Folk Magick

AMBER- Golden Amber has the folk name of mothers tears, or the goddesses tears in this country. Sometimes even Gaia's sweat. (Gaia is the mythological spirit of Mother Earth). The beautiful golden resin from trees often has insects, leaves, seeds or scales trapped in it. It contains part of the earth. It is best known for protecting children, mothers, and those who wish to be mothers. Amber can be melted and used in perfume or incense or oils. Its smell is supposed to ease the pain of labour. An amber stone found on the seashore will bring the comfort of the mother or goddess to whoever  finds it.
 

CENTRE PLACE-  A new home would be built around the hearthstone which in those days was in the centre of the room, with just a hole in the roof to let the smoke out. The hearthstone was crafted by hand by a stonemason who would endow the stone with the power of protection. The stone would be the families centre place, where all was safe. Ghouls, ghosts, and other evil creatures could not go near it, and the stone gathered power with each new generation, making the family strong, powerful, and protected.
 

CHANGELINGS- Changeling babies were thought to be the children of the fairy folk. A human child left unprotected in its cot or cradle could be stolen by an elven fairy mother, leaving her own changeling child in the crib.Changeling babies were ugly, and often weak and sick. Fairy mothers thought that they had a better chance being brought up and suckled by the human mother. The human child would be brought up by the fairy folk, and often became a servant in the fairy household. To protect the crib and the baby from the fairy folk, Rowan and mistletoe was tied to the crib or cradle. And iron in the form of a knife was placed under the mattress of the crib. Silver or horn baby rattles with tiny bells were also supposed to protect the child. Once the mother had stopped bleeding, six to 8 weeks after the birth, the danger was over. But a mother with a changeling child, was left to bring up a baby that was ugly and sick. They would gradually become more human, and they would strengthen. But the changeling child would always be fey, and often had the second sight, passing it down to their own children, and their children's children. According to folk tale, that is how 'second sight' became a part of humanity, by the interbreeding between human and changeling. How many of us, I wonder, have been touched by the fairy folk.
 

HOUSE LEEKS-  A turf roof would be planted with house leek to keep evil spirits away, these days a house leek is often planted near the front and back door of  a craft home to do the same job. It was also said you would never lose your home if house leek guarded it, and house leek is almost impossible to transplant, once settled.
 

LEY LINES- Ley lines were once called the old paths, and were never interfered with in any way. They became safe roads for travelers in ancient times when the old peoples could use their energy to travel like a bird along them. Merlin Ambrosius in legend used the ley lines to float the great stones from Wales to make Stonehenge. A crystal set into a ley line would reflect the line back on itself and eventually destroy it. Ley lines will go under or around any blockage in time. It might take centuries, but the energy will always find a way. Ley pools were a great source of energy, and often formed where major ley lines meet. Stonehenge is on one of those pools, as is the valley of Glastonbury (once thought to be the site of Avalon before the valley was drained).
 

MAY FLOWERS- May flowers were never brought indoors. These flowers were thought to be a source of the old wild magic, and therefore not suitable for a home. Though they were used to decorate the top of a maypole to draw the wild magic into the maidens dancing below.
 

