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LIFESTYLE

1/21/2021

CANDLEMAS
by Carrie West

Since the Victorian era, it is customary to remove Yuletide decorations on Twelfth Night ... but up until the 19th century people would keep their decorations up until Candlemas Eve on 1st February. If this custom wasn’t followed, it was believed that greenery would not return and vegetation would not grow, leading to agricultural shortages and subsequently food problems. Even though Christmas decorations are now less about foliage and more about baubles, glitter and tinsel, many people still adhere to the superstition which they ascribe to the modern Twelfth Night on the 5th January. This 17th century poem by Robert Herrick gives us a better idea of what sort of greenery was used prior to the introduction of the Victorian Christmas tree … In his ‘Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve’ he wrote …

DOWN with the rosemary, and so
Down with the bays and misletoe ;
Down with the holly, ivy, all,
Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas Hall :
That so the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind :
For look, how many leaves there be
Neglected, there (maids, trust to me)
So many goblins you shall see.

In fact, Herrick (1591-1674) wrote at least four poems concerning Candlemas. Likewise, ‘Upon Candlemas Day’ shows the day itself had its own traditions:

END now the white loaf and the pie,
And let all sports with Christmas die.

Finally, in ‘The Ceremonies for Candlemas Day’, he wrote:

KINDLE the Christmas brand, and then
Till sunset let it burn ;
Which quench'd, then lay it up again
Till Christmas next return.
Part must be kept wherewith to tend
The Christmas log next year,
And where 'tis safely kept, the fiend
Can do no mischief there.

This latter poem recalls the tradition that Christmas greenery would be burned and the Yule log allowed to burn down completely, but that a portion should be held back to start next year’s Yule log fire (and as a good luck charm against ‘mischief’). The ashes were to be spread over the garden to ensure a good harvest and the Yule log for the next year would be chosen then. Candlemas was also believed to be a good day for weather forecasting (it falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox): If it was a sunny day, there would be forty more days of cold and snow. This belief has carried into folklore tradition around the world, and one olde English rhyme says:

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight;
But if it be dark with clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.

All this Christian overlay merely confirms what an important festival this was for our pagan forebears and, as such it became the feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary in the church calendar. The convenience of having yet another pagan festival falling within the ‘nativity cycle’ meant that Brigid became a Catholic saint! In the early calendar, on that morning, many candles were lit in the church, symbolically driving out the darkness. In the afternoon, there was feasting all round, with much music as Candlemas Day (2nd February) marked the formal end of winter.

In the pagan Celtic world it is Imbolc, the festival marking the beginning of spring that has been celebrated since ancient times. It is also a cross quarter day, midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, and the name derives from the Old Irish imbolg meaning ‘in the belly’, a time when sheep began to lactate, their udders filled and the grass began to grow. Imbolc was a time to celebrate the Celtic goddess Brigid, goddess of inspiration, healing, and smithcraft, with associations to fire, the hearth and poetry. Là Fhèill Brìghde, is also the day the Cailleach gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that, if she intends to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on 1st February is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood to keep herself warm in the coming months.

Candlemas, then, is the re-awakening of the Old Lass and also coincides with the Roman Festa Candelarum, which commemorated the search for Persephone by her mother Demeter, Persephone having been kidnapped by the King of the Otherworld, Hades The festival of candles symbolizes the return of the Light.

During medieval times, peasants still carried torches and crossed the fields in procession, praying for purification of the ground before planting. In the early churches, the torches were replaced by blessed candles whose glow was supposed to take away evil; villagers and townsfolk would take the candles to their houses to bring protection to their homes and family. During the evening, an especially large candle would have been lit while the family gathered around ready for a feast, during which plans and promises to be kept through the new season would be discussed and debated until it burned out. It was also customary at sunset to ritually light a candle in each room of the home in honour of the Sun’s return. Not surprisingly, in 1543, Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, banned candles on Candlemas Day because the rites were seen as superstitious, i.e. pagan!

In Old Craft, however, Old Candlemas/Old Imbolc now falls on the 15th February due to the change in the calendar. Imbolc is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and there is evidence it has been an important date since pre-Christian times: at the Mound of the Hostages on the Hill of Tara the rising sun at Imbolc illuminates the inner chamber; the sun also illuminates the chamber at Samhain.

From these ancient rites we can see how they identify with the Old Lass and her awakening, not to mention their association with the Mysteries of Old Craft. In Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed, Evan John Jones acknowledges that Candlemas is the first of the great Sabbats and the start of the ritual year, when it is time to let go of the past and to look to the future, clearing out the old, making both outer and inner space for new beginnings. In ancient Rome, on the eve of Candlemas all the home fires would have been put out, cleaned out, and re-lit being symbolic of the returning light of the Sun. In Old Craft, and in keeping with this symbolism, a broom made from the three sacred woods symbolic of the three-fold aspects of the goddess (the handle from ash, the brush from birch twigs and the binding cord from willow) would be placed by the front door to symbolize sweeping out the old and welcoming in the new.

But, as Melusine Draco explained in Seeking the Primal Goddess, generally speaking, Old Craft witches prefer not to associate our deities with any dubious mythology – home-grown or foreign import – instead we refer to them obliquely as the Old Ones, the Owd Lad and Owd Lass, the Lord and Lady, or just Him and Her because in truth they are the Nameless God and the Faceless Goddess.

For many people worldwide, Candlemas has a particular smell: not just the scent of lighted candles but also the fragrance of pancakes being cooked for family and friends. Candlemas pancakes should traditionally be made with wheat flour from the previous harvest. Stacks of them could be prepared without fear of famine, since the fields would soon be regaining their golden colour. There was even an old saying that held if you ate pancakes on Candlemas Day, you would be ensured a good harvest in the coming year. What better idea for tonight’s feast than store-bought sweet pancakes and crêpes for convenience?

Though la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière or Jour des crêpes is often associated with the French Catholic holiday of Candlemas, this also stems from earlier pagan traditions. While some say Chandeleur celebrates the return of sunny days (crêpes symbolize the sun), others say that making crêpes using flour left over from the harvest ensures prosperity in the coming year.

Store-bought crêpes can be warmed in the oven while the Sabbat ritual is in progress. Set the oven to its lowest temperature and layer the cold crêpes with wax paper between them, then wrap the entire stack in wax paper. Wrap the whole bundle with foil, and leave it in the oven at the lowest setting for one to one and a half hours until thoroughly warmed through. Not as enjoyable as good old-fashioned home-made ones, admittedly, but not as time-consuming, especially if it’s a full Coven-meeting – which it should be on this very special night when the Old Lass re-awakens because it welcomes her back.

The floral tributes for Candlemas are those early favourite spring flowers – snowdrops – despite them not being native to the British Isles. They’re actually from southern Europe and only came to Britain in the late 16th century, and it took them almost 200 years to become a naturalized wild plant. Seeing snowdrops pop up is one of the first signs that spring is on the way and, since they’re supposed to bloom at Candlemas, they’re also known as ‘Candlemas bells’. But native to our islands or not, who doesn’t seek for signs of them in gardens, parks and churchyards on a fine spring day as the first grey-green spears of foliage push through the frosty earth? A small bunch or pot of snowdrops by the door to welcome the guests, perhaps …

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e-Witch … Seriously!?

