John Barleycorn at Eastbourne Lammas Festival

Here are a few photos I took at the ritual that ended the first day of Eastbourne Lammas Festival. It included Morris dancing and drumming and told the tale of John Barleycorn, which is from a poem by Robert Burns and is about how grain is sown, harvested and turned into beer. It is popular theme for pagan Lammas ceremonies, which celebrate the start of the harvest.

It is quite a long poem, but here are the words in full:

There was three kings into the east,
Three kings both great and high,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.

They took a plough and plough'd him down,
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.

But the cheerful Spring came kindly on,
And show'rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris'd them all.

The sultry suns of Summer came,
And he grew thick and strong;
His head weel arm'd wi' pointed spears,
That no one should him wrong.

The sober Autumn enter'd mild,
When he grew wan and pale;
His bending joints and drooping head
Show'd he began to fail.

His colour sicken'd more and more,
He faded into age;
And then his enemies began
To show their deadly rage.

They've taen a weapon, long and sharp,
And cut him by the knee;
Then tied him fast upon a cart,
Like a rogue for forgerie.

They laid him down upon his back,
And cudgell'd him full sore;
They hung him up before the storm,
And turned him o'er and o'er.

They filled up a darksome pit
With water to the brim;
They heaved in John Barleycorn,
There let him sink or swim.

They laid him out upon the floor,
To work him farther woe;
And still, as signs of life appear'd,
They toss'd him to and fro.

They wasted, o'er a scorching flame,
The marrow of his bones;
But a miller us'd him worst of all,
For he crush'd him between two stones.

And they hae taen his very heart's blood,
And drank it round and round;
And still the more and more they drank,
Their joy did more abound.

John Barleycorn was a hero bold,
Of noble enterprise;
For if you do but taste his blood,
'Twill make your courage rise.

'Twill make a man forget his woe;
'Twill heighten all his joy;
'Twill make the widow's heart to sing,
Tho' the tear were in her eye.

Then let us toast John Barleycorn,
Each man a glass in hand;
And may his great posterity
Ne'er fail in old Scotland!

Eastbourne Lammas Festival continues today, Sunday 31 July. It offers music, dance, stalls, food and drink on the Western Lawns, Eastbourne Seafront West, King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4EE. Entry is free. You can find out more here: http://www.lammasfest.org/

Links:
http://www.robertburns.org/works/27.shtml
http://www.lammasfest.org/

Ghostbusters & A Mystic Guide to Cleansing & Clearing

I went to see the new Ghostbusters movie earlier this week and I enjoyed it. It might be lighter on plot than the original - which is one of my favourite all-time films - but it is thoroughly entertaining. Sadly, it is nothing like dealing with ghosts in real life.

Being a witch, and counting among my friends many real-life ghost hunters and parapsychologists, I do from time to time get asked for help by people who feel their homes are haunted. I've done a few clearings myself in the past. While it might have been wonderful to force the entity to manifest and then shoot it with an unlicensed nuclear accelerator, I usually just had a quiet word with the spirit and persuaded it to move on to a better place. Not nearly so spectacular.

But what should you do if, as the song goes, there's something strange in your neighbourhood?

Well, a new book called A Mystic Guide to Cleansing and Clearingoffers the best advice I've ever read on the subject aimed at the modern-day witch. That starts in the introduction, where author David Salisbury explains that cleansing and clearing is mostly about getting rid of unhelpful energy - usually emotional or psychic crud rather than actual ghosts or malevolent entities.

The first chapter lists useful tools for cleansing, and again starts with advice that I agree with. If you are any good as a witch, you often don't need any tools at all. That doesn't mean tools aren't cool. Brooms, bells, blessed water and blasting rods can come in handy to focus your magic. Candles are also among the most versatile things to use for cleansing space and creating blessed water.

Further chapters explain several methods of cleansing yourself, your house and other spaces. David offers numerous ways of doing this, from very quick and simple routines you could do every day to longer rituals to use if necessary.

Although most of the time all we are clearing is unhelpful energy picked up from grumpy people or caused by our own bad habits, sometimes things are a bit more serious and harder to shift. These can be things like connections that link us to other people, which are draining our reserves or holding us back.

But, sometimes we do really need to get rid of a ghost. David's advice is again what mine would be. First find out if it is actually a human spirit or simply an echo of an event that is replaying in the place it happened. If it is a spirit, then attempt to communicate with it to find out why it is lingering. If it is causing a nuisance, David offers several techniques to move it on.

