Tag: Paganism

The Wicca Book of Days for April 12th – The Fiery Principle

The Wicca Book of Days for April 12th

The Fiery Principle

The element that is associated with April 12, an Arien day, is Fire, whose influence was once believed to extend to alchemy and human behavior, as well as to astrology. In alchemical symbolism, the volatile and masculine principle of Fire was represented by an upward-pointing triangle (for flames leap upward) and was equated with hot and dry qualities. Similarly, according to the doctrine of the four “humors” that were thought to circulate the human body in ancient times, Fire was linked with the choleric humor, or yellow bile, which was said to produce a hot temper.

Fanning the Flames

If you are consumed by burning desire, summon up the vital energy of Mars and the no-holds-barred passion of Fire, by lighting a red candle and swiftly passing your finger back and forth through the flames as you focus your will on visualizing the fulfillment of our craving.

In Defense of the Practice of Magic

In Defense of the Practice of Magic
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Author: Lupa

You don’t have to practice magic to be a good pagan. In fact, you can theoretically go your entire life without casting a spell or performing a magical rite.

However, over the years I’ve seen a recurrence in the idea that not practicing magic is the superior decision. The general attitude seems to be somewhere along the lines of “I don’t practice magic-I just use mundane solutions instead of wasting my time!” A variation on this is “You’re not supposed to work magic for mundane and/or selfish purposes”. And there’s even “Don’t work magic when you don’t need to-you don’t want to overburden the gods!” I’ve also heard the sentiment that “Magic is a crutch, and if you think you need it then you’re too dependent on it”.

I would imagine that the roots of these attitudes are embedded in the fact that when some newbies to paganism are first getting started, they’re totally enamored of the idea of casting spells and whatnot. They get the idea that magic can solve all of their problems, and so dive right in. For them, religion is something they learn about later, only after the shiny newness of “I’m a witch!” wears off, and they get a little better idea of what paganism is about besides magic.

Since this is so common among newcomers, I would guess that at least some people who exhibit anti-magic attitudes are doing so in order to seem more experienced and mature. It resembles, in my mind, the child who puts his/her toys aside in an attempt to seem more grown-up.

This isn’t to say that everyone who doesn’t practice magic is just posturing. However, I’d like to address the attitudes that I’ve mentioned.

–I don’t practice magic-I just use mundane solutions instead of wasting my time

Okay, admittedly you don’t want to only use magic to get something done in this world. The clichéd example is the job seeker who casts a spell but then doesn’t go out and job hunt, instead waiting for work to miraculously fall into his/her lap. However, magic is a tool that can be used to augment mundane actions.

A well-executed ritual can increase the probability of success in mundane affairs. Don’t view the magic as something separate from your “real world” efforts; rather, see them all as complementary to each other.

Magic isn’t some detached, spooky force with no bearing on physical reality. Rather, it’s a practice that involves seemingly casual events joined together to create change. Whether you see this as manipulating invisible energies, asking for help from the Divine, or simply changing your psychological outlook on a particular issue, it has just as much relevance to everyday life as any mundane activities.

The methods and mechanics of magic may not be as obvious or as widely accepted, but I don’t see them as being superior or inferior to mundane actions.

— You’re not supposed to work magic for mundane and/or selfish purposes

I’m not sure where this one came from. If you look at magic throughout history, it has primarily been used for everyday issues affecting the individual. Whether that individual worked the magic him/herself or asked someone else to do so, practical magic for common problems has been prevalent for quite some time.

A study of folklore, witchcraft and related topics throughout history shows an abundance of spells and charms for love, money, health and other such concerns. While there’s also been plenty of magic designed to help the individual ascend to higher planes of reality, there’s no denying the strong interest in cultures around the world in using magic to make this reality better to live in.

And that includes “selfish” magic.

If you have a headache, you take a painkiller of some sort. If you need money, you find a better job or take out a loan. If you’re lonely, you find people to hang out with. What’s wrong with using magic to augment these things? The “no selfish magic” idea strikes me as rather Puritanical, not to mention incredibly impractical.

I’m assuming that if you’re not supposed to do magic for yourself, you instead work it for others. How are you supposed to help other people if your life is a mess? Would you get financial advice from a broker who was declaring bankruptcy? How about relationship advice from someone who’s been through eight divorces in ten years?

No one has ever been able to give me a solid reason why it’s such a bad thing to work magic on my own behalf; people who are going to be selfish to the point of harming others are going to be that way regardless of whether they have access to magic or not.

I also don’t fool myself into thinking that denying myself automatically makes me a more virtuous person. Personally, if I’m going to make the conscious effort to improve my life, I’m going to use every tool at my disposal, which includes magic. Which brings me to the final point I’d like to address…

— Don’t work magic when you don’t need to-you don’t want to overburden the gods

For some people, magic is inextricably bound to spirituality. When they cast a spell or otherwise work magic, they expect that some deity or spirit is going to make the magic work for them. With such a belief, I can see why they might want to avoid asking too much of the entities they work with. Granted, it’s quite possible for someone of a dependent nature to get to the point where s/he feels that s/he can’t do anything without divine intervention, but this is an extreme case.

Magic doesn’t have to involve deities and spirits if you don’t want it to. We’re quite capable of working magic by our own wills. If you’re that concerned that you’re asking too much of your deities, then just do the work yourself.

I’ve found, from my own experience, that the spirits I work with the most (totem animals in particular) actually appreciate it when I put forth the effort myself to the best of my ability. They know that if I do call on them for help, it’s because I really need it. “The Gods help those who help themselves”.

— Magic is a crutch, and if you think you need it then you’re too dependent on it

Anything can be a crutch if you allow it to be. Yes, there are the people who think that magic alone will solve any problems they have (even though they continue to have those same problems). However, this shouldn’t be taken as proof that magic itself is more likely to become a crutch than, say, religious fundamentalism.

I’ve known pagans who allowed their spiritual beliefs to completely take over their lives (without the practice of magic, mind you). People can get obsessed about literally anything; it doesn’t necessarily mean that what they’re obsessed over is what’s at fault.

Those of who practice magic on a regular basis aren’t necessarily obsessed. I practice magic because it’s beneficial, and because I really enjoy the experience. I can act quite well without it; I don’t cast a spell for every single thing in my day. But it’s an effective method of furthering my actions, and I use it when I think it’s warranted. If I find that it’s warranted on a regular basis, that doesn’t make me obsessed. It just makes me a magician.

In the end, it’s a personal choice. If you don’t want to work magic, that’s fine. Nobody’s forcing you. And for some people, it’s just not a necessary part of their lives. However, I really recommend against looking down on those of us who do work magic on a regular basis.

I’ve been able to use it to improve my life (along with mundane actions) in numerous ways, and intend to continue to do so. I believe that there’s absolutely no reason I shouldn’t be allowed to be happy, and I certainly don’t think it’s selfish to want that.

“Pagans Worship The Ground You Walk On”

“Pagans Worship The Ground You Walk On”
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Author: Forest


This was the bumper sticker that I read on an old station wagon earlier today on my way to work which got me to smiling (and at 6 in the morning, that can be awfully hard to accomplish).

The car was sitting quietly in its spot beside my place of work, and I went to take a closer look at the sticker, smiling as I read what it said. I loved that bumper sticker; it brightened my day.

What surprised me though, wasn’t the fact that it could put a smile on my face at 6 in the morning, but the sheer horror as to the fact that someone had keyed “Witch Bit**” into the side of the car.

I mean come on, what is wrong with people nowadays? Are they so against our faith that they must do that in order to make themselves feel better? It’s ludicrous is what I think, but you can never be too sure.

I thought about it for a moment and I realized that almost every movie with witches in it has the phrase “Witch Bit**”. The whole thing must’ve started out with a movie like “The Witches of East Wick”, or “Practical Magic” or something along the lines of this. The phrase can be heard almost anytime someone wants to make a rude remark to a pagan person.

Honestly, the word has come to be a household name for people who are not of the old way.

I felt like crap as I walked into work, and saw who it was who must’ve owned the car. You see, apparently, she couldn’t get the car out of the theater parking lot because someone had slashed her tires and keyed that obscene remark on the side of her car. So, instead of feeling an ounce of sympathy, my boss told her that since she had the entire night to move her car and didn’t, that her car was being impounded.

The woman looked really strong; she must’ve seen a lot in her life, and she looked to be about 60 years old. Though, through all of this, you could tell that she was on the verge of crying.

I asked for a leave of absence so that I could take the woman home, and luckily, I got it. Her car was about to be towed, and/or impounded, and I didn’t think that she would be able to handle the fact that my boss was about to make her pay money for something that wasn’t her fault.

People aren’t very surprising. A lot of us have the same kind of arrogant personality going around and making people feel like fools.

You’ve seen some of those people, witches included, who say some stuff like, “Psh, I’ll make acid rain come down over his head while he’s sleeping, I have the power.”

I mean, we can be arrogant just like anyone else. When you go around parading something that some people really don’t care for, you’re begging for something bad to happen to you.

The same thing happens to those boys and girls who flaunt about how they’re homosexual. I mean, I understand about being open about it, but to hit on every guy or girl and dress like a girl/guy, that’s just pushing it, I mean, I’m bi, but I couldn’t really understand why some of them did it until recently.

Yea, the world’s screwed up, and these people know this, yet they flaunt themselves around like they’re a lamb on the spit. I’m sorry, but when they say that they’re victims, they’re absolutely right.

But they knew that it would eventually happen, so that’s what made me start pondering about the world.

Humans are a proud race. I mean, some of us are ill-willed and weak-minded, but in the end, we all pretty much stand up for what we believe in. We all have the power to delve into our memories and conjure up something that can fuel our onward path. All you have to do is believe ,right?

I love people when I think that these people chose to flaunt their religion, while knowing that by doing so, they might get in a little bit of trouble along the way. These people are truly my heroes. They stand up for their beliefs, they stand up for our religion, and these people are healing the earth in doing so.

Some of us are (using the melancholy term) “In the Broom Closet”. Well, it’s time to come out, because the world isn’t as terrible as you think it is. Sure, there are rough spots on the way, but then again, you have fellow pagans all around you who will help you along the way.

