witchlingofthecity

[witchlingofthecity]

Villa Crespi in northern, Lake Orta, San Giulio, ITALY

[witchlingofthecity]

Franny Choi, Soft Science

#poetry

[witchlingofthecity]

Unpopular opinion: Being intelligent isn’t an excuse for being unkind.

[witchlingofthecity]

cathedrals emulating forests

Strawberry Hill House—a Gothic Revival villa that was built in Twickenham, London 1749

[witchlingofthecity]

Slavko Mihalić, “Maestro Extinguish the Candle” (trans. Peter Kastmiler), Contemporary East European Poetry: An Anthology

[witchlingofthecity]

Elena Ferrante, from Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (translated from the Italian by Ann Goldstein)

[Text ID: maybe, in the face of abandonment, we are all the same; maybe not even a very orderly mind can endure the discovery of not being loved.]

[witchlingofthecity]

The devil you face will be your own and it will not be gentle.

Frater Ashen Chassan, from ‘Passing Through the Void: The Journey To Unite With Your Holy Guardian Angel’, published in ‘The Holy Guardian Angel: On the practice and experience of the Holy Guardian Angel’, ed. Michael Cecchetelli

[witchlingofthecity]

Rethinking solarpunk: Aesthetic being a reflection of ideals

Don’t get me wrong, I love the whole art nouveau thing, but I’d like to take a step back and analyze how the aesthetic should reflect the movement. While it is nice to have an end goal in mind, the message should be “We need to work together so the earth doesn’t become uninhabitable in our lifetime.” and not “Hey, pretty pictures of green cityscapes, but also here’s the message based around a few different political philosophies that you have to look into.”

In short I’m saying, we need to put the punk firmly in solarpunk so it reflects upon the movement as one with ideas and ideals as opposed to overly utopian in nature. A nice change would be moving away from cityscapes and focusing on architecture that feels handmade, adding in the punk principle of DIY into the aesthetic while also keeping the greenery would make something totally unique and reflect the movement better than the current iteration does. Changing the aesthetic would also drive home the point that we’re constantly evolving as a movement, constantly growing and changing.

As I’ve said before, with growth comes new challenges. If we want our message to be fully understood and not just ogled at because it’s bright and pretty, we need to make it easier to understand off the bat and not as easy to twist into something harmful where someone could say “If [X group] weren’t around, we could have this future!” Visuals are a powerful medium, we sincerely want them to reflect our intent as well as provide a message that we’re not going away, ever. So now, I ask you artists to rethink the future of this look and imagine one which is more akin to a cobbled together house with solar panels and a water pump out front as opposed to a green apartment complex in a retrofitted city. One of these is achievable in our lifetime and I know you know which one.

That’s all for today (tonight really) babes. This has been @punkofsunshine, have a good one and stay safe.

#solarpunk #lunarpunk

[witchlingofthecity]

Write your Witchcraft

The thing is, we change. We are not the same person we were five years ago. Hel, a lot of us are not even the same people we were last week. We change, and our beliefs, favourites, thoughts and the way we see ourselves changes with it. 

The same is true for our witchraft, religion and spiritual beliefs. This is why I have a list of question that I like to answer for myself every couple of years. I first started this when I came across a list of questions by Juniper from Walking the Hedge (site no longer in use) in 2008, yes, over ten years ago. Every few years I filled in the questions and looked back at the answers I gave before. Some never changed, some changed quite a lot. 

When our coven started a new lesson plan, I gave out the list of questions as well. We sealed our answers in envelopes and plan to fill them in again, once we finish our lessons. Then open the envelopes and look at the answers side by side. To see how we have changed. 

I looked at the list last week and found it actually lacking a bit. The questions were very deity- and spiritual based, so I was missing some more questions about my personality and witchcraft. So I decided to make my own list of questions! 

Since I wanted to make this more a weekly journaling/grimoire prompt for myself I put together 52 questions. These can be answered weekly (maybe every year) or you can work through the list in one go and repeat that every few years or so. 

