Folk Magick - Blog Posts

Folk Altar Stained Glass Painted Windows

I finished my stained glass painted windows today, and I'm so proud of them! The window's scene selections were to highlight important parts of my path as a catholic folk practitioner in my Quebec and Acadian culture. The scene on the right is a painting originally by Clarence Gagnon (Harvesting, c.1928-33) portraying some farmers in the fields of Charlevoix. The center window showcases the Star of the Sea, patron saint of the Acadians, keeping a ship safe in an ocean storm. (My own design). And the last window shows a scene from the folk tale "la chasse-galerie" from Honoré Beaugrand, when a group of woodsmen make a deal with the Devil to fly in an airborne magic canoe to visit their families on New Year's Eve. My practice entails researching my family's agricultural lifestyles and crafts, their religious life, and their folk tales.

My next project will be to paint the medallions on the doors of the altar cabinet.

I decorated a Huckleberry compass this week! The shape is reminiscent of a planchette and it held the perfect opportunity for some stained glass painting.

The first woodland walk of autumn 2023

New apartment, new altar!!!! I found a handmade kitchen hutch beautifully made by a carpenter in the 1970s. It reminded me of my grandpa's wood skills. My old one is still loved and cherished but at my girlfriend's place for us both. This one has a lot more space than my old one, storage and surface wise. I just finished painting Cap Éternité in Saguenay (bottom reference photo) on the altar backsplash area. The next project is designing stained glass windows for the doors on the cabinet hutch and installing lights at the top to illuminate the art. The one after that would be mythological creatures of French Canadian and Acadian folklore on the door medallions. I also plan to put in two sconces to hold vases of flowers on either end of the hutch, and paint more folk art designs on the hutch sides and drawers. The beginning of many a cherished moment painting this piece to make it come alive within my practice.

A lovely Quinzou to everyone! I got dressed in my best ritual clothes, packed up my Stella Maris rosary (that Moonshadow loves to munch on..), enjoyed some live Acadian music and had an intimate little ritual for Mary.

Getting ready to celebrate La Quinzou in Halifax 🌟 And I'll be acquiring a bigger altar by September, so I'm quite excited to paint folk art all over it and show the results. It will be so lovely to have more space for my practice. St. Anne's Day was relaxing and mindful, Saint Brigid also got her own altar cabinet recently, and I found an Acadian cookbook from which to reconnect with my family's dishes on special days.

St. Anne wall shrine

I painted a boat-shaped key holder into a wall shrine to St. Anne today, as her saint day is coming up soon.

I incorporated a canoe and a sash, as St. Anne was a protective saint of voyageurs during the fur trade. Red, green and white felt like her signature colors, and she is near the ocean, as she was a treasured saint among fishermen and sailors.

I'll try to find a little tea light platform to glue to the bottom of the shrine for a fake candle to rest.

Back online!

Hello everyone! I apologize for being inactive in a while. I just graduated from my final year of Costume Studies at Dalhousie University and I am now in a place where I can research and practice my faith to my heart's desire. More posts are incoming :) the goal for this year would be to fine-tune my festivals and holy days schedule and rituals, as well as implementing my practice in my daily life. My altar got a little refreshing, my cat is helping with my holiday book, and I found a frog in the Camp Hill Cemetery!

La Quinzou - Assumption Day - August 15th

Assumption Day is arriving soon, and I wanted to share with you all a ritual I do on this day every year.

La Quinzou is the Acadian national day in Canada, and Acadian culture, music and history is remembered and celebrated anywhere Acadian families settled or ended up being deported to. It is distinct from the French Canadian Saint Jean Baptiste Day (June 24th), to celebrate and demarcate Acadian culture as unique from other French Canadian cultures. Originally, the 15th of August was chosen by the Acadians to highlight their ties with France instead of Canada.

Their patron saint, the Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea, also has an important day on August 15th - Assumption Day, where her earthly life ends and she ascends to Heaven to become Queen of the Universe and of the Heavens, being closer to God to act as intermediary between believers and God.

