Hanukkah PSA for reptile owners!

Hanukkah is almost upon us (woohoo!), so I wanted to give a quick reminder to all my fellow Jewish reptile keepers to avoid lighting candles in the same room as a reptile!

Even the smoke from small Hanukkah candles can be very dangerous for reptiles, especially hatchlings and juveniles. Reptiles can't cough, so any smoke they breathe in stays in their lungs and can cause respiratory illness very quickly. It's less dangerous on the first night when you've only got two candles going, but by night eight, it can be a recipe for disaster! This is true if you have an oil-based chanukkiah, too!

To keep your pet reptiles safe and healthy, make sure you always light your chanukkiah in another part of the house, and keep your reptiles out of the room while your Hanukkah candles are burning.

!חג אורים שמח

Hanukkah is almost here! If you have a pet reptile, please take a moment to think about a safe place to light your candles where your pet won't be exposed to them.

Nice to meet you! Tarot is a fine way to communicate with spirits if it works for you. But I do want to mention something in the way you say that. "Your dragon" as if you have a dragon connected to you. It's an idea I see a lot. That dragons are like so-called spirit guides. That anyone can just ask to talk to a dragon and the dragon will answer. That is not the case.

There is a misconception among beginners in draconic witchcraft, that the witch can have dragons in some way dedicated to them. But it's more like the witch is an interesting human who's enjoyable enough to make a good pet for a dragon.

Humans aren't special, and the spirits do not have any obligation to you. Especially dragons.

If a spirit wants to talk to you, they can do it through tarot. But if you want to talk to a dragon, you're gonna have to give them a reason to want to talk to you.

picturing someone trying to submit their kobold application via tarot

Rejection letter is just the three of swords.

I need an alternative for sage and palo santo cause I don’t want to use either. Any suggestions?

-cracks knuckles- I got you, friend.

Green Sage - (Garden Sage, Common Sage) Dried Green Sage performs admirably for smoke cleansing. It is easy to include in burning bowls or in herb bundles. It dries well and burns easily, producing a fair amount of pungent herbaceous-smelling smoke. The scent is very similar to White Sage smoke, and Green Sage bundles burn the same way. In addition, fresh stalks of Green Sage may be available in supermarket produce sections (varies by region). These can be purchased for a few dollars and hung up to dry at home. The dried herb is suitable for loose incense, smokesticks, and jarring for other uses.

Basil - (Sweet Basil, Citrus Basil, Thai Basil) Dried Basil is every bit as good as Green Sage for smoke cleaning. It produces copious amounts of highly-scented, slightly sweet smoke. Basil dried easily and is best suited for use in bundles. It can work in loose incense, but I would suggest including other herbs in the mix, as the thin leaves burn out quickly by themselves. Sweet Basil in particular, with its' broad leaves, is great for making a smooth outside layer for smokesticks. This is another herb that may be purchased fresh from the produce section in some areas, often in plastic sleeves containing a medium-sized plant with a root ball. If you're lucky, you may even be able to pot the Basil plant and keep it growing for future use. Basil also grows very well from seed in a home garden environment.

Rosemary - (Common Rosemary) Rosemary works well in a magical sense for smoke cleansing, but the practical performance is a little less than ideal. Rosemary smokesticks tend to smolder for a few seconds and then extinguish themselves unless you burn a good amount of the stick at the same time. Also, as the needles burn, small bits can drop off, which may constitute a fire hazard. If you're going to use Rosemary in a smokestick, you may need to re-light it periodically, and you should hold it over or place it in a fire-safe dish for the duration of the burn. I would also suggest including better-burning herbs such as Green Sage. Rosemary is best suited for loose incense mixes in conjunction with other herbs, and I suggest the use of warmers or charcoal disks. Rosemary smoke smells similar to Green Sage smoke, with a slight piney tang. Fresh Rosemary may also be available in market produce sections. It takes a longer time to dry than other herbs, due to the high sap content, so give it a few extra days.

