Book project
32 pages · tap a page to read its text
By: Hailey Richard
1. A Charm to Begin the Journey
2. 'My Magical Landscape' Personal Narrative of Place
3. 3 Picture Story
4. Charm Walk Brochure
5. Travel Site Description of a Memorial Site or of an Accused Woman
6. Filling Out the Picture (Based On Isobel Gowdie)
7. Found Poem
8. Adjusted/Altered Map
9. Charm to Return Home 10. Reflection
AND CLEAR THE WAY
The purpose of this charm is to help you leave behind the comforts of home and prepare your mind for the journey ahead. By dropping the token from your yard onto the threshold, you are making a clear split between your normal routine and traveling. Carrying a piece of your starting point or your old self wrapped in a leaf keeps you grounded while you explore new places.
This ritual must be performed on the morning of departure, at the exact hour when the dusk turns to dawn, before you have eaten any meal or spoken a single word to a living soul.
You must gather three simple tokens from the place you are leaving behind: a clean linen pouch, a silver coin or a smooth white pebble from your home, and a green leaf plucked from a living branch.
Open your front door wide to face the open road. Place the linen pouch flat on the doorstep. Lay the green leaf inside the pouch, and set the token of silver or stone directly upon the leaf to anchor it.
You must keep your lips pressed tightly together, breathing through your nose, as you tie the neck of the pouch shut with a single strand of your hair. Tie three tight knots, pulling each one firmly as you release your intent into the fabric.
Stand inside your home. Step completely over the wrapped pouch with your left foot first, making sure your shoe does not brush against it as you cross into the outside world.
Once both your feet are planted on the dirt path, reach down with your left hand, take up the pouch, and slide it deep into your travel bag or the pocket closest to your your breast.
Walk forward nine paces down the road without looking back at your door. Stop, turn face toward the long path ahead, and tap the outside of your pocket three times. Keep this pouch hidden away for your entire journey. As long as the token from your home rests beneath the green leaf in your keeping, the dust of the road shall not blind you, the confusion of strange places shall not shake you, and your eye will stay sharp to see the hidden truths.
BEAUTIES
It is in the small and inconceivable moments that we witness the enduring power of transformation. I have personally sat with individuals who carry with them the sins of their past, only to behold the fortuitous transformation that occurs by having a heart-to-heart with a loved one. The release of generational trauma and pent-up anger, the unburdening of remorse, all dissipate like morning dew under the guidance of compassion. What exactly prompts change and transformation? Oftentimes, nature does with its capacity to inspire.
According to old Scottish folklore, if you stick your face into certain bodies of water, you will be granted eternal beauty. From this, obviously not a true myth, what I can take away is that it has healing properties, and we as humans look to it for answers.
I imagine that years ago, settlers roamed the very lands that I am standing on for a better life. I can see this now as I take in the air around me. It is light and pure, unlike the urban landscape that I come from. Even the birds' songs are different. They squawk in a language of peace and tranquility that can only be learned from intentional isolation and steadiness. They groan and cry when greeted by lifefroms different from them, fiercely protecting their young. Around me, vibrant stretches of lush greenery cover the land, filling me with a sense of longing, the simple beauty taking me back to growing up in southern Georgia. The ocean rumbles with steady fierceness below, saying to the beach goes to come in. The large stone castles that I pass by remind me of a simpler time. Before the internet and cars, days were numbered instead of promised. The fervent and harsh winds make their way up the empty sections of my coat, icing my veins and altering my senses.
My place on this island is as a visitor. My permanence is short-lived; I notice, as my footsteps wash away from the sand almost the second that they appear. There will be no trace of me left once I leave. I will be forgotten, slipping into the ether of yesterday. As I walk along the sand, I imagine those who came before me taking these same steps. Taking this same path. We are alike in a way, both of us charting down the beach in search of something unexplainable. While thousands of years ago, people likely scoured this land looking for salvation and reprieve from the harshness of the early ruling empires, I am looking for clarity. The kind of clarity that only presents itself when fully isolated. I find that in the company of only the gulls and the surf, I find the rare and breathtaking luxury of existing entirely in this moment.
