Month: January 2012

Paths and Journeys

Paths and Journeys

Author: Janice Van Cleve

Paths and journeys are not the same thing. Paths are like nouns and journeys are like verbs. Paths are routes that lead to this or that destination. Journeys, on the other hand, are how we drive on this or that path, where we have been, and where we think we are going. Sometimes we take one path and sometimes another. In fact, since we are pursuing multiple short term and long term goals all the time, we probably are journeying on multiple paths every day. We have career paths, relationship paths, financial paths, aging paths, health paths, and many more. We are driving at different speeds, in different vehicles, and talking on different cell phones. No wonder we sometimes get lost or crash into things.

Some paths are determined for us – by bosses, by laws, or by how much money we have or don’t have. Some paths we fall into by chance – job layoffs, traffic accidents, or forces of nature. Some paths we choose because we like the path or because we think it will get us to a desired destination. Spiritual paths are no different.

An illustration might clarify. When I was a Roman Catholic, my spiritual path was the church, my roadmap was the Baltimore catechism, and my destination was Rome. I suppose a good Mormon kid takes the interstate to Salt Lake City, a Muslim travels to Mecca, a Jew to Jerusalem, and a Buddhist evaporates into Nirvana, metaphorically speaking. It all seemed so clear to me back then that if I drove this path with this road map I would get to Rome just like they told me I should. A funny thing happened along the way, however. I got pulled over by the Holy Police and when they checked my drivers license and found out I was a lesbian, they said I couldn’t drive on that road.

So there I was out in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas, my journey aborted, and no clear destination. I got out of the car and wandered around in the cornfields for a while until I met a country girl who guided me to a side road. It was then I discovered that there was a whole network of side roads going to all sorts of interesting places. She told me that this was the Pagan path, or to be more accurate, one of many Pagan paths.

Pagan paths are fun. Some are long, some are short, and some are under construction. There are many intersections, many maps, and many road signs, but no Holy Police. Most of the paths don’t pretend to go to any one special destination; rather, they just seem to go for the joy of going. And that’s when I began to notice a striking thing about these Pagan paths. They have lots of interesting attractions on both sides of the road and no commandment or necessity to reach an ending. What a contrast to the Holy Roman path I had been driving on!

Or was it? Now that I had seen the reality of multiple paths, I looked back at that Catholic highway. For the first time I noticed that it had exit and entry ramps, too. There were Catholic road crews repairing and replacing sections of it as well. Even the Catholic road maps got updated eventually (although it took the Vatican 400 years to exonerate Galileo) . I had not been aware of the varieties of Catholic experience before. Then I noticed that not all the Muslims or all the Jews were driving down their respective straight and narrows either. I wondered then if all paths were actually more or less equal and a journey on any one of them would be just as meaningful and of value as any other. Then I heard the sirens of the Holy Police and I remembered the difference between the highways and the side roads.

That’s not to say I have not encountered sheriffs on the side roads but most of them are pretty laid back and the only laws they enforce are those of common civility and mutual respect as expressed in the Law of Love, the Wiccan Rede, Kharma, and such like. What really holds Pagan paths together is not enforcement but traditions, particularly their seasonal traditions. There’s no denying the seasons. They come and they go as the Wheel of the Year turns. Even in parts of the world where the differences of weather are minimal, the energy forces of each season are still at work. Our various traditions help us align with the seasons, the forces of the universe, and our inner spirits so we don’t get lost or crash.

Where do these traditions come from? Tevya asks that very question: “You may ask, how did this tradition get started? I’ll tell you. . . . I don’t know. But it’s a tradition, and because of our traditions every one of us knows who he is and what God expects of him. Traditions, traditions! Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof!”

Our traditions come from many places – intentional design, borrowing from someplace else, a good idea that sticks, or who knows where? What makes a practice or a set of words a tradition is that it is used repeatedly over time and those who use it invest it with value through their applied energies. In ancient days it was the elders, the loremasters, the bards, and the shamans who remembered the traditions and passed them down orally through the generations. Modern Pagans – and other religious folk – write them down in Books of Shadows, prayer books, and liturgies.

Thus we have many paths, each supported and balanced by their traditions. However, paths all by themselves do not get us to our destinations. We have to choose which paths to follow, and when, and for how long. We have to put our own energies and efforts into motion. Scribes and shamans, priests and priestesses, bards and loremasters are responsible for maintaining the paths and traditions but only we are responsible for our individual journeys.

One of the most delightful features of paths – either side roads or highways – is that if they are alive, they are continually under construction. Our Women Of The Goddess Circle is a good example. It has been under construction for almost 19 years as of this writing. Over time it has developed some pretty good traditions and practices, based on much study, experience, and good judgment. That’s not to say that we haven’t built a bridge or two to nowhere in those years, but we learned and altered course as necessary. We continue to encourage our women to seek out many paths and bring back good ideas.

New ideas are sifted and even if they are tried, it is understood that they are on probation until they prove themselves. Too many changes too often can erode a group’s traditions. On the other hand, closing the door on changes that would improve the performance and appeal of a path could doom it to limited usefulness. The challenge is always to maintain a careful balance between tradition and change.

Part of that balance is to keep reminding ourselves of the mission and purpose of the group and of the path it is on. It is more important for each path to offer its own distinct features and attractions than for it to become either all things to all people or nothing to nobody. Another part of the balance is for each individual to take personal responsibility for their own journey, to contribute enthusiastically to the path she is on while she is on it, and to seek other paths to round out her spiritual needs.

As for myself, I follow the Dianic Wiccan path and I do have a care toward maintaining its traditions and those of the Women Of The Goddess Circle. However, I do journey sometimes on the Gnostic path or the Aquarian path, or I take to the stars with astrology or take to the outdoors alone into the wilds of Nature. My journey is enriched by all of them – and out here there are no Holy Police.

Satan: Not My God

Satan: Not My God

Author: Lady Abigail

“So, you‘re a Witch. Do you worship Satan?”

I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked that question. It does not seem to matter what tradition you may happen to work with; Eclectic, Druid, Celtic, Wiccan, and so forth, you have most likely been asked this question yourself. Somehow, if you do not believe in the Christian male god of everything, you must believe in and therefore worship Satan.

Occasionally, the name may be different, according to whom they see as this entity of evil. (Devil, Satan, Beelzebub and Lucifer being only a few on a long list of names.) Yet, the question is continuously asked.

Most of us have tried to respectfully explain to people that we don’t believe in a devil or a hell. This often gets a few strange looks, or a question of what we do believe in.

I believe that some of the people who ask this question, “Do you worship Satan?” don’t really care what the answer is. They are those people who believe they already have all the answers and most of them what to tell me what that answer is.

So I have decided that rather than try to explain to them that my beliefs do not consider Satan as valid, I simply say, “No, I don’t worship any of the Christian/Judaeo Gods, good or evil.” That always brings an immediate response. “What do you mean, Christian/Judaeo Gods?”

