Faeries 🌳 – Adventures of A Mage In Miami

Random Links of the Day : Easter Edition, Praise Ostara and all her children!

Happy First Day of Spring! Today is officially the first day of Spring. And for me it’s the second day of Ostara. Normally, Ostara’s day for me is the first Sunday after the full moon in March. And per her instructions, I celebrate at sunset Sunday until sunset Monday. But it also makes sense to me that Ostara would be the first official day of Spring.

So I celebrate this day as Ostara 2.

On this random links of the day, I give you Spring articles and stuff about Ostara. I hope you like them. Also for those who don’t know, Ostara Germanic Goddess of Dawn and Nature. But it’s very hard to find more than that on her. We know that she is the origin of the word “Easter”, and that a month bares her name in the ancient German Calendar.

And we also know that Easter Eggs and Hares are associated with her as well. Legend has it that when Spring came, Ostara saw a small dove with frozen wings. Even if the frost had been taken off, the poor creature would have lost her wings. And most likely died on the spot.

So Ostara transformed the female dove into a female hare. And this hare was the only one in the world to lay eggs like a bird. As opposed to having live young.

The Hare became so associated with Ostara, that her symbol became a triquetra formed by hares running after one another. Eventually, Germanic peoples created stories about a a talking hare named the Osterhase (Easter Hare).

In 1993 for example, the BBC television show Wildlife On One had an episode called “Shadow of the Hare“. In which they claimed Ostara had a hare as her traveling familiar. And this is where the origin of the Osterhase. The Osterhase is sort of like a spring version of the Yule Goat. A sacred animal known for bringing gifts of some sort.

On paper I haven’t seen evidence of that. But I have seen these animals with her in visions. So I believe it’s true. If only because this Goddess is so associated with them. You can’t think of this animal without thinking of Ostara also.

In this case, eggs to be eaten. Festive eggs were cooked and given vinegar and salt for children and adults to eat them as treats. With the coming of Christianity, things changed a bit. The egg treats of Ostara became the eggs of Jesus (I’m trying not to make a joke here). This is kind of weird since eggs are a symbol of feminine spirituality.

Within the egg is the fetus of an animal soon to be born. Something a man and a male Deity can’t do. So how did they explain that to the people they were trying to convert? They didn’t. Not really. For them, it became about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Symbolizing a spiritual spring. And the color red which is a traditional color for Ostara became the blood of Christ spilled on the cross. But, the blood of Ostara has always been the menstrual blood of the Goddess herself. Far from a painful death on a torture device, it was symbolic of the power of women to create life.

German communities brought these traditions to North America and even England. And eventually they were turned into chocolate eggs to market them to children. And of course over time the hare became a rabbit. And then the hare went from female to male. And sometimes wore gentlemanly clothes.

But a male animal can’t give birth. So there’s that. Granted, no one 100% agrees on any of this. Some don’t even think that Ostara is a real Goddess. I have heard smartasses try and claim she is a “modern invention”. Because the Venerable Bede, the Christian monk who mentions the feast of Ostara doesn’t go too much into detail.

The man didn’t go too much into detail about anything. Christian scholars refused to document ancient pre Christian religions. For fear that they would accidentally create a manual for future Pagans to reconstruct their religions. Even Bede doesn’t actually say how Ostara was worshipped or how the feast was celebrated. All he says is “practices done according to the heathen rituals of the time”.

And by Heathen they mean anyone who isn’t Christian. Not just actual Heathens. In conclusion I can tell you Ostara is very real and an actual Goddess. She’s answered prayers before and granted me prosperity in exchange for worship at dawn. I won’t go into the actual practice, but shes brought me wealth.

A “fake” God can’t do that.

I have seen not one, but several Hare spirits that accompany her. I don’t know if this means they are descended from the dove turned hare. Or if hares were her animal from ancient times. I’ve never asked. Mainly because no one would ever believe me.

When people ask for evidence, they’re not going to take a witch who claims to have magical powers. And who saw Ostara in a ritual when asking for help. Because to an atheist or any non believer or secular person, there’s no difference between me, and a schizophrenic. Therefore it’s useless. I know what I know. I have experienced what I experienced.

I receive answers to every prayer. Sometimes only too soon, and I know it’s real. I was borderline atheist years ago. The paranormal opened my eyes to what’s on the other side. So I don’t care if anyone believes she’s real or not.

Just like she doesn’t care. Why would a being, who can make the sun rise, transform one animal into another, bring forth spring, regenerate and heal others, is immortal and beyond our universe, care about what someone who is trapped in a flesh suit with an expiration date believes? Time for the links.

The Legend of Ostara and the Hare and other traditions

The Easter Hare (German Folktale)

The Easter Bunny is German

Ostara, the Saxon Goddess of Easter and Spring

Goddess Ēostre and the Origin of Easter

What’s the Origin of the Easter Bunny?

Spring begins

👆I’m disappointed with the time article. They use the lower case “p” for “pagan” which is pretty much any non-Christian religion. And it was kind of a lazy article to be honest. This blog post was written better.

We also have Osterfuchs the Easter Fox.

Move Over Easter Bunny, here comes the Easter Hare

🔝 This article is kind of more confused claiming Ostara had a male Hare as a consort. She’s not into animals people. Not like that at any rate.

