Tell me my future true

Divination.

The answer to all life's questions.

Making clear the unknown future.

**Will I win the lottery?
**Will I marry the man of my dreams?
**Will I get the job I want?
**Should I move in with my new boyfriend?
**Shall I quit my job and do another career course?

Fortune tellers are sought from every walk of life and in every country across the world to answer these questions. From Shamans trancing the wheel on the Steppes to a little old lady with her porcelain cup reading your leaves to the ultra-modern tarot reader with her bright gypsy scarf and dangling earings consulting the newest software on her laptop.

Some of us are true believers, others go, desperate for answers or a nudge in the right direction having already half made up their minds. Others are pure sceptics and get pressured by friends into stepping through the doorway to have their palms read, their cards told or their runes cast.

I did a search on divination on Google and was blown away by what it spat back out at me. The amount of different types of divination is really mind boggling. On Wikipedia it states that divination is : -

....the practice of ascertaining information from
supernatural sources. If a distinction is to be made with fortune-telling,
divination has a formal or ritual and often social character, usually in a
religious context; while fortune-telling is a more everyday practice for
personal purposes.

It continues to break down the different types of divination. In my collage above I have listed a few of the more common types to be encountered - tarot, i-ching, crystal ball gazing, palmistry, dowsing and a shaman trancing.

I have copied across only the "C" in the alphabet as I wouldn't inflict all of these on you, all at once. The entire article and other links can be found here:-

Capnomancy (by smoke)
Cartomancy (by cards, e.g., playing cards, tarot cards, and non-tarot oracle cards; see also Taromancy)
Catoptromancy (by mirrors)
Causimomancy (by burning)
Cephalomancy (by skulls)
Ceraunoscopy (by thunder and lightning)
Ceromancy, or ceroscopy (by placing melted wax into cold water)
Chaomancy (by aerial visions)
Cheiromancy, or palmistry (by palms) where the grooves of the hand are interpreted as signs.
Chirognomy (by hands)
Clairaudience (by psychic hearing)
Cleromancy (by casting lots or by bones; including divination by use of dice or dominoes; For divination by use of dice, see also Astragalomancy)
Clidomancy, or cleidomancy (by keys)
Coffee Grounds Divination, Coffee Tasseography: see Tasseography
Cometomancy (by comet tails)
Coscinomancy (by hanging sieves)
Critomancy (by barley cakes)
Cromniomancy (by onion sprouts)
Crystallomancy (by crystals or other reflecting objects)
Cybermancy (via computer oracles)
Cyclomancy (by wheels)

I recently went through a rough patch in which I had no idea what to do with my life, my career. So I contacted a tarot association here in London and emailed one of their training tarotmancers (if you will) with the question of questions: "do I stay in my current job or do I try and do something more creative, especially taking into consideration my own interest in the whole esoteric slant of things." Loaded question, right? Well, two days or so later, I got my answer back from my reader who had done the reading on my behalf, having pondered the question etc.

And she was positive, seeing change in my life, encouraging me to do what I thought was necessary to make me happy. I fell for it, lock stock but I didn't change my job. I need the money - as we all do - and eventhough I was desperately unhappy working for a bunch of real louts, I reconsidered and took an evening course in creative writing. I also hauled out my own tarot cards (of which I have around fifteen or twenty sets) and books and have now started studying them for myself.

I don't have the guts to walk away from my day job - eventhough I might be a "flighty" Aquarius but it doesn't mean that it is what I am. The tarot reading I got from her made me sit back, stop and think. Changes need not be large steps, they could be the small miracles that make you aware of how easy it is to change. I am more attentive to my own studies, I am more open to my friends about my interest. And you know what? As small changes go, it has worked wonderfully well. I have got a brand new selection of music to try and meditate to (all I have to do is not fall asleep) because a colleague's husband owns his own New Age music company and recording studio and he passes cd's along to me to try out. I give him feedback and tell him which shops to visit to display and sell his stock. Small steps and the courage to acknowledge who and what I am.

Which brings me to my next point - many people believe every single word a fortune teller or seer tells you. Point blank they will go and change things around, because someone advised them to. I was taught that a fortune teller gives advice in conjunction with the reading and NEVER to impart bad news. You do tell them, but not in a way which would come as a shock to them. You pass on advice which the universe sends along. You don't smack them in the face with it like a pie.

I once went for a rune reading - about five years ago, in fact - and boy, was I taken for a ride. I came away in even more turmoil than I went in with - she was contradictory and quite nasty in her advice and I came away shaking and thinking to myself "I can do that better and figure it out myself" and consequently bought myself books on runes, made friends with JV of Wistman's Wands who does beautiful hand carved runes and I am studying the stories and applications behind these ancient oracles too.

