Indulge Yourself at the Mind Body Soul Experience

Alexandra Palace will once again open its doors to visitors of the Mind Body Soul Experience, on 20th, 21st and 22nd October 2017. The show guide visitors the chance to embark on a journey of discovery and renewal, with hundreds of experts on hand to guide them.

The selection of experts include inspirational speakers, life coaches, mediums, readers and counsellors using their gifts to enlighten, encourage and educate visitors who are seeking guidance.

The Therapy Zone, proving a popular addition to the event in recent years, returns once more, with massage, reiki, reflexology, acupuncture, and so much more on offer. Therapists are dedicated to ensuring that visitors leave feeling on top of the world.

With incredible stage peformances, uplifting workshops, and a showcase of exhibitors selling
everything from jewellery and art to superfoods, there’s something for everyone.
A ticket to the Mind Body Soul Experience also includes free entry to the OM Yoga Show, taking place in an adjoining hall.

Entrance tickets are available to purchase from the Mind Body Soul Experience, and are also
available to purchase on the day. A free show guide can be downloaded, giving full details of the workshop and performance schedule.

You can find out more here: https://london.mbsevents.co.uk/

Spider Phobia Workshop for Arachnophobes

I like spiders, but apparently 55 per cent of women and 18 per cent of men are frightened of them.

September and October is known as ‘Spider Season’ the time of the year when spiders come inside to mate. This is a real problem for the estimated 12 million UK adults who suffer from arachnophobia - a fear of spiders.

However, the Spider Courage Experience has a 4-hour course that offers to help. The organisers claim that people arrive with a fear of spiders and leave with the fear either disappeared or massively reduced to the extent that they can hold a live tarantula.

Run by founder and spider educator Britain Stelly and Harley Street hypnotherapist Adam Cox, The Spider Courage Experience takes place from 1pm to 5pm on selected Saturdays and offer a range of different therapeutic techniques such as, NLP, CBT, hypnotherapy and education that will give participants tools to build confidence in all areas of life beyond just the fear of spiders.

Good Morning Britain recently filmed a spider phobia therapy session with Britain Stelly at the ITV studios and at Chessington World of Adventures to highlight the extent that people with arachnophobia are affected by spiders during this time of year. Even Piers Morgan got so excited about the spiders he tried to kiss one of the tarantula's! Over three days of filming Britain helped more than 40 arachnophobes, including some celebrities, to overcome their fears.

James Jordon from Strictly Come Dancing struggled to even grasp the idea of holding a tarantula and on the first day refused to do it. Even running away when the tarantulas were brought out. By the third day, he held 'Peaches' one of the Spider Courage Experience therapy spiders and was thrilled to do so.

"It was a massive change to be able to do that!" James said.

Amber Davies, the recent winner of Love Island, was also able to hold a tarantula by the end of the therapy. Gemma Magnusson, despite being a champion weight lifter and one of the strongest women in the world, had always suffered with arachnophobia but managed to overcome her fears. In an emotional moment she held a tarantula and let a house spider crawl onto her hand. It destroyed her fear in one moment and changed her outlook on spiders all together.

Adam Cox, the hypnotherapist for The Spider Courage Experience explained why such dramatic changes can happen so quickly. He said: “Phobias are learnt quickly either by an initial sensitising event or often from parents or family members. The mind works quickly to develop a fear as part of a survival strategy. The techniques we use can create an immediate change because we do things quickly. Many people can’t believe that you can destroy a phobia in a few hours but it’s easier to do it fast as that’s how the mind works!”.

Although it’s still spider season right up to Halloween, arachnophobes no longer have to let spiders be the thing they fear. Creature courage is offering a free hypnosis download on its site to help get through the rest of the tricky time.

The next Spider Courage Experience takes place at Chessington World of Adventures on October 21.

Links and previous related posts
http://creaturecourage.com/services/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/06/spells-cecil-williamson-spiders-web.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/12/the-spiders-bride-great-ebook-for.html

Community Book Every Day Magic is at the Printers!

I've had a notification that the community book I edited - Every Day Magic - A Pagan Book of Days - is at the printers. It is always so exciting when a project you've been working on for a long while gets another step closer to becoming public!

Every Day Magic is a Moon Books community book and contains contributions from nearly 50 pagan authors and practitioners from many different traditions across the world, including Atlantis' Geraldine Beskin, best-selling pagan authors Ellen Evert Hopman, Melusine Draco, Harmonia Saille, Rachel Patterson, Caroline Wise and Elen Sentier and other Moon Books writers.

Here is the description from publisher Moon Books' website:

Every Day Magic - A Pagan Book of Days contains 366 spells, rituals, meditations, Pagan prayers, divinatory techniques, poems to read and recipes and craft projects to try out, along with the details of festivals that take place throughout the year. All the activities are intended to be easy to follow so you can pick up the book, open it to a day and find something you can do. There are festivals from the ancient world and modern Pagan celebrations as well.

As well as coming up with the idea for Every Day Magic, I edited and contributed to it - and I'm very proud of it. However, as it is a community book I will not be receiving royalties - I asked for any money raised from it to be used to help bring more pagan writers' works into publication.

The book isn't due to be officially launched until November 24, but you will be able to see and buy early copies of the book at the launch party on November 4 at The Atlantis Bookshop, 49A Museum St, London WC1A 1LY. The party runs from 4pm to 7pm and there will be tea and cake as well as a chance to hear some readings from the book. The launch event will be free to attend, but you will need to reserve a place in advance. Tel: 020 7405 2120, email atlantis@theatlantisbookshop.com or pop into the shop to book your place. You can also contact the shop to order copies of the book if you can't get there in person.

