Author: ladyoftheabyss

Common Kitchen Herbs That Heal c. 2012

Disclaimer: No herb should be used for medicinal purpose until you have checked with your health care professional to ask if it is safe for you to use it for any reason. The content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. WitchesofTheCraft.com, any staff member of WitchesofTheCraft.com and/or Lady Carla Beltane are not responsible for any type of negative reaction when using this herb for any reason.

What follows is a short list of herbs commonly found in kitchens, or easily found in most supermarkets. This list is alphabetical by herb.
——————————————————————————–

Anise (Pimpinella ansium)
Anise helps expel gas, relieves nausea and stomach pain caused by gas.
To use: crush anise seeds into a powder. Put 1 teaspoon of the powder into 1 cup of warm water. Drink up to three times a day to relieve symptoms. ——————————————————————————–
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil is another anti-nauseant that also relieves gas, and promotes normal bowel function.
To use: Make a strong tea using 1 teaspoon of the crushed dried herb in a half- cup of water. Drink as needed, not to exceed three cups a day. ——————————————————————————–
Capsicum or Cayenne (Capsicum frutescens)
Cayenne helps stimulate the appetite and acts as a milk stimulant. It may reduce discomfort from the common cold.
To use: make a tea out of the dried herb, 1 teaspoon per cup of hot water. 2 cups per day only.
Note: Cayenne irritates hemorrhoids and should never be used by people with stomach problems. Do not exceed recommended dosage as high doses can cause stomach and kidney problems. ——————————————————————————–
Caraway (Carum carvi)
Caraway works as an expectorant for coughs due to colds. It also improves the appetite and may increase breast milk in nursing mothers.
To use: Chew some seeds three or four times a day. ——————————————————————————–
Dill (Aniethum graveolens)
Dill eases indigestion and upset stomachs.
To use: make a strong tea by steeping 2 teaspoons of dill seeds in 1 cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and drink one half-cup 2 to 3 times daily. ——————————————————————————–
Fennel (Foeniculum velgare)
Fennel is a digestive aid and is known to relieve cramps. The oil is used to relieve stiff joints.
To use: 15 drops of extract in warm water with honey, one daily, as digestive aid. Rub oil directly on affected area for pain alleviation. ——————————————————————————–
Fenugreek (Trigonella graceum)
Fenugreek relieves sore throats and is useful for treating irritations and other inflammations.
To use: as a gargle for sore throat – mix 1 tablespoon of pulverized seed in 1 cup hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes and strain. Gargle 3 times a day, every 3-4 hours. As a poultice for skin irritations – pulverize enough seed so that when mixed with 8 ounces of water, it forms a thick paste. Apply paste to affected areas once a day. ——————————————————————————–
Garlic (Allium satvum)
Garlic helps fight infections, lowers blood pressure and may be able to destroy some cancer cells.
To use: stir-fry cloves for a few minutes to cut down garlic-breath. Eat 2 or 3 a day for maximum effectiveness. ——————————————————————————–
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis)
Ginger eases cold symptoms, soothes skin inflammations and minor burns, calms upset stomachs, and is a natural remedy for morning sickness.
To use: for burn and inflammations – mash fresh ginger root, soak cotton ball and then rub juice on the affected area. For all else – add ginger extract to hot water, 10 drops per cup. This can be taken up to three times daily. ——————————————————————————–
Parsley (Petroselinium sativum)
Parsley settles stomachs after meals. If also helps clear congestion due to colds and is soothing for asthma.
To use: make a strong tea using 1 teaspoon dried, ground parsley in 1 cup hot water. Let steep 10-15 minutes. Take once a day. ——————————————————————————–
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Mint is an anti-spasmodic and is excellent for relieving cramps and stomach pain. It also relieves gas and aids in digestion. It can help reduce the sick feeling associated with migraines.
To use: drink one cup as a tea. Commercial teas are available. (Make sure it is only mint, not mint flavored.) Drink as needed. ——————————————————————————–
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Rosemary is used for most head pains.
To use: as tea, to relieve nervous tension, make a strong tea. Rub rosemary essential oil on the temples to relieve headaches. Mix essential oils or leaves with olive oil to make a dandruff treatment. ——————————————————————————–
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage reduces perspiration and can be used to ease sore gums.
To use: to relieve perspiration, medium tea, one time daily. To ease gums, strong infusion, gargled, 3 times daily. ——————————————————————————–
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme is good for chronic respiratory problems, cold flu and sore throat. It is also an anti-fungal.
To use: make a tea of the dried herb, drink daily. As an anti-fungal, rub extract on affected areas. ——————————————————————————–
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Turmeric promotes good liver function and helps prevent gallbladder disease. It also may help prevent over-clotting of blood cells, and may help relieve arthritis symptoms.
To use: take 300mg up to 3 times daily. ——————————————————————————–

Spell For Friday – True Beauty Spell c.2013

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)

True Beauty Spell

You need:

A dish full of earth (good soil, not dry, dusty dirt) A yellow candle A full-sized mirror Olive, patchouli, jasmine, or cinnamon essential oil A small flower pot A flower or plant seed

Anoint the candle with the essential oil you have chosen. Place it in the center of the dish of earth. Light it and sit down with it between you and a mirror.

Look deeply into the mirror, concentrate on your reflection. Without being vain, consider the things you find most beautiful about yourself — not just physically but mentally. What is your inner beauty, what is your outer beauty? It’s important that you never think of what you feel must be “changed”, be as positive about the beauty that you have already.

Perform this ritual 3 nights in a row.

Once the entire candle has burnt down, remove the wax from the dish. Place the earth from the dish inside a small flower pot and plant a seed inside it.

Water it and care for it so that it grows properly.

The Proper Timing for Magick c. 2017

Author: Taliesin McKnight

Timing is one of the most important things to consider when doing magick. Astrology can be likened to a great cosmic clock. It reflects the cycles and rhythms of nature. The proper alignment of the stars, the sun, the moon, and the planets should all be taken into consideration. Does this sound complex? I assure you it is not as complicated as it may sound. In fact, this may reduced to two things: the days of the week and the cycles of the moon.

The seven planets rule the seven days of the week. The names even derive from the planets in many different languages. In English these come from the names of the Norse planetary deities. Sunday is the day of the Sun; Monday is the day of the moon; Tuesday is the day of Tue (Mars) ; Wednesday is the day of Wodan (Mercury) ; Thursday is the day of Thor (Jupiter) ; Friday is the day of Freya (Venus) ; and Saturday is the day of Saturn. Therefore, for maximum astrological benefit, a love spell should be done on Friday, the day of Venus (planet ruling love) . In the same way, magick involving education may be done on Wednesday, which is ruled by Mercury. The planetary correspondences are as follows:

The Sun rules Sunday and is good for Success, luck, spirituality, knowledge, and healing. The moon rules on Mondays. This is a good time to do spells for intuition, dreams, astral travel, and communication with spirits. Mars rules on Tuesdays. It is a good time for effective magick involving battle, conflicts, protection, strength, overcoming adversity, and binding.

Mercury is the planet presiding over Wednesdays. This is a time for rituals for education, knowledge, divination, communication, and healing. Thursday is the day of Jupiter, and governs success, prosperity, luck, and leadership. Venus dominated on Fridays and can bring love, romance, heal relationships, and grant new friends. Saturday is governed by the baleful influence of Saturn. This planet grants protection, destruction, binding, curses, purification, and overcoming weakness.

