#folk-lore

"Prisoners Exercising" is an 1890 painting by Vincent van Gogh. In 1888, van Gogh faced severe depression and cut off his own ear, which he later presented to a prostitute named Rachel as a gesture of love. Some believe it was Gauguin who cut off van Gogh's ear during a dispute. After this incident, van Gogh admitted himself to an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where he experienced suffering and moments of deep insight.

During his time at the asylum, van Gogh's access to the outside world was restricted, leading him to recreate other artists' works, including Gustave Dore's portrayal of Newgate prison yard in London. In his painting, prisoners can be seen marching in a circle within a small, brick-walled prison yard, passing by the guards to be remembered. Some observers speculate that the figure at the center, gazing outward, may represent van Gogh himself.

[History Captain]

* * * * “Folk-lore means that the soul is sane, but that the universe is wild and full of marvels. Realism means that the world is dull and full of routine, but that the soul is sick and screaming. The problem of the fairy tale is - what will a healthy man do with a fantastic world? The problem of the modern novel is - what will a madman do with a dull world? In the fairy tales the cosmos goes mad; but the hero does not go mad. In the modern novels the hero is mad before the book begins, and suffers from the harsh steadiness and cruel sanity of the cosmos.” 

— G. K. Chesterton Tremendous Trifles

Long Gone Gulch Pilot Episode: A Comedic Fantasy that was worth the wait. #LongGoneGuch #Animation #Reviews #YouTube #Entertainment

Earlier today I had reported on the reveal of the long-awaited Creator-Owned Animation done by the creative team of Tara Billinger and Zach Bellissimo, this Comedic Fantasy takes place in a secluded mythical world, a world filled with Legendary Creatures of Folk-Lore, we soon meet an energetic human girl named Rawhide and a Sarcastic Greaser named Snag (Anything with a Sarcastic Character is…

Seiðmannen - Hedenskap, Trolldom, og Folkeeventyr (2019) (Dungeon Synth, Pagan Ambient)

THIS IS NOT A CONCEPT ALBUM! JUST ENJOY THE JOURNEY! 

ABOUT THE RELEASE

This demo consists of old and previously unreleased material that I made along the years (some of them are even from the past ten years, give or take), but never actually published them anywhere until now. It also includes new material, recently made tracks which are in the process to be realized as a fully fleshed debut album. More information and further details are to be added in due time. The full-length album will feature some tracks from this demo. 

You can support me directly by buying my album here:

https://seidmannen.bandcamp.com/releases

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Seiðmannen does not promote or support any political, religious, (especially monotheistic) "patriotic", racist, dogmatic, or "new age" (Ásatrú, Wicca, Odinism, etc.) ideologies or movements. This project is a clear reflection of my personal life experiences and of a myriad of other metaphorical, esoteric and archetypal concepts. Above all, this project and the themes of the music contained in it are a homage to nature, solitude, paganism, creativity and a revolt against the sickness of modern life and the damage and the degeneracy that it inflicts upon the human psyche. It's a homage and a recognition of the animistic reality of everything that is the primeval offspring of nature. A historical tribute to the practices of heathenry of our ancestors and the believe and the veneration of land spirits, gods and goddesses and of the tribal philosophies and way of life of the people inhabiting their natives lands.

"At trúa á mátt sín ok megin" 

To be continued... 

 - Borislav Vakinov (Summer Solstice, 2019) 

Please support me and all the Dungeon Synth artists, and buy our music. 

This video is for promotional use only! 

RECORDED IN VARIOUS DUNGEONS AND FORESTED AREAS IN BULGARIA. ALL MUSIC, SAMPLING, RECORDING, EDITING, IDEAS, ARTWORK, VISUALS, EFFECTS AND GENERAL DESIGN WAS MADE BY BORISLAV VAKINOV. ADDITIONAL PAINTINGS BY JOHN BAUER. 

SEIÐMANNEN IS B. VAKINOV AND B. VAKINOV IS SEIÐMANNEN! 

