Occult practices and superstitious beliefs of Europe
Former director and curator of the Witchcraft Museum, Graham King, has written a fantastic book on British witchcraft. Inspired by the library of the museum in Boscastle, it is an excellent reference for anyone interested in this subject. Find out more, here.
Throughout the ages, sinister forces have been thought to have been able to manipulate the weather. Ships have been wrecked, storms have been called, floods have been summoned. I’ve collected a few stories of accounts of such events, and also look at how this influences us to this day.
Read more in “Storm Callers – The Art of Weather Magic”.
Bleigiessen, a form of molybdomancy, is a traditional New Year’s Eve activity whereby molten lead is dropped into water. The shapes formed are believed to foretell what the coming year will bring. Learn about this form of divination here.
The Rowan, or Mountain Ash, has long been praised in folklore for its magical properties. A necklace from the berries is said to protect the wearer. You can find out more and learn how to make your own in this article.
Seiðr (pronounced saythe) covers a broad range of magical practices within the Norse myths. But what exactly is it? And is this art strictly limited to women?
You can read the article in full, here.
In honour of this year’s International Women’s Day, The Spooky Isles has run a Wicked Women Week. It’s been great fun and a real honour to contribute to their event. My article features a witch who really seemed to enjoy the Dark Arts. Introducing Elizabeth Stile, Witch of Windsor.
A remote island of fire and ice, steeped in legends. Iceland has long aroused our imaginations with tales of the Norse in the Eddas and Sagas of old. Witches, and sorcerers too walk this land, who have used symbols known as staves for magical purposes. I explored the history of this, and looked at a few of the examples in this piece. There are some links for books to get your hands on if you want to study these further.
