Walking the Hedge

There are two methods I use for casting my collection: formal and informal.

The formal method means going through a whole ritual process. This is done for more important readings and when I juts plain old have more time.

The basics of this involve all the usual suspects such as lighting a candle and incense, meditating for a while before hand and all that good stuff.

Usually a spirit house or two will be brought out, such as one of my decorative skulls for the ancestors, a fetish or figurine for familiar spirits, a deity idol and so forth. Full invocations are spoken, along with knocking on the ground before me to call them.

The area around me is blessed. This is not a Circle casting or even any kind of making sacred space. It is recognition of the inherent specialness of wherever I’m at, as well as giving a blessing and some love to the genus loci and to the area around me. This involves saying a few words, kissing my hand and then placing that kiss in the different directions around me; before me, to the right, behind me, to the left, above and then below.

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The informal method involves a quick meditation, knocking once to call my spirits and giving the spirit house (quartz skull bead) that hangs on my bag a kiss.

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I should mention I always cast while sitting on the ground and place my casting cloth on the ground. This is a common thread I’ve noticed in my studies of aboriginal bone (and bits) casters, especially in Africa. I think it is partly an energetic thing, partly a traditional thing and party practical; its sucks to have things fall off a table and roll away under your chair.

My casting cloth is laid out according to the directions, so the area that represent north points north (of course). I usually try to sit at the south and face north but sometime space is limited and it doesn’t always work out that way. Being from the Northern hemisphere and a northern country north means up and south means down!

I run my fingers through the collection in the bag and gently “wake them up” then gather them in one hand. Normally I use all the pieces in the collection but sometimes only a few are chosen, especially if I am seeking something more along the lines of “yes” or “no” answers.

With the bag empty I set it between my knees and make sure the skull bead is sitting facing the proceedings.

I then hold the collection in both hands up to my lips and whisper to them. Then I shake them up a bit in my hands.

I hold them over the centre of the cloth, trying to choose just the right height. Too low and they don’t cast well landing in one large lump, too high and they scatter all over the place.

I close my eyes, take a few deep breaths and “listen” … when the time is just right I drop them on to the cloth.

The first thing I do is take a look at the over all spread as a whole. Then I take note of anything that has decided to lay outside the casting cloth. Then I look at groupings, pairings and singles. Working from the south to west to north to east but sometimes going by which quarter has the most or least bits in it. I also work from the outside in and the centre out. Then having all the details, I take a “step back” and look at the whole picture.

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A LOT depends upon context!!!

The closer to the centre a bits is the more immediate and important it is.

Things outside the cloth or the main circle are either not involved, on the way out, or on the way in.

Items in the North represent things in the physical realm, the body, health, solidarity, that which changes slowly, the Earth and the Land.

Items in the East represent things that are on the mind and in thoughts, things that must be thought about, things that are related to study and learning, the intellect, sudden or quick change that maybe unpredictable, Sky and Air.

Items in the South represent passions, that which fuels us/the situation, driving forces, temper, lust, sexuality, infatuation, the love of new change that burns bright and then wanes, the Sun and Fire.

Items in the West represent emotions, feeling, undercurrents, going with the flow, may mean stormy seas or clear sailing or the transition from one to the other, gradual change, The Moon and Water.

Items in the Centre are the heart of the matter, the foundation upon which everything else stands or is built upon, the most important issues and influences, the very core of the issue/answer/the client.

The direction things are “pointing” matters.

Each object in the bag has its own story and correspondences based on how I found the piece, what it is, its colour, where it came from, magickal meanings, folk lore, and what it means to me.

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Here is a sketch and a photograph of the casting I did for my recent birthday. I find drawing the casting helps me remember it, helps me to slowly work through the reading and the drawings looks nice in my Book. It also means I can go back and review previous castings and if I lack time to properly read a casting I can go back to it to a certain extent. I don’t always draw them but often I do. Click on the sketch for full size.

