Pagan Mother Goose

Aside from the fact that Mother Goose is often depicted as a witch such as in these images below, nursery rhymes often have pagan meanings.  Most nursery rhymes can be considered the 'tabloids' of older times.  People often couldn't read or write so rhymes were created to spread gossip, rhyming being used as it is easier to remember.  Also, sometimes funny little verses of gossip about the rich or dignitaries were written in papers as a way to mock the elite without them knowing it.  I used to own the website "a Rhyme and A Reason" in which I researched the history of nursery rhymes.

The Real Mother Goose book
cover.  And, yes, I own this book.

Nuts in May

Here we go gathering nuts in May,
nuts in May, nuts in May.
Here we go gathering Nuts in May,
on a cold and frosty morning.

More Verses

The popular rhyme "Here we go gathering nuts in May" is quite a long little sing-song poem, but most people are familiar with the first verse.  It is believed that this is a derivation of "gathering 'knots' in May which are a term used for blooms of flowers. IIt is "referring to the old custom of gathering knots of flowers on May-day, or, to use the ordinary phrase, 'to go a-Maying.' [because] of course, there are no nuts to be gathered in May."  E. Cobham Brewer 1810-1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.

There is further speculation that the 'knots' do not refer to any kind of flower but just Hawthorne flowers, and Hawthorne trees have huge significance in paganism both old and new.  Gathering flowers on specific days is an herbal thing, and witches, healers, or medicine men and women knew when it was best to pick flowers...what days and times were best in order to keep the healing or metaphysical properties (basically the oils) in the plants.  

Hawthorne Tree

The fair maid who the first of May
goes to the fields at break of day
and washes in the dew from the Hawthorne tree
will ever after handsome be.

This rhyme is clearly "witchy magic" in that it talks of everlasting youthfulness and beauty.  Superstitions like these were very common and were often a societies way of making sense of the world.  But, superstition doesn't necessarily mean faslehood.  Many superstitions stick around because they work and have been tested true over time.  This may actually have health benefits as the dew can be very purifying and cleansing to the skin.  Now, it doesn't have to be a hawthorne tree, but you can see the impact this tree has for pagans.

More on Hawthorne Trees:  Hawthorne Tree or the Queen of May 

How to use the morning Dew in Paganism:  "If you go out at sunrise on Beltane, take a bowl or jar to gather morning dew. Use the dew to wash your face, and you're guaranteed a perfect complexion. You can also use the dew in ritual as consecrated water, particularly in rituals related to the moon or the goddess Diana or her counterpart, Artemis." from About.com

Ironically, both rhymes have to do with May and Hawthorne trees. :-)  This was not intention, but goes along great with a previous post on May Day. 

Hawthorne knots, or blossoms.

There are also divination rhymes in which a young maid would count buttons or petals on a flower and whatever word she stopped at was the occupation of her future husband.

Tinker, Tailor

Tinker, tailor,
soldier, sailor,

rich man, poor man,

beggar man, thief!

-or this version-

Rich man, poor man,

beggar man, thief,

doctor, lawyer, merchant,

Indian chief!

Here are some more rhymes and how they tie in with witchcraft:  Rhyming Witchcraft-History and Use of Rhymes

May Day/Beltane

As a child growing up in Wisconsin I remember a teacher's aide (a high school student) was helping us out in 1st or 2nd grade and she was graduating soon, so as a sort of final project that she did for us we made May Day baskets.  Making May Day baskets was a common thing we did, I don't know if because Wisconsin is rife with Germanic and Scandinavian culture and lore or if it was just the time in which I grew up...I think a little of both.

Anyway, we made paper cone baskets with a paper handle and filled them with candy (Cherry sours, I remember that clearly) and some little paper trinkets we had made, flowers I think, and I were supposed to give them to our moms.  I used to think May Day was a a sort of Mother's Day and could never understand why we gave presents twice to moms, but it always seemed like we gave May day baskets to our moms.

I asked her one year, finally, what May Say was and I don't really remember everything she told me but I remember she said something about it being a summer festival and that people would go to their neighbors houses, ring the doorbell, and then run after leaving a basket of goodies.  I believe she had done this for neighbors she knew but it was never something we did when I was a kid.  I guess its payment for taking all their candy 6 months later at Halloween (Samhain).

