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“[Trickster gods] are the lords of in-between. A trickster does not live near the hearth; he does not live in the halls of justice, the soldier’s tent, the shaman’s hut, the monastery. He passes through each of these when there is a moment of silence, and he enlivens each with mischief, but he is not their guiding spirit. He is the spirit of the doorway leading out, and of the crossroad at the edge of town. […] In short, trickster is a boundary-crosser. Every group has its edge, its sense of in and out, and trickster is always there, at the gates of the city and the gates of life, making sure there is commerce. He also attends the internal boundaries by which groups articulate their social life. We constantly distinguish—right and wrong, sacred and profane, clean and dirty, male and female, young and old, living and dead—and in every case trickster will cross the line and confuse the distinction. Trickster is the creative idiot, therefore, the wise fool, the gray-haired baby, the cross-dresser, the speaker of sacred profanities. Where someone’s sense of honorable behavior has left him unable to act, trickster will appear to suggest an amoral action, something right/wrong that will get life going again. Trickster is the mythic embodiment of ambiguity and ambivalence, doubleness and duplicity, contradiction and paradox. That Trickster is a boundary-crosser is the standard line, but […] there are also cases in which trickster creates a boundary, or brings to the surface a distinction previously hidden from sight. In several mythologies, for example, the gods lived on earth until something trickster did caused them to rise into heaven. Trickster is thus the author of the great distance between heaven and earth. […] Boundary creation and boundary crossing are related to one another, and the best way to describe trickster is to say simply that the boundary is where he will be found—sometimes drawing the line, sometimes crossing it, sometimes erasing or moving it, but always there, the god of the threshold in all its forms.”

— Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth and Art by Lewis Hyde (x)

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My Ladye hath a sable coach With horses two and four My Ladye hath a gaunt blood-hound That goeth on before. My Ladye's coach hath nodding plumes The driver hath no head. My Ladye is an ashen white As one that long is dead.

Songs of the West: Folk Songs of Devon & Cornwall Collected From the Myths of the People. S. Baring-Gould. 1913.

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Jesse Balmer.

http://jessebalmer.tumblr.com/

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Aramaic Incantation Bowl: Scorpion Rider

An ancient Judeo-Aramaic incantation bowl with a seven line inscription spiraling around the interior, invoking protection from demons for Abba and his family.  At the center a figure brandishing a spear is mounted on a scorpion like quadruped.

www.hixenbaugh.net

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The Bone Mother

Nicnevin, The Gyre-Carling, Habondia, Argante, Diana, Herodias,Titania, Mab, Proserpina, Oonagh, Habetrot, The Cailleach, Hekate…The Queen of Elphame has been linked with many different names and aspects. There are many fairy queens, with many roles. She wears just as many masks as the Devil, if not more. It’s up to you to determine which one you seek, or if they’re all the same being, or who might be seeking you. If you’re looking for the Queen of Elphame, you must seek her out. It’s not an easy task, and she doesn’t make it so. Be prepared, and be persistent. And of course, it does depend on which Queen you go looking for.

“Then a clear Companie came soon after closs, Nicneven with her Nymphs, in number anew, With Charms from Caitness and Chanrie in Ross, Whose Cunning consists in casting a Clew…”

- The Flytting betwixt Montgomerie and Polwart

First and foremost, I am no expert and I can only speak to my own relationship with her. Because my family descends from Scotland, for me she is Nicnevin, the Elphame Queen of Scottish folklore and that is who I will be discussing here. Depending on your view of things - whether you see all of these as separate entities, each a fairy queen in their own right, or different names or aspects for one greater being - it seems impossible to ever truly know exactly who the Queen of Elphame is. And of course, Nicnevin herself is a bit of a mystery - is she a spirit or historical person? The Historie and Life of King James the Sext details a trip to “Sanctandrois where a notable sorceress callit Nic Neville, was condammit to the death and brynt…”

Whatever or whoever she originally was, Nicnevin has seemingly passed beyond being a folkloric spirit or a mortal sorceress who met her end in 1569 and somehow made the leap to the Queen of Elphame and acting as a sort of tutelary witchmother in the here and now. I can’t say for sure what the true origins of Nicnevin are, and it bears a resemblance to the mythic lore of Leland’s Aradia, Gospel of the Witches - a woman who taught witchcraft and became something of a folk legend long afterwards. An excellent article that expands on the possible history and lore of Nicnevin is available at Cailleach’s Herbarium (website address included below).

