The History of the Incas by Pedro Sarmiento De Gamboa, Brian S. Bauer, Vania Smith.
Marín-Dale, Margarita. Decoding Andean Mythology. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press.
Saransig, Julio y Jaramillo, Pedro, Influencia de los Grupos Indígenas en el Desarrollo de la Morfología Urbana de Otavalo» Trabajo académico.
Pacha Kamaq (Quechua, «Creator of the World»; also Pacha Camac, Pachacamac, and Pacharurac) in Inca mythology, is a creator god, the embodiment of Huiracocha, as a god he was originally worshiped on the central coast of the Inca Empire. Considered «the creator» in the Lima, Chancay, Ichma, Huari, and Chincha cultures, especially worshiped in the city of Pachacamac (Lima, Peru) by the Ichma people, a group of pre-Inca indigenous polity later absorbed by the Inca Empire.
The first myth related to Pacha Kamaq is the following:
It is said that Manco Cápac is with his three brothers from him, all of the children of the Sun: Pachacamac, an ancestral (ancient) divinity who was later incorporated into the official Inca cult, and who was worshiped since ancient times by the peoples of the coast; Viracocha, and another nameless god.
The first of these brothers is, precisely, Pachacamac, who when he went out to the [che | world]] climbed to the highest peak, to throw the four stones at the four cardinal points, thus taking possession of everything that encompassed his sight of him and reached for their stones. After him came another brother, who also ascended to the top by order of the minor, the astute and ambitious Manco Cápac, who took advantage of his confidence to throw him into the void and seize power, after having previously locked Pachacamac in a cave and having seen how the third, the god Viracocha, preferred to leave him alone, abandoning his terrible brothers and abhorring his actions to selfishly seize power.
But there are other stories in which, precisely, it is the ancient god Pachakámaq who acts as the protagonist in caring for humans.
His great was the appearance of the first Inca and the first Coya, great was also his cult. They were worshiped in the multitude of solar temples in all corners of the Inca Empire, in a place of the saints very close to the great Sun-god or Inti. Of all the religious sites dedicated to this great Inca god, whether it was temples, oratories, pyramids, or natural sacred places, the one that led them, by rank and by its greatness, was the great sanctuary of Inti-Huasi del Cusco, the rich temple also called Coricancha, or gold room, since its walls were covered with sheets of that metal, for the greater glory of the Inca and the gods from whom he came.
The central image of the Coricancha was the great solar disk, the orthodox and ritual image of the sun god, and around it were the other chapels of the lesser divinities of the sky. After the Coricancha, due to its splendor and importance, the temple dedicated by the Chinchas to Pachacamac is located in Pachacamac, near Lima.
It should be noted that the Chincha culture had it’s supreme being in Chincha Cámac since they worshiped the god Pachacamac (more out of fear than out of respect or love), and they dedicated temples and huacas to him as an act of gratitude for his creative work and They dedicated offerings made by them or selected from among their fruits, for being the savior of their ancestors whom he freed from the initial hunger, they were also sure that this powerful and fearsome god, due to his special personality, could not be the one to whom they came in search of solutions to their troubles and regrets.
In the Great Temple of Pachacamac, near Lima, a sanctuary was erected for the worship of the god without skin or bones, as Pachacamac was described by his faithful, the Incas – after assimilating this god and his cult to that of the Sun – carried out works of embellishment, to make it almost as beautiful as Coricancha, also covering with gold and silver the central chapel, that of the god Pachacamac, in the manner of what was previously done with the entire great solar temple of Cusco.
Another myth associated with Pacha Kamaq tells:
Pacha Kamaq was responsible for creating the first man and woman, but he forgot to give them food, and in just a few days the man died. The woman (who for some reason survives) cursed Pacha Kamaq, accusing him of neglect, and Pacha Kamaq made her fertile to not be alone.
Later Pacha Kamaq killed the first woman’s son and cut the corpse into pieces, each of which became a separate fruit or vegetable plant. The woman’s second son, Wichama, escaped, so Pacha Kamaq killed the woman. Wichama sought revenge and drove Pacha Kamaq into the ocean.
The nation of Tahuantinsuyu adopted the worship of Pacha Kamaq when they incorporated the Ichma into their empire. In late Inca mythology he was the father of Inti and Mama Killa, and husband of Mama Pacha. The Wari, the Pachacamac empire, Chancay, Chimor, and Ichma possessed the city of Pachacamac at some point.
In my native Venezuela, we have folklore full of spirits and witches so complex that it does not even fit in the books, but it is also so popular that it has been studied in different universities in the USA, Germany, and England by the level of devotion and ritual practice of Their respective followers.
One of these cults, perhaps the most notable is the cult of Maria Lionza. Maria Lionza (Yara) or «Maria de la Onza & Yara» is one of the most iconic characters in Venezuelan folklore, her cult dates back to a little more than 500 years and began to be commented on in the history books from 1515, Almost two decades after the discovery of America, although it was in the early 1900s that the cult came to light and began to be documented by anthropologists and historians.
The cult of Queen Maria Lionza began in the vicinity of the mountains of Sorte in Chivacoa (Yaracuy), where the indigenous people of the region met to worship at that time to their ancestors, a cult that still prevails in Venezuela, Becoming more and more popular.
An altar to María Lionza; she is depicted centrally as a mestizo queen.
