1 The Original Paganlore.com Site in e-Book format converted by Chronos 2011 2 Introduction The following information was taken from the orginal pagalore.com with designed and created by Bayowolf & Erzsebet. For years after Chronos took over the site, I kept a sub section of the site for the page. But the Time has come to optimize the site and it's contents. The information was always useful to others, so I would hate to see it disappear into the dark reaches of cyber space. So to help keep the information alive, I have converted it into an eBook format for everyone to download, read, and use. It is more or less a copy of the html file so some of the link might not work. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Home Page What’s New Authors We Know and their books Pagan Musicians & their music Wicca 101 How do I Find a Teacher? What is your Witch Potential? What do you put in a Book of Shadows? Tools of The Craft (Alter Tools) Principles of Wiccan/Pagan Beliefs Magical Elements Familiars Festivals (Holidays) Sabbats (Major & Minor) Wiccan/Pagan Paths The 13 Basic Wiccan Principles The Wiccan Rede The 4 Directions & Their Meanings Circles, Why Use Them? Casting the Circle Casting the Circle II Erecting the Temple Herbal Danger List 6 12 14 16 18 19 21 23 26 62 64 67 71 74 77 81 84 85 88 92 94 96 101 Advanced Wicca Preparing for Magick Wiccan Faith & Skepticism Gods in Magickal Workings Basic Meditation & Chakra's Advanced Chakra's & Meditation 102 103 106 110 114 118 Book of Shadows Divination Crystal & Stone Magick Rune Magick Rune Stone Introduction The Rune Stones Rune Guide Rune Making Magical References Rune Gods/Goddess Association Rune Rituals Change Runes 131 266 267 275 276 279 330 335 343 348 349 359 4 Fact & Fiction But what about Satan? How Christianity Became 366 367 368 Reference Desk Craft Names (humor) Telling Your Friends & Family That You Are a Pagan Links to our Wiccan Friends Wiccan/Pagan Learning Links Wiccan Pagan Supplies Pagan Awareness Links Our Book Shelf Boycott MW Dictionary! Witches Rede of Chivalry Rites of Passage Pentagram Meanings A Little About Us (Bayowolf & Erzsebet) Amergin's Invocation to Ireland Simple Meditations Deep Relaxation Mantra Meditation Passive Meditation Active Meditation Light Meditation The Giveaway Journey Truth Meditation 372 373 377 Gardnerianism Glossary of Wiccan PaganTerms Grimoire vs. Book of Shadows What is a Hedgewitch? Rites of Passage: Initiation vs. Self-Initiation The Lycian Tradition of Wicca Guardians vs. Watchtowers The Real Origin of Wicca 420 380 382 384 386 387 391 393 395 399 400 403 404 405 406 407 408 410 418 424 449 451 454 455 459 460 5 6 Top of Form Paganlore.com (Formally Bayowolf & Erzsebet's Wiccan Page "Still owned and maintained by Bayowolf & Erzsebet" NOTE: This mainpage contains alot of information as well Since 12/20/97 Site Last Updated May 20th, 2002 FREE BOOK OF SHADOWS ON CD ROM! Click here Almanac of Key Terrestrial Events Solstices, Equinoxes and Cross Quarters Click here!! Add A Link To Your Website Here ! 7 In Our new Wiccan/Pagan Links Section Search Paganlore.com for what you are looking for with our new internal site search! Search our web site! Bottom of Form Top of Form Search This Site for Search Get a Free Search Engine for Your Web Site New Pagan/Wiccan Classified Ads! Post your items Wanted or For Sale for the whole world to see! "We are not evil. We don't harm or seduce people. We are not dangerous. We are ordinary people like you. We have families,jobs, hopes, and dreams. We are not a cult. This religion is not a joke. We are not what you think we are from looking at TV. We are real. We laugh, we cry. We are serious. We have a sense of humor. You don't have to be afraid of us. We don't want to convert you. And please don't try to convert us. Just give us the same right we give you -- to live in peace. We are much more similar to you than you think." Margot Adler "Drawing Down The Moon" Pg.453 8 Want to find people, pagan events, workshops or shops in your area? CLICK HERE! Links to festivals and gatherings around Florida & Georgia Florida Pagan Gatherings by The Church of Iron Oak Dragon Star Grove Allworlds Ranch Find all of you Pagan related items, jewelry etc. HERE from these fine shops! FREE "PAGANLORE.COM" Web-Based E-mail! Many features including spam filters, html, ICQ integration and more! ([email protected]) Sign Up with paganlore Mail! Click Here! FREE "PAGANLORE.COM" Web-Based E-mail! 9 And It Harm None, Do as Thou Wilt Wicca is a joyous religion springing from our kinship with nature. It is a merging with the Goddesses and Gods, the universal energies which created all in existence. It is a personal, positive celebration of life. Welcome to our Wiccan / Pagan page! This page is here to help in the better understanding of Wicca & the Craft. There are so many misconceptions of what Wicca & Wiccans are and are not. For to long there have been many myths, legends, fables, and just downright lies spread about what this "religion" is all about. We hope to shed a little more light on what we and other wiccans are about as well as give our fellow wiccans another great wiccan page to visit, with personal pages and great links as well! Have fun, and PLEASE SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK and tell us what you think! Current Moon Phase: Moon Phase by Spirit Web Used with Permission Bayowolf and Erzsebet Ask.... There are several questions posted.. Please send in YOUR opinion! #1.) Do you feel Wiccans/Pagans should charge for Tarot & Rune Readings, Etc. #2.) What Book(s) do you always recommend to others? Your Favorites and why? #3.) How do you deal with people's negative comments about wicca (calling you a satanist, etc..) and what can we do to improve the negative image we have? #4.) Which do you prefer? Coven or Solitary?and Why? #5.) What Did You think of the movie, "The Craft?" E-Mail Us Your Opinion, Please Give a Reference As To Which Question You Are Referring. 10 If There is a Question You Would Like to See Posted Here Please Send it to Us! All Your Comments Will Be Posted On Their Corresponding Pages. Tell Us Who You Are, & What You Think of the Page! G... Sign Our Guestbook View Guest Book Here Bayowolf is a member of The Fellowship of Isis Wiccan/Pagan Contact service to meet others in your area.... This site has undergone a major facelift. Everything is much easier to read and navigate. Stop by and check it out today - Over 500 contacts listed! There are now State/Country mailing lists available for all states and several countries. See the Index page for subscribing details. One of the BEST Wiccan / Pagan Sites on the Net! If you would like to link to this site please use this banner The URL is http://www.paganlore.com 11 (Please click and save this banner to your own server) If You Would Like To Have a Link To Your Home Page Displayed On Our Links page Click Here Bayowolf & Erzsebet's Wiccan Page are proud MEMBERS of E-Mail Bayowolf & Erzsebet Bottom of Form 12 What’s New Paganlore.com What's New? Latest Updates November 16th, 2001 We have added 2 new sections. We have added "Authors we know and their books" & "Pagan musicians & their music" We personally know everyone of the Authors and Musicians, and there are all outstanding people! Please give it a look! You can purchase most of the Authors books right here online! July 1st, 2001 We have added quite a bit today. Sorry we have been very busy with other ventures and have not had alot of time to devote to updates. Today we have added a new "Add your own links section" a new and improved "Message board and Forum" a Wonderful "Pagan/Wiccan Classified Ads Section" that will allow visitors to buy, sell or post wanted ads for anything, for the whole world to see! Hopefully we can use this alot for Magikal items such as Robes, Insence, Oils, Alter Tools etc.., But really anything of value to someone! There is also a new box on the main page to refer a friend that has been giving us some trouble temporarily, but it should be working fine very soon (don't be afraid to try it). We will be trying to keep the page updated a 13 little more with some new and interesting things. If anyone has suggestions of things you would like to see added, or have submissions of your own for our site, please feel free to e-mail us with them! Thanks as always, and Blessings! Bayowolf & Erzsebet August 13th, 2000 Added to the "Advanced Wicca" section is "Gods in Magickal Workings" this is a list of all of the Gods & Goddesses, their Pathoens and which ones to use for different divinations. Also added in the "Advanced Wicca" section "Understanding The Chakra's" & "Chakra's & Meditation" August 7th, 2000 We've been busy again today! We have added new items to "Wicca 101" section, "Reference" section & "Advanced Wicca" Check it out! August 6th, 2000 As you might have seen, we have changed our look! Hope you all like the new & improved web site. We will be working hard to add alot of new things to the site in the next few weeks. Let us know what you think of the new site! Also...FINALLY HERE! After over 2 years of work Erzsebet has gotten her Rune Magick page up! Click here to see it or go to the "Divination" section. [email protected] 14 Authors We Know and their books Paganlore.com "Pagan Authors that we know" & where to find their books! Authors: (click on their names for more info) Trish Telesco (has written over 40 books) Dottie Gilmore Anderson (has written 2 books, new very talented author) Maya Heath (has written many books a must look) More to come soon! 15 Pagan Musicians & their music Paganlore.com Pagan Musicians & their music (all good friends of ours!) 16 Dreamtrybe Click here for info & cd's Dana Davis 17 Click here for bio and cd purchase 18 Wicca 101 19 How do I Find a Teacher? Paganlore.com "How Do I Find a Teacher?" "The teacher will find the student when both are ready." Kind of a foggy concept, but it is a very true one. What have you done to prepare yourself? Are you reading books? Do you have questions about the books or are you simply reading and believing them? No good teacher will encourage you to read and believe. They will encourage you to read and to question. Guidelines for finding teachers are: 1. Don't look on the Internet except to look for people in your area. Though asking questions is always accepted. 2. Don't believe someone is a teacher just because they say they are. 3. Ask about the teacher within the community. Good character references are important, along with questions about whether or not they attend gatherings, festivals, or any community functions. Any knowledge is good knowledge. Do not try to dig into the past of other 20 students. Some do not want to be known. It is all about respect. 4. You do NOT have to sleep with anyone in order to join a coven or receive magickal training. 5. See #4 and read it over and over again until you know it by rote. 6. Honor your teacher by respecting what they have to offer you. Courtesy goes a long long way when first approaching someone. 7. Do not begin unless you are serious. If you do not want to work hard, do not waste a persons time by playing. There are several places to find people in your area: http://www.paganprofiles.com http://www.hue.org/paganww http://www.witchvox.com/xwotw.html And remember that everyone is a teacher just as everyone is a student. We all have something to bring or to take. If it is not a two-way street, then get out the road map and find another street! 21 What is your Witch Potential? Paganlore.com "What is Your Witch Potential? " from the Witchs Almanac Read the following questions and see how you react to them: 1. Have you always been intrigued by the occult? 2. Do you love the Earth and everything about it? 3. Does a storm stir in you an inexplicable sense of excitement? 4. Are you a sensualist? 5. Have you always felt different from most of those around you, set apart? 6. Do you instinctively respond to animals? 7. Are you comfortable alone? 8. Are you relatively indifferent to material possessions? 9. Have you had fleeting glimpses of former lives? Should you find you can answer most of these questions in the affirmative your witch potential is probably high and should be encouraged. There is no church to join, no tribute to pay and no hierarchy to employ. You, and you alone, must concentrate on the 22 development of your own other-consciousness. Go to nature and observe. Attune your inner-mechanism to the quiet pace of the seasons and the procession of the constellations across the sky. Go alone, or with that person closest to you. Watch the moon rise, walk in the forests. Feel the earth, drink the water, breathe the air...then light the sacred candles and begin the life you were meant to live. (* The Witches' Almanac Spring 1995 - Spring 1996 pg. 94 ** Originally appeared in the first public edition of The Witches' Almanac, 1971) 23 What do you put in a Book of Shadows? Paganlore.com "Book of Shadows" (c) 1998-1999 Spirit Online The most valuable and essential tool to the witch is a BoS (Book of Shadows). This is a collection of all your learnings, memories, rituals, etc. in one place. Most modern Wiccans use a three-ring binder to make it easy to arrange documents and add in other papers. This can, of course, be hand-written or printed from a computer. The following is a listing of some common things people keep in their BoS. Don't limit yourself- just because these are the most ordinary things to keep, it doesn't mean they are the only things you can keep. Creativity will make your BoS more special. The Wiccan Rede Include a copy of the rede. You may also want to have an evaluation of the rede- that is, "dissect" the rede and consider each statement, and write about its meaning and value to your practices. Our copy of the rede can be found here. 24 The Sabbats Have a copy of the eight major sabbats and include information on the importance of each one. Our online list of the sabbats can be found here. Calendar Make sure that you mark things you are documenting with the time of the month and the moon phases. This assists in what works for you and when is the best time for certain workings. Magickal Correspondences A list of what each god and goddess represents, and a list of the meanings of herbs in magick, and the symbolism of different candle colors. Maybe include a list of the significance of different scented incences. Rituals and Spells Have a section of rituals and spells you find practical and useful, or you may need for future occasions. Here Chants and Poems Chants or prayers you find especially nice are good for your BoS collection. Also, personal poetry and your own hand-written chants would be a great addition to your book. Daily Journal/ Dream Journal A journal of daily events and occurences is always a good idea. A dream journal is also an excellent suggestion- recording and analyzing dreams can help you to become more in touch with your "third eye", or psychic awareness. There are some outlines for dream journals, which you can find at spiritonline.com's dreams and lucidity page. My thoughts are to have a seperate dream journal. Insights Your path to learning can help you more in the future if you are able to look back on it. Ask yourself questions, and write your responses in a section of personal insights. As opposed to a daily journal, this will not record actual events, but instead, will 25 help you to reflect on theories and thoughts. Think about how you began on this path, reconsider your ways of life, think about the wonders of reality, write a little on what Wicca means to you and how it's changed your outlook on life. Anything goes. And you can always return to a previous insight, and add what new views you've stumbled upon! Don't forget to write the time/date on each entry! Remember, don't just stick a bunch of stuff into your BoS. Only include what you consider to be of value, and always make your own alterations. If you put a ritual in there, write side-notes on what you decided to change for your purpose. If you put an inspirational article in there, add your own thoughts and ideas in the margins. 26 Tools of The Craft (Alter Tools) Paganlore.com Tools of The Craft The use of tools in ritual and magic has been documented since the ice age. Neopagans, ceremonial magicians, and even Christians still use various tools in ritual today. In these pages, we will discuss commonly used tools in Wicca and what they symbolize. Tools are an important part of any religion or magickal practice. It is often thought that religion inspires art, and tools are an art form in their own right. The tools of religion inspire us and help us channel the energies raised in ritual. First, I want to mention a few things. Tools are nice to have, however, don't run out and buy a cauldron because you need one to work magic or use in ritual. If you don't want to work with a tool, or can't find/afford/make it, don't worry. The power is inside you. Tools just help to focus and store energy. Also, feel free to add or create tools that work for you if the traditional set leave a gap. When collecting tools, consider a few things. It is always best to try to make or customize a purchased tool yourself. No one expects you to forge a knife blade, but why not inscribe in the blade with an engraver or acid? Tools that are handmade or customized have part of your energy stored in them from the creation process, and make them "in tune" to you. Most Wiccans prefer natural materials like clay and wood and natural cloths. 27 You can buy tools from mail order, thrift shops, and anyplace else you can think of. When buying a tool, please wait until you feel you have found "the one"; just don't grab the first thing you see because you "need it". Look around your house! A cooking pot is a great cauldron; if you notice most of the tools are household objects, helpful when trying to hide them during the burning times! One more point, just because some of the below descriptions state certain specifications doesn't mean your tool can't be different. A magickal or ri tual tool is any item that has been cleansed, consecrated and empowered for ritual purposes. At first, tools were simple, natural items that were used by primitive wo/man to provide a sense of identity and connection with unseen spirits. Often, these objects were small fetishes or totems, and were usually made of materials associated with the spirit(s) with which they wished to commune. As the concept of priesthood solidified, tools became highly specialized. These tools were elaborate works of beauty and power which were often passed down through the ages. Ritual tools are found in almost all religions and magickal practices. They range in size from small hand held items and pieces of jewelry, to immovable objects such as idols and stone megaliths. Although the appearances of tools may differ culturally, their functions are basically the same. As the student examines the tools of several different cultures, they will notice that these ritual items are each associated with the different elements. Back To Index Paganlore.com The Alter The Altar is the center of your place to worship. 28 The Altar is the center of your place to worship. It will be your table for your supplies during rituals, holding your candles, Book of Shadows, Bells, and whatever else you may need. Your altar can be made from just about anything, and can either be permanent or temporary, indoor or outdoor. In my personal preference, I much prefer an outdoors altar. In our coven rituals and rites, we have found a beautiful grove of trees in a forest in the hills. in the center of this grove is the trunk of a tree someone had cut down, and after blessing the area and thanking the god and goddess, we have been using the trunk as an altar. For myself and the other members, this is one of the best places and kinds of altar we have ever used. The feeling is indescribable. Whenever you are indoors, or even outdoors, you can consruct a simple altar from just about anything. if you are short on space in your home, and cannot leave your altar set up at all time, feel free to clear off a coffee table and use this. If you can though, find something to use as an altar (coffee table, flat desk, etc) that you can leave set up at all times. Another thing to think about when you find your altar, is what kind of altar cloth will you use? or will you use an altar cloth at all? Some Wiccan traditions prescribe a certain color for use on the altar, and others do not. Some traditions require a special symbol to be embroidered or painted on the cloth. The decision is up to you. Some general guidelines for selecting an altar are listed below. These are just a few questions you can ask yourself to help choose your altar.... What type of altar do you prefer? Will you make it, buy it, or use something you already have? Where will you place your altar? Inside the house, outside, what room, which corner, etc.? What will you use for altar cloths? 29 What type of illumination will you work by? What tools & representations of the deities would you like to put on your altar? Back To Index Paganlore.com The Athame The athame is the tool over all elements Intro & History of The Athame Consecration of The Athame How To Make An Athame by Wyn Summerhawk L.C.W. PhD. & Talisman Winterhawk L.C.W. U.L.C. PhD. The Athame is the Black Handled Knife use to cut the necessary things for the circle such as the pentagrams in the quarters and the circle. It should be mentioned herein that the Athame need not be a black handled knife. It is the opinion of the authors that it suit the person who uses it. It is also used to invoke and banish things that are unwanted or needed in the circle. It is considered to be an extension of the users "self". This includes will, spirit, thought, emotion and manifestation as well. It should be mentioned here that the Athame is never used for cutting things like meat, thread, plants or anything else considered a solid object on this plane. (Use of this blade for self defense will make it null and void for any magickal use again.) 30 The written history of the Athame as a magickal tool comes to us from the Lansdowne Manuscript dated 1202 and the Sloane Manuscript dated 1307. Before we go further it must be stated that the manuscripts above were great magickal works and this information was evidently known and practiced well before these manuscripts we re written. These are considered to be the only survivors of the book and Witch burnings of the inquisitions. The material contained in these manuscripts is Quabalistic in nature. In the book The Key Of Solomon, L.W.deLaurence's 1914 translation of the manuscripts states that the Black Handled Knife,"...is for making the Circle wherewith to strike terror and fear into the Spirits. It should be made on the day of Mercury, the Hour of Saturn, tempered "thrice" by fire and dipped into the blood of a black cat and juice of hemlock." Not something I want to do with my Athame today. In Israel Regardie's book, "The Golden Dawn", 1984 the method of "making" the Air Dagger is a very long ceremonial ritual. The Air Dagger is considered to be the equivalent of the Wiccan Athame. This is where so many get confused as to what direction the Athame should correspond to. The Athame my be used as an Air Dagger but it is NOT an Air Dagger. Considering the age of the manuscripts that deLaurence translated and the initial printing of "The Golden Dawn" in 1937 there was a change of attitude as to the Athame, i.e., no more blood used in consecration. Further history shows a Greek vases with women commanding Spirits with a short bladed knife. "The Clavicle Of Solomon" published 1572, mentions the knife as a "Arthana" which Athame may be a subverted form of the word. For more information on the history of the Athame I would suggest reading The A.B.C.'s of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente. The Athame is nothing like it used to be . It is the considered opinion that the Athame is of the Center and of the other four quarters as well, not just the East. It is the controlling factor and extension of Self in magick that leads us to that conclusion. We consider the Athame to be a tool of center, of self, of evocation and banishing. The Athame is the tool wielded of one's own will, thoughts, emotions, and intuition, over all of the Elements and over ALL. We use it to command, even, the spirits that we evoke, invoke, and banish. The moment one strikes a relationship with the blade is the beginning of it's consecration. The purpose of consecration is to embedd in one's own mind and in the very metal of the blade, the focus of it's purpose. Cleansing a clearing is the symbolic refinement of the blade. Binding makes the blade truly one's own, and extension of self in the center of the Universe. Charging is the energy from within the self projected through the blade and outward in the direction of ones intent. Back To Index The Consecration of the Athame... 31 Required for the ritual: The intended blade wrapped in a black cloth (symbolically still unmined metal) Juice of pimpernell (in lieu of sacrifice) in a cup of water A basin of water large enough to wash the blade with salt Solomon's Seal incense A feather A needle and candle to sterilize, to take a drop of own blood (optional) Container of earth large enough to bury the blade Brazier, Hibachi, or a torch and fuel to temper the blade (preferably a flame) Lodestone or magnet Beginning in the center of the consecrated alter in the center of a sacred space (In the center of the Universe) three days beforethe new Moon; 1. Take the intended blade out of the black cloth as if mining the metal. Wash the blade as if washing new metal from the Earth (optional brushing as well). Thank the Earth for the metal. 2. Carry the blade to the East and smudge with smoke of incense and the feather. Meditate upon the blade's purpose-extension of self with fine tuned intellectual process behind it's use, consciously driven. Anoint the blade with oils from the skin rubbing it from haft to point, visualizing it being formed into the shape it should be in idea or design. 3. Carry the blade to the South. Heat in the brazier and temper in the cup with juice of pimpernell three times. Meditating on the forging of the metal as per the design, thinking it made as "mine" (A drop of blood from one's own finger intensifies this concept at this time) then chant: Blade of steel I conjure thee, To ban all things as named by me, And as my words, SO MOTE IT BE. Say it until it sticks. 4. Carry the blade to the West. Bathe the blade lovingly in the basin of water and anoint with own bodily fluids such as a tear, or saliva. Meditate upon the emotional bond one chooses to build with the blade. 5. Carry to the North. Rub the blade gently from the point to haft with the magnet or lodestone chanting: Blade of steel I conjure thee, To attract all things as named by me, And as my words, SO MOTE IT BE. Say it until it sticks. Ceremoniously bury the blade in the earth filled basin to rest as dead to be reborn seven days later. Speaking over the new grave something like (it is suggested it be one's own poem): Thee of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth Made as mine, My will through thee, Mastering all Elements, My Servant 6. Seven days later recast the circle around the undisturbed blade in it's basin 32 of earth. This would be a good time to have a name ready for the 'newborn' Athame. 7. Carry the Athame to each quarter. Introduce it to the Guardians by the name that has been chosen. 8. The name of the blade, one's own name, and/or words of power in secret symbols of one's own choice can now be embedded, painted, or engraved upon blade and handle as one chooses. Back To Index Making Your Athame Written By Raymond Buckland from his book, Complete Book of Witchcraft If you can't buy a suitable piece of steel, use an old file or chisel and work with that. Whatever steel you have, it is going to be hard so your first job will be to soften it for working. Heat the steel till it is a dull red. If you have no other way of doing it, lay it on the burner of a gas or electric stove. You may have to leave it there, with the control turned fully on, for several hours but it will eventually heat up to a dull red. Once it has reached that color, turn off the heat and let it cool down naturally. That's all there is to it. It will now be softened and easier to work. Figure 3.1 Mark on the metal, with a pencil, the shape you want it to be (see figure 3.1). With a power handsaw (if you have one), or a simple hacksaw, cut out the profile and file off any rough edges Then start shaping the blade for sharpness. A grinding wheel could come in handy here, though you can work with rough and smooth files. The blade is going to be double-edged, so you are aiming for a diamond shaped cross-section (see figure 3.2). Finish off the blade with 2 grades of wet and dry paper. Now your blade will need to be hardened and tempered. Heat it up again, this time until it is red hot. Then take hold of it with a pair of pliers and plunge it into a bowl of tepid (not cold, or the blade will crack) water or oil. Allow it to cool off then clean it with wet and dry paper. 33 Figure 3.1 Figure 3.2 Figure 3.3 and 3.4 Next, to temper it, reheat the blade to a dull red. Again, plunge it, point downwards, into tepid water or oil, moving it up and down in the liquid. Clean it with wet and dry paper, then heat it again. Watch the blade carefully this time as it changes color. It will go to a bright, light, straw color, then to a me dium straw color. Immediately plunge the blade into the water and let it cool off (don't let it get past the straw color; it would go to blue, then purple and green.) Watch the point as that will change color first, At the first sign of "blueing" on the point, plunge the blade into the water. NOTE: The colors appear quickly. Keep the point the farthest from the heat. Once the blade is cold take it outside and plunge it into the ground a couple of times. Now you have Moved the blade through the Air, Heated it with Fire, 34 Plunged it into Water, and Showed it to the Earth. For the handle, take 2 pieces of wood. Draw around the tang (the handle part of the blade) on each of the pieces of wood. (see figure 3.3 and 3.4). Then chisel out the marked sections, each one to ~21 the thickness of the tang. When finished, the 2 pieces of wood should lay together perfectly with the tang inserted between them. When you are satisfied they fit well, slightly roughen the inside wood and then spread a good epoxy resin glue all over. Put the tang in place, press the 2 wooden handle halves together and clamp. When clamping, put on the pressure slowly so as to give a better "spread" to the glue. Leave clamped for at least 3 days. When removed from the clamp, draw a profile of the handle you want on the wood and start cutting/carving it to shape. Some traditions call for certain signs to be carved on the handle. Even if your does not, you may wish to add some decoration. I would certainly recommend at least putting your Craft Name or monogram on it. You might also like to etch something on the blade, this isn't difficult to do. Back To Index Paganlore.com Incense Incense are a tool of the element Air. I have scanned a chapter from Complete Book of Incenses, Oils and Brews for this section. And added a incense chart myself. Cunningham's Intro to Incense INCENSE HAS SMOLDERED on magicians' altars for at least 5,000 years. It was burned in antiquity to mask the odors of sacrificial animals, to carry prayers to the Gods, and to create a pleasing environment for humans to meet with Deity. 35 Today, when the age of animal sacrifices among most Western magicians is long past, the reasons for incense use are varied. It is burned during magic to promote ritual consciousness, the state of mind necessary to rouse and direct personal energy. This is also achieved through the use of magical tools, by standing before the candlebewitched altar, and by intoning chants and symbolic words. When burned prior to magical workings, fragrant smoke also purifies the altar and the surrounding area of ne gative, disturbing vibrations. Though such a purification isn't usually necessary, it, once again, helps create the appropriate mental state necessary for the successful practice of magic. Specially formulated incenses are burned to attract specific energies to the magician and to aid her or him in charging personal power with the ritual's goal, eventually creating the necessary change. Incense, in common with all things, possesses specific vibrations. The magician chooses the incense for magical use with these vibrations in mind. If performing a healing ritual, she or he burns a mixture composed of herbs that promote healing. When the incense is smoldered in a ritual setting it undergoes a transformation. The vibrations, no longer trapped in their physical form, are released into the environment. Their energies, mixing with those of the magician, speed out to effect the changes necessary to the manifestation of the magical goal. Not all incense formulas included in this book are strictly for magical use. Some are smoldered in thanks or offering to various aspects of Deity, just as juniper was burned to Inanna 5,000 years ago in Summer. Other blends are designed to enhance Wiccan rituals. You needn't limit incense use to ritual, but avoid burning healing incense just for the smell, or to freshen up your stale house. Burning magically constructed and empowered incenses when they're not needed is a waste of energy. If you wish to burn a pleasantsmelling incense, compound a household mixture for this purpose. Back To Index Incense Chart Blueberry - Burn to keep unwanted influences away from your home and property Blue Roses - Specially crafted to honor the Goddess in all her aspects Carnation - A sweet floral scent traditionally used for healing Cherry - Sacred to Venus, this blend will attract and stimulate love 36 Cinnamon - Use to gain wealth and success Coconut - Burn for protection and purification Copal - Sacred to the Mayan and Aztecs, this blend is suitable for honoring the Gods Frangiapani - Burn to brighten your home with friendship and love Frankincense - Draw upon the energy of the sun to create sacred space, consecrate objects, and stimulate positive vibrations Honeysuckle - Burn for good health, luck, and psychic power Jasmine - For luck in general, especially in matters relating to love Lotus - For inner peace and outer harmony, to aid in meditation and open the mind's eye Musk - Burn for courage and vitality, or to heighten sensual passion Myrrh - An ancient incense for protection, healing, purification and spirituality Passionflower - For peace of mind, this sweet scent will soothe troubles and aid in sleep Patchouli - An earthy scent used in money and attraction spells Pine - Burn for strength, and to reverse negative energies Rose - For love Magick, and to return calm energies to the home Sandalwood - A delicious all purpose scent used to heal and protect Spice - A fiery scent to be charged for any Magick Spirit - Raise your personal vibration, attract spirit guides and honor your personal deity Strawberry - For love, luck and friendship Tangerine - A solar aroma used to attract prosperity Temple - A devotional incense for the altar during ritual Vanilla - Stimulate amorous appetites and enhance memory 37 Back To Index Incense: The Materials Incenses are composed of a variety of leaves, flowers, roots, barks, woods, resins, gums and oils. Semiprecious stones may also be added to incenses to lend their energies to the mixture, much as emeralds were once burned in fires by ancient Meso-American peoples. Out of the literally hundreds of potential incense ingredients perhaps 14 are most frequently used. Keep a stock of these herbs on hand if you plan to make several incenses. These might include: Frankincense Pine needles or resin (pitch) Myrrh Juniper Benzoin Sandalwood Copal Cedar Rose petals Thyme Bay Basil Cinnamon Rosemary Be aware that many plants (if not all!) smell quite different when being smoldered. Sweet scents turn sour fast. If you wish, take a large number of dried and finely ground plant substances (flowers, leaves, bark, roots) and drop a small portion of each herb onto a hot charcoal block; then decide whether the scent is pleasing or not. You might make a notation of each botanical and its scent in a special notebook reserved for this purpose or on three-by five-inch cards. Also note any psychic or other sensations you notice with each burning herb. In this way you'll eventually build up a thorough knowledge of incense materials, which will aid you in your herbal magic. Do remember that, as surprising as it sounds, scent isn't a factor in magical incense, except very generally: sweet odors are usually used for positive magical goals, while foul scents are used for banishing rituals. Scent is power. It allows us to slip into ritual consciousness, thereby allowing us to raise power, infuse it with the proper energies, and send it forth toward the magical goal. However, not all magical incenses smell sweet. Some have strong, resinous odors; others, intensely bitter scents. Incenses intended for ritual use are blended to provide the proper energies during magical operations - not to smell pleasing to the human nose. Don't let this scare you away from incense, however. Most of our associations with 38 "pleasant" and "foul" odors are learned, and our noses aren't as capable of determining various scents as they should be. Retrain your nose to accept exotic scents, and the art of incense burning will become a joy, not something to be tolerated for the sake of magic. Occult supply stores stock incense intended for use in magic. Many rare blends can be purchased for a few dollars. While these are magically effective, you may wish to make some of your own. Back To Index The Two Forms of Incense Incense is virtually a necessity in magical practice, but there seems to be a great mystery surrounding its composition. Fortunately with practice, it's surprisingly easy to make incense. Two types of incense are used in magic: the combustible and the noncombustible. The former contains potassium nitrate (saltpeter) to aid in burning, while the latter does not. Therefore combustible incense can be burned in the form of bricks, cones, sticks and other shapes, whereas noncombustible incense must be sprinkled onto glowing charcoal blocks to release its fragrance. Ninety- five percent of the incense used in magic is the non-combustible, raw or granular type. Why? Perhaps because it's easier to make. Herbal magicians are notoriously practical people. Also, some spells (particularly divinatory or evocational rites; see the Glossary for unfamiliar words) call for billowing clouds of smoke. Since cone, stick and block incense burn at steady rates, such effects are impossible with their use. The advantages of combustible incense can outweigh its drawbacks, depending on circumstance. Need to burn some money drawing incense for an unexpected ritual? You could take out the censer, a charcoal block and the incense, light the charcoal, place it in the censer and sprinkle incense onto it. Or you could pull out a cone of money-drawing incense, light it, set it in the censer and get on with your ritual. Different magicians prefer different types of incense. I'm partial to raw or noncombustible incenses, but the wise magical herbalist stocks both types. Hence, instructions for the preparation of both forms appear here Back To Index Noncombustible Incense Be sure you have all necessary ingredients. If you lack any, decide on substitutions (see Chapter 5 or Part III for ideas). Each ingredient must be finely ground, preferably to a powder, using either a mortar 39 and pestle or an electric grinder. Some resins won't powder easily, but with practice you'll find the right touch. When I first worked with herbs I couldn't powder frankincense. It kept on gumming to the sides of the mortar and to the tip of the pestle. After a while I stopped fighting it (and cursing it, I'll admit- not a good thing to do with herbs used in incenses) and got into the flow of the work. The frankincense came out just fine. When all is ready, fix your mind on the incense's goal-protection, love, health. In a large wooden or ceramic bowl, mix the resins and gums together with your hands. While mingling these fragrant substances, also mix their energies. Visualize your personal power- vibrating with your magical goal-exiting your hands and entering the incense. It is this that makes homemade incense more effective than its commercial counterparts. Next, mix in all the powdered leaves, barks, flowers and roots. As you mix, continue to visualize or concentrate on the incense's goal. Now add any oils or liquids (wine, honey, etc.) that are included in the recipe. Just a few drops are usually sufficient. On the subject of oils: If there's a sufficient amount of dry ingredients in the recipe, you can substitute an oil for an herb you lack. Simply ensure that the oil an essential oil, for synthetics smell like burning plastic when smoldered. Once all has been thoroughly mixed, add any powdered gem-stones or other power boosters. A few-not many-of the recipes in this book call for a pinch of powdered stone. To produce this, simply take a small stone of the required type and pound it in a metal mortar and pestle (or simply smash it with a hammer against a hard surface). Grind the resulting pieces into a powder and add no more than the scantest pinch to the incense. One general power-boosting "stone" is amber. A pinch of this fossilized resin added to any mixture will increase its effectiveness, but this can be rather expensive. The incense is now fully compounded. Empower the incense (see Chapter 2) and it is done. Store in a tightly capped jar. Label carefully, including the name of the incense and date of composition. It is ready for use when needed Back To Index Combustible Incense Combustible incense (in the form of cones, blocks and sticks) is fairly complex in its composition, but many feel the results are worth the extra work. To be blunt, this aspect of incense composition isn't easy. Some of the ingredients are difficult to obtain, the procedure tends to be messy and frustrating, and some even question whether combustible incense is as magically effective as its noncombustible counterpart. For years I hesitated making or using sticks, cones or blocks because they contain potassium nitrate. This substance is magically related 40 to Mars, and I felt this might add unneeded aggressive energies to the I incense. But when I considered that the charcoal blocks I use to burn I noncombustible incense also contain saltpeter, I relented and experimented. However, to this day I prefer the raw form. To each their I own. At first, making combustible incense may seem impossible to accomplish. But persevere and you'll be rewarded with the satisfaction of lighting incense cones you've made yourself. Gum tragacanth glue or mucilage is the basic ingredient of all molded incenses. Gum tragacanth is available at some herb stores; at one time in the past every drugstore carried it. It is rather expensive ($3.00 an ounce as of this writing), but a little will last for months. To make tragacanth glue, place a teaspoon of the ground herb in a glass of warm water. Mix thoroughly until all particles are dispersed. To facilitate this, place in a bowl and whisk or beat with an egg beater. This will cause foam to rise, but it can be easily skimmed off or allowed to disperse. The gum tragacanth has enormous absorption qualities; an ounce will absorb up to one gallon of water in a week. Let the tragacanth absorb the water until it becomes a thick bitter-smelling paste. The consistency of the mixture depends on the form of incense desired. For sticks (the most difficult kind to make) the mixture should be relatively thin. For blocks and cones a thicker mucilage should be made. This is where practice comes in handy after a session or two you will automatically know when the mucilage is at the correct consistency. If you can't find tragacanth, try using gum Arabic in its place. This, too, absorbs water. I haven't tried using it for incense yet, but all reports say it works as well as tragacanth. When you have made the trag glue, cover with a wet cloth and set aside. It will continue to thicken as it sits, so if it becomes to thick add a bit of water and stir thoroughly. Next, make up the incense base. Not all formulas in this hook can be used for combustible incense; in fact, most of them were designed to be used as noncombustible incenses. Fortunately, by adding the incense to a base it should work well. Here's one standard formula for an incense base: CONE INCENSE BASE 6 parts ground Charcoal (not self- igniting) 1 part ground Benzoin 2 parts ground Sandalwood 1 part ground Orris root (this "fixes" the scent) 6 drops essential oil (use the oil form of one of the ingredients in the incense) 2 to 4 parts mixed, empowered incense Mix the first four ingredients until all are well blended. Add the drops of essential oil and mix again with your hands. The goal is to create a powdered mixture with a fine texture. If you wish, run the mixture through a grinder or the mortar again until 41 it is satisfactory. Add two to four parts of the completed and empowered incense mixture (created according to the instructions for Noncombustible Incense above). Combine this well with your hands. Then using a small kitchen scale, weigh the completed incense and add ten percent potassium nitrate. If you've made ten ounces of incense, add one ounce potassium nitrate. Mix this until the white powder is thoroughly blended. Saltpeter should constitute no mo re than ten percent of the completed bulk of the incense. If any more is added, it will burn too fast; less and it might not burn at all. Potassium nitrate isn't difficult to obtain. I buy mine at drug stores, so check these (it isn't usually on the shelf; ask for it at the pharmacy). If you have no luck, try chemical supply stores. Next, add the tragacanth glue. Do this a teaspoon at a time, mixing with your hands in a large bowl until all ingredients are wetted. For cone incense you'll need a very stiff, dough- like texture. If it is too thick it won't properly form into cones and will take forever to dry. The mixture should mold easily and hold its shape. On a piece of waxed paper, shape the mixture into basic cone shapes' exactly like the ones you've probably bought. If this form isn't used, the incense might not properly burn. When you've made up your cone incense, let it dry for two to seven days in a warm place. Your incense is finished. For block incense make a 1/3 inch-thick square of the stiff dough on waxed paper. Cut with a knife into one- inch cubes as if you were cutting small brownies. Separately slightly and let dry. Stick incense can be attempted as well. Add more tragacanth glue to the mixed incense and base until the mixture is wet but still rather thick. The trick here is in determining the proper thickness of the incense/ tragacanth mixture and in finding appropriate materials to use. Professional incense manufacturers use thin bamboo splints, which aren't available. So try homemade wooden or bamboo splints, broom straws, very thin twigs, or those long wooden cocktail skewers that are available at some grocery and oriental food stores. Dip the sticks into the mixture, let them sit upright and then dip again. Several dippings are usually necessary, this is a most difficult process. When the sticks have accumulated a sufficient amount of the incense, poke them into a slab of clay or some other substance so that they stand upright. Allow them to dry. One variation on stick incense making uses a stiffer incense dough. Pat down the dough on waxed paper until it is very thin. Place the stick on the dough. Roll a thin coating of dough around the stick. The incense shouldn't be more than twice the thickness of the stick. Squeeze or press it onto the stick so that it will stay put, let dry. Personally, I find the inclusion of charcoal in this recipe to be distasteful and 42 unnecessary. It makes it imperative that you wash your hands numerous times throughout this process. Although traditional, charcoal also lends a peculiar odor to the incense. So here's another recipe I've used with good results: CONE INCENSE BASE #2 6 parts powdered Sandalwood (or Cedar, Pine, Juniper) 2 parts powdered Benzoin (or Frankincense, Myrrh, etc.) l part ground Orris root 6 drops essential oil (use the oil form of one of the incense ingredients) 3 to 5 parts empowered incense mixture In this recipe, powdered wood is used in place of the charcoal. Use sandalwood if it's included in the incense recipe. If not, use cedar, pine or juniper, depending on the type of incense to be made. Try to match the wood base of this incense to the incense's recipe. If you can't, simply use sandalwood. Mix the first three ingredients until combined. Add the oil and mix again. Then add three to five parts of the completed incense to this. Again, this should be a powder. Weigh and add ten percent potassium nitrate. Mix, add the gum tragacanth glue, combine again and mold in the methods described above. Back To Index Rules of Combustible Incense Composition Here are some guidelines to follow when compounding combustible incense. These are for use with the Cone Incense Base #2 recipe above. If they aren't followed, the incense won't properly burn. There's less room for experimentation here than with noncombustible incenses. First off, never use more than ten percent saltpeter. Ever! Also, keep woods (such as sandalwood, wood aloe, cedar, juniper and pine) and gum resins (frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, copal) in the proper proportions: at least twice as much powdered wood as resins. If there's more resinous matter, the mixture won't burn. Naturally, depending on the type of incense you're adding to the base, you may have to juggle some proportions accordingly. Simply ensure that frankincense and its kin never constitute more than one-third of the final mixture, and all should be well. Though this hasn't covered all aspects of combustible incense making (that could be a book in itself), it should provide you with enough guidelines to make your own. Experiment, but keep these rules in mind. Back To Index Incense Papers Incense papers are a delightful variation of combustible incense. Here, rather than 43 using charcoal and gum tragacanth, tinctures and paper are the basic ingredients. When finished you'll have produced several strips of richly scented paper that can be smoldered with a minimum of fuss. To make incense papers, take a piece of white blotter paper and cut it into six- inch strips about an inch wide. Next, add one and one-half teaspoons potassium nitrate to one half cup very warm water. Stir until the saltpeter is completely dissolved. Soak the paper strips in the saltpeter solution until thoroughly saturated. Hang them up to dry. You now have paper versions of the charcoal blocks used to burn incense. The obstacle in scenting them is to overcome the normal smell of burning paper. For this reason, heavy fragrances should be used, such as tinctures. Tinctures compounded from gums and resins seem to produce the best results. I've tried using true essential oils with incense papers but without much success. Empower the tincture(s) with your magical need, then pour a few drops of the tincture onto one strip of paper. Smear this over the paper and add more drops until it is completely coated on one side. Hang the strip up to dry and store in labeled, airtight containers until needed. To speed drying, turn on the oven to a low temperature, leave the door open, and place the soaked incense papers on the rack. Remove them when dry. Generally speaking, incense papers should be made with one tincture rather than mixtures. But, once again, try various formulas until you come up with positive results. To use incense papers, simply remove one paper and hold it above your censer. Light one tip with a match, and after it is completely involved in flame, quickly blow it out. Place the glowing paper in your censer and let it smolder, visualizing or working your magical ritual. Incense papers should burn slowly and emit a pleasant scent, but again your results will vary according to the strength of the the tincture and the type of paper used. Plain unscented incense papers can be used in place of charcoal blocks. For this purpose soak the papers in the potassium nitrate solution and let dry, then set one alight in the censer. Sprinkle a thin layer of the incense over the paper. As it burns the paper will also smolder your incense. You may have difficulty in keeping incense paper lit. The secret here is to allow air to circulate below the papers. You can ensure this by either placing the paper on some heat-proof object in the censer, or by filling the censer with salt or sand and thrusting one end of the paper into this, much as you might with incense sticks. The paper should burn all the way to its end. Incense papers are a simple and enjoyable alternative to normal combustible incense. Try them! Back To Index The Censer 44 Whether yo u use raw incense, blocks or incense papers, you'll need an incense burner. The censer can be anything from a gilt, chain equipped, church-type affair to a bowl of sand or salt. It truly doesn't matter. I know occultists who have used the bowland-salt method for years, long after they could have afforded to purchase other censers. Although I have several, perhaps my favorite censer is actually a mortar from Mexico. It is carved from lava, stands on three legs and is perfect for use as a censer. Your own taste should determine which censer is right for you. If nothing else is available, use a bowl half- filled with sand or salt and get on with it The sand protects the bowl and the surface on which it sits against heat. It also provides a handy place on which to prop up stick incense. Back To Index Using Combustible Incense Simply light it, blow out the flame after the tip is glowing, and set it in the censer. As it burns visualize your magical goal manifesting in your life. It's that simple. You may wish to also burn candles of the appropriate color, perhaps anointed with a scented oil that is also aligned with your goal. Naturally, incense may also be smoldered as a part of a larger ritual. Back To Index Using Noncombustible Incense Light a self- igniting charcoal block (see below) and place it in a censer. Once the block is glowing and saltpeter within it has stopped sparkling, sprinkle a half- teaspoon or so of the incense on the block. Use a small spoon if you wish. It will immediately begin to burn, and in doing so, release fragrant smoke.* Remember: Use just a small amount of incense at first. When the smoke begins to thin out, add more. If you dump on a spoonful of incense it will probably extinguish the charcoal block, so use small amounts. Incenses containing large amounts of resins and gums (frankincense, myrrh and so on) burn longer than those mainly composed of woods and leaves. Don't knock off the ash that forms on top of the charcoal unless the incense starts to smell foul. In such a case, scrape off the burning incense and the ash with a spoon and add a fresh batch. Frankincense does tend to smell odd after smoldering for some time. Incense can be burned as part of a magical ritual, to honor higher forces, or as a direct act of magic, such as to clear a house of negativity and to smooth peaceful vibrations throughout it. ___________________ * There's a difference between burning and smoldering; though I use such terms as "burn this incense" several times in this book, I really mean "smolder." 45 Back To Index Charcoal Blocks These are necessities for burning noncombustible incense. They're available in a wide range of sizes, from over an inch in diameter (they're usually round) to about a half- inch size. Most religious and occult supply stores stock them, and they can be obtained from mail-order suppliers. Potassium nitrate is added to these charcoal blocks during their manufacture to help them ignite. When touched with a lit match, fresh charcoal blocks erupt into a sparkling fire which quickly spreads across the block. If you wish, hold the block. It may light easily. If so, quickly place it in the censer to avoid burning your fingers. Or, light the block in the censer itself, thereby preventing burns. This is some what harder to do. Unfortunately, some charcoal blocks aren't fresh, have been exposed to moisture, or haven't been properly saturated with the potassium nitrate solution and so don't light well. If this is the case relight the block until it is evenly glowing and red. Then pour on the incense. Back To Index Paganlore.com Candles Candles are a tool of the element Fire Candles are one the most universal things in the Wiccan religion. Throughtout all of its traditions, each at some point or another uses candles. Candles, as you know, come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They are used for all purposes from representing the god and goddess on your altar, to storing and releasing energy, for focal points during meditations, healing, and many many many other uses. Different colored candles are used for different purposes, in different kinds of rituals. If you follow this page down you will see information 46 about the meanings of the different colored candles, and give you some candle magick you can use. Candle Colors The following is a list of candle colors and their assocations. These are not the only things that these colors can stand for. Below that, table 2, is a list of the days of the week, and the colors and associations for each. Table 1 Candle Color Candle Symbolism white red spirituality and peace health,energy,strength,courage, sexual potency pink love affection and romance intellectualism, immagination, memory and creativity yellow fertility, abundance, good luck and harmony green blue inspiration, occult wisdom, protection and devotion purple Material wealth, higher psychic ability, spiritual power and idealism silver clairvoyance, inspiration, astral energy and intuition orange ambition. carrer matters and the law Table 2 Day of the Week MONDAY Color Association WHITE Symbolism purification, protection, peace 47 protection, strength, health, passion, courage TUESDAY RED TUESDAY ORANGE TUESDAY GREEN money, fertility, growth, employment WEDNESDAY PURPLE power, healing, spirituation, meditation THURSDAY LIGHT BLUE healing, patience, happiness THURSDAY BROWN healing animals PINK love, friendship FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY stimulation, energy DARK BLUE YELLOW change, psychic ability intellect, attraction, study, divination Thanks goes to Lord Talows For The Candle Tables Back To Index Paganlore.com The Bell The bell is a feminine symbol. It is often used to invoke the Goddess in ritual. A consecrated brass or crystal bell is often used by Witches to signal the beginning and/or close of a ritual or Sabbat, to summon a particular spirit or deity, and to awaken meditating coven members. Bells are also rung at many Wiccan funeral rites to bless the soul of the Witch who has crossed over to the realm 48 of the dead. The bell is used in many traditions. In some, it is used only on seldom occasions, while in others, it is used quite extensively. First and foremost, the bell should have a clear tone and good pitch. It may be of any size or shape, and made of almost any materials. Covens and solitaries use bells made of evertything from crystal, to ceramics, to brass. The size, material, and shape is left solely up to you. Back To Index Paganlore.com Figurines Representations of the Goddess & God. Many traditions place them on the altar. The nature of these images are of great variety. Some simply use candles; others natural objects representative of the Goddess & God. Still other Wiccans use hand-crafted sculptors or drawings. Genuine clay is available that, when dried in a normal oven, becomes quite hard. It can be used to create your own interpretations of the Goddess & God. You can find many images of the God and/or Goddess in Occult/Pagan shops. They Come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and made from many different materials. Some of which are, candles, clay, stone, silver, and much more. We personally like to use things we find either in nature that we stumble upon or if we see something that really "calls" to us. Whatever you choose, as long as it feels right to you...go for it! Back To Index 49 Paganlore.com The Chalice The chalice represents the Female principle of Water. THE CHALICE: The chalice or cup is used on the altar to represent the Female principle of Water. Another chalice or cauldron is sometimes placed in the West as well. The chalice along with the athame, sword or wand are the modern tools which are used in the enactment of the "Great Rite"-the union of the male and female principle from which Life will spring. Chalices may be of any material. Many use silver or pewter (be careful with untreated metals when serving wine), but ceramic ones are now quite popular and readily obtainable. Some Witches have many different kinds for different types of rituals. Many a practitioner will avoid real "lead" crystal because of the Saturn energy influence. The chalice is sometimes passed around the circle so each participant may take a sip from the cup. This is a bonding experience and often the words "May you never thirst!" are passed throughout the circle with the chalice. 50 Libations of wine or water are often then poured outside to honor the Old Ones and "sabbat" cakes are also offered back to the Source in a similar manner. The chalice is symbolic of the womb of the Goddess, and is associated with fertility. It is used for drinking and for the offering of libations to the gods. It is believed that to drink from the cup is to drink of life; similar to the mythical Holy Grail of King Arthur. The Cup, Chalice or Cauldron is a representation of one of the four most important (sacred) things to a Witch. It represents the feminine principal. The Cup, Chalice or Cauldron represents the subconscious, the psychic and hidden part of life, and the emotions. In the Tarot it is representative of all emotions both good and bad. This tool has a multitude of correspondences. With out these vessels there would be NO "Great Rite". In the Magickal Circle the Cup, e.t., a.l., is representative of water. In Joseph Campbell's book, "The Masks Of God", he states that , "All cultures have rituals and myths regarding water. It is found to be in some of the earliest myths". To our ancient brothers and sisters when a woman's water broke it was the signal that life was about to come forth. When asked Grolier's 4ed Multi Media Compact Disk Encyclopedia about creation myths and water it came up with, "Water is the symbol of the uncreated universe, a kind of pregnant chaos".In ancient Greece it was Thales of Miletus who argued that, "The world is made up of only one element....water". Furthermore, in the transcripts of The Power Of Myth with Joseph Campbell it states that, "...some religions use water as a sacrament of The Goddess". The traditional uses of the Cup and the Chalice are to hold such things as the blessed water, wine and most other fluids. They can also be used in divination. The Cauldron however, has uses in each quarter. For example: In the North it can hold soil as a representation of the Womb Of The Earth. In the East it can hold energy of thought. In the South it can hold the Fire Of The Gods and in the West it holds The Water of Birth and Rebirth. The Celts have a long history of making beautiful vessels such as the "Ardagh Chalice" and of cauldron lore. They have a legend of a cauldron that never runs out of food at great feasts. The best know cauldron lore is The Cauldron of Cerridwen that provides the mead of wisdom. The Xians have the "holy grail". Legends from the 4th Century suggest that the grail romances are believed to be the fragmentary records of the secret rituals of a Goddess religion. Later in Autherian legends, be it Parsifal or Galahad, were said to have found the secret of the "holy grail". Did they only know that the quest for the grail was the quest for the 51 Goddess? An interesting corollary here is that most myths about the grail see the grail as silver, a metal of the Moon and the Goddess. Surprisingly Raymond Buckland makes no mention of it in his book, "Complete Book Of Witchcraft" under the chapter on tools. L.W. deLaurence only mentions the use of a "vessel" and has no entry for it's consecration. For further study read "The Crafted Cup", by Shadwynn , "A Witches Bible Complete by Janet and Stewart Farrar and "The Encyclopedia Of Witches And Witchcraft" by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, "The Masks Of God", by Joseph Campbell and "Joseph Campbell - The Power Of Myth", by Doubleday. Back To Index Paganlore.com The Two Bowls Sea Salt symbolizes water and earth Upon nearly every single altar, you will find two small bowls. The bowls themselves can be of any size shape or color, their appearance is not the point here. What is important however is their contents. In the first bowl is usually found a small amount of the sacred salt. Salt is generally used for casting the circle, consecration of tools, and many other purposes. Rock salt symbolizes Earth, and is mixed with water and sprinkled over things to purify them. Sea Salt symbolizes water and earth, and is more commonly used. In the second bowl is usually found a small amount of water. The water is for cleansing, and is used during rites and rituals to cleanse the tools and area. Used in conjunc tion, this is a powerful way to cleanse, purify, and bless ritual tools and to cast the circle. 52 Paganlore.com The Broom The broom is a purifier, and is an Element of Water The broom is used in ritual and magick. This tool is sacred to both the Goddess and God. The broom is a powerful tool against curses and practitioners of evil magick. The area to be used for ritual is swept clean with the broom, getting rid of all the negativity in the area. This clears the way for more effective magick. The broom is a purifier that is linked the the Element of Water, which is also a purifier. It is used in all types of water spells including those of love and psychic workings. Paganlore.com The Wand The tool of the South and is associated with Fire. The wand is one of the most renown of the tools and one of the most versatile. Traditionally, the wand is made from the wood of many different kinds of trees including willow, elder, oak, hazel, and fruit trees. The length of the wand varies from tradition to tradition, but it is safe to say that the wand should be fairly straight, comfortable in your hand and is not so long 53 as to be unwieldy. When searching for wood for your wand, even wood from a building supply store will work. If you take your wood from a living tree, remember to ask the tree first, then thank it for its sacrifice. Wands can also be made of crystals and metal. Make the wand your own by carving or painting symbols on it, adorning it with ribbons, whatever makes the wand special to you. For thousands of years the wand has been used in both Magick and rituals. The wand is used mostly to invoke the God and Goddess, direct energy, and to charge other objects. It is used to draw symbols on the ground and even to stir the cauldron. The wand is the tool of the South and is associated with Fire. In some traditions it is the tool of Air. The wand is phallic in nature, is a masculine tool and is sacred to the Gods. The wand is used to bind the energy of the spell together. The wand has been used for thousands of years in religious and magickal rites. The Goddess and God are invoked with the wa nd. The wand is also used to direct energy, to draw magical symbols during ritual. The wand represents the Element of Air and evokes the energy of the spell. The energy is sent in the direction the wand is pointing. The wand represents the element of Air and the Male East. You can purchase a ready made one or collect one from your friendly neighborhood tree. (Ask first, if you want to harvest one from a living tree and leave a small token of thanks.) Even dowels, such as those sold in hardware stores, can be painted and decorated quite beautifully. The wand can be used to cast the circle or direct energy in other magickal ways, such as in spells and incantations. There are wands of glass, copper, silver and other metals, but the "classic" material is still wood. Various woods have different magickal associations and uses. It is very common for a "Wand Witch" to have many wands of various types in his/her magickal closet. Witches who do not use athames often use a wand instead. Starwood's Making Your First Wand by Susan Baxter Some feel the tools of Magick must be made by some powerful person with more knowledge than yourself. This just isn't true. Making your own wand is the most powerful thing you can do. making your own tools invests then with your personal power and therefore will work better for you as from its' conception it is imbued with your vibrations, your energy, it is a part of you - a familiar, if you will. 54 Choose a length of wood - I use tree branches that must be pruned anyway. I like a 12 inch length about the thickness of my finger. When selecting the wood I refer to the magickal vibrations of the different woods. I use apple for love Magick, seven barks for money Magick, Elder for fairie Magick, oak for nature Magick, willow for general Magick. You will want a quartz crystal point for the tip - you could use rose quartz on the love wand or amethyst on a wand for spiritual contact and guidance. Gouge a bit of wood out of the tip of the wand to help hold the crystal glue with high te mp hot glue gun or a strong hold glue - let set. Now use glue on bottom sides of crystal and top inch or so of wood, wrap with leather strips or cord or embroidery thread in a color that goes with the purpose of the wand. That helps to secure the crystal. Now wrap the base end of the wand by gluing wood and wrapping with leather or yarn to make a hand hold. Use the same color as on top and cover about 4 inches. You may decorate the shaft of the wand with symbols that relate to the purpose of the wand, suc h as runes and other symbols that have meaning for you. You can use a knife, water proof marker, paint, wood burning tool, etc. You could decorate the end of the top yarn with gemstone beads, metal beads, wood beads and tip it with feathers if you like. Cleanse and consecrate as with any tool. This above article may not be reprinted without written permission from Witch's Brew Back To Index Paganlore.com The Pentacle Representing Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. 