Tag: Crone

Autumn: The Croning Time

Autumn: The Croning Time

Author:   Lady Abigail   

Spirited away, my energy gently glides above the treetops like a down feather blown within the circling wind. Below, I see the quilted workings of Mother Earth in the patches of green grass, freshly plowed ground and fields of grain ready now for the harvest. The air is sweet and cool as it moves round my body and delights me like loving whispers of voices unknown. Faeries dance on wing; their joyous laughter calling my spirit ever on. Reaching down, I try to grasp a bright purple leaf from atop the sugar maple. As my energy moves within the magickal moment, I feel the sun warming me as it moves through the essences of my being, giving glimmers of what possibilities lie just beyond. . .

And then, in a sound, a spark of light, the cracking of a twig, I find myself laying atop the freshly cut hay ready for baling. Yet looking down I find within my hand the big and beautiful purple leaf from the top of the old sugar maple. Did I pick it up in my dreams or from under the tree? In my heart I shall always believe it came within that veil of magick just between dreams and what others call reality.

I always looked forward to sharing my adventures with my Great Grandmother. She, in her wisdom, would listen to each of my quests with attentive wonder and delight. It didn’t matter if they were ones of my chasing a frog down the creek bank for a few short and muddy hours, or those that carried me above the tree tops and into the veils of magick and possibility. She was there for me, smiling and teaching; teaching me many lessons I still remember even today.

Now that Autumn is here and Samhain is quickly approaching, I cannot help but remember the magick I felt and still feel today in this time of changing. The energy seems to rise within my spirit, as it sparks and dances across the essence of my soul. It touches me in memories and stories shared as my Great Grandmother would teach the old ways and the understanding of the Seasons of Life. In this, I again feel I can soar above the treetops in the arms of Autumn.

Fall is more than a season or that time of transition from summer to winter. Fall is what my Great Grandmother called the “Croning Time;” that time where the giving of life moves to the teaching of life within wisdom, no longer giving birth to new life, but nurturing all that is life and all that life brings.

Autumn is the “Spirit Goddess of the Changing.” She is guardian of the Croning Time.” Autumn in Her feminine form, is welcoming us unto Her as She, in wisdom, changes to the Crone. Autumn is a Grandmother Goddess and a keeper of the Cauldron of Life. She is wise with great knowledge and the understanding, which has grown within and of her experiences. Proud and strong, She dresses in the glorious colors of all that She is and shall be again.

As the Great Crone, Autumn, welcomes us with understanding of our own personal changes within the seasons that are life. She teaches us that Fall, as the Croning Time, is a time of celebration and joy. As we celebrate the seasons and ourselves, we find the wisdom within to see the beauty held in all the colors that make life the magick that it truly is.

Today in the eternal goal of everlasting youth, we find disgrace in and hide the changes of our personal seasons of life. Wrinkles are no longer seen as the lines of knowledge and understanding from the roads in life we have traveled and conquered. Now they are marks of shame for what nature brings us. We fight and pull and dug until sometimes, we cannot even recognize the reflection looking back at us in the mirror.

Graying hair is no longer a crown of wisdom, but a symbol of old age to be hidden. Age is no longer held as a destination of honor but is approached with the fear that we will be cast away, unimportant and forgotten. For our society finds it easer to lock away the wisdom of the aged behind closed doors than to seek the secrets held within. Perhaps age causes us dread because it uncovers within what our emotions fear. For when we are faced with those aged by life it reminds us each of the approach of inevitable death. Death no longer being a new beginning but the end of what was.

Autumn, as the Great Crone reminds us, that time life and death are but a thought, a moment flashing past eternity. Not to be feared but each to be relished and enjoyed. For as with the seasons, each holds it on gifts. Spring, Her excitement of the possibilities of the magick life holds anew. Summer, Her knowledge growing as She gives birth to new beginnings and eternal hope. Autumn, in Her wisdom and beauty reminds us of all that we have and all we have to give. Winter, wraps us in Her soft blanket of white that we might rest within the arms of Mother Earth to be reborn again in Spring. For this time shall come again as time circles forward in the Great Wheel of Life.

For thousands of years, women of wisdom and age were honored, valued and revered as the Elder Women. Autumn, as the Spirit Goddess of the Changing, is also the guardian of the Croning Time. Dressed in Her radiant colors, She reminds us of the respect held by those who are entering The Croning Time. Autumn allows us to reclaim our identity and status of the ancients, as Crones and Elders. We are coming of age, accessing our wisdom and acting upon it. Croning is the process of becoming active wise women.

Croning can begin at any age and is particularly relevant for women 45 and older. Yet, even men can become Crones within their on understandings of this passage. Personal experiences of aging provide the understanding of your path within this Time of Changing. It is up to us to decide how the circumstances of life transform us and move us forward.

We can no more hold back time and aging than we can stop the Great Wheel as it moves forward in its seasons. Perhaps the reason we all find such a joyous renewal in the energy of fall is the power that Autumn gives us over the fear of change, in both life and death. Change should not be feared but celebrated, for life has given us another year of wonder, magick and beauty.

My Great Grandmother opened my eyes to the magick of the seasons. She walked with me as I found the Goddess all around me, dressed in Her bright and fiery colors of reds, oranges, purples, and gold’s. When I became tired, she encouraged me to walk forward on the hillsides and watch the morning rise as the glistening dew gave a kaleidoscope of color on the leaves. When I became weak, she would carry me until I could once more hear the sweet mystical voice flowing in the breeze that would renew my spirit.

Autumn is the Croning Time, a time of magick, a time for renewal of spirit. As you experience the mysterious energy of this mystical season, allow the child within you to replenish your soul . . . and again look to the treetops in their beauty and touch the veils beyond.

Now I am the Crone, proud to teach those within my life in honor to my Great Grandmother. Let the magick of the Season truly touch your spirit as you walk forward in the colors of life.

