Tag: Craft

Who Is A Real Witch Anyway?

Who Is A Real Witch Anyway?

Author:   Amergin Aradia  

It seems that the debate about who is and who is not a “real Witch” is coming to a head. Is this sect real as opposed to that sect? Are those in covens real Witches as opposed to solitaries’. And on and on it goes. It’s beginning to sound like the fight between factions of the Christian religion or between organized religions as a whole. That’s probably the way they began too.

This silly useless debate is pulling our community apart as well. The truth is, are any of us real Witches. And how do you define a real Witch? By whose standards and rules?

As an illustration of my point I’ll tell you my story. I have always known that I was a Witch, even before I really knew what that was. When I was very young (grade school) I had certain abilities and interests that other kids didn’t. I practiced raising energy, practiced ESP (as it was called then) , I astral projected, and I cast spells. I was drawn to the night, the moon and stars, and I identified with all things “magical.”

I wasn’t trained by anyone because there was no one to train me. I had to figure it out for myself and that was in the 1950’s so you know there were very few references to rely on even if I knew where to look. As I grew up I did what everyone else did then, got a job and tried to live what was considered a “normal” life, as unsatisfying as that was.

I maintained my interests and practices over the years as best I could, if only peripherally. There may have been one or two occult bookstores in the area but you really had to search them out and I only managed to get to one every so often and then only to browse because I didn’t know what I was looking for. You didn’t just walk up to someone and tell him or her you were a Witch and wanted to join a coven. And people didn’t come out of the woodwork to invite you to join one, even if you knew where to look.

So I dabbled, training myself the best way I could using instinct as my guide. At the time I would have loved to have found someone to train me and I would have loved to have found a coven to join so that I wouldn’t feel so alone. But they didn’t exactly advertise. And there was no Internet in those days to bring us all together.

So unless you were lucky, you were on your own. Like it or not.

Now that we have all these books, magazines, and web sites to fill in the gaps I find that my instincts did very well by me. Everything that I taught myself way back then is now being touted as the way to do it by the “experts.” I have since collected an entire library of books hoping to find information that would help me advance my practice but with the exception of a few interesting bits that I’ve added here and there, I have been disappointed.

I have also attended classes, open groves, and ceremonies, and while the people that I met were very nice it just didn’t feel right for me. I’ve also become very disillusioned with the influx of the newest brick and mortar shops. They seem to have become havens of self-help, yoga, meditation, and coffee and music.

And while I practice yoga and meditation myself I don’t want to go to my local Craft shop to pick up a yoga mat, balance ball, or a book by Dr. Phil. I want to pick up the tools for my ceremonies and spell crafting and, unfortunately, the kind of shop I want seems to be few and far between (except on line.) It feels as though the craft as I remember it is being homogenized and made so “acceptable” in the eyes of the general public that it is becoming useless to serious practitioners. But I digress here.

So to sum up this article, does it mean that I am not a real Witch because I had no one to “lead the way” or no coven to adopt me and teach me “their right way”? Quite frankly I think that makes me an even better real Witch because I had to figure it out for myself. And because of that my understanding and beliefs don’t quite fit into any prescribed dogma. So that is why I stay a solitary practitioner and that is why I have stepped back from the community as a whole.

But then I don’t look at being a Witch as a religion, with all of its implied rules and regulations and dogma. I look at being a Witch in the same way that the old village Witches looked at it. I revere the earth and heavens and do my best to respect and tread lightly on her.

I try to live a spiritual life without bowing to or begging the acceptance of any one archetypal being. I look at the Goddess and Gods as a representation on this plane of the source of all energy and power. I cast spells for my own benefit, and mine alone, as I don’t believe I have the right to manipulate anyone else’s life. And I believe that Karma will out eventually.

I believe that being a Witch is as simple as that. It’s in your heart, it’s in your soul, and it’s who YOU know you really are. Not because someone gives you permission to be one simply because you read and adhere to someone else’s views as written down and published. Or because you attend meetings once a week, or once a month, or even once a quarter.

But because YOU know you are. And whether you are solitary or a member of a group, no matter what that group represents, you are really on your own. You must practice, practice, practice, and hold that knowing in your own heart…alone.

That’s what makes you a “real Witch.”

Let’s Talk Witch – Divination With The Pendulum

Faerie-Guardians

Let’s Talk Witch – Divination With The Pendulum

I will be the first to admit it. When I am in a hurry and want to know something, I reach for my pendulum. I know most people associate the use of pendulums with dowsing as a way of searching for water. But, of course, that is only one use of the pendulum. When you use a pendulum for the purpose of divination, you’re searching for answers hidden within yourself.

A pendulum consists of a small weight – a crystal or some other stone, for instance – hung from a short chain or ribbon. You hold the chain/ribbon, letting the pendulum dangle at the end of it, while you ask a simple question. The pendulum responds by swinging in a direction predetermined to mean either yes or no.

A pendulum isn’t capable of handling complex questions, but it can be used to answer any yes or no question. Most of the time, a pendulum will swing from side to side to let you know that the answer to your question is no. A backward and forward movement generally means yes. However, it’s a good idea to ask your pendulum aloud which direction will indicate yes and which will indicate no.

Sometimes the pendulum swings in a diagonal line. This can mean the matter is uncertain or that your question can’t be answered at this time. You might want to try asking later. If the pendulum doesn’t move, try asking a different question or phrase the question in a different manner. If your pendulum circles in a clockwise direction, it usually means the situation you’re asking about is favorable. If the pendulum moves in a counterclockwise circle, conditions seem unfavorable.

You can use a pendulum to dowse for just about anything, from buried treasure to the best spot to drill a well. You can dowse an area to find a lost object. You can dowse a house or apartment to see if it’s right for you. Or dowse the land to determine the  best place to build a home, business, shrine, garden, etc.

You can even dowse a map. This technique is great if you’re thinking about taking a trip or looking for a new place to live. Hold the pendulum over a map of an area that interests you and ask, “Is this the place?” If the response is no, try another area. Keep at it until the pendulum says yes.

Want to try something cool with your pendulum? When you purchase a candle from a store or buy a Craft item over the internet this is great to do. I always wonder if the item has any residue left over from its maker. Let’s say I just bought a new candle from the store. I bring it home, before I ever put it on my altar, I get my pendulum. Now I take the pendulum and hold it over the candle. If the candle has picked up any past residue the pendulum will start to swing outwards in a circle. This tells me that the candle does have past residue and I must take care in cleansing it. It the pendulum does not move, it has no past reside and I can cleanse as normal. But you can do this with any Craft item you purchase and it will work the same.

For such a small Craft tool, you will be amazed at all the things a pendulum can tell you can do for you.

What Witchcraft Means To Me

What Witchcraft Means To Me

Author: allisjames

So what does witchcraft mean to me? Wow. What a question. Is there an easy answer? No! Witchcraft is beautiful and complicated, mysterious and wonderful. For some it is all about the gods and goddess; for others it is about spell-work and ceremony; and for the rest it is just the flavor-of-the-month religion or practice.

Is Witchcraft a religion, or is it a practice? Is Witchcraft different then Wicca?

Wicca, we know, came into being somewhere between the 1930’s and the 1950’s via Gerard B. Gardner. Yet history blooms with stories of witches, brooms, black cats, and spell-work. People were burned as witches in both England and America. The monotheistic religions had a hard time with anyone who believed in other gods other then their own. Apparently, Jesus dying on a Roman stake was not good enough for the Western church – more blood had to be spelled.

But every society seems to have had some kind of equivalent to the witch. They may have been called Shamans, witch doctors, gypsies, maybe even grandmother herself. Whoever the healers were in society – the psychic, the spiritualist, the herbalists- you had the makings of a witch. And witches were not exactly liked by the church.

Gerard Gardner brought witchcraft back to mainstream society after the last laws banning witchcraft were repelled in England in the 1950’s. He reintroduced ‘The Craft’ to the world with his book ‘Witchcraft Today;’ a book published in 1954.

My initial introduction to the Craft was through a 1960’s TV show called ‘Bewitched, ’ a comedy about an American witch who married a mortal man. Throughout the show we were introduced to covens, rituals, magic, wands, warlocks, Sabbats, and spell-work. Even though a lot of the show was based on false premises (witches being immortal) , the show was on-point with true witchcraft in many ways.

