Ozark Gods of May Day

The full flourishing of spring has come to the Ozarks, “High Spring” as some call it; May Day. Of all the flowers and fauna of the region, I would say that the Dogwood bloom embodies the season best, though we’re seeing the last of that flowering, as we roll up the path to summer’s door. Of course, we know that the Dogwood is the flower of Snawfus— our Forest King has ever-blooming Dogwood branches in place of antlers. 

In looking at similar gods in cultures related to ours, we find Buschmops/Waldmops, the “Forest Dwarf” of Pennsylvania Dutch lore. He can turn himself into a white deer with gold antlers. He is also associated with snakes; a large horntail snake is his protector, and like our legend of the hoop snake, it curls around like an ouroboros and rolls to chase away intruders. I used to think this legend was unique to the Ozarks, but in Deitsch lore, a snake of this description defends their Forest King. Perhaps there is a lost connection to our Deer God as well.

In historical depictions, Cernunnos is depicted holding a snake in one hand. We don’t have original mythology for Cernunnos, nor even his actual name. His roles and symbols may have been absorbed by gods such as Lúgh and Odin. Elsewhere, he carried on in so many regional forest fairy traditions, scattered far and wide.

The consort of the Buschmops is a Fairy Queen named Schlangefraa, the Snake Lady. She is a healing goddess who uses herbs and plants. She carries a snake in her apron pocket and wields it like a wand to cast spells. The folklore also credits her with giving Brauchers (who were called Power Doctors in the Ozarks) their healing power. In her stories, she can transform into a rabbit and rise into the sky to become the morning star. Her fairy children were said to be born out of blue or green-shelled eggs.

Many of these traits may point to her origins as the Celtic Sironâ, a goddess depicted with a snake coiled around her arm and holding a plate of eggs, symbols of healing, regeneration, and rebirth. Evidence of her worship has been found mainly in Gaul and Germanic areas of Europe, so the legends of Schlangefraa may be a cultural memory of Sironâ. Her temples were constructed around thermal springs or wells; waters of healing. In our Ozarks culture, we find this idea of healing waters reflected in the custom of collecting May water and dew for healing and magic.

It seems fitting for the “Snake Lady” to fill a missing piece in an Ozark pantheon. Is it strange that it seems to me like she has always been there? Perhaps I’m thinking of the statue of Mary “Lady of the Smile” at that little old church in Brentwood. Though the depictions of Mary with a snake all have the snake under her feet like she’s defeating it. However, when you look closely at some of these, the snake doesn’t seem harmed at all. There’s also stars around her head, adding more of the Snake Goddess imagery. I think there’s something to the idea that the Romans intentionally created Christianity, to make a universal religion (but also for peace, control…), and it’s true that Gnostic traditions used a lot of snake symbolism. I suppose Schlangefraa could also be associated with the Gnostic goddess Sophia. Either way, she belongs here.

So on May Day, as we wash in May morning dew (or collect it in a handkerchief) may we thank the ancient Snake Goddess for its powers, and as we set out toward the woods, may we know our Forest King carries on a powerful presence that echoes into a far distant past.

May we honor these, our own Fairy King and Queen and all their Nature Spirit kin– for healing, for love, for joy and connection– in this and every season.

Lady and Her Cats

St. Gertrude’s Day on March 17th is celebrated in Urglaawe as Frouwasege, a holiday for Frouwa (another name for Freya, which means “Lady”). So March 17th is also Grumbieredaag– Potato Day. It’s a day to plant potatoes and also make a potato bread called Datsch. This isn’t just any potato bread though. You’re supposed to include ingredients for what you want to grow in your garden, also including something black, something green, and something white for her cat. Crumbs from this bread are then sprinkled in the four corners of the garden while invoking die Gleene Leit (the Little People who live in the corners of the garden), and calling down help from above. There’s more to it, and linked with fairy lore, and is a relevant supplement to our fairy tradition here in the Ozarks. For more on the folklore surrounding this custom and other fairy lore, I highly recommend Folk Tales of the Pennsylvania Dutch by William Woys Weaver.  

But back to Frouwa/Freya… The idea is that the veneration of St. Gertrude may have been the continuation of Freya worship, in the sense that many of Freya’s qualities are there. St. Gertrude was the patroness of gardens, cats, and travelers and shows up in Pennsylvania fairy lore. Freya is associated with cats as well, as it is two cats who pull her chariot.

It was debated early on in Urglaawe whether it should actually be Freid (Frigg) honored at this holiday. After all, it was the Norse, not the Germanic peoples who had Freya in their pantheon. Most scholars believe that Frigg and Freya are one goddess. This isn’t just part of that tendency of lumping all goddesses together- there’s actually a lot of evidence that these two goddesses, in particular, having been one goddess– evolved from the earlier Germanic goddess Frija. (To learn more, see the article titled Frigg on the website Norse Mythology for Smart People.)

