Green Witchcraft ~ Those Most Magickal Herbs

 

Green Witchcraft...  connects with the power and magickal energy found within herbs. Her magic is natural and is often attuned to healing– healing of the body, mind, and soul through the world of herbs and the abundant magickal power found there. This witch tends to be a solitary practitioner, often tending her gardens, perhaps even growing many of the herbs she uses in her practice. She has a unique connection to nature and to the seasons, particularly in the aspect of growing and harvesting.

How does the Green Witch incoporate her magick in daily life?...   

The Green Witch may begin her day with a pot of tea or coffee, each being laced with an herb or herbs appropriate for her intentions…You’re afraid your husband’s eye is straying, if not your husband himself? A pinch of nutmeg in his morning brew will do well to keep infidelity at bay. You’re going to be doing tarot readings on this morning and want to pump up your intuitive energies? A pinch of crushed bay leaves or a bit of ground anise to your tea or java will do just that.

When you cook up wonderful tasty dishes for your family, you keep this kind of herbal magick in mind. Does your family seem a little chaotic, disconnected, or argumentative today? Drop a pinch of rosemary or sage in the stew or mashed potatoes. The general public uses herbs every day in all kinds of mundane ways when they cook, never realizing the magickal potential contained within them. Oh, and be sure to stir your cooking pots full of food deosil only to instill positive energy.

The Green Witch will use herbs when cleaning her house, or scrubbing her floors…a little rosemary wash will clear your living space in a magickal way as you clean away the mundane dirt and grime. Are you having a little problem with mischievous spirits and it’s time for them to go? Light a white candle and a stick of sage or some sandalwood incense; walk deosil around each room, smudging the area.

Are you a busy soccer mom chauffeuring kids from school to various events and practices?The Green Witch will have within her vehicle a mojo bag for safe travel, within it will be plantain, calamus root, and a stone of tiger eye. If she’s like me, she’ll also have a special stone talisman created specifically to keep her passengers safe, tucked discreetly beneath the seat.

Your child awakens you during the night with bad dreams or fears of shadows and boogie men? Give her a small saucer of salt on her bedside stand and instruct her to take a pinch and toss it at the shadows that frighten her. Not only will this clear away unwanted entities, you have just taught your daughter that she has nothing to fear and that she is the one in control of her living space.

Having trouble winding down at the end of the day to get much needed sleep? Tie a bundle of lavender together and drop it into your bath water. Light a white candle and soak, grounding yourself, clearing your mind and relaxing your body. Finish up the day with a hot cup of chamomile tea just before turning out the lights.

The idea here is that the Green Witch incorporates herbs into her every day activities and chores and uses them with magickal intention.

• Acacia: 

It’s gender is masculine (projective), it’s planet is the Sun, and it’s element Air. Acacia is used for protection and to promote psychic powers. Burn a small amount of the wood with sandalwood before practicing divination. A sprig from this tree kept in the home will ward off evil and protect the inhabitants from negative outside influences.

• Allium: 

It’s gender is feminine (receptive), it’s planet Venus, and it’s element Water. I use allium in spells for feminine empowerment, to heighten intuition and psychism, and to promote feelings of love and well-being. I’ve used it both in mojo bags and magickal oils.

• Alstromeria: 

White/pink/peach– the gender is feminine (receptive), the planet Venus, the element Earth; yellow/orange/red– the gender is still feminine (receptive), but it carries a bit of a punch; the planet is Mars, the element Fire. I use the milder more gentle form to work gentle magicks, the more robust colors I use in protection magick and self-empowerment spells, when you need strength and good dose of moxie.

• Amaranthus: 

The gender is feminine (receptive), the planet Saturn, and the element Fire. The deity for amaranthus is Artemis– the feminine warrior/huntress. The magickal powers contained within this plant includes healing, protection, and invisibility. Amaranthus was used in pagan burial rites.

• Anemone: 

It’s gender is masculine (projective); the element is Fire, and the planet is Mars. Deities associated with anemone are Adonis and Venus. This plant is also used for health, protection, and healing. To prevent disease, carry the blossoms from this plant in a red cloth upon your person. This plant can also be used in spells dealing with health issues involving blood and the reproduction organs. To keep an enemy at bay, place their photo in a red bag with a handful of the blossoms, or the root of the plant– and leave the dirt in place.

• Baby’s Breath: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the planet Mercury, the element Air. I use Baby’s Breath for magick encompassing communication and creativity. I’ve also used this plant in love spells to instill good open lines of communications between couples, or to loosen the tongue of a shy partner– just be careful how much and how often you do this, you might be surprised at what’s released– or unleashed.

• Bittersweet: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the element is Air, and the planet– Mercury. The most popular magickal use for bittersweet is in spells for protection and healing. I’ve also discovered that this plant, connected to the energies of Mercury and Air, is wonderful for issues of communication, clear thinking, powers of deduction, and the spark of creativity.

• Carnation: 

The energy is masculine (projective), the planet is the Sun, and the element is Fire. Use the magick of the carnation for protection, strength, and healing. Use carnations in healing spells. Place carnations in a sick room to give strength to the one who is ill. Use this flower in healing rituals, mojo bags, and oils.

• China Berry: 

This plant is used for luck. The seeds are considered good luck charms, so use them as thus, particularly in bags or lockets, where you can carry them upon your person. The China Berry can be used in spells to precipitate change.

