Commentary on the
Red Meal and Traditional Pagan Craft
* * *
The Red Meal, as a cornerstone of the Craft that I have come to know
and practice, is a sublime and complex operation, despite its outward
simplicity. If done properly, it has a way of breaking down the
barriers between the conscious mind, the unconscious reaches of
experience, and the Underworld itself.
Just the first of these two places- the conscious mind and the
unconscious reaches of the mind- can be dangerous to "mix" suddenly
and strongly. Intrusions from the unconscious places in ourselves,
into the conscious mind and personality can cause everything from
madness to delusions, hallucinations, anxiety, and confusion. To bring
in the "third" and deepest layer that can still be described as
"experience", that is, The Underworld, is even more powerful an act.
Luckily, The Underworld is not so simple to access, nor is it simple
for its powers to intrude into this world, and into the unconscious or
conscious minds of human beings. It can and does influence the
unconscious mind, which in turn shapes underlying textures and
conscious experiences, but it is still separated from this world by an
"abyss" of types, which I cannot explain. I can only say that it takes
a strong effort to shift the mind into a receptive enough and deep
enough condition to apprehend the forms of the Underworld directly.
Most people think that shifting their awareness to allow themselves
access to their unconscious is the same as seeing the Underworld or
experiencing it. It is not the same thing, however. It IS closer, in
essence, to the Underworldly condition, but it isn't "all the way" there.
The Underworld is just as real as this world, and it has many strong
powers in it, including dangerous ones. It's to our benefit that we
are largely separated from it consciously during our lives. But its
effects are felt everywhere, and it is still the "matrix" from which
the mind arises- both the unconscious and the conscious minds. In much
the same way that the unconscious mind is the "lesser matrix" for the
conscious mind, the Underworld is the Ur-Matrix for them both, their
true Mother.
The Red Meal sends "down" a "line of connection" with the conscious
and unconscious minds and the Underworld. It allows something of the
arcane or eldritch powers of the Underworld to suffuse the unconscious
and the conscious minds, and thus, the being of the individual. It
imparts the sort of regeneration that the Underworld is the source of
to the being, for in that deepest darkness, there is the end and the
beginning of all things. The Red Meal is thus initiatory, in a way.
But it's also a bridge. You might consider it to be a "Red River" of
blood that runs from the mind of the being, cascading down into the
Underworld, and returning again, rising up, back to the individual,
making a loop, a circle. Nascent awareness of the Unseen Half of
reality is allowed to begin to form as long as that loop is kept
strong, refreshed by more blood or drink from the Red Meal. The bread
of the Red Meal adds an earthy element to the drink; the blood is
given a "body" of types, making it less liquid and part solid. The
body is allowed to act as a "sponge" to the Red Meal, capturing and
grounding some of the blessings and powers rising from the Underworld
and integrating them into its psychic being.
One must never downplay the physical effects of the Red Meal. It can
heal; it can invigorate; it can transform, even physically. It is rare
for this to happen outright, but over time, as conscious awareness of
the Unseen grows stronger, power is allowed to rise and be integrated
at a steadily stronger level until even physical manifestations of
phenomenon are possible.
Naturally, physical manifestations aren't required or even necessary;
like all spiritual techniques, the Red Meal's desired transformations
are on the spiritual and the psychic or mental levels. But anything is
possible, and any change that does happen on the spiritual and psychic
level WILL be met with reflected changes in the outer world; changes
will occur in your life.
Sometimes they can be brilliant or joyful; they can also be alarming.
One thing is for certain. Many, many people who have used the Red Meal
constantly have reported strong (and sometimes alarming) effects with
it. It is the heart and core of Land-Based Traditional Craft, in much
the same way that a similar ritual is the heart and core of
Christianity- the Eucharist.
The Red Meal is a meal shared by human beings and Elves, Land-Wights,
Spirits of the Dead, and Underworldly Powers. It is a significant convocation of powers, brought together around two powerful symbols
and three powerful acts. It is the essence of all human religion, but
a free and powerful form that has not had its wings clipped by
dominant spiritual paradigms that are lacking in wisdom and consumed
by fear.
The sacred and mysterious "Otherworldly connection" forged by the Red
Meal, which becomes a tangible feature of the inner life of the person
who takes it with regularity, allows that person access to the Heathen
powers of life and death, and gives them a glimpse of Fate's massive
weave, and the depths of her unknowable being. The taking of the Red
Meal is the beginning and end of all true Sorcerous endeavors, as
well. For this reason alone it deserves the title of "Witch Supper".
When you take the Red Meal, bear in mind the symbol of the "Crimson
Round River" or the "Red Loop" that connects the person who eats and
drinks from the "Dame's Hallowed Cup" and eats the "Devil's Red Grain"
with the Underworld. It must pour like a waterfall of power from the
body and splash into the "Soul-Pond of Holda" in the deep Underworld,
and rise again, pregnant and swimming with power, ariving again in the
body.
In the middle, on the dividing-line between what is seen and unseen,
understand the two symbols- the cup running with blood or liquid, and
the bread born of grain. Anything that you might put in that cup comes
from the land, and though it represents blood, blood itself forms a
river in the Underworld, according to tradition.
Blood is beneath the land; one can divine from the power-reflection in
the body and its fleshy earth, with hot veins of blood running below.
Ale is born from the land; so is mead (honey is made of pollen) and
wine from the grape. Bread is from the Land. The plants that give us
these things impart their power in their products to take us back to
their source- the roots of these plants run to the Underworld. They
are gifts from below.
They spring up, take on their plant-shape, and reveal their ordinary
aspect. Humans are capable, through cunning, through the sorceries of
fire-use, and the alchemy and science of ground-level skills and
crafts (including fermentation) to borrow power from these things,
transmute it, and take that power into themselves. By will and
imagination, these powers can be harnessed to carry us back to their
source. This is Wortcunning, the mastery of the powers of plants, in
its most immediate and spiritual form.
