301
MACCULLOCH, JOHN ARNOTT; "Religion of the Ancient Celts", Folcroft
Library, 1977rep.
MACCULLOCH, JOHN ARNOTT; "The Mythology of all Races in Thirteen
volumes; Celtic, Volume III.", Cooper Square Pub. 1967
MACLENNAN, MALCOLM; "A Promouncing & Emtylogical Dictionary of the
Gaelic Language", (Scots Gaelic) Aberdeen Univ. Press 1979
MACMANUS, SEUMAS; "The Story of the Irish Race", Devin-Adair Co.
1981
MACNEILL, MAIRE; "The Festival of Lughnasa", Oxford, 1962 ***
MARKALE, JEAN; "Women of the Celts", Inner Traditions International
Ltd. 1986
MARRIS, RUTH; "The Singing Swans & Other Irish Stories", Fontana
Lions 1978
MARSH, HENRY; "Dark Age Britain", Dorset Press 1970
MATTHEWS, CAITLIN; "The Elements of The Goddess", Element Books
1989
MATTHEWS, CAITLIN; "The Elements of The Celtic Tradition", Element
Books 1989
McNEIL, F. MARTIN; "The Silver Bough, Vol 1.: Scottish Folklore &
Beliefs", Cannon Gate Classic 1956/1989
O'BRIEN, CHRISTIAN; "The Megalithic Odyssey", Turnstone 1983
O'CONNOR, FRANK; "Short History of Irish Literature", Capricorn
Books 1967
O'CONNOR, NORREYS; "Battles & Enchantments", Books for Libraries
Press 1922/1970
O'DRISCOLL, ROBERT; "The Celtic Consciousness", George Braziller
1982
O'SULLIVAN, DONALD; "Carolan: The Life & Times & Music of an Irish
Harper", Vol 1 & 2, Celtic Music 1983
PEPPERS & WILCOCK; "A Guide to Magical & Mystical Sites - Europe
& the British Isles", Harper Colophon Books 1977
POWELL, T.G.E.; "The Celts", Thames & Hudson 1980
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QUILLER, PETER & COURTNEY DAVIS; "Merlin, The Immortal", Spirit of
Celtia 1984
REES, ALWEN & BRINLEY; "Celtic Heritage", Oxford 1971 ***
RHYS, JOHN; "Celtic Folklore, Welsh & Manx, Vol.I"
ROLLESTON, T.W.; "Myths & Legends - Celtic", Avenel Press 1985
ROSS, ANNE; "Pagan Celtic Britian", Rudledge & Kegen Paul 1967 ***
ROSS, ANNE, & DON ROBBINS; "The Life & Death of A Druid Prince",
Summit 1989 ***
RUTHERFORD, WARD; "Celtic Mythology", Aquarian Press 1987
RUTHERFORD, WARD; "The Druids, Magicians of the West", Aquarian
Press 1978 ***
SEYMOUR, ST. JOHN; "Irish Witchcraft and Demonology", 1913
SHARKEY, JOHN; "Celtic Mysteries", Thames & Hudson 1975/1987
SJOESTEDT, MARIE-LOUISE; "Gods and Heroes of the Celts", Methven
& Co. Ltd. 1949 ***
SMITH, LESLEY M.; "The Dark Age: The Making of Britian", Schocker
Books 1984
SPENCE, LEWIS; "The Minor Traditions of British Mythology", Rider
& Co. 1948
SPENCE, LEWIS; "The Magic Arts in Celtic Britain", Anchor Press
SPENCE, LEWIS; "British Fairy Origins", Aquarian Press 1946
SQUIRE, CHARLES; "Celtic Myth & Legend, Poetry & Romance",
Newcastle 1975 ***
STEWART, R.J.; "Book of Merlin", Blandford Press 1988
STEWART, R.J., ed.; "Merlin & Woman", Blandford Press 1988
STEWART, R.J.; "Mystic Life of Merlin", Arcana Press 1986
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STEWART, R.J.; "The Underworld Tradition", Aquarian Press 1985
SUTHERLAND, ELISABETH; "Ravens & Black Rain", Corgi Books 1985 ***
THURNEYSON; "Old Irish Reader", Dublin Institut for Advanced
Studies 1968
TOULSON, SHIRLEY; "The Winter Solstice", Jill Norman & Hobhouse
1981 ***
WHITE, CAROLYN; "A History of Irish Fairies", Mercier Press 1976
***
WHITLOCK, RALPH; "In Search of Lost Gods", Phaidon Press 1979
WILDE, LADY; "Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, & Superstitions of
Ireland With Sketches of the Irish Past" Chatto & Windus 1925
WILLIAMS, GWYNN A.; "Madoc, The Legend of the Welsh Discovery of
America", Oxford Univ. Press 1987
WILLIAMSON, JOHN; "The Oak King, the Holly King & the Unicorn",
Harper & Row 1974 ***
WOOD-MARTIN, W. G.; "Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, Vols
1 & 2", Kennicat Pub. 1902/1970 ***
YEATS, W.B.; "Fairy & Folktales of Ireland", Pan Books 1882 & 1882/
1973
YEATS, W.B. & LADY GREGORY; "Irish Myth, Legend, & Folklore",
Avenel Press 1986
YOUNG, ELLA; "The Wondersmith and His Son", David McKay Co. 1927
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THE COVENANT OF THE GODDESS
PURPOSE
The Covenant of the Goddess was founded in 1975 to increase
cooperation among Witches, and to secure for Witches and covens
the legal protection enjoyed by members of other religions.
FUNCTIONS
The Covenant publishes a newsletter; issues ministerial
credentials on request to qualified persons; sponsors a national
festival each summer; and encourages networking nationally, as
well as regionally through local councils.
STRUCTURE
The Covenant is incorporated as a non-profit religious
organization in California, though it has grown to be a
nationwide organization. It is a confederation of covens and
solitaires of various traditions, who share in the worship of
the Goddess and the Old Gods and subscribe to a common code of
ethics. The Covenant holds a Grand Council annually to elect
national officers, set a budget, and decide matters which require
deliberation by the full membership. Decisions are usually made
by consensus.
CODE OF ETHICS
* An ye harm none, do as ye will.
* Since our religion and arts and practices peculiar to it
are the gift of the Goddess, membership and training in a local
coven or tradition are bestowed free, as gifts, and only on
those persons who are deemed worthy to receive them. However, a
coven may expect each of its members to bear a fair share of its
ordinary operating expenses.
* All persons have the right to charge reasonable fees for
the services by which they earn a living, so long as our
religion is not thereby exploited.
* Every person associated with this Covenant shall respect
the autonomy and sovereignty of each coven, as well as the right
of each coven to oversee the spiritual, mental, emotional and
physical development of its members and students in its own way,
and shall exercise reasonable caution against infringing upon
that right in any way.
* Members of this Covenant shall respect the traditional
secrecy of our religion.
* Members of this Covenant should ever keep in mind the
underlying unity of our religion as well as the diversity of its
manifestations.
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305
* These ethics shall be understood and interpreted in light
of one another, and especially in light of the traditional laws
of our religion.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All information give to the Covenant of the Goddess or any of
its officials is considered strictly confidential, unless you
indicate otherwise. No information about members is published or
given out without explicit written permission. Direct access
to the Covenant's mailing list is limited to the Board of
Directors. Maximum privacy is assured.
NEWSLETTER
At every Sabbat the Covenant publishes a newsletter of Craft
and Pagan news, original articles, poetry, humor, rituals
and announcements. Member covens receive the newsletter
automatically. Individual coveners and non-members who donate
a suitable tax-deductible gift will also be placed on the mailing
list, to receive the newsletter and other mailings. Circulation
is limited to members and friends of the Covenant.
FINANCES
An annual membership tithe is set every year by the Grand
Council to cover bare expenses, based on the previous year's
expenses and any projected cost increases. The annual
financial statement is published in the newsletter. Other
activities are supported by fund-raising.
All contributions to the Covenant of the Goddess are greatly
appreciated and are tax-deductible.
APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP
Any Goddess-supporting coven or solitaire can be eligible
for membership in the Covenant of the Goddess if certain
criteria and requirements are met. All inquiries into membership
should be sent to the National Credentials Officer. If the
coven or solitaire is in an area near a local council, the
National Officer will forward the inquiry to the local
Credentials Officer, who will respond. A member can apply in
person at a council meeting, or by filling out the appropriate
form and sending it in with the initial membership tithe.
GENERAL CRITERIA FOR COVEN MEMBERSHIP
* Generally focus thealogy and ritual, etc., around worship
of the Goddess and the Old Gods (or the Goddess alone).
* Believe and follow a code of ethics compatible with that of
the Covenant.
* Have been meeting monthly or oftener for at least six
months.
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306
* Have three more members who have been formally
accepted into the clergy.
* Be a cohesive, self-perpetuating group.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Full Membership: The applicant must be recommended without
reservation by two active members of the Covenant.
Provisional Membership: The applicant may be recommended by
one member; and then within a year and a day make a viable
effort to get to know other members, in order to achieve Full
Member status.
The appropriate Credentials Officer (National or local)
shall verify information regarding criteria and credentials.
COVEN-AT-LARGE
This is the term we use to represent the many Witches who are
solitaires, i.e. practicing alone. Each local council may devise
its own standards for admission of coveners-at-large, in harmony
with national guidelines.
LOCAL COUNCILS
A local council is a smaller branch of the Covenant,
consisting of at least three member covens of at least two
different traditions, in
reasonably close geographic proximity to each other. The local
councils generally meet more often than the national
organization. They may initiate independent projects,
sponsor local festivals and workshops, and generally work
together for common goals close to home. As the Covenant
continues to grow, we encourage new member covens close to one
another to form their own local councils.
VOTING
When a matter requiring a decision is presented before the
Covenant in council, it is discussed by the members in attendance
until a consensus is reached. If a consensus cannot be reached,
then a vote is taken. A coven holding a current Full Membership
is entitled to one vote. Each such coven also holds the power to
veto, though this is exercised only in extreme cases. A coven
with Provisional Membership is entitled to one vote, but does not
hold veto power.
A coven-at-large is entitled to one vote if, and only if,
three individuals are physically present at the council and
unanimous in their choice of vote.
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307
MINISTERIAL CREDENTIALS
In order to receive Ministerial Credentials as a Priestess or
Priest, a person shall:
1. Be an active member of a coven which is a Full Member of
the Covenant.
2. Have been "confirmed" to taking on the full commitment
to the requirements of that coven's Tradition of our religion.
3. Have undergone at least a full year of active training
for the ministry of that Tradition.
These credentials shall remain valid only so long as the
person remains an active member of the coven which remains an
active member of the Covenant.
In order to be eligible to receive Ministerial Credentials as
an Elder, a person shall:
1. Satisfy (2.) and (3.) above.
2. Have undergone an additional full year of active training
for the ministry.
3. Be fully able to form a coven, admit members, and train
them in the tenets and practices of that Tradition.
These credentials shall remain valid for life, unless
specifically revoked, so long as the person remains in contact
with the Covenant.
THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL
The annual Grand Council or national business meeting is held
as part of a national festival, which is open to the whole
membership as well as Pagans and Witches who are not part of the
Covenant. The
festival is usually held at a secluded campground or resort, and
moves to a different area of the country each summer. In
addition to the council meeting, the program includes
workshops on magick and the Craft, concerts, a potluck feast, a
talent show, and the opportunity to purchase (or barter for) art,
crafts and ritual tools by Pagan artisans. Registration
information is available in the newsletter.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Write to: Covenant of the Goddess, P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley,
CA 94704.
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308
A Pledge to Pagan Spirituality
I am a Pagan andI dedicate Myself tochanneling the Spiritual
Energy of my Inner Self to help and to heal myself and others.
* I know that I am a part of the Whole of Nature. May I
grow in understanding of the Unity of all Nature. May I always
walk in Balance.
* May I always be mindful of the diversity of Nature as well
as its Unity and may I always be tolerant of those whose race,
appearance, sex, sexual preference, culture, and other ways differ
from my own.
* May I use the Force(psychic power) wisely and never useit
for aggression nor for malevolent purposes. May I never direct it
to curtail the free will of another.
* May I always be mindfulthat I create my own reality and that I
have the power within me to create positivity in my life.
* May I always act in honorable ways: being honest with
myself and others, keeping my word whenever I have given it,
fulfilling all responsibilities and commitments I have taken on to
the best of my ability.
* May I always remember that whatever is sent out always
returns magnified to the sender. May the Forces of Karma move
swiftly to remind me of these spiritual commitments when I have
begin to falter from them, and may I use this Karmic feedback to help
myself grow and be more attuned to my Inner Pagan Spirit.
* May I always remain strong and committed to my Spiritual ideals
in the face of adversity and negativity. May the Force of my Inner
Spirit ground out all malevolence directed my way and transform
it into positivity. May my Inner Light shine so strongly that
malevolent forces can not even approach my sphere of existence.
* May I always grow in Inner Wisdom & Understanding. MayI see
every problem that I face as an opportunity to develop myself
spiritually in solving it.
* May I always act out ofLove to all other beings on this Planet
-- to other humans, to plants, to animals, to minerals, to
elementals, to spirits, and to other entities.
* May I always be mindful that the Goddess and God in all their
forms dwell within me and that this divinity is reflected through
my own Inner Self, my Pagan Spirit.
* May I always channel Love and Light from my being. May my
Inner Spirit, rather than my ego self, guide all my thoughts,
feelings, and actions.
SO MOTE IT BE
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309
The Craft (Witchcraft - NOT to be confused with Satanism. A true
Witch has nothing to do with this, even though there are some
Satanists who (unright-fully) call themselves "Witch".) contains a
large number of groups with bonds to each other, for the most part,
which are looser than those you will find between Christian churches.
Each has it's own traditions, it's own beliefs, it's own pantheon,
etc. So just WHAT is it that, overall, a Witch believes in? The
American Council of Witches was formed to determine what it was that
all Witches have in common, belief-wise. In the early 1970's, a
paper was released with their findings, and gives a good overall
picture of it. The following is the text of that paper.
======================================================================
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CRAFT
1. The first principle is that of love, and it is expressed in the
ethic,
"DO AS YOU WILL, SO LONG AS YOU HARM NONE"
a)love is notemotional in it'sessence, but isan attribute of
the individual as expressed in relation to other beings;
b) harming others can be by thought, word, or deed;
c> it is to be understood the "none" includes oneself;
d) theharm which isto be regardedas unethical isgratuitous
harm; war, in general, is gratuitous harm, although it is
ethical to defend oneself and one's liberty when threatened by
real and present danger, such as defense against invasion.
2. The Witch must recognize and harmonize with the forces of the
universe, in accord with the Law of Polarity: everything is dual;
everything has two poles; everything has it's opposite; for every
action there is a reaction; all can be categorized as either
active or reactive in relation to other things.
a) Godhead is one unique and transcendent wholeness, beyond
any limitationsor expressions; thus,it is beyond our
human capacity to understand and identify with this
principle of Cosmic Oneness, except as It is revealed to us
in terms of It's attributes and operation.
b) The most basic and meaningful attribute of the One that
we, as humans, can relate to and understand, is that of
polarity, of action and reaction; therefore Witches
recognize the Oneness of the Divinity, but worship and
relate to the Divine as the archetypal polarity of God
and Goddess, the All-Father and the Great Mother of the
universe. The Beings are as near as we can approach to
the One within our human limitations of understanding and
expression, though it is possible to experience the
divine Oneness through the practices of the Mysteries.
c) Harmony does not consist of the pretty and the nice, but
the balanced, dynamic,poised co-operation and
co-relation.
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310
3. The Witch must recognize, and operate within the framework of the
Law of Cause and Effect; every action has it's reaction, and
every effect has it's cause. All things occur according to this law;
nothing in the universe can occur outside this law, though we may not
always appreciate the relation between a given effect and it's cause.
