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Sabbat Info Some 'real world' thoughts at samhain. By Kay Having been a solitary practitioner for about six years, i have usually marked Samhain my own. My rituals were always simple, like many other solitaries, I'm sure, they were taken and adapted from books. I won't rewrite them here! I also liked to throw in some candle magick, and pratice my divination (and area in which i can be a little lax!). This year i have been fortunate enough to meet a wonderful group of people, and will be attending a private ritual celebration with them. My schedule being as hectic as it always is this time of year, I doubt that i will set teh time aside to do a ritual on my own. As the sabbat approaches though, perhaps becaus i am not preparing any ceremony of my own, i find that i am giving a little more consideration to what samhain means to me on a personal, pratical level. As a time of endings and of beginnings, samhain is a time of year when i am inclined to look back on the previous year. Did i manage to accomplish all the things that i thought i would of done by this time? Being a girl who is incessantly making grandiose plans, the answer if often no! A more important question in my eyes is this: Have i worked hard to move my life forward, and am i a wiser person than i was this time last year? Looking at one's own achievements inevitabley leads to self assessment, even a degree to soul-searching. It facsinates me to take stock of how the last twelve months of my journey have changed me as a person, and to take note of the traits and habbits i have left behind, and those that remain with me. A personal tradition of mine, which is perhaps akin to the tradition of the Wild Hunt, is to set new challenges for the coming year. Things like learnings a new skill, dedicating more time to personal study, working toward a promotion or changing your job altogether; samhain is a perfect time to start these wheels in motion. Its not dissimilar to making (calendar) new year resolutions made at this time tend to have a longer life expectancy! (At the calendar new year i will be proclaiming never again will i smoke cigerettes, for example, and by january 10th i can be found in the corner shop saying "twenty Malboro Lights please".) Though, not for one moment am i suggesting taking the gods and magick out of samhain. If you honour the god and goddess, or a particular deity, dedicating your personal challenges to them is something that you may wish to do. Such a devotional act will no doubt help you to stick to your ideal, as it can be much easier to break a promise made only to yourself. And personally i love spell crafting, and think it is a great way to kick start new plans. But although we wear our ritual, devotional and magickal guises, we all have to live in the mudane world too! The changes we make in our everyday lives are just as spiritual and important as out magickal acts. So aside from all our more formal way marketing the festival, this is a time to look back at the path we have travelled, and to consider the way ahead. This is the new year, after all! A heathen winterfinding By Icewytch I believe that all peoples in northern climates would hav approached the onset of winter with very similar attitudes and rites and beliefs, their harvests would need to be gathered in before the coming severe, crop destroying snow, hail and rain and winds, animals would need to be hunted, domestic beasts being slaughtered, meat preserved in days without the benefits of cans or freezers. The head of the house must decide which beasts the family can afford to feed through winter, long dark months, precious grains and barley and hay spent, so the weakest ones would be killed and the meat smoked, brined and cured for the hungry months ahead. As the chill air bit hard, the herds would be brought in from the hills and fields and surrounding fields and stabled in byres or sharing the long house with families over winter, providing an extra layer of warmth through the body heat and steaming breath. Plants would of been harvested before they slept for the cold months, dried and put out by, herb and grain and vegatable, all precious sources for vitamins and nourishment. Fish caught and brined or dried before the sea grew too fractious with winter storms. And when all was done that could be done, food laid by, firewood gathered and drying, beasts in and safe, time for celebration. You looked at what you'd provided and wondered if it was enough to see you and yours through the long winter nights, or indeed, if the sun would ever return. And if you thought, yes, that might just be enough, then time for celebration, to honour both the harvest gods and the sun goddess, to let her know in return, fires lit and mead drank, offerings given, don't forget, sunna, don't forget to return to us! My winterfinding is simple. It begins around a october full moon, a blood moon for me when my own animals are slaughted and preserved for winter. Mead annd beer is brewed, vegatable harvests laid by too. And when i've done, i conduct a blot, an offering, for my gods. The word blot means, simply, "blood" and is from the time when the offerings were live beasts. i save the blood and a little meat from my slaughtered beasts and offer it to thorr, with a portion to the landwidth here to thank him health of the land. I turn to skadi, winter goddess, to see if she will cast a friendly eye on me and mine overwinter. Offering is made to her too, in the form of rabbit, meat and skin, hunted, as she is the huntress. Fires are lit, both in the hof, a small outdoor temple, and indoors, to honour the sun, sunna, and ask that she return in the summer, not to forget to come back. My own winterfinding is as much an attitude of being a sequence of rites... it is a ctrengthening time, a time to be sure we can survive the winter... yes, of course now in these days we are unlikely to starve to death! Yet, isolated on a winters night, a storm raging outside, beasts shivering in the byres, its not to hard to feel the closeness of the cold white deatha s she passes by, arrogance and taking the luxuries of tehse days aren't any part of my winterfinding. too easily can they be taken away. In the run up to july, winterfinding is a chancy time.. a double edged sword, it is, in the making sure provision enough, and set to last, and in the celebration of a profitable summers harvest, and the winding down of outdoor work as we turn our gazes to indoors, to hearth and stove and store. tasks are worked beside the fire, stories told by firelight of a dark evening, memories of summer minded with laughter, half in fun, half as a charm to keep thebite of winter from our toes.. this is a time to listen for the wild hunt in the stormwinds, to look for the warmth of visiting friends around the hearth, stories shared and food and drink too, to plan for the next summer's venturing, to take delight in many but small vital tasks best done beside a roaring fire with a faithful dog at your feet and teh tanalising smell of stew on the stove beside you. These are winter times, and the winter gods are dancing on the stars above our heads on the darkest of nights, as the valkyries ride the black landscape flashing shields of red and green. Other Weddings the pagan way By starelda I guess it could be said that weddings been on my mind alot lately (In fact that would be an understatement :D) and so i thought it was rather apt if i were to write about pagan weddings, civil weddings and there pros and cons. However, before i throw myself into the deep end and start discussing each one i believe i should firstly explain