sheydmade

[sheydmade]

the People's Magic: An Examination of Folk Magic

by Keziah

What is folk magic? Why is there such a boom in modern resurgence? What’s the big deal and why do people talk like it’s so deep? Well, folk magic is that deep. An array of magical practices rooted in the preservation and stewardship of cultural, regional, familial, ancestral, traditional use of magic as a means of tending and serving ourselves and others — folk magic may have the humblest of roots, but those roots run deep and the crafts that have grown from those roots have always been a vehicle of change for individuals in need, a way of providing care and mutual aid to those with no other means of accessing such things, and, yes, in many practices, folk magic is also a means of pursuing and distributing justice for those for whom the systems of justice were not built to serve.

In this piece, we’ll explore the meanings and applications of folk magic and other associated terms, the misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding folk magic in modern day, common problems plaguing the folk magical community at large, and the modern resurgence in the practice of folk magical crafts, as well as the importance of keeping folk magical crafts alive and thriving. Bear in mind, this piece is not a how to. Rather, this piece is more of a why for.

What is Folk Magic?

The People’s Magic

Folk magic applies to living traditions passed down (traditionally this was done orally, through familial links, or through informal apprenticeship/mentorship arrangements) through time and generations, bearing a significant connection to a region, community, or people. Thus, folk witches are those that practice magic or healing (most often non-ceremonial magic) rooted within the traditional customs of a specific region, religion, ethnicity, culture, or community with which the practitioner has connection. While folk magic has existed in practice for longer than we can ever know, it is adapted over generations and centuries to meet the needs of a changing world and community. Though it’s adaptable and changeable, folk magic practices still maintain connection to and use of many of their “old” or traditional ingredients, tools, and beliefs, giving us a great number of folk magical practices that ride the line between old ways and modernity.

Folk magic is versatile, a broad field of magical, spiritual, and/or medicinal practice that belongs to no one belief, creed, tradition, or rule set. Simply put, folk magic is the people’s magic, magic that was always intended to be accessible to all, no matter their station or class, as opposed to High Magic and Ceremonial Magic, which was, historically, only accessible to the elite.

Folk magic as a term can be applied to a diverse range of magical practices and customs, coming from every corner of the world, and differing from region to region, culture to culture. Thus, what folk magic entails and what it looks like varies. Some crafts, even within different countries, share similarities in methodology, terminology, or belief (this is commonly due to cultural exchange and influence brought about by diasporic communities), but it’s often the case that even within one area you may find a variety of folk magical crafts. In the Southern United States, for example, there are a number of methods and practices that all fall within the realm of Southern folk magic, but the terminology, individual customs, herbal allies, and toolsets may (and frequently do) change from state to state and even from region to region within one state. Mountain magic, for example, will often differ from the magic of the plains, which differs still from the magic near the rivers, and so on, yet all may share ties and have been influenced by similar/the same Indigenous regional ancestors and/or diasporic groups from other lands.

Because folk magic is the people’s magic, it is often more accessible than Ceremonial and High Magic, using simpler methods and local plant allies, and relying on beliefs and customs of relevance to whatever particular region it hails from and the cultures within that region that have influenced the lore and customs there. Healing work, safeguarding crops, protecting cattle, bringing in business and bounty, reading omens and divining, communing with spirits, blessing homes, binding and baneful works — folk magic can be used to meet a wide range of needs, the needs of the common people; and folk craft practitioners (some of whom may never call or consider themselves a witch, as witchcraft was often seen as something different from folk craft across many cultures throughout history) come in just as wide a range, many bearing traditional terms and names for their individual crafts and ways while others have embraced the title of witch.

Folk Magic Around the World

No one can tell you definitively what folk magic, as a whole, looks like or what it entails, because that answer will change across communities and cultures. Anyone who claims otherwise is misrepresenting the concept of folk magic itself while also, whether deliberately or without realizing, erasing countless folk traditions around the world. Practices that one could identify under the umbrella of 'folk magic' exist and have existed throughout every culture in the world, and further back than we will ever know, though some will dispute this.

It goes by many names. It takes many shapes. And much of it isn’t something that the majority voice wants to acknowledge as being a folk magical tradition (this is largely due to Christian hegemony in action within witchcraft, magical, and spiritual media and communities, which we’ll explore in more depth in the section on Christian hegemony in modern folk magic).

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but some examples I’d like to provide of folk traditions around the world that can be (and in many cases are) deemed as magical tradition (while many will not use the term witchcraft) include (though is by no means limited to):

the Cunning Folk and Wise Folk of England, Scotland, and Wales;

Cornwall’s Pellars;

Sweden’s Klok Gumma and Klok Gubba;

the Th���y Bói, Thầy Pháp, Bà đồng, and Thầy Phù Thủy spiritual mediators, healers, and charmers of Vietnam;

the Granny Healers and Granny Witches of Appalachia;

Wales’ Knowing Men and Knowing Women, Cunning Men and Cunning Women;

Denmark’s Kloge Folk;

Ireland’s Bean Feasa/Fear Feasa, Wise Women and Wise Men;

the Charmers, Rootworkers, Conjure Doctors, Root Doctors, Witch Doctors, Conjurers, Traiteur/Traiteuse of the Southern United States;

the Sangoma healers, diviners and Inyanga herbalists of Southern Africa;

Italy’s Fattucchieri, Segnatori/Segnatrici, and Guaritori;

the Babaylan herbalists, diviners, healers, and faith healers of the Philippines;

the Nganga spiritual healers and diviners of Central Africa, Haiti, Brazil, and the Southern US;

the Pow-Wow practice of the Pennsylvania Dutch and Northern Appalachian peoples;

These customs are folk traditions, many are defined as being magical or mystical, and all are, by definition, forms of folk magic, though the terms witch and witchcraft are still taboo terms in some of these cultures and practices (and some cultures identify witchcraft as something separate from folk magical, mystical, and healing practices),so practitioners would never be defined as being witches.

There are countless other folk magical crafts and practices, far too many to list them all, but the point of this list is to illustrate that there is no one way that folk magical traditions look, no one way folk magic is practiced or perceived, and no one region, religion, or culture from which the world of folk magic was birthed. While much of what you’ll find in terms of resources online and in publication is now heavily saturated with Christian folk magic, it is incorrect to perpetuate the claim (which an unfortunately large number of people are convinced of) that folk magic is itself Christian in practice or in origin. There are, indeed, many paths of Christian folk magic, but it is quite simply not the case that all folk magic has Christian roots or has been Christianized, and that is a dangerous and offensive misrepresentation of folk magic as a whole.

A Source of Confusion: Folk Magic, Folkloric Witchcraft, Traditional Magic, & Traditional Witchcraft

One source of confusion, particularly in online spaces, is in regard to the terms ‘folk magic,’ 'folkloric witchcraft,’ 'traditional magic,’ and 'Traditional Witchcraft.’ I’d like to take a moment to give a very simple, barebones rundown of what these terms mean and the crafts to which they can be applied, in order to clear up some of the misunderstanding.

FOLK MAGIC & TRADITIONAL MAGIC

Firstly, folk magic and traditional magic (not to be confused with Traditional Witchcraft, on which I’ll touch in but a moment) are general, umbrella terms. They are not applied to one specific craft but rather are used to classify or describe a wide range of practices. It’s like how the term math applies to the general field of mathematics, but there are countless mathematical methods within that field, this is how the terms folk magic and traditional magic are also used.

Folk magic is, as I’ve said before, a magical craft shared by a common folk of a particular region, ethnicity, religion, culture, etc; while traditional magic is a term that is sometimes used to describe practices that are simply systems or crafts of magic that a) are, like folk magic, generally rooted in particular regional beliefs or practice, and/or b) usually have origins in practices (which can sometimes be folkloric roots or even folk magic roots) that pre-date the founding of Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft. While traditional magic isn’t as commonly used as folk magic, you’ll still hear or see a fair few practitioners defining their practice as a traditional magic practice, and none of them do so with the intention of confusing traditional magic with Traditional Witchcraft. Indeed, many may not even be aware that Traditional Witchcraft is a separate term with its own meaning.

That’s where the confusion comes in — the term traditional magic is often conflated with the system of Traditional Witchcraft, which has led to the issue of Traditional Witchcraft being misrepresented as a form of folk magic, as traditional magic has been, by some, used interchangeably with the term folk magic (albeit far less commonly than folk magic is used). Simply, traditional magic and Traditional Witchcraft are two different terms that, understandably, have led to confusion and, in some cases, inadvertent misrepresentation.

TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT

Traditional Witchcraft (sometimes also called Traditional Craft) applies to specific systems of magical practice, typically initiatory, and often Neo-Pagan or Neo-Druidic, though there are some antitheist, agnostic, and Luciferian practices within the broader realm of Traditional Witchcraft. A more specific definition for Traditional Witchcraft given by Dr. Ethan Doyle White, a religious studies scholar and noted author on esoteric subjects, follows —

’…a broad movement of aligned magico-religious groups who reject any relation to Gardnerianism and the wider Wiccan movement, claiming older, more “traditional” roots. Although typically united by a shared aesthetic rooted in European folklore, the Traditional Craft contains within its ranks a rich and varied array of occult groups, from those who follow a contemporary Pagan path that is suspiciously similar to Wicca, to those who adhere to Luciferianism.’

The term Traditional Witchcraft is typically applied to a variety of systems, most of which were founded from 1950-1970. Systems and practices such as the Sabbatic Craft, Cochrane’s Craft and the Clan of Tubal Cane, and crafts that fall within the realm of the Crooked Path, to name just a few, are all considered schools of Traditional Witchcraft.

Because much of Traditional Witchcraft falls in the line of Ceremonial and High Magic, some feel that it not only doesn’t fit with folk magic but, at its core and roots, sits in opposition to folk magic, which is the magic of the common people, not the magic of the elite, not magic locked away behind hierarchies, initiatory systems, and the like. There are, however, some practitioners of Traditional Witchcraft who also practice forms of folk magic as well and who may identify with both labels.

FOLKLORIC WITCHCRAFT

Folkloric witchcraft is another general term than can be applied to a number of practices. Any practice with roots in folkloric belief or symbolism can be described as folkloric witchcraft, which means there is a lot of overlap across practices as to what falls under this classification. Because of the broad array of crafts to which this term applies, folkloric witchcraft has accidentally ended up adding to the confusion of what is or isn’t folk magic.

Folk magic can often be considered folkloric witchcraft, as can some forms of Traditional Witchcraft and traditional magic. Often, the term folkloric witchcraft isn’t purposely misused or misapplied, but can end up confusing and misleading some readers unfamiliar with the great variety of crafts to which this term can be applied.

To summarize —

Folk magic and traditional magic are used interchangeably by some practitioners and writers.

Some traditional magic may also be folk magic or find roots in folk magic, but not all traditional magic does.

Traditional magic and Traditional Witchcraft are two different terms often confused for each other.

Traditional Witchcraft is applied to systems of magical craft (most often initiatory and ceremonial) usually founded from 1950-1970 and is not a form of folk magic.

Folkloric witchcraft is a descriptive term that can be applied to any magical practice (be it contemporary, ceremonial, folk, traditional, or Traditional) that is rooted in, reliant on, or heavily influenced by folkloric beliefs, symbols, figures, and/or tales.

