Castle of Stone

Castell Dinas Bran

4-Cornered Castle
Mont & Bailey
Top open to the sky
Seige-place
Warriors' Fort (training, defense, offense, strategy)
Hillfort (castillo)
Not a place of luxury
Guarded by legged creatures (crawlers, walkers)
Home of Cernunnos
Summer Solstice
Noon
Mysteries of Rebirth


The castles of our system are based on Grail Lore, but they also have representations in the none world. These castles are symbolic of the energies inherent in their names and attributed to them by myth and legend. In the Arthurian cycle, the knights journey to seven castles, but most mythographers interpret this imram as an Otherworldly voyage, akin to the shaman's journey into the soul, using the World Tree as a ladder. Robert Graves, in The White Goddess, indicates that each of the seven castles is synonymous with the Spiral Castle, Caer Sidhe (or Caer Arianrhod).

Graves' interpretation makes good sense to us. Each of the castles is so intimately connected in symbolism and meaning, and it is impossible to separate any one of them from gestalt of Caer Sidhe. It is based on this concept that, while we talk about the castles as separate places, we ultimately view them each as a tower or turret on the great Spiral Castle.

The Castle of Stone is the home of Cernunnos, in our system. He is the keeper of the castle and the guardian of its treasure, the Stone Bowl. Cernunnos is honored at Summer Solstice as the Oak King, and the totems present in his time of honor are the Oak, Stag, and Robin.


One of the names of the Castle of Stone is the "4-cornered castle," in Welsh Caer Bannawg. This name became Carbonic or Carbonak later. Graves suggests that this castle is in fact a burial place like a kristvaen (which is formed from four stone slabs that make a stone box). It has also been suggested that "4-cornered" refers to the castle rotating four times, which certainly ties it symbolically to the Spiral Castle.

Carbonak is an important locale in Grail myth, as it is the home of Elaine (the Grail Maiden, wife of Lancelot, and mother of Galahad). It is here that the Grail is revealed in the saga, when Elaine shows it to Lancelot.

Carmarthen -- a 4-cornered castle

The Old French version of this name is cor beneoit, meaning both 'blessed horn' (alluding to the Grail as a horn of plenty) and 'blessed body' (referring to the Grail as a Eucharistic vessel). The reference to horn also works nicely as an allusion to the Horned God of this keep.

Carbonak is also heavily associated with ravens and with Bran the Blessed. Corbin, which the castle is called in certain parts of the myth, is the Old French word for "raven." Bran means raven in Welsh and Cornish. An extent hill-fort in Penwith, Cornwall is associated with Carbonak, and it is called Caer Bran. The Brythonic possessive version of this name is Kernowek. Castell Dinas Bran ("Castle of the City of Crows") in Wales is assumed by scholars to be the most likely site of Carbonak, however. Bran is inescapably tied to the Grail mythologies in the sense that he, too, went on a voyage in search of a sacred vessel, The Cauldron of Rebirth. Like the Grail-King, he was pierced by a spear and the land suffered until he was healed. Bran is honored and remembered in the Arthurian cycle as Brons, one of Arthur's knights, the son-in-law of Joseph of Arimehtea (who, of course, is said to have brought the grail -- as cup of Christ -- into Celtic lands).


The Stone Castle is no palace, no place of luxury or entertainment. It is a fortress, a place of training and of siege. It is the Vault of the Mysteries. It is a place of safety, and it is a storehouse. It is a seat of power and is built at a site of strength (or one with protective needs).

Several castles and forts spring to mind when envisioning Caer Bannawg for oneself. The Krak de Chevaliers, for instance, is a wonderful example of a medieval fortress. It is a "Mont & Bailey" castle, and it is practically impenetrable. It is functional and foreboding, and it takes very little manpower to defend it.

Cliffords Tower (in York), the Alamo (San Anotnio, TX), and the Castillo del San Marcos (St. Augustine, FL) are all great examples of the Stone Castle.

Krak de Chevaliers

Tis June!

Friends, we have made it though one round of the Compass together on this blog!  It is festival season here for Laurelei and I and that means that we might not be posting as much as usual for a while.  It also means that Blade and Broom Botanica will be on the road, and our online store will be taking a temporary break.

