Ancient Symbols And Their Meanings.

Witchcord Masterpost

Below are an assortment of discord servers with a focus on witchcraft, paganism, metawork, the occult, and more! This list is constantly being updated, so please keep tabs on this post for new servers!

Last edit: July 29, 2018

The Nightshade Network

The Nightshade Network is an active, 18+ Discord server for witches, pagans, magical practitioners, diviners, spirit workers, and anyone with an interest in the occult, metaphysics, or spirituality. Currently, we have 350+ members and roughly 100 channels on topics ranging from Hellenic polytheism/Dodekatheism, tarot, rootwork, spirit companionship, and more. 

 The Nightshade Network offers weekly member-run and closely-researched interactive classes in either voice chat or text chat and a monthly open mic night where members may perform written pieces and music. Membership to the Nightshade Network also grants you certain perks such as networking opportunities, giveaways, contests, and more! 

We are an inclusive server that welcomes people of all paths and experience levels. We do not tolerate bigotry of any kind.

Requirements: Must be 18+

 https://discord.gg/Y5UK7hr

Keep reading

What your headache is tellin you

Andrea Dworkin - Wicked Witch, “Woman Hating: A Radical Look at Sexuality”, 1974.

This is a current theory saying that the coats of arms of Polish nobility developed from magical characters of the Sarmatians which were called “tamgas”. According to tradition Polish nobility were the descendants of the ancient Sarmatians, and in fact Poland was often called Sarmatia or Sauromatia. In the 19th century this traditional belief was regarded as a myth, but now it is held to be based on truth. The tamgas were magical signs the exact purpose of which is not known. They were found on various objects of everyday use, on weapons, jewellery, etc. and were brought to Europe by the Sarmatians in the early centuries A.D, from their homeland on the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea where they bordered with the Persian Empire the land of the Magi. It is easy to see the similarity of the tamgas and the coats of arms of Polish nobility.

Veles

The woods whisper.

The ancient tress, bent and scraggly, reach down to hush snicker, tricking and advising you, as you breathe in this stale, moist air, of this twilight place, neither here nor there. Here you are to be tested, to be changed, to become something new- or something old, if you wish so.

So you wander, through deep grass and clingy mud, through paths of mushrooms and bushes, ever shifting and deceptive. It is challenge, certainly, but one suited for you, one that will push you to your utmost limits, and make you grow beyond them.And so you walk forward, following shadows of wails, echoes of rain slithering over rocks, the eternal traces of things that haven’t walked Earth in long, long time (but will one day do so again).

He awaits you below, in cave whose entrance is secret yet can be found anywhere, carved out of soft mud and ancient dust and great stone. Water and earth meet, meld and meddle in each other’s business. Everything there is buoyant, verdant and vibrant, full of potential, of energy and life that seems as strong as hundred springs. Your ancestors crawl there, as they await for chance to fly back to life.  You are filled with need, with hunger to learn and ask, to challenge them and test yourself, to learn secrets of this place, even as your eyes seems to melt,  trying to pierce through shadows.

Men tried to describe him in many ways, and they all got something correct, and they all got so much that isn’t right. For how can any word, any shape properly contain him? You cannot guess whether he is constantly changing, or contains all forms of world, or whether he is something else, something unseen before (or at least in long, long time- he never got used to one shape, least of all human, for he is caretaker and guise of all creatures, patron of all things wild and free). You catch glimpses, just hints of truth, like looking for gold in murky waters, like going through earliest, foggiest memories-  here pair of antlers, there hooves, over there strength and width of bear, dignity and bearing of ancient tree right there.

You see his eyes. You see power in there, reaching farther then roots of mountains, as malleable and stubborn as water, as wide as underworld itself, caring as soil, as destructive as earthquake, as consuming as flood, as deafening as silence, as freeing as your favourite song. You see ages you can’t grasp beyond, time as heavy as illness upon you, and glint of satisfied mischief. You see wisdom there, earned and practical, born from curiosity towards specific purpose (and being what he is, there are so so many things he knows). It is gaze you know, from your brother when he talks about his work, from your father and grandparents and teacher when you were young, from mirror too, from all people who know something you don’t and are happy to learn ( all but one, though she is a thing of still darkness and deep waters, for her eyes are always veiled, and she hoards secrets even lord of dead and mystery doesn’t know, greedily keeps them for no other reason but their own sake), sharp and purring, inviting, never satisfied, always watching and waiting.

A cloak unrolls from top of his horns to below his paws-feet-hooves. It is a meadow and mountain, forest and field, swamp and moss.  He seems to wear whole of world on his shoulders, all things civilized and wild and in-between, and below it he hides soil and clay, stone and caves, and all things that crawl and slither and claw and slip upon and below. It grows and withers, rises and fall, living and dying, always changing, because nothing ever stops, because nothing remains the same, because nothing escapes his eye.

