Tag: Human

Daily OM for December 14th – As Good as Your Word

As Good as Your Word
Promises

 

 

We forget how powerful our words are and when make promises it is up to us to make sure we keep our words sacred. 

Ever since human beings could speak to one another, they have been making promises and keeping them or not keeping them. Those who keep their promises are regarded as people of integrity, while those who don’t keep their promises are regarded as people who at best can’t be taken seriously and at worst can’t be trusted. Sometimes we forget how powerful our words are, and we use them haphazardly or unconsciously, creating expectations that are never fulfilled, leaving disappointment and distrust in our wake.

On an even deeper level, there are promises we may have made to ourselves that we don’t remember because they have slipped into our unconscious. An early heartache may have been followed by a promise never to trust love again. Without realizing it, we may be fulfilling that promise and wondering why our love life looks so grim. At an even deeper level, many people who recall past lives become aware that they made a promise lifetimes ago that they are still keeping. For example, a vow of poverty taken in a lifetime as a monk may be holding someone back from fulfilling his earning potential now. Upon realizing that we have made a promise we no longer wish to be beholden to, we can perform a ritual of requesting release from that bond. In doing so, we clear ourselves of outmoded connections and patterns, returning ourselves to a clean slate. Then we can resolve to remember that our word is sacred and to be very conscious of any promises we make to ourselves or to others.

We may ask to be released from any promises made to ourselves or others in our present, past, or future lives, consciously or unconsciously, that are holding us back from fulfilling our greatest good. We may ask that love, light, and healing be sent to any souls who have suffered from our inability to be true to our word, including ourselves. We can ask for the wisdom to do our best and from this point forward to be true to our word, promising only what we truly intend to deliver. The resulting clear conscience and liberated energy will illustrate this truth: We are only as good as our word.

Today’s Tarot Card for December 12th is The Hierophant

The Hierophant

This Tarot Deck: Ukiyoe

General Meaning: Traditionally known as the Hierophant, this card refers to a Master and the learning of practical lessons from the study of Natural Law. This energy of this card points to some agent or resource that can reveal the secrets of life, the cycles of the moon and tides, the links between human beings and the heavens.

Because monasteries were the only places a person could learn to read and write in the middle ages, a Hierophant was one to whom a student would petition for entry. He was the one to set the curriculum for the neophyte’s course of study.

Often pictured with the right hand raised in blessing, the Hierophant is linked with the ancient lineage of Melchezidek, initiator of the Hebrew priestly tradition, the one who passes on the teachings. All shamans of any tradition draw upon this archetype.

A House Faery Charm

A House Faery Charm

 
 
Go through your usual evening routine. For me that includes one last trip through the living room and kitchen to tidy up and make sure all the doors are locked, all the lights are turned out, and any burning candles have been snuffed. Then, as you are ready to turn in, go to the heart of the home and quietly whisper this charm:

Beloved brownies and faeries of my house,
I whisper my thanks, as quiet as a mouse.
Watch over my family, protect my pets,
Thank you for your help as I go off to rest.
Close the charm by saying:
By the hearth and home this charm is sung.
For the good of all, with harm to none.

Your Daily Number for December 11th: 5

You may find yourself discussing or embarking on a trip today. Not a great day for details; it’s better to take advantage of today’s self-promoting energy to get off the beaten path and be social.

Fast Facts

About the Number 5

Theme: Resourceful, Adventure, Speculation, Travel
Astro Association: Taurus
Tarot Association: Hierophant

Druidic Wicca: A Deeper Exploration

Druidic Wicca: A Deeper Exploration

Author: Rev. OakLore

Human beings are drawn naturally toward the mystical. Perhaps it is the Divine seed within us that whispers to our spirits and beckons scholars and skeptics alike to contemplate the timeless message of the Druid tradition.

What would the world look like if seen through a Druid’s eyes? Nature would be elevated, once again, into a position of noble equality. It would be revered and protected as a sentient living and Divine presence. It would no longer be seen as something to simply dominate and exploit for wealth, entertainment or power. The mystery of nature would reemerge and we would suddenly be filled with wonder.

Within the wonder and mystery of nature is the flame of hope for mankind. Druids kindle and tend that flame with great care, full in the knowledge that what good is performed today, shall forever be felt in the years and generations to come. Humankind must not remain alienated from the very home of our spirit, but return to it, love it and celebrate that union, found in the gentle rhythms of the world of Druids.

Why The Druid Path?

Druids receive Divine inspiration or “Awen, ” which manifests itself in a variety of ways. Inwardly, the changes are subtle ones. Our conscious minds are opened to the greater possibilities of the world and awaken, thirsting for knowledge. Our subconscious minds are opened and the mystery within pours forth and awakens in us senses, long asleep, and we are suddenly aware of the unseen world. These gifts enable us to grow and continue our journey toward enlightenment, gathering in the knowledge and wisdom of those who journey with us now, and all those who have traveled this way before us. We together — past, present and future — shall converge in the center of all that is and find the source of Awen, which is Truth.