In Switzerland it’s the Cuckoo Bird

The Ancient Origins of the Easter Bunny : A Scholar traces the folk figure’s history from the Neolithic era to today by Tok Thompson, The Conversation, April 14, 2022

🆙 This is a much better article. With traditions from various cultures. And fascinating histories.

From the same author :

Sacred hares, banished Winter Witches, and Pagan worship – the roots of Easter Bunny Traditions are Ancient by Tok Thompson, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences Published: April 13, 2022 5.51pm EDT

Ostara by Mystic Life Design. This page is so beautiful it’s like a Virtual Stain Glass Window

Isis, Osiris, and Horus Spring Rites

Happy Vernal/Autumnal Equinox, Folks!

Goddess Ostara – What is known by the author Eiríkr Haf Úlfrsson

Ostara Pictures from Wiccan Writes

It’s is believed that Easter originally was a commemorative feast for the Germanic Goddess Ostara by author Marija Georgievska April 13, 2017

Three Easter Bunny Alternatives from around the world

Easter’s Sweetest Temptations

Eostre, Ostara, and the Easter Fox

The vernal equinox is upon us – welcome to spring!

Happy Spring Equinox – Purple Rays

Celtic Tree Month of the Alder Moon: March 18 – April 14

Witchcraft Symbols, Terms and Definitions – Rabbit

10 Types and The Meaning of White Lilies

Goddess of the Day – Ostara – Saxon Goddess Of Spring And Easter

Ostara’s Meaning, Traditions and A Simple Ostara Ritual

Ostara & The Spring Equinox

Blessing on This Beautiful, Sunny Ostara/Spring Equinox

https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2023/03/19/equinox-shadows-trace-a-straight-line-from-west-to-east/

A very good blogger, follow their blog everyone

– M

Praises be to they who answer Prayers!

“Praises to you O Lords and Ladies, blessings to you who answer prayers! Thank you for lifting me up high when I was low, for putting a smile on your child’s face once more!

If you remember yesterday’s post, I was in the middle of a Greek ritual. And for some reason I started spontaneously praying to the Gods for something other than my usual requests. In fact it was almost like my subconscious was coming out. Usually on Noumenia I ask for cleansing and purification with Apollon Noumenious. Or I ask Selene and Endymion for money since the moon and the Stars are associated with money.

And I work with Zeus Ktesios and Hestia on bringing prosperity to the Household. But I ended up asking for the original cold weather of my early childhood. Of waking up one morning and feeling the brisk chill. And seeing cirrus clouds in all of their feathery splendor. So I just went with it.

And this morning it was a beautiful grey day! When I was a child I loved days like this. When it would rain I used to pretend I was Captain Nemo. And I played with my maternal grandmother. Usually with a Nick Jr. cartoon or puppet show. My favorite was Eureka’s Castle.

The Tuatha de Dannan have recently been making their way back into my life. When I started out doing magic, like many I fell into Wicca. During this time, I was exposed to the many Gods and spirits of the people in the United Kingdom. And the Greek Gods. My Master even says the pantheon there is more like a “UK Pantheon”.

Because the cultures and peoples are so mixed in this area that no one culture can describe it. From the Welsh and the Irish, to the people of the Isle of Man and the West Country. I had worked as an eclectic witch for years. Then I decided that while I am very good at eclectic magic, I wanted to study and officially serve the Gods. In each of their cultures.

I had already initiated into Greek Polytheism/Paganism. But I still hadn’t reconnected to my Celtic roots. And I began to look around for a person to teach me. Properly. For a while that was a bust.

Until one day I found out that in my Greek Temple there was a Druid. And not just any Druid, but an elder in her tradition. I couldn’t believe my luck. Here she was. My Master.

Fast forward to the present. I have been studying them. And lately they have been very vocal. Besides the totem pole that I shared yesterday, I also have been giving them libations. And food.

And for some reason I thought of them when praying to Selene. The Tuatha are Faerie Gods. And many of the Fair Folk work with the moon. Maybe that’s why they entered my working. But I prayed with all my might.

Prayed for that chilly weather that makes me relive the happiest times of my early life. And the next day, they answered,

Some shots from the Balcony

My Balcony Garden

The Sun partially came out near the end but that was okay

Now I’m sure some idiot somewhere is going to come on here and say, this proves nothing. Or it’s coincidence. Let me say this : normally I would agree that it isn’t enough to be evidence. But lately our “spring” in Miami is more like Summer. Even for Florida, we have had historically high temperatures.

Courtesy of Global Warming. Some of the heat we have experienced hasn’t been seen since past centuries.

In fact, whenever the meteorologists claim a cold front will come, we don’t bat an eye anymore. Almost all cold fronts before this one have failed miserably. And they were stronger and had more of a chance of becoming cold weather than this meek little front. But instead we all saw a grey and cool day. With heavy clouds.

A good cool wind, and a gigantic smile on my face.

Selene and Endymion from Animation Journey

Praise be to the Gods, for the Shining Ones have answered prayer

– M

Random Links of the Day : Places and Magic Addition

On this addition of random links of the day, we have some interesting articles on places and magic. And magical places in some cases. I kept getting so many of these articles that I made them into a random links addition. We’ll also be exploring ghosts and at least one article on haunted objects. Let’s get started!

Timeo Danaos et Dona Ferentes : The Dangers of Malevolent Spirits and Haunted Objects

From the same author :

Crosswords Work

Hear the Wind on Mars

The Algae that might save Earth’s Coral Reefs

The Iceberg Cowboys that Wragle Pure Water from the large frozen blocks

Clean and ethically sourced diamonds using air pollution?

