Tag: wiccan

Let's Talk Witch – The Magick Within You

Let’s Talk Witch

The Magick Within You

In order to use your magic you must be able to meditate and concentrate. You must be able to visualize the magic; see what you want to have happen, happen in your mind. With your concentration, you will be able build a huge amount of energy that you can use for your magic.

Once there is enough energy build up, direct it to the place you want it to go. History says that Wiccans used to make use of “athame” a special ritual knife for directing their magic. If you don’t have an athame, you can use your finger. Remember, the magic is in you, not the tools that you use.

Also keep in mind, never use magic to hurt people, though you could be kidding about turning them into frogs (you wish you could!), but the psychology of the person you teased can really be disturbed. Hence use your finger for the good of people, never point at someone even if you’ve got something uncommon going on.

The change that magic can bring about is not something a person can easily understand. You have so much power within you and with that power you can do so much. Some of us decide to unleash our powers while others, because of lack of proper advice, because of rumours stay back and watch their lives go on without any change…

As a Wiccan, you must follow ethical codes. You should only use your magic for betterment and never to hurt. You must remember this always. The power of magic is so immense, so great that if you master it, people will feel it. Whether they’re close to you or not, they will feel you and your powers.

Try doing this, if you throw a stone in the water, you will see ripples moving away from the centre of where you threw the stone. Now the stone is your magic, you are the centre and the ripples are your energy and power. Imagine your energy moving away from you and as they move out, the affect everything that the come across. You have it in you to change the lives of people.

You do create the magic and restore the health and happiness of people you care for or those who seek you to help them. Like in Spiderman, I’d like to quote that “with great power, comes great responsibility”; the responsibility to adhere to your ethics, towards mankind, animals, the Earth and yourself.

Energy Healing, Herbal Magic & Protection Charms – A Wiccan Practical Guide (The Practical Wicca series) Audrin, Alice F.

Living Life As The Witch – Finding Your Personal Goddess

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Finding Your Personal Goddess

One of the things that most of us have in common–whether we call ourselves Pagans, Witches or Wiccans–is a belief in the female divine. Many of us also acknowledge the existence of a male divine, albeit one that bears little resemblance to the God we may have grown up with, but it is Goddess worship which sets us apart from other religions and brings us together in this one.

But which Goddess? There are so many names by which we call her, it can be hard to decide which of the Lady’s incarnations is best suited to our own practice and personality. Yet for many of us, the search for our personal Goddess is part of the path we walk as Pagans. How can we know which Goddess to call on in our prayers?

The first question to ask, really, is does she need a specific name at all? Some Pagans are happy to simply refer to their female deity as “Goddess” in the abstract, without attaching any particular name or tradition to her. (I often do that myself, although I have one Goddess who I worship primarily, and often call on others for specific tasks or holidays.)

There are a few benefits to this approach: it is simple and easy, you can be sure that your prayer will get to Goddess in one form or another, and you don’t have to worry that you are addressing the wrong deity for your magickal work.

There is certainly nothing wrong with calling on a general all-purpose Goddess. After all, most people who talk to “God” don’t call him by any particular name. If you are just starting out, or haven’t figured out a specific Goddess who seems right to you, then it is absolutely appropriate to address your prayers and spells to “Great Goddess,” “Mother of Us All,” “Lady of the Moon,” or any other generic term for the feminine one.

Reference:

Excerpt from “Finding Your Personal Goddess”
By Deborah Blake
Llewellyn’s 2012 Magical Almanac

An Introduction to Traditional Wicca

An Introduction to Traditional Wicca

© 1987, Keepers of the Ancient Mysteries ( .K.A.M. )

Often Traditional Wiccans are asked to describe our religion and beliefs for interested people, who may or may not have confused us with other Pagan religions, with inversions of Christian/Islamic religions like Satanism, or with purely magical traditions with no religious base. There is a lot of flexibility in the ways that we describe ourselves, and one characteristic of Wicca is a large degree of personal liberty to practice as we please. Still, there is an outline that can be described in general terms. Many traditions will depart from one particular or another, but groups departing from all or most of these features are probably non-Wiccan Traditions attempting to stretch or distort the Wiccan name to cover what they want to do.

Mysteries and Initiation

Wicca is an Initiatory religion descended from the Ancient Mystery Religions. A mystery religion is not like Catholicism where a Priest is the contact point between the worshiper and the Deity, nor like Protestantism where a sacred Book provides the contact and guidelines for being with the divine. Rather a Mystery Religion is a religion of personal experience and responsibility, in which each worshiper is encouraged, taught and expected to develop an ongoing and positive direct relationship with the Gods. The religion is called a “Mystery” because such experiences are very hard to communicate in words, and are usually distorted in the telling. You have to have been there in person to appreciate what is meant. Near and far-Eastern religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Shinto are probably Mystery traditions, but Wicca is very western in cultural flavor and quite different than eastern religions in many ways.

A Blend of Pagan Roots

Most Wiccan Traditions, .K.A.M. included, have particular roots in the British Mystery Traditions. This includes traditions of the Picts who lived before the rise of Celtic consciousness, the early Celts, and some selected aspects of Celtic Druidism. American Wicca is directly descended from British Wicca, brought in the late 1950’s by English and American Initiates of Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Celtic Wicca. These traditions are a little like the denominations in Christianity, but hopefully far more harmonious.

While British Traditions are very strong in Wicca, or the Craft as it is sometimes called, other Western Mystery traditions feature prominently, including the ancient Greek Mysteries of Eleusis, Italian Mysteries of Rome, Etruria and the general countryside, Mysteries of Egypt and Persia before Islam, and various Babylonian, Assyrian and other mid-eastern Mysteries that flourished before the political rise of the advocates of “one god”.

What’s In a Name?

Wicca, Witchcraft, and “The Craft” are used interchangeably at times by many kinds of people. It is fair to say that all Wiccans are Witches, and many of us believe we are the only people entitled to the name. It is important to know that many people call themselves witches who are not in the least Wiccan, and that Masons also refer to themselves as “Craft”, with good historical precedent. Carefully question people on the particular things they do and believe as part of their religion rather than relying on labels. Any real Wiccan would welcome such honest inquiry.

Traditions and Flavor

There are specific Wiccan beliefs and traditions, including worship of an equal and mated Goddess and God who take many forms and have many Names. Groups who worship only a Goddess or only a God are not traditional Wicca however they may protest, although they may be perfectly good Pagans of another sort. The Wiccan Goddess and God are linked to nature, ordinary love and children — Wicca is very life affirming in flavor.

Because we have and love our own Gods, Wiccans have nothing to do with other people’s deities or devils, like the Christian God or Satan, the Muslim Allah or the Jewish Jehovah (reputedly not his real name). Christians often deny this fact because they think that their particular god is the only God, and everybody else in the whole world must be worshipping their devil. How arrogant. They’re wrong on both counts.

Traditional Wicca is a religion of personal responsibility and growth. Initiates take on a particular obligation to personal development throughout their lives, and work hard to achieve what we call our “True Will”, which is the best possibility that we can conceive for ourselves. Finding your Will isn’t easy, and requires a lot of honesty, courage and hard work. It is also very rewarding.

Wicca is generally a cheerful religion, and has many holidays and festivals. In fact, most of the more pleasant holidays now on our calendar are descended from the roots Wicca draws on, including Christmas, May Day, Easter and Summer Vacation. Wicca is definitely not always serious. Dancing, feasting and general merriment are a central part of the celebrations.

Wiccan Ethics

Wiccans have ethics which are different in nature than most “one-god” religions, which hand out a list of “do’s and don’ts”. We have a single extremely powerful ethical principal which Initiates are responsible for applying in specific situations according to their best judgment. That principle is called the Wiccan Rede (Old-English for rule) and reads:

    “An (if) it harm none, do as ye Will”

Based on the earlier mention of “True Will”, you will understand that the Rede is far more complex than it sounds, and is quite different than saying “Do whatever you want as long as nobody is hurt”. Finding out your Will is difficult sometimes, and figuring out what is harmful, rather than just painful or unpleasant is not much easier.

Initiation into Wicca

People become Wiccans only by Initiation, which is a process of contacting and forming a good relationship with the Gods and Goddesses of Wicca. Initiation is preceded by at least a year and a day of preparation and study, and must be performed by a qualified Wiccan Priestess and Priest. The central event of Initiation is between you and your Gods, but the Priestess is necessary to make the Initiation a Wiccan one, to pass some of her power onto you as a new-made Priestess or Priest and to connect you to the Tradition you’re joining.

Women hold the central place in Wicca. A Traditional Coven is always headed by a High Priestess, a Third Degree female Witch with at least three years and three days of specific training. A Priest is optional, but the Priestess is essential. Similarly, a Priest may not Initiate without a Priestess, but a Priestess alone is sufficient. Women are primary in Wicca for many reasons, one of which is that the Goddess is central to our religion.

One Religion at a Time

People often ask “Can I become a Wiccan and still remain a Christian, Muslim, practicing Jew, etc. The answer is no. The “one god” religions reject other paths besides their own, including each other’s. “One-god” religions also do not exalt the Female as does Wicca, and mixing two such different traditions would water them both down. Besides, you’d have to ask how serious a person who practiced two religions was about either one. Being Jewish is an exception, since it is a race and culture as well as a religion. There are many Wiccan Jews, but they practice Wicca, not Judaism.

Magick and Science

People interested in Wicca are usually curious about the magick that Wiccans can do. While magick (spelled with a “k” to distinguish from stage conjuring) is not a religion in itself, it is related to our religious beliefs. Wiccans believe that people have many more abilities than are generally realized, and that it is a good idea to develop them. Our magick is a way of using natural forces to change consciousness and material conditions as an expression of our “True Wills”. Part of becoming a Wiccan is training in our methods of psychic and magickal development.

Because we believe that everything a person does returns to them magnified, a Wiccan will not work a magick for harm, since they would pay too high a price. But a helpful magick is good for both the giver and receiver! Wicca is entirely compatible with the scientific method, and we believe all the Gods and forces we work with to be quite natural, not supernatural at all. We do not, however, hold with the kind of scientific dogma or pseudo religion that sees everything as dead matter and neglects its own method by trumpeting “facts” without honest examination of evidence.

Priestesses at Large?