Druid spirituality is simplistic: Nature is Divine. There is nothing to divide you from your Gods, for They are manifest in everything! They speak in the soft whisper of wind stirring the trees. They sing with the water rushing in the streambed. They sprint through the forest, wing breathlessly skyward or remain as still as stone. Our hearts cannot escape Their gentle touch and neither shall They remain untouched by the love we give Them in return.

But Druid spirituality is also complex. We honor simplicity yet highly value the pursuit of knowledge and truth. The exploration and quest for truth becomes one of such intensity as to almost define a person’s soul. We explore the concept of reality and existence and its impact on the trinity of body, mind and spirit. We find ourselves provoked to deeper thought and further exploration and interpretation of life experiences. So too do we engage in conscious devotion to spiritual pursuits and the soulful exploration of our higher self. We seek the love, comfort and affirmation of communion with the Divine.

The term “spiritual progression” can probably best be defined as a labyrinth, in which we slowly, through the course of many lifetimes, achieve a greater understanding and awareness of our spiritual self, as well as the universe and the nature of all existences. This journey takes place on the plane of “Anwynn” or “place of rebirth.” It is here that our energy consummates its eternal longing for the Divine creator. This is the place of soul rest where healing and compassionate understanding is a sweet cup from which we drink. As we traverse the wheel time and again through the natural process of birth and death and rebirth, we attain spiritual progression. The purpose of spiritual progression is to bring the soul to a level that Buddhists might characterize as “total enlightenment.” This level of achievement is marked by a shift in awareness to embrace, with total understanding, the mysteries of the universe. Without further need to experience the mortal plane, the spirit moves away from the process of rebirth and goes to its ultimate reward, union with the Divine.

A Druid better understands these mysteries by mapping the soul’s journey through time. The Druid calendar is divided into an eight-fold year. Each holiday represents an event in time, the changing of seasons and celebration of the fertility and abundance of this our Earth Mother. There are four solar festivals, which celebrate the equinoxes and solstices dividing the year into four equal parts. There are four fire festivals that commemorate historical events as well as the passage of time.
Upon this wheel of the year we can plot the course of a human lifetime: birth, coming of age, young adulthood, middle age, elder years and finally death. This is a gentle and comforting wisdom that instills in us the natural cycle of our existence, which is in harmony with the cycle of all creation. We discover our own mortality and also the promise of immortality secure in the knowledge that the circle of life is indeed a circle.

We often find ourselves filled to brimming with the knowledge we gain as we traverse the wheel. We seek out means by which we can express and/or illustrate these events making them available to others. We reach into our own center to find wisdom and embrace the sacredness of life. Through artistic expression, esoteric knowledge, divination, natural philosophy and other means, we share what we have learned, as we walk the paths of the Bard, the Ovate and the Druid.

Contemporary Druids hold as truth that the mortal soul is not limited unto itself, but enjoys a greater communion with the energy of all living things and indeed the Divine source. When we come fully into this awareness there is within us a startling metamorphosis. We begin to see clearly our connection with all life and know that all life is sacred. That sacredness not only forms the foundation of all life, but is the root of Druid philosophy.

Chris Travers in his 1996 essay, Who were the Druids writes, “The picture that emerges of a druid is one of a thoughtful philosopher and magician, schooled in the lore of the traditions, and in charge of the education of the chieftains as well as those who sought esoteric knowledge. A druid is a knower of truth.”

So we see that from both historical and contemporary perspectives, Druid philosophy, though shrouded in mythological beginnings, has a poignant relevance in today’s world. Druidry is the wellspring from which human beings will begin to once again recognize and accept our role in the circle of life, rather than trying to dominate or change it. We will begin to honor and love all creation, for it is the embodiment of the Divine. We shall honor our ancestors and harken to their voices and their spirit. We will not be afraid of the wildness of our own spirit that beckons us to explore and renew our connection with the blessed land and with the Gods. We will walk with dignity these modern times, and live the Elder Ways not only for the betterment of self, but for the benefit of all.

The Harmony of Wicca and Druidry

“While the cunning folk (Witches) worked alone or in small groups, and were the local wise people and healers in rural communities, the Druids were an organized elite, exempt from warfare and paying taxes, and they acted as judges, teachers, philosophers and advisors to chieftains, kings and queens. They appear very different to the image that we hold of Witches, until we examine them in more detail.”

— Excerpt from Druidcraft: the Magic of Wicca and Druidry by Philip Carr-Gomm

From the writings of the earliest historians of the period, we have come to know that Druidry as an ancient practice was divided into three areas of specialization: Bard, Ovate and Druid. The Druids were priests, teachers, philosophers, and in many cases, as experts in the law, would preside as judges and mediators. The Bards were poets, musicians, storytellers, keepers of lore and myth; they were enchanters, as easily able to bewitch as to entertain. But of these specializations, it was the Ovates—the seers and diviners, healers and herbalists—that are most akin to what we would describe as “witches.”