🔝 I’m skeptical of this to be honest. It sounds like BS like “carbon capture” which only transfers the pollution from the air to the ground. Still I figured I would add this here and take a look.

Iceland’s Eruptions reveal the hot history of Mars

What Caused This Massive Mud Volcano Eruption in Indonesia?

5 Colorful Stories About the Pageantry of the Lunar New Year

Celebrating Scotland’s Bard? Break Out the Haggis for Burns Night

The Covington Film Garden

Mother Goddess Tefnut and a Morality Tale: The Lion in Search of Man

The Fairy Glen of the Black Isle

The Holiday That Welcomes Back the Sun With Pancakes and Coffee

Offerings to Ghosts by Bodhi-Bowl which is an amazing mystical blog of Buddhist thoughts and teachings

Political Witchcraft: A Brief Overview of Occult Activism in Thailand from Upon the Altar another amazing mystical blog

Place Names : The Origin of Location Names

The Bird Migration Explorer App from the Audubon Society

Fear of the Unknown

Atlas Obscura Email

Bob the Street Cat Memorial in London

Christians, Pagans, Muslims, Hindus what happens when we all get together

Enjoy!

– M

Land Wight (Spirit) from Of Mythic Creatures Great and Small

Happy Hallowe’en Everybody! Special Random Links of the Day!

Hello everyone! Celebrating the Catholic Feast of All Hallows’ Eve as we approach All Hallowsmastide. November is the time of the holy souls in Purgatory. Remember that the Real Samhain isn’t until two weeks from now in November (you can thank the Gregorian calendar for that). So this is a Catholicised version of the holiday. So we are in the Catholic feast.

Not Samhain. I made a special post for links to everything from articles to Creepy pastas on YouTube and more! Enjoy!

The Demon Cat of Washington DC

Today’s Cars for Halloween : Light a Lamp in Remembrance

The Fear Lab

6 Cursed Objects (One of them is from here in Florida)

Cemeteries for the Stars

The Strange Tale of a Mother’s Love : The Grave with a Staircase (Grave of Florence Irene Ford)

Llyn Barfog and the tale of King Arthur killing the monster Afanc

Conjuring Kesha : The Ghost Tv series starring Kesha

The Hardy Tree of St. Pancras Old Church, London

Atlas Obscura Halloween!

Piglet & the Bacon Ghost! A Winnie the Pooh Halloween Story

The Devil’s Bridge in Spooky Lane, Hertfordshire

LA’s Horror Car Wash (Video)

Creepy Halloween Background sounds

Creepy Halloween Stories

Celtic Pagan Origin of Halloween

The Walt Disney Skeleton Dance

Strangeness in the Countryside

Horror Stories in the Snow

– M

The Origins of Both Halloween and Samhain (Sow-en) what are the differences?

Image taken from the video, courtesy of Crecganford

Watch this amazing 21 minute video on the differences and why people conflate the two of them. One of my favorite YouTubers.

Michaelmas : The Christianized Harvest Festival

Michael casting Satan out of Heaven, with a banner above that reads “Who is like El (God)?” in Latin. The battle cry of the loyal Angels during the War in Heaven.

Fun fact, Mikael (Me-Kah-yel) in Hebrew means “Who is like God?”. So the battle cry in Heaven was also the Archangel Michael’s name. It was meant as a double insult and a taunt to his fallen brother Samael (“The Poison of God”). This day is closely related to the Harvest Festivals. In fact it’s sort of a Christian Harvest Festival.

It’s a Christianized version of Alban Elfed. (1) The theory is that the medieval church, assigned the cross quarter days to the Archangels and to the four writers of the gospels. In an attempt to convert worshippers of the Old Gods i.e. Pagans. Or at least that was the belief.

Michaelmas is close to Alban Elfed. So people began assigning almost the same types of rituals or ways of celebration to Saint Michael. And out of that curious Amalgamation of religions, a fascinating new tradition was born. For instance, this is believed to be the day Satan was cast out of Heaven. And that he fell into a patch of blackberries and cursed, spat, and urinated on them (2).

So that they can only be eaten before the harvest and never after. This is also why blackberry pie is one of the traditional foods to eat on Michaelmas. The flower of Michaelmas became the Aster. (3) Which is believed to have some power of resurrection (at least in this tradition). It was renamed, the Michaelmas Daisy.

A Michaelmas Sylph among the Asters, the flower sacred to St. Michael, also called the Michaelmas Daisy

Faeries also came be to be identified with Michaelmas. Especially the butterfly winged Sylphs. Possibly because being an aerial spirit made it easy to identify them with Angels. But that’s just speculation at this point.

The visiting of holy wells and drinking holy water from those wells was also prominent. And that’s important to note, because this was done in a lot of traditions in the United Kingdom. (4) In Western Scotland, Struan which is a type of toast was made for St. Michael and blessed in a mass. Straun was also blessed in a special mass in memory of the dead and given to the poor (5).

Michaelmas, a great recipe for Christo Paganism

On the left we see St. Michael defeating Satan in the form of a Dragon. On the right we see him as a Heavenly Warrior Prince clothed in royal garbs

While I am aware that this is the Christianization of a Celtic Polytheist holiday, I do also worship Jesus. What I am is sort of hard to put into one single label. I suppose you would call me a Gnostic Pagan. Of course I don’t entirely agree with other Gnostic Christians. But this mystical sect of Christianity acknowledges all Gods.