Long ago the spiritual (and sometimes physical) ancestors of Wiccans were Priestesses and Priests to the Pagan culture as well as devotees of their Mystery. Now that a Pagan culture is rising again, some ask if today’s Wiccans could resume that role. This seems unlikely.

Today’s Pagan culture is very diverse and more interested in exploring and creating new forms than in building on existing traditions. A public role would either dilute our traditions or force them on an unwilling audience. The neo-Pagan community generally prefers “media figures” and rapid membership and growth. This is not compatible with our slow methods of training and Initiation, the insistence that livelihood come from work outside the Craft, or our needs for privacy. Our religion is not accepted in the American workplace or political system, and may never be. The most powerful Priestesses are often unknown to all but their Coveners. While all Wiccans are Pagans, all Pagans are not Wiccan, and it is best that it remain so.

Wishing You Many Blessings This Super Sunday, My Friends!

Good Sunday Morning, dear friends! How is your day going so far? Mine! Great, I feel much better. I did nothing at all yesterday except watch  OnDemand with my husband all day. Good grief, we watched every new series that was out. I thought my eyes would burn out of my head. Kiki got all upset because her routine was screwed up and so did the other two. I didn’t think it would kill me to be nice and cooperate since he has waited on me hand and foot. :s!

I have one business issue I would like to address this morning. I have noticed in the back that our articles are being reblogged all over the net. Hey, I don’t care that is what we put the information out for, for you to use. It is free to use, always has been, always will be. But I would ask just one thing of you. If you have a blogroll, a link page or something like that could you at else mention us. I go out and submit this site to 500 search engines a month. I bust my butt to draw Pagans, Witches, Wiccans and other Tradition here. So you just mentioning us in a link or a blogroll, would be doing me a great service. In return, I will list your link or site on our site. It is only fair in my humble opinion. Just remember the info is free but it would be great to have a tiny mention in your blogroll or link page. Thank you, sweeties!

Bet you can’t guess the next thing on my mind, now can you, lol! I would not continue to urge you to get out and vote this year if I did not consider it very, very important. It is especially important to us as Pagans and those among us as women to vote, vote, vote! My husband and I were kidding, he said he was going to vote and go back and vote again. You know of course that is a joke. That is totally illegal. It is also criminal for anyone that is a registered voter this year to sit at home and not vote. It is one of your freedoms in this country and please get out and express that right. I feel so strongly this year that I believe our Religion is at stake and also I believe our rights as women are. As I mentioned before Romney has repeated over and over there is only one God perhaps but his God is not my God. If you are a Pagan, Witch, Wiccan, etc., you realize that also. He has mentioned there is a force that is taking over this country. It is moving like a wave to wipe out Religion as it is known in this country. Do I have to tell you what wave he is referring to? It is us and our Religion. Statistics show more people are leaving mainstream Religion and returning to the Ways of Old. We are the Ways of Old. We are the Old Religion. With Romney in the Presidential office, I am afraid our religious freedoms might be in jeopardy. Do you want to take that chance? I don’t. If that happens, I will not stand idly by and watch it happen. I don’t believe there are others reading this that will too. We will return to the time of our Ancestors. Fighting all over to retrieve what they have accomplished for us and what we have accomplished since then. Don’t sit home this election year, our freedom and rights are on the line here!

As far as women go, I have heard enough talk about men deciding what rape is and rape isn’t. What a women has the right to do with her own body? What man on this planet has the right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my own body? Not even my husband. My body is mine. My body is a temple of the Goddess. I believe the Goddess gives us free will to do with our bodies as we choose. The talk of rape and legitimate rape make me sick to my core. Rape is rape. If a woman is raped and then comes up pregnant. It is her right, not the government or anyone else’s place to say what she is to do with that fetus. It is her choice. Rape is a terrible crime. Who is to say that child might remind that woman of that terrible day every time she looks at it. That woman might not want to experience that the rest of her life. And the idoit that made the statement about legitimate rape, he ought to be ran out of the state of Illinois.

I watched the “Meet the Press” show on NBC this morning. There was a Republican representative on there clarifying the rape situation for us. He said that it was meant to be interpreted as “God would choose if those women who turn up pregnant from rape should carry the baby to term or not.” If the baby was meant to be from this horrible crime, she would carry it to full term. If not, then she would miscarry. WHAT THAT HELL? No, NOPE, No, NOPE, not for me. Nor is his God, my God. My God is a Goddess. She has given my body to me as a gift and as a temple. Rape is defiling the Temple of the Goddess. The people making these ridiculous statements don’t know what a woman suffers when she is raped. They have the nerve to make these statements. How dare they? If these people are elected to office, the women of this country will be set back 50 years as for as our rights go. We will no longer have the right to do with our bodies as we like. We will be told what to do. If this is not the hidden agenda, then why was it ever mentioned in the first place? You know yourself, this had to be discussed somewhere. The men making this statements don’t look smart enough to come up with these stupid and pathetic statements on their own. I believe some planned the idea in their little pea brains. Then to top it all off, Romney had an ad endorsing one of those candidate before he made his stupid remark. Romney did not pull his endorsement after the statement was made. He continues to run the ad and continues to endorse this candidate. What does that tell you? Perhaps I am coming down to hard on this issue. But I am a woman. I believe the Goddess gave me my body and it is MY TEMPLE. Not anyone else’s, nor is it anyone else’s business to tell me what to do with it. I am Pro Choice and I am not ashamed to say it because of the way I believe. You as Pagans, Witches, Wiccans and all the other Traditions in our Religion,  should also believe that our bodies are our own Temples. Are you going to stand by and let someone tell us how we should treat our bodies?  Our bodies that our Temples of our Goddess?

Vote! Vote! Vote!

Now that I am off my soapbox, I would like to thank all of you that have written to me at our site’s addy. I appreciate all of your good wishes and love. You don’t know how much it means to me. I can feel you love and warmth and it is indeed appreciated. I would also like to thank a very good friend that I will be writing a letter to today. This person is a good friend and a great supporter of the WOTC especially our animal refuge. He is helping spreading the word throughout California about our little old group in Kentucky. Which we deeply appreciate. KoolTrainer, I do not wish to embarrass you but I want to thank you for your  generous donations to our Refuge. I haven’t had the chance to email you. So this way, I was assured you would know I love you and thank you so much.

Well after having a wonderful blow-hard session here. I am off to work. I see Annie must be sleeping in again. She deserves a break. She has worked very hard and done an amazing job (even if she did try to adopt me out the other day, lol!). I hope everyone has a very enjoyable Sunday. Please stop and consider who you are voting for and most of all make plans to vote. This year is extremely important to us, our families and our Religion. Thank you for listening.

Love and Blessings to all,

Lady A

I would love it if you would reblog this everywhere on the net! People need to open their eyes and see what is at stake and what we have to lose this year!

More Sunday Comments

Wiccan Samhain

Wiccan Samhain

 

SAMHAIN (pronounced saw-an), commonly referred to as Halloween, is a religious holiday celebrated by Wiccan and witch. The festival traditionally is a feast for the gathering of the family in love and remembrance. All the family including one’s ancestors.
Wiccans do not regard physical death as an end but merely one more event in a continuing progress of the soul’s in its path toward fulfillment of divine destiny. Because of these beliefs, it is only natural at this time of year to invite our beloved ancestors to remember and to celebrate with us.
If you do not find these beliefs in conflict with your own personal beliefs, please join us in the following ritual of thanksgiving and remembrance.
Whether you join with us or not, May you walk in the Light of the Lady and know the Wisdom of the Lord.
Blessed Be.
The clergy and members of the United Wiccan Church.
***

After you have shared the bounty of your harvest with the children of your neighborhood (candy, etc) and the house has settled down for the night, disconnect or turn off your telephone so that this state of serenity will continue uninterrupted.
Prepare a special feast of whatever foods reminds you of a special departed friend or family member, or of past family gatherings. While you are preparing this feast think of all of the good times you had with them.
When the feast is prepared, set your holiday table with a special place of honor for the departed friend or family member.
Decorate the table and room as you would for a holiday dinner with the family, add those special things that are important to you and your family (flowers, candles,etc.) If you have a picture of the loved one, it is nice to place it at their place at the table.
Speak to that special person and invite them to join you in this celebration and time of remembrance. It is completely appropriate to say grace or offer any prayer that you feel is fitting.
THE FOLLOWING IS DONE IN COMPLETE SILENCE:
Serve the meal remembering to serve your honored guest (or guests) first. If wine or other alcoholic beverages are served, it is recommended that they be kept in moderation as you and your guests need to have a clear head.
Now sit down to the table with your loved ones and enjoy your feast. When you address them in your mind, always see them as well. (Try not to say in your mind, “if you can hear me…”, etc.). After the meal, the time of silence is over. Do whatever you normally do at a family holiday gathering (clear the table, play games, sing songs, etc.). Enjoy the companionship.
When the evening is over, or in the morning if you wish to make it an all night party, thank your invited guests for being with you and for making your celebration a special one.
*** There are a few words of caution that we will offer.
1. If this ritual does not feel right for you, do NOT do it. Follow your instincts.
2. Remember that crossing over does not necessarily change a person, so if you could not get through a meal in peace with them while they were alive, you will probably have the same problem with their spirit.
3. Do not ask your guest to grant you wishes or do you favors. It is rude to invite a guest and then make it obvious that a favor is the reason they were asked, not because of love and respect. Spirits do NOT like rudeness! Besides, spirits often forget that you are limited in ways that they are not. If you ask them for $1,000, it may come as an insurance settlement after a painful break in your water pipe with all the delight in cleaning up the mess from ensuing water damage.

The Symbolism of the Stag

Mabon is the season in which the harvest is being gathered. It’s also the time in which the hunt often begins — deer and other animals are killed during the autumn in many parts of the world. In some Pagan and Wiccan traditions, the deer is highly symbolic, and takes on many aspects of the God during the harvest season.

For many Wiccans, the antlers of the stag are associated directly with the fertility of the God. The Horned God, in his many incarnations, often appears wearing a headdress of antlers. In some depictions, the horns grow directly from his head. Early Paleolithic cave art shows men wearing antlers on their heads, so it would appear that the horn or antler has long been a symbol of worship in some form or another. In Egyptian legend, many gods appear to wear a pair of horns on their head.