• Chrysanthemum: 

It’s gender is masculine (projective), the element is Fire, and the planet– the Sun. Chrysanthemums are used primarily for protection. Grown in the garden, they are reputed to keep evil spirits away– and in this case, my garden should be totally free of evil spirits, because I’ve accumulated a mass of mums this autumn. I take this one step farther by color associations– yellow blossoms for spells meant to help you find your voice; magenta blossoms for a good strong dose of pure love, and white blossoms to throw an honest light on any situation.

• Cockscomb: 

The energy is masculine (projective), the element Fire, the planets Jupiter and Mars. The no nonsense energy of the Cockscomb can be used to discover and unleash the masculine side of yourself, when aggression, strength, and courage are called for. The most beautiful cockscomb flowers I’ve seen was in Iowa, when we were traveling through Amish country.

• Cosmos: 

The energy is feminine (receptive), the planet is Earth, and the element is Earth. I use the lovely petals from this plant for goddess magick; to highlight feminine energy– for maiden, mother, and crone; for healing spells dealing with female issues; for safe childbirth; to celebrate those rituals geared toward women and their life milestones, including female puberty rites and a croning.

• Echinops: 

The energy of the thistle will be found within this plant. It’s gender is masculine (projective), the planet is Saturn, and the element is Fire. Use the Echinops in spells for protection and self defense. This plant will also be used in hexing and cursing spells, added to poppets or mojo bags.

• Freesia: 

The planet– the Moon, the element is Water, the gender is feminine (receptive). The Freesia contains the constantly mutating and fluid energy of the Moon and the element of Water. Use this plant according to color correspondences for a surprisingly wide array of magickal intentions. White, for those things of spirit and spiritual energy; red for passion, including not only physical passion, but passion for many things of life; pink to inspire friendhip and loyalty; yellow for God energy, and healing.

• Gerber Daisy: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the planet Saturn, the element Fire. The daisy and the gerber daisy both possess strong energies for love spells, the gerber daisy being more ‘hot-blooded’, meaning there will be more animalistic passion in love spells done with the gerber daisy. This plant can also be used in spells when the energy just needs to be riled up a bit, when you need to light a fire and get people and circumstances moving.

• Hypericum: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the element Air, the planets Mercury and the Sun. The beautiful yellow flowers of this plant can be used in mojo bags and spells to enhance communication, for god energy, for healing, and for spells of self-empowerment.

• Juniper: 

It’s gender is masculine (projective), the element is Fire, the planet is the Sun. The magickal powers of Juniper include protection, protection against theft, love, exorcism, and health. I also use Juniper berries for spells geared to the Winter Solstice, youth & immortality, and spiritual rejuvenation. Juniper is reputed to promote male potency when used in love spells– though I have not personally put this theory to the test.

• Kangaroo Paw: 

It’s gender can be both masculine (projective), or feminine (receptive), depending upon what type of magick you’re using it for, and which planet you’re using for the correspondence. The planets are Mercury and Venus, the elements Air and Water. I have primarily used Kangaroo Paw for fairy magick.

• Kalancheo: 

The gender is feminine (receptive), the planet Venus, the element Earth. Magickally speaking, use the pink blossoms for friendship and healing, the red blossoms for love, and the white blossoms for healing.

• Liatrus: 

The gender is feminine (receptive), the planets Venus and Jupiter, the element Water. This plant is best used for all of its connections to the element of Water, which includes the promotion and growth of your psychic abilities, intuition, dreams and visions.

• Gloriosa: 

The energy of this plant is most decidedly feminine (receptive), its elements both Water and Earth, and the planets Venus and Earth. The Gloriosa blossom is representative of the female anatomy, and its magickal energies are best used for female health issues, fertility, female sexual issues, and female self-empowerment. This plant can also be used in spells, magicks, and spiritual practices to glorify and worship the Mother Goddess.

• Misty Blue: 

The gender is feminine, the planet is Water, the element Water. Use this plant for spiritual practices, for spirit contact, and to promote contact in general with the unseen world and the entities which inhabit it.

• Orchid: 

This is a very versatile plant, magickally speaking. It’s energy is masculine (projective), the element Air, the planet Mercury. Use the orchid in your spiritual practices and spell crafting according to the color of its blossoms: red/love and passion, pink/friendship and well-being, white/spirituality and healing. Personally, I use the speckled blossoms when change is needed and desired.

• Pepper Berry: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the element is Air, the planet is the Sun. The red berries and green foliage from this plant make beautiful additions to wreaths. Magickally, I use Pepper Berry in mojo bags and magicks that deal with the Winter Solstice, God energy, and especially new beginnings.

• Protea: 

It’s gender is masculine (projective), the element Air, the planet Jupiter. The primary magickal use for protea is for spells and magicks that move a situation along so that a final conclusion or decision can be reached. The various methods will include mojo bags and candle magick. This type of magick works best when worked over a period of three to seven days.

• Queen Ann’s Lace: 

It’s gender is feminine (receptive), the planet is Venus and Jupiter, the element Earth. I primarily use Queen Ann’s Lace for issues of fertility, and this can mean not only fertility in the physcial world, but fertility of ideas and creative energies, creativity concerning unusual opportunities, etc. This plant is also used in magicks for Goddess energy and self-empowerment.

