alyssumflowersgarden

[alyssumflowersgarden]

RAT OWNERS,

What’s in your on-hand rat first aid kit? 🩹⛑

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Here's something nobody asked for: an extensive list of my favorite Witchcraft resources that I use to fill out my Book of Shadows! If anyone is looking for good quality (non-bigoted) resources, I hope this can help!

#i haven't read all of these #BUT #there's a couple of good ones in there i do recognize #so yeah

[alyssumflowersgarden]

I still prefer humid heat. I live in the swamp. I hate the desert. That place nearly killed me. The desert bleaches skulls and wears them down until they crack and crumble into dust. The swamp will gross moss and mold on my corpse and grow something green and new.

summer is coming up lads..

[alyssumflowersgarden]

* Golden Dawn

it's pulled from the Golden Dawn (via Crowley, from the letters between him and Gardner). I'm not sure whether it necessarily has as much in common with stuff like Thelema, which is what's more like Crowley's only.

Just a minor correction.

adding on further my opinion/ things to watch for/ etc re: Wicca under the cut because idk how to stfu

garlicthevampire, if you look at the Wikipedia articles on both Wicca and Golden Dawn, you'll see what their tenets are and what to watch out for because they've influenced the majority of the modern witchcraft and paganism movement(s) in the West. like, Llewyn has a lot to do with that yes, but I don't think they're the only reason?

Anyway, both GD and Wicca love the concepts of Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine, and the dichotomy thereof. Which in of itself is not necessarily bad or terrible. Those concepts/ archetypes can be useful. but those systems leave no room for anything which lies outside that dichotomy, for anything that just is None Of The Above.

Grey also mentioned all the appropriation: GD more than Wicca uses Kabbalism which is a closed practice; it's Jewish.

Wicca's Wheel of the Year really works well for many modern pagans by splitting up the Gregorian (modern) calendar pretry evenly. But it pulls from a combination of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic holidays. (and "Celtic" is such an umbrella term like paganism: there's Irish and Scottish and Welsh and so many other cultures that fall under that umbrella which are vastly different.)

Appropriation is not good because it causes harm to the marginalized communities that stuff is appropriated from so that's why they don't want you to do it.

But aside from that, I wouldn't say there is such a thing as a system or religion being Bad tm. Wanting to make sure you Do It Right Tm is your cultural Christianity rearing its ugly head. Breathe. Don't let the puritanical panic get to you, newbie.

hi! i'm a new witch and don't know much, i hi! Im a new witch and i was gonna research wicca but now im having second thoughts, could you elaborate on why you don't like it or why people should avoid it? i'm genuinely curious, i don't want my practice to accidentally involve somthing bad

Well it depends on the approach. Wicca as a spiritual or religious practice is (mostly) harmless. From this perspective the worst aspect of it is the cultural appropriation. But I would say that all of it is bad. It just contains some unnatural religious syncretism.

That said, as a tradition or practice of witchcraft it is simply put wholly ineffective and downright harmful. As a occult practice, it is pretty much a 1:1 duplication of Crowley- who was not only a piece of shit, but was also batshit. As an occult practice, it relies nearly entirely on correspondences and visualization. Like Crowley’s work, it contains just enough stuff that sounds and feels right (appropriated) that it seems like it could work- but it’s a mashing of metaphysics and magical ideas without any of the important contexts that made the ideas functional. Like Reiki and The Law of Attraction, it’s basically just make believe. I am writing an article about this where I’ll go more in depth and provide sources but I have no timeline for its completion. Maybe this summer.

I wouldnt say Wicca is bad. It’s just ineffective. Magically speaking the worst thing is that publishers like Llewelyn have made Wiccan magic so prominent that finding other practices becomes difficult.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

“We were supposed to die together, you promised.”

[alyssumflowersgarden]

I did 7 total readings today at the shop

almost all in twos

well, 7 people

more like 10 actual readings when you count like people who got two shuffles and readings in the same time they were there if there was time and sometimes when there wasn't. smh.

