Witch for Sale!

Witch for Sale!

Author: Hecatian Nights

Sure go ahead and laugh, but just you wait – you may have never been in MY shoes. So what puts me here trying to market myself off to the first bidder that would have me? I, Hecatian Nights, am looking for a coven to call home. That’s right – I’m searching for my very first coven.

I live in Alaska, in my opinion the most beautiful state in our marvelous country, complete with unimaginable mountain terrain, more lakes than Minnesota, just about any kind of animal you could ask for, forests galore and last but not least Santa and the North Pole. Tell me, can any other state compete with Santa? I think not!

According to Witchvox there are about eight covens here. None of which are located in my city, which just so happens to be the largest city in all of Alaska. What sense does that make? Well maybe more than I am willing to admit. After all most Pagans I’ve read of prefer to live in nature, and we sure have it up here.

I have been studying Wicca and Paganism for a little over seven years; granted that makes me quite young when I started and sure I will admit that I only seriously began studying and practicing four years ago. But the attraction between the Craft and me was instant. I fell in love with Wicca; it was something that was so different than what I had grown up with, in my church and in the Catholic school that I had attended. I threw myself into the Craft and soaked up all the knowledge that was lent to me though the books that I read.

Throughout my years I never met another serious Witch, I never talked to anyone that was a member of a “real” coven, and as the years went by I began to feel more and more alone. A feeling of loneliness and a paradoxical sense of belonging are things that I believe go hand in hand with being a Wiccan teen. You feel connected to a Pagan consciousness so alive and vibrant, but at the same time you feel utterly alone and shunned the community.

For a few years I knew a girl who also had an interest in Wicca; we practiced together and even did a ritual on the beach once. It was magical – to me anyway. We re-created a scene between the fighting Brothers, sang a song to the one that had fallen, and afterwards we ate and watched the sun set on the Sleeping Lady Mountain across the inlet. I always thought that every year we could come back on Summer Solstice and do it again. But dreams sometimes fade and old friends can change. We never went back to the beach again.

Though my friend’s interest waned and our friendship failed, my interest in the Craft only grew stronger. I was fine with being alone; I enjoyed it, and I felt special and was content. But as time went on I realized that I wasn’t as content as I once was. I found my solitary state warring on me and I began to understand that I wasn’t meant to be alone. I began to search for others out there. I even met a few people but nothing really panned out. They were either not serious enough or not serious at all.

I felt alone, alone as the only serious Pagan teen that I knew. Adult Pagans, who I don’t blame, wouldn’t meet me, talk to me or offer advice on how I could become more involved. I knew that this was my fate until I was legally an adult but as the years came closer and the time finally arrived, I still found myself detached from the rest of the Pagan world. Coven-less.

Sure there are books, wonderful ones. They opened my mind and gave me exercises and rituals to try. I spent many hours hiding in my room with a Pagan book, reading the stories of men and women and how they found the Craft. And I loved them; I bought just about every single book that would give me a sense of what it was like to be involved in a community of Pagans. Phyllis Curott’s Book of Shadows was one of my favorites, and I can happily recommend it to any person who wonders about Wicca. These books momentarily gave me a glimpse of what a connected Pagans life was like, but as soon as I was done with the book the yearning to be part of a group was back. I knew that I couldn’t ignore it forever. And that is what leads me here.

I feel ready to join a coven, if one will have me. Or at least begin to understand what one truly is. I always thought I would end up a solitary Witch by choice, but that feeling of loneliness has only grown stronger and now I feel a definite want and need to be with those who refer to me as their kindred. It’s time for me to learn, and I feel that books and solitary practicing can only take one so far.

I now believe that it is necessary for wiser Wiccans to allot their knowledge to the next generation, not only in the form of books but to also take us under their wings. Teach to us, learn with us, lead us, speak to us and learn to know us. We are your future and the next generation of Witches and Wiccans. No I don’t mean go out and search for the first 13-year-old pentacle-toting teen you see, but don’t forget the of-age Witches out there!

So, where do I sign up? I’m ready and I’m here to learn. So poke me, prod me, see if I’m ripe; but give me a chance to see if I can call your coven home.

The Witches Creed of Chivalry

Insofar as the Craft of the Wise is the most ancient and most honorable creed of humankind, it behooves all who are Witches to act in ways that give respect to the Old Gods, to their sisters and brothers of the Craft, and to themselves. Therefor, be it noted that:

1. Chivalry is a high code of honour which is of most ancient Celtic Pagan origin, and must be lived by all who follow the old ways.
2. It must be keened that thoughts and intent put forth on this Middle Earth will wax strong in other worlds beyond, and return… bringing into creation, on this world, that which had been sent forth. Thus one should exercise discipline, for “as ye sow, so shall ye reap.”
3. It is only by preparing our minds to be as Gods that we can ultimately attain godhead.
4. “This above all… to thine own self be true…”
5. A Witch’s word must have the validity of a signed and witnessed oath. Thus, give thy word sparingly, but adhere to it like iron.
6. Refrain from speaking ill of others, for not all truths of the matter may be known.
7. Pass not unverified words about another, for hearsay is, in large part, a thing of falsehoods.
8. Be thou honest with others, and have them known that honesty is likewise expected of them.
9. The fury of the moment plays folly with the truth; to keep one’s head is a virtue.
10. Contemplate always the consequences of thine acts upon others. Strive not to harm another.
11. Though there may be differences between those of the Old Ways, diverse covens and circles may well have diverse views. These views, even if they are different than yours, should always be given respect. When a coven, circle, clan, or grove is visited or joined, one should discern quietly their practices, and abide thereby.
12. Dignity, a gracious manner, and a good humor are much to be admired.
13. As a witch, thou hast power, and thy powers wax strongly as wisdom increases. Therefore exercise discretion in the use thereof.
14. Courage and honour endure forever. Their echoes remain when the mountains have crumbled to dust.
15. Pledge friendship and fealty to those who so warrant. Strengthen others of the Brethren and they shall strengthen thee.
16. Thou shalt not reveal the secrets of another Witch or Coven. Others have laboured long and hard for them, and cherish them as treasures.
17. Those who follow the mysteries should be above reproach in the eyes of the world, and should always seek to make this so.
18. The laws of the land should be obeyed whenever possible and within reason, for in the main they have been chosen with wisdom for the well being of all.
19. Have pride in thyself, and seek perfection in body and in mind. For the Lady hath said, “How canst thou have honour unless thou give honor to thyself firstly?”
20. Those who seek the Mysteries should consider themselves as select of the Gods, for it is they who lead the race of humankind to the highest of thrones and beyond the very stars.

Wiccan One’s Universe

Yuletide Thoughts, Life and Death

Yuletide Thoughts, Life and Death

Author: Crick

Many a silvery moon has risen over the years as this old witch contemplates the lessons, which pertain to one’s spiritual endeavors. As the face of our sacred mother, casts her ancient glow over those who wisely embrace her. The mysteries of life silently unfold. As I stand before her loving gaze, thoughts of spiritual quests rise within my mind. Knowledge gained is but a threshold for answers yet to be met.

And so as a witch I find myself walking the edges of life like the thin blades of grass wavering back and forth in a quiet and forgotten glen. For one whom embraces the old ways, a way of life that has survived the hand of man, there will always are more questions than answers. Witchcraft is not the creation of humankind, but rather the mystical tools awaiting those who seek them out.

Magic is the energy that fuels the perception that one draws from their experiences in this realm. But how does one define the parameters of magic in a way that serves as a path of understanding and more importantly as a catalyst of desire to seek out those questions that heighten ones awareness of self and of one’s place along the road of spirituality?

This is a personal question with as many answers as there are pagans who seek to examine such goals within themselves. For me personally, such musings often wander to the ancient questions of life and death. As a witch I see the two events as forming an intertwining polarity of awareness and mystery, each concept and indeed reality, dependent upon the other. And indeed, as mysteries of life tend to be, any answer offered over the centuries are simply musings based upon the experiences of but one half of this spiritual conundrum.

As the migration of human beings travel through the tendrils of life, many are the religions, which have sprung up along the way, which claim to have the answers to such a profound mystery. But are they simply casting their eyes towards a limited source of light while the darkness that they fear stands at the ready just beyond their willingness to face such eternal unknowns? The fear of such darkness is based not upon any perceptible knowledge of that which awaits each of us regardless of personal belief, but rather upon a primordial lapse in the consciousness of our spirit. Can it be that the quest for spiritual growth has been stymied by the roadblock of ignorance and fear and has thus fallen to the wayside of spiritual quests by such folks?

The advent of Yule brings forth a telling of the God who has traversed both sides of the mysteries of life and death and then once again unto life as we know it. The divine mother, who stands deeply aware over all aspects of existence at all levels, awaits his return with a sure knowledge that he will re-appear. For she is the progenitor of the mysteries that serve as the challenges that we as individuals need to experience in order to draw closer to her whom we adore. Of course I use the term “mother” as an adjectival in order to provide form to that spiritual aspect in which I personally subscribe to. There are of course many descriptions which can be used to describe that entity which opens the gates to life but which in turn limits our understanding of what is just on the other side of the door.

And yet there are many rays of light that may serve to give us a glimpse into that which we perceive as the darkness or unknown in our annals of awareness.

