Category: Our History

(One Person’s Viewpoint) Disposal of Ritual Offerings

 

Disposal of Ritual Offerings

A common question that comes up is the matter of how to dispose of offerings made during a ritual once the ritual has concluded. Disposal methods may vary, depending on a few things. For instance, does your particular magical tradition require you to dispose of offerings in a certain way? Also, what is the offering? Organic materials can be disposed of in different ways than non-organic offerings. Finally, does the spell or ritual itself include a method of disposal? Consider all of these factors when you’re deciding on how to dispose of a magical offering.

Let’s look at some of the different ways that you can get rid of an offering you’ve made:

Earth & Water

If your offering is an organic item, such as blood, fruits and vegetables, tobacco, or other plant material, you may want to consider burying it. A garden is a good place to do this, particularly if you have a compost bin, because the nutrients will go back into the soil as the offering biodegrades, continuing the cycle of life.

Some people choose to bury non-biodegradable items as well, such as candle stubs and incense remnants, but if you do this, you should make sure you do it in your own yard. Disposal of organic items into a moving body of water, such as a river or the ocean, is acceptable in many traditions as well – make sure, though, that you’re not putting any non-organic materials in the water. Use your best judgment here.

The Power of Fire

Nearly any ritual offering can be disposed of by burning. In some hoodoo traditions, burning an offering is considered part of the ritual itself – for example, Cat Yronwoode says that to destroy an item’s influence, it can be burned in the ceremony. You can also burn ritual offerings such as meat, bread, and other foods.

Sharing With Wildlife

Got a pile of seeds and nuts you used in your ritual? As long as they haven’t been tainted with anything toxic, you can feel free to scatter them outdoors for the local critters to snack on. One Indiana Pagan named Apollonia says, “My coven does a lot of rituals that make offerings to grain gods, so we always have a lot of bread left over. Typically, the day after the ritual, I’ll take it to a local pond and leave it out for the ducks and geese. They consume it, and the life cycle of the grain continues on.”

Also, don’t discount the science of nature itself. Some offering items can be left out until they go away on their own. For instance, if you make an offering of consecrated water in a bowl, eventually it’s going to evaporate. If you do an outdoor ritual and you’ve offered herbs and flowers, those are going to blow away at some point, and find their way to a new home.

What About Icky Things?

Sometimes, let’s face it, we do a working that involves something negative. Maybe you’re trying to banish a pesky former lover, or you’re trying to get that crazy fundamentalist lady down the street to leave you alone. In cases like this – particularly if you’ve created a poppet – you may want to get the item as far away from you as possible. In cases like this, simply because of the nature of the ritual, you may want to go ahead and find a place such as a landfill, a port-a-john, or some other foul place to be rid of the items. Just make sure you’re not putting anything into the ecosystem that is going to cause damage down the road.

In the matter of spell components, you may not always want to permanently dispose of the items right away. Depending on the purpose of the spell, you may choose to hide the item in someone’s home, bury it in your own yard, or tuck it into a tree. Obviously, your disposal methods are going to vary depending on the ritual or working itself, and on the nature of the ritual offerings that you need to be rid of. Use common sense, think outside the box, and find a way to adapt to each situation as needed.
Source: Article originally published on & owned by About.com by Patti Wigington, Paganism/Wicca Expert

Offerings to the Air Element

Offerings to the Air Element

 

When  we  make  offerings  to  the  air  we  are  thanking  the  universe  for  our  breath. Each  moment  we  are  held  by  this  element  and  at  the  moment  of  death  it’s  our  last   breath,  which  heralds  our  departure  from  the  mortal  body.

 

The  air  is  also  our  First   breath  when  we  are  born  so  honour  this  element  by  getting  outdoors  and   spending  time  in  high  places,  feel  the  wind  on  your  body  and  rejoice  with  song,   laughter  and  dance,  which  are  all  part  of  this  element.  The  air  is  what  carries  sound,  music  is  what  nurtures  our  soul  and  we  can   see  that  the  two  combined  into  one  exceptional  union.  Music  has  the  power  to   heal  and  transform  us.  Think  about  how  many  times  you  have  put  on  your   favourite  tracks  to  change  your  mood.  Mellow  music  chills  us  out  and  reduces  our   stress  and  more  uplifting  music  gets  us  into  a  place  when  we  want  to  move  and   express  ourselves.  All  this  is  the  expression  of  the  air  element  and  by  being  aware   of  such  things  brings  a  greater  clarity  to  our  daily  activities.

 

Simple  offerings  can  be  thrown  into  the  air  or  left  tied  to  trees  so  that  they   Flutter  in  the  winds.  But  make  sure  whatever  you  leave  in  nature  can  be  broken   down  easily  such  a  paper,  incense,  cotton  or  silk  cloth,  food  and  liquids,  things   found  such  as  feathers  and  rocks.  Never  leave  anything  that  will  affect  the  flow of  the natural world,  to do that will only create blocks and hinder your path towards growth.

(One Person’s Viewpoint) Offerings to the Fire Element

Offerings to the Fire Element

 

Without  a  beating  heart  we  have  no  Gire  within  us,  it  is  the  blood  that  pumps   around  our  bodies  that  generates  heat  and  gives  us  the  power  to  illuminate.  Deep   within  our  heart  is  a  place  that  is  eternal,  an  inner  sun  that  burns  with  a  light  so   bright  it  connects  us  to  the  very  core  of  infinity.  It  is  our  innate  nature  that  burns   with  wisdom  and  allows  us  to  embrace  life.  When  we  align  ourselves  with  the   gods  and  with  the  path  of  The  Craft  we  burn  with  fire,  we  burn  with  a  yearning  to   know  our  soul’s  destiny.  That  is  what  drives  us  on  towards  the  source  of  all   knowledge,  it  allows  us  to  heal  bits  of  ourselves  and  others  because  when  we  get   just  one  single  glimpse  of  the  fire  within  the  heart  it  is  enough  to  illuminate  the   entire  universe.