Subsidiary to this is the Law of Three, which states that whatever
goes forth must return threefold, whether of good or ill; for our
actions affect more than people generally realize, and the
resulting reactions are also part of the harvest.
4. As Above, So Below. That which exists in the Macrocosm exists,
on a smaller scale and to a lesser degree, in the Microcosm. The
powers of the universe exist also in the human, though in general
instance they lie dormant. The powers and abilities can be
awakened and used if the proper techniques are practiced, and this
is why initiates of the Mysteries are sworn to guard the secrets
from the unworthy: Much harm can be done by those who have power
without responsibility, both to others and to themselves according
to the Laws of Cause and Effect and of Threefold Return.
a) Since our philosophy teaches that the universe is the
physical manifestation of the Divine, there can be
nothing in the universe which does not partake of the
nature of the Divine; hence, the powers and attributes of
the Divine exist also in the manifest, though to much
smaller degree.
b) These powers can be awakened through the various
techniques of theMysteries, and,although they areonly
capable of small effects in and of themselves, it is
possible to use them in order to draw upon the forces of
the universe. Thus humanity can be the wielders of the
power of the Gods, a channel for Godhead to act within
It's own manifestation. This, then, is further reason
for the oath of secrecy.
c) Since the universe is the body of the One, possessing the
same attributes as the One, it's Laws must be the
principles through and by which the One operates. By
reasoning from the known to the unknown, one can learn of
the Divine, and thus of oneself. Thus the Craft is a
natural religion, seeing in Nature the expression and
revelation of Divinity.
5. We know that everything in the universe is in movement or
vibration and is a function of that vibration. Everything vibrates;
all things rise and fall in a tidal system that reflects the motion
inherent in the universe and also in the atom. Matter and energy
are but two poles of one continuous phenomenon. Therefore the
Witch celebrates, harmonizes with, and makes use of the tides of the
universe and of life as expressed through the cycle of the seasons
and the motion of the solar system. These ritual observances are
the eight great Festivals of the Year, referred to as the Wheel of
the Year. Further, the Witch works with the forces and tides of the
Moon, for this body is the mediator of much energy to our planet
Earth and thus to ourselves.
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311
6. Nothing is dead matter in the universe. All things exist,
therefore all things live, though perhaps in a different manner from
that which we are used to calling life. In view of this, the Witch
knows that there is no true death, only change from one condition
to another. The universe is the body of Godhead, and therefore
possesses one transcendent consciousness; all things partake of the
consciousness, in varying levels of trance/awareness.
a) Because of this principle, all things are sacred to the
Witch, for all partake of the one Life.
b) Therefore the Witch is a natural ecologist, for Nature is
part of us as we are a part of Nature.
7. Astrology can be useful in marking and interpreting the flow and
ebb of the tides of our solar system, and thus of making use of
those tides; astrology should not be debased into mere
fortune-telling.
8. Throughout the development of the human race, civilizations have
seen and worshipped many and various attributes of the Divine.
These universal forces have been clothed in forms which were
expressive to the worshipper of the attribute of the Godhead which
they expressed. Use of these symbolic representations of t h e
natural and divine forces of the universe, or god forms, is a
potent method for contacting and utilizing the forces they represent.
Thus the Gods are both natural and truly divine, and man-made in
that the forms with which they are clothed are products of
humanity's striving to know the Godhead.
a) In keeping with the Law of Polarity, these god-forms are
brought into harmony by the one great Law whichstates:
All Gods are oneGod. All Goddesses areone Goddess.
There is one Initiator. This law is an expression of our
understanding that all of the forces of the universe, by
whatever ethnic god-form is chosen to clothe and relate
to whichever force, can be resolved into the fundamental
polarity of the Godhead, the Great Mother and the
All-Father.
b) It is the use of differing god forms, of differing ethnic
sources or periods,which is the basis ofmany of the
differencesbetween
thevariousTraditions
oftheCraft.
EachTraditionuses theforms,andthusthenames,which
to thatTradition bestexpress and awakenan
understandingofthe forcerepresented,accordingto the
areas of emphasis of the Tradition.
c) Because we know that differing names or representations
arebutexpressionsofthesamedivineprinciplesand
forces,werequire ourmemberstoswearthat theywill
nevermockthenames bywhichanotherhonors theDivine,
eventhough thosenames bedifferentfrom andseemingly
lessexpressive thanthe namesand godforms usedby our
Tradition(for tothe membersof anotherTradition, using
it's names, oursmay easily seemequally less
expressive).
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9. A Witch refuses to allow her/himself to be corrupted by the great
guilt neuroses which have been foisted on humanity in the name of
the Divine, thus freeing the self of the slavery of the mind.
The Witch expresses responsibility for her/his actions, and
accepts the consequences of them; guilt is rejected as inhibiting to
one's self-actualization, and replaced by the efforts of the Witch
to obey the teachings of harmlessness, responsibility for t h e
consequences of one's actions, and the goal of actualizing the full
powers of the individual.
a) We refuse to believe that a human being is born innately
sinful,and recognizetheconcepts ofsinandguilt
aretremendouslyinhibitingto thehumanpotential;the
consequencesof theLawof CauseandEffect,called karma
bysome, arenot punishment,but therecurrences of
situations andtheir effectsbecause theindividualas
notgained the Wisdomneeded tohandle or avoidsuch
situations.
b) There is no heaven except that which we ourselves make of
ourlifeonEarth,andlikewisethereisnohellexcept
theeffectsofourunwiseactions.Deathisnotfollowed
bypunishmentorreward,but bylifeandthecontinuing
evolution of the human potential.
c) One cannot damn the divine in oneself; one can, however,
cutoneselfofffromitthroughthe rejectionofwisdom
anda refusaltostrive forself-realization. This
cutting off does not lead to personal suffering
in"hell", forthereisnoSelftosufferifthetieto
one'sown divinityhasbeensevered;whatremainsis
merelyanemptyshell,a"personality"orthought-form
devoid of it's ensouling Spark of the Divine Fire.
10. We know of the existence of the life-force which ensouls all
living things, that is, all that exists. We know that a spark of this
Divine Fire is within each and every thing that exists, and that
it does not die; only the form of it's existence changes. We know
that this spark of the life-force returns to manifestation again
and again in order to fully realize and actualize it's potential,
evolving finally to the peak and essence of existence which is pure
being. In this process of reincarnation each form returns in the
same type of form, though it's ever-increasing actualization may
lead to higher levels of existence of that form. Man returns as
man, cat as feline, mineral as mineral, each class of form
evolving as the individual forms of that class evolve.
11. This process of evolution through successive incarnations in
manifest form works through the utilizations of wisdom gained, t h e
essence of the life-experience. This essence of experience, o r
Wisdom, is an attribute of the spark of life itself, one and
inseparable (see 9a).
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12. We must care for the body, for it is the vehicle of the spark of
life, the form by which we attain. Thus we must heal the body of
it's ills and keep it a tuned and perfected tool; so must we heal
others (both physically and psychologically) as far as it is
within our power to do so. However, we cannot interfere with the life
of another, even to heal, except at their request or with t h e i r
express permission; unless such non-interference would be inhibiting
to our own, ethical existence and development -- and
even then the responsibilities and consequences must be
understood and accepted. This, then, is one of the important
reasons for the communal life the Witches under the guidance of t h e
Priesthood: That the group may be guided by wisdom and
experience, with the aid and support of one's peers; and that one's
actions may be guided by the influence of the ethical life of the
group as a whole.
13. Harmony with, and utilization of, the great natural forces of the
universe is called magick. By magick we speak, not of the
supernatural, but of the superbly natural, but whose laws and
applications are not as yet recognized by the scientific
establishment. The Witch must strive to recognize these forces, learn
their laws, attune her/himself to them, and make use of them. The
Witch must also be aware that power corrupts when
used_only_ for thegains of theself, and thereforemust strive
to serve humanity: Either through the service in the Priesthood,
or by example and effects of his/her life on others. The choice
must be made in accord with the true nature of the Witch.
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This article is excerpted from the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal.
Each issue of the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal is published by
High Plains Arts and Sciences; P.O. Box 620604, Littleton Co.,
80123, a Colorado Non-Profit Corporation, under a Public Domain
Copyright, which entitles any person or group of persons to
reproduce, in any form whatsoever, any material contained therein
without restriction, so long as articles are not condensed or
abbreviated in any fashion, and credit is given the original
author.!
IN GRANDMOTHER'S LAP
Copyright 1987, RMPJ
"Morals are the nagging fear that somebody somewhere may be
having a good time." --H. L. Mencken
What is the difference between one of us and Oral Roberts?
Well, hopefully there are lots of differences, but the top one
on my list is that I work on being ethical and he is a moralist.
The moralist knows how everybody else should behave in order
to be a good person, avoid Hell, fit into decent society, etc.,
etc. He is quite likely to feel that he is a valid exception to
all his own rules, since he can handle temptation and control his
outcomes. His main characteristic is frantic paranoid distrust
of other people. No one should be seen nude, for instance,
because this would be un-bearably sexually arousing and lead to
promiscuity, neglect of ordinary duties, etc. He knows he can
control himself, but everybody else has to be "protected" from
their evil impulses. His major defence is projection: "I'm not
oversexed, and of course I'd never want to be or want to be
unfaithful to my wife, but that woman in the (name situation or
article of clothing) sure is asking for it. Ultimate expressions
of this type of thinking are wife-beating -- one man said, "When
I walked into the self-help group I thought that when they heard
what I'd had to put up with they'd con-gratulate me for not
having killed her." -- and witch-burning -- "I am a good person.
Bad things do not happen to good people. A bad thing has
happened to me. Somebody did it! Kill them!"
In essence, the moralist is saying "It can't be my fault
(I'm not able to face the idea that it might be my fault). It
must be somebody else's fault. If people would just follow these
few simple rules, which I'll be glad to explain to them, nothing
would go wrong and I wouldn't have to feel anxious. But since
they won't all follow my rules, everything is their fault, not
mine, and I don't have to feel anxious."
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To me this is nauseating. I have no idea how you "should"
behave; who are you? What's the situation? Who else is
affected? Even then, the best I could offer would be some
suggestions of courses of action which might have good results --
but I don't believe there are any simple rules for human conduct
which are always "right." What I do believe is that ethical
behavior consists of choosing your actions such that you can look
at yourself in the mirror in the morning without flinching.
Which means I can see a Corsican being ethical and killing
another person as part of a feud; a gypsy being ethical and
defrauding a gaujo. I suspect that what I mean here is that
ethics impel you to be true to your own values, while morals make
you want to
a) control others, and
b) not get caught yourself. But being ethical implies that they
are your own values, which you have thought through and decided
to accept, and not just the ones you have swallowed whole from
your family or culture.
Marjoe, a famous evangelist who later went straight,
described preaching hellfire and damnation and then going back to
the motel and making love to his girlfriend of the moment -- who
had to be flown in from New York so the locals wouldn't know what
he was doing. Oral Roberts says people have to give him $8
million, or God will "call him home." These are examples of
people whose highest priority is influencing others, making the
right kind of impression - the actuality doesn't seem to be
really relevant to their choice-making process.
The ethical person, on the other hand, may not care at all
about the impression he is erig; he will say in total sincerity
"I know I look like a fool for doing it, but I couldn't have
lived with myself if I hadn't." Or even harder, "I know you
think I'm being hard and cruel, but I honestly believe this is
the best solution in the circumstances."
Next issue (are you holding your breath?) the difference be-
tween act idealism and absolute idealism, or how to tell a witch
from a fundamentalist without a score card.
The Spinster Aunt .......... FROM RMPJ, 2/3/1987
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EXEGESIS ON THE WICCAN REDE
by Judy Harrow
originally published in HARVEST - Volume 5, Number 3 (Oimelc, 1985)
second publication: THE HIDDEN PATH - Volume X, Number 2 Beltane,
1987)
All religions began with somebody's sudden flashing insight,
enlightenment, a shining vision. Some mystic found the way and the
words to share the vision, and, sharing it, attracted followers. The
followers may repeat those precise and poetic words about the vision
until they congeal into set phrases, fused language, repeated by rote
and without understanding. Cliches begin as great wisdom - that's why
they spread so fast - and end as ritual phrases, heard but not
understood. Living spirituality so easily hardens to boring religious
routine, maintained through guilt and fear, or habit and social
opportunism - any reason but joy.
We come tothe Craft witha first generation'sjoy ofdiscovery,
and a first generation's memory of bored hours of routine worship in
our childhood. Because we have known the difference, it is our
particular challenge to find or make ways to keep the Craft a living,
real experience for our grandchildren and for the students of our
students.
I think the best ofthese safeguards is already builtinto the
Craft as we know it, put there by our own good teachers. On our Path,
the mystic experience itself is shared, not just the fruits of
mysticism. We give all our students the techniques, and the
protective/supportive environment that enable almost every one of them
to Draw the Moon and/or Invoke the God. This is an incredibly radical
change from older religions, even older Pagan religions, in which the
only permissible source of inspiration has been to endlessly
reinterpret and reapply the vision of the Founder (the Bible, the
Book of the Law, the Koran, ... ). The practice of Drawing the Moon is
the brilliant crown of the Craft.
But notice how often, in the old myths, every treasure has its
pitfalls? I think I'm beginning to see one of ours. Between the normal
process of original visions clotting into cliche, and our perpetual
flow of new inspiration, we are in danger of losing the special wisdom
of those who founded the modern Craft. I do not think we should
assiduously preserve every precious word. My love for my own
Gardnerian tradition does not blind me to our sexist and heterosexist
roots. And yet, I want us to remain identifiably Witches and not meld
into some homogeneous "New Age" sludge. For this, I think we need some
sort of anchoring in tradition to give us a sense of identity. Some of
the old sayings really do crystallize great wisdom as well,
life-affirming Pagan wisdom that our culture needs to hear.
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So I think it's time for a little creative borrowing from our
neighbors. Christians do something they call "exegesis;" Jews have a
somewhat similar process called "midrash." What it is something
between interpretation and meditation, a very concentrated examination
of a particular text. The assumption often is that every single word
has meaning (cabalists even look at the individual letters). Out of
this inspired combination of scholarship and daydream comes the
vitality of those paths whose canon is closed. The contemporary
example, of course, is Christian Liberation Theology, based on a
re-visioning of Jesus that would utterly shock John Calvin.
Althoughour canon is not closed - andthe day it is the day I
quit - I'm suggesting that we can use a similar process to renew the
life of the older parts of our own still-young heritage.
So, I'dlike totry doingsome exegesison anessential statement
of the Craft way of life. Every religion has some sort of ethic, some
guideline for what it means to live in accordance with this particular
mythos, this worldview. Ours, called the Wiccan Rede, is one of the
most elegant statements I've heard of the principle of situational
ethics. Rather than placing the power and duty to decide about
behavior with teachers or rulebooks, the Rede places it exactly where
it belongs, with the actor.
eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
AN IT HARM NONE, DO WHAT YOU WILL.
I'd like to start with the second phrase first, and to take it almost
word by word.
Do what YOU will. This is the challenge to self-direction, to
figure out what we want, and not what somebody else wants for us or
from us. All of us are subject to tremendous role expectations and
pressures, coming from our families, our employers, our friends,
society in general. It's easy to just be molded, deceptively easy to
become a compulsive rebel and reflexively do the opposite of whatever
"they" seem to want. Living by the Rede means accepting the
responsibility to assess the results of our actions and to choose when
we will obey, confront or evade the rules.
Do what you WILL. This is the challenge to introspection, to know
what we really want beyond the whim of the moment. The classic example
is that of the student who chooses to study for an exam rather than go
to a party, because what she really wants is to be a doctor. Again,
balance is needed. Always going to the library rather than the movies
is the road to burnout, not the road to a Nobel. What's more, there
are others values in life, such as sensuality, intimacy, spirituality,
that get ignored in a compulsively long-term orientation. So, our
responsibility is not to mechanically follow some rule like "always
choose to defer gratification in your own long-term self interest,"
but to really listen within, and to really choose, each time.
