Easter Folklore: Spring Festivals and Forecasts
With the renewal of the natural world in spring comes the celebration of Easter, when many ancient traditions are still kept alive today.
Dog Folklore: Companion Dogs as Seers, Healers, and Fairy Steeds
When considering dog folklore, we generally think of those stories which feature the Grimm, the Gytrash, or other sinister black dogs roaming the moors in the North of England. But there is more to canine folklore than the ominous black dogs of legend. Companion dogs, such as Pugs and Corgis, have their place in dog folklore as well.
Japanese Folklore of the Ocean: The Ama Divers, Sea Demons, and Ise Jingu
Mie is home to the ama divers, an ancient tradition of women who breath-dive for abalone, and Ise Jingu, the most sacred Shinto shrine in the whole of Japan.
Archaic Living Religion: Mythology’s Residence in the Dark Hinterland of the Collective Psyche
This piece aims to present the inter-connection between folk tales and myths, and psychology. I then show how this connection is used in psychotherapy and helps towards personal development.
Trows, Changelings and Wise Women in Early Nineteenth Century Kirkwall
A nineteenth century autobiography written by the minister William Leask offers a fascinating insight into supernatural belief in contemporary Orkney.