Woden – Help Me Read These Runes Aright…

Woden – Help Me Read These Runes Aright…

Author: RuneWolf

I’ve been trolling the Internet lately looking for new information and/or viewpoints on the runes and, I must say, I’ve gathered more than a few resentments along the way.

Now, I am a steadfast believer in the sanctity of individual spiritual opinion, practice and experience, but I also believe that making things different doesn’t necessarily make them better, and that some things are best left in the original packaging, so to speak. (That’s one of the benefits of being a non-dualist – one can be a liberal AND a fundamentalist at the same time without ones head exploding…)

I also believe that if the Old Ways (i.e. the way things were done prior to about 1990) are to be preserved, someone has to speak up when the drift becomes a bit too drifty. And, yes, some of us have to be arrogant enough to think that we qualify for that position. At the very least, I hope that the Pagano-Heathen community can still agree to disagree, and that those of us who “pine for the Good Old Days” have at least as much right to speak up and say our piece as the innovators and pioneers.

(And now, a brief pause for the Politically Correct Disclaimer: What follows is not The Truth, nor the One Right And Only Way. It is simply what I have come to believe in as a result of research, study, practice and UPG [Unverifiable Personal Gnosis]. I believe in it strongly, and will both state and defend it passionately, but that does not mean that I think your way is wrong. Mine is just righter…)

For the sake of brevity, I will address three of the most heinous aberrations I see in “contemporary runelore”: the so-called “blank rune,” orientational interpretation of the runestaves and, for lack of a better term, the “New Aging” of the runelore. I will explain each of these categories more fully as I address them.

Before I do so, however, a bit needs to be said about the process of divination with the runes, in order for my arguments against these heresies to make sense. Since this topic itself cannot be easily covered in a book, let alone an essay, I must again be as succinct as I can be and still communicate the basic concepts.

First, let’s clarify a little terminology. What we commonly refer to as “runes,” (i.e. the little bits of wood, ceramics, metal or stone with the angular symbols on them) are more properly referred to as “runestaves.” “Rune” actually refers to the Mystery represented by each of those little angular symbols. However, to avoid needless confusion, I will acquiesce to popular usage, and refer to the staves as runes (small r), and the Mysteries as Runes (capitol R).

Divination with the runes is a lot like tracking earthquakes with a seismograph. What we are attempting to sense, through the agency of the runes, are the tremblings along the Web of Wyrd that may lead to one outcome or another, depending on other tremblings of the Web. A casting or spread of runes is a snapshot of the vibratory patterns of the Web at a particular point in space/time. While it is possible to hone a reading to a very precise degree, what one normally sees in runic divination is a rather broad picture of the current situation, and the many possibilities that could emerge in the as-yet-unmanifest future. One also needs to understand that, unlike Tarot, a runic divination is not necessarily relevant to the querent. One may indeed be the focus of a particular reading, in which case the reading will tend to resonate or make a great deal of sense. However, one may simply be caught up in an impersonal “Runic current,” in which case the reading may seem – at least at that moment – to be way off base.

There are many contemporary methods for casting or creating a rune reading, but many of these are borrowed from the Tarot tradition. How the runes were originally used is unclear, except that, from the lore, we know that several at a time were cast onto a cloth or other surface, and then interpreted.

With these admittedly broad strokes as our launch pad, let’s look at those “issues” I mentioned earlier.

The (Dreaded) Blank Rune:

There is no such thing.

That should put an end to it, but I know better by now.

To the best of my (admittedly limited) knowledge, the blank rune was first popularized by Ralph Blum in the ‘90s. It may have been around before but let’s be fair: before Blum’s book, precious few in mainstream American had ever heard of a rune, let alone a blank one. While I bitterly oppose Mr. Blum’s New Agey interpretations of the runes and his apparent attempt to combine them with the Tarot tradition, I have to give credit where credit is due: he did succeed in bringing the runes back into the popular consciousness and imagination, although the jury is still out on whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. While many Pagans and Heathens were and are scandalized and offended by his work, there are many writers of whom that can be said, so in all, I bear no great animosity toward the man and his work. I was first introduced to the runes through his book, though I was lucky enough to be set straight later on by my Elders and the Gods.

But I digress…

Since its introduction, the blank rune has come to symbolize many things, and has even been called (shudder!) Odin’s Rune. And while I can tolerate a lot of hooey, I have to draw the line right there. Ansuz is Odin’s Rune; period, end of discussion. If you don’t believe me, just ask Him…

Usually, the blank rune is said to represent the Great Mystery (as if the preceding twenty-four Mysteries weren’t great enough), which has always seemed a bit, well, lazy to me. It’s a convenient “back door” for those who divine themselves into a corner, and a good prop to point to when you haven’t a clue what the whole reading means, but still want to seem powerful and mysterious. In short, it’s a gimmick, and there is no place for gimmicks in serious runework.

The other manner in which I often see and hear the blank rune used is as the “significator” in a rune reading, i.e. a representation of the querent. This is pretty blatant plagiarism from the Tarot tradition and, again, has no place in runework. The Runes do not revolve around you, no matter how special you think you are – it is up to you to fit yourself into the patterns they may choose to reveal to you. If you really MUST have a “significator,” then let that be the first rune that you draw, and cast the others over/around it. But even then, remember that it is a metaphysical seismograph, and the tremors it is picking up may be so faint, so deep, that you see no possible connection to you or your present circumstances.

Orientational Interpretations:

By this I mean the interpretation of the runes according to whether they are “upright” or “reversed,” with upright interpretations being mostly “good,” and reversed mostly “bad.”

This is, again, a direct syncretism from the Tarot tradition, and is alien to the nature of the Runes. The primal cosmic forces that are the Runes cannot be subjected to dualistic reductionism and parsed into polarities of “good and bad,” “light and dark” and so on. The Runic forces are far too fundamental to the structure and function of the multiverse to be thought of in such limited terms. Each rune represents not merely the two obvious sides of a coin, but the edge also, and, for that matter, the very molecular structure of the coin that exists between the visible sides! Indeed, implicit in the very existence of the coin is all that the coin is not! And so it is with the Runes.

In studying and working with the runes, one comes to appreciate the true non-dualistic nature of reality, and to comprehend, however poorly, the vast and complex interweaving of weal and woe (“good” and “bad”) that is existence. This is not a Pollyanna attitude of “every cloud has a silver lining,” nor is it an entropic nihilism that sees all that is good, beautiful and true as ultimately ephemeral and therefore pointless. If anything, it has more in common with the worldview of philosophical Taoism than with any product of the Greco-Roman philosophers and their later European adherents. One recognizes that the ways of Wyrd are neither good nor bad, that they simply are what they are and one is free to accept them on their own terms, or categorize them in whichever pigeonhole one wishes. In the end, our labels and categorizations are swallowed up in the flow of the Runic currents.

If the Runes are then, in essence, shades of gray within shades of gray, how does one make sense of a rune casting? As the man once said, all things are relative, and it is in the relationship of each rune in the casting to every other rune that one intuits the influence, for weal or woe or both, of the individual Runic forces and the combinations thereof upon the matter in question. When one looks at the runes scattered in a casting, one is literally looking at patterns within patterns, and this is the true key to effective runic divination.

The “New Aging” of the Runes:

Here I refer to the association or “correspondence” of each Rune to such things as astrological signs and alchemical symbols, herbs, trees, stones, gems, crystals and such like. While it is true that, in some of the ancient rune poems and rhymes, various runes are associated with various phenomena of the natural world, such as trees, stars, hail, the sea, ice, etc., there is no precedence for assigning each rune a correspondence or association in each such category. The associations that exist seem to be made based upon the nature of the rune itself and the associated phenomenon, and there appears to be no meta-pattern on which to base a systematic matrix. Unfortunately, as with orientational interpretation, this practice has been promulgated by otherwise impeccable Runic scholars, and has therefore fallen into more or less common acceptance. Personally, I find the whole concept to be a bit too neat, tidy and structured to apply authentically to the primal, fractal essence of the Runes. The Runes are the ultimate “patternless patterns,” and by their very nature defy such systematization.

In the end, as with all esoteric studies, one must find ones own way to ones own Truth, and I would be the last to attempt to dissuade anyone from pursuing their own wyrd. The Runes will reveal themselves to you as they will, but I urge you to resist the temptation to try to fit them into a neat little cookie-cutter grid of meanings and associations. But neither can we let our understanding of them become ossified. I simply suggest that working with these most profound of Mysteries is adventure enough for one lifetime. We do not need to clutter our work with gimmicks and gewgaws from other paths and traditions.

Misrepresenting This Path

Misrepresenting This Path

Author: Rev. Crystal

Sometimes I am saddened by the misconceptions of Wicca in the world, but it is not just those outside of the Wiccan faith who misrepresent our beliefs. It is also some people within our own communities. One of the ways they do this is by wearing the sacred symbol of the pentacle while acting out the opposite of what we represent.

Wearing a pentacle is an honor for me. I don’t take for granted the work that is involved with being able to represent the Pagan path with pride and integrity. I continue to hold myself to the high standards that come with being able to say, “I am a witch” or “I am Wiccan”. I have enough respect for my elders who have fought through adversity in order to practice this path and make it possible for me to do so as well.

I have found myself pondering what my role is in the lack of respect for our sacred symbol and what my role should be. I know that I am not responsible for another’s spiritual beliefs and for that I am grateful. It is enough just to take care of mine.

But I do think that there are those in the community who should not only offer to be of assistance in setting the record straight, but actually also try to live up to the ethics which govern the Wiccan faith.

Our path is full of beauty, mystery and spiritual grace. One of the most important jobs of Wiccans worldwide is to continue to manifest the beauty that our path represents. This is another point where ethics come clearly into the picture.

There are many new people coming into this path who are not getting a clear understanding of the ethics behind Wicca. Unfortunately, there are not enough elders willing to stand up and teach either. It leaves us with a big gap of understanding between some of the newer generations of Wiccans and the older generations of practitioners. This gap creates confusion, misunderstanding and susceptibility to learning and teaching things that are not in line with our belief structure.

Wicca is not about spellwork or being cool. It is not about revenge or anger. It is about spirituality and love. It is the connection to the god and goddess and the universe.

One of the most important parts of the path of Wicca (not Pagan, but Wiccan) is the Rede. It is an essential part of this path. If one does not follow the Rede, then he/she may be Pagan but not Wiccan. And think about it, as a Wiccan, why wouldn’t you want to follow a clause that ultimately protects you?

