#hoodoo in New England

[fermentedcherries]

✨18th Century Nkisi bundle found in Newport, Rhode Island

🌿Hi everyone! I wanted to share with you all this article of a historical example of African religion and spirituality in colonial New England. This is a 1700s religious Nkisi bundle more than likely owned by an enslaved African man named CARDADO WANTON who was trafficked to New England in the 18th century.

“A Nkisi Bundle Was Found in a Historic Newport Home - But What Is It, Exactly?”

💙 “In 2005, representatives of the Newport Historical Society working on the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House found a bundle of items concealed beneath an attic floorboard.”

“The items, known collectively as an nkisi bundle, were likely owned by Cardardo Wanton and held spiritual significance for their owner, a man enslaved by the Wanton family in the late eighteenth century.”

“Nkisi (and its plural, minkisi) comes from a Bantu word loosely meaning ‘to take care’ and often includes buttons, nails, cowrie shells and other household items. They take the form of figures or bundles and played a role in connecting enslaved people of African descent with their ancestors. ‘It reminded them of their humanity in a world that told them constantly and consistently that they were not human,’ de Barros Gomes says.”

This along with other items are on display until 2026 as part of the “Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty and the Sea,” at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut.

“Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty and the Sea” is a major maritime exhibition centering maritime histories of Indigenous, African, and African-descended worldviews and experiences in New England.

[nyxshadowhawk]

Hi, weird question maybe, I'm just some guy who stumbled on your quora answers and figured you're pretty knowledgeable. I'm Italian and I'm wondering if you knew of any forms of magic that could be compared to what in Italy is referred to as 'low ceremonial magic', usually practiced by farmers / poor people. I'm looking for similar traditions in other parts of the world because I'm trying to figure out what kind of magic is most practiced by low income people historically. Thanks a lot

Great question! I'm still in the process of learning about "low magic" or "folk magic." I usually call it folk magic, to distinguish it from ceremonial magic, although the lines between the two are pretty thin and there's significant overlap. (The difference seems to be mainly a class distinction.) If you want to research it, I recommend using "folk magic" as your keyword.

My own country, the United States, has several robust traditions of folk magic that tend to go unnoticed by people who aren't in contact with them. Appalachian Magic is one of the big ones, and Southern Conjure is another one of the big ones. New England has its own variant of English "cunning." Hoodoo and Rootwork are both African diasporic traditions, based in Vodou and practiced mainly in the South. There's also "Pow-Wow," which is mainly Pensylvannia Dutch, Curanderismo and Brujeria (Hispanic), various magical traditions that stem from indigenous religions, and the extremely popular New Age variant of folk magic (which is apparently called "manifesting"). I'm not intimately familiar with all of these systems, but I highly recommend reading New World Witchery by Cory Thomas Hutcheson for a primer on North American folk magic.

The one I know the most about is English "cunning." I just did a project for which I translated part of Bald's Leechbook, a medieval book of herbal remedies written in Old English that was intermixed with some folk spells. I've observed that folk magic tends to be very Catholic, or Catholic-syncretic, because Catholicism has a lot of folk-magic stuff built right into it (like saints' medallions and votive offerings) that were intentionally rooted out of Protestantism. But hey, new folk traditions are always popping up all the time. Tarot cards are only about two hundred years old, but they're a valid and effective divination method, and you can find them in any mainstream bookstore these days.

Finally, I feel the need to say that folk magic is very dark. There's a common idea, mainly in New Age and neopagan circles, that your spells will rebound on you if they're unethical. This has no historical grounding. Curses, forceful love spells, bindings, and other baneful spells are really common. Frequently, magic was the only source of power or agency for people with no other options. Sanitizing folk magic does it a disservice. That doesn't mean that you have to practice baneful magic, only that you should understand why it exists and respect it.

[vale-priestess]

From @publicdomainreview ~ Born in Five Points, Manhattan to a Black mother and a white father who left soon after his birth, Paschal Beverly Randolph (1825–1875) grew up in poverty that deepened after his mother died of cholera when he was six. After a difficult, itinerant childhood, he recounts working on ships sailing between New England, Cuba, and Britain, before beginning to lecture on spiritualism and perform as a trance medium. In 1858, however, he publicly broke with the spiritualists, citing their racism, the hypocrisy of their radicalism, and their narrow view of the immaterial world. In a series of lectures, he attacked the characters of leading spiritualists, ridiculed their trances as “jugglery” (or worse, demon possession), dismissed their “business of world-bettering” as hypocrisy, and railed against some of their central tenets, such as the belief popularized by Andrew Jackson Davis that only select souls are immortal and thus all spirits are good. He concludes, “My crime was rete mucosmal”, residing in the color of his skin. Randolph relates that after a harrowing suicide attempt (or, as he explained it elsewhere, a transformative experience with Egyptian hashish), he finally left spiritualism behind. While Western occultists balked at a “tawny student of Esoterics” like Randolph, they often invested their knowledge with power by racializing it, attributing its secrets to Oriental, Chaldaic, Persian, Egyptian, Asiatic, or Arab sources. Randolph trafficked in this manufactured exoticism too, but also developed a philosophically and politically complicated theory of the occult anchored in his own racialized identity. “I owe my successes,—mental,—to my conglomerate blood; my troubles and poverty to the same source”. He spent two of his most productive writing years in Louisiana, where he encountered the area’s rich African diasporic religious life. Although in one of his lectures he boasts of exposing “the whole tribe of voudeaux in New Orleans”, he also concedes “it was from one of the voudeaux queens . . . that I gained much of my knowledge”, and elsewhere he cites hoodoo and obeah practices and flaunts the secrets he learned from “the quadroons of Louisiana”. His self-identification as a “sang mêlée” — Randolph’s curiously feminized form of the colonial intellectual Moreau de Saint-Méry’s term for people with the smallest fraction of African ancestry — afforded him “peculiar mental power and almost marvelous versatility”. Because he already channeled multiple racial identities within his body, Randolph reasoned, he was predisposed to channel other identities, not of this world. [More at link.]

[appalachianwarlock]

Crossroads Magic

Crossroads Magic – Going to the Crossroads

Posted on April 21, 2022 by aromagregory

The Magick and Meaning Behind Going to the Crossroads

The Magick and Meaning Behind Going to the Crossroads

According to tradition, a crossroads is a spot “between worlds” where supernatural spirits can be contacted, and paranormal events can occur. Crossroads magic can signify liminality, a place that is “neither here nor there,” “betwixt and between,” and so indicates a point where two worlds collide. While many people think of a crossroads as just the intersection of two highways, they can also be a spot where land and water meet, such as a beach, a place where a field transitions into a forest, or even a doorway. Some people think of a crossroads as a fork in the road where you must choose one way or the other. But a crossroads is really any intersection of of road or passage with two or more branches. Some people prefer to only work with a crossroads that has four paths, creating a cross or ‘X’ pattern.

Crossroads in Greece

In Greek mythology, Crossroads were associated with Hecate and Hermes, and shrines and rites for both were held there. Due to Hermes’ affiliation with travelers and duty as a guide, the herm pillar connected with him was widely used to identify these locations.

Though Hecate’s link to crossroads was less well-known in Greek mythology than Hermes’, it was more deeply rooted in ritual. At each new moon, ‘Suppers of Hecate’ were left for her at the crossroads, and she was known as the ‘goddess of the crossroads.’ The three faces of Hecate can be a depiction of the road. Hermes is mentioned in several myths as assisting people during transitions. Similar customs can be found in India, where the god Bhairava is said to guard crossroads, and stone phalluses and eye statues are frequently erected to honor him.

Crossroads in England, Ireland, and Scotland

In the United Kingdom, criminals and suicides were traditionally buried at crossroads. This could be due to the community’s crossroads defining its boundaries, as well as a wish to bury those who broke the law outside the village, or because the multiple routes would confuse the dead. Crossroads were also frequently utilized as a site of criminal punishment and execution (e.g., via gibbet or dule tree), which may have contributed to the fact that suicide was considered a crime. This crossroads burial ceremony dated back to Anglo-Saxon times and was practiced until 1823, when it was discontinued.

Crossroads Magic In the Hoodoo Tradition

Crossroads magic in hoodoo comes from the Kongo cosmogram in Central Africa, and is used in conjure, rootwork, and hoodoo, a sort of African magical theology practiced by African Americans in the United States. It signifies the sun rising and setting, as well as death and rebirth in human life. The conversation with spirits takes place in the crossroads’ center. The Kongo cosmogram entered the United States by African slaves during the transatlantic slave trade. On slave farms in South Carolina, archeologists discovered images of the Kongo cosmogram on clay pots created by enslaved Africans. The Bakongo cosmogram and the “Yowa” cross are other names for the Kongo cosmogram.

Almost every cultural group in Africa has its own version of the crossroads god. African-diaspora names for the spirit who opens the way, guards the crossroads, and teaches wisdom include Legba, Ellegua, Elegbara, Eshu, Exu, Nbumba Nzila, and Pomba Gira. Both the T and X roads are used in the Quimbanda religious-magical tradition. T roads are for Pomba gira (npambu nzila), a spirit who deals with sex, lust, and passion. In Quimbanda, the X roads are used for work for Exu (Eshu), a hoodoo man of the crossroads who is identical to the hoodoo man of the crossroads. Road Opening spell work is often associated with the crossroads.