Here are some of our articles from last June to keep you entertained until we return.

June Totems:
Stag
Oak
Robin

The Sabbats: 
Midsummer

The Oak King:
Faces of the Oak King
Meditation of Visiting the Oak King

You can learn more about our tradition's Wheel of the Year here.

Lammas

Lammas is the first of the three harvest festivals, and is sometimes called "first fruits". It is a symbolic wake for the Sacred King (the Oak King) after his annual sacrifice.  Although it seems here in the Midwest that summer is at its peak, Lammas marks the end of summer and the start of autumn.  It is a time for merry mourning, a recognition that the heady days of summer are limited and that we should rejoice while we can.

Lammas is one of the Greater Sabbats, which occur when the sun is 15 degrees in a fixed sign of the zodiac, in this case, Leo.  This typically happens around August 6th, although tradition places the date at the kalends of the month instead.  Also, since the Celts reckoned their days beginning at sundown, Lammas is properly celebrated beginning on the eve of August first.  Like all of the Sabbats there is a span of roughly twelve days surrounding the holiday that make up a season of celebration.

Lammas takes its name from the Old English "hlaf," meaning "loaf" and "maesse," meaning feast. This was the day on which loaves of bread were baked from the first grain harvest and laid on the church altars as offerings.

In Irish Gaelic, this feast was referred to as Lugnasadh (Loo-nah-sah), a feast to commemorate the funeral games of the Irish sun-god Lugh. However, it is not Lugh's death that is being celebrated, but the funeral games which Lugh hosted to commemorate the death of his foster-mother, Taillte. That is why the Lugnasadh celebrations in Ireland are often called the Tailltean Games. The word element "nasadh" relates to the Gaelic, "to give in marriage," and so Lugnasadh can be interpreted as the "Marriage of Lug."  In relation to this, a common feature of the Tailltean Games were the Tailltean marriages, a rather informal marriage that lasted for only a year and a day or until next Lammas. After the trial year, the couple could decide to continue the arrangement if it pleased them, or to stand back to back and walk away from one another, thus bringing the Tailltean marriage to a formal close.

Lammas was also the traditional time of year for craft festivals. The medieval guilds would create elaborate displays of their wares, decorating their shops and themselves in bright colors and ribbons, marching in parades, and performing strange, ceremonial plays and dances for the entranced onlookers. the modern expression of this is in the many county and state fairs that take place during this time.

The Stag King falls in sacrifice.

There is a strong tradition of sacrifice associated with Lammas.  This is the day the Oak King falls at the hand of the Holly King in order to bless the land. The last recorded sacrifice of a king of England may have occurred at Lammas, in the year 1100. King William II (Rufus the Red, or William Rufus) rejected the relatively new Christian beliefs, and openly declared himself Pagan. His death in a "hunting accident" on August 2, 1100 c.e., is believed by many historians to have been a case of the traditional sacrifice being disguised for the sake of the Christian priests.  The novel "Lammas Night" by Katherine Kurtz (now out of print and hard to find) explores these themes of kingly sacrifice.  It also explores the old witch legend about English covens raising the Cone of Power at Lammas to stop the Nazi invasion during WWII.

Until recent years, in Scotland, the first cut of the Harvest was made on Lammas Day, and was a ritual in itself. The entire family must dress in their finest clothing and go into the fields. The head of the family would lay his hat on the ground and, facing the Sun, cut the first handful of corn with a sickle. He would then put the corn Sun-wise around his head three times while thanking the God of the Harvest for...

"corn and bread,
food and flocks,
wool and clothing,
health and strength,
and peace and plenty."

This custom was called the "Iolach Buana."

In the British Isles, the custom of giving the First Fruits to the Gods evolved into giving them to the landlord. Lammas is now the traditional time for tenant farmers to pay their rent. Thus, Lammas is seen as a day of judgment or reckoning. From this practice comes the phrase "at latter Lammas", meaning "never", or "not until Judgment Day."

