Curse

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Curse

Years ago, people often dug a small amount of salt into the soil as a fertiliser believe it or not (at least, they did in my part of the world, along with wood ash, soot and even placenta.) I agree that too much salt is harmful, but I didn't expect that the OP would go and copy William the Conqueror in 'sowing the land with salt' which he did in his famous eleventh century Harrying of the North.

In my own experience, you can get away with quite a bit of salt, but if you do feel worried, another alternative is to dissolve a spoonful of salt in some blessed water and use that.

For me I was looking at the op's area being Germany. As such I can't think of any nordic / teutonic sages, edda's, etc where salt is used in any capacity. Figured if one is going to call in the landwights to aid them salt wouldn't be a good idea. Using the environment to destroy or deactivate the contents to me implies using landwights or other land spirits to aid you.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Curse

For me I was looking at the op's area being Germany. As such I can't think of any nordic / teutonic sages, edda's, etc where salt is used in any capacity. Figured if one is going to call in the landwights to aid them salt wouldn't be a good idea. Using the environment to destroy or deactivate the contents to me implies using landwights or other land spirits to aid you.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Curse

Wasn't aware of those but it does make sense. About the only thing i'd wonder then is are they based upon an original lore or are they Christanized products / concepts carried into the area. Not that it maters in the long run just a curosity of its origins. Figure giving salt to live stock ties into the purifing and longevity of healthy eatable food when otherwise it would go bad quickly when slaughtered.

[Lilium of the Valley]

Re: Curse

really thanks so much for all of your help!! this did not just help but turned into a quite interesting read
keep 'em comin' guys haha

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Curse

Years ago, people often dug a small amount of salt into the soil as a fertiliser believe it or not (at least, they did in my part of the world, along with wood ash, soot and even placenta.) ..

bolded mine. This is off topic but just a though that occured to me.

A number of years ago there was a movie titled DEADLY SECRET OF HARVEST HOME. The movie is listed as a horror movie but it points to an older association between fertility, fecundity and feeding the land the blood of a sacrifical king. Basically a woman is chosen to be the harvest queen who will lie upon the fields and conceive of a child then the harvest father is sacrificed and his blood feed into the ground to ensure the fertilization of the seed and continued fertility / fecundity of the land. It never comes out and says it but there is a suggestion of the placenta also being returned to the land and its fertility / fecundity.

Makes one wonder if there are still groups that feed blood into the ground to ensure the fertility / fecundity of the area?

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Curse

bolded mine. This is off topic but just a though that occured to me.

A number of years ago there was a movie titled DEADLY SECRET OF HARVEST HOME. The movie is listed as a horror movie but it points to an older association between fertility, fecundity and feeding the land the blood of a sacrifical king. Basically a woman is chosen to be the harvest queen who will lie upon the fields and conceive of a child then the harvest father is sacrificed and his blood feed into the ground to ensure the fertilization of the seed and continued fertility / fecundity of the land. It never comes out and says it but there is a suggestion of the placenta also being returned to the land and its fertility / fecundity.

Makes one wonder if there are still groups that feed blood into the ground to ensure the fertility / fecundity of the area?

It was common to bury placenta of newborn babes under trees right into the early 20th century in some areas.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Curse

It was common to bury placenta of newborn babes under trees right into the early 20th century in some areas.

You know its sad perhaps even funny I suppose but as I read this I can hear my grandmother and aunts voices telling me that is female mysteries. Which usually meant it was dealing with blood and birth and not discussed in depth with the sons of the family. Sort of moontime things or any birthings and dealings with placenta or afterbirth issues.

[Kahlenda]

Re: Curse

and i just went compleatly off my grapes.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Curse

Though I should add that mostly the female mysteries would deal with rituals, ceremonies and such dealing with moontime, birth, death and blood. It's not that the males we're not told specific things about them only we didn't get indepth or really privy to the actual rituals / ceremonies / chants, etc.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Curse

Though I should add that mostly the female mysteries would deal with rituals, ceremonies and such dealing with moontime, birth, death and blood. It's not that the males we're not told specific things about them only we didn't get indepth or really privy to the actual rituals / ceremonies / chants, etc.

Well even up into the 1970's in my part of the world it was considered completely shocking (and unacceptable) for a man to know that a woman was having her period. I think this had a lot to do with it too.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Curse

Well even up into the 1970's in my part of the world it was considered completely shocking (and unacceptable) for a man to know that a woman was having her period. I think this had a lot to do with it too.

That makes sense. I know for us one thing we we're taught is not to speak of our wives, sisters, mothers, etc "Bleeding" as any collection of said blood could be used in cursing or hexing of them. Of course it also led to the notion of it being used against the whole family via them. Ironically though we we're taught how to use another's against them if it could be obtained which I always figured had to do with knowing how to protect against it ourselves. Though again no where near as in depth as what my sisters would be taught.

So many folkish things that we're passed or hidden in the late 50's and early 60's as me and my siblings where growing up. Being male I don't know if my sister's continue it on or not though every now and then they say something that suggests it is ongoing in some capacity.