The
Pen dl e Cr aft JUNE 2015 / LI THA
CONTENTS Letter From the Editor Tarot Corner - Aunt i e Cosmos Hand-Fast i ng - Vi ct ori a Cl ai re Furmi nger Hi st ory of Di vi nat i on - Lorrai ne El l i son Usef ul Pl ant s & Herbs - Raquel Rei chert Herb of The M ont h Tui gs - Graeme K Tal boys Cryst al of The M ont h St onehenge Baby - Andrew Sut cl i f fe Li t erary Corner - Ni mue Brown Reci pes M eet s n' M oot s
Letter from The Editor
Here we are, the Summer Solstice fast approaching, the wheel continuing to turn and we are now at our third issue. When The Pendle Craft first came out we were unsure as to how well it would do. Surprisingly, our numbers have risen in readership and we at The Pendle Craft would like to thank you all for your support and your continuing subscription. We would like to hear from you, the readers, so please send us your stories, your views and comments. Email us at themysticcauldron@outlook.com Please note that in all correspondences put into the magazine, only your first name and your town, if given, will be published.
The Editor.
A UNTY COSM OS' TA ROT CORNER Greet i ngs and merry meet ! I am Aunt i e Cosmos, t he new aut hor of t he mont hl y col umn concerni ng t arot . Thi s f i r st mi ssi ve i s i nt ended as an i nt roduct i on and t o t el l you what t o expect f rom me as wel l as t o expl ai n my approach t o t he cards. Not l ong ago I wandered i nt o a new wi t chy shoppe where anot her t arot reader was hangi ng out . I sat down at her t abl e and sai d, ?Hi , l et ?s t al k shop.?She t aught me more i n 20 mi nut es t han I have l earned i n t urni ng cards for over 40 year s. I shuf f l ed t he cards, she l ai d t hem out , t he Ace of Wands was i n t he mi ddl e of t he spread, she l ooked me i n t he eyes and sai d, ?Are you a gardener??Bi ngo! She had me pi nned! I am an avi d gardener wi t h t he ambi t i on t o be t he l i t t l e ol d l ady i n t he nei ghborhood whose yard i s f ul l of f l ower s and organi c veget abl es. As we went on wi t h t he readi ng she t ol d me t hat I needed t o wri t e. Anot her psychi c had recent l y sai d t he same t hi ng and had t ol d me t o wear bl ue kyani t e at my t hroat chak ra t o support my need t o communi cat e and share. Today duri ng my morni ng I nt ernet read t he opport uni t y t o part i ci pat e i n t hi s magazi ne appeared, f ul f i l l i ng t wo l ong-hel d and secret wi shes, t o t urn t arot for peopl e and t o wri t e. Here are Aunt i e?s at t i t udes t oward t arot . I apol ogi ze i f I am st at i ng t he obvi ous, but I need t o make sure t he bases are covered. Every t arot reader i s di f ferent and has t hei r own way of doi ng t hi ngs. 1. Not hi ng i s wri t t en i n st one. Energy f l ows and changes const ant l y and not hi ng overri des f ree wi l l . A t arot readi ng i s much l i ke l ook i ng at a road map, you pi ck your own rout e based on t he i nformat i on gi ven. 2. I n my experi ence, t he cards may not al ways answer your speci f i c quest i ons. They wi l l t el l you what you need
t o k now at t he moment and i t may not have anyt hi ng t o do wi t h what you want t o ask about . Remai n open. 3. W hen I read t he cards, I don?t al ways go by what t he book s may say. There are ri gi d syst ems for symbol i sm, meani ngs, et c. but i f you st i ck st ri ct l y by ?t he rul es? (what ever t hey are) you wi l l mi ss a l ot of i mport ant i nformat i on. W hat I pl an t o do i s a mont hl y general readi ng just t o t al k about general energi es, no pol i t i cs or worl d event s (I hope, but you never k now for sure.) The second part of t he col umn wi l l be a ?Dear Aunt i e? sort of t hi ng, conf i dent i al and anonymous. Emai l your quest i ons t o t hependl ecraf t @hot mai l .com, I wi l l pi ck one and see what t he cards have t o say about i t . Det ai l ed pri vat e readi ngs wi l l have t o be negot i at ed by emai l . M ost of t he t i me I wi l l use t he Ri der-Wai t e commemorat i ve deck as ori gi nal l y desi gned by Pamel a Col eman Smi t h and t he cl assi c Cel t i c Cross spread because t hose are t he most f ami l i ar t o peopl e, but t here may be some t wi st s here and t here, dependi ng upon what Spi ri t want s me t o use. I col l ect deck s and t here may be some surpri ses pop up al ong t he way. Here?s t o a f un and i nsi ght f ul journey t oget her. I am sure my reader s wi l l have much t o share wi t h me and I l ook forward t o our di al ogue. Bl essi ngs, Aunt i e
WRITE IN TO AUNTY COSMOS WITH YOUR QUESTION TODAY: Email: thependlecraft@hotmail.com
Hand Fasting By Vi ct ori a Cl ai re Furmi nger
