{"id":31868,"date":"2025-05-13T22:21:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T02:21:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=31868"},"modified":"2025-05-13T22:21:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T02:21:48","slug":"codys-column-protection-magick-and-the-elk-of-the-skagit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2025\/05\/13\/codys-column-protection-magick-and-the-elk-of-the-skagit\/","title":{"rendered":"Cody’s Column: Protection Magick and the Elk of the Skagit"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Big elk in the lower field<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

May is here in full force, like the mighty elk that return each year to the upper field.\u00a0 Their antlers symbolize a powerful form of Protection Magick, just as the Elder Futhark Rune Algiz suggests.\u00a0 The elk are a little fewer in number this year though.\u00a0 Is the balance off or are we just seeing the cycles run through their courses?\u00a0 I am wondering if the hunting pressure was heavier this last year or if the hoof rot is to blame for the lower numbers.\u00a0 After checking the local Game Harvest Reports it looks like there were six 6pt. bull elk harvested, making the trend upward from the previous year.\u00a0 This might explain why our normal bachelor herd of five or more elk is down to just two this morning. \u00a0I feel honored that these elk found refuge here in the past and are continuing to do so.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Elk in May with their antlers still growing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The elk are allowed to be hunted by special permit only and the number of permits allowed is determined by the Game Management Plan.\u00a0 Each year from January to March the Tribes and Washington Fish and Wildlife review the Game Management Plan.\u00a0 Right now in May, the Tribes can comment on the plan before it goes to the State Environmental Policy Act review process.\u00a0 I am glad our Tribes have say in the management of our local elk. Next, the plan is up for public comment in late summer.\u00a0 By the end of fall it will be finalized, and the special permits will be available.<\/p>\n

Why am I following this path through the forest of bureaucracy?\u00a0 Ultimately, this process shapes the way the land, elk, and people respond to each other.\u00a0 Hoof rot is on the rise in Skagit county, leading to early demise of elk both male and female. Our natural predators and scavengers; bear, cougar, wolves, and coyotes are not as protected and so humans are thrust into the mix as a balancing force. Balance. This is what our ancestors knew from instinct and to some extent we still do today, there are just so many other aspects to life that also require balance that it would be easy to forget the elk.<\/p>\n

How does all of this relate to Protection Magick? Protection Magick is how we respond to events that are happening or are about to happen.\u00a0 Each one of us has a different way to go about making Protection Magick.\u00a0 My scope here is to help you lean into your own intuition on how you proceed.<\/p>\n

First gather and observe your natural surroundings.\u00a0 Develop a sense of what patterns persist and which patterns change throughout the season.\u00a0 Journaling at first may be helpful.\u00a0 Dialogue with neighbors and other enthusiasts about the patterns, creatures, and trends you notice.\u00a0 Your local library has many resources to help you with the heavy work of identifying the plants and animals around you so that you can converse with others almost like a lingua franca, a trade language.\u00a0 Once you have a strong sense for all the actors at play, I suggest you make it fun and give them secret names that only you and the plants and animals know.\u00a0 It is in this realm that you can start to also develop strong spirit relations with the plants and animals as well as the land.<\/p>\n

\"\"
This lupine has a secret name in our farm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hone your observation skills and several aspects will stand out.\u00a0 One aspect is how we as humans and the cosmos influence the environment and another closely related aspect is how the environment influences our behavior as well as plant and animal behavior.\u00a0 With these two lenses we can begin to synthesize our observations into stories that tell us what is going on.\u00a0 Only when we have learned the story, can we begin to evaluate its message.\u00a0 Many will skip these steps and jump in to evaluate.\u00a0 Just listen them clamber for attention. \u00a0To those who have observed and learned the story of the land, these early jumpers to conclusions will be obvious.<\/p>\n

Now that you have done the ground work, next comes the Protection Magick.\u00a0 Most Protection Magicks aim to protect you, the focus of your magick, and often times the tools you use in making the Protection Magick work.\u00a0 I would refer you to a great article by the Modern Merlin in May on the Pagan Pages for how you can cleanse yourself, space, and tools if you are looking for ideas of how to do this.<\/p>\n

