CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Kali Rising: Holy Rage

Cover Art by Kat Shaw


Girl God Books is accepting submissions for our upcoming Anthology of writing:  Kali Rising: Holy Rage.

Personal essays or accounts (up to 2,000 words), academic papers, poetry, prayers, and art are welcome.We want to hear about your insight into this Goddess – and how you have used Her story, myth and dance of destruction to transform your life, take back your power and realize Sovereignty is a Human Right. How has Her justified rage empowered you?

Edited by C. Ara Campbell, Jaclyn Cherie, Pat Daly, and Trista Hendren

Scheduled publication: TBA

Submission Guidelines:

-Please send your finished piece in a Word document. Calibri size 12 font is preferred.

-Please do not use any fancy formatting or fonts as it creates a lot more work on our end. Make sure to spell check before you submit.

-Art should be sent in high resolution as a JPG.

You may submit more than one piece for consideration, but due to the volume of submissions, please only send your best work and keep it on topic.

We plan to do three anthologies dedicated to Kali – details to follow. 

Please also include a bio in the third person under 150 words. Please send your submissions to:

submissions@girlgod.org  

by August 30, 2022 with the book title in your subject line.

Please note that we can not accommodate any late submissions or corrections.

RANTINGS OF A MAD WITCH: I Will Not Submit, I Will RESIST

Chains

“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Dylan Thomas


**TRIGGER WARNING**

I do not speak for all Women, but for myself and those closest to me, the last 10 days have been profoundly painful; I did not realize how triggered my own trauma would be.

I watched in awe as Dr. Christine Baisley Ford testified and told her story of survival.

I watched in shock as Brett Kavanaugh testified by throwing temper tantrums, losing his composure, putting on the fake tears, justifying his predatory behavior (“boys will be boys”) and trying to be a victim.

I watched in horror as Congress voted 11-10 to confirm him through the first process of nomination.

I watched as our Government told myself, the females in my family, the Women, girls and Femmes around the world, that we do not matter.

Our voices do not matter.

Our stories do not matter.

Our pain does not matter.

But, I am here to say that

I do matter.

Our stories matter.

Our pain matters.

We matter.

The Divine Feminine is more than waking up, She is here and She is GROWLING WITH RAGE.

Lioness

Humans have raped and pillaged this planet, its animal inhabitants, and people through genocides, crusades, white supremacy and all-out war for eons.

Men have raped and pillaged Women since the beginning of time to place their superiority over us; to place their superiority over all things.

Side note: I do not hate Men. I know that not all Men are predators. I know that there are good Men out there. We are not here to discuss them, though, we are here to call out the predators and discuss how we got to this place as a country, and world. If your initial response to this blog is “not all Men!” then you have missed the point entirely.

I have not met a Woman, in my life, who has not been sexually assaulted.

Read that line again.

And, again.

For the Men who follow my page/blog: your Sister, your Mother, your Grandmothers, your Aunts, your Female/Femme Cousins, your Nieces, your Daughters have or will be sexually assaulted to some degree in their lifetime.

This is not to say that Men do not experience sexual assault, too—they do.

But not in the way Women do, and to compare the two is a false equivalency that helps nothing.

Let’s look at statistics:

  • One in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives
  • In the U.S., one in three women and one in six men experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime
  • 51.1% of female victims of rape reported being raped by an intimate partner and 40.8% by an acquaintance
  • 52.4% of male victims report being raped by an acquaintance and 15.1% by a stranger
  • Almost half (49.5%) of multiracial women and over 45% of American Indian/Alaska Native women were subjected to some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime
  • 91% of victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and nine percent are male
  • In eight out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the perpetrator
  • Eight percent of rapes occur while the victim is at work.

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How can you look at the next generation and not feel despair in your heart for what they will experience? How can you look at them and not want to change their fate?

I can’t do nothing. I can’t remain silent. I can’t accept this.

I won’t.

The world will hear me roar because:

I have experienced (multiple) sexual trauma in the form of rape and molestation. I have experienced sexual (and physical) trauma in abusive relationships. I have experienced sexual harassment in every workplace. I have had men pleasure themselves in front of me on public transportation. I have been stalked (and fought off an attempted kidnapping, twice). I have been verbally threatened and physically abused on more than one occasion when saying no to a man’s advances. I have been spat on (by strangers) for speaking my mind. I have been sexually assaulted by partners for saying no to sex; relationship rape is real.

And that’s the abbreviated list.

Nude

The unrest so many of us are feeling lately is not just the cosmic fuckery going on, it’s the collective.

It’s our trauma coming to the surface.

It’s our Sisters’ trauma coming to the surface.

It’s every single word we have swallowed when biting our tongue’s coming to the surface.

It’s every Woman/Femme to have ever existed finding her/their voice.

And, it’s magnificent to watch.

A few days ago, a prominent Herbalist and Witch posted a blog about sexual abuse in the Pagan community; it was illuminating and heartbreaking. I support you, Sarah.

On Social Media I saw Women, and Men, showing solidarity with Dr. Ford by using #WhyIDidntReportIt and telling their stories.

More recently there was the “blackout” to represent how Women do not matter; a cool concept, but poorly executed. (The idea was/is to change your profile picture to all black.)

I will not give the Patriarchy what it wants; I will not give them my silence.

I will not give them the satisfaction of thinking for one split second that they have won.

