News: Witchcraft, Theatre, Paganism, Beliefs

"The last woman in Britain jailed for witchcraft could soon be granted a posthumous pardon" - story at the Irish Mirror: http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/world-news/last-woman-britain-jailed-witchcraft-8031962

"Seeking a connection to the earth" - story about modern paganism at Arvada Press: http://arvadapress.com/stories/Seeking-a-connection-to-the-earth,213905

"Woman killed for 'witchcraft', 5 held" - story at the Times of India: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Woman-killed-for-witchcraft-5-held/articleshow/52497510.cms

"Witches and arches: weekend of the arts in Dundee" - story at The Courier: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/entertainment/theatre/180723/witches-and-arches-weekend-of-the-arts-in-dundee/

"Malta: Witchcraft, Magical Spells and Humanism Beliefs" - a story at News Ghana criticising an article on historic witchcraft because it doesn't take into account modern witchcraft beliefs. The piece is rather anti witchcraft, but interesting: https://www.newsghana.com.gh/malta-witchcraft-magical-spells-and-humanist-beliefs/

The picture at the top shows the cover of the book Hellish Nell: Last of Britain's Witches.

Charity Shop Find: Candlemaking Starter Kit

I was very pleased to find this Candlemaking Starter Kit by House of Crafts in a charity shop for £2.99. As I've mentioned before, I often look for candle making sets in charity shops because it can work out a lot cheaper than buying wax, wicks and moulds new. The recommended retail price for the kit is about £13, so that was quite a saving.

As you can see in the photo above, the box contains a bag of wax pellets, two small pots of dye, two moulds, wick rods, wick sealer and instructions.

Making candles in moulds is relatively easy. You tie one end of the wick to a little rod then thread the other end of the wick through a hole in the bottom of the mould (which will end up being the top of the candle), using the wick sealant to hold it in place and stop melted wax dripping out. Then you balance your mould in a stand - this kit has a cardboard stand - and pour in melted wax. You sometimes need to top up the wax in the mould after it has started to set, but otherwise just leave it to cool and solidify before removing your candle.

The instructions with this kit include ways of decorating candles, such as softening a patch of wax with the back of a heated spoon, pressing in dried flowers, then painting a little melted wax over the top of the flowers or dipping the entire candle either into melted wax or hot water to glaze it.

If you do candle magic, then it is great to use candles you have made yourself, and kits like this are an ideal way to start. You can obviously then make them whatever colour you like - wax crayons can be melted into the wax if you don't have a proper dye of the colour you want.

Links and previous related posts
House of Crafts Candlemaking Start Kit
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/01/pagan-portals-candle-magic-available-on.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/05/craft-using-wax-sand-for-candle-making.html
http://houseofcrafts.co.uk/

News: Tarot Finds Killer, Paganism, Witchcraft

"Killer broke down in tears when he saw tarot card of the devil" - story at The Argus: http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/14517781.Killer_broke_down_in_tears_when_he_saw_tarot_card_of_the_devil/

"What Not To Say When You Meet Someone Who is Pagan" - story at Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-not-to-say-when-you-meet-someone-who-is-pagan_us_57474735e4b055bb11719b22

"Child Witch: Man arrested for using hot knife on stepson over witchcraft allegations" - story at Pulse Nigeria: http://pulse.ng/gist/child-witch-man-arrested-for-using-hot-knife-on-stepson-over-witchcraft-allegations-id5078330.html

"7 Feminist Lessons From Roald Dahl's 'The Witches'" - story at Bustle: http://www.bustle.com/articles/163419-7-feminist-lessons-from-roald-dahls-the-witches

Park Event: Picnic & Talks - Spiritual Groups United

A free event with medition, yoga, music and a picnic is taking place in a park in London today, organised by London Spirituality Meetup Group and Rawfest. It runs from 1.30pm to 6pm. Here are the details from the eventbrite page:

GATHERING OF MINDS in the park! Spiritual Groups United! FREE Picnic with Consciousness talks, Music, Yoga, Meditation and More!
Schedule:
1.30 - Opening Meditation - Andraé Love (Octopus)
1.45 - Hatha flow Yoga - Angela Roberts (Gathering of Minds)
2.00 - New Clear Consciousness for the Nuclear Age - Ion T. Veddinge (LOVE AID in London)
2.15 - Flow and Recuperative Yoga - Emily Gilchrist (Gathering of Minds)
2.30 - Plant Medicine: The apprentice's story - Matt Cummins (Gathering of Minds)
2.45 - Yoga Mudras for anytime, anywhere - Sagar Samara ( Gathering of Minds)
3.00 - Body Connection meditation - Lia Sokhi (RAWFEST)
3.15 - Aligning Your Life With Your Divine Purpose - Jenna-Lee Anderson (Gathering of Minds)
3.30 - Trauma and energy healing talk - Lisa Li (Gathering of Minds)
3.45 - Hemp Nutrition: Sustainable, local and full of nutrition! - Sagar Samara (Gathering of Minds )
4.00 - Yogic Hridaya heart meditation - Jay Diamond (Gathering of Minds)
4.15 - Facing our Fears as a Pathway to Growth - Bristena Georgiana (Gathering of Minds)
4.30 - Raising heart consciousness in learning to listen and trust the heart - Jodie Jaimes (Gathering of Minds)
4.45 - Urban Shaman Movement - Alex Akal
5.00 - Music with Oneness Jam (Bring an instrument)

