Surprisingly enough, spending two months talking about chaos magic was pretty relaxed. (Unless you count how many flame emojis Carl-bot used in response to the word “chaos.”) Now, we’re moving toward fall and, of course, spooky season, so why not spend the next two months learning about spirits? Liber Coven’s September/October book is The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices by Claude Lecouteux.
“Why do we hang horseshoes for good luck or place wreaths on our doors? Why does the groom carry his new bride over the threshold? These customs represent the last vestiges from a long, rich history of honoring the spirits of our homes. They show that a house is more than a building: it is a living being with a body and soul.”
We’re going to have a super time with superstitions, spiritual traditions, and the things that make our houses just a little more alive (or dead?). Join us for the spooky, the spiritual, and the sacred.
Want to read The Tradition of Household Spirits with us? Join the conversation here: https://discord.gg/3Vhz8DW
Here’s a fun lil’ comic I’ve been working on recently about my experiences growing up with Latinx superstitions & how it affected me living in America (part 1 of a longer series!).
This isn’t a depiction of all superstitions in Latin America since they vary depending on the country & region. However, these are what the kids from my barrio & I grew up with. Hope you enjoy!
(P.S I would love to hear your own family’s superstitions, especially from non-Latinx peeps!)
#FridayReads - C A Wittman’s The Other Nadia Bisset
#FridayReads – C A Wittman’s The Other Nadia Bisset
I’m honestly a week late with this post, as I finished the Sunday before last and then forgot to post it last Friday. And I would have forgotten to post it this week, but my Aunty Tammy told me that she likes to read these, so thank her for this one.
In C A Wittman’s The Other Nadia Bisset, Carla Bisset faces every parent’s worst nightmare when she wakes up to find one of her twins missing,…
The oracle : compliments of Chase & Sanborn, tea & coffee importers. Advertising pamphlet for W.D. Earnley, advertising Chase & Sanborn coffee. Title from cover. Includes information on palmistry, fortune-telling, horoscopes, superstitions, birthstones and the meaning of dreams. Printed on back: “For sale by W.D. Earnley, 840-842 3rd Ave., Detroit, Mich. Copyright 1897 by the Gray Lith. Co., N.Y.”
Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library
A woman with a heavy heart puts a hymn book under her pillow, wakes in the night, marks a random page, and in the morning reads what comes under her eyes: what thoughts she finds therein, such will be the fate of her kin, e.g. if it is opened to her about death, the child will die; if about the cross, the child will suffer; if a joyful song, his life will be joyful.
If the pregnant woman steals anything: her child will be a thief.
The scented flower shall not be borne by the mother: lest then the child’s mouth should stink.
Water drunk after sunset: it shall remain in the womb until birth.
A child born with long hair on his head: he will die soon; with hair on his hands: he will be rich; flesh in the corners of his eyes: long life for him means; a born curly-haired child: he will be rich; if in his eye objects appear in reverse, or who is born with teeth right away: a fortune-teller will be made of him, and he will see treasures under the earth.
Money, pen, and egg put into the first bath: signify may, art, and a pretty voice.
The seventh son of the same parents: be happy in planting trees and healing diseases.
If a woman or a man steal of the money which the godparents throw into the brandy of the godchild, that child shall grow up to be a great robber.
On the day of baptism, I do not bathe the child at home in the evening: lest he die.
The bed (die Nachgeburt) is buried under a green tree by a woman: that mothers may be healthy and fruitful.
Thou shalt not rock an empty cradle, thou shalt not let a stranger’s child into it: for it takes away thy child’s dream.
If it is still shaking, pour the molten lead over the rods and brooms into the cape filled with water over the child’s head.