And the Priests in their churches often worship many other Gods and practice magic from many traditions. They don’t call themselves Christo-Pagans because they believe all Gods are part of the same family. And that there is not one, but many Supreme Gods out there. That even the Christian God has parents. And so they are the closest to my theology that there is.

They believe all religions come from the same source. That in the beginning there was no religion, just occult knowledge or gnosis from the Gods. Later humans created religion and it all went to shit from there. That’s why they are called Gnostics. From Greek gnōstikós (“those who know”).

Those who remember the true origins of the Universe. Before humans divided ourselves into different factions. Before we forgot the sacred knowledge of our Gods. So I celebrate the traditional Alban Elfed as best as I can. I read up on some of the traditions and I try not to replicate them.

But to use the knowledge of how they were celebrated to sort of make a more modern version. I don’t eat the same foods. But I do make sure I have a nice dinner with family and give thanks. And then a few days later Michaelmas comes. And I honor St. Michael with harvest type foods.

Things that remind me of a harvest. I lay it on an altar outside for him and the spirits of the land to feast. I also pour libations for him. Burn candles and incense, and also do my own Gnostic Mass for him. The Altar is a stone that looks like a table.

It’s my outside version of a St. Joseph’s Table. I pay St. Joseph three pennies under his stone table for him to send my prayers to Michael. And then I continue until the next day. Michaelmas is celebrated first in the Eve (September 29th) then it continues until the next day. I also break curses for clients on this day.

And I spend the day making specialized holy waters. I also make and bless charms. And I meditate with the Angels and with the Saints. I ask for guidance, perform divinations, and a bunch of other things. I also spend a lot time doing blessings.

In the center of Heaven, we see Jesus with St. Michael in front of him commanding the Angels to enter battle with Satan. The loyal Angels rejoice having defeated Lucifer and the Fallen Angels

I also use this festival as a time to protect myself from the wild spirits that come out during winter. Many believe that Winter is the time of the dead and of darker or wilder spirits that are set free. That doesn’t always mean “evil”. But even spirits we see as friendly might not understand they are hurting you or causing some kind of harm. Rituals were done to placate the spirits and get them to calm down.

I use this holiday as a way to ward myself and my loved ones before the winter times come. And before anyone says anything yes I know. Samhain as a feast for the dead is a modern custom. But my intuition tells me that it’s still a time to be careful. That dark things still roam the cities at night during this time.

Much of the articles out there mention the same things I have here. I am just giving you a condensed version that’s easier to read here. The only thing I left out is that goose is traditionally eaten at Michaelmas. But that’s a tradition that is quickly dying out. Also, poor geese!

Sorry everyone, I’m trying to become a vegetarian. Not only for my own health but for the animal’s sake. All I can say is that it’s harder than it looks. Especially because I don’t have a coach to help me do this. But anyways, happy feast of Michael and the Guardian Angels!

Sources

(1)

September Lore by Shirley Two Feathers

(2)

St. Michael September 29

(3)

Michaelmas Explained

(4)

Struan for Michaelmas

(5)

Peter Reinhart’s Struan: The Harvest Bread of Michaelmas

Moonspell – Full Moon of August 2021: Sturgeon Moon

Moonspell – Full Moon of August 2021: Sturgeon Moon

Major Reaping for the Earth this Thursday : Solar Eclipse, New Moon, & Mercury & Juno Retrograde

Remember when I said the Earth was purging him/herself during this period? I knew it was going to more or less end with the New Moon. But damn, I didn’t realize it would die so hard. Eclipses of any kind bring out the shadow self. New Moons do it to lesser degree in comparison. Retrogrades really bring out the shadow.

This is some serious reaping being done. I hadn’t even realized there was a Juno retrograde in progress. Which is actually worse. Because Juno is the Queen of the Roman Gods. Queen of the Universe.

So everything is backwards. The New Moon which is a time for the dead as well as shadow work, is the sign of Gemini. Gemini being the twin already deals with the duality of the soul. So this is perfect time for Shamanism, Introspection, and anything that requires deeper spiritual insight. Those born under this sign will obviously be effected more than usual.

And of course any dark art including necromancy will be at its strongest now. When I say dark art, I don’t mean evil magics or consorting with demons. I mean any energy or magic attuned to the darker spectrums of energy. Whether it’s talking to the dead, using special forms of divination like a scrying, or calling on the Winter Court of the Fae (Dark Fae). That’s what I mean.

I’m not advocating any form of harmful magic. Though you should be forewarned that harmful spirits, energies, and magics will be powered up at this time.

Now this is sort of a weird one. The bloodmoon was still stronger. But a New Moon with an added Solar Eclipse increases the darker energies of nature. Add in the retrogrades and this is a far stronger time for the emergence of our shadow selves than before. I’m beginning to think that the danger I alluded to in my other blog post was the shadow of the bloodmoon and its aftermath effecting us all.

I suspect that this is another time where the veil is thin. And we may yet see deeper into the other side is coming. So do the same as before. Salt all doors and windows after a cleansing and blessing. Use either dark wards or nature based wards for protection.

White wards for lighter energy won’t do it.

