What is a mythic animal? Traditionally considered a product of people’s imaginations, they are animals that do not exist on the physical plane. In fact, many mythical animals are a combination of several real animals. (They usually have the characteristics of both animals.) But mythic animals are real to those who dream.
Mythic animals live on the edges of our minds. Moreover, they live in our world, in places where everything is a little wild and primitive. Furthermore, we may encounter them, when we least expect it. For example, on a foggy day or a moonlit night, you may glimpse one. I have seen dragons sunning themselves on mountains as I traveled a busy highway. Dragons have also appeared briefly in raging snowstorms in my local area.
In the old days bones and animal parts were used widely for magical purposes. People were hunters they used all the parts of an animal primarily for food and warmth, and the bones for magic.
I am always being gifted with feathers when I am out usually pigeon ones but I have also been given crow and magpie ones too. If you are in the forest you may find all sorts of bird feathers and on the beach it will probably be seagull feathers. Whatever kinds they are feathers carry their own very special magic with them.
When I find a feather I usually take it home and pop it in the freezer overnight, just as a precaution really because the cold temperature will get rid of any nasties that might be lurking therein. Obviously keep the feather away from your frozen food! Alternatively you can place the feathers in a solution of five parts warm water, one part vinegar and one part witch hazel, leave them to soak for twenty four hours then dry them by laying out flat on a towel.
The “Wren” of Europe, Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) is the only Wren that lives in the Old World. Known as Bran’s Sparrow to the Celts, Wren foretold the future with his songs. The Celts called their sacred Wren “Drui”, (meaning “The Druid among Birds”). Under the protection of Taranis, the Celtic God of Thunder, Wren often nested in his oaks. Killing a Wren brought the wrath of the Gods upon unwary people.
To various peoples from Japan to Germany, Eurasian Wren is the King of the Winds. Plutarch tells the story of how the Wren became the King of the Birds. The Birds decided whoever could fly the highest to the sun would rule over Them. The Eurasian Wren secreted Himself under Golden Eagle’s down feathers. When Golden Eagle tired, Eurasian Wren flew out and ascended higher, getting singed by the sun’s rays. Returning, the other Birds proclaimed Eurasian Wren their King. Cunning and cleverness had outwitted strength.
SHE who Laughs, Lasts The past, the present and the future walked into a womyn’s gathering. They were in tense.
The AULD ONES say: One day, you realize that you are older than almost every other living being. Your familiars: cats, dogs and other close critters; the wyld messengers: birds, serpents and others who visit you; most plants; and even other humans day by day are increasingly your younger sisters, children, grandchildren. That’s what’s so great about trees! They are the only species where so many individuals are older than you! In the dark inspiration that marks Winter Solstice, find a tree. Place your palms upon her, slow down, and seek counsel. Take in this elder’s survival story; let the patterns in your mind mirror the patterns she shows in bark and branch—yule feel tree wisdom swaying your own canopy. Honor your tree with a token, or—well, go ahead, you old tree hugger you, embrace her. Then, take a wide stance. Raise your arms. Look up—invoke the return of the Sun! Good Night (simple words that are always true) to the year of Wild Card XV—X for the girrrl gene, V for the sacred vulva—celebrate your jolly old self.
Ride the Night Mare. See with owl eyes. Dream with sleeping bear.
This last year when I travelled back to Canada to attend Kaleidoscope Gathering a Pagan festival near Ottawa, I got to spend some time hanging out with my friend Pamela and got to see more of the wild country. It HUGE!! And awesome and I love it, bit I digress.We spent a bit of time driving down country roads around many wonderful lakes and eating custard filled donuts at Timmies. It was during this time that I got to see Deer eating apples in somebodies front yard, on our way to a Wolf Sanctuary, or it might have been the sight of Turkey Vultures circling above as we got out of the car, that I had the sudden realisation, that squirrels are real, along with a whole slew of other animals that are native to Canada like crows, toads, eagles, groundhogs, chipmunks, vultures and of course squirrels. I have learnt about all of these animals via wildlife documentaries, books and wonderful teachers such as David Attenborough, and Jane Goodall as well as the various magical books where I have learnt about there more magical spiritual meanings.
Erin Lale
Fellow faculty at Harvard Divinity School posted an open letter to Wolpe in response to his article. It's available on this page, below the call for p...
Erin Lale
Here's another response. The Wild Hunt has a roundup of numerous responses on its site, but it carried this one as a separate article. It is an accoun...
Erin Lale
Here's another response. This one is by a scholar of paganism. It's unfortunately a Facebook post so this link goes to Facebook. She posted the text o...
