Tenth Anniversary as Village Wisewoman

Spring Equinox 2020 marks the tenth anniversary since Cassandra Latham Jones handed over her business of Village Wisewoman to me.

I previously worked as a qualified holistic therapist and was accustomed to dealing with clients. When providing alternative therapies however, clients are dealt with in a different way.

Consultations providing guidance can be similar to counselling (in which I now have a Diploma) as clients contact us about life’s dilemmas. We discuss appropriate methods and provide guidance that could assist them with their problems.

Cassandra has a unique way of working and has built a good reputation, a tough act to follow for anyone who takes on her work. I was a resident of Cornwall for only ten months before I embarked on these pursuits. Although the community did not know me well, I had adequate experience to provide the services required. As time passed, I settled into the village community and frequented our local Inn, attended some church services and village events. I am also a musician and ‘Oss Teazer at local folk festivals.

In a short period of time I developed and organised a correspondence system for dealing with clients creating a selection of email folders for: inquiries, readings, distant readings, spells, charms, rites of passage, feedback, property cleansings, and wart charming as well as Wisewomen walks and workshops. Explaining to a client the list of items required for services we provide has become routine now and I converse with the confidence that comes with experience.

Cassandra taught me the best way to handle business accounts and it’s not a difficult task with a small business. I admire her for managing her own accounts throughout the years as she has ‘dyscalculia’. It was less of a problem for me as I am good with numbers and now modern technology lessens the burden of mathematics.

I understand why a ‘code of ethics’ is necessary as it is not good practice to cast spells for clients who desire to influence others against their will. These spells can have huge repercussions and I have witnessed the consequences some individuals have suffered after casting spells for selfish reasons or sending curses.

Learning the process of creating charms has been an enjoyable aspect of my work and is reminiscent of past interests with cross-stitch embroidery and crochet skills during my childhood and adolescence. I am also skilled in intricate needlework and the corresponding ingredients for each charm continues to fascinate me as each charm is unique for each client. For example, when I construct two fertility charms neither is identical in appearance or contents.

Another aspect where needlework skills come to the fore is the creation of clothes for hearth dolls. This inspired me to create more clothing for other dolls that have uncanny likenesses to the images they represent. Cassandra has said that my work with dolls is one of my outstanding talents.

I have witnessed many Tarot readings and know Cassandra’s Tarot cards well. I am able to provide readings with an identical deck if she were unable to do so. The psychic impressions and messages I receive during a consultation before the tarot spread is laid out, are then confirmed by her readings. Our distant readings for clients are extremely accurate and this has enabled us to provide guidance for clients globally.

The Handfastings we provide are wonderful occasions. We have been Celebrants at wondrous sacred sites and unusual venues. My past ceremonial training comes to the fore when setting up a sacred space although the words that I use have changed, providing a deeper connection to the ancient land around us.

We prefer that a couple to have known one another for at least a year before taking this important step. Some were legally married a considerable length of time and wished to renew their vows. Others have a spiritual ceremony with us and visit a registry office before or after the ceremony if they require a legal contract.

I would love to experience more of these occasions on beaches or by the sea which in my opinion, adds to the romance.

Our property cleansings are quite an adventure, from modern houses to period properties, cottages, hotels and public houses. The history and varied lives people lead can leave residual energies that penetrate the foundations of buildings. These can affect properties in startling ways. The spirits of deceased owners can form an attachment with their former properties and find it difficult to leave them to others. Some spirits are harmless and the present occupiers are comfortable with their presence, however there are those that cause problems and clients need help in moving them on.

I have experienced on many occasions the remarkable difference of energy and atmosphere within a property after cleansing when we have re-visited them.

Image – John Isaac

Spell casting is an exciting aspect of our work, particularly when a specific time is set for a client to work along with the practitioner. There have been occasions when the required result has occurred within 24 hours and for others, a period of time has passed before reaching a successful outcome. Throughout this past year I have worked with one particular client casting many spells for an ongoing legal case and each spell produced a successful outcome for each stage of the process.