If you’re a Christian it doesn’t matter. Because the cross is a multifaceted system. It is a symbol of nature to some, a chthonic symbol of the dead to others, as well as a symbol of spiritual light. You just need to make sure it’s attuned with special prayers against the eclipse. Specifically mention in your prayers the victory of life against death or Christ against original sin etc..

Recite Psalm 91, the Psalm of Protection. And keep a Bible under your pillow after reading the psalm. You might still have the nightmares or undergo whatever was happening when the bloodmoon got here. But it will go away. In addition to this, we have the Phita Khon Festival from Thailand.

It’s a variation of the Ghost Festival of the Chinese, only more positive. Instead of angry ghosts or dark ghosts, this focuses on happy and positive ghosts. Essentially, the Buddha had gone in a journey for a long time. No one knew if he was alive or dead. When he finally returned, everyone became so happy that even the dead rose from the happiness.

So every year the Phita Khon Ghost Festival is celebrated where people rejoice for three days. They wear ghost masks and party. As well as give offerings for the dead. So this adds both light and dark energy to this time. It is a good time to call on the Buddha and his disciples for protection.

So that’s all for now. Please take care of yourselves. I am going to observe what happens these days as they follow.

The Green Dead

Abandoned Farm House Under the Milky Way (Reddit Group “Abandoned Porn”)

I’ve always wanted to write about this subject. It’s something I have only ever shared with one or two people. One of them being my Shaman. But yesterday I had a fascinating discussion with a Folklorist from England. On twitter he shared with all of us an image of a gothic cemetery from the Isle of Wight.

Gorgeously gothic sight on my walk today.#gothic pic.twitter.com/empBiCr5Ka
— History and Folklore Podcast (@HistoryFolklore) June 26, 2020

And then

It's such a relaxing place! I feel you can go there and just have a quiet chat with the inhabitants. They let the older areas go to meadow. Pictures don't do it justice. pic.twitter.com/7IgL1BgDiw
— History and Folklore Podcast (@HistoryFolklore) June 26, 2020

So I posited this question

Fascinatingly beautiful. I wonder if the dead there co-habitat with nature spirits.
— Adventures of a Mage in Miami (@MiamiMagus) June 26, 2020

This turned into an interesting discussion where I shared some of my knowledge with him. And that led to an even greater sharing of knowledge.

What are the Green Dead?

In almost every culture, it was believed when you died, you didn’t go to a Heaven or Hell. What you went to was an alternate version of Earth. An Earth were the formless spirits on the other side of the veil dwelled. Now this is an almost Universal belief shared by cultures, most of which hadn’t always had contact with each other. Let me give you some examples.

In the folk religion of Japan’s Ryukyuan islands (interesting religion, especially for women). The Ancestors in that religion, the really Ancient Ancestors do live with the Kami (Gods) in either Heaven, Earth, or the Ocean. They specifically live in the “Ancient Age”. Let me stop right there. This also something common to many religions.

There was once a mystical era where the human and spirit world were the same dimension. The same multiverse. And for some reason it split into the physical multiverse and the spiritual multiverse. It’s believed humans back then were as divine as the Angels. Even Christians refer to this era as the Edenic Era.

They believe that Adam and Eve were immortal once. Similarly, the Aboriginal Nations in Australia speak of the Dreamtime, the era when the human and spirit worlds were one. But this era is so far away from our time that it’s become it’s own dimension. In Alaska that time is called the Taimmani by the Inuit people. It’s an interesting concept, but basically it isn’t just a time or era.

It’s a part of the human and spiritual world at the same time. A type of dimensional bridge or realm. Who knows what it is. But it is believed it’s a place so deep in both worlds that very few magic users ever reach it. I just wanted to take a small break to address that.

It’s fascinating that this period of time is talked about at length in many religions. Even if not specifically named. Some may even refer to it as mythic time. A time even more prehistoric than the dinosaur period (if it could be proven). Ancestors who aren’t primordial, but are still ancient live in the “Middle Age”.

All other relatives live in the “Present Age,” the Ages as you can see are also considered dimensions. Time and space is odd both here and on the other side. But basically, with the exception of the Primordial Ancestors, most ancestors and other relatives live on Earth and in nature. Present Age ancestors actually even live as house spirits for their relatives. House Spirits are normally nature entities.

But in many cultures, the dead co-habitat with the living as protectors. Or as spirits of the hearth and home. Such as (some) of the Lares of the Household in Roman religion. We see other examples. In African religions from the traditional Yoruba and Vodoun Faiths, the dead are a part of nature.

When I mentioned in my post “preparing for death” the Itutu Ceremony, I had mentioned that initiated Santeros or Yoruba practitioners always opt to be buried. Never cremated, because the body is food to nourish the Earth. Even in death, Nature plays a part. Even in Native American cultures, the dead were connected to nature. In fact in many faiths on Turtle Island, there is sometimes very little distinction between a non human entity and one who is human.

The Aztecs for example, believed dead warriors reincarnated as Hummingbirds. So the connection between nature and the dead is there. In fact, it was the prevalent world view for centuries. Only with the coming of Christianity did we see a spirit world that was mostly dark and gloomy. With everything being a fiery dark Hell or a fiery dark Purgatory.

And only in some occasions did we see a Heaven for ‘good’ souls. The Yoruba of Nigeria believe that the realm of humans is Earth. And that it is natural for our souls to be here and to want to reincarnate here. So it makes sense that the Dead are at least in some way connected to nature. Even in monotheistic religions, Adam and Eve were made from the dirt of the Earth.

