Some very sad news.

from Xoanon's website

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Michael Howard, author, folklorist, publisher, witchcraft authority, and Elder of the Cultus Sabbati. He died peacefully after a short illness, in the county of Devonshire, England, with family and friends by his side. The Craft suffers a great loss at his departure.
Many know of Michael’s tireless work in publishing The Cauldron, the U.K.’s premiere journal of witchcraft, paganism, and folklore, begun in the 1970s. The publication enjoys great popularity and draws from a considerable diversity of sources and traditions. Often controversial, it has always nonetheless been substantive and original, reflecting Michael’s ability to draw together many different strands of practitioners, creating networks that endure to this day.
A member of several lodges, covines, and guilds, Michael’s magical expertise drew upon many esoteric strands, including herbalism, freemasonry, ceremonial magic, esoteric Christianity, and the folklore of his native British Isles. In particular, his understanding of Luciferian gnosis and magic was an instrumental force in shaping present-day cunning-craft. In the last two decades of his life, he devoted the entirety of his magical work to traditional craft, and was an exemplary practitioner and teacher.
The author of over 30 books, Michael published on a variety of esoteric topics over his lifetime. Perhaps his most influential books were Pillars of Tubal Cain, The Book of Fallen Angels, and Children of Cain. Some of his written ritual work, rarely published, also appeared in The Psalter of Cain, the Cultus Sabbati’s gathering of rites and charms in honour of Cain, patron of witches. Several of Michael’s unpublished texts remain in the wings for future publication through Xoanon and Three Hands Press, as was his wish.
We remember him as a man of many virtues, of great humour, insight, and courage, as well as his insistence on standing by his brethren, and defending the Craft. Above all, he exemplified the stance of Light-Bringer, and, in its function as tenebrator, the Opposer of Shadow.
In this time of mourning, we appreciate and thank our private community for all the support given to Michael and the Cultus over the years, and pledge continued honour to his memory, within the Circle and without.

New addition to my Three Hands/Xoanon collection
 (Wording borrowed from Three Hands Press page)

WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY OF THE BALKANS by Radomir Ristic

With its geographic diversity of rocky edifices, deep river valleys and dense forests, Europe's Balkan mountain region has been characterized as a natural fortress. This natural multiformity is mirrored by an ancient admixture of magical beliefs and practices present in the region for thousands of years. Among the many specialist types of Balkan magic is Vesticarstvo, a sorcery drawing its power from Balkan folk belief, relict shamanism, and medieval heresy. This traditional magic, which has also been referred to as The Balkan Craft, is present today in many forms, and uses of thousands of charms, rites, and spells in the rural communities where it survives. A quintessential embodiment of this power is the zmajevit covek or ‘dragon-man’. Part human, part serpent, he possessed supernatural heredity and the power to curse, cure, and traffic with supernatural beings. Often incorporating the ancient powers of the pre-Roman Gods, the Queen of the Fairies, elemental spirits, and the ancestral retinue, the vital corpus of Vesticarstvo lore is a little-explored area of occult study. Drawing from both historical sources and present survivals, the present volume examines its history, beliefs, and rituals, including a complete English translation of De Intorkatura, an age-old rite of magical combat, as well as several other Balkan witchcraft rituals never before translated into English.

Some interesting reading for the coming bank holiday weekend...

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Just found an audio interview with the author of the above book, well worth a listen.
(got to say, I love his accent!)

http://deeper-down-the-rabbit-hole.com/2012/10/episode-78-radomir-ristic-discusses-balkan-witchcraft/

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This arrived today! 

Here's publisher's write up

We (Troy Books) are delighted to announce a new special limited edition of Gemma's popular book 'The Black Toad - West Country Witchcraft and Magic'.
Since the fine hand-bound edition of this book sold out, we have received many enquiries regarding copies of this edition, and so we have decided to release a special edition limited to 200 copies. The book is case bound using recycled leather fibres emulating the look and feel of golden tan Morocco leather, and foil blocked in black with black end papers and black and yellow head and tail bands. Printed on cream 80gsm paper stock with sewn binding. The book is presented in Demy format 216 x 138mm.

Don't worry about the 'recycled leather fibres' because it looks and feels like 'normal' leather.
One thing that did surprise me is that it's slightly smaller then the original black cloth edition, but still a good size. Well worth buying!

