All of life comes to me with ease, joy and glory!
~from drlight
~Magickal Graphics~
Tag: Wicca
Who Am I?
Who Am I?
Author: EarthPriestess
It seems that people in the Pagan world cannot accept that there are many traditions, yet not everyone belongs to one. I want to talk about my path, Eclecticism, and why I believe that Eclecticism is perfectly acceptable.
I have my own doubts and questions of faith and religion and yet now I don’t even know if I have a religion. I am spiritual however and that means the world to me. I don’t even know if I can call myself Wiccan.
People on the Internet have made me feel guilty by calling myself a Wiccan, as I do not follow the Gardenerian or Alexandrian traditions. I follow my completely unique way. I would resent following rules and set beliefs that another human has laid out for me and told me to believe, so when I learn about something I first decide for myself if I believe it.
Because I am currently sixteen, some older Wiccans or Witches can be cynical and say that I am ignorant or naïve or that I am eclectic because I don’t know what to believe.
I do know what to believe. It just so happens to not belong to any one tradition. Like all religions, all traditions have truth in them and so what is wrong in seeking what you believe to be true within each?
SABBATS: Some traditional witches and other traditions are critical of Wiccans, or witches who call themselves ‘eclectic’.
“In the Wiccan wheel of the year, why do you celebrate festivals from all sorts of cultures (Samhain being of Irish origin, and Ostara being German) ?”
My answer to this is: When I first read up about Wicca, I learnt to call the Sabbats by these names. I learnt about the background of the days and what they meant and represent and I believe in those days regardless of their name or origin.
The days themselves are days marked by nature and therefore I worship the day of nature rather than a man-made tradition. I celebrate in the way that I feel best befits it and not necessarily what other people have written to be “the Ritual of Beltane”. I will offer the Earth milk at Imbolc because it will encourage the new Spring life and stands for the milk that the baby animals will suckle.
GOD AND GODDESS: I can be considered eclectic in my choice of God and Goddess. I believe that there is a divine male and female force that ultimately forms into one. However in ritual work, I will call upon different Goddesses from different cultures because each Goddess is a spirit in her own right. If I need help in love, I will call beloved Aphrodite; when I am in need of bravery, I will call on Sekhmet.
Some think this disrespectful and messy saying that I am unable to choose any one culture.
Every Goddess and God is a spirit and in the sense of the Divine I too do not know all the answers. I believe in The God and The Goddess but I believe in as well all the many hundred Gods and Goddesses.
Also the Goddess is no more important than the God. Both are just as important in the act of love and reproduction and creation.
THE WICCAN REDE: “An ye harm none, do what ye will.” A “rede” means advice or guideline and so I uphold this advice and try not to hurt people in any way for a peaceful life, however I do not feel utter guilt on my spirit if I do hurt someone. If someone is hurting someone you love, can you honestly say that you would do nothing?
“Mind the Threefold Law you should, Three times bad and Three times good.” I do believe in karma or the threefold law regardless of whether or not “karma” is a Buddhist philosophy.
INITIATION: I do not believe that you need to be initiated into the craft to be Wiccan or a Witch. Nor do you have to belong to a coven; you can be a solitary witch. If you have been practicing and learning and worshipping the craft for say, twenty years, then how can you not be a witch simply because you haven’t been “formally initiated”? If you have shown your dedication to the Gods and nature, then you have already initiated in their eyes.
I now call myself an ‘Eclectic Witch’ as I have been criticized so much when I call myself Wiccan when I do not follow Gerald Gardner’s ways. Maybe I don’t even have a religion? Just spirituality? To me though, Wicca means “Craft of the Wise” or “Craft of the Witches” and so can I not call myself Wiccan with that definition?
All this nonsense about being a part of one tradition, one religion I think I wrong and unfair. Is there much point in dedicating to one tradition when within it there is a particular practice that you are required to do regardless of whether or not you believe it. How often to humans agree 100% on what another people believes and has said? Even Christians doubt certain aspects of what they are told to believe.
I say follow your own path.
If you believe 100% of what one tradition or religion believes then go for it! Practice away! You are not wrong in what you believe. But if you had the trouble that I had and couldn’t decide — as you agreed and disagreed with what every tradition said — then don’t fret. Be a part of your own. Every path is a path to truth; we all seek the same thing after all!
I felt really confused about who I was when all this trouble over traditions and paths came up. I had to question what it was I actually believed. I do not follow a belief system that is man made exactly, apart from made by myself I suppose. I follow a religion that is the oldest religion known to this Earth. Yet I practice it my way.
I am a Witch. I practice magic, herbs, spells, astronomy and divination; I live by nature. I worship nature and the Earth. I feel the spirit and pulse of life and I love and am one with the God and Goddess.
Who cares what my label is?
Footnotes:
http://www.spelwerx.com/wvtw.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmwoiIFNiV4 and feature=channel_page
Tears of a Witch
Tears of a Witch
Author: Crick
As I wander through the beloved woods, ever so grounded and connected to Spirit, I begin to think of the fear of witchcraft. Such a fear was started by a religious belief system seeking power and control over others. And through the last two centuries this baseless fear has resonated like a war drum through generations of folks. Folks who dared to walk a path that began with the dawn of humankind have lost their homes, their belongings and in many a case, their very lives.
And so I pause beside a woodland stream, as I wonder why.
Are we not all seekers of the light? Do we not all seek the answers to the Great Mysteries within our own beliefs? Are not all beliefs systems, whether religious and/or spiritual simply a possibility to achieving one’s afterlife goals?
For no religion and/or spiritual path has a definitive answer to what our chosen Deity has in mind as far as the Grand scheme of things. As I watch the rivulets of water wash over this streambed strewn with multi-colored pebbles, I think of how generations of folks have come and gone, much like how each rivulet passes down stream. And yet such misguided beliefs have remained in place like the pebbles cascaded across the bed of this secluded stream. Unmoved though a new generation of water sweeps over them.
And then I begin to think that if we do not have the answers, why one would want to be locked into a strict dogma that filters out any new and fresh ideas about spiritual ascension. Seeking answers to such a grand mystery is an on going process. Choosing to be stagnant in one’s spiritual progression leads me to think that perhaps such a belief system it’s not about spiritual growth to begin with.
And so why the hate mongering and the overwhelming fear?
If one is secure within their beliefs, shouldn’t there be a tendency to at least listen to others even if one chooses not to accept what one hears from others. This is known as communication. But when there is no such open communication, it leads me to wonder from where the insecurities that have spanned so many decades are originating.
For as a witch, I offer no harm to anyone unless it is in self-defense. I seek not to convince others of my beliefs; for such beliefs are a mark of my individuality and are constantly undergoing changes as new revelations becomes available.
Does such institutional fear come from the knowledge that a witch connects with Mother Earth as a way of life? I would ask why those who carry such fear in their hearts do not themselves utilize such a rich resource of knowledge. For such knowledge is there for all.
Witches are chastised and have even been put to death for connecting with the spirit realm, and I wonder why. Do we not all have a spirit within us and will we not all revert to spirit when our time in this realm comes to a close? What is there to fear?
Witches are disavowed for drawing upon the energy that is all about us and manifesting this energy into a tangible result. Do not all religions and/or spiritual beliefs follow similar patterns though they may use different words and actions to initiate such workings? Is not such a divine gift available openly and freely to all who seek such inherent abilities? Does Deity select but one belief system and cater to just those thoughts? Or does Deity transcend such narrow parameters and in fact respond to all who seek regardless of which path they follow?
So why manifest such lies and unfounded hatred?
As this stream in the middle of the woods flows over the bed of pebbles, does it really care if some pebbles are red, or brown, or black? Or does it just want to be free to follow its destiny without a barrier created by humans. Are humans any less worthy of such a freedom within their beliefs?
As I think these thoughts, tears run down my cheeks. As a witch I seek to stay connected with the old ways. Ways that have served humankind for so long. Ways that open doors to those places that are now shrouded in the mists of ignorance. Ways that allow me to utilize introspection in an effort to see my own faults and thus gives me the strength to address them in a positive manner. Are such practices so terrible that they deserve the scorn of so many who do not attempt to try and understand?
As a witch, I too walk about in a state of fear. A fear based upon the realities of our society. There is the fear that I may lose my means of employment, if my spiritual path comes to light. This is an established fear that has come to pass at one point in my life. There is the fear that bodily harm could come to me and my loved ones by those who blindly wallow in ignorance, simply because I choose to believe as an individual. This is yet another bitter experience that has raised its ugly head at one point in my life. And once again, I have to ask why.
Why can we not all accept the fact that we are seekers on the path of life? And as it is with such travelers, no one person has all of the answers.
As I stand here on this cold autumn morning and watch this small stream flow by, I know within my heart that in time this stream will wear down the pebbles that it flows over. And that in time new pebbles will take their place.
As a witch and as a human, I can only hope that such a transition will take place in the river of life and that the fear and the ignorance will in time be worn down as well. I desire that which I wish for others, the right to follow my path without obstructions being placed before me by other humans.
I seek to not judge others nor do I seek to be judged.
Element Balance
Element Balance
Keeps the Elements in sync with you!!!
Warning!! This spell can Backfire! this happened to my Friend but it is VERY RARE!
All the ingredients must be placed in the 4 corners of the container!!!!
The following ingredients are needed:
1 stick of Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons on Water
3 handfuls of Earth (Mud from your back yard!)
4 paper fans(Made from plain A4)
Box of matches
Container
Your focus and Determination
Take your container and add the Cinnamon and imagine Fire Add the Water and think of a flow of a river Sprinkle in the Earth and imagine the whole of the Planet Add the Fans and think of the most destructive of Hurricanes/Tornadoes/Monsoons Then light the Matches and place them with the flame pointing out away from the element(the water will put the match out so don’t place that in!!!!) put a lid on the container and return to it in 4 weeks then bury it. After about 24 hrs you will feel more relaxed an comforted as the element will flow through you!!!!!
The Glamorous Occult
The Glamorous Occult
Author: Aegar Geihl
The Occult is a fascinating and stimulating area of study- for those who can handle it, and it opens up doors to new and enlightening experiences. This all is very interesting and is certain to attract a large amount of attention from teens, but do they know what they are getting into? With this article I hope to instill a bit of primer knowledge to many curious teens before they embark on a path they aren’t ready for.