what each one is and a bit about what it entails. Though, i Must state that there are other types of wedding ceremonys, which i may briefly mention in passing, but i've simply picked the two that a pagan is most likely to choose. A handfasting is basically known as a pagan wedding ceremony. In the UK, Handfasting remained leagal in scotland all the way up to 1939, even after lord harwicke's Act of 1753 declaring that marriages in england were leagal only if performed by a clergyman. However this type of wedding ceremony is not leagally recognised now. The name describes a key aspect of the ceremony in that it is customary that the bride and grooms hands are tied together. During the ritual a cord is tied in a knot around the hands of the couple and thus binding the two people together by the wrists. This is where the term "tie the knot" came from when referring to getting married today. It is often queried by many why the handfasting ceremony isn't made to be legally recognised as a marriage ceremony. However, due to the diversity of paganism and the diversity of the traditions that may be included into handfasting this would be quite difficult thing to achieve. For instance many pagans want to be handfasted outside and though the law on this is due to change soon currently it is only possible to be married in a registered building. Also leagal marriages are seen as a permanant event. In christian and civil marriages ceremonies the line "till death do us part" or similiar is incorporated into the ceremony meaning that the marriage is permanant and only considered over if one partner was to die or if a divorce was sought after. Whilst most pagans see handfasting as a permanant some see it as a commitment with a time-limit. The couple may agree to be commited and faithful for a year and a day or for as long as their love lasts instead of until one of them dies. So again another variable element that makes this ceremony hard to be given leagal recognition. So moving on to sum up the pros and cons of each ceremony. For a civil ceremony the wedding has to occur in a registered building and is conducted by the superintendant registrar of the district. This can be a register office, or it can be a posh hotel. so long as the building is registered. However, the ceremony can not take place outside on your favourite beach or in the woods where you grew up, ect etc. To be leagally binding you must have two wittnesses to the ceremony and these people must be willing to sign the register, so you can not have a private ceremony just for the two of you. Whilst many register offices are open the inclusion of readings, poems and music into the wedding ceremony these must have no religious content. So as you can see there's a variety of pros and cons for each ceremony and obviously this list is not exhaustive. In an ideal world the handfasting ceremony would be leagally recognised and so it would not be necessary to undertake two ceremonies to get to the "best of both worlds". But as cliched as it may sound this world is not ideal but at least the choices are there while whilt require a bit more effort to achieve a middle ground its not impossible to achieve it. |
For this spell you will need a gold or orange candle, and bergamot, clove and ginger essential oils, along with a base oil such as almond. You will also need a full or waxing moon.
First of all, you should cast your circle, and centre yourself to cast the spell, as well as invoking the elements, the god and goddess if you wish. At all stages of the spell, you should remain focused on your intent. Remember not to be vague in your intent; visualise your desired outcome as clearly as you can.
Mix a couple of drops of a bergamot, clove and ginger in with a small amount of your baseoil. Working from the middle of teh candle to the ends, rub the oil over the whole of the candle. You can use cotton wool to do this if you wish, I prefer to use my fingers but it is a bit messy!
Set the candle (securely) in your candle holder on your altar or working area. On the altar you may also place any items specifically related to your goal you are working towards. As you light the candle, recite your rhyming verse voicing your intent. This should have been prepared earlier, and it is better to write your own, here is a none specific example:
Magick burn in candle fire, Bring me my hearts desire, i call upon the god and goddess, Grant me the strength to bring success.
Safety issues aside, I like to leave my candle to burn all the way down. Just make sure that it is secure in the candle holder and not near anything falmmable. Alternitively, you can burn a portion of the candle down each day.
After you have recited your verse, meditate on your desired outcome while still sitting by your altar. When you are finished, remember to give thanks to the deities / elements if you have invoked them before bidding them farewell. Close your circle, and set about giving your spell every oppurtunity to manifest in your life!
Issue #2
Basics
The significance of the moon
By webwytch
The Moon is the symbol of the Goddess, and features heavily in Wicca/Witchcraft, although Wiccans & Witches do not worship the Moon itself. The waxing, full and waning phases of the Moon, correspond to the aspects of the Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother, Crone), which are mirrored by the three stages of a woman's life.
Waxing Moon - The time of the Maiden, youthful, eager for life and adventure. She represents fresh starts and new beginnings.
Full Moon - The Mother, providing abundance, representing fertility and fruitfulness.
Waning Moon - The Crone or the Wise One, bringing knowledge, understanding, secrets, protection and sometimes destruction.
There are five phases of the Moon that are utilised by Wiccans/Witches in both their worship and their working.
New Moon - for working spells of new love, new ventures etc., anything which is being started.
Waxing Moon - a time for spells of attraction.
Full Moon - the most powerful phase of the lunar cycle. Good for all kinds of magic, but particularly healing, nurturing and protection.
Waning Moon - this is the time for banishing bad habits and removing things from your life, such as old guilt, poor self-image etc.
Dark Moon - the few nights when no Moon is visible in the sky, also called the Nights of the Morrigan (the Celtic warrior Goddess). It is often said that no Magic should be performed during this time, or if necessary, it should only be banishing Magic of a serious nature.
During the year, as the Earth rotates, there are thirteen full moons, and each one has it's own traditional country name, which has been used for hundreds of years.
January - Wolf Moon
February - Storm Moon
March - Chaste Moon
April - Seed Moon
May - Hare Moon
June - Dryad Moon
July - Mead Moon
August - Harvest Moon
September - Barley Moon
October - Blood Moon
November - Snow Moon
December - Oak Moon
Blue Moon - variable. When there are two full moons within the same calendar month, the second is referred to as the Blue Moon.
As mentioned earlier, the Full Moon is the most powerful phase of the lunar cycle, and Witches use them as nights of working celebration. They are also referred to as Esbats.
WebWytch
Starting out
By wildmoon
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The Faerie Faith is a complex Pagan tradition, with its own mystical system, that of the Beth-Luis-Nion Celtic Lunar Tree Calendar. It is impossible to understand any one part of the tradition without looking at all of the tradition's different components. I will try to introduce some concepts that should be kept in mind while reading this paper.