Christian Hegemony in the Realm of Modern Folk Magic

I’d like to preface this section by stating very clearly that there is nothing wrong with being a Christian folk witch. There are many folk magical paths woven through various Christian traditions, each rich with its own style and culture largely influenced by the regions in which they take their roots as well as in their Christian beliefs. Christian hegemony, though, cannot be denied within witchcraft and occult spaces, and this is a particularly relevant issue in folk magic communities. This section focuses on Christian hegemony in action, what it is, and how it directly impacts diverse and minority communities.

There are many of us who have heard the term Christian hegemony used, particularly within political spheres, but who may not have a clear understanding of what exactly it means aside from the broader definition of 'Christianity being utilized or weaponized as a means of enacting control over a situation, populous, individual, etc.’ To be far better detailed, Christian hegemony can be defined as —

“…the everyday, pervasive, and systematic set of Christian values and beliefs, individuals and institutions that dominate all aspects of our society through the social, political, economic, and cultural power they wield. […] Christian hegemony as a system of domination is complex, shifting, and operates through the agency of individuals, families, church communities, denominations, parachurch organizations, civil institutions, and through decisions made by members of the ruling class and power elite. Christian hegemony benefits all Christians, all those raised Christian, and those passing as Christian. However, the concentration of power, wealth, and privilege under Christian hegemony accumulates to the ruling class and the predominantly white male Christian power elite that serve its interests. All people who are not Christian […] experience social, political, and economic exploitation, violence, cultural appropriation, marginalization, alienation and constant vulnerability from the dominance of Christian power and values in our society.” -per Challenging Christian Hegemony

Christian hegemony absolutely impacts witchcraft and always has in a number of ways, but what does this look like in modern witchcraft communities? Well, Christian hegemony is enacted within the witchcraft community in a variety of ways — holding all practitioners to standards of practice and behavior either admonished or supported by the general Christian narrative; speaking over non-Christian practitioners; partaking in practices, symbols, customs, etc. that were stolen from non-Christian practitioners and have now been claimed as Christian; upholding theft by Christians from non-Christian practices (theft of practices, texts, symbols, etc.); erasure of non-Christian/non-Christian influenced beliefs and practices… The list really is endless and, unfortunately, Christian hegemony remains a pervasive problem within the broader witchcraft community.

But how does it impact folk magic in particular? One need only scroll through a community board or a comment section on any article or post pertaining to folk magic to see for themselves the inferring that all folk magic has a Christian connection, and, in more extreme cases, the active push and insistence that this is the case and the accusations of inauthentic practices or stolen wisdom hurled toward non-Christian folk magic practitioners.

Unfortunately, you’ll find plenty of practitioners claiming that folk magic is strictly Christian and that the term itself applies solely to Christian magic, and that non-Christian practitioners using the term folk magic are interlopers and usurpers of customs that they “don’t have any right or claim to.” That simply isn’t the case. Folk magic is bigger than any one religion, and the term is a general identifier, a classifier of a type of magic, not a name that is applied to one particular belief set. Some folk magic is Christian or Christianized, but some is not. For instance, there are forms of Jewish folk magical practices, Pagan folk magical practices, Buddhist folk magical practices, non-religious folk magical practices, and a wide array of other non-Christian paths of folk magic. To say or believe otherwise is to actively participate in the erasure of non-Christian beliefs and practices.

Christian hegemony may seem to those who don’t suffer the negative impacts of it little more than an annoyance, but when a decently large portion of the witchcraft and occult communities’ Christian/formerly Christian but still maintaining Christian programming/Christian-influenced voices actively seek to push non-Christian/not Christian enough practitioners out, to speak over or “for” non-Christian practitioners, to “borrow” from non-Christian customs and beliefs and claim them as their own, and/or to actively promote the narrative that “folk magic = Christian”, we then have traversed far beyond the realm of annoyances and into the realm of harmful and dangerously problematic behavior, the ramifications of which (i.e. erasure and exclusion of/theft from minority voices and communities within witchcraft spaces) nearly never impacts the majority of the Christian community while greatly and negatively impacting already othered and marginalized peoples.

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a Christian folk witch, and there are many folk magical traditions rooted within Christianity and practiced throughout various Christian-majority regions. Simply writing and speaking about Christian folk magic, practicing it, sharing your love and pride in your practice, educating about it — none of this is Christian hegemony. The problem comes when one represents Christian folk magic as the standard for folk magic, when one perpetuates the claims that other forms of folk magic all find their roots in Christian folk magic or have “borrowed from” Christian folk magic, when one partakes in the erasure of, theft from, or talking over practitioners of non-Christian folk magical crafts, or when one cannot unlearn their Christian biases and continues to judge others by those biases or hold others to those standards — these are all very commonly seen forms of Christian hegemony in action within the modern day folk magic community.

I’ll wrap up this section by stating that to attempt to represent all folk magic as being connected to or birthed from any one religion is wrong and offensive. When we do so, we not only disregard so many within the witchcraft community and practitioners outside of the witchcraft community all around the world, but we also disregard and erase the histories of countless cultures, peoples, and communities outside of our own.

the Modern Resurgence

It’s no secret (nor is it much of a surprise) to see such a large amount of genuine and sincere practitioners finding their way back to folk crafts. You may ask why, and the answer (in my opinion) is a long one. The condensed version though, I believe, is that the rise in the return to folk craft is due to a number of factors (political, economic, and sociological) both in and outside of the witchcraft community.

Over the last 10+ years, the interest in connection with one’s authentic roots has grown. DNA testing services for ancestry and genealogy purposes have profited massively off this interest, and a number of networks and organizations have popped up online that aim to help others learn how to research their familial backgrounds, as well as to learn more about the histories and cultures from which one hails.

These trends exist within the witchcraft community as well, and such topics have long been at the forefront of many magical community spaces, in part leading to the broader magical community’s slow crawl toward realizing and addressing unethical tendencies and problematic foundations within many popular practices and systems within the world of witchcraft and within groups who overlap with the broader witchcraft community. Some who have left behind these magical systems and their communities have had to start from the bottom in learning an entirely new craft, and many have opted for taking on folk magic going forward.

Seeking Connection:

Delving into folk magic requires connection — connection to community, region, or ancestors; connection to the world around you; connection to oneself — and, indeed, strengthens connection and understanding in practitioners. Whether learning about folk magic leads to learning about oneself, or whether learning about one’s background leads to folk magic, the end results can be a fulfilling and empowering thing, and can make for a beautiful, wholly authentic practice.

A decent chunk of practitioners finding their way to folk magic over the last few years have done so in an attempt to better connect with and embrace their own cultural histories and heritage, or to keep alive practices and customs associated with their cultural or familial backgrounds. There are also those who utilize folk magic as a means of ancestral connection or even ancestral veneration, keeping and tending a craft being no different or perhaps more effective than keeping and tending a shrine or grave.

Folk magic as a means of connection is any and all of these things — a vehicle for learning, understanding, and forging deeper connection, and a means of stewardship for cultural and familial history.

The Pursuit of Decolonization & Ethical Practice:

One reason we’ve seen such a surge in interest in folk magic amongst younger generations is due to the ability such generations have to address difficult topics such as cultural appropriation, decolonization, and intersectional community building, conversations which, doubtlessly, have led many to understand and acknowledge problematic behaviors of their own, such as appropriation of other cultures or lack of knowledge in their own cultural backgrounds leading to ignorant actions towards others, and to attempt to address these issues and unlearn such behaviors; but also leading many to recognize problematic and harmful beliefs, practices, and behaviors across the world of witchcraft and within many popular magical and occult practices.

While many work to decolonize witchcraft on a large scale, some choose to start close to home, looking at their own connections to practices that are built on harmful frameworks or maintain and contribute to harmful, unethical issues within the witchcraft community. Some call this willful introspection and unlearning an act of decolonization, and many attempts to decolonize one’s own mind, lifestyles, beliefs, and behaviors have led to seeking knowledge about one’s background, one’s ancestors, and the cultural world and behaviors of said ancestors.

For many practitioners of witchcraft and magic on such journeys, those roads have led them to discovering, studying, or taking up folk magic accessible to them through their own backgrounds or regional connections, as they find folk magic and building a craft around culturally rich beliefs and customs to which they are connected to be not only more authentic a practice for them, but to be something they feel is more ethical for them take part in, as well as being a means of healing (ancestral healing, cultural healing, etc.), all of which furthers their pursuit of attempting to unlearn colonialist narratives, behaviors, and ideologies that have influenced many magical and occult practices and communities.

The Importance of Folk Magic & Embracing Newcomers

Folk magic is so much more than “just another magical path” or “just another witchcraft style.” Folk magic is a means of keeping history alive, of keeping ancestral wisdom alive and in practice, of forging and enacting class solidarity through accessible, anti-elitist, anti-hierarchical practices, and of standing against a world where diversity is not valued, standing against a witchcraft community in which the mainstream would much rather we get in line with whatever commercialized, watered down, syncretized amalgamation of magic they’re currently selling, because they’d rather us shut up and pay up, buying into their insistence that magic is a pay-to-play system that can only be accessed through their products, their services, their connections.

To be a practitioner of folk magic is to walk the paths of historian, environmentalist, community advocate, healer, charmer, protector, crafter, and so much more all at once. Folk magic practitioners are keepers of the old ways, working to meet the needs of today’s folk, and paving the way, keeping the fires going, for future generations of folk witches, all through authentic, adaptable practice that feeds the soul, cures what ails you, and makes right what’s wrong.

To those already practicing and keeping folk magical traditions, I commend you for your work and dedication. And to those who may be taking their first steps on the path toward folk magical practice, I welcome you. So long as you come with genuine intentions, with willingness to do the work and to protect the sacred, you’re welcomed, wanted, and needed. I wish you well on your journeys.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING/LISTENING/VIEWING:

The majority of this post is the author's own opinion and interpretation based on experience in this field of witchcraft and magical community, and on the author's own research. Readers are welcome to conduct their own research on such topics and histories and come to their own conclusions.

'African Traditional Religion' - Lugira, Aloysius Muzzanganda

'An Historical Essay Concerning Witchcraft' - Hutchinson, Francis

'Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic' - Wilby, Emma

'Cunning-Folk: Popular Magic in English History' - Davies, Owen

'Des Remèdes Aux Traiteurs: An Introduction to Folk Medicine in French Louisiana' - Lançon, John Adrian

'The Divine Eye and the Diaspora: Vietnamese Syncretism Becomes Transpacific Caodaism' - Jammes, Jerémy

'French Louisiana Traiteurs' - Swett, Julia

'Good For What Ails You' - 1998 documentary

'Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure' - Anderson, Jeffrey E.; Prof.

'Italian Cunning Craft: Some Preliminary Observations' - Maglicco, Sabina

'« Je jongle au Bon Dieu quand je traite » : Verbal and Herbal Healing in Francophone Louisiana' - Gavot, Dana David

'Mojo Workin': the Old African American Hoodoo System' - Hazzard-Donald, Katrina; Prof. / Dr.