By; Lady Abigail
High Priestess Ravensgrove Coven
Greenfield, IN area
Copyright © 01102009

We Can Change The World

We Can Change The World

Author: Lady Wolfwind

I am growing older. That’s a fact. I’m still in the Mother stage of my life, but I am fast approaching Crone. I am okay with this. More than most people, I would guess. I’ve learned that part of my contribution to society, as a Crone, is to provide wisdom and guidance to those seekers who ask. I’ve fit into this role flawlessly. Most people don’t want to hear what you have to say and if they do, they don’t listen anyway. I’m sure this is just a natural part of life. I never listened to my elders either. I look back on it now and I remember their words. How I wish I’d heeded their advice. The road would have been so much easier and I would have traveled so much farther.

I think that we’ve all learned some hard lessons on our journey. I believe that it’s what life is all about. I believe that our lessons and experiences have shaped who we are and what we believe to be true today. I wonder what experiences have led all of you to the Goddess’s path? What made us choose to be so different than mainstream society and their beliefs?

I was talking to my husband this morning. He is not Pagan, but he respects me for who I am. I had had a conversation with our daughter the previous night and there were some things that were said that bothered me. It seems that in talking to my children, they expect me to “be” a certain way. They have expectations of who I should be and how I should be living my life and even what I should believe. They are grown and out of all the people in my life, they are the ones I feel pressure from to live the way society says I should. To put on a false face to please them and the world. They don’t live near me so there is no embarrassment that Mom is a Pagan. Most time I don’t think they know what it truly means and they don’t care to ask or to listen. They are caught up in living their lives and making a living.

As children, I put aside dealing with my own life and figuring out what I wanted for my future to raise them. I didn’t let my past life experiences determine how I would make decisions regarding them. I have come to realize, now that they are older, I’ve grown into the woman I was meant to become. All of my life experiences have made me who I am. They don’t seem to understand that I had past experiences before they were born. They don’t understand that I am living my life exactly the way I want to. They don’t’ seem to understand that it’s a person’s choice to not fit in. It’s the way it has to be. They talk about their past experiences and lessons and think that if it is so with them, it must be so with me. I can never be the person they think I should be.

My husband feels that this is a lesson for them to learn. That it takes years of wisdom before you understand what I’m trying to say. I’m so afraid that even he doesn’t understand what I’m trying to say. Maybe he feels that I should live like everyone else as well. He is younger than me. He set my fears at rest when he looked me in the eyes and told me, ” There are not many people who have the courage to live as you do.” I knew then that he understands me. He said it with such a deep feeling of respect and love that it brought tears to my eyes.

I am afraid that my children will wish they’d gotten to know me after I pass to the other side. Isn’t that the way it usually is? Don’t we all stand back and wish we’d said this or that? Don’t we wish we’d listened to one more story or just sat a few moments longer? Is there a time when we have that “ah ha” moment when it all becomes crystal clear and we finally put the final piece of the puzzle in place and understand the whole picture we’ve struggled with for so long? It is a sad realization that we never took the time to get to know the ones we love the most. Why do they feel the way they do? Why do they believe what they believe? Why is Mom so quiet? Why does Aunt Mary not cry? Do we know? Do we care? Wouldn’t it be nice to figure it all out while you’re sitting with them, looking into their eyes?

This is one of those lessons that I know will have to be learned the hard way. One day they will realize that I had a life before they were born. One day they will honor my strength for overcoming the obstacles that could have stood in the way of me being a good mother to them. One day, they will understand what it means to be Pagan and they will honor me for my courage to walk a different path. One day, they will realize how much I love them. One day, I will not be here. I want them to know me and understand me before that time comes. I don’t think it will work out that way. I think we all walk around with the wounds of “what if.” I don’t think it has to be that way. I think we need to take more time with the ones we love. We get so caught up in the daily grind. We get angry at each other for things that don’t even really matter. We need to learn to listen, not just hear. We need to listen to their body language, and we need to listen to the voice inflections. We need to listen to the subtle clues that vibrate through the air currents, which tell us about the other person. We need to take a moment each day and consciously decide to learn one thing about another person. Take the time to tell the ones you love how you feel about them.

I think if we would take a few moments each morning, instead of running out the door, to make a decision to slow down for a little while each day. If we would make the choice to not keep procrastinating about visiting our aging mother who tells the same stories over and over, to sit with our child and understand how their understanding the world around them, we would become better people for it. I believe it would change not only the ones we’ve taken the time with, but also ourselves. We have to stop letting life get in the way. I think we would understand how we all became to be the people we are and how the ones around us became the people they are. I think all of us would be able to let things go easier.

I believe, as a society, we have lost the course we were supposed to be on. Somewhere, we allowed money and instant gratification to become more important than even the ones that are supposed to mean the most to us. I think, as a Pagan community, we need to be different than that. I think we need to set the standards and set them high. I think we should start living as we talk, to be the example of change in our world. One person can make a difference. I feel that our time is coming. We need to be united and to send a message to the world. We need to slow down and let the message come through loud and strong. Pagans are about love and about doing what is right. We’re about caring about each other, even others of different races and beliefs. We have to start at home.

Tonight, call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile and tell them how much you’ve missed them. Reach out to someone who’s made you angry and tell them that you have forgiven them, set up a date with your spouse, dinner with your parents, a movie with your kids. Don’t worry about how much it will cost. It will cost you much more to not do these things. Don’t worry about what others will think. It is up to us to be the example. Today is the time to take the first steps toward a new world; one we all know is possible. I don’t believe we can put it off any longer.

