New Course: Elemental Magic!

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Posted by Haloquin in Magic, Witchcraft 101, elemental magic

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Druidry, elemental magic, elements, learn magic, learn witchcraft, neo-paganism, online course, paganism, Witch, witchcraft

Note: Images in this post are decorative versions of extracts from the text, over a background image of golden light through a dark forest that forms a tunnel.

Periodically people tell me they’d love to learn magic, but they don’t know where to start so last month I wrote up a little introduction to the Elements of magic as many neopagans (and occultists) in the “Western World” view them. They are both foundational and ever present in my magical practice and yet, even after over two decades I still find my relationship with them evolves and deepens the more I return to them. So I’d love to share some of that with you.

Enter; Elemental Magic! A 10 Week Online Course – Cycle 2 starts March 2021

10 Weeks of magical theory & practice, working with Earth, Air, Fire, Water, & Spirit. Conjuring cash, increasing inspiration, flowing with intuition, and more. Learn and practice foundational skills for spell working, ritual crafting & deepening your practice by building on your understanding of the elements in yourself and the world.

Course Includes:
*Weekly materials via email
*Fortnightly chats online (video optional)
*Group discussion board so you can support each other
*Support from me to answer any questions you have (I’m told it’s 42)

If you’ve ever wanted to learn magic in an inclusive environment, from a witch with 20+ years of experience, now’s your chance.

To reiterate: this practice is inclusive and these practices are not limited by sex, gender, orientation, race, dis/ability… Any accessibility or other concerns? Ping me: Haloquin@gmail.com. I will do my best.

Course starts March 2022 – exact date tbc

Fees are on a sliding scale, pick what you can afford from £69 – £99

A guideline: (skint-ish) £69 – (doing ok) £85 – (finances are good, actually) £99.

No proof required. I trust you to choose what is right for where you are now. If £69 is still too high for you, then please, absolutely, drop me an email. If I get enough people on the higher end of the scale I’ll be able to offer a couple of bursary places for this or a later course.

I want to be able to support you properly so places are limited to keep the class size small… email me if you’ve got questions and I’ll send details of how to reserve your space with a deposit.
Email: Haloquin@gmail.com

Find all this written out in more detail here!

And if you’re not on my mailing list do hit the sign-up button below to join my mailing list for updates on new course dates, courses, and more.

Faery Magic; Why Work with the Fae?

22 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by Haloquin in Faery, Magic, Philosophy, Reflections, Witchcraft 101

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Faery, faery magic, fairies, learn witchcraft, Magic, witchcraft

We often live our lives disconnected from our bodies and from the land. The fae folk are deeply embedded in the land and the living landscape and developing a relationship with them involves coming into a good relationship with the land on which we live and with nature as a whole. Simultaneously we realise that we are part of the natural world and we come back into better relationship with our own bodies and untamed selves.

We also have records of people;

Looking for faeries
gaining healing powers from them
seeking treasure
honouring their places
attempting to summon Faery Queens for power, support or wish granting
warding against their ill-will
leaving offerings

Among other practices. All of this shows that the fae have power and can help us in very practical ways, or can hinder us if we do not have a good relationship with them. This is mirrored in materialistic terms when we look at how a disrespectful attitude towards nature in general has led to a great deal of pollution and ill-health, and the loss of resources… i.e. wealth!

Basically, a good relationship with the Fair Folk is a good relationship with the spirits who share the land that looks after us, and they can support us in our magical work if we look after them in return, just as the land supports us in our general lives if we treat it with respect. This, in turn, helps to heal us, them and the world around us.

Not all of them want to work with us, even of those that are generally of friendly natures. There are numerous stories where one sibling is kind and generous and is given gifts from the faeries they meet, and another is rude to the same beings and comes away much the worse for it. And there are tales of some, like the kelpies, who steal young people away to drown them. In the New Age model fairies are generally beings of light and always willing to grant wishes in return for offerings. In the folkloric traditions some of the fae are powerful allies, but that same power means that some are worth avoiding!

Approaching these beings with respect is thus the foundation of building a mutually supportive relationship and respect gives them a good sense of who and where you are.

A good first step is to reflect on your motivations, and to ask yourself; what can I offer them?

This is an extract from my online Folkloric Faery course, including both theory and plenty of practice. and there are currently spaces on the beta testing cycle available! Come join us!

