Mrs Darley on Kindle

The first 3 Mrs Darley books are now available on Amazon Kindle - Mrs Darley's Pagan Whispers, Mrs Darley's Moon Mysteries & Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements.
These three books explore my initial journey into the realms of Paganism and magick when I lived on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, guided as ever by the delightful & charismatic Mrs Darley.

For thousands of years witchcraft and sorcery had formed an accepted part of man's culture. The earth's elements, the chanting of charms and the power of natural forces were used by many  ancient cultures to weave spells and to enhance or hinder the flow of life.
With the firm establishment of the Roman Church throughout Europe however a new meaning was given to the words 'witchcraft & sorcery' and it was this new definition which led to hundreds of years of persecution and misconception.
This new definition began to associate witchcraft with the devil, whose job it was to bring down the Christian church and so it was that the witch hunts began, leading to one of the most horrendous and degrading eras of religious persecution.
'It fastened on European juisprudence for nearly three centuries the duty of combating the devil and saving mankind from his clutches.....it served as justification for pitiless persecution'  (Hansen)

The brutal history of the persecutions are explored in great detail in the latest Mrs darley book - 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Paths to Magick'

Mrs Darley's Pagan Paths to Magick

The new Mrs Darley book is now out and finds the enigmatic Mrs Darley leading the author further along her magickal path as she reveals some of the secrets that underpin the workings of Divine Magick.

The word 'magick' evokes an air of mystery, wonder & excitement, but can it really be as simple as waving a wand and chating a spell? In truth the practice of magick is far more complex than we might imagine, requiring the practitioner to be both disciplined and dedicated.

The book also investigates why the word 'witch' still holds such negative connotations and provides a stark account of the barbaric witch hunts of Europe, Britain & Salem.

'How many screams have splintered the darkness?
How many nails have clawed at the stone?
How many lives have longed to be taken?
Free from the racking, the blood and the bone?'

From 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Paths to Magick'

Friday and the Sea

Continuing the watery theme as autumn progresses, we will take a look at the dread with which many sailors face Fridays if they have to begin a voyage on that day.

It was thought that witches ruled supreme on Fridays and could weald great power over the waters which may explain why so much fear built up around what is, in actual fact, the sacred day of the Norse Goddess of Love and wife of Odin, Frigga.

The renowned poet, Lord Byron, shared all the superstitions of his fellow Scotsmen but although he recognised Friday as an unlucky day, he nevertheless put his superstitions to one side and embarked upon a voyage to Greece, where he died at Missolonghi.

The British admiralty attempted to prove the absurdity of this superstition and so ordered the keel of a ship to be laid on a Friday; they named the ship Friday and launched her on a Friday. They gave the command to a man called Friday and set sail on Friday, however, although the ship was new and seaworthy when it left port, neither the ship or the crew were ever heard of again!

Take care when you book your ferry tickets!

From 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements' by Carole Carlton

The Ondine

Autumn is the season of water and symbollically is associated with maturity and a quietening of the spirit. It is protected by the Ondine, a fairy like creature who makes its abode in pools and waterfalls.

These enchanting creatures are born with the gift of eternal life but do not possess a soul and can only acquire one by marrying a human and bearing his child. In exchange for a soul the ondine loses the gift of eternal life.

Read about 'Ondine's Curse' in the next blog.

The Yew

Beneath the yew, beside the stream

Lies the land of long lost dreams,

Where through the mists of yesterday,

The lore of magic still holds sway.

Where naiads sing and ondines dance,

The human soul becomes entranced.

Beneath the yew, Beside the stream,

Lies the land Of long lost dreams

From 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements' by Carole Carlton

Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements

My third book in the Mrs Darley series is out on the 6th July, entitled 'Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements', a description of which is given below:

'If you have ever entered into a raging sea, warmed your hands by a mid-winter fire, planted fragile seedlings in the rich, dark, earth or balanced precariously on the edge of the wind, then you will understand the magical power of the elements that bless our natural world. To have an understanding of the four classic elements of air, fire, water and earth is to have an appreciation of what is necessary in order to survive on our beautiful planet. To have an understanding of the mysterious fifth elements of ether or Divine Spirit is to have an understanding of the sanctity of life. This book is a celebration through poetry and prose of these sacred elements and the way in which they shape our lives. Throughout the book the wise Mrs Darley and a selection of her intriguing friends share their knowledge and often unworldly experiences with the author as she continues to journey along her own spiritual path'.

The book can be pre ordered from Amazon details are as follows:

Title: Mrs Darley's Pagan Elements

Author: Carole Carlton

Publisher: Mirage Publishing

ISBN: 1902578651

Price: £8.99

Hope you enjoy it!