First, the Faerie Faith is a Dianic tradition, and as such places emphasis on the feminine in humanity, in nature, and in God. For ease of reading, all pronouns will be in the feminine, according to that tradition. For example, "High Priest or High Priestess" will be referred to simply as "High Priestess, " unless noted otherwise. Similarly, pronouns such as "he or she, " and "his or her, " will be referred to as "she, " or "her, " respectively. It should be noted that individuals of both genders can and do enter the training of the Faerie Faith. The Beth-Luis-Nion system is a mystical system, and therefore it is difficult to understand in a purely intellectual way. In many ways it is comparable to the Qabalah. Israel Regardie describes the Qabalah as, "a trustworthy guide, leading to a comprehension both of the Universe and one's own Self" (Regardie i). Similarly, the Beth-Luis-Nion system is a beneficial system that leads to an understanding of Nature, and a personal transformation of the student. It is this goal of personal transformation and balance that all students work towards on their journey through the mysteries of the Celtic Lunar Tree Calendar. This paper serves as a simple introduction to the Faerie Faith and the Beth-Luis-Nion system. The Faerie Faith is a living, evolving tradition, and therefore may change in the future. This paper describes the Faerie Faith as it is currently practiced, as well as the current understanding of the Beth-Luis-Nion calendar. Also, much of the information I present here may appear juvenile in the future, as I learn more. This is not an exhaustive paper. Please consult the bibliography to learn more on the research presented here. HistoryThe Faerie Faith is a tradition that has branched off from the McFarland Dianic tradition. Through Mr. Mark Roberts and the High Priestess known as Epona, the Faerie Faith has been handed down over the years. What follows is a summary of the historical development of the Faerie Faith.The history of the Faerie Faith begins with the McFarland Dianic Tradition, founded by Morgan McFarland in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas. McFarland had been trained in her family's tradition, and in 1971 she joined with Mark Roberts, another practicing solitary Witch. Together, they founded the Covenstead of Morrigana. According to the McFarland Dianic Homepage, "It was Mark who pointed out to Morgan the reference to "Dianic cults" in Margaret Murray's The Witch Cult in Western Europe. It spoke to Morgan's beliefs and practices, and she adopted the designation "Dianic" as that of her tradition." Later that year, Morgan began writing down the rituals handed down orally through her tradition. Morgan went on to initiate several High Priestesses who hived off to start other covens. In 1977, Mark left the Covenstead of Morrigana to start a new path called Hyperborea. In 1979 Morgan withdrew as High Priestess from her covens, and now serves as matriarch and advisor to the Council of High Priestesses of the McFarland Dianic Tradition (McFarland). After Mark left Texas, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1979 where he met Epona. Mark taught her the lessons he had learned while with Morgan, and she became the founder of the Eponian branch of the McFarland Dianics÷what is now known as the Faerie Faith. Mark Roberts was the first to use the term "Faerie Faith." The name was most likely taken from The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W.Y. Evans Wentz (1911). This book describes a variety of folk beliefs and practices in the past. Under Mark's teaching, Epona was trained as a High Priestess of the Faerie Faith mysteries÷the Beth Luis Nion system. After only eighteen months, Mark left to start a new path called Hyperborea in Dallas in 1981. Epona, however, proved to be fertile ground for the teachings of the BLN system. She took what she had learned of the system and pursued it to new heights, teaching a new form of the McFarland Dianic mysteries, which became the Faerie Faith ("What is"). Epona went on to teach the mysteries of the Faerie Faith. It grew and spread under her teachings, and today there are members of the Faerie Faith spread out across the Southeastern United States. Because of the difficulty of the path, however, very few students made it to the level of High Priestess. As of this writing, there is currently only one practicing coven of the Faerie Faith, located in Auburn, Alabama, under the teaching of Linda Kerr, one of Epona's students. Kerr has gone on to establish a legally incorporated church÷the Church of the Spiral Tree÷an ecumenical Pagan church ("What is"). The Practices of the Faerie FaithHierarchy and TrainingAs a shamanic and mystery tradition, the Faerie Faith has a training system and an internal hierarchy. This distinguishes the Faerie Faith from many traditions which center around worship, and whose leadership is usually democratic. The hierarchy of the Faerie Faith consists of those who are new (neophytes), those who have begun training (students), and those who have completed training (High Priests/High Priestesses). The training of students of the Faerie Faith is a very complex and difficult process. As such, it tends to take a very long time (4-8 years, typically). In addition, most students who begin training will not complete it. In this section, I will try to explain the basic format of training in the Faerie Faith, as well as many of the events that are usually encountered. Training begins with reading. The student begins by reading a variety of books, covering a multitude of information that the she is required to know. Such topics include Huna (a Polynesian system of psychology and magic), ritual, nature spirits, herbalism, mythology, women's studies, psychology, and philosophy. Some of the books on the reading list are required as a prerequisite to other training, but most are read as the student continues to train, or as the need arises. As she is reading these books, the student will also attend classes with the other students. The majority of the training takes place in these classes. Here the student will study the Beth-Luis-Nion system, as well as a variety of other topics such as shamanism, psychology, and mysticism. Rituals The Rituals of the Faerie Faith can be split up into two categories: Lunar Rituals and Passage Rituals. Both of these types of rituals serve a specific purpose in the life of a student. Rituals are done outdoors as long as weather permits. They are typically done in rural areas, using small stone circles laid out upon the ground. The sites for these circles are usually selected as those with the most natural energy occurring. Stone circles are specifically used for rituals, and are treated as sacred. If the ritual is done in an unfamiliar place (such as a beach or in a field), then the area is scouted for the largest concentration of earth energy, and circle is cast as normal. Lunars The term "Lunar" is used to signify both a lunar ritual, as well as a lunation÷the passage of the moon from the phase of new moon to full moon to new moon. Therefore, the "Birch Lunar" means both the time of Birch Moon, as well as the Birch Moon ritual. Lunar rituals are the regular liturgical rituals that take place at specific times throughout the year. There are thirteen Lunars throughout the year, one corresponding to each of the thirteen lunations. The Format of a Lunar Ritual Each Lunar takes place on the date of the full moon, or as close to that date as possible. Each student is expected to attend unless extenuating circumstances arise. The ritual begins with the casting of the circle÷an energy field raised around the area to be used in the healing portion of the ritual, as well as for protection from negative influences. The High Priestess then reads the "Tenets of the Faerie Faith." "There should be a sensitivity, a belief, of the spiritual reality behind what we refer to as Nature. There should be a sincere love of Earth Herself, and a