Exploring Alligator Behavior and Its Symbolism in Magic Practices

And so the Wheel has spun full circle! Welcome to our last episode of Season 1, folks! For the next turn of the Wheel, we’re concentrating on magic and witchcraft that can be performed around each of the Sabbats. For this episode, we concentrate on Samhain (with a smidge of Bel-tân (and all the other spellings of that Sabbat 😛)), and in particular, on binding, banishing, and warding. How do we perform all of these practices? Are they the same, or are there overlaps? How do we get Practical Magic and Brasso into *this* episode? And what sound do alligators and crocodiles make, and what are they protecting? Take a listen to find out in this, Episode 20 - Samhain Magic.

References, Notes, and Links:

Suggett, R (2008). A History of Magic and Witchcraft in Wales

Farrar, J; Bone, G (2016). Lifting the Veil: A Witches' Guide to Trance-Prophesy, Drawing Down the Moon, and Ecstatic Ritual

Youtube link to the CRAFT binding 

Seeking Witchcraft episode on Magical Hygiene (is it this one: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shielding-warding-protective-magic/id1462656660?i=1000528179654)

YouTube mirror spell binding

The Australian Magical Research Project (witch bottles from 1800s): https://tasmagic.wordpress.com/ 

Songs for Samhain

• Samhain by Damh the Bard (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcDLcQk1Ntg) 
• Angau by Siân James (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gweoI_YWuM4) which is yn Gymraeg - check the Facebook post thread for the lyrics in both Cymraeg and English

Peter’s old Welsh ‘curse’:

Crwydro y byddo am oesoedd lawer
Ac yn mhob cam, camfa;
Ym mhob camfa, codwm;
Ym mhob codwm, tori asgwrn;
Nid yr asgwrn mwyaf na'r lleiaf,
Ond asgwrn chwil corn ei wddw bob tro.

(May he wander for ages many; and at every step, a stile; at every stile, a fall; at every fall, a broken bone; not the largest, nor the smallest bone, but the chief neck bone, every time.)

ANGAU, Siân James - https://youtu.be/gweoI_YWuM4

Ar ryw noswaith yn fy ngwely – Upon some night in my bed

Ar hyd y nos yn ffaelu cysgu, - All through the night not able to sleep

Gan fod fy meddwl yn ddiame – Because my mind is beyond question

Yn cydfeddwl am fy siwrne. – Thinking about my journey

Galw am gawg a dŵr i ‘molchi – Calling for a bowl and water to wash with

Gan ddisgwyl hyn i fy sirioli; - Expecting this to cheer me up

Ond cyn rhoi deigryn ar fy ngruddiau – But before putting a tear on my cheeks

Ar fin y gawg mi welwn Angau – On the bowl’s edge I see Death

Mynd i’r eglwys i weddïo, - Go to church to pray

Gan dybio’n siŵr na ddeuai yno; - Assuming that he surely won’t come there

Ond cyn i mi godi oddi ar fy ngliniau, - But before I get up off my knees

Ar ben y fainc mi welwn Angau. – Upon the bench I see Death

Mynd i siambr glos i ymguddio, - Go to a nearby chamber to hide away

Gan dybio’n siŵr na ddeuai yno; - Assuming that he surely won’t come there

Ond er cyn closied oedd y siambr – But as close as the chamber was

Angau ddaeth o dan y ddaear. – Death came from beneath the earth

Mynd i’r môr a dechrau ymrwyfo, - Go to the sea and start to row

Gan dybio’n siŵr na fedrai nofio; - Assuming that he surely won’t be able to swim

Ond cyn cyrraedd dyfnion donnau – But before I got to the deep waves

Angau oedd y capten llongau. – Death was the marine captain

Ffarwel ferched, ffarwel feibion, - Farewell girls, farewell boys

Ffarwel holl ryganau gwyrddion; Farewell all green loves

Duw a faddau i mi ‘meiau, - God, forgive me my sins

Mynd sydd raid i ganlyn Angau. – I have to go and follow Death