Four year s ago, my part ner and I st ood i n t he cent re ci rcl e of St onehenge wi t h a sel ect few of our cl osest f ri ends and rel at i ves, and decl ared t o our ancest or s and dei t i es our vows. Si nce t hen, we have been honoured t o wat ch more of our f ri ends t ake t he same st ep. That st ep, of cour se, i s handf ast i ng. Growi ng every more popul ar, handf ast i ng i s t he ?comi ng t oget her of t wo peopl e i n a formal , l ovi ng part ner shi p?(BBC). The hi st ori cal t erm means ?bet rot hal ? and i t was of t en seen as a t ri al marri age. I t gave peopl e t he chance t o l i ve ?a year and a day?as a marri ed coupl e. W hen t hi s t i me was up, t hey coul d go t hei r separat e ways or become marri ed permanent l y. I n neopagan vocabul ary, handf ast i ng i s used as a repl acement t o ?marri age?. I t al so has a more l i t eral sense, i n t hat t hose bei ng handf ast ed have t hei r hands t i ed t oget her i n a symbol i c act of t hei r uni on. M any pagans become handf ast ed as t he al t ernat i ve t o bei ng marri ed, or do bot h as I di d. I was l egal l y marri ed i n a ci vi l ceremony and t hen I handf ast ed my part ner i n a much more per sonal , meani ngf ul bl essi ng. I n Scot l and, t he handf ast i ng ceremony i s a l egal cont ract . But such l aw has not yet ext ended down t he count ry. As wi t h many pagan ri t ual s, t he form of t he ri t ual can vary si gni f i cant l y. Some wi l l be very t radi t i onal , whereas ot her s wi l l t ake t he premi se of t he handf ast i ng but creat e t hei r own ceremony. However, t he t ak i ng of t he vows are al ways t aken seri ousl y, wi t h t he coupl e sweari ng t o each ot her before t hei r Gods and/ or ancest or s, as wel l as t hei r f ri ends and/ or f ami l y. These i nt ent i ons are per sonal and t ai l ored t o t he i ndi vi dual s, rat her t han bei ng of a st andard t ext . Handf ast i ngs are i ndi vi dual experi ences and none are t he same, but most cont ai n some uni ver sal aspect s. So, I t hought I ?d share mi ne as an exampl e of t he wonder f ul experi ence.
M y part ner and I were l ucky enough t o have Drui d Pri est Cat Treadwel l and her part ner, Ji m, per form t he ceremony i n t he st unni ng l ocat i on of St onehenge. But handf ast i ngs can be per formed anywhere. I ?ve wat ched f ri ends be handf ast ed on a wet and wi ndy mount ai n t op and i n a qui et gl en wi t h onl y si x peopl e present . I ?ve al so per formed t he ri t e mysel f i n my bedroom wi t h my part ner for our ?year and a day?. I t makes no di f ference as l ong as t he i nt ent i on and dedi cat i on surrounds you. For us, t he el ement s, ancest or s, and dei t i es were cal l ed forwards t o st and as wi t nesses t o our ri t e. Our hands were bound i n an i nf i ni t y k not as we decl ared our handwri t t en vows, and we exchanged ri ngs. The handf ast i ng cord was unwrapped, k nowi ng t hat we were choosi ng t o st and t oget her of our own f ree wi l l . We were t aken t o each of our f ri ends at t he quart er s of t he ci rcl e. We were asked quest i ons rel at i ng t he el ement s t hat agai n formed part of our vows. As t he f i r st act as a handf ast ed coupl e, we went round each of our guest s wi t h homemade bread (t hank you, Cat ) and mead t o of fer i t i n t he hope t hat t hey woul d never be wi t hout sust enance. M y part ner and I concl uded our ceremony by ?jumpi ng t he broomst i ck?? l eapi ng hand i n hand over a broom ? as a symbol i c crossi ng f rom our ol d, separat e l i ves t o our new, shared one. The whol e day was an emot i onal bl ur of exci t ement and i nt ense energy. I was fort unat e t o be abl e t o share t he experi ence wi t h cl ose f ri ends and f ami l y (even i f some of t hem weren?t qui t e sure what was goi ng on). And on each anni ver sary, my part ner and I have spoken our vows agai n, remi ndi ng our sel ves of our l ove and i nt ent , and have t aken a moment t o ref l ect on t he power of our uni on.
Hand Fasting By Vi ct ori a Cl ai re Furmi nger
Handf ast i ng i s def i ni t el y on t he ri se ? and not just wi t hi n t he pagan communi t y. M ore non-pagans are t ak i ng a st ep down t he handf ast i ng pat h as a way t o mark t hei r joi ni ng t oget her. ?Peopl e are l ook i ng t o mark t hei r speci al day i n t he way t hat sui t s t hem, rat her t han adheri ng t o t radi t i ons whi ch seem forced or ?by rot e?,?sai d Cat . ?I ?m of t en t ol d t hat peopl e are l ook i ng for somet hi ng ?meani ngf ul ?but wi t hout t he ?God St uf f ?or t he ?I Do?s?. Handf ast i ngs bot h al l ow and encourage t hi s, mak i ng t he day t rul y t he coupl e?s own.? There are many book s on handf ast i ng; most not abl y M ary Neasham?s ?Handf ast i ng: Pract i cal Gui de?(I SBN: 9780954296315). Cel ebrant s/ pri est s wi l l t al k t o you and di scuss what i s ri ght for you. They wi l l gui de you t hrough t he worri es and t he quest i ons, f i gurat i vel y and l i t eral l y hol di ng your hand as you and your part ner t ake t hi s wonder f ul st ep.
