The rattle head is lovingly crafted from upcycled raw reindeer hide. Reindeer medicine being one of my most revered to work with of all northerly medicines (earth element), for it speaks (with me) of the magical and mystical realms, ancestral connection, and guides me like Polaris on my soul path. Reindeer is also one of three beloved animal colleagues (aka 'spirit animals') that have accompanied me since birth.

Each rattle head is botanically eco-printed with Red Ochre. These rattles are completely natural, unique, and far more beautiful in person. The rattle heads were sewn together with cordage I made from nettle and rose fibers.

The rattle heads are finished with a conditioning layer of my beautifully fragrant 13 Moon Wild Rose ritual anointing oil. For those who feel drawn, the 13 Moon Wild Rose ritual anointing oil is also available to purchase in our store.

The area between the handle and rattle head is accentuated with the naturally shed skin of a golden boa - a balanced combination of fire and earth element medicine, or depending on your perspective and personal practice, this can also be experienced as the masculine and feminine aspects of the fire element. I love to include this for its potent symbolism of transformation, transmutation and quite literally, letting go of our own old skin (aka old patterns, conditioning, traumas, fears etc). In molting these old behaviours and limitations we move into a space that nourishes growth and potential. This may seem like a small detail visually on the rattle itself, but its medicine is huge and speaks volumes of the overall energy and intention of these rattles as ritual tools - that of learn, let go, and grow.

These rattle handles are naturally shed deer antlers, gathered from the land by a friend of mine in England. Preparing the antlers for these rattles was very labor intensive so I'll write a little on that here. Firstly, I consciously choose to work with these antlers as not alone is deer earth element/north on the Celtic medicine wheel, but the antlers are bone (another earth element/north reference), and visually resemble the roots of trees. Each antler was cleansed, then washed and cleaned several times. Once dry, I hand sanded any rough, damaged or sharp areas. They were cleaned again, and once dry, I applied several layers of tannin rich acorn extract. Apart from bringing Oak into this aspect of the rattle handle, it offered a beautiful shade, a rich finish for the handles, and also ensured that the areas I had sanded would blend in again completely. This extract was created by leaching the tannins from the acorns over low heat on the stove for a week. More time was given to preparing the antlers as handles than I could have ever imagined, I see this as being an extra large dose of prayer and extended ceremony.

A stunning pyritized ammonite fossil has been mounted on the handle. Again, without getting too prescriptive, fossils relate with the lower chakras (root chakra and below), the geometry of the spiral is an ancient symbol that relates with healing and transcending old patterns/conditioning. Red Ochre and pyrite is painted onto the tips of each handle. Red Ochre has an extremely high iron content, linking the earth of this planet to the blood in our body. This blood connection gives a very literal nod to bloodline work that one may be doing (ancestral healing/timeline healing, karmic clearance, inherited trauma on an energetic, molecular and/or psychological level). It is a pigment of deep grounding that promotes release and our ability to receive nourishment both literally and energetically from the planet. Black is the therapeutic colour for the earth and earth element, and north on the Celtic medicine wheel. it is also the colour that represents the earth star chakra. Red relates with the root chakra, and connects the personal with transpersonal lower chakras, as well as the body with the planetary body. These therapeutic colours and minerals create the energetic infrastructure conducive to connection and deep healing where the lower personal chakras and immediate lower transpersonal chakras are concerned.

Those who are familiar with my ritual rattles already know that I purposefully ensure the holes in the seams of the rattleheads leave enough space for the wildflower seeds and any other small medicines to be shared into the space you are using the rattle in - in practical terms this means that while using your rattle outside as a personal healing colleague, the very use of the rattle and the motion of shaking it means you disperse the wildflower seeds into your surroundings. My hope here is that the seeds take root and grow, so that the pollinators can be gifted food and contribute to the recovery of the ecosystem. As such, as much as the rattles I make are personal healing tools, they also support the land. As within, so throughout, in every way. Always.

Each of these rattles is ritually anointed with a special balm made with wild rose, mugwort and yarrow, which not alone blesses each rattle, but also conditions the raw hide and leaves a beautifully fragrant finish. 

These rattles most certainly are a divine union of masculine and feminine polarities which in itself, promotes and enhances the state of high heart harmony. These ritual tools contain all five elements of BEing and all seven directions, gifting you a complete and dynamic experience.