'Religion and the Decline of Magic: Studies in Popular Beliefs in 16th and 17th Century England' - Thomas, Keith

'Rituals of Resistance: African Atlantic Religion in Kongo and the Lowcountry South in the Era of Slavery' -Young, Jason

'Signs, Cures, and Witchery: German Appalachian Folklore' - Milnes, Gerald

'the Soul Book: Introduction to Philippine Pagan Religion' - Demetrio, Franciso R. / Cordero-Fernando, Gilda / Nakpil-Zialcita, Roberto B. / Feleo, Fernando

'Traiteurs' - Gavot, Dana David

'Vietnamese Supernaturalism: Views from the Southern Region' - Đõ̂, Thiện

'Way of the Ancient Healer: Sacred Teaching from the Philippine Ancestral Traditions' - Virgil Mayor Apostol

'The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present' - Hutton, Ronald; Prof.

'Witch Doctors, Soothsayers, and Priests: On Cunning Folk in European Historiography and Tradition' - De Blécourt, Willem

[sheydmade]

I don't normally reblog here (especially not from my personal sideblog), but I'm whipping up something I'm so very stoked about and I can't wait to share it.

🦇🧿🦇 Finally working on a piece for sheydmade / hagstone + toadsbone that I've been wanting to write for actual years. Full of Jewish folk tradition goodness. 🦇🧿🦇

[sheydmade]

Hagstone + Toadsbone

I'm so excited to share a new online community for practitioners and students of folk, folkloric, and traditional magical paths — Hagstone + Toadsbone! 🕯️

We are a small community dedicated to the study and practice of folk and traditional magic. This is a place to share resources, ask questions, talk about your day-to-day witchy pursuits and get support as you navigate your magical path.

With the goals of building community, supporting fellow folk, folkloric and traditional practitioners, and sharing resources, discussion, and the like, Hagstone + Toadsbone aims to provide a safe community space (with a manual application and verification system) for folk, folkloric, and traditional witches of all ilk, creed, and background (excluding bigots), while also carving out private channels for BIPOC witches and LGBTQIA+ witches, as well as for practitioners of closed folk magical practices (yes, my fellow Jewish folk witches, there is also a private space for us).

INVITE LINK: Hagstone + Toadsbone

While I'm not the creator of this discord server, I am one of the mods and am close, long-time friends with the creator and can vouch for their intentions and their commitment to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled friendly community, as well as their commitment to keeping a respectful, safe space for all.

If you have ANY questions about this server or community, feel free to drop them in my ask box or in the comments below! Hope to see some of y'all there!

Again, here's the invite link for those interested in applying to join: Hagstone + Toadsbone

[sheydmade]

A Soul! A Soul! A Soul Cake!: Traditional Spirit Offerings for Allhallowtide, Samhain, & Halloween

by Keziah

It’s that time of year again. In the northern hemisphere, Summer is slowly slipping by, making way for darkening days, longer nights, and the incoming of autumn. For some practitioners of witchcraft and folk magical traditions, preparations for Samhain, Halloween, and Allhallowtide are already underway. With each passing year, more and more witches are incorporating folk customs in their magical works and practices, and bringing traditional ways into one’s holiday commemorations is a great way to do this. There are many traditional and folk customs one can partake in for Samhain, Allhallowtide, and Halloween, and one of these practices is that of the soul cake — small cakes (though more like cookies/biscuits or crackers than cakes) that are usually spiced and/or slightly sweetened.

The origins of soul cakes — also called souls, soul-mass cakes, somas cakes (in Stafford), saumas loaves (in Yorkshire) — are hotly debated. Some sources say they hail from pre-Christian practices as offerings to the souls of the dead, while other sources cite medieval Christian customs as the true roots. The latter narrative is the more widely accepted of the two. Whatever their origin, the baking of soul cakes as an offering or gift to the those of the Otherworld — be they the souls of those passed on, spirits, sìth, or the like — is still practiced in some regions around the world today and is making a comeback among in the magical community amongst practitioners of folk magics of Britain, those who have ancestral ties to those regions, and amongst practitioners of folk Christianity, particularly European folk Christian customs.

In this post, we’ll explore a few different versions of soul cakes, sharing recipes and exploring their different purposes. Let’s dig in!

THE PURPOSES OF SOUL CAKES

These spiced cakes, breads, or cookies are prepared as gifts for soulers at Allhallowtide (the days of All Saints’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day) and as part of the Halloween, Samhain, and Yuletide celebrations and observances of many.

As offerings to the deceased:

Soul cakes can be prepared and placed on ancestral altars or graves as an offering to the dead. In Wales, they're also left outside the home or on the hearth as offerings to the spirits of loved ones and family members who've passed.

In return for prayers:

The Christian custom of souling was practiced (and still is in some areas) during Allhallowtide (most commonly on All Saints’ Day or Hallowmass) and Christmastide. Soulers, usually gathered in groups to walk the streets of their neighborhoods, going from door to door and offering prayers for the household or for the souls of the deceased family members and friends of the household members, and singing songs, playing instruments, and chanting. In return, they were given soul cakes from each house they visited.

As gifts for poorer community members:

Traditionally, souling parties were usually made up of children and those within the community that were not as financially secure. Soul cakes were not only given to those in need who came souling, but they were also commonly donated to the poor or to churches who could oversee the distributing of soul cakes to those in need. In some Christian traditions, the cakes are blessed by a priest before being distributed.

In exchange for protection:

In some communities in the United States, particularly Southern communities with ancestral ties to Britain, cakes and cookies, including regional treats that share similarities with British soul cakes and likely find their origin in the custom of soul cakes, are prepared to be given as an offering to spirits during the days surrounding Samhain, Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. Such treats were left on windowsills, porches, and stoops (and usually were set out along with a glass or bottle of some alcoholic beverage, typically wine or whiskey) as gifts for the wandering spirits in hopes that they’ll then be deterred from entering the household.

Likewise, such treats can be prepared as offerings to land spirits, faeries, the little people, and so on. It was believed by some that doing this would bring luck to the household as well as protect the home and those within from any malevolent spirits on the roam.

SOUL CAKES AROUND THE WORLD

Souling, believed by many to have been a predecessor of modern-day trick-or-treating, is a tradition that can be found amongst Christians in various regions around the world, and the spiced soul cakes (typically filled with allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) of British custom aren't the only treat on offer.

In the Philippines (more commonly within rural communities), souling is called pangangaluwa and takes place on Halloween. Instead of the cookie/biscuit like soul cakes of the Brits, kakanin — what's typically described as a traditional Filipino rice cake — is customarily given to soulers. Aside from kakanin, it's also traditional to serve dishes or treats made from purple yams and sweet potatoes.

In Portugal, Pão-de-Deus is both the name of the souling tradition practiced throughout the country and the name of the region's soul-mass cakes. Pão-de-Deus is described as a Portuguese sweet bread or bun, often (though not always) with grated coconut included in the recipe. Souling takes place in Portugal on All Saints' Day, a custom mostly enjoyed by children and young teens. Aside from Pão-de-Deus, braos — anise spiced cakes — are given to soulers, as are candies and even money in some areas.

In Wales, the custom of souling was called hel solod and hel bwyd cennady meirw, which is said to mean the act of "collecting food of the messenger of the dead," and took place on All Souls' Eve. Souling traditions of Wales involved church services revolving around prayers for the souls of the dead, the donating of candles to churches, the preparation of pice rhanna soul cakes, and the leaving out of food on the stoop or on the hearth as an offering to the spirits of deceased relatives who were believed to come to one's home in the night. Pice rhanna were distributed to soulers, though some regions of Wales more commonly handed out bread and cheese or souly cakes, which were small spiced buns, often containing dried fruit or nuts.

RECIPES

Here are a pair of soul cake recipes (following a couple of the British traditions) that I've tried my hand at, and I've included a variety of other soul cake recipes below.

Oatcake Version:

Oatcakes were given out as soul cakes in some areas of Scotland, and in Lancashire and Herefordshire in England. The oatcakes are flat and more like a cookie or thick cracker than a ‘cake’. Adding more water can make the oatcakes a little softer or chewier, and baking them a bit longer makes them drier and snappier.

Typically, oatcakes aren’t sweetened or spiced, but it’s usually said that those made as Soul Cakes/Somass Cakes were spiced at least a bit and sometimes slightly sweet. We’ll be sticking with the spiced, mildly sweetened recipe here. This recipe makes about 12 small cakes.

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups rolled oats

3 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. allspice

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ cup melted butter/vegan butter/margarine or oil

at least ½ cup of warm water (you can add more if your Soul Cake dough is a too dry for your liking)

What else you’ll need:

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Medium/Large bowl

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° (F). Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Whilst the oven is preheating, mix your dry ingredients (oats, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg) together in a bowl.

Press softened butter into the bowl, incorporating with the dry ingredients.

Add water bit-by-bit, mixing as you go, until a dough is formed. Remember, you can add more water for a chewier cake or if you feel your dough is too dry. Sometimes, overworking the dough or letting it sit for too long can dry the dough out, which produces a crumbly texture that flakes and isn’t as easy to work with. If this happens, you’ll want to add more water. We don’t want our dough too dry.

Sprinkle a dusting of flour on your table or countertop. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface as you work. Now, take your dough from the bowl and place it on your worksurface. Press the dough out, flattening it and spreading it out across the tabletop, until you’ve achieved the desired thickness of your dough. You’ll want the dough to be spread evenly. This will ensure the cakes bake evenly and all within the same amount of time.

Dust the rim of a cup, glass, or circular cookie cutter in flour. Use your chosen cutter to cut circles into your dough and place each cake you’ve cut onto your parchment-covered baking sheet.

Folk Christian customs call for carving the shape of a cross into the top of your Soul Cakes, so now is the time to do so if you like.

Bake. Thinner cakes typically take anywhere from 16-20 minutes, while thicker cakes can take 20-30 minutes. Check your cakes throughout. You can turn them over, if you like, about halfway through, ensuring an evenly golden Soul Cake on both sides. Bake until at least lightly golden.

Cool before eating.

What else can be added to these oatcake Soul Cakes? You can add seeds, dried fruits, and ground nuts to your dough. Dried fruits were a common addition to many variations of Soul Cakes.

Cookie Version:

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cups flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. cloves

¼ cup of dried fruit – i.e. raisins, currants, craisins, etc.

zest of a lemon or orange (optional)

½ cup softened butter/vegan butter/margarine

3 tbs. oil

3 tbs. water (can add more later if dough is too dry for your liking)

2 tbs. milk or vegan milk alternative (I like to use almond or cashew milk for these cookies)

What else you’ll need:

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Bowl

Directions:

Preheat over to 360° (F). Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix softened butter and sugar together in bowl until a fluffy concoction is formed.

Add the oil and water, incorporating well.

Mix in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Add your milk/vegan alternative and mix. Now, your dough will start to be formed.

Once a firm dough is starting to come together, add your (optional) lemon or orange zest and your dried fruit to the mix and stir. I recommend using your hands to incorporate the fruit into the dough, as this makes it easier (at least for me) to get an even distribution of fruit throughout.

Lightly sprinkle a tabletop or countertop with flour and spread the dough onto the floured surface. Roll or press your dough out to desired thickness.

Flour the rim of a cup, glass, or cookie cutter, and use your prepared cutter to carve out your round cookies. Place the cookies on the parchment papered baking sheet.