I remember when I was first interested in the Occult. I Googled my brains out as I tried to find suitable information. For someone without an initial knowledge in the Occult that was very difficult. I ended up embarking on my first face-to-face encounter with Magick, only to find myself disappointed in the results of the event. It wasn’t until I matured both spiritually and physically that I realized what the cause of that night was. I was misinformed and completely unaware of the reality of these powers. This is my encouragement to provide an outline for those interested:
1. Take time to think about why you are interested in Wicca, Asatru, or whatever is tickling your fascination. Are you into it for the black cat, medieval garb, and fancy title? If so, then please rethink your decision as it might save your dignity (or your sanity) . If you are interested in the Occult for the lessons you may learn, whether good or bad then you may be on the right path.
2. It’s definitely not all fun and games, and anyone who tells you otherwise are most likely in it for the fancy title. You must remember that by contacting deities, spirits, etc. you are in the presence of something divine. They are not “cool” characters from a fantasy story. They are very real, and very in tune to you and your environment.
3. You will have to work very hard, especially if you are uneducated in the Occult. You will have to read everything you can on the path you are interested in, but if you have a true interest in it this will be your favorite thing to do.
4. It does not happen overnight. All of this will take time, and you will need to allow yourself time to breath. You have plenty of life left and all the time you need to learn what you want. If you make hasty decisions you will find yourself getting no results, or something much worse.
5. Always keep yourself protected. This is simple and should be one of the first things you learn about. Every time you open yourself up to the divine you are very vulnerable. Your aura will absorb negativity, as will your ritual space. You can keep your space clean of negativity by burning Rue (an herb) , and putting salt on the four corners of the room and your bed. These are two simple and effective ways to keep yourself safe.
Concerning Teachers:
1. Really get to know the individual in question. Are they knowledgeable in what they study? Do they show a deep care for their students? Do you feel comfortable around them?
2. Ask questions! If a teacher is legitimate they will have not dispute you asking simple questions such as “Who was your teacher?”. That one is a very good question to ask, and will show you their true colors almost immediately.
3. Don’t jump into this relationship, and yes it is a relationship. You and your teacher will be around each other a lot and should be very close.
It is important to remember that with all spirituality comes fraud. There are many people out there who deem themselves “High Priest Lizard Breath”, and claim they are the masters of all elements. Obviously this is exaggerated but don’t think it doesn’t happen. This is why I think it is so important to not be afraid to ask questions. It is you that will be getting to know this person and it is also up to you to question their authenticity. You wouldn’t give you social security number out to a total stranger would you?
The Internet is a great tool to meet people, learn about things, and even connect with groups, but you must remember that just like you these people are behind a computer screen. You do not know these people and to trust anyone without formal meeting/bonding can wind up very badly. This is why I find that commonsense is the number one rule. If you are always paying careful attention to your surroundings and others you will be less likely to run into some major problems along your path.
Rules for Approaching Gods:
In many traditions a pantheon of Gods is revered and is the center of the tradition’s practice. It is mandatory that you always approach them with respect. Remember being told to always say “Please” and “Thank you”? This does not apply solely in the physical plane and you should approach the gods in the same manner you would treat a very special guest to your home.
Be sure to remember that you are sincere and serious about everything you ask/say when in their presence. They are the divine, and are obviously not here to tell you how pretty your hair looks or how good you are at basketball. As long as you keep the commonsense rule with you at all times you will have little to no trouble with the Gods (or other entities) .
If you happen to live in a family that is not fond of your new found interests/ beliefs then you may find it necessary to keep your beliefs secret. This is perfectly okay, but be sure to remember that your beliefs may differ but you should respect them and their beliefs as you would your own. This will undoubtedly gain their trust in your responsibility and will help you avoid future problems.
I hope this article was helpful and I wish you the best of luck on your endeavors.
Those Dabblers!
Those Dabblers!
Author: Llewthena
I have found that so many books, articles, blogs and other forms of communication offer advice on how to spot a “dabbler” or a “fluffy bunny”: Essentially, avoid those who do not seem serious about the Craft. This bothers me on so many levels, as I’m sure it bothers others. In the spirit of such bothering, I give you the levels on which this type of attitude bothers me.
Level 1: Don’t insult my intelligence. I did not begin practicing Witchcraft in order to become ignorant.
Level 2: Don’t assume we have the same definition of “dabbler”. A ‘’waste to one person, may be a treasure to someone else.
Level 3: Do not presume to tell me who I should or should not spend my time with. It is my business who I allow into my life. This kind of overlaps with the first and second levels but this is why I have entitled them “levels” and not “points”. They build on each other. My levels have teamwork. Moving on…
Level 4: Finding the Goddess within does not a Goddess make. This goes for the Gods as well. I am still determining my destiny. I highly doubt you know it better than I do.
Level 5: “Live you must and let to live, freely take and freely give”. An amateur has the right to live without professional intervention, unless they seek it, which I guess would then make them a novice. As far as I can ascertain, the great and knowledgeable anti-dabbler authors think novices are peachy keen. After all, whom are they writing their books and such for? Be wary the labels that get bandied around.
Were we not all “dabblers” at some point? Some of us may still be. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I doubt that every currently “serious” or “true” Witch began as such esteemed individuals. We dabble to learn new things. We try out different experiences. For many on the Pagan path, we followed our intuition and found a spirituality that has become home. But it wasn’t an immediate and perfect fit.
Anything worth learning or doing takes time. Finding a spiritual path can be harrowing, exhausting, frustrating, fulfilling, joyous, and so much more. It is not, however, easy. At least, not if one is trying to make lasting changes. And not every new experience will initiate change.
Every advanced, expert, grand poomba Witch began as, well, beginners. Life is an ongoing lesson. I think a truly “serious” Witch, Wiccan, Pagan, Heathen or whoever ought not shy away from “dabblers”. Yes, some people try out the Craft and find it is not for them for various reasons. Those people will eventually move on of their own accord as they do not find here what it is they’re seeking. Yet, some of those whom you might prematurely be advised to run away from could be those you are meant to learn from.
Have you ever learned a lesson from a child or someone younger than you? A less experienced person is not, by default, less serious, less committed or less worthy of time. Teaching increases learning so it is reasonable to think that a less expert individual will retain their own lessons more if they teach others.
How boring and useless it would be to start something if you already knew everything about it! Our spiritual journey is no different. If we are perfect at the onset, we have nothing to learn and no incentive to change. If we have nothing to learn, there really isn’t any point in continuing on. Let me embrace my inner fortune cookie and say, the journey is the prize.
I am a Priestess and I am not perfect. (Don’t tell anyone.) I am continuing to grow and change. I ever strive to hone my skill and develop my Craft. I hope never to become so “advanced” that I cannot learn from a mere “beginner”. When my journey is complete, it will be the end of this lifetime and I am in no rush to get there.
I will join the rank of advice authors! I advise we not become judgmental of the person who has a ‘Blessed Be’ bumper sticker on their car and just gave the finger to that Hummer that cut them off. Maybe they’re having a bad day. Maybe someone else is using the car. Maybe they are from a culture where saluting fellow drivers with an upraised middle finder is considered to be a friendly greeting. Or maybe the driver of the Hummer deserved such a gesture. Who can say for sure? Don’t judge a Witch until you have spent a day on her (or his) broom.
This is not to say that you should run up to everyone wearing pretty Pagan jewelry and invite him/her home to join your coven. When dealing with any stranger, use your common sense and trust your intuition. You will not always be right, but as you learn to trust that inner guidance, your success rate will definitely improve.
This is not advice regarding abusive relationships. That is an entirely different subject and is not being addressed here. No one deserves to be abused. Ever. Enough said. Other, less harmful but not good relationships are often put in our way to teach us something.
A common goal, it seems, among Witches (and all Pagans, really) is to find balance in their lives and unity with the Divine. We seek to be connected to the Universe. We commune with Nature, realizing that Nature is not always pleasant. I hope never to become that annoyingly perky person spouting such eloquent sayings as “Turn that frown upside down!” I am that person who will say “Look at the whole picture and see what you might learn from it”.
We are but threads in a great tapestry. If we all start picking at the looser threads, the whole article unravels. A loose thread can be woven back into the piece but no mortal on this plane is skilled enough to weave such a Divine craft. Maybe Clotho will plait that loose thread with yours and enhance the beauty of that Universal cloth. Maybe Lachesis will move that thread someplace else. Maybe Atropos will cut the thread. Such decisions are not ours to make.
We should ever strive to avoid those who would do us harm. But not every “fluffy bunny” with a pent and a bumper sticker should be treated like the plague. If that newly Paganized furry rabbit remains fluffy, learning nothing and progressing no further, it is not another’s responsibility to force them along or become/remain attached to them. Still, that dabbler may be in need of a teacher or role model before they become the “serious” Witch so many authors claim to be.
Instead of “How to Avoid the Dabbler”, maybe we should be learning “How to Spot Potential”.
What’s In A Name?
What’s In A Name?
Author: Life is a Dance Regardless
Recently, someone spoke with me about some problems surrounding the word “Pagan”. This person told to be careful about who I speak to when claiming that I am one, even other people claiming to be Pagan. It is hard for me to agree with her. I can’t wrap my head around it actually. Truly, I understand exactly where she is coming from, but I disagree with her entirely.
What she is saying is that people may tell me that I am going about being Pagan in the wrong way. Other pagans may be angry with me for the way that I practice my faith. People may advise me on what I should do differently, whom I should speak to, and which people to avoid. What books should I read? Where should I go? What should I do? How should I practice my faith? How, in fact, should I practice my life?
Admittedly, I am new to it, and perhaps I need guidance but I have realized something important. There are people in every faith who think that their way is the Truth. There are people in Life in general who think their way is the Truth. This is something we all have to deal with throughout our entire lives because people have different opinions.
For the most part, I have not respected religion in the past because of its inability to recognize that everyone needs something different in his or her life. Some people do not need faith, and most religions fail to allow room for that view. I explained to my friend that being a “good Pagan” was like declaring oneself a “good Christian”. The term is likely to mean something different from one person to the next.