Wiccans should understand that we are a part of everything and everything is a part of us. As above, so below. Whatever energy we send out is ultimately tied to us. It is like throwing a tennis ball to a wall. It is coming right back.

There is a responsibility that comes with the wearing of the pentacle which goes far beyond being cool. In truth, the responsibilities that come with that pentacle around your neck are great.

I have to remember that the moment I put on a pentacle or symbol of this path, I am representing it to the outside world. In essence, it is irresponsible to wear a symbol you cannot respect enough to live up to whatever it stands for.

That means a lot; so let’s be clear.

· Know what it is you believe in and stand for.

· Have enough knowledge of the path to answer questions appropriately.

· Manipulation, dishonesty and deceit are not Wiccan traits.

· Don’t wear a pentacle because it makes you look mysterious or it goes well with your Goth outfit.

· Don’t falsely represent yourself as a mentor, teacher or elder if you have not done the training to be one.

· Don’t advertise for sex on the internet with a pentacle on.

· Don’t throw trash on the ground or abuse our mother with a pentacle on.

· Don’t act in immoral ways in our communities and act like you are better than the book religion people.

· Respect your history and the elders who paved the way for us.

· Be humble enough to still learn and not act like you know everything just because you have a pentacle on.

· Respect this path and your fellow Wiccans or Pagans.

Should I go on? The sad thing is that I could. These are all real examples of what is happening in our community as we speak.

Now, I am in no way immune to this behavior myself. The difference for me on my path is the realization that I don’t want to disrespect this path or myself by partaking in maladaptive, old behavior that does not promote my spiritual self.

So I work on this constantly. Nothing comes easy for anyone, myself included, so I try not to take it for granted. And I never take this pentacle around my neck for granted either…not for one second.

A statement that comes to mind is from JZ knight while channeling Ramtha, and goes something like this, “The best way to worship a God is to act like one”.

I try to follow this with every breath even when it is very hard.

I will repeat this statement because we need to hear this over and over again in our community: the responsibilities that come with that pentacle around your neck are great.

I hope we can all remember that throughout our day and actually be what we are representing.

And if you can’t do that, then it is a simple matter really: Just take the pentacle off.

TAKE THE PENTACLE OFF………………..

Blessed Be.

How To Become A Witch

How To Become A Witch
in Nine Easy Lessons

By Don McLeod

Please note that this page is in the Humor section of this site and is not meant to be an accurate or actual depiction of witches. Duh.

In the 1980s, it was fashionable to be interested in the New Age. This is now a dreadful faux pas within the alternative scene, and in order to be accepted in the current metaphysical social set, one must have an interest in witchcraft or paganism. Of course, you don’t have to actually belong to a coven to be thought of as a witch; you can bluff your way into being accepted as a full-fledged witch simply by knowing a few terms and dressing accordingly. This brings us to…

Rule # 1: Image is Everything.

After all, what’s the good of being a witch if nobody knows you are one? You must therefore wear black at all times. If possible, stay out of the sun until you become really pale, as this makes the effect even better. For women (and adventurous males), dark eyeliner and black nail polish can enhance this look. Wear crystals and cheap occult paraphernalia at all times, and make sure that these are as gaudy and bizarre as possible, as this can only help your image. Wearing a pentacle around your neck is an absolutely necessary accessory – the bigger the better! Capes and cloaks are optional around town – it depends on how much of a visual impact you want to make, but either of these are also crucial apparel at any ritual or gathering that you may attend.

Rule # 2: Name Dropping is Good.

Every serious student of the craft (and I’m talking here about the term for witchcraft, not macrame) knows the name Gerald Gardner. This man revitalised witchcraft in the 1950s with his book about the true history of The Old Religion (some have called this book pure fiction, but only those picky few who like books to be based on facts). Real witches however, never let historical accuracy get in the way of their spiritual path, so in conversations with other witches, drop his name as often as possible (in tones of awe) and you will always be rewarded with smiles of acceptance.

Rule # 3: Past Life Name Dropping is Even Better.

Tell everyone about the past life memories that have been surfacing since you began studying the Black Arts. It is especially useful to remember a past lifetime as a witch who was killed during the Inquisition, or at least recall a lifetime as a famous occultist. My past lives have included Aleister Crowley, Cagliostro, Mandrake the Magician, and most of the cast of Bewitched.

Rule # 4: Behave Strangely.

Never forget why it was that you wanted to become a witch – yes, so that you have an excuse for strange behaviour. Behavior patterns previously labeled “eccentric” can now be accepted by others if they have a reason to explain them, even if that reason for howling at full moons while naked is simply, “He/she is a Witch. That’s normal for them, evidently.” So don’t let your friends down – behave strangely. You can get away with it now.

Rule # 5: Watch Occult Movies.

Make sure that you watch the movie Warlock lots of times to perfect those soft landings after over-indulging with the flying ointments (read as mead and weed).

Rule # 6: Ready Yourself for Sex, Money and Power.

Wasn’t this the other reason you were drawn to witchcraft? In the past, Adepts of the occult were known to possess charismatic, lusty, and powerful personas. When people find out that you are a witch, they may automatically assume you have (and therefore empower you with) these same qualities. This may sound pretty good, but unfortunately, in today’s world, another group of people have become even more established within the realms of kinky sex sessions and unlimited power – yes, the politicians! Beware of this elitist group of power-brokers… they don’t want any competition to their manipulative monopoly over the gullible public, hence the laws against witchcraft and divination that have remained unchanged for centuries. So, if calling yourself a High Priest doesn’t lead you to unlimited sex, money and power – or if it does, but you then find yourself as the target of political and legal harassment ‘ you may have to put aside your cloak and broomstick and pick up a pinstriped suit and a back bench in Parliament. If you can’t beat them, try bribery, then if that doesn’t work… join them!

Rule # 7: Atmosphere is Essential.

Your home must reflect your witchy nature. Incense must burn continuously. It’s important that visitors see clouds of incense smoke billowing from a spluttering censer in the corner of your dim, dank, and dusty home, so dismantle the smoke detectors and start collecting strange little bottles of exotic looking ingredients (use your imagination and label them with names like powdered bat’s eyes, or dried dragon’s gonads). And if you don’t like housework, you can explain that the layer of dust that covers your floors and furniture helps to neutralise the highly charged psychic energy that results from your magical spells, thereby protecting your home and possessions from electromagnetic disintegration.

Rule # 8: Be Patronising to Christians.

In social discussions, don’t forget to make plenty of derogatory remarks about fundamentalist Christians, and remember to save your most biting comments for other witches that you don’t get along with.

Rule # 9: Brag About Your Psychic Powers.

Any self-respecting witch will tell you that after their initiation to witchcraft, their psychic powers awakened and their tarot cards (which they always carry with them) are now much easier to read (they now get something right once in a while). They will also tell you that they can now sense energy fields (in other words, they don’t bump into things as often as they used to). Follow this example and brag about the rapid development of your psychic abilities since your initiation. If asked about your initiation ceremony, simply state that you were sworn to secrecy about it, then quickly change the subject by mentioning your newly awakened ability to detect Ley lines, but try to remember that a Ley line is not a queue for the after-ritual orgy!

Now you know how to pass yourself off as a real Witch, so place that broomstick in a conspicuous corner (one that is not clouded by too much incense smoke); pull on those black clothes; give everyone that you meet a sinister look – and your social status will improve overnight. If you do all of this successfully, you may even find yourself with enough adoring acolytes so that you can start your own coven! Good luck and Blessed Be!

The Power of Chanting

Christopher Penczak

Sound, tone, voice, and music are powerful forms of magick and celebration.
Before I became a witch, the part of traditional religious services I loved
the most was the music; using song as celebration. When I got involved in
Wicca, the traditions I first learned were very stoic and formal. There was
no real song or chant involved in our Moon and Sun celebrations. I missed it
a lot, but felt there was no place for music in my new practice. At the time
I was a professional musician, completing my degree in music, but our
training in music history only delved into the sacred music of the Christian
era. Not much time was devoted to ancient civilizations or tribal lore. I
knew music was a part of the pagan world, but was not exposed to it.When I explored other traditions of witchcraft – as well as mystical
traditions in yoga and Eastern religions – I found mystics using sound,
chant, and rhythm to do magick and create ritual. The more shamanic, primal
traditions would use chant and simple dance to raise energy and connect with
the spirit of the ritual. Simple repeated rhythms and melodies could induce
altered states and focus the will. I was so excited to find a religous
outlet for my musical _expression.Later in my practice, I found myself the celebrant (or officiating high
priest) for a public pagan group that celebrated at Unicorn Books in
Arlington, Massachusetts. I had originally replaced a priestess who was no
longer able to commit to the group, and due to this shift, the group only
included around five participants at any time. Soon we formed an identity
and theme together, and the group began to grow. The rituals went from
intimate groups of five to ten people to larger and larger gatherings. Soon
we filled the room’s forty person capacity. Everyone was great, but coming
from different backgrounds they lacked a cohesive sense of tradition or
ceremony. We loved being eclectic, but needed to have some focus to bring
our group together. I needed to find a way to let everyone contribute to the
ritual and create a sacred space. After many fumbled attempts with a variety
of ritual techniques and tools, I relied on music as a common denominator.
Chant became the key!

As part of each of the eight Wheel of the Year celebrations in our little
loft space, I wrote a short chant with a simple melody, which we used to
raise energy. Those chants became the basis of the chants recorded on The
Outer Temple of Witchcraft CD Companion. We sang about the gods and
goddesses relating to each of the holidays. The chants focused our attention
raised energy, and helped get us into the moment as we passed the chalice
or anointing oil. The songs also helped teach newcomers the basic meaning of
the holiday, quickly relaying powerful themes and key words with the melody.

The use of music in our rituals totally transformed them, and is one of the
most popular parts of our celebrations. Because of my experience, I started
to encourage the use of more and more music in my smaller celebrations and
private coven rituals. I even use chants when I am doing rituals and spells
all alone. I highly suggest adding some music to your own rituals, no matter
the size.

Here are some tips in using music in your own circles:

* Find traditional chants and more recently composed ones that you can use.
Metaphysical stores often have a section of pagan music, song and chants.

* If you visit larger pagan festivals, you may be taught some of the
traditional chants if you don’t know them and can’t find a recording. Many
are passed along through the oral tradition of pagan gatherings. Take notes
and write down lyrics so you won’t forget.

