Tag: Religion Spirituality
Lady A’s Spell of the Day for July 26th: Summer Ritual for a Sunny Will
Summer Ritual for a Sunny Will
Adapted from Witch in the Kitchen, by Cait Johnson (Inner Traditions, 2001).Good will is certainly a concept to ponder. How many of us can truly say we have it?
Now, as warm colors and blazing vitality evoke the power of the will, we can align ourselves with our deepest, best selves with this simple, ancient ritual. After all, summer invites us to think of ways we can harness our immense fiery will in order to give something unique and meaningful to the world, knowing that when we do the things we most love to do we nourish ourselves and others, for the good of all.
This just takes a sunny day and a little birdseed. And it is such a joyful way to celebrate the sun and our own capacity for a truly good will:
Go to a place where wild birds are known to congregate (if you’re a city-dweller, pigeons will do just fine). Stand facing the sun. Close your eyes and imagine that the golden sunlight is streaming into your solar plexus, your will center. Now visualize that you are beaming that golden light back to the sun as you say:
I will to will Thy will.
Now, carefully sprinkle the birdseed around yourself in as perfect a circle as you can, and say:
May my will grow lighter, to feed the world. Now it is done.
Step outside the circle and find a place to sit quietly and observe. Watch as the birds discover and feed themselves with your gift. As each bird takes flight after its meal, visualize your will center growing more light and generous and warm.
The Pagan Newbie
The Pagan Newbie
Author: Crick
We often hear of someone who considers themselves a ‘newbie’ on the path of the mystical arts, or of others referring to someone as a ‘newbie’. But is either of these descriptions really accurate?
The concepts of paganism and the parameters that define such concepts have always been since the first human took breath and more likely even before the advent of humans. There are some who will say that paganism and thus by association the mystical arts, died out and is just now being re-discovered. But is this really an accurate observation? Or is it really our perception and thus sense of awareness that is new?
How many times as a child did you have an “imaginary friend”? Was this friend really imaginary or was it just that the mind of that child had not yet been brainwashed to deny such a sense of awareness? Was the perception of that child such that they could see/sense otherworldly beings? How many times as a child has one seen faeries?
And yet as adults such sightings have become a desire that is in many cases difficult to achieve.
Why?
Did the faeries cease to appear? Were they, as some would have us think, simply figments of our imagination? Or are such invectives towards the imagination really just subtle denials of that which really does exist but which certain folks feel more comfortable denying the existence of?
Within paganism, imagination, which is visualization by another name, is a necessary tenet or tool of paganism and by association, the mystical arts. And who but a child has such a powerful and unfettered tool as that of imagination/visualization?
And so instead of viewing paganism/mystical arts as some re-discovered form of belief, perhaps it’s simply that our realization and thus acceptance of what has always been is really what is now coming into play. And if this is the case, is anyone really a newbie to paganism/mystical arts?
Could it be that those who now choose paganism/mystical arts are basically just shedding the denial that has been implanted from an early age? When we walk through the woods and a deer silently walks by without one noticing it, is the deer non-existent or is it just our sense of awareness that is the reality here?
When we go fishing we cannot see the fish beneath the surface of the water but we cast our lines in anyway. Do the fish hidden in the depths not exist because we cannot espy them, or do we cast our lines into the murky waters because we know that there is something there even if we cannot physically see it?
Or do we decide that what one cannot see, one cannot acknowledge and thus we move on without bothering to cast our lines in at all.
Paganism/mystical arts are akin to this analogy in many ways. Every person on earth is involved in paganism/mystical arts their entire lives and has always been. For it is such tenets of reality that have immersed us from the very beginning of time as we know it. It is our sense of awareness of this reality that determines whether we once again step onto the path of paganism/mystical arts.
Saint Augustine once said; “Unless you believe, you will not understand”. And so though there are some who will deny the existence of paganism/mystical arts this does not preclude a reality that is ever present and ever evolving. It simply highlights a sense of denial of a profound awareness. And as this denial is pierced and recognition of reality and the higher truths that accompany it are brought into the scope of one’s awareness, that person re-emerges onto the pagan path that in all reality they were always on.
And so in essence, no one is a “newbie” as such in regards to paganism/mystical paths. And so such descriptions as “newbie” should be seen not as an introduction by one to paganism/mystical arts, or as it is in some cases as a diatribe used to elevate one’s own sense of personal status, but rather as a re-awakening of one’s awareness of such a reality.
In my own “personal opinion” such a term as “newbie” should be a cause of celebration much like the birth of a newborn child. For when one opens their awareness beyond the layers of denial that have accumulated over the course of one’s life, that person has emerged from the depths of denial and is once again swimming freely in the waters of self discovery and personal growth.
Is this not a cause for great celebration and adulation by those who willingly walk the pagan/spiritual path?
If we are determined to utilize the word “newbie”, then perhaps we should consider changing the implications of such a word from the current understanding. For in essence, we are all “newbie’s” as we seek to walk the mystical path. For each time we encounter a mystery of life and arrive at an answer that works for our individual lives, we open the door to yet another mystery or experience. Is this not the essence of what it means to be a pagan?
It is this constant seeking that for me at least, defines the difference between being a subservient member of a religion and being a seeker on a spiritual path. The latter has set parameters of which subscribers are expected to follow blindly without question. And of which one is discouraged from questioning even when such questions beg an answer.
As a seeker on the mystical path, one has un-fettered liberties to form and then to seek the answers to the questions of spirituality that we all face, whether as a member of a religion or as a seeker on the spiritual path.
And so if I have to take on the label of “newbie” in order to experience such freedom of the heart, mind and soul, then I personally will wear such a label with humble pride. For as a newbie, I look forward to the rest of my life as being involved in a state of discovery and learning.
If being a newbie equates to being a pagan, I have found my calling, have you?
Understanding Magickal Royalty: Witch Queen / Witch King
Understanding Magickal Royalty: Witch Queen / Witch King
Author: Lady Abigail
Recently during one of my classes on the history within our magickal traditions, a question came up about levels and degrees of hierarchy found in Witchcraft and Wicca. Within these, is there a title or position wherein someone is called Witch Queen or Witch King.
First of all: YES!
This is a real term, older than recorded time. It does not matter what the word is you use King, Queen, Sovereign, Master, Elder Lord or Lady; these are each equal titles given to someone that is held in a place of greatest honor within the traditions of magick, spell crafting and the old ways and traditions. It is not a self-professed degree. You have to have worked for years with many other teachers and traditions of understanding. The Wise Ones and the Elders must first teach you. Then you become a teacher in your own right to achieve these levels.
If you work as a solitary this will not be an issue. But if you are in a group that works within a degree system you may decide you want to move forward within this group as an Elder, teacher or someday leader yourself. Not all traditions follow a degree system. It depends on the specific tradition you follow and what requirements there are within that group.
A Witch Queen is a High Priestess (of third degree depending on traditions) within a coven that has had a certain number of hives that have formed independent covens under which the Queen oversees. The hiving can be either from growth or from desire.
The title “Witch Queen” is not a rank. It is given in honor and with respect to those of aged wisdom. We give this title to those of great knowledge that work to share our beliefs within the light and truth.
The title shows dedication, wisdom and heart of commitment. A pledge is then given freely and witnessed by Elders, Priest and Priestesses as well as other Witch Queens and Kings. This can be difficult when these traditions are so personal and held in great secretary within all traditions.
