Tag: Pagan

Wake Up, Sleepy Heads! GOOD MORNING WOTC! Good Sunday Morning To All!

Good Morning, WOTC! How’s my dearest friends on the planet doing this morning! I hope excellent. It is Sunday morning and guess what? I am waiting on the painters. Yes, they are still here. This was only suppose to last two day and it has turned into three. The place looks fantastic but I feel like the world is passing us by while we are away. And besides, I am stuck watching the painters while they paint. I don’t “watch” “watch” them. I find stuff to tinker with. I go play with some of the animals. Then come back in. I also walk around the yard picking up the mess left from the roofers. Every time I think I have it all picked up, another piece shows up. It is like where is this stuff coming from? I am not complaining even though it sounds like I am. I just thought workers cleaned up after theirselves. And the painters, oh, Goddess! We have got to vacuum and clean the floor. There is little white chips everywhere. One of them, I screamed at the other day. He looked like he had been playing in the mud. I told him to go outside and wipe himself off. Yeah right, I believe when I turned my back he smeared his feet on the rugs. I guess that is just some of the stuff you have to put up with these days. But like I said I am not complaining, just venting, lol! I am thankful everything is almost finished. Two rooms today, my office and the bathroom off the side of it. Surely the painters will be done! I hope! Anyway on to other things……

I was reading in the back, the comments that were left for us. You know I can’t say it enough, I love you! The comments of all the well wishes and, you are the best. You are why I love this place so much. You make the WOTC what it is. And it is the best site on the net because of you all. Thank you so much for your support all these years. Thank you for your friendship and most of all love. You don’t know how much it means to us. You are simply the best! We love you, I love you!

 

WE LOVE EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!

YOU ARE THE BEST!

 

One more quick thing I want you to check out. A college in Missouri is now recognizing Wiccan Holidays! I do believe the movement is alive and well. Spreading like wildfire. Perhaps in our time, we will see our Religion restored to its rightful place. My husband told me about this yesterday. I have been disconnected from the world, lol! But it didn’t sink in at first. Then I asked him if he told me a college in Missouri was now recognizing Wiccan Holidays? And he said, “Yes!” Well you can imagine what I did. I screamed “YES” at the top of my lungs! We are making progress. Even though we can’t take credit for this, it sure doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate with these Wiccans! Can I get an “Amen?” LMAO! I have always wanted to do that, LOL! But I have provided the link below, check it out if you have a minute……

 

New Mizzou Student Guide Condemns Exams on Wiccan Holidays

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/02/new-mizzou-student-guide-condemns-exams-on-wiccan-holidays/

*WordPress’ linker is down*

 

More Good Morning Comments

THE OLD LAW – PUBLISHED VERSION

THE OLD LAW – PUBLISHED VERSION
——————————-

1. The Law was made and ordained of old.
2. The Law was made for the Wicca, to advise and help in their
troubles.
3. The Wicca should give due worship to the gods and obey their will,
which they ordain, for it was made for the good of Wicca as the
worship of the Wicca is good for the gods. For the gods love the
brethren of Wicca.
4. As a man loveth a woman by mastering her,
5. So should the Wicca love the gods by being mastered by them.
6. And it is necessary that the Circle which is the temple of the gods,
should be truly cast and purified.  And that it may be a fit place
for the gods to enter.
7. And the Wicca shall be properly prepared and purified to enter into
the presence of the gods.
8. With love and worship in their hearts, they shall raise power from
their bodies to give power to the gods.
9. As has been taught of old.
10.For in this way only may men have communion with the gods, for the gods
cannot help man without the help of man.

HPS & HP
11.And the High Priestess shall rule her coven as the representative
of the Goddess.
12.And the High Priest shall support her as the representative of the
God.
13.And the High Priestess shall choose whom she will, be he of
sufficient rank, to be her High Priest.
14.For, as the God Himself kissed Her feet in the five-fold salute,
laying His power at the feet of the Goddess because of Her youth and
beauty, Her sweetness and kindness, Her wisdom and justice, Her
humility and generosity,
15.So He resigned all His power to Her.
16.But the High Priestess should ever mind that the power comes from
Him.
17.It is only lent, to be used wisely and justly.
18.And the greatest virtue of a High Priestess be that she recognize that
youth is necessary to the representative of the Goddess.
19.So she will gracefully retire in favour of a younger woman should
the Coven so decide in council.
20.For a true High Priestess realizes that gracefully surrendering
pride of place is one of the greatest virtues.
21.And that thereby she will return to that pride of place in another
life, with greater power and beauty.

SECURITY
22.In the old days, when witchdom extended far, we were free and
worshipped in all the greater temples.
23.But in these unhappy times we must celebrate our sacred mysteries
in secret.
24.So be it ordained that none but the Wicca may see our mysteries, for
our enemies are many and torture loosens the tongue of man.
25.So be it ordained that no Coven shall know where the next Coven bide.
26.Or who its members be, save only the Priest and Priestess and messenger.
27.And there shall be no communication between them, save by the messenger
of the gods, or the summoner.
28.And only if it be safe may the Covens meet in some safe place for
the great festivals.
29.And while there, none shall say whence they came nor give their true
names.
30.To this end, that if any be tortured, in their agony, they may not tell
if they do not know.
31.So be it ordained that no one shall tell anyone not of the craft who be
of the Wicca, nor give any names or where they bide, or in any way tell
anything which can betray any of us to our foes.
32.Nor may he tell where the Covendom be.
33.Or the Covenstead.
34.Or where the meetings be.
35.And if any break these Laws, even under torture, THE CURSE OF THE
GODDESS SHALL BE UPON THEM, so they may never be reborn on earth and
may remain where they belong, in the hell of the Christians.

DISPUTES
36.Let each High Priestess govern her Coven with justice and love, with
the help and advice of the High Priest and the Elders, always
heeding the advice of the Messenger of the Gods if he cometh.
37.She will heed all complaints of all Brothers and strive to settle
all differences among them.
38.But it must be recognized that there will always be people who will
ever strive to force others to do as they will.
39.These are not necessarily evil.
40.And they oft have good ideas and such ideas should be talked over in
council.
41.But if they will not agree with their Brothers, or if they say,
42.”I will not work under this High Priestess,”
43.It hath ever been the Old Law to be convenient to the Brethren and
to avoid disputes.

NEW COVENS
44.Any of the third may claim to found a new Coven because they live over
a league away from the Covenstead or are about to do so.
45.Anyone living within the Covendom and wishing to form a new Coven,
shall tell the Elders of their intention, and on the instant avoid
their dwelling and remove to the new Covendom.
46.Members of the old Coven may join the new one when it is formed.
But if they do, they must utterly avoid the old Coven.
47.The Elders of the new and old Covens should meet in peace and
brotherly love to decide the new boundaries.
48.Those of the craft who dwell outside both Covendoms may join either but
not both.
49.Though all may, if the Elders agree, meet for the great festivals if
it be truly in peace and brotherly love,
50.But splitting the Coven oft means strife, so for this reason these
Laws were made of old and may the CURSE OF THE GODDESS BE ON ANY WHO
DISREGARD THEM. So be it ordained.

GRIMOIRE
51.If you would keep a book, let it be in your own hand of write.  Let
brothers and sisters copy what they will, but never let the book out
of your hands, and never keep the writings of another.
52.For if it be found in their hand of write, they may be taken and arraigned.
53.Let each guard his own writings and destroy them whenever danger threatens.
54.Learn as much as you may by heart and, when danger is past,
rewrite your book, an it be safe.
55.For this reason, if any die, destroy their book an they have not
been able to.
56.For, an it be found, ’tis clear proof against them.
57.And our oppressors know well “Ye may not be a witch alone”.
58.So all their kin and friends be in danger of torture,
59.So destroy everything not necessary.
60.If your book be found on you, ’tis clear proof against you alone,
you may be arraigned.

PERSECUTION
61.Keep all thoughts of the craft from your mind.
62.If the torture be too great to bear, say “I will confess.  I cannot
bear this torture.  What do you want me to say?”
63.If they try to make you speak of the Brotherhood, do not.
64.But if they try to make you speak of impossibilities such as flying through
the air, consorting with a Christian devil or sacrificing children, or
eating men’s flesh,
65.To obtain relief from torture say “I had an evil dream, I was beside
myself, I was crazed.”
66.Not all magistrates are bad, if there be an excuse, they may show
mercy.
67.If you have confessed aught, deny it afterwards, say you babbled
under torture, say you knew not what you said.
68.If you are condemned, fear not.
69.The Brotherhood is powerful and will help you to escape if you stand
steadfast, but if you betray aught there is no hope for you in this life
or in that to come.
70.Be sure, if steadfast you go to the pyre, drugs will reach you, you will
feel naught. You go to death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of the
goddess.