* Use simple melodies with a limited vocal range so everybody can sing them
without straining their voices.

* Try setting pagan poetry to familiar melodies, such as well-known holiday
songs. Sometimes they sound silly, but they can be a great way to focus
everybody on a melody they already know sung with different words.

* Use simple beats and rhythms to keep the group focused – or use a drum to
help induce an altered state. Beats that fall on even numbers (based on
groups of two or four beats) are more direct and dynamic. Some consider them
more masculine. Beats based in 3, like the familiar waltz pattern, are
considered more feminine and have a connection to the triple goddess.

* Feel the music as you perform it. Let the vibration fill your body, heart,
and mind. Let it move you. When you are open to sound, you can make the
experience very healing or energizing.

* Don’t be afraid to be loud or to make a mistake. Sing with feeling and
worry about the technicalities later. If everyone is into the chant, that’s
more important than sounding perfect. Don’t make anyone feel bad if they
don’t have a perfect voice. Remember the circle is about Perfect Love,
Perfect Trust, and celebration. Keep the spirit alive when you chant and
when you pass the cakes. Each is an opportunity for love, compassion, and
transformation.

Today’s Runes for Sunday, May 13th s Dagez

Today’s Runes

Spirit Runes are most commonly used for questions about mysticism, spirituality, and religion. Dagez means daylight, and represents divine light. This rune generally refers to dawn (the initial sparking of energy) or to midday (the climax of energy). Both dawn and midday are symbolic of change, but unlike the changes in the perpetual circle of the year which are slow and subtle, the changes over a day are much faster and more dramatic. The breaking of a new day is symbolic of the rapid illumination of dismal circumstances, and is suggestive of Satori. Be careful – although this rune generally suggests a positive change, the symbology of a peaking point suggests that there must be a change downward as well. Fortunately for some, this rune is cyclic and irreversible, and so permanence is not promised – the only thing you can be sure of is an exciting ride.

The Witch I Am

Author: Eilan

Witchcraft, the Arte, the Craft, Magick, the Old Religion – what could these names possibly mean to an 18-year-old male living in an age of global warming, rapid deforestation, tyrannical war and occupation, fundamentalist literature and humanist rationalism? They are the faces of a largely spiritual movement, grounded in the sacred powers of Nature, from which the Old Gods themselves draw their strength and mystery.

My name is Gede Parma. I am an 18-year-old male Witch currently residing in Queensland, Australia. I am an initiate and co-founder of the dynamic Pagan wellspring that is the Coven of the WildWood, and I am priest and vessel to my Gods of Blood and of Breath.

My Pagan peers know me as Dobhair (pronounced ‘door’ with a soft accent in the middle), which is the name my ancestors revealed to me during last year’s solar eclipse as I dedicated myself to the Dagda and Morgaine le Fay. In this time of the Greening much will be seen to come to pass and the world will change in a way that none of us could ever have conceived.

I stand as the Rod of Power, as the Menhir, the Tree of Life, to whom my veneration is given in circles with my coven. As I focus inward so does my breath circulate into the outer realms, my consciousness expanding and taking into itself the divinity that is immanent within all of Life. I remember the animating force behind all that is and dance the spiral path of change and transformation into the very heart of the primal womb whose centre is the point of origin.

From the beginning I was Air, from whose new dawn’s breath ‘I’dea was formed. I was then fuelled by the heat of Fire, and light and warmth gave way to the oceanic-matrix that is the Water and blood-ways became rivers and streams in the body of the Goddess.

By Spirit and the Great Mystery I was given form and beauty and Earth’s presence and foundation continued the cycle, and when my thread is cut by the tides of Fate I will fall to the winds once more to decay with the autumn foliage under the slanted glare of a fading king whose sun sets in the realms of Death.

I am resurrected and born again by Love and by Light, and the Two Pillars join the heavens to the broad earth, from whom once more I will spring up as Kore, the sprout. From Death comes Life, and in Life there is Love, and the Mystery knows them all.

These are the mysteries that have been written of and told to others whose minds and hearts are listening, however their far-reaching and infinite truths are not simply grasped by an eloquent intellect or by the ascetics of a world-rejecting discipline.

Witchcraft to a teen in the 21st century has not lost its Great Mystery. We are still as the priests and priestesses of old who stole away to secret orders nestled in ‘tween places. We are still as the seers and shamans whose journeys remain intrinsically-patterned into our wild and unkempt spirits. We are Witches and by solitude or tribe we still raise the Power to celebrate the ecstasies of Life. I have never forgotten this charge and I have made it my oath to the Old Ones to continue to impart this knowledge and wisdom on those who have ears to listen.

There is immense power in the old mythos. They speak of Gods and Goddesses who inspire and protect their own, of ancient magicks whose powers awaken in the hearts of those who embrace the old ways. There is descent into the netherworld, and resurrection in the light of day. There are ancestors who kindle the hearth-fires and who gather us in to be warmed when way-ward our feet have taken us.

There are oceans and seas that speak of death and devotion. There are groves and mounds and stone-circles who whisper of ancient rites and who glisten and vibrate with the dragon-lines that sing through the land. There are wheels that spin and turn, and bring awareness to the cycles of Nature, to the implicit realities and cause us to revel in the wonder that is the blue sky and the green tree.

These things, these memories are not cast out or forgotten by the Witches of today, they are embraced and renewed by those of us who seek to rejoin and reconnect with the Wyrd, whose keepers, though at times stern, remind us to dance and to make Magick in their honor.

When the Pagan community regards its youths and also their influx into the tribes, they often forget that once upon time that was them. There are many who revile and resent the young folk who seek out the ancient wisdom and who practice the rites of the Craft. They seem to think that in doing so we desecrate their sacred power, or playfully twist and manipulate to achieve our own selfish and incorrigible ends.

Anyone who truly kneels at the Altar or draws the Circle of Power knows to what effect their pure Will can achieve. Those who are simply involved for the ‘glamour’ and the ‘prestige’ soon draw back when they discover what perfect love and perfect trust truly means.

So those of us who still remain after the year and a day and whose understanding has strengthened and whose energy has intensified should be known to all others who walk the spiral-ways as honest and humble devotees.

I will never forget the moment when I became a respected member of my community and was taken by my word for my word. It was as if all my potential became actualized and I could evolve and transform into a new identity, into a new persona. But personas are masks and identities fade, and through this time I began to feel again the pulse in the deepest part of me.

The façade had broken.

I didn’t need their recognition, their support, though it helped immensely in times of grief. What I needed was my connection, to awaken the divinity that is indwelling. It didn’t take long before one Goddess chose to love me and to pour into me what was already at my core. She is beauty; she is truth. She is power and she is that quintessential feeling that resonates through all my fragments, and whose veil covers not to hide, but to symbolize the other reality, that is always waiting, on the other side.

My life is enriched through my Craft. I am joined with all of Nature. I breathe on the mountain and I lose all ego-attachment, and it strikes me that all I am doing is breathing and existing, just as all other beings that dance through the cycles are.

My Gods speak to me through my descent and through my spirit. Their names are not written as a list of spiritual acquisitions, but as powers and forces that have revealed themselves to me, and have chosen to become my allies.

To be a Witch is not to forsake the divine bounty that is made apparent when we learn to trust, but to identify and understand the patterns of power that weave through the fibres of Life and manifest as expressions of innate and intimate truths. We celebrate this continuum of divine-play and revel in becoming a part of it.

I am a Witch, not because I was genetically made to be so (though that adds to it), and not because of some deep-set desire to conquer the plain drudgery and live out a fantasy of power and privilege.

I am a Witch because in my heart lives Magick and to deny its passage, its flow, would be to deny the very essence of my purpose here on Earth, and of my many lives before my present that have been sacrificed to continue the charge I was given.

As I dance the Wheel and as I draw the Circle I remember that I am different. It is not merely a contrast I draw between my nature and those of others, or an indulgent delusion I use to place myself higher than the rest. I am different in that the unfeeling, ego-ridden, politically-driven paradigm that our societies are built on rejects or else wholly negates who I am and what I do.

There is no room in this world, they say, for enchantment and Magick. There is no place for story-telling or dancing. Everything I am and everything I stand for is declared non-existent or irrational at best and Witchcraft is made out to be nothing more than a childish game.

Witches were once respected and revered for their skill, insight and power. In a sense this manifests today as the curious intrigue one feels toward the ‘supernatural’. Witches today are feared, maligned or ridiculed.

We are feared by the ignorant, maligned by the ‘pious’, and ridiculed by the so-called rationalists. However there are those among the liberally-minded communities who celebrate us as true visionaries in our right and who are inclined to study our spirituality in a bid to reclaim the lost wisdom.

There are few words that I can conjure that truly define my being. One of these is ‘Witch’. I embrace it wholly, in every way, for in doing so I reclaim the power that was once considered a gift. It is never a curse to realize truth and never a burden to uphold and live by it.

My Magick is a gift that I will pass on to the next generation of Witches, however at this point in time I work to encourage and inspire this generation. In my coven we circle every week and in between the esbats and sabbats we devote our circles to specific topics so that we may expand our knowledge and add to our magickal arsenal.

In the past we have discussed sacred tools, the Elementals, visualization, meditation and divination. Generally I take on the guise of the teacher as it suits me and I have a considerable amount of knowledge and practical experience in these areas.

The Witches of my coven are strong and steadfast spiritual beings, however we are all still human and prone to making mistakes. This is the reality of the Witch, especially as teenagers. We may be able to cast spells, transcend our egos, invoke ancient Gods and project our astral selves, but this does not exempt us from the everyday trials that bombard humanity.

As Witches, however, we make use of our knowledge of the subtle energies within and without and choose to take charge of our destinies accordingly. Perhaps it is this aspect of the Craft, more so than anything else, that truly frightens those who are not privy to the inner mysteries.

I am a Witch, pure and simple. You could tie to me to a stake, throw driftwood at my feet, drench me in gas and light a fire and I would not deny it.

I am a child of Nature, a Pagan and a priest. I dance the spiral-way and as I descend into the holy labyrinth I sing the old songs and chants to the Gods of leaf and bud, hoof and horn. I release tire and stress, exertion and envy to the four winds and I become the glowing scepter, the sword, and the spear. The serpentine force is aroused and it journeys upward along the spine to the crown that is the triangle of manifestation.

