Clan Dolmen Chronicles Beltane 2019

CLAN DOLMEN CHRONICLES BELTANE 2019

In this issue A review and brief insight into the Infernal Theatre by mark vine Necromancy by Diane Narraway summer reading plus author profile of linda falorio an interview with yentl scattevoet the dreadlock piper Retrogrades by bill duvendack plus gig guides, events, regular features and

loads more!!!

www.dolmengrove.co.uk http://pagansymposium.org

Clan Dolmen is a pagan organisation of mixed spiritual paths established in the early 90s by Taloch Jameson, which over the years has grown from one small circle in Weymouth Dorset, to several clans not only across the UK but worldwide.

The Spiritual ethos of Clan Dolmen has remained the same throughout and is based purely upon the Freedom of the Individual.

It is the collective belief that in an age where technology can often dwarf our humanity, it is important that we take control as individuals and embrace our own spirituality in order to maintain the equilibrium within an ever-changing world.

Although the Clan is not a political organisation preferring instead to focus upon the spiritual, this does not prevent either individual members or the Clan as a collective from playing an active part in humanitarian and environmental issues.

There are no hierarchy or titles within Clan Dolmen as it is our aim to encourage each man and woman to discover their own unique and authentic journey so that their spiritual connection is founded upon that which works for them as an individual rather than a spiritual rule book set for the masses.

The key to our success is the Round Table which is made up of around twenty people from a variety of spiritual paths who uphold the spiritual ethos of the Clan. They not only organise their respective moots but also the festivals and events hosted by Clan Dolmen.

Our Moots are regular meeting places which are held once a month in several areas. Although these are organised by and largely attended by Clan members, non-members are always welcome to find out more about the Clan and enjoy the company of other free-thinking people as well as the activities organised by the Moot.

There is a membership in place that enables those who wish to be part of this ever-growing Clan to enjoy reduced ticket prices for Clan Dolmen, festivals and where stated ‘member only’ Ceremonies and Courses. Although we host many Ceremonies which are open to the general public, to avoid crowding and to allow our members to celebrate free from pressure we also hold a number of ‘members only’ ceremonies throughout the year.

‘ALL ARE SPIRITUALLY UNITED WITHIN CLAN DOLMEN’ https://clandolmen.wixsite.com/mysite

CONTENTS 1…Diary of the Hedgewitch-Rachael Moss 2…As if by Magick: The Dolmen – Katherine Brown-Gurley 3…An Interview with Dolmen Drummer: Chris Harris – Diane Narraway 4…A Portrait of Wolf Von Bones 5...Mother Said – Sem Vine 6…Death Dreams – Melissa Rodgers 7…Necromancy – Diane Narraway 8…Learning Lenormand part 7 – Eirwen Morgan 9…The Stinging Nettle; Loved or hated – Andrew Cowling 10…Summer Reading – A selection of new books and old favourites, including an author profile of Linda Falorio.

11…An interview with Yentl Schattovoet – The Dreadlock Piper – Diane Narraway 12…Aromatherapy – Peppermint Oil - Betty Timmer & Signy Esmeijer.

13…Candied Violets and Lemon Slices – Shodie Wilson 14…Clan Dolmen Spirit of Rebirth Camp – A review by Marisha Kiddle 15…The Infernal Theatre – a review by Mark V ine 16…Retrogrades – by Astrologer Bill Duvendack 17…The Visitor – A Ghost Story by Debbie Moogan Photos in this issue: Joanna Caswell, Andrew Cowling, Rachael Moss Duncan Knifton, Dennis Wright.

Artwork in this issue by Sem Vine All Dolmen and Dolmen Grove artwork by Sem Vine Unless otherwise stated all other images are owned by the authors or from the public domain Cover Image courtesy of Miss Klora L’Forme Further information on Clan Dolmen can be found at https://clandolmen.wixsite.com/mysite https://www.facebook.com/Clan-Dolmen110124449082503/ All information is accurate at the time of publication and all articles and images are assumed to be the work of those being credited Editor… Diane Narraway email: clandolmen@gmail.com Part of the Pagan and Heathen Symposium http://pagansymposium.org/

Diary of the Hedgewitch Spring burst into eruption with the sudden wavering melodies of morning birdsong, filling the heart with a strange longing, resounding with possibilities. Storms then marked its entrance with melodrama, rampaging through the land, ravaging mighty trees, sending seas into a wild foaming frenzy, flooding rivers, and sending cliff edges falling into the ocean.

Rainbows straddled the earth in their brazen colour, and dark skies loomed as a backdrop to vivid green fields.

Snowdrops sprinkled in drifts, primroses opened in pale yellow to face the world, stitchwort shined little white star petals from hedgerows, celandines gleamed in gold, and, one of my favourites, dog-violets, peeped out delicately from woodland edges. In gardens hellebores glowed in purple, pink and white, and lungwort hung deep blue heads.

Daffodils beamed in radiant yellow clumps, crocus’s bloomed, and bees, hungry for nectar, slowly, coldly, meandered, buzzing, seeking their desires with each flower. Blackthorn dazzled in white, brightening up gloomy days. Sap rushed, rising throbbing through upright stem and branch, to spill, gushing, in the unpeeling leaf buds that awaited in anticipation all winter.

Creatures pair up or re-new their pair bonds as life strives to create and re-create. Sunshine and lengthening days drove out the winter blues, and warmth caressed pasty, famished, skin. Shoots emerged; nettles and cleavers with their potency for spring cleansing;

wild garlic and its invigorating, pungent, fragrance. The land shone in verdant green, reborn. Seedlings that hold the future seed within, germinate, throbbing with virile intensity.

Blearily, sleepily, we uncoil from winter’s dreary clutches into the light, expanding into spaciousness. Fresh scent floods our beings in the dewy mornings and evenings, as the world is re-vitalised, fertilised with its sprinkling, as new manifestations come forth into the world, shuddering. The world is all beginnings, where things are newly coming into being and all is possible, teetering on the brink ready to explore anything that can be, each realisation yet to unfurl.

Yet, within all this dazzling newness, lies the end that is contained within the beginning.

Each germinating seedling gestates its bloom, its fruit, and the seeds that seethe to start another journey forth in other futures contained in the now; and each of these beginnings is the end of the previous cycle, as spring triumphs on the remains of winter, and all that we have experienced.

For me spring is an incredibly potent time. We are thrust onward, re-born, filled with indescribable longing; whether its sexual lust, or the desire for merging with the divine, and returning to the eternal (and both). Like children, the world is full of wonder as everything is at the cusp of becoming, and we want to quench our thirst with all of it.

Rachael Moss Photos by Rachael Moss

,

April Mon 01 Tues 02 Weds 03 Thurs 04 Fri 05 Sat 06 Sun 07 Mon 08 Tues 09 Weds 10 Thurs 11 Fri 12 Sat 13 Sun 14 Mon 15 Tues 16 Weds 17 Thurs 18 Fri 19 Sat 20 Sun 21 Mon 22 Tues 23 Weds 24 Thurs 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon 29 Tues 30

June Sat 01 Sun 02

Mon 03 Tues 04 Weds 05 Thurs 06 Fri 07 Sat 08 Sun 09 Mon 10 Tues 11 Weds 12 Thurs 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Sun 16 Mon 17 Tues 18 Weds 19 Thurs 20 Fri 21 Sat 22 Sun 23 Mon 24 Tues 25 Weds 26 Thurs 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30

Transplant crops, prune, mow lawns

Broccoli, brussel sprouts,cabbage cauliflower, celery and celeriac, chard, kale, leek, parsley, salad greens and lettuce, spinach, flowers and herbs

Aubergine, bean - broad and french, cucumbers, peas, peppers, sweetcorn, tomatoes

Beetroot, carrot, kohl rabi, onion parsnip, poatoes, radish

Transplant crops, prune, mow lawns

Broccoli, chard, lettuce and salad greens, spinach, flowers

Peas, runner beans, squash and pumpkin

Carrot, radish, swede, turnip

Transplant crops, prune, mow lawns

Broccoli, chard, lettuce and salad greens, spinach, flowers

May Wed 01 Thurs 02 Fri 03 Sat 04 Sun 05 Mon 06 Tues 07 Weds 08 Thurs 09 Fri 10 Sat 11 Sun 12 Mon 13 Tues 14 Wed 15 Thurs 16 Fri 17 Sat 18 Sun 19 Mon 20 Tues 21 Weds 22 Thurs 23 Fri 24 Sat 25 Sun 26 Mon 27 Tues 28 Weds 29 Thurs 30 Fri 31

Transplant crops, prune, mow lawns

Broccoli, brussel sprouts,cabbage cauliflower, celery and celeriac, chard, kale, leek, parsley, salad greens and lettuce, spinach, flowers and herbs

Aubergine, bean-broad,french,runner, cucumbers, melons, peas, peppers, squash and pumpkins, tomatoes

Beetroot, carrot, kohl rabi, onion parsnip, poatoes, radish turnip, swede

Transplant crops, prune, mow lawns

Jun Sat Sun

Mo Tue We Thu Fri Sat Sun Mo Tue We Thu Fri Sat Sun Mo Tue We Thu Fri Sat Sun Mo Tue We Thu Fri Sat Sun

All things, to endure, must evolve. If there is an example of this in the musical world, it is The Dolmen. Defying categorization, over the years the band have introduced and combined many types of traditional and modern styles to produce their singular music, the most recent description of which could be: “Celtic - Folk- Gypsy - Rock all incorporated on occasion into historically based works”. Run all these terms together, so that they combine to form something resembling “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and perhaps you invent a word that just may come near to describing The Dolmen.

