An untidy collection of thoughts, old stories, curious discoveries and questions that refuse to leave me alone.
Welcome to the written heart of the Herbarium. This is where I gather my research, essays, field notes and reflections on Scotland’s folk traditions, animism, history and the curious business of being human.
Some pieces begin with a passage found in an old book, others with a conversation, a walk through the woods or an idea that has been rattling about in my head for far too long. From there, things have a habit of wandering into folklore, politics, psychology, ecology and the everyday lives of ordinary people. I make no apologies for that. Our traditions have never existed apart from the worlds in which people lived, worked, struggled and loved.
You will find careful research here, but also opinion, uncertainty and the occasional soapbox. I am interested in asking questions as much as finding answers, and I would rather change my mind than cling to a comfortable certainty.
So have a wander, follow whatever catches your attention, and feel free to disagree with me along the way.
A good story ought to leave us with something to think about. A good question might change how we see the world.
Recordings of a radio show about the Lore of the land, discussing folk lore and tales of the land in and around the UK, including Scotland.
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
On my travels through both life, herbalism and academia I have the pleasure of meeting a lot of people, on the whole everyone is delightful, down to earth, filled with
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
