goddesslilithchaos

[goddesslilithchaos]

Sharing so I can find it again. This is wonderful advice!

Tips for the Dark Half of the Year

Winter is coming quickly. A lot of people see this time of year as bleak, depressing, or just boring. Here are some tips to stay attuned to nature during these months.

❄️ Go outside. Even if it’s cold, the trees are bare, and the only colors are muted and dull. We often think that summer is the only time to enjoy the outdoors—the only time to hike, meditate outside, etc. In winter, there are no lush green trees or balmy days filled with sunshine and the smell of flowers. While summer is intoxicating, winter is a time to contemplate and reflect. Go outside. Feel the cold. Feel the mud and the dead grass and the chilly wind. Listen to how quiet it is. Understand that the dark half of the year is a time of silence, stillness, and death. It’s natural to have an aversion to these things, but take some time to sit down and just listen. Breathe. Feel the reality of silence and death around you. It’s a sobering experience, but also a very insightful one. If you have any fear of death or quiet, now is the time to go sit with those things as they appear in nature and just meditate with them.

❄️ Eat cozy foods. It’s cold outside—warm up with hearty soups, stews, homemade bread, and root veggies. Warm spices and hot drinks will keep you feeling grounded. This is a wonderful time of year to practice kitchen witchcraft—focus on coziness, family, protection, and rest.

❄️ Study magic! The Dark Half of the year is devoted to self-reflection, rest, and contemplation. Snuggle up indoors with a fluffy blanket and devote some time to studying magic and witchcraft with a hot cup of magically-brewed tea.

❄️ Think spirits are sleeping along with all the greenery? Think again! The Dark Half of the year, in many cultures and spiritual traditions, is considered extremely spiritually active. Deities like Odin, Berchta, Hekate, and spirits such as elves and ghosts are very active this time of year. You can choose to honor them if you want, or practice various spirit-working techniques. If you’re into necromancy or divination, this is a wonderful time of year for those things.

❄️ Be kind to local wildlife by installing things like bird feeders outside your home. We modern humans may have an easy time of it in winter, but animals struggle to survive during these months. Any bit of kindness will be much appreciated.

❄️ Nurture your fire energy. During winter, it’s easy to internalize the cold and take on its characteristics—sluggishness, sleepiness, a foggy-headed feeling. Some crystals that are great for winter include golden rutilated quartz (aka Venus hair), citrine, carnelian, obsidian, and garnet. All of these crystals contain a strong fire element as well as offer grounding qualities, mental clarity, and protection.

❄️ Go out and forage for magical ingredients! Melted snow is extremely purifying and can be incorporated into spells for purification and cleansing. Icicles can serve as temporary wands, especially in spells that require a strong water element. The ash from bonfires (or hearth fires) can be used to make black salt. Fallen branches can be crafted into wands. There may be nothing growing this time of year, but you can get creative and still find magical ingredients in unexpected places. Just be respectful and don’t collect from places where it’s illegal!

This is by no means a comprehensive list—these are just some ways I’ve celebrated the colder months. I hope they’re helpful in any way!

[goddesslilithchaos]

Guess what I'm doing?!?!

#byebyehair #shorthairdontcare #androgyne aesthetic

[goddesslilithchaos]

Pictures from the Ghost concert! They were amazing!!

#thebandghost #concertphotography #metalhead

[goddesslilithchaos]

Motionless in White and In This Moment concert was absolutely amazing!!!

#motionlessinwhite #miwarmy #inthismoment #concertphotography #metalhead

[goddesslilithchaos]

Sobriety

I dont normally share stuff like this but I'm coming up on 2 years sober this November and I still cant wrap my head around it. I never thought I'd get more then a day or two without using and now I have almost 2 years. There's not many things in my life that I'm proud of but I am so fucking proud if myself for this

#sobriety #soberliving #staying sober #2yearsclean #sober

[goddesslilithchaos]

[goddesslilithchaos]

One of my favorite shows ever!!!

Claire and Jamie

[goddesslilithchaos]

So beautiful ❤

‘Druid’s temple’ - George Hodan

[goddesslilithchaos]

Always a safe place 🖤❤🖤❤

reblog if your blog is safe for trans witches, non binary witches, bisexual witches, gay witches, pansexual witches, closet witches, mental ill witches and all type of witches 🔮🌿

[goddesslilithchaos]

Reblogging so I can find it later this is such good advice! 🌹

Things I've learned

Easy Kitchen remedies:

Eat fresh ginger if you’ve got an upset stomach

Drink peppermint tea or chew on peppermint leaves when you have a stomach ache

Hold cloves against your gums to numb a tooth ache

Boil parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme and drink them to reduce fever

After cleaning a wound, apply honey to help it heal and keep it from getting infected

Drink catnip and lemon balm tea to calm down after a stressful day

Take 5 grams a night of powdered valerian root to help you sleep and combat depression

Eat garlic to promote digestive health and prevent diarrhea

Dealing with Spirits:

Always leave an offering to house spirits and garden spirits

Only hang bells where you don’t want spirits entering (though there are a few do actually like bells, but they’ve been nothing but positive in my experience)

Clean from the east side of the house, westward

If a fairy ring grows in your garden, wait for the mushrooms to start dying before you pull them out

If you “lost” an heirloom, check your jewelry box, curio cabinet, or the favorite spot your deceased relative liked to keep said object, even if you don’t put it there ever. It may not really be lost.

Always answer the door on Halloween, but don’t let anyone in. (this goes for creepy people too, not just spirits)

Your pet is not crazy. When s/he flips out, reassure them, and be aware that you may not be able to see what they can.

Believe in your own Abilities:

Don’t buy in to the power of persuasion. You may not notice anything supernatural, because there may not be anything supernatural going on.

If you think something happened because you cast a spell, even if you can’t “prove” it, then it happened *at least in part* because you cast a spell. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Sometimes, the only effect a spell has, is to give us enough confidence to deal with whatever it is we were asking for help with. That’s a success in my book, and it should be in yours too.

If you’ve got a bad feeling about something, then don’t do it.

[goddesslilithchaos]

🖤🌹💀👻

#movie quotes

[goddesslilithchaos]

Good advice 🖤

[goddesslilithchaos]

Finally started watching Mindhunter and its amazing!

#mindhunter #netflix #serialkillers #crimes

[goddesslilithchaos]

More exploring pictures!

#adventure #cemetery #pennsylvaniawilds

[goddesslilithchaos]

Went exploring to an old cemetery with my babe and my friend. It was so beautiful 🖤🌹

#cemetery #adventure #photography #darkandlovely #pennsylvaniawilds

[goddesslilithchaos]

🐍 🐍🐍

[goddesslilithchaos]

How I'm feeling especially today 🖤

#motionlessinwhite #miw #disguise #holdingontosmoke #musictosavemysanity