1/11/2021

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The greatest threat to traditional British Old Craft is the internet. Simply because on-line witchcraft is trivialised out of all proportion in order to make it accessible to all and sundry without the need for serious study and application. Increasingly, we find that the ‘witchiness’ of an individual is often gauged by the number of memberships and friends they can accrue on Facebook with no account taken of the antecedents or background of the posters. There is also a growing number of those who profess to be interested in discovering more about Old Craft, only to keep their studies in a state of limbo after the first few lessons, so that they can claim an association without the need to seriously apply themselves.

Our foundation course is merely a guide to all the different aspects of Craft that a would-be witch should be familiar with but without the expectation that they should excel at every subject. The real teaching comes from the questions and answers raised in each lesson and the discussions that develop from there. For example, one of our founders held a doctorate in geology, which influenced a considerable amount of our knowledge of the Earth and the components that had a direct bearing on the magical and archaeological influences of our beliefs.

The other had received an extensive military training and looked upon the knife as a weapon rather than just a piece of ceremonial equipment. This level of instruction was aimed at giving a clear understanding of the different types of knives and the magical symbolism represented by them. This would, in the long run, influence his student’s choice in the construction and design of their own personal knife and the symbolism behind that choice. There were those, of course, who dismissed all this information simply because they didn’t see why they needed to learn about the differences,, or because they shied away from accepting the knife as anything other than a ritual tool.

His response was merely to point out that if they weren’t willing to learn about the knife they wished to carry, then they weren’t fit to carry one at all. He was a stickler for detail and expected his students to know precisely what they were doing and why they were doing it. Unlike many tutors - the result was more information than you could possibly assimilate, including an in-depth discourse on which grade of piano wire made the best garrote! Instruction in the use of purpose-built and improvised garrotes is included in the training of many elite military units and special-forces.

A serious intent to study the Elder Faith means that it becomes an integral part of our lives and that means 24/7, often to the detriment of all else. And, when any alleged discussion about Old Craft finds its way onto the internet, we find that it is derided as being out-dated, elitist, patriarchal and smug by those with no practical, first-hand knowledge of our ways. Neither do these vitriolic outbursts reflect that we have no interest in what these folk do, nor how they do it – all we ask is that they show us the same respect and refrain from commenting on things they don’t understand. Nevertheless, we have experienced plenty of bogus applications from those who, while claiming to be adepts and initiates from other paths and traditions, still wish to learn our ways.

A lack of seriousness can also be reflected in the approach of those who complete our foundation course and then hang around on the periphery of the Circle, sometimes for years, making no input whatsoever. They take the attitude that the course is finished – as far as we are concerned, their learning has only just begun. Now is the time to cement our relationship within the Sacred Order that maintains the harmony of life, the Universe and the Ancestors. And, if we do not take these unseen (Ancestral) powers seriously, we can find ourselves up against the workings of certain forces; often being interpreted as the effects of offenses against the Sacred Order, committed either deliberately or unintentionally – no matter what they say on the internet!

James Rigel - Magister CoS

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OLD YEAR, OLD CALENDAR< OLD WAYS

1/7/2021

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Creating A Magical Link to the Old Beliefs
Compiled by Melusine Draco
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
George Orwell

Like Topsy, the idea for Old Year, Old Calendar, Old Ways, just ‘growed’ – and kept on growing. Originally it was just a basic calendar with entries relating to the Old Ways in keeping with the Old (Julian) Calendar in order to create an important magical link with the past. Once the bulk of the entries were in place, however, it quickly became evident that many of these old festivals, celebrations and observances required some sort of explanation, since a large number of people have lost touch with their ancient heritage.

     As most of my readers will know, I have a fascination for odd and obscure historical facts that are hidden away in the millions of sources that outstrip and confound the confines of the Internet – it’s finding them that presents the stimulation and the challenge. If we merely rely on the regurgitated information of contemporary paganism not only does our mind become stagnant, but for those who follow the Craft of the witch, so do our magical abilities. For example did you know that in the 1770's red-headed women, especially those with very white skin, were still considered likely to be witches?

     “This belief was utilised in Christopher Fry’s play, The Lady’s Not For Burning. It is also worth noting that … in the Middle Ages it was associated with witchcraft and women were arrested for its use. In fact, this notion continued as late as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and any woman who altered her appearance was considered to be practising witchcraft and was, therefore, subject to arrest. An Act of Parliament of 1770, as cited in The Magic of Herbs by Mrs C F Lyell, states: ‘That all women of whatever age, rank, profession or degree, whether virgin maid or widow, that shall from and after such Act impose upon, seduce and betray into matrimony any of His Majesty’s subjects by means of scent, paints, cosmetics, washes, artificial teeth, false hair, Spanish wool (red wool for painting the face), iron stays, hoops, high-heeled shoes or bolstered hips, shall incur the penalty of the law now in force against witchcraft and like misdemeanours, and that the marriage upon conviction shall stand null and void.’” [Earth, Air, Fire Water]

     Admittedly, even Craft can become mind-numbingly boring if we merely follow exactly what it says in the text and not bother to expand our knowledge by getting to grips with the history behind it all. For there are still experienced witches who will have a hissy-fit if Christianity is brought into the equation, never stopping to think that paganism and the early Church existed in peaceful harmony for hundreds of years. The ‘conversion’ was a slow, absorbing process where churches were built on sacred sites, local deities and heroes became saints, and the old agrarian festivals provided the basis for the original Church calendar. In other words, nothing had changed and it explains why witches of the old school often use references to the Church calendar rather than the Celtic names for the seasons and festivals of the year. If we learn how to look behind the Church litany we will find that it preserved far more than it ever destroyed. In reality, the early Church in the British Isles was far more pagan than anyone likes to admit.

     Over the years I have also incorporated a great deal of folk and country lore into my books on witchcraft with a view to preserving the knowledge for future generations. Much of what even my grandparents’ generation once knew is now lost because it was never recorded for posterity. True there are numerous pagan books written about similar subjects but it is obvious that a large number of them don’t have the countryside in their blood and fail to reflect the magic and mystery of growing up in an uncomplicated rural environment. Strangely enough, these sentiments are often now viewed as some form of elitism but I prefer to go back to the roots of learning rather than consult something that has been cobbled together from different popular titles without any true grounding in country lore. As J Harvey Bloom comments in Folk Lore in Shakespeare Land:

     “The year was marked in our forefathers’ time by somewhat rare days when the whole village made holiday. It is true the rejoicings were more hearty than refined, but they were honest and real, looked eagerly forward to, and talked of when long past. The great feasts of the church’s year combined revelry with religion, and dated back to the Sun festivals if remote antiquity.”