With the coming of Christianity to Western Europe around the sixth century C.E., the Druids had been assimilated as part of the professional elite in the new social order. Their assimilation was both professional and religious; they were compelled to embrace the new faith and apply their expertise toward building a society ruled by the church. On the other hand, the Bardic profession continued to flourish, although its religious emphasis (being pre-Christian) became somewhat diminished. Bardic schools continued to exist in Ireland, Scotland and Wales even into the seventeenth century. The Ovates, however, seemed to disappear from all record.

What this suggests however is not that the Ovatic stream died off—much to the contrary in fact—rather that it went underground. The teachings though less formal than before, became passed from generation to generation in a largely oral tradition. Evidence suggests that over the generations that came after them, the Ovates eventually became known, in close-knit circles, as “cunning folk, ” or “Wicca, ” meaning “wise ones.” It is from this meaning that the modern term “Wicca” finds its place in contemporary Paganism.

In the same chapter of the book Druidcraft as is quoted above, author Philip Carr Gomm goes on to say, “When the two worlds of Witchcraft and Druidry are brought together, we find at the place of their meeting the figure of the ‘Ovate-Witch’ who presides over a knowledge of the mysteries of Life and Death, whose cauldron offers the wisdom that is known in Druidry as ‘Bright Knowledge.'”

It is easy to see then where the harmony between Wicca and Druidry lies; for indeed Wicca owes its origins to Druidry, and Druidry, in no small way owes its survival to the Wicca, who in generations before them were the Ovates of the ancient world. It was these “wise ones” who passed on their teachings through the generations, keeping their folk magick alive long enough to be re-discovered, revived and re-invented by scholars and visionaries like Gerald Gardner and Ross Nichols.

A modern embrace of Druidry and Wicca together as a way of life may involve a study of folk magick and metaphysics, respecting certain ceremonial rites and liturgies of worship, while also exploring the disciplines of philosophy, sciences and the arts, and culminate in an endless pursuit of knowledge, both spiritual and scientific. At the core of Celtic spirituality is the belief that all things are connected. It is a concept expressed in the earliest examples of Celtic art and literature, and remains a part of our spiritual heritage. And it is profoundly at the heart of what we mean by “the harmony of Wicca and Druidry;” that each tradition compliments the other, and can powerfully enrich the life of any Pagan.

In the Fellowship of Anamastia, we seek that enrichment through scholarship and well-founded liturgical expression that brings into our worship a marriage of the best aspects of both traditions. It is that which both illuminates the past and shapes our understanding of how to build a better future for the Earth and all the creatures that live upon Her. For more information visit us on the web at http://anamastia.webs.com.


Footnotes:
Nichols, Ross. The Book of Druidry. London: Thorsons, 1990.

Carr-Gomm, Philip, et. al. The Druid Renaissance: The Voice of Druidry Today. London: Thorsons, 1996.

Orr, Emma Restall. Principles of Druidry. London: Thorsons, 1999.

Rutherford, Ward. Celtic Lore: The History of the Druids and Their Timeless Traditions. London: Thorsons, 1993.

Carr-Gomm, Philip. Druidcraft: The Magic of Wicca and Druidry. London: Thorsons, 2002.

Buckland, Raymond. Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1986.

Travers, Chris. Who Were the Druids?. accessnewage.com. 1996.

The Karma Hypothesis

The Karma Hypothesis

Author: Pagan Media that Bites.Com

“Karma is going to get you!” Really, oh really. I am an experienced mage and sage and I find that people tend to use the threat of Karma all too conveniently without a simple understanding of what Karma really is or the grass roots of the idea of Karma! I personally don’t believe that Karma ‘is going to get you’. In fact, I know Karma can’t get anyone. In the simplest refined thought, I find people who use this threat of Karma are a step down from folks who say, “That is a sin. You are going to hell”.

Let me explain the true ideology of Karma. If you read up on Buddhism they strike down the vulgar connotation that Western society has brought Karma to which, is unnecessary excessive baggage of fear mechanisms, i.e.: Something bad happens to another and they think, “ See that is Karma; it bit so and so in the butt. Karma got him/her!”

Buddhists actually liken that to ‘karmic fatalism’. It is as a crass derivative of western thought used in order to justify human suffering or undignified human injustice! Basically a person who uses this tactic is indeed saying that someone deserves to suffer, that people deserve injustices imposed upon them (such being targeted, lied about or being ganged up by others) .

Buddhists will tell you that this way of thinking of Karma is a misconception, is false and is NOT the true ideology of Karma. Early Buddhists and the grass roots of Karma was non fatalistic. Early Buddhists saw Karma as being of free will and free spirit but with feedback loops. Sort of like a parent guiding a child, you take two steps back and three steps forward to correct a behavior. Instead of Karma serving as a fatal act of causation, it was merely a stepping stone to help a person analyze a set of behaviors within him/herself and divert those behaviors in any direction that the Karmic person chooses by taking steps to promote the growth of one’s eternal spirit.

