So Mote It Be.
Ancestors
Ancestors represents the ongoing influence and remarkable contributions those who came before us have made to our state of being. Ancestors also reminds us that sometimes old wisdom is the best wisdom–especially when events are moving in ways we do not understand. Ancestors can bring comfort to a shaken spirit. It is a card of warmth in the sense that it reminds us that the spirit of past generations remains with us and can be called upon for guidance at any time.
As a daily card, Ancestors suggests that you may be well served to by exploring your family tree to find solutions to current dilemmas. When searching for solutions to conflicts in your life, you might do well by asking yourself what a grandparent or great grandparent would do in your current situation.
So Mote It Be.
Ancestors
Ancestors represents the ongoing influence and remarkable contributions those who came before us have made to our state of being. Ancestors also reminds us that sometimes old wisdom is the best wisdom–especially when events are moving in ways we do not understand. Ancestors can bring comfort to a shaken spirit. It is a card of warmth in the sense that it reminds us that the spirit of past generations remains with us and can be called upon for guidance at any time.
As a daily card, Ancestors suggests that you may be well served to by exploring your family tree to find solutions to current dilemmas. When searching for solutions to conflicts in your life, you might do well by asking yourself what a grandparent or great grandparent would do in your current situation.
THE ABC’S OF A WICCAN LIFE
by Victoria Marty
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
The Magick of Life
Author: Crick
Have you ever taken a moment to notice the magick of life?
While walking along a country road, the reeds off to the side begin to waver to and fro. Is there a Sylph at play? Or is it Father Time heaving a sigh as he passes through?
Have you ever had the pleasure of listening to an old bullfrog bellowing out the blues? A grand old song of love lost and of love yet to be realized. An adage of life presented by way of the lyrics of nature in a symphonic way.
Have you watched as a caterpillar goes wafting along a rough barked tree? She is a beautiful metamorphous in motion, a budding mystery waiting to transform into a colorful and majestic form. From earth to sky, a wonderful delight forever touching our souls. The magick of life in a brief expanse of titillating color.
Have you ever noticed mother spider silently gazing over her web of silken strands. A superb artisan as she quietly guards the doorway to a special realm. Hers is an ancient lesson in patience. Sitting off to the side as a master shaman stealthily traverses from this realm to that using the glistening web as a mystic gateway into orbs of awareness floating about just beyond our senses.
Have you listened to the crescendo of a community of crickets as they sing in unison? First softly then loudly, then softly again, never missing a beat. An exercise in harmony, an everlasting bond of harmony. An awareness of their surroundings woven into the tapestry of their opera.
Such is the magick of life.
Have you ever noticed tiny dewdrops glistening like little diamonds clinging to the tall green blades of grass? An Undine child in the making perhaps as Father Sun draws them up into his warm embrace. Or perhaps a treasure forever in the making and yet never to be harvested.
Have you ever watched as a solitary leaf floats lazily out of the sky? Going this way and that and yet with a sure purpose. Directed by the currents of the breeze, much like life that is influenced by the changing winds of society. And yet a steady yet unseen goal looms before it.
Have you ever watched as a mother bird feeds her young? A bond of love stronger then steel and yet undetected by the human eye. The continuation of life, a magick ever so strong. For love can lead to birth as well as to death.
And so the wheel turns.
Have you ever watched as a black snake silently slithers across a path? A symbol of evil to some and yet seldom seen. Misunderstandings leading to fear, spiraling about in the darkness of ignorance. And yet knowledge will bring you back to the depths of understanding. And such awareness leads to tranquility and peace.
For such is the magick of life.
Have you ever watched a busy colony of ants? Oh the magick that resides within. A common purpose and involvement by all. No obstacle too great. No task too small. Surely lessons here to be learned by those who seek out such mysteries.
For the magick of life offers lessons not to be seen nor heard but to be felt and absorbed when we open up our hearts. Some teach that humans tower above nature. But as pagans it’s our way to be as one with life. For nature is life and the magick that she offers transcends all such misguided beliefs.
Have you noticed?
Deep within the forest, mother bruin lies within the embrace of hibernation, new life forming within her womb. An ancient ritual practiced through the ages. Have you ever wondered about her dreams as she sleeps through the frigid months of winter?
Now that is the magick of life.
Have you ever stood at the waters edge and watched as a mighty fish comes bursting through the surface of its watery domain? Perhaps it is carrying a message of truth and wisdom from He who resides in the murky depths.
