Category: Wicca

THE AUTARCHIC CREED

THE AUTARCHIC CREED

We of the Old Religion have our own particular compact with our
deities that charges simply, “An it harm none, do as ye will.”
And our gods do not despise us for being human but delight in our
celebrations of life and love. We are ageless souls, only for a
while within bodies – merely visitors upon this plane. We are
brothers to the gods and only temporarily cousins to the ape,
and our lives belong to us, not to this world nor to its earthly
governors. We are not doomed to shame and decay; not lost; not
indentured to perish with earthly manifestations; not disposed
to eternal misery for any past or present lapses of courage or
wisdom. We are as children in the school of life who must learn
our lessons, on life at a time, before we graduate. Our lives
span the march of time, striving upward, subordinate only to our
individual probity and growth.

But in this mortal life, greedy, trivial hierophants and mundane
rulers have perpetrated a fraud upon humanity. They have purloined
for profit and temporal power, our legitimate heritage, and that of
all society, and have substituted for it shame, despair, and fear,
inventing evil deities to terrify and to constrain mankind from the
exercise of his own native conscience.

Still we take our uncertain portion time and again, joining with the
species on this plane, only to meet with earthly disunity and distress;
only to be told by bogus, uncelestial shepherds that we are deficient
and fundamentally iniquitous; constantly rebuked that our natural
birthright is insubstantial or even sinful, and that we must cleave
to the pious injunctions of reigning mortals, no matter how oppressive,
or suffer beyond measurable time, yearning for some mythical golden
glory just out of reach, but somehow never quite worthy of it.

That is the apocryphal hell and the fabled satan; they are of mortal
creation; they are now, not in some remote bye-and-bye; and those who
choose to believe in them perpetuate them in this earth. But nevertheless,
by by sublime design, despite narrowness, folly or fear, we all, each
and every one, possess this wonderous legacy:

that each of us sustains a singular covenant with the cosmic, in that
the soul is and ever was, one with the universe, conducting itself in
concordance with the absolute. And whatever paths it may walk, or
whichever faith it may follow, on sojourn at a time, each shall as a
consequence of that oneness, and attuning with its destiny, eventually
return on its own to its source to again be part of that totality,
atoned, aware and unshackled.
“JUSTIFICUS”

THE ANCIENT ART & Common Inquiries

THE ANCIENT ART

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there were people who believed
in laughter,  joy and love.   They believed in many deities,  but
the most important to them was their Great Mother Goddess.   They
believed in and lived with the powers of Nature.  They reveled in
the Wind,  the Rain, the Snow and the Sunlight.  They marveled at
and  revered  the changing of the seasons and saw  therein  great
excitement  and  wisdom to be gained.   They knew  that  if  they
tended,  cared  for  and  loved the Earth,  in return  She  would
provide for,  care for and love them.   They saw that all  around
them  the  world was filled with Life,  much as their own but  in
many  different and wonderful forms.   They felt the life of  the
flowers,  plants  and  trees  and respected them  for  that  life
essence.   They  looked about and observed all the many types  of
animals  and saw that they were kindred to them and  loved  them.
They  felt  and observed the great Love of the Goddess all  about
them  and knew kinship with the Moon.   They were practioners  of
The Old Religion, worshipers of The Great Mother.

Witch!   The  very word instantly invokes visions for each of us,
visions which vary greatly from individual to  individual.   Many
of these visions, however, are quite false, brought about by many
centuries of severe persecutions,  mis-representations, prejudice
and,  in recent years, lack of knowledge. Witchcraft!  What is it
really?

Witchcraft  is the oldest,  most irrepressible religion  in  the
world  because it stimulates the intellect,  promotes a  simple,
practical  way  of life and,  most importantly,  is  emotionally
satisfying.  Its roots lie in the ancient Matriarchal systems of
Goddess  worship.   A  religion of Nature in which  the  primary
deity  is female (The Essence of Femininity,  The Earth  Mother,
The Great Mother, etc.).

It  was  easy for the Wise Ones to look at the world around  them
and see the great importance of Feminine Principle.   The  female
was,  indeed,  the  one  who  bore the young,  perhaps  the  most
magickal of all events to ancient man.   Then,  she played by far
the  most  important role in rearing  the  young,  being  totally
responsible  for feeding,  for without her milk there was no life
past birth.   She was responsible for the teaching and early care
of the young.   In all youths the greatest comfort and  nurturing
love  were  connected  with the mother.   These  revelations  and
experiences could hardly lead to any other choice than the  total
reverence and deification of the female.

Although  The Great Mother is the most important  deity,  Witches
do,  generally,  recognize  many Goddessess and/or Gods and  are,
therefore,  polytheistic.   The tenets of Witchcraft are few  but
all-encompassing,  for  with three simple Universal  Observations
all of life can be explained and understood:

Š
1)  Reincarnation  – Mortality
2)  Cause & Effect – Magick
3)  Retribution    – Morality

Reincarnation  enlightens the Witch to the fact that,  as we come
to  this  material world over and over in a  series  of  learning
periods,  or lifetimes, we will eventually have to experience all
things,  be  all things,  understand all things.   This creates a
great tolerance for other viewpoints in the Witch.

Cause & Effect,  and an understanding of it,  allows the Witch to
see  what makes the world work and how to live most  efficiently.
It  gives them a great advantage in that it explains the  working
of Magick.

Retribution shows the Witch, in graphic terms, that every thought
one might have,  every action one may take,  is returned in  like
kind.   This realization forms the basis of the Moral Code of the
Witch.

The  Patriarchal  Societies which evolved in later times  had  no
tolerance for the Goddess religions and systematically set out to
destroy the material vestiges,  kill or convert the adherents and
wipe  out all knowledge of them.  They destroyed the temples  and
other  places  of  worship,  desecrated  the  sacred  groves  and
magickal places,  attempted to pervert the old deities, mutilated
and totally suppressed sacred art, tore down libraries and burned
books,   tortured  and  killed  the  practitioners  of  the   Old
Religions,  demeaned,  persecuted  and oppressed women in general
and  passed  strictly enforced laws which made theirs  the  State
Religion and forbade all other viewpoints.

Despite  the  centuries  of  insidious  persecution,   deliberate
destruction  and  perversions  at  the  hands  of  the  Christian
Conspirators, Witchcraft has survived.

COMMON INQUIRIES

I’ve  heard the terms ‘White Witch’ and ‘Black Witch’.   Can  you
explain?

In  this connotation,  white is referring to Positive,  Black  is
referring to Negative.   A White Witch then is someone who  tries
to do Positive or Good things.   Black Witch could be a term used
to describe someone who deliberately does Negative or Bad things.
A  True Witch believes in the Law of Retribution and would  never
deliberately  harm anyone or anything or participate in  Negative
or Destructive acts.

Is  it  possible  for  me to practice  Witchcraft  and  remain  a
Christian?