What I really like about A Mystic Guide to Cleansing and Clearing is that it offers practical, sensible advice in a clear and succinct way. And I have to say that if I was troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night or experienced feelings of dread in my basement or attic, to paraphrase the original movie, I wouldn't call Ghostbusters - I'd just try out the stuff in David's book.

A Mystic Guide to Cleansing and Clearingcan be ordered via Amazon.

Links and previous related posts
A Mystic Guide to Cleansing and Clearing
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/10/seriously-spooked-assaps-ghost.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/10/review-what-dwells-within-haunted-dolls.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/12/ghost-hunting-in-london-on-paranormal.html

Pictures: The images show the book cover for A Mystic Guide to Cleansing and Clearingand the poster for Ghostbusters (2016).

News: Witchcraft, Archaeology, Pentagram, Scary Doll

"Spellbound by Lancaster's new witchcraft shop" - story at Lancaster Today: http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/local/spellbound-by-lancaster-s-new-witchcraft-shop-1-8012449

"Anglo-Saxon Cemetery Found in a Bronze Age Barrow" - story at Archaeology: http://www.archaeology.org/news/4664-160721-england-mound-burials

"Archaeology News In Mexico Shows Mayan King Pakal Swam To Underworld, Didn’t Use Spaceship" - story at International Business Times: http://www.ibtimes.com/archaeology-news-mexico-shows-mayan-king-pakal-swam-underworld-didnt-use-spaceship-2394839

"Pentagram in Century Square Mall, occult symbol or good fengshui?" - story at The Independent - Singapore: http://theindependent.sg/pentagram-in-century-square-mall-occultic-symbol-or-good-fengshui/

"Meet Ruby the haunted doll with a poignant past" - story at Blasting News: http://us.blastingnews.com/news/2016/07/meet-ruby-the-haunted-doll-with-a-poignant-past-001008945.html

Lammas Pagan Events In London and Elsewhere

This weekend and over the coming weeks, Pagans are celebrating Lammas - or the festival of the first fruits of the harvest. Here are some of the events taking place in and near London, plus a couple further afield:

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 - 11 September; Georgiana Houghton: Spirit Drawings Summer Showcase. Exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 0RN. Tickets £9, free for members. Details: http://courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/what-on/exhibitions-displays/georgiana-houghton-spirit-drawings

Now - 12 September; Austin Osman Spare - A 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 27 November, Sunken Cities - Egypt’s Lost Worlds. Major exhibition at the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Tickets £16.50. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Wednesday 27 July; Hertford Pagan Moot. 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 28 July; Meetup with Taz Thornton, author of Whispers From The Earth 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 28 July; The Afterlife in the Modern West Lecture  by Prof Philip Almond. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Ticket price £8. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Friday 29 July; Kick-start a Spiritual Ecology Hub! One-day practical workshop. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 10am start. Tickets £25/£18. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Friday 29 July; Embrace Abundance - A Gong Bath with Diana Vernon. 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/

Saturday 30 July; Wild Food and Remedies. Foraging and preparation workshop run by London Wildlife Trust. Venue: New River Studio - Woodberry Wetlands 1 Newnton Close, London, N4 2RH. Time: 10am to 1.30pm. Tickets £37.75. Details and booking: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wild-food-remedies-registration-23201974731

Saturday 30 July;  Sensing Energy Healing Walk in Hyde Park and Gloucester Road with Sensing Energy and Intuition Development Meetup Group. Meet at Gloucester Road Tube Station (outside the station), Gloucester Road, London at noon. Cost: £5. You must reserve a place in advance. Details and booking: http://www.meetup.com/Sensing-Energy-and-Intuition-Development/

Saturday 30 July; Ecstatic Dance London: Dancing with Trees and Silent Disco free event. Meet between 2pm-2:20pm at Hampstead Heath Tube Station to walk to the site. You must reserve a place in advance: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecstatic-dance-london-presents-dancing-with-trees-silent-disco-free-tickets-26543085082

Saturday 30 July - Sunday 31 July; Reiki level 1 two-day workshop hosted by Return of the Goddess. Venue: The Yoga Shed, 62b College Rd, Bromley, BR1 3PE. Time: 11am-5pm. Cost £150. Advance booking necessary. More details: http://www.hayleyrogers.com/  or https://www.facebook.com/events/1026518114070322/

Saturday 30 July - Sunday 31 July; Eastbourne Lammas Festival. Lammas ritual plus music, dance, stalls, food and drink on Eastbourne seafront. Western Lawns, Eastbourne Seafront West, King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4EE. Free. http://www.lammasfest.org/

Sunday 31 July; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free weekly event.