Karma was never meant to force a person to bow down with resigned powerlessness. It was never deemed nor meant to be an opportunity for someone to exercise infinite power over others by saying, ”Karma is going to get you!” It indeed was meant to invoke power into each person for growth, spiritual balance, and achievement and encourage the prospect of becoming an enlightened human being. So there you have it once more: Western society takes a concept and annihilates the true meaning of something good and makes into something dark and putrid in its menacing threat.

In ending this point, if one is going to adopt a language of the unknown then please have the decency to read up on the concept before adopting the language of the ideology and bestowing threats of harm to people simply because you don’t agree with others.

In short, Karma could be thought of as a flowing river of wonderful thoughts that are turned into human spiritual energies that are directed to the good not only of the Karmic person but also towards the entire universe. If Karma gets you, it will be one of the most beautiful and beneficial experiences that a person can have. It is not to be thought of as a justification for all that goes bad in a person’s life.

Now getting back to fatalistic extremes of the Karma threat: In spirit thoughts, we all have lessons to learn in life and within the core of our growing spirits we never stop learning or growing. In fact, we can pass on and we are still being taught, learning and growing. Thus we have both positive and negative experiences in life to insure that we grow in spirit.

Hypothetically speaking, whenever one wishes ill on a person by uttering the damning words ”Karma is going to get a person” then it is reasonable that the same person should anticipate that he/she too will suffer under the same justification that Karma would get him/her for wishing ill, bad things, and hate on others. The western thought of Karma is defunct and not in line with the true purpose and intent of Karma. Simply, Karma was always meant to help a person grow in spirit!

As pagans, we all journey — and transcend to that journey — as we go along our chosen paths. We all aspire to the variant paths that appeal to us as individuals. At the end of any cherished pagan appeal and path, our spirituality combines into one just as it does with anything called religion, spirit, or pagan.

Today’s Tarot Card for November 22nd is The Hierophant

The Hierophant

This Tarot Deck: Esoterico

General Meaning: Traditionally known as the Hierophant, this card refers to a Master and the learning of practical lessons from the study of Natural Law. This energy of this card points to some agent or resource that can reveal the secrets of life, the cycles of the moon and tides, the links between human beings and the heavens.

Because monasteries were the only places a person could learn to read and write in the middle ages, a Hierophant was one to whom a student would petition for entry. He was the one to set the curriculum for the neophyte’s course of study.

Often pictured with the right hand raised in blessing, the Hierophant is linked with the ancient lineage of Melchezidek, initiator of the Hebrew priestly tradition, the one who passes on the teachings. All shamans of any tradition draw upon this archetype.

Your Daily Number for Nov. 21st: 5

Maintain flexibility today, because your plans may change more than once. Your intuition can’t be beat, so don’t be afraid to rely on it and to be decisive. It’s a wonderful day for social interaction.

Fast Facts

About the Number 5

Theme: Resourceful, Adventure, Speculation, Travel
Astro Association: Taurus
Tarot Association: Hierophant

Making Dragon Magick

Making Dragon Magick

 
 
Half-close your eyes as you sit outside or near caves or rocks. If the light is bright, you may see the swirling iridescent silver, purple, gold, green and blue of the dragon outline shimmering ahead. Let the image enclose and energize you and breathe slowly and regularly, allowing the warm, shimmering colors to flow in and out of your own energy field, your aura. If you see nothing externally allow the image to build up in your mind and superimpose it in your imagination on the scene.
 
You may see an image of the dragon and her fabulous treasures within the cave or see her flying upwards towards the sun. There is no danger in this for she is a spiritual force, experienced through the layers of countless millennia.
 
You may feel very warm as though close to a bonfire and see sparks or sunbeams dancing in the air all around.
 
When you are ready, close your eyes and gently push away with your hands palms outwards and upright. Allow the energies to move away, or you may sense them fading spontaneously as the dragon moves on.
 
Don’t ask for anything. The experience is enough and will help you to move with confidence and attract and spread the abundance you need.
 
Be sure to take a bottle of water to drink afterwards and splash on your hairline, brow, throat and wrists or palms to cool you down.
 
While you are still there, take time to write in your Book of Shadows. You may have heard words in your mind as you experienced the dragons power or they may come now and even if you are not normally poetic, the encounter will trigger off rich and vivid descriptions of flying with the dragon, the mysterious smoke-filled air within the cave and metallic colors of your dragon. If you open your eyes in the night before sleep the colors may reform.
 
Afterwards is a good time to explore the caves and rocks, if accessible. Even if you are crammed in a tourist party, you can sense your dragon and maybe the special place that you connected with in your visions and see the shimmering silver and purples reflected on the dark walls.

The Dragon Practitioner’s Staff

The Dragon Practitioner’s Staff

 

At some time you will want to include a staff among your tools. You can choose a piece of dowel or natural wood about shoulder-high or head-high. It has been my personal experience that shoulder-high is quite long enough; as with swords and wands, a staff that is too long can create disaster in one movement. You may wish to attach a crystal or small crystal ball to the top end.