In addition to the seven days of the week, the seven planets also rule the hours in the day. There are several different methods to calculating the planetary hours. One of these involves following the hours from sunrise to sunrise; another divides the hours between sunrise and sunset and divides them into 12 sections and the same is done for the period between sunsets. To avoid all the math and difficulty, a very simple and effective system omits this and simply uses the 24 hours from midnight to midnight. This has worked wonderfully for me and I see no reason to list the other methods. If you would like to examine other methods for calculating planetary hours, that information is readily available online or in other books on magick. For simplicity, just know that the planet for the day also rules the hour at 6 am, 1 pm, and 8 pm.

Now, to illustrate this, let us take an example. If you wanted to do a love spell, it would be a good idea to do this on Friday (the day of Venus) at 8 pm (the hour of Venus) . This acts as a magickal doorway in which the proper astrological conditions are right. In this way the magus moves with the cycles and the rhythms of nature. If one were to bind (or restrict) someone from causing harm to others, Saturday at 6 am would be a good time. The days and hours should be at least partially memorized. The easiest way to do this is to simply memorize which planets rule each day and to simply remember that the planet for that day also rules at 6 am, 1 pm, and 8 pm. In this way, it will not be necessary to look this up every time one wishes to do a spell!

The phases of the moon also have an important impact on the effectiveness of magick. The waxing (growing) phase and the full moon are good from creative magick and bringing things into your life; the waning (decreasing) phase and the new moon are used for destructive spells and getting rid of things in your life. This is the most stressed point in ritual timing in the Wiccan tradition.

The concept of moving with the phases of the moon is very ancient and is found in many different cultures. This can be seen as a more important element in timing than anything else. It is much better to go with the phases of the moon on the wrong day than to do it on the right day of the week and the wrong lunar phase. This aspect of magickal timing should not be over-looked. The full and new moons are peaks of the creative and destructive cycles. The mid-way points (the half moons during increase and decrease) are also times of great magickal power.

The last aspect of ritual timing is the moon sign. The moon passes through the 12 signs of the zodiac, remaining in each sign only for a few days. This is not as important a consideration as the other 2 timing concerns. Nonetheless, this can lend power to rituals and spells. When the moon is in an Earth sign (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) are good for financial concerns; when the sign is in an Air sign (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) are ideal for education and spells consistent with the characteristics of the element of Air. When the sign is in a Water sign (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) it is a great time for spells that are connected to the Element of water and to emotions, artistry, and relationships; While the moon is in a Fire sign (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) it is a good time to do rituals of a fiery nature.

The individual characteristics of the sign (rather than just the element) should also be considered. This is not a very important aspect to magickal timing, so don’t stress too much over it. As I said before, though, utilizing this can only help and never hinder!

There are other lesser aspects to astrological timing. These would include the weather and the current Sun sign. The reason Sun signs are rarely considered is not so much that it is a weak influence, but rather that it is not practical to wait months just to do a spell, when it will probably no longer even be needed or be too late. This could also be a great aid if followed.

Weather is an issue as well. Storms are usually great for magick because it is a time of great elemental power. Furthermore, if one is doing a ritual involving the Sun, this should be done during the day and when it is sunny. One would assume this would go without saying. On the contrary, however, many people fail to recognize this simple concept. After all, it is only common sense. Thus, weather and the Sun sign can lend a lot of extra power to spells, if you would only harness that power with the use of correct ritual timing.

Now that this has all been laid down and explained, let us take another example to make sure these concepts are well understood. Let us say that someone is looking for a new job and decides to do some magick to help the job search. The moon should be waxing (this is for bringing things into your life) and the spell may be done on a Thursday (the day of Jupiter) at 1 pm (the hour of Jupiter) on a cloudy day because Jupiter is a sky god. The moon should also be in the sign of Capricorn. This would be an extremely good time for such a spell. The conditions are perfect.

Does timing have to be followed? Of course not! In the preceding example, the job is probably needed immediately. It would be foolish to wait for the right conditions during such an emergency. Do spells whenever they are needed. However, WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT, the astrological conditions should be considered. If a spell can wait for the perfect conditions, then great. If they spell can wait a few days for the right day ruled by the proper planet, that is good too. But if the spell can’t wait that long, then do it now. The spell can be repeated when the stars, sun, and moon are aligned right if needed. The spell will still work. The point is lending extra power to your spells. That’s it.

Following the cycles and rhythms of nature is also another way of aligning oneself with the universe. In the ancient Mystery Traditions, from which magick derives, Man was seen as a reflection of the cosmos. One is moving in accordance with the universe. We are moving with the tides of nature. Can magick be done against these cycles and still be effective? Sure. But it is like swimming against a current. Why not “ride with the tide”? It may even carry you a ways if you would only let go and let the currents of the Great Mother take you. Thus, in magick we try to follow the ways of Nature. Magick is merely using Her ways.

Remember, that which separates the initiate from the vulgar is simply that the occultist is aware of the laws of the universe and uses them to his or her advantage while others do not use this power that lies in their hands.

Spell for Wednesday – “Naked in Your Sight” c. 2016

Simple Spells: “Naked in Your Sight”

If you want to do some “naked” magick but are too uncomfortable to stand around in your living room in your altogether, try doing this simple spell while in the bath or shower) where, presumably, you’ll be naked anyway):

Close your eyes and visualize your naked body in a waterfall or pond. See the water as the physical manifestation of the energy of the universe, and take in as much of that energy as you can hold. Then say, “As I was born, I am at this hour, fill my body with your power.”

Source

Everyday Witch A to Z
Deborah Blake

Spell For Today – Ways to Honor Mabon c. 2017

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence and Symbols For Ostara c.2022

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY COROSPONDENCES POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER) 

Correspondences & Symbols of Ostara

Symbols used to represent Ostara include the egg-for fertility and reproduction, and the hare-for rebirth and resurrection, the New Moon, butterflies and cocoons. Symbolically, many Pagans choose to represent Ostara by the planting of seeds, potted plants, ringing bells, lighting new fires at sunrise, either in the fireplace, in the cauldron, or light a balefire outdoors. I always give myself a gift of a newly potted plant or take a seed and plant it within my cast Circle. Ritually, a fire may be lit in the cauldron during (not before) the rite itself. You may want to decorate your altar with a colorful bouquet of Spring wildflowers. Other traditional activities include working on magickal gardens and practicing all forms of  herbal work—magickal, artistic, medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic. author unknown

Ostara Deities: Eostre, the adolescent Spring Maiden, the adolescent Spring Lord, All Youthful and Virile Gods and Goddesses, Sun Gods, Mother Goddesses, Love Goddesses, Moon Gods and Goddesses, and all Fertility Deities including :Persephone, Blodeuwedd, Eostre, Aphrodite, Athena, Gaia, Cybele, Hera, Isis, Ishtar, Minerva, Venus, Robin of the Woods, the Green Man, Cernunnos, Lord of the Greenwood, The Dagda, Attis, The Great Horned God, Mithras, Odin, Thoth, Osiris, and Pan.

