Starborn,
I agree minimizing any clutter is so important. I have a tendency to have a lot. My family seems to be known to hoard. I don’t want to be like this at all.
Did you know with Feng Shui your not supposed to have any mirrors ?
Amethyst that’s great I’ll try this at home very cleaver!
Jeannie
I’m glad to hear that I am dealing with some isolation myself! Today I made myself go to my friends and play a little guitar, and I learned a new chord progression. This is the smallest up, but I feel that I don’t really have too many friends that I can interact with in this is an more intimate interaction.
I’m glad just take one step at a time. I spent some time with my plant today. Just clipping the yellow leaves out and I will spray the leaves and stuff like that, it helps calm me and I’m nurturing the pla plant at the same time.
I’m glad you’re taking good strides to be neat. I struggle with house chores sometimes I feel I’m the only one that cares for our home. I just want it tidy. My son always leaves a mess and I need to stand up and take action to get him to help.
I love garlic for protection I had an old garlic bulb and stuck it in the ground so I just need to remember to water it daily, so hopefully I’ll have another bulb. Once I grew garlic and it was so fresh it was so good so much better when you grow at yourself. Thank you for sharing how you use garlic! I heard if you eat garlic, you can ward off negativity!
Thank you Ostara for sharing! You are doing so well and garlic is a great protection!
Yeah, the mirror placement has to be very careful. After I started reading more into this, I sneakily went and shifted the hallway mirror.
I was reading some articles in Chinese that went into a lot of detail with photos. I’m not sure if I should translate these before sharing or share anyway, since photos can often tell a story. Here are some with good photos, and if anyone wants a translation, I’m happy to provide:
*WEEKLY CHALLENGE-OF HEARTH AND HOME
In the past week my husband and I decorated for fall/Halloween. This is my first mabon and Samhain as a witch so this has new meaning for me. My husband and I have made many of our decorations. I’ll post some pics. My husband is not a witch but he does like to learn so i enjoy sharing with him.
After we decorated I cleansed the house and put protection sigils in all the liminal spaces.
On a daily basis, I light incense in all my rooms and say “I banish all energies that do not serve my family’s highest good” then I clap loudly 3 times. Just a little something in the morning.
I also made a breast cancer wreath in honor of mom for breast cancer awareness month. It hangs on our front door which leads to our enclosed front porch. We are in and out all day. With it there I can honor my mom each time. I’m thinking I will keep something of the like to honor my ancestors.
I just started making a space to keep my witchy items. We have no room in this house! I don’t have a sacred space all to myself, but now everything is centrally located and I can find things to do magickal workings.
I’m also putting together my ancestor altar.
So, just putting some things in place in my home. Im glad I finally started! Also, building a daily witchy routine.
This challenge has helped me reflect on what I am already doing in my home as a witch and what my goals are.
I don’t have much this week. Things have really been crazy this week/month and for no apparent reasons. The hearth and home is my sanctuary. My place of rest and recharge. I have been looking and meditating on finding God/Goddess, but nothing yet. Maybe Tracy can find me a nice “demon”
My home is my “temple” A place sacred to me. Though currently alone, I find peace and calm here most times. My hearth, though requiring me to carry a few cord of wood in winter, is a central place of warmth and comfort. My plants and animals give me someone to tend and are great listeners. We are happy here. Not that there aren’t things I wish for, but we are happy here.
I can not wish for much more than comfort and Joy in my life and I have it here most times.
Starborn,
I love the pics!
I like the bed I tried putting all my stuff like the bed shown in the picture. A lot of my stuff goes in the drawers.
I really need to get rid off stuff you know!
Clear of clutter!
I’m struggling to do anything for the home so honestly I’m working on my inner self right about know. I got a book of Shawdows and a deck that will help with journaling from tamed and Wild. I got a amulet that is the high priestess so this will be a good reminder we’re I can be the high priestess. This archetype will help me channel the higher self!
