Playing Card Divination

Divination via the innocuous playing card has been in use for a very long time.. Usually relegated to the Hollywood idea of a gypsy in a brightly painted wagon, or the back room of an herb shop. It has remained a viable means of foretelling and supernatural investigation. I give here a standard list of meanings to the cards in hopes it fuels your own inquiry into this fascinating method -

Hearts (Cups):
Ace: love, friendship, the home and distinct happiness
King: fair haired man, affectionate, generous, impetuous, honest man, hasty in decisions, not to be relied upon for advice
Queen: fair haired woman, trustworthy, faithful loving woman, gentle & pleasing
Jack: fair haired young person, good friend, a close (or long lost) friend
10: good fortune, happiness, good news, happiness in family
9: the 'wish card', dreams and desires will come true
8: invitations, but also partings, parties or celebrations
7: someone is unreliable, broken promises by friends
6: unexpected good fortune, generosity, imposed upon by untrustworthy people
5: jealousy, inability to make a decision
4: changes, travel or postponements, marriage delayed, bachelor or spinster
3: be cautious an impulsive decision threatens good ones
2: success by careful thought, friendship

Spades (Swords):
Ace: conflicts, a difficult love affair, misfortune, bad news, tidings of death
King: dark haired man, ambitious, usually successful, his ambition overrides everything else
Queen: dark haired woman, seductive or unscrupulous, treachery, betrayal, malice, widow
Jack: dark haired young man, well meaning but lazy person, hindrance in all work
10: worry, grief, imprisonment, negation of all good
9: bad luck, can mean delays or quarrels, all kinds of unhappiness in all things
8: disappointments and opposition, be cautious, friends might turn out to be rivals
7: a warning against loss of friendship, quarrels with friends, bad things
6: an improvement in the person's life, use perseverance to make your plans work
5: anxiety, setbacks, interferences, success in business, harmony in partners
4: jealousy, business troubles, sickness, minor misfortunes delay project
3: partings due to faithlessness, lourney, bad things in love or marriage
2: scandal, gossip, danger of deceit, change, removal, loss of home, division

Diamonds (Coins):
Ace: money, a ring, important message, or a valuable gift
King: fair haired man, stubborn and powerful, vengeful, dangerous when crossed.
Queen: fair haired woman, flirt, sophisticated, witty, interferes in other's affairs
Jack: a relative, someone not really reliable, selfish or jealous, bad news
10: journey, changes usually bringing wealth, money as objective, maybe not result
9: opportunities and surprises, usually financial, taste for adventure, travel, changes
8: late marriage or new relationship, unexpected money, a journey
7: a gift, lies, rumours, unlucky gambler, criticism
6: a reconciliation, warning against a second marriage, early marriage; early end.
5: successful meetings, especially business, unexpected news; may be business success
4: an inheritance, changes for the better, unhappiness from bad friends, betrayal
3: legal or domestic battles, quarrels, domestic disagreements
2: a great love affair increases in importance, opposed by friends

Clubs (Wands):
Ace: harmony, property, achievements, love, peace of mind, professional success
King: dark haired man, honest, open, generous and faithful
Queen: dark haired woman, strong, helpful, attractive, nice woman, inclined to be temperamental
Jack: a reliable friend, sincere but impatient
10: unexpected money, good luck or a gift, unexpected good fortune with bad loss
9: a new romance, disputes with friends, bad quarrels
8: opposition, chance of recklessness, someone will use money not his own
7: prosperity, chance of romantic interference, good fortune, beware of opposite sex
6: business success, profitable business in partnership
5: help from a friend or spouse, marriage with a wealthy woman
4: bad change of fortune, failure of project due to friends
3: good marriage or partnership, long engagement, and then a fast wedding
2: disappointment and opposition from friends or associates

The Offering Bowl

In working with spirits, one is often called upon to give offerings for services rendered. If you maintain an altar in your home, this can be difficult to give offerings as you have to have something in which to place them. That being said, I give you The Offering Bowl.

This simple item of so innocuous a form lends itself to great power and practice. In this brief summary, I will explain the use of The Offering Bowl and how you can bring its blessings and power into your life very simply and VERY effectively.

