Magical Scripts and Alphabets

A Spell to Conjure a Material Object

Another way that Witches keep matters secret is through coded scripts. The use of such magical scripts or alphabets by Witches can probably be dated no earlier than the publication of Francis Barrett's in 1801. One can occasionally, or sporadically, find examples of such magical scripts and alphabets in the private workbooks of Witches through the 1800's and 1900's. After Doreen Valiente was initiated into the Craft in 1953, she kept many of her ritual writings and spells in Theban script, as her surviving magical workbooks show. There was a resurgence of use of such magical scripts and alphabets in the 1970's, but it has steadily waned since that time, except amongst those who value its artistic effect.

The above example spell is a combination of a magical alphabet (Theban) and a magical script.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester

The Language of the Vines

The Thirteen Rules of the Potion-Maker's Art
The original is written in green ink on parchment.

This is another example of a beautiful script. Although it is not one that is traditionally used by Witches, I think it could and should be! It is more appropriate for lists or numbered items, inasmuch as it is read downward. Each vertical line is a sentence.

The Thirteen Rules of the Potion-Maker's Art are a set of precepts taught to herbalists to remind them of certain fundamental principles that should always be kept in mind.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester

Tarot: Reading

Tarot Reading from July 2021

As a Witch, I favor divination with specific information and concrete predictions. I am not a therapist, life coach, counselor, or substitute friend. If you come to me for a reading, I will not tell you how you presently feel, but what has been, what is, and what will be.

This gentleman just wanted a general peek at his future at the beginning of July 2021. A peek? That's five cards to me.

I find the older decks without distracting minor arcana pictures to provide a wider scope of interpretation. Reading something like the Rider Waite is too much like crystal gazing preset images.

Here, we have the Tower, the 8 of Wands, the 5 of Wands, the Hanged Man, and the Six of Swords.

My brief reading: You have gone through a turbulent time recently, with great upheaval focused at work owing to layoffs and terminations. Your are working extremely hard, sacrificing yourself for your job or company. With what time you take for yourself, you are engaging in yoga exercise (Hanged Man + 5 of Wands is a combination for yoga for fitness or exercise). It is very foolish for you to be sacrificing yourself like this as you will soon be leaving your job, either of your own accord or by termination.

All true. As for the predication, that was also true: he was terminated from his position by the end of the month.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester

A Great Medicine: Hypericum

Hypericum perforatum

If you listen to the old Witches in your area on the topics of herbalism and herbal healing, you will find that they mention certain plants time and time again. These will generally be plants growing in the area or region, and to which they have easy access. These oft-mentioned plants I have come to call the "Great Medicines." They are usually readily available in garden or field, have uses in remedy of several medical or physical conditions, are easily made into various preparations, have well-known dosages, and have no confusing-looking poisonous cousins.

On my own list of Great Medicines is Hypericum perforatum. In my region, it blooms starting around the Summer Solstice. The medicine comes from the blood-red oil produced by tiny blackish spots on its yellow flowers, although I have also used the green aerial parts, too. From the plants in my garden I have made tinctures, oils, ointments, and lotions.

You may sometimes find a different type of Hypericum growing wild or in wildflower seed mixtures: the Hypericum pseudomaculatum. This looks like Hypericum perforatum, but it does not produce the medicinal red oil in any useful quantity. Hence its name: pseudo (false) maculatum (spotted): False-Spotted Hypericum, for its tiny blackish spots that hold no promise of medicine.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester

Geomancy: Reading

A Geomancy Chart: Where Are My Lost Keys?

The greatest of the divinatory arts is, by far, the Horary branch of astrology (and we will later show example horary charts and judgments). But its practice requires a computer and specialized software, or astronomical reference books such as ephemerides and tables of houses, and calculations by hand. With these things, we can measure the placement of the planets and stars and zodiac signs and determine their effects on earthly affairs. Geomancy, Astrology's little sister, is a similar rules-based divination system using astrological symbols and concepts, but using much simpler tools. A stick and a patch of dirt is really all that is required. And knowledge of the rules of the art, which must be learned from a teacher. You will fail miserably if you try to learn it from books.

In the above chart, the Querent was traveling to another state with his parents, a journey of an hour and a half by airplane. When they reached their destination, the Querent looked for his keys but could not find them. He thought he may have left them at the airport. The next leg of the journey involved a train ride. The Querent boarded the train with his parents and, when seated, he cast the above chart asking: "Where are my lost keys?"

He was something of a beginner in Geomancy, so he had difficulty judging the chart. He telephoned me and asked me to look at the chart.

I telephoned him back after looking at the chart and gave him the answer: They are in your mother's purse.

And so they were.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester

Chant to the Morning Sun

From a Witch's Prayer Book

A common practice among some Witches is to mark the Four Corners of the Day (Dawn/Arising, Noon, Sunset, Midnight/Bedding) by certain chants or charms. Here is one such chant, written in magical script, learned from a Druidess over 30 years ago.

*** Blessed be to those who serve the Great Mother and the Horned Father.

* Copyright to Coven Rochester