“It was from the same source also, in all probability, that additional legends were obtained of a gigantic and malignant female, the Hecate of this mythology, who rode on the storm and marshalled the rambling host of wanderers under her grim banner. This hag (in all respects the reverse of the Mab or Titania of the Celtic creed) was called Nicneven in that later system which blended the faith of the Celts and of the Goths on this subject.”

-Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, Sir Walter Scott

For myself, I catch glimpses of her through time and shadow, at her choosing. She’s elusive and she can and does hide behind her many masks and guises. She comes to me in dreams and the moments just before, whispering poetry in my ear. She has taught me to look not by sight, but by sound - I’ve come to learn the sound of her voice through the scratching of my pen. She stirs the dead with her hand of bone and spurs them on, leading the ravenous hunt across the night sky beside the snow-white Stag.

“In the hinder-end of harvest, on All Hallows even, When our Good Neighbours doe ryd, gif I read right, Some buckled on a bunewand [ragwort], and some on a been, Ay trottand in trupes from the twilight; Some sadleand a she-ape, all graithed in green, Some hobland on ane hempstalk, hovrand [ascending] to the height; The King of Pharie and his court, with the Elfe Queen, With many elfish Incubus was rydand that night.”

-The Flytting betwixt Montgomerie and Polwart

Look for her in old witchcraft trials, in historical folklore, in the transcripts of Isobel Gowdie and the interrogation of Andro Man. While Isobel’s confessions focused more on the Devil, she does mention that the the Queen of Elphame was a finely dressed woman who gave her all the food she could want. Andro Man said that the Queen “had the grip of all the craft” and he enjoyed a sexual relationship with her; supposedly having many children with her. She reportedly came to Bessie Dunlop during labor and asked for a drink. Because of Bessie’s hospitality during great hardship, the Fairy Queen gave her prophecy that came to pass, and sent the spirit of Tom Reid to be her familiar. Bessie’s description of the Queen of Elphame also dismisses notions of a dainty creature made of gossamer, this Queen is a stout woman with a forthright nature.

“Ane carling of the Quene of Phaeris, That ewill win geir to elphyne careis. Through all Braid Abane scho hes bene On horsback, on Hallow ewin;”

This passage appears as part of a satirical poem written against Patrick Adamson, Bishop of St. Andrews. The piece accused him of cavorting with Alison Pearson, who was said to have cured him of a serious illness. The poem describes Alison Pearson riding on horseback with the Queen of Fairies to Elphame. Because of her (unfortunate) relationship with the fair folk, Pearson was determined to be a witch and burned in 1588. Pearson’s relationship with the Queen and her court are rather unique, she was taught remedies by the fair folk (similar to Bessie Dunlop) and she also spoke of being highly regarded by the fair folk. Pearson also recounted long stretches of fallow times when she had fallen out of favor with the Queen of Elphame. During this time, she said that she had not seen the Queen for seven years.

While these are only a few examples of how she weaves her way through witch lore, the Fairy Queen is a figure of interest in several documented witchcraft trials - not only solidifying her presence in fairy folklore, but establishing her role as a tutelary and initiating Witchmother.

“One in the reign of Charles I pretended he had a call, ‘Oh Micol, Micol regina Pigmeorum veni’, which would evoke the queen of the fairies. When practised at Horst woody a gentle murmuring wind came first, then a whirwind, and last a hurricane, when the queen appeared in most illustrious glory.”