I want to touch on the why we would want to do Protection Magick. Balance. It really comes back to balance.\u00a0 Once you are able to evaluate what is going on and have a firm sense of your role in this interconnected story, you are also able to step in and balance.\u00a0 This will require the utmost of your attention.\u00a0 For those of us who are close to Earth Magick, your Protection Magick will be almost native but other magicks too, have a strong foundation in Protection Magick.<\/p>\n

Achieving a balance is rich in cultural stories of creation (and destruction).\u00a0 From the Norse realms of Niflheim and Muspelheim comes Ymir, a giant who could exist in balance with the elements of creation.\u00a0 From Ymir comes the earth from their body, another creation that strives for balance.\u00a0 It is from the Celtic myths of creation that we get a sacred word being spoken by a group of Druids or the Tuath De Dannon who are god-like entities who shaped this world that we live in.\u00a0 Why did they speak the world into existence?\u00a0 To form a bridge between the Divine and Material world through wisdom and bring balance.<\/p>\n

Protection Magick then must reflect the Magick of creation and maintenance of all life.\u00a0 It must be balanced, and it must balance the practitioner.\u00a0 For getting started with your very own Protection Magick, try breathing exercises first.\u00a0 This can center your body, mind, and spirit.\u00a0 Use your observations, intuition, and whatever tools you have acquired that represent Magick next to begin seeking a balance in energies.\u00a0 Start small like getting dishes and laundry done in a way that brings peace and fulfillment.\u00a0 I recommend taking up gardening as a hobby, or perhaps a profession if you are so inclined.\u00a0 Take good care of your fur, scale, or feather babies and if you have children, love them unconditionally and teach them the wisdom to live in balance with the Universe.<\/p>\n

Next month I think I will delve into more about balance.\u00a0 Living a pagan life with a wife, children, a job, and a farm has taught me much about needing to find and create a balance.\u00a0 I will attempt at telling my tale in a way that may offer some help and reassurance that we can do this, just like the mighty elk and other creatures that call this pale blue dot home.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I am a husband, father, farmer, and friend. I live on the banks of the Magic Skagit River, ancestral lands of the Sauk-Suiattle people. I practice rune reading, tarot, land magic, and work with many spirit guides. My life began Pagan but I veered off into the Christian church in college. I found my way back to my Pagan and ancestral roots in 2005 and have journeyed along this path since then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

