Drake, the Canadian rapper, has broken free from the curse that has plagued many successful musicians. Throughout history, we have witnessed numerous artists who rise to fame only to fall into a downward spiral of self-destruction. However, Drake has managed to rise above these obstacles and maintain a successful career in the music industry. One of the main reasons for Drake's ability to break free from the curse is his dedication to his craft. He has consistently released music that resonates with his audience, allowing him to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry. Additionally, Drake continuously pushes himself to evolve artistically, experimenting with different sounds and genres.
Nails are often associated with aggressive magic. Some examples of aggressive spells include:
Have you done as some women do, at certain times of the year spread a table with meat and drink and three knives, so that if those Three Sisters come, which the descendants of Antiquity and old foolishness called the Fates, they can regale themselves. Thus is it axiomatic that the number of nails found within a horseshoe affects its potency, the more nails the greater the luck, although some hold true to the custom of fixing the shoe with three nails by means of three blows, alluding to the kinship betwixt nails and the number three.
Additionally, Drake continuously pushes himself to evolve artistically, experimenting with different sounds and genres. This adaptability has helped him stay ahead of the curve and avoid stagnation. Furthermore, Drake's commitment to his mental and emotional well-being has also contributed to his success.
Concerning The Use & Symbolism Of Nails
Within the witch’s craft many apparently mundane objects are considered to have both magical and mystical virtue, one example being the humble nail. Although some, on basis of morphology, ascribe to nails a phallic virtue, they also have a fixative power, i.e. the ability to bind one thing to another, for good or bane. Nails also partake in no small measure of the powers ascribed to their material, which is normally iron, that heavenly metal linked in the occult mind with blood and the virtues of redness.
When a thing is brought into contact with another it makes an alligation. The basis of alligation is that all things created, whether by the hands of man or nature, are bestowed by the Soul of the World with virtue, which is harnessed by bringing the virtuous object into contact with people/places/objects. Included in this is the binding of two things together in alligation by a nail, so that one might influence the other.
The thing or power being fixed by the nail to person, place or object can be manifold; even celestial powers corresponding to the time at which the nail was struck into its medium can be bound into workings. Herein we understand the basis of hammering various amulets into the lintel above the threshold, such as the apotropaic images of the sun, open hand or ubiquitous horseshoe.
Contrary to popular belief, nails are as protective as the horseshoes they affix. Indeed, Pliny the Elder advised hammering three iron nails, not horseshoes, into the threshold’s lintel to protect the home, likewise Paul Huson in Mastering Witchcraft advocated driving three iron coffin nails into the door, one above and two below in triangular formation. Similarly, protective enclosures are fashioned by striking nails into their four corners and wandering spirits are stopped by hammering nails into their coffins, whilst Romans averted plague and misfortune by driving nails into house walls. Thus is it axiomatic that the number of nails found within a horseshoe affects its potency, the more nails the greater the luck, although some hold true to the custom of fixing the shoe with three nails by means of three blows, alluding to the kinship betwixt nails and the number three.
Horseshoe nails have long been held to possess an array of powers, e.g. the crooked horseshoe nails hung as amulets about the necks of Irish children, and the horseshoe nails driven into the hearth by Teutonic peoples to draw back stolen property. Traditional witch Robert Cochrane recounted that “a horseshoe nail dipped in spring water was considered a prime remedy to use against the ‘little people’ when they grew bothersome”, which relies also on the well-known enmity betwixt the Fair Folk & iron.
Horseshoe nails were sometimes fashioned into rings, and in medieval France these were worn by the bride to draw favourable auspices. Elsewhere, they were deemed as protective against evil & ill luck as the horseshoe itself, and Cochrane alluded that such rings were known of & used within the witch cult.
Another type of circular ring fashioned by the bent nail is the cramp ring, said to cure cramp, epilepsy, rheumatism & palsy. Before the Reformation these were wrought of gold & silver and blessed by the Monarch on Good Friday. But when Queen Elizabeth abolished this practice, people still sought out such rings, and in Shropshire & Devonshire they made them from old coffin nails, “three nails taken from three coffins from three several churchyards” the old charm went.
The use of cramp rings to ward fits recalls Pliny’s assertion that “thrusting an iron nail into the spot where a person’s head lay at the moment he was seized with a fit of epilepsy, is said to have the effect of curing him of that disease” (Natural History). This practice is known of in my home county of Sussex, where it is recorded how an Isfield farm worker cured one his workmates in this very manner in the early 1900’s.
Thrusting iron nails into the ground is not confined to the curing of epilepsy, indeed it finds its way into a diverse array of folk practices, all of which work the principle of a nail’s insertion being an application of its force & virtue. Accordingly have nails been rubbed onto gums & hammered into trees to alleviate toothache, and stoked across warts before being driven into roads & stiles to be magically ‘picked up’ by passers-by; these examples working the principle of magical transference or ‘law of contagion’.