Love to all my fellow witches,

Lady Wolfwind

Transitions …my journey from Spring into Autumn

Transitions  …my journey from Spring into Autumn

A child of the Moon is born, to two loving parents. She grows, nurtured by the strength of their love; safe, snug, secure and happy. All is well with her world. She is the Maiden; unfolding, blossoming, learning, yearning, hungry for knowledge. Seeking, wondering, always questioning. Entranced by the esoteric, the mysterious, the doctrines shunned by her parents, beliefs derided or feared, the source of future contention and turmoil. Something beckons… She sees in her world many things, many people. Her grandparents, loving and wise, teach her more of their ways than they realise; their love of the Earth, to plant, to harvest, to give back again, to keep the cycle turning, to see the beauty of the sunrise and sunset. Their own quiet, unspoken spirituality, always hidden, kept very private. She sees her father, the strong, quiet, scientific atheist, and her mother, the emotional, spiritual believer in God. Differences aside, their love is strong. Still, something beckons… As she grows, thoughts and ideas form. She quietly ponders, wonders, in her solitude. Why is she so different? She does not fit into the world of her parents, her brother, or peers. She feels somehow distant, alienated, alone. Her mother, newly Croned, has found new faith in Jehovah; passionately, fervently fresh and fanatical, dangerous, derisive, divisive. The Maiden wants no part of it. The Crone burns the Maiden’s secret treasures out of fear for her daughter’s soul. No respect, trust destroyed, childhood ended. Yet still, something beckons… The Maiden is now a Mother, scarred by the past, but matured, complacent. Her parents still together, father in quiet resignation with the wife, and the life he now knows. Their love is still strong. The new Mother still seeking, yearning, learning, hungry for knowledge, finds solace in crystals and herbal lore while teaching her children love, respect and tolerance. A new freedom of expression is slowly emerging; a desire to heal the heart, the people and the Earth, to plant, to harvest, to give back again, to keep the cycle turning. And still, something beckons… Cronehood fast approaches and still the Mother seeks; forever learning, hungry for knowledge of that which beckons. Fears of history repeating itself as she realises her goal. Has she become like her own mother, or has she learned? She treads softly, quietly, makes no waves, only ripples under the Moonlight. She has learned to stay silent, to hide what she now sees. It is not yet time to reveal new insights. Fear of rejection, ridicule haunts her dreams. Slowly confidence builds, to tell her atheist husband gently, softly, carefully reassuring. This is not a repeat of history but a lesson learned from it. Their love is strong. Cronehood, a heartbeat away, Her time; not of endings but of new beginnings. A time to blossom in the Sunlight with insight of that which beckons; the Goddess, to complement the God, the seen and unseen, dualities in  balance. Yet she has the wisdom to stay silent in the Moonlight as needed. The realisation that what is, always has been. To see the many different paths as aspects of the One, There is no one true path, but many. A time of forgiveness, understanding and tolerance, and to nurture those qualities within herself and others. This is her time, to share with her husband and children the wisdom of the Goddess; the Maiden, Mother and Crone. Their love is strong. Jenny Taylor (Jenwytch) I wrote this poem a while back, about my life and my journey into Witchcraft and Paganism which coincided with the beginnings of my transition from Mother to Crone …a similar age to when my own mother turned to a different spiritual path.  ;-) ~ Jenny

Hecate Ritual: Banishing Negativity

Hecate Ritual: Banishing Negativity

In this ritual you will be calling on Hecate in Her Crone aspect. It is performed during the Dark of the Moon. Some people are fearful of working with the Dark Moon and the Crone, but She is the wise protector who will take your negativity and transform it in her cauldron of change.  Begin by setting up your altar as you normally do for ritual, making sure you have a black candle and wine or water in your chalice in addition to anything else you use. You will also need cleansing, purifying incense and a censer or some kind of container, which can be carried, around your home.  (I use a large shell to hold smoldering charcoal, or stick incense.) It is best to set your altar on the floor for this rite, but you may do it however you feel most comfortable.

Cast your circle as you normally do. When you are through, kneel before your altar and light the black candle. With your arms held, palms upward, at your sides, call Hecate by saying three times:

Hecate, beautiful Crone of Night

I call you here to put things right.

Transform the negative thought and pain

And help my life be whole again.

Close your eyes. When you feel the presence of Hecate and know she is there to help you, open your eyes. Bow your head to her to show your reverence, then take the chalice, saying:   

Lady of the Dark Moon,

Share with me this wine.

Bring your protection to

Flood this life of mine.

May the waters of your eternal womb

Bring change most divine.

Sip a small amount of the wine (or water), envisioning it as liquid energy, flowing to effect a positive change within and outside of you.  Leave the rest as an offering to Hecate.  Light the purifying incense in the censer, cut a door in the Circle, and, beginning in the eastern-most corner of your home, smudge your home, going counter-clockwise. Go into every closet, the bathroom, and the garage – make sure your entire house is smudged. As you go, chant: 

Negativity be gone.

Come back into the Circle and visualize your entire house and yard bathed in a peaceful blue light. Since you have created a void by banishing the negativity, you will need to fill that void. Now going deosil (clock-wise), re-trace your steps through the house, asking that good, protective spirits come into your home and that positive energies replace the negative ones that have just been banished. This is an important step, because if you don’t fill the void with something good, the negativity will come right back. Sometimes during such a ritual, I take one large and one small black stone and charge them to keep away negativity. I promise Hecate that the large one will remain in a prominent place in my house and that I will keep the small one with me at all times.

Thank Hecate. Meditate if you wish, visualizing your life free from negative happenings and feelings and full of love, prosperity, and happiness. Feel how She has changed your home and your life.  Close the Circle and know that it is done.

Crone Chant for Good Judgment

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Crone Chant for Good Judgment

Ancient Hag, Wise Grandmother,
You of Wisdom, like no other,
Help me weigh choices with precision,
To make a good and fair decision
Show me what I need to see,
Shed some light on what should be.
And should I turn a deafened ear
Open it so I can hear
Help me feel what I should know.
Show me now which way to go.    
Guide me in what I just do.
This, Old Crone, I ask of You.

The Goddess and The God

The Goddess and The God

Author:   Danielle.dyer 

The Goddess has been worshipped as a Triple Deity -Maiden, Mother, and Crone (Dark Mother, Wise Woman, The Hag) – from the beginning of religion. The numbers three, and multiples of three, are sacred in many ancient cultures. The priests of Babylon taught that three was a lucky number as well. In the writings of Pythagoras, we find that the philosopher called three a “triple Word, ” meaning that using the number three in particular circumstances, such as repeating spells and rituals three times, can create whatever is held in the mind of the user.

