Folk Magic Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Cailleachs Herbarium

Animism

A song to sow, a charm to reap – Planting Seeds in Scottish Folklore

Sometimes it just feels right. Timings can be calendar based or not. Sometimes you just go with your gut. So being in Scotland and the weather *almost* perking and my gut this weekend are telling me to get the seeds out and start sowing. We planted seeds of Wormwood, Mugwort and some St Johns Wort indoors on Friday (the day auspicious) with more to come in the following weeks. I started these early as they can be slow and like a bit of rough handling. I also like planting seeds in threes. Both Mugwort and St Johns wort are associated with

Scott

Animism

Snaim – The three knot charm

The weave, the weft and wool are part of our Scottish Heritage. It’s no wonder the use of wool made it into our folk magic heritage. The use of using three knots on a thread for the purpose against the evil eye was called a Snaim – the Three Knot Charm. (Compare Snaim with the words snaidhm, a knot, also meaning a marriage and snaidhm ne péiste which literally translate as knot of the worm and also a knotted charm for curing folks and cattle). These were used by folk practitioners and country folk to cure all manner of ills. Often

Scott

Ancestors

A Gaelic response in support to Water is life. Water is sacred.

Water is life. Water is sacred. The travesties that are happening around ours and others countries right now are many. We have fracking underway in England. We have the Dakota Access Pipeline company attempting to cut its way across the major, central rivers and aquifers of North America, including unceded Native American territory, sacred sites and burial grounds.. We have displaced people from a war torn country homeless and in danger in Calais. All because of one thing. Oil. Democracy and human rights are being overturned in the wake of this monster. It has me thinking. What do our tales,

Scott

folk

Chapbook on Scottish folk magic and herbalism (for the Scottish Radical Herbal gathering 2016)

Well, the first Scottish Radical Herbal Gathering is almost upon us and I’m very excited to be delivering a talk with them this year on scottish folk magic with a free chapbook provided. The programme for the weekend looks amazing and I look forward to hearing the contributions from others talking with anticipation. For me, it will be the first time I have talked at length about the subject of scottish folk magic and herbalism so I’m excited and perhaps a little nervous about it in equal measure. (Que the chamomile tea and kava perhaps!) As part of the presentation

Scott

Animism

Scottish Gaelic Divination Prayer \ Charm – The firth

Those following along on social media will know I have been discussing divination for a while and researching the below bit of Audio exploring authentic Scottish Prayers or charms to use as part of my divination practices. I happened across the below recording from 1950’s of a spoken charm from Uist for the Frith (I think). The Frith was undertaken on quarter days and this charm refers to that process at least I think it might do. There are many forms of divination used in Scotland and the Hag of the hills website has some great information about the different forms

Scott

Folk magic, witchcraft, whats the difference ?

I get asked “what is a Folk Practitioner or what is folk magic?” on many occasions. I also get asked “what is the difference between what you do and what a witch does?”, “Is it witchcraft?”, “Are you religious?”, “Do you worship a lord and lady or speak to the de’il?”, “Do you follow the immanent and emanant mysteries of your gods?” and finally “Do you worship nature? Do you bang your drums and dance around?” This is no fault of anyone. Folk practices have been adopted in a lot of modern magico-religious approaches. This has caused a lot of confusion

Scott

Ancestors

From Dead to Deity – How did the Celtic dead become gods?

I’m sitting on a train. It’s like a liminal space, I’m not moving but rushing forward at the same time. Travelling through the amazing Scottish landscape, it’s always a joy. Even though a brown, white and green dusk coloured blur beyond the window. The sound of the train, the rock of its carriage, always makes my mind drift. It gets me thinking. Back to old conversations and thoughts. I have pondered questions around animism and the dead a lot recently. In discussions, its been one of many topics raised over whisky, late into the evening. I thought the friendly debates and these unformed threads of ideas

Scott

a mossy gravestone - Cailleachs Herbarium

Ancestors

The good, the dead, and the fairy faith – Animism and ancestors in Scottish folklore.