There I meet the Great Mystery and kneel to her charge as I feel the edge of her sword cut cleanly along my soul to my beating heart aflame with Magick.

Go in the way of the sacred, Blessed Be~

What the Heck is a Hedgewitch Anyways?

Author: Juniper

Hedgewitchery is a combination of Traditional Witchcraft (NOT Wicca) and Shamanism, with herbalism, healing, and a deep love for nature added to the mix.

Hedgewitchery is loosely based on the old wise woman (and man) Tradition. The wise woman Tradition is, quite possibly, the oldest eclectic magickal tradition. If you think “wise woman” and picture the strange old lady who sold herbs and magickal charms, acted as midwife and healer in the ancient times, you are not far off.

This tradition never truly died out, and in recent years, more and more people are turning to it and adapting it to modern times.

The word “Hedgewitch” may come from the Saxon word for Witch, haegtessa, which translates to “hedge-rider”. The Old Norse lay Havamal refers to “hedge-riders, witching aloft”.

Some may spell it with a capitol H, and some do not. Others will use a spelling such as “hedgewytch”. A few other names attached to this Craft: Hedge-Rider, Night Travelers, Myrk-Riders, Gandreidh (wand-rider), and Walkers on the Wind.

In the past, towns, villages and farmsteads had fences and hedgerows marking the boundary of the town, keeping the wilderness out. Crossing the hedge meant walking into the wild, where predatory animals, and all manner of fae creatures lived.

Back in the old times, many people never traveled more than a few miles from where they were born, and even then, they stuck to the roads and well-known paths of traders and huntsmen.

For the Hedgewitch, the hedge is a metaphor for the line drawn between this world and the next, between reality and dream, between the Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds.

In the old days, the wise woman or Hedgewitch lived on the edges of the community, often on the other side of the town’s boundary hedge. They scratched out a living through herbalism, understanding nature, prophecy and divination as well as magick and healing.

The Hedgewitch served her community in many ways including but not only; midwifery, healing, protection spells, house blessings, crop and livestock blessings, through the selling of magickal charms and even curses. A Hedgewitch might sell one member of her community a small curse or ill-wish one day, and then charge its victim a fee to break the curse the next. The Hedgewitch was respected, and likely a little feared, because of these abilities, and because they had such a close relationship with nature and the magickal world.

Hedgewitches use herbs and shamanic techniques, such as drumming and meditation, to induce altered states of consciousness. They work with familiar spirits, their ancestral dead, plant and animal Totems to assist in their Otherworld work.

Hedgewitches often refer to shamanic journeys as “walking the hedge” or “crossing the hedge”. They also have a tendency to spend much of their lives with one foot on either side of the hedge, which makes them eccentric to say the least.

A Hedgewitch walks freely into caol ait (Gaelic), the “thin places” between one world and another. More experienced Hedgewitches learn not only to find such places, but how to use them effectively and how to open them even when the Veil is at its thickest between the sabbats.

For the Hedgewitch there is no separation between normal life and their magickal one, for their normal life is magickal.

In modern times, a Hedgewitch is usually found outside the city, perhaps on an acreage or farm, often practicing by her self or perhaps within the family. They work much as the old wise women of old, helping neighbors, friends and family with ailments, shamanic healing and even blessing the odd field.

Hedgewitches will work a lot in cultivated fields, gardens and farmsteads, but often prefer time spent in the woods and other wild areas. A Gardenwitch, Greenwitch or Kitchenwitch may work mostly in her cultivated garden; a Hedgewitch will likely spend more of her time gathering her herbs and such from the wild places. Although the practices have changed quite a lot, you will find most Hedgewitches practice as close to traditionally as possible in these modern times.

Hedgewitches are very adaptable. You may find a Hedgewitch casting an old-fashioned prosperity or fertility spell on a modern tractor as a favor to a neighbor, for example.

The main distinction between Hedgewitchery and other forms of Witchcraft is that Hedgewitches have less interest in the religious/ceremonial aspects of Coven or group Witchcraft, having an individual and often unique way of relating to life, spirituality and Creation.

A Hedgewitch is less likely to perform formal magickal workings, preferring simpler folk, or low, magic. The only tradition Hedgewitches typically follow is a reverence for Nature, though some may come from a more formal Pagan path originally.

Most Hedgewitches do what ever comes natural to them; they follow their instincts, and their heart. Most use few made man objects in their spells and rituals. Their tools are typically very practical, such as a walking stick or pruning shears, and their tools are hand made by them as much as possible. They avoid complicated formulated magick, practicing an earthy and simple form of ritual and magick. Some Hedgewitches do not cast Circles when practicing outdoors, for they feel it cuts them off from nature.

Hedgewitches usually study herbalism with gusto, as well as seeking knowledge and understanding of the ways of Nature, the cycle of the seasons and the wildlife and plant-life in their area.

Hedgewitches will not only know how to grow herbs in a garden, but also where and how they grow in the wild and how to gather them. They usually have a great deal of lore on trees and plane life, animals and the wilderness in general. Healing, divination, the use of trance inducing herbs and all manner of fertility rites are also a part of this Tradition.

Hedgewitches tailor their Tradition to suit themselves. Some may focus on herbalism, others study midwifery; some may practice reiki, and others may be well versed in healing with crystals. Some Hedgewitches may choose to be a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none.

Sadly, there are few men called to this Path, and this may or may not change over time.
While Hedgewitchery is typically a solitary path, this is not always so. Even the most hermit-like Hedgewitch can still be found at local Pagan events. Also, some of their practices, especially the shamanic ones, require a trusted friend to watch over their body while their soul is elsewhere.

Hedgewitches are unlikely to become involved with Witch wars within the community, and depending on the individual’s personality, are more likely to prefer maintaining friendly relations with the majority of the Pagan community. Some may have friends or domestic partners who follow another Pagan or Heathen path, and they will often happily join in any ritual or activity if invited.

Spirituality in Hedgewitches varies and depends on the individual; usually they look to their own heritage and ancestry. Most commonly, Hedgewitches practice some form of NeoPaganism. The daily spiritual practice of a Hedgewitch will be adapted to her individual abilities, interests and life style.

One Hedgewitch may start her mornings offering up prayers of thanksgiving to her gods as she collects eggs from the chicken coop. Another Hedgewitch may spend her mornings in quiet meditation on her patio; sipping tea and watching the deer graze in her lawn. A third Hedgewitch may say a quick prayer at the household shrine before racing off to work.

So what the heck IS a Hedgewitch anyways?

Some people may prefer rural and/or wild settings and be a little wild themselves. They may be looking for a Shamanic Witchcraft Tradition that leans heavily on natural magic, understanding the wilderness and the practice of healing lore. They may have little interest in organized religion. They may wish to blaze their own Path, like the wise women of old.

They may just be ‘Hedgewitches’.

Footnotes:
Source:
Wikipedia

Who Is A Real Witch Anyway?

Who Is A Real Witch Anyway?

Author: Amergin Aradia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s what makes you a “real Witch.”

Doing What the Book Says: A Cautionary Tale

Doing What the Book Says: A Cautionary Tale

Author: Bronwen Forbes

I was young, I was a shiny new Pagan, the Internet – which made contacting my fellow religionists as easy as calling my mom – was about ten years away from being invented, and by gosh I was going to perform this solitary sabbat exactly as The Book told me to! (And no, I’m not going to tell you which “The Book” it was. It would only embarrass me further and wouldn’t do the now-deceased author’s reputation any good. Okay, okay I’ll give you a hint somewhere below) : By the time I’d finished my ritual, I’d nearly burned the house down – a house that included my dog, four cats, and my born again Christian (now ex) husband.

But I learned a valuable lesson that night, a lesson that I see more and more new Pagans ignoring these days:

Books (and now the Internet) are no substitute for practical, hands-on experience with a group of like-minded people. But allow me to continue my illustration:

The Book said I needed a cauldron for this ritual, so I found a really cute brass one at Pier One – it even had soldered-on brass feet which I thought was particularly important – it’d be up off the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet in my den because Gods forbid I scorch the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet. The Book said to pour about an inch and a half of rubbing alcohol into the cauldron. And light it.

And, Gods help me and my now ex-husband who was sleeping – oblivious to the ritual and the fire – in the next room and the dog and the cats, I lit it.

The Book didn’t say (or maybe I missed that part) that this ritual had been designed to be performed outside. Outside where, theoretically, a six-foot column of flame shooting out of a brass cauldron wouldn’t be quite so much of an issue. Naturally, The Book didn’t say anything about having a pot lid or sand nearby to smother the flames, so I had no way to douse the tall bonfire that was pretty much the same shade as the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet.

The Book also didn’t say that the cauldron would, ideally, be cast iron, and not soldered brass bits. Any intelligent, experienced ritualist could have told me that, but I didn’t know any other ritualists yet – intelligent or otherwise – so I was on my own. And it finally dawned on me that I was in big trouble when the solder attaching one of the cauldron legs melted from the heat, causing the pot to tip sideways.

I now had about four feet of flame at about a forty to forty-five degree angle from the floor. I’m just damn lucky it didn’t tip so far that the alcohol poured out onto the aforementioned lovely orange shag carpet. As it was, some of the individual threads were a little black and crunchy if you examined them too closely.

Eventually, the inch and a half of rubbing alcohol burned itself out. Subdued, I finished the rest of the ritual as quickly as possible, put my things away, and crawled into bed beside my still-sleeping spouse. All that was left to deal with was the interesting conversation the next day.

Him: How did that black stuff get on the ceiling in the den? It looks like soot.

Me: I have no idea, dear.

Him: And the carpet looks like it’s singed or something.

Me: Really? I hadn’t noticed.

Funny? Yes. Stupid and potentially lethal? You betcha. However, the incident made me understand the contemporary wisdom of the old phrase, “You cannot be a witch alone” and I started circling and studying with the nearest group before the next sabbat. (Nice to know I’m not as dumb as I look!)

I am not saying that being a solitary practitioner is a bad thing. Far from it, whether you choose to be so for personal or geographical reasons. I am saying, don’t leave your common sense in the back pocket of your other pants whenever you open a book of Pagan rituals or click on a Pagan how-to website. It’s not common sense to wear a short, sleeveless tunic at an outdoor ritual in January. In Wisconsin. It’s not common sense to fast if you have any sort of blood sugar issue. And it’s sure not common sense to try to set your den on fire just because The Book said to do something a certain way. If I’d been thinking, instead of slavishly following, I’d have had one heck of a less exciting evening – to my benefit. And yes, these are all examples of bad advice I’ve seen in books and online.