“If ah want tuh go gamblin’, go to a crossroads ‘fore de sunup and have de dice in yore han’s . . . an’ shook dem dice at dat crossroads until de sun gets up where yo’ kin see it” (excerpt, Harry Middleton Hyatt – Hoodoo – Conjuration – Witchcraft – Rootwork)

Some 20th-century blues songs, such as Black Spider Dumpling’s (John D. Twitty) Sold It to the Devil, may be about making a bargain with the devil at the fork in the road. Many modern listeners consider Robert Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues” to be the best song about soul-selling at a crossroads. According to folklore, Johnson allegedly sold his soul at a crossroads in order to learn to play the guitar.

Another well-known Blues song, recorded by W.C. Handy, alludes to a historical spot in Moorhead, Mississippi, where two train tracks crossed: the Southern Railway and the Yazoo Delta Railroad, often known as “Yellow Dog.” According to legend, while waiting for a train in Mississippi, Handy overheard a guitarist singing and playing in a way he had never heard before. It was Handy’s first experience with the music that would come to be known as Blues. He was affected by the musical style he would soon help to define while at his crossroads—one of intersecting paths. Harry Middleton Hyatt compiled the first large collection of reports of this ceremony done by African Americans in the US South in the 1930s. Many of his informants were not musicians and were looking for other abilities, such as being able to shoot dice and win or being able to tap dance.

Disposing of magic at the crossroads

Crossroads disposal can also be used to dispose of candle wax, ashes from burned incense, petition papers and photographs used in spells, and leftover powders from any ritual that had a negative intent or did not involve you directly. A full raw egg used in a personal cleansing ritual is the only relic of a positive spell traditionally carried to a crossroad and flung into it. The reason the egg should not be buried on your property is that it contains all of the negative influences that were pulled out of the person who was cleansed. Instead, breaking it at a crossroads allows the dark energies to dissipate harmlessly among passing strangers. The same goes for disposing of the water used in a spiritual bath where all the absorbed “bad vibes” are given to the spirits of the crossroads to finalize instead of it resting at your home. We found an interesting article on using conjure to open the roads by our friends at Crescent City Conjure.

In crossroads magic a crossroads is created by drawing a cross in chalk on a roadway (many times an intersection will do), but if no crossroads are available paper must be laid down flat upon the ground and marked instead. After marking the paper, it’s turned up toward the sky, which allows spirits to travel down along it and into this world. The most common method of using the crossroads in hoodoo is for the disposal of used magical items or to nullify magic by leaving the items at the intersection and never looking back.

Crossroads Card in Lenormand

The crossroads card in the Lenormand card divination system gives you two paths, two solutions to any difficulty. The choices are rarely simple and must be carefully considered. This is the ultimate card of free will, demonstrating that you always have the option of going one way or the other. It also signifies that a decision must be made is you are to move forward. The Crossroads, in general, signifies alternatives, possibilities, and potentials – for example, currently unrealized abilities or yet-to-be-achieved objectives.

You can employ crossroads magic in your personal practice in a variety of ways, from communing with deities to interacting with spirits. These entryway areas offer a plethora of magical possibilities, many of which aren’t even covered here. On the other hand, Crossroads are not simply geographical locations but also moments, such as nightfall, morning, and turning points in your life or magical practice. Use these times and places to seek protection, commune with your ancestors, leave offerings for a god, clear a blockage, dispose of spell leftovers, banish negativity, create objectives, seek guidance, or conduct any other magic you think acceptable for calling upon the power of the crossroads. The crossroads is the ultimate location for restoration in our lives — it is where therapy and messages are found. There are diverging paths before you, none of which leads back to the past. When we are at the crossroads, we have the opportunity to ask the universe anything.

(aromags.com)

[dailyrugbytoday]

What to expect in Round 3 of the Guinness Six Nations?

New Post has been published on https://thedailyrugby.com/what-to-expect-in-round-3-guinness-six-nations/

The Daily Rugby

https://thedailyrugby.com/what-to-expect-in-round-3-guinness-six-nations/

What to expect in Round 3 of the Guinness Six Nations?

The opening rounds of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations have given us plenty of incredible drama and Round 3 is set to provide more of the same.

Unbeaten Ireland and Scotland will placed their records and title credentials to the check in Italy and France respectively, after brilliant wins in Round 2 on domestic soil.

And there is the small rely of England’s experience to Cardiff, with Warren Gatland nonetheless trying to find his first win on account that re-taking the Wales head instruct task and Steve Borthwick making his first away journey as England boss.

More News :: All Blacks Bledisloe Cup

Another outstanding weekend of movement to follow then subsequent week, after the primary of the relaxation weeks, however what are we able to expect from three big clashes?

At the quit of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations, Duhan van der Merwe sealed pinnacle spot on the try scoring charts along with his 5th of the campaign at the Stade de France as Scotland defeated France 27-23 – their first win in Paris considering 1999.

That got here all through the Covid-hit Championship, with no lovers in attendance and the in shape behind schedule by using a month.

This time can be a completely exceptional ball recreation, as Scotland appearance to win back-to-lower back away clashes with France for the first time due to the fact 1928.

It has already been a Six Nations Championship filled with records for Gregor Townsend’s guys, triumphing consecutive away suits against England for the primary time considering that 1909, earlier than ending their commencing rounds hoodoo with a win over Wales – the first time they have got received their first fits since the 1996 Five Nations.

Now comes the subsequent check, reigning champions France in front of a packed-out Stade de France for the primary time this year, nonetheless reeling from defeat to Ireland final week.

Scotland are in terrific shape, with Matt Fagerson mainly impressing up to now, while Finn Russell is in the shape of his life inside the Scotland jersey, however they will need to take their sport up another level against France.

For Les Bleus, it’s far a case of having again to winning methods, and getting their Six Nations Championship back heading in the right direction, led on with the aid of global class captain Antoine Dupont.

World number one facet Ireland had been at their very best so far, robotically dispatching Wales in Cardiff to cease their decade-long winless streak, before getting the higher of France in a truely sensational healthy on the Aviva Stadium.

Now they head to Rome, where they may be heavy favourites to relaxed their 0.33 bonus point, having averaged fifty one.67 factors the remaining 3 times they have got faced the Azzurri.

But this may be a in shape of totally differing patterns, with Ireland’s ahead % filled with international class talent, even as Italy’s backline has been firing thus far, inspired with the aid of the magician that is Ange Capuozzo.

Ireland benefited from France’s willingness to play from everywhere in Dublin, and this 12 months underneath Kieran Crowley, Italy have been jogging from their own attempt line to very mixed effect.

Six Nations Against England the only thing Italy lacked became maul defence, with all five of England’s attempts coming from the using maul, some thing so as to have worried Crowley given how robust Ireland are in that location.

But this Italy facet, possibly in contrast to the ones inside the past, is brave, and that they have the players to purpose any side critical damage.

More News :: 2023 Japan Rugby League fixtures

top tries of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations so far

Damian Penaud’s sensational try in Round 2 got here in broken area, and this is something Italy will appearance to create – if Crowley’s guys can motive chaos in opposition to an incredibly properly drilled Ireland defence, they’ll agree with they can re-create the historic victory of 2013.

But none of so that it will matter in the event that they can’t forestall Ireland up front, something no one has been capable of do so far this season, can Italy be the first?

[kimberly40]

When European settlers moved into these mountains, they found that the lore and landscape they suddenly occupied was not entirely different than what they’d left behind in Europe. Many of the Native American tribes like the Cherokee and Shawnee already associated these ancient mountains with magic and other worldly power. There were even beings which very much resembled fairies living in those ridges and valleys, as illustrated in the Cherokee tale of the “Forever Boy”:

“As he looked behind him, there they were, all the Little People. And they were smiling at him and laughing and running to hug him. And they said, ‘Forever Boy you do not have to grow up. You can stay with us forever. You can come and be one of us and you will never have to grow up… Forever Boy thought about it for a long time. But that is what he decided he needed to do, and he went with the Little People” (Native American Lore Index-Legends of the Cherokee).

The presence of fairies in the mountains would have been familiar to groups like the Germans and the Scots-Irish, the latter of whom had their own tradition of “fairy doctoring” which would eventually shape a portion of Appalachian magical practice.

Germans also brought in astrology, particularly astrology associated with things like planting, healing, and weather. Despite a strongly Christian background (and strongly Protestant and Calvinist at that), most settlers accepted a certain amount of magical living in the mountains. As George Milnes says in his Signs, Cures, & Witchery:

“Among the early German settlers in West Virginia, religion was thoroughly mixed with not only astrology but also esoteric curing practices tied to cosmic activity. Folk curing bridged a gap between the religious and the secular mind-set. And forms of white magic were not disdained; in fact, they were practiced by the early German clergy”.

The Scots and Scots-Irish who settled in the mountains were often displaced due to land struggles back home. After long struggles with England for an independence which clearly would never be theirs, clan leaders traveled across the Atlantic and began building new territories. The mountains running between Georgia and West Virginia were a perfect fit for them, according to Edain McCoy:

“The Scots found the southern Appalachians very remote, like their Highland home, a place where they could resume their former lifestyle and live by their ancient values without interference from the sassenach, or outsiders. So isolated were they that many of the late medieval speech patterns and terms remained intact in the region until well into [the 20th] century”.

