🪢 Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - The Eclectic Witch: Interdisciplinary Magick

[Ostara]

Challenge Entry

I’m pretty new at being a witch, (1 year and 4 months), but honestly, I think I was a witch from birth. I would talk to trees, plants, and animals for as long as I can remember. I have Cajun roots and I remember my Mom and Grandmother always seeing signs of things and nature and know what was going to happen. Things like if a broom fell, company was coming, or if cows are laying down in the morning, it’s going to rain.

I started my witchy journey around 2007 or 2008. I was a single mother, working 12 hour shifts at night. No, I wasn’t a nurse, I worked in a jail. I did it for 9 years. I saw a lot in those nine years. I’m an empath, and it was tough. One slow night I was online and I took one of those quizzes on what religion you should be. My answer was Wiccan. I was Southern Baptist and had no idea what Wicca was. There wasn’t as much on the internet back then as there is now, so I bought books. I overwhelmed myself. There was so much information and I didn’t have the mental energy to take the time that I needed to learn at that time in my life. I knew that someday I would go back to it, so I packed up all my books and tools and put them in the attic. Fast forward to October or November 2021 cleaning out the attic I found “the box” and I was hooked.

I can’t tell you how much time and research I do every day. I just absorb information like a sponge. Spells8 was a godsend for me. I learn everyday and will continue to learn for the rest of my life. I know there is “no right way”. Everyone’s craft is different and unique to them, and that’s okay, because there are no two of us that are just alike, and that is what being an Eclectic witch (to me) is all about.

[CelestiaMoon]

@Ostara

One slow night I was online and I took one of those quizzes on what religion you should be.

I tried to find a good one for this challenge too, but wasn’t really happy with any of them, usually the results were very limited. I was more looking for one that would have a long list of religions and belief systems, and give percentage scores for each of them.

I did find one that had pretty good questions though! Here if you’re curious. I wasn’t very happy with the result though (“New Age”, what is this, the 80’s? )

My answers:

What is the number and nature of the deity(ies)?

The supreme existence is both the eternal, impersonal, formless Ultimate reality, and personal God (or Gods).

Are there human incarnation(s) of God (or of gods/goddesses)? Choose one.

All are equally Incarnations because God is all and all are God (or God is in all).

What are the origins of the physical universe and life on earth? Choose one.

All matter and life forms are manifestation (or illusions) of the eternal Absolute (Ultimate Truth, Universal Soul or Mind, etc.).

What happens to humans after death?

Rebirths occur (continually, or until uniting with God or the ultimate reality, or attaining eternal bliss).

Why is there terrible wrongdoing in the world? Choose one.

Egoism (self-importance) leads to desire, craving, and attachments, which can lead to unwholesome thoughts and wrong behavior, E.G. greed, hate, and violence.

One or more spirit being(s) exist who can cause human suffering.

Not applicable

Why is there so much suffering in the world?

Suffering is a state of mind (or illusion); only our spiritual nature is real.

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In addition there were a lot of “you must” questions. I feel there’s only just one “you must”, and that’s for you to follow your own heart.

@Phoenix_Rose

If I have a question on correspondences I will reach out to you. Sounds like you are a natural!!

Awww, please do!

[Nixi]

Thank you @Garnet that is everything I’ve needed to hear for a long time

[Eliza_01]

@Garnet Excellent description of the elements!

@Estrella Lovely ritual for your much loved companion

[Garnet]

Miss Celestia!
Hope you can hear me applaud!!! Brava!, well done.
Garnet

[CelestiaMoon]

@Garnet Awww, I’m just passionate about these things for some reason

[Nixi]

CHALLENGE ENTRY
This is going to be short because I’m not supposed to be using the phone or able to think very well
I fell again last night and this time I did some damage including a concussion and I’m on a 3 day brain break and can’t use screens.
This week I made Lavender Ink, yes lavender. It took many tries and the trick turned out to be isopropyl alcohol, a LOT of lavender and evaporation. The ink is a faint green, who knew, but visible.
I used the ink using it’s purifying and calming properties using the ink to draw sigils to place around me, put some lavender in a bowl in and put it all in the floor on my “portable altar space” it’s just a large altar cloth but my Altar, that also one of my cabinets and used to be a jewelery box, sits on a long dresser that I use as my work space is portable enough that I can take the cloth, altar and what I need to the living room when I need more room
I used the ink to make sigils for safe, protected and 2 more that I can’t remember right now, meditated breathing in the lavender and saying a mantra like chant that I can’t remember right now
I have it all written down but I am currently hiding in the bathroom with my phone and this is about all my head can handle

Love & Light
Nixi

[Nixi]

Note to my entry, I placed crystals around me as always. In case anyone else likes to visualize descriptions like I do. I wish I’d taken pictures of at least the ink and sigils but I planned to take them when I made my entry

[Phoenix_Fire]

challenge entry 3
So a few additions to my entries so far…
Firstly my brain storm of magic to include in ecclectuc practice vased on the list i had of type or witches or magic.ive written it as mahic on the brainstorm rather tgan witch so that i remembered it was part of practice not me trying to fully be a million type of witches lol ok exaggeration there but hopefully you get what im trying to say.

