A Party to Celebrate the Return of the Walrus

If you read my blog regularly then you'll know I won a photo competition recently. It was run by the Horniman Musuem, in Forest Hill, to coincide with it loaning a very large stuffed walrus from its collection to The Turner Contemporary, in Margate. The competition involved taking a cute toy walrus on holiday and photographing it. I blogged about my entry here.

Here is the very nice email I got after I found I was one of the winners:

Congratulations on being named a category winner! I hope you have seen the full coverage of winners on the website. We've been really touched by the level of support for our walrus's summer 'holiday' in Margate - thank you for entering the competition! We thought your photos of the Walrus visiting UK landmarks were brilliant, and the one with the cows in particular made us grin.

Now that he's about to return to his iceberg in Forest Hill, we'd love you to join us at a welcome home tea party in our Conservatory on Thursday 26 September to see the walrus back in his usual 'habitat'.

And here you can see some of the photos I took at the event. At the top is the walrus, back on his iceberg in the museum (you can just see overall winner Josie Horneff reaching towards her toy walrus, Wilba, next to his bigger cousin).

The photo at the bottom shows people admiring the winning photo at the tea party in the conservatory and the one on the right shows some of the walrus cupcakes we enjoyed. They were chocolate and lemon drizzle, not actually walrus flavour, I should add :)

After tea, keeper of natural history Joanne Hatton gave a talk about the walrus. Apparently he has been part of the museum's displays since its very early days and was originally accompanied by a stuffed moose and a polar bear. Joanna had spent some time trying to trace what happened to them.

She discovered they were sold to a company that traded in vintage items in 1948, because at that time taxidermy was unpopular and the museum no longer wanted to display large stuffed beasts. From the trading company, the moose and bear went to a photographic studio in Southend.

Joanna has not yet been been able to find out the name or address of the studio - and she would love to hear from anyone who might have old family photographs taken at a Southend studio featuring the animals. If you have any, then please contact the Horniman Museum or email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com and also leave a comment below this post.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/ive-won-photography-competition.html
http://www.horniman.ac.uk/get_involved/news/our-wanderingwalrus-winners
http://www.turnercontemporary.org/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/08/dragons-and-unicorns-on-show.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/01/magical-clothing-from-body-adorned.html

Pagan Eye: Warrior's Call at Glastonbury Tor

Here is a photo taken by Alex Tingle at The Warrior's Call on Saturday. This was a public pagan ritual to protect Albion from fracking and it took place at Glastonbury Tor, in Somerset at noon yesterday. Pagans took part in a mass pilgrimage to the base of the Tor for a group magickal working for the protection of this sacred landscape.

Thanks very much Alex for letting me post the picture on my blog!

My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com. Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.

Previous related posts:
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/11/weaving-dreams-beneath-tor.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/01/glastonbury-tor-entrance-to-land-of.html

Pagan Events in London and Southern England

Saturday 28 September; The Warrior's Call: A Public Pagan Ritual to Protect Albion from Fracking. Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8BH. Meet at noon at the bottom of Glastonbury High Street to walk in mass pilgrimage to the base of the Tor and engage in group magickal working for the protection of this sacred landscape. Free event, just turn up and bring percussion instruments if you have them. (My previous blog post about Glastonbury.)

Sunday 29 September; Kith of Yggdrasil London Moot. Free open meeting, from 2 – 4pm, at The Horseshoe Inn, 26 Melior St, London SE1 3QP, close to London Bridge Station. https://www.facebook.com/groups/161481960584/

Monday 30 September; Soil, Soul and Society. Talk by Satish Kumar, author of Soil Soul Society: A New Trinity for Our Time.Venue: Alternatives, St. James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LL. Time: 7pm to 8.30pm. Tickets £10/£5 concs. Advance booking required. To book tickets and for more info visit the Alternatives website http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/Talks.aspx

Monday 30 September; Lairs of Cthulhu II: The Hollywood Years. Lecture by Dr James Holloway. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets £7, advance booking recommended. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Wednesday 2 October; Interview with a Vampire Expert. Talk by Deborah Hyde at Greenwich Skeptics in the Pub, The Star and Garter, 60 Old Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9NY. 7.30pm. http://greenwich.skepticsinthepub.org/

Tuesday 1 October; Being Self Aware by Master Chou with trance medium Sarah Tyler-Walters. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £10/£12 Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

Tuesday 1 October; Sacred Love (Light Grids) with Vaz Sriharan, author of Infinite Being.Organised through the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Conference Room, Canterbury Hall, 11 – 18 Cartwright Gardens,London WC1H 9EE. Time: 6pm – 8pm. Tickets: £12. http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Wednesday 2 October; Weird Words, the Writing of Manly Wade Wellman. Talk by Steve Wilson at The Moot With No Name. Venue: Devereux pub, Devereux Court (opposite the Royal Courts of Justice), London. 7.30pm for 8pm start. Cost £3/£2. This moot meets every other Wednesday.