May is here in full force, like the mighty elk that return each year to the upper field.\u00a0 Their antlers symbolize a powerful form of Protection Magick, just as the Elder Futhark Rune Algiz suggests.\u00a0 The elk are a little fewer in number this year though.\u00a0 Is the balance off or are we just seeing the cycles run through their courses?\u00a0 I am wondering if the hunting pressure was heavier this last year or if the hoof rot is to blame for the lower numbers.\u00a0 After checking the local Game Harvest Reports it looks like there were six 6pt. bull elk harvested, making the trend upward from the previous year.\u00a0 This might explain why our normal bachelor herd of five or more elk is down to just two this morning. \u00a0I feel honored that these elk found refuge here in the past and are continuing to do so. The elk are allowed to be hunted by special permit only and the number of permits allowed is determined by the Game Management Plan.\u00a0 Each year from January to March the Tribes and Washington Fish and Wildlife review the Game Management Plan.\u00a0 Right now in May, the Tribes can comment on the plan before it goes to the State Environmental Policy Act review process.\u00a0 I am glad our Tribes have say in the management of our local elk. Next, the plan is up for public comment in late summer.\u00a0 By the end of fall it will be finalized, and the special permits will be available. Why am I following this path through the forest of bureaucracy?\u00a0 Ultimately, this process shapes the way the land, elk, and people respond to each other.\u00a0 Hoof rot is on the rise in Skagit county, leading to early demise of elk both male and female. Our natural predators and scavengers; bear, cougar, wolves, and coyotes are not as protected and so humans are thrust into the mix as a balancing force. Balance. This is what our ancestors knew from instinct and to some extent we still do today, there are just so many other aspects to life that also require balance that it would be easy to forget the elk. How does all of this relate to Protection Magick? Protection Magick is how we respond to events that are happening or are about to happen.\u00a0 Each one of us has a different way to go about making Protection Magick.\u00a0 My scope here is to help you lean into your own intuition on how you proceed. First gather and observe your natural surroundings.\u00a0 Develop a sense of what patterns persist and which patterns change throughout the season.\u00a0 Journaling at first may be helpful.\u00a0 Dialogue with neighbors and other enthusiasts about the patterns, creatures, and trends you notice.\u00a0 Your local library has many resources to help you with the heavy work of identifying the plants and animals around you so that you can converse with others almost like a lingua franca, a trade language.\u00a0 Once you have a strong sense for all the actors at play, I suggest you make it fun and give them secret names that only you and the plants and animals know.\u00a0 It is in this realm that you can start to also develop strong spirit relations with the plants and animals as well as the land. Hone your observation skills and several aspects will stand out.\u00a0 One aspect is how we as humans and the cosmos influence the environment and another closely related aspect is how the environment influences our behavior as well as plant and animal behavior.\u00a0 With these two lenses we can begin to synthesize our observations into stories that tell us what is going on.\u00a0 Only when we have learned the story, can we begin to evaluate its message.\u00a0 Many will skip these steps and jump in to evaluate.\u00a0 Just listen them clamber for attention. \u00a0To those who have observed and learned the story of the land, these early jumpers to conclusions will be obvious. Now that you have done the ground work, next comes the Protection Magick.\u00a0 Most Protection Magicks aim to protect you, the focus of your magick, and often times the tools you use in making the Protection Magick work.\u00a0 I would refer you to a great article by the Modern Merlin in May on the Pagan Pages for how you can cleanse yourself, space, and tools if you are looking for ideas of how to do this. I want to touch on the why we would want to do Protection Magick. Balance. It really comes back to balance.\u00a0 Once you are able to evaluate what is going on and have a firm sense of your role in this interconnected story, you are also able to step in and balance.\u00a0 This will require the utmost of your attention.\u00a0 For those of us who are close to Earth Magick, your Protection Magick will be almost native but other magicks too, have a strong foundation in Protection Magick. Achieving a balance is rich in cultural stories of creation (and destruction).\u00a0 From the Norse realms of Niflheim and Muspelheim comes Ymir, a giant who could exist in balance with the elements of creation.\u00a0 From Ymir comes the earth from their body, another creation that strives for balance.\u00a0 It is from the Celtic myths of creation that we get a sacred word being spoken by a group of Druids or the Tuath De Dannon who are god-like entities who shaped this world that we live in.\u00a0 Why did they speak the world into existence?\u00a0 To form a bridge between the Divine and Material world through wisdom and bring balance. Protection Magick then must reflect the Magick of creation and maintenance of all life.\u00a0 It must be balanced, and it must balance the practitioner.\u00a0 For getting started with your very own Protection Magick, try breathing exercises first.\u00a0 This can center your body, mind, and spirit.\u00a0 Use your observations, intuition, and whatever tools you have acquired that represent Magick next to begin seeking a balance in energies.\u00a0 Start small like getting dishes and laundry done in a way that brings peace and fulfillment.\u00a0 I recommend taking up gardening as a hobby, or perhaps a profession if you are so inclined.\u00a0 Take good care of your fur, scale, or feather babies and if you have children, love them unconditionally and teach them the wisdom to live in balance with the Universe. Next month I think I will delve into more about balance.\u00a0 Living a pagan life with a wife, children, a job, and a farm has taught me much about needing to find and create a balance.\u00a0 I will attempt at telling my tale in a way that may offer some help and reassurance that we can do this, just like the mighty elk and other creatures that call this pale blue dot home. I am a husband, father, farmer, and friend. I live on the banks of the Magic Skagit River, ancestral lands of the Sauk-Suiattle people. I practice rune reading, tarot, land magic, and work with many spirit guides. My life began Pagan but I veered off into the Christian church in college. I found my way back to my Pagan and ancestral roots in 2005 and have journeyed along this path since then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":295,"featured_media":31875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10004],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-monthly-columns"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/295"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31868"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31868\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31879,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31868\/revisions\/31879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}