How To Make Black Salt.

Makpal Abdrazakova

27-year-old berkutchi (she hunts with a trained eagle) from central Kazhakstan

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Celebrating Spitzer, One of NASA’s Great Observatories

As the Spitzer Space Telescope’s 16-year mission ends, we’re celebrating the legacy of our infrared explorer. It was one of four Great Observatories – powerful telescopes also including Hubble, Chandra and Compton – designed to observe the cosmos in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Light our eyes can see

The part of the spectrum we can see is called, predictably, visible light. But that’s just a small segment of all the wavelengths of the spectrum. The Hubble Space Telescope observes primarily in the visible spectrum. Our Chandra X-ray Observatory is designed to detect (you guessed it) X-ray emissions from very hot regions of the universe, like exploded stars and matter around black holes. Our Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, retired in 2000, produced the first all-sky survey in gamma rays, the most energetic and penetrating form of light.

Then there’s infrared…

Infrared radiation, or infrared light, is another type of energy that we can’t see but can feel as heat. All objects in the universe emit some level of infrared radiation, whether they’re hot or cold. Spitzer used its infrared instrument to make discoveries in our solar system (including Saturn’s largest ring) all the way to the edge of the universe. From stars being born to planets beyond our solar system (like the seven Earth-size exoplanets around the star TRAPPIST-1), Spitzer’s science discoveries will continue to inspire the world for years to come.

Multiple wavelengths

Together, the work of the Great Observatories gave us a more complete view and understanding of our universe.

Hubble and Chandra will continue exploring our universe, and next year they’ll be joined by an even more powerful observatory … the James Webb Space Telescope!

Many of Spitzer’s breakthroughs will be studied more precisely with the Webb Space Telescope. Like Spitzer, Webb is specialized for infrared light. But with its giant gold-coated beryllium mirror and nine new technologies, Webb is about 1,000 times more powerful. The forthcoming telescope will be able to push Spitzer’s science findings to new frontiers, from identifying chemicals in exoplanet atmospheres to locating some of the first galaxies to form after the Big Bang.

We can’t wait for another explorer to join our space telescope superteam!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Rockin and a rollin. 

bruh

Costume. Chitons.

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

St. Cyprian – Patron Saint of Necromancers

There are two saints known as Cyprian and there has been much confusion between these two martyrs as it is said that both bishops were born in Carthage sometime in the 3rd century, one was an orator and teacher, the other, a pagan necromancer that traveled around the Mediterranean in order to expand his occult knowledge who now bears the image of the other. He is known and prayed to as Saint Cyprian of Antioch.

Very little is known about this ‘saint’ who is sometimes petitioned for love, luck, money, etc., but one thing is for certain, those are not the characteristics of his mythic nature, as most do not know of his dark and sinister past.

It is said that Cyprian of Antioch was born in Carthage as a pagan child dedicated to the service of Apollo, Greek God of light, youth, healing, and prophecy.  He entered the mysteries of Mithras at the age of seven, carried the torch of Demeter, wore the white garments of Kore, and served the serpent of Pallas. He was then sent off to Mount Olympus to be initiated into communion of dæmons who are born from the echoes of the heavenly voices, feeding only on fruits and acorns after sunset for twenty-nine days.

At the age of ten he learned divination from the movement of animals, the sound of trees, and from the whispers of the dead. At the age of fifteen he lived in Argos and served the goddess Juno. He then lived in Icara where he served the goddess Diana, and then Sparta where he learned incantations on how to commune with the dead.

He moved to Memphis, Egypt at the age of twenty where he learned the ways of possession and demonology, meeting the dæmons the Great Solomon once had. It is also said that this is where Cyprian learned how to magically induce natural disasters.

At thirty years old, he set out to learn from the Chaldeans, astrology, herbology, as well as the motion of ether, fire, and light. This is where Cyprian met and honored the Devil, thus, he was entrusted with an infantry of dæmons.