As with the oatcake version, now is the time to form the cross in the top of these cookies if you’re following a Folk Christian tradition. You can also add more dried fruit to the tops of the cookies in the shape of a cross.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked throughout.

Other recipes for Soul Cakes

Soul Cake Recipes for Samhain & Halloween - Sugar Maple Farm

Easy Traditional Soul Cakes - Fuss Free Flavours

Soul Cakes: the Original Halloween Treat - Downton Abbey Cooks

Kakanin:

Top 12 Best Filipino Kakanin Recipes - Panlasang Pinoy Recipes

7 Traditional Filipino Kakanin That Will Melt in Your Mouth - Chef Nip

Pão-de-Deus:

Pão-de-Deus: Traditional Portuguese Recipe - 196 Flavors

God's Bread (Pão-de-Deus) - Vegan Foundry

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

'Compendium of Symbolic and Ritual Plants in Europe' - Cleene, Marcel

'Fairs, Feasts and Frolics: Customs and Traditions in Yorkshire' - Smith, Julia

'Folklore of Wales' - Ross, Anne

'the Folklore, Superstitions and Legends of Birmingham and the West Midlands' - Brown, Richard

'Food, Feasts, and Faith: An Encyclopedia of Food Culture in World Religions' - Fieldhouse, Paul

'Kakanin: The Rich History of the Popular Filipino Rice Cakes, Explained' - Mahino, September Grace

'Lancashire Folklore: Illustrative of the Superstitious Beliefs and Practices, Local Customs and Usages of the People of the County Palatine' - Harland, John; Wilkinson, T.T.

'Legends and Lore of South Carolina' - Carmichael, Sherman

'North-Country Folklore in Lancashire, Cumbria and the Pennine Dales' - Lofthouse, Jessica

'Old English Customs Extant at the Present Time' - Ditchfield, Peter Hampson

'Soul-Cakes' - Dodge, Mary Mapes in St. Nicholas Magazina (1883 ed.)

'Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain' - Hutton, Ronald

'Pangangaluluwa: Reviving A Dying Custom' - Mallari, Delfin Jr.

[sheydmade]

🌺🌸💗🌸🌺 Happy Tu B'av, y'all. 🌺🌸💗🌸🌺

[sheydmade]

A big thank you to anyone sharing the repost, especially if you had already liked/shared the original and have come back to do so again. I really appreciate it. The original post is, unfortunately, in jail, possibly headed toward the tumblr abyss, after some malicious "trolling" (harassment) the account has been enduring behind the scenes, which, I believe and hope, has been dealt with for now. Nevertheless, I enjoy writing, so I won't stop. I enjoy sharing and posting here, and I enjoy connecting with all of you. I don't want my experience (or anyone else's) on sheydmade tarnished with "drama" or "tea" of any kind, so I won't be speaking further on the issue, but I hope it won't be a recurring problem and I hope those coming to sheydmade for the writing and for connecting with witchcraft, magic, and community therein those fields can continue to find a safe and welcoming home in this blog. I hope y'all are all well and that you enjoy the People's Magic: An Examination of Folk Magic. -Love to y'all! Keziah

Hey, y'all. I've received a few messages informing me that my most recent post on folk magic just disappeared from tumblr. Checking my posts, that seems to be the case. I'm not sure what happened here, but I'm looking into it. I may simply have to repost it. I appreciate those who reached out to let me know. Hopefully I can sort it out without reposting so no one that liked or reblogged it already loses the article, but we'll see.

[sheydmade]

the People's Magic: An Examination of Folk Magic

by Keziah

What is folk magic? Why is there such a boom in modern resurgence? What’s the big deal and why do people talk like it’s so deep? Well, folk magic is that deep. An array of magical practices rooted in the preservation and stewardship of cultural, regional, familial, ancestral, traditional use of magic as a means of tending and serving ourselves and others — folk magic may have the humblest of roots, but those roots run deep and the crafts that have grown from those roots have always been a vehicle of change for individuals in need, a way of providing care and mutual aid to those with no other means of accessing such things, and, yes, in many practices, folk magic is also a means of pursuing and distributing justice for those for whom the systems of justice were not built to serve.

In this piece, we’ll explore the meanings and applications of folk magic and other associated terms, the misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding folk magic in modern day, common problems plaguing the folk magical community at large, and the modern resurgence in the practice of folk magical crafts, as well as the importance of keeping folk magical crafts alive and thriving. Bear in mind, this piece is not a how to. Rather, this piece is more of a why for.

What is Folk Magic?

The People’s Magic

Folk magic applies to living traditions passed down (traditionally this was done orally, through familial links, or through informal apprenticeship/mentorship arrangements) through time and generations, bearing a significant connection to a region, community, or people. Thus, folk witches are those that practice magic or healing (most often non-ceremonial magic) rooted within the traditional customs of a specific region, religion, ethnicity, culture, or community with which the practitioner has connection. While folk magic has existed in practice for longer than we can ever know, it is adapted over generations and centuries to meet the needs of a changing world and community. Though it’s adaptable and changeable, folk magic practices still maintain connection to and use of many of their “old” or traditional ingredients, tools, and beliefs, giving us a great number of folk magical practices that ride the line between old ways and modernity.

Folk magic is versatile, a broad field of magical, spiritual, and/or medicinal practice that belongs to no one belief, creed, tradition, or rule set. Simply put, folk magic is the people’s magic, magic that was always intended to be accessible to all, no matter their station or class, as opposed to High Magic and Ceremonial Magic, which was, historically, only accessible to the elite.

Folk magic as a term can be applied to a diverse range of magical practices and customs, coming from every corner of the world, and differing from region to region, culture to culture. Thus, what folk magic entails and what it looks like varies. Some crafts, even within different countries, share similarities in methodology, terminology, or belief (this is commonly due to cultural exchange and influence brought about by diasporic communities), but it’s often the case that even within one area you may find a variety of folk magical crafts. In the Southern United States, for example, there are a number of methods and practices that all fall within the realm of Southern folk magic, but the terminology, individual customs, herbal allies, and toolsets may (and frequently do) change from state to state and even from region to region within one state. Mountain magic, for example, will often differ from the magic of the plains, which differs still from the magic near the rivers, and so on, yet all may share ties and have been influenced by similar/the same Indigenous regional ancestors and/or diasporic groups from other lands.

Because folk magic is the people’s magic, it is often more accessible than Ceremonial and High Magic, using simpler methods and local plant allies, and relying on beliefs and customs of relevance to whatever particular region it hails from and the cultures within that region that have influenced the lore and customs there. Healing work, safeguarding crops, protecting cattle, bringing in business and bounty, reading omens and divining, communing with spirits, blessing homes, binding and baneful works — folk magic can be used to meet a wide range of needs, the needs of the common people; and folk craft practitioners (some of whom may never call or consider themselves a witch, as witchcraft was often seen as something different from folk craft across many cultures throughout history) come in just as wide a range, many bearing traditional terms and names for their individual crafts and ways while others have embraced the title of witch.

Folk Magic Around the World

No one can tell you definitively what folk magic, as a whole, looks like or what it entails, because that answer will change across communities and cultures. Anyone who claims otherwise is misrepresenting the concept of folk magic itself while also, whether deliberately or without realizing, erasing countless folk traditions around the world. Practices that one could identify under the umbrella of 'folk magic' exist and have existed throughout every culture in the world, and further back than we will ever know, though some will dispute this.

It goes by many names. It takes many shapes. And much of it isn’t something that the majority voice wants to acknowledge as being a folk magical tradition (this is largely due to Christian hegemony in action within witchcraft, magical, and spiritual media and communities, which we’ll explore in more depth in the section on Christian hegemony in modern folk magic).

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but some examples I’d like to provide of folk traditions around the world that can be (and in many cases are) deemed as magical tradition (while many will not use the term witchcraft) include (though is by no means limited to):

the Cunning Folk and Wise Folk of England, Scotland, and Wales;

Cornwall’s Pellars;

Sweden’s Klok Gumma and Klok Gubba;

the Thầy Bói, Thầy Pháp, Bà đồng, and Thầy Phù Thủy spiritual mediators, healers, and charmers of Vietnam;

the Granny Healers and Granny Witches of Appalachia;

Wales’ Knowing Men and Knowing Women, Cunning Men and Cunning Women;

Denmark’s Kloge Folk;

Ireland’s Bean Feasa/Fear Feasa, Wise Women and Wise Men;

the Charmers, Rootworkers, Conjure Doctors, Root Doctors, Witch Doctors, Conjurers, Traiteur/Traiteuse of the Southern United States;

the Sangoma healers, diviners and Inyanga herbalists of Southern Africa;

Italy’s Fattucchieri, Segnatori/Segnatrici, and Guaritori;

the Babaylan herbalists, diviners, healers, and faith healers of the Philippines;

the Nganga spiritual healers and diviners of Central Africa, Haiti, Brazil, and the Southern US;

the Pow-Wow practice of the Pennsylvania Dutch and Northern Appalachian peoples;

These customs are folk traditions, many are defined as being magical or mystical, and all are, by definition, forms of folk magic, though the terms witch and witchcraft are still taboo terms in some of these cultures and practices (and some cultures identify witchcraft as something separate from folk magical, mystical, and healing practices),so practitioners would never be defined as being witches.

There are countless other folk magical crafts and practices, far too many to list them all, but the point of this list is to illustrate that there is no one way that folk magical traditions look, no one way folk magic is practiced or perceived, and no one region, religion, or culture from which the world of folk magic was birthed. While much of what you’ll find in terms of resources online and in publication is now heavily saturated with Christian folk magic, it is incorrect to perpetuate the claim (which an unfortunately large number of people are convinced of) that folk magic is itself Christian in practice or in origin. There are, indeed, many paths of Christian folk magic, but it is quite simply not the case that all folk magic has Christian roots or has been Christianized, and that is a dangerous and offensive misrepresentation of folk magic as a whole.

A Source of Confusion: Folk Magic, Folkloric Witchcraft, Traditional Magic, & Traditional Witchcraft

One source of confusion, particularly in online spaces, is in regard to the terms ‘folk magic,’ 'folkloric witchcraft,’ 'traditional magic,’ and 'Traditional Witchcraft.’ I’d like to take a moment to give a very simple, barebones rundown of what these terms mean and the crafts to which they can be applied, in order to clear up some of the misunderstanding.

FOLK MAGIC & TRADITIONAL MAGIC

Firstly, folk magic and traditional magic (not to be confused with Traditional Witchcraft, on which I’ll touch in but a moment) are general, umbrella terms. They are not applied to one specific craft but rather are used to classify or describe a wide range of practices. It’s like how the term math applies to the general field of mathematics, but there are countless mathematical methods within that field, this is how the terms folk magic and traditional magic are also used.

Folk magic is, as I’ve said before, a magical craft shared by a common folk of a particular region, ethnicity, religion, culture, etc; while traditional magic is a term that is sometimes used to describe practices that are simply systems or crafts of magic that a) are, like folk magic, generally rooted in particular regional beliefs or practice, and/or b) usually have origins in practices (which can sometimes be folkloric roots or even folk magic roots) that pre-date the founding of Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft. While traditional magic isn’t as commonly used as folk magic, you’ll still hear or see a fair few practitioners defining their practice as a traditional magic practice, and none of them do so with the intention of confusing traditional magic with Traditional Witchcraft. Indeed, many may not even be aware that Traditional Witchcraft is a separate term with its own meaning.