Sometimes I will say or do something and my husband will give me the strangest looks. Over the years I think he’s come to accept my quirks without question, but I wonder if any of y'all have any traditions/superstitions that were passed down through your family. Here are some of mine:
Never sweep after the moon has risen. If your nose is itching, you’ll soon have good company. If a broom falls over on its own, you’ll have unwanted company. Never say thank you for plants given or they will die. If you drop a pair of scissors and they stick into the floor, don’t pick them up until they fall over. (I don’t know what would happen if you did.) Never lend a needle or salt… charge a penny each. Keep an amethyst by your bed to ward off bad dreams. If you tell your dreams before breakfast, they won’t come true. If the stuffing of your pillow forms a ring, a death is near. Put a piece of wedding cake under your pillow and you’ll dream of your future spouse. A mirror laying flat under a full moon will show you what you need to see. Prick the corners of your bread dough to “let the fairies out” so that the bread will rise high. Bad luck comes in threes. Paint your window sills blue to keep bad spirits away. They can’t cross water, so the color tricks them. Alternately, you can keep a bottle tree in your yard to capture them. When the sun rises, they’ll be banished. Copper by your door will keep insects away. Rain on a wedding day is good luck. If it rains while the sun is shining, the devil is beating his wife. Red sunrise means rain is on the way. Cows lying down means bad weather is coming. You can find clean water by looking for crawdads. Carved wooden spoons given to a new bride ensures a happy marriage. Bread, candles, and salt are traditional housewarming gifts. Hang a horseshoe over the door with the open side up to catch good luck. Rainwater caught during a full moon will cure warts. (among other things) Keep rosemary in the garden to ensure a thrifty home.
The rational part of me knows that most of these are just superstitions. Still, that doesn’t stop me from grabbing an umbrella when the cows are laying down, and making sure my floors are clean before dark. I know I’m not alone, either, because my aunt gives me clippings from her garden all the time and always says “you know what not to say” and I always assure her that I do! :)
Definitely heard a handful of these from older family members. And Haint Blue is totally a thing. It’s a specific color spectrum of blue painted on your porch ceiling to keep away maleficent spirits. Not just any blue will do, either. Here’s a few examples:
What lesson can we learn from a Cat Spirit Guide? When should we choose a Cat Totem or a cat to be your Familiar?
Mystery, secrets, and magic
Probably because cats can lead the nocturnal life they have become the embodiment of mystery and secrets, and thus also of witchcraft. There is a belief that they can communicate with other realms. If you need to work on your intuition, or you are planning astral travels, ask a Cat Spirit to be your companion.
Independence and freedom
Cats walk their own paths and can not be forced to do anything. They feel good in their own company, but they can also enjoy moments with friends when they become playful and tender. They can balance private and social life. Time to rest and hunt. If you need some balance and independence, take this lesson from a Cat Spirit.
Flexibility
Cats quickly adapt to the situation. They are very flexible as they can choose to be nocturnal creatures or not, as well to be wild or domestic several times over the course of their life. If you are experiencing a difficult moment in life or find it hard to adapt to the situation, ask for help a Cat Spirit.
Intelligent, observant and patient
Cats can clearly see in the dark and they always act when the time is right. Even if they are high intelligence and intuitive they rather keep silent and observe from the safe place. This means that they are good at keeping secrets, but on the other hand can be manipulative to get what they want. If this is what you need this time, call for a Cat Spirit.
Confidence and curiosity
There is a belief that cats have 9 lives, which gives them the opportunity to take a risk from time to time. However, it is also a lesson that irresponsible acting comes with a price. They trust themselves and believe that they will always land on their feet. They are willing to explore even hard-to-access places. If you need some confidence or feel anxious about leaving your comfort zone, follow a Cat’s Spirit footsteps.
CATS IN DREAMS
Cat in a dream is connected to all its characteristics above as well with a feminine energy - yours or someone else. Also may indicate gossips. Because of the many superstitions, a black cat can also mean a bad luck, but if it’s not scary for you this is the sign of increased psychic abilities.