You can also take part in a Thunderclap to celebrate the official launch of the book on November 24. It is completely free to take part in this - for more details, go to this link: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/09/help-announce-every-day-magic-with.html

Links and previous related posts
http://www.theatlantisbookshop.com/
http://www.moon-books.net/books/pagan-portals-pagan-book-days
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/08/events-autumn-launch-party-for-every.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/05/pagan-eye-gift-of-books-to-museum-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/09/help-announce-every-day-magic-with.html

This Week's Pagan Events In and Near London

Here are events in London plus a few in other parts of the UK over the next 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 to 31 December; The London Stone on Display. Venue: Museum of London, 150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN. Free exhibition during museum opening hours. http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london

Now to 30 September; Austin Osman Spare exhibition at the Last Tuesday Society. Venue: Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/

Wednesday 27 September; Let's Meditate - group meditation. Venue: Buddha on a Bicycle, Covent Garden, London. Starts 6pm. Donations of £3 recommended. Details: http://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Wednesday 27 September; Bone Dance - Dismemberment Dance with Behind the Veil Shamanism. Venue: English National Ballet School, Hortensia Rd, London SW10 0QS. Time: 7.15pm Tickets: £25. https://www.meetup.com/Behind-The-Veil-Shamanism/

Wednesday 27 September; Study Group - Esoteric Science. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7.15pm. http://www.rsh.anth.org.uk/ and https://www.meetup.com/rudolf-steiners-spiritual-science/

Wednesday 27 September; Pagan Chants and Music at 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. https://www.facebook.com/groups/104788436218047/

Thursday 28 September; Truth about the Satanic Panic and Other Modern Myths. Talk by Professor Chris French. Venue: The Albany, 240 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5QU. Time: 7pm. Ticket: £10. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/truth-about-the-satanic-panic-other-modern-myths-with-prof-chris-french-tickets-37302382430

Thursday 28 September; The Magic Lamp: Dreams of Our Age. Talk by Ben Okri organised by Alternatives. Venue: St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL, Talk starts: 7pm. Tickets £10/£15/£20 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Thursday 28 September; Enlightenment is Your Nature. Talk and book signing by Maneesha James.  Venue: Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit the website http://www.watkinsbooks.com/

Thursday 28 September; Seeking British Bigfoot. Talk at The London Fortean Society. Venue: The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX. Time: 7.45pm. Tickets: £4 / £2 concessions. http://forteanlondon.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/seeking-british-bigfoot.html

Friday 29 September; A Harmonic Universe: Geometry, Harmony and the Measure of Heaven and Earth. Rilko (Research Into Lost Knowledge) lecture by Adam Tetlow. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 6.45pm. Entrance: £8/£10. Details: http://www.rilko.net/EZ/rilko/rilko/home.php

Friday 29 September; The Wiccan Rede Gathering and History of Wicca by Ethan Doyle White with the London Wicca Meetup Group. Venue: Central London Pub in zone 1 or 2. Time: 7pm. https://www.meetup.com/The-London-Wicca-Meetup-Group/

Friday 29 September; Womanifesting Your Power with the Goddesses. Talk by Abiola Abrams. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £12/£14. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 29 September; Open Circle - every Friday for anyone wishing to develop their psychic and mediumistic abilities. Venue: Woodford Church at 9 Grove Crescent, South Woodford, London E18 2JR. Time 7.30pm. Cost: £3. http://woodfordchurch.com/

Friday 29 September; Om Healing for body mind and soul. Venue: The Dhyana Centre, 50 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8EA. Time: 8pm. https://www.meetup.com/Light-in-London/

Saturday 30 September - Sunday 5 November; Certaine Wytches: Fear, Myth and Magic - exhibition by Anne Jackson. Venue: Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stratford Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4AF. Entry: Free. There is also a series of talks and other events running alongside the exhibition, tickets £5/£7/£3. Details: http://www.museuminthepark.org.uk/certaine-wytches/

Saturday 30 September - Sunday October 1; Anne Besant Conference at the Theosophical Society in London. Venue: The Theosophical Society, 50 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8EA. Time: 9.30am start. Tickets £15-£50. https://www.meetup.com/Theosophical-Society-in-London/  and http://www.theosophicalsociety.org.uk/

Saturday 30 September; The Canterbury Mystical Market (Autumn) hosted by The Magical Times Magazine. Venue: The Westgate Hall,Westgate Hall Rd, Canturbury Kent CT1 2BT. Time: 11am-4pm. Tickets £2.50 on the door. www.mysticalarts.co.uk

Saturday 30 September; PFNE Convention Scarborough. Venue: Britannia Grand Hotel Scarborough
St Nicholas Cliff,  Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 2ET. Time: 10am - 4.30pm. Tickets £10/£15.  www.paganfedne.org

Saturday 30 September; Wild Women Temple: Initiation with Wild Woman Gatherings. Venue: Leyton Abbotts Park Road, London. Time: 3pm. Cost: £20. https://www.meetup.com/WILD-WOMEN-CIRCLES-LONDON/

Saturday 30 September; Gong Bath. Venue: The Upminster Complementary Healing and Teaching Sanctuary, Pea Lane, Upminster RM142XH. Time: 7.30pm. Entry: £120 in advance. http://www.healingandteaching.co.uk/

Sunday 1 October - 29 October; London Month of the Dead - series of talks, performances and workshops hosted by A Curious Invitation. Venues include Brompton Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery, Kensal Green Cemetery, St Brides Church and the Petrie Museum. Tickets from £10/£12. Details and Bookings: http://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Sunday 1 October; Opening of Mimosa Love and Light Spiritual Centre. This will held on the 1st Sunday of every month with readings, stalls, therapies, reiki and spiritual healers. Venue Harold Hill Community Centre, Gooshays Drive, Harold Hill RM3 9LB. All day to 10pm.  Entry £4 - raffle £1.00. This is a non profit event. https://www.facebook.com/events/346927842416224/