However, regardless of whether Freya and Frigg are or were one goddess, they are experienced as individual deities by so many of their worshipers. It reminds me of the Holle and Perchta pairing as sisters who rule over the light and dark halves of the year. Freya could represent wild feminine power and Frigga that of domestic majesty. 

And that brings to mind one of the theories as to why these were one goddess split into two– the theory that Christianity caused a separation of accepted qualities from ones that were too wild for the new religion, so what was once was a complex and nuanced deity became a wife/whore dichotomy.

I recall one of Freya’s myths in which she wanders all over the earth looking for her lost husband, and as she goes, she assumes different names and guises in the various places she goes. Perhaps this myth is what started the idea of all goddesses being one. 

Lest we fall into the calamity of reducing every goddess into oblivion– another way of looking at it could be that She is a spiritual entity that can divide herself into many, into multitudes– sisters, daughters, valkyries, angels, other selves… Or perhaps She is simply part of a big family of similar beings. All these goddesses that are described as shining, and as ruling over matters of life and death, well there would have to be many of them, if you think about it, because there are so many of us. –I’ve heard it said that there are probably more than three Norns as well.

However you think of them, it seems fitting to treat Freya and Frigg as separate goddesses in worship, especially when worshiping out in community with others. It takes nothing away from our own beliefs to do so, making it the most inclusive approach and thus the one that is orthopraxic.

Hearth Goddess Folklore

The Winter Thermstice is drawing closer, and there are so many names for this holiday and so many ways to commemorate it. When I followed a solely Celtic path, I called it Imbolc. In my first jaunt into Heathenry, I called it Dísablót or Disting. Now that I’m exploring Urglaawe, there are many new names to consider, as it’s a multi-part holiday in that tradition. I like the idea of honoring both a hearth goddess and the Dísir/Idis (matriarchal spirits) at this time of year. The Urglaawe celebration of Entschtanning (emerging) includes both those components, which seems to me to be syncretic. That holiday has a lot of other things going on; travelers returning from the Wild Hunt, Groundhogs bringing news of the Underworld, and beginning preparations for building a magical scarecrow golem– But right now my focus is the Hearth Goddess…

Freid is the Deitsch goddess of this holiday. She is usually compared to the Norse goddess Frigg, but I find it interesting that the name Freid looks a whole lot like a Welsh name I’ve seen for the Celtic hearth goddess Brigid.

She is also called Haerdfraa, which means Hearth Lady. Here we have another example of a deity being named for their main role. Just as there may be a single spirit for each hearth, might one consider the Hearth Lady the Goddess of All Hearths? Or we could go with the idea that there are multiple Hearth Ladies…

To bring in an Ozark/Appalachian perspective, we could recall the story of Ashpet– the part where she has to go and get fire from the old witch…

Now, in case you didn’t know, Ashpet is an Appalachian Cinderella story. (A written version of it can be found in Grandfather Tales by Richard Chase.) Ashpet is mistreated, covered in ashes from hearthkeeping, and made to do all the work, just like her Cinderella counterpart. However, there are quite a few things about this particular tale that makes it a bit different from that of Cinderella. For one thing, Ashpet is not related to the two older girls in the household- not even by marriage. Ashpet is hired help. For another thing, there is no “fairy godmother”, but an “old witch” whom the whole community is afraid of. Everyone, that is, except Ashpet.

This story takes place in a time before matches and lighters, a time when starting a new fire was a difficult task. And so, if your hearthfire went out, the most sensible thing to do was to go and “borrow fire” from a neighbor. It was probably considered a bit of bad luck if the fire in your hearth was allowed to go out. But as Ashpet was held responsible for the entirety of the household chores, it’s no wonder it went out.

Because Ashpet was never allowed to leave the house, the older two girls, one at a time in turn, are sent to get fire from an old scary witch. She was their closest neighbor, but still a fair walking distance from their house. The two girls were reluctant to go inside, expecting the old woman to fetch it for them and hand it through the door. The old witch asks them each to comb out her hair in exchange for the fire, but each of them behaves very rudely and won’t even come into the house, and so, they are both turned away.

Finally, they get desperate, and Ashpet is sent over. She walks right into the old witch’s house like an old friend, greets her politely, and asks for some fire from her hearth. The witch agrees, but only if Ashpet will comb out her hair. Ashpet gladly combs out the old woman’s hair. I bet right about now you’re thinking, “what’s the big idea about combing hair?”. Well, in an earlier version of this story, the old woman is actually asking the girls to comb out nits and lice from her hair. So… not only is she thought to be an ancient and powerful witch (and thus very scary to most people), but she also has a contagious parasitic infection. Ashpet isn’t afraid of any of this. Where the other girls showed fear, disgust, and rudeness, Ashpet demonstrated bravery, kindness, and friendship. It’s easy to view the old woman’s request as a test of bravery or non-squeamishness, but she actually needed help.

