Let’s Talk Witch – REINCARNATION

Most Witches don’t believe in heaven or hell (except here on earth, as in a really good piece of chocolate or a really bad date). Those are primarily Christian concepts.

What we do believe in is the ongoing cycle of birth, living, death, and rebirth. Like the cycle of the seasons that we call the Wheel of the Year, most of us view this cycle of life as a natural extension of our other spiritual beliefs.

Since as Witches we believe in taking responsibility for our own actions, we also believe that we reap what we sow-that what you do in this life will determine what you end up dealing with in the next one.

Most Witches also believe that one of our major goals as human beings is to better ourselves (sometimes referred to as the Great Work, to acknowledge that for many of us this is a pretty big job … ).

Reincarnation means that, thankfully, we have more than one lifetime in which we can learn all that we need to know. (Personally, I’m sure that I will hit perfection any time now … the next lifetime, or maybe the one after that. Or the one after the one after that… oh, never mind.) The point is, we take what we are given in this particular incarnation and do the best we can with it.

Some Witches also believe in a place called the Summerlands, where we go to rest up in between lives and where we may meet up with our loved ones once again.

The main thing is, we don’t view death as an end but merely as another transition, a natural step in an ongoing dance. While we mourn for those we will no longer have with us in this life, we also know that nothing in the universe is ever truly lost to us. We will see all those we have loved again sometime, either in the Summerlands or in another life.

Some Witches actively try to find out information about their past lives by using a variety of approaches, including psychics, trance work (also known as “journeying”), and past-life regression. sion. And while many of the folks who offer such things are out-and-out frauds, there are some people out there who are the genuine article.

Just use some common sense if you are going to use outside help on your search. If someone tells you that you were Cleopatra or King James the something-or-other in another life, then asks you for lots of money, chances are good that the person in question is full of it.

Learning about a past life may help you to uncover the reasons for issues that you are dealing with in this one-especially if you seem to be stuck making the same mistakes over and over. Hopefully, finding out more about who you were in a past life will help you work to improve the one you are living now.

Whether you seek to learn about your past lives or choose to focus exclusively on the here and now, the knowledge that what you do matters – not just today and tomorrow, but in many tomorrows to come – should inspire you to make the most out of the lessons that life, and the gods, offer you.

Deborah Blake, Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft

Summerlands

Shining bright against the sky,
they never seem to fade or die
And as they glow throughout the night,
Round the world they go in flight”-Peter Fein

~ Three Stages of Life by Klimt

There were many symbols sacred to the Celts. The number three was evident in many of their spiritual practices,
for instance, the three worlds:

The Upperworld (Sky)

The Middle World or Earth (Land)

The Lowerworld or Underworld (Sea)

The Celts determined that the rise to the Summerland was by accessing the Sky, while entrance into to the Lowerworld or Underworld was admitted through the Sea or by mounds known as Sidhe (shee). The Underworld does not refer to ‘hell’ as the Christian beliefs, but rather a place of rest to await and be reborn. The Celts did not believe in an all-evil entity such as the Christian devil.

Reincarnation seems to be one of the most controversial spiritual topics of our time. Hundreds of books are being published on the subject as if the Western world had only recently discovered this ancient doctrine.

Reincarnation is one of Wicca’s most valuable lessons. The knowledge that this life is but one of many, that when the physical body dies we do not cease to exist but are reborn in another body answers many questions, but raises a few more.

Why? Why are we reincarnated? In common with many other religions, Wicca teaches that reincarnation is the instrument through which our souls are perfected. One lifetime isn’t sufficient to attain this goal; hence, the consciousness (soul) is reborn many times,each life encompassing a different set of lessons, until perfection is achieved. Perhaps being an “old soul” means one is a slow learner. No one can say how many lives are required before this is achieved. We are human and its easy to get caught up in our day to day dramas.

A man could even become his own daughter by dying before she is born and then entering her body at birth. Some tribes avoid eating certain animals because they believe that the souls of their ancestors dwell in those animals.

In Wicca, we seek to strengthen our bodies, minds and souls.We certainly live full, productive earthly lives, but we try to do so while harming none, the constant One upsmanship, intimidation and looking out for number one slows this journey down.

The soul is ageless, sexless, non-physical, possessed of the divine spark of the Goddess and God.Each manifestation of the soul(i.e: Each body it inhabits on earth) is different. No two bodies or lives are the same. If this wasn’t so,the soul would stagnate.The sex, race, place of birth,economic class and every other individuality of the soul is determined by its actions in past lives and the lessons necessary to the present.

As an aid in learning the lessons of each life, a phenomenon exists which has been called karma. Karma is often misunderstood.It is not a system of rewards and punishments,but a phenomenon that guides the soul toward evolving actions. Thusly, if a person performs negative actions, negative actions will be returned.Good brings good.With this in mind, there’s little reason to act negatively.

Karma means action,and that’s how it works. It is a tool, not a punishment. There’s no way one can “wipe out”karma, and neither is every seemingly terrible event in our lives a byproduct of karma.

We learn from karma only when we are aware of it. Many look into their past lives to discover their mistakes,to uncover the problems inhibiting progress in this one. Trance and meditation techniques can help here, but true self-knowledge is the best means of accomplishing this.

What happens after death? Only the body dies. The soul lives on.Some Wiccans say that it journeys to a realm variously known as the Land of the Faerie ,the summerland, and the land of the young. This realm is neither in heaven nor the underworld. It simply is-a non-physical reality much less dense than ours. Some Wiccan traditions describe it as a land of eternal summer, with grassy fields and sweet flowing rivers, perhaps the earth before the arrival of humans. Others see it vaguely as a realm without forms, where energy swirls coexist with the greatest energies-the Goddess and God in their celestial identities.

One day you may “know”, not believe, that reincarnation is as real as a plant that buds, flowers, drops its seed, withers and creates a new plant in its image. Reincarnation was probably first intuited by earlier peoples watching nature. Until you’ve decided for yourself, you may wish to reflect upon and consider the doctrine of reincarnation.

~ Vienna by Klimt

“We are not human-beings having a spiritual experience,
but we are spiritual-beings having a human experience.

~ Deepak Chopra

~ The Waiting by Klimt

Where we come from, where we go . . . beyond punishment and judgments there is acceptance and unconditional love, from where we separated us. Life never starts, never ends, just its expression does change, which makes us believe we die, or we take birth.

All the ancient peoples of the world believed in the reality of reincarnation and a majority in this world still does. Buddhists, Hindus, Druids, Celts, Britons, Gallics, Platonists, Pythagoreans, many gnostic Christians, are only some of the people that hold to this doctrine. Add the Inca and Maya civilizations, the old Egyptians, the Roman poets Vergil, Lucretius, Horatio, the Stoics, and the list is still not completed! Also the Jewish Sohar, the famous Kabbalistic book, contains references to reincarnation.

Moonsmuses.com

The Mystery of Past Life Recall

By Stephen Wagner

Under hypnosis, numerous people recall the details of previous lives, even to the point of taking on the personalities of their former selves – and speaking in foreign languages!

In 1824, a nine-year-old boy named Katsugoro, the son of a Japanese farmer, told his sister that he believed he had a past life. According to his story, which is one of the earliest cases of past life recall on record, the boy vividly recalled that he had been the son of another farmer in another village and had died from the effects of smallpox in 1810. Katsugoro could remember dozens of specific events about his past life, including details about his family and the village where they lived, even though Katsugoro had never been there. He even remembered the time of his death, his burial and the time he spent before being reborn. The facts he related were subsequently verified by an investigation.

Past life recall is one of the most fascinating areas of unexplained human phenomena. As yet, science has been unable to prove or disprove its genuineness. Even many who have investigated claims of past life recall are unsure whether it is an historical recollection due to reincarnation or is a construction of information somehow received by the subconscious. Either possibility is remarkable. And like many areas of the paranormal, there is a propensity for fraud that the serious investigator must watch out for. It’s important to be skeptical about such extraordinary claims, but the stories are nonetheless intriguing.

Past life recall generally comes about spontaneously, more often with children than adults. Those who support the idea of reincarnation believe this is because children are closer to their past lives and that their minds have not been clouded or “written over” by their present lives. Adults who experience past life recall often do so as the result of some extraordinary experience, such as hypnosis, lucid dreaming or even a blow to the head.