MAYPOLE- The Maypole was a pagan phallic symbol of fertility. It was often dedicated to the horned god. The strings or ribbons of many colours were plaited by young maids in the first bloom of their womanhood, This was the rites of spring to ensure the fertility of the land and it's people. The virgin chosen to be May Queen would at one time have been sacrificed to the god, so loosing your virginity was of importance. It
might be a great honour to be chosen to be the Queen of the May, but many girls found getting pregnant a lot less life threatening. The strings or ribbons were plaited round the maypole in different patterns depending on the town or village. Each would have their own very individual pattern. Originally the strings would have been vines or springy twigs knotted together to form a long leafy ribbon. Later they would have been made of string with leaves attached. Eventually they were replaced with pretty silk ribbons in soft colours swirling round the maypole with the girls dancing in and out of the ribbons in an orchestrated pattern. Sometimes there were several rings of girls, with the older girls on the outside, and the younger on the inside ring. For the younger girls the plaiting was simple, but the older girls would be coached for weeks to weave a pattern that was beautiful. If the pole was plaited well and without breaking any of the ribbons, it would bring great good luck to the village. May blossom was placed on top of the pole, and worn as wreaths and garlands by those girls taking part in the maypole dance. May flowers were thought to contain the old wild magic, and the flowers would flutter down on the girls below and sometimes onto the audience, bringing a touch of wild magic into their lives. There was no evading the old wild magic, it could not be tamed or diverted, which is why May flowers were never brought into the home. After the celebration, many of the older maids would be virgins no more. It was quite a party and went on well into the night with blazing bonfires lighting the village, and dark shadows to welcome the lovers. Captured girls were often used as May Queens to save using the communities own women. War prize, slaves, or girls bought in the market places, were destined to die for the god, to bring the village good luck, prosperity, and to please their deity and beg his fertility for the coming  year. How pleased he was with the sudden arrival of hundreds of crying, frightened young girls is anyone's guess. The modern May Day festival is a very flaccid affair compared to the original, or even to those fifty years ago. It has become a school project to keep old customs alive. A place for morris dancers and fair grounds, proud mums and dads, and tourists. The white clad girls often look as if they were going to a ballet class. They still use May flowers in some communities, but mostly these days the wreaths and garlands are plastic or silk and colour is creeping into the May day dresses and garlands. The ribbons are often fluorescent (and cheap and nasty), unlike the pastel or white silk ribbons of half a century ago. But there are some revivalists who stick to the original Maypole crowned with May flowers, the vines and twigs to make ribbons, and the girls in white dresses and garlands of May, the bonfires and party atmosphere.The girls are older, and unlikely to be virgins. 18 to 20 years is the usual age of the dancers. And the wild sex romps quite often still go on in the shadows of the bonfires, though the girls these days will say no and mean it if they don't  want a romp in the hay with the first man who catches them. It's usually  well set up with the boyfriend in the audience. But even seeing it recreated, it is a wild and beautiful festival and some of the original magic comes through. Though if you are older, it's time to retire to a comfortable log, upturn a glass, and chatter about old memories and the delights of other May days. To watch white clad young girls dancing round a maypole at a local village green where the old traditions linger is a delight. The fluttering May flowers, the whole village gathered for the rites of spring, it's beautiful.  But it lacks the wildness of the original, quite properly in this day and age when tiny girls are attached happily to the ribbons. The wild and very natural festival is not for the children who now play at May day, and enjoy it very much. They need to be protected. For those who recreate the original festival (without the sacrifice), its wild and deep, and the magic is still there. It touches you more than you would imagine.
 

MIRROR MAGIC-  A Mirror of any size placed opposite your front door will reflect back and out of the door any evil that comes in.
 

PEACOCK  FEATHERS- Peacock Feathers either worn or as Decoration in your home are thought to be very unlucky. The eye shape on the Feathers was a representation of the evil eye, in other words sympathetic magic.
 

ANTS-  If you have ants in your home, wash surfaces and floor with a little tea tree oil (you can add to a small amount of water). Do this regularly for a few weeks and put tea tree oil on the step, and you should have very few problems.
 

BITES, SUNBURN and STINGS.- Cut a raw potato in half and spread the sap over the sunburned area. It will immediately cool and relieve the pain. Use as often as needed. Aloe Vera tisane. When the tea is cool, sponge the area of sunburn with the tea. Can also be used to relieve nettle stings and insect bites. Camomile. Use the sap of fresh Camomile diluted in warm water on the sunburned area, or use dried Camomile in a tisane and sponge onto area affected. Also relieves nettle stings and insect bites, soothes chapped skin, and is some help on certain types of acne.
 

BURNS AND SCALDS.- Witchhazel dabbed onto minor burns and scolds will help them heal more quickly, and reduces blistering and scaring.
 

CAR SICKNESS-  Bruise a sprig of mint and place it in the car where the air will reach it. It relieves car sickness very well.
 

MOUTH GUARD- Chew fresh parsley, to get rid of the odour of tobacco, onions, garlic, and other strong smells, from your breath. It works fast, and leaves your mouth tasting and smelling sweet and clean.
 

REMOVING STRONG ODOURS- Cut a large strongly flavoured onion into thick slices. Put the slices on a tray, semi-immerse in cold water with only the tops of the onion slices exposed to the air. Leave until odour clears, then remove onion, open windows, and freshen room with flowers of pot pourie.
 

SORE FEET- Cut a raw potato in half. Use the sap on sore or aching feet for immediate relieve. Use as often as needed. Raw potato also helps to toughen feet that are too soft.
 

CURING WARTS.- Mullein flowers. Rub the small yellow flowers onto the wart, or slip a few bruised flowers inside an elastoplast and keep renewing until the wart disappears. Dandelion Milk. Cut the stem of a Dandelion and squeeze the sap onto the wart. Rub in gently. Repeat for several days.      Raw meat. Use a small square of meat, rub it into the wart firmly, then     bury the meat in the garden. Visualise the meat being the wart. As the     meat breaks down the wart will disappear. Silver coin. Rub a silver coin on the wart, visualising both as one, then bury the coin in the garden. As the silver tarnishes, the wart will disappear.