There is stick in his hand. A rough, wooden staff, scrappy and twisted, warped and bent, like branch left in tiny river for too long. It is an old man’s staff, to help him climb up the mountain, and fighter’s pole, in hands of skilled deadlier then a sword or spear, and shepherd’s stick by which he defends and leads livestock, and sorcerer’s focus, by which he bends world to his will. It is all those things and so much more, greater then any scepter, and it is part of him, for he is master of liminal spaces and times, lord of wolf and cattle, who guides and directs, tests and teaches living and dead.

‘‘Come.’‘ He says, doesn’t order, even if he has every right,because he doesn’t need to, because you chose this, again and again, and you come into his embrace, in arms that are paws  and claws and fur and leather, as calming as river that flows beneath ground, as comforting as shade of tree in summer field, and you smile, smile,  for there is no monster and no nightmare that can stand against what you devoted yourself to, against He who accepted you.

Palmistry 101

When reading palms, whether your own or someone else’s, these are the main things to consider:

Which hand is dominant? For right-handed people, the left hand gives information about inherited characteristics and potential, while the right hand reveals the development, character, and life events. The opposite is true for left-handed folks!

Quality of lines and their points of intersection. How strong or fine are the lines? Are they straight and long, broken and twisted, etc.? 

The directions of lines, which mounts they occur on or near, and their influences.

Shape of the hand, fingers, nails, and mounts.

General demeanor of the person and the hand. 

MAJOR LINES

Each line has its own meaning and depicts a certain course of action in a person’s life. Lines come in all shapes and sizes. Not everyone has all six of these lines, although the first three are always present (the fate line is usually present as well). 

Heart line: emotions, insecurities, marriages, dependence and independence, the nature of your relationships.

Head line: intellect, reasoning powers, prospective career paths, potentials for success.

Life line: pattern and quality of life, physical vitality, stability or imbalance, will power and logic, not necessarily the indicator for length of your life.

Fate/Saturn line: strengths of character, career, friendships, life’s daily problems, and general ability to succeed.

Mercury/Health line: health matters, business and adventure, the spirit of discovery.

Apollo/Sun line: utilization of creative energies and potentials for success through development of talents.

MOUNTS

The mounts are fleshy cushions underneath each of the fingers. These mounts carry the same name as the finger they are under. Below are the different character and personality traits associated with each finger/mount.

Mercury: Pinky. buoyancy, shrewdness, wit, spirit.

Apollo/Sun: Ring finger. compassion, love of beauty, artistic abilities, potential for success.

Saturn/Fate: Middle finger. seriousness, cautiousness, gloom, superstition.

Jupiter: Index finger. leadership, honor, ambition, spirituality/religiousness.

Lower Mars: Below pinky. moral courage, self-control.

Upper Mars: Below thumb. resistance, coolness of spirit, calmness, courage.

Venus: Thumb. benevolence, affection, humility, passion.

Moon: sentimentaliity, imagination, self-centeredness 

CONFIGURATIONS

These are just a few of the figurative markings that are commonly seen on the hand. They add meaning to the lines or mounts they are near.

Branches: emphasize strengths.

Breaks in lines: emphasize weaknesses.

Chains: signify obscure goals, inclinations to deviate.

Crosses: signify upheavals, violence, struggles, and blunders.

Islands: indicate delays, injuries, and problems.

Stars: emphasize luckiness.

*** I will be posting more about palmistry soon, including more detailed variations of the lines and mounts! In the meantime, feel free to ask me about your palms… sending me a picture would be AMAZING :~)

At the sea, blue sea There was a floating flock of white swans  And where did the gray-white eagle come from?  It dispersed the flock around the blue sea White down rose to heaven,  Gray feathers fell on a green meadow  And who will collect these feathers?  A beautiful girl 

NOTRE DAME IS ON FIRE. What a sad sad day!😟

absolutely obsessed with these three georgian girls called trio mandilli (source)

Witch Bottle: Mad Diviner Version

A witch bottle is a contraption designed to absorb and nullify the forces that may attack you, be they magical or otherwise. Some would argue that it only stops malevolent spells, but I see no reason why it would not deflect so-called mundane attacks, as well.

Witch bottles have a long and storied history, and are even found amongst the ruins of older buildings, dating from the Early Modern period. During this time, witch hunts were common, fear of witches ran rampant, and one cannot be surprised that many people tried to take matters into their own hands to protect themselves from these supposed evildoers. 

Though traditionally seen as a sort of talisman against witchcraft and evil magics in general, I do believe that the act of creating one, in and of itself, is an occult practice. Thus, it’s a bit bemusing to imagine those who hated witches and magic frantically making these things to save themselves from evil spells. 

I honestly think that, during the Early Modern period, making a witch bottle would have been a somewhat revolutionary, if private, act of defiance within a person’s life. Entire countries were turned against the very notion of magic, and had manufactured straw enemies in the form of Satanic witches. Many misfortunes were blamed on witches by authority figures, and it’s quite likely that the population, for the most part, believed these evil sorcerers actually existed.

