Culture, tradition and bygone times

Recently I’ve been attending the wonderful online event that is Winter’s Last run by The Taibhsear Colleactive and my friend Scott of The Cailleach’s Herbarium.

They have been putting on wonderful events over the past few years; many talks, workshops and storytelling surrounding Scottish folklore and folk ways. It has been wonderful and I’ve had tried to soak up as much as I can.

You may be wondering why a Scots wumman such as myself should need to learn this? Shouldn’t I already know all this? Sadly no. Some of these folk ways discussed are considered historic, archaic even, and belong to bygone eras and people that have been a long time dead. Such is life; traditions change, old ways get forgotten or discarded and replaced. People get displaced or choose to move to a new land and take the vestiges of their culture with them.

Modernising has become a key goal of many local authorities as they try to keep up with the larger cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow to try and attract tourists and jobs. But they’re too busy looking forward that they’re ignoring their own rich history and culture. Old buildings that hold the stories of generations gone get torn down so new build housing can go up. We are destroying our own history.

What some of these people forget is that the appeal of cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow isn’t just because of their pubs and shopping centres; it’s that they’re old cities with a rich culture and history and historic buildings that draw people to them.

I was out walking with my fiance today near a local burn and pond. The ponds were formed by a local linen mill decades ago but the old sluice gates are still there. My fiance was looking forward to showing me the old mill’s water wheel. Sadly we learned it had been torn down, possibly due to it being near a new build housing development.

Old sluice gate

Some may think, so what? Well it was a fascinating piece of our city’s history. You don’t see too many water wheels anymore. I couldn’t help but feel mournful and angry that it was gone, possibly to modernise the region. The thing with modernity is that modern things can quickly look outdated. But old things, the really old, is what draws many people’s interest as they try to relate to a past time and wonder at the lives of the people then. One of the things I love about Edinburgh is it’s ancient buildings and monuments. I love the old ghost stories, and plague stories, the walking tours, the haunted pubs, and even the Scottish tourist shops proudly displaying tartans and The Saltire.

The Winter’s Last event this year presented some short films and documentaries. One of these was called Cailleach showing a brief glimpse into the life of Morag, an elderly woman living alone on her croft on the Isle of Lewis. She tends her sheep and she talks about the connection to her home and being the last of her family living there. We see her looking at photos of people long gone. It is a poignant reminder that when Morag passes, she takes her stories and her culture with her. Another short documentary presented was called When the Song Dies, which brings together the voices of several older Scottish folk discussing their ways, their family history, and the idea that some of this lore is on the brink of extinction. It was emotional to see this and know that we’ve lost so much already of what makes us Scottish.

I try to share stories of my culture through this blog, and every Friday I share a folktale via my shop Hearth and Hame. I call it Folktale Fridays and part of my reason for sharing these tales is to help preserve Scottish culture. I’ve even received some lovely messages from people thanking me for sharing stories relating to places they lived, and reminding them of fond memories with their family from the past. I feel deeply honoured that just sharing these tales has brought joy to people.

So, events like Winter’s Last are a lifeline for Scottish people today. They help preserve our culture and history. They pass on the stories to another generation and it gets to live that wee bit longer. Some of the voices telling these stories today aren’t Scottish voices which in some ways is incredibly sad, perhaps the other problem with the death of part of our culture lies in people not taking enough interest in these tales. The voices may not be Scots but they are doing a wonderful job in sharing our stories, in preserving the lore of bygone times.

We are in their debt.

Cailleach:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/94642820

When the Song Dies:

Hogmanay

Hogmanay victuals for the ancestors

I said farewell to 2020 with every part of my being and I’m pretty sure everyone else did too.

I know for some that 1st January isn’t their definition of the new year, or that a new day on a new calendar doesn’t really mean anything. But for me, I could feel this desperate need to get to 1/01/2021, that the powers of the bells ringing in the new year, and the fireworks somehow helped to send all that bad energy packing.

I know it’s not gone gone, as such, but I do feel this is a brand new cycle and hopefully we all have learned better coping mechanisms to ride out aggression and oversharing of social media and get through this bloody pandemic once and for all. Last year was a challenge set to us and this year is the overcoming part of the tale. We’re in a labyrinth and we need to follow the thread to find our way out again.

