Tools of the Craft
Witch Balls
The history of what we now call a 'Witch Ball' was an ancient pagan custom that was widely used amongst cultures where harmful magic and those that practiced it were feared. Hollow glass spheres were hung in windows to ward off witches spells, demons, evil spirits and ill fortune. They became very popular and more ornate in England during the 17th & 18th century, where they were most often created in blue or green glass. Hanging these decorative glass balls in doorways and windows was thought to mesmerize mischievous spirits that threatened the homes tranquility. Enticing them with their reflective beauty and then trapping them inside within the filaments of glass.
Larger variations of Witch Balls were also used in gardens, often more opaque and less colourful, they later became referred to as Gazing Balls and were used for scrying and divination. Glass balls, derived from these silvered witch balls, are still used in gardens today to ward against evil by reflecting it away. Fishermen's nets traditionally had glass balls woven into the ropes for the same purpose.
Unlike Yule Balls, Witch balls are not tied to a holiday and are used year-round by cultures that accept magick and magickal practitioners. They are often blessed or enchanted by a local witch or medicine women before being placed in the home to ward against any negative energies, entities or spirits that can cause ill will or sickness. They may be filled with a variety of ingredients to increase their magickal working.
at The Cottage Witchβ¦
Our Witch Balls contain beautiful layers of salts, resins, herbs, spices and botanicals that are carefully selected for their protective qualities, to bring peace, harmony and good fortune to your home and those that dwell within your home. They are further adorned with natural elements, crystals, charms and a hanging ribbon. As with all artisan products, each of our Witch Balls is unique and filled with protective intensions during their creation, making each finished piece exclusive. You will be able to see and feel the presence of something special!
Divination
The term 'divination' originates from the Latin 'divinare' and is the art or practice that seeks to foresee, foretell, predict or make prophesy of future events. To discover hidden knowledge or insight to a question or situation by the interpretation of signs or omens and the use of divination tools.
Divination has been practiced, in a huge variety of forms, across the world and throughout every culture since the earliest days of mankind. In Greece both oracles and seers practiced divination and the craft was an integral part of everyday life and well trusted by the Greeks. In Islam the most widespread divinatory science was astrology, the study of how celestial entities could be applied to the daily lives of people on earth. Since the Roman period divination has been viewed as a pagan practice and mainstream western religions have often forbidden it's various forms. In modern history it has been dismissed by the scientific community as being superstition. But science has always been quick to ridicule what it can not see or explain and many people around the world are now returning to the 'Old Ways' to guide them through life's journey.
Types of Divinationβ¦
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Runes
Runes are the letters from the Runic Alphabets that were used to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet. They have continued to be used for special purposes including the art of Rune divination. The word 'Rune' stems from a Proto-Germanic form reconstructed as rΕ«nΕ, which can be translated as 'secret, mystery, secret conversation. Similar findings are present in Old Irish Gaelic, Welsh and Old English, sometimes also meaning βmiracleβ. In addition to representing a sound value, runes can be used to represent the concepts after which they are named. The Scandinavian variants are known as futhark or fuΓΎark (derived from their first six letters of the alphabet: F, U, Γ, A, R, and K). The Anglo-Saxon variant is futhorc or fuΓΎorc (due to sound-changes undergone in Old English by the names of those six letters).
Runology is the scholastic study of the runic alphabets and the earliest known runic inscriptions date from around A.D. 150. The three best-known runic alphabets are the Elder Futhark (ca. A.D. 150β800), the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400β1100), and the Younger Futhark (800β1100).
Rune Stones are an ancient tradition of divination possibly dating back to the 1st century A.D. In Norse cultures runes have a powerful and magical history. It was believed they held strong divinatory powers and so were highly prized, taken very seriously and handled with extreme caution.
Today runes are used as a way of connecting to oneβs higher self, finding inner guidance and tapping into one's intuition as a method of foretelling what the future may hold, similar to working with Tarot Cards.
Rune Symbols & Meanings
A Set of Runes traditionally holds 24 letters, sometimes sets come with a blank stone called Odinβs Rune that symbolizes what is not meant to be known yet. Odin is the Norse God who legend says sacrificed his eye to see everything that happens in the world. If you get this rune it implies that it is not time for certain information to be revealed and to trust in the divine timing of life.
The Anglo-Saxon Runes
The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (sometimes written "fuΓΎorc") is an extended alphabet consisting of 29, and later 33 characters.
Freyrβs Aett
The Freyrβs Aett - Freyr was the ruler of peace, fertility, rain, and sunshine and the son of the sea God NjΓΆrd. This group of runes is representative of finding our footing in the material plane and the accumulation of worldly possessions. It contains runes symbolizing things like cattle, which was a main indicator of wealth during this period, communication and vigor.
Tyrβs Aett
The Tyrβs Aett - Tyr was the Norse Sky God and represented war and justice. This group of runes portrays our developing spirituality and legacy. It includes runes representing birth, community, intuition, and inheritance.
Casting & Reading Runes
Using runes for divination is a wonderful way to access your inner voice and develop your intuitive abilities. The visual simplicity of the letters makes them suitable for the very young and they are a useful tool for encouraging early interest in divination practices. A simple 1-rune pull for a Yes/No type answer allows the user to focus on their abilities without feeling overwhelmed by complicated rules. When you are comfortable you can move on to a 3-rune cast which is similar to a Tarot card spread. The three runes may represent past/present/future or situation/action/outcome.
As you study in more depth you will find that each rune has a large variety of aspects and meanings according to the way they are used. Traditionally they were cast using three or more stones and in odd numbers: 5-rune, 7-rune, 9-rune etc... However, as with Tarot card spreads, there are vast number of layout options for you to try, including a 24-rune layout for special occasions like the beginning of a yearly cycle, which could be the winter/summer solstice, new birth year, new job, move to a new location or New Year's Day itself.
There are two main methods of using the runes. You can literally throw them, "cast", onto a cloth surface which might be your alter cloth or a specially selected cloth for divination work. You can also draw them directly from the pouch, using your non-dominant hand to hold the bag while your dominant hand makes the selection. You must be thinking about the question/questions you want answered while you place down the runes in the layout of your choice
Heimdallβs Aett
The Heimdallβs Aett - Heimdall was the watchman of the Gods. This group of runes tells of our increasing maturity and growth. It contains runes that represent obstacles, fate, and harvest and abundance.
We stock 25 piece rune sets in a variety of natural crystals. Each set will be infused with different properties and energies according to the crystal chosen. We include a brief description to aid in your selection. The letters are carved into the runes and highlighted with gold. There are also many excellent books on the subject of rune divination from practical beginner guides toβ more in depth volumes.
Please Contact Us for currently available selection!
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