Dittany of Crete

Latin Name Dictamus origanoides
Gender Feminine
Parts Used Whole
Dieties Venus, Aphrodite
Magickal Uses The locals of Crete [the only known place of growth] call it “eronda” meaning “love”, and may be worn or carried to attract romantic relations. It may be served in wine or food to secure a last relationship, when fed to a romantic interest. It’s symbolism is “birth” and should be worn or carried by any expecting mother. May also be used in rituals asking for change or regernation. A small rock garden with one of these plants, will protect them home from all evils and ills.

The metaphors and rituals of place and time

– an introduction to liminality

or

Why Christopher Robin wouldn’t walk on the cracks

Bob Trubshaw

We are obsessed with boundaries. Places are divided and sub-divided in a complex web of overlapping patterns of ‘ownership’, ‘sacredness’, ‘historic interest’, ‘outstanding natural beauty’ and much else. A simple car journey will take us past signs marking the entry and exit of each parish, less frequently past county boundary signs or through the ‘portals’ of National Parks such as Derbyshire with its prominent millstones. Leaving the the road (note, again, the sense of boundary) will take us along rights of way allowing access through otherwise private property, perhaps with distinctive ‘Keep Out’ signs.

The Black Stone – the Omphalos of the Goddess

Bob Trubshaw

Long-suffering readers of Mercian Mysteries will know of my obsession with ‘omphali’ – the sacred centres which each civilisation seems to create or adopt. Many of these involve stones – the Lia F il (Stone of Destiny) at Tara or the various ‘king stones’ (such as Kingston upon Thames) where medieval English kings were crowned. Our monarchs still sit on, or at least above, the Stone of Scone for their coronation. But some of these sacred stones have special interest – they are (or are said to be) black. Such Black Stones also tend to have the legend that they have fallen from the stars. Clearly, meteorites the size of these large boulders would explode into tiny fragments on impact, and also leave a substantial crater. The literal truth is not important; rather the symbolism of such stones being a link between this world and the heavens is an integral aspect of the Cosmic Axis which is invoked by all sacred centres.

ASATRU READING LIST

By Mary Leibach and Bill Schulz

 Orientation:

This is a list of books of interest in current Asatru, a form of Norse Paganism.  It is divided into five sections.

A) Primary sources.
B) Books concerning the modern revival.
C) Books of peripheral or collateral interest.
D) Additional Old Norse and German material of possible interest in English translation.
E) Some fictional material.
F) Material actually in Old Norse, or material used for the study of old Norse texts.