Winter time is always a time for me to ponder on those who have passed. Their missing faces from the celebration table hit pretty hard at this time of year. I don’t mean to be maudlin but it’s a reality we will all encounter at some point. It got me thinking. As this is the darkest time of the year, what those who came before us thought of at this time of year? What were the beliefs of the folks who saw fairies and ancestors as ever-present. Is it animism? Is it fairy faith? This is a thought piece rather

Scott

An old lady does some folk magic - Cailleachs Herbarium

Animism

Nicneven – A Wild Witch Chase – In search of the Scottish Hecate –

It’s the time of the year when I start thinking about the more witchier side of life and the name Nicneven and Hecate starts to be whispered of. Wrapped in warm blankets, looking out across to Fife and beyond as the grey clouds stream past, the apple trees shaking free their russet, yellow and golden leaves and sweet steam from my tea fogging up the window as it warms my hands. I always feel that Scotland is ideally itself in this Autumnal weather, there’s something that seems to suit it, the land stands proud as it loses it’s summer gloss,

Scott

Folk Magic

What is Scottish Witchcraft (or not)? – the role of the wise women

In a earlier post, I discussed the Cailleach and her associated role in Gaelic culture. She represents a power as vast and as wide as the Scottish landscape but a role that is also nurturing and intimately fruitful as the role of the wise woman (or man) in Scottish folklore. Unlike scottish witchcraft as a catch all term we have phrases that cover a wide variety of roles so called witches used to do. The bean/fear fease (wise women/man) bean ghlúine (midwife) bean chaointe (keening women) and the death midwife are all roles that derive and inspire their performance from

Scott

Folk Magic

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones – Herbal Bone balm ( for care of bone ornaments)

Our bones that we have on display need as much care as the bones in your body but in a different way. For this is I have created what I’m terming a Bone Balm, and this blog looks at how it is made, the ingredients that are part of it

Scott

folk

Folk practitioner tools vs. Witchcraft tools – A discussion on history

We have grown up with this myth that broomsticks, athames, crystals and the like are synonymous with witchcraft. However, this is not really the case in folk magic practices and these tools are, if seldom, mentioned in the trials of folk magic practitioners that we have access to. I hope

Scott

Folk Crafts

Spin the wheel and seal your fate – Spinning and weaving in folk magic practice

Island Spinning Song Hullamackadoo, hooravahee Hoorovahinda, hoorovahinda, Hullamackadoo, hooravahee, O dicko-o-deck-o-dandy When will someone come to me? Will he come by land or sea Will he my own lover be? O, tell me truly, wheel. Wheel o’ fate what is’t you say? This year, next, or ne’er a day? When will a wooer come my way? O, tell me truly, wheel. Be he dark or be he fair, Shy or bold or debonair, Ribbons braw will deck my hair To meet and greet my true love. (Traditional Scottish spinning song [1]) We hear a lot about cauldrons, besoms, and crystal

Scott

Exploring the archives

Category: Folk Magic

Category: Folk Magic

Category: Folk Magic

A song to sow, a charm to reap – Planting Seeds in Scottish Folklore

Snaim – The three knot charm

A Gaelic response in support to Water is life. Water is sacred.

Chapbook on Scottish folk magic and herbalism (for the Scottish Radical Herbal gathering 2016)

Scottish Gaelic Divination Prayer \ Charm – The firth

Folk magic, witchcraft, whats the difference ?

From Dead to Deity – How did the Celtic dead become gods?

The good, the dead, and the fairy faith – Animism and ancestors in Scottish folklore.

Nicneven – A Wild Witch Chase – In search of the Scottish Hecate –

What is Scottish Witchcraft (or not)? – the role of the wise women

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones – Herbal Bone balm ( for care of bone ornaments)

Folk practitioner tools vs. Witchcraft tools – A discussion on history

Spin the wheel and seal your fate – Spinning and weaving in folk magic practice

Instagram

Edtior's Picks

Latest Articles