For instance one may ponder, is life and death the only avenues available to understand the tenets of the mysteries of life. Or do we simply lack the inquisitiveness and individual courage to seek out these pinpoints of light that may well be emanating from the dark? For instance, many pagans and indeed those of other spiritual paths are adept at astral projecting. But where is it that that one projects their spirit to? Apparently we are not projecting into some physical vestige of this life and so are we projecting into locations found within the realm of death? Or perhaps we are projecting into realities that are totally unconnected to either our awareness of life or the hidden destinies of death?

Pagans are also adept at connecting with spirits who travel back and forth through the veil. And so I wonder, what forms our sense of fear in relation to death, a sense of dread, which these denizens seem to lack? Or do they convey a similar sense of fear when they travel to this side of the veil? And if so, why do we consistently seek them out, though we fear to extend our spiritual selves to their side of the realm?

When I think of life and death, I often wonder if such a cloak of darkness in relation to our limited awareness was intentionally erected. What better way than to test our spiritual resolve and to test the temerity of our belief in a supreme entity. And what better way to measure our desire to accept the challenges involved in our spiritual ascension, though in all reality we have no choice in the outcome of such a Chautauqua. Each of us will eventually be brought to the threshold and once there, cast through into even greater mysteries then perhaps that which we face within our current awareness.

Of course I do not seek to turn the handle to the door of death until it is my turn to do so. But the lessons of Yule triumphs over any unfounded fears that I may have incurred from the ignorance of our species while engaged within this realm. As a witch, I trust in a sacred knowledge that initiated the first step along a long and arduous journey back to the bosom of what I perceive as the sacred giver of life and knowledge at all spiritual levels.

I see death as a continuance of this forbidden knowledge. A knowledge that is hidden only from those who lack the courage to grasp those bits and pieces of wisdom, while in this realm, that eventually will reveal the true and beautiful tapestry of spiritual accomplishment. These are my thoughts about the lessons that Yule brings forth.

May you each have a very enlightening and spiritual Yule experience and may you find your own answers in regards to Yule and the experiences that it offers…

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft –C.6. The First-Degree Initiation (1957) to C.8. The Third-Degree Initiation (1957)

C.6. The First-Degree Initiation (1957)
Draw Circle with Magic Sword or Athame.
Sprinkle with Exorcised Water.
Go round Circle with Magic Sword or Athame, Saying, “I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest as a Boundary and a Protection to contain the magic power which I will raise within thy bounds. So do I bless thee, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.”
Go round, saying at East, South, West, and North, “I summon, stir, and call thee up, ye Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North), to witness the rites and to guard the circle.”
Magus draws down Moon on High Priestess.
Read Charge, then say, “O thou who standest on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the dread domains of the lords of the outer spaces, hast thou the courage to make the assay?” (Place point of the Magic Sword or Athame to Postulant’s heart.) “For I say verily it were better to rush on my blade and perish than to make the attempt with fear in thy heart.”
Postulant: “I have two perfect words: perfect love, and perfect trust.”
Say, “All who have are doubly welcome.”
Entering position: “I give you a third to pass you through this dread door.” Gives it [kiss].
Lead Postulant sunwise to south of altar, and say, “O thou who hast declared intent to become one of us, hear then that which thou must know to do. Single is the race of men and of Gods; from a single source we both draw breath, but a difference of power in everything keeps us apart, for we are as nothing, but the Gods stay forever. Yet we can, in greatness of minds, be like the Gods, though we know not to what goal by day or in the night Fate has written that we shall run. Beyond all seas and Earth’s last boundaries, beyond the Spring of night and the Heavens’ vast expanse, there lies a majesty which is the domain of the Gods. Thou who would pass through the Gates of Night and Day to that sweet place, which is between the worlds of men and the domains of the Lords of the outer spaces, know that unless there is truth in thy heart, thy every effort is doomed to failure. HEAR THEN THE LAW: that thou lovest all things in nature; that thou shalt suffer no person to be harmed by thy hands or in thy mind; that thou walkest humbly in the ways of men and the ways of the Gods. Also it is the law that contentment thou shalt learn, through suffering, and from long years and from nobility of mind and of purpose, FOR THE WISE NEVER GROW OLD. Their minds are nourished by living in the daylight of the Gods, and if among the vulgar some discoveries should arise concerning some maxims of thy belief in the Gods, so do thou, for the most part, keep silent. For there is a great risk that thou mayest straightway vomit up that which thou hast not digested, and when someone shall say to thee, “Thou knowest naught,” and it bites thee not, then knowest thou that thou hast begun the work. And as sheep do not bring their food to the shepherd to show how much they have eaten, but digesting inwardly their provender, bear outwardly wool and milk, even so, do not thou display the maxims to the vulgar, but rather the works that flow when they are digested. Now there is the ordeal.” [This speech was added after about 1960.]
Tie cord around Postulant’s right ankle, leaving ends free; say, “Feet neither bound nor free.”
Leading postulant, proclaim at four quarters, “Take heed, ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East (South, West, North), that (name) is properly prepared to be made a priestess and a witch.”
Three times round the Circle with Dance step and chant.
Place Postulant in East; say, “Kneel.”
Postulant kneels.
Strike eleven knells on bell; say, “Rise. In other religions the postulant kneels while the priest towers above him, but in the Art Magical we are taught to be humble, and so we kneel to welcome them, and we say:
“Blessed be the feet that have brought you in these ways [kiss];
“Blessed be the knees that shall kneel at the sacred altar [kiss];
“Blessed be thy womb (or organ of generation), without which we would not be [kiss];
“Blessed be thy breasts, erected in beauty and in strength [kiss];
“Blessed be thy lips, which shall utter the sacred names [kiss].
“Before ye are sworn, art willing to pass the ordeal and be purified?”
Postulant “I am.”
Take measure: height (tie knot); around head (tie knot); around heart (tie knot); around hips (tie knot). Prick postulant’s thumb; catch blood on measure. Place measure on altar. Have postulant kneel, tie postulant’s feet together, and secure cable tow to altar. Three strokes on bell. Say, “Art ready to swear that thou wilt always be true to the Art?”
Postulant “I am.”
Strike seven times on bell and say, “Thou must first be purified.” Scourge 3, 7, 9, 21.
Say, “Ye have bravely passed the test. Art always ready to help, protect, and defend thy brothers and sisters of the Art?”
Postulant “I am.”
“Then say after me: I, (name), in the presence of the mighty ones of the outer spaces, do of my own free will most solemnly swear that I will ever keep secret and never reveal the secrets of the Art, except it be to a proper person, properly prepared, within such a circle as I am in now, and that I will never deny the Secrets to such a person if they be vouched for by a brother or Sister of the Art. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life, and may my weapons turn against me if I break this my solemn oath.”
Loosen cords from ankles and from altar, and remove blindfold; assist to rise.
“I hereby sign thee with the triple sign [the point-down triangle formed by touching the genitals, the right breast, the left breast, and the genitals again.]
I consecrate thee with oil.
I consecrate thee with wine.
I consecrate thee with my lips, Priest (Priestess) and Witch.”
Remove Cords [kiss].
“I now present to you the working tools. First the magic sword. With this, as with the athame, thou canst form all magic circles, dominate, subdue, and punish all rebellious spirits and demons, and even persuade angels and good spirits. With this in your hand, you are ruler of the circle.” [kiss]
“Next I present to you the athame. This is the true witches’ weapon, and has all the powers of the magic sword.” [kiss]
“Next I present the white-handled knife. Its use is to form all instruments used in the Art. It can only be used in a magic circle.” [kiss]
“Next I present the wand. Its use is to call up and control certain angels and genie to whom it would not be meet to use the sword or athame.” [kiss]
“Next I present the pentacle. This is for the purpose of calling up the appropriate spirits.” [kiss]
“Next I present the censer of incense. This is used to encourage and welcome good spirits, and to banish evil spirits.” [kiss]
“Next I present the scourge. This is a sign of power and domination. It is also used to cause purification and enlightenment, for it is written, `To learn you must suffer and be purified.’ [kiss] Art willing to suffer to learn?”
Postulant: “I am.”
“Next and lastly I present the cords. They are of use to bind the sigils of the art, also the material basis. Also they are necessary in the oath.” [kiss]
“I now salute you in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos, Newly made Priestess and Witch.”
Lead round and proclaim to four quarters, “Hear, ye Mighty Ones, (name) has been consecrated a priestess of the Goddess.”
Now present new Witch to coven members. All should kiss and hug new Witch as welcome into membership.
To close circle proclaim to four quarters, “Ye Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North), I thank you for attending and, ere ye depart for your lovely realms, I say hail and farewell.”

