🏔 Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - Land Beneath Our Feet

jem1 · July 4, 2022, 7:53pm

My Challenge Entry
For this challenge, I designed and did a simple mountain tarot spread.

Blessed Be

Wysteria_Norn · July 4, 2022, 10:53pm

This is a wonderful and welcome challenge for me, as I happen to be located in the mountains currently. Given the ubiquity of fresh and sea water on earth, water’s powerful conductive ability is commonly mentioned in magic (eg, divination, cleansing, charging, etc).
However, the mountain’s power, wrought by tectonic plate collisions and volcanic explosions, is no less amazing! That awesome and cataclysmic genesis then leads to the growth of gentle flora, like moss, and fauna, like dear. As stated in the Challenge, the duality of danger/safety, light cascading through the dark overgrowth, earth juxtaposed to sky, is rarely as evident as on a majestic mountain.
Even the simple act of walking up one mimics life’s journey, as the youth stumbles towards the apex, learning with every step, then returning to the beginning with all that was gleened (hopefully!) on the upward path!
Collecting tree bark and rocks for each window, and even twigs brings one closer to that which gave us life.
Thanks for this!

Unusual bird’s nest don’t you think?

Living room window picture at close to midnight in May 2022 as the firy sun sets along the mountain ridge.

reiko · July 5, 2022, 1:39am

Hi There, This was an interesting challenge for me. I don’t live anywhere near the mountains, so I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.

Mountain Magic Challenge

The quote on this challenge from Anatoli Bukreev, reminded me of Everest (and that awful climb in 1996 when so many died - which he was part of, but survived) which lead me to thinking that Everest isn’t being respected any more and how she is displaying her anger (an earth quake if I remember correctly a couple of years back and something else the year before or after that closed the climb season as well).

So ultimately I did one of the quided mediatations with the focus on healing and respecting Everest.

I also thought about going in a different vain, and looked into Mountain Magic (as opposed to the earth/air part of it) and came across the Magic of Appalacha and what they call Granny magic. I couldn’t find anything I could do with that, but I will be reading a book or 2 on this subject… From what little I did research, it sounds like their magic goes way back - it was very interesting!

Susurrus · July 5, 2022, 2:01am

@reiko I understand not living close to mountains but it sounds like it steered you in a new direction to explore. I would love to hear about what you find out from the book!

Sarafeena_Sage · July 5, 2022, 3:17am

WWC Entry- Land Beneath Our Feet

Being that I live between two great mountain ranges, the Unitas and the Wasatch, I wanted to do something really awesome. Unfortunately I found it hard to get motivated about going outside because it’s so HOT! I did find something awesome with a/c! The Gem Faire came back again already. I love these! The Challenge was getting me out of there! LOL
Also, I have been trying to create a set of shelves for my crystals to go on each side of the poster my oldest son got me I love ideas for using the little crates and boxes from Dollar Tree. I’ve watched a lot of DIY’s on youtube lately.

Black Tourmaline, a Dino for my grandson, not sure which stone it is though, hematite?, Petrfied wood(Log), so cool, with an Aventurine mushroom on top, and a small piece of black tourmaline.

Tree Agate, Bumblebee Jasper, Aventurine for my father-in-law because he wanted something for good luck, carnelian agate point. Star shaped agate, blue stone with a hole and clear quartz

Polished Amminoites, Shark Tooth and Quartz

This is Aquamarine, Emerald, Pink Tourmaline, Green Tourmaline and Quartz

These agate wings are so cool!

This is my mountain view from my back door. I look at it everyday and watch the seasons change its appearance. I can see it better in the winter of course.

I will get back out on the mountains when it cools off a little. The mountains are what made me want to stay. I grew up in Oklahoma and it was pretty flat but had some hills, nothing like the west though. So beautiful!! I love the mountains!

The Gem faire will return in September here and I can’t wait to go again. I’ve already started a shopping list!

marsha · July 5, 2022, 3:41am

Weekly Witchy Challenge - Land Beneath Our Feet - Entry
On Top of the World!

Photo taken by me near Westcliffe, Colorado

I wasn’t able to visit the mountains for this challenge, but I did spend the day in my yard which I like to call my Magickal Garden!

I was born in Grand Junction, Colorado but we left before I was a year old. We lived in Pueblo, Colorado until I was around 4 and we moved to Rye where I grew up. Rye is a small mountain town in the Wet Mountains. Rye’s elevation is 6800′ and we lived a little above that out of the city limits.

