The test of a poet's vision, one might say, is the accuracy of his portrayal of the White Goddess and of the island over which she rules. The reason why the hairs stand on end, the eyes water, the throat is constricted, the skin crawls and a shiver runs down the spine when one writes or reads a true poem is that a true poem is necessarily an invocation of the White Goddess, or Muse, the Mother of All Living, the ancient power of fright and lust -- the female spider of the queen-bee whose embrace is death.

(Robert Graves¹)

• Palm Reading

• New Year's

• Gifts

• Haints

Palm Reading

• For females, examine the left hand. For males, examine the right.
• Take extra care to avoid spendthrift behavior if:
  • The heart line runs up and "off" the palm, between first and second fingers.
  • Light can be seen shining between the fingers, when they are pressed closed together.
• Take extra care to avoid contrariness with spouse, if head and life lines do not meet.
• The length of the life line is not an indication of longevity, but general fortitude and endurance in life.

New Year's

• The first person through your door on New Year's Day indicates the fortune that lies ahead for you in the new year.

Gifts

• Gifts in sets of four suggest ill will. If you receive such a gift, break up the set and give part away.

Haints

• Haints are troubled and troubling spirits who had ill-met deaths.
  • Do not entertain haints. They need to move on.
  • If a haint is lingering around you or your home, communicate with your guardian angel, spirit guide, ancestral spirits, or family saints. Ask for intercession to lead the haint on. Ask your guardian spirit to communicate with the haint's guardian spirit. Bless your house with salt or holy water.
  • If a haint is persistent and somewhat bothersome, sprinkle salt around your house, then sweep it up. Take the swept-up salt and throw it in running water away from your home. Alternatively, leave an offering for the haint away from your house. In either case, return home by a different path.
  • If a haint is particularly troublesome, seek the aid of a person experienced in these matters.
  • If a haint is harassing -- when things fly -- seek the aid of a priest.
• If you see a duppy (a ghost), cross your arms and legs, spit to your left, and say: "rat bastard."

Footnotes

1. The White Goddess; Graves, Robert; Farrar, Straus and Girox; New York; 1948, 1975

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