A View On The Histor y of Divination and Dowsing By Lorraine Ellison
The ancient art of dowsing has been pract iced t hroughout millennia, alt hough t he names used t o ident ify it may have changed in different cult ures and eras. But t he t echniques have not . I n 1949, a party of French explorers (while searching for evidence of lost civilizat ions in t he At las M ount ains of Nort h Africa) st umbled upon a large syst em of caverns known as t he Tassilli caves. As t hey ent ered t he caves t hey discovered t hat many of t he walls were covered in paint ings dat ing back t o pre-hist oric t imes. Among t hese murals were depict ions of what could only seem like space-craft s and ETs but also a huge wall paint ing of a dowser holding a forked branch in his hands, searching for wat er, surrounded by a group of t ribesmen. These wall-paint ings were carbon-dat ed and found t o be at least 8,000 years old. During several research journeys t o t he t emples of Ancient Egypt , archaeologist s have found similar wall murals t o t hat of Tassilli dat ing around 4,000 years old. These murals depict pharaohs holding devices in t heir hands resembling dowsing t ools. The Cairo museum housed ceramic pendulums which were removed from a t omb dat ing back some 1,000 years. I n China, t here is believed t o be an et ching of t he Chinese emperor Yu, who ruled China (C. 2200 ? 2100 BC), holding in his hands a rat her bulky, t urned-prong device t hat resembles a dowsing rod. Emperor Yu was infamous for int roducing flood-cont rols t hroughout Ancient China. Cont inuing wit h t he hist ory of Dowsing, t here are passages in t he Christ ian Bible t hat allude t o dowsing; t his can be seen in Exodus when M oses and his brot her, Aaron, used a Dowsing Rod t o locat e and bring fort h much needed wat er.
The hist orical records of Ancient Greece refer t o dowsing and t he art was widely pract iced on t he island of Cret e as early as 400 BC. Researchers have uncovered evidence t hat t he Pyt hian Oracle of Delphi used a pendulum t o answer quest ions put t o her by K ings, Queens, nobility and milit ary commanders who t ravelled long dist ances t o get answers from her. Back in t he 1400?s dowsing as we know and t hink of t oday was known as ?Virgula Divina? in Lat in, which means ?Dowsing wit h t he rod shape?. Famous English philosopher John Locke wrot e t hat by t he use of t he dowsing rod, one could devise or discover wat er and precious minerals, such as gold, silver, and ore. Locke appropriat ed his phrase from t he long dead West Count ry language of Cornwal where Dewsy meant goddess and Rhod meant t ree-branch, t hus coining t he phrase ?Dowsing Rod?. Pendulum Dowsing
One of t he most commonly used t ools for divinat ion and dowsing is t he pendulum. The art of using a pendulum is somet hing t hat anyone can learn and mast er, and of course, enjoy experiment ing wit h. A Pendulum is a symmet rical weight ed object t hat is suspended from a single chain or cord. I t is made of a magnet ic subst ance, but is more oft en t han not a cryst al. I t is also possible t o use object s such as a favourit e t rinket , a bead, a met al ball or even a key. M any old mid-wives used needles hung on a t hread. The pendulum is a very simple t ool and one t hat let s t he user t une in t o t heir int uit ive powers. I t act s as a receiver and t ransmit t er of informat ion, moving in different ways in response t o given quest ions.
A View On The Histor y of Divination and Dowsing By Lorraine Ellison
Pendulum Dowsing can be used in a variety of ways; in it s most single form, you can use it t o answer quest ions or aid in decision making. Pendulums can also be used for: Healing purposes To cleanse and dispel negat ivity in a room To help you find lost object s or pet s To find wat er or Ley Lines (dowsing rods are oft en used for t his t oo). How t o choose your Pendulum. There are a variety of pendulums available t hese days but you don?t have t o buy posh or expensive ones in order t o get good result s. I n fact , t he type of Pendulum you choose depends on what feels right t o you. Some say t hat t he Pendulum speaks t o you. Before you embark on using your recent ly purchased Pendulum you must cleanse it first and charge it wit h energy. This can be done in a variety of ways but t he most popular is sit t ing it on a windowsill during a full-moon, allowing t he moon?s rays t o cleanse it and fill it . Once t his is done, t ake t he pendulum in bot h hands and just ask your spirit guide or guardian angels for support and guidance in using t he Pendulum. Aft er using t he Pendulum, keep it safe in a small velvet bag. How t o use your Pendulum When using your Pendulum remember t o invoke t he spirit wit hin t he Pendulum, t reat it wit h respect and ask it t o answer t he quest ions t rut hfully. The Pendulum can only answer ?yes? ?no? quest ions, so t hink of what you are going t o ask carefully. You can ask anyt hing from ?Do I live in a house? t o ?Do I have a dog/ cat ?, et c. St art ing small and simple will allow you t o get t o grips wit h how your pendulum responds and help you gain more confidence. Once you have become used t o t he pendulum you can go on and ask decision-making quest ions such as, should I buy a car, et c.
Wat er Dowsing Dowsing is most commonly used by people t o search for underground springs, not surprising really considering t he absolut e need for wat er by man and his animals, and t he cult ivat ed plant s t hat sust ain him. What is less known is t hat dowsing can also be used for searching ot her underground feat ures, such as archaeological remains, cavit ies and t unnels, oil, veins of mineral ores, underground building services, missing it ems and occasionally missing people. Can anyone Dowse? I t hink t he answer t o t his is yes, in so far as t he ability appears t o be a nat ural human faculty. Aft er all, animals have t he inst inct t o seek wat er from over many, many miles. Today it can be t aught t hrough lect ures, courses and workshops, but a few people do appear t o have t he ability t o do it nat urally. They have a gift . Young children have a nat ural flair for dowsing, but like many gift s, we can develop t his over t ime wit h pract ice.