If some faceless Pagan authority (me included) writes that you should do something and your gut tells you it’s a bad idea, listen to your gut. Better yet, go find someone who’s actually been in ritual with other people and ask them – and their friends. If, through Witchvox, you can’t find someone in your neighborhood, well, it’s better to go online and ask around rather than suffer frostbite – or burn your house down. Better yet, see if you can spend a few holidays in ritual with them, ask questions, learn how rituals are — and are not — supposed to go.

I’m on a lot of online Pagan forums, and I can’t even begin to count how many posts go something like, “I tried this ritual with my friends last night and now I feel sick and I have the worst headache. What did I do wrong?” Well, did you ground and center beforehand? “No, the ritual didn’t say to.” Did you check to see if you might be allergic to whatever you burned as incense? “Um, no.” Did you eat anything beforehand? “Um, no.” Five minutes asking about these sorts of basics beforehand, either online or at a local Pagan meet up would stop most, if not all, of these sad posts.

I’m also a print journalism major, and my professors are always cautioning me that if something, no matter how preposterous, is written down, people will believe it. This includes you. So we future newspaper reporters need to be extra careful about making sure our stories are as accurate as possible. How do we do that? We confirm through other sources anything we’re told as “fact.”

I cannot advise you too strongly to do the same.

Merry Meet & Blessed Be, Wishing You A Very Cool & Relaxing Saturday!

What can I say? It’s Saturday! You ought to know me by now. On Saturday’s and Sunday’s I do pretty much what I want. Of course, doing what I want has sometimes gotten me in trouble, lol! But what the heck, if you can’t have fun, what’s the point!

Seriously, I have been listening to Pagan Music on YouTube. I was listening to the music yesterday too. Yesterday, it filled my soul to the point I was crying. I know it sounds crazy but they were tears of joy and happiness. I was wrapped up in the rhythm, the words and the Spirit of the Goddess. She filled my soul and renewed my spirit. It was beautiful and I hated to turn it off. But I had to or else I would have got my blogging done. I try to describe to people had the Goddess makes me feel. I don’t go around like some others saying, “Let me tell you about my religion.” But I have friends that I have told in the past about my Religion. They first looked at me like I was crazy. Then I started to explain to them that the Goddess and Her Love is like nothing you will ever experience. She feels your soul, your heart and your mind. She is Pure Love. She is The All.

I know most of you know that all the Witches in my family led a double life. On Sundays, they would all go to church. Then that evening, they would all be around the cauldron, lol! I always had the freedom to choose which Religious Path I wanted to follow. I admit it. We went to church on Sundays, so I thought I might give it a try (and lead a double life too). But going to church and the beliefs and feelings they said you were suppose to have, I never had. Perhaps it was because I had Witchcraft in my blood and in the back of my mind. But I never felt anything. I knew it wasn’t the Path for me. The Goddess and Her Religion and Teachings, were for me. She called me and I answered Her call. I know She loves me because I feel Her Love everyday. I can look out the window and see the wonders of Her Love. I also know She keeps me in line. I have been Cosmic smacked a few times, lol! But it is for my own good.

After I got through posting yesterday Kiki (my little Pom) and I went outside. It has turned off 100 degrees here and we can’t stand it in the house. Our A/C is still out and I have no means to fix it. My daughter just called and told me that Kiki was going to die of heat stroke. She said little Poms couldn’t take the heat. She said her little Pom has heat stroke last year in their air-conditioned house. Well you can imagine how this upset me. I am practically in tears about it. I love Kiki and she is my baby. If anything happened to her, I would die. As you can tell I lost my good mood very quickly. And there is something else too, it is just myself and my three familiars living here. My husband left me because he was having a mid-life crisis. So I am stuck with no money, no A/C, no car, no nothing. He made the comment as he was going out the door, “My damn car didn’t run because he cursed it!” Now ain’t that a hell of a note coming from someone how was supposed to love and support you, HA! So the music and the feeling I got from it yesterday was very therapeutic. I needed it. I am about to loss my mind but I know with the Goddess help, I will get through this.

Well I have rambled enough. I just hadn’t talked to any of you recently and wanted to touch base with you. I hope you all have a very lovely weekend.

May the Goddess Bless You & Keep You,

Lady A

Solitary Spirituality

Solitary Spirituality

Author: Jess

Being a solitary Witch does not mean that you have to do everything alone. I myself have been a member of a coven and practiced on my own as well, finding that not everyone is meant to perform rituals and works of magic with others. Sure, sometimes it is nice to be joined with others of your own faith. But being a part of a coven is not for everyone.

I found my path about ten years ago. A friend in high school introduced paganism to me. Mind you, this was also during a time when the movie “The Craft” had already gained cult status and being a witch became somewhat of a trend. My sister and a friend of ours also became interested and we dedicated ourselves as a coven before I knew it. For a few weeks the four of us were so close that we enjoyed practicing meditations, working with our energies, and celebrating midsummer nearly every day. Things seemed so great; I had finally found my calling and felt that the world was at peace with itself. Unfortunately that would not last long.

Our high priestess, my friend who introduced this faith to me, had her own agenda. That’s not to say that she meant any harm, and I will always be connected to her through the bonds of friendship. But the power this young high priestess felt over the rest of my coven mates and me seemed to overcome her better judgment. She began playing us against each other, praising me for my strength with the elements, only to use that as a way to make one of the other coven mates feel powerless. Then this same high priestess would turn around and favor my sister in a way that brought me down. It wasn’t long before the three of us realized what was happening. So instead of turning against each other, we started distancing ourselves from our leader.

The coven was eventually disbanded; we were young and had much to learn. It was a true experience, but since then I have not felt the need to join another coven. Nor do I think that I will ever want to again. Our high priestess has, to my knowledge, stopped practicing altogether, along with our other friend who has completely withdrawn from her beliefs. My sister and I witnessed quite a few people go through the fad of enjoying the ‘benefits’ of becoming a Witch, and when they realized that there is so much more to Paganism than just doing spell work and wearing the color black, they moved on. But Wicca was so much more to me, as it has been for many others. I became enamored with its teachings, and immersed myself in as many books, articles, and shops that I could find.

My sister has always been very encouraging and still holds her beliefs, but she is not as active in her faith as she used to be. We have sometimes celebrated the Sabbaths together, but I was often on my own. Luckily, the years have been kind to me. My connection to the Gods has only grown stronger as I have worked very hard to maintain a balance between living a healthy natural life and finding my place in society. A challenging task at times, but I always say that this is the best time to be a witch.

I am now married with a daughter of my own, and though I still consider myself a solitary witch, the wheel of the year is quite a beacon of light in our home. Celebrating the holidays reminds me that love is the main ingredient in any faith. And the Gods sure have graced my family with plenty of love. We highly enjoy our festivities with our shy lion head rabbit Penny, our scaly fish Einstein, our two fluffy cats, Smokey and Tortoro, as well as our sweet dog Willow. I feel more at ease performing ritual with my family, including these beautiful creatures, than I ever did in a coven.

Some days I enjoy my meditations and rituals alone, whereas there are others where my husband and daughter join in. We are linked through our beliefs like many people, but my husband is a Taoist so his participation is based more on ideals than ritual. Not being a part of a coven has had a very positive effect on me. I have the freedom to focus on my own journey, while not feeling too self-centered. I take my faith very seriously while trying to know how to loosen up and enjoy my beliefs. Finding many solitary guides has made this possible. There is a multitude of books, magazines, and online sources that give me the information I need as well as offering a sense a community.

Being lonely is not part of being a solitary witch because true Pagans are very personable. There is nothing more I love to do than speak with others about faith, as long as I am speaking with someone who is respectful. I live to enjoy life, knowing that the gods are always around me. If I do feel the need for a little Witchy interaction from time to time, there is always the “Pagan Picnic”, classes I can take at my New Age Shop and “the Witches Ball”. Our annual Renaissance Festival has quite a few Pagan elements included as well. Having the opportunity to attend these events allows me to be social enough with other people of my own faith without having to worry about the demands of being part of a coven.

Some Wiccans prefer those coven/group bonds, and that is understandable. Words cannot express the kind of link that one has to the other members of their coven. But many of us are perfectly happy to have the freedom of practicing our beliefs on our own. After all, everyone has their own path to take and being a solitary Witch is full of freedom, happiness, and adventure.

Setting Up Your Beltane Altar – What To Include on Your Beltane Altar

By Patti Wigington

It’s Beltane, the Sabbat where many Wiccans and Pagans choose to celebrate the fertility of the earth. This Sabbat is about new life, fire, passion and rebirth, so there are all kinds of creative ways you can set up for the season. Depending on how much space you have, you can try some or even all of these ideas — obviously, someone using a bookshelf as an altar will have less flexibility than someone using a table, but use what calls to you most.

Colors of the Season

This is a time when the earth is lush and green as new grass and trees return to life after a winter of dormancy. Use lots of greens, as well as bright spring colors — the yellow of the daffodils, forsythia and dandelions; the purples of the lilac; the blue of a spring sky or a robin’s egg. Decorate your altar with any or all of these colors in your altar cloths, candles, or colored ribbons.

Fertility Symbols

The Beltane holiday is the time when, in some traditions, the male energy of the god is at its most potent. He is often portrayed with a large and erect phallus, and other symbols of his fertility include antlers, sticks, acorns, and seeds. You can include any of these on your altar. Consider adding a small Maypole centerpiece — there are few things more phallic than a pole sticking up out of the ground!

In addition to the lusty attributes of the god, the fertile womb of the goddess is honored at Beltane as well. She is the earth, warm and inviting, waiting for seeds to grow within her. Add a goddess symbol, such as a statue, cauldron, cup, or other feminine items. Any circular item, such as a wreath or ring, can be used to represent the goddess as well.

Flowers and Faeries

Beltane is the time when the earth is greening once again — as new life returns, flowers are abundant everywhere. Add a collection of early spring flowers to your altar — daffodils, hyacinths, forsythia, daisies, tulips — or consider making a floral crown to wear yourself. You may even want to pot some flowers or herbs as part of your Sabbat ritual.

In some cultures, Beltane is sacred to the Fae. If you follow a tradition that honors the Faerie realm, leave offerings on your altar for your household helpers.