In a sense we are all related to the fae. So perhaps our souls go back to it’s original form prior to whatever made us mortal in the first place. But then why are so many ghosts messed up then? Why do some go to a Hell and others to a Purgatory? And yet more to a Heaven?

I do have some theories, but nothing conclusive. But anyways I have introduced you to the general concept of the Green Dead. Or at least my personal concept of them. So now I am going to tell all of you a story. A story about a haunted house in the woods of a Southern State.

The Green House

I think it was an investigation that took place in Georgia or Alabama. But the truth is, it’s been so long that I no longer remember. This isn’t a creepy story at all. It’s a beautiful one. It’s what started my interest in studying the Green Dead. Once, I was part of a paranormal organization.

An alliance or coalition of various groups, known as the NPS. We used to have this facebook group. I have no idea if it’s still up. And different groups would share posts of evidence on there. They would post images of locations and information on them.

Well, this one group, decided to investigate a series of abandoned homes out in the sticks somewhere. Places overrun by nature in some cases. And there was this old house in the woods somewhere. And it had a green fungus in some parts. But there was something else about it.

Even in images, it exuded a powerful spiritual aura. It felt……Green. That’s the only way I can explain it. The energy was alive with earthly power. The power it radiated was alive and warm. There were dead people yes.

But goddamn, that power felt more alive than anything I ever felt before in my life. As a necromancer I am used to the dead. I feel their energy like nobody’s business. It’s usually cool or cold or damp. But I’m telling you that ghosts had never felt so alive before.

They seemed to be ghosts who radiated nature energy. And they had powers over nature too. I could feel that they had gifts, things that aid them to rule or control nature. There were other beings there too. Faeries and other Earth based entities.

But they seemed to be a mishmash of various groups living in concert with one another. And yes I use that word un-ironically : they Lived with one another. Now, because of this, different mediums and psychics had various opinions of what types of entities were living there. And the investigators themselves had said the presences they felt and experienced seemed off. And they asked a bunch of us psychically gifted people to look into the evidence they found.

I hadn’t expected to find too much more than had already been explained by others. Still, they decided to sequester us in various individual chats. They asked us to not talk to one another to keep it professional. And not to share our opinions on the forum. To try and stamp out cross contamination.

We all agreed on the terms. I don’t know how many were actually called on to do the remote viewing sessions or divinations. I have no idea the specifics of what the others said. I will only speak of what I saw myself. I saw that many spirits had inhabited that place.

Among them were ghosts, and various species of fae. They were all living in what appeared to be a commune made up of the spirits. It seemed that since the property was so long abandoned, entities of the land took over the house. And they shared it amongst each other. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

After telling them what I saw and felt, they had told me it made sense. Apparently half of the sensitives had said these were ghosts and the other half said they were fae. As far as I know I’m the only one who said both. But for the very first time (but certainly not the last) my concept of the spiritual world changed and was challenged. And from then on, I began to learn all that I could about the Green Dead.

And whether or not this had been explored before in ancient cultures. Later as I learned from such Folklorists as this man on twitter, it turns out that yes. The ancients have talked about this. That for instance the Celtic word Sidhe (pronounced “she”) a word for both faeries and the hills they often inhabit, is used in reference to the dead. Banshee for example, are women who died in child birth.

They arise from their graves to warn others of death. The word shee here is the same as the word Sidhe. In cases such as this, the dead are identified with a type of faerie or spirit of nature. Maybe another time I will revisit this. But for now, I think I shared more than enough of my theories and the folklore and experiences that shape them.

For you to get why I believe in and experience this type of dead. But remember, will-O’-the-wisps are supposedly a type of Faerie in the form of a ball of light. They’re called Ghost Lights. Maybe it’s for a reason.

Angry with the Gods

Nehushtan, the Idol of the Hebrew Goddess Chokmah or Sophia. Moses made it out of Bronze to magically heal the Hebrews from the snake plague unleashed on them by Adonai.

Lately, it seems that this year, as positive and bright as it was meant to be, has gotten bogged down in negative energy. I was hopeful and even boasted that this would be the best of years. But I am reminded again, that what may be good in the spiritual world won’t necessarily be good for us. And this goes for every God and spirit. Even the Christian God sends trials and tribulations in the Bible.

Lately I’ve been pissed off because of it. Every once in a while, it’s good to be angry with your Gods and spirits. Because as my priest (of Zeus) once told me,

“Most of the Gods have never been human. So most of them don’t know what it’s like to be in our shoes and suffer. This is why we normally appeal to our ancestors for most personal things,”

And he’s right. Some of the Gods have been human at least once. Not just Jesus, but Gilgamesh, Herakles, the Orishas in Yoruba culture lived as men and women on Earth as well. And they all suffered horribly. Yet I find myself not doubting my faith, just angry.

I know there are cosmic reasons for why the Gods don’t give us the Paradise we desire. I know much of what’s wrong with our world is our fault. But it also feels like we live in a Multiverse that is rigged from the top. The Gnostics warned us of this. They talked about the Archons, false gods who are Demonic and often impersonate the real Gods.

They are the reasons our world is a living hell half the time. So the Gnostics busied themselves with special exorcisms and amulets to ward off the Archon’s and their influence. I consider myself a Gnostic Pagan. Gnostic Christians understand many things and I agree with much. But I don’t entirely agree with everything they preach.