Symbolism of Ostara: Renewed promise of life, The Union of the Goddess and the God, Fertility, and dispensing of the old and making way for the new.Resurrection of life , The Season of Rebirth

Symbols of Ostara: Eggs, bunnies, new moon, butterflies, cocoons, dragons, flowers,trees.

Colors: lemon yellow, pale green and pale pink. Other appropriate colors include green, all pastels, Robin’s egg blue, violet, and white.

Ostara Foods: eggs, egg salad, hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season, fish, cakes, biscuits, cheeses, honey and ham. You may also include foods made of seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, as well as pine nuts. Sprouts are equally appropriate, as are leafy, green vegetables.

Plants and Herbs: acorn, broom, celandine, cinquefoil, crocuses, daffodil, dandelion, dogwood, elder, ginger, Gorse, honeysuckle (woodbine), iris, jasmine, jonquils, irish moss, lavender, lemon balm, lilac, Lily, lily of the valley, lovage, marjoram, meadowsweet, narcissus, oak, oakmoss, olive, orris root, peony, rose, rose hips, sage, snowdrops, strawberry, tansy, tarragon, thyme, trefoil (purple clover), tulip, vervain, violet, willow, woodruff and all spring flowers.

Incense: jasmine, frankincense, myrrh, dragon’s blood, cinnamon, nutmeg, aloes wood, benzoin, musk, African violet, sage, strawberry, lotus, violet flowers, orange peel, or rose petals.

Gemstone: agate, amazonite, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, clear quartz crystal, garnet, lapis lazuli, moonstone, red jasper and rose quartz.

Spellwork for Ostara: Spellwork for improving communication and group interaction are recommended, as well as fertility, balance and abundance

Animals and Mythical Beasts: rabbits,snakes,unicorns, merpeople, and pegasus

Candle Colors: Yellow and Green.

Tree: The Alder, a tree sacred to the God Bran, who is said to protect the British Isles. Trees are very
important to Witches, and indeed important to us all. They are the lungs of the Earth, purifying the very air we breathe as they shade us and protect us.

Straight from

Raven and Crone

Midwinter Night’s Eve: Yule c. 2013

Midwinter Night’s Eve: Yule

By Mike Nichols

 

Our Christian friends are often quite surprised at how enthusiastically we
Pagans celebrate the ‘Christmas’ season.  Even though we prefer to use the word
‘Yule’, and our celebrations may peak a few days BEFORE the 25th, we nonetheless follow many of the traditional customs of the season: decorated trees, carolling, presents, Yule logs, and mistletoe.  We might even go so far as
putting up a ‘Nativity set’, though for us the three central characters are
likely to be interpreted as Mother Nature, Father Time, and the Baby Sun-God.
None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who knows the true history of the
holiday, of course.

In fact, if truth be known, the holiday of Christmas has always been more
Pagan than Christian, with it’s associations of Nordic divination, Celtic
fertility rites, and Roman Mithraism.  That is why both Martin Luther and John
Calvin abhorred it, why the Puritans refused to acknowledge it, much less
celebrate it (to them, no day of the year could be more holy than the Sabbath),
and why it was even made ILLEGAL in Boston!  The holiday was already too closely associated with the birth of older Pagan gods and heroes.  And many of them (like Oedipus, Theseus, Hercules, Perseus, Jason, Dionysus, Apollo, Mithra, Horus and even Arthur) possessed a narrative of birth, death, and resurrection that was uncomfortably close to that of Jesus. And to make matters worse, many of them pre-dated the Christian Savior.

Ultimately, of course, the holiday is rooted deeply in the cycle of the
year.  It is the Winter Solstice that is being celebrated, seed-time of the
year, the longest night and shortest day.  It is the birthday of the new Sun
King, the Son of God — by whatever name you choose to call him.  On this
darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and once again gives
birth.  And it makes perfect poetic sense that on the longest night of the
winter, ‘the dark night of our souls’, there springs the new spark of hope, the
Sacred Fire, the Light of the World, the Coel Coeth.

That is why Pagans have as much right to claim this holiday as Christians.
Perhaps even more so, as the Christians were rather late in laying claim to it,
and tried more than once to reject it.  There had been a tradition in the West
that Mary bore the child Jesus on the twenty-fifth day, but no one could seem to
decide on the month. Finally, in 320 C.E., the Catholic Fathers in Rome decided
to make it December, in an effort to co-opt the Mithraic celebration of the
Romans and the Yule celebrations of the Celts and Saxons.

There was never much pretense that the date they finally chose was
historically accurate.  Shepherds just don’t ‘tend their flocks by night’ in the
high pastures in the dead of winter!  But if one wishes to use the New Testament
as historical evidence, this reference may point to sometime in the spring as
the time of Jesus’s birth.  This is because the lambing season occurs in the
spring and that is the only time when shepherds are likely to ‘watch their
flocks by night’ – to make sure the lambing goes well.  Knowing this, the
Eastern half of the Church continued to reject December 25, preferring a
‘movable date’ fixed by their astrologers according to the moon.

Thus, despite its shaky start (for over three centuries, no one knew when
Jesus was supposed to have been born!), December 25 finally began to catch on.
By 529, it was a civic holiday, and all work or public business (except that of
cooks, bakers, or any that contributed to the delight of the holiday) was
prohibited by the Emperor Justinian.  In 563, the Council of Braga forbade
fasting on Christmas Day, and four years later the Council of Tours proclaimed
the twelve days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season.  This
last point is perhaps the hardest to impress upon the modern reader, who is
lucky to get a single day off work.  Christmas, in the Middle Ages, was not a
SINGLE day, but rather a period of TWELVE days, from December 25 to January 6.  The Twelve Days of Christmas, in fact.  It is certainly lamentable that the modern world has abandoned this approach, along with the popular Twelfth Night celebrations.

Of course, the Christian version of the holiday spread to many countries no
faster than Christianity itself, which means that ‘Christmas’ wasn’t celebrated
in Ireland until the late fifth century; in England, Switzerland, and Austria
until the seventh; in Germany until the eighth; and in the Slavic lands until
the ninth and tenth. Not that these countries lacked their own mid-winter
celebrations of Yuletide.  Long before the world had heard of Jesus, Pagans had
been observing the season by bringing in the Yule log, wishing on it, and
lighting it from the remains of last year’s log.  Riddles were posed and
answered, magic and rituals were practiced, wild boars were sacrificed and
consumed along with large quantities of liquor, corn dollies were carried from
house to house while carolling, fertility rites were practiced (girls standing
under a sprig of mistletoe were subject to a bit more than a kiss), and
divinations were cast for the coming Spring.  Many of these Pagan customs, in an
appropriately watered-down form, have entered the mainstream of Christian
celebration, though most celebrants do not realize (or do not mention it, if
they do) their origins.