Subtle activities can be done that day if you don't have time for a ritual. You can pray for oceanic health, for mariners, and it's a good occasion to bless guardians with holy water. It's also good to acknowledge the first harvest of the year. This ritual is of my own composition and of how I interpret this holiday. Feel free to expand on it as you learn more on Acadian customs and culture!

Without further ado, here's my own ritual for La Quinzou:

Materials: a sky blue candle, sea salt, a shallow white bowl, holy water, a star-shaped object of your choice, a statue or image of the Virgin Mary, rosemary incense, a fresh white rose or an image of one.

A good idea to take a cold shower before the ritual to simulate being immersed in cold waters of this land, to don blue and white clothing, and to have the ritual take place at twilight when the first few stars appear in the sky. Call the four winds as you see fit, speak from your heart as to what these winds mean to you. The ritual has opened.

''Ave Maris Stella, mother of Jesus Christ and of the whole world, queen of the oceans and stars, you watch over us with warmth and charity. Queen of the Universe and the Heavens, your blue sky greets us every morning, and your starlight protects us in the darkest of nights. Your life was lived in full service to God and humankind, and we are eternally grateful. Your compassion and tenderness warms our hearts, and we know that with your Assumption, we can hope to have you back among us to give to us your Son one day. With your Assumption, we have hope in the eternal life of our souls as well.'' (light the blue candle).

Next, we bless the bowl as the vessel. Take the bowl and pour holy water in it. Place it in your hands and with incense lit underneath, say, ''by the sanctity of air, may you be blessed.''

Take salt and say the same line. Place the salt in the bowl. Take your bells and chime them three times, letting each ring die out before starting anew. This blesses the water, salt and vessel. Extend your hands over the bowl and say: ''Glory be to God for our sister the Moon and for the stars, who shine radiantly in the night sky of your making. Glory be to you, God, for our sister Water, who offers us life, in both ferocity and gentleness. Glory be to God for our brother Fire, in which you give us the light in the darkness. Glory be to God, we thank you and pray that we may serve you in greatest humility with the help of these elements. Amen.''

Place this bowl in your garden or in a pail to be disposed of later (under a tree or whatever strikes your fancy), and say: ''I offer this water to the all-powerful Mother Earth, in which the materials in this bowl come from. The earth offers us her oceans, lakes, rivers and brooks, and cradles us from birth until death. We are one with this Earth. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust we are and shall be. Amen.'' Set aside.

Adorn the altar with your rose, rosemary incense, and any star-shaped pieces you may have. After you are satisfied with its outcome, say with palms up: ''Mary, watch over our gardens and our crops so that we may feed everyone by the bounty of the Earth. May your holy waters flow over all living things in need of it and may everything be blessed in your presence.'' Take the rose and offer it up to the sky, say: ''I offer you this rose from the garden of my mind in memory of the purity of your soul and heart.'' Gently kiss the rose, and place it near the statue or image of Mary. Light the rosemary incense and stay there a while enjoying the atmosphere.

Any singing or reciting of canticles, hymns or prayers to Mary can be said here. It's up to you! Feel free to ask her for any favours you might need that day, or confide in her a while.

I hope you'll have have a lovely Quinzou, and enjoy some Acadian music while you're out and about!

Heritage Folk Witch Altar - Update

I wanted to personalize my altar to my practice further, so I decided to paint Quebec landscapes and notable animals that mean a lot to me. Some landscapes are derived from my grandmother's painting style, while others are inspired by Clarence Gagnon (1881-1942), an artist well-known for his Quebec landscapes of villages and sweeping views.

Panel 1: Black bear mother and her cub in a Charlevoix clearing in winter. Black bears are very common in the sub-boreal forests of Quebec, and I've had many dreams of them, sometimes as one myself. In Innu cosmology, black bears are very close in relationship to humans, and are often perceived as humans themselves. The clearing is directly from a Clarence Gagnon painting.