I feel that there’s quite a bit of symbolism and meaning to this story. The old witch is definitely a Crone goddess, and often when a story has three sisters, the youngest seems to fit the role of a Maiden Goddess. Since this maiden figure also tends a fire as her main duty, though she seems to have no magical powers of her own, I think she might also be a cultural memory of a Hearth Goddess (such as Brigit or Freid). Could it be? Downgraded, and downtrodden though she is, I think it may be so. All ash-covered, kind, and beautiful. 

As you may well know, the Crone’s domain is winter and darkness. What is reborn out of winter and darkness? Light. The sun is reborn on the longest night, in the depths of winter. So of course one would need to go to the Crone’s realm to fetch back the fire of the sun. Who better to do it than the Fire Maiden- Ashpet? 

When I first read this story, it made me think of another myth- that of Brigit and the Cailleach. Only in that story, it is the Crone who oppresses the Maiden, and breaking free from her confinement, Brigit defeats or escapes the Cailleach so that spring may return. Their relationship is much different from that of Ashpet and the witch, who actually work together in friendship and cooperation. 

✨In the past year or so, I’ve come to realize that in stories like this, the Crone is actually a lot more like Mother Holle than the Cailleach. Something that Mother Holle does is ask for help, then reward those who do so, often with gold or silver.✨

So from this Crone figure (whom I like to think is a fragmented cultural memory of Fraa Holle), Ashpet receives three burning coals on a shelf mushroom  (a symbol of life and fertility- especially magical since it grows on a tree, between earth and sky) for transporting them to the other hearth. Here, I’m reminded of when another Crone gave Youngest Daughter (a later version of the story names her Nell) a magical treasure of three golden nuts in the story Whitebear Whittington. Those too, could be seen as representing the sun. 

Soon after, in both stories, a magical washing occurs. In the story of Ashpet, this happens when the Crone comes over and has the dishes magically wash themselves in the river (and the pots and pans wash themselves in sand) so that Ashpet can dress up and go to Sunday Meeting. In Whitebear Whittington, it is the point in the story in which Nell goes to clean Whitebear’s shirt in a river, and the blood stains instantly wash away.

Later, Ashpet finds her love, and Nell wakes the Bear King, but in the seasonal symbolism of these stories, I see those events happening at the Spring Equinox. It is now, in the quickening of the year, that I dwell in the part of the story that gives us little fires/suns and river washings.

“I kindle this flame in the way of the Fire Maidens;
light of the Sun, light of the Hearth, light of Life.
As you emerge from the Grandmother’s sacred realm of darkness,
shine brightly for us here.
Oh Golden Maidens, light our way.
Bless and hallow all, and deepen within us.
May you be our hope and shelter,
as you bless us with warmth and renewal on this day,
in this turning season, and always.”

Finding Ozark Deities

In my last post, I talked about creating a uniquely Ozark Pagan tradition, drawing from our culture, and from the Appalachian sources that formed our culture. On the surface, these regions are predominantly Protestant. However, alongside this, is a continuous animistic belief system to be explored, as well as a compendium of folktales and fairytales that hold a depth of ancient symbolism and remnants of old beliefs.

Belief in the Little People that inhabit the landscape has always been a part of our culture, both in the Ozarks and the Appalachians. This is a living fairy faith, the rich details of which can especially be found in Pennsylvania. In Folktales of the Pennsylvania Dutch by William Woys Weaver, we may find not only the tales of the fairy folk that reside in our country, but also the ways they are venerated and clues to deeper origins. For example, the fairy queen Shlaangafraa (“Snake Lady”), seems to be very much like the Celtic goddess Sironâ, and the forest king Buschmops /Waldemops seems very much reminiscent of Cernunnos. (Yes- it seems that that folklore tradition has preserved a lore venerating deities that are Celtic in origin as well. In truth, I believe that German and Celtic syncretism has as always been happening.)

Tales from other parts of Appalachia often have an Ozarks version that is a bit different in the details. We can sometimes find the deities here too, when we know how to recognize their symbolism, as often the characters in question are not named in the tales. For example, there’s the Jack Tales– Jack himself seems to be part folk hero, part demi-god, an adventurer of the Maponos-type, and a benevolent trickster. It’s some of the older characters in his tales, and other mountain tales, who give magical assistance and are never named, but may have once been symbolic of ancient gods. Fairytales were the repository of their lore, after all other modes had been outlawed. Earlier in history, listeners would have known these characters from earlier tales in which their deeds and appearance would have made them quite recognizable. Whether these names were forgotten as time went on, or omitted for secrecy, it has come down to us to decipher the greater meaning.

Another place where the gods were hidden was the “helpful entities” called on for assistance in the Braucher folk magic tradition of the Pennsylvania Dutch. These practitioners used to be called “powwowers”. When they came here to the Ozarks, they were called Power Doctors. The helpful entities or spirits they called on were actually, for the most part, Germanic deities, though sometimes they were referred to just by titles.

