The Cunning Fire

[norseman]

A new name for an ancient path ?

Hedge witchery, or Hedge craft, is a kind of combination of Witchcraft and Shamanism. This Path is based on the Traditional Witchcraft and Cunning Folk traditions of Europe from ancient to modern times. It is something of an “eclectic” tradition, but just how much so depends on each individual practitioner.
The shamanic aspect being the most important, in fact to call oneself a Hedge witch is to call oneself a shaman, without having to steal a word from another culture. With herbalism, healing, and a deep love for, and understanding of Nature added to the mix.

Read the rest here: http://stonegatepodshow.net/index.ph...d=6:hedgewitch


edited by SF staff

[Shadow Wolf]

Thank you for posting this Norseman

Hedge witchery is something I feel very drawn to. Although I do not see my self fitting all the elements here it is something I would like to work on.

There is something about this path which just seems to make sense to me.

[norseman]

Just a bump to put it beside Traditional Shaman and Witches

Hey, this is a great post... It really does describe many aspects of my personality and spiritual inclinations. Totally awesome, thanks for taking the time to write all of this out on the forum.

[norseman]

Here is one that's even longer

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...ad.php?t=27679

I love this thread, Norse.

Something I wrote a while back about hedge riding that occurred when I was contemplating how to best spend my time:

I understand that we are a spirit having a human experience--not the other way around. And that we choose to come to the Earth to walk a path that is not preordained for us to follow like a puppet, without the free will to make choices.

We may (or may not) have pre-planned to accomplish something in particular during the journey. Not in the form of a series of lessons as a type of punishment, or to repay some karmic debt--the only one who judges us for our deeds on Earth is our own Self and no-one forces us to come here.

Out of curiosity, I had asked my spirit guides, and also my own ancient spirit (Higher Self) what my goal was; what I had hoped to achieve, or, if there was anything I could do to be of service whilst here.

Doing readings for others or weaving together a tale of magick were projects I was mulling over, when I had two visions; each featuring a field and a luminous vest--the sleeveless type a construction worker or cyclist wears to be highly visible.

Both visions, like a short movie clip, occurred when I was bi-conscious; that receptive state between being awake and asleep. I thought them unbidden at the time and could make little sense of their meaning. But months later, I realised, and appreciated, that they were a response to my questions, appropriate signposts that led to many places.

The first night, across a field, I saw in the distance, a majestic oak tree. I love trees, so to melt into sleep with nature was a welcome sight, like a screensaver in my mind.

However, the picturesque scene did not remain static for long. A male, in human form, appeared out of nowhere; steadily walking towards me wearing a yellow vest that was so fluorescent, it nudged me out of drifting off to sleep.

His face was lit up with a loving smile as he looked directly at me, imparting deep warmth. He seemed on the verge of sharing a message, something illuminating.

But he vanished, leaving me looking at an empty field and feeling a loss, as though he had departed too soon.

A few nights afterwards, during the second vision, I took a short hedge trip, zooming along the length of it--the sensation similar to riding a super-fast train.

The speed eased up, the hedge became less blurry and more ordinary as it met a split-rail wooden fence. I came to a stop at an open gate, beyond which lay a meadow.

Two thin, worn tracks ran parallel through the grass; straight at the entrance, then veering to the right, twisting to the left, merrily winding a crooked path to vanishing point.

Draped over the gatepost was another fluorescent vest; the focus upon it was intense. And it remained so for a considerable time.

Now, I understand the meaning of these visions. The high visibility vests represent ‘can be seen’--exactly like elementals in photographs--which I was soon to discover.

The hedge symbolises the veil, the boundary between this dimensional reality and others nearby and further afield. It can be crossed over to venture into other worlds, for human beings have the potential to be multi-dimensional beings.

The hedge is a wall within. By adjusting inner frequencies, raising vibrations and expanding awareness, that wall can be dismantled and cease to exist, paving a runway to explore other realities such as the faerie realm.

Doorways can be discovered within consciousness. Pathways can appear through meditation. Removing limitations, releasing fears, shedding negative thought patterns and crossing the bridge of doubt can create a gateway to adventures with endless possibilities.

Within, knowledge can be found; other dimensions can be accessed; other time periods can be experienced in real-time and other beings can be communicated with.

Hedge riding can feel like being shot through a corridor, travelling a great distance in a short amount of time.

No broomstick required.

Sometimes I am aware of my body, or vaguely on/off aware of it, therefore, in two worlds at the same time. Other times I am completely unaware of this plane of existence; I am more elsewhere, fully savouring experiences when the senses become acute.

One night, I rode the hedge backwards. Time unravelled, clouds unrolled as I reversed through British countryside, through people’s gardens, feeling like their houses never used to be there.

Images leapt out along the way. For instance, a stern-looking barrister with bulging eyes, a judicial wig beneath the black square cap worn when passing the sentence of death; probably a significant character in a period of history, from the area passed over.

During these travels, which can be spontaneous or actively evoked, I can be microscopic on the ground or giant flying over mountains and I never know who or what I might encounter next.

I can be tearing through an underground tunnel and bump into someone, for example, a wee chap trundling along pushing a loaded cart. Or see something interesting such as strange machinery nestled among rock boulders; contraptions operating by perpetual motion.

I can be racing free across a field in the moonlight with a white horse, then next be inside a castle, tenderly stroking a cat on my lap, feeling an oily substance coat my hands, much to the horror of the panic-stricken woman beside me who said, “D’you think she won’t smell cat on you?”

This concern was justified because I did some research the following day and discovered that keeping a cat as a companion during the Middle Ages was taking a risk that could lead to the accusation of practising witchcraft. Simply having affection for a cat could have been deemed reason enough to fall under suspicion.

Cats were useful for hunting mice within a castle, but medieval man feared the cat was a witch in disguise or a witch’s familiar, so unease and distrust towards them brewed. The night stalking, prowling and howling was unsettling for some who worried such behaviour was supernatural power at play.

Cats were condemned as evil and persecuted for being in league with the Devil. In their masses, they were slaughtered by boiling, stoning, gutting, impaling, stabbing, buried alive or killed in other ingenious ways.

As the cat population decreased, the rodent population thrived together with the plague known as the Black Death. Millions of people were wiped out across Europe, though it is debated whether the rapid wildfire transmission of this plague, was actually spread by the bacteria-carrying fleas and rats or not.

Paying no heed to the warning, I continued caressing the cat I loved, knowing that, if caught, ‘she’ would undoubtedly shine a light of shame upon me, and revel in doing so for it would benefit her own agenda. Lastly, I saw flames burning within the castle walls, a serious fire consuming the interior.



Hugs & stuff, Amethyst x

[miss_vanora]

Such a great post, norseman! I've always felt drawn to this path and it's beliefs/practices. Maybe stumbling on this post today was a sign, as it's been on my mind since I woke up this morning.

ah thank you norseman :) really appreciate the input!!

[CrystalSong]

Very informative Norseman, thank you!
Amazing recollections Amethyst, thank you so much for sharing them, it always helps to know there's others out there crossing the veil and coming back with experiences too.

Another fascinating post... Im surprised Hedgecraft isn't more mainstream. It just makes sense to me.