Magical Wiccan Names – 5 Tips To Choosing the Best One For You

By Ravine Masters

Upon joining a Wiccan coven, members are usually asked to pick out a new name. This symbolizes the person being “born” into a new life. It also helps the individual separate his old self from his newly chosen one. With so much importance placed on this decision, choosing magical Wiccan names requires a fair amount of thought and effort.

Here are 5 tips to make choosing magical Wiccan names easier:

1. Use a baby names book. These resources are very easy to find at your local library or bookstore and have thousands of names and their respective meanings. If “wisdom” is a characteristic you want to embody, choose names that share that meaning.

2. Use “earthly” words. Because Wicca is centered around the energy and spirit found in Nature, it is common practice to use earthly words, or their derivatives, to help create your Wiccan name. Examples include using names of animals (Raeven, Magwolfe, Serpenta, etc), names of trees and shrubs (Furne, Wadoak, Salvini, etc) or other nature-related words.

3. Use historic names. Pick up a book about the history of witchcraft, and your head will be spinning with ideas for new names. You don’t have to choose the exact spelling. But if there is a past witch whose life you admire, you may use a derivative of that name for your own.

4. Use numerology. Every name can be broken down to a single number, and that number has a meaning of its own. So if you are wanting a magical Wiccan name that has to do with individuality, you would want a name whose single digit value was 1. Doing a little research online will give you a listing of the values of all digits, from 0-9. Make sure that your new name is in line with the characteristics you want to embody.

5. Use elders. If you are having trouble coming up with a new name, talk to an elder of your coven. That’s what they are there for. There are times when an outsider looking in can give you the answer you are looking for.

Choosing magical Wiccan names does not have to be a long or difficult process. But because it will be the name that represents who you want to be in your new Wiccan lifestyle, it needs to be chosen with care.

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Ravine Masters is the owner of http://www.More-Info-On.com [http://www.more-info-on.com/witchcraft-love-spell-what-you-need-to-know/]

Ezine Articles

Wiccan Names and Meanings – The Importance of Choosing The Ideal Magickal Name

By Ravine Masters

When becoming a member of the Wiccan religion, many people choose to adopt a new name, usually referred to as a “Wiccan name” or “Magickal Name.” This is done as a symbol of rebirth into a new life and typically represents an alter ego of who the person wants to be. So significant is this process that Wiccan names and their meanings become a solid foundation from which the rest of the Wiccan experience is grown from.

Choosing a Wiccan name should not be done casually. The individual should research names that have meanings he or she would like to live up to. So if the person seeks to be strong, patient and wise, he should find names that represent those characteristics. Oftentimes a simple baby name book can be a beneficial tool.

Sometimes the best name is a combination of two other names. So if the individual finds one name that means “strong” and another that means “cunning”, combining the two names and rearranging the letters can provide a new unique name that encompasses both qualities being sought.

And when talking about Wiccan names and meanings, one cannot leave out the numerology aspect of the name. Using digit summing (reducing the value of all the letters in the name by adding them together), a single number can be found for every name. And that number has a meaning that can be relevant to the person in creating or choosing the ideal name. By adding or removing a letter, you can significantly change the meaning of a Wiccan name in a numerological sense (ie. adding an “e” in Sarah to make the new name “Saraeh”).

Becoming a member of the Wiccan religion, like becoming a member of any religion, is a life-altering decision that should be handled with seriousness and thoughtfulness. Wiccan names and their meanings are the first step into this lifestyle, and taking the time and effort at this critical point will build a strong foundation to spiritually build on.

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Ravine Masters is the owner of http://www.More-Info-On.com [http://www.more-info-on.com/witchcraft-love-spell-what-you-need-to-know/]

Ezine Articles

Let’s Talk Witch – Is It Really Wiccan Magick?

LET’S TALK WITCH – IS IT REALLY WICCAN ETHICS?

Ask any Witch from any tradition of Witchcraft, why they don’t cast evil spells,
do baneful magic or use their powers to manipulate or harm others, and most of
them will quickly respond: “Because Witches believe in the Threefold Law: What
you send out will return to you three times over.”

Well, that’s a concept that will certainly keep you in line!

But is it really Wiccan ethics?

Not even remotely. Why? Because the Threefold Law is actually a rule of conduct
based on punishment, and therefore fear, and because it’s leftover from biblical
morality and because it does not reflect Wiccan values.

Let’s start with the first problem with Threefold Law: punishment and fear. Stop
and think about it for a minute. The Threefold Law is actually saying that you
better behave yourself, because if you don’t something worse will happen to you.
In other words, misbehave and you’ll be punished. So it’s just your fear of
punishment – of something worse happening to you — that keeps you from abusing the powers of Witchcraft. That’s not ethics — it’s expediency and self-
interest, based on fear of reprisal and nothing more.

Here’s the second problem: Where does this idea of fear of punishment as a
motivator for morality come from? It is a remnant of biblical thinking, dragged
from the past and misdirecting our future. In the biblical religious view, God
is not present in the world, He’s transcendent, dwelling “above” in heaven.
Where does that leave us? Living in the Lord of the Flies. When God is not
present in the world, you need a set of rules to live by. Hence the Ten
Commandments, Papal edicts, Talmudic interpretations, and Mullahs dictating the meaning of the Koran. The threat of damnation, sin, hell fire, and fatwahs for
your disobedience certainly motivate compliance with the rules of morality. Just
like the Threefold Law — behave or you’ll be punished. But just turn on the
television set and you’ll see how well that system of rules and punishment is
working.

Now the third problem: Wicca doesn’t believe in a transcendent, exclusively
male, and punishing God. Instead, Wicca is a spirituality with accessible
practices that enables you to experience the Divine dwelling within you and all
around you in the natural world. For a Witch, the world is not fallen from grace
— it’s paradise, it’s the body of the Divine. And when you are able to
experience the presence of the Sacred in the world, in yourself and others, you
don’t require a rule based upon punishment, fear and self-interest to motivate
you to behave in an ethical manner.

The real Wiccan ethic is simple: Witches live in a sacred manner, treating all
of life and the world itself with reverence and respect, because they live in a
sacred world.

