Witchcraft Symbols, Terms and Definitions – Blessed Be A – Z for Children of All Ages

Click here to download a PDF of Blessed Be A-Z

A
Tall and straight as the ash tree grows
all the things that Athena knows
Smooth and sharp as an athame blade
All the color of an autumn glade

B
Fires at Beltane jumping high
Watch the bees buzzing by
A silver bell ringing bright
A besom sweep makes it right

C
Stir a cauldron round and round
Cast a circle on the ground
Catch a crystal in your hand
Light a candle if you canD
A raven dips and dives in the dark
Demeter makes things grow in the park
Dragon dozing in his lair
Dance with delight, do as you dare
Little Pagan Acorns

E
In the early east, an eagle flies
In an elder elm, her one egg lies
Energy comes from elements four
Embrace them all, open each door

F
Flight and a feather, often together
Fish and fin, go for a swim
Light a fire, flames grow higher
Find a fox, on nature walks
G
The God and Goddess are all around
From sky above to grass on the ground
Grab a goblet, give a toast
Visit a grave to honor the ghost
H
Horus hears as a hawk flies high
Hemlock hills are rolling by
Share some happiness with a hug
Sit on Hestia’s warm hearth rug
Little Pagan Acorns
I
Isis whispers in the night
Is there incense left to light?
Sprites and imps will skip around
Inner spirit can be found
J
Catch a firefly in a jelly jar
Jump for joy when you see that star
Enjoy a summer day in June
Join your hands under the moon
K
I like when Magick is in the air
When kids get kisses in their hair
Cats and kittens, on your knee
Together like a lock and key
L
Love at Litha lets flowers bloom
A little laughter lifts a room
Loki plays a silly joke
Light a lamp and blow the smoke
Little Pagan Acorns
M
The Morrigan smiles under May’s moon
Tomorrow sometimes comes too soon
Maiden, mother and then the crone
Making mischief all alone
N
Pine needles in the wood
Nearby nests sit snug and good
Notice knots, they hold in power
Midnight nears, that’s the hour
O
Osiris has two but Odin only one
Color eggs at Ostara, that’s always fun
Only in the Otherworld do goblins stroll
Don’t get confused, a goblin’s not a troll
P
Poseidon likes to play in the deep
A pile of puppies makes a cute heap
The pentacle protects sacred space
Pansies and petunias have a pretty face
Little Pagan Acorns
Q
Porcupine has quills, arrows in a quiver
Quite cold in winter, quick to shiver
Call the quarters, salute the Queen
Ask the question that is never seen
R
Relax when you are reading runes
A raven calls out raucous tunes
Write a ritual for Friday morn
That red rose may have a thorn
S
Basking in the solstice sun
Warming like a sticky bun
Smudging sage smells so sweet
Slithering snakes have no feet
T
Teas and tinctures, talismans galore
Thoth likes books more than Thor
Water trickles down the stream
Try some Tarot. What does it mean?
Little Pagan Acorns
U
Ugly umbrellas raised up high
Thunder rumbles in the sky
Venus on a unicorn
Out of bubbles, she was born
V
Nike votes for victory
Volcanoes and Pele over the sea
Valkyries to Valhalla fly
Vanilla for love, give it a try
W
Make a wish on a western wind
With a wand, wild women grinned
Witches, Wiccans, warlocks too
In the winter, owls ask who
X
A pixie relaxes in the wood
Jinxes and hexes are never good
With equinox, the days are split
With waxing moon, the sky is lit
Little Pagan Acorns
Y
Both holly and yew are right for Yule
You’ll find nymphs by yonder pool
Yarrow and tansy in a vase
Sitting on some yellow lace
Z
Zeus in a fez, do what he says
Zebras in zoos, time for a snooze
Wander the maze, the ancient ways
Need for some zen? Just say when

Folklore Fairy Queen: Goddesses and the Fairy Queen Archetype

When it comes to fairies, one of the most profound figures is the Fairy Queen. Numerous stories and myths have featured powerful queens ruling over their fairy courts from ancient times through the modern day.

Today we will explore the roles these mystical figures have played throughout history, myth, and fiction, and discuss what it takes to grow your own personal practice with the queens of the Otherworld.

Fairy Queens

Let’s start at the beginning: who is the fairy queen? And over whom exactly does she reign? The answer may not be so simple! The history of fairies and their mythology is as varied and magickal as the fairy queens themselves.

The fairy folk have been embedded in folklore and literature alike for many years. They come in all shapes, sizes, and forms, from the little pixies that inhabit gardens to the mischievous brownies that are said to lurk in households. Some believe they live among us, just out of sight of humanity, while others hold that they’re much more powerful than we can imagine.

Fairies In Folklore

Seelie & Unseelie

In Scottish folklore, it is known that the land is inhabited by Click here to read the rest of this article…

ELEMENTALS – THEY LIVE AMONG US

(Keep in mind this is one person’s viewpoint.)

The are four groups of nature spirits that are collectively referred to as the Elementals. They are, in no specific order, the Sylphs, the Undines, the Gnomes, and the Salamanders. Each of these groups corresponds with one of the four elements; air, fire, earth, and water. They live among us, yet remain mostly unseen except by children (their young minds have not been corrupted yet) and skilled practitioners who have been trained to see them.

We can trace the roots of the naming to the Swiss physician, alchemist, theologian, and philosopher Paracelsus (ca. 1493–1541). Paracelsus was an enigma during his life as he found common ground in the physical sciences, magic, theology, and humanity. Rather than ignore one discipline for the sake of another, he viewed them all to be necessary and dependent on one another. He was thought to be a prophet of sorts and a diviner, but that’s another story altogether.

Salamanders – Fire…

Gnomes – Earth…

Undines – Water…

Sylphs – Air…

Conclusion

There are many articles about elementals and each one seems to add a degree of spin. Some are obviously intended to drive social and environmental justice messages. Others are more focused on the ‘personality’ of each type. At first I wanted to make this an all encompassing article about every detail I could find, but I didn’t. I don’t want anyone’s opinion being my opinion.

Use this brief introduction to the Elementals as a starting point in your research.

Click here to read about each class of Elementals from thegypsythread.org

The True Legal Horror Story of the Salem Witch Trials

More than 300 years ago, twenty people were put to death for the “crime” of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. The most horrific part? The Salem Witch Trials happened under the auspices of “the law.”

To understand and commemorate this dark period in our country’s legal history, we’re looking back at the court proceedings and laws during the Salem Witch Trials and their impact on the American legal system.

From Hocus Pocus to The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, it’s clear that people love witches. In fact, witches are the most popular adult Halloween costume year after year. But those frivolous and fanciful witches we know today—cackling in black garb and pointy hats with broomstick in hand—have evolved a great deal over the past several centuries.

More than 300 years ago, it was a felony to practice witchcraft in the American colonies, defined by English law as acting with magical powers bestowed by the Devil. But it wasn’t until legal failings, mass paranoia, and Puritan religious and societal rules converged against a backdrop of economic and political uncertainty that the most horrifying witch-hunt against innocent people occurred in Colonial Massachusetts.

During the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, more than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. Twenty of those people were executed, most by hanging. One man was pressed to death under heavy stones, the only such state-sanctioned execution of its kind. Dozens suffered under inhumane conditions as they waited in jail for months without trials; many of the imprisoned were also tortured, and at least one died in jail before the hysteria abated in 1693.

So much of the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials comes down to the failure of the court and the laws during that time: Laws that made such things as visions, dreams, and even the testimony of spirits permissible evidence. And a court that accepted accusations so flimsy they would seem laughable today if they weren’t so horrifyingly unjust…

Accusations Spread

The Salem Witch Trials occurred just as Europe’s “witchcraft craze’’ from the 14thto 17thcenturies was winding down, where an estimated tens of thousands of European witches, mostly women, were executed.

The chilling mayhem unfolded during the winter of 1692 in Salem Village, now the town of Danvers, Massachusetts, when three girls allegedly having strange visions and fits were “diagnosed” with bewitchment by a doctor.

“Many modern theories suggest the girls were suffering from epilepsy, boredom, child abuse, mental illness, or even a disease brought on by eating rye infected with fungus,” according to The History of Massachusetts blog. Sheer vindictiveness is now considered a plausible explanation as well.

The girls blamed their odd behavior on three women considered social outcasts, including Tituba, a slave, whose confession may have been coerced. Soon a wave of witchcraft allegations throughout the year swept up more than 200 accused witches, including at least one child.

Local magistrates questioned the accused and determined whether any charges were to be brought against them. As paranoia spread, residents of Salem soon found themselves facing accusations from friends, neighbors, and families.

“Bearing false witness and committing perjury were considered felonies in Salem; under normal conditions, those convicted of such charges were prosecuted in public forums. During the witch trials, however, individuals convicted of perjury could save themselves from public humiliation by accusing their neighbors,” according to the First Amendment Encyclopedia.

The Puritans believed physical realities had spiritual causes. For example, if the crops failed, the Devil may have played a role. With this worldview, it was not a stretch for them to accept ‘spectral evidence’ of spirits and visions—which was the primary evidence used as proof of guilt during the Salem Witch Trials.

Evidence points to several factors that may have contributed to the mass hysteria: “An influx of refugees from King William’s War with French colonists, a recent smallpox epidemic, the threat of attack from Native Americans, a growing rivalry with the neighboring seaport of Salem Town, and the simmering tensions between leading families in the community created the perfect storm of suspicion and resentment.” Many historians believe the “witches” were also victims of scapegoating, personal vendettas, and social mores against outspoken, strong women.

