The Mock Turtle

I have now met (separately) three people who are into shamanism. All three of them seem to be almost preternaturally nice, grounded and calm.
If I wasn't such a miserable cynical bitch, I might start thinking there's something in this shamanism thing.

Zoomer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:23 pm If I wasn't such a miserable cynical bitch, I might start thinking there's something in this shamanism thing.

Why not think there's something in it, then? G'wan, allow the woo in!

I'm interested in Duo's mum's white witch business. What sort of thing does she do? Apart from having magpies steal her re-charged crystals?

I started doing some Donna Eden exercises recently and there's woo-a-plenty there but she is such a self-confessed kook, it's an absolute joy. And interestingly (you know, or not) one of them is something I've been doing for years.

indigo wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:51 am

Zoomer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:23 pm If I wasn't such a miserable cynical bitch, I might start thinking there's something in this shamanism thing.

Why not think there's something in it, then? G'wan, allow the woo in!

I would like to, but I think I'm missing the "belief" gene. Even when I was small and was made to do the whole first holy communion thing, I remember not believing. Which is a shame, because I would like to believe in some things. I'd really, really like to think that I will meet my mother again some day, for example. But I don't. And that really sucks.

I don't have that gene either, Zoom. My instant reaction to anything like that is cynical scorn.

I'm exactly the same Zoomer. I just don't believe any of it and I actually take great comfort in my belief that there is no afterlife that it's like a light switch being switched off. The idea of being eternally 'aware' fills me with horror at the tedium of it.

Digs my mum has always been spiritual, the house I grew up in (relative new build built in 1980) was built on the ground that all the local witches were executed. She has a small altar and all the trimmings, does crystals, tarot that sort of thing. She 'casts' spells to find things mainly lost pets (she adores animals), I'm sure there's more to it but I can never hear her over my loud eye rolling.

Oh god, me too. I wish I did have it, it makes me unpleasant around believers when I don't wish to be. I find myself having an instant disconnection with people who believe in a god or some kind of woo because it's just something I can't fathom so I don't trust it. But it looks so nice and comforting. I reckon if I had that gene then I'd be ripe for loads of new-age shit, it feels right up my street.

Ah, I think I'd love to meet your mum, Duo. Her house's placement is fascinating.

indigo wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2020 7:11 am Ah, I think I'd love to meet your mum, Duo. Her house's placement is fascinating.

Inverkip was a hotbed of witchcraft activity for half a century from 1640 to 1690. The Ministers of the parish at the time, the Rev John Hamilton (1626 to 1664) and Rev Alexander Leslie (1665 to 1684) were noted as being ‘zealous persecutors of witches’. A Royal Enquiry into the Inverkip witch hunts, which have been compared to those at Salem, was led by Archibald Stewart of Blackhall. During this enquiry 18 year old Marie Lamont was tried as a witch before the Commission, Sir Archibald and the Rev John Hamilton. Marie confessed that ‘Jean King, Kattie Scott, Janet Holm, herself and sundry others, met together in the mirk, at the bucht-gait of Ardgowan whar, the devil was with them in the shape of a black man with cloven feet, and directit them to fetch whyte sand fre the shore, and cast it about yetts of Ardgowan and about the ministers hous’. Marie was found guilty of witchcraft and burned at the stake, the fate of the others is not known.

A local verse recalls another notable character during this period...
"In Auld Kirk the witches ride thick
And in Dunrod they dwell;
But the greatest loon amang them a'
Is Auld Dunrod himsel'."

'Auld Dunrod' was the last of the Lindsay family of Dunrod Castle. As the result of a dissolute life he lost all his possessions and fell into the black arts. Local reputation had it that he was in league with the devil, and he died in mysterious circumstances in a barn belonging to one of his former tenant farmers. Nothing now remains of the castle which stood at the foot of Dunrod Hill.

Me too! Minimeet!

I also meant to say that my mum's neighbour (lives around the corner) is a self-styled ghost hunter and psychic.


Shoe and I worked with his stepdaughter.

I TOTALLY need to come and meet your mum.