Life is a journey. I like studying. I am made for life.

Green Men

His face stares down at us from churches, from houses, from important government buildings. He is hidden in nooks, pillars and doorways of great homes and ancient cathedrals. He isn’t just a resident of the British Isles, he is found on second century Roman columns in Turkey and in temples in Rajastan.

On the European continent he can be found in all places such as Germany, Italy, France even Hungary and Poland.
His roots may go back to the ancient hunters painted in caves in France and Spain. He manifests as Robin Hood, he has links to Morris Dancers of Old England . He appears in tales of Gawain and The Green Knight. He is the Green Man, Jack in the Green – the God that dies and is reborn.

Links of interest:-
http://www.canterburygreenman.fsnet.co.uk/

http://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/

http://website.lineone.net/~dominicow/Origins_Green_Man.htm

To the moon and beyond

Inspired by the vast promise of the almost full golden moon hanging outside the bedroom window preventing me from sleeping, I thought I would do some research on ancient moon names, correspondances and moon lore.

Common Names for the Moon Phases

Oak Moon

Wolf Moon

Storm Moon

Chaste Moon

Seed Moon

Hare Moon

Dyad Moon

Mead Moon

Wort Moon

Barley Moon

Wine Moon

Blood Moon

Snow Moon

Tree names for the moon

Birch Moon

Rowan Moon

Ash Moon

Alder Moon

Willow Moon

Hawthorn Moon

Oak Moon

Holly Moon

Hazel Moon

Vine Moon

Ivy Moon

Reed Moon

Elder Moon

Moon Folklore

UK Folklore for the 10 Days after a Full Moon

Day 1

Said to be the best day after the full moon to consider starting a fresh enterprise or even better to actually get it up and running. Be prepared for a lengthy illness if you happen to fall prey to sickness on this day though. Happily this does not apply to the new born, as any child born on this day it is said will enjoy a long healthy life, and prosper in the process.

Day 2

Whether you run a company, operate a cottage industry or plan to have a garage sale traditionally the second day after the full moon is a very positive day to sell your wares. By the same token it is a good day to buy, probably being able to find items at reasonable prices. Good fortune will come to those interested in gardening as it is said that any plant sown or bedded in on this day will flourish. Likewise those involved in agriculture will have an easy time of ploughing the land.

Day 3

Those who find their property fell prey to the felon's eye on this day can at least gain some small comfort that the thief is also likely to be caught within a short amount of time if not the very same day. It was traditionally believed that any child born on this day would be prone to illness, and therefore was believed to have a short life expectancy.

Day 4

Well, this is definitely the day to start building that extension or barbie, or going for a fresh look in decoration in the home, which of course includes repairs. This is said to be a positive day to commence any new project that involves construction design to your property. If you're planning this try to get out on the second day after the full moon to pick up those last minute bargains from the sales;). Keep an eye on the education and social life of any child born on this day as their intended aim be to develop a career will most likely move towards politics. The career will be prosperous and auspicious but only if those early days are firmly supported.

Day 5

If you are trying for a child, then according to folklore this is said to be an ideal time to conceive...and of course if you are not...be careful :). Regarding weather omens it is said that whatever happens on this day, be it rain or shine, then the rest of the month is likely to follow suit.

Day 6

This is reputed to be a very good day to book a holiday, and take a rest. If you can get away on this day even better as you are likely to have a wonderful time. For those interested in fishing or hunting it is said that this is a day when you might catch the big one!

Day 7

Little is said about this day except that if you are unattached and looking for a partner then today, the seventh after the full moon, will provide many opportunities to find the perfect lover. Falling in love is the order of the day, so enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Day 8

This day is connected to the first after the full moon, as it was traditionally believed that anyone falling ill would be unlikely to recover, and those fortunate to survive the illness would remain weak for some considerable time.

Day 9

Close the curtains when you go to bed and avoid looking out of a window at the new moon on this day if you want to retain your beautiful looks. The moon light was believed to have the power to change facial features and even thought at one time to cause temporary madness.

Day 10

Be patient with the child that is born on this day as it is said that the spirit of the child is likely to be uneasy, resulting in a restless 'free spirited' or hyperactive child.

Further information about the above lore can be found here - the above had been copied from the site and does not constitute my own work.

To the Moon

Though the purity

Of the moonlight has silenced

Both nightingale and Cricket

the cuckoo alone

Sings all the white night.

Anonymous

It is a small world

I am a big fan of Brian Froud's work - this is the link to his website - and made such mention in my other blog I own. With a co-author, Ari Berk, he has a book out called The Runes of Elfland which I have a copy of (the picture above is from there) and which I treasure as it is one of the most magical things I own. The artwork is stunning and the story is beautiful.