The event is free but you must reserve a place in advance via eventbrite. Also, you will need to bring your own picnic, blankets to sit on and musical instruments if you have them. Details of the venue will be released to those who book tickets: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gathering-of-minds-in-the-park-spiritual-groups-united-free-picnic-with-consciousness-talks-music-tickets-25602254031

Pevensey Castle: Tales of Witchcraft and a Ghost

I started the bank holiday weekend a bit early and yesterday visited Pevensey Castle where I enjoyed roaming around while it was still peaceful before the holiday crowds descended on the Sussex coast.

The castle, which was originally built in Roman times, used to be right on the edge of the sea, but is now a mile or two inland.

According to the audio guide I was loaned during my visit, the castle was at one time the prison of Joan of Navarre, who was accused of witchcraft. Joan became Queen Consort of England when she married King Henry IV in 1403. They had no children, but during his life she got on well with his children from his first marriage, often taking the side of the future Henry V, "Prince Hal," in his quarrels with his father. But, during the reign of Henry V, she was accused of using witchcraft to try to poison him.

She was convicted in 1419 and imprisoned for about four years in Pevensey Castle. The photo to the right shows the tower and oubliette where noble prisoners including Joan were incarcerated. After her release, she lived at Nottingham Castle and was eventually buried in Canterbury Cathedral next to Henry IV.

However, the fact that she died a long way from Pevensey Castle hasn't stopped some speculating that the ghostly figure sometimes seen wandering the battlements is in fact Joan, the woman suspected of being the witch-queen of England.

Pevensey Castle is managed by English Heritage.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/pevensey-castle/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/09/of-castles-ghosts-and-lady-in-red.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/11/review-sussex-folk-tales.html

Witch House Music: Hooded Leaders - Kill Your God

OK, so what's a middle-aged English witch doing dancing around her living room to American Ghetto Goth music?

Having a good time, is the answer!

Mark of witch house duo Hooded Leaders recently sent me the link to their latest mix and I really like it.

Mark said in his email: "You we're nice enough to cover our last video "The Night" and mentioned to send you whatever we have going on next! So we're stoked to say that we recently teamed up with NYC based clothing brand "Kill Your God" and just dropped a mix (that includes 6 originals) for them."

You can find a direct link to the mix here: https://soundcloud.com/kill-your-god/hooded-leaders-kill-your-god-mix

The clothes look good too.

If you want to find out more, here's the press release about it:

Hooded Leaders - Kill Your God MixWith this release PHL based Hooded Leaders drops an exclusive mix for Brooklyn based clothing company "Kill Your God". Over a half hour of witchy original production, bass heavy remixes, and a sprinkling of chopped and screwed vocals make this a go to for all your cult needs. Check out this release and make sure to play it during your next party or seance. Also keep your eyes peeled for their full release "Casting Circle" dropping in June.
Hooded Leaders are a Ghetto Goth producer duo based out of Philly with over 20 years of combined experience under their belt. PLEASE and RedHat have been longstanding staples in the Philly underground scene. Now they have joined forces to bring their unique blend of dark dance music to the masses. Merging the essence of Chopped and Screwed rap over witchy bass heavy dance music. Hooded Leaders provide the perfect music for holdin' a sacrifice in the bando, rocking' a 3am warehouse party or drinkin' a 40oz under a full moon. †

Link to the clothing shop and previous post
http://shop.killyourgod.net/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/12/witch-house-music-hooded-leaders-night.html

Witches: Do Cobwebs Help or Hinder Your Magic?

Last week I was lucky because I didn’t have any work for three days. Now, I can understand you thinking that not having work for three days isn’t really that lucky at all – and being freelance means that when I don’t work I don’t earn. However, having three days off gave me a chance to properly clean my house.

For a good few months before that I had been so busy, all I’d had time to do was the washing up, laundry and sometimes run the vacuum cleaner around when the floor got crunchy. Yes, I know that’s disgusting, but I would rather spend my spare time making magic – or blogging – than dusting cobwebs from corners. After all, a witch’s house ought to have cobwebs – at least that’s my excuse. I even put up fake ones before Samhain, as you can see in the photo to the right.

Mind you, most of the modern witches I know don’t subscribe to the idea that real cobwebs, dust and clutter are a good thing at all. I know my fellow Moon Books author Rachel Patterson, who I greatly admire, subscribes to the view that cleanliness is next to goddessness. In her book The Art of Ritual, she says that when doing any magic indoors you should “give the place a bit of Snow White attention before you start”.