I am setting this intention to connect with my higher self to a beautiful pendulum. I also have a alter cloth for the pendulum to connect to the higher self. My power is the higher self that calls me to trust my intuition!
I am working to be grounded burning some herbs !
Mugwort, Nettle and
Mugwort- Divination, psychic abilities
Damania - To enhance my visions and clarity of my third eyesight.
Overall my Wooden Pentacle is most sacred! I am doing my best to connect to the earth elements and casting a sacred circle to protect myself! I cast the circle to protect myself my home is we’re my sacred dwelling is !
So for my Sacred Dwelling I work on my alter space getting ready for the the wheel of the year and focusing on my shadow work! Meanwhile I have some chandelier above my head with many different crystals, bells to help guard and protect me!
Sodalite “Stone of Communication”
Healing stone and stone of truth!
Yes, Georgia DE is awesome even if I can’t pronounce it properly. It is so natural you can even brush your teeth with it. I happen to find it in farm store. Farmers use it for their farm animals. They use it quite a bit and put it in their food. It is crushed shells and won’t hurt your pets at home…
When i feel a thinkness of bad energy in my home i will sage the house and ask the elements to help protect my home, my family, myself and anyone that walks through my front door. ( that was welcomed into our home). I also use sage when i cleanse my crystals, stones and craft tools.
I have been looking alot into makinga oils from this site. I made my firwt oil the other night and it was a protection oil for my friend’s friend. Then i made my friend a harmonizing anointing oil. It looked beautiful. And of course i dont always have what i need on hand so as usual i substitued material. And i also look up what i can substitute something with.
I plan on making divination oil this week. I believe i need help in the divination department. I just got some runes that i have not tried out yet, and i am looking into palm reading, and tea leaf reading.
Im thinking about putting some salt on my window sills but not sure if it will draw ants or other insects into my house.
I also have a cinnamon brom on my front door and above my back door. About a month or two ago i did a cinnamon spell and put a piece of cinnamon stick above my door because i have animals. I plan on switching it out and doing another spell for it this week.
And the last think i have is some bells on my front door handle. I am wanting to get a set of witch bells, but the set i got for fall from dollar tree give me piece of mind for now.
I had alot more hocus pocus stuff, my kitchen was completly decorated in it. but my niece wanted them so i handed them down to her. All i have left is what i used to decorate my bathroom with. She always tells me i have a problem when it comes to buying hocus pocus items!
I had another set of tarot cards and i read that you need to have a connection to them and associate them with people or things in your life. And im obsessed with hocus pocus so i thought they were the best way to go with starting off.
Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - Of Hearth & Home - ENTRY
This weeks Weekly Witchy Challenge - Of Hearth & Home is going to play a role in the relm of Magick. I have lately been thinking about re-decorating my space with a theme of Magick and Witches. So when I saw this challenge I was very excited knowing I can learn so much from reading everyone’s entry.
To make sacred space means to cleanse and prepare an area for divine connection, like a “sanctuary” in a church. You can make your entire home into sacred space. The first step in making your home a magical home is to envision it as one big magical circle. Learn how to make a magical home with cleansing, protection, gardening, and witchy decorating ideas. The theme that keeps coming to mind is as follows:
Celestial: this theme reminds me of something you’d see a fortune teller living in. Or an astrologist. Dark colors like black and navy blue reflect the night sky, embellished with gold and shimmery stars, planets, suns, moons, etc. Great for astrology-loving witches and starseeds. Below is an example of a Celestial decorated home. This came from the website, www.underluckystars.com.
Below is a list of examples that I can use when re-organizing my personal space. That space is getting crowded as I am staying and paying rent at a friends house. I was living in a beautiful home with my 25 year friend/whatever but when I came home from work he was in the middle of a masssive stroke. I called an ambulance and never saw him again, he died. His mother was more of a mother than my own and she begged me to stay in the house until the %$#^&% spawn of Satan (his mother calls her that because she is evil) and threw me out without warning. I can home from the store and everything I owned was in the dumpster including my rescue cat. I am looking for my own place but it is very hard as prices are beyond out of control. Anyway, this is going to be my theme where I can practice meditation, spells, rituals and so on.