• Roses: 

The gender is feminine (receptive), the planets are Venus and the Moon, the element is Water. Roses are most strongly connected with love spells. Use the energies of the various colors for different types of love– red/passionate affairs with lusty sex, or soul mate connections; pink/for strong bonds of loyalty, friendship, and fidelity; yellow/for peaceful partings, to say good-by; white/to honor a love who has passed, or to honor a relationship that has come to a natural conclusion. The white blossoms of a rose can also be used in spells and magick to contact a deceased partner.

• Rowen Berry: 

It’s gender is masculine (projective), its planet Mars, and the element is Fire. Use the warrior energy of Mars and the fiery passion of Fire with the rowan berry in spells and magickal workings that require strength, concentrated doses of high energy, courage, passion of intention, and a strong will power. The poisonous berries are also potent when used in spells and magicks for hexing and cursing. Added to mojo bags and poppets, they work with a vengence.

• Salvia: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the element is Water, and the planets are the Sun and the Moon. Salvia is part of a large family of plants which includes Sage. The primary use for salvia is for cleansing and smudging. Use the smoke from saliva to smudge your home and personal space, your person, your vehicle, or your land. Tie up dried bunches and hang them in the four corners of your home for protection, or hang a bundle of salvia by the front door to prevent anyone wishing you harm from entering.

• Solidago: 

The gender is feminine (receptive), the planet is Venus, the element Air. Solidago, more commonly known as Golden Rod, is used for magickal workings involving money and divination. Carry a sprig of goldenrod in your wallet or purse to insure enough money to cover your needs. Place a piece of pyrite with it. Put a sprig of this plant in a small wooden box large enough to hold your tarot cards or set of runes to enhance the magick of divination and your intuitive powers.

• Statice: 

This plant’s gender is masculine (projective), its element Air, it’s planet Mercury. I personally use statice in magick which highlights or incorporates group events, the gathering of people, peaceful conclusions to group debates or disagreements, as well as to promote peaceful cohabitation and successful growth within an organized group.

• Star of Bethlehem: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the planet is the Moon, the element Water. I use the six pointed white blossoms of the Star of Bethlehem in spells and magicks involving spirituality, personal empowerment, and cleansing. I’ve also found it wonderful for Goddess invocation and feminine magicks. It is energy is inspiring and purifying.

• Sunflower: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the planet is the Sun, the element Fire. The magickal powers of the sunflower includes fertility, wishes, health, and wisdom. Use the seeds from this plant in fertility spells, the yellow blossoms in magicks geared to gain your wish, and to inspire wisdom when wisdom is desired and needed. Carry a mojo bag containing various aspects of this plant for good health.

• Yarrow: 

Yarrow’s gender is feminine (receptive), it’s planet is Venus, and the element Water. The magickal powers of yarrow includes areas of courage, love, psychic powers, and exorcism. Place a bouquet of yarrow on your table during divination sessions, in the four corners of your house to keep evil entities at bay, or place a sprig of yarrow in the pocket of the person you love. I’ve used yarrow in dream bags that I’ve placed beneath my pillow to inspire prophetic dreams and visions. You might want to add a marigold blossom to this bag and a stone of amethyst.

• Zinnia: 

The gender is masculine (projective), the planets Mercury and Jupiter, the element Air. Use zinnias in spells and magicks where courage, fortiude, and strength are needed. This is also a good plant to use in healing spells, and spells of protection. As the zinnia stands strong and tall, so shall it inspire these attributes when you tap into it’s magick.

Cryptids ~ The Mogollon Monster

 

The Mogollon Monster is a legendary cryptid creature, often described as a large, hairy, ape-like being, said to inhabit the pine-covered hills of the Mogollon Rim in north-central Arizona, similar to Bigfoot.

The Mogollon Monster is commonly described as a large bipedal creature, over 7 feet (2 m) tall with large red eyes. Its body is said to be covered with long black or reddish brown hair, with the exclusion of the chest, face, hands, and feet. Reports claim it has a strong and pungent odor described as that of dead fish, a skunk with bad body odor, decaying peat moss, or the musk of a snapping turtle.

Anecdotal reports indicate the creature is allegedly nocturnal, omnivorous, territorial, and sometimes violent. It is generally reported to walk with wide inhuman strides; leave behind footprints measuring 560 millimetres (22 in); mimics birds, coyotes and other wildlife; makes unusual whistle sounds; explores campsites after dark; builds nests out of pine needles, twigs, and leaves; and hurls stones from locations that are hidden from view. The creature has also been said to decapitate deer and other wildlife prior to consumption. In numerous reports, the monster has been said to emit a blood-curdling scream, described as sounding like a woman in great distress.  Accounts of the creature describe an eerie silence prior to an encounter, an appreciable stillness in the woods that commonly surrounds predatory animals.

Sightings

Reported sightings range along Arizona's Mogollon Rim, from Prescott north to Williams, southeast to Alpine, south to Clifton, and northwest back to Prescott.

• 1903

The oldest known reported sighting was in the 1903 edition of The Arizona Republican, in which I.W. Stevens described a creature seen near the Grand Canyon as having long white hair and a matted beard that reached to its knees. It wore no clothing and upon his talon-like fingers were claws at least two inches long. Upon further inspection, he noted a coat of gray hair nearly covered its body, with here and there a spot of dirty skin showing. Stevens later stated that after he discovered the creature drinking the blood of two cougars, it threatened him with a club and screamed the wildest, most unearthly screech.

