Witch House Music: Hooded Leaders - The Night

Ready for some music for New Year's Eve? This is called The Night and was sent to me by Mark of Witch House band Hooded Leaders. But be warned this is NSFW with mild sexual references and a little violence.

Mark said: "Been reading your blog and think I have something you may be interested in! I'm in a Witch House group and we recently just released a new music video for it. I seen that you mentioned and posted about Witch House before, so I figured why not send you are vid and see if you dig it."

I doubt there'll be as much BDSM at any party I'm likely to go to tonight as there is in the video, but I enjoyed watching it. Thanks for sending it to me, Mark.

If you prefer to listen on soundcloud, here is the link: https://soundcloud.com/hoodedleaders/the-night

Finnish New Year's Eve Divination With Lead

At a party last December 31 I tried out a Finnish New Year's Eve tradition - fortune-telling with melted lead.

The Finnish girl who knew what to do had brought along all the equipment - a lump of lead, a little metal pan to melt it in and a bowl to fill with cold water. Everyone took it in turn to tip a little melted lead into the water. The shape it solidified into indicated what they could expect in the year to come. I photographed my lead shape, which you can see in the picture above. I think it looks a bit like a fish.

The art of divination using molten lead is called molybdomancy. It is a very old form of divination and was invented in ancient Greece. I was delighted to learn that it is still a common practise today, particularly in Finland and other Nordic countries. When tin is used, the technique is usually called “Uuden Vuoden Tina” or “Casting of the Tin”. If you don't have any lead or tin, you can do a similar type of divination using melted candle wax dripped into water instead.

At the party we interpreted the lead shapes simply by what they represented to us, although they can also be interpreted symbolically - in much the same way as the shapes in tea-cup reading. You can also hold the shapes up in a candlelight and rotate them to create shadows to interpret.

I know that in tea-cup reading a fish is a symbol of good luck. Looking back I think 2015 was lucky for me. I hope 2016 is too - but I don't know if I will get the chance to have another go at molybdomancy.

Pagan Events in London over New Year's Eve

Here are some of the events taking place in London over New Year's Eve and the week ahead that could be of interest to pagans.

Now – 31 January 2016; Celts: Art and Identity Exhibition. Venue: Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery (Room 30), British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Tickets £16.50, children under 16 free. Booking online at: http://www.britishmuseum.org/ and by phone: 020 7323 8181

Tuesday 29 December; Drumming Circle run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in Croydon, South London. The circle is held fortnightly starting at 7.30pm. For more details and to book places call 07952 041477. For more information, visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk/

Wedensday 30 December; Hendon Heathens Chill Out. Venue: Oak Harrow Garth, Burnt Oak, NW London. Time: 3pm-11pm. Details and to reserve a place: https://www.facebook.com/events/1524877344507217/

Thursday 31 December; Ecstatic Dance London presents its New Year's Eve celebration - Conscious Rave-Silent Disco in a secret London location close to Highbury and Islington station, London. Time: 9.30pm-1am, 1 January 2016. Tickets £25/£35. http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecstatic-dance-london-presents-new-years-eve-celebration-tickets-19340419716

Friday 1 January; Om Healing for Body, Mind and Soul with Light in London Meet-up Group. Venue: The Dhyana Centre, 50 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8EA. Time: 8pm. Details: http://www.meetup.com/Light-in-London/

Saturday 2 January 2016; 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 3 January; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspiritualcommunity

Sunday 3 January; River Thames Blessing Ceremony followed by a visit to Bankside Twelfth Night Celebrations. Organised by London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Northern end of the Millenium Bridge, Peter's Hill, London EC1. Time: noon. Full details: http://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Sunday 3 January; Twelfth Night celebrations in Southwark, mixing ancient seasonal customs and theatre with contemporary festivity. On the Bankside, by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Free event. For more details, visit http://www.thelionspart.co.uk/twelfthnight/index.html

Monday 4 January; Group healing share with London Energy Share. Venue: Friends Meeting House, 52 St Martins Lane, London WC2N 4EA. Time: 7.15pm. £10, you must reserve a place in advance. http://www.meetup.com/londonenergyshare/