In some Pagan paths, there is a correlation between the shape of a pair of horns and the crescent moon. The image of a stag with a full moon between his antlers represents both the male (the antlers) and the female (the moon) aspects of the Divine.

Mabon is the time, in many areas, when hunting season begins. While many Pagans are opposed to hunting, others feel that they can hunt for food as our ancestors did. For many Pagans, equally as important as the idea of caring about animals is the concept of responsible wildlife management. The fact is, in some areas, wild animals such as whitetail deer, antelope, and others have reached the status of nuisance animal. .

In some Wiccan traditions, a popular Mabon chant to sing is entitled simply, Hoof and Horn.

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

Mabon is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly bare, because the crops have been stored for the coming winter. Mabon is a time when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It is also a time of balance and reflection, following the theme of equal hours light and dark. Here are some ways you and your family can celebrate this day of bounty and abundance.

Mabon is a time of balance, when there are equal hours of darkness and light, and that can affect people in different ways. For some, it’s a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it’s a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit “off”. If you’re feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with a simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. You can also try a ritual to bring balance and harmony to your home.

Hold a Food Drive

Many Pagans and Wiccans count Mabon as a time of thanks and blessings– and because of that, it seems like a good time to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. If you find yourself blessed with abundance at Mabon, why not give to those who aren’t? Invite friends over for the feast, but ask each of them to bring a canned food, dry goods, or other non-perishable items? Donate the collected bounty to a local food bank or homeless shelter.

Apples are the perfect symbol of the Mabon season. Long connected to wisdom and magic, there are so many wonderful things you can do with an apple. Find an orchard near you, and spend a day with your family. As you pick the apples, give thanks to Pomona goddess of fruit trees. Be sure to only pick what you’re going to use — if you can, gather plenty to take home and preserve for the coming winter months. Take your apples home and use them in rituals, for divination, and for delicious recipes that your family can enjoy all season long.

Count Your Blessings

Mabon is a time of giving thanks, but sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and make a gratitude list Write down things that you are thankful for. An attitude of gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way — what are things you’re glad you have in your life? Maybe it’s the small things, like “I’m glad I have my cat Peaches” or “I’m glad my car is running.” Maybe it’s something bigger, like “I’m thankful I have a warm home and food to eat” or “I’m thankful people love me even when I’m cranky.” Keep your list some place you can see it, and add to it when the mood strikes you.

Honor The Darkness

Without darkness, there is no light. Without night, there can be no day. Despite a basic human need to overlook the dark, there are many positive aspects to embracing the dark side, if it’s just for a short time. After all, it was Demeter’s love for her daughter Persephone that led her to wander the world, mourning for six months at a time, bringing us the death of the soil each fall. In some paths, Mabon is the time of year that celebrates the crone aspect of a triune goddess. Celebrate a ritual that honors that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Call upon the gods and goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings this time of year.

Get Back to Nature

Fall is here, and that means the weather is bearable once more. The nights are becoming crisp and cool, and there’s a chill in the air. Take your family on a nature walk, and enjoy the changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Listen for geese honking in the sky above you, check the trees for changing in the colors of the leaves, and watch the ground for dropped items like acorns, nuts, and seed pods. If you live in an area that doesn’t have any restrictions on removing natural items from park property, take a small bag with you and fill it up with the things you discover along the way. Bring your goodies home for your family’s alter. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!

Tell Timeless Stories

In many cultures, fall was a time of celebration and gathering. It was the season in which friends and relatives would come from far and near to get together before the cold winter kept them apart for months at a time. Part of this custom was storytelling. Learn the harvest tales of your ancestors or of the people indigenous to the area in which you live. A common theme in these stories is the cycle of death and rebirth, as seen in the planting season. Learn about the stories of Osiris, Mithras, Dionysius, Odin and other deities who have died and then restored to life.

Raise some Energy

It’s not uncommon for Pagans and Wiccans to make remarks regarding the “energy” of an experience or event. If you’re having friends or family over to celebrate Mabon with you, you can raise group energy by working together. A great way to do this is with a drum or music circle. Invite everyone to bring drums, rattles, bells, or other instruments. Those who don’t have an instrument can clap their hands. Begin in a slow, regular rhythm, gradually increasing the tempo until it reaches a rapid pace. End the drumming at a pre-arranged signal, and you’ll be able to feel that energy wash over the group in waves. Another way of raising group energy is chanting, or with dance. With enough people, you can hold a Spiral Dance.

Celebrate Hearth & Home

As autumn rolls in, we know we’ll be spending more time indoors in just a few months. Take some time to do a fall version of spring cleaning. Physically clean your home from top to bottom, and then do a ritual smudging. Use sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water as you go through your home and bless each room. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season, and set up a family mabon alter. Put sickles, scythes and bales of hay around the yard. Collect colorful autumn leaves, gourds and fallen twigs and place them in decorative baskets in your house. If you have any repairs that need to be done, do them now so you don’t have to worry about them over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that’s no longer of use.

Welcome the Gods of the Vine

Grapes are everywhere, so it’s no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate winemaking, and deities connected to the growth of the vine. Whether you see him as Bacchus, Dionysus, the Green Man, or some other vegetative god, the god of the vine is a key archetype in harvest celebrations. Take a tour of a local winery and see what it is they do this time of year. Better yet, try your hand atmaking your own wine! If you’re not into wine, that’s okay — you can still enjoy the bounty of grapes, and use their leaves and vines for recipes and craft projects . However you celebrate these deities of vine and vegetation, you may want to leave a small offering of thanks as you reap the benefits of the grape harvest.

SpellCrafting 101

Spellcrafting 101

 

Contrary to popular belief, witches do not spend most of their time casting spells. Most of us have full-time jobs, busy social lives, families, and other demands on our times. A spell, properly cast, can be a tremendous drain on a witch’s physic resources. It’s not a task to be undertaken lightly.

Spellcraft does have its place the life of a witch, but not nearly as major a one as many people suppose. In fact, a wise witch is very sparing in her use of spellcraft. Pagans practice first and foremost a religion — a religion quite unlike many others, in that beliefs and practices vary, but a religion nonetheless. We have many different conceptions of what the Divine might be, but we do all believe that One exists. By definition, God/dess is more powerful and wiser than us. So before we jump in and try changing things according to our own limited understanding, we consider the situation carefully.

 

Remember the Wiccan Rede

, a basic ethical guideline that Wiccans – and many other pagans – follow: An it harm none, do what you will. As has been discussed elsewhere, the Rede is deceptively simple. Obviously, physical harm, emotional harm, slander, theft, and other crimes are verboten according to the Rede. But what about other, more subtle forms of harm?

Most witches agree that curses, hexes, and other harmful spellcraft is more trouble than it’s worth. Hand in hand with the Wiccan Rede goes something called the Law of Returns. In general terms, this Law states that all energy you send out into the Universe comes back to you. It may not come back right away, and it may not come back in the form you’re expecting, but it does come back. Different traditions put their own twist on the Law of Returns, saying that the energy comes back threefold or fivefold. I’m not so picky about the math, but I have seen the Law in action, and respect it highly.

 

Interpreting the Rede

Witches continue to disagree over other grey areas. For instance, does casting a spell on another person without consulting them first constitute harm, even if the intentions are good? What about actions taken in self-defense?

Personally, I avoid all actions – whether mundane or magickal – that can cause harm to another being. In my experience, acts of hatred and vengeance are best countered with actions of love and kindness.

Working my will on another person without their consent constitutes harm. To that end, I never cast a spell on another person without obtaining permission first. Manipulative spells designed to make someone else fall in love – whether with me or with a third party – to move away, or to leave a job ultimately backfire on the person who casts them. This policy also extends to more beneficial spells, such as spells for healing, prosperity, or other kinds of blessings. Only the Goddess has the power to know what is best for another person. No matter how noble my own intentions, it is presumptuous and ultimately harmful for me to meddle in someone else’s affairs.

That’s not to say that I haven’t done a little juju for my friends. Far from it; I’ve prepared charmed sachets for newlywed couples, given suggestions on how to attract jobs, held a healing circle for my lover, and even suggested a ritual to help a friend open herself up to the possibility of a love affair. But the main ingredient in all that magick was consent. Before I drag out my herbs and my athame, I get the permission of the person whom the spell is meant to benefit.

Often times people ask me if I have spells. Yes, I have spells. Some have worked, some haven’t. What a witch must keep in mind is that what works for me, may not work for another witch. Magick is within everything. How it is perceived is different from witch to witch. Some think patchouli oil is the best oil for a prosperity spell. I prefer clove oil and have had success in using it. One of the wonders of magick is that there is normally a wide variety of correspondences to choose from for any one desired result. There must be about a hundred different herbs listed for love and at least thirty for wealth and money (a few of which I have listed).

I prefer to perform candle magick. Candle spells are simple, they are not time consuming (very important to a witch with little time) and they work. When I do a candle spell, I carefully choose an appropriate color for the candle, a stone, an oil, and three herbs, one for the physical realm, one for the mental realm and one for the spiritual realm, plus one more as a type of catalyst (normally these catalysts are either Dragon’s blood, Mandrake or Mistletoe).

How do I pick my correspondences? First, I must know what I’m doing the spell for. Is it a prosperity spell, a healing spell, a spell to find a new job or maybe to improve communication with a loved one? Once I determine what I’m trying to accomplish, I hit the books. Within my library, I have several books that index what various colors, herbs, oils and stones correspond with various desired results. I try to be as specific as I can and try to blend my choice of correspondences to better “describe” my desired result. If I’m going to perform a prosperity spell, what attributes are going to be needed to reach the final goal? Creativity, physical strength, courage? I try to chose some herb or the oil to correspond with those added aspects and keep in mind that most herbs and oils have several attributes. Its is very possible to have an herb with the attributes of both wealth and, say, strength. With one herb you can accomplish two ends. I leave the color of the candle to the core of the spell. For a prosperity spell, green, a banishing spell, black. The same applies to the stone I use. I leave it to the core of the spell.

Having said all that, now I must also add, use what you have! One of the first spells I did I literally raided my spice cabinet for the herbs I needed. Okay, so maybe fennel would not have been my first choice, but it worked! I am fortunate to have an orange tree in my back yard. Yes, I use the leaves, blossoms, fruit, and bark in place of other possibly more popular herbs. Use what you have!