I reply that Satan, by whatever name he may be called, is the their God of Evil, not mine. I have to say, I have received more than a few puzzled looks, not to mention, shock, frustration, and some extremely nasty words.

The idea that Satan is their god of evil enrages many within the some of the mainstream faiths.
But, the truth is, Satan is considered by many as evil personified. He is the enemy of their heavenly God. There are a few additional faiths that believe in a concept of an evil godlike being, although it has been my experience, that none of those give him such absolute power and reverence as those of the mainstream religions.

Numerous followers of the Bible consider Satan to be not only real, but also created by God to be ruler of Hell. Satan, the God of Hell, was put in this position of authority over all the horrors that occur in human life, via the God of Heaven. Satan is distinguished in this arrangement as the God of Evil. He is seen as a very real and valid part of these mainstream religions.

A few years ago, there was a mini series called, “Revelations.” Actor Bill Pullman plays the part of Dr. Massy, a noted expert on Satanism, who had his daughter (who was to be a virgin sacrifice) killed by the followers of Satan. Natascha McFlhone plays the part of Sister Jo, a nun who goes out to prove, or disprove, miracles concerning the coming of Christ and the Anti-Christ. Together they travel the world battling evil and a demented Satanist, played by Michael Massee.

The reason I reference this program is because, no matter how enlightened we think we are as a society, this is how many see Satan. Their concept of the Devil, in a very physical form, is of a being looking to put an end to all that is good in the world. In this series, we see evil lurking around every corner, children being stolen, and the possible destruction of the world.

Disappointingly, some of the scenes show people chanting, likened to Witches, along with the working of magick and rituals for some diabolical propose. Pentagrams are displayed as the sign of the Devil; just another one of a thousand times the symbolism of Witches, something we are proud of, is used and intermingled with those of a Devil to whom we do not give credence. Nonetheless, it is assumed by numerous people watching, that those chanting persons working evil rituals and magick are also Witches.

It seems impossible to find any recorded history or sacred text, religious or otherwise, that gives reference to a Devil, Satan, Demon, or Lucifer, before or outside these mainstream religions.

For thousands of years, the ancient knowledge was verbally passed from generation to generation. Yet, many of the stories, folklore, and teachings of the Gods and Goddesses are the same throughout history, with only cultural differences represented. This includes the majority of stories found in the Bible. Surprising, many (if not all) of the Bible stories we know today are found in ancient writings of numerous societies that pre-date the biblical writings by centuries. Yet, none of these speak of a Devil, not having the requirement of a God of Evil who could be blamed for the debauchery in the world.

Subsequently, where did Satan, this demonic Devil, come from? The only writings I can find on Satan, or the description of Satan, come from the Bible. Satan is mentioned first in the book of Job. While still living happily in heaven, he appears with the “sons” of God. He is full of himself and wants to show off by testing God’s servant, Job. Satan is allowed by God to do ruthless and horrendous things to Job; God wanting to prove that Job would stay strong no matter what evil Satan executed upon him.

Later, in Isaiah, we are told how the Devil is sent to Hell. The Devil, Lucifer, is seen as an angel, being prideful and wanting to be like God. So, he is punished and kicked out of heaven and falls to hell. In this, there appears to be a splitting of God.

Now we have two: one good, loving, and benevolent God who lives in heaven, and one evil, malicious, God who lives in Hell. No real physical description of Satan is ever given in the Bible. He is spoken of as evil, the father of lies, disobedience, and bringing all that is wicked. Perhaps this is why it can be said that the Devil has the power to take on many forms.

Unfortunately, one of the ways the church attempted to turn Pagans away from their own beliefs was by deceitfully altering the accepted wisdom of the Old Ways. Disguising the truth to fit within their own needs served to convert, or destroy, those of conflicting faith. The Pagan Gods were transformed, with the Greek God, Pan, who is recognized as horned, hoofed, goat-like, and holding a long, three-pronged fork, or spear, called a Trident, becoming an early version of the Devil.

The Great Horned God recognized as a human male form with antlers, holding snakes, surrounded by creatures of earth, became a more human personification, sometimes with red flesh, a goatee, carrying a pitchfork. These Pagan Gods lent form to a previously un-solidified god of evil, Satan, the most vile, despised God of sin and death.

How bizarre that Satan began his extremely malevolent deeds at the same time the church came into its greatest power on earth, sometime during the thirteenth century. (It should be noted that some believe the source of all-evil is most beautiful. Using a pleasing form, he, or she, can lure innocent souls away into hell.)

Satan is believed to perform dark and evil magick, understanding that this also mean that these mainstream religions are based on magick, with water being turned to wine, foretelling the future, miracles of healing, the dead walking, talking with spirits, and the promise of life everlasting. How strange. If it is done in one religion, it is miraculous. Yet, when these same works of wonder are performed in any other religion, they are viewed as works of some devil. Perhaps it is the fear that others would see, and understand, that power and magick are within us all. This being too much to fear for those who wanted to control a populous.

Interestingly, in examination by religious and nonreligious scholars, it is believed that the entire concept of a Devil, or Satan, is due to an error in the translation of two words, “diabolos” and “daimonion.” In the original Greek and Hebrew, the word diabolos simply meant opponent or adversary, as in an enemy, rival, or foe. Daimonion was one of supreme authority or complete and absolute ownership. Could this be where the idea of a supreme power of evil found its birth? I have to believe that is from where the popular image of Satan came.

It is amazing that, individuals not wishing to take responsibility for their actions often resort to, “the Devil made me do it.” But in those words are frightening reminders of the history of the burning times. It is always easier to blame someone else, another power, or those that are different from you in some way.

Once the pointing starts, the true evil begins to grow. The blaming of others emerges like a forest fire and that fire is hard to put out. At one time, Witches were honored and respected for the knowledge we held in healing and magick. However, we are now still working to reclaim our reputations and show we are not evil.

So, let us repeat again. Witches do not desire, nor have any need, to worship Satan. Witches live right and do what is right because it is right, not out of fear that some big, nasty, red dude with a pitchfork is going to come and get us in the end. Witches are not Satanist. The Devil is not part of our religion, faith, or lives.

We don‘t want him; you can keep him.

Daily OM for January 19th – As the Day You Were Born

As the Day You Were Born
Being Naked

There is a freedom in being naked that few enjoy because we have been learned to be embarrassed. 

For most of us, it is probably difficult to remember the last time we were comfortably naked for a period of time longer than 20 minutes or so. Many of us are only naked for the length of time it takes us to shower or bathe. We quickly dry off and put our clothes or pajamas on, without taking even a moment to enjoy the feeling of the air against our bare skin. Most of us learned that this was the way to do things from a young age, and we may not have been exposed to another way of thinking, but many cultures regard nudity as completely acceptable, even in somewhat public settings. If you have ever had the good fortune to assimilate yourself to this way of doing things, you may have found the experience liberating enough to allow it to influence the rest of your life.