• 1940s

Cryptozoologist Don Davis reported that during the mid-1940s he was on a Boy Scout trip near Payson, Arizona, and gave the following account:  The creature was huge. Its eyes were deep set and hard to see, but they seemed expressionless. Its face seemed pretty much devoid of hair, but there seemed to be hair along the sides of its face. The creature's chest, shoulders, and arms were massive, especially the upper arms, easily upwards of 6 inches in diameter, perhaps much more. I could see it was pretty hairy, but didn't observe really how thick the body hair was. The face/head was very square, square sides and squared up chin, like a box".  

• 1982 -- 2004

Marjorie Grimes, a Whiteriver resident, claimed to have sighted the creature a number of times between 1982 and 2004. She described the creature as black, tall, and walking in big strides.

• Boy Scout incident

In a popular version of a story told by the Boy Scouts, a Native American chief went through a magic ritual to give himself heightened strength and fighting abilities in order to get back at a warrior who took over the tribe and stole his wife. However, he ended up turning into a vicious beast and massacred everyone in his tribe. Years later, a man named William Spade and his wife were said to have been brutally attacked by the monster on their wedding day and had their severed heads left hanging from a tree. Today, Spade Ranch, the area of land supposedly claimed by William Spade years ago, is part of a Boy Scout camp called Camp Geronimo.

Another supposed encounter with the Mogollon Monster is also told by the Boy Scouts of Camp Geronimo. A boy scout troop hiking along the Mogollon Rim, not far from Camp Geronimo, were said to have stumbled upon a cave in the cliff (visible today from the camp) in which they found the beast, sleeping. A few of the members of that troop still hold today that their encounter with the monster was real.

• White Mountain, Apache Nation sightings

According to Tucson.com, in a September 2006 report, members of the White Mountain Apache Nation of Fort Apache Indian Reservation, Navajo County AZ, claimed they sighted the monster within the boundaries of their tribal land and communities for years.

Several members of the communities claimed to have seen strange footprints in the mud, mysterious tufts of hairs on fences, and heard chilling screeches of the creature at night.

Many also claimed to have seen the alleged creature.

A member of the White Mountain Apache Nation in Arizona by the name of Collette Altaha stated in 2006, "We're not prone to easily talk to outsiders, but there have been more sightings than ever before. It cannot be ignored any longer." 

"No one's had a negative encounter with it," said Marjorie Grimes, who lives in Whiteriver, the primary town on the reservation. When asked about her encounter she says, "It was all black and it was tall! The way it walked, it was taking big strides. I put on the brakes and raced back and looked between the two trees where it was, and it was gone!" 

Regarding local reports, Tribal police lieutenant Ray Burnette states that, "A couple of times they've seen this creature looking through their windows. They're scared when they call." He stated, "The calls we're getting from people — they weren't hallucinating, they weren't drunks, they weren't people that we know make hoax calls. They're from real citizens of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation."

• Local folklore

The Mogollon Monster is a part of Arizona's local cultural landscape, appearing in folk songs and even inspiring an endurance race called the Mogollon Monster 100.

Mogollon Rim

photograph by 

Deborah Lee Soltesz

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Mogollon Monster:
Fairy Tales & Myths

Cryptid Wiki

Arizona Legends

Suggested reading:

The Mogollon Monster

by Raja Kumar

@ Amazon

Scary Stories from the Mogollon Rim

by Summer Raines

@ Amazon

Cryptids ~ The Jersey Devil

 

In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil, also known as the Leeds Devil, is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forests of the Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many variations. The common description is that of a bipedal kangaroo-like or wyvern-like creature with a horse or goat-like head, leathery bat-like wings, horns, small arms with clawed hands, legs with cloven hooves, and a forked or pointed tail. It is also said that it has a strange elongated body and a thick tail. It has been reported to move quickly and is often described as emitting a high-pitched blood-curdling scream.

What is the story behind the Jersey Devil?

The Jersey Devil legend, a New Jersey cryptid, centers around a creature said to roam the Pine Barrens, with the most common story being that it was born from a woman named Mother Leeds who, exhausted with her 13th pregnancy, cursed the child, wishing it to be a devil.

The Legend of Mother Leeds

• The Curse:

The core of the legend involves a woman, often referred to as Mother Leeds or Jane Leeds, who, while pregnant with her 13th child, is said to have exclaimed, "Let this one be a devil!" in a moment of despair or frustration.

• The Birth:

According to the legend, the child, born on a stormy night, either immediately transformed into a monstrous creature or was born as a normal baby who then morphed into the Jersey Devil.

• The Creature:

The Jersey Devil is described as a creature with a horse's head, bat-like wings, a long tail, and hooves, with some variations mentioning horns and a goat-like body.

• The Escaping:

The Jersey Devil is said to have escaped through the chimney and into the Pine Barrens, where it has haunted the area for centuries.

Variations of the story

• Different Names:

The woman is sometimes referred to as Deborah Leeds or Mrs. Leeds, and the location of the event is sometimes placed in Estellville, near Mays Landing, or Leeds Point.

• Other Origins:

Some variations of the story suggest the Jersey Devil was born from a curse placed on a young girl by a gypsy or a curse placed on a town during the Revolutionary War.