With this Offering Bowl, there comes a stone. This is the house of the spirits and upon which thy practice will be built. Within the center of the bowl, you will place this stone and in a central location of your home, you will place the bowl. This can also be placed in the kitchen as this is, traditionally, the center of the home. The hearth being the “heart” of the family and home. Once your Offering Bowl is placed, perform the following rite to call upon the spirits and receive their blessings –

Gather a bottle of Spring Water. It must be of the earth. Distilled or purified will not do. Stand facing the Offering Bowl with arms outspread say the following –

I call unto the spirits in this place and of my ancestors. Come and find reposed in this stone of the ancients. Make it thy home and receive the offerings in thanks for thy blessings. Protect all that abide here and lend thy help in times of need.

Bring the love of those that have gone before and take the hand of those that live giving guidance, protection, love, knowledge, and anything that will move us deeper toward that hidden knowledge.

As it is, so shall it be.

Open the bottle of water and slowly pour a small amount over the stone saying –

                Sprits of all, accept this offering from my heart. I thank you for watching over me and all here.

                In faith and frith, I give, and unto thy touch I receive.

Keep the bottle of water for daily, weekly, or monthly offerings as you feel appropriate. I give daily upon awaking, but your method is personal as are the spirits with which you commune.

Until next time.......

 

The Red Meal

Communing with the gods and spirits can be as easy as performing The Red Meal. This is a eucharist taken and offered in the realm of spirit. Follow the directions below and feel the touch of the all.

If you have a stang, then position it in the north of your place of working. Provide the following for the rite -

              Round of dark bread
              Red Wine
              Cup or drinking horn
              Bees wax candle

Center with appropriate method. When ready, light the candle saying -

              Fire of wisdom illumine me with thy brilliance and burn within my heart.

Hold thy hands in invoking (touching index fingers and thumbs forming a triangle) o'er the bread and say -

              Old one, this bread with thy power make red, with thy pure touch make strong

See power flowing into the bread. Hold thy hands in invoking o'er the cup of wine saying -

               Queen Of Elphen, fill this cup with thy bloody blessing. As this wine becomes thy blood, so                             does it enter mine.

Raise the bread and break off a piece. Dip it into the wine and see the two powers combine. Say -

                As the blood flows into this flesh of the land, so does the blood flow into me. Blessings upon the gods, spirits, and ancestors, and in turn bless me with the red road.

Eat of the bread. Hold up the cup and drink of the blood. Leave the loaf at a tree and pour the wine over it in offering.
It is done.

Until next time.....

Care and feeding of The Spirits

We work with spirits a great deal at Arcanus, and like any good relationship one needs to continually cultivate it. Spirits require attention and feeding and interraction to remain vianle for our needs. In the old days, one would leave a bowl of milk and honey on the front step or at the hearth to appease the house helpers or other spirits responsible for helping the goodwoman or goodman. For it was important to keep them happy otherwise mischief would insue.
We, in this modern age, have let this age old practice fall by the wayside and wonder why bad luck follows us. Spirits want to help us, but we must show that we are thankful for them or they will simply leave us to our fates, or teach us a lesson in respect. Much like a trusted friend would. We can revive this practice and bring ourselves back into the good graces of the wee ones by a simple method.

For kitchen spirits - Provide a bowl with a stone in the center. The stone serves as a spirit house in this instance. Every few days or so, place an offering in the bowl and let the spirits know it is a gift of thanks for all of their help in your life. Example "spirits of hearth and home, I give this gift freely to you all as a thank you for the good tidings you bring and the help you offer. May you find it enjoyable and bring peace and happiness to all that dwell here".
After a couple of days pour the contents outside at the base of a tree and return the bowl to its place of honor in your kitchen. Keeping in mind that it is the house of spirits. Keep it clean and ready to recieve the next offering.

On offerings - I vary my offerings at times. During holidays, I may place a bit of the holiday meal in the offering bowl. Other times, I may pour a bit of dark beer or milk and honey over the stone. Try different things and watch for positive results either in your luck being better, or an air of contentment settling over your home. Then you will know what they prefer. The spirits want to help, so let them. But always give thanks for the boons they bring.

Until next time......

Healing Rituals

In our practice of the cunning path, there comes upon occasion the need to heal in one form or another. As a practitioner of Traditional Crafte, I have encountered many forms of healing from energy to herbal. This, in conjuction with modern medical techniques lend a cunning man or woman the ability to assist their prospective tribe in all aspects of their lives. Below, find a simple ritual that I have found effective. In fact, it saved my life -

Basic Healing Ritual -

Materials -

Patient

Herbs appropriate to the healing being done

Teapot

Kettle of boiling water

Smudge Stick

Pine or Oak bough

Bowl of water

Teacup

Matches

Light candles, incense and smudge. Smudge the room. Utilize the Sphere Working to clear and prepare the room and patient for healing. Take up the Athame and describe an upright pentagram over the herbs saying:

“Oh creature of (name of element), remove the affliction of (name of affliction) from (name of patient), child of the Dark Mother and the Witch Father. Allow the body to heal with thy powers. As it is, so shall it be.”

