Folk Magic Quick Tip: Bedside Kit for Protection and Aids while Sleeping, Dreaming and Walking Between Worlds

Tending to be one of those people that likes to be prepared for just about anything, I have various types of protections, charms, and such scattered throughout both my home and carried on my person. Perhaps on the verge of overkill, but I don't wish to chance things, plus I like to have things within reach. And I am kinda lazy when in bed, not wanting to have to get out unless it is time to get up or if nature calls. So on my beside is a kit of things I might need to keep me safe while either sleeping, dreaming or while walking between worlds. 

This rather innocent-looking vintage tin once belonged to my Granny. She used to keep buttons, spools and other doo-dads for crafting in it. When I look at the image of the girl and the goat, I like to picture her as a witchling-to-be, so thought that it would be a good storage option for supplies of that nature. :) 

                 

Should you wish to do something similar, here's some ideas of what you could put in your own bedisde kit. This is currently what I am keeping in mine:

• Hagstone
• Saining water
• Black silk scarf that belonged to an Ancestor
• Mandrake flying ointment
• Herbal sleep charm
• Skeleton key with three red knots
• Immrama incense
• Antler slice to connect with one of my allies
• String of rowan berries on red thread
• Journal dedicated to dreams and journeys

Each item has a purpose, many of them with more than one function, so one could certainly simplify what they keep at their bedside down to perhaps just two or three items and be just as guarded. 

Good sleep, sweet dreams and safe travels to you all. 

Laurel

A Reddening Ritual {a Deer's Skull}

Just about a year ago I had done a rebirthing of a deer skull under last July's full moon {often called a Buck Moon, which last year also turned out to be the longest blood moon eclipse of this century}. I had wanted to do a post about it in greater detail, meaning to share the three stage process I went through to redden, rebirth, and consecrate and bind the skull to myself for ritual purpose.

A year on, I had been reminded that I wanted to post on this when doing a ritual this past full Buck Moon honouring my lovely deer friend. So, here we are, this is the first post of three in this little series of what I did for this particular skull. The process and ritual I will be sharing is something that I have done not only for animal remains, but also some other sacred items, most recently before this skull, my rowan stang, and don't see why others couldn't do the same should they be adverse to doing this for the remains of an animal.

While this is a practice I started doing before I considered myself a Gaelic polytheist, it has been refined over time to fit my personal practice and cosmology, and below is how I would go about doing it today. Just in case there are folks who are looking for inspiration on how one might do a ritual like this, I am going into quite a bit of depth here. Anyhow, on with it.

Instead of me rattling off what reddening is, and why we do it, I will be lazy and share a really great post that had been done on the In The Chimehours blog back in 2011, who also in this post reddened a very handsome deer skull.

This deerie was found by another in the forest, he was a white-tailed buck, whose antlers had been shed and had not started to grow new ones. So he had died in winter or early spring. I think that he was a younger lad, probably two or three years of age, and how he was found, his death seemed to be a natural one. I believe that while I was initially connecting to him, I saw what the cause was, but obviously can't say for sure. His skull had been exposed to the elements for some while by the time he was found. Not the "prettiest" skull, but he is certainly my favourite. His spirit has turned out to be a most precious ally in my travels when I walk between worlds.

At some point I may go into greater detail on how I've developed and maintain my relationships with spirit allies, especially of those whose remains I am the steward of. For now I will just say that before I started to woo him into working with me, I had made a little shrine to him, and left regular offerings, which I still do today. 

Prior to the actual reddening, I did a small offering and saining ritual on the new moon. The skull was placed on a plate that held the dry ingredients of the reddening paste {pictured and listed below}, surrounded by a rowan berry necklace and candles of the Three Realms.

• Lighting the candles of the Three Realms: Sky {"Blessings of the sky above"}, Sea {"Blessings of the sea about"}, Land {"blessings of the land below"}
• Lighting the hearth candle, a prayer of welcome is said to The Three {Gods, Spirits and Ancestors} and offerings are made: incense {representing Sky} whiskey {representing Sea}, and food {representing Land}. 
• A threefold saining is then performed: juniper smoke {"blessings of Sky"} is moved over the skull, saining water {"blessings of Sea"} is sprinkled over the skull, and sea salt and purifying herbs {"blessings of Land"} is lightly rubbed on the skull 

Below is a list of the dry ingredients that I had used in this reddening paste. Keeping in mind, I was reddening this skull to house an ally I wished to do specific types of spirit work with, the contents of this reddening paste reflects that. Ingredients may vary, depending on what the purpose of the item being reddened is. The dried ingredients I used here are {* potentially or is poison, handle with care}: 

Ancestral graveyard dirt

Staghorn sumac berries

Rowan berries

Ghost fern

Oak leaves

Wormwood*

European mandrake roots*

Bittersweet nightshade berries*

Yew*

Mugwort*

Willow bark

Dandelion root

Mullein

Black nightshade berries*

The wet ingredients for the reddening paste were three beets, each one carved with one of the names of the Three Realms in ogham: Nem {Sky}, Muir {Sea}, and Talam {Land} that were then boiled until they could be mashed; Samhain water, and nine drops of my blood. 