In neo-paganism the concept of the witches new year at Samhain doesn’t gel with me. I don’t see the start of winter as a new beginning. The lengthening days after the winter solstice make more sense if we’re identifying the new year with the sun. Further to this, Imbolc is just around the corner and that to me feels more in line with the concept of a rebirth and new beginning to me than Samhain does.

Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year’s Eve on 31st December. The origins of the word are uncertain, thought to either derive from Gaelic, Norse or French origins. Hogmanay was once more widely celebrated than Christmas in Scotland, and this is due to Christmas being banned during the reformation. Even though this was repealed in 1712, anything seen as a Yule festivity was still frowned upon by the kirk, who could not be seen to approve of anything Catholic.

So Hogmanay was the biggest winter celebration in Scotland for a long time, and I would even say today it’s still seen as a big deal.

Traditionally once the bells ring in the new year, people would open doors and windows to allow the old year out and the new year to enter, and this is something I’ve been doing for years. This year, I practically ran to my door to say goodbye to 2020!

Food and drink are traditionally cheese, shortbread, black bun and of course, whisky. I’ve never had black bun before, so I bought some from the bakery to share with my ancestors this year. Black bun is a heavily spiced fruit cake wrapped in pastry and has gone out of fashion in recent years. After tasting it I can see why, it’s potent and not something you can eat much of. Not many folk where I live are all that fond of any kind of fruit cakes. A lot of people have an aversion to the appearance of raisins and sultanas and as there is a much wider variety of desserts these days than perhaps 50 years ago, it’s understandable why black bun is no longer widely used at Hogmanay.

First footing is another custom; this was the first person to cross your threshold in the new year, and first footers would normally bring gifts such as salt, coal, whisky, shortbread or black bun to bring luck to the householder. People would make note of the hair colour of their first footer; dark hair was said to be lucky while red hair was said to be unlucky for the new year. Well, perhaps the food and drink offerings presented crossed out that bad luck!

Customs vary per area, but along the east coast dressed herring was usually given as a gift due to the strong fishing communities along the coast.

New Years Day was traditionally a good time to sain the home, and I used my own saining blend that I created for my shop to cleanse and protect my space. Saining can either be done by burning the herbs, or mixing them in water to wipe down areas or asperge them. Traditionally a juniper and water rite was conducted. The home was sealed shut, and any crevices were stopped up to prevent the smoke from escaping. Water collected from a living and dead stream (a crossing point that funeral processions usually crossed) was shared amongst the guests and the rest sprinkled in the home. Juniper was burned at the hearth and the smoke was allowed to fill the space for as long as people could manage before doors and windows had to be flung open to bring in fresh air. This is a particularly dangerous practice, as we know the perils of smoke inhalation so I would not recommend this practice today. If you are interested in saining then better to burn a small amount of the herbs on a charcoal incense disc or to asperge with water.

My Hogmanay was a quiet one with my fiance, as many people’s were this year, as Scotland went back into a full lockdown from Boxing Day. This wasn’t unexpected due to the covid rates rising, but this year was definitely more sombre. Still I shared a slice of black bun and some cheese and whisky with the ancestors, I performed my Hogmanay rituals and I opened the door to 2021 and I step out into the new year with hope in my heart.

Lang May Yer Lum Reek wi’ ither folks coal!

The Shadow Year

I keep promising to write more in here but… 2020. Ahem.

It has been one hell of a year but I’ve been meaning to update this blog with what I’ve been up to and writing more posts.

So what has happened to me this year?

Well…my wedding got postponed to next year.

Lockdown restrictions heightening anxiety.

I opened up an online witchy shop (woo!)

I developed and protected my boundaries

Ok it’s been a busy year. So my wedding has been postponed and it’s going to fall on a holiday that is close to my heart and has a lot of meaning for me. So maybe it was kind of meant to be?

Anxiety. I’m aware that everyone’s is through the roof just now, and it’s created a lot of chaos and confusion for folk. Been relying on my craft to help me here, and it’s been helping. But if people could maybe stop purposefully misunderstanding others then that would be cool. Also be bloody kind to people, especially when they open up to you with what’s troubling their soul. Be true to yourself, you don’t need anyone’s validation but your own. If you seek it outside yourself, then you’ve got some inner work to do. But Mercury and Pluto conjunctions and retrogrades really haven’t been helping things.

