The Walled Garden- Curated Hedgewitchery

The little-known Italian town with a huge Christmas witch festival In this Capital of Culture, a flying sorceress stuffs presents and pocket money in to children’s stockings at Epiphany

Yule blessings

Happy Ostara!

Happy Equinox!
Art: Spring Rites - Gwyllm Llwydd

Celebrating the Great Goddess in many forms across cultures & through time -- today, March 8, International Women's Day (IWD) and every day! Learn more about IWD: https://www.internationalwomensday.com

Happy Imbolc, Candlemas, Groundhog Day.

From the Wildwoods

Yule King by Michael Kerbow 🏛🕯🤘

The New Bedford Baphomet: City removes pagan art added to holiday display The city removed an unauthorized Baphomet display from Clasky Common last week, but the art made a big splash by sparking conversation.

Red

Natalia Crow

Mictecacíhuatl, it was.
As an elegant Catrina,
the one in the wide-brimmed hat
transforms herself.

Garnet floods one’s sight
crimson memories flow
while autumn leaves
paint wide-open prairies.

Tree of life, extend your branches
and allow the spirits’ rebirth.
On the tips of the branches,
flares of divine fire flicker.

Ancient river, roar of courageous water
flowing through caves, you are born
as thunder in one’s ears.
Butterflies listen.

Behold. Orange
Fluttering, fill her
with your vital life-force.
Spirits of the ancestors,
cover her heart.

Orange cloud
sacred swarm in the air
tangles in her hair and
becomes one with her.

Fluttering of the orange
butterfly on her bones,
her divine breath whooshes.

Life continues;
it trickles through her hands.

Mictecacíhuatl, it was.
As an elegant Catrina,
the one in the wide-brimmed hat
transforms herself.

Papel picado rustles
announcing Catrina.
Opulent, she emerges with a procession
of orange butterflies.

Exquisite silk covers her bones.
Gold and shimmering dew
drops on her neck
as glittery jewels.

Her distinguished gaze
is timeless.
In her boney hands,
light, memories, and life.

She dances with her wide-brimmed hat.
The wind dances with her, and
shrouds her in the smoke of copal.
It bathes her in yellow flowers.

Catrina twirls and twirls
in the arms of death,
most enchanting and cheerful melody.
Opalescent spirits surround her.

Her mouth exhales the song
of zempasúchiles and chirimías.
She smiles at death as she twirls.
Candles flicker amber light.

In her dazzling dress,
cheerfulness is embroidered.
Kaleidescopes of Monarch
butterflies are born from her hat.

Her flamboyant gait from altar to altar
is remembered on this night of celebration.
Delightful music plays on.
The ambiance is filled with contentment.

Fragrance of copal and sugar
calaveras comfort the souls.
Steaming chocolate on one’s palate.
Pink papel picado flitters.

Exquisite flavors suit this
festive evening. Life fills
this place where Catrina dances and
twirls, radiating joyfulness.

Only on this evening, the living and the deceased
are hand in hand. Hot chocolate
and amber light bathe our gait
among flowers, papel picado, and smiles.

Cazuela filled with mole spills
onto the altar. The shiny sugar-covered
pan de mu**to summons forward
with a delicious aroma.

Catrina dances, smiles, and sings
radiating happiness as
rays of yellow flowers
and trembling papel picado.

Smoke arising from the copal guides us.
Zempasúchiles greet us
meanwhile
Catrina dances on.

--Catrina, by Xánath Caraza
Translated from the Spanish to the English by Stephen Holland-Wempe

Photograph via IG

‘Twas The Night Before Samhain

T’was the night before Samhain and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring except for my spouse.

The incense it burned in his cauldron so black,
For Witchcraft and magick he’d a wondrous knack.

The Circle was drawn with the athame of power.
The Guardians were called to each Quarter tower.

The Lord and the Lady attended our rite,
In wonder and glory and power and might!

The Dearly Departed came as our guests,
To live once again, after their rest.

We bid them goodbye with a tear in our eye;
Such a lovely presence of Loved Ones so nigh…

The candles danced in the flickering light,
With the Great Rite we bid them all a good night.

The Guardians thanked have all sped away.
The Lord and the Lady, thanks for the day.

