#toad bone

That’s because if you change it, it’s no longer the toad bone rite.

I’m not saying something won’t happen, but you won’t be a toad witch. And honestly...I’d deeply consider why you want to change it. It’s an established process that there’s info on, and even then it’s a scary and intense ritual.

If you want to change and make a new one you’ll be going in blind and that’s not for me to say is a good or bad thing. Just making sure you know that it’s different.

My knee jerk reaction is “No.” but every piece of witchcraft and every ritual that’s tried and true was new once too...just...really think about it before trying. Like seriously. These types of things aren’t something to do casually.

TOAD BONE

2018 Softcut print 15,5 x 19,5 cm

by Núria Romeu Caudet

“We get these toads alive and bring them home. They have a ring round their neck and are what they call walking toads. We bring them home, kill them, and put them on a whitethorn bush. They are there for twenty four hours till they dry. Then we bury the toad in an ant-hill; and it’s there for a full month, till the moon is at the full. Then you get it out; and it’s only a skeleton. You take it down to a running stream when the moon is at the full. You watch it carefully, particular not to take your eyes off it. There’s a certain bone, a little crotch-bone it is, it leaves the rest of the skeleton and floats uphill against the stream. Well, you take that out of the stream, take it home, bake it, powder it and put it in a box; and you use oils with it the same as you do for the milch. While you are watching these bones in the water, you must on no consideration take your eyes off it. Do (if you do) you will lose all power. That’s where you get your power from for messing about with horses, just keeping your eyes on that particular bone. But when you are watching it and these bones are parting, you’ll hear all the trees and all the noises that you can imagine, even as if buildings were falling down or a traction engine is running over you. But you still mustn’t take your eyes off, because that’s where you lose your power. Of course, the noises must be something to do with the Devil’s work in the middle of the night...”

After a brief trip to Stockholm on a successful book hunt, briefly stopping for a semla and a chat with author Per Faxneld at the endlessly charming Valand, I am now back in the comforts of London only long enough to pack and ship all of the orders of "Die Kröte, or the Toad" before I head off to Portugal at the end of the month.

Much is brewing behind the scenes of Alkahest Press, and once I get issue three of the Skeptical Occultist off to the printer there will be some exciting news, particularly for those of a darker, left hand, luciferian path. Another translation, long overdue, of a foundational text.

As well, I am considering a collection of obscure folk magic tracts from various historic sources, possibly coming out at midsummer. In particular there are some long overlooked female folklorists to whom more attention is needed.

The months ahead are going to be a fire tornado of activity, and a few of our projects will likely sell out faster than we can deal with the orders. Apologies in advance for any undue delays. "Die Kröte" is more than halfway sold out, I believe there are about 30 copies remaining. They have just come from the printer and the first batch of preorders should be shipping out by the end of the week. The Skeptical Occultist issue three is selling quickly as well, with only one or two of the limited preorders with hand-marbled dust jackets still remaining.

In my travels there are words that one hears as we drift through spaces, airports like nervous centers where cultures mash together in a flurry of travel inconvenience. We are close to those whom we may never know, and as we sift through the minds of those around us we can know things, understand the states of the world as it evolves.

Throughout these journeys I have lingered at the border of the landscape, both urban and wild, and that shifting transient space has revealed the weather patterns of human endeavor, exposed the horrors that seem inevitably on the horizon.

There are things afoot in the world of magic, a current that is poisoned (and not in the good way) is creeping into view. I sense the rise of ignorance and fear in the eyes of posturing racists and fascist faux occultists. Beware the whispers of "true paths", "pure lineages" or other nonsense that assumes authority over that which can not be controlled, that speaks of "knowledge" as absolute and rigid as the backside of a Pope.

As the season of the northern wind marches onward the time for making the Norns flying ointment draws near. My harvest of henbane was more than sufficient this year, and while I didn't do as well with my nightshades, too much rain and not enough sun I suspect, they have provided both fresh root and previous year's dried leaf for the measure. The mandrake, that tempestuous shrew that lives in my front window, deemed it only necessary to wake from her hidden root slumber, sprout a crown of leaves, and then drop them as fast as she could. This year I managed to just take everything before they started to turn. I fear the lazy Mediterranean witch doesn't fare well in these mostly grey damp seasons of Britannia.

Soon I will gather all of these things, and a touch of this or that besides, and make the solstice flying ointment for the new year. The batch from last year was still quiet strong going into last Walpurgisnacht sabbat, the quality of beeswax I think really gives it longevity.

As well, I am very pleased to announce a new endeavor that I have previously hinted at, the launch of a new publishing imprint with which I am to be associated. Alkahest Press will publish as its first release an edition of Ernst Hentges' "Die Kröte, or, the Toad: An analysis from the perspective of the occult and the history of culture". Translated from the original German by yours truly, with a considerably amount of assistance from various unnamed entities; goblins, wights, bukka, and suchlike. To whom I am greatly indebted. Preorders of Die Kröte open on the solstice, 21 December, and with the first run limited to just 100 copies, it is sure to go quickly.

This year has been a rather tumultuous one, with many moments of great satisfaction, singular moments of pure joy. As well it has been one of resigned heartbreak and loss. Many of those I have come to know through my work in Portugal were affected by the wildfires that recently swept through the mountains, scarring those endless vistas with a blackness that will leave a mark for years. In general the world seems hell bent toward a new dark age, and I fear that many will not be able to stand the calamity that is soon to come.

Yet the new year marches on, and soon after New Year's eve I will announce the date of release of the third issue of the Skeptical Occultist Journal. For now I have a pot of oil on a very low heat, soon to steep the various herbs of the Norns charm. A vegetable fat conjuration for the entheogenic spirit of the true hex herbs.

I am pleased to announce that preorders for the Alkahest Press release of my translation of Ernst Hentges' "Die Kröte" or "The Toad: The perspective of the occult and the history of culture" are now open!

This text, drawn from an obscure late 19th/early 20th century German occult publication, represents a fascinating look into the German cultural traditions, as well as those of neighboring European countries, surrounding the toad and its role in magic and the occult.

Limited to just 100 copies in its first printing "Die Kröte" is a 50 page chapbook style publication that is the premiere edition of Alkahest Press, a new publishing endeavor with which I am involved.

It is our hope that Alkahest Press will become a conduit through which we will publish various obscure and difficult to find texts. As well we will strive to keep the prices of our publications as low as possible in order to provide affordable access for all.

Die Kröte - 50 pages, black & white, illustrated. Paperbound in a green ragstock. £13