Our workshops have been successful. Attendees are intrigued by the work we do and enjoy spending time with us to experience this.

We have met some wonderful individuals and had many fascinating discussions. It is heartening to hear feedback on how these experiences have changed their lives in a positive way.

I have learnt more information on our ‘Walks with Wisewomen’ as Cassandra repeats the folklore and stories of various sites on each occasion. She is delighted with the way our work has become ‘second nature’ to me. It is not an easy path and I have been severely tested throughout the years. Cassandra is also pleased with the way I advertise and network to reach more people who need assistance and the business has grown considerably compared to when she worked alone.

So there you have it…..ten years of organisation and work within the business of Village Wisewoman. It is so important to have an occupation one enjoys that does not lose its fascination!

I thank Cassandra for her patience and tuition over the last eleven years. Her methods are often unorthodox and there were times I did not understand them, or how it would benefit me, until I put her tuition into action. This scene from the movie Karate Kid is a good example of what I am referring to:

I look forward to the next ten years, becoming older and wiser as I continue our work of assisting the community!

Image – John Isaac

March 20, 2020 2

Property Cleansing

Cassandra and I have undertaken many Property Cleansings and I thought now was an auspicious time to write about the subject.

Years ago I lived in a row of terraced houses and in one particular property adjoining these the couple divorced after a few years. I noticed that couples who moved into the property also divorced and at the time I wondered if the energies from these occurrences affected new tenants.

It is vital to understand these negative influences that are usually categorized into two types: thought energies (or if they have a shape – thought forms) and negative spirit influence. Now, you may instantly think about dead people, however we are all “spirits”. Some of us are living within the physical realm and some aren’t. We do not become a spirit when we physically die as we are one housed within a physical body.

One may also say, “But I cannot see/hear spirits, this is proof they don’t exist”. Well, we cannot see radio, or television waves in a room. You cannot hear a dog whistle, but dogs can! It would be rather foolish to conclude such a whistle made no noise simply on the grounds that you didn’t hear it.

Negative thought energies are created by someone (dead or alive) thinking in this way, e.g. anger, hatred, fear etc. If the person is thinking these thoughts about us they are automatically projected in our direction. As negative spirits are attracted to negative energy these will often accompany it,particularly if this is done formally, e.g. casting a spell.

Fortunately there is defense against these things. Positive energies will dissolve negative and we can invoke positive spirits to protect us against negative ones. There is nothing particularly profound about it.

The negative thought content of a spell, or any other form of psychic attack, can be cancelled out by directing a positive thought form of the same, or greater strength at it. When they meet, the negative thought form will dissolve. This can be achieved by prayer, visualization, etc.

We inhabit certain energies wherever we live. Our homes are a space of unity where many energies meet – our feelings, thoughts and emotions emit a certain type of energy, but also attract other energies. Family members, neighbours or visitors in our homes can also bring in negative energies which may affect our mood and well-being.

Once they enter your home, negative energies impact your whole life. They can cause your budget to fluctuate, break the relationships between family members and disrupt the harmony in your home. As a result, you will feel anxious, restless and broken, with no will to live. However, the symptoms may not be noticeable earlier, which is why it’s important to know how to detect the negative energy in your home.

When moving into a new house, flat, unit or workplace, you will need to cleanse the new property or workplace because buildings absorb the energies of previous occupants. The curtains and carpets also need to be cleaned as they hold the stagnant/negative energies from previous tenants. These stagnant/negative energies can be absorbed by the people living or working within this space, causing arguments, physical and mental illnesses, and relationship problems.