Some deity names are just titles. (For example, the names Freyr and Freya simply mean lord and lady). Calling entities or spirits a title that reflects their role looks a lot like reverence of archetypes. Maybe in some sense it is, but in common thought, people tend to associate archetypal belief with non-belief, and animism with the opposite– abundance of belief. Actually they are both archetypal and animistic, but also much more than that. The titles tend to become names when the language changes and the people forget, or don’t think about, the original meanings.

These sources have proven to be invaluable for the building up of Ozark Pagan/Heathen tradition, the details of which I plan to share here, and in public rituals, in the following seasons, so that anyone who wishes to, may join in an Ozark tradition.

Crafting an Ozarks Tradition

In my local UU Pagan group, we have public rituals, and over the past year, we’ve done all of them as Sunday services at our parent congregation’s fellowship. In the last couple of rituals, we’ve begun focusing on fine tuning our own regional form of Paganism/ Heathenry. In order to do this, we not only pull from Ozark lore, but from that of Appalachia as well, for settlers from that region contributed greatly to the early development of Ozark culture. So much so, in fact, that when author Colin Woodard identified eleven distinct cultures that have historically divided the US, the lower part (our part) of the Ozarks were included as part of “Greater Appalachia”.

This is but one version of an Ozark Paganism. There were many cultures that contributed to Ozark and Appalachian culture, and it’s still evolving. For my group’s rituals though, we must be mindful of cultural appropriation, and respect closed practices. We do, however, draw more from the major influences– it has often been said that for both regions it was the Scots-Irish that had the greatest influence. However, failing to credit German cultural influence may simply be WW2 anti-German sentiment, as the unique aspects of the Pennsylvania German tradition spread far into Southern Appalachia, and yes here, in the Ozarks as well. It is from that tradition that we got the Power Doctors, moon-sign medical astrology (planting/living by the signs), wart cures, tree peg spells, and a lot more.

“The strong historic connection between the German immigration to Pennsylvania in the New World and the early settlements of the Appalachian back country is easily proven through genealogical research. The Shenandoah Valley, with its Scots-Irish and German populations, was seen as ‘an extension of Pennsylvania’, a conclusion that holds true for most of the southern Appalachians.”
—Signs, Cures, and Witchery: German Appalachian Folklore by Gerald C. Milnes

By incorporating aspects of not only the Appalachians, but also the Pennsylvania Dutch Pagan tradition called Urglaawe, we get a more complete Pagan/Heathen tradition, especially for mythology and the deities, which were hidden under the guise of “helpful entities” called on by the Brauchers or Hexerei (the magical practitioners of the Pennsylvania tradition).

In the rituals for the year ahead, I hope to bring to my group and to our local community a sense of what it can mean to flourish in one’s own culture. We can reclaim things that may have been lost on the trek through the hills and through time, or perhaps were hidden until the time was right. That time is now.

Inscribed Spells

An inscribed spell is one in which words and/or symbols relaying one’s intent are marked onto a surface. In ancient times, this was done on a clay or lead tablet and tossed into a sacred body of water. The most common way that inscribed spells are used in folk magic today is on paper. In the Appalachians and Ozarks, these spell papers are called a petition, letter, card, token, or ticket. It is believed to add more power to your spell if you use a pencil without an eraser, and write in a continuous cursive script. This is often written in a circle formation (to symbolize harmony and continuity), or with one line of script crossing another in an equal armed cross or an X (for one thing to intersect or have influence over the other and to invoke crossroads power).  

It is best to use short concise wording, and as with spoken charms, to use present or past tense; as though the thing you want to happen, has already come about. Symbols are often used in combination with the written script; such as hearts, stars, dollar signs, etc. in the corners of the paper, in accordance with the intention. Often I use just symbols for a spell token, and sometimes runes or even sigils (though these are not traditional Ozark folk magic).

Choice of paper can be a significant factor; natural is considered best, such as the kraft paper used in paper grocery bags, which is considered “pure paper”. (Though if you need something that will burn fast with little smoke, you might consider tissue paper, as I mentioned in Fire Magic.) A three inch square is a good size to use, and a torn edge (as opposed to a cut edge) symbolizes peaceful intent. The paper can be imbued with magical properties by adding scented oil or perfume around the edges.

The finished inscribed paper spell can be used in many ways. It can be folded up (fold toward you for increase, or away from you for decrease, or banishing) and placed under a candle in a candle spell. It can be rolled up and tied with ribbon or string using a knot spell (and attached to other charms or burned). It can be placed in a pocket, jar, poppet, etc. 

