People have always asked for the assistance of those versed in the arcane arts, with a spiritual connection to the more mystical forms of God. For more than five-hundred years in Britain, these people were the cunning folk. In every village a cunning man or woman had a business set up where those experiencing everyday troubles or the effects of nasty curse would go to seek out a cure and make their life better. The craft of the cunning folk involved divination and the reading of tea leaves and oracles, the creation of herbal or parchment charms, the conjuring of powerful spirits and familiars to be assigned with a task, healing and plucking through the hedgerows to create medicines, and the ability to consult magical tomes and grimoires to find potent prayers and ancient charms. The cunning folk got things done, and they made magic happen.
In this workshop we will learn of the figure of the cunning person and the craft they worked. Many were eccentrics in their dress, decoration, and decorum, and we will learn of some tales of these zany people, from stuffed lizards in the front room to elaborate performances demonstrating their magic. Most interestingly, we will craft for ourselves some of the European folk charms which have been utilized for centuries: an empowering herbal elixir, the healing charm, and the witch's ball. This class will be an opportunity for the magical people of today to step past the veil of time and stand in the shoes of some of history's most charismatic and enigmatic magicians.
