Any Witches Here Part 4 [Edited by MNHQ]

[speakout]

Or Wiccans. or Pagans? Or anyone who is interested in a magical path or feels some magical stirrings.

A place for support, learning, swapping ideas and magical inspiration

All welcome.

@Elphame Stunning photographs. Looks freezing too! Perfect cemetery weather.

Were you there for a specific purpose /grave?

... I thought I saw something but too embarrassed and a bit wary of posting it. 3rd photo.

It was a bit chilly! I had 4 layers so was nice and cosy though.

No - it was just one of the guided tours they do and I quite fancied the after dark one... I have no family links with Bristol that I know of.

We were shown some graves of notable Bristolians, others just heartbreakingly sad. The stone with the ivy on it lists the names and ages at death of all the occupants - this couple despite being very wealthy lost all 15 of their children, mostly in early childhood and one at 19.

Estimates are that around 300K bodies are interred there, the rich had sumptuous monuments, ordinary folk much plainer ones and large common burial pits for the poor who could stump up 10s to be buried there.

@Sokere - the crypt one? Thanks! I'll blow it up on screen and take a closer look (embarrassing confession here, my laptop screen is so grubby I'll need to clean it first!).

That is actually the most likely one to have caught something as there was definitely "something" present. Here's the other crypt shot I took.

@yashmiscrone 😘 for an excellent post. I wholeheartedly agree that this is for ALL our experience, not just the light and fluffy side of things. While the institutions of Christianity do have a dominant hold on our culture, many, many individuals are accepting and friendly to pagans. Some people have awful experiences but it is important, especially if you are new to this path, that this is not a universal reaction and so it is up to you to test the waters and not necessarily feel that it is essential to hide away. Feel your own environment. Here in the UK, we are currently protected by EU laws, and even more so in my country by Scottish law, so it is important to remember that any abuse of yourselves is hate speech and a crime; you have a right to be you, whether in the broom closet or without, but you will not necessarily receive abuse from other religions and paths. I thank those who were loud and proud decades ago and who won us the acceptance that we do have now from the state.

I was reduced to tears and leaving this supportive group a couple of months by the words of someone on these threads (NOT one of the lovely people who are taking time out ❤️) who was pursuing their own agenda and being downright nasty about it. In my 19 years as an initiate and many previously as a pagan, I had not been so hurt by an attack between the lines and out of the blue - this was on here and quite opposite to the support I have had over the years from my Christian (oh, I said THAT word! 😂), Jewish and Muslim family, friends and colleagues. The wonderful speakout, elphame and secretwitch persuaded me back.

There is NOTHING wrong with discussing our whole lives and the things that influence it. Due to the society we live in, guess which religion will influence it most?

Those who are new here, please do not be dissuaded from discussing things by people with their own agendas. This is an place to discuss EVERYTHING that pertains to your life as a human and witch, because we can't be a witch only sometimes. Cut me open, and every cell of my body will have Witch running through it and it influences every single part of my life; I cannot cut myself off from the outside world. Perhaps because I am a Wiccan, I believe in the duality of our lives and of our universe: good/evil, Craft/outside society, dark/light, positive/negative, et al, and that concentrating on only one side such as positivity and the light is as wrong as concentrating only on the dark and negative. Worlds in balance, the world's in balance.

Now I'm off to see how much the vandalism to my car will cost, and then come back home to think about the curse from the Carmina Gadelica (wonderful resource of ritual words of all sorts, even if ostensibly C 🤬🤐😜) or even the Archbishop of Glasgow's Curse which some in Carlisle believe is still working around 600 years later. The well-known adage goes that "A witch who cannot hex, cannot heal"; two sides in balance again. All is balance and tweaking the Web of Wyrd.

Congratulations Paws, this is just the sort of thing all the lurkers-for-all-the-wrong-reasons on this thread want to hear.

""I was reduced to tears and leaving this supportive group a couple of months by the words of someone on these threads (NOT one of the lovely people who are taking time out ❤️) who was pursuing their own agenda and being downright nasty about it. In my 19 years as an initiate and many previously as a pagan, I had not been so hurt by an attack between the lines and out of the blue - this was on here and quite opposite to the support I have had over the years from my Christian (oh, I said THAT word! 😂), Jewish and Muslim family, friends and colleagues. The wonderful speakout, elphame and secretwitch persuaded me back."