Here are some outstanding cases:

VIRGINIA TIGHE / BRIDEY MURPHY

Perhaps the most famous case of past life recall is that of Virginia Tighe who recalled her past life as Bridey Murphy. Virginia was the wife of a Virginia businessman in Pueblo, Colorado. While under hypnosis in 1952, she told Morey Bernstein, her therapist, that over 100 years ago she was an Irish woman named Bridget Murphy who went by the nickname of Bridey. During their sessions together, Bernstein marveled at detailed conversations with Bridey, who spoke with a pronounced Irish brogue and spoke extensively of her life in 19th century Ireland. When Bernstein published his book about the case, The Search for Bridey Murphy in 1956, it became famous around the world and sparked an excited interest in the possibility of reincarnation.

Over six sessions, Virginia revealed many details about Bridey’s life, including her birth date in 1798, her childhood amid a Protestant family in the city of Cork, her marriage to Sean Brian Joseph McCarthy and even her own death at the age of 60 in 1858. As Bridey, she provided numerous specifics, such as names, dates, places, events, shops and songs – things Virginia was always surprised about when she awoke from the hypnosis. But could these details be verified? The results of many investigations were mixed. Much of what Bridey said was consistent with the time and place, and it seemed inconceivable that someone who had never been to Ireland could provide so many details with such confidence.

However, journalists could find no historical record of Bridey Murphy – not her birth, her family, her marriage, nor her death. Believers supposed that this was merely due to the poor recordkeeping of the time. But critics discovered inconsistencies in Bridey’s speech and also learned that Virginia had grown up near – and had known well – an Irish woman named Bridle Corkell, and that she was quite likely the inspiration for “Bridey Murphy.” There are flaws with this theory, too, however, keeping the case of Bridey Murphy an intriguing mystery.

MONICA / JOHN WAINWRIGHT

In 1986, a woman known by the pseudonym “Monica” underwent hypnosis by psychotherapist Dr. Garrett Oppenheim. Monica believed she discovered a previous existence as a man named John Ralph Wainwright who lived in the southwestern U.S. She knew that John grew up in Wisconsin, Arizona and had vague memories of brothers and sisters. As a young man he became a deputy sheriff and married the daughter of a bank president. According the Monica’s “memory,” John was killed in the line of duty – shot by three men he had once sent to jail – and died on July 7, 1907.

SUJITH / SAMMY

Born in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Sujith was barely old enough to speak when he began to tell his family of a previous life as a man named Sammy. Sammy, he said, had lived eight miles to the south in the village of Gorakana. Sujith told of Sammy’s life as a railroad worker and as a dealer of a bootleg whiskey called arrack. After an argument with his wife, Maggie, Sammy stormed out of his house and got drunk, and while walking along a busy highway was struck by a truck and killed. Young Sujith often demanded to be taken to Gorakana and had an abnormal taste for cigarettes and arrack.

Sjuth’s family had never been to Gorakana and hadn’t known anyone that fit Sammy’s description, yet, being Buddhists, were believers in reincarnation and therefore not completely surprised by the boy’s story. Investigations, including one conducted by a professor of psychiatry from the University of Virginia, confirmed as many as 60 of the details of the life of Sammy Fernando who indeed had lived and died (six months before Sujith’s birth) just as Sujith had said. When Sujith was introduced to Sammy’s family, he surprised them with his familiarity with them and his knowledge of their pet names. This is one of the strongest cases of reincarnation on record.

DREAM RECALL

Hypnosis isn’t the only method by which past lives are recalled. A Britsh woman was distressed by a recurring dream in which she, as a child, and another child with whom she was playing, fell from a high gallery in their home to their deaths. She vividly remembered the black and white checked marble floor on which they died. She repeated the dream to several of her friends. Sometime later, the woman was visiting an old house that had a reputation for being haunted. With its black and white marble floor, the house immediately was recognized by the woman as the scene of the deaths in her dreams. She subsequently learned that a small brother and sister really had fallen to their deaths in the house. Was she recalling a past life, or had she somehow psychically tuned in to this dramatic history?

GRAHAM HUXTABLE / ARNALL BLOXHAM

Another fascinating case of past life regression took place in Wales where Graham Huxtable, a mild-mannered swimming instructor, was placed under hypnosis by hypnotist Arnall Bloxham. In a trance, Huxtable not just recalled a past life, he seemed to actually become a man named Ben, a boisterous gunner on an 18th century British frigate called Aggie. While inhabited by the personality of Ben, Huxtable would call out orders to the men on the ship in a heavy accent and use obscure nautical terminology. He even relived every moment of a battle in which he eventually suffered an injury to his leg.

Bloxham had difficulty bringing Huxtable out of trance, but when he did, the man complained of a pain in his leg. And when Bloxham replayed a recording of the session, Huxtable was astonished at what he heard, recalling nothing of his experience under the trance. Although experts could verify the terms and language that “Ben” used, they could not find records of a ship named Aggie nor of the ship’s captain he had named. Past life recall… or a case of multiple personality?

T.E. / JENSEN JACOBY

In 1958, a woman who in this case was identified only as T.E., underwent hypnosis by her husband, a medical doctor and experimenter with past life regression. Once in a trance state, T.E.’s voice deepened to one that was distinctly male and she declared in broken English that she was a farmer named Jensen Jacoby who lived in the 17th century. T.E.’s speech was peppered with Swedish words, a language that she and her husband swore she did not know. After six hypnotic sessions, T.E. was talking exclusively in Swedish, even conversing fluently with several Swedish persons that her husband had brought in to witness the phenomenon. These native Swedes confirmed that she was speaking a somewhat archaic form of Swedish that would have been spoken at the time Jensen said he had lived.

These are just a few of the more well-known examples of past life recall. Those who practice past life regression therapy today claim that it has certain benefits. They say it can shed light on present life personal issues and relationships and can even help to heal the wounds suffered in a past life.

Reincarnation has also been one of the central tenets of many Eastern religions, and one can return to this existence in a new physical form, whether it is human, animal or even vegetable. The form one takes, it is believed, is determined by the law of karma – that the higher or lower form one takes is due to one’s behavior in the previous life. The concept of past lives is also one of the beliefs of L. Ron Hubbard’s Scientology, which states that “past lives are suppressed by the painfulness of the memory of those former existences. To restore the memory of one’s whole existence, it is necessary to bring one up to being able to confront such experiences.”

FAMOUS BELIEVERS IN PAST LIVES

General George S. Patton believed that he had been a soldier in many previous lives, including in the service of Alexander the Great.
Benjamin Franklin may have been professing his belief in reincarnation when he wrote that he would return “in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the author.”
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were contemporaries and both professed believers in past lives.
Edgar Cayce, the American psychic, believed that he was a resident of Atlantis in one previous life.

Source:
About.com

Past Life Memory

by June Kaminski, MSN PhD(c)

Past life recall is an elusive subject in Western society, yet a common and accepted one in many other countries and cultures. In recent years, Eastern philosophies as well as ancient European ones have precipated a surge of interest in the possibilities of multiple lives.

More and more people are giving at least some thought to the potential credibility of the notion that they may have lived before: as another person of either gender, in another era and often in another country and socioeconomic situation. People ar beginning to pay attention to “deja vu” experiences, or sudden and brief “pictures” of themselves as another person – and at least wonder if these could be clues to who they were before.

Often, when first studying the theory of reincarnation, people wonder why they don’t remember clearly who they were. How could this theory be true, if it is all so vague and often impossible to validate? There are many reasons for this block in memory, one being the fact that it is not part of our mainstream culture. In countries where past lives are a “given”, young children often share long dialogues of memories about their lives in other times and other bodies. In fact, some children have remembered being people who had died within the past decade or two, which did lead to investigation and uncanny evidence. There does seem to be evidence in countries like India for this theory of reincarnation.

Another reason that we often do not readily remember all of our past lives is that our memories are best focused on NOW, this life. Remembering our past lives does have merit but should not lead to feelings of longing or obsession. Certain memories of relevant past lives can give us alot of “hidden” information about our life’s work this time round, and what recurrent patterns, life partners, and unresolved karma, fears, and challenges we have chosen to work with in this lifetime. These same selective memories and life parallels can point us to the gifts and talents that we chose to work on in this present life, and even who we have chosen to spend our lives with, whether a spouse, children, parents, friends, coworkers, and so on.

The resources on this site will guide you through some activities to help you to get in touch with the past lives that are pertinent to this current life you are experiencing right now. As you practice these activities, you will find glimpses and memories sprouting up more and more as you go about your daily life. The lessons, the talents, the messages from your former selves can help you discover the true meaning of your life and to ascertain what your Life Path is now in the 21st century.

To begin to explore the topic of reincarnation and past lives, sit back and mull over these questions. Write down your answers as well.