Later in history, the alchemist Paracelsus associated the number three with gold; to alchemists, gold was not so much a physical metal as a symbol for spiritual enlightenment. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tsu said that three is the perfect number, for it engenders all things. In numerology, the number three represents creativity, activity, and knowledge.

Ancient Mystery Schools always had three main steps or degrees through which the student must pass. Today, we still find this idea of three degrees of knowledge used to designate a Witch’s progress in a coven.

We can understand this trinity better if we compare it to the three stages of human life: youth and puberty, adulthood, and old age. Since the Goddess’s power is all encompassing She will present aspects that speak to all humans, regardless of their age. These esoteric ideas cover and comfort from birth to death and beyond.

The first Goddess aspect is the Maiden. This phase holds the matrix of creation, which will produce and create when the time is ripe. She is matter and energy held in suspension until the right time arrives. The Maiden, sometimes called the Virgin or the Huntress, represents the Spring of the year, the dawn, fresh beginnings of all life, the repeating cycle of birth and rebirth, the waxing moon and the crescent moon, enchantment, and seduction. Her traditional color is white. She is the Way-Shower, the Guide through the inner labyrinth to the Divine Center where the greatest of spiritual Mysteries lie.

The second Goddess aspect is the Mother. This is the matrix in motion, the archetype involved in active creation. In humans, the physical desire, the mental will and concentration, and the spiritual balance and understanding are all necessary to produce a desired result. It is easy for humans to identify with the Mother aspect, for they see the Mother around them in all human and animal mothers. The Mother aspect of the Goddess represents the Summer, blazing noon, reproduction, and fertility, the ripeness of life, the Full Moon, and high point in all cycles. Her traditional color is red, the color of blood and life itself. She is the Great Teacher of the Mysteries.

The last aspect is the crone, also called the Dark Mother, the Old Wise One, or the Hag. Since this aspect symbolizes death and dissolution, it is frightening to many people. Everything in the universe has a life cycle, at the end of which they malfunction, decay, and transform into a different set of materials, elements that are recycled and reformed into something new. In humans, the soul is recycled by the Crone and her cauldron into a new incarnation. The Crone represents winter, the night, the universal abyss where life rests before rebirth, the gateway to death and reincarnation, the waning moon and the New Moon, and the deepest of Mysteries and prophecies. Her traditional color is black, and sometimes the deepest of purples or dark blue. She is the Initiator into the Mysteries.

The fact that She is a single archetype plus a trinity of aspects makes Her very complex. It is impossible to reduce the Goddess’s spiritual form and meaning to words on paper. She is the beginning, the ending, and everything in between.

The Horned God has been recognized and worshipped as far back as the Stone Age, where we find paintings of horned, ithyphallic men. The Horned God is not the Christian devil. We find the image of the Pagan God in the Egyptian god Amun-Ra, with his ram’s horns and in the Greek Great God Pan, with his goat horns and hooves. Among the Celts, the Horned God was called Cernunnos. This deity was sometimes linked with the Otherworld, particularly the Underworld section, and reincarnation.

In the original myths concerning the God, one finds him as the co-creator, vital companion, and mystical priest of the Goddess. His prime purpose is to join with Her to create order out of chaos, substance of spiritual matter, and life from universal energies swirling in the dark abyss. His next purpose is to carry out Her will and see that Her laws are obeyed.

The God is also frequently seen in trinity form, although, like the Goddess, His more complex that this simple definition. The three aspects are the Divine Child, the Son/Lover, and the Sacrificed Savior/Lord of Death. Even though these three aspects are the most important, the God has many others: Sky-Father and Ruler of the Heavens, Lord of the Forest and Animals, the Supreme Healer, the Trickster, God of Judgment, the Great Magus or Magician, God of the Waters, and the Hero-Warrior.

As the Divine Child, the God represents beginnings and the start of new cycles. This includes new hope and new opportunities, physical as well as mental, emotional, and spiritual. His traditional color is the dark green of plant life. The Divine Child is the signpost of the inner spiritual journey we each must take, the sign that says, “begin here.” We begin as a child, taking the first tentative steps along an unknown and unfamiliar path that leads to a mystical destination that is difficult to understand until we reach the end.

The Son/Lover aspect symbolizes maturity and responsibility, the desire to take into account the needs of others more than oneself. The God in this aspect balances sexual desire and need with companionship and tenderness. His traditional color is red, the color of the life force and the birth fluids. Combined with the powers of the Goddess, He shows us that there must be a blending of different energies to create. This creation includes ideas, inventions, and the arts. He is the Companion on our spiritual journey, the one who points out the path if we start to go astray.

The Great Rite of Wicca is connected with the Mother aspect of the Goddess and the Son/Lover aspect of the God. Those outside the Wiccan religion can misunderstand this Rite. The Great Rite has its roots in the ancient Sacred Marriage between priestess and King, which dates back to the Neolithic era. Originally, a king or tribal ruler could not hold the office unless he wed the Goddess. He had to be a Chosen One, either appointed by the High Priestess of the tribe’s religion, or have passed certain stringent tests. This esoteric, spiritual marriage was symbolized by actual nuptials between the would-be king and the High Priestess of the Goddess or the land, which included sexual rites.

Today, Wiccan groups usually practice this Rite in symbolic form, rather than in actuality. The symbolic act is the dipping of the athame into a cup of wine or juice during a ritual (the cup symbolizes the womb of the Goddess and the athame the phallus of the God) . Some Witches believe that the priestess should dip the athame into a cup of wine or juice held by the priest. However, you can reverse this, with the priestess holding the cup and the priest using the athame. If the Great Rite is physically performed, it is in private and between a husband and wife, high priestess and priest.