The American anthropologist Wade Glenn of Tulane University has studied and confirmed that more than half of the Venezuelan population has voluntarily participated in at least one ritual in honor of Queen Maria Lionza, being she the central figure of Venezuelan spiritualism, a Cult similar to that of Maria Laveau in New Orleans, USA.
The cult of Maria Lionza is of Indian origin, but in spite of it, with the passage of the years its figure has been modified to adapt it to the figure of a white woman with a gold crown on its head, a white or red rose In a hand (symbol of peace or love respectively) and a banner in the right hand, just where he has written his mission as divinity as «Protector of the waters and Goddess of the crops.»
Maria Lionza is the goddess who lives in the leafiest forests of Venezuela, between the caves enchanted by fairies and the flocks of wild animals, always surrounded by subordinate and obedient spirits. As divinity symbolizes femininity, love is a universal principle and the force of life and rebirth. For many modern pagans, the Queen Mary Lionza is an incarnation of Venus or Gea, as the goddess of peace, love, and nature. Among its attributes are mainly magic and divination linked to the element of water, thunder, natural perfumes-based oils, forests, fairy courts, and mountains.
The cult of Maria Lionza has spread outside of Venezuela, leading her to be venerated in Chile, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Guatemala. And it has also been mixed with elements of Santeria, Spiritism, magic with fairies, and traditional witchcraft to lead him to develop his own form of witchcraft, which has led him to know him in different countries like «The Queen of fairies», «Matriarch of the Witches» and «the Patroness of the 21 Courts».
All these honorific titles have been awarded to the blessed Queen Maria Lionza, not only for her thousands of miracles granted but also for her different attributes as an autochthonous deity of the Latin American region.
The Queen of Fairies
The cult around Queen Maria Lionza has always been linked in Venezuela and Colombia to the worship of the fairies, due in great measure to the indigenous belief because the aboriginal Indians of Venezuela believed in the magic presence of spiritual beings of enormous power that They lived in the forests and could change their shape. Aboriginal peoples originating in Venezuela, such as the Wayuu, the Añu, the Wanikua, the Pemones, the Yukpa, the Timoto-cuicas and the Yanomami (just to mention a few) shared the belief in life after the Death, the presence of spirits, and fairies in nature, although their belief in fairies (even today throughout South America) prevails untouchable in the face of the European belief in fairies and their concept of the «good fairies» of diminutive stature And character-wise or in some cases childish.
In Venezuelan native folklore, the fairies are spirits that inhabit and care for the forest, the lagoons, and the rivers, they take human form and they can become all kinds of animals, they live mainly at the night and after the Sunset, they are extremely intelligent and they know All the secrets of witchcraft, attend sorcerers and witches in their rituals and usually do not wear clothes. In the native folklore of Venezuela, sirens are another form that fairies take to mobilize by the rivers, make deals with the sorcerers of the night in exchange for all sorts of favors and kidnap babies that are not baptized.
According to the myth, Queen Maria Lionza, at that time a virgin maiden, daughter of a powerful Cacique, pact with the fairies in exchange for knowing the secrets of the night, the fairies, who at that time had mourned the ascent of his Reigned in the world of spirits, saw the young maiden in the incarnation of her queen, bestowed beauty on her and all the secrets were revealed to her, upon her death she became the queen of the forests of the Amazon, queen of the fairies and All the spirits of the forest.
Since then, both myths have been intimately linked, in fact, it is very common to say in Venezuela that «to make deals with the fairies», you must first request the permission of your queen patron Maria Lionza. It is also popularly believed that the practice of the South American shamans to place the children on a bracelet of red thread with a hanging jet to «ward off the Evil Eye» was a teaching of the fairies by order of their Indian queen.
The Matriarch of All Witches
«To understand Santeria you must first understand spiritualism».
The above is a common phrase of every home practitioner in Venezuela, because in magic and witchcraft, as in everything else, there are no fast roads or short roads, and this motto comes from the order of witches, an order ( A Coven) of many others that are maintained under the devotion of the Venezuelan people.
In traditional Venezuelan witchcraft it is common to work with one of the 21 magic courts to ask favors, being Maria Lionza the main character of the main of these (not all) but of the largest, for which has been considered the Queen Of witches.
A common practice is to bring white flowers, tobaccos, and aguardiente to the river to be left there in the name of Maria Lionza, who in return would grant favors to her devout servants.
The Legend of the Queen of Witches
«Maria Lionza (Yara) was a maiden Nívar, delighted daughter of a powerful cacique of Nirgua. The Shaman of the village had predicted that when a strange-eyed, water-green-eyed girl was born, she had to be sacrificed and offered as a sacrifice to the Waterman, the «Great Anaconda,» and if not, Extinction of the Nívar. But his father was unable to do so. And he had the girl in a mountain cave, with 22 warriors guarding her and preventing her from leaving. She was forbidden to see herself in the mirrors of water. But one day a mysterious force numbed the guardians and the beautiful girl came out of the cave and walked to the lake, discovering her own reflection in the water.
She was delighted with her vision. Thus he awakened the Water Master to the Great Anaconda, who emerged from the depths, falling in love with her and drawing her to herself. On Lake Maria Lionza and the mighty serpent, they celebrated a spiritual and mystical communion. When his father discovered the union, he tried to separate them. Then the Anaconda grew, became huge, and exploded causing a great flood that devastated the village and its people.