1. What places have you always dreamt of visiting?

2. Are there places that totally repel you?

3. Are there historical eras that fascinate you?

4. Are there any people that you have felt instantly drawn to? Ones that you ponder over – wondering where you’ve met them before?

5. What talents were you “born with”? Or which talents were easy for you to cultivate?

6. Have you ever experienced “deja vu”?

Source:

Reincarnation Central

Let’s Talk Witch – Karmic Consequences

Karma is a Hindu concept that has been adopted by many Westerners, especially those in the New Age and Pagan communities. While many people talk about karma, not everyone fully understands it. Its effects over several lifetimes are also often misunderstood.

What Is Karma?

Karma is the Hindu law of cause and effect. For every action you take, there is a reaction, although it’s not equal and opposite. When you take beneficial action, you receive a beneficial effect. When you take baneful action, that will come back to you, too.

Your karma is a part of your soul, and it determines, in part, how your life will play out. If you live a just life, you will receive more just benefits. If something negative befalls you, look to your history and see what might have caused it.

Leftover Karma from Past Lives

The karmic backlash or reward for your actions is not always immediate. Sometimes it takes years to feel the full karmic effects of any action. The span of time between an action and its karmic effect can actually stretch over more than one lifetime. The actions you took in your past lives affect your current life to some degree. They might decide your role in this life, or how your life is lived. You can rest assured that really evil people will receive appropriate punishments in their future lives. Hopefully, you weren’t a terrible person in your past life, but if you can’t see any reason why so many things in your life seem to be going wrong, you might be dealing with retribution for mistakes you made in a previous life.

The Hindu concept of time is not strictly linear, so there can also be a karmic influence for an action you’ve not yet taken. Living the best life you can in order to balance out the negative weight on your karma is the best solution for dealing with karmic effects you had no role in creating in this life. A Hindu’s goal in life is to carry out his dharma (duty). If you attempt to serve your life purpose, it will benefit your karma and counterbalance the mistakes of the past or future

Source:

Author: Selene Silverwind

The Daily OM for January 28th – Who Am I

Who Am I
The Heart of Unknowing

by Madisyn Taylor

The question of who we are is a seed that can bear much fruit if given the chance to unfold.

At some point in our lives, or perhaps at many points in our lives, we ask the question, “Who am I?“ At times like these, we are looking beyond the obvious, beyond our names and the names of the cities and states we came from, into the layers beneath our surface identities. We may feel the need for a deeper sense of purpose in our lives, or we may be ready to accommodate a more complex understanding of the situation in which we find ourselves. Whatever the case, the question of who we are is a seed that can bear much fruit.

It can send us on an exploration of our ancestry, or the past lives of our soul. It can call us to take up journaling in order to discover that voice deep within us that seems to know the answers to a multitude of questions. It can draw our attention so deeply inward that we find the spark of spirit that connects us to every living thing in the universe. One Hindu tradition counsels its practitioners to ask the question over and over, using it as a mantra to lead them inevitably into the heart of the divine.

While there are people who seem to come into the world knowing who they are and why they are here, for the most part the human journey appears to be very much about asking this question and allowing its answers to guide us on our paths. So when we find ourselves in the heart of unknowing, we can have faith that we are in a very human place, as well as a very divine one. “Who am I?“ is a timeless mantra, a Zen koan ultimately designed to lead us home, into the part of our minds that finally lets go of questions and answers and finds instead the ability to simply be.

The Daily OM

Let’s Talk Witch – The Summerlands

All religious systems have a place where the soul ascends (or descends) when the physical body can no longer function. In Craft belief, we call this place the Summerland. This is the resting place- the way station, if you will- for souls to recover, and categorize information and lessons we have learned. We have no Hell, or place of terror or damnation.

Reincarnation- the logical process of living, dying, and living again on the earth plane. Some religions also believe in transmigration, where an individual’s soul may enter not only the body of a human, but the body of a plant or animal.

In most Witchcraft Traditions, reincarnation is the accepted theology for dealing with the subject of death and rebirth. We move with the seasons, the cycle of the Wheel, the turn of birth, death, and rebirth. That part of it usually isn’t questioned because it is logical.

What is questioned is the space between the living experiences, the number of lifetimes, and the reasoning for going through each one. Also intriguing is “who we were,” with whom, and when.

Wicca teaches that reincarnation is the instrument through which our souls are perfected. one lifetime isn’t sufficient to attain this goal; hence, the consciousness (soul) is reborn many times, each life encompassing a different set of lessons, until perfection is achieved. No one can say how many lives are required before this is accomplished.

In Wicca, we seek to strengthen our bodies, minds and souls. We certainly live full, productive earthly lives, and we do so while harming none. The soul is ageless, sexless, non-physical, possessed of the divine spark of the Goddess and God. Each manifestation of the soul (i.e., each body it inhabits on Earth) is different. No two bodies or lives are the same.

What happens after death? Only the body dies. The soul lives on. Some Wiccans say that it journeys to a realm variously known as the Summerlands, Land of the Faerie, the Shining Land, and the Land of the Young. This realm is neither in heaven nor the underworld. It simply is- a non- physical reality much less dense than ours. Some Wiccan traditions describe it as a land of eternal summer, with grassy fields and sweet flowing rivers, perhaps the Earth before the advent of humans. Others see it vaguely as a realm without forms, where energy swirls coexist with the greatest energies- the Goddess and God in their celestial identities.

The soul is said to review the past life, perhaps through some mysterious way with the deities. This isn’t a judgment, a weighing of one’s soul, but an incarnational review. Lessons learned or ignored are brought to light.

After the proper time, when the conditions on Earth are correct, the soul is reincarnated and life begins again.

The final question- what happens after the last incarnation? Wiccan teachings have always been vague on this. Basically, the Wiccans say that after rising upon the spiral of life and death and rebirth, those souls who have attained perfection break away from the cycle forever and dwell with the Goddess and God. Nothing is ever lost. The energies resident in our souls return to the divine source from which they originally emanated.

Because of the acceptance of reincarnation, the Wicca don’t fear death as a final plunge into oblivion, the days of life on Earth forever behind them. It is seen as the door to birth. Thus our very lives are symbolically linked with the endless cycles of the seasons which shape our planet.

Reincarnation is as real as a plant that buds, flowers, drops its seed, withers and creates a new plant in its image.

Daily OM for November 29th – Reconnecting with Friends

Reconnecting with Friends
Special Messengers

by Madisyn Taylor

When fate brings old friends back into our lives, there is always a reason.

Every person that passes through our lives makes a contribution to our life stories. There are those who play large roles and make deep impressions, but sometimes a brief special appearance before life takes them in another direction creates a meaningful connection. It is a rare gift when they suddenly reappear in our lives after a long absence.

Though the world may seem full of more people than we could ever know, we are often drawn to people with similar energy, which brings us together time and time again. On first meeting, the characters in our life stories may seem familiar. We may know each other from past lives or perhaps we merely recognize the energy of a kindred spirit. But when fate brings old friends back into our lives, there is always a reason. They may act as messengers, reminding us of a part of ourselves we have forgotten to nurture. They might appear to give us a chance to react in a new way to an old situation. They may even bring up unresolved issues so that we may complete them, giving us the chance to move forward on our life path. Whether old friends, previous romances, or once and future partners, their reappearance is more than mere chance. They may never know what they bring into our lives, but the renewed contact is a gift.

If this hasn’t happened to you, maybe you are meant to initiate contact by seeking out old friends. If old friends come to mind or into your dreams, use their appearance as an excuse to get in touch. If an old song or movie reminds you of them, reach out to share the gift of renewed contact. Wherever you fall in the circle of connection and reconnection, be sure to look beyond the surprise of the moment to enjoy the deeper gift that this revelation brings.

The Daily OM

Spirit Guides

Spirit Guides

Author: Mar-Garet

My Creative Writing teacher (about 20 years ago) had just assigned to us: ‘Imagine an entity who would symbolize to you great wisdom.’ Then we were to write a dialogue with that entity in our journals. My ‘entity’ turned out to be a Porpoise by the name of Rosa! I enjoyed our journal dialogues so much… .I could ask her anything, and she’d always end up give me good (if sometimes quite hilarious) advice!

One day, I was dialoguing with her when she said to me, ‘Wait, I must assume another form in order to answer that question.’ What was going on? She changed form into a beautiful and wise female ‘presence’ who has been with me since I was a very young child. The name of this ‘presence’ I called ‘Saji.’