Place the herbs into the teapot. Pour the boiling water over them saying:

“Release thy healing powers into the water of life and give comfort and health to whomsoever drinks of your bounty. In the name of the Mother and the Father, as it is, so shall it be.”

Let the herbs steep for about 10-20 min. Pour into a cup. Take up the Athame or Wand and describe the pentagram of Spirit over it saying:

“Unto the body you are healing. Go straight and pure to heal this child of the Mother and the Father. Let (name of ailment) be banished away and never to return. As it is, so shall it be.”

Give the brew to the patient and have them drink it til it is gone. Say :

“Dark Mother, thank you for giving me life and breath of the magic way. I praise everyday that I am your child and you are my Mother of All. Thank you and bless all that has been done here. As it is, so shall it be.”

“Witch Father, thank you for giving me the courage of life and knowledge of the natural way. I praise everyday that I am your child and you are my Witch Father of the sky and sun. Thank you and bless all that has been done here. As it is, so shall it be.”

Make offerings of incense to the Dark Mother and Witch Father.

You may need to repeat this again if the ailment doesn't disperse within a day or two. Also, you should give the patient more of the healing herb blessed by you to take throughout the day at regular intervals depending on the affliction and herb being taken.

Until next time.....

Fetishes

Steps for making a fetish -

1. Determine the nature of the fetish
2. Gather materials in harmony with the desire
3. Cut a 5 inch by 5 inch piece of red flannel or a colour that is in harmony with the desire

At your working space, perform the centering exercise by closing your eyes and breathing deeply through the nose and slowly exhaling out of your mouth. Do this three times.

Keeping your eyes closed, allow yourself to relax to the point of nearly falling asleep. This is the beginning of the Theta Gamma state. The easiest way to achieve this is by rolling your eyes up and letting yourself relax into the meditative state.

When achieved, begin the process of making the fetish.

Taking each component in your power hand, ask your guides and spirits to bless the item and grant the desire.

Example for psychic power:

I call upon my spirits that guide me. Empower this (herb, stone, shell, bone, etc) with thy sight. Grant my own sight into the realms of the dark and let all be lain before me. Ancestors that walk with me, lend thy touch and take my hand unto the depths of all knowing.

Place the component into the center of the square of flannel. When all components have been blessed, gather up the corners of the flannel and create a pouch containing the items. Using string, wrap around the items nine times saying:

Round and round I bind these tools. To awake the power unknown to fools. I wind my fate to the worlds around. And unto this path I am truly bound.

Tie the string into a knot to bind the materials into the flannel.

Holding the fetish between your hands, take a deep breath and gently breath upon the fetish visualizing the fetish glowing with each breath. Do this three times. Then say:

I give thee breath from my breath. I give thee life from my life. Thou art part of me and thou art empowered on this plane.

If this be a protective fetish, keep it with you always. If it be for a specific purpose, psychic ability, etc, keep it safe and hidden from the eyes of the mundane and utilize it when you have need of its powers.

Bit O Sorcery

The follow excerpt from my grimoire is a very powerful way of connecting with the Red Thread. This is the serpent power that courses through all. The Kundalini, if you will. This is one of the few rituals that requires a specific item. The Serpentine Blade. This is a Kris shaped dagger that evokes the power of the serpent and the coursing power of the Red Thread. I hope you find it interesting and useful -

The Ritual of the Serpentine Blade -

This rite connects one with the red current that runs through the world. The current of the serpent. This force runs through thy body and the lands and propels all upon the path of the cunning folk. The Serpentine Blade is of the crooked way and symbolizes the nature of our people.

Thus we begin. Gather unto thee a blade forged in fire and in the form of a serpent. A Kris shaped blade sharpened and pointed to draw life force into it and direct it as ye will. It must be able to cut and draw the red from ye. Wood hilted is traditional, but bone or antler are also allowed. For this be a tool of the fell ways and the dead will favour it.