Awaken witch, to the wonders of this realm. Listen to all that your ancestors knew to be true. Perhaps it is telling you to shake off the detritus of the mind and to feel with your heart that which is your destiny to experience as a pagan.
Far too long such knowledge has been suppressed by man; let nature be your ears and eyes.
Have you ever listened to the lone cry of a coyote during the moon lit night? A primal reaction to an awareness that has always been and will always be. Shaman quietly smiles in acknowledgement as his brother bids him welcome.
Such, my friend, is the magick of life.
Have you ever come upon the empty shell of a cicada clinging silently to a tree?
It would appear that death in place of life is in evidence; however a metamorphism onto a greater reality is the result of such an event. For death is the balance that creates life, one without the other is an energy, which has not come full circle, a partial reaction to what must be in order to be complete.
Have you ever sat amidst a field on the edge of dusk as an owl goes gliding quietly by? Some would say a witch in flight. Striking fear into its potential prey as it wings by on its deadly mission. And yet even fear has its place in the magick of life.
As pagans of whatever path, we too have something to contribute to the cacophony of magick that swirls all about us like a silent mist contained within the fog of reason.
Freeing our minds from the shackles of fears and insecurities that such knowledge brings to those who are not of pure heart is a step forwards towards such a contribution.
Acknowledging that such wisdom is within our ability to accept is a gift of awareness and acceptance that has been sorely lacking by so many of our species.
Throw off the blinders of prejudice and ignorance and allow yourself to be a student of life.
For the path of the pagan is truly the magick of life.
Poor Rabbit! No other animal is so associated with fear than Rabbit—that nervous little bunny who hops and leaps at every little sound. Rabbit has come to you today to ask you to have the courage to face whatever difficulties you’re having instead of running away to a safe burrow. Face your fears, examine your old “fight or flight” patterns, and determine once and for all to stop hiding away.
This is the easiest form of magick. It requires a piece of paper, a sacred space, and an altar.
Petition magick is used for both minor and major problems, and can be used with other magickal applications without interference, as long as your focus and deity system remain the same. Petition magick is a very simple operation.
Go to your altar, write down the situation, burn some incense, ask for guidance, and put the paper in the middle of the altar. You will get an answer.
Petition magick is also good for problems in which you choose not to use any other type of magickal . Perhaps you feel that throwing magick at a problem will not solve it and seek the correction to move.
The petition should be burned after the answer is received and thanks given to the deity.
Ritual Magick could be said to be the halfway point between Ceremonial and Natural Magickal workings. It uses astrological alignments, colour correspondences, as well as moon phases and elements to achieve desired results. Singing and dancing are often used to help raise the energies, as well as drumming and trance-like states. Visualisation and incantations are used by the practitioner much the same as the Natural Magick practitioner, though elemental and astrological influences are taken into consideration. It may be performed by either individuals, or groups… as it is not as elaborate as Ceremonial Magick, though more complicated than Natural Magick. Because of the lesser complexities, it is not used for enlightment, but may be used to achieve mundane and spiritual results much the same as Nat
ural Magick. This genre of Magick can be classed within the same specifications as Ceremonial Magick- both are considered ‘high’ Magick, it does seem to be a meeting of both Ceremonial and Natural Magick.
NATURAL (OR ‘LOW’) MAGICK
Once so called because it was the practise of those who worked and lived in the ‘lowlands’…people such as farmers who worked long hours during the day, and had little time to perform elaborate and complicated rituals and ceremonies. Nowadays, Natural Magick has its roots firmly placed in those days- using natural objects during the workings. This less formal genre of practise takes less time and does not need a magickal space or structure to achieve the desired results. Sometimes referred to as ‘folk’ magick, it seems to have a much more common sense approach to magickal workings. The practitioners of this use feathers, stones, gems,herbs, wood, the seasons of the year and moon phases, coupled with their own forces and energies to create and perform a spell. The desired results of such magickal workings can be mundane and simple as well as more spiritual and mental.
Any parts of animals used for the Magick are not procurred by sacrifice, but are things that can be found- such as feathers or bones that are visible on the surface of the ground. The pratise of Natural Magick perserveres to achieve harmony with nature, rather than connecting to the Divine, and is often called ‘the Magick of the Wiccans and Witches’. Visualisation and chanting (incantations or spells) is used in this form of Magick also.