I am ,,,,,,,,, exhausted

as fuck

#professional reader problems #tarot readings #psychic readings #etc are way more exhausting than you'd think #please tip your readers well regardless of the price #please be considerate of your reader's time regardless of what they say #like i mean if they say oh no it's fine #because even if they really mean it and genuinely think it's fine when they say it #it's still exhausting #those minutes add up #so fast

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Not everything the Christians do is stolen from some anonymous pagan culture. I'm sorry y'all but the Christians did actually come up with a bunch of shit on their own.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Not everything the Christians do is stolen from some anonymous pagan culture. I'm sorry y'all but the Christians did actually come up with a bunch of shit on their own.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Easter is called that language's version of Passover (example: Pesach, etc) everywhere else but in English. It was Victorians wanting to further distance themselves from Jews (because of the antisemitism) that they came up with stuff like oh, it's for the pagan goddess Eostre etc (which we have a SINGLE source for Eostre btw).

Also, give ancestors a little credit. Sometimes they willingly converted to Christianity but mixed and merged and made up traditions as they went. Don't you do that too?

Sort of unrelated/ only semi-related, but I just had a conversation the other day about how the majority of the traditions here in New Orleans are actually because someone made some shit up.

But anyways. None of our ancestors would have called themselves pagan. It was never anywhere near as organized as Christianity.

Crossing my fingers hoping someday we'll let go of these friggin useless myths, ugh.

Not everything the Christians do is stolen from some anonymous pagan culture. I'm sorry y'all but the Christians did actually come up with a bunch of shit on their own.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Yeah, I've never used Tarot to communicate with other entities. I just talk to those directly.

When I do readings, it's just a tool for my intuition. A pen is a fantastic analogy. But yes, it can be draining.

That cup is easily refilled though, I find. Just gotta rest a bit, have a snack. If you practice it enough, it becomes easier. It still takes energy, but I rarely have to do too many back to back anyway, so the rest in between is usually enough.

It's very much like exercising, push-ups, walking long distances, etc.

Personally, I'm always teaching people basics about tarot. I think it's a wonderful tool that anyone and everyone can/ should use. I mean to each his own obviously, but like if someone wants to, yeah go for it!

Even if you're not witchy or using it for magic, it's great for understanding yourself and your own internal world and journey and giving perspective of what's going on with you, etc.

Lots of really good wisdom in there: like how everything is cycles and life moves on, the bad things won't stay forever, face your fears and illusions, there's always a seed of good in every catastrophe, etc.

I have a question about tarot. We see a lot of people doing tarot readings online nowadays,it's kind of "trendy". sometimes they just buy the cards and start doing already

Is this something truly anyone can do? Doesn't a person need some kind of extra sensitivity or something to be able to do divination?

Also don't the answers from tarot come from a spirit ? Because then, I think depending of the person the spirit might just not answer anything or the person isn't able to connect with any spirit. So I feel like a lot of times in end aren't they just getting the cards by luck and not having any actual meaning?

Hi!

Yeah, anyone can read tarot. Hypothetically.

Like hypothetically, anyone can make music. Some people in the world may be so tone deaf or poorly disposed towards these pursuits that they'll never be able to play a song, or at least not able to do so without a level of work that makes the entire process untenable.

I believe that while some people may be born with a predisposition towards spiritual pursuits, "sensitivity" is something people develop like a muscle.

When I started reading tarot I wasn't "sensitive" in the slightest and it took me a long time to get the hang of it. Like, years of practice! I still get salty when a beginner picks up a tarot deck and they can do after a few weeks what it took me six years to achieve.

The discussion of where tarot answers come from is a fascinating one, and I think anyone who wants to get into tarot seriously should contemplate it.

The answer I've come up with is that no, not all input for tarot readings comes from a spirit. I believe that humans are spiritually powerful and do not need spirits to do everything for them. A human has the power to link a tarot deck directly to a situation, or directly to another person, and channel those answers directly.*

Tarot is a tool, like a pen. Whether or not someone is channeling words directly from the spirits, or having a lovely time doing a doodle, is none of my concern. I think it's nice that people are having fun with tarot and enjoying themselves, and it's no concern of mine if all of them are verified mystics.