As I was growing up, we spent time hiking the trails on Greenhorn Mountain, an elevation of 12,352′. The mountain got its name from the nickname, “Cuerno Verde” (“Green Horn”) given to the Comanche Indian Chief, Tabivo Naritgant (“Dangerous Man”), by the Spanish. When in battle, he wore a headdress with Green Horns. ~Greenhorn Valley Legend

So for my challenge entry, I am sharing my first experience on top of that mountain.
It’s so amazing to be so high and to look all around. It felt like I could see forever, I felt as if I was on top of the world. It was Magical! Well, it felt that way and of course, the song, Top of the World sung by the Carpenters was going through my head!

Lyrics:

Such a feelin’s comin’ over me
There is wonder in most every thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes
And I won’t be surprised if it’s a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin’ true especially for me
And the reason is clear, it’s because you are here
You’re the nearest thing to heaven that I’ve seen

I’m on the top of the world lookin’ down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I’ve found, ever since you’ve been around
Your love’s put me at the top of the world

Mistella · July 5, 2022, 5:29am

Good evening everyone!

I usually wait until Monday night to do my entry, and that landed us on the 4th of July. Boy, was that poorly planned on my part! I was hoping for a meditative moment and can’t focus very well. Blah!
I live in the foothills of the Cascades in Washington State, and it’s my first 4th of July without my beloved Stella girl (boxer dog). She was highly anxious, like most animals this time of year. Well… Uh, I thought I would be fine and dandy without experiencing the stress she endured, but it’s made it, so I’m not too fond of fireworks now. I feel for all the other dogs and creatures but mainly the deer and elk in our area living, of course, in the woods and mountains. We will say the “mountain animals” in general are most likely feeling like the world’s ending. I watched a mama deer and her two very young ones walk by the front of my house earlier today, and all I could think of was what they would feel tonight. It sounds like WW3 outside at this moment. I tend to be overly emotional with animals and how they are feeling. Bear with me here.

I have taken some time this evening at my altar, just mentally transporting into the woods with the creatures and wishing them to get through the night safely. I want peace for them soon!

We are surrounded by beautiful mountains, and I’ve had the opportunity to hike one with my son about a mile from home. At the top, you are warned about mountain goats that occasionally try and knock you off the ledge. However, you are allowed to throw rocks at them if they come at you. How comforting. Luckily we didn’t see any when we went, and all I could focus on was how bad my thighs were burning from the incline the last quarter mile. I may have welcomed a goat helping me down.

I often feel grateful for the beautiful mountains I live on and under. I feel very fortunate to be able to connect daily with my surroundings and know what it is to walk outside my door and into the wilderness and hike up a mountain. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Blessed Be!
It’s quieting down a little outside

Torista · July 5, 2022, 6:10am

Since it is kind of relevant I have decided to share something I learned recent. Judaism got its start as a polytheistic religion and the deity was worshipped on mountain up. That’s why he’s the most high god.

So here is a list of witchy Hebrew words: (phonetic translation in parenthesis)

Trouble - לטרוד (tarad) More in the tone of “Don’t trouble yourself” I think.
as a verb; to expel, to drive away, to drive out
as an adjective; busy, occupied
Gather - לאסוף (asaf) to gather, to collect ; to take up a collection ; to give someone a lift
Magician - קוסם (kosem shem)
as a noun; magician ; (biblical) sorcerer, soothsayer
as a verb; to enchant, to captivate
as an adjective; enticing, captivating, alluring
Witch - מכשפה (m’khashׁefah) as a feminine noun
Magic - כשף (kishׁef) to cast a spell, to perform magic ; to enchant
or (kushׁaf) to be enchanted, to be under a spell
Altar - מזבח (miz’becha)
Reverse - להפוך
as a verb; ('hafakh) to turn over ; to turn into, to make into ; to become ; (colloquial) to turn upside down, to make a thorough search
as an adjective; ('hafukh) reversed, inverted, inverse ; in disarray ; upside down ; backward
in masculine; ('hipukh) somersault, roll ; reversal ; opposite ; inversion

martje · July 5, 2022, 6:12am

So beautiful and serene Marsha

martje · July 5, 2022, 6:16am

Wow it s all so beautiful. I am a bit jealous of all of you living near these gorgeous mountains !