Also im not sure about what this means but i stuck this painting on my mirror above desk. It was art magic including lunar cycles

And during the night it fell down. But not face down as might of expected but rather it fell like this

Its like it fell mirror image ir reflection of how it had been when i put ut up… it was so strange that it fell that way so now im trying to figure out if there is some sort of specific meaning to how it fell.
Its still sitting there in theposition it fell staring at me while im trying to figure out what it may mean​:joy:

[BryWisteria]

It’s time for a friendly reminder:

This challenge will soon close

If you would like to participate and haven’t done so already, please post about your challenge experience by the deadline:

→ March 7, 7:00 AM CET (Central European Time)

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What a delightfully diverse group of witches gathered here! Whether you resonate with the term “Eclectic” or not, I truly believe that the unique facets of someone’s practice and the influences that helped make you the wonderful you that you are are always worth exploring and celebrating!

Thank you so much to everyone who has joined in so far!

If you haven’t already shared an entry but would like to join in, this is your friendly reminder that you still have a bit of time left to do so!

Blessed Be!

[CelestiaMoon]

@Nixi

In case anyone else likes to visualize descriptions like I do.

I do… lots of love and gentle recovery to you whenever you can read this and retroactively

[Amaris_Bane]

Challenge Entry

While I identify as eclectic, this challenge was hard for me. I spent time thinking about why I call myself eclectic.

Religious Influences: I started on my path learning about Wicca. As I’ve grown, I have also added Neo-Druidism (founded based on the ideas about the ancient Druids in Celtic cultures), Hellenism (modern practice derived from Greek beliefs, mythology, and rituals from ancient times), and heathenry (modeled after pre-Christian religions adhered to Germanic people of the Iron Age and early Middle Ages).

Philosophies:

• Everything is sacred. The divine exists in everyone and everything, from people to animals, from plants to the stars. Everything is sacred and worthy of our deepest respect.
• All life forms contain some level of consciousness, from the tiny ant to the giant redwood trees. Also, consciousness survives death and exists simultaneously on multiple levels of reality.
• The sexes are of equal nature/power. One sex is not greater than the other and both are needed for life.
• My beliefs are my responsibility, not the responsibility of a government, institution, church, or other people.
• Each person is responsible for their own actions and personal development. It is up to you to determine what is right and wrong, i.e. develop your own morals and ethics. My ethics and morality is based on avoidance of harm to other beings, including Mother Earth.
• Polytheism: I do not believe in a single power/god/deity. While I do believe in the divine feminine and divine masculine, I believe that the gods and goddesses are various aspects of these energies.
• Magick is not inherently good or bad. It is up to the wielder to determine whether it is used for good or ill.
• One’s lifestyle must be consistent with one’s beliefs.

Heritage/Family: My family beyond my immediate family is mainly Catholic. I was raised in the Catholic church until around the age of 10, when my mother discovered Wicca. My mother is adopted so we don’t know our blood lineage/heritage but we both feel a strong pull to magick. I’ve had dreams and visions during meditation that some of our ancestors on her side have been powerful witches. Witchcraft and a love for nature have allowed my mother and I to heal wounds from my childhood (and hers) and we are very connected.

Locations/ Local Traditions/Culture: Growing up in the South, I spent a long time in the broom closet. As part of the “bible belt”, I would hide what I believed for a long time. Now, I am in a more culturally diverse area and am happily open about my practice. In fact, I recently meet another witch here in my RV park!

Education: I have a master of science degree in Biochemistry, with a focus on molecular genetics. As we can see through history, as the human species as grown and evolved, we learn more about the world around us. I believe that magick is real, just how it works is not known to us yet.

Deities: I personally work with deities across multiple pantheons. Hades, Selene, and Persephone from the Greek Pantheon and Hel from the Norse Pantheon. I am currently learning more about the Norse pantheon and will move to Celtic after that. I love to learn new things! I am not opposed to working to any deity that approaches me or willing to work with me.

Elements: I am truly a water witch! I gain comfort and energy when I am near water. I think that is why I love this RV park so much, it is on a river! I use all elements in my practice but Water definitely has a stronger influence.