“His form was like a golden flower adorned with precious stones, and he crowned his head with stones that were twined together—the energies of which illuminated that plain, and his garment was no different—and when he enwreathed himself, he shook the land.” —Confession of Cyprian of Antioch

He then moved to Antioch where he became a famous philosopher and a powerful sorcerer.  One day a young man named Aglaïdas came to seek his services to win the love of a virgin named Justina. He sent out several dæmons who were unsuccessful in turning her will. Justina’s god was more powerful and through prayer, no dæmon could harm her. And after several attempts, Cyprian’s magic was extinguished.  Seeing this, the Devil himself tried to carry on the mission, but after Justina made the sign of the cross, his attempts were also unsuccessful.

The powerless Cyprian renounced his pagan practices and went to Justina to plea for his live, turned away, he approached the Christian god, where he was shown mercy. After converting to Christianity, he eventually worked his way through the hierarchy and became the Bishop of Antioch. He was then turned over by the people to the Roman governor of the region, where he would be judged for shaming their gods and turning people away from them. Both Justina and Cyprian we tortured by being thrown in a boiling cauldron, but no harm came to them, fearing their sorcery, they were sent to Nicomedia were they were both beheaded.

During his confession prior to his death, he recounted the acts he committed, killing people physically and magically, decapitating dark-skinned youth to Hekate, burying young adults to Pluto, giving the blood of virgins to Pallas and the blood of full grown men to Kronos.

It was in Portugal during the 19th century, that a book bearing his name appeared, The Great Book of Saint Cyprian, in which the legend tells us that this book was written by the saint himself, and contains spells and incantations that terrifies anyone who possess it. Legend also says that if read in its entirety it will attract the devil himself. This book was later taken to Brazil where its practices were infused with the Afro-Caribbean religions of Umbanda and Candomble, where he is venerated alongside the Pombagiras of Kimbanda.

Today, his image is that of a bishop wearing a white alb, a purple cope, a mitre, a golden crozier, while holding a bible. But what most people do not know is that this particular image is a variation of the image of Saint Cyprian of Carthage as there have been no images found of a Cyprian of Antioch .

Unfortunately, Cyprian has now been deemed a fictional character as historians found no evidence of his existence and his confession was classified as a borrowed literally work, which eventually lead the Vatican to remove him from the list of saints in 1968. But, whatever spirit has taken on the name, it carries it proudly and effectively, and so, he shall remain as such, Cyprian of Antioch, Patron Saint of Necromancers.

How I honor, serve, and work with Cyprian:

He is called upon to aid in any workings when dealing directly with the dead. His statue was placed inside a cauldron filled with graveyard dirt and surrounded by the ashes of the dead. He was given seven gold coins, seven acorns, seven nails, a dagger, a skull of a black dog, and a purple candle which is lit on Fridays, the day I observe the dead. He was also given a second cauldron filled with liquids for divination. On his feast day, September 26, I light for him seven candles after sunset and feed him with fruits.

Personal Prayer to Cyprian:

In the name of Cipriano and his seven candles, on behalf of his black dog and his seven gold coins. In the name of Cipriano and his silver dagger. In the name of Cipriano and his holy mountain. In the name of the tree of the zephyrs and the great oak. I ask and shall be answered, by the 7 churches of Rome, the seven lamps of Jerusalem, the seven golden candles of Egypt. Amen.

Personal Prayer to Cyprian against an enemy:

Mighty Cipriano, sorcerer of shadows and occult powers, to you whom nothing is impossible, through your conjure, by your Holy Dagger, cut the tongue of my enemies, the wicked and the malicious who want to bring their evil to my home. Return twice as much what was sent to me, sheltering and protecting me at all times. Amen.