That’s where the confusion comes in — the term traditional magic is often conflated with the system of Traditional Witchcraft, which has led to the issue of Traditional Witchcraft being misrepresented as a form of folk magic, as traditional magic has been, by some, used interchangeably with the term folk magic (albeit far less commonly than folk magic is used). Simply, traditional magic and Traditional Witchcraft are two different terms that, understandably, have led to confusion and, in some cases, inadvertent misrepresentation.

TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT

Traditional Witchcraft (sometimes also called Traditional Craft) applies to specific systems of magical practice, typically initiatory, and often Neo-Pagan or Neo-Druidic, though there are some antitheist, agnostic, and Luciferian practices within the broader realm of Traditional Witchcraft. A more specific definition for Traditional Witchcraft given by Dr. Ethan Doyle White, a religious studies scholar and noted author on esoteric subjects, follows —

’…a broad movement of aligned magico-religious groups who reject any relation to Gardnerianism and the wider Wiccan movement, claiming older, more “traditional” roots. Although typically united by a shared aesthetic rooted in European folklore, the Traditional Craft contains within its ranks a rich and varied array of occult groups, from those who follow a contemporary Pagan path that is suspiciously similar to Wicca, to those who adhere to Luciferianism.’

The term Traditional Witchcraft is typically applied to a variety of systems, most of which were founded from 1950-1970. Systems and practices such as the Sabbatic Craft, Cochrane’s Craft and the Clan of Tubal Cane, and crafts that fall within the realm of the Crooked Path, to name just a few, are all considered schools of Traditional Witchcraft.

Because much of Traditional Witchcraft falls in the line of Ceremonial and High Magic, some feel that it not only doesn’t fit with folk magic but, at its core and roots, sits in opposition to folk magic, which is the magic of the common people, not the magic of the elite, not magic locked away behind hierarchies, initiatory systems, and the like. There are, however, some practitioners of Traditional Witchcraft who also practice forms of folk magic as well and who may identify with both labels.

FOLKLORIC WITCHCRAFT

Folkloric witchcraft is another general term than can be applied to a number of practices. Any practice with roots in folkloric belief or symbolism can be described as folkloric witchcraft, which means there is a lot of overlap across practices as to what falls under this classification. Because of the broad array of crafts to which this term applies, folkloric witchcraft has accidentally ended up adding to the confusion of what is or isn’t folk magic.

Folk magic can often be considered folkloric witchcraft, as can some forms of Traditional Witchcraft and traditional magic. Often, the term folkloric witchcraft isn’t purposely misused or misapplied, but can end up confusing and misleading some readers unfamiliar with the great variety of crafts to which this term can be applied.

To summarize —

Folk magic and traditional magic are used interchangeably by some practitioners and writers.

Some traditional magic may also be folk magic or find roots in folk magic, but not all traditional magic does.

Traditional magic and Traditional Witchcraft are two different terms often confused for each other.

Traditional Witchcraft is applied to systems of magical craft (most often initiatory and ceremonial) usually founded from 1950-1970 and is not a form of folk magic.

Folkloric witchcraft is a descriptive term that can be applied to any magical practice (be it contemporary, ceremonial, folk, traditional, or Traditional) that is rooted in, reliant on, or heavily influenced by folkloric beliefs, symbols, figures, and/or tales.

Christian Hegemony in the Realm of Modern Folk Magic

I’d like to preface this section by stating very clearly that there is nothing wrong with being a Christian folk witch. There are many folk magical paths woven through various Christian traditions, each rich with its own style and culture largely influenced by the regions in which they take their roots as well as in their Christian beliefs. Christian hegemony, though, cannot be denied within witchcraft and occult spaces, and this is a particularly relevant issue in folk magic communities. This section focuses on Christian hegemony in action, what it is, and how it directly impacts diverse and minority communities.

There are many of us who have heard the term Christian hegemony used, particularly within political spheres, but who may not have a clear understanding of what exactly it means aside from the broader definition of 'Christianity being utilized or weaponized as a means of enacting control over a situation, populous, individual, etc.’ To be far better detailed, Christian hegemony can be defined as —

“…the everyday, pervasive, and systematic set of Christian values and beliefs, individuals and institutions that dominate all aspects of our society through the social, political, economic, and cultural power they wield. […] Christian hegemony as a system of domination is complex, shifting, and operates through the agency of individuals, families, church communities, denominations, parachurch organizations, civil institutions, and through decisions made by members of the ruling class and power elite. Christian hegemony benefits all Christians, all those raised Christian, and those passing as Christian. However, the concentration of power, wealth, and privilege under Christian hegemony accumulates to the ruling class and the predominantly white male Christian power elite that serve its interests. All people who are not Christian […] experience social, political, and economic exploitation, violence, cultural appropriation, marginalization, alienation and constant vulnerability from the dominance of Christian power and values in our society.” -per Challenging Christian Hegemony

Christian hegemony absolutely impacts witchcraft and always has in a number of ways, but what does this look like in modern witchcraft communities? Well, Christian hegemony is enacted within the witchcraft community in a variety of ways — holding all practitioners to standards of practice and behavior either admonished or supported by the general Christian narrative; speaking over non-Christian practitioners; partaking in practices, symbols, customs, etc. that were stolen from non-Christian practitioners and have now been claimed as Christian; upholding theft by Christians from non-Christian practices (theft of practices, texts, symbols, etc.); erasure of non-Christian/non-Christian influenced beliefs and practices… The list really is endless and, unfortunately, Christian hegemony remains a pervasive problem within the broader witchcraft community.

But how does it impact folk magic in particular? One need only scroll through a community board or a comment section on any article or post pertaining to folk magic to see for themselves the inferring that all folk magic has a Christian connection, and, in more extreme cases, the active push and insistence that this is the case and the accusations of inauthentic practices or stolen wisdom hurled toward non-Christian folk magic practitioners.

Unfortunately, you’ll find plenty of practitioners claiming that folk magic is strictly Christian and that the term itself applies solely to Christian magic, and that non-Christian practitioners using the term folk magic are interlopers and usurpers of customs that they “don’t have any right or claim to.” That simply isn’t the case. Folk magic is bigger than any one religion, and the term is a general identifier, a classifier of a type of magic, not a name that is applied to one particular belief set. Some folk magic is Christian or Christianized, but some is not. For instance, there are forms of Jewish folk magical practices, Pagan folk magical practices, Buddhist folk magical practices, non-religious folk magical practices, and a wide array of other non-Christian paths of folk magic. To say or believe otherwise is to actively participate in the erasure of non-Christian beliefs and practices.

Christian hegemony may seem to those who don’t suffer the negative impacts of it little more than an annoyance, but when a decently large portion of the witchcraft and occult communities’ Christian/formerly Christian but still maintaining Christian programming/Christian-influenced voices actively seek to push non-Christian/not Christian enough practitioners out, to speak over or “for” non-Christian practitioners, to “borrow” from non-Christian customs and beliefs and claim them as their own, and/or to actively promote the narrative that “folk magic = Christian”, we then have traversed far beyond the realm of annoyances and into the realm of harmful and dangerously problematic behavior, the ramifications of which (i.e. erasure and exclusion of/theft from minority voices and communities within witchcraft spaces) nearly never impacts the majority of the Christian community while greatly and negatively impacting already othered and marginalized peoples.

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a Christian folk witch, and there are many folk magical traditions rooted within Christianity and practiced throughout various Christian-majority regions. Simply writing and speaking about Christian folk magic, practicing it, sharing your love and pride in your practice, educating about it — none of this is Christian hegemony. The problem comes when one represents Christian folk magic as the standard for folk magic, when one perpetuates the claims that other forms of folk magic all find their roots in Christian folk magic or have “borrowed from” Christian folk magic, when one partakes in the erasure of, theft from, or talking over practitioners of non-Christian folk magical crafts, or when one cannot unlearn their Christian biases and continues to judge others by those biases or hold others to those standards — these are all very commonly seen forms of Christian hegemony in action within the modern day folk magic community.

I’ll wrap up this section by stating that to attempt to represent all folk magic as being connected to or birthed from any one religion is wrong and offensive. When we do so, we not only disregard so many within the witchcraft community and practitioners outside of the witchcraft community all around the world, but we also disregard and erase the histories of countless cultures, peoples, and communities outside of our own.

the Modern Resurgence

It’s no secret (nor is it much of a surprise) to see such a large amount of genuine and sincere practitioners finding their way back to folk crafts. You may ask why, and the answer (in my opinion) is a long one. The condensed version though, I believe, is that the rise in the return to folk craft is due to a number of factors (political, economic, and sociological) both in and outside of the witchcraft community.

Over the last 10+ years, the interest in connection with one’s authentic roots has grown. DNA testing services for ancestry and genealogy purposes have profited massively off this interest, and a number of networks and organizations have popped up online that aim to help others learn how to research their familial backgrounds, as well as to learn more about the histories and cultures from which one hails.

These trends exist within the witchcraft community as well, and such topics have long been at the forefront of many magical community spaces, in part leading to the broader magical community’s slow crawl toward realizing and addressing unethical tendencies and problematic foundations within many popular practices and systems within the world of witchcraft and within groups who overlap with the broader witchcraft community. Some who have left behind these magical systems and their communities have had to start from the bottom in learning an entirely new craft, and many have opted for taking on folk magic going forward.

Seeking Connection:

Delving into folk magic requires connection — connection to community, region, or ancestors; connection to the world around you; connection to oneself — and, indeed, strengthens connection and understanding in practitioners. Whether learning about folk magic leads to learning about oneself, or whether learning about one’s background leads to folk magic, the end results can be a fulfilling and empowering thing, and can make for a beautiful, wholly authentic practice.

A decent chunk of practitioners finding their way to folk magic over the last few years have done so in an attempt to better connect with and embrace their own cultural histories and heritage, or to keep alive practices and customs associated with their cultural or familial backgrounds. There are also those who utilize folk magic as a means of ancestral connection or even ancestral veneration, keeping and tending a craft being no different or perhaps more effective than keeping and tending a shrine or grave.

Folk magic as a means of connection is any and all of these things — a vehicle for learning, understanding, and forging deeper connection, and a means of stewardship for cultural and familial history.

The Pursuit of Decolonization & Ethical Practice:

One reason we’ve seen such a surge in interest in folk magic amongst younger generations is due to the ability such generations have to address difficult topics such as cultural appropriation, decolonization, and intersectional community building, conversations which, doubtlessly, have led many to understand and acknowledge problematic behaviors of their own, such as appropriation of other cultures or lack of knowledge in their own cultural backgrounds leading to ignorant actions towards others, and to attempt to address these issues and unlearn such behaviors; but also leading many to recognize problematic and harmful beliefs, practices, and behaviors across the world of witchcraft and within many popular magical and occult practices.