Celestial Globe
This freestanding globe is a number one favorite among astronomers. The 12-inch spinning sphere shows a unique “inside out” depiction of the constellations as seen from the earth. The night sky wrapped around the globe is exquisitely detailed. Pick out nearly 300 stars and all 88 constellations. Sure, there are apps and internet sources to observe the night sky but thanks to this unique gift by Sky and Telescope you can have a wealth of starry information spinning around a corner in your living room!
Turn your wall into a portal to the sky with a Star Map
Capture a powerful moment of your life with a constellations map for any special occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding or anniversary, hang an accurate alignment of the stars tailored to you or your loved ones.
Celestial art is a great way to decorate your home immortalizing a special moment. Choose a classic black on white look, or go for the romantic warm red.
Design your custom star map today and highlight your lucky stars. Describe the moment, leave your message and we’ll take care of the rest!
Hang Space-themed Lighting Fixtures
Light up your home with “out-of-this-world“ chandeliers and pendants. Such beautiful light fixtures illuminate your home floor to ceiling. Switch the lights on and stargaze as long as you like with your new celestial home decor.
A star, a rocket, or the moon, the choice of lights is vast, and it’s up to you how galactic it would be. Invest in LED bulbs as those are energy efficient and often less heavy on your bills. Leave the tricky wiring to professionals such as Fantastic Handyman Services. It’s best to trust certified electricians to install lighting fixtures.
Backsplash for your Celestial Kitchen Decor
Make your very own kitchen truly out of this world with a starry backsplash! This way you can carry on stargazing and dreaming of the cosmos even as you cook your favourite meals. Choosing tiles in your kitchen both deflects water and adds a soft visual tone to your walls. Add sporadic stars or go all out with celestial mosaic tiles. Do bear in mind you’ll most likely have to call a professional tiler to carry out the task.
Use Wall-hung Decor to Create a Celestial Themed Room
Give any room a night sky feel with wall-hung ornaments.
Star-shaped wall decor gives a feeling of depth and intricate detail to your walls, and you can paint on your favorite stars of the Universe. And if you are an astrology enthusiast, hang the entire solar system above your desk with plastic planets.
6.Reach for the Stars with String and Fairy Lights
Hang your very own star system on your ceiling for almost no cost. LED string lights can illuminate your room in a cosy manner. To that, fairy lights and twinkling stars are an excellent opportunity to create a starry night themed room.
Your celestial ceiling doesn’t have to be overpriced, as a set of string lights cost as little as £15. Who knows, if you string up enough “stars” you may be able to get rid of your lamps and bulbs altogether!
7.Turn your ceiling into a starry sky
Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away - lies your bedroom! Turn your own bedroom ceiling into the starry night sky with a planetarium projector. What more relaxing way to fall asleep than under a hologram of the cosmos? There are a couple of ways to achieve space decor.
Painting is an option too. Be extraordinary and paint your ceiling dark as the night sky. Then sprinkle stars all around it with a light colour or to make things even more interesting, use luminous paint.
Hold the Moon in Your Hands
Get yourself a portable moon lamp that you can carry all-around your home. This rechargeable light often has a dimmer option, which also changes the colour it emits. To hold this lamp feels like carrying an entire world in your hands.
They sell different moon lamps, and some of these are interactive 3D models. Most of them need to be charged up then will last up to 12 hours.
Eat off the Moon
Invest in a celestial moon table for your living room. Admire the photorealistic copy of Luna while you drink your morning cup of tea.
Even better, invite your friends to show off your passion for astrology. Not everyone could say they’ve had their cup of joe on the surface of the Moon. Be wary though, it’s pretty fragile.
