📚 Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - History of Magick

[Kasandra]

Here’s what I learned about Joan of Arc (or Jehanne d’Arc and Jehanne la Puchelle). I’ll post a link with more info down below.

I don’t remember too much about the Hundred Years’ War, but I do know that it was fought over who would sit on the French throne - an English or a French monarch.
King Charles VI of France was mentally ill and unfit to rule, so King Henry V of England took over. Charles VI left behind a son (Charles VII) who would eventually sit on the French throne because of Joan’s campaign.

Contrary to popular belief, Joan wasn’t actually a peasant. Her family owned roughly 20 acres of farmland, which included a meadow and a forest. Their annual income was roughly 200 pounds a year (which was quite a lot in the fifteenth century) and had stashed away some of it in case of an emergency. Her father was the “doyden” of their village, which meant he was the most important figure there.

Joan did not start hearing the voices of angels and saints until her hometown of Domremy was attacked and burned to the ground by English and Burgundian (French allies of England) when she was only 13. She is said to heard the voices of St. Michael the Archangel, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret of Antioch.

Scientists today think that she might have suffered from schizophrenia. However, my Catholic school teachers told me that schizophrenics aren’t able to draw out battle plans or peace treaties, which Joan did. There are also theories that she might have suffered from epilepsy or bovine tuberculosis, the latter which is contracted by drinking unpasteurized milk and tending to cattle.

To me, it sounds like these voices were the result of trauma after losing her home.
Anyway, the voices told her to lead a campaign against the English and put Charles VII on the throne in Remis.

Charles VII agreed to let her lead the French army because she knew things that only a messenger of God would know. The details of this conversation are unknown.

Joan never actually fought in any battle or killed an opponents — she was more of a figurehead and a motivational speaker— but she was injured several times.

She is said to have had a temper (which, if I might add, I think is one of the reasons she was accused of witchcraft). She would chew out the soldiers who took the Lord’s name, skipped Sunday mass, drank, or cursed. She was even said to have driven away the camp followers (prostitutes), even going so far as to beat one of them when they wouldn’t leave.

She was captured during an attack at Compiegne by English-Burgundians forces. Charles VII refused to negotiate her release because he wanted to keep his distance from an accused heretic and witch.
70 charges were brought against her, including heresy, sorcery, and cross dressing. These charges were later dropped to 12.

She recanted hearing the voices of angels and saints. However, she was caught wearing men’s clothing again, deemed a lapsed heretic, and sentenced to burn at the stake. It should be noted that Joan probably wore men’s clothing to protect herself from being raped on the battlefield and in prison.
20 years after her death, she was cleared of all charges. She was canonized on May 16, 1920, and is the patron saint of France.

Joan of Arc: Facts, Death, and Canonization - HISTORY

[praecog29]

This seems perfect for this week’s challenge.

I enjoy learning what scholars say about any given subject more than what culture or myth might have to say. That’s why I found this playlist from Angela’s Symposium so interesting. I wish I had time to read her references and I wish there were more references to be read. I thoroughly enjoyed her examination of the material, though.

Tarot & Divination
By Angela’s Symposium

1. History of TAROT. From Game to Divination
2. Rider Waite Smith Tarot Deck - History & Meaning

[BrightBear]

My entry for this challenge is here: https://forum.spells8.com/t/my-entry-for-the-history-of-magick-challenge/14711

[BryWisteria]

It’s time for a friendly reminder!

This challenge will close TOMORROW

If you would like to participate and haven’t done so already, please post about your challenge experience(s) by the deadline: Tomorrow: October 5th, 7:00 AM CET (Central European Time Zone)

Blessed be!

[BryWisteria]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge about the chakras, @Princess_Tara! You are very right- magick is not restricted to just one culture or one location on the map. I think all cultures have magick in some shape or form- it is truly something that brings the world together

That’s really interesting, @Kasandra- what a fun local legend in the Appalachian area! I also love the idea of women using magick to help their communities, and there’s something really Southern and charming about the term “granny witch” Thanks for sharing!

Well said that magick is something that has been with us over history, @moonshadow- thanks for sharing your insights and for the interesting links as well! Faerie magick in particular is very curious- it makes me want to learn more!

I think “bizarre and tragic” is really good way to put it, @mary25- it sounds like it was a really rough time back then. I remember learning about the man who was crushed on a visit to Salem- really tragic indeed. While it is true that people can do great things when they come together, the opposite is true as well. There may not have been real witches during the Witch Trials, but there is definitely a powerful message about humanity. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing the video about the Farrs, @Jeannie1!

And hahaha glad you thought it was funny, @TheMuslimWitch

I always thought the Sanderson Sisters were real, @Rowan- but perhaps they were just ‘hocus pocus’ themselves! Thanks for looking into them, they’ll always have a place in my heart haha And beautifully said- it’s a fun, exciting, and much-beloved movie that brings a real-life witch town to life on the screen!

I always had a picture of Joan of Arc as a shining hero on the battlefield- but it sounds like there was a lot more to her story, @Kasandra- thanks for sharing it! The fact that the accusations were later removed makes me wonder what was real and what had been recorded to shut down a woman in power. All in all, she sounds like an interesting person!