For modern Witches, Yule (from the Anglo-Saxon ‘Yula’, meaning ‘wheel’ of
the year) is usually celebrated on the actual Winter Solstice, which may vary by
a few days, though it usually occurs on or around December 21st.  It is a Lesser
Sabbat or Lower Holiday in the modern Pagan calendar, one of the four quarter-
days of the year, but a very important one.  This year (1988) it occurs on
December 21st at 9:28 am CST.  Pagan customs are still enthusiastically
followed. Once, the Yule log had been the center of the celebration.  It was
lighted on the eve of the solstice (it should light on the first try) and must
be kept burning for twelve hours, for good luck.  It should be made of ash.
Later, the Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree but, instead of burning it,
burning candles were placed on it.  In Christianity, Protestants might claim
that Martin Luther invented the custom, and Catholics might grant St. Boniface
the honor, but the custom can demonstrably be traced back through the Roman
Saturnalia all the way to ancient Egypt.  Needless to say, such a tree should be
cut down rather than purchased, and should be disposed of by burning, the proper way to dispatch any sacred object.

Along with the evergreen, the holly and the ivy and the mistletoe were
important plants of the season, all symbolizing fertility and everlasting life.
Mistletoe was especially venerated by the Celtic Druids, who cut it with a
golden sickle on the sixth night of the moon, and believed it to be an
aphrodisiac.  (Magically – not medicinally!  It’s highly toxic!)  But aphrodisiacs must have been the smallest part of the Yuletide menu in ancient times, as contemporary reports indicate that the tables fairly creaked under the strain of every type of good food.  And drink!  The most popular of which was the ‘wassail cup’ deriving its name from the Anglo-Saxon term ‘waes hael’ (be whole or hale).

Medieval Christmas folklore seems endless: that animals will all kneel down
as the Holy Night arrives, that bees hum the ‘100th psalm’ on Christmas Eve,
that a windy Christmas will bring good luck, that a person born on Christmas Day can see the Little People, that a cricket on the hearth brings good luck, that
if one opens all the doors of the house at midnight all the evil spirits will depart, that you will have one lucky month for each Christmas pudding you sample, that the tree must be taken down by Twelfth Night or bad luck is sure to follow, that ‘if Christmas on a Sunday be, a windy winter we shall see’, that ‘hours of sun on Christmas Day, so many frosts in the month of May’, that one
can use the Twelve Days of Christmas to predict the weather for each of the
twelve months of the coming year, and so on.

Remembering that most Christmas customs are ultimately based upon older
Pagan customs, it only remains for modern Pagans to reclaim their lost traditions.  In doing so, we can share many common customs with our Christian
friends, albeit with a slightly different interpretation.  And thus we all share
in the beauty of this most magical of seasons, when the Mother Goddess once
again gives birth to the baby Sun-God and sets the wheel in motion again.  To
conclude with a long-overdue paraphrase, ‘Goddess bless us, every one!’

Celebrating 365 Days of Legends, Folklore & Spirituality for December 19, 20, 21 – Yule/Winter Solstice

 

December 19, 20, 21

Yule/Winter Solstice

The Solstice, taken from the Latin for “the Sun stands still,” is considered to be the true New Year-astronomically as well as spiritually. At this time, we see the simultaneous death and rebirth of the Sun-God, represented in the shortest day and longest night of the year. From this time forward, the sun grows in strength and power as the hours of daylight increase.

Midwinter, or Winter Solstice, marked the end of the first half of the Celtic year. As was Samhain, which has the Roman festival of Pomona and the Christian All Souls grafted on to it, the Celtic Winter Solstice was subsequently confused with the Roman Saturnalia, and later the Christian Christmas. Mythologically, logically, most of the Midwinter celebrations focused on the symbology of a new or younger God, overthrowing the older or father God, which would then bring forth a new and more potent life to the people and the land.

Although the Solstice takes place on December 21, Midwinter winter (renamed Yule by the Anglo Saxons) covers several weeks on either side of the Solstice. In medieval times, Yule began around St. Nicholas’s Day and ran until Candlemas. Eventually, Yule was redefined to mean either the Nativity (December 25) or the 12 days of celebration beginning on this date. The word Christmas then replaced Yule in most English-speaking speaking countries. However, the Danish preserved Yule as a way of maintaining their old style of festivities that incorporated rated several weeks of celebration.

In Wicca, and modern Paganism, the Winter Solstice is the time of new beginnings, a time to reflect on the past and project for the future. Magickally, the Winter Solstice affords us a perfect time to formulate a plan of action, a goal we can work towards during the coming year.

TIPS FOR MAGICKAL HEALING SPELLS c. 2014

TIPS FOR MAGICKAL HEALING SPELLS

  • Where illness derives from bewitchment, particularly where a hex was cast using some sort of tool like a wax figure,it may be necessary to find and remove the trick for healing to be accomplished. There are also usually specific magickal antidotes and jinx-reversing spells. {These issues are dealt with amongst hexes and their antidotes).

  • In general, one must cast one’s own spell. How every healing spells are unusual in that it;s very likely that someone else just cast the spell on behalf of the ailing person. The Person who needs or  desires the spell may be in   no condition to perform the spell. Most, although not all, healing spells demand the presence and sometimes the participation of the patient however.

  •  Given the opportunity to choose, many traditions assert that the full moon  is the best time to initiate healing-spells because as the moon diminishes, so should pain and illness.

Connect To Your Ancestors on Samhain Night c. 2018

Samhain Gods – Yama – Hindu

Yama

Yama or Yamarāja is a god of death, the south direction, and the underworld, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities. In Sanskrit, his name can be interpreted to mean “twin”. In the Zend-Avesta of Zoroastrianism, he is called “Yima”.

According to the Vishnu Purana, Yama is the son of sun-god Surya and Sandhya, the daughter of Vishvakarma. Yama is the brother of Sraddhadeva Manu and of his older sister Yami, which Horace Hayman Wilson indicates to mean the Yamuna. According to the Vedas, Yama is said to have been the first mortal who died. By virtue of precedence, he became the ruler of the departed, and is called “Lord of the Pitrs”.

Mentioned in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism, Yama subsequently entered Buddhist mythology in East Asia, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka as a Dharmapala under various transliterations. He is otherwise also called as “Dharmaraja”.

Hinduism

In Hinduism, Yama is the lokapala (“Guardian of the Directions”) of the south and the son of Surya. Three hymns (10, 14, and 35) in the 10th book of the Rig Veda are addressed to him. In Puranas, Yama is described as having four arms, complexion of rain cloud with wrathful expression, surrounded by garland of flames, protruding fangs, dressed in red, yellow or blue garments, holding noose and mace or sword, and riding a water-buffalo. He wields a noose with which he seizes the lives of people who are about to die.

According to Hindu itihasa, Yama is the son of Surya and Saranyu. He is the twin brother of Yami, brother of Shraddhadeva Manu and the step brother of Shani. His wife was Goddess Dhumorna and his son was Katila.

Buddhism

In Buddhism, Yama (Sanskrit: यम) is a dharmapala, a wrathful god or the Enlightened Protector of Buddhism that is considered worldly, said to judge the dead and preside over the Narakas (“Hell” or “Purgatory”) and the cycle of rebirth.

The Buddhist Yama has, however, developed different myths and different functions from the Hindu deity. In Pali Canon Buddhist myths, Yama takes those who have mistreated elders, holy spirits, or their parents when they die. Contrary though, in the Majjhima Nikaya commentary by Buddhagosa, Yama is a vimānapeta – a that has a mixed state.

In other parts of Buddhism, Yama’s main duty is to watch over purgatorial aspects of Hell (the underworld), and has no relation to rebirth. His sole purpose is to maintain the relationships between spirits that pass through the ten courts, similar to Yama’s representation in several Chinese religions.