No.    The   Christian  Doctrine  states,   unequivocally,   that
Christians  shall  have no other Gods before the  Christian  God.
Christian  Doctrine  says to believe in any other deities  or  to
practice  any  other  religion is not only  evil  but  should  be
punished by death, specifically naming Witchcraft.  The Christian
Doctrine  also denies Reincarnation and prescribes punishment for
those who practice Magick.

Devil worship?

Witches   do  not  worship  the   Devil.    Witchcraft   predates
Christianity  and does not incorporate a belief in the  Christian
Devil.

The  Wise Ones did deify the Masculine Principle and quite  often
He  was depicted as The Great Horned God;   Pan,  Cernunnos,  the
Great  Stag,  The Green Man.   To the  Traditional  Witch,  the
Masculine Deity (the Goddess’ Consort) is very important, revered
and loved.   He is the perfect Father,  the Lord Protector.   The
Horned God of the Witches is loving, kind and good.

Don’t men have difficulty with a supreme female deity?  There are
some  groups  which  give equal status to  the  female  and  male
deities.

Neo-Pagans are,  by definition,  people who attempt to live  with
the Old Country Ways in a new,  modern day manner.  And while, in
this modern era,  equal status for the deities may be popular, as
it   relates   to  Witchcraft  it  is   historically   incorrect.
Therefore,  a  group  which  does not recognize  the  Goddess  as
primary  deity is not practicing The Ancient Art.  Indeed,  they,
generally,  know  very  little about  Witchcraft,  despite  their
claims.   Traditional  Dualistic  Witches  do  most  emphatically
believe  that  women  and  men are equal,  but  have  no  trouble
relating to the Goddess.   The Male Witch finds great comfort and
solace in his Great Mother.

Do I have to join a Coven?

No.   It  is not necessary nor is it desirable for a  great  many
people.   Some people enjoy the support and companionship a Coven
provides,  others enjoy solitary worship.  The Coven, which is an
extremely close knit worship group,  may not be possible for some
because of location, family climate, availability, etc.

Why is Witchcraft secretive?

The horror of the ‘Burning Time’ is still very real to the Witch.
ŠThe  past persecutions were severe.   Even so,  in today’s  more
enlightened  society the need for complete secrecy  has  lessened
and  many  are  able to share their beliefs  openly.   Very  few,
however,  are  willing to expose their very personal and  private
religious expressions to others who may not understand.

What do I have to do to become a Witch?

The  answer to this question is very simple.   To become a  Witch
one must follow the religion of Witchcraft.   To do this one must
believe  in  the Goddess as primary deity and  follow  the  three
basic  tenets.   How  simple!   How  uncomplicated!   How  Pagan!
Everything  else  concerning witchcraft is simply minor  details.
Details  that  vary from Aspect to Aspect,  Coven  to  Coven  and
individual  to individual.   The details are relatively personal.
They should not become more important than the basic tenets.   If
you do not understand,  believe and practice Witchcraft,  you are
not a Witch.   No one can make you a Witch.  Reading about it can
not  make you a Witch.   An Initiation can not make you a  Witch.
Saying you are a Witch, one thousand and fifty two times, can not
make you a Witch.

In  the search for your individual path beware of those who would
take  advantage  of you.   Do not fall prey to  the  unscrupulous
charlatans who would swindle you in a monetary sense  (mail-order
courses,  charges  for teaching or initiations,  vows of poverty,
etc.),  exploit  you  sexually or manipulate you  for  their  own
personal ego-trips.

THE ABBREVIATED LAWS

                       celt71

                                    THE ABBREVIATED LAWS

‘Tis the Old Law, and the most important of all Laws, that no one may
do anything which will endanger the Craft, or bring us into contact
with the law of the land or any of our persecutors.

* Be it ardane that none shall use the Art (magick) in any way to do
ill to any.
8 words the Wiccan Rede fulfil: An it harm none, do what ye will.

* Respect the privacy of other Coveners. You may reveal the involvement
of no person save yourself.
In case of trouble, the Coven will be disbanded. Should this
happen, all Coveners are to avoid one another for the safety and
well-being of all.  Should this happen, refer to the Old Laws.

* Never accept money for the use of the Art, for money ever smears the
taker (and clouds ethical judgement). For all things magickal, pay
the full price asked without haggling. If it is unaffordable, it is
probably inappropriate in some hidden way.

* In case of dispute, the High Priestess is the final arbiter. Within
the Craft, no law save Craft Law may be invoked. Any who will not
agree, or who will not work under this HPs, may and shall remove
themselves from the Coven. Any of the third (L.T. Initiates OK) may
form a new Coven.

* The traditional way to hear complaints is this: Before the High
Priestess and any other Elders shall come first one, then the other,
then both together to be heard. The decision may be rendered
immediately, one lunar month later, or whenever the time of waiting
is filled.

* The year-and-a-day rules pertains to: The minimum time between
Progressions; The final time of all Leavings; The closings of all
cycles.

THE TEMPLE LAWS

* In order of precedence, you are accountable to: The Gods, your Self,
your High Priestess, your Teacher. Initiates are also accountable to
the Craft as a whole.

* “Pagan Standard Time” gives you 15 minutes leeway for an announced
class or ritual.  If you’ll be any later or won’t make it, CALL!

* Questions are expected, desired, and anticipated.. The only “dumb
question” is the one the student doesn’t ask.

* Common courtesy in all things. When in doubt, it is preferable to err
on the side of caution and silence.

* Ultimately, you are responsible for your own development. Independent
thought and research are strongly encouraged.

Comments on The Abbreviated Laws
by J. Random Folksinger

The Wiccan Rede, while it has been taught widely, is not a
part of the Laws, although it may be considered derivative of them.
There is nothing in the Laws that says that “in case of trouble, the
Coven will be disbanded”. There are, in fact, quite a few possible
solutions to specific instances, not just for “trouble”.
There is nothing in the Laws about unaffordability equalling inappro-
priateness in the purchase of a magickal tool.
What the heck are “L.T. Initiates”? Long Term? Why is is OK for them
to form a Coven when it is plain that you have to be of the Third
Degree?
The traditional way to hear complaints, at least in my set of the Old
Laws, is for the High Priest or High Priestess to convene the Elders.
It says nothing about whether the HP or HPs are included in this group,
but it is assumed that BOTH, not just the HPs, are so included. There
is also nothing in the Old Laws about a “time of waiting”for a decision.
In the Old Laws, the only thing the year-and-a-day rule pertains to
is the leaving of a High Priestess.

Everything in the “Temple Laws” falls in the good-to-very-good
category of advice; NONE of it is in the Old Laws. And I have known a
good many pagans to take PST to mean anytime during the calendar DAY.
There are a number of teachers in my experience to whom you NEVER ask a
question, at penalty of being kicked out of the class; still, a teacher
who can accept this rule is probably a good teacher.