Many people do not realize that when they move into a new place there are energies that might be lingering there from past residents or past incidents. While these energies are usually not going to greatly affect you, there is still a chance that it could affect you or someone in your family if the energy is strong enough. These energies can be particularly powerful in a home where negative energy has built up over a long period of time. For example, a home where a bitter divorce took place, a home where a suicide or murder took place, or a home where a person may have gone through major depression (or other disorders that would affect a person’s spirituality and/or mentality). These are all spaces that could be rife with leftover negative energy.

So while you focus on cleaning your new house physically, it is wise to remember to clean your new house spiritually as well. This also applies to a home that has never been cleansed spiritually to your knowledge. If you’re looking to lighten up the air and promote a positive energy flow in your home, cleansing the energy of your house is imperative.

Now that you understand the importance of energetically cleansing your home, let’s learn about the best and easiest ways to cleanse.

A good ol’ fashioned smudging ritual is a Native American tradition of lighting bundles of herbs and using the smoke in order to spiritually cleanse an area or person from negative energy or spirits. Different herbs are used in order to do a smudging ritual, and so the choice of herb is up to you. Some of the herb bundles that can be used include: white sage, cedar, and sweet grass. If you cannot get your hands on a smudging bundle, you can always make your own. Or you can use herbs that you have in your own kitchen cabinet!
There are many herbs with purification qualities that will work just as well as a white sage bundle will work in cleansing a home. For example, you can use dried rosemary, basil, common sage (the kind that you get from the grocery store), cloves, cumin, garlic, and onion (among many others). Create your own loose incense with one or more of these dried herbs and burn them over a charcoal disk (carefully of course!) Let the smoke fill each room with its purifying and cleansing powers.

Blessing one’s home while moving in is actually quite a common practice among various faiths. That being said, you do not have to be of a particular faith in order to bless your home before or while moving in.
The best things to use are oils or holy water. For the oil, you can use plain ol’ olive oil or whatever kind of oil you have in your cabinet. For the holy water, you can acquire some from a Church or create your own.

Cassandra and I were recently asked to perform a house cleansing for someone moving into our village and on this particular occasion we were given complete access to thoroughly examine the property and were there four hours.

It was indeed pleasure to do this work for our new residents and we warmly welcome them into our community.

July 6, 2018 0

Ten Years in Cornwall

The 12th June 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of my move to Cornwall. The life I visualised here is completely different to the one I now have.

Living near the sea, the elements of rain, wind and storms intensify. Cornwall may not be as cold as other parts of the UK (although our last winter was a harsh one) and frosts occur less here. The cost of living is rising everywhere, but in tourist areas, prices also rise during the holiday seasons and tourists pay higher prices for the short time they are here, but residents have to do this throughout the season. Work opportunities increase during summer, but lessen in winter and cold weather means an increase in utility bills.

Taking a vacation in Cornwall is easier than living here as you have free time to visit beaches and places of interest, but when one is trying to earn a living and survive, pleasure visits to beaches or sites rarely occur.

On a positive note I have enjoyed my work as Wisewoman throughout the last nine years and learnt so much from Cassandra Latham Jones during this fascinating and testing journey. Working with the land and sea’s powerful unpredictable energies has been challenging. Tests from the ‘powers that be’ are severe with obstacles constantly placed in one’s path. It takes strength of character and determination to overcome these and continue………the spirits test you as if to say ……..”how much do you want this???” Cassandra admits she has been tough task master with me throughout this time and admires my tenacity. She also revealed that others who desired to learn from her were unable to withstand the tough tasks and tests it entailed.

My experience and training in ceremonial magic while in Kent has been useful for conducting Rites of Passage. Cassandra is happy to leave what she refers to as ‘arm waving’ to me when setting up a sacred space for ceremonies.

The consultations we provide together work well, the moment just before a reading while Cassandra connects with a client’s energies, I ‘tune in’ to spirit presences around them. While Cassandra shuffles the Tarot cards I provide the client with a description of any presences and messages they wish to pass on. Cassandra then lays out the Tarot spread and on many occasions the same message has also appeared within the cards giving the client double confirmation. I have witnessed many readings over the years and I know her cards well. I own an identical Tarot deck and am able to provide readings from them.