For one Christian, being good may be hating people in other religions, and another, it may be loving and accepting no matter what. The Bible can be interpreted differently, though some people think otherwise. As such, different people can interpret Paganism differently.
It is not, in fact, a problem with religion, which is why I respect religion so much at this point. It is, has always been, and will always be a problem with individuals. No way is the right way. No way is the wrong way. Religion is not math or science, where one false move can completely screw up your equation, or burn your eyebrows off. Religion is something to be taken seriously, but it is not rocket science. It is for the pure and sole purpose of finding yourself. What do you, as an individual think is right or wrong?
I am 18, graduated high school last spring and am now looking for a job. For me personally, I believe going into college using someone else’s money is wrong. It is my preference to earn enough money to enter a trade school of my choice without needing debt solutions. My aunt suggests I get a loan from my grandpa, but even then, I have debt. There are certain things I do not want to deal with at this point in my life. I would rather have the means to rely on myself. I believe that I should enjoy the little things. There are more important things than brushing my hair in the morning. Sometimes, it may be drinking coffee, watching the sunrise, or simply dressing and running to wish my neighbors good luck on the first of a new month. I water my plants every day. I enjoy what I have. I take time to enjoy my connection with Mother Earth.
I realize to some people that this may be the wrong way to go about my faith. However, I also told my friend that calling myself Pagan, to me, would be like calling myself Christian. There are many different facets to each religion. If I were a Christian, I could go more in depth and say I belonged to the Baptists, or that I was Episcopalian. I am not, as it happens. I claim to be Pagan because I am not yet sure of my choice of where to go on my spiritual path. I am also unsure of what I want to do in life.
I believe there are simple principles imbedded in the Pagan practice that I have tried to honor for my entire life. We must love, honor, and respect others regardless of what their belief is. It is best to live naturally. We must not harm others, regardless of our feelings toward them. If others discriminate, we should not sink to their level. We are better than that. We share a love of all things in nature and we worship that which enables to live and prosper.
I honor my Mother. I honor my Father. Both biological and spiritual. I love my neighbors. I love myself. I honor my Elders, but I also believe you have to earn my respect and attention to get it. I try to live in the best way I can. I try to love even those who do me wrong, because they show me exactly what I do not want to be.
I wrote a poem for one of my friend’s birthday. I put in what I thought she could use in her future, things I myself wish to live by.
Never regret the mistakes you have made
But never forget, or you’ll trip on your blade
Always know, you are never alone
Even when you’re lost, you always have home
Good people with good hearts are far between few
Always aim sharp, always aim true
Whether or not you can witness the fight
Fight for what you believe with all your might
Know that a moment comes only one time
Soak in the moment before the clock strikes and bells chime
Try to live each moment in grace
Those you hate, you should try to embrace
For they show you who you ought not to be
And that is a gift, to the highest degree
Do not get mad if a beggar can’t help you
They may be more in need, so bid him adieu
If possible, speak in whispers, and listen when you can
An inadvertent learning is most precious and most grand
And finally, never stumble on a grain of sand
But hold the world in the palm of your hand
You are a Goddess, and if you try, you’ll always win
The courage of a Goddess always comes from within
Forgive me if I am wrong, but for me, I am not.
Candle Magic
Candle Magic
Candle Magic has been around for many, many years, being traced as far back as the Palaeolithic era. It is a very powerful form of sympathetic magic.
There are many factors that play into the art of candle magic. As we know any type of magic that is performed will return to you three fold, whether it be positive or negative. Always keep the Wiccan Rede “An harm to none do what thou wilt” in mind when considering your work. Always keep in mind that magic effect’s the entire world around you. Be very careful what you ask for, for it may well come true. The wording in any type of magic must not be taken lightly, be very careful, concise , and precise, make sure you have covered all possible bases.
Keep in mind that some candle magic has to be repeated over a period of days. Therefore, you will want to place them in an area that will not be disturbed. Do not choose a place where there is a tv, radio noise or disturbances of any kind. Keep in mind to not put candles near curtains and such, as you would not want to burn your house down. Candle magic should always be performed in a low traffic area. That is why a bedroom is really nice for such work.
The Meaning of the Number 3
The spiritual meaning of number Three deals with magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage. The number Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity. Three is also a time identifier as it represents Past, Present and Future. Consecutive Threes in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to past events and future goals. Three may also represent promising new adventures, and assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help. Three typically symbolizes reward and success in most undertakings.
The ‘Power’ Of A Word
The ‘Power’ Of A Word
Author: Lady GoldenRaven
I am so tired of hearing the constant misuse of one particular word: POWER.
We need to lose the egos people. Being a Wytch, Pagan, or Wiccan is not about power. It is about honoring and celebrating the Old Ones and Their Ways. It is about keeping them alive.
Being a Wytch (from this point on WYTCH will refer to Wytch, Pagan and Wiccan only to simplify the writing) is about caring for Mother Earth and her children. These children include ALL life, not just human. Being a Wytch is about honoring the God and Goddess. It is about observing the Sabbats as well as other rituals.
First, we must understand what the word power itself means. According to Merriman Webster Dictionary, the word power means:
Main Entry: 1pow·er
Function: noun
Pronunciation: ‘pau (- and ) r
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French poeir, from poeir to be able, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin potere, alteration of Latin posse — more at POTENT
1 a (1) : ability to act or produce an effect (2) : ability to get extra-base hits (3) : capacity for being acted upon or undergoing an effect b : legal or official authority, capacity, or right
2 a: possession of control, authority, or influence over others b: one having such power; specifically: a sovereign state c: a controlling group
For most people, the word usually refers to the second meaning: possession of control, authority, or influence over others. For those making the transition from other religions to the Old Ways, they misuse this word.
As a Wytch, we DO have power according to the first definition. We can produce effects, but we can also misuse it as in the second definition.
Being a Wytch for over 30 years, I have seen many folks attempt to threaten others with their wytchy “powers”. I have seen wytches brag how “powerful” they are over other wytches.
In those 30 years, all those who claim to have this “power” have all misused it. They use it to control other people.
They use it to get what they want instead of either working for it, or obtaining it from some other means such as bartering for it. Most of what they want is not material items, but just the ability to “show off” to friends, feel threatening to those they wish to bully.
We need to first of all, strip the old familiar mindset of what power truly is. The power as described in the second definition is one that comes from man’s need to control everything. Yes, I mean men as opposed to women.
Don’t get me wrong, many women throughout history have misused this as well, but true misuse did not come along until Christianity and when MEN decided they had more power than women. I am not writing this to bash men–that is not my intent.
When women ruled this planet, there was a lot less war, killing, and rape? Puh–leeease!
But, I digress.
I hear so many young people say that they turned to Wytchcraft for the power. They are NOT in it for the religion. This upsets me terribly. We are trying to get rid of negative connotations to our religion and along come those who think they can have Power like they see on television.
I tell people, if I were a wytch like they portray on television, why would I be working my butt off week after week? I would not be in debt; I would have enough food so I would not go hungry, etc.
If I were a wytch as seen on television, I would be popping over to Paris for lunch with a twytch of my nose. I would be in the Bahamas with a blink of my eye during the cold winter nights.
I would not be driving a car that is old and falling apart. I would drive my Mercedes one day, my Porsche the next. I would have hit the lottery for millions several times over.
You get the picture.
What really almost pushed me to my limits was an event that occurred the other day. Debbie, a friend of mine considered an “adopted” daughter, is under my guidance as she learns our Ways.
She met a 23 yr old girl whom I will call Mary and they were talking about wytchcraft.
Mary said my daughter, ” I am more powerful than you will ever be!”
At age 23!
This girl claims to have more power than those older than her?
The wrath of a pissed off Wytch comes to the surface. Now, all my self-control was sorely needed. Not just because I felt the urge to just slap her silly, but I also had to watch my mouth.
I think the definition of the word ‘Power ‘should be changed to “the ability to maintain control over oneself”.
I am glad I had some time in between hearing the above statements and in my future meeting with Mary. It gave me time to think how I would handle this situation. I am still torn in some ways. The egotistical human side of me wants to just beat her down (verbally), but the Old Crone in me knows there is a better way to handle this situation.
I think we need to redefine the word power. As wytches, we do have the ability to influence not just other people, but events our professions, etc.
Have you ever heard the phrase: He had the Power to Influence others on the jury?” (Ok, the statement is redundant. It is like saying He had the Power to Power others.)
Our biggest “job” as a wytch is to not just worshipping and praying to our respective God/Goddesses, it is not only to heal Mother Earth and Her children.
Our biggest job is not letting egos affect us in any way.
We are HUMAN–we will NEVER be so powerful that we can instantly snap our fingers and have a mansion appear on our path.
Our jobs in healing the earth and in other rituals and/or spell works that we do is, in fact, to act only as a conduit through which the Ancient Ones may affect Their will. They alone know the Big Plan.
Let’s say we were doing a healing ritual for a person who is ill. This person recovers. Did WE do the actual healing? No. We sent our energies, prayers, and thought forms to the Ancient Ones. It was in Their plan that this person recover.
What if this person had crossed over? Some people blame themselves. Again, it is not our choosing nor is it our call on what happens to whom. If this person has crossed, the Ancient Ones had it in Their plans long before any of us were born.
As a Reiki Master/Teacher, I give my body to the God/Goddess to use as a conduit for their energy to heal. One can stand in the room and feel the heat increasing.
I am not supplying the energy that is being used to heal. If this were the case, none of the Healers in this world would be doing anything except sleeping to restock their supply of energy. The amount of energy used is far greater than what I as a human could ever “conjure” up.
Final words: Drop the word POWER from your repertoire. You really are not all that mighty and powerful.
Grasping Witchcraft
Grasping Witchcraft
Author: Charmed By The Moon
I know the title is a bit misleading as Witchcraft isn’t something we can physically hold. In fact, it’s more of something we can embrace and become. I’m referring more to the idea of getting a hold on it, seeing it, understanding it and living it.
I’ve been on this road for so long but haven’t made the true connection to the facts and ideas that are Witchcraft. There is so much to learn and so much to do and so much to envelop, it can often feel like a horse running down the road and I’m trying to get a rope on it to bring it back in again. It gets away from me sometimes. It becomes too big for me to truly grasp and hold close to me.