Once I’ve gathered my correspondences, I then charge them with the purpose of the spell. How is this done? There are a few techniques that must be utilized for this part of spellworking.

 

Ability to Meditate

This is the art of clearing the mind of all mundane thoughts and feelings. It is a state of relaxation and peace, the goal to reach a state of non-thought. This is not easy and I still haven’t mastered the technique yet, but do the best you can. There are several very good books on the subject and even in many of the books on Wicca and witchcraft there are simple techniques to help in mastering meditation. This is essential to spellwork. Your mind must be at peace so that you can focus on what you’re trying to accomplish.

 

Ability to Visualize

This is the ability to see with your mind, not with your senses. Although it is called visualization, remember, use all your senses! Close your eyes. Within your mind’s eye, see a tree, whatever kind of tree you want or are familiar with. Let your mind see its limbs, its leaves or needles (depending on the type of tree), the trunk, etc. Let your mind feel the bark. Is it smooth, rough, spongy? Does the tree have a fragrance? Let your mind smell that fragrance. Let your mind hear the wind as it rustles the leaves. Visualization is not easy for some, but with practice you can visualize anything. (Taste also falls into this category, but for our little discussion, tasting a tree may not be prudent.) During spellwork you will visualize your goal (and be specific and detailed!) before directing it into the item you’re charging.

 

Ability to Direct Energy

This is the ability to take the energies of the correspondences and your own energy and directing it towards your goal. When you charge an object, that energy is initially coming from you. From within yourself imagine (visualize) a bright light, maybe white or the color that corresponds with your goal, forming within yourself centered between your chest and stomach. Let that light grow and expand. Then direct that light up through your body, down your projective arm, out your fingertips (or through your athame or wand) and into whatever your trying to charge. While you direct that light, that energy, you will be visualizing your intent with as many specifics as you can.

It is important to realize that magick is energy flow. It is not power. All spells create a tangible connection between the objects used and yourself. When you work magick, be specific, but be careful! If you do a spell for a new job, remember to be specific in that your new job doesn’t come at the expense of another! “An Ye Harm None” Remember these words when you work magick. As you finish your spell, (for me after I light the candle), I add something to the affect of “May the energy of this magick harm none and take a path that is for the good of all involved.”

For candle spells remember that the flame must be allowed to continue to burn until it goes out on its own. I use three and seven day candles that are in glass jars. You can sprinkle your herbs on the top of them and they are safer. Remember not to leave a burning candle near drapes or where something flammable may fall into the flame. Keep in mind that the glass jars get hot, so handle with care and as the candle reaches the bottom of the jar, make sure the candle is not sitting on something that might burn from the heat. I suggest getting a ceramic dish and put some sand in the bottom to act as insulation. When I leave my home, I place the candle in my bath tub, just in case. If for some reason it gets knocked over, there is nothing in my tub that could catch on fire.

For positive spells, once the candle is out, use the stone as a talisman. Carry it with you or put it someplace where its presence will have an affect. For banishing spells, very carefully remove all remnants, of the candle, especially the stone, without touching it. Wrap the remnants in white paper and bury it outside, preferably some distance away.

Remember to write down your spells! You can either keep these spells in your Book of Shadows or elsewhere. My Book of Shadows is riddled with pieces of paper, napkins, whatever I happen to jot notes and spells down on. Some choose to use their computers as their BoS. Regardless, with the spells written down, can keep track of what works and what doesn’t and you can also keep track of what you are doing while you’re doing it.

A few words about magick and ethics. Most magick, at least initially, is done for yourself. There will be times when spellwork will be used to benefit other people. Any ethical witch WILL NOT do a spell that will affect someone else specifically without that person’s permission. A witch must respect another person’s soul path. What if you can’t ask them (i.e. you can’t reach them, the person is unable to communicate, etc)? Then you must honestly consider if that person would object. If your favorite aunt were deathly ill and could not communicate, and you wanted to do a healing spell for her, you would need to consider if she would agree to the spell if she could. If she were a devout Fundamentalist Christian, chances are pretty good she’d say no. You must respect her choices and her soul path.

No witch in their right mind will perform magick that is intended to manipulate, control or harm another. Remember, what you send out will come back to you threefold.

A witch should never sell a spell. If someone asks you to do a spell for them, it is not unreasonable to ask them to cover the expenses of the materials used, but other then that, no money should be received for the magick you do. That is counter productive and can cloud the intent of the magick.

When someone asks you to do a spell for them, if possible, instead of you doing the spell, teach them how to do it. The spell will have a better chance at success and they will have a better understanding of how the magick works

 

Elemental Correspondence

Elemental Correspondence

Traditional Witches do not have set correspondences as Wiccans do, and often the element that is resident in a directional spot in ritual will change based on where the Witch is holding their ritual. Traditional Witches take this practice from that of their Ancestors. Early Europeans believed that the Gods and spirits inhabited the land itself rather than being part of a separate world. When people in older times traveled they would take the spirits of their Gods and Ancestors with them. When they would do any sort of magickal work or pray to their Gods they would align themselves according the relation of where they were to their Homeland or Homeland of their Gods since this is where they felt that they truly resided. In order to do this, the Witch would look upon the North Star, the traveler’s star, and use that as their point of reference. If the Witch happens to be in the Homeland, then the correspondences are no longer needed. This is still done today, where as in Wicca the directions are often predetermined based on the Wiccan tradition one is practicing with.

Spellcrafting 101

Spellcrafting 101

Contrary to popular belief, witches do not spend most of their time casting spells. Most of us have full-time jobs, busy social lives, families, and other demands on our times. A spell, properly cast, can be a tremendous drain on a witch’s physic resources. It’s not a task to be undertaken lightly.

Spellcraft does have its place the life of a witch, but not nearly as major a one as many people suppose. In fact, a wise witch is very sparing in her use of spellcraft. Pagans practice first and foremost a religion — a religion quite unlike many others, in that beliefs and practices vary, but a religion nonetheless. We have many different conceptions of what the Divine might be, but we do all believe that One exists. By definition, God/dess is more powerful and wiser than us. So before we jump in and try changing things according to our own limited understanding, we consider the situation carefully.

Remember the Wiccan Rede

, a basic ethical guideline that Wiccans – and many other pagans – follow: An it harm none, do what you will. As has been discussed elsewhere, the Rede is deceptively simple. Obviously, physical harm, emotional harm, slander, theft, and other crimes are verboten according to the Rede. But what about other, more subtle forms of harm?

Most witches agree that curses, hexes, and other harmful spellcraft is more trouble than it’s worth. Hand in hand with the Wiccan Rede goes something called the Law of Returns. In general terms, this Law states that all energy you send out into the Universe comes back to you. It may not come back right away, and it may not come back in the form you’re expecting, but it does come back. Different traditions put their own twist on the Law of Returns, saying that the energy comes back threefold or fivefold. I’m not so picky about the math, but I have seen the Law in action, and respect it highly.

Interpreting the Rede

Witches continue to disagree over other grey areas. For instance, does casting a spell on another person without consulting them first constitute harm, even if the intentions are good? What about actions taken in self-defense?

Personally, I avoid all actions – whether mundane or magickal – that can cause harm to another being. In my experience, acts of hatred and vengeance are best countered with actions of love and kindness.

Working my will on another person without their consent constitutes harm. To that end, I never cast a spell on another person without obtaining permission first. Manipulative spells designed to make someone else fall in love – whether with me or with a third party – to move away, or to leave a job ultimately backfire on the person who casts them. This policy also extends to more beneficial spells, such as spells for healing, prosperity, or other kinds of blessings. Only the Goddess has the power to know what is best for another person. No matter how noble my own intentions, it is presumptuous and ultimately harmful for me to meddle in someone else’s affairs.

That’s not to say that I haven’t done a little juju for my friends. Far from it; I’ve prepared charmed sachets for newlywed couples, given suggestions on how to attract jobs, held a healing circle for my lover, and even suggested a ritual to help a friend open herself up to the possibility of a love affair. But the main ingredient in all that magick was consent. Before I drag out my herbs and my athame, I get the permission of the person whom the spell is meant to benefit.

Often times people ask me if I have spells. Yes, I have spells. Some have worked, some haven’t. What a witch must keep in mind is that what works for me, may not work for another witch. Magick is within everything. How it is perceived is different from witch to witch. Some think patchouli oil is the best oil for a prosperity spell. I prefer clove oil and have had success in using it. One of the wonders of magick is that there is normally a wide variety of correspondences to choose from for any one desired result. There must be about a hundred different herbs listed for love and at least thirty for wealth and money (a few of which I have listed).I prefer to perform candle magick. Candle spells are simple, they are not time consuming (very important to a witch with little time) and they work. When I do a candle spell, I carefully choose an appropriate color for the candle, a stone, an oil, and three herbs, one for the physical realm, one for the mental realm and one for the spiritual realm, plus one more as a type of catalyst (normally these catalysts are either Dragon’s blood, Mandrake or Mistletoe).

How do I pick my correspondences? First, I must know what I’m doing the spell for. Is it a prosperity spell, a healing spell, a spell to find a new job or maybe to improve communication with a loved one? Once I determine what I’m trying to accomplish, I hit the books. Within my library, I have several books that index what various colors, herbs, oils and stones correspond with various desired results. I try to be as specific as I can and try to blend my choice of correspondences to better “describe” my desired result. If I’m going to perform a prosperity spell, what attributes are going to be needed to reach the final goal? Creativity, physical strength, courage? I try to chose some herb or the oil to correspond with those added aspects and keep in mind that most herbs and oils have several attributes. Its is very possible to have an herb with the attributes of both wealth and, say, strength. With one herb you can accomplish two ends. I leave the color of the candle to the core of the spell. For a prosperity spell, green, a banishing spell, black. The same applies to the stone I use. I leave it to the core of the spell.

Having said all that, now I must also add, use what you have! One of the first spells I did I literally raided my spice cabinet for the herbs I needed. Okay, so maybe fennel would not have been my first choice, but it worked! I am fortunate to have an orange tree in my back yard. Yes, I use the leaves, blossoms, fruit, and bark in place of other possibly more popular herbs. Use what you have!