To receive the title Witch Queen, you must be a High Priestess (HPS) of the third degree or higher. Depending on the tradition, the second level may be required (5 to 13 years training) . From there, you must have taught and trained several students who have reached the level of High Priest or High Priestess of the third degree (10 to 20 years +) and have subsequently hived themselves unto their own independent covens, clans or groves. During all this work, study, time, teaching and subsequent hiving and growth, you must be maintaining your own personal working coven without question or falter, maintaining all the wisdom in its continued teaching and training therein.
In other words, you must have at least five working covens that have hived from your group. These Covens must be in good standing as working covens holding to their teachings and traditions. Yet you must continue to be a strong leader within your personal Coven. As Priest or Priestess within your group you must be teaching, training, and upholding the daily responsibilities. In addition to these duties you must be ready, willing and able to deal with any circumstances that may arise within those Covens that have hived from you and look to you for guidance.
To receive the Title of “Witch Queen” can take anywhere from 13 years to a lifetime. Please note: That 13 years to achieve the honor of Witch Queen is very rare even if you are truly doing all that must be done.
How it works:
Once you have studied and trained within a Coven to receive the title of High Priestess of the third degree (this takes 5 years or longer) , you must ask your Coven HPS permission to hive. If it is agreed, you begin to work towards this goal. As an Elder and HPS within your Mother Coven, you will train with your Coven High Priestess for a year and a day. You will begin to find and teach students that will be a part of your group when you hive off from your Mother Coven or Hive.
(To hive, it is best to have at least four students who have reached the level of first degree under your instruction. Those whom have trained with you within the Mother Coven as you prepare to separate into an independent group.)
Once your Coven is formed and independently working from the Mother Coven, the work truly begins. You must labor to keep your group active and growing. In this, you may have members that desire to learn and grow and become leaders. So you will teach and work with them unto this goal, while also teaching and working with new members and the community. No Coven can be made up of only leaders; there must be students and seekers to make it whole.
Once you have established your own working Coven independent unto itself you are ready to begin. You must teach and train five members of your Coven unto the level of third degree High Priestess or Priest; that have started working with their own groups independent of the Mother Coven. This will not and cannot happen all at once. While teaching these members, and during the hivings, you must still maintain your personal working Coven outside these members and all the time maintaining your group while teaching and working within the community.
Once you have at least five members that have hived to create their own active, working covens, (which have not withdrawn themselves from your coven in any way that would cause turmoil or malice to enter) then and only then, you may request that your Mother Coven’s High Priestess recognize you as a “Witch Queen” within your own right. This is how the cycle continues and we grow as a community.
The title “Witch Queen” is given to honor those who have dedicated their lives to the continued understanding of who we are within the community as a whole and unto those seeking understanding of our beliefs.
“Witch Queen” is not an entitlement one can give oneself. It comes from hard work and knowing that this life is a gift that must now and always be shared.
To be a “Witch Queen” shows that you will continually work, teach and train others; working as a teacher, advisor, elder and/or councilor.
“Witch King”: So do we have Witch Kings? I am not sure why we don’t hear as much about the male side of this coin. Those who have reached the honor of being a Witch Queen are rare. I have to imagine that Witch Kings are just as rare.
I can tell you the terms I have heard. I believe them to be equal; both Witch King and Witch Queen are terms we give to those we know of knowledge, wisdom and honor.
Witch King is the best known of the titles. But I have also heard the term Master Witch. Both being rare and seldom used. I think the Master Witch today sounds too much like a video or computer game. (This may be why we don’t hear it used.)
Because we don’t hear a lot about a Witch Kings is not to say they are not around. Like myself it is the honor we hold not the scepter. We don’t wear signs that state, “I am King or I am Queen.” We are generally known in our circles and by those we love and trust. Occasionally we share the information with others to teach, and to explain why we should all keep striving to be more.
The title “Witch King” is given to honor those who have dedicated their lives to the continued understanding of who we are within the community as a whole and unto those seeking understanding of our beliefs.
“Witch King” is not an entitlement one can give oneself. It comes from hard work and knowing that this life is a gift that must now, and always, be shared.
To be a “Witch King” shows that you will continually work, teach and train others, be this as an advisor, elder and/or councilor in and outside the traditional Coven workings.
* NOTE: I understand from history the mundane world decided to believe that male was stronger than female, somehow better. Like in history; first we had the Goddess. She was strong, full of love and life. She was the giver of life and the cycle of creation found in Life and Death. Later we find balance in both the God and the Goddess as they worked together in balance. Then man decided this was not to be. Man was the master and in this he tried to destroy the Goddess saying we needed only one God. To seek the female energy would be a sin and bring death to those who worshiped Her.
During these changes in history, society began to believe that man should rule over woman in all things. Therein, a King should rule or stand over a Queen. She became somehow less than he. We in the Pagan world understand this will just not work. We have both Priestesses and our Priest. We may stand together or alone, but we stand as equals in the balance of female and male. Those who study history along with the old ways understand this to be true.
I think this may be why we have so few that stand proudly in these old traditions of pride within our beliefs. It is not that we do not find honor in the titles of who we are, Witch Queen or/and Witch King. We are somehow put off by the way others see them. Yet if we don’t teach those walking the path anew, who will teach those how come later.
I have pride in who I am, what I have accomplished and those I teach. I know in my heart that they shall carry forward into the next generations the truth with wisdom and honor.
Blessed Shall They Be.
Lady Abigail
High Priestess Ravensgrove Coven
Greenfield, IN
Copyright © 01252010
Where Faeries Tread
Where Faeries Tread
Author: Priest Christopher Aldridge
I think it’s a shame that we live in a society that makes fun of adults who believe in Faeries or who tell of an encounter they have had with them. I am a Wizard, A Hellenist and a practitioner of Witchcraft, and most who know me know that I believe in Faeries and other magickal creatures very strongly.
Now I won’t try to force my beliefs on others, but I do wish people would stop trying to label believers like me as “delusional.” If I don’t try to force my beliefs on you, don’t try to force yours on me, or anyone else for that matter. To assume that someone is “stupid, ” “crazy, ” or “delusional, ” because they don’t believe the same as you, is arrogant. It’s all right to have debates, but don’t be disrespectful.
I think that people who do not believe in Faeries have this fallacy that because they have not experienced proof, that no one else could possibly have, and therefore Faeries cannot exist. They compare their experiences to that of all people. But the fact of the matter is that there are countless sightings by adults from all over the world who have had encounters with Faeries and little folk.
The people I have talked to who have encountered Faeries are, like myself, perfectly sane. One such website where you will find many Faerie sightings is: http://www.fairygardens.com/sightings/adult4.html
However, I cannot really blame the average individual for thinking that belief in Faeries is silly or insane for someone who is an adult. After all, our society has conditioned people to certain beliefs. As humans, we tend to establish our own laws in regards to what is possible and impossible. We do this while not realizing that we did not create this universe, nor do we control it, we are but a part of it. We should not be so quick to assume that we know what is possible and impossible when we are but a link in this chain of life.
I am 25 years old, and unfortunately, some people have made fun of me for believing in Faeries, and I’m sure they even believe that I am insane or delusional. I do know other Pagans and Witches who don’t think I’m crazy for believing though, and some people have even commended me for having the courage to basically broadcast my beliefs in the Fae. The bottom line is that I am not ashamed of my beliefs. Of course, Faeries are but one part of my belief system, but I hold that belief strongly.
Many people don’t believe in Faeries because they have never seen or encountered them, which I can understand, because some people are just the type who only believes what they see. So why would people who believe in the Fae be labeled as insane or delusional for believing in something they have seen? I think that we have certainly discovered that just because you can’t see something, does not mean it’s not there. But many people have seen Faeries. There are several books published on Faeries, including how to communicate and work with them.