A View On The Histor y of Divination and Dowsing By Lorraine Ellison
Tools and Equipment The inst rument s and t ools dowsers use are simple; for most part t hey are a simple human response t o clear signals. The following are a list of t ools widely used by Dowsers t oday. V-Rod ? The t radit ional inst rument used by dowsers and made from woods from eit her t he Ash, hazel or willow t ree. Angle Rods ? These are L-shaped rods and usually used in pairs; t he short er arm of t he L-shape is held in t he closed palm wit h t he long sect ion parallel t o t he ground and t o each ot er, when t he t arget is reached t he rods will cross over indicat ing t he spot . Wand ? This is a single long rod, held in t he hand and will react wit h circular or oscillat ing movement s. Pendulum ? A cryst al on a single chain react ing wit h a number of different movement s for ?yes? and ?no? answers. The Pendulum can be used in conjunct ion wit h chart s or a map for dist ant dowsing.
No mat t er what t he origin of divining or dowsing, or wit ching for wat er, it is st ill pract iced all over t he world t oday and despit e scient ific ridicule, wat er wit ches st ill flourish t oday. So, next t ime you?re out and about in t he count ry-side, pick up a twig or and have a go. You never know what may happen.
For more informat ion on Dowsing here in t he UK please cont act The Brit ish Society of Dowsers at : ht t ps:/ / www.brit ishdowsers.org/ For t he American Society of Dowsers, Please Visit : ht t p:/ / dowsers.org/
M agickal Plant s & Flowers Raquel Reichert - photos courtesy of Raquel Reichert's Photography
This month, Raquel brings you a list of everyday plants found in our gardens, fields and woodlands, along with their magickal uses and properties.
Buttercup Happiness, love, prosperity, healing Through t he legend of t he coyot e t ossing his eyes int o t he air and cat ching t hem again, t he but t ercup has derived t he name, Coyot e's Eyes, in America. Worldwide, t he but t ercup belongs t o over 400 species.
Dandelion Dandelion; nat ures oracle.... Used for Divinat ion, Wishes, Calling Spirit s This flower, in M edieval t imes, was known as "Lion's Toot h" due t o it s t oot h-like appearance. For cent uries t he Dandelion has been used as an oracle and it is believed t hat you can t ell t he t ime from how many blows it t akes t o it s seeds. Wish t o know how long it will be before you are married? Count t he number of seeds left over aft er you have blown on it . What ever number of seeds are left indicat es t he number of years unt il you are married.
Cat's Ear Hypochaeris radicat a - Hairy Cat 's Ear, False Dandelion, frogbit , gosmore, and spot t ed cat sear. Has t he same medicinal qualit ies as t he dandelion, and all part s of t he flower can be eat en.
The Flower ing Dogwood The flowering Dogwood... M agickal uses include Wishes and Prot ect ion. I t is one of t he nine woods placed in t he t radit ional Celt ic Druid balefire. I t is an excellent herb for t he Book of Shadows. The powdered flowers and dried bark can be used as incense. The leaves or wood from t he Dogwood can be placed in prot ect ive amulet s.
For More I nfor mation To find out more on these plants or any other magickal plants that can be found growing wild or in your garden, then why not get in touch with either Raquel Reichert or Adele Sutcliffe at thependlecraft@hotmail.com; They will be glad to help.
Her b Of The Mont h St Joh ns Wort
St Johns Wort blooms just in time for the Summer Solstice and produces masses of bright yellow flowers that is said to represent the sun. Today it is used as both an anti-depressant and to treat cases of sun-burn, but in times gone by it was believed by our ancestors that St Johns Wort caused evil spirits to flee.
TUIGS By Graeme K. Talboys I n t he past , Druids rarely wrot e down t heir t eachings. This is not t o say t hey were illit erat e. M any could read and writ e but , as part of a pat t ern of respect for t he Goddess, t hey chose not t o commit t heir wisdom t o books. This reluct ance is wort h some t hought . Wisdom is not an abst ract not ion wait ing t o be plucked from some misty, dist ant , and ancient realm of ideals by an adept of arcane met hods. I t is not cont ained in any book, guarded by zealous acolyt es who declaim t he t rue meaning t herein. Wisdom is of t his world, dynamic and organic ? a realizat ion t hat all t hings are connect ed. I t relat es t o being ? we 'become' wise. I t relat es t o t ime and place ? blossoming in specific, concret e sit uat ions. Thus, it relat es t o use, for if it is not applied it has neit her meaning nor exist ence. Wisdom is, t herefore, a predisposit ion of people t o act and behave in cert ain right ways. Wisdom is t o underst and what we know of t he world t hat we might act right ly and for t he good in t he simplest way. I f we know t hings poorly, improperly, or second hand, if we cannot see t he connect ions between t hem, t hen we cannot ever come t o underst and t hem or act right ly. We must , t hen, learn t o know t hings properly. And t his cannot be done solely by reading books and medit at ing on what we have read. There is undoubt edly a place for t his, but we can only medit at e on t hings t hat , ult imat ely, we derive from and are able t o apply t o a personal experience of t he world.