Of course, underpinning it all was the Puritans’ deeply held and extraordinarily influential religious beliefs—which were also central to their legal system.

Early Witchcraft Laws

The so-called Witchcraft Act of 1604 served as the primary English law for witchcraft, deeming it a felony. A witch convicted of a minor offense could be imprisoned for a year; a witch found guilty twice was sentenced to death.

In 1641, the General Court, the legislative body of the colony of the Massachusetts Bay, wrote the Body of Liberties, the first legal code established in New England. This collection of civil and criminal laws and rights included witchcraft among its capital offenses. Citing Biblical sources for its authority, it stated: “If any man or woman be a witch that is, hath, or consulteth with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death. Exod, 22. 188; Deut. 13.6, 10; Deut. 17. 2, 6.”

In practice, few witches were executed in Colonial America prior to the Salem Witch Trials. In the English tradition, clear and convincing proof of a crime was needed for a conviction. Confessions, especially with other evidence and testimony of at least two trustworthy people, constituted the best proof.

Though the Salem Witch Trials predated the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights protections by almost a century, legal scholars say the accused witches were largely “deprived of the rights to which they should have been entitled under English common law.”

Changes in the American Legal System

During the epidemic of witchcraft accusations in Salem, the legal process changed. The trials followed the temporary suspension of the Colony Charter due to political and religious tension between the colony and England. A new governor and a new charter from England arrived in 1692, but the General Court did not have enough time to create any laws.

On May 27, 1692, Governor William Phips ordered the establishment of a Special Court known as the Court of Oyer and Terminer (which translate to “to hear” and “to determine,” respectively) to decide the cases. Without specific colony laws, the judges accepted “spectral evidence,” which included testimony about dreams and visions.

The Puritans believed that physical realities had spiritual causes. For example, if the crop failed, the Devil may have played a role—and Satan could not take the form of an unwilling person. So if anyone claimed to have seen a ghost or spirit in the form of the accused, that person must be a witch. With this worldview, it was not a stretch for Puritans to believe in spectral evidence, which was the primary evidence used as proof of guilt.

In October, Increase Mather, then president of Harvard, denounced the use of spectral evidence: “It were better that ten suspected witches should escape than one innocent person be condemned,” he said. Not long after, Governor Phips dissolved the Court of Oyer and Terminer.

In January 1693, the newly created Superior Court of Judicature began hearing the remaining witch trials. The judges could not accept spectral evidence and most of the remaining trials ended in acquittal. Phips pardoned the rest.

Enduring Lessons

In 1957, Massachusetts formally apologized for the events of 1692: “The General Court of Massachusetts declares its belief that such proceedings, even if lawful under the Province Charter and the law of Massachusetts as it then was, were and are shocking, and the result of a wave of popular hysterical fear of the Devil in the community…” The Massachusetts state legislature was still exonerating accused witches as recently as the early 2000s.

Today, the Salem Witch Trials continue to capture popular imagination. Less than 20 miles from Boston, Salem has turned its dark history into a thriving tourism industry, with witchcraft-themed shops, eateries, tours, and several museums.

The town commemorates the tragedy of that era with the Salem Witch Trial Memorial and has preserved many buildings and other historic sites associated with the trials, so future generations—and jurists—can learn how mass hysteria can lead to mass injustice.

From nesl.edu

Witchcraft Symbols, Terms and Definitions

From thoughtcatalog.com

Hecate’s Wheel

This is a symbol of the three stages of womanhood: maiden, mother and crone. The ancient Greek goddess Hecate was a goddess of crossroads (such as the crossroads between each phase of life for a woman). The wheel symbolizes these phases with a labyrinth and represents the power and knowledge in moving through life.

Represents: women, transformation.

Used in rituals for: invoking change and transformation.

Witchcraft Symbols, Terms and Definitions

From thoughtcatalog.com

Sun Wheel

The sun wheel is another form of a sun cross as it is also a circle bisected by four lines. It can be used as a calendar with each section of the circle representing the time between an equinox or solstice and also represents the balance of the four seasons. This symbol is sometimes called the eight-spoked wheel.

Represents: sun, four seasons, fire, masculine energy, south.

Used in rituals for: celebrating seasons, invoking the sun.

Why Do Witches Ride Brooms? The History Behind the Legend

From pagan fertility rituals to hallucinogenic herbs, the story of witches and brooms is a wild ride.

The evil green-skinned witch flying on her magic broomstick may be a Halloween icon—and a well-worn stereotype. But the actual history behind how witches came to be associated with such an everyday household object is anything but dull.

It’s not clear exactly when the broom itself was first invented, but the act of sweeping goes back to ancient times, when people likely used bunches of thin sticks, reeds and other natural fibers to sweep aside dust or ash from a fire or hearth. As J. Bryan Lowder writes, this household task even shows up in the New Testament, which dates to the first and second centuries A.D.

The word broom comes from the actual plant, or shrub, that was used to make many early sweeping devices. It gradually replaced the Old English word besom, though both terms appear to have been used until at least the 18th century. From the beginning, brooms and besoms were associated primarily with women, and this ubiquitous household object became a powerful symbol of female domesticity.

Despite this, the first witch to confess to riding a broom or besom was a man: Guillaume Edelin. Edelin was a priest from Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris. He was arrested in 1453 and tried for witchcraft after publicly criticizing the church’s warnings about witches. His confession came under torture, and he eventually repented, but was still imprisoned for life.

By the time of Edelin’s “confession,” the idea of witches riding around on broomsticks was already well established. The earliest known image of witches on brooms dates to 1451, when … click here to read the rest of this article

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Romance Air Diffuser – Printable

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Love

Love Magic: The Best Tools & Correspondence for Love Spells

Roses are red, violets are blue, I radiate love, through and through. A simple little love spell perhaps? Well, it’s February and love magic is in the air!

So, not everyone is a huge fan of Valentine’s Day but I say bring it on! I like to consider February love month. It’s a perfect time to focus on fostering positivity and love in your life, and to indulge in some extra self love and care. We can take this time to create new healthy habits, enhance our most special relationships, and discover new ways to focus on nurturing our own wants and needs.

This time of year is just perfect to indulge in the magic that is love. Commercially, the month tends to focus on couples but everyone can benefit from celebrating love once in a while. We can all choose to thrive this month while fostering love and positive relationships with friends, family, pets, and of course with ourselves.

Love Magic: They Love Me, They Love Me Not

Love magic is probably one of the most popular things people want to learn about when they begin their journey into magic. This is a magic that should be beautiful, gentle, warm, and soothing. We all need that feeling of love in our lives in order to feel emotionally strong and vibrant.

What it isn’t however, or shouldn’t be, is an opportunity to bend or manipulate the will of others. The wonderful energy that can blossom from this type of magic should indeed be used to bring more love and fulfillment into your life but not at the expense of others.

Use this magic with wisdom and care. Direct the magic inwards to gather more love for yourself, to draw more love to you, or to grow nourish, and strengthen relationships. Allow the magic to come from a caring and well intentioned place.

So, what elements may we include in these types of spells and rituals? Very happy you asked! Scroll down and keep on reading

Love Magic Correspondence

Best Day of the Week – Friday

Best Moon Phase – Waxing or New

Energy Centre – Heart

Herbs & Plants – anise, basil, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, coriander, dill, fennel, ginger, hibiscus, lavender, lemon balm, parsley, patchouli, rosemary, thyme, vanilla, valerian, yarrow

Flowers – aster, bleeding heart, carnation, cherry blossom, geranium, hyacinth, jasmine, lilac, orchid, rose, tulip

Crystals – amber, amethyst, garnet, lapis lazuli, moonstone, rhodochrosite, rhodonite, rose quartz, ruby, pink topaz

Essential Oils – anise, birch, cardamom, clove, ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, juniper berry, lemongrass, lime, marjoram, myrrh, patchouli, peppermint, rose, rosemary, spearmint, vanilla, vetiver

Colours – pink, red, white

Foods – avocado, banana, Brazil nuts, beets, cherry, chocolate, lemon, lime, orange, passion fruit, peas, pistachio, rhubarb, rye bread, sugar, sweet potato, strawberry, tomato, white wine

Ways to Incorporate Love Magic into your Day, Month, & Year

Click here to read the rest of this article from thewholesomewitch.com

Another Look at the Detities of Love anf Lust – Printable

10 “Mythological” Deities Of Love And Lust

While the standards of beauty may have changed throughout the centuries, all humans share an inescapable biological urge to procreate. Feelings of love and lust are therefore extremely important and have influenced even our deities—who, after all, are usually reflections of our own characteristics.

10 Xochiquetzal – Aztec Mythology

With a name meaning “precious feather flower” the Nahuatl language, it’s no surprise that Xochiquetzal was an Aztec goddess of love. Various other aspects of Aztec life, such as flowers, pregnancy, and prostitutes, also fell under her domain, making her one of the more popular deities of the time—a feast in which her devotees dressed up in animal masks was held every eight years. Because of her affinity for marriage, she was often believed to be the wife of the rain god Tlaloc.

Unlike most Aztec fertility goddesses, Xochiquetzal was usually depicted as a beautiful young woman, which caused her problems with some of the more misogynistic gods of their pantheon. While still married to Tlaloc, she was kidnapped by Tezcatlipoca, the god of the night, and forced to marry him, after which she was enthroned as the goddess of love. By another of her husbands she was also the mother of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god of Aztec mythology.