*(P.s., this is why tarot can be so fatiguing; if you don't petition spirits or helpers to assist you during readings, and if you don't take any other steps to facilitate psychic connection, you may be spending a lot of energy to 'brute force' a connection with the subject and exhausting yourself. This is why reading for yourself and your inner world might be easy, but reading accurately for others who are at a different location can be exhausting. Try exploring sorcerous branches of witchcraft which can deliver magical solutions to mitigate this problem.)

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Okay, so. I did a bunch of coupons and discounts and flash sales mentioned here (fundraiser), here (Magic 8 Ball), and here (Hungry).

So here it is a bit clearer/ easier to read so you don't have to math, etc:

1-rune reading = $3

1-card reading = $5

3-card reading = $10

except if you contact me between 8:00 am CST and 8:59 am CST

-OR- between 8:00 pm CST and 8:59 pm CST,

then a 3-card reading = $8

On longer readings (both runes and cards) will start at $10 through the end of April 2024.

So for some examples:

20 minute reading = $10

30 minute reading= $20

1 hour long reading= $50

I have Ko-Fi and PayPal but tbh Venmo is preferred (gets to me fastest). I think I also have Cashapp now as well. Feel free to contact me on Tumblr via ask or DM, or on Discord @alyssumflowers

Officially doing readings professionally 🎉

My practice is very intuitive, more of a conversation with my divination tool(s). They tell me how many I need to lay out and in what order. Rather than charging per card/ rune, I'm going to charge for how in-depth you want to get with the reading.

Rune readings start at $15 - which includes a minimum drawing of three runes for a 10-15 minute reading

Card readings start at $25 - which includes a 20-25 minute reading

Longer readings will cost approximately an additional $1 per minute. For example, one main question maybe with an additional clarifying question will usually only take about 20 minutes. Two or three clarifying questions will start to bring it up to 30 minutes (which would cost $30-35). (Further examples of my work will be available on this Tumblr blog.)

The time includes not only shuffling and laying out the cards or runes, but also typing up my interpretation. I include a picture of the spread, identify the cards/ runes, and explain traditional meanings before diving into the "vibe" I got/ my interpretation.

Ask me your question(s) and I'll let you know how long it'll take. You can contact me via this Tumblr blog or Discord (@alyssumflowers). This initial consultation regarding price/ timing is, of course, free. When we come to an agreement, you can send payment through Venmo or as a Ko-Fi donation. Please remind me with a note who you are, the agreed-upon time and amount. Then I will do the reading for you.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

I'm Hungry Flash Sale

Starving, not sure how I'm gonna afford gas until I get paid next Friday. I did several readings in the shop tonight and I will get paid from working at the museum, but none of that comes through until next Friday.

So I'm doing $3 for one-rune readings, $5 for one-card readings, $10 for three-card readings.

must be requested and paid before midnight Central Standard Time. I will get to them immediately when I see them: first come, first serve.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

also extended through April 5th, 2024.

Magic 8 Ball Hour

1-3 card (or 1 rune) quickie readings for $8 if you send me a message or ask (either here or on Discord) with your question between 8:00 am CST and 8:59 am CST

-OR- between 8:00 pm CST and 8:59 pm CST

good for the rest of the month of March 2024

and after that only on the 8th and 16th of every month

I likely won't get to the reading immediately, especially on the weekends when I work, but I will get to them within 24 hours.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

Extending the coupon/ discount for longer readings through to the end of the month of April 2024.

We have a ko-fi page now yay! https://ko-fi.com/alyssumflowersgarden

I made a post here previously that I'm doing professional readings (Tarot, oracle cards, runes) and the pricing. However, I just found out we need way more money to pay the bills and keep the lights etc on. like, $6k-10k. Yikes! So we're doing a fundraiser and using my Ko-Fi for it.

First, I want to explain the goodies you'll get for donating and then I'll put the sob story of why we need the fundraiser under the cut.

Coupon for the fundraiser: everyone gets $15 off card readings and $5 off rune readings! (only available Tues, Feb 27 through Sun, Mar 10)

Mom is also making things for those who donate. She has years of experience crafting, including book-binding.