Sunday 1 October; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Sunday 1 October; North West Kent Green Pagan Circle Moot. Venue: Chislehurst Caves, Bromley, BR7 5NL. Time: 10am-noon. https://www.facebook.com/groups/445487428816887/

Sunday 1 October; Wicca course -part 2/3 - working with Horned Gods and Moon Goddess in Wicca with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Wimbledon Woods (meet outside Windmill Tea Room), Windmill Road, London, SW19 5NQ. Time: 11.30am-6pm. Cost: £13. You must reserve a place in advance. Wear outdoor clothes and bring a blanket to sit on. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Sunday 1 October; Full Moon Tea Ceremony and Women's Circle. Venue:  Crucifix Lane, London, SE1 3JW. Time 6pm. Cost: £20, http://uk.funzing.com/funz/full-moon-tea-ceremony-and-women-s-circle-7445

Monday 2 October; Bettany Hughes lecture on Aphrodite. Venue: BP Lecture Theatre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 6.30pm. Tickets: free but booking essential. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Monday 2 October; What am I doing with my life? Talk by Christopher Titmuss. Organised by Alternatives. Venue: St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL, Starts: 7pm. Tickets £15/£20 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Monday 2 October; Shakespeare's Poisonous Herbs. Lecture by Gerit Quealy. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.30pm. Ticket price £8. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Monday 2 October; Strange Labyrinth: Lost and Found in Epping Forest hosted by London Fortean Society. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £6.08. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/strange-labyrinth-outlaws-poets-mystics-murderers-of-epping-forest-tickets-37061966339

Tuesday 3 October; Romford Moot hosted by Mamma Moon Magick, Venue: Golden Lion, Romford, Essex. Time: 7.30pm. Entry £4. https://www.facebook.com/mammamoonmagick/

Tuesday 3 October; Witches' Inn Gathering. Venue: Red Lion, 48 Linkfield Lane, Redhill, RH1 1DP. Starts at 8pm. Moots are the first Tuesday of each month. For more details visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1219954618115987/

Wednesday 4 October; Let's Meditate - group meditation. Venue: Buddha on a Bicycle, Covent Garden, London. Starts 6pm. Donations of £3 recommended. Details: http://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Thursday 5 October; Worldwide Womb Blessing Day. You can take part anywhere in the world, but if you are in London, one event is taking place in West Norwood at 11.30am. Details: https://www.meetup.com/South-London-Red-Tent/ and http://www.wombblessing.com/

Thursday 5 October; Woodland Wicca: Aries Full Moon Ceremony with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Meet at Wimbledon Common, Bus Stop S, Parkside Avenue, London SW19 from 7pm, then walk to the woods. Cost: £3 You must reserve a place in advance. Wear outdoor clothes and bring food and drink to share. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Thursday 5 October; PFL Autumn Equinox Open Ritual hosted by The Pagan Federation London and guests. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL, Time: 7.30pm for 8pm start. Entry £5/£6. https://pflondon.info/

Thursday 5 October; Egyptian Alchemy Healing and Reading Past Lives with Joanna Bristow-Watkins. Hosted by Earth Energy Network and Earthstars Sacred Space. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London NW1 4SH. Time: Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start. Entry by donations. https://www.facebook.com/events/190234604852568/

Friday 6 October; Demonstration of Trance Mediumship with Gordon Smith. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £25/£20. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 7 October, Witchfest International 2017 run by Children of Artemis. Huge pagan conference with talks, workshops, entertainment and a market. I will be giving a talk on candle magic at 2pm and later signing copies of my book Pagan Portals - Candle Magic. Venue: The Brighton Centre, King's Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR. Time: 10am Saturday until the early hours of Sunday morning. There is also a Friday evening event. Tickets: £13.62 – £36.02. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/witchfest-international-2017-tickets-31394224972

Saturday 7 October; Death Cafe - discuss death over tea and cake. Part of the London Month of the Dead series of talk. Venue: Kensal Green Cemetery Dissenters' Chapel, 364 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5AB. Time: 10am-noon. Free event, but you must book your place in advance. Details and Bookings: http://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Saturday 7 October; Really Get To Know Your Wild Plants - Fruits and Seeds, with The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. Venue: Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, The Soanes Centre, Southern Grove, London E3 4PX. Time: 10am-3.30pm. Tickets: £25/£30. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/really-get-to-know-your-wild-plants-fruits-and-seeds-tickets-37810395912

Saturday 7 October, Altered States in Magic. A Full-day workshop with Julian Vayne. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 11am-5.30pm. Tickets £75. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 7 October; Teens code the collection: lucky charms - digital event for 13-15-year-olds. Venue: Samsung Centre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 11am. Tickets: free. For more details visit: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Saturday 7 October; Understanding Kabbalah workshop with Maggy Whitehouse. Venue: The Atlantis Bookshop, 49A Museum St, London WC1A 1LY. Time: noon-5pm. Tickets: £45. Tel: 020 7405 2120. Website: http://www.theatlantisbookshop.com/

Saturday 7 October; Rune workshop. Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Rd, London, SE9 6SH. Cost is £15. Time: 2pm. For details or to book a place email shirlee@wiccamoon.org.uk or call 020 8850 7803. You can also visit the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Wicca-Moon-101700123226695/

Saturday 7 October; Subterranean Sanctuaries - Crypts and Catacombs. Talk by Malcolm Johnson. Part of the London Month of the Dead series of talk. Venue: Kensal Green Cemetery Dissenters' Chapel, 364 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5AB. Time: 3pm. Tickets £12. Details and Bookings: http://www.londonmonthofthedead.com/