From that day Maria Lionza became the protective Goddess and owner of the lagoons, rivers, and waterfalls, protector mother of nature, wild animals, and queen of love. The myth of Yara survived the Spanish conquest, although it underwent some modifications. In this sense, Yara was covered by the Catholic religion with the mantle of the Christian virgin and took the name of Our Lady Mary of the Ounce of the Meadow of Talavera de Nivar. However, with the passage of time, would be known as Maria de la Onza, or Maria Lionza.
The Mother Goddess
Since it was published in her 1939 essay «The Spiritualist Service to the Queen» by Gilberto Antolínez, there have been more than 25 different accounts of the cult of Maria Lionza in Venezuela, all of them very popular in the circles of witches and Venezuelan spiritualists.
All these different accounts tell the same story of the myth of the Queen of fairies from different points of view, all concluding in the rise of the young maiden as queen of the Indians and protector of their devout witches.
The Venezuelan Trinity
As in most of the religions that have emerged from the Indo-European period, a trinity patron of the pantheon is often found, the case of Venezuela would not be the exception.
Maria Lionza is the central character of the Venezuelan trinity that represents the Latin culture of that time, known as «Las Tres Potencias» (The Three Powers) made up of blacks, Indians, and white Spaniards. In this case, the trinity is conformed by the Queen Maria Lionza, the famous «Cacique Guaicaipuro», a Cacique of the Caracas and other tribes that strongly opposed to the invasion of the Spaniards, and «El Negro Felipe», a soldier during the wars of Independence from Venezuela.
The courts
In the Venezuelan esoteric cult, the so-called «Three Powers» form a spiritual council of great power that governs a magical universe full of spirits and fairies divided into a total of 21 courts that assist the witches in the accomplishment of their magical works.
The main courts of Maria Lionza are:
The Celestial Court: Led by Jesus of Nazareth and represented by the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is conformed by all Catholic saints. The Venezuelan Indigenous Court: This order is presided over by Queen Maria Lionza, the Cacique Guaicaipuro, and his sister India Cari Cara, which is made up of: caciques, cacicas, and Indians. The Black Court: Directed by El Negro Felipe and la Negra Matea, is conformed by the souls of black slaves, witches, and sorcerers with colored skin. The Liberating Court: Presided by Simón Bolívar and General Francisco de Miranda, conformed by those who led the revolt against the Spanish crown. The Court of the Juanes: Conformed by various figures of Venezuelan folklore: Don Juan del Tabaco, Don Juan del Dinero, Don Juan de los Caminos, Don Juan de los Suspiros, etc … The Medical Court: Led by Dr. José Gregorio Hernández (El Venerable) and conformed by the souls of doctors and nurses. It is a very popular order that is invoked to aid in healing processes. The Shaman’s Court : Led by the Great Nicanor Ochoa Pinto Morillo (the sorcerer who cures and kills in 24 hours). The Court of Souls: Led by the Anima Sola (Maria de la Luz) and made up of the souls without the rest of the popular belief of each country.
The other Courts
The African Court. The Viking Court. The Cale Court. The Court of Students. The Court of Charms. The Court of the Witches (READ HERE) The Asian Court or Chinese Court. The Indian Apache Court. The Gypsy Court or court of the fortune-tellers. The Red Court. The Barbara Court. The Egyptian Court. The English Court.
Amazing Symbol
The sculptor Alejandro Colina immortalized her for the world as a naked athletic musculature woman, an Indian Caribbean Goddess on a tapir (male tapir, worshiped by indigenous tribes), and with outstretched hands holding a female pelvis bone (Symbol of fertility) on her feet the tapeworm crushes snakes, symbols of envy and selfishness.
Hugs from a distance dear reader, here a new post for you, this post was entirely written, edited, corrected and registered in May 2015 for my first book «Wicca! Love & Soul: Teachings and Experiences About Love, Life, and White Magic«, unfortunately, it did not give the final cut for the book due Because this already had a lot of material (more than necessary to be published), so I have chosen to share it with you, but perhaps it will be included in another book later.
Multiple animals are linked to the Mother Goddess (the feminine side of nature) and many others are linked to the King God (the masculine side of nature). Below I will briefly mention some of these, either for their cultural association with the moon or by their relevance in pagan culture and Wiccan mythology.
In sorcery and magic, it is a good omen to carry with you a silver talisman with the figure or drawing of any animal of the goddess, in this way you will receive the guidance and care of the forest spirits if necessary.
The spider
One of nature’s most eccentric creatures, as mysterious as it is beautiful, and as feared as it is insightful. The spider is associated with the occult arts, old age, mystery, and the occult, they represent the balance in nature and serve as minor messengers of the spirits of nature, they are in a way, the messengers of the messengers.
The Owl.
Not only has he been linked to the goddess Athena since the mythological Age, but Owls also represents wisdom, intelligence, calm and vigil. The owl represents fear of the dark and the unknown, however seeing an owl is considered a good omen, a message from the night that tells you to «go home and take refuge in it.»
The dolphin
It is one of the most intelligent creatures in the animal world, they have an outstanding intelligence and also instinct, they are messengers of the waters and they are not as docile as they seem, they represent that wild side of the sea that is willing to be domesticated through affection and good understanding. Dolphins are associated with the spirits of the sea and act as messengers for them, hearing the sound of a dolphin at night means that the Goddess is riding on the waves.