But in its many incarnations since the band’s inception in the early 1990s, The Dolmen have always remained true to one purposeful magick “trick”: the conjuration of an authentic Celtic ceilidh.

Any Dolmen venue, large or small, will eventually break out in a sing-along and foot stomping dance, compelled by the band and the music itself, but mostly the result of carefully crafted aural and visual spells put forth by sorcerous front man, Taloch Jameson.

The more recent album, “Wytchesand Cunningfolk”, points up the maturing of the band’s style, with its impressive, finely honed, cohesive musicianship coupled with masterful lyrics and melodies, written

by Taloch Jameson but also, and not surprisingly to those who know the band well, aided by his young son, Connach Jameson.

The unique guitar skill of Josh Elliott blends perfectly into the fiery gypsy style as well as the heavier mood climaxing towards the end of the album.

Enhanced by the musical talents of bassist and vocalist Kayleigh Marchant, combined with Chris Jones’ Highland tribal beats, Anja’s soaring flute and the re-introduction of a properly haunting gypsy violin styled by accomplished classical/ folk musician Sebastian Hiding, The Dolmen, with this album, have reached a personal perfection.

For all these reasons, the band’s recent stunning accomplishments in winning top categories both in their native UK for “Best UK Band” by UK Pagan Events 2018, along with “Best International Live Band of 2018” and “Best Album of 2018” at the Bastaard Fantasy Awards (“Wytches and Cunningfolk”), is particularly satisfying after their long journey in the musical world. (No strangers to international recognition, Taloch’s original composition, “Seven Wonders”, chosen in 2007 as the official anthem of the New Seven Wonders of the World contest, was attended by band members during ceremonies that year in Lisbon, Portugal.)

For The Dolmen, music, sound, and movement are essential elements of ritual. Audience participation is a magickal Key. Collective energy is harnessed, directed, and released outward upon the night air, or the afternoon breeze, or upward to the overcast and stormy sky - wherever the band may perform, under whatever conditions – all aspects of the venue are components, all are ingredients, recruited as mystic tools to further joy, pleasure, dance, and song; but most of all, to weave right then and there, and for times to come, an atmospheric spell nourishing universal kinship, a totality of unity - and the binding Force that is love. Bringing us together- as if by Magick.

Folklorist Charles Leyland, in one of his many collections of 19th century sayings, quotes a Scottish Romany proverb: “Witches…and Gypsies soon ken ae the ither”: — at any Dolmen event, how very true this is.

Go and be a part of the Magick. See for yourself.

Katherine Brown-Gurley

The Dolmen

Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th May …Brixham Pirate Festival, Town Centre Brixham, TQ5 8AW, UK Friday 17th – Sunday 20th May… Wytches & Cunningfolk Camp the Netherlands Thursday 30th - Friday 31st … MPS Rastede,, Rasteder Schloßpark, Rastede 26180 Germany Saturday, June 8th…MPS Hohenwestedt, Medieval Market, Am Park., Hohenwestedt 24594 Germany

Saturday, 15th – Sunday 16th June Zomerfolk, Celtic Folk Festival Stadspar, Groningen, the Netherlands Friday, June 21st…3 Wishes Fairy Festival, Mount Edgecumbe Country Park, Torpoint, Cornwall UK Friday, June 28th … Pagan Tribal Gathering, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK Friday, 5th - Sunday 7th July, Weymouth Pirate Festival, Town Centre, Weymouth, Dorset, UK Saturday 13th – Sunday 15th July, MPS Buckeburg, Buckeburg, 31675 Germany SATURDAY, 20th – Sunday 21st July Fantasy Forest Costume Event, Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, GL54 5JD, UK Friday 26th – Sunday 28th July Tribal Dreams Spiritual Gathering, Dorset, UK Friday 9th – Sunday 11th August Lakefest Family Music Festival, Eastnor Castle, Eastnor, Ledbury HR8 1RL UK Friday 16th – Saturday 17th August, Asguardian Viking Festival, North Park, Holme, Peterborough, PE7 3PB, UK Saturday 24th – Sunday 25th August Middeleeuws Winschoten & Fantasy Festival, Medieval Fantasy Festival, Bovenburen 104b, WinschotenG www.thedolmen.com HH, The Netherlands

Wytches and Cunningfolk …17th – 20th May - IJsbaan Beerta, Buitenlandenstraat 3, 9686 PZ Beerta, The Netherlands

http://www.dolmengrove.co.uk/events.html Pagan Tribal Gathering…27th - 30th June www.pagantribalgathering.org.uk/tickets

Tribal Dreams …26th -29th July -Winterborne Sports And Social Club Hedge End Winterborne Stickland Blandford Forum DT11 0NT http://www.dolmengrove.co.uk/events.html

My name is Wolf. Currently, I have been on this Earth for over 53 years. My wife, Marianne and I, have been together for 30 years. We have two children, Faye and Shane. Faye is a traditional Romani dancer and Shane is a photographer/videographer /film maker.

My history as a craftsman and artist is the legacy of both my parents, who were American Travelers and very creative people. My father was a sculptural artist and welded scrap metal into incredibly intricate and expressive statues. My mother, now well into her mid-eighties, is still active as a performing actress, a playwright and a director.

Art is my life force. It sustains me; keeps me sane. I have found that if there are periods in my life without creativity, I tend to go a little crazy. I have travelled down many roads yet have always managed to keep creativity up front in my life.

Growing up as a foreign kid on the streets of Amsterdam, I learned very early in life to take care of myself, and that becoming tough is a good thing.

Leaving school at an early age, I went on to live a wild life. As a result, I have walked the razor’s edge many times, but lived to tell the tale, as the saying goes.

In 1995 I started up a small puppet show company, building the theatre, and all the props, the puppets and the masks, myself. Marianne is a very creative writer of shows and plays, and we started out performing together for children’s birthday parties. As we became more well-known and our success grew, we added live actors as well as puppets. Now, besides parties, we were doing shows at shopping malls and all kinds of festive openings.

We had made a bit of a name for ourselves.

Eventually we moved to France and made a modest living, traveling in an old campervan to campsites and performing our shows for a fee. I had redone a large old Mercedes van into a traveling theatre, and built 3 large puppet theatres. We had great fun.

Language was not a problem as our shows were more like 1930’s mime shows, with actors and puppets playing an equal role. Our backing soundtracks were mostly from jazz greats like Duke Ellington.

Years passed by and we found ourselves back in Holland, working for several festivals. At this point, we bought a big old circus tent and found that the puppets had receded into the background as we evolved into performing spooky, old-fashioned horror shows. The theatre shows still happen at times but maybe just two or three a yearwhen the time, the venue (and the stars) are just right.

I started painting and drawing many years ago but I now have the time and the drive to create and grow. I love to make my own frames and stretch the canvas - all good things because usually, I make very large pieces.

Nowadays I spend my time painting, finding that the years we spent on the road are a huge source of inspiration, creating as they have the scenes in my heart that I wish to transfer to canvas.

My art work is a sort of folk- art genre, but I strive to convey entirely my own path. It might be what some would describe as the “primitive� style. I tend to favour bold, lush, primary colours. But at that, Grandma Moses and I part company. Whilst the subjects of my paintings are varied, they generally lean toward the dark, the macabre, and the fanciful world of the imagination and magick. My canvasses are peopled by strange beings; otherworldly folk, and those of the many legends and tales I have gathered throughout my travelling life and from within my Traveller culture.

My subject is the life of the imaginative mind.

My philosophy is Freedom

Wolf Von Bones 2019.

www

MELISSARENERO DGERS@GMAIL.COM

Veneficia Publishing is a small independent U.K. publisher owned by Diane Narraway & Cheryl Waldron, dedicated to providing quality publications.

As publishers, we specialise in but are not limited to magickal, pagan, heathen, and occult works. We also publish fiction/dark fiction, nonfiction, journals, poetry, fantasy/sci-fi, as well as magickal, pagan, heathen and children's books. If we accept your MSS for publishing, then we work with you as editors and proof readers at no additional cost to our free quotationWe will pay royalties at 10% per book for the first 5,000 copies sold and 13% per book thereafter, with a view to increasing to 15% if book sales remain constant. This may fluctuate due to both predicted and unpredicted market performance.

As editors, we offer fixed fee services and free quotes. As writers, we know the importance of good editing and proof reading.

All our services involve working alongside the author to provide a polished MSS ready for publishing.

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The word necromancy comes from the Greek nekromanteia, nekros meaning “dead” and manteia meaning “divination.”

In turn divination comes from the Latin divinare "to foresee, or to be inspired by a god" (closely related to the Latin divinus meaning divine) Divination is the practice of gaining insight into a question or situation via a mystical or magickal, ritual. This has taken place in various forms throughout history, diviners advise their querent on the best course of action by reading signs, events, or om ens, or through contact with a supernatural agency.