55 A circle surrounding a five-pointed, upright star (known as a pentagram). Worn as a symbol of a Witch's belief and used in magickal workings and ceremonies. Each point on the star has a specific meaning: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Pentacles are never worn inverted in the Craft. Witches consider this blasphemy of their faith. However, an inverted pentagram is used in some second degree initiations, not to indicate evil, but to fulfill a function of growth. Yet Another Definition: A flat disk or plate bearing, at the least, the symbol of a five pointed star, which most traditions say is to remain 1 point up, never being inverted. To consecrate, Place on bare Earth. Lay upon dried Parsley, Patchouli, Mistletoe, or fresh Jasmine or Honeysuckle flowers. Sit before it, facing the North for several seconds, visualize the pentacle absorbing the earth's energies, then pick it up & scatter the herbs or flowers to the 4 Quarters, Beginning and ending in the North. Back To Index 56 Paganlore.com The Robes "Magikal Clothing" Many covens - and certainly the vast majority of Solitary Witches - work naked... referred to, in the Craft, as skyclad - "clad only by the sky". This certainly seems a preferred and recommended practice. But there are times when, perhaps due to temperature, you may wish to be robed. It may even be that you just prefer to be robed most of the time anyway...that's all right. Robes can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Here are instructions for making a simple one. Any type of material will do, the choice is up to you polyester (if you must!), silk, cotton, wool. Consider, tho ugh, its weight: will it he too heavy and hot, or too light and cool? Also consider how easily it creases and wrinkles. Wil1 it stretch too much? Is it washable? Will it itch? Since Witches wear nothing under their robes, this last is a serious consideration! Measure yourself from wrist to wrist, with arms outstretched, then from the nape of the neck to the ground. You will need to buy material of A width by twice B length. Take the material and fold it in half. If th material has an "outside" and an "ins ide", fold it inside out. Now cut out a piece from each side. You will be left with a more -or-less T shape. The exact dimensions of the cuts will depend on you. Leave enough for a full sleeve at "X" but don't take it up to make it too tight under the arm at "Y". At "Z" cut an opening for your head. Sew where indicated: along the bottom of the sleeves and down the sides. All that remains is to turn it right side out again, try it on and hem it at a convenient length (e.g. an inch or so above the ground). It you wish to add a cowl-hood there will he plenty of material available from that initially cut off. Either a pointed or a rounded hood is appropriate. Think carefully about the color of your robe. It used to be that most Witches wore white robes, but more colors are appearing at festivals. In Saxon 57 Witchcraft, the priestess wears either white, purple or deep green and the others wear greens, browns, yellows and blues. Though this is not a hard and fast rule. Combinations of colors can be attractive, of course, as can a basic trimmed with silver or gold, or with a second color. Some few Witches do wear black but, while acknowledging it to be a very "powerful" color (in fact noncolor). Buckland personally thinks that it plays up to the misconception of equating Witchcraft with Satanisn and, if only for that reason, should be avoided. We are a reliqion of Nature, so let's use the colors of Nature.. the bright and the somber earth colors (there is actually very little black to be found in nature). But again, in the last instance it is your choice. Robe Colors YELLOW is an excellent color for those involved with divination. PURPLE is favored for those who work with pure divine power (magician's) or who wish to deepen their spiritual awareness of the Goddess & God. BLUE suited for healers & those who work with their psychic awareness or for attuning with the Goddess in Her Oceanic aspect. GREEN empowers herbalists & maqickal ecologists. BROWN worn by those who attune with animals or who casts spells for them. WHITE symbolizes purification & pure spirituality, & also is perfect for meditation and cleansing rituals. It is warn for Full Moon celebrations or to attune with the Goddess. ORANGE or RED robes can be worn to Sabbats, for protective rites or when attuning with the God in his fiery solar aspect. BLACK robes are quiet popular. Contrary to popular misconceptions, black doesn't symbolize evil. It is the absence of color. It is a protective hue & symbolizes the night - the universe & a lack of falsehood. When a Wiccan wears a black robe, she or he is donning the blackness of outer space - symbolically, the ultimate source of divine energy. Back To Index 58 Paganlore.com The Censer The censer is a tool of the element Air. The censer is used to burn the incense that are often offered to the Deities, as well as being used to invoke the spirits of the Air, the Sylphs and Faery. A container used to contain a hot coal for burning incense. This is best made from a fire resistant or fire proof material. The most common are the "mini-cauldrons' of iron and the various brass types which come in wonderful shapes and sizes. Some even ha ng on a chain. The incense itself represents the element of Air while the fire (charcoal) represents Fire. The combination of these two elements are used to purify ritual areas, other tools or the circle itself. Paganlore.com Charcoal Blocks Charcoal is an element of Fire 59 Charcoal Blocks These are necessities for burning noncombustible incense. They're available in a wide range of sizes, from over an inch in diameter (they're usually round) to about a half-inch size. Most religious and occult supply stores stock them, and they can be obtained from mail-order suppliers. Potassium nitrate is added to these charcoal blocks during their manufacture to help them ignite. When touched with a lit match, fresh charcoal blocks erupt into a sparkling fire which quickly spreads across the block. If you wish, hold the block. It may light easily. If so, quickly place it in the censer to avoid burning your fingers. Or, light the block in the censer itself, thereby preventing burns. This is some what harder to do. Unfortunately, some charcoal blocks aren't fresh, have been exposed to moisture, or haven't been properly saturated with the potassium nitrate solution and so don't light we ll. If this is the case relight the block until it is evenly glowing and red. Then pour on the incense. Back To Index Paganlore.com The Cauldron The cauldron is a symbol of the Goddess, the essence of femininity and fertility. Some Wiccans utilize cauldrons as symbols of the Goddess, and they can 60 be the center of religious rites. Fires are sometimes lit within them. WARNING: SALT corrodes METAL!!! ALWAYS thoroughly was the cauldron after using. The cauldron is an ancient vessel of cooking, full of magical tradition and mystery. It is often the focal point of rituals.. The cauldron may be used for scrying (gazing) by filling it with water. They come in many sizes. This is usually the hardest tool to find, but is sold at many home decorating stores. The cauldron is a symbol of the Goddess, the essence of femininity and fertility. It is a symbol of the Element of Water, reincarnation, immortality and inspiration. In pre-historic Europe, the cremated remains of the deceased were often placed within a cauldron and buried. The cauldron is a symbol of the womb of the Goddess and is associated with the process of transformation. It is also used for more mundane chores such as brewing mead and ale, cooking food, or even making teas and potions. The things which are made within the cauldron are believed to be imbued with magical properties. The physical appearance if a cauldron varies in size and material, but they are often made of bronze, copper, or iron. Numerous legends surround the lore of the cauldron. In Celtic mythology, the Dagda is said to have possessed the Undry cauldron which issued out food according to a man's merit, and Bran the Blessed was given the Cauldron of Rebirth which had the ability to resurrect slain warriors. The Celtic god Cernunnos was reborn after having been torn apart and boiled in a cauldron. The Babylonian goddess Siris stirred the mead of regeneration in the cauldron of the heavens. In Norse mythology, Odhin drank magical blood from a cauldron to obtain wisdom; and according to Greek mythos, Medea had the ability to restore a person's youth by using a cauldron. Back To Index Paganlore.com 61 The Sword The sword like the athame is over all elements The sword is not essential; the knife can always substitute for it. But while every individual Witch has an athame, many covens like to have a coven sword - one for the whole group. The sword is usually used for marking the Circle at the start of the meeting; being used by the Priest/ess or whoever casts the Circle. It can be made in the same way that the knife is, or you can purchase one. There are certainly many companies that offer replicas of ancient swords, these days. If you decide to get a ready-made one, again do some work on it yourself. In fact, since it is a coven tool, it is nice if the whole coven either get together to make one or join in engraving and decorating it. To Consecrate, Rub blade with fresh rosemary or Oak leaves, at sunrise, outdoors where you will be alone. Lay the sword on the ground with it's point to the South. Walk clockwise around it thrice, scattering bay leaves over it. Take up the sword, stand facing East & holding it upward but with arms lowered, invoke the God to infuse your knife or sword with His strength. Point it to the sky, invoking the Goddess to charge your blade with Her love & power. Wrap in Red cloth and take it home. It may be stored in the cloth, If desired. 62 Principles of Wiccan/Pagan Beliefs Paganlore.com Principles of Wiccan/ PaganBeliefs A: We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the MOON and the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters. B: We recognize that our intelligence gives us the unique responsibility toward our environment and each other. We seek to live in harmony with NATURE, in ecological balance offering fulfilment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept. C: We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than the ordinary, it is sometimes called "supernatural" but we see it as laying within that which is a naturally potential to all. D: We believe in the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity...as masculine and feminine...and that this same creative Power lives in all people, and the functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither one above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure; the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship. 1: Ones sexuality should not be used for coercion to gain power, fame or friends. E: We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honour those who teach, 63 respect those who sha re their knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who actually courageously give of themselves in leadership for the "CRAFT" not one out to impress others or gain followers or fakes. F: We acknowledge that it is the affirmation and fulfilment of life, in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, (some in this community don't have and don't even try, but like to take credit in things unworked for themselves.) That gives meaning to the Universe we know, and to our personal role within it. G: We see religion, magick, and wisdom-in-living as being united in the wa y one views the world and lives within it--a world view and philosophy of life, which we identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way. H: Calling oneself "WITCH" does not make a Witch-but neither does heredity itself, or the collecting of titles, degrees, initiations and nest/group co-ordinators. A Witch seeks to control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well. Without harm to others, and in harmony with nature. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the one and true way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practices and beliefs. I: As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present, and future. 1: We in the Wiccan Community must police ourselves and protect ourselves from those who exploit from within and only follow our Rede when its convenient! J: We do not accept the concept of "absolute evil", nor do we worship any entity known as"SATAN" or the "DEVIL" as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we make those suffer by race, appearance, how their income is made, or sexual orientation. K: We work within Nature for that which is contributory to our health and well being. L: We acknowledge that reading one book or others doesn't make one an expert, only time/age/experience can do that. So take notes when studying... By Rev. High Priest Hawk Brown 64 Magical Elements Paganlore.com Magickal Elements To a magician, all magic is based on four Elements: Air, Fire, Water and Earth Ancient occult philosophers and the Druids stated that all life is made of these four Elements; without them life could not exist. Tan or Teine (Fire in the old Celtic language) was con-sidered the most sacred as it is the closest to pure energy. These four Elements correspond to the four directions of our physical world, the four quarters of the universe, the four winds, and most importantly to the four quarters of the magical circle. Water and Earth are considered female energies; Fire and Air are male. The Old Gaelic term for the four points of the compass was the Four Airts or Airs. The general definitions of these Elements were originally based on the prevailing winds in Britain. In Scotland, the Gaelic words for the cardinal points were aiet, east; deas, south; iar, west; and tuath, north. The four Elements are forces and energies that make up the universe and everything in it. They influence our personalities and magic. They also possess form as well as force. Each Element is known for having certain qualities, natures, moods and magical purposes; each has positive and negative traits. Magical ritual calls to each Elemental kingdom and its ruler to protect its quarter of the circle. Because of this, it is very important to completely understand what each Element is and does. In Wiccan and ceremonial magic, each Element is associated with a color: east, yellow; south, red; west, blue; north, green. Although the ancient Celts correctly knew the forces and energies of the Elements, the colors for them were different: east, red; south, white; west, gray; 65 north, black. To the Celts, red symbolized the rising Sun; \white, noonday; gray, twilight; black, midnight. The Element of Air governs the eastern quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Paralda who oversees the Sylphs, Zephyrs, and Nature spirits or fairies. Its color is pure yellow; it is considered warm and moist. The positive associations of Air are: sunrise, Spring, incense, the wand, clouds, breezes, breath, optimism, joy, intelligence, mental quickness, any kind of helpful air. Negative associations are: frivolity, gossip, fickleness, inattention, bragging, forgetfulness, wind storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, destructive air in any form. The Element of Fire governs the southern quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Djin (dee-yin) who oversees the Salamanders, Firedrakes, and the little ones of the sunbeams. Its color is pure red; it is considered warm and dry. The positive associations of Fire are: noon, Summer,the dagger and sword, candles, any kind of helpful fire, the Sun, the stars, the blood, enthusiasm activity, co urage, daring, willpower, leadsship. Negative associations are: hate, jealousy, fear, anger, war, ego, conflicts, lightning, volcanoes, harmful fire of any kind. The Element of Water governs the western quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Niksa who oversees the Nymphs, Undines, Mer-people, and the little ones of the springs, lakes, ponds, and rivers. Its color is pure blue; it is cold and moist. The positive associations of Water are: sunset, Pall, the chalice and cauldron, any form of helpful water, compassion, peacefulness, forgiveness, love, intuition. Negative associations are: floods, rain storms, whirlpools, any kind of harmful water, laziness, indifference, instability, lack of emotional control, insecurity. The Element of Earth rules the northern quarter of the circle. Its ruler is Ghob, sometimes called Ghom, Who oversees the gnomes and dwarfs and the little ones of the moonbeams. Its color is clear dark green; it is cold and dry. Positive associations are: midnight, Winter, the pentacle, ritual salt, gemstones, mountains, caves, soil, respect, endurance, esponsibility, stability, thoroughness, purpose in life. Negative associations are: rigidity, unwillingness to change or see another side to a problem, stubbornness, lack of conscience, vacillation, earthquakes, slides. The fifth Element, Spirit (or nyu to the Druids), dominates the center of the circle, thus balancing all the other Elements. Through invocation of the gods, or Spirit, we are able to blend Elements bringing forth the desired manifestation. The spirits or beings of the Elements have been known to many cultures, particularly the Greeks and Romans from whom we get our names for them. In Greek gnoma (gnomes) meant knowledge or the knowing ones. Unda (undine) in Latin meant 66 wave, creatures of the waves. The Greek word silphe (sylph) was a butterfly or being with gauzy wings. Salambe (salamander) in Greek described a fireplace; however, the actual being was more like a very small dragon. The Elemental kingdoms and their rulers are represented in their appropriate quarter of the magical circle by a symbol and/or candle of the correct color. The magician always draws the magical circle sunwise, beginning and ending in the east. When welcoming the Elements, he or she begins with Air in the east. When he or she ends the ritual and dismisses the kingdoms, he or she again begins with the eastern position. Before opening the circle, the magician returns to the center and dismisses the Element of Spirit. Become familiar with the traits of the Elemental kingdoms and their rulers for they will play a very important part in all your magical activities. Taken from "Celtic Magic" by D.J. Conway 67 Familiars Paganlore.com Familiars Deva Bluewing Non-Pagan history describes familiars as low-ranking demons in constant attention to Witches for the purpose of carrying out spells and bewitchments. Familiars usually assumed animal forms - cats, toads, owls, mice and dogs seem to have been the most common - though virtually any animal or insect could be suspected. In the Witchcraft Trials, if so much as a fly buzzed in the window while someone suspected of being a witch was being questioned or tried, it was said to be her (or his) familiar. The inquisitors took the Bile to heart: those who had familiars were "an abomination unto the Lord" and should be "Put to death: they shall stone them with stones: Their blood shall be upon them" (Lev. 20:27). Familiars - also called imps - were said to be given to Witches by the Devil or bought or inherited from other Witches. A Witch could have several of them. Cats were the favored forms, especially black ones. The fear that all cats were Witches' familiars was one of the primary reasons for the famous cat massacres that swept through medieval Europe. Familiars were given names like any household pet, which most of them undoubtedly were. Perhaps the best known familiar name is Pyewackett, the monicker the Witch's cat in the movie Bell, Book and Candle, and a name that dates back to Renaissance England. Pyewackett, Matthew Hopkins (the famous Witch hunter) stated, was a name "no mortal could invent." 68 During the Witch hysteria of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the obsession with familiars was confined mostly to England and Scotland, where they are mentioned in numerous trial records, especially those related to Hopkins. The Witchcraft Act of 1604 made it a felony to "consult, convenant with, entertain, employ, feed, or reward any evil and wicked spirit to or for any intent or purpose." But the Malleus Maleficarum (1486),the major Witch inquisitor's handbook, offers no instructions concerning familiars in the interrogation and trial of Witches. The book does acknowledge that an animal familiar "always works with the Witch in everything." There is a scant evidence of familiars in early American Witch trials. In the Salem Trials in 1692, John Bradsheet was indicted for "inciting a dog to afflict." The dog was tried and hanged as a Witch. Outside of Witch trials, more benevolent familiars were believed to exist, serving wizards and wise men (and women) who were magicians or village healers. The familiars helped diagnose illnesses and the sources of bewitchment and were used for divining and finding lost objects and treasures. M agicians conjured them in rituals, then locked then in bottles, rings and stones. They sometimes sold them as charms, claiming the spirits would ensure success in gambling, love, business or whatever the customer wanted. This sort of familiar was technically not illegal; England's Witchcraft Act of 1604 prohibited only evil and wicked spirits. Some familiars were said to be Faeries. Oberon was a popular name for fairy familiars in 15th and 16th century England. Many modern Witches have animal familiars, usually cats, which are their magical helpers. Some also have dogs, birds, snakes or toads. Witches do not believe the familiars are "demons" or spirits in animal form but simply animals whose psychic attunement makes them ideal partners in magical workings. Some Witches say that it is possible to endow pets with magical powers and turn them into familiars, though others don't believe it should be done. Still others believe familiars are never "pets" (and should never be treated as such) but are animals who volunteer to work as familiars and are Karmically attracted to Witches. Witches who do not have familiars send out psychic "calls" to draw the right animal. Familiars reputedly are sensitive to psychic vibrations and power and are welcomed partners inside the magic circle and other magical work. They also serve as psychic radar, reacting visibly to the presence of any negative or evil energy, whether it be an unseen force or a person who dabbles in the wrong kind of magic. Familiars are also given psychic protection by their Witches. Some Witches it seems also use the term familiar to describe thought-forms created magically and empowered to carry out a certain task on the astral plane. 69 Sorcerers and shamans in cultures around the world also have helpers in the form of spirits. Dispatching them on errands to heal, harm or kill - called sending. The physical shape of a familiar varies. New Guinea sorcerers rely on snakes and crocodiles, while in Malaya, the familiar is usually an owl or badger passed down from generation to generation. Throughout Africa, the wild creatures of the bush are said to be Witches' familiars: for the Lugbara, they are said to be the toad, snake, lizard, water frog, bat, owl, leopard, jackal and a type of monkey that screeches in the night; for the Dinka, they are black cobras and hyenas. The Zulus' familiars are said to be corpses dug up and re-animated with magic; they are sent out at on night errands to scare travelers with their shrieking and pranks. In Shamanism, a novice shaman acquires his familiar spirits, usually manifesting in animal, reptile or bird shapes, when he completes his initiation. He or she may send them out to do battle in his or her place, but if they die, so does the shaman. Familiars usually stay with their shaman until death, then disappear. Among certain Eskimos, the familiar is embodied in an artificial seal, not a live animal. In closing, what I usually instruct in this area is that the student of magic who feels that they have found a familiar is that they should practice an exercise called "Trading Places" by Keith Harry. This exercise is simple enough to memorize and to practice, and though it was not written specifically for bonding with an animal familiar it was designed for becoming familiar with an animal, and inducing a mystical experience. I think you will readily discern its value in the acquiring of a familiar. Trading Places Exercise Objective: To trade places (mentally) with a dog or cat, or other animal. Setting: Home, Zoo, Wilderness, etc. Instructions: 1. Relax your body as completely as you can. Calm your mind, eliminating all thoughts which do not relate to your intent and purpose. Sit so that you are comfortable, and as nearly as possible on the same level with the animal you will be working with. Lie down if you like. The important thing is that you are able to 70 comfortably make eye contact with your animal partner in this exercise. It is also important to satisfy yourself that the animal is like wise comfortable and secure with you. 2. Take a deep breath. As you slowly exhale, look into the animal's eyes, and imagine that a part of your awareness is being trans mitted through your breath into the animal's mind. Watch the animal breathe, and imagine that a part of its awareness is being transmitted into your mind. 3. Continue looking directly into the animal's eyes until you fell your consciousness merge with the animal's consciousness. Benefits: As the boundaries between you and the animal dissolve, you may feel as if you've really traded places with a member of another species, as though a part of you has become the animal - this is the height of subjective merging. You may begin to feel compassion for another species. You'll also probably recognize some of the artificial differences between the human and animal worlds. You may be able to feel or sense the actual flow of the animals emotions and mental imagery. Should you accomplish this then it should be no trouble for you to contract with the animal to serve as your magical partner. Asking another to become such a partner also places upon you the responsibility of becoming its partner. I would not recommend contracting an animal to become your familiar and then treating the animal as a pet. A pet is something you possess, own. A Familiar, to my way of thinking, is an individual who has entered into a mutually beneficial relationship (partnership) with you, and therefore should be afforded the respect and consideration due a partner. Sources: The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft - Rosemary Ellen Guiley Twelve Exercises For Inducing Mystical Experiences (Omni Dec. 1988) - Keith Harary 71 Paganlore.com Information on the Holidays October 31 November Eve/Samhain The night lengthens and we work with the positive aspects of darkness in the increasing star- and moonlight. Many Craft traditions, following the ancient Celts, consider this the eve of the New Year (as day begins with sundown, so the year begins with the first day of Winter). It is one night when the barriers between the worlds of life and death are uncertain, allowing the ancestors to walk among the living, welcomed and feasted by their kin, bestowing the Otherworld's blessings. We may focus within ourselves to look "through the glass darkly", developing our divination and psychic skills. December 21 Winter Solstice/Yule The sun is at its nadir, the year's longest night. We internalize and synthesize the outward-directed activities of the previous summer months. Some covens hold a Festival of Light to commemorate the Goddess as Mother giving birth to the Sun God. Others celebrate the victory of the Lord of Light over the Lord of Darkness as the turning point from which the days will lengthen. The name "Yule" derives from the Norse word for "wheel", and many of our customs (like those of the Christian holiday) derive from Norse and Celtic Pagan practices (the Yule log, the tree, the custom of Wassailing, et al). January 31 February Eve/Imbolc As the days' lengthening becomes perceptible, many candles are lit to hasten the warming of the earth and emphasize the reviving of life. "Imbolc" is from Old Irish, and may mean "in the belly", and Oimelc, "ewe's milk", as this is the lambing time. It is the holiday of the Celtic 72 Fire Goddess Brigid, whose threefold nature rules smithcraft, poetry/inspiration, and healing. Brigid's fire is a symbolic transformation offering healing, visions, and tempering. Februum is a Latin word meaning purification -- naming the month of cleansing. The thaw releases waters (Brigid is also a goddess of holy wells) -- all that was hindered is let flow at this season. March 21 Vernal Equinox/Ostara Day and night are equal as Spring begins to enliven the environment with new growth and more newborn animals. Many people feel "reborn" after the long nights and coldness of winter. The Germanic Goddess Ostara or Eostre (Goddess of the Dawn), after whom Easter is named, is the tutelary deity of this holiday. It is she, as herald of the sun, who announces the triumphal return of life to the earth. Witches in the Greek tradition celebrate the return from Hades of Demeter's daughter Persephone; Witches in the Celtic tradition see in the blossoms the passing of Olwen, in whose footprints flowers bloom. The enigmatic egg, laid by the regenerating snake or the heavenly bird, is a powerful symbol of the emergence of life out of apparent death or absence of life. April 30 May Eve/Beltaine As the weather heats up and the plant world burgeons, an exuberant mood prevails. Folk dance around the Maypole, emblem of fertility (the name "May" comes from a Norse word meaning "to shoot out new growth"). May 1st was the midpoint of a five -day Roman festival to Flora, Goddess of Flowers. The name "Beltaine" means "Bel's Fires"; in Celtic lands, cattle were driven between bonfires to bless them, and people leaped the fires for luck. The association in Germany of May Eve with Witches' gatherings is a memory of pre-Christian tradition. "Wild" water (dew, flowing streams or ocean water) is collected as a basis for healing drinks and potions for the year to come. June 21 Summer Solstice/Litha On this day, the noon of the year and the longest day, light and life are abundant. We focus outward, experiencing the joys of plenty, tasting the first fruits of the season. In some traditions the sacred marriage of the Goddess and God is celebrated (in others, this is attributed to the springtime holidays). Rhea, the Mountain Mother of Crete, has breathed out all creation. It is also the festival of the Chinese Goddess of Light, Li. July 31 August Eve/Lughnasadh This festival has two aspects. First, it is one of the Celtic fire festivals, honoring the Celtic culture-bringer and Solar God Lugh (Lleu to the Welsh, Lugus to the Gauls). In Ireland, races and games were held in his name and that of his mother, Tailtiu (these may have been funeral games). The second aspect is Lammas, the Saxon Feast of Bread, at which the first of the grain harvest is consumed in ritual loaves. These 73 aspects are not too dissimilar, as the shamanic death and transformation of Lleu can be compared to that of the Barley God, known from the folk song "John Barleycorn". This time is also sacred to the Greek Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, Artemis. September 21 Autumnal Equinox/Mabon This day sees light and dark in balance again, before the descent to the dark times. A harvest festival is held, thanking the Goddess for giving us enough sustenance to feed us through the winter. Harvest festivals of many types still occur today in farming country, and Thanksgiving is an echo of these. 74 Paganlore.com The Sabbats Major & Minor MAJOR SABBATS & MINOR SABBATS By Corresponding Colors The Celtic pagan year was based on thirteen lunar months which were named after trees and plants. According to the Brehon Law of Ireland, these trees corresponded to the Ogam alphabet and had three categories: chieftains, peasants and shrubs. The rankings were based on the symbolic importance of each to the Druids. The tree alphabet will be discussed fully in the chapter on the Ogam Alphabet. The Celtic new year began on November 1, after Samhain. This month was called Beith or Birch. Following this were: Luis or Rowan for December; Fearn or Alder for January; Saille or Willow for February; Nuin or Ash for March; Huathe or Hawthorn for April; Duir or Oak for May; Tinne or Holly for June; Cell or Hazel for July; Muin or Vine for August; Gort or Ivy for September; and Ngetal or Reed for October. The thirteenth month was Ruis or Elder. This was a very short period to wrap up the year. Celebration of the solstices and equinoxes is done on a particular day when the Sun changes into particular signs. These are listed on astrological calendars and vary from year to year. The remaining six pagan holy days are honored by many on specific days also. However, there are two ways to determine 75 these remaining holy days: one, on a definite date; two, on the closest Full Moon. I will list both options at the beginning of each festival ritual. The ancient pagan world counted nights rather than days. All their festivals were celebrated on the Eve, or night before. Their day began at sundown. Samhain, pronounced sow-en and called Halloween today, was the ending of the Celtic year, The new year actually began with sunset on October 31. The ritual was known as Ancestor Night or Feast of the Dead. Because the veil between the worlds is thinnest on this night, it was and is considered an excellent time for divinations. Feasts are made in remembrance of dead ancestors and as an affirmation of continuing life. A time for settling problems, throwing out old ideas and influences. This is either celebrated October 31, or the first Full Moon in Scorpio. Winter Solstice occurs about December 21. This is the time of death and rebirth of the Sun God. The days are shortest, the Sun at its lowest point. The Full Moon after Yule is considered the most powerful of the whole year. This ritual is a light festival, with as many candles as possible on or near the altar in welcome of the Sun Child. Imbolc, February 1 or the first Full Moon in Aquarius, is a time of cleansing and newborn lambs. The name Imbole comes from the word 'oimelc' or sheep's milk. It is a festival of the Maiden in preparation for growth and renewal. Spring Equinox, about March 21, is when light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. Beltane is May 1 or the first Full Moon in Taurus. Other names for it are May Day or Lady Day. It is primarily a fertility festival with nature enchantments and offerings to wildlings and Elementals. The powers of elves and fairies are growing and will reach their height at Summer Solstice. A time of great magic, it is good for all divinations and for establishing a wood- 76 land or garden shrine. The house guardians should be honored at this time. Summer Solstice, about June 21, is when the hours of daylight are longest. The Sun is at the highest before beginning its slide into darkness. Traditionally, herbs gathered on this day are extremely powerful. On this night elves and fairies abound in great numbers. Lughnassadh is August 1 or the first Full Moon in Leo. It is a preharvest festival, the turning point in Mother Earth's year. The last herbs are gathered. It is a celebration in honor of the god Lugh's wedding to Mother Earth. Autumn Equinox, about September 21, was a time of rest after labor, completion of the harvest. Again the hours of day and night are in balance, with the darkness increasing. All preparations for the dark of the year and the year's ending were made, thus bringing us back to Samhain. Taken from "Celtic Magic" by D.J. Conway 77 Paganlore.com Wiccan/Pagan Paths & Denominations Alexandrian Tradition Founded and based upon the teachings of Alex Sanders, in England. Ceremonial Magick and the Kabbalah have been included with the rituals of Gardnerian Wicca. Skyclad is a common practice in ritual. As with other Wicca religions, the duality of Goddess and God is recognized as and the Sabbats and Esbats celebrated. American Celtic Wicca "The American Order of the Brotherhood of the Wicca" covens stem from Jessica Bell ("Lady Sheba"), a self-styled Witch Queen. The tradition's rites are virtually the same as Gardnerian, though covens work robed. They follow the same practice of Gardnerian in preferring couples; preferably husband and wife. "Ceremonial Magick is the primary work of the American Celtic tradition and it is conceived as being the most powerful and ancient means of psychological and occult therapy by which normal. healthy people can undertake a program of initiation and development." Asatru Tradition Asatru is a Norse word meaning 'belief in the Gods'. This tradition is very ancient with its roots in the historical agricultural Vanir and warrior Aesir tribes of Scandinavia and northern Germany. The main deities are the Goddesses Freya, Frigg, and the Norns while the main Gods are Odin, Thor, and Frey. British Traditional Influenced heavily by Gardnerian Wicca and Celtic traditions. Covens are co-ed and members train through a degree process. Janet and Stewart Farrar are British Traditionalist witches. The International Red Garters is British Traditionalist. 78 Celtic Wicca Based upon old Celtic/Druidic practices, and ritual Gardnerian design. The emphasis is placed heavily upon Celtic deities, the elements, nature and the magic of trees. Dianic Tradition A tradition that worships the Goddess as Diana, as the central deity. Female leadership is encouraged, though male members are allowed into covens. Rituals are either skyclad or robed. There are also some covens which are female exclusive and follow a Dianic Feminist Wicce. Eclectic Wicca Basically a loosely based tradition which uses any practices of other paths and incorporates them into their own path. It is now quite a common and popular form of Wicca, as the followers use what works best for them regardless of its source. Erisian Tradition (Discordia) A philosophy which believes that the universe is uncertain and that natural laws are not everywhere and constant. Eris is the Goddess of chaos. Discordia was rediscovered in 1960's by Californians Kerry Thornley and Gregory Hill, who published a book called Principia Discordia on their experiences. The tradition also involves humor in its rituals. Similarly Englishman, Austin Osman Spare, often called the father of chaos magic, took chaos to a more scientific plateau. Gardnerian Tradition One of the first traditions in witchcraft to emerge into the public eye during the 1950's. The teachings are based upon the works of Dr. Gerald Brosseau Gardner, who researched much of the history of the Craft and added them to his famous Book of Shadows. Many traditions use his Book of Shadows, in a modified form, as a basis for ritual practice. Georgian Wicca An eclectic Wicca tradition founded by George E. Patterson in 1970. This tradition is influenced mostly by Alexandrian and Gardnerian teachings and leans towards Goddess and God worship at an eclectic level. Individuals work either skyclad or robed and are encouraged to write their own rituals. Kitchen Witch Witches who practice around the home and hearth, and incorporate Magick and religion into daily life around cooking, weaving, etc. Pictish Witchcraft Witchcraft developed in Scotland. It's followers are solitaries and worship involves animal, vegetable, and minerals, as aspects of nature. 79 Satanic Witchcraft There is NO worship of "Satan" or "Lucifer" in Witchcraft. These deities were created by the Christian religion. A Satanic Witch is an oxymoron and anyone who tells you otherwise, knows nothing about the Craft. Seax-Wica Tradition Founded in 1973 by Raymond Buckland, this tradition incorporates Saxon lore. Covens have co-ed open rituals and are either performed robed or skyclad. Buckland developed this tradition without breaking his Gardnerian oath. Strega Witches A tradition founded by a witch called Aradia around 1353 CE. Strega can lay claim to being one of the oldest unchanged forms of witchcraft. This tradition preceded Garderian or Celtic based religions and developed in Italy during Roman times. Other Paths and Denominations not yet described here include.... Australian Wicca Church of Y Tylwyth Teg Church of the Cresent Moon Circle Wicca Coven of the Forest, Far and Forever Deboran Witchdom Dianic Feminist Wicce Faery Wicca Frost's Wicca Maidenhill Wicca Northern Way Nova Wicca Pecta-Wita There are some that are not even mentioned here. We wish you the best of luck in discovering which path is right for you. Or if you have already found your way, Blessed Be! 80 Paganlore.com The 13 Basic Wiccan Principles In Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the spring of 1974, the newly formed Council of American Witches decided to create a definition of what it means to practice modern WitchCraft. As Witches around the world respect all life and Wiccan traditions, the American experience also has new meaning and gives additional value to the Craft. As such, the Council created this set of bi-laws for their members to practice and reconfirm their commitment to the God/Goddess and Wiccan traditions. Unfortunately the Council disbanded later that same year, but their gatherings were definitely not in vain. The Principles have been welcomed, celebrated and accepted as the Principles of Wiccan Belief all over the world. There are some who believe that this was the sole mission of the council as determined by the Divine forces. If that is indeed the case, then their efforts can be harolded as a great success. Take time to read these bi-laws and choose a special holiday to recommit and reaffirm your relationship to the God & Goddess within yourself. As well as, your relationship to the Divine forces around you. Principles of Wiccan Belief - Spring Witchmeet of 1974 The Council of American Witches finds it necessary to define modern Witchcraft in terms of the American experience and needs. We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures, and owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the Divinity manifest through our own being. As American Witches, we welcome and respect all life-affirming teachings and traditions, and seek to learn from all and to share our learning within our council. It is this spirit of welcome and cooperation that we adopt these few principles of Wiccan belief. In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies and 81 practices contradictory to these principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national or cultural origins or sexual preference. We therefore ask only that those who seek to identify with us accept these few basic principles: 1.We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters. 2.We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept. 3.We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary, it is sometimes called "supernatural," but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all. 4.We conceive of the Creative Power in the Universe as manifesting through polarity - as masculine and feminine - and that this same creative Power lives in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sexuality as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiement of Life and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship. 5.We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, the Inner Planes, etc. - and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment. 6.We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given to themselves in leadership. 82 7.We see religion, Magick, and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it - a world view and philosophy of life, which we identify as Witchcraft or the Wiccan Way. 8.Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch - but neither does heredity itself, or the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within him/herself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others, and in harmony with Nature. 9.We acknowledge that it is the affirmation and fulfillment of life, in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know and to our personal role within it. 10.Our only animosity toward Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy-of-life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the one true right and only way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practices and belief. 11.As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future. 12.We do not accept the concept of "absolute evil", nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil" as defined by Christian Tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept the concept that personal benefits can only be derived by denial to another. 13.We work within Nature for that which is contributory to our health and well-being. 83 Paganlore.com Thw Wiccan Rede Bide ye Wiccan laws ye must in perfect love and perfect trust. Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give. Form the circle thrice about, to keep all ye spirits out. Soft of eye, light of touch, speak ye little, listen much. Deosil go by the waxing moon, singing out ye Witches' Rune. Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out the baneful rune. When the Lady's moon is new, kiss your hand to her times two. When the rippling waters flow, cast a stone and truth ye'll know. When ye have and hold a need, harken not with others' greed. With a fool no seasons spend, nor be counted as his friend. Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart. Mind ye threefold law ye should, three times bad and three times good. When misfortune is anow, wear the star upon thy brow. True in Love ye must ever be, lest thy love be false to thee. In these eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An ye harm none, do what ye will. . 84 Paganlore.com Direction & Their Meanings North This is the direction of the Element Earth and the Power of Body. Its Nature forms are rocks, clay, sand, and soil. In human life, this is the physical dimension and the sensing realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your physiological processes, to the sensations in your body, to your biological needs, and to your physical health. Healing modalities include good nutrition, hygiene, body language awareness and change, relaxation, and rest. East This is the direction of the Element Air and the Power of Mind. Its Nature forms are the winds, the atmosphere, and the breath. In human life, this is the mental dimension and the thinking realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your thought processes, to your ability to reason, to your attitudes, and to your mental health. Healing modalities include self-talk analysis, affirmations, journal writing, cognitive restructuring, and education. South This is the direction of the Element Fire and the Power of Action. Its Nature forms are flames, lightning, and electricity. In human life, this is the behavioral dimension and the doing realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your repertoire of activities, to the amount of time you allot to work and to play, to the quality of your alone time, to the nature of your interactions with others, and to your behavioral health. Healing modalities 85 include play, exercise, time management, life restructuring, breaking destructive or outmoded habits, career development, positive behavioral change, and goal setting and achievement. West This is the direction of the Element Water and the Power of Emotions. Its Nature forms are oceans, lakes, streams, rivers, wells, springs, dew, precipitation, and fluids in the body. In human life, this is the emotional dimension and the feeling realm. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your moods, to your feelings about yourself and about others, to the levels of intimacy and trust in your relationships, and to your emotional health. Healing modalities include guided imagery, active listening, expressing feelings, sharing feelings, giving comfort and being comforted, singing, dancing, drawing, and other forms of artistic expression. Up This is the direction of Sky and Cosmos. Its Nature forms are the sun, moon, planets, stars, meteors, galaxies, and deep space. In human life, this is the realm of cosmic consciousness. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your being part of the community of life in the universe. As you contemplate the heavens, use your imagination to reach out into mysteries of outer space and other worlds. Experience yourself as an inhabitant of a planet moving through space. Reflect on creation legends and on stories of humans that have venture d forth into space from our planet. Down This is the direction of Planet and Sacred Place. Its Nature forms are the biosphere of Planet Earth and the community of life forms (such as creatures and plants as well as other humans) in your own home enviro nment. In human life, this is the realm of planetary consciousness. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to your being part of the tapestry of life in your local area as well as being part of the greater community of life on the Planet. As you contemplate this, use your imagination to feel connected with the web of life that includes trees, herbs, creatures, microbes, and the Elements as well as other humans. Experience yourself as a part of the biosphere, also known as Planet spirit or Mother Earth. 86 Center This is the direction of Spirit. Its Nature form is the Divine Soul stuff that links all life together. It is the synthesis of the Elements and the directions. In human life, this is the spiritual realm and the dimension of the Divine in its many forms. In connecting with this direction, pay attention to the core of your being -- your inner Self. Honor the Divine as you know it -Goddesses, Gods, Nature Spirits, Ancestors, Spiritual Guides, Love, Unity in Diversity. Connect with balance, harmony, beauty, wholeness, integrity, and bliss. Healing modalities include dream work, inner journeys, understanding inner guidance worship, ecstatic dance, drumming, chanting, invocations, vision quests, and spiritual service. Axes There are three axes in this map: North-South, East-West, and Up-Down. Each axis contains a balance. The North-South axis is a balance between the reflective sensing and the active doing. The East-West axis is a balance between thinking and feeling, or in other words, analysis and intuition. The Up-Down axis is a balance between attunement to the home Planet and attunement to the beyond. In the central Spirit point, the axes converge. Together the axes form a Sacred Sphere around the Spirit point. In working with this map of consciousness, it is important to note some distinctions. With this map, a clear distinction is made between Earth as an Element and Earth as the Planet. The Element Earth refers specifically to the rocks and soil that comprise the land mass of the Planet, while the Planet itself embodies all the Elements in its domain and therefore is on the central axis. This map also makes a distinction between the Element Fire and the unifying Element Spirit. While in some systems Fire and Spirit are one, in this map they are separate, since Spirit is viewed as a synthesis of all Four Elements. The inclusion of Sky/Cosmos, or Up, direction in this map underlies my preference for referring to Contemporary Pagan philosophy as "Nature Spirituality" instead of as "Earth Spirituality," "Gaean Religion," or "Green Spirituality." I view the term Nature Spirituality as a broader term that reflects communion with Nature not only on this Planet, but beyond it. The terms "Earth," "Gaean," and "Green" are specific to Divine communion with Nature on this Planet. While descriptive of paths that where Mother Earth honoring is central, Paganism also includes paths that are more Star focused. Nature Spirituality is an appropriate umbrella terms for these diverse forms and provides more flexibility for the Pagan future. As Pagans journey off this Planet into space in the centuries to come, it will be interesting to note how ritual communion with Nature in other realms develops and what non-Planet Earth based Nature religions will emerge. 87 Paganlore.com "Circles, Why Use Them?" (A discourse on the psychology of magick circles by Mel White) They say that the longest journey begins with a single step. So, too, the exploration of Magickal studies begins with a single step. Though the first step in a physical journey is often selfevident, the First Step on a Magickal journey is often not quite so clear. While formally organized groups often have a path of lessons to instruct newcomers, the solitary or isolated student is often left standing in perplexity on this broad plain of knowledge, wondering just where in the heck to begin. And wondering, too, if it's "okay" to start just anywhere. While it's true that studies can begin in a direction that attracts you, the necessary first step must be learning to make psychic shields. There are "Things of the Dark" out there. There are any number of explanations for what these thi ngs might be-- ghosts, demons, or simply uncontrolled urges of the subconscious mind. In truth, it doesn't matter what they are. What does matter is that their effect is very real and unless 88 they are put under your control, they will drag you over the borders of sanity into psychosis. You are most vulnerable to them while you're in an "open" trance or meditative state. That's why the wise practitioner always begins by taking steps to define exactly what will be permitted through the portals of their "psychi c shields" -- no matter how simple the ritual. And this, in a nutshell, is what "protective magic" is about. There are a number of ways to do this. The most common is to begin by drawing a circle (around a group or yourself) and invoking the one or more protective powers. Generally, this is done by candlelight, in front of an altar that holds certain magical objects. The circle may be further "secured" and "cleared" by using salt, salt water, rum, incense, or some other method. You may be wearing a special robe and will have taken a bath (or performed a cleansing ritual) earlier. The powers that protect you will be called on and then you will begin your ritual. Is it psychological? Absolutely! Is there a reason why protection rituals always take this form? Positively! Let's take a step back and see what you're actually doing and how the process works-- from a psychological standpoint-- and how to use this knowledge to help you refine your circles to enhance your rituals. Psychologists and psychics alike view the mind's structure as a three-part entity: The ego (that which you think of as yourself), the superego (the "higher self") and the Id (the child within). The Id is, in a sense, a computer. Like most computers, it operates on the "garbage in-garbage out" principle. There's an old superstition "as you name something, so will it become." Tell yourself that you're very unlucky and your id will obligingly give you bad days by enhancing any negatives in your environment. Tell yourself that you are clumsy, and your idcomputer will obligingly arrange for you to break a leg while stepping off the sidewalk. The bad news is that the Id can't make a judgment as to whether or not this is a good idea. It only knows that it's received these "instructions" and must 89 carry them out. The good news is that you can actually program/reprogram this portion of your mind. You begin programming this Internal Servant of yours by first drawing its attention to what you want done and then explaining what you need done in a simple and clear manner. Repeating the instructions in a chant help fix the goals for the Id-- rhymed chants seem to be easier for it to process. Each time you perform the ritual and repeat the chant, the programming is strengthened. Never mind that your ego and superego understand that you're going to program the child-like Id. It works just the same. To direct the Id's attention to the process, you first have to impress it. Using special tools and clothing alert it that something unusual is going on and that it must pay attention. Acquiring hard-to-obtain items, drawing symbols, performing a symbolic sacrifice (donating money, say, to a good cause) are all ways of reinforcing the Id's impression that this ceremony is very special and that the result will be very powerful. Organized, meaningful symbols, speak to your subconscious mind in ways it understands, reinforcing the goals you have set. Drawing the circle itself establishes boundaries within your environment ("The rest of the world can do what it likes Out There. All within this circle is in MY control!"). Purifying the circle and consecrating it (sprinkling water which has been blessed and salt added) further enforce your territory, defining the borders where you are "safe". Nothing can enter this area except what you invite inside. You further tighten these borders by calling on certain powers. You can call on any powers you like. Some use traditional Christian images. Others call up deities from the religion they are most comfortable with. And many people use the thought/image of a beam of light that represents either God/Goddess (whichever one they like) OR The power of light and life and goodness in the Universe. 90 The number of powers called as guardians varies. You may choose to invoke one powerful being to protect your circle. Or you might call on the Universal Being/Light AND four guardians (one for each quarter of the compass). A third approach is to use a guardian for the four quarters of the compass and no higher being. There is no "absolutely correct" system; the correct system is the one that YOU are comfortable with. Take time to choose the guardians of your circle carefully. You should select guardians (gods or animals or some form of life) which have a deeper meaning to you and whose qualities are in harmony with your goals. For the new student, it's best to have all your Powers and Guardians from the same belief system/religion/mythic universe so that the symbols will be consistent and not confuse the Id. You CAN use people-- saints, movie actors, figures from favorite books as guardians. DO, however, pick someone who's dead or non-existent. The dead can't argue with your interpretation of them, whereas the living may be highly offended to be approached as gods/ guardians). As your studies continue, you will find that your totems or guardians change. This is to be expected; as you explore new realms in your studies, you may find you need guardians who deal with very specific areas to strengthen and guide you in these new fields. But don't make the mistake of assuming that you'll become so powerful that you will never need the protection of the psychic shielding circle in some form. And don't assume that you will not need a circle for "positive" magick such as healing. Open is open-- and open is vulnerable. And circles strengthen and protect you by defining what psychological influences will be allowed to work with you. 91 Paganlore.com Casting the Circle Some Basic History First A Roman ambassador in a foreign country would draw a circle around himself with his staff, to show he should be safe from attack; the Babylonians drew a circle of flour on the floor round the bed of a sick man, to keep demons away; German Jews, in the Middle Ages, would draw a circle round the bed of a woman in labor, to Protect her from evil spirits. The use of a circle to mark the boundary of an area which is sacred, is very ancient (e.g. Stonehenge). But the circle not only keeps the unwanted out, it also keeps the wanted-the raised power; the magickal energy--in. Circle Dimensions & Details The dimensions of the circle depend entirely on who is drawing it and for what purpose. In Ceremonial Magick, where the Magician is conjuring entities, the exactness of the circle (and everything within it) is critical. But there is the other end of the scale, as it were. In the old days, when the villagers would get together to give thanks to their gods, they would simply mark a rough circle on the ground, usually very crudely drawn, and use it whether accurate or not. Its purpose was merely to designate a space to be hallowed for the rites; a place "special" for that purpose. Your circle does not have to be as painstakingly accurate as the 92 Ceremonial Magician's (though more on this in Lesson Eleven--Magick), yet it is drawn with a certain amount of care and exactness. The Coven Circle is nine feet in diameter; the Individual's Circle is five feet. The drawing of the Circle starts, and finishes, in the East and is always drawn clockwise, or deosil. If you are meeting outdoors, then the Circle is actually marked on the ground with the sword, as the Priest/ess walks around. Indoors the Circle should first be marked on the floor with a length of white cord, with chalk, or--if you have a permanent temple--it can be painted in white paint. But the Priest/ess will still walk around with the sword, starting and finishing in the east, "marking" it and directing power into it through the point of the sword. On the line of the Circle stand four white, unlit candles; one in the north, one in the east, one in the south and one in the west. If you wish, there may be additional candles, already lit, between these four. They should stand around the Circle but outside the line. They would be there purely for extra illumination, if required. O.K. I Know How To Make A Circle Now What? The first ritual performed, always, is what, in Saxon Witchcraft, is called EREC TING THE TEMPLE. Other traditions call it, variously, OPENING THE CIRCLE, CASTING THE CIRCLE, or similar. In this ritual the Circle and all within it is properly purified and consecrated. For now I will just deal with casting a Circle sufficient for your Self-Dedication/Initiation. Presuming that you have not yet even made your athame, this casting is of the most basic. You will need your altar furniture: candle, censer, goblet or drinkinghorn, salt and water, libation dish and (if you wish) figures representing the deities. There should be wine in the goblet. Taken from Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft With Minor Modifications 93 Paganlore.com Casting the Circle The Call to Worship is an essential part of worship in many religions all over the world. In Judaism the shofar is blown, in Protestant and Catholic churches the church bells are rung. In Pagan rituals we also begin with some type of Call to Worship, some way to let everyone know that ritual is about to begin. Some traditions sing a song, some read from their Book of Shadows. This is a way to focus everyone's attention on ritual and all that it entails. In doing ritual we are connecting with everyone who has ever done ritual before. Every ritual action connects us with every time that ritual action has been performed. Sweeping the circle is a way to clear unwanted emotional baggage, "vibes" and to prepare the circle space for casting. The handmaiden literally sweeps the ritual area with a broom, often called a besom. Ritual space is defined by walls in churches, by casting a circle in Pagan rituals. Circles are cast using the sword, the athame, or in some traditions, the wand. Usually the Priestess casts the circle. Holding her tool, the Priestess walks about the ritual space, defining the sacred area with that tool. At this point often the elements are blessed or asked for their blessing by bringing the symbol of each element around the circle. Air - incense, Fire - red candle, Water - water in a cup, Earth - salt in a cup. Sometimes this is called censing and aspurging. Watchtowers or the quarters are called. These are the elements. Each element; air, fire, water and earth, correspond to a different direction. East, south, west and north respectively in most traditions. We believe that we and the planet we live on is made up of the elements. We invite or ask the elements into ritual so that they may share in the worship of the Gods. The Gods and Goddesses, or the guests of honor, are invited and candles lit in their honor. Now comes the work of the circle. In many traditions power is raised by chanting, singing, dancing or other methods of raising energy. This energy should be raised for a specific purpose and with a specific intent such as peace, health or success in a particular venture. Remember that the Threefold Law 94 prohibits things that would harm someone. (see the Definitions link) If the group does invocation, now would be the time for this. After the work of the circle is done, the circle is dismantled in the reverse order. The Gods and Goddesses are thanked, their candles extinguished. The elements are dismissed and the circle is banished. The circle is often ended with the words "Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet Again". This is a common goodbye phrase in Paganism. This is a *very* rough outline of a ritual. Rituals vary from tradition to tradition and often from group to group within any particular tradition. Some groups work in robes, others work skyclad, which means nude (clothed in the sky). Some rituals are outdoors, others inside. Sabbat rituals may be more involved and complex than Esbat (or Minor Sabbat) rituals. There are many variations on this theme. If you are interested in joining a group or even seeing some rituals, check out several so you can be sure to get a feel for what's out there. . 95 Paganlore.com Erecting The Temple The Circle is marked out on the floor. There is a candle at each of the four quarters; yellow to the east, red to the south, blue to the west, green to the north. The altar is set up in the center of the Circle so that, when facing it, you are facing east. On the altar are one or two white altar candles, thurible, dishes of salt and of water, bell, deity figures (optional), bowl of anointing oil, goblet of wine (or fruit juice), libation dish, sword (if you have one) and/or priests' athames. CENSERER lights the incense and the altar candles (not the Circle candles) and then leaves the area to wait, with the rest of the coven, in the northeastern quarter. PRIEST and PRIESTESS enter the Circle, from the east (just on the northern side of the east candle)-as will all, when they come in--and move to stand before the altar, facing east. PRIEST rings bell three times. Priest/ess: "Be it known the Temple is about to be erected; the Circle is about to be cast. Let those who desire attendance gather in the east and await the summons. Let none be here but of their own free will." PRIEST and PRIESTESS each take an altar candle and move around the altar, deosil, and across to the east. PRIESTESS lights the East Candle from the one she carries. Priestess: "Here do I bring light and air in at the east, to illuminate our temple and bring it the breath of life." 96 They move on round to the south, where the PRIEST lights the South Candle. Priest: "Here do I bring light and fire in at the south, to illuminate our temple and bring it warmth." They move to the west, where the PRIESTESS lights the West Candle. Priestess: "Here do I bring light and water in at the west, to illumi nate our temple and wash it clean." They move to the north, where the PRIEST lights the North Candle. Priest: "Here do I bring light and earth in at the north, to illuminate our temple and to build it in strength." They move on around to the east, then back to the altar and replace their candles. PRIEST/ESS, takes up the sword (or athame) and, returning to the east, now walks slowly around the Circle with sword-point following the marked line. As s/he walks, s/he concentrates power into the Circle line. When completed, s/he returns to the altar. The bell is rung three times. PRIEST places the point of his athame in the salt and says: Priest: "As Salt is Life, let it purify us in all ways we may use it. Let it cleanse our bodies and spirits as we dedicate ourselves in these rites, to the glory of the God and the Goddess." PRIESTESS takes up the Salt dish and uses the point of her athame to drop three portions of salt into the water. She stirs the now-salted water with the athame and says: Priestess: "Let the Sacred Salt drive out any impurities in this Water, that we may use it throughout these rites." PRIEST takes up Thurible; PRIESTESS takes up Salted Water. They again move round the altar to the east. Starting there, they slowly walk clockwise around the Circle, PRIESTESS sprinkling the salted water along the line of the circle and PRIEST passing censer along its line, till they return to their starting point. They then return to the altar and replace the tools. PRIEST drops a pinch of salt into the oil and stirs it with his finger. He then anoints the Priestess (Note: if robed, the Keltic Cross in Circle alone is used. If skyclad, the Pentagram and Inverted Triangle follow). 97 Priest: "I consecrate thee in the names of the God and the Goddess, bidding you welcome to this their Temple." They salute, then PRIESTESS anoints Priest, with the same words and salute. They then both move, together, round to the east, PRIESTESS carrying the oil and PRIEST his athame. There he makes two "cuts" across the line of the Circle, thus opening it (see Figures A-B). One by one the coveners enter. As they do so they are anointed-the males by the Priestess and the females by the Priest--and greeted with the words: Priest/ess: "I consecrate thee in the names of the God and of the Goddess, bidding you welcome to this their Temple. Merry Meet." The COVENERS move around to stand all about the altar, as far as possible alternating male and female. When the last has been admitted, the PRIEST closes the Circle by drawing his athame across the line again, connecting the two "broken" ends. PRIESTESS sprinkles a little of the oil there and PRIEST raises his athame and draws a pentagram to seal it (see illustration). They then return to the altar. The bell is rung three times. Priest/ess: "May you all be here in peace and in love. We bid you welcome. Let now the Quarters be saluted and the gods invited." The COVENER closest to the east turns outward and moves to stand facing the East Candle, with her/his athame raised. S/he draws an invoking pentagram (see diagram) and says: Covener: "All hail to the element of Air; Watchtower of the East. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle." S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. The Covener closest to the south then turns to face the South Candle. With athame raised, s/he draws an invoking pentagram and says: Covener: "All hail to the element of Fire; Watchtower of the south. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle." S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. The Covener closest to the west then turns to face the West Candle. With athame raised, s/he draws an invoking pentagram and says: Covener: "All hail to the element of Water; Watchtower of the West. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle." S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. The Covener closest to the north then turns to face the North Candle. With athame raised, s/he draws an invoking pentagram and says: Covener: "All hail to the element of Earth; Watchtower of the North. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle." S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. PRIEST/ESS raises athame and draws a 98 pentagram, saying: All: Priest: Priestess: "All hail the four Quarters and all hail the Gods! We bid the Lord and Lady welcome and invite that they join with us, witnessing these rites we hold in their honor. All hail!" "All hail!" "Let us share the Cup of Friendship." Priestess: PRIEST takes the goblet and pours a little of the wine onto the ground, or into the libation dish, saying the names of the gods. He then takes a drink and passes the goblet to the Priestess. She drinks and passes it to the nearest Covener on her left, who drinks and passes it on to the next. The goblet goes all around the Circle until all have drunk and it is returned to the altar (Note: it is not necessary for everyone to pour libations; just the first person--in this case, the Priest). Bell is rung three times. "Now are we all here and is the Temple erected. Let none leave but with good reason, till the Temple is cleared. So Mote It Be." "So Mote It Be!" Erecting the Temple is done at the start of every meeting. It is, basically, the consecration of both the meeting place and of the participants. The meeting-be it Esbat, Sabbat, or whatever--continues from this Point. Then, at the end of every meeting~g, there is the Clearing the Temple CLEARING THE TEMPLE Priest/ess,: " We came together in love and friends hip; let us Part the same way Let us spread the love we have known in this Circle outward to all; sharing it with those we meet." athame, in salute. ALL PRIEST/ESS raises sword, or COVENERS raise their athames· Priest/ess: "Lord and Lady, our thanks to you for sharing this time together Our thanks for watching over us; guarding and guiding us in all things. Love is the Law and Love is the 99 Bond. Merry did we meet; merry do we part; merry may we meet again." All: ~~Merry meet; merry part; merry meet again." Priest/ess: " The Temple is now cleared So Mote It Be." All: "So Mote It Be!" ALL kiss their athame blades They then move about the Temple to kiss one another in farewell. Taken from Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft . 100 Paganlore.com "Herbal Danger List" If you are pregnant, DO NOT USE any of the following herbs for any reason. Many can cause early contractions, birth defects, and even miscarriage. Make sure you check and see what herbs food and drinks contain before ingesting them. Check with your doctor or an herbalist if possible as well. Angelica • Belladonna • Burdock • Cinnamon essential oil • Cow Parsnip • Hyssop • Immortal • Mistletoe • Motherwort • Oshá • Pennyroyal • Peony • Rue • San qi • Shepherd's Purse • 101 Thyme oil • Vervain • Wood Betony • Wormwood • Yarrow • Yerba • And now, herbs that EVERYONE should be leary of. Some can be used in small doses. Note that if you are allergic to any herb regardless of whether it is on this list, avoid it. Angelica • Belladonna • Chaparral • Comfrey • Datura • Germander • Hellebore • Hemlock • Henbane • Jin Bu Huan • Lobelia • Ma huang • 102 Advanced Wicca 103 Paganlore.com Preparing For Magick Preparation for ritual magic of any kind requires the self-discipline and techniques learned from concentration, focusing, visualization and meditation. If you desire to obtain physical manifestation from your efforts, it is essential that you actually do and practice these exercises. Concentration is holding an image or idea in your mind without interruption. It is of great importance during rituals when you must exclude everything not directly related to what you are doing. No thoughts of the day's happenings, no extraneous noise, must be allowed to dominate your attention for any length of time. If such things do intrude, they must be immediately dismissed as unimportant at the moment. To strengthen your powers of concentration, you will need to practice two exercises. The first exercise is done with a minimum of supplies. Light a candle and set it on a table before you. Sit comfortably and look at the flame. It is easiest on the eyes to look at the blue around the lower part of the wick instead of the bright upper flame. Do not stare; blink your eyes whenever you need to. After a few minutes, close your eyes and look for the flame. You will see it against your closed eyelids. Keep your thoughts on that flame image, and see how long you can maintain the mental picture before your conscious mind begins to intrude. 