This is an ethical approach to Witchcraft, to magic, spellcasting and daily life
that is truly a reflection of our deepest spiritual principles, and our
practices. And it is an understanding that can remedy the wrongs threatening the
survival of the Earth. So the next time someone asks you why Witches don’t cast
evil spells, or what the basis for your ethics are, you can reply: I live in a
sacred manner because I live in a sacred world. I treat that world, and all the
creatures in it, with reverence and respect because everything is an embodiment
of the Divine.

—- Author Uninown

The Ethics Of Magick

The Ethics Of Magick

Author: Frances

Some people are of the belief that when it comes to the practice of magick that anything goes. Magick is after all, simply that – magick. It is not caught up in ethics or morals. While this is correct, magick is actually shaped by the inner beliefs, ethics and morals of the person who uses it.

In all orthodox religions there are certain laws and regulations of how a follower of that faith should conduct themselves – in Christianity, for example, there are the Ten Commandments. In many Pagan traditions, however, it is believed that there is actually little need for such dogma as each person is ultimately responsible for their actions. Such responsibility can be overwhelming for someone new to Paganism, especially if they come from a more orthodox background, so they find the need to create boundaries in the form of guidelines. Within Wiccan belief there are a number of guidelines such as the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law of Return which are designed to help the newcomer understand the essence of that belief.

The Wiccan Rede is a beautiful piece of poetry whose author is believed to have been the late Doreen Valiente. Within this poem many aspects of Wiccan beliefs and practices are outlined, such as the seasonal wheel of the year, honoring the Goddess and the God, and sacred trees to name a few. The poem ends with eight specific words that many Wiccans consider to be the main guideline as to how they are to live their lives: “If it harms none, do what you will.” Some critics of Wicca see this as an indication for followers to do anything they wish. However, when the statement is given due thought, its true meaning is understood – that as long as your actions do not harm anyone, then you are free to live your life as you please. Some Wiccans take this statement further, relating the “none” to animals and the environment as well.

The Wiccan Rede is a version of the Golden Rule, which can be found in most other religions, the earliest dating back to Confucianism, where a 6th century BCE statement, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others,” can be found. Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and even Sikhism also have variations of the Golden Rule.

The second ethical guideline which many Wiccans follow is that of the Threefold Law of Return, where it is believed that every deed done will return to the doer three times greater. This means that a good deed will return three times stronger, but so will any bad deed that is performed.

Many Wiccans also hold either a belief in the Eastern philosophy of Karma, or the Universal Law of Cause and Effect, where every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Karma is often viewed on a more personal level, that the deeds of one’s life are counteracted in the next life, while the Law of Cause and Effect can be viewed on a more global scale. A good example of the latter is seen in our environment. People in the past have done what they like without concern or respect for the environment or the creatures that live in it. The effects of this lack of regard and respect are the depletion of the ozone layer, rising salt levels due to large scale land clearing, droughts and floods brought on by erratic temperature fluctuations, and so on, that are witnessed today.

Taking Responsibility For Your Actions

As not every person who uses magick follows a Wiccan path and therefore is not necessarily guided by the Wiccan Rede, magick itself does tend to have its own guidelines. What some people do not realize when they first desire to perform magick is that magick is based on energy. When you cast a spell, you are sending out energy. The Universe magnifies this energy and returns it to you. Therefore it is vitally important that, before a person performs any form of magickal act, they are fully aware of the energy exchange and are prepared to take full responsibility for their actions. In magick there is no such thing as coincidences – everything happens for a reason, and when you perform a spell you are creating the reason.

Taking responsibility means being honest with yourself about what you are doing and why. You also need to be able to acknowledge your mistakes and their consequences. Mistakes are often the greatest lessons we can learn in life. To learn from your mistakes, you must closely examine what went wrong and to find a way to rectify the error. However, mistakes when performing magick can have dire consequences, especially if your energy is directed at a particular person.

Magick should never be done on a whim. Before you perform any form of magickal rite you need to look careful at the reasons why you want to use magick to obtain something. You also need to be very clear about what you want to achieve. Some people find it useful to consult one form of divination or another, such as runes or the tarot, prior to casting a spell or magickal rite to determine all possible outcomes. Only when you are sure about what you are doing, should you perform magick.

Due to the amount of “spell books” around it is understandable why some people are of the view that magick is an easy and safe means to get whatever they want. However this is a misconception, for magick is not all that safe if you do not know what you are doing. Things can happen that you did not intend. Those readers who have seen the movie The Craft will be able to relate to the dangers of casting love spells – in the movie, the victim of such a spell became obsessed with the caster of the spell to the stage where he was stalking her. There are also numerous stories about people who have cast money spells and while they did end up with a monetary sum, this was obtained through some kind of personal disaster or upheaval, such as an insurance claim or even a death. Therefore it is vitally important to be very careful about what you ask for, because, as the saying goes, you could very well receive it, but not necessarily through the means you had anticipated.

Magick is serious business and should never be taken lightly. It can be dangerous for those who are unprepared and there are consequences if it is used carelessly or with malicious intent. However, if you abide by a few simple guidelines (such as the Wiccan Rede), take the time to properly understand what you are doing and use it responsibly, magick can help you can achieve positive and rewarding changes in your life.

How to do Magick

Very, very carefully

There are certain factors that must be in your mind when you do magick.

1. The Wiccan Rede?

2. The rule of three?

3. Have you been asked to do the magic?

4. Are you ready to take away another’s will?

5. Are you ready to pay for what you are going to do?

Magick is something that one does not take lightly. Do not let the movies or TV be your guide at this time. For everything we do there is a price to pay.

So say you, that you will only do “good magick.” Therefore you have nothing to worry about. You have a friend that has been ill for a while and you decide to help them. You cast a healing spell and your friend does not get better, but instead dies. You know whose fault that is? You – the caster.

First by casting the spell without being asked goes against the Rede. Secondly you are taking over a persons will. You have no idea what medication had been given to your friend. You stick your two cents in and wind up counteracting the good the medication might have done. Now what do you thing will happen to you? Remember the rule of three. Good returns good three times, evil returns evil three times. Feeling comfortable with this, are you?

Great, you will stay away from healing, but what about that great looking Guy or Gal at the office. You would like them for yourself. Before you cast, think, which of the five items above are you willing to accept?

All of a sudden casting does not seem like fun and games. In the future you will learn that casting is not to be taken lightly. It is not a gift, but a responsibility, and one not to be taken lightly. When you are willing to accept the responsibility and results of casting them should you get involved.