I opened up an online witchy shop!! I’ve been wanting to do this for years and 2020 gave me the kick up the arse I needed. It’s small at the moment and I’m building up my stock just now, but I’m loving being able to sink my teeth into this creative project. I’ve been writing about folklore also: every Friday I do a Folktale Friday on instagram. I’ll share the pages below 🙂

Losing toxic fakeships gives you space for yourself even if it hurts. Any kind of loss is painful even if you know it’s for the best for all involved. But it gives you room to think, to grow and manifest. Room to call back your power and energy. You may not have realised that you’d given it away.

For a long while I felt I was just floating on by with my practice, I didn’t have the energy to continue learning and was stuck in the same place stagnating for a while. But now I feel regenerated, more myself again. I’m reading more, practicing more and I’ve signed up for a palmistry course which I’m really looking forward to.

I have a good feeling that 2021 is going to be a lot better. At least I hope so for everyone.

I’m currently reading Year of the Witch by Temperance Alden, Psychic Witch by Mat Auryn, Potions, Elixirs and Brews by Anais Alexandre, and Wild Magic by Danu Forest. Yeah I like reading a lot of different books at once 🙂

I *swear* I will try to write more… I will!

I call back my power

I call back my energy

Happy holidays

Beannachd leibh

My new shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HearthandHame

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hearthandhame/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HearthandHame

A Witch’s guide to getting through the lockdown

In the UK a lockdown was announced a few days after the Spring Equinox in order to prevent the spread of Covid- 19. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will be aware of the coronavirus pandemic spreading from country to country.

It’s an uncertain time, and that uncertainty can lead to feelings of fear, depression and anxiety. Our government advised we can leave our homes pretty much once a day for exercise and essential trips to shops, doctors, etc. But going outside is also anxiety-inducing as there is the fear of coming across someone with the virus.

So in this period of helplessness and housebound isolation, what can we do to stay strong and defeat boredom whilst gaining control of our lives?

◊ Knowledge

A witch knows that no matter how much they study and learn, there is always more to be learned and they will never truly know it all. However this need not prevent us from enjoying the pursuit of knowledge.

Being stuck indoors is a good time to really get into a witchy project. I’m sure there is something you’ve always wanted to sink your teeth into but always convinced yourself you didn’t have the time or the energy?

If there’s nothing you can think of then have a look at the list below and see if anything calls out to you:

• Learn tarot
• Astrology
• Herbalism
• Sigils
• Palmistry
• Tea-leaf readings
• Runes
• Gem, stone and metal magick
• Reading and interpreting the aura
• Meditation techniques
• Visualisation techniques
• Astral projection
• Glamour spells
• Talismans and Amulets
• Ancestor veneration
• Spirit work
• Folklore and mythology
• Dream interpretation

 

Δ The Netflix Witch

 

If you don’t have the focus to get into a study practice then that’s ok, maybe you just need some time to switch your mind to something that requires little effort, to just relax and unwind. Cue the multitude of streaming services available such Amazon, Netflix, Hulu etc.

Maybe you want to relax and get immersed in a witchy story? My recommendations are:

• The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
• The Originals
• The Vampire Diaries
• Legacies
• Luna Nera
• Always a Witch (Siempre Bruja)
• Good Witch
• The Magicians
• The Witcher
• Once Upon  A Time
• Grimm
• Supernatural
• American Horror Story
• Bitten
• Mortel
• Salem
• Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
• A Discovery of Witches
• Midnight, Texas
• Penny Dreadful

 

♦  Get Brewing

 

I was raised on the merits of a good cup of tea from a young age. Tea was the go-to in a crisis, a time of uncertainty, and to unwind. A hot and sweet beverage that was warming and reassuring to seven year old me. Having a cup of tea in my hands made me feel rich beyond my imaginings. Which is interesting as black tea used magically is to aid in attracting prosperity and abundance.

And then in teen-hood I discovered the wonder of herbal teas and their magical properties, adding a whole new dimension of wonder to the steaming brew. Teas of all kind are very witchy drinks, and can be used as a potion if you want to add a magical twist to your daily beverage, hell you can turn the whole thing into a ritual if you want.

You should always check the contraindications of any herb before you ingest it, and if you’re on medication check with your doctor first.

You may be interested in herbal teas that aid in easing anxiety and stress, or for boosting the immune system, or to get a good night’s sleep.

Camomile is a relaxing tea and good to drink an hour before bed to get a good night’s rest.  Lemon balm is drunk to ease stress and anxiety, and nettle and green tea are full of nutrients to boost the immune system.