If using a smooth dowel, you can purchase four lengths of cording the length of the staff. These should be in the colors of the elements. Traditionally, these are red, yellow, blue and dark green or black. Tack or glue a length of cording down each side of the staff to correspond to the elemental directions. Attach tassels of the same color at the top end of each piece of cording; if you cannot find colors, use white instead. If you do not want to tack or glue the cording, it can be attached near the top of the staff by decorative brads or nails and allowed to swing free; if you do this, use short pieces of cording to avoid getting tangled in them. You can further decorate the staff with small bells, glass beads, or whatever seems appropriate to you. If you choose a limb or twisted wood staff, it can be decorated with dangling ribbons of the appropriate colors attached near the top in the correct order. Attach the bells, glass beads, etc. to the ribbons.

When decorated in this manner, the staff becomes the dragon bridge, or the connecting link between the magician and the astral planes. The staff is a symbol of magical authority, you right to call upon and work with dragons. It is also symbolic of the center of the circle or the element of Spirit. At times it can be used like an oversized wand. Be careful when gesturing with the staff because it is very easy to knock things over.

For convenience, you might consider having some type of holder or a deep bucket of sand near one end of the altar to securely hold your staff when not in use. Or it can be laid on the floor before the altar. The problem with this method is that you may tend to stumble over the staff when deeply involved in the ritual unless you are careful. But then, a deep bucket of sand is attractive to cats and small children. Experiment until you find what works for you.

“Dancing With Dragons”

D. J. Conway

About Basic Dragon Rituals

About Basic Dragon Rituals

 

 

Before beginning rituals, it is suggested that you set aside time for work with changing, music and dance, as well as meditation. Consider these activities the training exercises an athlete goes through before actually participating in the main event.

While practicing rituals, the magician can begin to collect the ritual tools she/he needs to begin performing dragon magic. Do not fall into the trap of equating expensive with better. Once you have established communication with the dragons, they will lead you to many of the tools; dragons seem to be very conscious of a good buys.

Although ritual magic is a serious practice, the magician must also make room for fun. Music and free-form dance can be very important in keeping dragons interested. These activities are also of importance to the magician, since most humans live lives full of stress and over-seriousness. Know yourself, know your real intentions for doing ritual, and enjoy your time with the dragons. Take time to be a child again, non-judgmental, full of wonder and delight at the antics of dragons. Learn from them when to be serious about life and when to lose yourself in play and pure enjoyment. My dragon has taken part in rituals with total concentration and involvement, only to spook one of the cats when we are finished.

Enjoy yourself with your dragons. Ask them for help in whatever you are striving to accomplish. Provide them with friendship and the chance to frolic in the energy vibrations you create. Learn from them. But never, never, treat them as commanded slaves or take their friendship lightly. Dragon magic is serious business. Be an honest friend, and you will receive honest friendship in return. Dragons are not like humans. They feel no compunction to continue a friendship or be helpful or even nice if you mistreat them.

It is helpful to the magician with dragons as co-magicians to keep a notebook detailing inner experiences while working this type of magic. Some dragons will appear only during certain phases of the Moon, while others arrive during specific weather patterns such as storms, long hot spells, etc. Other dragons hung around for days, especially if the magician is going through a period of turmoil in her/his life. Some dragons make brief appearances during a ritual and are not seen again for quite some time.

Each dragon has a definite feel to her/his personality just as humans do. The magician must learn to recognize them individually even if she/he never learns their names. Dragon names are usually never what they seem, since dragons are extremely cautious about giving their true names to humans. I never argue or press them on this point since I feel they have a right to their privacy if they desire it.

It is a quite an ordinary occurrence for a magician to work the dragon rituals several times before becoming aware that she/he has attracted dragons-helpers. Do not become discouraged if you are not immediately aware of their presence. Be patient. Dragons have good reason to be wary of humans. Prove your trustworthiness and friendship to them. A friendship developed slowly and on a firm found lasts the longest.

Let’s Get Wild & Crazy, lol!

Funny & Naughty Comments & Graphics
Well, OK, not totally wild and crazy! I am going to take a detour from my regular postings that I do during the week. I am going to post some Dragon Magick, which I noticed quite a few of you liked. Then I am going to put on some more Dark Arts’ Spell, which I noticed hundreds of you liked them, lol! You little devils, you! You know if you have any requests for types of spells that you would like for me to post, please let me know. I will be more than happy to post any kind of spell or material you are interested in. Just ask! Now on with the show……… 
~Magickal Graphics~

Seeking and Working with Dragons

Seeking and Working with Dragons 

It should be obvious by now that I have a deep respect and love for dragons, a belief in their powers as co-magicians that is backed by years of personal experience. And I hope I have piqued your interest enough to want to work with them.

So how does one go about finding dragons? And how do you use their power? Should you do co-magick with dragons, or should you avoid the partnership?