Bay - (Bay Leaf, Bay Laurel) Bay leaves perform best in loose incense blends, as the large stiffened whole leaves are difficult to work into smokesticks, and twigs and bundles of Bay can be difficult to come by. It is difficult to keep them smoldering, and I highly recommend blending them with incense powder or more flammable herbs for an even burn.

Lavender - (True Lavender, French Lavender, English Lavender) Lavender smells terrific on it's own, and it makes an excellent additive to smokesticks and loose incense blends. The flowers work best for loose incense (particularly when set over a warmer), and the leafy stems and denuded flower stalks may be used as filler for smokestick bundles with other herbs. The smoke is highly scented and does carry a hint of the Lavender smell with it.

Cedar - (Cedar Twigs, Cedar Chips) Cedar is an excellent additive for any loose incense mix. Cedar chips readily available from pet supply stores, and it provides good kindling for a burning bowl. Cedar twigs are a common ingredient in commercially-available smokesticks, often paired with Sage, Sweetgrass, or Lavender, and they perform admirably. The twigs smolder very well and produce a thick pungent smoke that lingers in the air. Like Rosemary, Cedar smokesticks may "shed" during burning, so holding the bundle over a dish during use is recommended. (Note: Twigs and chips of other woods such as Willow and Oak also work well as burning bowl kindling for protection incense blends, but perform poorly in smokesticks.)

Peppermint - (Common Peppermint) Peppermint burns very well and releases and highly-scented, very pungent smoke. It smells very similar to marijuana and can be irritating. (Personally, I don't much like the smell, and if you have issues with menthol, you should not use it for smoke cleansing.) Peppermint works better as an additive to smokesticks and loose incense blends than a standalone herb. Fresh Peppermint MAY be available at some markets, but it is easier to find in garden shops during the spring and summer. You can either purchase the plant and trim it down for drying, or you can plant it and harvest periodically for more material, depending on your needs. (Note: Spearmint smells similar, but in my experience, it does not work as well for magical cleansing.)

Marjoram - (Sweet Marjoram) Marjoram is slightly minty and tends to be made up of thin stems and small leaves. It can be used for interior filler in smokesticks if desired, but it functions better in loose incense, particularly if the whole dried plant bundle is used as a kindling nest for the base of a burning bowl. The scent is hard to catch, as the scarcity of the burning material tends to produce very little smoke. This is another plant which is easily obtained from garden shops. It also grows very well from seed in windowsill pots. (Note: Oregano and Thyme share many of these characteristics, though Oregano leaves are slightly larger. Both grows well from seed and dry easily. Oregano smoke is pungent and herbaceous; Thyme smoke may carry a hint of citrus.)

Dill - (Sweet Dill, Common Dill, Mammoth Dill) Dill carries a pleasant lemony-buttery scent when fresh, and it dries easily when laid out or hung up. The stalks and feathery leaves tend to perform poorly on their own in smokesticks, but make excellent filler when used with other herbs, and are also good kindling for burning bowls. (Note: Fennel also shares many of these characteristics for smoke cleansing, but the scent is closer to anise or licorice. Both of these plants may be available in some produce sections, and are easily obtained as seeds or sprouts from garden stores.)

Pine - (Various, Long-Needled) Pine, similar to Rosemary, burns all right and produces pleasant-smelling smoke, but it tends to burn out fairly quickly and "sheds" when used in smokesticks. It makes good filler for the interior of layered smokesticks with other large-leaf herbs on top, and it performs very well in loose incense mixes. In warmers, it produces a strong evergreen scent that lingers for a long time. Freshly-fallen Pine twigs may be found in parks or anywhere that Pine trees grow naturally or for decorative purposes. Exercise caution and hold a catch dish under Pine smokesticks during use, or restrict the use of Pine needles to loose incense. Pine bundles takes weeks to dry out completely and should be tightly bound and hung needles-down to avoid dripping sap all over anything below. Dried Pine chips or twigs make excellent kindling for burning bowls.

