Friday 27 February 2015

Knot Magic


Knot magic has been used for centuries from the Romans to the Egyptians and 
throughout Europe and Africa. Belief in knot magic even predates this! 


It was believed that Isis the Egyptian goddess could control the weather by 
braiding or unbraiding her hair, she could also influence mortals lives by 
using knot magic. 
The Greek goddess Circe was also associated with knot magic, by braiding knots 
into her hair she could control the forces of nature, this is probably why she is
known as the goddess of agriculture. 


The most common reason for the use of knot magic is to control the weather, sailors 
were most adept at this form of use, if they came becalmed while at sea they
 would just untie a knot to release the wind. They would purchase these knotted 
cords from the local witch before embarking on their journeys
 The following was recorded 1350  by Ranulph Higden: ‘In the Isle of Man 
witchcraft is exercised much, for women there be wont to sell wind to the shipmen 
coming to that country, as included under three knots of thread, so that they 
will unloose the knots like as they will have the wind to blow.’
The release of one knot brought a gentle, southwesterly wind; two knots, a strong 
north wind; and three knots, a tempest. 


In Scotland witches used to raise the wind by dipping a rag in water and beating
 it thrice on a stone, saying: 

“I knok this rag upone this stane
To raise the wind in the divellis name,
It sall not lye till I please againe.”


Knots can be found in Celtic art, for example the ‘shield knot’ which appears on 
shields. The shield shape with knots has continued to be used as a powerful symbol 
of protection. It is believed to ward off illness and bad omens. A design with thick
 strands with tight intertwining patterns, often with some squared-off edges,
 emanates a strong, impenetrable barrier. The thick strands evoke the 
image of a strong, unbreakable chain.
Sometimes found on the architecture of ecclesiastical buildings to stop evil 
spirits from entering. 
One of the most well known use for knot magic is the witches ladder.
A witch's ladder or sometimes known as witches garland is made of rope and feathers. 
Charms are knotted or braided with specific magical intention into the cords. The 
number of knots and nature of charms varies with the intended spell.


A witches ladder was found by chance in 1878 when workmen broke into a secret
 room in an old house in Wellington, Somerset, that was being demolished. Inside 
they found a witch’s ladder, an armchair and six well used brooms. The ladder, which
 is now in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, is a length of knotted cord with feathers
 woven into it and would have been used to cast spells, usually a death spell.  
Strangely enough the room, situated in the roof space, was inaccessible from the 
main house. According to many, witches were able to fly by anointing themselves with
 ointment made of the fat of young babies, hemlock, aconite, poplar leaves and soot. 
(obviously the reason for the well used broom-sticks!)
A similar thing called a witches garland is used in Italy, the ladder was made of 
cord, and contained black hen feathers. The curse or spell was uttered as each
 knot was tied in and the item was placed under the victim's bed, to cause the ill
 fortune or death.
There are regional variations as well, in Cornwall for example the ladder is made 
from black wool, with white and brown thread, and at every two inches it was tied 
around cock's feathers. The witch would  weave into it the aches and pains and other 
nasties intended for the victim, as part of the incantation the finished ladder would
 be taken to Dozmary Pool on Bodmin moor and cast into the water. As the bubbles
 rose to the top of the pond the curse would be released.
The only way to break this spell was to find the cord and untie each knot.

The modern day witches ladder is usually made from cord with 40 knots in it or 
a string of 40 beads, other items can be knotted in depending on the type of spell.
They can be used for a variety of reasons such as pain relief, love enchantment, 
ensuring safe travel when starting on a journey or just bringing a calm and peaceful
 atmosphere to a troubled environment. 
Certain incantations are spoken as each knot is tied and the witches energy is 
stored in the knots. This will enable her to concentrate on the chanting and focusing
 her will on the desired effect without having to keep count.
The cord is as a type of "storage cell" for the power. The first knot is tied at one end, 
with the words "By knot of one, the spell's begun." At this point, chanting or 
meditation is appropriate until you feel it is time to tie another knot.


