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Origin of the chants 

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The origins of the chants

1.   I first heard this chant at the second Spiral Camp in West Wales , such a magical site with a leyline running diagonally across the field.  It was an extraordinary gathering of Goddess oriented, wild and wonderful singing Women; I went there on a quest to find the wise witches who would teach me the craft, to my huge shock the answer I received was ‘look within’.

2.   I learnt this one from Lee, a Spiral woman from Bristol whom I meet with once in a while in a field somewhere for an intensive song and chant swap; she was told it is a water calming Native American chant.

3.   This one came from a wonderfully skilled Greenham witch I knew called Jayne, we would meet at Eastnor on the Malvern Hills and do magical kite flying, and Labyrinth building with tomato sticks and balls of wool.

4.   A compilation from Rainbow Circle, especial thanks to Tara and Jean Morning Star whose beautiful singing first inspired my interest and love for the chants of the tribe.  It perfectly illustrates the evolving nature of these chants, the second verse is early Rainbow Circle and the first is one of several later variations!

5.   Native American chant, I learned it at Buddafield when two women whose names I apologise for not being able to credit were running a workshop.  There were at least fifty people all singing the different parts walking slowly around the marquee, amazing!

  6.   Rainbow Circle , a most useful chant for encouraging a reluctant fire to get going!  Not sure if I got all the words quite right, it works though!!!!

7.   Quite a well known chant, Prana certainly made a recording of it, but so beautiful and important we wanted to include it.

8.   Rainbow Circle , a fine chant for singing in a cave!

9.   This chant was written by a Polish earth witch and old friend, Kaisa Morris from Bristol .  Priestess and artist, I learnt much from Kaisa; she is a leading expert in the much underestimated Arte of Practical Hippy Magic, Enochian invocations and posh robes are fine in their place but when confronted by a stuck truck, hostile police or other such challenging situations you need something a bit more earthy!

10.   Written by Kate, a chant celebrating the sacred cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.

11.   Again a well known chant sung by many people including Julie Felix, but so lovely and enduring we wanted to sing it too!

12.   Another chant by Kaisa, the tune by Mooney.

13.   I learnt this version from a Druid named Heather at one of Michael De Ward’s ground breaking but undervalued Interfaith Camps held at Blacklands near Avebury.  Michael was an Anglican, a deeply holy man, now sadly no longer with us.  As Pagans we owe Michael a great deal; his goodness and gentle heart will always be remembered by those who met him.  The single ‘Rose, rose’ verse I believe is traditional.

The title ‘Alu Mari’ means ‘to the sea’ and originates from the burning times.  It was the chant used by Italian witches who chose to drown themselves in the sea, returning to the Mother, rather than renounce their faith.

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