⊕ Lay the cards, throw the bones

At times like this, when worried and uncertain, you may find it helpful to pull out a few tarot or oracle cards, or throw the bones for guidance.  They can help to put your mind at rest, but if you can’t get a clear reading then you should turn to a like-minded friend to read them for you.

♠ Skype Coven Night

 

So you may not get to meet your dearest witches in person, but being at home during the lockdown doesn’t have to mean no contact with the outside world. Arrange a time with your best witches to chat online, to have a laugh and discuss new ideas, practices, books and spell ideas. Make these calls as regular as possible to keep in touch with each other and to help you feel connected with people.

 

◊ Bless and de-stress

 

Keep your home clean and cleansed during this time, an untidy home will scatter your energies and cause discomfort. Once tidy, burn something cleansing such as sage, cedar or juniper to cleanse the space of negativity. Use an incense stick if you don’t have any of these.  Once done, light a white candle for harmony and peace in the home.

⊗ Curl up with a good book

 

 

Fiction can take you to another world that can take your mind off of this one, well, unless you choose to read a dystopian novel. I wouldn’t recommend that right now. Most witches I know have a to-read pile as big as a house and now would be a good time to get stuck into that reading list. Currently this is one of the things I’m doing, and I’m trying not to buy any more books until I’ve got the to-read list reduced.

Δ Get it all out on paper

Journalling is a good way to get any stress and anxiety out of yourself and onto paper. It’s very cathartic being able to put into words the things your struggle to say or feel you cannot say. Paper gives you the space and freedom to do that.  For an extra cathartic boost, if you have an indoor fireplace or wood burning stove, tear out the papers of your angst and cast them into the fire to be burnt away. You may feel like a weight has been lifted at this point. Got to love a bit of fire magick.

Alternatively, this is a good time to update your book of shadows/grimoire with thoughts, spells, recipes, rituals etc.

♥ Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream…

Meditation is a fantastic stress reliever. When things are getting too much, go someplace in your home that’s quiet and where you won’t be disturbed and take 5 – 10 minutes to tune everything out and find some peace.  Breathe, ground, and centre your energy.  Light a candle or some incense if you can.

If you struggle to switch off, you might find it easier to follow a guided meditation, or listen to relaxing music and nature sounds. There are a lot of these available on Youtube just now.

◊◊◊

At the end of the day, you’re not alone. We’re all going through this struggle together. It’s important to remember to look after yourself and to show kindness at a time when people may tend to react more out of fear and selfishness.  Pick up the phone and speak to people, check on your family, check on your friends. Stay connected this way and know that this situation is only temporary, things can and will get better ♥

Stay safe and be kind x

Book Review – ‘Wights and Ancestors, Heathenry in a Living Landscape’ by Jenny Blain

 

 

‘Wights and Ancestors – Heathenry in a Living Landscape‘ was first published in 2000 and has now been reprinted in 2016 with additional essays. Jenny Blain gives a fascinating insight into the varied types of beings inhabiting the landscape and ways in which we can respectfully and safely interact with them. She details how to discover one’s fylgja – which is essential for safely navigating the other world. She advises ways to meet the wights and introducing one’s self to a tree spirit, all to be conducted respectfully before entering the being’s space.

I admire that Jenny Blain has discussed shamanism and that by doing the things a shaman does – i.e. entering the other world, meeting spirits etc – does not make one a shaman. Shamanism is not an individual activity and shamans were usually selected by their community. This is an important statement where any kind of spirit work is involved as many take upon the mantle of shamanism without understanding the full cultural context of the word.

Jenny also discusses sacred sites and what makes them sacred and how landscapes are not static – they have their own processes of erosion, silt deposition etc and that because of human interaction, a landscape becomes cultured and interpreted by people in many ways. The land itself is a being, populated by many other sentient beings and plays a part within the settings of many tales.

Jenny also discusses ancestry and her own personal discoveries of her own family research in Scotland. The reader is taken down a fascinating journey into Scotland’s landscape and the ties the author has to the places of her youth. She discusses that landscapes are “more than history and personal memory. They are living, now, and have their own place-ness which impacts on the tourist, traveller, viewer or seeker“.