The truth is, I agree with her. The problem comes when you really need to cast a spell, but simply don’t have time. What do you do?

Well, I would say try to find time to at least clean the space you are going to do your magic in. If you are working alone, that could just mean clearing a little circle in the middle of your carpet. Give it a bit of a sweep, either with an old-fashioned broom as is traditional, or with the Dyson. Then visualise stagnant energy being whisked away out of your circle.

Another thing you can do is get a circular rug that you keep clean and put down on the floor just when you want to cast a spell or do a ritual. You can think of it as your magic carpet! I used to keep a lovely Indian cotton printed throw with a circular pattern in the middle for that purpose – before it was adopted by my cats when they were kittens and ended up being used as a cover for the chair they liked to sleep in (you can see an old photo of them on it to the left).

Mind you, I recently saw a survey that made me realise I am not alone – and certainly not the worst witch – when it comes to being untidy. The research was called #dirtylittlesecrets and revealed that one in five of us in the UK sometimes wear dirty clothes taken from the linen basket because of not having time to do the laundry.

Other things those surveyed admitted doing included running out of clean underwear and going commando, noticing lipstick on a ‘clean' wine glass and wiping it off with a finger, leaving bed sheets for more than six months before washing them, following the five-second rule and eating food that had fallen on the floor, eating from the same plate at dinner that was used at lunchtime, hiding mess away in cupboards rather than cleaning up and buying new clothes to avoid doing the ironing

The research also revealed some useful tips to encourage cleanliness – a quarter of those questioned said putting on music motivated them to clean and 26 per cent said they tidy up when they know they have guests coming over. That was one of the reasons I was so pleased to have time for a spring clean last week – I had friends coming round to celebrate my birthday and I would have been very embarrassed if the place was the total tip it usually is. Just see the photo below that I took of the table I work on to get an idea of my messy habits!

The research also highlighted that, according to a massive 90 per cent of us, the reason we don’t clean is down to lack of time, with over a third attributing this to spending too much time working. The study was done on behalf of method, a company that produces environmentally friendly cleaning products, and obviously wants us to do more cleaning.

Clare Burke, UK marketing manager at method, said: “We know that cleaning can sometimes be a boring and time consuming task and as the people against dirty pioneers, we love to see that people are having fun when getting the task done, using music as a motivation. As modern life becomes increasingly hectic it’s not surprising that we’re continually inventing clever shortcuts to save time and get away with doing as little as possible. Employing a cleaner is a great solution to those working long hours and our research proves how important they are to people today.”

Hmmm – wish I could afford to employ a cleaner – that would solve my problems.

But what do you think about whether having a clean house is vital for witchcraft to work? Do you make like Snow White when you are casting spells, or do you think cobwebs add to the atmosphere? Do leave a comment.

Links and previous related posts
#dirtylittlesecrets
http://www.facebook.com/methoduk
http://www.methodproducts.co.uk
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2007/11/purification.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/04/review-art-of-ritual-by-rachel-patterson.html

This Week's Pagan Events In and Near London

Here are events in London and a few in other parts of England over the next 10 days that could be of interest to pagans. If you know of an event that you want listed, please email the details to me at badwitch1234@gmail.com.

Now - 12 September; Austin Osman Spare - A Major Retrospective. Venue: The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art and Natural History, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/

Now to 30 September; Folklore, Magic and Mysteries: Modern Witchcraft and Folk Culture in Britain - exhibition of artefacts, manuscripts and documents from the Doreen Valiente Foundation. Venue: Preston Manor, Preston Drove, Brighton BN1 6SD. Time: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 2-5pm. Free entry to exhibition with Preston Manor admission (adult £5.85, child (5-15) £3.15). Details: http://brightonmuseums.org.uk/prestonmanor/

Now to 3 June; Hay House Online Summit - free online health and wellness event with online talks and workshops over 4 weeks (started 7 May). Sign up here: https://www.hayhouseworldsummit.com/

Wednesday 25 May; Meditation Circle with The Summerland Pagans. Venue details given to those who reserve places. Time: 7pm. Details: http://www.meetup.com/The-Summerland-Pagans/

Wednesday 25 May; Hertford Pagan Moot. Topic of the evening is Rites of Passage and Death. Venue: White Horse Pub, 33 Castle Street, Hertford, Herts SG14 1HH (45 mins from central London). The pub does not have disabled access. This moot meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 8pm. contact via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/104788436218047/

Thursday 26 May; Late opening of the John Dee exhibition - Scholar, Courtier, Magician: the lost library of John Dee. Venue: Royal College of Physicians, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4LE. Late opening this evening until 7pm, last entry at 6.30pm. (normally only Monday-Friday until 5pm). Free admission. Visit the website for details: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/events

Thursday 26 May; Meetup with Judy Hall and learn about the Crystal Wisdom Healing Oracle KitTalk and book signing at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit http://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Thursday 26 May; Clearing Sexual Wounds: Sacral Chakra Meditation with Sound Journey run by Himesh with the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Columbia Hotel (Viceroy Suite), 95 - 99 Lancaster Gate, London W2 3NS. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15. Details and booking: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality

Thursday 26 May; 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 26 May; The Lakota Star People. Talk at Earthstars Sacred Space. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7.30pm. Entrance is £12, pay at the door  https://www.facebook.com/Earthstars-Sacred-Space-104790729559515/

Thursday 26 May; Candlelit Tales London: 'Women Warriors' - storytelling tales from pagan folklore. Venue: The Star by Hackney Downs, 35 Queensdown Road, London E5 8NN. Time: 7.30pm. Free event but donations welcome. https://www.facebook.com/events/1917566505136527/

Thursday 26 May; Snake Oil! The Golden Age of Quackery in Britain and America - lecture by Caroline Rance, author of The Quack Doctor.Talk organised by the London Fortean Society. Venue: The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX. Tickets: £4/£2. Time: 7.45pm. Details: http://forteanlondon.blogspot.co.uk/

Friday 27 May; Meetup with Mark Matousek, author of When You're Falling Dive: Using Your Pain to Transform Your Life.Talk and book signing at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit http://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Friday 27 May; Spiritual Ecology: Eyes of the Wild: Journeys of Transformation with the Animal Powers.
Evening Lecture by author Eleanor O'Hanlon. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 6.30. Tickets £12/£8. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Friday 27 May; A Demonstration of Spirit Portraits and Clairvoyance with Angela Watkins and June-Elleni Laine. 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/

Saturday 28 May; Spiritual Ecology and the Circle of Life. A one-day workshop with writer and conservationist Eleanor O'Hanlon. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 10am. Tickets £65/£35. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Saturday 28 May; Staffordshire Pagan Conference II. Venue: Lea Hall Colliery Sports and Social Club, Sandy Ln, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15. Time: 10am-10pm. Tickets £8/£5 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/staffordshire-pagan-conference-tickets-17259573850

Saturday 28 May; Mantra Meditation class in Ealing. Venue: Friends Meeting House, 17 Woodville Road, W5 2SE Ealing. Free event but you must book a ticket in advance. Time: 2pm-4pm. Details: http://www.mantrameditation.co.uk/

Saturday 28 May and Sunday 29 May, Family storytelling at Vauxhall City Farm with Vanessa Woolf and George Hoyle of London Dreamtime. Free event. Starts at 2pm. For more detials email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit http://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 29 May; 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 29 May, Sigil Magic. Workshop with Mark Vincent. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 1pm to 5.30pm. Ticket price £30. Tel: 020 7240 8906 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Sunday 29 May; Meditation, Energy and Sound Bath - Carly Grace with the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Coate Studios, 37 Coate St, London, E2 9AG. Time: 3.30pm. Tickets £20. Details and booking: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality

Tuesday 31 May; Surviving Trauma - How Writing About My Life Helped Heal my Broken Soul. Talk by Garri Holness. 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/

Tuesday 31 May; Meditation as the Spiritual Journey in the Inner Light of Music, with Eric Klein. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7.30pm – 9pm. Entry £3.50 (£1 concessions, students and under 25s). No bookings required - just turn up. http://www.rsh.anth.org.uk/

Tuesday 31 May; 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

Wednesday 1 June; Greenwich Skeptics in the Pub - How to Predict the Future Better than a Psychic or a Spy. Talk Michael Story. Venue: The Star and Garter, 60 Old Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9NY. Time: 7.30pm. Details: http://greenwich.skepticsinthepub.org/

Thursday 2 June; Secrets of the 5000-Year-Old Toltec Wisdom Path. Lecture by Sergio Magana. 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/

Thursday 2 June; Spiritual and Psychic Circle - Tasseography or tea leaf reading workshop. Venue: Willow Herbal Centre, 2 The Dr, RM3 0DU Essex. Time: 7pm start. Cost: £8, refreshments included. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/567533260096188/

Friday 3 June; Living the Truth of Awakening in the Midst of Everyday Life. Lecture by Amoda Maa. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm-8.30pm. Cost: £10/£12. Advance booking advised. For further information and to book tickets call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 3 June; Photography and Nazi Pagan Dreams. Lecture by Christopher Webster van Tonder. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm to 9pm. Ticket price £8. Tel: 020 7240 8906 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 4 June; The London Tarot Festival hosted by the UK Tarot Conference and The Atlantis Bookshop. Venue: The Islington Ecology Centre and Gillespie Park Nature Reserve, 191 Drayton Park, London, N5 1PH. Time: 10am-5.30pm. Tickets £11.99 on the door, or in advance from Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum St, London. For more details, call 01843 847803, email: info@tarotconference.co.uk or visit the website: http://tarotconference.co.uk/tarot-festival/