Once I’ve gathered my correspondences, I then charge them with the purpose of the spell. How is this done? There are a few techniques that must be utilized for this part of spellworking.

Ability to Meditate

This is the art of clearing the mind of all mundane thoughts and feelings. It is a state of relaxation and peace, the goal to reach a state of non-thought. This is not easy and I still haven’t mastered the technique yet, but do the best you can. There are several very good books on the subject and even in many of the books on Wicca and witchcraft there are simple techniques to help in mastering meditation. This is essential to spellwork. Your mind must be at peace so that you can focus on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Ability to Visualize

This is the ability to see with your mind, not with your senses. Although it is called visualization, remember, use all your senses! Close your eyes. Within your mind’s eye, see a tree, whatever kind of tree you want or are familiar with. Let your mind see its limbs, its leaves or needles (depending on the type of tree), the trunk, etc. Let your mind feel the bark. Is it smooth, rough, spongy? Does the tree have a fragrance? Let your mind smell that fragrance. Let your mind hear the wind as it rustles the leaves. Visualization is not easy for some, but with practice you can visualize anything. (Taste also falls into this category, but for our little discussion, tasting a tree may not be prudent.) During spellwork you will visualize your goal (and be specific and detailed!) before directing it into the item you’re charging.

Ability to Direct Energy

This is the ability to take the energies of the correspondences and your own energy and directing it towards your goal. When you charge an object, that energy is initially coming from you. From within yourself imagine (visualize) a bright light, maybe white or the color that corresponds with your goal, forming within yourself centered between your chest and stomach. Let that light grow and expand. Then direct that light up through your body, down your projective arm, out your fingertips (or through your athame or wand) and into whatever your trying to charge. While you direct that light, that energy, you will be visualizing your intent with as many specifics as you can.

It is important to realize that magick is energy flow. It is not power. All spells create a tangible connection between the objects used and yourself. When you work magick, be specific, but be careful! If you do a spell for a new job, remember to be specific in that your new job doesn’t come at the expense of another! “An Ye Harm None” Remember these words when you work magick. As you finish your spell, (for me after I light the candle), I add something to the affect of “May the energy of this magick harm none and take a path that is for the good of all involved.”

For candle spells remember that the flame must be allowed to continue to burn until it goes out on its own. I use three and seven day candles that are in glass jars. You can sprinkle your herbs on the top of them and they are safer. Remember not to leave a burning candle near drapes or where something flammable may fall into the flame. Keep in mind that the glass jars get hot, so handle with care and as the candle reaches the bottom of the jar, make sure the candle is not sitting on something that might burn from the heat. I suggest getting a ceramic dish and put some sand in the bottom to act as insulation. When I leave my home, I place the candle in my bath tub, just in case. If for some reason it gets knocked over, there is nothing in my tub that could catch on fire.

For positive spells, once the candle is out, use the stone as a talisman. Carry it with you or put it someplace where its presence will have an affect. For banishing spells, very carefully remove all remnants, of the candle, especially the stone, without touching it. Wrap the remnants in white paper and bury it outside, preferably some distance away.

Remember to write down your spells! You can either keep these spells in your Book of Shadows or elsewhere. My Book of Shadows is riddled with pieces of paper, napkins, whatever I happen to jot notes and spells down on. Some choose to use their computers as their BoS. Regardless, with the spells written down, can keep track of what works and what doesn’t and you can also keep track of what you are doing while you’re doing it.

A few words about magick and ethics. Most magick, at least initially, is done for yourself. There will be times when spellwork will be used to benefit other people. Any ethical witch WILL NOT do a spell that will affect someone else specifically without that person’s permission. A witch must respect another person’s soul path. What if you can’t ask them (i.e. you can’t reach them, the person is unable to communicate, etc)? Then you must honestly consider if that person would object. If your favorite aunt were deathly ill and could not communicate, and you wanted to do a healing spell for her, you would need to consider if she would agree to the spell if she could. If she were a devout Fundamentalist Christian, chances are pretty good she’d say no. You must respect her choices and her soul path.

No witch in their right mind will perform magick that is intended to manipulate, control or harm another. Remember, what you send out will come back to you threefold.

A witch should never sell a spell. If someone asks you to do a spell for them, it is not unreasonable to ask them to cover the expenses of the materials used, but other then that, no money should be received for the magick you do. That is counter productive and can cloud the intent of the magick.

When someone asks you to do a spell for them, if possible, instead of you doing the spell, teach them how to do it. The spell will have a better chance at success and they will have a better understanding of how the magick works

The Wicca Book of Days for July 24 – Baptism of Fire

The Wicca Book of Days for July 24

Baptism of Fire

 

The athame, a Wiccan’s double-edged, black-handled dagger, is said to correspond to the element of fire (although some say that the wand symbolizes fire, and the athame, air). Fire should be used to purify the athame before it is used. Do this by passing the athame through a candle flame (the other elements are represented by water, incense flumes and salt, a magickal tools should be consecrated through ritual contact with all of these). Remember that the athame’s primary use is to cast a circle, and to symbolize the phallus, or masculinity and that is should not be used for cutting.

 

Burn Frankincense

If you are consecrating your Athame today, an appropriate incense that could represent the element of air in your ritual is frankincense, for this aromatic gum resin corresponds to both the sun and Leo, July 24th’s ruling planet and zodiacal sign.

Your Magickal Spell for Sunday, July 1 – Drawing Down The Moon

Since there is a Full Moon on July 3rd this month, I figured this spell would be perfect. Look for more Full Moon Spells to come in the next couple of days!

Drawing Down The Moon

This ritual is a common one among Witches and Wiccans and should be part of any practitioners repertoire as well. It is a way of drawing  Moon energy into yourself and connecting with the divine. There are as many ways to perform this ritual as there are practitioners. Here is one way:
Go outside during a Full Moon and stand or sit quietly for a few minutes until you feel the Moon energy vibrating all around  you. You might want to place a mirror in front of you to reflect the moonlight, but it isn’t required. Welcome the Goddess into your Spirit and say  something like the following:
Mother Moon both strong and bright
Fill me up with Goddess light.
When you feel full of the Moon’s power, the ritual is complete.

In The End, We’re All Solitary


Author: Chi

I’m not bashing coven practice here – It’s a wonderful spiritual path and way of learning and it works for lots of people. Those people have my blessings and all my best wishes. There are plenty of teens that someday want to be part of a coven, and there are dozens of adults who warn against teen groups (and even several of articles on Witchvox about it) . But if solitary practice is so wonderful, I have to ask myself why no one advocates it, at least not until asked or provoked. That’s what I will attempt to do, to go over some of the things that solitaries have the opportunity for, and even solitary fundamentals that anyone can use.

After all, you are an individual. In the end, you are solitary. And I don’t mean that in a bad way, I mean it in the most glorious way possible. At the end of the day, the Divinity shines down on YOU and recognizes YOU for what YOU are, and takes you into their arms as their child with your own uniqueness and respects you for every ounce of it.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. There are many people who consider themselves to be solitary Wiccans or solitary Witches. I almost want to say there is a majority – but I don’t have the statistics on hand to back that up, just my observation.

Most practitioners consider it a long-term goal to be able to get into a coven or other pagan group. Even though there are sometimes degree systems in place for covens, being a solitary is usually considered being “at the bottom of the food chain”, so to speak.

Some people are solitary because they choose to be, they know it is the best for their learning and they know it is better to study alone then with people that have the potential to delay your spiritual definition. Others are solitary simply because they have to be, there are no covens around, they are too young to join a ‘real’ coven, they do not have enough experience, or what have you.

I personally am some blend of the two. I began really studying and dedicating myself to “this path” a few years ago. I knew that I needed to study; I believed I had to have every rule memorized if I was ever to reach the glorious rank of a coven member.

However, since that time I have come to realize many things. First, I am not only a Wiccan. I am also Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Shinto, and a multitude of other things…so joining a group of strict Wiccans would probably drive several of us mad!

Second, I know how I learn. That’s not to say I do everything right, but being a solitary has taught me a lot of things about how to self teach, how to remember, and how to adapt that I don’t think I would get if I was being taught by another sole person (or group of teachers) .

Third, I don’t fit into a category that any degree system or standardized test can put me into. I consider myself to be very well-rounded in many types of practice; I meditate at least once a day, I am very accomplished in divination, plus some alternative and spiritual healing…but at the same time, I had forgotten what a “boline” was a few weeks ago and had to Google search it. You might find some of these apply to you and you may find they do not.

My point here is that self-exploration is essential to your learning. I have been self-exploring and self-coaching myself for long enough that I think if I were to join a coven, it would have to be very flexible at the least. And that’s fine with me.

However, most solitaries, including myself…no matter how much we love our individual practice, we want some sort of structure, some group or support system. This is not a bad thing, if anything it shows us that we are realistic. I myself have daydreamed about starting a teen Pagan study group (notice I did not say ‘teen coven’) before…leading group meditations and having workshops to carve our own wands and such…sounds glorious doesn’t it? But I know that in the end that is not what a group is for.

I have joined many Pagan forums and websites…some of which are like my own online Grimoire. I say almost nothing to members but comb through hundreds of information pages and topics, completely in awe. On others, I have a group of elders or mentors that I ask for help quite often, whether it’s “Can I use this pretty dish my mom gave me instead of a chalice?” or “Who can tell me in detail the exact workings of the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram?” (And to be fair…some of the websites out there are total B.S.) . Many casual groups have the potential to help you.

This is the first rule of being a solitary. Solitary does not equate to being alone. I like knowing that I can plan my own rituals, or re-schedule a Sabbat, and that I can adapt coven rituals to my practice. But I also know that there are always people I can turn to. I might talk to my non-Wiccan parents about finding spirituality in ‘everyday’, or ‘mundane’ life (as I found out in recent months, my sort-of-ex-hippie Dad and New-Age-Spiritual Mum are great for those kinds of things) . I might go on the Internet if I want to construct my own ritual. I might ask some online Elders for their book recommendations or good websites.

The thing about being a solitary is, instead of having a coven Priest or Priestess as your teacher, the whole world is your teacher. You usually have to ask several people about one question and go through each answer until you can combine the facts you need and get your own. You may find spiritual answers in simple social contacts or in the workings of nature.