Rabbit
The rabbit is linked to Easter and other religious traditions, both Abrahamic and pagan. The intelligence of the rabbit is always underestimated, it is one of the most respected creatures in Asian culture, to the point of having been elevated to the status of a zodiac sign in the Chinese horoscope.
Remember that an amulet with the drawing or the shape of a rabbit attracts awareness and ingenuity to solve all kinds of situations.
The Toad or the Frog
It has been revered since ancient Egypt as a sacred creature, symbolizing fertility and associated with femininity, ingenuity, and maternal care. They have a strong influence on folklore, in Europe, it is said that toads attract rain, while in South America they are associated with the fertility of women, and also with the appearance of diseases, for the Egyptians they represented the renewal and The reincarnation.
The hummingbird
It is one of the most exotic and elegant flying creatures that exist, as an animal totem they are perhaps the most difficult spirits to invoke, and this many shamans and sorcerers know. They are considered noble spirits of nature that take this form to protect the natural passages, it is said that where the hummingbird goes, the oldest fairies are gathered.
It is not only associated with mysticism and intuition, but also with communication and femininity.
The snake
This creature is under the protection of both, both the mother Goddess and the king God is a messenger from the underworld and the spirit world. Their skin is one of the essential implements in sorcery and witchcraft, they are associated with renewal, mystery, the oldest secrets and everything that is unknown.
In Amazonia (the Amazon), the venom of snakes is widely used to carry out the preparation of «Uwajiwa«, a magical herbal ointment that is sprayed on trees to ward off evil spirits, and the oil that is extracted from their skin has healing properties, its bones are used for divination and its eyes to curse, protect and heal.
Bear
It is linked to the mother goddess in her role as the moon goddess, they are guardians of the forest and the balance that lives within it, they live in perfect harmony with all the spirits of nature for whom they are highly respected, they are the messengers among the moon goddesses and the spirits that inhabit the forests. In the shamanic tradition, they are considered the guardians of sacred wisdom and the incarnation of the old shamans of each tribe.
The cat
Perhaps there is no other animal as associated with witches as cats, but they are also highly respected in ancient Egyptian folklore where they were associated with Bast, the cat-headed goddess. They represent wisdom about what is hidden, mystery and mysticism. They live between worlds, they are fully aware of all the events that occur in their environment, they act as guardians between our world and the world of the spirits, nothing is hidden from their eyes and they are also faithful guardians of the homes of the witches.
The Fox
Just like the toad, the fox is also associated with the moon and the rain, American folklore tells that the fox is a shapeshifter, they are not easy to tame and it is easier to hear than see them. Foxes are highly respected in Native American culture as well as shamanic myths.
It is said that when a fox crosses the path of a small child, it is because this child is one of their own that has been born among humans, and it will only be a matter of time for the child to grow up and look for his herd.
The wolf
The wolf has a special mention in this category.
The wolf is one of the creatures associated with the moon for centuries, either for its nocturnal song or for its typical iconography (the wolf and the moon), however, the wolf is one of the solar animals, an animal under the protection and guide of the god consort, the son and faithful companion of the goddess. The wolf is one of the few nocturnal animals of the king God and is also his messenger, the wolves howl at the moon to sing to him at night what the sun cannot tell him directly.
Hello dear reader, if you have followed the recent line of publications of my blog, you will know that by general request I have been focused on sharing magical information, rituals and some anecdotes related to the magic and sorcery of Christmas and the symbolism of it.
If you have not been aware of it, I invite you to read at least the six previous posts to this one, in which I am also recommending some products from different local and botanical stores that could serve you this season, they are also excellent to give to a friend or Some loved one.
Our Tradition, yours and mine.
Every year since I have this blog I usually write here about the “Ritual of the Christmas Spirit”, a simple and traditional ritual that we celebrate in South America, but I have also seen it be performed here in North America, with very few differences, so next, I will shed some light on the matter and share with you the ritual of this year, which we change every year (and usually send it by mail) according to the lunar phases and the available planetary energy.
The Spirit of Christmas & the Local Gods of Winter and Agriculture.
Although it is very similar to the traditional ‘Father Christmas’ originating in Victorian England (a festive, cheerful and elderly spirit that embodies the holiday festivities), it is rather a set of winter spirits that abandon their extensive annual dream with the arrival of the winter, once the Solstice occurs and the light of the next day (the first day after the winter solstice), these awake spirits and make a quick tour of the lands they inhabit, most of these spirits are, according to folklore local, old minor gods whose names were before the history of man, so we do not know their names and stories, and as has always been the focus of this blog, we emphasize working with these «local spirits and gods» with different purposes
These local spirits are and native gods are largely gods of the season, winter deities and agriculture that have been forgotten over time, but their energy is present with the door that opens the winter solstice, and With this, these spirits seek a little adoration in exchange for granting wishes, and for this, we perform the ritual of the «Christmas spirit» which is the «Christianized» (in a way) way of venerating these old spirits without calling The attention of other individuals.
Similar Examples
A similar case occurs in my native country, Venezuela, where before the colonization the local goddess of rain and agriculture ‘Satmanba’ was revered by the indigenous tribes who were in charge of drawing the figure of the same goddess, on rocks and caves nearby of the rivers and mountains, surrounded by animals and flowers to indicate the path that «should» follow the rain to the tribe, once she will send it to water the fields.