I will not shrink myself.

I will not make myself invisible; the world tries to do that already.

I am here to make noise.

I am here to make people uncomfortable.

I am here to rebel.

I am here to RESIST.

Hex the Patriarchy.

Fuck the Patriarchy.

Don’t give up, keep roaring.

WITCH OF THE WEEK: S. Connolly

S. Connolly

 

This week’s Witch of the Week is a Woman by many names whom inspires our community with her otherworldly words, and teachings.

“Four Pen Names, Four Elements”

S. Connolly, or as I have come to know her, Stephanie, is a writer with many published works under her belt. She has been a leading female voice in the LHP and Occult communities for decades; in my eyes she is very much a Divine Feminist.

Ms. Connolly has been practicing Daemonic Magick since 1984 and has been an initiated Daemonolatress since 1990 giving her over 34 years of experience working with the Daemonic.  She has written over 35 titles about Daemonolatry and Daemonic magick. Among them the bestselling Complete Book of Demonolatry.

Her work has appeared in: Qliphoth Journal, Sabbatica, and Anthology of Sorcery: Books 1, 2, and 3, alongside some of the most revered occultists of the 21st Century.  She currently serves as an acquisitions editor at DB Publishing.

Outside the Daemonic and Magickal side of things, Ms. Connolly is a bestselling novelist who writes fantastic, supernatural, and erotic fiction under three additional pen names (Anne O’Connell, Audrey Brice, and S. J. Reisner). She graduated from MSUD in 1995 with a B.A. in English. She and her husband live along the front range of the Rocky Mountains with their three feline companions.

Links to her books and social media can be found on her personal website.

Personal Website: www.sjreisner.com

More about Daemonolatry: www.demonolatry.org

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The Egyptian Glpyh for Heka (Magic)

Q. I was introduced to your work initially through your book ‘The Complete Book of Demonolatry’ and I hated it. Not that the content wasn’t good, or valuable, it was! It is! I think my main issue was the use of the word worship; I generally skim books in an odd manner as opposed to reading them front to back immediately, so maybe that was my mistake. Growing up Roman Catholic worship was a sign of weakness, of being less than our Gods. Have you seen this distaste, or even misunderstanding of the word? Is this something you think people struggle with when entering the world of Demonolatry?

To put things into perspective for the readers I want to use a quote from the book that finally made everything click for me; once I read this, I devoured the book several times over. 

“Self-knowledge, Self-responsibility, and Self- Worship are all parts of Demonolatry as is the quest for knowledge and the practice of Demon worship. We do not grovel before the Demons as unworthy beings that depend on their aide to do anything. They do not control us. We control ourselves. We work with the Demons and honor them to discover our true potential as imperfect, yet divine beings bound by a physical plane of existence. By honoring and worshiping them we are honoring and worshiping ourselves because they are a part of us as we are a part of them. All things are divine. We don’t spend our time trying to look into the eyes of our gods. Instead, we work toward looking through the eyes of our Gods. Basically, we are all the physical manifestation of the divine.”

A. “Most people come from a Judeo-Christian background, and from that worldview – humans are subservient to their Gods. Because people often come to Daemonolatry with that mindset about what worship is – yes – many do have an issue with the word worship. In reality, the word worship means to hold something in high regard, or to have great respect for it. Once people realize this and realize the Daemonic prefer capable students to sedentary grovelers, they get over it. Of course, there are still a fair share of self-styled Daemonolaters out there who do like to grovel before the Daemonic, though that’s not what I teach.”

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Q. In recent years, especially the last two, there has been an increased interest in not only Earth Based and Pagan belief’s but working with infernal energy. We have seen a rise in numbers of the Luciferian, Satanist, Demonolatry, and Nihilist communities. Among them, it seems that there are key demonic (Daemonic) players in the game. Belial, for example, has been around a lot more recently; I have noticed people who wouldn’t usually connect with demonic energy working with Him and others. Why do you think that is? Do you think the current state of the world (widespread political and social unrest) is fueling these Spirits to make an appearance, make themselves known, as an attempt to help us understand ourselves better?

A. “I think that with popularity comes trends. Just like fashion and music. If one of the cool kids in everyone’s favorite online occult group starts chatting about one Daemon, everyone wants to check that Daemon out, so they can come back the next day and chat about it around the virtual water-cooler. None of these Daemons are new, and I knew people who were working with Belial long before it was cool. So, I believe humans create their own trends. You’ll also notice Sorath and Paimon have also had recent bouts of popularity. You’ll notice the trends ebb and flow if you just sit back and watch. Clauneck was popular there for awhile.  Belphegor and Leviathan, too. A lot of the time you’ll find popular occult personalities or writers are responsible for these trends because they’re writing about the particular Daemon in question. Next thing you know – everyone is working with that Daemon and conversing with them.

“I think the popularity of the Daemonic/Infernal is due to the fact that more than ever, people are disenfranchised by their birth religion and/or Judeo-Christian dogma, so they’re searching for something that doesn’t tell them they’re inherently flawed and unworthy. Many pagan religions, LHP and “darker” forms of magick celebrate what it is to be human – flaws and all, while also saying that each person is divine. We are perfect in our “perceived” imperfections. Not to mention LHP religions tell people they are powerful and can make their own choices – create their own lives. Whereas with Christianity, for example, there’s a “let Jesus take the wheel” mentality that leaves people feeling helpless and powerless. People like being given the tools to take their power back (and that’s a lot of what magick is in a nutshell).   Also, our deities and god forms, or divine intelligences, aren’t petty and jealous, nor do they threaten to destroy us and send us to a place called “hell” for disobedience.  Infernal, to me, simply means an energy (Daemon) is closer to the earth sphere (physical plane).”

