2. from autumn equinox to spring equinox The moon is bright and the nights are long. Blessed are you, Mater Dolorosa, Dark Mother of Death and Rebirth. Hail to Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, Lady of Skulls, Ave! 

Prayer of Protection (from the Lorica of St Patrick) I bind unto myself today the virtues of the starlit Heaven, The glorious sun's life-giving ray, The whiteness of the moon at even, The flashing of the lightning free, The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks, The stable earth, the deep salt sea, Around the old eternal rocks.

Day of the Week Prayer

link to day of the week prayers

Litany: Virgo Rosarum, Oh Maiden of Roses, upon this new day we offer this garland of litanies to you. Virgo Sanctissima, Oh Maiden Most Holy, bless us. Virgo Immaculata, Oh Maiden Immaculate, cleanse us. Virgo Veneranda. Oh Maiden Most Venerable, guide us. Virgo Fortissima, Oh Maiden Most Strong, defend us. Virgo Splendidissima, Oh Maiden Most Shining, inspire us. Virgo Ferocissima, Oh Maiden Most Wild, invigorate us. 

Prayer to God the Father:  (from the Book of Common Prayer) Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of Peace, as children of one Mother. Amen.

Closing

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us as we forgive others. Lead us not into separation but deliver us into love.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Child, and to the Holy Mother. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

Witches & Words: Deities

Language is more than a powerful tool; it is power itself. Every word has meaning and intent, and is spoken by willpower and action. Witches understand the power involved in communicating. This is a series about how to properly communicate with different entities.

Introductions:

Stay calm. Deities do not want to work with people who are not respectful of their Divity and power.

Be truthful and stick to your values. Do not lie about your name, experience, or values to a Deity. Unlike some entities where it is useful to never offer your true name, Deities demand a certain level of respect and honesty. You don’t want to anger Them.

Don’t make promises upon meeting. You can invoke, make offerings to, pray to, worship, and/or involve in a ritual a Deity without being devoted to that Deity. Devoting yourself to a Deity is a big decision that has a serious level of commitment, and you should never make a promise to a Deity that you can’t keep.

Ask what name you may call Them by! This is key because They may offer you a symbol or name to call Them by and invoke Them with.

Conversation:

Ask questions! Prepare a list of questions to ask. Nothing life-altering at first, just simple things. Ask Them how long they have been in your life, if They would appreciate an offering (and if so, what), or even if They could tell you a story.

Be respectful and receptive of answers. If a Deity doesn’t give you the answer you wanted, or even refuses to answer, respect that. Don’t try to push them to give you a different answer.

Be clear about your expectations. Be sure to clearly communicate what you need and want out of a possible relationship with the Deity.

Be respectful of the Deity’s time. If the Deity needs or wants to leave, let them.

Goodbye:

Thank the Deity for their time, knowledge, answers, etc.. Deities thrive with praise!

Say a clear goodbye! This is very important! Communicate that you are ending the conversation, and suggest a time or way that you may contact each other again.

After:

Make a small offering to the Deity. Don’t offer anything big; burning a few herbs or even the light of a candle would work fine. Just offer something to show your appreciation for the Deity.

Cleanse! Cleanse your altar, tarot, crystals, or whatever you used to contact the Deity. You don’t want the energy of that visit to interfere with future rituals or spells.

Watch for signs. A Deity may send signs after communication that they are there, so be alert!

Common Misconceptions About the Goddess Hekate

Many of these misconceptions can be very popular, but have no historical backing.

-She is a “crone goddess”

This misconception probably comes from more recent literary representations of her. In Ancient Greek religion she was always portrayed as a young maiden.

-She is a “triple goddess” or the Triple Goddess

The Triple Goddess is a purely modern creation/belief. This concept of deity was created in the mid 1900s along with Wicca. Since Hekate predates Wicca and neo-pagan movements by about 2,000 years, she couldn’t really be the Triple Goddess. She is not a Wiccan deity, so therefore, she would not be defined or characterized by a Wiccan concept of deity. While she is commonly portrayed as three women, that was only to depict her domain over the three way crossroads, unlike the Triple Goddess whose aspects each represent a different thing.

-Hekate is not a witch goddess

This is so far from true. Even if this role isn’t one of her original roles, such as the ones described by Hesiod, this aspect did become quite prevalent later in the Hellenic world. The evidence of her role as a witch goddess is very commonly portrayed in Ancient Greek literature and mythos. Kirke and Medea, arguably two of the most popular witches ever, were both priestesses, or in some cases daughters, of Hekate. Whenever witches performed their magic such as necromancy, binding spells, curses, image magic, and other spells, they called on Hekate. This relationship between witches and Hekate is not only shown in Greek literature but in Roman literature as well such as the tale of the witch Erichtho is Lucan’s Pharsalia.

-Hekate is JUST a witch goddess

Though her role as a witch goddess is probably the most popular in literature and with neo pagans and Wiccans, this is far from her only aspect. As described by Hesiod, she was a goddess of the heavens, the earth, and the sea, and a child protector. She was also known to be a goddess of the crossroads and the dead. She guards the gates to the underworld and holds dominions over the daemones (spirits) and ghosts. She also later became a goddess of the moon and is celebrated every dark moon at her Deipnon.

-Hekate is evil

This is more of a modern literary misconception. The Ancient Greeks did not believe in gods of pure good or pure evil. Each deity had aspects of both. The power to create or destroy. To bless or to curse.

Some little things I've learned over a decade of witchcraft:

If you are feel called to work but are tired/drained, sit outside. Take in all the energies around you. Nature can help charge you

Every witch does a little bit of a bunch of types of magic but sticks mainly to one or two in general. You usually won't be eclectic forever. You'll find what magics work best with you.

Never be lazy or cut corners with spirits. Always be respectful and always tell them to leave when you're done

When you see a plant or ingredient with a long list of properties, there are different things at play. Season of collection, the part of the plant, the health of the plant, etc all play a role in impacting which properties it will carry.

Don't call on spirits unless you have confidence and control

Be careful with sea/water magic. Get into it gently and slowly until you have the energy figured out because it can get out of hand quickly.

Adding a little pinch of magic into your breakfast can make a major difference in your day.

Your personal emotions/feelings over something will impact a work

Planting some plants is good, not only to have a garden, but the dirt helps cleanse you too. Get all dirty and muddy. It's good for ya

Not all trees are nice

The more you listen to your intuition, the easier it will be to tell it apart from your anxieties and worries

Incense is very easy to make which is why it's usually cheap to buy. But you can find a million tutorials online on how to make your own personal incense which is great if you want a spell to take effect over a while but also want to infuse the fire energy in it.

The more you work with something the better feel you get for it. Cinnamon goes in almost everything i cook and most of my spells because me and cinnamon just get right along

Your path is yours and no one else's. It will look like yours and no one else's