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Roots, Branches & Spirits: The Folkways & Witchery of Appalachia - Paperback | Diverse Reads

Roots, Branches & Spirits: The Folkways & Witchery of Appalachia

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Natural Magic and Folkways from Those Who Call the Blue Ridge Mountains Home

The southern Appalachians are rich in folk magic and witchery. This book explores the region's customs and traditions for magical healing, luck, prosperity, scrying, and more. Author H. Byron Ballard—known as the village witch of Asheville—teaches you about the old ways and why they work, from dowsing to communicating with spirits.

Learn the deeper meaning of haint blue doors, magic hands for finding, and medicinal herbs and plants. Discover tips for creating tinctures and salves, attuning to the phases of the moon, interpreting omens, and other folkways passed down through the generations. Part cultural journey and part magical guide, this book uncovers the authentic traditions of one of North America's most spiritually vibrant regions

ISBN-13: 9780738764535

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide LTD.

Publication Date: 02-08-2021

Pages: 224

Product Dimensions: 5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.40(d)

H. Byron Ballard, BA, MFA (Asheville, NC) is a western NC native, teacher, folklorist, and writer. She has served as a featured speaker and teacher at several festivals and conferences, including the Sacred Space Conference, Pagan Spirit Gathering, Starwood, Hexfest and many others. She serves as senior priestess and co-founder of Mother Grove Goddess Temple and the Coalition of Earth Religions/CERES, both in Asheville, NC. She podcasts about Appalachian folkways on "Wyrd Mountain Gals." Her essays are featured in several anthologies and she writes a regular column for SageWoman Magazine. Find her online at www.myvillagewitch.com. Alex Bledsoe is the author of The Hum and the Shiver and the Tufa novels.

Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword by Alex Bledsoe xix

Introduction 1

Part 1: Beginnings
Chapter 1: Old Mountains, New Worlds 7
Chapter 2: Betwixt, the Ineffable Magic of Place 27
Chapter 3: Words, Music, and Magic 47

Part 2: Skills and Work
Chapter 4: Tools, Supplies, and Techniques 59
Chapter 5: Mountain Kitchen Witchery 87
Chapter 6: Healing and Herb Lore 103
Chapter 7: Signs and Omens 131
Chapter 8: Scraps and Other Useable Pieces 149
Chapter 9: Hillfolk Gothic: Haints and Haint Tales 165

Conclusion 193

Recommended Resources 195

Bibliography 199