Some would say, “Well faith isn’t something you can capture; it is a free moving spirit of the Universe knowing no bounds, limits, or time”.
I agree to a point.
How do Christians and Jewish and Muslim people get a hold of their religion? I believe in some cases it is indoctrinated into them at birth and they have spent years studying and applying what they learn through weekly ritual, holidays etc. They have parents and family and friends in the same realms and it becomes a part of their life.
They have many years of preparation and teaching to reach the important milestones of their particular faith. There are huge parties and gatherings of celebration, families bonding and loving, and a strong sense of community.
That’s fine and wonderful if you are of a major Belief System but what about us? Or should I say me?
What about the Witchcraft of today and how it is still perceived by our peers?
There is no building to belong to, no sense of community really. No one wants to hear how you just made a second initiation and chose a new name. No one wants to know what crystals you bought for ritual. No one cares about the books and discoveries you are making.
Point is unless you have friends and family in the know, you don’t have any real support or ways to learn and certainly no one to celebrate with that might matter to you.
I do have a partner in my life and for that I am grateful and he too is on the same road as I but he knows about as much as I do. We can share moments and lessons but we still need more, still need direction so I set it as my personal goal to gain enlightenment on a different level at least for myself.
That leaves us on fact-finding missions. It leaves us open to strangers in our Belief System to guide us. (Some of which I have to say based on personal experience are total flakes!) Or, we meet people whom ‘don’t owe us anything’ and they choose not to teach what they have learned or even help to get us started. Fine. They have the right.
Next we have books by 1, 000 authors at least! Some writers and practitioners are on the same page, others are more complex, more don’t make any sense, some are so busy saying “this is the only way” and how do they really know? Books are great but there is no real way to ask a book a question! No way to talk to the author directly so it leaves many an unanswered query. So then we move to the online world and there is no real way to know if the person on the other end is real or not, what their motivations are, what they represent and where do they get their information. I suppose you can find a local coven and hope they accept you if your willing to do the work. Again these are strangers and you are in a vulnerable state as it is and for some insecure people they can fall into a terrible way.
It can be such a lonely world and very disheartening. There had to be a better way and I think I may have found it! I had to put some trust in someone I didn’t know and I am pleasantly surprised to say the least.
I paid for my classes. I exchanged money for knowledge.
Granted it isn’t a lot but there is a personal responsibility to each person and we carry it out. I know there are many people who are telling me that I shouldn’t have to pay. I can find information everywhere and yes, I have indeed found info. I’ve found so much I can’t organize it all and I don’t know how to manage one particular sect of Witchcraft.
I’m overwhelmed. I need direction, accountability, projects, motivation, detail, organization and even coaching.
That’s it!
I needed a Witch Coach! I needed someone to break it down and give me a starting point.
So, after a 2-year search and investigation I did come across one woman. She teaches many classes in person as well as correspondence and her style completely resonates with me, and I like her! I like the way she thinks. I like how she isn’t all about props and deliverance as much as common sense and developing natural ability. I got a cool little lesson book with projects, ritual ideas, reading material, supplies to buy, etc. and a nice note saying to me “Welcome” and a few other things.
I loved it. Granted I’ve not had a conversation with her yet and I will soon but I still felt like someone was at least a nice person and to the point. Anyone can say welcome to the group but I picked up a sincere feeling.
Upon receiving my materials I set out to start by doing the first lesson and I am still doing them day-by-day.
I feel good and I feel like I might actually one day grasp the element of being a Witch. I know I am one. I always knew but didn’t know how to get it off the ground.
It isn’t a race to ensue one’s faith; it is a journey of mind, body and spirit and it is meant to be as such. I want to taste it in my breath, feel it in my soul, and wake everyday knowing I am special and I know what many others do not know but seek.
No one can become anything over night. it takes study and determination and a natural love of what your doing. It takes wanting it more than you’ve wanted anything and not giving up because it becomes hard. In reality if we don’t learn how to do things right, we can cause more harm than good.
In all the information I’ve gathered in four years I couldn’t differentiate what was bogus and what was truth and then who deemed it to be truthful? I discovered I have to find my own truth in what makes sense to me and what calls to me.
I found it, finally.
Please, Don’t Think You Know Me!
Please, Don’t Think You Know Me!
Author: Lady Abigail
“I have no fear of who you see,
For I can be only me.”
For me, it was a wonderful gift, being raised in the love and nurturing compassion of my Great Grandmother and learning from her the wisdom of family and history of her heritage, which was mixed in Native American traditions, Ozark Magick, Healing and Wisdom. She was truly an amazing person, and, oh yes, she was a Witch.
But it was not something she dressed up in; it was just simply who she was.
My Great Grandmother was a small woman just barely five foot tall. I would have to guess that she weighed maybe a hundred pounds and that would if she was soaking wet. For most of my life, I remember her wearing dark skirts and long-sleeve blouses even in summer. She wore a bonnet and sometimes gloves to keep the sun from darkening her skin. She dressed much as she had in her younger days.
She was in no way a threatening-looking person. In fact she was quite the opposite. Reflecting back, I would have to say, she gave the appearance of a “little house on the prairie” schoolteacher. But, those who knew her, truly knew her and respected her for the force of nature that she was unto this world, a person of good, healing, and wisdom.
Occasionally I would hear people saying things about my Great Grandmother and her being a Witch. I understood, even as a child, people enjoyed saying things about other people as long as they were not around. Sometimes it was about her goodness, but it was often filled with their fear and ignorance for someone they were afraid to know.
Over the years I have had people assume that because my Great Grandmother was a practicing Witch, it must have been somehow hard on me. Perhaps they believed that my Great Grandmother’s house was filled with rat tails and bat wings. Others would assume that since I was born into a family of Witches, then that made me a Witch.
Okay, kind of, yes, but not exactly.
My Great Grandmother believed that you were whom you made yourself into, the choice being yours. She taught me and gave me the gifts of knowledge, magick, and understanding of the powers hidden within the moon, earth, and nature. However, I had to also study and learn them.
Then, as I grew, the lessons grew and in time I learned that living within a world of magick, meant you would be learning for the rest of you life.
Witches know that once we open that first book, that study and knowledge are like a thirst we can never quench; a thirst that truly gives us an understand that surpasses every part of life.
Recently I had a young ‘witchlit’ make the comment that, “people were afraid of her … you know, since she was a witch and all.” (scary) But that is only because they knew that they should not mess with her, or make her mad because if she got mad, no telling what would happen.
I laughed, since most people have no idea I am a witch. I’m not in the broom closet by any means; I just don’t announce it as I walk into a room. I don’t need too.
In time, I will tell those in my life, friends outside my magick world, if I feel they need to know, which normally comes after they have a chance to get to know me. Then I let them decided how they feel about me, who and what they think I am.
If they stay in my life, I will cherish them. If they walk away, I let them go with understanding.
My Great Grandmother taught me at a young age, that it is not fear that brings a person respect. It only brings fear. And fear will in time breed hatred and contempt.
Unfortunately, there are some in our life’s who seem to confuse the two of these. Respect and Honor come from what others see deep within us, from our deeds and not our words.
My Great Grandmother was a Witch, but she was so much more. She was a daughter of the old south with Native American parents who walked the trail and escaped into a new life. She was the sister of a brother who was taken away by a religion that was not of her family’s believing, then forced by the government to send him away on a train to never be seen or heard from again. She was a wife and a mother. She was a widow and understood the struggles and joys of marriage, life, family, as well as the pains of losing those she loved.
Her husband died in World War I and her only son died in World War II. She was an honored grandmother and great grandmother. (Now a great-great-grandmother, as well.) She was a woman of means who survived alone and raised a family with no aid from anyone during the great depression.
Yes, she was a Witch, a Shaman, a Healer and a Wise Women. But she was so much more. All anyone even needs to have done was ask and she would have welcomed him or her into her life.
I have had people tell me that it freaked them out once they found out I was a practicing Witch. I have had some people feel so uncomfortable with that knowledge that they had to separate themselves from me completely, somehow unable to see past a label to the person within. How funny that people want to think they can guess who we are by just looking at us or by the title we carry in our life.
I have to tell you it is not a good idea to think you know someone because of how they dress, how they look, or what they may do in their life’s.
If you met me on a street, it is possible you would think I was the church lady. Other days you might think I was a streetwalker. But you never really know who a person is on the inside, unless they share that part of themselves with you.
Most of us know how to carefully mask the secrets we protect within ourselves. But that is because we carry our power within our spirits. No one can take it, nor do we give it away. We don’t need to put on a show, or act high and mighty to prove to someone who we are.
We know already.
In peace and magick,
Lady Abigail
Footnotes:
FYI: Practicing Witch- One who is actively working at the profession and skill of magick and/or Witchcraft. A Witch of continuing study and actively presuming additional levels of skill within the craft.
A Witch endeavoring to learn and grow beyond. Establishing magickal habits and continuing methods. Uninterrupted growth and study within the chosen occupation and skills of magick and/or Witchcraft.
Planning and Performing Handfastings
Planning and Performing Handfastings
Author: Iris Firemoon
Handfastings are pagan wedding ceremonies, in which typically the couple’s hands are tied together to symbolize the joining of two people, or specifically, “tying the knot”. A handfasting can be a trial, lifetime, or eternal (spiritual) marriage. Depending on the intent of the couple and the national, state, or province laws, a handfasting can be a legal marriage as well.
Regardless of the legal or time extent of the union, marriages typically have one requirement. Both parties must willingly consent to a joining. However, this is not always a universal requirement.
In Ireland and Scotland, during the early Christian period it was a form of trial marriage, often performed in rural areas when a priest was not available. The couple could form a temporary, trial marriage, and then be married “in the Church” the next time a priest visited their area. This is similar to a betrothal, or a ceremony of exchanging vows of consent to a marriage at a future date and/or agreeing to a marriage contract.
“Telltown marriages” were named for the year and a day trial marriages contracted at the yearly festival held in Telltown, Ireland. The festival took place at Lughnassadh (August 1), and the trial marriage would last until the next Lughnassadh festival. At that time, they were free to leave the union if they desired.
We are going to explore two sides to a handfasting. On one side, we are planning the handfasting, and on the other, we are officiating. While not all of us will plan a handfasting, and not all of us will officiate them, these topics go hand in hand.