Thursday 3 October; Project Crossroads. Part of the charitable work of The Pagan Federation London, this aims to provide aid in the form of food and resources to homeless people in London. The description says: "In ancient times, Pagans would leave offerings of food to the Gods of the crossroads, in the knowledge that this food would eventually be taken by the homeless and the needy. In this way, religious obligations were also a means of extending charity to those who needed it. This ancient practice is from where Project Crossroads takes it name." Meet at the base of Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square, London (opposite Charing Cross Tube Station) at 7.30pm and bring two sandwiches as well as a bottle of water to distribute to the needy. For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/229180450566784/

Thursday 3 October; Healing Meditation - Transforming with Angels and Gaia organised by Lidija Ablamska and the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Healing Residence, 18 Paddocks Close, South Harrow, HA2 8NP. Time: 7pm. Tickets £8 - book online: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Friday, 4 October; Temple of Levanah Monthly Meditative Circle with Vivianne Crowleyand Chris Crowley. Venue: Treadwell's Books 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.20pm - 9pm. Cost: £8 per session. Space is limited so it is essential to book your place in advance by emailing: BMDeosil@aol.com

Friday 4 October; Circle of Light: Sharing and Social. Venue: Westminster Quaker Meeting House, 52 St Martins Lane, London WC2N 4EA. 7pm start. Tickets £10. Book online: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Friday 4 October; A Demonstration of Mediumship with Q and A by Anthony Kesner. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £10/£12 Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

4-6 October, Transition Camp. Family friendly camping event with workshops and entertainment at Wapsbourne Farm, near Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 3QT. Tickets: early bird adult £35 until 31st August; full price adult £50 until 30 September. Prices includes camping, workshops and food plus volunteer slot in kitchen. For details, visit: http://there.is/transitioncamp/

Saturday 5 October; Family Apple Day event at Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury. Tickets £3.80 Adult, £2.00 Child. For more details about Chalice Well, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/ The photo shows the book Apple Games and Customs

Saturday 5 October; Kingston Zodiac Walk. Meet at 12 noon by the Coronation Stone/Kings Stone in Kingston town centre (near the Druid's Head pub). Charge: £10. For more details and to reserve a place, email Rosemary Hanson at rosemary@limelightessences.co.uk

Saturday 5 October; Spirit Inspired Healing and Wellbeing Fayre at Holmesdale Technology College, Snodland, Kent. Time: 11am-5pm. Tickets £5. www.spiritinspired.co.uk

Saturday 5 October; Wyrdcraft Pagan Fayre with stalls, entertainment, readings, therapy taster sessions and workshops. Venue: the village hall, New Park Lane, Aston, Nr Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 7ED. Tickets £2 on the door with children free of charge. Runs from 10am-4pm.

Saturday 5 October; Hendon Heathens Moot. The Greyhound, Church End, Hendon, London NW4 4JT. 6pm until 9pm (then over the road at a blues and rock club until the early hours). This moot meets on the first Saturday each month. https://www.facebook.com/groups/151618854867807/

Sunday 6 October; Launch at Treadwells: Daimonic Imagination: Uncanny Intelligencewith Angela Voss and William Rowlandson Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 5pm-8pm start. Tickets free but advance booking essential. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Sunday 6 October; The Alternative Bring and Buy Sale. Venue: The Dome, 178 Junction Road, London N19 5QQ. Time: 11am until 5pm. Entry: 50p. enquiries to: enquiries@alternativebringandbuy.co.uk. https://www.facebook.com/events/150983531775894/

Folklore: Michaelmas Daisies for Michaelmas Day

Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, takes place on 29 September. This festival - an important one in the Christian calendar - falls a few days after the autumn equinox, which pagans celebrate on 22 September, and has similar themes. It is celebrated as the end of the harvest, the start of autumn and the time when the days became noticeably shorter.

What I thought I'd write as Michaelmas approaches is Michaelmas daisies. These wildflowers bloom profusely at this time of year. Although many gardeners hate them because they do tend to choke up the flower beds - I like them and let a patch grow in a damp and shady spot next to a wall where other plants wither or get eaten by slugs. They offer a bit of much-needed colour as the days get gloomy, and the bees and butterflies seem to like them too.

According to Discovering the Folklore of Plants,by Mary Baker, there is a traditional rhyme about Michaelmas daisies that explains their connection with the festival:

The Michaelmas Daisy, among dead weeds,
Bloom for St Michael's valorous deeds.
And seems the last of flowers that stood,
Till the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude.

St Michael, the chief of the archangels, is famous for several "valorous deeds", including dragon-slaying and kicking Lucifer out of heaven, which he is supposed to have done on St Michael's day. Another plant-related bit of folklore is that Lucifer was said to have landed on earth in a blackberry bush. He was so annoyed, he pissed on the blackberries and cursed them to always be inedible after September 28.

The Feast of St. Simon and Jude, by the way, is 28 October - close to Hallowe'en. It shows that Michaelmas daisies do bloom for a long while late in the year, much longer than blackberries are in fruit.

In ceremonial magic, the Archangel Michael is called upon for protection. He represents the element of fire and is one of the guardians of the quarters of the circle, along with Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel. I would say this would be a perfect time to do a little angelic magic, if you are so inclined, and that Michaelmas daisies would be the perfect flowers to put on an altar at this time of year too.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/08/blackberries-and-brambles.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaelmas_Daisy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaelmas
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/09/festival-of-week-michaelmas.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/03/review-fallen-angel-oracle-cards.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/05/review-angel-tarot-cards-by-doreen.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/08/review-my-angel-diary-2014-by-jenny.html

Review: The Sacred Stone Circles of Stanton Drew

This summer I visited Stanton Drew stone circles - and I was absolutely captivated by the magical and ancient sacred megalithic site on the bank of the River Chew, in Somerset.