Sleep Among the Stars With a Celestial Duvet Cover**
Drift away wrapped up in the comfort of the cosmos. Let that celestial motif turn you into a real space explorer. Cuddle up in the king-size starry quilt that isn’t just visually stunning, but comfy too!
Next, I have chosen this Hestia to use her values and incorpotate them into one of my rituals. At this time in my life, Hestia reminds me of me, not years ago but now. Below is a picture of Hestia who was one of the twelve great Olympians but was so removed from the drama of the other gods that she was sometimes forgotten about altogether.
(MGreenberg,6/20)
Here is some history of Hestia: The Birth of Hestia (MGreenberg,6/20)
The Goddess Hestia is the daughter of Titans Kronos and Rhea. This makes her the oldest of her siblings – Demeter, Hades, Hera, Poseidon, and Zeus.
Hestia was believed to have been born twice. In the first one, she is seen as the eldest of her siblings. In this account, she was also the first child to get swallowed by the mad Titan Kronos. Shortly after, Kronos swallowed the remaining four children of his. But wait…
“Owing to quick thinking by Rhea, Zeus, the youngest of his siblings, was able to avoid the sad event that befell his siblings. A mature and stronger Zeus would later return and force Kronos to vomit his siblings from his stomach. This is where Hestia’s second birth comes. She was the last child to be disgorged by Kronos. It is for the above reason Hestia is referred to as the “first and last” [deity] of the original six Olympians.” (MGreenberg,6/20)
Although Hestia rarely left her brother’s house, Hestia’s reach extended throughout the Greek world. She was the goddess of the hearth, and keeping her brother’s home fires burning was her chief priority. This role put her in the center of every home in the city of Greece. “Hestia, the unassuming goddess of the domestic fire, was arguably the most important goddess of them all!” (M.Greenberg,6/20)
I am trying to get organized with all the research I am doing but it has been a challenge in itself, to say the least. Rituals are an important part of Magick to me and I have decided to list the rituals of the Goddesses, Gods, Demons, Angels, Deities, and so on. The first Ritual will be Hestia’s. This will be one of my Evening Rituals.
One of the central rituals associated with Hestia was the offering of food and drink. As the goddess of the hearth, she was believed to preside over meals and the preparation of food. Before each meal, a small portion of the food was set aside as an offering to Hestia, symbolizing her presence and ensuring her blessings upon the household. This offering was often made by placing a portion of the meal in the hearth fire or on a small altar or shrine dedicated to Hestia within the home. (M.Greenberg,6/20)
The worship of Hestia differed from the worship of other gods and goddesses in ancient Greek society in several ways: (MGreenberg,6/20)
. Domestic Focus: Hestia’s worship was primarily centered around the home and family. She represented the hearth, which was the center of the household, and her presence was invoked in daily domestic rituals. Unlike other gods and goddesses who had temples and public ceremonies dedicated to them, Hestia’s worship was more intimate and focused on the personal sphere.
Lack of Elaborate Rituals: While many other deities in ancient Greece had grand temples, elaborate festivals, and public rituals, Hestia’s worship was characterized by simplicity. Her rituals were typically performed within the home or at the communal hearth, and they involved offerings, prayers, and maintaining the sacred fire. Hestia’s worship emphasized the importance of everyday acts of devotion and the continuity of the hearth fire.
Universal Presence: Hestia was considered a universal deity, meaning that her presence and influence were believed to extend to every household and city-state. Unlike other gods and goddesses who had specific domains or areas of influence, Hestia’s role as the guardian of the hearth and the symbol of domestic harmony transcended geographical boundaries. Her worship was not tied to a particular city or region but was relevant to all Greeks.
Virgin Goddess: Hestia was one of the few Greek deities considered to be a virgin goddess. She did not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with other gods or mortals. This aspect of her character set her apart from deities associated with romantic love, fertility, and procreation.
. Lack of Mythological Narratives: While other gods and goddesses in Greek mythology had rich narratives and stories associated with them, Hestia’s mythology was relatively sparse. She played a more symbolic and foundational role in the pantheon, and her worship focused on her attributes and qualities rather than dramatic tales or legends.