A heraldic Catherine Wheel

An old Lammas custom is the construction of the Kern-baby or corn maiden. This figure, originally made from the first sheaf, would be saved until spring, then ploughed into the field to prepare for planting. The Maiden thus returns to the field at Spring.  Another popular Lammas tradition is the rolling of Saint Catherine's Wheels. These are wagon wheels set ablaze and sent rolling down a hill, likely in imitiation of the sun's decline after solstice.

In our own tradition Lammas is the time of year when the White Goddess, who is the Queen of the Fey and Lady of Sovereignty, is at her shining peak.  The Spiral Castle is open to the south gate, and the earth sends forth its bounty in abundance.  It is is a time of celebration, and for "gathering rosebuds while ye may", for it is the last hurrah before the wheel turns to the dark of the year.

There are mysteries here, for just as surely as this is the wedding celebration of the Solar Oak King to the Goddess of the Land, so too is this his death.  Our Lady is La Belle Dame Sans Merci, and to be king you must wed She who is Death in Life.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci on her pale horse.

A Lammas Song
by Robert Burns
traditional to many Book of Shadows

    It was on a Lammas night,
    When corn rigs are bonny,
    Beneath the moon's unclouded light,
    I held away to Annie:
    The time flew by, with tentless heed,
    Till 'tween the late and early;
    With small persuasion she agreed
    To see me through the barley.

CHORUS

    Corn rigs, and barley rigs,
    And corn rigs are bonnie:
    I'll not forget that happy night,
    Among the rigs with Annie.

    The sky was blue, the wind was still,
    The moon was shining clearly;
    I set her down, with right good will,
    Among the rigs of barley
    I knew her heart was all my own;
    I loved her most sincerely;
    I kissed her over and over again,
    Among the rigs of barley.

    I locked her in my fond embrace;
    Her heart was beating rarely:
    My blessings on that happy place,
    Among the rigs of barley.
    But by the moon and stars so bright,
    That shone that hour so clearly!
    She ay shall bless that happy night,
    Among the rigs of barley.

    I have been blithe with Comrades dear;
    I have been merry drinking;
    I have been joyful gathering gear;
    I have been happy thinking:
    But all the pleasures ever I saw,
    Though three times doubled fairly
    That happy night was worth them all.
    Among the rigs of barley.

You may listen to an interpretation of The Lammas Song from the 1973 version of the film The Wicker Man below.

June Totems: Robin

American Robin

In the American Folkloric Witchcraft tradition, the Robin is one of the three totems for the month of June, along with Stag and Oak. Robin represents qualities that are kindred to these totems and to the Castle of Stone, Cernunnos and the Summer Solstice -- all of which share this portion of the Wheel of the Year with it.

In England and America, we are talking about two different birds, when we refer to the Robin. Brits are referring to the redbreast, while Americans call the thrush (Turdus migratorius) the Robin. Both birds have red feathers on their breasts, earning them an association with fire.

Most mythologies only make vague reference to the Robin, the clear distinction being the Norse, who associated the bird with Thor and considered it to be a creature of the storm.

Robins are very territorial, and their red breasts signal other males to leave their space. Even their bright and cheery song is a used as a method of battling with other males for dominance over territory. Physical confrontations, on the other hand, tend to be symbolic. Male robins don't seek to hurt each other physically.

The Robin's bright blue egg is distinctive in color. Both male and female Robins share in the feeding of the young, which is a very active process for these birds. Hatchlings are born with no feathers at all, and feedings occur at an average of every twelve minutes. Even so, Robins manage to hatch more than one brood each year. This is a testament to their growth and incredible vitality.

You can learn more about our tradition's wheel of the year through this link.

Summer Solstice

Sol + stice derives from a combination of Latin words meaning "sun" + "to stand still." As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky.

As a major celestial event, the Summer Solstice results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates in June, but the people on the Southern half of the earth have their longest summer day in December.

