23 Enigma

21/03/2022

Vikings in Loch Lomond, Scotland 1263 CE

'The persevering shielded warriors of the throwers of the whizzing spear drew their boats across the broad isthmus. Our fearless troops, the extractors of contribution, with flaming brands wasted the populous Islands in the lake (Loch Lomond), and the mansions around its winding bays.'

The Saga of Haakon Haakonarson by Sturla Thorsson C.1265

'Just before the famous Battle of Largs in 1263, King Hakon of Norway sent 40 ships up Loch Long, a sea Loch, to meet with Magnus, King of Mann. The Vikings pulled their ships out of the water and dragged them across land to Loch Lomond, from where they sailed south to raid the island settlements.'

On the old Coffin Road from Arrochar to Tarbet, where Vikings carried small ships they took with them on raids, overland to raid Loch Lomond. The Still Brae marks their entry into the Loch.

The Vikings got their erses kicked by Clan MacFarlane on their return; a battle between the warbands was fought below here, but Norse warriors eventually settled here, and left Viking hog-back grave markers here, on Bute, and in Glasgow: Visit Govan Stones on Facebook ffi.

06/01/2022

2022: The Arrival and the Reunion

As we contemplate the year before us, we wish you a year of fulfilment: May your path rise up to meet you!

Midwinter: Adder continues its long, winter dreaming, and our dreams birthed during Solstice days incubate, before emerging into the light of lengthening days.

As a new cycle begins, walk through an avenue of beech (Phagos, Celtic ogham tree of knowledge, where our word 'book' derives), to Killin Neolithic stone circle in Stirling, where long, long ago did the faeries flee; here, to the vale of the Black Goddess and the White Lady!

23 Enigma re-opens tomorrow with trading hours of 11am - 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

If you are lost to yourself, come find your inner voice among our books and tools, and walk between the worlds.

Blessings from 23 Enigma

18/09/2021

A reminder 23 Enigma is closed today, and a warm welcome to new customers and friends, after re-opening in April.

We may reside in Glasgow, a very modern city, albeit with ancient roots, but you are held within Scotland's prehistoric, sacred landscape. Less than half an hour from 23 Enigma is a 3500 BCE sacred site marking the autumn equinox, the time of balance leading to darkening days, a quickening of energies culminating at the winter solstice.

23 Enigma will re-open on Tuesday and offers you the tools you need to embark on your own inner journey in our lands of ancient mysteries.

Blessings o the season from us.

25/04/2021

Stoking the Fires of Beltane

Long ago, in deepest time, a mysterious tribe of divine beings appeared at Beltane, manifesting from a golden light...

The portal of Beltane isn't the only magical opening this week! 23 Enigma will re-open tomorrow from 11am - 7pm until Saturday.

We've been stocking-up on new books to add to our vast collection of esoterica, and all ye of goodwill are most welcome into our sacred space in the heart of Glasgow.

Each of us has an endless field of consciousness to explore; the Old Ones await you...

04/04/2021

The Pagan Origins of Easter/Ostara

Easter derives from the Anglo-Saxon term
Ēostre, first mentioned by the venerable Bede circa 8th century CE. A Catholic priest's book of prayers and rites for the liturgical year (Missal), tells of the pagan origins of Easter: 'Easter is derived from Ēostre, the name of a pagan Saxon goddess, and a spring festival in her honour was Christianised.'

Easter is a 'moveable feast' on the full moon after the Spring Equinox, belying its pagan origins. The Equinox is one of the four fixed solar festivals: spring and autumn equinoxes and summer and winter solstices. Its ritual date marks the beginning of the Zodiac (sphere of fixed stars) at Aries.

The daffodil is the plant spirit teacher of Ostara, its hexagram face (The Six-Rayed Star), represents the Hermetic axiom of 'As above, so below' or Azoth: The Great work. It's a time of equilibrium; the equinoxes are the only time throughout the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west, forming an axis.

Latha na Cailleach, Cailleach's Day, on the 25th of March, marks the divine winter hag's transformation into Bride, who reigns after the Vernal Equinox, greening the land with the regenerating Celtic horned God: Cernunnos.

With our blessings to you all at Ostara, Easter.

Resurgam: All is risen (Phoenix).

01/04/2021

Warning: Sighted - The Scottish Forest Crocodile

Nature has kept us all sane during lockdown, but danger lurks unawares!

I caught a rare glimpse of the Scottish Forest Crocodile (Crocodilis Scotis silvam); I must've disturbed it while rambling in a Glasgow park. I took a photo and fled, leaving it to its mossy camouflage, but it could've ended tragically!

Be vigilant out there!

A merry All Fools' Day (Puck's Day)- a day of mischief and misrule! Click & reveal

25/03/2021

21/03/2021

Spring Equinox Greetings

Due to the intensity of lockdown we've all been under the craw's wing (the dark o winter) for o'erlong, but at long last we can all warm our faces in the sun like the flower of the season, the daffodil, its hexagonal face forms a six-pointed star; the solar symbol of the sun.

The Cailleach drinks deep of the well o immortality, transforming into Brighid, thus winter recedes and spring resides, marking our time of rejuvenation, the time to 'force the fire from within!'

23 Enigma will re-open on 26th of April when we hope to see faces old and new, thirsting for ways to awaken the firesnake and tread ancient paths of wisdom: Take the first step and your path will rise up to meet you.

Farewell folks, enjoy the waxing sun, and 23 Enigma will be with you very soon.

Our thanks to Allison for our Brighid/Bride tryfuss, and to the lovely folks at Corn Moon Spirit for the fylfot Brighid cross gifted to Ladywell, many moons ago.

25/01/2021

In Celebration o Rabbie Burns: Ayrshire Bard and Ploughman Poet

'This life, sae far's I understand,
Is a' enchanted fairy-land,
Where pleasure is the magic-wand,
That, wielded right,
Maks hours like minutes, hand in hand,
Dance by fu' light.'

Extract: Epistle to James Smith by Burns, 1786

Be blest with guid health and peace and riches, and as this day is wearin late, let's awa and dance wi the witches...

Poem by Robert Burns The Bard of Scotland.Read by Simon Tait.

25/12/2020

Yuletide Greetings

Wishing you all a merry Christmas.You'll always find a warm hearth here at 23 Enigma; walk between the worlds through the pages of our books, find tools of transformation, and know yourself in 2021.

Our best wishes, 23 Enigma

22/12/2020

When the Stars Align

Solstitial greetings on emergence from the longest night; the eternal cosmic mystery.

After samhain, the great Scottish goddess - the Cailleach - rides a sow through the otherworld portal of the Corryvreckan whirlpool (her broiling cauldron) to the otherworld. Our folklore then tells of the Cailleach in mystic marriage to the Guid Faither (Good Father) at a specific location in Scotland, where the Creation of the Gods takes place.

This cosmic act culminates at the winter solstice, the solar standstill, a time - out-of-time-and-space - thereafter the sun waxes to its zenith at the summer solstice.

A second mystic marriage between Jupiter and Saturn amplified the esoteric symbolism of this winter solstice.

Our magickal formula covers you as you enter 23 Enigma: see the mystic marriage of our goddess and guid faither which the sun just happens to illuminate at the winter solstice...

Blessings to you all at this still point, when the return of the light bears even more importance to each of us after our year of trials.