Necromancy incorporates a variety of techniques including mediumship. This is either the natural or developed ability to commune with those beyond this realm. This is generally considered to be, but not exclusively the the deceased. Likewise, mediums are not essentially Clairvoyant but are believed to have the means to communicate via trance or thought; a process known as channelling. In the case of Spirit mediums and those identifying as “White Witches” this power is used or believed to be used solely for the benefit, often used to offer comfort of an afterlife.

Dance is a common magickal technique used by a variety of tribes throughout the world; dance being an integral part of tribal magick. Dance is a dual expression most commonly using either or line formation. The circlular formation sees the space located within the circle as sacred; somewhere that the priest, priestess or shaman can interact with the both the spiritual forces and the individuals forming the circle. The dance itself works as a mantra to alter the state of

consciousness of all involved, while the centre of the circle is itself a sacred realm where communion with ancestors took place. For the individual within the centre, they become a link between the material and spiritual world by appearing “possessed” by the spirits.

Linear dance techniques are a more recent development and is rarely used spiritually these days but were initially used in the same way with the Priest/Priestess/Shaman leading the dance and using the same steps as they had previously.

The steps become sigils that form the ritual which in turn opens a portal through which either the Priest/ess, Shaman or all present can commune with their ancestral spirits or guardians.

The most famous dance is probably the “Ghost dance” of the Lakota Sioux. The belief was that by practicing the Ghost Dance (a circular tribal dance) the white man, more specifically the U.S. Government would leave, and their ancestors return. In fact, the opposite happened. The Ghost dance was given the name by white settlers because they believed the dust clouds caused by the dance gave it a ghostly aura.

The techniques used to commune with those deceased or ancestral beings would include the casting of bones/runes, Ouija boards, Tarot Cards and scrying along with many other forms of divination. Ouija boards, along with other forms of necromancy take their place among Hollywood’s finest moments of dramatised scaremongering .

Many washes, waters, powders and incenses have a place in necromancy too. Ghost water is created by placing spring water in a graveyard (ideally on a grave or tomb) during the full moon

in order to charge it. Times of year such as Samhain or Beltane will increase the potency of the water. Once charged it can then be sprinkled around your circle or on your altar when communing with spirits. Likewise, Spirit water can be used effectively in seances, along with Ouija boards and other divination tools. There are many incenses used at funerals and passing ceremonies as well those used to celebrate the ancestral spirits or venerate the dead. These would include the Mexican Day of the Dead, Samhain, along with many others that are celebrated around the world; the Dumb Suppers at Samhain are equally a form of necromancy.

When looking at necromancy as communing with those who have passed, then funerary incantations/last rites and funerary/ passing ceremonies where the role of the psychopomp (from the Greek for “guide of souls�) who assists the spirit on its journey must be included. The most famous of these is of course Charon, who ferries the dead across the River Styx to the afterlife, but equally include the Egyptian god Anubis, Hekate, Azrael (the Biblical Angel of Death), Grim Reaper, Baron Samedi, the Crow and the Morrigan, and to some extent the Valkyrie along with many others, some animal, some anthropomorphic, from a variety of cultures who assist the soul in its transition towards the afterlife; including those who assist the liberation of the soul as laid down in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, as well as the "midwife to the dying", or "End of Life Doula", or those performing funeral rites where the celebrant or officiant is seen as fulfilling the role of the psychopomp.

The oldest written account of necromancy is found in Homer’s Odyssey when Odysseus travels to the underworld guided by the sorceress Circe, in order to gain insight into his journey home. He intended to achieve this by raising the spirits of the dead using spells that Circe had

taught him in order to invoke and question the blind prophet of Tiresias. Odysseus, however, is unable to summon the seer's spirit without assistance. The passages contain several elaborate references to necromantic rituals many of which suggest that these rites must be performed around a fire during the night. They must also follow a specific recipe, that involves the ritual sacrifice of animals, in order to concoct a libation for the spirits to drink while he, Odysseus recites prayers and incantations to both the gods of the underworld and the spirits that have been conjured. This early necromancy performed by Osysseus is considered to have evolved from shamanism who called upon the ghosts or spirits of their ancestors seeking guidance and using a variety of sounds designed to induce a trance like state.

Despite the biblical warnings against such practices, necromancy continued into the middle ages where it was often performed by members of the clergy. Necromantic rituals became more complicated and often involved the manipulation of spirits and demons alike.

Rituals were just that; ritualistic; taking note of astrological influences and their correspondences. Protective circles were drawn or visualised and symbols and incantations were used, many of which were adapted from Christian prayers. Sacrifice was the payment in exchange for either knowledge or a favourable outcome of the ritual and could be anything from a simple object to the shedding of blood.

Necromancy continued to evolve borrowing from various beliefs to become the practice of manipulating death and indeed the dead, often involving occult/magickal rituals and ceremonies.

Diane Narraway http://www.dolmengrove.co.uk/

https://veneficiapublishing.wixsite.com /mysite

Learning Lenormand Part Seven We have looked at cards up to 18 and now we will look at the next six cards in turn and then read a ninecard spread. At the end of this article we shall be discussing the Grand Tableau.

Card 19 is the Tower. As with all cards the meaning does alter according to the position of the card in relation to the other cards; it also varies within the context of the question.

The following is an example of a nine-card spread incorporating some of these cards along with some that we have looked at and some we have yet to look at.

Mr X has asked about Miss Y who he recently met at a party? how will this relationship progress?

MAN

-

GARDEN

-

WOMAN

CROSSROADS -

HEART

-

CHILD

MOUNTAIN

MICE

For example, if it were being read in the context of a relationship it could either mean being alone, isolated or if surrounded by positive cards it could mean independence. It can also mean official buildings like courts, universities, hospitals etc. and can represent councils, government and legislative bodies.

Number 20 is the Garden and while it can literally mean a garden, it usually implies a social event such as a party, club, or similar social gathering.

Number 21 is the Mountain, again, where it falls in a spread determines if it has a positive or negative connotation. Taken literally it means a block or impasse. So, for example, if one asked how a relationship was progressing and the Mountain appeared then it could be construed as not progressing. However, if it appeared after a negative card, that means the negative action would not continue as it had been blocked.

Card Number 22 is Crossroads, this can literally mean a crossroads in one’s life or a choice to be made; different options. It is generally considered a neutral card however, in a question concerning a couple’s relationship it could mean that one or more of them had other options currently available. If one asked about what job prospects were available and the Crossroads appeared that would indicate there was more than one position available.

Mice is card number 23; the symbolism of Mice is that of gnawing away at something. So, if for instance the Mountain appeared followed by Mice it could be read as a block which is being gradually reducing its significance, in this case it could be read as positive outcome.

Number 24 is the Heart which stands for Love. So, this usually is a positive card. Child, followed by Heart could read new love relationship etc.

-

-

DOG

TOP Row, reading from Left to right, as past to future with the central card as the theme / key card of the reading. So, we can read that at a public occasion that Mr X attended, he met a woman Miss Y.

MIDDLE Row He has other romantic options that he can follow crossroads and that romance is what he is seeking Heart being the key central card. He is probably new to the dating game.

BOTTOM Row Looks like there is a block, Mountain knights Child, to this particular relationship, however Mice and Dog following Mountain means that the block is Mountain Mice, and a new friendship Dog is the result lessoned, So, if you were reading this you would probably advise Mr X that at this moment in time, he has made a new friend however romance is not happening just yet, as he is still exploring his options for the shortterm future.

The Grand Tableau is the most complicated spread using all the cards in the deck. Four rows of nine cards or four rows of eight cards and four underneath the bottom row. A Significant is chosen either man or woman for whom the reading is undertaken, and where their card falls in the spread is noted of special significance. Corners are read as a precis of the reading and knighting is important. The cards are laid in the house positions. This also has to be taken into consideration. So, if a woman Significant was in the position of no 3 Ship we could say that she was moving forwards or literally relocating. Furthermore, the more cards in front of the Significant the more we are discussing the future, the more behind her, the more we are looking at past events. Similarly, the more to the top row she is the more she is ‘on top’ or in control of the situation. If she is towards the bottom the more over-whelmed she is feeling.

A Grand Tableau is the most complicated spread and requires a lot of time and practice therefore this is not suitable for most questions. A simple three or five card spread is more appropriate for daily questions, a nine card is great for when more detail is needed.

Eirwen Morgan https://www.facebook.com/groups/14336236068877 80/

The Stinging Nettle: loved or hated?

Nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of my favourite plants because of its immense variety of properties and, perversely, because most people dislike the herb because it stings. I always seek to change that perspective when I have the chance.

Thought to have been brought to this country by the Romans who used it for various ailments, the name Urtica probably comes from the Latin Uro meaning “I burn,� referring to the sting.

Dioica means two houses, because plants either bear male or female flowers but rarely both.

Nettle may be from the Anglo Saxon noedl meaning needle, either due to its sharp sting or because of its use as a sewing thread.

It likes nitrate rich soil so is often found growing near human habitation. A patch of nettles in the middle of nowhere may indicate the location of a cess pit, that once belonged a long-demolished house. I have a healthy stand of nettles growing alongside my allotment for this reason.

Herbally, it is a tonic and cleanser of the whole body, particularly the blood. Mainly the aerial parts are used; the root and seeds having more limited function.