Some notes on the wording: I consider myself both a witch and a pagan, but to keep it easier to read I only used wording like “witch” and “witchcraft”, they can however be substituted for “pagan”, “paganism” or even “my path”, should that fit you better. When I talk about “sacred space” this can both mean a ritual space like a temple or casting of a circle, but also just your home or outdoors witchy environment.

I’d love it if you would tag anything you feel comfortable with posting online with the tag #writeyourwitchcraft!

What draws me to witchcraft?

How do I see the divine?

What in witchcraft makes me happy?

Do I want to follow a path that has to do with a little nature, or a lot of nature?

What areas of witchcraft would I like to learn more about?

Where do my witchy talents lie?

What kind of deities, if any, do I want to honor?

How do I believe magic works?

Simple or elaborate spells/rituals? Why?

What are my views on cursing/hexing?

Do I want to practice something similar to my ancestors?

What are the basic morals and ethics I feel I should live by?

What in nature am I drawn to; the ocean, animals, the trees, etc?

Which (witchy) holidays, if any, would I like to celebrate and how?

How do I believe divination works?

Would I like to work with a group some of the time, all of the time or not at all?

Which aspects of witchcraft appeal to me most, which the least?

What do I believe happens to us when we die?

How do I see mythological creatures?

When do I feel most magical?

How much is witchcraft woven into my daily life; is this too much, too little or just enough?

What kind of witch do I feel I am?

Which texts/quotes best describe my current path?

Do I like research and gathering info, or do I like things handed to me?

Which things about witchcraft worry or scare me?

What is my favourite element?

How do I see gender (roles) in witchcraft?

Am I interested more in magic, or spirituality?

Do I like to be told how to do things, or would I rather figure it out on my own?

What rules, if any, do I live by when it comes to witchcraft and magic?

What do I gain from witchcraft and magic?

Formal or informal rituals/spells? Why?

What subject do I love to study?

What is my favourite type of magic; candle, sympathetic, sigils, etc?

What would my perfect witchy day be like?

Would I want to be dedicated/initiated?

Who do I honor (ex: deities, ancestors, myself, etc), and how do I, or would I like to, honor them?

How do I create a sacred/witchy space?

What do I believe is needed for a succesful spell/ritual?

Which cultures do I draw from in my witchcraft?

What is my learning style; books, websites, videos, more hands-on?

What, if anything, in my mundane life influences my witchcraft?

What are my hobbys, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

Where do my non-witchy talents lie, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

What would my dream witchy life look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What would my dream sacred space/witchy home look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What symbols correspond with me; runes, animals, flowers, gemstones, etc?

Am I an open and proud witch, or do I (need to) hide my craft?

What are my favourite witchy items/tools; divination tool, ritual tool, décor, clothing, etc?

What is holding me back in my craft?

What is my pre-spell/ritual routine?

What are my ultimate witchy goals and how can I work towards them?

[witchlingofthecity]

Transit Witchcraft

For your commutes, wherever you happen to be going.

~ Make a bus-catching charm, especially if you have trouble catching your bus on time. A locket would work well here, or a small charm you can leave in your bag.

~ Similar, but not exactly the same - a charm to encourage buses to come swiftly and on time. Useful if your bus is on the unreliable side.

~ Keep small spell bottles or other easy to transport things in your bag. Avoid cloth sachets unless you can keep them from spilling. They’re easy to assemble, but it blows to have to shake herbs or grit out of all your stuff.

~ Safety charms out the wazoo - use them on buses, trains, bikes, on foot, whatever. Devise something to guard you against creeps. (Don’t solely rely on these, of course. Keeping alert is always really important.)

~ Use a paper transfer or ticket as part of a spell. This would be a great surface for sigils. You could also tuck it under a candle, or roll it up and stick it in a little jar, or write your travel desires on it and burn it.

~ Tuck a written sigil into whatever pocket or sleeve you keep your bus card in.

~ Flat-out enchant your transit cards. A subtle idea is a sort of reminder spell, something that makes you remember to check how much fare is left on your card before you run out. 

~ Set up a “leave me alone” charm or glamour to help keep jerks from bothering you. Be careful about invisibility spells, though - you really don’t want the drivers of vehicles to not notice you when you’re crossing streets, for example.