Throughout history, many cultures have believed in and even feared Faeries. They took the belief in the Fae and the honor and appeasement of the little folk very seriously.
You will find that there are different beliefs held by different individuals as to who or what Faeries actually are. If you’re like me, you believe that Faeries are literal beings, real magickal creatures that are either individuals on their own, or are reincarnations of the dead. I believe that they can travel to our realm and interact with humans if they choose. And I believe they have great magickal powers and abilities.
While some believe that they live on the Astral Plane, I do not believe that that is the only realm they inhabit. To me, Faeries can be guardians of certain places and things in nature and friends to humans who respect them.
Every spring and summer, I keep a Faerie garden outside my home to welcome good Faeries and their good energies into my life. Even when the garden dies in the winter, I do not remove it. Now of course I do not and would never place the Faeries on the same level or above the Gods and Goddesses, but I do believe in respecting the Fae. But I do not worship them. You can show respect without worshipping.
I also hold the belief that the Fae are but not limited to reincarnations of the dead. I think that humans can reincarnate to the Faery Realm. I believe that Faeries can also be the creations of the Gods and Goddesses as well. I also happen to hold the belief that Faeries can also be nature spirits, as in spirits of nature herself. Such as woodland Faeries, water Faeries, air Faeries, etc.
I am very careful to not offend the Faeries. I have read about times when people have paid dearly for greatly offending or angering a Faery. Now there are many types of Faeries, and probably depending on who you talk you, some would advise you to not contact certain Faeries due to their nature towards humans, that’s why when I call on them I make sure to call on the good Faeries who have only good intentions.
And then I think some people, unlike me, believe that Faeries are archetypal, symbolizations and personifications of natural things and magickal and unknown things or places in nature. Some may even believe that the names of some Faeries are the keys to unlocking universal energies, such as Faery energy. And that may very well be so.
Keep in mind that there are different kinds of Faeries. Faeries are not only little people with wings that we commonly conjure up when we think of the Fae. But there are, in fact, many types of Faeries. Some are friendly to humans; some are absolutely not. I would say that I think one of my favorite types of Faeries are the Gnomes.
Gnomes are dwarfs and Faeries. They tend to live deep within forests. Legend has it that they live under old oak trees, and are known to be helpful to humans and animals. They are also guardians of the gardens. They can also protect you and are intelligent beings. The common depiction of the Gnome that is short little people with pointy hats, many believe that that depiction is actually correct.
To me, the Gnomes are very charming and lovable. I know people who have seen Faeries and some tell spectacular tales as to their encounters, and sightings continue to come in from all over the world. I would say that one of the most spectacular stories of a Faerie encounter has come from Herbie Brennan, who is a very successful author from Ireland. His video where he tells about his experiences can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EclmR01xSds
I also constructed a Faery Garden Blog a long time ago to post Faery encounters from people I know or anyone who is willing to send one in to me. There are not many there, but the ones that are will be charming and interesting to you, I think. http://www.chrisfaerygarden.blogspot.com
Will we as the human race not even consider the possibility that Faeries exist? Is it so insane to believe in something that so many people have seen? At the least, we should stop ridiculing people who do believe in the Fae. We should always keep an open mind. And if you believe, don’t be afraid to express it.
Hail the Olympians!
And may everyone be blessed!
It’s All In The Wrist – Some Wand Basics
It’s All In The Wrist – Some Wand Basics
Author: Bronwen Forbes
After the athame, the most popular – and misunderstood – ritual tool is the wand. Aside from the “is the wand a tool of the East or a tool of the South?” debate I covered in my Witchvox article on athame basics, there seem to still be quite a few unanswered questions about the wand and its use including: Is it better to make or buy a wand? How long should my wand be? What should I make my wand out of? When should I use the wand in ritual, as opposed to using the athame? How do I charge my wand and make it ready to use?
Is it better to make or buy a wand? In general, it is always better to make a ritual tool than buy it. Obviously, unless you have a forge and the training to make your own blade from scratch, it’s better to buy an athame rather than make it. Plus, wands made by other people can be *expensive.*
I remember a few years back with wands made of wood that had a natural spiral twist to it from growing with a wild grape vine wrapped around it were being sold for about $60. If the seller added a shell or crystal at the tip, the naturally spiral wands were closer to $70. I remember talking to a friend who was Pagan and also participated in “Host Your Own Murder Mystery” events. She had just returned from a murder mystery convention and was telling me about the weird stuff that the attendees bought to make their weekend events more realistic (fake blood and cap guns were only the tip of the iceberg) – and how much they paid for it.
I said, “Yes, but Pagans have been known to pay $70 for a stick!” She laughed, but she also had to agree with me.
How long should my wand be? Traditionally, your wand should be exactly the length from the inside of your elbow to the tip of your middle finger. No more, no less, and *never* “trim” your already-made wand to fit in the fancy storage box your sweetie gave you for Yule (seriously, I know someone this happened to) . However, it’s been my experience that if two people are working partners and only one of them has a wand, the other can generally use the wand even if it’s traditionally the “wrong” length.
What should I make my wand out of? Wands can be pretty easy to make. All you need is a short, cured wooden branch, or, if you want to go fancy, find your own “stick” that has wild grapevine growing around it. Take home, strip the bark off, and polish.
I had a student once who wanted more than anything to be a music conductor. Her wand was, in fact, a conductor’s baton. I thought it was perfect for her. I’ve also known people who have used bones from their totem animals (deer bones work very well, if you can get them) rather than wood. They seemed to work well, too.
My husband has a lovely wand he “recycled” from a red maple tree that needed to be cut down in his mother’s front yard a few years ago. To give him an even closer connection with his wand, he and his father were the ones that planted the tree in the first place. If I ever have a wand, it will probably be made of oak, holly or apple – my favorite trees. A quick note to the Harry Potter fans: no, it will not have a phoenix feather in the middle of it!
You can decorate your wand with shells, crystals, feathers, paint, carve runes into it – whatever makes it more “yours.” However, I would reference the excellent article Lupa posted here on Witchvox about the legal use of animal parts for ritual items before adding feathers or bits of fur to the end, or even making the wand out of bone as mentioned above. The last thing you want is to take your wand to a public space to use for a community ritual and have it confiscated by the police or park rangers because you’ve put a feather on it that, legally, you’re not allowed to have.
When should I use the wand in ritual, as opposed to using the athame? You can, generally, use the wand for anything you’d use the athame for –casting the circle, saluting the quarters, etc. If you believe the wand is the tool of the East, use it any time you need extra “air” energy – when you’re doing a ritual to help you study more effectively for an exam, for instance, or when beginning a new job.
If you believe the wand is the tool of the South, use it any time you need extra “fire” energy – if you’ve been feeling physically run down lately, or you’ve got some old life baggage you want to burn away. If your wand is made of wood, I’d definitely refrain from placing it in a combustible situation – using it to consecrate a burning candle, or poking your incense charcoal to get the burnt ash off the surface and expose the glowing coal within, for instance. Use your athame or boline for those – and save yourself the pain and embarrassment of setting your wand on fire!
How do I charge my wand and make it ready to use? I keep my wand tucked away with the rest of my altar tools (I have a small child and many pets. Ritual tools are safely stored in a special cabinet) . To charge it, I waited for a particularly windy day (yes, I am definitely of the belief that wands are the tool of East/Air) and took my wand outside for a few hours so it could absorb the wind. I also did this as close to sunrise as possible to add the dawn/new beginnings energy to the tool. I still do this periodically if I haven’t used it in ritual for a while – just in case.