Perhaps you swam topless in Tahiti or took a sauna in Sweden or Finland. In many American cities, you can find the experience of unselfconscious nudity in a Russian or Korean spa. You may have noticed the lack of vanity in people who are comfortable with their naked bodies. Old ladies and young girls sit side by side, seemingly without concern for how they appear. We see that it is not necessary to hide our imperfections; from cellulite to wrinkles, all is accepted with equilibrium. We can see the beauty and naturalness of our different bodies, accepting ourselves as just right, just as we are. Being naked in front of children can be discussed with your spouse and a plan developed for your family. Children have their way of letting you know when they are ready for a clothes-only family.

If this sounds appealing, you might try carving out some time in your day in which you let yourself be naked. You could delay dressing for 10 minutes after your shower, gradually increasing the time to 20 minutes or half an hour. You might also want to try sleeping naked, a sensual delight that is especially wonderful in hot summer months. If you have a private garden, a naked sunbath might be just the thing. Whatever your choice, finding time to be as naked as the day you were born can awaken feelings of contentment, freedom, and self-love.

Special Kitty of the Day for Jan. 19th

Murphy, the Cat of the Day
Name: Murphy
 Age: Eleven years old
Gender: Male
 Kind: Cat
Home: Erwitte, Germany
In 2001 we saw Murphy sitting in the animals home in Lippstadt. It was in January when our last cat died after an operation. We were very sad and when Murphy looked at us we knew at once that he was the right cat for us.

After we get up in the mornings, Murphy wants to eat his catfood and he doesn’t stop miaowing till we feed him! He is always very hungry and likes eating very much.

He likes to sleep in our beds. But in the living-room he must sleep in a basket under the table now, because he damaged our old sofa with his paws. Last year we had to buy a new sofa and Murphy isn’t allowed to sit on it.

Murphy can go out whenever he likes. There big a hole for him in a cellar window. If we call him when he is outside, he’ll usually come very quickly. He wears a bell round his neck. But sometimes he kills little mice and little birds anyway. But he doesn’t eat them.

After our holidays in summer, Murphy was very happy that we were back home, so he put a dead mouse on the floor in front of our bed. Murphy likes talking a lot. He doesn’t stop miaowing when he wants to get something. He is a good cat for us.

Precious Pup of the Day for Jan. 19th

Gypsy, the Dog of the Day
Name: Gypsy
 Age: Ten months old
Gender: Female Breed: American Red Nose Pitbull
Home: Eugene, Oregon, USA
This is Gypsy Danger Queen. Gypsy has love in her heart for everyone she meets, whenever someone comes over she gets low to the ground and wiggles around because she is so excited to see them! She will always bring a toy to greet people with. Gypsy loves to snuggle and sits like a proper lady. She likes to talk to you, especially when she wants food or to go for a walk. Gypsy Danger Queen loves cookies and her Kitty (a stuffed animal she has had since she was eight weeks old and carries like a baby).

Gypsy has beautiful green eyes, a red nose, silky mahogany fur and one of her ears sticks straight up! You can tell when she is really listening because then both of her ears will stick up. We love having Gypsy as a part of our family and couldn’t have asked for a better princess!

Affirmation on Meditation

Affirmation on Meditation

  • Deepak Chopra

The true self contains the light that no darkness can attack. Daily affirmations are steps out of pain toward a higher reality. We can become living memorials to tragedy by restoring the power of life. You are that life, you are that power. Let us see if we can find the spark that will make the spiritual flame spring up.

Meditation is the practice of going inward to access awareness that is deeper than thought. Meditation isn’t just a time for peace and quiet, although both are needed. You are returning to your source. Make it your habit to find time alone, preferably once in the morning and once in the evening, in which you can close your eyes and go inside.

There are many forms of meditation. A simple but effective one is meditation on the heart. Sit quietly for a moment, placing your attention on your heart, at the center of your chest under the breastbone. When you are settled, repeat the word “peace” silently, and see its influence radiating out from your body in all directions. Do this three times, and then say the word “happiness” the same way. Repeat three times, then go on to “harmony,” “laughter” and “love.”

For longer meditations, you can use these words for as long as you like. Start with five minutes a session and work up to half an hour. Sit quietly for a few minutes after each session with eyes closed and simply appreciate the simplicity of quiet awareness.

Adapted from The Deeper Wound: Recovering the Soul from Fear and Suffering by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2001).

Can Meditation Be Sexy?

Can Meditation Be Sexy?

  • Ed and Deb Shapiro

From Madonna to Christy Turlington, from Sting to Richard Gere, meditation is what’s happening. We use the term “sexy” because meditation is now the IN thing, with more and more people, both young and old, chilling out by doing it. At the same time, cross-legged yogis and monks can be seen in television and magazine ads selling everything from cars to herbal teas.

You do not have to be a hippie or on a spiritual quest to meditate. We have taught housewives, athletes, musicians, and therapists, in yoga centers and town halls, high school gymnasiums, on ski slopes, and on television. We were invited to teach meditation in Thailand to corporate CEO’s, as more businesses are incorporating stress-release and meditation techniques.

But if meditation is so available and as well-known as it appears to be, why is it not already an integral part of everyone’s lives? If health reports are saying how good it is as a way to cope with stress, heart conditions, and psychological issues, why do we ignore it or find excuses not to do it? Why do we think of something as a waste of time when all the research tells us it is of such immense value?

Perhaps it is because meditation just doesn’t seem that sexy! The mind seeks constant entertainment and much prefers being distracted than facing the endless dramas racing around inside it. The idea of sitting still and watching our breath can appear boring, meaningless, even a time-waster, and not at all fun, challenging, or creative.

Yet meditation is all of this and much more. It is about discovering our authenticity and the magic of being alive. It is sexy because it feels great and there is nothing more joyful.

Meditation is simply about being fully present in this moment, no matter what we are doing. If you are washing the dishes, then let any thoughts and distractions dissolve into the soap bubbles; if you are ironing, then become one with the rhythm of the movement; when you are eating, be aware of every bite, the tastes and textures. In this way, everything can be an awakening experience.

Appreciation Meditation

Sit comfortably with a straight back. Spend a few moments watching the natural flow of your breath.

Now begin to feel a deep appreciation and gratitude for the cushion or chair you are sitting on, and for the building around you, appreciating the space they provide in which you can meditate. Silently thank those who made the building, and the work that was put into its construction.

Then extend that appreciation to the world around you, to this earth that sustains all life, for the tress, plants, animals, birds, the oceans and fish, the sun and the rain.

Now extend your gratitude to your body, appreciating how it cares for and nourishes you, how it is connected to the food you eat and the water you drink, how it is within this body that you experience love, joy and happiness.

