Thanks to everyone who attended the Witches’ March for Body Sovereignty last weekend. We formed some new connections, and stepped out of our despair into a place of action!
The most common question I receive is from witches who are trying to figure out how to form or join a circle or coven. Many don’t feel knowledgeable enough to get started, but long for a group for rituals and study. I’m offering a summer, outdoor workshop to help. Please see more information on the Events page. Thanks for stopping by.
I’m excited to share a collaboration with you. Three of us are coordinating the event listed below. If you’d like to learn more, or might be interested in presenting, volunteering, or just being on the conference mailing list, please take the survey. We will keep your information private. –Talasyn
I’m part of a small group that is organizing a Death Conference for Celtic polytheists to be held on Zoom in Fall, 2021. Our plan is to create an inclusive event for members of the community to learn about and share information on preparing for a good death, both practically and spiritually. Please CLICK HERE to take our surveyto share your input, and to register your interest. We are building a mailing list, and are seeking to hear from people interested in attending, presenting or volunteering at this not-for-profit conference. This conference is brought to you by Corvin (Portland, Oregon), Talasyn (Portland, Oregon), and Laurel (Kingston, Ontario).
(photo of Belas Knap Long Barrow, Gloucestershire, UK, taken by Talasyn, 2016)
In a recent conversation on my Celtic Polytheist Discord server, WitchSpiral PNW, one of our members asked for some advice about forming a relationship with a deity. This is a wonderful question. Here are a few preliminary ideas to get you started:
Begin by reading some of the lore / stories about the deity you are trying to get to know. Some people like to read everything in sight, but I think it’s valuable to start with a few of the stories.
Work those stories. Think about them, and their associations. Notice who else is involved, and what happens. Consider the layers of meaning. Now, do some quiet meditative time when you won’t be interrupted, and imagine the story unfolding. Enter the tale, and walk around inside it as an observer. What can you learn from this vantage point?
Establish a simple devotional practice. If the tales give you specific cues, try to bring your offerings in line with those cues. For example, Brighid might appreciate an altar with a candle dedicated to her, and engraved with her name, or anointed with an oil in her honor. She might like the presence of a tool of some craft you practice, whether it’s woodworking, working with plants (a garden trowel?), or a wooden spoon from your cooking or baking. Make her some delicious food, and serve it on a small plate, or pour a simple offering into a glass on your altar. Sing to her, or hum a tune. Recite a poem that is about her, and even better if it’s one you wrote yourself in her honor. It doesn’t have to be professional quality. If you play an instrument, play a bit of music for her, even if it isn’t perfectly performance-ready.
Listen. It’s easy to overlook this practice when making offerings and doing things. Be still, go into a meditative (or better yet, a trance) state, and listen quietly. Do this often.
Be reliable. Think of what you want and expect in a new relationship with a friend. Show her hospitality, and follow through. It’s better to make a weekly time, or a weekly offering, and be consistent about it, than to be very sporadic. Show that you are reliable, are interested, are listening, and will continue to do so.
Another practice that I use is both simple and profound: Select a scarf that you associate with the deity. Choose a color and texture that feels right. Wear this scarf when you are making your offerings, and when you are interacting with the deity. This becomes a small ritual on its own over time, and builds up a potent charge.
I hope you are all well and enjoying the arrival of fall.
CauldronFire Witchcraft 