Magical Dolls: Poppet of Protection for Dark Nights

In the past, it was thought that the night-time was when people needed most protection as it was when ghosts and goblins and other supernatural nasties got up to mischief. And Halloween is when scary things like that might be on our minds more than at other times of the year.

One of the magical objects traditionally used for protection in the past was a poppet to guard your home or look over you while you sleep. Here is how to make one for yourself.

What you need
A clean square of cotton fabric. Ideally, cut a piece from one of your old worn-out sheets, pillowcases or sleepwear, but you can use new material.

To put inside, get a few strands of your own hair from your comb or hairbrush. If you don’t have any head hair you can clip a little body hair.

You then need some dried lavender to go inside (avoid this if you are allergic to lavender - use another protective herb instead).

Some wool or string will be needed tie it with.

How to make the poppet
Place the hair and herbs in the centre of the square of fabric. This will form the head. Bunch the fabric over the stuffing and tie the wool or string around it to form a neck, leaving either end of the yarn to be the poppet’s arms.

Trim the yarn to a suitable length. The rest of the cloth, under the head and arms, represents a loose body or clothing.

You can draw on any features you want – although these can be simple shapes, dots or lines. Eyes can be represented by tiny crosses or circles.

Enchanting your doll
Without enchantment, a poppet might look the part, but it isn’t complete. You should do a little spell to bring your poppet to magical life and to awaken its inherent properties.

Cast a circle then say: “By earth, air, fire, water and the power of spirit, I call my poppets to magical life. May it watch over me while I sleep. From ghosties and ghoulies and long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night, may my poppet protect me. So mote it be.”

Open your circle and ground by having something to eat and drink.

Put your poppet by your bed or under your pillow to guard you from supernatural nasties and help you get a good night's sleep.

There are lots more ideas for creating magical dolls in my book Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls.

(Please note I earn commission from some links)

Samhain Shopping: Two Bookshop Bargains

Here are two book bargains I was delighted to find and would be perfect Halloween reading.

I was actually out shopping for materials for a poppet-making workshop and also looking for books for the English Literature MA course I'm studying at Greenwich University.

I first went into The Works for crafting supplies, but also bought a copy of Witchfinders by historian Malcolm Gaskill, which I've long wanted to read. I then went around the charity shops, as I've picked up several set texts second hand very cheaply in the past.

This time what I found was a copy of Haunted England by Christina Hole for £2 - not what I'm due to be reading for college, but a book I'm very pleased to now own.

What are you going to be reading for Halloween?

Previous related post
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/09/uni-days-winding-stairs-maze-like.html

Place of the Ancient Dead: Wayland's Smithy

Before visiting Avebury at the weekend, I went to Wayland's Smithy, which is about 12 miles from the ancient stone circle. I'd been meaning to go to Wayland's Smithy for years - and in fact nearly visited back in 2015, but the weather was so bad I gave up after climbing Dragon Hill and going up to the Uffington White Horse in thick fog.

This time, the weather was dry and sunny. I was lucky though - earlier it had been tipping with rain and it rained again later. But while I was there it was a perfect autumn day, as you can see in the photo above.

Wayland's Smithy is a Neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb close to the Ridgeway on the Berkshire Downs. Fourteen people were originally interred there and archaeologists have found that ceremonies were held in ancient times to honour the dead.

However, in more recent centuries the burial site became associated with the Anglo-Saxon god Wayland the Smith. Wayland's story is told in the 13th century Icelandic poem Völundarkvida and he is also mentioned in the tale of Beowulf. According to folklore, if you leave a horse at Wayland's Smithy along with coins, then go away for a while, the horse will be reshoed by the time you return.

I didn't see any horses or coins left at Wayland's Smithy when I was there, but I did see an offering of a bunch of foraged leaves and berries inside the tomb. Even though berries are biodegradable and are food for wildlife, I think it would have been better for the environment to leave them outside on the grass rather than inside the barrow. Nevertheless, they did look appropriate for a Samhain offering to the ancient dead of this sacred site. Our ancestors of place are remembered still.

Wayland's Smithy is managed by English Heritage. It is near Ashbury, SN6 8NX, and is a mile walk from the White Horse car park.

Links and previous related posts
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/waylands-smithy/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wayland-the-Smith
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/08/pagan-eye-uffington-white-horse-in-rain.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/01/nazi-sorcerers-at-stonehenge.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/10/village-of-dead-hetty-peglers-tump.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/08/days-out-coldrum-long-barrow-on-north.html

Megaliths & Magical Dolls: A Day at Avebury Henge

Yesterday I was in Avebury. I had been invited by the lovely people at The Henge Shop to run a poppet-making workshop and sign copies of my books.

Although I wasn't due at the shop until 10am, I decided to get to the henge early in the morning to walk around the stones before the crowds arrived. I hoped I'd be able to take some good photos - and I was lucky.

Although the weather was cold and there was frost on the grass, the sky was clear, the sun was shining and I had the ancient megalithic circles pretty much to myself.

I took the top picture facing east with the sun rising above the stones, then turned around and saw that the setting moon was still visible in west. You can see the moon in the photo at the bottom of the post, as a small white disc just above the treetops. A huge flock of crows was wheeling in the sky overhead. As symbols of death, seeing them above the stone circle was a fitting start for the time of Samhain and Halloween.