In the 1980’s I came across a book by Erica Jong called ‘Witches.’ This was a coffee table sized book loaded with text, pictures, and poetry explaining Witchcraft. I devoured this book like no other. Erica Jong crafted a very fitting tribute book to a religion she never claimed to be party too. But her involvement in the neo-pagan life style is evident from reading her books and interviews. Erica’s views on sexuality and religion are very close to my own views.

To put it bluntly – I was drawn in.

In 2004 I became a member of Unity Church of Fredericksburg, VA, USA. This church was strong on the Father/Mother God concept, the unity of all things, meditation/yoga, and the divine in all of us. By 2005 I was examining, via the Internet, Wicca or Witchcraft. I started taking a course on Witchcraft through http://www.magickaschool.com. I was also hobnobbing with different witches in the local area where I lived. I did complete one course on the Introduction to Witchcraft through magickaschool.com, and still have a little ways to go on course number two. I am also involved somewhat in the Northern Virginia Witches and Pagans Meetup Group.

After a year of being homeless, I find myself once again drawn to the magick and mystery of this Path. I am reading books on the subject, meditating more, and enjoying the outdoors more. I especially enjoy watching the moon at night going through its many phases. Currently I am reading books by Raymond Buckland and Deborah Lipp. I am also learning The Hidden Path divination cards by Raven Grimassi and Stephanie Taylor, with artwork by Mickie Mueller.

As a pagan/witch/wiccan I am no longer restrained by the shallowness and limitations of the Christian Church. I will put down no religion, but my calling seems to be more metaphysical then revelation based. I believe strongly in the line from the movie ‘Inherit the Wind’ where the defense attorney, played by Spencer Tracey, said regarding the Bible – “The Bible is a good book, but it’s not the only book.”

The path of Witchcraft is an inward path and a mystical path. In a way all spiritually minded people are witches – we all believe in some divine being, we live by some code of law, we believe in the concept of magic/miracles, and we all reach for inner transformation.

I am a Witch because I can be nothing other then a Witch. I can’t twiddle my nose like Samantha in Bewitched and cause magick to happen. It doesn’t work that way. And it’s not about that anyway. Witchcraft is about inner transformation, empowerment, magic, and ultimately LOVE. We love, not by judging and condemning, but by understanding and appreciation. All life is sacred because all life comes from a divine source. That should be the heart and soul of any religious path.

Witchcraft satisfies an inner hunger like nothing else. It is a lifelong study and practice that draws me closer to the god/goddess, keeps me open for all sorts of possibilities, and makes me a channel for light and magick. I feel more at home in this vast universe, and more appreciative of life in general. As I celebrate the Sabbats and esbats, I also celebrate the seasons and learn to adapt to each one. No matter what season, I can follow the moon as it waxes and wanes through each of its cycles.

My spiritual journey began with my introduction and acceptance of the Christian path. But even then I knew there had to be more. And there was: Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism, Voodoo, The Golden Dawn, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, and Cabbala, as well as the historical evidence of goddess worship spanning way back into the Old Testament periods.

Witchcraft, in one form or another, has always been here. I embrace it with open arms freely and in sound mind and body. The more I read and study the Craft, the more I am drawn into it. Coming out of the sixties, Witchcraft appeals to me because of its Nature based emphasis, its emphasis on the sacred in everything, its openness to change and its encouragement to grow on whatever Path you are on. Somehow, the idea of celebrating the Goddess out in the openness of nature – singing, chanting, dancing, (skyclad or not) , under an open sky, or under a full moon, appeals to me. Celebrating Nature, and not just theological dogma’s, is what worship is all about.

When I see the full moon in the sky now, I feel like I am walking on sacred ground. The earth is my Cathedral and the Divine is everywhere. I don’t have to worry whether I am theologically sound, or politically correct – it is just me, the goddess, and Mother Nature creating energy and magick through each season, through each rising sun, and through each phase of the moon.

What does it mean to be a Witch? Everything!

So mote it be.

 

Footnotes: My personal journey from Christianity to Witchcraft.

Spell Ingredients: Add a Large Dose of Reality

Spell Ingredients: Add a Large Dose of Reality

Author:   Solonius  

The first ingredient for any spell: A large dose of reality…. I mean, really, what do you expect? If all spells worked, wouldn’t humanity universally believe in witchcraft and magic and use it wholeheartedly? And to that extent wouldn’t worthy practitioners be a desired commodity? It is imperative for practitioners to separate their wishful and whimsical fantasies from serious study, contemplation, experimentation and application.

I believe that in order to further understand and define the super-natural, you first have to develop and have a thorough understanding of the natural. Any study of the Craft requires a greater amount of study into the realm of Laws of Nature and the Laws of Physics. After all, how can you define what is extra-ordinary, if you don’t even know the extent of what is ordinary?

The Laws of Physics are many, and the typical high-school student mostly understands the important ones. Opposites attract (by and large this only works for ions, kids, not people) , for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, for any change in state the by-product or causation is heat, etc. How can better knowing these things help us in a greater understanding of our spell work? Because all these things deal with Energy, and what is the Universe constructed of? Anyone…? Yes, Energy. And what does spell work deal with, when you boil it all down (pun intended) ? That’s right, Energy! Or more accurately, the transfer of energy. This is the First Insight that any practitioner should grasp. EVERYTHING is energy.

The Second Insight that we should understand, because it deals with both types of laws, is that Nature abhors a vacuum. That can be observed as simply as watching a balloon deflate. What do you discover with these phenomena? That Nature seeks a balance. This holds true for the Laws of Life and the Laws of Physics. The Universe naturally seeks equilibrium. Whether this is between hot/cold, high pressure/low pressure, too many predators and not enough prey, the Law stays the same. In the end, Nature will follow its Laws. You do know, though, that there is a defined and empirical Order to Things. You might not understand it fully, but you can be assured that an order exists by observing the smallest things in nature. This is crucial: Be observant to Nature and learn from it. Nature, in all its complexity, is still a system of doing things the easiest and least energy wasting way. Contemplate that reality for a while.

Where does this energy come from? Good question. Is it physical energy, which means connected to our current plane of existence? If that is so, then you would not be able to contain it for the energy you are talking about on the physical plane is electrical in nature, and you would become walking atom bombs if you gathered the energy required to perform some spells. So it can’t be a physical energy type.

Is it spiritual energy (which obviously means it is energy collected from higher levels of existence) that you are able to gather and use? The usual consensus is “Yes, it is.” This leads to the next set of questions. Can energy from higher levels of existence cause effects on a lower level of existence? How can if affect the energy in a lower existence, if the two existences are not on the same sphere? Can the physical things you do on a lower plane of existence affect what happens on a higher plane of existence? Is your mentality the only link between what you perceive as the physical plane and planes above what you can perceive with your physical senses? What is the extent of ‘Reality’, does it encompass ALL spheres of existence as ONE reality? Nature abhors a vacuum, so if As Above – So Below is a Law of Nature, does this mean that the energies of a higher plane seek a balance with the energies of a lower plane?

It is said that in the higher planes all things are possible if you only imagine it so. I further postulate that you must not only imagine it so, it must become your perceived REALITY. You must learn to tap into the energies of the higher planes, and effect permanent changes there, before any changes can happen in the physical plane. I’ve often said that there is an ocean of difference between Understanding and Knowing. Understanding is intellectual; it is accepting truth without necessarily going through all the motions to prove it. Knowing is visceral; it deals more with proof from the physical senses perceiving something as true. Ergo, to make a change here, you have to Know that you have made a change in higher realms first.

I postulate the reason for this is the hypothesis of ‘trickle down economics’ if you’d like. What does this mean? It means that in order to build a hut on the physical plane, you must first build a mansion in the higher planes. More complexly, Nature (meaning all planes of existence) seeks a balance. Nature also does things the absolute least energy-wasting way. I perceive that Nature does not easily permit energy to flow across planes of existence, even if they are in the same ‘Reality’. With As Above – So Below, you can see through a simple diagram of two superimposed triangles (one point up, the other point down) that the equilibrium point is above here and now (the bottom point) , yet below the ultimate expression (the top point) . As you move down from the ultimate expression (the open V) , less and less energy is transferred. Therefore you must have a firm and knowing conviction of what you wish to accomplish and see a clear and precise picture of it occurring, before you can hope to realize it happening.