TOOLS
71.To avoid discovery, let the working tools be as ordinary things
that any may have in their houses.
72.Let the pentacles be of wax so that they may be broken at once or
melted.
73.Have no sword unless your rank allows it.
74.Have no names or signs on anything.
75.Write the names and signs on them in ink before consecrating them
and wash it off immediately afterwards.
76.Let the colours of the hilts tell which is which.
77.Do not engrave them lest they cause discovery.

CONDUCT
78.Ever remember ye are the hidden children of the Goddess so never do
anything to disgrace them or Her.
79.Never boast, never threaten, never say you would wish ill of anyone.
80.If any person not in the Circle, speak of the craft, say, “Speak not
to me of such, it frightens me, ’tis evil luck to speak of it.”
81.For this reason, the Christians have their spies everywhere. These speak
as if they were well affected to us, as if they would come to our meetings,
saying, “My mother used to worship the Old Ones. I would I could go myself.”
82.To such as these, ever deny all knowledge.
83.But to others, ever say, “‘Tis foolish men talk of witches flying through
the air. To do so they must be as light as thistledown. And men say that
witches all be blear-eyed old crones, so what pleasure can there be at a
witch meeting such as folks talk on ?”
84.And say, “Many wise men now say there be no such creatures.”
85.Ever make it jest) and in some future time perhaps, the
persecution may die and we may worship our gods in safety again.
86.Let us all pray for that happy day.
87.May the blessings of the Goddess and God be on all who keep these
Laws which are ordained.

VALUABLES
88.If the craft hath any appanage, let all guard it and help to keep it
clear and good for the craft.
89.And let all justly guard all monies of the craft.
90.And if any Brother truly wrought it, ’tis right they have their pay,
an it be just.  An this be not taking money for the art, but for
good and honest work.
91.And even the Christians say, “The labourer is worthy of his hire,”
but if any Brother work willingly for the good of the craft without
pay, ’tis but to their greater honour.  So be it ordained.

QUARRELS
92.   If there be any dispute or quarrel among the Brethren, the High
Priestess shall straightly convene the Elders and inquire into the
matter, and they shall hear both sides, first alone and then
together.
93.   And they shall decide justly, not favouring one side or the other.
94.   Ever recognising there be people who can never agree to work under
others.
95.   But at the same time, there be some people who cannot rule justly.
96.   To those who must ever be chief, there is one answer.
97.   “‘Void the Coven or seek another one, or make a Coven of your own,
taking with you those who will go.”
98.   To those who cannot rule justly, the answer be, “Those who cannot
bear your rule will leave you.”
99.   For none may come to meetings with those with whom they are at
variance.
100.  So, an either cannot agree, get hence, for the craft must ever
survive.  So be it ordained.

CURSES
101.In the olden days when we had power, we could use the art against any
who ill-treated the Brotherhood. But in these evil days we must not
do so. For our enemies have devised a burning pit of everlasting fire
into which they say their god casteth all the people who worship him,
except it be the very few who are released by their priest’s spells
and masses. And this be chiefly by giving monies and rich gifts to
receive his favour for their great god is ever in need of money.
102.But as our gods need our aid to make fertility for man and crops, so
is the god of the Christians ever in need of man’s help to search out
and destroy us. Their priests ever tell them that any who get our help
are damned to this hell forever, so men be mad with the terror of it.
103.But they make men believe that they may escape this hell if they give
victims to the tormentors. So for this reason all be forever spying,
thinking, “An I can catch but one of these Wicca, I will escape from
this fiery pit.”
104.So for this reason we have our hidels, and men searching long and not
finding, say, “There be none, or if there be, they be in a far country.”
105.But when one of our oppressors die, or even be sick, ever is the cry,
“This be witches’ malice”, and the hunt is up again. And though they slay
ten of their own to one of ours, still they care not. They have countless
thousands.
106.While we are few indeed. So be it ordained.
107.That none shall use the art in any way to do ill to any.
108.However much they may injure us, harm none. And nowtimes many believe
we exist not.
109.That this Law shall ever continue to help us in our plight, no one,
however great an injury or injustice they receive, may use
the art in any way to do ill, or harm any.  But they may, after
great consultations with all, use the art to restrain Christians from
harming us Brothers, but only to constrain them and never to punish.
110.To this end men will say, “Such a one is a mighty searcher out, and a
persecutor of old women whom they deemeth to be witches, and none hath
done him harm, so it be proof that they cannot or more truly there be
none.”
111.For all know full well that so many folk have died because someone had
a grudge against them, or were persecuted because they had money or goods
to sieze, or because they had none to bribe the searchers. And many have
died because they were scolding old women. So much that men now say that
only old women are witches.
112.And this be to our advantage and turns suspicion away from us.
113.In England and Scotland ’tis now many a year since a witch hath died the
death. But any misuse of the power might raise the persecution again.
114.So never break this Law, however much you are tempted, and never
consent to its being broken in the least.
115.If you know it is being broken, you must work strongly against it.
116.And any High Priestess or High Priest who consents to its breach
must immediately be deposed for ’tis the blood of the Brethren they
endanger.
117.Do good, an it be safe, and only if it be safe.
118.And keep strictly to the Old Law.

PAYMENT
119.Never accept money for the use of the art, for money ever smeareth
the taker.  ‘Tis sorcerors and conjurers and the priests of the
Christians who ever accept money for the use of their arts.
And they sell pardons to let men ascape from their sins.
120.Be not as these.  If you accept no money, you will be free from
temptation to use the art for evil causes.
121.All may use the art for their own advantage or for the advantage of
the craft only if you are sure you harm none.
122.But ever let the Coven debate this at length.  Only if all are
satisfied that none may be harmed, may the art be used.
123.If it is not possible to achieve your ends one way, perchance the
aim may be achieved by acting in a different way so as to harm
none.  MAY THE CURSE OF THE GODDESS BE ON ANY WHO BREAKETH THIS
LAW. So be it ordained.
124.’Tis judged lawful if ever any of the craft need a house or land and
none will sell, to incline the owner’s mind so as to be willing to
sell, provided it harmeth him not in any way and the full price is
paid without haggling.
125.Never bargain or cheapen anything whilst you buy by the art.  So be
it ordained.

LAW OF THE LAND
126.”Tis the Old Law and the most important of all laws, that no one may
do anything which will endanger any of the craft, or bring them into
contact with the law of the land or any persecutors.
127.In any dispute between Brethren, no one may invoke any laws but
those of the craft.
128.Or any tribunal but that of the Priestess, Priest and Elders.

DISCUSSION OF WITCHCRAFT
129.It is not forbidden to say as Christians do, “There be witchcraft in
the land,” because our oppressors of old make it a heresy not to
believe in witchcraft and so a crime to deny it which thereby puts you
under suspicion.
130.But ever say, “I know not of it here, perchance there may be but afar
off, I know not where.”
131.But ever speak of them as old crones, consorting with the devil and
riding through the air.
132.And ever say, “But how may many ride the air if they be not as light
as thistledown.”
133.But the curse of the Goddess be on any who cast suspicion on any of
the Brotherhood.
134.Or who speak of any real meeting-place or where they bide.

WORTCUNNING
135.Let the craft keep books with the names of all herbs which are good,
and all cures so all may learn.
136.But keep another book with all the Bales and Apies and let only the
Elders and other trustworthy people have this knowledge.  So be it ordained.
137.And may the blessings of the gods be on all who keep these Laws, and
the curses of both the God and the Goddess be on all who break them.

USE OF THE ART
138.Remember the art is the secret of the gods and may only be used in
earnest and never for show or vainglory.
139.Magicians and Christians may taunt us saying, “You have no power,
show us your power. Do magic before our eyes, then only will we believe,”
seeking to cause us to betray the art before them.
140.Heed them not, for the art is holy and may only be used in need,
and the curse of the gods be on any who break this Law.

RESIGNATIONS
141.It ever be the way with women and with men also, that they ever seek
new love.
142.Nor should we reprove them for this.
143.But it may be found a disadvantage to the craft.
144.And so many a time it has happened that a High Priest or a High
Priestess, impelled by love, hath departed with their love.  That
is, they left the Coven.
145.Now if the High Priestess wishes to resign, she may do so in full
Coven.
146.And this resignation is valid.
147.But if they should run off without resigning, who may know if they
may not return in a few months?
148.So the Law is, if a High Priestess leaves her Coven, she be taken
back and all be as before.
149.Meanwhile, if she has a deputy, that deputy shall act as High
Priestess for as long as the High Priestess is away.
50.If she returns not at the end of a year and a day, then shall the
Coven elect a new High Priestess,
151.Unless there is a good reason to the contrary.
152.The person who has done the work should reap the benefit of the
reward. If somebody else is elected, the deputy is made maiden
and deputy of the High Priestess.