_______________________________ Sources: The Chaldean Oracles Picatrix Greek Mysteries, 2003 Greek and Roman Necromancy, 2004 The Confession of Cyprian of Antioch, 2009 El Gran Libro de San Cipriano, 2005 Orthodox Christian Information Center

_______________________________ For more information and ways to serve him, you can purchase my booklet on St. Cyprian at: www.vodoustore.com

Some Black Salt Daily Uses

In a little bag under your pillow - ward of nightmares and bad dreams, ward of unwanted spirits and watchers

Make a line of black salt under the windows and/or doors - keep the evil out, avoid unwanted company, reflect jealously and slander back to its source

Use it to clean the house and ritual area - to wash away negativity

In bath water - To wash away depression and negativity

Keep it on your personal chair or desk - Take away bullies, bad attention of bosses and co-workers

Through into fire - with your worries and fears in a paper to rid them

And remember that salt can absorb pretty much anything, this salt uses will absorb a lot of negative energy, so you’ll have to change it sometimes. You can take the old used salt away by: -Grounding it on earth -Throughing it into the wind away from you -Washing the salt away in flowing water

When to use what in witchcraft -

Ok so I am gonna say this is my personal reference, its mainly through associations. You might TOTALLY disagree and thats chill! 

Its more something to think about and a guideline of what I use myself…

Candle Magic:

Carve a candle when…. the candle represents the target, in sympathetic magic. When, essentially, the candle is a poppet and lighting it is a symbol of destruction or empowerment to the target.

Place something under the candle or before it when… you are doing general candle magic, when the candle represents empowering a wish, idea or concept.

Anoint the candle when… doing work with spirits and gods, when you mark the candle for a special purpose, when doing high magic.

Herbs and plant work:

Use dry herbs when… it is convienent to do so, when the herbs are out of season or when you need to store them in a jar or bottle for a long time.

Use fresh herbs when… the spell is very earth orientated, when doing magic on behalf of another or when the magic is sympathetic so that the herbs represent the target, within kitchen witchery.

Use flowers when… when the spell concerns love and sex, or perhaps fertility and attraction, due to flowers being the reproductive parts of the plant. 

Use fruit when when… working with children as a target, or with children practising. When you work with fertility and abundance spells.

Use wood and twigs when… when the spell is for protection or binding, for hardiness. 

Burn herbs (recaning/incense) when… you wish to cleanse or banish, or invoke an atmosphere - that being, for divination using herbs that are said to open up your perceptions, when banishing, burning acrid or pungent herbs.

Use oil infusions when… you wish to anoint something, when you wish to mark something permanently.

Use floral waters (rose water etc) when… dealing with spirits and gods, for glamour as it has a long history of being used to beautify.

Crystals:

Use metals (haematite, copper, ores etc..) when… you work in protection, when you do energy work due to the conductive properties of metal.

Use shell, pearl, coral and such when… you work in sea magic, when you work within emotional magic due to the element of water.

Use points when… you wish to direct magic to a target.

Use tumble stones when… you wish the magic to be gentle or manifest at a certain place on the body on a target.

Use geodes when… you work in protection, when you work with glamour aimed to obscure and hide.

Knot magic:

Use cotton when… it is convenient.

Use silk when… doing spells that benefit the target.

Use ribbons when… love spells and wealth spells, as well as confidence and beauty spells. Spells to ensure victory.

Use rope when… doing spells that aim to hurt or weaken the target, binding especially.

Poppets:

Use cloth when… the spell aims to benefit who the poppet represents, use particular care when sewing or cutting, choose colours that are appropriate to them.

Use wax when… you wish to manipulate the target.

Use clay when… wish to create fetches or servitors, when you wish to create permanency.

Use twigs when… you wish to bury or throw the poppet out, when you want the poppet to be easily destroyed by breaking or setting on fire.

Sigils:

Use an alphabet grid or circle when… you wish the sigil to be more random and less attached to you.

Combine the shapes of letters from a sentence… when your sigil is very specific and a short term goal.

Use your own personal symbols when… you want the magic to be connected to you, when it is personal.