Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 28
July 25, 2020
The Boy Who Lost His Shadow: Shadow People, Doubles, and Peter Pan
Shadows occupy a somewhat privileged position in regards to the human. Long before we saw our reflections in water (and, later, glass), we saw our shadows cast across the ground. They show the existence of a thing, “for what casts a shadow must be real” (Gombrich 1995: 17). Only an object with mass can obstruct […]
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July 18, 2020
Numbers in folklore: Why are 3, 7 and 9 important?
When you think of fairy tales, you’ll often notice patterns in the numbers that appear. Think of the three bears, the seven dwarves, or seven-league boots. Numbers in folklore become an important way to navigate the stories. Many of these tales derive from much older versions. And it seems ancient people loved numbers. In the […]
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July 11, 2020
How are reflections important in western folklore?
Mirrors form a huge part of popular culture, and films like Snow White or Mirror, Mirror play on their magical properties. While it’s beyond the scope of this post, mirrors also play a part in scrying. Here, a practitioner gazes into a dark mirror (often a slice of obsidian). They don’t look for reflections, but rather […]
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July 4, 2020
Spells & Scrying: Mirrors in Magic, Mythology & Folklore
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall”… along with “Hubble, bubble, toil, and trouble”, they’re some of the most famous words associated with magic in popular culture. Mirrors play a huge part in many superstitions. Linked to ideas around the double, mirrors can be downright creepy. Look at the age-old practice of covering mirrors in a home […]
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June 27, 2020
Meet 3 Famous Witches of Legend: Befana, Baba Yaba & Circe
Witches continue to be an object of both fascination and fear as we roll deeper into the 21st century. On one hand, we have films like The VVitch and Midsommar painting them as stereotypical villains. The three famous witches of Macbeth are an enduring image. On the other hand, witchcraft practices are splashed across Instagram […]
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June 20, 2020
The Summer Solstice: Myths and Madness of Midsummer
Today marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The longest day of the year, this year the UK will get 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight. In years gone by, crowds have gathered at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise. The stones here frame the sunrise on the summer solstice, leading many to assume […]
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June 13, 2020
Explore the Surprising Truth about Necromancy
‘Necromancy’ seems to baffle a lot of people. If people have heard of it, they either confuse it with necrophilia, or assume it means raising armies of the dead. Popular culture certainly chooses the latter option. Just look at the Necronomicon in the Evil Dead films. The book was first invented as a grimoire by […]
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June 12, 2020
[Book Review] Inkarna by Nerine Dorman
In a world where ‘paranormal’ books seem to be preoccupied with vampires or werewolves, Inkarna is quite the standout book. Nerine Dorman gives us reincarnation, ancient Egyptian mysteries and even daimonic powers. What’s not to love? The story is told by Ashton Kennedy – or rather, by Lizzie, a woman reincarnated into the body of […]
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June 6, 2020
What Charms Did Witches Use In Their Magic Spells?
Charms and rhymes characterise our memories of witchcraft from fairy tales, classic literature, and fantasy films. Do “Mirror, mirror, on the wall” or “Hubble bubble, boil and trouble” ring a bell? Many of these famous examples are invented for the purposes of fiction. But charms occupy a real place in the historical record, used as […]
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May 30, 2020
How are the Heinzelmännchen related to the Elves and the Shoemaker?
Shoemaking is one of those crafts that people still have a vague understanding of. Unlike blacksmithing, which most people rarely see, the tools of the shoemaker are usually on display at your local cobbler’s. While it’s a cobbler’s job to fix shoes, and a shoemaker’s job to make shoes, there’s enough crossover for us to […]
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