Fire Festival

Because Beltane is one of the four fire festivals in modern Pagan traditions, find a way to incorporate fire into your altar setup. Although one popular custom is to hold a bonfire outside, that may not be practical for everyone, so instead it can be in the form of candles (the more the better), or a table-top brazier of some sort. A small cast-iron cauldron placed on a heat-resistant tile makes a great place to build an indoor fire.

Other Symbols of Beltane

May baskets
Chalices
Honey, oats, milk
Antlers or horns
Fruit such as cherries, mangos, pomegranates, peaches
Swords, lances, arrows

May 1, 2012 [Beltane]

Belatian, also spelled Beltine, Iris Beltaine or Beltaine and Cetamainalso is one of the 8 sacred Sabbats of the Pagans. This festival is held on the first day of May in Ireland and Scotland. Beltane was first mentioned in a glossary to Cormac, bishop of Cashel and King of Munstern, who was killed in 908. Cormac describes how cattle were driven between two bonfires on Beltaine as a magical means of protecting them from disease before they were led into summer pastures. This custom is still observed in Ireland.

Beltane was started to celebrate and Bless the seeds and make happy that winter is over and spring is here. Beltain celebrations and rituals are a fact and still celebrated by Pagans and Wiccans to this very day. The other side of the Beltane is celebrated by Christianity as Maypole day with dancing around the pole. Beltain is a fire ritual/celebration and is celebrated around a bonfire. Dancing and singing go all night long and in the morning, flowers were gathered to make wreaths for the hair.

Beltane is the last of the 3 celebration Sabbaths celebrated by the Ancients and it heralded the beginning of summer. Food supplies were low, people were depressed from the drab cold days of winter and this made Beltane celebration very special. Facts and myths blend together during these celebrations.

May was not an ideal time for the ancients for marriage, thus the year and a day was begun for hand fasting couples. This was considered a trial time for couples, living together before making the marriage legal. So it seems to me the Ancients knew living together and knowing one another before actually marrying made more sense than marring then divorce.

Water was another important aspect of the Beltane celebration. Myths surround the usage of water at this time also. It is said that if you bathe in the dew gathered before dawn on Beltane, your beauty will flourish all year. Those sprinkled with May dew are insured if health and happiness. Other customs such as drinking from a well before sunrise will insure good heath and fortune.

The main color of Beltane is green representing growth, abundance, plentiful harvest, fertility and luck. The use of other colors in Beltane celebrations as well as the whole month of may are used, whites, yellows, pinks, reds, violets and purples representing cleansings, purity, good fortune, fertility, happiness and wealth. So no matter how you choose to celebrate Beltane, rather it be a ritual, dancing around the fire or Maypole, singing and eating natures produce, its a time for happiness and joy to be alive and one with the Goddess. Blessed BeÂ…Â…

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltane

The People You Meet on the Pagan Path

The People You Meet on the Pagan Path

Author: MissElphie

There are always people who leave a mark along our path in our Pagan path. Those people who supported us and who taught us things that, probably, we wouldn’t have learned in any other way. These people are essential and must not be forgotten. After all, no matter how many books we write, how many thesis are made and researches done, there is always space to learn and embrace knowledge that we get through experience and by the teaching of others. That is what I’ll be talking about today.

The solitary path is a path that is often chosen, especially in today’s society in which most Pagan practitioners live in the big metropolis and cities, and where finding a coven is getting harder and harder. These good covens hide themselves more often than you think. And, if covens do ‘go public’, much of the time, they aren’t that big of a thing or there is a high chance that they are not what the practitioners are looking for. Good covens are hard to find. Not only due to their shortage but also because it’s complicated for a solitary to fit their eclectic costumes and already acquired traditions in a group that is as well defined as a coven. It ends up being complicated. Additionally, today’s individualism and our consumer and technological society oft results in isolation from the community around us (in favor of a virtual community) which may lead to a disconnection.

These factors plus the routine and daily busy life of the metropolis leads to shortage of time.
As you can see, there are numerous factors that may stop a solitary practitioner from joining a coven. There is, also, the possibility of the practitioner himself/herself not wanting to join a coven (like my case, for example) .

Don’t judge me wrong, I believe that life in a coven can be amazing and very enriching and, if possible, I recommend the experience if you are so inclined, since all paths teach us something. But, in this article, I’m focusing more on the solitary side of the Pagan practice.

For a solitary, magickal practice requires a routine by which the seeker learns things by himself/herself. We must alone search for authors, read books, research sources, etc. It ends up being our daily lives, so, after a couple of years, it becomes second nature. We know that author X is good and author Y is not that good. We prefer the works of X and not of Z. And so on.

However when we do meet someone who may be able to help us, such as someone with more experience, it’s always great. And, my advice is to take that opportunity. You can share what you know with that person and that person will share her knowledge with you. You can have arguments about a certain theory and, by debating it, reach a common and satisfactory answer. You can read books and discuss opinions on the subject or go to public events and find more people to talk to and learn from or teach.

With the help of others, our path only gets richer. It is still a solitary path and ours in the practical terms, since it is created and followed by us alone, but we always learn a lot interacting with others.

Throughout the years, I’ve met several people (not only online but also in person) who have taught me so much and helped me grow. I’m no longer that girl who thought that Wicca was all fairies and pink and that all other Pagan paths were a simple minority. Today, I have a clear notion of what Paganism is, of Wicca and of several different pagan paths, not only when talking about Neo-Paganism, but also pre-Christian beliefs.

I’m not saying that everyone whom you will meet will teach you something good for you to use in your daily path. But they will teach you something. They might, at least, teach you not to follow their path (if they are one of those crazy nut-heads that go around or a scammer) . Everyone has something to teach you and you must, along your path, learn everything you can from people, whether they are Pagan or not (Yes, even followers of other religions have a lot to teach you, especially when it comes to respecting other people’s beliefs) .

But of course, be careful. Don’t try everything people tell you to try. There are a lot of people who are amazing and who will teach you things that will last for a lifetime but there are also may be people with bad intentions who only want to harm you, scam you or worse. Trust me, I’ve seen people whose only interest in helping others was to gain money or fame or just use that “wanting to help” as a way of scamming them. Always be careful and always be very alert during any conversation. Think for yourself and, if necessary, ask for the opinion of someone older or with more knowledge than you, in whom you trust. .

Life has a lot to teach us and there are so many things to try and learn from. Don’t keep yourself entirely locked away from the world by not socializing, by not meeting other pagans. At first it can be hard to see so many points of views. Some you might even think “What is this?” but that will also teach you to respect others. There is so much you can learn by meeting and by talking to other pagans.

Find some events in your area or, if you are going on vacation to somewhere, search if there are any pagan gathering nearby and plan a visit. Or find an online forum and join up, meet some people and learn new things.

My simple conclusion: Socialize. Talk to people, enter social networks of Paganism, sign into forums and meet people. Learn with them and discover new worlds filled with knowledge. Who knows? You might even find a coven that will be your future family. You never know what plans the Gods have in store for us.

Live life to the fullest; know the world and live your religion.

Goddess Blessings,
MissElphie

Growing Up Wyrrd

Growing Up Wyrrd

Author: Liofrun

Most of us have at one point or another heard a story from a fellow Pagan about growing up in a Christian family, being disillusioned with the religion they were assigned to and later converting. These stories are one of the more popular personal narratives of NeoPaganism, but we are entering an era when many of the elders of the modern Pagan movement are old or dead and not only have children, but grandchildren who have been raised with their particular flavour of Paganism. I suspect the narrative of NeoPaganism is about to change when these people who grew up Pagan start to tell their stories; however, there is yet another narrative not talked about or told as much as the “I grew up Christian” narrative, and that is the “I just came home” narrative. The latter is mine.

Being a convert can be tough, no doubt about it, and it can be particularly straining on relationships with nonPagan family members, and equally as straining on the convertee, especially when it comes to worldview. Pagans have a distinctly different worldview (a fundamental cognitive orientation that includes one’s views of society, philosophies, ethics, normative postulates, etc.) than that of Christians, who represent the majority narrative on worldview in the world. Many do not know how to deal with it, and many blanket Pagan terms over top of old Christian views they have internalised from being subjected to it for many years.

There are some of us however, who have never internalised the majority narrative, despite being subjected to it. Some time ago, I had the pleasure of reading Robin Artisson’s Reclaiming the Pagan Worldview, which, I think, while it has its flaws (i.e., the rejection of science-I believe this discounts all our ancestors’ work toward Academia) , is an indispensible tome of wisdom for the modern Pagan when it comes to thinking like a Pagan and being Pagan. I believe he is right when he speaks of “some people think that being Pagan is a matter of […] making a blanket rejection of their original beliefs” and not much else. I think many Heathens know it when we see it, and know the importance of seeing the world in a Heathen way, especially the hard polytheists. It is a distinct way of perceptualising the world around you and your experiences and merely placing Pagan terminology over top of internalised perceptualisations can severely stunt your understanding of and experience of Heathenism and Paganism.

Heathenism is not compatible with the Abrahamic worldview, the worldview many of us have been taught since birth, and still more have had it ground into us, forced internalisation from everything from the basics of belief in the supernatural to our modern understanding of secularism and societal philosophies. I agree with Artisson that we need to reclaim that Pagan worldview if we are going to be Pagans. Our ancestors created rich cultures of Pagan philosophy, schooling, democracy and secularism from a distinctly Heathen point of view. Our contemporaries have spent years studying, collaborating and providing us with historical and archaeological references, texts and reconstructions of these rich cultures. Their worldviews have also changed how we see the days of the week, and even how we see time. A Pagan worldview encompasses everything from religious rites to our perception of language and how time passes. To not work toward reclaiming it is to do ourselves, our ancestors and especially our descendents are grievous disservice. This is where my narrative comes in.

I did indeed grow up in a typical “Christian household” but the beliefs were never consistent. No one seemed to be able to decide what, if anything, he or she actually believed. They had more internalised the worldview of their Christian society and feared letting it go, and stepping out of the cage. On the other hand, I grew up spending time at my best friend’s house, whose mother was an Indigenous Wiccan. From my earliest memories I saw nature as sacred and in my dimmest, furthest reaches of childhood memory; I was an animist.

