The Mill of Magick

Authors: Traditional; as written by Robert Cochrane, Doreen Valiente, and /or William Gray
 
Chorus, version 1: Work the will for which we pray. Io Deo Evohe!
 
Chorus, version 2: Work the will for which we pray. Io Deo Ha He Yay!
 
Chorus, version 3: Work the mill on which we tread, by the Black and White and Red
 
The Chant:
 
Air breathe, air blow.
Make the mill of magic go.
 
(Chorus)
Fire flame, fire burn.
Make the mill of magic turn.
 
(Chorus)
Water heat, water boil.
Make the mill of magic toil. (or roil)
 
(Chorus)
Earth without, Earth within.
Make the mill of magic spin
(Chorus)

Notes: In Traditional British Witchcraft & British Isles Folkloric Traditions, boring repetitive work was used as an opportunity to induce a trance and to 0perform magick. People used hand-crank mills to grind coffee, tea, small grains, sausage, and nuts. A large stationary mill in the yard, called a quarn, was used to grind grain. A horse was led around and around the quarn (like the pony ride at the fair) to generate the physical power to grind the wheat into flour. The “Mill of Magick” chant was used during the process in order to facilitate a magickal working. The energy was sent remotely for healing, or stored in a talisman. People could also enter a trance state while performing the task. The “Black and White and Red” is from Traditional British Witchcraft – the Black represents the Dark Bucca / Horned God / Winter / Night; the White represents the Goddess or the Light Bucca / Horned God / Summer / Day; the Red represents the bloodlines of the People.

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