But, as magical as the early morning was, I was glad to get into the warmth of The Henge Shop, where I was made welcome. I was offered coffee and chocolate cake in the lovely staff-room kitchen, which also has a great view of the stones from the window. Then settled down at a table by the fireplace in the shop to sign copies of my books for anyone who wanted copies.

By 11am the shop had got busy and it was great to chat to people who came in to browse. Some of them were interested in my books, but many just wanted to ask questions about general witchcraft or pagan topics. I'm always happy to chat about things like that.

The Henge Shop stocks a really wide range of lovely goods. As well as tarot decks, books on esoteric subjects, pagan-style decorations and things like candles and incense, there were some lovely hand-knitted jumpers and shawls that were really tempting for a wintry day.

In the afternoon I ran a workshop on how to make a traditional poppet for protection. I must admit I got a little worried when several people who had booked to do the workshop phoned and cancelled due to colds and flu. But a dozen more signed up over the course of the morning, which made up for it and I think it went well.

By the time I left Avebury it was dusk. The sky had clouded over and it was raining for my journey home. I know I'd been so lucky with the clear sky that morning to take photos. I really enjoyed my day at The Henge Shop and hope I'll get invited back again another time.

The Henge Shop is at Avebury, SN8 1RF. You can visit the website here: https://www.hengeshop.com/

Could you Survive a Witch Trial? Take the Quiz

I'm off to do some witchcraft in the West Country today - so a few hundred years ago I'd definitely have been considered suspicious. If you want to find out how likely it is you would have been tried as a witch, here's a rather scary little quiz you can do.

Inspired by the Bideford Witch Trials, the last known site for hanging for witchcraft in England, holiday company Stay in Devon has created an interactive test to discover whether you'd survive the trials and what your punishment would be.

Can You Survive the Witch Trials? asks a series of questions to determine your level of guilt and then reveals one of 15 possible punishments. Using information from historical research, the quiz assesses your physical and personality traits and assigns a punishment based on how likely you were to be considered a witch between the 15th and 17th centuries.

Women were four times more likely to be accused of witchcraft than men during the 16th century. Between 1500 and 1600, almost 80,000 suspected witches were sentenced to death in Europe. The youngest victim of the Witch Trials was only five years old.

The quiz outcomes include:

• No punishment
• Pricking
• Stocks
• Thumbscrews
• Banishment
• The boot
• Iron bar
• Scalding baths
• Strappado
• The rack
• Ducking
• Pressing
• Hanging
• Pulled apart
• Burned at the stake

James Starkey, Stay In Devon Marketing Manager, said: “We’re very proud of our history and heritage in Devon – but the area doesn’t half have some gruesome stories to tell as well! Not least the fact that the last ever witch hangings took place in the Little White Town of Bideford back in 1682.

“With Halloween fast-approaching, we wanted to see how people in the modern day would have fared during the height of the witch trials. Our interactive quiz will tell you whether or not you’d have been found guilty of being a witch – and reveals the gruesome punishment you’d have had to endure!”

To find out whether you’d survive the Witch Trials or what your horrific punishment would be, undertake the test at: https://www.stayindevon.co.uk/survive-witch-trials/

Notes: Data gathered from around 45 different sources including National Geographic, Britannica, History.com and Parliament.uk.

Deathwalking: Three Encounters with Death

I've had a few encounters with death. Here is an essay I wrote about them for the book Shaman Pathways - Deathwalking: Helping Them Cross the Bridge, which comes out today. The book is a collection of essays by practitioners from a variety of pagan and shamanic traditions. It is edited by Laura Perry and is published by Moon Books.

Three Encounters with Death
By Lucya Starza

When I first met death, it wasn’t what I expected.

I was a young witch then – well, in my 20s – and not very experienced. Even as I approach my 60s, with decades in the Craft, I would say that witches are not generally well trained for deathwalking. Although they should be. We will all encounter death sooner or later.

I was doing a meditation to meet the Goddess from A Witch Alone: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic, Marian Green’s excellent book for would-be witches. The meditation I was doing was one to find out which Goddess I should be working with. I was expecting a lighter being – perhaps Epona or Brigit from Celtic mythology. In my mind’s eye I followed a dark tunnel, not knowing where it would end. I was startled – even shocked – that what I saw when I emerged was a bloody battlefield covered with corpses and rotting heads. The battle had ended, all that was left was death. Above this, in front of me, was a figure, female, like a huge black bird of prey. I’ll call her Death, because although all cultures give her a name, I would not want to restrict her to any one culture. And, yes, of course I was scared, but it faded. Death is not our enemy.
“You are not mine yet,” was all she said to me. I was allowed to leave.

I met her again – or an aspect of her – several years later, as my friend died in my arms.

It was a Friday night in the 1990s and I was out clubbing with a group of friends. This was pretty normal; I was still young enough to rave all night and sleep all day as a regular weekend activity – and the friends I was with were my close clubbing buddies. Not that long after we arrived at the club, one of my friends said he felt unwell and wanted to sit down. I went with him, leaving our other friends dancing. Suddenly – really completely without warning – he collapsed into my arms. I shouted for someone to get help. His heart had stopped, but someone trained in CPR got there fast and someone else called 999.