TRAINING
153.It has been found that practicing the art doth cause a fondness
between aspirant and tutor, and it is the cause of better results if
this be so.
154.And if for any reason this be undesireable, it can easily be avoided
by both persons from the outset firmly resolving in their minds
to be as brother and sister or parent and child.
155.And it is for this reason that a man may be taught only by a woman
and a woman by a man, and women and women should not attempt these
practices together.  So be it ordained.

PUNISHMENT
156.Order and discipline must be kept.
157.A High Priestess or a High Priest may, and should, punish all
faults.
158.To this end all the craft must receive correction willingly.
159.All properly prepared, the culprit kneeling should be told his fault
and his sentence pronounced.
160.Punishment should be followed by something amusing.
161.The culprit must acknowledge the justice of the punishment by
kissing the hand on receiving sentence and again thanking for
punishment received.  So be it ordained.

—–
-These Laws appear to have become part of the GBG BOS shortly after Doreen
Valiente left his Coven (in 1957); they existed at the time that she left.
(They were an innovation at that time, and were one of the things that
the people who hived at that time refused to accept, though not themselves
a reason for hiving.) See Doreen Valiente’s “The Rebirth of Witchcraft”.
-Some of this material was already in the GBG BOS at the time. See the
Farrars’ “The Witches’ Way”.
-They also seem to be present throughout the Alexandrain stream.
(See the Farrars’ “The Witches Way”, and June Johns’ “King of the
Witches”.)
-The list I give here is drawn from several published sources:
June Johns,”King of the Witches”
Lady Sheba,”The Grimoire of Lady Sheba”
Janet and Stewart Farrar,”The Witches’ Way”
I used Johns as my primary source, as Sheba is generally full of copyist
errors, and the Farrars don’t give the full text.
I couldn’t find the section headings in any published source, but I included
them anyway because they make the text easier to follow.
-Sheba *may* be a more accurate source than Johns for the GBG version.
(Some of what I took to be typos may well have been GBG-ism’s.)
Johns is probably a better source for Alex Sanders’ own version.
Covens in either lineage have probably cross referenced and ‘corrected’
what they took to be errors. (For example, in Law 60, I use the word
‘arraigned’. Sheba gives ‘engained’, which makes no sense (that we know
of). However, ‘engined’ (meaning tortured) makes more sense in context
than ‘arraigned’. Did Alex Sanders mis-correct the ‘engained’ error ?

THE ANCIENT ART & Common Inquiries

THE ANCIENT ART

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COMMON INQUIRIES

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

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

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

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

Devil worship?

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

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

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

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

Do I have to join a Coven?

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

Why is Witchcraft secretive?

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

What do I have to do to become a Witch?

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

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

Principles of Wiccan Beliefs

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Principles of Wiccan Beliefs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 Questions You Should Be Able To Answer After Your Year & A Day Learning Period

13 Questions You Should Be Able To Answer After Your Year & A Day Learning Period

 

Below you will find 13 questions that you should be able to answer at the end of your initial study period. Also are included are answers, not necessarily the right answer, but answers to make you think.  The answers are also provided because you have learned so much and perhaps some of the things you might have forgotten. Either way, the answers are just examples and to be used a thought provoking.

 

1. define and describe a pagan. 

“For  the pagan and primitive peoples whom Jews and  Christians  alike
have  always  reviled as idolaters, the moving air, the  fire  on  the
hearth, the rhythm of the seasons, the bird on the wing, the  markings
and  movements  of  the beasts, the  streaming  waters,  the  circling
stars  … all these, and the works of man’s own hand, are alive  with
an intelligible presence.  They are symbolic doorways that invite  the
imagination through to high experience.”
Theodore  Roszak

“It  is necessary to treat the animals well, and to regard all  things
as if they were living beings who hear and understand.”
Johan  Turi,
MITTALUS SAMID BIRRA

In  historic times a pagan would have been any number of peoples  wor-
shiping  nature gods.  This worship seems to have been based  in  pre-
historic forms of religion including shamanism with a pedigree of it’s
oldest  forms  echoing  back more than 30,000  years.   Because  these
religions  were based mostly in tribal cultures emphasizing  tradition
rather  than  sophistication, the sources tend to  be  entirely  oral.
Verbatim  memorization, while it’s possessors survive, tends to  be  a
more exact method of transmitting data than holy texts which can  (and
have been) altered or completely changed.

With the complete suppression of the tradition, however, knowledge  of
paganism  has faded to a faint glimmering of references  and  supposi-
tion.   In modern times a pagan would tend to be someone  feeling  the
lack  of  purity,  lack of originality, lack of  rootedness,  lack  of
foundation  in over-theologized religions whose original  message  has
been overgrown and altered to suit priestly interests, whose  leaders’
preachment  is motivated often by self-interest and whose  ‘qualifica-
tions’  are primarily glandular and (sick) psychological  rather  than
illumination.

The pagans I have met are, in general, more sensitive than normal  and
‘feel’ the world directly, in contrast to this miasmatic culture which
submerges us in ‘safe’ anonymity, relegating us a guaranteed role as a
consumer  unit.  The religions that fail to give us more dignity  than
that,  that fail to foment rebellion against such an insult  naturally
lose  those  more sensitive people.  They fail to grant us a  path  of
rejoining  to ourself.  A pagan seeks this and it is the very lack  of
structure which allows the freedom of thought and feeling and practice
that attracts so many people that have been ‘lost’ by other religions.
In  our ‘culture’ traditions regarding the manner of living are  rele-
gated  to the ‘ignorant’ past and lost.  Responding to this  need  the
neo-pagan  will  try to re-create a life-enhancing  religion  open  to
individual experience based on whatever gleanings of the ancient forms
are left.  Given enough intelligent application and sufficient politi-
cal  freedom,  a reasonable facsimile, true in spirit and  similar  in
some  forms will evolve.  Truly, much of what was lost  was  priceless
and  will never be recovered, but also a great much of what  was  lost
had decayed beyond recovering so that the last people to suffer  under
these  benighted  superstitions that had once  been  vital  religions,
probably were better off without.  We have the opportunity to rebuild,
to renew with vitality, to recover what was good that is still  known.
People  being what they are, divergence seems to be the rule,  yet  we
live in a ‘global village’ and cross-reference and cross-fertilization
is inevitable.  It is the talent of wicca to seek that which works and
as we relearn what can create a life that is true to the heart we will
share.   Given the degree of computer interconnection in our  society,
it  would not be surprising that techniques rediscovered in one  place
would  be known world wide within a season, just by word of  computer.
It  is a time for hard work for what we do now will be what those  who
come after will have to build on.  The freedom of choice and  associa-
tion and abundance of sources almost guarantees that bull in the  name
of  the gods will quickly get trashed.  It is a time for  honesty  and
genius.

A pagan is a being in a state of  becoming.

2.  Define and describe a witch.

I would say that a witch is someone belonging to a coven and  worship-
ing  nature gods.  A witch may have special knowledge and  powers  re-
garding herbal lore, magic, divination, magical flight, separation  of
the  body and soul, love philters, amulets,  exorcism,  trance-medium-
ship, hypnosis, communion with god/dess’, communication with  spirits,
drawing down the Moon, invocation of good and exorcism of evil  influ-
ences, and more, perhaps.  The means of producing these results may be
in the traditional circle, guided by a priest and priestess, by chant-
ing, drum-beating, dancing, ritual invocation and supplication.

These  powers have been supposed to be special wild or inherited  tal-
ents  to  do  evil by intention alone (1) but I feel  they  are,  when
possessed, no more or less than the natural power of life, consciously
directed.   This power is automatically controlled daily  without  our
conscious  direction or realization.  As our digestion or  circulation
function  without  express thought, the life power is utilized  at  an
even more basic level to create our life and world.  Expressed  uncon-
sciously  for whim or feat, self-destruction or in creativity,  it  is
not  without us but a part of us, a part of every living cell.   Thus,
not  only  is it a very legal power to us, but to miss  to  direct  it
consciously would be like missing the oars in a rowboat, the doors  of
a  house.  Some people brag that they never read the  directions  sup-
plied in the package.  To avoid discovering the ‘directions’  supplied
with  life would seem to be to miss most of the glory of being  alive.
(1)  Witches were and are supposed to be entirely evil and opposed  in
every action to the expression of life.  (Surely such a creature would
self-destruct!)  This is an expression of the ‘alien’ theory which has
been used by many (ignorant) cultures to explain the presence of  evil
and imperfection in a world that is ‘supposed’ to be perfect.  It is a
terrifying  theory but apparently people would rather be scared  silly
than  say,  “I made a mistake” or “What seems evil to us is  just  the
natural  working of life.”  The appellation of ‘witch’ has been  given
to Huns, Jews, heretics, and recently to men by some feminists.