I decided to stray from walking along the shore and instead hunt for sea glass. I believe that seaglass signifies transformation, healing, and resilience. Beyond that, the formation of this seaglass represents patience and dedication, things that I could practice more. The process of the ocean tumbling, frosting, and polishing glass takes years or even decades. Walking along the beach to find it has taken some effort and lots of patience. I decided to leave the seaglass in the sand rather than taking it back with me. I believe that it is important to respect the land. To give back to the earth to receive its full-fledged abundance.
As I end my walk, I hike up to the very top of this island. Standing on what I call “no man's land”, the harsh winds begin ot violenely tug at my all too thin raincoat. Yet my mind is quiet. From up here, the layout of the island starts to reveal itself slowly. The ancient stone abbey sits rooted below like an impassive monument, rivaling human patience while the modern reality hums faintly on the horizon. Looking down at the paths I just walked, I see that the clarity I was hunting for isn't immediate. It is found in the willingness to stand still, to observe the ancient structures, and to accept that true transformation happens slowly, one quiet, intentional step at a time.
What I find so beautiful about Incholm is its noticeable but devastating simplicity. When you look at Stirling Castle, it is often intimidating. The stone structure speaks of a time of medieval prowess and brute power. It can often be overwhelming to walk through those halls. To be present in rooms adorned in ancient regalia and covered in tapestries that tell ancient stories and depict great rulers. Incholm is much easier to digest. The stone castles are not as grand, allowing visitors to relate more with the structures as they remind us of the homes we live in. We can imagine thousands of years ago, some of the rooms filled with displays of their loved ones and achievements, similar to ours. We can imagine a teenage girl mad at the world, slamming the door behind her as she throws herself onto the bed. We can imagine families trailing along these vast landscapes for games and fun, and even to reflect on their journey to the land and what's to come.
Incholm is a haven for nature lovers, showing off many land and sea creatures. The puffins that we got to see were nothing less than extraordinary, especially since it is not a common occurrence. Additionally, getting to see the seals in their natural habitat and witnessing their behaviors was cool. Something that I have noticed while in this country is the mutualistic relationship between the animals and humans. Animals here are viewed as not viewed as second-class citizens but rather as equal companions. I observe this dynamic quite in depth, seeing the dogs walk freely, no restraint, just genuine trust from their owners. I see people take pictures of the seals and puffins, respecting them not to do anything further but just observe. Incholm is truly a special place because anyone, regardless of heritage or purpose, can experience the melancholy of the past.
Story
WHY CHOOSE INCHOLM ISLAND FOR YOUR NEXT VACATION?
Step back into the 12th century. Founded by King David II, Incholm Abbey is widely celebrated as the most complete and best preserved group of monastic buildings in all of Scotland
The visitor centre and museum house a 13th- century wall painting, an ancient carved Celtic cross, and a hogback stone dating back to the Viking era.
SPEND THE PERFECT DAY AWAY!
GUIDE TO CHARM WALK
Before disembarking from the ferry at Hawes Pier, ground yourself in the purpose of this expedition. You are here to shed the modern noise. Carry with you a notebook, a pencil, and the talismanic charm provided below. At the indicated station, you will read the assigned stanza aloud to the open wind, observe a physical sensory trigger, and allow your subconscious to unearth a corresponding memory.
"Stone to stand where tides break long, Breath to catch the wind's old song. What is buried deep in silt, Finds the house that memory built. Turn the key and step within, Where the coast and soul begin."
MUST SEE HIGHLIGHTS
THE CHAPTER HOUSE
A stunning, stone vaulted room that serves as the focal point for monastic life
A mysterious, stone roofed single room chapel on the west side, dating back as early as the 9th century
From Cold War relics to colorful street art, the city offers a unique experience for every traveler.
THE HERMIT'S CELL & THE SUBTERRANEAN SELF
Leave the medieval abbey behind and walk west toward the edge of the rocky terrace. Here sits a diminutive, stone- roofed single chamber dating back to the 9th century-a structure that predates the abbey itself by hundreds of years. Duck your head low and step down into its dim, unadorned interior.
