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Among the Gnomes. An Occult Tale of Adventure in the Untersber. Hartmann, Franz London: T. Fisher Unwin 1895. 8vo. Orig. illust. cloth (extremities rubbed and edges of spine chipped). (vi 272pp.). With frontisp. and 11 b/w plates. 1st ed. “Who has ever occupied himself seriously with the investigation of the “night-side of Nature,” or studied the works of Theophrastus Paracelsus and not become acquainted with the celebrated “Untersberg” (the “mountain of the lower world”) and its mysterious inhabitants, the fairies and gnomes?” The first chapter can be read here.

#library

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Markéta Luskačová (born 1944), a Czech photographer - “On Death and Horses and Other People”. 

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goals

Tutankhamun's gods Harry Burton (1879–1940) Griffith Institute, University of Oxford

Howard Carter found twenty-nine small statues of deities in Tutankhamun's tomb, all concealed within twenty-two small black shrines, the doors of each shrine secured by a cord and seal fastening.

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Butter prayer

recorded by A. Heyerdahl in Urskogs Beskrivelse, 1882, p.163; translation © Trollkatt

The butter prayer - smørbønna - after Berte Tangen (b. 1848), Aurskog, recorded by A. Heyerdahl in Urskogs Beskrivelse, 1882, p.163 (this is an edited facsimile by me from this book), also printed in Theologisk Tidsskrift R II, BX p.185

Old Mari walked along the road, then she met a cow, brown, motley, one horn pointed up, the other one was a little crooked. "Something ails you?" Mari said. "Oh, I am ailing," the cow said, "I am hoof-chafed, horn-gnawed, and milk-sucked." "This you shall be healed from," retorted Mari. "I shall fetch from the hillside and place between your flanks, I shall fetch from the hilltops and place between your eyes: mezereon, mountain birch, spotted orchid. Then butter comes from north, and butter from south, butter from east, and butter from west, and butter in buckets and pails, and butter all over this country."

Folklorists "back when" were often interested in the oral lore of our forebears exclusively, and neglected to record the accompanying rituals and how-tos. It is therefore always such a delight to find spells like this, where the missing bits are described - at least partly - in the spell itself, making it just as much a mnemonic device as well as a spell. The first important bit of information in this "butter prayer" from Aurskog in Norway is the cow telling what is ailing her by listing her symptoms, so that we know what this spell is a cure for. Then comes indications to the whereabouts of the plants that are needed in the cure and where to apply them, followed by their names. Not as obvious, there is finally an instruction which says to turn to the four directions and call on the butter to come "in buckets and pails".

#folk magic #trolldom

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When a child is fretting at night and doesn't want to sleep:

To be placed under the child's head.

from Den kloke gubbens meddelanden och hans svartkonstbok, Eva Wigström, 1881

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Mary Magdalene's hair suit in art. [x/x/x/x]

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Jannis Kounellis, Untitled (1978)

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Pictish Warrior and Aristocrat Ancient Carved Stone, The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

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Ulla Karttunen: The Madonna of the Apricot and the Snake 

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In terms of the knowing syncretism of Witch divinities with Christian venerative forms Liliya Devala may be identified with the resplendent image of the Virgin Mary as the Queen of the World. In this form, the azure-robed Mary stands towering above the earthen globe, her feet lying on the Red Serpent, displaying to the Wise the arcanum of walking the Crooked Path of the Dragon’s spine. Often in such depictions there are seven stars about the head of the Virgin; these may here be identified with the seven luminous souls of the Wise-blooded Mothers over who Liliya presides. In the performance of this rite, divers effigies of the Lady may be placed in the Northern Quarter and candles lit in Her Adoration.

Alongside the figure of the Madonna, Liliya may also be identified with the Magdalene, the secret bride of the Crucified King of Light. Again, in this pairing of the Lord and Lady the Magickal Child is identified with each and every Soul of the Faithful. In these arcana of the Full and Dark Moons, let the Wise discern the Way that lies ‘neath the Dance of the Masquerade.

- Invocation of Our Lady of Midnight, Andrew. D. Chumbley

#mother

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“The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas.” - Hermann Hesse, Demian.

"Fear Abraxas, who rules over the human world. Accept what he forces upon you, since he is the master of the life of this world and none can escape him." - Carl Jung, The Red Book

"There is a God about whom you know nothing, because men have forgotten him. We call him by his name: Abraxas. He is less definite than God or Devil. ... Abraxas is activity: nothing can resist him but the unreal ... Abraxas stands above the sun[-god] and above the devil. If the Pleroma were capable of having a being, Abraxas would be its manifestation." - Carl Jung, "2nd Sermon", Seven Sermons to the Dead

"That which is spoken by God-the-Sun is life; that which is spoken by the Devil is death; Abraxas speaketh that hallowed and accursed word, which is life and death at the same time. Abraxas begetteth truth and lying, good and evil, light and darkness in the same word and in the same act. Wherefore is Abraxas terrible." - Carl Jung, "3rd Sermon," Seven Sermons to the Dead

"Abraxas doesn't take exception to any of your thoughts or any of your dreams. Never forget that. But he will leave you once you become blameless and normal." - Hermann Hesse, Demian.

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Praxinoscope - Great Britain - c1835