Tuesday 5 January; Sound Meditation. Venue: Goose Green Clinic, 57 East Dulwich Road, London SE22 9AP. Time: 10.45am. Cost:£12/£10. More information and booking: http://www.meetup.com/Holistic-SoundBath-Meditation-Summoning-The-Sacred-Dulwich/

Tuesday 5 January; The Witches' Inn Gathering. Venue: The Feathers Hotel Merstham in Merstham, Surrey RH1 3EA. Starts at 8pm. Moots are now the first Tuesday of each month. For more details and to reserve a place visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Witches-Inn/1568424150049437

Tuesday 5 January; Gongs by Candlelight with Olaf Nixon. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm-8.30pm. Cost: £18/£20. Advance booking advised. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Tuesday 5 January; Cobwebs and Cauldrons Moot. Venue: White Horse Pub, Chadwell Heath, Essex. Moot takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. 7.30pm start. http://www.cobwebsandcauldrons.co.uk/

Wednesday 6 January; Twentieth-century Literary Pagans. Lecture with Rebecca Beattie, author of Nature Mystics: The Literary Gateway to Modern Paganism.Venue: Treadwell's, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: Time: 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets £8. For further details and to reserve a place email: info@treadwells-london.com or visit the website http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Wednesday 6 January; Healing Share run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in Croydon, South London. The healing share is held fortnightly starting at 7.30pm. For more details and to book places call 07952 041477. For more information, visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk/

Thursday 7 January; Gallery talk: Scanning Sobek: Mummy of the Crocodile God. Room 3, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 1.15pm-2pm. Free event that you can just turn up for. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/

Thursday 7 January; Fortnightly Druid Order Open Introductory Evening. A chance to learn more about at The Druid Order (A.D.U.B.) at an evening with talks and a meditation. Venue: Treadwell's, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Price: £5 on the door. For more details, visit http://thedruidorder.org/druidorder/Meetings.html

Thursday 7 January; Colouring for Contemplation.Talk and signing by Amber Hatch and Alex Ogg 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 8 January; An Introduction to Healing with Sacred Oils. Lecture by Felicity Warner. 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 https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 8 January; Group Healing Night with Crystal Bowl Sound Bath. Venue: Windsor Suite, Columbia Hotel, 95- 99 Lancaster Gate, W2 3NS. Time: 7pm. Tickets £10. Details and booking: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality

Saturday 9 January; Kenneth Grant Day followed by Starfire Publishing's book launch party for Kenneth Grant: A Bibliographyby Professor Henrik Bogdan at Treadwell's. Venue: Basement in Treadwell's Bookshop, 33 Store St, WC1E 7BS, London. Time: 11am-5pm. Tickets for the day are £15. If you just want to go to the launch party in the evening, that is free you must reserve a place in advance. Details: https://www.treadwells-london.com/event/kenneth-grant-day/

Sunday 10 January; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspiritualcommunity

Sunday 10 January; New Year New Moon Success Spell. Venue: Victory Park Mirror Maze, Fortune Walk, Stratford international, London E15 2ER. For time and more details: http://www.meetup.com/Global-Wicca-Earth-Healing-Temple-London/

Note: I do not organise any of these events so please check with the organisers about tickets and timings before turning up to anything listed on my blog. I try to keep my listings accurate, but do not always know of late changes, cancellations or ticket availability. If you know of an event you want listed, or notice a correction that needs to be made, email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

New Year Resolutions: How I Did With My List For 2015

Instead of making just one new year resolution each year, I like to write a list of at least 10 things I want to do over the following 12 months. The idea is that with a lot of goals you have a good chance of getting at least some of them done. How many of my resolutions did I achieve in 2015? Well, here's what I hoped to do, what I succeeded at, what I attempted and what I failed to do completely.