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DO what you will. This is the challenge to action. Don't wait for
Prince Charming or the revolution. Don't blame your mother or the
system. Make a realistic plan that includes all your assets. Be sure
to include magic, both the deeper insights and wisdoms of divination
and the focusing of will and energy that comes from active workings.
Then take the first steps right now. But, beware of thoughtless
action, which is equally dangerous. For example, daydreaming is
needed, to envision a goal, to project the results of actions,
to check progress against goals, sometimes to revise goals. Thinking
and planning are necessary parts of personal progress. Action and
thought are complementary; neither can replace the other.
When youreally lookat it, wordby word, itsounds likea subtle
and profound guide for life, does it not? Is it complete? Shall "do
what you will" in fact be "the whole of the law" for us? I think not.
The second phrase of the Rede discusses the individual out of context.
Taken by itself, "DO WHAT YOU WILL" would produce a nastily
competitive society, a "war of each against all" more bitter than what
we now endure. That is, it would if it were possible. Happily, it's
just plain not.
Pagan myth and modernbiology alike teach us that ourEarth is
one interconnected living sphere, a whole system in which the actions
of each affect all (and this is emphatically not limited to humankind)
through intrinsic, organic feedback paths. As our technology amplifies
the effects of our individual actions, it becomes increasingly
critical to understand that
these actions have consequences beyond the individual; consequences
that, by the very nature of things, come back to the individual as
well. Cooperation, once "merely" an ethical ideal, has become a
survival imperative. Life is relational, contextual. Exclusive focus
on the individual Will is a lie and a deathtrap.
The qualifying "AN IT HARM NONE," draws a Circle around the
individual Will and places each of us firmly within the dual contexts
of the human community and the complex life-form that is Mother Gaia.
The first phrase of the Rede directs us to be aware of results of our
actions projected not only in time, as long-term personal outcomes,
but in space - to consider how actions may effect our families,
co-workers, community, and the life of the Earth as a whole, and to
take those projections into account in our decisions.
But, like the rest of the Rede, "an it harm none" cannot be
followed unthinkingly. It is simply impossible for creatures who eat
to harm none. Any refusal to decide or act for fear of harming someone
is also a decision and an action, and will create results of some
kind. When you consider that "none" also includes ourselves, it
becomes clear that what we have here is a goal and an ideal, not a
rule.
The Craft,assuming ethical adulthood,offers us norote rules.
We will always be working on incomplete knowledge. We will sometimes
just plain make mistakes. Life itself, and life-affirming religion,
still demands that we learn, decide, act, and accept the results.
Judy Harrow
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The Witches' Creed
Hear Now the words of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now we bring forth into light.
Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.
Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns, and the witches are seen
At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Hallowe'en.
When day-time and night-time are equal,
Whensun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
And Witches gather in feast.
Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the coven's array.
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
For each golden year and a day.
The power that was passed down the age,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages began.
When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame of power,
Its compass between two worlds lies,
In land of the shades for that hour.
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This world has no right then to know it,
And world of beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of magic is wrought.
For the two are mystical pillars,
That stand at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces divine.
The dark and the light in succession,
The opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
Of this our ancestors teach.
By night he's the wild wind's rider,
The Horn'd One, the Lord of the Shades.
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in green forest glades.
She is youthful or old as she pleases,
She sails the torn clouds in her barque,
The bright silver lady of midnight,
The crone who weaves spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magic,
That dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to free or to bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And Dance and make love in their praise,
Till Elphame's fair land shall receive us
In peace at the end of our days.
And Do What You Will be the challenge,
So be it Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By Magic of old, be it done!
Doreen Valiente,
"Witchcraft For Tomorrow"
pp.172-173
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Hill Country Pagan Grove
Austin, Texas, U.S.A.
Published December 1982 by C.C.C. Creative Cooperative Consolidated
12611 Research Blvd. Number 125 Austin, Texas 78759 U.S.A.
First edition, December 1982 Second edition, revised, April 1983
PREFACE
Some have asked how this little booklet came into being. It's all
very straightforward: as the most visible representatives of paganism
here in Austin, Texas, I and my consort, Arnthor Phalius, are asked
often to appear in public to talk about witchcraft. The questions
included here are those most often asked, along with the answers we
give.
Of course we cannot pretend to speak for all Pagans, only for
ourselves. But the little booklet has been well-received as a
non-threatening method of getting to know a subject like Wicca.
Occasionally we will find someone who has had negative experiences
with persons who call themselves Wiccans or Witches, and in those
cases they expressed relief on find that `other types' of Pagans
existed than those which had given them their initial bad impressions.
The Directory* is an individual effort at networking in the Sunbelt.
Here in Texas there are many traditions and varieties of Paganism, and
if one isn't to be alone, one must learn that there are more
similarities than differences in Paganism and the other major
religions. Pagans have always known this, but for various reasons,
have not stepped forward as representatives of this view.
I (Merlana) am a mystic who responds to the Universal Mind as it is
expressed in Nature. It is my deep belief that persons who reverence
these principles are unified at bottom, and separated only by the
illusion of words, which are not reality. Sometimes words aren't even
adequate representations of `Reality`!
It is my intention in this little booklet to re-define some issues
and terms in the way that my tradition sees them. It so happens that
much of the rest of Paganism falls within this general framework.
(NOTE: A `tradition' is a varietal type, like `denomination').
If youalready know the subject and wish to differ, your comments are
welcome. If you are new to the subject, perhaps here you'll find some
questions answered, and (if wanted) fellowship with others who are on
similar paths. Directory* listings are free to those in the Sunbelt of
the USA (South and Southwest.) New editions are published irregularly.
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If you don't live in the Sunbelt, but have goods or services which
interest Pagans, you may also put an ad into the Directory.* Write for
details.
Blessed be, Merlana April 1983
1. WHAT IS WICCA?
`Wicca' (pronounced Wick-ah) is one name given to the Nature religions
practiced in Northern Europe and the Middle East from the times of the
ice ages. It is one spiritual path out of many in a group of spiritual
practices known as NeoPaganism. NeoPaganism is currently in a
world-wide revival, led by persons and groups in the United States and
Britain.
2. HOW DO WICCA AND NEOPAGANISM FIT TOGETHER?
Wicca is one subsidiary form, or `tradition,' similar to the way
Christianity has many forms. One can be a Christian and still be
Baptist, Methodist or Roman Catholic. In the same way, one can be a
Pagan but ascribe to another, more specific, sub-variety of
philosophy.
3. IS IT THE SAME AS WITCHCRAFT?
One linguistic theory has the word Wicca coming from Olde English
`Wicca-Craeft', meaning `craft of the wise ones.' Most followers of
Wicca (and most Pagans) prefer not to use the terms `witchcraft' or
`witch' because of the emotional connotations these words carry in our
society.
Generally, one who calls him or herself a `witch' without further
qualifications is seeking notoriety and special attention. Those of us
who guard the portals of personal Power (like Carlos Casteneda's
character Don Juan) are normally hard to find or engage in discussion.
Our Mysteries are carefully hidden from the world, and from those who
might be tempted to misuse them.
4. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ABOUT GOD?
Although Pagans generally agree that one God exists and is the same
regardless of name, they vary in specific concepts about God, as in
other religions.
What an individual Pagan holds is strictly a matter of personal
belief. However, occasionally a tradition will teach highly-specific
concepts, structures and mythologies. If one finds oneself in
disagreement, the best policy is `voting with the feet', or
withdrawing to find another group who better agrees.
NOTE: Sometimes it may be easierto gather together a group of people
who believe as you do to form an entirely new group. That's the
purpose of networking, or what the booklet is designed for.
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Most Wiccans divide the Godhead (generally conceived of as Mother
Nature) into two forces. One force is male and the other female. They
are called respectively: The God and The Goddess.
Between them, these two divinities create balance and harmony in the
Eternal Dance. They represent the forces of birth, death and
regeneration symbolized in the change of the seasons. Wiccans call
5this cycle The Wheel Of The Year. Most rituals celebrate the Wheel Of
The Year and our deep, meaningful participation in natural cycles of
change.
Because the male force has been in ascendancy for thousands of years
due to the Christian, Moslem and Jewish religions, there is presently
a tendency to emphasize The Goddess, especially by feminists (or by
those whose personal concept of God happens to be female).
We also believe in Magick, which is a partnership between humanity
and the Universal Mind. This partnership creates changes in what we
normally call `reality', i.e., change accomplished with prayer. These
changes can seem miraculous or merely coincidental, and always include
personal effort. Magick is not the same as `wishing.'
5. WHAT HAPPENS AT A WICCAN CEREMONY?
There are several types of get-togethers that Pagans of all
traditions attend. The most available and open is called a `Grove,'
where those who wish may study both spiritual and ceremonial topics.
Most groves emphasize fellowship and harmony of mind between their
members. You should choose one as much for how you blend with the
personalities of the members as for a particular brand of teaching.
Eight times a year, at the solstices and equinoxes, May Day,
Halloween, and other points on the lunar calendar, Pagans gather
together (usually outdoors under trees) to celebrate Nature and the
turn of the seasons.
These celebrations consist of dancing, prayer, invocations, and
rituals passed down from the many traditions through the ages. We also
urge participants to develop and use their own original rituals and to
share them with others.
Because we dance and pray in a standing Circle (or sometimes a
spiral), and because we draw at these times from the Universe
spherical energies of protection and power - these meetings are called
(appropriately enough!) Circles.
6. HOW CAN I ATTEND A GROVE OR CIRCLE?
Wiccans and Pagans tend to be very private, and do not advertise
their faith at publicly as some others might. This is mainly because
of past persecutions. However, for those who are sincerely interested,
there always exist persons with whom to visit and explore that
interest. Check the Directory* at the back of this booklet for names
of others who are open to contacts.
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If you are sincere and rally want to setout upon the Pagan path, the
first step is to find a Grove to study with. After a Grove accepts
you, eventually you will attend Circles.
7. DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY OTHERSPIRITUAL PATHS TO BECOME A WICCAN?
That will depend on the tradition and the teacher. In general,
Pagans are most tolerant of any philosophical structure, and ask only
that the tolerance be returned. You will not be requested to do
anything that differs with your beliefs and spiritual needs.
8. DOES BEING PAGAN MAKE A PERSON SPECIAL OR DIFFERENT?
Well yes, of course. But the special qualities are available to
everybody. Everything that Pagans do with Magick is done in other
religions by other names. It is only that we have found that these
particular formulas, beliefs, and celebrations work best for us.
These are varying approaches to (and grasps of) personal Power. One
way of recognizing someone who is truly Powerful is to note whether he
or she seems to need control or influence over others. True personal
power is content to control only the self, and personal reality.
9. DO YOU CAST SPELLS ON OTHER PEOPLE?
The major law in our religion is: "Do what you will, an it hurt no
other." (The Golden Rule)
In other words, no one is prevented from exploration of God and
GodSelf as long as others are not harmed.
We do believe in directing the energies of the universe toward
accomplishment of certain ends, but magick is never effective on
another person unless the person specifically requests it and takes
responsibility for that request.
Attempts at so-called `black' magick, or use of the universal
energies for negative or harmful purposes, only result in karmic
backlash magnified at least threefold on the unfortunate would-be
black magician.
Our tradition does not believe in the possibility of `psychic
attack', and hence does not teach methods for combating it. Our
philosophy tells us that to raise a force against `psychic attack' is
only to create that which you fear.
10. ARE PAGANS ANTI-CHRISTIAN?
No. But many Christians are anti-Pagan. Historically there has
existed an adversary relationship between Christianity and the Nature
Religions (largely created by Christians.)
It takes much universal love not to strike back when attacked, and
occasionally a Pagan might seem bitter or afraid as the result of
anti-Pagan treatment. This is only a personal reaction, not a
characteristic of the religion itself.
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It is also true that Wiccans and Pagans have suffered dismissal from
jobs and worse simply from their religious affiliation being revealed.
Events like these lead to a certain caution and sometimes even an
attitude approaching mild paranoia.
11. WHO IS IN CHARGE OF PAGANISM?
Each person is in charge of him or herself, responsible totally to
Godd/ess. One might hear an individual called High Priestess, or
Priest, but this title has more to do with the role played in
ceremonies than with status in any formal hierarchy.
Groves and teaching groups sometimes have various levels of
initiation, but again, these are individual to each tradition.
12. WHAT MAKES WICCA DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PATHS THAT BELIEVE IN THE
PSYCHIC POWERS?
We usually find that people most often comment on the robes and the
tools. Traditionally we wear special garments while engaging in
devotions, as a male Jew wears prayer shawl and skullcap. The garments
have symbolisms, and stand for beliefs of the person wearing them.
The tools are: a cup, knife, staff (or wand), and the pentacle, a
5-pointed star with 5th point upward, enclosed in a circle.
For those familiar with the tarotcards, this was the original source
of the tarot suits as well as many meanings and symbolisms in the
tarot deck.
13. WHAT IS DONE WITH THE TOOLS?
They are used, along with other objects, like candles, bells, and
incense to focus energies and influence Universal forces with our
prayers. If the format reminds you of Roman Catholic mass, that's
because much of the indigenous Nature Religion's mysteries were
`adopted' when Christianity moved into Northern Europe -- into
England, Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavia ... the lands of the Celts.
Also, if the tools and concepts seem to resemble elements in
Rosicrucianism, the Caballa, and the Masonic Temple, it is because the
latter paths drew and adopted Pagan rituals and forms for other uses.
Since ours was an oral tradition we gratefully acknowledge the role
these organizations played in bringing to modern times knowledge and
insights which have otherwise been lost.
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Here's a bit of trivia: Although the Founding Fathers of the U.S.A.
generally held indifferent attitudes about Christianity they were all
thirty-third degree Masons. Obviously they sought to incorporate their
high ideals into writing our first constitution. This odd fact
explains to some people why fundamentalist Christians and the
constitution occasionally seem to be at cross-purposes.
14. HOW LARGE IS THE RELIGION?
Since Wicca, or Paganism, is an alternative religion uninterested in
power or clout, we measure our `size' usually only by spiritual
growth. There is a national newspaper published quarterly by which
many Pagans keep in touch.
15. WHAT ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY?
That's magick, too! Craft practitioners of old WERE the scientists
... there was need for healers and herbalists, agriculture and
astronomy experts. The scientific method has now made teaching these
subjects respectable in universities. But in the process we have lost
the lore's former integration of the spiritual relationship between
God Expressed As Nature and ourselves.
Manyof us are scientifically trained and hold technological jobs and
interests. This does not interfere with but only adds to a desire for
ritual celebration and union with Godd/ess. Also many of us are
ourselves practicing psychics, or are interested in extrasensory
perception (ESP) and its uses. Paganism makes available a
philosophical structure for all of these ends utilized effectively for
millennia. It urges individuals to develop their personal powers
within that structure and to use them thereafter in a responsible way.
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16. THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE: WHY DON'T I EVER HEAR OR READ ABOUT PAGAN
CHARITIES OR GOOD WORKS?
Good news makes terrible press. News media and supermarket tabloids
would much rather print scandal and controversy. How many times have
you seen a headline that attributed a person's conduct to his/her
belief in Witchcraft? Do you ever see the same types of stories about
Moslems, Jews or Christians?
In addition, organized charity can only be accomplished undercertain
forms of organized religious structures. That takes leadership,
delegation of powers, community resources and accumulation of money
and collective wealth.
We focus instead on personal responsibility and the necessity of
reflecting Godd/ess in our characters and lives. Occasionally persons
in the Craft will join together to change a situation or to help
someone, but this is always done quietly and with the full knowledge
and permission of those for whom the help of change in requested. It
is always done without taking public credit. We feel that Godd/ess
knows, and that is all we need.