C.7. The Second-Degree Initiation (1957)
Form Circle in usual manner, invoking the Mighty Ones at the Four Quarters. The Initiate should be properly prepared and bound with the Cords. All are purified, including Initiate.
Circle once, proclaiming at the Four Quarters: “Hear Ye Mighty Ones, . . . (N), a duly consecrated Priestess and Witch is now properly prepared to be made a High Priest and Magus (High Priestess and Witch Queen).”
Circle three times, with dance step and chant. Initiate then kneels before the Altar and is secured with the Cords.
Priestess or Magus: “To attain to this sublime Degree it is necessary to suffer and be purified. Art willing to suffer to learn?”
Initiate: “I am.”
Priestess or Magus: “I purify thee to take this great oath rightly”. Strike three strokes upon the bell. Scourge 3, 7, 9, 21.
“I now give thee a new name: . . .” [kiss]
“Repeat thy new name after me, saying, `I, . . ., swear, upon my mother’s womb and by mine honour among men and my brothers and sisters of the Art, that I will never reveal to any at all any of the secrets of the Art, except it be to a worthy person, properly prepared, in the center of a Magic Circle such as I am now in. This I swear by my hopes of salvation, my past lives and my hopes of future ones to come and I devote myself and my measure to utter destruction if I break this my solemn Oath.'”
Kneel. Place Left Hand under Initiate’s Knee and Right Hand on Head, thus forming Magic Link, saying: “I will all my power into thee.” WILL. Loose, assist to rise.
Consecrate: “I consecrate thee with oil [on genitals, right breast, left hip, right hip, left breast, genitals), I consecrate thee with wine, I consecrate thee with my lips, High Priest and Magus (High Priestess and Witch Queen).” Loose remaining cords. [kiss]
“You will now use the working tools in turn,
“First the Magic Sword (Form Circle) [kiss]
“Second the Athame. (Form Circle) [kiss]
“Third the White-Handled Knife (use) [kiss]
“Fourth the Wand. (Wave to 4 Quarters) [kiss]
“Fifth the Pentacle. (Show to 4 Quarters) [kiss]
“Sixth the Censer. (Circle, cense) [kiss]
“Seventh the Cords. (Use) [kiss]
“Eighth the scourge: for learn, in witchcraft you must ever give as you receive, but ever triple. So where I gave thee 3, return 9; where I gave 7, return 21; where I gave 9, return 27; where I gave 21, return 63.” (Use, 9, 21, 27, 63; i.e., 120 in all [kiss]) “Thou hast obeyed the law. But mark well, when thou receivest good, so equally art bound to return good threefold.”
The Priestess or Magus is then loosed from the cords and says: “Having learned thus far, you must know why the Wicca are called the Hidden Children of the Goddess”.
Then the Legend of the Goddess is either read or acted out. If it is possible to act it out, the new Initiate may take one of the parts. One of the Coven should act as Narrator, and another as Guardian of the Portal. The Priestess, or another woman, may act the part of the Goddess, and the Magus, or another man, may act the part of the God. The Priestess — or whoever is taking the part of the Goddess — takes off her necklace and lays it on the Altar. Then she goes outside the circle and is dressed in a veil and jewellery. The Magus — or whoever is taking the part of the God — is invested with a horned crown and girds on a sword, which he draws and stands in the God position with sword and scourge, by the altar.
Narrator: “In ancient times our Lord, the Horned One, was, as he still is, the Consoler, the Comforter; but men knew him as the Dread Lord of Shadows — lonely, stern, and hard. Now our Lady the Goddess had never loved, but she would solve all mysteries, even the mystery of Death — and so she journeyed to the Nether Lands. The Guardians of the Portals challenged her:”
(The Priestess — or whoever is taking the part of the Goddess — advances to the side of the Circle. Whoever is taking the part of the Guardian of the Portal challenges her with the Sword or Athame.)
Narrator: “`Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels, for naught may ye bring with ye into this our land’. So she laid down her garments and her jewels and was bound, as are all who enter the realms of Death the Mighty One”.
(The Priestess takes off the veil and the jewellery and lays them down outside the Circle. The Guardian of the Portal binds her with the Cords and brings her inside the Circle.)
Narrator: “Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and laid his sword and crown at her feet and kissed her feet.”
(The Magus — or whoever is playing the part of the God — comes forward and lays the Horned Crown and the Sword at the Priestess’s feet and kisses her feet)
Narrator: “Saying, `Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways. Abide with me, but let me place my cold hand on thy heart’. And she replied, `I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?’ `Lady,’ replied Death, `’Tis Age and Fate, against which I am helpless. Age causes all things to wither; but when men die at the end of time, I give them rest and peace and strength, so that they may return. But you, you are lovely. Return not; abide with me.’ But she answered, `I love thee not.’ Then said Death, `An you receive not my hand on your heart, you must receive Death’s scourge.'”
(The Magus rises and takes up the Scourge from the Altar.)
Narrator: “`It is fate, better so,’ she said, and she knelt.”
(The Priestess kneels before the altar, and the Magus uses the scourge 3, 7, 9, 21.)
Narrator: “And Death scourged her tenderly, and she cried, `I feel the pangs of love’. And Death raised her, and said, `Blessed be,’ and he gave her the Fivefold Kiss, saying, `Thus only may you attain to joy and knowledge’.”
(The Magus raises the Priestess, gives her the Fivefold Kiss and unties the cords)
Narrator: “And he taught her all the Mysteries and gave her the necklace, which is the Circle of Rebirth.”
(The Magus takes the Priestess’s necklace from the Altar and replaces it about her neck. The Priestess takes up the Sword and the Horned Crown from the floor, where the Magus placed them, and gives them back to him. Then he stands as before by the Altar, in the position of the God, and she stands by his side in the pentacle position, as Goddess)
Narrator: “And she taught him the mystery of the sacred cup, which is the cauldron of rebirth. They loved and were one; and he taught her all the Magics. For there be three great mysteries in the life of man — love, death, and resurrection in a new body — and magic controls them all. To fulfill love you must return at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must meet and know and remember and love them again. But to be reborn you must die and be ready for a new body; to die you must be born; without love you may not be born — and these be all the magics. And our Goddess ever inclineth to love and mirth and happiness, and guardeth and cheriseth Her hidden children in life; and in death she teacheth the way to have communion, and even in this world She teacheth them the Mystery of the Magic Circle, which is placed between the worlds.”
The Priestess or Magus then replaces the Sword, Crown, Scourge, etc., upon the Altar, and taking the new Initiate by the hand and holding the Athame in the other, passes once round the Circle, proclaiming at the Four Quarters, “Hear, Ye Mighty Ones, . . . hath been duly consecrated High Priest and Magus (or High Priestess and Witch Queen).”

C.8. The Third-Degree Initiation (1957)
Magus gives Fivefold Kiss.
Magus: “Ere we proceed with this sublime degree, I must beg purification at thy hands.”
High Priestess binds Magus and ties him down to the altar. She circumambulates three times, and scourges Magus with three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes. She then unbinds him and helps him to his feet.
Magus now binds the High Priestess and ties her down to the altar. He circumambulates, proclaiming to the four quarters, “Hear, ye mighty Ones, the twice consecrate and Holy (name), High Priestess and Witch Queen, is properly prepared and will now proceed to erect the Sacred Altar.”
Magus scourges High Priestess with three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes.
Magus kisses her feet. “Ere I dare proceed with this sublime degree, I must again beg purification at thy hands.”
She binds and scourges him.
Note: if High Priestess has not performed this rite before, he says, “Here I reveal to you a great mystery.” [Kneel and place couch in position so as to face north.]

Assist me to build
As the Mighty One willed,
An Altar of praise,
From beginning of days,
Thus doth it lie,
Twixt the points of the sky,
For thus it was placed When the Goddess embraced The Horned One, Her Lord, Who taught her the word,
[Priestess lies down in such a way that her vagina is approximately at the center of the circle]
Which quickened the womb,
And conquered the Tomb.
Be thus as of yore,
The Shrine we adore, [kiss]
The feast without fail,
The life-giving Grail, [kiss]
Before it uprear
The Miraculous Spear,
And invoke in this sign
The Goddess divine. [kiss]

Invoke: “Thou who at moon of night doth reign,
Queen of the starry realm above,
`Not unto Thee may we attain
Unless Thine Image be of Love.’ [kiss]

By moon-rays silver shaft of power,
By green leaf breaking from the bud,
By seed that springeth into flower,
By life that courseth in the blood. [kiss]

By rushing wind and leaping flame,
By flowing water and green earth,
Pour us the wine of our desire
From out Thy Cauldron of Rebirth. [kiss]

Here may we see in vision clear
The Secret Strange unveiled at length,
The wondrous Twin-Pillars rear
Erect in Beauty and in Strength. [kiss breasts]

Altar of Mysteries manifold, The Sacred Circle’s central point, Thus do I sign thee as of old, With kisses of my lips anoint.
(Eightfold Kiss: 3 points, Lips, 2 Breasts and back to lips, & 5 points*, with oil, wine, & kisses)

Open for me the Secret Way,
The pathway of intelligence,
Between the Gates of Night and Day,
Beyond the bounds of time and sense.

Behold the Mystery aright,
The Five True Points of Fellowship,
Here where the Lance and Grail unite,
And feet and knees and breast and lips.”

Magus and High Priestess: “Encourage our hearts, Let thy Light crystallize itself in our blood, fulfilling us of Resurrection, for there is no part of us that is not of the Gods.”
(Exchange Names.)

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – B.6. Of the Ordeal of the Art Magical (1953)

B.6. Of the Ordeal of the Art Magical (1953)
Learn of the spirit that goeth with burdens that have not honour, for ’tis the spirit that stoopeth the shoulders and not the weight. Armour is heavy, yet it is a proud burden and a man standeth upright in it. Limiting and constraining any of the senses serves to increase the concentration of another. Shutting the eyes aids the hearing. So the binding of the initiate’s hands increases the mental perception, while the scourge increaseth the inner vision. So the initiate goeth through it proudly, like a princess, knowing it but serves to increase her glory.
But this can only be done by the aid of another intelligence and in a circle, to prevent the power thus generated being lost. Priests attempt to do the same with their scourgings and mortifications of the flesh. But lacking the aid of bonds and their attention being distracted by their scourging themselves and what little power they do produce being dissipated, as they do not usually work within a circle, it is little wonder that they oft fail. Monks and hermits do better, as they are apt to work in tiny cells and coves, which in some way act as circles. The Knights of the Temple, who used mutually to scourge each other in an octagon, did better still; but they apparently did not know the virtue of bonds and did evil, man to man.
But perhaps some did know? What of the Church’s charge that they wore girdles or cords?