I assume since you have read this far, that you either already practice some form of magick or are seriously contemplating doing so. If you are experiencing any doubt about your worthiness (Goddess forbid!) to work in the area of magick, any area of magick, you have some serious work to do on your self-image and the programming you have undergone that created your poor self-image.

Every magician, indeed every person who even uses prayer, constantly walks the fine line between an overinflated ego and an appreciation of her/his self-worth. She/he understands, without any cover-ups, exactly why they are choosing to work magick at any given time. This understanding is vitally necessary in order to assess the end-result of the spellworking, the type of magick used, and the consequences that may be forthcoming for certain actions. What others think of a magician’s reasons is not important; they do not pay the penalties, gain the advantages of the rituals, or know exactly what that magician may think and feel. However, the magician must know what is deep within her/his own mind and heart, know it and deal with it if there is negative programming or intentions that are selfish and unjustified.

A good magican is neither white nor black. A good effective magician is what I call gray, one who understands completely the consequences of actions and is willing to do what is necessary, particularly in the areas of protection and the removal of evil. An effective magician knows her/himself like no one else does; she/he has to be brutally honest about real intents and purposes for using any type of magick in the first place, but especially so when practicing dragon magick.

In dragon magick, the magician cannot afford any lingering doubts as to her/his right to ask help from these powerful entities. Like many other beings, physical and nonphysical, dragons will take advantage of anyone who vacillates in her/his commitment or who is unclear about their intent of a ritual.

I have yet to meet an “evil” dragon, although I have encountered a few who distrust humans so much that one must take special care when working with them. Dragons become “evil” only when there is an imbalance of energies, a disruption of the powers flowing from the Earth and humans to dragons and back again. To re-establish a positive flow of this power, the magician does not join every fanatical group out picketing and rioting. She/he knows that all changes begin within the self. Like ripples in a pond, when the self becomes balanced the immediate atmosphere and community are affected. When the community becomes balanced, this spread further, taking in countries and eventually the entire world. But, as with all things, a majority of individuals must desire and seek the balance and improvement or it will not occur.

Does this mean that unless you are perfect in all levels of your being that you cannot attract, contact and learn from dragons? Of course not? But if you desire a continued companionship with them, you must strive to better yourself, balance the ebbs and tides of energies within you, and make this effort, an on-going project. Every magician and spiritual seeker should be aware that there is no such thing as complete perfection within the human body and mind 100 per cent of the time. If you could become that perfect, you would no longer inhabit a physical body. The laws of the universe do not allow anything to remain static, non-moving or non-growing. Perfect is static in whatever form it currently has; therefore, in order to confirm to the laws of the universe, that perfect form must evolve into something else, some form of being that can continue to evolve to the next higher stage of life. Change is one of the few constants of universal law.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Dragons and Their Interaction With Humans

Dragons and Their Interaction With Humans

Today true practical dragon magick and power are almost a forgotten art in the world of magick. Generally speaking, only those practitioners and believers in the Faerie Tradition speak of the existence and validity of dragons. Few people know of the joy and companionship and spiritual knowledge that come from dancing with dragons. Dancing with dragons takes cooperation, not master-slave relationships: it takes great self-discipline to reach into another level of existence and contact a dragon as a co-magician.

It has been my experience that, although dragons have form and existence, they do not exist in this physical world as we do. Dragons inhabit the astral plane which co-exists with and interpenetrates this physical plane. Astral beings are as real as we are; they just have a body that vibrates at a different rate than physical matter does.

Dragons can be everywhere and, in a matter of speaking, in all things. Every elemental action and reaction has the possibility of being an extension of a dragon and its power. This is not to suggest that dragons go about controlling people and incidents. usually they take little note of ordinary humans, deeming them beneath their notice.. There are two reasons a dragon might become involved with humans and their problems. First, if there appears to be an immediate danger to the dragon’s area itself. Second, if a magician knows how to properly contact and communicate with dragon power, and if she/he can persuade the dragon to help.

The only exception I know to this are dragons talking with children. Some dragons take a delight in communicating with small children, particularly those who have psychic ability. Unfortunately, parents and society take a dim view of such ability, hedging it about with so much disfavor that most children stop using it.

One of my grandsons, when quite small, saw dragons all the time. He described them to me in great and accurate detail, although I had never discussed them with him. When he finally realized that this made his mother very angry he shut off the ability. The programming may be effective enough to keep him from re-opening and exploring his early friendship with dragons while he lives at home, but the desire is still there. When he visits us, the first place he goes is to the bookcase full of dragon statues. He is very quiet and intent while he looks over every single one, although he is familiar with them all. I leave him to his silent contemplation as I realize it is a form of communication between him and his “lost” dragon friends. Someday, if and when he feels strong enough to dispense with his subconscious programming, he may decide that acknowledging the existence of dragons is not wrong.