Ironically, you should also have a wonderfully developed sense of imagination up to the point of believing in what seems impossible. Only with an active imagination can you build that mansion up to the point of actualization in the higher planes. This seems contradictory, but I don’t feel that it is. Without a firm mental picture of what you require to exist, can you hope to achieve your goal? You have to build that mansion brick by brick, through much mental exactness and conviction. This requires a great deal of imagination as well as focus. The constructed mansion should then remain in that higher plane once you have completed it. It’s there; there is no doubt of its existence in your mind. Every time you visit the higher realms your mansion is there, gleaming with its glory. Make it Reality. Does this mean that a mansion will magically appear here and now for you in the material plane? Probably not, but the single minded effort it took to imagine it as reality in the higher plane, could translate into the required motivation and focus to achieve it in the here and now. Here is something else to consider: owning the mansion is secondary to the method of achieving it.

I’ve used the visualization of a mansion to put a face to a concept. However, it holds true for any endeavor. What you wish to have happen is secondary to HOW you achieve its happening. You build the mental picture (higher plane reality) while simultaneously going through with the steps required to achieve the same results. This multiple avenue approach enlists all your faculties to achieve what your desire is. The greater the amount of energies enlisted to achieve your desire, the more energy the universe aligns with the outcome. Remember: the method of how you achieve your goal is primary to the goal itself.

As an example: There is a twice-weekly fervent prayer on many lips throughout the land: “Please let me win the lottery!” However, if you never go out to purchase a lottery ticket, the effort placed into your prayer was wasted, wasn’t it? The same occurs with your Craft. Creating a spell to achieve the end result is short sighted. You still have to do the work to realize your goal. There really are no shortcuts. I don’t mean using some elaborate spell either. I mean elaborate mental visualization, coupled with following a plan to achieve the goal. Each reinforces the other, making the possibility of achievement vastly greater. Ground that visualization into what Laws Nature has already demonstrated. This lends conviction and credibility to the achievement of the goal.

What would be the required steps to achieve that goal without using any Craft? Incorporate those steps into the visualization with your spell. Bypass any flights of fantasy; they require too much energy to maintain. After all is it easier for your mind to accept flying to work on a broomstick, or driving your car? Your mind will default to what it Knows is possible, and will automatically call B.S. to what is not. Even a child imagining flying around the house on a broomstick Knows that they are just pretending. So why kid yourself? The more reality you incorporate into your Craft, the greater the results you will receive.

*On a side note: I don’t think of the planes of Reality as floors in a skyscraper, nor are they in some cardinal Direction. They don’t exist as pages in a book, where you can turn a page and have a new reality. I think of it as a condensing of energy from zero (conversely the most dense) to the ultimate amount of energy. They are all concurrent and here and now, superimposed upon what we can only perceive as the physical plane due to the limitations of our senses. This energy is limitless to infinity. For infinity is provable as far as we have observed. Outside the edge of the growing globe of galaxies expanding outward, is vacuum. Forever. You could hypothetically travel so far away that this entire globe of expanding physical energy seems like nothing more than a single spec of brilliant light. However, the theory of infinity breaks down if you require a starting point. As Above – So Below… Infinity must go in BOTH ‘directions’ forever, or the concept breaks down.

I thank you for your time in reading this. I hope it gave you some food for contemplation, and in some way helps you with more success on your path.

Good Morning, Good Morning, My Precious Family!

Good Morning, Good Morning, My Precious Family! How is your day going so far? I hope fine. You know when the chips are down, I can always turn to you for hope. I told you yesterday that the raffle so far was a flop. Our light bill needed to be paid and we didn’t have any money to do so. I opened up our PayPal account this morning and I couldn’t believe it. The donations, donations and donations. You are the most wonderful family I could ever wish for. After receiving all the wonderful donations (which will go into the raffle), I did some figuring. Look out when I get the pen and paper out, lol! We are still $50.00 short. So if you have been eyeballing any of the items up for the Raffle this month, make that donation. You have a great chance at some super items this time and besides you will be helping us out greatly. The ones that have already donated, I can never thank you enough. I know I say it and say it but you truly do mean the world to me.

You know what I would love to do, is start a donor/supporter’s wall of the WOTC. I want to because some of you have supported us from the very beginning and you are hidden in the shadows. I want people to know you and see who you are because I love each one of you so much. But I am scared to because I know some do not do it for recognition. They do it because they truly believe in us and want to see our work continue.  I don’t know if these supporters would want to be known or not. So if you have an opinion on this, please let me know. I don’t want to do anything to embarrass anyone but I believe the supporters of the WOTC need some kind of recognition. Please let me know supporters how you feel about this.

Now this is a 180 degree turn around, I will try to be short and brief. There was a comment in the back that I think needs to be addressed publicly. I had never thought of it till now and actually the comment did make sense. The comment was in regards to new people getting burned out on so much information to learn. I can understand that. It is overwhelming when you first come to the Craft. But you do not have to learn everything overnight. You have a year and a day to learn it.  When you start your new Path, the Goddess will help you and guide you. She will reveal new information when She knows you are ready. In the Craft, you never stop learning. Even as long as I have been in it, I still learn. All of us do. Witchcraft is a very beautiful religion that you have to experience for yourself. We aren’t pushing the Craft down anyone’s throat. We are just providing the information for all to learn. For those who seek or those who are just curious, we are here.

I think what bothers me most was the “feeling overwhelmed at the very beginning.”  At the very beginning? I believe you need to truly search your soul and see if you are on the right Path. Do some meditation and connect with your inner being. Make sure the Craft is right for you. The year and a day, I mentioned earlier, is to give you time to decide if you want to be in the Craft. If you want to follow our beliefs, our practices, and our Goddess. Please take a piece of advice and do some meditating. After you meditate and you see the Craft is right for you. Then pray to the Goddess to guide you on your new Path. She will answer.

In the Craft, you are never alone. Our Gods and Goddesses never desert us. All we have to do is call and They are there. Remember that as you start your new Religion. Also remember if you need any help, we are here for you.

Got to run for now. Thank you all again.

Luv & Hugs,

Lady A

The Witches Magick for Oct. 15th – To Break The Powers of a Spell (against you)

pagan19

To Break The Powers of a Spell (against you)

Items you will need:

1 Large black candle

Cauldron or large black bowl

Place the candle in the cauldron or bowl, use candle wax from another black candle to cement the original black candle to the cauldron/bowl. Do this by dripping wax from the second candle. The candle should be tall enough to extend a few inches above the rim.

Fill the cauldron to the rim with fresh water, without wetting the candle’s wick. Deep breathe meditate, clear your mind and light the candle. Visualize the suspected spell’s power as residing within the candles flame. Sit in quiet and concentrate on the candle and then visualize the power flowing and growing within the candle’s flame. As the candle burns down, its flame will eventually sputter and go out as it contacts the water. As soon as the water has extinguished the flame, the spell will be dispersed. See the spell’s power explode into dust. Pour the water in the hole in the ground and bury the candle

Walking The Path As A Public Witch

Walking The Path As A Public Witch

Author:   Medea 

I am a ‘public Witch’. The phrase means different things to different people but generally it means I am one who has come ‘out of the broom closet’. That has come to mean different things to me as the years have gone by.

I never was really in the ‘broom closet’. From the time I was introduced to The Craft by way of The Tarot at age eighteen, I was very open about it. Sometimes the openness was just for ‘shock value’. Sometimes it was just to be ‘different’. More often than not my openness was just a part of my personality. Like a puppy, I gleefully and playfully was just ‘me’ all over the place.

Now, at the age of forty-seven (can I really be that old?) and High Priestess in my tradition, I am still open about it, yet in very different ways. I rarely go for ‘shock value’ anymore (there are, however, those occasions when I cannot seem to help myself) . I have been a professional Nurse for twenty plus years and have learned in some instances the less said, the better. This learned, of course, the hard way. In many, many areas of my life I am much more tolerant and not so quick to take offense. I cannot attribute this to age or wisdom, as in many ways I am very immature and like it that way. It is a by-product of the path in which I have chosen to walk. One of the many, many gifts I receive.