1. Explore Tower Hamlets Cemetery as it is the only one of London's Magnificent Seven cemeteries that I haven't already visited.
   I went for a walk in Tower Hamlets Cemetery in east London on December 13 and you can see a picture of it to the right. It also helped me towards the second of my resolutions.
2. Inspired by Mindful London and Untamed London: Where Nature Still Runs Wild in the Big City (which I had recently read), visit three peaceful wildlife havens that can be found within London.
   Tower Hamlets Cemetery was one of them - the old Victorian burial ground is now a nature reserve. Just before Yule I visited Crofton Woods, which is a peaceful stretch of ancient woodland in south east London. The third wildlife haven was Sydenham Hill Woods, where on 25 January 2015 I went on a tree identification walk run by conservation officer Daniel Greenwood with Nature Conservation Lewisham. I failed to mention this on my blog at the time - what an oversight. I have blogged about the woods before though and I still count this as a resolution completed.
3. Learn to use the The Cup of Destiny tea-leaf reading cup I was given for Yule 2014.
   I really enjoyed learning to use this cup, which I discovered was very similar to a cup and saucer I inherited from my grandmother, but hadn't known how to use. You can see pictures of both cups at the top and read my review of the Cup of Destiny here.
4. Build a wicker man.
   No, for the second year running I didn't manage to do this. Maybe next year.
5. Take up yoga again - it has been quite a few years since I last did yoga.
   I had several opportunities to do yoga, including going to a yoga show, but I didn't. Maybe next year for this one too.
6. Visit an ancient site in or near London that I haven't yet blogged about.
   St Albans is quite near London and is also the site of the historic Roman town of Verulamium. I walked around the site, visited the museum there and blogged about a surviving pagan god mosaic.
7. Visit at least one ancient pagan site that isn't in or near London.
   In August I visited the Uffington White Horse. It was really impressive, even though the weather was so foggy I could hardly make it out. You can see a picture I took at the bottom of the page.
8. Make my own candles.
   I not only made my own candles at Imbolc and reviewed a soy candle workshop, I also wrote a book about candle magic, which is due out very soon. It is called Pagan Portals - Candle Magic: A witch's guide to spells and rituals.
   
9. Have a go at learning the basics of blacksmithing in order to make my own athame (the traditional witch's knife)
   I didn't get a chance to do this, but I will put it on my list of resolutions for 2016.
10. After giving a talk on psychogeography at last year's PF London conference, I would like to give another talk, workshop or training session.
    I ran two workshops on candle magic this year, but because they were both at private events I didn't blog about them. Nevertheless, I am going to count them towards my successes in 2015. I will be running a candle magic workshop at Treadwell's in London on 2 Feb 2016. You can find out more about it here. 

I make that 7 out of 10, which is just above the 6.5 I achieved in 2014. I'll be writing my New Year Resolutions for 2016 over the next few days and I'll post my list on my blog.

Pagan Eye: Iggy the Dinosaur Gets Some TLC

This morning I went for a walk around my local park - Crystal Palace in south east London - and saw that Iggy, one of the famous Victorian dinosaurs, is getting a bit of attention. Apparently the harsh weather has not been kind to him and he needed some repairs and renovations. I couldn't help but feel he has a slightly surprised look on his face. Perhaps he doesn't enjoy being in something that looks like a cage. Can't blame him, but hopefully he will feel better when he is fully restored.

There were lots of people in the park enjoying a sunny Bank Holiday Monday in unseasonably warm weather for winter. Some were even picnicking. It is lovely day to get out for a walk though.

On each of my Pagan Eye posts, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it.

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.

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/04/dragons-of-london.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/04/pagan-eye-snapshot-of-moment.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/06/campaign-to-restore-ducking-stool.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/11/pagan-eye-holly-trees-in-tower-hamlets.html

Big Thanks for my Yule Pressies!

Here's a photo of a few of the lovely gifts I was given for Yule.

The Goddess colouring book and the Ladybird Book of Mindfulness are so wonderfully nostalgic. I love the mug with a black cat on it. Cunningham's Wicca in the Kitchen has already given me some recipe ideas - including one for New Year's Eve soup to attract money. The complete set of Harry Potter movies will keep me happy for hours and I have already worn my timeturner pendant twice.
Shame it doesn't really work so I could go back and have the last few days all over again.