BryWisteria · July 5, 2022, 10:45am

This challenge is now CLOSED

My mountain puns have already peaked (ha! okay, I’ll stop ) so I just want to say a hearty thank you to everyone who joined in the challenge this week- there were so many amazing entries (and some truly breath-taking pictures!) and I can’t wait to jump back in to tally up the entries and leave comments on each

Thank you so much to everyone who joined in to share their mountain magick this week!

A Props and Presents post will soon appear with shout-outs and prize details for everyone who submitted an entry. Please keep an eye on the main page of the forums.

Note : This post will remain open for continued discussion for a few more days, but no additional prizes will be given after today.

Blessed be!

AileyGrey · July 5, 2022, 12:13pm

This is late, but it’s ok! I have had no internet or phone signal and so t for a few more days. We went hiking, not in the mountains per se, but to one of our favorite landmarks. This is a big hunk of granite poking out of the ground along one of our hiking trails. I had kids with me, so didn’t get to do the meditation I really wanted to, but the kids and I spent some quiet moments breathing with the earth and listening to the world around us. It was nice. Then we played Gaursian of the mountain and asked each other riddles to earn passage up the rock. It was fun!

BryWisteria · July 5, 2022, 12:17pm

I’m still tallying up entries and the Props and Presents post (along with the badges) haven’t launched yet- as you beat me to it, @AileyGrey, I’m adding this challenge entry in last-minute! Thank you for sharing it!

EDIT : The Props and Presents post for this challenge is now live and badges have been sent out to everyone who submitted an entry- thank you so much again to all those who joined in!

chaitea43 · July 5, 2022, 3:56pm

Hello,

The Californian in me loves this challenge, but mourns for the fact that I currently live in Florida. Starting remote work later this year though, and looking forward to being able to travel to mountainous places!

For this challenge, I studied and did the Earth and Air invocations, studied crystal grids, and studied Kelpies at otherworldlyoracle.com . I am so excited to be finding all of these websites!

I wish I could have done a mountain hike for this challenge. Back in California, our local small mountain by the Sequoia National Park is Mt. Baldy. I almost got to the top once! One of my bucket list items is to get to the top of that some day, and also Alta Peak, in memory of my dad.

Thanks for reminding me of how awesome mountains are! Here is a mountain pic from that area of California, attached.

MeganB · July 5, 2022, 4:59pm

We’re the same! I grew up in Bakersfield, CA, and currently live in Florida too!

chaitea43 · July 5, 2022, 6:48pm

Bakersfield, wow! I grew up near there too, went to middle and highschool in Visalia. Did you ever go up to the Sequoia National park? so beautiful! sad to see how much it’s burnt up recently.

What part of FL are you in? I’m in Central FL.

marsha · July 5, 2022, 8:39pm

Beautiful pictures @Mistella

MeganB · July 6, 2022, 12:08pm

Yes, I have been to the Sequia National Park! It’s so beautiful there I haven’t been in a really long time, though. I’m in West-Central Florida now over in the wider Tampa area

Amaris_Bane · July 6, 2022, 12:14pm

Oh my gosh, that is a big piece! I’ve always loved petrified wood.

BryWisteria · July 6, 2022, 12:15pm

Thanks again to all challenge entrants! I’ve finally got the time to sit down and give each entry here the attention it deserves- apologies it took me a while to respond!

@Phoenix_Fire Look at those pretty cards- I particularly love the colors and imagery from the first deck! I think it is a really neat idea to combine the decks in your readings, along with your crystal work and magick of the day. Well done!

@crystal5 You live in a truly amazing place, Crystal- those photos are breathtaking! And lovely work with your Root Chakra, that is a perfect one to explore for an earth-based challenge. The garnets are so cool! Also, your very own “mini mountain” made me smile- I love the idea of making your own sacred mountain As for attuning your crystals, I don’t think there’s a set period- I’d check in with your crystals to assess their energy and attune as needed. As for a good time, the full moon is excellent for charging and cleansing crystals!

@Amaris_Bane That sunset is stunning- the colors look otherworldly!

@stavroula You did it!!! Ahhhh I squealed when I saw the pictures- Mt Olympus is so amazing to see! I cannot put into words just how cool it is that you were able to go and explore there- I very well might take you up on your (extremely kind! ) offer- it’s a dream goal to see the Mountain with my own eyes someday!!