I am not overly familiar with the beliefs and terms of Heathenry or Seidr, but this book is written in a way that provides good explanation without being overwhelming. The use of personal anecdotes and the stories shared with the author from other practitioners gives a better understanding of the exchange between a person and wight. Although the concepts of land wights and ancestry are written about within a Heathen context, the guidelines given seem universal – the author even advises to look into fairy tales for wisdom before approaching land wights. A lot of it is common sense, the most important thing to remember is to be respectful.

I would greatly recommend this book, whether one identifies as heathen or not. This is a good read for anyone interested in animism, seidr, spirit work or heathenry. Using the advice within this book provides a good foundation when building relationships with the land spirits.

 

Celebrating Imbolc

Bride’s cross

 

Last night I met up with my local pagan moot to celebrate Imbolc. Braving the harsh wind and rain from Storm Henry, we gathered and huddled inside the building clutching steaming cups of tea and coffee.

We gathered around the altar, gazing into the candle representing Bride’s hearth fire, with Bride in her bed overlooking our circle. A motley crew of pagans; among our party was a heathen, two animist folk witches, a green witch and a kemetic witch. Yet despite our different paths and beliefs we met common ground and came together to celebrate the season. We all took turns talking about what this time of year meant for us. For me it is as though I were a bear, slowly coming out of a spiritual hibernation. Winter makes me retreat, hermit-like and I store my energy inwards to help me focus on the mundane tasks at hand.

Bride in her bed

But as soon as Imbolc approaches I feel the need to go forth like a seedling bursting through the cold, damp soil towards the promise of the sun. The inner fires within me burn and rise, and I feel the aching need to get back into my craft and socialise, as well as plot and plan projects over springtime. Bride has come, and She renews us, giving us the vitality needed to break out of the lackluster winter darkness.

Moot Imbolc Altar

We cleansed ourselves with incense and blessed water with purifying herbs, using a bird’s foot as an aspergillum. We each lit a candle from the central hearth fire, and later snuffed it out to be relit, taking Bride’s fire into our homes. The moot co-ordinator Ffyona guided us through a seasonal meditation and I felt myself relaxing, sinker deeper and deeper into it, the imagery filling my senses. When it was done I felt like I’d woken up from a nice long nap. Using the energy we’d gathered, and the light from Bride’s hearth flame we sent out healing to loved ones and took some of the healing within us too.

Then after all the energy work, we laughed and chatted and feasted together 🙂

Although we were a small gathering this time round, I can attest to the success of our moot as I was one of the co-founders. The moot is now running in its fifth year and going strong.

A moot is only successful when it’s members contribute. So please folks, support your moots and gatherings. They are run by hard working volunteers with busy lives,  so although showing up to moots is great, perhaps you can also offer to lend a hand? If you have a skill, or a talent, put it to use 🙂 Moot co-ordinators don’t want to be running the show 24/7, the point of a moot is to create a safe community for members to get to know others of a like mind and for celebration, but also as a place of learning. We all have something we can contribute to the community.

My Imbolc celebration has turned into a two day event. This evening I relit my hearth flame from the candle I used at the moot to welcome Bride into the home, an offering of milk was placed on my altar and then I made some Bride’s crosses out of pipe cleaners.

I am looking forward most to the days lasting longer and can’t wait to get out foraging again when new things start popping up out of the soil.

Bride’s hearth flame

Wishing you all a very blessed Imbolc, Là Fhèill Brìghde and Candlemas.

slàinte mhath!

 

At the Magical Crossroads in Scotland, 1979

Added this book to my Amazon wishlist, I’m all over Scottish witchcraft, coming from a Wiccan background I’ve now turned to more traditional Scottish folk ways. It will be interesting to read how the two types will play out in the novel

Druid Life

A guest post by Suzanne d’Corsey

When Nimue Brown kindly invited me to offer a guest blog to her site, spurred by the publication of my novel The Bonnie Road, the topic of witchcraft in the book was the obvious choice to explore.

The Bonnie Road takes place at a pivotal time in the history of our Western neo-Paganism, in Scotland, 1979. This was when the secretive followers of the Auld Ways existed in a relatively static state; when a quiet movement was underway to uncover and make meaningful a pre-Christian legacy; when many strands twined together in the New Age movement, of passionate explorers of lay lines, earth mysteries, of UFO sightings, of Findhorn finding its feet, all these trends rising against the backdrop of Margaret Thatcher’s new government. Add to the mixture the encroachment from England of a relatively new style of witchcraft that came to be known…

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