Lilith

Lilith Qlpiha Sigil: The Woman of the Night by Daemon Barzai, DeviantArt

Q. You are an extremely well-known and respected figure in the Occult and LHP communities, in the beginning did you find it difficult being a Woman? Is it still at times? For me, when I first started out (and I am nowhere near your level) it was a boy’s club, so to speak, and it took a lot of proving myself, for lack of a better term, to be accepted. Why do you think it’s important for Women, particularly, to have a voice in the LHP community? Obviously, it’s important for us to have a voice everywhere, but I think regarding areas of the Occult and Magick that are not all love and light our presence is powerful, and necessary.

A. “Sadly, I have faced some sexism along the way, some of it ongoing. In recent years, now that I’m a woman of a certain age, I have been berated for my looks by young men in the community who judge a woman’s worth based on whether or not her looks give him a hard-on. As if women magicians exist only as masturbation fodder.

“I know several men who have written modifications for Goetic work, or work that sends traditional ceremonial magick on its head who have not been as vocally criticized as I have for ideas that are no stranger or any more unconventional.  Basically – they write a modification guide, they get a pass. I write one, the villagers want to burn me at the stake.  Complete double standard there.

“I have also found that a lot of people think I’m an easy target. I actually have several male assistants now, who help deal with my email and social media, and believe it or not, that has reduced the number of death threats (from other occultists), and the drama people try to drag me into. But it’s sad that I have to have a male barrier to fend off those types of attacks even now in 2018.  While the occulture is rife with people who mind everyone else’s business instead of their own, I do sometimes feel singled out for being a woman who works with the Daemonic. When I initially released Daemonolatry Goetia years back, a rather prominent pagan, woman writer contacted me just to tell me how unusual it was for a woman to write about Goetia. I don’t think she meant anything bad by it, I just think she was surprised and wanted to share her surprise with me.

“The fact of the matter is that there are thousands of women who work with Daemons and infernal powers.  We are not nearly the minority some people may think. It’s important we have a voice in the community because we have a lot of experience and knowledge to offer. Sadly, in a lot of occult circles, female participation is marginalized, and we’re relegated to assisting roles, treated as sex objects or symbols of fertility, or we’re “used” as mediums. As if we’re merely magickal tools that exist for the benefit of our male counterparts during their sex magick rituals or what have you. Instead of being relegated, we should be celebrated for being the powerful magicians we are – on the same footing with male magicians.

“Women are more powerful than we’re given credit for (or that we even give ourselves credit for), and we should be valued beyond our physical appearance, wombs, and vaginas. I think women on this path should focus on lifting each other up, not tearing each other down (which I see far too often). We tear each other down when we’re insecure about ourselves. But if we lifted each other up, a lot more women would feel secure, and imagine how empowering that would be.  A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Q. What is one piece of advice that you were given that you will never forget?

“From one of my magickal mentors the best advice I ever received was, “If you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to manifest it.”

Q. Finally, what is one piece of advice you would give to someone interested in Demonolatry?

A. “Be patient, study, practice, and be present with the Daemonic Divine.  Listen. Spiritual gnosis, self-growth, and magickal competence takes time and effort. There are no quick fixes, magick pills, or shortcuts.”

Stephanie is a force within the Occult and Magickal communities; her words are her weapons, and her balm. She encourages us to see ourselves through the eyes of our gods, and nothing is more profound to me than that.

She defies the status quo one pen stroke at a time.

It’s for these reasons and so many more that she is The Nephilim Rising’s Witch of the Week.

Congratulations, Stephanie.

A CALL TO ACTION: The Rise of the Feminist Witch

Oracle

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“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.”

Rebecca West

This blog was inspired by a most unlikely source, Breitbart.

If you don’t know what Breitbart Media Corporation is, then you have not been paying attention the last 24 months; during Trump’s campaign, and now through his Presidency, far-right media organizations are on the rise, Breitbart is the King of them all.

The article, linked here, warns of the increasing numbers of Feminist Witches, and how we are a threat to the President because of our “public hexes”.

I am not quite sure after reading the article multiple times what he was most offended over: Feminism and Witchcraft or the fact that he believes the President is being hexed?

First thing first, Feminism and Witchcraft have *always* gone hand in hand, this isn’t anything new.

And, it shouldn’t be anything shocking.

Of course, we have Witches in the community who are Men, genderqueer, gender fluid and gender neutral, fact is, the majority are Women and always have been.

So, why are we focusing on the Feminist part?

Does the concept really bother people THAT much?

Witchcraft is about knowledge of Self and the worlds around us (physical and Spirit).

It’s about Magick, duality, polarity, healing and hexing, personal choice and responsibility, and, in many cases, individual sovereignty.

It’s about illumination, rebellion, and breaking the status quo; the Craft is a lot of things before it’s a “Feminist thing”.

We are nearing 2018 and Feminism is still an ideology people are terrified of and consider extreme, and/or dangerous—dare I say, people are more scared of Feminism than they are of Witchcraft.

How fucked is that?

