Lovely Day at the PF London Conference 2014

I had a fabulous time at the Pagan Federation London Conference yesterday - it was a friendly event with great talks and workshops, lots of lovely stalls and a well-stocked bar. It was also in a great venue - the Leytonstone Business School, which you can see in the photo above.

Leytonstone wasn't a part of London I had visited before and I was imagining the business school being used for this year's event would be a dull 1960s concrete structure - I couldn't have been more wrong. The building is a delightful old school built of red brick with a superb main hall and big classrooms that were the ideal size for the talks and workshops. Of course, I am old enough to feel a touch of nostalgia for school days - maybe those who have recently left education would be less enamoured of the place - but I would have no objections if the PFL uses the same venue for its conference next year.

When I got the programme late last week I was delighted to learn that my own talk - Psychogeography: Pathways into the Visionary City - was among the first of the day. That meant once I'd finished I could relax, enjoy what other people had to say and have a nice cider at the bar at lunchtime.

There were actually too many interesting things to go to, with at least three different lectures, workshops or entertainment taking place at any one time. After my talk I stayed in the same classroom to hear Yvonne Aburrow speak on gender and sexuality in contemporary Paganism: how we got to where we are, and where we might go next. However, I was very sorry to have missed Carrie Kirkpatrick demonstrating crossroads magic and Andrew Rea explaining magic in Anglo-Saxon England.

After lunch I went to a fascinating runes workshop with Katie Gerrard, but those who tried out shamanic trance and dance with Marielle Holman said that was also superb. I had heard Caroline Wise talk about Elen of the Ways in the past and I know she gives a fascinating presentation, but if I could have been in three places at once I'd have happily heard her again. Later in the day I went to talks on Kabballah’s Tree of Life by David Benton and the path of Chaos with Mark Vincent - both very informative.

In the evening there was a performance of Aleister Crowley’s The Rite of Jupiter - loosely based on the ancient Greek Eleusinian Mysteries. We don't know exactly what went on in the original Eleusinian Mysteries, but Aleister Crowley devised a series on plays, including The Rite of Jupiter, inspired by his interpretation of what they might have been like. The Rite of Jupiter was originally staged in 1910 and this was a rare chance to see a new performance. It was interesting, and the acting was good, but I would have to comment that I don't think Uncle Al was really a great playwright.

Having such a good time at the PF London Conference reminded me that Witchfest 2014, in Croydon, is also coming up - on November  15. A friend told me that the last day to by earlybird tickets for Witchfest is today, Sunday 31 August, so I've just bought mine and am looking forward to it.

Links
http://london.paganfed.org/
http://www.witchfest.net/wf_international.htm
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/08/preparing-for-pagan-federation-london.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/08/psychogeography-reference-material.html

Psychogeography Reference Material

Today I am giving a talk entitled Psychogeography: Pathways into the Visionary City at the Pagan Federation London Conference in Leytonstone. Here is a brief list of reference material I used when researching my talk:

Books
Ackroyd, Peter: Hawksmoor
Coverley, Merlin: Psychogeography
Defoe, Daniel: A Journal of the Plague Year
Gros, Frédéric: A Philosophy of Walking
Kingham, Robert and Cochrane, Rich: The Thin Veil of London
Machen, Arthur: The Great God Pan and The Hill of Dreams, The London Adventure of The Art of Wandering
Rogers, John: This Other London - Adventures in the Overlooked City
Self, Will: Psychogeography
Sinclair, Iain: Lud Heat: A Book of the Dead Hamlets, London Orbital
Street, Chris: London's Leylines - Pathways of Enlightenment
Smith, Phil: On Walking - A Psychogeographical Journey

Web links
The London Perambulator
Curio City London Unfolded
Minimum Labyrinth

Naming the Goddess on Introductory E-Book Offer

One of this year's most exciting books to be published - called Naming the Goddess- is due to reach shop shelves this month, but I have just been told by the editor, Trevor Green, that the e-book is on a special, really low pre-order offer on Amazon for just a few weeks. So, if you don't mind reading books in Kindle format, now is your best chance to not only get an early copy of Naming the Goddess, but also get it at a extremely bargain price.

