Last month, I came across a drawing challenge on Bluesky (I have a personal account on there, not a HFO account), called Nestober25 by @MarikaPaz Illustration.  In my journal, I participated, by drawing small quick sketches with exaggerated angles and perspectives, sans erasure.  As well as only drawing from my brain, which I struggle to do.  I can draw what I see with no problem, but I've always struggled with drawing from my imagination.  So I challenged myself with Nestober. This is what came of it.  I only missed one day due to artist block, even through the depression I suffered last month (and a little today).  ----------------------------------- Nest Tea Flame Nook Dew Companion Luck Stall Wish Kindred (trying to remember the ADF Kindred Sigils) Gloom Wings Sugar Sword & Star Grimoire Float Darkness Comfort Journey Ritual Apothecary Mage Slug Howl Acorn Embrace Bell Haunt Lighthouse Not too bad for someone who doesn't draw as regularly as I...

Happy Halloween / Samhain / Beltane! -------------------- Another time I dealt with troublesome entities--it wasn't just the entity, in fact, the entity was more of a weapon. I was contacted by an pagan family having problems with an entity that they couldn't remove.  This energy was affecting the son more than the rest of the family--the son was more sensitive to spirits than the rest.  He was having bad thoughts.  The family also informed me that the grown son was also seeing a mental health professional and they were aware of his negative thoughts, but not the possible spiritual side of it, too.   I and my student went to the home.  At first, I headed for a downstairs unit, because I felt strange energy from it.  But I was redirected to a unit upstairs.   Again, I introduced myself and student to the House Spirits, explaining who we were and why we were there.  I asked for permission to do what I needed to do.  Once given, I set...

Here's a story about the first time I went to someone's home to banish an "Astral Nasty". Before I was a priestess (and before Covid), I was contacted by a student, whose relative had a spirit problem.  Everything this spiritual relative was trying wasn't working.  They even brought in another relative who is a witch--it helped a little bit, but the entity was still in the home, still causing problems.   I did meet with the relative in a public location so we could talk about their problems, things they've tried, and so on.  They told me their family deity was Selene.  I did some divination with Selene to see what our next steps should be in dealing with this entity AND protecting the family. The morning of the banishment, said entity paid me a visit and tried to force entry into my home, but it wasn't able to get through my wards.  I wasn't scared--I was protected by my Kindred and my magiks.  Growing up in abuse, I'm used to tactics like this fr...

First, Happy National Hermit Crab Day!   Jack, our vibrantly colored, one-eyed male Purple Pincher Charlie, our larger lavender colored, outgoing undetermined Purple Pincher ---------------------------------------------------------------- Onto today's True Ghost Story... I have a few true ghost stories in the works right now, but none are finished.  You know, I'm actually not a fan of the word "ghost"--I prefer the word "spirit" for the incorporeal.  I usually only use "ghost" for fake tales.  I guess this week, I'm not feeling that picky, so "ghost" for my true stories it is! Going on again... Last night,  Manannán mac Lir said, "Psychopomp" to me after a Virtual Fire ritual, featuring Samhain and all of our Ancestors--Blood and Spirit. I took it as Him calling to me. So as I sat in front of my computer, struggling to finish a post, I grabbed my ogham bag and asked Him what I should blog about for my next spirit story. I...

 The most haunted house that I've ever lived in, so far, was my Grandmother Hester's house, in 2014-2015. This house was originally built by my grandmother's second husband, Feister, for his second wife, Margaret.  My mom and her siblings all grew up here, in a very not-so-happy home.  A home filled with mean spirits and abusive parents. But growing up for me, this was the house was different.  This was the house that our side of the family spent many holidays in, and had many "Hester Fests" in the backyard during the summer. Although I personally didn't like to be alone in any of the rooms.  Didn't help that grandma had a room of creepy fuckin dolls and mirrors, but there was something else that my kid self didn't understand.  I always felt like I was being watched and judged harshly.  Someone hated me, and it wasn't just Little Girl !  Although I liked going to grandma's house, I didn't like spending the night or being inside the house al...

 A week or so ago, a Druid asked if I ever experienced truly terrifying entities, such as demons.  Now, in all of my years of spirit work, I have yet to meet any real demons or devils.  Not to say those types don't exist, but I haven't met them yet--from those who I know who have, they say that the demons ain't how the Christians paint them to be.   That tracks. I personally believe in all entities, because they're real to someone, and it's not my job to decide what's real and what's not.  There's still a lot that I don't know about the worlds and all the beings in it.  So I try to not make assumptions.   I've met spirits who made the claim of demon, but they thought that I was a regular person who was afraid of those words.  Weren't they in for a rude surprise!  Turns out they were just a human spirit in a  cheap Walmart devil costume.   Remember, spirits can lie.  Sometimes they lie about what they are to scare...

  This is Hekate, a Hellenic Titaness of the Crossroads, of Spirits, of Psychopomps, Witches and Magic, Prophecy, Torch Bearer, Keeper of Keys and Liminal Spaces, Hearth and Home; Earth, Sea, and Sky; and Protector of Women (cis/trans), those in-between, and children. And so much more that I can’t cover in this post. Hekate is a popular goddess, so there’s a lot of resources about her, such as: Covenant of Hekate. https://www.hekatecovenant.com/ d’Este, Sorita. Hekate Liminal Rites: A Study of the rituals, magic and symbols of the torch-bearing Triple Goddess of the Crossroads . d’Este, Sorita. Hekate: Her Sacred Fires . d’Este, Sorita. Circle for Hekate - Volume 1: History & Mythology . Gill, Nikita. Hekate . Holub, Joan. Hecate the Witch . Middle School Level Book. Keeping Her Keys. https://keepingherkeys.com/ & https://keepingherkeys.com/books Moss, Viviene. Pagan Portals - Hekate: A Devotional . Sannion (Editor). Bearing Torches: A Devotional Anthology for H...