I no longer feel the need to flash a Pentacle ring or necklace every chance I get. Most jewelry associated with the Craft and my religion are worn in private or under my clothes, close to my heart, as they should be. Yet, if I choose to wear such things in public (or forget to take them off) I make no effort to hide them, give no explanations, and make no apologies. My car is no longer adorned with bumper stickers proclaiming me ‘Witch’ or ‘Happy Heathen’. I didn’t take them off, but simply quit feeling the need to replace them each time I had to replace a vehicle. Yet I would not refrain from putting one on my bumper if it caught my fancy.

These days when I find it necessary or appropriate to speak of the Divine in general company I am as apt to say ‘God’ as ‘Goddess’ or ‘The Gods’. I have seen that getting caught up in nomenclature or schematics lessons somehow the sacredness of what one speaks of. If I am asked what Church I go to (a common question here in the South) I tell them. I don’t use flowery or holier- than -thou phrases such as ‘Nature is my Church’.

I say I am Pagan, if need be I say I am ‘Witch’, but more than that, I say I am a person of faith. And in some eyes I see the flash of recognition and in others I see distrust and incomprehension. These things no longer bother me. I am not meant to crusade. Neither am I, or my life, meant to be perfect. I can lapse in my old ways from time to time without being ‘lost’. I can make mistakes.

These days my Pentacle hangs on the lamppost in my yard. It hangs there for protection of my home and property as well as a nod to The Craft. It matters not who sees it and who does not. My home is Pagan and I call it a Temple House. It is where our rituals are mostly held. Where our classes are held. Where I sit and work on my computer on things that are important to the Temple. It is filled with altars which range from very simple to elaborate. Like all things, they change as they should, and I understand one does not need the trappings of religion to walk one’s faith. The house is lived in. It is welcoming to The Gods and Spirits I call, to my blood family and my Temple family and to visitors who come and go. It is meant to be welcoming to visitors of all faith and I believe for the most part it is. It is a work in progress, like the Temple itself. Like all things which grow and change. Like me.

I returned to the place I was born and raised after a twenty-year hiatus. It is a rural area in the Wilds of Tennessee, deep in the Bible Belt. It is a wonderful and beautiful place and the people are wonderful and beautiful too. Yet suspicions and prejudices linger along side traditions that smack of the Old Religion. I am known as a Witch and there is no mistake I am ‘the Real Thing’. At first I was humored, seen as a local girl who went ‘Out West’ and got some very strange ideas. There is often surprise when it is learned I was first introduced to the Craft in good ol’ Nashville, Tennessee. But here in the Wilds, Nashville, too, is a long way and there are many strange ideas to be found there. Maybe not as strange as ‘Out West’, but still strange.

When the realization came that this is not a passing fad for me, and that not only did I practice what I believed but ‘preached’ what I practiced the attitudes began to change. Family members and childhood friends, some I loved dearly and had missed for a long time, began to avoid me. Their attempts to ‘save my soul’ fell on deaf ears, and I took offense to being prayed for in Churches that I would ‘find my way and be saved’. They could not convert me, could not understand when I asked ‘saved from what?’ or said ‘I’m already saved’. And so I became a lost cause and to some a threat. There is no brand of persecution as scorching as that of those we know and love. My invitations to my home were unanswered by some. It became clear there were homes in which I was no longer welcome.

The Goddess does not demand sacrifice though at times it may seem so. I eventually came to understand that in order to have the things I found important in my life there were some things that by nature had to go. There is always grief, but as all things it passes and is, if not understood, accepted.

There were those who came and went. And there are those who stayed. Rituals of one became rituals of two and then three and then as many as fifteen at any given time. Others want card readings or advice or a little magick to ‘help out a situation’. Sometimes they are open about it and do not care who knows or what is thought of their association with me. Sometimes they come on the sly. I have learned to recognize those who come for a reason, such as the Goddess may have, and those who want what I can give and firmly believe me to be going to a Christian hell. There are those who do not care what becomes of me, but care about what it is I can do. Sometimes I still grow angry, usually out of hurt from the fall of one who I may have at some point respected. Mostly I do what I feel to be right and it has become very easy.

Inevitably the question will come from somewhere: ‘How did you get into that?’ that, of course, being Paganism or Witchcraft and sometimes thinly veiled ‘in league with The Devil’. I no longer feel the need to explain how Christianity never ‘felt right’ for me, implying of course I was somehow superior to that particular belief. These days I usually shrug and say ‘Like anyone of faith, I was called to it.’ This leaves little to argue about.

In my tradition today we celebrate Lenaia at the time of Imbolc, yet like so many things, the lines are blurred and the messages are the same. This Imbolc season I find myself taking stock and reflecting on many things about my life and the Path I walk. They, this life and this path, have somewhere along the line become one and the same. Perhaps it is the knowledge of having achieved this very thing, without setting out to do so or even hoping that I could, which is causing me to reflect. Perhaps it is my age, and the realization that, though I am not so old, I have most certainly lived longer in this life than I am going to live. It could be the weathering of so many changes over the last several years, some devastating enough to make me question my faith. Having come to terms with myself I have accepted many things I thought I could not. I can do this; accept these things, because at some point I began to trust that my Gods know what they are doing.

In January of 2001, I performed a solitary ritual outside in the yard at the old house my brother and I shared, divorced siblings clinging together in the changes of life. This was many years after I had picked up my first Tarot deck and felt the power of Otherworlds and the promise of mysteries revealed in them. It was cold and the Full Winter Moon rose high in a dark and starless sky. The moon was the color of ecru and its light brightened and dimmed with my incantation and my song. I had felt and witnessed the Power of the presence of the Divine before. I had seen first hand the workings of magick. Yet this was different. It was as if I were tapped on the shoulder. I had the feeling that Someone had finally gotten my attention. She had been waiting patiently for me to notice She wanted my attention. The voice I heard on the Wind, though the night was Windless, was real even though I could not make out the words. It was as if there was one voice, no, a thousand voices, and though the words were unintelligible I knew they said ‘Follow Me’.

I did not call the God and Goddess by name then, a last holdout of my Pentecost upbringing. They were to me The Lord and Lady. Yet I knew there were names, many names, and I would come to know Them. Although I became a Priestess of Hekate, it was Diana, the Huntress Mother, who called to me that night. I now know Her feel and Her smell and I recognize Her voice. When I hear Her name mentioned I see in my mind’s eye the silver disk floating in the Winter Sky. I often thank Her for calling me.

It wasn’t long after that I held my first private Imbolc ritual, as I have ever since, as I will continue to do. The day was sunny, bright, and cold. The kind of day that often depressed me. With stick incense in hand (patchouli because that is all I had) and the instructions from Scott Cunningham’s ‘Wicca’ in my head I picked my way through the thickets behind our rental house. I found a clearing and sat down, my nose running and the frozen ground pressing against my too thin pants for the weather. I meditated in silence, one thing I was only beginning to get good at. I sat there a long while, sometimes registering the sound of small animals in the thickets. Somehow understanding the sounds of the animals were gifts. I then told the Gods the things I have told them many times since:

I am Your daughter and Your lover. I give myself to You in this life and in any others to come. Set my feet upon the path You wish for me. Teach me the things I need to know. Give me the strength to learn them. I honor You and I love You. So Mote it be.

I meant those words the day I said them. And many times after, even as I wondered how hard this life has to get. I mean them now. The Gods listened and they knew I meant them and they have granted me the very things I asked for.

I love this life. It is at times messy and ugly, often chaotic, and on occasion extremely painful. It is equally interesting, comforting, and fun. And so there is balance. And so I am very, very blessed.

I love being Pagan. It is a wonderful thing to know what one’s path is and to be allowed to walk it. The Buddhist say ‘do the dishes for the sake of doing the dishes’. The clean dishes are only a result of doing the dishes correctly and wholeheartedly. Clean dishes are not the goal, doing the task well is the goal, everything else is, well, gravy. They say the same about the journey we call life. The journey is the point, the destination only the result of taking the journey well and wholeheartedly. Take the journey for the sake of taking the journey, walk the path for the sake of walking the path. Every now and then cast your eyes to the top of the mountain for a moment, but only a moment, focus on your goal, reassess your progress, make the proper adjustments, and get back to the task at hand.