He has also spread widely and is known in every country where Buddhism is practiced, including China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and United States.

China

In Chinese texts, Yama only holds transitional places in Hell where he oversaw the deceased before he, and the Generals of Five Paths, were assigned a course of rebirth. Yama was later placed as a King in the Fifth Court when texts led to the fruition of the underworld that marked the beginnings of systemizations.

Japan

Yama can be found in one of the oldest Japanese religious works called Nipponkoku Genpō Zenaku Ryōiki, a literary work compiled by the Monk Keikai in 822. Yama was introduced to Japan through Buddhism, where he was featured as a Buddhist divinity. He holds the same position title as other works depict him – a judge who imposes decisions on the dead who have mistreated others.

Naraka (Hindu)

Naraka in Hinduism serves only as a temporary purgatory where the soul is purified of sin by its suffering. In Hindu mythology, Naraka holds many hells, and Yama directs departed souls to the appropriate one. Even elevated Mukti-yogyas and Nitya-samsarins can experience Naraka for expiation of sins.

Although Yama is the lord of Naraka, he may also direct the soul to a Swarga (heaven) or return it to Bhoomi (earth). As good and bad deeds are not considered to cancel each other out, the same soul may spend time in both a hell and a heaven. The seven Swargas are: Bhuvas, Swas (governed by Indra), Tharus, Thaarus, Savithaa, Prapithaa, and Maha (governed by Brahma).

Naraka (Sikhism)

The idea of Naraka in Sikhism is like the idea of Hell. One’s soul, however, is confined to 8.4 million life cycles before taking birth as a human, the point of human life being one where one attains salvation, the salvation being sach khand. The idea of khand comes in multiple levels of such heavens, the highest being merging with God as one. The idea of Hell comes in multiple levels, and hell itself can manifest within human life itself. The Sikh idea of hell is where one is apart from naama and the Guru’s charana (God’s lotus feet (abode)). Without naama one is damned. Naama is believed to be a direct deliverance by God to humanity in the form of Guru Nanak. A Sikh is hence required to take the Amrit (holy nectar/water) from gurubani, panj pyare (khanda da pahul) to come closer to naama. A true Sikh of the Gurus has the Guru himself manifest and takes that person into sach khand.

Naraka (Buddhist)

Naraka is usually translated into English as “hell” or “purgatory”. A Naraka differs from the hells of western religions in two respects. First, beings are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment and punishment; second, the length of a being’s stay in a Naraka is not eternal, though it is usually very long. Instead, a being is born into a Naraka as a direct result of his or her previous karma(actions of body, speech and mind), and resides there for a finite length of time until his karma has exhausted its cumulate effect.

East Asian mythology

Mandarin Diyu, Japanese Jigoku, Korean Jiok, Vietnamese Địa ngục literally “earth prison”, is the realm of the dead or “hell” in Chinese mythology and Japanese mythology. It is based upon the Buddhist concept of Naraka combined with local afterlife beliefs. Incorporating ideas from Taoism and Buddhism as well as traditional religion in China, Di Yu is a kind of purgatory place which serves not only to punish but also to renew spirits ready for their next incarnation. This is interchangeable with the concept of Naraka.

In Japanese mythology, Enma-O or Enma Dai-O judges souls in Meido, the kingdom of the waiting dead. Those deemed too horrible are sent to Jigoku, a land more comparable to the Christian hell. It is a land of eternal toil and punishment. Those of middle note remain in meido for a period awaiting reincarnation. Others, of high note, become honored ancestors, watching over their descendants.

Related concepts

Yama and Ymir

In a disputable etymology, W. Meid (1992) has linked the names Yama (reconstructed in Proto-Indo-European as *yemos) and the name of the primeval Norse frost giant Ymir, which can be reconstructed in Proto-Germanic as *umijaz or *jumijaz, in the latter case possibly deriving from PIE *ym̥yos, from the root yem “twin”. In his myth, however, Ymir is not a twin, and only shares with Yama the characteristics of being primeval and mortal. However, Ymir is a hermaphrodite and engenders the race of giants.

In Iranian mythology

A parallel character in Iranian mythology and Zoroastrianism is known as Yima Xšaēta, who appears in the Avesta. The pronunciation “Yima” is peculiar to the Avestan dialect; in most Iranian dialects, including Old Persian, the name would have been “Yama”. In the Avesta, the emphasis is on Yima’s character as one of the first mortals and as a great king of men. Over time, *Yamaxšaita was transformed into Jamšēd or Jamshid, celebrated as the greatest of the early shahs of the world. Both Yamas in Zoroastrian and Hindu myth guard hell with the help of two four-eyed dogs.

It has also been suggested by I. M. Steblin-Kamensky that the cult of Yima was adopted by the Finno-Ugrians. According to this theory, in Finnish Yama became the god cult Jumula and Joma in Komi. According to this hypothesis, from this cult, the Hungarians also borrowed the word vara which became vár ‘fortress’ and város ‘town’. (ibid)

In Javanese culture

There is Yamadipati in Javanese culture, especially in wayang. The word adipati means ruler or commander. When Hinduism first came to Java, Yama was still the same as Yama in Hindu myth. Later, as Islam replaced Hinduism as the majority religion of Java, Yama was demystified by Walisanga, who ruled at that time. So, in Javanese, Yama became a new character. He is the son of Sanghyang Ismaya and Dewi Sanggani. In the Wayang legend, Yamadipati married Dewi Mumpuni. Unfortunately, Dewi Mumpuni fell in love with Nagatatmala, son of Hyang Anantaboga, who rules the earth. Dewi Mumpuni eventually left Yamadipati, however.

In Buddhist temples

In the Buddhism of the Far East, Yama is one of the twelve Devas, as guardian deities, who are found in or around Buddhist shrines (Jūni-ten, 十二天). In Japan, he has been called “Enma-Ten”. He joins these other eleven Devas of Buddhism, found in Japan and other parts of southeast Asia: Indra (Taishaku-ten), Agni (Ka-ten), Yama (Emma-ten), Nirrti (Rasetsu-ten), Vayu (Fu-ten), Ishana (Ishana-ten), Kubera (Tamon-ten), Varuna (Sui-ten) Brahma (Bon-ten), Prithvi (Chi-ten), Surya (Nit-ten), Chandra (Gat-ten).

Source

Wikipedia 

c. 2018

A Laugh for Today

Female Comebacks

Man “Haven’t we met before?”
Woman “Yes, I’m the receptionist at the VD Clinic.”

Man “Haven’t I seen you someplace before?”
Woman “Yeah, that’s why I don’t go there anymore.”

Man “Is this seat empty?”
Woman “Yes, and this one will be too if you sit down.”

Man “So, wanna go back to my place ?”
Woman “Well, I don’t know. Will two people fit under a rock?”

Man “Your place or mine?”
Woman “Both. You go to yours and I’ll go to mine.”

Man “I’d like to call you. What’s your number?”
Woman “It’s in the phone book.”

Man “But I don’t know your name.”
Woman “That’s in the phone book too.”

Man “So what do you do for a living?”
Woman “I’m a female impersonator.”

