Opinion piece

Deforestation is a global problem. One caused by human action – a tiny fraction of our native forests remain in Scotland. Human connection to the history of deforestation in Scotland is complex.  Every now and again, when you saunter amongst the peat you may come across a great stump of gnarled oak or pine, buried deep in the bog. Bog wood. The ghost of a forest once was. Bog wood is used in a few of our folk magic practices but not many. Sometimes the Bog wood will be charred and burnt black when found and begs the question how …

On international women’s day First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued an apology for all those accused of Witchcraft in Scotland with a Scottish Witchcraft Pardon on the cards in the coming term. As someone who explores folk belief and practices this, to me adds more nuance to our understanding of the whole situation through a modern lens, well through the eyes of the legal framework. I applaud the work of the group Witches of Scotland to create a Scottish Witchcraft Pardon and all those who have backed the cause through the pandemic and kept these issues alive. However, I’m very interested …

I am delighted to be able to host a guest writer exploring the subject of Queerness – queer magci and Queer deities in Norse Myth. Please forgive my touch of nepotism as I asked Nate (my other half) to write about queerness and Queer magic as part of the self-making series exploring marginalised identities in folk magic and myth. Nate is a specialist on these subjects and is currently exploring them in depth through a PhD in Scandinavian Studies at Aberdeen University. They have also has appeared in interviews in Huck magazine and others. Nate will also be presenting on this subject …

“The sun will rise and set regardless, what we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us”. Chris Bickerton In a world heading toward the dark, bent towards our own destruction, creating anything seems an impossible task. People are quick to tear you down. Bringing creative ideas into the light neigh on impossible. They die before they even pass between lips. Becoming nothing but a long exhale. So yeah, building things is never easy. Birthing an idea is hard.  Bringing an idea to create positive change in the community around you … even harder. For …

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 tomorrow, so if it all goes tits up you know what I was going to say 🙂     I live near a river. The Jed water. It flows right at the bottom of my garden enclosed on all sides by walls. Before it reaches us, it flows past ancient ruins and forest as old as Scotland. Some of the last …