Now, let’s go on ahead and talk about this public hexing nonsense; that’s what it is, nonsense.

I applaud those who decided to go against the system and (attempt to) harm but, all they did was draw unnecessary attention, and the wrong attention at that.

Everyone who has ever worked baneful Magick knows that it loses its effectiveness if spoke about; not only was this mass hexing spoke about, people were livestreaming it.

“To Know, To Dare, To Will, To Keep Silent.”

You don’t talk about hexes.

While on topic, we must acknowledge Trump’s base: far-right, vastly uneducated, Christians.

Regardless of how you and I feel about their God, there are billions of people in this world who believe that narrative and take it on as their personal truth; they have created an egregore.

Egregores HAVE power.

So here are these Witches hexing the President, in public, and countering those intentions are the intentions and willpower of Christians.

It’s a never-ending battle of wills.

They do not call Witches cunning for no reason; we must be more calculating and stealthy in our response and action. This does not mean silence, it means we must think things all the way through before reacting.

The real reason there has been such a rise in Feminism has nothing to do with the Craft, it has to do with the Government amping up its assault on Women, POC and the LGBTQ communities.

Nasty Women worldwide are hearing the war cries of their Sisters and coming to her aid; they hear the war cries of everyone oppressed by this Patriarchal system and come to their aid; through this warrior process many do find the Craft, and the truth and power that lies here but it isn’t the Craft itself that draws them in.

We come when we are called because we are needed, because it’s instinct.

You see Trump has given permission for misogyny, racism, sexism and classism to run rampant due to his own actions; his rise to power has awakened those with like minds and given them courage.

However, the Divine Feminine awakening has caused the same thing to occur: the rise of the rebellious Woman–a Woman with a purpose, and without fear.

We are hearing the cries of Hekate, Lilith, Kali, Baba Yaga, Babalon, Persephone, Demeter, Hel, Ishtar, Inanna, and all the other deities and Archetypes who refuse to bow down—this is our call to action.

Whether it happens in the form of signing petitions, protesting, counseling survivors of abuse and trauma, healing the generational wounds of your tribe, or simply helping a Sister or Brother in need, we are being forced to take up arms and the call is deafening.

This is not a time for us to cower down in meek submission, or give in to fear; we must tap into our inherent power, our Serpentine knowledge and FIGHT.

Most of our work is done, and always has been done, in the shadows—this should be no different.

Enough with the public talks of hexing, and spells, we must go underground with those aspects of our Craft.

But, paradoxically, we also must make ourselves known now more than ever; known to our fellow Witches, known to the system that wants to take us down, known to the world who thinks we don’t exist, or worse, mocks us.

We must show them that our silence does not equate our complaisance but rather, our silence is to be feared for there is a rumbling in our chests, and a fire in our Souls that will not be denied.

We will reclaim all that has been taken from us and destroy anything and anyone who tries to stop us.

We are the Divine Feminine Rising, and you will hear our cries.

We are the ancestors of the Witches you killed, and we have come for justice.

RESIST.

LESSONS IN MAGICK: The Strength of Sisterhood

 

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“There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”

Madeleine K. Albright

This month marks 3 years since I started the NR Facebook page, and 2 years since starting this blog and my Shop; to say it’s been a whirlwind would be an absolute understatement.

I started this venture with no goal in mind, no real intention either; I wanted to create a sanctuary for myself, a place that was my own where I could express my opinions and experiences how I saw fit.

At the time, I didn’t know what that looked like, I didn’t know how I was to navigate this new world I found myself in; a world I had created both by choice and circumstance.

It was hard.

It was devastatingly fucking hard.

Still is, most days.

I have no problem being challenged, or having opposing opinions voiced (others would debate this fact); I do have a problem being attacked though.

I have a problem with people who only read and see what THEY want to read and see, and cannot look at anything objectively; furthermore, they cannot admit when they are wrong.

So, instead of admitting they don’t know, or that they are, in fact, incorrect, they lash out.

Their weapon? Vitriol.

Even when I know the person spewing the words is just a troll who’s merely projecting their insecurities onto me, or simpler yet, they are just trying to get a reaction because it gets them off, it still hurts my feelings.

Most people don’t understand how truly sensitive I am—I feel everything, which is why I burn out so frequently.

This brand was birthed into creation by myself; it’s literally like my baby, and when my baby is attacked, it *feels* personal.

Often, I react as such: an angry, volatile, deadly mama bear.

I know and say all the time that my way is not the only way, that my views are not the only ones.

I don’t want followers, I don’t want a herd of people who think like me; I simply want to spark something inside the minds of other’s by showing them what it looks like to burn in the fire of your truth.

I lead by example.

I light myself on fire every day and show my flames and scars to the world.

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I didn’t realize that my flames would act as a calling card of sorts beckoning like-minded individuals to seek me out, and thus, the page grew rapidly.

I also didn’t realize that in showing my scars, pains, and brutal truths to the world, it granted others permission to do the same.

In the beginning I talked mostly about topics of the Occult, demonolatry and such.

As my journey began to change, as I began to change, so did the content, which I believe is genuinely authentic; the page should reflect what I am going through and who I am.

To my surprise my page base became predominantly Women.

Now THIS was unfamiliar territory for me.

Not only did I not have friends growing up because I was so painfully different, bullied at times, accepted at other’s, choosing to keep to myself most often—I didn’t get along with other girls.

