Blossomingsouthernwitch - What You Believe Is Meant To Happen Will Happen

Actually, your deities do care about you. Even at the base level of a deity relationship, it still takes a lot of care for someone to help you grow as a person or improve your life. It takes an immense amount of care to listen to someone who cries for your help, to hear about their struggles, to reach out a compassionate hand. It takes a considerable amount of care to check in on someone often, sending little reminders of your presence throughout their day. It takes a noteworthy amount of care for someone to give when they do not receive, for them to extend their kindness even when they aren't getting something out of it. It takes a remarkable amount of care to express pride in how much someone has grown and celebrate even their littlest victories. It takes a massive amount of care to sit by someone's side as they cry and whisper words of comfort and encouragement that they may never actually hear. Supporting someone who may not even know that you're there - that takes a lot of fucking care.

So, yes, your deities do care about you. They do care, whether you're aware of it or not, and they will continue to care.

𝕬 𝕲𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝕾𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖐

Shadow Work is a psychological and spiritual practice that involves exploring the unconscious or hidden parts of oneself, often referred to as the “shadow.” This concept, popularized by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, refers to the aspects of our personality that we reject, deny, or are unaware of. These can include repressed emotions, desires, and impulses that we consider unacceptable or undesirable.

The Purpose of Shadow Work

The goal of shadow work is to bring these hidden aspects into the light of consciousness. By acknowledging and integrating these parts, individuals can achieve greater self-awareness, healing, and personal growth. This process can lead to improved relationships, reduced emotional reactivity, and a more balanced, authentic self.

Steps to Begin Shadow Work

Self-Reflection: Start by setting aside time for introspection. Journaling is a powerful tool for this. Write about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, especially those that trigger strong emotional reactions.

Identify Triggers: Pay attention to situations and people that provoke intense emotions or reactions. These triggers often point to unresolved issues or aspects of your shadow self.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness and meditation to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. This can help you become more aware of your inner landscape and the patterns that arise.

Inner Dialogue: Engage in a dialogue with your shadow self. This can be done through journaling or visualization techniques. Ask questions and listen to what your shadow has to say. This helps in understanding its origins and messages.

Seek Guidance: Working with a therapist, counselor, or spiritual guide can provide support and insight. They can help you navigate the deeper aspects of shadow work and offer techniques tailored to your needs.

Creative Expression: Use art, music, or other creative outlets to express and explore your shadow. Creativity can be a safe way to bring unconscious material to the surface.

Incorporating Shadow Work into Spirituality and Witchcraft

1. Rituals and Ceremonies:

Moon Phases: The waning moon is an excellent time for shadow work, as it symbolizes release and letting go. Create a ritual where you write down aspects of your shadow you wish to address and burn the paper as an act of transformation.

Samhain: This Sabbat festival, marks a time when the veil between worlds is thin. It’s an ideal period for introspection and shadow work. Set up an altar with symbols representing your shadow aspects and meditate on them.

2. Divination:

Tarot and Oracle Cards: Use these tools to gain insights into your shadow self. Draw cards with the intention of uncovering hidden aspects or issues that need attention.

Scrying: Practice scrying with a mirror or a bowl of water to tap into your subconscious mind. This can reveal images or messages related to your shadow.

3. Spellwork:

Protection and Grounding: Perform spells for protection and grounding before engaging in deep shadow work. This ensures you are energetically protected and stable.

Shadow Integration Spells: Create spells designed to help you integrate your shadow aspects. This can involve using herbs, crystals, and symbols associated with healing and balance.

4. Journaling and Grimoire:

Keep a dedicated shadow work journal or section in your grimoire. Document your experiences, insights, and progress. This not only tracks your journey but also provides a reference for future work.

5. Working with Deities and Spirits:

Dark Goddesses: Invoke goddesses such as Hecate, Lilith, or the Morrigan, who are associated with the shadow and transformation. Ask for their guidance and support in your shadow work.

Spirit Guides and Ancestors: Call upon your spirit guides or ancestors for assistance. They can offer wisdom and protection as you navigate your shadow.

Benefits of Shadow Work in Spiritual Practice

Enhanced Self-Awareness: Understanding your shadow leads to a deeper awareness of your true self, fostering spiritual growth.

Emotional Healing: By addressing repressed emotions and traumas, shadow work promotes healing and emotional well-being.

Greater Empathy and Compassion: Integrating your shadow helps you become more empathetic and compassionate towards others, as you recognize similar struggles in them.

Empowerment and Authenticity: Embracing all parts of yourself, including the shadow, empowers you to live more authentically and confidently.