The Old Gal should be waxing into her beauty or fully present. Then, to a place of isolation go. A cemetery is good for working if one can be from the eyes of the living. The land of the dead being unavailable, and a wood being out of thy realm, a spare room with an altar will suffice. Upon the altar provide the following -

Serpentine Dagger

Lancet

Sorcery Incense (Sandalwood, Dragons Blood , and cemetery dirt anointed with thy own blood)

Censer with Charcoal kindled

Red Wine

Cup

Black or Beeswax candle

Symbol of Sorcery (this can be a sigil specific to your path. My tradition has it's own and is known unto only those of our ways)

Kindle the candle saying -

The light in the dark do I strike. The beacon of the gods to I shine. From all realms I call to the spirits that can aid me in my task. Grant me thy power and thy vision. Come and fill this place with thy presence.

Lay thy dagger upon the symbol. See it as a thing not yet alive but awaiting the essence. Placing thy hand upon it, utter the following incantation -

Serpent of steel. Seeker of the power of life. I bless you unto this world. Forged of fire and hilted of nature, I touch you with the spark of my life. Into you I pass a part of me and thus birth you into existence.

See energy passing into the dagger from your hand. Give as much as you can until the dagger glows in thy minds eye. Once done, pick up thy dagger with both hands and breathe upon it and say -

I give ye breath of my breath. Life of my life. So that ye may serve me and the gods. From me ye will pass power, and to me ye shall bring it. Always faithful to my will. Always a part of me.

Blow upon the dagger and see if flame in thy minds eye. Replace thy dagger upon the altar and symbol of sorcery. Cast ye incense upon the coals and say -

To fire to I call. I cast this herb upon yon coals and kindle the flame of the gods. And to the gods will ye take my voice. Creature that made this child of the earth, now ye will bless it with thy touch.

Touch the tip of the dagger to the coals. Pass the dagger through the smoke saying -

Into thy lungs does this power pass. Awaken from thy slumber my child of power. Awaken and breathe thy life.

Feel the dagger pulse with its breath. Pour ye a draught of wine. Pick of yon dagger and place the tip into the wine saying -

Drink of the essence of the gods. Taste the intoxication of the power. Wake unto this life and be of this plane.

Wipe the wine from thy dagger. Using the Lancet, draw blood from ye. Rub this blood upon the blade saying -

Feast upon my force, oh child of my heart. Feast and take thy sup upon the force granted me by my ancestors. Sustenance is given thee and now ye are awake and powerful. To my will ye shall now serve and to my purpose ye shall be bound.

Feel thy force absorb into the blade and feel the dagger become part of thy life. It shall be forever bound unto thee. As a child to its parent.

Place thy dagger upon yon symbol. Raise the cup of wine to toast the beginning and say -

To ye do I raise this cup. Welcome and be blessed unto our path. Ye kindred of mine and ye servant of the way. I drink to thy birth and to thy life to come. Slanche.

Drink of the wine. Raise the cup again and give toast and thanks to the spirits that attended and lent their power to thy rite saying -

Kin of mine and the gods. I raise this cup to thy greatness and give thanks for thy help in this working of the old way. I drink to thy health and ask ye to go to yon places in peace and frith. We are the same and our blood runs through the lands. Slanche.

Drink thy toast to the spirits. This ends the ritual of the Serpentine Blade.

This blade will serve ye from this time hence. Ye shall use it when calling the gods and sending power. Periodically, upon its day of birth, ye will feed it with thy blood. This will keep it strong and thy bond powerful. Truly ye have given birth to a power of the land and to thy will ye shall direct it. Keep it with thee always. So it is done.

Until next time......

The Witch Bottle

The practice of creating a Witch Bottle is very old. None know the origin, but examples have been found throughout Britain and greater Europe. In this post I will illustrate the creation of the Witch Bottle that you can use for protection from the harm of wights or other malicious energies.

The Witch Bottle -

To keep at bay those things that would bring us harm, fashion the bottle of Witchery and all will give ye a wide berth.

Materials needed -

A glass bottle (a mason jar with lid works well, or an old wide mouthed bottle with a cork)
Broken glass
Pins (or thorns)
Nails (finishing nails work well for this)
Thy water (urine)
Wax

At the dark of the moon, gather thy glass, pins, and nails into the bottle. Say the following -

Old master of the witching wood, let all mischief dash upon the sharpness of my power. Keep at bay those things that would cause me and mine harm. 

Put thy water into the bottle saying -

As my essence combines with these items of witchery, so does the power of protection grow. Let none that would wish harm to me and mine pass by unscathed.