TV: Sleigh Ride, Reindeer Girls and Harry Price

Tonight at 7pm on BBC4 there's another chance to watch a beautiful two-hour sleigh ride with Sami women and reindeer through Norway's frozen landscape. All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride was previously shown on December 24. I found it absolutely captivating - although deliberately slow. Do watch until the end as the last few minutes show the Northern Lights in the sky above a traditional Sami tent. Breathtaking!

At 9pm tonight on BBC4 there is a documentary called Reindeer Girls: Natural World. It is about two cousins from the reindeer-herding Sami people.

Tomorrow, December 27, at 8.30pm there is a drama about paranormal investigator Harry Price on ITV. It is called Harry Price: Ghost Hunter.

The picture at the top is one I took of a reindeer when I was in Norway.

Previous related posts:

Questing for the Northern Lights

Reindeer, Huskies and Northern Lights

Wiccan Elder Jean Williams has Passed On

Late last night I heard the news that a wonderful Wiccan elder, Jean Williams, had died. This morning the news was spreading through pagan groups so I hope it is OK to write a short obituary here.

Jean Williams and her husband Zach Cox were initiated as Wiccans in the 1960s. Jean became the High Priestess of Gerald Gardner’s coven in the mid-1970s. I met her on a few occasions and found her to be absolutely lovely as well as extremely knowledgeable about the Craft.

Only this summer, I went to the launch of Jean and Zach's book The Play Goes On: The Rituals of Rainbow Bridgeat Treadwell's in London. The photograph on the left shows her signing her book at the event. You can read my write-up of the event here: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/08/launch-party-for-play-goes-on-at.html

An interview with Jean Williams appeared in Wiccan Rede in 2014: http://wiccanrede.org/2014/07/pathfinder-extraordinaire-an-interview-with-jean-williams-part-1/

Jean will be very much missed.

I Have Temporarily Suspended an Obituary Post

Earlier today I posted an obituary, but I have temporarily saved it back to draft as the family have not yet been told.

Tarot Card for Christmas Day: Six of Winter

I wasn't intending to write a blog post - I was just going to relax and enjoy Christmas with family without going online - but the tarot card I drew this morning seemed so apt I thought I'd share it.

It is Six of Winter from the Fairy Tarot. The message is:

Positive changes are on the way! The challenging times fade away as you prepare to set sail for sunnier horizons and happier shores. Leave your troubles behind you, and plot a course for the future. Allow your frustration over past inconveniences or hardships to disappear, and embrace the new dawn!

A perfect message for the day. Have a wonderful Christmas!

Links and previous related posts:
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/11/review-fairy-tarot-cards-by-doreen.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/12/december-25-full-moon-and-wish-for-peace.html

December 25, a Full Moon and a Wish for Peace

There is a full moon on Christmas Day, December 25. I know this has been quite widely discussed on pagan groups, with some pointing out that in the modern pagan Wheel of the Year, December 25 is not as important as the Winter Solstice on 21 December, but for most people I know the bank holiday is still a day of celebration. It is also traditionally a day to wish for peace.

During the First World War there was famously an unofficial truce along the Western Front on Christmas Day, 1914. Soldiers from both sides went into no man's land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, where they exchanged food and gifts, played football and sung carols.

The pictures right and below have nothing to do with WWI - or even with Christmas to be honest - but I was reminded of what they show by a friend this morning. The photos are of an African Tree of Life fashioned out of guns after a civil war in Mozambique had ended. After the war, guns were exchanged for farming equipment and four artists created this amazing tree out of discarded weapons - a beautiful symbol that wars and conflicts can end, that life goes on, and that human creativity is a powerful force. You can see the African Tree of Life in the British Museum.

The actual moment of the full moon on December 25 is 11.11pm Universal Time (the same as GMT). It would be a perfect time to get outside and make a big wish. Is world peace and goodwill to all too much to ask for? Let's give peace a chance...

