Andrea Dworkin - Wicked Witch, “Woman Hating: A Radical Look At Sexuality”, 1974.

Traditional Georgian dancing.

Veles

The woods whisper.

The ancient tress, bent and scraggly, reach down to hush snicker, tricking and advising you, as you breathe in this stale, moist air, of this twilight place, neither here nor there. Here you are to be tested, to be changed, to become something new- or something old, if you wish so.

So you wander, through deep grass and clingy mud, through paths of mushrooms and bushes, ever shifting and deceptive. It is challenge, certainly, but one suited for you, one that will push you to your utmost limits, and make you grow beyond them.And so you walk forward, following shadows of wails, echoes of rain slithering over rocks, the eternal traces of things that haven’t walked Earth in long, long time (but will one day do so again).

He awaits you below, in cave whose entrance is secret yet can be found anywhere, carved out of soft mud and ancient dust and great stone. Water and earth meet, meld and meddle in each other’s business. Everything there is buoyant, verdant and vibrant, full of potential, of energy and life that seems as strong as hundred springs. Your ancestors crawl there, as they await for chance to fly back to life.  You are filled with need, with hunger to learn and ask, to challenge them and test yourself, to learn secrets of this place, even as your eyes seems to melt,  trying to pierce through shadows.

Men tried to describe him in many ways, and they all got something correct, and they all got so much that isn’t right. For how can any word, any shape properly contain him? You cannot guess whether he is constantly changing, or contains all forms of world, or whether he is something else, something unseen before (or at least in long, long time- he never got used to one shape, least of all human, for he is caretaker and guise of all creatures, patron of all things wild and free). You catch glimpses, just hints of truth, like looking for gold in murky waters, like going through earliest, foggiest memories-  here pair of antlers, there hooves, over there strength and width of bear, dignity and bearing of ancient tree right there.

You see his eyes. You see power in there, reaching farther then roots of mountains, as malleable and stubborn as water, as wide as underworld itself, caring as soil, as destructive as earthquake, as consuming as flood, as deafening as silence, as freeing as your favourite song. You see ages you can’t grasp beyond, time as heavy as illness upon you, and glint of satisfied mischief. You see wisdom there, earned and practical, born from curiosity towards specific purpose (and being what he is, there are so so many things he knows). It is gaze you know, from your brother when he talks about his work, from your father and grandparents and teacher when you were young, from mirror too, from all people who know something you don’t and are happy to learn ( all but one, though she is a thing of still darkness and deep waters, for her eyes are always veiled, and she hoards secrets even lord of dead and mystery doesn’t know, greedily keeps them for no other reason but their own sake), sharp and purring, inviting, never satisfied, always watching and waiting.

A cloak unrolls from top of his horns to below his paws-feet-hooves. It is a meadow and mountain, forest and field, swamp and moss.  He seems to wear whole of world on his shoulders, all things civilized and wild and in-between, and below it he hides soil and clay, stone and caves, and all things that crawl and slither and claw and slip upon and below. It grows and withers, rises and fall, living and dying, always changing, because nothing ever stops, because nothing remains the same, because nothing escapes his eye.

There is stick in his hand. A rough, wooden staff, scrappy and twisted, warped and bent, like branch left in tiny river for too long. It is an old man’s staff, to help him climb up the mountain, and fighter’s pole, in hands of skilled deadlier then a sword or spear, and shepherd’s stick by which he defends and leads livestock, and sorcerer’s focus, by which he bends world to his will. It is all those things and so much more, greater then any scepter, and it is part of him, for he is master of liminal spaces and times, lord of wolf and cattle, who guides and directs, tests and teaches living and dead.

‘‘Come.’‘ He says, doesn’t order, even if he has every right,because he doesn’t need to, because you chose this, again and again, and you come into his embrace, in arms that are paws  and claws and fur and leather, as calming as river that flows beneath ground, as comforting as shade of tree in summer field, and you smile, smile,  for there is no monster and no nightmare that can stand against what you devoted yourself to, against He who accepted you.

How To Make Black Salt.

Now I know you are asking yourself. ” Christian Witch…Why would I need black salt when Supernatural shows us that plain salt is just fine?” 

Well, Let me Explain.

Black Salt is normally used to banish or drive away negative things. It can be used to protect your home and garden area by sprinkling it around the property line. To protect from things general getting in your house you can put Black Salt in the corners of the room or across the door step. It is also used to remove negative spells that have been cast on a person. In general, Salt itself is a great purifying agent. Black Salt is more about protection and the banishment of all things negative.

Now that we know what is does, Let me show you how to make it.

You can use anything dry that has a black tone. Charcoal, Ashes, Scrapings from your cauldron/cast iron bowl or skillet, even Pepper is often used.

I used the charcoal i salvaged from the Litha Bonfire for an extra dose of light in the darkness.

I also used my small little cast iron cauldron as my mortar for the mixing.

The Salt I used was just plain table salt, but if you want to you can get all fancy with the sea salt and what not.

Once you have gathered you ingredients, it is time to grind the ingredient you chose to turn your salt black.

