Mabh Savage
Words and the world passing by; how it sings to me; how I clamour back.
Thanks garden!
And this bowl all without leaving the garden! Now what shall I do with these? Jam or pudding?
Widdershins Whirl
Endlessly entropic
Ebbing away
Says the circle so bright
Dares the moon in the light
Of the day hale and gay
So we spin and we stick
To the lines drawn before
To the curves of our past
Salt and water hold fast
To our heart; to our core.
Learning the trick
Of the deosil dance
Always winding it up
Bite the bread, drink the cup,
With a firm and stern stance.
Then take down brick by brick
With a widdershins whirl
Mental gossamer shreds
Ancestors; to your beds!
Watch our simmering circle unfurl.
Ritual, right?
Like what I did there? Ritual right, ritual/rite. Hilarious. Anyway, as previously mentioned, witchcraft has been a hot topic this week, and there has been a great deal of debate over its effectiveness and also its ultimate purpose. One of the key issues that came up was the purpose of ritual. Why, when performing spells/worship/seasonal festivities do witches (or other people of a vaguely Pagan persuasion) feel the need to gather and set up circles; to use tools and symbols; to call upon gods and goddesses? My friend asserted that if spell casting is just a form of positive thinking, why should we need all this embellishment?
Did I have an answer for him? Not immediately. It was a great question and I toddled off to sit in the corner and think about it. Before I started to cramp up I managed to come up with a few ideas.
Everything we do is a ritual. From the moment we stagger to the bathroom in the morning, to the cracking of the door to leave the house for the first time. Is there anything we do that doesn’t fall into patterns? How cluttered do we feel in our lives if our routine is upset? If we are used to doing something a certain way, how unsettling is it to be suddenly told to do something differently?
Of course some of us are more adaptable than others, and even thrive on change and spontaneity. But my point is thus; when as a species, we seek routine and familiarity in all things, why should magic or witchraft be any different? Let us use the analogy of a scientific experiment. To measure the outcome when one parameter is changed, you must ensure all other parameters remain the same. Witchcraft is exactly the same. If you want a particular result, and previous experience has shown that this result can be gained by x action + y environment with perhaps n people, why would we deviate from this? Like true scientists, we may see which is most effective and tweak our rites accordingly. We may add items, remove words, change tools and equipment. Ultimately as solo practitioners, we may refine the working of our will to the point where our only ritual is a quiet space; a well placed word. Perhaps then in this way, witchcraft can meet the definition of ‘simply positive thinking’. As a group though, the structure of ritual also helps us work together towards a common goal; to focus our energy in the same place.
How do you feel ritual is necessary in your spiritual life? Do you have any rituals that could never be changed? Or is ritual simply for showing off; for grandeur and exhibitionism?
Time to be kind to oneself…
Favourite thought of the day:
Meditation is a time to be friends with one’s own heart.
This from a guided meditation by Ajahn Sundara, who also says it is a time to be kind to oneself; not to fight with thoughts and ideas. Just to let things be, and enjoy the feeling of existing in the world around you.
Ajahn’s meditation can be found here, and is very relaxing.
A Very Berated Witchcraft
An interesting debate arose earlier this week, on the stomping ground that is the social media universe. This was in the wake of Channel 4’s screening of A Very British Witchcraft. One of my good friends wanted to know, does it work? What’s the point? And is it perhaps simply just something impressionable people fall into, in order to feel that they are a part of something larger than themselves? Surely if witchcraft did work, everyone would be at it?
For the latter statement, the simple answer to that is that the vast majority of folks will dismiss it out of hand, because to most people witchcraft is something unreal, illusory and frightening. So I don’t believe we will ever be in a society where using witchcraft is the norm, as it has too many dark connotations attached to it.
This hypothesis was held up by the comments my friend received on his post; biting, cynical comments and brutal displays of wilful ignorance. Opinions ranging from wanting to slap witches to simply mocking their ‘naivety’.
Surprised and a little dismayed at the approximately 80% lash out against the idea that people of intelligence and common sense might practice witchcraft, I posted the following response:
“Firstly, don’t confuse Wiccan with witch. They are not the same. A Wiccan may be a witch, and vice versa, but you can also be a witch without having any religion whatsoever. Witchcraft is simply another method of taking control of your life, focusing your intent and working towards your goals. No, it can’t make the impossible possible. No, rarely will it bring riches or fame. Because generally witches understand that these things are not what are important; so witches will (and I generalise horribly) tend to use their magic for more private and personal goals, often to help others in need. And a true witch doesn’t give a crap who thinks what as it works for them, and that’s what counts.”
