The Appalachian Trail, a 2,190-mile path for self-discovery and communion with nature, also harbors tragic stories of unsolved murders. This piece recounts the cases of Scott Lilly, Louise Chaput, and Julianne Williams & Lollie Winans, highlighting the contrast between its serene beauty and the lurking darkness intertwined with its history.
Tag: Appalachian
🫖 Tea & Mystery: Appalachian Lore & The Not-a-Deer
The Appalachian Mountains harbor rich folklore intertwined with cautionary tales of supernatural encounters. Locals share beliefs about spirits, eerie silence, and creatures like the Not-Deer. These narratives emphasize respect for nature, urging travelers to heed warnings, embrace silence, and recognize the mysteries of the land that watch over its inhabitants.
✨ Throwing the Bones: An Appalachian Practice of Divination and Ancestral Wisdom ✨
Bone reading. Throwing the bones. Casting the lot. Bone reading, also known as casting bones, is an ancient divination practice steeped in tradition and mystery. Throwing the bones involves a series of ritualistic steps, where practitioners cast a selection of bones or other related objects and interpret the patterns and positions that emerge as a…
🃏 Cartomancy Part Five: Building Your Own Cartomancy Practice
So far, we’ve explored the rich Appalachian roots of Cartomancy, the meanings behind the cards, how to interpret them, and how to bond with your deck as a spiritual ally. These insights not only deepen our connection to the practice but also enhance our intuitive abilities when reading for ourselves or others. Each card tells…
🔮 Cartomancy Part Four: Making a Personal Connection with Your Deck
The deeper you go into Cartomancy, the more you’ll notice something special: your cards aren’t just tools—they’re allies. Like a favorite knife in the kitchen or a well-loved walking stick, they take on your energy, your spirit, and your story over time. As you shuffle and draw them, they become imbued with your personal experiences,…
🔮 Cartomancy Part Three: Interpreting Spreads & Combining Cards
So far in this series, we’ve walked through the Appalachian roots of Cartomancy, exploring the cultural significance and historical context that has shaped this fascinating practice. We have also delved into how numbered cards carry deep symbolic meaning, revealing layers of interpretation that go beyond their numerical values, and tried a few simple, intuitive spreads…
🔮 Cartomancy Part Two: Number Magic & Simple Spreads
In the first post of this series, we explored the quiet power of Cartomancy in Appalachian folk traditions—the way wisdom was hidden in plain sight and how a humble deck of playing cards could serve as a tool of spirit, intuition, and ancestral knowing. You can read it here: Now, it’s time to dig deeper…
🔮 Hidden in the Cards: An Appalachian Introduction to Cartomancy
Up in the mountains and tucked within the hollers of Appalachia, wisdom often lived quietly—in herb jars, in family recipes, in whispered prayers, and in the shuffle of a worn deck of cards. Before Tarot cards found their way into mainstream bookstores and Instagram grids, there was Cartomancy: the age-old practice of reading playing cards…
Let’s make a Money Bowl
Let’s make a money bowl to start off the New Year! With the new year here my only resolution has been to post more and embrace my practice out in the open more. So with this in mind I want to share with you all a few things I am going to start using more in my daily practice. From Poppets, to Cinnamon Rituals on the 1st of the month, to other simple DIY things you can do on your own. Simmer Pots, Money Bowls, and anointing oils, there are so many things for me to share with you all.
Let’s Talk about Poppets
A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you like — it all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. You can construct one out of just about any material — cloth, clay, wood, wax. Use your imagination! In some magical traditions, it’s believed that the more work you put into it, and the more complex it is, the stronger your link will be to your goal. Because a poppet is a device for sympathetic magic, all of its components will be symbols of what it is you hope to achieve.
You can do your poppet-making as part of the working itself, or it can be made ahead of time so you can use the poppet later on. Which method you choose is really up to you.