Although  we  have  an  inner  fire  there  is  nothing  more  beautiful  to  be  sat   round  a  camp  fire,  how  many  times  have  you  looked  deep  into  the  flames  and  let   them  speak  to  you,  they  lull  you  to  a  place  which  allows  visions  to  arise,   transporting  us  inwards  to  the  deep  seat  of  knowing.  The  Craft  has  always  been   the  place  where  those  who  follow  it’s  path  burn  with  the  passions  of  nature.  To  be   alive  with  the  fire  of  wisdom  means  that  you  have  opened  yourself  up  to  the  face   of  creation  and  allowed  yourself  to  become  enfolded  in  the  arms  of  the  Gods.  They   burn  with  the  same fire,  which  is  in  your  heart,  they  are  made  from  the  same  seed fire that  you  have  within.  The  Gods  burn  with  the  same  eternal  flame  that   illuminates  our  own  being  and  to  know  the  flame  within  means  you  come  to  know   the  face  of  the  Gods.  Fire  burns  away  ignorance  just  like  it  clears  the  dead  wood  of   the  forest  allowing  new  shoots  to  germinate  bringing  forth  new  growth.  We  all   have  dead  wood  within,  our  internal  struggles  and  our  ever-­‐conflicting  emotions   are  what  keep  the fire from  burning  bright.  But  when  we  get  a  glimpse  of  the fire  we  fan  the  f flames  and  they  start  to  burn,  they  burn  so  bight  that  they  produce  a  source  of  all  light,  without  fire  there  would  only  be  darkness  and  with  total   darkness  no  life  would  exist.  Fire  is  the  source  of  all  life,  without  our  sun  this   earth  we  live  on  would  be  a  dead  rock  floating  around  a  burnt  out  sun.  Devoid  of   any  life  there  would  be  no  consciousness  to  illuminate  itself.  We  are  the  universes   knowing  itself,  and  it’s  through  this  element  we  come  to  understand  these   wisdoms.

Offering to fire can be anything that can be consumed by flames or even a simple votive candle.

(One Person’s Viewpoint) Offerings to the Water Element

Offerings to the Water Element

 

Water  is  a  vital  element  for  our  survival,  we  are  within  water  while  we  are  in  the   womb  of  our  mother  and  we  die  very  quickly  without  it.  Because  water  is  in  such   abundance  on  our  planet  we  have  little  attachment  to  it.  Water  is  fluid  and  free   and  over  time  it  can  reduce  the  hardest  material  into  dust.  It  cuts  through  valleys   like  a  knife  through  butter  and  bursts  forth  from  the  ground  in  healing  springs.  It   is  the  lifeblood  within  our  bodies  and  upon  the  earth  it  is  abundant  and  Glowing,   unfortunately  we  pollute  it  with  toxins  that  are  now  bringing  us  close  to  poisoning   all  life.

 

We  should  always  try  to  keep  our  waters  pure,  they  are  what  carry  the   trace  nutrients  that  our  body  needs  for  survival.  There  is  nothing  more  stirring   that  to  sit  next  to  crashing  waves  on  beach  or  more  restful  than  laying  next  to  a   babbling  brook.  Water  out  of  all  the  elements  has  the  most  power  to  heal.  Our   ancestors  knew  this  knowledge  and  dedicated  many  springs  to  cures.  Even  in  our   modern  world  we  prefer  bottled  water  to  that  from  the  tap  thinking  it  has  a  purer   quality  to  it.  It’s  our  internal  emotions  that  draw  us  close  to  water  as  a  source  of   all  healing  and  I  often  wonder  if  it’s  because  we  floated  for  nine  months  in  the   waters  of  our  mothers  womb.  There  we  felt  safe  and  secure,  it  was  a  primordial   state  before  they  burst  issuing  us  into  the  world  of  duality  we  know  as  life.  How   many  of  us  enjoy  the  relaxing  comfort  of  a  bath  or  the  invigorating  power  of  a   shower.  Both  these  daily  functions  connect  us  deeply  to  the  element  of  water  and   draw  us  close  to  its  energetic  qualities.  I  love  nothing  better  than  swimming   outdoors  in  the  summer  in  open  pools  and  rivers,  feeling the power of nature enfold me in the waters of life.

 

A  daily  offering  of  water  can  be  made  on  your  own  personal  shrine;  it  is   something  very  easy  to  do  and  connects  us  to  a  source  of  connection  many  take   for  granted.  Water  is  the  best  substance  as  a  daily  offering  because  it’s  one  of  the   things  we  have  no  attachment  to,  we  don’t  in  any  way  covet  it  because  it  seems  to     be  around  us  in  abundance.  That  way  we  give  it  freely  and  that’s  the  spirit  which   should  be  nurtured  when  making  any  offering.  To  be  able  to  give  without  any   attachment  at  all  allows  the  offering  to  have  the  purest  quality  within  it  and   becomes  a  great  source  of  connecting  us  to  the  source  of  creation. Items  you  can  offer  include  water,  milk  and  wine.

 

You  could  even  collect   different  waters  to  offer  such  as  Sea  Water,  Lake  Water,  Spring  Water,  Rain  Water,   Snow  Water  and  Dew,  be  guided  by  your  intuition and may the hand of the gods always lead you towards your souls purpose.

(One Person’s Viewpoint) Offerings to the Earth Element

Offerings to the Earth Element

 

When  we  make  offerings  to  the  earth  element  we  are  honouring  our  body,  without  this   vehicle  we  would  not  be  able  to  experience  the  world  in  all  its  beauty.  It  gives  us  the   chance  to  find  happiness  and  joy.  It  is  the  very  vessel  that  is  filled  with  the  light  of   creation  and  inhabiting  it  for  a  lifetime  means  we  have  a  chance  to  awake  to  that  inner   light.  It’s  incredible  when  you  stop  to  think  about  it,  but  that’s  the  problem,  few  do.   When  we  walk  a  spiritual  path  it  allows  us  to  move  forward  on  a  journey  upon  the   earth,  this  planet  is  a  living  body  like  our  own.  But  how  many  people  actually  treat  it  as   such?