desire to communicate with Her other children. There should be a belief in the individual life of this planet, and a certainty that it permeates the whole world." After the reading of the Tenets, the lesson for that particular Lunar begins. For example, during Birch, the student will listen to the lesson, and then contemplate the mysteries of rebirth, self-authority, and self-discipline. After the lesson, the circle performs Brigit healings for those in need (Brigit is a Celtic goddess of healing). During a Brigit healing, members gather around the afflicted person (or a representative if the person is not present), and chant Brigit's name as a mantra, while pulling energy from the circle toward the person in the center. Whenever the afflicted person feels that the energy has reached its peak, they signal to the other members of the circle, who lay their hands on the person to send the rest of the energy. After all the Brigit healings have taken place, the members perform the Water Sharing Ritual, in which they all drink water from a single chalice while the High Priestess reads: "Share of my water and know that as the Rain, it is the Bringer of Life. After the Water Sharing, the members will close the circle and typically return inside for class. Passage Rituals Within the Faerie Faith, there are five passage rituals that make up a hierarchy of study. Each student learns and progresses in their personal transformation, and when the High Priestess has deemed the student ready, they take part in the next passage. Each passage ritual is named for one of the five Solar Trees÷the over-arching times of the year. The names of each of the passages are also the names of the degrees for which those passages represent. For example, a student who has just gone through a Second Solar passage will hold the title of Second Solar. Before the First Solar, a student studies as a Neophyte. It is this stage in which the student learns basic lessons about the Faerie Faith, to decide if the path is appropriate for them. Students will study Huna, dowsing, basic energy work, and will attend Lunar rituals and classes with all the other students. After they have studied for a time (usually at least six months), the High Priestess will offer them their First Solar. First Solar is the first passage ritual. Otherwise known as Adoption, this passage designates that the student has a definite interest in studying the Faerie Faith, and it is at this point that the student dedicates herself to this study. At this point a person becomes an official student of the Faerie Faith. One line from the ritual is told to the students long before they take part in the ritual. "By setting foot on this path, do you recognize that you set into motion currents that shall impel you forward?" This question is a warning to all students that learning the mysteries and going through personal transformation is a long and difficult process÷not to be taken lightly. Even if the student chooses to leave the path, as many do, it is impossible to un-learn those lessons she has been taught. Therefore, even if she leaves, the student will always remain aware of the cycles of nature and the mysteries of life that are central to the study of the Faerie Faith. After this passage ritual the student must write at least one Lunar of her own, to be performed by the circle. The Second Solar is a passage ritual that marks growth beyond the First Solar. This degree is one in which the student takes on more responsibilities (assisting the High Priestess, helping to teach introductory lessons, etc.). In order to become a Second Solar, she must have read the most basic books on the reading list. This passage will often follow the first major personal transformation, in which a student confronts one of her fears or vices. Third Solar is also called Initiation. This is the passage in which the student once again takes on more responsibilities, this time by teaching a student of her own. Under close observation by the High Priestess, the Third Solar will take on a Neophyte as a student. The Third Solar will act as teacher, mentor, and counselor for that student. All this time, the High Priestess will observe the Third Solar to make sure that she is teaching in an accurate and ethical manner. The Fourth Solar marks the further growth of the student, and is the final point before she becomes a High Priestess in her own right. At this point she must have at least one adopted student of her own. The training of that student is still under the watch of the High Priestess. The Fifth Solar is also called Final Passage. It is at this point that the student becomes a High Priestess. The individual now has her "walking papers, " and may begin to train a circle of her own. At this point the High Priestess becomes autonomous, and may branch off to begin her own circle. However, the new High Priestess retains contact with all the other teachers through the Council of Elders. Classes The majority of a student's training takes place during class. Here the student will listen and take notes on a variety of topics, perform basic exercises, and discuss different parts of the learning material. In addition, class serves as a form of group therapy. It is at these times that most of the personal transformation takes place. The student will often discuss different problems or issues that have arisen in her life, in an attempt to receive counsel and advise from the other students and the teachers. Everyday topics are dealt with (family troubles, sexual dysfunction, loss of work, depression, etc.), as well as more esoteric topics (self-identity, self-esteem, faith/belief in Deity, faith/belief in magick, etc.). Training In addition to rituals and classes, a variety of other training takes place in the form of exercises and tests. These serve as a way for the student to apply all of the information learned in class. The student will take place in shamanic Journeys and Vision Quests. She will take nature walks with the others and learn about local medicinal plants, and collect and prepare them later in a test. She will have to prepare a complete meal for her circle, made only from plants that she has collected from the wild. The student will take essay-based tests where she will have to relate many of the topics learned in class and through reading. She will have to perform some sort of community service to help others, in order to help further develop her sense of compassion and humanity, and to help her realize that she is not isolated from the mundane world. She must perform some sort of physical exercise throughout her training, because the training is for the body as well as the mind and sprit. She will have to perform service to Nature, be it by recycling, community gardening, or participating in Arbor Day. The student will often be asked to do periods of a self-discipline ritual÷often for a complete lunation÷in order to help her meditate on any particular struggles she may be having at the moment. These and other exercises and tests are given at various points in her training, to help develop practical experience to complement her scholarly study. Mysteries Faerie Faith is a mystical path. As such, it has its own mysteries connected to the Beth-Luis-Nion system, as well as shamanic mysteries that are part of any mystical path. As Penny and Michael Novack write in their short paper, "Mysteries and Secrets": "The truly frustrating thing about the mysteries is that they cannot be taught, they must be experienced." Further in the same paper, they write: Distressing to anyone who's grasped the most elementary of the "mysteries" is forever the fact that a mystery can't be told or even easily shown to someone, while a "secret" can be told to just about anyone and they can tell it to somebody else and it will be the same secret. And yet, there seem to be an amazing number of people who believe the two terms to be synonymous. Students often struggle with the fact that they aren't "getting" the mysteries. Yet