It turned out that Rosa was simply one aspect, or form, of Saji. I had always wondered why a porpoise would be named after a Rose… .then I remembered that the Rose was one of Saji’s ‘symbols.’ Saji, I finally comprehended, is one of my Life Guides (I have two of them, one female — Saji — and one male). Saji has always been there for me, through all my good times and bad times, to comfort me when I was young, and to guide me as I grow older. Her presence is total love, and I love her with all my heart. To me, she is the voice of the Goddess in my soul.

As I continued my journal dialogues, I found that Saji was there for me whenever I needed her. Sometimes, my male guide, Zohar, would come through—a completely different energy than Saji, but still full of love. I knew they were my Spiritual Guides because they seemed to embody my ‘ideal’ Self, and they never steered me toward any kind of negativity, always toward love and positivity. And they never demanded that I ‘obey’ them. They simply communicated their perspective to me… and it was and IS a much wider perspective than I am usually able to see! And it was then up to me to decide whether to follow their advice or not. When I DID follow their advice, I always found a positive experience.

My Creative Writing teacher was interested in hypnosis as a creative writing tool, and he asked for volunteers to participate in his experiment. I readily agreed to be a volunteer. For 32 hypnosis sessions, we explored the world of my Guides, and met other Spirits also.

These Spirits included: Many of my own past selves, writers and other historical figures who had lived in the past and who we admired, extra-terrestrials, nature-spirits and elementals, dragons, unicorns, etc. Once Spirit called itself (it was beyond gender) my ‘Oversoul, ‘ and mostly showed itself as a bright light! I met Saji’s teacher and was told that his name was Carrefour. I was curious about this and found that in the Vodu religion, Carrefour means ‘crossroads’ and is the Moon God.

I was a little concerned about Carrefour, as I had read that he sometimes has a negative aspect. Eventually, I came to realize that what is important is how *I* relate to him, because I feel that every Spirit I meet reflects something within my own soul. The Carrefour that I know is a Trickster spirit, and yet he is so full of love and compassion that he practically overflows with these qualities!

My subsequent research into Vodu has brought me a lot of interaction with that pantheon. I am learning a very positive path, but always there is much struggle against the prejudices associated with this ancient way. That is part of the challenge I have chosen in this particular incarnation. To me, these ‘Lwa’s’ (as they are called in their own language — also called Loa’s) are ancestors who have progressed to the point of merging with world-Archetypes as interpreted through their own tribal mythology.

My own Past Lives often come to me and inspire me with creative ideas and projects. Some of them teach me (or, more accurately, remind me) what I have forgotten! They also help me recognize certain spiritual qualities in other people, which can come in handy when I am doing a reading or a healing. And they always bring with them Spiritual contacts that harmonize with the culture, mythology, and worldview of those past lives. Working with past life selves is simple — as long as you remember that the PRESENT is where power resides. The purpose and work of the PRESENT LIFE is the most vital and most important.

Certain of my Guides and Past Lives also serve as ‘Gatekeeper’ when I am searching psychically for information and communication from other spirits. They keep it positive, healthy, and filter out any negative vibes.

One book that I found helpful in ‘discerning’ Spirits (and Lwa’s) is Initiation: A Woman’s Spiritual Adventure in the Heart of the Andes by Elizabeth B. Jenkins. In this book, Ms. Jenkins describes her spiritual quest in the Andes, and how she progressed from a worldview that was dominant/submissive to one that was more egalitarian. As a family therapist herself, she had a unique view of Spirit-Human relationships and she had a ‘feel’ for when they became dysfunctional. She explains her own spiritual lessons and how she went from a child-level to an adult-level in functioning on the spiritual plane.

In Ms. Jenkins’ perspective (as well as mine) one becomes a member of a FAMILY of both human and spiritual beings. A family works together for the good of all, and Spirits assist only if invited and welcomed. As the Spirits participate and prove themselves as allies, they become part of the family, too. (You may substitute ‘coven’ for ‘family’ here, also.)

James Redfield, in his book The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision, describes ‘Soul Groups’ that contain all the past selves of each individual human. These ‘Soul Groups’ contain all the knowledge that the individual has gleaned from life so far! As we move into the Aquarian Age, we find that groups are becoming more and more important in our spiritual evolution. Working with groups is challenging, but promises a great leap forward in our consciousness. As we work ‘for the good of all, according to free will’ (Thanks, Marion Weinstein!), we learn the meaning of spiritual cooperation, without the loss of individuality.

I enjoy groups that form themselves ‘organically, ‘ and just come together in a natural way. As such, families can be defined as a group of entities who are have come together related to each other in intimate ways. Families have something intrinsic in common. And the families we create are connected by love.

Families do not always get along, nor are they always in the same mood. However, they ARE always close to each other, whether they are in group-formation or not. They experience kinship; that is, they recognize each other as ‘my kind.’

In spiritual pantheons like Vodu, or in shamanic paths, one can be called by, adopted by, mentored by, and even married to, a Spirit or a Lwa. This is a more intimate connection and requires a greater level of commitment than just working together. One becomes, essentially, a priest or priestess of that Spirit or Lwa’s specialty. This doesn’t cancel out one’s HUMAN parent, mentor or mate. However, it does require a certain amount of time that must be dedicated to the relationship between the person and the Spirit or Lwa. During this special dedicated time, the person and the Spirit/Lwa learn from each other and cooperate in channeling specialized energy through that archetype.

I have considered being a Priestess of a certain Spirit/Lwa, but have decided that I like to keep things more flexible. I like being able to have a variety of Spirits/Lwa’s to relate to! This is similar to the way I like to relate to my human family and friends. I like a large variety, to bring out the different aspects of myself. (My Venus and Jupiter are in Aquarius, for those astrologically inclined!) I have had many varied incarnations, and I think that I am a very international person!

Other people may have kept to one culture during a lot of their incarnations and, therefore, relate with a smaller number of Spirits/Lwa’s, in a closer and more intimate way. There is nothing wrong with that inclination, either. There are many ways to relate, and many ways to group. There are many kinds of families, but the ones we CHOOSE to create need to be those that encourage us, bring out our talents, support us emotionally, and merge with our own individual style!