On rare occasion an astral being, such as a dragon, will manifest itself so clearly on the physical that people see it with the physical eyes. It is my opinion that some of the so-called monsters, such as those of Loch Ness, are astral beings. Nessie is possibily a kind astral sea dragon. For this reason I do not expect that there will ever be any hard physical evidence, the kind scientists can put under a microscope or dissect, produced to validate Nessie’s existence.

Carl Sagan, in “The Dragons of Eden,” spent a lot of time and paper trying to discredit dragon stories around the world. His narrow-minded, tedious explanations tried to convince the public that the stories of dragons came from racial memories of dinosaurs. But then more than a few scientists, unless they can capture and dissect something, are not about to admit they do not know everything about this world and its creatures, let alone admit that there might be other planes of existence that interact with ours.

There is not only one way to see and work with dragons. There are many magickal systems in the world, and they each tend to look at dragons in their own way. Some systems think of them as elemental energies without independent existence. Others think of them as symbolic, again having no true existence. It has been my experience that dragons are real creatures who come and go from the astral plane as they please. I have seen them, heard them and felt their power. After working with dragons in ritual, I leave it to you to form your own opinion.

Dancing With Dragons

D. J. Conway

What are Dragons?

What are Dragons?

 

 

Many cultures around the entire world have stories of dragons in one shape or another. Some are depicted as huge wingless serpents, other more like the traditional picture we of the Western world have of dragons: heavy bodied with wings. Dragons are shown with four legs, two legs, or no legs at all. Some dragons were said to have arrowhead-pointed tails, while others have spiked knob on the end of the tail. Some have twisted horns, others long antennae rather like those of moths. But the dragon, in whatever form, is there in thousands of folk stories, regardless of the description attached to it. Humankind has a subconscious knowledge of the dragon and its powers that even the assumed thin veneer of so-called civilizations cannot remove.

I discovered dragons and their potential powers years ago as a child. Being open-minded and noncritical, as most children are, I enjoyed the company of dragons, faeries, elves, and similar beings on a daily basis. My activity, however, was deeply frowned upon as “imagination.” I soon learned to keep quiet about my special ability in order to stay out of trouble with adults. Soon I began ignoring these others beings because I was afraid of making a slip and talking about them. Ridicule and punishment were severe when this happened; the subconscious negative programming had begun. When I finally rebelled against family control, I found the inner door not only shut, but locked. It took years of conscious retraining and experience before I could again understand how to call upon these beings, especially dragons, and use their magickal powers.

Negative programming has created havoc and unhappiness in a great many lives. This type of programming is inflicted upon others because of fear and a desire to control. The perpetrator forgets, or does not care, that they are dealing with an individual who has the right to her/his special abilities, dreams and goals in life. This happens not only to children, but to anyone who is less than sure of themselves, dependents upon someone else, or unable for whatever reason to leave the situation and people who are causing them great mental and emotional pain. If these beleaguered souls could make contact with their own special dragons, they could build the inner power to either remove themselves from the problem or at least refuse to accept the guilt, fear and control being placed upon them.

But what are dragons? Are the real or imaginary? In the Western world, our word dragon comes from the Greek drakon and the Latin draco. Drakon comes from a verb meaning to see, to look at, or possibly to flash. Certainly in most legends dragons spend their time watching, whether it be treasure, territory, or the supposedly captive maidens. The word “dragon” is used in many different fields, as diverse as astrology, astronomy, alchemy, magick, heraldry, psychology and the study of dreams. From the time that humans began to record things, dragons have been mentioned.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Religion: From A Witch’s Perspective

Religion: From A Witch’s Perspective

Author: Crick

Have you ever wondered why humans are so scared to face life and the spiritual lessons that are in waiting for each of us? I ask this because since the dawning of humankind we have created religions. Religion in all reality is a subterfuge and a distraction from the individual pursuit of spirituality.

A state of spirituality is a journey of the individual. It does not require the presence of the many such as is found within a religion. This applies whether a religion is one of the so-called organized religions, pagan, or one of the myriad other religions created by humans.

A religion comes into existence by the hand of a human, generally a man or group of men. A concept of Deity and the mysteries of life are created and then transformed into a specific dogma or set of beliefs. The only problem with this approach is that it is predicated upon the narrow precepts of one or even a few select humans.

This is fine, if such beliefs were confined to the originators of such beliefs. For each individual is entitled to the beliefs that define their personal existence in regards to Deity and the mysteries that comprise this existence of life.

But when such personal opinions are then extended to the masses, the concept of individualism becomes mired in the tentacles of censorship that goes by the label of dogma. When this occurs, the concept of individuality is lost.

Another concern with such an approach is that those opinions that form the basis for religions are based upon select human perspectives and are not the direct offering of Deity. Of course there will be those humans who will insist that their perception of Deity was the driving force that has inspired the particular religion that they themselves subscribe to.

However with literally thousands of divergent concepts of deity that has been proffered since the beginning of humankind, who is actually right and just as importantly, who is wrong? Is there such delineation when it comes to spirituality and/or religion? Does one person have to be right in order for all others to be wrong?