Cook Book Spells

There are many books on the market with spells in them. Spells, unlike recipes are not some thing that you can get out of a book. In my Grimore are spells I have cast and that have worked for me. I can hand the book over to you and all you would have is a book of lovely words. That’s all! A spell is part of the individual casting.

It is not necessary for a spell to be spoken in rhyme, but it helps. By writing your spell in rhyme it forces you to give though to what you are doing. You MUST be very specific with what you want a spell to do; else it can come back to you.

Self Gain

Never cast a spell that will benefit you with riches, or rewards. It is not our place in the universe to be the richest people in existence. But don’t get me wrong. If you are unemployed there is nothing with casting a spell to gain employment. But be careful here too. Your competition for the job may be unemployed also.

For a Simple Healing the cost is…

Wiccans and Witches DO NOT have a sliding fee schedule for the magic we do. As a matter of fact we DO NOT charge. To charge is to belittle who and what you are. We give from our hearts. For the most part the Wiccan community cares for those around us. We love the Earth and all she stands for. We care for animals and humans alike. Being a Wiccan / Witch is NOT a business.

A Little Humor for Your Day – The Wiccan Redact

The Wiccan Redact

Bide the Wiccan Laws we must,
So we don’t end up as newts, we trust.
Cast the Circle thrice about,
To keep Mormon missionaries out.
Let the spell be spake in rhyme,
To make it silly every time.

Soft of eye and light of touch,
Don’t speak with your mouth full, listen much.
Deosil go by the blue moon,
You saw me standing alone,
By the Witches’ Rune.

Widdershins go by ,
Up in the sky,
Cause I ain’t had no love’n since January February June or July.
By the light of the silvery moon,
I’d like to spoon,
To my honey I’ll croon,
Loves tune.

Heed the North wind’s mighty gale,
for then’s the after Christmas sale.
When the wind comes from the South,
go on vacation for thy health.
When the wind blows from the Southwest,
hiding in the basement’s best.
When the wind blows from the East,
fart thou to the west.

Nine woods in the go,
Have your caddie carry slow.
Elder be the Lady’s tree,
Spray it down with DDT.
When the Wheel begins to turn,
Let leaves in the yard begin to burn.
When the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light the furnace and burn some fuel

Heed ye flower, bush and tree,
For some might poison ivy be.
Where the rippling waters go,
portage round or leaks you’ll know.
When ye have a true need,
charge it not lest thy finances bleed.
With a fool no season spend,
Lest ye see yourself in him.

Merry meet and merry part,
Light in the loafers and gay the heart.
When misfortune is anew,
Make sure insurance premiums are not overdue.

Mind the Threefold Law you should,
Mercy is not known by earth water and wood.
Twelve words the Wiccan Redact fulfill:
And it harm none but thee and God, do what ye will.

Thoughts on the Threefold Law/Law of Return

Thoughts on the Threefold Law/Law of Return

Author: Vervain

I realized I was a Wiccan sometime late in middle school, and overall I’ve been very happy with my decision to walk down that path. However, over the nine or ten years I’ve been stewing in the religion, I’ve come to realize that there are parts of what I started with that don’t make sense to me anymore. It’s natural for this to happen — and it’s certainly not something that worries me — I don’t call myself Wiccan because I need to fit my beliefs in a box (I am a mostly solitary practitioner, after all) , so it doesn’t bother me when something doesn’t quite fit into the box Gerald Gardner started building in the 1940’s. However, it does give me something to think about.

The thing that has come to bother me is the threefold law. If you’re not familiar with it, it goes something like this:

Ever Mind The Rule Of Three
Three Times Your Acts Return To Thee
This Lesson Well, Thou Must Learn
Thou Only Gets What Thee Dost Earn

I like the idea that whatever you put out into the universe comes back to you, and that is indeed the heart of this concept. What I don’t like is the idea that it happens in threes–it bothers me mathematically because if everything really happens in threes, you can just factor out the three and that’s the same as everything happening in ones, which makes more sense to me and sounds a lot less like something someone just made up one day. I also don’t like that it sounds like a reward/punishment system (“Thou only gets what thee dost earn”) with some sort of immediacy. Furthermore, I don’t like that it sounds like it was written by someone who wanted to write in Renaissance English but actually lived in the 20th century and didn’t know how.

On the number three: I think it makes sense in a lot of contexts. A disproportionate number of ideas (especially occult concepts) come in threes or are triplets–beginning, middle, ending; maiden, mother, crone; father, son, holy spirit; body, mind, spirit; thought, word, deed… the list goes on. The number three is indeed magickally powerful; but so is every other number in its own way, and in this case, having a number at all is completely unnecessary. The chosen number is consequently completely arbitrary. That is to say, when every bit of energy put into the universe gets multiplied by the same number before it comes back to you, it doesn’t matter what that number is (furthermore multiplying it at all would mean that the energy of the universe is constantly expanding exponentially, and I’m no expert, but it doesn’t seem to me like that’s the case) .

If you need a mathematical refresher, here’s what the threefold law essentially is saying: grant that I put out 4 units of good energy into the universe and 1 unit of bad energy (assuming, which I don’t, that energy can be simply “good” or “bad”) . The threefold law says that I should get back 12 units of good energy (4×3) and 3 units of bad energy (1×3) . But if we look at this as a ratio of good energy to bad energy, then input:output is 4/1:12/3. If you divide the output by 3/3 (which is just a fancy 1) , you get 4/1:4/1.

So, the threefold law is just a fancy way of saying that the amount of each type of energy the universe throws at you is directly proportionate to the amount of that type of energy you put out into the universe. Essentially, the problem I have with the threefold law is mathematical, not philosophical. I understand, if they were going to choose an arbitrary number, WHY they would choose 3–I just don’t understand why a number had to be chosen if it was going to be completely arbitrary anyway.

There is another version of the threefold law called the Law of Return, and this is something I like much better. Below is a rather lengthy quote from Catherine Noble Beyer (just another everyday practitioner who posts some of her thoughts on the interwebs) , whose thoughts I find line up very closely with mine:

“The world does not work as simply as [the threefold law] make it sound. If it did we’d all be donating to charity like mad and reaping the rewards by the handful. The idea of things returning threefold is unnatural. According to the Law of Ecology (from biology class – as Wiccans we should be taking lessons from nature) :

“Everything is connected to everything else
Everything must go somewhere
Nature knows best
There is no such thing as a free lunch

“But it is true that harm tends to beget harm, and it is true that one good turns deserves another: people remember a person’s charity and are more likely to aid them in return. Hence, why I prefer to use the term “Law of Return” over “Threefold Law”.