The Sacrificed Savior/Lord of Death aspect of the God can be difficult to understand as the dark aspect of the Crone. Mystery Religions frequently were connected with the Sacrificed Savior, who gave his life so that spiritual knowledge and enlightenment could come into the world. This aspect of the God always resurrected and lived again, reminding us that everything is recycled and that human life reincarnates. The Greeks used the word soter for Savior; soter means “one who sows the seed.” In mythology, the Sacrificed Savior was reborn of the Earth Mother aspect of the Goddess.

The Lord of Death was originally the Lord of Comfort for the souls who rest in the abyss before rebirth. At the will of the Goddess, He gathers souls at the proper time and guides them to the afterlife, while comforting those who fear or are in pain. Under His Celtic guise of Lord or the Wild Hunt, the God sees that karmic debts are paid and that destiny is fulfilled. In this, He is the equivalent of the Greek goddesses, the Erinyes. However, unlike the Erinyes, who relentlessly and mercilessly hunted down those guilty of the breaking of blood laws, the Lord of the Hunt makes certain that the souls He seeks are ready for the transition, that they are in the right place at the right time to meet their destiny.

Although His appearance and actions are fearsome, this aspect of the God is actually one of great compassion. His traditional color is the black of the abyss in the Underworld, the temporary black of death that absorbs and erases pain and suffering. He is the Gate-Keeper, who tests our worth before we are allowed to enter the deepest Mysteries.

The Wiccan Way

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The Wiccan Way

By Paul Seymour

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That each and everyone of the children who follow this path has no need of another between themselves and the Goddess, but may find Her within themselves.

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

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

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

And as it is willed, so mote it be.

Witch’s Rosary

Witch’s Rosary

If these beads sound familiar, it is because they have been borrowed
from The Christian Rosary. And why not? Christians have always
borrowed from Pagans when it comes to spirituality, so why not
borrow back? Remember, all the Gods are One God.

The Rosary was invented in the Middle Ages as a devotion to Mary,
the mother of Jesus. Although the Church is quick to define Mary as
simply “first among the saints,” it is clear the common people from
the first century CE onwards saw Mary as the continuation of the
Queen of Heaven: Astarte in Palestine, or Isis in Egypt. It is
fitting, then, to adapt a Marian devotion for honor to the Goddess,
the Queen of Heaven. These beads honor the Goddess in her three-
fold, or triple, nature as Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

The components of a Witch Rosary are:

1) Moonstone (The Moon)
2) Hematite (Fire)
3) Crystal Quartz (Air)
4) Earth Stone (Earth)
5) Lapis Lazuli (Water)
6) Amber (Sun)
7) Birthstone (Stars)
8) Ankh, as pendant or buckle

Substitutions may be made as follows:

Substitutions may be made as follows:

1) Opal, Mother of Pearl
2) Flame Agate
3) Crystal
4) Emerald
5) Blue Amethyst
6) Chrysolite
7) Gem with a Natural Star
8) No substitute for the Ankh

If worn as a necklace, the stones may be separated by knots in the
cord, or there may be three silver beads between each stone.

If it is worn as a belt, there may be three wooden beads between
each of the leather pouches that holds a stone; these wooden beads
may in turn be separated by knots in the leather cord (usually), if
a cord is used.

You will need:

13 white 8mm beads for the Maiden
13 red 8mm beads for the Mother
13 black mm beads for the Crone
1 silver 10mm bead representing the Full Moon
52 silver spacer beads
(class “E” 6/0) representing the Moonlight.
Nylon thread: white or ecru, or color of choice

You may begin and end stringing anywhere in the loop, but the tie-
off is
less visible in the midst of the black beads.

The silver Moon bead is separated from the White Maiden beads by
four (4) silver spacer beads. Each white Maiden bead is followed by
one silver spacer bead, but the thirteenth bead is followed by four
(4) spacer beads. Then come the red Mother beads, each followed by
one silver spacer, but the 13th bead is followed by four (4)
spacers. Then come the black Crone beads, each followed by one
silver bead, but the 13th is followed by four (4) spacers. And so we
are back at the silver Moon bead. In other words, beads of the same
color are separated by one spacer. The three sets of beads and the
larger Moon bead are separated by four spacers. Thirteen (13) beads
are used in each set to signify the thirteen months of the lunar
year. The silver spacers represent moonlight issuing from the Full
Moon bead throughout the life cycle of Maiden, Mother, Crone.
Prayers are said on each bead, while meditating on the mysteries of
the Triple Goddess, and the experience of the human life cycle. Men
may wish to make a devotion to the Horned God, and honor the life
cycle of Youth, Father, and Sage.

Prayers for your witch’s Rosary

On the silver Moon Bead say:
Blessed Mother, come to me,
and cast your lovely, silver light.
Un-cloud your face that I may see
unveiled, its shining in the night.
Triple Goddess, Blessed Be,
and Merry Meet, my soul’s delight!

On the space say:

I bind unto my self today the
Fertility of the Maiden.

Meditate of the Presence of the Maiden. On each Maiden Bead say:

Maiden daughter, sister, lover,
White-light, Night-light, love’s embrace;
Seeking love, we find each other
By the radiance of your face.

On the space say:

I bind unto myself today the
Power of the Mother.

Meditate on the Presence of the Mother. On each Mother Bead say:

Mother of all, radiant, beaming,
Full and heavy womb with expectation bright;
Be present here, full moonlight gleaming,
And bless your child with truth and light.

On the space say:

I bind unto myself today the
Wisdom of the Crone.

Meditate on the Presence of the Crone. On each Crone Bead say:

Crone now stands in moonlight gleaming,
Starlit night and silver hair;

Peace and wisdom from you streaming,
Goddess, keeper of our care.

On the space say:

I bind unto myself today the
Fertility, Power, and Wisdom of the Goddess.

On the silver Moon Bead conclude:

Blessed Mother, stay by me,
and cast your lovely, silver light.
Un-cloud your face that I may see
unveiled, its shining in the night.
Triple Goddess, Blessed Be,
and Merry Meet, my soul’s delight!
So Mote it be!