Once these various elements were situated in the mountains together, they began to merge and blend, mixing Native and European sources to create something else. The introduction of hoodoo elements eventually changed the mixture again, though much later, and there are still old-timers in the hills practicing many of these techniques even now, though it is unlikely the entire system will remain intact for more than a generation or two as many mountain folk are being forced by poverty or circumstance to give up their highland homes. Still, for the moment, there are lots of people trying to get Appalachian folkways recorded and preserved before they perish from the earth (this blog being one very infinitesimal drop in the bucket as far as that goes). So for that, at least, we can be thankful.

(Shared by Jean Robinson)

[gypsywillow]

An Exhaustive List of Witch Movies

Witches/witchcraft comes in all shapes and forms. Below are lists of different iterations within the horror genre.

Period Pieces: Witch Hysteria of the 17th Century

The Witchfinder General (1968) — England; 1645

Blood on Satan’s Paw (1971) — England; 1700

The VVitch (2019) — New England; 1630

The Cleansing (2019) — Wales; 1550

The Reckoning (2020) — Northern England; 1665

A Coven of Sisters (2021) — Spain; 160

The Baba Yaga

The Baba Yaga (1973)

Wicked (2013)

Don’t Knock Twice (2016)

The Wretched (2019)

Gretel and Hansel (2020)

Baba Yaga: Terror of the Dark Forest (2021)

Witchcraft Gone Wrong

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch (1982)

The Craft (1996)

The Witchouse (1999)

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Pywacket (2018) Bad Witch (2021)

The Family Legacy

The Covenant (2006) 

Mercy (2014)

Hereditary (2018)

The Influence (2019)

Binding (2020)

Voodoo / Hoodoo 

Angel Heart (1987)

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

The Skeleton Key (2005)

Jessabelle (2014)

Spell (2020)

Zombi Child (2020)

Found Footage

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

They’re Watching (2016)

Blair Witch (2016) 

The Last Witch (2017)

Curse of the Dead Witch

The Devonsville Terror (1983)

Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows (2000)

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

The Conjuring (2013)

The Witching (2014)

House of the Witch (2017)

The Witch in the Window (2018)

The Unholy (2021)

Dario Argento’s Three Mothers Trilogy

Suspiria (1977)

Inferno (1980)

Mother of Tears (2007)

Arthouse Horror

Black Sunday (1960)

Lords of Salem (2012)

Neon Demon (2016)

Suspiria (2018)

Other Witchy Movies just for fun

#HailSatan

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Witchcraft (1988)

The House of the Devil (2009)

The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)

The Devil’s Candy (2015) 

Satanic (2016)

Ready or Not (2019)

Satanic Panic (2019)

The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

Pagan Cults

Kill List (1971)

Wicker Man (1973) 

Wake Wood (2011)

Starry Eyes (2014)

Ritual (2017)

Apostle (2018)

Midsommar (2019)

Genre-Bending Witches

Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Wicked Witches (2019)

We Summon the Darkness (2020)

His House (2020)

Family Fun

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

Practical Magic (1989)

The Witches (1990)

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Eve’s Bayou (1997)

Season of the Witch (2011)

Into the Woods (2014)

Maleficent (2014)

The Witches (2020)

[voidingintotheshout]

Black History Month Public Domain Reading List

I’d seen a list floating around the internet with links to pirated books by black writers of note for black history month. I felt that it was problematic to be sharing something that’s disenfranchising black writers when there are a lot of great books by black writers to read that are in the public domain and free to read. I compiled this list of books by various black writers of note with descriptions and links to a site to download them onto your devices. The site is Project Gutenberg, the original e-book site, releasing ebooks since, surprisingly, 1971.

Slave Narratives & Other Writings

Up from Slavery: An Autobiography by Booker T. Washington (A Memoir). This is his personal experience of having to work to rise up from the position of a slave child during the Civil War, to the difficulties and obstacles he overcame to get an education at the new Hampton Institute, to his work establishing vocational schools—most notably the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama—to help black people and other disadvantaged minorities learn useful, marketable skills and work to pull themselves, as a race, up by the bootstraps. It’s worth knowing that Washington was a segregationist, and so some of his views may surprise modern readers. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2376

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (A Memoir). It is generally held to be the most famous of a number of narratives written by former slaves during the same period. In factual detail, the text describes the events of his life and is considered to be one of the most influential pieces of literature to fuel the abolitionist movement of the early 19th century in the United States. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23

Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave by William Wells Brown (A Memoir). A wonderfully gripping slave narrative that’s the length of a novella. The matter-of-fact, almost journalistic way in which the writer describes the horrors he saw and experienced really hits home. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15132

Clotelle; Or, The Colored Heroine, a tale of the Southern States; Or, The President’s Daughter by William Wells Brown (A Novel). This book tells a fictional story of what the life would be like for the mixed-race daughter of founding father and president Thomas Jefferson and slave Sally Hemings. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/241

The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois (Essays). The book contains several essays on race, some of which the magazine Atlantic Monthly had previously published. To develop this work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American in American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology. In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois used the term "double consciousness", perhaps taken from Ralph Waldo Emerson ("The Transcendentalist" and "Fate"), applying it to the idea that black people must have two fields of vision at all times. They must be conscious of how they view themselves, as well as being conscious of how the world views them. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/408

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral by Phillis Wheatley (Poetry). She was the first African-American author of a published book of poetry. Born in West Africa, she was sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America. She was enslaved by the Wheatley family of Boston. After she learned to read and write, they encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent. On a 1773 trip to London with her master's son, seeking publication of her work, Wheatley met prominent people who became patrons. The publication in London of her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral on September 1, 1773, brought her fame both in England and the American colonies. Figures such as George Washington praised her work. A few years later, African-American poet Jupiter Hammon praised her work in a poem of his own. Wheatley was emancipated by her masters shortly after the publication of her book. They soon died, and she married poor grocer John Peters, lost three children, and died in poverty and obscurity at the age of 31. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/409

Alexandre Dumas’ Writings

Many don’t know this, but he was the grandson of a French Nobleman and a Haitian slave woman. Writing in the 1800’s, his work is characterized as adventure novels and page-turners with beautiful descriptions that rarely steal the show from the plot.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas is a standalone book that sets up his D'Artagnan Romances (pronounced Dar-tan-yun, by the way). Romantic in the sense of vivid and sentimental in tone, the stories have captivated generations all over the world. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1257

The Count of Monte Cristo (Illustrated) by Alexandre Dumas is one of the best adventure tales of revenge that spans decades, as our hero unfolds a tale of revenge that includes prison breaks, fabulous wealth, hedonism, and much more.  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1184

The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas is one of his shorter novels that takes place amid murder and intrigue in a world where tulips were more valuable than gold. A good read, but not as gripping as the above two books, but great if you don’t want to be on the hook for a thousand pages of description and action. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/965

Zora Neale Hurston’s Writings

She was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South and published research on hoodoo. The most popular of her four novels is Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937. She also wrote more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays. Her writings are known for their noticeable focus on vernacular speech, where character spoke as they would during that place and time.

Three Plays by Zora Neale Hurston (Lawing & Jawing, Forty Yards, & Woofing). Lawing and Jawing is about a "regal" Judge who having a rough morning sends everybody to jail. He adjourns the court so he can "escort" a pretty girl home since he sent her innocent boyfriend to jail. Forty Yards is all about the teams cheering and singing. Every step is a song. The game is just an excuse to sing, even when the place catches fire they sing. Woofing is about a procrastinating man who doesn't finish anything and when a marching band goes past his porch, he and all his cronies drop everything to follow the band. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17187

The Mule-Bone: by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. (Novella) The only collaboration between the two brightest lights of the Harlem Renaissance—Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. In this hilarious story, Jim and Dave are a struggling song-and-dance team, and when a woman comes between them, chaos ensues in their tiny Florida hometown.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19435

De Turkey and De Law by Zora Neale Hurston. The two friends from The Mule-Bone, Jim and Dave are back again and so is Daisy. These two friends become enemies because they both imagine that Daisy prefers himself over the other. They both go out to hunt a turkey to give Daisy. The two young men fight over the turkey and one gets hit with a mule bone from the same old mule from the other play.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22146

[tipsycad147]

Using Magical Poppets and Dolls

You're the only one who can decide what's ethically acceptable for you. Michelle Constantini/Getty Images

By Patti Wigington

Updated January 05, 2019

The magical poppet is one of the most commonly used implements in sympathetic magic, which follows along on the theory that “like creates like.” Although TV shows and movies typically show poppets as the stereotypical "voodoo doll," poppets have been around for a long time, and used in a number of different cultures and religious belief systems. There are many ways to create a poppet, and they can be used to harm or to heal; if you create a poppet of a person, anything done to the poppet will affect the person it represents. Bear in mind that some magical traditions discourage the use of poppets. If you're not sure whether or not it's okay for you to use poppet magic, you may want to check with someone in your tradition.

A poppet is usually made from cloth or fabric, but you can also make one from clay, wax, wood, or just about any other material. You can fill your poppet with herbs, stones, bits of wood, paper, or anything else that suits your needs. In addition to magical items, it's a good idea to include some cotton or polyfill as stuffing material.