This was then all mixed together in a paste and plastered on the skull, which was left on for about 24 hours until it could crumble off by itself. Before moving onto the next stage, he was left to dry out completely for nine days.

Daily Purification {and some updates/happy 2019!}

It has been quite a while since I have added a proper post here. I've found myself in a place where I'm feeling more private with all areas of my life the last couple of years, more so than I have in the past, including my spiritual practice. This hasn't really changed all whole lot, but I am hoping the periods of silences this year will become smaller here. Thanks for those who have stuck around to take a peek at what I do post. Hope 2019 will treat you all well!

This year I am taking a pilgrimage to Ireland, which is being hosted by Land Sea Sky Travel and the Coru Cathubodua Priesthood. No surprise, I am really looking forward to going, not only to take a pilgrimage to the land of my own heart, but also to be able to meet fellow polytheists as we take this journey together. Being a pilgrimage, there has been, and will be a lot of preparation, both of the mundane kind and the spiritual. For most Gaelic polytheists, I think that line is blurred anyways. As I make these preparations, I am hoping to share some of my thoughts, practices, and so on. First up is the idea of daily purification. 

Recently the Coru Cathubodua Priesthood hosted an online talk covering base practices within Celtic polytheism, and one of the topics covered was spiritual hygiene{cleansing and purification of self and space}. Daily purification was talked about, which inspired me to become less lax in this department. I wanted to create a special saining water that I could use at least once a day when doing my kindling prayers in the morning, and ideally at night as well when doing my smooring prayers.

Botanical Infused Alcohol for Saining Water

Given that plants and trees play a central role in my practice, it only made sense to incorporate them into making this water. To keep things from going rancid, I decided to start off with making an alcoholic base, with nine botanicals associated with blessing, protection, and of course purification. 

To 80 proof vodka I added the following {all previously dried}:

Rowan
Juniper
Yarrow
Rose
Meadowsweet
Thyme
Birch
Oak
Heather

Stored in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, I let everything steep for nine days, under a thick red fabric to keep the light out {red is associated with protection}, wrapped in a rowan berry and hagstone charm {again for protection}. Shaking once each day, while saying a little prayer for its intended purpose. After the steeping period, I strained the botanicals from the liquid. Now I have a base to work with, which I think should keep alright for at least a year, should I not use it all beforehand. Probably something nice to make again for each Imbolc.

Making Saining Water

I thought that the perfect time to make the saining water would be during a water blessing ritual that we do on the 20th shift of every cycle in a polytheist Brighidine flamekeeping sisterhood that I belong to. I made one bottle, with a back up mason jar just in case I needed more, before it is replenished, which would be every 20 days.

To the blessed water I added 20 drops of the alcoholic base, one for each day, and nine drops of rose essential oil and 18 drops of lavender essential oil. It smells very nice. Stored in an old whiskey bottle, it sits on the hearth shrine, ready for use every day.

Daily Saining Prayer

When doing my daily purification I pour some water into a little vessel, before saying the following prayer. While dipping fingers in water each time...

"May the Three bless my hands {rub water over hands}

May the Three bless my mind {touching brow}

May the Three bless my sight {touching *around* eyes}

May the Three bless my words {touching *around* mouth}

May the Three bless my voice {touching throat}

May the Three bless my heart {touching left side of chest}

May the Three bless my center {touching navel area}

May the Three bless my whole being {sprinkling water over self three times}

May the Three bless this space and any place I may be {sprinkling around shrine}"

***Please feel free to use this prayer, adapt it as needed. This is very much inspired by various prayers that one would find in Carmina Gadelica.***

Afterwards I like to leave the remaining poured water in the vessel on the shrine until the following day, to use as needed throughout the day. Plus it makes the room smell nice. :)

Hospitality for My Ancestors & An Cailleach

I finally found the time and energy to properly welcome my Ancestors & An Cailleach and to celebrate the season. Offerings of baked apples, pumpkin muffins, roasted pumpkin seeds, whiskey and tea were made. The house has been sained, along with some other timely workings and divination.