When my friend’s stepmother told me about Paganism, at the age of eight, I felt I had “come home”. Of all the attempts to scar me with Christian worldview, not a single one had succeeded to embed itself in my mind. My friend’s stepmother’s own syncretic views of religion had a much deeper impact and while I didn’t end up Wiccan (I often saw Christian baggage being dragged in. Christians in Pagans’ clothing, as it were, and I rejected it in favour of Reconstructionist paths) , today I still see the world in the same manner, and more so.

In my teenage years when I was just discovering who I was, I began to fear the constant press of Christianity both in the forefront and in my periphery and began to work hard everyday to affect my Wyrd and prevent me from ever internalising Christianity. While I no longer fear Christianity, at the time, my young mind felt it was a severely pressing issue. I sucked up the lore incessantly and constantly looked for patterns of Wyrd and Orlog in my everyday life. Indeed, discovering Theodism and Sinnsreachd and Celtic Recon even changed my views of what Heathenry was, and that not every Reconstructionist shares the same worldview, philosophies or ethics, despite the majority narrative within Heathenry being Ásatrú.

Discovering the concept of Wyrd opened my eyes to a way of seeing and understanding the world I had only the faintest, labelless, wordless glimmer of before. I discovered it in my grade 11 English class, reading a Michael Alexander translation of Beowulf. Beowulf became one of my most treasured tomes of lore for its attempt at interweaving an archaic Heathen worldview with a Christian one, and I felt what must have been the same conflict as did the Christian teller of the tale who added his own elements to what was otherwise a deeply Heathen epic. Christianity, in my natural and carefully cultivated Heathen worldview, was morbid, self-serving and deeply confused about its own ethics. They were too focused on death and on purposeful suffering, and indeed I saw all the Christians in my life suffering in ways I could not empathise with because I had never internalised the shame and the obsession with death that forced them into their continual fear and gloom. And this is often what I see in contemporary Heathens who espouse a distinctly Christian flavour coming from being a convert, or even the children of converts. I see it less so with the “came home” narrative, those of us who had a way of perceiving our world and only later found names for it.

I would advise studying the lore, the history and especially the philosophies of not just our ancestors but the ancestors and elders of all Heathen paths and I would advise deeply connecting it to our everyday life on a daily basis. Heathenry isn’t a Sunday sacrifice, or merely posting on Ásatrú Lore once a week, it’s a way of life, it is how you see the sun when it rises, how you drive to work on a Monday, how you effect your Wyrd with every choice you make. Heathenry is who a Heathen is. No one ever said it was easy, but it’s certainly necessary.

Footnotes:
Sharples, R. W. “Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics: An Introduction to Hellenistic Philosophy [Paperback].” Amazon.com: Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics: An Introduction to Hellenistic Philosophy (9780415110358) : R.W. Sharples: Books. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. .

Artisson, Robin, “Reclaiming the Pagan Worldview.” Scribd. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. .

Afternoon Devotion

Dear Mother, my eternal companion, as I

gaze toward the midday sun, tears of joy

well up in my eyes. In everything I see–

the trees, the blue skies, the birds in the

air–I see your beauty and love.

Thank you for calling me to the Wiccan

Way. Thank you for giving me my life.

Thank you for being my eternal mother.

I love you!

Blessed Be

.
~Magickal Graphics~

Are you Magically Insecure?

Are you Magically Insecure?

Author: Mistress Ravenfyre

I’m better than you. One may think they are hearing this in the local playground, but this is not the case. This phrase seems to be coming by the adults that are in the realm of magick.

Why is this feeling becoming so widespread? It is not just an emotional outbreak by individuals but also by those that are in groups or associations in the community. One may hear that this group is better than this other group, but are they? Aren’t they all practicing something similar? Isn’t the basis of our ways the same? So why is it that normally intelligent people are resorting to the comparison of who is better than whom?

This came to my direct attention some time ago. Individually speaking this has always been a humorous avenue for me listening to those that come to me. Telling of how they are able to do this that and the other. While putting them through mild-mannered tests they seem to not know what they are doing. This is not to degrade them, only to see what it is they are really capable of. Each person that practices the Art has their own ways, belief structure. Their knowledge and abilities have been built on how much they have actually studied. Finding that some are simply fluff and bluff, while others are to be admired and listened to. The point of the matter is that these individuals seem to think that with the knowledge they have they are the “best”. They are able to do things that others can not. Or they insist that they can simply do it better.

Why is being the best so important?

To some being the best they can be is an individual’s path. They strive for perfection in everything they happen upon. These people must be into everything, from the old to the new. Yet they do not take the time to explore the road to the fullest. They will briefly get into a subject, read a few books and then proclaim they are able to do what they have read. Maybe they are able to, I can not judge this. Yet, it seems to me in my past training, that one must practice certain forms of magic and know the theory fully before moving on to even thinking you know what you are doing. I am amazed at those who read an article, magazine or book, and say they know what to do. No practice, no more research, no thought.

Proceeding to tell whomever will listen what they have learned. In actuality they only have learned the basics, if that. It has taken me years of study and research to be comfortable in what I am and know. Practice, learning, trial and error, taking the time to have things sink in, while those around me take a week and know as much if not more than I. I am still learning, practicing and thinking, time and age has not stopped this. In conversations, I see they are trying to be something, what I really do not know, but something. Of course, on those times of trying to out wit and out do, all they have accomplished is to show their insecurity. I have in the past tried to explain to those that you can pick up a book and not know everything about the subject. One must research, compile information and think about what it is they are looking into. Some studies of magic may take years to learn if ever. By this I am implying to learn how to use properly and proficiently. Not sloppy, make shift attempts. Just because you think you can do something does not necessarily mean you should.

While these individuals, sit around comparing their selves to others they are telling those that listen their weaknesses. Trouble with ego, they seek to be something they are not. Not being satisfied with who they are and what they are able to do. They do not care to listen to others and truly hear what they are saying. Doubting those that have taken the time to study the craft and theoretical aspects. It is a good thing to question those that are speaking, but it is even better to listen silently, grasping what you are being told. Let the words of those Elders sink in before you leap in to say something ludicrous. Examples of statements that make the magician look insecure are:

Oh, I can do that
Where’s the entity bring it on
My shields are so strong nothing can get through (famous last words)
If he/she can do that, I can also. If I tried
I read a book on that subject, tried a ritual, it worked
What do they know?
Who do they think they are?

Those that have been in the Craft for years have heard more than their share of egotistical phrases. Age does not limit the usage of statements issued by egomaniacs.

What happened to the days of old when one was honored to listen to those with experience, to learn from them, not comparing our knowledge with theirs ( meaning we were better?) What happened to wishing to learn theory instead of leaping in to the casting of spells, seeing auras and putting up psychic shields? What has happened to the love of our ways? Has it gone by the wayside, being replaced with selfish magicians who just have to be the best?

These individuals have no idea of the ways of Old. They are too caught up in being the best they do not know what the true way is any longer. Lost is the feeling of warmth, love and devotion. Now it seems to be all about the spells and psychic abilities. Which is a shame.

Our group is the best

How many times have I heard this one? Some Coven leaders act as if they are a Marine Recruitment officer. Join us, we are the cream of the crop. Don’t practice with that other group because they are impostors of the Craft.

What makes Head Priestesses / Priests of covens feel and act this way? Superiority of their status goes to their head. A fraction of these HPs are self imposed leaders that have formed groups because they wanted one. They did not achieve a group in the old manner. They float around as if they are the God and or Goddess they worship. Looking disdainful at other leaders of the same stature. Thinking and feeling they are the true leaders.

I have been approached by various leaders asking, telling or implying that their’s is the coven of all covens. Speaking out against other coven members, leaders or those of the solitaire way. Acting in a way that makes them look like novices of the Craft. I have attended meetings of such leaders only to find that in the end they are the same as the other prestigious group. A pack of people talking about everything other than magic, worship and doing a make shift ritual to accomplish something the HP wishes to accomplish. Some I have attended seemed to be more of Magical Tupperware parties. If this HP is the best, show me the worst.

The main thing that these “magical know it alls” have to remember is that it is all about what is inside. Balance of logic and emotion in the craft. A path of continual study. Study does not stop once you have earned all your degrees. It should be advanced with your workings, the thirst of knowledge should never be quenched. Another point to think about is that it is NOT all about being able to do magick.

All those individuals and group leaders need to stop trying to be something they are not. The best. Try being who you are. Silence is the best remedy for bragging. For one that is silent is taking in what is being said and done around them. Weighing the words they are hearing, feeling the emotions that surround them.

At a time in my life I have been asked how does it feel that others come to me and ask to be taught, ask for guidance in certain areas etc. Do I not feel like I am so much better than others. My reply is generally the same, for one that is good there is another who is better. We each have more to learn, I am open to learning something every single day that I breathe. There is no comparison of abilities and knowledge to be done by me in regards to others. I meet people that amaze me, they are able to take me back to a time and place of being a novice. I am honored by this feeling. For I know that I am still on the path of gaining spiritual knowledge.
We may not be equals in the Craft but we are not so advanced not to be humbled. Once we are no longer humbled we are at a stumbling block. We have taken to placing blinders on, no longer seeing others and their ways of practice. Yes, I am also amazed at those on the other side of the spectrum. Those that tell me how great they are. Those individuals and leaders I can only smile and keep my silence.

In the end

One must work on arrogance in the Craft. Do not let your ego get in the way of what you are trying to do. There will always be someone that is more knowledgeable than you. Yet this person will listen and learn from your words and experiences. If you are attempting to impress them they will hope for the best on your travels, that you will someday live up to your words and falsehoods of grandeur.

If at the end of the day, you are able to look into the mirror of your soul and know that you did your best in all ways, then you are the best; for yourself.

Remember that even the most proficient and experienced magician has room for improvement.

‘Pagan’ Safer Than ‘Wiccan’?

‘Pagan’ Safer Than ‘Wiccan’?

Author: Shadow

So I’m up at the student union at my campus, watching from the sidewalk as our local fundamentalist group is preaching in lieu of Mardi Gras. While I’m there, my friend from high school, Adam, comes up to me. We were never really tight, but still, we were pretty good friends. One thing that he didn’t know about me until that moment was that I was Wiccan (I wasn’t exactly out of the broom closet in high school).

Now on campus, I’m pretty much open about my Wiccan beliefs. Generally, nobody asks, even when they see me wearing my pentacle – it’s simply implied, and nobody cares. This time, however, Adam gave an exasperated sigh and asked what I was wearing. “Um, a pentacle.” I responded. He began to laugh. When he asked why, he said something to the effect of Wicca being a fad. Needless to say, that struck a chord in me.