Everyone was trying to save him and everyone did all they could, but I knew he was leaving. Again, I saw that black bird of prey – smaller than before, but still large. I knew no one else could see the being. I wasn’t sure if it was Death herself or a psychopomp. I wasn’t scared that time – the Black Bird wasn’t frightening. Sombre, serene, the Black Bird quietly waited, hovering above my friend, despite all the noise, the activity of resuscitation, the pumping music and other clubbers who were still dancing and talking without realising what was going on. I saw his spirit rise up out of his body and go towards Her.

“Please give him back,” I pleaded.

I got a sense of implacability, of fixed purpose. No argument was possible.

“I have only come to speed his passing,” said the Black Bird, and they left, my friend’s spirit going with Her, down the long corridor out of the club and onwards. I knew my friend would not be revived, although those trying to do so didn’t seem to realise it. And the ambulance arrived, and all the way to the hospital they tried their best. Then the waiting at the hospital – all his friends, because we had all gone there with him. They told me I was being too pessimistic to say I knew he would not be returning to us. But I knew. I had seen him leave.

Could I have done more? I don’t think so. I know my friend had had a hard life, perhaps he was ready for a better one. He had told me that as a young boy he had been abused by a priest and that he had never really got over that. Music and his close friends were the only things that made him happy. He had died in the place he would have wanted to be, with the people he would have wanted to be with. His death was by natural causes – a blocked artery causing a cardiac arrest – it was swift, he hadn’t suffered.

Of course it was a shock, and I grieved terribly, but I also knew that my friend’s spirit had been guided onwards to the next life by one who knew the way. Many months later I got a message and knew his spirit was in a new place – a much better place – but that’s another story.
Who could really ask more from Death?

Years later, I sat a death vigil for my father. He had gone into hospital for what should have been a routine knee operation, but contracted pneumonia and was in the hospital for a long time. I should probably add that my father was elderly and suffered from dementia. Before his operation, my mother – herself also elderly – had been his main carer, while my husband and I had recently given up our own flat and moved in with my parents to help them both.

With his illness he became even more confused, and out of this confusion refused to co-operate with the physiotherapists who were trying to get him mobile. He began to recover from the pneumonia, but it became apparent that he would never walk again and his dementia was getting worse. He became extremely aggressive – physically lashing out at the nurses and being very argumentative with his family when we visited him. Over the time he was in this state in hospital, we gradually realised that when he came out, we would not be able to care for him at home. Although at that stage, we had no reason to believe he would not come out of hospital alive.

Then, one evening, I visited him on the ward and he seemed a lot better. Lucid and in a good mood. He told me how much he loved me and I told him I loved him too. I had a chance to talk about various things from the past that needed reconciling. In hindsight, I know I should have realised people often have a lucid moment before they die. But I didn’t.

I left feeling happier about his prospects than I had for weeks. But then, in the early hours of the next morning, my family got a call from the hospital saying my father had lost consciousness. His pneumonia had returned. Further tests showed he had also contracted MRSA. They tried to save him, but he did not respond to treatment and did not wake at all. The MRSA was causing his organs to fail and, after several days, we were asked to make a difficult decision as to whether they should continue trying to save him – something that was not likely to succeed but would increase his discomfort – or whether he should be allowed to die in as much comfort as possible. We decided the latter.

The three of us – my mother, my husband and I – sat round-the-clock death vigils for him, staying there in eight-hour to 12-hour shifts on rotation. Days and nights went on like this. It felt as though we were all in some kind of limbo between life and death. A week went by.
I made a decision. I called on that Black Bird. Death, the psychopomp. The name didn’t matter. I knew what She could do.
“Please,” I said. “Please come and speed his passing.”

And she did.

I’ve thought long and hard about the ethics of all the decisions I made during that time. Some were made by the family together after long discussion. That last one was made by me alone. I told my husband, later, afterwards. I never told my mother – and she is now with my father in death. I do not feel good about it, but I do know that if I was to relive that time, I would do the same again.

I know that one day I will die. I’m not afraid – not of death or Death. I’m afraid of pain and suffering, but death is just a transition. Sometimes people linger in pain and suffering – either in their bodies or in spirit – because they are scared of moving on. There is no need to be; it is part of the natural cycle of things. We all die and our bodies rot, like those bodies on the battlefield, but our spirits can move on, and it is best if they do so. When I am dying, I know that I will not want to linger. I will call on that Black Bird and whisper: “Please come to me, I am one of yours now. I am not afraid. Please, speed my passing.”

I started my story by saying that in general witches are not well trained for deathwalking. I strongly believe that. Sure some initiations involve a ritualised encounter with Death, but this isn’t the same thing as actual training in how to help people as they face death, go into death and beyond.

Deathwalking includes counselling the living in preparation for death as well as guiding the spirits of those who have died into the next realm either at the time of death or later if they linger in a way that is not helpful to them. In an untrained way, I dealt with situations that happened when I was present and no one else was around who could even see into the spirit realm. I probably made mistakes – that’s usual when the untrained try anything for the first time without proper guidance – but I did my best. Shamanic practitioners have training in deathwalking as a core part of their learning. Us witches would do well to learn from them.