Saturday 7 October; October Full Moon Peace Fires. Light a candle or fire for peace wherever you are in the world, for as short or long a time as you like between 2pm and 10pm PDT (US) time, which is from 10pm-6am UK time. You can light a candle just for an hour or so and state the intention: “Let there be peace on earth and love for one another.” Details: http://peacefires.org/

Sunday 8 October; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Sunday 8 October; The Alchemy of Transformation. Workshop with Malcolm Stern organised by Alternatives. Venue: Heythrop College, 23 Kensington Square, London W8 5HN. Time: 10.30am-5pm. Tickets £10/£15/£20 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Sunday 8 October; Sunday Walks: Stag-Watch and Magic Wand Making in Richmond Park. Meet at the coffee shop in Richmond Station ticket hall at 1pm- 1.30pm to get the bus to the park, or meet at`Richmond Gate, Richmond Park, TW10 6RP  by 1.45pm to start the walk at 2pm. The walk ends at 7pm. Cost: £13. https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Note: I do not organise any of these event except my talk on candle magic at Witchfest. Although I try to make sure my listing is accurate, I am not always aware of changes etc. Please contact the organisers of any event you want to go to before turning up.

News: Witchcraft, Witch Hunts, Occult, Druids

"Annie Palmer, the White Witch of Rose Hall" - story at Ancient Origins: http://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/annie-palmer-white-witch-rose-hall-008837

"Remembering the Victims of the Salem Witch Executions" - story at Biography: https://www.biography.com/news/salem-witch-trials-facts

"70-yr-old woman branded witch, beaten to death in Udr village" - story at Udaipur Kiran: https://udaipurkiran.com/70-yr-old-woman-branded-witch-beaten-to-death-in-udr-village/

"For modern witches, the occult provides something the church can't" - story at ABC Online: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-20/why-are-australians-turning-to-paganism-and-modern-witchcraft/8948824

"Druids' robes and City suits rub shoulders on Primrose Hill" - story at Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/964773b8-9883-11e7-8c5c-c8d8fa6961bb

Pagan Eye: Mysterious Romano British Coin Hoard

This Romano British pot and coin hoard are on display at Living on the Edge: 8,000 Years by the Sea - an exhibition of archaeological finds that's on in Eastbourne, East Sussex, at the moment.

The vessel and coins were buried about 275AD and the mystery surrounding them is, why were they buried? Although some coin hoards were hidden for safekeeping, but never recovered by their owners because war killed them or drove them away, this one was buried at a time when the area was relatively peaceful. The owner would have had ample opportunity to collect their belongings later on.

One possibility, according to the description at the exhibition, is that the coins were left as an offering for Gods or local spirits. In England, there was an ancient tradition of sacrificing valuables by burying them in the earth or throwing them in water to ask for divine favours. It is possible that the practice continued through Roman times.

Living on the Edge is on at Eatbourne Pavilion. The description of the exhibition says:

Discover the stories of life along the Seven Sisters over the past 8,000 years. From Stone Age settlers and Roman farms to Victorian coastguards guarding the coast. For some, this was their first glimpse of Britain. For others leaving this coast as soldiers, it would be their last memory of home. Find out how the National Trust’s Seven Sisters Archaeology Project with its team of volunteers have preserved these stories for the future.

You can find out more here: http://www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk/Latest-Exhibitions.aspx

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

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/08/sussex-folklore-twin-to-wishing-face.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/04/pagan-eye-seven-sisters-from-cuckmere.html
http://www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk/Latest-Exhibitions.aspx
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/07/wildlife-walks-through-sussexs-pagan.html

September Mandala: Green Man of the Autumn Equinox

Today, for the Autumn Equinox, here is a Green Man created from leaves, seeds nuts and berries from my garden and trees near where I live.

Every month this year I have been making a seasonal mandala, mostly from natural items found in my garden. This spring equinox I created one showing the Goddess of Life and Death, so I thought I would balance that with a male image at this time of year, when the days and night are again of equal length.

The leaves on the trees are just starting to turn golden and the season of growth is turning towards the season when the greenery is dying. Samhain, the festival when we honour the dead is the next in the cycle of the Wheel of the Year, and we look towards it as well as looking back at the long, hot days of summer past.

This time of year has a personal reminder of death to me, as it was two years ago almost to this day that my cat Jerry passed to the Summerlands. I built a cairn for him over his grave in my garden and on the anniversary of his death I spent some time by it, remembering him. As I did that, my new kittens - Tommy and Tuppence - came out into the garden to join me. They played around the cairn and Tommy even climbed it and sat on top. It reminded me that there is a time for everything and life goes on. It is important to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us, but it is also important to take joy in the moment and appreciate those who are here.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/07/hunting-green-men-of-salisbury-cathedral.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/03/mandala-for-march-goddess-of-life-death.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/09/jerry-cat-safe-journey-to-summerlands.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/06/witches-cats-here-are-my-two-new-kittens.html

News: Autumn Equinox, Paganism, Witchcraft, History

"When is the Autumnal Equinox 2017?" - story at The Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/science/autumnal-equinox-2017-season-change-11205728

"When is the first day of autumn and the equinox in 2017?" - story at Kent Live: http://www.kentlive.news/when-is-the-first-day-of-autumn-and-the-equinox-in-2017/story-30517452-detail/story.html

"How to celebrate the equinox in Cambridge this autumn" - story at Cambridge News: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/whats-on/autumnal-equinox-2017-shortest-day-13586300

"Find out why the Pagan festival of Mabon is being held in the North East" - story at ChronicleLive: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/find-out-pagan-festival-mabon-13629081

"Excavations resume in Lagina, center of Paganism" - story at Daily Sabah - History: https://www.dailysabah.com/history/2017/09/14/excavations-resume-in-lagina-center-of-paganism