Not to say that coven members “miss out” on this, but it is often unrecognized. I suspect that since Covens are a quick resource, that problem solving may not be emphasized as much, especially with limited resources.

One of my mottos that I have come to revisit often is this: everyone has something to teach, everyone has something to learn, and everyone is sacred. So even if you’re in a coven, a solitary might be a good person to ask about making up your own rituals. Maybe that seemingly fluffy teenager over there really does have some good books to lend you. If you have no one teacher, you have to branch out to anyone that has the potential to give you knowledge – that means you have to find that potential in everyone.

There are pros and cons to every kind of practice. If you’re in a coven, you still need to be willing to branch out and seek information from people who don’t have the label of a third degree high priestess. Maybe those with less experience do have things to offer you. If you’re solitary, don’t assume that you’re 100% on your own, there are Pagan festivals and new age shops everywhere that are likely to have people willing to teach you a thing or two, and there are plenty of online communities or websites that list meet ups and moots in your area.

In the end, we all have to do our own self-teaching of a few things. No matter what path we’re on it’s always nice to have some sort of mentor to turn to, but keep in mind in the end it is you who decides what is best for your learning, and you are responsible for comparing and gathering information, and adapting to your learning needs.

A good example is taking a hike in a mountain forest. You can take an experienced Guide, or you can go in with your supplies and a map. If you take a guide, you’ll probably get where you want to be without wasting time, and you’ll learn a lot – maybe you’ll be able to become a guide for someone else someday if it’s really your shtick. However… You might go through the path with your backpack, flashlight, and map. This is riskier, because you have less experience. You have tools at your disposal and you need to know how to use them. You might get turned around. You might take longer than the tour group. But there is a potential for you to learn a lot of things that the tour guide will overlook.

Okay, so you might not get the mountain path right off, and that’s okay. But maybe you can learn a lot more about forests in general. You’ll learn the skills in how to find your way through the thick forests, and you might discover wildlife the guides will walk right past. Maybe you don’t know the mountain path so well, even by the time you’re done with your hike. But, by the end of it, you probably know a lot about finding your way when your lost, telling directions without a compass, using your resources, marking your paths, and you’ll even know your own strengths and weaknesses better.

Not to say that the tour group missed out, I mean hey, they had their fun too, and they get to do all kinds of stuff in groups that you simply don’t have the energy/time/resources for. But ultimately, it depends on what’s best for you.

In keeping with the metaphor, forests can be dangerous. Some more than others. Some places you simply shouldn’t tread without a guide, at least for a while. And never go in alone without supplies in the dark, when no one knows where you are to a place you’ve never been. You can ask a guide every now and then even if you aren’t in a tour group. And there is no reason members of that tour group can’t go on their own hikes.

Back to spiritual paths, that translates to this: go at it alone, if it suits your fancy. You will learn a ton, I guarantee you. You might not learn as much about traditional paths, but you will learn a lot about what your spirituality means. You will have the chance to dissect it, analyze each piece and synthesize it along with the paths of others. But be wary of where you go, and always be safe. You will need to learn to self evaluate, and other life skills.

Coven members may have these skills and they might be better at it than you, but you still have the chance to grow and explore your own self-definition.

I admit whole-heartedly that I have no coven experience to back this up. I have let several coven members read this and give me their thoughts, and I have spoken to many about coven practice. I am not bashing anyone who is in a coven – it is a wonderful way to learn, and I hope to have a similar experience someday. But I feel the need to stress that somewhere along the line we all need to self teach and self-explore. And if you make that self-teaching and solitary practice part of your everyday life, it gives you a lot of potential in the long run. You can learn things in unlikely places, and I think solitaries know that lesson quite well.

Remember:

Everyone has something to learn, everyone has something to teach, and everyone is sacred.

Blessings.

What Does It Mean To Be A Pagan In Today’s World?

Author: Brid’s Closet 

What does it mean to be a Pagan in today’s world?

I was sitting by my desk, thinking about topics for classes at my store. Many topics come to mind, but nothing seemed to “jump” out at me. I brought up this subject to a good friend of mine (who is not pagan), and she brought up this topic.

What does it mean to be Pagan? A “card carrying” PAGAN?

Many people are still very quiet about their choices in life, even to how they practice their religion or their form of spirituality. Many friends of mine are still in the “closet” about being a Pagan or being Wiccan. That is their choice, but not mine. I have the wonderful opportunity to be open about whatever it is that I do because I own my own business.

My sons also have choice as far as to what they believe. My oldest was degreed by me, because that was his choice, and I am proud of him because of that. My middle son considers himself to be agnostic (like his dad), but still is always looking. My youngest is still not sure as of yet. He takes in a lot, asks a lot of questions and is processing what he receives. They are fine young men, all of whom I am fiercely protective and proud of.

Some keywords that come into my mind are “love, strength, happiness, comfort, inner confidence empowerment, and honor”. Being a Pagan has helped to see that I have the ability to make a change in my own life, whether it is on a magical level or a mundane one.

A lot of people come into my store asking very similar questions, but what I do most of the time is to explain what I am not:

I am not a Satanist (the term “Satan” doesn’t exist in the pagan world.)
I don’t work or believe in the devil.

I don’t walk around in black clothes all the time (though it is fun sometimes!)

I don’t sacrifice animals…or use them in any rituals (my dog does like to run in and out of circle sometimes!)

I don’t bash other Pagan traditions.

I am not evil, nor is my spirituality evil.

I don’t run round naked, except in the privacy of my own room (maybe!)

I don’t have sex with others in ritual.

I don’t insult or blast other religions. People have done that for far too long in history to Pagans. I won’t do that to others!

Nope…don’t do the orgy thingy either!

What I do….hmmm…

I do honor Mother Earth. I see the earth as a living and breathing organism.

I do believe that all animals have a soul, and should be treated and loved as we expect to be loved ourselves.

I do try to live as “chemical free” as possible. This means that no chemicals or bug killers are applied to my lawn. 2 of my animals eat the grass on my lawn if the weather permits. No bleached flour, raw sugar, recycled paper. A friend of mine raises organically raised chickens, so I have organic eggs!

I keep as many trees as possible on the land that I am blessed to live on. Trees block the sun and keep your home cooler!

I do honor other people’s religions and their chosen paths.

I go love the Goddess and the God, as I would honor my own parents.
I try to use cosmetic products that are cruelty free.

I do try to grow my own herbs and vegetables when possible.

I recycle my paper, bottles, plastic and cans.

I do a full moon ritual once a month and celebrate the 8 holidays in the wheel of the year.

I guess I could just go on and on!

Once, a person came in and asked me why I was insulting myself by using the words “HEATHEN”, “PAGAN”, and “WITCH” to describe myself! In his teachings, he was taught that these words were an insult. He was shocked that I was proud of these terms!

The word “PAGAN” actually means “country dweller” or “civilian” or “peasant”.
1: Definition: Refers to any of the pre-Christian, (usually) polytheistic religions, or those who practice them. Wicca is one Pagan religion, as is Asatru, Santeria, Voodoo, or Shamanism.

The term “HEATHEN” is old English for Germanic paganism.
2: Definition: Among non-Pagans, the term ‘heathen’ just means anyone who is non-Christian. But Pagans use the term to refer specifically to those who follow a Norse or Germanic path.

A WITCH was known as a “wise” person, an herbalist, a midwife or a medicine person. (I’m an Alexandrian Witch!)
3: Definition: A witch is someone who practices witchcraft (either male or female), regardless of their religious standing. Not necessarily the same thing as a Wiccan (someone who follows the religion of Wicca)

These are words that I have come to embrace and be proud of. These words open up conversation and dialog, so that others will learn, understand and appreciate. Sometimes people appreciate the information that is given, other times, they don’t.

As a Pagan, I’ve raised 3 fantastic sons, have a “metaphysical” store that I share with my best friend, counsel people, rehabilitate birds, rescued a dog, a chinchilla and a bunny (who think they own my home!), teach classes, train special needs people (personal training) and in love with the most remarkable man.

What does it mean to be a “PAGAN”?

It means being a mom, a lover, a caregiver, councilor, herbalist, a cook, storeowner, and a woman dealing with today’s modern world who practices a very old way of worship.

Bernadette Montana is a very eclectic 3rd degree Alexandrian Priestess, a pipe carrier in the Sun Bear Native American Tribe, professional Tarot reader, a mom to 3 sons, one dog, 2 parrots, a bunny and a chinchilla and owns a metaphysical store named Brid’s Closet in Orange County, New York. Bernadette@bridscloset.com

Thanks to Terri Paajanen who posted the definitions of Pagan, Heathen, and Witch on the About website!

Footnotes:
Terri Paajanen who posted the definitions of PAGAN, HEATHEN, and WITCH on the About website!

Misrepresenting This Path

Misrepresenting This Path

Author: Rev. Crystal

Sometimes I am saddened by the misconceptions of Wicca in the world, but it is not just those outside of the Wiccan faith who misrepresent our beliefs. It is also some people within our own communities. One of the ways they do this is by wearing the sacred symbol of the pentacle while acting out the opposite of what we represent.

Wearing a pentacle is an honor for me. I don’t take for granted the work that is involved with being able to represent the Pagan path with pride and integrity. I continue to hold myself to the high standards that come with being able to say, “I am a witch” or “I am Wiccan”. I have enough respect for my elders who have fought through adversity in order to practice this path and make it possible for me to do so as well.

I have found myself pondering what my role is in the lack of respect for our sacred symbol and what my role should be. I know that I am not responsible for another’s spiritual beliefs and for that I am grateful. It is enough just to take care of mine.

But I do think that there are those in the community who should not only offer to be of assistance in setting the record straight, but actually also try to live up to the ethics which govern the Wiccan faith.

Our path is full of beauty, mystery and spiritual grace. One of the most important jobs of Wiccans worldwide is to continue to manifest the beauty that our path represents. This is another point where ethics come clearly into the picture.

There are many new people coming into this path who are not getting a clear understanding of the ethics behind Wicca. Unfortunately, there are not enough elders willing to stand up and teach either. It leaves us with a big gap of understanding between some of the newer generations of Wiccans and the older generations of practitioners. This gap creates confusion, misunderstanding and susceptibility to learning and teaching things that are not in line with our belief structure.