To plan a wedding, you must understand what it takes from your officiant, and to officiate, you must understand what goes into planning it. Priests and Priestesses are in essence clergy of this religion, and it may be requested of us to perform or aid in these duties.
PLANNING A HANDFASTING: While there are lots of things to consider when planning a wedding, such as a caterer and photographer, today we will stick to planning the ceremony itself.
When picking a date, the astrological influences around that time should be taken into consideration. At the very least, you would probably want to steer clear of getting hitched during a moon void-of-course, Mercury Retrograde, or when the Sun is in opposition of Venus.
Who to put on the guest list is an important fact to think about. When thinking of non-Pagan family members, and even those you will invite that might scoff at the idea of a Pagan wedding, the couple has to sit down and decide how obviously pagan they are going to let the ceremony become. In what a handfasting ritual implies and was first practiced in Wicca, there was no audience of people invited for the novelty of sharing the experience, or non-Craft people. However, since our society is more open to these experiences, things have changed.
Some families are more open to new experiences, and other families are more conservative. A wedding is not the best place to come out of the broom closet. Not only could it ruin a day that is considered to be special to most people, but also it could make everyone uncomfortable, and cause problems down the road.
However, allowing the thoughts and beliefs of family members to heavily influence the ceremony that you want could create feelings of regret. Think about what you and your partner want in the ceremony, and then think about how the guests would respond.
If the couple is set on having a more elaborate handfasting, but do not want to involve family and friends, two ceremonies could be held. The legal bond could be established at a more non-denominational ceremony, while the spiritual bond is fortified in an all-out handfasting.
My good friend who got married in 2004, she sent out a notice in her invitations about the nature of the ceremony. This gave guests a chance to opt out then. I believe that she also passed out programs that explained some of the various part of the ritual (their purpose, some history, and explanation), as well as contained the script of the ritual. The priestess also reinforced these explanations during the ceremony. She also let people come forward after the ceremony and ask questions.
When planning for cowan family members and friends, there are many elements standard to ritual that must be considered, such as the language of the ceremony, the altar, attire, casting a circle, calling quarters, cakes and ale, etc.
One way to make family and friends more comfortable with the background of the ceremony is to adapt the softer language. I have written and performed handfastings in which the couple asked that I omit words that may be misunderstood…such as Witch, Wiccan, and Pagan. Instead, I would create a strong earth-based theme in my ceremony.
I described concepts in terms of the cycles of the sun and the moon, our connection to all things, and in the symbolism of the circle. It may also be wise to explain the history and practice of included elements in the ceremony that might be alien to the guests, such as jumping over the broom, binding, the circle as sacred space, etc.
Keep in mind the attire that you will wear. While Pagan ritual attire is different than traditional wedding garb, you may want to think twice about what you wear. For example, you probably will not want to end up skyclad in front of your parents, and that it typically illegal in public. It would also be a wise move to alert Craft folk attending about any general attire suggestions, mention that family and friends will be in attendance, and to keep that in mind.
Also, think about other traditional elements of rituals, such as how the altar will be structured, whether or not you will set the area up in a physical circle, as well as cast a circle, and call Quarters, Goddess, and God.
Most rituals involved us casting a circle, and with a handfasting, this is no exception. Because of non-pagan family guests, some choose to cast and call the quarters before the guests arrive.
At my most recent ceremony, I all of the prep work, while the bride and groom sorted their affairs. A good friend of mine got married and had us cast a circle while the guests were there. Guests were explained the importance of the magick circle, sacred space, and the barrier that it created. They could then choose to sit inside the circle, or outside the circle.
There are many elements of a handfasting that make it different from other rituals, such as a wedding party, binding, challenge, exchange of vows and rings, as well as jumping over the broom.
Who’s in the wedding party? Handfastings are not the typical ritual, and as a result, we end up with some non-typical situations. If the guests at a wedding are cowan and Pagan, then there is a chance that some of the wedding party may be a mix.
The wedding party can range from coven members and Pagan friends, to the Pagan-friendly and the pagan-skeptical. Keep this in mind when planning on whether or not your wedding party will participate in the actual ceremony.
Find out whether or not they are comfortable with the roles that you are thinking of assigning them, and make sure that they know what to expect. The wedding party can take on group roles, such as setting up the altar, casting the circle, and calling quarters, etc.
Most weddings include an exchanging of vows, which are promises that the bride and groom make to each other. More conventional handfastings will also include exchanging of rings.
During the binding, the wrists of the bride and groom are bound together with ribbon. They clasp right_hand-to-right_hand, and left_hand-to-left_hand, crossing wrists. The priest/ess asks one of them if they wish to be bound to the other. This takes place of traditional “I do’s.”
Then, they may be a set of challenges the bride and group must pass to receive a blessing. The bride and groom, bound, are led to each element, then to any close family members (such as little ones) who want to participate. Bound, their bond is challenged by each.
Either the bride and groom are brought to each quarter, or the person representing that quarter (if you have them) comes to the bride and groom. They present a challenge of some sort, such as “I am the Elemental of the East, Guardian of Air. This is the element of life, of intelligence, of communication, and of thoughtfulness. It is the inspiration that moves us forward.
Do you and will you continue to share your thoughts, ideas, and burdens? Your hopes and dreams?” The bride and groom answer “We do.” They may then receive the blessing of that challenger.
Then, move around through a challenge by the remaining quarter guardians. In one handfasting I participated in, after the elemental challenges, the daughter of the bride had her own challenge. I would imagine that it could be extended to any person directly involved in the union.
When cakes and ale are partaken, this is the bride and groom’s first meal as a united couple.
Jumping over the broom is an African tradition still used today. Brooms were given as wedding gifts as a blessing of abundance, and they were decorated, and kept as keepsakes.
The action of jumping the broom also symbolizes crossing the threshold, as well as taking a leap of faith. Since the besom is a tool of cleansing, it also symbolizes the couple entering the marriage unencumbered. The wedding party or designated people hold the ends of the broom, while the bride/groom jump over it.
For more information on planning a handfasting, Selena Fox put together a great page: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/events/weddings.html
OFFICIATING A HANDFASTING: As priests and priestesses, we are sometimes asked, and at times required, to perform certain clergy duties. Included in the rites of passage that we may be asked to preside over are handfastings.
Not all handfastings are intended to be legal. Some are trial, some symbolic, and some only spiritual ceremonial unions. Legally recognized marriages have several benefits, however none of them are universal to all cultures and countries. In the United States, some of the benefits of a legal marriage include the ability to file joint taxes (which may decrease their total income tax), to control property, to be added to the same insurance policy, to make decisions for their spouse (including life and death decisions, such as the controversial “pulling the plug” scenario), and others.
Legal marriages also afford some spouses benefits should the couple divorce, such as child and spousal support. They can also sometimes establish the man as the legal father of a woman’s child, the woman as the legal mother of a man’s child, give the husband or wife and their family control over the sexual services, labor, and/or property of the spouse, and establish a joint fund of property for the benefit of children.
However, each state, province, or country will have its own requirements for deeming a marriage legal. As the officiant of any wedding ceremony, it is your responsibility to find out what is legally required of the ceremony, if the couple desires it to be legal. You cannot risk performing a ceremony that the couple believes is legal, and finding out later on that it was not. Should something ill happen as a result, you put yourself at risk for a lawsuit.
For example, a person could attempt to add a spouse (who was not previously covered) onto his or her insurance plan, but only to discover that their marriage was not legal, and cannot be added on to the policy. While they are wrestling with paperwork and arranging another ceremony that is legal, the spouse that was not covered is in an accident, all of which is not covered by any insurance.
Check with the local courts for the exact laws for the area. A marriage license, blood test, witnesses, and a licensed officiant may be required (among other things). For example, in Ohio, a marriage license must be obtained by the bride and groom in person at least three days prior to the ceremony. This license is valid for only 30 days. A blood test is no longer necessary.
However, if not a judge, mayor, or other public figure deemed eligible to perform such ceremonies, the officiant must be licensed by the State of Ohio. To obtain a license, the officiant must mail in $10 with an application and a photocopy of the ordination certificate.
While any person can officiate a handfasting, whether or not the ceremony that person performs is legally recognized depends on each state, province, or country. The area that you live in will have its own laws on who can officiate marriages and have them recognized by the government.
Some places require a license, some say that anyone ordained by their religious body can perform weddings, and others require a letter of good standing from the ordaining organization. In Washington D.C., a license must be obtained, and if you are not from the District, a person that is currently licensed in the city must go with you to vouch for you.
There is more information on various state and region laws here, but keep in mind that you will still want to verify with the local courts: http://www.themonastery.org/?destination=ulcLibraryMarriageLaws
To find someone to officiate your handfasting: http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_index/xclergy.html
Now, where can you get ordained? Ordination can occur through any religious body. Ordination “is the process in which clergy, monks or nuns are set apart and authorized by their religious denomination or non denominational seminary to perform religious rituals and ceremonies or otherwise to minister in a clerical capacity.” It typically occurs when a student has completed a certain level of study, or certain requirements within a religious group, and thus the requirements vary from group to group.
While eclectic Wicca teaches that self-initiation is permissible, thus indicating that this person is a priest or priestess of Wicca, this person is still not ordained.
In the U.S., most people have heard of the Universal Life Church, and its free online ordinations. I typically do not talk about it, because I do not believe that every person should go online and sign up for ordination, though it is possible. While there are laws on the legality of weddings, and the requirements to perform legal marriages, there are no laws on which religious bodies can perform ordinations.
If Wicca is a recognized religion, and a religious body deems a person capable of performing such ceremonies, then that person is ordained. But I would rather not mail in an ordination certificate from my Wiccan coven to the state of Ohio. Yes, I would rather mail in my ULC certificate for which I paid $4.95. It also gives solitaries the ability to apply for licenses if required and legally perform marriage ceremonies.
There is information on the ULC website as to which states accept and do not accept ULC ordinations, as well as which countries outside of the U.S. do accept them. Many people consider it a joke that people’s pets can be ordained through ULC. Of course, I feel that those people make it a joke, for it serves its purpose.