In general, this sheet appears to be a worksheet handed to new
students and gone over with them for a quick rundown of the Craft in
order to go on to other things; in my opinion, giving them this sheet
and NOT reviewing the entire set of the Old Laws (in whatever form) is
doing the students a disservice; having this sheet around for later
reference, on the other hand, is probably a Good Thing.

Principles of Wiccan Beliefs

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Principles of Wiccan Beliefs

1.        We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm
of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal
Quarters and Cross Quarter.

2.        We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique
responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with
Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and
consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

3.        We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that
apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary
it is sometimes called ÒsupernaturalÓ, but we see it as lying within
that which is naturally potential to all.

4.        We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as
manifesting through polarity — as masculine and feminine — and that
this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the
interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the
other, knowing each to be supportive to the other. We value sex as
pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the
sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.

5.        We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological,
worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective
Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. — and we see in the inter-action of
these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal
exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as
necessary for our fulfillment.

6.        We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do
honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge
and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of
themselves in leadership.

7.        We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united
in the way one views the world and lives within it — a world view and
philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft — the Wiccan Way.

8.        Calling oneself “Witch” does not make a Witch — but neither
does heredity itself, not the collecting of titles, degrees and
initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself
that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm
to others and in harmony with Nature.

9.        We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a
continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving
meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

10.        Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any
other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its
institutions have claimed to be Òthe only wayÓ and have sought to deny
freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and
belief.

11.        As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the
history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of
various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our
present and our future.

12.        We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we
worship any entity known as “Satan” or “the Devil”, as defined by the
Christian traditions. We do not seek power through the suffering of
others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial
to another.

13.        We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is
contributory to our health and well-being.

The afore mentioned principles are from the Council of American Witches
circa 1974 .

For The New Craft Members – Finding A Teacher, Mentor or Guide

Finding a Teacher, Mentor or Guide


When your comfort level with the concepts of the Pagan path have grown to the point where you are certain that this is the lifestyle you wish to follow, you will undoubtedly wish to share that fellowship and comradely with others of like mind and spirit.  To avoid being drawn into a group where the intent is less than honorable, there are a couple of things that may assist you in avoiding contact with the nuts out there.

The first and most important thing is to listen to your Spirit Twin, Guide, Little Voice, Gut Feeling or whatever you choose to call it.  Most of us have found that this inner voice is rarely wrong and you “WILL” know when something simply does not feel right.  If you get that uneasy feeling about someone or a group, back or run away as quickly as possible.

When you initially make contact with someone, especially here on the internet, you have a great advantage in that you can limit your contact to relatively anonymous contact through e-mail.  While this is not always fool proof, and there are some great deceivers out there.  This does offer you some protection.  Exchange mail withholding all personal information until you are absolutely certain there are no safety risks.  If someone keeps pressuring you for personal information, break off all contact with them immediately.  If they persist in bothering you after you politely tell them you no longer wish contact with them, contact your ISP and lodge a formal complaint giving this persons e-mail address and their host name.  There are federal laws regarding electronic stalking and harassment, something of this nature would qualify for assistance from various federal agencies in getting that person to leave you alone.

Finally, Issac Bonewits developed a small questionnaire in 1979 (Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame) that you can use which will help your inner voice when determining if an individual or group poses above average risk.

The Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame

(version 2.0)

 

Factors:   Low  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  High


 1. INTERNAL CONTROL: Amount of internal political power exercised by leader(s) over members._____


2. WISDOM CLAIMED; by leader(s) amount of infallibility declared or implied about decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations._____


3. WISDOM CREDITED to leader(s) by members; amount of trust in decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations made by leader(s)._____


4. DOGMA: Rigidity of reality concepts taught; amount of doctrinal inflexibility or “fundamentalism.”_____


5. RECRUITING: Emphasis put on attracting new members; amount of proselytizing._____


6. FRONT GROUPS: Number of subsidiary groups using different names from that of main group._____


7. WEALTH: Amount of money and/or property desired or obtained by group; emphasis on members’ donations; economic lifestyle of leader(s) compared to ordinary members._____


8. POLITICAL POWER: Amount of external political influence desired or obtained; emphasis on directing members’ secular votes._____


9. SEXUAL MANIPULATION: of members by leader(s); amount of control exercised over sexuality of members; advancement dependent upon sexual favors or specific lifestyle._____


10. CENSORSHIP: Amount of control over members’ access to outside opinions on group, its doctrines or leader(s)._____


11. DROPOUT CONTROL: Intensity of efforts directed at preventing or returning dropouts._____


12. VIOLENCE: Amount of approval when used by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s)._____


13. PARANOIA: Amount of fear concerning real or imagined enemies; perceived power of opponents; prevalence of conspiracy theories._____


14. GRIMNESS: Amount of disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrines or its leader(s)._____


15. SURRENDER OF WILL: Amount of emphasis on members not having to be responsible for personal decisions; degree of individual  dis empowerment created by the group, its doctrines or its leader(s)._____


16. HYPOCRISY: Amount of approval for other actions (not included above) which the group officially considers immoral or unethical, when done by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s); willingness to violate group’s declared principles for political, psychological, economic, or other gain._____

Low   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  High


Copyright© 1979-1998 c.e.,  Isaac Bonewits.  This text file may be freely distributed on the net provided no editing is done, the version number (if any) is retained and this notice is included.

The Celtic Connection

http://wicca.com/celtic/cc002.htm

H is for Handfasting

H

 

Handfasting

 

The actual term “handfasting” comes from the tradition of the bride and groom crossing arms and joining hands — basically, creating the infinity symbol (a figure-eight) with the hands. In Neopagan ceremonies, the clergyperson performing the ceremony will join the couple’s hands with a cord or ribbon during the ritual. In some traditions, the cord remains in place until the couple consummates the marriage. While some people may choose to have their handfasting be a permanent bond, others might declare it to be valid for “a year and a day”, at which point they will re-evaluate the relationship and determine whether to continue or not.

I is for Hope Black Ritual Ink

I

 

 

HOPE BLACK RITUAL INK

Items needed:

A lump of Yellow Ochre
Gum from the Pinyon pine
3 cups of black Sunflower seeds. (The little ones)
3 Tablespoons ground Native Alum

Start by burning the lump of yellow ochre with an equal amount of the pinyon
gum. This will make a nice black soot. (Catch the soot on a cool ironstone plate
that is held over the burning mixture.)

Save the soot.

Next, take the sunflower seeds, still in their shells, and boil them for twenty
to thirty minutes in 8 cups of  water. Remove the seeds just after splitting
open. (Do not allow them to soak in it.)

Add the native Alum after toasting it in an iron pan. Stir and simmer so that
the Alum is completely dissolved.

Simmer the liquid until it is reduced to six cups of liquid.