 

Because  we  have  disconnected  from  the  earth  we  have  become  disconnected   from  our  bodies  and  look  at  the  amount  of  self-­‐loathing  we  see  in  western  cultures.  The   Craft  has  always  told  us  to  love  our  bodies,  they  are  sacred  and  that’s  why  from  time  to   time  we  take  off  our  clothes  and  walk  into  nature.  When  we  meet  nature  naked,  we  are   free,  we  are  totally  beyond  the  trappings  of  culture  because,  once  again,  we  have   entered  paradise.  The  Craft  has  always  held  ritual  nudity  to  be  a  profound  act,   unfortunately  because  of  our  modern  culture  few  these  days  feel  comfortable  disrobing.   This  is  because  we  live  in  a  highly  sexualized  society  that  has  used  sex  and  sexual   images  to  sell  almost  everything,  the  images  which  have  been  used  have  been  very   limiting  and  exaggerated  leaving  many  with  a  sense  of  inferiority  about  their  own   bodies.  Remember  we  are  born  into  this  world  naked  and  when  we  are  free  from  the   trappings  of  clothes  we  also  have  the  opportunity  to  free  ourselves  from  our  ridged   identities.

 

Offerings  to  the  earth  can  include  stones,  salt,  soil  and  food,  go  into  nature,  take   your  clothes  off  in  the  warmer  months  and  feel  the  sun  on  your  body,  feel  the  wind   caress  you  like  a  lover  and  embrace  the  natural  world.  Make  your  offerings  to  this   element  and  thank  it  for  giving  you  such  a  beautiful  gift,  your  body  the  vehicle of your awakening.

(One Person’s View Point) Familiars In Witchcraft and Paganism

Familiars are an often talked about and highly debated topic in the witchy world.

As with most things, I don’t personally believe there is a “right” or “wrong” way to think about them, but there are definitely many options. I’ll share a few of them and let you know what I believe!

Familiars Throughout History

Familiars have made appearances for a variety of purposes and in a variety of ways throughout time.

Some perspectives view them as demons that inhabit the bodies of small animals like cats, dogs, rats, birds, and toads. They are there to help a witch with their workings.

In some cases familiars have even said to exist in human form!

Some accounts describe inheriting familiars through family members, covens, or mentors, usually around the time of an initiation. Witches were also thought to be presented with a familiar after making a deal with the devil.

Others say a witch’s familiar will appear to them out of the blue during mundane activities.

During the European witch hunts, animals believed to be familiars were often used as evidence of witchcraft. Even the presence of a fly or bee was enough to convince some witch hunters of an accused witch’s guilt!

Familiars Today

Today, familiars are not seen as something negative and Click here to finish reading this article about familiars on apaganmess.com

(One Person’s View Point) What is a Witch’s Familiar?

While many Witches have cats as familiars many of us have other furry or winged beings. A familiar is not an animal that goes out to do a Witch’s bidding, or to spy on their enemies or steal energy from others. A Witch’s familiar is their companion, a being that can help calm them as well as add power to some spells and/or rituals. They are not mean and attack people as they are so often portrayed as doing in films, TV shows, books, etc. You may be asking yourself “How do I know if a pet is my familiar or not?” or even “How do I find my familiar?” The best answers I have for these are if you feel a special bond with your pet, I’m not talking about a normal I love my pet kind of thing but

You may be asking yourself “How do I know if a pet is my familiar or not?” or even “How do I find my familiar?” The best answers I have for these are if you feel a special bond with your pet, I’m not talking about a normal I love my pet kind of thing, but it is hard to put into words, but I will try, it is a calming effect whenever you are upset and your pet comes to you or it makes you feel complete as a living being. You more than likely have one of your familiars for this lifetime. Now if you don’t have it or any pet and are looking for one my suggestion is first figure out if you are more drawn to dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters or…well I think you get where I’m going here. After that visit shelters, reliable pet shops, rescue places or even read the

Now if you don’t have it or any pet and are looking for one my suggestion is first figure out if you are more drawn to dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters or…well I think you get where I’m going here. After that visit shelters, reliable pet shops, rescue places or even read the classifieds in the newspaper and then go to see the animal(this is how I found my Cleo). Make sure you meet any animal that catches your eye. Do not make a snap decision but visit with the animal and see if it pick you as its human, pick it up cuddle with it or if it is to big for you to pick up and you can get down on its level. Believe me when I say you will know the animal is your familiar as soon as you make close physical contact with it. You will have a feeling a connection to that animal immediately.

Now we all know our lifespan is a lot longer then our companions/familiars is. Not to worry just as we live many lifetimes so do our familiars. So far for me in this lifetime my familiar has come to me as a cat, Tuffy, when I was 10 years old, he lived to be 17, then I got (my children…hahaha) a half cocker spaniel-half shelty mix, Boots, in my 30’s who lived for 14 1/2 years and now as my beautiful Cleo. The reason for me going so long in between Tuffy and Boots was I was in a rocky place on my life path barely able to take care of myself some days much less a pet plus I had fallen away from my Spiritual self and I hadn’t met the right companion for me during that time. Then between Boots and Cleo there was about a year and half while I was deciding what kind of pet I wanted. One day a friend of my husbands came over and brought his 4-month-old Min Pin, I had never really seen the breed before even though I had been working with canines for over 40 years and fell in love with the breed. So the search began and about 5 months later my hubby came home with an ad he had pulled out of our local newspaper for a breeder selling Min Pins very cheap. We called, made an appointment to see the litter, went to the breeders home and there were 3 girls and 1 boy. I was looking for a male only because up until this time my familiars had been male but the Universe had different plans for me this time. I put my hand into the enclosure the puppies were in and Cleo came up to chew on my engagement ring, lick my hand and try to climb over the fence, mind you, she was only 5 inches tall and weighed in at 2 pounds. I took my hand away from her trying to pet her siblings, she would have none of that as she pushed them away from my hand. So after putting my hand in and out a few times to see if she would keep coming over, which she did. When my hubby put his hand in there the same thing happened, she pushed everyone else out of the way to get to his hand. I asked to hold her and there was instant bond with her and I. While her and my hubby are friendly there is no doubt that she is my companion and familiar.