Samhain, the Time of the Ancestors

Samhain, the Time of the Ancestors

Author: Sta Muertero Steven
Although I honor and serve my ancestors year-round, All Hallows is the time when I go all out for them and prepare a large feast. However, I find little information in many of the marketed texts of Wicca and modern Paganism that deals with ancestor veneration, a practice that is a major characteristic of the vast majority of the world’s basic religions. I’d like to share my views on this and offer what I’ve found to be effective in establishing solid lines of communication with my ancestors, essentially a novena to bring them into my daily life to provide me with love, guidance, wisdom, and protection as I go about my way in this sometimes uncertain world.
In Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Scott Cunningham writes, “Many Wiccans do attempt to communicate with their deceased ancestors and friends at [Samhain], but it seems to me that if we accept the doctrine of reincarnation, this is a rather strange practice. Perhaps the personalities that we knew still exist, but if the soul is currently incarnate in another body, communication would be difficult, to say the least. Thus, it seems best to remember them with peace and love-but not to call them up” (p. 143).
Thus begins many beginning Wiccans’ view of the spirits of our ancestors, including my own in the beginning. No offense to the spirit of Scott, but I now beg to differ. Through my personal journey in ecletic Wicca, then traditional Haitian Vodou, and now Wica and Traditional Witchcraft, I have come to view the above as a rather naive and simplistic view of the soul and reincarnation. I feel the above concept of the ancestors comes mainly from a combination of a misinterpreted and simplified view of the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation and the typical Western concept of a single-component soul.
A previous co-worker of mine who is from India and a practicing Hindu both believes in reincarnation and honors the spirits of his ancestors. I’ve not asked him to explain how these seemingly contradictory beliefs are reconciled, however, I have to wonder if the explanation is in any way similar to the concepts found in Haitian Vodou, where there are many components to the soul, one of which reincarnates at some future time, one which joins the spirits of the ancestors in the waters below, while the others perform other functions and journey to different destinations. All of these components are important, and one should not be thought of as the “real” soul above the others.
In any case, I believe that one can adhere to a doctrine of reincarnation and honor the spirits of one’s ancestors, even bringing them into their daily lives for guidance and protection, without having the beliefs contradict one another in any way. This has been uncommon in my knowledge of the majority of eclectic Wicca and the modern Pagan religions, however, it seems this may be changing as more individuals and groups (re-) discover ancestor veneration. I feel this view can easily be adopted by the rest of them, giving a more solid foundation in the traditional practices found in almost all basic religions throughout the world. The eagerness with which many of the ancestors of those of European origin seem to flock to the service provided when a descendant begins the service of the Lwa Ginea, in other words, practicing Haitian Vodou, or another Afro-Caribbean tradition, is evidence enough for me that our pre-Christian ancestors possessed a tradition of honoring the ancestors that is long overdue in being re-established in some form by their descendants.
The following is a ceremony I have found effective based on my training in Haitian Vodou. I hope that by sharing this information, the long-forgotten ancestors of those who perform this ceremony will be brought back to this realm to bestow their wisdom and blessings upon their descendants to help guide them toward a more fulfilling life in every way.
The Ancestor Novena
This ritual, although seemingly simple, has enormous effect on a person in that if that person has never successfully established contact with one’s ancestors, this will allow for the ancestors to come fully into one’s life. The ancestors are how every person alive exists. We stand on their shoulders; we have their blood in our veins. Their spirits surround us through the tie of that same blood. For these reasons alone, we should honor them and invite them to be active in our daily lives. But also, they possess knowledge of ourselves and of the world and can provide protection that we would not have otherwise.
In the beginning, one should only establish contact with direct blood relatives, meaning parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on. In an ideal ancestor-venerating society, all other relatives, such as aunts and uncles, would be taken care of by their descendants. However, in this country (the U.S.) and in the majority of the Western world, as you may know, this is not the case. In some cases, passed extended family members may have had a greater effect on the person than parents, and so on, and those spirits may wish to be honored in the person’s line of ancestors, as well. That is fine, however, they should be invited after the direct blood relatives. Those extended family members and even the spirits of those not related to you by blood can be included in your service to your ancestors after this novena has been successfully completed simply by calling their names and asking them to join your ancestors during one of your regular services.
This ritual is effective even if one’s parents are unknown, because we all have never met the vast majority of our ancestors (three, four, five, six, seven, and so on, generations back). This ritual is also effective, and even essential, for a person who had a negative or abusive relationship with one’s parents or grandparents. Whatever that person or those people were like during life, they are now beyond the veil and have learned many things. That’s not to say that they’re more spiritually evolved by virtue of being dead, but that they can now see a larger picture and can be spiritually elevated if they so choose and if you help them to be. They are also now surrounded by the spirits of their parents and families and are possibly being guided by them, helping them understand where they may have gone wrong in life. This is essential for those people’s spiritual evolution because the unresolved issues with their ancestors tie them to the past, preventing them from moving forward. We are never completely free of the past; we are always connected to everything and every time–we are one.
Items to obtain for the novena

One or two white 7-day candles (large, tall candles encased in glass), or a set of white tapers.
Cascarilla (dried and ground egg white in the form of a compacted powder), or white chalk.
A clear glass of water.
Perfume or incense of a soft, light nature (with an incense holder).
A corner of your home or small space that’s not in your bedroom which can be used (at least temporarily if you can’t dedicate permanent space) to house your ancestors.

Items to have for the ninth day

A white plate.
White flowers.
Food that they may have enjoyed in life, cooked by you, with no salt added (if the ingredients inherently contain sodium, don’t worry about, but do not ADD salt).

Preparation

Clean the space you have chosen for your ancestors. If you plan to have an altar table, that’s fine, but during the novena, place everything directly onto the floor. If you have pets, partition this area off somehow so they will not have access to it, at least during the novena.
Take the cascarilla, rub your finger into it, (or use the chalk) and begin to draw an arc on the floor from one wall to the one perpendicular to it. Make it a solid arc; this will take more work if you have carpet. If for some reason, you can’t use a corner but a section of wall instead, make this a half-circle, starting from one side of the area, moving around it, and closing it in on the other. The purpose is to spiritually close off this section.
Using the cascarilla (or chalk), make nine short dashes along the arc or half-circle. It should look like railroad markings on a map.
Place one 7-day white candle inside the marked-off area, along with the clear glass filled with water. Also, place the bottle of perfume or the light, clean scented incense inside the area.
Choose a certain time of the day that you are sure you can be free to talk with your ancestors at the same time for nine consecutive days, beginning on a Monday.

The Novena

When the time comes, settle yourself in front of the area, light the candle, and open the bottle of perfume or light the incense. Prepare yourself for spiritual communication and open yourself to the spiritual world, whether that is with the Our Father and three Hail Mary’s, or meditation, or a prayer to the God/dess, the Cabbalistic Cross, or whatever. Do this at the beginning of each session.
Also at each session and after the opening part just mentioned, state your full name along with any other name by which you are known, and call to your ancestors both known and unknown. Ex: “I, Paul Michael Smith, Grey Wolf, call to all my ancestors, those I know and those I currently do not…”
After you’ve gotten their attention, thank them for giving you life, for without them you wouldn’t be here.
Next, talk with your ancestors the way you would family members at a family reunion, catching those up who have missed the latest bit of your life, and introducing yourself to those you don’t yet know, which of course will be the majority of them. Tell them what you’re doing (the novena) and why you feel it’s important to you. Chances are, they already know, but it’s necessary for you to speak this aloud to them; it gives purpose and power to your physical actions. Ask them to come into your life and help you do what you need to do.
When you have said all you wish to say, thank them again. Tell them you will be back again at the same time and place to talk with them more the following day.
Extinguish the candle, or allow it to burn the remainder of the day/night until you go to sleep, or allow the candle to burn continuously throughout the novena, which will require at least two 7-day candles. (All depending on how nervous you are about fire hazards. I allowed mine to burn continuously and asked my ancestors to guard the candle to make sure it didn’t tip over or catch anything on fire-nothing bad happened.)

On the Ninth Day

Do your prayers as usual, talk with your ancestors, and then explain that this is the last day of the novena, and that from now on you will come to them once a week to light their candle, supply fresh water, and serve them food if they tell you they need it.
At this time you can place the altar in the area, if you plan to have an altar. Then place all their items on the altar (this is “lifting them up”), give them the flowers you’ve gathered or bought, give them the food you’ve prepared, and thank them again for being an active part of your daily life.

After the Novena
Choose one day of the week (usually this will be Monday) that you can go to your ancestors, light their candle, give them fresh water, give them food if you feel they need it and whatever type they ask for (again with no salt added), give them flowers, alcohol, cigarettes, whatever they enjoyed in life, and talk with them. Place pictures of them and items they owned on the altar; truly make it yours.
While chatting with them share with them your good news and bad news. When you feel you need help in life’s difficult journey, ask them for support and guidance.
Once you have established a good relationship with your ancestors, let this relationship evolve as they dictate. In other words, this is only the beginning.
Brightest Blessings
Hermes

The Reincarnation Theory Of Otherkin

The Reincarnation Theory Of Otherkin

Author: Lupa

Otherkin are a pretty controversial group of people, even within the relatively tolerant realms of NeoPaganism. While we live within the same world as everyone else, working and/or going to school, building and maintaining a variety of relationships, paying the bills, and otherwise leading completely mundane existences, we have other aspects to our personal realities that aren’t quite so everyday. We know/believe that there’s something not quite human about us and we can spend this entire lifetime figuring out just who we’ve been and who we are now.

Some identify as nonhuman, relatively humanoid species such as elves and faeries; others believe there is something of the dragon, gryphon or sea serpent about them; and still others identify strongly with animals native to this plane, well beyond the totemic bond. Yes, it can be a bit of a brain-breaker to try to resolve the conflict between what’s commonly divided into “fantasy” and “reality.” That’s why most `kin spend time trying to figure out just why it is we feel that we’re different in a such a….er…different manner.

One of the most common explanations for being Otherkin is reincarnation. This necessitates a belief in a soul, of course, and the belief that the soul is not species-specific. While some people say that once a(n) (insert species here), always a(n) (insert species here), others maintain that the soul is itself neutral and can be incarnated into any body possible.

Neutral as the soul may be, it still tends to carry material with it from life to life, depending on how strongly the experiences of each life imprinted on it. Some souls are better at keeping their egos intact through each death-birth process than others; this is perhaps why some people have thorough recollections of their previous existences while others have just a few tidbits here and there. It just so happens that for a few people the memories that imprint strongly don’t come from this particular Earth-reality.

It’s debatable whether these lives occurred on alternate Earths or physically different planets entirely. Some Otherkin seem to have a really good idea of where they come from, even being able to pinpoint galaxies or individual stars that correlate to our Sol. I’ve also heard people claim the idea that our world and numerous others inhabit the same basic place, but are layered according to energy resonance (think physical vs. astral plane).