17. HOW CAN WE SUM THIS UP IN A FEW WORDS?
Wicca, a branch of the spiritual movement called Neopaganism (or
Paganism) is primarily a religion of personal, mystical relationship
between the Universal Mind as expressed in Nature and the individual.
It believes in Magick, or positive change wrought by prayer and
ceremonial ritual. It brings its practitioners the joy of union and
harmony with Godd/ess as expressed in Nature as well as fellowship
with other persons who are on similar paths. Personal responsibility
and growth are stressed, dogma and rigid beliefs are discouraged.
MAY GODD/ESS SPEAK TO YOU
IN THE VOICE YOU HEAR BEST.
BLESSED BE!
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A LITTLE LESS MISUNDERSTANDING
(What Christians Don't Understand about Neopaganism)
by J. Brad Hicks
Q: Are you a witch?
A: That's actually a tricky question to answer, so let me go
about it in a round-about way. What I am is a Neopagan.
Neopaganism is a beautiful, complex religion that is not in
opposition to Christianity in any way - just different. However,
some of the people that the Catholic church burned as "witches"
were people who practiced the same things that I do. In
identification with them and the suffering that they went through,
some of us (Neopagans) call ourselves witches. One expert, P.E.I.
Bonewits, says that there are actually several kinds of groups who
call themselves "witches." Some are people whose ancestors were the
village healers, herbalists, midwives, and such, many of whom had
(or were ascribed to have) mental, psychic, or magical powers, which
were passed down through the family in the form of oral tradition,
and Bonewits calls them "Traditional Witches." Some are people who
have deliberately used the term to oppose themselves to Christianity,
are practicing "Satanists," and practice (deliberately) most of the
practices invented by the Inquisitors. Bonewits calls them "Gothic"
or "Neo-Gothic Witches." Of a different kind are some radical
feminist groups, who call themselves witches because they believe
that the original Inquisition was primarily anti-female; some of
these also practice magic, many of them do not - Bonewits calls
them "Feminist Witches." But the vast majority of modern witches
are harmless people who worship God in many forms, including the
Lord of the Dance, the Lady, and the Mother Earth. These are the
people that Bonewits (and I) call"Neopagan Witches" - and this is
what I am. I hope that this helps more than it confuses.
Q: Are you a devil worshipper?
A: I'm tempted to just say, "No!" and leave it at that, but that
probably isn't enough. Devil worship (including Satanism) is
really a Christian heresy. (If you don't believe me, ask an expert -
say, any well-read pastor or theology professor.) In order to worship
Satan, you have to believe in him - and there are no references to
Satan outside of the Christian Bible. So to be a Satanist or a
devil worshipper, you have to believe in the accuracy of the Christian
Bible, then identify yourself with God's Enemy, proclaim that you
are "evil," and then try to "fight against Jesus" or similar
nonsense. Neopagans do not accept the Christian Bible as a source of
truth. As a source of some beautiful poetry, sometimes, or as a
source of myth, but not as a source of truth. Emphatically, we do
not believe that God has an Opposite, an evil being trying to destroy
God, the world, man, or whatever. So it is non-sensical to say that
Neopagans worship Satan. Of course, many people insist that any god
other than JHVH/Jesus (and his other Biblical names) is a demon or an
illusion created by Satan. Well, you're welcome to believe that if
you like - but over half of the world's population is going to
be unhappy at you. Jews and followers of Islam are just as confident
that they worship the True God as you are, and resent being called
devil worshippers. So do I.
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Q: What do Neopagans believe about God?
A: Neopaganism is a new religion with very, very old roots. It
harks back to the first religions that man ever practiced (based
on the physical evidence). Neopagans worship a variety of symbols
from the Old Religions - the practices of the ancient Celts, the
Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans - and differ with each other over
what those symbols really represent. What I (and many others)
believe is that they are all aspects of God (or maybe, the Gods) -
some kind of beautiful, powerful, and loving being or force that ties
all of life together and is the origin of all miracles - including
miracles such as written language, poetry, music, art ...
Q: Do Neopagans have a Bible?
A: Not most of us. The closest analogue would be a witch's Book
of Shadows, which is a sort of notebook of legends, poetry, history,
and magic ritual which is copied by every newly-initiated witch, then
added to. But on the whole, even a Book of Shadows isn't what
Christians think of as a Bible. It's not infallible (couldn't be,
they've been brought to us via hastily-copied texts under trying
circumstances), it doesn't prescribe a specific code of morality
(except for a few general guidelines), and it doesn't claim to be
dictated by God - except for a few, debatable parts. Those of us
who aren't witches don't even have that much. Neopaganism is a
religious system that relies more on the individual than on the
Book or the Priest. One of the principal beliefs of Neopaganism is
that no one, not Pope nor Priest nor Elder, has the right to
interfere with your relationship to God. Learn from whomever you
want, and pray to whatever name means the most to you.
Q: Did you say magic? Do Neopagans believe in the occult?
A: Cringe. What a badly worded question - but I hear it all the
time. Neopagans as a rule don't "believe in the occult" - we
practice magic. Magic is simply a way to focus the mental abilities
that you were born with, and use them to change the world in
positive ways. Magic can also be mixed with worship; in which case it
differs very little from Christian prayer.
Q: But I thought that you said that you weren't a demon-worshipper?
A: That's right. Magic and demonology are two different things.
Magic you also know as "psychic powers" or "mentallics" or even as
"the power of positive thinking" - in essence, the magical world
view holds that "reality" is mostly a construct of the human mind,
and as such, can be altered by the human mind. That's all there
is to it.
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Q: How do you become a Neopagan?
A: In a very real sense, nobody every "becomes" a Neopagan.
There are no converts, as no conversion is necessary. Neopaganism
is an attitude towards worship, and either you have it or you don't.
My case is not atypical. All of my life, I have been fascinated by
the old mythologies. I have always found descriptions of the Greek
Gods fascinating. If I had any religious beliefs as a child, it was
that somewhere, there was a God, and many people worship Him, but I
had no idea what His name was. I set out to find Him, and through an
odd combination of circumstances, I because convinced that his Name
was Jesus. But seven years later, I had to admit to myself that
Whoever God is, he answers non-Christians' prayers as well as those
in the name of Jesus. In either case, true miracles are rare. In
both cases, the one praying has a devout experience with God. After
searching my soul, I admitted that I could not tell that I was better
off than when I believed in the Old Gods. And in the mean time, I had
found out that other people also loved the Old Gods - and that they
call themselves Neopagans. When I realized that what I believed was
little or no different that what they believed, I called myself a
Neopagan, too. The common element for nearly all of us is that nearly
all of us already believed these things, before we found out that
anyone else did. "Becoming" a pagan is never a conversion. It's
usually a home-coming. No one ever "brainwashed" me. I finally
relaxed, and stopped struggling against my own self.
Q: I've heard about witches holding orgies and such. Do you?
A: No, that sort of thing doesn't appeal to me. Most of the
crap that you've heard about "witch orgies" is nonsense made up by
the National Enquirer to sell magazines. But I shouldn't be flippant
about this, because it underlies a serious question - what kind of
morality do Neopagans hold to?
"Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An it harm none, do what thou will!"
from an old Book of Shadows
That about sums it all up. Neopaganism teaches that it is
harmful to yourself (and dangerous) to harm others. It also
teaches that trying to impose your moral standards on somebody
else's behavior is (at least) foolish - and probably dangerous,
as you run some serious chance of hurting that person. Perhaps in
a sense Neopagans don't have morality, for as R. A. Wilson said,
"There are no commandments because there is no Commander
anywhere," but Neopagans do have ethics - standards for behavior
based on honor and mutual benefit.
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Q: I saw on the news that Neopagans use a star in a circle as their
emblem. Isn't that a Satanic symbol?
A: A pentacle (that's what it's called) is a Satanic symbol in
precisely same sense that the cross is a Nazi symbol. The German
National Socialist Party used an equal-armed cross with four flags
attached to it as their emblem. (Yes, I know - that's a swastika.
Well, before the Nazis made the word common knowledge, people just
called it a "bent cross" - it's an old heraldic symbol, and it
means the same thing that a normal cross does). That doesn't make
the Nazis good Christians, and it doesn't make Christians into
Nazis. In the same sense, Satanists (and some rock groups) use a
type of pentacle as their emblem. That doesn't make them Neopagans,
nor does it mean that Neopagans are Satanists (or even
rock-and-rollers).
Q: Are Neopagans opposed to Christianity?
A: Some Neopagans are ex-Christians, and I'm not going to deny
that some of them have a grudge against the Church because of what
they perceived as attempts to control their minds. Further, many
Neopagans are suspicious of the Church, because it was in the name
of Jesus Christ that nine million of our kind were murdered.
Neopagans are opposed to anyone who uses force to control the
minds of others. Does that include you? If not, then it means
that Neopagans as such are not opposed to you. Do you work for the
benefit of mankind, are you respectful to the Earth? Then it makes
us allies, whether or not either of us wants to admit it.
- - - - - - - - - -
There are manyother misconceptions in the popularmind about
the Neopagan religion. Unless you've studied it, read about it
from sympathetic sources, then you really don't know anything about
Neopagan history, beliefs, practices, customs, art, science, culture,
or magic. But it would take several entire books to teach you, and I
already fear that I will be accused of trying to win converts
(despite what I've said above). If you are curious and willing to
learn, try some of the following books:
Margot Adler, _Drawing Down the Moon_
Starhawk, _The Spiral Dance_
P.E.I. Bonewits, _Real Magic_
Stewart Farrar, _What Witches Do_.
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NEOPAGANISM
By Eric S. Raymond
I. Introduction
The neopagan phenomenon is a loose collection of religious
movements, experiments and jokes that offers a healthy alternative to
the dogmatism of the Judeo/Christian/Islamic mainstream (on the one
hand) and the mushy-mindedness of most 'New Age' groups (on the
other).
This article,prepared atthe requestof anumber ofcurious net.
posters, offers a brief description of neopagan thought and practice.
A list of good sources for further study are listed at the end.
II. What is a neopagan?
I used the term 'religious' above, but as you'll see it's
actually more than somewhat misleading, and I (like many other
neopagans) use it only because no other word is available for the more
general kind of thing of which the neopagan movement and what we
generally think of as 'religion' are special cases.
Neopaganism is 'religious' in the etymological sense of 're
ligare', to rebind (to roots, to strengths, to the basics of things),
and it deals with mythology and the realm of the 'spiritual'. But, as
we in the Judeo/Christian West have come to understand 'religion' (an
organized body of belief that connects the 'supernatural' with an
authoritarian moral code via 'faith') neopaganism is effectively and
radically anti-religious. I emphasize this because it is important in
understanding what follows.
Common characteristics of almostall the groups that describe
themselves as 'neopagan' (the term is often capitalized) include:
1. Anti-dogmatism
Neopagan religions are religions of practice, pragmatism and
immediate experience. The emphasis is always on what they can help the
individuals in them to *do* and *experience*; theology and metaphysics
take a back seat, and very little 'faith' or 'belief' is required or
expected. In fact many neopagans (including yours truly) are actively
hostile to 'faith' and all the related ideas of religious authority,
'divine revelation' and the like.
2. Compatibility with a scientific world-view
This tends to follow from the above. Because neopaganism is
centered in experiences rather than beliefs, it doesn't need or want
to do vast overarching cosmologies or push fixed Final Answers to the
Big Questions -- understanding and helping human beings relate to each
other and the world as we experience it is quite enough for us. Thus,
we are generally friendly to science and the scientific world-view.
Many of us are scientists and technologists ourselves (in fact, by
some counts, a plurality of us are computer programmers!).
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3. Reverence for nature, sensuality, and pleasure
Mostneopaganisms makeheavy use ofnature symbolismand encourage
people to be more aware of their ties to all the non-human life on
this planet. Explicit worship of 'Gaia', the earth ecosphere
considered as a single interdependent unit, is common. Veneration of
nature deities is central to many traditions. Ecological activism is
often considered a religious duty, though there is much controversy
over what form it should take.
Bypreference, mostneopagans holdtheir ceremoniesoutdoors under
sun or moon. Seasonal changes and astronomical rhythms (especially the
solstices, equinoxes and full and new moons) define the ritual
calendar.
Ritual and festivenudity arecommon; to benaked before natureis
often considered a holy and integrating act in itself. Sex is
considered sacramental and sexual energy and symbolisms permeate
neopagan practice (we like to contrast this with Christianity, in
which the central sacrament commemorates a murder and climaxes in
ritual cannibalism).
4. Polytheism, pantheism, agnosticism
Most neopaganisms are explicitly polytheistic -- that is, they
recognize pantheons of multiple deities. But the reality behind this
is more complex than it might appear.
First, many neopagans are philosophical agnostics or even
atheists; there is a tendency to regard 'the gods' as Jungian
archetypes or otherwise in some sense created by and dependent on
human belief, and thus naturally plural and observer-dependent.
Secondly, asin many historicalpolytheisms, there isan implicit
though seldom-discussed idea that all the gods and goddesses we deal
with are 'masks', refractions of some underlying unity that we cannot
or should not attempt to approach directly.
And thirdly, there is a strong undercurrent of pantheism, the
belief that the entire universe is in some important sense a
responsive, resonating and sacred whole (or, which is different and
subtler, that it is proper for human beings to view it that way).
Many neopagans hold all three of these beliefs simultaneously.
5. Decentralized, non-authoritarian organization; no priestly elite
Neopagans have seen what happens when a priesthood elite gets
temporal power; we want none of that. We do not take collections,
build temples, or fund a full-time clergy. In fact the clergy-laity
distinction is pretty soft; in many traditions, all members are
considered 'in training' for it, and in all traditions every
participant in a ritual is an active one; there are and can be no
pew-sitting passive observers.
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Mostneopagan traditionsare (dis)organizedashorizontal networks
of small affinity groups (usually called 'circles', 'groves', or
'covens' depending on the flavor of neopagan involved). Priests and
priestesses have no real authority outside their own circles (and
sometimes not much inside them!), though some do have national
reputations.
Many of us keep a low profile partly due to a real fear of
persecution. Too many of our spiritual ancestors were burned, hung,
flayed and shot by religions that are still powerful for a lot of us
to feel safe in the open. Down in the Bible Belt the burnings and
beatings are still going on, and the media loves to hang that
'Satanist' label on anything it doesn't understand for a good
juicy story.
Also, we never proselytize. This posting is about as active a
neopagan solicitation as anyone will ever see; we tend to believe that
'converts' are dangerous robots and that people looking to be
'converted' aren't the kind we want. We have found that it works quite
well enough to let people find us when they're ready for what we have
to teach.
6. Reverence for the female principle
Oneof the most striking differencesbetween neopagan groups and
the religious mainstream is the wide prevalence (and in some
traditions dominance) of the worship of goddesses. Almost all
neopagans revere some form of the Great Mother, often as a nature
goddess identified with the ecosphere, and there are probably more
female neopagan clergy than there are male.
Most neopagan traditions are equalist (these tend to pair the
Great Mother with a male fertility-god, usually some cognate of the
Greek Pan). A vocal and influential minority are actively feminist,
and (especially on the West Coast) there have been attempts to present
various neopagan traditions as the natural 'women's religion' for the
feminist movement. The effects of this kind of politicization of
neopaganism are a topic of intense debate within the movement and fuel
some of its deepest factional divisions.
7. Respect for art and creativity
Neopaganism tends to attractartists and musicians as muchas it
attracts technologists. Our myth and ritual can be very powerful at
stimulating and releasing creativity, and one of the greatest
strengths of the movement is the rich outgrowth of music, poetry,
crafts and arts that has come from that. It is quite common for people
joining the movement to discover real talents in those areas that they
never suspected.
Poets and musicians have the kind of special place at neopagan
festivals that they did in pre-literate cultures; many of our
best-known people are or have been bards and songsmiths, and the
ability to compose and improvise good ritual poetry is considered the
mark of a gifted priest(ess) and very highly respected.