In giving true love for the sake of giving true love, I have been given the truest of love. In giving friendship for the sake of giving friendship, I have received friendship. In being faithful for the sake of being faithful, I am given faithfulness. In giving mercy and kindness and justice for the sake of giving mercy and kindness and justice, I have received mercy and kindness and justice far beyond that I ever expected. In teaching the things I know for the sake of teaching the things I know I have been taught. And such fine teachers I have.

I walk the Pagan Path and the Path of the Priestess (and yes, Witch) for many reasons but mainly because it is my journey, what is put before me to do. It is an awesome task, an honor, and a door to many fleeting moments of happiness, which add up to a joyful life when all is said and done. Sometimes this path of mine is walked on nothing but faith because all else seems to elude me. Yet that which eludes me becomes mine if it is meant to be, and though I question and rail against the way, I am committed.

Along the way I catch the most peaceful sunrises, beautiful sunsets, healing breezes, and mighty storms. I am taught humility; I am reprimanded, led gently back when astray, and kicked hard when I need it. I am loved unconditionally and I know this without a doubt. I neither fear Death nor look for it, waiting for the rewards that I think might be my due. My rewards are many, and they are now. I may at times dread the act of dying and wonder if I will be granted a merciful death or if suffering at the end of this life is part of my lesson and task. Yet I trust that I will have what is needed for me and what is in the end the best. And I will not make that journey alone.

Those who have gone before will welcome me. The Gods will guide me and the Lady Hekate will walk with me as She always has. Cunningham pointed out that there is a difference in believing in something and knowing something. Many of the things I thought I believed I have come to know. To know a thing to be true is to accept it without having to understand it. There are many things I do understand and many things I will someday understand. But knowing, that is something that is not given lightly. It cannot be earned or bought; it can only come from walking the journey and walking it with an open heart and a willing soul.

I am one of many who aid this Phoenix we call Paganism to rise. My voice is among the silent ones who roar their presence into this world in this time. Our books and our Temples were burned and like so many things, though the way could have been easier, it had to be. Our Temples stand in our hearts and in our souls, in our country homes, and our suburban yards, in our small apartments in sprawling cities. This wonderful thing we call the Internet weaves us together across many, many miles. We have new books with words from Powerful hearts. We have remnants from the past which survive and which are important yet unimportant and therefore kept in perspective. We have the new and the old in which to learn and to build from. Balance. As it should be.

I am parched with thirst, and perishing,
But drink of me, the ever-flowing spring on the right (where) there is a fair cypress.
Who are you? Where are you from?
I am a child of Earth and starry Heaven, but my race is of Heaven (alone)
— Orphic Lamella from Thessaly

What Witchcraft Means To Me

What Witchcraft Means To Me

Author: allisjames

So what does witchcraft mean to me? Wow. What a question. Is there an easy answer? No! Witchcraft is beautiful and complicated, mysterious and wonderful. For some it is all about the gods and goddess; for others it is about spell-work and ceremony; and for the rest it is just the flavor-of-the-month religion or practice.

Is Witchcraft a religion, or is it a practice? Is Witchcraft different then Wicca?

Wicca, we know, came into being somewhere between the 1930’s and the 1950’s via Gerard B. Gardner. Yet history blooms with stories of witches, brooms, black cats, and spell-work. People were burned as witches in both England and America. The monotheistic religions had a hard time with anyone who believed in other gods other then their own. Apparently, Jesus dying on a Roman stake was not good enough for the Western church – more blood had to be spelled.

But every society seems to have had some kind of equivalent to the witch. They may have been called Shamans, witch doctors, gypsies, maybe even grandmother herself. Whoever the healers were in society – the psychic, the spiritualist, the herbalists- you had the makings of a witch. And witches were not exactly liked by the church.

Gerard Gardner brought witchcraft back to mainstream society after the last laws banning witchcraft were repelled in England in the 1950’s. He reintroduced ‘The Craft’ to the world with his book ‘Witchcraft Today;’ a book published in 1954.

My initial introduction to the Craft was through a 1960’s TV show called ‘Bewitched, ’ a comedy about an American witch who married a mortal man. Throughout the show we were introduced to covens, rituals, magic, wands, warlocks, Sabbats, and spell-work. Even though a lot of the show was based on false premises (witches being immortal) , the show was on-point with true witchcraft in many ways.

In the 1980’s I came across a book by Erica Jong called ‘Witches.’ This was a coffee table sized book loaded with text, pictures, and poetry explaining Witchcraft. I devoured this book like no other. Erica Jong crafted a very fitting tribute book to a religion she never claimed to be party too. But her involvement in the neo-pagan life style is evident from reading her books and interviews. Erica’s views on sexuality and religion are very close to my own views.

To put it bluntly – I was drawn in.

In 2004 I became a member of Unity Church of Fredericksburg, VA, USA. This church was strong on the Father/Mother God concept, the unity of all things, meditation/yoga, and the divine in all of us. By 2005 I was examining, via the Internet, Wicca or Witchcraft. I started taking a course on Witchcraft through http://www.magickaschool.com. I was also hobnobbing with different witches in the local area where I lived. I did complete one course on the Introduction to Witchcraft through magickaschool.com, and still have a little ways to go on course number two. I am also involved somewhat in the Northern Virginia Witches and Pagans Meetup Group.

After a year of being homeless, I find myself once again drawn to the magick and mystery of this Path. I am reading books on the subject, meditating more, and enjoying the outdoors more. I especially enjoy watching the moon at night going through its many phases. Currently I am reading books by Raymond Buckland and Deborah Lipp. I am also learning The Hidden Path divination cards by Raven Grimassi and Stephanie Taylor, with artwork by Mickie Mueller.

As a pagan/witch/wiccan I am no longer restrained by the shallowness and limitations of the Christian Church. I will put down no religion, but my calling seems to be more metaphysical then revelation based. I believe strongly in the line from the movie ‘Inherit the Wind’ where the defense attorney, played by Spencer Tracey, said regarding the Bible – “The Bible is a good book, but it’s not the only book.”

The path of Witchcraft is an inward path and a mystical path. In a way all spiritually minded people are witches – we all believe in some divine being, we live by some code of law, we believe in the concept of magic/miracles, and we all reach for inner transformation.

I am a Witch because I can be nothing other then a Witch. I can’t twiddle my nose like Samantha in Bewitched and cause magick to happen. It doesn’t work that way. And it’s not about that anyway. Witchcraft is about inner transformation, empowerment, magic, and ultimately LOVE. We love, not by judging and condemning, but by understanding and appreciation. All life is sacred because all life comes from a divine source. That should be the heart and soul of any religious path.

Witchcraft satisfies an inner hunger like nothing else. It is a lifelong study and practice that draws me closer to the god/goddess, keeps me open for all sorts of possibilities, and makes me a channel for light and magick. I feel more at home in this vast universe, and more appreciative of life in general. As I celebrate the Sabbats and esbats, I also celebrate the seasons and learn to adapt to each one. No matter what season, I can follow the moon as it waxes and wanes through each of its cycles.

My spiritual journey began with my introduction and acceptance of the Christian path. But even then I knew there had to be more. And there was: Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism, Voodoo, The Golden Dawn, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, and Cabbala, as well as the historical evidence of goddess worship spanning way back into the Old Testament periods.

Witchcraft, in one form or another, has always been here. I embrace it with open arms freely and in sound mind and body. The more I read and study the Craft, the more I am drawn into it. Coming out of the sixties, Witchcraft appeals to me because of its Nature based emphasis, its emphasis on the sacred in everything, its openness to change and its encouragement to grow on whatever Path you are on. Somehow, the idea of celebrating the Goddess out in the openness of nature – singing, chanting, dancing, (skyclad or not) , under an open sky, or under a full moon, appeals to me. Celebrating Nature, and not just theological dogma’s, is what worship is all about.

When I see the full moon in the sky now, I feel like I am walking on sacred ground. The earth is my Cathedral and the Divine is everywhere. I don’t have to worry whether I am theologically sound, or politically correct – it is just me, the goddess, and Mother Nature creating energy and magick through each season, through each rising sun, and through each phase of the moon.