© SEIÐMANNEN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MMXIX. 

"Three small stones an ancient river made, of mountains forgotten; time's somehow mislaid.

Three notes a flute of bone at sunrise does trill of sanguine melodies, lustful passions, and focused will.

A spirit offering is made of two fresh henbane blooms, beside a spider's corpse, as ever the sidhe assumes.

The molted feather of a crow, gnawed by insect tongue, to lift the wind before you as the spirits have begun.

The Immaterial Book of St Cyprian José Leitão

There is a particular current that seems to be on the upswing in the occult world these days, that of St Cyprian of Antioch and his various incarnations both in Europe and South American magical praxis. From a relatively small number of books in English just a decade ago there is an explosion of material coming from all quarters about this Sorcerer Saint.

The catalyst for this new found interest in the legendary saint is undoubtedly the work of scholar José Leitão. In that round about way in which these things occur I owe thanks to José, as my review of his exceptional "The Book of St. Cyprian: The Sorcerer's Treasure" on Hadean Press was what inadvertently triggered my writing reviews regularly for the Skeptical Occultist.

Having birthed the first English translation of the Book of St Cyprian, José has moved on to deeper and more complex work. Mining the sources of the Portuguese St Cyprian material and digging through libraries both public and private in search of manuscripts and rare volumes. His work in translating obscure texts and researching the folklore of Cyprian supported by a network of patrons via his Patreon page. (Supporters receive a first look at unpublished material, access to his notes, etc)

Now the first fruits of that labour have begun to appear, and his new volume of Portuguese folklore associated with the Book has been released in a lovely volume by Revelore Press - "The Immaterial Book of St Cyprian - Folk Concepts & Views on The Book as a Cultural Item through the Reading of Folk Narratives".

In the Immaterial Book of St Cyprian José gives us a look at the folkloric context for the Book. Broadening our understanding of the relationship that the Book of St Cyprian plays in legends and tales in Portugal. It is not a book of practical magic itself, but rather a book of fables related to a Book of practical magic. Presented in both Portuguese and English on facing pages for clarity.

Each legend chosen for this volume centers on the use of the Book to obtain treasures and access to hidden places guarded by the Enchanted Moura (moura encantada), a mythic species of fairy like creature with a complex socio linguistic narrative surrounding them in Portuguese culture. Simultaneously an earth spirit in the way of British and Celtic legends, and yet inextricably tied to the historic past that Portugal has under the rulership of the Moors, who were driven from Iberia in the 15th century.

I am fascinated by the mouros, and my own researches in northern Portugal have revealed the mouros in oral tale and practice even today among the villages of the mountains of the Açor.

One theme I noticed in the Immaterial Book of St Cyprian is that in each story presented, while much effort is made to disenchant the mouros and obtain the treasure, no one is successful. In one story a boy frees his girlfriend from a curse, but the mouros is narratively replaced by her in the telling and no fairy creature is disenchanted or treasure obtained.

This Sisyphean cycle of those whose greed drive them to attempt the undertaking, always using the Book as the means to disenchant, and yet who ultimately lack the courage needed and thus fail, is a curious variable. I wonder if this sub-theme of failure is prevalent in all of the mouros tales? More research is required.

The volume is beautifully designed, even though it is only available as a paperback. While I am rather strict in my reviews, reviewing only hardbound editions, I have made an exception because of its incredible content. That being said I rebound my copy as a leather bound hardback. I kept the cover in the rebinding as an opening page, because it is beautiful, and used the spine of the paperback as the label on the exterior of my leather binding.

Handmade endpapers give it a firmness and the white leather cover makes the work more substantial on my shelves. Not to mention it looks great next to my rebound edition of José's Book of St Cyprian.

The Immaterial Book of St Cyprian is an invaluable volume for those on the Cyprianic path. It provides a context into which the Book exists in Portuguese culture and broadens the awareness of the role of the Book in a practical sense. Any student of Cyprian would be remiss to not have it on their shelves.

Get your copy from Revelore here: