boggywitch

[boggywitch]

Hera's Asterion Flower

While describing the river Asterion in the Argolid Pausanias states:

On its banks grows a plant, which also is called asterion. They offer the plant itself to Hera, and from its leaves weave her garlands.

This asterion plant is identified through the botanist Dioscurides' work as Silene linifolia, or the Campion. It can be a weed or invasive species, and some species can be used medicinally (do your research first before attempting).

The species White Campion is nicknamed the Bull Rattle or Cow Rattle, likely due to its shape and its preferred habitat.

🌸

Sources:

Silene Wikipedia

Pausanias 2.17.2

Gardenia Creative Gardens

Charles Singer, "The Herbal in Antiquity and Its Transmission to Later Ages", The Journal of Hellenic Studies 47.1 (1927):1–52)

[boggywitch]

Artwork by Joonki Min :)

Hera🦚💐👑💍

Queen of Olympus, Goddess of Marriage, childbirth,women, the sky, & the stars of the heavens

🦚 Invocation:

Glorious Hera, fair one, noble one, beautiful Hera with eyes as deep and full as any well, as bright as distant stars, as clear as cloudless sky, I praise you. Peerless Hera, queen of high Olympus, chosen bride of thundering Zeus, only you could match his might, his wit, his every step. Dear Hera, guardian of marriage, of love between partners, of constancy, of faith and of faithfulness, your blessings you give to those who hold together against the world; who build together a family, a haven, a life; who grow together into a fond old age, ever ardent, ever devoted. Shining Hera, sublime goddess, I honor you.

🦚 Offerings:

Libations: pure water & milk

Honey

Chocolate

Breads, grains, homemade sweets

Fruits

Pomegranates & pomegranate seeds

Flowers: lilies, poppies, irises, white roses, and waterlilies

White flower arrangements

Peacock paintings,statues, or peacock patterns

Peacock feathers

Peacock jewelry

Cow paintings, statues, or cow prints/pictures

Cow jewelry

Cuckoo bird art or statues

Cuckoo clocks

Incense: rose, iris, myrrh, civet, jasmine, & patchouli

White, royal blue, purple, dark green, grey, & silver candles

Crowns

Throne imagery

Framed family pictures

Stones: pearls, garnets, citrine, amber, diamonds, & star sapphires

Perfumes

Silver/gold jewelry

White or gold rose petals

Golden roses

Art youve created for her

Poems/hymns/letters

Crafts youve made

Stories youve written

Pictures of you and your S.O. And/or children

🦚 21+ Offerings:

Wine

🦚 Devotional acts:

Housework

Help others

Reminisce with old pictures

Set aside time in schedule for your S.O., children, family etc

Turn your bathroom into a spa

Take a long bath with bubbles, soaks, music, candles, wine, etc.

Take care of your mental health

Pray to her & talk about life, crushes, romantic partners, past relationships, etc etc

surprise your S.O. with breakfast in bed, a movie, a massage, booking a romantic retreat, etc

Honor Zeus, her husband

Honor her siblings: Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, & Hestia

Honor her children: Ares, Hephaestus, Eris, Enyo, & Hebe

Support single mothers

Support people with neglectful or absent mothers

Donate and support domestic abuse victims

Donate a dress to organizations like Bridges for a Cause, or brides against breast cancer or donate to help fund someone’s wedding/wedding dress

Donate and support charities that aid in ending child hunger

🦚 Digital Devotions:

Make an E-Shrine

Make a mood board

Make a playlist

Write blogs on relationship and/or wedding advice

🦚 Altar/shrine ideas:

A sacred space to Hera should incorporate royal imagery & colors like a purple cloth & crowns, as well as statues, pictures, or art of her sacred animals(peacocks, cows, cuckoos, etc), peacock or cow prints, peacock feathers; white, royal blue, or purple candles; white flowers, statues or pictures of her, pictures of you & your S.O, children, or family, etc

[boggywitch]

Queen Hera —

Goddess of the Heavens and Queen of the Pantheon

"I sing of golden-throned Hera whom Rhea bare. Queen of the Immortals is she, surpassing all in beauty: she is the sister and wife of loud-thundering Zeus,--the glorious one whom all the blessed throughout high Olympos reverence and honour even as Zeus who delights in thunder." — Homeric Hymn 12 to Hera (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th to 4th B.C.)

[boggywitch]

The Evolution of Hera with the Modern Concept of Marriage

More me being a pagan than anything fandom, but I thought of it while reading pjo fanfic on ao3, so

Hera is the goddess/personification of marriage, right? Right. And in ancient Greece, I can see why her personification was a tempermental woman who punished the women her husband cheated with instead of punishing him directly (aside from the gods just generally going after each others' heroes, devotees, properties, etc, I digress), because that was MARRIAGE IN ANCIENT GREECE. Women didn't get much choice, had to work around limited autonomy, and it was literally part of the culture (look up pederasty in ancient Greece) that if husbands took an apprentice they were likely to boink said apprentice.

So, ancient Greek Hera, ancient Greek dissatisfaction and lotsa yikes.