I earlier blogged about my visit - and also won a photo competition with one of my pictures of the stones on a misty morning. But I didn't really know much about the rites or rituals the stones were built to honour by our neolithic ancestors, or what uses they have been put to since.

However, Druid's Arms pub in Stanton Drew had on its wall an advert for a book called The Sacred Stone Circles of Stanton Drew.I decided it was something I really needed to read, so I contacted the publisher, Skylight Press.

Skylight Press says a little about the stone circle on its website: "The village of Stanton Drew in north Somerset is host to a remarkable group of ancient monuments which together comprise the third largest collection of standing stones in England. The Great Circle, the largest of its three stone circles, encloses an area of 2,000 square metres, exceeding the dimensions of Stonehenge. It was once approached by an avenue of standing stones, now lost. A smaller Southwest circle is aligned to The Quoit and The Cove nearby."

It goes on to explain the author's credentials, and this is not the first thing he has written about Stanton Drew: "Gordon Strong, author of Stanton Drew: and Its Ancient Stone Circlesand a regular lecturer on the subject, has spent many years exploring this fascinating site on multiple levels."

But what about the book itself?  I found it fascinating reading - an in-depth look at pretty much all the theories about the stone circle, from science and archaeology to the spiritual and esoteric.

Gordon Strong starts with the basics - a chapter entitled "What are Stone Circles" -  and goes on to discuss the archaeological details of the stone circles at Stanton Drew. It appears archaeologists have found evidence that the huge ring of stones once contained concentric rings of wooden posts - a woodhenge. This may even have included a covered area that could have been used as a temple.

Various people have surveyed the site from the 18th century onwards - these have included scientific studies as well as investigations by dowsers and mediums.  The book looks at solar, lunar and planetary alignments that have been calculated. The most popular of these is that the stones indicate the midwinter sunset and the midsummer sunrise, although another theory is that Stanton Drew follows the cycle of the planet Venus.

There are also many tales surrounding Stanton Drew, including local folklore that the stones are a wedding party who were cursed after their celebrations went past midnight on Saturday and into Sunday morning. There are myths relating to gods and goddesses and tales of King Arthur and the magician Merlin connected to the area.

Many stone circles are considered to be connected to lines of earth energy that cover the planet, and Stanton Drew is no exception. Another idea is that the stone circle was a place where ancient shamans could more easily travel to other realms, perhaps helped by the quartz crystals within the stones themselves, or by the magic mushrooms that grow profusely in the surrounding countryside.

Every theory is covered in an open minded manner.Whether you believe them or not is up to you, but anyone who is interested in stone circles or who is planning a visit to Stanton Drew will find something to pique their curiosity, I am sure.

Gordon Strong ends his book by looking at how the stone circle is still used today for seasonal rituals and celebrations by druids and other pagans. I absolutely agree with him that Stanton Drew is a place with a magical atmosphere. Do visit if you get a chance - and read this book before you go.

The photo at the top is one I took at the stone circle, the other picture shows the front of the book.

Previous related posts
The Sacred Stone Circles of Stanton Drew
http://www.skylightpress.co.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/the-secret-stone-circle-of-stanton-drew.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/pagan-eye-stanton-drew-stone-circle-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/necropolis-pictures-from-stoney.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/ive-won-photography-competition.html
Stanton Drew: and Its Ancient Stone Circles

Back to Magic School: Planetary Magic

Treadwell's bookshop in London is running evening classes in Planetary Magic this autumn with tutor Sue Merlyn, author of Astrology Decoded: a step by step guide to learning astrology.

Planetary magic is one of the fundamental aspects of Western magic. This series of classes, which runs on Tuesday evenings starting on November 5, looks at one of the seven sacred planets each week. The lessons cover myth, astrology, psychology and esoteric meanings — as well as how to do magical workings.

This course is advertised as being ideal for people on pagan paths and those exploring Western esoteric traditions. The classes include illustrated lectures, questions, handouts, hands-on practise and homework. Those who successfully complete the class will get a Treadwell's Certificate.

The cost is £200, with £100 deposit and each class runs from 7pm to 9.30pm. The dates are: 5 Nov, 12 Nov, 19 Nov, 26 Nov, 3 Dec, 10 Dec, 7 Jan, 14 Jan

Class size limited to 14 people, so this course is likely to get booked up quickly. To reserve places, call 0207 419 8507 or email. info@treadwells-london.com. To find out more information, visit the website: http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Treadwell's bookshop is at 33 Store Street Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.treadwells-london.com/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/06/review-planetary-spells-rituals.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/09/talismans-and-amulets.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/11/spell-talisman-to-help-recover-stolen.html
Astrology Decoded: a step by step guide to learning astrology

I've Won a Photography Competition!

OK, that heading is a tad misleading. I was, more accurately, a runner-up in a photography competition, being pipped for first place by two little girls. Josie and Maggie Horneff, aged 7 and 10, were the overall winners in the competition run by the Horniman Musuem, in Forest Hill, which involved taking a toy walrus on holiday and photographing it. You can see their lovely photograph here on the Horniman website.

I visited the Horniman on the first day of a short break I took last month and decided to enter the competition. This was partly because I like taking photos, partly because it sounded like a lot of fun, and partly because the walrus toys, on sale in the museum shop, are exceedingly cute.

My walrus went away with me to Somerset, where I photographed it at Stanton Drew Stone Circle on a misty morning, as you can see above.  I was really delighted when I heard I was one of the winners of the competition last week.