You can view Deathwalking on Amazon

Links and previous related posts
https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/moon-books/our-books/shaman-pathways-deathwalking
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/06/london-necropolis-roman-dead-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/11/remembrance-sunday-death-of-hero.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/11/pagan-eye-dolls-of-remembrance.html

Film Review: Pagan London by Minimum Labyrinth

As the premier of the new Fantastic Beasts movie was being advertised in London with a row of erect wands  (oo err missus), the film premier I was most excited about was Pagan London by Minimum Labyrinth.

The short films are being serialised on the Londonist YouTube channel, but there was an early chance to see all 12 episodes back to back on the big screen at Café 1001, a trendy venue on Brick Lane.

It was a brilliant evening, hosted by Robert Kingham who created Pagan London along with cameraman Jeremiah Quinn. As well as enjoying the full-length screening and a couple of glasses of Brick Lane IPA, I got to meet up with some old friends including Geraldine and Bali of The Atlantis Bookshop.

Pagan London examines the evidence of paganism on the banks of the Thames from prehistory up to the revival of Druidry and the popularising of Wicca in the 20th century. Episodes cover the Stanwell Cursus, the Temple of Mithras, Cleopatra's Needle, effigies of pagan gods that have been discovered by archaeologists under the city and various theories about London's pagan past.

If you ,missed the screening, you can watch the first few episodes of Pagan London on the Londonist YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMB8HFoi_QUoGsoRRHyZGAQ

You can connect with Minimum Labyrinth on Facebook (@MinimumLabyrinth), Twitter (@min_labyrinth), and through www.minimumlabyrinth.org, where you can find details of Robert Kingham's guided walks and other projects.

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/09/pantheon-of-pancras-gods-goddesses-women.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/07/images-and-reflections-of-thin-veil-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/07/review-thin-veil-of-london-book-of-walk.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/10/pagan-london-episode-3-shepperton-henge.html

Pagan Events over Samhain and Halloween

Samhain and Halloween, both festivals of the dead, are just a week away. Here is a listing of some of the events over the next couple of weeks that could be of interest to witches and pagans. Most of the ones I list are in London, because that's where I live, but I also include a few big festivals, exhibitions and rituals in other parts of England. If you know of an event that you want listed, please email the details to me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

Now - 9 January 2019; Spellbound: Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft exhibition in Oxford. Venue: Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2PH. Tickets: £6/£11.25/£12.25. https://www.ashmolean.org/  You can also view the exhibition catalogue, Spellbound, on Amazon.

Now - 28 October. Roman Dead. Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands. Venue: No.1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL. Free entry.  https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands/whats-on/exhibitions/roman-dead

Now - 12 January 2019; Divine Proportions. Dinner cabaret from Shotgun Carousel, based on the story of Dionysus, God of Pleasure and Mischief. Venue: The Vaults, Arch 234-236, Leake Street, London, SE1 7NN. Tuesday - Sunday, doors open 6.30pm. Tickets: Previews: £30, general admission: £35/£55. https://www.thevaults.london/divine-proportions

Now – Tuesday 19 February 2019; Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War. Exhibition at the British Library. Venue: PACCAR Gallery, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB. Full price tickets £16. https://www.bl.uk/events/anglo-saxon-kingdoms

Now - Wednesday 31 October; London Month of the Dead events organised by Antique Beat and A Curious Invitation. A month of talks, concerts and other events on the theme of death at venues including Kensal Green Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery, Brompton Cemetery and The Petrie Museum. Ticket prices vary but include a Hendrick's Gin cocktail. http://londonmonthofthedead.com/

Now - 3 November; Ghosts for the Black Country - Paintings for Halloween. Art Exhibition at The Atlantis Bookshop. Venue: The Atlantis Bookshop, 49a Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LY. Exhibition open 11am-6pm Monday to Saturday. Tel: 020 7405 2120.

Now - Friday 26 October; Hocus Pocus - exhibition about the history of witchcraft in Chelmsford, with half-term activities for children. Venue: Chelmsford Museum, Oaklands Park, Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, CM2 9AQ. Free event. https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/museums/whats-on/hocus-pocus-exhibition/

Wednesday 24 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 9am and 5pm PDT (US) time, which is between 4pm and midnight GMT (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/

Wednesday 24 October; The Pantheon of Pancras - a new guided walk from the writers of The Thin Veil of London. Meet at a pub in St Pancras, London. Time: 2pm - 6.30pm. Tickets: £20 per person (£15 for students and concessions). https://www.minimumlabyrinth.org/the-pantheon-of-pancras.html

Wednesday 24 October; Time to Meditate - group meditation (every Wednesday). Venue: Buddha on a Bicycle, Covent Garden, London. Arrive 6pm for 6.10pm start. Donations of £3 recommended. Details: http://www.meetup.com/meditation-trust-london/

Wednesday 24 October; Full Moon Magic Ceremony. Venue: London, NW1 7SU (Exact address will be provided after booking). Time: 7.15pm. Tickets: £18. http://uk.funzing.com/funz/full-moon-magic-ceremony-11769?