9 Clíodhna – Irish Mythology

Clíodhna was an Irish goddess sometimes depicted as a banshee or even Queen of the Banshees (or Fairies, depending on the translation). However, she was also the goddess of love, perhaps because she was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. Unlike many other love deities, Clíodhna remained chaste, keeping her love locked away until she met the mortal Ciabahn—who, in a lucky coincidence, just happened to be among the most handsome men ever to have walked the Earth. Clíodhna loved him so much that she left Tir Tairngire, the land of the gods, to be with him.

However, when the other Irish deities found out about this, they conspired to get her back. While Ciabahn was away, Clíodhna was lulled to sleep by the music played by a local minstrel and was subsequently taken by a wave (the tide in the area is still referred to as “Clíodhna’s wave”). Depending on the source, she was either returned to Tir Tairngire or drowned in the sea.

8 Tu Er Shen – Chinese Mythology

A relatively minor deity of Chinese mythology, Tu Er Shen—or Hu Tianbao, as he was known when he was mortal—is the god of homosexual love and marriage. Born during the Qing dynasty, Hu Tianbao found himself attracted to an official of the local government, spying on him naked through a hole in his bathroom wall. When his peeping was discovered, Tianbao was beaten to death. Moved by his unrequited love, the gods of the underworld took pity on him and restored him to life as the deity of homosexual relationships.

Perhaps because they were used as a slang term for homosexual men, rabbits are considered a symbol of homoerotic love in China, and Tu Er Shen is often depicted as a rabbit in the few shrines dedicated to him. Sadly, in many of the places where he is worshiped, homosexual activity remains a punishable criminal offense.

7 Hathor – Egyptian Mythology

One of the most popular, and longest-lasting, of the Egyptian goddesses, Hathor was mentioned as early as the second dynasty (around 2890-2686 BC), and perhaps even before that. Since she survived for so long, Hathor took on a number of roles, including spells as the goddess of love, beauty, mining, and music. However, it was her time as the Eye of Ra which led to her most interesting stories. The Eye of Ra is the term Egyptians used for the feminine counterpart to Ra, a role filled by a number of goddesses, including Ra’s daughter, Hathor.

Found in King Tut’s tomb, a story known as “The Destruction of Mankind” tells of a time when Hathor, at Ra’s insistence, became the war goddess Sekhmet in order to punish humans for their sinful ways. When the bloodthirsty goddess got out of control, Ra tried to stop his daughter—but failed. Just before she killed every last person on Earth, Ra managed to get her drunk. Hathor immediately forgot what she was doing and returned to normal. In another, possibly equally disturbing story, she performed a striptease for her father in order to cheer him up.

6 Eros – Greek Mythology

The Greek version of Cupid, Eros was Aphrodite’s son and the god of desire and attraction (although, he was sometimes depicted as one of the Protogenoi, or primeval gods). Much like his Roman counterpart, he often took the form of a young winged boy, complete with bow and arrow. He was fiercely loyal to his mother—although he was prone to fits of disobedience. That rebellious aspect of the god showed up prominently in his most famous myth.

A young woman named Psyche was born and proclaimed to be so beautiful as to be the second coming of Aphrodite. As was her nature, the goddess was angered and sent Eros to shoot her with her arrow and cause her to fall in love with the ugliest man on Earth as punishment. However, her beauty was so great that Eros fell in love and ignored his mother’s wishes, whisking Psyche away. Eros never revealed his identity but Psyche’s curiosity got the better of her and she peeked in on him when he was sleeping. Betrayed by his love, the god fled and Psyche wandered the Earth until Zeus agreed to let them get married.

5 Rati- Hinduism

More popularly known as the wife of Kama, the god of love, Rati herself plays a large role in love and lust in Hinduism. With a number of names, most of which speak to her immense beauty, it seems obvious Rati would be the goddess of desire. Depending on the source, she is the daughter of either Daksha or Brahma. In the case of the latter, she was the reason for the god’s suicide, after he lusted after her. Rati immediately killed herself as well (they were both quickly resurrected).

But Rati’s biggest claim to fame was successfully changing Shiva’s mind. The Destroyer, sworn to ascetic ways after his first wife’s death, had been forced to fall in love again. In revenge, he killed Kama, turning him to ash with his third eye. The best known version of the story has Rati persuade Shiva to revive her husband, with the caveat that Kama is to be invisible for eternity.

4 Oshun – Yoruba

The goddess of beauty and love, especially of the erotic kind, Oshun is extremely popular among the West African followers of the Yoruba religion. Renowned for her beauty, she is usually depicted as a woman adorned with jewelry, although she is sometimes shown as a mermaid. Oshun is also preeminent among the female deities of the Yoruba religion and demands the respect that title deserves. When the gods were first creating the Earth, and they neglected to ask Oshun to assist, she made it impossible for them to make anything until they came to her for help.

Due to her reputation for complete purity, Oshun is also often associated with fresh water, an extremely important resource for the people of Western Africa. In addition, she also protects women and children during childbirth and is also seen as a protector from diseases, especially smallpox.

3 Hymen- Greek Mythology

The god of married love, Hymen was a lesser-known god of the Greek pantheon. Either the son of Apollo and a Muse or Dionysus and Aphrodite, he led a charmed life thanks to his beauty, until he fell in love with a unnamed maiden, who didn’t feel the same way. While Hymen was trying to court her, she was kidnapped by pirates, along with a number of other young women (some versions of the myth even have Hymen taken by the pirates because his beauty made them mistake him for a woman).

Whatever the reason, Hymen found himself on the ship and killed the pirates, saving the girls, and convincing his love to marry him. Their marriage was so successful that it became the ideal to which every Greek couple aspired—his name was included in the wedding songs in order to invoke his blessing.

2 Yue Lao – Chinese Mythology

Yue Lao, otherwise known as “The Man under the Moon,” is a popular figure in Chinese mythology, as he is the matchmaker and overseer of heterosexual marriage. Widely connected with the red thread of destiny, Yue Lao is often seen as benevolent deity, binding two people’s hearts together in love and marriage.

The best known story involving Yue Lao is that of Wei Gu and his quest to find a wife. After years of unsuccessful attempts, Wei Gu came upon Yue Lao reading from the book of marriages. Insisting he know who his future wife was, Wei Gu was shown a vision of an old woman with a young child, living in poverty. Distraught that the old woman was to be his wife, Wei Gu ordered his servant to kill the young child, though she escaped serious injury. After years passed, he finally found a suitable wife and noticed she had a scar. When Wei Gu asked about it, he was astonished to find that she had been the young child he tried to have killed (although he probably never told her; some secrets are best kept hidden).

1 Freyja – Norse Mythology

Freyja, which translates as “lady,” had a number of roles in the Norse belief system. As well as the goddess of love, she was Queen of Fólkvangr, a place similar to Valhalla, where half of those who died in battle would go after death. However, unlike most of the other deities on this list, Freyja had a vicious bad side, full of greed, jealousy, and evil deeds. Among other things, she’s credited with teaching witchcraft to humans, a practice seen as evil by the Norse.

She was often at odds with Loki, who sought to torment the goddess and steal items from her, including her famed necklace Brísingamen, which was later retrieved by Heimdall. In addition, Freyja would constantly scour the Earth for her husband, who would go missing from time to time, crying tears of red gold as she searched. She did have one tremendous advantage over the other deities on this list—her favored mode of transportation was a chariot pulled by cats.

From listverse.com

Celtic Gods and Goddesses: Exploring the Pantheon and Mythology of the Ancient Celts

This article is not a complete list of the Celtic Goddesses and Gods. It seems to be the more popular ones in modern pagan traditions. They will also correspondence to some of the other ancient pantheons in other parts of the ancient world.

To read about the different Gods and Goddesses please click on their hyperlink this comes from historycooperative.org

You’ve always wanted to stroll across the beautiful landscape of Ireland. To make sure that you don’t miss out on the best spots, you decide to make use of a local touring company.

Suddenly one appears before you. How strange that you didn’t notice this building before, but heck, the banner outside claims it’s five-star and that you’ll meet Celtic gods and goddesses in person. They are probably just actors in costume — a little cheesy — but you don’t see any other places that are open at the moment.

To your surprise, you realize that your hiking companions are the actual Celtic gods and goddesses. While you fight off the sudden faint feeling, you remember that the ridiculously steep deposit is only refundable at the end of the trip. There’s no turning back now.

A big guy claps his hand on your shoulder and says, “Fear not, tiny mortal. You’re going to have a fun time learning all about the ancient Celtic pantheon and the people who worshipped us.”

You just want your deposit back. So when the group picks up their backpacks and heads out, you follow.