Dip out a cup of the liquid and scrape the soot into it. Stir until it is
dissolved.

Add the soot-dye mixture back into the greater dye.

Gently simmer until it is reduced to a desired consistency.

Use with a ‘quill’ pen or fine lined paint brush.

I is for Invoking

I

 

 

Invoking

Invoking is a form of voluntary possession. When you invoke a deity or being, you’re not asking it to come hang out, you’re inviting into yourself, and that god or goddess will manifest through a human host. The ritual of  is an excellent example of invocation of deity.

Typically, if you’re new to spiritual practices such as Wicca or Paganism, most people will advise you to hold off on invoking deity until you’ve learned enough to have a good handle on what’s happening. It may be a good idea to focus instead on evoking, and communing with the gods, before you go inviting them to take control of you, even if it is just on a temporary basis.

W is for Warding

W

 

Warding

 

Wards are magick raised and set into place to protect a space, object or person. The traditional Four Directions are warded, but one should ward “up” and “down” as well; “ooglies” and negative energies can “tunnel” over and under on the astral plane! For this reason, raise
a sphere rather than a Circle.

Obviously, in order to ward one must first learn to raise magic. Here’s a
simple but effective method. Stand erect and visualize roots growing from the
soles of your feet deep into the center of Mother Earth. Then, draw up magickal
energy into yourself until you feel filled with it. Don’t overdo it at first!
You can return unused magick the same way. Then, retract your roots. Don’t ever
leave leftover magick lying around. It will mutate and draw “nasties” that feed
on it like roaches feed on crumbs.

Why ward? For the same reason you keep your car and your house doors
locked: to protect yourself, your property, and your personal space. While
actual effective psychic attacks are quite rare (this is one of the hardest
magickal works to learn and the easiest to defuse; most people who can do this
sort of thing know that it is something that seldom should be done), other
things still need excluding: the negative energy of your mean, nasty, constantly
quarreling neighbors (especially in  buildings) and the fervent prayers
for the salvation of your soul (which to all intents and puiposes is an attempt
to force you into their mold by any means necessary and in my opinion borders on
black magick) which may be being offered up “for your own good” even as you read
this by your parents and their church! Also, magickal  increases levels
of sensitivity, and you just may feel the previously undetected energy of others
pressing in on you.

To ward yourself strengthen your aura daily by filling it with blue or
white magick. If you can’t assemble enough of it in your solar plexus to get the
job done (and don’t feel bad if you can’t; these things take time and work) draw
up some from Earth to “prime the pinup.” Some also visualize a helmet over their
heads with a protective symbol between the eyes and slightly upward (the
location of the “third eye”). If you do feel you are under psychic attack (its
symptoms can resemble those of the flu) and need additional protection, grasp
hold of cold iron. An old railroad spike works dandy. Consecrate it to Thor if
you like. Cold iron breaks hexes and dissipates psychic attacks. Or, it may just
be the flu you’re coining down with. Its treatment is somewhat different,
and beyond the scope of this article.

To ward an object (for instance, a trunk containing your magickal
supplies), put a protective sign on it. The Elhaz (Algiz) rune (the fifteenth
rune in the Elder Futhark) works just fine. To make one, get a peace sign, cut
off the circle around the edge, and  it upside down. It should look roughly
like a three-pronged antler. Or, you can just draw or paint it on. Cover the
object with a “chain link fence” of blue magick. Be sure some magick is in the
spaces between the -links. Anchor the wards to the protective sign. Visualize
them keeping others from touching the warded object Clean and maintain
periodically (at least once a month) to avoid your wards dying and perhaps
unpleasantly decaying. Also, don’t let others touch the object so it won’t give
them a nasty psychic shock You can make your car “invisible” (not readily
noticed) by putting magickal screens around it and willing that others not see
it. Be careful, or you might have a hard time finding it yourself when you
return, or find it’s been hit by another car even though in plain sight!

The “chain link fence” technique will also ward your house or apartment. I
advise homeowners to ward their homes around the walls, floors and ceilings
facing the outside of the building (not interior walls between rooms or the
floors/ceilings of multistory houses) and set up secondary wards around the
property lines. You’ll need something to anchor your wards to. I suggest driving
charged railroad spikes with the Elhaz nine painted on them at the corners (of a
square lot). White (clear) quartz crystal points work well for the corners of a
home as anchors. By the way, white quartz is the best “generic” stone for
general use, so don’t panic if some book says only the rare and costly Atlantean
Moonstone (available from the book’s publisher, needless to say) will do for
what you need to accomplish. White candles work well for most spells too. White
light contains all colors. That’s why sunshine can be broken up into a rainbow.
Clean those stones first Try to get some that haven’t been handled by a
bajillion people before you bought them. White quartz picks up and holds the
random charges of people who handle it. It picks up and holds a charge just
fine. That’s why you want it. My partner can’t stand handling white quartz
points in stores, so I get that job! I once pointed one at him and said “Zap!”
It was a joke, but it zapped him anyway, much to his chagrin. If you are
sensitive and need to handle, select and purchase them, try warding a pair of
gloves for the purpose! When you get them home, soak them overnight in cold salt
water. Take them out, rinse and dry them, send a wave of cleansing energy
through each one, and charge them one by one. You’ll need to do this
periodically in your ward cleansing, and should try to put each one back in its
proper corner each time. Then set your wards. Let them “jell” for an hour or so
before you go out, at least when you are initially setting them up. You’ll get
an extra bit of “Oomph!” if you do you warding on the Full Moon (and the
Full Moon will thereafter be a reminder to clean and recharge your wards). Be
sure to take down and ground your wards if you move!

Anything that can be done can at times be done just a bit too well. If
your wards are too tight, nothing can get in, but nothing can get out, either!
You might find the space difficult or impossible to sleep in, with an
increasingly heavy or oppressive feeling. In extreme cases, ghostly images of
people not currently there might be seen. These arise from personal energy that
cannot dissipate. A certain Lexington Pagan (not I) had this happen to her once!
In the unlikely event that this happens to you, turn the “volume” down on your
wards a bit and then do a basic magickal cleansing of the area. Use your magick
to sweep the area clean of accumulated magickal debris and trapped energy, and
take it as a sign that you can ward and ward well. Talk about beginner’s
luck!

A useful adjunct to your wards is a household guardian. Charge a small
statue. A frog dragon, cat or dog works well. Give it a name and decide its
gender. Fill it with magick, making it vigilant and friendly to you, your family
and friends but wary of and hostile to unwanted intruders, and finally and very
importantly, subject to your will. It is essentially an extension of your
will, a magickally ensouled thought form enshrined in the small statue. Feed it
regularly and tie it in to you. If you don’t, it will mutate, develop a will of
its own (probably a surly one) and create problems for you. You’ll have to
disassemble your creation, and it will be much harder to take apart than it was
to put together to begin with.