However, not all inscribed spells are marked on paper. Words or symbols can be traced in dirt or sand, etched or burned into wood, painted or embroidered onto fabric, etched into metal, traced on skin with water, paint, or oils. Wax china markers are really good for marking on glass candle holders. An inscribed spell can also be cut onto crust, dough, or other foods. One can even trace a spell in the air with a finger, wand, or other tool. (So if ya’ll ever see me somewhere tracing something in the air with a wooden spoon, you know what’s up, ha!)

Charms

Though these terms are often used interchangeably…

Talismans are objects meant to actively attract favorable influences and bring good fortune, and are usually made to a specific purpose. They are for empowering or amplifying magic.

An amulet is generally a passive protective object that wards off bad luck, and is a general shield against evil. They are for protective or defensive magic.

Charm is a word that often describes both of these, but is more often meant for luck. A charm can be a pendant or other object on which you’ve etched magical symbols. It can also be a natural object (or objects) you keep them in your pocket, shoe, or tied or pinned to the clothing. 

Sometimes you will find the word charm used to mean a spoken spell. This is the older use of the word– any act of speaking power into being, by manner or singing, chanting, whispering, or intoning. I wonder if a physical charm was originally named that because a charm was spoken over it? Perhaps it’s just that the object called a charm stands as a symbol or substitute for the spoken word?

In any case, here are some frequently used physical charms used in Ozark folk magic…

Iron – Legend has it that iron repels haints and evil spirits of all kinds. A common explanation for the origins of this belief is that it comes from the time when bronze age people first encountered tribes equipped with iron weapons. The process of making iron was regarded as magical as was blacksmiths themselves. Pieces of iron were sewn into, or iron pins or brooches were stuck into; clothes, to avert evil. Women in labor were protected by a row of iron nails or a reaping hook. Iron weapons and horseshoes were regarded as especially protective. A piece of iron can be rubbed on skin and objects to stroke away pain or illness.

Copper – Copper bracelets are worn for arthritis and protection against many kinds of illness.

Silver – According to legend, silver is a holy metal which can injure evil. Silver is related to the moon and brings protection, wealth, and the blessing. In Ozark tradition, one is to touch a silver coin, or coin jewelry, while looking at the moon, as a charm for prosperity. (Dimes minted before 1965 contain 90% silver.)

Coins – Wearing or carrying a silver dime is said to give you a warning that you’ve stepped over a hex laid out for you, as it will turn black if you did. Bent coins are carried for good luck, as are pennies found heads-up. Holed pennies can be worn for different purposes: one with the hole through President Lincoln’s head treats a headache, a hole through the heart soothes matters of love, a hole in front of him is for luck, and one behind him protects from hexes. The hole cannot be made by the bearer in their own home, but elsewhere by someone else, with a hammer and nail.

Holey Stones – These are also called hagstones or peep stones. They are stones with natural holes in them. They’re carried for good luck, protection from the Little Folk, and clusters of them are strung up with wire on bed posts for nightmare prevention.

Horseshoes – The use of old horseshoes as magically protective amulets, especially hung above doorways, originated in Europe, where they are still nailed to houses, barns, and stables from Italy through Germany and up into Britain and Scandinavia. Additionally, wall hangings, jewelry, and printed images made in the form of horseshoes are common. It is also the most commonly encountered lucky charm in North America. Americans of English and Irish descent prefer to display horseshoes with the point facing up, to hold in the luck. Although actual horseshoes still serve a magically protective function when nailed above a door, modern horseshoe jewelry is worn not for protection, but for its lucky power.

Clover – A four-leafed clover is felt to be especially lucky. Clover is a symbol of life, luck and abundance.

Salt – Salt, though alone may not constitute a charm, is often used as an ingredient in composite charms and other magics. It is considered to be a hallowing substance that purifies, repels evil, and attracts wealth. (If using outdoors, I would recommend using epsom salt instead, which is better for the environment.)

Buttons – A button received as a gift is always lucky, no matter what the color. (Collecting and exchanging buttons and putting them on charm necklaces used to be a thing, a long time ago.) However, best not pick up any black buttons you find saying around somewhere. These are lost on purpose by people who want to get rid of some bad luck.

Feathers – Black feathers are used for Ozark sweeping magic (but more about that later). They’re  also worn or carried to ward off rheumatism. In the Appalachians, buzzard feathers are hung above a doorway to prevent illness. Dove feathers in a pillow prevent nightmares, and duck feathers bring good luck in money. (However, I have to mention that it is illegal in the U.S. to have any part of a migratory bird, no matter how you came into possession of it, even if the feathers were simply found in nature no harm to a bird was done.) 

Parts of Trees – There are quite a few charms that are components of trees. I’ve covered some of these in my article Ozark Tree Magic & Spirituality. Buckeyes are a widespread good luck charm that was once very popular in the Ozarks and are carried in a pocket and rubbed for good luck. Lightning-struck wood is considered lucky (as long as you don’t burn it in the home). Cedar chips are carried in pockets to ward off evil spirits and disease.