I f you t ear wisdom out of people and pin it t o t he page it ceases t o be wisdom. Rendering it as fixed symbols reduces it t o not hing more t han informat ion. This informat ion has t o be approached in t he right spirit . You must know it for what it is, know t he ways of reviving it and reint egrat ing it . You must also know t hat alphabet lit eracy can work against t he Goddess. I t can become a dead weight t hat does not decay as it should. I nst ead of nourishing new growt h, it becomes, t hrough it s increasing irrelevance, a deadly pollut ant . For t hose, like myself, who t reasure books t his is a difficult but t ruly vit al point t o accept . Books are import ant . They can be great t eachers. However, no mat t er how import ant t hey are, no mat t er how profound t heir message, we should always remember t hat books are simply one medium t hrough which human beings can communicat e. Not only t hat , no book is an end in it self. I t is part of a cycle, part of a conversat ion t o which you must cont ribut e. Books fix words and ideas t o make it easier t o convey such conversat ions t o many ot hers. However, because t he words are fixed on t he page, we must not assume t he ideas t hey convey t o be immut able. I deas are part of human experience. They evolve, have cont act wit h t he concret e world, and have relevance t o our everyday lives. Ult imat ely, t he only wort hwhile measure of what we have learned, of t he wisdom we have derived from t his, is in how we behave.
Our behaviour as aut onomous beings involves t aking responsibility for what we are and what we do. That responsibility cannot be abrogat ed on t he st rengt h of somet hing t hat has been read in a book and t hat may, in any case, have been misunderst ood. Responsibility lies in conscious choice, in having cont rol ? which means act ing from your own volit ion. We live t oo much inside our heads in an abst ract universe derived from a set of symbols on t he page. I t is import ant t hat we get out and do, for it is t he act ions of our lives t hat count , not t he words in a book. The t ruly sacred is in t he det ail of our everyday lives, each act chosen for it s right ness. Having said all t hat , books are magic. Words are magic. Used properly t hey liberat e us. What t hey t each will reside wit hin us, alt ering us and how we t reat t he world. Equally each word we writ e involves us in an act of magic and it is incumbent upon us t o do t his wisely. Graeme PS - ?Tuig? is pronounced (roughly) ?twig? and is a Gaelic word meaning ?t o underst and?.
Cr ys t a l Of Th e Mo n t h Lapi s Lazul i
Keywords: Truth, Inner Power, Organization. When meditating, it is said that Lapis opens the brow chakra, and helps to maintain a link between the physical and the celestial plains, creating a very strong spiritual link. As protection, Lapis Lazuli helps protect against psychic and spiritual attacks. It is a crystal of communication that can certainly bring truthfulness, openness, and mental clarity. This crystal's strong emotional components are the strength and ability to overcome abuse issues, trauma, rape recovery, as well as depression and grief. Partly this is due to its energy of bringing inner power and hope
STONEHENGE, BA BY By Andrew Sutcliffe
As I parked up at t he sit e of t he old visit ors cent re, I st art ed t o feel t ingles down my spine and t he hairs on t he back of my neck st art ing t o st and up, I st epped out of t he car, The cold misty air hit t ing my face, t he refreshing coldness suddenly snapping my senses out of t iredness and int o act ion.I opened t he boot of t he car and t ook out my st aff and cloak, as I wrapped my cloak around me I felt as t hough I was preparing t o go on st age and do some performance, I fast ened t he cloak around my kneck and I felt as if I was part of t he magic of t his place.I picked up my st aff,locked t he car and headed off t owards t he st ones. There was a group of 5 of us t hat had t raveled down,and as we gat hered at t he gat e wait ing for t he t ime t o ent er I felt a mixt ure of excit ement ,anxiousness and emot ion, mingling wit h ot her people, some wit h cloaks and st affs like me, some just in everyday clot hes. I n t he dist ance I could hear drums beginning t o beat out a st eady rhyt hm, like a heart beat , my heart slowing down t o keep in t une wit h t he drums, all t he feelings I had got before were now becoming st ronger as t he t ime approached, and t hen t he gat e was opened and we were allowed t o st art our walk t o t he st ones, I t ook a deep breat h and set off. As I set off t o t he st ones t he dawn was just about st art ing t o break, all I could see was t he mist in front of me,as I walked t owards t hem I felt my emot ions get t ing st ronger,t he excit ement ,t he nervousness, t hen I got t he feeling t hat we were not alone, apart from t he ot hers walking wit h me it felt as t hough just behind t he mist t housands of ot hers were walking wit h us, our ancest ors over t he cent uries t hat had walked t his very same pat h at t his t his very same t ime were t here alongside us, joining us at t hat very moment ,I had t o st op for a few seconds t o get my breat h back from t he feeling of immense emot ion.