Saturday 4 June; The Upminster Sanctuary Open Day - a chance to try out mini treatments. Venue: The Upminster Complementary Healing and Teaching Sanctuary Pea Lane Upminster Essex, UK, RM14 2XH. Time: 11am-4pm. No charge for mini treatments, but donations are welcome and booking advised. Email info@healingandteaching.co.uk or 01708 251124 https://www.facebook.com/events/1683803895216091/

Saturday June 4 and Sunday June 5; London Alchemy - a series of salons on alchemy and magic in Brompton Cemetery Chapel, organised by A Curious Invitation and Antique Beat. Tickets £12-£15 per session, including one Hendrick's Gin cocktail and a 20% donation toward renovation projects at Brompton Cemetery. Venue: Brompton Cemetery Chapel, Fulham Road, London. Details and tickets: http://londonmonthofthedead.com/alchemyatbrompton.html

Sunday 5 June; 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 5 June; Family storytelling at Vauxhall City Farm with Vanessa Woolf and George Hoyle of London Dreamtime. Free event. Starts at 2pm. For more detials email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit http://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Note: I am not responsible for any of the events listed here. Do check with the organisers about tickets and timings before turning up to any event. I try to keep my listings accurate, but do not always know of late changes, cancellations or ticket availability.

Candle Magic: Tricks to Make Tea Lights Float in Water

Floating candles are absolutely lovely as decorations for summer parties, but they are generally more expensive than tea lights and less easy to find in the shops. But there is a way to turn ordinary tea lights into floating candles.

You can buy little glass tea light holders that are designed to float in water and keep the candles upright and dry. All you do is pop the tea light into the glass floater then carefully place it into a bowl of water. What’s more, once they are lit the tea lights stay alight for longer than usual because the water cools them down slightly.

I was given a bowl with four floating glass tea light holders a little while ago and I decided to use it when I had friends around to celebrate my birthday. At the top of this post you can see a photo I took with the candles in it, burning prettily.

Actually, what I originally wanted to use were a set of four lovely tea lights in the shape of flowers, but they were too heavy and sank into the water immediately. So, for my party, I used plain tea lights, which were fine.

A couple of days later I decided to experiment. I dissolved a couple of tablespoons of salt into the water in the big glass bowl. Once I had done that, the water supported the glass floaters with the heavier and more decorative tea light candles just fine – as you can see in the photo to the right.

It isn't magic really, of course, it is just science that I vaguely remembered from my school days. Adding salt to water makes it denser – or thicker – which means it is easier to float things in it.  In science terms, it is the relative density between liquids and solid items that determines whether they float or not, rather than just the weight - but all you need to remember is that adding salt to water means it will support floating things better.

The picture bottom left is one of a set of floating glass inserts for tea lightsthat I spotted on Amazon. It looks pretty much like the ones I've got.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/05/craft-using-wax-sand-for-candle-making.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/02/review-pagan-portals-candle-magic.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/05/thanks-to-my-friends-for-wonderful.html
https://porch.com/advice/create-custom-scented-candles-home
Glaskönig Floating Glass Inserts for Tea Lights Diameter 7 cm (Pack of 3)

TV: Secrets of the Nazi Occult on Channel 5

A new television documentary called Secrets of the Nazi Occult, looking at Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler's involvement in secret societies, is on Channel 5 tonight, May 23, at 9pm. Here is a link to the Channel 5 page about it: http://www.channel5.com/show/secrets-of-the-nazi-occult

The Grimsby Telegraph has a feature about it: http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Secrets-Nazi-Occult-including-Adolf-Hitler/story-29307013-detail/story.html

I've Been Nominated for a Blogging Award

Voting has opened for the Bloggers Bash Awards 2016 - and A Bad Witch's Blog has been nominated in the Hidden Gem category.

This is the second year the awards have run. Organiser Sacha Black intends to make them an annual event in which people can vote for their favourite blogs. Categories are Funniest Blogger, Best Book Review Blog, Best Dressed Blog, Best Newcomer, Most Inspirational Blog, Hidden Gem, Services to Bloggers, Most Informative Blog, Best Pal and Best Overall Blog.

To vote, all you need to do is to go to Sacha Black's page here: https://sachablack.co.uk/2016/05/19/vote-now-annual-bloggers-bash-awards-now-open/ then click on your choice in each category. If you choose to vote for me, my name is Lucya and, as I mentioned earlier, I am listed in the Hidden Gem category.

Voting closes on June 9th at 12pm. The winners will be announced on June 11th at the Bash, which is an event to celebrate blogging. It takes place at The Driver, 2-4 Wharfdale Rd, London, N1 9RY from 1pm on June 9. If you can’t make it, then a winners post will go live on Sacha's blog at 5:15pm on June 11th. You can find out more about the Bloggers Bash event here: https://sachablack.co.uk/annual-bloggers-bash/

Thanks to My Friends for a Wonderful Birthday!

I celebrated my birthday over the weekend and these lovely candles and holders were just some of the presents I was given.

On Friday evening some friends came round to have drinks and cakes as well as helping me play one of my favourite games - The Witches Boardgame.