Well, I never understood it and sort of forgot about it growing up but still, in the back of my mind, I always thought there was something special about May 1st.  When I started practicing Paganism I learned it is Beltaine on the Wiccan Wheel of the Year and that in older times, on different calendar's, it was the first day of summer...and still, unoffically, for many people is really the start of summer.  Since it was the beginning of summer June 21 (or somewhere around there) was midsummer...giving to the phrase "midsummer's eve" as in the Shakespeare Play.  When calendars changed June 21 (sometimes 22 or 23) became the first day of summer but the phrase stuck.

I won't go into the details of Beltaine, there are excellent sites explaining it and I will post a link at the end of this, but just wanted to point out one more tidbit of Paganism in America.  Most people still regard May 1st as a special day with parades, store sales, as a holiday, or with special events or will even say "happy May Day" but if asked what it means, they don't really know anymore.  Same goes with "the Ides of March" which simply means "the 15th of March" and is only ominous for one person: Julius Caesar who was told by a seer that he'd die on that day.  Shakespeare's play about Casesar made the phrase "Beware the Ides of March" a household phrase and superstition...but it holds no real meaning.

Beltane  or   May Day

UPDATE:  a few minutes later....After posting this I was posting the next blog about nursery rhymes and paganism which both happen to have hawthorn and May in common.  and, I came across this little tidbit:


"European Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), 25 ft. This small tree resembles our native chokecherry but blooms about two weeks earlier. The cultivar Commutata, called the May Day tree, has large flowers and is often in bloom by May 1."

Shopping for Pagan Supplies in Non-Pagan Stores

Sometimes we luck out and find Tarot cards at Dollar Tree and Witches Gardens at Big Lots.  If we REALLY luck out we have a pagan or metaphysical store in our town.  But more often than not a person is not able to shop for pagan supplies other than online, and then prices are higher and their is the evil demon called Shipping and Handling to battle.  Right?

Wrong!

With a little imagination and creativity, pagan supplies can be bought anywhere.  I have always said that Walmart and Dollar Tree are the biggest pagan suppliers I know.  Here is an article, in part, that I wrote for Associated Content.  to read it in its entirety click the link following the article.

DEPARTMENT STORES
Department stores are a wealth of pagan supplies if a consumer knows where to look. Virtually every department has something to offer. Don't forget to check out dollar stores which are basically mini-department stores and guaranteed only $1.00 for items!

Crafts:  Check out the crafts section for rocks, sand, incense and candle holders, pot pourri and pots, beads made of natural materials, and many other wonderful items that can be incorporated into pagan or metaphysical supplies. Be careful with pot pourri and use as directed, pot pourri mixes in the stores are non-edible. Also, essential oils and pot pourri or fragrance lamp oils are not the same thing.  Fragrance and potpourri oils CANNOT be used as essential oils. They can be used for aromatherapy but should never be ingested or used on the skin or in a bath. I have also seen dream-catcher kits in the crafts section. Clay can also be purchased and a practitioner can make their own pendants, amulets, and other such supplies. Most clay products are hardened with baking and can be painted. Muslin bags can also be purchased and used for charm bags, to hold herbs for an herbal bath, or to hold general supplies.

The home décor section is great for purchasing candles and accessories, art work and mirrors (used in spells or scrying), lava lamps or lamps with a "new-age" feel such as the lamps with dolphins, flowers and other such fantastical light displays. There are also usually a lot of items depicting fairies. Usually fountains can be purchased as well, which add a decorative touch and honor the Water element. In one store I found a "Zen Fountain" that had a Zen Garden, water fountain, and place holder for a candle-three elements in one, four if you consider the smoke from the candle as representing air.

Check out the kitchen supplies. For those practicing a path of Kitchen Witchery (which deals with the hearth and the home) many supplies can be purchased within the kitchen department. A wooden spoon can become a wand, knives are athames (letter-openers also make great athames), containers to hold supplies, cups as chalices, etc.

Nutrition or Pharmacy: it sounds odd, but yes, the pharmacy section (specifically where homeopathic or natural items are sold) can also provide supplies to the pagan practitioner. I frequently purchase Tea Tree Oil which is a medicinal oil and therefore readily available in the pharmacy department and is a 100% essential oil. Witch Hazel can also be purchased, which is great for minor cuts and scrapes and can be used for a few different health/injury related mixes. Plus, it just sounds like something a pagan practitioner should have in their home. Epsom salts can also be purchased and these are great to represent Earth (salt is a mineral and therefore of the earth) and can be used for creating bath salts with magickal intent.