Song of the Goddess

Goddess Comments & Graphics
Song of the Goddess

I am the Great Mother, worshipped by all creation and existent prior to their consciousness. I am the primal female force, boundless and eternal.


I am the chaste Goddess of the Moon, the Lady of all magic. The winds and moving leaves sing my name. I wear the crescent Moon upon my brow and my feet rest among the starry heavens. I am mysteries yet unsolved, a path newly set upon. I am a field untouched by the plow. Rejoice in me and know the fullness of youth.


I am the blessed Mother, the gracious Lady of the harvest. I am clothed in the deep, cool wonder of the Earth and the gold of the fields heavy with grain. By me the tides of the Earth are ruled; all things come to  fruition according to my season. I am refuge and healing. I am the life giving Mother, wondrously fertile.
I am the Crone, tender of the unbroken cycle of death and rebirth.  

I am the wheel, the shadow of the Moon. I rule the tides of the oceans and of women and men. I give release and renewal to weary souls.


I am the Goddess of the Moon, the Earth, the Seas. My names are many, yet know that by all names I am the same. I pour forth insight, peace, wisdom and understanding. I am the eternal Maiden, Mother of all, and Crone of reckoning, and I send you blessings of limitless love.


Author Unknown

HEKATE THOU MOTHER OF MIGHT

Goddess Comments & Graphics
HEKATE THOU MOTHER OF MIGHT
by Jeanne Riegler

“Hecate, thou mother of might
Goddess of magick, of storms, of night.
Moon maiden, mother and crone
Dispensing justice from they lofty throne

Watching now with piercing eye
As thy moon palace doth glide the sky
All of life on the planet Earth
Selecting, weighing and measuring it’s worth

Grant us of thy wisdom sublime
Reveal to us the secrets of time
Help us winnow truth from lies
Harken now, please hear out cries

Hekate, thou mother of might
Goddess of crossroads, bearer of light
Moon maiden, mother and crone
Descend unto us from they lofty throne

Walk amongst us and reveal now
The mysteries of thy shining brow
Past, present and future merge
Let us feel thy power surge

Bestow healing upon this planet
Release the songs of thy stones of granite
Help us, strengthen us, in our resolve
To banish all hate, let it dissolve

Hekate, thou mother of might
Goddess of love, giver of sight
Moon maiden, mother and crone
Ensconced upon thy lofty throne
Acknowledge us, who by our own choice
Have chosen to listen to thy voice
Help us spread wisdom, truth, love and light
To save Earth from her desperate plight

We bide the Wiccan Reed to fulfill
“And ye harm none, do what thou will…”
Help us grow in serving thee
As we will, so mote it be.

Hekate, thou mother of might
Robed in splendor, beauteous, bright
Moon maiden, mother and crone
Shine upon us from thy lofty throne.”

About.com: 12 Days of Yule Devotionals (Day 3)

About.com

 

Day 3: A Prayer to the Winter Goddess                              
Patti Wigington
From Patti Wigington, your Guide to Paganism /Wicca                                                                           
Take a moment to embrace the chilly, icy weather of winter as Yule approaches. As you meditate on this devotional, take a moment to reflect upon the positive aspects of this dark season.

A Prayer to the Winter Goddess                            

Despite the fact that some people hate cold weather, it does have its advantages. After all, a good cold day gives us an opportunity to cuddle up indoors with the people we love the most.

 

O! Mighty goddess, in silvery ice,

watching over us as we sleep,

a layer of shining white,

covering the earth each night,

frost on the world and in the soul,

we thank you for visiting us.

Because of you, we seek warmth

in the comfort of our homes and hearths.

 

Additional Reading                            

Yule is the time of the Winter Solstice, and for some Wiccans, it’s a time to say goodbye to the old, and welcome the new. As the sun returns to the earth, life begins once more — it’s a time to bid the Crone farewell, and invite the Maiden back into our lives. Celebrate the divine with a Goddess Rite for Solitaries or for Groups.
 

Tomorrow: Counting Your Blessings                            

                                        This email is written by:                                                                      Patti Wigington                                                          Paganism / Wicca Guide                                        

THE WICCAN WAY

THE WICCAN WAY

 

Recognizing that there is more than one path to spiritual enlightenment and that

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And as it is willed, so mote it be

The Crone

The Crone

The Crone is a being of age-old wisdom. She is shrew and counsels well. She
cares for the Maiden and the Mother as well as the off-spring thereof. She is
logical and can be terrible in her vengeance. She stands at the door to the
dimension of death. In human years, she is approximately 45 or older.  The Crone is the Most difficult of the three to place in human age. The Crone’s
traditional colors are black, gray, purple, brown or midnight blue.

Rituals using the Crone

—————————————————————————-
* Ending relationships, jobs, friendships
—————————————————————————-
* Menopause, or coming to terms with aging.
—————————————————————————-
* Divorce.
—————————————————————————-
* A regrouping of energies needed at the end of a cycle of activity or problem.
—————————————————————————-
* Rest and calmness before making new goals and plans.
—————————————————————————-
* When the garden or plants are ready for winter.
—————————————————————————-
* Harassment of any kind.
—————————————————————————-
* Retribution on rapists, murderers, abusers.
—————————————————————————-
* On the death of a person or pet; of any animal or human. Contemplation at the end of your own life cycle.
—————————————————————————-
* When moving from a dwelling or job.
—————————————————————————-
* When strong protection is needed for attacks on the physical or psychic
levels, or even annoyance by spirits.
—————————————————————————-
* To understand the deepest of mysteries.
—————————————————————————-
* Developing trance or communication with the guides or other spirits.

The Triple Goddess

The Triple Goddess

 

Another of the differences in beliefs is the idea of a Triple Goddess. This is something that is not found in Traditional Witchcraft. The Goddess is not seen  in the forms of Maiden Mother and Crone, but rather as having three functions. Each of these three functions will have something to do with a specific path  that one would follow, so the Witch will only follow and honor one of the Goddess’s three functions. At other times in their lives, they may find a need  to draw from one of the other two functions of their chosen Goddess, but there is always one of the three that is more pronounced and important to them.