While many work to decolonize witchcraft on a large scale, some choose to start close to home, looking at their own connections to practices that are built on harmful frameworks or maintain and contribute to harmful, unethical issues within the witchcraft community. Some call this willful introspection and unlearning an act of decolonization, and many attempts to decolonize one’s own mind, lifestyles, beliefs, and behaviors have led to seeking knowledge about one’s background, one’s ancestors, and the cultural world and behaviors of said ancestors.

For many practitioners of witchcraft and magic on such journeys, those roads have led them to discovering, studying, or taking up folk magic accessible to them through their own backgrounds or regional connections, as they find folk magic and building a craft around culturally rich beliefs and customs to which they are connected to be not only more authentic a practice for them, but to be something they feel is more ethical for them take part in, as well as being a means of healing (ancestral healing, cultural healing, etc.), all of which furthers their pursuit of attempting to unlearn colonialist narratives, behaviors, and ideologies that have influenced many magical and occult practices and communities.

The Importance of Folk Magic & Embracing Newcomers

Folk magic is so much more than “just another magical path” or “just another witchcraft style.” Folk magic is a means of keeping history alive, of keeping ancestral wisdom alive and in practice, of forging and enacting class solidarity through accessible, anti-elitist, anti-hierarchical practices, and of standing against a world where diversity is not valued, standing against a witchcraft community in which the mainstream would much rather we get in line with whatever commercialized, watered down, syncretized amalgamation of magic they’re currently selling, because they’d rather us shut up and pay up, buying into their insistence that magic is a pay-to-play system that can only be accessed through their products, their services, their connections.

To be a practitioner of folk magic is to walk the paths of historian, environmentalist, community advocate, healer, charmer, protector, crafter, and so much more all at once. Folk magic practitioners are keepers of the old ways, working to meet the needs of today’s folk, and paving the way, keeping the fires going, for future generations of folk witches, all through authentic, adaptable practice that feeds the soul, cures what ails you, and makes right what’s wrong.

To those already practicing and keeping folk magical traditions, I commend you for your work and dedication. And to those who may be taking their first steps on the path toward folk magical practice, I welcome you. So long as you come with genuine intentions, with willingness to do the work and to protect the sacred, you’re welcomed, wanted, and needed. I wish you well on your journeys.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING/LISTENING/VIEWING:

The majority of this post is the author's own opinion and interpretation based on experience in this field of witchcraft and magical community, and on the author's own research. Readers are welcome to conduct their own research on such topics and histories and come to their own conclusions.

'African Traditional Religion' - Lugira, Aloysius Muzzanganda

'An Historical Essay Concerning Witchcraft' - Hutchinson, Francis

'Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic' - Wilby, Emma

'Cunning-Folk: Popular Magic in English History' - Davies, Owen

'Des Remèdes Aux Traiteurs: An Introduction to Folk Medicine in French Louisiana' - Lançon, John Adrian

'The Divine Eye and the Diaspora: Vietnamese Syncretism Becomes Transpacific Caodaism' - Jammes, Jerémy

'French Louisiana Traiteurs' - Swett, Julia

'Good For What Ails You' - 1998 documentary

'Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure' - Anderson, Jeffrey E.; Prof.

'Italian Cunning Craft: Some Preliminary Observations' - Maglicco, Sabina

'« Je jongle au Bon Dieu quand je traite » : Verbal and Herbal Healing in Francophone Louisiana' - Gavot, Dana David

'Mojo Workin': the Old African American Hoodoo System' - Hazzard-Donald, Katrina; Prof. / Dr.

'Religion and the Decline of Magic: Studies in Popular Beliefs in 16th and 17th Century England' - Thomas, Keith

'Rituals of Resistance: African Atlantic Religion in Kongo and the Lowcountry South in the Era of Slavery' -Young, Jason

'Signs, Cures, and Witchery: German Appalachian Folklore' - Milnes, Gerald

'the Soul Book: Introduction to Philippine Pagan Religion' - Demetrio, Franciso R. / Cordero-Fernando, Gilda / Nakpil-Zialcita, Roberto B. / Feleo, Fernando

'Traiteurs' - Gavot, Dana David

'Vietnamese Supernaturalism: Views from the Southern Region' - Đõ̂, Thiện

'Way of the Ancient Healer: Sacred Teaching from the Philippine Ancestral Traditions' - Virgil Mayor Apostol

'The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present' - Hutton, Ronald; Prof.

'Witch Doctors, Soothsayers, and Priests: On Cunning Folk in European Historiography and Tradition' - De Blécourt, Willem

[sheydmade]

Hey, y'all. I've received a few messages informing me that my most recent post on folk magic just disappeared from tumblr. Checking my posts, that seems to be the case. I'm not sure what happened here, but I'm looking into it. I may simply have to repost it. I appreciate those who reached out to let me know. Hopefully I can sort it out without reposting so no one that liked or reblogged it already loses the article, but we'll see.

[sheydmade]

I hope you don't mind the change of pace with the new post — the People's Magic: An Examination of Folk Magic. I've been working on that one for a while now and it received the second highest number of votes in my most recent poll for pieces y'all wanted from me, but I'm not sure anyone was anticipating more of a 'treatise' than a resource post. That being said, if you have the time to read it, I think there's plenty of information in there that serves newcomers and old hands in folk magic, and anyone with any interest or curiosity about folk magic as a field of magic (and the challenges it faces today).

Folk magic is a great love of mine, and I think now more than ever we should be reminded of the importance of keeping it alive and reminding people of the reason folk magic was and is needed as a tool of preserving and protecting cultural traditions as well as being a means of community service, mutual aid, and the pursuit of justice.

I understand if it's something that has to be taken in sections, but it was something I felt particularly called to share now. Hopefully, it serves its intended purposes. Love to y'all! x

[sheydmade]

Just as a heads up, I'll be posting a few pieces here off my regular schedule as I work to get caught up but look to be back to my regular weekly posts soon. Until then, I'd assume y'all won't mind me posting throughout the week as I work on editing and getting caught up on articles (and a few other bits and bobs I've yet to be able to share here). Hope everyone's doing well!

[sheydmade]

I noticed you use the fleur de lis in your about when you mention being in the south. just curious but are you creole (not to be weird. im creole)???? or maybe from one of the areas its associated with??

⚜︎⚜️⚜︎ Both ⚜︎⚜️⚜︎

I have some Creole in me, specifically Louisiana Creole and some broader Ark-La-Tex Creole. And, yeah, I'm from an area that is associated with the fleur-de-lis. 🖤

[sheydmade]

do you know any jewish practices or spells for home protection and warding?

Some that immediately come to mind are the use of mezuzot, the use of other protective amulets, the use of garlic, and we've seen modern practitioners crafting small golems to keep in their homes as protective amulets, as well as crafting Jewish incantation bowls fashioned in the style of those used to protect homes and families during late antiquity.

Amulets can be hand drawn/written symbols/sacred names/sacred words, can be verses from scripture associated with protection, or can be made of various materials, such as cloth, glass, metal, etc. Two common protective amulets used to protect homes and spaces across many cultures that are also used by Jewish people are the evil eye/no evil eye symbol and the hamsa hand symbol.

With garlic, it can be the full plant, which can be strung in the home, especially at a doorframe or window frame; it can be whole bulbs of garlic that are kept in bags and then posted in the home, or it can even be having the plant growing on your property, particularly near the doors. Garlic has strong associations with Jewish culture, and we've definitely been known to make use of it in protection magic as well.

As in many other magical practices, salt can be used, and certain herbs can be used. Here are some articles and pieces with more information about Jewish protective magic for the home:

Jewish Rituals to Protect Your Home

Dori Midnight's Guide to Making Your Own Protective Jewish Amulet

Jewish Incantation Bowls.

[sheydmade]

do you have any faveorite pieces youve written? like your recommended reading for your own blog lol?

Okaayyyyyyy, I love this ask! I definitely have some favorites!

Firstly, I'm proudest of my piece on Jewish incantation bowls, because that's one of my special interests:

Jewish Incantation Bowls (article) *an underrated slay, imo

Jewish Incantation Bowls (infographic)

And I'd throw in this bit on Jewish witchery in general for anyone interested in a brief overview of historical evidence of Jewish magic, a few examples of different "types" of Jewish witches, and debates on those "prohibitions" people love to throw in witches' faces (as if we care):

the Jewitch: An Exploration of Jewish Magical Practice

I'm rather partial to my folk magic pieces:

Protection Work in Folk Magic: Herbs, Spells, & Charms for Protecting Yourself & Others

Home Protection in Folk Magic: Charms, Wards, & Work to Magically Protect One's Home

Love in Folk Magic: Charms, Omens, & Divinatory Customs

And these magical history bits:

the Craft of Isobel Gowdie: A Look at Scottish Folk Magic in the 1600s

the Dumb Supper Divination Rite

And if I had to pick just a couple of my plant ally pieces, it'd be these:

Summer Plant Allies for Spells & Divination

Apple Magic: Using Apples in Spells & Divination

And I'd throw in a few mythology/cosmology pieces, for sure (because I'm a major mythology and folklore nerd):

Into the Underworld: Psychopomps & Death Deities

the Otherworld of Irish & Welsh Mythology

the Apple in Myth: Deities, Figures, & Lore

the Winter Ones: Folkloric Figures of Winter, Yule, & Christmas

I definitely mixed in some relatively ignored pieces with the current hits, so I think it's a well-rounded list.

[sheydmade]

Happy Lughnasadh, Lammas, and/or Lunastal to everyone celebrating!

Lughnasadh, Lúnastal, Lammas: Summer Harvest Holidays of Ireland & Britain

by Keziah

August is nearly upon us, bringing with it a time traditionally marking the beginning of summer’s end. With roots in ancient Ireland and Britain, Lughnasadh, Lúnastal, and Lammas, traditional harvest festivals, are kept alive by modern Celtic druids and pagans, Christians, and modern-day practitioners of Celtic folk traditions, Celtic folk magic, wiccans, and neo-pagans around the world.

If you’re a witch, pagan, or Celtic-focused and/or Anglo-Saxon focus historian on the internet, chances are you’ve heard mention of at least one of these holidays. You may have asked yourself, ‘why are there so many names for holidays with such similar, if not identical, customs?’ and ‘are they actually different at all, or are they all just the same holiday with different names?’ Let us explore these three harvest festivals, their commonalities, and the local traditions and histories that set them apart from one another.

The Harvest Holidays: an Introduction

LUGHNASADH

‘Lúgnasad: i.e. a commemorating game or fair, thereto is the name nasad; i.e. a festival or game of Lugh mac Ethne or Ethlenn, which was celebrated by him in the beginning of autumn.’ -Sanas Cormaic (Coram’s Glossary, English translation).

Lúnasa (the festival's name in Modern Irish) finds its origins in ancient Ireland. Its name comes from Old Irish — Lug, for the Irish god Lugh; and násad, meaning an assembly or a gathering. It is believed that Lugh himself brought the holiday to the Irish, with lore stating that the festival was started as a commemorative holiday in honor of Lugh’s foster mother, whom we will delve into shortly.

The festival is mentioned throughout early Irish literature and has pre-Christian, pagan origins.

Lughnasadh/Lúnasa is also known as Garland Sunday, Bilberry Sunday, and Domnach Chrom Dubh or Crom Dubh’s Sunday. Though Lughnasadh’s origins are in Ireland, the holiday was also practiced in parts of Scotland and on the Isle of Man. Celebrations of Lughnasadh still take place throughout Ireland today, though the holiday is not as widely practiced as it was up until the 20th century.