Sunday 31 July; Mugwort Lucid Dreaming Workshop run by Apiary Studios. Venue: Apiary Studios - 458 Hackney Road, London, E2 9EG. Time: 10.30am-4pm. Tickets: £48.67 – £64.49. Details and booking: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mugwort-lucid-dreaming-workshop-tickets-26051986192

Sunday 31 July; Wicca Lammas 2016 Pan's Picnic at Trent Park with London Woodland Witches Wiccans Ritual Magicians and Pagans. Meet at Cockfosters Gate,Trent Park, Cockfosters Road, Enfield, Barnet, North London. Time: 1.30pm-7pm. Wear suitable clothes for an outdoor event and bring a packed lunch. Details: http://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Sunday 31 July; Anderida Gorsedd Lughnasadh open ritual at the Long Man of Wilmington, Sussex. Meet near the car park between 1.30pm and 2pm for a walk up to the chalk hill figure at 2pm. Afterwards back to the Giants Rest pub in Wilmington for a social drink together.

Sunday 31 July; July Kith of the Tree and the Well Moot. Heathen moot. Venue: The Horseshoe Inn, 26 Melior Street, London SE1. Time: 2pm-6pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1739856852945840/

Sunday 31 July; Psychedelics and Nonduality, hosted by The Psychedelic Society. Speakers: Peter Russell, Bernardo Kastrup and Stephen Reid (Director of The Psychedelic Society). Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, WC1R 4RL London. Time: 6pm-8.30pm. Tickets: £10. Details and tickets: https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/psychedelics-and-nonduality

Sunday 31 July; Lughnasadh. Evening service led by the Wheel of the Year Group at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 7pm. http://www.rosslynhillchapel.com/

Monday 1 August; Wheel of the Year Festival - Fruition Meditation at Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury. Gather at the Well Head at noon for celebration and meditation until 12.30pm, followed by a chance to chat on the lower lawn. Free admission to the gardens from 10am to noon. http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

Tuesday 2 August; Cobwebs and Cauldrons Moot. Venue: Romford White Horse Pub, 118 High Road, RM6 6NU. Entry £4. Moot takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. 7.30pm start.

Tuesday 2 August; Witches' Inn Gathering. Venue: The Feathers Hotel in Merstham, Surrey RH1 3EA. Starts at 8pm. Moots are the first Tuesday of each month. For more details and to reserve a place visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Witches-Inn/1568424150049437

Wednesday 3 August; The Sacred Landscape of Avebury Day Trip including a talk by Francine Blake on crop circles. Organised by Alternatives. Meet at St James's Square, London, at 8.45am for the coach. Tickets £85/£65 online. For more details and to book tickets: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Wednesday 3 August; From Garden to Garret: The Apothecary Tour. Venue: The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret - 9a Saint Thomas Street, London, SE1 9RY. Time: 2pm-3.30pm. Tickets £6.50 adults/£5 concessions. Includes admission to the museum. Details and booking: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-garden-to-garret-the-apothecary-tour-tickets-26301789360

Wednesday 3 August; Hertford Moot on Tour! Moot at a haunted pub. Venue: The Kings Arms, Berkhamsted, 147 High Street, HP4 3HL Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Time: 7.30pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/533422110179422/

Thursday 4 August; Lecture: Greek Kings and Egyptian Gods. Venue: BP Lecture Theatre , British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 1.30pm-2.30pm. Free, but advance booking essential. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Thursday 4 August; Meetup with Helyn Connerr and learn about The Mercury Model 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 4 August; PF-London Lammas Open Ritual run by Facilitated by Goddess Enchantment. Venue: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn London. Time: 7.30pm for 8pm start. Ritual ends around 9pm followed by feasting until 10pm. Entrance: £6/£5 PF members. Please bring seasonal food and drinks to share at feast after ritual. For more details, visit http://london.paganfed.org/

Friday 5 August; Magickal circle at the Covenant of Hekate sanctuary in Clapham, London. This is an ongoing circle for people who have an already established connection with Hekate and who would like to develop their psychic and magickal skills and to share with others their present knowledge. It happens every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, until September. Time: 7pm to 10pm. No admission fee. Bring an offering for the sanctuary - which can be wild flowers, herbs, incense or candles, plus a food contribution for sharing. For the address please write to the sanctuary Torch Bearer, Andrea Meryem Angelos: hekatemagna@gmail.com.