“Let’s also remember one of Newton’s laws as another lesson from nature: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. “Opposite” does not mean that you receive bad for every good. It means what gets put out comes back. For instance, if you push upon a wall, the wall is actually pushing back with an equal amount of force – if it did not, it would fall over. That’s straight from physics class.”

If you’re very interested in this topic, I suggest you check out her whole article on the subject at http://wicca.cnbeyer.com/three.shtml

The only thing I require, which the Threefold Law has and the somewhat simpler and more sensical Law of Return lacks, is the benefit of being written in a short, rhyming ditty. The reason you hear rhyming spells from, say, the witches in Macbeth, is that in this sort of practice there IS the belief that rhyme better connects a person to the universe–it forces rhythm and brings out the inner child, who is less sophisticated (here I make use of the original c. 1600 definition of sophisticated: “mixed with a foreign substance, impure; no longer simple or natural, ” etymonline.com) and therefore better able to participate in creative acts.

The simple solution to this problem is to write out the Law of Return in a short, rhyming ditty, so I did:

Of your actions ever wary be,
for all that derives is drawn to thee:
Water will wet, fire will burn,
and all you beget alike will return.

That’s all.

_______________________________

Footnotes:
http://wicca.cnbeyer.com/three.shtml

Magick & Wicca

MAGICK & WICCA
The Wicca Handbook by Eileen Holland

**************************************
Magick is love. All magick should be performed out of love. The moment anger or hatred tinges your magick you have crossed the border into a dangerous world, one that will ultimately consume you.
– Scott Cunningham
*****************************************

Magick itself is neutral, a tool: like a hammer, it can be used to smash or to
build. Intent is what colors it. White magick is a term to describe that which
is positive, constructive or helpful; black magick that which is negative,
destructive or harmful. If you have a business and you work spells to make it
prosper, that’s white magick. Doing spells to destroy your competition would be
black magick. These are not racial terms: good and evil, dark and light, are
other words which can be used to express this same concept.

Why black and white, not some other colors? To answer this you have to go back
into prehistory and imagine how terrifying the night was for humans before we
learned to use fire. The black of night was full of unseen threats, a dangerous
time you might not survive. The white light of day brought illumination and
safety, welcome relief.

White magick is the right-hand path, black magick the left-hand one. The
symbolism of right and left is also very ancient: the right hand was used for
eating, the left hand for bathroom functions. Imagine life without toilet paper
and you’ll understand why it’s customary to shake right hands. This has nothing
to do with being right- or left- handed, but it does explain why left handed
people were often forced in the past to learn to write with their right hands.

There are several theories of gray magick, but I think gray magick is what
Hindus call maya – illusion.

One theory holds that since good and evil both exist, some people need to do
black magick in order to balance the white magick. I don’t buy that for a
minute. Do murderers balance nice people, or child abusers balance loving
parents? If they create balance, does this excuse their crimes? Try telling that
one to a judge! “Well your honor, I only stole that car to create balance in the
universe.” There is another polarity theory, where if you do two hexes and two
healings they balance one another or cancel each other out. There is some logic
to this one but its still just a self-serving excuse, a way to delude yourself
you are a white witch when you practice black magick. Some traditions hold that
which you cast on yourself as white magick, that which you cast on others gray
magick. The wordsmith in me quibbles with this one on semantic grounds. I think a spell that harms yourself or anyone else is black magick; one that helps or heals anyone, including yourself, is white magick. Being of service to people in
need or distress is one of the things witches do best, so I see nothing “wrong”
in casting spells that help others – with their permission, of course.

Some witches argue there are evils too great, situations too grave for white
magick to deal with; that the end justifies the means, makes black magick
necessary for the greater good. That is the best argument of the lot, but I have
never encountered a situation I couldn’t handle with white magick. Binding,
banishing and transformation are the powerful tools of a white witch. The term
green witchcraft is sometimes used to describe Celtic magick, fairy magick,
earth magick or any combination of those.

Seekers and novices sometimes ask me how they can avoid being seduced by the
dark side of magick, avoid the temptation to hex or harm others. The answer is
to have an ethical framework in which you practice magick. Seduction by the dark side is not a concern for Wiccans. We have our Goddess and our Law to guide us:

an it harm none, do as ye will.

Every Wiccan is a witch, and every one of us voluntarily agrees to do no harm.
We walk in the Light and serve the Goddess. Magick is just one part of our
religion.

There are excellent moral and ethical arguments against practicing black magick,
but if you don’t buy those here is a practical one:

what goes around comes around

Everything we put forth is eventually returned to us. Wicca recognizes the Law
of Three, believes this return is triple. Black magick might provide instant
gratification, but it ultimately does more harm to you than to anyone else. Many
white witches learned this lesson the hard way.

The Ethics Of Magick

The Ethics Of Magick

Author: Frances [a WitchVox Sponsor]

Taking Responsibility For Your Actions

Life As The Witch ~ Three-Fold Law of Return

Three-Fold Law of Return

The other “Law” of Witchcraft is the “THREE-FOLD LAW OF RETURN”. Basically, this is the natural law of “cause and effect”. The Goddess charges us to exercise great care in all that we, as Witches, do and say and even think. The Threefold Law takes the notion that “what we reap, we will sow”, a few steps further. In fact, THREE steps further. For what we do “for good or for ill, shall be returned to us threefold.” In light of this fact, Witches are loath to cause any harm, lest it be returned to them in spades!!

When we come to really understand the Three-Fold Law and it’s ramifications, we can see that although on the surface, it acts like a prohibition, it also serves as a source of blessing. Witches seek to heal and to help all of Life, and when we are working for “the good of all”, it is natural that the “good” will come to us also. But it falls on us multiplied and empowered. Three-fold is quite an increase no matter what mathematical method you use!

The word “just” is defined as” that which is merited or deserved.” With that definition in mind, you can see why Witches believe in the exercise of “justice” over “revenge”. We are assured that what is merited by a persons actions will come to pass. We need only to ask the God and Goddess for “justice to be done”. Since this is in line with natural laws and the promises of the Ancient Ones, we can rest in the knowledge that we are asking in a correct manner for the situation to be taken care of. Then we can release it to them to handle and go about our business.