We all need to take a stand. We need to hear the voices of the people who were shamed because we were to weak to stand up for them when we were hiding in the shadows.

We all have it in us. I mean, we’re pagan, we’ve been here longer than anybody. Our souls have prospered the Earth. It’s time that we needed a batch of good karma, so why not make it ourselves?

I mean, we are witches, right?

I’m just putting this article out here for something for you to ponder on. You don’t need to respond, but hopefully some people can understand what it’s like to be these people, the ones who are ashamed, the ones who get beat up, broken down, and downright miserable.

We all need help once in awhile, so lets give some right now, just think about it ok?

If you understand what it feels like, then why let it happen to other people? We all need to understand that when you’re broken down and crying in the dirt, you’re not just at rock bottom; you’re rock bottom under 8 feet of mud and concrete, and you can’t get out without some help.

Just think about it.

IS WICCA RIGHT FOR ME?

IS WICCA RIGHT FOR ME?

Many people find Wicca because they are dissatisfied with the religion that they
are currently involved in, though they are deeply spiritual and believe firmly
in another Power. For many, the Church is too structured, or too conservative,
or does not fulfill some kind of need within the individual. This is common for
many people who are born into a religion. Just because your parents believe
something does not mean that you are going to believe it!

So, now that you have found Wicca, how are you going to know if it is right for
you?

The only way you will ever know for certain if it is for you is to try it.

However, before you jump headlong into any religion, I suggest you read plenty
of information about it.

The World Wide Web is actually an excellent source of information, and is stock
full of various places that will give you all the beginning info that you could
ever hope to attain. After you read everything that you can, ask yourself, “DO I
believe in the core of Wicca?”

If you have done enough reading on Wicca you will have come across the Wiccan
Rede, which is a poem which beautifully illustrates the Wiccan belief.

The most important rule in the Rede is: “‘An it harm none, do what ye will.” It
speaks for itself: you may practice whatever magick you want as long as you harm
none, including yourself.

If you do not believe in the Wiccan Rede, or cannot uphold it and live by it,
then Wicca is not for you.

So what if you accept the Rede, have read extensively but still aren’t sure if
it will work for you? Well, first things first: if you don’t believe that magick
will work for you, then it won’t.

Simple as that. It can work for you, but you must believe in yourself! That is a
primary tenet of Wicca. There is no harm in trying it. Cast yourself a circle,
pray, and talk to the Goddess and the God.

If you feel silly or uncomfortable, or doubt that what you are doing is really
making any progress, then you probably want to try something else.

Like any other religion, Wicca is not for everyone. It is only for those who are
comfortable in a loosely structured religion, who are open minded and are
patient enough to learn all that Wicca has to offer.

This does not mean, however, that Paganism is not for you.

Paganism encompasses many other religions, such as Shamanism, Nordic religions,
Druidic and so on.

The best thing for you to do is read, study, experiment and trust yourself. If
it is right for you, it will come to you. Don’t force yourself just because you
think it is “cool.”

ANYONE can practice magick, but not everyone is a Wiccan.

Oh, in case you check…..

You will notice, I got to playing and made new graphics for the “Monthly Goddess, Herb & Crystal.” I also added a new one “Pagan Events.” None of these are accurate right now. They all are linked to the right page, but I have not updated the information yet. The “Pagan Events” doesn’t even have a page to link to yet. I am planning on getting that update today or tonight. I just wanted to let you know. I didn’t want you to think I was laying down on the job again, lol!

I hope you enjoy these sections and the new section. I know I enjoy doing them for you. Now let’s get down to business……

Who Else Is A Lonely Young Witch?

Who Else Is A Lonely Young Witch?

Author: Wolfmoonsinger

So many teen witches out there know what I’m talking about when I speak of the loneliness, wonder, and longing to become part of a coven. Or even just finding another witch in your community! It is very hard trying to bring up the subject of religion with people when it’s so touchy. So how do you find out who’s a pagan and who isn’t? What if the person you were talking to five minutes ago is a witch and you didn’t know because the subject of religion doesn’t come up because of beliefs?

How are you supposed to find other pagans in order to create a coven or even to talk with in person or just to talk to another witch without driving a long way to that person? All good questions. Me, myself, and I would like to know those answers as well.

My one ‘ex’ friend introduced me into Wicca three years ago. We were best friends and we shared everything. We were both interested in it; not me as much because I was a bit skeptical about it, but she was really into it because her aunt was. And now, I’m the one who is an ardent witch with a true understanding of paganism and witchcraft, and she’s addicted to booze and boys and has completely erased the love for the goddess in her life.

Through my time reading tons and tons of books and websites about Wicca, I was gaining and learning more and more information about this mysterious and attractive religion. Never would I have guessed that once I had my fill of the basic knowledge, I would have to really put it to an effort. Now, I have been very successful so far, becoming a good mediator, ritual caster and spiritual person. But doing these things alone sometimes can be very sad because if you have one of those moments where you really understand something or a spell has gone wonderful for you, you come to the sad realization that you don’t have anyone to share these things with. It’s depressing.

It’s not like you can tell your best friend who’s a Christian or your Christian parents about it because it may be scary for them because of their ignorance of what you are talking about, or they just don’t want to hear anything about it. It hurts because you go through your life hiding your religion from others who don’t understand Wicca — and don’t try to or want to — and you really wish you had someone to talk to who really understood what you were talking about and really appreciated it.

I may seem selfish to some of you who are reading this, but this is how I feel. I have always been a loner, but sometimes it is more than I can bear. Sometimes I ask the goddess for a companion (s) to celebrate her glory with, to celebrate sabbats with, to hold hands and soak up the moons glow with, to share experience with, and to share the same thoughts with…

A lot of covens are either a “look at me” coven, a “wannabe” coven, or a “one and only true way” coven. Some witches think that if you join a coven, you join it for life, but really in many paths and traditions, you just share the same path with your fellow coveners and don’t necessarily have to stay in that coven forever.

The good thing about joining a coven is that it provides you with some discipline while practicing your craft. You will celebrate the Sabbat without fail every year and do your daily devotions. Meeting other like-minded people can be an extremely rewarding experience and then you have the High priest and High priestess to guide you. Most agree with me that a lot of witches want a coven to share a subconscious connection with, and a coven does that with the “mind connection”. The only bad thing about this ‘mind connection’ is that if someone leaves, the connection is broken and has to be healed.

If I could openly ask people what religion they were and where I could find a coven, I would, but that would be rude, inappropriate, startling, strange, not fair, and a bit bold. So how do you find other witches? Talk to people long enough to find out what their religion is? So few people are witches in small areas like where I live. It would be very difficult to find one, let alone a coven. I keep hope that, one day, I will come across someone and the topic will pop up, but that seems very unlikely.

I am a teenage witch of age 17. I don’t know any other witches my age. Most of the teens who are pagans are either fluffy bunnies or they live in towns far away from where I live. A big factor in the difficulty of connecting with other witches could be that most witches don’t come out of the broom closet out of fear of public bias. But you honestly shouldn’t fear what other people think (unless they are crazy) and if people don’t want to be grown ups and try to understand what it is, then that’s their choice. But the chance still remains that if you openly tell people flat out that you are a pagan, it could cause positive changes in your life, including someone listening in and chasing you down later to tell you that they are also of the same faith.

Lucky for me, I’ve met people who were curious about Wicca and didn’t judge me for being a witch, but none of them were interested in it THAT much. You will always find people who will understand what it’s about, but to find someone who really UNDERSTANDS it and knows what you’re talking about is harder than finding a needle in a haystack…

So to me, making a coven or finding others in the same faith and beliefs is important because they could end up being like your family. When you have a close connection of friends like that, you become really connected and it’s hard to imagine life without them… well, at least I would think.

I will still keep hope that finding a coven won’t be as difficult as I think it will. It would be easier to just start one myself, but with whom? The problem of finding others of the same beliefs still remains.

So if you’re a lone wolf out there reading this, know that your not alone and that there ARE witches out there who feel the same way you do. They’re just too afraid to come out of the closet. And I know that coming out may be a bit brave and dangerous for some, but sometimes such risks must be taken if you ever want to find others like you.

Be bold, be brave, and be honest.

A Thinking Witch’s Approach to Silence (and Quantum Physics)

A Thinking Witch’s Approach to Silence (and Quantum Physics)

Author: Ehsha Apple

Most of us who teach, concentrate on the theological approaches to Paganism. This makes sense – it’s religion, right? But what if your worldview imagines “Science” as part-and-parcel with “Theology”? That’s where I found myself. And then I found that there were a good number of Pagans just like me. I teach a very impressive assortment of students who were not finding “purely religious approaches” to spirituality fulfilling. They needed something to tickle the academic part of their brains. For them, I formulated a series of courses that combine both science and theology. If you are like us, and you enjoy a dose of science in your religion, come along.

The very first lesson that I share with my students is the importance of silence. (1) Unfortunately, we still live in a place and a time where Paganism – or anything outside of the American Christocentric imperative – is not welcome. Primarily, this is because of misunderstanding, but such misunderstanding is often based in jingoistic bias. (I recommend my students watch the documentary, The Burning Times. While there is some conjecture about the numbers presented in this film, the overall point remains valid.) Of course, we don’t literally burn witches anymore but I have known plenty of people who have been burned by the judgment or ridicule of others. So, there is a very “real world” reason for Pagans to maintain silence and anonymity. This doesn’t mean that I support hypocrisy. I would never recommend that you “pretend” to be something that you are not, but I recommend that you think about all aspects of your secular life before making your spiritual life common knowledge.

Some of you are fortunate to live in open-minded arenas; some of you live in less amenable atmosphere. Some of you have broadminded families; some of your families will be angry, hurt, upset, or even fearful about your decision to study Pagan spiritualities. This isn’t their fault. More than likely, they will base their comments (if you decide to tell them) on their feelings of love for you and their misguided belief that you are “dabbling” in something dark, dangerous, or even demonic. (If you are just now deciding to tell your family or your work/social circle that you are Pagan, there is some really practical advice on Patti Wigington’s “About.com” pages.) Aside from avoiding judgment, there are other reasons to maintain silence. Maybe not about being Pagan, but about conducting a Pagan ritual. Many practitioners will tell you that they maintain silence to protect a coven secret or rite. This is all very appropriate and should be respected.

