Finnish And Scottish Folk Magic, Need resources about their practice Options

I'm fairly new to working magic, though I do have some knowledge of Finnish and Scottish folklore. Unfortunately, resources about Finnish folk magic are rare--in English, a least. I have found some free ebooks available through Google books, namely Suomen Kansan Muinaisia Loitsurunoja (in Finnish, by Elias Lonnrot) and its partial English translation in The Pre- and Proto-Historic Finns with The Magic Songs of the West Finns, Vol. I and II. Also I have found an online article called "Finnish Paganism" (in English, by Anssi Alhonen) referring briefly to Finnish wizards called tietäjä. (I have links to them in Neophyte Hall under "Which Path Suits Me Best?".). I have also found the "Carmina Gadelica," which is a Gaelic/English collection of Scottish Highland hymn-charms.

Do you know of any online or printed resources that specifically describe HOW a Finnish tietäjä and a Scottish folk witch practice magic? And also any that describe in detail their herbalist/magical methods and recipes for healing and for spells? I can't find any resources that discuss these things.

I'm a bit leery about the book Finnish Magic: A Nation of Wizards, A World of Spirits (by Robert Nelson) as it seems to have a bad reputation amongst Finns.

Also, I'd prefer to read about non-Wiccan-influenced descriptions of Finnish and Scottish folk magic.

Any ideas?

Thanks for yout help!

--"Rabbit"

I'm Finnish and know a bit about the ways of the local wisemen, or "tietäjät" (pl.)

The basic idea is that you can control an aspect in Creation by knowing its origin. I.e. you could heal a sickness if you sang the birth song of the evil creature that caused it. Incidentally healing was one of the main intents Finnish wisemen worked for, and some of them were very famous and revered for their powers. Like in folk magic elsewhere too, spirits, magical objects, potions, spells and rituals etc. played their part as well, but I know less about the specifics.

Lonnrot gathered our national epic book Kalevala. Have you read any of it? That would be obvious start... Väinämöinen, one of the main characters is an archetypal wiseman. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Link:http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/

This post has been edited by Agni: Oct 11 2008, 02:58 AM

I'm Finnish and know a bit about the ways of the local wisemen, or "tietäjät" (pl.)

WOW -- a fellow Finn! I was just wondering, could you cite your sources (sorry... I sound like an English teacher) where you learned about how a tietäjä practices magick? I don't suppose you've had any hands-on experience, have you? That would be awesome if you had!

WOW -- a fellow Finn!

Nice to meet ya..

Aren't we Finns everywhere on the internet? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I was just wondering, could you cite your sources (sorry... I sound like an English teacher) where you learned about how a tietäjä practices magick? I don't suppose you've had any hands-on experience, have you? That would be awesome if you had!

Uhm, no sorry.. For some reason I thought you were from abroad and I simply shared a crude overall description of the wisemen based on what I've learned (in school?). So, yes, I know "a bit" like I said, a very small bit I should add. In fact you've probably learned a lot more already in your studies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I guess I've never read much about the ways of our ancestors, as although historical occult practices are always fascinating, personally my main interests still lie in Western Mystery Tradition.

Nice to meet ya..

Likewise!

Aren't we Finns everywhere on the internet? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Of course, after all, we're technology addicts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/worthy.gif)

Uhm, no sorry.. For some reason I thought you were from abroad...

Actually you were right the first time, I'm a Finnish-American from New England (if that counts as "abroad" in comparison to where you live).

... I simply shared a crude overall description of the wisemen based on what I've learned (in school?). So, yes, I know "a bit" like I said, a very small bit I should add. In fact you've probably learned a lot more already in your studies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Oh, OK. Well, it was worth a shot.

I guess I've never read much about the ways of our ancestors, as although historical occult practices are always fascinating, personally my main interests still lie in Western Mystery Tradition.

I suppose as a third generation Finnish-American, I may be more obsessive about wanting to know as much as I can about my Finnish ancestors and their way of life than natives of Finland do (after all, I've always hated American history and I'm "American"). I have found that immigrants and their children are always desperate about preserving their heritage in the so-called melting-pot of America, especially in my family since I've only every met one Finn who wasn't related to me and everyone else has never heard of Finland. Grrr...

Thanks!