Stand entirely still in the cool dampness where ancient recluses once sat for months in absolute isolation. Let your eyes adjust. Inhale the dense scent of cold earth, sea salt, and ancient dust trapped within the stone walls.
Step into medieval mystery, rich with wildlife, and fortified by wartime history, all just six miles away from Edinburgh
Walking along this charmed path, you are immensely protected. As visitors walk past wartime concrete bunkers and fortresses, reciting these sharp, rhythmic lines helps them confront and lock away their own anxieties, "fortifying" their inner mental state just as the soldiers fortified the island's CLIFFS AND BARRIERS.
Wronged 1662
Remembered 2024
Throughout time, women have been persecuted for simply being women. This condemnation does not have any discriminatory appeal; it targets women from all different backgrounds and walks of life, uniting under the strongly veiled umbrella of patriarchy and misogyny. Perhaps one of the most fervent examples of this commitment to oppress women is the Scottish witch trials. The average person knows what witches are, mostly from exaggerated media and Halloween costumes, and we can assume that they know the meaning of the word trial, rooted in the Gallo-Roman word triar, meaning to pick out. What we cannot assume, however, is that the average person has baseline knowledge of the Scottish witch trials that proved the devastating power of mass panic.
As captured in the picture, the stone is carved with a twisting Rowan tree, a deliberate choice, given that the Roman tree was historically planted to ward off witchcraft and evil spirits. Its deep roots form a knot at the base, anchoring the names of three local women: Margaret Mathie, Jonet Chrystie, and Elspeth Young. Above their names, a chiselled inscription reads, "Wronged 1662. Remember 2024.” The placement of the memorial itself is very appropriate, as it is placed in a grassy and public area serving as an educational marker for both locals and visitors to reflect on the history.
To modern-day humans, the year 1662 may seem quite arbitrary. However, in the context of Scottish history, it represents the devastating peak of the Scottish witch trials, the largest and most intense panic of the country's history. While popular culture often points to the Salem witch trials as a point of reference for witchcraft, Scotland's obsession with rooting out suspected witches was far more lethal. Between the passage of the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 and its eventual repeal in 1736, more than 4,000 women were brutalized and killed.
The reasoning behind this execution was a combination of religion being so deeply ingrained in society following the Reformation and corrupt legal systems. In a small and tight- knit community like Abernaty, neighbors often held the power of life and death. The smallest things could often set off witch accusations. If a cow or child fell ill, many would speculate that witchcraft was involved, or if a child. If a woman was seen in public acting “quarrelsome”, or a personal dispute turned into resentment, accusations were often made.
When looking into the survey of Scottish witchcraft databases for these three women, efforts came to a sobering halt. They are almost entirely ghosts. There are no entries detailing their specific crimes. Historical patterns suggest that they were most likely elderly and poor. There are lines in the Privy Council minutes from January 1662, authorizing and confirming their trial by six local commissioners. Because they confessed, a result likely achieved through sleep deprivation and torture, their fates were sealed. They were likely strangled on the stake nearby Castle Law Hill or burned to ashes so that the "Devil" could not claim them.
Visiting these memorial sites forced us to confront the concept of "Dark Tourism”. It is easy to commercialize places where significant trauma has occurred. However, memorials like the one pictured are meant to be taken in and observed, not commodified. We return to these sites not to be entertained but to what was surely the worst day in these women's lives, but to fulfill a moral obligation as humans. By reading the names carved onto this stone, we speak life into the lifeless and cement these women and their bravery into our minds forever.
Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Database, University of Edinburgh Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Database
Core database of accused individuals in Scotland (1563–1736) Provides trial records, locations, and execution estimates National Records of Scotland - Witchcraft Research Guide National Records of Scotland – Witchcraft
Use of Privy Council and commission records UK Parliament – History of Witchcraft Legislation UK Parliament Witchcraft History
Overview of the Witchcraft Act 1563 and legal criminalisation in Scotland
Legislation.gov.uk - Witchcraft Act Repeal Context (1735/1736) Witchcraft Act 1735
End of witchcraft prosecutions in Britain BBC History - Scottish Witch Trials Overview BBC Scottish Witch Trials
Mass hysteria, cultural fear, and execution context Brian P. Levack - The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe (book) Standard academic text on European witch trials Supports coercion, confession, and judicial systems Julian Goodare (ed.), The Scottish Witch-Hunt in Context (Manchester University Press)
Key scholarly work on Scottish witch trials Supports execution estimates and social causes Historic Environment Scotland - North Berwick Witch Trials North Berwick Witch Trials
Case study of major 1590s witch panic in Scotland National Records of Scotland - Privy Council Registers Privy Council Registers Scotland
Documentation of commissions and legal authorisation of trials Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Industrial history of the river valley (mills, settlements, land use)
Qwhen we are minded to change our earthly shape and pass unseen among folk, we goe in the shape of an haire, we say thryse ower:
I sall gow intill a haire w{i}th sorrow and syt and meikle caire, and I sall goe in the divellis nam ay whill I com hom again in my ain true liknes, safe and unseen.
And instantly we start in an hair, and when we wold be out of th{a}t shape we will say thrice over: I am na langer bound in beist form, but returne to womans flesh and blude.
caire, I am in an hairis liknes just now, bot I salbe in a womans liknes ew en time and will cast off this borrowed skin.
when we vold goe in the liknes of a cat: we say thryse ower I sall goe int(ill?) a swyft and silent shot, and I sall goe in the divellis nam, ay q{uhi}ll I com home again:
& if ve desire the night-walking shape of the cat, we say thryse ower I sall goe intill a craw w{i}th sorrow and syt & blak feathers of ill fortune ay q{uhi}ll I com home again:
and q{uhe}n ve vold be owt of thes shapes, we say:
catt cat turn again, turn again by blood and bone, send the a blak shott or blak thraw:
I wes a catt or crow just now, bot I salbe mysel again in true form, catt: catt: or craw: craw: goe send the a blak shot or a blak thraw
The coastal kelpie descends on ancient stone, A heavy shroud across the narrow close
The damp imparts a dowie, biting chill, Where shadows stretch, and history sits close.
Upon the page, the Weyard Sisters stand, Stirring a cauldron filled with grief and toil.
I seek a charm within this land, To keep the rising tempests from the boil.
A passing stranger calls, "A braw night for it," Their ironic laughter echoing through the dark.
I long to sweep the glaur from off the street, And find a spark to leave a lasting mark.
The pale-eyed jackdaw keeps its silent watch, A solemn guardian on the kirk-yard wall
I weave these borrowed words into a spell, To brave the winter term and stand through all.
Line 1 & 2: "The coastal haar descends on ancient stone, / A heavy shroud across the narrow close.'
Sources: * Scots Dictionary / Edinburgh Vernacular: Haar is the specific term for the cold sea fog that blankets eastern Scotland. A close is the traditional term for the narrow alleyways stemming from the historic High Street.
Line 3: "The damp imparts a dowie, biting chill"
Source (Scots Dictionary): Dowie means dismal, melancholy, or dreary. Line 5 & 6: "Upon the page, the Weyard Sisters stand, / Stirring a cauldron filled with grief and toil." Sources:
Image File / Literary Text Reference: three_witches.jpg ("The Incantation"). This directly references the woodcut illustration of the scene from Shakespeare's Macbeth (Act 4, Scene 1). Weyard Sisters is the original early modern spelling for the Weird Sisters. Line 9: "A passing stranger calls, 'A braw night for it""
Source (Common Scottish Phrase): Braw means fine or excellent. The phrase "braw night for it" is a sarcastic idiom used when the weather is miserable.
Line 11: "I long to sweep the glaur from off the street"
Source (Scots Dictionary): Glaur is the traditional Scots word for soft, sticky mud, or muck.
Line 13 & 14: "The pale-eyed jackdaw keeps its silent watch, / A solemn guardian on the kirk-yard wall."
Sources:
Image File Reference: Coloeus_monedula_- Western_Jackdaw_01.jpg. Inspired by the photograph of the distinctive pale-eyed corvid in the collection.
