The Starry Cave

When making talismans, they are in the shape of patuas , awuré or guias , precision, timing and virtue mediate the process. It can of course be as simple as calling the spirit of rue for the purpose of protection and embed the talismanic object with this virtue alone, and it will have some effect. If we relate to Bruno and his discourse on the nature of magical bonds between material magica of earth and the influence of stars and spirit we will end up with a precise construct that contain as much virtue as possible. One example is the construction of a guia made for the sake of protecting the wearer from spirit intrusion. Before making such guia or talisman we need to assess the nature of the request. In this particular case it was both about the person being highly receptive to spiritual influences and had little control in keeping out spirits. It was like the spirits invited themselves in disregarding any invitation or denial to enter from the person in question. Gui...

Sacred necklaces, guias or elekes are a form of talismans with a rich and long history both as sacred decoration, as an extension of the witches ladder or cord and in the form of prayer beads, they be the Hindu mala or the Catholic rosary to Freya’s brisingamen. In Lucumi a set of elekes are given to mark the first step towards initiation where the candidate binds himself to the godparents responsible for giving the elekes. The elekes are consecrated in such way that they bring on protective potencies from orisa. Elekes can be received as a part of this commitment as it can be received due to need. In Umbanda and Quimbanda these necklaces of power, guias , are given to mediums and practitioners to mark points of contact and others are given to invite possession, yet others to close the body for receiving spirits. It can be a tool for exorcism as much as for invocation. The guias are always consecrated and charged, and the method varies greatly, from simple herbal infusions an...

I believe Traditional Witchcraft is a poetic reality humming the nocturnal mysteries of Night. I believe the Witch is concerned with Solace and comfort, the same solace we find resting in the Night. I believe the Witch is a creature tied to the land whose heart is a crossroad where the fire of Need gushes forth from the fountain of the soul like a veiled spring of fiery droplets of gold and silver. The Witch is solace, it be the solace we see as we enter the door to the other side, the solace of peace given to self and others, it be the solace coming from the nightmare given by Beautiful Ladies and Man Dragons. The Witch is solace, but he or she, is a dweller of Night. Night is mystery and the shadowy forms of night will at times be perceived as terrifying and threatening in their guises of protectors of the witches’ solace. In Yorùbáland the concept of witchcraft is understood to be a form of power some are born with, yet it can also be inherited, that is intimately linked w...