     Similarly, the further we move away from these Old Craft traditions we also cast aside the magical ties and techniques that have fuelled us down through the years. And yet there are time-honoured things about us all as individuals that are bred deep in the bone. We are what our roots (DNA) claim us to be and we cannot escape those racial memories of where we came from even if the descendants of yesterday’s witches are now scattered all over the globe. In truth, there is no such thing as Scottish, Essex, Yorkshire, Cornish or Lancashire witches because all individuals are identified by the location in which they lived their early lives and a witch will still reflect the region dialect, customs and superstitions of his or her original neighbours, no matter how far we travel. For example: I am Anglo-Welsh, living my life between rugged mountains and the central English Shires. I therefore reflect the characteristics of the Welsh and the natives of the Bucks/Northants borders but this does not make me a ‘Welsh’ or ‘Catuvellauni’ witch! Nevertheless, many years down the line I still retain many of the influences, colloquialisms, customs and traditions from the past – many of which have been incorporated into my personal Craft working and those teachings of Coven of the Scales which actually originated in Cheshire!

     We need to understand that the Old Ways or the Old Religion were echoes of the pre-Christian faith, and that these old beliefs provided the energy that the clan or tribal shaman or witch drew upon to work their magic. It generated a certain dynamism that powered the magic of the day, and while all of the rural populace would have been followers of the Old Ways, not everyone was a magical practitioner. Nevertheless, every village would have had its own wise woman who was well versed in the arts of folk-medicine and fortune-telling. It is not surprising, therefore, that Shakespeare should have made frequent illusions to this popular belief, considering how extensively it prevailed in the 16th and 17th centuries; the religious and dramatic literature of the time being full of it. It was only to be expected that Shakespeare should introduce into his writings descriptions of a creed which held such a prominent place in the history of his day. [Folk-Lore in Shakespeare]

     In T A Spaldings’s essay Elizabethan Demonology (1880), however, it was suggested that the ‘weird sisters’ who play such an important part in Macbeth, are not witches at all, but are ‘allied to the Norns or Fates of Scandinavian paganism’. Another writer in the Academy (1879) believed that Shakespeare drew upon Scandinavian mythology for a portion of the material he used in constructing these characters, and that he derived the rest from the traditions of contemporary witchcraft; that the ‘sisters’ were hybrids between Norns and witches.

     It is also interesting to note that almost all the charms and symbols supposed to guard against witchcraft in those tedious Victorian folklore compilations, or cunningly concealed in the texts as ‘love spells’, are those that the witches themselves used and revered in earlier times. And that is why the popular literature of the time and the archive of the Folklore Society should be on every witch’s essential reading list, since here we find all those old observances of our ancestors, hidden under a thin veneer of later ‘respectability’ and where anything that smacked of paganism was immediately labelled ‘devilish’. If we learn to strip away the various layers we are still left with the priceless patina of Old Craft belief and the original calendar against which it was practiced by our ancestors.

Currently, Twelfth Night is celebrated on the 5th January, as the last day of the Christmas season and the night for Wassailing, together with the removal of the Yuletide decorations. There can be no doubt that the title of Shakespeare’s play Twelfth-Night took its origin from these festivities, although according to Folk-Lore of Shakespeare, the play was probably originally acted at the barrister’s feast at the Middle Temple on 2nd February [Candlemas] 1602: ‘It is worthy of note that the festivities at Christmas-tide, were conducted on a most extravagant scale. In addition to the merry disports of the Lord of Misrule, there were various other revels and the Christmas masque at Gray’s Inn in 1594 was on a magnificent scale.’

Traditionally, the Wassail is still celebrated on Twelfth Night while others Wassail on ‘Old Twelvey Night’ – 17th January – as it would have been before the introduction of the new calendar. Robert Herrick’s poem, Twelfth Night or King and Queen reflects the gaiety of the occasion:

      NOW, now the mirth comes
      With the cake full of plums,
Where bean's the king of the sport here ;
      Beside we must know,
      The pea also
Must revel, as queen, in the court here.

      Begin then to choose,
      This night as ye use,
Who shall for the present delight here,
      Be a king by the lot,
      And who shall not
Be Twelfth-day queen for the night here.

      Which known, let us make
      Joy-sops with the cake ;
And let not a man then be seen here,
      Who unurg'd will not drink
      To the base from the brink
A health to the king and queen here.

      Next crown a bowl full
      With gentle lamb's wool :
Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,
      With store of ale too ;
      And thus ye must do
To make the wassail a swinger.

      Give then to the king
      And queen wassailing :
And though with ale ye be whet here,
      Yet part from hence
      As free from offence
As when ye innocent met here.

In the cider-producing West of England (primarily the counties of Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire) ‘wassailing’ also refers to drinking (and singing) the health of trees in the hopes that they might better thrive. The purpose of wassailing is to awaken the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit in the following autumn. Then, the assembled crowd would sing and shout and bang drums, or pots and pans, and generally make a terrible racket until the gun-men gave a great final volley through the branches to make sure the work was done and, then off they went to the next orchard. Chinese crackers, or even party poppers, will suffice if you haven’t got a gun licence. Here is an extract from Robert Herrick’s The Wassail:

Give way, give way, ye gates and win
An easy blessing to your bin
And basket, by our entering in.

May both with machete stand complete,
Your larders, too, so hung with meat,
That thou a thousand thousand eat,

Yet ere twelve moons shall whirl about
Their silvery spheres, there’s none my doubt
But more’s sent in than was served out …

The ‘Ashen Faggot’ is another archaic West Country custom that still survives in country pubs where the burning takes place on Christmas Eve – or the 5th and 17th January which are Old Christmas Eve and Old Twelfth Night respectively. This is a large log with withies bound around it to make a bundle which is burned indoors in a large hearth. Drinks are consumed as each withy breaks in the flames, which just sounds like an excuse for conviviality! For Craft observances it could also be used as part of the Twelfth Night celebrations, especially if we have an outside fire pit or patio burner.

For this reason, it’s a good idea for any coven to hold Old Twelfth Night observances in order to acknowledge the end of the Mid-Winter Festival with true medieval gusto. Ideally, a fancy dress party would seem to be the order of the day, but how long our Mid-Winter revels last will, of course, depend on how much time we have off work during the party season and our personal stamina! If not partying, light the fire and drink a toast to the Old Ways and the Ancestors on this old Twelfth Night, or observe it by watching one of the many DVD versions of the Shakespeare play.

The January Esbat would normally be held at a Crafter’s home in the form of an ordinary party where Craft symbology can be subtly introduced without ‘outsiders’ being any the wiser. After all, everyone will be suffering from a surfeit of celebration and these days, not many know much about Old Twelfth Night, but in the medieval and Tudor periods, it was more important than Christmas Day. In English and French custom, the Twelfth-night cake was baked to contain a dried bean and a dried pea, so that those who received the slices containing them should be respectively designated king (bean) and queen (pea) of the night’s festivities - which is obviously a throw-back to the ancient concept of the Lord of Misrule.

A tradition held in Georgian times, the Twelfth Night cake celebrated the last day of the festive season on 5th January when there were great feasts, of which cake was an essential part. A rich crumbly fruit cake, sumptuous icing and a classic design makes a marvelous Twelfth Night Cake [Mrs Beeton’s Everyday Cookery] with this trusted family recipe.