There are quite a few Ozark charms concerning love and relationships- I wrote about them a few years back in a post titled Ozark Love Charms & Magic. 

I’m sure there are many physical charms I’ve left out, but these are some of the better known ones. Now let’s talk about the other meaning of the word charm…

Spoken Charms

An easy and traditional way to “charm” an object is to say a prayer over it and name its magical purpose. In fact, most of the traditional Ozark magical practitioners (yarb doctors, two-headed doctors, and the like) would have used Christian prayers and bible verses almost exclusively.

Since I am not a Christian practitioner, I use other sources (including my own imagination) for inspiration. My favorite, that I use in both devotional practices and in magic, is the Tree of Life prayer I mentioned in an earlier post.

I like to time some of the actions of a spell to coincide with the recitation of the final words or lines of the prayer/spell as it’s spoken. And of course, charm means any kind of spoken spell, not just ones said over objects to enchant them. 

There’s an old one I call “Burn Heal” that’s said while applying a remedy to a burn. There are many versions of it, but I use the one that goes:

Three ladies came from the east,
one with fire and two with frost.
Out with thee, fire; in with thee, frost.

Then there’s another one I call “Flesh to Flesh” which also has many versions and was handed down from old times:

With this spell that I intone,
flesh to flesh and bone to bone,
sinew to sinew and vein to vein,
and each one be made whole again.

And here’s another old one that has many variations, I call it “Three Springs”. It’s original purpose was to mend broken bones, but this is my version I used to promote health and well-being:

I walk through a green forest.
There I find three springs, cool and cold.
The first is called courage.
The second is called goodness.
The third is called all be well.

I’ve heard it said that the words of a spoken spell should be in past or present tense; to put it in the future tense would set the results to be ever out of reach. I have quite a few really short charms I’ve written myself. I won’t share them all here. It’s not that I think it will diminish their magic (though some folk practitioners do believe this), but I do feel that sometimes there’s more magic in something one’s written oneself. So I’ll just leave you with this last one…

Guardians Spell Seal
By the Guardians of my soul,
In all goodness, this is so.

Themes of an Ozark Summer Thermstice

Celebrating the Cross-Quarter Day of Summer Thermstice (Lúnasa) in America is different from in the Old Countries. There is a lack of continuity in tradition for it; unlike the Halloween and May Day traditions that held on throughout those ancestors’ New World immigrations. Yet, there remains a seasonal event to commemorate. 

Here, corn (maize) is the prominent grain. Though the harvest start times can vary widely in this country, there is a corn harvest starting around mid-August for Arkansas and Oklahoma. Around the first weekend in August, there is a grape festival held in Tontitown Arkansas. So we see those same themes of first fruit and grain, but in quite a different context.

We have many traditions surrounding corn. Cornmeal is a traditional land spirit offering here, and it’s used many different ways in our breads, often combined with wheat flour. It is also used as the base ingredient in herbal powders used for magic. In Appalachia, fodder of corn stalks is placed about the home as a magical charm to ensure the family always has food. Red corn necklaces are made to help with fevers and bleeding. Dried corn cobs are attached above the doorway to the house, so that haints, or evil spirits, have to count each hole in the cob before entering. In the Ozarks, dried corn cobs are used in a similar way to feather and egg sweeping traditions; it is rubbed over the body then burned to destroy sickness. When you talk about “corn dollies” here, people’s first thought is of corn husk dolls, not the grain dollies of Europe. Cornsilk is prized for its many herbal and magical uses as well, as it is used much like Irish moss in prosperity spells, and as hair for poppet dolls.

Mid-august is also when pawpaws are beginning to ripen, though this sacred food may not be fully ready until the next harvest holiday. This is also the time to see if the incredibly delicious muscadine grapes are ready for harvest.

The days here in August are the hottest, as we’re in the middle of the dog days of summer. It’s much hotter here than in the countries our ancestors came from. Many Southern Pagans celebrate this holiday with an emphasis on water, for without it, an outdoor gathering would be unbearable in our August heat. Yet this is in keeping with some of the lesser known Lúnasa traditions which symbolized a quenching of the now oppressive sun.

Looking to the realm of folklore, we have our Summer Thermstice theme there as well. The Appalachian story “Old Fire Dragaman” has some parallels with Lúgh’s story: there is the symbolism of securing the land against (a Fomorian-like) force of nature, to claim the land itself, and to secure a harvest. Jack is like Lúgh in many ways. He is small and crafty; a triumphant underdog figure. Jack may not be as bold as Lúgh, but he is sneakily clever. Unlike Lúgh, Jack returns to ordinary life after every adventure. 

Following the symbolism of the story of Whitebear Whittington as a cyclical seasonal narrative, we find ourselves at the point in the story where Whitebear and his wife have three children. These three children can be seen as symbolic of the three harvests of the year. 