As individuals, each seeking their own definition and thus understanding of deity, this self-imposed quandary goes away. For as individuals, the belief in deity and the search for a comprehensive understanding of the mysteries of life become a personal pursuit and as such, do not require the approval of any other human being on earth.

Paganism was at one time a path that actually encouraged individual seeking and thus a personal sense of understanding. And in many ways it still is to this very day. However the specter of religion and the pressure of peer acceptance as defined by the few have stretched its tentacles into paganism as well. This modern attempt at conversion is commonly referred to as neo paganism. In essence, there is an attempt by some of these modern converts to turn paganism, which once defined individual spirituality, into a religion which follows the same parameters as the so called organized religions.

Why is this being attempted when it is blatantly obvious that organized religions and paganism are diametrically opposed in their approach to the concepts of deity and the mysteries of life?

The most obvious reason for this forced perception of dogma is the entrance of the many who formerly subscribed to an established religious pattern of acceptance in regards to their spiritual journey. However there may be a deeper reason for such an imposition of foreign values when discussing the parameters of paganism.

For instance why does humankind even need the anonymity of a concept known as religion where one can comfortably become a faceless member of a pre-conceived set of beliefs (dogma) ? And as already noted, said set of beliefs, which in every man-made religion on earth is defined by a select few.

Could it be because there is a segment of society who is apathetic about their spiritual beliefs? Could such folks be personally insecure of what they may encounter if they were to actually seek out their own answers to spirituality? Does this observation offend you?

If so, perhaps there is a gem of truth here that you may want to explore within your Inner self. When a select person or group of persons places the concept of deity and the mysteries of life into an imposition such as religious dogma, there is in effect a barricade to any real spiritual growth. The individual loses the gift of self-identity because they are pressured into a specific set of beliefs (dogma) , which limits any further exploration of the many possibilities that are inherent in un-fettered spirituality.

Many man-made religions have mechanisms in place that are designed to ensure that their members do not stray outside of the accepted parameters of belief has dictated by the few. Where is the freedom of the individual in such a setting? And where within the tenets of paganism do such man-made impositions apply?

These same man-made religions also have mechanisms in place to cast out those who dare to seek out the truths of life as they apply to their personal seeking and yet are outside of the accepted dogma of the particular religion that one is subscribing to.

In my personal opinion such an approach has absolutely nothing to do with any real concept of paganism. And so the push to “convert” paganism into the parameters of organized religion is somewhat troubling and may border on hypocrisy.

There is a common saying that “trying to get pagans to come together is like herding cats”. I personally hope that such an analogy retains some iota of truth as paganism wends its way into the consciousness of modern practitioners. Once those who follow the path of paganism lose the inherent right to live as individuals and once members of paganism lose the drive to seek out Inner truths, which are not restrained by the masses that blindly follow the lead of the few, then it is no longer a true spiritual path. Rather it becomes nothing more than an extension of the mind numbing control of religion.

And those who describe themselves as pagans, in all reality become nothing more than faceless minions of yet another man-made religion.

Your Daily Number for November 3rd: 5

Work-related travel is possible today, and good long term connections are likely to be made. You may dream up some very worthy money saving ideas, but hold off on sharing them with others until later. Today is an excellent day to focus on business.

Fast Facts

About the Number 5

Theme: Resourceful, Adventure, Speculation, Travel
Astro Association: Taurus
Tarot Association: Hierophant

Your Daily Number for October 31st: 5

You may find your interests expanding today, and you’re probably going to be feeling more liberated than you have in a long time. New people, social gatherings, and possibly romance may broaden your horizon. Be careful not to over-indulge or become careless in the midst of so much activity

Fast Facts

About the Number 5

Theme: Resourceful, Adventure, Speculation, Travel
Astro Association: Taurus
Tarot Association: Hierophant

Life’s Peculiar Reflections for October 11th

LIFE’S PECULIAR REFLECTIONS

1. I’m not into working out. My philosophy is no pain, no pain.
2. I’m in shape. Round is a shape.
3. Do illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?
4. I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.
5. Ever notice that anyone going slower than you is an idiot, but anyone going faster is a maniac?
6. I have six locks on my door, all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three of them.
7. One out of every three Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of two of your best friends. If they are OK, then it must be you.
8. They show you how detergents take out bloodstains. I think if you’ve got a T-shirt with bloodstains all over it, maybe your laundry isn’t your biggest problem.
9. Ask people why they have deer heads on their walls and they tell you it’s because they’re such beautiful animals. I think my wife is beautiful, but I only have photographs of her on the wall.
10. I Don’t Have An Attitude Problem … You Have a perception problem.

 DoreEd

Oh My Aging Funny Bone….

Your Daily Number for October 4th: 5

An interesting new acquaintance may cross your path today. No matter how many times others change their mind, it’s best to go with the flow. The little voice in your head is often correct; don’t ignore it.

Fast Facts

About the Number 5

Theme: Resourceful, Adventure, Speculation, Travel
Astro Association: Taurus
Tarot Association: Hierophant