Man “What sign were you born under?”
Woman “No Parking.”

Man “Hey, baby, what’s your sign?”
Woman “Do not Enter”

Man “How do you like your eggs in the morning?”
Woman “Unfertilized”

Man “Hey, come on, we’re both here at this bar for the same reason”
Woman “Yeah! Let’s pick up some chicks!”

Man “I know how to please a woman.”
Woman “Then please leave me alone.”

Man “I want to give myself to you.”
Woman “Sorry, I don’t accept cheap gifts.”

Man “I can tell that you want me.”
Woman “Ohhhh. You’re so right. I want you to leave.”

Man “If I could see you naked, I’d die happy
Woman “Yeah, but if I saw you naked, I’d probably die laughing.”

Man “Hey cutie, how ’bout you and I hitting the hot spots?”
Woman “Sorry, I don’t date outside my species..”

Man “Your body is like a temple.”
Woman “Sorry, there are no services today.”

Man “I’d go through anything for you.”
Woman “Good! Let’s start with your bank account.”

Man “I would go to the end of the world for you.”
Woman “Yes, but would you stay there?”

Source:

JokeWarehouse.com

Hello and Merry Meet, Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening WOTC Family and Friends! A Thought for Today

Sacred Symbols and the Witch Next Door c. 2016

(Yes, I am cheating with some posts but feel they deserve to be brought to the present)

Sacred Symbols and The Witch Next Door

Author Unknow

It’s Tuesday at five o’clock. I punch out, lock up my desk, and leave the dreaded office for the evening. As I walk out of the side door, I imagine that I’m going through one of those automatic car washes, and the brushes and water are removing the day’s stresses and negativity from me (I’m a title clerk at a car dealership, and as you can imagine, dealing with the DMV every day tends to build up negativity). By the time I get to my car, I’m feeling good, stress free and ready for the evening. I look up and see another Carolina thunderstorm rolling in. It’s going to be a 30-minute drive in the rain, and that makes me smile.

By the time I meander my way out of the parking lot, the rains have started. I roll down my window and stick my hand out. As I drive down the street, going with the flow at 45 mph, I feel the bite on my palms and wrists. Like thousands of needles, the drops seem to pierce my skin, infusing me with the energy of Water and Wind. My entire left side is soaked, and I don’t seem to mind. The family in the mini-van next to me stares slack-jawed, thinking me to be insane. I feel sorry for them. If they only knew how good this feels, how cleansing it is, their heads would hang out of the windows of the van like Labradors. I turn into the parking lot of the grocery store to pick up something for cakes and ale tonight. The rain is coming down in sheets. Thunder cracks and rumbles, making the ground shake. Lightning strikes are everywhere. A handful of people run to their cars, holding a few grocery bags and covering their large heads with thin arms to shield themselves. I have the sudden urge to strip naked, arms out in childlike joy, and dance in deformed circles throughout the parking lot until I’m dizzy and fall into a puddle, laughing. The only thing stopping me is the patrol car parked nearby, with the cop inside catching up on his paperwork. I stroll leisurely into the store and pass a small group of old southern women staring at me as they huddle just behind the automatic doors waiting for the storm to subside. One of them tells me that I’ll get sick from that, and that I should have at least tried to hurry into the store where it’s dry. I look at her and say, “Water is a sacred symbol. I am Cleansed and Purified by the Mother.”

When I’ve finished my transaction and head out of the store, the rain has slowed to barely more than a drizzle. As I turn out of the parking lot, it has stopped all together. Again, I’ve rolled down my window and stuck my arm out; now it’s just the Air that I feel on my skin. I inhale the crisp smells only detected after a storm. My lungs expand, and I feel the butterflies in my stomach. That smell always seems to rejuvenate me. I pull into my driveway, turn off the car and go inside. I put the cakes and ale in the refrigerator, then head straight for the back door. On my deck, I sit and enjoy the rolling hills and farmland behind my house. The smell of the after rain still clings to the Air. I breathe deeply and close my eyes. I feel at one with the Air, with the sky. A light breeze kisses my face. As the breeze kicks up, it wraps around me, a swirling blanket of the Gods. I am given the gift of the East, Air as its symbol, and I take that with me back into the house.

The rest of the coven arrives. I change into my robes and we go into the altar room to set up. I lead them through the chants and the worship, we dine on the cakes and ale, and we meditate briefly before opening circle. After ritual, we sit and catch up on what’s going on in each other’s lives. We laugh, we talk, and we laugh some more. By 9:30 they show themselves out, and I return to the altar room. I light all of the candles once again and stare into the flame of one of my altar candles. I feel my spirit disconnect from my physical body. I enter a trance, and am lost in the awesome power of the Fire. My mind becomes one with the dancing flame and images flood my head. Insights are gained, wisdoms etched into my psyche to forever become a part of me. My education continues, with the Lord and Lady my teachers. The Fire is a symbol of my knowledge. My passion swells as I strive to learn everything…to know…to be. I become aware that I’ve hit the climax of my trance and feel the cycling down, the beginning of the end of the controlled burn. The images slow, and I am once again aware that it is a candle at which I stare. I thank the Gods for bestowing the gnosis upon me, and carefully extinguish the flame.

I am unaware of the time, and do not care to know. I need to ground myself, but rather than do it inside, I instead choose to take our offerings from ritual and bury it outside in the Earth. In the backyard, I find a small, rich patch of soil. Most of the yard is clay, except for here. I dig deeper than needed. Halfway down I toss aside my trowel, electing instead to feel the Earth in my bare hands. As I dig I allow the energies raised within me to pour down into the Earth. The smell of the grass and weeds and dirt permeate me. I feel calm and relaxed, bathed in the glow of the full moon. Carefully I scrape the offering off of the dish. I close my eyes and feel good, knowing that however small it is, this gift of thanks to the Gods will decompose, and what grows in this spot will receive some extra nutrition. All returns to the Earth in good time. I repack the hole I’ve dug and remain on my knees for a few more minutes. The Earth, our symbol of life, our living organism.

These are the most sacred of symbols, the Elements. Water, Air, Fire and Earth all connect us to the Spirit. I stand up slowly, beginning to feel the effects of exhaustion. I turn my head to the right and see a neighbor peeking out the blinds at me. I think to myself that I’m doing nothing strange here, yet tomorrow morning I’ll be the block’s topic of conversation. A Mona Lisa smile crosses my lips as I wave to her and she quickly moves away from the window. I go back into the house, knowing that I’m just the everyday Witch next door.

Once in a Blue Moon – The Origins and Meaning Behind the Phrase c. 2015

Once in a Blue Moon

The Origins and Meaning Behind the Phrase

You’ve probably heard the phrase “once in a blue Moon”, usually referring to a rare event. But where does the phrase come from? And does the Moon ever actually appear blue?
The Meaning of “Blue Moon”

Dating back to the 1800’s the term “blue moon” was used by the Farmer’s Almanac to denote the appearance of a third full Moon in a season where four full Moon’s will occur. Since there are normally 12 full Moon’s a year (one per month), this works out to three per quarter (three month period).

However, occasionally a quarter will see four full Moon’s.

The naming arises because each Moon in a given season has its own name. This tradition of naming full Moons has existed for hundreds of years across many cultures. The names generally accepted today are those coming from the Farmer’s Almanac.