The Horniman Museum has issued a press release, and here it is:

Josie and Maggie win wandering walrus photo competition
Forest Hill girls Josie Horneff, 7, and sister Maggie, 10, have scooped first prize in the Horniman’s summer photo competition with their snap of a cuddly walrus scaling the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona.

The competition, to celebrate the loan of the Horniman Museum and Gardens’ iconic stuffed walrus to the Turner Contemporary in Margate, has seen the toy walruses travel more than 35,000 miles – about 1.5 times around the circumference of the Earth – to be photographed enjoying their summer holidays.

Josie and Maggie were given their toy walrus, named Wilba, by their Aunty Sara. Josie says ‘It was great fun being with Wilba the Walrus in Spain. He loved Barcelona, the beach and his favourite ice cream was oreo-flavoured. We really miss the walrus at the museum and can't wait for him to come home.’

Adrian Murphy from the Horniman Museum and Gardens says: ‘The wandering walruses have been snapped as far afield as Alaska and Guam, as well as enjoying plenty of staycations here in the UK. We liked Josie and Maggie’s image because, like our own walrus, the Sagrada Familia is a graceful, soaring construction – and it’s a great fun photo! Congratulations to them and all our finalists.’

Josie and Maggie also won the ‘best creative use of photography’ category for their panoramic shot of 11 walruses at Tarragona amphitheatre in Spain. The other finalists are:

• Lucya Starza, from Bromley borough, for ‘Walrus in the mist’, taken at Stanton Drew Stone Circle, Somerset
• Alisa Owens, of Forest Hill, for her photo of a toy walrus in front of the Belgrade’s Cathedral of Sava, taken during a 3,500-mile motorbike tour of Europe
• an anonymous snap of a walrus meeting the locals in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Islands
• and Brockley’s Kirsty Connell and Seumas Skinner who documented the travels of Horace Walrus in Horace’s very own blog.

The finalists are all invited to a special tea party to welcome the walrus home to the Horniman.

Josie and Maggie also win a £20 gift voucher to spend in the Horniman shop.

The real Horniman walrus – in all his one-ton, over-stuffed glory – is now back in Forest Hill and I'm looking forward to seeing him when I go there to enjoy the tea party!

Links and previous related posts
http://www.horniman.ac.uk/get_involved/news/our-wanderingwalrus-winners
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/pagan-eye-stanton-drew-stone-circle-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/the-secret-stone-circle-of-stanton-drew.html

Pagan Eye: Tree Roots & High Altar at Bayham Abbey

With the Autumn Equinox this weekend - the time of balance when day and night are equal length - I thought I'd post a photograph that I think shows another kind of balance. It is the high altar in the ruins of Bayham Abbey, behind which is growing a magnificent tree.

When I visited Bayham Abbey on a sunny day last month it seemed to me to symbolise the forced os Christianity and Paganism in harmony. Although the altar is obviously no longer used for religious ceremonies, the area around it - open to the sky but sheltered by the tree's leaves and branches - felt very much the kind of place one would want to sit for a while in quiet contemplation, meditation or prayer.

The historic site is run by English Heritage, which says on its website: "Bayham Abbey makes a fascinating day out on the Kent Sussex border. The impressive ruins include much of the 13th to 15th-century church, the chapter house, and a picturesque 14th-century gatehouse." Do visit if you are nearby.

My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.

Links and previous related posts:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/bayham-old-abbey/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/03/pagan-eye-assaulting-castle.html
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/pevensey-castle/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/08/tintagel-castle-and-legacy-of-king.html

Autumn Equinox Events in London and South England

Saturday 21 September; Family Picnic / Social to mark International Peace Day and Celebrate Autumn Equinox in Hyde Park. London. Noon to 4pm. Meet by the Italian Gardens for a walk around the Serpentine to Peter Pan's statue, where the picnic will be held. (closest entrance is near Lancaster Gate tube station). Free event, bring a picnic and something to sit on as the ground might be wet. For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/382484225184820/

Saturday 21 September; Equinox Workshop: The History of the Witchcraft, the Poisons and Flying ointments with Sensory Solutions. Venue: Atlantis Spiritual Centre, Theobalds Park Road, Enfield, EN2 9DG. Time: 1pm-3pm, Cost: £30 - payment by paypal to sensorysolutions@hotmail.co.uk. To find out more about Sensory Solutions visit: http://www.sensorysolutions.co.uk/ or http://sensoryherbcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

Saturday 21 September; Running a Spiritual Business. A workshop with Inspiral Mediums at the Festival Leisure Park, Basildon, Essex. Cost: £30. For details and to book tickets, visit: http://inspiralmediums.create.net/ourshop/prod_2539213-Running-A-Spiritual-Business-Basildon-21st-September-2013.html

Saturday 21 September; The Kraken Wakes. Afternoon of talks from Roberto Migliussi (a new approach to the old, Al Cummins (poetry and talk on octopus totems), Mike Slater (the 18th century occult scene) and Peter and Alkistis of Scarlet Imprint (grimoires). Food also being served. Venue: The Golden Guinea pub, Bristol. Start time 2pm. Tickets cost £12 from http://www.underworldapothecary.com/the-kraken-wakes-bristol-event/ The image right shows Scarlet Imprint's The True Grimoire: Volume 1 (Encyclopaedia Goetica).