Wicca is not about spellwork or being cool. It is not about revenge or anger. It is about spirituality and love. It is the connection to the god and goddess and the universe.

One of the most important parts of the path of Wicca (not Pagan, but Wiccan) is the Rede. It is an essential part of this path. If one does not follow the Rede, then he/she may be Pagan but not Wiccan. And think about it, as a Wiccan, why wouldn’t you want to follow a clause that ultimately protects you?

Wiccans should understand that we are a part of everything and everything is a part of us. As above, so below. Whatever energy we send out is ultimately tied to us. It is like throwing a tennis ball to a wall. It is coming right back.

There is a responsibility that comes with the wearing of the pentacle which goes far beyond being cool. In truth, the responsibilities that come with that pentacle around your neck are great.

I have to remember that the moment I put on a pentacle or symbol of this path, I am representing it to the outside world. In essence, it is irresponsible to wear a symbol you cannot respect enough to live up to whatever it stands for.

That means a lot; so let’s be clear.

· Know what it is you believe in and stand for.

· Have enough knowledge of the path to answer questions appropriately.

· Manipulation, dishonesty and deceit are not Wiccan traits.

· Don’t wear a pentacle because it makes you look mysterious or it goes well with your Goth outfit.

· Don’t falsely represent yourself as a mentor, teacher or elder if you have not done the training to be one.

· Don’t advertise for sex on the internet with a pentacle on.

· Don’t throw trash on the ground or abuse our mother with a pentacle on.

· Don’t act in immoral ways in our communities and act like you are better than the book religion people.

· Respect your history and the elders who paved the way for us.

· Be humble enough to still learn and not act like you know everything just because you have a pentacle on.

· Respect this path and your fellow Wiccans or Pagans.

Should I go on? The sad thing is that I could. These are all real examples of what is happening in our community as we speak.

Now, I am in no way immune to this behavior myself. The difference for me on my path is the realization that I don’t want to disrespect this path or myself by partaking in maladaptive, old behavior that does not promote my spiritual self.

So I work on this constantly. Nothing comes easy for anyone, myself included, so I try not to take it for granted. And I never take this pentacle around my neck for granted either…not for one second.

A statement that comes to mind is from JZ knight while channeling Ramtha, and goes something like this, “The best way to worship a God is to act like one”.

I try to follow this with every breath even when it is very hard.

I will repeat this statement because we need to hear this over and over again in our community: the responsibilities that come with that pentacle around your neck are great.

I hope we can all remember that throughout our day and actually be what we are representing.

And if you can’t do that, then it is a simple matter really: Just take the pentacle off.

TAKE THE PENTACLE OFF………………..

Blessed Be.

An Introduction to Traditional Wicca

An Introduction to Traditional Wicca

© 1987, Keepers of the Ancient Mysteries ( .K.A.M. )

Often Traditional Wiccans are asked to describe our religion and beliefs for interested people, who may or may not have confused us with other Pagan religions, with inversions of Christian/Islamic religions like Satanism, or with purely magical traditions with no religious base. There is a lot of flexibility in the ways that we describe ourselves, and one characteristic of Wicca is a large degree of personal liberty to practice as we please. Still, there is an outline that can be described in general terms. Many traditions will depart from one particular or another, but groups departing from all or most of these features are probably non-Wiccan Traditions attempting to stretch or distort the Wiccan name to cover what they want to do.

Mysteries and Initiation

Wicca is an Initiatory religion descended from the Ancient Mystery Religions. A mystery religion is not like Catholicism where a Priest is the contact point between the worshiper and the Deity, nor like Protestantism where a sacred Book provides the contact and guidelines for being with the divine. Rather a Mystery Religion is a religion of personal experience and responsibility, in which each worshiper is encouraged, taught and expected to develop an ongoing and positive direct relationship with the Gods. The religion is called a “Mystery” because such experiences are very hard to communicate in words, and are usually distorted in the telling. You have to have been there in person to appreciate what is meant. Near and far-Eastern religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Shinto are probably Mystery traditions, but Wicca is very western in cultural flavor and quite different than eastern religions in many ways.

A Blend of Pagan Roots

Most Wiccan Traditions, .K.A.M. included, have particular roots in the British Mystery Traditions. This includes traditions of the Picts who lived before the rise of Celtic consciousness, the early Celts, and some selected aspects of Celtic Druidism. American Wicca is directly descended from British Wicca, brought in the late 1950’s by English and American Initiates of Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Celtic Wicca. These traditions are a little like the denominations in Christianity, but hopefully far more harmonious.

While British Traditions are very strong in Wicca, or the Craft as it is sometimes called, other Western Mystery traditions feature prominently, including the ancient Greek Mysteries of Eleusis, Italian Mysteries of Rome, Etruria and the general countryside, Mysteries of Egypt and Persia before Islam, and various Babylonian, Assyrian and other mid-eastern Mysteries that flourished before the political rise of the advocates of “one god”.

What’s In a Name?

Wicca, Witchcraft, and “The Craft” are used interchangeably at times by many kinds of people. It is fair to say that all Wiccans are Witches, and many of us believe we are the only people entitled to the name. It is important to know that many people call themselves witches who are not in the least Wiccan, and that Masons also refer to themselves as “Craft”, with good historical precedent. Carefully question people on the particular things they do and believe as part of their religion rather than relying on labels. Any real Wiccan would welcome such honest inquiry.

Traditions and Flavor

There are specific Wiccan beliefs and traditions, including worship of an equal and mated Goddess and God who take many forms and have many Names. Groups who worship only a Goddess or only a God are not traditional Wicca however they may protest, although they may be perfectly good Pagans of another sort. The Wiccan Goddess and God are linked to nature, ordinary love and children — Wicca is very life affirming in flavor.

Because we have and love our own Gods, Wiccans have nothing to do with other people’s deities or devils, like the Christian God or Satan, the Muslim Allah or the Jewish Jehovah (reputedly not his real name). Christians often deny this fact because they think that their particular god is the only God, and everybody else in the whole world must be worshipping their devil. How arrogant. They’re wrong on both counts.

Traditional Wicca is a religion of personal responsibility and growth. Initiates take on a particular obligation to personal development throughout their lives, and work hard to achieve what we call our “True Will”, which is the best possibility that we can conceive for ourselves. Finding your Will isn’t easy, and requires a lot of honesty, courage and hard work. It is also very rewarding.

Wicca is generally a cheerful religion, and has many holidays and festivals. In fact, most of the more pleasant holidays now on our calendar are descended from the roots Wicca draws on, including Christmas, May Day, Easter and Summer Vacation. Wicca is definitely not always serious. Dancing, feasting and general merriment are a central part of the celebrations.

Wiccan Ethics

Wiccans have ethics which are different in nature than most “one-god” religions, which hand out a list of “do’s and don’ts”. We have a single extremely powerful ethical principal which Initiates are responsible for applying in specific situations according to their best judgment. That principle is called the Wiccan Rede (Old-English for rule) and reads:

    “An (if) it harm none, do as ye Will”

Based on the earlier mention of “True Will”, you will understand that the Rede is far more complex than it sounds, and is quite different than saying “Do whatever you want as long as nobody is hurt”. Finding out your Will is difficult sometimes, and figuring out what is harmful, rather than just painful or unpleasant is not much easier.

Initiation into Wicca

People become Wiccans only by Initiation, which is a process of contacting and forming a good relationship with the Gods and Goddesses of Wicca. Initiation is preceded by at least a year and a day of preparation and study, and must be performed by a qualified Wiccan Priestess and Priest. The central event of Initiation is between you and your Gods, but the Priestess is necessary to make the Initiation a Wiccan one, to pass some of her power onto you as a new-made Priestess or Priest and to connect you to the Tradition you’re joining.

Women hold the central place in Wicca. A Traditional Coven is always headed by a High Priestess, a Third Degree female Witch with at least three years and three days of specific training. A Priest is optional, but the Priestess is essential. Similarly, a Priest may not Initiate without a Priestess, but a Priestess alone is sufficient. Women are primary in Wicca for many reasons, one of which is that the Goddess is central to our religion.

One Religion at a Time

People often ask “Can I become a Wiccan and still remain a Christian, Muslim, practicing Jew, etc. The answer is no. The “one god” religions reject other paths besides their own, including each other’s. “One-god” religions also do not exalt the Female as does Wicca, and mixing two such different traditions would water them both down. Besides, you’d have to ask how serious a person who practiced two religions was about either one. Being Jewish is an exception, since it is a race and culture as well as a religion. There are many Wiccan Jews, but they practice Wicca, not Judaism.

Magick and Science

People interested in Wicca are usually curious about the magick that Wiccans can do. While magick (spelled with a “k” to distinguish from stage conjuring) is not a religion in itself, it is related to our religious beliefs. Wiccans believe that people have many more abilities than are generally realized, and that it is a good idea to develop them. Our magick is a way of using natural forces to change consciousness and material conditions as an expression of our “True Wills”. Part of becoming a Wiccan is training in our methods of psychic and magickal development.

Because we believe that everything a person does returns to them magnified, a Wiccan will not work a magick for harm, since they would pay too high a price. But a helpful magick is good for both the giver and receiver! Wicca is entirely compatible with the scientific method, and we believe all the Gods and forces we work with to be quite natural, not supernatural at all. We do not, however, hold with the kind of scientific dogma or pseudo religion that sees everything as dead matter and neglects its own method by trumpeting “facts” without honest examination of evidence.

Priestesses at Large?

Long ago the spiritual (and sometimes physical) ancestors of Wiccans were Priestesses and Priests to the Pagan culture as well as devotees of their Mystery. Now that a Pagan culture is rising again, some ask if today’s Wiccans could resume that role. This seems unlikely.

Today’s Pagan culture is very diverse and more interested in exploring and creating new forms than in building on existing traditions. A public role would either dilute our traditions or force them on an unwilling audience. The neo-Pagan community generally prefers “media figures” and rapid membership and growth. This is not compatible with our slow methods of training and Initiation, the insistence that livelihood come from work outside the Craft, or our needs for privacy. Our religion is not accepted in the American workplace or political system, and may never be. The most powerful Priestesses are often unknown to all but their Coveners. While all Wiccans are Pagans, all Pagans are not Wiccan, and it is best that it remain so.

