Category: Our History

A LITTLE HISTORY ON “HANDFASTING”

A LITTLE HISTORY ON “HANDFASTING”

What is “Handfasting”?

Until the time leading up to, and during the Middle Ages, weddings were
considered affairs that included both family and community.

The only thing needed in those times to create a marriage was for both partners
to state their consent to take one another as spouses.

The tradition of handfasting started in Scotland and was considered more of a
contract than a romantic endeavor. Witnesses were not always necessary, nor was
the presence of the bride!

The role of the clergy at a medieval wedding was simply to bless the couple.

Until the council of Trent in the 15th century it was not official that a third
party such as a priest or minister officiate the vows of marriage.

Until that time it was left up to the individuals involved to perform the
ceremony. This was done many times in the home of the bride.

In the later medieval period, the wedding ceremony moved from the house of the
bride to the
church.

It began with a procession to the church from the bride’s house.

Vows were exchanged outside the church and everyone would then move inside for
high Mass.

After Mass, the procession went back to the bride’s house for feasting and
musicians accompanied the procession.

Old Religion wedding ceremony

Old Religion wedding ceremony

UU/Old Religion wedding

We used the Gardnerian “Prayer to the Cosmic One” for the chalice lighting:

High Priestess

In token of the two traditions brought together here tonight, we light the
flaming chalice, the symbol of Unitarian Universalism, with a prayer of the Old
Religion:
In the Name of the Cosmic One
The ancient Providence
Which was from the beginning
And is for eternity
Male and female;
All-knowing, all-pervading, all-powerful,
Changeless and eternal;
In the Name of the Lady of the Moon
And the Lord of Death and Resurrection;
In the names of the Mighty Ones of the Four Quarters,
The Rulers of the Elements;
Blessed be this time and this place
And we who are now gathered here.

We spoke these vows:

Bride

By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by my life and
by my love for you; I, Phaedra, take you Keith in the Sacred Marriage.  I
pledge to you my heart, my body, my life and my spirit.  I will be to you as
the earth to the sun, as the moon to the stars.  I will be Priestess at your
altar, wife in your home and Goddess to the God in you.”

Groom

By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by my life and
by my love for you; I, Keith, take you Phaedra in the Sacred Marriage.  I
pledge to you my heart, my body, my life and my spirit.  I will be to you as
the sun to the earth, as the stars to the moon.  I will be Priest at your
altar, husband in your home and God to the Goddess in you.”

I get misty-eyed just remembering.

Water

Water

 

Direction: west

Time: dusk

Season: autumn

Colours: blue, from dark, inky or grey blue to brilliant Mediterranean turquoise;  silver

Qualities: intuition, empathy, sympathy, healing powers, inner harmony, peacemaking, unconscious  wisdom, divinatory powers especially connected with water scrying, ability to merge and interconnect with nature, the cycles of the seasons and life  cycle.

Rules over: love, relationships, friendships, dreams, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth,  purification rites, alternative healing, using the powers of nature, especially crystals and sacred water, all water and sea magick, moon magick, travel by  sea.     Animals: albatross, dolphin, frog, heron, seagull, seal, shark, toad, whale, all fish, especially salmon, fish of the summer on the native North American  Medicine Wheel and of wisdom in the Celtic tradition.

Archangel: Gabriel, archangel of the moon, who represents the fruits of the harvest, the rewards of  our successes and the need to let go of our failures and regrets.

Gabriel protects fish stocks, those who travel across water and against inclement weather. He  cleanses polluted seas, lakes and rivers.

Visualize him in robes of silver and midnight blue with stars interwoven on the crescent moon in his  halo.

Crystals: aquamarine, blue and pink chalcedony calcite, coral, fluorite, jade, moonstone, ocean or  orbicular jasper, opal, pearl, tourmaline

Elemental creatures: naiads

Goddesses: all moon and water deities

Coventina, indigenous British water goddess of sacred springs; also revered at sacred wells in Spain  and Gaul.

Ganga, the Hindu healing water goddess who is manifest as the sacred river Ganges and was daughter  of the Himalayas

Heket or Heqet, the frog-headed Ancient Egyptian goddess who breathed life into the clay figures  that her husband Knum the potter god made; a goddess of fertility and creativity.

Mama Cocha or Mother Sea, the Peruvian whale goddess.

Ran, the Norse sea goddess who loves gold more than anything else; a goddess of  protection.

Sedna the ancient sea mother of the Inuit people who releases the seals and shoals of fish for  hunting.

Stella Maria, patroness of sailors, fishermen and travelers by sea, once identified with Isis and  now associated with the Virgin Mary who is depicted in this role with a crown of stars.

Gods: Hapy or Hapi, the god of the Nile flood, who wears flowing papyrus and lotus flowers on his  head, carrying a loaded offering dish with wine, food and lotus blossoms, as a symbol of his fecundity.

Mannanan or Manannan macLir, Lord of the Otherworld Isles of the Blest which include the Isle of Man  and Arran; he casts magical mists around them to keep away danger.

Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, who carried a trident, became Neptune in the Roman tradition and was  said to have drowned Atlantis (or some blame Zeus) because of the corruption of this Golden Race.

Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain, whose eyes and nose were formed of intertwined serpents and who was  entreated in annual ceremonies to bring rain to fertile the crops.

Herbs and incenses: apple blossom, apricot, Balm of Gilead, camellia, catnip, coconut, coltsfoot,  cowslip, cyclamen, eucalyptus, feverfew, hyacinth, iris, jasmine, lemon, lemon balm, lilac, lily, lotus, lucky hand, myrrh, orchid, passionflower, peach,  sandalwood (sometimes under air), strawberry, sweet pea, tansy, thyme, valerian, vanilla, violet, yarrow.

Places: flooded land, flood plains, fountains, lakes, marshland, the ocean, ponds, pools, rainy day,  rivers, sacred wells and streams, water features.