6 oz butter
3 oz brown sugar
3 eggs
½ gill milk (2.5 fluid oz)
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 oz treacle
4 oz currants
4 oz sultanas
4 oz mixed peel
½ level teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ level teaspon mixed spice
3/4lb plain flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Line a 7-inch cake tin with greaseproof paper. Cream the fat and sugar in a bowl and gradually beat in the eggs. Add the milk in which the soda is dissolved; stir in the treacle and beat well. Add the prepared fruit and spices. Sift in the flour and salt and mix lightly. Put into the tin and bake in a warm oven (335F, 175C, Gas 3) for 2-2 ½ hours. The dried pea and bean should be baked in the cake. And any silver charms should be wrapped in greaseproof paper.

Liven up the rooms by adding some sparkle to the existing decorations that will be looking very tired by now, throw some gold streamers on the tree and around the house before everyone helps take the decorations down. Be aware that guests will be tired of eating rich, heavy foods by early January, so light appetizers should be welcomed at our party. Most large supermarkets have ‘party boxes’ with a wide assortment of finger food, so stock up the freezer well in advance. Coven members can contribute to the event by bringing plates of finger food, such as cocktail sausages and mini sausage rolls, canapés, vol-au-vents together with crispy salad assortments. Think in terms of picky bits that can be kept in plastic containers to keep in hand for livening up the buffet table throughout the evening.

Like all Craft elements we have to be careful of how we dispose of anything used in ritual observances. Whichever day is chosen for the removal, there is still the vital question of how to dispose of the Yule evergreens. In The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain & Ireland, the author and folklorist Steve Roud, records that although there appears to be no discernible regional pattern to explain the different superstitions, in some places it was considered unlucky to burn Yuletide evergreens. It is interesting, however, that the anti-burning appears to date from c1866, while there are references that mention burning Yuletide greenery right back to the 11th century. This suggests that burning was indeed a pagan custom. As witches, however, we can cut the tree into small pieces and burn it on an open fire – indoors or out – and enjoy the smell of pine being released into the air over the coming weeks.

From the Winter Solstice to Old Twelfth Night, the tide begins to turn and the Earth’s natural cycle begins to move again; the days grow noticeably longer and the Earth-tides grow stronger. Whether we observe the Julian or the Gregorian calendar there is an upbeat feeling to the start of the New Year, but make sure that a thorough banishing and cleansing of your home is carried out on the day following Twelfth Night to remove any negative psychic energies that might be lurking about. Prepare an appropriate infusion spray a day in advance and keep it in the fridge until the house has been cleared of all of the previous year’s negativity (and people) and spray from top to bottom.

Old Year, Old Calendar, Old Ways – Melusine Draco ISBN: 9781788762052 : Paperback : Pages 210 : £8.9 To order: https://www.feedaread.com/books/Old-Year-Old-Calendar-Old-Ways-9781788762052.aspx

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LIFESTYLE

12/4/2020

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YULETIDE STORYTELLING
It was during these long dark nights, when it was bitterly cold and the wind howled in the chimney, that the story-teller came into his (or her) own. Few subjects have - from time immemorial, possessed a wider appeal than ghosts and the superstitions associated with them; traditions in this country and others form an extensive collection of folklore literature telling of hauntings and other happenings. In Shakespeare’s day it would seem that the belief in ghosts was especially prevalent, and ghostly tales were told by the firelight in nearly every household. A description of one of these traditional tale-tellings is given in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

Each community probably had its own story-teller, and in ancient Celtic society bards held a position of esteem, second only to kings. Nevertheless, traditions of storytelling are found in every culture across the globe – being used to explain natural phenomena, and bards told stories of creation and developed a pantheon of gods and myths. Stories passed from one generation to the next and storytellers were often healers, leaders, spiritual guides, teachers, cultural secret-keepers and entertainers. Oral storytelling came in various forms, enhanced with songs, poetry, chants and dance - and focused on a variety of values. These values included an emphasis on individual responsibility, concern for the environment and communal welfare; the tales passed down by older generations helped to shape the foundation of the community. Storytelling was used as a conduit for knowledge and understanding via the activities of gods and heroes, and the denizens of the animal kingdom.

Story-telling was, and still is, an ancient Art. Bards memorized vast amounts of poetry which they performed live, and their poems, ballads and songs were often the only historical record available. Some may consider them to be clan or tribal historians. Irish bards evolved into storytellers called seanchaí, who wandered from town to town and, in this informal way, an ancient oral literary tradition continued into modern times. Seanchaí were traditional Irish storytellers and the custodians of history for centuries in Ireland, since they could recite ancient lore and tales of wisdom whenever it was needed. Members of the Irish Cultural Revival took a great interest in the art of the seanchaí, and through them the stories were written down, published, and distributed to a global audience. At events such as the mummers’ festival in New Inn, County Galway, and the All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil, storytellers who preserve the stories and oratory style of the seanchaithe continue to display their art and compete for awards.

In medieval Welsh society, similar tales were recited in prose by professional storytellers – cyfarwyddiaid – who also imparted traditional lore or learning that was necessary for society to function - the term itself being associated with ‘knowledge, guidance and perception’. Although originally these narratives were intended to be informative, they came to be viewed more and more as entertainment. Although these tales were the product of a literary culture, only a few have survived in the form of the Mabinogion. There’s a well-known story about Cadair Idris, a mountain in Snowdonia: if you sleep one night on its summit, it’s said you’ll wake either a bard or a madman.

However, bards – or beirdd as they’re usually called in Welsh – are not just figments of folklore. They are instead representatives of an ancient poetic tradition, and one that survives in Wales to this day. In one sense, all modern Welsh poets are bards: bardd remains the most common word for ‘poet’ in the language. However, there is also a more formal way to become a bard: that is, to be inducted into Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain [the Gorsedd of the Bards of the Island of Britain], which meets every year at the National Eisteddfod - an institution (and the ceremonies and robes associated with it), that were invented by the fiery, inspired, and occasionally laudanum-addled Iolo Morganwg!

Originally, bards were a specific lower class of poet, contrasting with the higher rank known as fili in Ireland and Highland Scotland. The best-known in Scotland were the members of the MacMhuirich family, who flourished from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The family was centred in the Hebrides, and claimed descent from a 13th-century Irish bard whom, according to legend, was exiled to Scotland. The family was at first chiefly employed by the Lords of the Isles as poets, lawyers, and physicians. With the fall of the Lordship of the Isles in the 15th century, the family was chiefly employed by the chiefs of the MacDonalds of Clanranald; members of the family were also recorded as musicians in the early 16th century, and as clergymen possibly as early as the early 15th century. The last of the family to practise classical Gaelic poetry was Domhnall MacMhuirich, who lived on South Uist in the 18th century. In Gaelic-speaking areas, a village bard or village poet (Scottish Gaelic: bàrd-baile) is a local poet who composes works in a traditional style relating to that community.