Property cleansing needs a huge amount of work, particularly when they have been inhabited by a variety of residents over time,(more-so with period properties). The energies from traumatic events are absorbed within the foundation and walls of these buildings and can have a profound effect on future residents. In hotels and drinking establishments often referred to as Inns the energies intensify and can affect the smooth running of businesses. We have had many successful outcomes from this work.

Curse breaking is another intense area of our work. Many clients consult us about this and Cassandra has a unique and powerful method that she has passed on to me.

Wart charming is a service that at first I was rather sceptical of, it was difficult to understand how it could possibly work. Even now I cannot explain it but have witnessed the success of this process with clients.

I have constructed many charms over the years and had a high success rate with fertility charms in particular. It delights me to think I have assisted in creating new lives and brought happiness to prospective parents.

I continue to provide Holistic Services and have taught Reiki, a system that is of great benefit to students. The original practice of Reiki is more about spiritual and emotional development of the person rather than a complementary healing therapy. I have assisted a wide range of clients with Reiki including the terminally ill and also helped pets owners and those who work with stressed animals.

My Crisis and Trauma counselling services have also come to the fore as often clients are affected by religious cults and childhood abuse. They do not realize how past trauma can affect their everyday lives as adults, even though it happened long ago. This counselling service also helps those with bereavements, divorce, family issues and mental/physical health problems.

Walks with Wisewomen was also an enjoyable aspect of our work as it enables us to visit and enjoy the sites with our clients. I have, over time learnt the folklore associated with them by listening to Cassandra repeating the information on each visit. We also find out more about our clients as we converse with them while walking to and from the sites. (We no longer provide this service).

Our: ‘Old Ways’ workshops have been successful during the last few years. I suggested hosting them and Cassandra was at first a little reticent, but as we had many inquiries about them, she agreed to try. The workshops have gone from strength to strength covering five subjects. We have met some fabulous people who experienced some extraordinary occurrences while they were with us. The preparation and workshops themselves are hard work but also energizing and satisfying on a deeper level.

I have learnt a great deal while living here and the main lesson is that life is indeed unpredictable. One can plan for the future to a certain extent but unforeseen circumstances can create sudden changes that can have incredible impact with positive or negative outcomes.

I have also learnt that being successful in work and within a community brings rivalries, competitiveness and jealousy from some, who will then project dissatisfaction with themselves onto another. When a person experiences this level of pettiness it is vital to remember that these people, by their treatment of you, are validating how exceptionally good you are. If you were not successful or talented, negative people would not bother with you. When a person moves into a new community, they are on ‘foreign territory’ and therefore vulnerable to predators and bullies. I have also met, genuine good-hearted people within the community who will do what they can to assist and support you, especially if they were once in this position.

Cassandra Latham Jones falls into this category and has helped me in so many ways.

I have integrated socially by attending festivals and utilising my talents as musician and dancer. The residents of St Buryan village have been particularly welcoming and now treat me as part of their community.

My time here has been a catalyst for new ideas as Cassandra and I, along with my son, formed our: Guise team Boekka featuring Penkevyll the Lands End ‘Oss. Our team has performed since 2010 and we now have Morvargh my Dark Sea ‘Oss who has joined our team. To top it all, my idea of Cassandra, myself and Penkevyll the ‘Oss, meeting Phil and Vivien Larcher with their Welsh Mari Lwyd in Boscastle on Samhain 2014, has now grown into a huge event: The Dark Gathering!

As I have been a resident of Cornwall since 2008, I am no longer a ‘newbie’. The local community has witnessed the difficulties and the obstacles I have overcome. I am sure certain individuals could not have withstood or endured a fraction of what they have directed my way, but that is par for the course. The positives I have experienced far outweigh the negatives and I am still here…….

June 14, 2018 4