Before I begin talking about silence in earnest, I would like to explore a very important phrase: “To Know, To Dare, To Will, To Keep Silent.” As we all know, this phrase comes from The Four Powers of the Sphinx, written about most extensively by French occultist, Eliphas Lévi. And an introduction to the The Four Powers of the Sphinx comes from Lévi’s most popular work: Transcendental Magic. He states:

To attain the SANCTUM REGNUM, in other words, the knowledge and power of the Magi, there are four indispensable conditions–an intelligence illuminated by study, an intrepidity which nothing can check, a will which cannot be broken, and a prudence which nothing can corrupt and nothing intoxicate. TO KNOW, TO DARE, TO WILL, TO KEEP SILENCE–such are the four words of the Magus, inscribed upon the four symbolical forms of the sphinx.

The Sphinx, a composite creature, has the head of a man, the torso and paws of a lion, the rear of a bull, and the wings of an eagle. In its design, it signifies the Four Powers of the four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water. He adds:

You are called to be king of air, water, earth and fire . . . the human head, in order to possess speech; his the eagle’s wings, in order to scale the heights; his the bull’s flanks, in order to furrow the depths; his the lion’s talons, to make a way on the right and the left, before and behind.

To attain such an achievement it is necessary to KNOW what has to be done, to WILL what is required, to DARE what must be attempted and to KEEP SILENT with discernment.

We must WILL to create change
In order to WILL, we must DARE
In order to DARE we must KNOW
And to maintain control we must BE SILENT (show discipline)

To Know refers to the idea that the spiritual journey is one of knowledge. And that’s why we are all here. We must recognize that the quest for knowledge is never-ending. We must constantly be learning, questioning, and expanding our experiences. Also, we must know ourselves before we can know our true paths. “Know thyself.” That’s what the spiritual journey is really about in the end. If you are on this path because you want material riches and worldly power, you will be very disappointed. And you are short-changing yourself. The riches and the power you will obtain by examining yourself and finding your place in the grand scheme of things far supersede any material goods or earthly authority.

To Dare can be understand as “courage.” By daring to face the unknown, even the unknown within our Selves, we inevitably grow stronger.

To Will means more than determination and perseverance. The will is the ultimate tool of the practitioner (Magician, Witch, etc.) . Alistair Crowley, founder of Thelema, defines Magick as: “the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.”

To Keep Silent seems obvious, but it’s more complex. Yes, being silent means that we do not share the teachings of our coven, that we do not “out” other members of the Pagan community, and that we do not discuss Magickal workings outside of the sacred circle. But it also means that we learn to maintain a level of stillness, inner silence.

This last point about silence brings me to another phrase: “In perfect love and in perfect trust.” Many Pagans use this phrase to indicate the sanctity of “trust” in our community. The safety provided by perfect love and perfect means that we are safe within our circle and that we avow to protect one another and to never harm one another. This is imperative. When working together (as a solitary, you may not face this) you must have complete trust in those working around you. The vulnerability that comes from functioning within a community – either physically or online – can make or break a magical work and a spiritual path.

But more importantly, I think, there are two reasons to keep silence. Both are very theoretical: one based in psycholinguistics and the other in quantum physics.

One major reason to keep silent involves the nature of Magick and of spoken language. For me, to speak is to conjure. Both Jacques Derrida and Jacques Lacan knew this. Power resides with those who control language. We can subvert language and we can evolve language, but we only do this because it is language that gives us such power. This is not only true in the cultural-linguistic realm, but this is true in the realm of Magick and Craftwork as well. Consider: most popular representations of “the magician” involves a “magic word”.

Think of Disney’s many magical characters and phrases, like: “Bippity-Boppity-Boo” of Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, “Prestigigitotium” of The Merlin, Angela Landsbury’s “Treguna Mekoitis Tracorum Satis Dee” and any number of things that came out of Mary Poppins’ mouth. Think of the many magical-sounding terms in the Harry Potter series. Think of “Open Sesame” from “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”. Think of almost any TV show or movie involving witchcraft (I particularly remember “Shazam” from the 1970s) . It makes sense that popular culture should represent a “magic word” as the key to all magical working.

Consider Ancient Creation Myths where the universe is spoken into existence by a god/dess (typically one god and one goddess representing order and chaos, respectively) : Mesopotamian, Mesoamerican, and Middle Eastern Creation Myths all include a “speaking” into creation (“And God said, ‘Let there be light, ’ and there was light”) . Further, there is the presumably-antediluvian Enochian (or Angelic) Language, given to Victorian Magicians, John Dee and Edward Kelly by the Great Angel Ave, which suggests that all things, even the apocalypse, can be spoken into existence.

This last part, to me, seems reason enough to keep silent!

If quantum physics is your thing, another reason to keep silent is to refrain from collapsing the wave. Ly de Angeles explains that consciousness, “the pattern of thought” as she calls it, “moves as light moves and is, therefore instantly there and instantly not. It is both particle and wave, as is light, which, incidentally is why spells are told to no one. To speak a thing is to collapse the wave” (Witchcraft: Theory and Practice. 7) .

I won’t pretend to be a physicist, I will do my best to draw an analogy between Magick and two popular scientific ideas. The first is the “Quantum Double Slit Experiment” and the second is “The Copenhagen Paradox” otherwise known as “Schrödinger’s Cat.” (2) Quantum Physics is the physics of atomic and subatomic levels, and quite honestly, the rules of “normal” physics do not apply on these levels. Electrons, protons, and neutrons move about without passing through the space between. In essence, they are constantly vacillating between existing and not existing. They literally “pop” in and out of existence. We don’t know why. We don’t know where they go. We don’t know from whence they return. Not yet, anyway. There are all sorts of cutting-edge theories that suggest multiverses and parallel universes. (If these things are said in a religious context, we are scoffed; we say them in a scientific context and it’s deemed “cutting-edge.”) This is why I contend that there is nothing supernatural; I believe that we simply cannot account for all of the majesty of our strange and complicated universe – yet.

Return to de Angeles’s reference to consciousness and thought as “both particle and wave.” To make any use of this, we first must try to grasp the difference between a particle and a wave. A particle, quite simply, is perceivable matter – something with mass; a wave is a transfer of energy within some substance – i.e. a disturbance in the water or in the air. Subatomic – quantum – particles are not particles – they have no mass (i.e., they don’t exist) – until they are observed. No fooling. This gives a whole new meaning to the tree falling in the woods paradox.

The answer is “no” – it makes no sound, because there is no tree if it is not observed. (It’s like when the little boy on The Matrix tells Neo, “There is no spoon.”) For some mysterious reason – a reason that keeps scientists banging their heads against their Bunsen burners – everything in existence is nothing more than a wave of information (or possibilities) until we observe it in some way. Until we actually observe the not-yet-a- particle, it’s nothing more than a wave. Sounds nuts, right? Wait, there’s more. That wave is “pure potential” itself. In other words, the wave exists in every possibility at the same time. It’s doing everything that is potentially possible – all at once. Once we observe the wave, it “solidifies” into a material reality. Therefore, we create reality just by observing it.

Need proof? OK. The Double Slit Experiment is a quantum experiment that shows us that subatomic material will take every possible path at the same time as a wave when not observed. When observed, the particle collapses down to one point as a particle. Likewise, The Copenhagen Paradox argues that all potential outcomes are in existence until one of them is observed. The paradox continues: who observes the observer? Some use this as a “proof” of deity; “god” is watching us all. But, then, who is watching “god”? That is a question to be puzzled out later. The universe is full of incongruities; all of our natural laws have exceptions. This too is a Mystery. (3)

But what has this to do with Magick? Much like the collapsed wave or the observed cat, some practitioners believe that speaking a thing changes it. Many believe that confining the meaning of a Great Mystery to the limits of spoken language can “ruin” a spell. This is like taking “potential everything-ness” and reducing it to an observable/hearable singularity.

This is not to say that language is not used for spell-crafting. But in the instance of casting, language is used in conjunction with the will. This makes the words carry the will rather than the literal meaning of the word. Yes, this is a Mystery. But there seems to be something to the argument that banal or causal conversation without the power of will weakens the power of the spell.

Further, some practitioners believe that speaking a thing makes it so. For this reason, they will never talk of magical affairs without first casting a protective circle. Whenever two or more witches are together and start talking about magic, for fear of “drive by” casting, you are likely to find one who will insist on some witchy prophylaxis. If, as many believe, words are thoughts and thoughts are things, we create every time we speak.

I believe all of these things – and then some. For these, and so many other reasons, I encourage you to keep your silence. Protect it. Nurture it. Enshroud it. It is always possible to reveal a thing – it is almost impossible to re-conceal it.

As they say, you can’t un-ring a bell.

Footnotes:
1. This information first published on my teaching blog, with some revision. (Apple, Ehsha. Open Path Sanctuary Training Program. “On Secrecy (and a bit of Quantum Physics) : Phase 1, Lesson 2 (Practice) .” 20 September 2011. Web.)

2. This has been met with criticism. Most of the criticism (firstly with Godel and Einstein) about the Copenhagen Paradox revolves around the superposition state and the specialty of observation.

3. There are mysteries and then there are Mysteries, or Great Mysteries. The kind that involve a sort of “initiation.” The word “Mystery” translates to “secret rite or doctrine.” Therefore, one who practiced “Mysteries” is referred to as a “mystic.” The specifics of these religions are kept “behind closed doors, ” or “secret.”

What Do You Believe?

What Do You Believe?

Author: Hamish

As a working solitary for many years, the question of belief simply never arose. I knew what I sensed in the greater world, and I knew that Paganism, or Wicca or what have you, was compatible with my science- based view of creation. My solitary status actually allowed me to go my merry way, taking what I wanted for personal practice and simply throwing out what didn’t fit or what clearly needed hands-on training. Seriously, being solitary has its joys. You are able to create a path that satisfies your desire to reach out to Divinity in a valid and highly personal way.

And then I joined a Tradition.