Sacred substance: water

Zodiacal signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Fire

Fire

 

Direction: South

Time: Noon

Season: Summer

Colours: Red, orange, gold

Qualities: Fertility in all aspects of life, creativity, light-bringing power, passion, joy,  initiating, transformation, courage, mysticism, clairvoyance, prophecy.

Rule over: Ambition, achievement, illumination, inspiration, all creative and artistic ventures,  poetry, art, sculpture, writing, music, dance, religion and spirituality, psychic powers especially higher ones such as channeling, innovation, sexuality. It  is also potent for destruction of what is now no longer needed, for binding and banishing ritual and so for protection.

Animals: Dragonfly, firefly, fox, lion, lizrd, stag, tiger

Archangel: Michael, archangel of the sun and light and the warrior angel. Michael is the angel of  power and of illumination and brings in the summer season and fertility, growth and energy into our lives and to the land, to animals and the crops. He is  also potent, for reviving barren land despoiled by industrialization and for cleansing air pollution.

Visualize him resplendent in scarlet and gold with a huge sword, golden scales in his other hand and  often a dragon crushed beneath his feet.

Crystals: Amber bloodstone, bojo stones, carnelian, garnet, hematite, iron pyrites, lava, mookaite,  obsidian, red jasper, ruby sunstone, topaz.

Elemental creatures: Salamanders

Goddesses: Amaterasu Omigami, the Japanese sun goddess whose name means ‘great August spirit  shining in heaven’

Brighid, the Celtic triple goddess of fire and of the hearth, patroness of healers, poets and  smiths

Gabija, the Lithuanian goddess of the hearth fire, who was honored by throwing salt on the fire each  evening after the main meal

Pele, goddess of volcanoes, fire and magic, who is still revered in Hawaii by those who claim  descent from her and who still set up altars near lava streams.

Saule, Baltic queen of the heavens and earth, dressed and crowned with gold who drove her golden  chariot across the skies and danced with her daughter the planets on the festival of St. Lucia, the light maiden, just before the midwinter  solstice

Sekhmet, the Ancient Egyptian lion-headed solar goddess of fire and healing who is the patroness of  modern businesswomen

Vesta, the Roman goddess of sacred fire whose Virgins tended the sacred fire in  Rome

Gods: Agni, the Hindu god of fire, who is said to be manifest as the vital spark in mankind, birds,  animals, plants and life itself

Apollo, the Graeco-Roman sun god, who was twin brother of Artemis, the moon goddess, and was patron  of the arts, especially music, beauty and harmony.

Helios of the Greeks, known to the Romans as Sol, who was regarded as the sun himself. He ascended  the heavens in a chariot drawn by winged snow-white horses to give light, and in the evening descended into the ocean

Lugh (Llew in Wales) the ancient Irish god of light and the cycle of the year, born at the midwinter  solstice, made king at the summer solstice and willingly sacrificed at Lughnassadh at the beginning of August in order to maintain the fertility of the land  and ensure the success of the harvest.

Ra or Re, the Ancient Egyptian sun god who sailed the sun boat across the heavens during the  day

Herbs and incenses: Allspice, angelica, basil, bay, cactus, carnation, cedar wood, chamomile,  chrysanthemum, cinnamon, cloves, copal, dragon’s blood, frankincense, galangal. Garlic, juniper, lime marigold, nutmeg, olive, orange, pennyroyal,  rosemary, snapdragon, sunflower, tangerine, thistle holy, thistle milk, witch hazel

Place: Bonfires, all conflagrations, deserts, hearths, hilltop beacons, lightning, sacred festival  fires, solar eclipses, thunder, volcanoes, at the height of noon or a blazing sunrise or sunset, plains shimmering in the heart, any sunny place, sandy  shores on hot days, hear banks of yellow or golden flowers.

Sacred substances: Candle

Zodiacal signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Air

Air

Direction: East

Time: Dawn

Season: Spring

Colours: Yellow, grey

Qualities: Logic, clear focus, an enquiring and analytical mind, the ability to communicate clearly,  concentrations, versatility, adaptability, quest for truth, commercial and technological acumen, healing powers through channeling higher  energies

Rules over: New beginnings, change, health and conventional healing, teaching, travel, house or  career moves, knowledge, examinations, the media, science, ideas, ideals and money-spinning

Animals: All bird of prey (especially the eagle and hawk), butterfly, moth, white  dove

Archangel: Raphael, the healer archangel and traveler’s guide. He is the angel who offers  healing to the planet and to humankind and all creatures on the face of the earth, in the skies and waters, especially effective against technological and  chemical pollution and the adverse effects of modern living. He is depicted with a pilgrim’s stick, a wallet and a fish.

Visualize him in the colours of early morning sunlight, with a beautiful green healing ray emanating  from his halo.

Crystals: Amethyst, citrine, clear crystal quartz, diamond, lapis lazuli, sapphire, sodalite,  sugilite, turquoise

Elemental creatures: Sylphs

Goddesses: All Moon and Sky deities (Moon Goddesses also rule water)

Arianrhod, the Welsh goddess of the full moon, time and destiny, who turns the wheel of the  stars.

Diana, Goddess of the Witches, the moon and huntress goddess of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Her  daughter Aradia came to earth to teach her mother’s wisdom (Aradia arguably is an earth, air, fire and water goddess)

Myestse, the Russian mother maiden who was the consort of Dazhbog the sun god and became mother of  the stars

Nut, the Ancient Egyptian sky goddess whose body arches over the earth, covered in stars and into  whose womb Ra the sun god enters to be reborn each night

Pavati (or Parvati), wife of Shiva, the father god in Hinduism, the beautiful young goddess of the  mountains, who is the catalyst and power source without which Shiva would be impotent

Gods: Hermes, the winged Ancient Greek Messenger and healer god who, like Mercury, his Roman  counterpart, is also god of medicine, money lenders and thieves

Horus, the Ancient Egyptian sky good, represented as a falcon or a falcon-headed man. His eyes were  the sun and moon and his wings could extend across the entire heavens.