Favorite Areas of Magick: Definitely green and kitchen witchery! Learning about various plants and how I can use them for natural remedies has been a big part of my craft. Additionally, I love cooking for my husband so being able to incorporate magick into this part of my life is wonderful. I am currently learning more about Astrology. I have many other areas that pique my interest and I will get to in time.

[Susurrus]

@Nixi I hope you are okay! Please don’t try to push yourself & rest. Take care of yourself! You’re entry was wonderful as always!

@Amaris_Bane I did the same thing, trying to think about how my practice is eclectic, which it very much is… but then I realized… my entry was just about a novel that needed chapters… so I just left it as is

[mary25]

Weekly Witchy Challenge: Eceletic Witch

The path of an eclectic witch isn’t always easy. While I feel accepted here, in real life it’s not such a great fit. I’m too witchy for my family but maybe not witchy enough for in person witch communities, plus I’m solitary, in more way than one. And then there’s the New Age stuff! And my self care practices figure largely in all of it.

But even if my spiritual life seems inconsistent to others at times, to me, it makes perfect sense and feels right. I reject what i cannot accept in my heart, such as the notion of being born in sin, while I embrace some aspects of Christianity. I celebrate holidays, not just Christian ones, and observe sabbats and esbats, and erect altars and conduct rituals to other deities. I feel like so much of what i believe is complementary but possibly because i pick and choose what feels intuitively right for me. I dont owe anyone explanations. It doesnt have to make sense. It doesnt have to conform. It’s like art, that way.

So this ritual is a good example. I made a shamrock of abundance to bring in good luck for spring and also set some intentions for fresh starts in life areas of love, health, wealth and personal success. Of course, st Patrick’s Day is more of a fun holiday now but it does have a Christian origin. Or does it? There is a good argument that St Patrick was more of a construction based on an actual Celtic god. Anyway, it’s a blend

To begin, I printed a blank four leaf clover and meditated on my blessings in these areas. I loke to always begin with gratitude.

I wrote that down. Then in different color of green, I wrote the goals that I had for spring in terms of these life areas and I tried to be pretty specific. At the bottom of the page I wrote down some affirmations because sometimes I feel like I have some deep-seated attitudes that get in the way of my goals. For example, I wrote down I deserve health. I found this stuff to be very powerful. Definitely the self care area.

I then lit a green candle, added dill for good luck, placed aces from the Tarot deck for new beginnings, and made a kind of crystal grid. I activated the crystal grid. All very new agey or witchy, depending on how you define it.

After this, I cast a circle and invoked my deity, angels, quarters, sun, moon, ancestors…look, its just a long list when i do circles! As well as my highest self. Anyway, I expressed gratitude for my blessings and asked for divine help to meet my goals. To many Christians, this woukd seem familiar as a form of prayer. And it is but there’s extra. Like me, lol. Here’s a pic.

[Sarafeena_Sage]

WWC -Entry -The Eclectic Witch

This challenge has been on my mind all week and how to approach it. I’m still learning and studying daily. I was raised pentecostal, assembly of god churches mostly. They speak in tongues, get slain in the spirit, lay hands on people while praying for healing and so on.

I stayed away from the occult and just believed what I was told by my mom until my 40’s and I decided it was time to find out if she was right. She was sooooo wrong about sooooo much. And a lot of things are the same just worded differently. Reiki for example, I told her about it and she said it was devils work! Like it is the same thing as “laying hands” on people! Energy healing. No devil involved!

Anyway, what I’m getting at is I’m still learning but I’m definitely eclectic! I will use what works as I always have but now I am more aware of my witch-y-ness in what I do. I’ve been a witch all along and didn’t know it. Mom is a witch too but she doesn’t know it or at least would never admit it!

I forgot to add I’m currently studying the Norse religions and embracing being a viking descendant.

Be good to others, reap what you sow, and if you slap me I will kick your ass!
Love and Light

[Shine]

Challenge Entry: Eclectic

I feel like I have always been the definition of eclectic In every aspect of my life. I am just all over the place… with everything lol. sometimes all at the same time. My craft is certainly no different. I read these spells and think ok… but what if I take this totally unrelated thing and throw that in with it? Does that weaken, strengthen, or totally change what’s gonna happen?