Added note 2015– In 2014 I got a rescue Chihuahua, named Starbabie. She is now three years old and is another familiar of mine. I do not know why I have two of them in my life right now, but I am grateful for it. Towards the beginning of this year I was alone in our home for almost week with just my girls, I live next door to a state-run group home for boys some of who just got out of jail for violent crimes. Even though my girls are small I was not worried because Cleo kept watch on the outside of the house (through the picture windows in the living room and my den) and Star never left my side

Added Note 2026 Cleo and Star both crossed the rainbow bridge in 2024. I was bless to find Crystal Moon who is not only my familiar she’s my protector in the physical world. The day she picked me and my husband was an interesting one. We weren’t ready and she had a few more days before we could under Illinois animal rights take her home. Big Dawg was holding her the day we picked her up to go home with us while I signed all the necessary paperwork. When I got came back close to them she started what I can only describe as swimming in the air to get to me. When we are home she’ll go spend time with him but she is with in eyesight or right next to me most of the time. When I cast a circle she will sit close enough to be in the circle but not impede me moving around in it. She is in training as my service dog as on her own she began to alter me when I really need to check my blood pressure when it get higher than normal. She is also learning how to lean next to me for when I get dizzy and need help to get to a place I can sir down.

Copyright 2012 Lady Beltane

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Sunday

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY CORRESPONDENCES POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY)

Sunday’s Witchery

Those ambitious, successful spells and charms will be heightened by working on the day of the week that has the planetary influence of the sun. So light those sunny candles, wear some luminous colors, and break out the gold jewelry! Bake up some cinnamon rolls or low-fat cinnamon muffins for an enchanting family breakfast. Take an orange with you to eat at lunch today. Try using a little magickal aromatherapy and burn some cinnamon-scented incense to encourage success and wealth today. Make the talisman to keep your solar magick with you. Sprinkle some dried marigold petals around your house-or across the threshold-to pull triumph and protection toward you and your family.

Get outside and tip up your face to the sun. Take a walk outside, and soak up some sunshine! Acknowledge the power of Sunna or Helios as they blaze across the sky and bring courage and motivation into your life. Sit outside at sunrise on a Sunday morning and bask in its warm, rosy-golden glow Acknowledge Brigid as the inner, creative spark of imagination and inspiration. She can help these gifts burn brightly within your own soul. Use your imagination and create your own brand of witchery and magick. Here comes the sun, and it’s your turn to shine!

Source:  Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week by Ellen Dugan

(One Person’s View Point) Beltane Sunset to Sunset. April 30th – May 1st

Beltane honours Life. It represents the peak of Spring and the beginning of Summer. Earth energies are at their strongest and most active. All of life is bursting with potent fertility and at this point in the Wheel of the Year, the potential becomes conception. On May Eve the sexuality of life and the earth is at its peak. Abundant fertility, on all levels, is the central theme. The Maiden goddess has reached her fullness. She is the manifestation of growth and renewal, Flora, the Goddess of Spring, the May Queen, the May Bride. The Young Oak King, as Jack-In-The-Green, as the Green Man, falls in love with her and wins her hand. The union is consummated and the May Queen becomes pregnant. Together the May Queen and the May King are symbols of the Sacred Marriage (or Heiros Gamos), the union of Earth and Sky, and this union has merrily been re-enacted by humans throughout the centuries. For this is the night of the Greenwood Marriage. It is about sexuality and sensuality, passion, vitality and joy. And about conception. A brilliant moment in the Wheel of the Year to bring ideas, hopes and dreams into action. And have some fun…..

Traditions of Beltane

Beltane is a Fire Festival. The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire’, or ‘Goodly Fire’ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community. Bel had to be won over through human effort. Traditionally all fires in the community were put out and a special fire was kindled for Beltane. “This was the Tein-eigen, the need fire. People jumped the fire to purify, cleanse and to bring fertility. Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other. Cattle and other animals were driven through the smoke as a protection from disease and to bring fertility. At the end of the evening, the villagers would take some of the Teineigen to start their fires anew.” (From Sacred Celebrations by Glennie Kindred) Green Man – Beltane

Click here to read the rest of this article Source: .goddessandgreenman.co.uk

For Your Viewing Pleasure – Samhain: The Great Fire of Peace (Scottish Folklore)

Ar do shláinte (Irish Gaelic for to your health). May this year be a great one for you and yours dear WOTC family and friends!

Samhain: The Great Fire of Peace (Scottish Folklore)

The Nine Sacred Woods for Your Beltane Fire

(SIDE NOTE: These are also the types of wood you need to make Ogham Staves.)

(One Person’s View Point) Samhain (Sow-en) – The Celtic roots of Halloween

As millions of children and adults participate in the fun of Halloween on the night of October 31st, few will be aware of its ancient Celtic roots in the Samhain (Samain) festival. In Celtic Ireland about 2,000 years ago, Samhain was the division of the year between the lighter half (summer) and the darker half (winter). At Samhain the division between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through.