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.5. Cakes and Wine (1949)

A.5. Cakes and Wine (1949)
Magus kneels, fills Cup, offers to Witch [she is seated on the altar, holding her athame; Priest kneels before her, holding up the cup].
Witch, holding Athame between palms, places point in cup.
Magus: “As the Athame is the Male, so the Cup is the female; so, conjoined, they bring blessedness.”
Witch lays aside Athame, takes Cup in both hands, drinks and gives drink.
Magus Holds Paten to Witch, who blesses with Athame, then eats and gives to Eat.
It is said that in olden days ale or mead was often used instead of wine. It is said that spirits or anything can be used so long as it has life.

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.3. “Lift Up the Veil” [The Charge] (1949)

A.3. “Lift Up the Veil” [The Charge] (1949)
Magus: “Listen to the words of the Great mother, who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.”

High Priestess: “At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice.
“Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries and magics.
“There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown.
“And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise.
“There is a Secret Door that I have made to establish the way to taste even on earth the elixir of immortality. Say, `Let ecstasy be mine, and joy on earth even to me, To Me,’ For I am a gracious Goddess. I give unimaginable joys on earth, certainty, not faith, while in life! And upon death, peace unutterable, rest, and ecstasy, nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.”

Magus: “Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess.”

High Priestess: “I love you: I yearn for you: pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous.
“I who am all pleasure, and purple and drunkenness of the innermost senses, desire you. Put on the wings, arouse the coiled splendor within you.
“Come unto me, for I am the flame that burns in the heart of every man, and the core of every Star.
“Let it be your inmost divine self who art lost in the constant rapture of infinite joy.
“Let the rituals be rightly performed with joy and beauty. Remember that all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. So let there be beauty and strength, leaping laughter, force and fire by within you.
“And if thou sayest, `I have journeyed unto thee, and it availed me not,’ rather shalt thou say, `I called upon thee, and I waited patiently, and Lo, thou wast with me from the beginning,’ for they that ever desired me shall ever attain me, even to the end of all desire.”

This much of the rites must ever be performed to prepare for any initiation, whether of one degree or of all three.

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.2. Drawing Down the Moon (1949)

A.2. Drawing Down the Moon (1949)
High Priestess stands in front of Altar, assumes Goddess position (arms crossed).
Magus, kneeling in front of her, draws pentacle on her body with Phallus-headed Wand, invokes, “I Invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty Mother of all life and fertility. By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess [name].”
The Moon having been drawn down, i.e., link established, Magus and other men give Fivefold Kiss:
(kissing feet) “Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways”;
(kissing knees) “Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar”;
(kissing womb) “Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be”;
(kissing breasts) “Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty and in strength”;
(kissing lips) “Blessed be thy lips, that shall speak the sacred names.”
Women all bow.

If there be an initiation, then at this time the Magus and the High Priestess in Goddess position (Arms Crossed) says the Charge while the Initiate stands outside the circle.

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.1. Casting the Circle

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft

The Public Contents of the Book of Shadows

There is really no such thing as the text of the Book of Shadows, because Gardner never bothered to word things the same way twice; whenever he copied something, he simultaneously rewrote it. But this, of course, is the way that an author treats his own original material; it is not how anyone treats authoritative texts preserved from an earlier generation.
I have grouped the documents according to the dates when they were written; these dates are accurate to within a year or so, and the point to providing them, of course, is to emphasize that these documents are modern creations, NOT anything preserved from ancient or medieval tradition. Material or comments added to these documents later on I have enclosed in square brackets [these things].

A.1. Casting the Circle (1949)
It is most convenient to mark the circle with chalk, paint or otherwise, to show where it is; but marks on the carpet may be utilized. Furniture may be placed to indicate the bounds. The only circle that matters is the one drawn before every ceremony with either a duly consecrated Magic Sword or an Athame. The circle is usually nine feet in diameter, unless made for some very special purpose. There are two outer circles, each six inches apart, so the third circle has a diameter of eleven feet.
[1] Having chosen a place proper, take the sickle or scimitar of Art or a Witch’s Athame, if thou mayest obtain it, and stick it into the center, then take a cord, and ’twere well to use the Cable Tow for this, and loop it over the Instrument, four and one half feet, and so trace out the circumference of the circle, which must be traced either with the Sword, or the knife with the black hilt, or it be of little avail, but ever leave open a door towards the North. Make in all 3 circles, one within the other, and write names of power between these.
[2] First draw circle with Magic Sword or Athame.
[3] Consecrate Salt and Water: Touch water with Athame, saying, “I exorcise thee, O creature of Water, that thou cast out from Thee all the impurities and uncleannesses of the Spirits of the World of Phantasm, so they may harm me not, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.”
[4] Touching Salt with Athame, say, “The Blessings of Aradia and Cernunnos be upon this creature of Salt, and let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all good enter herein, for without Thee man cannot live, wherefore I bless thee and invoke thee, that thou mayest aid me.”
[5] Then put the Salt into the water.
[6] Sprinkle with exorcised water.
[7] Light candles; say, “I exorcise thee, O Creature of Fire, that every kind of Phantasm may retire from thee, and be unable to harm or deceive in any way, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.”
[8] Caution initiate (if any); warn companions; enter circle and close doors with 3 pentagrams.
[9] Proclaim object of working
[10] Circumambulate 3 times or more before commencing work.
[11] Summon: “I summon, stir, and Call thee up, thou Mighty Ones of the East, South, West, and North.” Salute and draw pentacle with Magic Sword or Athame, the first stroke being from the top down to the left.

Deity of the Day – Hekate

Deity of the Day

Hekate

Perhaps the most notorious of all witch goddesses, Hecate was a dark manifestation of Diana. Hecate is the patron goddess of witches and sorceresses because of her skill in the arts of black magic. She is the queen of darkness, perverse sexuality, and death. Classically, she is the goddess of “roads in general and crossroads in particular, the latter being considered the center of ghostly activities, particularly in the dead of night… Offerings of food (known as Hecate’s suppers) were left to placate her, for she was terrible both in her powers and in her person–a veritable Fury, armed with a scourge and blazing torch and accompanied by terrifying hounds.”

The followers of Hecate were rumoured to have strange powers, such as that of being able to draw down the moon in order to employ the averse aspects of lunar forces. Followers could metamorphose into animals and birds, had insatiable sexual appetites, and had an intrinsic understanding of aphrodisiac and poisonous herbs.

Supportive Practices of the Craft

Supportive Practices of the Craft

Author: Iain Quicksilver

In addition to the practices of witchcraft usually discussed, such as divination and herb lore, there are practices, which support a witch’s overall efforts. The following seven sections describe practices I have found useful for tuning up my Craft practice and keeping it properly focused.

1: Cycles

Witches follow cycles in everything they do, out of respect for their overall balance of health. They don’t work all year, and then try to relax through a brief vacation; witches take little mini-vacations all the time. They sometimes appear to be laid back and lazy, but they respond well in a crisis, and they somehow get their tasks done.

A witch aims at discovering her own biorhythms, so as to work with, rather than against, her natural energy cycle. But in practice there are usually compromises to be made with work and other factors. Her actual daily schedule may be set somewhat askew to her biorhythms, but a witch will adapt to it and arrange for periods of rest between work to attend to quarters other than South / Will / Fire. There are knowledge and skills to acquire, and emotions and the circle and the practice of inner and/or outer stillness to attend to. And there is a little goofing off, daytime rest, which is essential; just watch the animals.

Starting with the Sun cycle and making allowances for work, etc., a witch reserves the earlier parts of the day for practical affairs. She will not work on taxes, for instance, into the evening hours, but will start earlier in the season and devote some weekend daytime hours to the chore. Evening is for going within, withdrawing to one’s own hearth and communing with ancestors and familiar spirits.

2: Directions

It isn’t on any list of witch tools, but a compass is important to the modern witch so she can orient her life and work to the four directions. Witchcraft is always done in a physical context. Pagans are highly aware of their immediate environment and traffic with spirits of the field, yard, stream, the most prominent local tree, as well as with household spirits. The key to contacting household spirits lies in feelings.

When you first move into a new house or apartment, it feels cold and uninviting, especially if it hasn’t been lived in for a while. Not much later, it fits you comfortably like a suit of old clothes; and if, in addition, it is alive with saged boundaries and household shrines, you feel liked by the house as well as liking it yourself. This is a boundary perception, which we are taught to ignore or treat as a subjective matter, but if instead we address the good feelings and express our appreciation for the atmosphere of our dwelling, we break that boundary and begin to recover ancient pagan perception.

In the same way, outdoor sprites can be contacted through greater sensitivity to one’s feelings without discounting them from habit.

Upon awakening in the morning, when a witch is ready to start the day, it is a good practice to take out the compass and address the four quarters. One begins in the North, opening oneself to calming energy. Then to the East, holding in mind briefly what needs to be known or learned today. Then to the South, deciding the first tasks. Then to the West, expanding awareness according to one’s ways. Then seal to the North, stilling the mind and body once again. The witch is now ready to face the day.