Saturday 6 August; Digital workshop: Code the Collection: Lucky Charms. Samsung Centre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 11am-4pm. Free, just drop in. Suitable for ages 11+ (must be accompanied by an adult). For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Saturday 6 August; 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.

Saturday 6 August; Mud and Magic with Vanessa Woolf of London Dreamtime. Mudlarking and storytelling in a secret woodland location by the Thames, near Bermondsey Tube. Tickets £3. Starts 7pm. Booking essential email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit http://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 7 August, Pagan Pride UK 2016 Festival in Nottingham. Venue: The Arboretum, Nottingham
NG1 4. Starts with a parade gathering at the Old Market Square at 10:30am, with the festival opening at noon. Free event with lots of talks, entertainment, ritual, food and drink. http://www.paganpride.org.uk/

Sunday 7 August; Tarot for Absolute Beginners. Workshop with Suzanne Corbie. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 11am to 5.30pm. Ticket price £70 (£40 deposit in advance). Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Sunday 7 August, Lughnasaah- Druid Lammas Ritual on Primrose Hill with the Loose Association of Druids. Open ritual hosted by Jeremy Morgan, the Druid of Wormwood Scrubbs. Venue: The Hawthorne Grove, Primrose Hill, Regents Park, London NW1. Meet at 12.30pm for a 1pm start, ends at around 2.30pm. Nearest tube: Chalk Farm.

I am not responsible for any of these events and I recommend checking with the organisers before turning up to any of them. If you know of an event that you want listed, please email the details to me at badwitch1234@gmail.com.

Flower Magic and Folklore: Enchanter's Nightshade

The delicate white flowers growing among my lavender are enchanter's nightshade. Isn't that a lovely name?

I only learnt what it was called last weekend when a pagan friend came around to visit and recognised it. I had been wondering about it and was delighted when I found out.

My mother, who was a keen gardener when she was younger, considered it a weed and would ruthlessly dig it out of the flowerbeds. After she died I decided I liked the contrast of the lavender and the white flowers and left it. (And, to be completely honest, I also don't have that much time for weeding either.) Now I have learnt what a witchy name it has, I will proudly let it grow.

However, despite being called enchanter's nightshade, research showed me that it isn't related to other nightshades, such as deadly nightshade or woody nightshade. Instead it is a member of the willowherb (onagraceae) family. It isn't poisonous, which is a good thing, but it isn't considered edible either. It contains a large amount of tannin, which is an astringent, and I found some references to it being drunk as a tea or applied as a wash to help alleviate rheumatism, gout, infections and fever.

With a name like enchanter's nightshade, you would think it would really come into its own magically - but surprisingly I couldn't find it mentioned in the books I usually turn to when looking up magical plant and herbs. Some online research told me that its Latin name, Circaea lutetiana, which relates to the enchantress Circe of Greek mythology, and that perhaps it was one of the herbs she was thought to have put into her potion to turn Odysseus's shipmates into pigs in Homer's epic poem. With this association, it could be used in spells for enchantment, transformation and even cursing.

According to folklore, in the language of flowers enchanter's nightshade means witchcraft or sorcery - another reason to leave it growing in my front garden among my lavender.

Note: This is for information only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified medical herbalist before taking any herbal remedy.


Links and previous related posts
http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-flowers/white-flowers/enchanter%E2%80%99s-nightshade/
http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:enchanter-s-nightshade
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circaea_lutetiana
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/07/pagan-eye-echinacea-flowers-in-bloom.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/07/magical-plants-and-herbs-chamomile.html

News Story on "The Dark Side of Witchcraft" in Wales

While browsing news stories about witchcraft and paganism, I came across a story published in The Daily Post earlier this month entitled North Wales X Files: The Dark Side of Witchcraft. It was all about desecration of Christian churches and attacks on animals that had been blamed on witches and pagans back in the 1980s and 90s. Here is the link: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-x-files-dark-11617883

It is one of those kinds of news stories that really pisses modern pagan witches off because, as I am sure readers of my blog will know, neither desecration of churches nor animal cruelty are a part of any regular modern pagan witchcraft tradition in the UK. Wiccans in particular believe that it is wrong to harm people or other creatures, and Wiccan rites do not include animal sacrifice or mutilation. Our rites are all about honouring nature and celebrating the cycles of life and of the seasons - they do not involve Christian churches in any way either.