Jupiter, the supreme Roman sky god whose Greek counterpart was Zeus, who cast thunderbolts upon the  unrighteous

Myesyats, the Slavic moon god, who represented the three states of the life cycle as a youthful, a  mature and then an old man

Odin, the Norse god (the Anglo Saxon Woden), as all-father, god of inspiration, wisdom and poetry as  well as war

Herbs and incenses: Acacia, agrimony, almond, anise, benzoic, bergmot, borage, caraway, clover,  dill, elecampane, eyebright, fennel, fenugreek, lavender, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lily of the valley, linden, marjoram, meadowsweet, mulberry, Nag Champa,  palm, papyrus flower, peppermint, sage, star anise

Places: Balconies, cliffs, hills, mountain tops, open plains, planes (looking out of the window at  banks of cloud), pyramids, roof gardens, the sky, steeples and spires of churches and cathedrals, tall buildings, towers, open windows, anywhere by moon or  starlight

Sacred substance: Incense

Zodiacal signs: Aquarius, Gemini, Libra

Earth

Earth

Direction: North

Time: Midnight

Season: Winter

Colours: Green,  brown

Qualities: Stability, common sense, practical abilities, caretaking of the earth,  protectiveness, upholding of tradition, love of beauty, patience, perseverance, generosity, acceptance of others, nurturance.

Rules over: Abundance and prosperity, fertility (also fire for fertility), finance, law and  order, institutions, authority, motherhood, the physical body, food home and family, animals, the land, agriculture, horticulture,  environmentalism.

Animals: Badger, bear, bee, bull  serpent, snake, spider.

Archangel: Uriel, the archangel of  transformation whose name means fire of god, the archangel who brought alchemy to humankind.

Uriel brings warmth to the winter season and to cold or unhappy periods in our life. He melts the  snows with his flaming sword or torch. Ecologically he works at conserving resources, protecting rainforests, wildlife habitats and endangered  species.

Visualize him in rich burnished gold and ruby red with the brightest flame-like halo and fiery  sword, like a bonfire blazing in the darkness.

Crystals: Amazonite, aventurine,  banded brown agates, emerald, fossils, jet malachite, moss agate, petrified wood, rose quartz, tree agate, all yellow brown and mottled jaspers like  Dalmatian jasper, rutilated quartz, smoky quartz, tiger’s eye and all stones with holes in the center.

Elemental creatures:  Gnomes

Goddesses: Cerridwen, the Celtic Great  mother, keeper of the cauldron of inspiration and rebirth.

Gaia, the Ancient Greek earth mother, whose name has been given in modern times to the  earth.

Hecate, wise crone goddess of the Ancient Greek tradition who also rules magic, good fortune and the  Waning Moon.

Isis Unveiled, from the Ancient Egyptian tradition, as mother of nature and protectress of  all.

Mati Syra-Zemlya, of Moist mother earth, the Slavic goddess, who spins the web of life and  death.

Nerthus, the Ancient Viking earth mother, associated with fertility of crops of her successor,  Frigg, wife of Odin and patroness of women and childbirth.

The Virgin Mary.

Gods: Cernunnos, Horned god of the  Celts, who is also called Herne from the Anglo Saxon.

Grey or Ingvi, Viking and Anglo Saxon names for the god associated with the fertility of the  earth.

Geb, the Ancient Egyptian earth god andd consort of Nut the sky goddess, associated with the sacred  goose who laid the egg from which the world emerged.

The Green Man, the ageless god of vegetation, still recalled in May-time  celebrations.

Osiris, son of Geb and consort of Isis, who after his murder by his brother became the embodiment of  the annual growth of the corn, watered by the tears of Isis at the Nile flood.

Herbs and incenses: Bistort, cypress,  fern, geranium, heather, hibiscus, honesty, honeysuckle, knotweed, magnolia, mugwort, oak, moss, oats, oleander, patchouli, primrose, sagebrush, sorrel  (wood), sweet grass, tulip, vervain, vetivert

Places: Caves, the crypts of churches  and cathedrals, forests, gardens, grass, groves, homes, ley or psychic power lines in the earth, megaliths, ploughed fields, rocky places, snow- or  ice-covered lands and glaciers, sand stone circles, temples.

Sacred substances: Salt (also soil and clay)

Zodiacal signs: Taurus, Virgo,  Capricorn

Working With The Four Elements

Working With The Four Elements

In all magick and most powerfully in Natural Magick the four ancient elements of Earth, Air, Fire  and Water form the building blocks of magical power and can be used formally and informally in spells to endow a symbol with power and to build up that  power.

The combination of the four elements creates a fifth element, Ether or Akasha, or quintessence, pure  Spirit, the energy and also the substance that transforms thoughts and desires to actuality.

We all contain these four elements within our personalities in different proportions. The  psychotherapist Jung talked about earth equating with sensations (practical functioning), air with thought (logic), fire with intuition (inspiration) and  water with feelings (empathy and emotions). We can call upon these strengths as contained within elemental substances and in nature both in spells and in our  lives to bring their powers into play.

The inner powers of the elements, for example the practical stability of earth or the inspiration of  fire, can be brought into the actual world for the fulfillment of your spell. This happens first when you visualize the elements, for example a beautiful  golden ploughed field for earth or a tall bonfire for fire, and then in the words you use when calling the power of the element, for example by making a  chant about all the different ways you imagine the earth. This transfers the powers of the elements into your mind. Then, on the physical level, you work  with, say, salt for earth and a candle flame for fire, and this together with your visualization and words joins the powers of the elements on the thought  and actual levels. The energy created is key to successful spell casting as the intangible thoughts and the actual substances come  together.

Sometimes you will put the emphasis on one or two particular elements, for example earth, and air to  speed up a house sale and/or purchase.