~ Author Unknown

Hecate is a central part of my daily life. I try to live my life by her virtues. What do you think about the five virtues of Hecate? How does it impact your daily life?

In 2013 members worked together as a community project and agreed a set of Virtues which it was felt were most closely associated with the Goddess Hekate. These virtues are:

■ Compassion
■ Courage
■ Temperance
■ Justice
■ Wisdom

The virtues chosen as it turned out were very similar to the Platonic Virtues of Antiquity, a set of ethics based upon the ideal state of being. As such the Five Virtues of Hekate lend themselves to being further developed and now form the basis for a Code of Ethics within the Covenant of Hekate which each member can contemplate, discuss and strive towards in their day to day lives and their interactions with other devotees, members of the wider community with which they are involved and even the Goddess herself.

Posted by Rev. Renee Sosanna Olson - Keybearer for the CoH - Founder of the Sanctuary of Hecate Brimo.
Image Credit - Rev. Renee Sosanna Olson
Content Credit - The Covenant of Hekate

“We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night‐time sky. She is the leader of woman all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send our greetings and our thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon."
— Excerpt from the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

Artist: Rick Ortega, Painted Word Productions

Hekate Einilian

Today is the 8th day after New moon. One of our Devotee in Covenant of Hekate, Hazel has specialised in Hekate Einilian the ocean aspect of Hekate. She has created a ritual where she honour and working with Hekate Einilian and Poseidon.

For some Hekate is associated with the sea. Hekate's grandmother was Eurybia who was the daughter of Pontus who was primordial god of the sea.

The ocean connection Hekate has is that she is a moon goddess and the sea is effected by the moon. They also in old times offered Red mullet, a red fish). The ancient Greeks also saw the sea as the liminal space between the living world and the underworld and Hekate was well known to be in these liminal places.

If Hekate comes to you as Hekate Einilian, she probably wants you to work with your emotions. She takes on all watery aspects like emotions, the feminine, sexuality and dreams.

Artist: Shay Skepevski
For more information in details, please read this article: http://hekatecovenant.com/devoted/the-witch-goddess-hecate-in-popular-culture/?fbclid=IwAR1KAk9UCU0epFdb_lvMSDColLPX2ejERCIfLl2ZROhUCQXQCjhY5M7IVHs
Cat Larsson, Devotee Covenant of Hekate

Demeter's Search - Jeanie Tomanek

The Velveteen Rabbit - https://amzn.to/3y1mIPn (aff)

Epic alignment of 5 planets, moon to peak after summer solstice This rare planetary parade has not been seen since 2004 and won't happen again like this until 2040 -- and the best time to catch it will be just days after the summer solstice.

I don’t know who wrote this but it’s beautiful.

Grounding is a energetic phenomena one experiences when their bare skin directly connects to Mother Earth. To be grounded is to be energetically centered, to give your energy a point of focus. Life is all about balance and as earthly beings we truly belong in close quarters to the most natural areas of this planet. We simply are not meant to be indoors and wearing rubber soles every time we leave the house. Modern living has definitely limited the raw contact our bodies have to the earth below our feet. Our bodies starve to be in contact with the earth's electricity on a daily basis. The same natural dirt that provides us with a surface to live on, and space to grow our food charges our bodies with much needed negative ions.

We all have energetic bodies and everything around us comes from pure energy. Today’s technology has a way of infecting us with “dirty energy” or energy that hurts us instead of helps us. Ironically it’s the positive ions that cause us the most harm. Exposing ourselves to more positive ions (electrical energy or dirty energy) then negative ions over a lifetime or less can destroy our health. The cure is the earth's natural healing powers. It’s free and easy to obtain. There’s no catch! Once our skin makes contact with the earth, those positive ions are neutralized and we are again in balance. Balance will support us in living well with good health and prosperity. Most importantly we will feel great!

Why should we ground? Why not?! We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Benefits
Boosts immune system
Helps you sleep better
Lowers daily stress
Reduces blood pressure
Fight illness and disease
Increases physical energy and strength
Speeds up the healing process
Drain away positive electrical build up
Charges us with negative ions which come from the earth that our bodies need in order to stay healthy.
Treats anxiety naturally.

It found that earthing every day could improve inflammation, immune responses and wound healing. It also found that earthing could improve the quality of sleep, reduce pain, decrease muscle tension and lower stress.