Affirmations

 Affirmations

    Affirmations might seem silly or insignificant at first to some but they truly hold power. To be more precise, they have power only if you give it to them! The person saying the affirmations must believe that they are true/will happen in order for it to become realized. I personally have come to a point in my practice that I believe using some personalized affirmations could really help me. Below will be the aforementioned affirmations that I will be working with for the foreseeable future. 

1. Worth does not equate to beauty or perfection.
2. I will be patient with myself in regards to my growth.
3. I will allow myself the grace I give others.
4. I recognize my abilities, struggles, & growth. 
5. I acknowledge my power and strength. 

Feel free to use my affirmations as a template! Also, go ahead & comment and ask questions! I intend to be more active on here and on my Instagram @ jocylen_jay  

Shadow work

 Shadow Work

Shadow work can be difficult to begin let alone actually get into. What is shadow work? It is spirituality work that allows you to integrate the aspect of your unconscious psyche into your conscious experience. This then lets the positive aspects of your "shadow self" express themselves and become a part of your everyday life. 

Why do we have "shadow selves"? 

Well, it all has to do with our environment growing up. It can be from trauma, parenting styles, comments from siblings or peers, influence from school, media, etc. We absorb so much when we are young, we are sponges, which can be really good, or really bad. 

A perfect example is body image. Society tells us that a certain body type is "good" or "right" or "has value and if you're not that certain type, you're either wrong, something is wrong with you, or you don't have value/worth. Which by the way is a load of crap. All bodies are the way they're supposed to be. Not only that but if you, and you alone want to make healthy changes to your body, that is for you to decide & do. 

This example can be used for pretty much anything! You're told growing up repeatedly that A is right and B-Z is wrong. If you're B-Z in any aspect, that's going to affect you and you'll subconsciously hide, change, or repress that part of you. 

This is not only unhealthy but traumatic and extremely unfair. Everyone goes through this to some degree and it's something that needs to be worked through. It can be extremely harrowing to do so as well. It can bring up painful things & cause realizations. 

Don't let this frighten you though. Shadow work is incredibly important but it is also a long haul. It's not something that can be started & finished, it's an ongoing growth process. People are forever changing throughout their lives so once you start you don't ever really stop your shadow work. That may seem daunting but it is completely worth it. 

Shadow work doesn't have to be heavy either! It can be super simple. Simply recognizing why you react to certain situations can be some light shadow work. Baby steps are not only suggested but highly recommended! Doing so will lead you to look back only a couple months and go 'wow, look at all that growth!' I've been there and it's an incredible feeling. Also, keep in mind that therapy can also be considered shadow work! So if you're already doing that, you're already on the right track!

Please feel free to comment, leave questions, etc.! Have a Blessed day!

Deities: Celtic

 

Cernunnos 

    Cernunnos (Cair-NUH-nos) has Celtic origins and unfortunately does not have too much information on him. He is also known as The Horned God and The Green Man. There are also a variety of horned Gods which have been found from the Gallo-Roman period most of which were in eastern Gaul as well as among the Celtiberians. He is depicted with antlers, typically seated cross-legged and associated with stags, horned serpents, dogs, bulls, and rats. Cernunnos can also be seen depicted wearing or holding a torc, also spelled torq or torque. A torc is a stiff neck ring made of metal typically twisted together. Most are open while some had clasps. Torcs are found in the Scythian, Illyrian, Thracian, Celtic, and a few other cultures of the European Iron Age (from around 8th century BC to the 3rd century AD). This certainly does help to confirm that Cernunnos's origins are Celtic. 

Deities: Irish

 

The Morrigan

    The Morrigan is of Irish origin and has quite a few other names such as Morrigu. Mór-Ríoghain in modern Irish can be translated to "great queen" or "phantom queen". She is associated with war, fate, death, or victory in battle, and the land and animals, particularly livestock. She has an affinity for all things living. She watches over all living things and protects them. She cares for the prosperity of the land and (when it is conceived as a political unit) its security against external forces. She can be seen as acting as a goddess of sovereignty, not necessarily war as she is a guardian of (a) territory and its people. 

Deities: Norse

Now some people within the Craft community believe that in order to be a "real" witch you have to do certain things etc. That is certainly not so! That being, it does not mean that you can't work with deities! Everyone's experience with their craft is different and has many influences.

As I have mentioned in previous posts I have been working with Hekate. As of late, I have gained an interest in Thor the Norse God of thunder which has once again piqued my interest in not only Norse Gods but others as well. This post though will be focussed on  Norse Deities.

Thor is the God of thunder lightning, fertility, and hallowing. Another claim to fame is that the weekday Thursday (Thor’s day) is named after him. He personifies strength and fertility and is depicted with red hair and a red beard. He is also most commonly known for carrying a hammer called Mjölnir (lightning).

Thor’s father is Odin, who is half-giant and the ruler of the Aesir gods. Thor's mother is Jord (known as Fjörgen in old Norse the earth goddess who is of giant ancestry). He is married to Sif, a golden-haired goddess with whom he fathered a daughter, Thrúd. He also has two sons, Magni & Modi with his lover, the giant Járnsaxa. His children were all associated with strength and braveness, embodying their father’s features.

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Tarot Hacks

What It Means When You Keep Pulling The Same Suit!

Wands

• The Mundane: You are focused on work or a hobby, or the search for either.

• The Extraordinary: Passion will flood your life, in romance or career.

• The Terrible: You will feel burdened by things that used to bring you joy.

Pentacles

• The Mundane: You are focused on money or the lack of it. 

• The Extraordinary: Material abundance is about to invade your life.

• The Terrible: Constant financial difficulties will be your new reality.

Cups

• The Mundane: You are focused on love or emotions, or the absence of either.

• The Extraordinary: Love and bliss, in romance or at home, will engulf you.

• The Terrible: You are about to suffer from depression & dissatisfaction. 

Swords

• The Mundane: You are focused on mental pursuits; reading, studying, writing, etc.

• The Extraordinary: All that is dark and confusing in your life will clear up.

• The Terrible: Anxiety will soon cripple your soul and torment your mind. 

New Beginnings

 

Welcome, all to a new year! New Years are widely associated with new beginnings, fresh starts, learning new things, etc, etc. Take this time to do some of those things or even just reflect on the year that has passed. 2020 was, to say the least rather rough on everyone. Give yourself some leniency, be kind to yourself and others. Keep in mind each individual has coped with this past year in different ways and as long as it's healthy and safe, they are all valid. I hope everyone had a wonderful Yule and New Year! Down below will be a fun new year/new beginnings witchy thing to do!

A jar spell for money & prosperity:

Cinnamon: money, luck, success, prosperity

Marjoram: wealth, happiness, protection

Oregano: action, courage, energy

Basil: prosperity, success, wealth, happiness

Clove: prosperity, protection

Thyme: luck, prosperity, health

Something Gold: luck, prosperity, money

Feel free to leave out anything if you don't like it or don't have it. If you'd like to replace an item use rosemary as it acts as a substitute for pretty much everything. 

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