The family’s ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. People wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves as harmful spirits and thus avoid harm. Bonfires and food played a large part in the festivities. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into a communal fire, household fires were extinguished and started again from the bonfire. Food was prepared for the living and the dead, food for the ancestors who were in no position it eat it, was ritually shared with the less well off.

Christianity incorporated the honouring of the dead into the Christian calendar with All Saints (All Hallows) on November 1st, followed by All Souls on November 2nd. The wearing of costumes and masks to ward off harmful spirits survived as Halloween customs. The Irish emigrated to America in great numbers during the 19th century especially around the time of famine in Ireland during the 1840’s. The Irish carried their Halloween traditions to America, where today it is one of the major holidays of the year. Through time other traditions have blended into Halloween, for example the American harvest time tradition of carving pumpkins.

Two hills in the Boyne Valley were associated with Samhain in Celtic Ireland, Tlachtga and Tara. Tlachtga was the location of the Great Fire Festival which begun on the eve of Samhain (Halloween). Tara was also associated with Samhain, however it was secondary to Tlachtga in this respect.

The entrance passage to the Mound of the Hostages on the Hill of Tara is aligned with the rising sun around Samhain. The Mound of the Hostages is… Click here to read the rest of this article about Samhain

(One Person’s View Point) Various Types of Witchcraft – Hereditary Witchcraft

 

Hereditary Witchcraft

As you meet more and more people in the Pagan community, you’ll occasionally encounter someone who claims to be a “hereditary witch.” They may even tell you they’ve been “Wiccan since birth,” but what does that really mean?

Well, it could mean a variety of things, but for a lot of us, it generally sends up a red flag when someone uses the phrase “born witch” or “Wiccan from birth.” Let’s look at why that may be the case.

Is There Witch DNA?
You’re not born Christian or Muslim or Hindu. There’s no “Wiccan DNA” that makes any one person more genetically witchy than someone who begins practicing in their fifties. You simply cannot be a Wiccan since birth because Wicca is an orthopraxic religious system that generally involves you doing and believing certain things that make you Wiccan. You can be raised by Wiccans–and many children are–but that doesn’t make you Wiccan from the moment you pop out of the womb, it simply means you were born to Wiccan parents.

That said, certainly, there seem to some people who may be more adept at Witchy Things at some point in their life, but there’s no chromosomal or biological difference in these folks as compared to the general population. You’ll obviously meet people that are psychically gifted, and whose parent or grandparent or child also displays these same traits. But if you operate on the assumption that everyone has some latent psychic ability anyway, it may be that these individuals were encouraged to use their talents while growing up, rather than repressing them like the majority of other people.

You may also encounter people in the Pagan community who claim “born witch” status because of some ancestral link to an individual in the past who was accused of witchcraft. You’ll bump into plenty of people who think Salem ancestry makes them special. It doesn’t, for a variety of reasons.

Familial Traditions of Magic
Also, there are certainly hereditary traditions of witchcraft, but by “hereditary” we don’t mean that the practices are biologically inherited.

These are typically small, familial traditions, or Fam Trads, in which beliefs and practices are handed down from one generation to the next, and outsiders are rarely included. PolyAna identifies as a hereditary witch, and her family hails from Appalachia. She says,

“In our family, what we do is more of a folk magic tradition. My son and I and my granddaughter, who is adopted, practice the same folk magic as my mother and grandmother did. We’ve done it as far back as anyone can remember. We follow the Celtic gods, and my Granny was nominally Catholic but brought a belief in the old gods with her from Ireland. She found a way to make it work, and we’ve carried on those traditions.”

PolyAna’s family practices aren’t typical, but there are certainly other hereditary traditions like hers out there. However, it’s hard to even estimate how many there are, because the information is generally kept within the family and not shared with the general public. Again, this is a family tradition based on practices and beliefs, rather than any documentable genetic link. For families with an Italian background, Stregheria is sometimes practiced in the United States and other countries.

Author Sarah Anne Lawless writes,

“The passing on of traditions through the family is a global concept, and is not restricted to culture or continent. There are many family traditions existing in the United States… who all bear a striking resemblance to the fairy doctors and cunning folk of Northern Europe, many of whom were hereditary themselves. The traditions… were strict and binding; they could only teach one student from the next generation of the family of the opposite sex. In many older witchcraft families in the UK, the traditions of transferring knowledge are thought to follow similar rules.”

For many modern Pagans, including those in hereditary family traditions, witchcraft is either a skill set that is developed and honed over years of practice, or it’s a belief system that is seen as a religion that one spends a lifetime working towards.

For some people, it’s a combination of the two.

So, after all that, could someone be part of a hereditary familial tradition? Absolutely, he or she certainly could. But if what they’re claiming is some sort of biological superiority that makes them witchier than everyone else, you should consider it suspect at best.
____________________________________

Hereditary Witchcraft

Are You:

psychic?

drawn to dark, mysterious things?

not just interested in Vampires and Faeries, you want to be one?

unable to stay away from books about witchcraft and sorcery?

able to see or sense ghosts, and the past lives of places?

excited about going to places like Salem, or Whitby?

into dark glamor and wish to convey a powerful presence?

compelled by the Mysteries?

having trouble staying in your body? Are out of body experiences a away of life?

Since childhood you have practiced rituals to either placate the Gods, or communicate with spirits.

in a natural deep communion with nature and the spirits in trees, plants, animals, and landscapes.

passionate that sacred things and places must be protected.

more perceptive than most other people you know?

convinced that you have to keep these qualities to yourself.

These are just some of the possible traits that can indicate that you may be a hereditary witch — that you are a carrier of the Witch Blood

How it Used to Be
I grew up in the 1960’s and 1970’s, in a small town of Irish and French Catholics in Massachusetts. Witches were believed to be either fairy tale characters or evil old women who were burned at the stake in the Middle Ages.