Still, that’s the Christianity that I love and embrace. Because I feel a divine glimmer of truth in it all. I know that what goes wrong in our world isn’t really the fault of the Gods. I just wish they wouldn’t let things get so bad. And that goes for the Saviour God of the Christians too.

They claim to have all answers, but in reality they are just as lost as everyone else is. Which is why I embrace spirituality, not religion. I decide for myself what is or isn’t right instead of just blindly following religious leaders as many do. This doesn’t mean I don’t ask my leaders for guidance. It also doesn’t mean that I disrespect traditions or elders.

Just that at the end of the day, I think for myself and follow my own connection to the Gods. Which is a prime tenant of Gnosticism “truth comes from within,”. At this moment I am asking them for help in this current pandemic. And that is what I am sharing with you today. This is what came to me in my own meditations based on my mixed practices.

On Hekate’s Deipnon which I celebrated Sunday (day before the last phase of the Moon) I divined and asked for information. Why is this pandemic unleashed? What’s going on? What can be done about it?

Divinations

I did a combination of Bone Casting, Bibliomancy (Catholic Bible), and Cartomancy (cards). This is what I was told :

– Give offerings to Babalu Aye, Oro, and Hekate to fight the spirits of disease. I don’t know what this meant, except maybe they mean the Animistic force or energy of the disease. Everything has a soul after all.

– Pray to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and bless red strings and hang them on the entry points of every home. This is supposed to symbolize the blood magic that kept the Angel of death away from the Hebrew Slaves in the Bible.

– Also get sticks that look like Snakes and bless them to become like the Bronze idol Moses used to cure people from the plague of snakes (Hezekiah the Hebrew King disrespectfully called it Nehushtan or brazen thing). I suspect it was an idol of Sophia also called Chokmah, Goddess of Wisdom. This is to keep the pandemic itself away. Place them on the four corners of your home and ask them in the name of Sophia, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, finally God himself to ward away the plague.

– Give offerings to the “Mighty Dead” the Kings and Queens of the Ancestors. From Adam and Eve all the way to the dead Tribal Chiefs of various cultures. Great heroes, Saints, Buddhas, and other ascended masters etc..for them to divide into one of two camps : defense and offense. For some to defend you and your loved ones as well as other humans. And others to attack the spirits of disease.

This kept coming up frequently. What it means I can only guess at. The disease is spoken of almost as an entity or group of entities.

– Give offerings to all Gods of the Dead to kill the pandemic and turn away death itself from you, your loved ones, and the world at large.

– Give offerings to all the Animal Totems, Nature Spirits, and the Dead themselves to defend us and block death and disease.

– Offerings to the Apotropai, the Gods who ward off evil. That can be Jesus or whoever else you believe in. Every God has an Apotropaic aspect.

– Offerings to all Healer Gods and Spirits. Primarily I was directed to St. Raphael the Archangel. I even received two emails strangely enough that were related to Raphael. One of them was a new blog post from WordPress.

Three Prayers for Times of Illness and Disease

– Pray to the Sea and Earth Gods and Goddesses and their spirits to replenish the life forces of the Earth. This means going to places that are rural or wild and the sea itself as well as rivers or canals. You’ll have to look into your own religion or culture to see what the acceptable offerings are.

– Now finally, a lot of things are being mentioned towards the end of my divinations about water and the need to purify with water. I don’t know if the key to defeating this pandemic lies in water. But these references do mention the use of ablutions. That is to say, using holy water to heal and purify. I believe all homes need to be cleansed both spiritually and physically.

You don’t need to go to a church for that. Pray over the salt and water separately. Then mix the salt and water together and do one final prayer asking for it to be empowered as holy water. Then sprinkle it daily inside and out of the home. Apparently we are being warned to be hygienic both physically and metaphysically.

– The final divinations mentioned war coming. This can be metaphorical a “war against disease”. Or perhaps it’s a literal war. The US is always declaring war on somebody for natural resources or territories. So that doesn’t even come as a shock to me anymore.

– We are being warned of the old prophecies, specifically I am reminded of the 7 Fires Prophesies of the Ojibwe.

“The Seventh Prophet was younger than the others who had come and there was a glowing light from his eyes. He said that there would come a time when the waters had been so poisoned that the animals and plants that lived there would fall sick and begin to die. Much of the forests and prairies would be gone so the air would begin to lose the power of life.

“The way of the mind brought to the red, black, and yellow nation by the white nation would bring danger to the whole earth. In this time there will arise Osh-ki-bi-ma-di-zeeg, a new people who will emerge from the clouds of illusion. They will retrace their steps to find the treasures that had been left by the trail. The stories that had been lost will be returned to them. They will remember the Original Instructions and find strength in the way of the circle. Their search will take them to the elders and the new people will ask for guidance. But many of the elders will have walked the Path of the Souls to the Star Web. Many elders will have forgotten their wisdom and they will not be able to help. Some of the elders will point in the wrong direction and others will remain silent because of their fear. Some of the elders will be silent because no one has asked them for their wisdom.

“The task of the new people will not be easy. If the New People will find trust in the way of all things, in the circle and remain strong in their quest, they will no longer need the selfish voice of the ego and they can begin to trust their inner voice. The Waterdrum of the Midewiwin Lodge will again sound its voice. There will be a rebirth of the Anishinaabe nation and a rekindling of old flames. The Sacred Fire will again be lit. Wisdom will be once again be found in dreams of the night and of the day.