Once the poppet is created, you'll need to connect it to the person it represents, which is typically done by using a magical link of some sort. Remember, the poppet is a useful magical tool, and can be used in a variety of workings. Use it for healing, to banish harmful people from your life, to bring abundance your way — the choices are practically limitless.

Poppet History

Fetish dolls on sale at a market in Togo. Danita Delimont/Getty Images

When most people think of a poppet, they automatically think of the Voodoo doll, thanks to this item's negative portrayal in movies and on television. However, the use of dolls in sympathetic magic goes back several millennia. Back in the days of ancient Egypt, the enemies of Ramses III (who were numerous, and included some of his harem women and at least one high-ranking official) used wax images of the Pharaoh, to bring about his death. Let's look at some of the historical uses of poppets in spellwork.

Greek Kolossi

It wasn't uncommon for the Greeks to use sympathetic magic in workings related to love or war. Christopher Faraone, Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago, is one of the foremost authorities on Greek magic today, and says that Greek poppets called Kolossoi were sometimes used to restrain a ghost or even a dangerous deity, or to bind two lovers together. In Idyll 2, The Witch (Pharmakeutria), written about 200 b.c.e., the tragedian Theocritus refers to melting and burning wax dolls. He relates the tale of Simaetha, rejected by Delphis, attempts to get her lover back with magic.

The Princess Who Played with Dolls

Wax dolls certainly weren't limited to the ancient classical world. The one-time Princess of Wales, Caroline of Brunswick, was married to the man who later became King George IV, and evidently couldn't stand him. She spent many hours forming wax dolls of her husband and jabbing them with pins. Although there's no concrete evidence as to what this may have done to George, when Caroline ran off to Italy with her young lover, George didn't object. The royal couple remained married but lived separately until Caroline’s death in 1821, according to Witchcraft and Evidence in Early Modern England by Malcolm Gaskill.

West African Fetish Magic

West African slaves brought with them a doll called a fetish when they were forced to leave their homes and come to the American colonies. In this case, the doll is not so much representative of an individual, but is in fact possessed by spirits connected to the doll’s owner. A fetish contains significant power and is typically worn or carried by its owner as a talisman. During America's Colonial period, slave owners were allowed to kill any slave found with a fetish in his possession.

American Hoodoo and Folk Magic

In American Hoodoo and folk magic, the use of poppets as a magical tool became popular following the Civil War. There is some dispute as to whether the dolls are used at all in Haiti, which is the home of Vodoun religion, and a few sources disagree on whether the use of poppets is truly a Vodoun practice or not. However, the Voodoo Museum of New Orleans does stock a variety of dolls in their gift shop.

Regardless of how you make your poppet — out of cloth, a chunk of meat, or a glob of wax, remember that poppets have a long tradition behind them, and that tradition is influenced by the magical practices of a wide range of cultures. Treat your poppets well, and they will do the same for you!

Make Your Own Poppet

Photomorgana/Getty Images

A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you like — it all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. You can construct one out of just about any material — cloth, clay, wood, wax. Use your imagination! In some magical traditions, it's believed that the more work you put into it, and the more complex it is, the stronger your link will be to your goal. Because a poppet is a device for sympathetic magic, all of its components will be symbols of what it is you hope to achieve.

You can do your poppet-making as part of the working itself, or it can be made ahead of time so you can use the poppet later on. Which method you choose is really up to you.

Remember, your poppet represents a person, so figure out before you begin who it symbolizes. Is it you? A friend who's asked you for help? An un-named lover you want to bring into your life? A gossip you want to shut up? The possibilities are endless, but just like in any spell working, you'll need to set a goal before you begin. It keeps you from having to deal with "do-overs" later. These instructions are for a basic poppet construction, using fabric. Feel free to modify your design as you need to.

Selecting Your Fabric

There are no real rules when it comes to choosing your material, but it's not a bad idea to select fabric based on your goal. If you're doing a money spell, use a piece of green or gold cloth. If you're looking at healing, perhaps something in a soft blue or silver would be best. Check out fabric stores around the holidays, and you can find all kinds of neat patterns.

Valentine's Day designs are perfect for matters of the heart, and there are plenty of prints with dollar signs, coins, stars and moons, and other fun designs.

Another option is to use fabric that links the poppet to the person it represents. Doing a healing spell for a friend? Ask the person for an old t-shirt. If you're trying to draw love into your life, consider using a scrap from that sexy lingerie you wore last night. If you just can't find the right material, use a plain muslin or white felt. Here are a few ideas for designs and colors for poppet magic.

Animals: Brown or green fabrics, patterns with cats or dogs, anything pet-related

Banishing: Black fabric, designs such as swords or wands, dragons or fire

Creativity: Orange or yellow fabric, prints of suns or other fire symbols

Healing: Silver, white or blue, with designs of clouds or other air symbols

Love: Pink or red material, designs like hearts, roses or other flowers, Cupids

Money: Silver, gold or green fabric, or designs of dollar bills or coins, cups or earthy symbols

Protection: Red or white material, with patterns of shields, keys or locks, fences, mistletoe

When it comes to types of fabric, use what's easiest for you to work with. Cotton prints are easy to sew, but if you've never used a needle and thread before, you might want to try something stiffer like felt — it comes in every color you can imagine, and will hold its shape as you sew. If you're an experienced sewer, use anything you like.

A poppet represents a person, so ideally it should look (sort of) like a person. Give it a head, two arms, two legs, a torso. You can make your own outline or you can use the ultimate poppet pattern — a gingerbread man. If you're doing a spell for an animal — such as a healing spell for a sick pet — make the poppet shape accordingly. Your poppet doesn't have to be huge, but it should be big enough that you can stuff it with your ingredients later.

Take two pieces of your fabric, and place them right side together on a flat surface. Place the pattern on top, pin it in place, and cut it out. Leave a little room around the edges for a seam allowance — usually a 3/8" margin is good. Remove the pattern, and there are your two poppet shapes. Time to start sewing!

If you've never sewn anything by hand before, don't panic. It's not hard, but it does require some patience. You could always use a sewing machine if you're pressed for time, but most experienced poppet-makers agree that it's worth the effort to do it by hand. Pin the two pieces of material with the right sides together, and stitch around the edges. Leave an opening somewhere, wide enough to stick a couple of fingers in. Turn the poppet inside out, and begin stuffing.

Personalize Your Poppet

Fill your poppet with something soft, like polyfill or cotton balls. Old pantyhose work nicely too. Work the stuffing all the way into the nooks and crannies of the arms and legs, and then fill the torso and head.

This is where you'll place your spell components — herbs, stones, whatever. In some magical traditions, something from the person represented goes inside the poppet. This is alternately referred to as a taglock or a magical link — it can be bits of hair, nail clippings, body fluids, a business card, or even a photograph. Once everything is inside, sew the poppet completely shut.

The more you can customize your poppet, the better. Even if you've placed a magical link, or taglock, inside, you'll want to decorate the outside too. Draw or paint or sew a face onto your doll. Add yard or string for hair. Dress your poppet in something that looks like the person's clothing. Copy any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing features onto the poppet as well. Add magical or astrological symbols if you like. While you're doing this, tell the poppet who it represents. You can say something along the lines of, "I have made you, and you are Jane Jones."

Your poppet can be used for any number of things—love, money, protection, healing, to get a job. Anything you can imagine, you can make a poppet to bring it about. Simply figure out your goal and the means to achieve it. The only limits on poppet construction are your own creativity and imagination.

6 Easy Poppet Projects

Make protective poppets for each member of your family with modeling clay. amanaimagesRF/Getty Images

Not sure what sort of poppets to create, or how you can use them in a practical application? Try one of these six easy ideas for making and using your own poppets.

1. To Get a Job You've Applied For

Material: satin, green or gold or silver

Herbs: clover, chamomile, ginger, cinnamon

Gemstones: snowflake obsidian or sodalite

Create a poppet to represent yourself. As you make it, focus on the positive attributes that you possess which will make you appealing to a potential employer. Another option is to create the poppet in the image of the employer (include business cards or letterhead inside, if you can get them) and tell the employer poppet why you're the best person for the job.

2. To Protect Your Family

Material: Modeling clay

Herbs: Basil, patchouli, coffee

Gemstones: Hematite, amethyst, black onyx.

Create poppets that represent each member of the family, blending herbs and stones into the clay. Put them in a safe place in your home, such as near your hearth, and utilize magical shielding or cast a circle of protection around them. This is actually a fun project you can get your kids involved in as well — let them each make their own poppet person!

3. To Heal a Sick Person

Material: White cotton or unbleached muslin

Herbs: Lemon balm, feverfew, ivy, and pine.

Gemstones: Bloodstone, turquoise

When you make this poppet, be sure to indicate what you are trying to heal, whether it's a case of tennis elbow, a chronic infection, or even a broken heart. Focus all of your energy on the ailment in question.

4. To Bring Love Into Your Life

Material: Red or pink silk or cotton

Herbs: Rose petals, parsley, and peppermint

Gemstones: Barite, jade, rose quartz

Make a poppet to represent the object of your affection — remember that in some magical traditions it is frowned upon to make a specific person the target of your working. If you are simply trying to attract love to yourself, but you don’t have a specific person in mind, focus on all the desirable qualities you want to see in a potential lover.