The idea of the Triple Goddess, or any Deities seen in three forms or phases, has been traced back to Anatolia (now called Turkey), where in around 7,000 BC  a Goddess being worshiped in the triple form of virgin, mother, and hag was found. However, sine this is the only place that this practice was seen, and this  was in the Near East and not in Europe, it’s not something that is part of Traditional Witchcraft.

How To Honor the Dark Mother at Mabon

How To Honor the Dark Mother at Mabon

By , About.com Guide

Demeter and Persephone are strongly connected to the time of the Autumn Equinox. When Hades abducted Persephone, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually led to the earth falling into darkness each winter. This is the time of the Dark Mother, the Crone aspect of the triple goddess. The goddess is bearing this time not a basket of flowers, but a sickle and scythe. She is prepared to reap what has been sown.

The earth dies a little each day, and we must embrace this slow descent into dark before we can truly appreciate the light that will return in a few months.

Here’s How:

  1. This ritual welcomes the Dark Mother, and celebrates that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Decorate your altar with symbols of Demeter and her daughter — flowers in red and yellow for Demeter, purple or black for Persephone, stalks of wheat, Indian corn, sickles, baskets. Have a candle on hand to represent each of them — harvest colors for Demeter, black for Persephone. You’ll also need a chalice of wine, or grape juice if you prefer, and a pomegranate.
  2. If you normally cast a circle, or call the quarters, do so now. Turn to the altar, and light the Persephone candle. Say:The land is beginning to die, and the soil grows cold. The fertile womb of the earth has gone barren. As Persephone descended into the Underworld, So the earth continues its descent into night. As Demeter mourns the loss of her daughter, So we mourn the days drawing shorter. The winter will soon be here.
  3. Light the Demeter candle, and say:In her anger and sorrow, Demeter roamed the earth, And the crops died, and life withered and the soil went dormant. In grief, she traveled looking for her lost child, Leaving darkness behind in her wake. We feel the mother’s pain, and our hearts break for her, As she searches for the child she gave birth to. We welcome the darkness, in her honor.
  4. Break open the pomegranate (it’s a good idea to have a bowl to catch the drippings), and take out six seeds. Place them on the altar. Say:Six months of light, and six months of dark. The earth goes to sleep, and later wakes again. O dark mother, we honor you this night, And dance in your shadows. We embrace that which is the darkness, And celebrate the life of the Crone. Take a sip of the wine, and savor the taste upon your lips. If you are doing this rite with a group, pass it to each person in the circle. As each person drinks, they should say:Blessings to the dark goddess on this night, and every other.
  5. As the wine is replaced upon the altar, hold your arms out in the Goddess position, and take a moment to reflect on the darker aspects of the human experience. Think of all the goddesses who evoke the night, and call out:Demeter, Inanna, Kali, Tiamet, Hecate, Nemesis, Morrighan. Bringers of destruction and darkness, I embrace you tonight. Without rage, we cannot feel love, Without pain, we cannot feel happiness, Without the night, there is no day, Without death, there is no life. Great goddesses of the night, I thank you.
  6. Take a few moments to meditate on the darker aspects of your own soul. Is there a pain you’ve been longing to get rid of? Is there anger and frustration that you’ve been unable to move past? Is there someone who’s hurt you, but you haven’t told them how you feel? Now is the time to take this energy and turn it to your own purposes. Take any pain inside you, and reverse it so that it becomes a positive experience. If you’re not suffering from anything hurtful, count your blessings, and reflect on a time in your life when you weren’t so fortunate.When you are ready, end the ritual.
  7. You may wish to tie this rite into a celebration of the Harvest Moon.

What You Need

  • A candle to represent Demeter
  • A candle to represent Persephone
  • Wine or grape juice
  • A pomegranate (and a bowl)

Calendar of the Sun for September 21

Calendar of the Sun

21 Halegmonath

Mielikki’s Day

Color: Forest green
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of dark green place a bowl of spring water surrounded by pine branches, and around this place the figures of many wild animals of the forest. Drums should surround the altar, with a hunting drum taking pride of place.
Offerings: Leave food out in the wild places for the creatures who live there.
Daily Meal: Wild game, if possible.

Invocation to Mielikki

Mistress of the forests,
Green mother of all the wild things,
Clear-skinned crone, fair to look upon,
Take the golden keys from the ring at your thigh
And unlock the storehouse of which you are the keeper,
The storehouse of Tapio, your husband.
Unlock the forests to the hunters,
Shift the forest stronghold
On the days of the prey-search!
Delicate forest maiden,
Mead-mouthed bride of Tapio,
Protect well your flocks and herds
Down to the least squirrel and bat,
For we know that you love them all well.
We will not steal from your pantry
Without your leave, without your blessing,
So send us that blessing when the winter comes
And our bellies are cold and empty.
Kindly forest mistress, honey-sweet crone,
With your fingers and hair adorned with gold,
Green-cloaked dame of the thicket,
Red-shoed lady of the swamp,
Bless us with your bounty
For we come always with respect.

(All should come forward and take the drums, and a drum circle should commence. Any who are moved to do so can dance, taking on the forms of wild animals, in honor of Mielikki.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

New To The Craft – Questions to Ask Yourself

New To The Craft – Questions To Ask Yourself

 

I can’t tell you the right path for you to take to your personal goddess; no one can. Each Witch is different, and we walk many different roads to get to where we are going. I can, however, suggest a few questions for you to ask yourself as you travel.

Do I feel drawn to the Goddess in her manifestation as Maiden, Mother, or Crone?

Is my Goddess more light than dark or more dark than light?

Am I looking for a Goddess from a particular pantheon, mythology or culture?

Do I feel as special connection to any animals, birds, or totems?

Is my Goddess more nurturing or is she a warrior?

Does my Goddess have a consort I will also worship?

What do I want from this relationship? Support? Strength? Wisdom? Righteous anger on my behalf? Love? A kick in the butt? (Different Goddesses will definitely give you different things—including the last, if you need it!)