Seal the bottle securely and wax it so none of the power leaks out and none leaks in to corrupt thy spell.

Go out at the stroke of the twelfth bell and bury the bottle in the land of thy ward. This being at thy boundary. (note: it is traditional to put the bottle at the boundary of your home in the ground. If you have not land to bury it in, say because you live in an apartment, then the bottle must be hid somewhere in your home and kept from prying eyes.)

As you bury the bottle say the following -

Old master of the witching wood, keep me and mine safe and let none pass by unbidden that wish me harm. As it is, so shall it be. FIAT, FIAT, FIAT

It is done.

(note: we do this operation during the dark or new moon to keep any harmful spirits or persons from seeing our operation and thereby ruining the protective spell. If this bottle is dug up and broken, the spell is ended. That is why great care must be taken to bury or hide this bottle from any that would destroy it.)

I hope you enjoyed this walk down the dark paths of witchery and make good use of this simple, yet effective working.

Until next time.........

Here Comes Easter!!

Many of those preparing to celebrate Easter may not realize there are others planning to celebrate Ostara at the same time. The two holidays are actually closely related and draw upon similar historical roots. Ostara is essentially the pagan incarnation of the traditional Christian Easter. The Christian tradition itself draws the name from the pagan god “Oestre” or “Eastre.” This word has Germanic roots and refers to the eastern direction from which the sun rises. Oestre is the Teutonic goddess of spring and dawn who is very closely associated with the Vernal Equinox.

The Vernal Equinox takes place each year between March 19 and March 22, while Easter always occurs between late march and early April. In the past, beginning with the pagans, this time of year was celebrated as one of renewal and rebirth. Christians adopted the symbolism to represent the resurrection of Christ rather than the earth itself. Other religious traditions predating Christianity have had similar figures that utilized the same symbolism. Hathor, the Egyptian figure that experienced rebirth is merely one example.

According to myth, pagan children would present eggs as a gift to the goddess in return for the coming of the spring. Oestre traditionally carried an egg to symbolize birth and new life.  Christian traditions incorporating eggs have not strayed very far from this practice. The popular depiction of the rabbit associated with the Christian celebration has its roots in the pagan tradition as well. Ostara was said to have been so touched by the gifts that she recruited her minions to return these eggs to the children in baskets. The minions were rabbits.

March and the location of the sun also mark the time for the rutting of rabbits. This implies elements of fertility in relation to the bounty that the earth cultivates during this time of year. Other popular legends have emerged on the Equinox as well. The word translates as “balance,” bearing some responsibility for the idea that an egg could be balanced on its end only during this time. The days and nights also reflect this translation; during this period of time, light and dark are equally 12 hours long.

Early Christian churches were more sensitive to the pagan roots of the celebration of Ostara and disapproved of the incorporation of eggs and rabbits into the holiday. Followers of the pagan traditions would bury eggs in the ground to celebrate the spring. The priests of the day encouraged children to remove the symbols of worship from the ground. They rewarded the children by paying them a small amount for each egg they collected and returned to the church. However, time quickly engrained these symbolic references into the Christian mythos to form the holiday that is now celebrated all over the world. - source ULC

Simple Numerology

Numerology -

Numbers can give you an insight as to the nature of spirits and people. By assigning a number to each letter in a spirit or persons name, you can discover their true personality and treat them accordingly.

Numerological meanings of numbers (magickal) -

1 - Creativity, independence, originality, ego, self

2 - Empathy, cooperation, consideration, over-sensitivity, co-dependence

3 - Artistic expression, sociability, friendliness, superficiality, wastefulness

4 - Practicality, application, loyalty, rigidity, repression

5 - Freedom, adaptability, travel, inconsistency, abuse of senses

6 - Love, responsibility, understanding, meddling, jealousy

7 - Spirituality, mental analysis, wisdom, fault finding, suppression

8 - Executive ability, management, power, materiality, unscrupulousness

9 - Artistic genius, humanitarianism, romance, emotionalism, dissipation

11 - Intuition, idealism, invention, insensitivity, fanaticism

22 - Practical idealism, material mastery, get-rich-quick schemes, viciousness

Numbers and letters based on Simple English Gematria -

A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I/J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U/V	W	X	Y	Z
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24

Until next time.......