Originally posted on Patreon. Thank you to my Patrons for your support! If you like what I write then please do consider supporting me as a Patron here. Your support means I can write more for you! And you get the posts early… *tempts*

You can also tip me via ko-fi, it all helps!

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Over to you in the comments… why would you build a relationship with spirits such as the Fae?

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PS: You can also read more of my earlier thoughts on the magic of faery and how we can cultivate it in ourselves in my book Pagan Portals: Your Faery Magic published in 2015 by Moon Books.

Elemental Magic; Air

18 Monday Jan 2021

Posted by Haloquin in elemental magic, Magic, Reflections, Witchcraft 101

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Druidry, elemental magic, learn witchcraft, Magic, paganism, witchcraft

Extract from my upcoming course, Elements of Magic… Cycle 2 Starts in March! Find out more and enroll here!

I am a firm believer that your breath is your most powerful and fundamental magical tool. You can breathe yourself into a trance – as you found last week and as centuries of specialized breathing techniques in paths such as yoga attest – breathing fuels and energizes your body, calms your mind and brings you towards health and you can use your breath to direct energy within yourself and out into the world in working magic.

Every morning and evening I use a simple breathing technique to bring myself back into my center and into connection with the earth below and the sky above. In reconnecting with these directions and powers I tap into more energy and open myself to receiving guidance. In bringing myself to center I bring myself firmly into my own power and awareness of who I am and where I’m at. I highly recommend doing this every morning for the next month and see how you feel! This is often described as “Grounding” but the variation here also includes connecting to the power of the stars so can help in increasing your energy levels as well as finding personal stability.

Stand if you can or sit comfortably if you’d prefer. Feel your weight in your feet, the earth beneath you. Take a moment to feel your body resting on the earth.

Take a slow, deep breath – not so much it feels forced but enough to fill your lungs completely.
As you do, imagine all the parts of yourself that are scattered around you, all your attention, your wandering thoughts, the pieces of yourself still left in bed, the energy you’ve left scattered from the previous day and night. Imagine and intend that they all are coming back to you, collecting in your belly and merging back into the light that you are, becoming clean and bright again.
You don’t need to imagine each individual part, simply intend for them to be collected with each breath.

Repeat this for 3 breaths – or more if you feel you need to – and really feel your self coming back to you.

On your next breath imagine yourself reaching down, sending down a root of energy into the earth. I like to bend down and touch the earth at this point. For the next 3 breaths or so imagine that root reaching deeper and stronger.

Through your next few breaths imagine the earth’s energy flowing up your root and into your body, filling you up from feet to crown and then, once you are feeling full, flowing up like a column of light to the stars. You can reach up with the energy if you like, stretching towards the heavens.

Allow the energy of the stars to pour down into your body, breathing it in to your center and mingling with the earth energy. Again, around three breaths is good here but take as many as you need. Placing your hands over your heart or belly can feel good while you do this.

Feel your connection to the earth beneath you and the sky above you and feel yourself firmly in the centre of your world.

Breathe this energy in and out, up from the earth and down from the sky, filling you, charging you, bringing you into the here and now. Feel yourself resting in your body, filled with energy that is accessible to you at any moment, with only a thought. Allow it to settle at a level that feels comfortable to you.

Whenever you feel distracted or scattered throughout the day, repeat this exercise. As you get used to it you’ll find you can do it much quicker, using just one in-breath to bring yourself to center, the out-breath to send down a root, the next in-breath draws the energy into you, breathe out and send the connection to the stars before breathing in the star-energy in to your core. And breathe into your center for a moment. You can also use this practice to raise energy for spellworking, to calm yourself when anxious, and to shift yourself into trance for divination. All that with just a few breaths!

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Over to you in the comments. How did that exercise feel?

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Faery Magic; What are Faeries?

15 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by Haloquin in Faery, Magic, Philosophy, Witchcraft 101

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Faeries, Faery, faery magic, Faery Queen, fairies, folklore, learn witchcraft, Magic, paganism, witchcraft

 TRUE THOMAS lay oer yond grassy bank,
 And he beheld a ladie gay,
 A ladie that was brisk and bold,
 Come riding oer the fernie brae.

 Her skirt was of the grass-green silk,
 Her mantel of the velvet fine,
 At ilka tett of her horse’s mane
 Hung fifty silver bells and nine. 