Discord, disharmony and nasty allegations about another poster will leave them gagging for more, so go ahead and play to the audience.
Well done! I hope you are proud of your performance so far.

So sorry to disappoint your audience, but I'll not be replying to your spurious allegations, I didn't the first time but you continued ranting to their delight, so please carry on, the stage is all yours.

Elphame... yes, the crypt one. Everytime I go back to look at it to make sure I end up seeing something else! Just ignore me...I'm sure this would signify something seriously wrong on a Rorschach test!

@TooManyPaws ..Sorry, I referred to you as a Pagan witch rather than Wiccan in an earlier post. However much I read, I still get confused by the difference. I have just downloaded an introduction to Paganism so hopefully that will clear it up.

I have a question for Tarot readers...when you are asking the tarot and the answers unfold, do you have a strong belief in who is answering? Is it ourselves, our own unconscious? I know a spiritualist /medium would say its either a spirit guide or the souls of our deceased relatives... If it is the spirits of my ancestors then they must be getting fed up of my endless questions (as they did irl when I was a child) Curious what the views/opinions may be.

Hello, just to echo everyone else, Yashmis, your post what spot on and summarised beautifully how I feel. I only wish I could express myself so eloquently. As someone who has just started on a spiritual pathway, I've found this thread a safe haven on the internet, a place to find solace and connect with like-minded spirits. It sounds dramatic, but it makes me feel quite bereft that valued posters like Speakout and Hills are moving away. However I respect their need to take some time and wish them well.

Elphame your post is fascinating. What amazing photos.

I'm simply reporting what happened. I'm very happy for you to out yourself as the bully.

Has it ever occurred to you that the way not to attract the trolls to this thread is not to be one yourself?

@sokere
@TooManyPaws ..Sorry, I referred to you as a Pagan witch rather than Wiccan in an earlier post. However much I read, I still get confused by the difference. I have just downloaded an introduction to Paganism so hopefully that will clear it up.

No, please don't worry, you didn't get it wrong; I AM a pagan witch. All Wiccans are witches and Pagan at that - we're simply members of a religious witchcraft group who practice the Craft while working with the Pagan gods. Rather like the Freemasons 😜😁, we have to be accepted into the tradition and take an oath not to speak of what happens - what happens in Circle, stays in Circle... 😂. Most people, covens and lines of initiation will also have contacts in and material from other traditions, including those surviving from before the 20th century. We also all know each other....😂 Not exactly, but we all know a friend of a friend who knows that person and, in these days of the Internet and email, we can easily find out whether X in France is really an initiate of X in Australia, for example, and whether they are really someone an innocent seeker of the Craft should come into contact with, regardless. In the USA, so many people have taken the term Wiccan to sound less offensive than Witch, that it has come to mean an eclectic or coven witch without lineage (you can only be brought into Wicca by a Wiccan though most people have spent years as an eclectic pagan and witch while learning) who is often very positive-thinking only, 'white light' etc. Initiated Wiccans in the USA have taken to called themselves BTW or British Tradional Witchcraft, which raises eyebrows here as here Traditional refers to the original witchcraft that Gerald Gardner was initiated into and which contained without him after he founded Wicca as he was afraid of witchcraft dying out. Wicca also usually involves personal and structured training before and in the coven which can last for years, though personal learning never finishes.

Sorry, probably more than you wanted to know! 😂 PM me if you want more information about anything as I'm very happy to help anyone seeking as I was. As for definitions and resources, the Pagan Federation website may help you, as may that of OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, V hot on structured training which can be done online), and the Children of Artemis. Damh the Bard is a well-known Druid and singer-songwriter (yup, pagan music is another huge genre) has just brought out the second volumn of Y Mabinogi about Welsh mythology - www.paganmusic.co.uk

Elphame, gorgeous photos indeed. I presume the dark silhouette on the left of the third photo is another tour participant in the dark? Interesting that you could feel the difference between the consecrated and non-consecrated parts; where there different consecrated parts, eg CofE, RCC, Jewish?