Shadow work is a profound journey of self-discovery and healing. By courageously facing and integrating the hidden aspects of yourself, you can achieve greater harmony and balance in your life. Incorporating shadow work into your spiritual and witchcraft practices can deepen your connection to yourself and the spiritual realm, fostering a richer, more authentic experience.

worshipping the chthonic gods

first, a note on cthonic vs ouranic: the line between these gods is one that is not really as stark as it can be portrayed. many gods have both ouranic and chthonic aspects, and neither make them any more "good" or "bad" than the other. chthonic gods are not evil gods, at least no more than any ouranic god. all deities have the capability of doing good and evil, but are largely ambivalent in nature. the advice listed below is not set in stone, simply provided as gentle guidance. if you have suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments/reblogs! :)

LIBATIONS/OFFERINGS

In Ancient Greece it was very common for offerings to the chthonic gods to be given in the form of libation--a drink (or any liquid) poured into the ground. Physical offerings, like food, were often burned in their entirety to ash or left to rot, instead of being partially shared by the offeror. Incense was not as commonly used since the smoke travels upwards, towards the heavens.

I suggest disposing of/keeping ashes and rotted food outside or burying them, seeing as chthonic sometimes refers to "-of the earth." This would be similar to how curse tablets were treated in Ancient Greece, as Hermes, messenger of the gods, would deliver them unto their underworld-ly receiver from there.

If you can't do that, consider pouring your libations down the sink or flushing them down the toilet (ONLY do this with water-based liquids, oil and honey will clog up your sink in no time flat). It's not ideal, but it gets the job done.

Common libations include: coffee, blood (animal or your own, we'll get to that at the end), honey (instead of wine), milk

Common offerings include: meat, barley/grain, oil, cheese

In many cases, prayers to ouranic deities are directed upwards, into the sky or delivered unto the wind by voice, song, or some sort of poem. In the case of the chthonic gods, we should be directing them downwards, towards the underworld where they reside. This may include extending your hands with palms facing down, putting your head down, or just imagining your prayers being sent below. The only exceptions to this may be Persephone, who resides in the heavens for half of the year, and Hermes, who can be considered both ouranic and chthonic.

PRAYER

Other recommendations I can make are: light a candle, even if you're not going to use it for pyromancy; light some incense (I do this for focus and cleansing, not so much for the deity); and perform it at night. It's not mandatory, of course, to perform your prayers at night, it's just that in antiquity ouranic activities (festivals, prayer, etc.) were done during the day and often directly enshrouded in sunlight. We can assume, therefore, that a chthonic prayer or festival should occur during the night, especially if being directed towards Hekate or Nyx.

ALTARS/SHRINES

In Ancient Greece, temples to the ouranic gods were constructed so that their doorways would directly face the sun, thus illuminating the inside (and often the main statue(s), too). We can assume, then, that our chthonic altars/shrines should be located somewhere out of the direct sunlight. This can be in a dark spot, like a closet or isolated room--or it can just simply be in a corner furthest from the sun's rays.

Again, there may be some exceptions to this: Hermes, under his ouranic epithet(s), Persephone, for her time in the heavens, and Hekate, for her association with the moon.

DIVINATION

For the most part divination with the chthonic gods is conducted in much the same way as with the ouranic. Of course, when calling upon these deities you'll want to face towards the ground, and perhaps even conduct these sessions in partial darkness. Again, maybe you could light a candle or even pour a libation before a really big reading.

I mostly use pendulums and tarot, but I've been experimenting with meditation and have had some luck. What works for ouranic deities should work just as good for chthonic, you just might have to shift your approach a little.

Some good tarot spreads for working with chthonic deities:

"Fork in the Road" spread-- for Hermes or Hekate

"The Tower" spread-- for Hermes or Hades

"The Self Exploration" spread-- for any

"The Bat" spread-- for Hades or Persephone

EXTRAS

--Consider offering blood if you're able! Animal blood that is sourced from ethical farms is neither morally reprehensible or illegal and can be sourced from a variety of places. Offering your own blood is also a possibility, but for this I would not recommend more than a pinprick. There are limits to how much pain you should be incurring on yourself for your deities. If you have to check your blood sugar often, maybe you can soak up excess blood with some cotton and bury it outside. Make sure to always clean your wounds properly and do not engage in this behavior for the purpose of self-mutilation. That, I can assure you, your deities would not appreciate. Don't be stupid.

--Snakes are commonly associated with almost all chthonic deities, or just the Underworld in general. We see this the most with Hermes, who is pictured with two snakes wrapped around his caduceus. The god Asclepius is also pictured with a staff with a snake on it, but only has one. Asclepius is the god of medicine, and (before being deified) was killed by Zeus for making people practically immortal.

--Chthonic deities are the best places to turn to for spirit work, protective, and baneful magic. You're looking to contact a spirit? Turn to Hades. You're looking for protection against spirits/demons? Turn to Hekate or Hermes. You're looking to cast a curse? Turn to Persephone or Hekate.

greek & roman mythology

Temple of Apollo, Portara, Naxos, Greece

Credit: Athan Andreas