The Omen, Death’s generous gift to us, yet, still the feared and dreaded messenger to the living. The polarizing elements of an omen are widely known and categorized into good and evil. Not dissimilar to other divinatory messengers, omens are sent to deliver a message from the intersecting worlds. An omen is a happening, believed to foretell the future and frequently serves as a herald of transition. It was a common belief in ancient times that omens were divine messages from the gods and legions of other spirits. Omens are often requested, and depending upon circumstances, are granted to the humble caller.
Death omens are unique phenomena that are known to cause dread among us mortals, and many of us neglect to consider the kindness that Death has granted us. Death’s omens are not meant to cause dread, but to prepare us for what we and our Dear Ones will not escape. As magicians, we are privileged to prepare ourselves and our Dear Ones for what comes next.
Death rarely shows up at a convenient time. As sorcerous beings, how do we prepare for the inevitable? The natural desire to delay the transition of Death and loss isn’t unnatural, however, it certainly takes a Death-touched mindset to enchant for the preparation and navigation of Death’s call. Here I encourage those who work in the current of Death to lean into your Underworld pacts and relationships. Ask yourselves, “What am I granted in order to make such transitions less terrifying and debilitating?”
A few core things that have helped me in my personal necromantic journeys have been:
- Learning to consider omens as allies, and forming relationships with the natural phenomena that illustrate said omens (plants, animals, certain land happenings, etc)
- Allowing space for mourning and working with my court spirits to honor personal traditions regarding acknowledging and enhancing easier passage for the souls of dear ones, as well as expressing gratitude towards Underworld spirits that do the work that many others shun, fear, or find disgust.
The ritualistic process of mourning is not absent from necromancy, especially among the grimoirs of antiquity. Many necromantic plants and natural beings exist in this context, to aid in said practices. The Narcissus flower (a plant of Hades for transition to and from the Underworld), the Cypress and Willow Tree, are just a few examples of flora that lead our magic to and from the lands of the living and the dead. Especially the Willow tree. The mysteries of the Willow tree are vast. The lessons the spirit of Willow offers us lie within the shadow of the emotionally potent moon and the deep rooted systems of the earth. Willow is often associated with grief and the process of mourning.
I am not arrogant enough to say I do not fear the lingering effects of loss that Death brings us. Nor to dismiss our natural desire to grasp onto memories, or the painful accounts of the sometimes harsh suffering of our Dear Ones. All I can say is that my necromantic practice is deeply an emotional one. I am my most raw when I weep for the Dead, which has led to the forging of emotional materia such as Willow Tears.
Willow Tears offers the aid and allyship of the Willow spirit. Willow assists the necromancer to be present in what weighs and ails us. Necromatically speaking, Willow Tears is a powerful elixir you may feed to any shade as well as yourself, as a form of acknowledgement. This is a potent tactic in regards to affixing the favor of the Dead to your sorcery. Emotionally, Willow Tears strengthens you by turning your tears into focus, acceptance, and the strength to move forward. This tincture has been entirely handcrafted and extracted with a homemade White Willow alcohol-based tincture that includes the spirits and infusion of:
Lavender – a classic ally to sooth the souls and minds of the living as well as the departed
Chamomile – known as “ground apples” to light the way towards resilience and hope and to keep us anchored as we process our journey as well as gentle domination herb to calm confused and or angry shades.
This alcohol-based tincture is potent and a few drops go a long way. When using this tincture during neromanctic ritual, you may use this to feed to the shade(s) you are employing at the time.
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Author: Kthonia
Rootwork, Witchcraft, Necromancy, Herbalism.