I was listening to a podcast yesterday (Astonishing Legends, completely awesome everytime) where they were discussing why some people see things and others don't. As we really see with our brains through the optic nerve, could perhaps ghosts or spirits be really influencing our brains rather than appearing as a full-blown apparition, similar to how only one person may hear something being said in similar situations. Food for thought, anyway.

Now having caught up, I'm off to feed the zoo and myself. ❤️

Sokere
My belief is that spirit decides which cards to lay. When I'm doing a reading, I make a link with my guide who advises me on what to say by giving me feelings, pictures, etc.

My pathway is spiritual though, and I've learned from a medium. I know there are lots of different views on this.

@TooManyPaws - Cof E or outside I'm afraid. Jews, Roman Catholics, none believers and dissenters ( Baptists etc etc) were not allowed in the consecrated area. Interestingly the consecrated area was much colder than the non consecrated.

I've printed out the crypt one - I am possibly seeing a face above the chap on the right hand side. Is that what you saw @Sokere? I can't decide whether it's just pareidolia or whether there really is something there. It's the Bristol moot tonight so I'll take it with me and show it around.

Thank you for all the responses to my previous post x

Violet when you said
“it makes me feel quite bereft that valued posters like Speakout and Hills are moving away. However I respect their need to take some time and wish them well.” It really echoes the place in my heart that my post came from.

I was reflecting on how we keep it a safe place in which we can support each other through real life experiences that impact on our paths.

I too (as I’ve previously said) struggle with entering into some ‘debate’ style discussions around religion due to my own life experiences, so I’ll opt out of them. I do, however think it’s important to be able to discuss these things in the context of our own lives/families etc and how that impacts on our paths.

BlankTimes

This is exactly what I don’t want to see happen here:
“Over the last 20 years or so, I have been part of so many internet discussions which started out to be a supportive place where different ideas, pagan mostly, could be shared and every one of them ended up overrun with people from the other religion "defending" their position, twisting and turning everything that was said in those threads into a bunfight.”

I was trying to say that I felt the need to protect against that.

I’m struggling to make myself clear and fear I may have instigated/resurrected the very thing I was feeling the need to protect against!

I’m so sorry all.

I’ll also dip out of this particular conversation and shut up about it now. The last thing I wanted to do was to spark negativity.

Elphame I love those photos- the feel of them

Sokere I personally, see it as a sort of ‘heightened connection’ via my higher self- the part of me that is connected with everything/everyone else- like an amalgamation of energies including a kind of collective consciousness including ancestors/guides etc

to everyone. I am told the planets are causing havoc with many people's emotions right now. Wishing everyone peace and love in these turbulent times.

@Elphame. Yes!. A face and also a figure (kind of within the face, below the eyes) but it does move in and out of view.

@ Paws Thank you, for that. Really interesting to know the history and learn about the dedication involved.

@VioletCharlotte I haven't got to the level you describe but am definitely getting direct, no interpretation required type answers. I 'sense' someone is talking /advising me which made me question what I actually believed.

I was shocked by the loving acceptance I got back (too outing to be specific) to a question I poised, expecting some social penance or judgement and that type of response really runs contrary to my own subconscious thought processes.

@YashmisCrone... I'm exploring that concept of a higher self as a guide.

Well having a recently retired DP does have a few benefits! Lots of little jobs have got done and he's finally made me the Hood Lamp I've been dropping hints I'd like for about 100 years!

I'm delighted with it - I gave him the horseshoe and all the rest of the bits he had lying around in the garage. I have ordered an iron candle holder for it so I can replace the temporary one but that's the only bit I had to buy.

For those interested in the symbolism - the "horns" of the horseshoe represent the horns of the Horned God. The candle between them is the light between the horns - representing enlightenment, inspiration and guidance.

His next project is to turn the old 1950s meat safe I picked up on Freecycle into a herb cabinet for me - it's a bit of a state but nothig that a good clean and some fresh paint won't cure!