Now bring your appreciation and gratitude to your breath. Become aware of the flow of your breath entering and leaving your body. Spend a few moments appreciating your breath and the life it brings you. Then take that appreciation with you into your day.

Cosmic Calender for Thursday, Jan. 19th

The Moon in Sagittarius is certainly a robust, stimulating and adventurous type of energy. Weather permitting, exploring the great outdoors and enjoying favorite sports and hobbies are a delight. Meanwhile, the largest asteroid – Ceres – enters Aries (10:38AM PST) for a new round through the 12 signs of the zodiac that lasts until April 14, 2016, over four years from now. It is a good time to shift your nutritional needs on to a higher level. You can be a leader in the fields of gardening and good-food production by taking an active interest in what Mother Nature has to offer humanity. [Ceres will enter Taurus on April 9.] Later today, the Sun at the end of Capricorn forms a square to Saturn at the end of Libra (1:20PM PST). Do everything in your power to avoid getting down on yourself or accentuating a pessimistic mind-set. Hard work and perseverance are the dynamic duo that will lead to eventual worldly success. Realize that tomorrow will bring a solar shift into Aquarius whereas Saturn is slowing down in its daily motion as it will go into reverse on February 7. Uncertainty and confusion can still grip you like a vice this evening as the Sun makes a 30-degree link to Neptune (7:56PM PST) while Mercury forms a frictional, 45-degree tie to Chiron (8:22PM PST). Learn more about alternative medical and holistic healing techniques that can help to eliminate some of the wear and tear on your physical body.

Calendar of the Moon for Thursday, Jan. 19th

Calendar of the Moon
Beth/Poseideion II

Birch Tree Moon

Color: White
Element: Air
Altar: Upon cloth of white set the budded birch branches, a single white candle, the rune Berkana carved onto a piece of birch wood, and a bowl of clear water.
Offerings: White cakes with the Berkana rune carved upon them.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian with dairy and eggs.

Beth Invocation

Call: Now is the beginning of the year.
Response: Now is the time of stillness and cold.
Call: Now all is still and waiting upon the earth.
Response: Now the earth sleeps beneath her many blankets.
Call: Now is the time of patience.
Response: Now is the time of our longest wait.
Call: We are at peace with the Earth and with each other.
Response: We are at peace with the Earth and ready to begin.
Call: This is the month of indrawn breath.
Response: This is the time of all beginnings.
Call: May the year grow strong before us!
Response: May we grow strong before the year!
Call: For as the birch tree steps forth into the burned fields,
Response: So do we step forth into the aftermath of our own burning.
Call: For as the soft branches of the birch beat away the old year,
Response: So do we lower our heads for the strokes of the future.
Call: For as the pheasant hunts the snow for food,
Response: So do we seek through the ruins of the past.
Call: For as Frigga spins the clouds into thread,
Response: So do we circle like the spinning whorl,
Call: So do we take up the fiber of what has been,
Response: So do we bring forth the new year from our very hands.
Call: From our open hands,
Response: From our open hearts,
Call: From our open bodies,
Response: From our open souls.

Chant: Silver tree, in your branches
White of snow, stars are dancing
Tree of clouds, like thread of silver
Time runs through our hands.

Calendar of the Sun for Thursday, Jan. 19th

Calendar of the Sun
19 Wolfmonath

Thor’s Blot

Color: Blue
Element: Air
Altar: Upon a blue cloth lay a bowl of rainwater, a cup of mead, and a Thor’s hammer.
Offerings: Mead libation.
Daily Meal: Goat meat.

Invocation to Thor

Hail, Thor, Lord of the Hammer!
Lord of the Storm, rumbling chariot
That tears across the sky,
Lord who speaks plainly
And has no time for intrigue
And subtle ploys,
Protector of the common man,
Warrior beloved by farmers,
Help us to untwist our tongues
And speak the fiery truth
Hurled blazing like a hammer-bolt
Across the open sky!

Song: Hail Thor, Lord of Thunder

(The cup of mead is passed around, and each drinks for Thor, saying what first comes into his mind, like a lightning bolt of truth. The remainder of the mead, and the rainwater, is poured out as a libation. Then the Mjollnir is passed, and each lays it on their heart and swears to make their word be as a bond of iron.)

Lunar Almanac for Thursday, January 19th

 Moon & Witch Comments & Graphics 

Lunar Almanac for Thursday, January 19, 2012

Waning, Last Quarter Moon Age: 25 ¼ days.

Moon at Ascending Node.

Moon in 5th degree of the Sign Sagittarius, the Bowman;

also in 5th deg. of the Constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion.

Moonrise: 3:51 morn. Midheaven: 8:50 morn. Moonset: 1:47 eve.

 
~Magickal Graphics~

Correspondences & Spellcrafting for Thursday, Jan. 19th

Days Of The Week Comments

 

 Correspondences for Thursday 

 

Magickal Intentions: Luck, Happiness, Health, Legal Matters, Male Fertility, Treasure and Wealth, Honor, Riches, Clothing Desires, Leadership, Public Activity, Power and Success  

 

Incense: Cinnamon, Must, Nutmeg and Sage  

 

Planet: Jupiter  

 

Sign: Sagittarius and Pisces  

 

Angel: Sachiel  

 

Colors: Purple, Royal Blue and Indigo  

 

Herbs/Plants: Cinnamon, Beech, Buttercup, Coltsfoot, Oak

 

 Stones: Sugilite, Amethyst, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire  

 

Oil: (Jupiter) Clove, Lemon Balm, Oakmoss, Star Anise 

 

Jupiter presides over Thursday. The vibrations of this day attune well to all matters involving material gain. Use them for working rituals that entail general success, accomplishment, honors and awards, or legal issues. These energies are also helpful in matters of luck, gambling, and prosperity.  

 

Spellcrafting for Thursday  

 

EGG WISH SPELL FOR FERTILITY

“On an egg whose shell is brown or pink,
Sign these signs in grass-green ink.
[a simple sun, a male symbol, an encircled equilateral cross, a female sign,
then an upside-down 5-pointed star]
Bury it deep in an earth-filled pot,
Let this stand where the sun is hot;
Sow on its surface seeds of grass,
Water them well while nine weeks pass
Gather the crop, bind it with thread
Let it hang always above your bed

 

SACHET FOR THE EXPECTANT WITCH

To be used in the bath or as a dream pillow to soothe away the discomforts of pregnancy.

1/2 tablespoon lemon balm 1 teaspoon lemon verbena 3 tablespoons lavender
2 tablespoons rose petals 1 teaspoon mugwort 7 drops of pure jasmine oil

Mix together all of the ingredients in your cauldron or a wooden bowl.

Cut a three-inch square piece of light blue cloth (a natural fiber always works best).Place some of the herbal mixture in the center and tie up the loose ends with some matching yarn. While doing this, visualize the discomforts being soothed away. When you’re ready, either toss it into a warm bath or hide it in the batting of your favorite pillow (or, if you want it to stay your favorite pillow for very long, put it in your pillowcase) and you’ve got a special dream pillow. Pleasant dreams!