Saturday 21 September; Autumn Equinox Gathering - Songs of the Golden Age with Ravi and friends. An evening of song, movement, sound healing, conscious meetings and meditation. Venue: St. Peter's Church, 310 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5HY London. Starts 7pm. Cost:£35 on the door/ £20 if rsvped on meetup: http://www.meetup.com/london-ecstatic-dance

Sunday 22 September; Autumn Equinox Meditation at Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury to celebrate the Wheel of the Year. Gathering at the Well Head at 12pm for celebration and meditation until 12.30pm, then gather on the lower lawn for quiet conversation. Free admission from 10am until noon, then normal price admission. For more details about Chalice Well, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

Sunday 22 September; Alban Elued / Autumn Equinox on Primrose Hill with the Loose Association of Druids. Open ritual hosted by Jeremy Morgan, the Druid of Wormwood Scrubbs. Venue: The Hawthorne Grove, Primrose Hill, Regents Park, London NW1. Starts at 12.45pm, ends at around 2.30pm. Nearest tube: Chalk Farm.

Sunday 22 September; Celebration of the Autumn Equinox. Wheel of the Year ritual drawing from Celtic earth/pagan traditions at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 7pm. Tel: 020 7433 3267. http://www.rosslynhillchapel.com/

Monday 23 September; Celebration of the Autumn Equinox will take place at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, at sunrise. Access to the stone circle (weather permitting)at 6.15am. Sunrise will be at 6.56am. Visitors must leave the site by 8am. This event is free to enter, but the car park will only be open for pre-registered disabled parking. For more details, visit: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/autumn-equinox-sh-23-sep/

Monday 23 September; Mindfulness and Change. Talk by Ron Alexander at Alternatives, St. James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LL. Time: 7pm to 8.30pm. Tickets £10/£5 concs. Advance booking required. To book tickets and for more info visit the Alternatives website: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/Talks.aspx

Tuesday 24 September; Chertsey Moot. A social moot held on the last Tuesday of the month at the Golden Grove pub, Ruxbury Road, St Annes Hill, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 9EN. All welcome. From 8pm to 11pm. For more details, email: sian_ap_pysgotwr@yahoo.co.uk

Tuesday 24 September; Introduction to numerology with Cobwebs N Cauldrons. Venue: Bonlife, 43 North Street, Romford, Essex. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15 (£5 non-refundable deposit). For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/592372940819699/

Tuesday 24 September; Wise Mind, Open Heart - Finding Purpose And Meaning In Times Of Change. Lecture by Ronald Alexander PhD. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm-8.30pm. Cost: £10/£12 Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

Wednesday 25 September; Gaia Love Meditation organised by Lidija Ablamska and the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Healing Residence, 18 Paddocks Close, South Harrow, HA2 8NP. Time: 7pm. Tickets £8 - book online: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Thursday 26 September; Labyrinth WisdomTalk and signing by Tony Christie at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit the website http://www.watkinsbooks.com/

Thursday 26 September; PFL Autumn Equinox Open Ritual with Circle of the Four Winds. Venue: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn London. Time: 7.30pm for 8pm start. Ritual ends around 9pm followed by feasting until 10pm. Entrance: £6/£5 PF members. Please bring seasonal food and drinks to share at feast after ritual. For more details, visit http://london.paganfed.org/

Thursday 26 September; Fortean London: Magic, Mazes. Marshes and a Curse on Eddie and the Hot Rods! Venue: The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX. Cost: £3/£2 concessions. Time: 8pm - 10pm. Just turn up, no need to book in advance. The society meets on the last Thursday of each month. For more details, visit http://forteanlondon.blogspot.co.uk/

Friday 27 September; An Evening of Angelic Readings with Amanda Roberts. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £10/£12 Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

Saturday 28 September; The Warrior's Call: A Public Pagan Ritual to Protect Albion from Fracking. Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8BH. Meet at noon at the bottom of Glastonbury High Street to walk in mass pilgrimage to the base of the Tor and engage in group magickal working for the protection of this sacred landscape. Free event, just turn up and bring percussion instruments if you have them.

Sunday 29 September; Kith of Yggdrasil London Moot. Free open meeting, from 2 – 4pm, at The Horseshoe Inn, 26 Melior St, London SE1 3QP, close to London Bridge Station. https://www.facebook.com/groups/161481960584/

Pagan Eye: The Roman Goddess Luna at Bath

As there is a full moon tonight, here is a photograph of a carving of the Roman moon goddess Luna. It once stood on the pediment of a building in the temple courtyard at the Roman Baths in Bath, opposite a similar pediment depicting the sun god Sol. This would have shown the powers of the sun and the moon in balance - as they are at this time of year during the Autumn Equinox.

My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.

Links and previous related posts:
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/08/lullingstone-roman-villa-sacred-well.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/09/autumn-equinox.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/10/gathering-harvest-by-moonlight.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/09/words-for-autumn-equinox.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/08/review-rituals-of-celebration-by-jane.html

News: Celebrity Witches at Wookie Hole and Manchester

"Wookey Hole witch hangs up her broomstick": Read the full story on The Telegraph website.

"She's a Black Magic Woman: Chelsee Healey dresses in witch-inspired outfit for opening night of Wicked on tour" Read more on the Daily Mail website.