As we got closer t hey suddenly appeared out of t he mist , you could just see t he out lines of t he st ones in t he faint light , wit h every st ep I t ook t hey became a bit clearer unt il t here t hey were, st anding t all and proud as t hey have for over 5000 years, t he st ones of St onehenge in all t here glory.Not hing prepared me for t he feeling of emot ions t hat overwhelmed me and made me realise how insignificant in t he hist ory of t he world we really were,t he st ones t hat had been here before long me and will st ill be here long aft er I have gone were t here right in front of me. I st epped inside t he st ones and just was in awe at t he sheer size and power of t he place, I had seen t hem from a dist ance before but t o be st anding here inside t hem was unreal,a friend t old me t hat when your inside t he st ones it s as if you are in HD and t he rest of t he world is in black and whit e, at t hat moment I underst ood what he meant .As I looked out side t he st ones all I could see was t he mist covering t he out side world,as t hough we were inside a bubble and t ime had just st opped. I missed most of t he rit ual as I was t oo busy rest ing against t he st ones, feeling t he energy of t he st ones,t he hist ory t hat had gone before, t he fact t he out side world had changed so much since t he st ones were built but in here it felt as t hough t ime had never moved forward. As t he rit ual was coming t o an end for some reason I decided t o ask if I could call t he Awen, I don?t know why but it just ent ered my head,I was t old ?of course you can?,I walked int o t he cent re of t he st ones surrounded by t he crowd, I closed my eyes,t ook a deep breat h and began,
STONEHENGE, BA BY By Andrew Sutcliffe
The feeling of st anding t here, leading t he Awen in front of a few hundred people inside St onehenge was more powerful t han anyt hing I had experienced before, as t he crowd followed my lead and joined me in t he first chant I could feel myself get t ing very emot ional and t hinking ?can I do t his?? And t hen i was given t he answer as I st art ed t he second chant and heard t he crowd chant ing wit h me and t he energy and power I felt as I chant ed t he t hird was like a million sparks going off all at once,like t he emot ion was just going t o explode out of me, and t hen it was over, t he chant finished I made my way out of t he cent re ,I felt as t hough I would collapse,I had t o st ep out side t he circle and t ake a minut e t o get my breat h, as I st ood t here I t hought about all t his posit ive energy inside and let it out by t hrust ing my st aff int o t he air and calling for it t o be carried t o whoever may need it t hat day,just aft er I had done t hat I opened my eyes and saw a crow on t he grass in front of me. Then I felt t he warm hands of my wife by my side,support ing me asking if I was ok, and t hen t he t ears st art ed t o flow as I could not hold t he emot ion in any longer. Aft er a couple of minut es I t ook a deep breat h and t hanked my ancest ors and M orrigan(nodding at t he crow) for giving me t he st rengt h t o call t he Awen. All t oo soon it was t ime t o leave t he st ones behind and st ep back int o t he real world, as I left I felt as t hough my ancest ors were st ill t here wat ching me as i walked away, I looked round and t he st ones had st art ed t o disappear back int o t he mist as quickly as t hey had appeared, t hen t hey were gone, t he mist s shrouding t hem wit h it s cold grey cloak.
LITERARY CORNER NIMUE BROWN
The Druid Shaman, by Danu Forest , published by M oon Books, reviewed by Sheena Cundy... For t he explorer of t he Celt ic ot herworld, t his is an invaluable guide and workbook. Danu Forest shines t he ?bright knowledge? of her own experience from t hese magical realms st raight ont o t he page and prepares t he st udent for journeying (t he basis of all shamanic pract ice) int o t his mult i-layered and deeply spirit ual t errit ory. As wit h any journey, signpost s are import ant . The Celt ic-I rish and Brit ish ancest ral root s of Druidic lore are clearly set out and Shamanism as a met hod of finding healing and balance for t he soul (pract ised by our ancest ors) is explained t horoughly. We know where we?ve come from. The Celt ic Shaman is viewed t hrough a 21st cent ury lens as a modern t erm wit h reference t o Taliesin t he great poet , as guide and init iat or from hist ory (mort al) and t he myt hic (ot herworld) realms, giving he of t he ?radiant brow? ample room t o shine. We know where we are. Learning t o expand awareness, t o vent ure beyond physical boundaries t o receive inspirat ion and inst ruct ion from t he spirit world via guardians and allies is described as t he shamanic st at e of consciousness? Now we know where we?re heading. I n fact t here is no st one left unt urned by t his writ er as she lays t he foundat ions for journeying wit h sound advice on t ools and t echniques from post ure t o divinat ion. How t o raise energy in t he t ree post ure is part icularly useful as is also a t horough explanat ion of t he soul - cent ral t o all shamanic work. As a keen yoga st udent I found t he K undalini ?fire in t he head? piece part icularly int erest ing as confirmat ion of t he int er-connect edness of All Things, no mat t er where t he origins ? east or west . And for anyone who get s t hemselves int o a pickle wit h circles (more t han you may t hink!) circle - cast ing is made easy wit h simple inst ruct ions and correspondences t hat make sense. A variety of illust rat ions t hroughout t he book serve as an addit ional guide which is helpful. This is a must -have for all shamanic st udent s and t eachers alike. One never st ops learning and benefit s are always gained from paying at t ent ion t o t he basics of any subject . All good t eachers lead by example? Danu Forest does t his in The Druid Shaman, present ing her subject well and wit h t he confidence of one who has t ravelled t he landscape many t imes. Her confidence is infect ious and carries t he hallmark of good inst ruct ion and in act ing as int ermediary between t his and t he Ot herworld; she shows us how our journey can be safe as well as magical. Exploring has never been so enjoyable. An inspiring and informat ive read.