Magickal Graphics

It Is A Wonderful Thursday, my lovelys!

Days Of The Week Comments Ah, it is so good to be back! I hope you missed me, I know I missed all of you! But taking part in the internet blackout was for a very, very good cause. If you remember the day before, I had discussed it on the site. I know it was publicize that the bill they were trying to pass involved piracy. But when you got to digging deep, it also involved the government eventually trying to censor what was on the net. I am like an elephant, I never forget. I remember how Witchcraft was banned so long ago. I got to thinking if our representatives were not as open-minded as they all pretend to do and they eventually ban The Craft again. I couldn’t take that chance. So I participated and I am damn glad I did. Take a gander at the following links…… 

Cantor stalls SOPA in the House

 

One battle was won, but the war isn’t over yet!

Magickal Graphics

When Your Pet is More Than A Pet – Familiars and Avatars

When Your Pet is More Than A Pet – Familiars and Avatars

Author: Bronwen Forbes

As a prologue to this, you need to know that Herne has been my patron God since I was nine years old. You don’t need to know, but you’ll probably figure out by reading this (if you haven’t already) that sometimes I’m a little slow to notice the obvious.

A few months after adopting my red and white beagle mix Herman, I was trying to sleep in one Saturday morning when I began to idly wonder, “There are so many Goddesses with dogs as part of their symbolism. I wonder what Gods are associated with dogs, too?” And then it hit me like a two-by-four to the forehead. Herne, Lord of the Wild Hunt, is very much associated with dogs, especially red and white hunting dogs, than you very much. (I warned you I’m a little slow sometimes) .

Needless to say, sleep was no longer an option. I sat up and looked at Herman (who had spent the night, as he usually did, asnooze at my side) who was already staring at me with a definite, “took you long enough to figure it out” expression.

And just like that, I not only had a familiar, I had an avatar.

I’m defining “avatar” here not as a recent hit movie or a small picture that represents you on various blogs or discussion boards, but as the earthly representative of a deity. And for the love of me, I hadn’t a clue what to do with mine.

Four months later, we adopted a German Shepherd mix named Katie – and lo and behold, she was also what my husband likes to call a “God-touched” dog. But unlike Herman who was also my familiar (notice the past tense; I still miss him) , Katie let us know pretty quickly that she had no interest whatsoever in being my husband’s familiar, but would happily attend her Goddess Nehelennia’s tasks of safe travel, healing and commerce. Period.

Since acquiring Herman and Katie in 2001, I’ve alao gotten the clue what to do, not just for my special dogs, but for anyone else who may wake up one morning and see deity shining through the eyes of their pet.

First and foremost, and I know this sounds obvious, you have to keep treating your pet like a, well, pet. Your animal companion is your spiritual and or magickal support (familiar) or a little bit of deity (avatar) but he still needs proper food and water, adequate shelter, regular veterinary checkups, exercise, training, vaccinations, etc. After all, it’s not like the Gods can or will take care of your pet for you.

But once the regular, responsible pet ownership duties are taken care of with your familiar or avatar, there are still some things you need to think about to keep your relationship with your animal companion – and your deity – as smooth and fulfilling as possible.

1. Remember that, despite her spiritual role in your life, your pet is still going to act like an animal. Herman used to drive me crazy with this. He was a daily reminder of my relationship with my patron deity, helped me work through some serious ritual issues, was a whiz at helping new students ground and center simply by sitting in their laps during ritual – and he was also a master escape artist. He could climb or dig under any chain link fence, and did so on a pretty regular basis.

Katie, a born healer, is also a big dog and an unrepentant counter-surfer. I can’t begin to count how many times I packed my lunch, left the kitchen to get dressed for work, and came back to find my lunch bag and food containers in Katie’s crate and my ex-lunch in her stomach. She may be God-touched, but she’s still a dog!

2. Give your familiar and/or avatar full autonomy regarding ritual attendance. This includes personal workings, small group rituals, festivals, and rites of passage. Shortly after my Saturday morning revelation about Herman, my husband and I took him with us to visit my parents for the weekend. While we were there, I helped my parents bury the ashes of our old family cat in the side yard garden – an understandably emotional activity. Herman was in the back yard, separated from me by a picket fence. He could see me through the fence, but couldn’t get to me. As my father dug a hole for the ashes, Herman went nuts, for want of a better word. Instead of pursuing squirrels (his usual pastime in my parents’ backyard) , he was throwing himself against the fence and barking frantically, trying to get to me. I should have stepped over the fence, opened the gate, and allowed Herman to join the small ritual. After all, he only wanted to do his job.

There have also been instance and rituals where Herman or Katie did *not* want to attend a particular ritual, and we quickly learned to “listen” to their opinions – rather like knowing that it doesn’t feel right to take a certain tarot deck with you when you go do readings at a community event. We learned this lesson the hard way when we took Katie to a ritual she clearly didn’t want to go to and she had a seizure.

3. Give your pet enough down time. Just as you can’t be in ritual 24/7, it’s unrealistic to expect your pet to be “on, ” i.e. actively acting as a divine representative or helping you with your spiritual work all the time. Don’t bug him to help you if he clearly doesn’t feel like it – the fact that he’s asleep or ignoring you are clear signs that he “doesn’t feel like it.”

If you find yourself needing extra protein, water or sleep after a working or ritual, offer some to your familiar or avatar as well.

If you have a pet that also enhances your spiritual practice or connection with your deity, you have been given a gift beyond price. Very few animals, at least in my experience, can do this, and if you get one or even two in a lifetime, you have truly been blessed. It’s also not something you can actively look for; it’s like love (actually it *is* love) – the more you try to find that special animal, the less likely you are to succeed.

Be patient. If and when you’re ready, the right animal will come.

Gnostic Paganism

Gnostic Paganism

Author: Howard Winkleman

“We do not know what God is. God himself doesn’t know what He is because He is not anything. Literally God is not, because He transcends being.” ~ John Scotus Erigena 840 AD

What’s this then? Am I about to declare some sort of absolute truth? In the same mold as those I have been unable to commit to my entire life? No, I don’t think so. It’s just not that easy.

I have tried on numerous occasions to choke down dogma for a couple of different faiths; ultimately however it always comes right back up! Truly and sincerely, I had given Catholicism, Wicca and Asatru a real effort, as well as Catholicism for my lovely mother who I always trusted and wanted to please.

Wicca was my next spiritual interest (between the ages of 12 to 19 and after Catholicism) , seeing as how one is bombarded with the subject when perusing alternative faiths and I already being a lifelong occultist of sorts. To me, having been raised in a family of Catholics — who fascinated me with some of their superstitious practices that I did not recognize at the time as being candle magic (lighting prayer candles to petition the saints) and divination via playing cards — Wicca seemed like home. Then finally I gravitated toward Asatru for the sake of my ancestors and myself as I wanted to honor my blood, and folk soul through the revived religion of the Germanic people.