In this case you could choose a setting for example a woodland on a windy day or the rough grass on  a hill top. You would use a combination of earth – and air – related symbols, for example a feather tied to a white stone to represent your new home (you  could draw a house on the stone). You could then release the feather at the end of the spell.

In a pure water ritual, for example to send healing to a particularly polluted body of water where  your children would like to swim or to ask for clean drinking water for those who do not have it, you could light blue candles at each of the four quarters  and perhaps have a cauldron or dish of water in the center. You could symbolically purify this water with a few drops of flower essence such as Dr.  Bach’s Five Flower Rescue Remedy or pour one of your own magical waters into the earth.

Of course, the other elements would be present. Incense(air) would empower, activate and help the  need to be communicated to those who can help resolve it. Fire(candle) would inspire and give the necessary force to make actions and not just words happen  in the real world. Earth(salt) would sort out the practicalities such as who will pay for clean water. Then you can create the necessary magical rocket of  power in the fusion of the four elements. When these four meet, they become a fifth element called Quintessence, Ether or Akasha. This collective energy  fills the physical symbols with the psychically generated power.

Psychic Protection for the Witch in Everyone!

Psychic Protection for the Witch in Everyone!

Find out more about psychic protection here…

Psychic Protection for the Witch in Everyone!
As part of the launch of my new book, The Witch’s Shield: Psychic Protection and Psychic Self Defense, I wanted to share the techniques that helped me maintain psychic boundaries and a healthy sense of safety. Though few of us learn them when we should, I really think they are basics of psychic hygiene. If you learn to take care of yourself on a daily basis, you can avoid problems in the future. I learned these techniques studying the art and science of witchcraft, hence the book title – The Witch’s Shield. I’ve shared them in classes for both witches and non-witches alike with great success.
Sometimes the word “witch” scares people off. I can understand that. I thought it was silly at first. When my first teacher, a good family friend, revealed she was a witch, I didn’t understand. But I soon found out the spiritual traditions of witchcraft stretch across the globe and throughout time. Witches were the priestesses and priests of the ancient world. They kept the mysteries of magick and psychic ability. A witch is someone who does magick, not only for her- or himself, but for the good of the community. Sometimes the first step in helping our communities, in helping the world, is helping ourselves by finding health, balance, and clarity. Only then can be devote energy to help others.
So, with that in mind, the wisdom of the witch broadens for us. We might not all identify spiritually as witches, but these techniques of psychic protection and magick are universal, and can apply to anyone as long as the person is open to magick, change, and personal responsibility. You will find similar wisdom in the traditions of shamanism, energy healers, ceremonial magicians, and other New Age seekers.

Here are seven psychic protection techniques from which anyone can benefit:

1 – Smudging – Smudging refers to passing yourself or an object through sacred smoke as a means of purification. When burned, certain herbs release a high vibrational energy that is used to purify unwanted, harmful forces – what most people call negative energy. Herbs like sage, cedar, sweet grass, pine, and lavender can be burned, as well as incenses such as frankincense, myrrh, and copal. Simply wave the smoking substance around you and make sure you pass through the smoke. Don’t do too much. It’s an energetic process, not a physical one, so you don’t have to feel like you are asphyxiating.

2- Sea Salt Bath – Similar to smudging, taking a sea salt bath can cleanse the physical body as well as the energy. Put two tablespoons of sea salt or kosher salt in your bath water and soak. Imagine all the stress and harmful energy you have accumulated or taken on from others flowing into the water. Sit in the bathtub as its drains and imagine it flowing down the drain, neutralized by the salt and water. I have a friend who puts a spray bottle of sea salt and water and gives herself a little spritz and sponge bath. The salt neutralizes any harmful energies, and then she just wipes it off. It’s a great way to clear yourself if you’re on the run and a bath is too time consuming.

3 – Amulet – Symbols and charms have long been lauded for their protective powers. In almost every culture, there is a tradition of wearing or carrying a particular amulet, often blessed by a priest/tess, to confer the powers of divine protection upon the wearer. Take a symbol you find sacred and divine. Find it in a jewelry or pendant form. If you cannot, try drawing the symbol on a piece of paper or wood, and carrying it with you. If you are Christian, use a cross. If you are Wiccan, use a pentacle. Hindu, try the Ohm symbol. There are a variety of symbols, from the Star of David to the Hammer of Thor. Find the one that speaks protection to you. Smudge the amulet and hold it in both hands. Think about protection and infuse your thoughts into the amulet, activating its power to protect in the name of your divinities. Carry the charm with you to receive its protection.

4 – Protection Stone – Like a symbolic amulet, you can carry a stone known for its protective and grounding qualities with you. Most dark colored stones have magical associations with protection. Some of my favorite choices are hematite, smoky quartz, onyx, obsidian, jet, and aragonite. Other stores that are protective include red jasper, amber, citrine, and clear quartz. Like an amulet, cleanse your stone and infuse your intention into it.

5 – Meditation – Meditation is one of the greatest keys to psychic defense. Regular meditation practice leaves you clear, centered, and in a mental place where you can respond to potential threats, rather than unconsciously react to them. It doesn’t matter the style or tradition of meditation. Regular practice is the key. You will not get the long term psychic protection benefits of meditation by doing it only once every few weeks. It must be like exercise, done regularly. I suggest at least three times a week. If you can do it daily, so much the better.

6- Healthy Emotional Boundaries – Emotional boundaries are not the most esoteric form of psychic defense, but one that quite a few people leave out. Sometimes psychic defense – particularly from people who are harmful to us, intentionally or unintentionally – is the ability to say “no” and stick to it. If someone asks you to do something or go somewhere, and you only say yes because you are afraid of being “mean” or “letting them down” but you know its not a good situation for you, you must learn to say no. As an adult, only you define what is acceptable and unacceptable in your life. Draw those boundary lines and stick to them.