I won’t give you the full reading, they can be lengthy and this one is somewhat personal, but I will tell a little bit about it. You can assume that each part of the reading has more to it than I’m telling you *wink*

For this casting I sat in the west facing east due to the layout of my living room and not wanting to move furniture.

I’m a little concerned that there’s nothing in the south. No passion? No sex? No fires to fuel me? That’s rather odd for a woman often referred to as a firebrand!

Acorn and Clear Quartz moved well outside the cloth, in fact Acorn tried to roll away even further and I had to catch it. Hmmmmmmmmm … why is masculine virility and clarity trying to run away from me?

Jingle Bell and Tiger Eye are on the cloth but outside the circle. Both seem to be moving away from East and South and heading off of the cloth. Creativity and education are leaving intellect and passion behind and heading out the door! Yikes!

Crystal Turtle and Herbivore Tooth are paired together and are just outside the circle, at the border of south and west. They are facing towards south. Perhaps I need to stop and think before I speak and step outside of my emotions and the look upon things with dispassion. Slow down my passionate and emotional speech.

Ivy and Bloodstone are hanging out together just outside east. Even Bren noticed how from my vantage point, the two combined looked rather like a horned god symbol. Also interesting to note that the (green) Bloodstone is used to symbolize such things as blood, circulation, Earth, physicality, the body, dirt/soil, Mother Earth, the land, land/earth deities and spirits. While Ivy is spiral path, as without so within, as within so without, encompassing, surrounding, support. Ah look … they made a shape that is a symbol for my patron and even made a metaphor for our relationship, and there He sits at the “top” of the casting, in Air/Intellect, watching the proceedings.

The Goddess charm hangs out reversed and alone in the west but looking towards the centre. Another metaphor for my relationship with goddesses, or maybe just saying I won’t become a momma this year?

Also alone and reversed is the sea shell. Resting in the east but moving towards south. I know that my connection with water is changing and as I am now in the city, I am more passionate about my connection with water. Ottawa has many water courses running through it, most of its green spaces border these waters and I find my strongest connection with the Land in these bodies of water here. I need to learn more about these waters.

The Coin with a Hole in it rests in the west near the centre and the Coin (with no hole) borders north and east and also rests near the centre but closer to the centre than the Holed Coin. Ah, so concerns about the lack of funds shall be in my emotional future (big surprise there), but there should be enough to get by (and maybe a little more than that).

Antique Ring and Black Stone with Silver Stripe are paired at the edge of south and west. Somehow I take this to mean this old city (Ottawa) and how I will grow to love it.

The Petrified Wood, Deer Fur and the Matches are hanging out together along the border of north and west. Perhaps it’s telling me that working with animals has some emotional and real risk right now? Troubling since working with animals (both with animals in this world and with spirit animals) is a very important part of my practice, even a part of my identity.

There’s two large grouping in the north, which are partially connected to each other. They speak to me of working with arts and crafts and of practical magick, they speak to me of the kind of magick Hawthorn symbolizes, unlocking mysteries, Lunar and feminine magick, goddesses, purification, witchcraft, seeking and hunting. And they all group together in the north, in the physical realm, the “real world”, the actual, the down to earth, toes in the mud realm. I find myself thinking of not just my own usual practice of hedge and hearth witcheries but also of friends I am making and groups I am coming into contact with or am now a part of.

Looking at the two groupings in the east, Brendan said to me that I will finish my book this year. I had to agree it certainly looks that way. Here in the realm of knowledge, education, intellect and Air I find the silver branch, spirituality, protection, the world tree, change, commitment, what lies at the heart of the matter and within my own heart, journeys and love. I also find myself thinking of a (university Master’s Level) class in ritual I will be taking this year, put on by an Elder I know from back home, something I expect to be difficult yet very rewarding

Whew! Well folks it’s two in the morning and I need to head off to bed, so I’m stopping here.

Cheers!

Related posts:

1. Collection Casting June 8
2. The New Casting Cloth
3. Review: Last Year’s Birthday Reading