As I have mentioned before on my blog, I have a vested interest in Naming the Goddess, because I wrote an entry in it - about the goddess Eris. Nevertheless I really do think it is one of those books that every pagan and goddess worshipper should read.

Naming the Goddess is a collaborative project written by more than 80 scholars and followers of goddess spirituality. It includes contributions from Selena Fox, Kathy Jones, Caroline Wise and Rachel Patterson as well as myself. The first part of the book is a series of critical essays focusing on contemporary goddess issues. The second part is a gazetteer of goddesses.

The publisher, Moon Books, recently also published Witchcraft Today - 60 Years On and in the past brought out Paganism 101, in which I wrote a small section.

Links and previous related posts
Naming the Goddess
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/05/review-witchcraft-today-60-years-on.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/01/paganism-101-introduction-to-paganism.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/07/shop-naming-goddess-available-for-pre.html

News: Witchcraft, History, Trials and Court Case

"Campaign to clear the name of Devon witches hanged for dabbling in the occult": Story at The Herald: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Campaign-clear-Devon-witches-hanged-dabbling/story-22842901-detail/story.html

"Fake medium faces sorcery charge... in Canada": Story at Winnipeg Sun: http://www.winnipegsun.com/2014/08/27/fake-medium-faces-sorcery-charge-in-canada

"NSS raise concerns over new faith school linked to ‘witch-hunting’ bishop": Story at National Secular Society: http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2014/08/nss-raise-concerns-over-new-faith-school-linked-to-witch-hunting-bishop

Review: Father Dagon - Immersive Theatre in London

If you are a fan of HP Lovecraft's tales of the Cthulhu mythosand live in London then you won't want to miss Father Dagon, a play at The Rag Factory, off Brick Lane, until Saturday night. The company performing it, Dread Falls Theatre describes Father Dagon as "combining actors, dancers, musicians and visual artists to create a world in which roaming audiences experience H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction."

I went to see Father Dagon on Wednesday and thought it was so brilliant I couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards. So much so that at night I dreamt I was a cultist who summoned the sea god Dagon to eat all the people who are annoying me at the moment. A highly satisfying dream, although no doubt one I ought to feel more guilty about enjoying so much :)

Dreams in fact form an important part of the play, and the whole thing - conducted in perambulatory theatre style - is like some recurring nightmare from the head of HP Lovecraft. The photo at the top shows the first scene in the drama - the horror author himself in his study, talking about his inspiration for his stories.

I don't want to give away too many spoilers though, as this is a play that needs to be experienced fresh.

Father Dagon is on until 30 August at the Rag Factory; 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ. Start times at 7pm and 9.15pm. Tickets £15/£10 from: http://www.skiddle.com/groups/dreadfallstheatre/events.html

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/07/master-of-horror-resurrected-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/god-of-week-dagon.html
Terror of the Cthulhu Mythos
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/steve-ash-on-great-old-ones.html
H. P. Lovecraft: The Complete Collection. (With Accompanying Facts): 62 Short Stories and 5 Novellas.

This Week's Pagan Events In and Near London

Now to 30 August; Dread Falls Theatre presents Father Dagon, combining actors, dancers, musicians and visual artists to create a world in which roaming audiences experience H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction. Venue: The Rag Factory; 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ. Start times at 7pm and 9.15pm. Tickets £15/£10 from: http://www.skiddle.com/groups/dreadfallstheatre/events.html

Now to 31 August; The Ring Cycle - free open air theatre at The Scoop. Series of plays adapted from Richard Wagner's librettos by Lisa Kuma. Times: 6pm: The Rhine Gold; 7pm: The Valkyrie; 8.30pm: Siegfried; 9.30pm: Twilight of the God. The Scoop at More London is on the South Bank of the Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge. Nearest station is London Bridge. Free event, just turn up. More details: http://www.freeopenairtheatre.org/

Thursday 28 August; London Urban Legends walk with LFS host Scott Wood, author of London Urban Legends: The Corpse on the Tube and Other Stories.Meet 7.30pm on the south-side of London Bridge by the spike. Walk ends at The Bell pub, Middlesex Street E1. Cost £3 / £2 concessions. https://www.facebook.com/events/680894938657287/