7 – Living Your True Will – The best form of psychic self-defense is to live out your true will. What is your divine purpose? Find it! Then actually live it. If you are doing what you are meant to be doing, the universe will support you and very little anyone else does or says will be able to stop you. You true will, or what some call your magical will, is not your destiny. It doesn’t happen regardless. This your partnership with the divine. You must choose to fulfill it. But once you choose to be a full, conscious partner with the divine, you will have a divine protection that will help you in all of life’s difficult areas.

For more information and an expanded view on these techniques, and a whole philosophy on psychic protection, look to my full length work, The Witch’s Shield: Psychic Protection and Psychic Self Defense. May the divine guide, bless, and protect each of your steps.

THE WITCHES BALLAD

Oh, I have been beyond the town, Where nightshade black and mandrake grow, and I
have been and I have seen What righteous folk would fear to know!

For I have heard, at still midnight, Upon the hilltop far, forlorn, With note
that echoed through the dark, The winding of the heathe horn.

And I have seen the fire aglow, And glinting from the magic sword, And with the
inner eye beheld The Horned One, the Sabbat’s lord.

We drank the wine, and broke the bread, And ate it in the Old One’s name. We
linked our hands to make the ring, And laughed and leaped the Sabbat game.

Oh, little do the townsfolk reck, When dull they lie within their bed! Beyond
the streets, beneath the stars, A merry round the witches tread!

And round and round the circle spun, Until the gates swung wide ajar, That bar
the boundaries of the earth, From faery realms that shine afar.

Oh, I have been and I have seen In magic worlds of Otherwhere. For all this
world may praise or blame, For ban or blessing nought I care.

For I have been beyond the town, Where meadowsweet and roses grow, And there
such music did I hear As worldly-righteous never know.

Enjoy!!!!!!!
Blessed Be

THE WICCAN WAY

THE WICCAN WAY

Recognizing that there is more than one path to spiritual enlightenment and that
Wicca is but one of many, and that Wicca holds within itself the belief that
there is more than one type of step set to the spiral dance, find here listed
common denominators of the Craft.

That there is above all the Goddess in her three-fold aspect and many are her
names. With all her names we call her Maiden, Mother and Crone.

That there is the God, consort and son, giver of strength and most willing of
sacrifice.

That and it harm none, do what ye will shall be the law.

That each of her children are bound by the three-fold law and that whatever we
create, be it joy or sorrow, laughter or pain, is brought back to us three-fold.

That as she is the mother of all living things and we are all her children, we
seek to live in harmony not only with each other, but with the planet earth that
is our womb and home.

That life upon the earth is not a burden to be born, but a joy to be learned and
shared with others.

That death is not an ending of existence, but a step in the on-going process of
life.

That there is no sacrifice of blood, for She is the mother of all living things,
and from her all things proceed and unto her all things must return.

That each and every one of the children who follows this path has no need of
another between themselves and the Goddess but may find Her within themselves.

That there shall not by intent be a desecration of another’s symbols of beliefs,
for we are all seeking harmony within the One.

That each person’s faith is private unto themselves and that another’s belief is
not to be set out and made public.

That the Wiccan way is not to seek converts, but that the way be made open to
those who for reasons of their own seek and find the Craft.

And as it is willed, so mote it be

WICCA ñ CONDENSED VERSION

WICCA ñ CONDENSED VERSION

We believe that the ultimate godhead is unknowable. This doesn’t
make for a good working relationship with the diety, however. So, we break
it down into a Goddess and a God. Different Wiccans worship different
Gods/Goddesses. We can utilize *any* pantheon. Some worship Pan/Diana, some
Cernnunos/Aradia, Isis/Osiris, and many others.

We see our Goddess as being Triple Aspected — Maiden, Mother, and
Crone, and she is reflected in the phases of the Moon — Waxing, Full and
Waning. We see the God as the Lord of Nature, and he is reflected in the
seasonal changes. Like Jesus Christ, he dies for the land and the people,
and is reborn.

In general, we believe in reincarnation and karma. What you call
Heaven, we call the Summerlands. We don’t believe that Hell exists (or Satan
either.) We believe that there should be balance in all things – when the
balance is disturbed, that’s when ‘evil’ occurs. Fire, for example is not
‘evil’. It could be considered such when it becomes out of balance, as in a
forest fire, or house fire. Controlled fire is a useful tool. Anger is not
‘evil’, but when unbridled can’t help but lead to negative things. When
properly expressed and balanced with constructive working to correct that
which invoked the anger – it, too, can be a useful tool.

We regard the Earth as our Mother, and try to have respect for Her
by not polluting her and try to live in harmony with Her and Her ways.

Women reflect the Goddess, Men reflect the God, so the Wicca have a
Priestess and Priest to ‘run’ the religious services. We call our services
circles.

This was sort of an “Reader’s Digest Condensed Version” of Wicca.

MY WICCA (Part 5 of 5)

MY WICCA (Part 5 of 5)
By Durwydd MacTara

9. We know of the existence of the life-force which ensouls all living
things, that is, all that exists. We know that a spark of this Divine
Fire is within each and every thing that exists, and that it does not
die; only the form of it’s existence changes. We know that this spark
of the life-force returns to manifestation again and again in order to
fully realize and actualize it’s potential, evolving finally to the peak
and essence of existence which is pure being. In this process of
reincarnation each form returns in the same type of form, though it’s
ever-increasing actualization may lead to higher levels of existence of
that form. Man returns as man, cat as feline, mineral as mineral, each
class of form evolving as the individual forms of that class evolve.

10. This process of evolution through successive incarnations in
manifest form works through the utilizations of wisdom gained, the
essence of the life-experience. This essence of experience, or Wisdom,
is an attribute of the spark of life itself, one and inseparable.

11. We must care for the body, for it is the vehicle of the spark of
life, the form by which we attain. Thus we must heal the body of it’s
ills and keep it a tuned and perfected tool; so must we heal others
(both physically and psychologically) as far as it is within our power
to do so. However, we cannot interfere with the life of another, even
to heal, except at their request or with their express permission. The
reasoning behind this apparent limitation is that we are endowed with
Free Will, and what the Gods themselves hesitate to infringe upon, is
best left alone by us “mere” mortals.