PLEASE NOTE - The smoke of some herbs can smell similar to marijuana. Be sure to ventilate the area properly (open windows, turn on fans, or just be outdoors) and be mindful of any allergies you or others present may have before lighting the plant material. Practice fire safety AT ALL TIMES.

More tips and advice for building your practice here:

In years past we have talked about Palo Santo as a good alternative to white sage on this blog, but we are learning & growing. Please check out the above alternatives instead!

Alright. Who here knows bloggers who have good info on heathenry, including what dog whistles to look out for?

Howdy! @skaldish has a fantastic, well-organized, and accessible collection of info here.

In terms of dog whistles, I have a tag called #alert for images, terms, authors, organizations, and other things to keep in mind and/or avoid.

Spotting Alt-Right Imagery on Nordic Blogs

I’ve been getting a lot of asks/messages lately from folks who want to practice Norse paganism and join the heathen community but are worried about white supremacist blogs. That’s totally valid - there’s a lot of them and some of them are well hidden under “aesthetic norse” blogs. So, I wrote up a little lists of indicators to look out for and avoid. Most of the runes and images(like Odin’s ravens) aren’t inherently racist/problematic and should be considered in context of the blog. Please keep in mind there are many more symbols and names/titles that could be included, I am just focusing on the Norse aspect from the USA.

Additionally, I would highly suggest going through their follows/likes if you can’t find an obvious answer. Most modern Norse pagans who aren’t anti alt-right make it known in their bios but you an do further digging if necessary. 

Wordpress | Twitter | Instagram | Patreon

I know this is super petty of me but seriously, the amount of people messaging me and commenting about Mjölnir is driving me wild. Mjölnir is going to be FINE, Stan Lee and Marvel pretty much made it so it will never be a major recognized hate symbol. It’s only on the list because I see it on tumblr A LOT. It’s not on the flags at marches, I haven’t seen it on altright twitter/insta profiles - BFG is literally a shadow of what it used to be. Mjölnir is only a recognized hate symbol by the ADL when it includes BFG(or the tunic equivalent). Mjölnir is fine. Again, only included because of the tumblr cesspool.

Y’all need to get up in arms over our runes. Othala is THE recognized hate symbol of the US white-supremacist group. It replaced the swatsika in the 90’s and has been used since. It is used in EVERY march and is incorporated in a lot of neo-Nazi logos. Óðinn sacrificed himself for these runes. He gifted these runes to us, so we could learn and teach. Our runes for family, ancestry, healing, and protection literally stand for hate. People look at Othala, Algiz, and Tiwaz and see h a t e.

^^^^ THIS is the current, official USA flag for the NSM(National Socialist Movement) aka the alt-right. I’ve seen additions/posts saying that only the Othala with wings(link) symbolizes white-supremacy. Maybe in other countries but not in the U.S. I’m sorry but seriously, put Mjölnir aside, every Marvel fan and it’s ties to pop culture will make sure it’s fine. We need to be fighting for our runes or a large portion of our religion will be further tied to antisemitism and racism.

**It is extremely important to note if you’re going to be wearing/reclaiming Othala or any of our symbols currently tied to hate that you wear something to offer your political stance next to it(i.e. blm badge, LGBT flag, anti-fascist pin, GNAR pins, etc)**

I’m both pro herbal medicine and pro vaccination because you can treat burns with aloe vera juice and sore throats with lavender infused honey but you can’t rid a country of polio with plants. 

THIS.

Don’t forget kids, jewelweed is a natural counteragent to poison ivy rashes but it won’t do shit against whooping cough

Mint for nausea, valerian and chamomile for sleep, antibiotics for fucking infections.

educational and salty. i like it.

Louder for the people in the back!