Thursday 28 August; Spiritual Awakening.Talk and book signing by Tim Van Der Vliet 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 28 August; When the Fairies met Queen Victoria. Lecture by Peter Jennings, author of the recent book Blacksmith Gods. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets £10, advance booking recommended. Call 0207 419 8507. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Friday 29 August; The journey from Roman Britain to Anglo-Saxon England, Gallery talk at the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 1.15pm-2pm. Free event. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Saturday, August 30; Pagan Federation London Annual Conference. Theme is 'Magical Pathways'. Day event with talks, workshops, pagan market and opening and closing rituals. Venue: Leytonstone Business and Enterprise Specialist School. 159 Colworth Rd, London E11 1JD. Starts at 10.30am. http://london.paganfed.org/

Sunday 31 August; Walking Tour: Occult London with Delianne Forget run via Treadwell's Books. Meeting place will be a central London tube station, details given to those who book. Time: 2pm - 5pm. Price: £10. Book online via http://www.treadwells-london.com/ or call 020 7419 8507.

Monday September 1; Healing and Meditation Circle - no experience required. Venue: Spirit of Isis, Sun Street, Waltham Abbey, Essex. Every Monday 11am - 1pm. No booking required, £7. Free parking in the Abbey Gardens car park. www.wendystokes.co.uk

Monday September 1; Psychic Circle run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in Croydon, South London. The circle is held on Mondays fortnightly starting at 7.30pm. Cost £5. For more details and to book places call 07952 041477. For more information, visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk/.

Monday, September 1; From Deadly Spiders to Alien Mummies - Challenging the Mystery Mongers. Talk by Paolo Viscardi of the Horniman Museum at Skeptics in the Pub. Venue: The Monarch Bar, 40-42 Chalk Farm Road, Camden, London NW1 8BG. Time: 7.30pm. http://london.skepticsinthepub.org/

Monday, September 1; Surrealism and the Idea of Magic. Lecture by John Macmillan. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets £7, advance booking recommended. Call 0207 419 8507. For further details: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Monday September 1; Chance to join Inspiral Medium's founder, Jay Gage, in a monthly circle with the Goddesses - September is about Diana, Goddess of the Hunt. Venue: Garden Cabin, Belmont Hall, Parker Road, Grays, Thurrock, Essex, RM17 6RB. Price £10. Time: 8pm-10pm. For full details and to book, visit: http://www.inspiralmediums.com/ourshop/prod_3478985-Goddess-Circle-with-Jay-Gage.html

Tuesday 2 September; Cobwebs and Cauldrons Moot. Venue: White Horse Pub, Chadwell Heath, Essex. Moot normally takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. 7.30pm start. https://www.facebook.com/cobwebs.cauldrons

Wednesday 3 September; The Witches' Inn. Pagan moot at The Feathers Hotel, 42 High St, Merstham, Redhill, Surrey RH1 3EA. Starts at 8pm. Moots are on the first Wednesday of each month. https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Witches-Inn/1568424150049437

Wednesday 3 September; Introduction to Witchcraft with Cobwebs at Cauldrons at Romford Shopping Hall. Workshop for beginners. Cost is £25, deposit of £5. Time 2pm. http://www.cobwebsandcauldrons.co.uk/

Thursday 4 September; The Unselfish Spirit: Human Evolution in a Time of Global Crisis.Talk and book signing by Mick Collins 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 5 September; Group Social and Healing Night organised by the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Westminster Quakers Meeting House, 8 Hop Gardens, off St Martins Lane, London WC2N 4EA, London. Time: 7pm. Cost: £10, booking essential. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality/

Friday 5 September; Book launch with Steve Patterson: Cecil Williamson's Book of Witchcraft, A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft. Venue The Atlantis Bookshop, Museum Street WC1. Time: 7.30pm. To reserve a place and for more details contact The Atlantis Bookshop on 020 7405 2120.