The official government response consisted of conducting witch hunts and killing many innocent people. Imagine, though, what it must have been like for a person living in this time. That the evil witches existed could be taken for granted; such a person would have heard the lie repeated so often that the fear of malevolent magics was engrained in their psyche. 

When trouble arose that society wanted to blame on witchcraft, though, the individual likely felt powerless, particularly if they weren’t socially prominent. Most people were not in a position to do battle with imaginary witches, and the response by the authorities was just as terrifying as the false threat of witchcraft.

Thus, to regain a modicum of personal autonomy and assert their intentions to the universe, some individuals resorted to a plethora of folk remedies, charms, and spells (I call it like it is!) designed to drive off witches, or draw them into the open. This must have taken a lot of courage, because, as I’ve said, there’s very little way these people could have rationalized their spells away as not being somewhat akin to what witches do. Seeking to protect yourself from witches could easily get you named as a witch, after all, so yes, courage was required.

Did the bottles made during this period work, so to speak? Probably. It’s hard to say, because there really weren’t many actual witches active during this time period, and those that were active likely didn’t go out of their way to hunt down and curse random people.

 Still, these charms probably had a great deal of efficacy, if only due to the twin powers of intent and belief. This is partially why I see the witch bottle as effective against all kinds of attacks, not simply magical ones.

Making a Witch Bottle

Now, all over the internet, and indeed, all over Tumblr, you can find many excellent guides and recipes for witch bottles. Today, I’ll be showing you the personal method I developed for making one. It differs from other traditional methods in a single crucial way, and I believe this makes my version somewhat more difficult to make, but perhaps more effective overall.

Before developing the plans for this, I researched witch bottle traditions extensively, and made notes on them, etc. I ultimately concluded that there was something “off” in both modern and postmodern versions of the charm, at least for me. I just didn’t see how it could be effective given the way the ingredients were used and their composition. This is not to say it wouldn’t work for another person, but intent is everything, and I seriously doubted I could get my intent going if I followed an existing recipe. So, here’s my variation, and so can you!

The requirements for the spell are simple, and can be suited to your particular situation quite easily. You need:

A personal taglock,

A very small bottle, 

A larger bottle that the small bottle can fit within, 

Sharp objects,

Baneful herbs or an existing compound designed to dismantle evil or bring destruction.

The most important part, arguably, is the personal taglock. Read my long post about what a taglock even is, and what makes a good taglock. Basically, though, you need an object or bit of something that is essentially tied to you in some way. Physical proximity is good, but an emotional tie, as explained in the post I linked above, is even better. 

For my taglock, I went out and bought a nice package of fancy cigarettes of the kind that were popular in my youth, and, on the way home from the store, smoked one. When I was finished, I carefully extinguished it and deposited the remains in a small plastic bag. 

When I arrived home and went into my laboratory space, I rummaged around and found a very, very, very small bottle with a cork. I shredded the cigarette remains and filled the tiny bottle with them, then corked it. I topped this off with silver wax to form a good seal (silver being the only available color I had around).

To be honest, if you decide to try my version, I would recommend using a lock of hair in place of the cigarette, because smoking is bad for you and you shouldn’t do it. Yes, yes, I did it, but you shouldn’t. End of story!

Now, you’re probably wondering why I chose such a small bottle, and just put the taglock inside without anything to shred a malevolent force, as is customary. Well, I did this because the tiny bottle is going to go inside the larger bottle. Yep, that’s the big difference between my version and everyone else’s.

Anyways, you then take the larger bottle and stuff it halfway full with your material - glass, sharps, banefuls, etc., depending on your preference. Do remember that there must remain room for the small bottle to rest comfortably within the larger one, though. Once the bottle is halfway filled, slip the small bottle inside, like this:

As you can see, I used baneful herbs for the majority of the space within the bottle. Specifically, I used wormwood, which I filled the bottle with very carefully and gently so as not to spill any. I added some sharp needles and tacks and such, as well. Once it was halfway full, and the small bottle was inside, I began using my vinegar.

I chose to use Four Thieves Vinegar for this working, and carefully filled the bottle up slightly with the mixture. For more information on Four Thieves Vinegar and what it contains and represents, see my post about it. If you end up using a liquid like this, make sure to leave room for more of the solid stuff in the bottle, so that the liquid doesn’t mess with the cork.

You can see above that the tiny bottle is nearly floating. I added a lot more wormwood to soak it all up, and some more sharp objects, too. Finally, I closed it up, and ultimately sealed it with wax, just as I had the smaller bottle.

You may ask why I’m putting the taglock within a smaller bottle. Well, it’s simple to me! I don’t want a taglock from me floating in a jar of baneful herbs and sharp things. Think about it - that’s exactly the method you would use to curse someone, right? And, while intent is everything, I just figured it wouldn’t work for me, so I developed this idea instead. I hope this is helpful for someone!