104 The second exercise is much the same, but uses a picture instead of a candle. Choose a picture that pleases you. Tarot cards are especially good for this. Stand or hang the picture at a comfortable level and look at it for some time. Close your eyes and see if you can discern a mental image against your eyelids. Hold that image as long as you can. Focusing is important to ritual magic as it is the process of adjusting your "inner eye" or attention on a particular object or goal. You must have a clear idea or picture of what you wish to produce while doing magic. This is very similar to concentration but more refined. An idea is harder to hold in the mental realms than a reflected picture. It is not necessary to visualize a goal in absolute detail. Too much detail tends to limit the manifestation, especially if you could have had something better. Know what you want, but never restrict yourself. The gods may be more generous to you than you are to yourself. Focusing and concentrating on performance during ritual will channel your mental powers, thereby clarifying and strengthening the function. The act of casting and consecrating a magical circle (explained later) must have focus and concentration if it is to be done properly. If you fail to do this, the circle will not provide you with the neutral area in which to perform magic, and most certainly will not give you protection. Again, using the picture or card, this time elicit all associated images. See if you can create movement within the picture. Go through the same exercise with the candle flame, this time changing~ the size, height and color of the flame. Summon up associated images and follow them through. Some startling ideas have co me out of such exercises. Meditation is a great aid in centering yourself, controlling destructive emotions and gaining insight. But it should also bring a greater sense of awareness and increase your ability to visualize. All of these 105 skills are necessary in the practice of ma~S especially if you want feasible results. Meditation is really not a complicated exercise, unless you lack self-control. If you do, you need meditation more than ever. Relaxing, smooth music is an excellent background to help mask minor noises and help you relax. Turn off the telephone, hang a "do not disturb" sign on the door, and choose a comfortable chair. Listen to the music while taking a few deep breaths. Relax and let yourself unwind. Next mentally surround yourself with white light for protection. Imagine yourself standing on a wooden bridge over a calm pond. Drop all your problems into the water, and watch it close over them. This is a symbolic release that tells your subconscious mind that you need an answer to solve these troubles. Then visualize yourself walking on across the bridge, leaving everything behind. To continue the meditation, project yourself into a meadow on the other side of the bridge. A small stream runs through the grass and flowers. Shady trees surround it. Wander through this meadow, soaking up the peacefulness and healing. You may see peo ple or nature spirits. Talk with them if you like. As long as you remain objective and do not push to hear what you want to hear, you can receive very accurate guidance while in meditation. If you strain to hear what you want, you will get only messages from your conscious mind, which does not believe in what you are doing. When in meditation, you are in an astral state. Therefore, it is always possible that at some time you will meet a being that makes you fearful or uncomfortable. If this should happen, recall the white light and leave. You will be able to escape the meditation any time you choose. Simply become aware of your body and open your eyes. As during ritual, time in meditation is non-existent. Time is a limited idea belonging to the left brain and conscious mind. When working 106 with the right brain and subconscious mind, time has no meaning at all. The symbolism of dropping your problems into the pond is essential. It is never a good idea to go into meditation without doing this, just as it is imprudent not to use the white light. Both are protective measures to eliminate taking negative vibrations into an otherwise productive exercise. Taken from "Celtic Magic" by D.J. Conway . 107 Paganlore.com "Wiccan Faith and Skepticism" (Article about mental blocks of skepticism in advanced ritualism, written by Estara.) It happens to everyone every so often, myself included. You'll be going along, keeping your Sabbats and doing your everyday spiritual and magical workings, and everything seems to be fine, when suddenly, everything just seems to go dull. Your intuitions are off, or your spells go haywire, or the thought creeps into your head, So, I'm sitting during ritual work, talking to a dragon in my head. What, am I out of my mind? It may help you to know that several occult authors consider this to be progress. Let me digress for a moment into the balance of faith and skepticism that is important for the effectiveness and sanity of any worker of magic. On one hand, faith must play a role in the spiritual and magical realms, since they are usually imperceptible and essentially unprovable by physical science or the physical senses. Too much doubt only eats away at your ability to trust your abilities and perceptions, and eventually at those abilities and perceptions themselves. 108 On the other hand, if you are going to deal with the Otherworld on a regular basis, you must learn to measure how "true" your perceptions are, and how reliable are your otherworldly companions--otherwise you will stop growing or be sold a bridge by a spirit looking for laughs at your expense. And so, in normal workings, it pays to keep a certain mindset. Assume, for your own sanity, that your experiences are essentially genuine. (In fact it often doesn't matter ultimately whether a particular journey is into another realm or into your own head, as long as you use the information to improve yourself. The growth will be genuine either way.) However, do compare notes with others who take the same journey if you work in a group. You will probably find that over time, with practice, you will more and more be sharing the same experience, and this is an extremely gratifying thing to discover. It also allows for things like a group journey to find a single totem or guide who is willing to help an entire coven. You will be able to compare the quirks of how you perceive the other worlds and energy, and learn where you may be strong or weak in your skills. Another good idea is to research any teachings you receive from astral guides, or any past life memories. You may find confirmation of what you have been taught or have remembered, which is again very gratifying. You may also find clarification of what was meant that will encourage even more development for you. Or you may find no such confirmation, and know that you need more clarification--and possibly some revisions--before you can trust and use the information But we were talking about the other kind of doubt--the one that comes and sits on your head when you're about to do something important and whispers unpleasant nothings in your ear. If you were raised Christian, it may whisper about delusion and devil worship. If you were raised agnostic or atheist, it may deride your work as superstitious nonsense. If you have trouble with your self-esteem, it will poke fun at the "specialness" of 109 being able to do magic. It will find your weakness and poke at it with a pointed stick. It's you. And as I mentioned, it is by several accounts a sign that you are getting somewhere. Aleister Crowley defines this as an "Apophis stage." He defines the study of magic as a continuing three-part cycle, and names the stages Isis, Apophis, and Osiris, after Egyptian gods. (By the way, the initials are IAO, a divine name from Hermeticism that has several other applications in ceremonial magic.) In the Isis stage, we have just begun a certain phase of development. Everything comes easily, and we feel quite good about ourselves and our studies. But then, Apophis comes. Our abilities seem to dry up, or at least become very difficult to use, and we are plagued by dark thoughts of failure. We can give up here: many people do. We can leave the occult entirely, or move into another Isis stage in another discipline. But to deepen, we have to keep working through Apophis to get to Osiris. In the Osiris stage, our abilities return, different than before, in the light of our new understanding. We have gained wisdom and depth that will enrich all of our future cycles. For Wiccans, it will not take much imagination to compare this cycle to that of Life, Death, and Rebirth that we celebrate, or to the initiation in which we are tried, and symbolically die and are reborn. For followers of the Northern paths, a comparison might be made to Odin's willingness, time and again, to sacrifice of himself to gain more magic and wisdom. Of course, not every passing this is silly thought develops into a dark night of the soul, but even the smaller ones can serve as signposts. Marian Green, in her book A Witch Alone, discusses the momentary doubts that plague each of us at some point. (Excerpt follows.) 110 "If you commit yourself to the Hidden Paths or walking the Old Ways you will certainly be in for some surprises. The most common of these are the feelings, which never entirely go away, of `Why on Earth am I doing this? Why am I wearing this strange robe, talking to trees or invisible beings, thinking that "spells" can possibly work in the twentieth century?' You will often find, right in the middle of a meditation or ritual, such thoughts creeping into your head, making you feel a fool. This is a sure sign that your magic is working, for you have so certainly stepped out of your normal role in life or set aside, just for the moment, the very ordinary self to adopt that magical inner personality, that it is trying to reassert what it considers normality." "It never entirely goes away, as any adepts you come across will tell you, and even after decades of participating in celebrations, speaking directly with the Old Ones, venturing into the wilderness, both without and within, this sense of amusement, of fun and wonder, never really dies. It is a recollection that you are indeed straying from the ordinary world and it should never trouble you, just provide a moment's humour when the power is coming through." Keep on with guarding, with faith, a sense of humor, and a single grain of salt, and blessed may you be. . 111 Paganlore.com Gods in Magickal Workings Communication Gods Pantheon Goddess' Fides Pantheon Amergin Irish Roman Mercury Roman Iris Greek Hermes Greek Tashmit Chaldean Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Greek/Roman Athene Greek Bragi Norse Brighid Irish Odin Scandinavian Maya Hindu Creativity Gods Apollo Destiny, Fate Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Fa Beninese Arachne Greek Nabu Babylonian Fortuna Roman Shai Egyptian Meri Chaldean Dedication, Devotion 112 Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Ebisu Japanese Aramati Hindu Fides Roman Gaia Greek Ida Hindu Divination, Oracles, Prophesy Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Apollo Roman Dione Phonecian Evander Roman Gaia Greek Odin Norse Gwendydd Welsh Apollo Greek Hecate Greek Shamash Babylonian Ida Hindu Inanna Sumerian Ishtar Babylonian Fertility, Fruitfulness, Productivity Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Apollo Greek/Roman Althea Greek Baal Phonecian Astarte Canaanite Bacchus Greek Bona Dea Roman Dionysus Greek Freya Teutonic Isis Egypt Friendship 113 Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Mithras Persian Maitri Hindu Happiness, Joy Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Baldur Scandinavian Hathor Egyptian Omacatl Aztec Samkat Babylonian Health, Well Being Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Asclepius Greek Brighid Irish Apollo Greek/Roman Gula Babylonian Eshmun Phoenician Hygeia Greek Home Matters Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Bannik Slavonic Cardea Roman Da-Bog Slavonic Hestia Greek Penates Roman Vesta Roman Knowledge, Insight Gods Pantheon Goddess' Pantheon Gwion Welsh Buddhi Tibetan Hermes Greek Cerridwen Welsh Sia Egyptian Toma Tibetan Goddess' Pantheon Love, Romance Gods Pantheon 114 Angus Irish Aphrodite Greek Cupid Roman Belili Sumerian Kama Hindu Ishtar Middle Eastern Venus Roman ,. 115 Paganlore.com Basic Meditations & Understanding The Chakra's This information was sent as a contribution from Leia. These skills and knowledge will be useful to those of you who are just beginning your journey along this path. The ability to center and ground yourself easily is crucial to being effective in your Magickal workings as well as in achieving balance and harmony with Nature and Universal energy flows. These exercises will also help in developing your ability clearly visualize and focus which will also be of great importance to your future success within the Craft. I urge you to join me in thanking her for taking the time, energy and effort to compile this information. Drop her a note of appreciation if you find it helpful. :) Her e-mail address is given at the bottom of this page. A Centering Meditation Sit any way that you feel comfy, so long as your spine is straight. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take very long and very deep breaths through your nose. Each time you breathe in, hold it for 2 or 3 seconds and then slowly exhale. Continue this breathing until you feel very calm and peaceful. This usually takes 3-5 minutes ( but that is just me). Take as long as you need. It is different for everyone. Just go at your own pace. 116 You can also use sound to center yourself. Just sit quietly and ring a small bell or chimes. Focus on the soft sound and breathe deeply. Keep making the noise until you feel centered. A Grounding Technique This works great for those times in school or at work when you just can't seem to keep your feet still or relax. Place your feet flat on the floor and breathe in deeply. On the exhale, picture the excess energy flowing out of your feet and into the Earth. Keep doing this until you feel calm. Usually my feet feel very heavy after doing this. My friends have gotten the same feeling too when doing this, so I guess it is just a normal sensation. How To Find A Mantra That Fits You Sit in a comfy position. Picture yourself leaving your body and travel up to the cosmos. See yourself sitting calmly in the center of the Universe. Concentrate on the stars, then after a few minutes of gazing at them, a few of the stars will glow a bright baby blue. Concentrate on one bright blue star at a time. As you gaze at that particular star, you may hear a phrase or word whispered in your head. Repeat what you hear and focus inward. If the mantra is right for you, you will know it within. If it is not right for you, simply gaze at another blue star and repeat this until you find a mantra that fits you. After you find a mantra, thank the Universe and feel yourself slowly descending from the sky, back into your body. When you open your eyes, you might feel a little tired or drained. I find that drinking a nice cold cup of juice re -energizes my body. You might also wish to have a small snack. Milk and juice are ideal for recharging yourself. 117 Meditating On Your Mantra Sit in a comfy position and center yourself. During this meditation, you can sing, say, whisper, or think your mantra. All that matters is that you focus on your mantra and nothing else. That's it. You can do this for as long as you like. A Chakra Meditation You can do this meditation either standing or lying down, however it is important to not cross your legs or arms since this will close your energy loop. Center yourself. Hold your right hand a few inches above your Root Chakra. Focus on this spot and hold this focus for a moment. Picture energy coming down from the Universe and flowing through your hand, into the chakra. Each time you inhale, feel more energy being drawn into the chakra. When you feel a comfy warmness in this area, move onto the next chakra and keep doing so until you have charged all of your chakras. This exercise is very helpful for when you are feeling out of balance. It also helps during times of physical illness. YOU SHOULD STILL SEE A DOCTOR IF YOUR CONDITION IS SERIOUS. This is not a substitute for a doctor's care, it is an aid to help strengthen the healing process. If you wish, you can hold crystals/stones in your hands while doing this or place the appropriate stone on the appropriate chakra. The corresponding stones are: Red Jasper--Root Chakra Carnelian--Sexual Chakra Tiger's Eye--Solar Plexus Chakra Aventurine --Heart Chakra Sodalite--Throat Chakra Lapis Lazuli--Third Eye Chakra Amethyst--Crown Chakra Balancing And Clarifying Your Chakras 118 Here are some chakra color treatments to put you back in balance. They were given to me by a good friend and Shaman. For the following, visualize each specific color penetrating and cleansing that chakra. This is a good way to balance yourself in the morning before getting up and starting your day. Root Chakra: A very bright shade of red. You can also chant "oohm" in tone C while doing this. Sexual Chakra: A clear shade of orange. You can chant "ohm" in tone D for this one. Solar Plexus Chakra: A bright and sunny yellow. You can chant "ahm" in tone E for this one. Heart Chakra: You can visualize a bright green or a bright pink. Both are seen as the color of this chakra. You can chant "ah" in tone F for this one. Throat Chakra: A light shade of blue. You can chant "ehm" in tone G for this one. Third Eye Chakra: A transparent indigo. You can chant "eem" in tone A for this one. Crown Chakra: Violet or white are both seen as the color of this chakra. You can chant "om" in tone H for this one. Well, that's all for now in the meditation area. The above centering technique and grounding technique are needed in some of the divination exorcizes I will provide later on. So if you have an interest in Divination and Scrying, you may wish to practice and become proficient with them until you become comfortable with them. Copyright © 1997 Leia. This text may not be reprinted or used without the express written consent of the author who may be contacted via e-mail Leia Chakras & Meditation Chakra & Meditation Index 119 Paganlore.com Chakra's & Meditation According to East Indian philosophy, man possesses seven major *Chakras* or psychic centers on his body. Each of these forms a bridge, link, or energy transformer; changing pure (higher) energy into various forms, and connecting the four bodies (ie. spiritual, mental, astral, and physical) together. The chakras are located along the nadies (a network of psychic nerves or channels) and follow the autonomic nervous system along the spinal cord. Chakras correlate with major acupuncture points along the 'governing vessel meridian' (acupuncture term). The seven major chakras are connected together by three major nadies which are parallel and near each other. The middle nadi is called *sushumna* and it has neutral characteristics. The nadi on the left (ie. nearest your left hand) is the *ida* nadi which has yin characteristics. On the other side of sushumna (nearest your right hand) is the *pingala* nadi, having yang qualities. Chakras are visible to clairvoyant sight as varously colored rotating circles or funnels. In the East they are described as petaled flowers or lotuses. Sources disagree on the colors. Chakra Locations The first chakra, located at the base of the spine at the perineum is the *root chakra*, muladhara. It primarily relates to the element of earth and to ps ychic smell. The second chakra, known as the *sacral center, or sexual chakra*, svadhisthana, is located above and behind the genitals. Its dominant element is water, and it is related to psychic taste. Third of the chakras is the *solar plexus*, manipura, located at the navel and corresponding with the emotions and with the element of fire; also with psychic sight (clairvoyance). The *heart chakra*, anahata, is the fourth chakra, located over the heart and corresponding with the element of air, and also with psychic touch. 120 The fifth chakra is the *throat chakra*, vishuddha, located at the base of the throat (thyroid) and corresponding with psychic hearing (clairaudience). The remaining two chakras are very important. They relate mostly to elevated states of consciousness. The *frontal chakra*, (or 'third eye') Ajna, the sixth chakra, is located between, and slightly above, the eyebrows. Ajna is the center of psychic powers and can produce many psychic effects. Meditation on ajna is said to cure nervousness. Finally, the *crown chakra*, sahasrara, located atop the head, (pineal gland) is the seventh chakra. It is referred to as the thousand-petaled lotus and corresponds with astral projection and enlightenment. There are also many minor chakras throughout the body. Each chakra has a sound (letter) and a pitch which is sometimes used to invoke it. THE TATTVAS Some occultists prefer to describe the magical elements as tattvas according to the Eastern system. Notice that these symbols and colors are generally different than the western symbols and colors for the elements. Element Earth Water Fire Air Spirit Tattva Prithivi Apas Tejas Vayu Akasa Tattvic Symbol Yellow Square Silver Crescent Red Triangle Blue Circle Black Oval YOGA Yoga originated in India. It is a physical or mental discipline designed to condition and invigorate the mind and 121 body. There are many kinds of yoga, but they may be generally divided into three main types... Hatha yoga -- affect the mind through the body using physical exercises; improve physical health and endurance. Raja yoga -- affect the mind through mental training; improve concentration. Mantra yoga -- affect the mind through chanting and affirmation; achieve relaxation. MEDITATION This is a much touted area of the occult. There are many meditation techniques, and many claims made for the benefits of meditation. Basicly, meditation has two functions -- relaxation, and perhaps, improved concentration. There are two main types... 1) concentration meditation (focusing), 2) insight meditation (mindfullness). Most kinds of meditation are the concentrative type. One simply focuses his attention upon a single physical object (such as a candle flame); upon a sensation (such as that felt while walking or breathing); upon an emotion (such as reverence or love); upon a mantra spoken aloud or even silently; or upon a visualization (as in chakra meditation, see below)...Concentration meditation is, simply put, a form of self-hypnosis. A mantra (or mantrum) is one or more words or syllables which are repeated -often chanted -- aloud...A simple yet powerful mantra is to vibrate the mystical word 'OM'. This mantra has long been associated in India with the godhead/unity. Use it to aid in tuning into universal vibrations which promote feelings of harmony, peace, and well-being. Use it before magick ritual to 'get into the mood' and afterward to 'dismiss the forces'. You vibrate a mantra by saying it slowly aloud in a lower-pitched voice than your normal speech, and a more or less constant pitch as well. Let the sound fade at the end of the mantra. A powerful one such as 'OM' will seem to vibrate the air around you. It should be vocalized for 5-10 seconds and repeated a number of times with a few seconds rest between each vocalization. Chanting of mantras may cause slight dizziness from hyperventilation. The other main type of meditaiton -- insight meditation -- is the analysis of thoughts and feelings in such a way as to cause realization of the subjectivity and illusion of experience. This is done in a effort to attain trancendental awareness. Such statements as, 'This body is not me', fall under this category. Buddhist meditations are usually of this type. CHAKRA MEDITATION 122 There is a special type of concentrative meditation which we will call 'Chakra meditation'. This is basicly Kundalini yoga -- the practice of causing psychic energy (kundalini) to flow up sushumna, energizing the various chakras along the way. The practice, considered dangerous by some, will produce deffinite physiological sensations and psychological effects if continued long enough. It should not be attempted by epileptics or persons with an unstable mental or physical condition, or with heart disease. Certain drugs and medications, such as those used to treat epilepsy may retard progress. Although the technique is very simple, it may eventually produce powerful results. Results may at first appear hours after the practice during sleep. As each chakra is energized by this practice, it is said to add occult powers (sidhis), until at last the crown chakra is reached, and with it, full enlightenment is attained. Sometimes kundalini awakens all by itself. To practice this chakra meditation, you simply concentrate on the chakras, beginning with the root chakra, and moving progressively up, as you visualize psychic energy from the root chakra traveling up shushumna and vivifying each higher chakra. As we mentioned the chakras have certain properties associated with them, so that this type of visualization may 'raise consciousness', promote astral projection, and other things -- once you have reached ajna and eventually the crown chakra. You might typically meditate in this fashion for 15 minutes to a half hour a day. It might help to practice some hatha yoga or other physical exercise in an effort to make the spinal cord 'more flexible'. Diet may also affect the process. The technique is also similar to the Tibetan 'Tummo' meditation. The rise of kundalini is sometimes experienced as a 'vibration' or buzzing, as light, or as heat. HEALTH AND DIET Certainly the way you treat your physical body will affect your mind. In magick you want an alert mind. Therefore, your body must be as healthy as you can keep it. Take care of your body. Exercise regularly. eat a good diet (with vitamin supplements), and do not consume anything which will have a negative effect upon the mind. Drugs, smoking,, and alcohol should be restricted, or eliminated. (The mind can create any condition which a drug can create.) A good rule here is moderation in what and how much you consume. (Most of this stuff is pretty obvious isn't it.) You may also want to cut down on sugar and processed foods. Many occultists advise dietary changes, 123 expecially the non-eating of meat. We cannot deny the physical, psychological, and spiritual effect which all foods have. This effect may be described as the 'heaviness' factor of foods. Various foods are so ranked in the chart, lighter to heavier... 1. lettuce and other greens. 2. fruits and most vegetables. 3. wheat, rice, and other grains. 4. nuts, beans, and other legumes. 5. cheese, dairy products, including eggs. 6. fish, seafood. 7. chicken, poultry. 8. beef, pork, other red meats. Note that meats, especially red meats are the 'heaviest' foods. Generally, foods which are harder to digest, or which are higher in protein are 'heavier' than those which are not. Animal products are heavier than plants. Foods high in carbohydrate (candy, bread, starch) are heavy. However, the 'heaviness' of foods is not directly related to the amount of caleries. What this means is that for various reasons, the heaviness of food in your diet will affect your magical experiences. You may be able to increase your psychic receptivity ('energy level') by eating lighter foods, or by eating less. Conversely, emphasizing heavy foods in your diet, or eating larger helpings, may help to 'bring you down to earth' should you 'rent the veil' too much. These are generalizations, of course, and it may take a number of days of dietary change before you notice much effect. I do not advocate radical dietary changes, excessive fasting, or malnutrition. Your good health is far more important in magick than any temporary effect you get from prolonged starvation. A change in diet will sometimes only produce a temporary effect, until the physical body adapts to the change. Healthy natural foods and lifestyle make it easier for us to be healthy, but ultimately, good health is a mentual quality (attitude). THE FOUR-FOLD BREATH With physical exercise too, moderation is advised. (You should be cautious, or not attempt it if you have a respiratory or heart condition. Check with your physician if in doubt, and don't overdo.) One of the most useful physical exercises is pranayama, or controlled breathing (actually a type of hatha yoga exercise). For this and any other calesthentics or hatha yoga which you might choose to do a 'kitchen timer' is 124 suggested (many of these aren't accurate for under three minutes, but are helpful for longer periods). The main purpose of pranayama is to relax the body and mind. There are many kinds of pranayama, but a simple one called the 'four-fold breath' will suffice. This consists of four short quick inhallations, then four short quick exhallations; then repeat, continuing until the allotted time is used up. It will take about 1 1/2 seconds for the four inhallations, and about 1 1/2 seconds for the four exhallations; or about 3 seconds for the complete in-out cycle ('rep' for repetition). There should be no strain of any kind during your pranayama. You will probably notice a slight dizziness, particularly at first, since the effect of pranayama is to hyperventilate. Try sitting back in a chair with your eyes closed when you do your pranayama. Begin a minute a day for the first week and gradually increase up to about five minutes a day. If you do the pranayama befor your magical activity, it will help you to get 'into the mood'. It is also an excellent aid to relaxation and tension release. Pranayama should not be done during heavy air pollution. Other exercises you might consider are hatha yoga, calesthentics, walking or jogging. REVIEW QUESTIONS: 1) What is a chakra? List them. 2) Name the three major nadies. Which nadi is hot? 3) What is pranayama? BOOK LIST: Arthur Diekman, The Observing Self. W.Y. Evans -Wentz, Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines. Sandra Gibson, Beyond the Mind. King and Skinner, Techniques of High Magic. Swami Sivananda, Kundalini Yoga. John Woodroffe (pseud. for Arthur Avalon), The Serpent Power. Copyright (c) 1988 by Phil Hansford. This article is is licenced for free noncommercial distribution only. Formatting and conversion into HTML Code by Herne at The Celtic Connection. A link and acknowledgement for the time and effort expended would be appreciated if you use this document. . 125 Paganlore.com Chakra's & Meditation According to East Indian philosophy, man possesses seven major *Chakras* or psychic centers on his body. Each of these forms a bridge, link, or energy transformer; changing pure (higher) energy into various forms, and connecting the four bodies (ie. spiritual, mental, astral, and physical) together. The chakras are located along the nadies (a network of psychic nerves or channels) and follow the autono mic nervous system along the spinal cord. Chakras correlate with major acupuncture points along the 'governing vessel meridian' (acupuncture term). The seven major chakras are connected together by three major nadies which are parallel and near each other. The middle nadi is called *sushumna* and it has neutral characteristics. The nadi on the left (ie. nearest your left hand) is the *ida* nadi which has yin characteristics. On the other side of sushumna (nearest your right hand) is the *pingala* nadi, having yang qualities. Chakras are visible to clairvoyant sight as varously colored rotating circles or funnels. In the East they are described as petaled flowers or lotuses. Sources disagree on the colors. Chakra Locations The first chakra, located at the base of the spine at the perineum is the *root chakra*, muladhara. It primarily relates to the element of earth and to psychic smell. The second chakra, known as the *sacral center, or sexual chakra*, svadhisthana, is located above and behind the genitals. Its dominant element is water, and it is related to psychic taste. Third of the chakras is the *solar plexus*, manipura, located at the navel and corresponding with the emotions and with the element of fire; also with psychic sight (clairvoyance). 126 The *heart chakra*, anahata, is the fourth chakra, located over the heart and corresponding with the element of air, and also with psychic touch. The fifth chakra is the *throat chakra*, vishuddha, located at the base of the throat (thyroid) and corresponding with psychic hearing (clairaudience). The remaining two chakras are very important. They relate mostly to elevated states of consciousness. The *frontal chakra*, (or 'third eye') Ajna, the sixth chakra, is located between, and slightly above, the eye brows. Ajna is the center of psychic powers and can produce many psychic effects. Meditation on ajna is said to cure nervousness. Finally, the *crown chakra*, sahasrara, located atop the head, (pineal gland) is the seventh chakra. It is referred to as the thousand-petaled lotus and corresponds with astral projection and enlightenment. There are also many minor chakras throughout the body. Each chakra has a sound (letter) and a pitch which is sometimes used to invoke it. THE TATTVAS Some occultists prefer to describe the magical elements as tattvas according to the Eastern system. Notice that these symbols and colors are generally different than the western symbols and colors for the elements. Element Earth Water Fire Air Spirit Tattva Prithivi Apas Tejas Vayu Akasa Tattvic Symbol Yellow Square Silver Crescent Red Triangle Blue Circle Black Oval YOGA Yoga originated in India. It is a physical or mental discipline designed to condition and invigorate the mind and body. There are many kinds of yoga, but they may be generally divided into three main types... Hatha yoga -- affect the mind through the body using physical exercises; improve physical health and endurance. Raja yoga -- affect the mind through mental training; improve concentration. Mantra yoga -- affect the mind through chanting and affirmation; achieve 127 relaxation. MEDITATION This is a much touted area of the occult. There are many meditation techniques, and many claims made for the benefits of meditation. Basicly, meditation has two functions -- relaxation, and perhaps, improved concentration. There are two main types... 1) concentration meditation (focusing), 2) insight meditation (mindfullness). Most kinds of meditation are the concentrative type. One simply focuses his attention upon a single physical object (such as a candle flame); upon a sensation (such as that felt while walking or breathing); upon an emotion (such as reverence or love); upon a mantra spoken aloud or even silently; or upon a visualization (as in chakra meditation, see below)...Concentration meditation is, simply put, a form of self-hypnosis. A mantra (or mantrum) is one or more words or syllables which are repeated -often chanted -- aloud...A simple yet powerful mantra is to vibrate the mystical word 'OM'. This mantra has long been associated in India with the godhead/unity. Use it to aid in tuning into universal vibrations which promote feelings of harmony, peace, and well-being. Use it before magick ritual to 'get into the mood' and afterward to 'dismiss the forces'. You vibrate a mantra by saying it slowly aloud in a lower-pitched voice than your normal speech, and a more or less constant pitch as well. Let the sound fade at the end of the mantra. A powerful one such as 'OM' will seem to vibrate the air around you. It should be vocalized for 5-10 seconds and repeated a number of times with a few seconds rest between each vocalization. Chanting of mantras may cause slight dizziness from hyperventilation. The other main type of meditaiton -- insight meditation -- is the analysis of thoughts and feelings in such a way as to cause realization of the subjectivity and illusion of experience. This is done in a effort to attain trancendental awareness. Such statements as, 'This body is not me', fall under this category. Buddhist meditations are usually of this type. CHAKRA MEDITATION There is a special type of concentrative meditation which we will call 'Chakra meditation'. This is basicly Kundalini yoga -- the practice of causing psychic energy (kundalini) to flow up sushumna, energizing the various chakras along the way. The practice, considered dangerous by some, will produce deffinite physiological sensations and psychological effects if continued long enough. It should not be attempted by epileptics or persons with an unstable mental or physical condition, or 128 with heart disease. Certain drugs and medications, such as those used to treat epilepsy may retard progress. Although the technique is very simple, it may eventually produce powerful results. Results may at first appear hours after the practice during sleep. As each chakra is energized by this practice, it is said to add occult powers (sidhis), until at last the crown chakra is reached, and with it, full enlightenment is attained. Sometimes kundalini awakens all by itself. To practice this chakra meditation, you simply concentrate on the chakras, beginning with the root chakra, and moving progressively up, as you visualize psychic energy from the root chakra traveling up shushumna and vivifying each higher chakra. As we mentioned the chakras have certain properties associated with them, so that this type of visualization may 'raise consciousness', promote astral projection, and other things -- once you have reached ajna and eventually the crown chakra. You might typically meditate in this fashion for 15 minutes to a half hour a day. It might help to practice some hatha yoga or other physical exercise in an effort to make the spinal cord 'more flexible'. Diet may also affect the process. The technique is also similar to the Tibetan 'Tummo' meditation. The rise of kundalini is sometimes experienced as a 'vibration' or buzzing, as light, or as heat. HEALTH AND DIET Certainly the way you treat your physical body will affect your mind. In magick you want an alert mind. Therefore, your body must be as healthy as you can keep it. Take care of your body. Exercise regularly. eat a good diet (with vitamin supplements), and do not consume anything which will have a negative effect upon the mind. Drugs, smoking,, and alcohol should be restricted, or eliminated. (The mind can create any condition which a drug can create.) A good rule here is moderation in what and how much you consume. (Most of this stuff is pretty obvious isn't it.) You may also want to cut down on sugar and processed foods. Many occultists advise dietary changes, expecially the non-eating of meat. We cannot deny the physical, psychological, and spiritual effect which all foods have. This effect may be described as the 'heaviness' factor of foods. Various foods are so ranked in the chart, lighter to heavier... 1. lettuce and other greens. 2. fruits and most vegetables. 3. wheat, rice, and other grains. 4. nuts, beans, and other legumes. 5. cheese, dairy products, including eggs. 6. fish, seafood. 129 7. chicken, poultry. 8. beef, pork, other red meats. Note that meats, especially red meats are the 'heaviest' foods. Generally, foods which are harder to digest, or which are higher in protein are 'heavier' than those which are not. Animal products are heavier than plants. Foods high in carbohydrate (candy, bread, starch) are heavy. However, the 'heaviness' of foods is not directly related to the amount of caleries. What this means is that for various reasons, the heaviness of food in your diet will affect your magical experiences. You may be able to increase your psychic receptivity ('energy level') by eating lighter foods, or by eating less. Conversely, emphasizing heavy foods in your diet, or eating larger helpings, may help to 'bring you down to earth' should you 'rent the veil' too much. These are generalizations, of course, and it may take a number of days of dietary change before you notice much effect. I do not advocate radical dietary changes, excessive fasting, or malnutrition. Your good health is far more important in magick than any temporary effect you get from prolonged starvation. A change in diet will sometimes only produce a temporary effect, until the physical body adapts to the change. Healthy natural foods and lifestyle make it easier for us to be healthy, but ultimately, good health is a mentual quality (attitude). THE FOUR-FOLD BREATH With physical exercise too, moderation is advised. (You should be cautious, or not attempt it if you have a respiratory or heart condition. Check with your physician if in doubt, and don't overdo.) One of the most useful physical exercises is pranayama, or controlled breathing (actually a type of hatha yoga exercise). For this and any other calesthentics or hatha yoga which you might choose to do a 'kitchen timer' is suggested (many of these aren't accurate for under three minutes, but are helpful for longer periods). The main purpose of pranayama is to relax the body and mind. There are many kinds of pranayama, but a simple one called the 'four-fold breath' will suffice. This consists of four short quick inhallations, then four short quick exhallations; then repeat, continuing until the allotted time is used up. It will take about 1 1/2 seconds for the four inhallations, and about 1 1/2 seconds for the four exhallations; or about 3 seconds for the complete in-out cycle ('rep' for repetition). There should be no strain of any kind during your pranayama. You will probably notice a slight dizziness, particularly at first, since the effect of pranayama is to hyperventilate. Try sitting back in a chair with your eyes closed when you do your pranayama. Begin a minute a day for the first week and gradually increase up to about five minutes a day. If you do the pranayama befor your magical activity, it will help you to get 'into the mood'. It is also an excellent aid to relaxation and tension release. Pranayama should not be done during heavy air pollution. Other exercises you 130 might consider are hatha yoga, calesthentics, walking or jogging. REVIEW QUESTIONS: 1) What is a chakra? List them. 2) Name the three major nadies. Which nadi is hot? 3) What is pranayama? BOOK LIST: Arthur Diekman, The Observing Self. W.Y. Evans -Wentz, Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines. Sandra Gibson, Beyond the Mind. King and Skinner, Techniques of High Magic. Swami Sivananda, Kundalini Yoga. John Woodroffe (pseud. for Arthur Avalon), The Serpent Power. Copyright (c) 1988 by Phil Hansford. This article is is licenced for free noncommercial distribution only. Formatting and conversion into HTML Code by Herne at The Celtic Connection. A link and acknowledgement for the time and effort expended would be appreciated if you use this document. 131 Book of Shadows 132 Spells & Rituals Ok. This is the section everyone has been waiting for. For some reason, its the most popular one on the site.. I wonder why.. hehe.. Anyways, use the menu below to select the type of ritual you want. Some of the sections are still growing and may contain only one or two rites. If you have a ritual that you would like to see published here, please feel free to email it to us. Some of these rituals will be elaborate, and some will be very basic. The idea is to take and modify them to suit Your needs. A ritual works best when it comes from the heart, and not something you just read off a sheet of paper. I hope you enjoy these, and We will continue to add more to them. NOTE: All spells unless Authour otherwise noted, belong to Rev. Lord Talows at "The Wiccans Home" After you read these here are another 399 spells! Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Bring Love . Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Note: This spell is not intended to be used on someone. It is a general spell to be sent out to the universe, so you can find your mate. It will not make someone love you. 133 Preparations Create an oil consisting of 1/8 cup unscented oil (safflowe r or sunflower),mixed with enough rose geranium and lavender to create a pleasant scent. Blend these in a clear glass jar. Empower the oil to the cause of finding love. Rub well onto a Pink candle. The Ritual To empower the oil, focus on the jar, and think of the feelings of love. Contentment, commitment, joy, etc. Allow this love energy to flow into the oil. At a quiet moment, when you know you will be around long enough for the candle to burn fully, say the following prayer, and light the candle. Oh Lady who loves us, Oh Lord who loves us well, Please bring my true love to me, the one of whom my dreams do tell. Bright Lady of the Heavens, Strong Lord of the Earth, Please aid me in finding this love. Let this harm none, let none be coerced. Thank-you. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Love Sachel Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages 1 tbls hibiscus flowers 1 tbls passion flower 1 tbls strawberry leaves 1 tbls poppy flowers 10 drops or more of rose oil 134 10 drops of strawberry oil 8 drops of musk oil Mix all the ingredients together. Say out loud while visualizing on the person you wish to attract or the kind of person you wish to seek. " I ask that a lover be attracted to me and that there be love between us. I ask that this be correct and for the good of all people. So mote it be. " Carry in a red or pink bag. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Break The Bonds of Love Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages (Name) Hear: the bond is broken eye to eye the bond is broken (Name) Hear: the bond is broken mouth to mouth the bond is broken (Name) hear: the bond is broken ear to ear the bond is broken And so on. It should conclude ...you ease and comfort, bless your ways This is my will 135 and so must be. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Fiery Love Spell Create or find a charred stick. You will also need a few dried rose petals & a piece of paper. Using the charred part of the stick as you would a pencil, draw two inter-linked hearts on paper as you visualize yourself enjoying a satisfying relationship. Draw with power. Hold the rose petals in your projective hand & send fiery, loving energies into them. Sprinkle the petals over the linked hearts. Do this with power. Wrap the package around the petals. Still visualizing, throw the package into a fire. (Or, light it in the flame of a red candle & throw into a heat proof container.) As it burns, the power is released. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Gain Love 136 Best Time: Waxing Moon The cauldron should be on your altar between 2 pink candles. Inside the cauldron itself, place a magenta candle. Light a love incense and the Pink candles. Tap the cauldron three times with your wand. Say: " One to seek him, one to find him. One to bring him, one to bind him. Heart to heart, Forever one So say I, this spell is done. " Tap the cauldron three more times Light the magenta candle to speed the spell on its way. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals The Path of Love Note: This spell is not intended to be used on someone. It is a general spell to be sent out to the universe, so you can find your mate. It will not make someone love you. You will need 5 red roses. Walk about one block from your home and drop one rose. Begin to walk back to your home and drop three more roses along the way. Drop the fifth rose at your door. During this entire act, chant: "This is a path of Love. My true love will find me." But don't just repeat empty words. You must put all of your will and desire to find love into your words... concentrate on what you are saying and let yourself be filled with the feelings of love that you have to offer someone. 137 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Bring Love Note: This spell is not intended to be used on someone. It is a general spell to be sent out to the universe, so you can find your mate. It will not make someone love you. Preparation - Create an oil consisting of one eighth cup of unscented oil, mixed with enough rose geranium and lavender to create a pleasant scent. Blend these in a clear glass jar. Empower the oil to the cause of finding love, and then rub well into a pink candle. The Spell - To empower the oil, focus on the jar, and think of the feelings of love. Contentment, commitment, joy, etc. Allow this love energy to flow into the oil. At a quiet moment, when you know you will be around long enough for the candle to burn fully, say the following prayer and light the candle. " Oh Lady who loves us, oh Lord who loves us well, Please bring my true love to me, the one of whom my dreams do tell. Bright Lady of the heavens, Strong Lord of the earth, Please aid me in finding this love. Let this harm none, let none be coerced, Thank you. " Paganlore.com 138 Spells & Rituals To Attract A Lover Brought to you by: Alexcia's Web Ideas for this spell were taken from Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft. Warning: I've had many qualms about putting this spell on the web due to the controversy of it. It is a very powerful spell and absolutely Should Not be directed at a specific individual. This spell should only be used to attract a lover with the qualities of a person you are looking for. I will even go so far to say that it can be disasterous if you use this spell on a specific person. Matters of love are very complicated and can be dangerous if not used properly. Tools you will need are: Protection Incense (herbs or oils work fine also) Red 8" Taper Candle This is a 3 day spell, and it is best to find a work area that you can leave untouched for three days. If you must put away your tools, try to at least keep your spell candle out in the open. This spell can be used for the type of the person you want to attract. It is never recommended to direct a love spell towards a specific individual. You may choose a ficticious name for the type of person you want to attract to make this spell easier. Read over this spell and customize it prior to use-the work will go much smoother. Prepare your work area by setting up any tools you may use in addition to your spell candle. Love or protection incense is recommended (herbs or oils can also be used). While setting up your area, Concentrate on the purpose of your work. Do not let negative thoughts enter your mind! Just prior to your wo rk, bathe in purification herbs. While you are bathing, concentrate again on the purpose of your spell. Again, do not let negative thoughts enter your mind. After bathing, go to your work area. Light some incense and cast your circle. Envision a large, pink ball of light surrounding you and your work area. Hold the candle between the palms of your hands and direct all of your energy into the candle. Place the candle in its candle holder. Prior to lighting the candle, say (either aloud, or to yourself): “This candle represents the love between (your name) and (ficticious name of intended lover).” Light the candle and say (either aloud or to yourself): “As I light this candle, the love between my intended lover and me grows strong. Our love is such, that all feels the attraction. As this candle burns, it draws us ever near. Powerful is the persuasion! (Intended lovers name)‘s days are long and filled with yearning for me. (Intended lovers name)’s nights are long and filled with desire 139 for me. To be as one, together, is all that (name) would wish. To be as one, forever is (name)’s immediate need.For no rest shall she/he find, until she/he is by my side!” Sit and meditate and concentrate on your intended lover and the desire that person has for you. Concentrate on your desire for your lover. When the candle has burned 1/3 of the way, say “My lover will come to me” and blow out the candle. Repeat this for two more nights. Your desire will come to you. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Enemy to a Friend If you wish to stop your little fight between you and another, here are the things you will need: 1piece from a rosemary bush 3 rose petals The person's picture or a belonging You must put these under or inside your pillow 140 and keep it there for a week. Before going to bed, you must say these words: (Name), end this war between us, And put it in our past. Or a friendship you will lust, And this torment will last. The person should stop bothering you for awhile, or might decide it's time to become friends. Spell donated by 'Lissa Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Spell of Banishment Reproduced with Permission from - Open, Sesame © 1997 Eileen Holland 141 This is a spell for love gone wrong, for ending a personal, family or business relationship that you no longer wish to be in. I wrote it years ago as an anti-stalking spell, and have not been troubled by or even laid eyes on the spell's subject since then. It is a fire spell. To work it, gather herbs of protection and an image of the person (photograph, poppet, etc.) Something written in their own hand, a lock of hair, a piece of clothing or a personal object will also do. Put everything into a fireproof container - iron cauldron, marble mortar, whatever - and set fire to it as you perform the spell. It should make a very satisfactory blaze that reduces to ashes. The ashes can be buried or washed down a drain. Flush them down a toilet if you are very angry. Dispose of all the objects that connect you to the person: gifts, letters, photographs, etc. It is especially important to get rid of jewelry. Move house if you have to. Be careful with this spell. It's permanent, so don't use it unless you really mean forever. It's also powerful. The person I used it against had a pregnant wife, and their child was born with a hole in its heart. " By the crimson and the gold by basilisk and bloodstone by the garlic in the fields by the poppies and what they yield invisibly I make my shield to detect thee and deflect thee and keep thy harm from me.. By dragon's blood and salamanders by horses when their hooves strike sparks by the dragon breathing flames from the Book of Life I erase thy names I cut the cords and unlock the chains I sever all the ties by which we were bound and with impenetrable walls myself I surround against thy power and its source against thy evil and its source Vesta, Pele, Lilith Kali Kali Kali I banish thee forever from me and any harm from thee to me doubles back and tables turned thou shalt by thyself be burned Lilith, Vesta, Pele Kali Ma Kali Ma by the power of three times three I banish the e, I banish thee, I banish thee I am set free 142 So mote it be! " Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Simple Salt Ring of Protection Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations Mix together 1 part salt to 3 parts water. The salt can be any variety, if you have an affinity to the ocean, use sea salt. Pure spring water is reccomended, but tap water will do if that is all you have. Ritual Circle the area to be protected splashing the salt-water as you go around. Do this three times. While doing each circle, repeat three times, "Thrice around and thrice repeat, all evil does this ring defeat." See the sheild come up as you finsish the last circle. It is done. This ritual should be done after the area to be protected has been cleansed and purified in some fashion. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 143 A Simple Chant of Protection Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages Visualize a triple circle of purplish light around your body while chanting: "I am protected by your might. O gracious Goddess, day and night." Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To protect an Object Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages With your index finger, trace a pentagram or rune of protection over the object to be protected. Visualize lue light streaming from your fingers to surround the object. Say this as you trace: " With this pentagram/rune I lay, protection here both night and day. And the one who should not touch let his fingers burn and twitch. I now invoke the law of three: This is my will, So Mote It Be! " 144 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Protect A Garment Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages This should be said three times, while holding the garment. " This armours and protects with the power This is the robe of ease and comfort with the power This holds healing in its folds with the power This in the name of strength of the Lady. So this is. So it must be. " Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .Mirror Spell of Protection for The Home Compose an altar: place a censer in the center before an image of the Goddess. Have a 12-inch (or so) round mirror there as well. Ring the altar with 9 white candles. 145 Burn a protective incense (such as frankincense, sandalwood, copal or rosemary) in the censer. Beginning with the candle most directly before the Goddess image, say these or similiar words: "Lunar Light, protect me!" Repeat as you light each candle until all are glowing. Now, holding the mirror, invoke the Goddess in Her Lunar aspect with the se or similiar words: " Great Goddess of the Lunar Light And Mistress of the Seas; Great Goddess of the Mystic night And of the Mysteries; Within this place of candles bright And with your mirror nigh; Protect me with your awesome night Whilte ill vibrations fly! " Standing before the altar, hold the mirror facing the candles so that it reflects their flames. Keeping the mirror toward the candles, move slowly, clockwise around the altar, watching the reflected firelight bouncing off your surroundings. Gradually increase your speed, mentally invoking the Goddess to protect you. More faster and faster, watch the light shattering the air, cleansing it, burning away all negativity and all lines along which the ill energies have traveled into your house. Charge your home with the protective light of the Goddess. Race around the candles until you've felt the atmosphere change, until you feel that your home has been cleansed and guarded by the Great Goddess. When finished, stand once again before the image. Thank the Goddess in any words you wish. Pinch out the candles one by one, bind them together with white cors and store them in safe place until ( & if) you need to use them again for the same purpose. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 146 The Bottle Spell This spell is used to neutralize the power of those who intend to do you physical harm, or hurt your reputation, or in any way pose a threat to your security. You will need the following items. • • 4 tbsps Frankincense or Myrrh • 4 tbsps Black powdered Iron • 4 tbsps Sea Salt 4 tbsps Orris-root Powder (or oak moss) • 1 white candle • 1 bottle with a cork or lid • Mortar and pestle • Parchment Paper • Black Ink or black ballpointpen • Black thre ad Mix the sea salt, orris-root powder, and the iron in a bowl. Then cut a piece of parchment to fit inside your bottle and write on it with black ink: " I neutralize the power of (name of adversary) to do me any harm. I ask that this be correct and for the good of all. So mote it be! " Roll up the parchment, tie it with a black thread to bind it, and place it in the bottle. Fill the bottle with the dry ingredients. Then take the white candle and while turning the bottle counterclockwise, drip the wax over the cork to seal it. Last, secretly bury the bottle in a place where it will not be disturbed and no animals or people will dig it up. This spell is like a genie in a bottle. It should never be unleashed or the power of the spell is lost. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 147 Spell to Break The Powers of a Spell If you believe that a spell has been cast against you, place a large black candle in the cauldron (or a large black bowl). The candles must be tall enough to extend a few inches above the cauldron's rim. Affix the candle to the bottom of the cauldron with warmed beeswax or the drippings of another black candle so that it will not tip over. Fill the cauldron to the ri m with fresh water, without wetting the candle's wick. An inch or two should remain above the water. Deeply breathe, meditate, clear your mind and light the candle. Visualize the suspected spell's power as residing within the candle's flame. Sit in quiet contemplation of the candle and visualize the power flowing and growing within the candle's flame. (Yes, the power against you) As the candle burns down, it's flame will eventually sputter and go out as it contacts the water. As soon as the flame has been extinguished by the water, the spell will be dispersed. Break your visualization of the spell's power; see it explode into dust, becomin impotent. Pour the water into a hole in the ground, a lake or stream. Bury the candle. It is done. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Keep Evil From Your House Make a magickal tea from any of the following herbs and then sprinkle some of it in the corners and doorways of your home to purify, defeat all wicked conjuring, and prevent evil forces from entering: • • • angelica root broom tops curry powder 148 • • holy thistle poke root (which can also be added to your bath or cleaning water) • tormentil From The Wiccan Spellbook by Gerina Dunwich Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Fire Spell of Protection Sit or stand before any fire. Look into the flames (or flame, if using a candle). Visualize the fire bathing you with glowing, protective light. The fire creates a flaming, shimering sphere around you. If you wish, say the following or similar words: " Craft the spell in the fire; Craft it well; Weave it higher. Weave it now of shining flame; None shall come to hurt or maim. None shall pass this fiery wall; None shall pass No, none at all. " Repeat this simple yet effective ritual every day when in need. 149 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .House Protection 3 Preparations: Go out into the woods and find a few pieces of wood. Properly thank the tree. You will need as many pieces of wood as there are entries to whatever area you wish to protect. The Ritual: Bring the wood to your alter. Light a white candle. Sprinkle the wood with lavender oil and say: "Wood is of a shield. Please protect my home." Concentrate on protection and pour this energy into the wood. When you sense the wood is pulsing with the shielding energy, take it up, and place it around your home, near all entrances, and then return to your alter. See the shield around your house. Say a prayer of thanks to the wood, and the Lord and the Lady for enabling this. Re-do this when the wood no longer smells of lavender. Paganlore.com 150 Spells & Rituals A Spell of Warning Reproduced with Permission from - Open, Sesame © 1997 Eileen Holland This one is a good substitute for a hex, when your fear or anger tempts you in that direction: " Blood turn black and flesh turn blue I will curse you if you force me to by the left hand and the unclean food I'll curse your eyes, I'll curse your lies I'll call down a plague of flies blood go black and flesh go blue evil from me and back to you my soul clean and yours on fire you fuck with a witch you get burned, liar! " Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Simple Basil Protection You will need: 1 orange candle 1 carnation Basil Place the carnation in water, and the basil in front of the candle. Breath deeply, and clear your mind. Begin to concentrate on the powers of protection and say in a powerful voice: 151 " I call in the guardians and the power of the masculine and feminine. I surround myself with the fire of protection. The earth's grace supports me. The winds bring me gentle shifts and the flow of water eases the energy of this time. I believe in this protection and I release my fears, so that I may connect to the pulse of life. I ask that this be done within the greater good. So be it, and so it is. " Let the candle burn as long as you like. Throw the basil out on the full moon. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Simple Protection Chant "Shield of the Goddess, On my arm Psychic arrows, Cannot harm." Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 152 Mirror Spell Reverse Take a special hand-held mirror and simply turn completely around with the mirror reflecting outward and say: "Circle of reflection, Circle of protection, May the sender of all harm, Feel the power of this charm." Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Spell Reverse 2 " Spell, spell, spell be gone. Back to which ye belong. Back to the caster, take your disaster. By the law of three, So Mote It Be!" Paganlore.com 153 Spells & Rituals Fire Spell for Protection Sit or stand before any fire. Look into the flames (or flame if using a candle). Visualize the fire bathing you with glowing, protective light. The fire creates a flaming, shimmering sphere around you. If you wish, say the following or similar words: Craft the spell In the fire; Craft it well; Weave it higher. Weave it now Of shining flame; None shall come To hurt or maim. None shall pass No, none at all. Repeat this simple but effective ritual every day or when in need. Spell donated by Joshua 154 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Spell of Binding Reproduced with Permission from - Open, Sesame © 1997 Eileen Holland Get a large white candle, the kind that drips wax, and set it up on a tray. Affix to it a photograph or other image of the person you wish to bind. Make a ring of sea salt around it. Make a second ring with protective herbs. Fill the rest of the tray with images that represent what you are binding the person from: pictures of your family, keys to your house, legal documents, whatever. If the problem is too complex for images, write what the person is bound from on slips of paper and place them around the candle. Papyrus, or paper made from cotton or linen work best for this. Use red ink if you are angry, purple ink if you are sad. Wrap the candle and the image with black thread (linen, if possible). Invoke Isis and Linda, the Binder With Linen Thread. Say out loud what you are binding the person from. Light the candle and leave it burn until the wax begins to drip over the thread and image. Burn it every day for a week, until the image is thick with wax. Use this as a meditation device to direct your will to binding the person. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 155 .Protecting A Home Reproduced with Permission from - Open, Sesame © 1997 Eileen Holland Making a safe place for yourself and your family is one of the most important things a witch does. Experience teaches us that none of us is ever really safe anywhere, but a little magic certainly can't hurt. Here are some wa ys to protect the house: Start by mixing water and salt, two elements of magic. Consecrate them. Use garlic salt and add powdered rosemary if you need to clear out ghosts or spirits. Begin at the main entrance of the house or apartment. Sprinkle some of the consecrated water by dipping your fingers in it and making the sign of the pentacle. Say: Evil shall leave but not enter. Use a firm voice. Make it a commandment, with all of your power behind it. Proceed counterclockwise through the house, repeating the procedure in every corner of each room, at all the windows, doors and mirrors. Don't forget telephones, computers with active modems, fax machines, intercoms, and televisions that are connected to the Internet. It doesn't hurt to do the mailbox, too. Make the downward pentacle, with your left hand, if this feels right to you. Or the upward pentacle with your right hand. Either will work. Repeat the spell annually, or whenever you feel in need of it. It is important to perform a spell like this one on a new home before you move into it. Spell For A New Home This spell can be used while consecrating the salt and water: " O Great Mother in your name we purify with water and with salt cleanse this place of evil and fill it with your Love O Great Mother make this cave a safe space a warm and dry place and shelter us from harm O great Mother make this house our home " • Put a picture of Anubis over the door. Get a familiar, an animal with whom you establish a special psychic/magical relationship. • Egyptians dip their right hands in paint and make palm prints on the outside walls of their houses to ward off the evil eye. • In the East the names of deities who protect doors, gates, arches, etc. are written on them: Janus on both sides of a door, Usnisa and Sambharaja on an elevator, Wei Ch'eng on a back door, Patadharini on a doorway, and so • 156 on. This is said to work even if you write the names and then paint over them. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Spell of Drawing off Negativity Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Get a large white candle, the kind that drips wax, and set it up on a tray. Affix to it a photograph or other image of the person you wish to bind. Make a ring of sea salt around it. Make a second ring with protective herbs. Fill the rest of the tray with images that represent what you are binding the person from: pictures of your family, keys to your house, legal documents, whatever. If the problem is too complex for images, write what the person is bound from on slips of paper and place them around the candle. Papyrus, or paper made from cotton or linen work best for this. Use red ink if you are angry, purple ink if you are sad. Wrap the candle and the image with black thread (linen, if possible). Invoke Isis and Linda, the Binder With Linen Thread. Say out loud what you are binding the person from. Light the candle and leave it burn until the wax begins to drip over the thread and image. Burn it every day for a week, until the image is thick with wax. Use this as a meditation device to direct your will to binding the person. 157 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Protecting a Newborn Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations Have two tablespoons of dried rosemary and one tablespoon of dried lavender. Cotton cloth, thread and a white candle. You will use the cloth and thread to make sachets for the herbs. You will need as much of the cloth and herbs as necessary to make as many as you need. They will be placed in all areas the child will occupy (crib, playpen, etc.) After creating the sachets (you may buy them, if you can find them), place them on your work area or altar. Light a white candle. Ritual Say once, to each sachet: " By the powers of earth, fire air and water, Let these herbs protect. By the will of the Lady, by the will of the Lord, Let these herb protect. " Bring in the child, say to each sachet: " Herbs of protection, here is thy charge; protect him/her well. So mote it be. " At this point, you should be seeing, or visualizing, a white wall surrounding the infant, emanating from the sachets. You can move the sachets anywhere, I suggest keeping at least one in proximity of the child at all times, and yes, the diaper bag would be close enough in most cases. 158 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Protecting A Vehicle Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations You will need one clear or yellow glass bottle, one quartz crystal small enough to fit in the bottle, and be retrieved, cedar chips, pure spring water, a piece of red cloth made of a natural material, and frankincense or sandalwood incense. Create solar water by putting the crystal in the bottle, filling the bottle with the spring water, and placing it in the vehicle so that the morning sun will shine through it. Remove the bottle at noon. (Store water in cool dark area until the next morning) The next morning, spread the cedar chips on a non-metallic surface, and sprinkle lightly with the solar water. Place in the morning sun to dry. When dry, place the chips and crystal onto the cloth and tie closed. Ritual Use a cleansing incense, such as frankincense or sandalwood, freshen the vehicle. Let it completely air out afterward. Then place the bundle in the vehicle. As you place it say, "Let this charm keep me from harm" If doing this for another, change the phrase appropriately. It is done. 159 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Drawing off Negativity 2 Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations Buy one small clay pot for each room in your home. Fill it with fresh soil or sand. Ritual Within a circle, energize the sand. Charge it to remove all negative energies and emotions from your home's energy field. Envision the negative energies being pulled into the soil and being grounded. Once a month, empty the pots into running water. If no stre am is near, pour it onto the ground, and pour fresh spring water over it. This ritual should be done after the area to be protected has been cleansed and purified in some fashion. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 160 Distance Healing Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Note: this ritual is an action whose end result affects another. Please make sure the recipient of these healing energies actually wants them. Preparation You will need 3 candles, incense, a picture of the recipient (if you have one, great, if not, write the recipients name on a piece of pape r, and visualize him/her), and a quartz crystal (optional). The candles should be Blue, White, and Pink. The incense should be composed of one part ginger and one part rosemary. The Ritual Light the candles in a semi-circle in front of you. Place the incense off to one side, and place the picture inside the semi-circle, facing you, with the crystal sitting on it. Center yourself. Inhale the incense, and gather your energies. When you feel you have reached the maximum amount of energy you can hold, release it by directing it to the recipient. Directing it through a piece of quartz enhances the distance the energy can travel and not lose force. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Healing for Common Illnesses Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Disclaimer- This ritual is provided for informational purposes only. Ilana J. Rosenshein, and anyone related to her, is not responsible for the outcome of anyone using this ritual. Please consult a licensed health care physician before changing your health care program. My apologies for the above, it is legally necessary, so I don't get sued when someone gets pneumonia because they took this bath instead of seeing a doctor, when they should have. This bath is to cure congestion caused by a simple cold. If you have 161 fluid in your lungs, or a persistent cold, see a qualified, licensed healer/physician. Please. Preparations Have a blue candle, and blue healing bath salts. You may purchase these from a store, or make them yourself. To make the salts, mix: • • 3 parts Epsom salts 2 parts baking soda • 1 part salt (table) Mix this in a non-metal container with a non-metal instrument. Add to this, • • 1 part Sandalwood Oil 2 parts Eucalyptus Oil • 3 parts Rosemary Add enough of the oils to smell a scent, without add so much that it is an overpowering odor. Then add enough blue food coloring to turn the salts a dark blue. The salts will clump a bit. This is natural, do not worry. At your altar, light a blue candle. Send healing energies into the salts. Envision yourself whole and healthy. Do this for 3 to 15 minutes. Ritual Fill tub with water and add two or three tablespoons of the salts. Step into tub, and feel your sickness being released into the water. Stay in the water as long as comfortable, or until the water is cool. Drain the tub and watch your sickness go down the drain. Rinse off the last of the water under the shower, to remove the last traces of illness. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 162 A Simple Cure Rite Light a fire of oak wood, if possible. When much of the wood has been reduced to glowing pieces of charcoal, pick up one carefully with a pair of tongs or shovel & throw it immediately into a stream or pot of cold water. It will sizzle & pop. As it does visualize the disease leaving the body of the afflicted person. Repeat this operation three more times. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .The Healing Flames Draw a picture of yourself with the disease, wound or condition. Clearly point out the problem in the picture: a large hammer against the head to represent a headache; black worms for a virus; a broken limb; a sore. Charge a red candle with healing energy. light the candle's flame. Hold the tip of the picture in the flame. After it's lit, drop it into a heat proof container. Now, with the red candle still burning, draw another picture of yourself without the headache, free of the virus or sore, or with a healed limb. Place this picture under the red candle & let it burn out. You are done. 163 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals The Threefold Blessing The threefold blessing is a brief ritual based on the sacred Celtic number three, and uses the imagery of the Triple Goddess-the maiden, mother, and crone (symbolized by the three phases of the moon)-to honor and consecrate the one undergoing the blessing. Set up your altar, and cast your circle as usual. This ritual requires no special tools, except for a cauldron. You will also need a bowl of salt, and a bowl of water. This ritual requires three female members to portray the goddess in her three forms, and one member t o hold the cauldron. It is a very powerful ritua l, and one highly suitable for initiations. From the altar a small cauldron is lifted and handed to someone else who will hold it for the High Priest and High Priestess while the blessing of the salt and water takes place. Cauldron Bearer Behold the cauldron. To look into its depths is to see all time and space, and to know the unity of our Goddess. From her womb all things are born, and return to it we all must, so that we may be born again. From the altar, the High Priestess takes a small silver chalice of water and holds it over the cauldron. High Priestess Blessed Be the water-the blood of the Goddess from which all life emerges. The High Priestess pours the water into the cauldron. Then the High Priest takes a small bowl of salt from the altar and holds it over the cauldron. High Priest Blessed Be the salt-the body of the Goddess, the Earth Mother who nourishes and sustains us. The High Priest pours the salt into the cauldron. The three coven members who have been selected ahead of time to portray the maiden, mother, and crone Goddess come forward now. They each place a hand into the cauldron and stir the mixture clockwise. 164 The Three Goddesses (While stirring) Water and salt. Blood and earth. Birth, death, and rebirth. I created these. By these I bless those who follow my ways. The person portraying the maiden Goddess removes her hand from the cauldron and walks to stand in front of the individual. Maiden Goddess Do you know me? Person To be blessed You are the maiden. The maiden kneels in front of the individual and touches the salt water to his/her feet. Maiden Goddess I bless your feet that you may always walk the right path way as you travel this life. May your feet lead you boldly into new ventures and bring you safely home again. Next, the mother removes her hand from the cauldron and stands in front of the individual. Mother Goddess Do you know me ? Person to be Blessed You are the mother. The mother places her damp hand low on the individual's stomach area. Mother Goddess I bless your creative center so that fertility shall be inherent in your life's endeavors. May all you touch and hope for that is positive grow and flourish. Next, the crone removes her hand from the cauldron and stands in front of the individual. Crone Goddess Do you know me ? Person to be blessed You are the crone. The crone places her damp hand on the individual's forehead. Crone Goddess I bless your head that you may have the wisdom to think clearly, love honestly, and always be open to your connection with all that is, was, or ever shall be. For all these things are mine. They came from me, and to me they shall return. Blessed Be my child. The cauldron is replaced on the altar and the Goddesses withdraw. Paganlore.com 165 Spells & Rituals A Tool Blessing and Consecration Reproduced with Permission from - Alaine's Circle of Wicca Please note that wherever you see the word mezzuzah, insert the name of whatver object you are blessing. This ritual is fit for blessing any object, and for consecrating such tools as the Athame. Materials: bowl of salt incense cauldron or cup of water good luck oil (or blessing oil) Cast your circle. Invoke the God and the Goddess. "Great Goddess of the Moon, on this night (day) Your priest/ess comes before you bearing a talisman for your protection. Here on your altar I place the Wiccan Mezzuzah for your blessing." Lie the Mezzuzah on the altar, and trace over the rune or pagan star that you have painted on there with your finger. As you do this, imagine the rune glowing red with your personal power. It is important that you not only imagine the rune to glow, but will it to do so. You will know if you are sincere in your actions or whether you are merely going through the motions. While you are tracing over the rune say, "Great God and Goddess, let this rune be imbued with the power to keep all in this household safe from harm, and safe from evil. Let this rune be blessed with power." Repeat this as many times as you feel necessary until you feel that your rune has been adequately empowered. Take the Mezzuzah and pass it through the flame of the God candle. Say, "I consecrate thee by the Power of Fire, the Element of the God." Pass it though the smoke of the incense and say, "I consecrate thee by the Power of Air, the Element of the Goddess" Sprinkle it with salt and say, "I consecrate thee by the Power of Earth, the Element of the God" Sprinkle it with water and say, "I consecrate thee by the Power of Water, the Element of the Goddess" Hold the Mezzuzah between your two hands and send your personal power into it. Feel it grow warm in your hands. You will know when you have successfully blessed your Mezzuzah. This spell works to bless and consecrate any item. 166 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Home Blessing Reproduced with Permission from - Alaine's Circle of Wicca A home blessing meditation for charging a room: Sit Straight with palms on lap, take deep breaths, relax, and move into a mental space where you activate your intuitive senses. Imagine a cord of energy from your spine connecting you to the Earth, and channel energy from the Earth through it. Silently ask for divine protection, guidance, and blessing. Direct your psychic sensing outward, and feel lines of force coming out of your aura. Note where the strongest energy is (check out the floor,ceiling, directions, etc), Note spots that feel empty or dead, note places that feel full alive, focus on where you are sitting and how you feel at that particular spot. Imagine a sphere of light and love energy at your heart, feel it pulsing outward with every breath. Feel the radiance increase with every breath, feel your self as a star, continue to breathe deeply and send out the energy, letting it pulsate in the room. When ready, start making power sounds representing the love and light you are channeling; use it to amplify the light you are weaving; and fill the room with the energy. Then shift focus to sending a probe out into the room, and note the differences in the quality of energy and how you feel about it. Repeat if necessary. When done, feel the completeness of the work. A room blessing involving elemental quarter invocations: Face each direction (with arms out in appropriate elemental invoking gesture), and say, while channeling and visualizing elemental power: Powers of (say direction), Powers of (say corresponding element), We greet you, we honor you, we welcome you here! Watch over and bless and protect this place. After each invocation, shape the energy into columns of light by sweeping ones arms together until they are parallel and sweeping them 167 up and down while channeling and shaping the energy, When the energy is properly shaped, say " so mote it be. " After you have done all four quarters, channel in spirit energy. To return the energy to a more mellow state while energizing yourself, put your hands out and take in a bit of the energy into your self from each direction, going widdershins, hold hands to your heart and take in the energy (techniques also exist f or bringing it into a stone and retrieving it when needed). The above was taught to Rev. Lord Talows by Selena Fox at Esotericon V, in January 1988. This page taken from Rev. Lord Talows Web Site "The Wiccans Home" Paganlore.com The Rituals A Simple Purification Rite Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations This ritual is a purification bath. You will need an infusion of vervain, to the following proportions: • 4 teaspoons crushed vervain • 2 cups water Pour boiling water over crushed vervain. Cover and let steep until cool. Strain into a clear glass container. While straining the infusion, picture its purpose, a pure you. Fill the infusion with those energies. Note: if you feel you are unable to call up these energies, that is ok, just envision yourself as pure. 168 The Ritual Fill a tub with water. Add the infusion. Immerse yourself, and feel the impurities flow out of you. Inhale the scent of the vervain. Breathe deeply and relax. When the water has cooled, watch the impurities flow down the drain. Rinse off the last of the impurities from your body. That evening, you may wish to keep a sachet of crushed vervain on your pillow. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Simple Blessing For A Place Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages • Place five flat stones on the ground (floor) - One for each of the four directions: North, South, East, West, plus one in the center where you stand. • Sprinkle salt water in the middle. Then say: "I consecrate this sacred place and nothing but love shall enter in. " I call forth all the powers of (Name your God or Goddess) to charge and attend this space. " 169 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals An Enchanted Blessing Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages Form a circle with a group of friends. Hold hands. Slowly move in a clock-wise direction, dancing, swaying to this chant: "Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. The wold is dancing, dance for all." Complete the circle 18 times. Close your eyes. Visualize the earth in the center of your circle, bathed in white light, receiving the love and the healing energy from your group. Know that we are all blessed with the sacred duty of being caretakers of our Mother Earth. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Blessing For A Task 170 Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages Here is a general blessing that can be used for any task " Blessing upon the mind Blessing upon the hands Blessings upon the skill in her/him, through her/him this blessing. " Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Family Blessing Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages Say this with your family at dinner. You should be sure that the menu contains at least one old family recipe. " I am thankful for all the protection, security and tradition that my family has given me and for all the support that I have received from them. Blessings on this, my family. " After dinner, everyone should recount favorite stories from as far back in your family's history as possible. 171 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Simple Purification If you wish to be free from a habit, thought, idea; if you wish to be rid of past associations, guilt or blockages; take the symbols of that problem - whatever they may be - & throw them onto a raging fire. The fire will consume the symbols & s o shall it consume the power they had over you. For the symbols think a moment - if you overeat, take a portion of your favorite f ood & throw it onto the fire. Smoking, drinking the same. For problems which u tilize no concrete objects, draw a symbol or image & burn. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Self Purification 172 Reproduced with Permission from - Alaine's Circle of Wicca Many Wiccans think that the only time they should purify themselves is on the New Moon. And the New Moon is certainly a good time for purification, but it is certainly not the only time that such a thing can or should be done. Purification of the body allows us to rid ourselves of the black phycho-crap that clutters our psyches and thus hinders us from making contact with the Goddess, and can even make us physically ill. For those of you that are especially "sensitive", if your psyche gets covered in smut it can really do you some damage. So here is a simple Purification ritual that you can do weekly to help attune yourself better. Start with a ritual bath. This need not be a full bath with soap and scrubbing but you should sit in hot water with only candle light. Perhaps add some soothing oil to the water. I prefer sandalwood. Also add some salt to the water. While your sitting in the water, let yourself relax. Don't think about what you are about to do, don't think about all the bills you have to pay. Just relax. After your bath, you can start your ritual. Cast the circle. Arrange your altar. Invoke the God and the Goddess. Lie down on your back. If you cannot do this because your circle is too small, then sit with your legs out before you. Try not to have anything crossed if you can avoid it. Now feel all of your energy draining out of you, into the floor or into the Earth. Feel yourself losing control of your body, letting it go numb. Let your body become a distant opbject. Release yourself from it. Don't let your body be a part of you. Sink out of your body as best you can. After a few moments, feel the energy from the Earth, all its vibrations entering your body. Feel your body tingling, burning, itching, tickling. Feel it becoming alive again, knowing that it is being charged with good energy from the Earth. Once you feel that you have been recharged, sit up and light a silver candle. If you don't have one, you can use a white one. Say, " I light this candle as an object of my purified soul, as a dedication to my Goddess. Let this candle burn and charge me with energy." Pass the incense over your body. Feel the smoke all over you as it washes you clean. You may wish to thank the Element of Air as you do this. Then, sprinkle on your head some water from the cauldron, thinking of the Element of Water. Sprinkle salt on your body next, thining of Earth, and lastly pass a candle over your body. You can just press the candle over your body if running your hand through the flame frightens you. Once this is done, thank the Goddess and the God, and release your circle. Your rite is done. The above was taught by Selena Fox at Esotericon V, in January 1988. 173 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .Purification After Sexual Molestation/Rape Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Please go to a hospital and file a police report before doing this ritual. It is very important that we have evidence to catch these people, so they don't commit the crime again. Preparations This is a two person (victim and lover) ritual, involving a purification bath. You will need: Bath Salts - These salts should be made by the people involved in the ritual. If this is not possible, they should be reconsecrated by the people invovled in the ritual. (how to do both will follow) Pink Candles - one or two, these are to light the bathing room. If you have pink candle shades, use them. White Candle & Pink Candle - to concsecrate the bath salts. Wand - belonging to neither, made of oak, to be burried after ritual (completes ritual) Bath Salts - I don't think you will find this blend in any store, but it is possible. As I said, it is best to make it yourself, as follows. Mix: • • • 3 Teaspoons Epsom Salts 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda 1 Teaspoon Salt (table salt) Mix these in a non-metal bowl, using non-metal instruments. Add to this, Lavender and Frankincense, using two drops Lavender for every one Frankincense. Do not use more than four drops of lavender, two drops of Frankincense. Add a drop of red food dye, so the salts turn pink. Concecrate these salts in front of a white and a pink candle for the number of minutes equal to the number of drops of oil you added. Say a prayer to the Goddess, 174 speaking of the wish to be purified, through the love of your relationship and you love of the Goddess. This is very important!! Write this together, say it together, mean it together! If you find premade salts, reconcecrate them with this ritual. On collecting the wand. First, it need not be oak. That is just reccomended. What ever you use, it must be from a tree, freely given. This is important!! If it has not been freely given by the tree, you have raped the tree. This ritual will not work!! Always leave something behind for the tree (pretty stone, bit of colorful string, pure water). The Ritual In the evening, fill the tub with water, and add all the salts. Light the candles, and turn out the lights. Bring in only your naked bodies and the wand. Let the victim enter the tub, immediately submerge, resurface, and then repeat the purifaction prayer from earlier. Let the lover consecrate the wand to the purifaction of the victim by reapeating the consecration prayer from earlier. Repeat this cycle three times. Let the victim stand. Let the lover, with the wand, touch his/her beloved on the head, hands, heart, feet, womb/groin. After each touch the lover should say"By my love of you, your love of me, and our love of the Goddess, you shall be cleansed." Touch the body like this three times. (once for each of you). Lead your beloved from the water, towel him or her off. Leave the wand floating in the water. Go to bed that night, secure in your love for eachother and your love for the Goddess (and her love for you). The next morning, go out and bury the wand near running water. If no running water is available, bury the wand, and pour pure water over the place it is burried. Say three times" Through the love of each other, through the love of the Goddess, with this wand burried, I am cleansed. " Note: The lover says, you are cleansed, but you do say it at the same time. The ritual is complete. 175 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .Ridding Yourself of Negatives Best Time: Waning Moon Set an empty cauldron or goblet on your altar between 2 lit white candles. Burn a good protection or blessings incense. Robe yourself, preferably in white, and stand or sit before the altar. Breathe slowly and evenly until you are calm and centered. Take the cauldron or goblet in both hands; hold high over the altar in salute to the gods. Lower to chest level and slowly breathe into the cauldron, silently naming each habit, person or experience you wish removed from your life. When finished, turn the cauldron or goblet upside down on the altar, saying: " The Contents of this vessel, I give to thee, Great Ones. Exchange these experiences for better. " Place an offering of herbs and milk outside. Or at least burn the herbs in your censer. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals . 176 A Simple Cleansing Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages Materials Needed: • 1 tbls bicarbonate soda 5 drops essential oil • juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp good oil, such as sweet almond • 1/2 cup sea salt • • Stir the soda, essential oil, lemon juice and oil together and then blend in the salt. Dissolve in the bath water. Light 4 candles (colors of your choice) and place at the 4 corners of the tub. Step slowly into the bath water, feeling it envelope around you. Close your eyes. Visualize yourself laying on the surface of the ocean. There is nothing around you, you are alone and at peace. Feel the warmth of the sun beating down on you. Say either out loud or quietly to yourself: " Be Comforted, All is well Now you are blessed. You have life to nurture and nurture you. Be calm. Be easy. Be Comforted. You are blessed. " Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals . Consecration Number 1 Tools needed: 177 • • • 1 gold or black candle (representing the Lord) 1 silver or white candle (representing the Lady) 1 red candle (representing the element of Fire) • Incense (not a scent that is too overbearing) • The object you are consecrating • Water & Salt • Oil Ground and center yourself. Close your eyes and allow the magick of the Lord and lady to surround you with light. Repeat three times: "In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust." When you feel your consciousness is on the highest spiritual level, open your eyes and light the candles signifying the presence of the Lord and Lady. Then light the incense and the red candle to assist in the consecration. Take a pinch of salt and mix it with the water (stirring clockwise) while repeating: " I exorcise O ye elements of salt and water, removing all negative and disharmonious energies. I now bless thee in the name of the God and Goddess, to assist me in this purification. " Now, take the object in one hand. Dip your finger in the mixture of salt and water, then place a few drops of this mixture on the object while repeating: "I now purify this (name of object) in the name of the God and Goddess casting our any negative or disharmonious energies, sending them into the ethers. I purify thee sacred and clean." Now, move the object over the red candle (Fire), then the burning incense while repeating: "I now sanctify this (name of object) in the name of the God and Goddess casting out any negative or disharmonious energies, sending them into the ethers." Lastly, anoint the object with the oil, while repeating: "I consecrate this (name of object) in the name of the Lord and Lady to be used only as a magickal tool. Let this object forever and a day give love and light to my path." Once again, close your eyes and take a deep breath, allowing the spiritual world begin to leave. Thank the Lord and the Lady for their presence in your life. And remember: Always show love and respect! 178 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals . Consecration Number 2 Tools needed: • Salt & Water Candles (optional) • Incense The object you are consecrating • • Charge salt and water (this makes it another form of holy water). Start by casting the Circle. Say: "Now is the Circle cast. I shall not leave it but with good reason." Taking up the item that you wish to consecrate, hold it high in salute and say: " God and Goddess, Lord and Lady, Father and Mother of All life. Here do I present my personal tool(s) for your approval. From the materials of nature has it been fashioned; I will that it henceforth may sere me. As a tool in thy service. " Place the tool on the altar and think back to what you did to personalize it. Dip your fingers in the salted water and sprinkle both sides of the object. Now, pick it up and hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it, Say: " May the Sacred Water and the smoke of the Holy Incense drive out any impurities in this (name of object) that it be pure and cleansed, ready to serve me and the gods in any way I desire. So mote it be. " Hold it between the palms of your hands and concentrate all of your energies (your power) into it. Then, Say: " I charge this (name of object) through me, with the wisdom and might of the God and Goddess. May it serve us well, keeping me from harm and acting in their service, in all things. So mote it be. " If you are consecrating other things at this time, repeat the process with each item. Close the Circle as follows: Raise your newly consecrated athame and say: " My thanks to the gods for their attendance. May they ever watch over me, guarding and guiding me and all that I do. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. So mote it be. " 179 Keep the consecrated item on you at all times for the next 24 hours. Then sleep with it under your pillow for 3 nights. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A House Cleansing 1) Thoroughly physically clean the house.... 2) Wash walls down with a solution containing Full Moon charged fresh water, a clear crystal, and one or more of the following herbs: lavendar, frankincense, myrrh, lemon balm. You can also add Lysol to the water (to actually clean the walls), but stay away from salt (it can damage painted surfaces). 3) Wash all wood/linoleum floors down with the same solution (though you can add salt if washing linoleum floors) 4) On carpets, asperge the solution (minus salt) with a bundle of twigs, grasses, feathers, etc. Vacuum afterwards and throw away the vacuum bag (in a garbage receptacle away from the house!) 5) Smudge interior of house with sage or frankincense -- be sure to get smoke into corners, behind doors, under furniture, up chimneys, and in all dark places. 6) Protect entrance points by laying a line of salt outside along all door thresholds, window ledges, etc. Throw salt into fireplaces. 7) If negative spirits are a problem, asperge interior of house with rosemary 180 steeped in ocean water (if ocean water is not available, make a strong saline solution using sea salt and fresh water -- avoid using tap water, unless you have a well). Sweep out house (or vacuum), taking care to sweep away outside away from entrance doors and high foot-traffic areas. It is important that while you are in the process of doing this cleansing and blessing that you not be disturbed and that your focus remain on removing all negativity from your home. I also have protective amulets scattered around my house, and I smudge with sage any time the energy inside doesn't "feel" right. Blessing donated by "Rowan" Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Coven Initiation Ritual Cast The Circle The High Priest or High Priestess steps to the center of the circle and announces that a young person this night is declaring himself/herself a Witch, that he/she wishes to enter into the tradition and be a part of our circle. The High Priest and High Priestess walk to the front of the Altar " Who wishes to enter this sacred place? " Accompanied by his/her teacher, the initiate walks up to the outside edge of the circle. Initiate " It is I, (initiate gives his legal name, or the name under which he has been known while a Craft student) . I come with my teacher (gives teacher's Craft name), who is known to you. " High Priest or High Priestess " (Teacher's Craft name), can you vouch for the sincerity of this candidate who stands before us ? Is he/she a learned man ? " 181 Teacher " He/she has learned much from myself and others, and from his/her own inner self, and yet knows that learning is never ending. I vouch for his/her knowledge and his sincerity. " High Priest or High Priestess " The student may be brought to the circle, but he must cross its threshold alone. No one can pass through the portals between the worlds but by his/her own will and merit. " The High Priest or High Priestess cuts a doorway in the circle with the athame, allowing the teacher to enter and take his/her place in the circle with the rest of the coven. The gateway is then resealed and a broom is placed on the ground at the entry point. This is an old Wiccan custom. The broom is symbolic of the unity of male and female. Stepping over it symbolizes our crossing into the realm of the divine, where male and female have no meaning, but are merely two parts of the whole. The ritual begins in the form of a series of questions administered to the initiate. For the most part this is another formality, though the initiate does have to come up with his own answers to the questions. The initiate is free to answer the questions as he feels best. Whether or not his teacher has counseled him in the answers remains a secret between them. In general, the q uestions concern: · The initiate's qualifications for entering the circle. · The magickal skills the initiate possesses. · The contributions the initiate can make to the group. · Any questions covering basic Craft or Traditional teachings that the coven wishes to ask. When the questions are answered, the High Priest or High Priestess looks to the coven for permission to allow the initiate to enter. Since, in this case, the initiation has been planned by all, it is a given that permission will be granted. One of the leaders cuts a door in the gateway and bids the initiate to step inside by crossing over the broom. The door way is then closed behind him/her and the broom removed. High Priest or High Priestess " Welcome, (state legal or student name), to this sacred place. In it you stand at the boundary of all worlds, without a firm foothold in any. Here is the world of form and spirit, light and shadow, earth and sky, Otherworld and Earth World. The vows and promises you make here tonight will echo throughout all creation-through past, present, and future. By stepping into this space you show your willingness to make these vows without fear and without hesitation. Are you now ready to begin making these vows by accepting the threefold blessing? " The Threefold Blessing is now performed before the initiation continues. The High Priest and High Priestess now make sure that the initiate is standing in the west end of the circle and that he is facing the east, a direction symbolic of new beginnings as symbolized in each morning's sunrise. High Priest or High Priestess " (Addressing the coven) The one who stands before us declares himself tonight to be not only a Witch, but he has also declared his intent to share our spritual path. He wishes to dedicate himself as an initiate of our tradition. To this end he has studied not only the Wiccan lore we love, but the teachings of our ways as well. All of you have helped bring him/her to this place tonight. Accept him/her, if you will, by welcoming him/her as a free person. " Coven " Hail, (insert legal or student name) . We greet you as a free person. " High Priest (Addressing initiate) " Do you, this night, of your own free will, declare yourself a Witch ? " Initiate " I am a Witch. I am a Witch. I am a Witch. " High Priestess " Do you choose to follow our tradition of the Craft knowing that, as a free man/woman, you may discard, add to, or combine your spirituality with any other path so long as you harm none ? " Initiate " As a free man/woman, and as long as I harm none, I do what I will. " High Priest 182 " As you stand before the Old Ones in this sacred space, do you promise to cherish our ways and respect our beliefs no matter where your spiritual path might lead. " Initiate " I am Wiccan. No matter what other labels apply to me, this one shall also stand. " High Priestess " Because you know that you will view and learn many of the secret workings of this coven, we ask you to take a vow of secrecy as we all have. Even upon the time of your departure from our glorius group, we ask you to not talk of the rituals and workings you will partake in. Will you make this vow and pledge to us your loyalty in names of the deities you love ? " Initiate " I promise by the Lord and the Lady that I will love this tradition and will protect and guard the secret workings of this coven. If I fail in this promise, may the Law of Three send me justice. " Coven " As it is spoken, So Mote It Be! " High Priestess " Then know this as the rest of the great mysteries: In the spiritual we are all children. We must always continue to grow or our spirit dies. Never stop learning, for knowledge is the food of the hungry soul.From the altar, the High Priest takes the small plate of cakes, and the bottle of wine/juice. The significance of each is explained to the initiate, after which each portion is fed to him by the High Priest. " From the altar, the High Priest and High Priestess take a thick cord woven from three smaller cords of white, red, and black. These are the colors of the Celtic Triple Goddess, chosen by our coven to replace the discarded green cord of the student. The new cord contains nine knots, each spaced a foot apart, symbolizing the power number in Celtic traditions, the sacred three-times-three. The significance of the cord is explained to the initiate, though this is merely a formality since the initiate made the cord himself in order to infuse it with his own energies. After the explanation, the initiate's primary teacher steps forward to remove the green cord from around his/her waist. Teac her " A good teacher is also taught by her student. I cherish what I learned from you, and am honored to bring you here this night because of what you learned from me. It is every teacher's hope that his/her students will surpass him/her. This is my fervent wish for you, my friend. " The initiate and student may wish to hug or express other sentiments to each other either aloud or in whispers. The teacher will keep the green cord for his/her student to reclaim after the initiation to do with it what he wills. Some wish to keep them as magical talismans, others burn or bury them. The persons who are portraying the Triple Goddess come forward again and tie the cord around the initiate's waist, and then it is tied. After the cord has been tied around the initiate, the High Priest has the initiate kneel down in a fetal position in front of the altar. The high priest then drapes a black cloth over the initiate, cloaking him/her from all. " At this time, (initiates legal or student name) will be reborn into our tradition, and into the path of the Wiccan. " High Priest and High Priestess " (Last use of initiate's legal or student name inside a Wiccan circle) , Be Reborn! " The initiate slowly starts to rise up coming out from under the black cloth. This symbolizes his/her rebirth into this new path and into our tradtion. As the initiate is fully standing, the cloth is tossed completely to the ground. Thus, the rebirth is completed. “We welcome, (initiates new craft name), into our tradition and coven, and ask that he/she walk this path as our equal.” Coven " So Mote It Be! We welcome (initiates new craft name) to walk among us and participate with us in our rites and rituals. " The new Witch goes to the altar, where he/she stands alone to make his personal dedication the Lord and Lady. He/she is also free to acknowledge any other personal deities he may have. The initiate also takes his private Craft name, the one that will be known only by the deities. This should be done in silence so that only the Lord and Lady shoul d know. High Priest and High Priestess 183 " We Welcome You, (craft name) " The High Priest and High Priestess both take turns hugging the initiate, and then he/she joins the circle to particpate in any other rituals or rites to be performed this night. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Fire Divination Once the fire has died to a glowing reddish-white mass of coals, stare into its heart. If you wish, throw some Fire of Azrael incense onto the coals (equal parts cedar, juniper & sandalwood). This will flare up & burn, but will quickly die down. With the scented smoke rising from the divination incense scry in the coals. See what shapes the charred wood seem to form, & determine their meaning through the language of symbolism. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals 184 To Gain Money Best Time: Full Moon Fill the cauldron half full of water and drop a silver coin into it. Position the cauldron so that the light from the Moon shines into the water. Gently sweep your hands just above the surface, symbolically gathering the Moon's Silver. While doing this, say: " Lovely Lady of the Moon Bring to me your wealth right soon. Fill my hands with silver and gold. All you can give, my purse can hold. " Repeat three times. When finished, pour the water upon the Earth. It is done. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Money Philter Used to attract wealth, food, clothing and all necessary goods. • 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard Seeds • 1 tbsp Mistletoe • 1 tbsp Safflowers • 1 tbsp Clovers • 10 Drops Sweet Orange Oil • 10 Drops Sandalwood Oil • 10 Drops Jasmine Oil Bind the ingrdients together with: • • 1 tsp Myrrh 1 tbsp Frankincense 185 Mix all the ingredients together and focus your intentions on the purpose of the spell. Cup your hands around the ingredients and charge the mixture by stating whatever you want it to accomplish. Say: " I charge these herbs to bring (state what you need) This spell assures that changes will bring gain and benefit. I ask that this spell be correct and for the good of all. So Mote it be! " It is done. Pour the herbs into the earth. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Attract Money You will need: • Money (or pictures of cash) • Jewelry • Drum The money is placed on the alter not as an object of worship - but as a symbol to your deep mind of what you intend to obtain. You may wish to place a statue of the Goddess on the alter as well, to remind you that money is not everything. Then, while standing, drum and chant to raise power. You may chant anything that you wish (it should have something to do with the ultimate goal of your spell), as long as it is not to long and can be repetitive. As the power moves toward its peak, imagine a huge transparent funnel over you, and huge amounts of cash, checks and other forms of wealth cascading down through it to pile up around you (or at least enough for your needs). Give thanks for the wealth that you know to be headed your way and close the Circle. 186 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Spell for Employment You will need: A lodestone (or other small but powerful magnet from a hardware store) that can fit easily in the palm of your hand. Holding the stone, imagine vividly the kind of job you want and the feelings you will have working there. Do not imagine names, the appearance, or other details which may limit your choices. Speak aloud the qualifications you have for holding such a job, and ask aloud that you have it in a certain amount of days. Raise power and charge the stone. The following day, have the stone or magnet with you as you make six job contacts. Make precisely six contacts a day until you have the job that you desire. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .Locating Lost Items 187 Picture the lost item in your mind, and chant the following: "Bound & binding, Binding bound, See the sight, hear the sound. What was lost is now found, Bound & binding, Binding bound" Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Night of the Inner Light Choose a candlestick that you especially like and reserve it for this use only. Seated in darkness, light a pure white candle and stare into the blue of the flame until you feel at ease within yourself. You are about to set in motion a renewal of courage, vitality, and good cheer by this creative act. Let your mind wander as it will, clearing away all negative debris. Concentrate on your own worth and essential goodness. When you reach a level of perfect serenity, stand up - with your major hand, slowly trace in the air a clockwise circle around the candle. Without taking your eyes from the flame, say: "This night I vow to recall the past, only as it brings me joy and satisfaction. May fear and regret no longer dwell in my heart. So may I prosper." 188 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Good Luck Spell Brought to you by: Alexcia's Web Read over this spell and customize it prior to use-the work will go much smoother. Tools you will need are: Protection Incense (herbs or oils work fine also) Blue 8" Taper Candle Paper Pen Heat resistant bowl Prepare your work area by setting up any tools you may use in addition to your spell candle. While setting up your area, Concentrate on the purpose of your work. Envision what it is that you desire. For this spells’ purpose, it is best to have an idea of what you want, as opposed to general good luck. Just prior to your work, bathe in purification herbs, or with your favorite bath salts. While you are bathing, concentrate again on the purpose of your spell. Do not let negative thoughts enter your mind! After bathing, go to your work area. Cast a circle. Light the protection incense. Envision a large, light -blue ball of light surrounding you and your work area. Hold the blue candle between the palms of your hands , close your eyes, and direct all of your energy into the candle. Open your eyes and place the candle in its holder. On a small piece of paper, write down what it is that you want (money, job, etc.). Place this piece of paper under the candle holder. Prior to lighting the candle, say (either aloud, or to yourself): “This candle represents the good luck that will come to me” 189 Light the candle and say (either aloud or to yourself): “As the light of this flame grows, I can see good luck around me. “ Sit back and watch the candle burn. Envision what you will look and feel like when your wish comes to you. See yourself holding with the object you desire, or with the desired goal you wish to achieve. When the candle had burned 1/3 of the way, say “As the flame of the candle dissipates with time-good luck will be mine.” Continue to do your meditation, envisioning the light blue ball of light around you, seeing yourself how you will be when your good luck arrives. When the candle has burned 2/3 of the way, repeat “As the flame of this candle dissipates with time-good luck will be mine”. Continue to meditate as the candle burns. When the candle has almost burned away, burn the piece of paper with your written words and place the ashes into a heat-resistant bowl. Repeat the affirmation “As the flame of this candle dissipates with time-good luck will be mine”. Extinguish the candle by blowing on it and envisioning bad luck also being swept away by your breath. After the candle’s leftover wax has cooled-, combine the ashes and wax together and bury it in the earth as close to your home as possible. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Solitary Initiation Ritual Reproduced with Permission from - Alaine's Circle of Wicca This is a bare -bones rite designed for the solitaire practitioner to initiate himself into the Wiccan religion. Materials: None Note: The iniation rite should be performed only after a minimum of about a year of study. You are not a witch just because you call yourself such. It is important, then, that you understand all aspects of your craft before you initiate yourself as a bona fide witch. Cast The Circle 190 Invoke the God and the Goddess. The most important thing about this rite is that you mean what you are saying and that you are willing to dedicate yourself to the Craft. There will be many trials you will have to go through, and you may be persecuted for your beliefs, so it is important that you really want to dedicate yourself to the Craft. Let the Goddess and the God know what you plan to do. Let them know that you wish to dedicate yourself to Wicca and that you wish to become a high Priest/ess in their name. There are no fancy words that you need to use; this rite is extremely personal and casual. It is between you and the Gods what happens. Anything that you feel to say is right is. I have heard of people choosing to consecrate themselves in a sort of Wiccan baptism upon initiation into the Craft. They do this in the same manner that they consecrate tools. (You can find this ritual in my section on the Wiccan Household) After they consecrate/bless themselves, they lie on the floor in a sort of offe ring to the Goddess and let her Powers fill them. I like this idea because it recognized the fact that the Deity makes a Witch--NOT other witches. Some people mistakenly believe that only other witches can make a witch, but this is folly. Only the Goddess can consecrate a person, and only she can know what is in their heart. Don't let anyone tell you that a solitaire witch is not a real witch--your intentions and your dedication make you a witch, not belonging to a group. There is another rite which involves being outside in a personal location--either on the beach, in the woods, or in the mountains. It involves communing with nature, talking to the Goddess and the God and making yourself one with the Deity in whatever manner you feel is appropriate. That's the beauty of this rite--it's just you and your God, and no one needs to interfere. After initiation, you will become officially a witch. This is a respected and high title-no one reaches this honor without practice and study. To be a witch is to be more than a spell caster-- it is to be a priest/ess of the gods, to give yourself freely to the Earth, and to be compassionate, loving and sensitive to the vibrations around you. Most witches decide to take a new name for themselves. Many take the name of a Goddess, or a magickal name, which will come to you when the time is right. You don't have to use this name in your daily life, if you don't wish to, but perhaps in your book of shadows, or when you talk to other witches, or in your heart when you commune with the Deity. It is up to you. Your new name is a symbol of your rebirth into a new life. After your rite, enjoy cakes and ale. Your rite is completed. 191 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Fire Scrying Chant When you wish to contact your psychic mind: Sit before a fire, close your eyes for a moment or so, relax, still your consciousness. Then open your eyes and look directly into the flames. Don't strain your eyes; blink normally. Take a deep breath. When you are at peace say these or similar words in a whispered voice: Blazing fire As you dance, Give me now the Secret glance. Call upon my Second site; Make me psychic With your light. Blazing fire Shining bright, Give me now the Second sight. Spell donated by Joshua 192 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Self Affirmation Rite Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations You will need four candles and the following incense for this ritual. The candles: green, yellow, red and blue. If you can't find candles of the proper color just make them all white. Burn the following incense• • • 3 parts Sandalwood 3 parts Frankincense 1 part Rose Geranium • 1/4 part Cinnamon The Ritual Light the four candles, green in the north , yellow in the east, red in the south, and blue in the west. Face each candle and say, "I declare, before the powers of the (direction), that I am loved, by (deity worshipped), by my friends, and by myself." Repeat facing each direction. Repeat this ritual every other day. 193 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals A Ritual For Success Reproduced with Permission from - Ilana, Alternative Healing, Herbal Healing, and Wiccan Pages Preparations You will need orange essential oil and an orange candle. Ritual This ritual is designed to bring you down the path of success. Do it on a Sunday during a waxing moon. First prepare your ritual area. Rub three drops of the oil onto the the candle, one at a time. As you rub the first drop say, "The first drop starts me down the path." As you add the second say, "The second finds me on the path." As you add the last say, "With the third the path is done." Visualize yourself working at your chosen profession. Now, light the candle. After it is lit, say again, "The first drop starts me down the path, The second finds me on the path, With the third the path is done. So mote it be." Let the candle burn down. It is done. 194 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals For Peaceful Sleep Reproduced with Permission from - Ashera's Wiccan Pages These are hung by your bed to encourage a restful sleep and sweet dreams. • 10 Cardamon pods • 1 tsp salt • 15 cloves • 1/2oz peppermint • 1/2 oz rosemary • dried peel of 1 lemon Light a white and pink candle, place them on your work area (kitchen table, counter top) Crush the cloves, cardamon and salt to a fine powder. Blend with the herbs and put in bags. As you are making the bags concentrate on peaceful memories and beautiful thoughts. When you hang the bags by your bed say out loud : "Sleep be with me Peaceful sleep Restful sleep Let my mind be eased Let my body be calmed Wings of darkness Let the sight of night and dream be clear, be quiet Let my troubles drift away and let me dream..." 195 Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals To Gain Prophecies Fill the cauldron half-full of water and place it on a table where you can see comfortably into it while seated. Light 2 purple candles and a good divination incense; a combination of mugwort and wormwood work well. Arrange the candles so their light does not shine into the water in your eyes. Focus your attention on the bottom of the cauldron, your hands placed lightly on either side. Breathe gently into the water and say: " Cauldron, reveal to me that which I seek Great Mother, open my inner eye that I may truly see. " Empty your mind as much as possible; remian relaxed while looking deep into the cauldron waters. The answer may come in images in the water, picture in your mind and strong bursts of "knowing". Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Wax Prophecies Best time: Full Moon 196 Fill the cauldron half-full of fresh water. Stir the caudlron gently three times with your fingers. With a lighted candle, slowly drip spots of wax into the swirling water. The Prophecy is read by interpreting the images seenin the wax, much like reading tea leaves. Boats, clouds and horses usually signigy journeys or movement. The Sun, Moon and stars indicate spiritual growth and/or life's successes. Develop your own interpretations for the images. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals .A Silver Spell This spell takes 1 week to perform Situate a small bowl of any material in a place of promincence in your home, somewhere you pass by every day. Each day for seven days put one dime in the bowl. Next, obtain a green candle, any shape or kind. Before you begin, fix in your mind the idead that you are a prosperous person. See money as being no problem. Imagine money coming to you, as you need it. Place the bowl of dimes, the candle and a candle holder on a flat surface. Hold the candles in yourhands and feel the power of money. Feel the avenues that open to you when you have it. Sense the energy within money which we a shuman beings have given to it. Place the candle in the holder. Pour the seven dimes into your left hand. You will create a circle surrounding the candles with the dimes. Place the first dime directly before the candle. As you place it say there or similiar words: "Money flow, money shine Money grow, Money's mine." Repeat this 6 more times until you've created a circle around the candle with seven gleaming dimes. As you say the words and place the dimes, know that you're not just reciting and fooling around with pieces of metal. You're working with power - that which we've given money as well as that which is within yourself. Words too have energy, as does the breathe on which they ride. 197 When you've completed this, light the candle. Strike a match and touch its tip to the wick. As it puts up the fire, sputters, to a shining flames, see money burning these. See the power of money flowing out from the seven dimes up to the candle's flames and then out to the atmosphere. Blow out the match and settle down before the glowing candle and money. Sense the feeling of money in your life. Visualize a life with money to spare - a life in which bills are quickly paid and money will never again be a problem. See yourself wisely spending money, investing it for your future needs. See money as an unavoidable and beautiful adpect of your life. Kill off any thoughts of debt, of taxes, of doubt yhat you can achieve this change. Simply see what will be. After ten minutes or so, leave the area. Let eh candle burn itself out in the holder. Afterward, collect the dimes, place them back in the bowl, & "feed" it a few coins every day from then on. Money will come to you. Paganlore.com Spells & Rituals Bark Divination Take a broad, thin piece of bark. put it into a bright fire until it catches flame then quickly set it a little distance from the fire. When it has stopped burning, carefully stare at the symbols visible in the charred ash-laden wood. 198 Paganlore.com Rituals for the Seasons (Holidays) So, what are all these funny holidays? Click on the links for a specific holiday ritual The Wheel of the Year Winter Solstice Yule December 21 February Eve Imbolc, Candlemas, Brigid January 31 Vernal Equinox Ostara March 21 May Eve Beltaine April 30 Summer Solstice Litha, Midsummer June 21 August Eve Lammas, Lughnasadh July 31 Autumnal Equinox Mabon, Harvest Home September 21 November Eve October 31 Samhain Click here for general info on the holidays themselves and their meanings FULL MOON RITUAL . 199 Paganlore.com Yule Ritual Using a white feather (provided naturally by a friendly cockatiel) dipped in salt water, each person is sprinkled on the head, heart, and feet while saying: "May your head and heart and path always be in harmony" 200 As circle forms, room is dark, chanting begins. "In the beginning there was darkness, there was darkness and the sea and night." by Sparky T. Rabbit (alias Peter Soderberg) FACING THE DARKNESS-written by Kath Walker "In our beginnings we came from the darkness of the womb. There we were 201 created and nourished and we grew in preparation for our birth into the light. Within us we still carry that fertile darkness. There we hold seeds of hopes and dreams to come. There we nourish our visons of love, joy, and peace for all. There we shield tender roots until they are strong enough to emerge and flourish in the light. Look within yourself to that warm dark. Enjoy these wonders. Spend a 202 little time tending and caring for these creations to come." Allow a few minutes for meditation. CAST CIRCLE Quarter Calls written by Nancy Vedder-Shults. As South is called, a fire is lit in the fireplace (which luckly was in the South). Center Spirit of the Center and the cauldron of transformation -As we 203 celebrate the longest of nights, let us rejoice in the darkness and remember the light. For this is the time when the wheel turns - Out of the darkest hour, the light is born anew, attend our circle this night!" West Spirit of the West, spirit of water as snow and ice - As all of nature is dusted white, as the lakes freeze over and the rivers no longer course, help us to remember the sound of 204 running water, the ebb and flow of our own emotions, for after the winter the spring must surely come, attend our circle this night!" North Spirit of the North, spirit of earth, its plants and animals - As we travel through these cold and blustery days, the trees are bare, the birds are flown, winter is upon us. Help us to remember the living sap in the trees' roots, the 205 evergreens and their promise of renewal, the bears sleeping in their hibernation and most of all, friends and family, who hold us in the warmth of their hearts -- even in the dead of winter, attend our circle this night!" East Spirit of the East, spirit of air and the icy blasts of winter - As the north winds blow and the wind chill drops, Let us be invigorated by the stark 206 beauty of this season and the knowledge that out of the old, the new is born. Let the winds of change roar through this night, sweeping away what we don't need to make room for what's to come, attend our circle this night!" South Spirit of the South, spirit of fire and the blazing Yule log - In this season of dark and cold, burn brightly in our lives, rekindling hope in the face 207 of death with the spark of spring in the depth of winter. "For I who have died am alive again, And this is the sun's birthday." Attend our circle this night!" "As the flame grows this night, so shall the young sun grow 'til Midwummer." INVOKE THE GODDESS AND GOD-Nancy VedderShults 208 "Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother who presides over the longest night of the year. Hecate, Cerridwen, please grace our circle tonight. Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother, Take us in. Hecate, Cerridwen, let us be reborn." Chant - "Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother take us in. Hecate, Cerridwen let us be reborn." by Patricia Witt 209 "At this season, we celebrate the rebirth of the sun god, who brings with him in his wake the others gods who die and are reborn. So let us invoke the Sun God, Sun God, BE here Now!. Let us invoke the Horned God, Horned God, be here now!. And let us invoke the Green God, who graces our altars as evergreen, Green God, be here now!" 210 Chant - "Hoof and horn, Hoof and horn. All that dies shall be reborn. Corn and grain, corn and grain. All that falls shall rise again." by Ian Corrigan Here invite others to invoke other gods and goddesses of the season. DANCING WITH SHADOW--Written by Susan Felstehausen "We will now dance with our shadows, our dark side we wish were not there, the 211 pieces of ourselves that make us feel uncomfortable, unhappy ashamed. Our self worth has been denied and undermined by our culture, by authority. Embrace these aspects of yourself. Love yourself. Hug and hold yourself. Heal and integrate those shadows as you dance. When you feel integrated, add a piece of wood to the fire to 212 symbolize the fire burning brighter within yourself." Basket of kindling is placed near the fire. Dancing performed to "Uma" on "Since the Beginning" by Layne Redmond and the Mob of Angels (any slower, gentle free-form piece could be used). Not everyone may finish their dancing before the music is over. When this ritual was performed, the group just picked up a beat 213 and kept it going with rhythm instruments. TREE LIGHTING-Written by MaryEllen Bell "Some things are best in the darkest, coldest days before Yule. It is now that we know the warm pleasures of hearth and board, of stories told only in the winter; of poems we have time to read or write; of songs we take time to sing. Now, when we look to 214 the sky and deep into ourselves, we see things we could not see when too much light shown on them. Now comes Aurora in the North. Now come long, clear, and starry nights. Now come the nights when we praise the tree that is ever green and the pure cold light of a billion suns, while we wait for our own sun to return. " (plug in tree lights as last line of above is spoken) 215 Chant/Round & Dance around tree "Come now, people dance and sing! Hear the bells of Yuletide ring! Come dance and sing!" by Nancy VedderSchults (Small bells are placed under the tree and the children are invited to ring them during the chant) REBIRTHING--Written by Denise Griffith 216 "We began by nurturing ourselves in the abundant darkness. Once nourished, we struggled with our shadows, through the dance we brought ourselves to a point of harmony, blending the parts into a strong whole. Now we are ready to mirror the return and growth of the light by being reborn ourselves. As you enter under the womb veil, visualize yourself as you would wish to be. As you 217 come out and are blessed, take the candle given to you and light it off of the altar candles. Visualize your new self being given the spark of life, of growing energy. Once your candle is lit, feel free to share your increasing vitality by lighting any of the unlit candles about the room then rejoin the circle. Adults, please assist the children with their candles." 218 Two people to hold a black fabric veil to serve as womb. As each person goes under, the people holding the veil say "May the Dark Mother take you in" and drop the veil over the "baby's" head and torso. After a moment, the veil is lifted. As each person comes out "baby catchers" say "By Oak, Ash, and Holy Thorn, blessed be the day you're born", and give the person a candle. Small 219 individual candles with paper drip-guards were used (picked up at local church supply store). Have the participants remove the paper guard before placing the candle in the box so each candle takes up less room. As birthing was performed, Nancy Vedder-Shults sang: "I am the light in the darkness, I know how to sing. I'll teach you how to 220 dance and shout, Many gifts to you I'll bring. I am the dark in the light. My words to you are true. Quiet, center, still your thoughts, I will heal and comfort you. I am the fire in the shadows. My flame will ever rise Out of the dark and waning year. 221 My spark it never dies." by Nancy VedderShults "It is a tradition to make birthday wishes. As we celebrate both the rebirth of the Sun, without whom, no life would flourish and our own rebirth, place your candle in this box" (one of the leaders begins, candles are placed in a box with sand in the bottom [Hopes & Concerns box]) 222 FINAL DANCE TO CALL BACK THE LIGHT-Chant - "We are awake in the night. We turn the wheel to bring the light. We call the sun from the womb of night." by Catherine Madsen CLOSE THE CIRCLE "Let us now thank the god and the goddesses who have blessed our circle." 223 After each name ALL will say Stay if you will, go if you must." DISMISS THE DIRECTIONS--Written by Nancy Vedder-Shults South Spirit of the South, spirit of fire and the blazing Yule log: Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have burned brightly in our lives, rekindling hope in the face of death with the spark of spring in the depth 224 of winter. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." East Spirit of the East, spirit of air and the icy blasts of winter: Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have invigorated us with the stark beauty of this season and the knowledge that out of the old, the new is born. Your winds of change have helped us to let go of what we don't need in order to make room for what's to 225 come. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." North Spirit of the North, spirit of earth, its plants and animals: Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have helped us to remember the living sap in the trees' roots, the evergreens and their promise of renewal, the bears sleeping in their hibernation and most of all, friends and family, who hold us in the warmth of 226 their hearts -- even in the dead of winter. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." West Spirit of the West, spirit of water as snow and ice - Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have helped us remember that ice and snow are made of water, that even in winter our emotions ebb and flow, and that after the winter, the spring must surely come. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." 227 Center Spirit of the Center and the cauldron of transformation - Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. With your help we have celebrated the longest of nights, rejoicing in the darkness and remembering the light, watching as the wheel turns and out of the darkest hour, the light is born anew. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." "The circle is open but unbroken. May the peace of 228 the Gods and Goddesses go in your hearts. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again!" General chaos and merry making, pot luck, etc. . Paganlore.com Imbolc Ritual Tools • Fire Pit (Candles if a Fire pit is not available) • Torches 229 • Sword or Broom Preparation This is a celebration for Imbolc, February 1. Please feel free to change text to make it comfortable for you. This ritual is best performed outdoors in front of a fire pit. If you are solitary you may perform this ritual by using a candle as your fire pit and the match as your torch. In the spoken sections change the words we, us, etc.. to I and me. If you are in a coven and can't go to a fire pit then you can each hold a candle. Light the candles at the same time. Open Circle Use a sword or broom to open the circle. Everyone enters the circle holding a lit torch. Together everyone throws their torches into the fire pit. Everyone or just the High Priest/Priestess says: "We welcome back the waxing sun, and thank you for bringing us future days of warmth and growth." As this is said the sacred fire grows stronger, and everyone is aware that the seasons are changing. Now it is time to charge the circle and call the watchtowers. Each person speaks when they come to their element or the High Priest/Priestess says: • North (Earth) "Ye guardians of the North, I summon thee to watch over us and protect this circle. Earth give me strength as we welcome the wakening of the bears, and bloom of the flowers. We thank the Sun for bringing us warmth and light." • East (Air) "Hail, angels of the East wind. Enter here this sacred space, spreading the sweet air of wisdom among us, as we celebrate the waxing sun. • South (Fire) "In your cavernous, fire -filled hall, echoes the name that I now call. Fafnir! Stir my blood with will power bold. Create new changes from the old. • West (Water) "Fro m the realm of Murias come forth fertility of plenty. Ocean circling the earth, sea flowing and ebbing! Hail & welcome! **The above quarter calls are from 4 different traditions of Wicca. You may want to change them to match your tradition or change the words to what makes you more comfortable** MEDITATION SEQUENCE Everyone takes a moment to meditate. The High Priest/Priestess says: "Close your eyes and take slow deep breaths. The breath of spirit flitters through your bodies. The breath of spirit circulates around you, calming you and quieting you. You are now relaxed. You now see a light around you as you enter a world of nothingness. The wheel of the year turns into night in anticipation of the rebirth of your own inner self. You look up and see a light shining above from the stars. The light grows larger while coming toward you. This light rests in front of you forming into a ball. As you look at it's glow a face of energy begins to form. The Goddess of the fire has come to you. As you watch her glow she asks you what your flame of growth will be this next wheel of learning. Physicalness; being, dancing, sports, art? or will you 230 develop your mental skills: being, communications, writing, poetry? Or will you become more emotional; healing, herb craft, couns eling, parenting, relationships, understanding? In the turning of the wheel it is good to strengthen these areas that we need improvement on. As you look at the glowing ball in front of you, you think of which skill you would like to choose: physical, mental, or emotional. When you have decided and you are ready, bring the ball of light into your hands, and place it in your heart. When we all have gathered our hand to our hearts meditation will be done. Breathe this fire of inspiration into your heart, into your mind, into your body. Own it, become it. Very gently open your eyes." Thank the Deities The High Priest/Priestess thanks the deities being used. Partake an offering and leave one behind for the God and Goddess. The High Priest/Priestess says: "Let us acknowledge the Lord and Lady on their day, and thank them for presiding over this dedication ritual. May we together always walk with you on the path of light. Forever." Closing the Magick Circle The person who created the circle now says: "The Great circle is open, but ever unbroken. May the peace of the Goddess dwell in our hearts. Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet again." Ground center and clean up. . Paganlore.com Ostara Ritual 231 The altar is set in the center of the room on a low round table draped in green. At the center of the alter is the "flower cone", a simple wicker structure about a meter high and half a meter in diameter topped with a white candle. Around the base of the cone are placed small seed packets wrapped in spring patterned fabric and tied with ribbon. Gold & Silver candles (Goddess & God) as well as painted 232 eggs, feathers and items to be charged surround the seeds. At the four quarters on the alter are green handdipped beeswax tapers, unlit. Between the tapers are quarter-circles of egg shaped votives, 6 between each taper, also unlit. The center top candle will be lit before people arrive for the ritual. Chairs are arranged in a circle. Just outside the perimeter of the circle, at each quarter, candleholders 233 sit on small draped tables. Music will be playing as people arrive. We will have asked everyone to bring a few flowers or greenery with stems from their home, to be collected in wicker baskets at the door as people arrive. Programs will be handed out at the door. Tables will be set up for the 'cakes and ale' portion of the program. Drumming signals the beginning of the ritual. 234 Drumming ends. HPS comes to the Center. HPS "Welcome to the Spring Equinox Celebration. After we cast our Circle, please stand as we call the quarters." The circle is cast. (Our HP improvised and was quite impressive) As each quarter is called, caller lights the appropriate taper from the center and 235 lights three eggs on each side of the taper direction. Then she/he turns and calls the quarter, and takes the taper to the perimeter of the circle, placing the taper in the candleholder outside the circle. "From the East come the winds that carry the seed". Spirits of East be here Now! "From the South comes the sun, kindling the life of the seed". 236 Spirits of South be here Now! "From the West comes the water that swells the sprout". Spirits of West be here Now! "From the North comes the Earth that nourishes the plant". Spirits of North be here Now! HPS 237 Center / God / Goddess Invocation (also improvised) Gold & Silver candles are lit directly from the center. Reading # 524 by Starhawk (in the UU Hymnal)! East quarter: Earth Mother, Star Mother You who are called by a thousand names May all remember - We are cells in your body And dance together 238 South quarter: You are the grain and the loaf That sustains us each day, and as you are patient with our struggles to learn So shall we be patient with ourselves and each other West quarter: We are radiant light and sacred dark - the Balance You are the embrace that heartens 239 And the freedom beyond fear North quarter: Within you we are born, we grow, live, and die You bring us around the circle to rebirth Within us you dance Forever! Crone: Short explanation of the significance of the vernal equinox. 240 Chant: Into the Silence of the Night HPS Childrens' story: Persephone HP Introduction to the Flower cone. "To symbolize the promise of Spring, we have arranged on the alter a cone of crab-apple cuttings. The cone shape represents 241 power and focus. At its base are packets of wild-flower seeds. These seeds can represent our hopes for the coming time of warmth. Surrounding the cone are candles in the shape of eggs. Eggs are symbols of new life and hope." Four children offer baskets of flowers around the circle HP takes a flower from each basket and places them to start. 