5. Silencing a Gossip

Material: Ground beef or other squishy meat

Herbs: Horseradish, pepper, rue, yarrow, valerian

Shape the meat and herbs into a person, and create a "meat puppet" in the same way you'd make a fabric one. As you make the doll, tell it that it's time to be silent, and tell no more gossipy stories. Remind it that people who can't say nice things shouldn't say anything at all. Dispose of the doll by either burning it on your grill and burying it someplace far away, feeding it to your dog, or leaving it out in the sun to rot.

6. Emergency Poppet on the Fly

Material: Aluminum foil

Perhaps something has come up in a hurry, and you feel it needs immediate magical attention. Use a piece of aluminum foil to whip together a quickie poppet — shape it into the figure of a person. Fill with any magical components that might be handy — bits of wood, dirt, grass, even a name scribbled on a piece of paper — and personalize the poppet.

Need additional poppetry ideas? Try making a magical gingerbread poppet, or put together a portable poppets kit to keep in your magical arsenal!

https://www.learnreligions.com/what-are-magical-poppets-4072783

[cowperviolet]

Black cats and Gambling Dens: The Story of an Edwardian Perfume

(cw: mention of animal abuse)

The perfume Pompeia was created by L.T. Piver in 1907, and its original image could not possibly have been more respectable. The scent of patchouli and rose was sweet and ladylike, and the image of the graceful stola-clad woman on the label evoked the image of the classical past. The name could not have been chosen better - after all, Pompeii was one of the most haunting and popular tourist destinations for centuries, inspiring both entertaining novels and thinkpieces about the lost civilization.

The worst thing that could possibly happen to the perfume in the future, it seemed, was that it’s going to become accessible, commonplace, and associated with badly-lit cafes and vulgar women like the same creator’s earlier hit, Le Trèfle Incarnat.

And now I’m going to make a brief aside about the world of Edwardian gambling.

I promise, the reason is going to  become clear in a couple of minutes.

Now, the issue of gambling in the Western world of pre-WW1 was a somewhat complex one. And when I say complex, I mean hypocritical. On one hand, the attitude towards it was much stricter than we have today - for instance, the sleek new ocean lines like the ill-fated Lusitania prohibited it altogether. On the other, once out of the bright light, it blossomed like orchids on the moors. The stewards of the aforementioned Lusitania tended to look the other way as elegant husband-and-wife teams of cardsharps used complex eyebrow codes to communicate with each other while fleecing the passengers (#relationshipgoals?). Then, of course, there was also the 1%, who could wager to their heart’s content during private parties and cozy country house weekends (or, as they called it, the Saturday-to-Mondays - after all, calling it a weekend would be implying that you also have a working week. Quelle horreur). Sometimes sums as high as £10,000 – enough to buy a Georgian house with its own deer park - were lost in the games of baccarat and chemin-de-fer. Indeed, some of those private parties in the West End became so cozy that they eventually turned into fully-fledged, if exclusive, gambling salons. Losers in these establishments were cheered up with a doze of good brandy, and servants were at hand to make sure particularly unfortunate debtors would not try to shoot themselves in the house’s conservatory. Of course, mishaps still happened. When one such salon was raided by the police, a young lady whose name the memoirist Eric Horne discreetly left out, slid down a drainpipe in panic right in her evening gown, petticoats and all. Ouch.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that people who frequented gambling dens wanted to use any trick and mojo possible to attract some luck to their often-shaking hands.

What occurred next, however, is surprising indeed.  Just when the popularity of Pompeia swept the southern states of America like a wave, it collided with another, much mightier force: the craze for the hoodoo and voodoo among the white population. These practices of folk magic initially arrived in the Mississippi Delta by way of slave routes from West Africa; fast forward a hundred years, and the patrons of gambling dens of New Orleans wanted to use it to help them win a jackpot.

A whole slew of recipes for concoctions one could use for hoodoo spells was printed. One urged the readers to boil a cat alive and then grind his shoulder bone into ‘Black Cat Dust’. Fortunately, most readers in question preferred more bloodless ways: and this is where Pompeia came in. Maybe because of its association with the ancient pagan town, or maybe because of some other reason, it became known as a ‘spiritual cologne’ one ought to sprinkle on the lucky charm to attract the attention of the gods.

As, in the aftermath of the Second World War, L.T. Piver’s fortunes declined, Pompeia forgot its worldly origin and retreated completely into the world of witchcraft stores. Some said you could increase your psychic power if you draw a bath with honeysuckle and a few drops of Pompeia.

 Sources:

Lusitania: Triumph, Tragedy, and the End of the Edwardian Age by Greg King

Perfume: a Century of Scents by Lizzie Ostrom

The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm by Juliet Nicholson

[jdashlamar]

New Years Protection - A How To Guide

Every year I protect myself from negative people, bad intentions, flaky energy and all manner of bad spirits and you should too.

What is New Years?

New Year is the time or day at which a new calendar year begins. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner, and the 1st day of January is often marked as a national holiday holy day. 

New Years is holy because it’s number is 1. The numerology number 1 is self-determined and self-sufficient. It goes about its own business, pursues its own goals, and has no need for companionship.

Often, we create New Years resolutions and goals that reflect the energy of the number 1. However, near March of that same year, we have likely quit or goals or had something happen to throw us back into old behavior, circles, thoughts and energies. What happened to our vigor and will power?

Many of us have bad luck, bad juju, roots and other negative things on us that keep us from our goals in life. We often have terrible relationships, situationships and sinking ships that we choose to stay in for far too long. Each year, I do spells to keep haters, spells, hexes and much more away and now I wil share a few “secrets” with you.

Spiritual Baths

Cleanliness is next to Godliness. 

Most empaths come home with residual feelings and energy each day. When they ask me for tips, I always suggest a spiritual bath. I use Bobby Hemmitt’s bath and it’s my go-to method but it’s not for every one. 

What you’ll need

Huge tub of water, 3 caps ammonia, 3 caps of bleach, 3 caps of apple cider vinegar, 3 caps of lemon juice and half a cup of sea salt, 1 white candle.

What you’ll do

Light the white chime candle. Get in that tub and imagine your aura extending out into a white light all around you. Stay in for a minimum of 15mins and then before you leave the tub, dunk your head below the water. After that, shower off and take some of the left over wax and ball it up in some cloth and wear it on your body. 

This bath helps with prosperity, protection, and removal of anything negative. 

Great video on it below:

Baths have always been sacred. In hoodoo and may other spiritual systems, baths can be used as a very extremely powerful tool to help you manifest on your journey in the New Year.

The Witches Bottle

If you ain’t got haters, you ain’t poppin’! Every time you get somewhere in life, BOOM, a hater. Some of those haters are witches and they don’t mind playing target practice with your life. Personally, I lay a few tricks of my own when I create a witches bottle each New Year.

What is a Witches Bottle?

Witch bottles began as countermagical devices used as protection against other witchcraft and evocation. They are described in historical sources in England and the United States. The first mention of a witch bottle appears in the 17th century England.

This is old-school magic that works! You make a bottle for you, your spouse or kids to keep them safe from magical harm. The idea is that a evil spirit or energy will seek you out but mistake the witches bottle for you becoming trapped or destroyed in the process.

What you’ll need

A glass bottle and closure, toe/fingernail clippings, hair, urine, seamen/menstrul fluid for extra points, a black candle, red twine (optional), nails, rose thorns, any protective herbs or salts.

What you’ll do

You’ll fill the witches bottle with bodily fluids, salts, hair, bones and then seal it closed. On top of the bottle, you’ll burn a black candle. Let the candle wax drip down the sides. As the candle burns, imagine all evil being trapped into what looks like a projection of you but it’s really the bottle. When the candle is done, take the bottle and place it in a quiet place or bury it in your front yard. If you stay in an apartment, bury it at your mother’s house or a place you frequent.

Witches bottles are a huge deal and they even get major press when people find them: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/01/24/witch-bottle-discovered-virginia/

A New Years Reading with Tarot

The last thing I do for the New Year is read my energy with the Tarot cards. Tarot allows us to see current energy and make choices that can influence future events. 

What you’ll need

A decent tarot deck, my suggestion would be https://amzn.to/2KMGDMc for a solid deck that shows Black ppl instead of the traditional tarot characters.

Purchase yours at https://amzn.to/2KMGDMc

What you’ll do

A simple 4 card spread. Shuffle the cards and think about the next year. Think of all you want to do and achieve while letting your mind wander away from the thoughts of the cards. As you shuffle, ask your ancestors that work for your success to help you “know, what is unknown”. You should get the word “STOP” in your head or cards will leap out of the shuffle when it is time to draw your cards. 

Using the spread layout, pull the first card (your past), then the second card (your future), next the third card (your now) and the last card (your outcome). Use google to find out the meanings or the accompanying book that comes with your tarot card deck.

I hope you take the time to make this a very good year for you and your loved ones and book a session with me if you’d like to have a Root Doctor pull your cards.

J-Lamar

[theparanormalperiodical]

Black Cats And Broken Mirrors: The Forgotten History Behind 13 Common Superstitions feat. 4 Cray-Cray Bonus Beliefs That You Didn’t Know Existed

It’s safe to say I’m a superstitious person.

I run a blog about the paranormal, for god’s sake.

Everyday I find myself touching wood, crossing my fingers, and hoping that magpie I can see just over there has a friend nearby to make a pair.