~ Extract from The Ballad of Thomas the Rhymer

The tale of True Thomas, or Thomas the Rhymer, is an old one from the wild borderlands of Scotland (in the North of the UK), though working with faeries and otherworldly spirits is certainly older. The earliest recorded version of Thomas’ story is recorded in a manuscript dating from around 1430-1440, and Thomas of Erceldoune, of whom the tale is written, lived two hundred years before that. The ballad which his story is most often told through nowadays was recorded in the early 1800s, and it keeps many of the key images from the earlier manuscript, demonstrating the strength of those images and their value as signposts to encounters with the fae.

“Thomas the Rhymer” is the story of how a bard gained the gift of prophecy from the Fair Folk, and it begins on the bank of a river, under a tree (most often hawthorn), where the Queen of Elfland comes across a sleeping Thomas. She takes him away, across vast rivers and past apple trees. He is taken into her service for seven years and warned to not speak a word whilst he is in Faeryland. At the end of his service to the Queen she gives him the gift of the tongue which cannot lie.

In these images we can find doorways to magical states and magical lands, guidance for developing a relationship with the fae folk and a structure through which we can build our own practices.

What are Faeries? Clues from the Queen

In all my time working with them I’ve come across a great many explanations for what they might be or how they may have come into being.

The description of the Queen in “Thomas Rhymer” as a beautiful lady in green silk, on a fine horse with bells in it’s mane gives us a few clues as to the nature of faeries. The green colour shows her role as part of the green world and the land, her horse shows her power and the bells ring with the music of faeryland. Beauty and music are signs of the way in which faery magic enchants us and conjures a sense of wonder – which encourages an openness to the world. It also reminds us that they are quite capable of showing us what we want to see in order to gain our trust. The specific location and Thomas historical status illustrate that the Fae are often connected to specific, real, places, even while they travel, and the river and the hawthorn tree are also notable as water is often a gateway to faeryland and the hawthorn is said to guard the entrance with it’s thorns, whilst the beauty of it’s blossoms open us to the sense of wonder required for travel between the worlds.

From both my experiences and the stories in which they feature I have come to the conclusion that the fae not simply one kind of being, but are a collection of related beings and powers, or spirits and energies, who embody (but are not limited to) the magic of the land and the natural world. They can be guardians of places, they are most often part of the green world or the water or stones, and they are very closely related to spirits of the dead. As spirits without bodies they are shapeshifters and so appear differently at different times, they are not limited as we are but they have a definite consciousness. They appear to me to have grown out of the earth and the land, much as we have. They make choices, have names and hold their own ethics and rules which differ from ours.

The categories of “spirits” are impossible to define with any absolute authority, however, as the lines between spirit beings do not seem to be as clear-cut as we like to describe them. There are tales of how the fair folk were once fallen angels, or gods, and some may be becoming deities again… The spirits of the land are often considered of a different ilk, and yet they share commonalities, and our own ancestors can sometimes be found among the elves. Some traditions describe elemental spirits as faeries, and others use the term to indicate the spirits of plants.

The common thread is that they are spirits; the magical, untamed, others who hold the magic and wisdom of the otherworld in ways which are reflected in their form. They are mutable and powerful, and, if we’re really lucky, they might just lend their power to our cause…

This is an extract from my online Folkloric Faery course, including both theory and plenty of practice. and there are currently spaces on the beta testing cycle available! Come join us!

You also can read more of my earlier thoughts on the magic of faery and how we can cultivate it in ourselves in my book Pagan Portals: Your Faery Magic published in 2015 by Moon Books.

You can also tip me via ko-fi, it all helps!

You can also Follow the blog, Share this post, and find me on Twitter to join in the conversation for free!

Over to you in the comments. How would you describe faeries?

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Treelore; Beech

28 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by Haloquin in Herbology, Magic, Poetry, Stories, Treelore

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Bardic, Beech, Druidry, learn witchcraft, Magic, ogham, Treelore, Witch, witchcraft

While we are in the strange limbo, just waiting for one year to properly end and the next to begin, and we have finished the first five ogham trees but not yet started the second, let me deviate from the traditional order and (re)introduce you to the beautiful Beech tree.