the mysteries themselves come as a result of training and personal transformation. During intense meditation, a student will often have a mystical experience÷a grasping of the mystery at hand÷that will solidify all that she has learned intellectually. The Shamanic Mysteries The validity of mysticism is found in its many disparate paths. Qabalah, Sufism, Mystical Christianity, Yoga, Meditation, and the Beth-Luis-Nion system each come up with similar tales of certain mystical experiences. And at the same time, they each come up with mysteries that are unique to their own tradition. Shamanic mysteries are those mysteries that are found in all mystical experience. They often leave the student in a state of awe, joy, and confusion, as she grasps a new dichotomy within the cosmos. The most widely recognized shamanic experience is called "The Mystery of Union." In this experience, the student becomes one with the Divine. One of the first recordings of this experience that we have is found in the Enneads of Plotinus, Roused into myself from my body÷outside everything else and inside myself÷my gaze has met a beauty wondrous and great. At such moments I have been certain that mine was the better part, mine the best of lives lived to the fullest, mine identity with the divine. Fixed there firmly, poised above everything in the intellectual that is less than the highest, utter actuality was mine. (O'Brien 62)Here, the student becomes one with the Divine, the One, the Source, or God. She realizes just how small and insignificant she is, but at the same time how precious and unique her life is. We also find the "Mystery of Nature, " in which the student experiences the connectedness of all things in existence. The mystery leaves the student knowing that all things in Nature are ultimately "One." This is the experience that most likely resulted in the pantheistic philosophy of Baruch Spinoza. For Spinoza, everything exists as one substance÷God÷from which different modes and attributes are formed (Bombardi). In addition, there are other mysteries. Experiencing the "Mystery of Ignorance, " the student is shown that no matter how much she studies or learns, that she will never know everything. This experience often leaves the student awestruck, as she realizes just how much there is to know, and just how limited the human capacity for knowledge is. Yet at the same time, the student has a new thirst for knowledge, because she realizes the true value in learning. The Lunar Mysteries The Lunar Mysteries are those mysteries that are connected with the trees of the Beth-Luis-Nion system. Each tree (as well as its corresponding lunation) has several mysteries connected with it. Birch, for example, teaches the lessons of self-awareness, self-discipline, and compassion. Ivy, on the other hand, teaches the lessons of moderation and restraint. Like the shamanic mysteries, the mysteries of the trees have many different layers and aspects. Students will spend a lifetime trying to discover them all. This makes the Faerie Faith a lifelong path. Just like the "Mystery of the Trinity" in Christianity, each lesson cannot be explained clearly, only experienced. And each time it is experienced, the individual gains further insight into the mystery. Sabbat Info The basic beliefs about Yule By wildmoon Also known as winter solstice, Iule, Yul ect.
Yule marks the death and rebirth of the sun god; it also marks the vanquishing of the holly king, (god of the waning year) by the oak king (god of the waxing year). The goddess now shows her 'leprous white lady' form at this season. This is her moment of giving birth to the child of promise.This will bring back light and warmth to her kingdom
Some do sabbat rituals for yule, but most make it a bit easier and celerate the birth of the child of promise by watching the sun come up.From that moment the sun shall shine and grow brighter and stronger, until it reaches its peak at midsummer (22nd june). |
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it is the dark time of the year.
the wild hunt rides this time of year. according to which myth you follow, it is odin with his wolves, baying out to manni, the moon, as alfadr rides the night skies, his one eye bright with the god madness on these nights.
or it is thorr, driving his wain, his chariot, the goats red eyed and wild, their hooves thundering the skies, the hammer mjollnir throwing out lightning to catch the unwary.
all sorts of traditions have grown up over the years around jul. one has it that thorr is the origin of santa claus, his gifts given to the farmer or hard working thrall, gift for gift, profit for profit and who would refuse the gifts of the gods? for, it could be the greatest of gifts, life.....
so in scandinavian countries still, a goat, the symbol of fertility and prosperity, of straw is hung upon the jul trees, brightly decked with a red collar. elves, small and red-capped, remnants of those proud peoples whose gifts were prized, still carry parcels to place under the trees.
and on the nights of the wild hunt, when the storm lords ride the skies, wolves howl and thunder roars and wise is the man who stays indoors, away from the hunt....
most of all, jul is a celebration of life in the face of the jaws of death, from the time when shops didn`t exist and the only food you could have was the food you raised with your own two hands. when the only heat you could bask in was born from the fireplace built with your own hands, the wood stacked with your hands.
from times when winter claimed the weak, the sick, the poor, we celebrate having enough to eat, to drink, health to enjoy it all and prepare for the coming seasons.
feasts are lavish, hearty affairs, whether the food is rustic country or sophisticated city foods, and a portion is given to the gods in the form of blot and sumbel, where mead is drunk and sacred toasts made, vow to friend and god alike.
gifts are given, as much to show and say "look, i am prosperous enough to give away", as to give to loved ones a token of appreciation and love.
all in all, it is a double edged time, of fear, of poverty, death, lack, and of mirth, of prosperity, wealthy, and show....
here is wishing everyone, the least sharp edge of THAT sword this season, and that wealth and prosperity and love be yours throughout. :)
Christians do have their Christenings and Baptisms and i can see how some would equate pagan dedication rites to be a version of those, but i feel to do so, misses the point. A dedication is a personal thing, not often shared with others. Most times Pagan dedicating themselves do it in private and with a very personal ritual
Self dedication is about someone chosing by an act of will to become apart of the Pagan path, this is normally done by those working or practicing solo. Pagans in or training with a coven, rarely if ever dedicate, because they accept that their Intiation will serve that purpose well enough.
Normally (although not always) most people who are baptised or christened are done at an early age, when they are both unaware of what's happening and years away from being able to understand, never mind make an informed choice as to whats happening to them. Pagans though, are different they think long and hard before embarking on such a Rite. Most pagans accept that dedications should only be done when one has spent a long time researching both the path of choice and a variety of other beliefs, so that the decission is not made in haste nor wothout giving other paths a fair hearing.
Many who have dedicated feel no different after the rite, although they really think they ought to. The reason for this is that it's not an instant effect, what a dedication does, is to start a process of changing your sate of mind and conceptual view point. This adjustment and mental exercise, takes the subconsious a while to sort and settle in. Then one day sometime later, you all of a sudden realised it has happened and you do feel different almost more 'pagan' in some unexplainable way.