Saturday, 6 September; Hekate Symposium 2014. Venue: The Assembly Rooms, Glastonbury High St, Glastonbury. Time: 9am - 11pm, Cost: £45/£38. Details and tickets: http://theurgia.co.uk/

Saturday, 6 September; Boudicca's Statue To Buckingham Palace (Albion Shall Not Be Fracked) Albion Protection March and Vigil. Meet at 2pm at the Boudicca Statue on the Thames Embankment, London. https://www.facebook.com/events/597538603698328/

Saturday 6 September; Billy Cook - a Spiritual Rainbow. Workshop on how to use colour with mediumship. Organised by Inspiral Mediums. Venue: Belmont Village Hall, Grays, London RM17. Starts: 1.30pm. Price £30. https://www.facebook.com/events/554694241305967/

Saturday 6 September; Hendon Heathens Moot, Venue: Greyhound Pub, Church End, Hendon, London, NW4 4JT. Time: 6pm. Hendon Heathens meets at this pub the first Saturday of every month.

Sunday 7 September; London Dreamtime storytelling at Dulwich Picture Gallery Family Sunday - Persephone Goddess of the Summer. Venue: Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Rd, Southwark, London SE21 7AD. Time: 2pm-4pm. Free. For more details visit http://londondreamtime.com/calendar/ or http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/

Sunday 7 September; Mini Herb Walk. The Friends of Canons Park have invited the Organiser of North West London Herbals Friends meetup to run 3 mini herb walks at their Fun Day. One at 2pm, one at 3pm and another at 4pm. Meet at Canons Park Station, Whitechurch Lane, Harrow HA8 6RN.

Review: A Curious Guide to London

I'm more a lunchtime at Waterstones than Breakfast at Tiffany's kind of woman, but while temping in an office recently I've been browsing bookshops during my lunch hour rather than sitting in cafes, to save money. Mind you, resisting the urge to buy books has sometimes been hard too, so I was delighted when I saw in my local library one book I'd been tempted to buy. It was A Curious Guide to Londonby Simon Leyland.

Publisher Transworld Books says on its website:

"From petticoat duels and lucky cats to the Stiffs Express, Lord Nelson's spare nose, the Piccadilly earthquake and the Great Beer Flood of 1814, A Curious Guide to London takes you on a captivating, wildly entertaining tour of the city you think you know, unearthing the capital's secrets and commemorating its rich, colourful and unusual history.
"Brimming with tales of London's forgotten past, its strangest traditions and its most eccentric inhabitants, this book celebrates the unique, the unusual and the unknown. Perfect for tourists, day-trippers, commuters and the millions of people who call London home, this alternative guidebook will make you look at the city in a whole new light."

The book covers areas of London from Kensington to the East End and from Kings Cross to Southwark, each section having a little map and trivia about people, buildings and strange goings on around there. Some I've previously blogged about, such as Postman's Park, Bunhill Fields Burial Ground and St Bride's Church. There were plenty of things I didn't know though.

One of my favourites is the Thirteen Club in High Holborn. This was founded in the 1890s by historian William Harnett Blanch as an "antidote to superstition". It met on the 13th of every month and all tables had 13 diners. Dinner was announched by waiters smashing mirrors, who led the way to the restaurant down a corridor lined with ladders and criss-crossed by black cats. The tables were coffin-shaped and decorated with unlucky items such as peacock feathers and lamps in plaster skulls. Money raised from membership was distributed to the poor of Southwark.

When I first picked up  A Curious Guide to London I wondered if the book had any connection to the Curio City publications, as it seems a bit similar. I don't think it does, but it is just as entertaining and in a similar sort of way.

Links and previous related posts
A Curious Guide to London
http://www.transworldbooks.co.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/10/london-necropolis-postmans-park-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/05/london-walks-curiocity-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/02/green-and-pleasant-land.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/02/ley-line-pilgrimage-to-brides-well.html
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/

Preparing for the Pagan Federation London Conference

Who is coming to the Pagan Federation London 2014 Conference next Saturday?

I've always enjoyed going to the PF London Conferences. Not only are they packed with interesting talks and workshops, entertainment and stalls to buy lovely things, they are also a great opportunity to meet up with other pagans in London.