I am, by nature, a late bloomer. After fifteen years of exploring Paganism as a belief system, ten where I actually self identified as Pagan, I finally joined a coven. Please understand that I am in no way disparaging solitary practice. To the contrary, being Solitary allowed me to come to terms with my past experiences, and saved me from myself on more occasions than I care to recall. Solitary is a path that should be recognized by the Pagan community for the staunchly independent and varied road that it is, and is nurtured by my coven and the very hard work of my HPs and HP. I believe that devotion to any type of earth-centered religion is uniquely suited to solitary work, and that solitary practice is every bit as valid as that of a group. That said, the challenge of defining belief is a difference that has drawn the line pretty solidly (for me) between my solitary and group practice.

I was raised Episcopalian. Within that tradition, no one ever asked me if I believed in God. No one asked what I thought God looked like, or where I thought He lived; it was assumed that the answer would be what I had been clearly taught from the time I could sit up in church. In my experience, the thought process never really entered in to it; it is a system based on faith. You are told what to believe, and if you don’t buy into the basic dogma, you leave. Fair enough, I say. There are millions of people who take what they need from this system of worship, and that is fine. But if you seek balance, and find it in one of the various forms of Paganism, what then? Until someone looks you in the eye and actually asks you what you believe, do you really think about it?

There are many Solitaries who adopt a specific pantheon and drill deeply into their belief of what they are doing and why. I was not one of those. I looked at the Gods and Goddesses as mythological archetypes that served to link me to certain energies—and that was it. Now here I am, standing in circle with a group of people whose intelligences I greatly respect, and am asked to not only talk to Deity, but to see and feel Their presence in the room.

Now I believe that Pagans are skeptics by nature. This is one of the things that are endemic of this path. We do not take everything at face value; we test, scrutinize and question the authorities that seek to lead us, hence the “herding cats” analogy. Regardless of the fabulous teachers and friends that I have made along this path, sensing (specific pantheon) Goddess and Gods in circle is still not easy for me. It is, in fact, one of the hardest things for me to come to terms with. This is not to say that I have not experienced great ritual where mind-blowing energy is produced. On the contrary, I have been moved to tears on more than one occasion. But what of the actual presence of deity, of an actual God or Goddess standing right there, smack in front of you and all of your fellow seekers? This was one of the first big belief issues that I dealt with (and am still dealing with) when I joined a group.

I am what my big- city husband refers to as a ‘carrot cruncher.’ I was born and raised in the sticks, on a farm and deeply nestled within the bosom of small town America. My point of reference comes from that backdrop—I believe in nature spirits, I believe in the power of spell work and I most certainly believe that the true essence of God/ess is tied to nature, albeit a much larger natural world than my non-Pagan friends acknowledge. I freely believe in the presence of unseen personalities, and unseen intelligences imbedded in all fibers of life.

I also believe in the existence of many forms of life of which I am only afforded brief glimpses, or whose presences I most certainly take on faith. But do I believe in the conscious presence of mythical personalities called in circle, personalities that have been assigned characteristics in much the same way as many popular literary characters of our time? This is where skeptical me is on full alert, front and center. This is hard, this skeptical me that will not allow ideas to be validated until I have tested, tasted, smelled, touched and retested.

Clearly a cumbersome task.

As a child, belief rides hand-in-hand with trust; as an adult it rides with proof. So how does one find proof of something as intangible as God/ess? Answer: you seek out the proof that you need to either make it acceptable, or to throw it out. For me, that means introspection, meditation and real work to keep my mind open and available to accept different ideas. Journaling helps as well, because you need a standard to compare your impressions. And that is what I did, and continue to do. I am talking about the archetypical characters that many consider their patrons, not God/dess as a universal force, but as a personal being with very specific personality traits.
So where has this gotten me? I’ll tell you a little story.

I started studying Hecate, as the Dark Goddess appeals to me on many different levels. I bought the books, meditated on Her symbolism and read as many writings as I could get a hold of. Nothing appeared to me; no feeling of closeness with the Goddess and no signs in nature presented themselves to me, no proof appeared. And then one night I was seriously stressed out. You know what I’m talking about, a night when everything from work to money to whether my plants were healthy were weighing on my mind to the point where I was making myself physically ill. I tossed and turned until around 3am, when I sat up in bed and decided I would try to reach out to Her one more time. So I did, and darn it if I did not see, in my mind’s eye, a woman, face ever-changing (I had the sense that it changed, strangely, from faces that I had never seen before to friends, to movie stars, all different races, all different ages) — and before I could say anything, She reached out and grabbed my stress, which felt like a black, goopy ball of something right around my solar plexus, and pulled it out of my chest. As I watched open mouthed, She shoved that nasty, goopy glob of muck into Her mouth and swallowed.

I felt immediate relief mixed with a touch of shock and a dab of disgust. She then instructed me to allow whatever black goop was left in my body to leak out, down my spine and into the Earth, and to be careful not to let a drop remain, or it would grow back. I did what I was told while She licked Her fingers clean. She then invited me to call on Her any time that I have something as delicious to feed Her with, and She disappeared before I could even say thank you. But thank Her I did, as the next morning I woke up to renewed vigor, and although my problems had not disappeared, I felt fully capable, healthy and able to deal with whatever needed dealing with.

So, does this erase all of my skepticism? Does it allow me to fully accept the various God/dess forms called upon in ritual? The short answer is: not exactly. I feel that this allowed me to take another step toward better understanding. It has brought the question that was set before me, through interaction with my coven-mates, toward another thread of questioning. You may be rolling your eyes at this point, but I have found that every experience opens up a different road of inquiry-a different pathway full of questions, answers and wonder.

There are those who have been on this path for a very long time, and those who have just started. The one thing that they should have in common is curiosity for the unknown, a mind that is open enough to explore concepts that are foreign to them, and to accept the ways of all positive paths as valid, regardless of individual beliefs and practices. This does, of course, assume that those practices are healthy and add to individual growth. Keeping an open mind does not negate the responsibility of all to scrutinize and decide what is believable and positive, and what is not.

This is the only way, in my opinion, that we are able to remain a true, pure form of spirituality and not just another brand of political dogma. For my part, I will do the same, and hopefully will acquire a clearer understanding, regardless of my final conclusions. Belief is not something that comes easy for me, and skepticism is part of who I am, but this should not be anyone’s excuse for remaining in the dark.

For now I ask you to keep seeking, keep testing, and keep the wonder of the unknown alive. I will leave you with the words of a famous skeptic:

“The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do not determine what is true.” —Carl Sagan, 1995

Brightest Blessings,
Hamish

Pagan Sin

Pagan Sin

Author: BellaDonna Saberhagen

Sin is an interesting thing to consider in modern Paganism. With many believing that, “all acts of love and pleasure are Her (the Goddess’) rituals” (taken from Doreen Valiente’s Charge of the Goddess) , is there room for a Pagan concept of sin? Sin is perceived by many to be either sexual or violent in nature. Since many Pagans feel that to ignore your sexual needs is to do yourself a disservice, the common Christian “original sin” is not applicable to modern Paganism; and while such things as adultery may be frowned upon as emotionally damaging, we have no scriptures telling us to stone those that cheat on their spouses. Violent sin has been secularized into laws; murder and assault are typically seen as amoral regardless of religious background (or lack thereof) .

So do Pagans have sin? I would say they do, but first, let’s look at the role sin plays.

Humans thrive on hardship (and guilt) . If humans decided to live near an active volcano (which is a hardship, as well as a boon) , they then feel guilty when it destroys the village (they somehow angered the gods and must atone for their indiscretions) . If humans did not thrive on this cycle, we probably would not have civilizations that grew in some of the most unforgiving environments. So humans need some feeling of guilt. Where do many modern Pagans get this guilt they require? Eco-Guilt.

Eco-Guilt does have homes in the secular world; there are plenty of non-Pagans that try to live as “green” a life as possible. However, I have not seen another creed outside adherence to the Rede that can make a Pagan look down at another Pagan as somehow “not walking the Pagan walk” as much as this one does. There are different factions within it as well (vegan/PETA, home-steaders, etc) .

There’s this fantasy that ancient Pagans all lived in harmony with nature; that because they depended so much on the natural cycles that they never did any damage to the earth, ever. Because of this fantasy, many modern Pagans want to get back to that “deep connection to the earth” that has been lost. I can respect that. I myself fantasize about living Pagan-Amish style; growing my own wheat, brewing my own mead and raising my own goats (fainting goats, specifically, they’re so wonderfully silly) . I do buy into the Eco-Guilt mind-set myself, I just think that some Pagans get up on soap boxes and try their hardest to prove they are “Greener (and therefore more Pagan) than Thou.”

The problem is that ancient Pagans were guilty of harming the earth in their own way. If you go back two thousand years, you would find Roman strip mines. The only difference is how deep they could go with the level of technology they had. The Bronze and Iron Ages would not have existed without human impact upon the earth. As a race, we’ve never been too kind to rivers; in towns, human waste lined the streets. Land was cleared to farm, meaning trees were cut down. Even in Celtic society, who really loved their trees, woodland had to be cleared for building and farming. In fact, we know so much about ancient peoples, not just from their tombs and buildings, but because they left huge trash heaps that give us insights into their diets and daily living. Mining, landfills, deforestation: This was all part of life as much then as it is now. Granted, they may have done these things with more respect than what is typically given now, but they would not have felt guilty for bettering their lives through food, shelter, tools, art and commerce.

Let’s look at the organic argument. Not using pesticides and chemical fertilizers may be better for the environment, but such farming methods take more work and have a lower yield. This (as well as having a smaller buying market) is why organic food is more expensive. If you have four children and enough money to buy either four non-organic apples or two organic apples, which would you buy? The hard-core Eco-Pagan may suggest giving your children half an organic apple (which tend to be smaller than non-organic apples anyway) , arguing that they will get better nutrition from it (this argument has never been proven) . A more practical person would think it much better to wash the non-organic apples well, but buy those to ensure that each child is well nourished. This is the problem with trying to enforce your view of green-ness on someone else; they might not be able to afford the luxury you have. Starving people in Africa need food that will grow there consistently, and current organic methods just won’t work there.

How about recycling? Not every town in this country has its own recycling center/program. Sometimes, in order to recycle, you may have to travel pretty far to do so. At which point do the emissions from your car counter-balance the act of recycling? Not to mention that recycling itself creates its own carbon footprint. You could drive yourself crazy nickel and diming every moment of every day to find out just how much damage you are doing.