It’d be easy to accuse Otherkin of simply being entirely too imaginative. After all, aren’t elves and such meant to be in the realms of fantasy fiction or, at best, the spirit plane? This is where belief comes into play. Even the most solid cases of reincarnation can’t be thoroughly proven, and sometimes we do have to go on faith to an extent. Consistency seems to be the key to a more likely story. Repeated past life regressions that continually bring up the same people, places, themes and identities are a lot easier to argue for than a single wishful thought that the bearer is afraid to test for fear of being wrong. Some Otherkin, particularly among elves, report shared memories with others, including incidents where the two (or more) parties had not previously communicated with each other on the subject.

The truly skeptical can argue against this all day long—what if one or more people were just saying “Yeah, I remember that,” to go along with the crowd? What if it’s a group delusion? What if? What if?

It’s important to stringently question ourselves and not blindly accept whatever comes our way that looks pretty. Yet if we chase away belief entirely we shut ourselves off from a lot of potentially positive developments in our lives. After all, belief is the basis of spirituality and magic, and Gods know that enough Pagans, Otherkin and otherwise, desire or even need these things in our lives. So while we’ll acknowledge the words of the skeptics and keep close watch on ourselves to make sure we don’t convince ourselves that pixie ‘kin really can fly, we will allow ourselves some belief to explore our possible pasts.

As to why we ended up here, there are a number of possibilities:

Because we needed to learn something about being human. Many reincarnationists believe that we enter into the lives that we do in order to learn a specific lesson. There are quite possibly lessons that only the unique experience of being human can teach. Perhaps some `kin are here to better understand humanity so that they can therefore adopt certain human behaviors. Maybe Earth today has a balance of creation and destruction, Nature and technology, that is unique in the Multiverse. Perhaps some of us came here from someplace better as punishment/rehabilitation for some wrongdoing; or maybe from somewhere worse so we can get a breather (after all, this place certainly isn’t all bad!) Just as a soul may be born as a cougar to learn to be more aggressive or a way to learn patience, the experience of being human might be how some souls learn what to do—or not do—with modern technology, or our particular blend of sex and love, or whatever else it is that makes us human.

Because this world needs our help. Let’s face it—to a lot of folk in the magical and Otherkin subcultures, this place is in trouble. The environment is constantly under siege, millions of humans live in poverty-stricken, war-torn areas, disease is rampant and some days it just seems like the whole biosystem is about to collapse under the pressure. There are Otherkin who feel they came here with the purpose of alleviating some of the pain. There’s the theory that other sentient places in the Multiverse are well aware of us and want to try to help us, if for no other reason than to keep us from destroying everything around us. So souls come from these places in order to help out what is seen as a state of emergency. Take the concept of thinking globally, and expand it across the Multiverse. Predictably many of the Otherkin under this heading dedicate themselves to social, political, spiritual and related causes meant to make a positive impact.

Because we walked in. Walk-ins are a unique group among Otherkin; they’re not really so much a category as another explanation. A walk-in is a soul that enters a body well after birth. In some cases this happens at a point when the original soul abandons it (often at a time of great physical/emotional/etc. trauma, though this is not always the case). Other times the walk-in soul shares the body with the original soul. The souls involved may all have had nothing but human lives, but they show up in the `kin community commonly because it’s a safe haven for them to be open about who and what they are. Walk-ins may come in with a purpose, or simply with a curious desire to have a body again but not wanting or being able to enter a newborn body.

Oops. Species dysphoria does occasionally occur among Otherkin. This means that there are those who fully believe they were born into the completely wrong body. I’ve seen this most commonly among therianthropes—those who identify as nonhuman, Earth-native animals—but it happens in other groups as well. Stories vary as to why the soul ended up in the wrong body, ranging from “Well, I thought I was headed into a fox kit, but I guess I missed” to “I’m here against my will because of something I did in another life” (see the first theory listed above).

I dunno. You tell me. There are plenty of Otherkin who have absolutely no idea how they got here. While some do search for answers, many just shrug, chalk it up to unknown forces and go on with their lives.

Again, it’s entirely possible that we’re all just over-imaginative or even delusional; but then again, the same could arguably be said for anyone who claims to believe in reincarnation, spirits or magic. No doubt there are probably plenty who claim the Otherkin label who probably do need to do a lot more seeking before they come to this conclusion; after all, when you don’t feel you fit into this world, escapism can become an extreme behavior in a tiny fraction of individuals. Needless to say, there are thousands of people in this world who are Otherkin, who identify as such and who live perfectly functional, happy lives with no ill effects from their identities. The theory of reincarnation offers many of us a way to explain this feeling of being Other, so we can find peace with ourselves in our entirety.

Let’s Talk Witch – Witches & Reincarnation

Witches & Reincarnation

The witch’s body houses his soul. Witches who believe in reincarnation—and most do—regard earth as a place of learning. Their time on this planet is spent gaining and applying knowledge in ways that can only be accomplished on the physical plane. The eventual goal, however, is to stop the cycle of reincarnation so the soul can return to the Source. The earth, its creatures—everything in this world—are seen as teachers, and all experiences are considered opportunities for growth.

How long a soul waits between incarnations is uncertain. Several years, or perhaps decades or centuries, may pass between sojourns in this world. Many people believe you choose the time, place, and conditions into which you are born, or that you decide in concert with a divine plan that extends throughout the universe.

You may have a specific “task” or “reason” for assuming a particular lifetime. Karmic issues incurred during previous existences influence your present and future lifetimes. Consequently, your soul might have to wait until conditions on earth are optimal for you to undergo the spiritual growth you seek before you can re-enter a physical form.

What about the myths and beliefs about people being reincarnated into animals? No one knows for certain. If you ask some pet owners, they’ll tell you animals display uncanny psychic abilities and seem to have a soul or spirit. Witches often have exceptionally strong ties with animal companions whom they call “familiars.” Although Hindus believe humans can reincarnate as other species, witches generally accept that human souls come back to earth in human bodies.

Excerpt from:

The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book (Everything®)

Alexander, Skye (2008-07-01).

What is Reincarnation?

What is Reincarnation?

Reincarnation is the concept that souls are continuously reborn in different bodies at different times and places. Many belief systems around the world embrace reincarnation, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and a variety of New Age religions. Each religion professes different beliefs about the cause and purpose of reincarnation, but some facts remain consistent. In most every case, reincarnation is a natural and very important part of the development of a soul; it is the process of struggling against some negative force, such as desire or karma, toward a higher state of being; and it applies to all human beings, if not all living creatures.

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

I Came Back For The Coffee

I Came Back For The Coffee

Author: Dracowolf

As a Pagan and Witch, I must say, I do not readily believe or even think much of reincarnation. If it does exist, it happened in the past…I don’t know about everyone else, but I need all my energies focused in the now, and giving a lot of attention to something that happened in another time and place kind of counteracts that. I will not say reincarnation does not happen…just that it matters in this life as much as knowing where Great Uncle Bob came from. If I will do any deep introspective discovery, it might be more along the lines of why I turned up in this here and now and why there are the influences there are in my life, regardless of who people were in my past life or even who I was.

Why did I come back to this plane or any other plane than that of the “Summerlands”? I usually do not really go into much thought with this kind of question. I know a few things; the first is that there is a plan. The Divine has a plan. Do I know that entire plan, or exactly how I fit…no, and I don’t think anyone really ever does, nor do we have to. We are here, yes to learn lessons, but also as Tigernach says in his November 16th article (Choosing to be Alive), “It is only through individual finite existence that we can truly experience the world. Through us Goddess feels pleasure, pain, and love. Without us, the gods would lack eyes to see and a voice to speak. To me this is why we are here; to give beauty, justice and love a face, but it comes at the price of being temporarily separated from the infinite, and the possibility of pain, violence and loss.”

Creation is an ever on-going process, there is a reason just to be “alive”, to be on this plane or another, to give Creation meaning and perhaps direction. To delve into the question of what is our personal meaning in life or any life, is one of perhaps vocation and direction. It is certainly not a who’s who list of those who have come back from the afterlife.

I am a person who talks with Spirits of all sort and varieties. I am more likely to think that some of the experiences people talk about as past lives are those past experiences that the spirits around have lived, and are now relating to us. Perhaps because of how the law of attraction works, certain spirits and life stories are attracted to us because of a similarity of life lived or similarity of lesson or point. Whether true incarnation or spirit communication, it is all the same: information. And we need to search out what information has value and/or meaning to us individually.