Panel 2: Bluejay resting in a flowered tree in St. Charles-de-Bourget, late spring (late May-June). My grandmother painted this exact bluejay on a wooden lamp, and I have fond memories of her bird paintings. She lives in that village, and she taught me to paint these kinds of flowers when I was 11, so it's a rather sentimental panel.

Panel 3: Canada Geese in the Saguenay Fjord in autumn. My grandfather often mentions the 'outardes' (Canada Geese) flying south or coming back, and he's always happy to see them. These birds are ferociously loyal to their families, and their endurance is tested and true. The song 'Les oies sauvages' from Mes Aieux has a special place in my heart. It's a song of familial strength and support mirrored in these geese.

Panel 4: A humpback whale having fun in the summer waters of Tadoussac. My grandparents love to go whale-watching in that region, and these whales journey a long way to come back north to our waters. Their communication styles are unique to each whale, and they form very close bonds with their children. My ancestors often visited Tadoussac in the summers to trade and communicate with other family groups, so it is a time of joy and gathering.

I discovered there are four additional panels, 2 on each side of the altar, which excites me, but it is anchored to my wall, so I'll have to wait until I move to think about painting some more.

La Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Saint John the Baptist Day) - June 24th 2022

My personal way of celebrating as a folk witch! Background information on the holiday from the Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, and Sages by Judika Illes. And my own French Canadian upbringing.

Happy Saint John the Baptist Day everyone!

This holiday is special for French Canadians all over. For many, it's a day to celebrate one's Quebec heritage and culture, and the French language in Quebec. For me, it is about acknowledging a very special saint in the Christian mythos: Saint John the Baptist.

John was born to Elizabeth, a relative of Mary (yes, that Mary). John kicked in the womb, excited to be near what will be the future Messiah not yet born. He was born before Jesus, and baptized followers in the River Jordan. He takes on the role of announcer of a Messiah to come for the followers. As he does so, he says, "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30). The sun declines in strength and longevity with each passing day after the solstice. John announces his declining presence to the upcoming Christmas sun, Jesus Christ, exactly six months from now. Let that sink in.

June 24th also coincides with the summer solstice on June 21st-22nd, and that is by no accident at all. This festival has been merged with Pagan summer solstice celebrations and has been celebrated since the 5th century, and it is among the oldest in the Church calendar. It is by no accident that people celebrate this day with bonfires! He is also the patron saint of tailors and a protector of witches, so that makes him one of my favorites.

So tonight, I'm enjoying some blueberry tea, and offered Saint John the Baptist some honey. I also blessed my wooden ring again as I do every June 24th, to re-commit my devotion as a Heritage Witch and folk practitioner.

Herbs and Foraging

He is associated with healing waters, and healing herbs. It is tradition to go into the woods on the eve of this day to harvest herbs to be used in spells and healing charms for the whole year, as they are extra powerful thanks to this saint. Please forage responsibly and safely, and bring a buddy! Notable herbs would be:

-Saint John's Wort

-Mullein

-Wormwood

-Mugwort

Notable and thematic songs I am listening to tonight:

-Bowen's Barley Field by Luc Arbogast

-Sentinel (Ultimum Cantum Arborum) by Luc Arbogast

-Le Picbois by Beau Dommage

-Promentory, composed by Trevor Jones from The Last of the Mohicans

Bonjour and Hello!

My name is Laurence and I am a Heritage Witch. I chose this path in 2019 after research into my genealogical roots and heritage from Quebec and Acadia. I wanted to create a path for myself that was relevant to my experience growing up in my Quebec family and in the surrounding landscape around me. I have another Tumblr account, showing some French Canadian witch material, but I decided to hone the focus and create a new account just for this.

I research French Canadian and Acadian folk ways and history, using archive and scholarly sources to gain knowledge for my practice. I also aim to write a book about these practices for the modern witch. I want to have the information I gathered to be accessible to the wider witchcraft and Pagan community, for anyone that would be interested in adding these tidbits to their path.

