*Gruesome Witchcraft Lore: THE HAND OF GLORYAccording to an old European belief, the Hand of Glory was a candle fashioned from the dried and pickled severed hand of a criminal; who was sentenced to death by hanging. This hand was said to hold supernatural powers. According to some accounts, the hand; had to be severedContinue reading “Dead Man’s Hand”
Category Archives: folklore
The Mari Lwyd
Mysterious and menacing it is. In this dark, cold time of year, a pale horse, the Mari Lwyd, appears. Since childhood, the Mari Lwyd, like other ghostly horse or hooded animal traditions and folklore, has always fascinated me. The Mari Lwyd is a wassailing Welsh folk custom celebrated from December 25th to January 6th (fromContinue reading “The Mari Lwyd”
History of the Christmas Tree
(continuing from the previous blog, in honor of the season) How did the Christmas tree develop? Here is a brief rundown of its history: We can thank Germany for giving us the Christmas tree.According to one legend St. Boniface encountered pagans preparing a sacrifice at an oak tree dedicated to the god Donar/Thor. He tookContinue reading “History of the Christmas Tree”
Veiling
Veiling is a practice among various peoples; it is one of the earliest mystical traditions. Over recent years a new movement of “veiling” within the eclectic world of modern witchcraft and paganism has drawn numerous adherents. This implementation, quite interestingly, has also begun to catch on with some practitioners of Devotional Satanism. In some traditionsContinue reading “Veiling”
The Devil’s Familiar
Phantom black dogs are sometimes considered to be benevolent, however the most common belief is that they hold a more sinister aspect. The black dog omen, be it benevolent or malevolent, depends upon where and when the dog appears. These esoteric creatures are known to frequent crossroads and places where an execution/murder has taken place.Continue reading “The Devil’s Familiar”
Kindra Ravenmoon 