How is a Witches Stang Used and Why?

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

If you have visited our Etsy shop, you have probably seen a stang or two being sold there.  Perhaps you wonder a bit about what they are and why they are used.  That is normal because not every witch walks the hedge path – which, by the way, is translated in many different ways I’ve seen from my online travels and many are not correct.

Author and Artisit Unknown 

Firstly, a Hedge witch is often a necromancer, or at least one who practises astral travel for his or her personal reasons.  As explained in a past blog Necromancy – It Isn’t a Dirty Word Anymore, necromancy has nothing to do with literally raising the dead [as in re-animating dead bodies] as it did in the past.  It may have done centuries or so ago, but today’s necromancer is generally happy to only reconnect with his or her ancestors.  I say “reconnect” because the blood of our ancestors runs deep in our veins whether we are hedge witches or not.  If at any time in your life you have felt a burning desire to visit a particular country or feel compelled by a certain culture, or even feel a propensity to live in a different century altogether, you very probably are being asked to do so by a long-ago ancestor of yours.  Some of us are much more sensitive to this than others… why, I do not know.  All I know is, my ancestors have run me through a gamut of interests in my life that often made little sense – until I started visiting them and listening.  Then, about fifteen years ago I began genealogy.  The going was rather slow in the beginning and I could only get to about five generations deep into my past.  Since then, I am now back to 30 AD in one line [the one where I discovered I’m the 28^th great-granddaughter of King Henry I and Queen Matilda of Scotland and my 51st great-grandmother was Queen Boudica of Iceni] – but then, most every one of you are probably related to them and all!  – and there are still lines where I can’t get much deeper than the 14^th great-grandparents.  But there is a point to be made here.  Without going over the top explaining, there were many things I inherently knew without being told.  I always felt them since a very early age.  My parents or grandparents did not tell me these things, I just knew. Still, I had no way of understanding how I knew until I focussed my path into necromancy and hedge witchery and genealogy, which gave me my proof.

upper part of Elm stang ~ photo by i.macy

Now, how do we use a stang and why?  Perhaps more why to start… A stang, is, unlike a wand [although it can be used as a wand] is forked in representation of the Horned God [like, say, Cernunnos or Baphomet].  Many times, a stang is more like a staff, longer than the ones we create for sale and you will often see depictions of them with a candle between the forks or tines.  That is because Hecate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. Any wood can be used for a stang… many prefer Ash because Yggdrasill was/is Ash.  But I feel for the shorter stangs used for necromancy/Hedge witchery, woods can be chosen to the personal tastes of the witch.  And, because Hecate is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy I try to use a wood which also matches the occasion and resonates with Hecate.  Our newest stang is made from Elm wood which is more than perfect for this reason, however, it is not finished just yet.  “Because Elm’s and Yew’s mythology are twinly bound to Death and the Underworld” is what I wrote in my blog called The Magick of Elm.  Yew would also be a very good wood to create a stang from.  We have also sold a Magnolia stang in the past but sadly, we have no more Magnolia wood.  Sounds a bit lightweight for such a heavy journey, I’m sure you’re thinking. Yes, there is certainly a method to my madness here.  Magnolia is profoundly efficient for spiritual opening.  And, you must be spiritually open to allow yourself to cross over during a hedge walk.  Magnolia is also a stress and fear reliever which can come in handy during a hedge walk.  I added thirteen Howlite skulls because focussing on a piece of Howlite can assist in journeying outside the body and gaining insight from past lives. Then there are four small silver-plated keys as a nod to Hecate and her keys to the four Crossroads.  So, as you can see, your stang is  a tool of protection and help throughout your hedge walks and for various other instances of your necromantic life.

How do you use it?  That is largely up to you and how you feel it best benefits you.  I personally always hold it in my power hand or lay it across my lap if I’m feeling more at ease.  I’ve read that some use it as a director of energy through their soul flight and others place it beneath their knees as they sit.  I’m sure there may be many other ways of using a stang during a hedge walk and if you care to leave yours in comments, we would all love to read them.

Many thanks to all whom wander this way.  Many happy astral travels to all and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources

Experience

Necromancy –  It Isn’t a Bad Word Anymore, by Isabella

The Magick of Elm, by Isabella

Crystal of the Week – Howlite, by Isabella

The Magickal Poplar Tree

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram: @iseabail_witchwriter

Populus alba ~ woodlandtrust.org.uk

Poplar trees, or Populus – the genus, has about twenty-five to thirty-five species, and is native to much of the Northern Hemisphere. The name Populus refers to the fact that the trees were often planted around public meeting places in Roman times. They grow rather tall, 15 to 50 metres [49 to 164 ft] and have trunk diameters of up to 2.5 metres or 8 feet 2 inches.  Different species have names other than Poplar, such as Aspen or Cottonwood.  It all depends upon where you live, I suppose. According to Wikipedia, in the September 2006 issue of Science Magazine, the Joint Genome Institute announced that the western balsam poplar [P. trichocarpa] was the first tree whose full DNA code had been determined by DNA sequencing.  Pretty impressive, that.