Moving on up with my work!

best header I could think of to describe going from having the Standard edition of the The Dragon Book of Essex to the Deluxe.

 

Grimorium 

Synomosia 

               Dracotaos

Excellent video for an excellent book!

O’ Milcham-i-Azh’rail! Lift Thou Thy blade to Heaven, seven times tongued with flame, there to cut open the heart of the Sun, that its lifeblood may flow into Thy mouth; thus to empower Thee as the Messenger Divine– the catalyst for the translation of the Seeker’s Mind into the Circle of the Seven Stars.

Two new mini articles shamelessly borrowed from elsewhere. 

 
Witch Blood - Genuine Hereditary Witchcraft

Some witches claim blood lineage from witches who have gone before. This is known as possessing witch blood. It is based on a very ancient notion from the book of Enoch that T'Qayin once mixed his seed with that of the daughters of Adam, producing a race of supernaturally gifted beings. These beings are sometimes referred to as The Watchers. It is said that this divine spark runs through the veins and sings from the bones of every witch. Remember that you are made of the same materials as the stars, and that magic lives within you. Even if you cannot trace your familial lineage to that of a known witch, know that through the forging of the Red Thread, the magical link that this tradition creates between you and the Mighty Dead, you share the blood of T'Qayin.

The Kuthun

Is is told that for a witch to pass from this life into the next, she must pass her power on to another. This provides incentive for teaching the Craft to others, ensuring that our ways do not die with us. The Kuthun is a tangible object that links the power of a witch to her descendant. It may be a beloved magical tool, a piece of jewelry or regalia, or a formal document of lineage.

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As with the 'Witch blood' below there are other ways that hereditary magic gets passed on.This time it's via a trade or Association - The Horseman's Word.
 
Here's a short article about the oath itself

"The Baron of Kilmarnock is proud to be a member of the Horseman's Word. He was initiated in Sandwick, Orkney, on 14th April 1983.
In June 1989 the local newspaper printed the Oath of the Horseman's Word, and the belief that a member was initiated 'a few weeks ago'.

The Horsemen originated in the north-east of Scotland before 1870. Much has been written about the growth and the following of the Horsemen with anecdotal versions of the initiation ceremony, the mysteries, the Oath, and versions of the 'Word' itself. For anyone keen to read such accounts, a short list of books is given below.

On a light-hearted note, from 'Scots Pegasus' by the Scottish dialect poet Alastair Mackie, ' . . the hert o the nut is this - naebody, dammt, kens the horseman's word'.

Contrary to what curious readers may find stated elsewhere on the internet, the Horsemen (as we call it) is still an active Society in Scotland (AND in East Anglia! - my addition). Competent authors such as Russell Lyon in Lanarkshire made the effort to check facts before writing "Small groups have survived, notably in Orkney where, I have been told, members are still initiated into the old secrets; and those societies which appear to have been incorporated into Masonic lodges still flourish". And indeed this is so.

Billy Rennie, from Stuartfield near Peterhead, was described by a Scotland on Sunday columnist in Dec. 2002 as 'the last known surviving member of the Horseman’s Word'. In Oct. 2009 the Buchan Observer had a local headline entry 'Horseman's Word expert publishes book' - none other than brother Rennie, initiated in Sept.1961. A deluxe limited edition (100) followed, bound in leather 'with an imprint from an actual horseshoe, with nail holes in genuine gold' and including an envelope containing 'a horsehair knotted in the special manner that signifies that it is your invitation to the mysteries of the Society of the Horseman's Word'.

 Yes, we have many more 'surviving members' . . . and that is from the horse's mouth!

Gentlemen, please raise your glasses for the toast:
'Here's to the horse with the four white feet,
the chestnut tail and mane;
a star on his face and a spot on his breast,
and his master's name was Cain.'

SUGGESTED READING
* The Society of the Horseman's Word, Ben Furnee, SEE. 2009
• Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain, Reader's Digest Association Ltd., 1977.
• The Quest for the Original Horse Whisperers, Russell Lyon, Luath Press Ltd., Edinburgh, 2003.
• The Horseman's Word, Timothy Neat, Birlinn Ltd., 2002.
• The Pattern Under The Plough, George Ewart Evans, Faber & Faber, 1966.

<- I would love this edition

                 But I have this edition -->









(article from http://www.kilmarnock.com/word.html)

 

New ritual for protection from thievery added to 'Ritual' page