This also happens for Intiates too, i myself wonder why after mine i felt the same as i had before, although i was a witch in title, i didn't feel a witch, not until a week or so later, i was sitting watching TV when i became aware i was now a Witch. From speaking to both intiated and thse who have self dedicated i gather we all seems to have similar effects.
There are many ways Pagans dedicate, but the more common one for Wetern pagans is to select a path and then dedicate themselves to both the following of that path and the working of the craft(magick) and to the God/ess . Some pagans though, do not dedicate to the God/ess, but to nature it's self this is because unlike other beliefs Pagans have various ways to see their path. A few follow the same paths, very few though, tread in the same tracks. All pagan though, seek the their own way and like has been said before.
" Many paths lead to the top of the mountain, but from each you can see the moon"
Blu
When I first became involved with witchcraft, I found that it sharpened my instincts somewhat. I found that my first impressions of people and my judgement of particular situations were far more accurate than they had been. Initially I did not trust these instincts, just as initially I though the experiences leading up to my taking this path were not to be trusted as I was probably just going mad! For example, if I met someone and felt an instant dislike or distrust but then found that they seemed perfectly nice when talking to them, I would question my initial feelings. Why am I being so unreasonable? I would ask myself. They havent done anything to me to deserve such judgement. And I would revise my opinion about the person.
Inevitably, somewhere down the line the person in question would prove that I was right in the first place. I cannot think of one single example where I have thought that someone is not to be trusted, or that I should not put myself in a particular situation, and been wrong. Now I always trust and follow my instincts.
Thats all well and good. After all, we all have these instincts but this rational world trains us not to listen to them. Once you reconnect with the ability to know what you have not been told, you learn to trust it. But recently, I have started to put my trust in another channel of information. I have spent an awful lot of time meditating recently, and started writing down the visions that I have seen, and following up the information that I am given in this way.
The problem with the guidance received in visions is that it is often symbolic, and may not be easy to transfer over to everyday life. Although I find that it is clearer than the information I receive in my dreams, it is often still hard to figure out what on earth it means! But keeping a note of everything seen in meditation makes it easy to refer back later, when you may see something that makes it seem clearer. Even if not writing it down, something else may jolt your memory later.
The first time I decided to follow a vision was earlier this year. On one particular day, three significant things happened to me:
I pondered during my reading why I had never learnt Latin, as it would be quite helpful in the research I was doing at the time.
I made a note in my diary to look online for open / teaching covens in London, in a bid to learn about working as part of a group and to meet like-minded people after being a solitary for six years.
I had been doing an Earth meditation, when suddenly my vision changed and I found myself in a deep, round, cavelike space, with writing on the walls. I was looking for a stone that I could not see.
None of these things seemed particularly significant or bizarre. However, the following day I went online and came across a Practical Wicca course offered by VITRIOL Grove in London. I read the information contained on the website about the group itself, part of it read as follows:
VITRIOL is an acronym for "Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem" - which is Latin for "visit the interior of the earth and there by rectification find the hidden stone".
This brought back my experience in mediation the day before, (and the other two pertinent thoughts/events!) when I had been searching for a hidden stone in a cave. Now, if that is not synchronicity then I dont know what is! I signed up for the course immediately, and the techniques I learnt there and the people I have had the pleasure of meeting through this course have been a blessing, enriching my own personal practise and my life in general. At this time I decided that never again will I dismiss anything seen in meditation until I have done everything possible to find its meaning.
I am currently mulling over another vision given to me during meditation, and it was researching the symbolism of this that prompted me to write this article. After a very intense divination ritual on Samhain, when I had implored Black Isis to show me the unseen influences that were preventing me from moving forward, and needed to be resolved in the new year, I did a closing meditation. Again, my vision suddenly changed to another scene, where I found myself seated in a clearing in a wood. In front of me was a huge black pig, who came right up close to my face, looked at me and then walked away towards the trees. It was so clear, but afterwards I was completely baffled!
Im afraid I cannot end this piece with any real insight into the complete meaning of this vision. The research I have done so far has brought to light the fact that the Egyptian God Set is often depicted as a black pig, as this was one of the forms taken in His battle with Horus. I have also learned that Set is the God of storms, removing those things that stand in the way of our growth, which is so relevant to the focus of my Samhain divination ritual. So I am now embarking on a mission to learn as much about Set as I can, as it may be that learning about Him will assist me in the seemingly impossible task set for me in the course of the divination itself that night. Like the one described earlier, I will follow this vision to see where it takes me because to follow a vision, I believe, is to find our true way.
SOTM
Spell to Help Combat Depression
Maybe its the time of year, but so many people that I know seem to be feeling low at moment. The run up to the Christmas holidays is a stressful time for a lot of people, drawing our thoughts to family matters and money problems perhaps more than at other times of the year.
I love spell casting, and I truly believe that spells help to focus our intentions in a way that for many is more accessible than meditation, etc. But when it comes to depression, or even just feeling a little blue, more important than magick is to talk to someone. At the very least it reminds us of the most incredible blessings in our lives the ones who love us!!
But to help focus, to draw on the strength we have to combat sadness and despair, I thought I would share this little spell to tap into those resources.
This spell uses a gold candle, a blue candle, and one to represent yourself (or the person you are doing the spell for ask permission first!) so just choose whatever colour feels the most appropriate. Mix a few drops of jasmine and rosemary oils in your carrier oil (I always use sweet almond).
If you dont have the oils (or even if you do smells are great for spells!) burn some incense such as jasmine or sandalwood.
You can also use a picture of yourself or the person for whom the spell is being cast, at a time when you / they were happy. Alternatively you may visualise the subject instead.
A crystal is needed for this spell, and although correspondences are given in books, on websites and by teachers (and all of this information is valid, in my opinion) I think that crystals speak to us themselves. I would recommend a citrine crystal, but if there is another that you feel happier with, use that. Remember that crystals need to be cleansed before they are used in any magickal work.