I learned recently that I apparently have aphantasia. (Thanks Guided Meditation lessons!!!) The more I read about it, makes me wonder if that is why I struggle with some of the things that I do? I can’t visualize it exactly how it needs to be so I just start chucking things together until something works. I definitely feel like this is why I struggle to meditate. I started reading the Silva Mind Control method and can’t get past the first exercise. I can’t even see the *&^%$% screen much less project anything on to it. Lol

Anyway… I digress. Challenge… here we go…
I am going to be using a mixture of moon, rune, and candle magick. I was already planning to make some Full Moon oil & do the Worm Moon ritual. It uses a green candle so I’m going to piggy back a very much needed Riches Pledge with the same candle. Then instead of using an assortment of crystals for the Worm Moon grid, I am going to use my amethyst runes. When I ask the elements to be with me, I will also ask them to lend me their attributes in the journey towards my intention and I hope to divine their guidance through the runes. I was also planning on starting my Book of Mirrors. Here is my first entry. It is my ToDo list of rituals & spells for tomorrow along with the ingredients lists.

[Artemisia]

Challenge Entry

I had all intents on doing something new for this challenge but on Saturday i found out that one of the leopards that I work with, passed away overnight. Ramsey was the goodest, goofinest, bestest leopard and I’m heartbroken at his passing .

That knocked the wind out of my sails a bit and i admit I’m rather “phoning this in”

I chose to share photos of my space to share my variety of practice.

My interests and practice vary from reading Tarot, oracle & Lenormand, growing house plants & herbs, being a devotee of Artemis, being in the service of cats both at home & work, following the moon’s cycles and being ever fascinated, ever in awe of nature both big and small.

My bookcase with the majority of my supplies for my practice along with staues of Isis, Ganesh, Buddha and a New Mexican Indian idol.

My newest shelf has my tarot, oracle and Lenormand decks, my herbalism and herbal magic books, my altar to Diana (though a few pieces are missing as they are on the windowsill to charge in the moonlight), and my new ancestor altar.

My altar cloths live in one of the cat baskets in the bottom of the shelves.

![20230126_120343|375x500, 75%]
A tiny flower in moss

Donut in a basket.

[JadeMermaid_Lara]

Challenge Entry

To me the word “eclectic” feels like a warm, welcoming hug. I love the idea of being able to engage in different areas to explore my craft. I prefer to let my intuition guide me in as much of my life as possible, so being eclectic fits me to a “t.” Life and our experiences in it are fluid, so being able to lean into what feels right in the moment really resonates with me.
I love crafting in the kitchen with herbs and other ingredients. I am currently studying crystal properties and how to use them magickally. I printed out dozens of identification cards to help me learn and remember while practicing daily.
Keeping an open mind ensures that interdisciplinary magick evolves for my practice. At first I didn’t think that I’d be interested in exploring various deities. But I let go of any expectations and enjoy reading and learning about them. I also look forward to water/sea witchcraft because I feel a strong connection to the ocean and bodies of water.
And I am so grateful for the inspiration and knowledge I have gained here on Spells8. It feels amazing to be surrounded by so many wonderful beings sharing their experience and wisdom. Thank you to everyone.

[danielle7]

I just lost my cat two weeks ago that seems like a beautiful ceremony to do thanks for sharing.

[charlotte2]

Challenge Entry

• Philosophies: “Live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.” -Captain Picard
  “Now, I don’t pretend to tell you how to find happiness and love, when every day is a struggle to survive. But I do insist that you do survive, because the days and the years ahead are worth living for.” -Edith Keeler
  (Yes, both Star Trek characters…)
• Heritage and Family: I have a lot of English and Irish ancestry and I feel drawn to Celtic dieties, customs, artwork, etc. I tend to avoid practices outside of my heritage.
• Locations and Local Traditions/Culture: I do my best to practice with my local habitat in mind. I plant non invasive species and source as locally as possible.
• Deities - I feel drawn to Celtic deities and recently realized there have been signs of their presence much longer than I realized. I named my firstborn what I didn’t realize was the tree month I was born in, and also a tree associated with Brigid. I wanted to name my second another tree associated with Brigid but was talked out of it and chose a flower instead. In my readings this flower has also been associated with Brigid. I also constantly find clovers - 4, 5, sometimes 6 leaves. When I was questioning worshiping Brigid alongside Aine (I started to work with Aine before making these connections about Brigid) I was met with two swans swimming together peacefully which I took as a positive sign.
• Elements: I enjoy working with the elements. I have jars representing each and often invoke them when I cast my circle. Recently my Earth jar fell on its own on two separate days. Then it moved back further away from the edge then I had placed it. I got the memo and stopped procrastinating sowing my indoor seeds and finalizing my garden bed layout.
• Favorite Areas of Magick: Divination (Tarot, Oracle, crystal ball scrying) and anything to do with plants (healing recipes, salves, offerings to deities, etc)