For instance, during the second quarter of the year, the Moons are named Pink (April), Flower (May) and Strawberry (June). However, should another full Moon appear during this quarter it would be called, by default, a Blue Moon. Since the third of the four full Moon’s in a quarter is called the Blue Moon, the order of Moon’s in the second quarter of the year would be Pink, Flower, Blue and Strawberry.

Since Blue Moons only occur about once every three years, it became becomes a convenient measure of a long period of time, therefore giving rise to the cliche “once in a blue moon”.
A Misunderstanding Leads To A New Definition

While the above is the generally accepted meaning for Blue Moon, a misunderstanding lead to a new definition being adopted that today is the more often quoted.

In an article, “Once in a Blue Moon”, that appeared in the March 1946 edition of Sky and Telescope Magazine the author, James Hugh Pruett incorrectly stated that the Blue Moon was the name given to the second full Moon that appeared in any given month.

He had drawn this conclusion by looking at the 1937 Farmer’s Almanac. His analysis of the data therein lead him to draw the conclusion that, “seven times in 19 years there were — and still are — 13 full moons in a year. This gives 11 months with one full moon each and one with two. This second in a month, so I interpret it, was called Blue Moon.”

While the definition put forth by Pruett could coincidently be correct, it is not strictly true. For instance if we examine the example from earlier, it is possible that May could have two full Moons. Therefore the second full Moon in May would be called the Blue Moon (since it is always the third full Moon in the quarter). So, Pruett’s definition would be consistent with the traditional description. But, if two full Moons fall in June, the first full Moon would be the Blue Moon, rendering the two definitions inconsistent.

So, even though Pruett’s definition isn’t strictly correct, it became the adopted definition most widely used. In fact, it is so widespread that it is not uncommon for books to use Pruett’s definition over the correct one.

While actual Blue Moons only occur about once every three years, occurrences of two full Moons on a month are much more frequent. The years 2009 and 2010 saw multiple examples of this phenomenon, while 2011 will go without a single such event.
Does the Moon Ever Actually Appear Blue?

While the term Blue Moon is linked to full Moon events, it actually has nothing to do with the Moon’s color. However, under certain circumstances, the Moon can actually appear blue, even during non-full Moon nights.

The conditions under which a full Moon will occur have to do with moisture, gas and particulates in the atmosphere. When atmospheric conditions favor, for whatever reason, the existence of particles larger than 0.7 microns red light is easily scattered, while blue wavelenghts pass undisturbed. The result is that the Moon appears bluer (or some shade of grayish blue) than normal.

These conditions almost always limited to events such as volcanic eruptions or other large fires that fill the sky with smoke and dust particles. As winds carry these particles up into the atmosphere, certain regions of the world will experience these “blue” Moons.

Historical instances of visibly blue Moons include the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980, and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Source: About.com

Magick Symbols – DREAMCATCHER

DREAMCATCHER

An American Indian magic spider web inside a sacred circle. After making dreamcatchers in crafts lessons in school, many children hang them on or near their beds as it is believed that dreamcatchers will block bad dreams but allow good dreams to pass through the center.

Witchcraft Within Covens c.2015

Witchcraft Within Covens

A coven is a group of members of a unit of witchcraft and, in fact, can number anything from two to 13, or even more. The number 13 is traditionally designated by the 13 moon cycles that make up one year, and 13 is the number of the Goddess (hence it became unlucky under Christian influence).

Gardenerian covens generally number 13. Some covens are affiliated formally or informally to specific traditions, but they increasingly unite for organisational as well as legal and political strength, particularly in Australia and parts of the USA. On-line covens are also springing up and they are an excellent way for solitary practitioners to gain support and information. Reliable, bona fide covens will offer the same safeguards as any ordinary coven, but of course the normal restraints you should show on contacting any Internet site will apply.

The beginning of the path to learning about Wicca within a formal coven is usually marked by a dedication. Initiation, after a year and a day, or a similar recognised magical period, will confer formal entry. Further different levels of knowledge and responsibility may also be involved, for example elevation to a second or third degree, so that eventually initiates can begin their own covens if they wish.

 

A Practical Guide to Witchcraft and Magic Spells
By Cassandra Eason

Lammas Bounty Spell

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

Lammas Bounty Spell

Lamas is also called Lughnasadh; it is a celebration of plenty and optimism, and of nature’s infinite bounty. It is the time of the first harvests, and it marks midsummer’s joyous and fanciful energy. This spirit is celebrated, too, in Shakespeare’s A Mid-Summer’s Night Dream. To tap into this energy, gather a small bundle of long grass or reeds to braid, and light a white candle.

Braid the grass as you speak this verse:
Fairies prancing in the meadow,
Spirits in the corn;
Green Man is flourishing everywhere
On this Midsummer morn.
Grains begin to ripen,
All things bear fruit.
Summer glistens with
possibility,
Blossoms take root.
Fairies whisper secrets,
Powerful blessings to see.
Cycles move and all around,
they share their gifts with me.
Air to fire,
Fire to water,
Water to earth,
Earth to air.
Elements feed spirit,
And the circle glows.
At Lammas, day and night,
We witness Nature’s awesome might.
Growing full
And blessing all,
‘Tis Earth’s celebration Before the chill of fall.
Now braiding this grass,
I mark this day
Protect my hearth,
With the abundance of grain.
The blessings of the Goddess come again;
Place the braid above my door.
Hunger be banished now and then.
Blessings be drawn to this place,
Summer’s energy fill this space.
Air, fire, water, earth unite,
And bless us all this day.

By: Abby Willowroot

 

 

Traditional Witchcraft c. 2014

Traditional Witchcraft

 

Witchcraft is often referred to as “The Old Religion” and “Craft of the Wise.” Witchcraft has been present since the beginning of humanity in many forms. It was never a defined, organized religion, particularly not a universal one, but it was everywhere, as it is now. Those who practice Witchcraft are called Witches, no matter what their sex. A very common misconception is that a warlock is a male Witch. This could not be further from the truth. Warlock means “Oath breaker” and can be applied to either sex. Basically it is someone who betrays the trust of a coven. Witches are not evil-doers, rather, they are the most moral, most aware and sensitive people you will ever come across. They realize that every action has a reaction in every reality. Witches abide by a code of “Harm none, do as thou will.” This rule can be interpreted in many ways, but in short, it means do as you wish, and be sure not intentionally harm any innocent.

Witches tend to be pantheists, that is they recognize the divine in all things. Most Witches in some fashion worship the Goddess and her consort, the Horned God. The Horned God is a deity of fertility and festivity, often represented by a man with deer antlers or a satyr-like being, as artefacts of Pan and Cernunnos depict. One can easily see now where the Christian concept of the devil originated. It is always wise to remember that the gods of the old religions become the devils of the new in many western cultures. So never have Witches worshipped “the devil” as Christianity portrays. We actually find the idea of personifying evil rather stupid, for if you give something a name, you give it power. Witches, likewise, don’t believe in Hell. We cannot believe in an “all-loving” god that would send its own children to damnation, simply because they did not worship him in a certain form. Instead, Witches believe in a transient-like afterlife, sometimes called the Summer-lands, as well as reincarnation. Most Witches practice magick or spell-craft, following along the lines of “harm none.” Magick cannot be defined as “black” or “white,” because of the complexity of the results. For more about magick, go to Magick, Symbols and Spell-craft.