Whether your wand is something you make yourself or a gift from a dear friend, cherish it and use it well!
Witches’ Flying Potion: Through the Clouds
Basque witches also created flying ointments although, perhaps because Mari, Basque Queen of Witches, flies on a fire bolt, the associations of flying on broomsticks are lacking. Instead of brooms, incantations are needed: rub the ointment on the body while repeatedly chanting something like: “Above all the thorns, through all the clouds….”
Russian Witches’ Flying Ointment
1. Rub autumn gentian into the armpits and backs of knees to be enabled to fly.
2. The most potent autumn gentian is picked on Saint John’s Eve at Bald Mountain.
Don’t run out and get autumn gentian. That may not be the exact plant used. Russian magick placed greater emphasis on the process of gathering herbs (“during the seventh minute of the fourteenth hour, under a dark moon, in the thirteenth field, wearing a red dress, pick the twelfth flower on the right”) than on precise identification of the herb itself. This isn’t meant to be completely sarcastic. Different traditions place emphasis on different aspects of magick.
The Binding
The handfasting ceremony culminates in hand binding. In the past, couples would have their hands bound together and knotted with cord. Although some witches still like to use cord, many brides and grooms today opt for satin ribbons in purple, green, and white. These are about six and a half feet in length and wound around the bride’s and groom’s clasped left hands. The expression “tying the knot” likely derives from this ritual.
The high priestess coils the ribbons, weaving them in and out of the couple’s fingers before holding their tied hands in the air for a few moments. Ethereal, angelic music plays as the pair begin to walk around the circle, displaying their joined hands and sharing their happiness with everyone. In turn, the guests shower the newlyweds with rice (contrary to popular belief, it’s a myth that raw rice will injure birds). In Pagan times rice throwing was believed to transfer the spirit of the fertile grain to the bride and groom, ensuring that they would have a prosperous harvest and a fertile union.
Once this ancient ritual has been completed, the high priestess unties the couple’s hands and pronounces them handfasted; the groom then kisses his bride. However, it doesn’t end there, because many witches love to follow tradition and jump the broom, which has been propped up against the altar. The drummers bang on their drums as the newlyweds take a running jump over this ornate broom to finalize the marriage. The British phrase “living over the brush” comes directly from this custom; it signifies a couple who have not had an official wedding ceremony but are wed in the eyes of the community. At this point everybody cheers and applauds the newlywed couple and the ceremony is over.
The Sermon and Vows
There are many different types of handfasting services. They can last from around fifteen minutes to a half hour, and the ceremonial texts can vary considerably. Sermons are read and vows are exchanged, as in traditional non-Wiccan/Witch weddings; prewritten sermons are available on the Internet to download. In Angelic Wicca, the sermon focuses on angels; archangels are called upon to bless the couple to ensure that they go on to have a happy union together.
Once the bride and groom are standing in front of the altar, the high priestess takes a handful of salt and casts it at their feet. This is said to purify the ground they stand on. She asks the bride and groom to lower their heads, then throws a handful of salt above them to cleanse the air around them. After the high priestess has given her sermon and ask the angels to send eternal blessings, she take a small silver spoon dipped in honey and gently places it on the lips of the couple to sweeten their life together. A goblet of wine is then offered to each of them, and they drink in turn from the same vessel. The bridesmaids offer baskets to the couple and to all the guests; as the bride and groom each take a bite from theirs, so do their guests, to symbolize sustenance.
The bride and groom have usually written their personal vows in private and have not shared them with each other beforehand. Many witches like to stand at a lectern and speak their promises to their partner so that all can hear. When the vows have been spoken, the bride and groom exchange rings and the high priestess prepares to bind the couple’s hands.
The Ceremony
The service commences with the groom and the high priest or priestess approaching the altar, accompanied by hand drummers. Let’s imagine that this ceremony is conducted by a high priestess. The high priestess carries an ornamental cushion with colorful ribbons or cords, draped across it. These will be used later to bind the couple’s hands in matrimony. If it’s a breezy day, the ribbons are pinned to the cushion to keep them in place.
After the groom and the priestess have taken their places at the altar, the drummers return to the bridal party and drum the bride and the handmaidens into the circle. The groom’s attire is of his choosing: he may be wearing a frock coat or a fancy, colorful vest. The bride is usually color-coordinated with the groom. She may wear something long and flowing, not necessarily white, accessorized with a headdress or a wreath of seasonal flowers on her head and possibly a wand tipped with rose quartz. The bride has her handmaidens in attendance throughout the service, and there can be as many or as few as she wants. Their costumes are often very witchlike – long, dramatic, gothic-style dresses in rich fabrics such as velvet, with colors ranging from deep purples and reds to vibrant turquoise. Each handmaiden wears a pentagram necklace or ring.
Handfastings
The glitz and glamour of today’s white weddings actually derive from the ancient pagan betrothal ceremony called the handfasting. The tradition of this hand-clasping ritual is believed to date back to Roman times. It is thought that a handfasted bride and groom initially took their vows only for a year and a day. After that time, if they were still madly in love, another ceremony was held to united them permanently. In the twenty-first century, Wiccans and Witches do still get handfasted but like most things, handfasting has evolved with the times. Angelic Wiccans tend to have ceremonies based on conventional handfasting, but with services attuned to the vibration of angels rather than the Pagan Gods and Goddesses.
Where Have All the Happy Witches Gone?
Where Have All the Happy Witches Gone?
Author: Autumn Heartsong
Like many of you, I didn’t have the experience of being raised Pagan. My baby feet never toddled on a Pagan path and I was well into my middle adult years before I stepped out on that road. I’ve not looked back, save for an occasional glance over my shoulder to compare the road I’m on to those I traveled before. As you might expect, there are vast differences between them, but it is a similarity that has been top of mind lately, one that touches what is, to me, the very heart of a Witch’s walk.
I was raised in a Christian faith that put a great deal of value on reasoning, study, and careful thought. Services were quiet, orderly, and structured. Even the music was quiet. There were no choirs, no soloists. Most of the time it seemed as though everyone in the congregation was trying to under-sing everyone else, as if actually being heard would somehow lessen the holiness of the moment. I always felt, no matter how much knowledge we acquired, our worship was cold and empty. There was no joy, no bliss, no celebration. It was all head and no heart.
As a young adult, I ventured away from that branch of Christianity into more charismatic churches. Ah, I thought, here were people who knew what bliss was! They really understood and felt their faith! They sang lustily, prayed loudly, even danced in the aisles. Yes! I loved it! But when I began to ask questions about the basis for their faith, I found very few answers.
“It’s all a mystery, ” they said. “We’re not meant to understand.”
Not meant to understand? You mean my eternal salvation or damnation depends on some mystery I’m not meant to grasp, on a book I’m not really meant to study, and on questions I can’t know the answers to? That didn’t sit well with me, either. Empty ecstatic celebration might as well have been a rave as a religious experience. It was all heart, no head.
I became a spiritual wanderer, looking in every book, under every rock, and up every tree for answers, listening for the ring of truth. When I found it, more in the rocks and trees than in the books, the ring of truth sang out from inside me where it had been all along. And in that beautiful realization I found the balance I had sought, a path that used both my heart and my head. The more I learned, the more I had to celebrate, and the more I had to celebrate. I was so filled with wonder and joy and happiness at finally finding my place in the Universe, my role in the great scheme, how could it not overflow into my every thought and word?