3.  Are you one of the above or both?
4.  If so, say what and why. 

I  am myself.  I am what I do.  I have avoided labels for  myself  and
would not start sticking them onto myself based on the attendance of a
few functions.  Precisely, I have not been accepted as an initiate, an
essential step in a tradition oriented to group membership.  I am  not
a pagan in the sense that, outside of weekly circles, I do not worship
any god or goddess.

5.  What do you see as positive in paganism?

I have always felt good in the circle.  I have said it previously that
I am happy to be here.  But in thinking how to answer this question  I
have  found  some answers that have much  reinforced  these  feelings.
What is here in paganism is unique and precious.

Here  there is the encouragement of individuality and also  a  strong,
positive  and unique group identity; this is very rare, especially  in
our society.

Here  there  is  spiritual expression within a  true  construction  of
religion  and including respect for the need for personal  freedom  of
expression; this is very rare in any society.

Here  there is tradition in a society that has eschewed  tradition  in
favor of the new, especially new products; yet what is the meaning  of
products which have no context?

Here there is honor to each sex in a society that is very divisive and
competitive and generally derisive of everyone especially women.  Here
there is a celebration of life in a society that seems to have forgot-
ten  where it came from and remains; which if it recognizes nature  as
valuable converts it into a prepackaged commodity.  Indeed, the  value
of nature is a matter of constant debate, a debate that is  inevitably
won by those who see value only in dollar signs.

Here there is a group of intelligent people large enough to be  inter-
esting  yet small enough that each is important, whether one  attends,
who  one  is and especially if one participates in  helping,  each  is
important.   All these things are RARE in our society;  their  conver-
gence here is unique and precious.

6.  What do you see as negative in paganism. 

I don’t know.  I haven’t had any problems so far.  The need for secre-
cy is inconvenient in some respects particularly at work and with some
friends  who,  I am certain, will never be able to  grasp  the  notion
correctly.   But then secrets can be kind of fun, too.  I  have  found
the  essential  facts  of paganism not directly accessible  but  I  am
beginning to understand that it is a fairly large subject.  (Added  15
June ’89)  A certain lack of focus.  It is understandable since  there
is no central authority to impose goals.  Yet is should be possible to
agree on basic needs and goals and though there would be no  overseer,
a  kind  of competition based on comparison of  results  (apparent  in
fests, perhaps).  To achieve this, however, we need to understand what
is  needed and why.  Still there does seem to be a good deal  of  work
being done in different places.  The quality and amount of information
is expanding every year.

7.  What is your concept of death?

An incomprehensible, insensible condition concluding our actions  here
on earth.  A period of summation and consolidation; having shed to the
earth  the accumulation of errors and age in the body, one is  reborn,
washed  clean in the blood of the new life.  I particularly  like  the
idea  that it might be something like Scrooge’s Christmas Eve;  seeing
and understanding the events of one’s life, then the regrets of  unex-
pressed love would be the motive impelling the soul to rebirth.

But then I don’t really know.  It might be nothing.

8.   What  do the following words bring to your mind:  god,  goddess,
priest, priestess. 

God, Goddess, ineffable, incomprehensible being beyond our concept  of
good  or  evil.  The notion of sex in gods is our  convention  to  aid
philosophical  discussion and to assist in forming an emotional  rela-
tionship.   (added 15 June ’89)  “Maybe something more, rooted in  our
nature.”, Daniel’s comment.

Priest, priestess: persons who have made a commitment to further their
religion  by their personal effort.  Being ordained or  initiated  and
all that.  The sexual distinction is trivial, relatively speaking,  of
course.   The essential act is that of spiritual guidance and this  is
more a matter of training and talent.

9.  What are the privileges and obligations of a teacher?

To  share knowledge, to have one’s expressions listened to,  to  enjoy
the  responses of one’s students.  To be responsible in what  and  how
things  are  taught.  To admit freely areas of one’s doubt  or  little
knowledge  to be clear in expression and patient in  explanation.   To

respect and respond to the students efforts as the teacher’s purpose.

10.  What are the privileges and responsibilities of a student?

To  share  knowledge, to enjoy the attendance of a  teacher  to  one’s
education.   To work actively toward the development of  one’s  educa-
tion, to respect the teacher and cooperate and trust, within reason.
The teacher’s responsibilities are greater.

11.  What do you seek from Wicca?

A  personal path and some help along the way.  Friends that don’t  say
things like “You don’t believe THAT, do you?”

12.   Are  you more attracted to the religious or  practical  side  of
Wicca?

I can’t say.  My conception of any sincerely religious person is  that
he  tries to express his convictions into his life.  To me,  it  seems
that  the  most potent form of prayer is in work.  Or  like  Gurdjieff
said,  “Work as if everything depends on work.  Pray as if  everything
depends on prayer.”  It seems to me the lack of practical work  leaves
a  religion without a skeleton, the rest of the tissue has nothing  to
hang  on.  I would say that the practical side, including much of  the
wisdom teachings, should not be separated from the religious except as
a convention to facilitate teaching.

13.  Are there any areas of this framework that you particularly  wish
to study.  What  and why.

I’m not sure.  Right now I’m just taking it all in in any order  what-
ever.  I would like to understand the philosophical framework better.                                            Moon lore has happily occupied me this last  year
and  promises  to  be a long-continuing interest.  The  laws  and  the
social framework of wicca are also very intriguing.  My idea now about
ritual work is that it is possibly best as a form of self-therapy,  at
least  in the beginning, since all of us come to this  very  demanding
subject  full  of  flaws enough to trip us up  constantly  unless  our
personal peculiarities can be pinned down and dealt with.

A Little Humor for Your Day – Top Thirteen Reasons To Be Pagan

Pentagram_by_artgeza_II

Top Thirteen Reasons To Be Pagan

13. I live for persecution!
12. I’m a night person at heart.
11. We respect our elders…and alders, and willows and oaks.
10. I just love explaining that a pentagram is NOT evil.
9. We do more after midnight than most people do all day!
8. Being burned at the stake is a great way to roast marshmallows.
7. We can talk to Elvis (and he IS dead).
6. You live, you learn, you die, you forget. Then you come back…
5. Double the deities, double the fun!
4. We get more holidays.
3. Brooms get great mileage.
2. We were here first!
1. BELTANE!!!

Your Rune For Monday, February 11th is Uruz

bw-uruz

 

bw-uruzYour Rune For Today

Uruz       

Uruz is the Rune of harmony, order and inner strength. Often it marks endings and beginnings of periods in our lives. Uruz  also symbolizes your ability to tackle new challenges by confronting them with the powers that lie within you. Opportunities probably abound for you right now.

Spell Casting: The Witches’ Craft

Spell Casting: The Witches’ Craft

Author: Jason Miller (Inominandum)

The Greeks made a distinction between theurgy and thaumaturgy. Theurgy literally means “God working” and refers to spiritual work that leads one into illumination or gnosis. Thaumaturgy means, “wonder working” and refers to the conjuration of spirits, casting of spells, blessing, cursing, curing and harming through practical magick. The balance between these two aspects of the craft has been an issue since the emergence of Wicca in the 1950’s. Does  overshadow religion? This debate has been heating up in online  and blogs recently due to a story on beliefnet.com by Carl McColman entitled Is Wicca Under a Spell, which deals with both sides of the issue. Many people in the Pagan community that I have spoken with feel that magick and sorcery do the religious aspects of Wicca no good and should be downplayed. Some I have spoken to have no interest in spell-casting at all, or perhaps don’t even believe in practical magick, and thus see this aspect of the craft as an obstacle to Wicca taking its place as a major Western religion. I would like to take this opportunity to present the opposing argument.