13. Harmony with, and utilization of, the great natural forces of the
universe is called magick. By magick we speak, not of the super-
natural, but of the superbly natural, but whose laws and applications
are not as yet recognized by the scientific establishment. The Witch
must strive to recognize these forces, learn their laws, attune
her/himself to them, and make use of them. The Witch must also be aware
that power corrupts when used _only_ for the gains of the self, and
therefore must strive to serve humanity: Either through the service in
the Priesthood, or by example and effects of his/her life on others.
The choice must be made in accord with the true nature of the Witch.

MY WICCA (Part 4 of 5)

MY WICCA (Part 4 of 5)
By Durwydd MacTara

b) It is the use of differing god forms, of differing
ethnic sources or periods, which is the basis of many of
the differences between the various Traditions of the
Craft. Each Tradition uses the forms, and thus the names,
which to that Tradition best express and awaken an
understanding of the force represented, according to the
areas of emphasis of the Tradition.

c) Because we know that differing names or
representations are but expressions of the same divine
principles and forces, we require our members to swear
that they will never mock the names by which another
honors the Divine, even though those names be different
from and seemingly less expressive than the names and god
forms used by our Tradition (for to the members of
another Tradition, using it’s names, ours may easily seem
equally less expressive).

8. A Witch refuses to allow her/himself to be corrupted by the great
guilt neuroses which have been foisted on humanity in the name of the
Divine, thus freeing the self of the slavery of the mind. The Witch
expresses responsibility for her/his actions, and accepts the consequen-
ces of them; guilt is rejected as inhibiting to one’s self-actualiza-
tion, and replaced by the efforts of the Witch to obey the teachings of
harmlessness, responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions, and
the goal of actualizing the full powers of the individual.

a) We refuse to believe that a human being is born
innately sinful, and recognize the concepts of sin and
guilt are tremendously inhibiting to the human potential;
the consequences of the Law of Cause and Effect, called
karma by some, are not punishment, but the recurrences of
situations and their effects because the individual has
not gained the Wisdom needed to handle or avoid such
situations.

b) There is no heaven except that which we ourselves make
of our life on Earth, and likewise there is no hell
except the effects of our unwise actions. Many of us believe
in a “waiting place” sometimes called Summerland where we rest,
recuperate and prepare for our next sojurn in the earth. “Death
is not followed by punishment or reward, but by life and the
continuing personal evolution of our human potential.

c) One cannot damn the divine in oneself; one can,
however, cut oneself off from it through the rejection of
wisdom and a refusal to strive for self-realization.
This cutting off does not lead to personal suffering in
“hell”, for there is no Self to suffer if the tie to
one’s own divinity has been severed; what remains is
merely an empty shell, a “personality” or thought-form
devoid of it’s ensouling Spark of the Divine Fire.

MY WICCA (Part 3 of 5)

MY WICCA (Part 3 of 5)
By Durwydd MacTara

b) These powers can be awakened through the various
techniques of the Mysteries, and, although they are only
capable of small effects in and of themselves, it is
possible to use them in order to draw upon the forces of
the universe. Thus humanity can be the wielders of the
power of the Gods, a channel for Godhead to act within
It’s own manifestation. This, many feel, is further reason
for the oath of secrecy.

c) Since the universe is the body of the One, possessing
many of the same attributes as the One, it’s Laws must be the
principles through and by which the One operates. By
reasoning from the known to the unknown, one can learn
of the Divine, and thus of oneself. By experiencing the Mysteries
a person can truly LEARN more about the One. Thus the Craft is a
natural religion as well as a MYSTERY religion, seeing in Nature
the expression and revelation of Divinity.

5. We know that everything in the universe is in movement or vibration
and is a function of that vibration. Everything vibrates; all things
rise and fall in a tidal system that reflects the motion inherent in the
universe and also in the atom. Matter and energy are but two poles of
one continuous phenomenon. Therefore the Witch celebrates, harmonizes
with, and makes use of the tides of the universe and of life as
expressed through the cycle of the seasons and the motion of the solar
system. These ritual observances are the eight great Festivals of the
Year, referred to as the Wheel of the Year. Further, the Witch works
with the forces and tides of the Moon, for this body is the mediator of
much energy to our planet Earth and thus to ourselves.

6. Nothing is dead matter in the universe. All things exist,
therefore all things live, though perhaps in a different manner from
that which we are used to calling life. In view of this, the Witch
knows that there is no true death, only change from one condition to
another. The universe is the body of Godhead, and therefore
possesses one transcendent consciousness; all things partake of the
consciousness, in varying levels of trance/awareness.

a) Because of this principle, all things are sacred to
the Witch, for all partake of the one Life.

b) Therefore the Witch is a natural ecologist, for Nature
is part of us as we are a part of Nature.

7. Throughout the development of the human race, civilizations have
seen and worshipped many and various attributes of the Divine. These
universal forces have been clothed in forms which were expressive to the
worshipper of the attribute of the Godhead which they expressed. Use of
these symbolic representations of the natural and divine forces of the
universe, or god forms, is a potent method for contacting and utilizing
the forces they represent. Thus the Gods are both natural and truly
divine, and man-made in that the forms with which they are clothed are
products of humanity’s striving to know the Godhead.

a) In keeping with the Law of Polarity, these god-forms
are brought into harmony by the one great Law which
states: All Gods are one God. All Goddesses are one
Goddess. There is one Initiator. This law is an
expression of our understanding that all of the forces of
the universe, by whatever ethnic god-form is chosen to
clothe and relate to whichever force, can be resolved
into the fundamental polarity of the Godhead, the Great
Mother and the All-Father.