CATS IN HISTORY
Ancient Times
Cats were considered godly creatures and worshiped in many cultures, mainly by ancient Egyptians. Bastet - Goddess with a cat’s head watched over motherhood, she was a goddess of sexuality and fertility. She took care of the souls of the dead, which most probably led to the belief that cats were the guardians of the underworld. In the Norse mythology goddess, Freyja drove a chariot pulled by a pair of black cats.
Middle Ages
Cats at first were domesticated by people as they successfully removed mice from home. However, this changed once people started to connect them with witchcraft. The interesting fact is that on June 13, 1233, an official papal (Pope Gregory IX) decree declared that Satan is half-cat and can turn into a form of a cat. Thus, a slaughter of cats comparable to the burning of witches began. This also leads to the common belief that a cat brings bad luck.
FOLKLORE AND SUPERSTITIONS
There are many superstitions that have accumulated over the centuries about cats due to their abilities. Probably the most common belief is that the black cat that crosses your way will bring bad luck. Depending on the country and even the region, a cat is a good or bad omen. There are so many superstitions that it would be hard to mention all. The weirdest one I found is probably that to stop a monthly period a woman should hold the spleen of a black cat (what!?). In most parts of China, black cats are considered as a living lucky charm. Let’s not forget about well known Japanese maneki-neko aka lucky cat. In some regions of England and Scotland, a strange black cat on the porch will bring luck!
TERMINOLOGY
To be completely honest I just started to learn about Animal Spirits. I used some terminology in this post as Animal Spirit/Guide/Totem or Familiar that can be sometimes misunderstood. For simplicity, I decided to use a ‘Cat Spirit’ in general. Just prepared a little text explaining it briefly and I’ll add it on my Tumblr soon (or maybe even prepare another BOS pages based on that!).
What other beliefs about cats do you know? Please share in the comments!
Advice from an hereditary witch’s grandmother: things a crone has to say
My witch of a grandmother gave me her beautiful encyclopedia on healing plants to celebrate Ostara! I told her about my blog and she asked me to share some of her advice “for those lovely internet disciples of yours”. No, Yeyé, that’s not how this works…
But hey! When the crone talks, you listen!
“A jar of glass keeps away envious spirits and people who want to hurt you.”
“Everything dead deserves to be honored.”
“Strings of seeds bring prosperity.”
“A stone in the windowsill is a soldier that keeps away thieves, but make sure it’s not a pretty rock cause they might steal it!”
“When you trim a vine, keep some branches by the door so all the hard work you’ve done doesn’t disappear in a single day!”
“When you’re old and can’t move so much anymore, keep a jar of seeds by the Gods so they can pick their offerings as they please.”
“I keep lavender by the computer because it helps me remember how to open Facebook. Lavender is good for memory. Tell your friends of the internet.”
“I keep the obsidian and the agathe geodes in front of the TV so there will be no bad news.”
So there you have it.
Advice from an authentic crone with over 70 years of Craft , Old Yeyé.
She wishes you all many blessings and love and hopes you are all well guided.
Superstitions abound from many cultures and many eras, and continue to flourish around the globe even in the most technologically advanced societies. The startling array of old wives’ tales, saws, and warnings that survive to this day are a reflection of many preoccupations, ranging from largely historical fears about the welfare of animals and portents of coming weather, to psychologically-telling omens of marital discord, mistrust of new innovations, and magical ways of probing what the future holds.
Since superstitions played a large part in the historical era, I thought I might do a series of blogs about the role different superstitions played in various societies. Perhaps this information will serve as a source of research for you, the reader/writer.
Let’s begin with “abracadabra”. The word “abracadabra” is a magical invocation that is associated chiefly with stage conjurers and pantomime witches, but in fact has a long history as a cabalistic charm. The charm was said to have special powers against fevers, toothache, and other medical ailments, as well as to provide protection against bad luck. Sufferers from such conditions were advised to wear metal amulets, or pieces of parchment folded into a cross and inscribed with the word repeated several times, with the first and last letter removed each time until the last line read just “A”. According to the thinking behind the charm, the evil force generating the illness would decrease as the word grew shorter. Once the charm had proved effective (after a period of nine days), the wearer was instructed to removed the parchment cross and to throw it backwards into an eastwards flowing stream before sunrise.