 

When my ritual and workings were over, I went outside and not only was it snowing, but there were a bunch of small white moths flying around. Moths are often seen as messengers from the Otherworld. I feel both the Storm Hag and my Ancestors near.

 

May you all be reaping the blessings of this time!

 

Laurel

As Bealtaine Approaches

{altered royalty free photo}

I thought that I would do a quick post sharing some resources and ideas since Bealtaine is just a few days off.

 

A few years back I did a post on Bealtaine and May Day over at the nefaeria blog, going over some of the history and lore, as well as some recipes, prayers and other celebration ideas. The Tairis website has two fantastic pages with information on Bealtaine {part one, part two} as well as a webpage dedicated to ideas on traditional ways to observe the festival. As well, the Celtic Reconstructionist group Tuacondate shares their 2010 Bealtaine ritual on their website.

 

To get things started you could make a May bush and on the eve of Bealtaine decorate your home with green boughs and flowers. I have seen a few sources mention yellow flowers being a traditional choice, so you may decide to go with dandelions, woodbine/European honeysuckle, buttercups, cowslips or primroses. I also like to decorate with periwinkles, lady's mantle, daisies, sweet woodruff, ferns and other pretties that are further along this time of year. For bough cutting choices you may want to try hawthorn, rowan, ivy, elder {although some have historically thought that it was bad luck to bring elder into the home}, juniper, and blackberry. Some good possible substitutes for my particular region could be raspberry, Virginia creeper, forsythia, cedar, dogwood, chokecherry or crab apple.

 

Fire tends to be one of the first things people think of when it comes to Bealtaine, which is the focus of many different activities, including jumping over the bonfire, the ritual smothering and relighting of the hearth {with a communal flame}, and driving livestock between two bonfires for blessings and protection. Should you have the means, lighting a bonfire on Bealtaine Eve could be a great way to kick things off. I do not have a fireplace, so what I like to do is take my "hearth candle" and extinguish it and light a new one that I made for the upcoming year. If doing this idea in a group ritual setting, each person/household could have their own candle, which could be lit from the central one to represent the re-lighting with the communal flame.

 

Before sunrise on Bealtaine morning I will go out and collect dew and rainwater should there be any, to keep for various uses in the upcoming year. Later on I will usually also get the first "cream" from a friend's well for the same purpose.

 

If the weather is agreeable, I think that spending a good part of the day outdoors is a great way to celebrate. This time could be used to bless your garden, fields, livestock or to go out and collect rowan wood, as this was apparently the only time that it was proper to collect it to the Gaels.

 

For inside the house, it is a good time to sain/bless your home and hang rowan and red thread crosses. There are many different recipes appropriate for Bealtaine, and if you are feeling really adventurous, you could have a go at churning your own butter.

 

The Gaol Naofa website has a few great traditional songs for Bealtaine, including an old butter churning song!

 

Sláinte!

 

Laurel

Some Views of Imbolc

I hope that everyone had a lovely Imbolc {or Lughnasadh for you folks in the South}! Mine has been great so far and not quite done.



A hagstone with red yard knotted nine times, left out for blessing.

On the Eve of Imbolc I made sure everything was tidy {where it mattered at least!} and set up everything for the upcoming festivities and rituals. I made a small and simple bed for my Brigid doll, laid out all the items that I hope Brigid would bless, collected some snow for my Imbolc water and left out some offerings for Her.

 

My Brigid doll "in bed".

 

Offerings of food, incense and drink are made daily along with other acts of devotion such as reciting poetry. In these pictures are offerings of beer, creamy leeks, beetroot in butter and lemon, and potato cakes with honey.

 

Artwork done by Stephanie Lostimolo.

 

Our home was sained and I made some talismans and charms for blessing and protection. I am almost out of my rowan wood {I will get a new batch around Bealtaine}, so I made a wee rowan and red thread cross for travel, which will be kept in a neat shadow box locket.

 

Should you wish to make a rowan cross for travel, check out this ritual over at the Tairis site.
 

I also consecrated and started the heather seeds my friend sent me. I am excited to finally have some heather in my own garden!

Brigid's cross candle wrap from The House of Frogbird.

In other news: I have some new items that I will be putting in the Unfettered Wood shop soon and some posts that I am working on {some of which I have been procrastinating on for at least a few months. A bad habit of mine ;) }.

Sláinte!