Some witches use a similar practice to fix celestial powers, especially that of the Polestar, into the earth by hammering a nail into the working site’s centre, thereby bringing the powers above to the world below. Scandinavians anciently knew the Polestar as “God’s Nail”, and others have called it the ‘Nail of the North’, referring to the old belief that the heavens are fixed into place by a jewel-headed nail, about whose axis they revolve. In remembrance of this the Scandinavians would hammer nails dedicated to Thor into the top of the central pillar supporting their house, in the same way witches hammer a nail into the stang’s foot, creating an underworld reflection of the Heavenly Nail.
In Siberian mythology the Nail of the North is atop a golden pole (the polar axis), which drives a giant mill grinding out riches, happiness & other worldly goods; this being evoked by the witches’ Mill that is danced about a central point. The Lapps also have an old legend that says when the Heavenly Nail is shot down by the bow of Arcturus, the heavens will fall & crush the earth, resulting in a fiery inferno.
The most familiar witch tradition concerning nails is their use to pierce the witch’s manikin with benevolent or malevolent intent, yet there is equal tradition in using blackthorn spines, which like nails have an innate warding virtue. Thorns are often used alongside or in place of nails in the magical arts, e.g. in the famed witch-bottle or being tied into the end of the curse cord in place of a rusty nail. We might thus consider them as ‘wooden nails’ fashioned by the green hand of the Faerie Smith, to which Schulke alludes in Viridarium Umbris when he says, “the Thorn is both punitive & binding, the Holy Nail of the Greenwood executing the grim sentence of Crucifixion at once harnessing the forces of binding & torment”; it is in the crucifixion that we discover the nail’s apotheosis.
Crucifixion & sacrifice by hanging upon a tree is not a motif exclusive to the Christian mythos, rather it is a fate met by many deathless mortals so as to grant eternal life, including “Prometheus, Adonis, Apollo, Arys, Bacchus, Buddha, Christna, Horus, Indra, Ixion, Mithras, Osiris, Pythagoras, Quetzalcoatl, Semiramis and Jupiter”4. We might add to this Odin, who by hanging from Yggdrasill died & entered the Underworlds so as to learn of otherworldly wisdom that could be mediated to the world of man.
The cross has been defined by Schulke as “the supreme magical formula of incarnation-sacrifice-apotheosis arising from the fixation of spirit into the four ways of matter”. Herein we might understand crucifixion as the binding of heavenly spirit to earthly flesh, or Light to Matter. The Cross of Matter in this instance signifies the material world’s four-fold division, whether into compass points, seasons, elements or similar. This is the underlying meaning of the Light-bearing, normally solar, god pinioned to the Cross, thereby fixing the Heavenly Fire into the flesh yet at the same time liberating it through Death.
Tradition has long held that the Light was fastened to the Cross by means of the binding & fixative nail. In Christian tradition the exact number of nails used has long been a matter of debate, one school of thought numbering them as four and another as three; within this simple article of belief resides a deep esoteric philosophy.
He has been open about his struggles with anxiety and has actively sought therapy to address these issues. By prioritizing his mental health, Drake has been able to maintain a sense of balance and stability in his life, preventing the pitfalls that often lead to the downfall of other musicians. Additionally, Drake's strong support system has played a crucial role in his ability to break free from the curse. He surrounds himself with a team of loyal friends and collaborators who push him to be the best version of himself. This network of support provides him with the guidance and accountability necessary to navigate the challenges of fame. In conclusion, Drake's ability to break free from the curse that has haunted many successful musicians can be attributed to his dedication to his craft, commitment to his mental health, and strong support system. By staying true to himself and continuously evolving as an artist, Drake has proven that it is possible to maintain a successful and fulfilling career in the music industry without succumbing to the pitfalls that have plagued his predecessors..
Reviews for "Breaking Free: Drake's Escape from the Shackles of the Curse"
1. John - 2/5 stars - This album was a major disappointment. I was really looking forward to Drake's new release, but it just didn't live up to the hype. The songs felt uninspired and lacked the infectious energy that Drake is known for. It seemed like he was just going through the motions, and the result was a lackluster and forgettable album. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and wanting more from Drake.
2. Sarah - 3/5 stars - While "Drake has broken free from the curse" had a few standout tracks, the majority of the album fell flat for me. The production felt repetitive and overly formulaic, and Drake's lyrics were often cliché and predictable. I appreciate that he was trying to experiment with new sounds and styles, but it just didn't work for me. I found myself skipping through the tracks, hoping to find something that would grab my attention, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed.
3. David - 2/5 stars - I've been a fan of Drake for years, but this album was a letdown. It felt like he was trying too hard to please everyone and lost touch with his own artistic vision. The songs lacked the depth and emotional resonance that I've come to expect from Drake. I wanted to connect with the music, but I found myself feeling disconnected and disinterested. Overall, "Drake has broken free from the curse" failed to leave a lasting impression, and I hope Drake can find his way back to creating music that truly resonates with his audience.