Review: Pagan Portals - Hoodoo Folk Magic

Hoodoo is the American name for African American folk magic, as pagan author Rachel Patterson explains in her new book Pagan Portals - Hoodoo. She goes on to explain that although she is not a born and bred hereditary Hoodoo root worker living in Georgia or New Orleans in the USA, she has studied Hoodoo in great detail.

Her book offers an introduction to the subject that I found really fascinating. Hoodoo is not something I have had much experience of in the past. I am an eclectic Wiccan living in England and my main background in folk magic has been that of my own country. However, Hoodoo is something I get asked about from time to time, largely because people assume a bad witch should know about it.

Hoodoo often gets confused with Vodoun or Voodoo. As Rachel says: "Many religions sprang from the African traditions, such as Yoruba, Santeria, Vodoun and Candomblé. Hoodoo came out of those beliefs and is the magical practise, not an actual religion. It is definitely not Voodoo, as it is commonly called by mistake. Voodoo, or Vodou, is a Haitian African religion, while Vodoun is West African."

Spells in the Hoodoo practitioner's repertoire are inherently practical - for things like love, luck, happiness, health and wealth, as well as a few curses to get even with enemies. Modern-day witches might choose never to curse anyone, but curses are documented a part of the Hoodoo tradition that are interesting to know about.

Most hoodoo magic - often called "root work" - uses things like herbs, plants, roots, stones and minerals combined with chants and rituals. Ingredients can be put into spell bags - called "mojo bags" - or used to enchant candles and other handmade items or made into incense, oils, powders and magical washes.  If you fancy giving any of this a go, Rachel's book gives clear instructions, recipes and examples as well as explaining the history and theory behind it all.

Publisher Moon Books says on its website: "Pagan Portals – Hoodoo is an introduction to the magical art, detailing what Hoodoo is and how to work with it as well as offering recipes and other ideas. The book details the author’s personal experiences with Hoodoo, deities, beliefs and the magical practises along with information on various Hoodoo crafts - bottle spells, foot track magic, crossroads magic, powders, spiritual washes and much more."

I've learnt a lot from the book and while I am unlikely to ever try the darker side of Hoodoo, such as curses and jinxes, I could definitely see myself trying to make Florida water to spiritually cleanse my home, or a mojo bag to bring myself a little luck.

Rachel Patterson's earlier books include Grimoire of a Kitchen Witch, and Pagan Portals: Kitchen Witchcraft. She is an Outer Court Member of the Correllian Tradition and a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and has worked through the three Wiccan degrees.

Links and previous related posts
Pagan Portals - Hoodoo: Folk Magic
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/02/review-pagan-portals-kitchen-witchcraft.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/05/review-grimoire-of-kitchen-witch.html
http://www.moon-books.net/books/pagan-portals-hoodoo
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/10/review-by-spellbook-and-candle-cursing.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/02/focus-on-vodou-or-voodoo.html

Ten Pubs in Ten Hours on the Peter Ackroyd Pub Crawl

How could I resist an invitation to a psychogeography pub crawl along the banks of the Thames?

The walk was described as, "A walking tour from Westminster to Rotherhithe, taking in 10 pubs’ worth of real ale, and 170 million years’ worth of riverine history." Now, that's a lot of history, a lot of walking, and a lot of beer, so I wasn't entirely sure I'd make it to the end, but it sounded like great fun and I was keen to give it a go.

The Peter Ackroyd Pub Crawl, to give the walk its full name, was first done back in 2008 and was the brainchild of Robert Kingham - the man behind the wonderful Thin Veil of London walk into Arthur Machen's Bloomsbury that I so enjoyed this summer.

Inspired by Peter Ackroyd's Thames: Sacred River, the walk explored the Thames as the life-giving force of the City, a symbol of change and renewal - often envisaged as a deity in its own right, much like the Nile. It also explored some great pubs along the way, serving real ale and good grub - although when we passed Borough Market I admit myself and another woman on the walk skipped one pub in favour of a great patisserie

I'm not going to give away too many spoilers for the walk, in case you get the chance to do it for yourself one day - and if you do get the chance, I strongly recommend not missing the opportunity. But, here are some photos taken on the day, (from the top):

1) An image of the grey and rainy London anyone who has lived here will recognise. This was how the day began as we set off with our brollies and raincoats, determined to have a good time whatever the weather, in true London spirit.

2) The Sherlock Holmes pub, where we stopped for lunch and which has a fascinating exhibition about the famous consulting detective on its upper floor.

3) A fire juggler busking on the south bank of the river, entertaining the crowds of passers-by - many of whom were there to enjoy the Thames Festival, which our walk happily coincided with.

4) Tower Bridge being raised to allow historic vessels along the Thames as part of the Thames Festival Ships' Opera

5) People on the Thames foreshore by Blackfriars Bridge with a view of some of London's new skyscrapers, including The Cheesegrater, in the distance.

6) Robert Kingham, after eight pubs and eight pints, with Tower Bridge behind him as the evening closed in.

Did I make it all the way to the end of the walk? I'm proud to say I did, although my memories the last few miles - and pubs - are a bit blurry.

The next event Robert has planned is a multimedia lecture-performance about ley lines and psychogeography called Align. It is being performed at the Bridewell Theatre, in the City of London on 9 October. I saw it a few years ago at the Musuem of London and you can read my review of it here: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/08/review-aligh.html.