So, what about those little extras Pagans often need? Stones (quartz, citrine, etc.) have to be mined. As does the iron used for cauldrons and athames (and, most recommend that the blade be new to ensure it never let blood, so no reduce, reuse, recycle there) . The silver and gold used for our daily and ritual jewelry is also mined. Books require paper, paper comes from trees (granted much paper is recycled or comes from farmed trees these days) and there is (apparently, I never heard of this rule until recently) a rule against buying used Pagan books (I buy most books used, but I’m a very frugal Pagan, and I don’t think books can hold much of your energy unless you write them yourself, like your Book of Shadows) .

Now, you can use plastic for prayer beads rather than those made of real gemstones, but the argument can be made that this is worse since A) plastic is made from oil (and we all know the hazards of oil drilling) and B) fake stones (similar to synthetic fragrance oils) will not work like the real thing; why use something that will not work as well that creates as much or more harm to the earth than using the original would be?

You can decide to be Pagan, but worry so much about every little thing you do that your spirituality suffers. You can’t read books because that harmed trees; you can’t get information from the Internet because that uses electricity, which might come from sources that harm the environment. You can’t even attune to the earth in your own home because the stones you might use to do that may have been unfairly torn from Momma Earth’s womb.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be mindful, we should be, and we need to be. There are a lot more humans inhabiting Earth now (I would hazard to say too many, but that’s my opinion) and we live in a consumer-driven “disposable” society. Maybe, as Pagans, we can get used books; we don’t need a different athame for every Sabbat and we don’t need twenty-five pieces of the same type of stone. That does not mean that we can’t have one athame and a few stones (granted maybe only one or two stones per kind) ; spiritual growth shouldn’t stagnate because of Eco-Guilt.

Do the best you can, but don’t beat yourself (or anyone else) up over slip-ups. No one’s going to prescribe you to say five “Our Gaias” and three “Hail Horned Ones” to gain forgiveness from the gods. You have to forgive yourself. You can’t hold yourself to an unrealistic ecological ideal; you’re not always going to have the option of doing it the “green” way.

So never mind how bad Eco-Edna and Green-Gary might try to make you feel, be confident that you are doing your best and following your path. If they think you use too much and don’t recycle enough, take that criticism and see if you are capable of doing better. Just remember, sometimes you have to choose between what might be better for you and yours and what might be better for the earth. Don’t feel guilty about choosing you and yours.

Footnotes:
Facts on organic farming and recycling taken from interviews with experts as provided by Penn and Teller’s Bull****!

Paying for Wisdom

Paying for Wisdom

Author: Sarrestia

Recently I moved to Sierra Vista, Arizona and worked to find people of similar beliefs to surround myself with, and learn of new perspectives and gain experiences and, hopefully, wisdom of our elders. I even searched through Witchvox’s local pagans to determine if there were, at all, any pagans in the area. Thankfully, there are, but they are very difficult to find and meet. I’m not one to bounce right into someone’s life and seek his or her friendship, as I’ve always preferred the more subtle approach.

I was shocked in locating a spiritual center within the city and immediately called to find out where they were and what they did. Sadly, there were no pagans there. The ‘Reverend’ said that there used to be, but they seemed to have all disappeared.

I also drove down to Bisbee, near to Tombstone and up to Tucson to the pagan stores there, which obviously, would have at least one or two pagans around. Not only saddened and disappointed, I left each of these places with the great unease that these people were friendly in the extent that they really didn’t want new people around. Rather, they were happy to point me somewhere else. I will say, though, that Tucson was very nice, but it is such a long drive to attend rituals and group gatherings; suffice to say, it is something that will occur every now and then.

I know this, so far, has nothing to do with the title…but I’m getting there, as some things need ladders to reach rather than sudden jumps from one level to the next (you might lose someone in the jump) .

After searching for pagans and coming out empty handed, and wondering if there was a reason for this, I decided to visit this spiritual center to see if maybe another pagan will be drop in.
I will not be negative towards these people, as they are on a path quite different from mine, and I greatly respect their lives and their choices; but they are not pagans, not even Christian pagans.

My arrival was greeted with the usual “Who’s she?” looks and whispers, though not at all quiet because I could hear them quite well from outside the door. I introduced myself to the reverend, whom I had talked to on the phone. They were quite welcoming. Though as more and more people arrived, I became a little dismayed by the age difference. I believe I was the only one under the age of 50 and as I am only 25 that does say quite a bit.

The night consisted of them playing a DVD of a medium channeling spirits, pausing and talking about what they saw. The medium was a woman named Esther Hicks, who channeled the spirit, or spirits, of Abraham. Being completely pagan, without a Christian background, I was a little wary, but stuck it out in hopes of determining pagan tendencies in these people.

The words from these spirits were quite good, and displayed a good sense of humor towards the people in the audience, but I was struck by something that starting itching in the back of my mind as I watched: all of these people had to pay to see these spirits (I wondered, too, if they had to pay extra to actually ask the spirit a question) .

I heard later by the woman who owns the DVD that she has been on multiple cruises, plenty of visits to Phoenix and Tucson, and to various retreats that this woman channeled her spirits. I would have brushed it off, but I was told, by the Reverend, of the other activities at the center. That weekend they would have Reiki healers, but you had to pay for it. The next week they would have Deeksha healers, but you had to pay for it.

Before I continue, I greatly understand that in a world ruled and run by money that there is just no way that someone can do anything without requiring something from other people. It is irritating, this part of our civilization, but as I live in it, I understand it.

I began to think about how it seems we must pay in order to learn something, especially if it is spiritual in nature. This is even more so if you are unlucky to have a well-ordered and well-established coven/group/whatever near you.

It is a struggle to write this essay, knowing the rebuttals that follow (even in my mind: but they have to charge for it or else how can they pay for the materials; of course they charge a fee, if they choose to do nothing else with their lives, how else will they pay the bills?) . But it still gets at me that in order to learn something about ourselves, or to develop a spiritual nature, you have to pay for it. In order to learn Reiki, you will be paying for it. I found a website that offers the eventual reach of all degrees of Reiki for 350 dollars. Another website offered Wiccan degrees starting from 175.

Aside from paying bills and for materials: why do we pay for wisdom? Why do we fork over so much money, and even travel to far places, to meet with someone to give us a piece of wisdom – and if you want more wisdom, you can come to this retreat, as long as you pay this amount of money.

Even the main religions require you to give money for their wisdom. Especially if you’d like the wisdom to come out of a really fancy and modern building, wisdom doesn’t just pay for itself.

If you want to learn the wisdom of healing with plants…talk to the plants, meditate with the plants. No person will be able to tell you their wisdom, ‘cause they ain’t plants. This goes with anything else. We forget that we carry the wisdom deep within ourselves. That all it really takes is for us to quiet the consensus thinking (societal thinking) and listen to our inner selves, our deeper souls…and the wisdom is there. And not just any wisdom, the wisdom that is truest to ourselves and is individually ours.

Pay for the ideas if you want; pay for the time and travel if you want…but if you are in a position where money just isn’t something you can toss around here and there, stop and look inward and the wisdom you would have paid for will reveal itself, for free.

In Search of a Pantheon

In Search of a Pantheon

Author: Crick

[Note: This essay is primarily for those living in the USA.] A thought has crossed my mind that needs to be addressed. It is the common custom of Neo Pagans in this country (America) to reach out to pantheons that are associated with countries and/or locales other than those found here. For instance, neo pagans in this country will commonly invoke the Tuatha De Danann whom is associated with various areas of Ireland. Or perhaps they will invoke the Olympians of the Greek pantheon or the Nordic pantheon and what have you. Often these various deities are by nature of their being, associated with a particular river or sacred well or mountain, or other geographic area particular to each area and/or country. Their presence and influence is woven into the customs and histories of the people who dwell in those areas.

My question is does the members of these geographically located pantheons extend their attention and/or influence to those outside of their historical areas of influence simply because neo pagans request them to do so?

Does not each set of Deity have a demarcation line that they simply do not cross? And if they were to do so, would this not create a basis for war against the Deities whose territory they have infringed upon? After all, do not humans serve Deity rather than the other way around? Let’s face it; America is in all reality, a mongrel country when it comes to a national identity.

When one goes to Italy for instance, folks there are Italian, in Japan, they are, ethnically Japanese and so forth on around the world. Only in America is there a melting pot of so many different ethnicities that leaves us without any discernable identity as a true national identity.

Does this mean that we have no discernable pantheon of our own and thus the overwhelming and common tendency to poach upon pantheons not associated with this country?

Of course one could suggest that we turn to the Native Americans, who are the true Americans of this country and utilize their pantheons. After all, they have Deities that are associated with the original people of this country. Their Deity is connected to this land and not to Germany or England or China or what have you. Their Deity is connecting to and associated with the geographical landmarks that are found here in the US and not across the ocean. Their belief systems even include a belief in the wee folks known by various names such as the May-may-gway-shi, the Mekumwasuck, the Nagumwasuck, the Ohdows and so forth.

But then we would have to face the reality of the actions of our forefathers who came here with an arrogant and domineering attitude. Our same European forefathers who did their best to shut down the native beliefs in the Deity associated with this land and who tried to enslave the original people of this land to spiritual beliefs that originated from foreign lands and a foreign God/s. And such a sad and disrespectful practice unfortunately has continued on to this very day.

If we are to impugn the original children and thus the true believers of the Deity associated with this land we know as America, can we really expect such Deity to now hear our spiritual pleas?

Even the very children of these native Deity distance themselves from the label of Pagan. There is a clear and established resentment towards those of European descent who claim a connection to what Native Americans see as spiritual beliefs which are foreign to those they see as encroachers and thus not to be understood by those they regard as outsiders. And from the looks of it, such views may very well be legitimate considering the ongoing history, past and present, towards Native Americans.

But then this essay is not about ostracizing folks for actions against this people or that. It is about taking a pragmatic view when it comes to how we view and thus how we develop and advance our spiritual beliefs. For if we don’t have the ear of Deity, what validity do our individual spiritual beliefs have?