Imagine, then, my confusion when I look around and see so little expression of that ecstatic experience in my pagan community. There is a hole in the happiness landscape of our everyday life. Where have all the happy Witches gone? Where is the joy?
How is it that people who are deeply connected to the rhythm and flow of nature, who commune with Deity without shame, guilt, or intercessor are not beacons of happy light in the world? Why aren’t more people spontaneously dancing in the moonlight and singing with the stars? Why aren’t we so caught up in the rapture of our connection to the Universe that we find ourselves unable to keep words like “happiness, ” “bliss, ” “joy, ” and “Yes!” out of our everyday vocabulary?
Yes, I’m aware those last few lines were a bit over the top, and I know how difficult it is to be ecstatic when your back hurts, your car payment is late, and your 401K balance is plummeting. I am aware of the state of the world we live in and know intimately the press of the “real world” from all sides. And I’m respectful of the seriousness of my path, the personal responsibility and accountability I take on when I choose to work with the fundamental energetic building blocks of the Universe. I know those things, and I’m still filled with joy and wonder, still dancing in the moonlight at every opportunity.
I have heard the naysayers among my Pagan brothers and sisters, the ones who cast knowing glances at each other and mutter “newbie” (though I’m hardly a neophyte) or, my personal favorite, “fluffy bunny.” They equate my ecstatic expression of my faith with naiveté, my joy with the zeal of the newly converted or a lack of respect for the serious nature of my path. On the other hand, there are those who welcome my celebratory enthusiasm but turn away when the conversation moves toward deeper topics. They’re content with mysteries they aren’t meant to understand.
It seems that some in the Pagan community are squaring off into two camps, head versus heart, much like the churches of my youth. I’m not willing to join either camp. My “church” is in the dance of both perspectives, where head meets heart and knowledge spawns celebration.
My enthusiastic embrace of a more charismatic Pagan path is neither naïve nor fluffy. It is a conscious choice – the choice to allow reason and emotion to overlap, to be aware of the less-than-perfect nature of the world without letting it become my focus, to grow in knowledge and experience without allowing myself to become jaded, cynical, or too sophisticated to feel wonder. From where I stand, every new bit of knowledge I gain only increases my sense of wonder and awe. I choose to embrace both head and heart in my walk – to know and to feel, to think and to dance, to see the shadow and still walk in the light.
As a Witch, I believe embracing a life of awe with will and intent is my birthright and my responsibility. It is a conscious act of creation wherein I take the gifts and insights offered to me and transform them into a life that is both grounded and ecstatic. I would wish for each of you a life filled with wonder and joyful expression. May your learning open doors in both mind and heart.
Whether you choose to physically dance in the moonlight or dance privately in your heart – dance, Witch…dance!
The Journey of a Wild Witch
The Journey of a Wild Witch
Author: Eilan
It has been eight years since I first discovered Witchcraft in a spiritual context. Prior to this Magick was very much alive in my life as I was lucky enough to have been born into a family that understands the spiritual dimension of life. My family also had the insight and experience to see and live this dimension in their everyday. In truth there is no difference between what is conceived to be ‘spiritual’ and that which is apparent and ‘mundane’. It is all one. This is my truth and my wild way.
I am an initiated Witch and Priest of the WildWood Tradition of Witchcraft. This means a great deal to me, as I am also a ‘co-founder’ of the original Mother Coven, based in Brisbane and initiated at Samhain (April 30th) 2006. Our ‘tradition’ and way of living the Craft is deeply interwoven with what many people call ‘shamanism’; derived from the Siberian Tungus word for their medicine people – saman. Mircea Eliade, the late Romanian historian, described shamanism as a “technique of ecstasy” and my coven has come to define Witchcraft as an “ecstasy-driven, Earth-based, mystery tradition”.
Our (and all Witches’) rituals and methods of practice allow us to transcend the illusion of separation and therefore to dissolve the ego and actualize the freedom that lives in the heart of all things. I often call and relate to this ‘All’ as the Great Mystery. The beauty of being a Wild Witch is that nothing is absolute and I have come to realize that all of Life is a holy continuum, which constantly seeks to express itself through diversity. Through expression comes manifestation, which allows us to experience Beauty through Perfection (the world in which we live) and then once more we come to the Wholeness of Unity and the cycle repeats itself.
We are born into a plural world of many and pass into the One only to yearn to divide ourselves once more to grow, deepen and enrich our understandings and experiences of that subtle/overt thing – the Great Mystery.
My coven’s tradition has developed and evolved around this wild-trance-dance-of-wonder. The only consistency between our covens is that we honor and acknowledge our heartland the WildWood, keep holy our covenant with the Sacred Four (the Weaver, the Green Man, the Crescent-Crowned Goddess and the Stag-Horned God) and that we remain open and receptive to personal/group gnosis and to Awen (the divine flow of inspiration) . Other than this there are some structural similarities regarding dedication and priesthood and inner and outer courts.
Essentially however we are wild Witches who fly in the face of authority and seek the wilderness underlying the apparent ‘civilization’ of things. Nothing can be tamed, for the wild is free and the free is divine! As we say in the WildWood – “we have actualized our radness!”
What do Wild Witches do? First and foremost – we live! We breathe, we sleep, we eat, we drink, we sing, we dance, we make love, we scream and we spend time sharing presence and being with our loved ones. ‘Being’ is an important principle to consider. To be is quite simple but so many people find themselves distracted by the “this and that” that they leave ‘being’ behind and pursue illusion instead.
This isn’t the same concept found in various Christian philosophies which espouses a “Satan’s fault!” message when sheep stray from the flock so to speak. Witches understand self-responsibility and are aware of action, reaction and consequence (the Threefold Law) . Why not exist in euphoric awareness of self as Self – the animate Cosmos? You are not only a cell within a larger body of universal wholeness; you are whole and thus a perfect embodiment, expression and reflection of the Great Mystery whose cause, undercurrent and outcome is Life.
When we free ourselves from the illusion of past, present and future and surrender to the Flow of the Continuum (the spirals, the wayward ins and outs, the labyrinthine, serpentine undulations of fate becoming) we make real for ourselves the state of being known commonly as “here and now”. This seems to constitute location and time, however it simply addresses the emphasis of indwelling consciousness regardless of where you are and what frame of time constrains it.
There are moments in my life, which I refer to as ‘Nostalgic Rites’. They are pure, simple, soothing, knowing moments that are like the punctuation points in a flow of sentences. They are the markers and the thresholds that appear along our paths when it is time to pause, reflect and feel. I have them often enough in my life to understand their imminent message of timelessness, peace and overwhelming Love! For what I have learnt above all else thus far is that dwelling within the chaos in the cosmos is the peace which neither subsumes or overrides it, but embraces it and lets it be. Chaos is what happens naturally when the undifferentiated potential becomes “this and that” and peace is the understanding that this is the way of Life. All of this is wild; we dwell in a far-reaching, limitless wilderness.
In a recent priestess training session with two beautiful women from my coven I asked both of them to divulge their feelings and reflections of the journey toward their priestesshood, as they are nearing to the ‘end’ of the beginning – Initiation. One of the women honestly came out and said to us that she feared for us (the other priestess-in-training and I) because we are on the top of the mountain, but because we are risk-takers it is inevitable that we will fall.
I had to stop and wonder in that moment why anyone would not want to fall. In fact I also wondered whether it had occurred to her that surrounding the mountain were vast forests, plains, rivers, deserts, tundra, bushland, seas, oceans and lakes; not to mention all of the beings who inhabit these places.
