Traditional Witchcraft A Cornish Book of Ways

Transcription

1 Traditional Witchcraft A Cornish Book of Ways

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3 TRADITIONAL WITCHCRAFT A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary with line illustrations by the author and photography by Jane Cox

4 2008 Gemma Gary The Paperback Editions: Published by Troy Books Troy Books Publishing

5 Acknowledgements With grateful thanks to; With acknowledgement also to those who have walked

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7 Contents Preface 11 Introduction 17 The Cunning Path 35 The Dead and the Otherworld 43 The Bucca 50 Places of Power 61 The Tools of Cunning 73 The Witches Compass 93 The Hearthside Rite 98 The Compass Rite 100 The Troyl Hood 106 A Ritual of Closing 107 The Trade 111 The Hand of the Wise 115 Planetary Virtues 116 Magical Substances 119 Charm Bags 129 Workings of Protection 132 Workings of Healing 139 Workings of Love 144 Workings of Good Fortune 147 Workings of Spirit Magic 148 Workings of the Weather 157 Versatile Ways 158 Rites of the Moon 165 The Furry Nights 171 Candlemas 172 May s Eve 175 Golowan 180 Guldize 185 Allantide 188 Montol 193 Initiations on the Cunning Way 199 A Rite of Dedication 204 Glossary Bibliography Index 218

8 List of Line Illustrations and Figures by the Author Tammy Blee 16 Boskenna Cross 34 Spirit House in the Landscape 42 The Bucca Dark and Fair 50 Where All Conjoin 60 Pellar Tools 72 The Compass Round 92 Witch Charms The Hand of the Wise Planetary Squares 130, 131 Written Protection Charm 132 Written Healing Charm 140 Written Love Charm 145 Witch Mirror 156 The Moon and Troy Stone 164 Obsidian Moon stone 169 The Furry Nights 170 The Nine Knots and Thirteen Witch s Points 198 List of Photographs By Jane Cox Between Pages 48 and 49 1 The home of Tammy Blee, 56 Coinagehall St, Helston. 2 Granny Boswell image courtesy of the Museum of Witchcraft 3 Museum of Witchcraft Wise-woman tableaux 4 The Rocky Valley, North Cornwall 5 The Rocky Valley Labyrinths 6 Chûn Quoit 7 The Merry Maidens stone Circle 8 Skull used to represent the Bucca in outdoor rites 9 Bucca figure carved by Bel Bucca 10 The author s hearth 11 Carn Euny Fogou passage 12 Alsia Holy Well, near St Buryan 13 Boscawen Un stone circle

9 14 Birthing at the Men-an tol Between Pages 96 and Threshing fork and working staves 16 Spirit whip and hook wand 17 Mysterious goat headed knife 18 Wise-woman knives in the Museum of Witchcraft 19 Wind roarer, sweeping tools, switch and witch s whisk 20 Working stones 21 Snake vertebrae and garnet witch necklace 22 An indoor altar and working surface 23 The author lighting the switch 24 The author drawing the spirits in by use of the switch 25 The stone, bone, staff and flame 26 The skull Between Pages 144 and The author working at her hearth 28, 29, and 30 The author working in the circle 31 and 32, A collection of household charms 33 The contents of a protective witch-bottle 34 Animal bone and chain charms 35 A charm bag 36 The witch s lump figure in the Museum of Witchcraft 37 Lead body parts for stroking magic 38 Snake skin and box for healing 39 House dolls on the hearth 40 Mandrake in coffin-box Between Pages 192 and A very fine thread-work spirit house 42 Antler tine prickers for weather magic 43 The author working candle and pin magic 44 A Get-Lost-Box in the Museum of Witchcraft 45 A mirror bottomed copper basin - Museum of Witchcraft 46 Padstow Old or Red Obby Oss 47 A midsummer fire - Madron 48 The Penzance Guldize Neck 49 Crying the Neck - Madron 50 The nine knotted cord

10 The human skull is the symbol of death. For the witch death holds a strange fascination. Each and every one of says no. For she knows that: there are other places and other things. Her whole life and being is devoted to the ever present but unseen world of spirit. To the witch the spirit world is a reality, a living thing. To her everything has a spirit, a soul, a personality, be it animal, mineral, vegetable. That is why to us in the south west we know up country folk, but beware for indeed you are in the land where ghoulies and ghosties, and long legged beasties still romp, stomp and go bump in the night. Come, let us show you what the witches and their spirits do Cecil H. Williamson