The English term is a loan-word from the Celtic languages and all stem from Proto-Celtic bardo - and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European for poet; lit. ‘praise-maker’. In 16th-century Scotland, it was a derogatory term for an itinerant musician - nonetheless it was later romanticised by Sir Walter Scott. In other Indo-European societies, the same function was fulfilled by skalds, rhapsodes, minstrels and scops, among others. Bards (who are not the same as the Irish filidh or fili) were those who sang the songs recalling the tribal warriors’ deeds of bravery as well as the genealogies and family histories of the ruling strata among Celtic societies.

The pre-Christian peoples recorded no written histories; however, Celtic peoples did maintain an intricate oral history committed to memory and transmitted by bards and filid. Bards facilitated the memorisation of such materials by the use of metre, rhyme and other formulaic poetic devices. In medieval British culture, a bard was a professional story-teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or nobleman) to commemorate one or more of the patron’s ancestors and to praise the patron’s own activities. The ‘Bard of Avon’, the ‘Immortal Bard’ or (in England) simply ‘The Bard’, is William Shakespeare.

Storytelling is the process of using fact and narrative to communicate something to your audience, describing social and/or cultural activity with improvisation, theatrics, or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation or instilling moral values - in addition to being part of religious rituals. Some stories are factual, and some are embellished or improvised in order to better explain the core message.

Another Lady of our acquaintance considered storytelling as an important part of her coven’s activities and organized several events during the year to keep up the tradition. At the majority of pagan camps entertainments throughout the day were usually a mixture of traditional artistic performances, such as storytelling, poetry readings, harp playing, and traditional folk-music. And again, we feel it essential to preserve these elements of time-honoured entertainment if only to re-energize them for the next generation of witches. Having said that, there is nothing worse than sitting through an interminably bad performance as illustrated so succinctly in the Coarse Witchcraft Trilogy:

‘… The folk band had everyone’s feet tapping but unfortunately the quality of entertainment wasn’t to last. ‘The trouble is,’ said one of the organizers glumly, ‘people volunteer their services and you don’t like to refuse. They like their moment in the spot-light.’ She was referring to the rather appalling story-teller who’d been monopolizing the fireside for the past three quarters of an hour and he wasn’t the only one who’d lost the plot. A verbal punch-up had started when someone had told him to belt up; a middle-aged woman had remonstrated over the lack of manners and the story-teller was drowned out by the shouting.
     ‘Well, he’s had nearly an hour,’ replied Adam, ‘and no one’s got a clue what he’s on about.’
     ‘He said he was a professional story-teller,’ said the girl miserably …’

Unless you know your ‘performer’ is good at what they do, don’t feel the need to subject your guests to anything that goes on for too long … and becomes boring or annoying, thereby ruining everyone’s evening and putting off new members for life. If you’re the Dame or Magister – pull rank, is what we say! Most of us know a member of the local AmDram fraternity and better solicit their services for a near-professional rendering rather than a recital by the coven’s awful, resident schmaltzy poet with her ‘Little Gems of Spiritual Uplift’!

Julie Dexter and James Rigel

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Round About the Cauldron Go ... December

11/30/2020

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Heligh-monat or Holy-month with the Mid-Winter Festival and the Winter Solstice
According to the astronomical definition of the seasons, the Winter Solstice also marks the beginning of the season of winter, which lasts until the Vernal Equinox (20th or 21st March in the Northern Hemisphere, or 22nd or 23rd September in the Southern Hemisphere). After the Solstice, the days get longer, and the day has thus been celebrated in many cultures as a time of rebirth. This is the holiest and most sacred time of the pagan year.

In his book The White Goddess, the author Robert Graves proposed that the mythological figure of the Holly King represents one half of the year, while the other is personified by his counterpart and adversary the Oak King: the two battle endlessly as the seasons turn. At Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King is at his weakest. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King’s favour; his strength peaks at Midwinter.

A similar idea was suggested by Sir James Frazer in his work The Golden Bough in the section entitled The Battle of Summer and Winter. Frazer drew parallels between the folk-customs associated with May Day or the changing seasons in Scandinavian, Bavarian and Native American cultures, amongst others, in support of this theory. The Divine King of Frazer-fame was also split into the kings of winter and summer as in Graves’ work. The battle of light with dark is commonly played out in traditional folk dance and mummers’ plays across Britain such as Calan Mai in Wales, Mazey Day in Cornwall and Jack in the Green traditions in England, which typically include a ritual battle in some form.

While Professor E O James in Seasonal Feasts and Festivals confirms that: “Around the Christmas Festival, a great variety of ancient seasonal customs and beliefs from a number of different sources clustered, originally observed from the beginning of November [old Hallowe’en] to the end of January [Candlemas], particularly those connected with the Winter Solstice rites…” Except the poor Old Lass doesn’t get a wake-up call to participate in the festivities …

Folklore also plays an important role in preserving our Craft heritage, even if it hasn’t always been written from such a standpoint. Numerous Victorian compendia can still be discovered in the stocks of secondhand booksellers - often researched and compiled by important academics of the day. If we discount the Christianized overlay of the interpretations given we can unearth valuable information pertinent to our own studies that are consistent with this late-Victorian interest in collecting and (re-)organizing cultural facts and fake-lore. Such as, Finger-ring lore: historical, legendary, anecdotal by William Jones, FSA (1877); Folk Lore of Shakespeare by T F Thistleton Dyers ( 1883); The Golden Bough by Sir J G Frazer (1890) Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion by John Cuthbert Lawson (1910) and many, many more – especially those in the Forgotten Books’ Classic Reprint series.

What new-comers do need to be on their guard against, however, are the internet listings for esoteric subjects that turn out to be role-playing games in the fantasy genre. For example:

 Sephiroth is a fictional character and main antagonist in the role-playing video game Final Fantasy VII

 Sephirah comes from Hebrew meaning ‘enumeration’ or jewel. The plural is sephiroth, which refers to the ten interconnecting spheres on the Qabalistic Tree of Life …

Not much difference, is there!? Make no mistake, some of the entries relating to fantasy ‘characters’ are extremely well-written and convincing, and obviously well-researched, but from a magical standpoint – forget it. This form of story-telling belongs firmly in the realms of fantasy and should not, for any reason, be confused with authentic folklore and mythology – and true magic. Several of our Elders also belong to various academic/historical societies, which means that colleagues can call upon them for advice and/or clarification concerning further reading or paths of enquiry. Or there are societies that can be connected to direct:

 The Folklore Society is a national association in the United Kingdom for the study of folklore. It is a learned society, founded in London in 1868 and devoted to the study of all aspects of folklore and tradition, including: ballads, folktales, fairy tales, myths, legends, traditional song and dance, folk plays, games, seasonal events, calendar customs, child-lore and children's folklore, folk arts and crafts, popular belief, folk religion, material culture, vernacular language, sayings, proverbs and nursery rhymes, folk medicine, plant-lore and weather lore.