England had serious laws against witchcraft until 1951. After these laws were repealed, Gerald Gardner went public with Wicca, a religion he developed by cobbling together folk lore, the ideas of Margaret Murray, some involvement with British magical traditions, and perhaps with a mix of the tribal ritual he may have seen in his years as a civil servant in Indonesia.

Robert Cochran came along later claiming to come from a long line of witches, as did Sibyl Leek. Still, the idea of a family carrying on an unbroken heritage of witchcraft or magical practices was considered a very wild claim. Yet some people seemed to be born with psychic and magical powers, were clearly drawn to tales of witchery and magic, and had the imagination to create communities of like minded souls who came together to be witches.

Those desires had to come from some place! This is where the idea of the Witch Blood was born. It may have been Robert Cochran who coined the term to describe people who for some inexplicable reason were willing to risk everything — jobs, houses, partners, families, etc. in order to pursue the path of witchcraft. Witch Queen Maxine Sanders was driven out of her home by frightened neighbors and had another house torched when they found out she was a Witch, even though she had done them no harm.

The conclusion was that, just as in fairy tales in which the Beggar Maid is discovered to be a Princess by virtue of her uncharacteristic beauty and refinement, someone with witch blood in their veins can be spotted by other witches. Perhaps there are people who come from families where the Craft was practiced long ago. These practices went underground, or were replaced with Christianity, but something remains in the genes that is passed down to one or members of the family unrecognized, or misunderstood.

Dormant Witch Blood can also be ignited by Initiation into Wicca, Faery Witchcraft practices, and the creation of a magical way of life.

Now
Today, many people have been born into witch families, and raised in the Craft. There is no doubt that they are hereditary witches and carry the Witch Blood. There is no mystery surrounding it as there when I was a young person just finding this stuff out about myself.

Still, I am sure that there are some in the current generation who feel these things and have no role models in their families. Their families may even be fundamentalist Christians — I have known a few people like that. Some Christians doth protest too much, and some ex-witches have gone into Christianity because of bad experiences in covens, or after frightening themselves when the magic actually works! They can be the most virulent antagonists against witchcraft.

Of course films and now television are currently having a field day with witches. Teenagers can take them on as role models, and in many cases, not be stigmatized as weirdos. In general, I have found witches to be a pretty happy lot, optimistic and creative, imaginative and fun loving. If sinister overtones are there, it is because of the dark cycle we all must go through, and the way some us walk between the worlds. Some witches are also sociopaths, but that isn’t just because they are witches, nor is sociopathology exclusive to witches and magicians.

If you have found yourself wandering in the woods, or walking the hills like a lost soul, hoping somewhere deep inside, where even you cannot verbalize it, that you will find them, then you might be blessed with the witch blood. If you leave offerings for the spirits, try to engage others to sit in a circle and call the spirits, if you feel you have a secret name, you might have the witch blood. If you are more drawn to these things than “normal” activities, are more comfortable in nature than in a church, if you can’t get your nose out of certain types of books….then I may have news for you….you maybe a Hereditary Witch,

Source: Patti Wigington, ThoughtCo  
Winterspells 

The Dark Side Of The Air Witch

The Dark Side Of The Air Witch

Do not threaten an Air Witch or what she holds dear, as she is fiercely protective. When she feels threatened, she goes into overdrive and absolutely will not rest until the threat is destroyed completely. She rarely practices defensive magick, preferring instead to allow those who dare to attack face their karmic backlash instead, as she is always willing to accept hers. She can be manipulative in this manner and may not even realize it.

Usually well versed in destructive magick, the Air Witch takes all acts of magick deadly seriously. She insists that a simple blessing carries the same power behind it as a two-hour ritual. When angered, the emotion simply has to run its course, and that course can be decidedly ugly. Just as air feeds fire, the Air Witch feeds her own inner fire when she is angry. She stews and will not move beyond her anger until she is ready. Once she is, it is much easier for her to simply remove the influence from her life entirely. She will cut people out of her life without a second thought.

The Path Of The Air Witch (Part 4)

The Path Of The Air Witch

(Part 4)

Water rules creation, earth rules rebirth, and air rules the cross over a threshold-in other words, the gates of death. The Air Witch has a decidedly dark side and a complex character. Her focus is more on the death side of nature, due to her realm, which includes death, along with sustaining life. You can only survive a few minutes without air, but if you breathe the wrong air, such as poisonous gas, you will die immediately. Air brings disease, death and destruction side by side with life.

The Air Witch is very insightful in the realm of past-life discovery, because time itself belongs to her element as well.

At the same time, air cannot create or re-create life on its own. An Air Witch needs her sister element earth to recycle her winds (through plant life) and water and fire to aid growth. Air Witches may have trouble in the areas relating to menstruation and reproduction. Other potential health problems include spinal conditions or a bad back, asthma, or hearing loss.

Air rules the mental processes and Air Witches often have a few problems in that area. They are frequently nervous, jittery types, prone to panic attacks. In nature, we find crosswinds, tornadoes and hurricanes it seems that wind itself has an insane pattern. The Air Witch is the same. When angered or hurt, she can easily cross the line into the realm of madness. She may entertain notions of revenge, but since she changes her mind constantly, she rarely sees them through. The windy Air Witch is easily depressed and is known to go into a funk over the smallest of things. However, she rarely stays down for long.

The winds are important to the element of air, but they are not the element itself. However, the two are inseparable. The element of air encircles the globe; it is the atmosphere. Every sunrise and sunset takes place in its domain. In this manner we discover how the Air Witch connects to the earthly elements-she incarnates the aura of them, the same way the atmosphere is the aura of the planet. Often, the Air Witch is the catalyst needed to create a change. She is mysterious nd unpredictable.