For me the mountain is not the point. It is part of the whole Great Mystery, but the journey does not lead to a single place; in fact the journey doesn’t really lead anywhere. There is no aim to my wandering, to my blissful dance through the wilderness – I simply embrace every experience because it is worthy of it and I laugh, smile, cry, choke, rage, relax, love, ***, change, grow, and a million other things that I couldn’t possibly articulate or fathom for the purposes of this article.
The other woman, who knows me very well, and is one of my closest friends, then turned to me smiling and said, “You are so glib!” She then went on to explain that it was the “natural, offhand ease and articulate fluency and flow” of how I expressed my truth that made me glib in her opinion.
It wasn’t a criticism on her part, merely an observation. I think it is actually quite accurate. I have such ease and flow in my expression because I don’t have to think too hard about who I am or how I feel because I am and I feel in the “here and the now”. I live and I am, and in my experience Life itself is glib.
To my fellow journeyers of the wild way who know in their hearts that they are heading nowhere, anywhere and everywhere – may you dance the Wander with all you are. My deepest well of love to you all!
The Wanderer
The sages say that samsara is to wander, to pass through,
I say samsara is to know the way and dance it.
To dance is to live, and to live is never “to pass through”;
Dance doll – dance and light up the stage…
Then they came with their wrought-iron weapons
And they pierced my soul, and looked for the mark.
I sang to them to soothe their battered spirits.
They sunk their swords in harder, my heart is in shreds.
The blood ran dry and the old seas heaved
And there in the darkest hour all was forgotten,
And tattered clothes were left in tatters,
And the ashes were left in mounds at the pyres.
Is it a fact that when we are lost we wander?
Is it true that when we are in love we dance?
Or do we dance when we are lost?
And do we wander when in love?
Samsara, O holy wheel of Life,
Keep turning, I want to stay.
I don’t want nirvana in clouds far away
For I feel it already…here.
The Wanderer – the Fool?
I don’t mind, I don’t mind being;
For all the pain and suffering and the attachment to desire
There is a keenness that is not worth losing.
I want to live,
I want to wander if that’s what it takes,
But through all this I will dance
And I will dance because I love.
– Gede Parma, 2007
I say samsara is to know the way and dance it.
To dance is to live, and to live is never “to pass through”;
Dance doll – dance and light up the stage…
And they pierced my soul, and looked for the mark.
I sang to them to soothe their battered spirits.
They sunk their swords in harder, my heart is in shreds.
And there in the darkest hour all was forgotten,
And tattered clothes were left in tatters,
And the ashes were left in mounds at the pyres.
Is it true that when we are in love we dance?
Or do we dance when we are lost?
And do we wander when in love?
Keep turning, I want to stay.
I don’t want nirvana in clouds far away
For I feel it already…here.
I don’t mind, I don’t mind being;
For all the pain and suffering and the attachment to desire
There is a keenness that is not worth losing.
I want to wander if that’s what it takes,
But through all this I will dance
And I will dance because I love.
‘The Magic is Real!’ (Sometimes We Just Need To Be Reminded.)
‘The Magic is Real!’ (Sometimes We Just Need To Be Reminded.)
Author: Lodestone & Lady’s Mantle
Do you remember the day when you forgot? What was it? Was it when you felt like the last person to learn there wasn’t a Santa Claus? Was it that one day the magic failed? Was it even a single moment? Did you just stop seeing “Them”? Be it ghosts, fairies, elementals, or that invisible friend that faded after countless therapy sessions, it’s one of the biggest stumbling blocks I’ve discovered with the modern practitioner.
We’ve forgotten.
We embrace the religion and forget that what it stands for is even there: The Magic is Real. We pray when in need, we dance under the moon when the space allows, and we burn our candles, but when was the last time you saw the magic working? We celebrate the festivals, we check our astrological charts, we burn incense or sage and sweet grass, but there’s something missing for so many that something needs must be said.
The Magic is Real.
There’s probably three people in our community that haven’t seen “What the Bleep” or that ‘secret’ movie, but the rest of us can see how even science is telling us it exists. It may be wrapped in reduced expectations of magic, but it’s still there. Jung theorized it, with the Collective Unconscious. Kirlian photography has given us pictures of it. Bad ghost-hunting television programs have taken miles of footage of it.
The “One Decimal Point”* is coalescing all of this data (and making-up even more than that) ‘where witches fear to tread’. They hold INATS, and other conventions, to sell us “Aura Photos”, and crystal bowls, but we don’t find the magic there, either. Weekend Yoga supplants Open Circles, Reiki replaces Spellcasting, and chanting dispossesses invocations, but it’s still the “Same Shinola, Different Wrapper”. Going through the motions isn’t Magic. Magic is about Life, and not simply little pieces of life. To truly live in Magic one needs to enfold their life within it.
We cast, we wait, we see results, we get what we want, and we stop. …and we forget. We forget it works. We forget it’s Real. If we wait too long, we have to remind ourselves again. It’s not your fault. A LOT of time and effort went into teaching you that it wasn’t real. It was in every classroom. It was behind every disapproving scowl, inferred in between every-other word in every book we’ve read. It’s left out of our day-to-day jobs, and rarely mentioned in commercial radio. There’s a lot of momentum to over-come.
I have three suggestions: See! Do! Remember!
1-See:
Have you ever seen an Aura? Not that retina after-image of someone you’ve stared at for too long, but a real aura. Once you can see those, it includes every metaphysical manifestation, from seeing the wind, to spotting ghosts. You used to see them long ago, as a child, but were taught they weren’t there, so you developed a Blind Spot to them. Now you need to overcome that Blind Spot. It’s not as hard as you would think. Let’s help you out…
A) Take an Orange sheet and hang it on the wall. I know you probably don’t simply have anything big and orange lying around, so this may mean a trip to a hobby store. Since demand is low, it shouldn’t be too hard or costly. I’m afraid it does have to be orange, though: Sorry.
B) Place a brightly burning candle in front of the orange sheet. Don’t start a fire! We need to reflect back-lighting from the orange sheet, when we…
C) Place a Living Subject in front of the candles, and dim the lights. This gives a clearer contrast to the Aura and therefore an easier target. Next, the Eyes…
D) Work with hard and soft focus of the eyes.
The hard-focus is the left-to-right eye coordination of the two eyes. We play with it when we flip through those old “Magic Eye” books from the 90’s. Staring out to the horizon spreads them apart. Trying to thread a needle brings them together. Know these extremes.
Next, Soft-Focus: This is the thickening and thinning of the shape of the lens of the eye. The closer the object in front of your eye, the thicker the lens becomes, as we try to, say, focus on our fingerprints.
The room and subject are all set up. Stare through the subject, and off into the horizon, past the wall behind them. As you adjust your eyes, always be aware of the subject. Bring your focus in, closer and closer, until (with the aid of your finger) you are focused in to an inch from your eye. Stay Aware of The Subject! Your body will respond to the objects you focus on, but your mind needs to remain aware of the Subject before the Orange sheet. This exercise is about getting past the Blind Spot you’ve developed.
The effect can be dramatic, so be prepared. You may choose to reject it, so it pops in and out, as you ‘keep loosing it’. Stay resolute.
Now that you can ‘See!’ …
2-Do!
A) Gain control of your aura, now that you can see it. Change its shape, modify its thickness, or even generate energy-forms. See what you can do with it, like a child with crayons or play-dough. In the safety of your own home, it’s okay to play with it.