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8. Eclecticism
"Steal from any source that doesn't run too fast" is aneopagan
motto. A typical neopagan group will mix Greek, Celtic and Egyptian
mythology with American Indian shamanism. Ritual technique includes
recognizable borrowings from medieval ceremonial magic, Freemasonry
and pre-Nicene Christianity, as well as a bunch of 20th-century
inventions. Humanistic psychology and some of the more replicable New
Age healing techniques have recently been influential. The resulting
stew is lively and effective, though sometimes a bit hard to hold
together.
9. A sense of humor
Neopagans generally believethat itis more dangerousto takeyour
religion too seriously than too lightly. Self-spoofery is frequent and
(in some traditions) semi-institutionalized, and at least one major
neopagan tradition (Discordianism, known to many on this net) is
*founded* on elaborate spoofery and started out as a joke.
Oneof the most attractive features of the neopagan approach is
that we don't confuse solemnity with gloom. Our rituals are generally
celebratory and joyous, and a humorous remark at the right time need
not break the mood.
We generally feel that anyreligion that can't stand tohave fun
poked at it is in as sad shape as the corresponding kind of person.
III. What kinds of neopagan are there, and where did they come from?
Depending onwho you talkto and whatdefinitions you use,there
are between 40,000 and 200,000 neopagans in the U.S.; the true figure
is probably closer to the latter than the former, and the movement is
still growing rapidly following a major 'population explosion' in the
late '70s.
The numericallylargest and most influentialneopagan group is
the 'Kingdom of Wicca' -- the modern witch covens. Modern witchcraft
has nothing to do with Hollywood's images of the cackling,
cauldron-stirring crone (though wiccans sometimes joke about that one)
and is actively opposed to the psychopathic Satanism that many
Christians erroneously think of as 'witchcraft'. Your author is an
initiate Wiccan priest and coven leader of long standing.
Otherimportant subgroupsinclude thoseseeking torevive Norse,
Egyptian, Amerind, and various kinds of tribal pantheons other than
the Greek and Celtic ones that have been incorporated into Wicca.
These generally started out as Wiccan offshoots or have been so
heavily influenced by Wiccan ritual technique that their people can
usually work comfortably in a Wiccan circle and vice-versa.
There arealso the variousorders of ceremonialmagicians, most
claiming to be the successors to the turn-of-the-century Golden Dawn
or one of the groups founded by Alesteir Crowley during his brilliant
and notorious occult career. These have their own very elaborate
ritual tradition, and tend to be more intellectual, more rigid, and
less nature-oriented. They are sometimes reluctant to describe
themselves as neopagans.
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The Discordians (and, more recently, the Discordian-offshoot
Church of the Sub-Genius) are few in number but quite influential.
They are the neopagan movement's sacred clowns, puncturing pretense
and adding an essential note to the pagan festivals. Many Wiccans,
especially among priests and priestesses, are also Discordians and
will look you straight in the eye and tell you that the entire
neopagan movement is a Discordian hoax...
Neopaganism used to be largely a white, upper-middle-class
phenomenon, but that has been changing during the last five years. So
called 'new-collar' workers have come in droves during the eighties.
We still see fewer non-whites, proportionately, than there are in the
general population, but that is also changing (though more slowly).
With the exception of a few nut-fringe 'Aryan' groups detested by the
whole rest of the movement, neopagans are actively anti-racist;
prejudice is not the problem, it's more that the ideas have tended to
be accepted by the more educated segments of society
first, and until recently those more educated segments were mostly
white.
OntheEastCoast, ahigher-than-general-populationpercentage of
neopagans have Roman Catholic or Jewish backgrounds, but figures
suggest this is not true nationwide. There is also a very significant
overlap in population with science-fiction fandom and the Society for
Creative Anachronism.
Politically, neopagans are distributed about the same as the
general population, except that whether liberal or conservative they
tend to be more individualist and less conformist and moralistic than
average. It is therefore not too surprising that the one significant
difference in distribution is the presence of a good many more
libertarians than one would see in a same-sized chunk of the general
population (I particularly register this because I'm a libertarian
myself, but non-libertarians have noted the same phenomenon). These
complexities are obscured by the fact that the most politically active
and visible neopagans are usually ex-hippie left-liberals from the
'60s.
I think the most acute generalization made about pagans as a
whole is Margot Adler's observation that they are mostly self-made
people, supreme individualists not necessarily in the assertive or
egoist sense but because they have felt the need to construct their
own culture, their own definitions, their own religious paths, out of
whatever came to hand rather than accepting the ones that the
mainstream offers.
IV. Where do I find out more?
I have deliberatelynot said much aboutmythology, or specific
religious practice or aims, or the role of magic and to what extent we
practice and 'believe' in it. Any one of those is a topic for another
posting; but you can get a lot of information from books. Here's a
basic bibliography:
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Adler, Margot _Drawing_Down_the_Moon_ (Random House 1979, hc)
This book is a lucid and penetrating account of who the modern
neo-pagans are, what they do and why they do it, from a woman who
spent almost two years doing observer-participant journalism in the
neo-pagan community. Especially valuable because it combines an
anthropologist's objectivity with a candid personal account of her
own feelings about all she saw and did and how her ideas about the
neo-pagans changed under the impact of the experiences she went
through. Recommended strongly as a first book on the subject, and
it's relatively easy to find. There is now a revised and expanded
second edition available.
Starhawk _The_Spiral_Dance_
An anthology of philosophy, poetry, training exercises, ritual
outlines and instructive anecdotes from a successful working coven.
First-rate as an introduction to the practical aspects of magick and
running a functioning circle. Often findable at feminist bookstores.
Shea, Robert and Wilson, Robert Anton _Illuminatus!_ (Dell, 1975, pb)
This work of alleged fiction is an incredible berserko-surrealist
rollercoaster that _will_ bend your mind into a pretzel with an
acid-head blitzkrieg of plausible, instructive and enlightening lies
and a few preposterous and obscure truths. Amidst this eccentric tale
of world-girdling conspiracies, intelligent dolphins, the fall of
Atlantis, who _really_ killed JFK, sex, drugs, rock and roll and the
Cosmic Giggle Factor, you will find Serious Truths about Mind, Time,
Space, the Nature of God(dess) and What It All Means -- and also
learn why you should on no account take them Seriously. Pay
particular attention to Appendix Lamedh ("The Tactics of Magick"), but
it won't make sense until you've read the rest. This was first
published in 3 volumes as _The_Eye_In_The_Pyramid_, _The_
Golden_Apple_ and _Leviathan_, but there's now a one-volume trade
paperback carried by most chain bookstores under SF.
Campbell, Joseph W., _The_Masks_of_God_ (Viking Books, 1971, pb)
One of the definitiveanalytical surveys of world mythography-- and
readable to boot! It's in 4 volumes:
I. _Primitive_Mythology_
II. _Oriental_Mythology_
III. _Occidental_Mythology_
IV. _Creative_Mythology_
The theoretical framework of these books is a form of pragmatic
neo-Jungianism which has enormously influenced the neopagans (we can
accurately be described as the practice for which Campbell and Jung
were theorizing). Note especially his predictions in vols. I & IV of a
revival of shamanic, vision-quest-based religious forms. The recent
Penguin pb edition of this book should be available in the Mythology
and Folklore selection of any large bookstore.
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Bonewits, Isaac, _Real_Magic_ (Creative Arts Books, 1979, pb)
A fascinating analytical study of the psychodynamics of ritual and
magick. This was Bonewits's Ph.D. thesis for the world's only known
doctorate in Magic and Thaumaturgy (UCLA Berkeley, 1971). Hardest of
the five to find but well worth the effort -- an enormously
instructive, trenchant and funny book.
V. Will there be more net.info on this topic?
I am also available to answer questions by email or phone. Be
warned that I will probably tell you to go off and study some more,
rather than referring you to a group, if you haven't read at least two
out of the five above or else good equivalents like Michael Harner's
_Way_Of_The_Shaman_ (Castaneda, UFOlogy books and anything on
astrology or the Great Pyramid will *not* count! Grrr...!).
No fooling, learning to do this stuff right is hard work and
demands a lot more rigor and clear thinking than most people associate
with 'occultism'. But it's also fun and empowering and could turn out
to be one of the couple most important things you do with your life.
If response to this posting is heavy, I may post some stuff on
Wiccan ritual practice and theology, that being what I know best.
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W H A T I S W I C C A ?
An Introduction to "The Old Religion" of Europe
and its Modern Revival
by Amber K, High Priestess
Our Lady of the Woods
P.O. Box 176
Blue Mounds, Wisconsin 53517
(This leaflet may be reproduced and distributed exactly as-is,
without further permission from the author, provided it is
offered free of charge. Changes in the text, however, must be
approved in advance by the author. Thank you!)
WICCA (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old
Religion by its practitioners) is an ancient religion of love for
life and nature.
In prehistoric times, people respected the great forces of
Nature and celebrated the cycles of the seasons and the moon.
They saw divinity in the sun and moon, in the Earth Herself, and
in all life. The creative energies of the universe were
personified: feminine and masculine principles became Goddesses
and Gods. These were not semi-abstract, superhuman figures set
apart from Nature: they were embodied in earth and sky, women and
men, and even plants and animals.
This viewpoint is still central to present-day Wicca. To
most Wiccans, everything in Natures -- and all Goddesses and Gods
-- are true aspects of Deity. The aspects most often celebrated
in the Craft, however, are the Triple Goddess of the Moon (Who is
Maiden, Mother, and Crone) and the Horned God of the wilds.
These have many names in various cultures.
Wicca had its organized beginnings in Paleolithic times, co-
existed with other Pagan ("country") religions in Europe, and had
a profound influence on early Christianity. But in the medieval
period, tremendous persecution was directed against the Nature
religions by the Roman Church. Over a span of 300 years,
millions of men and women and many children were hanged, drowned
or burned as accused "Witches." The Church indicted them for
black magic and Satan worship, though in fact these were never a
part of the Old Religion.
The Wiccan faith went underground, to be practiced in small,
secret groups called "covens." For the most part, it stayed
hidden until very recent times. Now scholars such as Margaret
Murray and Gerald Gardner have shed some light on the origins of
the Craft, and new attitudes of religious freedom have allowed
covens in some areas to risk becoming more open.
How do Wiccan folk practice their faith today? There is no
central authority or doctrine, and individual covens vary a great
deal. But most meet to celebrate on nights of the Full Moon, and
at eight great festivals or Sabbats throughout the year.
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Though some practice alone or with only their families, many
Wiccans are organized into covens of three to thirteen members.
Some are led by a High Priestess or Priest, many by a
Priestess/Priest team; others rotate or share leadership. Some
covens are highly structured and hierarchical, while others may
be informal and egalitarian. Often extensive training is
required before initiation, and coven membership is considered an
important commitment.
There are many branches or "traditions" of Wicca in the
United States and elsewhere, such as the Gardnerian, Alexandrian,
Welsh Traditional, Dianic, Faery, Seax-Wicca and others. All
adhere to a code of ethics. None engage in the disreputable
practices of some modern "cults," such as isolating and
brainwashing impressionable, lonely young people. Genuine
Wiccans welcome sisters and brothers, but not disciples,
followers or victims.
Coven meetings include ritual, celebration and magick (the
"k" is to distinguish it from stage illusions). Wiccan magick is
not at all like the instant "special effects" of cartoon shows or
fantasy novels, nor medieval demonology; it operates in harmony
with natural laws and is usually less spectacular -- though
effective. Various techniques are used to heal people and
animals, seek guidance, or improve members' lives in specific
ways. Positive goals are sought: cursing and "evil spells" are
repugnant to practitioners of the Old Religion.
Wiccans tend to be strong supporters of environmental
protection, equal rights, global peace and religious freedom, and
sometimes magick is used toward such goals.
Wiccan beliefs do not include such Judeao-Christian concepts
as original sin, vicarious atonement, divine judgement or bodily
resurrection. Craft folk believe in a beneficent universe, the
laws of karma and reincarnation, and divinity inherent in every
human being and all of Nature. Yet laughter and pleasure are
part of their spiritual tradition, and they enjoy singing,
dancing, feasting, and love.
Wiccans tend to be individualists, and have no central holy
book, prophet, or church authority. They draw inspiration and
insight from science, and personal experience. Each practitioner
keeps a personal book or journal in which s/he records magickal
"recipes," dreams, invocations, songs, poetry and so on.
To most of the Craft, every religion has its own valuable
perspective on the nature of Deity and humanity's relationship to
it: there is no One True Faith. Rather, religious diversity is
necessary in a world of diverse societies and individuals.
Because of this belief, Wiccan groups do not actively recruit or
proselytize: there is an assumption that people who can benefit
from the Wiccan way will "find their way home" when the time is
right.
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341
Despite the lack of evangelist zeal, many covens are quite
willing to talk with interested people, and even make efforts to
inform their communities about the beliefs and practices of
Wicca. One source of contacts is The Covenant of the Goddess,
P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley, CA 94704. Also, the following books may
be of interest: (Ask your librarian.)
DRAWING DOWN THE MOON by Margot Adler
THE SPIRAL DANCE by Starhawk
POSITIVE MAGIC by Marion Weinstein
WHAT WITCHES DO by Stewart Farrar
WITCHCRAFT FOR TOMORROW by Doreen Valiente
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CULT DANGER EVALUATION FRAME
~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
(with apologies to P.E.I. Bonewitz)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
low middle high
Rate these 15 criteria according to the amount of it you perceive in a
given group/religious organization. Higher scores usually mean a
higher
danger of mind control or brainwashing.
1.) HOW MUCH CONTROL DO THE LEADER(S) OF THE ORGANIZATION
HAVEOVER
ITSMEMBERSHIP?............................___________
2.) HOW MUCH WISDOM AND/OR INFALLIBILITY IS CLAIMED BY
THELEADER(S)OFTHEORGANIZATION?...................___________
3.) HOW MUCH WISDOM AND/OR INFALLIBILITY DO THE MEMBERS
OF THE ORGANIZATION CREDIT TO THEIR LEADER(S)?.......___________
4.) HOW INFLEXIBLE IS THE ORGANIZATION ON INTERPRETATION
OF
DOCTRINE/REALITY
CONCEPTS?........................___________
5.) HOW IMPORTANT IS RECRUITING/PROSELYTIZING TO THE
ORGANIZATION?........................................___________
6.) HOW MANY FRONT GROUPS DOES THE ORGANIZATION OPERATE
UNDER?...............................................___________
7.) HOW MUCH EMPHASIS DOES THE GROUP PLACE ON DONATIONS?
HOW IS MONEY USED WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION? ARE THE
LEADER(S) VISIBLY WEALTHIER THAN THE RANK-AND-FILE
MEMBERSOF
THEORGANIZATION?........................____________
8.) HOW MUCH POLITICAL POWER EXISTS WITHIN THE
ORGANIZATIONORIS DESIREDBYTHE ORGANIZATION?.....____________
9.) IS THERE SEXUAL MANIPULATION BEING USED IN THE
GROUP? (HARASSMENT/LEADER(S) ASKING OR GETTING
SEXUALFAVORSFROMTHEMEMBERS).....................____________
10.) HOW MUCH ACCESS TO AND TOLERANCE OF OTHER IDEAS DO
THE LEADER(S) ACCORD MEMBERS? HOW MUCH DO MEMBERS
KNOWOFOUTSIDE OPINIONSOFTHE ORGANIZATION?.......____________
11.) HOW INTENSE ARE EFFORTS DIRECTED AT PREVENTING OR
RE-INDOCTRINATING
DROPOUTS?.........................____________
12.) DOES THE ORGANIZATION ENDORSE VIOLENCE ON BEHALF OF
ITOR
ITSLEADERS?..................................____________
13.) HOW MUCH PARANOIA DOES THE ORGANIZATION EXHIBIT
TOWARDSTHE"OUTSIDE
WORLD?"........................____________
14.) HOW MUCH DISAPPROVAL DOES THE ORGANIZATION HAVE OF
JOKES ABOUTIT,ITS DOCTRINES,OR ITSLEADER(S)?....____________
15.) HOW TIGHT IS DISCIPLINE INSIDE THE ORGANIZATION?