But in the same vein I’m obsessed with things that aren’t quite so lucky: I’m currently donning a pair of subtle black cat slippers, and I’m pretty damn sure my lucky number is 13.

Like most people reading this post at 2.37am when they should be having nightmares about the Mothman, I’m drawn to all things that don’t quite make sense. And people like me have been obsessed with superstitions since humans first started believing in a god of their choice.

Yet despite the long history of superstitious beliefs, there are some that still alter what we think and what we do.

Why do we pick up pennies in the hope of good luck?

Is there an explanation as to why walking under ladders can bring back luck?

And what is so wrong with the number 13?

Clutch your rabbit foot tight, and let’s find out.

#1 - It’s bad luck to open umbrellas indoors

I hate umbrellas. Like printers, they can sense when you need them most, deciding to either malfunction with the slightest gust of wind or disappear from sight altogether.

But the Victorians had it a bit worse than we do with more modern contraptions. And it’s the dangerous nature of Victorian umbrellas that explains why we are still wary of opening them indoors:

They had rigidly-spoked umbrellas which would snap open. When opened indoors, it could injure someone or hit an object as they opened with such force.

But the history of umbrella-related problems actually goes as far back as the Ancient Egyptians. The nobility would be protected from the sun with decorative umbrellas, but they believed if they opened them indoors they would anger the sun god. Umbrellas also mimicked the goddess who formed the sky so the shade created by the umbrella was thus considered sacred.

The act of daring to open one indoors could also anger your home’s spirits and causing misfortune.

So basically no living being or supernatural entity approves.

#2 - Walking underneath a ladder will bring bad luck

We now turn from one belief system to another.

This superstition relates purely to Christianity, with the claims that the ladder against a wall creates 3 points and thus represents the Holy Trinity. Walking through this triangle thus represents you - yes, you, you unholy thing - breaking it.

The Egyptians also had a thing about ladders, and like the Christians believed a triangle was sacred symbol.

It is also claimed that ladders were rested against crucifixes, and thus became a symbol of wickedness, death, and any other values that go against Christ’s teaching.

These beliefs were so prevalent, criminals sentenced to be hung in 17th century England were forced to walk under a ladder as they headed towards the gallows.

#3 - Broken mirrors give you seven years of bad luck

Mirrors have a bad reputation amongst us supernatural skeptics. Why? 

They’ve been used for divination and conjuring rituals for millenia, and that’s exactly the gripe the Ancient Greeks had with them.

Their mirror seers, as they were also known, told the future by looking at the reflection of their clients. And one of their methods was catoptromancy: the mirror was dipped in water, and you were asked to look in the glass. If it distorted, you were destined to die.

The 7 years bit is actually to do with the Romans and was introduced back in 1st AD. As they believed people's health changed in 7 year cycles, a distorted image thus meant 7 years of ill health or misfortune.

#4 - Throwing salt over your shoulder avoids bad luck

Salt is one of those things that has always had spiritual meaning.

From the Bible to Pagan ceremonies, it is known for its healing properties and has even been used as a unit of exchange. It’s these values which explain why spilling salt is considered so unlucky.

Even the word ‘salary’ can be traced back to the monetary value of what we now consider simply a seasoning.

The Ancient Sumerians were the first to think up throwing salt over their left shoulder to nullify any salt they might spill, protecting themselves from bad luck. Alternatively, in Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the same ritual is used to prevent evil spirits from entering the house.

#5 - Knocking on wood prevents disappointment

Just like salt, wood has been pretty prevalent in rituals throughout history. It’s for this reason that historians still aren’t sure which religion actually gave birth to this, but it is most often attributed to holding a crucifix when taking an oath, or how European peasants historically knocked loudly to keep out evil spirits.

Today we knock on wood to avoid tempting fate, whereas German or Celtic folklore started the knocking ritual to invoke the protection of their fairies, spirits, and dryads that lived in the trees. To follow their ritual, say your wish to the tree, knock one, and then knock again to say ‘thank you’.

The knocking stops the evil spirits from hearing you, and prevents them from interfering in your good fortune.

#6 - Open-end-up horse shoes are good luck

It’s a good luck charm gracing novelty gifts and jewellery for prep school girls who are still crying about New Moon - but like most superstitions, it once again can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks.

Iron was believed to have the ability to ward off evil, and the crescent moon was a symbol of fertility and good fortune. The twinned appeal of an iron crescent moon symbol thus suggested high levels of protection against misfortune.

This symbol was passed down to the Christians and use of it peaked during the witch trials. It was believed witches feared horses, and thus wouldn’t go near a home with a horse shoe on the front door.

It can also be traced back to a legend of Saint Dunstan from the 10th century: one day the Devil asked for Dunstan to shoe his horse. Rather than nailing the shoe to the horse’s foot, he nailed it to the devil’s foot and thus caused the entity unbearable pain. Dunstan agreed to remove the shoe only if the Devil never entered a household with a horseshoe on the door.

The way it is positioned is also important: open end down means the horse catches the luck and open end up means those entering the house get the luck.

#7 - Black cats crossing your path is bad luck

Black cats have always been considered omens - but the kind of luck they bring is yet to be agreed upon.

Ancient Egyptians revered cats and thus believed they brought good luck, whereas the British public’s fear of black cats can be traced back to King Charles I’s loss of his beloved pet. He believed when it died his luck was gone...

He was arrested the next day for high treason.

(Oh, he was guilty, black cat or not.)

Medieval Europeans followed a similar line of thought, but believed that they were familiars (like companions) of witches. If one was to cross your path, it meant the devil was watching you.

#8 - The number 13 is unlucky

This superstition is so popular, it’s even earnt a scientific name: triskaidekaphobia, aka the fear of the number 13. But why do we have such a phobia of the number?

Whilst many believe it is down to the Last Supper, when Judas - that guy that betrayed Jesus - sat down as the 13th guest at the table, it can also be found in a similar legend in Norse mythology.

12 gods were dining at Valhalla in the city of gods when Loki crashed the party. They tried to kick him out, but the struggle caused one of the gods - Balder - to die. But each culture has their own individual take on why the number 13 is quite so unlucky.

The Mayan believed their calendar’s 13th Baktun was the harbinger of 2012’s predicted apocalypse,  English monks disliked 13 full moons in a year as opposed to 12 as it skewed the religious holidays, and in 1307 on friday the 13th King Philip of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar.

Some nations take the fear so seriously that they don’t even have 13 floors. And interestingly enough, it wasn’t used in Formula 1 for 40 years. Some countries, including China and France, however, believe it is a lucky number.

#9 - Pick up a penny for good luck

This superstition is often relayed to a nursery rhyme actually referring to pins forged by Paganism, but it actually started with superstition regarding metals. In years gone by, metals gave protection against evil spirits. So, when metal began to be used from currency, it followed logically that those who had more currency had better fortune.

But what one should do with the penny is uncertain. Some say it is only lucky if it is heads-side-up, whereas others believe you should always flip it over for the next person to find.

Another forgotten ritual associated with pennies is that a bride should put a penny in her shoe on her wedding day to ensure a happy marriage.

#10 - A rabbit’s foot brings good luck

Okay, let’s be honest.

We’re all friends here.

Who the f*ck wants a rabbit’s foot? Like, what person wants an animal’s body part in their bed side table, or in their new rucksack-style handbag which you’re still not sure if the colour works with your skintone yet but you’ve already lost the receipt?

Turns out a lot of people do.

Rabbit feet are considered a talisman or an amulet which can be traced back to Celtic tribes in Britain. But on the other side of the pond, they can come from hoodoo, African-American folk magic that combines Native American, European, and African beliefs.

However, any ol’ rabbit can’t be chosen to be de-footed. It must’ve been killed in a certain way, in a certain place, by a certain person.

Under a full moon, or in a cemetery, or on a rainy Friday, or shot with a silver bullet… You have a lot of options.

The interest in rabbit feet in particular is because this is an animal which witches used to shapeshift into, and the times it should be killed, such as during a full moon, was when witches would transform.

The cemetery part is interesting, however: if killed on the grave of a criminal, they have a more effective charm applied to them.

#11 - Crossing your fingers is good luck

Like most superstitions, this one goes back to Jesus.

Crossing your fingers invokes the power of Christ as it creates a cross, and thus asks God for protection. But the first use of the gesture itself involves two people crossing their index fingers together, and can be traced back to the biblical Kingdom of Israel:

Judges would cross their fingers when they sentenced someone to death and wanted to reaffirm God’s authority over the criminal’s soul.

From there churchgoers would cross their fingers for blessings, and in the 16th century England people began to use it to ward off evil or to bless people when they coughed or sneezed.

#12 - Mirrors placed opposite each other are unlucky and might conjure the devil

We already know mirrors are highly-spiritual objects, and can be used to predict the future or conjure spirits from another realm.

But according to Mesoamerican culture, when mirrors are placed opposite each other, they create a doorway for the devil. 

Mexicans today still believe your interior design might just be summoning evil spirits.

#13 - Whistling indoors is bad luck

Our next superstition is from Lithuania, but has already made its way across Europe.

In many cultures, whistling - especially at night - attracts bad luck and evil spirits. But in England, an urban legend in the 19th century brought a whole new meaning to the superstition. The Seven Whistlers are mysterious spirits that would create spectral whistling in mines and stopped groups of coal miners going to work.