For more details and to book tickets visit: http://www.minimumlabyrinth.org/

Links and previous related posts
http://www.minimumlabyrinth.org/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/07/images-and-reflections-of-thin-veil-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/06/the-thin-veil-of-london-arthur-machens.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/08/review-aligh.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/review-thames-sacred-river-by-peter.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/02/psychogeography-by-merlin-coverley.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/03/curious-city-unusual-evening-in-london.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/04/review-lost-rivers-psychogeology-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/pagan-eye-ships-opera-at-tower-bridge.html

Pagan Eye: A Ships’ Opera at Tower Bridge

This post should probably be called Pagan Ear rather than Pagan Eye. On Saturday, while I was taking part in a wonderful psychogeography-inspired walk and pub crawl along the Thames - which I'll probably be writing more about later - I found myself at Tower Bridge just as it was about to open to let in a flotilla of various historic vessels and ships. They then began to play opera using their bells, horns, whistles and hooters. It was quite remarkable.

A huge crowd was gathering to listen and watch the spectacle, and someone told me that this performance was called 1513: A Ships’ Opera, by Richard Wilson and Zatorski and Zatorski, and was part of the Thames Festival.

You can find out more about it and hear the opera on the Thames Festival website - although the online version is considerably more melodic and less surreal than it sounded to my ears at the time.

On each Pagan Eye post, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it - it could be a seasonal image, a pagan site, an event, or just a pretty picture. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself and you must confirm that you are submitting it for A Bad Witch's Blog.

Links and previous related posts
http://thamesfestival.org/events/info/1513-a-ships-opera
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/deities-of-week-thames-isis.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/review-thames-sacred-river-by-peter.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/02/psychogeography-by-merlin-coverley.html

Back to Magic School: Magical Astrology

Atlantis Bookshop is hosting a five-week evening class course on Magical Astrology - The Twelve Temples of the Sky - with Cat Cox starting on Monday 7 October.

The course is set to explore the meaning of the twelve houses in astrology. The flyer about the course says: "The houses are the sacred dwelling places of the gods as they move in their cycles through the sky passing through the heavens and the underworld and whose passage through the houses reflects a journey of development in life. We will be using astrology, history, myth and experiential work to develop our understanding of these key astrological symbols and we will also work with our own charts."

This course will run on five Monday evenings from 7.30pm-9.30pm, starting on 7 October, at The Atlantis Bookshop, 49A Museum St, London, WC1A 1LY. The cost is £15 per class.

For more information and to book a place pop in to the Atlantis Bookshop, call 020 7405 2120 or visit https://www.facebook.com/atlantis.book

News: Restored Stone Circle, Stonehenge, Beowulf

"Stone Me! It’s Britain’s Newest Stone Circle": An ancient stone circle that had gone missing has been restored. Read the full story on the Whitehaven News website.

"Stonehenge ditch discoveries prove archaeology link to River Avon true": Find out more on the Culture 24 website.

"Feasting and fighting: the long-lost secrets of Beowulf": Danish archaeologists have discovered the 6th century mead hall at the centre of the epic story. Find out more on the Independent website.

Pagan Events Over Autumn Equinox In and Near London

Here are some of the pagan events taking place over the Autumn Equinox in London and at sacred sites in other parts of Southern England:

Saturday 14 September; Autumn Equinox - Custom, Lore and Magic. One-day Workshop with Suzanne Corbie. Spend the day immersed in the ancient lore of the autumnal equinox season with talks on folklore, traditional customs, pagan spiritual meanings and for in which it is celebrated in the present as well as in the past. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 11am to 5.30pm. Price: £45 (£25 deposit, balance due on day). Details from info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 14 September; Ghost Stories and Spirit of Place: A short talk on ghost history, London ghosts and the ghosts of Senate House by Ghost artist and London Fortean Society speaker Sarah Sparkes, Venue: Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU. Time: 1pm-2pm. Free event but is being filmed as part of a documentary. For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/580992081965674/

Saturday 14 September; One-day workshop on the Morrigan with Inspiral Mediums and Laura Daligan. Venue: Grays, in Essex. Cost: £30. Time: 1.30pm start. For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paganmarket/permalink/670887556274456/

Saturday 14 September; Into The Woods We Go, Ceremony, Initiation and Healing in Epping Forest with the Shamanism and Development Healing Group. Time: 10.45am to 5.30pm. Cost £18. The exact location and details will only be disclosed to members of the meet-up group: http://www.meetup.com/Shamanism-and-Healing-Ceremony/events/137300822/?gj=wc1f.1_e&a=wc1f.1_gnl&rv=wc1f.1_e

Sunday 15 September; Sacred Sweat Lodge Ceremony as part of an introduction to shamanism course at Caer Corhain Shamamic Development Centre of the Isle of Sheppey, North Kent. Cost: £40. For more details and information on how to book, visit http://www.touchtheearthuk.com/

Sunday 15 September; Autumn Equinox meetup with Syria peace ritual organised by the London Wicca Meetup Group. A Wiccan-style rite to celebrate Autumn Equinox at a location in Wimbledon. The group meets at a puub near Wimbldon station at 12.30pm before the short rite starting at 2pm. Exact details will only be given to those attending, to find out more, visit: http://www.meetup.com/Shamanism-and-Healing-Ceremony/

Sunday 15 September; Herbalist Walk at Mile End with Natasha Richardson. This is organised through Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS, but the walk starts near Mile End Tube Station. Cost £10. Time: 12.45pm for 1pm start. Walks lasts 2.5 hours. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Sunday 15 September; Dawn of the Oak. Pagan moot on the third Sunday of each month. Venue: Upstairs at The Castle, 34-35 Cowcross Road, Farringdon, London EC1M 6DB (near Farringdon tube). Time: 3pm-6pm.