Wednesday 24 October; TLC: Full Moon Ceremony by the river Thames with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Meet at Tate Modern green outside Tate Modern and Bankside Gallery, London SE1 at 7.30pm for a Wiccan circle ritual on the banks of the Thames. 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-Pagans-Magicians/

Wednesday 24 October (one week earlier than usual); 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 usually meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 8pm. https://www.facebook.com/groups/104788436218047/

Thursday 25 and Friday 26 October; Morning tour: an introduction to ancient Egypt. Venue: Room 4, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 8.50am. Tickets £30. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Thursday 25 October; Anthropology and Folklore in Conversation - Revisiting Frazer, Lang, and Tylor. Hosted by The Folklore Society. Venue: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 50 Fitzroy Street, London W1T5BT. Time: 10am-5pm. Free. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/anthropology-and-folklore-in-conversation-revisiting-frazer-lang-and-tylor-tickets-43305336427

Thursday 25 October; Zen Naikan. Talk by Leonardo Anfolsi Reiyo Enki. 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 25 October; Earthstars Group Meeting - Warren Farm and the Hanwell Triangle. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Rd, Marylebone, London NW1 6XT. Doors open 7pm. Entry by donation. https://www.facebook.com/events/2260158487547802/

Thursday 25 October; Margaret Murray and Modern Witchcraft. Talk at London Fortean Society. Venue: The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EX. Time: 7.45pm. Tickets: £4.40/£2.20. https://www.wegottickets.com/event/449356

Friday 26 October; Witches, Monsters and Beasties - drawing workshop. Venue: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN. Time: 11am-4pm. Tickets: £27.84. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/witches-monsters-and-beasties-tickets-48673496739

Friday 26 October; Gods and Goddesses 1001. Gallery Talk. Venue: Room 4, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 1.15pm. Free entry. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Friday 26 October; Elen of the Ways. Talk by Caroline Wise. Venue: Rilko (Research Into Lost Knowledge). Public lecture. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35, Park Road, London, NW1 6XT. Time: 6.45pm,  Entrance: £8/£10. http://www.rilko.org/lectures-2018-winter/

Friday 26 October; Rings, Wings and Spindle Whorls - Archaeological Treasures and the Stories They Tell. Performance. Venue: Stephenson Lecture Theatre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £8. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Friday 26 October; Celtic Drum Circle - open Shamanic drumming group. Venue: Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 7pm. Tickets: £15. For more details: www.aho.community

Friday 26 October; Holistic Sound Bath Meditation - Summoning The Sacred (weekly ceremonial gathering). Venue: Training Points Fitness and Therapy, 5-6 Coopers Yard, Crystal Palace, London SE19 1TN. Time: 7pm. Entry £15/£13. For more details: https://www.facebook.com/summoningthesacredsound/

Friday 26 October; Intuitive Dance and Sacred Sound. Venue: 42 Acres, 66 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LW. Time: 7.30pm. Tickets: £29.70. For more details visit: https://www.42acresshoreditch.com/events/

Saturday 27 - Sunday 28 October; Samhain Weekend at the Henge Shop, Avebury, SN8 1RF. I will be running a workshop on poppets and signing copies of my books on the Saturday. The workshop costs £5 and runs from 2pm-3pm. Other events include free oracle card readings, a ghost tour and a Celtic shamanic workshop with Danu Forest. https://www.hengeshop.com/  You can find details of my own book signing and workshop here: https://www.facebook.com/events/883133008556632/

Saturday 27 October; The Solitary Mage: A Workshop with Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki. Venue: Islington Ecology Centre, 191 Drayton Park, London N5 1PH. Time: 9am-5pm. Tickets: £120. https://www.facebook.com/events/633431043718080/ or email or email mariateresaharmer@yahoo.co.uk

Saturday 27 October, Unleash the Goddess Within. Venue: London Rehearsal Space,Templeton House, 33-34 Chiswell Street, London EC1Y 4SF. Time: 10am-6pm. Price tbc. https://www.einatfreedomyoga.com/london-workshops2018

Saturday 27 October; Creative Goddess Workshop at a south-west London venue. Time: 10-30-5.30pm. Cost: £95. http://www.crystalhealingbysarahjane.co.uk/workshops/creative-goddess/

Saturday 27 October; Voices of the Ether: Stone Tapes, EVP and Conversing with the Dead. Talk as part of London Month of the Dead. Venue Brompton Cemetery, Old Brompton Rd, London SW10 9UG. Time: 1pm. Tickets: £12. http://londonmonthofthedead.com/

Saturday 27 October; Terrifying Tales for Enchanted Nights at Shakespeare's Globe with London Dreamtime. Venue: Shakespeare's Globe, Bankside, Southwark. Time: 11am. Price: tba. For more details, email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit https://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Saturday 27 October; Magical Baths. Afternoon Class with Tanya Moulding. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 1pm start. Tickets £30. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 27 October; Samhain Sisters Circle hosted by the Sisters of the Stones of Caer Abiri within the Avebury stone circle, Wiltshire. Time: 1pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/309280106553300/