“Revenge” on the other hand, is defined as “an urge to get even” (we’ve all been there!) or “to inflict harm in reaction to an insult” (we cannot go THERE!) It is difficult sometimes, especially when our loved ones have been hurt, to follow the principles outlined here…VERY difficult. Never the less, that is what we are instructed to do. It is a matter of trust…trust that the God and the Goddess will take care of it…trust that the Universal Laws apply to everyone equally…trust in the Three-Fold Law…and trust in yourself as a Witch, strong in your beliefs. We all go through deep soul searching when confronted with this issue. How we decide to respond tells us a lot about ourselves, what we give lip service to and what we really believe. It can be a valuable lesson that can change our life.

“The Great Mother and Father would not have their children suffer the indignities of oppressors for their sake, for what is within the hearts of Their children is dear and true to Them. The Ancient and Mighty Ones shall cause the balance to be made for those who desecrate the worship of the Lord and Lady, Their Temples, or their Creations” *

* quote from the “New Wiccan Book of the Law” by Lady Galadriel 1992

HECATE BINDING SPELL

In Hecate’s name we bind ____ to the flame
May she bring nightmares, depression, and pain
We cast ____ to the wind, that all know ____ shame
May Hecate envelope ____ in the threefold law May all forget ____’s shame, their harm, their call
May their ability to raise magic fall on deaf walls
We join our energies fellow friends in the Craft
May Hecate stop ___’s harm in the future, present and past
Only when their deeds are reversed will this binding be uncast
So Mote It Be!

The Threefold Law in Folktales

Author: Nukiuk

Three is a magickal number. It is the number of forms of the Goddess – Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Likewise, it is the form of the God as Father, Sage, and Son. It symbolises the Druidic elements of Land, Sea, and Sky. It is the number of times you chant a charm, the number of times you walk around a circle… and it is the basis for the three-fold law.

We all know the Wiccan Rede, or some variation of it. My favorite version is one I read long ago, although I cannot remember the author who so cleverly put it into rhyme:

“Three times three, what you put forth comes back to thee.”

Simply put, the threefold law speaks of karma. The energy you put out is the energy you get back, three times over. It is the basis for yet another popular Pagan tenet: “An ye harm none, do they will.” Putting forward negative energy will bring you nothing but negativity in return.

Old folktales are full of this concept, although they may never state it directly. Whether the tale is from Western or Eastern Europe, whether it is written about magical creatures or just about lucky noblemen, the importance of both karma and the number three are readily apparent. In most fairy tales, people get what they deserve for their efforts. My favorite example of this is from The Girl in the Well. In this story, a girl drops her spindle down a well. Her stepmother forbids her to return home without the spindle, so the girl dives into the well.

At the bottom of the well, the girl finds an alternate world. There she meets three groups of people, who each ask her a favor: a group of shepherds who need help cleaning their sheep, a group of cattle herders who need a similar favor, and a rich couple who ask her to work for them for one year. She aids each group, and is rewarded.

When she returns home, her stepmother grows jealous and sends her own daughter into the well. However, the stepdaughter refuses to aid the shepherd and the cattle herders and when she gets to the elderly couple, she is so lazy that after three days they send her home. She bears no rewards, but arrives home covered in bugs and filth. The moral of this story is obvious: put forth good effort, and you will be rewarded; act lazy and mean, and you will be punished. The energy you put out is what you get back.

In this tale, the number three is easily visible. The girl meets three groups of people seeking her aid, and is rewarded when she passes their tests. The stepsister fails all three – in fact, she is sent back home after three days.

Another tale, The Three Feathers tells us of three princes who are in dispute over who should rule the kingdom. His siblings consider the youngest brother a simpleton. The king decides that he shall give them a quest to determine who shall inherit; he sends them out to see who can bring him the most beautiful rug in the land. To settle any dispute, he throws three feathers into the wind, so that each brother can follow one in the direction it went.

One of the feathers goes straight up and down again, so the simpleton remains behind while his two brothers set off, one to the east and one to the west. However, he happens to notice a trap door beneath his feather, and follows it to find a court of toads. He asks the queen of these toads for the finest carpet she has, and it is delivered. Meanwhile, his brothers figure that he won’t be able to find a rug from anywhere, so they decide not to waste their money and each bring back a handkerchief.

When they return, the king declares the simpleton to be the inheritor. The brothers protest, and manage to talk the king into two more challenges – for a beautiful ring, and for a beautiful woman. The feathers do the same thing, and both times the youngest brother wins the challenge in the same manner, and so is crowned king, with his beautiful bride (who was once a young toad maiden) . The two elder brothers put forth no effort in their quests, and thus received nothing. Meanwhile, the supposed “simpleton”, instead of trying to outwit his father, simply does as he is told, and through this wins the crown. This tale has three brothers, sent to find objects three times, who are guided by three feathers. Once again, the number three shapes the way the story turns out.

Finally, the third example of this is in a strange little story call The Three Spinners. A girl refuses to spin flax, so her mother beats her. The queen is passing by and hears the girl’s cries. When she comes into the hut to investigate, the mother is so embarrassed by her daughter’s lack of spinning ability that she instead brags and claims the inverse – that she is beating the girl because she will not stop spinning, even though there woman can afford no more flax. The queen is impressed by this lie, and has the daughter brought to her castle to spin. She says if the girl can spin three roomfuls of flax, she will be able to marry the prince.

Of course, the girl cannot spin. So she cries for three days. After this period, three old women appear who offer to spin the flax for her, if only they can attend the wedding and be treated as the girl’s aunts. They each have a different deformity: a large, flat foot. a massive hanging lip, and an oversized thumb.

The girl agrees, and the rooms of flax are spun quickly. When the wedding comes around, the prince asks the old women how they got their deformities; they respond that they are through treading the pedal, licking the thread, and pinning it down with their thumb, respectively. The prince is alarmed and says that his beautiful bride shall never be allowed to spin again. And so the girl gets everything she wanted from life. The girl in this tale is by no means a paragon of goodness; she is rather lazy and disobedient. However, she made a promise to the three old women, kept it, and was rewarded almost three times as much as was worth such a favor.