"We Hung out with Metal Pagans at a Viking Cemetery" - story at Noisey: https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/3kkgm9/we-hung-out-with-metal-pagans-at-a-viking-cemetery

"For modern witches, the occult provides something the church can't" - story at ABC Online: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-20/why-are-australians-turning-to-paganism-and-modern-witchcraft/8948824

"36 Bewitching Finds For The Basic Witch In All Of Us" - story at HuffPost: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/witchy-fashion-witchy-beauty-for-the-basic-witch-in-all-of-us_us_59c158b2e4b087fdf5088aac

"Women in east India continue to struggle against witch-hunting" - story at Arab News: http://www.arabnews.com/node/1163631/world

"The Fascinating Link Between Beer And Witches: - story at Collective Evolution: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/09/19/the-fascinating-link-between-beer-and-witches/

Autumn Equinox Pagan Events In and Near London

The Autumn Equinox is this Friday, 22 September. It is when the day and night are equal length. Here are events in London plus a few in other parts of the UK over that time 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 to 30 September; Austin Osman Spare exhibition at the Last Tuesday Society. Venue: Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/

Wednesday 20 September; Let's Meditate - group meditation. Venue: Buddha on a Bicycle, Covent Garden, London. Starts 6pm. Donations of £3 recommended. Details: http://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Wednesday 20 September; Wicca New Moon: Gaia-Selene Circle with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Queen's Woods, Near Highgate Station, London. Time: 7.30pm. Cost: £2. You must reserve a place in advance. Wear outdoor clothes and bring a blanket to sit on. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Wednesday 20 September; Study Group - Esoteric Science. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 7.15pm. http://www.rsh.anth.org.uk/ and https://www.meetup.com/rudolf-steiners-spiritual-science/

Wednesday 20 September; 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/ http://www.meetup.com/Londonpagancommunity/

Thursday 21 September; Seven Steps Into Angel Light. Talk and book signing by Chrissie Astell. Venue: Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit the website http://www.watkinsbooks.com/

Thursday 21 September; Oasis of Sound at The Barn, Kew. Organised by the Oasis of Sound Meetup Group. Venue: The Barn Kew, Atwood Ave, London TW9 4HF. Cost: £20 prebook / £25 at the door. Time: 7pm. Details: https://www.meetup.com/Oasis-of-Sound-Sound-Bath-n-Sound-Scape/

Thursday 21 September; Earthstars Group Meeting. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London NW1 4SH. Time: Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start. Entry by donations. https://www.facebook.com/events/310219209453028/

Thursday 21 September; House of Heron Drum Circle to Shamanic Journey. Venue: Caer Corhrain, 1 Southleas farm cottages, Lower Road, Minster, Sheppey, ME12 3SW. Time: 7.30pm. This takes place on the third Thursday each month. For more information visit http://www.touchtheearthuk.com/

Thursday 21 September; 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.

Friday 22 September; Wheel of the Year Festival - Autumn Equinox at Chalice Well World Peace Garden, in Glastonbury. Gather at the well head for midday meditation until 12.30pm, followed by conversation on the lower lawn. Free admission to the gardens from 10am to noon. For more details, visit the website http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/

Friday 22 September; The Goddess and the Divine Feminine - Lakshmi, hosted by Mamma Moon Magick. Venue: The Upminster Complementary Healing and Teaching Sanctuary, Pea Lane, Upminster RM142XH. Time: 7pm. Entry: £15 in advance. http://www.healingandteaching.co.uk/course/goddess-divine-feminine/

Friday 22 September; Autumn Equinox Gong Bath with Gong Master Olaf Nixon. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £20/£22. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 22 September; Open Circle - every Friday for anyone wishing to develop their psychic and mediumistic abilities. Venue: Woodford Church at 9 Grove Crescent, South Woodford, London E18 2JR. Time 7.30pm. Cost: £3. http://woodfordchurch.com/

Friday 22 September; A Night to Rock the Ancestors, with Spiral Dance and friends. Organised by The West Byfleet and Woking Moot with Dancing Hare to raise money for Horsell Common Preservation Society. Venue: The Arbor Centre, Coldharbour Road, GU22 8SP Pyrford. Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets £10 each plus £1 booking fee. Bring your own drink. https://www.wegottickets.com/event/414418

Friday 22 September; Cacao and Ecstatic Dance - with Ecstatic Dance London. Venue: Skylight Centre, 49 Corsica Street, London N5 1JT. Time: 8,30pm - 10,30pm. Tickets: £13.33 – £16.52  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cacao-ecstatic-dance-with-ecstatic-dance-london-friday-nights-tickets-33380995456

Friday 22 September; Alexandrian Witchcraft Soirée. Venue in Central London. Time 8pm https://www.facebook.com/events/489885991368508/

Saturday 23 September; A Day With Spirit and Shamanic Journey run by Shamanic Spirit at a venue in New Addington, Croydon, South London. Time: 11am start. For details and to book places call 07952 041477 or visit http://shamanicspirit.co.uk/

Saturday 23 September; A Celebration of the Druid Spirit hosted by Earth Energy Network and Earthstars Sacred Space. Contributors: Annette Armstrong, Penny Billington, Marion Briggs, David Loxle, John Matthews, Chris Street. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London NW1. Time: 10am - 9pm. Tickets £45. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-celebration-of-the-druid-spirit-tickets-35995497502

Saturday 23 September; How To Be Good: Gurus, Gods and Guidance. Day of talks, part of a year-long festival called Belief and Beyond Belief about what it means to be human. Venue: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. Saturday pass £15. More details and booking: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/belief-and-beyond-belief

