Practical Magic: Bindrunes

witch-of-the-dragon:

Today, we wrap up our exploration of the Elder Futhark. The uses of the runes are varied and can be applied to all aspects of life. They provide insight and wisdom in divination and in meditation, and according to lore, hold the secrets to the workings of both gods and men.

Most often when we come across these runes, they are being used for divination. However, their use in an historical context very rarely involves casting. Instead, they were predominantly used in spellwork in the form of “bindrunes.” Or, runes bound to a specific purpose.

It is important to note here that most aspects of Norse magic involved on self-reliance. Compared to many other cultures and beliefs, the magic used in this culture placed very strong emphasis on working hard to get what you want, instead of asking the gods to give it to you. You fought, bled, and strained to achieve your desires. Magic was frequently used to basically say, “Hey, Odin! You see how hard I’m working? Can you help me out just a little? Just a nudge, really!”

This isn’t to say that curses were never used. There are stories of some areas inscribed with Norse runes which, when disturbed or violated, cause misfortune to befall the offenders. This was very rare, however, and in modern rune magic cursing is almost never used because it is exceptionally potent and considered dangerous (remember, runes often have multiple meanings).

Throughout the last twenty-six weeks, we’ve covered each rune in series, and took a look at the magical uses of each when used alone – carved, drawn, sewn, et cetera, by itself to impart its associations. Bindrunes take this concept a bit further, and is a more refined method of making use of multiple runes in tandem.

The process is similar to making sigils in that it is done to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Take two or three runes with corresponding purposes to your intent. Most runes have a vertical stroke, called a stave, from which the rest of the rune branches off. In this process, you overlap the staves, arranging them in such a way as to be capable of seeing each rune involved.

Whether the rune is vertically inverted or not does not matter, and there are plenty of historical examples in how runes were often arbitrarily written vertically, upside down, and even right to left.

Another thing to keep in mind with bindrunes is inverse meanings. Remember that to write a rune backwards is to change its message and its association, so unless that is the intent, try to avoid doing so in crafting your bindrune.

These rune spells can be worn on jewelry, sewn onto clothing, carved or drawn. Their versatility is definitely helpful for spellcasting! However… always, ALWAYS, be sure to research any pre-made Norse bindrunes and symbols before getting them as a tattoo! There were certain rules regarding the meanings and locations (and the meanings of the locations) on the body and how they were to be properly tattooed. Furthermore, adding them is like adding a permanent spell, so be sure to verify that you are applying something with certainty before doing so.

That said, bindrunes can make for attractive tattoos in addition to great substitutes for conventional sigils!

Blessed Be! )O(

Herbs to Avoid while on Birth Control or Hormone Replacement

witchlingwhispers:

thehagandthestag:

Disclaimer: I am not a professional herbalist or physician. Always consult with your private physician when considering herbal supplements.  If your doctor recommends you take any of these herbs, do not discontinue use.  If you are concerned, speak with your doctor about the possible side effects and use additional birth control measures. Once again, this is not professional advice.  I am simply sharing what I have learned in my own research.

I have seen a lot of excellent posts out there with people recommending natural herbal remedies for a whole host of maladies.  While I am a firm believer in holistic medicine, herbal supplements can have some serious side effects.  One that I think is incredibly important to learn is the interaction of some herbs with hormonal therapies such as birth control and hormone replacement. 

Here is a short and incomplete list of popular herbal supplements that can interact negatively with hormonal prescriptions (Feel free to add more):

  • St. John’s Wort recorded cases of unintended pregnancies when taken with birth control
  • Fenugreek blocks the absorption of medications, including birth control
  • Black Cohosh creates hormonal interaction with birth control and hormone replacement therapy
  • Blue Cohosh while I didn’t find anything specifically about interactions with birth control, it appears to cause uterine contractions and was used to induce labor, or abort early pregnancies.  Because of it’s effects on the reproductive system, it may be unwise to take concurrently with any hormonal prescription.
  • Fennel may decrease effectiveness of hormonal birth control and estrogen therapies
  • Hops may interact negatively with hormonal birth control 
  • Licorice taken medicinally, affects reproductive hormones, steer clear if on birth control or hormone replacement therapy
  • Soy while not an herb, can imitate estrogen, thus interfering with hormonal medications 
  • Red Clover may decrease effectiveness of birth control and hormone replacement therapy

Important!!!

Remember how people used to joke about weird bios discrediting arguments? Well that’s sort of how I feel about porn blogs. Sometimes I’m so wowed by a shitty argument that I just NEED to see the user’s blog, and once my mind spots that first porn post, it sort of goes “that’s all you need to know” and I move on with my life

artbytesslyn:

Don’t ignore this Net Neutrality stuff people. DON’T IGNORE IT. It WON’T go away on it’s own and if you’re on the internet RIGHT NOW, you have the power to do something about it. 

If the internet means ANYTHING to you, if it’s an escape, if you support creators, if you stand for free press and speech and the right to self start, STAND UP FOR ITS RIGHT TO BE FREELY AVAILIBLE TO EVERYONE!!

Wealth is a disease to these people. They have more money than any of us will ever have. They have the power to do good, and they don’t. STAND UP   TO THEM! 

Go to this link, fill out the form, and SEND IT. Send 10. Send 20. Make it perfectly clear how suicidal it would be to agree to this.

It takes 5 minutes. Do it. 

What Is Your Art Of Seduction?

theblissfulstars:

taurusmidheaven:

sadvampirx:

digitalintimacy:

bussyprint:

quickweaves:

redbonealien:

astroloshy:

lunelibra:

astrognossienne:

Add your venus and mars and your result, I’ll start:

gemini venus // virgo mars, I got the dandy

scorpio venus / virgo mars – the siren

scorpio venus / virgo mars – the siren

leo venus/ leo mars- the siren

Scorpio Venus/Leo mars- the siren

aquarius venus / aries mars – the siren

capricorn venus / capricorn mars – dandy

leo venus/mars – the natural

aquarius venus/libra mars – the siren 😘

Aquarius Venus/ Aquarius Mars- The Ideal lover

Aries Venus/Mars Sagittarius – The Ideal Lover 

What Is Your Art Of Seduction?