3: Expanding Awareness

One way of expanding awareness when silently addressing the West is to relax and wait for something in your peripheral awareness to stand out and beckon your attention. It might be the reflection of something in a window, or the shadow of a tree or the spaces in its foliage. Whatever it is, when it gets your attention, continue to view it peripherally. You are in touch with its mana, or magical energy, and can use it throughout the day when you call it to mind. The image in your memory should be peripheral, not central, i.e. the way it looked when it got your attention. This can also be done with things heard peripherally. These are some of my ways.

4: Conserving Magical Energy

There is a kind of energy or power that the modern world has forgotten, though the memory of it is preserved in folk tales and myths. Indigenous peoples are well aware of it and live their lives with reference to it. While the immediate environment abounds in it, and we take it in all the time, we do not notice it because we squander it in habitual ways, habits that have been with us from early childhood. The ancient Latins called it numen, and the Mongolians, hiimori. It is always personal, taking on the features of the person holding it.

It is only by conserving this energy that the witch becomes ready to do magic, both in the circle and life. We don’t realize that everything takes energy, even unconscious ignoring of things in our environment, such as shadows, eyeglass frames, or background sounds. When we expand our attention to include such things, we gain the energy that was used in keeping them in the background of our attention, the penumbra or half-shadow. This energy is always exponentially higher than the small amount required to expand the attention.

The energy takes four forms for witches, associated with the four ancient elements. The energy of Air makes us learn and understand new things that hadn’t occurred to us before. In everyday life, it also manifests in any new knowledge or understanding.

The energy of Fire boosts the will and lets us accomplish tasks in life that seemed too big to tackle. In order to bring changes into our physical lives, we have to both give up some things, at least temporarily, and adopt other things or actions that further the goal. In the Craft, habits or actions that squander magical energy have to be sacrificed, and then the freed energy finds new outlets on its own.

The energy of Water attracts us to the unknown, and gives us the daring to escape the current limitations of our lives. This is the energy of initiation, which expands and transforms our awareness and can give our lives a whole new basis.

The energy of Earth is cloaked in silence. Witches seek inner and outer stillness, quite as much as Zen monks or Hindu yogis do. This stillness is deep, and the deeper the witch descends into it, the more he or she is transformed and the greater the magical energy that results. It is pursued gradually and at first in little things, like learning to sit still and not scratch, or refraining from certain topics in conversation.

Not that the witch is inactive, quite the contrary; Earth, the North, is also the place of our physicality, and the witch exercises regularly, and takes care of business through Fire and the South. Stillness refers instead to the enormous amount of energy we waste in fidgeting and performing other small, unnecessary actions, both mental and physical: for instance, compulsively repeating past conversations in one’s mind or rehearsing conversations to come in some hypothetical future event (for all thoughts of the future are hypothetical) .

The witch sums up a past event and plans for the future, but these are finite acts that come to an end, instead of repeating over and over and wearing on the nerves. The energy to be had by restricting such habits cannot be anticipated in advance. Out of stillness comes new understanding, closing the circle of practice towards Air and the East.

Thus the witch pursues the four powers of the magus: to know, to will, to dare, to keep silence. But there is a fifth power that results from the balanced development of the four: to go. The witch is saving energy for his or her definitive journey, the flight to the True Sabbat, fellowship and celebration with the ancestors, spirits, and deities in the other world. Folklore depicts it as a joyous occasion, and colors it with the pleasures and longings of the time when the tales were spun. Some tried to cut corners and get there more quickly through the use of the witch’s flying ointment. The actual flight may or may not follow traditional lines.

One may not literally fly up the chimney and then meet the Wild Hunt in the sky and fly to a rath or burg and descend therein through a tunnel into the Otherworld. The journey may parallel many of these features, nonetheless; and there are preliminary journeys to be made that go partway there.

The flight to the True Sabbat is a milestone on the way to the witch’s ultimate journey to the Sun, when he or she acquires a body of light that can materialize at will, so that further incarnations here in middle Earth are no longer needed. This transformation seals the work of the Craft and completes the vows made at initiation; thenceforth one does other work, perhaps as a guardian elemental, paying back for the help received along the way on this side by paying forward.

5: The Familiar

Witches traditionally kept a cat, sometimes a horse, as a familiar. The witch’s astral journeys were made in company with the spirit of the familiar.

The best information I have found on this practice is in Timothy Knab’s A War of Witches, a factual account of an anthropologist’s investigation, some twenty plus years later, of a battle with brujos and brujas in the highlands of central Mexico. In the course of his investigation, he is inducted into Toltec brujeria by one of the survivors and makes a journey to Tlalocan, the Toltec Underworld.

Tlaloc, the Lord of the Underworld, keeps animal spirits called naguals in his corrals. He gives a nagual to each human at birth. The nagual could perhaps be thought of as the link, within each of us, to other animals, inherited though latent from the prehistoric past. But it is a real spirit and to be a brujo one must find one’s nagual. Afterwards, an experienced brujo, through many journeys to Tlalocan, may have acquired a number of naguals, keeping them in fetish objects like puma’s claws, or in a special gourd.

The human soul is called the tonal. It has two halves. One faces towards the Sun and stands guard over the body when the dark lower half, the shadow, goes on journeys down the world pillar to the underworlds. The shadow is so called, both because it lies below our daily awareness and faces towards the nether regions, and because it follows its nagual into the depths as the latter’s shadow.

If the nagual is a cat spirit, the shadow takes on the semblance of a cat spirit. This is done for protection from hungry denizens of the deep, who prize the heart blood of a tonal but will let a nagual go by.

The discipline Knab goes through in becoming a brujo is well worth the reading. But to return to our own practice, preparation for a liaison with a cat familiar’s spirit, besides the obvious step of getting a cat, would seem to involve re-molding one’s own psyche closer to that of a feline. We do this unconsciously when we sit in company with a cat and enjoy its utter relaxation. Cats are content to go from moment to moment doing whatever they are doing, even if it is only resting.

We, however, often have a habit of doubting whether we are making best use of our time, or regretting we are not elsewhere doing other things. Cats, apparently, have no such qualms. The daily practice of witchcraft in fact promotes a calm mind fully given to the moment. Apparently cultivation of inner stillness connects us with the animal, pre-rational mind, so that we can enjoy shuttling between two minds, as the occasion permits.

This is only an example of how the witch models him or herself on a cat familiar. Whether or not one goes on journeys with the cat, cultivating a close relationship with one will draw the witch closer to his or her own inner, pre-rational mind, through which he or she can call up power from the Deep in circle.

6: The Patron Deity

It isn’t incumbent upon pagans to have a special relationship with a single deity, but it can be a rewarding experience. The pagan will continue to honor the other deities and spirits, of course, and may enter into a similar relationship with another later on. Suppililiumas, the king of the Hittites, was singularly devoted to his goddess, and as we know, his subject Abraham devoted his wandering life to his family god, the later Yahweh.

All gods stand ready to teach by sharing their consciousness, and by helping the devotee to practice the disciplines that lead to that awareness. Pagans will generally choose a patron deity (male or female) on the basis of temperamental preferences, though they may be influenced by a dream or vision. The relationship can be devotional or more like a friendship. In the latter case the deity is like an older mentor or senior partner. In late heathen times, Thor was popular with people seeking this latter relation.

In the Craft, the Lord and the Lady serve as patrons. The Lord is the year-god, who has waxing and waning aspects, and these replace each other at the solstices. Because the outgoing aspect dies and is reborn six months later, the Lord (sometimes called the Lad) is more of a demigod, and is not quite up to the Lady’s level. Witches and warlocks alike tend to relate to the Lord as a tutor or preceptor, and to the Lady devotionally.

The continental Celtic god Cernunnos is associated by modern witches with the year-god. He is known only from artifacts and only by the description given him by Greek traders in antiquity on the Ister or Danube river – the horned or antlered one (we do not know his Celtic name) . Cernunnos teaches witches the way to deal skillfully with both the outer and inner life.

The Oak King or waxing year aspect teaches, by example, how to deal with the outer world joyfully and fruitfully. The Holly King or waning aspect is the psycho pomp or soul-guide in Craft initiation, and also provides fellowship with ancestors at Samhain, October 31st.

On the Gundestrup cauldron, found in a peat bog in Denmark, Cernunnos is the central carved figure. He has two antlers, wears a torque or neck-ring signifying wealth, and holds another in his right hand, as bestower of wealth. His left hand grasps a ram-headed snake by the neck, an Underworld animal linked with healing and sacrifice.

It often happens that a pagan already pursues some discipline designed to conserve magical energy, and chooses an appropriate god or goddess, asking him or her to be the patron of that practice. If the god is willing, he or she will help, first of all, by reminding the devotee to practice whatever part of the askesis is appropriate for the present situation.

The devotee thanks his or her patron for these reminders, knowing from experience that practice would be slacker without them. As the partnership goes on, the world will start to take on the colors peculiar to that deity’s consciousness and personality, and will cause subtle changes in the personality of the devotee as well.

The patron deity also teaches in dreams and guides the devotee in waking life by means of signs and omens, often peculiar coincidences that seem mysteriously significant.

The Lady nurtures and feeds witches as well as all her children on the earth, and also teaches those who prefer to relate to a female divinity. The discipline taught by the Lady involves cleansing the emotions of their verbal accretions. The devotee learns to feel without thinking or analyzing or labeling the feeling. In this way, the witch or warlock draws closer to the animals, who have naked feelings unclothed in thoughts. The askesis of the Lady is especially suitable for couples.