(FOR EXAMPLE, ARE THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH DOCTRINAL
POINTS OR LEADERSHIP DECISIONS OSTRACIZED OR
SHUNNED?).........................................._____________
Questions number 9 and 12 are pretty much yes or no questions, so give
a 1 if no, a 10 if yes. 7 is an iffy one, if it looks like the leader
or leaders of the group are living a lot higher on the hog than their
"flock", or that the leader(s) skim liberally from the "collection
box" and use that to live in luxury, then you should give the group an
automatic 9 or 10 in that department.
I hope this is of use to all in regards to figuring out whether or not
a group is truly a "cult" or not. It's YOUR mind...USE IT!!!!!!!
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RE-THINKING THE WATCHTOWERS
or
13 Reasons Air should be in the North
=======================================
by Mike Nichols
copyright 1989 by Mike Nichols
(fondly dedicated to Kathy Whitworth)
INTRODUCTION
It all started 20 years ago. I was 16 years old then, and a
recent initiate to the religion of Wicca. Like most neophytes,
I was eager to begin work on my Book of Shadows, the traditional
manuscript liturgical book kept by most practicing Witches. I
copied down rituals, spells, recipes, poems, and tables of
correspondences from every source I could lay hands on. Those
generally fell into two broad categories: published works, such
as the many books available on Witchcraft and magic; and
unpublished works, mainly other Witches' Books of Shadows.
Twenty years ago, most of us were "traditional" enough to
copy everything by hand. (Today, photocopying and even computer
modem transfers are becoming de rigueur.) Always, we were
admonished to copy "every dot and comma", making an exact
transcription of the original, since any variation in the
ceremony might cause major problems for the magician. Seldom,
if ever, did anyone pause to consider where these rituals came
from in the first place, or who composed them. Most of us,
alas, did not know and did not care. It was enough just to
follow the rubrics and do the rituals as prescribed.
But something brought me to an abrupt halt in my copying
frenzy. I had dutifully copied rituals from different sources,
and suddenly realized they contained conflicting elements. I
found myself comparing the two versions, wondering which one was
"right", "correct", "authentic", "original", "older", etc. This
gave rise to the more general questions about where a ritual
came from in the first place. Who created it? Was it created
by one person or many? Was it ever altered in transmission? If
so, was it by accident or intent? Do we know? Is there ever
any way to find out? How did a particular ritual get into a
Coven's Book of Shadows? From another, older, Book of Shadows?
Or from a published source? If so, where did the author of the
published work get it?
I had barely scratched the surface, and yet I could already
see that the questions being raised were very complex. (Now,
all these years later, I am more convinced than ever of the
daunting complexity of Neo-Pagan liturgical history. And I am
equally convinced of the great importance of this topic for a
thorough understanding of modern Witchcraft. It may well be a
mare's nest, but imagine the value it will have to future Craft
historians. And you are unconditionally guaranteed to see me
fly into a passionate tirade whenever I'm confronted with such
banal over-simplifications as "Crowley is the REAL author of the
Third Degree initiation," or "Everyone KNOWS Gardner INVENTED
modern Witchcraft.")
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CONFLICTING TRADITIONS
The first time I noticed conflicting ritual elements was
when I was invited as a guest to attend another Coven's esbat
celebration. When the time came to "invoke the Watchtowers" (a
ritual salutation to the four directions), I was amazed to learn
that this group associated the element of Earth with the North.
My own Coven equated North with Air. How odd, I thought.
Where'd they get that? The High Priestess told me it had been
copied out of a number of published sources. Further, she said
she had never seen it listed any other way. I raced home and
began tearing books from my own library shelves. And sure
enough! Practically every book I consulted gave the following
associations as standard: North = Earth, East = Air, South =
Fire, West = Water.
Then where the heck did I get the idea that Air belonged in
the North? After much thought, I remembered having copied my
own elemental/directional associations from another Witch's Book
of Shadows, her Book representing (so she claimed) an old Welsh
tradition. Perhaps I'd copied it down wrong? A quick
long-distance phone call put my mind at ease on that score.
(When I asked her where she'd gotten it, she said she THOUGHT it
was from an even older Book of Shadows, but she wasn't certain.)
By now, I felt miffed that my own tradition seemed to be at
variance with most published sources. Still, my own rituals
didn't seem to be adversely affected. Nor were those of my
fellow Coven members, all of whom put Air in the North.
Further, over the years I had amassed lots of associations and
correspondences that seemed to REQUIRE Air to be in the North.
The very thought of Air in the East offended both my sense of
reason and my gut-level mythic sensibilities. There are good
REASONS to place Air in the North. And the whole mythological
superstructure would collapse if Air were in the East, instead.
If this is so, then why do most published sources place Earth in
the North and Air in the East?
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RITUAL TAMPERING
Suddenly, I felt sure I knew the reason! Somewhere along
the line, someone had deliberately tampered with the
information! Such tampering is a long and venerable practice
within certain branches of magic. In Western culture, it is
most typically seen among Hermetic, Cabalistic and "ceremonial"
magic lodges. It is common among such groups that, when
publishing their rituals for public consumption, they will
publish versions that are INCOMPLETE and/or deliberately ALTERED
in some way from the authentic practice. This prevents someone
who is NOT a member of the group from simply buying a book, and
performing the rituals, without benefit of formal training. It
is only when you are initiated into the lodge that you will be
given the COMPLETE and/or CORRECTED versions of their rituals.
This is how such groups guard their secrets. (And it is a
telling postscript that many scholars now believe modern
Witchcraft to have "borrowed" its directional/elemental
correspondences from ceremonial magic sources! What a laugh if
this was Crowley's last best joke on his friend Gerald Gardner!)
I remember the first time I became aware of such deliberate
ritual tampering. A friend of mine had been making a study of
the so-called "planetary squares", talismans that look like
magic squares consisting of a grid of numbers in some cryptic
order. There are seven such squares -- one for each of the
"old" planets. While making this study, he began coloring the
grids (more for his own pleasure than anything else), making
colorful mini-mosaics, using first two colors, then three, then
four, and on up to the total number of squares in the grid. Six
of the planetary squares yielded pleasing patterns of color.
Then there was the Sun square! Against all expectation, the
colors were a random jumble, with no patterns emerging. Thus,
he began his quest for the CORRECTED Sun square. And I became
convinced of the reality of ritual tampering.
THE WATCHTOWERS
All that remains, then, is for me to assemble all the
arguments in favor of the Air-in-the-North model, which I have
now come to believe is the CORRECTED system of correspondences.
The remainder of this article will be devoted to those
arguments, each with its own name and number:
1. AIRTS: This is perhaps the strongest argument. In
Celtic countries, the four elemental/directional associations
are referred to as the "four airts". And it is a known fact that
this tradition associates Air with North. While it is true that
some writers, familiar with ceremonial magic (like William Sharp
and Doreen Valiente), have given "tampered" versions of the
airts, it is a telling point that folklorists working directly
with native oral traditions (like Alexander Carmichael and F.
Marian McNeill) invariably report the Air/North connection.
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2. PARALLEL CULTURES: Although arguing from parallel
cultures may not be as convincing, it is still instructive to
examine other magical aboriginal cultures in the Western
hemisphere. For example, the vast majority of Native American
tribes (themselves no slouches in the area of magic!) place Air
in the North, which they symbolize by the Eagle. (Aboriginal
cultures lying south of the equator typically have different
associations, for reasons I will discuss next.)
3. GEOPHYSICAL: If one accepts the insular British origins
of elemental directions, then one must imagine living in the
British Isles. To the West is the vast expanse of the Atlantic
Ocean (i.e. water). To the East, the bulk of the European land
mass (earth). South has always been the direction of fire
because, as one travels south (toward the equator), it gets
warmer. Which leaves North as the region of air, home of the
icy winds of winter. (These last two associations would be
reversed for cultures in the southern hemisphere, for whom north
is the direction of the warm equatorial region, and south is the
land of ice.)
4. HYPERBOREAN: In fact, an ancient name for the British
Isles was "Hyperboria", which literally means "behind the north
wind", thus associating north and wind (air) once more. The
inhabitants were themselves called "Hyperborians", and the
phrase "at the back of the north wind" (the title of one of
George MacDonald's faery romances) is still current. Of all the
winds of the compass, it is unquestionably the north wind
(Boreas), bringer of winter, which is perceived as the strongest
and most influential (cf. Robert Grave's goddess fantasy "Watch
the North Wind Rise"). You don't hear too much about the other
three cardinal winds.
5. SEASONAL: Many occultists associate the four seasons
with the four cardinal points, as well. Hence, winter = north,
spring = east, summer = south, and autumn = west. (To be
precise, it is the solstice and equinox points which align with
the cardinal points.) Again, in most folklore, winter is
associated with air and wind, as the icy blasts that usher in
the season. In spring, it is the earth which arrests our
attention, with its sudden riot of blooms and greenery. Again,
south relates to summer, the hottest season (fire), and west
relates to autumn.
6. DIURNAL: Occultists also often associate the cardinal
points of a single day to the four compass points. Thus,
midnight = north, sunrise = east, noon = south, and sunset =
west. (Please note that we are talking about TRUE midnight and
TRUE noon here, the points halfway between sunset and sunrise,
and between sunrise and sunset, respectively.) These associate
nicely with the seasonal attributes just discussed. It is easy
to see why sunrise should equate to east, and sunset to west.
And, once again, from the perspective of the British Isles, the
sun rises over land (earth) and sets over the ocean (water).
South is related to noon because it is the moment of greatest
heat (fire). Leaving the "invisible" element of air to be
associated with the sun's invisibility, at midnight.
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7. MYTHOLOGICAL: In Celtic mythology, north is invariably
associated with air. The pre-Christian Irish gods and
goddesses, the Tuatha De Danann, were "airy" faeries (later
versions came equipped with wings, relating them to sylphs). The
Book of Conquests states their original home was in the north,
"at the back of the north wind". And when they came to Ireland,
they came in ships, THROUGH THE UPPER AIR (!), settling on the
mountain tops. (It has always struck me as odd that some modern
writers see mountains as a symbol of earth. The crucial
symbolism of the mountain is its height, rising into the air,
touching the sky. Virtually all Eastern traditions associate
mountains, favorite abodes of gurus, with air. A CAVE would be
a better symbol of earth than a mountain.) In Welsh mythology,
too, Math the Ancient, chief god of Gwynedd (or NORTH Wales), is
specifically associated with wind, which can carry people's
thoughts to him.
8. YIN/YANG: Many occultists believe that the four elements
have yin/yang connections. Both air and fire are seen as
masculine, while earth and water are seen as feminine. If air
is associated with the north point of the magic circle, and
earth is east, then one achieves a yin/yang alternation as one
circumambulates the circle. As one passes the cardinal points
of east, south, west, and north, one passes feminine, masculine,
feminine, masculine energies. This alternating flux of
plus/minus, push/pull, masculine/feminine, is the very pulse of
the universe, considered of great importance by most occultists.
That it was equally important to our ancestors is evidenced by
standing stones in the British Isles. At sites like the Kennet
Avenue of Braga, the tall, slender, masculine, phallic stones
alternate precisely with the shorter, diamond-shaped yoni
stones.
9. GENERATOR: This argument flows out of the previous one.
Practicing magicians often think of the magic circle as a kind
of psychic generator. Witches in particular like to perform
circle dances to "raise the cone of power". Hand in hand, and
alternating man and woman, they dance clockwise (deosil) around
the circle, moving faster and faster until the power is
released. This model has an uncanny resemblance to an
electrical generator, as man and woman alternately pass each of
the four "poles" of the magic circle. These poles themselves
MUST alternate between plus and minus if power is to be raised.
This means that if the masculine fire is in the south, then the
masculine air MUST be in the north. If the feminine water is in
the west, then the feminine earth MUST be in the east. If any
adjacent pair were switched, the generator would stop dead.
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10. MASCULINE/FEMININE AXIS: When you look at a typical
map, north (the cardinal direction) is at the top. Any
north-south road is a vertical line, and any east-west road is a
horizontal line. Likewise, a "map" of a magic circle makes the
vertical north-south axis masculine (with air and fire), while
the horizontal east-west axis is feminine (earth and water).
This makes logical sense. When we look at the horizon of the
earth, we see a horizontal line. Water also seeks a horizontal
plane. Feminine elements, considered "passive", have a natural
tendency to "lay down". Fire, on the other hand, always assumes
an erect or vertical position. Air, too, can rise upward, as
earth and water cannot. Masculine elements, being "active",
have a natural tendency to "stand up".
11. ALTAR TOOLS: In modern Witchcraft, there are four
principal altar tools, the same four tools shown on the Tarot
card, the Magician. They also correspond to the four Tarot
suits, the four ancient treasures of Ireland, and the four
"hallows" of Arthurian legend. And, like the four elements, two
of them are feminine and two of them are masculine. The
pentacle is a shallow dish inscribed with a pentagram,
representing earth, and is here placed in the east. The
womb-shaped chalice, symbolizing water, is placed in the west.
They form the horizontal feminine axis. The phallic-shaped
wand, representing fire, is placed in the south. And the
equally phallic-shaped athame is placed in the north. They form
the vertical masculine axis. (The gender associations of cup
and blade are especially emphasized in the ritual blessing of
wine.)
12. AXIS SYMBOLISM: In nearly every culture, the vertical
line is a symbol of yang, or masculine energy. The horizontal
line is yin, feminine energy. When the vertical masculine line
penetrates the horizontal feminine line, forming the ancient
Pagan symbol of the equal-armed cross, it becomes a symbol of
life, and life-force. Place a circle around it or on it, and
you have a circle-cross or "Celtic" cross, symbol of everlasting
life. (Please note the importance of the EQUAL-armed cross. If
one arm is longer or shorter, then the four elements are out of
balance. The Christian or "Roman" cross, for example, has an
extended southern arm. And many historians have commented on
Christianity's excess of "fire" or zeal. Some versions actually
show a shortened northern arm, indicating a dearth of "air" or
intellectual qualities.)
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13. ASTROLOGICAL: The astrological year is divided into
four equal quadrants, each beginning at a solstice or equinox.
And each quadrant is governed by one of the four elements.
Which element can be discovered by examining the exact MID-POINT
of the quadrant. For example, the first quadrant, beginning at
the winter solstice (north) is governed by air, which rules 15
degrees Aquarius, symbolized by the Man or Spirit. The second
quadrant, beginning at the spring equinox (east) is governed by
earth, which rules 15 degrees Taurus, the Bull. The third
quadrant, beginning at the summer solstice (south) is governed
by fire, which rules 15 degrees Leo, the Lion. And the fourth
quadrant, beginning at the fall equinox (west) is governed by
water, which rules 15 degrees Scorpio, here symbolized by the
Eagle. Thus, north, east, south and west correspond to air,
earth, fire, and water, and to man, bull, lion, and eagle,
respectively. If the last four symbols seem familiar, it is
because they represent the four elemental power points of the
astrological year, and their symbols appear in the four corners
of the Tarot cards, the World and the Wheel of Fortune. (The
same figures were later adopted by Christians as symbols of the
four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.)
If those are the arguments in favor of Air-in-the-North,
where are the counter-arguments in favor of Earth-in-the-North?
Surprisingly, I've heard very few. The most common by far is
"But we've always done it this way." Not too convincing.
However, no matter HOW persuasive my arguments may be, many have
countered that magic doesn't lend itself to rational arguments.
It's what FEELS right that counts. True. And there's no
denying that many practitioners do just fine with earth in the
north. Granted. Still, if they've never tried it the other
way, how would they really know?