Golden Queen of ancient word,
your decree is wholly heard,
strong your shelter, far your reach,
sensitive, shining, bright, is Beech.
~ by Haloquin

A Story

There is a spirit in the Beech on campus. Into her pale bark is carved a heart and the names of lovers long moved on to other lands together, or so she likes to dream. They stopped visiting cycles ago. Most move on swiftly from this university town, coming for knowledge, sheltering from the hot sun under her densely packed summer leaves, and then, just as suddenly, disappearing again carrying what they’ve learned far away.

Backs against her bark they sit, light on the pages of their texts softened by her green, and she reads over their shoulder. Poetry, philosophy, business. Geographic tales speak of far off places, historical texts remind her of other times. She learns pieces of the world as the students bring their treasures on printed page and she whispers back to them, sharing her long memory in return.

They love to sit in her care, this pale queen beside the library who makes the bright sun soothing and tips the rain away from their seat. And those that accept her soveriegn care find themselves leaving more inspired by her stories that weave together words gathered over many, many years of delighting in the thoughts that have been gifted to her by her subjects.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Beech Meditation;

Sit at the base of a beech tree (either physically or in your imagination) and notice the space she holds. Lean your back up against her trunk and feel the smoothness of her bark.

Notice the thickness of her canopy. In the spring her leaves are bright, lime green. In the summer they deepen, like a cathedral canopy of emeralds, in the autumn they dry and become russet brown, rustling in the wind.

Notice the space beneath the canopy. She holds court and keeps her boundaries, taking up the space she needs in the world, providing shelter for visitors.

Feel the pulse of life from her roots, through her trunk at your back, up to the tips of her branches.

Feel the flow of sunlight filtered through the leaves and back down to earth.

Allow yourself to be aware of the strength that flows through the Beech tree against which you rest your spine.

Imagine you are becoming part of the tree and feel that strength, that life, that light, flowing up and down your spine.

Spend some time being aware of what the Beech tree knows about holding space. About maintaining boundaries and accepting what is right for you. About living. What does the Beech tree know?

After a little while, allow yourself to separate from the tree, allow the sense of that flow to fade, and send a little gratitude to the Beech for the experience. Listen for a moment. What does the Beech tree want you to know?

When you are ready, leave the space, or allow it to fade from your mind, and pay attention to your body again, returning you to where you began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Latin Name: Fagus sylvatica (European)

Edible Components: Beechnuts/mast, nut oil (best cooked, not for horses)

Herbal Properties: Leaves are antibacterial, can be made into a poultice for burns. Brings on menses.*

Contraindications: Abortificant, avoid during pregnancy.

Magical Properties: knowledge, queenship, awareness, sensitivity, divination (for gaining information/shedding light on a situation), shelter from harshness, the ability to moderate boundaries.

Historical Notes: Name comes from Teutonic word for “book”. Wood once used for carving runes. Beech was once known as the Queen of the Forest, though she was usurped by the Oak King… Beechmast was often food for pigs in the autumn.

Practical Properties: Mostly used for small items as wood is brittle, or as firewood as it heats well. Makes good charcoal. Good for the soil (air circulation and adding potash?) and leaves stay on during winter so good at sheltering other plants. The smooth, pale bark of the Beech is more sensitive to sunlight than for other trees so the thick foliage protects the trunk.

* Please check with a qualified herbalist before self medicating with plants, they can be very powerful. This information is just to give inspiration for magical workings. I am not a qualified herbalist!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Over to you in the comments. What stories do you have of Beech? What have you found the trees know?

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Solstice Meditation

21 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by Haloquin in Magic, Meditation, Starlore

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Festival, learn witchcraft, Magic, Meditation, Pagan, Solstice, Summer Solstice, Wheel of the Year, Winter Solstice, Witch, witchcraft

Happy Solstice!

This summer I recorded a little impromptu meditation for my Patreon, inspired by the Solstice Sun and designed to work at both the Summer and Winter Solstice.

Feel free to listen and enjoy here.

If you’d like to support me in making more material please do sign up to Patreon if you can, it really does help. I intend to share most things for free, though Patrons often get early access, and I’ll be making bonus things (like readings, previews, and opportunities to choose topics) as this channel grows.

I hope you enjoy this meditation, and please, feel free to share it with anyone you think who might benefit from it today.

Now, I invite you to light a candle, get comfortable, and hit play.