This year, however, I have to admit I'm a little bit nervous - because I'm giving a talk there myself.  My talk is apparently timed to start at 11am, so at least it'll be finished by lunchtime and I can have a nice glass of wine in the bar to celebrate.

The title of my talk is Psychogeography: Pathways into the Visionary City and the short description that is going in the programme explains:

In paganism, the natural landscape of the countryside is often seen as more inherently magical than the built environment of towns and cities. The psychogeographer, by contrast, finds just as much wonder and mystery in the urban landscape. Lucya Starza, of A Bad Witch’s Blog, talks about the tools of psychogeography and what they offer the spiritual quester in London.

I'll be explaining what psychogeography is, its origins and history, how to do it - and why I think it is a magical way of exploring the city.

Although my talk is now written and slide show put together, I'm still a bit nervous so I'm going to practise going over it a few more times before next weekend. My biggest hope is that plenty of people come along to listen.

The conference runs from 10am – 9pm on Saturday 30 August 2014 at Leytonstone Business and Enterprise Specialist School, 159 Colworth Rd, London E11 1JD. The nearest tube is Leytonstone (10 minute walk). For more details and to book tickets, visit: http://london.paganfed.org/

Links and previous related posts
http://london.paganfed.org/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/08/event-im-giving-talk-at-pf-london.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/06/the-pf-london-conference-2013-rites-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/09/gaia-fortuna-convention-2008.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/02/psychogeography-by-merlin-coverley.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/08/review-this-other-london-adventures-in.html

Pagan Eye: New-Look Gates at Crossbones Graveyard

The gates at Crossbones Graveyard - a historic burial ground for prostitutes in Southwark, London - have moved. In their new position the gates now allow a better view of the gardens inside the grounds. This picture of the new-look site was taken by Katy Nicholls.

Information on the Crossbones website says:

"Transport for London (TfL) has moved THE CROSS BONES GATES a few yards south down Redcross Way. The gates were moved respectfully, without damaging them, and we can now look through them directly into our 'Goose Garden'.
"TfL are close to signing a lease for a 'Meanwhile Garden' with Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST). This should eventually enable public access for community gardening. TfL have now accepted that the Crossbones site will be protected in the future. This is not the end of the long journey, but it is a momentous step forward."

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.

The photo is copyright Katy Nicholls

Links and previous related posts
http://www.crossbones.org.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/11/death-sex-at-cross-bones-graveyard.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/10/pagan-eye-tower-hamlets-cemetery-park.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/10/london-necropolis-postmans-park-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/10/london-necropolis-highgate-cemetery.html

Foxy Photo Taken With My New Camera Lens

Back in June, when I was on holiday in Orkney, I broke the lens for my Canon DSLR camera and I was gutted. Taking photos is one my favourite hobbies and new lenses are quite expensive - not something I could just pop out and buy without saving my pennies first.

However, saving my pennies is what I've been doing and I've just got a new lens. I'm really delighted with it.

I looked into getting the old lens repaired under my holiday insurance, but I would have had to pay a £50 excess anyway. Instead, I decided to upgrade to a better one. My old lens was 18-80mm, the new one is a Sigma 18-250mm.It will be great for taking pictures of wildlife, I hope.

When it arrived, I immediately tried it out. This fox was at the end of my garden, so I took this photo of it from the my bedroom window. Let's just hope we have a lovely autumn so I can get out and take more pictures!

Links and previous related posts
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Lens for Canon
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/06/friday-13-camera-woes-on-my-scotland.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/06/keep-your-stuff-safe-at-summer-festivals.html

Tempted to Join Amazon Prime Instant Video

With the bank holiday weekend looming, I'm tempted to join Amazon Prime Instant Video. Amazon is currently offering a 30-day free trail.

As tempting as outdoor activities are over the late August bank holiday, things like the Medieval festivals at Herstmonceaux Castle or Leeds Castle are not so much fun if it buckets with rain. If the weather is as unpredictable as it has been over the past couple of weeks, I may prefer to stay indoors and catch up on movies.

The Fisher Kingis one of the films I've been yearning to rewatch ever since I heard about Robin Williams' sad death and it is available as a download.