The Nature of All Things

Dennis and I are at the Celebrations Fair in Denver at the Merchandise Mart this weekend and I figured I'd pop a bit out here on spirits and their nature. We work with a great many spirits at Arcanus and getting to know them and how to work with them can be a bit daunting to some. I hope you find the below useful and hope to see you at the fair. 

The Nature Of All Things - 

In the worlds, all things have spirit. Sprites, fairies, and other myriad creatures do exist within the confines of their own existence. At times, there are humans that see these beings. Generally it is at times of stress or “in between” states of consciousness. This is where we get the stories of sightings that have permeated the mythological lexicon over the centuries.

Witches, being between the worlds, tend to see these beings and interact with them on a regular basis. The wights of a place can be called upon in times of need and to gather power for spells. Offerings are placed in order to gather connections with these wonderful creatures. At times, they can be dangerous, depending on the reason and attitude when calling upon them. Therefore it behooves the witch to think of these beings as also children of the Great Mother and All Father. Kin, if you will, since they are from the same pool of energy that hath formed them.

Now to animal energies. Animal spirits can be called upon to empower or teach the witch. The thousands of years of shamanic practice have proven the efficacy of this tradition. By getting in tune with the spirit of say the Crocodile, the witch can develop new wisdom among many other things attributed to the Crocodile teacher. The familiar is part of this secret teaching wisdom. They can use their animal powers to enhance spells and help to secure knowledge for the witch. This is a body of knowledge that can take years or even a lifetime to study. For our purposes, knowing the ways of the animal and how to call can be enough. Journeying with a totem can open up whole new vistas of information. Following is a technique that the witch can use to facilitate this communication -

Exercise – In a quiet and safe location, perform the sphere exercise found in earlier postings of this blog to focus and empower you. Once ready, smudge your person and the area with sage. This will cleanse the area and your own energies of confusing remnants of impressions left over from your day or previous workings. Settle yourself into a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take a deep breath to prepare for the journey. As is typical of this sort of journeying, you will visualize a natural hole in the ground or tree and allow yourself to follow it down into the other realms. I generally find a cave to be the most efficacious for me, but what pleases you will be of your own choosing. Once you find yourself descended into the other realm, put the desire into the ether that you wish to meet your personal totem. After a short while, you should encounter the animal that is most prevalent to you. Allow impressions to materialize and make note of any communication that you receive. When you are ready to return, take a deep breath and visualize yourself traveling back up through the tunnel until you reach your level of awareness. Take another deep breath to focus and end the session. You may want to eat something to help ground yourself in this plane.

That's it for now.. 

Until next time.....

The Gates of Hell Part 1

Over the years, if you are in the community, you tend to hear tales of places that some claim to be the gateways to "hell". Wonderful vacation spots of the damned, and shunned by those not wishing to lose their souls and spend an eternity burning in lakes of fire. In this post, I thought I would take a brief look at these locations. This is wonderful fun and eye opening as to how rumour becomes legend and legend sometimes comes back around as fact in the minds of the faithful. I will give brief snippets of these places over the next few weeks and maybe you may even be lucky enough to visit some... Soul intact, of course. So lets begin...

The first location that we will examine is an interesting little spot located in Kansas. Yes, I know, many have said "How do you break hell down into just one place in Kansas?". But, trust me on this, there is one spot in particular that has been reported to be the very gateway to the hellish realms. The place of mention is none other than Stull, Kansas.
The legend has it that there is a stairway that leads down into the bowels of the earth and into the kingdom of Satan himself. How it came to this illustrious position has a few explanations. One is that a child was burned to death by his father. This was said to be accidental, however the devil may have made him do it. Who's to say. Another is that a man was found hanging from a tree. Most likely the victim of the denizens of hell, or so it is believed. And apparently there is the church that was crumbling and gave off an evil vibe. Whatever the reason for this place being considered a gateway to hell, it had an affect upon none other than The Pope. Rumour has it that in his trip to the US, he made his flight reroute around the location of Stull. The truth of why he did this is not very forthcoming, but the legend stands. So even "His Holiness" feels the evil from this place and took precautions to avoid the land of demons.

Well that is it for now.. I will come back later with more locations of Hells own Autobahn.

Until next time......

The Triskele

The Triskele has been part of many cultures through the ages. It was quite prevalent in Celtic and Nordic cultures and can be found engraved upon stone and bone all over England and Scandinavia. Through the years, I have utilized it in magickal workings and even altar designations and in this article, I will detail some of the meanings of the this age old symbol of three -

The Symbolism of the Triskele.