What often gets overlooked is that Wicca and Witchcraft are not the same thing. The terms are often used interchangeably but Witchcraft is a craft that can be, but isn’t necessarily, part of a religion. Wicca is most definitely a religion. While not all Wiccan traditions stem by lineage from Gerald Gardner, by and large they use a constellation of terms and beliefs that were first put in place by him and those that came after, thus we can say that we can trace Wicca more or less back to him. Witchcraft is a larger area than this. Isaac Bonewits once provided a breakdown of the types of Witches in America, which can help put this into perspective:

10% Neo-Pagan – Revivalist traditions, including Wicca.
70% Neo-Classical – Those who practice folk magick with mixed Christian and Pagan roots without regard to Witchcraft as a religion.
1-2% Classical village healers who practice completely non-religious folk magick.
1-2% Neo-Gothic – Practitioners of Satanism which is based on the Gothic Witchcraft of the Witch Hysteria Era.
1-2% Family Trads.
1-2% Immigrant Traditions: Pow-wow etc.
10% Practitioners of Vodou, Santeria, etc.

For example one of my ancestors was allegedly a “water witch” who told people where to dig wells. While in Venice I was offered a charm to obtain by a Witch. In both of these cases the Witch in question was a devout Christian. According to this breakdown Neo-Paganism and Wicca account for only %10 of American Witches but even within that scope there are many Witchcraft traditions that make it very clear that they are not Wiccan: The Feri Tradition, The Clan of Tubal Cain and the Cultus Sabbati all represent traditions of the craft that have non-Gardnerian roots, and do not fall under the umbrella of Wicca.

I have an enormous respect for Wicca but I am a Witch, not a Wiccan. I object when the terms are used interchangeably and when Wicca attempts to speak for all Witchcraft. I got involved with the craft during the mid 80’s in North Jersey, just outside of Manhattan. Paul Huson’s Mastering Witchcraft, Herman Slater’s Magickal Formularies, and the little spell books from Original Publications had much more of an influence on my Witchcraft than Scott Cunningham or Ray Buckland. This is not to say that I am not religious: I am. But I learned to use practical magick at an early age and was successful at it. I have traveled all over the world to learn traditional magickal techniques: from New Orleans, to Europe, to Nepal. Today I do magick professionally and consider traditional techniques of spell-working to be just as important as religious and spiritual traditions.

I would argue spell-casting is just as sacred as Wicca and Neo-Paganism and far more ancient and widespread a tradition. So where McColman asks the question: “As publishers produce more books about casting spells, is the spiritual message of Witchcraft getting lost?” I ask the opposite: Is the popular influence of Wicca and Neo-Paganism negatively impacting the tradition of spell casting, or if you will, the Witches’ Craft?

I think it is, on a number of levels. I will give just three examples:

Ethics:

The Wiccan Rede provides a very strong ethical principle for Witches to follow. As such, any mention of curses, jinxes, or harmful magick is frowned upon by the Pagan press. Some take this even further and extend it to spells that influence another’s will or reverse a curse back upon its sender. Very often in modern books I read “A REAL WITCH would never do harmful or coercive magick…” While I can applaud the good intent of these writers, and understand that authors are trying to paint a picture of Wicca that is acceptable to mainstream America, the fact is that this type of magick IS part of a “REAL” Witch’s repertoire. From the lead curse tablets of Greece, to the Gospel of Aradia, to more modern Witches like Sibyl Leek and Andrew Chumbley, cursing and coercion have always been a part of the Craft.

When my teacher taught me my first pieces of harmful magick, I was surprised. I had no interest in harming anyone but she told me, “You have to learn how to harm, in order to learn how to heal. The power comes hand-in-hand.” Apart from that lesson, life has taught me that a curse can be justified, and that in rare instances it can be down right compassionate. It is the use of knowledge that determines whether it is good or evil, not the knowledge itself.

To my mind allowing Wicca’s religious stance to determine what gets printed about traditional Witchcraft is wrong and pollutes the baraka of an ancient art. For instance Paul Huson’s book Mastering Witchcraft is one of the only early books of the craft that deals with the subject of vengeance and attack, and was given a horrible reputation in the Pagan community because of it. I have been to stores that refused to even carry it. One that did felt the need to put disclaimers all over it stating that it was “Not Real Witchcraft.” The book didn’t endorse vengeance and attack. It merely tried to present the full scope of the art it claimed to teach. In doing so, it put the preceding chapter on counter-magic and protection into great context. If anything, the craft teaches personal responsibility. Why then can we not trust readers to make their own ethical decisions about the craft?

Materia:

In the aforementioned article on beliefnet.com, Gardnerian Priestess Judy Harrow, author of Spiritual Mentoring, was quoted as saying:

“I remember once a man solemnly informing me that if a spell calls for, say, blue candles, and the candles are white candles dipped in blue instead of being blue all the way through, the spell will fail or maybe even backfire… People who believe that (magic) power is in ‘the stuff’ will not be able to access the power if ‘the stuff’ is not handy.”

A proficient Witch learns to substitute items that can’t be gotten in time. We also learn the magics of breath, gaze, gesture and incantation that can be cast without materials of any type whatsoever. While I agree that not all the power is in “the stuff, ” there certainly is quite a bit more than many modern writers would have you think. Many modern books make the case that “it’s all in your mind” and that the materials are just props with no real power of their own. This to me is disrespectful to the Witches and sorcerers that painstakingly wrote down formularies and philtres over the centuries. If this was really the case, why bother getting the ingredients right at all? Why not just write down “Devils Shoe Strings” on nine pieces of paper and use them instead of the herb? Try it and see what kind of results you get. Having lived in Nepal and worked with various Ngakpas (sorcerers) and Jankris (shaman) , I can tell you that they take their ingredients very seriously. I can say the same about the Bokors and Root Doctors of New Orleans.

Flying ointment made from mugwort in a carrier oil may be safer, but it is not just as good as one made from hemlock, belladonna, and other baneful herbs carefully mixed and applied. A stone with a hole drilled in it will not work as well as a real hagstone formed by running water. A twig from the backyard will not provide as good a basis for an influence charm as a whole High John root. These things have a tradition that goes back hundred of years and should not be cast aside so easily.

Psychological Reductionism:

Australian sociologist Douglas Ezzy was quoted in the beliefnet.com article regarding the effect of spells themselves:

“In his paper ‘New Age Witchcraft? Popular spell books and the re-enchantment of everyday life, ’ Ezzy notes that spell books ‘encourage individuals to take control of their lives through self-exploration and self-affirmation.’ Furthermore, ‘performing magical spells functions as a way of re-discovering the enchanted and mysterious aspects of life.’”

McColman further interprets this:

“In other words, spells are more than just magical recipes for getting your own way; they are miniature rituals designed to foster a sense of mystery and wonder (what Ezzy calls ‘enchantment’) in everyday life, and to evoke a positive sense of power and hope in the spell-caster’s life. Even if casting a spell doesn’t make you rich or win you love, it could give you hope that such blessings really are possible in your life.“

There are many Pagans and Wiccans that have no interest, belief in, or talent for spell-casting. That’s okay. I don’t believe that Witchcraft was ever meant to be a widespread practice. It may be elitist of me to suggest it, but I don’t think that everyone can cast an effective spell. Some can, some can’t. What we have today however are people drawn to the purely religious and spiritual aspects of Neo-Paganism and mistaking it for Witchcraft. They need to find a way to explain the place of spell-casting in a modern world, so its gets explained away in psycho-babble.

Many teachers today will explain that spells don’t actually offer outer change, only inner change. A spell to help you get a job will perhaps build your confidence but not affect the mind of the interviewer. The claim is that the magick is providing mystery, wonder, and self-affirmation. These are all good things, but it is clear that Witches throughout history did not feel this way about their craft, and neither do I!

I and many others know from experience that a well placed and executed spell can alter future events, affect the mind and spirit of a target or a client, and generally deliver the goods that are traditionally attributed to the craft. The effectiveness of this depends on the ability of the practitioner, knowledge of the art, and skillful application of that power and knowledge. Some people have a talent for practical magic. Some do not. Not so long ago, if you didn’t have a gift or calling for Witchcraft, you would not have been drawn to it. Now that it has become a popular subculture and religion, I wonder if people that don’t have much talent for spell work feel the need to write it off? To be clear I don’t think that you need to practice spellcraft to be a Pagan, or even a Wiccan, but that doesn’t mean we should reduce the classical art of Witchcraft to therapeutic drama.

McColman quotes writer Laura LaVoie as saying: “One of my fears with the spell books is that they send the wrong message to those looking for answers on how to be Pagan.” I have heard her fear echoed often in the Pagan community but very few consider the other side of the coin: Neo-Pagans can sometimes send the wrong message to those that just want to practice Witchcraft.

It’s pretty easy to tell whether a book is religious or is a collection of spells. I find it difficult to believe that someone looking to get a start in a new religion would pick up an Encyclopedia of Spells. On the other hand I do know of many people who came to a spiritual path, Wiccan or otherwise, through a desire to cast spells that opened up deeper questions.