Scots Dictionary: Kirk-yard is the traditional Scottish term for a churchyard or cemetery.
• Lines 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16: All other structural phrases regarding the academic term, the concept of weaving borrowed words, and the overarching imagery.
WATER of LEITH Visitor Centre Open Daily 10.00am to 4.00pm
Witchcraft - The assurement, authorized clitee, or asual creed untit ther whole revobert and malice, their evonation of the much, cr on operation of the act or der witchcraft rewaded in the last villager o resto witchcral, e condoent and the neontland mares in. Witch
A COUNTER-MAP OF THE WATER OF LEITH
Mapping the Unseen: Authority, Industry, and Execution.
"Malice - the meior of ruged in glnces, to totalor. and writing rame meot is the vuddi witch
Open Daily
Colzium Springs chaliter of the noards, in which the onal lattany father church on in brtagaeinet, and or througuirre cunuid have the or therirysiin humir authority.
When you look at the original tourist map of the Water of Leith it does what any modern travel guide is designed to do. It makes everything look peaceful, accessible, and completely neutral. It uses these clean, comforting green and teal shades, framing the river as this perfect, winding nature escape stretching from the hills down to the sea. But as we've been talking about in class, place-making is never neutral. That original map completely erases the fact that this exact river valley was once a heavy corridor of industrial work, church authority, and terrifying state-sanctioned violence.
So, when I sat down to create "A Counter-Map of the Water of Leith", I wanted to strip away that cozy, modern gloss. I wanted to create something that looked less like a weekend brochure and more like a ghost story or a suppressed historical document that forces you to sit with the actual trauma embedded in the soil.
The first thing I did was change the texture and color. I ditched the pristine white background and modern fonts and replaced them with a scorched, stained parchment overlay. It feels heavy, aged, and slightly uncomfortable to look at. I kept the actual shape of the walking trail so you can still recognize the path, but look at how the river itself changed. Instead of that inviting blue-green stream, I bled dark purple and crimson watercolor washes right across the central valley. Water is supposed to mean life and cleansing, but historically, this river was hijacked. It was used to power the massive grinding mills at places like Dean Village and Stockbridge, transforming natural water into economic and social leverage. The purple bruising and blood-red stains symbolize that exploitation—it visually represents the heavy weight of social control crushing the valley.
If you're trying to read my map, you can't just scan it to find the nearest visitor center. You have to look through the geography. Across the center of the trail, I layered faint, overlapping grey gothic text. These are actual fragments pulled from the 1563 Scottish Witchcraft Act and local court documents. Because they are semi-transparent and crowded behind the location labels, they look like "archival whispers." It forces you to realize that whenever you are walking on the modern path today, you are literally treading right over a legal framework that used mass hysteria to destroy lives. I also added sharp, thin red lines that stretch out from the headwaters near Colzium Springs and Balerno. Instead of guiding you to tourist stops, these lines act like tension wires, pulling your eye straight down the line of power to where the real violence happened.
The biggest departure from the original map is how I marked the communities along the river. I wanted to populate this empty trail with the actual ghosts of the women who lived there. Right where the original map lists the scenic old village of Dean Village, I blew up the text and overlaid the name Agnis Thompson. During the massive panic of the North Berwick trials in the 1590s, she was swept up in the hysteria, caught in a system where neighbors used accusations to settle everyday grudges. Then, look at the Leith Docks at the "Finish" line. On the tourist map, reaching Leith is a celebration―you finished the walk! On my map, the finish line is a crime scene. I completely flooded the estuary with dark ink and hand-drawn gallows and execution stake icons. I also pulled a specific name from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft database: Christian Livingston. She was a local folk healer from the parish of Leith who was convicted and executed in 1597 just for trying to care for her community with traditional herbs. By putting Christian's name right over the docks next to the gallows, the map completely subverts the idea of a "happy ending" to the walk.
Ultimately, by making these edits, I'm trying to pull the reader out of the mindset of a passive tourist and into a space of active remembrance. The original map wants you to look at the Water of Leith and think about a nice afternoon stroll. My counter-map forces you to look at the exact same coordinates and remember that this river was a pipeline of industry and authority that ultimately flowed straight to the execution grounds. It turns a simple geography lesson into an act of visual justice.