As the book is being written, I am going to post some blog entries about my findings, and little tidbits of knowledge I've found.

This blog is a safe space for all witches and everyone that comes with an open mind. While French Canadian and Acadian culture is beautiful, I recognize the colonial aspects of the history and culture, and I aim to dismantle that. I will not entertain or tolerate Quebec nationalism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. I support active reconciliation efforts with indigenous cultures and peoples, and while I recognize that French Canadians and Acadians have a shared cultural history with indigenous peoples, this blog will not post or teach indigenous practices. It is not my place to do so. This practice focuses on folk Catholicism as practiced by my ancestors. I do not support the Catholic Church and I want them to be held accountable for all the wrongs they have committed. This is a place of love and acceptance.

Stay tuned and I look forward to exploring and sharing further.

-Laurence

Counting Crows

As far as symbolism goes crows are a pretty mixed bag. To some they are the sacred messengers of spirits or deities and signs of good fortune, to others, they are an omen of bad luck, sorrow, and death. Witches have been divinating the crow's message, through various methods, for centuries and perhaps the most notable of these is the practice of counting crows. Granted, there are several variations of this, handed down through poems and literature, but what about counting crows as an in depth divination method? Next time you see crows flying around, consider the following:

1 Crow:

• Spiritual/divine messenger

• Transformation

• Sudden change

• Death and rebirth

• Pay attention to your intuition

• Upcoming difficulties or misfortune

• Fears and anxiety

• Our shadow

2 Crows:

• Good luck and good news

• Positive events

• Love and harmony

• Partnership

• Joy

• Success is just around the corner

• Creativity and the arts

• Protection and guidance

• Confidence in your decisions

• Be honest and open with your emotions

• Symbolic of Odin

3 Crows:

• Possible warning of misfortune or negative events coming

• Secrets and intuition

• Wedding or celebration

• Birth of a girl

• Balance and unity

• The Otherworld and Underworld

• Curiosity, intelligence, higher perspectives

• Mind, body, spirit (connection to the Ether)

• Destiny

• Magick, witchcraft, and alchemy

• Symbolic of Hekate and Morrigan

4 Crows:

• Great news

• Abundance

• Job opportunity or marriage

• New direction in life

• Fresh start

• Excitement

• The start of a journey

• Fertility

• New projects

• Birth of a boy

• New beginnings

5 Crows:

• Good fortune

• Money is coming

• Prosperity, abundance, and growth

• Wealth

• Promotions, awards, recognition

• Winning

• Beware of accidents, mishaps, and dangers

6 Crows:

• Significant life event

• Karma

• Start of a spiritual journey or awakening

• Difficulty

• Metamorphosis

• Winning a prize, or receiving an inheritance

• Loss or gain

• Thresholds

7 Crows:

• The Universe is aligned

• Peace, harmony, tranquility

• Balance

• Collective wisdom

• Strength

• Protection from negativity

• Pause and reflect

• Awareness

• Insights

• Meditation

• The truth

• Mystery solved

8 Crows:

• Manifestation

• Seize the day

• Auspicious omen

• Windfalls

• Good luck

• Mind over matter

• Golden opportunities

• Focus

• Dedication

• Wishes granted

• A positive, life-altering experience

9 Crows:

• Romantic love

• New love or strengthening current relationships

• Deep emotional connections

• Positive recognition and regard

• Answered prayers

• Impending danger

• Caution and common sense

• Judgement

• Divine authority and higher powers

10 Crows:

• Spiritual epiphany

• Channel for higher realms

• Reset, reevaluate

• Insights into the future

• Otherworldly intuition

• Psychic ability

• The end of one phase and beginning of another

• Complete turn around in luck

• The Universe is talking to you

Larger Flocks:

• Great spritual power

• A higher purpose

• The big picture

• You are seen and acknowledged

• The Universe has your back