Groceries: Go shopping in the grocery department. Chances are you need milk and eggs anyway, so check out the fresh or dried herbs and spices. Dried herbs from a jar can work just as well and are guaranteed edible, as well as maintaining freshness. Canisters of salt can be purchased for usually under $1.00 and is great for making protective circles, use for cleansing, in bath salt mixes, and placed in a dish on an altar to represent Earth. For purists, bottled water can be purchased. There is usually a plethora of herbal teas as well. Olive oil or a light vegetable oil works great as anointing oils or for a base in making your own essential oils. Powdered milk is also a great component in bath mixes.

Sewing: The sewing department is great for those who wish to add a little craft work to their practices. Needles and thread can be purchased for use in Witch Bottles (there is a thread charm involving snippets of thread being placed into a bottle and it hung in the highest point of a house. The threads capture the negativity and keep it from coming into the home). Material can be bought and become robes, altar cloths, or charm bags. For those who are not "sewing inclined" (like me) Stitch Witchery is another item that sounds like it belongs in a pagan home. It is a heat-activated "tape" that can be used for adhering fabrics together. While it won't work for making large-scale pieces, it works great to hem a piece of material for an altar cloth.

Garden: Obviously, the garden section is the perfect place for those whom practice hedge witchery. Flowers, herbs and seeds can all be purchased and so can pots and soil. Many times there are lawn décor items like Witch Balls, and logs or tree stumps with a face (the Green Man). Wind chimes are perfect for honoring the Air Element and the sound is appealing to fae folk and deities. There are often bird houses or toad houses that a practitioner can put up in their yard to draw in wildlife.

Pet Supplies: While there aren't many supplies to be gained through the Pet Department there are a few. As with the Garden Department a practitioner could purchase bird or toad houses in order to draw in wildlife. Birdseed can also be purchased at a fair price. Birdseed can be used as a form of divination or for an offering to a God or Goddess. It can also be a symbol representing "harvest" on an altar if a practitioner is uncomfortable using actual food and "wasting it." And, of course, pets can be purchased. Pets can be animal familiars or just make a home feel more spiritual. At at pet store I once bought a little tiki man to place in an aquarium, but used it to set over cone incense and the smoke billowed out his eyes and mouth.  The ceramic dishes for lizard food are great for candle holder or to hold sage sticks.

Seasonal: of course, Halloween is the best time to purchase pagan supplies. Cauldrons, brooms, black candles and many other wonderful items can be purchased. Christmas is also a superb time for purchasing pagan supplies. Evergreen décor, candles and stars can all be bought at this time. Glass ornaments also make great mini-witch balls and the clear glass ornaments can be purchased and filled with items with a similar purpose of Witch Bottles or Charm Bags. Costumes can also be purchased for those wishing to dress up for gatherings or rituals. The most popular costumes for these purposes are medieval or plain robes and capes.  At Christmas time I purchased a star that is made of twigs and has a tuft of evergreen and a pine cone on each point of the star. It is a perfect representation of Yule (a pagan sabbat).

Stationery: Bound and blank journals can be bought in the stationery department. They come either lined or unlined, some are solid color covers and some have designs. Either way, they are excellent for becoming a "Book of Shadows"-a journal for recording pagan events, topics, thoughts, spells, rituals and information. Letter openers can also be purchased and used as an athame (ritual knife, used in symbolism only). For use as an athame, oftentimes a letter opener is the perfect touch. They are decorative and not very sharp. Athames are usually used for symbolism only and not practical use. My first Book of Shadows was purchased at a book store and my 2^nd one was purchased at a department store. The 2^nd one is fake leather and just a solid color (maroon). Using a silver permanent marker I drew a pentacle symbol on the cover.

Even the clothing department is great for pagan supplies. If a practitioner wants to wear something befitting color magick, plain t-shirts in the colors needed representation can be purchased for under $10.00. There are often t-shirts with fairies, dragons, yin-yang or chinese characters to be found in department stores. There are also bandanas that cost anywhere from .99 cent to 2.99. Bandanas are great for tying up charms, herbs or other spell ingredients. They can be tied in knots for Knot Magick. They can also be used to tie around a Tarot Deck when travelling and then used as a cloth to place the Tarot cards on when doing a reading. They also make great altar clothes for home or travel. Large purses and bags can also be purchased in or near the clothing department and these can be used to carry supplies when travelling.