High Magick was once called so because it was the practice of those who were ‘above’ farmers and labourers…those people whose station in life determined that they had much more time on their hands. However, it is generally more accepted in modern times to use the term ‘high’ or ‘ceremonial’ magick to describe the magickal workings that use specific rituals and guidlines. The rituals are intricate, and have to follow exact rules and definitions. The people involved in the ceremonies of High Magick call upon entities (and sometimes demons) to do their bidding and will. The guidelines of the ceremonies and rituals may not be deviated from nor changed, as this may cause severe problems. It may also be noted that this genre of Magickal workings requires a group of people, and is not practiced solitary. Magickal spaces are used to confine the Ceremonial Magick- such as the triple circle.
Many practitioners of this Magick use it to connect to the Divine, for enlightenment, and often use complex astrological and numerical charts… the rituals are elaborate and take much time to perform. It has been known for practitioners to use animal sacrifice within the boundaries of ceremonial Magick..but much less so in modern times. This is a very disciplined form of Magick
Magick itself isn’t black, white, or grey. Magick is simply what it is. It is the intent of the person using the magick that molds it into becoming effectual as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, etc.
Categorising each magickal use as being white or black (or somewhere in between) is difficult. Some magickal practises can go awry, bad things may happen to one person due to not enough forethought…does this make the magick ‘black’? Good intent, nomatter how strong, may not make up for causing harm to another. The way in which you practise is entirely up to the individual- it is what you think you can accept morally and judgementally for yourself. As with all witchcraft, there is no right or wrong- it is whatever makes you most comfortable.
Lodestone’s magnetic properties are used to draw love towards you and then keep that love close at hand.
Lodestones are believed to have genders, just like other living creatures. Their gender is determined by their appearance: the rounder looking ones are female, while the males are the more phallic looking stones.
Choose lodestones to match your desires, use one to represent yourself and another to represent the person you would like to draw into a romance. Choose a lodestone that represents you and soak it in ‘Come to Me Lover Oil.’ Sprinkle it with magnetic sand and place it on the edge of a mirror. Choose a lodestone that represents the person you wish to draw into romance.Soak this one in ‘Amour Oil’ Sprinkle with Magnetic Sand and place it on the mirror, on the opposite edge of the first lodestone. Carve a candle dedicated to romance and dress it with ‘Lucky Lodestone Oil’ Light it and focus on your wish for romance and move the two lodestones slightly closer to each other. Pinch out the candle Repeat this daily until the lodestones meet in the middle, and then allow the candle to burn all the way down
The morning is when the magickal momentum of our day is set into motion. So it’s an especially powerful time for shaping the flavor or our day and the harmonics of your mood (i.e., the way we preceive and process our day). There are several tune-in exercises. Try them out, and once you find what works for you, do your best to make them as habitual as brushing your teeth.
As soon as you open your eyes and get ready to get out of bed, remind yourself that the day belongs to you. Also remind yourself that everything you do in this day wil be a decision and a choice–that there is nothing that you do that you did not choose to do. (Even if it’s something you don’t want to do, recognize that you are still choosing to do it so that you can and occurrences you’d like to experience during the upcoming day as well as the feelings that go along with them (very important step).
Write down your intentions for the day in the present tense, as if they are already true. These feelings or actual occurrences. For example, you might write things like, “I love myself,” “My cats are safe and happy,” “I receive the such and such job offer or something better,” “I’m wonderfully comfortable in my own skin,” “The trip to the vet goes as smoothly as possible,” “I am having a great hair day,” “I am wealthy and receive generous sums of money from expected and unexpected sources,” “I am awake to the magick of life,” and/or “I embody the God/dess.” You might write an entire page worth, and then write “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Blessed be. And so it is.” And then sign and date.
I know you’re busy, but this doesn’t need to take longer than five minutes. Sit comfortably, relax, and call on your divine helper(s) of choice to clear, fine-tune, and shield your energy field. Visualize/imagine/feel this happening. Then consciously connect with the core of the Earth and the cosmic light of the Universe. You might do this by sending roots of light down into the Earth and branches of light up into the sky. Draw golden Earth light up from the Earth and into your body/energy field, then draw sparkly rainbow light down from the Cosmos and into your body/energy field. Think or say something like “I am one with the Earth and Sky. I am one wih te God/dess, and I am in the divine flow. All information is available to me. All power is available to me. I am always in the perfect place at the perfect time doing the perfect thing. I always know just what to do. Magickal authority is mine.”
Excerpt from:
“Magical Authority: The Only Ingredient You Need” by Tess Whitehurst Llewellyn’s 2013 Magical Almanac
Witches Of The Craft® 
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