That is stunning Elphame. I like the symbolism too.I know so little of the Pagan Gods but am going to read more.

... Actually, seeing your post reminded me to ask what your moot thought about the print out of the crypt?

On another note, and slightly off topic, I wondered what you all thought about homeopathy? I've never used it but
I've seen terms like 'charging' the water etc, power of belief/placebo effect. Made me wonder a little when I read that.

@Sokere I did take a print but the room was too dark really for anyone to see much. It was a good starting point for some paranormal chat though.

I really don't know what I think about homeopathy. Yes we "program" water, charge it etc so the same principle should apply to homeopathy where the liquid takes on the required properties even if the original substance is so diluted as to be all but entirely absent. However I struggle to have any belief in it. I tried it once and can't say it did me any good which may colour my scepticism.

I'll be interested to read what others here think.

Evening, hope you're all ok? I'm feeling very tired and low energy this week. The dark mornings and evenings aren't helping.

Elphame you have a very useful DH! The lamp looks lovely.

Sokere I don't know anything about homeopathy either, but I'm keen to learn more. Interested in anything that replaces some of the awful drugs Drs seem to hand out like smarties.

Evening all!

I noticed today that it’s 21 November already so in exactly a month it will be the winter solstice. Does anyone have any plans to celebrate and if so in what way?

I have a wreath ready for my door and am busy wrapping presents.

I normally suffer badly this month with the shorter days (and lots of rain!) but it has been bearable so far. How is everyone getting on with the more fallow period of the year? I always brighten up considerably once the solstice arrives and we move into the lengthening days.

Love the lamp, Elphame! I have an old horseshoe above my front door which I found in our coal cellar when I shared a tenement flat at university in the early 1980s; I kept it all the years until I finally had this Cottage instead of a flat, even though the last was a main door flat. I found a proper old pitchfork in the stable here which is too useful to be repurposed but maybe one day... 😉 Or perhaps I should ask for another of each item to come my way 😏.

By the way, have anyone here come across the magazine Herb Quarterly, a USA publication? I hadn't until I came across it this week in WH Smith. Gardening, making remedies, food recipes, making cosmetics, and so on - plus Celebrating the Solstice. I suspect that I won't actually get the chance to read until then though. 😁

@geeneverthoughofthat Usually this is my favourite time of year but like many others, my energy is at a low ebb. I usually find around the 21st that it all becomes a bit frenetic with all the socialising demands (I've turned down a couple already because I just can't take the crowds anymore, plus I hate trying to get a taxi late at night)

@Elphame.. I've downloaded a book on homeopathy and might try a few remedies, though like you I'm not that convinced. I use herbal medicine a lot which has helped me so much.. other than BPressure which I struggle to keep down. I hate how BP meds make me feel but they work.

No, I haven't come across that magazine Paws. Sounds just what I'd like to read so will check it out

PS I second a like button but also an edit button. I'm horrified at some of my spelling errors. I blame predictive text! I was worried at first but then I reasoned if I truly was losing it, I wouldn't necessarily notice.

Have a beautiful day everyone.

I FINALLY DISPOSED OF MY RITUAL

An opportunity presented itself this afternoon

I left it in some hedgerows, which I thought was appropriate and now I hope a good rain falls as it fell a bit near the fence for my liking, and I really don't want it picked up and read

FINGERS CROSSED it will all turn out as meant

@ PawneeParksDept Well done! I'm rooting for a successful outcome for you

I've had a productive day cleaning and sorting out my crafting space. The altar stays remarkably clean all by itself but sadly the same cannot be said for the rest of it!

I've found a lot of things I knew I had but didn't know where they'd got to (like my glass knitting needles...) and a few unlabelled jars of herbs, the contents of which are a bit of a mystery. Likewise a fair few jars of incense that I'd also neglected to label. Those I have thrown away and I've vowed to be more diligent in future!

I also found things I didn't know I had like sheep vertebrae, bird bones and a stray tooth - possibly deer. Oh and a blue jay feather!

Next job is to wash the altar cloths

Since I came back I've been like What if someone finds it

I'll relax about it after a month

(Tendency to Catastrophize )