~~ Conclusion ~~

 Source: “The Elemental Witch” by Tammy Sullivan

The Path Of The Air Witch (Part 3)

The Path Of The Air Witch

(Part 3)

The Air Witch has a hard time showing the proper respect due to others in authoritative positions, because she does not see anyone as superior to her. She is strong and fiercely independent. Due to the placement of her element, she can also be very derisive in her humor when it is pointed at herself. She does not take herself too seriously and finds much to laugh about. Compliments thrill her, but expression of thanks tend to embarrass her. She is usually very social and has a wide network of friends. Happy and upbeat as a rule, she can allow herself to become depressed when she does not meet her goals. She is very hard on herself.

The Air Witch can be highly superstitious. She accepts that not all things exist within the scope of the human senses. Within the realm of air ie the keys to invisibility, sound, thinking, communication, creativity, weather, the dead, and ghosts, just to name a few. It is no wonder that the Air Witch seems to operate  on a different level-she does. Considering the multitude of things she hosts in her space, she is usually adept at reading signs and omens. The Air Witch is well schooled in sky divination and portents or harbingers of luck.

The Air Witch specializes magickally in spirits, ghosts, invisible beings, travel, inspiration, dreams, wishes, creativity and changes. She often has a special affinity for Quija, pendulums, and storm and weather magick. She tends to be unconventional and does things that are considered taboo among many Witches, such as blowing out her candles, using items that don’t biodegrade, and so on.

Whereas the Water Witch has a talent for divination and the intuitive arts, the Air Witch has a talent for necromancy and clairaudience. The Air Witch is usually well trained in aromatherapy, meditation and pain-management breathing techniques.

(continued at The Path Of The Air Witch, Part 4)

The Path Of The Air Witch (Part 2)

The Path Of The Air Witch

(Part 2)

If you are friends with an Air Witch, prepare to be inspired. She wants her friends and loved ones to achieve their desired level of success just as badly as they do. The Air Witch gives herself to her friends selflessly. However, once betrayed, she will never trust that person again. The Air Witch is all about movement and she refuses to get caught in other people’s hand-ups. She is not one to give second chances. Because of her willingness to please, and the fact that she strives to make all things just, she may actually say that she will grant someone a second chance and then try to, but rarely can she do it in her heart. Once trust is gone for her, it is gone. She moves on.

The Air Witch is optimistic and energetic. She always starts off strong, even if her efforts dwindle later. It is the same in all areas of her life. Her first magick is the strongest, and she usually instinctually knows her element instantly. The only part of her life where this factor does not enter into the equation is in the case of first love. Once a relationship is over for her, it is over. The Air Witch does not live in the past, but in the present. The love she has now is the only one that matters.

The Air Witch can maintain her stamina to complete a project if she perceives it to be a challenge. Telling an Air Witch that she can’t do something is a sure way to see to it that she does. However, if she guesses that she is being manipulated in this fashion, she will erupt into a tantrum. She despises manipulative games and tends to see through them quickly, due to her own manipulative nature.

Because the air blankets the Earth and water, the Air Witch frequently has a large ego. She sees herself as above others and counts on her sister elements  to keep this ego in check. A key lesson for the windy ones is learning that they are not the only creatures that count. However, this position also grants the Air Witch the ability to see all sides of a situation. She is very just.

(continued on The Path Of The Air Witch, Part 3)

The Path Of The Air Witch (Part 1)

The Path Of The Air Witch

The path of the Air Witch is one of constant mental stimulation and expression. As poets, writers, actors, and dreamers, Air Witches walk the line of creativity. The wind is the soliloquy of life; every thought and sound transports itself through the air.

Seen as flaky and airheaded by some, the strength of the Air Witch lies in her intelligence, not her common-sense. She walks around with her head in the clouds. Too often she suffers from “foot in mouth” disease. She seems to have an uncanny knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Uncomfortable with silence, the Air Witch is content to chatter on aimlessly. She is well-known for making people laugh and smile, even when she is on their last nerve.

A key strength of the master of the wind is her flexibility. The Air Witch always allows room to change her mind and to bend with the wind. She considers that she is never fully “done”; she is a work in progress. Just as you cannot capture the wind, you cannot pin down an  Air Witch to one viewpoint for too long. She refuses to stagnate by accepting anything to be true all of the time. She is inquisitive, bubbly, and bright, and can inspire others to reach higher, try harder, and give a goal their best shot. Air Witches make wonderful cheerleaders.

On the flip side, the happy-go-lucky Air Witch is not one you want to anger. Her fury rouses quickly, and she usually possesses a nasty temper. An Air Witch will not mince words with you-she will cut straight to the bone. Once her outburst is over, she is usually no longer mad. Five minutes after her tantrum, she has no idea why anyone is angry with her.

Due to her flighty nature, the Air Witch has an easy time letting go of the past. She can overcome the most tragic of life’s situations. She will be changed, but she will quickly move on. She is truly like the wind. Because of this, she tends to make bad judgments. She does not always think things through fully before taking action.

The Air Witch thrives on change and new beginnings. Nothing  will excite her more than moving to a new location, getting a new job, meeting new people, or going on a vacation. She often changes her style throughout her lifetime, including favorite colors, textures, and even foods.

Her thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and tends to get her in trouble. She keeps an open mind and is willing to see alternate viewpoints. The Air Witch is known to incorporate many different belief systems into her own personal view.

Among the many quirks of Air Witches, claustrophobia rates unusually high in their ranks. The Air Witch cannot stand the thought of being trapped in a place with limited air. Scuba diving or the like is a rare activity for an Air Witch, as she fears suffocation above all else.

The Air Witch’s home is normally very clean. She can be extremely picky about dirt and dust. However, when entering the home of an Air Witch, you are apt to find many projects in various stages just sitting around waiting for her to complete them. The windy Air Witch does not always have the stamina needed to complete what she starts. It makes perfect sense to her to do the laundry and then fold it and stack it, without ever putting it away. She is easily distracted.