Links and previous related post
http://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/uk/london
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce
http://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/galleries/africa/room_25_africa.aspx
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/09/green-london-tibetan-peace-garden-in-se1.html

News: Aleister Crowley's Home Boleskine House Burnt

Several news reports about the fire that has gutted the house at Loch Ness that was previously owned by Aleister Crowley and Jimmy Page:

"Firefighters called to historic Boleskine House on Loch Ness" - story at BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-35171061

"VIDEO: Fire crews battling to save Highland mansion" - story at The Press and Journal: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/787946/fire-crews-battling-save-highland-mansion/

"Aleister Crowley’s Inverness mansion destroyed by fire" - story at The Scotsman: http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/music/aleister-crowley-s-inverness-mansion-destroyed-by-fire-1-3983595

London Pagan Events Over the Festive Holidays

As you might expect, there are not very many pagan events over the bank holidays and the days in between them, but here are some of the things taking place in and around London before Christmas and over the New Year:

Wednesday 23 December; A Christ-mass Celebration of the Soul. Christmas sacred sound journey with Grace Puskas. Venue: Fox and Phoenix, 139 Fonthill Road, London. Free event. Time: 7pm to 10pm. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspiritualcommunity

Wednesday 23 December; Crossbones Vigil to honour The Goose and the outcast dead of Cross Bones Graveyard. Gather from 6.45pm for a 7pm start in Redcross Way outside the Memorial Gates, SE1 1TA, opposite the Boot and Flogger pub, just north of the junction with Union Street. Nearest tubes Borough or London Bridge. The event is free, but donations are welcome. For more details, visit http://www.crossbones.org.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/187057198313276/

Boxing Day, 26 December: Fowlers Molly Dancers with Blackheath Morris performing in Blackheath. Venues and times: noon at the Princess of Wales, 2pm the Crown, 3pm the Hare and Billet. Free event, just turn up. More detail: http://www.blackheathmorris.com/Blackheath_Morris_Men/Diary.html

Sunday 27 December; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspiritualcommunity

Tuesday 29 December; Sound Meditation. Venue: Goose Green Clinic, 57 East Dulwich Road, London SE22 9AP. Time: 10.45am. Cost:£12/£10. More information and booking: http://www.meetup.com/Holistic-SoundBath-Meditation-Summoning-The-Sacred-Dulwich/

Tuesday 29 December; Drumming Circle run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in Croydon, South London. The circle is held on Mondays fortnightly starting at 7.30pm. For more details and to book places call 07952 041477 or visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk/

Sunday 3 January; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspiritualcommunity

Sunday 3 January; River Thames Blessing Ceremony followed by a visit to Bankside Twelfth Night Celebrations. Organised by London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Northern end of the Millenium Bridge, Peter's Hill, London EC1. Time: noon. Full details: http://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Sunday 3 January; Twelfth Night celebrations in Southwark, mixing ancient seasonal customs and theatre with contemporary festivity. On the Bankside, by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Free event. For more details, visit http://www.thelionspart.co.uk/twelfthnight/index.html

Note: I do not organise any of these events so please check with the organisers about tickets and timings before turning up to anything listed on my blog. I try to keep my events listing accurate, but do not always know of late changes, cancellations or whether events are sold out. If you know of an event you want listed, or notice a correction that needs to be made, email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

News: Winter Solstice, Witchcraft, Witch Hunts, Yule

"Thousands Celebrating Winter Solstice" - story at Sky News (and if you are involved in the London pagan scene and watch the video, you will recognise a few faces in the ritual): http://news.sky.com/story/1610390/thousands-celebrating-winter-solstice

"Shortest day of the year: Everything you need to know about the winter solstice" - story at The Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/shortest-day-year-everything-you-7049131

"Meet the North Shields festive witch contacting the dead for Christmas" - story at Chronicle Live: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/meet-north-shields-festive-witch-10615233

"Saying "boo" was a sign of a witch in Worcestershire" - story at Worcester News: http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/14152088.Saying__boo__was_a_sign_of_a_witch_in_Worcestershire/

"The mysteries of mistletoe: Druids, Celts and Christmas kisses" - story at examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/article/the-mysteries-of-mistletoe-druids-celts-and-christmas-kisses

"Winter Solstice 2015: Facts About Pagan Yule Holidays, Wicca Traditions, Ties To Christmas" - story at International Business Times: http://www.ibtimes.com/winter-solstice-2015-facts-about-pagan-yule-holidays-wicca-traditions-ties-christmas-2226814

"‘The Witches: Salem, 1692’ and ‘We Believe the Children: A Moral Panic in the 1980s’" - a review of two books on California Lawyer: http://www.callawyer.com/2015/12/the-witches-salem-1692-and-we-believe-the-children-a-moral-panic-in-the-1980s/

You can order The Witches: Salem, 1692and We Believe the Children: A Moral Panic in the 1980svia Amazon.