Laurel

 

 

As Imbolc Approaches

altered royalty free photo

With Imbolc just two days off, I thought that I would share some resources that folks might be inspired by.

 

To start off with, some good information about Imbolc can be found on the Tairis website, as well as an article written by Mary Jones, Rethinking Imbolc, which is definitely worth a read. Also on the Tairis website is a write up about some traditions and ways to celebrate, and Tuacondate{a Celtic Reconstructionist group} has been kind enough to share the outlines from their 2010 and 2011 Imbolc rituals.

 

Before the festivities begin, getting some serious cleaning done is always a good way to start off. Since  Imbolc is associated with purification,  saining and lustration rituals are also suitable; collecting water specifically for these purposes may be desirable too.  

 

To celebrate Brigid's day, there are many fun crafts to do. You can make a Brigid's cross, a Brigid doll, and a bed for her to sleep in. I think that this is a great time for candle making too.

 

On the eve of Imbolc, traditionally people would leave out items for Brigid to bless, such as a brat Bríde, salt or water. Those are all left out here, along with a few other trinkets.

 

For those of us getting a start on gardening, some folks like to plant seeds on Imbolc, and this would be a great time to consecrate seed should you wish to do so. It is a little early for me to get most plants started quite yet, although I will be planting and consecrating heather seeds that my lovely friend from across The Pond sent me.

 

While not directly about Imbolc, I still think that the recently published Breath of Life: The Triple Flame of Brigid is a timely read. The essay was written by Kathryn Price NicDhàna and Treasa Ní Chonchobhair  of Gaol Naofa. 

 

Well, that is it for now. Have a great Imbolc, folks!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Two Powerful Allies & Two Essentials

 

Rowan and Juniper are two treasured allies for when I perform blessings & clearings on a place. Pictured are a couple essentials in my kit: rowan and red thread cross and Imbolc water with juniper greens and berries.

Cross Quarter Waters

Tobernault Holy Well grotto in Sligo Co, Ireland. Photo by BA_Banks

During the cross quarters {to many neo pagans these are called the high sabbats} there are traditions of collecting water, whether it be from dew on a leaf, a holy well, or by leaving a bowl out to collect rain. Below you will see some of these traditions found in Ireland, Scotland & the Isle of Man, and I will share some of the ways that I collect water and what I use it for. If I am able to collect enough water, I will keep it in clean corked bottles {I usually re-use old whiskey bottles}.

Imbolc

 

There are a couple traditions that I have come across involving water for Imbolc. Sometimes water would be left outdoors or by the hearth on the Eve of Imbolc for Brigid to bless, which would be used for healing and fertility. Water was also collected from holy wells associated with Brigid which would be used to bless the household and livestock.

 

Since I do not live by a holy well, I will collect clean snow and leave it in a bowl for Brigid to bless. I use this water for house blessings and clearings {or saining}, as well as in purification rituals and for workings involving women's sexual healing and fertility.

Bealtaine

Many folks would visit holy wells and sacred water sites around the beginning of May to drink and bathe in the waters for healing or to take some home with them for luck and protection. The first "cream" of the well or spring collected for Bealtaine was thought to be the most potent. Dew was also collected and used by women and girls to bring beauty; both dew and the first cream was also used for blessing the milk cows and butter churns.

 

On Bealtaine morning before sunrise, I will collect dew {especially from lady's mantle} and bring in the bowls I left out to collect dew and/or rainwater. Some years I am also lucky enough to share some of the first "cream" of a friend's well. I use this water for consecrating seed, blessing livestock and farm buildings, as well as other agriculture rituals. The water is also useful for lust and romance workings.

 

Lughnasadh

It seems that people would generally go to sacred water sites and take care of business there, instead of bringing the water home with them. Sometimes horses and other livestock were put in the water for blessings, or people would immerse themselves and drink the water to heal all sorts of ailments.

 

I will collect rainwater {or river water if there is no rain} which is mainly used for harvest/reaping blessings; since Lughnasadh was historically a time for making contracts and paying taxes, I will also use it in workings involving engagements, marriage, oaths, business and finances, as well as other commitments. 

Samhain

I haven't come across many traditions involving water for Samhain, although the Tairis site mentions that water from a wise woman was sometimes used to bless folks for protection from the evil eye. If you happen to know of any traditions, please feel free to share them in the comment section!

On the Eve of Samhain I will leave out bowls to collect rainwater {there is no shortage at this time of year!}, which is used for workings involving divination, death and working with ancestors, protection against malignant forces and magic, and for hexing.

Sláinte!

Laurel