What’d I say? “Actually, I Pagan.”

He didn’t know what being Pagan entailed, so I explained my beliefs a bit. I did say that my practices and beliefs were influenced by Wicca, but that I dealt more with the Egyptian deities, and I believed that all religions were right in their own way. He took this definition more seriously than Wicca, and moved on.

Unfortunately, now I felt bad, because I felt like I was denying something I felt so passionately about. I love the Wiccan religion, and am glad to be a part of it. Yet when Wicca is put in a bad light by someone I know, I’ve been finding myself reverting to saying I’m just Pagan, instead of defending my choice of faith.

In my experience, this doesn’t just happen with non-Pagans, although those who do find fault with Wicca tend to be more vicious or mean about it than Pagans who look poorly at Wicca. In part this is because of my age – teenagers like me who are serious about Wicca are nonetheless almost always perceived, especially at first impressions, as fluffy bunny, angst-driven teens using Wicca for attention.

But this can be compounded by non-Pagans who don’t think of Wicca as being a real religion. They see the vast number of people who follow this path (in their eyes, predominantly teenagers) as being part of a hippie fad. In most of their eyes, they see Wicca equated with Witchcraft, and since most of them don’t believe Witchcraft to be real, they seem to dismiss Wicca as being a fantasy in and of itself.

When it comes to these people, I do tend to be quieter about my beliefs. As with Adam, I just say I’m Pagan, explain a little bit about what that is, and go about my regular business. And for the most part they tend to accept my being Pagan more than my being Wiccan. Why? In my opinion, it’s because Paganism hasn’t received as much media hype as Wicca has. Wicca has been played up in our modern pop-culture, whereas Paganism is resigned to just being a real religion. Simply put, Paganism sounds more real than Wicca to those who think Wicca is a fad religion.

This problem isn’t resigned to just non-Pagans. I know some Pagans who feel that Wicca has indeed been far too hyped in our culture, having overshadowed other Pagan religions such as Asatru, Reconstructionist religions, Afro-Caribbean religions, etc. In this case, they see new Wiccans as being part of that hype. And the general attitude is that Wicca has indeed become a fad and as such needs to be ignored.

Then there are the elitist and fundamentalist Pagans – yes, such Pagans, and even Wiccans, exist. As with the above groups, I can’t speak accurately for everyone, but the general consensus of this group of Pagans is that most people who call themselves Wiccan are in fact fooling themselves, because most of them are not a part of the original Wiccan traditions, such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian. If not this, then it’s because they’re solitary practitioners, or because they’re eclectic in their practices, or, heaven forbid, they’re publicly open about their beliefs. Woe be to the Wiccan who fulfills these criteria, for in the eyes of the elitist, they are regarded with great contempt.

Truthfully, all these negative attitudes towards Wicca, at least in my experience, have been minimal. But when faced with such adversity, is it any wonder I wouldn’t want to say that I’m Wiccan? I know it sounds like a cop-out, but I’m not the kind of person who likes to make waves. I’m a pacifist at heart who looks for ways to avoid conflict. And it is my belief that if someone truly has a problem with my Wiccan beliefs, then it’s none of their business, and they’ll just have to live with what I tell them. In these cases, it’s a matter of peacemaking and protection as opposed to stirring up arguments and hurting feelings.

Still, no matter how much I justify my lying, it doesn’t erase what I feel inside – that I’m not being true to myself. Anybody who lives a life hiding a secret about themselves knows what I’m talking about, and I’m sure many of you in the broom closet know this feeling all too well.

And at times this conflict has made me question my commitment to Wicca. While I’m completely in love with the religion and the philosophy behind it, what does it say about me when I deny loving it? Is it a sign of shame? In the eyes of the above groups, yes, because let’s face it – Wicca holds a stigma about it that other Pagan religions don’t. Otherwise it’s just a matter of safety, in which case I’m not ashamed. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not in a place where I can be proudly open about being Wiccan with everyone.

But it is a growing problem when saying you’re Pagan is more appropriate than saying you’re Wiccan. It’s a sign that we’re willing to let ourselves be ignored, that we’re willing to hide ourselves under the umbrella of Paganism. In short, when we allow this, we’re turning into doormats, letting everyone walk all over us. I for one no longer wish to be a doormat. I’m working very hard to stand firm in my Wiccan beliefs, not just hiding behind being Pagan. I’m careful about who knows, obviously, but I am making a commitment to not be afraid of being Wiccan. After all, those who matter won’t care, and those that care won’t matter, right?

Faery Tale Magick (Seed Moon)

Faery Tale Magick

(Seed Magick)

Use this spell to encourage dreams of faery land.

You will need a white candle, a chamomile tea bag, a pinch of lavender, a teaspoon of honey, an a cup of hot water. Faeries appear after dark and they dance through the night, cloaked in the shimmering white light of the moon. The magick of faeries runs strong, providing an ideal time for making your life’s faery tale come true with the help of the faeries.

Begin by writing out your faery tale in your journal, starting with, “Once upon a time….” Write down the things that you feel would help your life turn out “happily ever after.” Light the white candle and dedicate it to magickal energy of the faeries by saying:

I light this candle to the fair people

Please come into my circle

Friendly and helpful fae

Bring your moonlight magick

Into my faery tale tonight.

Brew your dream tea by putting the chamomile tea bag and pinch of lavender flowers together in the cup of hot water and let them steep. Add a spoonful of honey for sweetness. As you sip the mixture, go over in your mind all of the aspects of your faery tale. Imagine taking the steps and doing the things you need to do to help make your life turn out happily. Give yourself the suggestion to dream tonight about your faery tale. After finishing your dream tea, lie down for bed and repeat the following suggestion while drifting to sleep:

Tonight, my dreams and faery tale are one and the same, and I will remember my dreams when I wake up.

First thing in the morning write down everything you recall from your dreams in your journal.

The Natural Witch

The Natural Witch

Author: Hypatia

My mother was a natural witch. she died in 1998. She was not a nice witch. She practiced dark magick and was not a good mother. She abandoned me when I was just a child. My father tells me she was powerful and passionate. She would scare him with witchcraft.

The memories I have of her are so intense. I remember she loved nature… but she was a hunter. I remember she had a madness that seemed to plague the thoughts of others. I was four when she left on her journey. I guess it’s where she felt she needed to be.

Me… I stayed and waited… the journey of a four-year-old witch was a rollercoaster ride of emotion, turmoil and eventual discovery.

Even at four I felt different. My whole childhood I felt a strange connections to nature and my dreams. My stepmother used to say I was one with my dreams. I talked, walked and enacted my dreams even as I slept.

I ran away a handful of times. I wanted to find my birth mother. The first time I ran away I was 13. I was chanting on the streets of Long Beach, “I will be fine, no one will hurt me”. I came up to a Jack-in-the-Box and sure enough a large black man (maybe large to me because I was all of 13) offered to buy me fries and a drink and asked me to sit down.

I could tell by his eyes that he was a kind man, intuition mind you that I would begin discounting in my late teens. He knew I was running away and managed to talk me down from my emotional ledge. I walked home at midnight on a busy street across from a strip club with a sense of accomplishment. I may not have found my mother, but at least I was looking.

My parents thought I was strange about nature but put it off onto my Navajo roots. I used to stick my head out the window while my parents were driving to get a better look at trees. I spent hours in forest preserves. I always felt like someone was waiting for me. At first I thought it was my mother. It was, but not any mother I could visualize with my mental database at 13.

At 16, I was pushing my birth mother out, everything about her, especially the fact that she was a witch. Actually, as open-minded as I was, I wasn’t very apt to listening to the nonsense people spewed about witchcraft. I didn’t mock it. Somehow even at a rebellious 16, I was still respectful. I hated her though. I hated what she had done to my father.

At 18, I met and fell in love with a beautiful woman; it was the first time I had ever loved another woman in a romantic way. She was a witch. She was older than me. She was my mentor in many ways. I would laugh though as she would cast spells.

I would think she was ridiculous as she tried to teach me. I was intrigued, and the power was still in me, but the chaos was so strong. I couldn’t pull together a fragment of a thought, let alone try to piece together the history of my people.

My beautiful kept telling me that I was a natural witch. She said I had a power that I didn’t even know how to harness. She said she observed my connections with nature, but abilities to get anything I wanted without hurting people and again… the dreams. I told her I didn’t believe in that voodoo. I slowly pulled away from the first coven that I was ever in, without even knowing I was a part of something real.

It wasn’t until I turned 30 and forgave my birth mother that the Goddess really started to hone in on me. I felt Her everywhere. I craved the outdoors just to be near Her. I saw Her face in everything: the trees, the sky and the ocean. It seemed that even the wind was calling my name.

Still friends with the witch from my childhood, I began to confess my feelings. She smiled and said that she had known all along. She was just waiting for me to be found.

I have always had this power. It is confidence. It is love. It is compassion. And it is so much more. I cannot tell you any more than this. I am a private woman with my craft. I will not even share my name with others. The only person I tell anything to is my friend, and she only hears some things.

My husband doesn’t know. My kids are probably natural witches as well and that is a path they will find on their own. I found it, because the Goddess willed it so. I do not know if secrecy makes my powers stronger, but I figure I have no reason to share my identity with the world. If the Goddess wills it to be, it will be.

I wanted to share my story because I believe that others are like me. My grandfather was touched. My mother was touched. My brother and I are both touched. We never talk about it; but we know.

Maybe every person has the potential to harness such great power, but I know in my heart that the Goddess chose me. She sought me out. She spent 30 years waiting for me to find her. After my discovery I knew that She had been with me all along.

In retrospect, I felt Her with me at 11 while I was running through the meadow in the back of my house. I was a bookworm who never read outside. It was almost like outside is sacred. It was my first altar of sorts. I need this always to be my place of solace.

I respect my Mother, my Goddess, and reciprocate her kindnesses. I will always protect Her, the way She has always protected me.

	Lady Gia on Spell for Any Day – Gard…
	Lady Gia on Spell For Tomorrow – Gre…
	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on I Am Not Sure When
	Lady Gia on I Am Not Sure When
	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on I Am Not Sure When
	Lady Gia on I Am Not Sure When
	Rev. Lady Carla Belt… on I Am Not Sure When