On Saturday I did real witchy things with some other pagan friends who had invited me to guest at their beautiful full moon ritual.

On Sunday my hubby took me out and treated me to dinner.

Thanks so much to all my friends, including everyone who left happy birthday messages for me on Facebook. All the presents I was given were lovely, including the candles.

I didn't have time to reply to everyone in person and so I hope this will suffice. Thanks very much and I hope all of your birthdays are wonderful too!

Candle Magic: Make This Wish at Tonight's Full Moon

Pagan Eye: Elderflowers in Bloom in my Garden

The elderflowers are just coming into bloom in my garden and here is a photo of the first sprig I noticed. Each elderflower has five petals, five yellow stamens and five sepals, which form a star shape - and they are beautiful, if tiny.

Everything about the elder tree has a magical association and the flowers can be used in spells for joy, recovery from illness or depression, general good health, protection and also faerie magic.

Elderflowers can be used to make tea, cordial, wine and also skin tonic. Here is a recipe for elderflower water from Rachel Patterson's book A Kitchen Witch’s World of Magical Plants and Herbs:

Elderflower Water
You can use this as a skin tonic, but it also works very well as a sacred or blessed water to sprinkle around your property for protection, during purification rituals, to cleanse tools or to use for anointing when working with your intuition or the faerie world.

Ingredients
2 pints (5 cups) elderflowers (fresh, just snip the stalks short)
½ pint (1 cup) boiling water

Use open blossoms and pop them into a large bowl or jug then pour over the boiling water. Leave to infuse for about 3 hours then strain and pour into bottles. Keep in the fridge and it will last about 2 weeks or so.

Elderflowers normally start to bloom in my London garden in May and are over by mid-June but, according to folklore, if you do see any flowers remaining on an elder tree at midsummer they are particularly potent for magical purposes. Sit under them on Midsummer Eve and you might just get a glimpse of faerie folk, who the elder tree is strongly associated with.

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.

Please note I earn commission from some links

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/09/review-kitchen-witchs-magical-herbs-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/05/plant-magic-solomons-seal-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/05/pagan-eye-pink-rose-from-my-garden.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/07/pagan-eye-echinacea-flowers-in-bloom.html

The Goddess, Bath and a Candle Spell to Curse a Thief

The other day I got an email from someone who had been the victim of a theft. They had a pretty good idea who had taken their stuff and had tried normal means of getting it returned - like asking around politely - but to no avail. They wondered if there was any thing they could do magically to help get their item back.

Well, there is, but if you are the kind of witch who says one should never cast curses, you had better stop reading now.

While I agree it is anti-social to physically harm anyone - whether by magic or mundane fisticuffs - I do think there can sometimes be a place in the modern world for spells that use a little sting in order to get justice. This is a curse to catch a thief - a slight variant of a spell I published in my book Pagan Portals: Candle Magic.

At Bath, in England, many curse tablets were found at the sacred springs of the goddess Sulis Minerva. These were tiny strips of metal on which a curse had been written and then thrown into the hot pools (you can see a few in the photo at the bottom). Quite a few of these were from people who had been the victims of theft and who wanted their items returned and the culprit punished. Sulis Minerva is a goddess who lists among her attributes wisdom, magic and commerce and is a champion of just causes.

Here is a spell based on the ancient traditions from Bath. The basics of what you need are a bowl of water, a floating candle and two altar candles, a slip of paper, a pen, some incense, matches, a glass of pure spring water and a pinch of whatever hot spice you have in the kitchen – black pepper, paprika, ginger or chilli powder would do. You will also need space to set up an altar and something to represent the goddess Sulis Minerva. This could be a goddess statue or a drawing or print of the famous golden head of Sulis Minerva pictured at the top of this post.

Set up a small altar. Light the altar candles on either side of the goddess image and light the incense too. In front of these, put all the other items. Put a pinch of hot spice into the bowl of water and put the floating candle into it too. Light the floating candle then write the following on the slip of paper:

“Sulis Minerva, Wise Goddess, please help me in my request. May the person who has my (insert details of whatever was stolen) feel the hot stings of guilt on their conscience until it is returned to me.”

Read the words aloud, then roll the paper up and light it with the flame of the floating candle. Hold it over the bowl of water. Before the flames reach your fingers and burn them, drop the ashes and remains of charred paper into the bowl of water.

Then, sit in front of the altar while the floating candle burns down and give thanks to Sulis Minerva while sipping the glass of pure spring water. When there is just a small amount of spring water left in the glass, pour that into the water in the candle bowl as an offering to Sulis Minerva.

Ideally let the floating candle burn down completely on the altar. Although you don’t have to sit and watch it all the time, lit candles shouldn’t be left unattended for safety reasons.

When the candle is out, remove it from the bowl and take the water outside to pour it, with the ashes, spices and burnt paper scraps onto the earth. Dispose of the remains of the candle in the rubbish.