I have always known who I was, and at an early age that is threatening to other girls who are still trying to figure themselves out; it’s threatening to some Women even now as an adult.

In a world full of societal dictations about who and what we are all supposed to be, knowing who you are and living that truth are rebellious acts.

I found my inbox filled with messages from Women thanking me for sharing my experiences and telling me theirs; like soldiers comparing war stories, we shared pain, trauma, oppression, abuse, awakenings, metaphorical death and finally, rejoiced in our rebirth.

It was in these intimate moments that a silent Sisterhood was formed and has been forming ever since.

In my blog, The Rise of the Rebellious Woman I credit the Dark Goddesses with the considerable number of Women joining the Revolution, reclaiming their power, truth, and stepping onto the Left-Hand Path to take back individual sovereignty stolen from them and the Women who stood here in times past.

What I failed to see then is that the Dark Goddess works through Women like myself—Torchbearers who in these times of darkness are lighting the world on fire with their words of wisdom, and war cries for rebellion.

 

 

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I stand arm in arm with my Sisters as we begin to understand and accept that we are so much more similar than we are different.

And through sharing our stories we can heal each other, which in turn heals the wounds of the Divine Feminine; for She can only be healed when Women come to know that each other is an ally, not enemy.

When you tear down your Sister, you tear down yourself.

Thank you to all the Women who have reached out to me and continue to do so; in your words I find so much strength, motivation and inspiration.

Thank you for supporting me, for walking this journey with me, for having my back when the world gets me down.

Most importantly, thank you for teaching me the Sacred, Ancient power of Sisterhood.

Together we can conquer Empires.

Together we will dismantle the Patriarchy.

CALLING THE DARK GODDESS: The Rise of the Rebellious Woman

Laura Sheridan

 

Image: Laura Sheridan

“What’s the worst possible thing you can call a woman? Don’t hold back, now. You’re probably thinking of words like slut, whore, bitch, cunt (I told you not to hold back!), skank. Okay, now, what are the worst things you can call a guy? Fag, girl, bitch, pussy. I’ve even heard the term “mangina.” Notice anything? The worst thing you can call a girl is a girl. The worst thing you can call a guy is a girl. Being a woman is the ultimate insult. Now tell me that’s not royally fucked up.”

Jessica Valenti

I don’t know if I have been thinking a lot about the Dark Goddess because that is what our third book focuses on and so my creative mind is kind of already there; I don’t know if it’s because I honor the Dark Goddess in all Her forms and walk Her path; I don’t know if it’s because there really is a trend happening.

Maybe it’s all three, and more.

But, the Dark Goddess is EVERYWHERE.

Kali. Lilith. Hekate. Baba Yaga.

Just to name a few.

What is it about these Archetypes that is calling out to Women (and Men) of all walks of life?

Why are these deities resonating with us on a Soul level?

Because we are in great need of their lessons.

Let’s face it, the world is full of angry Women.

I know, I know, lots of people are angry but I am focusing on the Women because this part is important.

For centuries upon centuries Women have been oppressed, our place in recent history always dictated by Men.

Our worth, our body image, our sensuality, our sexuality, our intelligence, our independence and then some have all been stolen, watered down, demonized, stigmatized, and dictated by a Patriarchal structure that was put in place to serve Men; giving them power to decide what we can and cannot do with our own bodies, for example.

Funny how Erectile Dysfunction drugs are (usually) always covered under insurance plans but birth control, annual exams, abortion, and all issues related to the Vagina and Women’s overall health becomes a political debate.

Our issues often having to go through every branch of Government multiple times to deem what is constitutional and what is not. Our Sisters in countries with no Constitution have it much worse.

That speaks volumes.

The fact that this even happens is proof that Women are NOT treated as equals; we are in some cases not even treated as human beings.

This is NOT some woes me post.

This is NOT a man hating post, either.

If you are not one of the Men I refer to; the kind who oppress, abuse and inflict some ridiculous double standard on Women then none of my words should affect or offend you. If they do, maybe you should evaluate those parts of yourself.

Men face their own set of challenges. Just one example: ridiculous standards of what Masculinity is, and if they do not meet those standards and/or criteria they are called “gay”.

Which our society has somehow twisted it into being an insult.

Being a Woman, and/or a homosexual is an insult.

What have we become?

Now that my disclaimer is out of the way and we make sure there are no misunderstandings, let me carry on with the article.

What do these Goddesses teach us?

What do they all have in common?

Let’s go over that a bit.

Kali teaches us the power of justified rage, and wrath that knows no bounds. She teaches us to be unapologetic with our less than savory emotions and feelings. She teaches us the power of destruction, and the necessity of “killing off all that is old” in order to rise anew.

Lilith teaches us that sexuality, sensuality, lust, individuality and power are not to be feared in a Woman; they are to be honored. She teaches us not to be shamed, or ashamed of what we are and the Serpent and Fruit we carry with us.

Hekate teaches us that life is neither black nor white but it’s full of gray areas; just like Magick. She teaches us how to hunt; in this modern-day context that means she teaches us when to fight, and when to save our energy. She illuminates truth and calls for justice; she is a voice for the forgotten Woman, child and every underdog of society. She teaches us that death is not to be feared but respected. Our journeys into the Underworld of our Soul are essential to the ascension process.