Modern calendars state that summer begins on the solstice. According to the old folk calendar, summer begins on Beltane (May 1) and ends on Lammas (August 1st), with the summer solstice, midway between the two, marking Midsummer. This makes more logical sense than suggesting that summer begins on the day when the sun's power begins to wane and the days grow shorter. The day is also referred to as St. John's Day, after St. John the Baptist. Other names include Alban Heflin, Alben Heruin, All-couples day, Feast of Epona, Feill-Sheathain, 'Night of the Verbena, Gathering Day, Johannistag, Litha, Sonnwend, Thing-Tide, La Festa dell'Estate, Festa delle Erbe, and Vestalia.

In England, it was the ancient custom on St. John's Eve to light large bonfires after sundown, which served the double purpose of providing light to the revelers and warding off evil spirits. This was known as setting the watch. People often jumped through the fires for good luck. In addition to these fires, the streets were lined with lanterns, and people carried cressets (pivoted lanterns atop poles) as they wandered from one bonfire to another. These wandering, garland-bedecked bands were called a marching watch. Often they were attended by morris dancers. Just as May Day was a time to renew the boundary on one's own property, so Midsummer's Eve was a time to ward the boundary of the city.

Customs surrounding St. John's Eve are many and varied. At the very least, most young folk plan to stay up throughout the whole of this shortest night. Certain courageous souls might spend the night keeping watch in the center of a circle of standing stones. To do so would certainly result in either death, madness, or (hopefully) the power of inspiration to become a great poet or bard. This was also the night when the serpents of the island would roll themselves into a hissing, writhing ball in order to engender the glain, also called the serpent's egg, snake stone, or Druid's egg. Anyone in possession of this hard glass bubble would wield incredible magical powers. Even Merlin went in search of it, according to one ancient Welsh story.

Snakes were not the only creatures active on Midsummer's Eve. According to British folklore the fey especially enjoyed a riding on such a fine summer's night. In order to see them, you had to gather fern seed at the stroke of midnight and rub it onto your eyelids. But be sure to carry a little bit of rue in your pocket, or you might well be pixie-led. Or, failing the rue, you might simply turn your jacket inside-out, which should keep you from harm's way. But if even this fails, you must seek out one of the ley lines, the old straight tracks, and stay upon it to your destination. This will keep you safe from any malevolent power, as will crossing a stream of running water.

In our tradition we use this time to fly to the Castle of Stone where we may honor and gain wisdom from the Oak King.  One way to achieve this vision it through a guided meditation, such as is presented here.

You can learn more about our tradition's wheel of the year through this link.

Faces of the Oak King

Names
Cernunnos, Green Man, Woodwose, Vindos, Pwyll, Freyr, Lugh, Apollo, Lucifer, Herne the Hunter, Karnayna, Faunus, Cern, Dianus, Sylvanus, Edric, Orfeo, Tapio, Dusio, Derg Corra, Green George, Jack in the green, John Barleycorn, Robin Goodfellow, Gwythyr ap Greidawl

Station of the Wheel
Southeast, Summer Solstice (Midsummer), June, Stone Castle, Mead Moon

Totems
Stag, Oak, Robin

Tools
Stone Bowl

Cernunnos in Celtic iconography is often portrayed with animals, in particular the stag, and also frequently associated with a the ram-horned serpent, besides association with other beasts with less frequency, including bulls (at Rheims), dogs, and rats. Because of his frequent association with creatures, scholars often describe Cernunnos as the "Lord of the Animals" or the "Lord of Wild Things", and Miranda Green describes him as a "peaceful god of nature and fruitfulness".

The Green Man motif has many variations. Found in many cultures around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring.

The wild man or woodwose is a mythical figure that appears in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe. Images of wild men appear in the carved and painted roof bosses where intersecting ogee vaults meet in the Canterbury Cathedral, in positions where one is also likely to encounter the vegetal Green Man. The wild man, pilosus or "hairy all over", and often armed with a club. The image of the wild man survived to appear as supporter for heraldic coats-of-arms, especially in Germany, well into the 16th century.

There are several examples of the Romano-Celtic God Vindos maq Noudons which can be easily referenced within texts. Most deal with the root "vin" which means "light" or "white."

The Stone Bowl

In our tradition the Summer Solstice is associated with the Castle of Stone, the King of which is the Oak King Cernnunos, and the treasure of which is the stone bowl.  The stone bowl is a very real working tool in this tradition, and is one of the first tools a witch procures.