I have what I consider to be a very rigorous and serious spiritual practice. I also am a professional Occultist who does readings and magick for pay. If Wicca doesn’t want to be confused with spell-casting, then they should stop using the term Witchcraft and Wicca interchangeably. Wicca represents one tradition of Witchcraft, not the whole practice.

There is room for both spells and Spirit. Keep the spell books coming! Keep the Pagan books coming! Keep the Wiccan books coming! Let them all get better researched and lead people deeper into the mysteries, from whatever angle of approach they choose.

May the Blessing, Cursing, and Cunning Be!

Footnotes:
McColman, Carl, , beliefnet.com, 2005.

Reflecting on Witchcraft, Then and Now

Reflecting on Witchcraft, Then and Now

Author:   Crick   

These days I find myself in periods of reflection on my experiences in the Craft and the ways that is has affected my personal views on life. As part of this reflection, I often wonder in what direction the Craft is now undertaking.

My girlfriend of many years, who is a Druid, and who has spent hours engaged in discussions with the old guy, will occasionally tell me, “you just aren’t right” before flashing a huge grin. When she says this I feel honored because it confirms that I have walked through this life as an individual. And it is has been the experiences of being involved in traditional Witchcraft that has made such a life experience possible.

But now I find myself in a quandary as to my personal views of witchcraft.

When I was growing up on a farm in Tennessee in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and later in suburbia in MD, our family quietly practiced the Craft as we knew it by way of our Irish heritage and the Appalachia influence that we grew up around.

Outwardly we were like any other family at the time; just our beliefs were a bit different from some. And though we referred to folks outside of our personal family as “the others” we were never obvious about such beliefs and so folks around us in the community had no clue. In fact, only one outsider, a Mrs. Bowie, who was a retired minister of a mystical Christian church and close friend of my grandmother Ina and a family from Ohio that used to visit my grandparents when we lived in MD, were the only non-family members that were aware of our ways.

Were we special?

Absolutely not, we were just as dysfunctional in some ways as any other family from that era. However, we never believed in publicity as far as our particular beliefs in the Craft. This was not due to fear of any public backlash or what have you; it was just our way to be private about our family ways.

In those days, folks believed that went on behind closed doors stayed behind those same doors. When my mother branched off into a coven separate from our immediate family at the beginning of 1970, a coven whose focus was primarily on Astrology and its influences on life, the ways of silence were such that though I as a teenager was aware of the existence of that coven, I knew next to nothing beyond that tiny morsel of information.

Some of you may have met my mother at some point in time for during the 1970’s she performed astrological and Tarot readings for a cruise ship liner that traveled between the coast of Florida and the Bahamas.

At any rate, during the mid 1970’s I spent three years in Germany with the military and during that time I was associated with a coven that engaged the path of Hecate and thus would probably be seen as a “dark” coven by Neo pagans today. And yet, though we were very active, we did not seek and in fact went to great pains to avoid publicity.

And now I come to my reservations and thus conflicting emotions about the openness if you will of witchcraft in today’s times. During the years that I have mentioned above, privacy was something that was as a natural way of life at the time and was respected as such.

I am keenly aware that during these same times, that those of the Wicca were in fact moving in the opposite direction and actively seeking publicity at every opportunity. Beyond this observation I personally have no comment to share about the Wicca during those times, for I am speaking about witchcraft as I know it from my personal experiences and not about the fledgling religion of Wicca.

In today’s day and age, with the advent of the Internet where information is readily assessable and where there are now a plethora of Wicca and witchcraft 101 books, it is difficult to find folks who adhere to the tenets of privacy that witchcraft once knew. My personal concerns are that is such openness really a positive step forward in regards to witchcraft?

When I examine my personal views of witchcraft, I see a spiritual path that is wide open to “personal” discovery. Nor do I see any valid restrictions on what or how a practitioner of witchcraft may engage in order to arrive at such discoveries. If one sees the need to conjure up a spirit or other entity in an effort to experience such a discovery, then so be it. If one needs to resort to witchcraft to correct a wrong from another, then again, so be it.

As a witch, I believe that each of us is an individual and as such I do not believe in Karma, a concept that is foreign to the art of witchcraft. But I do believe in maintaining personal responsibility. As an old school witch, I feel that I know my personal goals and the experiences needed to achieve them far better than any group of folks such as those found within the many religions that make up our world. If I make a mistake than I am the one who has to pay for them.

I personally do not believe that a public forum has the right to outline boundaries that defines what steps I am allowed to take to arrive at my experiences in witchcraft. As an individual I do not believe that anyone outside of me has a say on how I personally pursue the path of witchcraft.

Again, I am the one that has to answer for any trial and errors that I engage in within the parameters of witchcraft. And yet this is exactly the perception that we are at in today’s Neo pagan community.

Witchcraft is now defined (erroneously to my mind) as a religion. And as a religion all of the tenets that were once diametrically opposed to the tenets of witchcraft are now accepted as being the norm.

Because of the instantaneous communication of the Internet, folks who engage in witchcraft are cast into a false image of being light and fluffy folks. I personally do not believe in Good and Evil, as these is primarily concepts that originated with the Abrahamic religions. I do believe that there are shades of light and dark, but only in the sense that we need such labels in order to put a sense of understanding on such concepts as they relate to the human experience.

And so I have to wonder, if we took the overwhelming desire for publicity that defines the art of witchcraft today, would witchcraft still be defined as it is by today’s standards. Or would the freedoms that were once a tenet of witchcraft, flourish yet once again?

And are such modern standards, which in effect are enhanced by way of the Internet, realistic as it pertains to the practice of witchcraft?

Massive publicity may bode well for a religion in the sense that it needs such attention in order to boost its membership. But is such publicity really a positive and useful approach to a mystical spiritual path that requires no such membership beyond that of the individual practitioner?

Is the personal responsibility that has always been an unavoidable tenet of witchcraft still possible or even a consideration in the concept of witchcraft as it is defined by today’s standards? Has such massive publicity made witchcraft into a completely unrealistic concept in order to be acceptable to today’s society? Has such publicity taken away from the base realities of witchcraft?

The WOTC’s Spell of the Day for Feb. 7th: Purification Ritual for New Magical Tools

 

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Purification Ritual for New Magical Tools

Whenever you buy a new tool for magical workings it is important that the tool is purified. This is a simple purification ritual that I use to cleanse my new magical tools:

Ingredients:  

caldron or any heat-proof dish  

dandelion leaf  

wormwood  

sage

Ignite the herbs and let them smolder awhile. As the smoke   curls about you pass your tool through the smoke and say:

“Smoke rise,  

Let me be wise.  

This (name of tool) is cleansed.  

I will use it only for good.”

The item is now ready to use!

by Jame Kambos

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

Finding a Teacher, Mentor or Guide


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

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

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

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

The Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame

(version 2.0)

 

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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


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

The Celtic Connection

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

Goddess Speak To Me

Celtic Comments & Graphics

Goddess Speak to Me

A man whispered
“Goddess, speak to me”    
And a meadowlark sang
but the man did not hear.  
So the man yelled
“Goddess speak to me!”  
And the thunder rolled across the sky.    
But the man did not listen.  
The man looked around and said
“Goddess let me see you”  
And a star shone brightly.
     But the man did not notice.  
And the man shouted
“Goddess show me a miracle”    
And a life was born.    
But the man did not know.    
So, the man cried out in despair.    
“Touch me Goddess and let me know
that you are here!”
Whereupon Goddess reached down
and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away
and walked on.
 
                 — Author Unknown—

Good Monday Morning To All My Dear Lads & Lassies!

I know you are thinking she is feeling Celtic today or else she has lost her mind? Well really neither one. I am actually having a great Monday. I am going to have to write this down on the calendar. So far everything is coming up roses! Well I spoke too soon, Razzy just ran in here and decided she wanted my attention. To get it, she hops up in my lap and loves the computer. Then she takes one of those big paws and always manages to throw it on the keyboard.  You ought to see the mess she can make on a post.  One of these days when she is composing, I am just going to leave it. Then sign it, “From Razzy with Love!”

Don’t worry I am not that hard up for help, I swear. I guess I might as well catch you up on what’s been going on around here. Annie and The Countess are history. When I let everyone off for the week, I found some things that were handled improperly and other various other goings on. Needless to say there are something I don’t tolerate. I look at it this way if you are going to commit to something, then commit to it. There was no commitment, nothing was getting done and the WOTC was suffering from their actions. I have one young man in the office right now donating his time. Then tomorrow, I have a very old friend that is coming back to the WOTC. We grew up together, have the same personalities and practice the same beliefs. She has always been my Ace in the hole when I needed anything. I was talking to her on the phone and was explaining what was going on. She asked me why I didn’t call her to start with she would have been glad to help. She is one of the old WOTC’s assistant managers when we were on MSN. She is very reliable, knowledgeable and she brings a lot to the table with her. Her name is Misty but on the computer she goes by Mistress of the Myst. She has a brother that was also an assistant, now if we could recruit him again, we could sit back and watch this thing explode across the net.