LITERARY CORNER NIMUE BROWN
The Awen Alone, by joanna van der Hoeven, published by M oon Books, reviewed by Sheena Cundy This is a fine int roduct ion t o t he Druidic solit ary pat h. I t combines useful guidance at ground level for t he lone pract it ioner, wit h valuable insight int o t he Awen as an unlimit ed source of spirit ual and creat ive inspirat ion. Joanna van der Hoeven speaks wit h clarity and reminds us t hat wit h great er underst anding of t his awareness and t he Druidic sense of int er-connect edness, we can never be alone, not really. From t his panoramic viewpoint she welcomes t he reader int o t he world of t he solit ary Druid as one who already knows and lives in it . By way of int roduct ion, t he scene is set wit h a glimpse from t he aut hor?s personal diary and immediat ely we are experiencing t his world wit h her. We are aware of a living, breat hing and sacred way of living? of being and becoming. From t he st art , t he reader is reassured t hat a solit ary pat h? -?t hrough our connect ion t o t he nat ural environment we see t hat ideas of separat ion are illusion?- ? needn?t be a lonely one. This is t he voice of t he solit ary t raveller. This is t he realm of inspired solit ude. This is t he Awen alone. All quest ions are explored comprehensively and answers clearly explained in each of t he t hree part s: Sect ion one covers t he basics of Druidry - a brief hist ory, what t he Awen is, t he Gods, t he Ancest ors and a descript ion of t he eight fest ivals of t he year. Sect ion two explores t he pract ice of Druidry - from medit at ion and prayer, alt ar creat ion and sacred space t o seasonal rit es and craft names. Creat ing your own pat h concludes in sect ion t hree, from designing a rit ual t o daily pract ise. I loved t his book. Personally, it resonat ed at a deeply spirit ual level, appearing at just t he right t ime on my own pat h. I ?ve a feeling it will do t he same for ot hers as all inspired works have a t endency t owards. Grounding spirit ual awareness int o everyday living is no mean feat for t he spirit ual t eacher but an obligat ion all t he same? for what is t he point of lofty t hinking, if we cannot bring it t o eart h and use it ? I n honour of t he Druid life pat h and t he Awen, t he aut hor fulfils her sacred role as facilit at or and scribe wit h int egrity and ego in check. Spirit ual energy is not always easy t o put int o words, it requires skill, connect ion and t rue relat ionship wit h one?s subject . Joanna van der Hoeven has managed it . Well done t o her and The Awen Alone. I nspired writ ing at it s best .
LITERARY CORNER NIMUE BROWN
M AGI C CRYSTALS, SACRED STONES I f you t hought t his was just anot her book about cryst als, t hink again! Not only is t he aut hor an experienced magical pract it ioner in her own right , but her magical t ut or also held a doct orat e in geology ? and it shows. Not just in t he obvious love of t he subject but in t he vast st ore of magical informat ion crammed int o t hese 186 pages. Of course t here is t he usual list of gemst ones wit h t heir correspondences but M agic Cryst als, Sacred St ones goes much furt her in explaining t hat it can be t he very rocks beneat h our feet t hat generat es magical energy ? and how it can affect our own magical working. Did you know, for example, t hat many of t he st ones used in our ancient monument s cont ain a high percent age of quart z; and t hat quart z is t he most magically pot ent cryst al on t he planet ? Anot her int erest ing aspect t o t his book is t hat t he exercises at t he end of each chapt er are designed for t he purpose of creat ing your own personal syst em of divinat ion by cryst allomancy, t he ancient pract ice of cast ing lot s using small st ones or cryst als. As well as being a pract ical magical guide, it is a wort hy successor t o t hose two classic hist orical reference works The Curious Lore of Precious St ones (K unz) and M agical Jewels (Evans). Carys Llewellyn : Freelance writ er and book reviewer. M agic Cryst als, Sacred St ones by M elusine Draco Published by Axis M undi Books
RECI PES EASY 1-PAN DI NNER 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast; cut in half 2 cans green beans 6-8 med red skin potatoes; quartered 9x13 baking dish 1 stick melted butter Sheet of tin foil 2 packets zesty Italian mix (dry) Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Layer beans, chicken and pot at oes in 9x13 baking dish side by side as in t he phot ograph. Pour melt ed but t er on t op. Sprinkle bot h packet s zesty it alian mix on t op; t urn t o coat it ems. Cover wit h t in foil and bake for 1 hour. Can subst it ut e chicken wit h pork and veget able opt ions are limit less.
RECI PES Tuna St ovies 4-5 large pot at oes 1 onion 1 clove of garlic English must ard 25g but t er/ margerine Splash of milk Tin of t una
First peel, chop, and boil your pot at oes for 20-25mins Once cooked add milk, but t er, 1/ 4 t sp must ard and mash. Add salt and pepper t o t ast e. Finely chop your onion and garlic and fry unt il soft and light ly browned. Add t his t o your mash along wit h t he t una aft er draining t horoughly and it 's ready t o serve.