~ Wear or carry stones known to protect travelers, like amethyst, chalcedony, or orange zircon.

~ If you have the same driver or operator every day and you find them cranky or tricky to deal with, sweeten them up with honey or sugar. Coffee shops and convenience stores often have little packets of these that you can swipe and keep with you.

~ Come up with a spell to make street lights go your way - try a silent chant if you’re in a vehicle, or try combining a chant with stamping your feet (at a crosswalk, perhaps) or walking. Getting your feet and your thoughts in rhythm can add extra oomph to your spell.

~ A nasty curse against someone would be something to fuck up their commutes.

~ Harness the power of the vehicle you’re in or on, its forward momentum, the oomph of its engines. This is based in the power of your concentration, especially if you have a lot of people around you, but you can add a lot of extra juice to your spell.

~ This is definitely biased toward public transit and walking, I know. I live in a city where it’s not a huge issue if you don’t have a car. There’s a ton of cool stuff you can do if you DO have a car - it’s a whole other environment that counts as your space!

#city witch #urban witch #urban witchcraft #spells

[witchlingofthecity]

Hi, I’m a witchling

Basically just an online collection of magickal knowledge I stumble upon as I start my journey into witchcraft. I’m taking a more secular route but the more information, the better. Tumblr has a ton of ideas for spells and making practice fun so I’ll be using tumblr as a point of inspiration and not as a one stop shop for all my research. I’m quite excited to get started! Hope the ride is mildly informative if not entertaining. 

#the jabberwocky #the jabberwocky talks #city witch #witchling #psychological model of magick #secular witchcraft

[witchlingofthecity]

y'all will circlejerk yourself to the mysticisms of faeries and elves in european countries for centuries and take it as fact but the second native americans ask you to respect our spirituality and culture suddenly you're all aetheists

#witchlr

[witchlingofthecity]

Moon Garden

A moon garden is a garden specifically designed to be enjoyed by the light of the moon at night. It is typically planted with flowers and plants that are at their best after the sun has set. Some have blooms that only open at night, some release their fragrance into the cool night air and others simply have lovely silver foliage and white flowers that glow softly in the moonlight. Plants that resonate with the energy of the moon are also welcome in a moon garden, although they usually meet the other criteria as well.

A moon garden is a wonderful idea for night owls, for people who work long hours during the day and only get to enjoy their gardens at night, and, of course, for moon-worshipers!

Design Elements

To fully enjoy your moon garden, you will want a comfortable bench or perhaps a wooden swing to rest on in the cool of the evening.

The sound of a waterfall trickling through your plantings will provide a soothing backdrop to your evening meditation.

Consider adding a few (but not too many) glow-in-the dark garden decor pieces to help you navigate your way through the garden in the darkness and also to add a bit of magical flare. Consider creating stepping stones with glow in the dark pebbles or solar mason jars along your path to light your way.

Suggested Plants

Please note that many of these plants are poisonous and some are invasive. It is up to you to decide whether and where to plant them and to manage them responsibly. Please read the individual plant’s page carefully and do further research from other sources before purchasing and planting any of these.

Flowers that Open at Night:

evening primrose, night blooming cereus, night phlox "Midnight Candy", moonflower, night blooming daylily "Moon Frolic" or “Toltec Sundail”, night blooming water lily, night gladiolus, Casablanca lily, Nottingham catchfly, Four O'Clock, Dragon Fruit, Dutchman’s pipe cactus, night-blooming jasmine, angel’s trumpet, Evening Stock, Nicotiana/flowering tobacco

Flowers that Smell Their Best at Night:

Night Phlox, Night Blooming Jasmine, Evening Stock, Four O'Clock, August Lily, Moonflower, Tuberose, Garden Heliotrope, Mock Orange, Honeysuckle

Plants that Look Great in the Moonlight:

yucca, lily of the valley, magnolia, dogwood, lamb’s ear, sage

Plants that resonate with lunar energy:

Alder, Evening Primrose, Lemon, Maple, marsh mallow, Monarda, Mugwort, Poppy, Rosemary, Water Lily,

#lunarpunk #garden #moon garden #la luna