A CHARM TO RETURN HOME:
REVEAL MALICIOUS NEIGHBORS
This charm is designed for women to be able to know their neighbors' intentions, thereby protecting them from the malicious intent of others. This charm is inspired by the Scottish Witch Trials because, according to sources, over 89% of false accusations against women were driven by neighbors.
To activate this charm, you must wait until the sun sets to use the moon as a conduit for your power. Next, in absolute silence, trek over to the house of the person you suspect of bearing malice, or whispering false accusations against you. You must carry three distinct objects in your left hand: a clean iron nail, a dried leaf of the rowan tree, and a small vial filled with brackish water taken from the running mills of the Water of Leith. Drop the rowan leaf upon their doorstep. Hold the iron nail tight in your fist to shield your own spirit from their venom. Pour the mill-water over the leaf in a slow, steady stream while reciting the words below. The words must be spoken in a low, continuous whisper-exactly three times through without breaking your breath. Once the third repetition is spoken, turn on your heel and walk straight back to your own dwelling. Do not look back over your shoulder, and do not speak a single word to any living soul until the sun has fully cleared the horizon.
By the iron held fast in my gripping hand, By the rowan leaf dropped on this silent land, By the rushing water that turns the wheel, I unloose the secrets the dark would conceal.
To begin, the process of making the Book of Charms and Whispers was unlike anything that I have ever done academically. Normally for courses, students are given strict guidelines that they can rarely deviate from without losing major points. With this course and its final assignment, I felt like we were awarded immense amounts of creative freedom, which proved a key factor in me being able to work effectively. I am very familiar with the Canva app; it has long been a staple in my and most students' academic careers, due to its professional design templates that are accessible and easy to use. As far as choosing the template for the book, I started out by choosing my cover picture, as I knew that would set the tone for the rest of the story. From then on, I used a Flipbook app to give it a genuine book appearance and to make it easier to read through.
Secondly, as far as the actual content, I started off by choosing the assignments that I knew would be easier for me to complete to maximize my efforts. This meant the Magical Landscape piece and the Witch Memorial were done first. For the memorial, I first created an outline of key points I wanted to cover. This meant doing extensive research on the witches of the Abernathy memorial. Once the research was done, I followed a pretty formulaic structure to produce my piece. I did add a reflective sentence at the end to remind readers and myself that the tragic circumstances of the witch trials are more than an assignment or something to gossip about. This was multiple women's daily realities, and as such should be handled with a careful approach.
Thirdly, as a creative writing major, I was able to use what I have learned in my writing courses to complete these assignments. In fact, the readings that I did for my creative writing class this past semester really helped me extensively. Bluets by Maggie Nelson is a literary essay that I read in my creative writing class that uses the color blue to discuss feelings of heartbreak, grief, and desire, and is a source of writing that I reference often, as it helped me understand that writing doesn't always have to be linear or neatly explained to still have meaning. That influenced my poem especially, because I stopped trying to force everything into a clear message, and let my more creative side take over. I have had to write poetry before for some of my previous courses and have also felt disconnected from my work. Poetry has always been hard for me to write because in some ways it feels performative and exaggerated. I prefer to write what I mean instead of hinting at things or putting materials between the lines for the readers to speculate the meaning. Focusing on constructing a poem mainly from phrases we heard during our travel week or repeated phrases in our journals was hard, as it felt like a restraint on my creativity. In the end, I was able to make a poem that I was proud of, and I think that the limitation of sources that we could reference challenged me to create and really work the creative side of my brain.