 With the foundation of The Folklore of Ireland Society (An Cumann le Béaloideas Éireann) in 1927, the idea of the scientific collection, preservation, indexing and publication of the folklore of Ireland, in all its richness, variety and imaginative intensity, gained momentum leading in the 1970s, to the establishment of the thriving academic discipline, Irish Folklore at University College Dublin. The Society’s journal, Béaloideas, which first appeared in 1927, now numbers over eighty volumes and can be accessed online.

 St Fagans National Museum of History, commonly referred to as St Fagans after the village where it is located, is an open-air museum in Cardiff chronicling the historical lifestyle, culture, and architecture of the Welsh people. The museum is part of the wider network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales.

 Scottish Anthropological and Folklore Society is part of the National Archive and the website has a summary including a brief description of the collection(s); usually including the covering dates of the collection, the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the appropriate collection.

Folklore plays an integral role in the serious study of traditional British Old Craft because so much of our lore has unintentionally been recorded in those Victorian compendia, albeit in the guise of love charms, simples and protections against witches. Once we get used to separating the pagan wheat from the Christian chaff it is easy to see just how much information can be discovered in those Victorian ‘novelties’. It also explains why Old Crafters can always be found browsing the folklore and natural history shelves in secondhand bookshops and acquiring some lovely old books in the process.
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Divine Intervention: Tarot de Marseille

11/24/2020

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MARIA BLYTH interviews CoS Elder and professional card reader, Adrien Mastrosimone for Cunning Folk magazine

In many ways, Tarot de Marseille is one of the true elders of tarot decks, with early iterations circulating from the 17th century onwards. By 1700, what we now know as Tarot de Marseille was the standard pack manufactured by French and Swiss card producers, with its easily recognisable illustrations eventually copied and reproduced throughout Europe. The cards, with their clear lines and striking angles, were initially printed from woodcuts and then painstakingly coloured by hand or through the use of stencils by highly skilled workers. Very few of the 17th century decks survive today, though amongst them is the rather grotesque and delightfully lurid Jean Noblet tarot, published circa 1650. The only existing, though not quite complete, version of the Noblet tarot is held in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, of which facsimiles (lovingly restored by Jean-Claude Flornoy) are available today.

So what makes Tarot de Marseille such a singular deck that it remains a popular choice for cartomancers so many centuries later? Renowned tarot expert and teacher Adrien Mastrosimone helped to enlighten me:
“I went through stages of picking up other tarot decks, such as the Rider Waite and then I studied Kaballah, then astrology - you go through all of this and eventually, after studying ceremonial magic, Golden Dawn techniques, Aleister Crowley, and all that jazz, I eventually went back to the Marseilles tarot, because there is too much ego in the other tarots. With the Tarot de Marseille, you have to really integrate the cards - it’s much more about you making the connection. It’s not about someone telling you what it means - it’s much more about you stretching your mind, stretching your intuition, your relationship with the cards, really understanding that it’s much more personal, interesting, and exciting because the Marseille tarot is a system that doesn’t need other systems to make sense of it.”

One teacher who was very influential for Adrien was Phillippe Camois, a direct descendant of the notable Marseille family who had printed Nicolas Conver’s tarot deck since 1760. Conver’s version of Tarot de Marseille had been one amongst many which the filmmaker and artist Alejandro Jodorowsky - in collaboration with Camois - studied in depth in order to reconstruct and restore the Marseille deck. Jodorowsky and Camois’ version of Tarot de Marseille was published in 1998 after years of intense research, to great interest amongst students of tarot worldwide.

When it comes to studying a deck with such a long history, Adrien emphasises that there is no single jumping off point: “To learn something like this you need a lot of different ways in. Self-teaching is important - you read for yourself, you read for other people, and you learn from your mistakes, you learn from what you’ve done right. That’s very important. The other thing is that yes, going to workshops is very important as well. You learn from everything - there is not a mathematical recipe for learning tarot. It’s absolutely an art - you have to learn technique, this is very important. I studied as a ballet dancer and then as an opera singer, and then I ended up doing my own cabaret shows. So I understand art. And what is art? Art is a mix of strong technique, and on top of it you have the personality and something that makes it different. And reading tarot is the same thing - you need to acquire strong technique and then you uncover your own style. When you do eight or nine readings a day you’re going to have days, unfortunately, when you need to rely on your technique. You know the spirit of the tarot is going to back up. When you’re a professional reader, you will sometimes make mistakes, no one is god, and if you get to the point where you don’t, you have nothing to do on this plane any more! I don’t believe that only one way is sufficient.”

Tarot de Marseilles’ influence can be spotted in many contemporary tarot decks, and was clearly a strong force in the soup of symbolism that can be found in Pamela Colman Smith’s Rider Waite Smith deck, published in 1909. Whilst both of these iconic decks share much in common, the Rider Waite Smith is often hailed to be the more accessible of the two due to its colourful and detailed pip card (minor arcana) illustrations. Nonetheless, serious tarot students and beginners alike - those who are willing to tap into their boundless imaginations - will find much magic and mystery in Tarot de Marseilles. This is a deck which remains unlimited in its timeless appeal.

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HAVE A COOL YULE ...

11/17/2020

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How to Survive (and Enjoy) the Mid-Winter Festival

With all the doom, gloom and despondency surrounding the Christmas planning for this year, it might be the perfect time to take a leaf out of the dining table and start preparing a pared-down pagan Yule. Whether ‘bubbling’ or ‘cocooning’, there’s no reason to let the ‘virus’ stop us from enjoying ourselves and observing the festival as one of celebration and good hope. In order to run smoothly, our pagan Mid-Winter Festival/Yule needs to be planned well in advance and not be spoiled by any last-minute disasters. A bit of organisation goes a long way so start by making lists to cover all aspects of the festivities – guests, gifts and gormandising.

If, on the other hand, we’ve decided to spend the Mid-Winter Festival/Yule alone, then the same rules still apply. It can be rather daunting to actually plan for a solitary Yule, but since the whole focus of the holiday is usually getting together with those close to you – and if those people can’t be around this year - then the exercise may seem pointless. My advice is stock up with all your favourite treats, a good selection of DVD boxed sets, and treat yourself to a disgustingly expensive Yule gift – mine for this year is a vintage Aquascutum duffel coat!

The solitary life-style is amplified at this time of year and all the hype that is geared around spending time with family often creates the impression that if we’re not part of the glamour then we’re nothing but a sad git! There’s a vast difference, however, between being alone and being lonely. And although outsiders might think it a bit strange, the company of a cat or dog means that there’s someone in the home to talk to and snuggle up with, and discuss what we’re going to watch on telly – just as we’ve done throughout the lockdowns.

Strangely enough, it is Christianity itself that has made a mockery of ‘Christmas’ and turned it into the commercial free-for-all we know today. What is sad, is that a large number of pagans in rejecting the whole concept of Christmas are, in fact, rejecting the ancestral concept of Yule. So, lets us reclaim the Mid-Winter Festival with all its ‘warmth, light and revelry’ and celebrate it in time-honoured fashion without the commercial overtones – even if we have to do it alone this year.