$5-20 donation receives a handmade bookmark

$20+ donation receives a handmade journal

$50+ donation means you get upgrades to the journal: bigger, customized - send me a direct message either here or on Discord ( @alyssumflowers ) and we'll discuss what you want customized.

Please mention in a note whether you want a fundraiser item or a reading. You can meet the tier requirements in multiple separate transactions. Please don't ask for multiple items unless you donate $100 or more. Thank you!

Now for the sob story.... I hate asking for help, tbh.

My mom bought this house literally five days before Hurricane Ida hit. Yeah, we live in the New Orleans area. The damage to the house was extensive. She's been fighting with the insurance company for the past few years since because they refused to respond in a timely manner and kept trying to argue that water coming in from the roof was flood damage etc. When they finally settled, it was for less than 1/3 of what they should have paid out.

In the meantime, everything we own has been in storage units. She's never gotten a chance to properly live in the house. I recently had to move back home in June/July of 2023 to get away from an abusive ex on the other side of the country. We live in a FEMA trailer on the property.

My mom and I are both disabled. She's got all sorts of chronic pain issues that got her onto disability, food stamps, Medicare. I have ADHD and c-PTSD so I'm just on Medicaid and working part-time while I go to school for ASL interpreting.

If it helps and you haven't already noticed from elsewhere in my posts, we're both queer. Mom is also a big part of the local BDSM community. I'm a pagan/heathen witch.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

I'm gonna extend this through to the end of the week (Friday, April 5th, 2024). May take me a little longer to get to them if I'm sleeping or when I have stuff going work (like on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday), or the doctor's appointment on Monday (actually my gf's but I'm there for emotional support), but I'll get to them as quickly as I can.

I can also still do longer readings at my regular rate, and there's still that coupon/ discount I did for the fundraiser that I'll extend through the end of this month.

I'm Hungry Flash Sale

Starving, not sure how I'm gonna afford gas until I get paid next Friday. I did several readings in the shop tonight and I will get paid from working at the museum, but none of that comes through until next Friday.

So I'm doing $3 for one-rune readings, $5 for one-card readings, $10 for three-card readings.

must be requested and paid before midnight Central Standard Time. I will get to them immediately when I see them: first come, first serve.

[alyssumflowersgarden]

I'm Hungry Flash Sale

Starving, not sure how I'm gonna afford gas until I get paid next Friday. I did several readings in the shop tonight and I will get paid from working at the museum, but none of that comes through until next Friday.

So I'm doing $3 for one-rune readings, $5 for one-card readings, $10 for three-card readings.

must be requested and paid before midnight Central Standard Time. I will get to them immediately when I see them: first come, first serve.

#tarot reading #tarot cards #tarot witch #tarotblr #tarotcommunity #tarot related #oracle witch #oracle cards #oracle reading #oracle deck #oracle #tarot deck #tarot #paid readings #intuitive readings #psychic readings #tarot readings #readings #reading #nordic runes #norse runes #runes #rune reading #rune readings #send help #pls help #please help #help #buy me a kofi #ko fi support

[alyssumflowersgarden]

PSA - Will It Summon Demons?

Things That Are Not Likely To Summon Demons And Spirits Into Your Home:

Practicing a pagan religion

Practicing no religion

Skipping religious services

Disobeying your parents

Disobeying oppressive religious rules

Reading books about other religions

Reading books about witchcraft

Casting most types of spells, including hexes

Practicing divination

Reading tarot cards

Owning crystals

Having deity statues

Maintaining an altar

Adopting a black cat

Owning or wearing a pentacle or other pagan symbol

Playing with Ouija or other talking boards

Putting up fantasy or non-Christian artwork

Celebrating pagan holidays

Celebrating Halloween

Watching scary movies and TV shows

Reading horror novels

Playing tabletop RPGs

Playing LARP games

Playing video games

Reading fantasy books

Reading comics and graphic novels

Listening to heavy metal music

Dyeing your hair

Dancing

Swearing

Drinking

Dressing however you please

Having tattoos and piercings

Engaging in premarital sex

Being queer

Being trans

Participating in activism for progressive social causes

Things That Might Summon Demons And Spirits Into Your Home:

Literally summoning demons and spirits into your home

This has been a Public Service Announcement.