Transcript:

Today is the Solstice, where the sun stands still in the sky. In the Northern hemisphere we are bathed in light, and we can feel the sun strengthening our spirits. In the Southern Hemisphere it is the longest night, where the stars are held in the deep dark sky. There is a saying that every flame is part of the same fire, from the flame in your candle to the fire of the sun and the stars, so we are all connected in community together through the flame and the light.

The light casts a shadow, it illuminates and it obscures. In the darkness is the potential of all that could be, it is the belly of Ceridwen’s cauldron and the darkness of the fertile soil. We stand, bathed in light, whilst the world turns to head back into the darkness of potential and dreams. Even at the greatest point of light, darkness is, just as at the points of most darkness, light resides.

Place your hand on your heart and feel the sunlight fill it with golden light. Let that light grow with each breath. Spend some time reflecting on who you are when you are your biggest, brightest self. When do you feel most fully who you are in all your glory? When do you feel strongest, most powerful, most alive? Breathe in that feeling. Hold that feeling for a moment as you let yourself relax into this space. Feel the light of the sun filling your heart holding the light of your brightest self. Know that at any point you feel like you are struggling and the world is darkening, you can place your hand over your heart and remember this light, remember your strongest self. This is always a part of you, no matter what, so you can let it guide you through any darkness you encounter ahead.

Happy Solstice, lovely folk.

In Delight,

~ Halo

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How’re you all doing this Solstice? How does the changing of the sun change the rhythms of your life? Do drop a comment below.

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Treelore: Ash

16 Wednesday Dec 2020

Posted by Haloquin in Herbology, Magic, Poetry, Stories, Treelore

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Bardic, Druidry, Heathen, Herbalism, learn witchcraft, ogham, Treelore, Valkyrie, Witch, witchcraft

Ash! Ash! Reaching for the sun!
The light of the gods falling down down down
Ash! Ash! Holding up the worlds 
carrying our voices to let them be heard.
Luck in your sap and light in your keys
spear of healing and destiny.

~ Ash song fragment by Haloquin

Latin Name: fraxinus excelsior (European Ash)

Clues for Identification: Will grow tall and straight up, branches reaching for the sun, with smooth, pale bark that roughens with age. The tips of the branches in winter grow little black buds like spearheads, which blossom into petalless flowers in late spring. The leaves are formed of 4-6 pairs of leaflets (similar to Rowan), with a final one at the tip. Its seeds are keys, or spinners, hanging heavy and bright green in the early summer and ripening in the autumn to spin away on the wind early the following year.

Edible: Apparently you can pickle the young keys, I haven’t tried it yet though!

Herbal Properties: Anti-inflammatory and soothing, eases digestive issues. Leaves have a diuretic and laxative effect (ash leaf tea, may be a gentle laxative). Bark is astringent and a decoction may help with rheumatism and arthritis, and as a tonic. May help with gout, constipation, and fever. The ash after burning is sometimes used to make a soothing poultice for skin ailments.

Mythology and Magical Associations: Ruled by the Sun, and associated with the element of fire. The Norse god Odin was described as having a spear made of Ash, and he and his brothers made the first human man from the ash tree (and the first woman from elm). Yggdrasil, the World Tree which holds all the different realms/worlds in Norse mythology is commonly thought to be ash, though others interpret it to be yew. Ash is thought to be a great healer, especially of children. Use in workings for protection, victory, healing and luck.

Historical Notes: Once commonly used for spear making, bows, tool handles, boat frames, axles, and even wheels. Ash syrup was once thought to be lucky when given as a baby’s first food.

Practical Properties: Makes brilliant firewood, leaving a fine ash which is good for the garden. Leaves are freshest around June, so gather them then. Ash actually belongs to the same family as the Olive tree. The wood is strong, durable, and flexible, and the tree grows large, and coppices well.

Ogham: Associated with the fifth ogham stave, named “Nion” which means “fork” or “loft”, for the letter “n”. In R. Graves’ model Ash is the third tree, and rules the third “Lunar Month” or 18th February – 17th March.

* Please check with an actual herbalist before self medicating with plants, they can be very powerful. This information is just for inspiration. I am not a qualified herbalist!

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Over to you in the comments. What do you know of the tall ash tree? How are you seeking victory in your life?