MY WICCA (Part 2 of 5)

MY WICCA (Part 2 of 5)
By Durwydd MacTara

 
 
2. The Witch must recognize and harmonize with the forces of the
universe, in accord with the Law of Polarity: everything is dual;
everything has two poles; everything has it’s opposite; for every action
there is a reaction; all can be categorized as either active or reactive
in relation to other things.
a) The Infinite and Ultimate Godhead is one unique and
transcendent wholeness, beyond any limitations or expressions;
thus, it is beyond our human capacity to understand and identify
with this principle of Cosmic Oneness, except as It is
revealed to us in terms of It’s attributes and operation.

b) One of the most basic and meaningful attribute of the One
that we, as humans, can relate to and understand, is
that of polarity, of action and reaction; therefore
Witches recognize the Oneness of the Divinity, but
worship and relate to the Divine as the archetypal
polarity of God and Goddess, the All-Father and the
Great Mother of the universe. The Beings are as near as
we can approach to the One within our human limitations
of understanding and expression, though it is possible to
experience the divine Oneness through the practices of the
Mysteries.

c) Harmony does not consist of the pretty and the nice,
but the balanced, dynamic, poised co-operation and
co-relationship.

3. The Witch must recognize, and operate within the framework of the
Law of Cause and Effect; every action has it’s reaction, and every
effect has it’s cause. All things occur according to this law; nothing
in the universe can occur outside this law, though we may not always
appreciate the relation between a given effect and it’s cause. Sub-
sidiary to this is the Law of Three, which states that whatever goes
forth must return threefold, whether of good or ill; for our actions
affect more than people generally realize, and the resulting reactions
are also part of the harvest.

4. As Above, So Below. That which exists in the Macrocosm exists, on
a smaller scale and to a lesser degree, in the Microcosm. The powers
of the universe exist also in the human, though in general instance they
lie dormant. The powers and abilities can be awakened and used if the
proper techniques are practiced, and this is why initiates of the
Mysteries are sworn to guard the secrets from the unworthy: Much harm
can be done by those who have power without responsibility, both to
others and to themselves according to the Laws of Cause and Effect and
of Threefold Return.

a) Since our philosophy teaches that the universe is the
physical manifestation of the Divine, there can be
nothing in the universe which does not partake of the
nature of the Divine; hence, the powers and attributes
of the Divine exist also in the manifest, though to much
smaller degree.

MY WICCA (Part1 of 5)

MY WICCA (Part1 of 5)
By Durwydd MacTara

My RELIGION is Wicca, my LIFE-STYLE is Witchcraft! I believe in
a supreme being that is both Immanent and Transcendent, that is
expressing itself within AND without. However, I also believe that
trying to define/describe such an infinite Divine Being in finite terms
to be a waste of time and energy. I CAN describe my perceptions of the
Ultimate in terms of the energies that I work with and find significant
in my daily living. My style and methods of relating to what I can
perceive of these Divine Energies are what I describe as my RELIGION.
How I apply these insights gained via my religious practices, I term my
CRAFT.

The name for my religion is derived from the Saxon root “wicce”
(pronounced “witchy”) and is loosely translated as “Wise”. The word
“Wicca” was first used in modern times in England by Gerald B. Gardner
to describe/define an attempt at restoring “the old wisdom” of pre-
Christian beliefs and practice into a modern context in the 1940’s.
Ergo, I could call my religion “wisdom” and my style of application of
this wisdom “wise-craft” or more simply, “The Craft of the Wise”.

For the sake of convenience and easy understanding, I divide the
expressions of the Divine Energies into two groups; that of the active
positive (symbolically “male”) energies represented to me by the stag
horned Lord of the Forest, and those of a more passive, nurturing, or
“negative” polarity represented to me by the Threefold Goddess.
Approaching my perceptions of the universe and its energies in this way
allows me to break them down into “bite sized chunks”, applicable to my
daily life in a mundane world, and what good is ANY belief system if it
is not of immediate and practical use here and now?

So what are some of the beliefs and practices of this religion
called Wicca, and how do I apply them to my daily life? What does it
all mean? The following explanation is based on a press statement
released by the American Council of Witches released in the early
1970’s, with some editing on my part to reflect my own beliefs and
practices.

=================================

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CRAFT

1. The first principle is that of love, and it is expressed in the
ethic,
“AN IT HARM NONE, DO AS THOU WILL”

a) love is not emotional in it’s essence, but is an
attribute of the individual as expressed in relation
to other beings;
b) harming others can be by thought, word, or deed.
Thought is included here, because for the Witch,
“thoughts are things” and every action, even thoughts,
can become magical actions, whether consciously intended
or not;
c> it is to be understood the “none” includes oneself,
though it is permissable to harm self in helping others,
should one so choose;
d) the harm which is to be regarded as unethical is
gratuitous harm; war, in general, is gratuitous harm,
although it is ethical to defend oneself and one’s
liberty when threatened by real and present danger,
such as personal defense or defense of another WHEN REQUESTED.

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – AIR

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – AIR

The elemental Spirits of Air are the Sylphs.

Mastering the element Air…

1- Make a list of the things which have the combined qualities of warmth and
moistness. Practice this for one week. Be sure to record the results each day in
your magickal diary.

2- Find a place where you can be alone, take a lounge chair along with you. Wear
as little clothing as you can (if possible, nudity is best), and sit or lie in
the chair. Begin pore breathing. This is started by doing the relaxation ritual.
Next, become very aware of your breath. Become aware of the slow in and out
motion of the physical air. Notice the way the air feels as it enters your body.
Now imagine that your body is nothing more then a huge breathing apparatus.
Imagine that every part of your body only has the function of breathing. You
should do this exercise daily for one week.

3- Spend a period of up to three minutes (no more), once a day, imagining that
you are the element Air. Feel the lightness, the giddiness, the warmth and
moisture of Air. Feel how physical things don’t seem to matter. Do this exercise
for only one week, NO MORE. If you wish to do it again, only do it once a month.