Solstice Eve: The Hooded Man and the Hermit in Tarot

The tarot card that most represents the Midwinter Solstice for me is The Hooded Man from the Wildwood Tarot. In fact, the the book that comes with the deck says: “The Hooded Man stands at the Midwinter on 21 December.”

The card depicts a lone figure standing before an ancient oak tree. Thick snow covers the ground. The Hooded Man is dressed in a cloak covered in evergreen holly. It is night-time.

The Wildwood Tarot book goes on to say: “Associated with the Earth and the dark sun, this is the time of solitude and contemplation.”

I think many of us feel the darkness at this time of year as something almost palpable. The commercialisation of Christmas tells us we ought to be full of happiness and cheer, but so often we aren’t. It is particularly harsh for those living alone, especially the elderly.

The Hooded Man holds a lantern that illuminates a door, hinting at a safe haven and a way out of darkness and into the light. On one level, this can represent the secular holiday that lies ahead on 25th December – a time to rest and relax with family, to eat too much and enjoy the entertainments of the day. But, on another level, it means much more than that. The Wildwood Tarot description says: “It is the gateway of the dead and rebirth, the womb of the Earth”

The Hooded Man is more commonly depicted as the Hermit and modern tarot interpretations for the card often say that the Hermit represents a wise teacher or a time for contemplation, appreciating our own company or a desire to seek greater meaning in life. That is all quite at odds with the way Christmas is represented these days – a time for partying, being sociable and having fun.

Yet that to me sums up the difference between what I do as a pagan at the time of the Winter Solstice on 21st or 22nd December, and what I do to celebrate Christmas with my family a few days later on 25th December.

I do like to spend time alone around the Solstice. I like to go for quiet walks in winter woods away from the crowds. I also like to spend time alone meditating – often with a single candle or, indeed, a candle lantern like the one the Hermit holds. I remember my ancestors who have died and I let the ghosts of Christmases past show me memories of times gone by. I also contemplate the present and take stock of what I have, then look to the future and what I must work towards in the year to come.

Once I’ve done that, I can more easily move on and enjoy the company and celebrations of the festive holidays in the days ahead.

It is also worthwhile noting that in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, an older meaning of the Hermit is “Prudence, circumspection; also and especially treason, dissimulation, roguery, corruption.”

That might seem at odds with the more usual interpretations given today, but winter is a tricky time quite apart from the harshness of the weather. Burglars, fraudsters and other crooks look on this as a bumper season for criminal activities. It really is worthwhile being prudent and cautious.

The Hermit’s Lantern
As I mentioned earlier, the hermit is nearly always depicted holding a lantern and this holds a particular resonance for me because my book – Pagan Portals Candle Magic – is due to be published early in 2016. I’ve already arranged a launch party at Treadwell’s Bookshop on January 29th.

More than any other card in the tarot, the Hermit is the card of candle magic. The candle lantern he holds represents lighting the way forward, particularly on a spiritual path. It also represents magical power that we can use to hold darkness at bay and lead us to the door of self-knowledge.

This Winter Solstice, my personal meditation by candlelight will be upon the image of the Hermit in his - or her - many guises, and I will see where he or she leads me as the longest night ends and the year turns.

The picture at the top shows the Hermit from the Guardian Angel Tarot, the Mystic Faerie Tarot, The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot and the Robin Wood Tarot. The picture top right shows the Wildwood Tarot and the picture to the left shows the Fairy Tarot.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/12/a-dream-of-tarot-and-collectable-tea.html
Fairy Tarot: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/11/review-fairy-tarot-cards-by-doreen.html
Guardian Angel Tarot: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/09/review-guardian-angel-tarot-cards.html
The Robin Wood Tarot: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/04/shopping-half-price-tarot-decks.html
The Wildwood Tarot: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/08/review-wildwood-tarot.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/10/a-dream-of-gifts-and-visit-from-dead.html
http://www.tarotwikipedia.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/hermit-tarot-card-meanings/

Happy Winter Solstice Eve Everyone!