What does it mean to be a Witch? Everything!

So mote it be.

Footnotes:
My personal journey from Christianity to Witchcraft.

Seven Day Desire Spell

Seven Day Desire Spell

You need:

Black seven day candle
Water
Saucer
Paper

Fill your saucer slightly with some water. On a piece of paper write the things you most desire, (like love, money, a job). Fold that up and put it on the saucer (yes, in the water) Now put your seven day candle on top of the paper and light it.

Each night before you go to sleep visualize your desires being obtained.

On the seventh day, snuff out the candle and dispose of it by getting it away from your property.

This spell can be customized by using different colored candles, pink or red for love, purple for spirituality, and so on. The black candle is used for “breaking through” those obstacles that are preventing you from your desires.

No "Let's Talk Witch" Today Instead A Disclaimer

goth114

We are going to update the site this afternoon and tonight. But I want you to know that there will be a disclaimer on this site for the month of October. I am comfortable in doing this because I know our regular followers are all brothers and sisters of the Craft. The reason I am doing this is because I was scrolling through the movies on TV for October. There are tons of Witchcraft and Occult movies on for this month (doesn’t it figure?).

My husband picked out one last night for us to watch. I think I would have rather watched reruns of Hee-Haw. Seriously. It was a movie about teenagers doing a Séance using a Ouija board. The whole thing was pathetic. Then it hit me, Halloween is this month, Samhain for us. But people will watch these movies and run to this site demanding to do Witchcraft NOW! It happens every year, like clock work. The disclaimer isn’t going to be offensive. It will simply explain that magick doesn’t happen with the snap of the fingers. It is a serious Religion and should be regarded as such. It involves study and unless you are not serious about becoming a student of the Craft, please do not demand Magick NOW! Or something like that.

Anyway, you will know what is going on and won’t be surprised when you see it.

Good Sunday Morning My Beloved Family & Friends!

Witchy Comments & Graphics
I hope everyone is having a very Blessed Sunday Morning. It is rather rainy and dreary here today. But we need the rain so I won’t complain.  I got up this morning took my medicine and went back to sleep. I had the TV on when I fell asleep. I woke up to something that made me say, “Thank The Goddess Alive, I am a Witch!” The TV has a church broadcasting on it. The preacher was preaching his hell and brimstone passages as usual.

You ever truly want to be thankful that you are a Witch, Wiccan, Druid or any other Pagan tradition, watch a televised preacher. I am not being nasty or mean, I am being truthful. They fascinate me. They are either preaching their fire and brimstone or wanting money. After listening for a minute or two, I always change the channel. But in those few minutes, I am ever so grateful for our Divine Mother. I am not going to say we don’t have rules and Laws that we don’t have to live by cause we do. But nothing like I learned going to church every Sunday when I was little and what I hear on the TV now. In case I shocked some of you, I grew up in a family with two religious beliefs, one Baptist (my father) the other Witchcraft (my mother).  I guess listening to the Baptist when I was growing up and now today, their story never changes. But our religion is constantly changing. We continuously are learning and growing. We are taught everything about the Universe and most of all the Goddess’ Divine Love.

There is a big difference between the two religions that I can see now. I know the other Religions say their Gods are ever loving. But unfortunately where is the truth in that. Christianity happens to be one of the most bloodiest religions there ever was. Has our Goddess ever asked us to kill anyone in Her Divine name? No. All She has asked is that we find the power within us. The power She gave to  us.  Yes, she gave us power. Power to find, harness and use for the goodness of mankind. Can any other religion say that? I don’t think so. They talk of miracles. Growing up, I never saw any. But with the Goddess, She has given us the power to make our own miracles occur. We can perform magick beyond anyone’s belief. All we have to do with our Holy Mother is just ask and it is done. Thank Goddess, SHE IS ALIVE!!!!

I have always been respectful of other religions. In turn, I expect them to be respectful of my own religion. Tell someone you are a Witch. Go ahead and see what happens. I know. They immediately think you are a Heathren. You don’t have a God or Goddess, you don’t believe in anything. They must save you immediately. If not, you are going straight to hell. If nothing else comes out of this site, I want the world to know that Witchcraft is a religion. We have an almighty Goddess that we worship. She is very much alive.  She grants us the power to do the things necessary in life. She grants us power for the betterment of mankind. Our Goddess is alive. No matter who wants to say all other Gods are dead. This is a lie.  I can feel my Divine Mother all around me. She gives me the words to put on this blog for you to read. She loves each and everyone of us without threatens of hell’s fire and damnation. She loves us because we are Her children. She cares for us in our darkest hour and our finest moments. She is the All.

Witchcraft is one of the most popular and fastest growing Religion in the states. Why? Because people are starting to understand the truth about the Craft. They are starting to come to know the Goddess.  How real She truly is. How all you have to do each day is look around you and you will see Her. She is in everything, every where and every place you look. Her Love for us overflows. People are tired of the mainstream religions. They are looking for something new. They turn to Witchcraft as if it is something new. I hate to burst their bubble but Witchcraft is the oldest religion known. It has not always been known as a religion but thanks to us, people are starting to recognize it that way. We have had I don’t how many come over to our religion in the past month. Just in a month’s time, now! The ones I have talked too are worried about our Religion not having a Divine Being. I want to put your mind to ease, once and for all. We have a Divine Goddess and a God. We are not a Godless religion. We have a Divine Mother. In fact, I consider myself very lucky. I have three Mothers. I have maternal Mother who has passed on, then I have my Deity and I have my Goddess. What  other religion can say that?

But for those of you that are new and scared that you might have made the wrong decision about switching Religions.  Rested assured you didn’t. The Craft is the most beautiful Religion you will ever know. The ones that worry about Witchcraft being a Godless religion, who do you think put that interest in your heart? Who do you think is calling you to this religion? It is our Divine Mother who has done these things. She is the Universe. She is pure Love. All you have to do is open up your heart to Her. Let Her Love fill your heart, your body and your very soul. You will never know such a Love as Hers. I know I haven’t and the others here haven’t either. I believe there is only one thing left to say……..

“Thank The Goddess Alive, I am a Witch!”

Good Afternoon My Dear Family & Friends that I Love So!

Celtic & British Isles Graphics
Contrary to popular belief, I am still alive. I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes. I have a rather nice hole in my hand but the cougar did not mean to harm me.  That’s the reason I ended up with the hole. The cougar was afraid it would cut me and jerked away, when this happened the claw dug deep into my hand. I have had worse than that before. It is really just part of it when you care for wild animals.

I will make this short as possible. I am very troubled and worried about some souls we have amongst us. I believe these individuals are like so many others that have come to us from another Religion. They have wrote me, that they are lost. They want to embrace the Ways of the Old but don’t know how to do it. My heart breaks for these people. Wanting to belong, but not knowing were they fit in. We must take them under our wing and help them in anyway we can.

I have had several that actually want to meet with me. I believe Mystie used my phrase earlier. I would be more than happy to meet with anyone seeking the Goddess. I know what you are hoping for, you will look into my face and there will be the answer. You won’t find the answer, all you will see is an average looking woman stare back at you.

I don’t have the ready made guide for accepting our Religion or our Goddess. But I can try to guide you and see if this Religion is right for you. Also there are other ways in serving the Goddess besides being a witch. Since most of you stated you were confused. I would forget everything I ever knew about the Religion I am coming from. Next, open your heart and your mind. Look for the unexpected. Because the Goddess will give you very subtle signs. She will also reveal information and wonders when She knows you can handle them. The Craft is nothing to rush. There is a year and a day involved in the study of our Religion. Nothing happens overnight, you have to learn it, work for and master it.

Now if you are still with me, I would start out by meditating to find how I am to serve the Goddess.  Meditation will clear your mind. It will help you think more clearly and be able to make decisions you are sure of.  Please don’t think you have to start out meditating for 2 or 3 hours. You can start out simply by meditating for 5 minutes and building up. Let you mind run free. Let it be open that the Goddess wants you to see. Behold the beauty of our Religion. You are entering a world of joy, love, beauty beyond belief. It is a world that only those who choose to follow the Goddess can see.