Dagda – The Good Father God of Ireland, Knowledge, Weather, Wise Druids, and Wariors

Name: The Dagda – the good god
Realms: Father god of Ireland; knowledge, weather, fertility, druids, warriors
Family: Father of Aengus, Brigid, and Danu, member of the Tuatha Dé Dannan
Fun Fact: In Dorsetshire is an enormous drawing of a man. Some believe that the chalk creation is meant to show this deity…

Ériu – The Patron Goddess of Ireland

Name: Ériu
Realms: Patron goddess of Ireland
Family: Daughter of Ernmas and Fiachna Mac Delbáeth; has two sisters called Banba and Fódla; mother of Bres
Fun Fact: Her sisters’ names are sometimes used as poetic titles for Ireland…

Lugh – The God of Crafts, Light, and Sun

(Side Note: This is the God who is honored during a Lammas/Lughnasadh celebration)

Name: Lugh
Realms: God of crafts, light, and Sun
Family: Son of Eithne and Cian; father of Cú Chulainn
Fun Fact: His full name is a little strange — Lugh of the Long Arms…

Epona’s Horses Aren’t Fond of Mortals (Don’t Get Too Close)

(Side Note: Epona is also considered the Goddess of all domestic animals in modern times. I work with her closely when teaching a puppy or an older dog manners to get along better in the human world)

Name: Epona
Realms: Patron goddess of horses, mules, fertility, and cavalry
Family: ???
Fun Fact: In the Gaulish tradition, Epona was never shown in human form; only as a mule or a horse. The Romans showed her as a woman on a throne, standing between horses or driving a chariot…

The Group’s Healer Is Kind of a Reaper

(Side Note: This is the Goddess who is honored during a Imbolc celebration)

Name: Brigid
Realms: Goddess of poetry, fertility, motherhood, passion, dawn, healing, smithing, fire, invention, and life
Family: Married to Bres; mother of Ruadán; daughter of the Dagda
Fun Fact: She inspired a goddess in Haiti, called Maman Brigitte

Danu Knows All About Death and Daffodils

Name: Danu
Realms: A mother goddess; the earth, nature, wind, fertility, death, wisdom, cattle, regeneration, wealth
Family: She was the consort of both the Sun god, Belenos, and the sea god, Beli; daughter of the Dagda, member of the Tuatha De Dannan.
Fun Fact: Danu is another geographical smash hit. Among the places named after this goddess is the River Danube, the Paps of Anu, a region in Ireland’s County Kerry, and possibly the Dane Hills in Leicestershire…

The God of Love Has Daddy Issues (Rightfully So)

Name: Aengus
Realms: God of love and youth
Family: Son of Boann and the Dagda, member of the Tuatha Dé Dannan
Fun Fact: Four birds surround him at all times and, according to mythology, they symbolize his smooches (Yep. His kisses)…

There’s a Confused God Looking for Some Guy Called “Asterix”

Name: Toutatis
Realms: Possibly the guardian god of the Gauls
Family: ???
Fun Fact: Ancient writers suggested that he was the equivalent of the Roman god, Mars…

There’s a Wolf Wearing Bloody Armor

Name: The Morrigan, the Great Queen, the Phantom Queen.
Realms: Goddess of war, fate, death, and destiny
Family: Great-granddaughter of King Nuada, member of the Tuatha Dé Dannan
Fun Fact: In some versions of Celtic mythology, Ireland was named for this Irish goddess…

You Don’t Mess With This Healer — He’ll Knock You Out (Then Put an Ice Pack on It)

Name: Belenus
Realms: God of the Sun, spring festivals, healing, medicine, and guardianship
Family: ???
Fun Fact: According to Roman sources, Belenus was the popular kid in the Celtic mythology during the 3rd century…

This God Adores Wheels and Human Sacrifices

Name: Taranis
Realms: Wheels, thunder, weather, the sky
Family: ???
Fun Fact: Archaeologists have discovered thousands of votive wheels in Gaul. They were popular offerings to Taranis…

Cernunnos Refuses to Show Himself, Because No One Remembers Him

(Side Note: This is the God who is honored during a Beltane celebration)

Name: Cernunnos
Realms: Forests, wildlife, wealth, fertility, and possibly the underworld
Family: ???
Fun Fact: This Celtic god is more of an entity today, in modern Wiccan traditions, than during the past…

Pagan Word Definition – Witchcraft

From merriam-webster.com

witchcraft

noun

witch·craft ˈwich-ˌkraft

Synonyms of witchcraft

: the use of sorcery or magic

: communication with the devil or with a familiar

: an irresistible influence or fascination

: rituals and practices that incorporate belief in magic and that are associated especially with neo-pagan traditions and religions (such as Wicca)

Practitioners of Wicca … use the tools … such as the broom (a purifying symbol), the wand, candles, crystals and the knife …. They refer to their practices as witchcraft …—Lesley Wright

or less commonly Witchcraft : a tradition or religion that involves the practice of witchcraft

Feminist witchcraft sees women’s oppression and environmental abuse, which they argue are intimately linked, as firmly rooted in patriarchal religions.—Wendy Griffin

Wicca, which emerged in the 1940s in England, is the original form of modern Pagan Witchcraft.—Meg Yardley

Synonyms

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of witchcraft was before the 12th century

We Must Hide No Longer c. 2011

We Must Hide No Longer

Author: Ryan Smith

Welcome to America, the self-proclaimed land of the free and home of the brave. The country where, at least in theory, one can practice any faith one wishes and can fully exercise as the Founding Fathers put it the “freedom of conscience.”

The First Amendment, which starts with “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, ” while plain on its face has had a lot of footnotes attached to it over the years by the Christian supermajority. Freedom of religion as long as your faith is Abrahamic in origin. Freedom from persecution as long as you kneel before the Cross. Freedom to worship openly and unhindered only if your faith is one that was thrust on your ancestors by foreign missionaries who claimed to have their best interests at heart.

As a member of what is America’s Invisible Minority, I am no stranger to what happens to Pagans when one is ‘outed’. While I have not been physically assaulted or fired because of my faith I do know what it is for people to go oddly silent when I offer a blessing. I know what it is to be mocked as “insane” and/or labeled a “devil-worshiper”. And of course, I have heard the ever-popular chastisement of, “You’re going to Hell.” I’m fairly sure that anyone whom is not Christian reading this knows what I’m talking about. I’m also fairly sure most people reading this, if they personally have not been the victims of it, at least know someone who lost their job shortly after being outed for “personality issues” or because “didn’t quite work out” or because “we no longer have need of your services.”

Then we have the worst examples: Brandi Blackbear, who was suspended from school for fifteen days in Oklahoma due to accusations of witchcraft (1) . In 1999 Tempest Smith of Michigan who, after school administrators washed their hands of the ongoing harassment by Christian students at her school, hung herself rather than deal with it any longer in 2001 (2) .

Palmdale, California, the state that is seen by many and prided as the most forward-thinking in the country, in 2002 had a local Christian group invade a Pagan store and harass, browbeat, intimidate, and threaten patrons who were honoring Ostara. The best part was when the Sheriff’s Department refused to investigate because, oh by the way, a volunteer department chaplain was at the attack and helped organize it (3) .

2004 in South Carolina saw local prosecutors state that a man accused of murder did so because he was Wiccan (4) . There is of course the infamous case of the Wiccan Nevada National Guardsman denied a pentacle on his headstone by the US government (5) .

In 2007 an Army Chaplain, in spite of his stellar record as a soldier and Chaplain, was not only denied his request to serve as a Wiccan Chaplain but also removed from the Chaplain’s Corps (6) . I’m sure there are plenty of other incidents like these that are as bad, possibly worse, that have not been mentioned here.

So what, you may be wondering, is the point of all this? The point is simple: we as a diverse group of Earth-based faith traditions are routinely disrespected and disregarded by American society as a whole.

Now I know a lot of Pagans are likely thinking to themselves, “Why should we care what a bunch of superficial ‘sheeple’ think? We’re free spirits who dance to the beat of our own drums and don’t care what other people say about us!” There is a very serious problem with that kind of thinking.

In the United States of America today there are about 300 million people (7) . Of that 300 million it is estimated only 1.3 million are Pagans of some kind or another (8) . As much as our independent spirit and willingness to question convention is probably our greatest strength it cannot be ignored that we are a tiny minority in an overwhelmingly Christian nation.

What would happen if, for example, the good people at Operation Rescue who had regularly targeted Dr. Tiller’s clinic in Kansas for protest (9) were very directly confronted in the national media and asked if their accusations of him being a mass-murderer (10) were responsible in some fashion for his cold-blooded assassination inside his own church? You would have wall-to-wall coverage of pundits, preachers, and politicians tearing their hair out and wailing about “persecution.”

Now what happens if, say, a Druid Grove is accused of human sacrifice? First off you probably wouldn’t see any media attention given to such a story unless someone decides to go and actually do something about “those dangerous cultists.” You would probably also see outrage and condemnation on the web on Pagan blogs. And just like many other instances of persecution after we as a whole vow “Never Again” and some group or foundation takes up the incident as their championed cause, it sinks back into the morass of apathy.

Why does this happen? Are we not devoted enough to our own dignity? The answer is rather more elementary than Pagans being undeserving or incapable of organizing or any of the other excuses bandied about.

With only a small handful of real victories against our persecutors and attackers, any move to do something about it is already seen by many as doomed to fail. Too many Pagans give our independent nature and notorious difficulty in being organized in any meaningful fashion as cop-outs to really having an impact on society and improving our standing in it. It is, sadly, understandable why many would do so.

Who wants to exhaust their time, money, and energy fighting for a cause pre-determined in the minds of their colleagues as lost? Everyone wants to be the hero riding over the hill; no one wants to be the person who makes the glorious last stand for a greater moral victory. Far better, it would be argued, to think small.

Better to gain a seat on an Interfaith Council or use of a Unitarian Church than to run for public office. Better to make small, easy victories than to organize, mobilize, and take the fight to where it matters most: the public square. Better to cede the debate to people who do not understand us and in many cases are actively hostile to us.

To take such an approach is to sacrifice the future of our faith, of our community, and of the next generation of Pagans for the sake of questionable comfort and unsteady safety in the immediate present. As Ben Franklin once said, “He who would give up a little liberty for a little security will gain neither and lose both.”

We cannot continue to “wait and see” or “let our moment come” or “try not to upset people.” We upset a sizable fraction of the population simply by breathing; staying quiet and walking small will not change that. I see no reason why we, a community that wears our free spirits as a badge of honor and believe in the importance of personal responsibility, should be afraid of standing up for what we believe. Every other group striving for rights and dignity in American history has been told the same thing when they began their push.