As to the question of what free will is… I think that certain beings (angels, for instance) were not given the choice to live their lives for themselves, but are compelled to service or to duty to Creation. I think, in effect, Creator delegated, and made specific beings for specific purposes. A little later in creation, Creator said….hmmmm, what would happen if I did this? Now mind you, I am perfectly comfortable in having mystery in my life, and have some faith in that I will understand what I need to understand, and I could let the rest go, because, in essence, it’s not my part to play. I know this is something not everyone could accept, nor does it mean that I will not try to grow and expand my spirit and knowledge and experience.

Bear with me here… We are only a small part of Creator and Creation, those reasons for Creation are beyond me. I think the question before us is to serve something greater than ourselves, or not. In life, there are many opportunities, and certain opportunities are presented more predominately in one lifetime than others. I think it is our free will to step up to the plate and serve or not, or how much we serve, or to stay centered and functional while serving, depending on the degree to which we serve. This is a partnership of service; we are not obligated to do anything we don’t want to do, nor can we expect favors or training from the rest of Creation, if we do not hold up our end – quid pro quo, I guess. Nor do I mean to put a standard on the term service. If we cannot really know all of Creator, we do not know that making dinner every night and serving one’s family is not the best kind of service…I think we know intuitively what to do, and we must follow our hearts.

The Russian Orthodox faith has a belief called “Sobornost”, which means everything has a place and there is a place for everything. In effect, they also believe that “Satan” still serves God, just not by the most benevolent of means. We do not always know if the meanest of persons is not serving Creation by being what he or she is at heart: the meanest person. I try and stick to the simple faith that it takes all types to make this plane go ’round. Mind you, I will never be caught saying it isn’t frustrating as all Hell that sometimes there are those people who get stuck on one lesson and won’t move on!

After having said all this, why would I come back? I would come back because I have hope and faith in people, in the Spirits and Gods, in Creation, and the Creator/trix. I love life. I love the simple things about life, the feel of being all comfy and cozy in bed in the mornings, a good cup of coffee, having a laugh with a friend, making love, experiencing the seasons come and go. I would come back, because I am part of creation no matter what I do. I want to take part in it, and step up to the plate of life. To honor those who leave this plane, and those who are newly born into it, to teach, and be taught, to love, and struggle, this is all life and to be part of that is one of greatest things I could do.

This being said, I feel I must also put in my thoughts about what the afterlife or Summerland is like. Like this plane, the Summerland is what you make of it. It’s just as easy to fall into an emotional rut here as it is there. The afterlife is not all roses and gold streets; it’s another stage of life and being. It’s not an end or reward; it just is. It may be an end to physical pain, but it is certainly not always an end to emotional or spiritual pain. This is why suicide in general (not always in specific cases) is not the best idea. The emotional pain doesn’t always end after death. In the original context of reincarnation, one reincarnates until they have reached Nirvana, the state of enlightenment. If one has reached the state of enlightenment, they are God-like, they are a Buddha, and there is no reason to “reincarnate” because you are one with all of Creation and no longer a regular old human being, but now a force of Creation, in all times and places. But even Buddha likes to come back to the physical plane…maybe Buddha likes the coffee here too!

Reincarnation, Free Will And The Future

Reincarnation, Free Will And The Future Author: Lonewind
In following the course of the current discussion on reincarnation and free will a thought has been persistently nagging away in the back of my mind. What if we are simply not looking at the whole picture – missing a critically large part of the concept while spending too much time looking back and not nearly enough, as in none at all, looking forward? Quite probably overlooking the surprisingly obvious should we step back and view the subject from a different perspective.
I have noticed that virtually all of the sources I have read over the years spent their time discussing past lives, karma, lessons to be relearned, old debts to be repaid, unfinished business to be taken care of, etc, etc. But there was a virtually complete lack of discussion concerning the future, and our personal preparation for it. I have since developed the very deep seated impression that the vast majority of us seem to regard a future life as some grey area of little importance which is casually allowed to be pushed aside by the pompously important and pervasive press of the here and now. That future being too remote and insubstantial to worry about at the moment. And I also believe that this is a fundamentally misguided approach – one that we all take unwittingly to a greater or lesser degree. Thereby ensuring that our next life my be surprisingly like this one – including all of the associated heartburn and frustration factors attached to not being or accomplishing something which is very important to our evolution as individuals.
Only a rare few among us seem to have a different perspective which guides them, occasionally consciously but predominantly otherwise, along a much different path. A path that, if you think about it for a moment, has a precedent in a relatively recent period of Western history. (I’ll expand on this point in a bit.)
I recently heard a comment on my favorite classical music radio station* that Mozart believed that he had been a musician in a great many previous lives and this was what gave him the ability to create his remarkable body of work with such ease and to perform it so adroitly. Interestingly, there have been a surprising number of composers of classical music who were brilliantly creative and demonstrated it at extremely young ages. And while I have never heard of one of them sharing Mozart’s opinion (remember the times they lived in!), it leads me to the conclusion that – quite probably – Mozart was absolutely right.
Think back along your life path and ask yourself this question: How many times have I met someone that seemed to have a natural, possibly even uncanny, “feel” for the way things need to be done in a given situation in their chosen field – or on occasion in a completely unrelated area? Those “go to” people who have an indefinable and unique talent for getting whatever done quickly and efficiently while the “degree people” or “management staff”** are thrashing around ineffectively. Where does this unique ability to know and understand instinctively things that so many of the rest of us struggle with come from?
In my current life I have had the privilege of knowing a small few of these people, working with and around them. And, while not all of them had the most pleasant of personalities, the experience has been both fascinating and very enlightening. These individuals have also seemed to be fairly evenly split on their ability to articulate the whys and wherefores of their creativity or were tongue tied and inclined to just a mumbled “that’s the way it needs to be” with no further explanation.
Based on these experiences and an awareness of cyclic patterns I have come to the conclusion that we all spend some indeterminate number of lifetimes, the number varying with the individual, exploring some specific field of interest or body of knowledge that appeals to our essential spirit. And that when we pass over into the summerlands that interest, curiosity and acquired knowledge travels with us and on our return to this plane of existence some of the essence of what we learned in that previous life returns with us. That knowledge may not manifest itself in an obvious manner, as in the example I used concerning the classical music composers earlier, but it will be there. It may appear as subtly as an innate ability to seemingly effortlessly grasp the fundamentals of a specific subject or group of subjects in school or the offhanded application of unexpected out-of-the-box thinking to solve some problem. Or it may be an unusual ability to master an extremely difficult and wide array of interrelated disciplines in a complex and dynamic field. Then again it may manifest as an “obsession”, i.e. an unexplainable and intense interest in travel, sports, art, science, a competitive environment or some other activity unrelated to what the insensitive, or insecure, think you should be doing.
And perhaps that is the clue that Mozart left behind for us to trip over in broad daylight – that some measure of the essence of what we know, as well as the essence of what we are, travels forward with us from life to life as we evolve as individuals into the future.
To accept that life is like a great wheel is to accept that as we go around the circle of life we are also completing a life cycle with each turn. Then by definition, each turn of the wheel is an individual lifetime. When we are born we are at the beginning of the day so to speak. When evening comes, our appropriately called twilight years, we prepare to rest for the evening so we may get a fresh start in the morning. And so it goes. From my perspective, a given lifetime is but a day in an indeterminately longer lifetime. And following this line of reasoning leads me to the conclusion that some essence of what we know follows us from life to life just as it does from day to day in a given life. The difference being that our knowledge on a daily basis in a given lifetime is vastly more detailed than the more general essence of specific knowledge that follows us through consecutive lifetimes.
And this leads me to another thought. I strongly suspect that most of us are dissatisfied with some portion of the direction of our lives to some degree and are looking for some way to do something about it at some level. And that’s where we need to follow our instincts, get to know and hopefully understand our “passion”, get friendly with all of those things we have had a long term interest in but kept putting on the back burner for some reason. While it’s probably not even remotely reasonable or practical for most of us to chuck it all and “do what you really want to do” that doesn’t mean that you can’t devote some time to studying those interests. Maybe take a few classes at the local college or adult education center, join a club of like minded people, go to the library or used bookstore and pick up a few recommended volumes. Immerse yourself in your newfound knowledge and see how well it fits. And if you’re not comfortable with what you’ve learned in your explorations then that body of knowledge is not for you at this time. Just be careful that you do not move on too soon or linger too long – keep in mind that the world is full of lousy teachers, opportunistic frauds, poorly written books and the most remarkable diamonds in the rough lurking in unexpected places (one of which might be hiding right in front of your eyes).
And here is where free will enters the picture. A bit earlier I mentioned that “rare few” who seem to be guided by a different perspective. I surmise that perhaps these people experienced a dynamic lifetime during the Renaissance Period when Europe was painfully shaking itself out of its self-inflicted dark ages, recently referred to as The Age of Religion, following the fall of Rome. A remarkable period with an explosive growth of knowledge, both rediscovered and new, infusing the European mind and immersing many influential people in some form of continuous education and discovery throughout their lives, or at least a substantial portion thereof. Following this line of thought to its obvious conclusion it appears to me that these people may have consciously, or more likely subconsciously, made the decision, a powerful exercise of free will in that period, to make the pursuit of knowledge a major influencing factor in their future lives.
And that is where free will is such a critical element of our individuality and growth. Free will is where the rubber meets the road.
If we choose to make continuous learning and education an intrinsic part of this life and all of our future lives we can confidently look forward to more fulfilling incarnations arching rainbow-like across our individual futures as we continue to follow our paths of growth around the ever-changing circle of life. Or you can choose to continue stumbling along blindly, not knowing your passion or purpose, and at some point in your next life you will ask, “Why me – what did I do wrong?” Just like you did in your last incarnation.