I recommend that every Pagan and magick user learn to ward. Wards are real
and wards work. I’ve seen psychic ickiness sliding off the wards of my apartment
when my partner and I let them get dirty. I once saw them repel a psychic attack
launched by some naughty local Pagans. I even sensed who was sending what was
tying to get through, and had the reality of the attack and identity of its
perpetrators confirmed by mundane means a few days later. When my partner and I
took down the wards in our old apartment right before we finished moving out (we
set the spell to take them down gradually) I saw curious little astral critters
move into space from which they previously had been excluded. Nevertheless,
there’s only so much warding can do! I once knew a magician who claimed only
Gods could get through his wards. Not surprisingly, two people independently got
through them without any problem, and one of them brought back unusual
information which was soon, without his inquiring, confirmed by “mundane” means.
Hubris will get you nowhere but into trouble.

Warding won’t protect you from the consequences of your own unethical
actions, nor from problems created by “getting in over your head.” With magick
as well as anything else, you’ve got to walk before you can run. If needed,
there are other things you can put into your wards. They can reflect negativity
or attacks (like a mirror) or even boost the strength of the attack and send it
home to bedevil the sender, potentially even killing anyone who can manage to
launch a very strong psychic attack against the warded individual. These are
techniques for the more advanced magician. Needless to say, don’t tell others
the details of your wards. Today’s friend may be tomorrow’s enemy in the all too
often dysfunctional world of the Heathen/Pagan Communities, so use discretion,
but avoid paranoia

 

Realmagick.com

W is for Watchtowers

W

 

 

Watchtowers

In Wicca, Guardians known as Watchtowers are called. These guardians are held hostage in each of the four corners or directions of the circle: East, South, West and North. They are set there to guard and protect the circle. This calling of the Watchtowers usually takes place during what is known in Wicca as “Calling the Quarters.”

Traditional Witchcraft does not call the Watchtowers, it does however, call Guardians. These Guardians are often called Spirits with whom a person feels comfortable with and has had a relationship with. Guadians can be our Ancestors, a Spirit Guide or other Spiritual Entity with which the you are familiar with.

 

 

Death And The Witch {Part 2 – Ceremony of Remembrance To Follow}

Death And The Witch

{Part 2 – Ceremony of Remembrance To Follow}

 

Witches believe that when a person or pet passes away, they still have the ability to hear you and be with you. This doesn’t mean they are “stuck” and can’t go on, it just means that Spirit provides the deceased with the ability of lending love and support to those who are still living until they realize in their hearts that death is not the final chapter, only a new one. Most Witches believe that once the deceased individual has given some type of farewell, the spirit of the person goes to a truly wonderful place beyond our realms of understanding called the Summerland. In the Summerland we grow strong again, review what we did in the last life, learn new things, and choose (or not) to return to the Earth plane once again. This belief is called reincarnation, where we are born, live, die and are born again — the sacred cycle of life and death.

When dealing with death, the people left behind need some type of closure, especially if the death was a sudden one. It is thought by some that there is a resting time from death until the person is able to communicate with you, and for some this time will be longer than others. The condition of your emotions also has a lot to do with their ability to communicate with you. If you are extremely upset, or believe that dead is dead is dead, with no hope of message, then

they may not be able to go through for quite a

while

The American public does not deal well with death, although we watch gaint-screen movies of murder and mayhem, read mystery books by the truckload, and never miss America’ Most Wanted. When it comes into our own back yard, however, we seem to be at a loss as to what to do. Some Wiccans have ancestral altars or shrines where they honor deceased friends and relative on a regular basis. Mine is a shelf on my desk that contain several photographs.

Wicca is a religion of freedom and you will find this is our funerary rites and crossing rituals. There is no specific way to conduct either. And where other religions require the wearing of black, Wiccans normally wear white which means that we honor Spirit and we honor the new birth of the individual whose has passed away.

Although the funeral and the crossing can be the same thing, they can also be separate ceremonies. The funeral is conducted for the grief of the living and the crossing is done to ensure that the loved ones find their way safely to the other side of the veil. The reason for separate ceremonies, sadly, is that although the deceased may be Wiccan, his or her family may follow a different faith and insist on doing it their way. When this occurs, the crossing is a separate matter done by coven members or close friends who had no problem with the faith of the Witch. Sometimes Wiccans are buried with their measure taken at the time of initiation, the original candle ends from that ceremony, and a few of their favorite tools.

Crossings are also done in honor.

Excerpt from:

“Rite of Passage”
The Ultimate Book of Shadows
for the New Generation
Solitary Witch
by Silver RavenWolf

The Dark Night of the Soul

The Dark Night of the Soul

Fra.: Apfelmann

“The Dark Night of the Soul” is the name given to that experience of spiritual desolation that all students of the Occult pass through at one time or another. It is sometimes characterized by feelings that your occult studies or practices are not taken you anywhere, that the initial success that one is sometimes granted after a few months of occult working, has suddenly dried up. There comes a desire to give up on everything, to abandon exercises and meditation, as nothing seems to be working. St.John of the Cross. a christian mystic, said of this experience, that it; “…puts the sensory spiritual appetites to sleep, deadens them, and deprives them of the ability to find pleasure in anything. It binds the imagination, and impedes it from doing any good discursive work. It makes the memory cease, the intellect become dark and unable to understand anything, and hence it causes the will to become arid and constrained, and all the faculties empty and useless. And over this hangs a dense and burdensome cloud, which afflicts the soul, and keeps it withdrawn from the good.”

Though the beginner may view the onset of such an experience with alarm (I know I did), the “Dark Night” is not something bad or destructive. In one sense it may be seen as a trial, a test by which the Gods examine our resolve to continue with occult work, and if you are not completely whole-hearted about your magical studies, it is during this period (at its beginning) that you will give up. The Dark Night of the Soul should be welcomed, once recognized for what it is (I have always received an innate “warning” just before the onset of such a period), as a person might welcome an operation that will secure health and well-being. St.John of the Cross embraced the soul`s Dark Night as a Divine Appointment, calling it a period of “sheer grace” and adding;

“O guiding Night,

O Night more lovely than Dawn,

O Night that has united the lover with his beloved

Transforming the Lover in her Beloved.”