Herbal and holistic medicine is a supplement for regular moden medicine, not a replacement.

I wish more people who were into holistic medicine type stuff realized this.

Wood

Alder - weather magick, necromancy, courage, passion

Almond - wisdom, prosperity, love magick, healing, self protection

Apple - fertility, healing, abundance

Ash - protection, healing, prosperity, strength, intellect, will power, justice, balance, travel, wisdom

Beech - binding work, love, friendship

Birch - intuition, creativity, love, healing, protection, grounding, cleansing

Cherry - mental clarity, decision making

Cedar - healing, spirituality, prosperity

Driftwood - protection, energy, moon magick

Elder - healing, protection, banishment, prosperity

Hawtorn - protection, magick sacred to dragons and the fire

Hazel - truth, divination, wisdom, luck

Holly - purity, sun magick, strength, protection, luck

Maple - love, abundance, money, health

Oak - protection, fertility, strength, health, luck, defense, courage, longevity

Pine - healing, fertility, protection, money, cleansing, mental clarity

Poplar - the Crone, astral projection, divination, rebirth

Redwood - “king of trees”, strength, protection, creativity, enlightenment

Rowan - defense, creation, travel, healing, divination

Willow - healing, protection, spellwork

Yew - strength, change, death, immortality, protection

What Native people say about the use of sage: you can use sage, but you cannot smudge as nothing you are doing (waving sage around) is actually smudging. Smudging is a ceremony and you are, we promise, not smudging. Please buy sage from either us, or someone who sources the sage from us. White sage may not be considered endangered by the US government but corperate sourcing is making it difficult for us to source sage for our own religious purposes. Let alone to sell it.

What white people hear: never use sage ever, don’t ever buy it, don’t own it, don’t even look at it.

Look, y’all. There’s a couple of facets to my talk today.

1) Yes! You can buy sage! You really, truly can! Buy it from either native sellers (go to a powwow! Eat our food, buy our stuff, watch some dancing!) Or buy it from a seller who sources the sage from native people. Pick one. And no, buying it from 5 Below doesn’t count.

2) you CANNOT smudge. This isn’t just you “shouldn’t”— this is a YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF SMUDGING. Waving a sage stick around your doorways IS NOT SMUDGING. It is smoke clensing. Smudging, depending on the tradition and tribe, could easily have dancing and drums involved. You, as a white person, do not have the cultural BACKGROUND to even know how it works. At all. Period.

3) please, for FUCKS SAKE, stop making posts here on tumblr where you tell other white people about cultural appropriation and what they can and cannot do. Please stop, your license has been revoked because none of you bother to get the facts right. We native people are FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT OURSELVES. Consider instead: a) reblogging our posts where we talk about it! We’re here! We have made posts!! b) Making a post that states what we said and then LINKS BACK TO US. Screenshot with a link if you must. Stop centering your own voices in these conversations. You are already centered in everything, stop centering yourselves in a native space.

I’m tired of this nonsense, y’all.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk ™

——

Help Support a Native artist?

Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/jnwampler

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/khanji

All very good points.

I just want to add that if you’re in a position where you cannot het properly sourced white sage (like me) European traditions have their own smoke cleansing rituals. Ans thus our own herbs. Hilariously, we just used kitchen sage, you know, the stuff you put on your beef, cause white sage doesn’t grow here. Alternatively, wormwood and the other artemisia’s have long been used for reekening (o.e. term for ritual smokecleansing).

I often see rosemary mentioned amongst the neopagans as a good for everything herb. Its not much for protection, its a herb associated with memory and wisdom. So it won’t protect your home necessarily, but can tie you closer to your ancestors and spirits.

Witch Tip🌿

Having troubled communications? People come off rude while texting or on calls?

Print out the Temperance card and put it in the phone case such that the image faces towards you, i.e. right below the phone and it would be the back of the card that is seen on the outside(if its a transparent case).