“As per usual and in great style, Mélusine Draco presents a wealth of information about this historically proven pagan festival. Whichever way the reader chooses to celebrate...whether it’s a traditional family Christmas or a traditional Yule in the company of pagan friends or as a solitary – there is something for everyone. From a complete festival calendar with some simple rites and symbolism, to carol lyrics, recipes, gift ideas and feasting to the ‘art of using up’ and festive games; everything Yuletide is covered. And with generous doses of light-hearted good cheer and a sprinkling of dark humour, the author strikes a balance that is both useful, informative and entertaining. A charming little book.”
Sheena Cundy, Witch Lit author The Madness and the Magic

“Have a Cool Yule is a lovely guide on how to truly enjoy the festive season in the depths of winter, whether you call it Christmas, the Winter Solstice, Yule or any other name. In the pages of this book you will fi nd time-honoured traditions, recipes and sensible advice on how to avoid the worst of the commercialism and make the occasion what you want it to be.”
Lucya Starza, author of Pagan Portals – Candle Magic

Pagan Portals: Have a Cool Yule by Melusine Draco and published by Moon Books : ISBN 978 1 78535 711 4 : UK£6.99 : US$10.95 : 82 pages ; paperback and e-book editions.
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WHAT IS COARSE WITCHCRAFT?

11/17/2020

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These were two of Ignotus Press’s best-selling titles back in the day and now that our own Coven is going back to its sabbatic roots, these memories are even more relevant. We will, of course, remain a teaching coven on a newcomer’s level because it’s basically a good introduction to traditional British Old Craft but behind the scenes, things will be changing. After years of talking about it, we have recently published a Coven of the Scales grimoire for our Elders but The Coarse Witchcraft Trilogy is the nearest outsiders are going to get to how an Old Craft coven works. The two genuine covens were/are uncomfortably similar in as much as things go wrong, the Magister’s irascible , the Dame long-suffering and the members come from all walks of life.

Coarse witchcraft, by definition, is a spoof on bad Craft practice, parodying clichés, every kind of misplaced dramatic performance and Circle disaster. These three books, each with its own mix of disaster and hilarity, take their name from journalist Michael Green’s coarse acting/rugby treatment, resulting in a chaotic catalogue in which everything that can go wrong in the Circle does so. But as esoteric author and long-time chum, Alan Richardson, said of the book: ‘Coarse Witchcraft made me laugh out loud in more than a few places. In fact, I think it is the first book of its kind; although it pokes fun at modern excesses and can laugh at itself, it still manages to teach the real stuff at a very high level.’

It’s been said that Coarse Witchcraft is like Marmite – you either love it or hate it. And many of those who love it have taken to CoS teaching like the proverbial familiar to the broomstick! No … we don’t suffer fools gladly but we do go out of our way to help genuine seekers who demonstrate an aptitude for Old Craft ways. Yes … the Tradition is idiosyncratic but then we do have a foot in the dim and distant past and do not abandon ancient customs in favour of more contemporary observances. Because we understands that contact with these old energies may be established more completely through customs that are so ancient that they have had time to firmly entrench themselves in the vast storehouse of the ancestral subconsciousness.

“I think the Coarse Witchcraft Trilogy should be compulsory reading for anyone wishing to study Old Craft,” said our Dame with a grin. “The stories and the characters are real with very little embellishment but it does give a valuable insight into an Old Craft mindset.” MD

The Coarse Witchcraft Trilogy by Rupert Percy and Gabrielle Sidonie. Introduced by Melusine Draco and published by Moon Books : ISBN 978 1 78279 285 7 : UK£10.99/US$18.95 : 254 pages
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A Word From the Magister ...

11/2/2020

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I’m pleased to announce that, after months of hard work by Philip and Carrie, with input from ourselves and the Principal, the book “Round About the Cauldron Go…” has now been completed and finally published. This book is the Grimoire of Coven of the Scales and, as such, will only be made available on a very limited basis to a few members of our coven. Here is a short extract to give some background to our practices at this time of year and we will be publishing short extracts each month throughout the year.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Philip and Carrie for their dedication and commitment.

James Rigel,
Magister,

NOVEMBER:
Herbist-mānod - ‘autumn month’ with Hallowmas/Martinmas/Old Samhain

Also known as Blōt-mōnaþ ‘Blood Month’ or ‘Month of Sacrifice’, November was the start of Samhain when surplus livestock would have been killed and the meat salted down for use over winter. There is evidence it has been an important date since ancient times and is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, or the ‘darker half’ of the year. Throughout the centuries, pagan and church celebrations have gradually become intertwined and from 31st October through to 2nd February the calendar is particularly confusing.

All Hallows or Hallowmas according to the church calendar was the time when ghosts roamed abroad and is a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve that begins the three-day observance of All-Hallows-tide in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead. It is evident that many Hallowe’en traditions have pagan roots and originated from Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; this festival was much later Christianised as Hallowe’en and is now one of the most popular secular holidays in the USA! Personally, we do not consider ‘trick and treating’ a suitable way of observing this ‘festival of the dead’ and actually find it offensive.

Whereas the Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) a widely celebrated Mexican festival, involves a multi-day holiday with family and friends gathering to pray for and remember those who have died, and to help support their spiritual journey. In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle and the day is viewed not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awake and celebrate with them. The celebrations developed from ancient traditions among pre-Columbian cultures and rituals celebrating the deaths of their ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years!

Altars with offerings (called ofrendas) are common at the cemetery and are right over where the deceased has been laid to rest. After all, the purpose of the Day of the Dead is to honour family members who have passed and for living family members to use this opportunity to ask them for their guidance by appealing to their good nature with offerings like food, drinks, items of personal significance and anything else that they might enjoy on the other side. This event is characterized by a festive atmosphere that’s charmingly cultivated with musicians, tasty seasonal foods and a fair amount of alcohol to encourage positive spirits! As such, Day of the Dead traditions are close to many people’s hearts because the idea is to make the spirits comfortable and welcomed during their short visit. Perhaps we should take a leaf out of their book instead of the austere ‘Dumb Supper’ that’s part of our Tradition.

Within Old Craft this is the winter season that traditionally runs from about halfway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Imbolc, Beltaine and Lughnasadh. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, while similar festivals were held at the same time of year in other Celtic lands; for example the Brythonic Calan Gaeaf (in Wales), Kalan Gwav (in Cornwall), and Kalan Goañv (in Brittany).