“It is at this time that the light skinned race will be given a choice between two roads. If they choose the right road, then the seventh fire will light the eighth and final fire, an eternal fire of peace, love, brotherhood and sisterhood. If the light skinned race make the wrong choice of roads, then the destruction they brought with them in coming to this country will come back to them and cause much suffering and death to all the Earths people.”

I don’t think this needs much interpretation. All the old apocalyptic stories and tales are being brought up by people. Some will say this is the reaction of ignorant religious people. Others still will say that this is just paranoia and it will all blow over. Except pretty much every prophesy we have read from almost every culture perfectly describes our current world.

At some point, one has to stop shrugging and going “Oh well this is normal,” and say NO, this is not normal. Because it isn’t. Accepting it as normal is like that Meme of the Dog in the burning house. Even if you think religion is BS, you have to admit that the fact that the Letra del Año (Letter of the year) out of Cuba said diseases would be really bad this year, is kinda accurate isn’t it?

“But M! We always have diseases etc..”

Yes that’s true, but everytime a Shaman or some other spiritual person makes a prophesy it tends to come true. I remember the first time I read the Oyeku Ofun Temple’s monthly divination saying death would come via water. I kept hearing almost every day of a new water related death. Including a mother who went crazy and murdered her own son. Then chugged his body into a nearby river.

It’s only coincidence if you’re lying to yourself and everyone around you. At some point you have to admit that something strange is going on. And then do something about it. I leave you all with this. I hope it will help arm the religious and spiritual amongst us against this new plague.

Updates

This section is for anything new that appears.

– Necromancy is needed. Specifically, Necromantic rituals for warding off the Dark Dead. Those forgotten and nameless ancestors. It would seem that at the heart or root of this plague are these toxic and sad spirits. It makes sense, diseases can be spread by all sorts of spirits.

But chief among them are Demons, Angels, Nature Spirits, and Ghosts. It looks like at the heart of this pandemic are the angry and restless dead. I believe that humanity having forgotten or abandoned many of our ancestral rituals has caused a surplus flow of the dead. I actually spoke of this recently to two different clients. I am beginning to think the dead are all angry and tired of being forgotten.

With that said, act as if this were Samhain : use protective rituals. Magical charms and crystals, barriers of magic, use Fire as well as the holy water. Specifically begin using blessed candles and incense. In mediaeval times, on Samhain, and even in the Christianized Hallow’s Eve and Hallow’s Day, sacred Bonfires were made to keep the roaming dead away in the Fields.

Another thing which was later used was the Yule Lamp, which was an oil burner with a blessed candle inside. Blessed oil as well, burned at night to keep all malign forces at bay. And especially to empower the thresholds of the house to keep bad things out of the home. If you have anything like that, use it. In my case I don’t, so I have to improvise.

Do rituals to avert evil as if in Winter time when they are strongest! I cannot stress this enough. Winter is dying hard. The departed and dark wintery spirits in general do not want to leave our world. It’s necessary to make them leave.

Tuesday March 24th

I’ve been told to perform the Hungry Ghost Ritual for all the dead everywhere. This is to appease as many as possible to

1) Weaken the pandemic as it seems death itself is causing it.

2) To ask the Divine Forces to permeate all worlds in an effort to cease the pandemic. As much as possible.

For information on what a Hungry Ghost is and how to do the ritual, please read my 2018 article on Ghost Month.

https://miamimagus.wordpress.com/2018/08/13/ghost-month-2018-the-hungry-ghost-festival/

Thursday 26th

After I performed the Hungry Ghost Ritual, I have been told to pray to the Mighty Dead. To the Great Kings and Queens of the Dead. Asking them all to fight the disease and destroy it. Also for inspiration to help us fight it scientifically. And I was told by the spirits to specifically pray to my own ancestors and ask for guidance.

For protection. And to keep my family together. You reader, should do the same.

Sunday March 29th

We should all be making offerings to the Primordial Gods and Spirits of every religion. Particularly to the really arcane primordials. Such as the Hecatoncheires and also the original Three Cyclops brothers (Greek Religion) Brontes, Steropes, and Arges. Those ancient Black Smith Gods who built the charmed weapons of Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. While not everyone agrees they are Gods (just godlike beings), in my personal cosmology I view them as actual Gods.

In the early twilight hours of Saturday, I came to know that these were the Gods I had to personally pray to. I am also giving cthonic offerings to Kronos. Asking him to drain the pandemic away into Tartaros with him. While asking both the Cyclops Traid and the Hecatoncheires to lock the door behind. I also get the feeling these two sets of Gods are the ones we need to ask to handle the aftermath of this miss.

Including the mass crossovers of all the dead.

Thursday April 2, 2020

Final Update

I performed all of the rituals to empower the spirits to fight against the disease baring spirits. I will be doing a whole new Divination now. One for dealing with the pandemic itself.

Conclusion

Take what I have said with a grain of salt. I’m not prophet. In conclusion I will say this : I love the Gods, don’t think that I don’t. I also believe in them, have had experiences with them. But remember, even Jesus asked,

“Father, why have you forsaken me?”

And I don’t know about you. But I find myself asking myself that question a lot in these last few years.

– M