Which Witch is Witch?

Which Witch is Witch?

Author: Autumn’s Witch

I have been reading a lot lately about what it means to be a Witch. This is a topic very close to home and one that I now feel compelled to comment on.

I grew up on a small farm in rural Tennessee. When I was about seven or eight years old my grandmother explained to me that she was a Witch and by heredity so was I. To me, this didn’t seem like a great revelation but it was confusing because the only real concept I had of what a Witch was, was the either scary hags in fairy tales or the over the top witch called “Witch Hazel” from the Bugs Bunny cartoons. But as time went by, my grandmother tutored me in the ways of The Goddess and pretty soon I had a completely new concept of what being a Witch meant. It was someone who nurtured the earth and worshiped the divinely submerged power in nature and life. It was someone who looked to The Goddess with complete, unquestioning love. It was someone who healed wounds and tended broken hearts. It was someone who helped the needy and stood up to the bullies. It was someone who understood the divine gift of magic. It was someone who was filled with kindness, charity and warmth, even at times when others weren’t. Above all else, it was someone who devoted their lives to being a reflection of the Goddess. Someone who made every second of life sacred.

To this day, I live my life in accordance to the above. I will until the day I die. There is no question of why or how. My life is in devotion to my Goddess and I do it freely with all of my heart and soul. I can’t change who I am any more than a tiger can change its stripes. It defines who I am.

Being a Witch is a lifestyle not only and life choice. There are responsibilities, duties and obligations. It is not a life for everyone nor should it be.

When I first started calling myself a Witch, it was something only done it private. Back in the 1970s rural Tennessee had no tolerance for Witches, especially in Baptist country. I remember feeling so weird at school on holidays. I remember how I had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. I remember being forced to pray and worship something I did not hold sacred. It was a very scary and frustrating time in my life. But the thing I hated most was when people openly called me a Christian. It was brutal and it made me nauseous. I remember crying on the way home, jealous that I couldn’t be who I wanted to be. I prayed to The Goddess that someday I could be open and free with who and what I was. Little did I know, that day was not too far off.

Flash forward to the 1990’s. I was amazed how the Pagan/Wiccan community sort if just came alive. All of a sudden there were thousands of people calling themselves Witches. There were dozens of books at the bookstores on the topic. It appeared as if there was a rebirth of the old ways. I was a happy as I could be. It was nice to be able to say in public that I was a Witch.

But alas, I found that things were not as they seemed. It became obvious after a few years, that all these people who all of a sudden were calling themselves Witches, were not exactly what I had expected. It was a hard time for me. I wanted to help people understand. But it seemed as if there were dozens of theories on what it meant to be a Witch. There were stringent rules and rituals and processes and so on. This was all very different than what I had been taught. There were times when I wondered to myself, how can we all be Witches? There were groups diametrically opposed to each other. Rules, regulations and red tape seemed to more important than the root passion of our spirituality.

Then people started calling me Wiccan or Wicca. I was stunned. I had never in all my life been called that. So I studied up on this whole Wicca thing. It was in no way a reflection of who I was and how I worshiped. And frankly I didn’t like being associated with it at all. For many years I would glare at anyone calling me Wiccan. As the 90’s ended I became aware of the general debate of Witch versus Wiccan.

Now I am not going to debate the merits or academic ramifications of what the words Wicca or Witch means. I have an extensive scholastic background but I don’t feel this issue is something that should be debated that way. But let me say simply this. I am a Witch. I have been my whole life. That is the only label that I will accept. I have no problems with anyone else calling themselves Wiccans or Witches. But I do take issue when people try to label me something I am not. I respect everyone’s right to call themselves what ever they like. I also respect other’s limits and opinions. At the same times I expect others to respect my limits.

The Wiccan/Pagan community does need unity, but in the rush to create an all inclusive sense of unity, some of us have been trampled below. I love Pagans and Wiccans. They are my brothers and sisters. I support our cause but no matter how it’s all wrapped or presented, I am a Witch, above all else. I do not want to be labeled anything other than what I am. It is an insult to my, my family and everything being a Witch stands for. Please respect our choice to be who we are and who we are not.

Setting Up Your Ostara Altar

Setting Up Your Ostara Altar

By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

It’s Ostara, and it’s a time of year in which many Wiccans and Pagans choose celebrate the balance of light and dark that heralds the beginning of spring. It’s a time to celebrate new life and rebirth — not only the physical embodiment of renewal, but the spiritual as well. Try some — or all — of these ideas to ready your altar for Ostara.

Colors

To get an idea of what colors are appropriate for spring, all you really have to do is look outside. Notice the yellows of the forsythia blooming behind your house, the pale purples of lilacs, the green of new leaves appearing in the melting snow. Pastels are often considered spring colors as well, so feel free to add some pinks and blues into the mix if the idea strikes you. Decorate your altar in any of these colors — try a pale green altar cloth with some purples and blues draped across it, and add some yellow or pink candles to carry the color up.

The Balance of the Equinox

Altar decor should reflect the theme of the Sabbat. Ostara is a time of balance between light and dark, so symbols of this polarity can be used. Use a god and goddess statue, a white candle and a black one, a sun and moon, even a yin/yang symbol.

New Life

Ostara is also a time of new growth and life — add potted plants such as new crocuses, daffodils, lilies, and other magical spring flowers. This is the time of year when animals are bringing forth new life too — put a basket of eggs on your altar, or figures of new lambs, rabbits, calves, etc. Add a chalice of milk or honey — milk represents the lactating animals who have just given birth, and honey is long known as a symbol of abundance.

Other Symbols of the Season

  • Seeds and bulbs
  • Caterpillars, ladybugs, bumblebees
  • Symbols of nature deities — Herne, Flora, Gaia, Attis, etc.
  • Gemstones and crystals such as aquamarine, rose quartz, and moonstone
  • Ritual fires in a cauldron or brazier

MAGICK & WICCA

MAGICK & WICCA
The Wicca Handbook by Eileen Holland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

an it harm none, do as ye will.

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

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

what goes around comes around

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

The Origin of Magick

The Origin of Magick

Author: Crick

Have you ever wondered about the origins of magick?
By magick I am not referring to the stage tricks employed by various entertainers for our amusement, but rather the energy which numerous cultures and belief systems have tapped into in order to manifest their various objectives.

This universal gift is known by many different names depending on which culture/belief system one looks at. It may be known simply as magick, prayers, miracles, life force, juju, karma and so forth.
For the purpose of this article it will be referred to as energy.

Have you ever wondered if such energy was a latent presence here on earth prior to the arrival of humankind? Residing here as an ancient primordial force, which was patiently waiting for sentient beings to discover its presence and purpose.

And if it was here prior to the arrival of human beings, did it serve an active purpose in the shaping of life and/or the creation of events that allowed for said life to begin? Was this primordial energy an essence that was introduced by Deity by way of a direct involvement with what we know as life? Or was it a side effect that formed as a result of actions taken by Deity during the course of said activities?

Or perhaps it is a development that manifested itself with the advent of humans? Could it be that the life force that we know as spirit introduced this energy into the life process in order to provide us with opportunities to expand our spiritual awareness and/or connection with alternate realms?

And if this is the case, why do you suppose that such a tool for growth and/or communication is so under utilized?

I say this because in society today, folks tend to become less connected with the world around them and more absorbed with the part of the self that is influenced by the individual ego.

And if this is a tool for growth and communication, why is it that those folks who actually use this energy for this purpose are spurned and looked upon with suspicion and in many cases with outright disdain by others in society? Witchcraft in essence, embodies the concepts and principals in the use of such energy.

And yet the word “witch” brings out and runs the gauntlet of emotions and perceptions of humanity as a whole. And depending on which side of the fence one stands, a witch is either an evil and vile creature or a person who is in touch with and resonates with the universal energies of which magick is a major part of.

Where does this fear of the unknown come from?

Was the ego installed into our souls as a balance to such a powerful tool? Has the balance shifted too far to one side of our souls?

As humans we readily employ magick in our various endeavors, but do we really understand its origins and what exactly is that we are using as a tool? Could the ego be a safety mechanism that has been allowed for whatever reasons, to exceed its purpose?

In some cultures, magick known as prayers is used as a means of communication with Deity. Does magick have but one specific intended use? And if so, are all other uses of such energy but an abuse of its original intended use?

Within these same cultures, when an event that is normally beyond the capacity of mere mortals, occurs, it is called a miracle.

Are these so called miracles really but a form of the same energy that others would call magick? Can we as humans in fact manifest these miracles by employing this energy? Or should such manifestations be the sole province of deity?

And while we are on the subject, does this energy have a shelf life?

Does it become stronger with use, opening even more avenues of discovery and power as one venture along the path, or does it weaken from non-use and/or the cultural disbelief in such a power?

Or is it simply a neutral tool offered by the powers to be, with many different attachments waiting to be realized by humanity.

Regardless of what name we call this energy or by what concept we use to identify with it, this gift has surpassed all boundaries of cultural, religious and societal beliefs. It is found in all aspects and fiber of this existence that we call life. It is a dominant force, often in a passive way, in basically everything that we do as humans. As such we may most likely only achieve but a peripheral understanding of such a complicated and diverse force.

Perhaps one day when we become as one with deity, a more comprehensive understanding of such a gift will be made known to us. But until such a revelation is proffered by the powers that be, we should always strive to understand as much as we are able to in order to effectively use such energy in a way that is both constructive and meaningful to our personal lives and not only our personal lives but to those around us as well.

As members of a diverse community, we have a responsibility to contribute to the health and well being of our community. Because of the diversity of society, there will always be divergent views as to what this energy is or in how it is to be used. But at the end of the day, how we use such energy is still an individual decision.

There are certain pagans, in particular Wiccans, who believe that whatever energy is sent out will return to the originator threefold.
As a traditional witch, I personally am not so sure that such a transfer is so cut and dry, but in general such a concept is a good yardstick or learning curve to adhere to.

I personally do not consider myself a master for I do not believe in such a being outside of deity. Rather I am a student of life with lots of questions. For without such questions there are no answers.
And quite frankly I don’t have answers to many of the questions that I have asked here. What few answers I may have are based upon my personal life experiences.

As pagans we are each individual and thus should answer such questions as they pertain to each person in regards to ones own beliefs and practices…