I however knew” there was, for me, something ‘not quite right’ about them… and all other established religions. I felt that I had to keep searching. And as it turns out, that’s what Gnosticism is all about: the search for “gnosis”, or knowledge.

What kind of knowledge you ask? Well, that is a very personal knowledge of god and the creation. The true Gnostic seeks to discover for himself, through mystical means, the true relationship between himself and the creating force.

Knowing that the gods are immeasurable, incomprehensible, and beyond all mortal grasp, arcane, and occult knowledge is used to pursue the loftiest of all purposes: light. Light is the only way to see in the darkness of this world. To seek this light is to seek the keys to the kingdoms beyond.

And what are we left with? Truth? We have hopefully by this point ascertained that truth is truly obfuscated in its subjectivity, so we pursue light in an attempt to see.

So what are all these religions people are on about? Well, considering what I have just said, I am certain of the existence of a grand architect of the universe — the all father, progenerator of that first spark, the one to start the first domino fall leading through the aeons to this day — as well as a whole host of lesser deities, arch beings, spirits etc.

The various pantheons known to men are composed of these forces, some by different and varied names, some ancestral and unique to a people. Do I feel that all the established religions are rubbish? Certainly not. Their elitist, pompous, only what they say is ‘right’ mentality is the rubbish.

Men have written ALL the books. Some have had divine inspiration, and or, intervention, so the authors say. I choose Odian paganism as my personal path, yet I am well aware that all religions simply put the truth into a cultural context, which resonates for them.

Gnosticism is a perspective that can be incorporated into any worldview as a philosophy, Thelema being the best example of this. Paganism is the lens through which I choose to view things.

While Gnosticism is at the heart of my beliefs, the model in which I choose to work and bend from are Heathen, British isles, and heretical Christian all at once. While Gnostic is at it’s core, that aspect should never even be considered except on rare moments of reflection. One should be able to be a good pagan and know the gods are real and active in one’s life.

While the gods are unique individuals, you will find many correspondences across the board from one system to the next, hinting to me, at the underlying, ultimate truth: the All-Father — creator, that ancient unknowable entity, beginning of mankind and all worlds seen, and unseen — the thread that runs through everything, connecting us all to truth, to him. He is the spark of life that unfolds into men and gods, who merely play at existence atop this slumbering giant. The ancestors know the secrets; you will only discover after you join them.

So embrace your particular version of the gods, be it a Celtic perspective, Asatru, Hindu, Cthulhu or what-have-you! If you find it difficult to stick to a pantheon, then don’t. It should not be a challenge; it should feel as natural as what I have just shared with you does for me. We just need to know in the old way.

To know you need light. If you cross a room in the dark, you may believe your keys are here or there, yet with the lights you see them and know. We should all seek light until we one day KNOW. Know where we stand, who we are, and why… thus granting us the ultimate relief, peace and wisdom. No religion required there.

I have a strong belief in the “other world” as it were. I believe that within this world reside spiritual beings who are hierarchical in the sense that some are more powerful than others, just as some men are more powerful than other men. The most powerful among them could be deemed gods. I am comfortable doing so. Knowing this, I also know that these forces are unknowable in the mundane sense of knowing.

All things considered, I believe gods to be representations of cosmic forces, timeless and nameless. If you were to invoke the archangel Michael for example, you would truly be invoking the protective force he represents. The same force may be invoked by another tongue in other words.

Know they are there and powerful. Just don’t try to pin them down. You will be run about in circles trying to catch them. I have tried to no avail.

To Advance …Or To Go Within

To Advance …Or To Go Within

Author: Sarrestia

Several years ago I was on a mission to find what books, what outlets, existed that went into the Advanced arts of Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, etc. I didn’t succeed very well, in fact, after several days of religious online searching and bookstore hopping I became rather disenchanted by the whole concept of advancement. I did learn, however, that I am not alone in this. Hundreds if not thousands of pagans that enter into our respective paths reach a point where the 101 books are not only redundant, but become rather irritating with the same replicated material.

I realized, and constantly have to remind myself, that looking for advanced methods, an advanced teaching is the wrong approach. It isn’t about how to advance in one’s path, but how deep you have gone, and could go. And not just how deep into your path, but how deep into yourself.

With the massive amounts of books, websites, groups, etc. throughout the country I have noticed one thing: they all teach you the basics (which are bloody necessary in the beginning and throughout, for many concepts) but they don’t really teach you to stop looking out and start looking in. I have read Silverwolf’s books, Grimassi’s books, Cunningham’s books, Buckland, Conway, Morrison, Penczak, Andrews, etc. I have read their books, their 101 and branched-off books. They are all wonderful authors in their own right, and amongst each other. But their books are all about them, what they have learned, what they have done (Well, duh, you say, how else would they right a book, if not about what they’ve done?) , which is great! Many do have their little disclaimers stating that what they’ve done might not work for everyone, with a slight passing sentence stating that you need to figure out what is right for you.

In this day and age, when the young and the middle and some of the old are always looking for assistance, especially when they do not have the ability, in any way, of being around people with experience and with the knowledge and wisdom to pass on, that someone could hint or blatantly tell them that: you need to STOP reading this, and look at what YOU believe, what feels right to YOU and base your path, your actions on what YOU have learned about YOURSELF.

Which brings me to another point that I would like to mention: the lack of depth from the very beginning. Everyone who identifies himself or herself under the umbrella term of Pagan knows, if not in the beginning then later on, that the paths that we choose are not easy; they are bloody difficult. There are immense ups and downs, trials and errors, good times and bad times; but no matter what, at the end of the cycle when you stop and look back at what happened, what you overcame, you are damn proud of yourself, and even better you learned a lot about what it is you can do in your life. Even though the books and websites may say that it is hard, they don’t explain what that means. They don’t teach how hard it is and how much work you really have to put into it. Most of all, they don’t teach that the focus of your intentions, the focus of your work isn’t the world around you, but YOU.

I have always found it interesting when I see people performing Reiki, or some other psychic healing who are just as traumatized by their past as the people they are trying to help. How can you help anyone when you have done nothing to help yourself? Everyone wants to pick up on how to work with the many cool things that Pagans have at their disposal (which is one of the things I love about being Pagan!) , but they don’t want to stop and fix themselves first.

I also see, overwhelmingly, what happens when someone who has no concept of just how deep our paths can get see with their own eyes…and then freak the bleep out. Which is also probably the reason that I see so many young people coming into Wicca for a brief amount of time. They see some real sh*t, and then disappear.