When entering the Dark Night one is overcome by a sense of spiritual dryness and depression. The notion, in some quarters, that all such experiences should be avoided, for a peaceful existence, shows up the superficiality of so much of contemporary living. The Dark Night is a way of bringing the Soul to stillness, so that deep psychic transformation may take place. All distractions must be set aside, and it is no good attempting to fight or channel the bursts of raw energy that from time to time may course through your being. This inner compulsion to set everything aside results in the outer depression, when nothing seems to excite. The only thing to do is obey your inner voice and become still, waiting for the inner transformation, (which the “Dark Night” heralds), to take place. You may not be aware for a very long time of the results of that inner change, but when the desire to work comes again and the depression lifts, the Dark Night has (for a moment) passed. No one can help during this time, and in many cases there is hardly anyone to turn for advice. One must disregard the well-meaning advice of family and friends to “snap out of it” this is no ordinary depression, but a deep spiritual experience which only those who have passed through themselves (in other words to a magical retreat) but for many, as the routines of everyday life prohibits this, all you can do is cultivate an inner solitude, a stillness and silence of heart, and wait, (like a chrysalis waits for the inner changes that will result in a butterfly) for the Transformation to work itself out. There are many such “Dark Nights” that the occult seeker must pass through during the mysterious process of mitigation. They are all trials but experience teaches one to cope more efficiently. With fractalic greetings and laughter * Fra.: Apfelmann *

Asking Questions

ASKING QUESTIONS

 

One of the most important skills you will ever learn in your life is learning which questions to ask and when to ask them.

You will never learn how to do much of anything in your life if you do not learn how to ask questions, and not only that, but to question the answers you get in return.

For instance, “I want to learn about wicca,” is not a question. It is a statement.

“Teach me about wicca,” is also not a question. It is a command, even if you add the word please.

Think about what you really want to ask. “Can you teach me about wicca?”

Ok, you’re getting closer to the question you really want answered. “Will you teach me about wicca?”

Even closer, but the topic at hand is a large one.

Look for where you actually want to start learning.

Good questions to start working with are “What makes wicca different from other paths?” or perhaps, “What is the first thing I should learn to start my journey of learning about wicca?” These last two questions are good questions because they are specific and and give the person you are talking with an idea of what you are actually interested in learning.

Here’s another example.

I want to learn how to bake bread.

First of all I find someone that knows how (the right person).

Then I wait until they have the time to help me and a place ready to show me how to bake bread.

I try to read up a little ahead of time if I can and show up well rested and ready to learn hopefully without any preconceptions (the right time).

Now I could ask them what the chemical structure of bread is, or why it browns when it bakes or what type of butter to use on it, but none of these are very good questions to help me towards my goal of learning how to bake bread.

True it might be useful information, but I can always learn the answers to those questions later once I have learned the basics.

So my first questions are, “What are the ingredients we use?” and “How do we start?,” two specific and useful questions.

A good question asked at the right time to the right person helps the person answering it almost as much as it helps the person asking it.

If the person you are asking questions to has no idea of your level of knowledge of the subject or your specific area of interest at the moment they cannot help you nearly as well as they could if they knew these things.

Good questions are one way of helping a person understand what you want to know and what level of difficulty you want it explained at.

A Pagan Students Bill of Rights

A PAGAN STUDENT’S BILL OF RIGHTS

1. You have a right to the quality of education commensurate with the medians in similar education for others in your chosen area. Check several teachers or schools to find just what those medians are considered to be.

Corollary: You do not have the right to expect your teacher to be a “SuperPriest/ess” who will fulfill your every need, want and desire. Today, many are advertising themselves as “teachers” with little more than a few years experience themselves, much of which may be book learning. Truly experienced Elders and “Grand Masters” are exceedingly few and far between. Consider yourself astoundingly fortunate if your teacher falls into this category, but within reason, expect a teacher of Paganism to be human and fallible – resolve for yourself to learn what you can from the situation you are in.

2. The terms of your education shall be agreed upon in advance of its commencement by mutual contract between both teacher and student. Either party may at any time with prior advance notice, rescind said contract. Don’t accept an amorphous “well, we’ll just take it easy and see what happens” approach. You have the right to know exactly what to expect in terms of time, commitment and subjects learned.

Corollary: You may not drop out of tutorial with a teacher without making a reasonable attempt at telling them why you are feeling uncomfortable enough to do so. Be specific, they need to know how their behavior affected you and your potential for learning from them.

3. You have the right to expect a teacher who is compassionate, has a good sense of humor, has respect for you and others and who has a healthy level of self- esteem. A good teacher will admit when s/he is wrong in the moment and will usually heark back to their own novice days with anecdotes of their own trial and error to share with you. A good teacher knows how to maintain the delicate balance between friendship and appropriate discipline.

Corollary: Any teacher who projects as “too perfect” definitely isn’t. Beware also the teacher who is continually in a state of personal woe – these people need too much of your energy that you won’t have to give them. Walk out the door and keep searching.

4. You have the right for the teacher to always be truthful with you. Choose teachers whose styles permit you to question freely, who “lead by example” and show you as well as tell you the things you are learning. You can’t learn herbalism solely by reading books, some day you have to get out into the garden and root in the dirt. Look for a teacher, whatever their specialty, who does the equivalent in their particular form of practice.

Corollary: Beware of teachers whose main boast is how many books they’ve read, or that all of their knowledge is “book learned”. Such teachers will not be giving you anything authentic that you cannot learn on your own from the same books. A person “teaching” like this is perpetrating little short of plagiarism. To bring in the danger factor, you do not want someone “teaching” you the art of soul travel/astral projection who has never really done it themself. Don’t be someone else’s guinea pig. A teacher is a rich resource not only of the literary materials they have consumed, but of their own experiences: those triumphs, failures and illuminating moments of true enlightenment that cannot be learned from any book in print.

5. You have the right to expect your teacher to hold a broad education themselves, with specialty areas in which they might be considered to hold above-average knowledge. Anyone purporting to be a teacher of Witchcraft, Shamanism or one of the other forms of Paganism is held to a standard of excellence in their own community, and usually will have specialised in some branch or another of its components. Bonus points to a teacher who has cross- cultural initiations or similar expertise/other cultural referents to draw from. A broad educational base generally lends another primary desired quality of a good teacher: a broad mind.

Corollary: Ask your teacher to name their teachers or others in the community who know them, and talk to them before signing on to that particular teacher’s list. You may find they have an expertise in permaculture, spellcasting or soul retrieval – or you may discover knowledge that might lead you in another direction. It never hurts as a consumer of a service, to obtain references.

6. You have the right to expect discipline from your teacher. You have the right to expect that they will not let you get away with slackness in your learning, presentation or commission of your duties to them. When learning, expect no less than to apply yourself with the diligence most would reserve for a graduate school degree. A good teacher does their own research and give credit where it is due – expect the same of yourself. Be on time; ahead of time even, for lessons and coven/circle activities as your teacher should. Do one more bit of homework than is expected of you. Expect no less than excellence of yourself and you will be richly rewarded.

Corollary: You have the right to expect your teacher to be firm, but flexible within reason. Teachers should be expected to keep their committments to you as you do to them. Overly regimented structures are not conducive to learning, although sometimes in some traditions, such strictures may be put into place specifically to challenge you and help you grow. Look for teachers who walk the balance between firm and flexible for the best learning environment.