Saturday 23 September; Bas-Sekmet - one-day workshop dedicated to the Egyptian Goddess of pleasure, play and sensuality and her mighty Sister of power and magick. Venue: Wicca Moon, 50 Well Hall Rd, London, SE9 6SH. Cost is £20. Time: noon. For details or to book a place email shirlee@wiccamoon.org.uk or call 020 8850 7803. You can also visit the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Wicca-Moon-101700123226695/

Saturday 23 September; Autumn Equinox Gorsedd at Coldrum Long Barrow. Hosted by Kent Gorsedd. Venue: Coldrum Stones, Neolithic Long Barrow, Trottiscliffe, Kent. Meet in the car park at noon. http://www.woodspirit.org.uk/Kent%20Gorsedd2.htm

Saturday 23 September; The Wheel of Wishes: Manifestation Workshop with the Sensing Energy and Intuition Development group. Venue: Latvian House, 72 Queensborough Terrace, London, W2 3SH,. Time: noon. Price: £20. https://www.meetup.com/Sensing-Energy-and-Intuition-Development/

Saturday 23 September; Free and Open Gorsedd of Caer Abiri Autuminal Equinox Rite at Avebury stone circle, in Wiltshire. Time: 1.30pm. Bring food and drink to share. https://www.facebook.com/events/1364105893625935/

Saturday 23 September; Crossbones Autumn Equinox Vigil to honour The Goose and the outcast dead of Cross Bones Graveyard and the dead and wounded of the London Bridge attacks. 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://crossbones.org.uk/

Sunday 24 September; Using Crystals in the Home workshop hosted by Mamma Moon Magick. Venue: The Upminster Complementary Healing and Teaching Sanctuary, Pea Lane, Upminster RM142XH. Time: 10am-4pm. Entry: £50/£55. https://www.facebook.com/events/517244678609505/

Sunday 24 September; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Sunday 24 September; Wicca Course - part two of three. Invoking the Horned God and Moon Goddess. This is an outdoor course with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue:  Wimbledon Woods (meet outside Windmill Tea Room), Windmill Road, London, SW19 5NQ. Time: 10.30am. Cost: £13. You must reserve a place in advance. Wear outdoor clothes and bring a blanket to sit on. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Sunday 24 September; Druidic Alban Elued/Autumn Equinox Celebration on Primrose Hill with the Loose Association of Druids. Gather in the Hawthorne Grove at Primrose Hill, London, NW1 8YH, between 12.30pm and 12.45pm to prepare the site ready for a prompt 1pm start. Nearest tube: Chalk Farm. Bring a small contribution of food and drink to share. All are welcome. https://www.facebook.com/notes/loose-association-of-druids-of-primrose-hill/kalendar-of-rituals-for-2017/1402901283113536/

Sunday 24 September; Awake in nature: practices to deepen our connection to the natural world. Venue: Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, The Soanes Centre, Southern Grove, London E3 4PX. Time: 1pm. Tickets: £26.79. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/awake-in-nature-practices-to-deepen-our-connection-to-the-natural-world-tickets-36540277955

Sunday 24 September; Anderida Gorsedd Druid group Auutmn Equinox open ritual at the Long Man of Wilmington, Sussex. Meet from 1.30pm to 2pm near the Long Man of Wilmington car park, for a walk up the hill at 2pm. Afterwards, those who want to to will retire to the Giants Rest pub.

Sunday 24 September; The Kith of the Tree and the Well heathen moot. Venue: The Horseshoe Inn, 26 Melior Street, London SE1 3QP. Time: 2pm. https://www.meetup.com/The-Kith-of-The-Tree-and-The-Well/

Sunday 24 September; Ageless Wisdom for Everyone talk at the Theosophical Society in London. Venue: The Theosophical Society, 50 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8EA. Time: 2pm. https://www.meetup.com/Theosophical-Society-in-London/

Sunday 24 September; Psychic and Spiritual Development Class with London NW8 Psychic and Spiritual Development Group. Venue: Violet Hill Studios, 6 Violet Hill , St Johns Wood, London
NW8 9EB. Time: 7pm. Price: £15. https://www.meetup.com/London-NW8-Psychic-and-Spiritual-Development-Group/

Monday 25 September; In Concert: Tashi Lhunpo Monks, Michael Ormiston, Candida Valentino and BlackMoon1348. Organised by Alternatives. Venue: St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL, Starts: 7pm. Tickets £15/£20 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Tuesday 26 September; Babylonian Ghosts from Tablets of Clay. Talk by Dr Irving Finkel. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £12/£14. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Tuesday 26 September; Closing reception for Austin Osman Spare exhibition at the Last Tuesday Society. Venue: Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. Time: 7pm. http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/

Wednesday 27 September; Let's Meditate - group meditation. Venue: Buddha on a Bicycle, Covent Garden, London. Starts 6pm. Donations of £3 recommended. Details: http://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Wednesday 27 September; Bone Dance - Dismemberment Dance with Behind the Veil Shamanism. Venue: English National Ballet School, Hortensia Rd, London SW10 0QS. Time: 7.15pm Tickets: £25. https://www.meetup.com/Behind-The-Veil-Shamanism/

Wednesday 27 September; Pagan Chants and Music at 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 September; The Magic Lamp: Dreams of Our Age. Talk by Ben Okri organised by Alternatives. Venue: St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL, Talk starts: 7pm. Tickets £10/£15/£20 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Thursday 28 September; Enlightenment is Your Nature. Talk and book signing by Maneesha James.  Venue: Watkins Books, 19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ. Time: 6.30pm. Free event. For more details Tel 020 7836 2182 or visit the website http://www.watkinsbooks.com/

Thursday 28 September; Seeking British Bigfoot. Talk at The London Fortean Society. Venue: The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX. Time: 7.45pm. Tickets: £4 / £2 concessions. http://forteanlondon.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/seeking-british-bigfoot.html