Baba Yaga teaches us the power of our anger and nastiness; she teaches us that we do not need to conform to what society wants us to be, or thinks we should be. Baba teaches us the wisdom of the Crone, the liberation of being self-reliant and the strength that comes from being forced to survive a night in the woods alone. 

These Goddesses would be considered Rebellious Women.

Women who are too opinionated, too wild and completely unable to be tamed. They would be shunned—labeled as outcasts, misfits.

As we face an uncertain future we need angry, loud, unafraid, non-conforming, NASTY WOMEN more than ever.

I know the future is never clear but with the current political firestorms erupting, times are even more uncertain.

These Goddesses are not coming to us, calling out to those who will listen for no reason, they know they are needed. More and more Women are starting to find their voice, and are willing to speak up and speak out about what they are willing, and not willing to put up with.

In laymen’s terms:

I will not be silenced; we will not be silenced.

This is my body and I will do with it what I see fit—it should not be a Government issue.

My body should not be regulated because I was born with a Vagina.

My body was not created for the pleasure of a Man, or any other human being.

I was not created to be ruled over.

There is only so long you can beat down a group of people before they awaken to the truth, and begin to RISE in protest.

We have seen it coming for years with many marginalized groups—Feminists/Women, LGBTQ and People of Color leading the way.

We are reclaiming our power.

Caged birds don’t remain caged forever; they will always find freedom and their voice to sing.

The Dark Goddesses teach us just that.

SUCCUBUS: How I Discovered I Was a Sexual Vampyr

katerina-plotnikova-2

Image: Katerina Plotnikova

“Sex is an emotion in motion.”

Mae West

When people hear the word Succubus they automatically think of Lilith, and from there the opinions split; on one side, we have those who think Succubi are nothing more than Women and She-Devils who are out to abuse, manipulate, and feed off unwilling, and unknowing participants. On the other hand, we have those who understand energy Vampyrism (in all its forms) and that many of us apply a code of ethics and morality to our lifestyle.

If I can go off track for a second and refer to my blog about Psychic Vampyrism (a trait I also carry).

From my experience, not all Succubi can feed on both Psychic debris/energy as well as sexual energy. We each seem to be very particular about what we feed on, and how we do it.

There are also Sanguine Vampyrs who incorporate blood but I will not get into that because a.) I am not Sanguine and therefore don’t feel comfortable talking about their lifestyle and b.) Sanguine’s are secretive like no other because of the stigma attached to their practice. You think Sex Vamps have it bad, try being a “blood sucking Vamp” and it gets a lot worse.

They don’t have some weird fetish with blood, at least not generally speaking, they just happen to receive energy that way. I look at it like this, if their participant is willing and not being abused, then no one is in any position to judge adults partaking in taboo acts. I think this goes for all alternative lifestyles.

I feel like my entire fucking life is taboo, and that is why I try so hard to see all points of view no matter how radical, or archaic they seem to me.

Anyhoo…

I talked about Psychic Vampyrism getting a bad rap, and that many of us are truly misunderstood healers.

Of course, as with every group of people, there are good ones in the bunch and there are bad ones in the bunch, you can’t clump us all together. I would not clump all Luciferians, or Satanists together, nor do I clump all Witches together. I know that while we may have things in common we are still very much individuals in every way, and our experiences, no matter how parallel, are subjective, too.

I bring up Psychic Vampyrism because just like them, Succubi either generate complete fascination, or total disdain. Again, completely misunderstood.

I can’t speak for every one out there, duh, and I say that frequently; I just want to tell my story because I get asked questions about this all. the. time.

I am certain some of what I write will raise eyebrows but fuck it. Right?

When I say that I have always been connected to sexual energy, I mean it quite literally.

I remember, and my Mom has backed it up (how embarrassing) that I was masturbating at age 4, and very much in tune with my body. It was much more than just “curious touch”. I remember reaching orgasm at age 6, and from then on nothing was really the same; it’s like a switch flipped.

Some kids had their blankets, and favorite toys, while I masturbated for comfort, insomnia, and as I quickly found out, energy.

I know how this sounds, and I can hear the “you need fucking therapy” comments already.

I have been to therapy, and had many breakthroughs. To be clear, I was not shown how to masturbate, and was not a victim of sexual abuse until I was 8 going on 9; looking back on it and drudging it up in countless therapy sessions as mentioned, the abuse didn’t victimize me.

In a sense, it fascinated me but also made me feel angry and dirty; emotions I couldn’t reconcile until I was older and understood what consent was. Without consent, it’s assault. No one at that young of an age should be experiencing sexual touch with any partner; it should, for obvious reasons, be a solo act. Children are off limits, to everything. Parents should talk to their children about healthy touch and experiencing their own bodies, and not shaming them for it. Talk to any Doctor and they will say, masturbation is normal (probably not at such a young age as myself, but it is normal and nothing to be worried about).

To the surprise of many, including myself, I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 18. When I was in High School I was going through so much at home, both mundane and Magickally related that boys and sex were just not on my mind like they were my friends’. I had crushes but, they were based on quirks I saw or because a guy was smart, not because he was hot, popular or a good lay.

Once I had sex though, it was as if I had opened Pandora’s Box.

I was not shy, or timid, even during my first time; I remember it hurting so bad that it turned me on even more; the very beginning of my journey down the Masochist rabbit hole.

I enjoyed being dominated but also fighting for dominance myself and afterwards all I could think was, “This is one time, and one guy, imagine what else is out there.”