4- Once you have learned to “be Air”, the next step is to control the element
Air. Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Air. Bring the feeling from the
previous exercise into your consciousness. Next, hold your hands 9-12 inches
apart, palms facing each other. Imagine a bottle or box between your hands. Now,
as you exhale, visualize all of the Air element which is in you going out with
your breath and into the container between your hands. Three to five breaths
should be enough to fill it. Then, with three breaths, inhale it back into you
and go back to normal consciousness.

THE TEST
The next time you feel heavy, slow or lazy, do this exercise. If you feel
relaxed and refreshed, you have succeeded with the test AND with mastering the
element Air.

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – EARTH

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – EARTH

The elemental Spirits of Earth are the Gnomes.

Mastering The Element Earth….

1- Make a list of things which have the combined qualities of dryness and
coolness. However, don’t to this just out of your head. Rather, make a list of
Earth things that you see each day. Practice this for one week. Be sure to
record the results each day in your magickal diary.

2- Find a place filled with nature, such as a field or park. Wear as little
clothing as you can (if possible, nudity is best), and sit or lie on the ground
so that as much of your skin as possible is touching the ground. This is
especially easy for women, as they can simply wear a flowing skirt with no
underwear and sit on the ground with the skirt spread out. Spend some time
contemplating, feeling the coolness and dryness of the Earth. You should do this
at least three times within a week.

3- Spend a period of up to three minutes (no more), once a day, imagining that
you are the element Earth. Feel the heaviness, the slowness, the coolness and
dryness of Earth. Feel the way you can absorb the pains and problems of the
world (however, do not actually do so). Become Earth. Do this exercise for at
least a week before moving to the next exercise.

4- Once you have leaned to “be Earth”, the next step is to control the element
Earth. Bring the feeling from the previous exercise into your consciousness.
Next, hold your hands 9-12 inches apart, palms facing each other. Imagine a
bottle or box between your hands. Now, as you exhale, visualize all of the Earth
element which is in you going out with your breath and into the container
between your hands. Three to five breaths should be enough to fill it. Then,
with three breaths, inhale it back into you and go back to normal consciousness.

THE TEST
The next time you feel lightheaded, overweight, just heavy and lethargic, do
this exercise. If you feel lighter and better, you have succeeded, with the test
AND with mastering the element Earth.

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – FIRE

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – FIRE

The elemental Spirits of Fire are the Salamanders.

Mastering the element Fire…

1- Make a list of things which have the combined qualities of having heat and
dryness. Be sure to record the results each day in your magickal diary. Do at
least daily for one week.

2- Find a place that is extremely hot, such as a desert or a dry sauna (not a
steam bath). If those are not possible, find a place where a roaring fire is
going. Such a fire could be in a fireplace or a barbecue pit or grill. Remove
all of your clothes, or as much as you can, and get as close to the heat source
as possible without risking a burn. Once you are in a position where it is
uncomfortably hot, but not painful or unbearable, do the relaxation ritual.
Focus on your breathing. Again imagine that you are a huge breathing apparatus.
Do this for a short while, usually ten minutes. Do not spend any time longer
then that. Do this exercise at different times of the day or night for one week.

3- Spend a period of up to three minutes (no more), once a day, imagining that
you are the element Fire. Feel the heat and your ability to transmit the heat.
Know what Fire feels like, what Fire is. Do this for one week.

4- Once you have learned to “be Fire”, the next step is to control the element
Fire. Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Fire. Bring the feeling from the
previous exercise into your consciousness. Next, hold your hands 9-12 inches
apart, palms facing each other. Imagine a bottle or box between your hands. Now,
as you exhale, visualize all of the Fire element which is in you going out with
your breath and into the container between your hands. Three to five breaths
should be enough to fill it. Then, with three breaths, inhale it back into you
and go back to normal consciousness.

THE TEST
The next time you feel listless or have a total lack of energy, do this
exercise. If you feel energized and revitalized, you have succeeded with the
test AND mastering the element Fire.

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – WATER

ELEMENTAL MAGICK – WATER

The elemental Spirits of Water are the Undines.

Mastering the element Water…

1- Make a list of things which have the combined qualities of being cool and
moist. Practice this for one week. Be sure to record the results each day in
your magickal diary.

2- Remove your clothes and enter a bath or pool where the water is cool. If you
have access to a lake or river, this would be best. Also, it would be good if
you could get a swimming snorkel so that you can breathe while completely
submerged beneath the surface of the water. Obviously, this would be difficult
to do in a small bath tub or in a shallow pool, but if you have access to a
snorkel and have a place where you can be totally submerged, you will have the
quickest success. Once you are submerged as much as possible, and if you are
completely submerged, breathing comfortably through the snorkel, do the
relaxation ritual. Next, become very aware of your breath. As you do this
you will find that your breath will automatically slow down. Notice the way the
air feels as it comes in through the nose, down the air pipe and into the lungs.
Feel this. Once again, imagine that your body is nothing more then an enormous
breathing apparatus. If you experience any sort of “drowning sensation”, stop
immediately and try again later. You should do this exercise for one week.

3- Spend a period of up to three minutes (no more), once a day, imagining that
you are the element Water. Feel the fluidity, the coolness, the refreshing
moisture of the elemental waters. Know what water feels like, what water is. Do
this for one week.

4- Once you have learned to “be Water”, the next step is to control the element
Water. Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Water. Bring the feeling from
the previous exercise into your consciousness. Next, hold your hands 9-12 inches
apart, palms facing each other. Imagine a bottle or box between your hands. Now,
as you exhale, visualize all of the Water element which is in you going out with
your breath and into the container between your hands. Three to five breaths
should be enough to fill it. Then, with three breaths, inhale it back into you
and go back to normal consciousness.

THE TEST
The next time you feel hard headed, overly tense, or like you muscles are hard
as a rock, do this exercise. If you feel relaxed and reasonable, you have
succeeded with the test AND with mastering the element Water.