Monday 16 September; Dreams of Awakening. Talk by Charlie Morley, author of Dreams of Awakening: Lucid Dreaming and Mindfulness of Dream and Sleep.Venue: Alternatives, St. James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LL. Time: 7pm to 8.30pm. Tickets £10/£5 concs. Advance booking required. To book tickets and for more info visit the Alternatives website: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/Talks.aspx

Monday 16 September; Croydon Crows. PF moot held every 3rd Monday of each month at the Skylark pub, South End, South Croydon from 8pm onwards.

Monday 16 September; Celebrating Mabon, the time of the autumn equinox, with Inspiral Mediums. This will include a Mabon ritual, a fun craft activity, a meal and socialising All welcome including children. Venue in Grays, Essex. Price, to cover art materials and food is £11. Starts 8pm. For more details, visit https://www.facebook.com/inspiral.mediums

Tuesday 17 September; Croydon CoA Witches Gathering with talks and social activities at the The Green Dragon, High St, Croydon. 8pm start. For more details visit: http://www.witchfest.net/

Tuesday 17 September; Spirit Circle with Cobwebs N Cauldrons. Venue: Bonlife, 43 North Street, Romford, Essex. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £10 (£5 non-refundable deposit). For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/467286206703346/

Wednesday 18 September; The Days that we have Seen - a look at the fate of some lesser known British pagan groups since the 1970s onwards. talk by Ken Rees. Venue: The Moot With No Name. Venue: Devereux pub, Devereux Court (opposite the Royal Courts of Justice), London. 7.30pm for 8pm start. Cost £3/£2. This moot meets every other Wednesday.

Wednesday 18 September; Healing Meditation: Transform with Angels and Gaia, organised by Lidija Ablamska and the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Healing Residence, 18 Paddocks Close, South Harrow, HA2 8NP. Time: 7pm. Tickets £6 - book online: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/events/139849122/

Thursday 19 September; Spirit Guided Lucid Dreaming,Talk and book signing by Nick Barrett at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit the website http://www.watkinsbooks.com/

Friday 20 September; An Evening of Chant and Mantra with Stewart Pearce. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £10/£12 Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit http://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/index.html

Friday 20 September; Abraxas 4 launch event with short talks at Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7pm start. Free event but advance booking rrequired. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 21 September; Equinox Workshop: The History of the Witchcraft, the Poisons and Flying ointments with Sensory Solutions. Venue: Atlantis Spiritual Centre, Theobalds Park Road, Enfield, EN2 9DG. Time: 1pm-3pm, Cost: £30 - payment by paypal to sensorysolutions@hotmail.co.uk. To find out more about Sensory Solutions visit: http://www.sensorysolutions.co.uk/ or http://sensoryherbcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

Saturday 21 September; Running a Spiritual Business. A workshop with Inspiral Mediums at the Festival Leisure Park, Basildon, Essex. Cost: £30. For details and to book tickets, visit: http://inspiralmediums.create.net/ourshop/prod_2539213-Running-A-Spiritual-Business-Basildon-21st-September-2013.html

Saturday 21 September; The Kraken Wakes. Afternoon of talks from Roberto Migliussi (a new approach to the old, Al Cummins (poetry and talk on octopus totems), Mike Slater (the 18th century occult scene) and Peter and Alkistis of Scarlet Imprint (grimoires). Food also being served. Venue: The Golden Guinea pub, Bristol. Start time 2pm. Tickets cost £12 from http://www.underworldapothecary.com/the-kraken-wakes-bristol-event/

Sunday 22 September; Autumn Equinox Meditation at Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury to celebrate the Wheel of the Year. Gathering at the Well Head at 12pm for celebration and meditation until 12.30pm, then gather on the lower lawn for quiet conversation. Free admission from 10am until noon, then normal price admission. For more details about Chalice Well, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

Sunday 22 September; Alban Elued / Autumn Equinox on Primrose Hill with the Loose Association of Druids. Open ritual hosted by Jeremy Morgan, the Druid of Wormwood Scrubbs. Venue: The Hawthorne Grove, Primrose Hill, Regents Park, London NW1. Starts at 12.45pm, ends at around 2.30pm. Nearest tube: Chalk Farm.

Sunday 22 September; Celebration of the Autumn Equinox. Wheel of the Year ritual drawing from Celtic earth/pagan traditions at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 7pm. Tel: 020 7433 3267. http://www.rosslynhillchapel.com/

Monday 23 September; Celebration of the Autumn Equinox will take place at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, at sunrise. Access to the stone circle (weather permitting)at 6.15am. Sunrise will be at 6.56am. Visitors must leave the site by 8am. This event is free to enter, but the car park will only be open for pre-registered disabled parking. For more details, visit: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/autumn-equinox-sh-23-sep/

Thursday 26 September; PFL Autumn Equinox Open Ritual with Circle of the Four Winds. Venue: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn London. Time: 7.30pm for 8pm start. Ritual ends around 9pm followed by feasting until 10pm. Entrance: £6/£5 PF members. Please bring seasonal food and drinks to share at feast after ritual. For more details, visit http://london.paganfed.org/