As with Satmanba, it also happened with Atteoni, the leopard god, Wannatu, the snake god who cures of poisons, and Edissibe, the god of sun and light, who after the Spanish colonization were banned at the level of worship, and subsequently forgotten, and some of them, got the way to manifest themselves in the new world in the form of healing Saints and Virgins with new names to remain so relevant, while others with less luck simply became forgotten for eternity.
In my recent Live Q&A with the wonderful Madame Pamita,
some of the show attendants commented about my Holiday tree
behind me and we talked a little about it.
The Winter Solstice
This year, the winter solstice takes place on Saturday, December 21, as usual. Normally the Solstice occurs on December 21, or some very few times, on December 22, usually when the Winter Solstice occurs on December 22, this is a prognosis of a global change to occur, such as a armed war between sister nations, separation of states that give rise to new countries, events or discoveries that completely change the course of humanity, or the arrival (also departure) of politicians and leaders who seek to generate change globally.
Preparation
First of all the most important thing, you should clean the house, apartment, office or room where you have decided to carry out the ritual, and once you have finished, I recommend lighting a white candle to start energizing the atmosphere and burn some pine, sage or tangerine incense sticks.
If you are like me, a fan of natural oils, perfumes, and essences, you can easily mix in a glass jar with atomizer or sprayer, equal parts of essential oil of pine, lavender, and myrrh, or a blend of apple oils and cinnamon, and proceed to spray this energetic cleaning formula (which is also very good for attracting money) in every corner of the home.
The essential colors are red, green, purple, blue and white, obviously, you can complement them with gold and silver, or make the combination you prefer, in my personal case, I choose every year for the green tones (mother earth ), red (energy activator) and gold (abundance and masculine energy of Father Sun), you can use, for example, violet or purple (to transmute negative situations and relationships into positive) and white (purity and peace) or silver (riches and feminine energy of the lunar goddess).
Hanging plants at the entrance is essential, from there in large part comes the traditional Christmas wreath that is placed on the doors, with the symbolism of welcoming Christmas and the times of peace, wealth and well-being.
The crown is something symbolic, so if for some reason you cannot get or make for yourself, a real crown of herbs and flowers, you can get one of the other materials. If you have the possibility of getting a real Christmas wreath, the crowns that combine mistletoe, cedar and pine are the best, have an incredible aroma, withstand the cold winter without problems, and attract very good energy to the house.
Music is important, at home we use a “Google Home” digital player that is practically on all day (probably recording all my personal conversations and my bad jokes), you can use your smartphone, music CDs, radio, Spotify Whatever you want, the idea is to create an atmosphere with winter (or Christmas) songs that help you focus your thoughts on what you are invoking.
In my case, for a theme of tastes, I choose to play the Christmas records of Kenny G (a traditional jazz musician), as well as the Christmas records of Sia Furler, Idina Menzel (non-Christian seasonal music), and Voice Veis (a choral group).
A Ritual based on Love and Unity rather than Traditional Sorcery.
Part I
Then, once everything is done and properly organized, I offer two options, the first is to decorate your altar with mistletoe and pine, light green and red candles and burn incense of herbs to welcome the coming spirits.
The second option, which is my favorite, is to have a dinner together with family, friends and loved ones, a small family feast for the purpose of winter, to mark this first day of the new cycle with an act of unity and love between you and your loved ones.
I usually do both, but I suggest you try the one you prefer.
Part II
You will need:
White paper
Ink to write
Red, green and gold ribbon
A white or green candle
A small cauldron or a white saucer
A glass of water
A plate with fruits
The magic moment is entered into the darkness of the night, between six in the afternoon and before dawn, it is here when you proceed to light the candle, you write at this time (not before) your three wishes on a piece of paper, if You want to make it more symbolic, you can use red or green ink. Write these three wishes on paper, fold the paper several times, close your eyes and breathe deeply three times.
Visualize these wishes already fulfilled and take a piece of the ribbon, first wrap the desire (the paper already folded) with the green ribbon to symbolize the spirits and gods of nature that will attend to the wish for fulfillment, now tie it with red ribbon, to activate its energy and charge it positively, and proceed to wrap it with a piece of gold or yellow ribbon, to symbolize its closure successfully.
Then take this paper amulet at one end, thank aloud for the fulfillment of it to your god or personal divinity, and proceed to burn it in the candle flame, burn one of its ends and carefully place it inside the cauldron or saucer until completely consumed.
Tip: it is common that due to the movement of oxygen (or lack thereof) the talisman stops burning at some point, do not be afraid to use another white candle to burn it by its edges until it is completely consumed.
Once the candle has been consumed, throw all the remains and ashes of the ritual out of the house, and place the glass with water and the plate with various fruits near the door, to welcome all the spirits that will read your desire in the energy of the place and will be in charge of granting the «push» necessary for its fulfillment.
with love & blessings to all
by Elhoim Leafar
Some extra Info & Magic for you.
Among the last chapters of my book ‘The Magical Art Of Crafting Charm Bags’ you can find a couple of recipes for these dates, a Special Charm Bag to conjure the Christmas Spirit, and another to call Prosperity & Success with the Yule / Christmas energy.
Some Magickal Stuff you will LoVe! (my favorite list of items for this Season)
To complement any ritual that you want to perform around your Christmas/Holiday Tree, I recommend a couple of products from my personal selection that you will surely LOVE as much as I do, these products are mostly handmade, created and consecrated by true magicians expert in creating different items and with exclusive distribution through their stores.
