In the dark depths of the occult, a witch has uncovered the ancient spell to unseal the portals of Mercury. This forbidden knowledge, passed down through generations of witches, holds immense power and unimaginable consequences. With whispered incantations and delicate gestures, the witch begins to peel back the cosmic veil, opening a gateway to another realm. Mercury, the planet of intellect and communication, holds sway over our thoughts and words. It is a realm of swift and fluid energy, where ideas flow like rivers and knowledge shimmers like stars. By unsealing the portals, the witch seeks to tap into this vast source of wisdom and harness its might for her own purposes.
On the hilltop in the field near my house, there lives a coven of witches. Or, more accurately, there is a coven of witches living in a pocket of the Faerie Realm which has recently become attached to the hilltop by my house. By the rules of the Faerie Court, their home must be hidden using both verbal and somatic charms. I already know the verbal charm. I won't write it here. The somatic charm works like this. Around the hilltop are 13 trees. See diagram. To get to the witches' realm, you must walk the following path. The important part is what side of the trees you pass. If you complete only some of the correct loops, you cannot meet the witches. When standing left of the tree with the cross, you will see the normal hilltop. But once you pass the cross tree, provided you have made the correct loops beforehand, you will see a similar hilltop, except there is a big iron cauldron with three hags capering about. If you line yourself up correctly with the tree, you can see one half of the cauldron to the right of the trunk, but no cauldron to the left. If, at any point during the charm walk, you stray too far from the hill, you will end up back in the mortal realm and have to start the charm walk again. This is where things get confusing. Suppose friends stands south of the hill at the blue marker. Far enough away that they would have to restart their charm walk. Meanwhile I do the correct loops until I reach the pink marker. Now I can see the witches to my north. Since walking south will return me to the mortal realm, I should be able to see my friends to the South. But since they have not completed the walk, they cannot see the witches to the north. So what happens if they start walking north towards me? Then we walk together to the hilltop. Do they meet the witches or not? Something's gotta give. I have not tried this with another person yet. I have tried with my pet labrador. But unfortunately she will not sit still long enough to complete the experiment. The witches are happy for me to know about their den, because I buy so many potions from them. But they will be upset if I tell anyone else. So I would like some opinions on what might happen before I take the risk of letting other people in on the secret. What do you expect to happen?
But once you pass the cross tree, provided you have made the correct loops beforehand, you will see a similar hilltop, except there is a big iron cauldron with three hags capering about. Someone with your experience should be familiar enough with site policy to not ask a question that is explicitly soliciting people s opinions about what could happen.
By unsealing the portals, the witch seeks to tap into this vast source of wisdom and harness its might for her own purposes. But as the portals creak open, an unsettling change begins to take place. The once tranquil skies darken and the air becomes heavy with an otherworldly aura.
Witch unsealing the portals of Mercury
Whenever I do spells, I check the phase of the moon and day of the week and try to use the prevalent energy. Most witches find magic works best when the moon is full.
In ancient times, the Moon was thought of as a planet, as was the Sun. Monday was the Moon's day. Sunday was associated with the Sun. The other days of the week were also linked to planets: Wednesday with Mercury, Friday with Venus, Tuesday with Mars, Thursday with Jupiter and Saturday with Saturn. These planetary correspondences are still used by magical practitioners today because the power of tradition is also a strong force.
Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic offers an really good explanation of the history and uses of the power of the planets, what each represents and the colours, herbs and other material components associated with them. Author Rebecca Beattie also goes into each day's planetary hours, to really tap into the right energy for whatever spell you're doing.
Publisher Moon Books says on its website:
"At the core of modern pagan witchcraft is a knowledge system concerning traditions of nature, connection, and embodiment to the astrological planets. Throughout magical history, practitioners of magic have looked to the planets for inspiration and magical help. From the earliest beginnings of written magical texts - the grimoires - magical systems were based on the seven planetary powers that were visible in the night sky. The grimoires were then studied by practitioners of folk-magic - the cunning folk - and by influential groups from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn to practitioners of modern witchcraft."
After exploring the history of planetary magic, Rebecca Beattie explains how to work with the seven energetic powers. The book then has a full chapter on each of the planets in turn, including symbols and sigils; incense, oil and tea recipes; appropriate deities; tarot symbolism; and talismans to craft.
Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic is delightfully written, accessible and practical. I'd thoroughly recommend the book for anyone wanting to learn to use the correspondences of the planets and those with some experience already who want to delve a bit deeper into this essential aspect of witchcraft ancient and modern.
$\begingroup$ What's the point of having faerie magic if it's going to be logical and consistent? Faerie magic should be arbitrary and capricious, that's what makes it faerie magic. $\endgroup$
Mysterious figures appear, phantoms of other realms drawn to the open doorway. They whisper secrets and temptations, promising untold knowledge and power. Yet, behind their enticing façade lies a sinister truth – their intentions are far from benign. The witch, now caught in a precarious position, must navigate this treacherous labyrinth of Mercury's realm. As she delves deeper into the unknown, she realizes that the barriers between worlds are not easily crossed. Each step forward brings her closer to the edge of madness, as the power of Mercury threatens to consume her very essence. With every passing moment, the witch's grasp on her own sanity weakens, and the portals begin to close once more. Yet, she is not deterred. For even though the path ahead is perilous, the allure of forbidden knowledge continues to whisper in her ear. With unwavering determination, the witch pushes forward, willing to sacrifice everything for a taste of Mercury's arcane power. In the end, the witch's fate remains uncertain. Will she emerge victorious, having unlocked the untold secrets of Mercury's realm? Or will she be consumed by the very forces she sought to control? Only time will tell, as the portals of Mercury close once more, leaving humanity to wonder about the hidden mysteries that lie beyond..
Reviews for "Stepping through the Portals of Mercury: A Witch's Spiritual Awakening"
1. Samantha Johnson - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to read "Witch unsealing the portals of mercury" based on the intriguing premise, but I was thoroughly disappointed by the execution. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, and the pacing was all over the place. I found it difficult to connect with the characters, as their motivations and actions seemed erratic and inconsistent. Overall, I felt that the story lacked depth and failed to deliver on its promising concept.
2. Michael Thompson - 1/5 stars - I couldn't even finish "Witch unsealing the portals of mercury" because it was just unbearable to read. The writing was incredibly convoluted and pretentious, making it almost impossible to follow the storyline. The excessive use of flowery language and unnecessary descriptions only served to bog down the narrative further. I found myself constantly re-reading paragraphs just to grasp what was happening, but ultimately gave up out of frustration. This book was a major disappointment.
3. Emily Roberts - 2/5 stars - While "Witch unsealing the portals of mercury" had an interesting concept, the execution fell flat for me. The writing style was overly verbose and lacked clarity, making it difficult to immerse myself in the story. Additionally, the characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to invest in their journeys. I also found the pacing to be inconsistent, with long periods of inaction followed by rushed and confusing plot developments. Overall, I struggled to engage with this book and found it to be a lackluster read.