But modern marriage?

Where a woman can refuse a proposal because she says so? Where people can leave their partner when they cheat? When more and more people (relatively) are getting married because they Want To and just as likely out of love as necessity (because tax breaks)? Where married couples can have a live-in third partner or participate in swinger culture? Where [insert any number of examples here]?

Hasn't Hera changed with her aspect?

Hera, goddess of marriage. Meaning all marriage. Happy marriages, tough marriages, short marriages and life-long commitments. Hera? She's all of it.

So, while she definitely has jealous moments, can we do away with the seething bitch motif? Because marriage isn't strictly a binding shackle that people only agree to for necessity and social niceties anymore. There are people that never get married, that live in years-long engagements, so on and so forth. Hera was the Greek goddess of marriage, so yeah, she represented ancient Greek marriage. But nowadays? Hellenic pantheon is worshipped all over the place, including cultures where marriage is becoming (has become) a much happier concept.

And I have written marriage so many times now that it ceases to be a word, but yeah. Hera. Not a bad gal, if we follow this interpretation. 'Cause I don't know about y'all, but my cousin married her girlfriend quite happily a few years ago, and they are still the sappiest pair of lovesick fools I know.

I feel like Hera would like that kinda marriage.

[boggywitch]

lmao ive never gotten into deity work bc im not super religious and im also terrified of misidentifying a god and then insulting them.

but ive had some dreams and kinda been curious lately

and my friend is visiting who is far more familiar with deity work and i got some new decks and was playing around with them and she worked out that Hera is actively reaching out to me (and not subtle about it either!) and we connected a loooot of dots

anyway now i have to figure out how tf to do deity worship, and for one of the theeee most intimidating deities at that

[boggywitch]

also both of them commented to me that they had seen me in their dreams and confirmed details of conversations i had with them so. i didnt even think it was anything besides me being delusional, turns out i created an energetic tie that was very difficult to remove lol

dont make dream bonds with people. i was a very stupid baby witch and would dream travel to visit 2 of my exes (the first, only after we had broken up, the second while we were dating but long distance). i did not use proper wards or protections for myself. i was just so desperate to feel connection with them that i poured an excessive amount of energy into their dreams. ive been trying to figure out for the longest time why these relationships particularly have been the hardest to heal from, and why i still think of both of them constantly despite being no contact and having moved on mentally.

i'm only now realizing the very deep and powerful connection i did end up creating with them by entering their dreams. i'm probably going to need to do cord cuttings and banishment spells for both of them. the worst part is that i know they were not as emotionally invested in me, so these lingering ties are simply draining me of energy.

[boggywitch]

dont make dream bonds with people. i was a very stupid baby witch and would dream travel to visit 2 of my exes (the first, only after we had broken up, the second while we were dating but long distance). i did not use proper wards or protections for myself. i was just so desperate to feel connection with them that i poured an excessive amount of energy into their dreams. ive been trying to figure out for the longest time why these relationships particularly have been the hardest to heal from, and why i still think of both of them constantly despite being no contact and having moved on mentally.

i'm only now realizing the very deep and powerful connection i did end up creating with them by entering their dreams. i'm probably going to need to do cord cuttings and banishment spells for both of them. the worst part is that i know they were not as emotionally invested in me, so these lingering ties are simply draining me of energy.

#witchcraft #astral projection #dream traveling #baby witch

[boggywitch]

Hi! I've just started working with Flidais, but sadly there isn't a lot of information on her. Do you have any correspondences (scents, foods, etc) for her?

Hello! That’s a common problem folks run into, largely because there’s so little source material about Herself. I can’t give you correspondences that are hard and fast, but my own UPG (and possibly SPG considering I have friends who’ve come to these conclusions independently) are that fruit flavored teas are generally well-received (especially red fruits). I’ve also done projects involving re-use of urban spaces that I dedicated to her. I very much experience her as a deity of liminality and that just feels appropriate.

Sustainability projects and gardening, helping the houseless, and caring for those on the fringes of society also feel appropriate and in line with her liminality and ability to milk her “cattle,” providing for those who needed her help. The swamps around the city I’m from especially feel like her domain, so I lie to leave offerings out there when I can and when it’s appropriate.

I hope that helps!

[boggywitch]

Edible/Herbal Rain Garden Species for the Northeast

A rain garden, typically planted in a depression at the bottom of a slope, prevents flooding and soil erosion by using mother nature to absorb extra water and hold the soil in place. Here are my picks for a northeast rain garden:

Native plants for wet soils and sunny areas:

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata): Provides butterfly habitat. Young pods are edible and taste like sweet pepper.

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum): Smells incredible and great for cooking.

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma): To attract pollinators, and has medicinal properties.

Native shrubs for wet soils and sunny areas:

High bush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum): Good Thanksgiving harvest.

American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis): Berries/flowers have medicinal qualities.

Native plants for dry-moderate soil:

Echinacea (echinacea purpurea): Flowers and leaves have medicinal qualities.