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Treelore: Alder

11 Friday Dec 2020

Posted by Haloquin in Herbology, Magic, Poetry, Stories, Treelore

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Bardic, Druidry, learn witchcraft, Mabinogian, Magic, ogham, Pagan, paganism, Treelore, Welsh pagan, Witch, witchcraft

The Raven calls, watching, waiting,
shield raised and spear tip bright,
blood river flows, tumbling, turning,
from the darkness to the light.

Pass my weapons, hexing, healing,
teach me truly I ask you and pray,
walking in both worlds, softly, safely,
to bring to each the brightest of days.

~ by Haloquin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Cad Goddeu tells of Bran being known for the alder leaf on his shield. Bran, whose body formed a bridge for his army to cross in order to rescue his sister. Bran, whose head continued to prophecy after his death. Bran, whose ravens guard Britain yet.

Bran, if you’re listening, I could really use your help right now…

The whispered wish melted into tears turned inward. He was drowning in them, barely holding onto thoughts for the grief that was washing him away down the river at his feet.

A rough cough intruded.

He raised his head.

No-one in sight.

The cough repeated.

He looked higher. There in the branches of the riverside tree a great black bird peered down.

For a moment, time stood still and all was peaceful.

Then, a single thought; the door is not locked, there is always a path ahead.

The raven clacked its beak and launched itself into flight, a single feather falling in its wake as time clicked into place. It landed in the river and span, caught in an eddy, until he scooped it out from between the alder catkins.

For the first time, Gwern felt strong enough to leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Latin Name: Alnus glutinosa

Clues for Identification: Smooth leaves shaped like a shield with an indented tip and serrated edges. It has male (long, smooth) and female (round) catkins. The female catkins become tiny cones in their second year. The bark is dark brown/grey. It is often found by rivers as it spreads its seeds by floating them downriver.

Herbal Properties: The leaves are antibacterial and, fresh, may repel insects. A bark decoction may treat burns, wounds and inflammation. (Reminder; I’m not a herbalist. Please check for details and contraindications before self-medicating!)

Interesting facts: Alder fixes nitrogen into the soil and its roots prevent erosion of the riverbank, so it literally heals and protects the land! When cut it turns an orange colour, as though bleeding… A proper wounded healer thing going on there.

Practical Properties: It will not rot in water, but burns with an intense heat if seasoned well. Its bark will make a red dye, the twigs will make a brown dye, and its flowers will make a green dye, said to have been the dye that colours the clothes of both Robin Hood and the Fair Folk as it was used by outlaws.

Magical Properties: Unlucky to encounter on a journey in Ireland, but the fresh leaves are lucky when placed in a traveler’s shoes. (Perhaps because he seeks difficult situations, but will lend you his shield?) It is said that you can divine prophecy from the smoke and the flickering flame. Alder is associated with both fire and water, and thus balance. The warrior-king connection leads to associations with sacrifice and defense, and I associate alder with fatherhood and the divine masculine as a protective principle, as well as endurance, particularly emotional.

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Over to you in the comments. What is your shield? Where is your strength? What do you know of the riverside alder?

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Treelore: Willow

04 Friday Dec 2020

Posted by Haloquin in Enchanted, Herbology, Magic, Stories, Treelore

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Bardic, Druidry, emotional healing, learn witchcraft, Magic, ogham, Treelore, Willow, Witch, witchcraft

willow leaves with spikey catkins — Willow in late spring with spiky catkins…

 Tendrils swaying in the flow
 spirit dancing, grief let go,
 the wish of weaving, healer's hope,
 time's sweet mistress, help me cope. 

~ by Haloquin

Underneath the willow boughs I sit, salt-streaks on my cheeks. The moonlight glints on the ripples below, each flash reflecting the slight pounding in my skull. I knew this time was coming, this moment when I would have to rise and shed the cloak of the familiar, but precognition is no protection from heartache. Still. I held on for as long as I could.

The pale green surrounds me, the catkins flowering in the darkness, and that which was is no longer. My shelter from the open water downstream; gone. I push aside the gentle curtain and emerge, her song soft in my soul washing away the tensions and easing the pain, though I’ll feel that loss for years to come. When something has been part of the weaving of your life for so long it shapes the banks of your spirit, but the water still flows down to the sea.

As the sky turns dusky pink I step from the banks and let the river wash the tearstains away. One chapter is over, but another is just beginning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Latin Name: Salix alba

Herbal Properties: Willow bark tea; tonic, astringent, antiperiodic, analgesic. Reduces fever, may ease rheumatism.

