‘Take care, tikni,’ said the old Chovihano, ‘the Mulesko Dude (will o the wisp) may be watching you, for we are still within that seam that sits between the old year and the new. Kam, the spirit of the sun, is yet just a baby, and the veil between this world and the next thins and beckons, like a veil floating unnoticeably all around you.

Should your spirit remain strong, however, you may not become enchanted by the lights that hover over marshes, those which haunt the woodlands at this...
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There was a large wood in a beautiful part of the land. And there were two ghosts: one who haunted the first section of the wood where the cars parked, and another who haunted the second section of the wood where the river ran.

And there was also a ghost who was called the Old Gypsy Ghost, who haunted the whole wood.

When the first ghost who haunted the first section of the wood jumped out on people, they did not react. No matter how much noise this ghost made, how much lit...

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Reviews are a heartfelt statement, at least to me, because the words reach other levels...

'... When I learned that he [PJLee] had rewritten some parts [of We Borrow] and also added to it, I knew that I just had to have it.'

'I did not just find it [We Borrow] fascinating because of the content but also because of the lyrical way Jasper writes. His writing transports you to other worlds, both literally and metaphorically.'

'Dare to read this book [We Borrow] and understand what an intricate, edu...
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Bokt (luck) is on the menu again! The apparently unlucky Friday thirteenth phobia has been called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigg being the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named, and in English and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen), or paraskevidekatriaphobia (Greek) – at least according to Wiki. Don’t try to say them all at once! But let’s take a Romani Gypsy look at this interesting date.

Friday thirteenth wasn’t considered to be a popular unlucky d...

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The Eight is an excellent number. It symbolises harmonious rapid movement, and in the Eight Wands we are moving through the air over water. This symbolises that things may happen quickly in association with travel of some kind. The goal you have been seeking is near. As we are focusing on the Kamesko Bersh period at the moment and Midwinter, we need to remember to allow the old to disappear as we prepare to take on the new. We don’t want to incorporate old feelings into the...

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Kushti Divvus all! This means 'good day'. Here's a pic of me outside mi vardo. Hope you will all continue to join the fight to preserve, enjoy and promote the Romani Gypsy culture, folklore, and myth in its authentic way. Courses and programmes are being planned for the new year, and will be advertised here in January. The new book's arrival date in spring will be announced soon. In the meantime, please continue to pass along details of this website: we mustn't lose the nomadic gypsy culture ...
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Don’t underestimate Number Eight, whenever you meet it. Here are some interesting facts about this fascinating number, mostly according to Wiki.

The spider has 8 legs.
Orb-weaver spiders have eight eyes.
The octopus has 8 arms (tentacles).
Honeybees perform a ‘waggle dance’: a figure eight series of movements that a scouting honey bee makes on its return to the hive. 
Eight is the number of wealth and abundance in Hinduism.
Eight is extremely lucky in China (because it soun...

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Must be sung with a high, squeaky, slightly gritty voice!

Come, human, come, won't you step inside with me?
Come, human, come; there's 'buy one get one free'.
If you hear the Chovihano, and his screams to stay away,
You won't need to listen. What does he know anyway?
Come, human, come. Our superstore is here!
Come, human, come. Doors open thru the year!
Trust the Bitee Fokee, and our products on the shelves,
You can trust our friendly staff: Keshali, Dwarves and Elves.
Come, human, come, won't you ste...
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Today's affirmation - Never underestimate the power of magic in these modern times. Just because we live in a modern age doesn't stop magic and destiny walking with us, as they've always done., If Number Seven appears in your path, no matter what form it takes, it will be giving you a message about what's happening in your life. ‘Your magic is strong. You are clever and brave and powerful. And you are a star from up in the sky,' says the beautiful Horki to the wise Iuzio, her ancestor. From...
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The Number Seven encompasses everything if we are talking about luck: from saying something seven times to peg-making!

'... The presence of the number seven is also significant, seven being the magical number often associated with clever lies or tricks which can aid in bringing luck, as in the Bari Hukni, when the gypsies professed to be wandering Europe as Christian penitents for seven years! As mentioned before, the number seven would be more important than the fact that the storyteller is c...
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We sometimes talk about magical protection in the Romani culture. If any people know about this the Banjara Gypsies do. Some of the excessively heavy jewellery, sometimes complete with bells, mirrors, silver, gold and colour is designed to ward off evil spirits and bad vibes. The theory is, if it jingles or blinds everyone, bad spirits and shadows won't get a look in. And quite right too! I've been writing about the ins and outs of this today in the forthcoming book, out in spring: how we can...
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The Rider Waite Seven Swords runs parallel to Seven Spades and Seven Ravnos. Meanings vary slightly, but the emphasis is on trying to make good, so the affirmation today focuses on the thief, who is stealthily (or not so stealthily) making off with the swords. The 'thief' falls into many categories, and can be viewed in several ways, from telling us we may be taking someone for a ride to telling us we are being taken for a ride! It is perhaps time to reflect on how much we need and how much w...
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SEVEN SPADES Affirmation for today. Here's 7 Ravnos from my card set. Pink and purple are associated with Ravnos the Grandfather Sky Spirit. He relates to swords and spades. Imagine a sky when it turns pink or purply on the horizon. Ravnos represents the highest and the best in spiritual terms and adventure in the most explorative and reasonable kind of way. You can fly high and achieve with Ravnos, or get completely lost and carried away, flying around like a feather in the wind. I've had to...
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SEVEN SPADES Affirmation – Have hope! Today we are looking at Seven Ravnos, from the unusual Romani Jal cards, which are all about Grandfather Sky, who is also linked to Spades and Swords. Ravnos technically means 'blue', but has also been used for the word 'sky'. He is one of the Greater Ancestors who guide and watch over us, together with Earth, Sun and Moon. The affirmation today is to make plans to knuckle down and work at something over the coming week without giving u...

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