Saturday 27 October; Watchers of the Old Ways Samhain Ceremony at the Rollright Stones, off the A3400, Chipping Norton, OX7 5QB. Time: 2pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/316182315836569/

Saturday 27 October; All Souls Festival. Venue: Rudolf Steiner House, 35 Park Road, London NW1 4SH. Time: 4.30pm-9pm. Entry by donations at the door. http://www.rsh.anth.org.uk/

Saturday 27 October; Death in the Dock: The Law and the Supernatural. Party of London Month of the Dead hosted by A Curious Invitation. Venue: Brompton Cemetery, Fulham Rd, Kensington, London SW10 9UG. Time: 3pm. Tickets: £12 includes a Hendrick's gin.
londonmonthofthedead.com

Saturday 27 October; Avebury Samhain Labyrinth 2018. Venue: Avebury Stone Circle, Wiltshire. Those who want to walk the Labyrinth should meet at the Cove for a 7pm start. If you want to join in weaving the web around the Labyrinth, arrive at the Cove for 6.30pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1184517038355533/

Saturday 27 October; All Hallow's tours by Lamplight with The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. Venue: Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, The Soanes Centre, Southern Grove, London E3 4PX. Time: 8.30pm. Tickets: £11.43 – £13.48. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/all-hallows-tours-by-lamplight-tickets-50279134244?

Sunday 28 October - 11 November; International Online Congress of Witchcraft and Magic. Free grimoire of articles and spells in both English and Spanish from international personalities - including myself. My own contribution is an article about poppets and three poppet spells for the collective grimoire. There will also be a selection of online classes. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/2213895181984914/

Sunday, 28 October (tbc); Max Meditation class with Lisabetta every Sunday. Drop-in class suitable for beginners and more experienced meditators. Venue: The Little Escape Therapy Centre, 4 Paxton Mews, off Westow St, London SE19 3RW. Time: 10am-11am. Cost: £12 per class, £30 for 3 classes.

http://www.harmonious-healing.com.

Sunday, 28 October; Foraging Walk with John the Poacher on Hackney Marshes. Meet at: Aho Studio, 13 Prince Edward Rd, London, E9 5LX. Time: 11am-3.30pm. Tickets: £35. www.aho.community

Sunday 28 October; Open Samhain Ritual and Picnic. Venue, Buchan Park, West Sussex, RH11 9H. Time: 1pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/485075971977075/

Sunday 28 October; Institute of Witchcraft and Magick Social Gathering. Venue: pub in central London. Time: 2pm. You must be a member of the Meetup group to attend. https://www.meetup.com/INSTITUTE-OF-WITCHCRAFT-AND-MAGICK/

Sunday 28 October; Ageless Wisdom for Everyone. Lecture at the Theosophical Society in London. Venue: The Theosophical Society, 50 Gloucester Place, London, W1U 8EA. Time: 2pm. Donations welcome. http://theosophicalsociety.org.uk/

Sunday 28 October; The Witches' Inn Family Samhain Kite Fly and Picnic. Venue: Millennium Stones At Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey. Meet in the free National Trust car park at the top of Wray Lane near the junction with Reigate Hill. Time: 3pm. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/543135812781527/

Sunday 28 October; Samhain 2018 - Woodland Witches Ritual and Halloween Gathering with Woodland Witches, Pagans and Magicians in Queen's Wood, Highgate. Meet at the Woodmans' pub garden at 4pm. At 4.30pm everyone will walk to the woods. Cost: £5/£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-Pagans-Magicians/

Sunday 28 October; Women Goddess Circle - Descent to the Underworld - a ritual journey. Monthly ceremony led by Lisabetta Vilela. Venue: Training Points Fitness and Therapy, 5-6 Coopers Yard, Crystal Palace, SE19 1TN. Time: 6pm-8.30pm. Tickets: £30. harmoniousshiatsu@ymail.com https://harmonious-healing.com/

Sunday 28 October; Evening Gathering: ‘Samhain’ Pagan Celebration (aka Hallowe’en) with Rev Kate, Hillary Ratna and Ingrid Tavkar at Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, 3 Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG. Time: 7pm. Tel: 020 7433 3267. http://www.rosslynhillchapel.com/

Monday 29 October; The Hidden School - Return of the Peaceful Warrior. Talk by Dan Millman at Alternatives. Venue: St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL. Doors open 6.30pm. Event starts: 7pm. Tickets £10/£15 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Monday 29 October; The Vengeance of the White Goddess? Lecture on Robert Graves by Grevel Lindop. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.30pm start. Tickets £9. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Tuesday 30 October; An Evening of Soul Portraits and Clairvoyance with Angela Watkins and June-Elleni Laine. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Pl, Kensington, London, SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm - 8.30pm. Tickets: £14/£12. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Tuesday 30 October; Twenty-first Century Ghosts. Talks at London Fortean Society by Caron Lipman and Sarah Sparkes. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Time: 7.15pm. Tickets: £7. http://forteanlondon.blogspot.com/

Wednesday 31 October; Witches, Monsters and Beasties - drawing workshop. Venue: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN. Time: 11am-1pm. Tickets: £21.55. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/witches-monsters-and-beasties-halloween-special-tickets-48677320175