Of course one may argue that such pantheons are simply labels for a unified supreme energy. But then why have so many different pantheons when in essence they all represent the same human characteristics that one would use such labels to identify with? Of course having so many different pantheons provides populist material for the many self-proclaimed experts on Neo paganism to sell their plethora of paganism 101 books.

But then is this the premise for Neo Paganism. Creating a market in which to sell modern concepts of spiritualism? Or is there a deeper understanding and spiritual goal for taking belief systems that have in many instances been practiced unaltered for centuries. That is other than giving them a modern label, such as “Neo Paganism” in order to set up a different set of parameters that does little to contribute to the original spiritual intent and goals associated with such ancient beliefs. Which brings us back to the Neo pagan concept of Deity and pantheons in America…

If we accept the blatant practice of “selling neo paganism” based upon the whims of modern entrepreneurs for what it is, and if we accept that pantheons associated with lands foreign to America have little or no interest and/or influence here, and lastly, if we accept that the pantheons associated with the native lands of America are not friendly to those of European descent, then where does that leave Neo pagans in America?

Quite frankly I do not have the answer to such a personal spiritual question, for I am not seeking to sell any books on this subject. Like most of you I am simply a student of the mystical arts and I do not claim to be a master of anything. But if I were to make a suggestion, it would be to put aside the many populist books that seek to tell folks how to connect with their individual spirituality.

One person’s experience is not a one size fits all. That concept is what Abrahamic religions are based upon. As pagans we have the freedom of individuality and thus the possibilities of discovery that works for us on a personal spiritual level. Following this suggestion I would be remiss not to point out that Deity starts from within. And as such, one may want to actually go out into the woods, fields, mountains, riversides and so forth. And once there one may want to try actually connecting with the Deity/spiritual presence that resides in such locations.

If there is to be a label (for we humans have a need for such a connection) than rather creating a name/label that comes from a foreign land or even a populist book, allow the experience of the moment to speak to your heart and soul. Perhaps by actually reaching out in such a realistic manner, one can actually connect with the spiritual identity of such locations in ways that greatly exceed just reading a book on the subject.

And is it not such a personal experience, that each of us who follows a mystical path exactly that which we are reaching for? And would not such a connection put one in attunement with a spiritual essence/Deity that is associated directly with our current abode and culture?

The Wicca Book of Days for March 27th – Seeing Red

The Wicca Book of Days for March 27th

Seeing Red

That red is the color of Mars, Aries’s ruling planet, is due to a number of reasons. For a start, Mars is known as the “Red Planet,” for the iron oxide on its surface causes it to appear red when viewed from Earth. Red is also the color of blood, which is shed in war, the aspect of human life that the Romans believed Mars to encourage and oversee. Red is also the color of fire, the Arien element, as well as a hue associated with hearts and roses, both symbols of romantic love. In color symbolism, red can consequently denote vitality, danger, and death, as well as ardent passion and blind rage.

A Strengthening Stone

Blood red is the color of Mars, and bloodstone is generally said to be the birthstone of those born in Mars’s month, March. Hold a piece of bloodstone in your hand if you require extra courage today, doing this is also reputed to improve the circulation of the blood.

Lessons From The Gods

Lessons From The Gods

Author: Sinister Ang

The Gods have many things to teach us. This has become abundantly clear throughout my years of learning as I studied my Pagan path, forging my personal relationships with deity. Some of these lessons have been small, something learned through a dream or through some intuition that cannot be described in words. Other lessons have been far more concrete.

I follow a Norse path, which probably has no relevance to the way in which the divine chooses to make their wants and needs known. To each his own, and while I’m still unsure as to who orchestrated the most recent of the lessons I needed to learn, I have no question in my mind that it was indeed the divine attempting to show me something I need to know. While I think the gods usually take a more objective interest in the day-to-day affairs of humans, sometimes in order to instill a particular point or lesson in their followers, they need to be more hands-on. Christians may call these “miracles” or “seeing the light, ” but for most Pagans, these come as no surprise; the Gods truly do work in mysterious ways, until we figure out their reasons. Take, for instance, my most recent brush with divinity.

As I walked down the stairs outside my house one day, talking over my shoulder to my husband on my way to feed the dog, impatient about getting home late from work and wanting to get to the many chores that needed to be done before bed, I stepped onto one of the loose, springy boards that make up the deck outside my house. This was, in itself, not an unusual occurrence, but this particular step decided to dump my ungrateful posterior unceremoniously to the ground, and when this happened, I twisted my ankle around. By the time I had landed, on my back and staring up into the darkening sky, my ankle was throbbing in pain and my concerned spouse was standing over me, asking if I was all right. I tried to roll over, and more pain shot through the leg and foot, and the ankle had already swollen to twice its normal width.

My husband helped me up and back into the house, put ice on the ankle, and ran off to tell my sister and father, who live next door, that we would need them to watch the children while he ran me into the hospital to have the leg checked. My five-year-old stood watch over me as I waited for him to return, asking me why I was crying in that way that five-year-olds do, and reassured me that I was going to be okay. (Yes, my daughter was trying to make ME, the mother, feel better. I fully understand the humorous implications in this!)

To make a long story short, after a drive to the hospital emergency room and an hour’s worth of X-rays and bracing the leg, it was decided that I had sprained the ankle, and broken one of the bones in my little toe, for which I would eventually be outfitted with a CAM-walker boot. At least it wasn’t a broken ankle, as I had originally feared, but it did put a hindrance on my ability to perform many of my daily household tasks. I discovered the joys (or disgust, depending on point of view) of using crutches, and was nearly confined to bed for a week before returning to work part time and eventually full time.

What lesson was I meant to learn in this? The gods wished for me to learn patience, to step away from the hum-drum of my daily life and breathe, to stop and smell the roses, and to realize that the world will not stop turning if I am not there to see to its every need. It took me several days curled up in bed in the blissful embrace of painkillers to realize that there was any lesson whatsoever to be learned from the experience, and many more still to learn what it was. Even then, I couldn’t for the life of me determine just why there was a lesson to be learned in the first place. The answer, it seems, took a few more weeks to fully sink in.

I was back to work when a call from home reminded me that some things are more important than paychecks. My daughter, the five-year-old previously mentioned, had acted up in school and needed to be picked up so she wouldn’t cause any harm to herself or her classmates. A meeting with her principal and talking to a few specialists and other parents led me to the conclusion that my daughter was dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The more I read, the more I realized that if my husband and I were going to get through this with our daughter, we were going to need to be patient and firm with her, set guidelines and schedules to keep her from acting out and causing a disturbance with her classmates.

While we still await a full diagnosis of my daughter’s social and behavioral issues, we understand that patience will be key to dealing with it, and it becomes obvious to myself that the gods knew that I would require the lessons in patience so that I would be better prepared to deal with my overly-active daughter. Would I have been as prepared without the lesson? Perhaps, but I also have enough faith and trust in the gods to know that they are far more knowledgeable than I am about these things, and if they thought I needed the extra boost, they were fully justified in giving it to me.

Not all lessons from the gods come this way, but many do. We’ve all known someone who lost a loved one and learned that heartbreak doesn’t last forever, or someone who lost a job and had to learn the valuable lesson that money isn’t everything. Perhaps it wasn’t a friend, but you, as the reader, who has had some kind of lesson given to you in the past that taught you something very valuable about yourself and the world you live in. Many times we do not recognize these teachings for what they are at the time, but only after reflecting on the events in ones past do we truly recognize the god’s teachings. We can call them life experiences or trials or whatever else we wish, but truly they are important lessons from our gods that we need to learn in order to reach our full potential and be truly happy. Some are harder lessons to learn than others, and if we don’t learn the first time, deity may find it necessary to teach the lesson again, or for longer than originally intended. What matters is that we learn from it, and grow spiritually and emotionally from the experiences given to us.

Like many Pagans today, I was drawn here by another personal experience meant to teach me a lesson: the death of a close loved one. My mother’s death rocked me, made me question what I hoped to get out of religion, and I finally understood that it wasn’t what I was currently getting. I spent years shopping around, joining the campus Christian coalition in an effort to find the kind of religious experience that I hoped and longed for, a personal connection to deity that was lacking, a sign that there truly was some divine being out there who had a personal interest in the pain I was going through. Much to my own surprise, my solace came when I sat beneath the trees of the amphitheater at the college I was attending, when I listened to the rush of the river nearby and listened to the birds chirping in the trees. It took losing my mother to find Paganism, a personal connection to the very real driving present in all of nature. Without that not-so-subtle push, I would probably have never seen the forest for the trees, would have blindly flailed through life with a spirituality that didn’t make sense to me and offered nothing back. Again, another painful lesson, but one I needed to learn to get to the point I am today, of truly feeling harmony with the world around me and the creatures in it.

The lessons that I have learned, while exclusive to me, are echoed around the world with other Pagans, with people of every religion, every day. They come in all shapes and sizes, these lessons, and have since the dawn of time. For every action, a reaction. It’s not just a law of physics anymore.

I truly hope that I have learned patience from this most recent experience, of having to have others do things for me that I could no longer do myself, of having to slow down and think about each step, to think about what I was doing and where I was going. My sincerest wish is to implement their teachings in my daily life, and to not get worked up over things I cannot change, to go with the flow and take things in stride, as they come.

Because I really hope they don’t decide to break the other foot if I haven’t.

We Can Change The World

We Can Change The World

Author: Lady Wolfwind

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love to all my fellow witches,

Lady Wolfwind

Pagans: Loved, Yet Misunderstood

Pagans: Loved, Yet Misunderstood

Author: Davina Sullivan

“We are loved, yet misunderstood.”

Within the last few months, I have recently explained to my friends and family that I am a Pagan, and more than proud to say so. I have been asked so many questions sense then, it’s unbelievable. However, I’m glad that they asked because I’ve realized that many people in general has such a high misunderstanding, that we Pagan’s are judged unfairly. I have the opportunity to be able to help others understand and not judge us based on the word of others.

I was raised in a Baptist family, therefore, a great many of my relatives were upset, confused, hurt, or a combination of all three. My mother particularly, believed that being a Pagan was the devil’s way of tricking us into worshipping him, specifically because of the pentagram. I calmly explained to her that yes, the five-point star originated from the Pagan religion. After, that same star also became the Star of Bethlehem, which represents Jesus’ birth and carnation in the Christian religion. The bible explains this in the book of Matthews in chapter two. Lastly, Satanists took the five-point star and turned it upside down to claim as their own.