You can find out more candle magic spells in my book Pagan Portals - Candle Magic: A witch's guide to spells and rituals.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/02/review-pagan-portals-candle-magic.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/04/spells-and-divining-to-find-lost-things.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/04/lost-data-magic-and-mundane-help-is-at.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/06/keep-your-stuff-safe-at-summer-festivals.html
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

This Week's Pagan Events In and Near London

Here are events in and near London over the coming week or so that could be of interest to pagans. If you know of an event that you want listed, please email the details to me at badwitch1234@gmail.com.

Now - 29 July 2016; Scholar, Courtier, Magician: the lost library of John Dee. London exhibition. Venue: Royal College of Physicians, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4LE. Entry free. Opening times vary but normally only Monday-Friday until 5pm, visit the website for details: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/events

Now - 31 August; Akhenaten: Heretic, Visionary, Icon Exhibition at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL Malet Place, London WC1E 6BT. Lunchtime tours: 1.15pm-1.45pm. For more details, email events.petrie@ucl.ac.uk or phone 020 7679 4138.

Now - 12 September; Austin Osman Spare - A Major Retrospective. Venue: The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art and Natural History, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/

Now to 30 September; Folklore, Magic and Mysteries: Modern Witchcraft and Folk Culture in Britain - exhibition of artefacts, manuscripts and documents from the Doreen Valiente Foundation. Venue: Preston Manor, Preston Drove, Brighton BN1 6SD. Time: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 2-5pm. Free entry to exhibition with Preston Manor admission (adult £5.85, child (5-15) £3.15). Details: http://brightonmuseums.org.uk/prestonmanor/

Now to 3 June; Hay House Online Summit - free online health and wellness event with online talks and workshops over 4 weeks (started 7 May). Sign up here: https://www.hayhouseworldsummit.com/

Wednesday 18 May; Free Lunchtime Meditation with Light in London. Venue: School of Economic Science, 11-13 Mandeville Place, London. Time 1pm. RSVP necessary via : http://www.meetup.com/Light-in-London/

Wednesday 18 May; Third of three evenings with Kurikindi, Amazonian Shaman from Ecuador: The foundation of being an authentic Shaman. Venue: The Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LY. Starts: 7pm. Tickets: £25 per person. Advannce booking essential. Tel: 020 7405 2120 or email atlantis@theatlantisbookshop.com.

Wednesday 18 May; Healing Share 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

Wednesday 18 May; More Mead Moot promoted by Pagan FutureFests. Venue: Hope Pub, 48 West Street, Carhsalton SM5 2PR. Time: from 7.30pm. Meets on the third Wednesday of each month. https://www.facebook.com/Pagan-FutureFests-352385661439366/

Thursday 19 May; Meetup with Stephen Skinner and learn about Techniques of Graeco-Egyptian Magic.Talk and book signing at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm-7.30pm. Free event. For more details call 020 7836 2182 or visit http://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Thursday 19 May; Connecting to Your Masculine and Feminine Inner Joy with Anna and Himesh of  the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Church Hall, St Luke's Church, Hillmarton Road, West Holloway, London, N7 9RE. Time:7pm. Tickets: £15. Details and booking: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality

Thursday 19 May; The Circle of Ankerwycke moot on the third Thursday in each month. Venue: Function room at the back of the Two Rivers Pub, 43 Church Street, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 4EN. Time: 8pm.

Thursday 19 May; The Witches Gathering - Croydon CoA Moot: Social evening open to all Pagan Paths at 1 Matthews Yard off Surrey Street, Croydon. Event normally held on the third Thursday of the month at 8pm. For any questions email coacentral@witchcraft.org or visit http://www.witchfest.net/

Thursday 19 May; Drum Circle to Shamanic Journey. Venue: Caer Corhrain, 1 Southleas farm cottages, Lower Road, Minster, Sheppey ME12 3SW. Time: 8pm. This takes place on the third Thursday each month. For more information visit http://www.touchtheearthuk.com/

20 May - 22 May; Faerie Festival 2016. Family-friendly Pagan camping festival with workshops, entertainment and a market. Venue: Pleasant Rise Farm, Cuckmere Road, Alfriston, East Sussex BN26 5TN. Adult Weekend Ticket: £75 includes 3 nights camping; early-bird Adult Day Ticket: £25. http://www.magicalfestivals.co.uk/

Friday 20 May; Woodland Wicca Full Moon Ritual for May with London Woodland Witches Ritual Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Outdoor rite suitable for newcomers to the Craft. Meet outside Wimbledon Tube Station, London SW19 7NL at 7pm to then take a bus to the ritual site. Cost £3 per person. Wear suitable clothes and bring picnic food and drink. Full details and place reservation here: http://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Friday 20 May; Healing share run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in Croydon, South London. Starts 7.30am. For more details and to book places call 07952 041477. For more information, visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk

Saturday 21 May; Grow your Garden the Biodynamic Way. Talk by Philip Martyn and Dr Sue Peat. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 2.30pm – 5pm. Tickets £8 (£5 concessions). http://www.rsh.anth.org.uk/