If all the other groups had listened then we probably would still have slavery in the South, women as property of their husbands, and only those with land of their own having the right to vote. Discretion is said to be the better part of valor, but when discretion is forced by circumstance then it is no longer a guardrail against madness but a straightjacket for the soul.

So long as we allow inaction we will remain the Invisible Minority. So long as we act in reaction to fear Pagans will continue to be harassed, attacked, fired, and forgotten. The promise of the Declaration of Independence of, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” will remain unfulfilled for all of us. The effort will be long. It will be hard. Only a fool would promise that it would be easy. But America now is no longer the America where the Religious Right stood unchallenged in their agenda by the masses.

The time is now. We stand at a vital crossroads in history. With the power of the social conservatives, at least for now, broken and our numbers on the rise we must seize the moment and begin the long journey to respect and acceptance. In so doing we must remember, for all who join us in the cause, that we do not just do so for ourselves. We fight for each other, our fellow Kin regardless of Tradition.

Most importantly, we are fighting for the future. The future of our Traditions. The future of our community as a whole and the health, vitality, and success of our local communities in particular. Most vitally we are struggling for the next generation. We must take up the cause to demand respect and dignity and work long and hard now so that when the next generation comes of age they will not know the fear, uncertainty, loneliness, and hardship that many of us have been forced to live with.

We begin today so tomorrow we may openly stand on the mountaintops and in the public square with each other, our children, and our fellow Americans and have no fear anywhere in this nation, from Seattle to Atlanta, from San Francisco to San Antonio, from New York to New Orleans there will be no place where we must hide the truth of who we are for the sake of survival or propriety.

We must take up the cause of liberation. We can no longer let fear instilled by our attackers to keep us shoved into the shadows. We must stand up and get involved in our local communities. We need to actively participate in local, state, and federal politics whether or not it is directly Pagan related or not. To give us a voice in public offices, we need to cultivate, assist and support people to run for these offices including those within the existing two major parties.

We must aggressively dispel the lies perpetrated by our foes by coming out to the public where it is safe to do so as a Pagan, as a Druid, as a Witch, as a Heathen so they know we are not some mysterious dark cult but real people they know. We must do this for what are our natural rights as human beings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on our terms according to what we believe not what others say we must believe.

We have no time to wait, no time to allow our moment to come. Our time is here.

Every act we take, great or small, alone or in a group, which is one made for the good of our greater community is one worth doing. Every act no matter its impact is one more step on the road to victory.

We cannot wait for heroes to come riding down from on high to our rescue. We must answer the call and rise to the challenge that we all face.

Footnotes:
1. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_9_32/ai_70461580/
2. http://community-2.webtv.net/FullMoonCircle/TempestSmith/
3. Rich Breault, “Wiccagate: What do Witches Grove protesters have to hide?, ” Valley Press, 2002-APR-8.
4. http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2347141 and nav=0RaPRIlo
5. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2007/feb/08/news/chi-0702080027feb08
6. http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/2007/032907WitchTrials.html
7. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/US.html
8. http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf
9. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/abortviolence/stories/tiller3.htm
10. http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/8967610531.html

Flashback 2011 – The Rise of Wicca and Neo–Paganism in the United States

Author: Govannon Thunderwolf

Wicca is becoming the fastest growing religion in the United States. This statement was something I was hearing and reading more and more. Being a member of the Pagan community, I didn’t really notice any of this growth happening. The more books and articles on the Internet that I read, the more I kept seeing this statement. The research into this declaration became my focus of interest. What fascinated me the most about this account was the fact that Wiccans and neo – Pagans do not go around with the specific intent of finding converts. In the teachings and ideas of Wicca and Paganism, the idea of looking for converts is not encouraged and is looked down upon. Anyone seeking converts into Wicca or Paganism is breaking a cardinal rule.

Even though Wicca is generally a female dominated religion, there are men involved as well. Wicca is a religion that recognizes women and men as equals, but it does put a slight emphasis on women and the Goddess. Female witches out number males two to one in the United States, according to the Covenant of the Goddess’s estimates. Covenant of the Goddess is one of the oldest and largest Wiccan groups in the United States. They also state that much of the recent growth in Wicca and neo – Paganism has been among women. (Sanders xiv)

Where would someone look to find followers of Wicca and Pagans? They can be found anywhere and everywhere. The actual number of Wiccan and Pagan followers in the United States changes constantly, but in 1999 Helen Berger, a sociologist who spent ten years as a member of the neo – Pagan community, estimated that there are between 150, 000 and 200, 000 Pagans in the United States. It is suspected that there are many more among the ranks of Pagans today. Berger’s census also found that California has the highest amount of Pagans living within its boundaries at 15.7 percent, followed by Massachusetts at 7.6 percent, and New York at 7.3 percent. (Sanders xiv)

While there were many contributors to the construct of Wicca since the 1890’s, there was one man, who in 1954 wrote and published Witchcraft Today, and that man was Gerald Gardner (1884 – 1964) . Even though Druidism, Witchcraft, and other forms of Paganism were originally oral traditions, their revival is attributed to written text. (Clifton 14 – 15)

Very little is known about Gerald Gardner except for what is public record. He was a civil servant for the United Kingdom, and spent most of his career in Britain’s Asian colonies before he retired and settled in southern England. Gardner was one of the many who thought it more prestigious to have learned the “craft”, a term used for Witchcraft, an elder of one’s own family. Gardner didn’t claim to have learned Wicca from an elder of his own family, but did claim to have learned it from elders with family ties that went way back many generations. For most people in the Pagan community, it was well know that Gardner was considered a bit of a pervert due to his tendency toward bondage and ritualized punishment. It came through in his writings and ideas of practice, but the resurgence of “the craft” is mainly attributed to him. The people of Britain have always made changes to religions to try and make them their own, but Wicca is the only religion that originated in the United Kingdom. (Clifton 14 – 15)

Wicca is generally a solitary religion and seventy percent of its followers are solitary, taking personal responsibility for their own religious practice, rather than following an authority figure. Without a strict set of beliefs, “each practitioner can add or subtract beliefs at will, ” this is a part of what makes Wicca so popular. (Sanders 5)

Now I will continue this paper on three main reasons that I found the most compelling reasons for people of all walks of life to be drawn to Wicca and Paganism, beginning with a concern for the Earth.

The fear of Global Warming and preserving what we now have for future generations is a major common concern among contemporary Pagans. Most of modern society has lost an important connection with nature. In some cases there is even a fear of nature. To be fearful of the natural world, in which we as human beings came from, just as all life has, is quite a cause for alarm. When the system of Wicca was originally developed, its focus was on fertility, just as the ancients were focused on fertility. As history has shown, fertility was a main concern for all people in ancient times.

Life was hard for our ancient ancestors and fertility of the land, animals, people, etc. was the only way for them to continue life and surviving. With human fertility becoming less of a concern in modern times because of improvements in science, the focus has now shifted to nature. This change is another way in which Wicca and Paganism can remain a positive religion. It is a religion that recognizes change and changes with it. If something can’t change with the times, it will get left behind and become history.

The American mainstream religions have done very little to foster concern for nature. Never, have I heard of any sermons given on how people should be encouraged to care for the environment, be good caretakers of nature, and preservation of natural resources. This again, leads many to view Paganism and Wicca more approvingly. (Sanders 22)

Paganism also acknowledges nature by following the cycles of the seasons and life. Pagans and Wiccans are encouraged to live their lives by looking to nature as their guide. They live in the here and now as opposed to living and planning for the end of life. Through this view of nature, Wiccans and Pagans acknowledge their connection to all life and the greater cosmos. Many mainstream religious writers believe that honoring nature is not enough for religion or life because it contains violence and brutality. (Harvey 187) This worldview on life and nature is the basis for Wiccans and Pagans to believe in no absolute good or evil. All things in nature are good and evil at the same time and therefore it applies to life as well.

The second reason for the attraction to Paganism and Wicca is empowerment for women. The Christian church has treated women like “second – class citizens” for much of its history. This treatment of women is also prevalent in much of the Western world as well. (Sanders 22) Many women have become quite discontent with the Christian church. When women have expressed an interest in becoming more involved in the church, they are usually directed to make coffee and teach Sunday school. With the concerns of equal rights coming more and more to the forefront in our society, how do the patriarchal religions expect women to remain subservient? (Sanders 22)

For the last several thousand years of patriarchal religions domination of the Western world, large numbers of women have been searching for a spiritual existence free from the patriarchal dogma. With Wicca’s emphasis on Goddess worship, it attracts those women who want to find a spiritual side to their feminism. (Adler 207 – 24)

The feminist views of women have been the main driving force pushing Wicca to be accepted as a religion. Not all Wiccan groups are feminist though. Most Pagans and Wiccans have a more moderate view of the feministic ideas. Feminist Wiccan groups have dropped a lot of common beliefs in the Pagan community in favor of an all female belief system. By doing such things as only recognizing the female deities and eliminating the male deities, they are alienating themselves from the rest of the Pagan and Wiccan community. (Adler 180 – 81)

Many women have become quite discontent with the Christian church. When women have expressed an interest in becoming more involved in the church, they are usually directed to make coffee and teach Sunday school. With the concerns of equal rights coming more and more to the forefront in our society, how do the patriarchal religions expect women to remain subservient? (Sanders 22)