The image of the devil was the most difficult questions to answer. Even though I had explained that the image of Satan also originated from a Greek God, the Horned God named Pan. He has horns as well as hooves and carries a flute. That is where Satan’s image originated. Many didn’t want to hear my explanations or did not believe it to be so. Of course, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. I only talk of the questions that people ask.

Another explanation that was quite interesting to give was the use of magic. I was asked questions such as, “How do you do magic?” “Why do you think magic is real?” “Don’t you think that God is the only one that can bring magic?” There was one question that I found very surprising, which was, “Will you teach me to do magic?”

When I was asked how to do magic, I simply explained that magic is just channeling what is already there. You are working as one with the elements of the earth to bring the God’s and Goddesses into your heart and soul to walk together into the Divine. This also brought questions about. However, I truly believe that no one can answer what the Divine is but you, and only when you feel it.

Those that has asked me why I believe magic to be real, this was the easiest explanation of all. Every time I answer this question, I smile and reply, “Because I’ve felt it. I’ve been there. I’ve become one with magic and have become one with The Divine.” Some are confused at this point, but the answer to this specific question is something only you can answer for yourself.

Many were respectful, many horrified at my response to God being the only one that can bring magic into my life. I respect those that live by the bible and God’s word. Though, I truly feel the connection with the Pagan God’s and Goddesses. My personal Goddess, Isis, has brought a light and a great sense of fulfillment into my life. I call upon her often and the magic that I have done and experienced is unexplainable. For someone who does not believe magic to be true, it will sound like nonsense to them. Until they experience magic for themselves and can answer that same question for me, there is nothing that I could say to them about working with Earth Mother to do magic.

There was one person and one person only who asked me to teach her magic. She is a very good friend of mine. I explained a few basics of my religion, and explained to her that being a witch and learning of magic by doing your own personal studies and research is the first step. Being a witch is something to be taken very seriously and to understand every aspect of everything or any spell before attempting to actually performing one. I also explained that I have seen those dabble in black magic, and that is something that will bring you sorrow and pain in the long run. ‘An ye’ harm none, do as ye’ will.’ I most defiantly expressed how important it is to keep the Three Fold Law in mind.

The purpose for me writing this paper is to express to anyone that is willing to listen that you should always be proud of who and what you are. It has taken me 24 years to find my path because it is sometimes difficult to step away from what you are so accustomed to and be able to search for your true self.

Religion, regardless of what it may be is a big part of every one person’s life. To lie and hide from your self is the most painful lie that anyone could tell. To be a witch is hard, it is difficult, it can be stressful and it can seem almost impossible to be accepted by society at times. In today’s world, yes, we need to be in society in some way, shape or form. Just remember, we are no better, nor are we any worse than any other person that may walk this glorious earth. Paganism is rejected by many, but accepted and loved by so many more. We have support and family to help us through these times.

Today, we have the wonderful world of technology! Take advantage of it. Witchvox.com is only the start. Wiccantogether.com is a lot like a myspace.com page for Wiccans. There’s plenty of ways on the Internet, not to mention the people around you that you have no idea are even there to help you.

I cannot express enough how strongly I believe that there are many that are afraid to be their true selves because of societies opinions of our religion. Be strong, stand tall, and be proud of who you are. Please, help, love and support those who need us.

In conclusion, we are loved, yet misunderstood. This is not our fault; this is our pride. I’m more than willing to help those who are misunderstood to understand. No matter the outcome may be, I am who I am. I’m being true to myself, and that is what is most important in my opinion.

Our Standards: Should They Be Measured by Intuition or Tradition?

Our Standards: Should They Be Measured by Intuition or Tradition?

Author: Nights Aqua Tiger

Now let me start off with a disclaimer (yeah I know, annoying) but I have been out of the loop a bit for the last three years. Some older patrons might remember me posting from my high school and college years, but many probably do not. In my defense, it’s hard to keep up when you are on a boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean three months at a time serving our country.
I’m now stationed on land and I see some trends that worry me.

When did those of us in Paganism become snobs? I have heard the phrases “Well, the right way to teach someone” and “All Wiccans must” several times now and have been shocked. I could be wrong but weren’t some of the reasons we joined this community acceptance and the belief that if you were harming none, there is no ‘one right way’? Catholics obviously took the ‘one true way’ route. Growing up, I heard that Protestant religions were not ‘real religions’. Paganism was my first hard look at myself in that respect. I was forced to analyze if I was pushing my beliefs onto others.

As an anthropology major, I ended up spending a lot of time doing some serious introspection about my history and preconceptions. I came to some interesting conclusions: my beliefs had become a habit, not a conscious thought. This became the huge wakeup call in my life.

Like several others, I started my journey with Silver Ravenwolf. Is her advice always the best for everyone? No. However the relief was amazing when during high school I realized I was not the only one feeling this way. That message alone got me through some amazingly difficult times and made me actually seek more resources like The Witches Voice and Pagan Pride Day. Is it good to institutionalize any religion? Not necessarily, but if people who find such starter places never look any farther, then it probably was just a fad for them and they will continue on their journey elsewhere.

For those of us who continue to learn however, I find we tend to get into the rut of familiarity like every other religion. When I hear phrases that diminish someone else’s studies against some invisible set of standards of “purity” or “old traditions”, I start to worry about the paths we are deciding. After my college-initiated phase of introspection, I realized that the rituals had become so familiar that I was no longer focused. My answer? I stopped.

I started doing many rituals purely on the mental level because I was never anywhere long enough to set down some roots or bring with me any sort of supplies. Instead of being inhibiting as I expected, it was freeing. No longer tied to the ritual, I am now able to focus on following my intuition and to explore other studies, pantheons, rituals, and ideas I had never considered. My core beliefs have remained but now I have more ways to express them.

One of the reasons that I have loved finding this path and am now looking into joining in some group magicks is this need to continue to explore new expressions of my love for this path. While meeting the founders of the group I hope to become a part of, I again heard this story of “some people don’t consider me to be ____ because I supposedly wasn’t taught exactly the same way.”

This idea that there is some “pure” form of the tradition or Craft to follow is (Yes, I’ll say it and it’ll probably piss off a few people) NUTS. Have we really forgotten our roots so fast? Not to argue this history because we could debate over who started what when, but the term Wiccan appears to only be about 70 years old (Yes, I know we can argue this in another article if we wish – for now let’s just use it as a starting point) .

The word pagan, as defined by Webster’s dictionary as ‘a follower of a polytheistic religion’. And that’s debatable too… wait… the two words that we most frequently use to describe our community have debatable definitions? So if there are debates behind the simplest definitions within the religion, how can we have a “pure” form?

I brought this argument up to a dear friend and immediately got shut down. “Well, we have to have standards in our teachings!” I couldn’t agree more. But in evaluating someone’s studies to see how they fit into the group, we need to take in more than their ability to memorize some pretty rituals. Let’s get down and dirty!

How many years have they been studying? Do they take a more rigid and structured approach or do they use what is available and their intuition? Can they work within our group? Do their core beliefs follow our principles? How seriously have they been studying/practicing?

Intent and willpower mean a lot within our belief system and we should not ignore their value. Let’s start asking the questions but also remembering that not everyone is going to practice the same within one coven let alone the whole religion.

One of the blessings of this religion is our ability to include new people, ideas, and expressions of belief. One of our new goals needs to be to keep that new joy that we all felt in finding this path alive. One of our next goals should be to help each other feel that joy without judging how/why people study. We are a reconstruction of ideas that we all feel are important to each other and ourselves. Let’s try maintaining that identity…the identity of a people who are accepting of and willing to work together. Let that be our standard.

Let us remember our roots and use that to continue to build an opening happy community that supports each other without judging how someone chooses to participate.

NightsAquaTiger
Second Class Petty Officer of the USCG

The Green Life versus The Silver Life

The Green Life versus The Silver Life

Author: Luthien

The ol’ Witch in the woods had a couple of beeswax candles, the Sun, Moon and stars and knowledge of the uses of herbs in her area to use in her practice. The modern Witch has the world at their fingertips at the click of a mouse button. Were things better in her time, without the cacophony of engine noise, the persistent hum of computers, and mobile phone signals that clog up the air? Or are we far better off out of the dark ages, living comfortable lifestyles without constant fear of persecution and with worldwide sharing of information?

I’ve always been a bit of a sci-fi geek, always fascinated with modern technology. I’m not a Mathematician or a Scientist – I’m a writer, and I spent my teen-hood making stories from ideas based upon Space exploration and travel. Most of the fiction I’ve ever written involves futuristic civilizations living in artificial cities built in Space, the ideas of which were researched through a lifelong fascination of ‘what’s out there’, and ‘where mankind will go with it all’. I’ve also always been a sucker for post- apocalyptic dramas and films; there’s nothing quite like the thrill of the sight of well- known cities like New York being mass flooded and frozen over as in The Day after Tomorrow, or deserted and left to nature to take over like in I am Legend, or even taken over by vicious aliens as in The War of the Worlds. In fact, any fiction where the planet freezes over or burns to a crisp or explodes will generally have me on the edge of my seat.

Like any young person, I wouldn’t be without my laptop, mobile and iPod, these things which make our day to day lives so much quicker, easier and more enjoyable. Find me a housewife who’d be without her prize washing machine or a businessman who’d function for a day without his Blackberry or iPhone. I’ve also always had a thrill for travel, particularly to far- flung, exotic places. It’s soggy and grey most of the year where I live, and like many Brits I’m a bit of a sun- seeker. How easy it is just to bulldoze normal life to one side, hop on a cheap flight and be transported into a sunnier, warmer, care- free world.

So you can see where we hit the snag.

Does the slow- paced, Earth- reverence lifestyle of Paganism not present the exact opposite sort of mentality? Pagans live in the here and now, grounded in the present, not worrying frantically about next week or mulling endlessly over a past loss or failure. The majority of us are focused mainly on environmental issues. (Would you let your backyard turn into a mini landfill site?) This is the reason so many Pagans pour so much effort into protecting the environment, everyone’s back yard, and many enjoy nothing more than a walk through sylvan parks, forests and alongside tinkling streams rather than in the pristine, perfectly geometric stone and metal cities of my imagination.