The home of an Air Witch is usually neutral-toned and light, with many windows. She frequently will have an abundance of houseplants and overstocked cabinets filled with convenience foods and sugary junk. It’s no wonder Air Witches have weak teeth, as they usually have an inexhaustible sweet tooth.

(continued to “The Path Of The Air Witch, Part 2)

(One Person’s View Point) The Dark Side of the Water Witch c 2012

The Dark Side of the Water Witch

Water rules the emotions, and the Water Witch has a predisposition to think with the heart and not the head. As she is devoted to water, she believes wholeheartedly that a tiger can change its strips by virtue of cleansing away the negative. She will give a second chance in the case of an innocent mistake. However, if crossed intentionally, the Water Witch will hold a grudge until the end of time. She is a wall builder and will not hesitate to block out anyone who deserves it. Her code of justice is so strict that she often entertain notions of revenge. She is known to overdo it in these matters.

In personal matters, the Water Witch’s intuition does not function at its fullest capacity. She can be quick to assume a slight was intended by an innocent remark and operate strictly on that notion, regardless of its truthfulness. Unfortunately, once this happens the Water Witch can muddy her own waters.

(One Person’s View Point) Balancing the Elements: a Water and Sea Witch guide to finding balance with the elements

Balancing the Elements: a Water and Sea Witch guide to finding balance with the elements

It would be silly to think that someone who calls themselves a water witch works ONLY with the water element. This would make for a very unbalanced practice! Rather Water or Sea Witches work with all the elements through their particular path which is deeply connected to water. A Water Witch may call themselves Water or Sea witch because they derive their power from the Waters or the Spirits that dwell with in it.

Working with Air
Water Witches can work with air in conjunction with water. While I personally don’t resonate with Air as well as I do the other elements, it can still be worked with and incorporated into a balanced practice. There are many stories of Witches having the power to control the wind and weather; many times these stories are about Sea Witches or witches that could be classified as Sea Witches based on where they live. An old folk spell Sea Witches have been recorded as being responsible for, is selling knots to Sailors. Each knot holding the power to release different strengths of wind.

“For the right price, witches supplied sailors with a cord having three knots. When becalmed, untying the first knot was thought to produce a light breeze, undoing the second produced a moderate wind, and the third a strong breeze. Scottish fishermen were known to buy knotted handkerchiefs of wind sorceress, the desired strength of the wind could be obtained by slowly undoing the knot. Once loosened, the knot was useless and for additional winds another purchase was required. If a sailor found a knot in a painter, he could expect a long voyage. When a sailor referred to “tying a knot in the devil’s tail,” he was relating to the “well done” completion of a difficult task.”

Another good example of Water Witches having the power to control the weather and raise up storms is the Gallicanae from the Island of Sena. Here we have a group of 9 priestess with magical powers who are clearly connected to the sea but also have the power to change the winds and work with water in conjunction with air.

“Sena in the British sea, opposite the Ofismician coast, is remarkable for an oracle of the Gallic God. Its priestesses, holy in perpetual virginity, are said to be nine in number. They are called Gallicenae, and are thought to be endowed with singular powers, so as to raise by their charms the winds and seas, to turn themselves into what animals they will, to cure wounds and diseases incurable by others, to know and predict the future; but this they do only to navigators who go thither purposely to consult them.”

In a modern practice, one can look to wisdom from water birds, work with knots as above, charge water in a singing bowls using voice and vibration to charge waters, and can engage in spirit flight using water as a portal to the other world.

Working with Fire

Working with Fire is actually quite fun when working water magic. Fire can heat our cauldrons, and be the catalyst for change, a flame can be lit at a sacred well or near a river. Floating candles can be used to merge the powers of water and fire and holy water can be used to anoint candles. Additionally, there are several European Goddesses that are associated with Fire and Water; Bride, Sulis and Nantosuelta are a few. Grannus is a masculine deity that is also associated with Fire and Natural Springs. Many cultures across the world combine water and fire together by lighting candles and setting them afloat on small rafts of herbs or wreaths. A Water Witch that is particularly connected to springs and wells will find many ways to honor and work with water and fire together. A popular tradition is well dressings, and candles as well as flowers and other offerings are used to decorate the sacred space on holy days.

In a modern practice candles can be anointed with holy water or used to light a ritual bath. Floating candles can be used in a bowl or one can Scry by candle light. Candles are a staple in every witches tool bag, and Water Witches use them as well, though our collection might be heavy on the blue and green side!

Working with Earth

Earth and Water are very compatible and often are used together. Floral essences, Herbal Teas, and Gem elixirs are quick and easy ways to combine earth and water magic together.

The earth is the vessel in which the water is held, both symbolically in the alchemical symbol and actually in the physical world. Our physical bodies which represent earth are filled with water and in a way is a vessel. The earth contains water and while it does not necessarily control it, it holds it, and houses it giving it a structure in which to rest or rage.

For the Sea Witch shells, sand, and drift wood would be earth representations and a beautiful way to combine water and earth. There is nothing more beautiful than a piece of smooth driftwood that washes up at your feet. Water and Earth work together to transform the environment around it; river rocks and beach agates smoothed and tumbled by nature are other good examples of water and earth together.

Witches that work with rivers can connect to the earth with river rock, hag stones and the muddy parts of the shore. Bath salts can also be considered an earth element and are a wonderful edition to any bath!

Dew has much folklore and recorded magical uses, a popular one being collecting dew on May Day from the Hawthorn tree. For the most part Dew relies on plants and grasses to hold its delicate watery form. Again a perfect example of combining the elements.

Working with all the elements is important in any magical practice, and for those of us that are watery it is always good to reach towards a more grounding element in tough times. When our waters need to be stirred up reach towards air and when you need to heat up or become passionate about something working with Fire can be beneficial. Finding balance is important, and so is honoring all the elements even if our home is in the waters!

Source: Published on Patheos by ANNWYN AVALON