A world filled with wonders, beauty, love and magick that our mind can not take it all in. But given time, you will. You will live it and breathe it. You will be encompassed in the purest form of Love, the Goddess’ Love. For this is our Religion, Witchcraft.

Welcome dear brother and sister, we are glad you have come to join us. May you come to know the Goddess as each of us here has. May the Goddess fill your life with many blessings. Never close your heart or mind to our Divine Mother. There is always something new and wondrous to behold. Don’t doubt yourself any longer. Clear your mind of confusion and open your heart, the Goddess will do the rest. Only trust and believe in the Greatest Power you will ever know.

Blessings, Peace & Comfort,

Lady of the Abyss

We wanted to do something special for you on this Mabon!

I wanted to do something special for you on this Mabon. I don’t know if you followed long with the ritual or not. Nor do I know if you can’t anything out of it. But I know I did, I suddenly found a peace. A peace that came over me like an ocean. I know now everything is going to work out for the best. It is going to take some work on our part but we can make it happen.

The world is too violent of a place right now. If we don’t step in and do something, then I believe the Goddess is going to get fed up with all of us. Especially us, the witches, because it is our main objective to work for the betterment of mankind. That is why we were given our powers “to better mankind.”

I know there has been times when I have called us together to act as one. But now, as out of hand as the world has gotten we need to do it every day to something gives. Till we see a sign that our work is accomplishing something. There is a lot to be done. Truthfully, I don’t even know where to begin. We have are own government that can’t get along with itself, we have nuclear maniacs or at least we are told that, we have terrorists taking over malls, terrorists killing our troops overseas. It has to stop! We have to be the ones that stop it. Instead of sitting on our butts, we need to hit the floor on bended knee and pray to our Divine Mother.  Pray to Her for guidance, pray to her for her love and most of all her help cleaning the mess this planet is in, UP! Pray to Her that she will guide us and assist wherever we are needed. No matter what it is, we have to act.

The way the world is headed, it won’t go on much longer without Divine intervention. Ask the Goddess or whatever Divine Power you believe in, to help us. For we never need our Divine Mother now more than ever. All we have to do is ask and she will show us. Please pray with me, my friend, please!

This Mabon season as we look around and our bounty runs over with a plentiful harvest. Think of those who are less fortunate and pray for them. Pray that they may come and know the beauty and True Love of our Divine Mother. Pray they will come back to the Ways of the Old. No murders, robberies, mass executions, nuclear bombs, chemical weapons, shall I go on. Pray instead that our new world return to its old Ways. The Ways of the Ancient were Love ruled the land along with peace, harmony and good will. Let us not become so advance that we become barbaric. Remember how it once was, wouldn’t it be lovely if our children could grow up in that world again. They can and we can make it so. Wishing Each & Everyone of my dear family members here,

A Very Prosperous & Blessed Mabon,

Love,

Lady A & The Witches Of The Craft

Blessing of the Book of Shadows

BLESSING OF THE BOOK OF SHADOWS

Hearken as the witch’s word calls to all, a gulf to ford.
Bridge the vast realities. An it harm none, do as ye please.
Elements, protect and guard this book, from wandering eyes and prying looks.
Fill it with thine ancient powers, in this right and ready hour.
Powers of the North, the East below, help me to live, to learn, to grow.
Lend your strength and stability, to practice the Craft and with love be free.
Powers of East, the wind, the Sky, watch over these pages with thine eye.
Your wisdom and knowledge, for these I do ask, that this book be worthy of the
Craft and its task. Powers of South, Fire, and hearth, help these Shadows to
prove their worth. Infuse them with all your healing and passion, so only good
comes from the work that is fashioned. Powers of West, the Water and sea,
change and growth are granted by thee. Bless these pages with all that you know,
that righteous readers may learn and grow. And to the unschooled eye that see,
confusing words and sophistry, lead them from these sacred pages, and bless
their passage through the ages. For free will of all, and harm none, as I have
willed it, it is now done.
So mote it be!

Something To Think About & I Want Your Input, Please!

You can tell you are growing when you have request to branch out. We have had such a request. I have had such a request. It is for us to start a prison ministry. I have received several letters from inmates all over the U. S.,  requesting that we do so. Some request old books of ours that we are through with. One inmate I received a letter from told me he can’t get any Pagan material in his prison. The latest book he has read is “A Witch’s Notebook,” by RavenWolf. Then there are others who want just penpals. Someone knowledgeable in the Craft that they could ask questions (sort of act like a teacher). Then I have others who want us to put out a monthly bulletin. I would love to do this but our budget does not let us do so right now.

 

It is up to you if we go through with this idea. If we are in agreement on going ahead with this project, I will put up a page called “Prison Ministry.” On this page, I will list the inmates and what they have requested. If you can meet that need then you will let me know and I will strike that inmate out. I give you my word as a Witch, I will never let any of your private information available to anyone. I know that these inmates have committed crimes or else they wouldn’t be in prison.

 

There are several old quotes I could use at this time but I won’t. I will confess that I wasn’t really keen on this idea to start with. Then the Goddess spoke to me. “Did I not realize how great Her Love it.”  Was I not the one that insists on spreading our Religion? This avenue has now opened for you and you aren’t going to take it? These inmates are crying out for information on Paganism. There is no one to answer their pleas.

 

I have always said this is your site, I am just the caretaker. Now it is up to you, do we start this Prison Ministry or not? If we start it, it will be something that grows and grows. Are you ready to make a commitment to stick to this Ministry for the long  haul?

 

 

A Sampler of Eclectic Belief

A Sampler of Eclectic Belief

Author:   Bright-Summer Natsukamiki 

I have been on and off Wicca for many years. My mother was Neo-Pagan, and so I suppose I grew up always thinking about Paganism and what it was that I believed myself. For a long time, I didn’t even let it enter my mind. However, I was always a kid that lived within her own head, and the older I became the more time I spent thinking about my personal spirituality. It was only recently that I decided to document all that I held as strong points within my personal faith. My view on our relationship with the Gods, Animism, and Reincarnation are all points elaborated on within this article.

I hope that a look into the belief below offers some insight or contrast to enhance your own personal path. I wrote this and thought it good, so I decided to share the work as an article. I understand if you do not share the same beliefs, I only wanted to write out the path, which I came to follow over my life of study. I first wrote this within my book of shadows and have re-read it since. It is the best summary of my belief system as an Eclectic Wiccan. Many opinions here, I am aware, are universal to the Craft, but others are not so much. Please note that this is my belief at the moment, but I am still young. Practicing as a Wiccan could easily mean that this belief may become outdated to me in future years. However, for now, it is held close.

“I have come to believe that there are many Gods, but all gods are one God in different aspects, and all Goddesses are the one Goddess in different aspects. There are many paths, but each path is true because all that the deities want is for their creatures to find contentment and balance. They require nothing, but deserve all. For the ability not only to believe, but also through belief create, I feel an obligation to praise and give thanks. Thank you, God and Goddess, for the power to create change, and the ability to use our will to bring about that change. This is the greatest gift, and it is the gift that Witches implement in magic to enhance their world.

I believe that perhaps the world was created, and people developed with the animals, in order to make the gods feel a little less lonely. We are all the children of the Parent-Gods, Mother-Goddess and Father-God. However, we have been granted the freedom to bring up ourselves, and one another. We can forge our own paths. The love our Parent-Gods have shown us doesn’t need reciprocation to remain, for they aren’t simply parents either. They are All things and take many forms, Lovers, Friends, Companions to all beings who live, and all things that do not. The Gods and Spirits are ever present, because we are designed to be the companions of Gods.

Since the moment we came to be, each of us has a spirit. Who is to say that we ourselves are not the vessels of the spirits of Gods, that we are not the God/ess in human form for someone who needs us? What separates us is only what they have done, and we have yet to do.

I believe that we can, through our actions and experiences, become Gods of our own. Gods are our potential equals, and that I believe is part of why they grant us such respect and allow such freedom- but we must always consider that Wisdom is the strongest Tool. Wisdom, which is only gained through practice. It is important never to consider yourself ‘above’ any other being – we may become equals, but only after many lifetimes.

