Cailleachs Herbarium
Exploring Scottish Folk Practices and Traditions
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Scottish Folk magic and the dead (part three) – folk charms, herbs for the dead and second sight
The mist the dew, the dew the mist The mist, the dew, in the eye of my love In the eye of my love, Thou who didst open the young eye Close it tonight in the sleep of death In…
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Scottish Folk Magic and the dead (part two) – The dead as a witch familiar
It is the familiar spirit of the place; It judges, presides, inspires Everything in its empire; It is perhaps a fairy or a god? (No, in fact it was a cat, ed) – Charles Baudelaire (the flowers of evil, 1857)…
Scottish Folk Magic and the Dead (part one) – Funerary customs and death related lore.
Introduction I introduced a series of writing exploring the role of the oft neglected dead in Scottish folk magic. If you haven’t read it I suggest you have a wee read. It sets the tone of the rest of the…
Scottish folk magic and the dead (an introduction)
Dondering around the countryside, sauntering through glen, dirt track, woods and burns. Battling the wind and falling leaves. Passed graveyard and sacred stones. An idea presented itself. To write a series of posts embracing the theme of the season. The…
Martinmas – Sacrifice, Initiation, and Blood
What is Martinmas? Martinmas is a poor cousin of other the other high and holy days. A mostly forgotten day in the year before the start of Yule and after Samhuinn’s end. However, I think Martinmas holds some of the…
Samhuinn – Halloween, Winters Start, Guising, Divination and Fires
On the 31st of October the night of Halloween arrives. This time is also known in Gaelic as Samhuinn, or Oidhche Shamhuinn, an t-samhuinn, Hallowe’en, Hallowmas, All hallows, All saints eve, All saints, the first night of winter or meal-and-bree…