-The Darker Superstitions of Scotland, John Graham Dalyell

She’s hard to grasp, because much has been made of her consort - The Man in Black. He’s a gateway, he’s the path that leads to her and yet he himself is so much more. He is fire to her frost, she is the stretching of barren trees and fierce stinging winds. To belong to her is to accept all of her, light and shadow and blood and bloom. There is no other way - she will not be reduced to simplified pieces of herself for your own selfish comfort. You may want a Witchmother, but she’s a Queen in her own right and a lot more besides. And as with all the fair folk, she can eat you up and spit you out and think nothing of it.

“Now, ye maun go wi me,” she said, “True Thomas, ye maun go wi me, And ye maun serve me seven years, Thro weal or woe, as may chance to be.”

-Thomas the Rhymer and the Queen of Elfland

While The Ballad of Tam Lin is very specific about the folk belief of the fair folk paying a tithe to Hell, both Thomas Rhymer and Tam Lin are very specific about the servitude of seven years. This period of time, though for opposite purpose, agrees with Alison Pearson’s seven year silence, when she had been exiled from the Queen and her court. Seven years seems to be an important number for the Elphame Queen and the humans she engages with. She does seem to be rather selective with the process - the Queen of Elphame has an eye for beauty and cleverness, and she takes that which she desires and turns it to her own purposes.

At the end of seven years She pays a tithe to Hell I so fair and full of flesh I fear it be myself

-The Ballad of Tam Lin

The Queen of Elphame may come to you in disguise, and ask a favor of you. If you pass her test and meet her with hospitality and respect, she may grant you a gift (or several). So light a candle on these cold nights and pour out a glass of whiskey or wine for the Winter Queen. Invoke her name. Seek her out.

And as with all things, a warning: To call upon any god or ungod, including the Bone Mother, is to welcome them into your life - for better or worse. If you haven’t thought it through, if you’re not absolutely sure, if you’re not capable of sending away that which you called, then it’s best to not make any hasty decisions.

References:

A Wild Witch Chase: https://cailleachs-herbarium.com/2015/10/a-wild-witch-chase-scottish-hecate-nicneven/

Nicnevin: http://sarahannelawless.com/2009/06/19/nicnevin/

Polwart and Montgomerie’s Flytting: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A03840.0001.001/1:3?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

Elf Queens and Holy Friars - Richard Firth Green

The Darker Superstitions of Scotland - John Graham Dalyell

The Ballad of Tam Lin

Thomas the Rhymer and the Queen of Elfland

Sir Walter Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Vol. 2

The Mingling of Fairy and Witch Beliefs in Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Scotland - J. A. MacCulloch

Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft - Sir Walter Scott (available at sacred-texts.com)

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Hey Tumblr people ! I just started an instagram here : 

https://www.instagram.com/stephanefert

and this is a picture i made for Bd fugue Annecy

I will be a print sold during the festival of animation

see you there !

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Terpene Mood Wheel

B-Caryophyllene: Happiness

Aroma: spicy, pepper with camphor, dry, woody, hints of lemon balm

Found in: black pepper, cloves, cotton, organo, caraway

Medical values: analgesic, antihistamine, antidepressant, anti anxiety, gastric cytoprotective.

Notes: binds with and primes CB2 receptors (I could do a whole post on CB2)

Limonene: Energy

Aroma: Lemony, tangerine, sweet and sour

Found in: the rinds of citrus fruits, taragon, balsam fir, lemon balm, lemon grass

Medicinal effects: antidepressant, antiviral, immunostimulate, increases serotonin, anticacinogen

Notes: Limonene is often responsible for the effects associated with a “sativa” strain.