I believe that our God-like souls are taken from our bodies in order to be reunited with their home and those who created it. The soul, (our true self) , then would decide how much more practice is needed. We would know instinctively. When the soul is done practicing and learning through its various lives on Earth… that is when it joins the ranks of Gods. We, as People, as Spirits, have far more power than we truly know.

Spirits of the earth exist for things that are inanimate. Such as rocks, formations, rivers, reefs, fields and trees with the age enough to project their Spirits. Potentially, everything could have a Spirit.

The entire universe was created in order for the God and Goddess to be their companions, and potential equals. The goddess can be worshiped as the triple moon because it is symbolic of the universality of her form, and the idea of her watching from the abyss of space, watching over us and out for us. The God can be seen as the sun because his light maintains our life, and without the God we would never have found a balance for life on earth. All things owe the sun deep praise.

The 4 elements as considered first by ancient Greek philosophers were a very simplified and spiritual representation of our very existence. Not only our existence but also our source of life. Without Earth, we could not be. Without Air we could not breathe. Without Water we could not drink, and without Fire we would not have grown into a civilized society, or have found warmth in the wintertime. It is to simplify how much we connect with the world.

Our physical shells were chosen and designed by our souls for a reason. We need to learn to appreciate what we have received because it is what we had wanted, and the reason is to learn.

And so, to Worship is to thank, to Relive is to step up, and to Spellcast is to both thank and Practice Change, so that we may gain the wisdom through our cyclical lives to become a potential future deity once our soul has learned enough. Carve out your path and follow it with confidence, for it will lead you to the greatest possible end. Forever remain both patient and optimistic. Never let your life pass by too quickly. Learn as much wisdom as you can by experiencing as much as is safe. Worship your body, Pay Reverence to all around you, Respect and Grant Praise to your Gods. Do not disrespect anything, because all paths lead to a better future. Ultimately, time can be the greatest force. Diligence, Fun, and Intelligence can be one’s best friends. Train yourself. Love your gods. Your personal power can grow to be enough to change the world. Let it be for the better.”

The Ethics Of Magick

The Ethics Of Magick

Author:   Frances [a WitchVox Sponsor] 

Some people are of the belief that when it comes to the practice of magick that anything goes. Magick is after all, simply that – magick. It is not caught up in ethics or morals. While this is correct, magick is actually shaped by the inner beliefs, ethics and morals of the person who uses it.

In all orthodox religions there are certain laws and regulations of how a follower of that faith should conduct themselves – in Christianity, for example, there are the Ten Commandments. In many Pagan traditions, however, it is believed that there is actually little need for such dogma as each person is ultimately responsible for their actions. Such responsibility can be overwhelming for someone new to Paganism, especially if they come from a more orthodox background, so they find the need to create boundaries in the form of guidelines. Within Wiccan belief there are a number of guidelines such as the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law of Return which are designed to help the newcomer understand the essence of that belief.

The Wiccan Rede is a beautiful piece of poetry whose author is believed to have been the late Doreen Valiente. Within this poem many aspects of Wiccan beliefs and practices are outlined, such as the seasonal wheel of the year, honoring the Goddess and the God, and sacred trees to name a few. The poem ends with eight specific words that many Wiccans consider to be the main guideline as to how they are to live their lives: “If it harms none, do what you will.” Some critics of Wicca see this as an indication for followers to do anything they wish. However, when the statement is given due thought, its true meaning is understood – that as long as your actions do not harm anyone, then you are free to live your life as you please. Some Wiccans take this statement further, relating the “none” to animals and the environment as well.

The Wiccan Rede is a version of the Golden Rule, which can be found in most other religions, the earliest dating back to Confucianism, where a 6th century BCE statement, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others,” can be found. Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and even Sikhism also have variations of the Golden Rule.

The second ethical guideline which many Wiccans follow is that of the Threefold Law of Return, where it is believed that every deed done will return to the doer three times greater. This means that a good deed will return three times stronger, but so will any bad deed that is performed.

Many Wiccans also hold either a belief in the Eastern philosophy of Karma, or the Universal Law of Cause and Effect, where every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Karma is often viewed on a more personal level, that the deeds of one’s life are counteracted in the next life, while the Law of Cause and Effect can be viewed on a more global scale. A good example of the latter is seen in our environment. People in the past have done what they like without concern or respect for the environment or the creatures that live in it. The effects of this lack of regard and respect are the depletion of the ozone layer, rising salt levels due to large scale land clearing, droughts and floods brought on by erratic temperature fluctuations, and so on, that are witnessed today.

Taking Responsibility For Your Actions

As not every person who uses magick follows a Wiccan path and therefore is not necessarily guided by the Wiccan Rede, magick itself does tend to have its own guidelines. What some people do not realize when they first desire to perform magick is that magick is based on energy. When you cast a spell, you are sending out energy. The Universe magnifies this energy and returns it to you. Therefore it is vitally important that, before a person performs any form of magickal act, they are fully aware of the energy exchange and are prepared to take full responsibility for their actions. In magick there is no such thing as coincidences – everything happens for a reason, and when you perform a spell you are creating the reason.

Taking responsibility means being honest with yourself about what you are doing and why. You also need to be able to acknowledge your mistakes and their consequences. Mistakes are often the greatest lessons we can learn in life. To learn from your mistakes, you must closely examine what went wrong and to find a way to rectify the error. However, mistakes when performing magick can have dire consequences, especially if your energy is directed at a particular person.

Magick should never be done on a whim. Before you perform any form of magickal rite you need to look careful at the reasons why you want to use magick to obtain something. You also need to be very clear about what you want to achieve. Some people find it useful to consult one form of divination or another, such as runes or the tarot, prior to casting a spell or magickal rite to determine all possible outcomes. Only when you are sure about what you are doing, should you perform magick.

Due to the amount of “spell books” around it is understandable why some people are of the view that magick is an easy and safe means to get whatever they want. However this is a misconception, for magick is not all that safe if you do not know what you are doing. Things can happen that you did not intend. Those readers who have seen the movie The Craft will be able to relate to the dangers of casting love spells – in the movie, the victim of such a spell became obsessed with the caster of the spell to the stage where he was stalking her. There are also numerous stories about people who have cast money spells and while they did end up with a monetary sum, this was obtained through some kind of personal disaster or upheaval, such as an insurance claim or even a death. Therefore it is vitally important to be very careful about what you ask for, because, as the saying goes, you could very well receive it, but not necessarily through the means you had anticipated.

Magick is serious business and should never be taken lightly. It can be dangerous for those who are unprepared and there are consequences if it is used carelessly or with malicious intent. However, if you abide by a few simple guidelines (such as the Wiccan Rede), take the time to properly understand what you are doing and use it responsibly, magick can help you can achieve positive and rewarding changes in your life.

Good Tuesday Morning! May The Goddess' Love Shine Down On All!

Mystic Goddess who  the night

Lend your wisdom to my sight

Fiery God who lights the days

Guide me in your ancient ways

　

Earth and water, Fire and air

Come and lend your powers here

As we gather the circle ’round

Guard us on this holy ground

　

Salt and censor, scourge and knife

Aid us in our magic rite

Stay with us when we must part

Keep the Craft ‘live in our hearts

So Mote It Be

Spell for Controlling a Situation

SPELL FOR CONTROLLING A SITUATION

Items You Need:

A brown candle

Controlling oil

Parchment paper

A black pen.

Write down your situation on the paper, underneath it write the outcome. Anoint the candle with controlling oil. Put the paper under the candle, then light the candle.

Visualize your problem and it being solved (meditate on it for awhile). Let the candle burn itself out.

Crystal and Candle Spell

CRYSTAL AND CANDLE SPELL

Items needed:

Basic altar set-up
salt
bowl of water
candle in color symbolic of need

Shield, ground, and center. Cast circle

Charge of the Goddess/God.

Cleanse crystal by sprinkling with water, then with salt. Say the following:

“This crystal is hereby cleansed
and dedicated to the workings
of the Goddess and God.”       

With tip of crystal, scratch image, symbolic of need, on candle (i.e., a heart for love, a dollar sign for money, a fist for strength.

As candle is scratched, visualize your need with crystal clarity as if it had already been manifested.

Chant to raise power. Place candle in candleholder, set crystal near it, and light candle.

Watch the burning flame and again strongly visualize and chant &/or drum.
Allow the candle to burn down.