One doesn’t need to look very hard to see the atrocities that have been committed against women in history by patriarchal societies. One common saying in modern Pagan communities that can be found imprinted on t – shirts and bumper stickers is, “Don’t forget the burning times.” This refers to the days of the infamous witch-hunts. Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Evildoers) published in 1486/87 by Jacob Spenger and Heinrich Krämer was the authoritative witch hunter’s manual. One key phrase from this manual that modern Pagan writers like to quote is: “All witchcraft comes from carnal lust, which in women is insatiable.” (Clifton 100) This “authoritative” work also stated that women were created from the bent rib of Adam, therefore women are “imperfect animals” if they are even animals at all. (Pearson 302)

In the Malleus Maleficarum, inquisitors, the ones who were authorized to verify involvement in witchcraft, were informed that guilty women would make sexual pacts with Satan. Therefore, after this pact was made, any event in the local community that disrupted the well being of the people was most certainly caused by a witch in their ranks. (Pearson 302 – 3)

When the inquisitors were in search of a “witch”, one could be found quite readily. More often than not, the accused was just a woman that someone had a grudge against. Many also speculated that these “witches” might have been highly learned women, such as early scientists. Because of the ridiculous information contained in the Malleus Maleficarum on how to proceed with the “trials” of the accused, there generally was “no mistake” of finding them guilty. Guilty women and a few men as well, were relatively few in the colonies of America. On the other hand, in Europe the numbers of the accused were astronomical. Imagine the amount of people that lost their lives due to the feelings of resentment of some sort or other, such as the amount of land they owned or a person’s general success. Many Wiccans and Pagans feel that the amount of people who were actually true witches during these “trials” was closer to none. (Gibson 112 – 18)

The final main reason that I would like to point out for the attraction of Wicca and Paganism is the attraction of the supernatural. While Pagans and Wiccans accept the belief in an unseen world, forces, and entities, many, if not all, Christian churches, in these modern times, ignore this belief. In many cases, a person could stir up quite a bit of trouble for themselves by stating a belief in an unseen world in the Christian church. (Sanders 23 – 26)

Reading ones future by using tarot cards and runes are very popular forms of divination among Pagans and Wiccans. There are many other popular forms of divination and occult sciences such as the use of crystals. Even though many of these beliefs forms were allowed by Christianity in their early years of development, now these systems have no place in Christianity. Many people have speculated when and why this shift occurred. Modern science has been trying to validate these occult sciences for quite some time now, but with limited success. The simple fact that the occult sciences are being tested gives valid support in their existence. (Handbook of Contemporary 425)

There are still many things in the world that can’t be explained by modern science. In the acknowledgement of this fact is where modern Pagans revel. It still gives room for belief in the ideas of fairies, mythical beings, and other such beliefs.

Discussions of the supernatural will quickly conjure up visions and ideas in relation to recent popular movies such as Harry Potter, The Seeker, Lord of the Rings, and many, many other movies. While these movies and books quickly catch the imagination, their similarities to actual supernatural occurrences are very, very limited. For the most part, these movies and books are purely fantasy. Even so, there have been some Christian based groups that are in opposition of these forms of entertainment. They believe that it sways people, especially children, to take an interest in Wicca and Paganism. (Handbook of New 459 – 60)

As Catherine Edwards Sanders, a Christian journalist, points out, “most Wiccans [and Pagans] have thought more seriously about spirituality and some of life’s big questions than many in the secular and even Christian cultures. They have not been content to skate through life seeking the gods of fashion, peer pressure, or materialism, reserving religion for weekends and special holidays.” (30)

Most Pagans and Wiccans actually view their lives as being interconnected with the rest of the world as a whole. They realize that there are, in fact, fewer events in their lives through this interconnection with the rest of the world.

With the impending end of the Mayan calendar in 2012, there have been many theories in reference to the end of the world. In fact, recently the “dooms day” movies have been coming out more and more frequently. One can only speculate that as 2012 draws nearer, the apocalyptic world movies and theories will by coming out at a frantic pace.

In the Wiccan and Pagan groups though, ideas of the world coming to an end are not so prevalent. Many think that the date of 12 December 2012 will be a beginning of a ‘New World Age.’ Many experts believe that this will be an age of peace and interconnection with the rest of the world and beyond for the next 5, 200 years. The experts are also saying that the ‘veil’ that separates our world from the spirit world will be lifted. The descendents of the Ancient Mayan’s say that we are already in the twenty – five year timeline of this change. (Rennison np.)

This information of the coming change according to the Mayan calendar is something that modern Pagans and Wiccans are looking forward to.

In conclusion, is there a rise in the Wicca and Pagan belief system? Given the research, the answer would definitely be a resounding yes. The movement is very broad and difficult to pin down, but it has been noticed. Many authors and professionals are calling on others to try and do research on the subject. With others taking an interest in the movement, maybe someone or maybe a group of individuals will come forward with some new views or theories on this movement. With these new views and theories we can only hope to find a definite reason for this shift.

Until then, there will be many I’m sure who will take on this daunting task. There are hundreds of theories already studied or in the process of being studied. I’m sure that there are many other ideas out there that have not yet been discussed or found in the public forum. With the case of the ancient Mayans, their descendants have said that there is plenty more information that they are in possession of, but have yet to let the rest of the world know about it. Whether there is more information yet to come remains to be seen.

I’m sure that there other ancient civilizations out there that have possessed knowledge or information, now lost. Unfortunately, just as these civilizations have disappeared, so has their immediate knowledge of this information. They did leave behind recordings of information that are in the processes of being deciphered and theories investigated. The only problem is that many individuals in the modern world have a very difficult time believing what the ancients were saying. This in turn leads to very different ideas in what is being told, many times the information is right there, but many misinterpret the information only because the obvious is just too difficult to comprehend.

Footnotes:
Works Cited:

Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America. New York: Penguin (Non-Classics) , 2006. Print.
Berger, Helen A., Evan A. Leach, and Leigh S. Shaffer. Voices from the Pagan Census A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans in the United States (Studies in Comparative Religion) . New York: University of South Carolina, 2003. Print.
Clifton, Chas S. Her Hidden Children: the Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America. Lanham: AltaMira, 2006. Print.
Gibson, Marion H. Witchcraft Myths in American Culture. New York: Routledge, 2007. Print.
Handbook of New Age (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion) . New York: Brill Academic, 2007. Print.
Handbook of Contemporary Paganism (Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion) . New York: Brill Academic, 2009. Print.
Harvey, Graham. Contemporary Paganism Listening People, Speaking Earth. New York: NYU, 2000. Print.
Pearson, Joanne. Belief Beyond Boundaries Wicca, Celtic Spirituality and the New Age (Religion Today-Tradition, Modernity and Change) . Grand Rapids: Ashgate, 2002. Print.
Sanders, Catherine. Wicca’s Charm Understanding the Spiritual Hunger Behind the Rise of Modern Witchcraft and Pagan Spirituality. Wheaton: Shaw, 2005. Print.
“Susan Rennison’s Website.” Susan Joy Rennison’s Website. Web. 18 Dec. 2009. .

The 161 Laws of Wicca

by Gerald B. Gardner

1. The Law was made and ordained of old.

2. The Law was made for the Wicca, to advise and help in their troubles.

3. The Wicca should give due worship to the gods and obey their will, which they ordain, for it was made for the good of Wicca as the worship of the Wicca is good for the gods. For the gods love the brethren of Wicca.

4. As a man loveth a woman by mastering her.

5. So the Wicca should love the gods by being mastered by them.

6. And it is necessary that the Circle, which is the temple of the gods, should be truly cast and purified. And that it may be a fit place for the gods to enter.

7. And the Wicca shall be properly prepared and purified to enter into the presence of the gods.

8. With love and worship in their hearts, they shall raise power from their bodies to give power to the gods.

9. As has been taught of old.

10. For in this way only may men have communion with the gods, for the gods cannot help man without the help of man.

11. And the High Priestess shall rule her coven as the representative of the God.

12. And the High Priest shall support her as the representative of the God.

13. And the High Priestess shall choose whom she will, be he of sufficient rank, to be her High Priest.

14. For as the god himself kissed her feet in the fivefold salute, laying his power at the feet of the Goddess because of her youth and beauty, her sweetness and kindness, her wisdom and justice, her humility and generosity,

15. So he resigned all his power to her.

16. But the High Priestess should ever mind that all power comes from him.

17. It is only lent, to be used wisely and justly.

18. And the greatest virtue of a High priestess be that she recognize that youth is necessary to the representative of the goddess.

19. So she will gracefully retire in favor of a younger woman should the Coven so decide in council.

20. For a true High Priestess realizes that gracefully surrendering pride of place is one of the greatest virtues.

21. And that thereby she will return to that pride of place in another life, with greater power and beauty.

22. In the old days, when witchdom extended far, we were free and worshipped in all the greater temples.

23. But in these unhappy times we must celebrate our sacred mysteries in secret.

24. So be it ordained, that none but the Wicca may see our mysteries, for our enemies are many and torture loosens the tongue of man.

25. So be it ordained that no Coven shall know where the next Coven bide.

26. Or who its members be, save only the Priest and Priestess and messenger.

27. And there shall be no communication between them, save by the messenger of the gods, or the summoner.

28. And only if it be safe may the covens meet in some safe place for the great festivals.

29. And while there, none shall say whence they came nor give their true names.

30. To this end, any that are tortured in their agony may not tell if they do not know.

31. So be it ordained that no one shall tell anyone not of the craft who be of the Wicca, nor give any names or where they bide, or in any way tell anything which can betray any of us to our foes.

32. Nor may he tell where the Covendom be.

33. Or the Covenstead.

34. Or where the meetings be.

35. And if any break these laws, even under torture, THE CURSE OF THE GODDESS SHALL BE UPON THEM, so they may never be reborn on earth and may remain where they belong, in the hell of the Christians.

