Do you see the cobbles on the streets? Everywhere you look, stone & rock. Can you imagine what it feels like to reach down with your bones & feel the living stones? The city is built on itself, all the cities that came before. Can you imagine how it feels to lie down on an ancient flagstone & feel the power of the rock buoying you up against the tug of the world? And that's where witchcraft begins. The stones have life, & I'm part of it. - adapted from Terry Pratchett
Monday, August 13, 2012
Walking round the rose garden with the Goddess
When I was a practising Catholic I would have a go from time to time at the devotion called the rosary. That's right, the thing it's become fashionable to wear around the neck, something that Catholics don't do as it makes it impossible to use it. I never took to the devotion; I think for me the Ave Maria is too long a prayer, and in two halves too, to be uttered aloud or silently while concentrating on the mystery to be meditated on. I felt less distracted from the meditative frame of mind by the Jesus Prayer & had more success with that, but since then I've tended to leave beads and repetitions alone.
Recently, however I have felt drawn to this again. I can see that the feel of the beads in ones hands is comforting. I have even found Greek-style worry beads satisfying.
The other possibility for a witch would be the repetition of a word or phrase, with or without the use of beads to count. Some Moslems take pride in counting on the joints of their fingers, rather than on beads, because this is what the Prophet did.The only world religion in which I have not found this practise is Judaism.
The other thing I have done is to put together a litany of Hecate's ancient titles, the repetition of which she likes better than anything. I want to memorise these in order so that I can say them without checking! It is intended to be said using a 33-bead Islamic prayer beads (meant to refer to the 99 names of Allah, but Hecate does love multiples of three!). Here it is:
Far away one.
Infernal one.
Terrestrial one.
Celestial one.
Traveller between all worlds.
Three-formed.
Twined with serpents.
Only-begotten maiden.
Of the crossroads.
On the way.
Tender one.
Light-bearer.
Protector.
Key-holder.
Guiding light.
Before the gate.
Nurse of the young.
Leader of the dogs.
Destroyer.
Terrible one.
Angry one.
Necessity hard to avoid.
Of the earth.
Saviour.
Queen of the night.
Night-wanderer.
Friend & companion of darkness.
Lady of the underworld.
Queen of the dead.
Devourer of the rotting corpse.
Bombo.
Gorgo.
Mormo.
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