Air travel is of-course a big no-no, so that’s potentially struck off my ‘How to be a Perfect Pagan’ list, being the largest producer of Co2 as forms of transport go. Pagans who travel abroad often attempt to use trains or ferries unless no such alternative is available or practical for the journey being made. If all else fails, though, I’m told that planting a tree will cancel out the Carbon Dioxide produced by a medium- haul flight.

All the silver shiny things that make up our day to day lives, the computers that make us stay- indoorsy robots and the mobile phones that distract us for hours and hours on end from our natural surroundings, those things that make our lives easier and more enjoyable on the surface, but in the long term cause fatigue, depression and stress due to our over- busy lives and lack of communication with Earth’s energies – how on Earth do we fit it into a modern Pagan lifestyle?

After all Pagans fulfill a variety of jobs and careers – there are Pagan IT technicians, plumbers, teachers, actors, writers… we wouldn’t be able to live in this age without technology. The answer is compromise, to combine the two. We can’t progress without embracing modern technology. Without the wonders of the Internet this article wouldn’t be reaching you. And ‘Progress’, when used to justify annihilating thousands of acres of rainforest, to deplete the world’s natural resources and to allow alarmingly and unnaturally rapid shift in the Earth’s climate, really makes me cringe.

It needn’t be like this. It’s industrial- age thinking. Progress as a species to me means developing sustainable ways of generating energy and living, while developing our technology without compromising our ozone layer or environment. This is of course easier said than done, but for me part of being a witch is always asking questions, always exploring new ideas and better and more eco- friendly ways of doing things.

The term ‘Techno-Pagan’ is becoming more and more widespread, to describe those who would use the Internet to network with other Pagans and bring together people and ideas. According to Wikipedia, the Techno-Pagans are also those who would use modern –day devices in ritual, such as a ‘disk of Shadows’ instead of a traditional book, using an oven for a hearth and a laser pointer instead of a wand. Some will go as far as to say that electrical devices have a soul or energy field of their own, and their use in ritual helps to bring together the spiritual and physical worlds. I will use music from my laptop to use in meditation, but generally speaking I like to keep the two separate.

There’s something magical about holding a book in your hands filled with carefully written- out pages, and using altar tools that you made yourself of things you found out in the park or in the garden. Though I’m sure many of us have the Internet to thank for the roots or development of our magickal education, or for networking with and maintaining contact with many more Pagans than otherwise would have crossed our paths.

But beside all this we can still make time to be one to one with nature, if we can only pause our hectic lifestyles for a brief time and take in the serenity of the Earth’s healing energies. I’m a great admirer of the Pagan author Starhawk, and her novel The Fifth Sacred Thing tells of a futuristic world where a bleak, totalitarian regime attempts relentlessly to invade a small green pocket of land where witches fight with their lives to protect diversity, freedom and the greenery of the planet. Here she combines my two favorite genres, and in the novel these two extremes are set to clash horribly. This isn’t the way it will be in my own life, though; getting the right balance is imperative to our wellbeing, and if we can reach for the silvery stars while keeping rooted in the green Earth, we will make great tracks indeed in our lives and in the lives of others.

Footnotes:
http://www.wikipedia.org
Starhawk, ‘The Fifth Sacred Thing’

Definitions of Wicca, Pagan & Witchcraft

Definitions of Wicca, Pagan & Witchcraft

 
 
Wicca: A modern Pagan religion with spiritual roots in the earliest expressions of reverence for nature. Some major identifying motifs are: reverence for both the Goddess and God; acceptance of reincarnation and magick; ritual observance of astronomical and agricultural phenomena; and the use of magickal circles for ritual purposes.

Wicce: Synonymous with Wicca. In some circles, Wicce is used for women and Wicca is used for men.

Witch: A practitioner of folk magick, particularly that kind relating to herbs, stones, colors, wells, rivers, etc. It is used by some Wiccans to describe themselves. This term has nothing to do with Satanism.

Witchcraft: The craft of the witch – magick, especially magick utilizing personal power in conjunction with the energies within stones, herbs, colors, and other natural objects. This belief system also has nothing to do with Satanism.

Pagan/Neo-Pagan/Paganism: General term for followers of Wicca and other magickal, shamanistic, and polytheistic Earth-based religions. Also used to refer to pre-Christian religious and Spiritual belief systems.

What is Witchcraft/Wicca?

What is Witchcraft/Wicca?

Wicca was the first (or at least one of the first) of the neopagan religions.
As a result, it is the best known, and tends to overshadow its younger, smaller
siblings. This bias appears in the postings in alt.pagan and in this FAQ.
This does not mean that Wicca is more valid than other neopagan religions —
just larger and louder.

Wicca, however, is only one of the things called W/witchcraft (or sometimes,
the Craft, a term also applied to Masonry). There are a whole range of styles
of folk-magic around the world which are called witchcraft in English. If the
word Witch is capitalized, it indicates that it is being used to refer to a
member of a pagan religion, not just to a practitioner of folk-magic. There
are also Witches who practice religions called Witchcraft which are not Wicca.
These religions tend to be more folk-pagan than Wicca, drawing on the heritage
of a specific culture or region.

Wicca itself is a new religion, drawing strongly on the practices of Ceremonial
Magic. While there are claims that Wicca goes back into the mists of
pre-history, honest examination of the practices and history of the Wicca will
make it clear that Wicca is new. (Actually, the word “Wicca” itself is
recently coined, at least in its present usage. The OE “wicca” was pronounced
“witch-ah” and meant male magician. The new word “Wicca” is pronounced
“wick-uh”, capitalized as a religion, and means a religion, not a person.)
However, Wicca has developed in many directions and should not be seen as a
unified whole, even though it is fairly new. Rituals and beliefs vary widely
among Witches.

Unlike most of the neopagan religions, Wicca is an initiatory religion, that
is, people who choose to practice Wicca believe that the commitment to this
path set changes in motion in their lives. Many Traditions (sects) of Wicca
formalize this with a ritual (or series of rituals) of initiation. Others,
especially Solitary Witches, trust that the Gods will do the initiating of the
Witch.

How To Create Harmony in the Midst of Religious Intolerance

How To Create Harmony in the Midst of Religious Intolerance

Author: Annah

As we are all aware, Christianity has not been terribly good to us (understatement, I know) , but it is nice to know things are at least getting a little bit better in some areas. I wanted to share from my experience as I am in a Christian Seminary getting a Masters of Divinity and a Ph.D. in World Religions.

First of all, it depends on the church affiliation you run into that determines the usual anti pagan rhetoric. However, I can say from my own experiences, while these verbal attacks are hurtful as much as a physical attack, if you show them your heart many eventually will break down their “spiritual walls” and come to like you as a person and, eventually, begin to accept what you worship. When it comes to the actual moment that someone confronts you or asks you out of curiosity who and what you are, usually these specific church denominations break down and it is normally you and the Christian, not you and the Roman Catholic Church.

Why in the world did I want to go to a Christian Seminary? Well, I wanted a Ph.D. in World Religions and I also want to work, vocationally, in the Universalist Unitarian Church and in order to do that, one need to have a Masters of Divinity. I found a local seminary that appealed to me and I enrolled. My Ph.D. is for personal fulfillment. I love learning about the history of religious practices that has formed and evolved across the world. The most interesting aspect of these studies is seeing how the Goddess and the God has been a universal theme for every religion I have encountered, including some aspects of the Catholic Church. But that is for another article!

For me, my first day in Seminary was very scary. Not only am I a Pagan and a witch with a very pretty pentagram necklace adorning my neck in absence of a cross but also I am an out of the closet bisexual girl. The two usually do not mix well in a Christian Seminary and being a girl engaged to another girl only stirs a beehive in such a setting! The first week was rough and I would admit that. However, once I showed my heart to those around me, those barriers began to crumble.

Also, it helps to have open discussions with people so that they can learn more about you. Most people are afraid of witches because they know very little about us. They usually think we are satanic little devil worshippers who casts spells upon an altar of blood and pain. Once they begin to see that we actually worship earth, our Goddess and God and all things in our rituals are very peaceful then their defenses come down.

Understandably, I do not tell them details of my rituals. Not only is it not their business to know, but also I have oaths to keep. These oaths do not mean I am doing naughty secrets at the altar; it stems back to when we were persecuted and killed for our beliefs and it’s a tradition of secrecy I hold today. However, that does not mean I cannot be open about my practice. I just keep my specifics of worship to a minimum.

Through displaying your heart and your true intentions can another truly grasp the concept of acceptance. Show them your heart but do not show them too much. Be frank with Christians who ask you questions but do be frank too much. If they ask you a question, answer it within your boundaries of conviction and then ask them a question about themselves of equal value. If they do not answer, then you do not proceed with the questions and you close that door behind you because it is not fair for you to open your heart and soul and not the other person. However, if a dialogue or question and answer develop between you and a Christian then let that be a sign that doors are beginning to open.

Some may say “so what? I really do not care what any person thinks of me. I am my own person.” And that is a good philosophy to have. You are your own person and only you can control your own ship. However, I know from experience and being a lesbian, education is often the key to acceptance. Many times as I grew up, I heard gays, lesbians, and transgender people say “so who cares what they think. I do not need to explain myself to them.” I understand that concept. Trust me. However, when you talk to those who have opposing viewpoints, it is wise to open up and discuss the differences between the two people.

Persecution is a result of fear. Fear is a result of ignorance. Ignorance is a result of a lack of education. Educate those around you. Show them what a pagan is and show them what a pagan is not. Goddess never wants discord among us. They may be Christians. They may be Jews. They may be Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu but they are similar to us because they are our brothers and sisters of this earth and Goddess made them with just as much care as She made us.

I am rounding the end of my first year at Seminary. Everyone knows I am a witch. I am the only Wiccan listed as a Wiccan in the student directory. I am also class head of the diversity council and I am involved in many committee meetings and social events at the school as well as my local community. I may be the only Pagan at the seminary, but through the opening of my heart to others at the school I have been accepted by everyone and I pray you will to wherever your journeys take you!

I hope you take this advice and apply it if ever the time arises and I wish you well!