B) Cast spells! Not the huge “Life-Changing, Will-Dominating, Karma-Will-Get-You” kind of spells. Just cast the little ones. Summon things into your day, like having a specific vintage automobile drive by, or a woman out walking a bizarre pet (leaving it to chance as to the breed) , or seeing a little farther into the future. Send telepathic messages to a compatriot, provided you’re both okay with the exercise. “Keep Your Hand In”, as they say. Magic begets Magic. It’s like a muscle: Use it or loose it.
3-Remember!
Keep a journal: It makes no difference what you call it. Even scientists keep logs of their results. If you want to keep doubt at bay, nothing breeds certainty like good solid proof! Your journal can do that for you. Whether it’s a Book of Shadows, Book of Secrets, pebble-notes, text-file, or even video-log, make sure you can look and see that you cast for it, and you got it! Record The Results, as well as the Attempts. You need to remember that both took place.
You’ll be surprised at how these simple little things can bring dramatic effects back into Life. It doesn’t just affect your life, but also the community at large, as the paradigm is nurtured, and Magic gains momentum. The more we each recognize this, the more and stronger results we all realize. The more we manifest things, the more dramatic the manifestations become, as each practitioner ‘pushes the envelope’ a little further.
If you can’t remember, you forget to do. If you don’t do, you forget to see.
Sometimes we just need to be reminded.
The Magic is Real!
Footnotes:
*-“The difference between Pagan and New Age is one decimal point” — From Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other Pagans in America Today, by Margot Adler (Courtesy of “Pagan Confederation Canada” website)
How Do You Know A Magical Working “Took”?
How Do You Know A Magical Working “Took”?
Author: Bronwen Forbes
I ran across this question on a Pagan forum the other day, and it got me thinking back to when I was new at all this ritual and magic and witchcraft stuff – was that really half a lifetime ago? – and so unsure of my ability to do even a basic working. Fortunately for me, the Gods I chose to invoke were kind, patient, and tolerant of my novice fumbling, as were my teachers and fellow students.
There are actually several ways to know whether or not a ritual or a magical working “worked” or “took.” Some are immediate; some are long-term. In general, sabbat observances and celebrations don’t have the success bar set very high. If you feel like you’ve “done” Litha, or Mabon, then that’s good enough — whether you’ve participated in a three-hour ritual or simply prepared a satisfying barbecue in the back yard for your friends and family.
The first (and sometimes only) indication you have that your spell or ritual was a success is to ask yourself: How do I feel? Do you feel better than you did before the ritual started, or do you feel worse? If you feel better, i.e. less worried, less frightened, more confident, more energetic, calmer, happier or whatever then, at least on some level, the magical working was a success (I’m assuming no one is stupid enough to actually do a working to increase worry, fear, low self-esteem, lethargy, nerves, or sadness) .
Paganism and Witchcraft do have one thing in common with all other religions, and that is to offer comfort and a life raft to the practitioner in times of troubled waters. So if you’re done with your spell or ritual and you feel better, that should that tell you something.
Also, sometimes you just know. There’s almost an audible “click” that means, “Message received. Action forthcoming.” In fact, it sounds a lot like the “click” you hear when you meet someone for the first time and then say to an old friend, “I don’t know, we just clicked!” That click.
If you aren’t already, you should start keeping an informal log or journal of what magic and rituals you do when, and what result (s) you hope to achieve. For one thing, it’s a good idea to keep track of what happens. Say you do a magical working for an easing of financial difficulties. You write it down in your log and forget about it.
Three months later you look back and realize that, since you did that working, you’ve gotten a small raise at work, a nice tax refund from the federal government, and all of your Pagan 101 books that you posted for sale on amazon.com have actually sold! Does that sound like your spell was successful? It does to me!
Another good reason to keep a log or journal of the specifics of your workings is that, if the rite is a good one, and it works — two or three months down the road — you can re-create the working years in the future, if you find yourself in the same situation. Even better, you can share the basics with a friend who might, say, be in a dire financial situation just like you were and isn’t sure what to do, magically speaking, to fix it.
Sometimes, though, with big workings on big issues like, “I want to move to another part of the country, ” or “I want a child, ” one ritual or one spellcasting just isn’t going to have enough “oomph” to help you accomplish what you want. You may need to wait a few weeks (one lunar cycle is good) and do another one. And another one on the next major holiday. And another one on the next holiday after that…
For a big working, I suggest you vary the details slightly in order to cover all the different aspects of the issue. For example, if you want to move across the country, try doing one working to choose your new location wisely and help you get yourself and your stuff there safely, another working to get a job that will take you there (or be waiting for you when you get there) , and still another working to help you find good friends and a congenial community once you arrive. They are all rituals to help you move across the country, but each one focuses on a different aspect of the moving process.
How do you know whether or not you need to repeat the working more than once? Same way you get to perform on stage at Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice.
Unfortunately, when you’re talking about magic and ritual, there is no box you can check like there is on your email to indicate message received and read. And it really doesn’t matter how carefully you prepare and how well you execute your working. Some things just aren’t to be – at least right now. Does this mean that your time and effort and energy were for nothing? No. It just means that energy has been “banked” somewhere, and is waiting for more favorable conditions to act.
Patience is more than a virtue, here. It’s a necessity.
Let me give you an example: ten years ago, I was doing regular intense workings in order to find love, or for love to find me. But no matter how many losers I hopefully dated, the time was not yet right. But the day I woke up (and I don’t mean in the morning) and realized that one of my oldest friends was Mr. Right, all that energy that I’d sent out and the Gods had stored for me fueled one heck of an intense courtship!
Within 3 months I packed up and moved to where he was currently living. A year later we were married. As of this writing, we’ve been happily wed for over eight years.
When the time is right for the working to “take” – be assured, it will!
Quartz (Clear)
Quartz is one of the most common minerals on earth, but it is considered an essential part of any witch’s crystal collection. It is a multipurpose stone that can be included in almost any spell to bring about a positive result. Quartz is wonderful for balancing emotions, especially if you are trying to heal painful feelings such as child abuse issues or if you have problems with self-esteem. This crystal amplifies magickal wishes and will bring extra power to any spell. Use it to tap into a higher consciousness and to keep in touch with your spiritual side.
Using Moldavite to Enhance Your Psychic Gifts
Sit quietly in a room free of noise and clutter and hold a piece of moldavite in your left hand (nearest your heart). Close your eyes and concentrate on how the crystal feels in your palm. If the stone can help you, you will begin to feel a pulsating throb run through your fingers. At this point, place the stone in your pocket or, if it’s a piece of jewelry, put it on. You will start to receive premonitions within a few hours. These can appear as imaginary visions or as significant dreams. Make sure to write them down.
Crystal Power
Witches always have crystals somewhere on their person, and if you stroll around their gardens you will often find a piece of amethyst twinkling out at you from a cabbage patch, or perhaps there will be a sliver of quartz nestled somewhere under a bush. Because crystals possess unique properties of conductivity and electrical frequency, they are used in everything from radios to watches to computers. Wiccans value crystals because they are wonderful for changing auras from negative to positive and they help clear destructive energies from our homes and gardens. There are so many types of crystals in the world that it is impossible to list them all here. if you want to learn more about crystals, there are countless books and websites out there, but for now we are going to explore some of the more popular crystals in use today. These are not just worn as jewelry, but often place on our altars to support a spell. You can use any size crystal or stone in a spell, the results will be the same.
Sorcery: The Practical Application of Ancient Wisdom
Sorcery: The Practical Application of Ancient Wisdom
Author: Frabato
I strongly dislike the word “magick”, especially used with the ‘k’ at the end. I prefer sorcery albeit it’s negative connotation. Having said that, I still use magick on occasions. Magic and the occult have seen a grand revival, a rebirth of popularity. It is thought to be safe, as nobody will burn witches and wizards anymore.