Pinene: Focus

Aroma: green wood, pine, hints of menthol with chemical nuances

Found in: Pine trees, other conifers, yarrow, cumin, elderberry, nutmeg, parsley, dill, rosemary

Medicinal effects: bronchodilator, expectorant, immunostimulant, anti inflammatory, analgesic, enhances memory

Notes: improves personal satisfaction, a-pinene helps make it rain

Ecualyptol: Creativity

Aroma: spicy, minty and camphorus, slightly astringent

Found in: bay, mugwort, peppermint, wormwood, rosemary, vanilla, eucalyptus

Medical effects: stimulant, enhances memory, sinus decongestant, expectorant, antidepressant

Notes: synergistic with THC, believed to cause the “thought provoking” effects of cannabis

Myrcene: Vibration

Aroma: earthy and musky but sweet, clove, tropical fruits with minty nuances

Found in: Hops, thyme, licorice, lemon grass, mango

Medicinal effects: anti depressant, sedative, antispasmodic

Notes: primes CB1 receptors, “body buzz”, “couch lock” partly responsible for “Indica” associated effects, behind the myth that mangos make your high better

Linalool: Sleepiness

Aroma: sweet, candy, floral, slightly astringent,

Found in: Lavender, mints, birch, cinnamon, mugwort, marjoram, coriander, basil, some fungi

Medicinal effects: sedative, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, anticarinogenic, antispasmodic, anti anxiety

Notes: great to pair with CBD, modulates GABA receptors, also can make a strong insectidice, partly responsible for “Indica” associated strains.

Using herbs (et al.) that are high in the specific terpenes. this is not using concentrated ioslated terpenes.

Backstory and Reference: Terpenes are a great way to get the best benefits out of essential oils, medicinal herbs and cannabis. I incorporate them into my daily life through teas, incense, the foods I eat, and cannabis I smoke. I find them useful for understanding the energies of plants and aromas and how they can be helpful in my craft. These posts are from my journal and have been sourced from multiple articles, lectures, books and websites. As a medicinal cannabis user I invested in an anaylazer for my medicine. Not only did it tell me the % of thc and other cannabinoids but it introduced me to terpenes. Since it was reporting on terpenes I figured they were important, and dove down into the science behind them. Like any wise person I compiled all my research into a handy list to reference when testing cannabis strains. Here’s one of my sources that has a great list of terpenes. Terpenes also make up a lot of the foundation for my personal gnosis, you can connect the dots when you do it makes sooooooo much sense

*not intended to treat or cure diseases always consult a professional before using herbal/fungal medicinals*

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[…] In the shamanic mystery initiations as practiced by the Orphic cults, near-death experiences and the use of dangerous doses of hallucinogenic plants went hand in hand. Whereas the Divine Bridegroom Sabazios (Dionysus) was primarily the god who presided over ecstasy and entheogenic intoxication, the Thracians held him in equally high regard as a dying-and-rising saviour god and a master over the souls of the deceased. Long before the introduction of alcohol, shaman exploited the ecstatic and oracular properties of hallucinogenic mushrooms (Amanita muscaria and various types of coprophilic Psilocybincontaining mushrooms); opium (Papaver somniferum); “jimsonweed,” “horsemad,” or “thorn apple” (Datura stramonium); mandrake root (Mandragora officinarum); cannabis; deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna); and henbane (Hyoscyamus niger). The experience of death and the ecstatic evacuation of the soul from the body appears commonly in the Thracian funeral iconography on which is depicted the Tree of Life. To be in a state of ἐκζηάζις – that is, to stand outside the body – was to experience death itself. It is both a physical and symbolic selfsacrifice. These states were achieved through extended periods of fasting, dance and drumming, sleep deprivation, trials and ordeals, isolation and incubation, and the ritual consumption of consciousness altering substances – all of which were methods that could be, and often were, used in conjunction to elicit the ecstatic experience. One must keep in mind the endless recurrence of these shamanic techniques while reading the myths of the Thracian heroes.

Dan Attrell, Dead Kings and Saviour Gods: Euhemerizing Shamanism in Thracian Religion. (via saintswarm)

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Plaque depicting a winged goddess, possibly Ishtar, standing on two ibexes, from Ras Shamra (Ugarit) (10th century BC)

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The Seven Gods Rusalii Jaro Okruta The Dreaming Man Kukers

by Sukharev

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Disk depicting the Akkadian princess Enheduanna (2285–2250 BC), daughter of Sargon the Great. Calcite, c. 2350-2300 BC.