I also find the ‘hidden’ seriousness of our paths is the reason that people have come up to me and said they had ‘dabbled’ in Wicca or one of the paths, before returning to their previous religion. [By the way, the following will be a severe digression from the above and below: these are the people who see the tattoo on my left arm (which happens to be a very personal symbol – that I created – of the goddess, triple moon with a pentacle in the full moon and the triquetra being help up by the goddesses’ arms) and feel the need to impart that they were ‘once Wiccan’.]

The discussion usually stems from my interest in talking with someone who knows about the different paths. But then I become irritated with these people when they inform me that they scared themselves by delving into the black arts. At which point, I want to ask them if they are truly racist and see the world only in black and white. At which point they call me a witch and walk away. But that is a whole ‘nother essay on my feelings towards Black vs. White…oooh, I’m leaving it at that.

I know what I am saying because I did the same thing. I came into this walk in my life bumbling along until I experienced my own Shamanic Death, which forced open the layers in my life and forced me to see why I do the things in my life that I do. And quite honestly, I did not handle it well: It took two AWOLs from the military and nearly cutting off all ties to my family and friends before I found the brass bra to start picking myself up out of the chasm I threw myself into.

All I am saying, really, is that maybe we should try to not surprise the new ones with the depth of what really takes place along these paths later on, but let them know in the beginning that there is a deep level of seriousness that underlies the laughter, parties, and joviality that are far more apparent by sight. That, while they are learning the basics of herbs, incense, the elements, the casting of the circle, the gods, they should also be working on their own lives, their pasts, their wounds and, also, what part of what they are learning actually means to them.

And if it is too late to learn this in the beginning, then to say: instead of looking for advanced concepts and practices, how about deepening yourself in your path, deepening your knowledge and wisdom? Instead of going out, go in.

Faith: A Measure of Courage

Faith: A Measure of Courage

Author: Phoenix Forestsong

Trials of faith are perhaps one of the most difficult and seemingly impossible to beat, truths of life. Do you believe because you want to? Do you believe because you need to? Do you believe because you’re afraid not to? Do you believe firmly, and with utter conviction from the fiery furnace that is your soul, simply because you do?

Being the over-analytical and opportunistically studious Witch that I am, combined with the convenient timing of a test of faith (I’m an optimist) , I began to wonder exactly what Faith was. Exciting stuff I know, in fact, it is so exciting that from the earliest days of mankind, we nearly instinctually segregated ourselves based on the unquantifiable attribute of Faith. Man has been gleefully and gloriously engaging his fellow men to kill, rape, hunt, sacrifice, maim, torture, enslave, debase, dehumanize, corrupt, ostracize, ignore, discriminate, and in every other way demean anyone whose beliefs differ in any way.

Faith. It led an entire nation of people who valued their beliefs above all else, their core ideals all based on the same essential beliefs, into the very example of Devotion. From the very earliest of times it was faith that led these people from a nomadic and pastoral way of life, into a Mecca of civilization and legend. From freedom to power to bondage, into one hell of a bad road trip and back into a great nation again, it was Faith, Devotion to their God that has held them together throughout time.

This group of people, their common beliefs uniting them, marched straight into battle for the very land of their new nation. Not only have these brave and noble souls won and lost their land, their nation, their very lives have been hunted in genocide. Even during those times, when the sky looked the darkest, when it looked like the curtains were just about to close and nothing mattered anymore; it was Faith that made the difference. Faith, with its immeasurable and intangible set of life altering philosophies and values, brought them back from the terrifying depths of extinction into the glory of nationhood once again…and again…and again…

Faith – A Test of Time

It is said that Time is the ultimate destroyer, that nothing and no one can ever defeat the ravaging and eroding effects of Time. I beg to differ. Read the following excerpt from an AP article that I found on space.com.

“Current estimates for the construction of the pyramids, based on surviving lists of the pharaohs, are believed to be accurate to within about 100 years.

But Cambridge University Egyptologist Kate Spence said that by analyzing the relative position of Earth and two stars, she has dated the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — to within five years of 2478 B.C.
That means the Great Pyramid is 4, 478 years old — or 75 years older than one commonly accepted estimate.”
-Stars tell the age of the pyramids, researcher says:
Alex Dominguez – Associated Press Writer posted: 11:18 am ET 17 November 2000

Scientifically, I get it. If you read the full article it states that the Pyramids were built with their north and south sides facing precisely north and south. By mapping the orbits of stars and calculating it backwards, two stars in the little and big dipper were always facing north and south. Thus, if you date it backwards and find where, thus when, those stars would have been aligned with North and South, you find the year! Ingenious!

It’s all Math! The universe, life, all of it and everything can, at some level, be quantified in an equation or counted in an audit. Everything except the spiritual…or can it be? I’ll leave the answer to that question to paranormal scientists, who I do believe are doing some good scientific work in expanding the science of the paranormal, to measure and prove. Until then, I’ll use my senses to detect Spirit, to feel faith, and to live in Devotion.

Faith – The Mouth of the Cave

Upon having our eyes opened with, oh…I don’t know, mankind’s rapid advancement in technology for example. There was once a time where men and women would willingly wait inside a forest for lightening to strike a tree in order to borrow fire. Mankind at this very moment now has the amazing ability to incinerate selected nations, or the entire world with the push of a button. How stupid are we?

Primitive humans understood at a feral level the patterns of the natural world. In fact, these primitive people thrived by living in harmony with their world. If I were a primitive human, I would like to think that I would have enough common sense to stay away from things that obviously attract lightening!

“Enlightened Man” has left the comfortable embrace of the Mother and ventured out into the wilderness to visit her gorgeous daughter. Man has traveled into space, landed on the Moon, split the Atom, and discovered infinite possibilities and solutions to problems and ideas not yet encountered. Humanity, in only the past hundred years, has learned to fly without wings. He has decoded the message of DNA and broadcast a message of peace to anyone who is listening in the rest of Universe via intelligent machines that he built.

Our “Golden Age of Humanity” who has created new worlds via Computers and the Internet, who will shortly fill that world with a new form of life, has discovered many secrets and realized many dreams. Yet still, as we discover incredible Life-Giving techniques and technologies, we for some reason still stand in the forest amidst one hell of a lightening storm.

Personally I don’t seem to recall, but at what point did we decide that actually building many something’s that could potentially have the ability to blow up the planet was a good idea? Yet one wave of humanity passes over the horizon and realizes “Gee, that probably wasn’t such a great idea huh?” another wave is right behind assembling their weapons as they run to catch up. As a species, we haven’t really advanced all that much have we?

Humankind has traversed uncounted miles and topped many horizons, each time discovering and dreaming just a little bit further and further ahead. In the days when life consisted of finding the nearest cave for shelter and the weakest deer for food, minds did not stray from survival. Thinkers were born who were a little brighter than the rest of the herd. Eventually new ways, safer ways, better ways were discovered, dreamt up, imagined and manifested into reality, and were learned by the whole of society. Thus, mankind has advance one step at a time from the cave and onto the shores of other worlds.