Overall, the worship of Hestia differed from other gods and goddesses in its emphasis on the domestic sphere, its simplicity, its universal presence, and its focus on the hearth and family. Her worship served as a reminder of the importance of home and community in ancient Greek society and the significance of maintaining harmony within these spheres.
In addition to the rituals, offerings, and hearth cleaning, there were several other practices associated with Hestia’s worship in ancient times. Here are a few notable examples: https://poe.com
Prayers and Invocations: Prayers and invocations played a significant role in Hestia’s worship. They were offered daily at the household hearth, expressing gratitude for Hestia’s presence, seeking her blessings, and asking for protection. These prayers often emphasized the importance of maintaining harmony, stability, and domestic virtues within the home. Prayers were also offered during communal gatherings and festivals dedicated to Hestia, reinforcing the connection between the worshippers and the goddess.
Processions and Offerings at Public Hearths: Hestia’s worship extended to public hearths or prytaneia, which were maintained in each city-state. These hearths were tended by designated priestesses, and processions and offerings were made at these public hearths during important civic occasions. These practices served to honor Hestia as the guardian of the city-state and to seek her protection and favor for the community as a whole.
Sacred Fires and Torch Races: Hestia’s sacred flame held great significance in her worship. In some communities, special fires were kindled from the prytaneia or other sacred sources, and these fires were carried in processions or relay races. Such torch races, known as lampadedromia, were held in various festivals, and the runners carried the sacred flame as a symbol of Hestia’s presence and blessings. These races were seen as a means of purifying and energizing the community.
Festivals and Celebrations: Hestia was honored in various festivals and celebrations throughout ancient Greece. One of the most significant festivals dedicated to Hestia was the Thesmophoria, a women-only festival held in Athens and other cities. During this multi-day event, women would gather to honor Hestia and Demeter, engaging in rituals, processions, and feasting. The Thesmophoria celebrated fertility, the harvest, and the nurturing aspects of Hestia and Demeter’s domains.
Offerings of First Fruits: Hestia was associated with the abundance of the harvest, and it was customary to offer the first fruits of the harvest to her. These offerings represented gratitude for the bountiful crops and recognized Hestia’s role in nurturing and sustaining life. The first fruits were presented at the household hearth or the public hearth, emphasizing the connection between the harvest, the home, and the community.
I don’t really have any kind of speciall things I do actually. I consider myself to be into kitchen witchcraft so cooking and baking is one of the activities in my home and the celebration of the sabbats mostly revolves around homemade recipes for food and drinks. For example, I am now waiting for my plum/apple liquer to be ready for samhain and I was given some quinces and I will make some liquer and spoon dessert for Yule. The intentions I set and ingredients I use while making a recipe usually have to do with good health, abbundance etc.
Also in the kitchen I have a mini shrine for Hestia, the goddess of hearth and home.
Apart from that, I love the spring and fall deep cleaning as it helps me get ready for the new season, and from time to time I cleanse the roomes with palo santo , frankincense or incense with sents like jasmine, rose, myrtle, pine etc
Does it feel warm and cozy in here, or is that just the Coven? There are so many beautiful spells, ideas, crafts, reflections and more on display- thank you so much to all those who joined in to share some homey and heartfelt magick with one another this week!
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and stuff like that, it helps calm me and I’m nurturing the pla plant at the same time.
for protection I had an old garlic 
so honestly I’m working on my inner self right about know. I got a book of Shawdows and a deck that will help with journaling from tamed and Wild. I got a amulet that is the high priestess so this will be a good reminder we’re I can be the high priestess. This archetype will help me channel the higher self!
my head with many different crystals, bells 
to help guard and protect me!
There are so many beautiful spells, ideas, crafts, reflections and more on display- thank you so much to all those who joined in to share some homey and heartfelt magick with one another this week! 
I hope you enjoy your new badge 
Thank you!)