36. Let each High Priestess govern her Coven with justice and love, with the help and advice of the High Priest and the Elders, always heeding the advice of the messenger of the gods if he cometh.

37. She will heed all complains of all Brothers and strive to settle all differences among them.

38. But it must be recognized that there will always be people who will ever strive to force others to do as they will.

39. These are not necessarily evil.

40. And they oft have good ideas and such ideas should be talked over in council.

41. But if they will not agree with their Brothers, or if they say,

42. “I will not work under this High Priestess,”

43. It hath ever been the Old Law to be convenient to the Brethren and to avoid disputes.

44. Any of the third may claim to found a new Coven because they live over a league away from the Covenstead, or that they are about to do so.

45. Anyone living within the Covendom and wishing to form a new Coven shall tell the Elders of their intention and on the instant avoid their dwelling and remove to the new Covendom.

46. Members of the old Coven may join the new one when it is formed. But if they do, they must utterly avoid the old Coven.

47. The Elders of the new and the old Covens should meet in peace and brotherly love to decide the new boundaries.

48. Those of the craft who dwell outside both Covendoms may join either but not both.

49. Though all may, if the Elders agree, meet for the great festivals if it be truly in peace and brotherly love,

50. But splitting the Coven off means strife, so for this reason these Laws were made of old and may the CURSE OF THE GODDESS BE ON ANY WHO DISREGARD THEM. So be it ordained.

51. If you would keep a book, let it be in your own hand of write. Let brothers and sisters copy what they will, but never let the book out of your hands, and never keep the writings of another.

52. For if it be found in their hand of write, they may be taken and arraigned. Let each guard his own writings and destroy them

53. whenever danger threatens.

54. Learn as much as you may by heart and, when danger is past, rewrite your book, an it be safe.

55. For this reason, if any die, destroy their book if they have not been able to.

56. For, if it be found, `tis clear proof against them.

57. And our oppressors know well “Ye may not be a witch alone”.

58. So all their kin and friends be in danger of torture.

59. So destroy everything not necessary.

60. If your book be found on you, `tis clear proof against you alone, you may be arraigned.

61. Keep all thoughts of the craft from your mind.

62. If the torture be too great to bear, say, “I will confess. I can’t bear this torture. What do you want me to say?”

63. If they try to make you speak of the Brotherhood, do not.

64. But if they try to make you speak of impossibilities such as flying through the air, consorting with a Christian devil or sacrificing children, or eating men’s flesh.

65. To obtain relief from torture say, “I had an evil dream I was beside myself, I was crazed.”

66. Not all magistrates are bad, if there be an excuse, they may show mercy.

67. If you have confessed ought, deny it afterwards, say you babbled under torture, and say you knew not what you said.

68. If you are condemned, fear not.

69. The Brotherhood is powerful and will help you to escape if you stand steadfast, but if you betray ought there is no hope for you in this life or in that to come.

70. Be sure, if steadfast you go to the pyre, drugs will reach you, you will feel naught you go to death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of the goddess.

71. To avoid discovery, let the working tools be as ordinary things that any may have in their houses.

72. Let the pentacles be of wax so that they may be broken at once or melted.

73. Have no sword unless your rank allows it.

74. Have no names or signs on anything.

75. Write the names and signs on them in ink before consecrating them and wash it off immediately afterwards.

76. Let the color of the hilts tell which is which.

77. Do not engrave them unless they cause discovery.

78. Ever remember ye are the hidden children of the Goddess so never do anything to disgrace them or Her.

79. Never boast, never threaten, never say you would wish ill of anyone.

80. If any person not in the Circle, speak of the craft, say, “Speak not to me of such, it frightens me, `tis evil luck to speak of it.

81. For this reason, the Christians have their spies everywhere. These speak as if they were well affected to us, as if they wouldn’t come into our meetings, saying, “My mother used to worship the Old Ones. I would I could go myself.”

82. To such as these ever deny all knowledge.

83. But to others, ever say, “Tis foolish men talk of witches flying through the air. To do so they must be as light as thistledown. And men say that witches all be blear eyed old crones, so what pleasure can there be at a witch meeting such as folks talk on?”

84. And say, “Many wise men now say there be no such creatures.”

85. Ever make it a jest, and in some future time perhaps, the persecution may die and we may worship our gods in safety again.

86. Let us all pray for that happy day.

87. May the blessings of the Goddess and God be on all who keep these Laws which are ordained.

88. If the craft hath any appendage, let all guard it and witchcraft in the land,” because our oppressors of old make it heresy not to believe in witchcraft and so a crime to deny it which thereby puts you under suspicion.

89. And let all justly guard all monies of the craft.

90. And if any Brother truly wrought it, `tis right they have their pay, an it be just. An this be not taking money for the art, but for good and honest work.

91. And even the Christians say, “The laborer is worthy of his hire,” but if any Brother work willingly for the good of the craft without pay, `tis but to their greater honor. So be it ordained.

92. If there be any dispute or quarrel among the Brethren, the High Priestess shall straightly convene the Elders and enquire into the matter, and they shall hear both sides, first alone and then together.

93. And they shall decide justly, not favoring one side or the other.

94. Ever recognizing there be people who can never agree to work under others.

95. But at the same time; there be some people who cannot rule justly.

96. To those who ever must be chief, there is one answer.

97. Void the Coven or seek another one, or make a Coven of your own, taking with you those who will go.

98. To those who cannot, justly the answer be, “Those who cannot bear your rule will leave with you.

99. For none may come to meetings with those whom they are at variance.

100. So, an either cannot agree, get hence, for the craft must ever survive, so be it ordained.

101. In the olden days when we had power, we could use the art against any who ill-treated the Brotherhood. But in these evil days we must not do so. For our enemies have devised a burning pit of everlasting fire into which they say their god casteth all the people who worship him, except it be the very few who are released by their priests, spells and masses. And this be chiefly by giving monies and rich gifts to receive his favor for their great god is ever in need of money.

102. But as our gods need our aid to make fertility for man and crops, so is the god of the Christians ever in need of man’s help to search out and destroy us. Their priests ever tell them that any who get our help are damned to this hell forever, so men be mad with the terror of it.

103. But they make men believe that they may escape this hell if they give victims to the tormentors. So for this reason all be forever spying, thinking, “And I can catch but one of these Wicca, I will escape from this fiery pit.”

104. So for this reason we have our hides, and men searching long and Doth finding, say, “There be none, or if there be, they be in a far country.”

105. But when one of our oppressors die, or even be sick, ever is the cry, “This be witches’ malice”, and the hunt is up again. And though they slay ten of their own to one of ours, still they care not. They have countless thousands.

106. While we are few indeed. So be it ordained.

107. That none shall use the art in any way to do ill to any.

108. However much they injure us, harm none. And now times many believe we exist not.

109. That this Law shall ever continue to help us in our plight, no one, however great an injury or injustice they receive, may use the art in any way to do ill, or harm any. But they may, after great consultations with all, use the art to restrain Christians from harming us Brothers, but only to constrain them and never to punish.

110. To this end men will say, “Such a one is a mighty searcher out, and a persecutor of old women when they desire to be witches, and none hath done him harm, so it be proof that they cannot or more truly there be none.

111. For all know full well that so many folk have died because someone had a grudge against them, or were persecuted because they had money or goods to seize, or because they had none to bribe the searchers. And many have died because they were scolding old women. So much that men now say that only old women are witches.

112. And this be to our advantage and turns suspicion away from us.

113. In England and Scotland `tis now many a year since a witch hath died the death. But any misuse of the power might raise the persecution again.

114. So never break this Law, however much you are tempted, and never consent to its being broken in the least.

115. If you know it is being broken, you must work strongly against it.

116. And any High Priestess or High Priest who consents to its breach must immediately be deposed for tis the blood of the Brethren they endanger.

117. Do good, an it be safe, and only if it be safe.

118. And strictly keep to the Old Law.

119. Never accept money for the work of the art, for money ever smeareth the taker. “Tis sorcerers and conjurors and the priests of the Christians who ever accept money for the use of their arts. And they sell pardons to let men escape from their sins.

120. Be not as these. If you accept no money, you will be free from temptation to use the art for evil causes.

121. All may use the art for their own advantage or for the advantage of the craft only if you are sure you harm none.

122. But ever let the Coven debate this at length. Only if all are satisfied that none may be harmed, may the art be used.

123. If it is not possible to achieve your ends one way, perchance the aim may be achieved by acting in a different way so as to harm none. MAY THE CURSE OF THE GODDESS BE UPON ANY WHO BREAKETH THIS LAW. So be it ordained.

124. “Tis judged lawful if ever any of the craft need a house or land and none will sell, to incline the owner’s mind so as to be willing to sell, provided it harmeth him not in any way and the full price is paid without haggling.

125. Never bargain or cheapen anything whilst you buy by the art. So be it ordained.

126. Tis the Old Law and the most important of all laws, that no one may do anything which will endanger any of the craft, or bring them into contact with the law of the land or any persecutors

127. In any dispute between the Brethren, no one may invoke any laws but those of the craft.

128. Or any tribunal but that of the Priestess, Priest and Elders.

129. It is not forbidden to say as Christians do, “There be witchcraft in the land,” because our oppressors of old make it heresy not to believe in witchcraft and so a crime to deny it which thereby puts you under suspicion.