Populus nigra ~ woodlandtrust.org.uk

Loosely speaking, the Poplar is divided into three groups, as mentioned above – Balsam Poplar, Aspen, and Cottonwood, in the United States. As far as I can understand, the only “like” or comparable Poplars which are found in both the US and the UK are the Aspen, Black Poplar, and White Poplar.  Of course, I have already written about the Aspen.  I did find some pretty impressive information concerning a trial which took place in the 1990’s where new hybrids of Poplar were being experimentally planted in the lowlands of England to see if they would be viable as trees to investigate the interaction on profitability….to test whether growing these hybrids would be worth the doing.  I imagine this investigation is on-going as the first seven years will be their baseline for all future events from this experiment…and I have found no ending conclusion of it in my research.

So, as we have nothing quite the same in the UK as all the species of Poplar which reside in the US… apart from the Aspen, which you can read about here, and White Poplar and Black Poplar, I shall write about the White Poplar and the Black Poplar, which both grow in both the US and in the UK, their respective genus’s and species being Populus Alba and Populas Nigra. The White and Black Poplar’s are both naturalised to the UK, having been brought from the US in times past. The genus Populus Alba leads me to think that the White Poplar may have been first discovered in Scotland. Why? Because “Alba” is the word for Scotland in Scottish Gaidhlig, or, Gaelic as you would recognise it.

Magickal

Being of Saturn and the zodiac of Capricorn, any part of Poplar is best used on Saturdays during the planetary hour of Saturn. The best spell work is achieved during this time for  anything to do with safety, power, success, intellect, travelling, communication [especially into other realms]; spells to help you get through difficult times, as well as when you just need a boost in a specific area of your life.

For change and success, the Poplar wood is best ground fine and used as one of the ingredients of your loose incense created for just these purposes.  You may also use it in talismans which you create for these purposes at your altar during ritual.

For creating a protection charm/amulet, you will do well to create your amulet in ritual as in a witch bottle, sachet, or poppet of yourself or the person you’re wanting protection for.

Creating a talisman featuring Poplar wood is also found to attract money and wealth; again, may be used in poppets, sachets, and witch bottles. And, of course, in your ritual loose incense for this purpose.

The leaves of the Poplar are particularly good for use in ‘flying ointments’ for those involved in astral travel and/or hedge witchery, and necromancy – to help walk the hedge and to contact ancestors. The Spirit of the Poplar is a guide during divinations. A perfect divination pendulum can be fashioned from Poplar wood which we are now selling in our shop.

In the Celtic Birth Tree ‘astrology’ [which really needs another designation as it has nothing to do with astrology apart from the lunar months], Poplar is a tree of growth, strength, and visualisation. Its Ogham alphabet is Ead [pronounced hadh] for the English alphabetic equation of the letter E.

Healing

White Poplar catkins ~ woodlandtrust.co.uk

I must turn to Nicholas Culpeper for he so kindly wrote about both the White Poplar and the Black Poplar.  You can be assured that much of what he writes is still in practise today.

White Poplar:  ‘White Poplar, saith Galen, is of a cleansing property: The weight is of an ounce in power, of the bark, thereof, being drank, saith Dioscorides, is a remedy for those that are troubled with the sciatica or the stranguary,  The juice of the leaves dropped warm into the ears, eases the pains in them,  The young clammy buds, or eyes, before they break out into leaves, bruised, and a little honey put to them, is a good medicine for a dull sight.’

Black Poplar catkins ~ woodlandtrust.org.uk

Black Poplar:  ‘The Black Poplar is held to be more cooling than the White, and therefore the leaves bruised with vinegar and applied, help the gout. The seed drank in vinegar is held good against the falling-sickness.  The water that drops from the hollow places of this tree takes away warts, pushes, wheals, and other like breakings-out of the body.  The young Black Poplar buds, saith Matthiolus, are much used by women to beautify their hair, bruising them with fresh butter, straining them after they have been kept for some time in the sun.  The ointment call Populneon, which is made of this Poplar, is singularly good for all heat and inflammations in any part of the body, and tempers the heat of wounds,  it is much used to dry up the milk of women’s breasts when they have weaned their children.’

Black Poplar buds ~ woodlandtrust.org.uk

Black Poplar is a good remedy for urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and cystitis. It has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and diuretic properties well suited to alleviating pain and infection. The Poplar’s buds have all the help you need!  Add two teaspoons of the dried bud from the Black Poplar to one litre of water and infuse for 10 minutes.  You can drink two to three cups of the tea per day to stave off stones and to treat your urinary tract infection or cystitis.  For rheumatism, use Black Poplar bark in a decoction of half a teaspoon of dry bark to a cup of water, infused for 10 minutes.  Drink two cups per day to alleviate pain and inflammation.  Poplar has gallic acid, and salicin, both painkillers.  You may use the recipe above with Poplar buds instead if preferred. This recipe also is good for the gout and bronchitis and is very helpful with the common cold.