Now this can take a while and you need to make sure to watch out for the dust that comes up from these…It can choke you pretty bad. The Charcoal gave a LOVELY crunching sound and really took the edge off of my frustration with certain people. Then i kept repeating “grind their bones to make my bread”. I had a weird moment.

Once ground to the way you like it you add about double the amount in salt.

Now for the fun part. While thinking about all the ways you need to be protected, mix the ingredients until there is no white left. 

TADA! You have made your very own Black Salt. Now…Lets bottle this protective amazingness! Again. At this point the dust that comes off will choke you so fast its not even funny.

Also I need to warn that when putting in places be ready to get your hands dirty.

Once it is bottled and ready you can use it for just about anything you need done in the protective world. 

Create and Enjoy!

there are gods you’ll see on a warm summer day, when the sun is close and ripe, and the air smells like flowers in full bloom, and like young wine goes to your head

there are gods you’ll see when the snowy night has covered the world in a deep dark shroud and your soul is bare against the judgement of the stars

there are gods you’ll see when you look into the eyes of a stranger and catch a glimpse of a long forgotten lover, overflowing with promises of many sleepless nights

there are gods you’ll see when your heart boils with anger and your spirit fills with wicked desires, as red as blood and as blood sweet

there are gods you’ll see when the pain tears you like thorns and nettles, and there are gods you’ll see when loneliness burdens you like a heavy unwanted crown

there are gods you’ll see in songs, in the beating of the drums and of the hearts, in the shimmer of a mountain stream and the depth of the sea, gods of wolf’s howl and of the forest

there are gods you’ll see many times on your path, and there are gods you’ll see only once in your lifetime, gods you’ll be happy to see and those you’d rather forget

there are gods you’ll see in the dreams

gods you’ll see in the smoke

gods you’ll see in the mirror

whatever you do, don’t look at them too long.

Scotland is not boring

Resources for Mending Clothes

We toss out over 80 pounds of textiles each year. These textiles are often made of plastic materials (polyester, nylon), made in unethical conditions, dyed with harsh dyes that often get put into the rivers, etc. Even a single cotton shirt releases carbon emissions and uses tons of water. 

So the best thing to prevent the unsustainable growth of the fashion industry is to make sure that your clothing lasts as long as possible. To do so, mending clothing is a must. So here are some resources to help you learn how to do various things, such as sewing a button, to tailoring clothes, or even upcycling old clothing into new styles. 

* How to sew on three different types of button

* How to hand sew on a patch on a torn pair of jeans

* How to sew up a hole in an old shirt

* How to sew a simple T-shirt

* How to upcycle old clothing into new clothing

* More upcycle and sewing techniques

* How to repair a damaged sock

* How to do an invisible stitch

* 3 different stitches to work with for different results

* How to make a T-shirt smaller so it fits you better

* How to make repairs to your shoes

These are just a few of the things that you can do in order to make sure that your clothing lasts for a long time. Nobody wants to keep buying new clothing, as it is expensive and wasteful. 

So making alterations to your clothing, or fixing small holes hen you see them can be hugely beneficial to your wallet, to garment workers, and to the environment in the long term. 

***

If you like what I write, consider buying from:

My Etsy shop for upcycled bags, jewelry, and crafting supplies.

Or

My poshmark for reclaimed clothing.

Simple Tricks for Cleansing Your Room

Smoke Cleansing: Formerly referred to as “smudging” (but should not be because that term referred to a specific Native American tradition and should not be appropriated) smoke cleansing is the most widely known form of home cleansing. One should take a bundle of dried  sage or cedar and let it on fire until it is lit. Then, walk around the effected room or building spreading the smoke emanating from the bundle until the smoke has sufficiently permeated the air.

Saltwater Cleanse: A simple and effective form of cleansing in a pinch. Mix 1 part salt to 6 parts water (1:6 because the number 6 is considered to be “The Caretaker” in Numerology). This can be mixed in a bowl, cup, or even in a spray bottle for easy use. Spray/flick the saltwater in all of the corners of the room/house that you want to cleanse. It can also help to repeat a relevant chant or prayer while moving throughout the area.

Van Van Oil Home Cleansing: Wash down all of the wood work in and outside of the house with Van Van Oil mixed in water (also known as Chinese Wash). When you are finished, throw the remaining wash out the front door, facing East. Finish off by sweeping the house back to front with a brand new broom.

Herbal Cleansing Bottle: Get a large bottle. First, put in a sturdy sand bottom layer. Then, add in the following herbs in this order, one of top of the other; Rosemary, lemon peel, sage, cedar, black peppercorns, lavender, dill, bay leaf, and rowan. When the bottle is full, visualize your energy going into it. You should notice a slight yellow/golden glow when it is charged. Seal it fully and inscribe a pentagram or sigil of your choice on the bottle. Set it by a window and uncap and recharge every 6 months.

Home Purification Burn: Make your own incense out of dried Pine needles, Juniper, and Ceder (1 tbs of each). Grind ingredients together  and burn them while reciting a chosen chant or prayer.

Candle and Salt Cleanse: Get a white candle and some salt. Put the candle in the center of the room that needs cleansing. Pour the salt in a circle around the candle and let it burn until it goes out.

Rockin and a rollin.