In said blog I also mention my friend John Vickery of Wistmans Wands on Dartmoor. John is a talented artist who makes walking sticks for the gentry (take that as you will), beautiful staffs and handcrafted wands (of which I have quite a few) and wooden runes. The difference between what John creates and what people buy from shops is tangible. His work is done with great care and love - he admits to never realising he was a frustrated artist until he retired and discovered a knack for woodworking. He roams Dartmoor with his dog Gizmo by his side and collects wood from the land, listening to customers when they want wood picked from a certain tree at a certain time during a specific phase of the moon. Now, do you get stuff like that from an impersonal shop?? I don't think so!

Now, all these points come together - strangely enough - within days of one another.

A friend of Ari Berk's contacted him because of my blog (which, thankfully I made sure I gave all due respect and royalties to both him and Mr. Froud ) and Mr. Berk in turn visited and took down John's details and called him.

The result of this is...they are talking wood, runes and crafts whilst Mr. Berk and his family are visiting Devon for a few months.

What a strange bizarre and tiny world it is.

I am inordinately proud of my small role I played.

Preen, Preen. Just wish I didn't live 6 hours away from where the action is taking place!

Wild Hunt

Tying in nicely with the poem below is this snippet about the Wild Hunt - this is a legend from Devon though taking place on the windswept moors of Dartmoor, far removed from Windsor which is supposedly where Herne met his end at the hand of King Richard.
**********************************************************************************
One wild stormy night a farmer was returning home from Widecombe, somewhat worse the wear from the strong local beverages brewed on-site. The wind raged, and the rain beat down on him, forcing him to pull his hood over his face, and to wrap his jacket tight around him. As he pressed on his journey, he heard the soft thudding of hoofs, and the baying of a huntsman's pack, and found himself surrounded by many large black hounds.

A black clad huntsman came up from the rear, a broad rimmed hat casting dark shadows over his face, hiding his features. A bundle of bulging sacks were tied to his saddle, no doubt carrying the fruits of his hunt.

The farmer, filled with drunken bravado shouted over the storm: "Share with me some of your game". The huntsman let out a laugh, and threw a heavy sack at the farmer's feet. In a moment he and his hounds were gone, riding as wild as the storm over the moors and into the darkness. The farmer bent down and fumbled with the sinews that tied the sacking, at last his drunken fingers released the contents of the sack onto the water soaked pathway.

The farmer choked back his breath, for before him was the crumpled and bruised body of his own infant son. He turned away for a moment, and when he had the courage to return his gaze, the terrible vision had gone, leaving only the empty pathway before him. Sober now he hurried the last part of his journey, to be met at his cottage by his wife who was creening in grief, for their son had died during the storm.
************************************************************************

I was interested to learn, as I did my research, that the Wild Hunt legends aren't specific to the British Isles. I have found legends of the Hunt ranging from Germany, Norway, Iceland and the Steppes. How shock was I at my own ignorance?

In Norse myth, Odin in his guise of the wind god was pictured as rushing through mid-air on his eight legged steed, Sleipnir. It was thought that the souls of the dead were wafted away on the winds of a storm.

Google Wild Hunt and see what comes up - if this subject is of interest. I think I could make a study of it and never get to the end of information.

Herne the Hunter

'The Merry Wives of Windsor' : William Shakespeare

'There is an old tale goes, that Herne the hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor forest,
Doth all the winter time at still midnight,
Walk around about an oak, with great ragg'd horns;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle;
And makes milch-kine yield blood,
and shakes a chain
In a most hideous and dreadful manner.'

Sabbats

As I am a bit lazy, I copied the below from Kate West's website which can be found here - I hope she doesn't mind - if she does, I will quickly remove this.

Kate is one of the UK's most well known witches, having appeared both on radio and television. She is well read, funny and very straightforward about the Craft. I own copies of all her books, as well as her cd she did with her Coven.

She appears regularly at the Witchfests held in Croydon (and elsewhere in the UK) and is a much loved figure when doing talks - her sense of humour is brilliant and her many years in the Craft allow newbies to ask truly silly questions.

I hope she doesn't mind my liberal copying from her site!


Samhain (31 Oct.) Known in the common tongue as Halloween, and for the Christians as All Hallows or All Souls. For us this is the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. For us the cycle of life, death and re-birth is typified in this festival when the Mother Goddess takes on the robes of winter, of resting and reward, when the land lies dormant, waiting, like the people, for the first signs of spring and new birth. A time when tales are told, legends revived and we remember our ancestors.

Yule (21 Dec.) The Winter Solstice, the date of the re-birth of the Sun, long before any son was ever thought of. In the midst of winter we see the first spark of light, the first of the lengthening days, which promise the renewal of the year. We may not yet see the summer, but now we know that light and warmth will surely follow.

