Dàir na Coile is a fascinating tradition one we have very little written about. Dàir na coille I have come to love though. Its a counterpoint to consumerism – an …
Cailleachs Herbarium
Exploring Scottish Folk Belief and Folk Magic
Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread Available for Pre-Order
Mill Dust and Dreaming Bread explores Scottish folk beliefs, traditions, and folk magic in detail, with over 520 pages, including illustrations, and is a true collector's edition.
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The old people had runes which they sang to the spirits dwelling in the sea and in the mountain, in the wind and in the whirlwind, in the lightning and in the thunder, in the sun and in the moon and in the stars of heaven. I was naught but a toddling child at the time, but I remember well the ways of the old people. Then came notice of eviction, and burning and emigration and the people were scattered and sundered over the world, and the old ways disappeared with the old people. Oh they disappeared indeed, and nothing so good is come in their stead – naught so good is come, my beloved, nor ever will come
‘The people addressed ranns (song /incantations /rune) to the sun, moon and stars. Men and women saluted the morning sun and hailed the new moon. The practice prevailed over the British Isles, nor is it yet obsolete, though now a matter of form more than belief. The people hailed the morning sun as they would a great person come back to their land, and they hailed the new moon “lòchran mór an àigh – the great lamp of grace” with joyous welcome and acclaim. The sun was a matter of great awe, but the moon was a friend of great love, guiding their course upon land and sea and their path wherever they went…In the time of my father and my mother, there was no man in Barra who would not take off his bonnet to the white sun of power, nor a woman in Barra who would not bend her body to the white moon of the seasons.’
Latest Writing
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Introduction – Celtic cosmology To understand why Scottish folk practice includes a focus on nature – earth, sky and waters spirts and its animated world we need to understand the …
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Marysmass, Mary’s mass, Féil-Moire (Mary’s day) the Big St Marys Feast or the Assumption day happens on the 15th of August. Personally, I think it’s a great example of the syncretic …
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I’ve been chatting about wormeries and worm farms on social media for a few days and folks have been asking how to make a wormery or a worm farm and …
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I have written a lot about my views on Scottish spirituality and folk belief before, but I’ve never really spelled out the position – why of things. I’ve explored Scottish …
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CommodificationFolk Deitiesfolk devilFolk MagicPoliticswitchcraft
Folk Devils and Saints in Scottish folk magic
Folk devils and saints in Scottish folk magic occur time and time again. Folk devils are tied to stories in our land and demonise our past folk traditions. Saintly spirits …