7: Inventory

Supportive practices of witchcraft aim at optimizing the free flow of energy through the life of a witch.

A cluttered life is full of energy knots that trap old, stale energy called `miasma’ by the ancients. The first phase of a spell, purification, is designed to unravel one or more of these knots, so that an increase in the flow of magical energy renders the flow palpable. The energy must be felt to be directed, and as some of it is flowing all the time (however feebly) , the rate of flow must be increased for it to be felt. It can then be directed to a chosen purpose in the consecration phase, and, in the final phase, charged with all the force the witch can command through expanded awareness.

But if the witch’s life is full of energy knots, untying one or two of them by purification may not result in a very strong flow of energy. For a stronger flow, the witch must gradually remove clutter from his/her life so that energy knots are few and easily unraveled.

Clutter comes in many forms. There is mental and emotional clutter; the clutter of always being too busy because of over-commitment; the memory-clutter of too many unfinished projects; and the material clutter found in the home: over-stuffed closets, garages, basements, storage sheds, etc. This section is about material clutter.

By learning and applying the principles of feng shui, we can facilitate a free flow of the energy the Chinese call ch’i throughout the home; but before putting feng shui into practice, we must face and do something about the mountains of clutter tucked away in corners, closets, cupboards and other hiding places. We may think that if our accumulations are out of sight they will be out of mind as well, but the deeper, pre-rational mind we share with the animals keeps tabs on every least thimble.

When the writer Aldous Huxley’s house in California burned down, he remarked on how clean it felt to be free of so many possessions. This was a drastic example of what we can achieve in a smaller degree through the practice of inventory.

The deep mind keeps a file on every item we own, and these files must be closed and cleared away if the witch is to use the filing function for fulfilling oaths and following threads of self-discipline. Accordingly, at regular intervals a witch will go through some of his or her clutter, putting things together that belong together, and getting rid of items no longer needed. A good rule of thumb to follow is to keep what one can use (sentiment counts as a use) and put the rest where it is likely to do the most good. In this we see an illustration of the balance of the Craft, which aims at getting maximum enjoyment and effectiveness from possessions without getting bogged down in being possessed by them.

Putting things you don’t need where they will do the most good may mean giving things away; but be careful doing this, as you may lose friends if they feel you are dumping stuff on them. And above all, never tell anyone you are following the rule of inventory, as gifts should at least appear to be made from a feeling of friendship.

Closing accounts with past unfinished business, either by abandoning old projects or by completing them, leads to a greater integration with one’s past selves, and can clear a channel through memory, and far memory, for the witch to travel in the inner journey down to the Summerland

__________________________________________

1. For numen see Rose, H.J. in the bibliography.

2. For hiimori see Sangerel, both references, in the bibliography.

3. For the folklore of the Sabbat, see Jackson in the bibliography.

4. On the journey to the Sun, see Grimassi, p. 219, in the bibliography, also Nikhilananda, vol. II, p. 158.

5. See Knab in the bibliography.

6. See Gurney in the bibliography. More recently, a royal charter of King Suppliliumas has been found, authorizing a mercantile expedition to Byblos on the ancient Lebanese coast. Abraham may have been in it.

7. See Davidson (I) in the bibliography.

8. For the significance of Cernunnos in modern witchcraft, see Farrar in the bibliography.

9. See Davidson (II) in the bibliography.

_______________________________________________
Footnotes:
Bibliography:

Davidson, H.R. (I) , Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, London, Penguin Books, 1990.

__________ (II) , Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe, Syracuse, NY, Syracuse
University Press, 1988.

Farrar, Janet and Stewart, Eight Sabbats for Witches, Custer, WA, Phoenix Publishing, 1988.

Grimassi, Raven, Ways of the Strega, St. Paul, MN, Llwellyn Publications, 1995.

Gurney, O.R., The Hittites, London, Penguin Books, 1952.

Jackson, Nigel, Call of the Horned Piper,

Knab, Timothy J., A War of Witches, Boulder, CO, Westview Press, 1995.

Nikhilananda, Swami, translator, The Upanishads, in 4 vols. New York, Ramakrishna-
Vivekananda Center, 1975. Prasna Upanishad is in Vol. 2.

Rose, H.J., Religion in Greece and Rome, New York, Harper Torchbooks, 1959.

Sarangerel (I) , Chosen by the Spirits, Rochester, VT, Destiny Books, 2001.

_______ (II) , Riding Windhorses, Rochester, VT, Destiny Books, 2000.

The Natural Witch

The Natural Witch

Author: Hypatia

My mother was a natural witch. she died in 1998. She was not a nice witch. She practiced dark magick and was not a good mother. She abandoned me when I was just a child. My father tells me she was powerful and passionate. She would scare him with witchcraft.

The memories I have of her are so intense. I remember she loved nature… but she was a hunter. I remember she had a madness that seemed to plague the thoughts of others. I was four when she left on her journey. I guess it’s where she felt she needed to be.

Me… I stayed and waited… the journey of a four-year-old witch was a rollercoaster ride of emotion, turmoil and eventual discovery.

Even at four I felt different. My whole childhood I felt a strange connections to nature and my dreams. My stepmother used to say I was one with my dreams. I talked, walked and enacted my dreams even as I slept.

I ran away a handful of times. I wanted to find my birth mother. The first time I ran away I was 13. I was chanting on the streets of Long Beach, “I will be fine, no one will hurt me”. I came up to a Jack-in-the-Box and sure enough a large black man (maybe large to me because I was all of 13) offered to buy me fries and a drink and asked me to sit down.

I could tell by his eyes that he was a kind man, intuition mind you that I would begin discounting in my late teens. He knew I was running away and managed to talk me down from my emotional ledge. I walked home at midnight on a busy street across from a strip club with a sense of accomplishment. I may not have found my mother, but at least I was looking.

My parents thought I was strange about nature but put it off onto my Navajo roots. I used to stick my head out the window while my parents were driving to get a better look at trees. I spent hours in forest preserves. I always felt like someone was waiting for me. At first I thought it was my mother. It was, but not any mother I could visualize with my mental database at 13.

At 16, I was pushing my birth mother out, everything about her, especially the fact that she was a witch. Actually, as open-minded as I was, I wasn’t very apt to listening to the nonsense people spewed about witchcraft. I didn’t mock it. Somehow even at a rebellious 16, I was still respectful. I hated her though. I hated what she had done to my father.

At 18, I met and fell in love with a beautiful woman; it was the first time I had ever loved another woman in a romantic way. She was a witch. She was older than me. She was my mentor in many ways. I would laugh though as she would cast spells.

I would think she was ridiculous as she tried to teach me. I was intrigued, and the power was still in me, but the chaos was so strong. I couldn’t pull together a fragment of a thought, let alone try to piece together the history of my people.

My beautiful kept telling me that I was a natural witch. She said I had a power that I didn’t even know how to harness. She said she observed my connections with nature, but abilities to get anything I wanted without hurting people and again… the dreams. I told her I didn’t believe in that voodoo. I slowly pulled away from the first coven that I was ever in, without even knowing I was a part of something real.

It wasn’t until I turned 30 and forgave my birth mother that the Goddess really started to hone in on me. I felt Her everywhere. I craved the outdoors just to be near Her. I saw Her face in everything: the trees, the sky and the ocean. It seemed that even the wind was calling my name.

Still friends with the witch from my childhood, I began to confess my feelings. She smiled and said that she had known all along. She was just waiting for me to be found.

I have always had this power. It is confidence. It is love. It is compassion. And it is so much more. I cannot tell you any more than this. I am a private woman with my craft. I will not even share my name with others. The only person I tell anything to is my friend, and she only hears some things.

My husband doesn’t know. My kids are probably natural witches as well and that is a path they will find on their own. I found it, because the Goddess willed it so. I do not know if secrecy makes my powers stronger, but I figure I have no reason to share my identity with the world. If the Goddess wills it to be, it will be.

I wanted to share my story because I believe that others are like me. My grandfather was touched. My mother was touched. My brother and I are both touched. We never talk about it; but we know.

Maybe every person has the potential to harness such great power, but I know in my heart that the Goddess chose me. She sought me out. She spent 30 years waiting for me to find her. After my discovery I knew that She had been with me all along.

In retrospect, I felt Her with me at 11 while I was running through the meadow in the back of my house. I was a bookworm who never read outside. It was almost like outside is sacred. It was my first altar of sorts. I need this always to be my place of solace.

I respect my Mother, my Goddess, and reciprocate her kindnesses. I will always protect Her, the way She has always protected me.

The Law of the Power

The Power shall not be used to bring harm, to injure or control others. But if
the need rises, the Power shall be used to protect your life or the lives of
others.

The Power is used only as need dictates.

The Power can be used for your own gain, as long as by doing so you harm none.

It is unwise to accept money for use of the Power, for it quickly controls its
taker. Be not as those of other religions.

Use not the Power for prideful gain, for such cheapens the mysteries of Wicca
and magick.

Ever remember that the Power is the sacred gift of the Goddess and God, and
should never be misused or abused.

And this is the law of the Power.

(* Wicca – S. Cunningham)

5000 Years Of Herbal History

Over the centuries the healing properties of plants and herbs has not changed. What was a healing plant or herb five thousand years ago is still a healing plant or herb. Because great confidence was placed in them, Witches and physicians of the ancient world were expected to know their herbs. Plants gave healing powers to those who studied them, worked with them, and respected them. In many lands and in many times, healers spent a good part of their lives in the field and forest gathering green medicines. They remembered and scribed what they learned passing it on.