But is it REALLY safe?
As a practitioner of the Ancient Wisdom Arts, you must know a lot. To fully appreciate the Ancient Wisdom, we all must become Wizards of sorts…
Sorcery implies that we take control or our own destiny and help in fulfilling our natural spiritual evolution. Sorcery (the right hand path) can help you.
Practical use of the Ancient Wisdom will help you realize your true destiny and return to your source. Even if you are not a student at a moment you are destined in this or some future lifetime is a participant to the studying of the Ancient Wisdom or some derivative branch of it available at that time.
The name or labels might be slightly different as it was with the kabala; Rosicrucian’s, Masons etc but they all were following the same path. This is a key to your awakening and source of much magic and miraculous things.
The ancient wisdom is a self contained existence that aspirant can practice and follow. If you choose the right hand path you will be on the right path. It is not mandatory however but it is suggested. Magick, wikka, all other pagan branches are somehow connected to this age-old quest, this “holy grail”. They of course deny this, some of them, but in the reality it is all the same thing. The concepts are the same but the devil is in the detail.
There are some secrets I must share with you. You do not need to be awakened or be an ascended master to be protected and cared for. Your needs will be met. As soon as you start walking this path, magic will be an everyday occurrence. The reality is that details will mislead us and lead us ashtray. I have tried to capsulate the important key points to the Ancient Wisdom but it is not all-inclusive.
My mission, teaching and life’s purpose is as follows:
1) To demonstrate the power and commonplace acceptance of the left hand path.
2) To show you how beneficial even the right hand path can help the average person to alleviate stress, improve everyday life in work, personal and financial relationships.
3) Offer a clear understanding between the right hand path and its opposite without fear-mongering or passing judgment on the alternative. Choosing a path must be a choice. Sadly, often people are steered and misdirected into “teachings” under a false pretext.
Important facts helpful to know about Magic[k] or Sorcery are as follows:
1) Your higher-self is the natural source of right-hand magick and miracles. This is not the only source but IMHO the best source.
2) Ceremonies, while allowed are not necessary. If you have the time and the inclination have a ball, but it is just a smokescreen in my opinion.
3) The key ingredient of magick is the mojo, prana, life force (psychic energy) , chi that we all have to a certain extent but we can lose and replenish it subsequently.
4) Midfullness…the reason and inclination to why we strive to do magick is essential. Contemplate it. Ask yourself honestly IS it because you want power and money? Do you wish to use the Force for your selfish needs and ego? Do you wish to impress girls? (Or boys?)
If answer is yes to any of this, you are no longer on the right hand path.
What do Feng Shui and Star Wars have in Common?
The Chinese culture is ancient and it had preceded the west in many scientific discoveries, and philosophical advances in many aspects. Contemporary men often look at the Chinese as superstitious and weird in their outlook of life and the way they perceive the world.
It behooves us to study and try to understand this ancient civilization better and try to see similarities rather than pointing out the obvious differences. The biggest obstacle in understanding the Chinese is the spoken and written language.
There is a basic concept in the Chinese thinking is the dual energies the Yin and Yang.
The Yin and Yang as we refer to this in the West is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise to each other in turn. The concept of polarity lies at the heart of many branches of classical Chinese science and philosophy, as well as being a primary guideline of traditional Chinese medicine, and a central principle of different forms of Chinese martial arts and exercise, such as Tai Chi.
Tai Chi as the name implies works with the life force of the human body called Chi (or Qi) .
This unseen force that keeps humans and all living forms alive actually exists in inanimate objects as well, albeit in a lower quantity.
What is the relationship of the Yin and Yang to this mystical life force? The answer is simple. They are interconnected.
If you look at the symbolism, of the yin and yang it is obvious that the polarity exist in oneness, hence it is seemingly a paradox. The oneness of dark and light is an occult secret, hard to understand but the underlying principle that propels everything in this Universe is the Qi (or Chi) . This is the Life Force, the prana as the Hindus refer to it, used by BOTH – Dark or Light. This word is in Sanskrit and it has the same translation as Qi in Chinese (meaning “breath”) .
To understand the relationship of Yin and Yang to Qi we have to take you back in time a little and use popular culture in America. Star Wars was viewed by millions of people worldwide. If you remember the Force that Yoda was using and teaching to young Luke Skywalker, then you’d remember the dual existence of the Force the Dark side and the light side. Actually the movie never explicitly said “white”, “Right hand” or “Light”.
It was left to the viewer to decide. It was the opposite of the ominous of “Dark side”.
This energy (Qi) was renamed “Psychic energy” by my former teacher. I do not mean to confuse the reader by all this terminology. The reason I mention this is to illustrate the multiplicity of this concept. It exists in virtually all religions and cultures. The name is just another name referring to an age-old concept but it is strangely appropriate.
Most if not all phenomena, true psychic work, magic and healing is performed using this force.
This energy can self heal, preserve youthfulness, and create miracles. Jesus raised the dead using Psychic Energy; he could walk on water according to the Bible.
The question probably arises from the reader, if we all are born with this psychic energy how come that we end up aging and ultimately dying? The answer is simple. This energy can dissipate and rise according to our lifestyle, thinking and to some external factors such as diet, habits and company we keep.
It is important to point out that this energy is in flux and remains in the body and can be transferred from one body to another and it can leave the body if the host remains uninhabitable.
The biggest factor in keeping our level of psychic energy is our thinking and beliefs. For example if a person refuses to believe in the very existence of psychic energy for whatever reason, this will pose a serious obstacle long term. On the other hand, the idea of realizing something and adopting it into our fabric of being will enhance that concept and strengthen it. When we are born, the slate is clean in our consciousness, we are innocent and no worldly ideas, dogmas and false teachings exist in our subconscious. This state is beneficial to our level of psychic energy.
Factors that enhance psychic energy:
1. Meditation (raising our consciousness)
2. Exercise
3. Fresh Clean Air (right breathing at high elevation)
4. Vegetarianism
5. Purification of the body (fasting)
6. Love towards all
Factors that inhibit psychic energy:
1. Stress
2. Pollution
3. Alcohol
4. Meat
5. Drugs (both legal and illegal)
6. Sex
Certain things we can do to enhance psychic energy are as follows:
1.Wearing proper talismans or amulets, amber jewelry
2. Pine needle and pine (even cut and processed into lumber)
3.Tibetan Musk
4. A healer (in extreme cases) .
I hope this essay is beneficial to you in your understanding of the basics of the supernatural and magical. The importance of this is that having this power is not easily obtainable, as Mother Nature jealously guards her secrets, but the end result is entirely up to you.
It is all obtainable and you do not need a priest or a rabbi, or in fact you do not need any intercessor to get there. It is your birthright.
“There are two forces, each having seven streams, and they again seven times seven, and so on downward unto an infinity of numbers.
They are right and left, hand positive and negative, light and darkness, good and evil. Each has many names and many attributes,
and in the ultimate the two are one; though not yet, nor for many eons, is their oneness manifested, and until then they are opposites.
Their oneness is an occult secret, difficult to understand, and it is madness for the choosers of the left hand force to meditate their treacheries when the star of the right hand force is in the ascendant.” — fragment from THE DIARY OF OLYMPUS – Queen Cleopatra by Talbot Mundy
Footnotes:
“Talk Does Not Cook the Rice” vol I and II by Guru RHH
Witches Of The Craft® 
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