As ever, cast your circle and ground yourself, however you prefer to do so, and invite the elements, the Goddess and the God to watch over and bless your working, if you choose. If you work with a particular deity, you may want to ask for His or Her help, and make your battle against whatever is bringing you down an offering.
Inscribe your name (or that of the subject) on the representative candle, strength on the gold candle, and healing on the blue one. Rub the oil over all three candles, from the middle to the ends.
Place the photograph in front of the candles, light your incense, and hold the crystal you have chosen. This is the time to visualise your goal, to communicate with the Universe / the Divine and to draw on the energy you have called, channelling it into your crystal.
Although it is not necessary to speak any words aloud, voicing your intent can strengthen your resolve and add to the power of your spell. Your words should be written before you begin the ritual, to save floundering for words during the spell. Rhyming is best, keep it simple, and I usually prefer to write my own. An example, though, is:
I face my fears on this dark night, Moving forward into light,
Sadness gone, magick bind it, Gone from here, may no one find it.
Meditating on your intent strengthens the spell and the intent itself so take the time to do this, still holding your crystal, until you feel ready to finish. When you are ready, place the crystal on top of the photograph, bid farewell to the deities and the elements, and open your circle. Dont forget to ground yourself. Leave the candles to burn all the way down (a bit at a time if it is not safe to leave them burning in one go) and then your crystal will be charged.
If the spell is for you, carry the crystal with you (preferably) or put it under your pillow. If the spell is for a friend, give the crystal to your friend as a gift, to do the same.
Love and blessings to you all!
Covens, do i need one?
By: LadyKelien
Covens, do I need one? This is a question often found being asked in chat rooms today, by someone who has just discovered paganism. It is a tricky question that is hard to answer. But, one that truly needs an answer before they can continue on with their journey into the path of paganism. First though for clarification let me say that Covens are considered by many to be strictly a Wiccan thing. That isnt completely true. There are those who refer to their groups as covens even though they do not follow Wicca. But, there are also temples; shrines and even camps out there that can be joined once you know which path you wish to travel.
Do you have to join one of these groups? No, for some people such as myself we are what is known as Solitary practitioners. There are enough of us to make the determination of who is pagan and who isnt very difficult. There are several questions you need to ask yourself before deciding if you want to join a coven.
1. Is there a group in my area I would feel comfortable with? Pagans do a lot of gut instinct types of work. You can find out if you think you would feel comfortable with a coven in a very easy fashion. Go over to http://www.witchvox.com. It is the biggest pagan listing service on the net today. Do a search for a Coven in your area. Once you find one or 20, check to see if they have a website, most will. Websites tell a lot about a coven. Look at how well put together it is. Have areas that need to be updated been updated recently? Do they have a list of activities they intend to participate in over the next few months? Do they offer a basic 101 course that would provide you with a way to get to know them without having to join? If they have pictures of members on their site do you think you would feel comfortable around the people in the images? If the website is well maintained, they have an introductory course and you dont feel uncomfortable looking around their site, then contact who ever is their contact person and ask for a brief get together. Talk to them and decide if you at least feel comfortable with the people you are meeting. They will have their own screening process for you, but you need to have your own as well. Though we are not happy about it there are a few groups out there that use Paganism as an excuse to do things they wouldnt do without the excuse. You cant always be sure you have found one of these groups until youve had a chance to get to know the people. That is why the introductory course is so important. You need to learn what it is they believe and teach. (Note: If it is a Wiccan Coven and they charge for more than the basic book fee to join their basic 101 course then do not even consider them. Wiccans traditionally have a negative connection to taking money for anything associated with the craft. Those who practice otherwise are just asking for trouble and probably do not have your best interest at heart but the lining of their pockets. The degree to which this belief is followed varies from coven to coven but for the most part outside of the Church of Wicca is followed extensively at least within the area of teaching. I will not for this article get into my opinion of the Church of Wicca.)
2. After determining the groups in your area and contacting a few about the path the groups as a whole follow you must now decide if your personal ideology would fit into their theology. At this point you cant really know for sure but you will know if something blatant stands out that seems very wrong to you.
3. Ok, youve found a group that seems nice enough; there is nothing that conflicts with your views and theirs so far. (This isnt to say that there shouldnt be conflicts. One learns through our differences. It is however to say that there is nothing that seems so wrong to you that you could never feel a part of the group.) This would be the point to join in on the 101 course. From here it is to a certain extent up to them as to whether or not they ask you to join the group. Not everyone who knocks gets entry into a group with the pagan path. Being in Circle or working a Magical rite connects people in a profound way. You must be careful that you want your energy forever linked with the energy of the people that would be with you and vice versa for them about you. If they dont ask you to join, then move on to your second choice. But, if you screen them well enough that shouldnt be a problem.
There are many ways in which to follow a pagan path. I myself march to my own drum. I am Solitary and I draw not from one tradition but many. My genetic heritage is that of a mutt. I am descended from the French, English, Scots, Irish, Cherokee and Arapaho. A lot of my traditions draw from those areas of life. My first Magical name was given to me by a Cherokee medicine woman. I have studied Gardenian Wicca, Ceremonial magick, Celtic and Druid traditions as well as the Norse and Greek Traditions. Throw in some things from my Christian raising I cant let go of and you have the makings for one really odd path. I probably will never join a coven. I have the makings of one within my own family. When the children get to be teens, if they choice to participate we would have a coven of 8. That is more than large enough to accomplish anything we need to do. We would be what is known as a Family Coven and my children could then decide if they wished to bring in their friends and have us grow into something that they could easily call a legacy or lineage.
If you dont find a coven dont feel bad. You wont just have something in common with me but with at least 1/3 to ½ of the pagan community. It isnt known how many pagans there are out there. We dont exactly respond to surveys the way most people do. Because of that there is no way to determine who is pagan and who isnt. Some believe that for every pagan who belongs to a group there are at least 2 who dont. Others believe it is the other way around. How many of us there are exactly is irrelevant. What is important is that you can find your path and walk it alone until you do find a group that you fit into or forever if you never do. That is the beauty of this path. It is what we make it. The only person we have to answer to for not following our hearts is the Divine.
Witchcraft in the media
By: Wildmoon
Witches are the people you pass in the street and forget about two minutes later. They are everyday people. Just like you and me. There are so many misconceptions from the media and christiantiy that some people see us differently to others.