By this knot of one the spell has begun.
By this knot of two it comes true.
By this knot of three it must be.
By this knot of four it’s empowered more.
By this knot of five the power thrives.
By this knot of six this spell I fix.
By this knot of seven ’tis manna from heaven.
By this knot of eight it is my fate.
By this knot of nine my desire is mine

Once you have finished tying, you can either untie one knot a day for next nine days,
 cut each knot, throw the whole cord into moving water, burn or bury it. 
 Tie the second knot at the opposite end of the cord.

All the energy that you have put into the knots via chanting, meditations and spells
 etc will be stored in the knots.
The knots must be released in the order they were tied.
Coloured threads can also be included in the knot magic, different colours have
 different meanings so can be used depending on the type of spell you wish to 
make or the required 
result.


White: Purity, truth, spirituality, peace.
Black: Stealth, banishing, protection from negativity.
Red: Strength, passion, courage.
Blue: Intuition, tranquility, emotion, healing, patience.
Green: Money, prosperity, fertility.
Orange: Stimulation, vitality, energy, adaptability.
Yellow: Mental acuity, intelligence, study, confidence.
Brown: The earth, home, stability.
Gray: Neutrality, cancellation, walking between two worlds.
Sources

Knot magic to rid yourself of negative energy.
(You can do this as necessary)
All you need is a cord of any length. When you are having negative emotions or feel 
threatened, visualize it in front of you and hold the cord out straight in front of you
 and chant:

I bind all negativity with this cord
I command you to halt
With this cord I hold you and bind you
You can no longer harm or bring me ill.

Then tie the cord into a simple slipknot as you speak, imagining it around the negativity
 and holding it tightly. Then let the stress and bad feelings flow out of your body 
into the cord.
When you are feeling calmer later that day or even the next, you can untie the knot 
and let the energy dissipate.



Tuesday 24 February 2015

Faerie Mugs



New range for 2015
Faerie Mugs

The Four Seasons
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Image on one side with text on the other, of a bright coloured mug.

The Rose Butterfly Faerie image wraps around the mug

All mugs are £8.00 each plus £2.00 p&p

available on my facebook page or email info@magic-myth-legend.co.uk

A bit of trivia for the 24th of Feb


This is St Mathias's Day, the thirteenth apostle, who was chosen to replace 
Judas Iscariot after the death of Christ.
He was beheaded with an axe and so is the patron saint of carpenters and 
wood cutters.
According to traditional weather proverbs frost on this day will last for
 anything from a month to two weeks.

Also on this day in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII announced that the Roman Catholic 
world would convert to using the new Gregorian Calender.


In 1920 Nancy Astor became the first woman MP to sit in the house of commons 
and it was on this day that she made her maiden speech; the first woman 
ever to do so.


Wednesday 11 February 2015

Moon Magic





Casting spells at certain phases of the moon is held to be an 
important part of spell casting, ie full, waxing or waning. 
However it is not impossible to cast spells at any time of the lunar
 calendar; it is just some phases are more powerful than others 
and will give your spells more oomph!


Full Moon: when it is visible lit up in its entirety. These moons have 
been given various names by different cultures and the full moon 
of this month is known as the Quickening Moon, Storm Moon and Ice Moon.
This phase is ideal for focusing on knowledge,love, money, 
protection, and improving your psychic powers.


A Spell for the full moon.

Go outside when the moon is at its fullest, have no light except for that which comes from moon. Look up to the heavens and declare your wish-es, meditate on it and examine the reason behind your wish, if it pure and unselfish. Visualise the wish coming true.
When complete give an offering to the moon, wine perhaps or cider or even some flowers.
“Lunar Goddess, look and see
What I give to thee
I offer this to thee
With a free  and open heart
With a wish that I hope you see
Comes from my heart
Filled with light and love”

Place the offering in the moon light.