If you wish to purchase any of these products that I advise you to get, click on the name of the product to be automatically redirected to the page.
The Signature Scent Candle (Sol & Luna Fragances). Made with 100% Organic Coconut wax and essential oils, is a caravan of aroma, Earthy, Woodsy, Spicy, and Romantic, the full aromatherapy experience for your own home, office, Sacred Space or Travel. (exclusively available in AusetGypsy.com online and physical Store).
The Frankincense &Myrrh Liquid Smudge A Sacred & Meditative combination of Frankincense and Myrrh, with Rosewater base and 100% natural Handmade. Perfect to Space clearing, Creating Sacred Space, and Meditation. (exclusively available in AusetGypsy.comonline and physical Store).
A Fantastic Sabbat Fire Bundle (Herbs from a Witch’s Garden), is a beautiful and aromatic lovingly crafted smudge made with herbs grown with a true will, 9th Ward soil, and Mississippi River water in a real New Orleans Witch’s garden. They were harvested in the correct moon phases and astrological aspects and blessed with the proper intent. (exclusively available in HexWitch.com online and physical Store).
Salem Witches’ Money Spell Kit, As a maker of Charm bags as my favorite form of magic, I always recommend doing them for yourself at home, but many times for inexperience, fear or lack of time, some consider buying them ready to use, usually, I make custom Charm bags on request to my clients, and there are few experts that I know who know how to do them and put in their objects true magic and intention, personally, I love the good energy of this store and its owners, if you want a good Charm bag to complement your Abundance ritual this season, I suggest you order one of these at HexWitch.com.
The Beautiful Candles from Mithras Candle (100% Beeswax) This variety of candles have good taste and quality, you can use these for almost any spell, they are as beautiful as they are powerful, they are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, also, collaborate with artists supporting local beekeepers and their hives. (exclusively available in CatlandBooks.com online and physical Store).
Santa Claus, San Nicolás de Mira, Santa Claus and the Spirit of Christmas.
To all the readers, welcome back to my virtual portal, I have been busy between books, classes, and workshops, being as a teacher as a student, now I am taking time out of social networks to focus on finishing various projects, and you will only find me around here, and occasionally on Tumblr and Twitter promoting the topics published in this blog.
This day we are going to shed some light on the life of this mythical character with thousands of names that is Saint Nicholas, and his difference with, the Christmas Spirit, of whom I personally am very devout, and to clarify that they are not the same individual.
Beyond the version recreated by Coca Cola, of the robust and bearded man with a cartoon red and white winter suit, we find the essence of two entirely different characters that I would like to summarize below.
Old Wotan and the first ‘Christmas’.
Centuries before Christianization, the Germanic peoples celebrated a feast in the middle of winter called Yule ’, from which essentially all the traditions that would eventually lead to Christmas originate. During these festivities, the god Woden or Wotan (another form of the god Odin) was present with his long white beard, well accompanied by his hunting troops (Wild Hunt) formed mostly by spirits of old horse hunters.
From here the first images of the old ‘Santa Claus’ leave, like a robust old man with blue eyes and long white beard covered with a thick tunic of skin dyed blue, or sometimes purple or green. Being thus represented in a more elegant and less caricatural way, and with a more «Nordic» aspect.
From a horse to the eight reindeer
Wotan was an old god, a warrior, a wizard, and a poet, it was expected that his court was a mystical and unique creature worthy of him, so he rode ‘Sleipnir’ a fierce eight-legged horse. After the Christianization of the Germanic peoples, trying to keep Wotan’s story alive among the children, this steed would be turned into a white horse called ‘Amerigo’, and now Wotan would have an assistant and page known as ‘Zwarte Piet’.
Zwarte Piet, better known as “Black Peter” or “Pedro el negro” for Spanish-speaking countries, was a demon with coal instead of skin and fire instead of blood, inhabited the forests of Germany and Belgium, devoured the children and terrorized the people, said demon was defeated in combat by Wotan and turned into his servant, Wotan covered him with human skin and from then on he is represented as a vivacious and smiling character of color.
Subsequently, and inspired by the original concept of the eight-legged horse that leads the god during the winter, and in a Christmas postcard published in 1821 where the character is seen in a carriage that is pulled by a reindeer, the legend transforms and converts to the bearded god in a robust and smiling old man aboard a sleigh that is pulled by eight reindeer, to represent the eight legs of the original steed.
For even more commercial purposes, to the eight reindeers that pull the sleigh of «Santa», they are added a ninth reindeer (Rudolph of the red nose) from the 1823 poem «A Visit From St Nicholas», and his assistant Peter It disappears almost completely, except in certain European countries such as Spain, Holland, Poland, and Germany, where little by little its figure is emerging again.
Saint Nicholas de Bari
With the arrival of Christianity throughout Europe, the figure of Woden tried to prevail, and its cult being so difficult to disappear, the Church decided to synchronize it with the figure of the Christian bishop of Greek origin named Nicholas of Bari, who lived in the fourth century in Anatolia, (current Turkey). Nicholas was one of the most venerated people by Christians of the Middle Ages, largely because of his reputation as a miracle worker as for his eagerness to eradicate pagan cults, his relics are in the Basilica of St. Nicholas of Bari, Italy.