242 "We welcome you now to take some flowers and greens from the baskets. Starting in the East, please come forward, a few at a time and place them into the cone. As you do, please visualize something you'd like to "grow" this spring. Something in your garden? A relationship? Perhaps a special project? As the cone is filled with dreams of fruition, the seeds are charged with energy. After 243 all have placed flowers, we will dance to the coming Spring." Dancer Introduction to the spiral dance, including the significance of the spiral. Singer Runs through chant Spiralling Into the Center Dancer Leads once through the spiral, leading all back into a circle. Walk in circle until "home". Signals drumming to end. 244 HP Invite people to take a seed packet. "We'd like to invite you to come forward and take a seed packet now filled with your energy. Take them and "grow" your "vision". HPS Grounds Dismisses Quarters, snuff candles Opens Circle. (all improvised quite well) 245 Baked goods, Fruit, Tea & Coffee Drumming with dancing and merriment!!! Paganlore.com Ritual for Beltaine Written and Adapted by Kenneth R. White Items Needed Staff Two large altar candles (or prepared fire-pits) 246 A May Pole Two Chalices Sea Shell Candle for Realm of Sky (white) Candle for Realm of Land (green) Candle for Realm of Sea (blue) Wine Water Anointing Oil Altar Offerings Participants Realm of Sea 1 Realm of Land 2 Realm of Sky 3 Ritual Lead RL Bard B Seer S Grove Guardian GG Set up of Ritual Area A circle of 12 stones may be laid out. The altar shall be set in the center, unless a fire-pit is used, then the altar shall be placed to the South of the fire-pit. When the ritual space is ready, the Grove Guardian shall announce to all participants that they may enter the Ritual area. The procession to the ritual space shall be lead by the RL. The ritual space shall be entered from the East and the procession shall walk in a spiral pattern around the circle until each participant is in thier assigned place. Anointing: Each member may be annointed by the RL and the B, as they enter the Eastern quadrant with the symbol of Awen /|\ on the forehead. B will bless each participant by stating "May you be blessed in Mind, Body and Spirit." Statment of Intent: GG: "We come to the sacred grove this day to celebrate the ancient feast of Beltaine. Let no one bearing ill will enter here. For we meet in fellowship to honor the Old Ways." All: "So be it!" 247 Bard steps to the center of ritual area and announces the intent of the ritual. (May give further details, last minute instructions and/or relate history of the fea st.) RL guides participants through the tree meditation. Parting of the Veil Seer steps to center and takes shell from altar. Holding shell overhead and facing the West invokes Manannan Mac Lir to part the veil. "Manannan Mac Lir, Son of the Sea, Keeper of the veil Guardian of the pathways Between our world and the Otherworld. Hear the words of the Seer, We ask you to part the veil So that we may commune With the beings of the Otherworld Realms." Invocation of the Three Realms 1)Walks in a spiral pattern (to the right) while carrying the candle for the Realm of Sea. Recites the following invocation while walking to the altar: "I light this sacred flame, To represent the Realm of Sea. I call upon the Realm of Sea, The Realm of the Past. The Realm of the Ancestors. Come! Join with us in our sacred rite." (1)Returns to his/her place. (2)Walks in a spiral pattern (to the right) while carrying the candle for the Realm of Land. Recites the following invocation while walking to the altar: "I light this sacred flame, To represent the Realm of Land I call upon the Realm of Land, The Realm of the Present. Our realm, which we share with the Spirits of Nature. Come! Join with us in our sacred rite." (2)Returns to his/her place. (3) Walks in a spiral pattern (to the right) while carrying a candle for the Realm of Sky. Recites the following invocation while walking to the altar: 248 "I light this sacred flame, To represent the Realm of Sky I call upon the Realm of Sky, The Realm of the Future. The realm of the Gods and the pathw ay of the Sun. Come! Join with us in our sacred rite." (3)Returns to his/her place. RL steps to the center to invoke the center and plant the sacred tree. "I stand at the Center, I stand at Usnieach (oosh-na) The Center of Time and Place, Where past, present and future become one. In this place I plant The Otherworldly Tree, The Tree that will join the realms: Sea,Land and Sky. That we may commune with the Mighty Ones, The Shining Ones, and the Spirits of Nature. RL then plants (staff) tree near altar. All-So Be It! Invocation of Lord and Lady B, S, and RL approach the Center and face each other with the fire-pit(s) between them. Bard recites the following invocation: "I call into the mists of time, I call to the Lady of the Rivers I call to Boann." (first fire or candle is then lit) Seer recites the following invocation: "I call into the mists of time, I call the Lord of the young Sun. I call to Bel." (second fire or candle is then lit) RL recites the following invocation, while standing between fires "I call the Lord and Lady of this sacred feast, Come join with us that we may honor you." B,S,RL "We light these sacred flame in honor of the Lord and Lady. SO BE IT!" Bardic Rememberances 249 At this point the Chief Bard may lead the grove in a song, or recite a tale in line with the intent of the feast. Magickal Working Whatever type of magickal working the members of the grove may need is done here. (For this feast day a fertility or sun oriented working is appropriate.) FERTILITY AND CLEANSING RITE: (This is wher e the raising of the "May -pole" would happen) Go here for help. Offerings Once the Bard is finished the Seer steps toward the center. Announces the Giving of Offerings in return for blessings or in thanks of blessings received. A wicker basket is passed around circle, starting and ending in the East, offerings are placed in basket and then returned to the Seer. "Our Lord and Lady, We send you these offerings in thanks and with praise. Assist each of us in our endeavors this season." Seer then places offering basket into the fire. (if there is no fire, the basket is set aside for another time.) Augury Seer then performs an augury for the grove Rememberances RL holds forth chalices. "Behold the waters of life and the fruits of the earth." Libates each chalice and sends around circle deosil. All drink. When all have partaken of the chalices. Each returns to his/her place. Evocation of the Three Realms RL "We have received the blessings of the Gods. Our closing draws near. Let us thank those whom we have called." (3) steps to the Altar to dismiss the Realm of Sky. Takes candle and returns along the spiral path (to the left) while Reciting the following invocation: "I dismiss the Realm of Sky, The Realm of the Future. The Realm of the Gods and Goddesses. The Pathway of the Sun and Moon. This candle has burned in your honor. We thank you for joining with us in our sacred rite." extinguishes candle at end of spiral. 250 (2)steps to the Altar to dismiss the Realm of Land. Takes candle and returns along the spiral path (to the left) while Reciting the following invocation: "I dismiss the Realm of Land The Realm of the Present. The Realm of the Nature Spirits. This candle has burned in your honor . We thank you for joining with us in our sacred rite." extinguishes candle at end of spiral. (1)steps to the Altar to dismiss the Realm of Sea. Takes candle and returns along the spiral path (to the left) while Reciting the following invocation: "I dismiss the Realm of Sea, The Realm of the Past. The Realm of the Ancestors . This candle has burned in your honor . We thank you for joining with us in our sacred rite." Extinguishes candle at end of spiral. Dismissal of Lord and Lady RL,B and S approach Need-fire. RL dismisses the Lord and Lady . Closing the Veil Seer walks to the Altar and takes shell to close the veil . "Manannan Mac Lir, Son of the Sea. Keeper of the veil. Guardian of the pathways Between our world and the Otherworld We have communed with the Ancestors, We have communed with the Spirits of Nature, We have honored the Gods and Goddesses. We ask that the veil be closed at this time." Closing RL Then guides participants through a reversal of the tree meditation . GG "Our rite is done. Let each of us leave here with what each needs most, whatever it may be. Walk with wisdom in the light of the trees!" All "So be it!" Grove then gathers for feasting and merriment . 251 Paganlore.com Litha Ritual Summer Solstice, June 21st Tools: In addition to your usual m'jyk-l tools, you will need: • • A Golden Yellow Alter Cloth • Small Cloth Pouch of Summertime Herbs • Cauldron • 1cup Fresh Spring Water • Red Sun God Candle • Green Earth Goddess Candle Summer Blend Incense (Jasmine, Rose, Lotus, Wysteria, or combination). Preparation: Sweep area moving in deosil manor. Set up Quarter Candles and any accessories symbolizing the Elements of the Quarters. Decorate the alter with seasonal flowers, especially Sunflowers. Prepare your Pouch of Summertime Herbs, and as you make it, pour your troubles, pains, sorrows, illness, and regrets into it. Place the Cauldron in the center of your alter, the Red Sun candle to the right of it , the Green Goddess 252 Candle to the left of it. Place the cup of Fresh Spring Water in front of the Goddess Candle. Take a shower or bath for purification. Sit quietly and meditate for a while, then ground and center. When ready, play some peaceful music for the ritual. Cast the circle.......Pick up your Wand, and with arms upraised, face So uth and say: "I celebrate the Mid-of-Summer, held in honor of the Blazing Sun God. All of Nature vibrates with the fertileness of the Goddess and of the God. The Earth basks in the light and life of the Sun. The ever turning Wheel of the Year has made the light ever stronger And the light has kept growing longer, until today... The middle of the time of light, Litha, MidSummer's Day, Summer Solstice. From here, the light begins to fade, again, until once more the Wheel turns to the time of darkness, Yule, Winter Solstice. Yet, for today, the Sun is high, the light is bright, the Earth is warm. As the Sun God blazes above, may the fires of my rite flame below." Face the alter, put down your wand, and light the Green Goddess Candle to the left of your cauldron, saying: "Oh, Mother of Nature, She that brings the meadow to bloom, Green Forest Mother, from lakes and streams your children spring forth. Blessed Lady of the stars and the Moon, Fruitful Womb of which I honor, and ask of Thee, Thy Blessings." Light the Red Sun God Candle to the right of your cauldron, saying: "Oh, Father of all things, He that plants the seed and nurtures Life. God of Fertility and Fruitfulness, from hill and forest your children emerge. Blessed Lord of the blazing Sun, potent Consort of which I honor, and of Thee, Thy Blessings." 253 Take the Herb Pouch and hold above your head, saying: "By thy power, oh sacred herbs, may the Lord of the Sun Burn away the hurtful, the troublesome, and the painful, Leaving me purified through His warmth and Light." Hold the pouch over your main Alter Candle to take flame. While it is burning, drop it in the cauldron, saying: "Great Goddess and Great God, from Thee all powers flow forth. The Two that are One, Great Spirit of All-That-Is, By Thy powers, and the powers of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, By Thy powers, and the powers of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, I banish these negatives from my life." Visualize the negatives burning away to nothingness. When all that is left is ashes, douse the ashes with the cup of Fresh Spring Water, feel as if the water were being poured over you and your negatives washed away. Air dry by dancing and running your hands up and down your arms, body, and legs. Don't forget your head... lay it back and shake running your fingers through your hair. When done, face alter, wave hand over the cauldron and say: "As the Phoenix rises from the ashes, so let this water be pure and new. Mother Goddess, bless this water so that it may bless and renew me. Father God, may your rays of the MidSummer Sun bless and nourish me. Two that are One, may your blessings sustain me as I journey, anew." Pass your cupped hands over the cauldron, pausing briefly each time to ' pour ' in wishes for health, prosperity, and good fortune to be part of your life. Dip the forefinger of your right hand into the cauldron water, and trace a pentagram on your forehead, saying: Let my mind be open to the truth." Anoint your lips saying: "Let my lips always speak the truth." Anoint your heart area, saying: "Let my heart seek the ways of the Goddess, now and always." 254 Anoint the centers of your palms, saying: "Let my hands be gifted to work in m'jyk-l ways." Anoint the soles of your feet, saying: "Let my feet ever walk upon the sacred paths!" Now is the time for meditation and any spellworkings. MidSummer spellworkings include: prosperity, fertility, and plentiful harvests. Finish by having the Cakes and Ale Ceremony and releasing the circle. Clean up. The Ritual is done. MidSummer Cookies 3/4c softened butter, 2c brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1T lemon juice, 2T grated lemon rind, 2c sifted flour, 1c finely chopped pecans. Cream butter in a large non-metallic mixing bowl. Gradually add the brown sugar, mixing well. Add eggs, lemon juice, and rind, then mix well until mixture is well blended. Cover the bowl with a white or yellow towel or cloth napkin, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, shape dough into 1" balls and place approx 3" apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for abut 20 minutes. Cool on racks. Yields 36ct. --Adapted by Akasha Ap Emrys To share with all her friends and those of like mind-Copyright © 1997-99 Akasha, Herne and The Celtic Connection wicca.com. All rights reserved. . 255 Paganlore.com Lughnasah/ Lammas Ritual OPEN CIRCLE The High Priest/Priestess forms the circle by moving 3 times counter clockwise around the perimeter. Upon reaching the northern gateway, the High Priest/Priestess leads everyone into the boundary of the circle in a clockwise direction until all have entered and stand forming a circle. Time to charge the circle and call the watchtowers Starting with North, East, South, and end at West Ye guardians of the North, enter here this sacred space granting us prosperity as we welcome the first of three harvest festivals Ye guardians of the East, enter here this sacred space spreading the sweet air of achievement among us as we celebrate the first harvest. Ye guardians of the South, enter here this sacred space warming us with you gifts. Give us strength through out our celebration. Ye guardians of the West, enter here this sacred space sprinkling us with your nourishment. Cleanse us with your love as we celebrate the harvest. The circle is cast and we are between the worlds, beyond the bounds of time, where night and day, birth and death, joy and sorrow, meet as one. INVOCATION AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE DEITIES Each person say: I am in perfect alignment with the god and the goddess. In this night and in this hour I call upon the power of the god and the goddess. If the speaker would like to read the Charge of the Goddess they may. Light a candle for each the God and the Goddess. After the invocation ring a bell once to invite the deities into the circle. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Speaker says a blessing for the food and beverage. 256 Partake an offering and leave one behind for the God and Goddess. On this Day of the Lughnasah we have come to honor the Gods who have died and resurrected and to celebrate the first harvest. MEDITATION SEQUENCE Everyone take a moment to meditate. The following sequence may be used if desired. Choose one of two purposes: 1. To more deeply understand the mysteries of Death in Life 2. To discover how you can be more productive and creative. Select only one purpose. Do not try to combine the two. Visualize the following. You are walking down a country path towards a setting sun. It is a warm evening in late summer. Insects are buzzing and the air is heavy with scents. Take the time to notice all you see and hear. Are there any animals to be seen? What can you smell? Feel your feet making solid contact with the earth with each footstep. You are approaching a field of golden corn. In the West, over the corn, the sun is setting. Ahead of you, to your right there is a barrowmound, rising in a low green hump above the gold of the corn. Standing near the barrow is a beautiful oak tree, its branches spread in welcome and farewell to the sun. Stand for a while and look at the seen. When you are ready, enter the field. Notice how corn whispers as you walk through. Go towards the oak tree. The corn does not grow right up to the tree. It stops several meters before, leaving soft grass around the roots. Sit with your back to the tree, looking towards the setting sun and the barrow-mound. Take in all you see. Again notice if there are animals present. Now ask your question. Wait patiently. Notice all you see -- do not disregard anything. The answer may not be in any way literal. When you have received something, or feel you need to move on, proceed in your own way with the journey if you wish. Come back to everyday awareness now or when you are ready. Be sure to make a note of all you have experienced. *The above passage come from Wheel of the Year by Hodder and Stoughton Finish by closing your chakra centers, counting from ten to one, taking a deep breath, opening your eyes, and telling yourself that you are fully awake. Speaker says: 257 We have cast this circle this night to perform the act of dedication of our mind, body and spirit to the lady, her consort, and to the religion and science of witchcraft. From this day forward, we will honor and respect both the divine and ourselves. We will hold two perfect worlds in our heart: perfect love and perfect trust. We vow to honor the path we have chosen, the divine and ourselves. THANKING THE DEITIES We thank Lugh for his victories and showing us his brilliance and how to appreciate death and rebirth. CLOSING THE MAGICK CIRCLE Person who created the circle now says: This circle is open, but never broken. CLEAN UP . Paganlore.com Mabon Ritual You will find in this ritual places for adlibbing. This is where you open and let the Gods speak through you. Don't worry, the words will come to you. Altar: Dress with reds, golds, browns, hunter green. Autumn leaves, pumpkins, squash, corn, wheat. Let the altar reflect the abundance of the harvest. Place fruits and vegetables in a bowl or basket. Also decorate the quarters with harvest fruits. Scales will also be on the altar. Incense: put corn, wheat, and/or oats into a heavy floral base. The mood is the last blast of summer and the fullest time of harvest. Oil: rosemary/hyacinth/bergamont/patchouli -- a heavy, heady floral Cast circle in the usual way. Invoking the Lord and Lady 258 High Priestess: Now is the time of the harvest. Gathering in for the darkness ahead Demeter, mother of the maiden, join us. Follow the sound of your children laughing And come to our (coven name) circle Lady, be welcome in our circle. High Priest: Now is the time of the hunt When the moon lights your way Lord Herne, Come to our circle And sound your ethereal horn. We seek the balance in life and death Lord, Be welcome in our circle. High Priest should be prepared to talk about the balance of what is inner and what is outer. Looking back and looking ahead, looking within. Honor the balance that is the spiral. High Priest will now take the bowl or basket of fruits and vegetables from the altar and pass it deosil. As the basket passes from hand to hand, he says... (ad libbing is always welcome): Enjoy the riches of the harvest. Rejoice in the last warmth of summer. Welcome the first hint of winter in the air. This is a night of balance...(ad libbing) High Priestess now picks up the scales from the altar and says: (ad libbing) In our lives we constantly measure ourselves against other people's standards. Our flaws appear enormous and our good points seem miniscule. The Lady in her wisdom offers us balance. Take a moment to get comfortable and we will examine and readjust if necessary our own scales. Balancing the scales -- a meditation for Autumn Open with a trance inducing meditation. The Tree or The Rainbow from Starhawk's 'The Spiral Dance' are both excellent or use one that you are comfortable with. Open your inner senses. You are in a large room. There is a table along the Eastern wall. Someone is motioning for you to come there. As you approach, take time to look at the person standing there. This is your inner guide who will always help you balance yourself. You may talk to your guide for a moment. (Pause for 5 to 10 long breaths) Now see the table. There is a set of scales. On the left side of the scales is a red feather. Beside the table is a pile of different sized stones.(Pause for 3 breaths) 259 Now think of where you feel there are imbalances if your life. As you name them, the guide will place a stone on the right side of the scales. Consider (space the following with 4 to 8 breaths): Family... Friends... Work... Home... Physical... Emotional... Mental... Spiritual... (add others as necessary). (When the meditation reader feels ready) Now look at your stones and how the scales are balanced. Remember what the stones are for. Now listen to your guide who can show you ways to balance. (Ten to 15 breaths at least) Know that you are a whole and useful person. Reflect on that which is balanced in your life. The guide will add a stone to the left side for each. Consider (Space the following with 4 to 8 breaths at least. The key here is to let the listeners have time.) Family... Friends... Work... Home... Physical... Emotional... Mental... (add others as necessary) Look at your scales now. They are balanced more evenly. The red feather is in your guide's hand. The guide hands you the feather. You are the balance you are the harmony. Take a moment to thank your guide (10 breaths). Know that you may return to this room whenever you need to meditate on the scales. Now find the door through which you came. When you feel ready, walk through the door and up the stairs you will see there. Return to this room feeling energized and awake. Balance is the harmony of nature. Nature is the harmony of the Goddess. Goddess is the harmony of you. You are the harmony of balance. Take some time to talk about the meditation if the coveners need to process the experience. High Priestess: (taking a small bowl of bulbs from underneath the altar) Autumn is also our inward deepening time. Just as a bulb needs the winter dark and cold to grow in the springtime, so do we need the quiet and reflective time to look at ourselves (ad lib) Take a bulb from the basket and plant it. Let it remind you of the growth you can gain during the winter months. High Priest: (holds up a sheaf) And the balance is this. The grain of autumn shall be the seed of spring. Take time to talk about what everyone hopes to do over winter. When everyone seems ready move onto Cakes and Wine. And close the circle in the usual way. Encourage covenors to take home some to the vegetables and decorations from the altar and quarters. 260 Paganlore.com Samhain (Halloween) Ritual This ritual should be performed barefoot. Although if you do this ritual for Samhain, you may want to wear socks. I'm sure the Goddess will understand :-) You will need: Incense made of Frankincense and Myrrh or Lavendar, Basil and rosemary,2 black or 2 white candles, black altar cloth, bell, chalice of milk, dish of barley, 81 black beans, a bowl of spring water, and a towel. -Cast your circle. Light the candles and say: "Blessed Be thou, creature of light" -Light the incense. Bless the barley. Say: "I bless this grain in the names of Demeter and Kore." -Invoke the Goddesses going counterclockwise. Begin with the North: "I call upon rich-haired Demeter, Mother of Harvest, Giver of Eternal Life. Bless me with your pro tection, Mother, and aid me in these rites." -Leave an offering of barley for Her. Move to the West. Say: "I call upon Hecate, Witch-queen, the hag of the crossroads who walks with Death. Bless me with your protection, Mother, and aid me in these rites." 261 -Leave an offering of barley for Her. Move to the South. Say: "I call upon Vesta, sacred Hearth and Flame, Guardian Goddess of home and nations. Bless me with your protection, Mother, and aid me in these rites." -Leave an offering of narley for Her. Move to the East. Say: "I call upon Isis, Black Madonna, compassionate Queen, whom our foremothers worshipped from Asia to the Atlantic. Bless me with your protection, Mother, and aid me in these rites." -Leave an offering of barley for Her. Return to the altar. Say: "Hail Persephone! Queen of Earth and the underworld. In this time of growing life (or for Samhain say in this fading time) renew our hearts, and purify our homes." -Toss a handful of barley onto the altar, SAy: "I offer this grain in thanksgiving to Persephone, Condutor of Souls. I ask you to lead my departed kindred into your realms of peace." -Lay your hands over the chalice of milk and blessit by saying: "I bless this cup in the name of Persephone, Queen of the Dead. Shades of my ancestors, known and unknown, I offer this cup in thanks, for all your care, and all your gifts. Depart in peace to your abodes in the Earth, knowing that all is well." -Place your hands in the sign of the Yoni (a upside down triangle). Rinse your hands in the water 3 times in the water and dry. Take 9 beans into your mouth. Make the sign of the Yomi again, turn around counterclockwise, spit the beans out through the opening in your hands. This a symbolic rebirth for spirits. Say: "These I send forth. With these beans, I redeem myself and mine." -Do this 9 times. when you have used all the beans, turn away from thjem and avert your eyes, giving the spirits a chance to pick them up. Keep still for the space of 13 heartbeats. Take up the bell and ring or strike it 9 times, say after each strike: "Shades of my ancestors depart." -Then say: "It is done! Blessed Be!" -Thank the Goddesses and open your circle. Bury the milk and candles. 262 Walk away without looking back. Paganlore.com Full Moon Ritual The following is a suggested group full moon ritual This format has worked well for me, but please feel free to modify it as desired. 'An it harm none, do as ye will. Purification of circle : Pass an incense mixture of frankincense, myrhh and dragon's blood resin clockwise (deosil) around the circle. Smudge each member as it passes. This represents the elements of air and fire. Pass a chalice of salt water around the circle. Sprinkle the ground and allow each member to anoint her/himself as the chalice passes. This represents the elements of water and earth. Casting the circle: Starting in the east, walk once around clockwise (deosil) while pointing either your athame, wand or forefinger at the perimeter of the circle. Visualize blue flames springing forth and taking form as shimmering blue energy at the perimeter, eventually taking the form of a sphere. Say the following while walking: "This circle I cast by full moon light, A sacred space to perform this rite, With air, fire, water and earth to bless, 263 Until we withdraw their powers hence. A sphere of light around us grows, And as above, then so below. Now 'thrice we have called, that all may see, This circle is cast, so mote it be." Quarter Calls: Hail to the Watchtower of the East! I call upon the dragon Sairys, ruler of winds and clouds, to guard and protect this circle. I summon the powers of air, Clear sighted eagle, Golden dawn of new beginnings, Refreshing winds of change. Come to our circle, dazzling and brilliant, to aid us in our rite. Be here now. Hail to the Watchtower of the South! I call upon the dragon Fafnir, ruler of sunbeams and flames, to guard and protect this circle. I summon the powers of fire, Courageous lion, Passion of the red noon, Warm glow of the hearth. Come to our circle, fiery and blazing, to aid us in our rite. Be here now. Hail to the Watchtower of the West! I call upon the dragon Naelyan, ruler of seas and lakes, to guard and protect this circle. I summon the powers of water, Ancient serpent of wisdom, Soothing azure dusk, Sparkling fountain and shimmering pool. Come to our circle, gentle and buoyant, to aid us in our rite. Be here now. Hail to the Watchtower of the North! I call upon the dragon Grael, ruler of mountains and lands, to guard and protect this circle. I summon the powers of earth, Mighty bull of fertile fields, Silent repose of black midnight, Deep cave of wisdom and knowledge. Come to our circle, solid and strong, to aid us in our rite. 264 Be here now. Invocation to the Goddess: "Wondrous Lady of the Moon Mistress of all Magick and protector of all Life-giving mother We greet you at the height of the moon's power We invite you to attend our Full Moon rite" Group chant: "The Goddess is alive and Magick is afoot" Recite or read aloud "The Charge of the Goddess". Invocation to the God: "Radiant King of the Heavens Master of beasts wild and free Horned stag We greet you at the height of the moon's power We invite you to attend our Full Moon rite" Group chant: "Seed sower, grain reborn Horned one come." Statement of Purpose: Discuss the attributes that are represented by the month celebrated. Working: Pass a chalice of wine around the circle. Each participant discusses to what end s/he would like to use the energy that will be raised. Ideally the goal will be in line with the attributes of the tree moon. Each participant visualizes putting her/his goal into the wine, hence mixing the group's goals together into a whole. Power can be raised by chanting, drumming, dancing, or any combination thereof. The following is one of my favorite full moon chants: "Powerful moon of radiant light Weave us a web that spins the night Web of stars that holds the dark We are the power that feeds the spark. Strand by strand Hand over hand Thread by thread We weave the web." As the power is released, the wine representing the group's wishes is released into a bonfire, or fire burning in a central cauldron. The energy is sent out with the group saying in unison: 265 "With harm to none, so mote it be." Dismissals: Shining Lady of the night, We thank you for sending us your blessings. Go if you will, or stay if you wish, But may their be peace between us always. Hail, and farewell. Mighty Lord of the forest, We thank you for sending us your blessings. Go if you will, or stay if you wish, But may their be peace between us always. Hail, and farewell. To the guardians and powers of the North, Thank you for lending your strength to our circle, We ask now that you depart in peace. Hail, and farewell. To the guardians and powers of the West, Thank you for lending your cleansing flow to our circle, We ask now that you depart in peace. Hail, and farewell. To the guardians and powers of the South, Thank you for lending your willpower to our circle, We ask now that you depart in peace. Hail, and farewell. To the guardians and powers of the East, Thank you for lending your enlightenment to our circle, We ask now that you depart in peace. Hail, and farewell. The circle is taken up by walking three times around the perimeter of the circle counterclockwise (widdershins), starting in the north, while chanting: The earth, the water, the fire, the air Return, return, return, return. While walking, visualize the blue energy swirling back into flames, and being drawn up into your athame, wand or forefinger. Ground the energy back into the earth. Participants hold hands and close with group chant: "May the circle be open but unbroken May the peace of the Goddess be ever in your heart. Merry meet, and merry part And merry meet again." 266 Feasting!!! 267 Divination 268 Paganlore.com Crystal & Stone Magick GEM THERAPY You can take six different books dealing with precious and semi-precious stones and their occult properties and find six different opinions as to which do what. The reason for this is that the stones are usually corresponded with astrological planets and signs. The trouble there is (as W. B. Crow explains in Precious Stones: Their Occult Power and Hidden Significance) that "there are different scales of correspondences and under one circumstance one scale should be applied, whilst under another a different scale holds good . . . no natural object is pure Sun, pure Moon or Pure Saturn". The safest way to use stones for healing, then, is in the manner of the ancient Druids: go by the COLOR of the stone and apply the same principles used in Color Healing. For example, you know that yellow is good for intestinal and bowel disorders and menstntal problems. For these problems, then, wear a yellow stone such as yellow diamond, jasper, topaz, beryl, quartz, amber, etc. The stone should be placed on the afflicted area for at least an hour each day and should be worn, in the form of a pendant or ring, for the rest of the day, continuing until the cure is affected. In 640 BCE Necheps wore a jasper around his neck to cure his queasy stomach. In 1969 Barbara Anton (a graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of New York) advised a friend, who had suffered from irregular menstrual periods for years, to wear a yellow jasper pendant. So long as she wore it,her periods came regularly on a twenty-eight day cycle. Any good book on gems and minerals will give you full descriptions of the many varieties of stones available in the full spectrum of color. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires are obvious examples of red, green and blue, but there are many other equally effective yet far less expensive stones available. Here are a few stones, together with the colors in which they can be obtained plus some of the ancient beliefs regarding their properties. 269 Stone Color Chakra Uses Amazonite Green All Soothes all chakras but especially 4th & 5th; balancing Amethyst Violet 7th Spirituality & contentment; balances the intellectual, emotional, & physical bodies; peace; meditation; protection; sobriety Ametrine Violet Yellow --- Equilibrium & balance; meditation; disperses negativity; release physical, mental, emotional, & auric blockages; compatibility Aragonite --- Centering; meditation; insight; discipline 4th Protects the heart; balance; motivation; decisiveness; instinct Any Aventurine Green (heart) Calcite Blue Calcite Green Calcite 5th Eases one to speak out, heals throat blockages and disease, soothes (throat) anger. 4th. Speeds clearing of negativity from the (heart) emotional body. Has been used to rid the body of infection. see Honey Orange desc. Red HONEY: 3rd chakra (solar plexus) Helps the mind and body remember information brought during astral travel and channeling experiences. ORANGE: 2nd chakra (belly) Aids in releasing old traumas held in the belly chakra. Clears negative karmic patterns. RED: 1st chakra (root) Helps one to be more grounded on the earth plane. Provides courage and the will to live. 270 Carnelian Orange Citrine Yellow 2nd Analysis & precision; protection from negative emotions; stability; (belly) inquisitiveness; initiative; cleansing other stones; 1st through 4th chakras 3rd (solar plexis) Fire Opal Fluorite Red Orange Violet 2nd (belly) 6th (third eye) Fluorite Yellow 6th (third eye) Garnet Red 1st Dissipates & transmutes negative energy; wealth; balance; 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 7th chakras Change; intuition & reflection; energy boost Brings rationality to intuition; orderly connection and conscious association to psychic & spiritual growth; balances body, bone, & cellular structures; healing Enhances creativity; supports intellectual pursuits; stablises group energy; cooperation; connective structure of love between all; cholesterol, liver, mental discontinuity, & release of toxins Stone of health; transmutes negative energy to beneficial; expands (root) awareness & manifestation; creative power; responsibility; commitment; stimulates & balances Kundalini;emotional & intellectual regeneration; physical, mental, emotional, & spiritual stability; order from chaos; purification & cleansing; helpful in all conditions requiring regenerative forces 271 Geode --- All Facilitates astral travel; assists with mathematics; aids in decisionmaking; communication skills; connection with higher forces/planes; helps with disorders of the hands, lungs, and nervous system Hematite Red & Silver --- Mental attunement; memory enhancement; original thinking; technical knowledge; mental and manual dexterity; calming; release of limitations; physicaly cooling; equilibrium between ethereal and physical; balancing of yin & yang; focusing energy & emotions; dissolves and transforms negativity; peace, self-control, & inner happiness; meditation; grounding; tranquility; emotional clarity; helps with leg cramps, blood disorders, nervous disorders, & insomnia; helps bones, especially the spine. Howlite White --- Calms communication; facilitates awareness; encourages emotional expression; discernment; memory; progress; eliminates hesitation; dispels criticalness, selfishness & facetiousness; eliminates pain, stress, & rage; subtlety & tact; balances calcium levels in the body Jade Green 4th Dream stone; stone of fidelity; brings realisation to ones potential & (heart) devotion to purpose; releases suppressed emotions; peace; access to the spiritual worlds; wisdom;confidence; helps the heart, hips, kidneys, spleen, skin, and hair 272 Malachite Green Moonstone White Obsidian Black Quartz Clear 4th 5th Stone of transformation; clarifies emotions; release of negativity; insight into causes of physical or (heart emotional conditions; equalising and & balancing; responsibility; intuition; throat) love and friendship; loyalty; dispels vertigo; aids spirituality and psychism; treats asthma, arthritis, swollen joints, tumors, growths, broken bones, torn muscles; heals the immune system; aids birth 6th & 7th Balancing; introspective; reflective; lunar; new beginnings; hoping and wishing; helps with change; intuition (third and emotion; alleviates emotional eye & tension; enhances perception; crown) cleanses negativity from the chakras; confidence, composure, and diplomacy; connects the physical, emotional, and intellectual bodies; traveller's stone; calmness; awareness; energetic balance; can alleviate degenertative diseases; birth; circulation; skin & hair 1st. Because of its protective qualities, Obsidian is a good stone for those (root) who are soft-hearted and gentle. It will help to guard them against abuse. This stone cleanses toxins from the liver, so it is also good for people who are exposed to environmental pollutants. All Quartz has been used for centuries, it provides for purification of the physical, mental, and spiritual bodies. Having a rich amplifying effect these crystals are perfect 273 for healing work. Rose Quartz Pink Ruby Red 4th Promotes heart healing through selflove. Heals heartache and loneliness. (heart) Aids in opening the goddess within. 1st (root) Smoky Quartz Brown Black Sodalite Blue Indigo Qualitys of power, loyalty and courage. It protects from trouble, aids in love and passion, and is a focus of energy. 1st It encourages earth awareness and responsibility. Aids in grounding while (root) creating an acceptance of the body on the earth plane. 5th 6th Alleviates fear. Calms and clears the mind. Slightly sedative, grounding. Cuts through density and illusion, (throat bringing clarity and truth. Enhances & third communication, creative expression. eye) 274 Sugilite Violet Turquoise Aqua Tourmaline Any 6th & (or) LUVULITE: Third eye activator. 7th Opens the connection between mind and body. It attunes one to their (third mental body to see what is creating eye & the physical problem and in doing so, crown) gain the healing power necessary to balance the physical body. Helps spiritually oriented individuals deal with the sometimes overwhelming negative energies present on the planet. A stone to use for children to keep the innocence, wisdom, and magic of the child's world as they grow into adulthood. Also used to re-awaken those qualities in adults. Helps one connect with their own inner light. Compiled by Fern Bouchard 5th. You will be very happy with the soothing color of these stones!! Heals (throat) this life and past life blocks in the throat chakra. Heals sadness and grief. Develops inner strength. 1st. (root) (All colors): Aids balance of endocrine system. Aids sleep. Strengthens, vitalizes body/mind. Acitvates and enhances crystaline properties of body/mind. Aligns subtle bodies. Dispels fear and negative conditions. Strong protective influence. Concentration, inspiration. Enhances sensitivity and understanding. Powerful healer, highly electromagnetic. There are an endless number of stones and crystals that we have not even touched on here in this chart. There are many stones for each Chakra and not every one is going to be "just right" for you. For further more in depth 275 information on stones and crystals, I suggest visiting both of the sites I have listed below. Blessed Be! The Celtic Connections Gemstone and Crytals Index And Avalon Crystals by Kellie "Gem Therapy Explanation Taken frm Bucklands Complete Book of Witchcraft" "Chart by Bayowolf & Erzsebet" . 276 Paganlore.com ~Rune Magick~ To whomso they may avail, Unbewildered, unspolit, They are wholesome to have: Thrive thou with these then, When thou hast learnt their lore, Till the Gods end thy life-days. (Volsunga Saga, By Valkyrie to her lover, Sigurd) Introduction To Runes Rune Making Rune Ritual Method Rune Alphabet Magical References Rune Rituals Rune Meanings Rune Gods/Goddess Association Runecast Layouts Change Runes Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. 277 Paganlore.com ~ RUNE STONES ~ INTRODUCTION No one knows where runes began, but the best guess is that around 500 B.C.E. a Germanic tribe of mercenaries crossed the Alps into northern Italy on an extended campaign, and there became familiar with the Etruscan alphabet. They would have had shamans with them. To their illiterate eyes Etruscan letters looked like so many magical symbols, similar to their own ancient signs of magic, which have been preserved in hallristningar, or prehistoric rock carvings. A fusion took place between the hallristningar and the Etruscan letters. Some believe this was the work of a single man. This seems unlikely, although undeniably a single man, or woman, began the process, which had to start with an individual. Likely this person was illiterate, recording Etruscan letters alongside the older magical symbols brought down from the mountains. Mercenaries carry little unnecessary baggage with them, and illiterate mercenaries do not keep writing instruments. Runes were shaped to be cut into the soft green back of twigs. They were given names to make them easier to carry in the head. Eventually they gained the settled meanings they now possess, but this process may have taken generations, and may have occurred after the runes were carried back over the Alps into the northern forest. Around the time of Christ when the Romans decided they wanted to conquer the lands they called Germany, they found rune magic being worked. Runes are not explicitly mentioned in the Latin literature of this time, but in A.D.E. 98 Tacitus speaks of divination by lots cut from the bough of a fruit-bearing tree, upon which "certain marks" are made. There can be little doubt that he is referring to runes in some form. Eventually the Latin alphabet mingled with the runes and changed them into the finalized set of symbols known today. This was likely the time the runes became a written alphabe t, signifying letters and sounds as well as magical powers. An evolution would have occurred in the names of the runes to accommodate this shifting emphasis, but they probably retained their older magical meanings. 278 Such a useful magical tool did not go unnoticed. Tribes like the Heruli, who were especially gifted in rune lore and were known far and wide as master magicians, spread the use of runes all across the north during the period extending roughly from the third to fifth century A.D.E. In different re gions the runes were adapted to different languages. They reached their greatest increase in Northumbria in the ninth century, where they numbered thirty-three distinct symbols. Paradoxically, at the time they were growing in England, they were shrinking in Scandinavia. The Danish and the Swedish-Norwegian futharks (rune alphabets) achieved a final form in the eight century of only sixteen symbols. The far-ranging Vikings carried rune lore with them to Iceland when they settled that bleak land, and even to Greenland. Although runes have been reported in Minnesota and in Nova Scotia, there is considerable doubt of their authenticity. The Christian Church began to exert its power against rune magic. At first it was merely persuasive. It did not do for a newly established priest in a pagan community to forbid the people their religion, particularly when those people were Vikings. But as the Church's power grew, do did its persecution of the runes. Iceland has the distinction of being the last known stronghold of the rune magic. In 1693 the use of runes was explicitly prohibited by Icelandic law. The rune alphabet given on these pages is the German futhark, a name that is formed out of the first six letters --F, U, Th, A, R, K. For magical purposed it is the best. The Scandinavian rune alphabets of sixteen symbols have been so reduced, they have lost much of their meaning. On the other hand, the English alphabets of twenty-eight and thirty-three runes suffer from the arbitrary addition of symbols lacking a long magical history or potent association. The German furhark of twenty-four runes is the most ancient, with a beginning lost in time, It was from this rune alphabet that all others evolved. More structure of the runes intact. This structure has two main aspects. The first is its division of the alphabet into three families, or aettir. of eight runes each. These aettir bear the names of the runes that begin them, and are called in order Feoh, Heagl, and Tyr. Each aett takes its quality from the nature of the rune that names it. Feoh is domestic, mild and physical; Haegl is wild, severe, and emotional; and Tyr is balanced, just, and intellectual. The second part of the magical structure of the futhark is the division of runes into pairs. Pair runes are next to each other. The runes in a pair relate to each other in a clear, forceful way either by contrast or by compliment. For example, Feoh means cattle. Ur means aurochs. The aurochs was a fearsome beast the size of an ox with the black hide of a bear and the disposition of a rhinoceros. To the Germans it represented freedom, valor, and potency--just the opposite qualities of the domestic cow. Although the runes form the original German futhark, the names given for them are names applied to the same individual runes in the Old English futhorc (so called do to the slightly different pronunciation of the first six runes). This was done because the Old English names are more common in English literature on the runes, and to avoid the necessity of using an entirely new naming system when ever reference is made to the English extensions of the basic rune alphabet. They should be considered as the English translations of the German names. 279 Before all else, runes are magical. They evolved over the centuries as the active instrument of the system of magic the Teutonic peoples used in daily life to solve practical problems such as easing difficult childbirths, calming storms at sea, stopping the flow of blood from a wound, and any other matter that might arise where help was needed. Some runes are constructive in their working, while others are destructive--that is, some build things up through such actions as healing, cleansing and growth, while others break things apart through decay, imbalance, and brute force. Since it is possible to join and multiply runes esoterically for increasingly subtle and specific uses, there is no end to the magical works they may accomplish, In their infinite versatility, runes are preeminent and have no serious rival in magic, other than the Hebrew alphabet, which is also combined for magical effects. Perhaps the most ancient medium upon which runes were cut is human skin. Tattooing and ritual scarring are almost universal in primitive cultures around the world at all periods. The Volsunga Saga speaks of a cutting of runes into the palms of women in childbirth. This may be a carryover from a time when pre -runic symbols were commonly carved on the skin for various purposes. At the limit of historical records, runes were cut primarily into the bark of the green wood of fruit-bearing trees. All lines of the early runes were vertical and diagonal for this reason, so that when cut into wood across the grain, there would be no splitting of the wood, as might occur if some strokes were made with grain. Later when the Teutonic tribes were more settled, runes were carved into stone monuments, memorials, and permanent markers. The forms of the runes adapted to the new medium. Horizontal lines and curved lines appeared, made possible because stone usually has no significant grain. Still later, runes were penned on parchment by medieval monks as a scholarly hobby. When cut into twigs or roots, the bark contrasted clearly with the white wood beneath. To bring the runes alive, the rune master stained them with his or he r own fresh blood. Blood fed the runes and awakened their power. This is why runes are always written red for magical purposes. Back To Rune Magick Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. 280 Paganlore.com ~The Runestones~ A B D E F G H I J K L N O P R S T U W Z M 281 EI NG Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. TH 282 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED OS (god) ~ a A god, probably Odin. In an Icelandic poem this rune is glossed "prince of Asgard and lord of Valhalla." In later Anglo-Saxon runes it comes to mean mouth, and in Scandinavian runes, mouth of a river. These later meanings accord well with the nature of Odin, who was the wise god, lord of poetry and cunning speech. Two stories told about Odin reveal this part of his nature. To gain wisdom, Odin begged his uncle Mimir, a water demon whose name means He who Thinks, to allow him a drink from his fountain where all knowledge and wisdom lay hidden. Mimir agreed on condition that Odin tear out his eye and hand it over as a pledge. So desirous was Odin of obtaining the wisdom of the fountain that he acceded to this condition, and from then on he was known as the One -Eyed. Not content with wisdom, Okdin sought skill in poetry. The giant Sttung possessed the hydromel, a fabulous drink made of blood and honey that caused anyone who sipped even a drop to become a great bard. Through craft and skill, Odin gained the confidence of Suttung's daughter, Gunnlod, who allowed him to sop the hydromel on three separate nights in return for his amorous favors. In three gulps Odin drank all the hydromel and carried it off, gaining sole possession of all poetry, except for a few drops that fell to the ground during his flight. That which distinguishes man from the beasts in reasoned speech. The God of the Hebrews created the entire world with a Word. In Teutonic mythology life springs from rivers and fountains, which are analogous to the speaking mouth of God as sources of creative energy. Therefore, this rune presents the opposite to the force of Chaos. The personification of reason and law in nature, and the giver of human laws that are in harmony with the will of God. What is kind, benevolent, just. The source of true happiness. 283 MEANINGS UPRIGHT: Harmony, order, peace, loving actions, instruction, direction, wisdom, protection from one in authority, teaching of the arts, eloquent speech, truth revealed, personal insight, valuable messages, communications from a well-wisher. A loving man or woman. REVERSED: Rigidity of principles, excessive concern, desire to control all events, pomposity, tendency to lecture, love of one's own voice, mother hen, obsession with order neatness, mania for punctuality, fussing, over details, inability to delegate authority. KEY: GOOD 284 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED BEORC (birch) ~ b The birch figures prominently in Teutonic customs as the symbol of spring awakening. It is the first tree in the northern forests to turn green after the long winter. In the Golden Bough Frazer describes how the Russian villagers would cut down a young birch tree in the spring, dress it in a woman's clothes and honor it with feasts and celebrations, then throw it into a stream. Frazer believed this last act to be a rain charm, but it was more likely a fertility charm. A variation of this custom was to dress the prettiest girl in the village completely in birch boughs. The slender trunk of the birch, its delicate leaves and silver bark which has the appearance of adornment, all contribute to ascribing feminine qualities to it. Likely it was related to Freyja, the goddess noted for her love of ornament and the most beautiful female in Asgard. Birch twigs were placed in houses and stables to cause women and mares to conceive. Both men and women were lashed with birch twigs for a similar purpose. In modern Scandinavia, the custom endures in connection with the sauna. Until recent times school children all over Europe were beaten with birch to make their minds fertile. In Cheshire it used to be the practice to fix a sprig of birch over the door of a lover. Birch bark prevents scurvy and has other healing virtues. The smoke of the burning wood is aromatic and pleasant. Generally, the rune signifies health, beauty and love. It causes fertility and growth and renews the life force. It causes women 285 to bear children. the effect of Beorc is opposite that of its pair rune, Tyr, which brings destruction. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Fertility, desire, arousal, love and lovemaking, growth, melting a cold heart, playfulness, cheer, vitality, new projects, conception of children, flow of ideas, creation of art, rites of spring, first crush, sowing wild oats. REVERSED: Passion, uncontrolled desire, carelessness, abandon, wildness, lust for life, pursuit of youth, immaturity, silliness, imprudence, infatuation for young lovers, danger of statutory rape and the conception of illegitimate offspring. KEY: FERTILITY 286 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED DAEG (day) ~ d Usually Daeg is interpreted as the light of day and linked with the sun cult. The Old English Rune Poem calls Daeg the "glorious light of the Creator, a source of joy and hope." In the light of day, the horrors of darkness are impotent. The light of day is an earthly manifestation of the more ethereal Light of the divine Spirit. If Ken is the artificial light of the torch in the halls of men, Daeg is the natural light of the sky. Ken is the Spirit acting through man in the form of the human virtues; Daeg is the Spirit acting through Nature to create the beauties of the greater world. Daeg may also be interpreted as a period of time in which the light strengthens, reaches its maximum power, and then declines. For the Germans the day began in darkness. Tactitus, the Roman historian who recorded the fact, found it very strange: Instead of reckoning the days as we do, they reckon by nights, and in this manner fix both their ordinary and their legal appointments. Night they regard as bringing on the day. The passage of the sun across the sky may be likened to the passage of a human soul through its earthly life. it begins in the darkness of the womb; birth is like the dawn; the fullness of manhood comes at noon; old age brings a dimness to the sight, a kind of twilight; and death seals the eyelids on darkness once again. In the abstract, Daeg can signify completeness or totality. The span of a process or thing. A circle that defines limits. A name - in the sense that the sum of a life is its name before God. The period of existence. It should be distinguished from Ger which stands for a revolution or inversion. 287 MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Completion, full circle, period of study or labor, phase, span of a life, unit of time, total view, all facts known, end meeting the beginning, fulfillment of cycle, uniting of loose ends, rebirth. REVERSED: End of growth, finish of career, breaking up of a marriage or a love affair, limitation, boundary, termination, enclosure, fence, wall, prison, death, fear of the unknown, end of the road, step into darkness. KEY: COMPLETION 288 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED EH (horse) ~ e The horse was more than just a means of transportation to the early Germans. It was a sacred animal related to the cult of the sun. The sun was envisioned as riding across the heavens in his chariot drawn by shining steeds. Tacitus writes in his Germania: Kept at public expense in these same (consecrated) woods and groves are white horses, pure from the taint of earthly labor; these are yoked to a sacred car, and accompanied by the priest and the king, or chief of the tribe, who note their neighings and snortings. At Trundholm, Denmark was discovered a bronze chariot which represents the solar disk being drawn by a horse. The disk was originally covered in gold leaf, most of which has fallen off. Both horse and chariot are mounted on wheels, perhaps to be pulled along in a procession. The wheels are of four spokes and very similar to the ten wheels that support the solar alter described under the Sigel rune. This model of the chariot of the sun has been dated by some authorities as early as 1000 B.C.E. The snortings of the sacred white horses were used as auguries by the priests, who looked upon the horses as messengers of the gods. It is worth mentioning in passing the beautiful White Horse of Berkshire, England - a gigantic stylized horse carved in the crest of a hill which can only be properly seen from the air. The horse was probably a sacred animal for all Europe as far back as the Stone Age. On the material plane the hors e symbolized grace, speed and strength - the physical virtues. Beauty of form and function. It was not an end in itself but the means to and end. A medium through which the desires of men might be accomplished. 289 MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Rapid progress, transportation, conveyance, means to and end, medium, speed, grace, power, ability to leap over obstacles, movement on any level, advancement with ease; may represent a personal vehicle such as a car, boat or private plane. REVERSED: Blind precipitation, recklessness, haste, a fool rushing in, forcing an issue, intoxication with speed, racing, lack of control. tempting fate, throwing caution to the winds. KEY: TRANSPORTATION 290 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED FOEH (cattle) ~ f Feoh begins and names the first of the three aettir. The beast of burden and by association the qualities that characterize cattle. ...an animal somewhat smaller than an elephant with the appearance, color and shape of a bull. They are very strong and agile, and attack every man and beast they catch sight of. The natives take great pains to trap them in pits, and then kill them. This arduous sport toughens the young men and keeps them in training; and those who kill the largest number exhibit the horns in public to show what they have done, and earn high praise. It is impossible to domesticate or tame the aurochs, even if caught young. The horns are much larger than those of our oxen and o quite different shape and appearance. The Germans prize them greatly; they mount the rims with silver and use them as drinking-cups at their grandest banquets. When the qualities of the animal are abstracted it can be perceived that Ur meant an elemental masculine potency. Physically: strength, agility, and endurance. Emotionally: courage and boldness. Spiritually: freedom. Thus, that which can never be domesticated or enslaved/ The triumphant soul of nature. The shape of Ur is a horn or erect phallus. This meaning is in direct contrast to that of the Feoh rune. Clearly the first two runes form a pair. A similar pattern runs throughout the alphabet and is useful in determining the shades of meaning of obscure runes. The pairs are not always opposite but always present a sharp contrast. The aurochs was synonymous with ma nhood. That it had a magical significance is suggested by the costly decoration and careful preservation of its horns, and also by the fact that although aurochs did not extend into Britain in historical times, the Anglo-Saxons retained the beast as emblematic of the rune. Perhaps, killing the aurochs was a rite of passage into manhood. 291 MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Wealth, possession of valuable objects, ownership, dominion over others through money, opulent lifestyle, personal luxury, increase in income, material display, extravagant spending, generosity, payment of debts. REVERSED: Greed, covetousness, hoarding, miserliness, stupidity, dullness, bondage to material things, subservience to others, slavery, cowardice, lack of vision, stolidness, a victim of circumstance. KEY: POSSESSION 292 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED GYFU (gift) ~ g Gifts played an important part in German culture. A chief would support the young warriors who followed him with gifts of horses, weapons and lavish feasts. Relations between tribes were always conducted with the exchange of costly presents. Tacitus writes in his Germania: It is usual to give the departing guest whatever he may ask for, and a present in return is asked with as little hesitation. They are greatly charmed with gifts, but they expect no return for what they give, nor feel any obligation for what they receive. The giving to, and receiving of gifts from, the gods would have been looked upon as a natural extension of these customs . Accordingly, Gyfu has been regarded as a magical symbol connected with sacrifice. It seems probable that it refers more to sacrifices made to the gods than gifts of the gods to men because of the nature of Teutonic deities-the pagan gods such as Thor and Odin could be expected to gift a man only with strength and cunning. Even this might be capriciously withdrawn on a whim. On the other hand, men were obligated to sacrifice to the gods lest the gods become angry and visit them with misfortunes. Even before the advent of Christianity, it would be reasonable to link Gyfu with charity, Generosity was the virtue of great chiefs. The covetous were despised and believed to suffer an ill fate. Gyfu would generally mean something of personal value, freely and willingly given away, It might be a lie sacrifice-forsaking present happiness for future joy. It is good to sacrifice the lower for the higher; evil to sacrifice the higher for the lower. The cross is an ancient symbol for suffering. MEANINGS: 293 UPRIGHT: A present, love offering, inheritance, legacy, bequest, donation, endowment, raise in salary, unexpected improvement in fortune or condition, offer of help, restoration of health, profitable business trip, charity, social service. REVERSED: Necessary sacrifice, obligation, duty, toll, responsibility, consequences of a charitable act, privation, required observances, dependents, financial burdens, debts, poverty, need to accept welfare payment. KEY: GIFT 294 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED HAEGL (hail) ~ h Haegl can be literally interpreted as hail, a miraculous and terrifying phenomenon of nature. It must have seemed to the Teutons that the gods were venting their wrath on the earth when they threw down white stones to blight crops and kill fowl. Hail was thought to be one of the weapons of the frost giants. In the abstract, Haegl means hardship. Involuntary suffering without reason. The afflictions of Job. Any injustice thrust upon a man by the fates. The loss of a loved one, An inexplicable sickness. The sinking of a ship or the laming of a horse. Disaster of a violent nature. Haegl is an active and masculine destroyer. It beats down a field of grain with hammer strokes. Its action is visible and physical. This rune begins the second aett which bears its name. It has been speculated that Haegl is the name of unknown god since the runes that begin the other two aettir can be connected with two gods: Feoh is a natural symbol for Frey, and Tyr is another name for Tiw. Since no reference to a god Haegl has ever been found, this is only speculation. If Haegl is a god he may have filled a role similar to the Hindu goddess Kali, the Destroyer. Tiw is a god of judicial mediation, Frey is a god of generation. The trinity would be rounded by a god of destruction. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: 295 Disaster, storm, drought, fury of nature, loss of possessions, injury, destruction of property, earthquake, tornado, hurricane, avalanche, tidal wave, shipwreck, train wreck, plane crash, car accident, sports injury, any hardship involving violence. REVERSED: Trial weathered, tempering, testing of metal, dealing with adversity, strengthening hardship, character-forming experience, triumph over loss, turning adverse circumstances to advantage, rebuilding, starting over, rising from the ashes. KEY: HARDSHIP 296 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED IS (ice) ~ i In the narrow sense this rune stands for ice, particularly the flat floor or bridge of ice that covers inlets of the sea, lakes and rivers. All northern races used ice for highways in winter. Such roads had their treacherous aspect. An unwary traveler might fall through and be lost without a trace. In the Icelandic Rune Poem is written: Ice is bark of rivers and roof of the wave and destruction for doomed men. The qualities that distinguish ice are stealth and treachery. It forms silently, sealing up open waters in a steel-like case. It is hard when a man might wish it to be soft, and soft when he most wants it to be hard. Never is it to be trusted. It surrounds the hull of a ship and crushes it in savage jaws. It waits for the unwary step and throws down the horse or walking man. Its deceptive qualities make it feminine. If Haegl is compared to the stroke of an axe, Is is poison in the wine cup. Ice has its alluring, seductive aspects. As the Old English Rune Poem states: it glitters clear as glass, very like jewels; it is a floor wrought by the frost, fair to behold. Much of its danger lies in its inviting appearance. The silence and stillness of ice put the traveler off his guard. One stop leads to another, and before he knows it he is in over his head. Another quality of ice is its changelessness. It locks life under its surface and keeps it motionless as though under a spell. Even the restless waves are stilled. Waterfalls and fountains become rigid monuments to the power of Is. MEANINGS: 297 UPRIGHT: Beguilement, deceit, hidden purposes, lies, hurtful secrets, concealed meaning, treachery, entrapment, stealth, ambush, plots, betrayal, paralysis of will, impotence, inability to act, blindness to approaching disaster. A cunning and beautiful woman. REVERSED: Glamor, illusions, obsessive love, heedless pursuit, persistence in folly, infatuation, superficial beauty, head in the clouds, hopeless desires, distant glittering prizes. KEY: ENTRAPMENT 298 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED GER (harvest) ~ j Harvest is the specific meaning of this rune, but for general purposes, cycle may be more useful. It indicates the coming full circle of the year when the labor in the fields during spring and summer is repaid in autumn. The ancient Germans did not recognize autumn as a season. According to Tacitus, they acknowledged only spring, summer and winter. Perhaps they regarded autumn as a summing up of the entire year, rather than as a separate and equal quarter. Generalized Ger is any revolution or cycle of change. A change of luck. A cycle of life, All natural cycles such as the phases of the moon. The change of the seasons. Ger has variously been defined by scholars as year, spring, summer and harvest season. Its broader meaning encompasses all these. For the Teutons, the most obvious cycle was the change from winter to summer, and from summer to winter. The joys and plenties of the harvest are opposed to the silent hardship signaled by the freezing over of the lakes, rivers and ocean. The stillness of Is is in sharp contrast to the cyclic motion of Ger. In winter everything stops; with the return of the sun, things begin to move once again, Ger is change, and change is always cyclical. Even the shape of Ger suggests this whirling energy. It is a tourbillion, a vortex of active forces. The alternate form of Ger shows an axis through the center of a circle. This is a Hindu symbol for generation. 299 MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Favorable change of climate, revolution of circumstance, alteration, transformation, fulfillment, fruition, turning of the wheel, revising of opinion, reappraisal, second look, stroke of luck, cycle turns up. REVERSED: Inversion, turning of things on their head, reversal, setback, change for the worse, disappointment of hopes, the high cast down, pride humbled, evil returned for evil given, bad karma, cycle turns down. KEY: CHANGE 300 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED KEN (torch) ~ k Originally referred to light, which in ancient times was provided by torches and fires. Human light as opposed to the natural light of the sun. The physical light of flame was easily associated with the light of the mind, just as darkness is linked with ignorance. The piercing keenness of the intellect lights the dark places of the soul and dispels shadows. The rune may have become linked with the passage of the dead. The rider on the long road to the underworld carried Ken, the illuminating light of his reason, as a guide and comfort. The highest virtues have always been associated with radiance. There are references in the gospels to the shining lights of Christ. Revelations from God to the prophets took the form of light-as when Moses saw the burning bush. White is a sacred color in diverse cultures. The white buffalo of the American Indians. The white knight of European folklore. The white dove of peace. In Cynewulfin signatures, passages where the Anglo-Saxon poet placed his name in the form of rune riddles, Ken is used as a cipher for intelligence. Speaking of the final judgment, Cynwulf says:"Then cin will tremble, will hear the King, the Ruler of heaven, speak, pronounce stern words to those who obeyed him negligently before in the world." This would seem to be light used as the gift of the personal self-the soul-from God. The early Germans burned their dead. Attempts have been made to link the Ken rune with some rite of a sun cult. Symbols of the sun figure prominently in the Stone Age rock carvings and appear beside runes on some weapon relics-the spearhead found near 301 Brestlitovsk in the USSR, for example. Such a connection would not be incompatible with the interpretation of Ken as progressively torch, light and intelligence. The Scottish word ken which now means to know, but which earlier meant to see, to recognize, and was also used to indicate the range of vision or sight, may be a descendant of the Ken rune. The shape of the rune is of something that flies and pierces. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Revelation of things hidden, awakening, insight, finding the way, piercing the veil, guiding star, lantern in a storm, candle in the window, solution to a problem, the answer, end of a journey, fulfillment of purpose. REVERSED: Nakedness, harsh light of day, exposure, realization of futility, loss of dreams, awakening to reality, perception of personal limitations, seeing oneself and others in a true light, receding hopes, possible suicide attempt. KEY:BEACON 302 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED LAGU (water) ~l The form of Lagu suggests a broken reed. It means water, particularly the sea but also rivers, fountains and falls. Water is a complex symbol with both positive and negative connotations. It stands for fertility in the form of rain and streams, but also for the underworld of nightmarish monsters when presented as a dark still lake, or for the capricious destroyer of ships as the roiling ocean. As a general rule standing pools and brackish water is harmful, while clear, moving water is beneficial. Travel by ship was easier in ancient times than land travel. Most people who had not spent their entire lives in one place were familiar with the power of the waves, the initial terror of going out of sight of land, and the sense of utter dependence upon the caprice of fate. Water was the black realm of the unknown that men crossed fearfully, having no idea what lay below the surface. It was equivalent to the depths of the unconscious which the awareness cannot plumb. It represented the obsessive and perverse side of sexuality when unalloyed with the solar light.. In Teutonic mythology, the undines (water spirits) are beautiful maidens who pull men unde r the surface to their deaths. Their songs induce madness. Yet water cannot be shunned, not even its frightful aspects, since it is a necessity of daily life. MEANINGS: 303 UPRIGHT: Water, lakes, rivers, pools, wells, streams, oceans, mystery, allure , dreams, fantasies, visions, imagination, creativity, physical and mental fecundity, a giving and adaptable nature, feelings of romance, sentimentality, emotion, a loving heart. REVERSED: Madness, obsession, mania, nightmares, the submerged, the hidde n, the deep, the underworld, despair, perversity, sickness, suicide by drowning or blood-letting or drugs, uncontrolled urges, impulses, escape into a fantasy world, excessive sleep, catatonia, coma. KEY: UNCONSCIOUS 304 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED MAN (man) ~ m Paired with the Eh is the Man rune, which can be translated as human being, or perhaps as Mannus, the Germanic Adam and archetypical pattern of the race. In the rune poems it is used simply as everyman, the consensus of opinion being: "man is the augmentation of the dust." This rather depressing note is maintained through all the major rune poems. The notion of man is linked with the inevitability of death. Man equals mortal. Certainly the Teutons saw enough of their kin slaughtered to have no illusions about human grandeur. One of the rune stones reads: "Vidken the priest wrote me, and here I shall stand for a while"-showing that not even the stones were looked upon as permanent. The pessimistic tone of the rune poems may be due to the influence of Christianity and should not be projected back onto the pagan roots of the runes. Qualities that distinguish humanity from the beasts are intelligence, speech and free will. The rune Man stands for the mental virtues. Other facets of Man are the power of imagination, the urge to worship and the manipulation of the environment. It is the human soul that energizes these abilities. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Intelligence, imagination, foresight, logic, skill, craftsmanship, artistry, 305 vision, insight, invention, perception, ideas, eloquence, the method to an end, design, pattern, plan, structure, order, a Magus. REVERSED: Cunning, slyness, deception, craftiness, calculation, misdirection, sleight of hand, manipulation of others, double-dealing, fraud a con artist, master of illusion, shape -changer, wearer of masks. KEY: INTELLIGENCE 306 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED NYD (need) ~ n The necessity to endure. That element in the human spirit which will not allow it to accept its fate. Stubborn will to resist even when there is no hope. Resistance against all odds. It shows itself in circumstances of extreme trial such as deathly sickness or natural disaster: the cancer patient who refuse to accept death; the accident victim who continues to fight through icy waters after his consciousness has deserted himthese people illustrate the power of Nyd. There is no glory in Nyd. It is described in the poem Solomon and Saturn as the worst lot that can befall a man. No credit arises from exhibiting resistance to such supreme hardship because it lies beyond the level of willful control. Nyd is sent by the gods to test and to teach. It produces a tempering of the spirit. One who experiences Nyd and lives is the stronger for it. In historical times, the death camps of Nazi Germany generated large amounts of Nyd. Nyd is linked with Haegl in several ancient references. In the Abecedarium Nordmannicum the two runes occur on the same line, which reads: "hail has need." In the Old English Rune Poem the verses for Haegl and Nyd have parallel constructions: Hail is the whitest of grains, it whirls down from heaven's height, and gusts of wind toss it about; then it is transformed to water. Hardship oppresses the heart; yet nonetheless often it is transformed for the sons of men to be a source of help and salvation, if only they heed it in time. Nyd is the power in the human spirit that allows it to endure Haegl. The 307 two go together. Without great hardship the ne cessity to endure would never be exercised. The shape of the Nyd rune suggests a broken cross, or perhaps a man carrying on awkward and unbalanced load. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Want, need, emotional hunger, starvation, dire extremity, limit of strength, failure of hope, loss of human dignity, naked to the bone, suffering beyond the will to resist, torment, afflictions of Job, tortures of hell. REVERSED: Stubbornness in the face of death, defiance of fate, endurance, subsistence on nothing, will to continue, persistence of life, survival without glory or personal growth, refusal to surrender. KEY: NECESSITY 308 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED ETHEL (homeland) ~ o In early usage, this rune indicated the land of birth in the narrow sense of the immediate locality where the tribe or clan dwelt. Land was important to the Germans. Families preferred to live some distance from one another rather than clustered together in villages and towns. They cleared a wide swarth around the house, probably as a defense against surprise attacks. The origin of Ethel may have been this circular clearing. As Teutonic societies evolved, the sense of the rune was modified first to mean inherited land, and then inherited property. Used in this broad way, Ethel stood for the sum of earthly possessions accumulated by a man in his lifetime -what came down to him from his forefathers, the gifts of chiefs, the spoils of war and the craft of his own hands. Landed property is the generally accepted meaning of the Ethel rune, which stands last in the traditional futhark. It complements Foeh, the first rune of the alphabet, one of whose meanings is movable possessions. The two types of possessions were inter-dependent of the cattle, the most important movable possession of the early Germans, needed land to graze on, and land without cattle was of little value. Enlarging the meaning of the rune yields native country of nation of birth. This is a natural evolution of the rune, just as any nation grows up from the amalgamated holdings of family clans. The use of Ethel to stand for the soul of a nation would not be unreasonable in modern magical practice. If Daeg represents the span of human life, Ethel may be said to stand for the accomplishments of that life on earth. Every man's native 309 land is that which he carves out and holds on to; morally as well as materially, Good and evil actions are passed down to the next generation as its inescapable inheritance. The human laws of legal inheritance are only imitations of this natural law. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Immovable possessions, property, house, city, region of birth, country, where the heart is, allegiance, accomplishments in life, skills, credentials, what has been carved out by trial or won by valor, citizenship, passport, national or racial pride, patriotism. REVERSED: Bad karma, accumulated vices, prejudice, jingoism, bigotry, clannishness, provincial attitudes, isolationism, protectionism, class consciousness, suspicion of strangers, lack of hospitality, the grave. KEY: HOME 310 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED PEORD (apple) ~ p The original meaning of this rune was probably apple tree. However Peord is one of the more obscure runes and no interpretation is certain. Various definitions have been proposed including pawn, chessman, dice box, table-game, and even penis. These speculations arise from the context of Peord in the Old English Rune Poem: A table-game (?) is always a source of recreation and amusement to proud princes, where warriors sit happily together in the mead-hall. The definition of Peord as some form of game or gaming implement, even if generally correct in the context of the poem, is far removed from its first meaning. All runes once stood for natural objects or elemental forces. It was only when the runes were interpreted by settled societies that they became trivialized. For example, yew became yew-bow; cattle became wealth; the necessity to endure became feudal obligation. However, if table-game is the degenerate meaning, a link may be formed with the first meaning of the rune -apple tree. Tacitus in his Germania mentions that the Germans divined by cutting twigs from fruit-bearing tree and carving runes on them. The most obvious fruit tree of the northern forests is the apple. History teaches that traditional forms of divination frequently degenerate into games of gambling. The Tarot devolved into common playing cards. Geomancy became dice. It is not unlikely that Germanic divination was reduced over time to a form of table sport-probably some form of draughts. If so, the runic name for the wood used in divination may have carried down to the game. All this is highly speculative. It is worth noting, however, that a scholar named Marstrander arrived at the same meaning for Peord through a separate philological route. He related the rune name Peord to the 311 Irish name for apple tree, ceirt, and connected them with reference to the evolution of words. A separate rune for the apple tree makes good sense. There are many tree runes. The apple has powerful magical and mythological associations: the apples of the Tree of Knowledge; the golden apple given to Venus by Paris; the apples if Idun by which the gods preserved their youth; the apples of Sodam; lovely to look upon, but ashes inside; the apples of Istkahor, sweet on one side and bitter on the other. In Teutonic mythology, the apple seems to have been a beneficent symbol. The phrase "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is still popular. However, apples are not without their ambivalent aspect. A fruit so luscious and seductive easily becomes a tool for evil. In the fairy tale Snow White, the wicked queen uses an apple to disguise her poison. For the early Germans, Peord probably signified a Cornucopia of life and health. The shape is enclosing, like a cup tipped on its side. The apple was a pleasurable source of sustenance and therefore to be celebrated in Bacchanalian feasts. The negative connotations derive from the positive-too much celebration bri ngs sickness the morning after. In this sense Peord is opposed to its paired complement Eoh, which is staid and frugal by nature. Both are tree runes, but markedly different associations. In the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper, Eoh might stand for the sign of the ant, and Peord for the sign of the grasshopper. Those who exude large amounts of Peord are fun to be around but undependable. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Luxury, abundance, lavishness, opulence, satisfaction, indulgence, pleasure, sensuality, love of excess and display, parties, celebrations, feasts, epicureanism, fun and games, gambling, conviviality, gregariousness. REVERSED: Gluttony, drunkenness, lustfulness, excess of pleasure, satiety, surfeit, revulsion, decadence, debauchery, perversions, drug addiction, search for illicit thrills, moral and physical decay, too much of a good thing. 312 KEY: PLEASURE 313 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED RAD (riding) ~ r A journey on horseback. In the Old English Rune Poem the journey is said to be strenuous, the horse powerful, the road long. All three elements are laden with significance. For the ancient Germans, travel where the roads were few and bad was of epic proportions. Moderate journeys required weeks -longer journeys months or even years. Physical endurance was tested to the limit. The journey became a metaphor for life itself. Complete dependence was placed on the horse. Without it the traveler would be left on foot in the wilderness at the mercy of wolves and other things less natural. The horse became transportation itself, equivalent to the ship at sea. It has been suggested that Rad acted as a charm for travelers. The rune possessed a mystical association with journeying of all kinds. Perhaps it was given tot he dead to guide and assist them on their road to the underworld. In the abstract, Rad means a seeking and striving. A quest. A search for fulfillment, perhaps a search for spiritual wisdom. On the material level: physical travel, change in address. forced relocation. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: A promotion, relocation, change of residence, vacation, business trip, 314 search; transportation by car, bus, train, ship or plane; personal evolution, seeking after fulfillment, alteration of circumstance, escape. REVERSED: Disruption, dislocation, upheaval, demotion, disillusion, aimless wandering, flight from responsibility, chasing rainbows, lack of fufilliment, long illness, possibly death. KEY: JOURNEY 315 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED SIGEL (sun) ~ s Sigel stands for the rays that emanate from the sun and strike the earthits active power. The shape suggests a bolt of lightning, and in the Tarot card of The Tower, lightning is shown lashing from the solar orb to destroy a stone towe r, which is usually associated with the Tower of Babel. The Nazis recognized the destructive potential of this rune when they chose it as the insignia of the SS. Indeed, the Swasitka is no more then two Sigel runes laid over each other to suggest the whirling, flaming ball of meteor. In pagan times. meteors were looked upon as weapons of the gods, particularly Thor whose hammer was earlier thought to be a meteorite. The Germans worshiped the sun, Caesar mentions sun worship, and the numerous sun wheels found in the rock carvings attest to it, as do certain relics such as the bronze altar found near Ystad in Sweden. This last is a remarkable object shaped roughly like a drum. It stands on ten bronze wheels arrayed around its perimeter, and its tip is inscribed with concentric circles and rings of fire that form a solar image of impressive proportions. The offensive power suggested by the shape of the Sigel rune is well represented by this verse from the Icelandic Rune Poem: Sun is shield of the sky and shining ray and destroyer of ice. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: 316 Elemental force, energy, moving power, destroyer of inertia, banisher of doubt, galvanizer, initiator, act of will, shattered conceits, masterstroke, what pierces to the heart of the matter, cutting of red tape, bold action. REVERSED: Retribution, punishment, justice, wrath of God, nemesis, vengeance, destruction of evil plans, exposure of guilt, work of the furies, suffering for past crimes, divine thunderbolt, cleansing fire. KEY: RETRIBUTION 317 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED TYR (tiw) ~ t Tyr begins and names the third aett of the German futhark. One of the major Teutonic gods of prehistoric times, by the period when Roman historians began to record German customs, he had degenerated into a minor war deity and was ignobly compared to Mars. However, from what can be gathered of his nature, he deserved better. His great courage was restrained by his intelligence and sense of honor. The blind killing rage characteristic of Mars was not part of Tiw's original makeup. He was the god of legal and moral judgment, the upholder of oaths. He could be more closely compared to Mercury than Mars, since both Tiw and Mercury were instruments of a higher law. Leaving his early nature aside, the latter day Tiw was a war god. The rune is similar to the symbol for Mars . It was cut into weapons and carried into battle to give courage and war skill. It occurs on many rune charms. The similarity in shape of Tyr to all piercing weapons, particularly the spear, is significant. The favorite weapon of the Germans was a short light spear called a framea, which they had the option of casting at a foe or retaining for close combat. In the Old English Rune Poem, the meaning of Tyr has developed into a constellation or star or planet in the night sky. Even then it retains its connotations of faithfulness and dependability: Tyr is one of the guiding signs, it keeps faith well with princes; always it holds its course above the night clouds; it never fails. 318 This late definition may refer to the planet mars or to a constellation of stars. Perhaps it is the North Star, which is symbolized on maps and charts with the sign: . The North Star is certainly a guide, always holds its course, and never fails. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Honor, integrity, valor, discernment, judgment, legal matters, court action, eloquent and persuasive speech, fair dealing in a dispute, equitable arrangement, the truth told, witnesses come forth. REVERSED: War, battle, argument, disputes, strife, conflict, clash of wills, clash of ideas, disagreements, unwillingness to compromise, refusal of arbitration, excessive pride, arrogance, intolerance, need to dominate others. KEY: JUDGMENT 319 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED UR (aurochs) ~ u Aurochs is the name for a species of wild ox that lived in the forests of Europe. It was hunted to extinction in the 17th century. Six feet tall at the shoulder with shaggy black hair and large curling horns, it possessed the fierceness of a wild boar and the strength of a bull. It had much the same meaning for the Teutonic hunters as the American bison for the plains Indians. Julius Caesar, one of the earliest literate Romans to penetrate the wilderness of Germany, gives a god account of this beast in his Gallic Wars: ...an animal somewhat smaller than an elephant with the appearance, color and shape of a bull. They are very strong and agile, and attack every man and beast they catch sight of. The natives take great pains to trap them in pits, and then kill them. This arduous sport toughens the young men and keeps them in training; and those who kill the largest number exhibit the horns in public to show what they have done, and earn high praise, It is impossible to domesticate or tame the aurochs, even if caught young. The horns are much larger than those of our oxen and o quite different shape and appearance. The Germans prize them greatly; they mount the rims with silver and use them as drinking-cups at their grandest banquets. When the qualities of the animal are abstracted it can be perceived that Ur meant an elemental masculine potency. Physically: strength, agility, and endurance. Emotionally: courage and boldness, Spiritually: freedom. Thus, that which can never be domesticated or enslaved. The triumphant soul of nature. The shape of Ur is a horn or erect phallus. 320 This meaning is in direct contrast to that of the Feoh rune. Clearly the first two runes form a pair. A similar pattern runs throughout the alphabet and is useful in determining the shades of meaning of obscure runes. The pairs are not always opposites but always present a sharp contrast. The aurochs was synonymous with manhood. That it had a magical significance is suggested by the costly decoration and careful preservation of its horns, and also by the fact that although aurochs did not extend into Britain in historical times, the Anglo-Saxons retained the beast as emblematic of the rune. Perhaps killing the aurochs was a rite of passage into manhood. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Freedom, courage, resolute action, vitality, energy, enterprise, the beginning of bold projects, acceptance of new challenges, testing limits, physical strength, audaciousness, dominance of others through will, a leader, a soldier. REVERSED: Rash actions, hasty words, immaturity, lustfulness, callousness toward others, contempt for the weak, brutality, blind rage, violence, the crime of rape, uncontrollable desires, sadism, heedlessness, unpreparedness, lack of forethought. KEY: ACTION 321 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED WYN (glory) ~ w Usually translated as joy, a better meaning is glory because it suggests pleasure in possession, Glory is an intangible thing, yet it can be gained or lost. While it is possessed it is displayed as a badge of honor. Glory encompasses joy, in that no glorying is possible without joy. In relation to its paired complement Gyfu, Wyn is what results from gift giving. It is the natural reward for sacrifice. Sacrifice to the gods is repaid with success in battle and honor in life. Generosity brings all manner of rewards both tangible and spiritual. In the highest form Wyn is ecstasy, a merging with the divine Light. Odin is mentioned in connection with this rune in an Anglo-Saxon poem, the Nine Herbs Charm: For Woden took nine glory-twigs, he smote then the adder that it flew apart into nine parts. The adder is the serpent in the Garden of Eden, a diminished for of dragon. The glory twigs are magic wands with runes cut into them representing nine natural forces. However, cutting anything with nine objects results in ten parts. Nine was used symbolically in the poem as a cycle of perfection, a trine of trinities. The number ten begins a new cycle and is therefore tangible. Smiting the serpent is implied as a spiritual act. 322 MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Glory in victory, delight in achievement, accomplishment, deserved prize, welcome honors, dignities, spiritual ecstasy, exaltation, divine reward, transcendence of obstacles, exultation, bliss. REVERSED: Intoxication, wild enthusiasm, delirium, excessive expectations, unrealistic plans, delusions of grandeur, mania, loss of touch with reality, possession by spirits, unfounded hopes, empty dreams of glory. KEY: HAPPINESS 323 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED EOLH (defense) ~ z Another rune that appears to be connected with an older symbol-the splayed human hand which it resembles, an instinctive sign for warding off harm. Outlines of the human hand have been discovered in caves where prehistoric men once lived. The American Indians used this sign for peace. similar symbols, but with five branches, are used in North Africa to turn aside the evil eye. A reasonable objection can be made that if Eolh is meant to represent the human hand, it should have five branches. In fact, it is one of the less understood runes. In later rune poems it seems to have stood for elk-sedge, which may be though kind of marsh grass that elk feed upon. But it has also been interpreted as willow, sea-holly, swan, and even as the sign of an obscure god named Alcis mentioned by Tacitus. One thing at least is known: the rune was carried by warriors to protect them in battle, In the Old English Rune Poem the connotation of warding off survives: Elk-sedge usually dwells in a marsh, growing in the water; it gives grievous wounds staining with blood every man who lays a hand on it. Anyone who as a child has tried to tear a handful of marsh ferns will understand all too well what is meant here. The fibers in the stems of ferns part and cut like razors through the skin. This verse is very similar to the one representing Thorn. In the Norwegian Rune Poem, Eolh is linked with the claw of a hawk. Pictorially, this is the best correspondence. In the burial mound of a 324 shaman discovered near Copenhagen the claw of a falcon was found along with other magical articles. The talons of a hawk are the focus of its power; with them it catches and kills its prey. The Teutonic peoples would have a knowledge of their great strength. Very likely the mummified claws of hawks were used magically to embody the speed, nobility and power of these great birds. Among the American Indians the eagle occupied a prominent place in the magical hierarchy. Whatever the rune may have originally stood for, its abstracted meaning is generally agreed upon-stay away or suffer unpleasant consequences. It is a kind of shield which the person who presents it erects before him. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Shield, protection, defense, turning away harm, warding off evil, watchfulness, care, guardian spirit, friend in need, assistance in danger, help in battle, unexpected ally, attack reflected back on its source. REVERSED: Taboo, forbidden, what must be avoided at all cost, danger, warning, repulsion, turning away, warding off, holding at arm's length, denial, fear of involvement, over protectiveness, unperceived threat. KEY: PROTECTION 325 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED EOH (yew) ~ ei The yew is an evergreen tree with bright red berries and a very durable, elastic wood. It was used to make bows, and one of the translations of Eoh is bow made of yew. Yew bows were greatly prized for their strength. It also seems to have been related to burning. The Norwegian Rune Poem reads: Yew is the greenest of trees in winter; when it burns, it sputters. In the Old English Rune Poem, Eoh is called a keeper of flame. Fire was sacred to the Teutons. The evergreen color of the yew may have endowed its wood with revitalizing powers. In early times it was customary to burn the bodies of the dead before interring them. Yew rune wands may have been burned on funeral pyres to help the dead attain eternal life. Yew trees were also planted in cemeteries where they can still be seen today; or perhaps the dead were buried in groves of yew. The yew is thought to draw in supernatural influences. Ancient yews are looked upon with dread, They are thought to absorb and trap the spirits of the dead and keep them from wandering. A wood that sputters when it burns is not the most desirable for utilitarian use, but in magic the sputter may have been looked upon as a favorable omen, There is a classical form of divination wherein the crackle of laurel boughs cast on a fire is regarded as a good sign. The wand-shaped amulets found by archaeologists are made of yew wood, attesting that the yew was considered to have magical power of a vitalizing and protective nature. The Eoh rune may be said to signify dependability, strength and vitality. The term yeoman, which originally meant the follower of a chief-a bowman-carries connotations of all these virtues in the phrase "yeoman service." 326 MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Strength, tenacity, trustworthiness, faithfulness, reliability, toughness, protector, guardian, dependable servant, keeping of vows, fulfillment of responsibility, an instrument that will not fail, fidelity, honor, truth, An honest man who may be relied upon. REVERSED: Lack of imagination, dullness, inertia, subservience, blind faith in a leader, no initiative, bonds of duty, lower class mentality, acceptance of fate, unquestioned following of orders, the universal foot soldier. KEY: DUTY 327 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED ING (fertility god) ~ ng Ing was a god of the Danes. The Old English word Ingwine means friends of Ing, and is applied to the Danes in Beowolf. Tacitus mentions a tribe lining near the Baltic Sea called the Ynglingar. The Old English Rune Poem reads: Ing among the East-Danes was first beheld by men, until that later time when to the east he made his departure over the waves, followed by his chariot; that was the name those stern warriors gave the hero. The god Frey, who was the Teutonic male fertility deity, is said to have had another name, Yngvi. His descendants were called Ynglingar. Since Frey was the son of Nerthus, the earth mother, and traveled in a chariot, Ing is supposed to have been a fertility god, but this is only supposition. The Old English Rune Poem describes him as a hero. It is interesting that his departure across the seas to the east is said to be in front of his chariot. One would assume that he would ride inside it. Perhaps he was the invisible traveler in a physical model of the sacred car, like Nerthus. Something may have caused him to remove himself across the sea-the coming of Christianity?-and his sacred chariot may have been shipped after him. When Ing is viewed paired with Lagu, it should be noted that the god crosses the water. The crossing of water was a common euphemism for the passage into the underworld. Ing is a god who has gone away, like the great heroes whose bodies were pushed into the sea after their departed souls on burning warships. The chariot of Ing which follows after him is the lifeless, hollow vessel of the god. 328 Ing may have been a god of the hearth, a protector of the family and house, an insurer of good catches of fish and good crops. He would represent the healthy and productive side of sexuality. Lagu is the power and influence of waters-Ing the power and influence of the earth. MEANINGS: UPRIGHT: Simple strengths, common virtues, good sense, stability, increase, honest work, happy family life, successful career, loving and nurturing environment, human warmth, compassion, children, the home hearth. REVERSED: Toil, need to produce, responsibilities, dependents, stress, preoccupation with career, obsession with bettering lifestyle, rising up social ladder, buying a bigger house, moving to a more affluent neighborhood, worry about the future, dissatisfaction with present blessings. KEY: GROWTH 329 Paganlore.com UPRIGHT REVERSED THORN (devil) ~ th In the narrowest sense, Thorn is the name of an evil giant. His figure has survived to the present in the children's fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. It has been translated more generally as Demon. The shape of the rune is sharp and cutting -like a tooth or claw. This probably led the Anglo-Saxons to change the meaning to the thorn found on rose bushes. Both old and new meanings retain the idea of pain and strife. The Old English Rune Poem reads: The thorn is extremely sharp, painful for any warrior to grasp, immeasurably fierce to any man who rests among them. This seems an exaggerated description to be used by a warrior accustomed to hardship of all sorts, but when applied to a giant demon, it is appropriate. Although the early meaning of the rune was forgotten, its associations lingered on. The demon Thorn might well be called immeasurably fierce. In general, the rune conveys a sense of evil force inimical to human will. It is the brute destructive power of Chaos opposed to the world order. All the worst associations of the frost giants apply here. Giants were called "torturers of women" in Scandinavian rune poems, a term summarizing their base cruelty. MEANINGS: 330 UPRIGHT: Malice, petty spite, vindictive cowardly actions, lies, deliberate attempts to hurt, sowing of confusion and doubt, rejoicing in the misfortunes of others, torture of the weak, persecution of the innocent, hatred, envy, jealousy. A wicked man or woman. REVERSED: Poetic justice, the tables turned, falling into one's own trap, payment in kind, just deserts,evil thwarted, a vengeful act that misfires, a purging, catharsis, clearing of the air, exposure of true nature through words or actions, the mask let slip. KEY: EVIL 331 Paganlore.com ~ Rune Guide ~ Below follow the brief divinatory meanings for the twenty-four runes of the German futhark. Wiccan and other pagan groups sometimes use the 28 or 33 character Anglo-Saxon rune alphabet, called futhorc because of the altered pronunciation of the first six letters. The primary form of each rune is followed by its secondary forms (if any) its name, the short meaning of the name, and its transliteration. Old English names for the runes are used because they are easier to pronounce and to remember, but it should be borne in mind that the runes are German. When you link there will be a detailed summary, a detailed examination made into the levels of meaning of each rune and possible ways it can be used magically. OS (god) ~ a BEORC (birch) ~ b DAEG (day) ~ d 332 EH (horse) ~ e FEOH (cattle) ~ f GYFU (gift) ~ g HAEGL (hail) ~ h IS (ice) ~ i GER (harvest) ~ j 333 KEN (torch) ~ k LAGU (water) ~ l MAN (man) ~ m NYD (need) ~ n ETHEL (homeland) ~ o PEORD (apple) ~ p RAD (riding) ~ r 334 SIGEL (sun) ~ s TYR (tiw) ~ t UR (aurochs) ~ u WYN (glory) ~ w EOLH (defense) ~ z EOH (yew) ~ ei 335 ING (fertility god) ~ ng THORN (devil) ~ th 336 Paganlore.com ~Rune Magick~ (How to) RUNE MAGIC Rune magic has five distinct steps which are mentioned in the Havamal: 1. Cutting 2. Reading 3. Staining 4. Evoking 5. Sending Cutting: In earliest times the runes, or symbols very much like the runes, were cut on wood with stone knives. For nomadic hunters of the forest, no material was more readily available than twigs of wood. They could be taken up or discarded at will. The knife was necessary for survival and would always be near at hand. Runes could be cut when the evening camp fire was made, then burne d before the group moved on in the morning. All magical materials are prepared with solemn ceremony in the sight of the gods and under their good auspices. Similar care must be taken with the runes. No doubt they were often carelessly cut in ignorance or haste, but that a proper and accepted way of cutting them existed is probable. It may have varied in its details from tribe to tribe, but its purpose would remain the same -to set the runes apart from the mundane world and link them to a particular aspect of the spiritual world. The wood upon which the runes are cut should be taken from a fruit-bearing tree. Nuts are considered fruits of the tree, so this includes such trees as 337 the oak and chestnut. The branch is to be cut at a magically favorable time. The first light of dawn is suitable for honest works, symbolizing as it does the triumph of the light over darkness. The vernal equinox, the moment the sun emerges from an eclipse, even the beaming of the sun's rays from behind a curtain of cloud have a similar significance. On the other hand, for works of evil the branch should be cut from a barren or dead tree in the darkness or shadow. The knife used to lop off the bough, and later to cut the runes upon it, must be consecrated through a ceremony in which it is offered in service to the god or gods who will oversee the rune magic. If the knife is intended for general use it should be consecrated to all the gods who will act through it, or to the One who is over all. Odin in his guise as All-Father is an agent of the Nameless One, therefore the knife can be consecrated to the AllFather. Consecration usually takes the form of a prayer and a symbolic action such as the anointing with oil. During the consecration of the knife, will the powers of the gods in whose names the knife will be used to flow into the blade. If you are able to clearly visualize the the knife as gleaming and scintillating with radiance, its power will be greater. The knife should be spotlessly clean and at least partially manufactured by the Magus -usually the hilt is made. It must be undamaged and unbroken, and preferably never employed for other than magical purposes. The blade must be razor sharp. An old knife in perfect condition can be used if it is thoroughly purified before consecration. Purification is done by exposing the object to be cleansed to fire and water while speaking a cleansing prayer. Draw the blade through an open flame three times , moving it in a clockwise circle, so that it is warmed. Then sprinkle consecrated water over both sides three times. An alternative is to dip the blade three times in a chalice filled with consecrated water. The Magus seeks to glorify the gods, not insult them. He must never offer them anything he himself considers second rate. Since the gods look upon the instruments of the Art through his eyes, and his perception is modified by his prejudices, he must truly believe that his instruments are as perfect as he can reasonably make them. Take a nine -inch long section of the branch and cut into its bark the runes to be used in the ritual. Allow the shavings to fall on the open ground, or if this is impossible gather them up and scatter them over tranquil earth. Cut each line of the runes with two sure and forceful strokes-the first to incise, the second to clear away the wood from the grooves. On a rounded wand this is best done with a slight rolling action. 338 The motions of the cuts should be from top to bottom and from left to right. Top to bottom is the line followed by the descending rays of the sun. Left to right is the path traced by the solar orb across the sky. Before beginning to cut the runes, speak an invocation to the god or gods who will oversee the ritual. It should be short and original, an invitation for the gods to take notice of your purpose and lend their authority to its fulfillment. Since the runes act independently, the gods invoked may be from any pantheon. For the unity of the ritual it is best to call upon the Teutonic gods when possible. Runes can be formed with pen and paper. A pen nib is of steel and is used for marking a line in a way analogous to the cutting stroke of a knife. Modern paper is made entirely of new wood except at the extremes of quality-very cheap paper has recycled fiber; very expensive paper has a rag content. However when using pen and paper the tactile sensations of cutting the runes in wood, which are quite potent magically, are lost. The process of forming the runes becomes perfunctory and is liable to be undervalued. Reading: At first consideration reading the runes might be interpreted simply as knowing what they mean. Any person using the runes for magic would know their names and associations. Why then list reading as a second step after cutting? Surely the two go together. And if they are considered apart, reading-or knowing what the runes signify-would naturally precede writing the runes down. The explanation is that when a rune is read aloud it becomes actual in the mind and spirit. Speaking the rune carves it on the beating heart. Before it is spoken it exists potentially. Vibrated in the air by the lips and tongue, warmed by the breath of the lungs, it is born just as the universe was born at the Word of God. Breath, air, words -all have powerful magical associations that transcend the boundaries of culture and time. Breath is the life force. Air is the medium of thought. Words are not mere symbols but living beings. By articulating the runes, the Magus lends each its unique identity that separates it from the undifferentiated mass of oblivion. He names them, and they awake with an awareness of their own being. After the carving of the runes has been completed, they should be spoken aloud one after the other in order. The names need not be shouted. They may be barely audible to a ne arby listener, but they must resonate inwardly. The Magus should receive the impression that they are spoken in peals of thunder. As he name each rune he forms an intellectual and emotional 339 picture of it similar to the impression one gets on hearing the na me of a familiar person. there is a specific method for vibrating names in modern magic. Open your throat and allow the column of air in it to resonate against your diaphragm. This will produce a buzzing in the bones of the ears and a tickling in the nose. Your chest should vibrate like the skin of a drum. Each rune name is stretched out and fully articulated so that it seems to be spoken in slow motion. The physical vibrations produced by this exercise must be transmitted into psychic channels so that they reach the higher spheres. The mechanics of vibration are only the means of effecting changes on the level of spirit. Of themselves they are powerless. Properly vibrating a rune name on all levels opens a communication with its secret essence and makes it available for use. Staining: Originally runes were stained with blood; either the blood of the person using them, or the blood of a sacrificed human being or animal. Berserkers (a mane meaning bear coats) were a fanatical cult of Norsemen devoted to warfare who carved runes on their weapons and before a battle gashed themselves so that their blood flower over the runes. They believed that the runes, particularly the Tyr rune, rendered them invulnerable. Their rage was similar to that of fanatical Moslems. They rushed into the thick of the fray without the least regard for their safety, and considered death by the sword a glorious honor as it is assured them a place in Valhalla. Grettis Saga in which the witch Duridr carves runes in the root of a tree and stains them with her own blood to bring ruin on Grettir, confirms that runes were bloodstained for reasons other than warfare. No doubt it was the common practice in all works of magic where much energy was required, but it is unlikely the blood always flowed from the veins of the sorcerer. It would be to great a temptation to take the easy way out and use the blood of a beast, fowl, or even another man. The Romans mention human sacrifice among the northern tribes and there are echoes of it in the early writings of the Christian Church. For many years this was regarded as propaganda by Norse scholars who could not believe the hardy Vikings would descend to such acts, but not long ago physical evidence was uncovered, and there is now general agreement that human sacrifice was a occasional part of Teutonic worship. Very likely animal sacrifice was substituted early on as in other primitive cultures. A people that continues to sacrifice its members on 340 a large scale cannot long endure. Blood played the same role in rune magic as it plays today in Voodoo worship, where it acts as a source of supernatural nourishment and vitality, and is daubed upon an idol or spilled at its foot to feed the god. The most ignorant worshipers believe the idols to physically drink the blood as they believe them to consume offerings of food and drink. More cultured worshipers look upon the physical blood as the outward manifestation of an invisible psychic blood which feeds the unseen and intangible spirits who dwell in the carven idols. The truth is more subtle. Blood takes its vitality from the emotional and symbolic associations it has in the human mind. The gods or spirits feed on human feelings. This is why only blood spilled from the body of a worshiper will have full potency. A man may be indifferent to the spilling of animal blood. He may even be so depraved as not to react at the sight of a bleeding human being. In any case, his emotions will be more debased than those he experiences when his own lifeblood is shed. To gain the maximum effect from the runes, the Magus must stain them with his own blood. As he cuts his skin and spreads his blood across the runes so that it settles into the grooves, he must not feel fear or regret. The self-shedding of blood is a voluntary sacrifice of the most intimate kind. It is at one moment a gift and a contract delivered to the rune powers. The Magus should fill his heart with quiet joy. It may help him to imagine the emotions of Odin hanging from Yggdrasill,or indeed of Christ on the cross. Baser feelings such as lust, cruelty, fear, anger and hatred will evoke powers that are not only unproductive but dangerous. Sacrifice of another's blood can never produce the desired gestalt of psychic events, called a mind-state, dominated by a feeling of selfless surrender that is necessary for working constructive rune magic. No lasting pleasure can come from works of evil. What is first perceived as personal advantage swiftly turns to delusion and despair. An ancient alternative to blood used to stain the runes was red ochre, and earth pigment. The Old English word teafor (pigment) is related to the Old Norse taufr (sorcery). Red ochre was rubbed along a rune staff in a powered form to etch the lines of the runes against the background of the wood. Symbolically, it served as the blood of the earth. The use of pigment is part of a process of degeneration in which the red blood of the magician became the blood of a human sacrifice, which became the blood of an animal, which became dried and powered animal blood 341 that need not be shed afresh each time magic was worked, which became red pigment linked to blood by color alone. The modern Magus should either go back to the source, his own fresh blood, or should follow the process to its logical conclusion and link in his mind red paint or ink to the emotions of sacrifice that alone feed the runes. Blood will not necessarily work better than pigment. It depends on the mind-state the Magus is able to create and maintain. Blood is usually more effective only because it carries powerful natural associations. It is a psychological aid that the experienced Magus may not need to rely on. However, do not fall into the modern error of thinking that since you recognize blood is a symbol, any other similar symbol will do as well. Symbols are alive. They each have a unique identity. They cannot be casually interchanged. An adept may be able to get the same results from red paint as he gets from blood, but it will require a highly developed mental cont rol. Blood is only one of the bodily fluids that may be used to stain the runes for different purposes. The others are saliva, urine, sweat, tears, and semen (in women, menstrual blood). Each fluid carries unique associations and creates a different mind-state. For works of art or science, saliva is most effective. For works of destruction and storm, urine. For works of growth, sweat. For works of piety and love, tears. For sex magic, semen or menstrual blood. Evoking: Evoking refers to the chants that are spoken over the runes to realize their power. Since the Germans had no literature, all incantations have been lost except for a few debatable scraps that may have survived in folk charms. By their nature the Norse chants were secret and never written down. Perhaps special gestures of the hands or body were used in conjunction with the chants, but these are a matter of speculation. The chants must have been a summoning of the powers of spirits of the runes into manifest being; a calling of them from the potential to the actual. They were probably directed into the object upon which the runes were carved, or into the runes themselves. The rune object became the temporary home of the powers until they were sent to accomplish the desire of the shaman. All magical chants are short, metrical, usually rhyming, and go straight to the point. They may be composed in the form of a riddle so that anyone overhearing them will not be able to guess their significance. Often they are repeated many times in a sing-song voice to endure a 342 trance state so that their message will reach the subconscious. Rune chants will use the names of the Teutonic gods as words of power. The chant should be accompanied by appropriate gestures designed to draw down the power of the runes, the most effective of which is the vortex. Revolve the knife over the runes in a sunwise circle while visualizing a psychic whirlwind whose center opens over them. alternately, walk or dance around the runes set in the center of the magic circle sunwise. Nine revolutions should be made. Nine is a powerful number in rune magic and signifies realization. Evocation has the effect of priming the runes. At this point the ritual may become dangerous. Previously the runes were empty markings on wood- now they are charged with occult potency. In addition to his other protective devices, the Magus should wear about his neck an amulet with the Eoh rune prominently carved upon it. Before the runes are stained, the amulet should be stained. Before the forces of the runes are evoked, the protective power of the Eoh rune should be summoned into the charm. In this way if anything goes wrong with the ritual, the amulet will protect the Magus by the very powers that the rune spirits may try to use to harm him. Sending: Evoking and sending are closely related. In practice they may form tow stages of a single action, However, they can be discussed separately. Evocation draws sown the powers of the runes. Sending releases those powers toward the target. If evocation is thought of as loading and cocking a gun, sending is akin to aiming and firing. Sending can be accomplished manually by passing the runes to another person or secreting them in a specific place. This method is imaginatively described by M.R. James called Casting t he Runes, in which a nigromancer takes a dislike to a critic and puts into his possession runes of destruction. The runes are timed to take effect at a certain hour. Throwing them away is no help-the only way the critic can save himself is by returning the runes personally to their maker, which he does just before the fatal hour by means of a trick. When the runes cannot be delivered to the object of desire hand to hand or through the mail, they may be sent through the elements. All elements can be used with the exception of Light, which is too subtle, but one will be more appropriate in any given circumstance. For example, if you wish the runes to act on a person who is aboard shop or to raise a tempest, the runes can be cast into the sea. If you wish to affect crops or property, the runes should be buried. If you desire to summon winds or otherwise change the weather, write the runes on a piece of paper and tear it into tiny pieces, then scatter them in the air. If you want to create emotional or physical heat, the runes are best burned. 343 Any method will work more or less well with any set of runes provided the proper concentration and visualization are linked with specific words of direction. Some elements are merely more appropriate for certain purposes. It can generally be stated that Fire is a suitable medium for works of war, lust, anger and violence; Air is fitted to works of science, philosophy, judgment and justice; Water is for works of love, art, kindness and illusion; and Earth for works of construction, toil, strength and endurance. and violence. Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. 344 Paganlore.com ~ MAGICKAL MEANINGS ~ (Click on any rune to find its value) This is a very favorable rune. It opens the way for judgment into difficult and confusing situations. It brings calm. It carries Light into darkness. In its secondary meaning it gives knowledge and good speech, and acts as an avenue of divine revelation. The biblical prophets may be said to have prophesied under the influence of this rune. Beorc can be used to heal and comfort in times of hardship. It may be cast as a love charm, or used maliciously to arouse uncontrolled passions. However, it can only be perverted with difficulty since its nature encourages a healthful balance. Esoterically it serves as a doorway to the understanding of the life-giving powers of the earth. The rune can be used to complete anything that is ongoing or unfinished. Used maliciously it encourages completion according to the natural laws of the gods. Can also be used to define limits and set amounts. In its other sense, as the light of Nature, Daeg can be used to banish the oppressing influence of a hostile environment. This rune can be used as the means to solve a problem. Cast, it can render a person a beast of burden to be used for a given 345 end. It generates the vehicle for accomplishing the will. Mundanely, it provides transportation. Esoterically, it carries the spirit forward over obstacles. Feoh can be used in a good or evil way. If used to signify that someone has power over his environment or that his wealth will increase, it is beneficial. But if applied directly with scornful intent it increased cowardliness and dullness. It can be used to break the spirit of an enemy and render him incapable of effective action. It can create fear and a fawning dependence. A sign of initiation. What must be given up in order to gain wisdom and spiritual power. No advance is possible without pain and loss. The rune can be applied to another person favorably as the bringer of gifts, or unfavorably as the causer of sacrifice. Haegl is a rune that lends itself to evil use. To project its quality on another is to send them suffering and hardship, which may be more precisely defined by the runes that accompany it. This suffering without hope of redemption, remorseless pain and loss of a violent kind. It prevents actions through hidden and subtle means. Can be used to freeze an intention or emotion before it is fully developed. Can also cause sudden and unforeseen catastrophe which the victim cannot perceive developing. But its main used is to forestall events. Ger is used to bring about an inversion of circumstance. It revolves the wheel of fortune and makes the high to be low to be high. It causes events to come full circle. More esoterically, it is used to actualize desire by making inner vision into physical reality. The fruition of designs. 346 The rune can be used in conjunction with its partner Rad to penetrate mysteries. Applied to anothe r directly it dispels ignorance and brings about sudden realizations and insights. Perversely applied it frustrates learning. It represents the highest of the three levels of man. Lagu is a rune of mystery that can be connected with the powers of the moon. Causes dreams and visions. Madness. False pregnancies. Suicides. Irrational and unnatural crimes. It can be used to look into the future but is not to be trusted. Changeable. However, when all dreams and hopes have dried up, a small measure of Lagu can be an initiator of change and growth. The symbol of the Cup as it is understood in modern magic represents the more wholesome qualities of Lagu. Man is used to evoke the powers of intellect. Ulysses escaping the Cyclops radiated Man. It calls forth the cunning and daring of the Trickster. This rune is the sign of the cunning man and the wise woman. It provides the method to an end. The rune carries fortitude and defiance when all hope has been lost. It gives fearlessness in the face of certain death. Cast on another it can provide the inner strength to allow them to survive extreme sufferings of a physical or psychological kind. But cast indirectly with negative intent, it carries hardship. Ethel can be made to embody property or possessions. Cast with favor it brings increase; cast with malice it carries loss. Care must be taken in sending it so that the inheritance, whatever type it is, does not come as the result of the death of a loved one. The runes are pitiless and interpret instructions literally. 347 The rune serves to bring abundance and pleasure even to the point of excess, and is not to be overused. The gayest and brightest of the runes. Cast with evil intent it can seduce others to excesses in gluttony, lust and drunkenness. It can make them spendthrift. Line wine it is delightful in moderation, but deadly in excess. It can be used to seek into the unknown. Applied to another person, it arouses restlessness and dissatisfaction, and causes changes in life that may be good or bad depending on which runes accompany it. Sigel is a sword of justice, the retribution of the gods. It is used to destroy enemies and to strike through confusion to the heart of problems. Sigel is an offensive weapon just as Eolh is a defensive weapon. It is used to punish; its effects are similar to the sword of ritual magic. Since it is an instrument of Light, it cannot be used to commit evil with impunity. Attempts to pervert it to the uses of darkness end tragically. Tyr is similar to Sigel in that both are offensive weapons, but Tyr refers more to specifically to human qualities of courage and determination. It lends its strength in battles of all kinds, supports failing limbs and guides weapons to their mark. When carved on a weapon, it helps it to strike true and keeps it from shattering. Cast on another person with evil intent, it carries strife on all levels. Can cause fist fights or wrestlings with conscience depending on how it is modified by circumstance and the runes that accompany it. The Ur rune can be used to send resolve and courage, to restore hope, to galvanize into action. Also to increase sexual potency in men. When applied indirectly it can be used as a threat and a medium of destructive force. 348 Wyn is a reward for spiritual sacrifice; the force flickering in the name given to the neophyte when he takes on his magical identity and is exalted above the common man. The rune can be used as a vessel of energy in the same way Odin used it, to project authority. Glory in the eyes of the gods translates as strength in dealings with men. Eolh is used for defense on all levels: physical, emotional and intellectual. It protects against the attacks of men, beasts or spirits. It can be sent to another to keep him safe from harm. Eolh figures prominently in the protective charm worn during dangerous rune rituals. This rune is used to lend strength and provide a firm foundation. It is to be relied on in time of need. It can protect a person from himself by rendering him sensible and thoughtful. It guards against self-destructive behavior. More mystically it provides a staff of comfort and help in the darkness of the soul. The Ing rune can be used to overcome illusions and mental illness. It serves as a help in practical day-to-day problems but should not be underrated on that account. Ing is a powerful force for good. It protects the home and those within it. Calms domestic strife. Unites families with bonds of affection. A down-to-earth deity embodying the simple but precious human virtues that lie close to the land. This rune is evil when applied directly to another person. It can be sued to call upon them confusion and destruction, to literally visit them with the demon. Used simply to embody evil, it can be fenced around by other protective runes and can play a part in removing evil from and individual or a place afflicted. 349 Paganlore.com ~ Rune Gods/Goddesses ~ Associations Deities Color Balder yellow Heimdall blue mist Loki grey Thor orange Tiw red Odin white Frija green Hel black Freyja purple redFrey brown Metal gold steel Object bow horn Rune Firewood Jewel mistletoe topaz yew sapphire arsenic shoes thorn opal tin iron mercury copper lead silver hammer sword spear necklace veil cloak oak fir ash apple willow birch bronze chariot pine jasper ruby diamond emerald jet amethyst tree agate * The runes are those that most closely approximate the qualities of the gods. They should not be confuste with the runes used previously on this site, which stand for elemental qualities. Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. 350 Paganlore.com ~A Rune Ritual~ It may be difficult for someone not used to magical practice to translate the general instructions given in a the preceding pages into specific techniques. Here is a complete ritual of rune magic as a guide, not to be followed rigidly, but to be used as a starting point for more personal rituals. Before beginning, undergo a period of purification and focusing. Memorize the ritual and prepare all the necessary materials. Make ready the ritual place. This ritual is designed to open communication between the Higher Self and the ego. For maximum benefit it should be worked regularly, perhaps once a week for several months. An hour or so before the ritual, bathe, drain the water from the tub and rifill it with fresh water. Kneel before the tub and speak a prayer of cleansing over the water. As you pray, drop several grains of salt that have been previously consecrated into the water and bathe again. Dry yourself and don the ritual robe -a plain white garment that allows comfort and ease of movement. Go to the ritual place. In the center of the place is the altar which is about two feet square and waist high, its top cover3ed with white linen cloth. Place upon the altar the materials and instruments that have previously been prepared and consecrated. A candle in a short holder is set in the center of the altar top. Aro und it are arrayed a square of thin paper, a dip pen with a medium width nib, a bottle of red ink, a small chalice, a pitcher of clean water, an earthenware plate, and a sharp knife. The rune amulet of protection is not needed in this ritual but may be worn about the neck if desired. Because the ritual invokes only the higher forces and is conducted within a magic circle, its dangers are minimal. 351 Enter the place from the North, or if this is impossible, enter and proceed around the outer edge sunwise until you reach the North, then approach ther altar and kneel. Light the candle. Close your eyes and try to empty your mind of thoughts and your heart of emotions. Strive for tranquility. Passively contemplate ther task you are about to perform. Clap your ha nds shaply together three times and lift them heavenward. Look past the flame into infinity. Speak the declaration of intent, which should go something like: This ritual for the opening of the path of Light is well and truly commenced. Stand up and cross your body, touching with your right index finger your forehead, your groin, your left shoulder and your right shoulder. Touch your heart, then point directly at the flame on the altar. As you perform these gestures speak this prayer: Thine is the Crown (forehead) And the Kingdom (groin) The Power (left shoulder) And the Glory, (right shoulder) The Law everlasting; (heart) Amen. (flame) Pivot sunwise to face North. As you walk once sunwise around the altar, draw a circle with your extended index finger in the air at the level of your heart. The circle should be nine feet in diameter. Visualize it strongly as a blazing ring of white fire. It may previously be drawn on the floor with chalk or charcoal to aid in visualization. Take care to join the beginning with the end in your mind when you return to the North. Inscribe int he air to the North with large gestures the Invoking Pentagram of Air. This is drawn from the point of Air clockwise with a continuous line. Visualize the pentagram in yellow flame. Point to its center and draw the Ger rune, which stands for Air, with downward strokes: 352 Invoking Pentagram of Air Again pointing at the center of the pentagram, speak an invocation to the spirits of Air: Spirits and powers of the wind, Attend and witness this ritual, Bear my wishes to the Nameless One, Open to me the path of Light. Go in a sunwise arc to the South and stand with your back ot the altar. In the air to the South inscribe a large Invoking Pentagram of Fire. Visualize it in red flame. Point to its center and draw the Sigel rune, which stands for Fire, with downward strokes: Invoking Pentagram of Fire Pointing to the center of the Pentagam, speak an invocation to the Spirits of Fire: Spirits and powers of the flame, Attend and witness this ritual, Bear my wishes to the Nameless One, Open to me the path of Light. 353 Go sunwise around the altar to the East and draw in the air a image invoking Pentagram of Earth. Visualize the pentagram in dark green flame. Point to its center and draw the Ethel rune, which is a symbol of Earth, with downward strokes: Invoking Pentagram of Earth Pointing to the center of the Pentagram, speak an invocation to the spirits of Earth: Spirits and powers of the furrow, Attend and witness this ritual, Bear my wishes to the Nameless One, Open to me the path of Light. Go in a sunwise are to the West and draw outwardly in the air Invoking Pentagram of Water. Visualize it of blue flame. Point to its center and draw the Lagu rune, symbol of Water, with downwa rd strokes: Invoking Pentagram of Water Pointing to the center of the pentagram, speak an invocation to the spirits of Water: 354 Spirits and powers of the wave, Attend and witness this ritual, Bear my wishes to the Nameless One, Open to me the path of Light. Go sunwise in an arc to the North and face the altar. Draw in the air over the altar the Invoking Pentagram of Light, and within it the Ken rune, symbol of Light. The pentagram should be visualized as standing upright over the altar top and blazing with white flame: Invoking Pentagram of Light Pointing to the center of the pentagram, speak an invocation to the spirits of Light: Spirits and powers of the light, Attend and witness this ritual, Bear my wishes to the Nameless One, Open to me the path of Light. If these invocations to the elements are properly performed, the air around the circle will seem to pulsate and flicker, not so much visually as inwardly. You will feel a sense of watchfulness and waiting. Still facing the altar, bring you legs together and spread wide your arms so that your body forms a great cross. Speak a prayer for centering yourself in the universe: Weave a circle round me thrice, Lift me from this earthly place, Show me Thy holy face. The dizziness created by the spiral dance must penetrate the depths of your being. Visualize yourself upon a high place in the wilderness, a stone altar rising from the crown of the hill, trees stretching all around in a dark, unbroken carpet below, the stars of the night sky sparkling above. Pivot and face the North with the altar behind you. Open your arms in a gesture of invitation. Visualize the god Tiw approaching the 355 circle through the night air, his armor of silver and gold glinting with starlight, his blond hair streaming behind him, a sword in his single left hand, Speak his invocation: Great and noble Tiw, the One-Handed, Lord of Justice, Lord of Oaths, God of airy reason and true speech; By thy sword I summon thee, By Fenrir's steel jaw I summon thee, By the Nameless One I summon thee, By the Nameless One I summon thee, Descend into this circle and serve me. Go in a sunwise arc to the South and stand with the altar at your back. Open your arms in a gesture of invitation. Visualize the god Thor approaching through the night sky, his eyes showering sparks and his black hair writhing about his bluff, bearde d face. He wears a bearskin, his magic girdle and magic gloves, and carries his great stone hammer in his right hand. Speak his invocation: Strong and fierce Thor, the Thunderer, Lord of Battle, Lord of Works, God of mighty oaths and valiant deeds; By Thy hammer I summon thee, By Skrymir's glove I summon thee, Descend into this circle and serve me. Go sunwise to the East and face outward, the altar at your back. Make the gesture of invitation. Visualize the god Frey approaching through the night sky, his body stong and well-proportioned, his long auburn hair tied in back of his head, his eyes a deep umber. He bears a wooden shield on his left arm. Speak his invocation: Virle and potent Frey, the Renewer, Lord of Crops, Lord of Cattle, God of the green earth and the golden grain; By thy golden boar I summon thee, By Surt's stolen blade I summon thee, By the nameless One I summon thee, Descend into this circle and serve me. Go to the West in a sunwise arc and face outward. Make the gesture of invitation. Visualize the approach of Balder through the night sky, his light brown hair flowing in the breeze, his green eyes gentle and mild, his features delicate and his body slender. He wears embroidered robes and carries a golden horn. Speak his invocation: Fair and beautiful Balder, the Beloved, Lord of Laughter, Lord of Cheer, God of clear light and loving heart, By thy prancing steed I summon thee, By Hod's cruel dart I summon thee, By the Nameless One I summon thee, Descend into this circle and serve me. Return to the North sunwise and face the altar. Make the gesture of 356 invitation in the air over it. Look upward and visualize Odin descending from the sky, his great travel cloak billowing, his grey beard and long grey hair flying wildly behind him, his single grey eye glittering like ice. In his hand he carries his spear. Speak his invocation: Wise and knowing Odin, the One-Eyed, Lord of Victory, Lord of Rule, God of magic and secret signs; By thy spear I summon thee, By Mirmir's awful pledge I summon thee, By the Nameless One I summon thee, Descend into this circle and serve me. Kneel befor the altar. Under the watchful eyes of the five great northern gods, write upon the paper with the pen and red ink these runes: In brief, they signify: man, horse, hardship, sacrifice, change, realization, sun, day, sun, glory, glory, glory. Man and horse are the motive and the medium of seeking. Need is the suffering encountered on the quest. Gift is the voluntary letting go of care and the surrender to the higher will. Cycle is th change of fortune that then occurs. Torch is the light of awareness that dispels shadows. Sun is the light swollen to a powerful active energy for transormation. Day indicatis the steadiness and completeness of the light.-the two Sigel runes bless or chastise. Glory is the blessing that follows the attainment of Light. It is threefold and thus perfectly balanced, divine, incorruptible. After you have written the runes, vibrate them on your breath and cause the altar flame to flutter. You must hold the awareness of the total meaning of the combined runes clearly in your mind or the ritual will lack potency. Take the knife in your left hand and pass its blade through the flame, then prick yourself on the ball of your right index finger until a drop of blood wessl forth. Your feelings must be calm and joyful. You must welcome the twinge of pain and transmit it psychically to the gathered gods. Draw your finger across the runes from left to right. Allow a second drop of blood to fall into the chalice. If necessary, bandage the finger, but the cut should be so small it will soon stop of its own accord. Lift the paper hight over the altar and speak an invocation to the rune powers something like this: Darkness into Light, Vice into Virtue, Lies into Truth, Pain into Joy, Weakness into Strength, By these runes transform me, Open my eyes and let me see. 357 Lower the paper to the candle flame and light t\it on the corner, then place it on the earthenware plate. As the paper burns, put your hands close to it and lean over the altar so that its smoke rises to your face/ Your hands should feel the heat of the flames. Inhale the rising smoke deeply without coughing. After the paper has burnt to a fine ash, use the knife to reduce it to powder. Scrape the flakes of ash into the chalice, being careful not to miss any. Pour water from the pitcher over the ashes and the drop of your blood and stir all three together with the blade of the knife. Drink the mixture in the chalice to the last drop and turn the cup downward over the plate. As you drink you should be able to feel the power of the runes coursing through your veins and causing your muscles to tremble. You may feel dizzy or lightheaded, and hear a loud rushing sound. Do not be fearful. Maintain an inner calm. This is the climax of the ritual to which all previous steps tended. Do not expect to be immediatellly illuminated by this Elixir of Light. Its effect will be gradual and subtle, and may not behin to show itself for days or even weeks. Its action varies from person to person. Magic, like water, seeks the easiest route to the sea. Be assured, change will come. It is not always an easy tranformation; you cannot realize how tightly you cling to your conceits until you feel yourself in danger of losing them. The ritual is closed by reversing the order of the steps that opened it. Stand and make a warding off gesture with the splayed hands toward the air over the altar, as though pushing something away. Visualize the god Odin receding upward into the starry sky. Speak the banishment: Wise Odin, depart in peace; By the Nameless One I license and compel thee. The banishment must be spoken in a firm and une quivocal voice with no trace of doubt in the mindor fear in the heart. Follow the departing god until he has completely vanished from your inner eye. Go widdershins (against the course of the sun) to the West and banish Balder in a similar manner, using the appellation "loving" to describe him: "Loving Balder, depart in peace," ect. Go widdershins to the East and banish "Virile Frey." Go to South and banish "Fiery Thor." Go to the North and banish "Noble Tiw." 358 Dance in a circle three times around the altar widdrshins to seal the doorway open in your psyche, rotating widdershins on your body axis three times for each revolution of the altar. Speak one line of this verse for each great circle: Weave a circle round me thrice, Turn from me Thy fearful face, Return me to my earthly place. You have now erased the vortex that allowed you to invoke the powers of the five gods. The next step is to neutralize the elemental powers you used in the ritual as conveyors of the virtues of the runes. Draw over the altar the Banishing Pentagram of Light, which is identical with the Invoking Pentagram but made in a counterclockwise direction. Note that even the Ken rune in the center of the pentagram is drawn in reverse order with upward strokes. Since the rune was made last, it should be retraced first. As you trace each line, visualize it fading and vanishing from the air. Speak a simple banishment such as: Spirits and powers of Light, depart in peace; By the Nameless One I license and compel thee. Do the same for the other pentagrams of the elements, moving always in a widdrshins direction. Go to the West and facing outward, banish the spirits of Water; then go East and banish the spirits of Earth; then South to banish the spirits of Fire; and finally return North and banish the spirits of Air. Facing the altar from the North, raise you hands and spread your fingers into two pentagrams. Extend your arms to the sides East and West at eye level. Speak a general banishing formula to all spirits that may be lingering outside the protective circle: All spirits or entities attracted by this ritual, Depart! For you have no lawful business here, By the light of the Nameless One, go! Yet go in peace and fare thee well. You must be certain that the space around the circle is empty of psychic influences before dissolving the barrier. If necessary, repeat the banishment more strongly using the gods as names of power. The circle is erased by reabsorbing it into the center of your being. Walk once widdrshins aroound the altar with your left index finger extended to touch the flaming circle. Visualize the white fire flowing into your left hand and vanishing from you perception. Stand in the North facing the altar. Raise your arms to heaven. Speak this short prayer: 359 Holy art Thou, Father of All, Holy art Thou, by Nature not formed, Holy art Thou, Vast and Mighty One, Lord of the Light and of the Darkness. Cross your body as in the beginning of the ritual without reversing the direction of the gestures: Who art the Crown (touch your brow) And the Kingdom, (groin) The Power, (left shoulder) And the Glory, (right shoulder) The Law everlasting; (heart) Blessed Be. (point to the flame) Speak the words of closing: This rutual for opening the path of Light is hereby well and truly ended. Clap your hands shaply together four times. Blow out the candle and carefully clean and put away the instruments. Any residues of materials should be treated reverently and sealed with the sign of the circle-cross before they are discarded. Put away the instruments in a reverse order to that in which they were taken out. Do not sleep directly after a ritual. Occupy the mind with some unrelated amusement. Avoid fretting or analyzing the effects of the ritual. If your mind is troubled, the ripples on its surface may prevent the ritual from taking proper effect. Very likely there will be aftershocks-troubling dreams, hypnagogic images, auditory and tactile hallucinations - but these should not persist longer than the first night after the ritual. If they linger, a simple banishing ritual will disperse them. Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. 