Cailleachs Herbarium
Exploring Scottish Folk Practices and Traditions
Kin based medicine
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The Ugly One With all the Jewels – A tale of Scottish Appropriation
I’ve been struggling with ideas of Scottish appropriation from our culture for a while now. Some of you may have read Saining Not Smudging. This article explored it in reverse light really. Sadly a lot of hate mail was received…
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Saining not Smudging- Purification, Blessing and Lustration in Scottish Folk Magic Practice
Saining is the Scottish Folk magic act of purification – a way of blessing or removing enchantments that uses smoke or other methods like tar or water or written texts (though Mackenzie writes of it as an amulet to make…
A Memory of Water – Folk Magic is Community Magic
The below is the introduction for the event Dreaming Bread and Skyrie Stanes on the 11th of November 2018. I thought I’d share it on the website for folk who can’t make the day. I’m also nervous about public speaking…
When the Spirit Moves You – Moving House and Animism in Scottish Folklore
They say moving house is one of the most stressful things. It’s right up there with death and divorce. Having moved to a new house over the Bealtainn weekend I can agree. Though luckily no one got killed and we…
Sowans (fermented oats) – Scottish Traditional Food Recipe
“Till buttered so’ns (sowens) wi fragrant lunt (lunt – steam) Set a’ their gabs a-steerin (steerin – mouths watering) Syne wi’ a social glass o’strunt (strunt-Liquor) They parted off Careerin’ Fu’ blythe that night” – Burns : Halloween Ah what…
Radicalising the Ancestral Scottish Diet
The ancestral scottish diet is not all haggis, neeps and tatties! Scotland is famous for its food. However, it’s famous for its food for the wrong reasons. Scotland is renowned for its food being deep-fried, covered in fat and having very…
Tallow Rendering – for Cooking, Salves and Enfleurage
Before modern nut and seed oils – expressed by expensive machinery, chemically fractured plant products or petroleum-based products imported into the UK – our ancestors used animals fats rendering tallow from cow and deer tallow and pig lard – to…
The Cailleach – Scotland’s Midwife – Tigh Na Bodach
The struggles and revelations of Scotland’s people are stamped into the landscape, like wrinkles on the palms of old lady history some say put there by the Cailleach herself. Some experiences deep ravines. Other lines the soft touch of poetry…
Peace Tea Recipe and Gaelic Prayer for peace-
Trying to find a moment’s peace. Well, that’s trick in itself for most of us. Trying to find a time for ourselves, to relax and just be peaceful is a gift for most parents and busy folk these days. But…
Plant Communication | Animism & Genius Loci | Terroir & Phenomenology.
I have recently been reflecting about a conference I spoke at a while ago. A few people were discussing a problem they felt they had in getting to know plants. What is plant communication, the delegates were asking? What does…
Blackberry (Sméar dubh – Smearagan)/ Bramble Recipes
There is nothing more ubiquitous as the Blackberry or Bramble. Sméar Dubh or Smearagan in Gaelic, meaning black berry. Dris, druis bramble. The bramble was much valued by the old Highlanders, and where not indigenous was cultivated. The fruit was used for…
Flower Jam – Preserving the May (or any day)
The weather has been hot. Today is no exception. Hot, wet and humid with a wind coming from the south. The breeze brings the heady scent of hawthorn bloom through my open window. The scent of these mingling with the earthy aroma of…
Hot Toddy Scottish Recipe and Cold Remedy
Unsurprisingly i’m a huge whisky fan and there is nothing like a Scottish hot toddy! Nothing warms you up and makes you feel better about just about anything really. Reputed to cure the common cold, nerves and anxiety and even…
Midwinter Glow – Herbs for Resistance
Midwinter, a time of the greatest darkness, with still a way till we get to midwinter at the end of January. The sun in Scotland barely rises over the horizon rising late at 9am and setting early at 3pm. The…
Smoked Mulled Apple Cider – with Lapsang Souchong Tea
Winter warmers are always a hit in our house but, Hmm smoked mulled apple cider? Mulled cider is delicious but im not sure about the addition of tea. Though I have it on good authority that this is a good…
Rowan Berry Jam/Jelly
Rowan berries are everywhere right now and I’ve just come across a recipe by F. Marian McNeill in her book the “Scots Kitchen (its lore and recipes)” (1929, Glasgow) for rowan berry jam. It seems she was quite an accomplished recipe…
Mugwort and Lemon Beer
The below recipe for Mugwort and Lemon Beer has been taken from Grow Forage Cook Ferment. I have just changed it a little bit and put it here for prosperity. This recipe is from The New Wildcrafted Cuisine by Pascal Baudar ad…
Straw craft , Wheat Weaving, Corn Dollies and Kern Idols
It’s nearing that time of year again. The wheat, rye and barley are almost ripe and the Raspberries and Bilberries are coming out in force. Poppies dot red the yellowing seas of grain. It’s nearing Lunastal and folks are readying to take in…
Spring Cleaning – Herbal House Cleaning Recipes
Spring cleaning the house cleaning is always a chore, I’m not sure that anyone enjoys it. One thing we need to do though is to keep the house clean especially after it has been closed up all winter. The point…
Spring Cleaning – Herbal Teas and Folk Practitioners Cleaning formulations
It’s still cold outside. The second part of winter is here. It’s still great to be indoors. Especially, after all, those storms and ice still hanging about on roads and ponds. Staying warm in bed is always my favourite option. Drinking…