Saturday 21 May, Spiritual Baths (Hoodoo Tradition). Workshop with Lisa Mead. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 1pm to 5.30pm. Ticket price £30. Tel: 020 7240 8906 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 21 May; Remembering Katharine Briggs. Hosted by the Folklore Society. Venue: The Cello Factory, 33-34 Cornwall Road, Waterloo, London SE1 8TJ London. Time: 3pm. For more details and to book, email thefolkloresociety@gmail.com

Saturday 21 May, Shaman, Psychedelics and the Future for Humanity with Daniel Pinchbeck. organised by Mind Body Spirit Ltd. Venue: The Tabernacle - 34-35 Powis Square, London W11 2AY, Time: 7pm-10pm. Tickets: £42.18. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaman-psychedelics-and-the-future-for-humanity-with-daniel-pinchbeck-tickets-20424131126

Saturday 21 May, Ghost Stories at Queens Wood Cafe. Join Vanessa Woolf and George Hoyle of London Dreamtime for ghost stories around a campfire. Venue: 42 Muswell Hill Road London N10 3JP. Cost £25.  Time: 7.30pm. For more detials email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit http://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 22 May; 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 22 May; Workshop on the Path of Earth run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in Croydon, South London. Starts 10am. For more details and to book places call 07952 041477. For more information, visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk

Sunday 22 May; The Kith of the Tree and the Well Heathen Moot. Upstairs at The Horseshoe Inn, Melior St, London SE1 3QP. Time: 2pm.

Monday 23 May; The Negativity Bias: Why Humans are Born to Say No. Talk by Mark Matousek. Venue: St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL. Doors open 6.30pm. Talk: 7pm - 8pm followed by book signing. Tickets £12/£8 online. For more details and to book tickets: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Monday 23 May; 'Oscar Wilde and the Mummy's Curse, and Other Tales of the Egyptian Macabre', With Eleanor Dobson at the Last Tuesday Society. Venue: The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art and Natural History, 11 Mare St, London, E8 4RP. Time 7pm - 9pm. Tickets: Standard £11 Concession £5.95. Details and tickets: http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/listings/event

Monday 23 May; 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/

Tuesday 24 May; Gong Bath 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 24 May; Meditation and Colour. Class with Angela Lord. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7.30pm – 9pm. Entry £3.50 (£1 concessions, students and under 25s). No bookings required - just turn up. http://www.rsh.anth.org.uk/

Wednesday 25 May; Meditation Circle with The Summerland Pagans. Venue details given to those who reserve places. Time: 7pm. Details: http://www.meetup.com/The-Summerland-Pagans/

Wednesday 25 May; Hertford Pagan Moot. Topic of the evening is End of Life and Rites of Passage. Venue: White Horse Pub, 33 Castle Street, Hertford, Herts SG14 1HH (45 mins from central London). The pub does not have disabled access. This moot meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 8pm. contact via Facebook page Hertford Pagan Moot

Thursday 26 May; Late opening of the John Dee exhibition - Scholar, Courtier, Magician: the lost library of John Dee. Venue: Royal College of Physicians, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4LE. Late opening this evening until 7pm, last entry at 6.30pm. (normally only Monday-Friday until 5pm). Free admission. Visit the website for details: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/events

Thursday 26 May; Meetup with Judy Hall and learn about the Crystal Healing Oracle Kit. Talk and book signing at Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details call 020 7836 2182 or http://www.meetup.com/WatkinsBooks/

Thursday 26 May; Clearing Sexual Wounds: Sacral Chakra Meditation with Sound Journey run by Himesh with the London College of Spirituality. Venue: Columbia Hotel (Viceroy Suite), 95 - 99 Lancaster Gate, London W2 3NS. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15. Details and booking: http://www.meetup.com/londonspirituality

Thursday 26 May; 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 26 May; The Lakota Star People. Talk at Earthstars Sacred Space. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7.30pm. Entrance is £12, pay at the door  https://www.facebook.com/Earthstars-Sacred-Space-104790729559515/

Thursday 26 May; Snake Oil! The Golden Age of Quackery in Britain and America - lecture by Caroline Rance, author of The Quack Doctor.Talk organised by the London Fortean Society. Venue: The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX. Tickets: £4/£2. Time: 7.45pm. Details: http://forteanlondon.blogspot.co.uk/

Friday 27 May; Spiritual Ecology: Eyes of the Wild - Evening Lecture by Eleanor O'Hanlon. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 6.30. Tickets £12/£8. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Friday 27 May; A Demonstration of Spirit Portraits and Clairvoyance with Angela Watkins and June-Elleni Laine. 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/

Saturday 28 May; Spiritual Ecology and the Circle of Life. A one-day workshop with writer and conservationist Eleanor O'Hanlon. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 10am. Tickets £65/£35. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Sunday 29 May, Sigil Magic. Workshop with Mark Vincent. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 1pm to 5.30pm. Ticket price £30. Tel: 020 7240 8906 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

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