Within this tradition of Craft, we recognize the demand for energy exchange when working magic. This exchange, or sacrifice, happens whether we are aware of it or not. It varies beyond our understanding, as sometimes a small charm can require a great sacrifice, whereas a huge spellworking may not require any exchange at all. It is because of this element of chance that we choose to be aware and actively involved in this sacrifice whenever we perform magic. Furthermore, we understand that every act of magic (whether selfless or selfish) requires this sacrifice, and we perform this divination prior to every spell.

The three stones (see below) are cast into a shallow dish bearing the markings shown above. These markings form a central glyph  representing both the laying of the compass and the wheel of the year.  It is divided into quadrants, each with a circular symbol that represent the solar holidays and the four castles. In the center of the design is a triskle, representing the Spiral Castle, the axis on which the compass turns.

The three stones are one of white, one of black, and one of red.  They may be found naturally in these colors, or may be ordinary river pebbles painted the appropriate colors. The three stones represent the White and Black Goddesses and Tubal Cain. The red stone, or Tubal Cain stone, is the indicator stone when casting into the bowl.

To use the stone bowl

Cast all three of the stones into the bowl. Whichever stone the red stone is closest to indicates to which Goddess the sacrifice will be made. This will flavor the nature of the sacrifice.

The distance between the black and white stones indicates the time and/or severity of the sacrifice to be made.

Types of sacrifices

Glass Castle (the light blue circle) – fasting/discomfort
examples: performing a no-kill fast, sleeping on the floor, walking somewhere outdoors barefoot, etc.

Stone Castle (the green crossed circle) – money/material
examples: gifting a personal item to someone, donating money to a charity, volunteering on a project without compensation, etc.

Castle Perilous (the red halved circle) – blood/pain
examples: shedding of own blood with intent, running an endurance race, lifting heavy weights, submitting to flogging, etc.

Castle Revelry (the golden circle with a central point) – abstinence
examples: abstaining from sexual stimulation for a period of time, giving up smoking, alcohol, caffeine, sugar or another addiction for a period of time, etc.

The Spiral Castle (the silver triskle) – no sacrifice necessary

Examples

Figure 1: The red indicator stone is nearest to the white stone, which is in the Castle of Stone. A material/monetary sacrifice to the White Goddess is called for here. The white stone and the black stone are far apart in the bowl, so the sacrifice must be large.

Figure 2: The red indicator stone is nearest to the black stone which in in the Spiral Castle, so no sacrifice is necessary for this working.

 

Figure 3: The red indicator stone is nearest to the black stone in the Castle of Revelry. A sacrifice of abstinence is called for in honor of the Black Goddess. The black and white stones are near to each other in the bowl, so the sacrifice is minimal.

Meditation: Visiting the Oak King Cernunnos

 Our tradition uses guided meditation to help impress certain symbols on our member's consciousness. Below is our Midsummer meditation. It takes place in the Castle of Stone, which is the southeast area of our compass.  It is the home of the Oak King, who we honor as Cernunnos.  To use this meditation let yourself relax comfortably and picture yourself drifting downward and inward to the third realm, the lower realm. Briefly, the three realms are Sky above (first realm), Land around (second realm), and Sea below (third realm).  The third realm is a place of darkness and mystery.  Let yourself sink down into the third realm and rest there peacefully.

Meditation: Visiting the Oak King Cernunnos

You awake in a forest of oak trees at midday.  Red breasted robins sing from the trees, and the forest is green with the radiance of nature in summertime.

A rustling from behind you causes you to turn around quickly.  Only a few yards from you is a magnificent stag.  His antlers are as broad as your arms when fully outstretched.  His hide is rich russet.  He bears seven tines on each antler.

The stag gives you a loud snort and tosses his head.    You are consumed with a desire to capture this roebuck, and as if it knew what you were thinking, the stag suddenly bolts away from you.  You give chase.  You run through the oak forest as quickly as any deer could, bounding over creeks and fallen trees.  You can see the stag ahead of you, and you keep pace behind him.  You run at full tilt past mighty oak trees that dwarf you and your quarry.