Now, the article does point out that Wicca "can" use magic for good, but goes on to say that in North Wales: "Witchcraft has been used to satisfy more sinister goals."

As evidence, the articles states: "In June 1987 two 16-year-old boys came before Llandudno Juvenile Court after they urinated on the altar at Llandudno’s Holy Trinity church. One of the boys later told police he was a pagan and had stolen church ornaments for use in occult rituals. Then a couple of years after, one of the boys appeared on ITV’s Cook Report as a reformed Satanist."

These two 16-year-olds sound more like confused teenage vandals than part of any genuine occult tradition. And, in any case, Satanists are not pagans. Satan is the Christian Devil, he is not a pagan God or Goddess, so pagans do not worship him any more than they worship Christ.

The other people quoted in the story are all Christian ministers, while fearful villagers are referenced as saying they believed a local coven was behind it. It would really have been nice if the journalist who wrote the story had also asked the Pagan Federation - or the local coven - for a quote.

To be honest, this story seems like something out of the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 90s that was the subject of a conference in London recently. As I blogged about after attending the conference, the modern day witch hunt was fuelled in a large part by sensationalist journalism spreading stories started by fundamental Christians, but without fully investigating all the evidence.

This latest news story talks about X Files and admits that, apart from the two teenagers who got their day in court followed by a moment of TV fame, the perpetrators of the desecrations and animal attacks have not been caught. The fact that "scared villagers" blamed witches doesn't mean a lot. Scared villagers have been getting out their pitchforks and burning torches to blame witches for all sorts of misfortunes ever since pitchforks and burning torches were invented. It doesn't mean that witches have ever really been behind the stuff they've been accused of.

But I don't live in North Wales and can only speculate based on my knowledge of modern pagan witchcraft and what I have learnt about Satanic Panics. If you do live in that area or know anything about the background to the story in The Daily Post, do leave a comment. You can also comment on the newspaper's website here: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-x-files-dark-11617883

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/07/uk-satanic-abuse-scare-25-years-on_7.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/07/uk-satanic-abuse-scare-25-years-on-jean.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/02/question-does-media-depict-witchcraft.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/05/news-satanism-101-in-washington-post.html

Science Shows How to Communicate with Plants

I must admit that I do have conversations with plants. I talk to the flowers growing in my garden and like to think that the trees in my local park whisper words of wisdom to me as I walk through on my way to the shops or the station.

If you want to know what I imagine the trees say, it is usually: "Why do you humans always rush about so much? Slow down, enjoy the sunshine. Feel the rain on your skin, the breeze in your hair and the earth beneath your feet. Take a deep breath and just enjoy the moment."

Now, apparently, scientists have developed a way to help us see and hear what plants are really saying. I got a press release about a kickstarter project for something called Phytl Signs, which can help you decode the language of plants. Here are the details I was sent:

Are you captivated and intrigued by how plants communicate? Would you like to accelerate plant science by helping to decode what your plants are actually saying? With Phytl Signs, an innovative and unique wearable for plants, you can! Available through the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, Phytl Signs already has over 130 backers and is over half way to reaching its funding goal. Make a pledge before the 29th July 2016 and join a community of people digitally connecting with their plants to ultimately understand them better! 

So, how does it work? Phytl Signs is essentially a plant monitor – but it’s unlike any other plant monitor – because it specifically listens in to what the plant itself is communicating rather than simply measuring the air temperature or the soil around it. It works by amplifying the electrical signals that plants use to communicate internally, allowing us, for the first time, to hear them (though a speaker attached to the device) and see them (through an app on your phone or tablet). Using Phytl Signs you can test how your plants respond to changes in their environment. For example, water or mist your plants, move them to a warmer or cooler spot, and observe, through their language of electrical signals, how they react. 

"It’s really different.... It will be good to see day-to-day variations and start to see patterns... you'll get to know your plants' signals," says Ken Hollis, a plant enthusiast, from Cheshire. 

Hearing and seeing what plants are telling us is, however, just one part of the Phytl Signs story. 