Contraindications: Aspirin allergies or conditions where aspirin is contraindicated, such as bleeding disorders, pregnancy, or if you are taking other medications as they may interact.*

Magical Keywords: Deep dreaming, balancing emotions, initiation/bursting forth, healing grief, flexibility, letting go, moon, underworld travel, learning to change. Visions/seership. Water divining. Keeping secrets.

Historical Notes: If you knock on a willow tree it was said to send away bad luck, if you tell the willow your secrets it will always keep them.

Practical Properties: Willow weaving – baskets etc. The branches weave well and can be shaped into baskets, sculptures, and fences. Cuttings will root in water, and release a rooting chemical to encourage other plants to root too. Will grow really easily and fast… so if you shape a fence from fresh branches and plant it, it will very likely grow!

Clues for Identification: There are many varieties of willow, the most iconic being weeping willow with its long leaves and drooping branches. The leaves are often long and narrow, the branches are pliable, and it loves damp places.

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Treelore: Rowan

27 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by Haloquin in Enchanted, Herbology, Magic, Poetry, Stories, Treelore

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bardic, Druidry, Herbalism, learn witchcraft, Magic, ogham, Poetry, story, Treelore, Witch, witchcraft

Have you ever seen...
you must have!
That flash of flame
at water's edge.
Bird-loved berries 
burning delicate frame.
There was no hiding
from the heat
which so swiftly came.
And through the walls 
between the worlds,
I heard my name...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perched on the edge, their stick slender and strong beneath their hand, black cloak tattered along the edges by the winds, flame-haired Quickbeam watched over the traveller approaching the gate below.

“Why?” They called out. The traveller looked up, startled.

“Why what?” He replied.

“Why are you travelling?” Quickbeam clarified.

Quickbeam always asked, before unlocking that gate between the mountains. Only one reason sufficed, from any traveller, one and only one was acceptable; that they had a purpose. It didn’t matter which, as long as there was something.

And there always was.

To find healing, knowledge, adventure. To escape hardship, or success. To discover one’s self. To simply move and breathe and be. There was always a reason. And better, knew Quickbeam, if it were a guiding spark that offered hope when the going got tough.

“I… I don’t know.” Replied the traveller.

Quickbeam grinned, beckoning him to sit upon the ledge beside them awhile, berry-tinted mead at the ready.

“Then you’d better stay with me until you do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Latin Name: Sorbus aucuparia

Other Names: Mountain Ash, Quickbeam.

Edible: Berries contain vitamin C (dried or cooked, do not eat fresh berries.)

Herbal Properties: Astringent, Antirheumatic, Diuretic, Laxative, Antiscorbutic, Emmenagogue, Aperitive, Hypoglycemic. Used to treat for candidiasis, kidney disease, sore throat, period pains, diarrhea and hemorrhoids. Also reducing inflammation, especially of respiratory system, and increasing metabolism.

Contraindications: Avoid during pregnancy. Excessive use may cause vomiting, do not eat fresh berries. (Ask a professional before use… I am not a doctor!)

Magical Properties: Strongly protective, especially of the home. Rowan and red thread together are a traditional protective charm against magic and bad luck. Psychic power, divination and healing, an all-round magical booster. Creativity, success and transformation through its association with fire. Opens the gateway to otherworlds. The second tree in the Ogham tree alphabet.

Historical Notes: There were often taboos against using the wood, or cutting it with a knife. Twigs were bound into an equal armed cross for protection woven with thread (Brigid’s Crosses), or used to divine for metals. Rowan berry jelly is traditionally eaten with game meats in Scotland, and the berries are used in various alcoholic drinks.

Physical Properties: Red berries have a pentagram on the base. The wood is resilient and its strength lends it to making good walking sticks. As the trees are small it is used accordingly, for handles, spindles and spinning wheels, traditionally. The bark and berries can make a black dye.

Clues for Identification: Clusters of flowers in spring, bright red berries in autumn. Leaflets in sets with pairs opposite each other and one at the tip (similar to ash). Small tree, can grow in silly places like cliff ledges.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Over to you in the comments. Tell me why you’re travelling… And what do you know of the Quicksilver tree?

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Halo's Journal

~ Enchantment, Philosophy & Fairies – Magic and the mundane, kissing.

Category Archives: Magic

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Treelore: Rowan