After this, the discussion moved quickly into the necessity and impact of ritual and ceremony, and the differences between working a ‘spell’ and simply engaging in positive thinking in your life. What do you think? Does my definition live up to your idea of a witch? And why is the idea of practicing witchcraft still so ridiculous to many people? Is that perhaps a good thing, in that the supposed fairy-tale nature of it protects it from being used by those who would abuse it?
Chapel Allerton Open Mic
Another gig! This time it’s a freebie, as part of Chapel Allerton Arts Festival; one of the highlights of the Leeds Summer scene. Loads of great poets rumoured to be turning up, so pop along to Chapel Allerton library on the 28th August and maybe even read a few lines yourself.
When the wind stole my homework
What a busy week! I received the first box of my book, A Modern Celt, a few days ago and also discovered it’s now available to pre-order through Amazon and Play. Exciting!
Last night saw myself, Martin Vosper and many others down at the famous Wicked Words open mic event at Seven in the heart of Chapel Allerton in Leeds. If you enjoy spoken word I can heartily recommend making your way down to this night, before it ends for good in the December of this year. It’s a wonderful venue and the range of style and talent on offer is quite astounding. Here is one of the poems I performed last night:
I’m sure it was ecology
Something alive and organic
That led me to be out in the trees
And laughing madly
Into the wind.
Books forgotten; no, a lie.
Books are the seeds in the core of this fruit
Books written just around the corner
By women as curious as I
Less fortunate though
Cursed to live in disease and sexism.
Both killers of body and spirit;
How lucky am I.
But the books I scrawl my facts
And figures
And answers
And notes
Are forgotten scraps of yesterday:
He asked (my angel)
‘What do you like best and why?’
I sat on the edge of the desk,
Eyes shining and soul
On my shirt sleeve
And said one thing, then another
Mind skipping like stones
Across a lake.
Worried at first that he will read
Far too much into my final answer
Then (crazy hormonal child)
Eventually not caring if he does.
Because the answer is true.
And it’s not conventional.
It’s not everyone else’s favourite.
It’s mine because it speaks
To something within
Bypassing ears and mind and launching
Arrow like at the heart of the matter.
He is pleased, so I am;
The measure of a great mentor.
And as I leave,
I think of all the things ‘I like best’
And realise none of them
Are for anyone
But me.
So here I am, running deer like
Through woods and over stones
Praising those words that found
The key to introverted me
And turned, and listen;
The grinding of gears
As the lock opened,
And me me me poured out through
That portal like sunshine.
Throw those papers to the wind;
Let devils grasp and play
What do I like best?
I’ve only just begun to say.
Words and photo Copyright Mabh Savage 2013
Lammas
Lammas was a two day affair this year; the first day spent in heat and happiness traipsing through the wilderness with my little boy. We found cherries, blushing in the bright sun, and berries black and glossy like tiny dark eyes. After the heavy rains of the past few days, there were a few creamy mushrooms towering over the yellowed grass, and as we stooped to admire them a tiny froglet jumped from beneath the green strands surrounding the fungus, making us laugh at the term ‘toadstool’. We snapped photos of all that we found fascinating, including this delightful contrast of the tiny black beetle on the comparatively huge bell of bindweed.We saw parents and grandparents and aunts and bought shoes and made bread and cakes and sighed in the sun at the contentment that coiled in our full tummies.
The second day I joined with close friends and remembered Lugh, balance, the turning of the wheel, power, divination, the different realms and the unseen amongst us. But still, we shared bread and food and laughter, and above all showed gratitude for our harvest; not just of fabulous food and drink, but of love, joy, friends, family, and the completion of our own goals and ambitions. Merry Lughnasagh! Merry Lammas! And may we remember that as with all things, we only reap what we sow… Which is an agricultural way of saying you only get out what you put in!
Post Box Poets
Post Box Poets is on tonight in at The Post Box Cafe in Chorlton, Manchester; a night of spoken word spectacular. Be there, or be less verbose…
Performing tonight are Cathy Bryant, John Lindley, Zach Roddis, Jim Doxford, Steph Pike, Dominic Simpson, Angela Smith, Martin Vosper and myself, and the whole evening is hosted by the lovely Sarah L Dixon.
It would be fair to say that I’m a little excited…
Hot
Wow. It’s hot.
Holiday hot.
Sapphire sky hot.
BBQ out now hot.
Endless washing line fill hot.
Tarmac tacky almost wet hot
Haze even on the gem green grass hot.
Jeans unto shorts unto bikini hot.
Sleep elusive and duvet gone crazy hot.
Melted brain losing the feet of the iambic mess… Oh yes.
It’s hot.
Mabh Savage 