The Golden One

Traditional Magic Spells by Claude Lecouteux

Posted on August 23, 2023

I have read Traditional Magic Spells for Protection and Healing by Claude Lecouteux. The book should not necessarily be read as a practical book about magic (i.e. with practical instructions for meditation techniques, etc.), but rather as a study of folklore and myth. The book contains a great number of spells from various European countries. As the title of the book suggests, most of them concern healing and protection.

Christian Magic – No Religion Without Magic

Perhaps the greatest insight from the book is the prevalence of Christian magic. Many of the spells and incantations revolve around characters from the Christian mythos. As we have discussed on numerous occasions, the Christianity that dominated Europe for most of its existence was a syncretic Paganism and Christianity – these spells support this notion. Related to this it becomes apparent that this type of Christianity certainly was not averse to magic. This is, of course, a complicated topic, especially taking into consideration the witch hunts but it is interesting to point out.

The author shares a quote from another author which I found illuminating. This is also, in my own humble opinion based on my esoteric journey of the last one and a half years, accurate.

‘There is no religion without magic any more than than there is any magic without at least a trace of religion.’

Claude Lèvy-Strauss – The Savage Mind

Pictured below: a picture I took in Enköping kyrka.

Norwegian Spell Involving Jesus and a Troll

One spell which I found particularly interesting is the following from Norway. In order to free animals of all ills, one can read the following over salt and malt and give them to one’s animals:

‘Jesus and the Virgin Mary were traveling along the shore when they saw the good valerian planted in the ground. Jesus began to dig up the root. The troll in the mountain began shouting about the uselessness of the root. Saint Peter arrived and answered the troll of the mountain this way: “It is good against many ills. It is good against exhaustion and anemia! It is good against the fang of the wolf and the claw of the bear and the tooth of Satan and the hand [the contact] of sorcerers and against all ill that flies between heaven and earth.” By the three Names and [speak] the Our Father three times before and three times after.’

Claude Lecouteux – Traditional Magic Spells. Page 263.

The source is the Svartbok frå Gudbrandsdalen. Svartbok (svart = black in Norwegian and Swedish, bok = book). Svartbok refers to a book of sorcery.

What is interesting about this is how Jesus is incorporated in myth (in this case, a spell). Since we have discussed how Christianity was formed to fit into the European psyche, I thought this example of a spell was a good way to illustrate this. Thus, one can say that much of the mythos (i.e. folklore) remains the same, but with the addition of some new Gods or characters (Jesus, Mary, Saint Peter).

Moreover, regarding valerian itself, it can be used to improve sleep quality and reduce depression (study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8077445/). Perhaps valerian would make a good addition to Jotunheim Nutrition?

Astrology and Body Parts

Many of the spells presented in the book concern healing. The author notes that Bernard de Gordon (a physician of the thirteenth to fourteenth century) established a connection between the zodiac and the human body: Aries ruled the head and neck; Taurus, the neck and shoulders; Cancer, the chest; Gemini, the lungs and arms; Leo, the heart and stomach; Virgo, the navel and its neighbouring parts; Libra, the hips and kidneys; Scorpio, the womb, penis, testicles, and peritoneum; Sagittarius, the muscles of the thigh; Capricorn, the knees; Aquarius, the legs; and Pisces, the feet.

The author also shares some wisdom from our old friend Paracelsus, who was, undoubtably, a genius:

‘For Paracelsus (1493-1541), when using plants for remedies, it is necessary to take into consideration their harmony on the one hand with the constellations, and on the other hand with the parts of the body and the diseases, each star attracting, by a kind of magic virtue, the plant with which it shares an affinity and which forms part of its activity in such a way that plants are, strictly speaking, so many sublunary stars. A bleeding should never be performed on just any day, as the astral conjunctions can have a helpful or harmful influence over this operation.’

Claude Lecouteux – Traditional Magic Spells. Page 20.

The author also notes that barbers had almanacs indicating which days are favourable (and which are less favourable) when it comes to bleedings. Astrology is always interesting!

European Union Regulations

The author notes that there is an EU regulation (no. 1924/2006) from 2012 that stipulates the following:

‘Healers, faith healers, naturopaths… and other professions of alternative medicine do not have the authority to claim that their natural products, or treatments, provide relief, benefit, powers, positive properties to health nor make any allusion to a potential cure.’

I present this without further comment at the moment, but I have thought about making a video on medicine and belief – so if I refer to this passage in that video and you recognise it from this book review, I salute you! Those who read my book reviews are my most esteemed supporters.

Conclusion

The author has done good work in compiling folklore from all over Europe into this volume of 293 pages. I would recommend the book to enthusiasts of folklore or history. For the enjoyer of magic and the more practical application of esoteric knowledge, I would rather recommend a book such as Icelandic Magic by Stephen E. Flowers (review).

Calling Us Home by Chris Lüttichau

Posted on February 12, 2023

I have read Calling Us Home – Find your path, your balance and your inner strength by Chris Lüttichau. I became acquainted with Lüttichau’s work after he was interviewed by Thomas Rowsell (you can watch the interview here: JIVE TALK: Danish shaman Chris Luttichau). I was intrigued and wanted to know more – what Chris said in the interview resonated with me. Thus, I decided to read his book – and I am happy I did! The book is well-written and presents spiritual concepts in an accessible manner. Many of the teachings and perspectives are of a perennial nature; meaning that they appear in spiritual teachings throughout space and time. The author’s spiritual teachers are of Native American blood, and he shares interesting insights from his travels in the Americas.