“By analysing the signals that plants use for internal communication we can start to unlock the messages within them,” says Nigel Wallbridge, Tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Vivent Sárl (the company behind the device). “Is a plant under attack from pests? Does it need water? Understanding what our plants are saying is exciting for everyone – from those who would like to take better care of their plants, to those interested in nature, the environment, sustainability, the future of food production... the possibilities are far reaching.”  

Through Phytl Signs you can be part of a community of people helping to decode the language of plants. You will be able to share your observations about the signals your plants are emitting and hear from others about their experiences too. And the signals your plants emit can be captured and analysed with those collected from Phytl Signs devices all over the world. This is crowdsourced data in action, real citizen science! 

Dr Robert Degli-Agosti of the University of Geneva, says: “The experiments that people do at home, when wisely collated will provide important pointers for very serious and disciplined academic or industrial research projects.” 

Using Phytl Signs to explore your plants’ signals provides a unique opportunity to be a plant science pioneer, and to build a deeper and more enriching relationship with your plants. The money you pledge via Kickstarter will buy the tooling and components for the first large production run, and allow the software for the app to be developed so that it is engaging, exciting and easy to use. Phytl Signs will be delivered to backers in April 2017.

You can find out more about the kickstarter project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1538287584/phytl-signs-explorer-the-worlds-first-wearable-for

News: Pagans, Witchcraft, Witch Hunts, History, Media

"South African Pagan's Rights Alliance fights against witch-hunts" - story at Times LIVE: http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2016/07/15/South-African-Pagan%E2%80%99s-Rights-Alliance-fights-against-witch-hunts

"'Witch' Prison Revealed in 15th-Century Scottish Chapel" - story at Live Science: http://www.livescience.com/55452-witch-prison-revealed-in-scottish-chapel.html

"Black Magic: 6 Infamous Witch Trials in History" - story at Live Science: http://www.livescience.com/55431-infamous-witch-trials-in-history.html

"The brutal witch hunts of a love struck Scottish king" - blog at the Scotsman: http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/the-brutal-witch-hunts-of-a-love-struck-scottish-king-1-4180370

"I Asked a Witch to Help Me With Social Media Overload" - story at Motherboard: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/i-asked-a-witch-to-help-me-with-social-media-overload

"The Witch's Kate Dickie talks Puritans, creepy twins, and that raven scene" - story at the Evening Standard: http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/kate-dickie-talks-puritans-creepy-twins-and-that-raven-scene-in-the-witch-a3299561.html

This Week's Pagan Events In and Near London

Here are pagan-friendly events in London and other parts of the UK in the week and a bit running up to Lammas, the Wheel of the Year festival to celebrate the start of the harvest. 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 - 11 September; Georgiana Houghton: Spirit Drawings Summer Showcase. Exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand
London WC2R 0RN. Tickets £9, free for members. Details: http://courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/what-on/exhibitions-displays/georgiana-houghton-spirit-drawings

Now - 12 September; Austin Osman Spare - A 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 27 November, Sunken Cities - Egypt’s Lost Worlds. Major exhibition at the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Tickets £16.50. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Now to Thursday 21 July; Free online Shamanism Global Summit. More details and registration here: http://shamanismsummit.com/

Wednesday 20 July;  Meetup with Tara Lal, author of Standing On my Brother’s Shoulders. Venue: 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/

Wednesday 20 July; Spiritual Ecology: Aliveness and the metamorphosis of science. Talk by Andreas Weber. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets £12/£8. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Wednesday 20 July; Summerland Pagans Moot. Venue: Summerland, 92a London Road, Hemel Hempstead. Tickets: £5. Time: 7pm. http://www.meetup.com/The-Summerland-Pagans/

Wednesday 20 July; 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 21 July; Meetup with Phillip Pegler and learn the story of story of Martin Israel. Venue: 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 21 July; 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 21 July; 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 21 July; 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/

Friday 22 July; Magickal circle at the Covenant of Hekate sanctuary in Clapham, London. This is an ongoing circle for people who have an already established connection with Hekate and who would like to develop their psychic and magickal skills and to share with others their present knowledge. It happens every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, until September. Time: 7pm to 10pm. No admission fee. Bring an offering for the sanctuary - which can be wild flowers, herbs, incense or candles, plus a food contribution for sharing. For the address please write to the sanctuary Torch Bearer, Andrea Meryem Angelos: hekatemagna@gmail.com.

Friday 22 July; The Routes to Modern Wicca. Guided talk on the history of witchcraft taking place at the British Museum with the London Wicca Meet-up Group. Meet at the Lion of Knidos in the Great Hall, The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG, London. Time: 7pm. You must reserve a place in advance. For details and to book a place visit: http://www.meetup.com/The-London-Wicca-Meetup-Group/

Friday 22 July; Enchantment - An Evening of Chant and Mantra with Stewart Pearce. 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 23 July; Pagan Peace Meditation Hosted by Pagan Call for Peace - wherever you are, at any time, free. Meditate how you choose, be calm and positive. The idea is that like attracts like - so peaceful meditation will attract more peace into the world. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/307967059538840/


Saturday 23 July; The Feminine and Social Change. Workshop for women. Venue: St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG. Time: 10am start. Tickets £50/£40. Details and booking: https://www.stethelburgas.org/

Saturday 23 July; Making Perfume Oils Workshop with Tanya Moulding. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 11am to 5.30pm. Ticket price £70 (£40 deposit in advance), all materials supplied. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 23 July; Ritual Art Workshop hosted by Foolish People and John Harrigan. Venue: Coate Studios: Creative Hub Workshops, 37 Coate Street, London E2 9AG. Time: 11am-4pm. Tickets £40/£30. https://billetto.co.uk/ritual-art-workshop-605758

Saturday 23 July; Crossbones Vigil to honour The Goose and the outcast dead of Cross Bones Graveyard. Bring a flower, a ribbon, a totem or memento to tie to the shrine. Gather from 6.45pm for a 7pm start in Redcross Way outside the Memorial Gates, London SE1 1TA. For more details, visit http://www.crossbones.org.uk/

Saturday 23 July; Ecstatic Dance London: Dancing with Trees and Silent Disco free event. Meet between 2pm-2:20pm at Hampstead Heath Tube Station to walk to the site. You must reserve a place in advance: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ecstatic-dance-london-presents-dancing-with-trees-silent-disco-free-tickets-26543085082

Sunday 24 July; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: http://www.meetup.com/londonspiritualcommunity

Monday 25 July; Lecture: Between Fascination and Horror: the ancient Egyptian animal cult. Venue: BP Lecture Theatre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 1.30pm. Tickets free but booking essential. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org

Monday 25 July; Croydon Children of Artemis Gathering has relocating to High Holborn and is now called the Witches Gathering. It now meets on the last Monday of each month. Venue: downstairs in the cellar of the Cittie of Yorke, 22 High Holborn, London WC1V 6BS. Starting for 7.30pm. onwards. For any questions email coacentral@witchcraft.org or visit http://www.witchfest.net/

Tuesday 26 July; The Shamanic Path - Sacred Rebellion. Talk by Jez Hughes, author of The Heart of Life. 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 26 July; Healing Energy Workshop: Connecting to your Inner Writer with the Sensing Energy and Intuition Development Meetup Group. Venue: St Stephen's Church Hall, 48 Emperor's Gate. London SW7 4HJ. Time: 7pm to 9pm. Cost: £15. Details and to reserve a place: http://www.meetup.com/Sensing-Energy-and-Intuition-Development/

Tuesday 26 July; A History of Life After Death hosted by London Fortean Society. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets £5. http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lfs-a-history-of-life-after-death-tickets-25504759422

Tuesday 26 July; 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 27 July; Hertford Pagan Moot. 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 28 July; Meetup with Taz Thornton, author of Whispers from the Earth 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 28 July; The Afterlife in the Modern West. Lecture by Prof Philip Almond. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Ticket price £8. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Friday 29 July; Embrace Abundance - A Gong Bath with Diana Vernon. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 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/

Saturday 30 July. Wild Food and Remedies. Foraging and preparation workshop run by London Wildlife Trust. Venue: New River Studio - Woodberry Wetlands 1 Newnton Close, London, N4 2RH. Time: 10am to 1.30pm. Tickets £37.75. Details and booking: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wild-food-remedies-registration-23201974731

Saturday 30 July - Sunday 31 July; Reiki level 1 two-day workshop hosted by Return of the Goddess. Venue: The Yoga Shed, 62b College Rd, Bromley, BR1 3PE. Time: 11am-5pm. Cost £150. Advance booking necessary. More details: http://www.hayleyrogers.com/  or https://www.facebook.com/events/1026518114070322/