To check the Universal Life Church: http://www.ulc.org
In some situations, you may be asked to write the ceremony, or give input as to some of the elements. You must be familiar with the elements of a handfasting, as well as how to write and perform rituals. You should at least have a basic handfasting ritual that can be adapted if need be (somewhere stuffed in your pointed hat). If they wish to write their own, this basic ritual can also be given to the couple as a guideline.
You may be asked to counsel the couple, or be put in a situation where the couple needs advice. It is not uncommon for either the bride or groom to get cold feet, to ask questions about commitment, or have questions about the ceremony itself. It is part of the clergy role to act as a mentor and guide.
Be prepared to answer these sorts of questions, should they come up. However, if there are major differences that need to be reconciled, you may want to refer the couple to a professional that can help them sort issues out.
You also have the right to advise the couple address these issues before the ceremony, and even refuse to perform the ceremony should you feel it necessary.
While officiating a ceremony, you have the option of charging for services. Some people feel that it is unethical to charge for such services, but it is a service nonetheless. Some areas have laws establishing a maximum amount that can be charged for ministerial services.
Some of these laws are vague and say, for example, that no more than $15 dollars can be charged for the service of a minister. This type of wording does not say how much work is worth $15. Writing a ritual could be one set of services, performing the ceremony another set of services, etc. Check your local laws for specific information. When I officiate handfastings, I do not charge for my services, but have usually asked that my travel costs be covered.
Suggested reading:
Handfasted and Heartjoined by Lady Rhea
Handfasting and Wedding Rituals by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein
A Romantic Guide to Handfasting by Anna Franklin
Footnotes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handfasting
http://www.religioustolerance.org/mar_hand.htm
http://www.themonastery.org/?destination=ulcLibraryMarriageLaws
Handfasting and Wedding Rituals by Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein
The Top 5 Things Your Local Witch Wants You to Know
The Top 5 Things Your Local Witch Wants You to Know
Author: Holly Risingstar
I am a fairly ordinary woman. I’m in my early thirties; I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling Services; I work with families in crisis. I’ve got two kids, a husband, and family nearby; I love the arts, shopping, beadwork, travel, and photography. I’m addicted to the Grey’s Anatomy and Heroes. I drive a black Honda that has seen better days. I wish gas prices would go down. I’m in desperate need of a haircut.
Oh, and did I mention, I’m a witch?
No, really.
I was born into a nominally Jewish family and had five years’ worth of Hebrew school growing up, but it never felt right to me. I never felt connected, spiritually, to God. By the time I was hitting my teens, I had started to read more and more about the occult, and finally came across Scott Cunningham’s book Wicca: a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (considered by many to be the best introductory book on Wicca there is). Finally, I Got It. Something inside me knew this was my path, where I was supposed to be and what I was supposed to be doing. I’ve been Wiccan for 17 years now, and I’ve never looked back.
Wicca is an earth-based, non-Judeo-Christian religion. The modern form was created from various pieces of pagan religion by Gerald Gardner in the 1930s, but from there has exploded into a rainbow of traditions, each with its own particular blend of magic, faith, and morals. Wicca is a legally recognized religion in the U.S and you can even have it imprinted on your dog tags in the Armed Forces. It is often cited as being the fastest-growing religion in the country.
When asked to write this piece on Wicca, I considered carefully what I might want to say. Should I launch into a defense of my beliefs? Normalize Wicca with other religions? Simply compare and contrast? Deliver an anecdotal “Day in the Life of a Witch” kind of thing?
I settled on this:
THE TOP FIVE THINGS YOUR LOCAL WITCH WOULD WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT WICCA
1.We are not Satanists.
You heard it here first! Wicca does not subscribe to a Judeo-Christian belief in God; therefore, we don’t believe in a Devil, Hell, or Heaven. Wiccans revere nature and treat the Mother Earth with great respect. Many (though not all) of us believe in some aspect of the Goddess; many also believe in some form of the God, Her consort.
The most common belief system involves the Triple Goddess; a Mother Goddess, symbolized by the moon, who watches over mothers and children, family and all matters pertaining to that phase of a woman’s life; a Maiden Goddess, who reigns over joy, youth, vitality, freedom, and so on; and a Crone Goddess, who holds the secrets of magic and is the Guardian of the Crossroads (in other words, a death-related Goddess. Not one who causes death, mind, but who assists those who are in this stage of existence.)
Often the Goddess has a God consort, symbolized by the Sun, who is her lover and assists her with Creation of all things. Often he is associated with forests, certain animals, and a vast variety of human experiences ranging from sex to war to creativity. One of the great joys of Wicca is the ability to choose which Goddesses and Gods have meaning and connection for you – though they’ve been known to choose the practitioner!
2.We have one law – An It Harm None, So Mote It Be.
Which means don’t harm anyone, including yourself. Sounds fairly simple, right? Not so easy. It’s a tough moral code to live by. We cannot, in good conscience, take revenge, cause harm, or cause another person problems on purpose. No killing, no stealing, respecting other human beings – sound familiar?
3.You probably know one of us.
Wiccans (and pagans of all flavors) are everywhere. We come from all walks of life; nurses, doctors, teachers, lawyers, convenience store clerks, computer programmers, business owners, you name it. We are not necessarily the odd chick down the street with the long hippie skirts and twelve cats. . .ok, well, she might be one of us.
We have our share of hippies, vegans, Goths, and assorted subcultures. But you won’t necessarily know us just looking at us – most people I tell about my religious leanings are surprised. As a co-worker (and devout Christian) recently said to me, “I was so surprised that you are – you know, what you are. I kept saying, “How can Holly be a heathen? She’s so nice!”
4.Yes, we do cast spells.
It’s very similar to praying. Spell casting simply means using rituals to help bring about a desired outcome; no more, no less. A conscientious witch never casts on another human being without that person’s consent and full knowledge, and she won’t do it for money, if she’s the real deal. Witches try never to violate another person’s free will. There are no big flashes like in the movies; I can’t fly, float, or make things disappear (though there’s a shot if I put it on my desk!), and lightning has certainly never flown out of my fingertips.
What I can do is help protect, heal, bring about some occurrences (like employment or good legal results), marry couples and bless children, and things of that nature. I do not hex, curse, or cause harm through magic. It’s not cool with the Goddess.
5.You may have participated in a Wiccan or Pagan tradition.
We have holidays, creation myths, and rituals just like any other religion.
Wiccans generally celebrate eight high holidays: Samhain (pronounced so-when) on October 31st is one of them. That jack o’lantern on your porch? Started out as turnips, decorated to keep away evil spirits. Next comes Yule, the Winter Solstice, on December 21st – and if you have a Christmas tree, know that it started as the use of evergreen to symbolize life and rebirth in Roman and Druidic rituals.
Following are Candlemas on February 2nd, which celebrates the lambing of the ewes and the returning spring; Litha, the spring equinox, on March 21st; Beltane on May 1st, which celebrates life, generativity, and is where the Maypole comes from (you are dancing around a phallus to make the fields fruitful, folks!) Next, the Summer Solstice on June 21st, then Lammas on August 2nd, which celebrates the height of summer.
Lastly we have Mabon, the autumnal equinox, which ends the cycle of growth and prepares us for Samhain and the winter to come. We also celebrate and worship on the night of the full moon; we may also celebrate life events like births, weddings, maturation of our children, and death. In this way we remain close to the cycles of the earth, never forgetting who we are and what is happening in the world around us.
Wicca and Paganism are rapidly becoming mainstreamed. Your local bookstore probably has a decent-sized section on Metaphysical Studies, and you’ll find plenty on the religion there.
We have our own magazines, hundreds of websites, bumper stickers, T-shirts, music, and so on. Being Wiccan or Pagan does not necessarily mean we’re strange; it means that we have a different belief system than the general American public.
If you run across a Wiccan or a Pagan, don’t be afraid to ask us questions. We won’t come to you, but if you ask we’re generally happy to share what we know with others. Most witches are delighted to have a chance to combat the stereotyping and misconceptions the public has of us.
When we part, Wiccans often say, “Blessed Be.” And so I’ll leave you with a Blessed Be – merry met, merry part, and merry meet again.
Footnotes:
Previously published in a Mensa newsletter.
The Rede Does Not Say “Harm None”
The Rede Does Not Say “Harm None”
Author: Praxiteles
I have always been puzzled over the general notion that the Wiccan Rede can be reduced to “harm none”, but it wasn’t until recently that the significance of this dawned on me. Ethics and morality in Western culture are almost always the ethics of denial, restriction, and rules, instead of the ethics of opportunity.
Think of the 10 Commandments: thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not commit adultery; keep holy the Sabbath, honor thy mother and father. They define a negative space you simply shall not enter, and a positive space you simply must occupy. In the realm of morality, we’re just not used to positive ethics, to the ethics of opportunity. So it’s not surprising that what most people seem to take away from the Rede is the negative component, “harm none”. Yet, in my opinion, this reduction of the Rede misses the whole point, and does great damage to its essential nature!
If we move things from the realm of morality into another realm, this will become clearer. Suppose that your lover says to you “My darling, just as long as there isn’t any bondage-discipline or sado-masochism, we can make love in whatever way the mood and inspiration comes to us! We can let our imaginations and passions run free and enjoy each other!”
Suppose that he or she says this to you, and then you start talking about how you both must ensure that nothing that you do will lead to BDSM, and start going on about how important it is to consider the smallest implications of every action in your lovemaking, and whether or not it might not someday lead to BDSM. Wouldn’t that be missing the whole point? Wouldn’t you be focusing in exactly the wrong area? The whole point of mentioning the negative space was to say that everything else was the positive space—such a large space, such room for growth and flowering! That was the point, not the other!
Or suppose that a mother says to her children: “My dears, you can play and run and do whatever you want, and wear whatever clothes you want, so long as you stay on our property between the road and the stream.” And suppose that one child sits down and draws a map and focuses intently on the road and stream, and then walks around noting the boundary lines and continually talks to the other children about how they must not cross these boundaries. Yet, the other children are busy making up fun games to play, running around, climbing trees, and enjoying themselves.
The thought of the boundary only enters their minds when they come to the road or the stream during a game, and they take some care to turn aside the path of their running, or chose another place to hide. Wouldn’t you think those children were the ones who had gotten the real message intended by the mother? Further, wouldn’t it simply be wrong to say that the mother had told the children “never leave our property; never cross the road or the stream”?