Today we have the opportunity to benefit from the accumulated herbal wisdom of the ages. This advantage allows us to peer back through history, harvesting for our own benefit only those herbs that have stood the test of time. But even the herbal uses that didn’t pan out are fascinating. While the story of healing herbs has it’s comic episodes, it is also a dramatic story of human sacrifice, complete with medical hero’s, men and women whose work deserves to be recognized. Much of this credit in my opinion should go the the Witches of the past because they are the ones who essentially began the work of learning and understanding herbs and their benefits. However when the male physician arrived on the scene, they essentially benefited from the inquisitions and burnings claiming the right to and credit for this knowledge. The topic of how modern drug companies have distorted this knowledge for profit is an area I probably shouldn’t delve into, but what the heck, the truth generally only hurts if it ought to…

Many of synthetic medicines on the market today owe their existence to natural occurring herbs, plants and trees. The original pain killer marketed just a little over 100 years ago is a derivative of White Willow Bark, what is it’s name? Asprin. It is pretty much a foregone conclusion, that the only reason the major drug manufactures synthesize these drugs is because you cannot patent a naturally occurring substance, obviously there isn’t as much profit in something that everyone has access to producing. Ultimately the drug manufacturers create a substance that copies the healing properties of these herbs, plants and trees, then market it to the world while down playing the benefits of the natural herb. Currently the drug industry is the single most profitable business in the United States spending over $5 BILLION per year on advertising and marketing alone! Much of this goes into seducing and providing perks for the doctors who prescribe their magic potions, many of which are completely useless at effectively treating the problem or cause serious side effects. But for the drug manufacturers there is an up side to the negative side effects because that provides them with the opportunity to create new drugs to counteract the side effects their product produced to begin with…

While I do not want to get on a soap box and throw rocks at modern medicine and the drug industry since they have provided benefits and in many cases cured disease. The point is though, there are alternatives which are quite often a better choice if we would only take the time to learn, and understand natures own cures, then take responsibility for our own health.

A final word before you continue into the following pages. Many of the herbs and plants listed here offer a proven track record of alleviating symptoms and helping with different conditions, but there are risks involved in using many of them without adequate knowledge. Without a sound understanding of their properties and potential effects, one would be foolish to blindly use them. Therefore it is recommended that you carefully research those of interest, seek the guidance of a health care professional who is competent in herbal knowledge and use common sense as you proceed. It is also vitally important to remember that the use of herbals should not be used in lieu of sound medical council and advice, instead they should be used in combination with the care of your personal physician. It is not the intent of these writings to suggest otherwise…

Gentle Breezes!

Herne

wicca.com

Let’s Talk Witch – Self-dedication Explained

Initiation is a process of “death and rebirth” – the old self dies, and the new and magickal self is born. A rite of self-dedication marks a serious commitment and dedication to the path, and should not be taken lightly.

Having followed your path this far, you will have noticed subtle (or not so subtle) changes in yourself, and you may wish to mark this, and affirm your commitment to the path with a self-dedication ritual. Initiation is a process which happens over time, and the rite itself will benefit from being preceded by a daily practice, building up in intensity as you approach the day of the rite, with the dedication rite being the culmination of this ritual practice.

As the rite marks a rebirth, into your witch self or magickal self, you may wish to obtain a new magickal item or items for it. This could be a piece of ritual jewellery, such as a pentagram pendant, or amber and jet necklace (the traditional witches necklace), or a cord you wear around your waist. Some people choose to mark their dedications by having a tattoo in a magickal design, personal to themselves.

It is also good to have a magickal weapon which you will consecrate at the end of the dedication rite. A ritual dagger, or athame is the general tool chosen. Self-dedication can be very empowering, and can produce a feeling of “walking on clouds”, and it is very important to earth oneself afterwards, and then to have a rest from magickal work for a period of between a week and a month.

Simple daily meditation may be practised during this period, but avoid intense magickal work. Time is needed to assimilate the experience, and the dedication process should be undertaken at a time when you do not have too much outside stress, and are able to take time for yourself. It should be stressed that self-dedication is not the same as initiation into a coven, and should you wish to join a coven at a later date, you would still have to go through a probationary period and coven initiation, if accepted.

How to do Magick

Very, very carefully

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

1. The Wiccan Rede?

2. The rule of three?

3. Have you been asked to do the magic?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cook Book Spells

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

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

Self Gain

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

For a Simple Healing the cost is…

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

Becoming a Witch

by Morgaine

This article may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes, providing that this original copyright notice stays in place at all times.

I am often asked how one becomes a witch. Do you find someone who is a witch and they make you one? Or are you a witch just by saying you are? Can you make yourself a witch?

The process of becoming a witch doesn’t happen overnight. It is a life change, a new path upon the journey of your life. It takes consideration, study and work. If you have previously followed a mainstream religion, you may have things that take time to let go, and new things that take time to absorb. I have heard many people say it is often hard, coming from a life of Christianity, to feel comfortable praying to the Goddess. All new things take time, but if you are serious upon this path, you will find your way. The Gods call their own home to them.

No matter how you have came about finding the Old Religion, here you are. So where do you go? To the book store. For a novice, books are like the air you breathe. You must have them, or access to them in some way. If you cannot afford, or do not feel safe having books on the Craft, the internet is the next best place.

In both books and on the internet you will find a wealth of knowledge that will help guide you upon your new path. Of course, as with anything else, there is good information and bad information. Avoid any kind of book, or internet site, that speaks of controlling another person in any way, harming them, doing love spells on a specific person, or tells you to chant in latin, even though you have no idea what you are saying (yes, I have seen sites like that). These books/sites will not fulfill your need for knowledge in the Craft and will only serve to confuse you.

Once you have read a variety of books and feel called to this path, the next step is to find a teacher. If you have access to a teacher, in my opinion this is the best course of action. A teacher or a coven can often be found if there is a new age book store in your community. Also, the Witches Voice is a site that offers networking in every state. It has grown extremely large over the past few years and is a valuable resource in the Craft community. All of my coven members have found me on the Witches Voice.

Having a mentor can offer so much to you when you are beginning. There will be things you come across that you have a hard time understanding and need clarification. If you have a teacher, they are just a phone call or email away. If you do not, you must try to decifer things on your own, and may not come to the correct end on them. If you do not have a teacher, again, the internet is the next best place to look.

If you are only looking for a ‘how to’ on casting spells, then the Craft is not for you. Witchcraft is a serious spiritual path, in which magick is performed, but is secondary to the religion itself. I would suggest you look to ceremonial magick for that.

A couple of things need to be said about beginning this path, in light of recent attitudes about the Craft. Here lately it seems that you have a people who, after reading a few books, feel as if they can call themselves a master of the Art. They throw on a title like Lady/Lord, or HP/s, add some black clothes, a pentacle the size of a hubcap, and they are ready to go. This is not what the Craft is about. If you have spent years following a particular path, have worked hard for the spiritual lessons that have been presented to you, and through this have attained the title and rank, then by all means use it. But think of how you would feel if, after all that, you have a newbie with 6 months and 5 books unde their belt walking about calling themselves Lady Starry Ski or Lord Thunderbutt. It is very offensive. Just like your parents told you when you were growing up (or maybe you still are) ‘don’t rush things, it will all come to you in the end, and be sweeter for the waiting’. This is true with the Craft. Using titles, putting on airs, and in general acting high and mighty are not going to make you any more spiritual. And that is what this path is about. What it will do is alienate you from people whom you may actually want to meet and get to know!

All of this being said the way to become a witch is through study and dedication. Gather all of the information you can. Find the best teacher possible. Read whatever you can get your hands on. Go outside in nature and commune with the Goddess and God. Listen to the trees and the wind and the rush of the water, for this is the witch’s world.

Ask These Questions Before You Cast

Ask these questions before you cast a spell:

1) Have I done everything I can to resolve the situation without magic?

Try all the mundane methods of attaining your goals before resorting to spellcraft. If you want a job, send out your resume before you break out the green candles and patchouly. If you want to meet someone special, try reading the personals or signing up for an adult ed class before you reach for the aphrodisiacs. If you’re having conflict with someone at work, try talking to them about the problem before you go looking up binding spells. As one experienced witch put it to me, “this way, you can be sure that your intentions are pure.”

2) Will this spell harm another, or bend someone’s will to mine?

Witches do not cast spells meant to harm someone else. Nor do they cast spells on other people without their permission, no matter how honorable their intentions. There’s a good reason for this: harmful and meddlesome spells have a nasty tendency to backfire on the people who cast them.

When you’re watching someone close to you suffering, it can be hard to consider the situation objectively. One reader asked me about spells to help alleviate anger. When I dug deeper, it turned out that spellcraft was entirely inappropriate. If possible, discuss the matter with another trusted pagan friend.

3) Am I prepared to accept the consequences of this spell, whatever they might be?

Think long and hard about this one. As I’ve said before, you may cast a spell with the best of intentions, but end up with unexpected consequences. Meditate a bit on it before you decide to cast the spell. Talk to other witches and see if there isn’t a better solution.

Either way, your spell has a better chance of success if you fully “own” it, and anything that results from it. The best way to avoid unforseen consequences is to follow the guidelines set out above — and, most importantly, to cast the spell with love in your heart. Making magick is a powerful and transformative experience. In the midst of the spell, you become the subject, and you become the result. Make sure that what you’re asking for is something you’d like to become.

