Mhara Starling - Welsh Witchcraft: A Guide to the Spirits, Lore, and Magic of Wales

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Copyright Information

Welsh Witchcraft: A Guide to the Spirits, Lore, and Magic of Wales 2022 by Mhara Starling.

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First e-book edition 2022

E-book ISBN: 9780738771052

Cover design by Kevin R. Brown

Editing by Marjorie Otto

Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (Pending)

ISBN: 978-0-7387-7091-8

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Llewellyn Publications

Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

2143 Wooddale Drive

Woodbury, MN 55125

www.llewellyn.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

This book is dedicated to

Matthew Scott Lewis,

My one constant, thank you for always being there for me, fy nghariad.

And

Mam, my mother,

For loving me unconditionally.

Contents

List of

Finding a Welsh Witchcraft

A Brief History of Magic and Witchcraft in Wales

The Sacred Landscape

Legends of the Land

Beyond Human: Divinities of the Land

Cerridwen: The Archetype of the Welsh Witch

Fairy Tales of Wales

Welsh Fairies

Practical Welsh Witchery

The Virtues of the Natural World

The Ever-Turning Cycle

Exercises

Acknowledgments

I nitially, I would like to thank every Pagan, Witch, and curious mind who over the last decade or so has quizzed me on Welsh Paganism, magic, and Witchcraft. It is your curiosity that sparked the initial idea for this book. I am so proud to be sharing a glimpse into the magical practises of my land with the world. However, this book would not exist without the exceptionally powerful love and patience of many people who are near and dear to me.

I send my thanks, first and foremost, to Kristoffer Hughes, my mentor through the process of writing this book and the initiator of my inspiration. It was you who truly introduced me to a Paganism that is Welsh in spirit back in my tumultuous teen years and you who inspired me to embrace my culture, my language, my land. Without your support, advice, and recommendations, I have no idea how I could have ever even formulated the idea for this book. Thank you.

I would also like to send my love and thanks to Matthew Scott Lewis. We have taken on the world together for so long, and you are the one true constant in my otherwise chaotic life. You make my world more magical day by day. Thank you for listening to my woes and fears, and quelling them in a way only you ever could. It is you who empowered me to share my voice and stand firm in the knowledge that someone out there would want to read what I would write.

There are numerous people I would like to thank and acknowledge. To Julie Franklin, for inspiring my Witchcraft in a way no other Witch ever has; sleep well, Lettuce To Suzie Kincla, for giving me a safe place to grow when I needed one, and being an amazing new friend who I hope will be in my life for many moons to come. To the team at the magical shop in Chester. To my best friend, Kyara, who inspired me to write when I was following a path that was not suited to me whatsoever. And finally, to my ever-loving and supportive mother, for your unconditional love and all you have ever given me. Thank you all.

Introduction

T he culture of Wales is packed to the brim with pure, unadulterated magic. Many modern-day inhabitants of Wales would rarely describe their culture as magical, and yet within the language of the land, the regional folklore and myth, and the beauty of the landscape, magic is ever present. Who could ever deny Wales magic, when the emblem of the Cymry , the people of Wales, is the mighty red dragon. Wales, or Cymru as it is known by its native Welsh speakers, is a land rich with a legacy of myth, legend, superstition, and intrigue.

It is of no wonder then, that a land so very rife with magical potential would also be the historical home of a variety of magical specialists. Magical practitioners, magicians, soothsayers, and healers who delve into the magical arts have operated within Wales for centuries. Some would believe that the magical arts native to Wales would have ceased to exist long ago, lost to the mists of time. However, magic never left this land. With the popularity of Neopaganism rising steadily year by year, more people today are turning to Wales Pagan past to influence, inspire, and inform their spiritual pathway. With the interest in Wales ancient Pagan past, it is of no wonder that people are also discovering the rich array of magical arts that have been practised on Welsh soil over the last thousand years or so as well.

The purpose of this book is to present my personal exploration into Witchcraft and magical practises, which is specific to my native land, Wales. The pages of this book include an exploration of both modern Celtic spirituality and traditional Welsh folk magical practises. I will also explore how modern Celtic spirituality, inspired by the continuum of myths, legends, and lore of the land, and a knowledge of Welsh folk magic, can be transferred into a modern Witches practise. Dotted throughout the pages of this book, I will present my personal magical practises and discuss how a knowledge of Celtic myth and traditional Welsh folk magical practises has informed them, presenting a fresh approach to Witchcraft with a spirit that is wholly from the land of the red dragon.

The main purpose of this book is simple: to introduce you to the rich and deeply interesting array of magical practises that stem from the Celtic region of what is today known as Cymru , or Wales. The history of magic and Witchcraft in Wales is absolutely fascinating and can easily inspire any modern-day Witch. It is my belief that a deeper understanding of the history of Witchcraft and magic can truly propel a modern Witchs craft. By understanding the continuum of beliefs, practises, and individuals who led Witchcraft to the shape in which it is understood today, we, as modern Witches, can truly begin to understand the vast implications that embracing the longstanding traditions of Witchery has. My goal here is not to present some old, ancient tradition of Witchcraft to you. This book is very much an exploration of historical accounts of Witchcraft and magic, the folklore associated with magic in Wales, and an insight into how a modern-day Witch might incorporate a knowledge of these things into their practise. This is in keeping with the spirit of many streams of what is known today as traditional Witchcraft. Modern traditional Witches pull on folklore, history, and regional superstitious beliefs to inform and construct their practises, as opposed to following the modern mythos found in many Neopagan traditions of Witchcraft. This book acts as an insight into a region-specific history and lore associated with magic and Witchcraft. Much of what you will find within the pages of this book may not align with Neopagan, eclectic streams of Witchcraft such as Wicca, as I am not Wiccan. The Witchcraft presented in this book follows the magical traditions of both Celtic Paganism and historical magical practises originating in Wales.