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Cailleachs Herbarium
Exploring Scottish Folk Practices and Traditions
Folk Magic
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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…
ByScott
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 and how to apply the balm for best care.
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 this post might help in understanding where some of these ideas come from and how, in fact, they might not be as synonymous as people think they are to practicing folk magic in Scotland or for that matter witchcraft.
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…