It has always been believed that the full moon made people crazy, being 
associated with sleepwalking, suicide, fits of violence and for transforming
 into werewolves!
In the 18th century people arrested for violent behaviour could use in their 
defence that they were influenced by the full moon thus gaining a lighter 
sentence. The patients of Bethlehem, a notorious psychiatric hospital, were 
shackled and flogged as a preventative measure during the full moon.
 In fact the word lunatic comes from the roman goddess of the moon Luna.



Waxing Moon: when it is increasing.
Produces a creative and nurturing energy

Healing Poppet
(Positive magic is done under a waxing moon)
First make a lifelike figure in white cloth or felt, and if possible, try to 
add some material from a garment of the recipient. Stuff the doll with 
calendula, lavender,rosemary, lemon balm, feverfew, ivy and pine, add 
some of their hair, nail clippings, saliva etc, a photo can be added if 
you have one. Then place either a rose quartz, clear crystal, bloodstone 
or turquoise inside the poppet as near to the heart as possible. Then 
seal the doll. If the intended is recovering from surgery make an incision 
in the appropriate place.
Life must be breathed into the doll using a straw to blow into the poppet’s
 mouth saying:

‘Though separate you were,
Now you are one,
The link of unison has begun.

The poppet must then be named:

‘Image of health, thy purpose is healing (or love)
I give you the name of.............
Their body is your body
Their health is your health
I proclaim you one.’

.
Light a candle and visualize the person healthy and full of life, remember 
it is your strength of will and intent that is the most important part of the spell.
 Chant three times: 

‘Herbs of healing 
The body is free of pain
The soul is free
The mind is free 
whole and healed
With harm to none
My will is done
So mote it be!’

There are different views of what to do next with the pop-pet; bury the doll
 prior to sunset on the same day, pull the poppet apart and destroy it 
completely or give it to the intended recipient. I think you have to be 
guided by your own instincts on this.

In some parts of Britain it is belie
ved that if Christmas falls on a waxing moon the following years harvest will be good.

Waning Crescent Moon


Waning Moon: when it is decreasing.
This period is associated with banishing and destructive energy.

A spell to banish problems and negative energy.
You will need a candle, paper,pen and matches.
Write  all of your negative feelings, problems, names of trouble-some 
people onto the paper by the light of the candle. Seal the pa-per with 
candle wax and visualise to yourself all the problems you hold in your 
hand. Set a match to the paper and as the flames burn the paper and 
the problems imagine all of the issues just disappearing into ash and smoke.

In the south west of England it is said that if a boy is born on a
 waning moon that the next baby will be a girl.


Blue Moon:There are thirteen moons in one calender year, owing to the 
fact that a complete lunar cycle takes 28 ½  days, so you will usually see 
one full moon every month. However, every few year in one month you
 will see two full moons, one at the beginning of the month and the other 
at the end. The second is referred to as the Blue Moon; remember the 
saying “ once in a blue moon”
This phase is considered to be a very powerful  time for magic and 
casting spells. The next blue moon is the 31st July 2015.

Blue moon spell
You will need a blue candle, myrrh oil and a black marker.
Annnoint you candle with the oil, bless and concecrate the candle. Write 
your name and your wish on the candle. Hold the candle in your hand 
and visualise yourself surrounded by blue light which engulfs the candle.
 Light the candle and meditate about your wish until the candle burns out.


Black Moon: One month in a year will also have two  moons, the second is
 referred to as the black moon. These occur less frequently than the blue 
moon and again it is a very powerful time for spell casting and excellent 
for meditation and  protection spells.

Black Moon Spell to bring balance.
You will need 3 black candles
Small round mirror
Cauldron or fireproof bowl
Paper
Pen
Clove, mugwort, bloodroot, wormwood.
Sit in a darkened room and place the mirror in front of you, place one
 candle at the top of the mirror and the two other candles either side of it.
Place the cauldron on top of the mirror and sprinkle the herbs in and 
around it. Light the candles. Take a few deep breaths and start to examine 
the darker side of your nature and ask your guides for help in confronting 
these.
Then write on the paper the results of your meditation, it doesn’t matter 
if it makes no sense as long as you know what you mean. Light the paper 
and drop it into the cauldron, as it burns and the smoke drifts up and 
away say to yourself “ with the darkness of the moon I see the darkness 
within. With this light I banish the dark, now my life is full of light
 and balance.”
Let the candles burn down completely as you visualise all the darkness 
vanishing from the room: instead of the dark you are now filled with light.