Enheduanna was High Priestess of the god Nanna (or Sin), one of the most important religious figures of her day, and one of the earliest women in history known by name. She is the first known author and poet, with many of her compositions surviving to the present day. Her works include devotions to the goddess Inanna, and a collection of hymns thought to be one of the first attempts at a systematic theology. After her death, she came to be regarded as a goddess.

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He has cuneiform on his body, and a Dingir on each shoulder.

They made the damn Bull of Heaven.

A 46-Foot-Tall Minotaur Roams the Streets of Toulouse, France in La Machine’s Latest Urban Opera

The beast marched through the labyrinthine streets of the city’s old town accompanied by a 42-foot spider for the group’s latest production The Guardian of the Temple. The pair of machines performed an operatic interpretation of the myth of Ariadne, a Cretan princess who helped Theseus overcome the Minotaur, to live music. These impressive kinetic sculptures are La Machine’s latest project from their oeuvre of mechanical bestiary which has operating worldwide since 1999.

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Prayer to the Ancestors The Forest of the Future Brooklyn, NY March, 2013 This is a prayer to the dead. This is a prayer to the queer, gay, transgender, transsexual, inverted, perverted, crossdressing, cocksucking, fist­swinging, cunt­fisting, Boston married, lavender married, lavender menacing, fearsome, fierce, and fearless ancestors who came before us. This is for the queens thrown out of the Pride they created, for the dark­skinned people pushed out of the movements they started, for the third­gender people around the world who have faced prejudices introduced by Western colonialism. This is a prayer to the ones who died in the plague. This is a prayer to ALL the ones who died in the plague. This is a prayer to those kicked out, knocked out, strung out, fucked up, and given up. This is a prayer to those who fucked to survive, and those who fucked to be truly alive. This is a prayer to those who never fucked at all. This is a prayer to those who died violent deaths. This is a prayer to those who went down fighting. This is a prayer to our queer ancestors, all those who came before us, all those who have died. This is a prayer of thanks for the difficult steps they walked, in order to pack down the path that much more for those of us who walk it now. We are gathered here to celebrate queer community. We must acknowledge the people whose bones make up the foundations of our queer spaces. We are awash in their ghosts tonight. They must be recognized. The ones who died in prisons The ones who died in asylums The ones who died in the streets The ones who died of sickness The ones who died murdered by johns, or relatives, or doctors, or thugs To the ones who lied to get the medical treatment they needed and deserved: we hold no grudges. You had to survive. You are forgiven. The ones who lied to stay in their homes: we hold no grudges. You had to survive. You are forgiven. The ones who lied to keep their families together: we hold no grudges. You had to survive. You are forgiven. The ones who could not lie, could not hide, and brought down the wrath of many for daring to live truly: we thank you. It is because of you that we may simply exist today. This is a prayer to our queer ancestors: we thank you for the blessings you won for us, those we see and those we take for granted. You died fighting. We have always been fighting, and our mightiest weapon is our love. We extend our love to you, our ancestors, tonight, in acknowledgement of your sacrifices, in gratitude for the suffering you endured so we might not have to suffer so, and in solidarity with the struggles you began and which we continue. We know you are present with us here tonight, for wherever we gather, we bring with us the souls of our dead. We call upon you to ask your guidance in expurging the specters of bigotry from our communities, to cast out prejudices which have impaired our movements for so long. Racism is still alive and with us today. Classism is still alive and with us today. Masculinity is still prized over the feminine. Mental illness, however common, is stigmatized. Queer beauty standards are still beauty standards. The needs of the loudest often drown out the voices of those who have been marginalized in the dominant culture, so that they remain marginalized in queer spaces as well. These divisive power dynamics cannot be allowed to continue to flourish. We invoke you, our queer ancestors, to guide us to a place of greater understanding, and to pull the rug from under those of us who require it in order to recognize our own privilege. Wake us up. We call upon you, our queer ancestors, to help us realize our greatness as individuals and as a community, to banish the anxiety and fears that plague us, to break the barriers that separate us and strengthen the ties that unify us. Help us genuinely love and respect one another, and ourselves. This is a prayer to our queer ancestors, to the ones we know and those we do not know. We thank those who have walked the roads we walk down now, who have carried the burdens now passed on to us. Upon the legacy they have left us, we will continue to build our communities, and to tear down the systems of oppression that arise within them. We have a right to exist on this earth, and we will continue their fight for our liberation for as long as it takes. We are not alone, and we have never been alone. [Do not repost without author permission.]