Alternatively, in Slavic countries whistling indoors can bring poverty, whereas the Chinese Daoist technique of breath yoga can summon supernatural beings and strange phenomena.

The Superstitions You Didn’t Know Existed And Will Now Probably Be Obsessed With 

#14 - If a bird craps on you it is good luck

This Russian superstition claims that if bird poop lands on you or an object that belongs to you, it will bring you wealth. But interest in bird faeces goes a bit further than this frosty nation.

Sailors believed droppings shouldn’t be cleaned off a vessel until the next rainstorm, whereas British folklore claims if droppings come from a rook (a member of the Crow family) it is a punishment.  

#15 - Yo-Yos bring bad luck

On January 21st 1933, Yo-Yos were banned in Syria.

The persistent drought and freezing temperatures the country was facing were pinned on the traditional toy, and the leaders in Damascus claimed the wrath of god was being incited by these obviously evil trinkets.

They believed that Syrians were praying from the rain to come down, but as the yo-yo comes down and then goes back up it thus wasn’t raining.

I think that’s what they were getting at.

I’m still not sure.

#16 - Singing at the dinner table is bad luck

I was once told off for singing in the middle of dinner. I must’ve been three years old, but from what I’ve read, my grandpa was probably convinced I was actually communicating with Satan.

If you sang at the table, it meant you were singing to the devil for your supper. And when you sing to the devil, it’s probably going to end badly.

#17 - Carry an acorn to stay young

According to women from Ancient Britain, acorns could keep you looking youthful - and it was all down to the power of an oak tree.

Simply tuck one into your pocket, and you too could look like you were in a magazine spread that enforces the destructive notion that women cannot look above the age of 27.

Acorns are also associated with Thor: Scandinavian folklore claims the god of thunder sought protection under an oak tree during a storm. By putting one on a windowsill, it will protect your house from lightning strikes as a sign of respect to Thor.

As we plough into Autumn of this sh*t year, it is our duty to generate as much luck as possible. We’re gonna need it.

Which superstition surprised you the most? And which ones do you do?

Let me know in a comment, and click follow if you want to hear a new article on the paranormal every week!

And don’t forget to check out the link in the bio, the ultimate collection of online real ghost stories as told by you.

[mirandalinotto]

I wish we knew more about Mambo Marie. I’m currently working on the next chapter of Sir, Spare Your Threats, and while I know it’s an alternate universe anyway, I still wish I had more canon background to go on, because I like to use canon as the basis of my ideas.

So I’ll pose all these questions to you:

How long ago did Marie move to New Orleans? Was the move made specifically because her met-tet told her ‘something’ was coming, or was it for another reason (the earthquake, perhaps)? Also, if her met-tet was drawing her towards the New England witches, why did she go to New Orleans first and not directly to Greendale (yes, I know, magic has its limits and such...but still). 

I'm just unclear as to why Marie, a High Priestess and thus cornerstone of her community, would leave Haiti for New Orleans, especially if she wasn’t interested in pretending to do “hoodoo-vodou bullshit.” 

[nappy-mermaid]

Lynchings were (and are) public RITUAL events, where bible verses were often read, and White religious and cultural leaders were present. The murder of black folks as PUBLIC RITUAL WORK. Black bodies as offering to White Supremacy. This is the subtext.

This is still the case w your police officers being Klan members, often with deep deep ties in the South, and in our Midwestern states and yes my sweet Liberal California and New England y’all too...

I think it’s important to discuss that EVERYTHING eats. You, your plants, spirits of nature, and those big giant institutions we worship and uphold. What does Capitalism eat? Everyone, but namely black folks.

Eating happens through ritual work, but when we feed a spirit there is always sacrifice, When you leave offering it is a sacrifice of food, energy, resources/money to feed your ancestral spirits. What do they feed White Supremacy? What does it EAT?

This is why the discussion of what happens in ADR & ATR is closed, especially around blood. Becuase the privilege that white folks are standing in is ROOTED in blood sacrifice, and continual energy stealing. This is about a lack of energy and power. Energy war.

As I speak esoterically don’t think that this is your floaty “energy lightworker convo” they are KILLING US. For ritual confirmation, and out of loyalty to systems. Killing is to stay in alignment with what they worship. And their systems say it is OKAY TO DO SO.

I found Hoodoo in my bones, and family but when I found African based cosmologies it changed my world. It still changes my world on the daily. We have systems that validate us, protect us, and feed us. We don’t have to martyr ourselves in a system built to eat us.

Africans, what do we eat? I think folks have touched on this and speculated on physical consumption, I’m not there w it. I’m talking spiritually? What do we need? What do our spirits eat?

As we rebuild and deconstruct systems revisit your ancestral spaces and feed them. Feed yourself, leave offering to yourself. Your things will save you. Theirs, aren’t built to.

- Twitter.com/IamSatarra

[filmfanatic82]

AO3 Link (HERE)

Chapter 17: Clarke (V)

Numb.

It’s the only word that comes to mind for the out of body sensation that Clarke is currently experiencing. 

Everything is numb.

No anger.

Or sadness.

Or even fear of what’s to come.

It’s as if her inner catalog of tried and true emotions are suddenly nowhere to be found, leaving Clarke with the inability to feel anything… 

Anything at all.

All there is is the never-ending abundance of numbness.

“Time to go, Blondie,” Anya announces from somewhere in the near distance. But Clarke doesn’t move. She remains planted on the top step of Murphy’s front porch, arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting upon her knees, while her eyes stare out into the darkness before her. 

A distinct set of footsteps cut through the ongoing background party noise, growing closer and closer, until stopping right beside Clarke. A moment or two of silence passes and then she notices the all too familiar sound of Anya letting out one of her “What mess did my sister create now” signatures sighs. 

Clarke knows that sound.

It’s the one that has become synonymous with Anya throughout the years, as time and time again the older Woods sister has managed to step in at just the right moment and fix whatever mess that Lexa has caused. The sigh comes first. Then the silence while Anya works her magic to rectify the situation at hand. 

Words come later. Always firm and direct, but never with a tone of anger. And never too many neither. It’s always just the right amount to get her point across before moving on.

Clarke feels the sudden weighted warmth of Anya’s leather jacket around her shoulders and can’t help but shrink into it, desperate for any sort of comfort at the moment. She blinks away the hint of tears forming within the corners of her eyes as Anya ever-so-gently helps her up onto her feet and leads her down the front steps. 

The two walk side by side in silence down the street and back towards Lexa’s car, with only the occasional street light to guide their way. Clarke doesn’t need to ask where they are going. She already knows. Anya is taking her home.

It’s always the first step when it comes to cleaning up the mess. 

Everyone is taken home-- and to their own home only-- and is required to get a good night’s sleep. Then, and only then, can they reconvene with one another. Usually over bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches and coffee at Blue’s. 

That’s the ritual. 

Always.

Clarke slides herself into the passenger’s seat and buckles her seat belt as Anya gets situated. “What about Rae and Octavia?”

“Took off. Saw the two of them leave together about 20 minutes ago. Guessing they got an Uber or something.”

Clarke nods. “Lexa left too.”

“I know. My sister is an idiot,” Anya responds, never once taking her eyes off of the windshield. “A massive fucking idiot.”

“No, it’s my fault, I was the one--”

“Don’t. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.”

“But, I--”

“No. This is not your fault.” Anya turns and briefly locks eyes with Clarke. “And it doesn’t matter what you think you did or didn’t do. This one’s all on my sister.”

Clarke wants to believe Anya’s words, but the overwhelming guilt residing in the depth of her stomach is just too all-consuming. She shakes her head as a fresh set of tears reemerge in the corners of her eyes. 

Anya steals another quick look at Clarke and then exhales. “Look. I don’t know what went down between you and my sister tonight, but my guess is that Lexa pulled her normal shut down and run away bullshit.”

Clarke once again swallows back down her tears and then gives the tiniest of nods in confirmation.

“So fucking predictable,” Anya mutters under her breath. “Now she’s gonna run her ass all the way to England.”

England.

The word slams into Clarke like an unexpected slap to the face. She straightens herself up a bit within the passenger’s seat as her brow furrows with confusion. 

Lexa is going to England?

No.

That can’t be right.

It’s the alcohol playing tricks on her.

She’s drunk and misheard Anya. That’s all.

Lexa’s not leaving. Not in the middle of their senior year. Why would she? 

They are supposed to be going to UCLA together. 

Lexa would’ve said something to her if their plans had changed… Wouldn’t she?

Stop.

It’s the alcohol.

Lexa’s going nowhere. 

They’re in love.

And people in love don’t up and go halfway around the world without saying something.

Those things just don’t happen.

Clarke closes her eyes and shakes her head, trying to clear away her snowballing thoughts from her mind. She grabs the edges of Anya’s leather jacket and pulls it closer to her body as a strange set of chills washes over her. 

Something still doesn’t quite feel right… 

“Cold?” Anya asks.

“Yeah. A little bit.”

Anya reaches over, turns on the heat, and then repositions the vents to blow towards Clarke. “Here. It should take a minute or two, but then it’ll warm-up.”

“Thanks.”

Anya nods. “Used to it. Lexa is always freezing too. She would drive with the heat on in July if she could… She should’ve been born on some tropical island. Like Hawaii or Fiji.”