While doing this set an intention that whatever information comes through the phone gets filtered with the balancing energies of the temperance card and allows you to have peace of mind nonetheless.

For more witchy tips follow @lavenderxflame

Blossom & Thorn Spread 🛣️

I have greatly enjoyed designing and using this spread. I hope you do, too.

Spell Jar Alternatives

I’m not one to bury jars with spells, I prefer a more eco friendly option and like to use items that are natural or will break down.

I thought I’d share some of the items I use...

All of these are safer in my mind as glass carries a risk factor especially for my hole digging son.

Items can be sealed with soy wax or twine/ribbon such as hessian, cotton or silk which will break down far easier than synthetics.

Sigils still can be painted or drawn on many of the cases.

If I know I’m going to bury a spell I like to try and incorporate flower or herb seeds (Nigella/Blessing seeds are a favourite) as when the casing breaks down the seeds will often germinate.

**Images etc are my own**

New Age Things That Bother Me, A Witch

We mostly agree - however, we do like crystal healing & energy healing WITH CAVEATS. These things should NEVER be used as a substitute for medical care & cannot "cure" any physical or mental illness, disorder, or disability. We see these things as more of a supplement to (rather than a substitute for) medical care.

If you are using them as a substitute or expecting these things to be a magical cure, well, to be blunt - you're doing it wrong.

In addition, essential oils can be super dangerous when ingested & even when applied to skin. You should *never* ingest essential oils, as it can leave you worse off than where you started. If you're using these oils for anything other than simply in a diffuser for scent, you should be doing so under the supervision of a medical professional (no, your local Doterra sales rep does not count).

Stay safe!

green magick for the home

an apple can be used for a simple house blessing; cut an apple in half, and eat one half in your home. place the other outside, in the backyard or front porch, as an offering to good spirits for protection and warm energy.

bay leaves can be placed in the corners of a room to banish evil from it and protect those within it.

a cactus can be grown near a house to offer strong protection; even stronger protection is gained by planting cacti at all for corners of the home.

planting catnip in the garden, or hanging it above your door, will attract good spirits and good luck.

chamomile can be sprinkled about in the home to break curses and unwanted spells cast on or in the home.

cilantro brings peace and harmony to a home.

clover can be sprinkled around a home to banish unwanted spirits.

garlic can be hung in a home to bring its inhabitants closer together.

ivy plants can be hung to deter unwanted guests.

lavender can be burned and its ashes sprinkled about to cultivate rest and tranquility within the home.

orange peel can be placed in windowsills to bless the house with angel and sun energy.

peppermint can be burned as a smoke cleanser to remove illness and negative energy from a new home.

a sprig of pine can be hung in the home to bless it and its inhabitants.

sachets of saffron can bring happiness to the home.

thyme burned or hung inside brings good health to its residents.

Additional Items:

Basil grown in the garden or hung to dry in the home deters bad luck and unfriendly visitors. “Where Basil Grows, No Evil Goes.”

Birch Twigs, or a birch broom, tied with a red ribbon and hung over the door protects the inhabitants of the household, especially young children.

Chili Peppers hung on strings encourage enduring love and harmony among residents, as well as being handy for cooking and hex-breaking.

Ginger, when added to meals or consumed in tea, increases the potency of spells performed after consumption.

Lemon can be added to floor washes or homemade sprays to cleanse and purify the home as you go about your regular cleaning.

Onions pierced with black-headed pins and placed on a windowsill prevent evil from entering the home.

Orange Peels, taken from halved oranges, can be dried and used as fragrant holders for tealights, or chopped and added to prosperity spells.

Roses planted at the corners of the home or on a trellis by the front door provide a barrier against trespassers, misfortune, and baneful magic.

Sesame Seeds may be kept on the altar or in a packet in your spare change jar to encourage a constant flow of money into the household.

Sunflowers invite happiness and positivity into the home, and bring luck and good harvests to gardeners.