Because, that is not what she said. Essentially she said if you don’t leave the property then you can do whatever you want and wear whatever you want. Perhaps, if questioned, she would say that if the children have on long pants and their good boots and if they don’t run, they could go across the stream.
Getting back to the Rede, it says: An it harm none, do as ye will. Clearly this is not logically equivalent to “harm none”. If we invert it, it says “An it cause harm, don’t will it”—and does not say “an it cause harm, don’t do it.” Thus, in some Traditions, the Rede is amended to read “An it harm none, do as ye will. An it cause harm, do as ye must.” The issue is whether the harm is willed or not, not whether it is done or not.
In my opinion, the part of the Rede that people should be focused on is “do as ye will”. The Rede defines a huge, wonderful, wide-open space in which each of us can figure out what our beings aspire to do, to be. As long as we aren’t harming others or ourselves, we can feel confident that we can aspire towards the flowering and revelation of our True Will.
This is the important part of the Rede, and not the bit about “harm none.” And I find it incredible that so much attention is given to the issue of “harm none”. I’ve seen endless discussion about whether it is even possible to live without harming others, evening bringing plants and bacteria into the term “others.” Some try to elevate it to an ideal, unattainable, but the direction to be followed, like the Buddhist notion of saving all sentient beings. Others use it as the reason they aren’t Wiccan. Such a stupid idea! Obviously one can’t live without harming others!
All of these positions are tangential, because the Rede doesn’t say that we must live without harming anyone or anything. The Rede says that we can do what we will if it isn’t harming anyone. If it is harming someone, then we can’t just do whatever we will—other factors and consideration enter the equation then. What those are, each of us must decide for him or herself. Even here, the Rede offers no rules. Even here, the Rede is of a very different character than the 10 Commandments and general Western morality.
Some people want to be told what to do and what not to do, what to think as good, and what to think as bad or evil. They want rules and regulations—commandments. They believe that without these, no social order is possible. Yet increasingly in this day and age we can see that that assumption is unfounded, and increasingly there are people who want to figure out a way to arrange society and ethics to allow for as much freedom of expression and being as possible; to use ethical formulations to protect and support freedom, instead of to deny and restrict it. And, in my opinion, these people are essentially following the Wiccan Rede, whether they know it or not.
Far from being a liability, I find the Wiccan Rede to be a wonderful asset. It clears away so much muck from morality, and redefines the entire realm in a positive way. Understanding it in a negative way undoes much of the greatness of the Rede. So in my opinion, people should stop reducing the Rede to “harm none” and start trying to have more fun in life!
Just Another Pentacle Article
Just Another Pentacle Article
Author: Koneko
Wearing a pentacle is a topic that has been, will be, and is being as you read this talked about, written about and thought about. But like all religious symbols, yes even the cross or crucifix, it also can create or instigate a great deal of negative backlash.
For Wiccans in predominantly Judeo- Christian countries it is from the almost all Christians that live among us, whether they mean to be cruel or not. For Christians and Jews, it is in the non-Judeo-Christian countries that they are persecuted.
Persecution over religious symbols is everywhere and in every faith we’d be fools to think it is just towards Pagan and other non-Judeo-Christian faiths.
But anyway, wearing the pentacle is a choice we all have to make. Should we declare openly that we follow an alternate path of spirituality or for the sake of ourselves and maybe even our families keep it hidden away?
For me sometimes I wear one of my pentacles and sometimes I don’t. It all depends on my mood and whether or not I can handle whatever ignorant b.s. comes my way. If I think I will be able to handle it I’ll either break out the simple one or I will break out my necklace that has a right side up pentacle resting over an upside down one, a gift from my sister. If not I won’t wear either of them.
I have great respect for Christians that actually follow in Christ’s footsteps and show compassion and love for all those around them – my late and loved grandmother, a late and equally loved friend/sister, my mother, my second mother (a family friend) , an old family friend, and a very dear friend of mine are only a few that come to mind.
My parents and friends know by the way, I didn’t even have to tell mom (mom’s know everything) . They are truly God’s gift to the world, I do not think my late grandmother and friend could hate someone if they even tried, and are truly beautiful examples of the Christian faith. I was born and raised Catholic so I have seen and learned about the good and the bad of that faith.
The pentacle never really gave me a problem when I first started wearing it, even when I was wearing it in High School. My grades suffered because I was horrid at history, I loved the subject, and couldn’t do grammar to save my life, and I only passed because I gave my papers to about three or five different people to look over.
My teachers for the most part loved me or liked me because I actually *gasp* participated in class, didn’t cause problems, and often times knew what I was talking about. I actually enjoyed high school because I wasn’t the only so-called freak in the school and it was large enough that I could blend in with the crowd but small enough to wear fights weren’t really a problem. Strangely enough all the students seemed to get along with each other.
Sorry I seemed to have gotten off track, with graduation I went off to college a liberal arts college that was known for three things – gays, art program, and the teacher program. So, I never had problems there. I did act immature and burst out laughing when I overheard someone telling another student that the tarot cards were evil. Like I said wasn’t mature but I really couldn’t help myself, I always did have a problem with the brain and mouth connection.
Problems didn’t come until after I left the University of Montevallo, business school and I did not agree with each other, and went to Jeff State for their Culinary Program. Not at school, this happened at Subway, and yes dominoes I know that Submart on your commercials is supposed to be us, thankfully not by a coworker but by a customer.
Basically the customer was throwing a tantrum because I wouldn’t give her a discount that she didn’t qualify for, “sorry, but if you get two six inches that do not have the same meat they don’t equal a footlong.”
Well she called and complained and started harassing me, she wanted me to give her my last name, which freaked me out and I told her to have a nice day and slammed the phone down, burst into tears and had to be lead to the back during a rush and comforted. My coworker at the time, a Bulgarian woman that was a wonderful Christian woman comforted me and calmed me down. The woman is a great mother. Once again getting off track, sorry you’ll have to stay with me.
That same night, honestly this crap happens for a reason, I meet a tree-worshipper and a Baptist girl, friends with another coworker, and we talked about my faith. Luckily she had already seen a program on TV about witchcraft. We talked about binding spells, evidently according to her church binds stuff in the name of Jesus. We might have even talked about hexing, which seems to be a popular question when witchcraft is related. We talked about a few other things and I must say it was a joy to talk to her.
I should probably mention that I did have a conversation about my religion at my first job in the bar with some regulars. That was centered on binding and love spells. One woman wanted to know because a friend with a fake leg was having problems finding love. I explained that performing a love spell was controversy and could be dangerous if handled wrong.
I told them that if I were to perform a love spell for her I would only do it with her permission and cast one on her first so that she could love herself and be able to know and understand that despite the dirt bags that couldn’t handle her only having one real leg she was worth loving. I then explained that I wouldn’t cast a love spell on a certain person but putting a spell or call out there for someone that would love her for her was a possibility.
The conversation turned to hexing; I essentially told them that if they believed they could be hexed then chances are in my opinion they would be whether they were actually or not. Belief is a strong thing and the power of suggestion even more so sometimes.
Basically what I am trying to say, aside from the fact that my grammar is horrid, if you wear the pentacle you open yourself up to many people. Though sometimes no one really pays attention to what your wearing around your neck, unless they don’t like you for one reason or another. Then you’ve got more problems than you know what to do with.
You open yourself up to the Christian nut jobs, the open-minded Christians and they are out there, and even to members of your own or a similar religion. So wear it if you want or don’t wear if you wish to stay locked and barred in your closet for the rest of your life, or do what I do and don it when you are emotionally, mentally, and God forbid physically ready (should you have to defend yourself with brute force) for any and all attacks that might come.
Either way I hope the wearing of it brings you happiness, good debates and interesting meetings with interesting people.
Animals and Familiars
Animals and Familiars
Power animals are & are not a part of the Wiccan or Witchcraft Traditions. They are used by Native Americans, Shamans & other tribal organizations & traditions. Covens usually have a totem animal that is only known to those within the group.
In the Astral, you can merge with your totem & become the animal with your own intelligence intact. This is called Shapeshifting. There are two ways you can meet your power animal in the astral plane & discover which animal medicine is right for you. First, you could write & perform a ritual to call the essence of the animal that would suit you best & assist you in your present magickal workings. If you are not comfortable with the ritual format you can go into the familiar meditative state, walk through the astral forest & meet the animal.
When the first technique is used, that of the ritual, you will most likely see the animal in its natural form. There may be a synchronistic conversation where the topic is of the animal, or you find a book about the animal, etc. When you catch that first glimpse of that particular medicine, you will know it in your heart.
If you meet the animal in the meditative state, converse with it. Anything is possible in the astral, right? So ask questions & get to know your new partner.
If you have seen the animal after a ritual, plan sometime to go into the meditative state to cement your relationship & get to know the animal & the essence it represents.
Now that you’ve got the animal, what do you do with it? Power animals are great advice givers, often representing our higher selves that we haven’t been paying attention to lately. In a meditative state you can ask for their assistance on problems that have been nagging at you. At times, two power animals can work in conjunction with each other, as long as they want to. Silver has had some truly interesting & fruitful conversations with hers.
Power animals can assist you in the waking state as well. Perhaps you are trying to teach someone a particular theme & they are having difficulty understanding. Ask wolf for assistance; she is the great teacher.
Remember the old adages: clever as a fox, strong as an ox, etc.? Perhaps you need camouflage – then ask Brother Fox for assistance. If you seek wisdom, ask the Eagle. the Lynx knows the art of keeping secrets & the Swan guides one into dreamtime. The Panther is a good protective animal, though she does have a sarcastic, laid back nature.
Power animals are not limited to mammals. The reptilian & insect kingdoms can be just as helpful. Children can also be taught to work with animals & have a great ideal of success with them.
Dragonfly tells us how to break through illusions & how to gain power through our dreams & goals. She teaches higher aspiration.
The act of honoring an animal is not an act of worship, but is the acknowledgment of their power & their being as brothers & sisters of the entire universe. The energy of the animals, birds & other creatures that assist us should be honored. For too long, we have subjugated these creatures who are our equals in the system of the Universe. The Native Americans leave tobacco as a gift, scattered on the ground. You could also burn incense in honor of the animal. When honoring – leave a gift of some sort. A crystal or gem on your altar is also a lovely gift.