My challenge to my fellow practitioners then is this: give
Air-in-the-North a shot. Just try it on for size. See what it
feels like. And not for just a single ritual. It'll take
several tries just to overcome your habitual ritual mindset.
And nothing is as habitual as ritual! So in order to give this
a fair shake, you'll have to do a whole series of rituals with
air in the north. And go into it with an open mind. Like all
magic, if you decide ahead of time it won't work, it won't.
Then, once you've tried it, compare it to your old method. Ask
yourself what's different, if it worked any better, and why or
why not. And let me know. I'd enjoy hearing about your
experiences.
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What is a First Degree?
Many persons feel that the first degree initiation is something
that a person receives simply because this group or that wishes
to accept a person into their circle (Gardenarian, Alexandrian,
etc.).
In the my tradition, as a first degree, you ARE a priest/ess, and
as such you carry responsibilities. In some traditions, the
knowledge you have gained during your first degree studies will
qualify you for a third degree in that tradition. But let's look
at it a minute.
As I have stated, as a first degree, you ARE a priest/ess. What
does this mean? In other faiths, you must go to seminary or its
equivalent for a period of at least 5 years to obtain this goal.
When you leave there, you are knowledgeable in not only the
beliefs of your faith, but also it's history, sects, and
doctrines. You have been trained to be a counselor, helper, and
friend to your parishioners. You have had training in dealing
with problems within your church, your community, and "the
enemy". Basically, you have been given the trust of your church
to be knowledgeable, loving, caring, and trustworthy.
Should a Priest/ess in the craft be expected to be any less? As
an Isian, the answer is a resounding NO!
During your first degree studies, you are the equivalent of an
Associate Pastor/Minister/Whatever. You are now in training to
eventually have your own coven, or if you wish to be solitary,
you are in training to be able to defend your religion to the
outside world if the need arises.
What are the responsibilities of a First Degree in my tradition?
As always, in the this tradition, you are required to constantly
be learning and growing. This does not mean that you have to be
constantly be learning about the craft, but about yourself, your
community, Mother Earth, etc. This responsibility does not cease
even when you receive your third degree. This is a
responsibility to yourself.
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351
Some of your responsibilities to the coven are listed below:
1.) To grow within the craft.
2.) Observe and participate in all circle functions of your
degree or lower.
3.) To assist in preparation for all circle functions of your
degree or lower.
4.) To assist any student of a lessor grade in his/her studies
when asked by this student for assistance.
5.) To contribute at least one research paper of 10 pages (5 if
single spaced) or more on the craft subject of your choice.
6.) Contribute in some manner to each sabbat or public gathering
either by time, monies for supplies, or bringing something to
share either during or after event. Time could be by arriving
early to help set up, staying a little later and helping to clean
up after, preparing and sharing a workshop (if open workshop is
scheduled), making phone calls to remind people of the event,
etc.
7.) Contribute to ideas for coven gatherings and help arrange
same. (Remember, all things do not happen at Covenstead!)
8.) Be aware of any conflicts within Circle, and bring this to
the attention of the HP/HPS (even if that's where the conflict
is!)
9.) Be prepared to accept the responsibility of a circle or
ritual should something happen to your HP/S.
To some people, this may seem like a lot of expectations, but
keep in mind. We are not are not training "week-end witches."
You are in training to be a Priest/ess of Wicca.
Your first degree is something to be proud of. You have worked
hard and long to receive it, and your HP/S has found you worthy
of same.
May the Lord and Lady smile on your efforts.
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CHURCH OF ALL WORLDS
BOX 1542
Ukiah, CA 95482
Duplicate Membership Application (as presented in GREEN EGG Oimlec
1989) Distributed Electronically to the Pagan Community by the Pagan
Information Network in the general interest of all.
In dedication tothe celebration of life in itsmany forms, I hereby
declare my commitment to a way of life that is ethical, benevolent,
humanistic, life-affirming, ecstatic and ecologically sane. I
subscribe to means and methods that are creative rather than
destructive, tolerant rather than authoritarian, gentle rather than
violent, inclusive rather than exclusive. I pledge myself to
harmonious eco-psychic awareness with the total biosphere of holy
Mother Earth.
Like a redwood tree, I would have my roots deep in the Earth and my
branches reaching for the stars.
I acknowledge my personal responsibility for myself, to my fellow
humans, and to the whole of Nature; and I recognize this total
responsibility, in each of us, as the source of our infinite freedom
to become who we are and do what we will. I dedicate myself to my own
inner growth and development that I may be of greater service to
myself and the world around me. For these reasons I recognize
Divinity both within and without, and I say to myself and others :
THOU ART GODDESS; THOU ART GOD.
I wish to unite with others upon a spiritual path that encompasses
both the Heaven's and the Earth, and all the worlds between, and
hereby make application to join the membership of the Church of All
Worlds, in order that we may learn together and teach each other ways
to bring about these ends.
I understand that this association does not require the severing of
any other religious ties.
D a t e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Signature_________________________________________________
I enclose $_______ as a contribution to help carry on the work of the
Church.
(Annual membership dues are $25 for individuals, $20 each for family
members at one address.) (The Church of All Worlds is a state and
federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) religious organization. All donations
are tax-deductible.)
Reviewed and approved by______________________this
day:_____________________
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353
What is Shamanism?
Michelle Klein-Hass/SysOp, Shaman's Soup BBS
Pardon me for asking, but what is Shamanism? That's one area of "the
occult" that I don't remember hearing about.
OK, I guess I'm the resident shamanism maven here, so I'll try to
define it. Shamanism is the name (from the Tungus Shaman, meaning
miracle-worker) for any tradition of ecstatic worship of the Earth,
and the forces that reside and pervade Her. Most traditions of
shamanism worship two deities, the God and the Goddess. In the
European shamanic tradition, also known as Wicca, the God and Goddess
are most commonly known as The Lord and The Lady, or Great Mother and
the Lord of the Hunt. In the Yoruban tradition, they are known as Ogun
and Yemaja. In the shamanic tradition of the Chiricahua Teneh
(Apache), they are known as Earth Mother and Sky Father, and also as
White Painted Woman and Killer of Enemies. In other traditions, there
are more deities worshipped, and in most of those named, there are
other lesser deities. Some forms of shamanic tradition can be
classified as true polytheism, some, like the tradition of the
Australian Dreamtime, are truly pantheistic (the God-force is in all,
and all exists in the God-force, or as they put it, the Dreamtime) and
at least in the tradition of the Yoruba (Nigerian African) and in most
Native American traditions, these Gods and Goddesses are seen as
emanations from a Great Spirit. In the Teneh tongue, this spirit is
known as Usen', Who is neither Male nor Female but encompasses both.
Joe Wilson describes the difference between the path of the Shaman and
the path of the Priest this way: the Priest is the custodian of
tradition and rite, the Shaman is the one who journeys within and
experiences the God(esse)s directly. The path of the shaman is the
path of healing, direct involvement with ones Gods/Goddesses, and the
path of acquiring Power for The Good. Modern Shamanism in America is
usually of two currents: Wiccan and Native.
Wicca is a reconstructed system, which is probably similar but
not identical to the pre-Christian religion of the Keltoi (the
Britons, the Gallics, the Irish and Scottish Gael, the Picts, and the
Cymri(Welsh) It used to claim quite an impressive history, but is
reliably traceable to people like Gerald Gardner, who designed a
system of Wiccan practice from various sources, including, supposedly,
a wealthy woman whose family had practiced witchcraft for generations.
He obviously had a good grasp of some of the Anthropological works on
the subject, but liberally borrowed as well from Crowley, Freemasonry,
and *fin de Siecle* occultism like the Order of the Golden Dawn.
Artificial or authentic, it seems to still work.
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Native shamanism works with either traditions of a native people
like the Native Americans or the Yoruba tribe (present in Santeria),
or is a distillation of many practices, as is the shamanism taught by
Dr. Michael Harner and by Joseph Wilson of Toteg Tribe. The true
native traditions are dying out quickly, and most native Shamans are
unwilling to transmit their knowledge. In some cases, the knowledge
has died out, and those descendants who remain and wish to embrace the
Old Ways must re-invent their tradition. My teacher, Misha Sacred
Wolf of the Naiche-Tosawi band of the Chiricahua, is in that
unenviable position. The Apache still exist, and they celebrate some
of the old festivals for the benefit of tourists. But much of the Old
Knowledge died with the coming of the white man, the reservation, and
the missionaries that considered the reservation their rightful
"mission field".
While it is true that many Native peoples are indignant about any
non-Native involvement in shamanism, and the new age movement is full
to the brim with hucksters and shysters who if you give them money
will teach you "how to become a Shaman", there are two non-Natives who
seem to respect the Ways, and have attempted to present the teachings
of Native shamanism in a respectful, reverential way. One is Dr.
Michael Harner, author of "The Way of the Shaman" (Bantam) and his
"core shamanism" system. His approach is sometimes a little too
eclectic, with a glaring lack of the ritual and mythos that makes
shamanism so powerful. He has reduced the shamanic experience to a
few major elements: The Lowerworld Journey, where the shamanist comes
face-to- face with their "Power Animal", which is a representative of
the person's basic animal energy; The Upperworld Journey, where the
person journeys to contact their "Teacher Within", who is a
representation of the person's Higher Self; the Middleworld Journey,
where ordinary reality is seen through non-ordinary eyes; and various
techniques of healing, primarily the Jivaro "sucking doctor"technique.
A non-ordinary state of consciousness is reached through rhythmic
drumming, singing, and visualization. Despite the very clinical
"self-help" aspect of Harner's work, it is very valuable. If you live
in the Los Angeles area, you are quite fortunate in that perhaps the
most exciting work in the eclectic shamanic way is going on through
Toteg Tribe, a shamanic society founded and facilitated by Joseph
Wilson. Joseph was a participant in the Neo-Pagan (Wiccan-shamanic)
movement for more than 25 years, and is now trying to forge a new
shamanic way for ALL people of the Americas. He has built on the
techniques of Harner with insight from both traditional Native peoples
of this land that he has studied with and entirely new ways of
expression that he and others that work with him have spontaneously
come up with. He does not claim to teach traditional shamanic ways,
but his work is quite valuable and instead of looking behind to the
old days of Tribal America, is aimed towards the 21st century and
beyond. Again, I study with a woman who is of the Chiricahua Apache
tradition, but I also find Wilson's work to be exciting and very
important. I hope this cleared up a few things...there's a lot of
good info in the file areas about shamanic practice.
Hi Dicho--this is finished (sigh of relief)
Enju! B*B Michelle Klein-Hass (Chihacou White Puma)
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Here is the complete expansion of the Indo-European root of the word
"witch", from THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF INDO-EUROPEAN ROOTS,
revised & edited by Calvert Watkins (Houghton Mifflin Co.: Boston,
1985; ISBN 0-395-36070-6):
WEIK- [1]. Clan (social unit above the household). 1. Suffixed form
*WEIK- SLA in Latin VILLA, country house, farm: VILLA, VILLAGE,
VILLAIN, VILLANELLE, (VILLEIN); (BIDONVILLE). 2. Suffixed o-grade
form *WOIK-O in: a. Latin VICUS, quarter or district of a town,
neighborhood: (VICINAGE), VICINITY; b. Greek OIKOS, house, and its
derivativ e OIKIA, dwelling: ANDROECIUM, AUTOECIOUS, DIOCESE,
DIOECIOUS, DIOICOUS, ECESIS, ECOLOGY, ECONOMY, ECUMENICAL,
HETEROECIOUS, MONOECIOUS, PARISH, TRIOUECIOUS. 3. Zero-grade from
*WIK- in Sanskrit VIS- dwelling, house, with derivative VAISYAH,
settler: VAISYA.
WEIK- [2]. In words connectid with magic and religious notions (in
Germanic and Latin). 1. Germanic suffixed form *WIH-L- in Old English
WIGLE, divination, sorcery, akin to the Germanic source of Old French
GUILE, cunning trickery: GUILE. 2. Germanic expressive form *WIKK-
in: a. Old English WICCA, wizard, and WICCE, witch: WITCH; b. Old
English WICCIAN, to cast a spell: BEWITCH. 3. Possible suffixed
zero-grade form *WIK-T-IMA in latin VICTIMA, animal used as sacrifice,
victim (although this may belong to another root *[SHWA]WEK- not
otherwise represented in English): VICTIM.
WEIK- [3]. To be like. 1. Suffixed variant form *EIK-ON- in Greek
EIKON, likeness, image: ICON, (ICONIC), ICONO-; ANISEIKONIA. 2.
Prefixed and suffixed zero-grade form *N-WIK-ES, not like (*N-, not),
in greek AIKES, unseemly: AECIUM.
WEIK- [4]. Also WEIG-. To bend, wind. I. Form WEIG-. 1. Germanic
*WIK- in: a. Old English WICE, wych elm (having pliant branches): WYCH
ELM; b. Swedish VIKER, willow twig, wand, akin to the Scandinavian
source of Middle English WIKER, wicker: WICKER; c. Old Norse vikja, to
bend, turn, probably akin to the Scandinavian source of Old Nort h
French WIKET, wicket (< "door that turns?): WICKET. 2. Germanic
*WAIKWAZ in: a. Old Norse VEIKR, pliant: WEAK; b. Dutch WEEK, weak,
soft: WEAKFISH. 3. Germanic *WIKON-, "a turning," series, in Old
English WICU, WICE, week: WEEK. II. Form *WEIK-. Zero-grade form
*WIK- in: a. Latin VIX (genetive VICUS), turn, situation, change:
VICAR (VICARIOUS), VICE[3]; VICISSITUDE; b. Latin VICIA, vetch (<
"twining plant"): VETCH.
WEIK- [5]. To fight, conquer. 1. Germanic *WIK- in Old Norse VIGR,
able in battle: WIGHT[2]. 2. Nasalized zero-grade form *WI-N-K- in
Latrin VINCERE (past participle VICTUS), to conquer: VANQUISH, VICTOR,
VINCIBLE; CONVINCE, EVICT.
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NATURE SPIRIT MAGIC
By Larry Cornett
INTRODUCTION:
Each plant, animal, rock, and other entity has a spirit
(consciousness resonance matrix). These spirits can join
together, in a hive-mind, as a spirit of an area. Nature spirits
include real biological intelligences, are psychically powerful,
and are much less abstract and controllable than the Elementals
that many magical people who perform all of their rituals indoors
are familiar with. They can be extremely powerful allies. It is
possible to sense nature spirits, to determine if they are
receptive to a ritual planned, and to have them actively
participate in magical workings if they are.
SOME EFFECTS OF WORKING WITH NATURE SPIRITS:
Spectacular physical manifestations can happen when working with
nature spirits in the wild. I have personally seen actual
foxfire mark the boundaries of a magic circle at a location that
was identified as a receptive power spot and attuned to a
planned ritual the day before. I have seen more than one site
attuned for ritual be dry and comfortable, with a round hole in
the clouds overhead, on days that were cold and rainy at other
nearby locations. Birds have joined in rituals, flying around
the circle when energy was being raised; and insects, birds and
animals have joined in chants. In addition, the wind often
responds to invocations. Generally, these spectacular
manifestations happen unexpectedly.
With or without such manifestations, nature spirits often will
channel tremendous amounts of power into the magic being
performed. It is suggested that you do not consciously try for
specific manifestations. Let Nature channel her power into the
magic in her own way. If approached with respect, nature may
give you many pleasant surprises.
Spectacular physical manifestations are not a necessary sign of
success. If you need a spectacular manifestation and nature
spirits know this, you will get it. The best success in magic is
on the inner planes and more subtle than such manifestations.
This success involves beneficial changes in consciousness that
last and helpful chains of synchronicity. In addition, working
with Nature Spirits can also bring a deep sense of partnership
with Nature, and bring new levels of attunement.