Also, in the latter part of the story of Ashpet, she is held prisoner by a Wild Man figure, who may represent a chaotic or Fomorian element of Nature, threatening to take back sovereignty. Like the goddess Bloddewydd, she learns her captor’s weaknesses, and relays them to her rescuer so that she may rejoin her true love. But unlike Bloddewydd, Ashpet then returns to civilization and resumes her happy ending. 

(Note: I include a lot of Appalachian lore in my Ozark Paganism because they are linked, often overlapping, and can inform and fill in the gaps for a more fleshed out tradition. We are, after all, a part of “Greater Appalachia”.)

So what might an Ozark Summer Thermstice look like? A trip to a harvest festival such as the Tontitown Grape Festival, or a “pick your own” berry farm (if not from your own garden), or maybe a trip to a favorite swimming hole may be just the thing. It’s a time to enjoy regional foods of the season; like cornbread casserole, Arkansas tomatoes, and for dessert- Ozark berry cobbler or gooseberry pie. It may also be a time for corn magic, and for ritual, one of the aforementioned tales could be played out, and/or the themes displayed in arts & crafts or altars of the day.

Bonus: a playlist!

•Dawn Chorus by Maiden Radio
•Rise Sun by The Infamous Stringdusters
•Summertime by Billy Strings
•Ozark Summer by Jed Melton Band
•Snakes and Waterfalls by Nick Shoulders
•Sweet Sunny South by Maiden Radio
•Mighty River by Railroad Earth
•Meet Me at the Creek by Billy Strings
•There Is a Time by Whiskey Shivers
•Thunderbolt’s Goodnight by Josh Ritter

Magical Dirts & Powders

Dirt or stones from special places are often utilized as an ingredient in folk magic. To me, one of the most important of these is the dirt from the ground surrounding one’s own home. It can be carried along on a trip to ensure a safe return, and to keep one “grounded” in tense or unsure situations away from home.

However, graveyard dirt is probably the most famous of dirts used for magic, and is used to summon the spirit from a particular grave for help in the work at hand. If using graveyard dirt, be sure you know the character of the spirit you’re taking it from. Speak with them using divination to see if they even want to help, and leave a coin or libation in place of the dirt taken.

For money spells, folks have been known to collect bank dirt, from the land on which a bank stands, or dust is collected from inside the bank. Coalmine dirt is used for prosperity as well. Courthouse dirt or dust is used for good outcomes in a court case. Police station dirt is supposed to keep the law away, and railroad dirt is used to send something or someone away from you. Rabbit’s den dirt (carefully collected so as not to disturb the kittens) is used for fertility, easing depression, and for safe childbirth. Churchyard dirt has been used as an ingredient in healing spells, but if you do not hold faith with a church, it would be better to collect dirt from some other place you hold sacred. 

Crossroads dirt is perhaps one of the most potent of magical dirts. The crossroads invokes a sacred center, an in-between, bringing together the four corners of the earth. It also represents travel and movement between worlds. (This symbolism applies to equal-armed crosses and X’s used elsewhere in folk magic, as well. Many think it stands for the Christian cross, though it is much more ancient than that.)

Red clay (redding) is often used in a similar way as brick dust is in the deep south. Dried and powdered, it is paired with *salt and pepper, creating the sacred color trinity of red, black, and white. This mixture, sometimes placed in shoes, is used for protection from all manner of bad luck or curses.

(*Note: to avoid “salting the earth”, one can substitute epsom salts in place of regular salt, if being used outdoors.)

Sulfur is another substance from the earth that is used for magic, usually for cursing, though water from a sulfur spring is considered healing. When sulfur is mixed with saltpeter (potassium nitrate) and charcoal, it becomes gunpowder, which is used for luck, cursing, or protection. It gives your spell a good “shot”. 

Another foul smelling substance is asafetida. Is a bitter yellowish-brown material prepared from roots. It isn’t a local plant here in the Ozarks– it was commonly store bought and worn around the neck in little bags to ward off colds and diseases (mainly for children).

The regional method for making a magical powder is to grind up herbs with cornmeal and salt into a fine powder. This is then blessed and placed where someone will cross over it, or it’s scattered around, or sprinkled on the body. Powder mixtures may also contain the aforementioned special dirt, dusts, or minerals. 

A protective powder may be made by grinding together redding (or brick dust), and egg shells (I use chalk), with salt and cornmeal. This is used to line doors, windows, and used for other barriers. 

Of course, these dirt and dirt-based powder formulas are within the category of Earth magic. At a more basic level, one could simply bury a symbol of something you want to get rid of, as a sort of mock funeral, giving back to the Mother for transformation. Or the opposite- plant something to represent what you want in your life to flourish and grow. For growth or for rot, for life or for death; the Earth has the power for both.