130. But ever say, “I know not of it here, perchance there may be but afar off, I know not where.”

131. But ever speak of them as old crones, consorting with the devil and riding through the air.

132. And ever say, “But how may many ride the air if they be not as light as thistledown.”

133. But the curse of the Goddess be on any who cast suspicion on any of the Brotherhood.

134. Or who speak of any real meeting place or where they bide.

135. Let the craft keep books with the names of all herbs which are good, and all cures so all may learn.

136. But keep another book with all Bills and Apices and let only the Elders and other trustworthy people have this knowledge. So be it ordained.

137. And may the blessings of the gods be on all who keep these Laws, and the curses of both the God and the Goddess be on all who break them.

138. Remember the art is the secret of the gods and may only be used in earnest and never for show or vain glory.

139. Magicians and Christians may taunt us saying, “You have no power, show us your power. Do magic before our eyes, then only will we believe,” seeking to cause us to betray the art before them.

140. Heed them not, for the art is holy and may only be used in need, and the curse of the gods be on any who break this Law.

141. It ever be the way with women and with men also, that they ever seek new love.

142. Nor should we reprove them for this.

143. But it may be found a disadvantage to the craft.

144. And so many a time it has happened that a High Priest or a High Priestess, impelled by love, hath departed with their love. That is, they have left the Coven.

145. Now if the High Priestess wishes to resign, she may do so in full Coven.

146. And this resignation is valid.

147. But if they should run off without resigning, who may know if they may not return in a few months?

148. So the Law is, if a High Priestess leaves her Coven, she be taken back and all be as before.

149. Meanwhile, if she has a deputy, that deputy shall act as High Priestess for as long as the High Priestess is away.

150. If she returns not at the end of a year and a day, then shall the Coven elect a new High Priestess.

151. Unless there is a good reason to the contrary.

152. The person who has done the work shall reap the benefit of the reward, maiden and deputy of the High Priestess.

153. It had been found that practicing the art doth cause a fondness between aspirant and tutor, and it is the cause of better results if this be so.

154. And if for any reason this be undesirable, it can easily be avoided by both persons from the outset firmly resolving in their minds to be as brother and sister, or parent and child.

155. And it is for this reason that a man may be taught only by a woman and a woman by a man, and women and women should not attempt these practices together. So be it ordained.

156. Order and discipline must be kept.

157. A High Priestess or a High Priest may, and should, punish all faults.

158. To this end all fault and his sentence pronounced.

159. All properly prepared, the culprit should be told his fault, and his sentence pronounced.

160. Punishment should be followed by something amusing.

161. The culprit must acknowledge the justice of the punishment by kissing the hand on receiving sentence and again thanking for punishment received. So be it ordained.

Friday the 13th the First of Two for 2023

For many people, Friday the 13th is a holiday that carries ominous overtones and is considered unlucky in Western culture. It’s a day which occurs at least once every year and may occur up to 3 times in a calendar year. However, while some people consider the day to be unlucky or even evil, statistical analysis has shown that fewer accidents happen on this day than on any other day. Which is probably due to more people staying home and being extra careful on this day.

History of Friday the 13^th

Unfortunately, the history of this day is somewhat obscured by time, so it really isn’t known why it has come to be known as an unlucky day. Throughout much of modern human history, Friday has been considered unlucky and the number 13 has been unlucky, but the combination of the two wasn’t considered especially unlucky together until about the late 19th century or early 20th century.

Since ancient times, Friday has always been a day of bad luck. On Fridays, sailors avoided starting new journeys, seamstresses would avoid needlework on this day and businessmen would avoid writing letters on this day. The superstition that this day was unlucky was so prevalent that farmers would avoid starting their crops on a Friday. However, not every Friday was considered equal. Good Friday was a day that was seen as a day that brought good luck – especially if you were a sailor who just so happened to have made their maiden voyage on Good Friday.

Likewise, the number 13 has been unlucky since ancient times as well. However, it really isn’t known when that superstition began. Some people think that it goes back to the last supper of Jesus Christ. Counting Jesus and his 12 disciples, there were 13 people at the table. This is considered unlucky because the 13th guest, Judas Iscariot would betray Christ and died by his own hand. This led to the belief that if 13 people sat down to a meal together, one of them would die by the end of the year. The “unluckiness” of the number 13 became extremely popular during the 19th century. During this time, people would avoid having anything to do with this number. So much so, the number was often skipped when numbering hotel rooms and the 13th floor of buildings were often mislabeled as the 14th floor.

The Horror Movie Franchise …

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Can Full Moon Rituals Be Done Inside?

Question: Can Full Moon Rituals Be Done Inside

A reader writes in asking, “I want to do a full moon ritual this month, but it’s getting really cold. Will the ritual still be effective if I do it inside?”

Another reader asks, “If I’m doing a full moon rite outside and the clouds cover the moon, should I start over again?”

Answer:

The short answers to those are yes and no. Yes, your ritual will still be effective if you do it inside.

No, you don’t have to start over if the moon goes behind a cloud. Here’s why:

Just because you can’t see the moon doesn’t mean it’s not there, or that it’s no longer full. You’re basing your working or ritual on the energy of the full moon, and that never changes — whether you can see it or not.

Looking for seasonal full moon rituals? Try one of these to get you started, depending on the time of the year!

Autumn Full Moon Ceremony
This ritual can be held during any of the Autumn full moon cycles. Celebrate the Corn Moon in September, the Harvest Moon in October, and November’s Blood Moon. Although this ceremony is designed for a group, it could easily be adapted for a solitary practitioner.

Winter Full Moon Ceremony
Instead of a regular Esbat rite, some Wiccan and Pagan groups tailor their full moon celebrations to the season. This ceremony is designed for a group of at least four people, and can be held during any of the chilly winter months.
Spring Full Moon Ceremony
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a seasonal full moon. Welcome spring with a water-themed ritual adaptable for either groups or solitaries.

Summer Full Moon Ceremony
Instead of a regular Esbat rite, some Wiccan and Pagan groups tailor their full moon celebrations to the season. This ceremony is designed for a group of at least four people, and can be held during any of the sunny summer months.

Source: Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert

Article found on & owned by About.com

Watch for January’s Full Wolf Moon!

The full Wolf Moon rises on Friday, January 6, 2023. It’s also a micromoon! How is that different from a supermoon? Learn what’s special about the January full Moon!

When to See January’s Full Moon

January’s full Wolf Moon reaches peak illumination on Friday, January 6, at 6:09 P.M. EST. At a full Moon, the Moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun so the face of the Moon facing towards the Earth will be completely illuminated by the Sun’s rays. Look for the Moon to rise from the northeastern horizon around sunset that evening.

Consult our Moonrise Calculator to see what time you can expect to catch a glimpse of the first full Moon of 2023!

January Micromoon

January’s full Moon is a “Micromoon” this year. Think of this term as the opposite of a “Supermoon.” It simply means that the full Moon is at its farthest point from Earth (not the nearest point). In astronomical terms, we call this “apogee.” Specifically, January’s Micro full Moon is about 252,600 miles from Earth.

Why is the Moon nearer or farther (in this instance) from Earth? Simple: The Moon orbits Earth in an elliptical path. One side is nearer to Earth and one side is farther. This distance does affect the Moon’s size and brightness, although it’s probably not that visible to the naked eye. The perceived size of the Moon from Earth is more related to the “Moon Illusion” and how close the Moon appears to the horizon; in this case, it’s high above the horizon so it may not appear to loom over us the way it appears when it’s near the horizon.

Look up at the full Moon on the 6th (or a day earlier or later)! What do you think?

The sunset embers smolder low,
The Moon climbs o’er the hill,
The peaks have caught the alpenglow,
The robin’s song is still.
–John L. Stoddard (1850–1931)

Why Is It Called the Full Wolf Moon?

The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the full Moon itself.

The Wolf Moon …

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Honoring Other Religions/Spiritual Paths Holy Days and Holidays

Warning this article has not been proofread. I wrote it while listening to my Spirit Guides, Ancestors, and to me most important my heart. So I decided to leave the words stand as they came to me to be typed.

We as Pagans and witches would like to be accepted openly by society as other more mainstream religions are. Do be able to wear our pentacle, ankh, or other pagan pendants and amulets proudly displayed outside of our shirt, blouse, or dress as other people proudly display a symbol of the spiritual belief.

Granted, being a solitary witch is more the norm for us than belonging to a coven or other pagan groups. Have you ever asked yourself why this is? Or why is it so hard to find a coven, especially a face to face one? Putting it bluntly our spiritual paths are very misunderstood because of the horrible way movies, television shows, books, history, and word to ear stories are told. If people of other spiritual paths would read just one non-fiction book about witchcraft and ask a real, practicing witch about their lifestyle and beliefs public opinion would start to change for the better.

As pagans and witches I feel and think we should set the example of tolerance for other people’s religious beliefs. So, I have decided to further this train of thought by doing posts, starting this December, that will qgive us some insight into other spiritual paths/religions holy and holidays. My hope is that even those of us that have come to some type of pagan spiritual tradition from a “main stream” religion can lose some of the nasty taste leftover from our former spiritual walk while learning things about different religions worldwide. Just as ignorance about Paganism gives us a bad reputation throughout most of today’s cultures and societies, our ignorance of other religions can tend to make us think badly of those that follow them.

I ask you to please read the short definition I will post about each holy or holiday a day or two before it takes place to widen your knowledge of the many different spitual paths people walk and their traditions. Yes, just as there are witches who turn The Craft into something dark to fit their own needs and beliefs there are those of all religions that do the same. Just like we do not want to be judge as a whole by those few please do not judge everyone who follows another religion by the ones that twist it into something it is not.

Do not judge others unless you enjoy someone judging you.

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