It has a long history as a nutritional herb, due to its appearance in early spring offering a fresh plant full of nutrients which can be made into a soup or used as a vegetable. Nettles contain vitamin C so was a remedy for scurvy, as well as

minerals such as iron, calcium and silicon. Less important today but invaluable in times gone by when fresh vegetables and fruit were not available early in the year.

It is a valuable herb in the treatment of arthritic and rheumatic conditions, including gout as it eliminates urates from the blood.

A less popular use of nettles in arthritis is to beat the affected joint with fresh plant. Known as counter irritation, this brings blood to the joint, improving blood supply to the area which aids both healing and removal of waste from the joint as well as distracting attention from joint pain. Not a popular technique in the 21st century but I have met people who do this, and it works.

Its cleansing action also means herbalists use it in the treatment of skin problems such as eczema, particularly where an allergic reaction is part of the problem.

Its astringent action reduces haemorrhage anywhere in the body. Most commonly, this involves reducing heavy menstrual bleeding, which often leads to iron deficiency anaemia.

Nettle contains high levels of iron, so offering compensation; one of the wonders of the plant world. A natural iron tonic involves steeping nettles and dried apricots in red wine, straining and consuming the result.

The astringency means it can also be use as a gargle for a sore throat and for inflammatory bowel conditions.

Externally the juice, infusion or tincture (not the fresh plant!) can be used for nosebleeds, wounds, burns and insect bites.

An important role for the root is part of treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy in men; a relatively recent development.

Its action as a diuretic means that as well as having a cleansing action, it also improves urine flow which can reduce frequency and reduces nocturia (the need to pass urine at night) which is disruptive to sleep.

As a galactagogue it increases milk flow in nursing mothers; a valuable help for women who struggle to produce enough milk and who really want to breastfeed their baby. This property may explain why older herbalists recommended it for “women desiring an ample bust�.

It reduces allergic reaction and has particular value in the treatment of hayfever. I have often found that drinking an infusion of fresh nettles is all that is needed to bring the symptoms under control. It can lower blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemic) so is indicated for controlling type 2 diabetes.

Reputed to be a hair tonic, the infusion is used as a wash. Some modern shampoos contain nettle for this reason. In days gone by herbalists recommended combing nettle juice through the hair to combat baldness.

More widely the juice can be used as a rennet substitute in cheesemaking and nettle beer and wine are popular as home-made beverages. The herb is fibrous and was much used in the making of fabric for thread, linen, ropes, sailcloth and paper before the introduction of flax. It was still widely used as late as the First World War. The roots make a yellow dye; the aerial parts a green one.

What a wonderfully versatile plant!

Andrew Cowling Top Photo by Andrew Cowling

MAY Friday 17th - Sun 19th Wytches & Cunningfolk Camp, The Netherlands JULY Friday 26th - Monday 29th Tribal Dreams, Dorset, UK AUGUST Friday 23rd - Monday 26th Free Spirits Hampshire UK Yule Ball – Saturday 7th December www.dolmengrove.co.uk

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Author Profile: Linda Falorio Linda Falorio is an internationally recognized artist and writer, and creator of the Occult bestseller, The Shadow Tarot. First published in 1988, The Shadow Tarot is a tool for exploring the archetypal shadow through the lens and gateway of the personal psyche. These images reflect the “nightside” of consciousness as opposed to our ordinary "dayside" reality. The newly released and much-anticipated edition of The Shadow Tarot includes full-color images of all seventy-eight cards as inspired by Aleister Crowley’s Liber 231, Kenneth Grant’s The Nightside of Eden, and The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia.

Linda is also known for her magickal altarpieces and magickal portraits, and for interpreting personal symbols and dreams on canvas. One of the founding members with Mishlen Linden of Nu-Icons Women's Art Collective, Linda had her one-woman show, "Magickal Realism" at Eye of Horus Bookstore, and organized a group show, “Magical Realism” at Summerhawk Festival featuring art by Linda, Nema, Mishlen Linden, Frederick Seaton, Willliam W. Webb, Leilah Wendell and Maggie Mortier.

Linda also participated in "Sanctuary", the Bloomfield Art Works group show to benefit Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, and in the "Bloomfield Sacred Art Festival" group show. Linda also has shown her work at the annual Golden Thread Camp’s "Sagittarium Art Show".

Translated into six languages, Linda’s work has been featured in books and magazines and includes Lost Souls, the recently reissued collection of her short stories with a magickal twist. Linda has also contributed to Faces of Babalon, and Women of Babalon: A Howling of Women’s Voices with Mishlen Linden, and Thee Kali Circle Compendium with Topy Heart, Starfire Magazine and Skoob Occult Review, Modern Sex Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig, NOXAZ Sirius Anthology 2014, edited by Edgar Kerval, and many others. Linda says of herself: “I seek through the spark of Art to delight and to inspire, to mold Archetypes of human consciousness into new and visionary forms, to evolve new Goddesses and Gods, to invent new dreams and reach for Utopian Magicks that together we may yet create.” Kenneth Grant said of her: “[Linda is] indeed a High Priestess of Typhon and a methodical one at that!”

Linda holds advanced degrees in psychology and psychotherapy and undergraduate degrees in the fine arts, sociology, and mathematics. She has utilized and taught astrology, tarot, palmistry, hypnotherapy, magick, and meditation in her long-standing clinical practice from which she has now retired, devoting herself to writing and painting the magickal subjects that have been her life’s passion. Today, Linda specializes in works in oil on canvas, portraiture, still life and landscape with an emphasis on dream images of surreal beauty. Linda lives in Friendship Park, Pennsylvania with her husband and partner, Fred Fowler and their faithful companion, Master Sargent Sunshine Thunderpaws Moggy Cat. For more information, visit Linda online: www.anandazone.nu, www.shadowtarot.com and www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/linda-falorio.html and follow her on Twitter @anandazone and Facebook www.facebook.com/Anandazone

LOST SOULS, a collection of short stories, was first published in 1990 by Peter Smith and Sarcophagus Press, of South Yorkshire, England, as a project of the Esoteric Order of Dagon (E.O.D.) They are reprinted here, along with two stories published in London in SKOOB Occult Review, edited by Christopher Johnson and Caroline Wise, and two tales not published elsewhere.

The Callanish Stones, originally published in London, in SKOOB Occult Review, is a fantasy with more than a grain of truth. A word to the wise: Be careful out there!

The Eater of Lost Souls was published as part of the original collection, Lost Souls. This tale was inspired by a camping trip to Duck, North Carolina on the Outer Banks, an anchorpoint of the Bermuda Triangle far out into the Atlantic Ocean. I witnessed this phenomenon myself and obviously lived to tell this tale.

Great Dismal, while not strictly "true”, does reflect a truth about the world, my own strange attitudes toward trees and a fascination with the Great Dismal Swamp, experienced in all its moss-hung strangeness on our many long drives between Pittsburgh and the Outer Banks. Published in both in SKOOB Occult Review and as part of the original collection, Lost Souls.

Requiem is a complex "demon" of a tale, published as part of the original collection, Lost Souls. The bones of the story were inspired by a friend who “dropped out” to join the Hare Krishna’s and subsequently disappeared and the veterans I know who suffered nerve and damage due to the use of “Agent Orange” in Vietnam.

The Hunted turns the tables on the many deer-hunters we have in Southwestern Pennsylvania. This tale could and did happen. Published as part of the original collection, Lost Souls.

From a Dream, first published here, recounts what at first appeared to have been a dream, but upon reflection contains an eerie sense of being an strange omen from the future. Was this a dream, a past-life memory, timetravel to alien dimensions, or a vision of unspeakable events yet to come?

Agent B.U.Z.Z. is essentially a satire seeing its first and only publication here, bringing together many threads that were prescient in 1982 when the story was originally written and presents a chilling reality in the current age of devastating chemical warfare, deadly railroad accidents, organ printing, the resurgence of psychedelics and fears of an Extinction Level Event in the near term human future. https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Souls-Linda-Falorioebook/dp/B07JJJKRX1/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=falorio&qid=1554103202&s=books&sr=1-3

THE SHADOW TAROT first published in 1988 has been distributed in countries all around the world and is in use on every continent of the Planet. This newly released and much anticipated edition of The Shadow Tarot includes full color images of all seventyeight cards representing both Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana cards are based on the twenty-two paths of the Qliphoth described by Aleister Crowley in his Liber 231 and further embellished by Kenneth Grant in his The Nightside Of Eden. The Minor Arcana of this new edition arise from the entities described in the Goetia.

The Shadow Tarot has been created as an exploration tool for delving into those areas of the psyche that find their reflection in the Collective Unconscious and the Archetypal Shadow. The images represent the Nightside of consciousness as opposed to our ordinary "dayside" reality. Through her art and writing Linda seeks to create a direct outré experience in the viewer of transforming states of self-awareness; to open Gates into vast, unexplored inner geographies of the psyche, finding beauty and power in the twistings and turnings of the Inner Labyrinth. The artist is also known for her magickal altarpieces, for magickal portraits and for interpreting personal symbols and dreams on canvas. https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Tarot-Dancing-Demonsebook/dp/B07DN27BN4/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=falorio&qid=1554102794&s=books&sr=1-2

NIGHT SHRIMP WATCHER: These little essays owe their random character and brevity to The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon, a Japanese court lady who wrote in about the year 1000 A.D. and to Essays in Idleness written about 1330 by Kenko, a Buddhist priest in Kyoto.