This story has three women – specifically crones, the third incarnation of the Goddess. There are three rooms of flax to be spun, and the girl cries for three days. Three three’s – a powerful number, which potentially aided the magic that helped her out of her predicament.

The rule of three is written in many old fairy tales, if you just know where to look. In these stories, the rewards for basic kindnesses are often overdone; but then again, energy does tend to return threefold as much. These three stories are but a small example of the multitude of such tales that fill the body of European folklore. All throughout these tales, the number three is woven into stories of karma that have been told for generations.

What are Wiccan ethics, the “Wiccan Rede” and “three-fold law?”

Wiccan ethics are seldom codified in a legalistic way, but may be informed by some common expressions such as the “Wiccan Rede” and the “three-fold law.” According to most versions of the three-fold law,
whatever one does comes back to one thrice multiplied, in amplified repercussion. One short, rhymed version of the Wiccan Rede states “Eight
words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An it harm none, do what you will.” Often “none” is interpreted to include the doer themself in analogy to the “golden rule” of other faiths. There are no universal proscriptions
regarding food, sex, burial or military service and Wiccans, as a rule, discourage proselytization (attempts to convert others to a different
religion).

What is Safety in Magick?

What is Safety in Magick?

Author: Lady Abigail

Magick is a talent you learn. You may be born into a family of magickal line, but still the basics must be learned in understanding what this talent this gift is. Magick is a skill. It is the energy and power used to control the world around you but it is also the skill and wisdom. Wisdom to know that you never need prove it exists. Magick is not something to entertain friends and family who say, “Prove it.” I have found those who need proof of things to be real are not going to believe what they see; even when they see it with their own eyes.

Over the years, I have heard of many different rules and ethics concerning safety in magick and magickal work. The one true rule I have found is: everyone has his or her own set of rules depending on what traditions and background they have.

But I do think there are some good guidelines that can help keep you safe and strong in your magickal workings and spell work. The list below is a mixture of information. Some are guidelines I have heard from others and some are my personal opinions. They may not be the same. My personal guidelines fit me and they may not fit you. Glean what you will and find peace within.

1. First of all, I believe it is detrimental to work magick of any kind when you are ill. Your strength is low and all your energy should be focused on your personal healing. When working magick of any kind, it takes complete focus and concentration. Personally, I don’t have that when my nose is running and I am coughing my head off. So when you are sick, save your strength for your own healing.*

2. Magick and spell work is best when you are at your best. This is why your most powerful magick comes when you are healthy, positive and full of energy. High energy will bring the greatest results. Emotions such as love, joy and happiness add power to your magick. Witches do not stand and chant in a monotone voice. We put our spirits into what we are doing.

3. I have heard that some people believe it unethical to work magick on or for anyone without their permission. On this one, I cannot agree. If I have a friend that is ill and needs healing energy, then I am going to send it. They don’t have to ask me first.**

While I was in the hospital after my breast cancer, I had people and groups working for my healing from all over the world. Some of them I knew, others I did not. I was also asleep or out of it most of the time, so there was no way I could have asked each one of them to do work for me. But I am so thankful for all they did.

4. The Three-Fold Law is the belief and principle, much like the ‘Golden Rule’, that some people base their magick upon. This law relates to the use of power and energy, for when used, power is returned to the sender, three times the level it was sent out.

Used in relation with the ethos, “Do what thy wilt, though it harm none” (as stated in the Wiccan Rede) , witches take great care when preparing and casting spells that no harm should come to others because of it.

For myself, the three-fold return can perhaps be better understood when considering the cause and effect principle of a spell. You work a single spell for healing. The effect is the response you receive back in mind, body, and spirit. This then is your three-fold response to the return of positive energy.

5. Magick must always be respected and not used to threaten, intimidate, injure or to control others. However, when necessary, magick shall be used to protect your life or the lives of others.

6. Magick and spell work CAN be used for your own and personal gain. Somehow, a TV show has convinced a generation of learned Witches that it is wrong to use magick for personal gain. You know, money.

I don’t think so. There is nothing wrong with bringing a little money into your world. Just don’t be greedy.

Some believe it wrong to accept money for the use of magick. Then would this also mean that those who work as psychics, mediums, clairvoyants, herbalist, healers, shop owners and practitioners also should not be paid? The truth is Witches have been paid for their work as long as time has been time.

7. We forewarned in magick that you perform/do for others. It is never a good idea to give or sell your spirit by doing magick for another person, be it good or otherwise. If someone wants a spell done, then teach him or her how, and allow him or her to do it for themselves. In this way, good or bad, the karma is theirs alone.

8. Magick is a gift but still a gift to be employed. Magick and the powers within are a gift of skill. Yet like a great pianist, you cannot grow and attune your skills without constant practice and continued work. You cannot pick up a book one day and think that now you know all there is to know. It doesn’t work that way. You must study, read, learn, and study some more… it never stops. Magick is a passion of what can be with what is.

9. Don’t fake it. Don’t pretend you know something you don’t or that you have more skill than you have. To fake it only cheapens the craft for everyone and removes the truth in any magick you may have once had. Be true to who you are, for no one is expected to know it all.

True Magick is of the Goddess and comes when we finally understand that we know nothing. For even with each thing we learn, there is so much more to be taught. We are empowered by the desire to gain knowledge of all that can be, all that is possible, and all that is.

I bid thee take from these words those that will give you peace unto your wisdom. Leave that which is not for your heart, and in all shall you be blessed.

Lady Abigail
High Priestess Ravensgrove Coven

Footnotes:
*This is why it is a good idea to have a healing charm, stone or poppet made in advance (before you ever get sick) and kept in a save place that you can bring out when you are ill to aid you in your recovery.

**I have to believe this idea comes from working magick on others in a less positive way. Again, my traditions are different and mixed and for those that work other forms of magick, this may not always fit.

Morality Of Wicca

Morality Of Wicca

Wiccan morality is ruled according to the Wiccan Rede, which (in part) states “An it harm none, do what thou wilt.” (“An” is an archaic word meaning “if”.) Others follow the slightly adapted Rede of “An it harm none, do what ye will; if harm it does, do what ye must.” Either way, the Rede is central to the understanding that personal responsibility, rather than a religious authority, is where moral structure resides.One of the major differences between Wiccans and other types of witchcraft is the Rede.