7. You have the right to expect change. Do not expect a smooth ride. Life is its own powerful teacher – learning the arts of Shamanism or Witchcraft are seriously advanced study in the crafting of your own soul. By virtue of this process, your issues will be brought out into the open and you will be expected to deal with them and act/react accordingly. How you react will be noted by your teacher and you can expect to have such reactions become the topic of discussion for your further growth. You have the right to expect during these “spiritual crises” for your teacher/s to be there for you to consult, lean on just a little bit and to provide you resources for getting through. You do NOT however, have the right to call the teacher in the wee hours every night of the week with a new crisis, to monopolize your teacher’s time for weeks on end due to a major crisis or series of smaller ones. Some support is to be expected from a teacher, but not unlimited support. Ask prior to your training what level of support the teacher is comfortable giving you and adhere to that. Know also when to refer yourself to a competent psychotherapist or healer. And if your teacher suggests you do so, take their advice without quibble. Clinginess from crisis-prone students who do not engage competent healing staff at the appropriate times is one of the behaviors that can be incredibly abusive of the teacher. If such clinginess is particularly time and energy consuming, it may cause the teacher to end their relationship with you.

Corollary: Your teacher does not have the right to use information concerning your spiritual crises against you, or to pass you off without seriously attempting to help you. Any teacher who does this you should immediately disengage from. Such a person is not the one to be trusting with your soul and your psyche as is required from a teacher of the metaphysical arts.

8. You have the right to be listened to, to have your questions answered and the right to expect a reasonable amount of your teacher’s time for the discussion of issues you might have with your training, different areas you wish to explore, etcetera. A good teacher like a good psychologist learns to listen more than talk in order to know what is important and relevant to you, the better to help them custom-craft your learning experience. Walk away from teachers who refuse you time to state your concerns, pooh-pooh your questions or who motormouth over your every utterance.

9. At the appropriate time, you have the right to expect your teacher to either inform you that it is time for you to move on into your own practice, or to be open to your suggesting something similar to them. A good teacher expects their students to mature and progress beyond them and will be quite pleased for you when this happens.

Corollary: Any teacher who keeps you hanging on indefinitely for initiation, advancement, further training et. al. with prolonged and continual protestations of “you’re not ready!” when you know you are is not behaving in a mature manner. If it gets to this point, leave and seek those who will support your spiritual growth and advancement.

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

THE ABC’S OF A WICCAN LIFE

THE ABC’S OF A WICCAN LIFE
by Victoria Martyn

Accept others as they are. We are all individuals.

Belief in yourself is a necessity.

Concentration is important in any endeavor, both magickal and in life.

Do what you will, so long as it harms none.

Empathy is an important life skill… learn it, practice it.

Find strength in yourself, your friends, your world and your actions.

God is multifaceted… the Lord and Lady, all deities take many names and faces.

Help others every chance you get.

Intelligence is something that cannot be judged on surface.

Judge not… what you send out comes back to you!

Karma loves to slap you in the face. Watch out for it.

Learning is something that should never stop happening!

Magick is a wonderful gift- but it is not everything.

Nature is precious. Appreciate and protect it.

Over the course of time your soul learns many lessons. Make this life count!

Pray.

Quietness both physically and mentally restores the soul; meditate often.

Remember to take time for yourself as well as others.

Spells can help you, but you must also help yourself!

Tools can only do so much… they are not the foundation of all.

Unless you enjoy worrying, keep a positive mindset!

Visualize the success of your goals before you set out to achieve them.

Wisdom can often be found in the least expected places!

Xenophobia (a hatred of those different from you) is a path to misery.

You are a beautiful person who is capable of anything!

Zapping away all of your troubles is not going to happen

Witchcraft/Wicca 101 Examination

I ran across this on one of the sites I usually visit. I had to steal it, lol! Seriously, this is the first time I have seen such an in-depth quiz for individuals finishing up their year and a day. I know we have some new ones among us, it would be an excellent idea for you to print this out. Then when your year and a day is up, take the quiz.

Witchcraft/Wicca 101 Examination

1. What is Wicca?

2. What is Magick?

3. Define the Wiccan Rede and the Law of Threefold Return?

4. What are the two aspects of Deity in Wicca?

5. Name five tools used in ritual and their purpose.

6. Name the elements and their corresponding directions.

7. Name two symbolic items you might put at an altar station for
each direction.

8. Describe how you would set up an altar in your home.

9. What is the difference between an Esbat and a Sabbat?

10. Name the eight seasonal festivals and give brief descriptions.
(Include dates)

11. Why is Samhain so important?

12. Describe two Rites of Passage. (your choice)

13. What is never allowed in Circle?

14. What is a magickal name and why would you want one?

15. What is smudging?

16. What is “skyclad?”

17. Define Widdershins and Deosil.

18. How do you consecrate a tool?

19. What are the basic tools you need to conduct a ritual?

20. What is the difference between a pentacle and a pentagram?

21. Draw the appropriate symbol for each of these items:
a. Pentagram
b. The Goddess
c. The God
d. Altar

23. What are the three aspects of the Goddess?

24. What are the three aspects of the God?

25. Name one Goddess or God from any pantheon and what She/He
represents.

26. You are doing a candle working to help you with the stress at
your job. When you dress the candle, which direction do you apply the
oil and why?

27. What is a Book of Shadows?

28. What is the difference between an Athame and a Bolline?

29. If you want something to decrease or go away, during which phase
of the moon would you work?

30. Name two good color combinations for the Goddess and God candles.

31. What color candle would you use for the following workings:
a. Develop psychic abilities
b. Emotional healing
c. Purify and protect your home
d. Bless your pet
e. Help you study
f. Bring success and good luck

32. True or False:
a. Gardnerian Wicca is worshipping in a garden.
b. “Skyclad” means you wear blue
c. You must be Wiccan to be a witch.
d. You would invoke the Quarters to protect sacred space.
e. The Croning Rite is performed when a woman reaches menopause.
f. Wiccaning commits a child to being a Wiccan.
g. A rune is an ancient temple.
h. Meat should never be used as an offering.
i. Lughnasadh is the second harvest.