Saturday 30 July - Sunday 31 July; Eastbourne Lammas Festival. Lammas ritual plus music, dance, stalls, food and drink on Eastbourne seafront. Western Lawns, Eastbourne Seafront West, King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 4EE. Free. http://www.lammasfest.org/

Sunday 31 July; 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 31 July; Mugwort Lucid Dreaming Workshop run by Apiary Studios. Venue: Apiary Studios - 458 Hackney Road, London, E2 9EG. Time: 10.30am-4pm. Tickets: £48.67 – £64.49. Details and booking: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mugwort-lucid-dreaming-workshop-tickets-26051986192

Sunday 31 July; Wicca Lammas 2016 Pan's Picnic at Trent Park with London Woodland Witches Wiccans Ritual Magicians and Pagans. Meet at Cockfosters Gate,Trent Park, Cockfosters Road, Enfield, Barnet, North London. Time: 1.30pm-7pm. Wear suitable clothes for an outdoor event and bring a packed lunch. Details: http://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Sunday 31 July; Lughnasadh. Evening service led by the Wheel of the Year Group at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 7pm. http://www.rosslynhillchapel.com/

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.

Ancient Sounds: What's Hidden in The Hills in Dorset?

I was very intrigued by a press release with the title What's Hidden in The Hills in Dorset?  Reading what it said, I was even more interested. Apparently an immersive sound experience has been created around seven ancient sacred sites in Dorset, that you can listen to using a smartphone, but only if you visit the location in person. Here are the details in full:

For nearly five millennia, from the Neolithic through the Bronze Age to the beginnings of the Iron Age, from 4,000 years before the birth of Christ to 800 years after, the people of this island created landscapes of massive earthworks, timber and stone. Along what is now known as the South Dorset Ridgeway, a ‘Ritual Landscape’ or ‘Grand Necropolis’ contains more than 500 barrows, henges and causeways in an area between West Bexington in the West to Osmington in the East.

What histories, what stories would these stones, and ancient barrows tell us if they could talk? What legends, fairy tales, local myths and oral histories have been woven into and around the landscape? What natural and created sounds can be heard high on the skyline underground, along footpaths, ancient tracks, and whispering woodlands?
In a ground-breaking new project in partnership with the South Dorset Landscape Partnership known as The Land of Bone and Stone ( lead by the Dorset AONB,) an App has been developed which allows you to experience this universe for yourself! SATSYMPH have laid out a series of sound-pools in 7 evocative locations along the rolling South Dorset Ridgeway. Access the sound-pools by downloading an app onto your smartphone, plus background maps online, and head out to any of the 7 locations. Once there, open the app, plug your headphones in and wander. Your smartphone automatically senses the sound-hotspots through GPS and opens out the sound experience.

Land Bone Stone Apps 1-3 were made by the 3-man artistic collective SATSYMPH working with DIVAcontemporary, Sir John Colfox School (Bridport), Beaminster School, Weymouth College and Dorset Studio School, InsideOut Dorset, Artmusic, Frances Aitken and members of the public. 

James Sharpe, South Dorset Ridgeway landscape partnership manager, said: "We are delighted to have brought together such a unique project. We feel it takes the user through a one-off experience that pulls together heritage, culture and archaeology that brings the landscape alive in a completely different way. It's not a walking trail but an almost theatrical experience. Engaging the community, folklore and oral tradition of the area and the vibrant history of the Ridgeway, all set before time, deeply hidden in the hills."

The audio-app uses your phone’s GPS and will only play in the given locations: at and around the Grey Mare and her Colts Neolithic long barrow, White Hill Plantation area, Chapel Coppice above Abbotsbury; at and around the Hardy Monument and Bronkham Barrows; Kingston-Russell stone circle; and Culliford Tree Barrow. You have to go there to hear it, you can’t hear it anywhere else! No need for a phone signal though, – the audio-app uses your phone’s GPS!

Land Bone Stone Apps 1-3 can be downloaded from: http://satsymph.co.uk/projects-and-events/interpretation/southdorsetridgeway with links to Google Play and App Store etc.

For more information contact: James Sharpe Landscape Partnership Manager, South Dorset Ridgeway on Tel: 01305 22824  or http://www.dorsetaonb.org.uk/sdr-news/1225-sdr-whats-hidden-in-the-hills. Twitter @LandBoneStone #hiddeninthehills