I believe we get the right people in here that the WOTC will spread the Goddess’ message the way it is suppose to. If it wasn’t for the Goddess there would not be a WOTC. It is our mission and always will be to spread the truth and beauty about our religion, Witchcraft. To bring it back to its rightful place in mainstream religion and to always welcome all that seek or just curious. We want people to see what we really are, children of the Goddess. Full of Her Divine Light & Love, doing no harm to anyone.

More Monday Comments

I is for Invoking

I

 

 

Invoking

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

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

W is for Watchtowers

W

 

 

Watchtowers

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

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

 

 

What’s Up, Dear Family & Friends? It’s A Funday-Sunday Here Today!!!

Gooo0d Afternoon, my dearies! How are you doing today? I hope super fantastic. I have had a busy morning around here. Started a little of my Spring cleaning today! I need a maid, someone please!!!! I moved furniture, then got the little step stool and climbed on top. I started washing the walls down. Here comes Razzy and decides she doesn’t want her Momma wearing socks today. She hates for me to wear socks anyway. She will catch me with them on and pull them off my feet and hide them. So here she comes (she is a big as the step stool), she slaps at my ankles. Next the little (ha!) fart throws her big paw over my foot and just starts nibbling on my ankles. Gee, I am glad she friendly. I sit my bucket down and she knew I was getting down. She took off and ran to hubby and hit him head on. She knocked the breathe out of him. When I got to the living room, he was panting for air and she was curled up like a little angel.

Then when I got throw playing with Razzy, I had to go and give the pitbull his medicine. I also took him for a walk this morning. His scars are healing up nicely and he is starting to put some weigh on his back leg. He is so loveable. And he just wants someone to love him in return. I sit down and he rolls all over me, loving and licking. I have to keep him under control because he gets so excited by someone wanting to care for him. I am afraid if he gets to wound up, he will hurt himself and he has done wonderfully. I don’t want that to happen.

You ever get tired of doing the same old thing, day after day??? I do. I try to think of new things on the site to do to keep it interesting. Today, we are having a Funday Sunday. What does that mean? WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME FUN!!!! We are going to play “WITCH.” I am going to take each letter of Witch and post some info that correspondences with it. Say for instance, W – Warding – then I would write a little bit about Warding. Then two or three more W’s. Then I would move on to the “I.” There is going to information, invocations, potions, spells, rituals and no telling what else. So let’s have some fun and hopefully you will enjoy playing Witch today!!!! Oh, if you have a suggestion for one of the letters, feel free to post it in the comment section. I will then copy and paste it on the site and give you proper credit. So let’s get those brooms a stirring and play witch!!!!

 

More Whats Up Comments

Witchcraft 101: Integrity… Making that choice! (part 4)

Witchcraft 101: Integrity… Making that choice! (part 4)
Author: Wren

Since its inception, the Witches’ Voice, has been barraged with email asking the simple question… “How do I become a Witch”? Although, it has never been the mission of the Witches’ Voice to actually teach Witchcraft we find ourselves constantly shocked at the aweful responses the Teenage Witch or new seeker receives from many that “” themselves “elders” of the craft. For this we apologize. We will never preach or claim to “have the answer”.There are indeed many paths and many ways, it is our goal to give you the tools to  and what to look out for.

Part #4…

Integrity: Making a Commitment

What? Are YOU Still Here?

You have probably noticed -astute students that you are!- that I have made little mention of the Gods and Goddesses in this series. In fact, early on I cautioned you to NOT make a commitment to the Old Ones just yet. There is a real reason for this and it is now time to discuss it.

There has been a small but insistent clamor lately from those who wonder why no one is teaching the “deeper” things of the Craft. The first reason is that these are difficult issues to write about. The second reason is that they are even more difficult to actually work through. And the third reason? (I’m Celtic-I think in threes!) These are the issues that will determine if Witchcraft is really the religion for you.

You may think that you are sure already. “Of course, Witchcraft is for me! Why would I have been studying this for a year and a day if I didn’t think this was my Path?”, you may exclaim. Well, hold off on that impassioned vow. A few more moments will not make a difference…or will it?

What you have been DOING so far is studying and practicing. What you have been LEARNING is what all this study and practice means to YOU. You have been forming your own sense of…

INTEGRITY:

What is “Integrity”? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “integrity” means “The condition of having no part or element taken away or wanting; undivided or unbroken state; material wholeness; completeness; entirety.” Or better still, “The condition of not being marred or violated; unimpaired or uncorrupted; a condition of soundness.”

That is what you have been learning to do in the previous lessons. You have been doing exercises that have helped you to form your own ‘faculty of judgment’, your own ‘condition of soundness’. You have been working on building your personal integrity. You have to know what it is that you believe before you can make a decision on what is right or wrong for you.

Many problems that now exist in the Pagan community would probably never have come about if more people had taken the time and made the honest effort to find out if Witchcraft really was for them BEFORE they made a commitment to it. Instead they find themselves in situations where they are forced to either, 1. admit that they made a wrong choice, or 2. try to change the religion to fit them. Instead of Witchcraft transforming them, some attempt to transform Witchcraft to suit their particular needs and desires. They are ‘continually re-inventing’ Witchcraft and Wicca to suit themselves!

“A PROMISE IS A PROMISE”…

If you have decided that Wicca is your religion of choice, you have committed yourself to following its basic principles. One of these principles is, of course, the Rede. If you are promising to abide by the precepts of “And It Harm None..”, have you worked out what you would do if someone attacked you? Attacked your child? Does “harm none” mean you should become a vegetarian? Do you think that it is even possible to “harm none?” Well, that is what you are promising to do, isn’t it?

Traditional Witchcraft may not have a “Rede” of its own, but Witches were known as the “Wise Ones” for a good reason. They were respected. They were fair. They were healers. They helped the community. They changed things. They made good decisions. They didn’t promise what they could not deliver and they delivered what they promised. It is still the same today.

Too often folks make a promise in haste and then spend countless hours justifying why they had to break that promise “just this once” because of “conditions beyond their control.” They have their reasons-lots and lots of reasons. Truth is, they just didn’t give enough thought to their commitment BEFORE they made it. If you haven’t given serious thought and reflection to both the results and obligations contained within a promise, do not make one! And most certainly not to the Gods…

“If someone turned your body over to just any person who happened to meet you, you would be angry. But are you not ashamed that you turn over your own FACULTY OF JUDGMENT to whoever happens along…’-Epictetus

INTEGRITY REQUIRES THREE THINGS:

1. The ability to discern what is right and what is wrong.

This requires reflection, time and effort. It is a difficult process but one which cannot be avoided by anyone who truly wants to be a spiritual person. How much easier it is to find someone else to tell us what to do, what to read, what to think and how to act! But then, who would actually be living your life? Who would be in control? Who is pulling the strings? If you don’t think that you would enjoy being a puppet, then you simply must find out where your limits are, what you believe to be correct behavior and what you yourself are willing-and unwilling- to do.

Whether there is an “absolute” right or wrong is something that theologians and philosophers have been wrangling with for centuries. In fact the very thought that they could be wrong keeps many people from being willing to take a stand on anything at all!

The possibility that you may be wrong is lessened by careful study, investigation and thought. Of course, you may be honest about a belief. Later you may find out that you were honestly wrong! However, approaching each subject with an open mind; examining all the possibilities, answering all the ‘what ifs” will help you sort this out. Make no mistake about it, this is the most difficult process that you will ever undertake.

Most people and societies do agree that some things are just “more” right than others. (See ” You need to find out the measure of your own “rightness quotient”. You need to do the work of creating your personal code of behavior and ethics. Then you can hold that as a standard for decisions on what religion, what group or what Path is correct for you. And you thought that just finding a coven was hard! Finding the right coven, the right place, the right religion can change your life for the better. The wrong choice can be devastating.

If you have not done this work, then you are basically leaving yourself open to follow anything or anyone -and to do anything that they tell you. Witchcraft and Wicca are religions of personal power and responsibility. If you are not willing to do the work of discernment and introspection-to formulate a set of integrated values for yourself-then Witchcraft and Wicca are probably not for you.