Remember, the most powerful tool a witch has is their mind. As we can only perceive reality, we can bend it by changing states of consciousness. The universe is like a web, we can change the strands, and we can even break them with our magick. Be careful of what you do. Before every magickal working ask yourself:

‘Do I dare disturb the fragile energies of the universe?’

A spell cast on someone without their permission can be considered as manipulative magick. Even when the best of thoughts are at heart, you must tell them your intentions, or deal with the consequences. Sometimes it isn’t possbile to tell someone you want to cast a healing spell on them,so outweight the benefits to the negative consequences.

A spell which bends will or binds it to yours is completely WRONG. Do not perform them unless absolutely necessary, and by that I only mean bindings and transformations, and if you have no other alternatives, banishings. If you are under some sort of physcial attack, for example abuse, rape or harassment, see the police immediately, do not attempt to bend their will through a spell.

A spell cast to harm someone is just as wrong as bending their will, if not more so. Do not cast a spell to cause ill to a convited murderer, a friend who has gosspped about you, no matter what the magnitude. If it is a felony or illegal under law, get the law enforcers involed. Remember you human rights, and theirs also.

A spell which is personal gain is OK *AS LONG AS* you do not demand too much. Be careful for what you ask for, you just might get it.

What it Means to be Pagan

What it Means to be Pagan

Author: Orion Guardian-Elm

I have been thinking recently about what it means to be Pagan, and how one can be defined as Pagan. Some would say anyone who is part of an ‘Earth-based religion’, and yet I have met many Pagans who are not Earth-based at all (except that they live on it perhaps) . Some would say anyone who is a member of a polytheistic religion, and while I would agree that practically all polytheists are Pagan, what about the ones who pantheistic, pane theistic, monotheistic (yes, there is some) , or even agnostic or atheistic?

One of the things I love most about Paganism is its diversity. I love that it is such a broad category. I mean it would be pretty boring if we were all exactly the same right? There are Witches, Shamans, Druids, Reconstructionists, Wiccans, Heathens, Christo-Pagans, Eclectics, possibly even Hindus and Buddhists, and many others, all of whom are Pagan. I have even come across a number of non-religious Pagans before (and a non-religious person is one of the dictionary definitions of what a Pagan is) .

Some of us love Nature. Some Witchcraft and Magick, others mythology and ancient history. And some of us love all of them and more! Some Pagans are practicing, others non-practicing. Some would consider themselves Neo-Pagans, others Meso-Pagans, and others yet, Recon-Pagans. The diversity within Paganism may mean that sometimes we will disagree with one another on a certain subject but hey, we’re all individuals – that’s what makes us special.

I have always been Pagan, though I didn’t know it until recently. As a child I was fascinated with Celtic mythology and the ancient Pagan sites of Britain (my homeland) , such as Glastonbury Tor and Stonehenge. I felt a strange connection to the sites, which I still can’t explain. I always felt at home among trees, and loved to go for solitary walks across the field near my house (which was, ironically, on a Bible College campus!) . I felt a connection to the Celtic god Cernunnos and the goddess Morrighan, and often found myself wondering what it would have been like to worship them in the old, pre-Christian days.

It was not for some time that I came across Neo-Paganism. My Christian mother was convinced I was a worshipper of the devil (Yes, even before I even looked at Magick and Witchcraft) , due mainly to the heavy metal music I was into. She started to buy Christian books about Witchcraft and Satanism, including one called Protecting Your Teen from Today’s Witchcraft (1) .

Surprisingly, it was this book that got me into Wicca (after a brief period of Satanism which I mainly got involved in to freak out my parents) . One of the first sites I came across on Wicca was “Witch School”, and I instantly signed up for a few of the courses. I searched through all the sites I came across on the subject, devouring as much information as I could find. I was amazed that such a movement as Neo-Paganism existed! I had been brought to believe that Paganism only existed in the ancient, pre-Christian days, and that all that survived of it now were the superstitions and old wives tales.

I went to my library where I came across a copy of Starhawk’s The Spiral Dance (2) . Despite the feminist sentiments, I found the book gave me a foothold in understanding what Wicca and Witchcraft was actually about. That was the real beginning for me, the transition from the religion that my parents wanted me to be a part of to the religion that my spirit cried out to embrace.

To cut a long story short, I turned from a fluffy bunny to a devout Witch in a short amount of time, and read everything I could on the subject of Witchcraft and Paganism (mainly online due to a limited access of books on the subject in my area) . After six months or so I became drawn to Asatru and Odinism, and for a while followed the Heathen path. It was then that my deep interest for my ancestry and for the traditions of Northern Europe developed. However, I still felt drawn to Wicca and Witchcraft at the same time, and found myself unable to choose between the two.

For a short while I considered Druidism, having always been intrigued by the ancient Celts and their religious practices. However, I was unable to find any groups of Druids here in New Zealand, and most of the online courses cost a lot of money. For some time I was simply unsure of my beliefs, knowing that I was definitely Pagan, yet unsure of what specific tradition to claim.

Eventually I decided to return to my old path, yet to continue working with the deities I had come to see as my patrons and matron (Odin, Thor and Freya) . I decided that the best way to define my path would be ‘Eclectic Pagan’, seeing as I drew from more than one source in my practice.

And so this is how I came to be where I am today. I still consider myself a beginner, and know I have a LOT to learn. I read a lot more than I practice, though I do try to pray every day and to be aware of the Nature around me. I have come to love being a Pagan, and the diversity of it, and have realized that one of the most beautiful things about Paganism is the fact that you can follow your own path, and do what feels right to you.

You don’t need a certificate to be Pagan, nor a degree, nor the approval of anyone else – you can just be. What makes one Pagan is their identification with the term, and that’s what’s so great about it. You don’t need to be an adept at Magick, nor a scholar of ancient history – if the term Pagan resonates with you, then you can claim it. All you need to be Pagan is to feel that you are in your heart.

_____________________________

Footnotes:
1 Steve Russo, Bethany House Publishers, 2005
2 Starhawk, HarperCollins Publishers, 1979

Who Was Doreen Valiente?

By Patti Wigington, About.com

If Gerald Gardner is the father of the modern witchcraft movement, then certainly Doreen Valiente is the mother of many traditions. Like Gardner, Doreen Valiente was born in England. Although not much is known about her early years, her website (maintained by her estate) verifies that she was born Doreen Edith Dominy in London in 1922. As a teen, Doreen lived in the New Forest area, and it is believed that this is when she began experimenting with magic.

When she was thirty, Doreen was introduced to Gerald Gardner. By this time, she had been married twice – her first husband died at sea, her second was Casimiro Valiente – and in 1953, she was initiated into the New Forest coven of witches. Over the next several years, Doreen worked with Gardner in expanding and developing his Book of Shadows, which he claimed was based on ancient documents passed down through the ages. Unfortunately, much of what Gardner had at the time was fragmented and disorganized.

Doreen Valiente took on the task of re-organizing Gardner’s work, and more importantly, putting into a practical and usable form. In addition to finishing things up, she added her poetic gifts to the process, and the end result was a collection of rituals and ceremonies which are both beautiful and workable – and the foundation for much of modern Wicca, some sixty years later. For a brief period, Gardner and Doreen parted ways – this is often attributed to Gardner’s love of speaking publicly about witchcraft to the press, while Doreen felt coven business should remain private. However, there is also speculation that some of the rift was caused when Doreen questioned the authenticity of Gardner’s claims about the age of some of the items they were working with. At any rate, they later reconciled and worked together once more. In the 1960s, Doreen moved away from Gardnerian Wicca and was initiated into a traditional British witchcraft coven.

Doreen may well be best known for her incredibly evocative poetry, much of which has found its way into the lexicon of modern ritual format, both for Wiccans and other Pagans. Her Charge of the Goddess is a powerful call to invoke the Divine within us. The Wiccan Rede is often attributed to Doreen as well. Although the Rede is typically summarized in brief as An it harm none, do what ye will, there is actually quite a bit more to the original work. Doreen’s poem entitled The Wiccan Rede can be read in its entirety here: The Wiccan Rede.

Near the end of her life, Doreen was concerned about the many misconceptions about modern witchcraft, as well as the wide distortions of original teachings. She became patron of the Centre for Pagan Studies, described as “offering a facility for learned research and a non commercial environment.” She passed away in 1999.

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Tag: Witchcraft

Witch for Sale!

The Witches Creed of Chivalry

The Witches Creed of Chivalry

Yuletide Thoughts, Life and Death

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft –C.6. The First-Degree Initiation (1957) to C.8. The Third-Degree Initiation (1957)

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – B.6. Of the Ordeal of the Art Magical (1953)

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.5. Cakes and Wine (1949)

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.3. “Lift Up the Veil” [The Charge] (1949)

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.2. Drawing Down the Moon (1949)

Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft – A.1. Casting the Circle

Deity of the Day – Hekate

Deity of the Day

Hekate

Supportive Practices of the Craft

The Natural Witch

The Law of the Power

The Law of the Power

5000 Years Of Herbal History

5000 Years Of Herbal History

Let’s Talk Witch – Self-dedication Explained

Let’s Talk Witch – Self-dedication Explained

How to do Magick

How to do Magick

Becoming a Witch

Becoming a Witch

by Morgaine

© Morgaine 2001.

Ask These Questions Before You Cast

What it Means to be Pagan

Who Was Doreen Valiente?

Who Was Doreen Valiente?