Nicolás de Bari was born between the years 270 and 280 in Myra, a city of the District of Lycia, in present-day Turkey, came from a rich family with shops along the Adriatic Sea, once both parents died due to the plague, Nicolás, moved by the situation, distributed all the assets of his family among the neediest and went to live with his uncle (the bishop of Mira), at age 19 Nicolás is ordained a priest, and when his uncle dies, he Nicolás offers to take office as bishop of Mira.
Special mention has its relationship with the children, whom he treated with great respect and appreciation, on one occasion he managed through prayers, to heal two children who had previously been stabbed by a stranger outside the church, from there Many stories began telling their miracles and goodnesses.
He had a good reputation as a gift delivery man, I keep a small part of the family treasures much of his life, mostly gold coins that he left inside the houses of the poor in which he sneaked into the night.
After his death, he was made Patron Saint of Greece, Turkey, Russia and Lorraine (France). In the East, it is known as San Nicolás de Mira or Myra, but in the West as San Nicolás de Bari.
Father Christmas
This is a character of English origin, and it is a divine personification of Christmas that emerged at the end of the Victorian period.
From the fifteenth century, «Father Christmas» appears as an English legend, but it is not until the mid-seventeenth century (following the English Civil War) that his figure goes from oral folklore to be illustrated and described in various commercial publications.
“The English government controlled by the Puritans had legislated to abolish Christmas, considering it a papist, and had banned their traditional customs. The realistic political pamphlets, which link the old traditions with their cause, adopted the Old Santa Claus as a symbol of «the good old days» of festivities and joy. After the Restoration in 1660, Santa’s profile declined. His character was maintained at the end of the 18th century and in the 19th century by Christmas folkloric works.”
Hutton, Ronald (1994). The Rise and Fall of Merry England.
Until Victorian times, Father Christmas was only worried about celebrations and adult parties. He had no particular connection with the children, nor with the delivery of gifts, night visits, socks or fireplaces. As later Victorian Christmas became family festivals focused on children, Father Christmas became a bearer of gifts.
The popular American myth of Santa Claus arrived in England in the 1850s and Father Christmas began to assume the attributes of Santa Claus. In the 1880s, new customs had been established, and the night visitor was sometimes known as Santa Claus and other times as Santa Claus. He was often illustrated with a long red hooded dress adorned with white skins.
Any residual distinction between Father Christmas and Father Christmas faded greatly in the early years of the twentieth century, and modern dictionaries consider the terms Father Christmas and Father Christmas to be synonyms.
Santa Claus or Santa Claus.
Around the year 1624, when Dutch immigrants founded the city of New Amsterdam (now New York) they carried with them their customs and myths, including that of Sinterklaas, a character inspired by the figures of St. Nicholas of Bari and Father Christmas, and in addition to this a patron saint (whose holiday is celebrated in Holland between December 5 and 6).
In 1809, the writer Washington Irving made public the satire, «History of New York,» in which he deformed the Dutch saint, Sinterklaas, in the crude English-speaking pronunciation of Santa Claus.
In 1823 the poet Clement Clarke Moore published a poem that gave rise to the current myth of Santa Claus, based on the previous character of Irving Washington, in that poem mention is made of a version of Santa Claus, although fat, agile as an elf; who gives toys to children on Christmas Eve and is transported in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer (Rudolph -Rodolfo- not yet included).
In 1863, the German cartoonist Thomas Nast developed a series of Christmas strips at Harper’s Weekly, where he granted St. Nicholas the figure of a fat, bearded and cheerful man with a peculiar dress inspired by the bishops of the middle ages.
In the mid-nineteenth century, the American Santa Claus arrived in England and from there to France, where he merged with Bonhomme Noël, another very similar character who used to wear white and gold.
At the end of the 19th century, the American brand “Lomen Company” creates the legend that San Nicolás lives in the North Pole, thus justifying the existence of the eight flying reindeer and the winter attire.
At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1902, in the children’s book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by L. Frank Baum, the story of how Claus earned immortality, as well as his title of saint, originates.
In the twentieth century, the painter Habdon Sundblom certainly remodeled the figure of Santa Claus/Santa Claus for the Coca-Cola company, making a version of it more human, more smiling and more credible commissioned to reshape the figure of Santa Claus / Santa Claus to make it more human and credible, keeping the already popular red and white colors, and the magical sleigh with nine reindeer.
Finally, the myths and legends of the pagan god Woden (being replaced by the Christian Saint Nicholas of Bari) and Father Christmas (Father Christmas) eventually mixed as one, his image became a symbol of the season, and mass advertising around he converted him, from a powerful god of winter and war on a fierce steed, a catholic saint who works miracles, and a nocturnal and festive spirit, into a sweet, robust and bearded old man, dressed in red that distributes gifts throughout the world in one night aboard a sleigh with nine magical reindeer.
Some Magickal Stuff you will LoVe! (my favorite list of items for this Season)
To complement any ritual that you want to perform around your Christmas/Holiday Tree, I recommend a couple of products from my personal selection that you will surely LOVE as much as I do, these products are mostly handmade, created and consecrated by true magicians expert in creating different items and with exclusive distribution through their stores.
If you wish to purchase any of these products that I advise you to get, click on the name of the product to be automatically redirected to the page.
The Signature Scent Candle (Sol & Luna Fragances). Made with 100% Organic Coconut wax and essential oils, is a caravan of aroma, Earthy, Woodsy, Spicy, and Romantic, the full aromatherapy experience for your own home, office, Sacred Space or Travel. (exclusively available in AusetGypsy.com online and physical Store).