I've seen quite a few pagans wishing each other a Happy Solstice this morning, but in fact it is the Solstice Eve today.

The actual moment of the Winter Solstice, when the sun on reaches its farthest southward point for the year in the sky, is at 4.48am Universal Time - the same as Greenwich Mean Time - on December 22.

Those of us in the northern hemisphere will then have our shortest day and longest night of the year. In London, the sun will rise at 8.04am on Tuesday and set again at 3.54pm.

However, many pagans celebrate at other times than on the solstice itself. Many choose December 21 as a recognised day to honour the season's festival, others pick the nearest Saturday or Sunday for convenience and some choose to celebrate on December 25 to coincide with the bank holiday.

When do you celebrate the Winter Solstice?  Do leave a comment.

Here are a few links about this year's Winter Solstice:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/20/tuesday-will-be-this-years-winter-solstice-heres-what-you-need-to-know-5576173/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/12058397/When-is-the-winter-solstice-2015-the-shortest-day-of-the-year.html
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/plan-your-visit/winter-solstice-2015/

A Winter Walk in Crofton Woods

At this time of year I love to go for a walk through woodlands. It is one of the things that gets me in the right mood for celebrating the season and is the perfect antidote to the crowds and over-commercialisation of the shops before Yule.

Yesterday I went for a walk in Crofton Woods, in the Borough of Bromley in south-east London. Although I would have liked it to be crisp and cold, with a clear blue sky overhead and frost covering everything in sparkling crystals of ice, it was in fact one of the mildest days on record for London in December. At least that meant I didn't have to wrap up in layers of jumpers and scarves under my coat and my fingers didn't freeze when I took them out of my gloves to snap some photographs.

I was particularly fascinated by the number of interesting trees with hollows and twisting fallen logs on the ground.

Crofton Woods is Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is among the largest stretches of woods of this kind in London.

Standing on London clay, it has many different types of trees, shrubs and herbs. Those in the ancient wood are mainly oak and hazel, with a central area that was at one time fields and is now forested over.

Kyd Brook runs through the woods. A circular walk that you can download from the council website crosses the brook twice and runs along the bank for a while. The London Loop also goes through the area.

My walk through Crofton Woods let me complete something on my list of New Year resolutions for 2015 - visiting three peaceful wildlife havens within London. It was a very peaceful afternoon - I only saw three other people, who were all out walking dogs.

Although I didn't see any rare birds when I was there, the woods are home to woodpeckers, tree creepers and chiff-chaffs. I'm sure plenty of other wildlife can also be found.

A sign at the entrance said that fly agaric mushrooms can often be spotted growing near birch trees. Although I looked out for some to photograph, I didn't see any. In spring, I've been told that Crofton Woods is carpeted with bluebells. I love bluebell woods, and that will give me a good reason to come back in a few months time.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/file/2350/crofton_woods_circular_trail
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/11/pagan-eye-holly-trees-in-tower-hamlets.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/01/my-10-new-year-resolutions-for-2015.html

Atlantis Bookshop Decked for Saturnalia and Yule

Yesterday I blogged about one of my favourite occult bookshops in London, so it only seemed fair today to blog about another today - The Atlantis Bookshop

Based in Museum Street, near the British Museum, The Atlantis Bookshop is London's oldest esoteric bookshop. It was established by Michael Houghton in 1922 and is currently owned and run by Bali and Geraldine Beskin.

As well as selling a huge range of magical, pagan and occult tomes, the shop hosts art exhibitions and offers talks, workshops and book launches. It also publishes occasional volumes under its own imprint, Neptune Press, including an illuminated edition of Aleister Crowley's The Book Of The Law. Geraldine is a renowned speaker on esoteric subjects and regularly gives talks on topics such as Aleister Crowley and The Tarot of London.