Such charms were, according to Daniel Defoe in his Journal of the Plague Year (1722), widely worn in London in the 17th century as protection against the plague. Simply saying the word out loud is also said to summon up strong supernatural forces, hence its use by contemporary stage performers and entertainers throughout the West.
Well, this is certainly a curious if not entertaining belief. Stay tuned for a fascinating journey in to the world of superstitions.
Who would ever think that superstition would center around something as simple as a woman’s petticoat? Well, certainly not me. Goes to show how much I know and why it’s important to do research when writing novels.
It appears that in the Victorian era, long-standing tradition has it that a girl whose petticoats show beneath her dress was loved more by her father than by her mother. In other research, it stated that an unmarried lady who slept with one of her petticoats under the pillow would ensure that she would enjoy dreams about her future husband. In still another place, I found the following poem that was often recited by young ladies:
This Friday night while going to bed, I put my petticoat under my head, To dream of the living and not of the dead, To dream of the man I am to wed. The colour of his eyes, the colour of his hair, The colour of the clothes he is to wear, And the night the wedding is to be.
According to the Portuguese, meanwhile, a woman who fears she is threatened by the evil eye can escape harm by wearing seven petticoats at once.
An old wives’ tale stated that if a bride wore a yellow petticoat under her gown, it meant she was ashamed of her fellow: “To wear a petticoat of yellow, she is ashamed of her fellow.”
Speaking of the color yellow, it was considered one of the unluckiest of all colors. It was and perhaps still is generally associated with cowardice, sickness, and death (though some people connect it with the life-giving sun). Yellow leaves that appear on peas or bean plants are supposed to presage a death in the household, and even evil spirits are said to avoid the color. Even in today’s modern society, actors and actresses are sometimes reluctant to wear yellow.
Do you know why the oak tree is associated with supernatural powers? The fact that the oak tends to be struck by lightning as much as, if not more often than, other trees has promoted its association with supernatural powers and made it sacred to the thunder-wielding Norse god Thor. A southern English rhyme sensibly warns, “Beware the oak, it draws smoke.”
Elsewhere, somewhat perversely, the tree is actually recommended as a suitable shelter in the event of a thunderstorm. Keeping boughs of oak (particularly if taken from a tree that has been struck by a lightning bolt) or a few acorns in the house is reputed to protect the house from lightning. Standing beneath an oak or wearing oak leaves is further said to furnish protection from evil spirits and from witchcraft.
In Cornwall, superstition advises that hammering a nail into an oak tree will relieve the pain of a toothache, while in Wales, rubbing sores with a piece of oak bark on Midsummer Day will help them to heal. Embracing an oak tree, meanwhile, is enough to cure hernias and to promote fertility of couples unable to have children. Oak trees planted at crossroads are considered to have the most effective healing powers.
The oak acquired a reputation as a royal tree in the 17th century after the future Charles II hid in one to escape his Parliamentarian pursuers after the battle of Worcester. In honor of this event, loyal subjects took to wearing oak leaves to proclaim their Royalist sympathies on what became Royal Oak Day after restoration of the monarchy in 1660. Anyone failing to comply was beaten with stinging nettles.
Back in the more brutal times, in pagan Germany, any man who harmed an oak was punished by having his navel hacked out and nailed to the tree. He was then forced to walk around the trunk, with the result that his intestines were slowly pulled from his body.
Even today, in our modern world, the oak tree is still honored. The choice of clusters of oak leaves as a military decoration hails back to ancient Rome, when soldiers who had performed some act of bravery or selflessness were honored with the presentation of an oak leaf crown. An oak leaf cluster or oak leaves is a common device which is placed on U.S. military awards and decorations for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions”.