360 Paganlore.com ~ CHANGE RUNES ~ The advantage in knowing the future is the power to control it. If all futures were rosy there would be no point in divination. Its value lies in revealing hurtful influences before they mature, or providing reassurance that a present circumstance will not evolve into something destructive. In either case it directs necessary action-what must, or need not, be done. To change the future it is necessary to shift from one branch on the world ash Yggdrasill to another using the nodes formed tributary, Wherever a choice is possible, there exists a node, or juncture. When a choice is made, one pathway opens while the others are blocked. Divination projects a line into the future based on cause and effect: what will happen due to outer circumstances and inner nature. It is not so easy to later the prediction of the runes. True divination takes into account all factors that influence the question. There is no place for chance. It even considers its own influence. Therefore, a man reacting against the future he has divined may, by his actions, help to bring it to pass. Unwittingly he becomes part of its fulfillment. To change the outcome of the runes he must step outside the matrix of the unconscious from which their verdict was drawn. As long as he stays within that closed circle, he can never alter the future, because he remains part of its cause and effect. In Eastern mystical terms, he is a prisone r of karma. Only an act of free will can break the chain of cause and effect revealed by the runes. The will is transcendent. It is born in the Unmanifest, and is not a part of the underlying fabric of the universe. Because it is outside the ring of karma, the runes are unable to take account of it in predicting the future. It is the true deus ex machina of life. The most necessary thing to bring about an act of free will is to realize its absence in everyday existence. Most people have no awareness of their bondage, and so can never be anything other than slaves. They are automatons pushed and pulled about in the depths of a great machine; sleepers dancing in slow harmony to a single strain of music they cannot consciously hear. 361 However, acts of free will do occur in ordinary lives. Almost everyone transcends cause and effect at least on a few rare occasions, usually at moments of extreme stress. A decision that is free can be recognized by the sense of inevitability and power it carries with it. You can actually feel freedom; it has a unique quality, There is a calmness, even love; or those times you are oppressed by inertia and indifference, yet involve yourself, you may become free. To change the future it is first necessary to understand the verdict of the runes n relation to the question, and to trace the chain of cause and effect with full awareness of its mechanical aspect. Then you must meditate sincerely and consider what outcome would not be a blind reaction to circumstance, Seek to imagine a future scenario that is healthful and positive. It must be absolutely free of hostility, envy, and all other negative feelings. It is not necessary to consider what steps are required to achieve this scenario, only to conceive it with crystal clarity fulfilled and existent. Magic finds its own course to the sea. If you begin to speculate on ways to achieve your ideal state, your desire will hinder its occurrence. You must be prepared to follow the pathway your magic opens before you. It is futile to try to plot the path ahead of time - at best an intellectual exercise, at worst an obstruction. You should, however, be aware that the free act necessary to change your future will occur at one of the nodes on your lifeline, a moment of decision where multiple branches diverge. It is not a good idea to try to create a node; that is, to force a decision. Again, this will generate desire which is part of cause and effect. Better to wait for a node to be reached, then when it feels right, to act according to intuition. Your act of true will is channeled by the magical preparation that will be described a little farther on. There are two types of blind reaction to guard against. The first is passive. If you allow yourself to be moved by influences other than your heart of Self, even those that seem benign or useful, you are no more than a billiard ball knocked about the table by other equally enslaved balls. Such passive acceptance is everywhere in common life. The herd instinct, peer pressure, fashion, fads, cults, patriotism, mob violence. prejudice, are all different aspects of passive reaction. The second type of reaction is active. Returning anger for anger, violence for violence, hate for hate, and even love for love on a elementary level, are examples of active reaction. For example, if a car cuts you off in traffic, and you in turn cut off some other car attempting to merge ahead of you, this is active reaction. It is not necessarily more free to react against intimidation then acquiesce to it. Both are equally animal response when the impulse does not originate with the true Will, which is the agent of the Higher Self. One may be more satisfying than the other, and here lies the danger-because it yields a momentary burst of satisfaction it is liable to be mistaken for a thing of value, which it is not. All reaction is valueless to the evolution of the soul. 362 And more to the point in the present inquiry, no reaction will alter the future revealed by the runes. Of course, it is here assumed that the divination has been properly executed and interpreted. If either was done wrongly it would require an act of free will to fulfill the prognostication! The runes themselves give guidance on how to change the outcome of the reading. In any divination that cannot be accepted there are unfavorable elements, embodied in individual runes. The forces that these negative elements represent must first be analyzed and understood. Then counterforces, in the form of runes with opposite potentials, can be applied to lessen or abolish their hurt ful influence. It may be easier to grasp the technique through a hypothetical example. A woman needs to know if a man is seriously interested in her. She has been dating this man for some time. At first he was responsive and loving, but lately he has begun to show signs of coldness. She casts the rune wands, and draws up three in this order, from left to right: The first rune, Sigel, stands for the active fire of the Sun and its potent energies. The position indicates that it applies to the past, and to influences on the question that underlie or define its circumstances. With regard to the relationship and the male love, it tells of a fiery and active beginning, aggression, confidence-perhaps too much confidence. The sun bolt can easily become destructive. The second rune, Lagu, stands for water, dreams, illusion, emotion, perhaps a wavering or uncertainty. The position indicates that it should be applied to the present, and to the heart of the subject under inquiry; in this case, the lover himself. The water directly applied to a male suggests contradiction, inner conflict, and weakness of an emotional nature. The third rune, Feoh, stands for possessions of a movable kind, ownership in general, and in a negative interpretation, dullness servitude and captivity, The position indicates that it applies to the future, the outcome of the question, and to influences that are developing and ripening. Any set of runes can be interpreted in many different ways. Only one of these interpretation will be accurate, It is always ne cessary to allow intuition to act in revealing the runes. If the mind is open and impartial, one thread of meaning will rise above the others. In this case, the woman remembers that at the start of the relationship he was cool and somewhat indifferent to the advances of the man because she did not then know if she cared for him. But as her love grew stronger, she became more demonstrative and active in pursuing his interest. She phoned him at his place of work, called unannounced at his apartment, and generally tried to make plain her affection, It was at this point that his passion cooled. The interpretation lies in the third rune. The man fears that he is being aggressively led into a position from which he cannot escape. He feels himself 363 manipulated, whether rightly or wrongly, and his unusually potent ego is threatened. This makes him uncertain how to respond, and he withdraws. Understanding the present situation, and its prospects in the future, the woman must now decide what steps will counter the negative forces involved. She can choose to change the behavior of her lover, change the environment in which the affair exists, or change her own behavior. The temptation is to put pressure on the man to impel him back into the relationship-either by arousing so strong a desire in him that it overcomes his qualms, or by altering material circumstances in his life so that he is thrown by social forces into her arms: creation of a mutual dependency or common financial interest, for example. Upon reflection the wo man realizes that these courses would only extend the behavior on her part that alienated her lover in the first place. Also, she has no wish to change his basic nature since she is attracted to him as he is. The alternative is to alter her own behavior in such a way that she is no longer producing an effect opposite to the one she desires. By being too demonstrative in trying to draw her lover to her, she has frightened him away. She must set the runes to act on herself internally so that she feels less anxiety over losing the man, and less urge to capture and possess him, since these are the emotions that have poisoned the affair. Notice that it is not necessary for her to compromise her feelings or her ideals, only to control those involuntary reactions that are interfering with her happiness. At the same time she will invoke a healthful and balanced emotional atmosphere that will convey the changes she has undertaken to the attention of her lover, It is not necessary that he be consciously aware of any change in her, so long as it infiltrates his unconscious awareness. Runes that are used to bring about personal transformation are called change runes. The woman chooses three of these to embody the forces she wants to bear on the relationship-three to balance the three runes of the divination. These are, from left to right: Ru... . The first of these, Eoh, reacts on the Sigel rune of the divination. The influence of Eoh is strength, reliance, continuity, endurance, fidelity, and related qualities. These do not counter the influence of Sigel, but add to it and enhance the forces that underlie the love relationship. Its fire is moderated and made steadier so it will burn longer. The second rune, Man, reacts on Lagu in the divination. The influence of Man is awareness, capability, assurance, and clarity of purpose, It acts to dispel through insight and reason the confusion and emotional instability of the Lagu rune, applying to the central nature of the lover himself and allowing him to see the true motive of the woman. The third rune, Ing, reacts on the Feoh rune of the divination. The influence of Ing is that of home and hearth; it carries associations of family, trust, selfless affection and honor. These lend to the passive qualities of Feoh a 364 positive aspect, an the message of love through coercion becomes one of love through respect. To activate these change runes requires the construction of a personal ritual based on the general ritual method given in Rune Ritual, and the rune magic techniques. The runes must be carved into, or bound to, some material or object that represents the focus of their desired effect-in the hypothetical case given, the behavior of the woman herself and the way her lover perceives it. The object may be a letter, a photograph, a piece of furniture, a gift, an article of clothing, but it is important that it have the most complete and precise association possible. In the example, a photograph of the woman and man taken together would serve to represent her behavior, his perception and the love relationship. Each change rune must be considered specifically with regard to that portion of the divination it applies to, in order to focus its power. If not focused and directed that energy will be lost. It is not necessary to numerically reflect the divination. More or less runes may be used, perhaps only a single rune, but there must be a willed application of the change runes to the question. To carry the example further, the woman chooses a photograph that shows both she and her lover together in happier times. She prepares herself mentally with prayer and ritual washing, goes to the place of ritual and invokes the patronage and favor of the god of love, Balder. Drawing the change runes on the back of the photograph with red ink, she wills them into the essence of the picture, visualizing her ideal manner, and the ideal reaction of her lover to her. She kisses each of the change runes reverently to empower them with love. This ritual she repeats every day, and she waits and remains watchful for the coming of the node of decision that will enable her to actualize her purpose. She trusts to her intuition and the action of the change runes, that she will recognize the moment and act rightly when it arrives. The repetition of the ritual builds a kind of magical charge that arcs across the node. It is best to retain the change runes between repetitions of the change ritual, rather than to attempt to send them on one of the elements. That way the potent associations of the object to which they are affixed will not be lost. The runes will continue to work on the object, and by magical sympathy, the problem, between their ritual charging. Whatever the form of the ritual that is devised, it must be repeated often and regularly, Beginners in magic sometimes think a ritua l will be effective the first time it is conducted. This occasionally occurs. More generally, results are built up over time through repetition. Many, many repetitions may be needed before the runes begin to blaze with their own fire and come truly alive. A well-known maxim in magic is:"Invoke Often." It is, however, not so necessary to believe in the efficacy of ritual as is generally thought. When it is worked with an open mind, accurate procedure, and repetition, results will follow, as surely as day follows night. To some extent magic is an automatic process. In the same way that muscles must be built up through proper exercise, magical effects must follow 365 properly executed rituals. It takes a perverse ingenuity to perform a ritual correctly and often, yet get no results at all. Whatever the structure of the personal change ritual you devise, in it you will be focusing upon the change runes and charging them with power through your will, then channeling that power into the object representing the question of the previous divination, the outcome of which you wish to alter. Picture in your mind the change runes working to shift the life-stem from one branch of Yggdrasill to another. Imagine as concretely as possible the effect you wish to bring about occurring through the action of the runes, and conveyed through the association of the object on which they are carved or written. Do not imagine the original runes of the divination, or picture the situation they predicted. Make no effort to avoid these thoughts, as this will surely bring them about. Rather, concentrate solely on the change runes and their effect. If the ritual is conducted often, as will usually be necessary, it may not e desirable to feed the runes with blood each time. Blood will strengthen the working of the runes, but if there is a reluctance to draw it day after day, any useful effect will be negated by that unconscious resistance, To be a sacrifice blood must be given freely. The problem may not arise in change rituals that involve other fluids of the body, which are more readily obtained. The appropriate gods should be invoked to oversee the operation of the change ritual. Remember the gods are living spirits with personalities that must be dealt with and appealed to, if the desired results are to follow. Never make the mistake of looking upon the gods as metaphors for psychological forces. This is fatal. The gods are real, and you had best regard them as real if you want them to act in your behalf. For works of love, invoke Freyja or Frey. For strictly physical desire, Frija; but for spiritual love, Balder. For works of obligation, duty, office, or honor, invoke Tiw. For works of war, discord, strife, or physical trial, invoke Thor. For any work regarding magic, artistry, craftsmanship, or skill, invoke Odin. For works of deceit, deception, confusion, division, or malice, invoke Lokibut watch it! For works of patience, endurance and constancy, invoke Heimdall. For necromancy, invoke Hel. These categories apply to all rune magic, not merely when using change runes to alter the future. Call the gods through their associations (colors, metals, personal objects, and so on) and by visualizing their forms. Placate them by showing an awareness of their function and nature, their role in the scheme of things. Activate them through prayer and ritual enactment. Prayer to a rune god should take the form of a statement of purpose and expression of thanks. Honor the gods with appropriate words. This is a kind of sacrifice-a sacrifice of the mind, called "reasonable sacrifice"-which will feed the gods and empower them to act in your behalf. Reasonable sacrifice to the Highest, who is Nameless and Formless, is silence. All lesser gods are honored through their attributes. 366 Never humble yourself before the rune god, or grovel, or beg. These actions serve no function. Never promise a gift to a rune god for services rendered. If the service is given, a payment will surely be exacted. It is not for you to determine in advance what it should be, or to try to reduce or limit it. Invoking the appropriate god during the change ritual will give greater force to the change runes. The god will serve as an agent in employing them. Of course the appropriate god will act in any case, even if it is not called by name, but calling him or her increases the ease of the god's intervention. As stated before, the key to changing the future lies no in the technique, but in knowing what should, and should not, be changed. Everyone has heard stories about people who learn their fate and try to avoid it, but through their frantic efforts only succeed in bringing about the doom they sought to shun. Such fiction has a moral in it for rune magicians. Change the future if you must, but think before you act. Thanks so much to the enlightened words of Donald Tyson. Reprinted partially or entirely from Rune Magic. 367 Fact & Fiction 368 Paganlore.com What About Satan? But what about Satanism? The Witches were called worshippers of the Devil. Was there any truth to this? No. Yet as with so many of the charges, there was reason for the belief. The early Church was extremely harsh on its people. It not only governed the peasants way of worship but also their ways of life and love. Even between married couples, sexual intercourse was frowned upon. It was felt that there should be no joy from the act, it being permitted solely for procreation. Intercourse was illegal on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays; for forty days before Christmas and a similar time before Easter; for three days prior to receiving communion, and from the time of conception to forty days after parturition. In other words, there was a grand total of approximately two months in the yearonly when it was possible to have sexual relations with your spouse...but without deriving pleasure from it of course! It is no wonder that this, together with other such harshness, led to a rebellion - albeit a clandestine one. The people - this time the Christians finding that their lot was not bettered by praying to the so called God of Love, decided to pray to his opposite instead. If God wouldn't help them, perhaps the Devil would. So Satanism came into being A parody of Christianity; a mockery of it. It was was a revolt against the harshness of the Church. As it turned out the "Devil" did not help the poor peasant either. But at least he was showing his disdain for the authorities; he was going against the establishment. It did not take Mother Church long to find out about this rebellion. Satanism was anti-Christian. Witchcraft was also - in their eyes - anti Christian. Ergo, Witchcraft and Satanism were one in the same! (TAKEN FROM BUCKLANDS BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT) 369 Paganlore.com The True Beginning of Christianity With the coming of Christianity there was NOT the immediate massconversion that is often suggested. Christianity was a man-made religion. It had not evolved gradually over thousands of years, as we have seen that the Old Religion did. Whole countries were classed as Christian when in actuality it was only the rulers who had adopted the new religion, and often only superficially at that. Throughout Europe generally the old religion, in its many and varied forms, was still prominent for the first thousand years of Christianity. An attempt at mass conversion was made by Pope Gregory the Great. He thought that one way to get the people to attend the new Christian churches was to have them built on the sites of the older temples, where the people were accustomed to gathering together to worship. He instructed his bishops to smash any "idols" and to sprinkle the temples with holy water and rededicate them. To a large extent Gregory was successful. Yet the people were not quite as gullible as he thought. When the first Christian churches were being constructed, the only artisans available to build them were from among the pagans themselves. In decorating the churches these stonemasons and woodcarvers very cleverly incorporated figures of their own deities. In this way, even if they were forced to attend the churches the people could still worship their own gods there. There are many of these figures still in existence today. The Goddess is usually depicted as very much a fertility deity, with legs spread wide and with greatly enlarged genitalia. Such figures are usually referred to as Shiela-na-gigs. The god is shown as a horned head surrounded by foliage; 370 known as a "foliate mask", and also sometimes referred to as "Jack of the Green" or "Robin o' the Woods". Incidentally these carvings of the old God should not be confused with gargoyles. The latter are the hideous faces and figures carved on the four corners of church towers to frighten away demons. In those early days, when Christianity was slowly growing in strength, the Old Religion - the Wiccans and other pagans - was one of its rivals. It is only natural to want to get rid of a rival and the Church, pulled no punches to do just that. It has frequently been said that the gods of an old religion become the devils of a new. This was certainly the case here. The God of the Old Religion was a horned god. So, apparently, was the Christians Devil. Obviously then, reasoned the Church the pagans were Devil worshipers! This type of reasoning is used by the Church even today. Missionaries were particularly prone to label all primitive tribes upon who they stumbled upon as devil-worshipers, just because the tribe worshiped a god or gods other than the Christian one. It would not matter that the people were good,happy, often morally and ethically better living than the vast majority of Christians... they had to be converted! The charge of Devil-worship, so often leveled at Witches, is ridiculous. The Devil is purely Christian invention; there being no mention of him, as such, before the New Testament. In fact it is interesting to note that the whole concept of evil associated with the Devil is due to an error in translation. The original Old Testament Hebrew Ha-Satan and the New Testament Greek diabolos simply mean "opponent" or :"adversary". It should be remembered that the idea of dividing the Supreme Power into two - good and evil - is the idea of an advanced and complex civilization. The Old Gods, through their gradual development, were very much "human" in that they would have their good side and their bad side. It was the idea of an all-good, all-loving deity which necessitated an antagonist. In simple language, you can only have the color white if there is an opposite color, black, to which you can compare it. This view of an all-good god was developed by Zoroaster (Zarathustra), in Persia in the seventh century BCE. The idea later spread westward and was picked up in Mithraism and, later, in Christianity. As Christianity gradually grew in strength, so the Old Religion was slowly pushed back. Back until, about the time of the Reformation, it only existed in the outlying country districts. Non- Christians at that time became known as Pagans and Heathens. "Pagan" comes from the Latin Pagani and simply means "people who live in the country". The word "Heathen" means 371 "one who dwells on the heath". So the terms were appropriate for nonChristians at that time, but they bore no connotations of evil and their use today in a derogatory sense is quite incorrect. As the centuries passed, the smear campaign against non-Christians continued.What the Wiccans did was reversed and used against them. They did Magick to promote fertility and increase the crops; the Church claimed that they made women and cattle barren and blighted the crops! No one apparently stopped to think that if the Witched really did what they were accused of, they would suffer equally themselves, After all, they too had to eat to live. An old ritual act for fertility was for the villagers to go to the fields in the light of the full moon and to dance around the field astride pitchforks, poles and broomsticks; riding them like hobby-horses. They would leap high in the air as they danced, to so the crops how high to grow. A harmless enough form of sympathetic Magick. But the Church claimed not only that they were working against the crops, but that they actually flew through the air on their poles...surely the work of the Devil! In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII produced his Bull against Witches. Two years later two infamous German monks, Heinrich Institoris Kramer and Jakob Sprenger, produced their incredible concoction of anti-Witchery, the Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer). In this book definite instructions were given for the prosecution of Witches. However,when the book was submitted to the Theological Faculty of the University of Cologne - the appointed censor at that time - the majority of the professors refused to have anything to do with it. Kramer and Sprenger, nothing daunted forgot the approbation of the whole faculty; a forgery that was not discovered until 1898. Gradually the hysteria kindled by Kramer and Sprenger began to spread. It spread like a fire flashing up suddenly in unexpected places; spreading quickly across the whole of Europe. For nearly three hundred years the fires of the persecution raged, Humankind had gone mad. The inhabitants of entire villages where one or two Witches were suspected of living, were put to death with the cry: "Destroy them all...the Lord will know his own!". In 1586 the Archbishop of Treves decided that the local Witches had caused the recent severe winter. By dint of frequent torture a "confession" was obtained and one hundred twenty men and women were burned to death on his charge that they had interfered with the elements. 372 Since fertility was of great importance - fertility of crops and beasts - there were certain sexual rites enacted by the Wicca, as followers of the nature religion. These sexual rites seen to have been given unnecessary prominence by the Christian judges, who seemed to delight in prying into the most minute of details concerning them. The rites of the Craft were joyous in essence. It was an extremely happy religion and so was, in many ways, totally incomprehensible to the gloomy Inquisitors and Reformers who sought to suppress it. A rough estimate of the total number or people burned, hung or tortured to death on the charge of Witchcraft, is nine million. Obviously not all of these were followers of the Old Religion. This had been a wonderful opportunity for some to get rid of anyone against whom they bore a grudge! An excellent example of the way in which the hysteria developed and spread is found in the case of the so-called Witches of Salem, Massachusetts. It is doubtful if any of the victims hung* there were really followers of the Old Religion. Just probably Bridget Bishop and Sara Good were, but the others were nearly all pillars of the local church up until the time the hysterical children "cried out" on them. * In New England the law was in in England: Witches were hung. It was in Scotland and Continental Europe that they were burned at the stake. (TAKEN FROM BUCKLANDS COMPLETE BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT) 373 Reference Desk 374 Paganlore.com A Guide to Craft Names (Humor) Lady Pixie Moondrip's Guide to Craft Names (NOTE: This page is not meant to be taken seriously! it's humor ya know? hehehe ) Intro In the Olde Days, when our pagan ancestors were going through the persecutions we now invoke to justify various kinds of current silliness, witches took craft names to conceal their identities and avoid those annoying visits by the Inquisition. In the course of years, it was noticed that these aliases could also be used as a foundation for building up a magical personality, carrying out various kinds of transformative work on the self, and the like. It's clear, though, that these were mere distractions from the real purpose lying hidden within the craft name tradition. It took contact with other sources of ancient, mystic lore - mostly the SCA, role-playing game s, and assorted fantasy trilogies - to awaken the Craft to the innermost secret of craft names: they make really cool fashion statements. It's in this spirit that Lady Pixie Moondrip offers the following guidelines to choosing your own craft name. Such a guide is long overdue; the point of fashion, after all, is that it allows you to express your own utterly unique individuality by doing exactly the same thing as everyone else. (Those who are particularly drawn to this element of the craft name tradition will find the Random Craft Name Generator near the end of this guide especially useful.) The approaches given here can be used separately, or combined in a single name to produce any number of interesting effects. Given enough cleverness (and lack of taste), the possibilities are endless! Starting Off Right Whatever else you do, you should certainly begin your craft name with "Lord" or "Lady." First of all, it's pretentious, and that's always a good way 375 to start. Secondly, it makes an interesting statement about a religion that supposedly has its roots in the traditions of peasants and rural tribespeople. Thirdly, since most Craft groups use exactly these same words for the God and the Goddess, this creates a (by no means inappropriate) confusion about just who it is that we worship. Divine Names Along the same lines, you can always take the name of a god, a goddess, a mythological being or a legendary hero as your craft name, thus putting yourself on the same level as the powers you invoke. Having once watched two fifteen-year-old boys get into a fistfight over which had the right to call himself "Lord Merlin," Lady Pixie has a high opinion of the possibilities of this approach. She notes, however, that there seems to be an unwritten law among those who have made use of this type of name already, and it's no doubt wisest to follow suit: the more grandiose the name that you choose, the more of a complete nebbish you should be. Nearly anyone can carry off, say, "Lady Niwalen," but it takes a special kind of person to handle a name like "Lord Jehovah God Almighty." Fortunately, there are those among us who are equal to the task. Nonhumans A related approach involves taking a name that implies (or, better yet, states openly) that you are an elf or some other kind of nonhuman, magical being. This works best if you are willing to act the part obsessively, and to get really petulant when anyone fails to respond accordingly. Subtlety should be avoided; nobody will catch something like "Lord Elrandir" unless they know Tolkie inside and out. Try something more like "Lord Celeborn Pointears the Real Live Elf." Fantasy Fiction The burgeoning field of fantasy fiction offers another source for fashionable craft names, and in many cases, for interesting complications as well. One popular approach is to choose the name of your favorite character; as with nonhumans, this works best if you play the part, and throw a tantrum unless everyone else plays along. Given luck and a sense of the popular, you may be able to choose everyone else's favorite character, too, and end up tusslin over a name with a dozen other people. (Mercedes Lackey is a good author to try if this is your goal.) Both this and the last category have the added advantage of making it clear that, as far as you are concerned, the Craft is simply a setting for make-believe games; this can help spare you the annoyance of actually having to learn something about it. Inventing A Name From Scratch The best way to do this is to come up with something that sounds, say 376 vaguely Celtic, perhaps by mangling a couple of existing names together, and then resolutely avoid looking it up in a Welsh or Gaelic dictionary. Luck is an important factor here, but there is always the chance that you'll manage something striking. It took one person of Lady Pixie's acquaintance only a few minutes to blur together Gwydion son of Don and Girion, Lord of Dale, into the craft name "Lord Gwyrionin," and several months to find out that the name he had invented, and used throughout the local pagan scene, was also the Welsh word for "idiot." Following a Grand Tradition Though the ink is barely dry on most of our modern pagan "traditions," there's at least one ancient European tradition that many people in the Craft follow: the tradition of stealing things from non-Western peoples. Fake Indian craft names are always chic, especially if the closest thing to contact with Native American spirituality you've ever had is watching Dances With Wolves at a beer party. Better still, mix whatever Craft teachings you've absorbed with a few ideas you picked up from a Michael Harner book, break out the buckskins and the medicine pouches, and proclaim yourself a shaman. Mind you, there are people out the re who have received real Native American medicine teachings, and they may just turn you into hamburger if you piss them off; still, that's the risk you run if you want to be really trendy. The Random Craft Name Generator On the other hand, if you are individualistic like everybody else, you may be looking for a name that expresses the uniqueness of your personality but still sounds like all the other craft names you've ever heard. Fortunately, this isn't too hard. Several years back, a gentleman of Lady Pixie's acquaintance told her that the best way to get laid at a pagan gathering was to have the PA system announce, "Will Morgan and Raven please come to the information booth?" Since the resulting crowd would include at least a third of the female attendees, he went on, it wouldn't be too hard to meet someone interesting. While Lady Pixie has not tried this out herself, she has tested the principle behind it in a series of controlled double-blinded experiments, and discovered a rule that she has modestly named Moondrip's Law: 80% of all craft names are made up of the same thirty words combined in various not particularly imaginative ways. The discovery of this principle has allowed her to make the once difficult task of creating craft names easy, by means of the Random Craft Name Generator, release 1.0. To use the RCNG, take either two or three of the following words (using any convenient randomizing method, including personal preference). If you take two, simply run them together; if you take three, one of the words becomes the first part of the name, and the other two are combined to form the second. Wolf Raven Silver Moon Star Water Snow Sea Tree Wind Cloud Witch Thorn Leaf White Black Green Fire Rowan Swan Night Red Mist Hawk Feather Eagle Song 377 Sky Storm Sun Try it out: "Rowan Moonstar." "Raven Blackthorn." "Silver Ravenw.." - uh, never mind. For the expanded version (RCNG 1.01), come up with a name by any of the methods covered elsewhere in this guide, or take some ordinary American name, and add a two -word name produced on the RCNG to the end: "Gwydion Silvertree." "Sybil Moonwitch." "Squatting Buffalo Firewater." The possibilities are endless! (Note that this list will change with shifts in fashion; Lady Pixie expects to bring out an upgrade to RCNG 2.0 in a year or two.) Outro It may be objected by the narrow-minded (who are probably all covert Christians, anyway) that members of the Craft have better things to do with their time than the above guidelines would suggest. This shows a complete lack of insight. First of all, in an increasingly blase and tolerant culture, it's becoming hard for white middle-class Americans to get that rush of selfrighteous gratification that comes from pretending to be members of a persecuted minority; we may not be able to get burned at the stake by calling ourselves silly names, but at least we can get laughed at, and that's some thing. Secondly, if we keep on treating craft names (and the Craft as a whole) as fashion statements, that spares us the unpleasant drudgery of actually learning magic and making it part of our lives. Finally, if we're pretentious enough, those people who actually know enough to magic their way out of a wet paper bag will roll their eyes and go somewhere else, and we can keep on fighting our witch wars, casting vast astral whammies and invoking powers we don't have a clue how to control, all in the serene certainty that no one is actually going to get hurt. On the other hand, we could take the Craft seriously...but who wants to do that? ---Lady Pixie Moondrip Wæs Þu Hæl (Waes Thu Hael) Copyright 1997 Lady Pixie Moondrip. All rights reserved. 378 Paganlore.com "How do I Tell People I'm Pagan? " (c) 1999 Spirit Online, http://www.spiritonline.com. May not be reproduced without permission first. One of the most difficult struggles for a pagan is telling your family and friends about your beliefs. The majority of wiccans and pagans today practice their faith in secrecy. But it's a great burden to keep such an important secret from those close to you. Once you feel you are ready, how do you tell them? How will they react? Well, knowing how people are likely to react before hand is the most important factor in how you should handle "coming out" about your beliefs. There are three basic levels of reactions. By understanding these, you should be able to estimate what reaction you will get from whom. This chart will help you prepare to deal with these various levels of reactions: Level 1: Acceptance. This person will not discriminate against you or change their opinion of you when you tell them about your faith. The level 1 person will probably show an interest in understanding your beliefs. They will not try to change or judge you. 379 Level 2: Conflict. This person is more difficult. Their initial response will probably be denial. ("This is just a stage, you'll get past it.") If you do not show signs of "getting past it", they will attempt to persuade you to change your mind. They'll do things like invite you to church, bring up religion often, give you pamphlets relating to the religion they think you should belong to, or try to "witness" to you. Parents will probably "forbid" you to practice paganism if you are a minor. The best way to handle a level 2 response is to tell them about your beliefs. Try to clear away the misconceptions and create an understanding. Let them ask you questions. If it's a family member, make a compromise- for example, if they will listen to your side and try to accept and show tolerance, you will join them for their holidays and religious celebrations as a family. But let them know that if they care about you, they won't try to change you. Level 3: Persecution. The most difficult struggle is with a level 3 person. Generally, they are very conservative and religiously zealous. Worst of all, they are probably hugely misinformed about paganism. Their initial reaction, like level 2, will be denial. They might just make jokes at your expense to try to degrade and weaken you or change your mind. They will proceed to argue and debate with you about your decision. Eventually, if they are not satisfied, some level of discrimination will come in. Friends will avoid you, or family members will give you the "silent treatment" to try to convince you to conform. Some might even do something extremely drastic. Parents have been known to take their children to be exorcised of evil, or tell them they are mentally ill and get them therapy. This is the extreme, but it has happened before. A group of level 3 people can be dangerous. They might try to get you out of the community (neighborhood or city) by scaring you. This is rare, but may occur in conservative Christian communities. 380 How do you handle a level 3 reaction? The best idea is to avoid it altogether if you can predict it and fear for your safety. If you are uncomfortable in your community, move. If you are a minor and live with your parents, and they are likely to react this way, you should wait until adulthood to "come out". Until you are an adult, your parents dominate you. It is better to avoid persecution and tension within the home if you can. This article is not intended to scare you, but to prepare you. You should consider and analyse those you wish to tell. Based on what they have said in the past, what they think about certain social groups, and what they say about people who are "different" than them, you can make an estimation of what level they might be. From there, build a plan. Decide what you will say, and be ready to answer any questions they would want to ask. If you wish to publically "come out", realize that you will be dealing with people from all three levels. Make sure you are really ready and feel you can trust the community fairly well. Most of all, be prepared for any level of response! I hope this has helped you to at least begin mapping out how you wish to tell others about your spirituality. Remember that those who truly care about you will understand. Give people awhile to adjust to the news, but don't let them bring you down. Be proud of who you are, and let your gods give you strength. Good luck to you. Blessed be! 381 Paganlore.com Links to Our Wiccan Friends Add a link to your site here! (DISCLAIMER) We are not responsible for any content found within any of these sites, nor do we take any responsibility for any broken or bad links given to us by any of the web page authours. Alex's page of Wicca, Paganism, Occult and Metaphysical Stuff Julesie's Homepage O' Love WinterWolf's Lair Morrighan's Quiet Place Realm of Thought ECHOES Onyx Dimensions The Tranquil Moon 382 Raven Wood Ametisti's Prism The Coven of the Moon's Wicca Site Silver Skies Rabbit's Medicine & Wicca Page Crystal's Coven Chantrea's Wiccan Storybook Wolf T. 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ATHENA The Wiccan The Wiccan Meeting Place 384 385 Paganlore.com Wiccan/Pagan Supplies & Products LEGEND STERLING SILVER ROSE AND CHALICE Pagan / Wiccan Supplies PENTAGRAM "Magick & Mystery Shop" RITUAL SUPPLIES CRESCENT MOONGODDESS 386 DRAGONWOOD Pagan / Metaphysical Supplies DRAGON'S LAIR Pagan/Wiccan Supplies THE MAGIK MIRROR Pagan/Wiccan Supplies STRANGE BREW Pagan/Wiccan Supplies 387 Paganlore.com Pagan/Wiccan Awareness Links 388 Paganlore.com Bayowolf & Erzsebet's Personal Book Shelf DRAWING DOWN THE MOON Author: Margot Adler Penguin Books (1986) The only detailed history of a little known and widely misunderstood movement, Drawing Down the Moon provides a fascinating look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of the Neo-Pagan subculture. This edition of Drawing Down the Moon includes a completely updated and expanded resource guide that details several hundred related journals, festivals, newsletters, and groups. A MUST HAVE! BUCKLANDS BOOK OF WITCHCRAFT Author: Raymond Buckland Llewellyn Publications (seventeenth publication 1993) "A master-work by one of the great Elders of the Craft. Raymond Buckland has presented a rich treasure-trove of Wiccan lore It is a legacy that will provide magic, beauty and wisdom to future generations of those who seek the ancient paths of the Old Religion" Ed Fitch, Magical Rites from the Crystal Well (THIS IS THE WICCAN/CRAFT BIBLE!) CELTIC MAGIC 389 Author: D.J. Conway Llewllyn's World Magic Series (Fifth Printing, 1993) Celtic Magic is an ancient practice firmly rooted in the Celtic pantheon, Nature and the Elements. Included in this book are the va rious methods of spellwork, ritual, meditation and divination that can help you influence or even change certain aspects of your life. SCOTTISH WITCHCRAFT Author: Raymond Buckland Llewellyn Publications (Fourth Printing 1994) FINALLY, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SCOTTISH TRADITION OF THE CRAFT From the ancient misty Highlands of Scotland to modern-day America come the secrets or solitary Witchcraft practice. Scottish Witchcraft explores "PectiWita", or the craft of the Picts, the mysterious early Keltic people. CHARMS SPELLS & FORMULAS Author: Ray T. Malbrough Llewellyn Practical Magick Series (Tenth Printing 1992) Ray Malbrough reveals to you the secrets of Hoodoo magick, a folk magic that can be learned and mastered by anyone. By using the simple materials available in nature, you can bring about positive benefits to your life. THE WAY OF THE WIZARD Author: Deepak Chopra Harmony Books (1995) Following in the footsteps of Deepak Chopra's million-copy best-seller The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success comes a startlingly perceptive, life-altering book in the form of a quest for people who feel there is something elusive and important missing from their lives. 390 THE PICTORIAL KEY TO THE TAROT Author: Arthur Edward Waite U.S. Games Systems. Inc. (1993) The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is ideal for use with the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck and the Universal Waite Tarot Deck, both are currently available at leading bookstores. STAR SIGNS FOR LOVERS Author: Liz Greene Stein and Day Publishers (1980) It not only shows how to interpret your own and your partner's astrological "signature", the subtle patterns that form a personality, but also why your choice of lovers could be dangerous to yourself if you ignore what is now known-and wonderfully rewarding if you put the same information to good and fruitful use. ASTRAL PROJECTION Author: Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips Llewellyn Publications (Sixth Printing 1984) Yes, your consciousness can be sent forth, out-of-the-body, with full awareness and return with full memory. You can travel through time and space, converse with nonphysical entities, obtain knowledge by non- material means, and experience higher dimensions. THE ONLY ASTROLOGY BOOK YOU'LL EVER NEED Author: Joanna Martine Woolfolk Scarborough House (1990) 391 Understand yourself, your lover, your family, and friends. Discover what kind of people you attract, and why. Read about astrology and health, the sun signs in love, the influence of the planets in your destiny. Learn how to anticipate trends and opportunitys. 392 Paganlore.com Boycott Merriam Webster Products! Our Grievances in further detail The MW definition of "Christian" Christian n [L Christianus, adj. & n., fr. Gk christianos, fr. Christos] (1526) 1 a: one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ b (1): DISCIPLE 2 (2) : A member of one of the Churches of Christ separating from the Disciples of Christ in 1906 (3): a member of the Christian denomination having part in the union of the United Church of Christ concluded in 1961 2: the hero in Bunyan's ilgrim's Progress **1** 393 The MW definition of "Atheist" athe*ist: \ n (1571) : one who denies the existence of God**1** The MW definition of "Heathen" Please note that Pagans are defined as being heathen per the definition below heathen: n, pl heathens or heathen (bef. 12c) 1: an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible 2: an uncivilized or irreligious person - heathendom n - heathenism n - heathenize - vt. **1** The MW definition of "Pagan" pa*gan n [ME, fr. LL paganus, fr. L, country dweller, fr. pagus country district; akin to l pangere to fix - more at PACT] (14c) 1: HEATHEN 1; esp : a follower of a polythesiastic relitiong (as in ancient Rome) 2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person - pagan adj. - paganish adj **1** The MW definition of "Witch" witch n [ME wicche, fr. OE wicca, masc., wizard & wicce, fem, witch; akin to MHG wicken to bewitch, OE wigle divination, and perh. to OHG wih holy - more at VICTIM] (bef. 12c) 1: one that is credited with usu. malignant supernatural powers; esp : a woman practicing usu. black witchcraft often with the aid of a devil or familiar : SORCERESS - compare WARLOCK 2: an ugly old woman : HAG 3: a charming or alluring girl or woman - wicht-like adj wichy - adj. **1** Webster Definition for "witchcraft" witch-craft n. 1. Black magic; sorcery. 2. A magical or irresistible influence, attraction, or charm **2** 394 Paganlore.com Witches Rede 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. Therefore, 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 kenned that thoughts and intent put forth on this MiddleEarth 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. 395 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 upo n 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 humour 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 another 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 wellbeing of all. 19. Have pride in thyself, and seek perfection in body and in mind. For the Lady hath said, "How canst thou honour another unless thou give honour 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. from the Celtic Connection 396 Paganlore.com Rites of Passage A "Rite of Passage" is a transition from one state of life to another. Birth, marriage and death are examples. Van Gennep, a Flemish anthro pologist, was the first to so label such rituals, in 1909. The main Rite of Passage that you will be concerned with is that of Initiation. It is important that you be aware, and have some understanding, of the different parts of the initiation ritual and its symbolism. In its most general sense, initiation denotes a body of rites and oral teachings arranged to bring about a very definite change in both the religious and the social status of the person undergoing the ritual. There is a catharsis: a spiritual cleansing. The person becomes, in effect, another person. The central theme of an initiation (any initiation, whether it be Witchcraft, primitive tribal or even Christian, in form) is what is termed a Palingenesis: a rebirth. You are ending life as you have known it to this point and are being "born again" ... and reborn with new knowledge. All initiation rituals follow the same basic pattern. And this is worldwide: Australian aboriginals, Africans, Amerindians, Eskimos, Pacific Islanders, Witches, ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, to name but a few. All include the same basic elements in their rites. First comes a SEPARATION. With many peoples this is a literal separation from friends and especially from family; from all they have known so far. Oftimes there is a special hut, cave or building of some sort, where the novices are taken. There they begin their training. A CLEANSING, externally and internally, is the next important part. With some primitives this might include complete removal of all body hair. It would certainly include a period, or periods, of fasting and of sexual abstinence. In certain areas there are also various dietary taboos prior to fasting. 397 A SYMBOLIC DEATH is one of the major parts of initiation, though some primitives do not realize that it will be only symbolic and fully expect to actually be put to death. With some tribes it does include actual dismemberment; perhaps circumcision, tattooing, the amputation of a finger or the knocking out of a tooth. Ritual scourging is another, more common, symbolic form of death. Or the death could take the form of a "monster"-perhaps the tribe's totem animal--swallowing~ the initiate. After "death" the initiand then finds himself in the womb, awaiting his new birth. In some societies he finds himself in a hut which represents the world. He is at its center; he inhabits a sacred microcosm. The initiate is in the chthonian Great Mother--Mother Earth. There are innumerable myths of great heroes, gods and goddesses, descending into Mother Earth (remember the myth of the Seax-Wica Goddess, given in Lesson Two) and triumphantly returning. Within that earth-womb they invariably find great knowledge, for it is often the home of the dead who, traditionally, can see into the future and therefore know all things. Therefore the initiates, by virtue of being in the womb, will learn NEW KNOWLEDGE. This is underscored in the Congo, for example, where those who have not been initiated are called vanga ("the unenlightened") and those who have been initiated are the nganga ("the knowing ones"). After receiving this new knowledge, the initiate is REBORN. If he has been swallowed by a monster, he may either be born from it or disgorged from its mouth (the mouth is often a substitute for the vagina). In some African tribes he will crawl out from between the legs of the women of the village, who stand in a long line. He is now given a new name and starts his new life. Interestingly enough there are several paraliels of this renaming to be found in the Roman Catholic Church: a new name is taken at confirmation; on becoming a nun a woman takes a new name; a new name is given to a newly elected Pope. 398 On excavating at Pompeii, there was found a villa, named the "Villa of Mysteries". This was where everyone in ancient Italy originally went to be initiated into the Orphic Mysteries. In the Initiation Room itself there are frescoes painted around the walls showing a woman going through the various stages of initiation. In this instance the symbolic death was a scourging. Part of the revelation of knowledge came from the initiand scrying* with a Polished bowl. The final scene shows her, naked, dancing in celebration of her new birth. The scenes are typical of the Palingenesis of initiation. The full initiation into Witchcraft contains all the above elements. There is not quite the literal separation, at the start, but you will, of course, have separated yourself from others in the sense of absorbing yourself in your studies of the Craft. You will also spend much time alone, meditating on what you are about to undertake. You will cleanse yourself, by bathing and fasting-only bread, honey and water are allowed for twenty-four hours prior to the actual initiation--and by sexual abstinence. At the ritual itself, rather than any rigorous symbolic death or dismemberment, you will experience a blindfolding and binding, which symbolize the darkness and restriction of the womb. As you are "born",= these restrictions will fall from you. You will gain new knowledge as certain things are revealed to you, and then receive a new name. You will be welcomed to your new life by your brothers and sisters of the Craft. The full initiatio n is a very moving experience--many claim it to be the most moving of their entire lives. The usual process is that you find a coven and, after a trial period, are accepted into it and initiated. But supposing you are starting from scratch; a group of friends who are going to form their own coven and, basically, start their own tradition? How does the first person get initiated, so that s/he can initiate the others? Similarly, if you are a Solitary, not wanting to join a 399 group, how do you go about it? The answer is, through Self-Initiation. Some years ago the majority of Witches (myself included!) frowned on the very idea of a self-initiation. We didn't stop to think of (a) what might have been done in the "old times': for those living miles from any coven, or (b) how did the First Witch get initiated? Today some of us at any rate are more enlightened. The Self-Dedication is exactly that--it is a dedicating of oneself to the service of the gods. It does not contain all the elements we have mentioned above, but is none the less a moving experience. A full coven initiation may always be taken at a later date, if you so desire of course, but note that it would not be mandatory--just a matter of personal preference. A question often asked is, "How valid is self initiation?" To some traditions it is not valid at all (though one might question the whole "validity" of those traditions themselves!). Certainly you couldn't selfinitiate yourself as a Cardnerian, for example. But the point here is, how valid is it to YOU? If you are sincere; if you wish to become a Witch and to worship the old gods; if you have no ulterior motives . . . IT IS VALID, and don't listen to anyone who says it is not. Obviously if you want to be part of a particular tradition and that tradition has its set initiation rite (as with Gardnerian, as I just mentioned), then you must go through that particular rite to join that tradition. But no one tradition has the right to say what is correct or incorrect for another. It seems to me that far too many people get hung-up on a "line of descent"--who initiated whom, and through whom?-rather than getting on with the business of worship. One of the oldest of the modern traditions is the Gardnerian and that (in its present form) is only about thirty-five years old, as of this writing. Not very old when we look at the whole picture of Witchcraft. So if a Gardnerian initiation (for example) can be considered "valid", then so can yours. Taken from Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft 400 Paganlore.com The Pentagram & It's Meanings As you can see I love the pentagram symbol, It's all over our page, in the form of a pentacle. It is a symbol of the magic of all creation. It has been described as an endless knot showing the inter-relatedness of all that is, sometimes it is enclosed in a circle representing infinity and eternity with out beginning and without end. The 5 pointed star enclosed in a circle is referred to as a pentacle, the star it's self as a pentagram.... In the upright position the pentagram represents the forces of spirit presiding over the power of the four elements. In the reversed position it represents spirit hidden in matter or the four elements unbalanced, but still forming the spirit energy. 401 Paganlore.com A Little About Us BAYOWOLF: Well lets see, where do I start. My real name is Todd Dietz, Bayowolf being my "Wiccan" name (for all of you saying "that is not how you spell it") that is the spelling for my purposes. It has nothing to do with the novel. I own a Landscape Management Business in Lakeland, Florida and I enjoy singing (professionally and non-professionally), cooking, and being the best husband that I can be to my wonderful wife "Erzsebet" (also her Wiccan name). The Wiccan path or religion that I follow is a combination of "Gardnerian Wica" and "Seax" or "Saxon Wica". (Wica being the original "Old Religion" spelling). I haven't been able to find any good info on "Saxon Wica" on the internet so I will try and give you a brief description. This tradition founded in 1973 by Raymond Buckland, incorporates Saxon lore. Covens have co-ed open rituals and are either performed robed or skyclad. Buckland developed this tradition without breaking his Gardnerian oath. You see, Buckland was a protege of the late Dr. Gerald Gardner. This particular path Buckland refers to as "Seax Wica" wa s actually a new denomination of the craft, and is not vastly different than the original "Gardnerian Wica". For further info on this I would read Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft. 402 Member of "The Temple f Isis" ERZSEBET: My birth name is Dawn Benson, though now it is Dietz by marriage. I have been initiated "Erzsebet" as my "Wiccan" name. My heritage has always been of Scott decent (Hamilton), my mother and her family being originally from the low lands of Scotland. This is where Faery Wicca (which is the path that I follow) and the Celtic way of life was celebrated. I have worked at many jobs, all of them being in the service industry. Nothing has caught my fancy as yet. Having a great interest in people, I would someday like to help the misguided to a new life. (Sounds corny I know) I like to read and to do things that are creative and I have a great interest in the unknown. I do hope that would explain why my pe rsonal home page is pertaining to vampires and such. I do have some experience with reading Tarot Cards and I am also learning Rune Magick. The one thing that is important is to treat each and everyone with the respect that a mother would and life will be healthy and happy. Blessed Be. 403 Ages of SisterHood Member of The Sisterhood 404 Amergin's Invocation to Ireland This is a historical example of calling to the Homeland. It is said that when Amergin recited this poem twice, the atributes of Ireland were recreated. I invoke the land of Ireland: much coursed be the fertile sea, fertile be the fruit strewn mountain, fruit strewn be the showery wood, showery be the river of waterfalls, of waterfalls be the lake of deep pools, deep pooled be the hill-top well, a well of tribes be the assembly, an assembly of kings be Temair. Temair be the hill of the tribes, the tribes the sons of Mil, of Mil of the ships, the barks! Let the lofty bark be Ireland, Lofty Ireland, darkly sung, an incantation of great cunning: the great cunning of the wives of Bres, the wives of Bres of Buiagne: the great lady, Ireland, Eremon hath conquered her, I, Eber have invoked her I invoke the land of Ireland. © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 405 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "Deep Relaxation" A technique to completely relax the body and mind to a near-sleep state goes as follows. This one is popular among practitioners of martial arts. Lay down with your arms by your side. Begin breathing as though you are pretending to be asleep. Breathe in deeply, hold it for 5 seconds, and breathe out, hold for 5 seconds, breathe in again and repeat the pattern. Focus on your feet. Feel them relax, feel the tension leaving you. Then focus on your legs, your stomach, your arms, your hands, and face.... feel them releasing, and relaxing. Once your entire body is relaxed, it will begin to feel heavy. Imagine yourself drifting towards sleep, floating downward like a pearl in a stream. Drift deeper and deeper. Begin counting to ten, slowly. Once you reach ten, you will be in a state of total relaxation and meditation. When you are done with the relaxation exercise, count backwards from 10 to 1. When you reach one, you will be revitalized and full of energy. Sit up whenever you feel ready, take however much time you need to get back in movement. . 406 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "Mantra Meditation" Choose the mantra you want to use, such as "Om.... om...." or any repetitive and rythmic word/phrase. Say it out loud so you can hear it, repeating it over and over. Just listen to the words. Let the sound enter you ears and do the work. As you do this, you will begin to slip into alpha state. The way I chose to use audio-meditation was by "trance-dancing". Quite simply, I played some quiet and wordless background music and chanted a short Latin phrase while dancing. This is more difficult if you don't have much space, or are worried about running into things, although I've never encountered that probably in spite of a lack of room. You can completely lose yourself in a trance-dance like this one, simply by the rhythm and repetition of the words through your mind. Your body keeps moving, but you still fall into a meditative state. This is a more advanced meditation, so try some basic fo rms of meditation first! . 407 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "Passive Meditation" Find a place where you aren't going to be disturbed and sit or lie comfortably. You can put on some soothing music low in the background, and dim the lights. Choose an image to focus on within your mind- the key is to choose a mental picture and not a physical one. What might your choose as your image? Maybe a star, or a cloud, or even a flame. You might choose your favorite plant or flower- or the image of a famous person. Whatever you decide on, it should be something pleasant to look at, and an image that you can hold for a long period of time. As you picture that stationary image you'll slowly slip into an alpha state. This is meditation, and what you do from here depends on your own decision-making. . 408 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "Active Meditation" This is the advanced form of meditation, because it combines remaining mentally active with meditating. As always, get yourself relaxed and comfortable using whatever method is best for you, such as relaxing your muscles one by one. You might even light candles or incense, or use aromatic oils. Now, instead of picturing a static image, choose a scenario. This should be like acting in a movie, or watching and directing one, depending on your viewpoint. You can practice with scenarios for entertainment, like flying on a magic carpet, surfing the waves, or walking through a calm forest. When you concentrate on the scene for long enough, you will slip into a dream-like alpha state. You will be aware and awake, without taking notice of outside distractions. . 409 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "Light Meditation" Direct your focus of awareness to a place six inches (about 20cm) directly above the center of the top of your head. Here is located a place in consciousness which is always calm and radiant, no matter what is going on elsewhere in your mind or body, or around you. It is called the "upper room". Think of a point of pure, crystal-white light here. Don't "try" to visualize it. If you see it, fine, but if you don't, it doesn't matter. As you think of the point of white light, it grows brighter, expanding into a little star, three inches (about 10cm) in diameter. Think and let the star burn away the veils that have kept it hidden all these years. Direct the star to open, releasing a downpour of cleansing and purifying life energy. This energy is crystal clear, like fresh spring water. Let the energy flow through your hair, scalp, into the bones of your head and face, into your brain, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, down the neck, through your shoulders, arms, and hands. Experience it flowing through your chest and back, abdomen, hips, pelvic area, upper legs, knees, lower legs, ankles and feet. Think and let the soles of your feet open, releasing the energy into the earth beneath your feet. Now it is flowing through your whole body. Think of the bottoms of your feet closing, so the energy begins to backfill up through the areas you have cleared out. Experience it in your legs, hips, torso, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, and head. Let it overflow out the top of your head, surrounding your body with an aura of crystal clear white light. 410 Bring your hands together, almost but not quite touching, palms facing each other out in front of your body. Experience the energy flowing through your hands. You could use this energy to heal others, by laying your lighted hands on the person's head, heart, or wherever they have discomfort. Whatever you touch with your hands lighted this way will be filled with inner light-fire-energy. If you experience discomfort anywhere in your body as you are working with the inner light, think of the "consuming fire" aspect of the energy. Hold the focus of it in the area of discomfort to burn through the obstructions to the flow of your pure life energy. Afterwards, take a few minutes to assimilate the radiant essence of the light into any area that you have cleared out with the consuming fire aspect. . 411 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "The Giveaway Journey" This is a meditation compromised of a "journey" through visualization. You will need: 3 crystals that appear to be similar in power (to your senses). Find a comfortable place to sit, this is no short journey. Sit upright, back straight, and hold the single-terminated crystal to the chakra at your navel. Breathe deeply and evenly, and visualize a goldenyellow light. Sense the strength, the unwavering power of this light. Now concentrate on your own power as this golden light. Focus on that power. When you are ready, breathe deeply, and exhale that golden light into your crystal from your sacral chakra. You can do this several times if you need to, until you have it there. Set the crystal with the golden-yellow glow down in front of you, and rest a moment. Pick up the other two crystals. Holding one in each hand, with your arms out at the sides, feel the two crystals balancing each other. They are your polar crystals - one female, one male. Take a moment to feel the differences between them. Let them manifest without conscious attention from your mind. Now concentrate on the crystal in your right hand. Feel energy tingling up through your hand and arm. Feel it flo wing into your body and up the 412 shoulder to the throat chakra. Allow yourself to feel - not think - Feel the masculine energy of this crystal, let it imprint itself on your senses. Realize that the right hand is the "active" hand - the hand of giving. It is from the active/masculine/right hand that your energy flows to another when you will it to do so. Now visualize the most beautiful blue sky you have ever seen or can imagine. Surround yourself with the color, bring the crystal in your right hand to the throat chakra, and begin to breathe deeply. After a few moments, when you are ready, breathe in the blue color, and exhale it into the crystal in your right hand. Do this until you are finished. Set the sky-blue glowing crystal on the floor at your right hand, and rest a moment. You still have a crystal in your left hand. This is your feminine/ receptive hand, and the hand from which you recieve or bring in energy. Feel the power of this crystal. It is different from that of the masculine crystal, but it is not necessary to "think" about the differences. Feel the sensations, until they are firmly imprinted. Begin to visualize a lush, beautiful green color. The color of spring green, alfalfa fields, vibrant, glowing lawn. Surround yourself with this color, and feel your crystal begin to vibrate happily at the color. Place this crystal over your heart chakra, breathe deeply, and exhale the lush green color into the crystal. Continue until finished. Place the glowing green crystal on the floor on your left. Rest a moment, and feel the balance point where you sit between the masculine and feminine, blue and green, active and passive crystals. Get a clear feeling of this "centeredness". Now, using both hands, pick up the glowing golden crystal in front of you. Hold it to the brow chakra (third eye). Feel the coolness, the slight tingle as you touch it to your forehead. Holding the crystal with both hands brings both halves of your being (male/active/blue and female/receptive/green) into balance. You have created a figure of power - yourself as the energy source, and balanced and blended with the crystals. Now make that energy move. For a few moments, feel the energy flowing freely from your feet to your crown chakra and back. As the energy flows Up the right side of your body, it is blue - as it leaves the crown chakra, it 413 becomes green and flows back Down the left side of the body. Circulate the energy like this for a few moments. Try to let the feelings and visual images imprint themselves on your mind and senses. At a later time, when you are stressed and out of balance, you can bring back the image, and know that your energy will go back into balance, and will be completely under your control. There are many uses for this kind of exercise. Among the best reasons are things you wish to get rid of - meaning something negative. When you have a negative energy source (anger, frustration, sources of irritation), you will use the golden-yellow crystal at your solar plexus. Tense up the solar plexus a bit, effectively closing it down so you don't gather these energies inside by accident. Do not absorb the negative energies - simply see them as floating around you. Will them into the crystal - each exhale willing more of them into the crystal. You may even notice the crystal get dark and cloudy. When you have captured the negative energy in the crystal, you have several options. My favorite is to go outside, take a deep breath, and "blow" the energy out of the crystal into the ground. Inside, you can do it the same, only you must visualize it going through the floor and into the ground. It may come out as a stream of dark liquid, or a cloud of heavy dark fog. Whichever, take care to "bury" it in the ground, not leave it lying around for someone else to pick up! Bring your crystal back inside, and drop it in a glass of salt water for a few hours to clear any residual negativity. You could also bury it in the earth, or hold it under running water. I've often thought a running stream on the property would be a boon to crystal workers! Just get a mesh bag, toss in the "dirty" stones, and let it hang in the stream for a day or two! In the absence of that, however, we just have to make do with indoor plumbing! Take a few minutes to relax, and reflect on what you've accomplished which is quite a bit. After a short break, we're going on a journey. Take your three crystals used in the preparation exercise. Sitting down, place the golden-yellow crystal at your feet in front of you. Place a crystal on either side of you (green on the left, blue on the right). Now lay back on the floor or bed, and relax. Close your eyes, and breathe deeply using your diaphragm. Feel the energy from your crystals, and let it balance you. You are calm, relaxed, and floating-just barely touching the surface where you are lying. 