Correspondences

Planetary:  Saturn

Gender:  White Poplar, Masculine; Black Poplar, Feminine

Zodiac:  Capricorn

Element[s]:  Air

Powers:  Hope, Rebirth, Divination, Astral Projection, Courage, Ancestry, Protection, Healing

Deity:  Hecate, Morrigan, Tyr, Apollo, Zeus

Many thanks for reading my blog and warmest blessings upon all whom this way wander x

Sources

The Complete Herbal and English Physician, by Nicholas Culpeper

Whispers from the Woods, by Sandra Kynes

What’s Your Birth Tree is the New What’s Your Star Sign, by Isabella

Wikipedia

Druidry.org

Crystal of the Week, Black Kyanite

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram: @thewandcarver

As, ever, before writing, I like to hold the crystal I’m blogging about for a bit… to renew my friendship with it and to feel the vibrations; what they are telling me. How do I describe the feeling of being switched round and put back together at warp speed? I suppose if any of you know that description then I don’t need to elaborate. It was very moving, no pun intended. And at the same time, I felt perfectly rooted to my seat. Not a hair out of place… but oh! What a ride! That is Black Kyanite for you!

My Black Kyanite ~ photo by i.macy

My opinion of what just happened is, whilst having me perfectly grounded, my Black Kyanite “fixed” my yin yang, finished healing my Root Chakra [forgot to mention I have been on a chakra clearing/repairing … lately after finding myself very blocked up] and then stripped of the stifling aura which has clung round me for too long and freshened me right up. Yes, I do feel rather amazing right now!

To be honest, I don’t always get hardcore feelings from crystals. Not in the earth-shattering way that I just did. Yes, I do always get vibrations, however, most of the time they are more “attuned” to me and what I’m using them for. It just occurred to me that this is what happens to a low vibration person. Normally my vibration is relatively medium to high. When I’m not well or have been remiss about taking care of myself, etc, my vibrational level sinks. What Black Kyanite does to low vibration people could be a little scary at first. I must say that I’m glad I have been working with my chakras up til this writing because that has most likely saved me a real comeuppance! So, my suggestion to all who read this is, please have your chakras in check before working with Black Kyanite or expect a wild ride whilst it repairs you!

Magickal
Black Kyanite is a good talisman stone. It is protective of its bearer. It is a perfect grounding stone before rituals. Black Kyanite helps you to remember so it will be good to use when you’ve spent time memorising a lengthy spell chant. Keep close by when doing any divination works. Cassandra Eason says in The New Crystal Bible, “You will have cause to speak your mind, but do not waste words on those who will not listen.” I think it means, don’t waste your gift upon those whom only want good fortunes told and are dismissive of the words foretold that may not suit them. Still, as an all-chakra stone, it is an excellent partner to have near when reading tarot or any other divination work as it helps keep your Third Eye Chakra balanced. Black Kyanite is excellent against psychic attack. Additionally, Black Kyanite is self-cleansing so no need to clean but can be recharged in the full moon, if desired. Please be sure never to soak in water.

Meditation
Brilliant crystal for past-life regression work, is Black Kyanite. A lot of people are doing future life progressions, something I honestly see no point of. Still, the Black Kyanite is there for you if that is what you wish to do. It strengthens the tether between Spirit and the Otherworld and can be used successfully in astral protection and hedge witchery. You can cleanse, clear, and re-build/repair all your chakras in meditation with Black Kyanite, however, its speciality is the Root/Base Chakra. And, as a special bonus, you can use your Black Kyanite to get in touch with your Spirit Guide/Guardian Angel for the very first time. If you have never attempted yet to meet your Guardian, Black Kyanite will be a stellar help in doing so. One thing to remember is that Black Kyanite will rapidly place you into a deep meditative state more so than many crystals will. It is also very useful for reading lucid dreaming messages.

Healing
Black Kyanite treats muscular disorders, fevers, thyroid, adrenal glands, throat and brain; a natural pain reliever; lowers blood pressure; heals infections; releases excess weight, supports the cerebellum. This crystal is, of course, a very useful one to Pranic Healers, and my personal opinion is that it would be best to see one for any healing work with Black Kyanite.

Correspondences
Planet: Jupiter, Moon
Zodiac: Sagittarius, Cancer
Element: Water
Powers: Healing, Grounding, Protection, Manifestation
Chakra(s): All, particularly the Root/Base Chakra
Deity: Ganesh

Many thanks for reading my blog and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources:
Experience
The New Crystal Bible, by Cassandra Eason
The Crystal Bible, by Judy Hall
The Crystal Bible 2, by Judy Hall