Imbolg (2 Feb.) "In the belly". Now the Wise face of the Goddess sheds her robes of Crone and puts on her robes of Maiden, the harbinger of all that is new, youthful, and enthusiastic. The first trees are in bud, the first flowers push through the frozen soil, the first birds choose their mates, and the first ewes are in lamb. Spring has not arrived, but her promise is close.

Oestara (21 March) The festival of the ancient Goddess Eostar, or Astarte, whose symbols were the egg and the hare, who gave rise to the term oestrus, and who is one of the oldest Goddesses of women and fertility, being traced back over 4,000 years. Oestara is the first of the spring. The Goddess is maturing, not yet pregnant, but ready, prepared, willing to take her place beside the God, as ruler of fertility for mankind and the earth they inhabit.

Beltane (1 May) The marriage of the Goddess and the God. She has let him chase her until she, in her bounty is ready to be caught. He has pursued her, because he knows that only thus is the fruitfulness of the land to be guaranteed. This is their happy fate and the way they show their love for us. Without the Lord and Lady together, we would be and have nothing. Yet even without our devotion they will try to work the magic which makes the land fertile and the Wheel dance

Litha (21 June)The summer Solstice. Again day and night are changing. Even as the days have lengthened, the nights grow long again. Our sowing is complete, let us now tend our crop, our children, land, and friendships, and look forward to what we will reap in the months to come.
Lammas (1 Aug.) The feast of the Sacrificial King, where a leader will lay down a part or all of their life for the common good. The Mother knows that she must sacrifice her lover king to the Wheel of time and to the common good. This is the time for the release of prisoners, when we let go of those things we have held too close that are now holding us back.
Madron (21 Sept.)Day and night are equal once more. Put your life into the scales of balance and judge yourself; have you done well, or should you strive harder in the next turn of the Wheel?

Book Recommendation

My first ever pagan / witchy / crafty book I ever bought was Embracing the Moon by Yasmine Galernon. It was way back in 2000 when I realised that there is more to the world than the general religions, Chrstianity in all its shapes and forms, Hindu, Islam, etc.

I was born and raised in a very religious household. Both my parents were fond of going to church, I sang in the choir, I taught Sunday school, and yet, there was something lacking. My mom strongly believed in the spirit world, and since I had been born with a caul, I could see things others couldn’t. The preachers at church were scared senseless by my potential and they convinced my mom – for my own good, to a certain extent – to have this Gift removed from me, until I was older, so that I could understand it. So, they prayed and implored God to remove the gift, but it still showed me glimmers of things. I grew used to the shadows moving, to seeing people no one else saw, of hearing half-heard conversations and catching faint smells of old perfume and such when there was no one around. It didn’t scare me. It never has. My mother was my loadstone, keeping me safe and on track, and we spent many hours discussing the other world, spirits, tarot, all such things. When she passed away, a year after we lost my dad to throat cancer, I lost all will to go to Church as the ministers just seemed so callous and suddenly wanted to run my life. I rebelled and turned my back and started my search. I got my first set of tarot cards from a friend and it started from there.

It is still one of my favourite books – it is a gentle break-in into a different path which really did resound within me. Around four hundred books later, I still refer to this one for information and inspiration. It isn’t a fluffy book, by any measure. The author made you feel welcome, sat you down, gave you tisane. This is from another reader on Amazon:-
“The content of Embracing the Moon was one that a new seeker or experienced crone could follow to gain new insight into our craft. I appreciated this book because it took a step beyond the standard beginner instruction to explain concepts that most witchcraft books fear to mention. Particularly interesting to note are the descriptions and sample spells for exorcisms, hexing with responsibility, faerie magic, and protecting our earth and endangered species. The charts and correspondence tables are wonderfully useful and the powder and oil recipes invaluable.”
The author gives many examples from her own life. Importantly she never talks down to the reader. The exercises are fun and interesting to do.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Old Ways.

Self Blessing

The time you take to restore yourself is precious.

Perform a self-blessing every day.

Take dried sage and aromatic lavender and tie it up in a muslin baggie.

Breathe in the aroma deeply, three times.

Beginning at the top of your head, the crown chakra, pass the pouch down to your feet.

Gently touching your other sacred charkas, throat, solar plexus, stomach and pelvis.

Then holding the bag of herbs over your heart, speak aloud:-

“Gone are sorrows, illness and woe,
Here wisdom and health begin to flow,
My heart is whole, joy fills my soul,
Blessed is me.”

Merry meet

A brand new blog to reflect my studies into the craft, runes, tarot and all other things weird and wonderful.

I look forward to meeting others who are like-minded.

BB

Liz