Lughnasadh falls between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox, traditionally celebrated on the 1st or 2nd of August in the Northern Hemisphere (the 1st of February in the Southern Hemisphere), though some practitioners celebrate the holiday on the last Sunday in July, the first Sunday in August, or even acknowledge the festival from the first of August throughout the entirety of the month.

According to Maire MacNeill - Irish folklorist, translator, journalist, and renowned scholar on the festival of Lughnasadh, the holiday would have entailed -

'A solemn cutting of the first of the corn [meaning 'grain'] of which an offering would be made to the deity by bringing it up to a high place and burying it; a meal of the new food and of bilberries of which everyone must partake; a sacrifice of a sacred bull, a feast of its flesh, with some ceremony involving its hide, and its replacement by a young bull; a ritual dance-play perhaps telling of a struggle for a goddess and a ritual fight; an installation of a head [meaning a carved stone] on top of the hill and a triumphing over it by an actor impersonating Lugh; another play representing the confinement by Lugh of the monster blight or famine; a three-day celebration presided over by the brilliant young god [Lugh] or his human representative. Finally, a ceremony indicating that the interregnum was over, and the chief god in his right place again.'

Lugh

Lugh (Lug / Luga / Lú) is one of the great heroes of Irish mythology and one of the most prominent Irish gods. Lugh was an exceptionally skilled craftsman, bard, storyteller, warrior, and natural leader; and as he was a man of many talents, he was, too, a god of many things – oaths, justice, kingship, arts, crafts and skills, trade, agriculture, and harvests, to name a few.

There are varying stories as to how Lughnasadh came to be, but one common factor they all feature is that Lugh himself is the founder of the festival. One of the most common versions of the tale recounts the creation of the festival in tribute to Lugh's foster-mother (or mother, by some accounts), the goddess Tailtiu.

Tailtiu

Tailtiu, an Irish earth goddess, cleared the plains and fields of Ireland so that the people could plant and grow their own food. However, the work was exhausting and Tailtiu gave her life to complete it, wearing herself down to the point of death. It is said that as she died, she requested her funeral to be a great event. Some accounts even say that she hoped her funeral would never end. This is why it's said that Lugh created Lughnasadh, a yearly tribute to the memory of the woman who raised him.

Crom Dubh

Another common version of Lughnasadh's origin story tells of a struggle between two gods — Lugh and Crom Dubh (also called Crum Dubh and Dark Crom; generally accepted to bear association with Crom Cruach).

In this version of events, Crom Dubh keeps all of Ireland's grain for himself, while Lugh seeks to seize it and distribute it amongst the people of Ireland. Some accounts also feature a goddess representing the grain — Eithne — as having been kidnapped and held captive by Crom Dubh.

LAMMASTIDE

Lammas is likely the most well-known of these three harvest holidays. As to whether its origins are pre-Christian and later Christianized (with pagan influence and history deliberately erased from origin stories) or its origins are Christian and later embraced by neo-pagans and wiccans, that is hotly debated. Regardless, Lammas is a traditional English harvest holiday with Anglo-Saxon roots, and it is still celebrated to this day.

Lammastide is also known as Lammas Day, Lammas, Hlámmaesse and Loaf Mass Day, and, like Lughnasadh, is generally celebrated on the 1st of August. The word lammas is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, hailing from “hlaf-mass” or some variation thereof — “hlaf” meaning loaf. It originated as a harvest festival, a celebration of the bounty provided by the first cutting of grain that year.

It's been speculated by some scholars that Lammas, which was largely practiced throughout England, was a product of Lughnasadh, brought to England from Irish visitors or migrants. That being said, Lammas is generally considered an Anglo-Saxon festival bearing significant Nordic influence.

In England, the first sheaves of wheat were cut on or around the 1st of August, and the first loaves of bread were baked in every household. According to sources of the opinion that Lammastide pre-dates the Christianization of the holiday, an original pre-Christian custom would have seen the first loaves set aside as an offering, likely to land spirits or possibly a local deity, at the harvest festival. Another common practice was to cut the loaves into fourths and place a portion of the bread in the four corners of one’s home.

If Lammas was, indeed, a pre-Christian holiday (as many scholars and historians on the matter deem highly likely), it is difficult to say what gods may have been originally associated with the festival. Nowadays, it isn’t uncommon to see modern pagan practitioners honoring Lugh. It is also possible that the Gaulish god Lugus, who is generally thought to be an interpretation of Lugh, was worshipped and honored. If there were Anglo-specific or Anglo-Saxon deities once attached specifically to Lammas, it's not known for certain who they would have been, as the Christian Church would have actively worked to remove non-Christian deific associations, if there were any, from many pagan and pre-Christian holidays and practices.

In the Christian celebration of Lammastide, the day is still a harvest holiday, marking the celebration of the first fruits, and a day on which harvests, bakeries, and bakers are blessed. The holiday was traditionally associated with St. Peter in Chains, on whose feast day Lammas fell, though it's also come to be associated with St. Alphonse Liguori.

LÙNASTAL

Lúnastal — also referred to as Lunasa, and Lammas Day — is a Scottish celebration of harvest and is generally accepted as the same holiday as Lughnasadh, though it has its own distinctly Scottish customs and practices.

As with Lughnasadh, Lùnastal is a harvest festival, a celebration of the god Lugh, and a tribute to Tailtiu. The hard work of the harvest was countered with plenty of festivities, including feasting, sporting games, racing, bonfires, and dancing. Rites were performed as well, varying in kind from place to place.

Scotland’s main harvest at this time was wheat and oats, which would provide essential food and supplies to last throughout the winter for both the people and their cattle. Fruits, seeds, vegetables, and roots would be gathered from the land as well, as Lùnastal signified the coming of autumn and the last few months of prime time for gathering many of the plants on offer.

Dolls were also fashioned from the wheat harvested from the first field. There is a bit of to-do about these dolls, and we’ll revisit them later in this piece (spoiler alert, it’s like a game of hot potato and has to do with the Cailleach).

‘Are Lughnasadh, Lùnastal, and Lammas actually different at all, or are they all just the same holiday with different names?’ The best way to answer this would be to say that they can be seen as family of holidays that share the same roots. They do, indeed, have a great deal in common, so much that it would be a logical assumption that they are variations of the same holiday. However, as noted before, Lammas is generally accepted as an Anglo-Saxon holiday of Nordic influence, while Lughnasadh and Lùnastal are Gaelic (which is commonly used to refer to that specific Celtic ethnolinguistic group — and the culture of the people within that group — of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Scotland).

Each of these holidays is also rich with the culture of the lands they were practiced in, and they have their own rites and customs that set them apart from one another beautifully. So, yes, while Lughnasadh, Lammas, & Lùnastal share many of the same practices and similar histories, they each also have a distinct flavor of their own, shaped by the lands in which they were (and still are) historically practiced.

Common Customs & Practices of Lughnasadh, Lammas, & Lunastal

HARVEST & THE FIRST TAKE

Wheat, oats, barley, and rye would be harvested at this time of year, all crucial in providing food for the people and livestock throughout the winter. It was also the time of year for gathering bilberries/blaeberries, raspberries, and other berries and plants from the land.

Lughnasadh:

The first take of the wheat and grain harvest would either be set aside and offered as-is to the god Lugh or to local spirits or the Good Neighbours, or it would be used to prepare a food offering or a celebratory meal to partake in together, most commonly bread or porridge.

Lùnastal:

Having a similar custom as Lughnasadh, in which a portion of the first take of the crops would be set aside for another use, Lùnastal saw the crops reaped in the morning, with the first take being prepared later as food in the evening.

Lammas:

The first take of the wheat or grain harvest was to be ground into flour, which was then used to bake a loaf of bread.

One practice involved taking the household’s first loaf of bread baked from their take of the harvest and quartering it. Each fourth of the loaf was scattered throughout the corners of the home, one piece in each corner. This is believed to have been an offering to the spirits of the land, made in exchange for another year without hunger and a successful, bountiful harvest to come again that following year.

In Christian practice, each village would prepare a loaf of bread from the first take of the harvest and that loaf would be brought to the nearest church and blessed. This blessing of the bread was symbolic of blessing the fruits of the harvest. In some traditions, the bread would then be used in the rite of Holy Communion as the Eucharist.

Another practice was to break the bread into fourths and place those quarters in the four corners of either the main barn or grain storehouse in the village. It was believed that this offering would protect the food supplies from any potential ruin or depletion.

FEASTING

Communal feasts were a holiday essential across the board. With Lammas, Lughnasadh, and Lùnastal, it wouldn’t have been uncommon for the preparation of the feast to be a communal affair as well, as it would have been a great deal of work that a whole village would have shared.

In some practices in Ireland, Scotland, and on the Isle of Man, a food offering would be presented to Lugh and/or to local spirits before the feast. What was done with this food offering varies from place-to-place, custom-to-custom — some would have later taken the offering and buried it on sacred land or left it on sacred land for the wildlife to partake in or the spirits to enjoy; others would have divvied up portions of the offering onto each plate at the feast, so that everyone was symbolically joining Lugh or the spirits in celebration.

Some sources speak of a superstition in Ireland that states that it was extremely bad luck to be hungry during the celebrations. Partaking in a good can’t-possibly-eat-another-bite meal was believed to keep the threat of going hungry or going without at bay for the following year. Thus, it was encouraged that you fill your plate and eat as much as you possibly could. Eating a more modest portion risked bringing bad luck and illness in the year to come.

CAILLEACH DOLLS

In Scotland, dolls (“corn dolls” or “Cailleach dolls” — note: here 'corn' does not refer to a doll made of corn husks, as is common in folk traditions of the United States; rather, it refers to 'corn' meaning grain) would be fashioned from some of the first wheat harvested. One would put the doll in another field that hadn’t yet been completely ploughed. The doll could only be moved then from that field once the work was done and that portion of the harvest completed. Then you could move to doll to another field still unharvested. Once that field was ploughed, the doll could be moved, and so on. It was something like a game of hot potato. You don’t want to be the last one holding the hot potato, nor did you want to be left with the Cailleach doll in your field at the end of harvest. If you were left with the Cailleach doll, it was your household’s responsibility to keep her through the winter and take care of her.

ENTERTAINMENT & THE TAILTEANN GAMES

The harvest festival was historically celebrated with fairs and sporting games, and these events are still held today in some areas. For the artists, there would be music, dancing, storytelling, and poetry recitals and competitions; and for the sportsmen, there was no shortage of games and athletic sport to choose from.

The Tailteann Games were athletic contests held in honor of the goddess Tailtiu. These were traditionally held at Tailtin (Teltown) in modern day County Meath. People would come from all over Ireland to witness the games, including the kings of Ireland who would enact a time of truce to attend the event. The event is featured in early Irish literature, including the Ulster Cycle's Tochmarc Emire.

Such sporting events came to be practiced throughout Ireland and Scotland. Some sources say that the Tailteann Games would start in Ireland before Lughnasadh, believed to have been held during the latter half of July, with their grand finale at the Lughnasadh festival on the 1st of August.