The smallest hint of a smile appears on Clarke’s face. She more than knows what Anya is talking about. It’s one of Lexa’s most endearing quirks. The insatiable craving for warmth. 

And it goes beyond just her normal wardrobe staples of oversized hoodies and thick fuzzy socks. No. Lexa constantly needs continuous warmth, both inside and out, in order to thrive. Otherwise…

“It’s gonna be alright,” Anya says, cutting through the silence once again. “I’ll drop you home and then go hunt Lexa’s ass down and knock some sense into her. Everyone just needs to sober up and get some sleep. Tomorrow things will return to normal. You’ll see. You won’t even get a foot in the door before Lexa starts to apologize and beg you to forgive her.” 

“Yeah,” Clarke replies with an underlying tone of uncertainty to her voice. She so desperately wants to believe that Anya’s right. That by tomorrow morning everything within the world will return to back to normal and the events of tonight will slowly fade away like a forgotten nightmare. And yet…

Something still isn’t right.

Clarke can feel it circling around her like an invisible entity that only she can sense, just waiting for the opportune moment to rear its ugly head and bring further havoc into her life. 

But what is it?

And what does it have to do with Lexa?

__________

“Hey Blondie,” Anya says with a drugged-up husk to her voice. “Back again?” 

But Clarke doesn’t respond right away. She instead quietly slips into the hospital room and shuts the door behind her, letting the definitive click of the lock speak for her.

Anya quirks her brow as she tries to decipher the reason behind the peculiar action. “You know you don’t have to lock that thing. It’s not like I can up and go anywhere.”

“It’s not for you. It’s to make sure we aren’t interrupted by any random pop-ins,” Clarke replies. She pulls up a nearby chair to Anys’s bedside and takes a seat. “We need to talk.”

“Okay…” 

Clarke goes to open her mouth but suddenly finds that the words that she’s been rehearsing in the confines of her own head ever since leaving Raven’s hospital room are now nowhere to be found. As if they’ve evaporated into mere nothingness, leaving Clarke with not an inkling of where to even start.

It’s Anya.

The same Anya that would cover for Clarke all those times back in high school when she would fall asleep in Lexa’s bed and forget to get up before Indra awoke. The one that helped her bail Raven and Bellamy out of jail, no questions asked, after they were caught rebuilding a ‘76 mustang in the principal’s office. And the one that was ultimately left to clean up Lexa’s mess when she ran off to Cambridge.

“Clarke… What is it?”

Clarke blinks and then inhales deeply. She can feel Anya’s eyes upon her. Observant as ever. “I went to see Raven.”

“Yeah? How’s she doing? Is she okay? I asked one of the nurses but they wouldn’t say jackshit to me. Something about patient-doctor confidentiality or some other bullshit like that.”

“She’s awake.”

“And…” Anya impatiently follows up, too eager to wait any longer. 

Clarke bites her lip a little too hard, almost breaking the skin. 

Where the hell did her words go?  

“Clarke?”

“You need to go see her.”

“I would if I could. You know that. But they won’t even let me get out of bed by myself to go take a piss,” Anya responds and Clarke senses a hint of hostile growing within the depths of her voice. “Tell me what’s going on. Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” 

“I--” 

“Don’t do it, Clarke. We had a deal. No bullshitting each other. Not when it comes to the hard stuff. Remember? That was the deal you and I made after Lexa left,”

“I know,” Clarke responds. 

“Okay. Then answer my question… What’s wrong with Raven?”

Clarke exhales and runs her hands through her short, messy locks as she mentally shifts herself into doctor mode. “During the crash, Raven suffered what is called a partial dislocation of the L3 vertebra. This means her spine shifted from the impact, causing a severe amount of swelling and trauma to the surrounding nerves. Right now, it’s too soon to say if there’s any permanent damage, but…”

Clarke trails off as her words fail her once again. She’s done this a thousand times before. To face a patient’s loved ones and have to explain the extent of damages. It’s the first major test that any pre-med intern goes through. And up until this point, Clarke has always passed with flying colors. So much so, that she has gained the unwanted reputation of being a “Hoodoo”. 

A deliverer of bad news. 

But now… 

Now it’s different. 

Now the person she is talking about isn’t some generic-named stranger, but someone that is part of her life.

Now the person is Raven.

“But?” Anya asks unable to hide the quiver in her voice.

“But for right now Raven is experiencing roughly 75% paralysis of both of her legs.”

The words explode like a shrapnel-filled grenade, emotionally shredding Anya on impact. Clarke watches as Anya’s unreadable mask shatters, giving way to two defined trails of tears. “She’s paralyzed?” 

Clarke nods. “Yes.”

“Does she know?” 

“Not sure. She didn’t let on to it when I was with her, but she’s lucid enough to at least know something isn’t right. And given that it’s Raven, she’s already put two and two together by now.” 

The tears continue to flow freely down Anya’s cheeks as she takes a moment to process the gravity of Clarke’s words.

“I talked with Jackson and they’re planning on doing another set of scans in a few hours from now. The hope is that by then the swelling will have subsided enough to get a better picture of what’s causing the paralysis. It might even just be due to the initial trauma of the impact itself. In fact, once it goes down, there’s a strong likelihood that Raven might just naturally regain full functionality and feeling on her own. I’ve seen it happen before. At least a half dozen times. There’s was this motorcycle accident back in August where--” 

“Clarke.” 

Clarke stops rambling and catches hold Anya’s eyes. The tears have now slowed down but still, the look of pure uncertainty remains written across her face and Clarke is instantly transported back to that fateful night. It’s the only other time when she’s seen Anya look this way. Terrified of the unforeseen disaster that is lurking just off in the horizon. 

The unpredictable.

“It’s going to be alright.” The words tumble out of Clarke’s mouth before she can process what she is actually saying. She cringes, bracing for the inevitable response, but instead is greeted by a soft laugh. 

“Nice try, but you and I both know that phrase is like the kiss of death.”

“I know,” Clarke sighs. “But maybe this time things will be.”

“Maybe…” Anya replies with a less than believable tone. She lets out a long exhale of air and then-- 

“I need to see her.”

Clarke nods in agreement. “Yes, you really do.”

[shorteststory]

// THERE IS NO WORD FOR YOUR DOG // 

This week I said goodbye to Tommy, my 14-year-old rescue basset hound and best goddamn friend in the world, and I am all kinds of messed up.

Tommy was already a senior when he came into my life at the age of nine—the oldest of a group of five bassets rescued from the worst backyard breeder that the rescue had seen in their decades of work. Fresh off a tail-amputation surgery to remove a follicle cancer tumour so big he couldn't wag his tail anymore, and still on roundworm medication, he burst into our lives and claimed a spot on the couch like this was the home he always knew he'd find.

Despite the abuse he'd been through, Tommy was kindness incarnate: impossibly pure, loyal, loving and gentle. Even dogs with histories of aggression and kids with a fear of dogs felt comfortable around him. So many times, other dog owners told me "My dog likes him, and my dog doesn't like ANYONE." Even last week I heard someone yell in surprise and delight as I carried Tommy down the stairs because she'd legit mistaken him for a literal teddy bear.

Tommy helped our older basset Roxy live longer by becoming her little brother and bringing out her competitive big-sister edge, and he never begrudged her getting more of our love and attention as her age and needs increased. When we lost Roxy to cancer in 2015, Tommy helped us through the grieving and healing process and we really got to see his explorer's personality come out.

At the age of 13, he joined us on our 8,000-kilometre round-trip cross-country road trip to be the ringbearer at our wedding. He made it right to the end of the Trans Canada Highway in Tofino, wandered through ancient cedar forests and log tunnels in BC, charmed a comfort food restaurant owner in Manitoba into giving him a bowl of ham, wandered through hoodoos in Alberta, and looked out over waterfalls in Ontario.

His adventures took us far and wide. He travelled by train, subway, streetcar, bus, car, ferry and airplane. He dipped his paws in both oceans. He spent an eight-hour day walking around Halifax with us. He joined us hunting for fossils in Joggins on beaches where Darwin found some of the first evidence for evolution. 

He was also patient as a loving older sibling to five foster brothers and sisters who stayed with us. Despite the fact that he was getting on in years, he made room in his quiet home for five very different and variously loud personalities who, just like Tommy, all came from their own difficult backgrounds and particular needs.

When he was diagnosed with an aggressive osteosarcoma in July, he was given one to three months to live. We were told there was a 0% chance he'd be fit enough to travel with us to England in the fall, even if he lasted that long. Tommy had other plans. With each subsequent vet visit, his oncologist was shocked to find that Tommy was getting healthier and his lungs were clearing themselves of fluid when that should be impossible.

By November, well past the most wildly optimistic lifespan estimates, he had recovered to the point that he was cleared for air travel by two different vets. And so we made a new home together in London, England, explored the city, walked Hampstead Heath and Waterlow Park, ate crepes, and met some jolly English bassets. Having him around on my 30th birthday in November meant absolutely everything to me, and staying in to celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve with him was an absolute gift. I wish the miracle of his good health could have gone on forever, but he stopped eating in early January and in the last couple days his breathing became increasingly laboured. We kept him comfortable as long as we possibly could before making arrangements to say goodbye.

Tommy taught me so much about how to love, how to wander, how to be brave and gentle at the same time. That's the word he taught me. 

And I wanted to share it with all of you.