For many years, I unknowingly was feeding every time I would have a sexual encounter, which was frequent. Sex made me feel empowered, and strong but there were some partners that made me feel heavy; I was taking on their demons and didn’t even know it.

It was not until I encountered a fellow Succubus and she showed me the ropes did I understand that not all partners should be consumed, and not all partners are worthy of us; while Succubi feed off their partner’s life force, their partner also gets a “high” from being in contact with us. Our energy is like no other and often we will hear people say, “I don’t know why, I am just so attracted to you.” We also get comments about how comforting our homes and bedrooms can be.

Therefore, many Succubi are irresistible to their targets when they really put their intentions behind it.

By the way, the consumption of a partner is not just energy wise, either, it’s literal. You should not consume a partner’s vaginal secretions, or semen unless you know for sure you can handle all that comes with it. When we take in their bodily fluids either orally or through our genitals, we are taking in their life force; unless you have a filter set up, you will absorb the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I did not have a filter for the entire time I was having sex; so from ages 18-29 I was having sex freely, wildly, and in a way only a youth with no worries could fuck.

Every single one of those encounters came back to bite me in the ass.

I started to have dreams that were not dreams at all but flashes of memory, but not my own—the memories of people I slept with. I was having fears that made no sense, and began to have health issues that also made no sense. I had taken in too much bad energy without transmuting it to be beneficial, and it caused an Auric tear that allowed a lot of negative debris to come in.

I sought out my Sister Witch who is the Succubus mentioned earlier, and she helped me harness my power and then, I became celibate.

Makes sense, huh? A Succubus being celibate…

But, I had no choice.

I had to clean out all the psychic and sexual debris that I took on, and I had to heal the wounds created in childhood, and young adulthood; I also had to focus on myself because I was at the peak of my Spiritual Awakening.

In 2013 I stopped having sex, and for 1 year and 1 day, I did not even masturbate; I truly needed a full detox of all sexual energy because I had abused it, and in turn it abused me.

When I began to play with sexual energy again it was entirely different; I started with my own, obviously. Masturbation is one of the most efficient ways for us to get energy, and even though it is not considered Vampyrism, as you are using or recycling your own life force, it is something we can and should do in times of drought, so to speak. It is also a guaranteed way to make sure we are not taking in negative energy.

After I harnessed my own, newly awakened Shakti charged energy, I began to incorporate other’s.

This was done through long distance feeding, and usually through synchronized masturbation or, in a few cases the targets were actively engaging in sexual intercourse, and they allowed me to tap in, and feed. The most efficient way for us to get energy is obviously through sexual intercourse, or engaging in sexual acts ourselves but we can be creative with our feeding, too.

For me, it seems that I inherently take on, or seek out negative energy in other people; when I studied my Irish heritage, I discovered my Sin-eating ability and I think it connects to my Succubi side.

Sin eating was a practice that originated in Southern England but quickly spread throughout the UK. Usually a dying or recently deceased person would transfer their sins into a loaf of bread and pint of ale; the Sin-eater would come eat the bread, drink the ale taking on the sins of the dead, and allowing the person to be granted access to Heaven. For more history on this practice click here.

Succubi are the embodiment of all that is carnal and primal within us; she reflects the wild side of our sexual nature, and true empowerment through sexual acts. She shows us not to be ashamed by our desires, and deviations but to embrace them.

The Succubus is a misunderstood healer, a stigmatized and demonized Woman; someone who knows exactly what she wants sexually.

In many ways, the Succubus is the ultimate Feminist.

For these facts alone she is feared.

This is why Lilith is our Mother.

Sacred Blood

Larissa Morais

Image: Larissa Morais

“When she bleeds the smells I know change color. There is iron in her soul on those days. She smells like a gun.”

Jeanette Winterson

I promised myself that I would leave this subject alone, and that I would not add my two cents in, but as usual, I have broken that promise to myself. If you have been on social media the last few days then I am sure you have heard of Rupi Kaur, if you do not know her name, then you surely know her picture. She is the woman who posted a picture of herself in bed with a menstrual leak in her pants, and on her sheets. If you are a woman who has had her period, or a woman who is still active in her cycle, then I am sure this is not a new sight to your eyes. If you are unfamiliar with the story, Rupi is working on a photo project, a series of what it is to be a woman in this patriarchal society, she posted this candid image of herself in a vulnerable moment, and posted it to Instagram, and it was removed. This picture has caused a revolution of sorts, and an uproar on all social media platforms. It appears that we are very much split down the middle, and the two groups are those in support of, and those who think it is disgusting. You know what I think is disgusting? That women are the main culprit of this lack of understanding, and I have read thousands of comments over the last two days of Women saying that Miss Kaur should, “show some class”, “keep things private”, “we don’t have to share everything”, and my favorite, “is nothing sacred anymore?” As I rip my hair from my head, I want to scream, “MENSTRUAL BLOOD IS SACRED!!! YOU FUCKING FOOLS!”

I know at this point you are probably wondering why I am writing about this. My answer to that is that I write about injustices that I see, and I stick to no specific topic. I am going to give some Occult history, and actual historical information regarding menstrual blood and the Sacred spot it has held in every civilization. It seems that just like everything else that empowers the Woman, this too, has been swept under the rug. I find it funny that society objectifies the Woman every single day but the very thing that makes us Woman is to be hidden, frowned upon. This used to be a time that the Woman was celebrated.  I think it is time that the Divine Feminine states her claim; They must hear us roar. This was at no time supposed to be a patriarchal society, and I think it is time for a refresher course.