Both works belong to the zuihitsu or formless mode and are classics in Japan. It has been fourteen years since I left the busy, smoggy city and came to the little house in Sugarloaf.

From the screened porch I can see past the great sea hibiscus tree to the seawall, dock and water. I watch sunrise from my bedroom and the morning stars shine in my window. The full moon rises above the casuarina trees to the East.We are also on a flyway. In autumn, the warblers stop at the sea hibiscus beside the water on their way to Central America. Monarch butterflies stop on their way to the Yucatan. In spring, the hawks that have spent the winter leave for the North again, and white-crested pigeons arrive from the Bahamas.We run our little boat out to the reef and float over small bright fish that dart through the coral heads. We swim off deserted beaches in the Gulf of Mexico.Life has a different rhythm here. It is slow and quiet and something else — but I can only feel its process. I cannot pin it down in static words.” So begins our rich and varied journey of “A Year and a Day in Key West” - Ramona Stewart’s love notes to the tropical island and its eccentric cast of characters she came to call her home. As her good friend John Mahoney would say: “Just another day in Paradise.” https://www.amazon.com/Night-Shrimp-Watcher-Year-Westebook/dp/B07MH8N6H3/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=night+shrimp+watcher&qid=1554546495&s=gateway&sr= 8-1-fkmrnull

The following are anthologies which Linda Falorio has Contributed to: WOMEN OF BABALON: This is a book of sexual magicks in both theory and practice from the feminine power zones and from their own points of view. Very little has been written on this. It is a compilation composed of the text and art of sixteen practicing female magickians through which the vital character of a Babalon is explored. Both the elder and younger Babalons write here in order to expand upon this almost taboo subject. Linda Falorio, one of the writers within, says “Men, read on if you want to know our deepest secrets.” This book focuses on the ‘what,’ the ‘who’ and the ‘how’ of the practice. The materials are mutli–generational, multi–cultural and multi– systematic, though with a strong emphasis on Thelemic. No ‘right’ way is posited. Often seen ‘shoulds’ are replaced by an ethic that values Choice. Being a Babalon is both a spiritual and social challenge. There are no more optimal conditions outside of an open heart and mind. She is much more than any sexual orientation or specific sexual act. Although there is no definitive word or image which captures the totality of what it means to be a Babalon, her very nature speaks to Change. Babalon spins and the walls between worlds revolve. Her spinning gives form to the very womb of life. She rides upon a crest that peeks into the heavens and descends into the very heart of hell. The papers and images in this book document this journey, and the howling of women will now make itself heard! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Babalon-Howling-WomensVoices/dp/1890399469/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Women+of+Babalon&qid=1554543862&s=books&sr=1-1-spell

NOXAZ: Eight of the world's top Left Hand Path magicians forged the NOXAZ grimoire to explore the most primal forms of Gnosis in the hidden chambers of the Black Serpent. As a key to Nightside Visions and adverse Qliphothic Alchemy, this sinister grimoire allows the mind to reach back into the primigenian Abyss. The forbidden wisdom herein awakens the Primal Current in you and nurtures the seed of your immortal will. https://www.amazon.com/NOXAZ-Primal-Current-Black-Serpentebook/dp/B07KRKVLHF/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Noxaz&qid=1554544339&s=gateway&sr=8-2

NOX*OB*NIA emerges from the conjunction of the words NOX=Night, OB= indicating the essence of Lunar current, NIA = the secret gateway or womb which opens the gates to B universe. This Anthology examines in depth, the occult context from an Historical, anthropological and personal gnosis through diverse essays the contemplation of the role of Feminine deities in traditional and contemporary praxis focused into Left Hand Path traditions. Its symbolism and methods of working are portrayed through extensive material from diverse authors’, congregating essays, poetry, images, and rituals into an explorative path focussed to channelize the feminine lunar current. Through this grimoire the adept comes understand the concepts of divine initiation through the powerful archetypes of dark goddesses with the purpose of awakening the power within in order to open the gateways of the soul to the influx of lunar current veiled by Feminine deities in many diverse magickal traditions.

"I Am the Serpent and Seed of the Forbidden Garden" http://siriuslimitedesoterica.blogspot.com/2017/12/noxobnia-femiinine-deities-in-lefthand.html

FACES OF BABALONThis book is a collaboration written by the voices of Babalon, the women of power incarnate. In the past, those who spoke were often the consorts of these women; the women themselves were silent. And so, She was seen through the eyes of Age, an age of oppression and powerlessness. Viewed primarily through sex, she was then observed only from that v: antage point, which was but one of her many faces. https://www.amazon.com/Faces-Babalon-MishlenLinden/dp/1890399086/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=faces+of+babalon&qid=1554546289&s=gateway&sr=8-1fkmrnull

Master a variety of powerful practices that heighten and amplify magickal energy raised during sexual activity, and discover how to use the energy to transform your magick and your life. This one-of-a-kind book is the first to clearly reveal the secrets of Western sex magick without relying on Tantric theory.

Straightforward and accessible, this illustrated guide to sex magick shows you how to take your magickal rituals and sexual abilities to amazing new levels.

Reveals for the first time the sexual secrets of the Kabalah dating back to the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem Includes a summary and analysis of the rarest of Crowley's sex magick instructions: "IX? Emblems and Mode of Use" Shares the powerful secrets of women's little-known erotic areas, including the AFE Zone and the U-Spot Explores the outer thresholds of sex magick: sensory deprivation, bondage, and beyond https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Sex-Magick-SecretsSpirituality/dp/1567183948/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24BA5OK5MNFCK&keywords=modern+sex+magick&qid=1554546101 &s=gateway&sprefix=Modern+sex+%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1

A PRIEST'S HEAD, A DRUMMER'S HANDS: NEW ORLEANS VOODOO: ORDER OF SERVICE: THIS EDITION HAS A FULL COLOR INTERIOR...A Priest's Head, A Drummer's Hands is a complete-in-itself first volume in a series of teachings on Voodoo as it has and continues to develop in New Orleans. It contains an Order of Service developed over hundreds of rituals at the New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple. This Order follows the steps of birth and can be used to bring honor and respect to the ancestors or to birth a "magickal child" of the voodoosant's choosing.

Rhythms for the drums are given in the form of Drum Prayers. Rites and offerings to mark the passage of the Grande Zombie (Great Serpent) through the Seasons are outlined in a section on the Ophidian Year. A photographic record of the wake of Charles Masicot Gandolfo, the founder of the Historic Voodoo Museum, and a recounting of the line of Spiritual Doctors running back through the annals of New Orleans Voodoo is presented. Information and a working talisman for John Montanee, the original Dr. John, who conjured and drummed in seventeenth century New Orleans is included as well as a veve for the city of New Orleans as a spiritual entity. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Priests-Head-Drummers-Hands-Orleans/dp/1890399248

Watch out for future publications by Linda Falorio: (1) Gathering Darkness - Collected art and articles on The Shadow Tarot and Darkside Magicks (2) Liber CXV The English Qabalah (3) 25 years of Letters from Kenneth Grant http://www.anandazone.nu/?fbclid=IwAR2BNexn-88rNay-eFNO5ya8OSqafVElsGvDN1hwGr2_KrzisAo5pztklJo https://www.facebook.com/Anandazone

FRIDAY 16TH AUGUST LIVE at the

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And for Children‌The Scary Bones Series written by Ron Dawson and illustrated by Sue Burleigh When Sasha and Ben met their new friend Scary Bones, little did they know of the adventures that lay before them. They go in search of lost dogs and a bone, they meet the terrible dog-nappers Snatchet and Grabbet, Mrs. Grumble and her dog Grouchey, and a very strange and magical piece of red string!