414 Open your inner eye, and see around you a lovely Summer day. It is a joyous day, and all your senses are alive. You can hear the sound of a small brook nearby. You feel the touch of a light, warm breeze playing around you. The smells of earth and richness and growing things fills your heart with wonder and joy. Under your feet is a rich, grassy path that winds along beside the little brook. Looking toward the horizon, you see a mountain standing out of the earth. It rises beautifully, majestically in this flater landscape, but it is not impossibly high. Your eyes drink in the sight of the mountain, and you know that it is calling you. You can feel yourself vibrate with the need to be there. This is a sacred mountain, a place of power. And it is calling to you. Raising your arms, you hold them out as if to embrace the mountain. You take a deep breath, and feel the earth skimming just below your feet. You set down with a slight bump, and look up to see the mountain. You are standing at the base of the mountain, and it is Your mountain. Recognize that this is your life's journey, your chosen spiritual path. This is the place of power you can truly call your own. You are ready to begin this journey to enlightenment. But the path goes up the mountain, and you need to lighten your load in order to make your trip easier. Just where the path starts up the mountain, there is a beautiful tree. It is shady and cool, and yet very alive and sentient. Sit down under this tree, and take a moment to connect with it. Ask it for, and accept its strength. Now take a moment, and look at your physical world, your physical life. What burdens, problems, cares, connections or other things do you need to leave behind before you begin this journey up the sacred mountain? Think about it for a moment, and make a decision. What is it that you need to leave behind? Take your shooter crystal from your pouch or pocket, and put into it what you need to leave behind. Then "shoot" it into the ground. Affirm to yourself that you are doing this so that you may continue to grow, to seek, to come to know your true self. Contine until you feel that you have lightened the physical load you carry enough to allow you to continue your journey. When you are done, open your pouch or your pocket, and take out the small bag of tobacco or sweetgrass you have there. Put a pinch at the base of the tree, in thanks for the help you have received. Take a moment to remember those things that you are leaving there. Each thing that we decide we no longer need or want in our lives is the result of 415 a lesson learned. There is no need to carry such excess weight, but at the same time, there Is need to remember what those lessons were. For a moment, honor and thank those things you have discarded for whatever lessons or service they have given you. Now it's time to move on. The trail begins at your tree, and winds up in a spiral up the mountain. You feel the pitch of the trail change and become slightly steeper. You are walking at a good pace, and feeling wonderful. The breeze on your face is light and warm, the sky is a radiant turquoise blue. You are lighter and happier than you have been in a long time. About a quarter of the way to the top, you begin to tire a little bit. There is a nice flat area where you can sit, on the flank of this sacred mountain, and recover your strength. With your hand, your staff or something else you choose, draw a circle in the dirt, and sit down inside it. Reflect for a moment on how the spiral path to the top of the mountain could be rendered as a wheel - a medicine wheel. All things in nature go in cycles, and although the cycles are never ending, they are ever changing. No spring is exactly like the spring before. No cycle of seasons brings the exact same weather. Your development is like that circle/cycle/spiral. You are growing as well as changing through your cycles. You are spiraling upwards toward your true nature and enlightenment. Yet you hold on to things from the past when they are no longer needed or even good for you to have. Ask yourself what you need to let go of emotionally, in order to continue with your journey. Be receptive for a moment, and listen to your inner voice. When you have made your decision, put the thing you wish to let go of emotionally into your crystal, and shoot it into the earth, as you did before. Take your tobacco or sweetgrass, and leave a pinch in the center of the circle. Use that time, and make that offering, to remember the worthy things about that which you have left behind. Leave the circle, and continue up the trail. It's getting steeper now, and you are feeling fine, but have to slow down a bit and struggle a bit to keep on moving upward. At a point which is halfway up the mountain, you come to a place where a large rock rears up from the ground, casting an inviting shadow, and providing a convenient back-rest. You sit down with your back against the stone, feeling its smoothness, coolness. You can smell the warm rock where the sun is hitting it, and hear the sound of the wind in the grasses and stones on the 416 mountain. Looking out from where you sit, you can see the valley below the one you left just a short time ago - and the brook glistens like a shiny crystal ribbon amid the riot of greens. You have been taught all your life that intellect is supreme, yet just intellect without compassion or love can be as limiting as carrying your boulder up the mountain! Ask yourself what you need to let go of intellectually in order to continue your journey up the mountain. You may be surprised that some things you thought of as your greatest strengths will now be revealed as being weakness...indeed, there is a strong and a weak side to everything! Place any and all of the blocks you note on an intellectual level into your crystal, and dispose of them as you did before. You get up, feeling rested and much better, and again leave an offering of tobacco or sweetgrass at the base of the boulder. You walk on up the mountain, and the path is now narrow and very steep. You walk carefully, steadily, and you are happy. Just before the last rise of the mountain peak, there is a place where you can rest. You are sitting nearly on top of the world here - your feet can hang out where only air separates you from the valley floor. You have no feelings of fear - you know you are safe up here on the mountainside. This is a time to ask yourself what you need to let go of spiritually, in order to continue your journey. Listen to the voices inside you, and any guidance that comes from outside. Put all of these things into the crystal, and dispose of them as before. When you are done, you have such a feeling of joy and ease! Put a pinch of your offering in the place where you have been sitting. Stretch and loosen up your muscles a moment, and continue your journey. The clouds that once seemed so high over your head are now within your reach. Your trail ends abruptly, and you look around. You made it! You are standing on top of your mountain - the highest point. The sky is still blue, but tiny stars twinkle overhead. The wind is brisk here - chilly almost, but it feels good to you. The valley below is far away and tiny looking like a child's smallest toys. This is the journey of your life, and also of every day of your life. Every choice, every anchor, every connection you have has some connection to this mountain and your journey. Remember that. Know that everything connects on this mountain path of your life's journey. Look around you now at the top of your mountain. There are flowers here - blue ones. The air is sparkling clear like nothing you can find in a city. 417 The evergreen trees lend a fragrance to the air that is refreshing. See, smell, hear, and touch all these things. Be aware of this as a real place - one that you can continue to use whenever you need to. One you will ultimately conquer many times, as you have today. A sparkle on the ground catches your eye, and you look down. There is a crystal there - made of light and air and all the parts of your journey here. It is breathtakingly beautiful. You reach down and pick up the crystal. Hold it to your heart for a moment - then hold it up in the rays of sunlight. As you do this, a rainbow of color spills from the crystal, bathing you in its light. Inside your heart, a prayer is forming - a prayer for balance and harmony, a prayer that you find and take your rightful place in the universe. Listen to your inner voice, trust your inner feelings. Believe that harmony and balance are not only possible, but available to you, if you will only remember this journey! Leave a pinch of tobacco or sweetgrass at the place where the crystal came from. It is now time to begin your journey down the mountain. You travel lighter, faster, and happier than you have done in the past, carrying your crystal from the mountain top. As you pass each point where you left behind something, touch the crystal to your heart chakra, remember the lesson, and give thanks. As you reach the tree at the bottom of the mountain, you notice that the shadows have lengthened and the sun is moving toward setting. It's time to be going home again. Let the blue sky, the warm golden sun, and the green of the grassy plain soak into you for a few moments, like recharging a battery. Hear the brook by your feet, and feel the breeze as it whispers goodbye. Now realize you are back in your own world, your own place, in your own body. Open your eyes, and recognize your surroundings. If needed, stamp your foot, or clap your hands to bring yourself fully back into the present. The special crystal that you received on your mountain journey is one which is used only on the other side. Anytime you journey or travel there, you have only to remember where you "keep it" - a medicine pouch or 418 your pocket, or whatever - and it will be there. It is not necessary to have a counterpart for it on this side, although one may find you some day! . 419 Paganlore.com Simple Meditations "Truth Meditation" Right at this moment, surely, you have an odd or current anger or resentment which runs through your mind. Either it continually preoccupies you, or it pops up just at the moment when you want nothing more than to have a good night's rest. To help yourself move through and let go of it, try this visualization script... Picture the word that is most applicable to the problem you now have, and see it clearly in huge block letters marked on a door. Pick the door carefully and note the details of it. Perhaps it is an ornately carved antique door or it is a very simple wooden or painted door. Now see the word you've chosen standing out clearly on that door. Very gently open that door and look in front of you, to the left and to the right to see what is there, just as you would if you went into a room you had never been in before. If you see a person, begin to talk with that person about your problem. If you see nothing but a vast horizon, continue on and see another door, and go through that one until you can find a person or an animal with whom you can talk about your problem or a place where you can be alone with it. Give yourself time to be with the problem. Then give yourself time to see what the truth about the situation is. Old memories and people associated with them may come into your mental screen (or picture). 420 See how they relate to it. See them as they "Are", even if it's different from the way "You Think" they are. Now open your eyes and put your left-brain to work by deliberately figuring out what the images are saying to you. You can now take those insights into your life and put them to work for you. What they've told you is what you need to know. Only "You" know what's true for you. And only by going beneath what you "Believe" to be true, and being willing to "Experience" what's true for you at the moment, can you really "Know" what the truth is. . 421 Gardnerianism Kyril Oakwind & Judy Harrow "FireHeart" Spring/Summer 1989 Each year, Gardnerians come together for the Annual Samhain Gardnerian Gather. In the years since it began, the Gather has grown from a small local get-together to a national gathering, with participants from both East and West coasts. This year, England was represented as well ! Our experience in the Gardnerian community has shown that we are not a homogeneous group. These family reunions have allowed us to maintain a certain amount of continuity while learning about our differences. There is a spectrum within Gardnerian practice. Kyril represents the more traditional or conservative side of the family, while the practices of Judy's coven look more eclectic or innovative. We felt that by working together, we could describe our tradition more clearly than either of us could writing alone. Gardnerianism as a distinct Tradition began with the writings of Gerald B. Gardner. He was initiated into the New Forest coven in England by "old Dorothy" Clutterbuck. During World War II, Gardner participated in the efforts of British Witches, led by Dorothy Clutterbuck, to turn back Germany's invasion troops. Gardner was active in the Craft and published a fictional novel about medieval Witchcraft in 1949. He started a Museum of witchcraft on the Isle of Man after the 1951 repeal of the last anti-witchcraft law in England. Coming out publicly as a Witch in 1954, he published "Witchcraft Today". At that time, he believed the Craft was dying out-most of the members were older and few young members were being initiated. Gardner strongly believed not only in reincarnation, but that he would be reborn to the craft. If it died out, this could not be, and so he dedicated himself to reviving the Craft. Unable to directly reveal much of his coven's workings, he developed a system that was a synthesis of various elements from Masonic ritual, ceremonial magick, French Mediterranean Craft and the teachings of his coven. Gardner and later Doreen Valiente, re wrote some of the ritual, improving its poetic qualities and adding yet another dimension. As generations of Witches, they became the basis of Gardnerianism, and those who practised these rituals as handed down (not as published) became known as Gardnerians. 422 Gardnerianism was brought to America by the Bucklands in 1962. Their coven was passed on to Lady Theos and Pheonix in 1972 and to Lady Rhiannon in 1985. Judy notes that the existence of the earlier New Forest coven is unproven, and not particularly important. We may not know whether our Craft is old or new. We know for sure that it works. What we can prove is that Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente, and their associates did develop a ritual and symbolic system, drawing from many sources including their own inspirations. Their single greatest innovation was to make the Goddess their main focus. The fruit of that generations research, innovation and creativity was a strong and flexible ritual structure that forms a foundation for the research, innovation and creativity of later generations. In fact, we know that each successive generations of Gardnerians did augment the materials they received, and develop the Tradition. As we live with this material, use it and practice it, while continuing to study whatever Pagan sources we can find and, we hope, grow in our understanding both experientially and intellectually, we must and will make changes. A tradition that does not change is dead. Gardnerianism, like mush of the craft, is an initiatory, Mystery Tradition. To become a member of the Tradition, an individual must be initiated by a Gardnerian who was initiated by a Gardnerian, on back to Gardner and his High Priestesses, and the initiation ritual used must be the Gardnerian ritual. Initiation is more than a rite of passage that unites the participants. They have not only undergone a similar death and rebirth but are reborn into a particular world. That world is a microcosm of the universe with a unique psychic pattern of the created by the particular ritual, energy current, and vibration of the Deity names used by the participants. They take on the group karma of their new family and clan, and they add to it as well. They also take an oath of secrecy. From a more eclectic Gardnerian viewpoint, any initiation ritual that is based on the Gardnerian structure and contains certain elements is a valid Gardnerian initiations. Lineage the sense of family and continuity- is intensely important to Gardnerians. Within Judy's line, any variants on initiation or elevation rituals must be checked with the Priestess immediately senior to the one making the changes. In this way, we make room for growing understanding and changing times without sacrificing the continuity that all Gardnerians value equally. Kyril points out that Neo-Gardnerian or Gardnerian based groups using the published versions of Gardnerian rituals, while performing and having perfectly valid initiatory experiences, are not being "reborn" into the same psychic pattern as that of the Gardnerian Tradition. A real difference exists in the 423 energy they draw on and the psychic patterning that is being done. Gardnerianism is very much a family. We have our different covens and our different practices, But the family feeling is very strong. We are bound by the magickal ties of the initiation and our oath of secrecy. We are bound by the ties of love. No amount of book knowledge can ever replace human contact and the feeling of belonging to a lovin g family. This is why Judy feels a rewritten ritual within the context of lineage, makes you a Gardnerian in a way that a wordperfect ritual out of a book never could. Gardnerianism as a Tradition has a body of rituals passed down from Gardner that helps to form the core identity - a shared current of energy which is added to and drawn on by all the initiates, secret Deity names, and a specific group Karma. It also has a hierarchical form of leadership, a three degree systems of training, experienced and knowledgeable Witch Queens and Maguses (high Priestesses and High Priest who have successfully trained a coven to the point where another coven has hived off from theirs) from which to draw on. And there is an oath of secrecy. Judy feels Gardnerianism is not much so the body of rituals as the ritual system and the symbolic vocabulary. She tells her students that Gerald, Doreen and their associates were the architects, but we are the interior decorators. The structural pattern can be gotten from books almost as easily as a particular script can be. More and more, she believes that the personal affiliation, the group Karma if you will, and the energy current are as definitive as the ritual and symbol system. Our respect for lineage, and for the seniors within our lineage, is very important. But Judy does not think of it as hierarchical. In hierarchy, those "above" us would have been assigned by those above them, without our consent. We choose to work with our teachers, our Priest/esses, our Queens and Maguses out of respect and love and trust. The bond is freer and more flexibleand far more real. Nor are they considered to be holier or higher, simply more experienced. The three degree system is an uncomfortable but necessary form of quality control. An initiation is a statement, not only to the Gods, but also to the community, that this person is a Priest/ess, qualified to fulfils certain roles. If we initiate people, or do degree elevations, before they are competent, harm may result. 424 © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 425 Paganlore.com Glossary of Wiccan PaganTerms Glossary of Terms written by : Dianis Lucien Adept a person highly skilled in Magick Alexandrian Witches Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from Alex and Maxine Sanders, through a line of Alexandrian High Priests and High Priestesses, according to the Alexandrian Book of Shadows, and who practice the Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca Alraun an artificial elemental embodied in an image made from rowan wood Altar a place, such as a table or raised platform, where offerings are made to the divine; the focal point of contact between the human and the divine 426 Amulet an object worn as a protective charm to ward off sickness, injury or evil Anima the personification of the feminine aspect of a man's unconscious Animus the personification of the masculine aspect of a woman's unconscious Ankh ancient Egyptian hieroglyph for "life", combining the symbols of the male and female genitals in a looped cross, representing both Initiation and everlasting life Apollonian in religious studies, describes "solar-oriented" religions which emphasize mastery of the instincts by the conscious mind (named for Apollo, as the Greek God of light and the Sun) Arcana (pl. of arcanum) secret or hidden knowledge or methods; secrets or mysteries Arcane hidden or secret; esoteric Art, the generally, the Magickal Arts or Art Magickal; the skills and practices of Magick; however, "Art" has the connotation of "ability, talent", of something innate, rather than merely a learned skill or practice, such as distinguishes the artist from the 427 draftsman: both may need to learn the skills of the trade but the innate talent of he artist awakens and is channeled by such training Asperge to sprinkle with water during a ceremony Astral Plane the plane, or level of energy and existence, between the Mental and the Physical Planes; it is the plane of the instincts and emotions, and as such, it is frequently said to consist of the "Upper Astral" - most influenced by thought and by the Mental Plane, and the "Lower Astral" - most influenced by the senses and the Physical Plane Athame ("ath-a-may") the Witch's sacred magickal knife; in Traditional Wicca, it is black-hilted and double-edged, with the Signs used in its consecration generally painted or inscribed on the hilt; the Elemental Tool of Air, or in some Traditions of Fire August Eve see Lammas Aura the force-field that surrounds the physical body, whether of humans, animals, or plants, and even places and things; composed of two layers: the inner "etheric aura" or "health aura" is a band of bluish-white energy which closely follows the outlines of the body, beyond which radiates the "astral aura" whose size, color, and shape or structure as perceived by clairvoyant sight indicates the emotional and mental 428 state and the personality and spiritual development Autumn Equinox see Equinox Averse against; harmful; opposed to, or having negative intent or results Bale harm or disaster; sorrow, woe; something which is harmful Balefire ritual fire symbolizing the banishing of ill by the power and presence of the divine Ban to banish; to curse; to forbid Bane deadly harm, ruin, death; something which causes harm, ruin, or death; a poison Barrow a burial mound, such as found in Celtic or Native American archeological sites Beltane, Beltaine ("bright fire" or "Bel's fire") a Celtic name for May Day, May 1st, also applied to its ritual observance on May Eve (April 30) since the Celtic day began at sunset Bind to tie together; to tie down, hold, or restrain; to obligate or compel, as by an oath; to prevent from a specific action; loosely, to cast a spell upon, to impose your will 429 on by Magick Bolline term sometimes used to refer to the Witch's White-handled Knife, as distinct from the Athame; sometimes used to refer to a sickle-shaped blade, including an Athame in Traditions which allow it to have that shape Book of Shadows the book containing the traditional rituals, spells, etc. of a Coven or Tradition, which the Wiccan Initiate copies from her/his Initiator; sometimes used today by Eclectics to refer to their Grimoire Brigidmas another term for Candlemas, derived from the Celtic goddess Brigid, later venerated as the Christian St. Brigid or St. Bride Brimstone sulfur British Traditional Witches the family of Wiccan Traditions who can trace their lineage to Gerald Gardner or Alex and Maxine Sanders; also used to refer to those whose Wiccan practice is based upon, or derives from, the above but without having initiatory lineage back to Gardner or Sanders ("neo-Gardnerians", "Farrarian Wicca", etc.); the term "British Traditional Wicca" is more common in the U.S. than elsewhere 430 Cabala see Qabala Candlemas Feb. 2nd Sabbat, the Festival of the Waxing Light; the Return of the Goddess from the Underworld, bearing in Her arms the Infant Sun; the Renewal of Virginity of the Goddess (hence, later, the Purification of Mary after childbirth) viewed as the beginning of Spring because the slumbering seeds begin to stir within the womb of the Earth Cardinal Points the four directions East, South, West, and North, and hence the locations of the Watchtowers of the Four Quarters Cardinal Signs in astrology, the four Signs of the Zodiac which initiate the Elemental Tides (Aries, Fire; Cancer, Water; Libra, Air; Capricorn, Earth) Causal Plane a term sometimes used for the Lower Spiritual sub-plane of the Spiritual Plane Cense to perfume with incense, either by carrying or swinging the censer, or by passing an object through the incense smoke Chalice a cup or goblet, the Elemental Tool of Water 431 Charge to fill with energy, as a battery, or a magickal object, Tool, or talisman to give instructions to, or command authoritatively Charge of the Goddess - in Wicca, the traditional address given by the Goddess to Her worshippers; the form used in Wicca today was written by Doreen Valiente, based upon Gardner's original Charm spoken or chanted words of magickal intent; such words written or inscribed; an object magickally charged for a particular intent Cingulum a Witch's magickal Cord, especially if worn as a belt or girdle Cone of Power magickal energy raised from the body, and channeled from Nature and the Universe, collected and concentrated within the Magick Circle Conjure to summon; to solemnly charge or command; loosely, to work Magick Consecrate to make sacred; to hallow, set apart as holy; to devote entirely to, dedicate to; to make someone a certain rank or office by religious ceremony Contacts forces or entities with whom magickal links are established; especially, the forces or entities, and magickal current, from which a group draws its power to initiate, 432 thus "to be contacted" means to be linked to a particular magickal current Coven (from a word meaning "a group of confederates, a band", meaning a group bound to meet and work together, to agree) an organized group of Witches that regularly meets and works together; especially, a group of initiated Witches that follows a specific Tradition, and its rites and practices; traditionally limited to no more than thirteen members for both practical and magickally symbolic reasons Covendom traditionally, the area one league (three miles) in all directions from the Covenstead, from which the Coven members are drawn, and defining the boundaries between Covens; in modern practice, the area defined by the dwelling places of the members of a Coven - which may well overlap with another Covendom, especially of a different Tradition Covenstead the place where the Coven regularly meets, usually the home of the High Priestess and/or High Priest Cowan outsider, non-initiate; especially for an intruder or unfriendly outsider Craft, the the Magickal Arts and practices of Traditional Witchcraft; those who belong to the Craft, who practice the Craft and its Arts [Masons also refer to Masonry as "the Craft"] 433 Cup, the the Chalice, a cup or goblet, the Elemental Tool of Water Daemon ("daemon", a lesser divinity) a guardian spirit; the inspiring or indwelling spirit of a place or thing; an entity or intelligence of a particular force; an artificial elemental created by a person or group for a specific purpose or force Dagyde needle, pin, or thorn used in working image-magick, to indicate the area of the body to which the Power is being directed, whether to cure or to curse Demon (derived from "daemon") an artificial elemental created by a neurotic complex of energies and emotions, whether of one person or many, hence contraproductive or harmful in influence and effect Deosil ("with the sun") clockwise or sunwise, moving to the right around a circle if facing out, to the left if facing in Dionysian in religious studies, describes "lunar- or nature -oriented" religions that emphasize the ecstatic and emotional aspects, and the liberating of the psyche from the limitations of mundane consciousness, to enable union with the "group mind", or collective consciousness of the group (named for Dionysus, the Greek God of 434 wine and Ecstasy) Divination the discovery of unknown information through occult means Earth Religion a religion which reveres the Earth, and Nature, as the manifestation of the Divine, and calls for harmony with Nature and all life and for ecology; opposes the wanton exploitation of the natural resources of the Earth Eclectic selecting from various systems, doctrines, or sources; composed of material gathered from various sources, systems, etc. Eclectic Witches Witches who, rather than following a specific Tradition, use rituals and practices gathered from various sources Ecstasy (Greek "ekstasis", "being out of its place, distraction, trance") the exaltation of consciousness beyond the limitations of ordinary awareness as a result of extreme emotional exaltation and religious fervor: the state of "being outside of oneself" Eidolon a thought -form, an artificial energy-construct, a body of force; a traditional ritual or spell builds up a store of force which may be tapped by the participants Elemental the primitive non-human and non-material entity of the nature of one of the Four 435 Elements; also, an artificial elemental is a thoughtform, whether created consciously by thought andwill, or unconsciously by strong emotions, which develops a separate existence; thatseparate existence can be temporary, or - as in the case of the godforms, created by the devotion of the worshippers and ensouled by the Divine Force thus venerated through prayer and invocation - can become permanent and independent; the term "elemental" is also used to refer to the inhabitants of other realms of existence whose orders of being are similar to that of the Elementals, such as the inhabitants of the Faery Realm Elements, the Four the basic forces/modes of existence and action underlying all of manifestation: Air, Fire, Water, and Earth - plus the Quintessence ("Fifth Essence") of Spirit which includes and contains them all Elf, Elvenfolk, Elves in traditional lore, the pre -Celtic inhabitants of Britain, viewed as magickal beings by the later invading peoples and attributed with magickal skills and abilities that generally describe either natural survival skills or psychic talents; Witches were often viewed as descendents of intermarriages or cross-breeding, and hence as having inherited the magickal abilities of their elven ancestry [consider the common Celtic concept of "the Sight" as something passed down through the blood]; also refers to the legendary magickal beings who were considered to be the Children of t he Gods, or the offspring of the matings of Gods with humans Equinox ("equal night") one of the two dates in the year when the length of the day equals 436 the length of the night: the Vernal or Spring Equinox, which begins the "Bright Side of the Year", and the Autumnal or Fall Equinox which begins the "Dark Side of the Year" Esbat Coven meetings held at the Full Moon, and often the New Moon (or "Dark Moon"); any Coven meeting held at other than one of the Eight Sabbats of the Wheel of he Year Esoteric (Greek "esoterikos", "inner") beyond ordinary knowledge or understanding; hidden or inner knowledge reserved for initiates Etheric plane the level of energy and existence between the Astral Plane and the material Physical and the intermediary between the Physical and higher Planes; it is usually regarded as a sub-plane of the Physical, together with the purely material sub-plane, rather than as a distinct Plane of its own Evocation the "calling up" or summoning of a non-material force or entity of a lower order of being than oneself Exorcism the expulsion or banishing of unwanted forces or entities from a person, place, or thing 437 Fall Equinox see Equinox Familiar an animal with whom the Witch has a psychic link Familiar spirit an artificial elemental created for a particular function or purpose; a natural entity whose order of being is similar to that of the Elementals, and who agrees to perform a specific immediate or long-term service, and they must also benefit from the relationship, for humanity is the Initiator - not the enslaver - of the lower orders of being Fascination the process of creating a reaction in someone using only a projection of personal power or charm Fell baneful Fetch a thoughtform sent to bring something or someone; sometimes used for the Summoner or Guardian Fetish an object imbued with magickal power; an object consecrated to a particular deity 438 Fumigate to fill with, or expose to, incense smoke Gardnerian Witches Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from Gerald Gardner, through a line of Gardnerian High Priests and High Priestesses, according to the Gardnerian Book of Shadows, and who practice the Gardnerian Tradition of Wicca Glamour, Glamoury fascination Gnomes the Elemental Order of Earth, the elemental spirits of the Earth Element Goetia pertaining to non-religious magickal methods or systems, hence many forms of spellcraft Great Rite the Craft's ritual of the "Hieros Gamos", or Sacred Marriage of the Goddess and the God, the Marriage of the Divine Polarities, whether symbolic (in the presence of others) or actual (in private and only between established lovers and working-partners); it is an essential part of the Traditional Wiccan rite of Third Degree Initiation Greater Sabbats the four "cross-quarter festivals" of Candlemas, Beltane, Lammas, and Hallows, 439 whose observance in ancient cultures generally predated that of the "quarter festivals" of the Solstices and Equinoxes Grimoire (grammar, learning, writings) the book containing one's personal spells, rites, recipes, etc., as distinguished from the Book of Shadows of the Coven or Tradition; t he medieval books of magickal procedures written by, or ascri bed to, famous magicians Hallows, Hallows Eve, Hallowe'en ("holy" or "holy night") the Oct. 31 Greater Sabbat, also called November Eve, t he Celtic Samhain ("sow-en"); the beginning of the Celtic winter, and of the Celtic year; the beginning of the Witches' Year, when the Veil Between the Worlds grows thin and the spirits of the dead may return to Earth; the Descent of the Goddess to the Underworld; the final Harvest festival Handfasting a betrothal; a trial marriage of "a Year and a Day"; a Wiccan marriage rite, which should embody the understanding that the union is "for as long as love shall last" Hephaestic Transference the process of transferring the power or properties of an object to another object by burning the object and rubbing the ashes on the receiving object; traditionally, a way of transferring the power of Signs and Symbols to an object without having to actually write or inscribe those Symbols on the object itself, and thereby risk 440 discovery Hereditary Witches Witches who claim to practice a form of the Craft passed down through their families in an unbroken family line Hexagram six-pointed star formed of conjoined upright and reversed triangles, representing the union of Fire and Water, and of Male and Female; the Star of the Macrocosm ("big world", or universe) High Priest the male Coven Leader (an office); any Second or Third Degree male Witch (a rank) High Priestess the female Coven Leader (an office); any Second or Third Degree female Witch (a rank) Hiving off when some one of sufficient rank leaves the mother-Coven to form their own daughter-Coven Imbolc (Gaelic, "in the belly") a Celtic term for Candlemas, as the time when the first stirrings of Spring begin in the Womb of the Earth Mother 441 Incantation words ritually spoken or chanted in a magickal spell or ritual Incarnation the embodying of an entity in a physical form Incubus male wraith form or demon, for the purpose of sexual intercourse; see Succubus Individuality the immortal Self, the Higher Self, developed over the course of all of one's incarnations by the actualizing of the potential of the Divine Spark, as distinct from the Personality built up in a single incarnation Initiation ("a beginning, entrance into") secret ritual by which a Postulant is admitted into membership in the Craft, and consecrated as a Priest or Priestess, and Witch; involving a symbolic death-and-rebirth, it is a spiritual rebirth into the Craft, and adoption into the spiritual family of the Coven, and of the Tradition; as such, Initiation links the nitiate to the group-mind of the Coven and to the "Initiatory Current" and "magickal Contacts" of that particular Wiccan Tradition secret ritual by which an Initiate is elevated to a higher grade or degree, recognizing a level of knowledge, competence, and experience; hence often called an "Elevation" an Inner Planes experience which alters one's consciousness and spiritual understanding Inner Planes 442 levels of being or consciousness other than the ordinary, physical or mundane consciousness Invocation the "calling in or down", the summoning or invitation of a non-material force or entity of a higher order of being than oneself Kabala see Qabala Karma ("a deed, an action, cause-and-effect, fate") the balance of all of one's actions throughout all of one's incarnations, which thus determines one's future experiences; thus loosely, fate or destiny as a result of one's actions; should not be seen as any doctrine of sin and punishment, but as the working of the Law of Cause and Effect, or "what ye sow, so shall ye reap" Lammas (Old English "loaf mass", "bread feast") the Festival of the First-fruits of the Harvest, August 1, though usually celebrated the night of July 31, Lammas Eve, since the Celtic day began at sunset, hence also called August Eve; also called Lughnasadh ("Festival of Lugh") for the Celtic God of Light (Irish Celtic "Lugh", Welsh "Lleu", both meaning "Light", similar to the Latin "Lucifer" or "Light bearer"); as start of harvest, the Festival of the Sacrifice and Death of the GodKing, who like the grain is reaped at His prime before old age and decay sets in 443 Left-Hand Path commonly used to refer to "black magick", because of the association of "left" with "evil"; hence the word "sinister", originally me aning "left, or lucky, side", acquired its modern connotation Lesser Sabbats the four "quarter festivals" of the Equinoxes and Solstices, whose observance in ancient cultures generally postdated that of the Greater Sabbats Lineage direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry; family; in Wicca, the line of initiatory descent, or magickal and spiritual ancestry, and hence, the "initiatory family" related by a common ancestry Lughnasadh see Lammas Material Basis item or substance serving as the physical-plane focus, or means of manifestation, such as incense smoke in which shapes can be seen; also, when working for a practical result, the preparations or physical actions one performs to assist in achieving that goal - such as actually looking for a job if one is working for a job or money May Eve see Beltane 444 Midsummer the Summer Solstice, so-called because the Celtic Summer began at Beltane and ended at Hallows Midwinter the Winter Solstice, so-called because the Celtic Winter began at Hallows and ended at Beltane November Eve see Hallows Occult ("hidden, concealed") secret, esoteric; term used for magick and other esoteric arts and sciences, such as astrology or alchemy Pentacle the Elemental Tool of Earth, a round wooden or metal disk usually enscribed with a pentagram, often with other magickal Signs and Symbols specific to a Tradition; also, the wax, paper, or parchment form used as a material basis when making talismans or otherwise invoking or evoking a specific force Pentagram the five-pointed star, the Star of the Microcosm ("little world"); the Four Elements ruled by Spirit (upright) or containing the unactualized potential of the Divine Spark (inverted); the inverted Pentagram also symbolizes the Horned God; Satanists also 445 use it to represent the Christian "Satan", who was not pictured as horned until the Church used that symbolism to demonize the ancient Pagan Horned God by equating Him with their Devil Personality the "self" built up in a single incarnation, as a product of both heredity and environment and consisting of the "ego self" or one's own inner sense of identity, and the "persona" or outward personality shown to others; distinguished from one's Individuality, developed over the course of all one's incarnations Postulant a petitioner or candidate for admission into a religious order; the Wiccan rite of Initiation refers to the candidate as a Postulant, which signifies not only that Wicca is a specific Pagan Mystery religion and magickal order, but also that, since Wicca does not proselytize, a candidate must ask to be Initiated into Wicca Qabala a body of occult philosophy, doctrines, and magickal and mystical lore derived from certain Jewish rabbinical texts, probably originating in early Chaldean and other Mesopotamian cultures, including possibly the ancient Egyptian; also spelled Cabala, Cabbala, Kabala, Qabbalah Runes (Old Norse, Old English, and Gaelic "run", "secret, mystery") the ancient Teutonic 446 alphabet, which developed into various forms, including an Old English form introduced in England by the Angles and Saxons; the symbols of that alphabet used for divination; a chant, charm, or spell, used for magickal purposes (because writing was originally a secret Mystery) Salamanders the Elemental Order of Fire, the elemental spirits of the Fire Element Solstice ("sun standing still") one of the two dates in the year when the Sun reaches its furthest position north, or south, of the equator: in the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice is the northmost position, and begins the "Waning Side of the Year", while the Winter Solstice is the southmost position and begins the "Waxing Side of the Year"; called "solstice" because the Sun appears to stand still on that day, before beginning to move south/north again Spring Equinox see Equinox StarKindler Witches Traditional Witches who trace their line of initiatory descent from both Gerald Gardner and from Alex and Maxine Sanders, through a line of StarKindler High Priests and High Priestesses, according to the StarKindler Book of Shadows, and who practice the StarKindler Tradition of Wicca 447 Succubus female wraith form or demon, for the purpose of sexual intercourse; legend held that the succubus would manifest to a male, perhaps in his dreams, and thus acquire his semen; it would then take the form of an incubus and manifest to a woman Summer Solstice see Solstice Sylphs the Elemental Order of Air, the elemental spirits of the Air Element Threefold Return, the Law of although related to the concept of Karma, the Law of Threefold Return says that whatever one does by Magick, whether of good or of ill, returns to one threefold Traditional Witches Witches who claim their initiatory descent from surviving hereditary or traditional Witchcraft, which includes the Gardnerian and Alexandrian Traditions and their branches and offshoots via Gerald Gardner and/or Alex Sanders the term "Traditionals" is sometimes used to distinguish Witches or Traditions that claim initiatory descent from hereditary or traditional Witchcraft via persons other than Gerald Gardner or Alex Sanders the term "Traditional" is also sometimes used to refer to any Tradition that follows a specific body of rites and practices - including admittedly modern revived or reconstructed Traditions, especially ones that focus on a particular ethnic or cultural background - in order to distinguish between "Traditional" and "Eclectic" Witchcraft 448 Undines the Elemental Order of Water, the elemental spirits of the Water Element Vernal Equinox see Equinox Wand the Elemental Tool of Fire, or in some Traditions, of Air Wicca, the Wicca, Wiccan an Initiatory, Oathbound, Pagan Mystery religion celebrating the Mysteries contained in the Legend of the Descent of the Goddess and in the Charge of the Goddess, in which every Initiate is consecrated as a Priest or Priestess as well as a Witch the Wicca are those thus Initiated and consecrated, the Priests and Priestesses of a specific Mystery religion within the larger body of Pagan religions a Wiccan is an Initiate of Wicca, a consecrated Priest or Priestess and Witch there is also a different, although related, religious movement calling itself "Wicca" one that sprang from, and is loosely based upon the Mystery Religion, but that is more exoteric and oriented toward worship and devotion and public celebration, rather than toward a specific initiatory path, magickal practice, and spiritual discipline; this religious movement has been aptly described as "Wicca-based Paganism" Winter Solstice see Solstice witch, Witch a practitioner of witchcraft; the lower-case "witch" indicates a practitioner who 449 does not regard witchcraft as part of their particular religious belief or practice, or example, Christians or atheists who practice witch's magicks and are thus "witches", while the upper-case "Witch" indicates a practitioner of witchcraft as an intrinsic part of their specific religious beliefs and practices, although not necessarily those of the Wicca witchcraft, Witchcraft the craft, or magickal arts and practices, of witches; as with witch, and Witch, the lower-case or upper-case letter indicates witchcraft as a practice outside of (lower-case), or as an intrinsic part of (upper-case), a religious belief or practice 450 Grimoire vs. Book of Shadows In Wicca, a "Book of Shadows" is used to record rituals and serves in some instances as a diary as well. The first Book of Shadows was written by Gerald Gardner, although there is still much scandal concerning who actually wrote it, with alot of finger-pointing toward Aleister Crowley and in some cases Doreen Valiente. The name, "Book of Shadows," is used to refer to the Witch-Hunt days (ie Burning Times) and the need for secrecy of the religion, and thus an allusion is made to practicing within the shadows. The term grimoire, or grammar, means essentially a book of learning and the name seems to make sense as a universal term for this book. The name "grimoire" is not the actual name which is used within any tradition. This name is used solely because the real name of the book is secret, and so it serves as a point of reference for the same item between traditions. The things which are written within the book are religious rituals, amendments to those rituals, and other things which have to do with the religion. Things related to magick are written in a different book. It does not serve as a diary. Most of the time, this book is hand written by the individual. In some families, this book is copied from what is referred to as a "Great Book." 451 In most traditions, the grimoire is composed by the individual, and the rituals contained therein are sometimes even written in runes (ie secret letters) or pictures so as not to be understood by someone else. The rituals themselves are based in the traditions and lore of the particular tradition, but also contain individual flourishes as well. On occasion, the contents of the grimoires may be copied from a main book, sometimes referred to as the Great Book of a family. © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 452 What is a Hedgewitch? A Hedgewitch is a tradition within a tradition that is somewhat shamanic in nature, for lack of a better term. There are many different titles that those who follow this inner tradition are called: Hedge-Rider, Hedgewitch, Night Travellers, Myrk-Riders, Gandreidh, Badbh (name of a Goddess as well as a title), and Walkers on the Wind. These are the ones who engage in spirit flight, and journey into the Other World. It is this inner tradition which utilizes such things as flying salves and potions in order to gain access to the Other World. However, there are certain prerequisites which must be met before one can learn this particular tradition. A Hedgewitch is able to go into the Other World, and call back the souls of those who are about to die. They can, in this capacity, be very powerful healers. They are also able to speak with those who have passed beyond. A bird of one kind or another is usually associated with the hedge traditions. Two of the most commonly associated birds are the raven and the goose. A mention should be made that the hedge signified the boundary of the village. The fence or hedge represents the boudary which exists between this world and the spiritual realm. Not all cultures had hedges, though. Some had stone wall, or earthen works. Regardless, this term is adopted as a way to commonly identify these traditions. It should be emphasized that not all Witches follow this inner tradition. In regards to hedge traditions, the most impotant aspect is that of spiritflight. In the twelfth century, a reference is made to a myrk-rida in the C. E. Law of Vastgotaland: "Woman, I saw you riding on a fence switch with loose hair and belt, in the troll skin, at the time when day and night are equal." This excerpt refers to a Hedgewitch. She is earing a troll skin, or mask, as a part of a ritual so that the inhabitants of the Other World will recognize her. The liminality of her position between the two worlds is futher 453 enhance by the timing of the ritual which is held on an equinox during which day and night are equal. The Portugeuse witch, the Bruxsa, ventures out during the night as a large sinister nightbird. In Germany, the nightjar is called the hexe, and is thought of in local folklore as being a shape-shifted witch who has gone out to suck the milk from the goats at night. Often, these Hedgewitches were seen as riding upon a broom or ridingpole and flying through the air. In Old German, one of the words for a male witch was Gabelreiterinnen and meant pitchfork-rider. The broomstick, or riding-pole, represented the phallus of the Horned God. According to some traditions, the ends of these poles were carved to represent the erect penis and were concealed by being bound in either birch twigs or straw. The tops of these riding-poles often ended in two forked tines which represented the horns of the Horned God. Later these riding poles developed into the more common wand. To achieve the sensation of flying, poisonous compounds known as flying ointments were used. These ointments contained strong akaloids such as aconite, belladonna, and hemlock. The result of such ointments produced physiological effects such as mental confusion, impaired mobility, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, and shortness of breath. The purpose of achieving this spirit-flight ranged from speaking to the ancestors, to healing those who were near death and "calling them back." It is believed that on the Cross Quarter-Days (commonly known as: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, and Lughnasdah), the ancestral spirits travelled on invisible lines that linked togther burial places, graveyards, and mounds. Each culture had its own name for these lines: • • • • • • • faery-roads Dutch death-roads English church-ways English coffin-paths English corpse-roads German geisterweige Holland dood wegan Celtic 454 • Saxon daeda-waeg During these times the bounderies between the two worlds are thought to be lessened, and so communication is easier. At Samhuinne, however, the boundaries between the two worlds are believed to be at their thinnest point, making interaction betwen them much easier. © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 455 Rites of Passage: Initiation vs. Self-Initiation Within traditional Witchcraft, there is no such thing as a self-initiation. The reason for this is because during the rite of passage, or initation, the lineage is passed down to the next generation. Also, during this time, certain secrets are revealed to the initiate. However, there is what is termed a dedication which is a much more personal ritual that is performed by the person. It is very different from a rite of passage or initiation, though. A dedication is when a person decides to worship the Gods, and learn the ways of Witchcraft. A dedication ritual is something that is composed by the person themself wherein they pledge themself to the service of the Gods. Just because someone has gone through a dedication but not through a rite of passage does not mean that they are not devoted. Devotion to the Gods is personal, and that is why it is expressed through a self-dedication. Regardless of the tradition within Witchcraft, there is usually some form of initiation or rite of passage, although it may or may not be referred to as such. For some who are a part of family traditions, this is followed through certain rites which occur when an individual reaches specific times within their life cycle. For others, the rite of passage may be done after an individual has completed a a time of study along with specified tasks. The rite of passage, or initiation is a formal ritual wherein a person must has spent a period of study and has reached a certain point wherein they are given a set of tasks to complete. Some traditions have different stages, wherein other have certain points in the life cycle wherein this ritual takes place. One of the most important parts of the Rite of Passage or Initiation is when the lineage is passed down. The lineage is the line of essence which has passed from Witch to Witch for all the preceding generations. There are also sometimes naming ceremonies. These are sometimes included within the rite of passage or initiation, although in some traditions they remain seperate. © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 456 The Lycian Tradition of Wicca Recently, contact was made with a woman who practiced a Wiccan tradition which was referred to as Lycian. The belief is that the tradition originated from what they refer to as the European "Wolf Tribes." The information which I was given said that they do not call the watchtowers as the majority of Wiccans do, and that they use a 457 correspondence which to their knowledge is only mirrored by the Tibetian monks. A basic overview of why they place various elements according to specific directions is as follows: • East is Earth, because the sun bursts forth from the earth each morning, and the cold winter months begin to wane. 458 • • • South is Fire, because it is there that the sun hits it's height, and it is also here that the sun is the hottest during the day. West is Air, because this is the realm of Death where the eagle flies and the soul is weighed. It is also here that the Winter overtakes the Summer and the darkest part of the year approaches. North is Water, because this is considered to be the 459 realm of dark and cold, and the realm of the Mother. Unfortunately, this was the only explanation given of why North is Water, and it is only an association and not a reason although from the conversation I am sure there is more to it than just what was given there. © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 460 Guardians vs. Watchtowers In Wicca, guardians known as Watchtowers are called. These guardians are held hostage in each of the four corners or directions of the circle: East, South, West, and North. They are set there to guard and protect the circle. The origin of the Watchtowers is in Cabbalistic magick, and thus demonstrates the roots of Wicca in the OTO. This calling of the Watchtowers usually takes place during what is known in Wicca as "Calling the Quarters." Traditional Witchcraft does not utilize the calling of Watchtowers; it does however, call Guardians. These Guardians are often the spirits with whom a person feels comfortable with and has developed some form of a relationship with. Possible guardians might be one of the Ancestors, a "spirit guide," or other spirtual entity with which the person is familiar with. Some traditions call Guardians, whereas others do not. Guardians are often called to protect the sacred area. As many traditions do not have specific boundaries for their sacred area, the guardians can roam the area freely and protect the area from unwanted influences. In general, they are not necessary but still a good idea. © Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved. 461 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Real Origin of Wicca ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We must dismiss with some respect the assertion, put forth by Margot Adler and others, that "Wicca no longer adheres to the orthodox mythos of the Book of Shadows." Many, if not most of those who have been drawn to Wicca in the last three decades came to it under the spell (if I may so term it) of the legend of ancient Wicca. If that legend is false, then while reformists and revisionist apologists (particularly the peculiar hybrid spawned in the late sixties under the name "feminist Wicca") may seek other valid grounds for their practices, we at least owe it to those who have operated under a misapprehension to explain the truth, and let the chips fall where they may. I believe there is a core of valid experience falling under the Wiccan- neopagan heading, but that that core is the same essential core that lies at the truths exposed by the dreaded boogy- man Aleister Crowley and the` wicked' pansexualism of Crowley's Law of Thelema. That such roots would be not just uncomfortable, but intolerable to the orthodox traditionalists among the Wiccans, but even more so among the hybrid feminist "wiccans" may indeed be an understatement. Neopaganism, in a now archaic "hippie" misreading of ecology, mistakes responsible stewardship of nature for nature worship. Ancient pagans did not `worship' nature; to a large extent they were afraid of it, as has been pointed out to me by folk practioners. Their "nature rites" were to propitiate the caprice of the gods, not necessarily to honor them. The first neopagan revivalists, Gardner, Crowley and Dr. Murray, well understood this. Neopagan wiccans usually do not. In introducing a "goddess element" into their theology, Crowley and Gardner both understood the yin/yang, male/female fundamental polarity of the universe. Radical feminist neopagans have taken this balance and altered it, however unintentionally, into a political feminist agenda, centered around a near-monotheistic worship of the female principle, in a bizarre caricature of patriarchal Christianity. Bigotry, I submit, cuts both ways. I do not say these things lightly; I have seen it happen in my own time. IF this be truth, let truth name its own price. I was not sure, until Norm and John got back from the Old Jail. A couple of months earlier, scant days after hearing that I was to become a gnostic bishop and thus an heir to a corner of Crowley's legacy, I had punched on my answering machine, and there was the unexpected voice of John Turner saying that he had located 462 what seemed to be the original Book of Shadows in an inventory list, locating it at Ripley's office in Toronto. He said he didn't think they would sell it as an individual item, but he gave me the name of a top official in the Ripley organization, who I promptly contacted. I eventually made a substantial offer for the book, sight unseen, figuring there was (at the least) a likelihood I'd be able to turn the story into a book and get my money back out of it, to say nothing of the historical import. But, as I researched the matter, I became more wary, and confused; Gardner's texts "A" "B" and "C" all seemed to be accounted for. Possibly, I began to suspect, this was either a duplicate of the "deThelemized" post1954 version with segments written by Gardner and Valiente and copied and recopied (as well as distorted) from hand to hand since by Wiccans the world over. Maybe, I mused, Valiente had one copy and Gardner another, the latter sold to Ripley with the Collection. Or, perhaps it was the curious notebook discovered by Aidan Kelly in the Ripley files called Ye Book of Ye Art Magical, the meaning of which was unclear. While I was chatting with Ms.Deska, Norm returned from his mission, we introduced in best businesslike fa shion, and he told me he'd get the book, whatever it might be, from the vault. The vault?! I sat there thinking god knows what . Recently, I'd gotten a call from Toronto, and it seems the Ripley folks wanted me to take a look at what they had. I had made a considerable offer, and at that point I figured I'd had at least a nibble. As it so happened Norm would be visiting on a routine inspection visit, so it was arranged he would bring the manuscript with him. Almost from the minute he placed it in front of me, things began to make some kind of sense. Clearly, this was Ye Book of Ye Art Magical. Just as clearly, it was an unusual piece, written largely in the same hand as the Crowley Charter- that is, the hand of Gerald Gardner. Of this I became certain, because I had handwriting samples of Gardner, Valiente and Crowley in my possession. Ms. Valiente had been mindful of this when she wrote me, on August 8th, 1986: I have deliberately chosen to write you in longhand, rather than send a typewritten reply, so that you will have something by which to judge the validity of the claim you tell me is being made by the Ripley organisation to have a copy of a "Book of Shadows" in Gerald Gardner's handwriting and mine. If this is..."Ye Book of Ye Art Magical," ....this is definitely in Gerald Gardner's handwriting. Old Gerald, however, had several styles of handwriting....I think it is probable that the whole MS. was in fact written by Gerald, and no other person was involved; but of course I may be wrong.... 463 At first glance it appeared to be a very old book, and it suggested to me where the rumors that a very old, possibly medieval Book of Shadows had once been on display in Gardner's Museum had emerged from. Any casual onlooker might see Ye Book in this light, for the cover was indeed that of an old volume, with the original title scratched out crudely on the side and a new title tooled into the leather cover. The original was some mundane volume, on Asian knives or something, but the inside pages had been removed, and a kind of notebook -- almost a journal -- had been substituted. As far as I could see, no dates appear anywhere in the book. It is written in several different handwriting styles, although, as noted above, Doreen Valiente assured me that Gardner was apt to use several styles. I had the distinct impression this "notebook" had been written over a considerable period of time, perhaps years, perhaps even decades. It may, indeed, date from his days in the 1930s when he linked up with a neorosicrucuian grouping that could have included among its members the legendary Dorothy Clutterbuck, who set Gardner on the path which led to Wicca. Thinking on it, what emerges from Ye Book of Ye Art Magical is a developmental set of ideas. Much of it is straight out of Crowley, but it is clearly the published Crowley, the old magus of the Golden Dawn, the A.A., and the O.T.O. Somewhere along the line it hit me that I was not exactly looking at the "original Book of Shadows" but, perhaps, the outline Gardner prepared over a long period of time, apparently in secret (since Valiente, a relatively early initiate of Gardner's, never heard of it nor saw it, according to her own account, until recent years, about the time Aidan Kelly unearthed it in the Ripley collection long after Gardner's death). Dr. Gardner kept many odd notebooks and scrapbooks that perhaps would reveal much about his character and motivations. Turner showed me a Gardner scrapbook in Ripley's store room which was mostly cheesecake magazine photographs and articles about actresses. Probably none are so evocative as Ye Book of Ye Art Magical, discovered,it has been intimated,hidden away in the back of an old sofa. I have the impression it was essentially unknown in and after Gardner's lifetime, and that by the Summer of 1986 few had seen inside it; I knew of only Kelly and my own party. Perhaps the cover had been seen by some along the line, accounting for the rumor of a "very old Book of Shadows" in Gardner's Museum. If someone had seen the charter signed by Crowley ("Baphomet") but written by Gerald Gardner, and had gotten a look, as well, at Ye Book, they might well have concluded that Crowley had written BOTH, an honest error, but maybe the source of that long-standing accusation. There is even a notation in the Ripley catalog attributing the manuscript to Crowley on someone's say-so, but I have no indication Ripley has any other such book. Finally, if the notebook is a sourcebook of any religious system, it is not that of medieval 464 witchcraft, but the twentieth century madness or sanity or both of the infamous magus Aleister Crowley and the Thelemic/Gnostic creed of The Book of the Law. As I sat there I read aloud familiar quotations or paraphrases from published material in the Crowley-Thelemic canon. This is not the "ancient religion of the Wise" but the modern sayings of " the Beast 666 " as Crowley was wont to style himself. But, does any of this invalidate Wicca as an expression of human spirituality? It depends on where one is coming from. Certainly, the foundations of feminist Wicca and the modern cult of the goddess are challenged with the fact that the goddess in question may be Nuit, her manifestation the sworn whore, Our Lady Babalon, the Scarlet Woman. Transform what you will shall be the whole of history, but THIS makes what Marx did to Hegel look like slavish devotion. What Crowley himself said of this kind of witchcraft is not merely instructive, but an afront to the conceits of an era. "The belief in witchcraft," he observed, " was not all superstition; its psychological roots were sound. Women who are thwarted in their natural instincts turn inevitably to all kinds of malignant mischief, from slander to domestic destruction..." For the rest of us, those who neither worship nor are disdainful of the man who made sexuality a god or, at least, acknowledged it as such, experience must be its own teacher. If Wicca is a sort of errant Minerval Camp of the OTO, gone far astray and far afield since the days Crowley gave Gardner a charter he "didn't use" but seemed to value, and a whole range of rituals and imagery that assault the senses at their most literally fundamental level; if this is true or sort of true, maybe its time history be owned up to. Mythos has its place and role, but so, too, does reality. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wicca As An OTO Encampment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The question of intent looms large in the background of this inquiry. If I had to guess, I would venture that Gerald Gardner did, in fact, invent Wicca more or less whole cloth, to be a popularized version of the OTO. Crowley, or his successor Karl Germer, who also knew Dr. Gardner, likely set "old Gerald" on what they intended to be a Thelemic path, aimed at reestablishing at least a basic OTO encampment in England. Aiden Kelly's research work on all this is most impressive, but at rock bottom I can't help feeling he still wants to salvage something original in Wicca. In a way, there is some justification for this; the Wicca of Gerald Gardner, OTO initiate and advocate of sexual magick produced a folksy, easier version of the OTO, but by the middle nineteen fifties 465 some of his early "followers" not only created a revisionist Wicca with relatively little of the Thelemic original intact, but convinced Gardner to go along with the changes. It is also possible, but yet unproven, that, upon expelling Kenneth Grant from the OTO in England, Germer, in the early 1950s, summoned Gardner to America to interview him as a candidate for leading the British OTO. Gardner, it is confirmed, came to America, but by then Wicca, and Dr. Gardner had begun to take their own, watered-down course. Today most Wiccans have no idea of their origins. Let me close this section by quoting two interesting tidbits for your consideration. First consider Doreen Valiente's observation to me concerning "the Parsons connection". I quote from her letter abovementioned, one of several she was kind enough to send me in 1986 in connection with my research into this matter. ...I did know about the existence of the O.T.O. Chapter in California at the time of Crowley's death, because I believe his ashes were sent over to them. He was cremated here in Brighton, you know, much to the scandal of the local authorities, who objected to the `pagan funeral service.' If yo u are referring to the group of which Jack Parsons was a member (along with the egregious Mr. L. Ron Hubbard), then there is another curious little point to which I must draw your attention. I have a remarkable little book by Jack Parsons called MAGICK, GNOSTICISM AND THE WITCHCRAFT. It is unfortunately undated, but Parsons died in 1952. The section on witchcraft is particularly interesting because it looks forward to a revival of witchcraft as the Old Religion....I find this very thought provoking. Did Parsons write this around the time that Crowley was getting together with Gardner and perhaps communicated with the California group to tell them about it? We must remember that Ms. Valiente was a close associate of Gardner and is a dedicated and active Wiccan. She, of course, has her own interpretation of these matters. The OTO recently reprinted the Parsons "witchcraft" essays in Freedom is a Two Edged Sword , a postumous collection of his writings. It does indeed seem that Gardner and Parsons were both on the same wave- length at about the same time. The other matter of note is the question of the length of Gardner's association with the OTO and with Crowley personally. My informant Col. Lawrence, tells me that he has in his possession a cigarette case which once belonged to Aleister Crowley. Inside "is a note in Crowley's hand that says simply: `gift of GBG, 1936, A. Crowley'." (Personal letter, 6 December, 1986) The inscription could be a mistake, it could mean 1946, the period of the Charter. But, as Ms. Valiente put it in a letter to me of 8th December, 1986: 466 If your friend is right, then it would mean that old Gerald actually went through a charade of pretending to Arnold Crowther that Arnold was introducing him to Crowley for the first time - a charade which Crowley for some reason was willing to go along with. Why? I can't see the point of such a pretence; but then occultists sometimes do devious things... Crowley may have played out a similar scene with G.I. Gurdjieff, the other enlightened merry prankster of the first half of the twentieth century. Gnosticism and Wicca, the subjects of Jack Parsons' essays, republished by the OTO and Falcon Press in 1990, are the two most successful expressions to date of Crowley's dream of a popular solar-phallic religion. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think Aleister and Gerald may have cooked Wicca up. If Wicca is the OTO's prodigal daughter in fact, authorized directly by Crowley, how should Wiccans now relate to this? How should Crowley's successors and heirs in the OTO deal with it? Then too, what are we to make of and infer about all this business of a popular ThelemicGnostic religion? Were Crowley, Parsons, Gardner and others trying to do something of note with regard to actualizing a New Aeon here which bears scrutiny? Or is this mere speculation, and of little significance for the Great Work today? If the Charter Crowley issued Gardner is, indeed, the authority upon which Wicca has been built for half a century, then it is perhaps no coincidence that I acquired that Charter in the same year I was consecrated a Bishop of the Gnostic Catholic Church. Further, it was literally days after my long search for the original of Gardner's BOOK OF SHADOWS ended in success that the Holy Synod of T Michael Bertiaux's Gnostic Church unanimously elected me a Missionary Bishop, on August 29, 1986. Sometimes, I muse, the Inner Order revoked Wicca's charter in 1986,placing it in my hands. Since I hold it in trust for the OTO, perhaps Wicca has, in symbolic form, returned home at last. It remains for the Wiccans to, literally (since the charter hangs in my temple space), to read the handwriting on the wall. Excerpted From: Greenfield, Allen. A True History of Witchcraft. 1992.
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