There is an old saying that a baby conceived on the night of the 
black moon will be a girl.

Thursday 5 February 2015





The Enchanted Market
7th and 8th Feb
Free Market
 Sat 10-6
Sun 10-5
Free music during the day
Tickets required for the live music on Saturday evening
Featuring The Dolmen and Spriggan Mist



Speakers including
David Wells,

 Peter Grey and Rachel Patterson

Venue: 
Garth Hill College, Bull Lane, Bracknell. Berks. RG42 2AD

Wednesday 4 February 2015

Spotlight on new designers



For 2015 I thought I would spotlight a few up and coming designers and artists 
in the UK, all with a faerie twist of course!
Starting with...

The Ivory Dolls

All creations are handcrafted and sprinkled with faerie dust.
Clothing, accessories and tea ware for mori girls, shabby 
chic dolls and faerie lovers.














The Ivory Dolls wonderful creations are all lovingly created by sourcing and 

combining delicate old and new fabrics, antique laces and vintage buttons. 
Providing perfect attire for wandering through mythical forests and having 
tea with the faeries.




For more information on 'The Ivory Dolls' range of clothing and accessories please find contact details below or visit the etsy shop 'The Ivory Dolls'




♥ Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheIvoryDolls
♥ Tumblr - www.theivorydolls.tumblr.com
♥ Instagram - @theivorydolls
♥ Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/TheIvoryDolls




Sunday 1 February 2015

1st February Imbolc and the feast of St Brigid




This day is the festival of Imbolc( or Oimlec) which marked the 
beginning of spring in the Celtic calender. It merged with the feast day of St Brigid, the Abbess of Kildare in the late fifth and early sixth century. She was one of Ireland's best loved saints as well as being revered in England and Scotland.





Her feast day is celebrated in Ireland with various traditions, which included the making of rush crosses and the eating of festive fare. And as she is the patron saint of dairymaids and her emblem the cow, many of the festive recipes included milk and butter which would be consumed on  Imbolc Eve, food such as colcannon, sowans, dumplings, barmbrack and bannocks. On this night Brigid was said to visit virtuous households and bless the residents so in thanks some of the food would be set aside for her.




Before the residents retire to bed they would leave items of clothing or strips of cloth ouside for the saint to bless, the ashes in the fireplace would be raked smooth so that in the morning they could look for some kind of mark in the ash that Brigid had visited the house.
The clothing and cloth would be brought back inside and treasured as they believed that it would now have powers of healing and protection.

St Brigid was also suppose to have helped the Virgin Mary give birth to Jesus, so becoming the protector to pregnant women and midwives. She also tended to Mary's cows earning herself the title of 'Christ's Milkmaid.'
In the Highlands on the feast day young girls make the 'Last Sheaf'' of the previous harvest
into images of her which are then laid in a decorated cradle called the 'Brides Bed'.

'This is the day of the Bride
The Queen will come from the mound
This is the day of the Bride
The serpent will come from the hole'

It is believed that on this holy day that  adders would issue forth from their winters lairs bringing spring with them.




'The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown day of Bride,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground'



This day celebrates the reawakening of the earth and is the time of new beginnings. It is also an opportunity for us to make use of our intuitive energy and inner wisdom which, hopefully, we have gained during the winter months.
It is also the day when Cailleach, the hag of Gaelic tradition, gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. It is said that if the winetr is going to last a good while longer, she will make sure that the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny enabling her to gather plenty of firewood.
( the weather today is bright and sunny, oh dear!)
 This beliefs is supposed to be the forerunner of Groundhog Day in America