Jack the Hero

The character of Jack from the Jack tales of the Ozarks and Appalachians embodies many of the traits of the Sacred Son or Maponos figures of ancient myth. Jack is the everlasting hero, but also somewhat of a trickster. These are very old tales, evolved and localized. The very name Jack, when used in storytelling, assures the listener of a triumphant hero.

As for the name, it is a diminutive of John (it evolved from John to Johnkin to Jankin to Jackin…), and means “God is gracious; he who supplants”. In folktales, he is always the youngest of three brothers. You might say he’s the male equivalent of the brave Maiden (like Mutsmag and Ashpet).

In American tales, he is also a modest underdog. This sets him apart from the old Sacred Son archetypal figures, which were characters that faced many trials, but were shown to be of high birth at the onset of the story, and were restored to that at the end. Jack, on the other hand, always starts out in very poor circumstances; he is not of royal or divine birth, and his adventures are often initiated by a dire need to obtain the necessities of life. 

“Most notable about the Jack Tales is their cycle form: It is always through the ‘little feller’ Jack that we participate in the dreams, desires, ambitions, and experiences of the whole people. His fantastic adventures arise often enough among the commonplaces of existence, and he always returns to the everyday life of these farm people of who he is one.”  –The Jack Tales, Collected & Retold by Richard Chase

In the Appalachian tale “Old Fire Dragaman” (and the almost identical “Jack and the Wishing Ring”), we see the classic quest for sovereignty, stealing away the goddess(es) of the land from a primordial creature or giant. A very similar Ozark tale is “Jack and Old Tush” (“tush” meant tusk in old Ozark dialect). In all these stories, a monster stealing Jack and his brothers’ food, is what sets the events in motion. In Dragaman/Wishing Ring, the creature/giant eats the food up on the spot, but in the Ozark version of the tale, Old Tush is sent by a willy-waw (an Ozark leprechaun-like creature that lives in the bottom of wells), and the food stealing is a means of getting Jack’s attention and help.

“I’m sorry, Jack,” said the willy-waw. “But ever’body knows about Jack, and how brave you are, and how you’ve had so many adventures and all.” […] “And all how you’re the onliest one can help us here in the Belowground.”  –Ozark Tall Tales by Richard & Judy Dockery Young 

Ah, did I mention that these two stories take place in the underworld (the “Belowground”)? I find it interesting that Jack is the only one who can help. One might consider him to be a psychopomp figure, as he can traverse worlds and deliver three maidens back from its depths and into the “Aboveground”. (And of course, we all remember his adventures in a sky realm, via beanstalk. “The Time Jack Went Up in the Big Tree” is another of his sky-realm/world tree adventures.)

Jack rarely wins the day all by himself. Sometimes his brothers try to help him, but being the smallest and cleverest (or just the luckiest– in some stories he plays the fool), circumstances lead to him going forth without them. And there are often supernatural or wise helpers in his tales, such as the willy-waw in Old Tush, and a magical one-eyed blacksmith (Odin, is that you?) in Jack and the Gowerow, and numerous cunning and magical unnamed Maidens in many of the tales. Often, the Maidens know just what Jack needs to do, they actively help, and they encourage him to keep going, lest his adventures be cut short. 

In Jack and Old Tush, there is no magic ring, and he must fight to free the maidens. The giants he must battle in the Belowground can only be defeated with rusty farm tools. This may be another indicator that the story is about sovereignty and harvest. But also, the fact that the tools are rusted, can have many layers of meaning. First off, the rust would indicate that the tool is old, and thus has accumulated power. However, most people throw out rusty tools if they’re too far gone- such corrosion dulls edges and leads to breakage. Using such a tool reiterates that Jack is a humble figure, and uses what others might cast aside. But also, in folk magic, rusted items are used for cursing; perhaps the giants could only be defeated with such a curse. Rust breaks down the strongest of items- metals, and returns them, crumbling and transformed, to the Earth herself.

This theme of choosing something old and worn out is also in “The Time Jack Learned about Old and New”. It is there that we learn another layer of meaning; the youngest and oldest go together. The youngest child inherits the hand-me-downs of all the siblings, and in many families, they are the caretakers of the elders of the family. In many of Jack’s stories (and this is true of folk stories about the Maiden as well), wonderful magical things happen as a result of him being kind to elders. It is in these bonds of oldest and youngest that great wisdom is carried forth.

The way storytellers of the Appalachians speak of Jack confirms his place as an everlasting God of Youth, as they say that Jack always comes young again, and is alive and well in the Appalachian mountains.

The Jack tales carry forth a great deal of Old World mythology in its storylines and themes. “Old Fire Dragoman” has been compared to tales in the Mabinogion, and “The First Time Jack Came to America” is very much like the Welsh myth of Taliesin. There are many others as well; Jack is a magnet for themes of heroic youth and tricksters. It is through such folktales that we experience the myths of old in a new way, ever evolving for a new time and place.