33. What is the primary task of a Dedicant?

34. What is the primary task of an Initiate?

35. What is the Summerland?

36. Name a Law of Magick and explain it briefly.

37. Give a Law of Wicca.

38. Give a rule of Circle conduct.

39. Name a Wiccan tradition and describe it briefly.

40. What does Wicca mean to you in your life?

 

One Spirit’s Domain

Wiccan Adoration

Witchy Comments=

Wiccan Adoration

One does not read about the Wicca.
One does not study about the Craft of the Wise.
The knowledge I will teach is not idle.
You can only learn this knowledge if you use it — if you put it to work.
This study is only for those who have a willingness to learn
Each of you has expressed a desire to learn. Each of you has shown talent at being magickal — at making things happen.
If you are to learn the Craft, you must swear that you will work all your
Magick in Perfect Love.
Work negative magick and you are not one of us.
You must work at growing positive, even if it requires change.
Each of you has shown that you are capable of making changes in the self, in
order that your Magick be more positive.
Each of you has learned that change allows you to be happier.
To learn the Craft of Wicca, you must make changes.
Each of you has done this, and it is joyous and beautiful of you, and it is
this happiness we share.
At this level of your training, you must maintain secrecy.
If your friends, your family, your lovers were truly ready for this
knowledge, they would be here — now.
But if they are not; that is proof that they are not yet ready.
Speak no Magick to those who know less than you, unless you are prepared to
tell all of us that you are a teacher of the Craft.
A true teacher does not teach teh Craft until s/he has completed the
training.
If those we are with are in positive Craft Traditions, we can speak to our
peers and to those more wise than ourselves.
Each of you has your own timing.
You learn at your own rate.
Should you leave this study, there is no sorrow, only joy at the love we
have shared.
Each of you has shown the ability to work together to raise good, positive
energy.
Each of you knows how to help and to share.
Each of you will learn to trust each other.
You must have with me Perfect Trust.
If you do not trust me as your Mentor, I cannot teach you.
And I give you Perfect Trust.
If you swear to trust me, it is because I swear that I trust you.
You have not arrived here by chance.
You have displayed a desire to learn.
You have displayed a talent at Magick.
This Magick is to heal, to help; it only works in Perfect Love.
You are here because you have shown us that you are learning to work in
Perfect Love.
It is the only way to happiness; and you are here because you are growing in
happiness.
You are learning to unlock joy.
Each of you is capable of becoming a teacher — to learn the Craft of Wicca
and to share that knowledge.
Each of you must grow into becoming a teacher.
Each of you has taken the Path of being willing to learn, the Path of
wanting to learn.
Each of you is growing.
Each of you is creative.
Each of you is special to the Magick of the Universe.
Each of you perceives the Magick of the Universe as a balance of Yin and
Yang, of masculine and feminine, of God and Goddess.
Each of you recognizes the feminine and masculine within the self.
Each of you has been told this knowledge is only for those who seek to
become of the Wicca.
Each of you is here because it is felt by the Wise, by the Wicca, that you
are capable of knowing stronger Magick than you have thus far conceived of.
By being here, now, you have demonstrated a desire to take this Path.
You have already begun.
You are here because you have shown love to the World.
Because you, also, are Wise.
The Wicca means the Wise: The Wise Ones.
We meet together to talk as wise people and celebrate our happiness.
All of us, even your teachers, are pursuing wisdom and we all follow the
Laws.
To complete this study, to follow this Path into Initiation means you will
be ready to celebrate the Wisdom you have attained, to celebrate in ritual
the knowledge that you are Magick;
To share with us wine and happiness, words of beauty and laughter…
By the time you complete this course of study you will be a Priest/ess of
The Craft and an Initiated Child of the God and the Goddess.

References:

One Spirit’s Domain 
~Magickal Graphics~

What is Wicca?

What is Wicca?

by AmberSkyfire

 

Contrary to popular belief, Wicca is not evil. Wiccans do not follow the devil. Wiccans do not even believe in the devil. Wicca is a nature oriented religion which centers around a single deity (known as the All) which encompasses all things in the universe and without. This All is divided into two equal halves much the same way as the universe is divided into two halves. There is light and dark, male and female, good and evil, etc. These are often evident in the two deities called the Lord and the Lady. Each represents a perfect and equal half and complement each other much like the yin and the yang. The Lord is a father figure. He represents animals, the soul, fathering, passion and the wild. He is symbolized by the color gold, air, fire, and by the Sun. The Lady or Goddess represents the earth mother, motherhood, nurturing, femininity, and that which we can touch. She is symbolized by water, earth and the moon. Wiccans believe in honoring their deities and in living in harmony with nature and the universe. Witches sometimes practice in groups of up to thirteen called covens. Covens are used to bring different people of a faith together so that they may learn from each other’s experiences. Witches can also work alone. They are called solitaries. Wiccans are generally considered witches because they practice the art of magick. Not al witches, however, are Wiccans. Wicca is a religion and witchcraft is simply the practice of the magickal arts. Because Wiccans worship nature, their holidays coincide with significant days of the year. All of the four seasons are celebrated as well as four other holidays which fall between each. All of the eight holidays are spaced at exactly the same number of days apart and do not always fall on the same day each year. Most of these holidays coincide with Christian holidays such as Christmas (Yule) and Easter (Ostara). These holidays are called the Sabbats or Sabbaths. Witches also may or may not celebrate what are called Esbats. Esbats are specific lunar dates that are of major importance. These are the new moons and the full moons. There are 13 full moons during the year, each representing one month. Thus, the pagan calendar has thirteen months and not twelve. Most today represent these lost days in the thirteenth month to leap year. These holidays are meant to celebrate the earth and her cycles of nature. Wiccans follow one basic fundamental rule: “harm none.” The Wiccan Rede or “Law” states: “Abide the Wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust. Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: ‘An’ it harm none, do what ye will.’ And ever mind the rule of three: what ye send out comes back to thee. Follow this with mind and heart, and merry meet and merry part.” The main goal of Wicca is to harm none. Wiccans base their lives on self discipline and helping others. Most spells are done for healing, love, friendship and to help others. You will not find Wiccan spells for harming others or spells which are destructive in any way.

Wicca is a recognized religion worldwide and is protected by the United States Constitution. Contrary to popular belief, Wicca is not an ancient religion. Some of the ideas and rituals follow what is believed to have been practiced by the early Nordic tribes, but the religion was founded in the early 1960’s and was at the time considered a “New Age Religion.” Many unseasoned Wiccans will often refer to their following as “The Olde Ways.” This is often the result of misinformation from other witches either on the internet or in books who claim that they follow ancient traditions. Some will even claim that their beliefs were handed down from century to century and guarded against Christians and others who might seek to waylay witches and traditional witchcraft. Unfortunately, virtually no information has survived to this day and we must rely on skepticism to learn how ancient peoples worshiped.

PRINCIPLES OF WICCAN BELIEF OF THE COUNCIL OF AMERICAN WITCHES

PRINCIPLES OF WICCAN BELIEF OF THE COUNCIL OF AMERICAN WITCHES

In April 1974, the Council of American Witches adopted a set of Principles which we personally believe in.

1) We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces
marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.

2) We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward
our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

3) We acknowledge a depth of power far greater that that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called
“supernatural”, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential
to all.

4) We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through
polarity–as masculine and feminine–and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.

5) We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.– and we see in the inter-action of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

6) We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who
teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and
acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

7) We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it–a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft–the Wiccan Way.

8) Calling oneself “Witch” does not make a Witch–but neither does heredity
itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to
control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live
wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.

9) We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of
evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

10) Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or
philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be
‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

11) As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of
different traditions. We are concerned with our present and future.

12) We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as ‘Satan’ or ‘the Devil’ as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

13) We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

 

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