Wednesday 31 October; Earth Festival: Wheel of the Year - Resting. Venue: 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/

Wednesday 31 October; London Halloween Walk and Thames River of Souls Ritual with London Woodland Witches Magicians and Outdoor Pagans. Venue: Meet at Bankside Pier, next to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, at 7.30pm for a walk along the banks of the Thames and a ritual. Cost: £3 You must reserve a place in advance. Wear warm outdoor clothes and bring food and drink to share plus a torch. Details and bookings: https://www.meetup.com/London-Woodland-Witches-Pagans-Magicians/

Thursday 1 and Friday 2 November Morning tour: an introduction to ancient Egypt. Venue: Room 4, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 8.50am. Tickets £30. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Thursday 1 November; The Labyrinth as Your Path to Self Discovery. Talk by Tony Christie. 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 1 November; PFL Samhain Open Ritual. Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Time: 7.30pm. Entry: £6/£5 (PF members and concessions). https://pflondon.info/

Thursday 1 November; Arab Protective Magic. Lecture by Ziad Haloub. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.30pm start. Tickets £9. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Friday 2 November; Witches’ Pyramid. Book launch with talk with Robert Hardy. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 7.15pm-10pm. Tickets £9.99. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Friday 2 November; Art and Conscious with Mary Attwood. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, Kensington, London, SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm - 8.30pm. Tickets: £14/£12. https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 3 November; Gippeswyck Pagan Conference 2018. Venue:
Martlesham Community Hall, Martlesham, IP5 3. Starts: 9.45am. Tickets: £10. https://www.facebook.com/events/165337174073527/

Saturday 3 November; Witchfest Market and Halloween Ball in Reading. Venue: Rivermead Leisure Complex, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire RG1 8EQ. Time: 10am-11pm. Admission to the market is free, talks and workshops cost extra. https://witchfest.net/events/witchfest-market-halloween-ball/

Saturday 3 November; Labyrinth – Your Path to Self-Discovery. Workshop with Tony Christie at Alternatives. Venue: De Vere West One, 9-10 Portland Place, London W1B 1PR. Time: 10.30am-4pm. Tickets £70/£85 online. http://www.alternatives.org.uk/

Saturday 3 November; The Pantheon of Pancras - a new guided walk from the writers of The Thin Veil of London. Meet at a pub in St Pancras, London. Time: 11am - 4.30pm (with stop for lunch). Tickets: £20 per person (£15 for students and concessions). https://www.minimumlabyrinth.org/the-pantheon-of-pancras.html

Saturday 3 November; Samhain Wild Hunt 2018 with Glastonbury Dragons at Glastonbury, Somerset. Time: 2.30pm. Free event. https://www.facebook.com/events/261095108003884/

Saturday 3 November; Talk and Heathen Rite for Winternights. Short Lecture and Blot with  Andre and Amanda Henriques. Venue: Treadwells, 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7BS. Time: 3pm-5.30pm. Tickets £10. Tel: 0207 419 8507 or email: info@treadwells-london.com http://www.treadwells-london.com/

Saturday 3 November; Heart Beat Drumming Collective with Olaf Nixon. Venue: The College of Psychic Studies, 16 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2EB. Time: 7pm - 8.30pm. Cost: £20/£22. Advance booking recommended. For details call: 020 7589 3292 or visit https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/

Saturday 3 November; The Beautiful and the Damned costume party at Vout-O-Reenee’s - with storytelling by London Dreamtime. Venue: Vout-O-Reenee's 30 Prescot Street London E1 8BB.
Time: 6pm till late. Tickets: £8.97. Tickets must be bought in advance. For more details email vanessa@londondreamtime.com or visit https://londondreamtime.com/calendar/

Sunday 4 November (tbc); North West Kent Green Pagan Circle Moot. Venue: Chislehurst Caves, Bromley, BR7 5NL. Time: 11am. https://www.facebook.com/groups/445487428816887/

Sunday 4 November; Druidic Samhain/Hallowmas 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. https://www.facebook.com/events/498397013967751/

Sunday 4 November; Stag Watch and Wand Making in Richmond Park with Woodland Witches, Pagans and Magicians. Venue: Richmond Park, Richmond Hill TW10 6RP. Meet at Coffee shop in Richmond Station ticket hall by 1pm or by Richmond Gate at 1.30pm. Cost: £5. 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-Pagans-Magicians/

Sunday 4 November; The Crick Crack Club presents The Gods and Monsters Show. Performance. Venue: British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Time: 2.30pm. Tickets: £8. For more details visit: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar.aspx

Note: I am not responsible for any of these events except my book signing and poppet workshop at the Henge Shop and my contribution to the International Online Congress of Witchcraft and Magic. I try to ensure the details I list are accurate, but please contact the organisers before turning up to any event in case of changes. If you spot something that needs correcting, please email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com

Pagan Eye: Wands at the Ready in Central London

This avenue of Harry Potter-style wands are in Central London at the moment, leading from the Millennium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral.

They were installed as part of a promotional event for the new Fantastic Beasts movie. The giant wands are still there, but I'm not sure how long they will remain. Someone who reads my blog sent me this picture, but I hope to get a chance to see them myself before they get taken down.