Yet still, even with the realization that the bounds of knowledge and discovery are limitless, mankind refuses to believe in what he cannot measure. The allegory of the cave is an example of this, for once you have left the cave, wouldn’t you want to see what else exists? For time and time again has history displayed the arrogance and folly of those who refuse to dream. I can quantify a tomato because I can see it, touch it, taste it, smell it, and perform numerous measurements on it. It is real because I can see it. Photons are light particles, a strange hybrid mixture of substance and energy that moves like a wave and a particle. The great inventor, Leonardo da Vinci, dreamt of some of our modern technology. Would the Photon, immeasurable in his day, be thought of as fantasy and magick? When I raise power, when my mother prays for one of her clergy, when I experience the divine, is that too not real?

Jules Verne, the great author, wrote works of fantasy and fiction. In his day his books were the stuff of dreams, a demented mind with too much time on his hands. It’s funny the way it is, how just a short time ago the works of fantasy are the stuff of our history. There are very few people who still live today who were never born into a world without flight. It’s commonplace. Hell, we have frequent flier miles!

If you were to go back in time and speak to the greatest minds of their day, a lot like two surfers’ excellent adventure, and tell them of our world and our dreams, how would that go over? Explain the mathematics involved behind thermonuclear fission to Socrates and then explain the very same thing to Thomas Jefferson. Which one will have the greater understanding? The more we advance, the further we see, and greater our dreams, which urge us onward over the next horizon…and the next….and the next… Why then, does our scientific community, people who were executed for their beliefs in provable science, and thus the “official world” still refuse to at least consider that which has not yet been quantified?

Our most brilliant minds have been able to prove, to the world of science, the existence of Black Holes. Black holes have no mass, thus no “weight”, their gravitational pull is so great that they eat stars and not even the light escapes. The only problem is this; no one has actually seen a black hole with his or her own two eyes. We have detected them based upon mathematics and theory, yet they are not really a physical object, rather a paradox of logic of and existence. Yet it is a scientifically proven and accepted fact that, yes indeed, black holes do exist.

I stand in a circle of power and I can feel my own energy. Seven nodes of light are mine, my chakras. I balance these energy centers and grow roots to ground. I feel the power, center my energy, and begin to raise power, attuning into the mighty torrent of Divine energy, spiritual energy. I focus my will into this power, this mighty and ever increasingly growing ball of energy, programming it with my intent. The time is right and my focus changes, I now direct this energy onto situation I am trying to better. I feel exhausted and must rest, but the wisdom gained from the brief communion with My Gods and the knowledge that the situation will be changed make a joy rather than a burden. I rest and I wait. Within weeks the situation begins to change, shaping itself to outcome, if not the imagined manifestation, of my will.

Everyone has this ability. Faith or faithless, it does not matter, for energy is energy, and energy is that which can be neither created nor destroyed. It is our Faith in our spiritual connection, whether it be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Wiccan, Pagan, or even in the all-mighty spirit of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers; it doesn’t matter. What matters is that everyone can experience it, we can’t see it but we can feel it and its effects. X-Rays were accidentally discovered in 1895, but in 1894, or 4 for that matter, If a person were to be exposed to high doses of X-Ray radiation, that person would be just as dead whether X-Rays were “real” or not.

We Are Spirits In A Material World and Other Law Enforcement Sayings

I really like the name of that song, because we are Spirits in a Material world. Science is the study of the world of the physical and learning the secrets of how things work in order to make newer and better things. Magick is the study of the world of Spirit, of energy, and learning the secrets of how to manipulate the physical world through the spiritual. It is impossible to find a person who has not had a spiritual experience, for a spiritual experience is not the same religious experience. The brief moment of peace and feeling of oneness with the local park during your morning jog is a spiritual experience. The feeling of love and acceptance from a parent while you were very young, all these are spiritual experiences as well.

Even the most devout science-loving atheist, who believes in nothing but the physical, has had the same or similar experiences. Some people are afraid of the spiritual while others disregard it. Regardless, Atheists, Christians, and Wiccans choose their own paths and personal beliefs based upon whatever makes that spiritual connection for them. So, if it can’t be quantified and personal experience is not scientifically acceptable, where can the materialist look to find some proof of Spirit? Something that is real will leave an impact on the physical world, the world of measurement, while something that is unreal, will leave no mark for it does not exist.

There is a way in which to see firsthand the mark that Faith has had upon the world. Look to Egypt, the great Pharaohs and their great tombs, built so long ago that their civilization has passed beneath the sands of time into myth. Their monuments remain, those great tombs, standing tall and proud amidst the stinging erosion of flying desert sand. We look to these monuments of our ancient brethren with awe and wonder, amazed by the incredible precision and craftsmanship involved in an age of bronze, stone, leather, and rope.

Look now to the people of Israel, the people of God, a group whose faith, whose belief in their spirituality runs so deep, that it predates the pyramids. For over two thousand years of recorded history the Jewish people have been repeating the tale of their enslavement in Egypt, where they were used to build pyramids. The official judgment is mixed, because there were some Hebrew names that were involved in the pyramids, but in any case just remember that at the time of the pyramids, the people of Israel were plentiful.

Today, the pyramids have cracked, crumbled, fallen, and deteriorated from the time of their construction. Some of these great tombs have vanished below the sands of time, leaving no mark of their existence. Israel is a nation once again, for its history is turbulent but infinite. While the Pyramids are aging and falling, and time is taking its cruel toll on them moment by moment, the Jewish faith is still alive, well, and having babies! Their culture is still largely intact and their faith still runs as deep as ever before. From slavery to power to genocide to being scattered, the people of this faith are what keep the faith strong.

Mass and Energy – Science and Spirit

Which is stronger, Material or Faith? Stone and steel are the tools of the material world, which are those things that can be created and destroyed. Energy, Thought, and Will are the tools of the spiritual world, which are those things that cannot be created or destroyed; however, they can still manipulate the material world. Which is stronger, the stone or the soul? Which of the two choices takes more courage; to grow and transform into something better or to be that which simply is and always will be until it is ground into dust?

As a race, we have evolved from the feral animals of our forefathers, to a deeply spiritual people rooted in nature. We then moved from the realm of spirit to the realm of science, where human understanding blossomed. Spirituality and science are not mutually exclusive, so as one blossoms, the other withers. It is time for humanity to take the blinders off and see the many beautiful vistas that await us. Leonardo da Vinci knew his helicopter would fly, just as his submarine would work along with his tank and his glider. He didn’t have to even build them but I’m sure that Leo knew that one day his ideas of fantasy would be manifested into reality.

Blessed Be,

-Phoenix Forestsong

Footnotes:
-Stars tell the age of the pyramids, researcher says:
Alex Dominguez – Associated Press Writer posted: 11:18 am ET 17 November 2000