Sign up for October's Cave of Dreams workshop: www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
Find me on Substack: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/
In this almanac episode, I survey some themes of the folklore of October, from fire rituals to guising, and invite listeners to dream into the relationship they would like to cultivate with the unseen in the winter months of the year. The full moon of October this year is October 17th, from which this episode took its Anglo-Saxon name, Winterfylleþ, winter-full, the full moon marking the start of the winter half of the year.
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
"Tam Lin" by Moira Craig
Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/tam-lin/1617427959?i=1617427977
"The Foggy Dew" by Ye Vagabonds
Buy it: https://yevagabonds.bandcamp.com/track/the-foggy-dew
"Dromte Mig En Drom I Nat" by Musica Ficta & Bo Holten
Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/dromte-mig-en-drom-i-nat/474624260?i=474624262
Corrections:
The whales I saw were in fact porpoises, and I was recording near Dunstanburgh Castle, rather than Dunstan Castle
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48:13
Haligmonað / Holy Month - September Almanac
In this episode I share about September as harvest month in folklore, Old English names for the month and season, spirits of the grain, the meaning of the equinox in tradition, the upcoming lunar eclipse, and Michaelmas!
Sign up for the Cave of Dreams workshop series: https://www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
Find me on Substack: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/
September Almanac playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gajsHJ86ljT3f1TuFtLFI?si=ce9b72a3701d4b77
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
“Ripest of Apples” by Anna and Elizabeth
Buy Anna and Elizabeth’s music:
https://annaandelizabeth.bandcamp.com/
“Band of Shearers” by Carla Sciaky
Buy Carla Sciaky’s music:
https://carlasciaky.com/index.html#store
“My Son David” by the Brothers Gillespie
Brothers Gillespie tour and music: https://thebrothersgillespie.com/shows
“Apples and Potatoes” by June Tabor
June Tabor tour: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/112582-june-tabor
Instrumental tracks:
“Apples in Winter” by Peter Acty
Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/apples-in-winter/1617403163?i=1617403387
“Harvest Home” by Willie Clancy
Buy the album: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/willie-clancy-the-gold-ring/458399572
Image: Theodor von Hörmann - Mondaufgang nach der Ernte
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1:08:58
Lughnasadh Special with Scottish storyteller Daniel Allison
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/
Join the Cave of Dreams workshop series: https://www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams
In this episode, Daniel Allison tells the story of the god Lugh (after whom Lughnasadh is named) at the hall of the king Nuada, leading us into a discussion of how we might approach Lughnasadh folklore and mythology now. Then we share what each of us has been up to lately, especially emphasizing the role of pagan devotion in each of our work, and diving into the role of “permission” to embody sacred traditional culture.
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57:29
The Twelve Days: December Almanac
This episode explores folklore and pagan origins of the 12 days of Christmas, with a focus on the feminine winter figures of Perchta, Holle, and Grýla, featuring a conversation with Jenn Campus, author of A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule.
Pagan Ritual Song course: https://f77d9f-2.myshopify.com/products/pagan-ritual-song-course-jan-feb-2024
Buy Jenn Campus’ book, A Guide to Celebrating the 12 days of Yule: jenncampusauthor.com/product/a-guid…-days-of-yule/
Emilia Blom, who shared the solstice wishes ritual with me: www.instagram.com/vildmedicin/
My Big Fat Solstice playlist on Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/2LFjxSU…a743490a69a6459c
Gnome for Christmas Fair Folk episode: open.spotify.com/episode/5ysFM2qu…6172f7663bc0479f
Join my mailing list: view.flodesk.com/pages/62d72c01da642d55a9868141
Resources & references for this episode:
The Stations of the Sun: the ritual year in Britain by Ronald Hutton
"'He met his own funeral procession': The Year walk-ritual in Swedish folk tradition” Tommy Kuusela: www.academia.edu/9403910
The Icelandic Yule Lads poem in English ingebretsens-blog.com/wp-content/upl…-Lads-Poem.pdf
“The Winter Goddess: Percht, Holda, and Related Figures” By Lotte Motz dokumen.tips/documents/motz-lot…s-1985.html?page=5
“Perchta the Belly-Slitter and Her Kin: A View of Some Traditional Threatening Figures, Threats and Punishments” by John B. Smith www.scribd.com/doc/17325747/Perc…itter-and-Her-Kin
‘Grýla, Grýlur, Grøleks and Skeklers: Medieval Disguise Traditions in the North Atlantic?” by Terry Gunnell notendur.hi.is/~terry/articles/T…_and_Skeklers.pdf
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: Forest March by Sylvia Woods Buy Sylvia Woods’ music: www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
Malpas Wassail by the Watersons Buy it: www.amazon.co.uk/music/player/alb…483616862&sr=1-1
Spinn, Spinn, Spinnerinn by Herbergsuche Gruppe Buy it: music.apple.com/ca/album/spinn-sp…55276?i=318155791
Grýlukvaeði by Thrju a Palli Buy it: music.apple.com/ca/album/gr%C3%BD…7315?i=1621787688
Instrumental track: The Wanderer by Juniper and the Wolf Buy Juniper and the Wolf’s music: juniperandthewolf.bandcamp.com/
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1:08:03
Little Christmas: December Almanac
This episode surveys the folklore of the first half of December, including St. Nicholas' Day on Dec 6th, St. Lucia's day on Dec. 13th, and the solstice. As we approach the darkest point of winter, I ask you to follow the rhythm of nature and turn your gaze to the small, the domestic and the precious.
Sign up for the ONLINE Pagan Carols Singalong!: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/sgn5zaflv8/
Sign up for the IN-PERSON Pagan Carols Singalong in Victoria BC: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/yl53dvqx1w
Join my mailing list:
view.flodesk.com/pages/62d72c01da642d55a9868141
Music in this episode:
St. Nicholas by Anúna
Buy this track:
anuna.bandcamp.com/track/st-nicholas-2
Luciavisa by Lisa (singer Emma Härdelin)
Buy this track:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/luciavisa/204432292?i=204434789
There is no Rose by the King’s Singers
Buy this track:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/there-is-no-rose/79623724?i=79623213
Orientis Partibus by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels
Buy music by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels here: www.medievalminstrels.com/
Kąlėdų rytų saulė pražydo (The Sun Blossomed on Christmas Morning) by Sedula
Buy this track:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kal%C4%97d%C5%B3-ryt%C4%85-saul%C4%97-pra%C5%BEydo/1427982403?i=1427982982
Rex Tua Nolo Munera by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels
Buy music by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels here: www.medievalminstrels.com/
Sources for this episode:
Lyrics to The Sun Blossomed on Christmas Morning by Sedula:
www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5162
Some more information about medieval animal carols:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/friendly_beasts.htm
More information about medieval carols:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology-south-east/news/2020/dec/evolution-medieval-christmas-carols
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen:
https://americanliterature.com/author/hans-christian-andersen/short-story/the-snow-queen