Ron Dawson has created a character who will be loved by all who are young at heart. An original heart-warming tale destined to become a future classic. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=scary+bones+the+lost+dog+and+bone&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

This is the second in the 'The Amazing Adventures of Scary Bones the Skeleton' Series. In this adventure Sasha, Ben and Scary Bones are captured by Captain Cross Bones and those badest of bad pirates, Pillage and Plunder. They sail in the bad ship The Naughty Two-saw-us, a ghostly ship made from dinosaur bones. The pirates are after old Captain Grow Bags' treasure which is buried on Brownsea Island. Can our three heroes, helped by the island s Red Squirrels and the mysterious Red String spoil their plans so that the treasures of Brownsea Island are left for everyone to enjoy? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scary-Bones-Pirates-BrownseaIsland/dp/0956173225/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=scary+bones&qid=1554731436&s=books&sr=1-3

In this adventure Scary Bones, the Red String and Sasha and Ben are trapped inside a lost world of dinosaurs and cavemen. Ziggy and Zaggy, two very bad cavemen, and Tyrone and Albert, two monster dinosaurs, all want to eat them for their supper. Can our brave heroes, helped by their new found dinosaur friends, Durdle Doorus(the happy dinosaur), Dippy Ludicrous and Terry Dactyl, escape from being eaten and find a way out of the lost world? The story ends with the creation of a magical myth as to how the famous landmark of Durdle Door came into being and, like the other Scary Bones stories, comes with a mysterious sealed envelope which cannot be opened until the very end of the story. https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazingAdventures-Scary-BonesSkeleton/dp/0956173241/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=scary+bones&qid=1554731487&s=books&sr=1-2

This is the fourth in the Scary Bones the Skelton Adventure series. In this adventure, Scary Bones, the Red String and Sasha and Ben enter the magical world of Wareham s Wacky Witches and the Wicked Wizard of Corfe Castle. The children of Wareham have disappeared, and the town is littered with sleepy cats and no-one knows why. Can Scary Bones rescue Sasha and Ben from the spell of two very strange and unusual lollipop ladies and defeat the Wicked Wizard of Corfe Castle? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scary-Bones-Meets-WitchesWareham/dp/095617325X/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=scary+bones&qid=1554731643&s=books&sr=1-6

In this fifth adventure, Scary Bones and his friends Sasha and Ben are taken back in time to Roman Britain by the Celtic Queen Do-you-see-her. Captured by Maximus and Minimus, the nearly nastiest of all nasty Romans, they are thrown into the arena by Verymuch Ridiculous, the Roman Governor, to fight those nastiest of nasty gladiators, Biggest Bullyus and Baddest Brutus and a fearsome hungry lion called Richard. Can Scary Bones, with the help of his magical Red String, save himself and his friends from certain death in the arena? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scary-Skeleton-Romans-MaidenCastle/dp/0956173268/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=scary+bones+the+nasty+romans&qid=1554799372&s=book s&sr=1-1-fkmrnull

Each book comes with a mysterious sealed envelope not to be opened until the very end of the story!!

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Aromatherapy: Peppermint oil In my early days when I was forced to go to church every Sunday during a long ceremony the people would pass a roll of peppermints, this for me, was the highlight of going to church. If I only knew then what I know now. It’s peppermint that is keeping your mind focused.

Later in life when I was going out to meet people, I sometimes was so nervous that I could throw up. So, I always made sure to have some peppermints with me. They saved me from a lot of embarrassing moments.

When I was 17 or 18, I started working with people who needed specialised care. Sometimes I had to clean up a bedroom covered with human faeces, so again peppermint was my saviour.

Nowadays when I go to festivals where there are really, dirty portaloos again, I turn to peppermint. Funny really, that before I knew and understood the benefits of peppermint, I had already been using it almost all my life. But now I really know this beautiful oil.

Genus species: Mentha piperita Botanic family: Labiata Part of the plant used: Leaf and stem.

Associated Chakras: Root, sacral, solar plexus and throat chakras.

Associated Colours: Green and violet.

Element: Air Planet: Venus The essential oil I use is 100% pure, organic, cold blended and is not tested on animals.

Peppermint has been used for thousands of years to refresh bad breath, relieve bowel cramps, flatulence, and soothe digestive problems. Peppermint was one of the ingredients of the original four thieves’ vinegar, also called Marseilles vinegar. The vinegar protected people from the plague and was developed in the 15th century by thieves who worked in the spice trade; robbing from the dead and the sick.

There is even an allusion to the peppermint herb in ancient Greek mythology. Supposedly a nymph named Mentha was transformed into a pleasing herb by the god, Pluto who wanted to keep her around.

The name Peppermint comes from the Latin word ‘mente’. meaning thought.

Never use Peppermint oil when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Peppermint oil should not be used on children younger than 6 years of age and should be avoided if you have high blood pressure.

May cause skin irritation, therefore dilution is recommended. Do not use it in open wounds.If you accidently get it in your eyes rinse with a carrier oil. Do not use water! It will worsen the symptoms!

You can use to ease nausea, fever and colds, There are several ways to use the oil. You can use headaches, during the menopause, as a mosquito it pure, simply a drop or two on the spot where repellent, and when you are bloated or for trapped needed, or under your feet or on the specific wind. chakra. However, please be careful, because peppermint oil can be too strong, when you have I put one drop in water for stomach issues, in the a sensitive skin, so it is advisable to blend it with diffuser for inhalation to relieve the symptoms of a carrier oil such as almond, jojoba, sesame, colds and headaches and in my car when I am a little sunflower or olive oil. You can also put the oil in tired and need to focus. a cold-water diffuser. Do not heat up the oil.

When it gets too hot, it loses its healing power.

Peppermint is cooling in the summer or when you Finally, you can also rub a few sentient drops in are very hot/warm. Lubricating your neck with a your hands, smell them, or simply sniff the bottle. drop of peppermint gives instant cooling. Or make a spritzer for your body and use it like a mist.

Peppermint oil has a strong mint scent. It is cooling and refreshing because it has menthol in Blended together with lemon and lavender essential it. Menthol helps to rule out virus and germs. oil it is a perfect defence against hay fever.

Mix three drops of each of the following oils, peppermint, lemon and lavender with 9 drops of a carrier oil. Inhale, diffuse, or rub behind your ears, or at the back of your neck. Be careful with lemon oil.

It doesn’t agree with direct sunlight.

and for menstruation pain massage 2 drops diluted clockwise on the lower abdomen.

Bad breath: Use 1 drop on your tongue

Pests (rats/mice/ants) to scare off add 2 drops onto a cotton ball and place it on their footpath.

Problems with breathing asthma or bronchitis: blend two or three drops of peppermint oil with equal amounts of a carrier oil and rub it on your chest.

Blend peppermint together with lavender on your neck against a headache. For head massage: 1 drop Peppermint added to 10ml (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil of your choice. Use this to massage the temples and forehead. Do not apply too close to the eyes.

Nausea / Vomiting massage 2 drops diluted on the abdomen clockwise. Or inhale.

To ease hot flushes, rub in 2 drops diluted on the neck.

For travel sickness rub 2 drops diluted on the abdomen clockwise. Inhale: add1drop to a cloth and inhale during the trip.

To reduce a fever, rub 2 drops under the feet.

Diffuse.

Use with pets: can be used for muscle pain, sprains and pain, dilute the oil. It can be used to increase the animals focus when training horses.

It can be used to stimulate an animal’s digestive system. Have your animal either smell it directly from the bottle or place a drop or two in your palm, then let them smell. Or place a drop in your palm and pet the animal from head to toe.

Consult your vet if you are not sure about applying an essential oil to your pet.

For stomach acid, indigestion and heartburn dilute 1 drop in either tea or a glass of water. I apply a couple drops of peppermint oil topically on my abdomen in a circular motion around the navel to relieve constipation. To aid digestion, dilute Peppermint (2 drops) in a spoonful of honey and take after meals

Can be used in the car to keep your mind clear.

When I am a bit tired and need focus on the road, I use a few drops of peppermint oil. Can be used in a horse trailer, to keep the horse is calm so it does not become distracted or agitated.

Peppermint together with lavender works as a cooling, anti-inflammatory and is soothing for your painful joints. To relieve itching (undamaged skin) rub 1 drop Peppermint oil diluted in a carrier oil on the desired area.

Emotionally, it reduces the fear of the unknown especially when you want to take a new direction and experience your resistance in yourself. Small amounts of peppermint essential oils can cleanse the spiritual body and increase attunement with the soul, so intuition and spiritual awareness is increased. Fears may also be minimized, especially those to do with motion like riding, skiing or flying. This oil is particularly good when there is a resistance to learn a new subject. It is uplifting and offers protection against accidents and evil.

Works involving Peppermint: Communication work, Money drawing work, Lover return work, cleansing work, return to sender work, cut and clear work. Use peppermint to break spells, hexes and to undo enemy tricks or bad luck root work that may have been placed upon you or your loved ones.

Peppermint is often used in healing and purification workings. It can be burned or rubbed against objects to clear them of negative energies or consumed as an elixir or tea for healing.Wash down your front door with warm water and a little Peppermint essential oil to refresh the vibrations and welcome in luck, wealth and abundance

Betty Timmer & Signy Esmeijer.

IED VIOLETS AND LEMON SLICES

CANDIED VIOLETS AND LEMON SLICES In the Spring time nature awakens and love is in the air as the birds and beasts begin their breeding cycle. Whether you are looking at inviting a little romance into your life, renewing a relationship or finding some self-love. There are some common food and garden items that have long symbolised love.

Violets: Associated with Venus and nymphs. Homer refers to a beautiful land of parsley and violets (Ogygia) in his Odyssey. It's worth noting that Violets and Pansies are shade tolerant when planted out, making them an ideal love remedy for those who have felt overshadowed or passed by, as well as the shy and retiring type who don't feel sociable, so are less likely to be noticed. Violets can be carried with lavender as an amulet for love.

Violets and Pansies can be candied with water sugar and rosewater for immediate use, or a mixture of egg white and caster sugar for a longer lasting candy. (Xanthum gum, or egg white replacement starches can be used for a vegan version).

DO NOT CONFUSE WITH AFRICAN VIOLETS WHICH ARE NOT EDIBLE.

Lemons: As with evergreen, the implication of magic with Lemons is long lasting. Lemons relate to

the moon and water energies. They have cleansing properties and clear the way of false attractions. Add them to recipes where you want to spread good intent.

CANDIED VIOLETS Using whole flowers. Wash gently under a misting spray and set to dry on kitchen paper.