• Religious and Political Clashes:

Some believe the story's roots may lie in religious-political clashes in colonial Burlington County.

The Jersey Devil's impact on the area

• Sightings and Reports:

For over two centuries, people have reported sightings and incidents involving the Jersey Devil, including strange tracks, livestock killings, and blood-curdling screams.

• Rewards Offered:

In the past, merchants in Camden offered a $10,000 reward for the capture of the Jersey Devil, along with the promise of building a private zoo to house the creature.

• Cultural Significance:

The legend of the Jersey Devil has become ingrained in the culture of New Jersey, with the creature being a popular mascot for the New Jersey Devils hockey team and a symbol of the Pine Barrens' mystique.

Specific sightings & incidents

Devil craze of 1909

The Jersey Devil's fame solidified itself in January of 1909 when nearly 1,000 reports came in from eyewitnesses throughout South Jersey. While testing cannon balls at Hanover Mills Works in the Pine Barrens, Navy Commander Stephen Decatur reportedly saw the creature and shot it. The cannon ball blew a hole in the Devil, but it apparently wasn't fazed by the projectile. Strange tracks were found in fields, but bloodhounds allegedly refused to follow the tracks. The kids were fine with it all, though, because schools in the Pine Barrens were closed.

Devil in the roadway

Mary Ritzer Christianson told Weird NJ that she got the "heebie jeebies" one night in 1972 when she spotted the Jersey Devil on Greentree Road. Christianson was driving from Blackwood to Glassboro, when she says she saw a towering figure crossing the road about twenty-five feet behind her car. She described the figure as standing taller than the average man, with thick haunches like a goat and a huge wooly head.

Mysterious deaths

Forest rangers are experts on the wildlife that inhabits the woods they patrol. But in 1980, Wharton State Forest Chief Ranger Alan MacFarlane saw something that both grossed him out and stumped his wild animal knowledge: a brutal scene on a South Jersey farm where a pack of pigs had been killed. He reported that the backs of their heads were eaten, and their bodies were scratched and torn. However, there were no tracks surrounding the bodies and no blood on the ground. 

Dirt bikes and the Devil

In the late 1980s, a group of friends went camping and riding dirt bikes in the Pine Barrens. While riding down a trail about 100 yards from camp, the bikes all stalled. One biker said it could have had to do with terrain, or the nearby power plant. However, as suddenly as the bikes quit running, the men heard a piercing, inhuman scream coming from the woods. When they returned to camp, those who stayed behind said they also heard the screams. That evening, one of the men went into a local bar and told the bartender about the screams in the woods. The bartender informed the visitor that he had most likely had an encounter with the Jersey Devil.

10 feet tall and stopping traffic

While traveling on Route 9 in Bayville, three cars were forced to slam on their breaks, when according to one witness a ten-foot-tall Jersey Devil figure with a long head and short flat ears ran across the road. One witness reported that the creature emerged from a wooded area near a mini-mall and galloped out in front of traffic, disappearing into the woods on the other side of the street. 

Llama or Devil?

One of the most recent sightings occurred in Galloway Township in October of 2015. Little Egg Harbor resident David Black said he was driving along Route 9 near a golf course when he saw what he thought was a llama walking in and out of the tree line on the side of the road. Suddenly, the creature spread its wings and flew away. He captured the beast's image with his cell phone and the photo went viral.

A few days after David Black supposedly captured the Jersey Devil with his cell phone camera, Emily Martin shot a video of what appears to be the same creature after she spotted it on Old Port Republic Road near Leeds Point. Both Black and Martin swear neither the image nor the video were edited or set up. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Jersey Devil:
Fact or Fiction

13 Tines the Jersey Devil
Has Been Spotted

The Jersey Devil

Suggested reading:

The Secret History of

the Jersey Devil

by Brian Regal & Frank J Esposito

@ Amazon

The Pine Barren's Devil

by Leigh Paynter

@ Amazon

The Jersey Devil

by James McCloy & Ray Miller Jr

@ Amazon

Cryptids ~ The Beast of Bray Road

 

The Beast of Bray Road, is the name given to a wolf-like creature reported to have been witnessed in or near Elkhorn, Walworth County, Wisconsin. The creature has become a part of Wisconsin folklore and has been the subject of multiple books, documentaries, and a 2005 horror film.

Named for the rural farm road on which it was first purportedly sighted, reports of the creature in the 1980s and 1990s prompted a local newspaper, the Walworth County Week, to assign reporter Linda Godfrey to cover the story. Godfrey was initially skeptical, but later became convinced of the sincerity of many witnesses. Her series of articles later became a book titled The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin's Werewolf. Skeptics maintain that the creature is likely the result of misidentification of known animals, most likely gray wolves.

• Description

The Beast of Bray Road is often described by alleged witnesses as being between 6 feet and 7 feet tall, with a humanoid style body covered in fur or hair, with a head resembling a wolf, and large glowing red or orange eyes. It is purported to have been seen moving as both a quadruped and a biped, and some reports describe it more closely to resembling a traditional werewolf or Bigfoot.

• History

The creature was allegedly first sighted in 1936 on the grounds of St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children in rural Jefferson. In the 1980s, several alleged witnesses reported the beast had made contact with their vehicles, leaving long scratch marks on the doors and trunks. One witness stated she hit something while crossing Bray Road. Upon exiting her vehicle to determine what she had hit, supposedly a large wolf-like creature with red eyes chased her back into her car, leaving claw marks in the rear passenger door. Sightings have also been reported during daylight hours, with several witnesses stating they observed an unusually large wolf-like creature running on all fours through corn fields. One stated the creature was in pursuit of a deer.

Animal mutilations have also been reported in the area around Bray Road with animal remains, including deer and livestock, partially eaten with specific organs removed from the animal carcasses. Another witness reported driving down Bray Road late one night and observing an unusually large wolf-like creature eating an animal, which had been hit by a car on the side of the road. The creature reportedly ran into the woods as the eyewitness approached it in their vehicle.

In February 2018 and July 2020, alleged witnesses reported observing a large hair-covered upright creature in Spring Prairie and Lyons, both in Walworth County.

• Is the beast of Bray Road a true story?

Despite years of research and numerous investigations, the true nature of the Beast of Bray Road remains a mystery. While skeptics often attribute the sightings to mistaken identification or elaborate hoaxes, those who believe in the creature continue to seek proof of its existence.

• What happened on Bray Road?

What makes Bray Road haunted? The Elkhorn road is reportedly where a wolfman-like creature, the Beast of Bray Road, prowls. According to eyewitness accounts, the beast has been seen kneeling over a deer, walking on its hind legs, and reaching to the back of a truck to retrieve a roadkill deer.

• When was the last sighting of the Beast of Bray Road?

The creature reportedly ran into the woods as an eyewitness approached it in their vehicle. In February 2018 and July 2020, alleged witnesses reported observing a large hair-covered upright creature in Spring Prairie and Lyons, both in Walworth County.

Vehicle Encounters:
Witnesses have reported the beast making contact with their vehicles, leaving claw marks or scratches.

Chases and Confrontations:
Some individuals claim to have been chased by the creature, either on foot or in their vehicles.

Animal Mutilations:
The area around Bray Road has seen reports of animal mutilations, with livestock and deer found partially eaten and with specific organs removed.

Daytime Sightings:
While many reports are from night-time, some witnesses claim to have seen the creature during daylight hours, including one witness who saw it running through a cornfield.

Upright Posture:
A key characteristic of the reported beast is its ability to stand and walk upright, unlike typical wolves or bears.

Footprint Evidence:
Some witnesses have reported finding large unusual footprints that could belong to the creature, with one woman claiming footprints over twelve inches long.

Specific Incidents:

1999: an 18-year-old girl was driving down Bray Road near Delevan, when she says her right tire hit something, lifting it up off the ground. She stopped and got out to see what she had run over, but there was nothing there. She looked to the side of the road and saw a massive wolfish form standing on two legs. She rushed back into the car, and as she peeled away, the beast leapt onto her trunk, but slid off in the slick rain and she sped home.

1936:  Enter Mark Shackleman. Mark was the night watchmen for the grounds of the St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children. While the Indian burial mounds in the distance and the strangeness of a monastery-turned-school might be enough to freak anyone out, this was Mark’s job, and he was used to it.

But one night in particular, he noticed something strange -- a shadow. He got closer and shined his flashlight near it to reveal a creature hunched on all fours near the burial mounds. Mark later said the way it was digging, it seemed canine. However, even at a distance, Mark knew it was far too enormous to be a run of the mill dog, or even wolf. After a few strained seconds, the creature looked at Mark. At this point, it is said that the creature unhunched itself and revealed that its hairy body must be at least six feet tall. Despite the thick fur and canine face, Mark noted it seemed to have the muscular body of a man. Then, it growled. Frozen, Mark waited and began to smell rotting meat. Then, impossibly fast, the creature took off towards the treeline.

1980s:  A woman alleged that the monster invaded her premises and tried unsuccessfully to break into her house. Then it went to her stable and attacked a horse, leaving a deep injury on the animal’s back. The same woman said the unidentified creature left 12-inch footprints.

Skeptics and Believers:
The legend remains a mystery, with skeptics attributing sightings to misidentification or hoaxes, while believers continue to seek proof of its existence.

Documentary:
A documentary film titled "The Bray Road Beast" was made in 2018 by Seth Breedlove's production company, Small Town Monsters, to uncover the history of the Bray Road Beast.

Sources:

Wikipedia

The Legend of the
 Beast of Bray Road

The Beast of Bray Road

Myth of the Day:
The Beast of Bray Road

Suggested Reading:

The Beast of Bray Road

by Linda S. Godfrey

@ Amazon

Monsters of Wisconsin

by Linda S. Godfrey

@ Amazon

Real Wolfmen:
True Encounters in Modern America

by Linda S. Godfrey

@ Amazon

The Pentagram ~ most misunderstood symbol

I was watching one of my favorite YouTube channels the other day, a channel that narrates dark, mysterious, and unusual stories.  The story that I was listening to involved the disappearance, over a number of years, of people living within a certain area.  One of the "clues" that came up in this story was the pentagram, which had been found etched into stones in a clearing in the woods, of course.  And the narrator went on to explain that this was a symbol of Satanists and might indicate that there had been human sacrifices in this area, no kidding.

I didn't bother leaving a comment, a correction, or an explanation.  One person had tried to do that already, but it just seemed to get buried in all the hyperbole of the conversation already underway.