INTEGRITY MEANS DOING THE RIGHT THING:

2. Acting on what you have discerned even at personal cost.

Suppose the teacher that you have been studying with begins to introduce issues or behaviors that you just don’t feel are “right’. Suppose that you now find that having sexual relations are a part of this group’s workings? What if suddenly this loving coven wants you to do a death spell against someone who has given another covenmate a hard time? What about that “harm none’ thing? What if you do not want to participate in this activity? But what if, by refusing to participate, you can no longer be part of this group? What will you do?

You may have put a lot of time and effort into a group. You may have even been initiated or attained a degree. These people are your friends-maybe you even think of them as your ‘family.” Now you face losing all this and starting over. The group may say bad things about you if you leave. You may lose your friends and their support. You have to decide- do you stay and compromise your own code of right and wrong? Do you leave? Where is your soundness, your faculty of judgment, your integrity now?

The truth is that most of us cannot say whether we really possess integrity until we are tested on it. Doing what we believe to be right-determined by the hard work of reflective discernment-even when it becomes personally painful tells us if we indeed have it or not. Didn’t I tell you that there is ALWAYS a test? This is one. There will be others. Get used to it. Witchcraft and Wicca are religions that require that we as Witches and Wiccans are equal to the challenges that life brings our way. If you can easily compromise your ethical principles or can turn your back to what you know to be right action, then Witchcraft and Wicca are not for you.

INTEGRITY MEANS KEEPING YOUR COMMITMENTS:

3. You openly declare where you stand.

Now we finally get to the Gods and the Goddesses! Do you still think that you are prepared to stand before Them and pledge your life, your heart and your hands to Their service? For that is what the religion of Witchcraft and Wicca are all about-SERVICE.

It is not about gaining power-although that will certainly be a part of your magickal life! It is about enabling others to learn ways to empower themselves.

It is not about “getting more” for you-although you will benefit in untold ways. It is about “giving more” to others in Their Name.

It is not about changing others to suit or cater to you-although others will find you nice to be around! It is about changing yourself, so that you are better equipped to do the work of the Old Ones on this Earth.

It is not about fame-although others will seek you out. It is about being available to help those in need.

It is not about pulling others down-although what is not working will fall before you. It is about building others up and creating new and healthy systems.

It is not about financial wealth-although you will always feel “rich!” It is about sharing what you have with the rest of the community.

It is about keeping promises, going the extra mile, doing what is correct and for the good of all. It is about uprightness, honor, truth, healing, giving and service.

It is above all holding high the Names of the Old Ones, keeping to their Ways, honoring all Their children, caring for the Earth and being committed to carrying out whatever tasks that They have set upon you to do. It is about Integrity-Theirs, yours, ours.

A Little Humor for Your Day – Safe Witch Kit

Safe Witch Kit

Want to be a Witch, yet don’t want dangerous items in your home? We’ve assembled this comprehensive kit to meet the beginning Witch’s needs, without compromising safety.

Includes:

1 Rubber Athame. Painted black handle, silver blade. Very flexible. You can swing this about in Circle with no fears about hurting anyone!

Exclusive! The incredible Collapse-a-Wand! Hand-wrought of authentic wood-grained expanded foam, with a special adhesive patch for attaching the Power Stone of your choice (see below).

2 Battery-operated Candles (1 black, 1 white). No more concerns about flowing gowns catching fire.

1 package Glade Stick-ems. Fresh, floral scent, without the concerns of burning incense. No messy ash to clean up!

1 shaker Mrs. Dash. Get all the flavor and zip of salt, without the sodium!

1 Quality Fold-a-Cauldron. Easy-to-assemble, genuine simulated cast iron corrugated material. Complete instructions.

1 Fabric Rainbow Disk. No sharp corners to be concerned about. The perfect centerpiece for your own Altar. No worries of offending anyone, as could happen with those misunderstood pentagrams.

3 Assorted colors soft vinyl “Power Stones.” Focus the energy of crystals. Perfect for attaching to your Collapse-a-Wand!(Choking hazard. Not recommended for children under 3 years of age)

1 Booklet, “How to Be One with the White Light, Because There Is No Dark Side, Luke” subtitled: “The Absolutely, Completely Comprehensive Guide to Everything Possible that a Witch Needs to Know to cast Any Spell at All”

BONUS! Order now, and we’ll send you our exclusive Fill In The Blanks Book of Light! All the spells you’ll ever need, and YOU fill in the names and dates! Quality softcover binding.

All packaged attractively in a lovely carry-case, which unfolds to become your altar cloth.

Rush out and get yours today!

— by René Friberg, aka RaeVynn Sands

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

Death And The Witch

{Part 2 – Ceremony of Remembrance To Follow}

 

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

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

they may not be able to go through for quite a

while

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

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

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

Crossings are also done in honor.

Excerpt from:

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

May the Glorious Full Moon’s Blessings Shine Down Upon All My Family & Friends!

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Well did you think I had run off? Not quite. It has been a rough week. I decided to really get laid back today. I slept late, didn’t get up to 11:00. Said “Good Morning to the beautiful Sun.” Perhaps it is because I haven’t seen the Sun in so long. It seemed exceptional bright today.

I wanted to rest and relax today because tonight is the Full Moon. I hope everyone has planned out what they are going to do. Remember your power is at its fullest. So that spell that needs a little extra zip to it, do it now. For myself, I am going to do a little Moon meditation. Then recharge my battery. After that I am going to bless the outside of my home and also the refuge. Then I will go inside each and smudge every window and door in both places. Then I was also do a warding at my home.

Let’s talk a little Moon magick and about being a witch. Ok, ok! You might wonder why I go to all this trouble every Full Moon. It is simple I am a Witch. The Aura of a Witch is especially bright. It is like you are a 100 watt light bulb on the planet for everyone and everything to see. There are some things that you don’t want to see your Light bulb (Aura). Like not so good witches, psychic vampires and other entities that are not so nice. As long as your light bulb is showing, you are leaving a direct path to you and your home. So you much hide your light bulb. You must protect it.You should know the main way of doing this when you are out and about on the town, is by shielding. Since we shield ourselves, we need a place we can sort of relax. So we bless our homes. We go outside each Full Moon and walk the perimeter of our homes. Asking the Powers of the Universe to protect our homes and keep all evil and negativity without. Then when we are through with the outside, we do to the inside.

If you are a witch that does a lot of rituals and spells on a regular basis, the inside is very important. Every time you do a spell or ritual, you have a magickal residue left over. If that magickal residue is not gotten rid of, it will built up. It can have an effect on you, your relationships, the feel of the home’s atmosphere and most of all your magick. So it is very important that you smudge your home to get rid of any magick residue laying around. You start in the middle of each room. Say a short blessing of your choice. The start at the corner of the room. If you are like me, the directions of North, South, East and West change from room to room. Smudge clockwise, starting with the corner to your left. Smudge the corner and as you walk to the next corner, continue to smudge along the wall. Do not stop smudging until every room in your house is complete. Then let the smudge stick or incense burn itself out.

Last but not least, do the warding. Warding might sound hard but it is simple. Start in the middle again, say a prayer of your choice (preferably short this time). After you have finished your prayer, make the sign of the pentagram. Working clockwise again, go to your first doorway or window, repeat your little prayer and in midair draw the sign of the pentagram. Do this at each window in the room and the doorway on the way out. Also be sure to include your front entrance and your rear entrance.

Now that we have all that do, we can relax a bit around the house. When I had my group on MSN, I kept my shield up 24/7. Yes, you heard right. There were some nasty witches in that group. The funny thing and they would give their self away. They would bitch because my shield was up constantly. Hmm, how would you know if my shield was up? And beside what business did you have with me that you couldn’t discuss. Instead you are trying to poke in my brain. Tells me a lot, that person is up to no good. So my shield stayed up, all the time. But now, I do let it down occasionally. One of the main reason I can do so comfortably now is because I have a super familiar. She guards me like a hawk and the minute something is trying to get to me, she goes nuts. So she is my security system. Razzy is going to be an excellent alarm system also. I was in the bathroom with her (not on the toilet either, lol!). I was curling my hair and all of a sudden she started taking her paws and swinging at the Air. I really didn’t know what to think but Kiki came running and I then knew what Razzy was doing.

That’s another thing, get you a good familiar. Make a connection with them and your life will be unbelievable. Full of love, companionship, understanding, friendship, I could go on and on.

But I won’t because I have talked more than I was planning on it. I have some articles I am typing up. I had some ladies request a posting on pet’s passing rite. So I am going to try to be a Witch of my word and get that done next.

Remember to get out and enjoy our Lady Moon tonight. Take a moment just to bask in Her Greatness, let your Spirit soar.

The Brightest of Blessings to You and Yours,

Lady A