Joe Pye Weed (asclepias tuberosa): Provides butterfly habitats.

Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina): Smells great, has medicinal properties.

Native shrubs for dry-moderate soil:

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima): Fruits are delicious

Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana): rose hips make great jam and sauce

[boggywitch]

WELP, St Patrick’s day is the day for it; the Irish Ogham oracle deck is headed to the printer ♣:･ﾟ☆✧ (preorders now open in my Etsy store; link in my bio)

Those trees were something else and took me in unexpected but wonderful directions… especially upwards…

In typically Irish fashion, there are two legendary accounts of the Ogham’s creation, one pagan and one Christian:

In the former, the alphabet was created by Ogma, a deity associated with eloquence and poetry. In the latter, king Fénius Farsaid traveled to the Tower of Babel, seeking to form a perfect language by drawing the best out of the many tongues found there. That language was Gaelic.

In keeping with the Ogham’s associations with roots and the power of language, I decided that my trees’ first message was to listen, then to seek guidance through the beauty of ancient words.

There are no ancient records of divination methods with the Ogham, so I left each Ogham letter- the feda- largely free to speak for itself. The deck may be used like a set of Ogham staves. However I created it as an inspirational oracle, a tribute to whispering trees, the god of poetry and weavers of words. 

The front of each card features a feda, its corresponding tree and a mineral mined in Irish soil.

The reverse side holds the feda’s name, its Bríatharogam- A two-word description and evocation of the feda from the Book of Ogams (In Lebor Ogaim)- and a passage from Irish poetry, ranging from the 8th to the 19th century, echoing the feda’s own symbolism and meaning.

Happy tree climbing! ♣:･ﾟ☆✧

I’m going to have a beer now

[boggywitch]

Irish Ogham series- ✧・ﾟ: Over the halfway mark :･ﾟ☆✧  with the eleventh feda/letter, Muin, ‘neck/back’ or ‘wile’ associated with vine, paired with fluorite Halfway-through does mean there is a full Ogham deck coming soon (it’s going to feature beautiful words too)…

[boggywitch]

Sometimes I forget Lughnasadh is a funerary festival as much as a harvest holiday; a memorial for Lugh’s foster-mother Tailtiu, whose dying efforts made it possible to cultivate the richest farmland in Éire; a holiday to remember that sacrifice gives way to great abundance. It is so easy to chalk Lughnasadh up to bread and apples. But sometimes, when I step outside, I can smell the distant autumn in the morning breeze – an ever-so-slight shift in the taste of the air, the smell of it, in the instants before the summer heat comes rushing over the plains like a wave – and I know the time of reaping is a time of death as much as abundance. Lughnsadh prepares the deathbed; the Equinox is the passing of the sun into darkness; Samhain mourns and memorializes. Lughnasadh reminds us that while it is still summer, it will soon come to an end, and it reminds us to prepare for what is ahead.

Summer never seems like it will last forever, but winter always does.

[boggywitch]

i wrote a witchy home magick book to pay my medical debt

i am a green witch that pays for my medical bills by writing and illustrating little witchcraft books! this is my second book, called cottagecraft; it is a lovingly curated book of original spells, recipes, and herbal wisdom to make your home a cozy, welcoming and positive environment. it has 24 pages, every single one with illustrations, with a little section in the back to write down notes and scribbles.

i recently had an ovarian cyst surgery that debilitated me for three weeks, putting me out of work; i spent my recovery time doing all these illustrations.

here is the listing for the book on my etsy shop - the book is $11 with free US shipping and $2 worldwide shipping. if you are able, purchasing my book will help me work through the surgery bills! thank you all so much. xoxo

[boggywitch]

Historically Sacred Items/Offerings to each of the Ouranic Theoi! I made this for my Hellenic polytheism group on discord, so I thought I’d share this information with all of you as well.

All information has been taken from theoi.com as well as various historical books on the gods, and I have decided to make this powerpoint so that other people don’t have to sift through all the pdfs and books themselves.

Make sure to click each image to get a fullview! Ευχαριστώ!

[boggywitch]

Historically accurate offerings to the Theoi, but this time it’s the Chthonic edition! These three were the only deities that had information substantial enough to make a slide on. All information is taken from the stories and tales of them on theoi.com. 

Make sure to click each image to get a fullview! Ευχαριστώ!

[boggywitch]

I just found this on facebook and.   holy shit.

[boggywitch]

Honey Lemon Upside-Down Cake

A fresh, not-too-sweet citrus dessert for Beltane.

Ingredients

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 thin-skinned lemons, sliced paper-thin crosswise, seeds discarded

Zest of a third lemon

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, separated

¾ cup buttermilk

Methods

Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a 9-inch nonstick cake pan over moderate heat. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter and when it is melted, stir in the brown sugar until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Arrange the lemon slices in the melted brown sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter with the honey until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and the egg yolks, one at a time. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk.

In a stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites at high speed until firm peaks form. Fold one-third of the beaten whites into the batter, then fold in the rest. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Lemon: love, purification, longevity

Honey: love, happiness, prosperity, beauty