Shamanism and Animism

The author refers to the anthropologist Michael Harner; according to the latter, the word shaman (pronounced SHAH-maan) comes from the Siberian Tungus Evenki tribe. The term is said to mean ‘the one who knows’ or ‘the one who sees.’ Keeping this in mind, it becomes easier to understand the duties of a Shaman as well as the Shaman’s need for a connection to the divine (so that the Shaman may gain otherworldly knowledge). The author says the following about Animism:

‘The understanding that everything is connected and alive has a name: ‘animism.’ Its root is the Latin animus, meaning ‘soul’ or ‘life.’ Animism is a view held by most, if not all, First Nations people worldwide, and it implies that everything in the Universe, all of creation, has consciousness or a soul essence, and thus is alive.’

Chris Lüttichau – Calling Us Home. Page 3.

The Inner Mind and the Outer Mind

A central theme of the book is the distinction between the Inner Mind and the Outer Mind. The Outer Mind is often dominant in most people; it is the mind responsible for the constant stream of thoughts. The author makes it clear that the Outer Mind is not evil or bad, only that there is a danger in letting the Outer Mind take complete control and dominate. To give an example: someone with a totally dominant Outer Mind is perhaps under a constant barrage of worries about potential negative scenarios. Someone with a strong Inner Mind, on the other hand, can live in the moment without being distracted by unproductive thoughts – a strong Inner Mind can facilitate a total focus which can be hard for a mind in turmoil to attain. The teachings of the Inner Mind and Outer Mind reminds me of a Buddhist teaching that we encountered in Evola’s The Doctrine of Awakening (review). It is a beautiful passage worth sharing again:

‘As a perfectly tamed elephant, led by his mahout, will go in any direction; as an expert charioteer, with a chariot ready on good ground at a crossroad and harnessed to a thoroughbred team, can guide the chariot where he wishes; or as a king or a prince with a chest full of clothes, may freely choose the garment that most pleases him for the morning, the afternoon, or the evening – so the ascetic can direct his mind and his being toward one state or another with perfect freedom.’

Julius Evola – The Doctrine of Awakening. Page 80.

I, a Prince of the Ages, am in control of my thoughts. I choose good thoughts, just as I choose to clothe myself in the garments that please me the most – as pictured below, the Norse-Gaelic Woollen Sweater.

The Chakras

The author discusses the Energy Centres (Chakras in Vedic tradition). It is common to believe that all thinking happens in the brain, but the body actually has many different places where thinking happens. Gut feeling is a good example of this – you know something is going on based on the signals your gut gives you. Aligning and bringing attention to all of the Chakras is a good idea for optimal health. There are guided Chakra meditations (link) on YouTube; it can be good to follow one such meditation to get further acquainted with the Energy Centres.

Anger

In the chapter about the Heart Centre (the green one in the picture above), the author beautifully states the following:

‘In the teachings that were passed on to me, anger is viewed as a resource that can be used to do some good in the world. In order to transform anger into a constructive force, it needs to be lifted from the Power Centre into the Heart Centre. Once you have brought the anger up to the heart, you can use it to make changes in yourself or in the world around you. This is a magical key, and it is the way of the spiritual warrior.’

Chris Lüttichau – Calling Us Home. Page 190.

Learning how to use anger in a productive manner is indeed a magical key. I have done it myself throughout the years.

Giving Thanks Daily

Also related to the Heart Centre is the feeling of gratitude. The author notes that giving thanks daily is an integral part of the Shamanic path – traditionally one can begin the day by facing the Sun and giving thanks for the light of the new day. Feeling grateful for what you have is a great way to instantly feel better. Giving thanks in the morning is a good way to start the day; it can also be a good way to end the day – thinking about the luxury of falling asleep in a nice, warm bed will instantly relax you (optimising the chances of a more harmonious sleep).

Vision Quest – Sitting Out

The author notes that Native American shamans would go on Vision Quests – praying and fasting at a secluded place in nature to receive visions. The Norse equivalent, as attested by Icelandic sagas, is called sitting out (udesidning in Danish and utesittning in Swedish). Related to this practice is the story of Odin taking up the Runes:

‘I know that I hung on that windy tree,
Hung there for nights full nine;
With the spear I was wounded, and offered I was
To Odin, myself to myself,
On the tree that none may ever know
What root beneath it runs.

Neither horn they upheld nor handed me bread;
And there below I looked;
I took up the runes, screaming I took them,
And forthwith back I fell.’

– Hávamál

These are my favourite two stanzas from the Poetic Edda. Pictured below: a humble druid on top of a cave. Come spring, I will try an utesittning when opportunity presents itself – perhaps when doing a 24-hour fast!

Plato’s Forms and Shamanic Presence

The author refers to Plato’s Theory of Forms, which stipulates that every object in ‘the real world’ is but an approximation of the ‘ideal’ form that exists independent of time and space. On a side-note, I have actually thought about making a video in which I will say that training in the Temple of Iron is a form of piety – as Gym training enables us to get closer to our ideal form. The author says the following about the matter from a Shamanic perspective:

‘Yet in shamanism, these things are not in such a stark opposition to each other as they might appear. One of the ways that a shaman can enter the gateway into the reality of spirit or essence, beyond what the senses can reveal, is by becoming intensely present with the world of physical forms in nature.’

Chris Lüttichau – Calling Us Home. Page 49.

On a personal note, I view this as a life-affirming and reasonable attitude.

Conclusion

In addition to many interesting insights and perspectives, the book also contains practical instructions for meditations. As I have noted before, I always appreciate practical instructions in spiritual books. Moreover, the book contains biographical elements, which I appreciate – this gives the book a certain spirit that adds to the reading experience. I stumbled upon one factual error; on page 273, Mircea Eliade (whom we have encountered before: link) is presented as Hungarian. In fact, he was Romanian. Aside from that small detail, it is a great book.

The book is 364 pages and is worth a read. Good stuff!