Thank you for sharing the history of tarot video, @praecog29! The cards have a long and fascinating history. And how cool that Angela is so invested in exploring their source

And thanks again to @Amethyst, @Abs53, @Brightbear, and @Temujin_Calidius for sharing their entries (in separate, linked-to threads)- they were a delight to read! Thanks for exploring witchy history

[pedros10]

I might be late for this challenge and the awesome posts during it. Here’s my 2 cents of it.

- YouTube

[RyuWyn]

That’s a very nice experience with your neurologist indeed!

One of my dreams is to go to Salem for Halloween. Lemme know how everything goes there, I’m sure it’s going to be incredible

[RyuWyn]

I’ve read the whole article and wow… I didn’t know all of that happened and is STILL happening, it breaks my heart, it’s really really sad, and even more sad to know that there are evil witches over there hurting people… but, thanks for sharing @Garnet that is part of our history and reveals our mission as neo-pagan witches to help to heal the world in any way we can.

Thanks again!

[RyuWyn]

Thanks a lot for sharing, @Jeannie1 !

I didn’t know about Circe, she seems very empowered and determined.

[RyuWyn]

I’m completely sure that India created its own magic as well. The kinds of meditation they created, the mantras (sang and gestures) it’s all magic, even yoga. It’s all about the intention you put to it.

American Indians had their own ways of magic as well. We used to worship the sun, the moon, and the mother Earth (or Pachamama as we call it) as well. That, unfortunately, got a bit lost after the Spanish colonization.

[RyuWyn]

Thank you for sharing, @Kasandra ! I didn’t know they existed.

I’ll anyways check for Jan of Arc, she’s was a role model when I was young, the first time I saw her was playing Age of Empires (a great videogame to learn history).

[RyuWyn]

Looks like a book worthy to be read. I’ll add it to my list for sure.

And thank you for sharing!

[RyuWyn]

Wow! That looks really interesting. I’ll check it out, and thank you for sharing!

[RyuWyn]

Wow! What a great video. Really inspiring!

[RyuWyn]

What a great quote from Doreen, it tells so much truth but also hope.

Thanks a lot for sharing, I’ll check out the interview

[Jeannie1]

Aw your so welcome!
Jeannie

[RyuWyn]

I certainly do love that movie. Thanks for sharing, @Rowan

[RyuWyn]

Oh, I spoke too soon, hahaha. Thank you for sharing all that info, Juana de Arco’s history (as we Spanish speakers call her) is really amazing, a woman with temper, empowered, determined, just, that is what I wanted to become when I was a kid.

[RyuWyn]

I’m in love with the Tarot! It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve encountered since I started this path. Thank you for sharing that!

I got one quick question… I’m looking for a Tarot deck but I’m not sure a good place to buy one. Do you have any recommendations? I’m wondering if there’s anyone here that sells Tarot decks, I’d love to buy one from any of the coven members.

[IrisW]

For this week’s challenge I was hoping to dig a little into my new book on the history of magic and witchcraft, referenced above.

As it turns out, between a busy week at work and then heading to Ireland for my birthday for the weekend, I’ve not had much chance to do so.

Whilst in Ireland though, another opportunity presented itself. As I’ll be moving to Ireland early next year, I’m keen to learn more about the history of magick in Ireland.

We were staying in County Cork and whilst there visited Blarney Castle, home of the infamous Blarney Stone.

In the gardens at the castle there’s an area called “Rock Close”.

According to the guidebook:

The massive rock formations and the great boulders indicate that in pre-historic times it was was a Druidic settlement or place of worship. The druids were the priests of the old pagan religion which existed in Ireland before the coming of St Patrick in 432, and they worshipped the Sun God.

To be found walking around Rock Close are (amongst other things)

The Dolmen

The Druid’s Altar and Stones

The Witch’s Kitchen

The Wishing Steps (which have to be transversed downwards and upwards with your eyes closed to have your wish come true)

and the Witch Stone

Most of the rocks stand as they have done for over two thousand years, though some amendments were made by the Jeffreys family in the eighteenth century.

There are ancient yew and ilex trees, with the Yew hanging over the Witch’s Kitchen having been assessed as being over a thousand years old.

It’s an enchanting and magickal feeling place with a real sense of history, you can feel it in the air as you walk around. And even has it’s own fairy glade!

Leading on from this, I have had a quick opportunity to look in my book which has a short section on the druids and Celtic myth and magic.

My books says that historically Druids are likely to have been wise men, teachers, or priests, sometimes described as having magical powers.

According to Roman writer Pliny the Elder, druids saw magical powers in white-juiced mistletoe, which they thought brought fertility. Pliny also claimed that druids sacrificed animals; he described the killing of two white bulls as part of a druid ceremony for gathering mistletoe. Roman writers, including Pliny and Julius Caesar, are the sources of most accounts of druids, but similar stories appear in old Welsh and Irish tales, which had Celtic originals. From the 8th Century Christian scholars recorded these stories in manuscripts such as the 12th-century Book of Leinster and Book of the Dun Cow. Druids in such myths are sometimes magicians with power over storms or other natural phenomena. In one Christian tale, when St Patrick went to Ireland, a druid tried to discredit him by summoning a snowstorm, but Patrick dispersed it with the sign of the Cross.

Irish folklore, is full of myths and legends describing magical beings and gods, shapeshifting, and of course the infamous banshee. And Irish mythology includes a strong connection to other worlds including Tir na n’Og, the Land of Eternal Youth.