The upper arm indicates the Land. This is that which you stand upon. That which makes up your bones, flesh, etc. This is the solidity of the mother of all. She that gives life unto the world.


The arm to the right indicates the Sea. This is the life giving fluid. The blood of the mother. The water that sustains life. The blood that flows through your veins is of the sea. The water that makes up your body is of the Sea.


The lower left arm indicates the Sky. The air that gives sustenance to all. That which we breath. The breath of the mother.


The Center of the Triskele is the cauldron of unknowing. The fire that fuels all. This is the gift of the All Father. His spark resides within everything and gives it shape and life. Without the Great Mother and All Father, there would be nothing.

Ones altar can be lain in the form of a Triskele. Stone for the upper arm, a cauldron of sea water for the lower right, and a brazier with incense to the left. In the center should be a fire source, or a cauldron to receive offerings.

I, at times, cast Runes upon the triskele and utilize the arm designations to determine where the influences are as the Runes fall in each section. This is a quick way to see what is happening in ones life and what one can expect in the future. This is by no means a traditional method, but I have found it very effective.

Well, that is it for now.

Until next time.........

Worlds - The Cosmology of the Pagan

I thought I would attempt to put together a very quick and to the point essay on the worlds in the pagan cosmology as my tradition understands them. This, hopefully, will help define our way of thinking about life, death, and what else is to come.

The Middle Garth. That is where we live right now. This reality where we work, play, love, hate, live, and die. The term Middle Garth is the Anglo-Saxon term and has been used by us for a very long time. I suspect it is a hold over of Anglo-Saxon invasion, but no certain documentation details why we call it that.

The Land of the Dead - or Hell - This is where all shades end up after the body dies. It is a place of repose, if you will, and not a place of torment. Originally, the term Hell, was actually the name of a Norse goddess called Hel. She ruled the underworld and kept the dead in her halls. The Christians usurped the name and made it a place where the bad folk went, which included pagans.

Upper Garth - This is the land of the gods. The places where one can go if one is taken by a god to be at their side. This is also a place of the fey. Or the land of Faerie. Entry to this land could be gained by death, or at certain times of the year through a howe or grave mound. Some unfortunates inadvertently followed parades of merry peoples into caves and were never heard from again, or if they did come back out it was many years later.

In many other pagan cosmologies have many other world. The Norse have nine worlds each containing spirits or gods, and some even giants or Jotuns. The above is a basic outline of my tradition and how we see things.

I hope this brief introduction helps make some sense of one pagans way and will give you a guide to more investigation.

Until next time.....

Magick Day to Day

I was reading at a party not long ago and many asked me if I actually believed the things that I do.. It never occurred to me that there may be any question of validity or belief in my practices. So, I decided in this post to address the question of what we do at Arcanus and what we do in our every day lives.
Lets take a look at divination. I utilize methods every day to help guide me on the path that I have chosen. I also use it to get advice on issues that may confound me at some level. I use anything from the Tarot, to Runes, to the bones to get the answers to my questions. This helps level the playing field for me daily. Divination is not just for a once a month touch stone. It is a tool that begs usage in our day to day lives.
Now to Magick. This is always a part of my life. I may cast spells for prosperity, health, good weather, and even love. It all depends on my need and if I feel the universe could use a little more ordering or a bit of a push. In my traditions, we consider magick as another tool in the spiritual toolbox and we have no issue utilizing it to help us.
I like working up a Rune spell to bring me luck throughout the day. Also a little push for love doesn't hurt.
The important thing is that all the things that we do and present at Arcanus is a huge part of our every day living. We use it personally as well as helping others. I encourage you, if you are just starting out, to try to incorporate your practices into every aspect of your life. Hell, even use a bit of sorcery to get a better parking spot. It is a tool after all.. Why not use it...?

Until next time........

The Queen of Elphame

Who is the Lady that we lift up our voices to? Who is the Great Mother that turns the wheel of nature? She is the Queen of Elphame. The Fairy Queen. The Queen of the Hollow Hills. The Queen of the Dead. Through the centuries those of the Traditional Witchcraft bent would make their prayers and supplications to gain the favour of this wonderful and frightening Matron. She who could turn the powers and grant miracles. To this day we still honor and make our prayers to she of the wee folk.