The stag clears the forest ahead of you and enters a green grass field.  You follow behind him.  He disappears into a huge sloping green valley, and still you rush down the slope after him.  Although your focus remains on chasing the stag, you notice that the valley seems to be constructed like a massive ancient earthwork.  In the center of the valley rises a high grassy hill and upon this hill appears to be a stone fort of some kind.  The stag pauses briefly at the base of the great hill and then bounds up it.

You reach the base of the hill and are momentarily daunted by its steepness and height.  Yet you find force of will to begin the climb upwards.  Up the hill you climb, your legs scrambling.  Up the hill of grass, your fingers struggling to find holds in the emerald green turf.  Up to the top of the earthwork mound, your arms aching from pulling along the weight of your body.

Although you are nearly exhausted you have reached the top of the hill.  You do not see the stag but you notice that you are near a set of enormous oaken doors.  The doors are the entrance to a massive fort of gray stone.  The fort's turrets are adorned with the standards of warriors and kings.  From within the fort you can hear sounds of steel clashing and voices yelling commands.

You approach the doors and knock, but they remain closed to you.  To your side you hear a snort.  It is the stag.  He walks up to the oak doors and touches them with his antlers.  The doors open with a wooden thud.

Within the fort is a field where thousands of warriors from myth and legend are training for battle.  Achilles wrestles with Lancelot as Parzival and Sigurd cross steel.  Spartans train next to samurai.  You watch as Scathac demonstrates for Hector how she wields a spear.  A voice from behind addresses you.  You turn to see it is the Arthurian knight Sir Gawain.  “We've been expecting you,” he says gravely.  You ask him where you are and he replies, “There are many names for this place.  Some call it Troy Town.  Others call it Camelot.  I call it the Castle of Stone.  It is the home of King Cernunnos and his stone bowl.”

Gawain points to a set of double doors across the field.  The doors are of oak intricately carved with countless symbols.  Among these you notice a stag and a robin.  You move to touch the doors and they swing open at your gesture.

Inside the room is a tan and muscular man with thick brown hair.  He wears a crown of antlers.  He is seated on a throne of stone and he wears tanned leather and a green cloak.  His eyes are as green as emeralds and he is smiling broadly at you.  To his right is a table with a stone saucer on it.  To his left is a staff of oak bearing leaves, catkins, and acorns.

“I am called Cernunnos” he says.  His voice is deep and musical and reminds you of the sounds of animals.  You can feel your pulse quicken as he speaks.  The scent of moss and musk fills your nostrils.  Your eyes widen in wonder as you realize that his antlered crown isn't really a crown at all.  He has antlers as broad and majestic as the stag you chased to this place.

His eyes sparkle as he gestures to the stone saucer to his right.  “This is the treasure of the Stone Castle.” You approach the bowl and peer into it.  Inside of the bowl it is very black.  There are three stones and a silver spiral floating in the darkness.  The stones roll in circles as the spiral spins and shifts.  They create patterns and symbols that you understand are related to the pattern of your life.  Peering deeper into the blackness of the bowl you are filled with wisdom and peace.  In the bowl you begin to perceive the purpose of your life's journey and the path you must take to accomplish your destiny.

The symbols shift further, making your head spin in wonder.  Cernunnos chuckles knowingly. His laugh is deep and rolling. You can feel it envelop you like the  shade of a great and ancient forest.  Cernunnos set his hand on your shoulder to steady you. “I have a message for you,” he says.  He leans forward and whispers his secret message in your ear. [long pause]

Cernunnos bids you farewell.  He and shakes your hand and claps you to his chest.  He is warm and smells of musk and loam.  Around you the room seems to fill with foliage.  Leave it hastily, hurrying past the field where warriors are training.  Gawain salutes you as you pass.  Beyond the oaken doors of the fort awaits the great stag that lead you here.  He now regards you with a knowing respect. You follow him as he runs down the great hill and into the valley.  He waits for you to catch up to him, glancing behind.  You enter with him into the oak forest .  The stag leaves you in an oak grove with the midday sun shining upon you.  You settle in beneath a large oak tree and rest.