Many “traditional” witches or witches that follow other paths do not believe in the Rede. This is a major topic of controversy within the Wiccan and Pagan communities.Many Wiccans also promote the Law of Threefold Return, or the idea that anything that one does may be returned to them threefold. In other words, good deeds are magnified back to the doer, but so are ill deeds.

Gerina Dunwich, an American author whose books (particularly Wicca Craft) were instrumental in the increase in popularity of Wicca in the late 1980s and 1990s, disagrees with the Wiccan concept of threefold return on the grounds that it is inconsistent with the Laws of Physics.

Pointing out that the origin of the Law of Threefold Return is traceable to Raymond Buckland in the 20th century, Dunwich is of the opinion that “There is little backing to support it as anything other than a psychological law.” Her own personal belief, which differs from the usual interpretation of the Threefold Law, is that whatever we do on a physical, mental, or spiritual level will sooner or later affect us, in either a positive or negative way, on all three levels of being.

A few Wiccans also follow, or at least consider, a set of 161 laws often referred to as Lady Sheba’s Laws. Some find these rules to be outdated and counterproductive.Most Wiccans also seek to cultivate the Eight Wiccan Virtues. These may have been derived from earlier Virtue ethics, but were first formulated by Doreen Valiente in the Charge of the Goddess. They are Mirth, Reverence, Honour, Humility, Strength, Beauty, Power, and Compassion. They are in paired opposites which are perceived as balancing each other.

Many Wiccans also believe that no magic (or magick) can be performed on any other person without that person’s direct permission (excepting pets and young children who can be protected by parents and owners). Sometimes when permission is expected but not yet attained magical energy will be placed on the astral plane for the receiver to gather if and when he/she is ready.

The Wiccan ReDe

Bide the Wiccan laws ye must
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust
Live and let live
Freely take and freely give
Cast the circle thrice about
To keep all evil spirits out
To bind the spell every time
Let the spell be spake in rhyme
Soft of eye and light of touch
Speak little, listen much
Deosil go by the waxing moon
Sing and dance the Wiccan rune
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane
And the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane
When the Lady’s moon is new
Kiss thy hand to her times two
When the moon rides at her peak
Then your heart’s desire seek
Heed the northwind’s mighty gale
Lock the door and drop the sail
When the wind comes from the south
Love will kiss thee on the mouth
When the wind blows from the east
Expect the new and set the feast
When the west wind blows o’er thee
Departed spirits restless be
Nine woods in the cauldron go
Burn them fast and burn them slow
Elder be ye Lady’s tree
Burn it not or cursed ye’ll be
When the wheel begins to turn
Let the Beltaine fires burn
When the wheel has turned to Yule
Light the log and let Pan rule
Heed ye flower, bush and tree
By the Lady, Blessed be
Where the rippling waters go
Cast a stone and truth ye’ll know The Rede of the Wicca
When ye have a need
Hearken not to others’ greed
With the fool no season spend
Nor be counted as his friend
Merry meet and merry part
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart
Mind the Threefold Law ye should
Three times bad and three times good
When misfortune is enow
Wear the blue star on thy brow
True in love ever be
Unless thy lover’s false to thee
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill
An’ it harm none, do what ye will

The Wiccan Book of Days for Feb. 3rd – Februa in Februarius

Februa in Februarius

The transition from January to February heralded the arrival of a major Sabbat, but now that Imbolc has been celebrated, there is time to reflect on the name of the second month of the solar year. “February” is ultimately derived from the Latin word februum, which means “purification” or “purgation” and is linked with the Februa (or Februalia) festival of purification, expiation, and atonement that was held in Rome on February 15. It is thought that both the Roman month of Februarius an Februa, during which sacrifices were made to he dead were dedicated to Febuus, a god of the underworld.

“Many Happy Returns”

On this day, ponder upon the Wiccan threefold law of return, which holds that any magick that you do unto others will rebound three times as strongly upon yourself. Think hard before casting a spiteful spell lest you later have personal cause to rue its consequences.

Don’t Fear The Dark: A Discussion On Cursing

Don’t Fear The Dark: A Discussion On Cursing

Author: Ravenix

I can imagine that the title of this article has already raised a few Wiccan eyebrows, so before I launch into the discussion proper, let me say this to them: Don’t worry. I’m not flaming you. I’m not going to ridicule your beliefs, and to do so would be hypocritical, as I myself devoted several years of my life to Wicca. It’s a good, sound, well-structured system, with a wonderful sense of community and empowerment.

So don’t panic.

If you want to follow the Wiccan Rede, great! It’s an admirable ethic. But it’s not for me anymore. Yes, I have cursed, yes, I do curse, yes, I will probably curse again. But don’t run away just yet; hear me out, and bear what I’m saying in mind.

In Neopaganism, there has been something of a shying away from the ‘dark side’ of spirituality; there is a great emphasis on being ‘nice’, on focusing only on the ‘good’ and ‘light’ side of things. Yet in comparison, our ancestors before us cursed each other like there was no tomorrow. To this day, archaeological digs uncover smashed clay portraits, bottles of punctured animal organs and other such wonderfully wicked hexes (just type ‘curse’ into the Boscastle Museum Of Witchcraft’s database search and you’ll soon see what I mean) . If you mention these items to a Neopagan, they’ll be likely to change the subject sharpish, or blame it on the witch hunters of old.

Everywhere you look, the Law of Threefold Return is drilled into you, as well as other such warnings and cautions about the ‘dangers’ of cursing. Terms such as ‘white’ and ‘black’ magick don’t exactly help. But is cursing as horrid and malicious an act as it is made out to be? Do we have to sacrifice this art completely to be spiritually ‘good’?

As a Wiccan, I always found that the Wiccan Rede was a hard act to follow; the Rede stated that, as a Wiccan, I could not harm anyone, in any circumstance, ever. The questions that came to me were these; what if they harmed me first? Doesn’t that entitle me to some kind of counter? Moreover, what if they deserved it? Then again, who’s to decide?

If we look at Western Heathenism as a whole, there is very little evidence that an idea like the Law of Threefold Return existed before the 1950’s, and it is in fact derived from Eastern spiritualism. Traditional Cornish Witchcraft, perhaps the only Traditional form that has truly thrived in the British Isles, makes great use of cursing.

Have any of these witches, or any of our ancestors, been made to pay for their actions?