Fourthly, as for more of the design-heavy elements of the project like the Altered map and the Brochure, I felt like I was able to complete these with relative ease. Canva having so many different templates to choose from definitely aided me in this process. For the brochure, I first thought about what pictures a tourist would see of Incholm that would make them want to visit the island. The first page of the brochure was aesthetic-heavy with pictures and highlights of the island that would genuinely entice people. The second page of my brochure was to focus on the charm walk aspect of the assignment. For this page, I focused on one specific section of the island: the Hermit Cell. This part of the island was the most fascinating to me and felt the most magical, so it was the perfect inspiration for the charm creation and the walk. I wanted to make a protection charm for visitors when they arrive at the island to make their short-lived excursion worthwhile so they could focus on enjoying the nature the island has to offer rather than being fixated on being harmed. I took inspiration from the actual history of Incholm for this island, which formerly functioned as a place for soldiers to find shelter during wartime. The idea is that the visitors' inner mental and physical health would be fortified, similar to how the soldiers fortified the island's cliffs and barriers. The charm also features a simple intonation to be said aloud that activates the magic.
Furthermore, for the two charms that we were tasked with creating, I focused on different objectives for each. When crafting the charm to begin the journey, I wanted to create something that would protect me during my adventure across this country. I took inspiration from previous protection charms that we had learned about in class. Conversely, for the charm to return home, I wanted to focus more on creating something that would have aided the accused women during the Scottish witch trials. I chose to create a charm that would allow its users to know if their neighbors had malicious intent or were potentially plotting against them. After doing further research, I found that 89% of accused women were due to their neighbors. I also thought about a charm that would benefit me, not necessarily for returning home but when I'm settled. Due to the charms' protections, I won't have to worry about my neighbors' intentions and can just continue normally and safely with my normal everyday routines.
Additionally, the excursions and the journaling throughout this trip have rewired my brain to appreciate the simplicity that can be found in nature as well as historical architecture that gives us a glimpse into beliefs, technologies, and social structures of Scotland's civilization in the past. The ecological havens that we saw, including the sea caves and Inchcolm Island, served as unyielding time capsules. They exposed thousands of years of Scottish history to me and revealed the delicate relationship between nature and human survival. Venturing to Glasgow and the Holyrood Palace meant seeing two distinct pillars of power. Glasgow is known for its cultural influence, industry, and vibrant arts scene, while Holyrood Palace reflects Scotland's history and government. Together, they highlight Scotland's cultural, historical, and political importance. At Hollyrood, learning so much about Mary Queen of Scots specifically and her struggle to maintain her power, as she was the first recognized female leader at the time, was interesting to me, as it connected in a way to the Scottish witch trials, due to it all boiling down to misogyny. The walk of Leith and all of the smaller villages that we visited worked to preserve Scotland's history while supporting tourism and improving local communities. Together, they told me the story of Scotland's past environment and culture. Climbing Arthur's Seat and going ceilidh dancing showed me two important parts of Scotland's identity. Arthur's Seat represents Scotland's natural beauty and history, while ceilidh dancing celebrates its culture and traditions. Finally, journaling on this trip has taught me the importance of slowing down and living in the moment. As Americans, we are conditioned to do everything fast. We eat faster than other countries at restaurants, we work faster and more efficiently than other countries, and we adhere strongly to convenience culture with drive- thrus, curbside pickups, etc. Being in Scotland has given me the chance to really slow down and assimilate to a new way of life. A way of life that prioritizes mental health and third spaces over excessive productivity and burnout. Through journaling, I have also learned how to compartmentalize my thoughts, filing them away instead of letting them overwhelm me.
Lastly, looking back on this course, I can see that the biggest change in my writing wasn't just about improving my pieces; it was about changing how I think about writing in general. At the beginning of this course, I thought good writing meant adding more detail, more description, and more “intellectual-sounding" language. But as I revised each assignment, I started to realize that the strongest writing is actually more intentional and often simpler than I expected. At the beginning of this course, I didn't know what to expect. The course titled itself: Magic and Witchcraft in Scotland, doesn't leave much room for speculation or interpretation. I imagined that we would mostly be talking about how different cultures throughout history and the world integrate magic and the supernatural into their worldviews and analyzing different creatures that were consistently present in folklore and fairytales. I never would have imagined that we would have gone so in-depth about the complexities of both being a woman in Scotland during the witch trials and what extreme moral panic and religious frenzy can lead to: the unjust torture and execution of human beings.
THE END