Friday 29 September; A Harmonic Universe: Geometry, Harmony and the Measure of Heaven and Earth. Rilko (Research Into Lost Knowledge) lecture by Adam Tetlow. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 6.45pm. Entrance: £8/£10. Details: http://www.rilko.net/EZ/rilko/rilko/home.php

Friday 29 September; The Wiccan Rede Gathering and History of Wicca by Ethan Doyle White with the London Wicca Meetup Group. Venue: Central London Pub in zone 1 or 2. Time: 7pm. https://www.meetup.com/The-London-Wicca-Meetup-Group/

Friday 29 September; Womanifesting Your Power with the Goddesses. Talk by Abiola Abrams, author of The Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm. Cost: £12/£14. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Friday 29 September; Om Healing for body mind and soul. Venue: The Dhyana Centre, 50 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8EA. Time: 8pm. https://www.meetup.com/Light-in-London/

Saturday 30 September - Sunday 5 November; Certaine Wytches: Fear, Myth and Magic - exhibition by Anne Jackson. Venue: Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stratford Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4AF. Entry: Free. There is also a series of talks and other events running alongside the exhibition, tickets £5/£7/£3. Details: http://www.museuminthepark.org.uk/certaine-wytches/

Saturday 30 September; PFNE Convention Scarborough. Venue: Britannia Grand Hotel Scarborough
St Nicholas Cliff,  Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 2ET. Time: 10am - 4.30pm. Tickets £10/£15.  www.paganfedne.org

Saturday 30 September; The Canterbury Mystical Market (Autumn) hosted by The Magical Times Magazine. Venue: The Westgate Hall,Westgate Hall Rd, Canturbury Kent CT1 2BT. Time: 11am-4pm. Tickets £2.50 on the door. www.mysticalarts.co.uk

Saturday 30 September; Wild Women Temple: Initiation with Wild Woman Gatherings. Venue: Leyton Abbotts Park Road, London. Time: 3pm. Cost: £20. https://www.meetup.com/WILD-WOMEN-CIRCLES-LONDON/

Sunday 1 October; Opening of Mimosa Love and Light Spiritual Centre.  This will held on the 1st Sunday of every month with readings, stalls, therapies, reiki and spiritual healers. Venue Harold Hill Community Centre, Gooshays Drive, Harold Hill RM3 9LB. All day to 10pm.  Entry £4 - raffle £1.00. This is a non profit event. https://www.facebook.com/events/346927842416224/

Sunday 1 October; Meditation at Russell Brands Trew Era Cafe, 30 Whitmore Road, London N1 5QA. Starts 10.15am. Free event. Details: https://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Sunday 1 October (tbc); North West Kent Green Pagan Circle Moot. Venue: Chislehurst Caves, Bromley, BR7 5NL. Time: 10am-noon. https://www.facebook.com/groups/445487428816887/

Sunday 1 October; Full Moon Tea Ceremony and Women's Circle. Venue:  Crucifix Lane, London, SE1 3JW  . Time 6pm. Cost: £20, http://uk.funzing.com/funz/full-moon-tea-ceremony-and-women-s-circle-7445

Tuesday 3 October; Witches' Inn Autumn Equinox Gathering. Venue: Red Lion, 48 Linkfield Lane, Redhill, RH1 1DP. Starts at 8pm. Moots are the first Tuesday of each month. For more details visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1219954618115987/

Thursday 5 October; Woodland Wicca: Aries Full Moon Ceremony with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Meet at Wimbledon Common, Bus Stop S, Parkside Avenue, London SW19 from 7pm, then walk to the woods. Cost: £3 You must reserve a place in advance. Wear outdoor clothes and bring food and drink to share. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Outdoor-Pagans/

Thursday 5 October; PFL Autumn Equinox Open Ritual hosted by The Pagan Federation London and guests. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL, Time: 7.30pm for 8pm start. Entry £5/£6. https://pflondon.info/

Saturday 7 October, Witchfest International 2017 run by Children of Artemis. Huge pagan conference with talks, workshops, entertainment and a market. I will be giving a talk on candle magic at 2pm and signing my book Pagan Portals Candle Magic later in the afternoon. Venue: The Brighton Centre, King's Road, Brighton, BN1 2GR. Time: 10am Saturday until the early hours of Sunday morning. There is also a Friday evening event. Tickets: £13.62 – £36.02. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/witchfest-international-2017-tickets-31394224972

Note: I do not organise any of these events except my talk on candle magic. I try to make sure all details are correct, but please contact the organisers of any event you are interested in before turning up for more information.

Review: Pagan Portals - Australian Druidry

As pagans in the British Isles celebrate the Autumn Equinox at the end of this week, those in Australia will be celebrating the Spring Equinox. But the standard pagan Wheel of the Year, with its eight festivals marking the solstices, equinoxes and cross quarter days of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltain and Lammas, doesn't really fit well with the Australian climate, even if you reverse it.

In Pagan Portals - Australian Druidry, author Julie Brett offers ways of honouring and celebrating the land, flora and weather systems of a continent very different from England or even most of Europe. Her book has the subtitle Connecting with the Sacred Landscape and comes from years of experience of doing just that.

Publisher Moon Books says on its website:

Pagan Portals: Australian Druidry works as a supplement to the study of Druidry and other nature-based spiritual paths as practised in Australia. The seasons, animals, plants and ancestral histories of the land in Australia are quite different from those of the Celtic lands where Druidry originates. Julie Brett discusses the difficulties of following a nature-based tradition in an environment wildly different from Druidism's place of origin, and offers practical information on how to adapt the practice of Druidry to suit the energy of the land and respect its spirits and ancestors.

Although I don't live in Australia, I found the book thought-provoking and inspiring. There is a lot to be said for observing nature, the weather and the cycles of the seasons wherever you live and adapting your spiritual practices to fit what is really happening around you rather than what the standard Wheel of the Year says ought to be going on.