If you can come up with a list that has the answers to these questions, as well as anything else you can think of that applies to your path and your practice of magick, you should be able to find the Goddess you seek, or any of the myriad of wonderful reference materials on Pagan deities.

In the end, the search is just as much a part of your magickal education as anything else you will pursue during the course of your magickal studies. And whether or not you find your personal Goddess right away or continue to call  on her in a more general form, rest assured that even if you don’t know her name, she knows yours. And She hears your prayers, no matter what you call her.

Excerpt from:

Find Your Personal Goddess
By Deborah Blake
Llewellyn’s 2012 Magickal Almanac

How To Hold a Mabon Apple Harvest Rite

How To Hold a Mabon Apple Harvest Rite

Mabon the Autumn Equinox , is celebrated in many ways around the world. It is a day of balance, with equal amounts of darkness and light, but soon, winter will arrive. In some Wiccan traditions, it marks the time when the Sun King descends into the underworld, from which he will be reborn atYule

In many pantheons, the apple is a symbol of the Divine. Apple trees. are representative of wisdom and guidance. This apple ritual will allow you time to thank the gods for their bounty and blessings, and to enjoy the magic of the earth before the winds of winter blow through.

Difficulty:

Average

Time Required:

Varied

Here’s How:

Decorate your altar with symbols of the season — a basket of gourds or small pumpkins, colorful fall leaves, acorns ,vines,, grapes or blackberries. You’ll also need a pair of orange candles to symbolize the harvest, a cup of cider or wine, and an apple.

If your tradition requires you to cast a circle, do so now. Light your harvest candles. Face the altar and hold the apple in both hands. If you can do this rite outside, raise the apple up to the sky, and feel the wisdom and energy of the gods coming to you. Say

The apple is sacred, a symbol of the gods,
and holds the knowledge of the ancients inside.
Tonight I ask the gods to bless me with their wisdom

1. Slice the apple in half across the middle. Where the seeds are, you will see a five-pointed star. Place the two halves in the center of your altar. Say:

Five points in a star, hidden inside.
One for earth, one for air, one for fire,
one for water, and the last for spirit.

Turn to the north, arms raised to the heavens, and say:

The world passes from light into darkness,
and the golden fields of the earth bring the promise
of food and nourishment through the winter.

Face east, and say:

I stand on the threshold of the darkness,
and know that the summer breezes give way to autumn chill,
which bring forth the blazes of color in the trees.

Next, turn to the south and say:

I call upon the wise ones, the ancient gods,
as the sun moves away and fire fades,
to be replaced with the chill of the night.

Finally, face west, and say

I will reflect on the guidance of the gods,
and let the cool autumn rains wash over me,
cleansing my heart and soul.

Raise the cup of wine or cider to the sky, and toast the gods. Say:

The wild god returns this night to the belly of the Mother.
The mother goddess tonight becomes the Crone.
As the Wheel of the Year turns, the earth dies a bit each day.
I willingly follow the old gods into the darkness,
where they will watch over me, protect me, and keep me safe.

Sip from the cup, and as you drink your wine or cider, think about the power and energy of the Divine, in whatever aspect you choose to honor.

Extinguish one of the candles, and say:

The wild god has gone to rest in the Underworld.
I look to the darkness for renewal and rebirth.

Extinguish the other candle, and say:

The mother goddess has entered her most powerful stage.
She is the Crone, the wise one, and I ask for her blessing.

Stand in the darkness for a moment. Reflect upon all the changes that are to come, and those things that will stay constant. Feel the energy of the gods as you connect to them, and understand that even though winter is coming, the light will return again.

When you are ready, end the ritual.

Tips:

Leave the apples on your altar overnight, and the next morning, put them in your garden as an offering to the earth.

Feel free to replace the wild god and mother goddess with the names of deities from your own tradition.

What You Need:

A pair of orange candles.

A cup of cider or wine.

An apple and something to cut it with.

Goddess Bless & Good Wednesday to you, dear friends!

Goddess Comments & Graphics

AMAZING GRACE

          Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth

that bore a witch like me!

I once was burned, now I survive,

was hung and now I sing.

T’was grace that drew down the moon

and grace that raised the seas.

The magic in the people’s will will

set our Mother free.

We face the East and breathe the winds

that move across this earth.

From gentle breeze to hurricane

our breath will bring forth the change.

 Turn towards the South and feel the fir

e that burns in you and me.

 The spirit’s flame will rise again

 and burn eternally.

We greet the West, our souls awash

in tides of primal birth.

Our tears and blood, our pain and love

will cleanse and heal the earth.

Reach into the North and know your roots

 down deep ancestral caves.

We find the wisdom of the Crone,

 Of circles we are made.

Amazing earth, enduring life,

from death into rebirth.

 T’is earth I am and earth I love

and earth I’ll always be.

 Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth

 that bore witches like we.

We once were burned, now we survive,

were hung and now we sing.

Goddess bless, so mote it be,

Our magic spirals on.

Merry meet and merry part

and merry meet again.

Our Goddess Lives Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Blessed Be!

 

~Magickal Graphics~

The Wicca Book of Days for July 10 – Hello, Holla!

The Wicca Book of Days for July 10th

Hello, Holla!

 

It is a Wiccan tradition to pay tribute today to the underworld Goddesses called Holla (or Holda) among the Germanic peoples, and Hel (or Hella) by Scandinavians, Northern European Goddesses who can be equated with the Greek Hecate and the Goddess in her Crone aspect. In Norse mythology, the repulsive Hel, the daughter of the trickster Loki and the giantess Angurboda, ruled over Helheim, the realm of those who had not died as warriors. The Germanic Holla had redeeming features, such as the power to infuse newborns with souls released from her dark land.

 

The Silvery Moon

Look up at a clear night sky and you’ll see why the color that corresponds to the moon is silver. The qualities associated with silver are therefore lunar such as dreamy intuition and mystical insight. Develop these characteristics within yourself today by wearing silvery hues.