The one thing that we think about when we see the newspaper in the morning is, 'is that true?' Its common to so many Wiccans and Witches. We see and always will people discriminating Witches. Why do they do this? Maybe because of the media they read everyday or those TV channels with stories of Witches in schools cursing their headmaster. But do they see the real witches of the world? Probably not. There are three ways people see us.
The usual...
The cauldron, the witches hat, the broomstick and the old crone that stirs her big black cauldron who has - probably not conditioned well or at all - frail old hair, and warts all over her face. This is the first look at witches in the media. Because in fact there are three stages of witchcraft in the media. The second is satanism.
Satanism...
Satanism is a belief system (BS) that comes from christianity. The whole basis of satanism (i'm explaining this from what i at the moment know) is the devil. 'Satanists' worship this christian character. The reason this is here is because witches do not belong to the belief system satanism. Satanism was created by christianity. I don't know why they did this. Perhaps they decided that the witches must be the devils demons if they practice the craft that god has forbidden (Before christianity, witchcraft and paganism were just two of the many BS's. Then when christianity did come around they wanted to be the main religion. Because witchcraft/paganism was a big BS christianity preached that the only 'true' god was against the craft. ) Witches however, do not belief in the devil let alone worship him. Also, maybe the reason witches are believed to do blood rituals is from satanism (I don't think they do do these blood rituals but that is what is told about satanists)?
Teen Magazines..
Yes, even if its not for us we are in girls magazines. I've seen so many articles in these mags about us. And the worst thing is they don't even know what the religion is about but they still try and accuse us of these things. I have an article in 'bliss'. Its about a teen Witch and her teachers are trying to get her kicked out of school. Now, in my opinion, their just scared of what she might do. A teacher even left because of this! But the question is, what would she actually do? Do they expect bolts of lightening to come out of her fingertips when she's angry with them? I'm pretty sure they do. In the end she got to stay there. But now that everyone knew that she was a Witch, how would they act around her?
Witches Online...
Yes, sad but true, people find out sites just to discriminate us. even the chatrooms made for us They log onto and try and tell us to go Christian (hehe). what can we do about this? Nothing. on the internet, people can be whoever they want to be. We have no power over that. There are two ways to deal with this. The first one is to ignore them. They have no right to tell us what to believe. Number two is, listen. Listen to their argument, then tell them nicely that its still what you believe and they can't change that. no one can. Will we never be left alone by these people?
Witches Today: Us!
They see us hanging around together. they see our pentacles that we wear around our neck. They look at us and mutter the words 'devil child!'. But, once again, do they even know what this religion is about. There are bound to be those 'wannabe's' in the street that are drawing symbols they don't even understand, and saying that there preparing for their ritual. This is not us, but these people don't think about how they may be portraying us. Hopefully, in time they and many people might realize just how beautiful this religion is, and stop all this negative thinking about us!
Sabrina The Teenage Witch...
The next is the more glam and modern look at witchcraft. Although most witches do watch and ejoy programmes that are regular looks on the modern witchcraft created my the media (buffy, sabrina the teenage witch, angel ect). they do not portray the true light of witchcraft, more of a manufactured image. Along with this comes fluffie-bunnies. The people who believe that like willow, they can make people fall in love with them instantly, create fireballs and shoot lightening out of their fingertips have a name. One being fluffie-bunnies. The other being ' a little bit messed up in the head department'. I'm not saying all fluffs do believe that, in fact a majority just believe the love spell thing. But the reason this is the last reason is because these bunnies are so popular that when people do take a look at witchcraft they do normally first stumble into these and decide is a bit eccentric.
13 Goals of a witch
By: wildmoon
1. know yourself
2. know your craft (wicca)
3. learn
4. apply knowledge with wisdom
5. achieve balance
6. keep your words in good order
7. keep your thoughts in good order
8. celebrate life
9. attune with the cycles of earth
10. breathe and eat correctly
11. exorcise the body
12. meditate
13. honour the goddess and god
for me, the jul season begins around mid november....the animals which needed to be turned into meat and skins have been done so around october, winter finding. stores of food and provisions are laid in. hay for the remaining beasts, and grain stores. vegetables and meat and fish for us, along with the foods for the jul feastings.
it is the dark time of the year.
the wild hunt rides this time of year. according to which myth you follow, it is odin with his wolves, baying out to manni, the moon, as alfadr rides the night skies, his one eye bright with the god madness on these nights.
or it is thorr, driving his wain, his chariot, the goats red eyed and wild, their hooves thundering the skies, the hammer mjollnir throwing out lightning to catch the unwary.
all sorts of traditions have grown up over the years around jul. one has it that thorr is the origin of santa claus, his gifts given to the farmer or hard working thrall, gift for gift, profit for profit and who would refuse the gifts of the gods? for, it could be the greatest of gifts, life.....
so in scandinavian countries still, a goat, the symbol of fertility and prosperity, of straw is hung upon the jul trees, brightly decked with a red collar. elves, small and red-capped, remnants of those proud peoples whose gifts were prized, still carry parcels to place under the trees.
and on the nights of the wild hunt, when the storm lords ride the skies, wolves howl and thunder roars and wise is the man who stays indoors, away from the hunt....
most of all, jul is a celebration of life in the face of the jaws of death, from the time when shops didn`t exist and the only food you could have was the food you raised with your own two hands. when the only heat you could bask in was born from the fireplace built with your own hands, the wood stacked with your hands.
from times when winter claimed the weak, the sick, the poor, we celebrate having enough to eat, to drink, health to enjoy it all and prepare for the coming seasons.
feasts are lavish, hearty affairs, whether the food is rustic country or sophisticated city foods, and a portion is given to the gods in the form of blot and sumbel, where mead is drunk and sacred toasts made, vow to friend and god alike.
gifts are given, as much to show and say "look, i am prosperous enough to give away", as to give to loved ones a token of appreciation and love.
all in all, it is a double edged time, of fear, of poverty, death, lack, and of mirth, of prosperity, wealthy, and show....
here is wishing everyone, the least sharp edge of THAT sword this season, and that wealth and prosperity and love be yours throughout. :)
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