Break egg whites in a bowl and allow to rise to room temperature if eggs have been refrigerated.

Holding flowers over a platter or greaseproof paper paint with a small soft brush Dust in sugar Set to dry Cut stems or pull off petals for use

CANDIED LEMON SLICES Thinly slice 2 to 3 lemons Simmer in water until soft Mix 1 cup of caster sugar to Âź cup of water stirring over medium heat until dissolved Add lemon slices and cook for 10-12 minutes Put on a plate to cool.

Suggested use to share with a loved one: Lemon drizzle cake can be decorated with candied lemon slices and violets. Sugared almonds (a traditional gift from a suitor) or sugared chocolate eggs could be added. If the weather is warm a punch might be served of elderflower cordial with fresh lemon slices and violets and pansies from the garden.

Shodie Wilson

Clan Dolmen Beltane Spirit of Rebirth Camp Wow what a glorious weekend! Lots of merry making and sizzling sun, what more could we ask for!

Friday was filled with the usual gathering and pitching up of temporary weekend accommodation, greetings with those who we have not seen since last year (or longer) and applying loads of sun cream!

In the evening after the opening ceremony with Taloch and Diane, Music was performed by Seren and Esme Knight, who as always sang their hearts out and moved their audience. A small fire was lit, with a short fire performance by Anna, Esme and the Fire Spryte (Naomi) was displayed.

Saturday began with sunshine again, Praise the Gods!

Glen Herbert started the day off with a tour of Radagast and a talk on sustainability and living off the grid.

Cheryl Waldron gave us a delightful talk on the science and spiritual use of crystals in magic, as many of us own crystals for our own reasons, it was nice to hear how others use them and how many other ways they can be used.

Diane Narraway provided an informative and interesting talk on the all gifted jar (not box) of Pandora along with other different creation stories and the women that were portrayed in them which ended with a lively discussion on some of the gnostic texts as well as more mainstream creation myths.

Dolmen drummer Chris Harris provided a lively drum workshop teaching tribal rhythms and drum techniques.

The Pipe and drums of Hyttis, together with the clan Dolmen Drummers called us to the procession for the Beltane fire ceremony, which was led by and began with a blessing from last year’s Queen of the May Lia, followed by the crowning of the new May queen, and Fire Spryte; Naomi (All hail the queen of the Nay!). We had welcomed in the future and we said goodbye to old friends all of which were beautifully illuminated by the evening sunset.

An evening of music ensued, beginning with Pirate Band the Boarding crew, who entertained everyone with salty tales and Pirate lore. This was followed by the Dolmen who gave a stunning performance featuring a selection of tracks of Nuada and their latest album Wytches and Cunningfolk including No More Lies, I’ll be your lover, and their beautiful rendition of Black is the Colour.

There was a wonderful late-night fire ritual conducted by the lovely Esme Knight, along with Locana Crowdancer and the Fire Spryte who lit up the night sky and wowed the people who had gathered to watch. Sunday’s talks began with some Saxon story telling from the very gifted Guy Lown, whose stories bring the past to life and delight those of every age.

As it was another beautiful day Sunday, Taloch sat in the sunshine to conduct a fascinating talk on his own personal journey through paganism, reminiscing on his memories, and sharing with the audience a wealth of information in a natural and entertaining way. This was followed by Professor Ronal Hutton who delighted us all with the history of Beltane and how it became the celebration that we know and

love today, it was very insightful learning about how different European customs came together to produce Beltane.

The Crow dancers took to stage on Sunday afternoon enchanting us with the magic of their ritual and charming us with their music. I personally could never tire of the energy the crow dancers produce as I’m sure is the same with many.

This was followed by the sinister world of the Infernal Theatre, but that’s a whole review by itself!

Against a backdrop of glorious sunshine together with the family atmosphere of the Clan Dolmen, this year’s Beltane Spirit of Rebirth was nothing short of sensational. Thank you to all those that help make Clan Dolmen camps a success, behind the scenes and in front, without you the world would be a lonelier place.

Marisha Kiddle Photos by Duncan Knifton and Dennis Wright

The Clan Dolmen Beltane Camp witnessed the first ever performance by the Infernal Theatre, with a show based on the infamous and legendary London gangster, Victor Vassago.

A packed audience sat in delicious anticipation in the close, enveloping darkness and waited for the show to begin. And what a show it was!

As soon as you set eyes on Victor, you are aware that something isn’t quite right about him.

Impeccably dressed, neat hair, bespectacled and seemingly harmless, if a little eccentric. But still that nagging doubt remains.

Is it in the penetrating eyes? … Or perhaps in the thin smile which can fade to a cold grimace in an instant? … Whatever it is, you just can’t shake the thought, that menace is very close by.

The Infernal Theatre, with its cast of disparate spirits, bending ceaselessly, with no resistance at all, to Victor’s every twisted whim and fancy, is a truly unsettling experience, in which the audience is left wondering what the hell will appear before them next.

The music, as one would expect from a Taloch Jameson project, is absolutely wonderful and apart from two songs, is comprised of entirely new sounds which are sure to delight any Dolmen fan lucky enough to catch this menagerie of the macabre.

Victor, as soon becomes apparent, is much more than he seems. A collector of lost and damaged souls (most of them damaged by him) … a purveyor of a ghoulish assembly of seemingly mindless automatons, whose only function now seems to be to perform in this claustrophobic, voyeuristic netherworld of his own construct, whenever the deceivingly benign Victor bids them do so, for his own singular delight and delectation. And oh, how he uses them!

Never did the term, “Better Off Dead” seem more applicable than to these poor trapped creatures, ensnared as they are, in Victor’s own closeted and nightmarish world, where every gesture, every wave of his hand and glint of his evil eye, sends the unfortunates off into yet another flawless performance on the merry-go-round of mayhem that has become their only reality.

The performers which Taloch has assembled for this singular experience, are all drawn from within Clan Dolmen and every single one of them absolutely excels in their chosen roles. Diane Narraway, Pia Sofie Bartmann, Marjolein Schouten, Louise Schouten, Anna Thompson, Charmaine Walby, and Kayleigh Marchant can all be very proud to have been a part of this unique and superb performance.

IIf you get the chance to see this psychological horror show, be sure to take it ! It will show you a side, a dark, foreboding side of our favourite front man, which will quite literally astound and delight you in equal measure.

I for one, can’t wait for the next performance.

Mark Vine. https://www.facebook.com/Infernal-Theatre-462838881136416/

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2020 The Dolmen break through and yet again never fail to amaze with another exciting adventure.

Busily preparing to launch a whole new revival and celebration of the Roaring 20s, and the great musical era that followed; making this not only a classic New Year’s Eve but also one to be remembered.

Fashion will range from 1910 through to the swinging 50s and music featuring Gypsy Folk, Electric Swing, Rockajive, from The Dolmen, DJCJ, and The Infernals. Also featuring Vintage Burlesque by Klora L’Forme.

Buffet and Free Glass of Bubbly https://www.thedolmen.com/

Retrogrades One the more misunderstood, or at least unclarified, topics in astrology is the feature known as retrogrades. Most of us know about them because of the Mercury retrograde periods that occur roughly three times a year, and last for three weeks at a time, but they are so much more than that. The irony is that most, if not all of us, have experienced retrogrades in one way or another throughout our lives, yet we solely confine this idea to astrology. The simplest (according to the Oxford dictionary) definition of the word is that it means ‘moving backwards,’ or ‘returning to a previous state,’. We see right there that it is not an astrologically specific term, but rather it can apply to anything. However, it is most commonly found in astrological texts and treatises, so to a casual observer, it may be seen to be astrological. One of the ways you could use this term outside of an astrological context would be when you reset a piece of technology to its default factory settings. This would be retrograding it back to a previous state.

Once we put the term into an astrological context though, things get a little bit different, and that is the focus of this article. In astrology, when a planet is said to be retrograde, it is moving in a way that is contrary to its normal movement and nature. There are two examples that can clarify this, before focusing on their astrological nature. The first example is that of going on a walk with a friend.

Have you ever been on a walk somewhere and met up with a friend for a while? Of course, most people have, but I want you to visualize this in order to understand. Imagine you are walking with a friend for a while, but they go a different direction than you. As you part ways, you look over your shoulder at your friend, and due to the direction their walking and the direction you are walking, it may look like they are getting smaller and moving away from you, even if they are traveling in the same direction, but on a different trajectory. If you have had this experience, or can at least visualize what I’m saying, then congratulations!

You have experienced retrograde motion. While both people are

moving in the same direction, it appears differently, and this gives us our first insight into astrological retrograde motion. Two bodies moving at different rates of speed, that appear to be moving away from each other, and so, optically it looks like the other is getting smaller, even though we know they are not. This means that a large part of astrological retrograde motion is an optical illusion. Basically, from our vantage point here on Earth, it looks as if the planet that is retrograding is getting smaller and moving away from us, when it is not; it is simply based on trajectory, speed, and perception.

Another example that can help clarify things has to do with elementary science. If you think back to your early childhood education, you will remember a basic scientific principle is that when the Earth is closest to the Sun, we have the season of summer, and when it is the farthest away from the Sun we have the season of winter.