You can view Pagan Portals - Australian Druidry on Amazon

Links and previous related posts
http://www.moon-books.net/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/10/pagan-eye-new-moon-over-australia.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/02/pagan-eye-witchy-sunset-over-australia.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/10/shopping-candles-and-candle-magic-in.html

Event: Certaine Wytches: Fear, Myth and Magic

There's an exciting new exhibition and series of events about witchcraft taking place in Stroud, Gloucestershire, this autumn. Certaine Wytches: Fear, Myth and Magic is part of a long-term project by artist and researcher Anne Jackson.

It uses historical texts, original artwork and contemporary scientific and cultural references to explore the subject of women and witchcraft. The exhibition is free to visit and runs from Saturday 30 September to Sunday 5 November 2017 at the Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stratford Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4AF.

Here are the details about Certaine Wytches: Fear, Myth and Magic from the Museum in the Park website:

In Anne Jackson's current project, ‘The Witchcraft Series’, she presents a series of works exploring the history of witch persecution in Europe, and the metaphors which the idea of ‘witchcraft’ evoke in modern culture, through the medium of knotted tapestry.

Referencing sources from the earliest printed books warning against the evils of witches, to the repeal of the final Witchcraft Act in English law in 1957, the works explore the imagery and social attitudes that led to the trial and execution of thousands of people, mostly women, across Europe.

Jackson's large and small-scale tapestries often depict evidence given in individual witch-trials, including that of young children encouraged to testify against their mothers. Whenever possible, she reproduces the original printed texts from witch-hunting pamphlets and trial accounts as part of the tapestry composition, seeing this as a kind of ventriloquism, giving a voice to individuals from the distant past.

Several tapestries also utilise the metaphor of ‘witchcraft’ to reflect upon our sense of powerlessness in the face of current fears and concerns, such as climate change.

Anne Jackson has exhibited widely across Europe, the USA and in Australia. Her work is held in public collections, including the Art Endowment of the City of Aalborg, Denmark, the Geffreye Museum, London, and the Museum of Applied Art, Budapest, Hungary.

The Artist will be at the Museum on Friday 13 October, Wednesday 18 and 25 October, Saturday 28 October and 4 November between 2pm and 4pm. Call in to meet her and find out more about her work.

Supported by The Hartlebury Fund and weaversbazaar

Here are details of the talks and other events running alongside the exhibition:

Talk with Anne Jackson: Certaine Wytches - Fear, Myth and Magic; Saturday 7 October, 2pm
Tickets: £7/£5. Booking necessary, call 01453 763394.

WITCH: Theatrical production by Circle of Spears Productions of an original historical drama by Tracey Norman; Thursday 12 October, 7:30pm. Tickets £7/£5. Booking necessary, call 01453 763394.

Thursday Afternoon Talk with John Putney: Witchfynder; Thursday 19 October, 2pm
Tickets: £5. Booking necessary, call 01453 763394.

Wise Women and Witches: Haunting Tales with Fiona Eadie; Sunday 29 October and Sunday 5 November, 3pm Tickets: £5/£3. Booking necessary, call 01453 763394.

Links
http://www.museuminthepark.org.uk/calendar/
https://www.annejackson.co.uk/
http://www.tapestry.dk

Apparently Today is the Most Miserable Day of the Year

I don't know about you, but I had a pretty good day today. It was nice and sunny, I went to an art exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery, had lunch out at a nice French cafe and spent the afternoon taking photos for the front cover of a new book I'm working on.

However, it seems I'm unusual. According to research, Sunday September 17th is possibly the most miserable day of the year - worse than any day in January.

Researchers took an in depth look at the mood of people in the UK and discovered that today is the day we hit our post summer low, with 61 percent admitting they feel like “that’s it” for another year. And according to the study – reasons for our malaise include the thought of having to put the heating back on (24 percent) and dreading the stress of getting ready for Christmas (23 percent).

Two in ten resent the traffic getting worse post the school holiday lull - with 26 percent of men admitting it drives them to distraction - while a further 19 percent HATE packing away their summer clothes for another year. A further 16 percent said that having put on weight during the summer has left them feeling depressed, while 14 percent said they were simply “knackered” from looking after the children during the school holidays.

A dispirited four in ten confessed they were simply not ready to say goodbye to the summer.

According to the data - a quarter of all us reckon September is even bleaker than January, with the 17th voted the most bleak day. In fact, 41 percent of those polled claimed mood swings and mild depression is setting in now that we are on the road to winter and women seem to struggle more than men with winter blues the study revealed.

Almost half of those surveyed confessed they feel sad that they won’t see their friends or socialise as much as they did in the summer.

Dr Jen Tan from A.Vogel, a traditional herbal remedy manufacturer who commissioned the study said: “The onset of winter signals a surge in levels of stress for many people which can lead to sleep problems and anxiety which all impact on our immune system as the winter approaches.

"Winter blues or SAD, as it has become known, means many people now recognise that they struggle with the winter months and autumn is a time to ‘batten down the hatches’ and prepare oneself physically and mentally for the onset of winter.

"This is where traditional herbal medicines such as St John’s Wort and Avena Sativa can help with anxiety and low mood and are a good alternative for many who may need some support during these months.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom as 64 percent of Brits are looking forward to ditching salads and healthy light lunches for hearty roast dinners. For 39 percent of us, nights at home are our favourite part of winter. According to the poll, despite the loss of daylight and the increased darkness that the winter brings, 23 percent are excited about the clocks going back in October so we get an extra hour in bed.

I personally like autumn and in particular Halloween - or Samhain as us pagans like to call it. No, I'm not feeling miserable at all.