M oot s & Event s Abergavenny M oot second Tuesday of every mont h, Hen and Chickens pub, flannel st reet , Abergavenny St art s 7pm Cont act Laura or Craig, You can also e-mail t he.shadows.light @hot mail.com Albion M oot First Thursday of t he M ont h 7:30pm St art The Old Queens Head Pub, 40 Pond Hill, Sheffield ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 72533580743/ Belfast Pagan M oot First Tuesday of t he mont h 7pm st art Croabh Rua Community Temple, Conway M ill, Belfast ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ Belfast PaganM oot / Bishops St ort ford Gat hering Third M onday of t he mont h 8:00pm St art The Cast le public house, Cast le St reet , Bishops St ort ford Bradford Social M oot Last Wednesday of t he mont h 8:00pm St art The Cast le Pub, 20 Grat t an Rd, Bradford Cannock M oot Third Sunday of t he mont h 7:30pm St art Bridget own Social Club, Bridget own , Cannock
M oot s & Event s Cardiff Pagan M oot Second M onday of t he mont h Upst airs in t he Rummer Tavern, Cardiff. Open from 7pm, st art s properly at 730pm. Cont act Cat herine Abbot t or Derek St orey or visit t he page at ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 167919513251601/ Cardiff Coffee M oot Third Sat urday of t he mont h At Pipi's on Caroline St reet , Cardiff St art s 10am Cont act (t o be added) Caerphilly M oot Every Thursday locat ion varies, current ly at t he Grazing Ground on t he high st reet (Nov 2014) St art s around 11am onwards A really informal group of most ly pagan people who like t o meet up an have a nat t er :) Shout out on t he Sout h Wales Pagans group for up t o dat e info. Camart hen Pagans Last Thursday of t he mont h Get St uffed Pizza, John St reet , Carmart hen 7:30pm onwards Cont act t he Camart hen Pagans group - ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ Carmart henPagans/ Cent ral London Gat hering Last Tuesday of t he mont h 6:00pm St art Bishopsgat e, venue is subject ed t o change so please check our facebook for furt her det ails: ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ pages/ CoA-Cent ral-London-Gat hering/ 505714086232636
M oot s & Event s Chest erfield M oot Second Tuesday of t he mont h 7:30pm St art The Telemere Lodge, Hasland, Chest erfield Clact on on Sea M oot Third M onday of t he mont h 7:00pm St art The Plough, 1 Nort h Road, Clact on on Sea Covent ry Eart h Spirit M oot Third Wednesday of t he mont h 8:00pm St art The Broomfield Tavern, Spoon End, covent ry Cowbridge M oot First Sat urday of t he mont h Upst airs at t he Lit t le Shop of Calm, Cowbridge st art s 11am-1pmK ids welcome, t ea, coffee and cake provided Cont act Siany or vist t heir page ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 231922846985828/ Gloucest er M oot Last Thursday of t he mont h 8:00pm St art The Fount ain I nn, West gat e St reet , Gloucest er Hert ford Gat hering Last Wednesday of t he mont h 8:00pm St art The Whit e Horse pub, 33 Cast le st reet , Hert ford Lampet er Pagan Society Folkmoot First Sunday of t he mont h Cwmanne Tavern 7.00 - 7.30pm onwards Cont act t he Lampet er Pagan Society group ffi - ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 24065160648/
M oot s & Event s Long Eat on M oot Last Tuesday of t he mont h 7:30pm St art The Harringt on Arms, Derby Road, Long Eat on Long Eat on Coffee M orning Second Tuesday of t he mont h 10:30am St art The Harringt on Arms, Derby Road, Long Eat on Lyndon M oot Every Tuesday The Lyndon Pub, Olt on, Solihull 8:00pm St art M ansfield M oot First Tuesday of t he mont h 7:00pm St art William I V pub, St ockwell Gat e, M ansfield M arket M oot first Sat urday of every ot her mont h Bet tws near Newport . St art s at about 1 pm. Have a look on t heir page for det ails of t he next M arket M oot ht t ps:/ / www.facebook.com/ groups/ 270507793048162/ Neat h Pagan M oot last Thursday of t he mont h, Upst airs in t he Highlander Pub, (2-4 Lewis Road Neat h, West Glamorgan SA11 1EQ) St art s 7:30pm unt il close Cont act (t o be added)
M oot s & Event s Threefold Pagans Okehampt on Gat hering Third Tuesday of t he mont h 7:30pm St art The Highwaymans I nn, Sourt on, Devon Tefi Pagan M oot Last Thursday of t he mont h (unless it clashes wit h somet hing else) Camart hen (cont act for venue det ails) 7pm - 9pm Cont act Tamra at t amra66@hot mail.com True Spirit M oot Last Thursday of t he mont h 7:30pm St art The Tast e of England, Newbury & That cham in Berkshire Valleys M oot First Wednesday of every mont h At t he GRI FFI N I NN, Hendreforgan, Gilfach Goch Times 7:30pm t il 10:30pm Cont act Richard Blackburn for det ails Wyldwood M oot Fourt h M onday of t he M ont hThe Royal Oak, St afford7:30pm St art
I f you know of any ot her M oot s and Event s you wish t o be added, please email t hemyst iccauldron@out look.com
Let t er of Ret ract ion By The Edit or
June, 2015.
Dear Readers I t has recent ly come t o my at t ent ion t hat one of our former cont ribut ors, Gayla Rogers, put out two art icles (April's Edit ion & M ay's Edit ion), t hat claimed t o be her own work. However, aft er receiving a complaint from someone, it was est ablished t hat t hese two art icles were in fact t he work of ot hers and had been complet ely plagiarized. I would like it known t hat we at The Pendle Craft t ake our writ ing very seriously and will not t olerat e t his sort of behaviour. We humbly apologize t o all of you in regards t o t his mat t er and would hope t hat it does not affect your enjoyment of t he magazine and it s art icles. Yours sincerely The Editor
The
Pen dl e Cr aft June 2015
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