@Martje This is awesome, Martje!!! I know you were a bit unsure at first about what to do due to the flat terrain, but you went above and beyond with the challenge and it sounds like you were truly able to connect with the earth around you- and such beautiful nature it is! Although the most beautiful picture is the one of you- you look so relaxed and at peace in your special spot I’m really happy you had such a lovely outing and powerful experience- and that you were able to share your joy with the butterflies, gnomes, and beautiful scenery all around you. Thank you so much for sharing! That was a real honor to read about

@Susurrus Hooray for barefeet time! And that’s really sweet of your husband- it sounds like you have a secret mountain of your own. That’s very special on an island space like the Cape!

@Ostara I’m sorry to hear about his truck breaking down, but what a neat gift from your husband! And I think that is brilliant to use the wood in a past life spell, from looking at its associations, that seems like a very clever way to put it to use! I’d love to hear how it’s been working for you so far!

@Amethyst That is one impressive bridge- I can see why it has earned it’s on special day! Although I’m not sure about catapulting off it though- sounds scary! We used to bridge jump as kids, but the “bridges” were tiny little things. Even that is scary though, I can’t imagine flying off such a big bridge! Thank you so much for sharing your love for the mountains, your home, and also the pictures too- it makes me feel like I’m in the beautiful mountains!

@Kasandra Bravo, Kasandra! Thank you for all the love and care you put into making this ritual- I can see why it was a lot of work to put together! The details are really lovely and the chant is dovahzul is amazing- you’re making me want to learn how to speak it too haha! Beautiful work- this was a blessing to see!

@Artemisia A meditation is always a great entry to a challenge- thanks so much for joining in to explore this theme, Kat! I know you worked so hard last week, I hope the meditation was soothing and relaxing for you It sounds like you were able to revisit a really lovely place. Please keep resting out- I hope you give that bug the boot and feel much better asap!

@Jem1 Hooray for a mountain tarot spread! That is a very creative idea and goodness knows we can never have enough tarot spreads- I love it, thanks Jem!

@Wysteria_Norn You put your passion and love into this entry, and you did such a great job of exploring the power and potential of the mountains! Reading your words (and seeing those gorgeous pics) made me feel such an appreciation for the mountains and all they offer. Really beautiful, Wysteria- thank you!

@Reiko Despite not living near the mountains, you did wonderfully reaching out to connect with their energy, Reiko- congrats to you! Everest is a truly sacred place- just as beautiful as she is powerful and dangerous. Thank you so much for sharing your respect and love for the mountain. And granny magic is such a cool thing to explore! Wishing you all the best with your continued studies- if you find interesting things, please feel free to share them!

@Sarafeena_Sage Staying safe in the heat always takes priority- you are really blessed to have not one, but two beautiful mountain ranges close by! They will be there for you to explore whenever the situation is right (and hopefully much cooler!) And look at all your beautiful crystals- all your treasures are awesome, and I love that little mushroom! Sounds like the Gem faire will be back before you know it- I hope you have a blast! Go find yourself some more treasures to add to your amazing collection!

@Marsha The mountains are a part of you, Marsha- you will carry their beautiful and might in your heart for as long as you live Thank you so much for sharing that powerful experience- I haven’t been to the top of too many mountains, but reading this made me feel like I was standing on top of the world! Really lovely- thank you!

@Mistella Trying to meditate on the 4th of July is like playing on “extreme difficulty mode” haha- good for you for overcoming that! It sounds like you were able to find a lovely moment for your practice despite the holiday craziness- that’s quite an achievement! Your altar is gorgeous and those pictures! Oh, Mistella- I could get lost in those stunning views! You live in such a blessed place I did snort when I read about the goats though- as someone who lived on a goat farm, I have no doubt they enjoy trying to yeet hikers off the edge Naughty goats!

@Torista This was beautiful to read, Torista- thank you so much for sharing about these special words from Judaism As someone who doesn’t know very much about Judaisim, it is always a privilege to learn more and appreciate the shared love for something across religions- the mountains and magic (even if its perceived in various ways) truly call to us all, across traditions, cultures, and religions

@AileyGrey Were you able to get your internet back yet, Ailey? I’m praying the new modem comes asap- it is tough to be without internet! Despite the difficulties in connection, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with the mountains and earth- I can tell it is a sacred space for you, and I think it is so wonderful that you are sharing that love with your children And gorgeous pictures! You all look like you had so much fun on your adventure!

@chaitea43 Congrats on the switch to remote work- soon you’ll be free to follow your heart and can return to the mountains (or explore new mountains) that call to you! Thank you so much for sharing and that really lovely picture too- I know you’ll be back in the mountains you love before you know it