She gives us life and grants us death when we walk the crooked paths of our traditions. With her consort, the Master or Horned One, we cast our spells and bend the natural world to our will. She has been called by many names, Annis, Hecate, etc.. But through all time, she has ruled the lands of night. To see her is to know true beauty, and true terror. To honor her is to know true love and experience the dark ways of all things. She is truly great, and truly terrible. But in all the one to whom we see as the true embodiment of above and below. A true Queen.

Herbs and Psalms... Healing with the Psalter

Through the centuries cunning men and women cast healing spells using herbs, blessed waters, and many potions derived from the natural world. When Christianity started to take hold, many practitioners turned to a great wealth of magickal information most commonly known as The Psalms. They would prepare their mixtures and pray a particular Psalm over it to empower the components and speed them on their way to their intended purpose.

This practice became a very common feature of cunning sorcery and also helped get a pass from the local vicar or other church official. For if one were to be found using the "word of God" in their healing, then they couldn't be of the Devil. Could they? In nearly every home of a healer, you would find the family Bible. Chocked full of births, deaths, and healing formulas. Indications of which Psalm did what and which herbal preparation gave healing and wholeness to the subject. So in effect, these Bibles would become the grimoires of the natural sorcerer, or witch. Hiding in plain sight, if you will.

Thus the local parishioners would look at the cunning man or woman as an asset to the community and blessed of God. And many were of the Christian ilk, but many  more were of an older way and their gods were draped in the cloak of those in power. In the times when no one was listening, they would call to the Master of the Art, or the Mistress of the Path to open the ways and grant them power. The horned father would be asked to bless their path and guide their hands in their work. Of the Devil? Certainly to the uninformed and crazed church official, but that was never for their eyes. Only for the eyes of those of the same blood. The same path. The same gods.

There are many very good books on the subject of using Psalms in casting spells and performing healings. One of the most popular, especially with the Hoodoo folks, is The Power of the Psalms by Anna Riva. One of my personal favorites, which also includes a bit of Kabbalah, is Secrets of the Psalms by Godfrey A. Selig. It is a bit harder to find, but well worth the effort. Within the pages of the aforementioned books you will find many uses that could take a person down a long road of craft and cunning. To some using the works of Christianity seems incongruous with the pagan path of witchery, but remember this... Power is power. Here is an example of using an herb in healing a cut from my families store of knowledge, though the language is somewhat archaic, it lends itself to the mystical use -

 "This physick I know from old times for hurts of the flesh... Take ye of an amount Old Man's Pepper and press it into the wound. Look to the North saying -

'To the lands of the departed do I cast my minds eye. Draw back the flow and staunch the flood. Hold and Heal. Wend and wane. And keep ye safe from harm.'

Recite Psalm 147 and the malady shall be remedied."

Note: The secrets of  using the Psalms is to know which passages to utter in concordance with the purpose intended.

Somewhat simple, but used for years to heal cuts and scrapes and stop the bleeding of various wounds. Old Man's Pepper is an old name for Yarrow. A very efficacious herb. And I, personally, have benefited from this spell when I was but a child. Try it and look into use of the Psalms in your work, you may be surprised at how powerful you can be.

Until next time....

Announcement - Traditional Witchcraft Class Series

Arcanus is very pleased to announce this exciting upcoming series of classes on Traditional Witchcraft. This course takes you through all of the aspects needed to begin your journey along the path of lifestyle Witchcraft, and provides enough material and tools to truly set you on the path of right life. Along with expert tuition, tools and hand-outs, a certificate is provided upon successful completion.

This course is slated to begin in early February 2014. Classes will be two hours in length, and will be held once a week for six weeks. We will be accepting a minimum of four students and a maximum of eight. As soon as we have the attendee list formed, we will verify the best time and day of the week for all involved.

Traditional Witchcraft Synopsis -

        Class 1 – The Base - History, Lore, and Tradition 

Class 2 – The Tools -  Stones, Bones, and Herbology 

Class 3 – The Players -  Gods, Spirits, and the Dead 

Class 4 – The Light -  Divination, Spells and Charms 

Class 5 – The Dark -  Ethics, Hexes, Curses and Familiars 

Class 6 – Your Beginning -  Initiation, Ritual, and Communion

Tuition for the Traditional Witchcraft course is only $240, which covers all classes, plus all hand outs, tools and baubles that will be given away. (For those that have taken previous classes, be assured that there is very little overlap in this course). 

You may enroll now by visiting this page:

http://www.arcanusmagickus.com/Classes.html 

If you have any questions prior to enrolling, please call David at (303) 800-5793.

See You There!