So, let's clear a few things up:

I can’t think of another symbol that elicits such a knee-jerk reaction as this beautiful innocent five-point star. The only place that you can display the pentagram without raising eyebrows and suspicion is at the top of a Christian Christmas tree. They haven’t got a clue.

The pentagram is most often displayed top point up, although there are Wiccan traditions who have used the inverted pentagram, top point facing down, as a symbol of second-degree initiation.

However, the inverted pentagram developed quite a popularity with Satanists, and thus, the Wiccan tradition of using the inverted pentagram was largely abandoned by most covens to avoid confusion.

The five points of the pentagram represent Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. Contrary to popular mainstream misinformation, the pentagram does not represent evil or evil entities in any way, shape, or form. In fact, it’s just the opposite. The pentagram is a protective symbol and is often used on objects and in spell crafting for this purpose. The pentacle is one of the most popular symbols worn by pagans, not only to proudly proclaim their religion, but also to protect them from harm.

Just a final note: 

The five-point star, known as a pentagram, is called a pentacle when placed within a circle. The circle represents spirit and sacred space, and by placing a pentagram within this image, you create an immensely powerful protective amulet. This image is most often used in the design of jewelry.

SOURCE:

Availabe @ Amazon/print & kindle
click  HERE

Each of the axioms of the Witches’ Ladder, along with their corresponding elements, have a place upon the pentagram-- the beautiful, and much maligned, five pointed star that has come to symbolize the witch, perhaps more than any other image. 

• To Know=Air…lays at the upper right point of the star
• To Will=Fire…can be found at the lower left point
• To Dare=Water…is the upper left point
• To Be Silent=Earth…can be found at the lower right point. 

And the top point of the pentagram? This point represents Spirit; and to each individual this may be something different-- the Goddess or the God-- or both, a universal intelligence, a supreme being, the All, the Source, etc. 

The witch will know, without a doubt, what it means to her. 

The Elements 

The four natural elements-- earth, air, fire, and water-- are used in the practice of witchcraft, both to call upon their energies and corresponding entities for casting spells, for protection-- to guard the magic circle, for rituals of religious observance, for the movement of specific energies within your living space in an effort to cleanse/empower that space, and for their individual connection to specific stones and herbs used for a myriad of magical intentions. The uses for the elements in a witch’s magical and spiritual practice are as varied and numerous as there are witches to use them.

The Eastern tradition, it should at least be noted, has five elements: wood, fire, metal, water, and earth. For the intentions of this book, a publication of my personal Book of Shadows, and in view of my own practice, that which combines Celtic traditions, European witchcraft, and hoodoo; we’re only going to deal with the four classic elements. 

The correspondences for these elements are very specific and quite detailed. Their energy, and thus their temperament, or that of the entities associated with each element, is also very personal, very real, and very powerful. 

These elements should be respected and used properly. In trying to think of a comparison on this topic, the Christian entity of the Holy Ghost comes to mind-- it is a spirit both revered and respected, and sometimes even feared, by the practitioners of Christianity. It is with the same demeanor, one of respect and reverence, that the witch views the elements. 

So it is with a healthy dose of awe and caution that the witch approaches and invokes the four elements. The experienced magical practitioner realizes the power behind these energies/entities, and although I would not say the witch fears the elements, she is wise enough not to toy with them.

SOURCE:

BEST SELLER

Availabe @ Amazon/print & kindle
click  HERE

More information & common questions:

The pentagram, a five-pointed star, has diverse meanings and associations across various cultures and religions, often representing elements, the five senses, or even the five wounds of Christ, while also being associated with Neo-Paganism and sometimes with negative or "black" magic.

Here's a more detailed look at the pentagram:

Symbolism and Meanings:

• Neo-Paganism:

In modern Neo-Pagan traditions like Wicca, the pentagram often represents the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) and is used for protection, invoking, or banishing spirits.

• Christianity:

Some Christians associate the pentagram with the five wounds of Jesus, or the Star of Bethlehem.

• Other Religions and Cultures:

The pentagram can also represent the five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing) or other concepts depending on the context.

• Inverted Pentagram:

An inverted pentagram, with two points facing upward and one facing down, is sometimes associated with negative or "black" magic and devil worship, particularly in the sigil of Baphomet, a symbol of the Church of Satan.

• What are the powers of the pentagram?

The shape is significant in many cultures. While some believe that its five edges denote a mystical pentagram sign that tells us about the 5 elements of nature i.e. air, water, fire, earth, and spirit which allows us to attain greater power, health, happiness, wisdom, and prosperity.

• What is the pentagram ritual?

The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram (LRP), also known as the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), is a ceremonial magic ritual from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, used to clear and prepare a space for further magical or meditative work.

• What is the pentagram famous for?

In ancient times, the pentagram was used as a Christian symbol. It stood for the five wounds that Jesus Christ received during his crucifixion (the nails in each hand and foot, and the spear wound in his side). In the past, the pentagram was commonly seen as a symbol for good and for protection against evil.

• What does the pentagram mean in Wicca?

Wiccan pentacle... as far as Wiccan symbols go, the pentagram isn't a representation of good vs. evil. It's a symbol of faith, a symbol of the 5 Elements Spirit, Air, Earth, Water and Fire (one for each point), and the circle (the universe) contains and connects them all.