                                       What is the Modern Tradition of Witchcraft?


Usually people’s first reaction to ModTrad is “Isn’t that an oxymoron?.. How can something be modern and traditional?” Well, the key to it is that we examine the traditions and folklore of the past, and decipher a way to interpret them in a contemporary format that relates better to humanity’s needs today. Modtrad incorporates a system of careful research, reflection and ingenuity. Although most of us fantasize about living out in the middle of nowhere, being self-sufficient, close to the earth, the reality is that most of us lead urban-based lives. When one examines the eight sabats on the wheel of year, one discovers that they are planting/harvest/farming based. How does this relate to us now, living in the concrete jungle, lacking fields and livestock? How do we keep the meaning and intention in something that seems outdated? How does this reflect through all the aspects of the Craft, such as spell craft and our view of the Goddess? This is the challenge of Modern Traditional Witchcraft.

The Essence of Witchcraft…… c. 2014

“…….is transformation. The  idea is to take the “you” currently present and accounted for and change your essence into something better, greater, stronger, and incredibly dynamics. Being a Witch means to want to work every day to be a better person. When you change yourself then the world around you cannot help but change. There’s no getting around it. All this changing can be a lot of hard work–and there are certain aspects of the path that require time, effort, and energy. Although many of the things you truly water can be achieved in a short time with the techniques presented in this blog, there are other issued in your life that will require patience, effort, and practice to reach you ultimate goals. That’ s okay. If you didn’t have to work at somethings then the study wouldn’t seem worthwhile. To be a Witch, you must be brave enough to face everything inside of you and have the courage to change the things you do not like. Being a Witch has nothing to do with spell,=s, rituals and unusual clothing —they are the fun stuff. To be a Witch is to desire personal transformation.”

The Essence Of Witchcraft Is Therapy

The younger generation, that generation unfairly labelled Generation X, has an alarmingly dark cast looming over them. They are the first generation who are not expected to fare better than their parents. They are the depressed generation, with an alarmingly large percentage of these children on Prozac or other anti-depression drug, they have been warped by television, violence, illegal drugs and absentee parents. It is no wonder then, that many of these young people have turned to the Pagan religions for solace, turning Witchcraft and other Pagan religions into very quickly growing paths.

It is no puzzle why young people find the pagan religions attractive, they offer a degree of freedom and individualityuncommon to most other mainstream religions, they offer the practitioner strength and power. Because these religions integrate the magickal arts into their core theology, people who need a sense of empowerment are drawn to these religions. In Witchcraft especially, the practitioner is taught that they hold all the power, that will is all one needs to shape their fate and that we all have the ability to determine our futures. But Witchcraft also teaches that along with the power of independence comes responsibility, when we are forced to take responsibility for our actions, we become much more aware of them and this realisation is in itself a kind of therapy.

While many Craft leaders would be hesitant to accept the fact that Witchcraft is therapy, the truth is that any practice which advocates self exploration, self empowerment and self expression is therapeutic. The entire purpose of spirituality in its pure and unadulterated form is to provide a link between the individual and the Divine. Once this link is established and a firm relationship develops, the seeker becomes cleansed. A renewed understanding of self and a new-found self respect is instilled, thus the end result is the same result striven for in any kind of therapy. The re-connecting of the mind and body to the Earth and Goddess is the ultimate form of self affirmation therapy.

Unfortunately, however, the therapeutic aspects of Witchcraft are often masked not only by Hollywood facades which present Witchcraft as a fairytale practice, but also by many books that speak almost exclusively about magick and its application. While it is true that Witchcraft wouldn’t be Witchcraft without magick, it is also true that magick simply will not work without a deep understanding of self and a deep relationship with Earth, Universe and Goddess. Books that give guidelines for rituals and spells do nothing to add dimension to Witchcraft as a bona fide religion, though it appeals greatly to the younger generation. Yet watered-down Witchcraft can never feed the soul and when the young practitioner discovers that their magick does not work (because the books they read have neglected to inform them that they must transform themselves before they can work magick) they turn away from Witchcraft and never come to gain the very thing that they came in search of.

Because witches are very wary of those who proselytise, they are wary to do so themselves. Witches are willing to teach those who are sincere in their desire to learn and who are mature enough to discipline themselves in the manner required of true scholarship. The trouble however, is that most teenagers and young adults who encounter Witchcraft are not lucky enough to have a physical teacher. They read books, magazines and consult the Internet for their teachings. Yet precious little of these media offer valuable and accessible theological and/or philosophical information to the student. Most often, students are taught the Wheel of the Year and the Wiccan Rede without ever being taught why these things are sacred, how they are integrated into our daily lives and how the student is to interpret these guidelines for themselves. In fact, because many publications focus heavily on the eclectic side of Witchcraft, they often offer the student these empty words…Do whatever feels right to you. In some instances, such advice is favourable, but many times, the student has no idea what they should feel, let alone if that feeling is right.

Though teenagers and young adults come to Witchcraft for many reasons including a desire for control, love or for some rebellion against controlling parents, the reason these people stay with Witchcraft is because they feel a sense of coming home.While love and money spells may lure them in, those who are not willing to change for their religion will not stay. Witchcraft is first and foremost, a religion that advocates metamorphosis and self transformation and these things do not come from the wave of a magick wand. These things only come with perseverance, determination and discipline. Many books mention this fact, but most do not stress it enough. It is almost as though they are afraid of scaring away the reader. But why mask what our religion is? Why try to market it is as something that it is not? If we know that Witchcraft is a therapeutic religion that can reconnect the individual with Earth, why do we try to bury this beauty underneath magick spells and rituals? Why are we afraid to tell the student, If you want it bad enough, you can have it, but not without getting your hands dirty? In an age where we are losing a generation to drugs, violence and sexually transmitted disease, why do we deny them the exhilarating liberation that Witchcraft-as-therapy has to offer?

Perhaps writers are afraid that their work won’t be published unless they offer mass public appeal and the public wants magick. Maybe they are afraid that publishing a belief system is so close to proselytisation that they are afraid to cross that line. Yet if Witchcraft is to remain a bona fide religion, it must enculturate the younger generation and it must offer them something useful in return. Witchcraft is a truly beautiful religion, once one gets to the very meat of it and it is a religion truly fit for combating the decay of our young people. Unlike many mainstream religions, witches do not believe that they must rely on an outside source for fulfilment and happiness. Witches believe that the witch saves them self and in an era where self denigration and self hate is on the rise, it would be wise for the teachers of the Craft to make this information readily available to the student. The most valuable thing I ever learned from Witchcraft is that by the simple fact that I am, everything I do, say, feel and think is not only valid, but sacred as well. When we learn to accept ourselves as sacred, we come to understand that others are sacred and mutual respect is established and unity grows.

While it is never too late to teach these principles to anyone, it is much easier to integrate them into the teachings of the beginner, because they are so willing to learn. Instead of filling our bookstores with how-to books that may sell well but offer very little, we must teach and publish that which the younger generation needs to hear, which is that only through self discovery and understanding can we ever be truly successful, be it in work, love or magick.

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