Footnotes: * My favorite classical music radio station – you can find them at http://www.KCME.org and they do webcast. A member supported source of classical music and jazz that operates 24/7. No, I don’t work there, just love the music.
** “Degree people” or “management staff” – not intended as a slap at those who have earned a degree and are serious about doing a good job. But is definitely and intentionally aimed at the insubstantial degree wavers and pointy hair bosses we all have suffered under.

Let's Talk Witch – Heaven and Earth

Let’s Talk Witch – Heaven and Earth

Christianity has its heaven. Buddhism has nirvana. Where do witches go when they die? Many of them believe that their souls go to Summerland, a resting place before reincarnation into new bodies, in an ongoing cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

Generally speaking, witches and Wiccans accept the idea of reincarnation, a belief that has also existed in numerous cultures and faiths for a very long time. Some African tribes claim the soul goes into the belly of the earth to await rebirth. In China, the spirits of the dead are said to wait in the underworld (which is not hell, but simply a place for spirits). Hindus believe that the spirit, freed from the physical body, waits to be reborn from the stars.

If your soul previously inhabited other bodies, why can’t you remember your previous lives? It seems that between death and rebirth memories of past lives are veiled, perhaps to prevent confusion or to enable you to enter into a new lifetime with a fresh perspective. Many people say their memories of previous existences have reawakened in dreams, during meditation, through hypnosis or regression therapy, or as a result of some type of traumatic experience.

Perhaps you’ve had a déjà vu experience or encountered someone you felt you’d known forever, even though you’d just met. Those common occurrences are often explained as evidence of reincarnation. Indeed, a great deal of research has been conducted over the years that support the idea. Regardless of whether you recall your past lives, the events of previous incarnations shape your present existence.

And what about animals? Do they come back? Can humans be reborn as animals? No one knows for certain. If you ask some pet owners, they’ll tell you animals display uncanny psychic abilities and seem to have a soul or spirit. Witches often have exceptionally strong ties with animal companions whom they call “familiars.” Although Hindus believe humans can reincarnate as other species, witches generally accept that human souls come back to earth in human bodies.

The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book (Everything®)

Author: Skye Alexander

Daily OM for August 12th – Evolution of the Soul

Evolution of the Soul

Life Lessons through Reincarnation

by Madisyn Taylor

Often we reincarnate on earth with our soul family and often our most intense relationships are with our soul family.

You meet someone for the first time and feel as if you know them already. You’re in a town that you’ve never been to before, yet you recognize streets and buildings. You start playing a new sport and amaze everyone, including yourself, at your natural abilities and intuitive knowing of the rules. We often describe such experiences as déjà vu: the experience or feeling that a new situation has happened to us before. Then again, the possibility does exist that we have actually lived these experiences in the past or, rather, in another lifetime.

Many spiritual practices believe that reincarnation is real: Our souls return to this earth over a series of lifetimes to evolve, learn, grow, transform, and become more spiritually attuned through the course of each life. When we reincarnate, it is believed that we tend to cycle through our different lives with many of the same people. Often these traveling “soul“ companions are the ones we enter into relationships with; we work through our unresolved issues together so that we may heal. When we struggle or keep encountering blocks that keep us from reaching our goals, there may be a specific lesson that we are supposed to learn in this lifetime. Being naturally blessed with a musical talent or another gift can be a special ability that you worked hard to develop in a past life. You may even have lived before as another gender or as part of a different social or economic class. Each lifetime brings with it specific lessons that are necessary for our spiritual evolution.

Past life recall can give us valuable insights into our past, present, and future lives. The knowledge of how we lived before can help us overcome present obstacles, understand phobias, and resolve relationship issues. There are workshops you can take to learn about past lives, and past life regression therapists can guide you on your journey backward in time. You can learn to visit your past lives through your dreams, meditation, and trance work. It is even possible to see full scenes of a former lifetime flash before you in your mind’s eye as if you were watching a movie. While looking back at your past lives can be exciting and enlightening, it is important to remember that the answers you are seeking to this life can only truly be found by living this one. Look to your past to see where you’ve been, but remember that the life that matters most is the one that you are living now.

Daily OM

Life As The Witch – Past Life Remembrance Exercise

I have been digging around in our files this morning especially for you, my dear. I am also on the hunt for the unusual and the different. I know if you are like me, you get tired of the same old, same old. I have done it seems like the same Past Life Regressions and Remembrance Spells for the last five years. I ran across this one and automatically said, “Oh boy, I had forgot about this. Something new to share. I admit it is different, very different from what you are use to but it does work and work very well it does. I hope you find it useful and enjoy!

Past Life Remembrance Exercise

Actually you can use it for many things, but it works well for this purpose.

Get into a relaxed position, lying down is best. You should do some exercise to open your Chakras. After that, once you are really relaxed. You first imagine that you are getting smaller. Like your body is shrinking and you become smaller and smaller. Then you imagine you are your normal size again. Now you imagine that you are getting bigger and bigger, your entire body is just growing. Then again back to your normal size. Eac h time you go smaller or bigger, imagine you are going further and further into that size. When you are getting larger and you feel like you are above the town, above the earth, just hovering with the stars. Stay there for a minute. Just relax and think about nothing. Then when you are ready to return to your normal size again, tell yourself as you move further down towards the earth, when you arrive you will be at another time, in another lifetime. You can ask to arrive in a lifetime that will help you in this carnation. Once you are back to normal size, take a minute and just see what you feel what thoughts are running through your head. You might see scenes or images or flashes of things. Even if you think you might be making it up, just go along with it as it comes. Don’t question it or try to understand any of it, just be more like a spectator. When you are ready, you make yourself larger again. And again, as you are hovering above the earth, you say to yourself as you return to your normal body size, you will be back in your own time, in your present life. Take your time to come out of it, relaxed and slowly. You may want to write down what you can remember about it all, so you don’t forget later. Now, take what information you received and try to meditate on it, see if you can understand anything that connects that life with this one.

What is your Witch Potential?

Reincarnation is a basic tenet of Witchcraft. Those of us fortunate enough to belong to the Craft believe that successivelives are enjoyed under the same zodiac sign. But unlike other ideologies Witchcraft imposes no demands for increasingexcellence – only that each life be lived to its fullest capabilities.

Most of us, despite centuries of indoctrination by the mechanized society, still have ties to the earth…some innateWitchcraft potential that can be developed.

Read the following questions and see how you react to them:

1.Have you always been intrigued by the occult?

2.Do you prefer night to day?

3.Does a storm stir in you an inexplicable sense of excitement?

4.Are you a sensualist?

5.Have you always felt different from most of those around you, set apart?

6.Do you instinctively respond to animals?

7.Are you comfortable alone?

8.Are you relatively indifferent to material possessions?

9.Have you had fleeting glimpses of former lives?

Should you find you can answer most of these questions in the affirmative your witch potential is probably high and should be encouraged.

There is no church to join, no tribute to pay and no hierarchy to employ. You, and you alone, must concentrate on thedevelopment of your own other-consciousness. Go to nature and observe. Attune your inner-mechanism to the quietpace of the seasons and the procession of the constellations across the sky. Go alone, or with that person closest to you. Watch the moon rise, walk in the forests. Feel the earth, drink the water, breathe the air…then light the sacred candlesand begin the life you were meant to live.

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