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i just bawled my eyes out and it feels like i just got the biggest hug to my soul. thank you thank you thank you. it is sacred and it is SAFE the poster will not tell anyone even what state this is in, only thats this is in USA. even if you are not indigenous i hope this lifts your spirits and comforts you.

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Let’s Talk About Spirit Anchors

What’s an Anchor?

An anchor is a physical object that a spirit uses to connect more easily to our plane. It’s their loading point, or a way to find a place/person more easily, or just something to help them get a better hold. They are connected to the anchor, but can move/travel freely from it if they wish. They’re bound to it in the more metaphorical sense, not literally.  Some people also use the word vessels, which seems to be the more common use on this site. I personally prefer the word anchor, because to me the word vessel connotates the spirit being held inside it, which often isn’t the case. I’ve also seen many people assume that spirits are trapped by vessels, which I don’t want my speech to imply. More often than not, in my experience, spirits choose their own anchor(s).

Common Anchors and Why They’re Chosen

Jewelry, bones, photographs, figurines, crystals, stuffed animals, and knick knacks are all common anchors! Jewelry seems to be the most popular amongst spirit workers because of its innate subtlety, but spirits can choose anything to latch onto. Often, it’s an object that they just really enjoy. They may like the feeling of a certain crystal, the cuteness of that plushy, or the elegance of that necklace. It may resemble something they used to own or resemble what they look like (or used to.)  For bones and photographs specifically, you’re more likely to find the spirits of animals and humans that have passed on from this plane. It could be their photo, or their bones! Or, it could be a photo of someone who resembles them/ an animal of the same species. 

How to Use Anchors in Your Craft

Often, a spirit worker will help a spirit they trust find a suitable anchor, so that they can work more regularly with that spirit or ease their transition to working with someone else. This is a pretty common practice that you can see demonstrated with any spirit companion matchmaking service! But there are other ways to use them too. You can often find spirits in your daily life, just by trying to sense the objects around you when you’re out and about. A spirit may have already found an object and decided “Yup, this is mine” and set up shop. (Antique stores are great for this.) Once I saw a woman at a festival selling ethically-sourced bones, and ended up taking home a skull because I picked it up and my gut said, “there’s something inside this still.” I’ve found at least two spirits while shopping at Goodwill before, just hanging out with the beanie babies.  You can also reverse-engineer meeting a spirit by starting with the vessel. Find a vessel that is both suitable for your craft-style and the type of spirit you’re looking for, then go out to a place where you can expect that type of spirit. Do your usual spirit working stuff, and see if anybody is interested in companionship in exchange for the anchor you’re offering them. Bonus points, you can also give yourself anchors on the astral plane for all the same reasons a spirit may get one here! I tend to call them waypoints when I’m using them personally, but that’s just me.  I hope you find this info useful! As always, use protection and practice responsibly~ 

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“For example, we often hear that necromancy was outlawed because it was a devilish practice that depended upon the power of Satan for its effectiveness. What you do not hear is that necromancy was an aspect of ancestor worship, and that part of outlawing it involved making it illegal to bury your family members on your own land. Suddenly, you were required to bury your dead in Church-sanctioned graveyards. This effectively removed one of your most solid claims to ownership of your ancestral land. It was no longer the place where you could prove your forefathers lay buried. It made it easier for authorities to come along and kick you out of your home and take state ownership of the land your family had left to you. This also supported the ultimate goal of breaking up family clans, and the political power and wealth that often went along with them.”

— Aaron Leitch, Folk Tradition and the Solomonic Revival; At the Crossroads