I was 27 when I had my hysterectomy, as I sit here at the young age of 30, I struggle with my “womanliness” almost every day. I see so many Women who have chosen not to have children and jokingly (some seriously) say that they want sterilization, or a hysterectomy; While I understand the thought process behind this, I mean who wants their period if they do not want children, I think this is a rash decision; But, I judge none, and to each their own. I think if a woman chooses that she wants to have these elective surgeries that is her right, but do you know how hard it is to find a doctor who will perform the procedure, if there is no health issue? I mean, do doctors give single men, with no children the same hassle that they give to single women with no children, when the male goes in for a vasectomy? If it were not for my underlying health issues, and I really only had heavy, heavy periods, would I have been denied the hysterectomy? My periods were so bad that I would have to stay in bed for days, I couldn’t work during it, and the flow was so heavy that I ruined more underwear, sheets, and pants than I could ever think to count.

Why am I being so honest you wonder? Because I think that having a period is a beautiful experience, and one that the Goddess herself has blessed humanity with. If it weren’t for our monthly bleeding, humans wouldn’t be able to create. Or does everyone forget about that? We can only love the Woman when she is submissive, and objectified? We cannot love the Woman if her belly is swollen from her period, and there is sacred blood seeping from her vagina? She isn’t sexy then? We can’t talk about those moments? Why? I say fuck it, and embrace who you are. Embrace those cramps, and that blood that stained your favorite pair of underwear, embrace your ability to create IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO. Embrace your inner Woman and everything that comes with Her. Embrace the chocolate cravings, mood swings, the late night trips to get tampons, and pads that are the size of your arm, the salt cravings to counteract the sweets, a good cry with a movie, and you guessed it, your Divine Blood.

Do not be ashamed of who you are, especially not on the account of someone else, and their level of comfort on the subject. I am going to give some history on menstrual blood, I will also give a link to an article talking about Rupi and her photo. I hope, if nothing else, this post brings you out of your comfort zone, only then can we see things for how they truly are.

“Women have been associated with the moon for longer than the human being has been human. Unlike early man, Woman could bleed in harmony with the cycles of the Moon, and not be harmed. When Women live together in close proximity, their cycles become coordinated; in natural light they tend to ovulate on or around the full Moon, and bleed on or around the waning or dark Moon. Furthermore, menstrual blood has very Magickal qualities: it attracts some animals and repels others; and it is an excellent fertilizer. Imagine the effect this had upon early man, who bled only with great danger or harm; and who survived on hunting and agriculture.”

“Menstruation is the most regular thing to happen to human beings. Herein lies the genuine power of menstruation, and what it has meant to human history. Menstruation and its connection to the regular movements of the moon, gave us time in large exact measurements and proportion. Without menstruation and the sciences of measurement Women developed from watching first the moon and then the stars, there would be no clocks or watches, no astronomers, no mathematicians or physicists, no astronauts, none of the architecture and engineering which have been born from exact measurement and proportion. We could build a nest, like a bird; but not a pyramid or rectangle or any other regular, geometric shape. Geometry was a gift of menstruation.”

“The oldest word for menstruation means “woman’s friend”. In some cultures, menstruation was originally called “tupua”, a Polynesian word meaning valuable, sacred, wonderful, Magickal; the word/concept “taboo” developed from it.”

“The days of menstruation were set apart from other days. In Babylonia, they were called “sabbatu” from which we get “Sabbat / Sabbath”. Repeated practices that Women developed in order to teach, confirm, and make social the powers of menstruation were called by words derived from “ritu” — at base, rituals and rites mean public menstrual practices.”

“The female genital, source of blood for the Magick of hunting and agriculture, source of keeping track of time, source of counting and measuring, source of geometry and babies and umbilical cords and the knowledge of tying, of connections; of flowering and fruiting and desiring — the female genital was worth-shipped, the female body was held valuable as a source and as a force; held valuable because of the sciences its mind produced and the wealth of culture that followed after.”

“So HOW did we get from “worshiping” and “the Woman’s friend” to “icky curse”? The answer is a long story of power, authority, their abuse, and public relations. One of the most important and astonishing stories on earth concerns the jealousy many men feel toward women — their Magickal menstrual and birthing powers, and the solutions they have developed to deal with this.”

“In cultures throughout the world, there are male practices that involve some kind of genital cuts to imitate a bleeding vagina. For example, even when a male Jew is born circumcised, he must endure a cut because it is necessary that blood actually flow from the genitals. In many aboriginal tribes this involves more severe practices — even the cutting of the underside of the penis — called “subcision”. In some tribes, the older women tell the young girls, “Don’t laugh at the menstruating men.” They know what is going on — and now so do we. In Greek myth, the Greek hero (originally one who was dedicated to the service of the Goddess, “Hera”) Herakles (later Hercules) goes on a journey to steal the Shamaness belt of the Amazon Queen, Hippolyta.”

We are Woman, our blood is Divine.

Read more about Rupi, here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/27/rupi-kaur-period-instagram_n_6954898.html

Read more about menstrual Magick, here:

http://mirrorofisis.freeyellow.com/id51.html