Historically, only by the witch hunters. There are no reports that I know of relating to Traditional Witches being punished by the Gods for cursing in itself. Of course that’s not to say that cursing doesn’t require a certain degree of caution- indeed all spellcraft does.

My partner, for example, performed a curse on a group of people that had refused to act when his friend was date-raped at her own birthday party; he consequently suffered from minor blackouts for months afterwards. This, you might say, is proof enough of celestial punishment. However I propose a slightly different view.

Keep in mind that anger and hatred are incredibly violent emotions; they could be argued to be more ‘powerful’ than happiness and calm due to their speed, severity, and unpredictability. Compare how exhausted you are after laughing for five minutes, and after shouting and screaming in rage for the same amount of time. You would probably agree that the latter leaves you feeling much more empty and drained. Also think of the amount of times you’ve flown off the handle for trivial things. This is what makes cursing so risky: the power behind these negative emotions, and their tendency to amplify far beyond what is fitting to their cause.

Basically, if you wish death on someone for stealing your car, the Gods probably will turn around and admonish you for being harsh. On the other hand, if someone hurts your family and you want payback, the anger and hate you unleash in that spell will burst out of you far more readily than a healing spell. In all cursing, then, moderation of your emotions and a good deal of consideration beforehand are key; I believe that my partner’s blackouts occurred because he either wore himself out completely from the spell’s severity, or the Gods deemed him too severe and made him pay accordingly- but they weren’t admonishing him for cursing in itself.

In particular, the idea of your family being hurt is one that does not sit well with the Rede. What if someone did willingly hurt your family? Would you sit and wait for the Gods to avenge you?

This view is one that I imagine the Gods find slightly arrogant; they’re not there to hold your hand, and they don’t heal your friends for you- you have to do most of that yourself, even if you do ask for help, so why isn’t cursing the same?

Or, would you turn the other cheek, letting the instigator get away with their cruelty?

Now I’ve never been the most forgiving person, and I don’t see why I can’t give back what I get from people who wish to hurt me and mine. The trick is to cast a curse that is equivalent to the harm done; something that is very hard to do when the human condition makes us bloodthirsty for revenge of the worst kind.

I would definitely say that cursing is harder than well-wishing, as it requires more control; it also requires you to make contact with a part of yourself that you may not like. This I think is why many Wiccans and Neopagans turn away from it, to the point of fearing it; they refuse to accept the ugly side of their nature, as do most people. This is understandable, but it’s also an imbalanced way of life to me; it’s a sad truth that the world is both beautiful and terrible, and I believe that true balance comes if your spirituality reflects that.

Curses are nothing to fear (unless you’re on the receiving end of course!) , and they can be quite trivial; I performed a curse on a flea infestation in my house a few months ago, with the help of Tiw, and I haven’t had trouble since.

All in all, pins in poppets and mutilated animal organs are extreme examples of what is, really, just another form of spellcraft; if you look past the hype and fight your fear, you’ll find that curses aren’t as terrible as they’re made out to be. Remember that the more severe curses are a last resort; like everything else, you must think twice and use caution.

And like all spells, curses are just a means to an end, usually getting rid of something undesirable when there’s no other way of doing so.

Of course I can’t convince you to agree, and if you’re still dead against cursing, so be it; you’re welcome to your views. But at least consider what I’ve said, and try not to be afraid of something that is, at its heart, an integral part of the Traditional Craft.

Footnotes:
http://www.museumofwitchcraft.com

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

Which Element Are You?

You can gain insight into your personal elemental affinities by asking yourself questions that cover a wide range of topics. Ask yourself many simple questions. Think of it as peeling an onion. Layer by layer you slowly reveal your core. Revealing spells have their purposes, like when it comes to remembering thing we may have chosen to forget, but when it comes to determining something as deeply ingrained as an elemental affinity, you must peel, peel, and peel. If you write your answers on single sheet of paper, one element will often appear many times. Here is a list of questions to consider.

1. What element do you feel you align with?

2. List any hobbies you have. Is there a recurrent theme?

3. Are you basically happy and content or restless and bored?

4. How are you when it comes to money matters?

5. Do you have a sharp nose for business?

6. What are your favorite food groups or preferred taste sensations? (Sweet, salty, etc.)

7. Are you an artist? Is so, what medium do your prefer? (Words, paint, sculpture, etc.)

8. What is your preferred divination method? (Tarot, scrying, pendulum, etc.)

9. Do you know your aura colors?

10. Do you have past-life memories?

11. What are your preferred textures? (Satin, cotton, etc.)

12. How would you describe your musical taste? What is your favorite type of music?

13. What is your favorite kind of mood enchancer? (Aroma, music, stones, etc.)

14. Do you have any physical impairments? (Hearing, sight, smell, etc.) Do you have asthma or any other type of health condition?

15. Do you have any phobias?

16. What is your favorite activity?

17. What is your preferred reading genre? (Fantasy, horror, nonfiction, etc.)

18. How old are you?

19. What kind of imagery do you prefer? (A waterfall, roaring fire, sky scene, luxuriant garden, etc.)

20. Do you collect anything?

21. What is your favorite color?

22. Do you have a weight problem? (Are you overweight or underweight?)

23. Tell me about your space….is it organized or cluttered?

24. Do you have any bad habits?

25. What color is your car?

26. Do you follow the Wiccan Rede or the Golden Rule?

27. Do you believe in the threefold law?

28. Do you have an altar? What is on it?

29. Are your rituals formal or informal?

30. Tell me about your book of shadows. Is it organized? Divided into sections? How many sections? Are the pages decorated or is it more of a journal? Tell me all about it.

31. How do you handle anger?

32. How do you handle love?

33. Are you methodical or more free-spirited?

34. What is your Sun sign? Moon sign? Ascendant?

35. What is your profession? What do you want it to be?

36. Do you believe in ghosts? What would you consider to be “proof” of a haunting?

37. Do you have a totem animal? If so, what is it?

38. Is there a season of the year that you feel most in tune with?

39. Do you consider yourself a day person or a night person?

40. What mythical or fantasy creatures do you love? Which ones scare you?

41. Looking in your book of shadows, what type of spells are predominant? (Candles, herbs, mojo bags, etc.)

42. What color are your eyes? Your hair?

43. Where are you most comfortable? (At home, in the forest, at the beach, etc.)

44. Do you have any specific dream memories? Describe them.

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