You can read a couple of articles about last week's event on these links:
https://www.timeout.com/london/news/super-sized-harry-potter-wands-get-a-royal-welcome-at-st-pauls-cathedral-101818
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/things-to-do/harry-potter-wands-619904

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.

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/10/how-to-make-wizard-school-style.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/11/brooms-wands-cauldrons-with-simon-costin.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/11/pagan-eye-roman-temple-of-mithras-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/10/street-art-death-and-life-for-samhain.html

Review: The Wicca Moon Samhain Box

The Wicca Moon Samhain Box, which I received on Friday, is so full of wonderful witchy goodies that I needed to sit down with a good cup of tea after the excitement of opening it up. Mind you, all the makings of a good cup of tea are among the things inside - as you can see in the photo above.

I've been enjoying the Wheel of the Year boxes from Wicca Moon for all of the pagan festivals, but the Samhain kit is the best yet in my opinion.

My favourite item is the little pottery cauldron you can see in the photo on the right. It comes with instructions for scrying by candlelight, which is something I usually do at Samhain.

Scrying is a bit more than fortune telling - it means looking into a crystal ball, mirror, bowl of water or similar reflective surface to divine the answers to questions and for personal introspection. Wicca Moon suggests putting a crystal at the bottom of the cauldron of water to help you focus. A crystal, candles, incense and a bottle of universal condenser are also included in the set, so you have all you need to get started.

Once you have finished, it is a good idea to jot down everything you saw in a notebook. Luckily, there is also a pretty little notebook in the Samhain box.

As well as scrying or other forms of divination, Samhain is the perfect time for casting spells. The Wicca Moon kit contains one to do by writing your wish on a piece of black tissue paper and then burning it. (Do make sure you burn it on something fireproof like a baking tray - you don't want to set fire to your altar!) It is a nice, easy spell to do as part of a longer ritual or just on its own.

The kit also contains a seasonal altar cloth and some witchy jewellery.

Information about Samhain in the box explains that this pagan festival is not just another name for Halloween - they are in fact two celebrations with different origins that happen at the same time of year.

For many modern pagans, Samhain is time to mark the end of the harvest and to honour the ancestors who have passed on. Wicca Moon suggests several ways of celebrating the season either on your own or with friends or family.

I'm really looking forward to trying out my new little scrying cauldron, making a wish and having a lovely cup of tea in my new mug to celebrate the witches' new year.

You can order the Wheel of the Year Samhain Box online here: https://www.wiccamoon.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6522357-Samhain-Box.html

Wicca Moon is at 50 Well Hall Road, Eltham, London, SE9 6SH.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.wiccamoon.co.uk/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/10/pagan-shopping-wicca-moons-samhain.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/09/a-magical-afternoon-with-witches-at.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/09/review-wicca-moons-equinox-mabon-ritual.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/10/review-wicca-moon-tarot-deck.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/01/review-wicca-moon-imbolc-ritual-box.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/03/pagan-shopping-wicca-moon-ostara-ritual.html

Avebury: Ancestors, Ghosts, Poppets, Oracles & Rites

Next Saturday, 27 October, I will be at The Henge Shop in Avebury running a workshop on poppets and signing copies of my books as part of a Samhain weekend of events at the ancient stone circle.

My workshop starts at 2pm and in it I'll be talking about the history of poppets and magical dolls as well as showing how to make one.

Everyone who comes along will be able to make a simple cloth poppet for protection based on techniques from traditional magical practises of the British Isles. No sewing is involved. The workshop is suitable for adults, teenagers and children over the age of 11 (so long as children are accompanied by their parents). The cost is £5 per person, inclusive of materials.

In the morning I will be at the shop to chat to anyone who wants to pop in and signing copies of my books Pagan Portals – Candle Magic, Every Day Magic – A Pagan Book of Days and Pagan Portals – Poppets and Magical Dolls. You can find out my about my workshop here: https://www.facebook.com/events/883133008556632/

There are also a whole load of other Samhain events happening in Avebury over the weekend.

On the Saturday, Caroline Mitchell will also be at The Henge Shop selling prints of her dragons as well as giving free one-card readings using her Dragon Oracle Deck. On the Sunday, Danu Forest will be signing copies of her book followed by an Ancestors and the Powers of Place Celtic shamanic workshop, starting at 2pm. The cost is £35 per person. You can find more information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/484269078708440/

At 1pm on October 27, there will be a Samhain Sisters Circle hosted by the Sisters of the Stones of Caer Abiri within the Avebury henge. You can find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/309280106553300/

Wiltshire Ghost Tours will be giving a talk about the equipment they use and their findings plus leading walking tours of the village and circle on the Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Avebury Samhain Labyrinth 2018 will be held on October 27. Those who want to walk the Labyrinth should meet at the Cove for a 7pm start. If you want to join in weaving the web around the Labyrinth, arrive at the Cove for 6.30pm to get prepared. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1184517038355533/

The Henge Shop will be able to give more information about most of these events, you can call 01672 539229, visit the website https://www.hengeshop.com/ or email events@hengeshop.com The shop is at Avebury, SN8 1RF.