All the planets in the solar system travel along their orbits at different speeds due to size and distance from the Sun. This tells us that when we are closer to the Sun, or at least moving towards the Sun, the outer planets beyond Mars would be viewed as retrograde from us because of their size and distance from our local star. Conversely, this means that when we are farther away from the Sun, it is the planets from Mars inward that may seem to be retrograde. Admittedly, this is a rough estimate, and there are many variables to consider, but if you ever find yourself in doubt, you can fall back to this line of thinking to at least have an educated guess as to whether a certain planet is retrograde or not.

Understanding the nature of retrograde motion is fairly easy. The tricky part is understanding how this manifests astrologically. When a planet is retrograde, the emphasis of the qualities and properties of the planet are internally focused rather than outwardly expressed. For example, when Mercury goes retrograde, it tells us there is something hidden beneath the surface that is calling for our attention, and it would be wise to address it, rather than complaining about it. If we don’t address it, it will come back to be dealt

with later, and usually in more intense ways. The reason Mercury retrograde periods are so intense is because they are only three weeks long, and Mercury is the fastest moving planet in the solar system, so the manifestations are more dynamic.

It is worth keeping this in mind because all planets in the solar system go retrograde at some point within a two-year time period, but very few are as intense as Mercury.

For further illustration, let’s consider this: When Saturn or Pluto go retrograde, they stay retrograde for months at a time. I use them as an example because both recently went retrograde and will remain so for quite a while yet. Some might read this and think that it means this will produce constant intense situations having to do with the qualities of these planets for the next several months, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Because these planets are retrograde for so long, their intensity is diluted to the degree that often we forget they are retrograde. So, breathe easily! Another point is that they go retrograde every year, and this is worth keeping in mind because it takes the mental pressure off us when it comes to figuring out how to deal with them. Venus and Mars though, only go retrograde about once every eighteen months to two years. One of the reasons for this is that they are so close to Earth that their orbits and speeds are close to what we have.

Hopefully this makes sense, and that you’ve a clearer understanding of retrogrades.

Let’s turn our attention now to what to expect and how to work with this information in day to day life. There are two ways this information can be used. The first way is to pay attention to what planets are retrograde in the day to day sky. By paying attention to this, we can stay on top of the subtle forces within the cosmos. The second way is that it can bring greater clarification to our natal birth chart. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to find out what planets were retrograde when we were born. As a matter of fact, you only need to google “Swiss Ephemeris (and the month and year you were born),” and a list of results will appear. Maneuver to your birthday, and generally either an “R” or the symbol “Rx” will be listed on the file. When you see this, it means the planet was retrograde at the time of your birth. In astrology, an ephemeris (a table showing the positions of a heavenly body on

several dates in a regular sequence) is your best friend, especially for things like this.

Last, and most importantly, it should also be known that when planets are retrograde, whether it is in your natal chart or in the changing dayto-day sky, the concept is the same. Retrograde planets mean it is time to work on the inner life.

For example, if you have Mars retrograde in your natal chart, it means this is a time to internally work with all of the qualities of Mars, which includes positively working with masculine energy, energy management in all of its forms, motivation for your ambitions, and the essence of energy itself, prana. When a planet is retrograde in the sky on any given day, the same rule applies, but generally events happen in the outside world that bring our attention to the work that is needed to be done, internally speaking. Even though I have given the basics of retrogrades here, I have not listed every planet and their retrograde meanings. For one, I am not going to do all the work for you, and two, how this material manifests in your chart and your life is highly subjective to your individual chart, so there is almost no way I could discuss every single feature. Suffice to say, if you want to immediately start working with this information, look up the planet you want to start with and consider the correspondences and what that would mean from an internal perspective. Like reversed tarot cards, retrogrades address the inner life rather than the external one, and because of this, it takes a shift in consciousness and behavior to really, truly work with them for your own self-awareness and spiritual growth.

I hope it makes more sense than what you may see on random, fandom websites. It can be confusing and daunting out there in the World Wide Web in general, and this is especially true when it comes to this subject. One final piece of information to consider is that generally the average person has anywhere from three planets and up retrograde in their natal chart, and the more retrograde planets, the more this is a lifetime in which it is wise to focus on internal development. Conversely, if you have no retrograde planets in your birth chart, or next to none, then this is a lifetime of forward momentum and forward progress, rather than a lot of internal self-reflection and healing. Enjoy this excursion into personal development!

Bill Duvendack bill@418ascendant.com

“It’s gone cold,” my little brother said. He was about eight years old. Our border collie, Moss, leapt onto the bed. We were watching his black and white TV. “When are Mum and Dad coming back?”

“They’ll be back soon.” The picture was lost on the TV – just black and white lines. I slapped the TV. Nothing. I tried changing channel. Still nothing. It was very cold in the room now and then the ceiling light began to go on and off.

“What’s happening?” my brother cried, cowering back to the headboard.

I struggled to control my voice, affecting boredom, “Nothing. Don’t worry. It’ll be Ok in a minute.”

Moss stood up on the bed, between us and It, snarling ferociously at the ceiling light, hackles raised, eyes bulging horribly.

“I don’t like it!” my brother whimpered.

The light and the TV came back to normal. Moss went back to the doorway, remaining vigilant, and we stayed put until our parents returned…

About four years earlier my brother and I had both been ill. Mum thought we had a urine infection because we had high temperatures and we were delirious. When a bout of delirium hit, I would believe I was getting bigger and smaller, Alice In Wonderland style, and ‘travelled’ into a cupboard.

An onset for my brother would be preceded by a feeling that his hands were huge and heavy. As an adult he came to believe that we had been abducted by aliens.

At around this time I felt that a presence came into my room at night and walked around my bed. I didn’t see anything (I was too scared to look and hid under the bedclothes) but I felt that it was smaller than a human. Once I felt as if my bed lifted up. I began to hang a horse bridle on the door handle, so that I would hear the bit jingle if anyone tried to come into my room. I repeatedly asked my parents if our house was haunted, but they said that it was not possible as no one had died in our house.

A became a troubled adolescent. My parents were continually fighting. My father’s moods were unpredictable; I remember him sitting in the dark, setting light to daddy long legs with his lighter as they wafted through the window. School was a hot-

house and I was bullied by an older girl. I tried to tell my parents, but they weren’t listening.

At night I thought I heard a plaintive, high-pitched violin sound, like a woman crying. It was pitiful. I became anorexic, and then ill with glandular fever.

My parents thought I was faking it, until the months passed, and I began fainting regularly.

It wasn’t until I went to university and got some distance, that I realised how dismal the atmosphere in our house was. When I had finished university, I learned from my parents’ elderly neighbour (a lady we knew fondly as ‘Auntie’ Ned) that someone had indeed died in our house. Ned said that her friend, Ruby, wasted away from grief after her son had died from complications after being hit by a cricket ball.

Her husband, Frank, would not let Ned visit Ruby when she was ill, and told her to mind her own business when she asked after her. Ned never had a bad word to say about anyone, but she had hated Frank. Her late husband – who was equally mildnatured - had said that he “wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire”!

Ned had got excited one day when she thought she saw Ruby in the garden… she rushed out, but to her horror it was another woman in Ruby’s clothes.

Unbelievably, Frank had moved his mistress in as

his wife lay dying. He was in a hurry to forget his wife and his old life, and he even gave away his children at Ruby’s funeral. Some went to live with relatives, others into care. Frank moved on and moved away.

Shortly after telling this tale Ned died. A couple in their sixties came to the door. The woman looked haunted. Her husband said she needed peace of mind. They asked to come in. The woman told me she was one of the children who had been given away. She stood in what had been my room, looking agitated. She wanted to know if her mother was ever happy.

I didn’t want to tell her all that I knew – it would not have helped; I just said that I knew that her mother had been troubled.

Years later, when in the house, I felt the presence following me. I was so angry that I shouted obscenities at it before leaving. Later that evening my father phoned me to ask if I had been upsetting ‘our ghost’. I asked why, and he said he had a mystery: a large picture on the wall had ‘flown’ into the middle of the hallway; the string was intact, and the nail was still in the wall.

My parents still live in the house and my brother and his family live in Ned’s old house next door. I would like to say that they all lived happily ever after, but that would not be true…

Debbie Moogan

Clan Dolmen Chronicles is FREE for EVERYONE to read online and most issues are available to download. It covers a wide variety of Pagan and Heathen topics....Lets keep it that way so if you are interested in contributing we are always interested in hearing from you ....We consider all pagan/heathen articles for the next and future issues of Clan Dolmen Chronicles. . I am especially interested in articles on the various pagan paths including shamanism, voudon, occultism, alchemy etc./ Gods and Godesses. Tree/herb lore/ Sacred sites,/Spells or incense/powders/washes recipes plus any pagan food recipes etc/ Folklore/Poetry and Wheel of the year short stories are also welcome.

Articles should be between 250 and 750 words . If wishing to use specific images please be aware of copyrights...We also accept childrens contributions including short stories, poetry,artwork, their celebrations, the difficulties faced being a small pagan in a largely xtian society, poems, spells, pictures, the wheel of the year, forging their paths etc etc. This section is for children up to 16 years old or for those writing in retrospect as to what it was like being brought up pagan ..

We are ethical and all work is credited to and remains the authors property!!!

Diane Narraway (editor) Please message me either on Facebook or via email at clandolmen@gmail.com