FLEA MARKETS/2^nd HAND STORES
It's amazing what people will get rid of. Going to 2^nd hand stores and flea markets is a favorite past time of mine anyway, and I have known people who have found cauldrons, books, and décor that represent the pagan or metaphysical lifestyle. Purchases are also made at prices cheaper than ordering online or from specialty stores.  I bought a copper cauldron at a 2^nd hand store for .25 cents. Polished up, it is a beautiful addition to my cauldron collection. A black salsa bowl purchased from a dollar store is also another cauldron. It is black and dimpled like cast iron (its plastic) but has 4 legs instead of the traditional 3 legs. However, it looks and acts like a cauldron.

BOOKSTORES
Most bookstores have a New Age section and/or a religion section. Sometimes there are even sections for the Metaphysical or Supernatural. Books are great for information, research and study. Bound and blank journals can also be purchased from most bookstores as well as ribbon bookmarkers. Ribbon bookmarkers are a long piece of ribbon bejeweled with beads or crystals. In a pinch, these can become a pendulum. Otherwise, they are just beautiful to use as a bookmarker for a Book of Shadows or a published book.

I even have seen little "kits" that are for sale in bookstores. I have purchased a mini Tarot deck, a Kitchen Witch figure, and a Zen Garden (comes complete with sand, rocks and rake) and a mini fountain (comes with everything but water) all for under $10.00. I plan to go back to get the Voo Doo doll, Bonsai Tree, and the mini Buddah. The kits are compact, and come with all the items needed. They are perfect for office space, a small altar or for a person who has an altar "hidden" such as in a closet or dresser drawer.

Article at AC
My Profile at AC

Tarot Cards at Dollar Tree





Decided to start this blog with a post about the Tarot cards we found at "Dollar Tree" stores.  A friend in my facebook group called "South Carolina Pagans" posted a picture of the cards and mentioned he found them in a Dollar Tree in upstateSouth Carolina.  I posted in a local group and emailed all of my pagan friends in my hometown.  Fortunately one of my friends has a son who works at Dollar Tree. :-)  She called him up and he reserved 15 decks for us, of which she woulnd't take a dime of payment.  She distributed them to all of us who asked for a deck.

Maybe a week or so later I went to the Dollar Tree to see if there were more and there was only 1 left on the shelf.  It was lonely, I had to buy it.  I also took the pictures as proof.  So, even though I have 3 decks already (one for me and each of my girls) I have one still in the package...who knows, maybe it will be a rare collectible.

I have looked since then and never found another deck so I guess they didn't order more, depsite the fact that they sold out quickly.

The deck is a complete set of 78 cards...it was in the children's toy section and sold with the magic cards and tricks.  It said something like "amaze your friends and tell them their future!"  Sounds a bit P.T. Barnum circus ring leader-ish, but at least Dollar Tree was cool enough to sell Tarot cards.  And here in the "Bible Belt" south that is amazing in and of itself!

The deck is nice and it comes with a simple layout sheet but no descriptions of what the cards mean other than on the Major Arcana where it states a meaning for PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE.  It also has white cards that have numbers and then PAST, PRESENT, and so on written in the center of each card.  I am assuming that those cards are laid down in their ocrrect pattern or order and then the Tarot cards are placed on top.  The Minor Arcana have no scenes but only pictures of the suits, such as 5 wands or 6 coins...so hard to read unless you know Tarot well.

I will post pictures of the cards later, for now all I have on my phone camera is of the deck in the store.

   

Tarot Cards sold in the children's
section at Dollar Tree
(can see the Dollar Tree logo)





Close up of the cards.



Introduction to "Paganism in America."

I have often wanted a blog but could never think of what to write.  Have had general blogs, homesteading, and book review blogs and always delete them.  Then, one day I was writing to my brother, in his letter he had mentioned the Goddess Trivia.  I told him many terms or names we use today are from the names od ancient deities, and started to list some.  I mentioned how I always wanted to do an article or book on "Paganism in America" and then it hit me to do a blog!  A blog will be an ongoing thing, unlike a book which eventually ends and is published, and I have so much info I can already post. 

A lot of the first few blogs will be backtracking to incidents that have happened that convince me that Paganism is alive and well and intertwined so much in our society that it is inseperable.  And, I am not talking about groups and organizations that keep Paganism alive, although they are an integral part of it, but rather the little nuances in everyday life that people forget are Pagan such as the days of the week and the months being named for ancient deities, or the Statue of Liberty and Lady Justice are derived from pagan deities, Math, Nike (shoes) and Venus (razors) are names of deities.  Then, there are the random things like buying Tarot cards at Dollar Tree or an herb kit called The Witches' Garden at Big Lots.

Paganism truly is everywhere is a person knows how to look...we only have to open our eyes.