‘The Festival is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and many important events in Irish mythology happen or begin on Samhain. It was the time when cattle were brought back down from the summer pastures and when livestock were slaughtered for the winter. As at Beltaine, special bonfires were lit, which were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers, as were the rituals surrounding them. Like Beltaine, Samhain was also seen as a liminal time, when the boundary between this and Otherworld could more easily be crossed.
This meant the Aos Sí, the ‘spirits’, could more easily come into this world. Most scholars see the Aos Sí as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits, and at Samhain it was believed that the Aos Sí needed to be propitiated to ensure that the people and their livestock survived the winter. Offerings of food and drink were left outside for them. The souls of the dead were also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality. Feasts were held, at which the souls of dead kin were beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them at a Dumb Supper. [Britannica]

In CoS we observe Old Samhain/Calan Gaeof on the 11th November [Old Calendar] so that it also coincides with Remembrance Day - better known since 1918 as Armistice Day, and as the time to remember the war dead and the Ancestors – today we wear our poppy with pride. Never more so does kindred call to kindred, blood call to blood. Much has been written about the Ancestors but nowhere better than in our Principal’s contribution to the Three Hands anthology, Hands of Apostacy – ‘Spirits & Deific Forms: Faith & Belief in British Old Craft’ – an extract of which is reproduced here with her kind permission:

The most powerful energy on which an Old Craft practitioner can call, however, is that of our ‘Ancestors’, who represent our culture, traditions, heritage, lineage and antecedents; they trace the long march of history that our predecessors have taken under the aegis of traditional British Old Craft. When those of a particular Tradition pass beyond the veil, their spiritual essence merges with the divine spirit of the Whole, which in turn gives traditional witchcraft the continuing power to endure – often past its own time and place in history. If when living, we cannot acknowledge and respect the Ancestors of traditional British Old Craft to which we claim to belong, then we will contribute nothing to the Whole when we die.

Interaction with these ancestral spirits as an invisible and powerful presence is a constant feature of traditional British Old Craft, with the Ancestors remaining important members of the Tradition or people they have left behind. In general they are seen as Elders, treated and referred to in much the same way as the most senior of living Elders of a coven or magical group, with additional mystical and magical powers. Reverence for our Craft Ancestors is part of the ethic of respect for those who have preceded us in life, and their continued presence on the periphery of our consciousness means that they are always with us. And because traditional witchcraft is essentially a practical thing, the Ancestors are also called upon to help find solutions to magical problems through divination, path-working and spell-casting

In other words, our dead are always with us and when we channel the rejuvenating power into the Coven’s mind-set, we are imbuing the group and its members with the strength and magical energy of all those centuries of ancestral influence. In fact, these are the ancestral properties we call upon to consolidate the energy required in spell-casting and invocation, rather than what others may see as the beneficence of deities, angels or spirits. And, we re-affirm this allegiance to this sacred past each time – and to each other - whenever we perform a seasonal rite that includes the breaking of bread and taking of salt – either singly or in a group.

The sharing of bread and salt re-appears in several Slavic and other European and Middle Eastern cultures whereby in turn, the members of the party carefully break off a piece of the bread, dip it in the salt, and eat - this is a sign of the bond that has been forged between the participants … and to betray that bond is an act of base treachery. No words are spoken or oaths taken but the act is, of itself, a pledge of fealty, honour and respect just as in Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical novel Outcast, bread and salt is referred to as a sign of belonging to a tribe: ‘You are my people, my own people, by hearth fire and bread and salt’.

It should therefore, perhaps, seem incongruous that our motto is: Trust None! However, contrary to what many so-called modern witches profess in their maxim of ‘Perfect Love – Perfect Trust’, it should also be understood that there is an older system of Craft that has never left the shadows, and which has its roots in the pre-repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1951. These groups have never
been part of the publicity machine to popularise Craft, and have always muttered darkly that the mass publicity of the last thirty years would destroy Craft – not preserve it. In all honesty, there is little altruistic about Old Craft. It can best be described as having a tribal mentality in that it believes in protecting its own, but with no obligation to mankind in general. In view of the periodic (and often inter-Craft) backlashes, even in more modern times, it is not surprising that Trust None! is the creed of Old Craft and it has preserved its secrecy down through the years by not divulging its rites and practices.

The Ancestors act as Coven guardians and also channel the god-power in a two-way conduit, for it would be too hazardous to allow a direct current to pass between supplicant and benefactor. This shield can also act as a safety-barrier for any deific displeasure we may inadvertently attract by behaving inappropriately, i.e. ignoring or disobeying the rules. It guards us from infiltration by outsiders who would join our ranks in order to acquire secret information or cause damage. And, it warns when our own are wavering and likely to fall prey to indiscretion and flattery. It also means that once we are permanently linked to this power, we don’t even have to think about it in order to tap into it. This is what it means to be an Old Craft witch

Needless to say, it may take many years of practice until this conduit becomes automatically open for us but ancient cultures understood that we live in a vast ‘sea’ of cosmic energy. They taught that everything animate and inanimate has consciousness and channels this energy, according to its individual capabilities, to help facilitate this essential universal dialogue. Ancestral communication is the highest form of spiritual channelling that comes from a strong, deep and pure connection with the Ancestors themselves and, through the Ancestors, with the Divine.

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Cursed be the Dog Thieves

10/20/2020

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None of us can begin to imagine what it would be like to discover that our dog’s been stolen; but neither can we imagine the terror and fear that the dog must experience on discovering that it’s been removed from its familiar people and surroundings. Unfortunately, the law doesn’t consider dog theft a heinous crime but to those who are victims (human and canine) perhaps we cannot think of a punishment severe enough – because for dog people – dogs are our family. This is where we can resort to a Higher Law – the power of the curse - because we don’t have to have a magical interest/aptitude to be able to throw a curse … all we have to have is hate and passion.
The dog thieves are possibly overlapping in their territories and if all those who have had your beloved pets stolen, then the power of the curse is compounded on these individuals. In this instance, we are talking about the reality of the power of collective ‘prayer’, which cannot be underestimated because there is no doubt as to the magnitude of its effect. This curse is a prayer of a different kind.
It is called The Gage, which is a pledge; something thrown down as in a challenge, from the poem of that name by Walter de la Mare, and demonstrates the power of the words adapted from of a verse from the poem that offers an example of an extremely powerful curse that could be used in the event of someone stealing any pet dog . For example:
O mark me well!
For what my hound befell
You shall pay twenty-fold,
For every tooth
Of his, i’sooth,
Your life in pawn I’ll hold.

The effective placing of this curse requires a personal item belonging to the stolen dog (i.e. fur, tooth, bone, saliva, etc.,) and a photograph. Here we are bringing down a curse that is ‘twenty times’ the number of teeth in the dog’s mouth, which in an average healthy adult is around 42. This means that the sender must weigh in the balance whether the punishment fits the crime; after all, it would be rather extreme if someone had merely given your dog a clout for attempting to ravish their prize-winning bitch!

Cursing, however, is a question of personal responsibility and/or morality, but once thrown it cannot be retracted or negated. That said, the theft of any dog and removing it from its home environment for financial gain, I would see the curse to be justifiable if the thieves lose their most priceless possession(s) as a result. For this particular curse it is necessary to produce a small pouch containing the fur and photograph of the dog to be held tightly while reciting the above curse – and keep it safe. And if everyone whose dog has been stolen were to throw this curse, the results will be compounded on the heads of the guilty parties according to Higher Law.

Remember that even the mildest ‘loss’ magnified 20 x 42 is going to have some serious repercussions.

Taken from Shaman Pathways: Aubrey’s Dog – Power Animals in Traditional Witchcraft by Melusine Draco and published by Moon Books. ISBM 076 1 78099 724 7 : UK£4.99/US$9.95 : pages 84.
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