An Animal Totem is an important symbolic object used by a person to get in touch with specific qualities found within an animal which the person needs, connects with, or feels a deep affinity toward. One can have several animal guides through out life. Sometimes an animal guide will come into one’s life for a short period of time, and then be replaced by another depending on the journey or direction one is headed toward. Our guide will instruct and protect us as we learn how to navigate through our spiritual and mundane life. When one finds an animal which speaks strongly to
them or feel they must draw more deeply into their lives, they fill their environment with images of the animal to let the animal know they are welcome in the person’s space. Animal guides can help us get back to our Earthly roots, and reconnect with nature by reminding us we are all interconnected. To first do this we need to know what our Animal Totem is.
The Return Of The Sun God
The Horned God
In traditional and mainstream Wicca, the Horned God is viewed as the masculine side of divinity, being both equal and opposite to the Goddess. The Wiccan god himself can be represented in many forms, including as the Sun God, the Sacrificed God and the Vegetation God, although the Horned God is the most popular representation, having been worshipped by early Wiccan groups such as the New Forest coven during the 1930s. The pioneers of the various Wiccan or Witchcraft traditions, such as Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente and Robert Cochrane, all claimed that their religion was a continuation of the pagan religion of the Witch-Cult following historians who had purported the Witch-Cult’s existence, such as Jules Michelet and Margaret Murray.
For Wiccans, the Horned God is “the personification of the life force energy in animals and the wild” and is associated with the wilderness, virility and the hunt. Doreen Valiente writes that the Horned God also carries the souls of the dead to the underworld.
Wiccans generally, as well as some other neopagans, tend to conceive of the universe as polarized into gender opposites of male and female energies. In traditional Wicca, the Horned God and the Goddess are seen as equal and opposite in gender polarity. However, in some of the newer traditions of Wicca, and especially those influenced by feminist ideology, there is more emphasis on the Goddess, and consequently the symbolism of the Horned God is less developed than that of the Goddess, In Wicca the cycle of the seasons is celebrated during eight sabbats called The Wheel of the Year. The seasonal cycle is imagined to follow the relationship between the Horned God and the Goddess. The Horned God is born in winter, impregnates the Goddess and then dies during the autumn and winter months and is then reborn by the Goddess at Yule. The different relationships throughout the year are sometimes distinguished by splitting the god into aspects, the Oak King and the Holly King. The relationships between the Goddess and the Horned God are mirrored by Wiccans in seasonal rituals. There is some variation between Wiccan groups as to which sabbat corresponds to which part of the cycle. Some Wiccans regard the Horned God as dying at Lammas, August 1; also known as Lughnasadh, which is the first harvest sabbat. Others may see him dying at Mabon, the autumn equinox, or the second harvest festival. Still other Wiccans conceive of the Horned God dying on October 31, which Wiccans call Samhain, the ritual of which is focused on death. He is then reborn on Winter Solstice, December 21.
Other important dates for the Horned God include Imbolc when, according to Valiente, he leads a wild hunt. In Gardnerian Wicca, the Dryghten prayer is recited at the end of every ritual meeting contains the lines referring to the Horned God:
| “ |
In the name of the Lady of the Moon, and the Horned Lord of Death and Resurrection |
” |
According to Sabina Magliocco, Gerald Gardner says (in 1959’s The Meaning of Witchcraft) that The Horned God is an Under-god, a mediator between an unknowable supreme deity and the people. (In Wiccan liturgy in the Book of Shadows, this conception of an unknowable supreme deity is referred to as “Dryghtyn.” It is not a personal god, but rather an impersonal divinity similar to the Tao of Taoism.)
Whilst the Horned God is the most common depiction of masculine divinity in Wicca, he is not the only representation. Other examples include the Green Man and the Sun God.In traditional Wicca, however, these other representations of the Wiccan god are subsumed or amalgamated into the Horned God, as aspects or expressions of him. Sometimes this is shown by adding horns or antlers to the iconography. The Green Man, for example, may be shown with branches resembling antlers; and the Sun God may be depicted with a crown or halo of solar rays, that may resemble horns. These other conceptions of the Wiccan god should not be regarded as displacing the Horned God, but rather as elaborating on various facets of his nature. Doreen Valiente has called the Horned God “the eldest of gods” in both The Witches Creed and also in her Invocation To The Horned God.
Wiccans believe that The Horned God, as Lord of Death, is their “comforter and consoler” after death and before reincarnation; and that he rules the Underworld or Summerland where the souls of the dead reside as they await rebirth. Some, such as Joanne Pearson, believes that this is based on the Mesopotamian myth of Innana’s descent into the underworld, though this has not been confirmed.
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland
by Alexander, Aarcher
“Walking in a Winter Wonderland“
Pagans sing, are you listenin’,
Altar’s set, candles glisten,
It’s a Magickal night, we’re having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.
Chorus:
In a Circle we can light a Yule Fire,
And await the rising of the Sun,
It’s the Great Wheel turning for the new year,
Loaded with abundance and great fun.
Blades held high, censer smoking,
God and Goddess, we’re invoking,
Through Elements Five, we celebrate life,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.
Queen of Heaven, is in Her place,
Triple Goddess, now the Crone Face,
Above and Below, She’s the Goddess we know,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.
Chorus
Now the God, is the Provider,
Supplying game for our Fire,
Above and Below, He’s the Horned One we Know,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.
Later on, by the fire,
Cone of Power, gettin’ higher
It’s a Magickal Night we’re having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.
Five Elements of Magick
Five Elements of Magick
Author: Taliesin McKnight
In several forms of magick such as Wicca and ceremonial magick, there are five Elemental powers that are invoked, directed, and utilized. These are the Elements of Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Spirit. The Fifth Element of Spirit (and this is very important) is not really an Element unto itself, but this will be dealt with shortly. These Elemental powers are called upon in ritual to stand guard over sacred space and to protect the practicing magician or witch from hostile entities and energies. It is for this reason that they are often referred to as the “Guardians.”
The very fact that many systems of magick utilize the powers of the Elements reveals that magick has its basis and foundation in the world of nature: the wind, the sun and moon, the oceans, the passage of the seasons, and mighty storms is truly the treasure house of magick. To be a student of witchcraft is to be a student of nature, regardless of what form of magick one chooses to delve into.
The Element of Earth represents the material world. It governs such things as finances, prosperity, good luck, success in business, fertility, harvests, and other such things. Earth also represents the state of solidity in alchemical lore. Earth is the starting place where we begin our journey. To deny the body and the material world in which we live is to live in denial and poverty. Earth is what grounds us and brings us back to the world of the senses. The Element of Earth stands guard and protects the northern section of the magick circle, in which magick is performed. It its the guardian of the north.
Air represents the world of mind. It is thought and logic. Air, therefore, encompasses such things as knowledge, education, learning, communication, popularity, and philosophy. The witch will invoke the forces of wind and Air in order to gain hidden knowledge. Thus, Air also rules over divination. The mind can, indeed, be likened to the sky. Thoughts pass through the mind as clouds. Sometimes our thoughts are sunny and enlightened. Other times the mind is filled with darkness and dreary thoughts.
It is thought which vitalizes and manifests reality. Without the force of reason our civilization would be as nothing. Think of the Element of Air to represent the Great Mind of Nature, whilst the powers also represent the faculty of thought within the microcosm: Man. The witch calls down the forces of wind to gain knowledge of the unknown and to advance in education. It also protects and stands guard over the eastern quarter of the magick circle. In alchemical language Air represents gas.
Water is the realm of emotion. Love, compassion, depression, empathy, and other such emotions are within its domain. Water is also connected to the moon. Emotions are like the tides of the ocean: ebbing and flowing, and always in a state of motion and change. Sometimes the seas of emotion are stormy, while at others it is calm and placid. Water also rules over intuition, artistic inspiration, dreams, romantic love, and psychic ability. It is the realm of the subconscious mind. The forces of Water govern and protect the western part of the magick circle. It represents fluidity in the art of chemistry.
Fire is also emotion, but represents more fiery emotions such as anger, lust, ambition, and zeal. It can be said that it represents passion more than emotion. Fire is also the destructive Element. It burns away the old and destroys. It is also the Great Transmuter, causing matter to transform from one state into another. In this way, it is the philosophers’ stone of alchemy. Fire also represents the spiritual element in Man. Without light (brought by Fire) , we cannot see. But bring forth the fiery light and we see reality as it truly is.
Thus, Fire represents spirituality, enlightenment, passion, and destruction. It is called upon by the witch to destroy enemies (however unethical this may be) and to bring protection. Fire is the guardian of the southern section of the circle wherein magick is done.
The Element of Spirit is not really an Element unto itself. It is more like the primordial essence from which the other four Elements (Earth, Air, Water, and Fire) draws its being. The Element of Spirit encompasses and transcends the other Elements. It is symbolized by the center of the circle. Spirit is called by many names by various traditions and magicians. Some call it the Divine Element, whilst others prefer the more Hindu sounding name of “Akasha.” It can truly be said that the other four Elements are merely manifestations of spirit, or that the other Elements act as intermediaries in which Man may ponder and contemplate the fathomless essence of which Spirit is. It is truly beyond mortal comprehension.
Do these Elements really reside within physical fire, water, air, and earth? This is highly debated within the occult community. Some will say yes, and that these are merely the astral or spiritual counterparts of the physical elements themselves. Others, however, will claim, just as strongly, that the physical elements are only symbols in the mind of Man. However, even if they are just “symbols”, the powers are still linked to the physical symbols themselves. Thus, whatever the case may be, the Elements are linked to their physical counterparts.
Now that this is understood, one may grow to grasp the deeper mysteries of magick. One should always keep in mind, however, that the true mysteries or “secrets” have never been written down. They are the secret and unutterable doctrine of occult science. Speaking them to the profane has been forbidden since the beginning of time. Even if one wished to communicate them, they are unable to be expressed into words, as they transcend human language.
These four Elements will guard and protect you in ritual. They will bend and bring to you your every desire. The Elements will take care of you if you let them. Allow their powers to manifest in your life.
Witches Of The Craft® 
You must be logged in to post a comment.