The TV series Vikings - Season 1is also available to download for free with the Amazon Instant Video trial. I missed that entirely when it was on the telly.

Maybe I'll be checking the weather forecast and if it looks like storms are coming, I know what I'm doing.

Review: Shamanic Plant Medicine - Salvia Divinorum

There's an interesting new series of books out about shamanic plant medicines by Ross Heaven. Each title is about a specific teacher plant and is intended as an introduction to the subject with clear facts on ways the plant is used in shamanic practice, as well as the risks involved.

I picked up the book Shamanic Plant Medicine - Salvia Divinorum: The Sage of the Seersbecause Salvia Divinorum is something I have myself used twice in the past, but found both experiences a bit confusing. I  hoped the Shamanic Plant Medicine bookwould help me make sense of what happened.

The first time I tried Salvia Divinorum was many years ago at a music festival. My partner and I bought it at a legal herbal high stall one sunny afternoon when we were in a mood for experimentation, then smoked it in the comfort of my beloved old camper van. The effect - well, we both felt rather disorientated. It didn't last long, but wasn't pleasant either. We both decided it wasn't something we would ever try again.

Except that I did. The situation was entirely different, however. I was at a shamanic workshop on plant spirit allies. Although the plant spirit I was personally getting to know was Hawthorn, the workshop teacher asked us all to inhale the aroma of dried Salvia Divinorum before journeying with our ally. No, we didn't smoke it, drink it, eat it or consume it in any way - we just briefly smelled the aroma of the dried herb. Then our teacher started drumming and, clutching my sprig of Hawthorn by the hand, I was immediately off into the mists between the worlds.

Wow, that was fast working, I thought.

From my limited experience I agreed with what Ross initially has to say about Salvia Divinorum in his new book. He says Salvia has the power of "quickly and intensely shredding the veil which human beings have drawn over the nature of ‘true reality’ (whatever that may actually mean)".

But the case studies Ross covers in the book include far more alien landscapes than I encountered. One person "found herself in the body of a machine in an alien factory, like a giant multi-levelled mangle".

Ross states: "What is interesting is how frequently the same sorts of images occur and, indeed, how often the same type of language is used by people who have in most cases never met or heard the accounts of their fellows. The themes that emerge are consistently ones of alienation, alien abduction, of being part of an experiment which is unknown, unknowable and far bigger than us, of other universes and other dimensions."

I would have to say that I didn't encounter anything particularly alien. In fact, the world I found myself in was more faerylike. However, I had Hawthorne as my ally and guide, and Hawthorne is most definitely a faery tree.

After reading Shamanic Plant Medicine - Salvia Divinorum: The Sage of the Seers,I really don't think I would want to use Salvia on its own again. I would, however, recommend anyone who is interested in shamanic plants to read the book before even considering making their own experiments.

Publisher Moon Books says on its website: "The Shamanic Plant Medicine series acts as an introduction to specific teacher plants used by shamans in a variety of cultures to facilitate spirit communion, healing, divination and personal discovery, and which are increasingly known, used and respected in Western society by modern shamans as a means of connecting to spirit.

"Salvia is the shamanic plant of Mexico. It is known particularly for its divinatory powers but it also has the ability to heal and, more extraordinarily, in modern usage it provides access to inter-dimensional travel and the ability to move through time. The shamanic applications of Salvia are currently little known outside of Mexico but, along with Ketamine and Ecstasy, it has become one of the most popular ‘drugs’ on the planet among teenagers who have little or no understanding of how to use its powers in a positive and effective way or the potential dangers of using it recreationally. This book therefore serves as a much-needed introduction to this powerful plant."

Another book in the same series as Shamanic Plant Medicine - Salvia Divinorum: The Sage of the Seersis Shamanic Plant Medicine - Ayahuasca: The Vine of Souls.


Note: This is a book review, not advice. Always consult a qualified medical herbalist before taking any herbal treatment.

Links and previous related posts
Shamanic Plant Medicine - Salvia Divinorum: The Sage of the Seers
http://www.moon-books.net
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/07/review-medicine-for-soul-shamanic.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/12/review-hummingbirds-journey-to-god.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/06/i-ask-ross-heaven-what-is-authentic.html