Episode #40 ~ Daily Cards/Daily Energy, a lesson in ego & other stuff

 

A new reading is up @ The Mystic Crone blog. I’m putting the written version up first today. The audio version will be coming, but maybe not for a day or two, we’ll see. Read on, enjoy, and I hope you make a tarot connection here…

click HERE

Cryptids ~ Flatwoods Monster

 

The Flatwoods monster (aka... the Braxton County monster, Braxie, or the Phantom of Flatwoods), in West Virginia folklore, is a creature reported to have been sighted in the town of Flatwoods in Braxton County, West Virginia, United States, on September 12, 1952, after a bright light crossed the night sky. Investigators now suggest the light was a meteor and the creature was a barn owl perched in a tree with shadows making it appear to be a large humanoid.

At 7:15 p.m., on September 12, 1952, two brothers, Edward and Fred May, and their friend Tommy Hyer, said that they saw a bright object cross the sky and land on the property of local farmer G. Bailey Fisher. The boys went to the home of Kathleen May, where they told their story. May, accompanied by the three boys, local children -- Neil Nunley, Ronnie Shaver, and West Virginia National Guardsman Eugene Lemon -- went to the Fisher farm in an effort to locate whatever it was that Edward and Fred had claimed to see. The group reached the top of a hill, where Nunley said they saw a pulsing red light. Lemon said he aimed a flashlight in that direction and momentarily saw a tall "man-like figure with a round red face surrounded by a pointed hood-like shape".

Descriptions varied. In an article for Fate Magazine, based on his tape-recorded interviews, UFO writer Gray Barker described the figure as approximately 10 feet tall; with a round blood-red face; a large pointed "hood-like shape" around the face; eye-like shapes which emitted greenish-orange light; and a dark black or green body. May described the figure as having small claw-like hands; clothing-like folds; and a head that resembled the ace of spades.  According to the story, when the figure made a hissing sound and glided toward the group, Lemon screamed and dropped his flashlight, causing the group to run away.

The group said they had smelled a "pungent mist" and some later said they were nauseated. The local sheriff and a deputy had been investigating reports of a crashed aircraft in the area. They searched the site of the reported monster but saw, heard, and smelled nothing. According to Barker's account, the next day A. Lee Stewart Jr. of the Braxton Democrat claimed to have discovered skid marks in the field and an odd, gummy deposit,  which were subsequently attributed by UFO enthusiast groups as evidence of a saucer landing.

According to former news editor Holt Byrne, newspaper stories were carried throughout the country, radio broadcasts were carried on large networks, and hundreds of phone calls were received from all parts of the country. The national press services rated the story No. 11 for the year. A minister from Brooklyn came to question the May family. A Pittsburgh paper sent a special reporter. UFO and Fortean writers like Gray Barker and Ivan T. Sanderson arrived to investigate.

Is the Flatwoods Monster evil?

The Flatwoods Monster, also known as Braxton County Monster, or Phantom of Flatwoods, is a famous UFO-related cryptid that, while not necessarily violent in the sense of wishing deliberate harm on others, is noted for being a creature that (supposedly) caused danger to those it encountered.

Other sightings:

Another sighting of a creature, similar in description to the Flatwoods Monster, was reported by Mrs. Audra Harper not long before the infamous sighting on Fisher’s farm. Harper claims to have seen the monster while walking through the woods near her home near the town of Heaters. Heaters is about five miles north of Flatwoods. Harper and her friend were walking to a near-by store. The road leading out of their property was implacable and rutted so they were taking a short-cut through the forest instead of walking the road. About a half mile into their trip, they noticed a ball of fire on one of the hills they were passing. Harper dismissed it, assuming that one of her neighbors was “fox chasing”. When she glanced back, she saw something unbelievable -- the fire had vanished, and in its place stood the tall dark silhouette of a man-shaped figure. Terrified, Harper and her friend ran, escaping among the rocks and boulders strewn around the hillside.

The day after the September 12th incident in Flatwoods, another strange sighting occurred near Strange Creek about twenty miles south of Flatwoods. Reportedly, George and Edith Snitowsky and their 18-month-old son were driving through the rural area between Clay and Braxton County on route 4 when their car suddenly died. Mr. Snitowsky attempted to restart the car to no avail. It was night time and the road was deserted. While the Snitowsky’s were trying to decide what to do, a foul sulfurous smell filled the air and their baby began to cry. A strange bright light filled the darkness, and the couple witnessed a ten-foot-tall creature hovering in front of their car. The description is similar to that of the original sighting, except the monster was not wearing what is presumed to be its spade-shaped hood. Instead, its head was reportedly reptilian and bony. The creature dragged its lizard-like hand across the hood of the car before drifting away into the woods. As soon as the monster was out of sight, the car restarted and the couple sped away. Snitowsky would later give his account for Male Magazine in July of 1955.

These stories have become an eerie folktale, creating a fascinating culture in the small towns around the county. An ice cream shop called “The Spot” opened in Flatwoods, offering a photo op with a painted image of the monster. A museum dedicated to the monster’s story operates in the town of Sutton, a few miles south of Flatwoods. Five huge chairs, built and painted in the monster’s image, have been erected around the county.

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatwoods_monster

https://braxtonwv.org/the-flatwoods-monster/

Books about the Flatwoods Monster:

At Amazon

click  HERE

At Amazon

click  HERE

At Amazon

click  HERE