Witch’s Ribbons: Wearing your Craft in public

a-witch-named-lyd:

juniperwildwalk:

This is a practice that I’ve adapted from something many Wiccan covens
use during rituals. It’s designed to allow us Wiccans to display our Craft and
our faith in an open way, without it being seen for what it truly is by
non-Wiccans (mundanes). Pentacles and skulls are all very well, but they’re all
too easily seen as being obviously “witchy”. This method avoids that, and also
allows you to display your proficiency in a specific art of witchcraft or
Wicca. This post is tagged under “witch’s ribbons”.

What are Witch’s Ribbons?

A witch’s ribbon (written as “ribbon” here) is, quite simply, a
specially-marked ribbon of a specific colour that is worn on the person of a
Wiccan to display their Craft. Ribbons are made by taking a coloured length of
ribbon about one to two feet long, and wrapping it around the wrist, ankle,
arm, neck etc. It is then tied off, and used as a wristband. I also recommend
drawing a little, relatively innocuous sign on the ribbon, one that would not
be easily spotted. For example, the “ )O( “ triple moon symbol might be a good
choice, or a few runes such as Perthro
and Ansuz (common witches’ runes,
symbolising the occult and sacred feminine, and the wisdom of Odin and
language, respectively).

You can wear more than one at a time, and it’s also possible to plait or braid ribbons so that multiple colours are combined into one strand. For example, I specialise in healing magick, divination, and green witchery. So I would plait together blue, yellow and green.

What do the colours mean?

The
colours are based off of a common coven practice, which is wearing special
robes either dyed a colour or trimmed with that colour. I have carried over
most of those colours, but some have either been added from new, or changed
slightly.

• Purple – The colour of priests and priestesses, representing those who work with
  the god and goddess specifically; usually only worn by coven leaders

• Navy-blue – The colour of deep oceans, representing sea-witches and those who work
  with ocean magick and creatures

• Blue – The colour of healers and potion brewers. This is also the colour of
  the Goddess.

• Turquoise – The colour of ice witches and those who work with winter, ice and snow.
  Could also be worn by any witch during winter or Yule

• Green – The colour of herbalists and green witches, those who work with nature,
  especially plants and fungi

• Light brown – The colour of those who work with animals, especially those with
  psychic connections to animals and animal minds

• Dark brown – The colour of hedge witchery and tree magick, heavily associated with
  those who specialise in the magick of rocks and the Earth itself.

• Gold – The colour of the Sun and the summer, representing summer witches and
  those witches who work extensively with deserts and hot places. The colour of
  the God.

• Silver – The colour of stars and of those witches who work extensively with the
  night sky and space, such as those who practice roadomancy.

• Yellow – The colour of diviners, those who work with divination and foretelling
  the future

• Orange – The colour of fire witches, and those who work with flames and smoke;
  also the colour of energy-workers

• Red – The colour of emotions, especially strong passionate ones like love,
  lust, hate, joy, depression and envy. Used by those who work with emotions and
  the mind.

• White – The colour of purity, representing the Moon and salt. Worn by those who
  are undergoing ritual purification, and also by those who are hoping for good
  health.

• Black – The “default” colour of witchcraft, it is an absence of colour and
  represents no strong allegiance towards or away from any specific branch of
  witchcraft. It is most commonly worn by initiates and those who are just
  learning about witchcraft and Wicca. Also worn on the upper arm by those in
  mourning for the dead – the “black armband” tradition.  

– Juniper

I really like this idea.