The Frankincense &Myrrh Liquid Smudge A Sacred & Meditative combination of Frankincense and Myrrh, with Rosewater base and 100% natural Handmade. Perfect to Space clearing, Creating Sacred Space, and Meditation. (exclusively available in AusetGypsy.comonline and physical Store).
A Fantastic Sabbat Fire Bundle (Herbs from a Witch’s Garden), is a beautiful and aromatic lovingly crafted smudge made with herbs grown with a true will, 9th Ward soil, and Mississippi River water in a real New Orleans Witch’s garden. They were harvested in the correct moon phases and astrological aspects and blessed with the proper intent. (exclusively available in HexWitch.com online and physical Store).
The Beautiful Candles from Mithras Candle (100% Beeswax) This variety of candles have good taste and quality, you can use these for almost any spell, they are as beautiful as they are powerful, they are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, also, collaborate with artists supporting local beekeepers and their hives. (exclusively available in CatlandBooks.com online and physical Store).
The slave trade towards America was a millionaire business, the Spanish and Portuguese traffickers (that is why the expression «Goes with a license», meaning license as permission in Portuguese) took into account the physical conditions of its human merchandise. , then sent to America slaves between 14 and 19 years… Which meant that priests with little experience in Afro-descendant cults will arrive on our lands… No slave owner dared to take the risk for reasons that there was a slave law He said: «Slaves who are old or ill cannot work, should be fed by their owners and can not be given freedom» So how did Santeria or Palo Monte arrive?
In several books that I have investigated and conversations… The Bantues were the first to transmit through signatures what we know as their knowledge with their partners, because they had a muzzle and was forbidden to communicate … and through strokes they did on the ground (there were no cement floors) with their fingers communicated if there was any dead (skull, if there was a Spaniard with the cross and the family with the circle) then this became an encrypted method of communication that allowed rebellions of the blacks.
The Bantues from very small were hunters and this technique worked not to give away the position with respect to some animal, from as soon as 6 years were initiated in the hunting, which implied to imitate and observe hunting techniques, herbal medicine and use of the same for the poisoning of the dams. This training could last for years but it was learning by doing, so it implies that those who came to America had a basic knowledge or were in training period.
In the same way, it happened with the Yorubas who at that young age were brought as slaves and had little more than the knowledge of those divinatory arts.
As the years passed and these slaves had children, they reached agreements to teach the Yoruba el Palo and the Bantu the Osha, so that if they were sold, the remaining one could teach their culture to the children of the absent one.
“Egregors” in Your Life, Be Careful with your Thoughts
There are many who do not know the meaning of the word Egregor, but they do not even know that they can generate one in an unconscious and involuntary way, and there are many more who do not know that they can have one right behind them… The Egregores are our mental «Creations» from somewhere in our Psyche, all human beings are capable of creating them. This thinking energy dwells on an etheric plane and as it is our creation it is our responsibility to maintain and nourish it, these thinking and ethereal beings feed mainly on our energy, that is why if we polarize it with negativity, violence, resentment and hatred, our Egregor will respond in this way.
Our thoughts are energies that accumulate in our bodies and other parts of them and they go out into the atmosphere and expand, that is to say, it has mass (body), and although they do not acquire life or personality, they are entities that operate according to the instruction and direction we have given them. The human eye is not able to «see» these energies, however we can perceive them somehow and they affect us positively or negatively. Many times it happens that we feel a «heavy» unpleasant someone we have just met, or otherwise we feel someone very nice and feel their need for company as a «Light» one. The same can happen with the places we frequent.
There are two kinds of thoughts. Negative thoughts are opaque and low vibrations, they surround the person who created them in a dark and heavy, hostile environment. This is, the individual created a negative Egregor. Positive thoughts are bright and warm, filling the person with a radiant atmosphere of health beauty and energy, thus creating a positive Egregor.
People are usually unaware that they are generating an Egregor, if they feel threatened, frightened, vulnerable, lonely, depressed, sad, angry, feel that someone is hurting them or that their life is in danger, they begin to emit negative vibrations. These vibrations expand outside the earthly body and combine with similar vibrations in the environment, creating an Egregor whose main function is to defend its creator and protect it even at the cost of causing more damage.
If the Egregor does not fulfill its task Immediately, remains in the environment of its creator, constantly bordering on similar situations and exposing it to equal risks to justify its existence until finally fulfills its function. As an example is why many times Bullying victims who begin to suffer it from the Childhood, grow, improve their family work environment, and Bullying is still present, because Egregor looks for ways to expose it to similar situations.
What should you do if you have an Egregor with you?…
It can be very complicated but remember that they respond to the energy they feed on then if you start by changing your mental vibrations, ie your thoughts, and make them more positive, will become a positive Egregor for this you can help with practices that allow you to find spiritual harmony like meditation, Yoga, relaxation etc.
Stay busy in those things you enjoy doing like dance, painting, reading… This will cause positive thoughts to become incessant and weaken the negative effects of your Egregor.
You can go to an expert in the subject, a PROFESSIONAL person and of TRUST that helps you through energy clean.
You can also symbolically burn a tangible representation of Egregor, a drawing, an image a figure to experience energetic liberation.
Remember that to avoid creating negative Egregors, to have mind, body and spirit in harmony is the key, and be very careful what you think at the time when the emotions are altered, as that will have great effects on our lives and those of the environment.
The Sorcerer's Drawer 