Magical Glasgow: Temple of the Moon

22/03/2022

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

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 3500BCE 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 ourlands 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

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.

31/10/2020

16/07/2020

Reopening 18/7/2020 11am - 7pm

Our thanks for your well-wishes & support over 25 years of trading!

31/01/2020

Imbolc approaches, its new magical current awakens the serpent in the belly of our land, marking an incredible achievement for us!

On this day in 1995, we planted a seed in the heart of old Glasgow's sacred geometry; now we celebrate 25 years and we couldn't have done it without you!

To friends here, and around the world, our very best wishes from 23 Enigma

01/12/2019

Approaching Days of Ember

The Wheel of the Year turns again and our midwinter festival of Yule approaches, meaning 23 Enigma is now open daily: 10am - 6pm and 1 - 6pm on Sundays for inspiring and magical gifting ideas, including vouchers for tarot consultations or anything you wish from our shop.

Listen for the Wild Hunt as the gates to the Otherworld open...

Cernunnos with Holly and Swan feather from sacred Loch Lomond, created by our Cailleach in a circle of evergreen, for we await rebirth.

23/09/2019

Dumgoyach Prehistoric Autumn Equinox Stone Row, near Glasgow

Glasgow's surrounded by an ancestral, ritual landscape which covered most of these isles and beyond, marking an ancient, ritual calendar. Just ten miles north of Glasgow, overlooking 15th century Duntreath castle tower, is a neolithic stone row marking today's autumn equinox, Mabon in the pagan calendar and Alban Elfed 'light in the water' of the Druids, as well as the spring equinox and summer solstice.

In 'Archaeology Around Glasgow' Susan Hothersall says stone rows are typically Bronze Age, but excavation of this site suggests a Neolithic date. A 1972 excavation found ash and charcoal from a fire on this sacred site dated to 3500BC. Jasper and pitchstone artefacts found 'were of a type usually associated with Mesolithic times - 8000-4000 BC'!

The one remaining standing stone is aligned with a hill notch to the east in the Strathblane Hills called the Earl's Seat, or in local folklore, the sleeping warrior (thanks Alison), or a prehistoric goddess? Euan Mackie found the notch marks the rising spring equinox sun (two days later), or the rising autumnal equinox sun (two days earlier).

Research from a wealth of sites available, esp Modern Antiquarian, Stones of Wonder and Northern Antiquarian etc, browse our books and blether to us, but most of all, ponder the mysteries embodied in our sacred landscape by these stone temples, marking the same sacred, liminal times of initiation as our ancestors.

As the Pleiades rise, we stand at the gates of shadow as the dark half of the year approaches and we enter the cauldron of regeneration. Be blessed.

This is a livestock field so keep dogs on a leash for safety. If you witness anyone damaging the site, report to police.