As well as Aleister Crowley, many other famous names in the history of magick and paganism have frequented The Atlantis Bookshop. Gerald Gardner attended meetings of The Order of the Hidden Masters in its basement during his formative years, and the shop published his first book on witchcraft, the novel High Magic's Aid.  Gardner even met Ross Nichols -  a founder of modern Druidry - at Atlantis.

I took the photos on this page just before Altantis was hosting its Saturnalia party last week. Sadly I couldn't attend the party as I was booked for a paranormal investigation that night. I popped in earlier in the evening to browse its books and say hello to Geraldine.

The Atlantis Books is open Monday to Saturday from 10.30am to 6pm. It is at 49A Museum St, London WC1A 1LY. Phone: 020 7405 2120.

Links and previous related posts
https://www.facebook.com/atlantis.book/
https://www.facebook.com/The-Atlantis-Bookshop-100138180037911/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/03/happy-birthday-atlantis-bookshop.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/12/ghost-hunting-in-london-on-paranormal.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/10/london-tarot-fools-journey-and-folklore.html

Treadwell's and the Pagan Portals Candle Magic Party

I’ve arranged a launch party for my new book – Pagan Portals - Candle Magic – and I’m delighted to announce that it will be at Treadwell’s Bookshop, 33 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS, on Friday 29th January from 7pm to 10pm.

At the party I’ll be giving a short speech at 7.45pm, followed by a little bit of candle magic that everyone can join in if they want to. Oh and there will be cake and a cash bar too.

I’m really excited that Christina, the owner of Treadwell’s, has let me use her wonderful shop for my launch. It is one of my favourite occult bookshops, with a really friendly atmosphere and a huge range of books and other magical items for sale. It is a brilliant place to browse and even has a lovely old sofa that you can sit in while you mull over purchases.

The launch party will be in the cosy basement room rather than the shop, which is where Treadwell’s runs regular talks and workshops as well as hiring it out for book launch parties like mine. In fact, I am going to be giving a candle magic workshop there myself in the week following the party. I’ll be posting more details about that on my blog soon.

Most pagans who live in London already know how wonderful Treadwell’s Bookshop is, but for those who haven’t been there yet – or haven’t been there for a while – I thought I’d take this opportunity to post a bit more about the shop and the people who run it.

As it says on Treadwell’s website: “Treadwell’s is a collective of friends and colleagues of common purpose.”

Christina Oakley Harrington is Treadwell’s founder. She has been fascinated by spirituality and magic since her childhood and has been a pagan since her 20s. A former academic, she left university life in 2001 to establish Treadwell’s, which has gone from strength to strength under her excellent management.

The regular shop floor staff are Marco, Johnny, and Martin, with Dianne and Livia helping in the background. Kristy, Fiona, Tom, Mary, and Liga help with evening events. They come from a variety of backgrounds and include a hedge witch, a shamanic practitioner who is a Cambridge-educated chemist, an anthropology graduate, a theatre stage manager, an editor, a thelemic industrial musician, and several readers of philosophy, literature, and psychology. Friends and volunteers also help out at Treadwell’s and consider it to be an integral part of the magical community in London.

The books on Treadwell’s shelves are a mixture of new, second-hand and rare titles. Western esotericism and European and British Paganism are especially strongly represented, but titles also include other areas of culture, history, belief, poetry, literature and folklore. The stock is constantly changing and people are welcome to pop in and browse to see if something catches their eye.

The back of the shop contains magical supplies including candles, herbs and other ingredients for charms, aromatherapy and spells. The shop has things made by local craftspeople, many of whom are practitioners, and the oils and herbs are ethically sourced. The shop also sells supplies for pagan ceremonial rites, such as candle holders, wands, incense burners, athames and cauldrons.

Treadwell’s also has an online store, and you can find out more via the website: http://www.treadwells-london.com/

I really hope friends and readers of A Bad Witch's Blog who are in London on January 29th will pop into my launch party. The party is free, but you will need to book a place in advance. To do so, phone 020 7419 8507, email: info@treadwells-london.com or pop in to the shop and ask to be put on the guest list. The nearest tube station is Goodge Street.

You can find out more about my book on publisher Moon Books' website: http://www.moon-books.net/books/pagan-portals-candle-magic