Sport included in the Tailteann Games would have been spear throwing (as a nod to Lugh who was known for his impeccable skill with a spear), wrestling and boxing, sword fighting, archery, and a variety of racing – running and swimming, as well as horse racing and chariot racing. There were also craft competitions — smiths, weavers, jewelers, and the like would bring forth their best work to be judged.

THE DYING OF SUMMER

While some see Lughnasadh, Lammas, and Lunastal as a midsummer festival, it was traditionally the coming of summer's end.

In Ireland, one custom related to Lughnasadh bringing the end of summer and the beginning of autumn involves flowers and hiking up a hill or mountain. It is said that people would carry out their trek whilst wearing flowers (as crowns on their heads, as jewelry, pinned on their clothing, etc). When they reached the summit, the flowers would be buried, serving as a funeral for summer.

OATHS, BUSINESS, & ROMANCE

In Ireland, Lughnasadh fairs were a time to deal with business and legal matters. New laws would be read out to the public, treaties were negotiated, and contracts of trade and marriage were always on the menu. One Lughnasadh tradition relating to marriage was that of trial marriages, sometimes called a Teltown marriage in Ireland. The couple would be joined for a year and a day. Come the following Lughnasadh fair, the marriage could either be made permanent or be broken off without any consequence or questioning.

In Scotland, a similar practice to trial marriages took place, though it was a bit more casual. Lùnastal was a time when couples could simply “pair off” without anyone judging them for it.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS & THE RIDING OF THE MARCHES

Another common practice for all three of these holidays was getting outdoors to gather fruits and plants. Processions and parades would be had, be that from one town to another or through the surrounding countryside or just held through their own village.

In Ireland, one custom involved a casual trek up a mountain. Many still practice the Lughnasadh tradition of hiking up hills and mountains, and it has also been adopted as an Irish Christian tradition, with some partaking in pilgrimage days on or around Lughnasadh. The best known of these mountain pilgrimages is called Reek Sunday — a Christian pilgrimage up County Mayo's Croagh Patrick, at the summit of which masses are held.

Visiting holy wells and/or clootie wells was also a common Lughnasadh custom. Visiters would leave offerings at such places and pray for health, for protection from hunger or scarcity of resources, and for protection of their household and cattle.

In Scotland, there is the practice of the Riding of the Marches. People would ride out on horseback and take route through the streets and then out along the boundaries of the town. It is believed this originated as a Neighborhood Watch — they would make sure that everyone was safe from any attempted land theft or theft of harvest. In more recent history, the procession is less about safety and instead is just about having some drunken fun.

Celebrating the Harvest Today (Even for City Folk)

When we think of harvest festivals, fields and farmers come to mind, and rightly so. I grew up in the southern United States, raised by grandparents who were farmers and who had come from farming families. My home state is very much an agricultural state known for mustard, wheat, corn, tobacco, hay, and soybeans. For my generation in my family, the importance of 'the harvest' hasn’t been lost. The concepts and symbols that we associate with harvests are so familiar to me, but to many that didn't grow up with as close a connection to agricultural communities or as close access to nature, those concepts may feel foreign or distant, like something from a story we’ve heard before but whose details we can’t fully recall.

Nowadays, whether we live in an inner-city area, a suburb, or even the countryside, so many of us face a disconnect from the land and from our roots. That disconnect can make it particularly difficult to acknowledge and celebrate a harvest festival or holiday without dealing with a touch (or maybe a boatload) of feeling out of our element or like an imposter. To conclude this piece on Lammas, Lùnastal, and Lughnasadh, I'd like to offer some simple ways one can celebrate these holidays or any other harvest holiday, no matter where one lives.

ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THE LAND

What season is it where you are? What fruits and vegetables are harvested this time of year? Find out what’s in season and what’s being harvested where you are and try to include those fruits, vegetables, and herbs in your meals. It can also be quite fun and fulfilling to use only in-season foods for a harvest feast.

HOST A HARVEST FEAST

It doesn’t have to be anything grand. It doesn’t have to be communal. You can have a small harvest feast for your household or even just for one. Make sure the menu is filled with dishes made from whatever fruits, vegetables, and herbs are in season ‘round your neck of the woods, and don’t forget it’s considered bad luck to eat too meager a meal during the holiday!

ATTEND A FAIR

Many fairs feature modern renditions of customs associated with Lughnasadh, and, coincidentally, many state and county fairs in the US, as well as county fairs in Britain and Ireland, tend to fall around the same time of year as these harvest festivals. One fair in Ireland — County Kerry's Puck Fair, which also happens to be one of Ireland's oldest fairs — is even believed to be what came of the area's local Lughnasadh fair.

In the US, attending your local state or county fair is a great way to learn about the agriculture of your region, observe and mingle with local farmers and learn about their trade, enjoy local cuisine and entertainment, and witness similar competitions to those that would have been held at Tailtean Games, such as trade and craft shows, cattle shows, and the like.

CONNECT WITH NATURE

You don’t have to be out harvesting your own food. You don’t have to have a trek up a mountain. Find out what your options are near you. Maybe it’s a park where you could have a lovely picnic with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season where you are. Maybe there’s a hiking trail where you can go and leave behind the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life for at least a little while, where you might stop to meditate on all that the land can provide — be that food and water for our physical bodies, or energy and sustenance to heal and nurture our mental and spiritual bodies — and to give thanks for that. Maybe you’re fortunate enough to live in an area that is predominantly wildlife. Spend time outdoors, appreciating what you have where you live.

MAKE A CORN DOLLY

Making a “corn dolly” from wheat, sweetgrass, or hay and straw is still practiced this time of year in Scotland (and making corn husk dolls is common around this time of year throughout the US as well). You can make a doll of your own as a talisman of good luck and protection.

Sources for making dolls & other related crafts:

How to Make a Corn Husk Doll

Straw Craft, Wheat Weaving, Corn Dollies, & Kern Idols

Straw Craftsmen

Something Corny

BAKING

Bread is a prominent feature in Lughnasadh, Lùnastal, and Lammas customs. Baking bread would be a wonderful way to mark the harvest holiday, and baking a pie or cobbler is a great way to incorporate seasonal fruits as well. For a festive centerpiece, you can incorporate seasonal herbs and/or edible flowers to decorate your bread with, either by baking it into/onto the bread or by just using as an element of décor for the centerpiece, laying it atop and around your delicious, homemade bread. You can also try baking a focaccia if you have herbs you’d like to use up.

Happy harvest to you, friends! May you and yours know happiness and health.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

'Sanas Cormaic' - Cormac mac Cuilennáin

'the Aonach Tailteann and the Tailteann Games, Their History and Ancient Associations' - Nally, T.H.

'Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia' - Koch, John T.

'Dictionary of Celtic Mythology' - MacKillop, James

‘the Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore’ - Monaghan, Patricia

'the Festival of Lughnasa: A Study of the Survival of the Celtic Festival of the Beginning of Harvest' - MacNeill, Máire

'the History and Origins of Druidism' - Spence, Lewis

'Ireland's Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish Myth' - Williams, Mark

'Lúnasa in Ireland' - the Irish Pagan School

'Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain' - Hutton, Ronald

'Tailtiu and the Origins of Lúnasa' - the Irish Pagan School

Cailleach's Herbarium

the Irish Pagan School

[sheydmade]

Supermarket Spell: Let the Goodness Stick

To cleanse the bad and draw in the good.

Thank you to my sister from another mister, @ironandrue for tagging me in this very fun supermarket spell challenge by @windvexer. I rarely join in on challenges or the like, but this one is right up my alley. As a practitioner of folk magic, I’m a big believer in accessible, adaptable, versatile witchcraft with ingredients ticking all those boxes as well, so supermarket magic is already something I’m very familiar with. Now, more than half of my grocery shopping is done at a small Asian grocer near me, and one of my favorite supermarket spell aids comes from there.

Yuja-cheong is a traditional Korean marmalade used to make yuja-cha (Yuzu tea). The marmalade is made from preserving yuzu (though some alternatives use citron, lemon, mandarin, tangerine, grapefruit, etc.) in honey and sugar, resulting in a delicious, thick, syrupy marmalade. The marmalade is typically added to water (hot or cold) to make yuja-cha, but it can also be used as a spread or eaten as is, and I've also used it once or twice to dress candles for spells.

The purpose of this work: This wonder ingredient can be used in a number of ways. Honey is known for sweetening works, to attract good things your way, to encourage love and affection, and to draw in richness, success, and money, as well as being an aid for healing works. Yuzu, like many other citrus fruits, is great for protection (particularly from spirits) and cleansing works, to attract good fortune and good health, and to clear the mind. For this particular spell, I’m going to focus on cleansing and purifying away the negative while simultaneously seeking to attract good, sweet things. In short, casting out the bad and sticking to the good.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1 jar of yuja-cha or yuja-cheong (the names are used interchangeably depending on the brand)

1 spoon

Optional add-ons:

1 cup of water (if you opt for drinking)

1 candle (if you opt for candle spells)

WHAT TO DO:

If you're opting to ingest the marmalade for your work, this is best done early in your day, preferably the first thing you intake after waking. While it can be done daily, it's especially useful for days where you need things to go well (i.e. interviewing for a new job, taking exams, attending an important business meeting, launching a new product, making a significant change, etc.).

You can simply take a spoonful of the marmalade and, whilst scooping it, make sure to make this a mindful and intentional act, maintaining awareness that you are doing this to utilize the magic in what you're about to ingest — the yuzu will cleanse you of negative energy and thoughts, will clear your mind, will help protect you; the honey will draw in sweetness and goodness, and blessings and abundance will stick to you.

Here's an optional incantation you can recite before or while ingesting the marmalade:

All that's bad I keep at bay. All that's good will come my way. Sweetness, be true, be mine, I pray. Sweetness stick and sweetness stay,

You can eat the spoonful of marmalade as is, still keeping that mindful and purposeful connection with what you are doing and why.

You can, instead, opt to add the spoonful of marmalade to a cup of hot or cold water, making yuja-cha to drink. While drinking your tea, continue to think on why you're doing so and on how this will impact your day.

And that's that!

(One other alternative is to use the marmalade to dress a candle for a similar spell. You don't need much. Even just dipping your finger into the marmalade and brushing it over the candle is enough. This works great as an addition to any spell you're working to draw in abundance, healing, positive changes, good fortune, etc.)

[sheydmade]

Hey y'all. Hope everyone's been well. I've been working on a fair few pieces that'll be coming your way soon but just wanted to hop on and let everyone know that this blog is still active lol. The thing is, (and I've never mentioned this before and don't really talk about it publicly much at all, so I don't want to make any kind of big deal out of it, really) I am actually disabled and have multiple chronic illnesses, and some of the major issues I deal with are sleep issues and physical pain. Over the last few weeks, I've had a bad spell of both those things, so I've not had much energy and haven't been able to sit at my desk (my preferred place to focus and write) for long enough to make much headway in editing and posting. That being said, I'm starting to feel a little better and do have a lot of goodies to share soon! Thanks for being patient and supportive!

[sheydmade]

I've a free day today, so that means lots of writing, tea, divination readings for friends, introspection, and some spellwork tonight. What does today look like for you, witch friends? Hope everyone's well! Happy Wednesday. 💗