To get the best results, perform nature spirit attunement
several hours to several days before the main ritual. The
purposes of such attunement are to find suitable power spots and
to get the help of friendly nature spirits. This timing gives
Nature time to gather her children and to prepare to actively
participate in the main ritual.
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WHAT TO NOT DO:
If nature spirits are approached with disrespect by attempting
to command them rather than listening to them and inviting them
to work with you, nature spirits may flee, rebel, or attack. I
once attended a ritual by some pseudo-Crowleyites who attempted
to perform the "Ritual of the Barbarous Names" at a power spot in
a forest and then to extend the circle several hundred yards in
all directions.
While the forest in general had loud insect and frog noises, the
area at which the ritual took place got quiet immediately when
the main ritualist declared that all spirits were subject unto
him. The vibes from nature could best be characterized as "Oh
yea, Mother...!" One participant was quickly possessed by an
angry spirit and kept repeating "You killed my children, your
children will never live in peace." When the priestess stepped
out of the boundaries of the original circle, she was attacked by
bees; and bees covered the Book of the Law. Magicians should
know better than to attempt to command spirits whose true names
they do not know!
CALLING NATURE SPIRITS:
To make the most out of working magical ritual in the wild, one
should find power spots where nature spirits are receptive to the
ritual planned and approach the spirits with respect, as equals.
In my experience, the most effective power spots for working with
the living intelligences of nature are located in wild areas with
diverse, active ecologies.
When entering a wild area to find a site for a ritual, find a
place that feels good. Then do the following, either
individually or, if in a group, as a guided meditation:
o Relax, while standing upright, and focus on your breathing.
Breathe deep breaths from the diaphragm. Breathe together if
in a group.
- Feel the wind, and let it relax you and awaken your spirit
within, as your deep breathing takes you into non-ordinary
reality.
- Picture, in your mind's eye, a light inside you. As you
breathe, feel the light expand, purify and energize you - as
it expands to fill your aura.
- Feel yourself glowing, balanced, purified, and full of power.
- Connect with your inner self (your higher self), and feel
your intuitive self operating.
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o Feel yourself as:
- The wind, full of life and intelligence, communicating with
all round.
- The Sunlight, warm, alive, channeling the power to
communicate with nature and energizing all around.
- Water, emotional, intuitive, refreshing, and connected with
nature.
- The Earth, and note how your physical body is able to wander
while remaining part of Mother Earth.
o Focus on your spiritual self, and:
- Note the light within and feel it as love,
- Expand the light and love beyond the immediate aura of your
body to the surrounding area - where you will go to find a
power spot and contact nature spirits.
o Telepathically (by thinking while channeling the love and light
energy) send out signals to nature spirits to emerge and be
aware of your presence.
- Say why you have come, and invite them to join in sharing,
mutual celebration, and the work you intend.
- Visualize the light and love energy you are channeling
extending out and merging with the light from distant places.
- Feel the power of the Earth flowing up through your body and
feet.
- Feel the power from the sky, and channel this power also to
further energize the carrier signal of light and love for
communicating with nature.
- Visualize the light expanding and merging.
- Continue to send out telepathic signals.
o Now go deeper:
- Close your eyes, sit on the Earth, and feel your connection
while you channel more light and love.
- Continue modulating the light and love with your thoughts -
inviting receptive spirits to join with you and to make
themselves known.
- If in a group, someone should start playing a drum at a rate
of about one beat per second; and you should listen to the
drum and let the drum take you deeper.
- Affirm that you are a nature magician, a medicine person, who
knows and communicates with nature. Let this part of
yourself emerge to full consciousness. Let the drum and the
connection to your inner self awaken that part of yourself
that naturally communicates with other life forms. Let it
awaken your telepathic senses.
- Continue sending telepathic signals to nature.
- When you feel ready and an inner urge to begin, open your
eyes a crack and look around, while continuing to channel
love and light and telepathically calling for a response.
- You may see light coming from certain areas that are
receptive. You may get other signals, such as a feeling of
power or love returning in a certain direction. Perhaps the
type of response to this work will be unexpected; follow your
intuition in interpreting it.
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- You may test your connection by communicating (mentally)
instructions for signals for yes/no responses (such as light
getting brighter for less and darker for no) and then
mentally ask questions and observe the responses.
o When you have found an areas that seems to be responsive and
receptive, begin walking to the area, while beaming love
energy. Extend your aura to the area and sense the energy.
ENTERING A POWER SPOT:
o Before entering a power spot, ask permission to enter. If the
response is good, enter; if not, locate another more receptive
area.
o When entering the power spot, look around. Perhaps the
responsive energy will be concentrated around some singularity
(a bush, a tree, a specific branch, a moss covered rock, or
other entity that stands out). Perhaps the energy will be more
general. Use your intuition and feedback from the spirits to
guide your actions.
o If it feels right, send out a signal that you would like to
touch the singularity (or the ground) for better communication.
If the response is good, approach beaming love energy, and then
touch or hug the singularity (or the ground).
o Treat the spirits as you would other Pagans you meet for the
first time - be sensitive, open, and listen.
DEEPENING COMMUNICATION WITH NATURE SPIRITS:
o Now that you have made contact with spirits that seem
receptive, deepen the communication:
- Breathe deep breaths from the diaphragm, and with each
breath, feel more refreshed.
- Now imagine that your spine is the trunk of a tree; and, from
its base, roots extend deep into the Earth. Deep into the
rich moist Earth.
- With every breath, feel the roots extending deeper,
- Feel the energy deep within the Earth and within the waters
of the Earth. Feel your roots absorbing nourishment from the
Earth and from its waters.
- Feel the moist, warm energy rising.
- Feel it bursting up from the Earth and rising up your spine,
like sap rises in a tree.
- Feel the energy rise to your crown chakra (at the top of your
head).
- Now imagine that you have branches, branches that sweep up
and then bend down towards the Earth, like the limbs of a
willow.
- Feel the branches extending and interweaving with your
surroundings.
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- Feel the warm, moist energy of the Earth flowing through your
branches. As it flows, feel yourself being purified,
centered, and connected to the Earth.
- Feel the power from the Earth flowing through your branches
and then down back to the Earth, like a fountain.
- Note how your branches absorb energy from the air. Also,
feel them receiving light (fire) from the sky.
- Feel the energy from above penetrating deep through your body
into the Earth.
- Feel the warmth of the Earth rising also.
- Feel the energy circulating.
o Notice how your branches intertwine with the branches of energy
surrounding you.
- Feel the energy dancing among your branches and the branches
around you.
- Notice how your roots also intertwine with underground energy
channels.
- Feel the energy dancing between your roots and the
surrounding energy patterns.
- Notice how you and the life around you are rooted in the
same Earth, breathing the same air, receiving the same fire,
drinking the same water, sharing the same underlying
essence. You are one with the magical grove.
o Telepathically mention the time in the past when nature spirits
and people communicated regularly and the need to establish
such communication now.
o Test your connection by asking questions and observing the
responses.
WORKING WITH NATURE SPIRITS:
o Explain to the spirits the purpose of your coming to them and
the nature of the ritual you plan.
o If the spirits you contacted are receptive:
- Explain to them the details of the ritual and invite them to
provide ideas.
- Listen, you may receive suggestions on how to improve the
ritual. Such suggestions may come in the form of hunches,
visions, answers to yes/no questions using pre-arranged
signals, or in other ways.
- Explain what type of space is needed and ask what the best
place to perform the ritual is.
- You may see light or get other psychic signals leading you
to other sites, or you may be at one of them.
- You may also ask what the best places for other aspects of
the planned work are (picnicking, individual vision quests,
etc.).
- If preparation of the site is needed (removing briars,
preparing a fire circle, etc.) ask permission of the spirits
before proceeding with such action.
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- Before you leave the power spot, tell the spirits you have
contacted when you plan to return to do the ritual
(visualizing the associated lunar and solar aspects can help
with this communication).
- Invite them to join in the ritual when you return and to
bring their friends.
- Ask if it would be best to return silently, with drums, with
chanting, or with some other form of approach.
- You can also ask the spirits to provide guidance for working
in balance and to provide a teacher to provide further
guidance.
o Before you leave the power spot:
- Thank the spirits,
- Channel love energy,
- Trigger your memory of the experience, and
- If it feels right, leave an offering of tobacco, or beer and
honey poured on the ground (or other suitable material).
o Leave in peace and love.
o Proceed to other sites that were indicated by the spirits,
doing similar meditations at each site.
o If you need something, like a staff, a Maypole, or a wand, you
can also ask where you can find it and follow the guidance you
receive (not slavishly, but as you would guidance from another
Pagan).
o Before leaving the general area in which you found power spots
and contacted nature spirits:
- Channel love energy towards the receptive sites you found,
- Thank the spirits of the land,
- Pull back your roots and branches,
- Ground any excess energy into the Earth (placing your hands
on the Earth, breathe in any excess energy, and channel the
energy down your arms, while visualizing and feeling the
energy going into the Earth), and
- Leave in peace and love.
o Naturally, you should leave the area at least as clean, and
preferably cleaner, than you found it.
o If you work with techniques of Wicca or Ceremonial Magic, you
may find that by casting a circle, calling the Elements, the
Goddess, the Gods, and the local nature spirits while you are
at receptive sites, you may be able to greatly increase
communication.
o Through the use of drums and other power raising techniques, it
is even possible to energize receptive nature spirits. The
results can be very interesting. If with a coven, such circles
can be done as part of a group attunement to a power spot you
have located.
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o If you do not get good feelings in response to your explanation
of the ritual and are unable to come up with a ritual that
gives good responses, do not try to force a good response. You
would only be fooling yourself.
- Thank the spirits for their attention.
- Ask them why they are not receptive (if it feels right and
they are communicative).
- Trigger your memory.
- Pull back your "roots and branches," return any excess
energy you feel into the Earth.
- If it feels appropriate, leave an offering of tobacco or
other appropriate material, out of respect for the spirits.
- Move to a more receptive site.
o If it is hard to find a site that is really receptive, you
should:
- Consider any impressions you got of why the nature spirits
weren't receptive in the area you were in, and re-think your
plans for a ritual, as necessary and appropriate.
- It may also be appropriate to look for another general area
in which to find a suitable power site that is receptive to
the work planned.
WHAT TO DO WHEN RETURNING:
It can be very powerful to purify and center yourself and to
attune to the spirits of the land using the techniques previously
described for calling nature spirits immediately upon returning
to the site.
Often, individuals may have found small specific power spots to
which they have a special attunement, where the spirits are
interested in participating; but where the site is too small, has
too much vegetation, or is otherwise unsuitable for the main
ritual. Individual attunement to the spirits in such areas and
inviting them to participate in the main ritual can be
worthwhile.
Then approach the main ritual site using the previously arranged
technique. You should have the details worked out with the
spirits of the land. An exceptionally powerful technique
involves doing a procession through or past receptive power
spots, inviting nature spirits to join as you pass each power
spot, and then moving to the central power spot for the main
ritual. If participants are at individual power spots, they can
join the procession as it passes nearby.
When consecrating space in the wild, or casting a circle, do not
set up the perimeter as a barrier to all outside forces; it
should be a beacon to attract friendly nature spirits, a
container for holding magical power, and a barrier to spirits
who it isn't right to be with.
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One thing that is fun and worthwhile in nature is to bring
instruments, such as a rattle, a flute and/or a drum, to tune in
to nature's sounds, and to make music in time to nature's
sounds. You may be able to get some very interesting back and
forth exchanges of music going with selected creatures of the
wild, and get into an amazing jam session.
After the work is complete, be sure to thank the spirits for
their participation. Libations and other offerings may also be
left for the spirits during and/or after the ritual.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
There are other ways of working with nature spirits. This is one
approach. The author thanks Selena Fox for teaching the basic
guided meditation technique for locating and contacting nature
spirits at a tranceworking session sponsored by the Chameleon
Club (part of the Association for Consciousness Exploration) in
1981, Vicky Smith for editorial review of this article, Isaac
Bonewitz for the outline of the expanded tree meditation, and
Carlos Castenada, Black Eagle, Pasha, the Goddess, the Gods, and
various nature spirits for teaching the rest of the good methods.
Most of this article is an expansion of an article by the author
titled "Finding a Sacred Grove for Druid Initiation" by Larry
Cornett, published in The Druid's Progress and in Amaranth
Anthology.
RIGHTS TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ARTICLE:
This article is written by Larry Cornett. It is copyrighted
l988; and it is hereby placed by the author in the public domain,
providing it is not modified without the explicit permission of
the author and providing the author is acknowledged. It may
therefore be distributed freely to any BBS or other Electronic
Forum or copied and handed out for free. Permission to reprint
it in a publication for sale may be requested from the author,
and will generally be granted in exchange for a copy of the
publication containing the article. This copyright takes
precedence over any copyright expressed or implied by any BBS or
commercial system on which this file is posted.
by Larry Cornett
9/24/'88 9527 Blake Lane, # 102, Fairfax, VA 22031 (703)352-3791
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THE MYCENEAEN MYSTERIES
A Neo-Pagan Alternative Belief System
(C) 1989 By Joseph W. Teller
* Free to Distribute & Copy in its Entirety For Non-Commercial Use*
MYCENEAEN MYSTERIES : A QUICK INTRODUCTION
Myceneaen Mysteries are an ongoing project to introduce a new
path of passage and religious belief to the present Neo-Pagan
community.
Like anything within the Neo-Pagan Community, we do not exist
in a vacuum. I have been trained in several traditions and paths
of the present community, and have learned much from them, but
have found that a personal lack of hereditary connection to some
of the pantheons and belief systems involved have often made my
practice of Celtic or Shamanistic systems to become clumsy and
sometimes ineffective forme personally. Thus, to find my own
way, I went forth on a combination research project and personal path
searching for what path would be best for myself.
The Myceneaen Mysteries are based upon a personal interface
between myself and the aspects of the Early religious system and
belief of the area now known as Greece, a personal comfortable
status with many of the gods and goddesses of the pantheon
therein which I could not find in the Celtic, Norse or American
Indian belief systems. Many hours of painstaking research into t h e
true culture, beliefs, gods and means of worship practiced by t h e
early Myceneaens have resulted in this ongoing system of belief. It
is not for all, but if you feel a true connection b e t w e e n
yourself, the mythologies, the social structure and the beliefs
involved then perhaps this path is for you.
TheMyceneaen beliefsystemis nota total"re-creationist"
idea, nor the structuring of a system out of whole cloth, but like
any belief system stemming from another time and blossoming into
a Neo-Pagan tradition it comes from a combination of both. The land
of Myceneae has gone through not one but two dark ages in its
time, and much of the original material was lost or destroyed or
very badly distorted by the people that would pass through it as
their conquerors, and so I have had to take some liberty to the
myths, sorting them according to the values and theology they
present as to whether they were of these people and if so trying to
prune out the changes made by centuries of conquest. This is an
ongoing project, and the belief structure will be added to as new
material is encountered and adapted, but the basic structure
outlined in the pages of work already completed will for the most
part remain stable, with each person who takes up the system adding
their own touch to the system.
Thus, if you choose this path, you will be forming and helping
to form the belief system for yourself and for others, making
your actions and writingsjust as important as thosethat have
now been finished. Few religions or belief paths truly allow the many
members within it to shape the system to their own needs and t o
bring about change. Myceneaen Mysteries does.
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If you are reading this file online a BBS or from a printout of
such,or on a distributed disk, there should be several other
text files here for you to read over, so please do so and feel free
to distribute it at will among your fellow Neo-Pagans and all open
minded non-pagan friends. Only through the greatest number of
people getting involved can we do the greatest amount of improvement
and gain personal enlightenment on this path.
* Love, Trust & Community : The key of Myceneae *
MYCENEAEN MYSTERIES : THEOLOGICAL ANSWERS
The purpose of this document is to explain some of the positions
of The Myceneaen Belief system that are considered important and
controversial to other Religious groups, many times to the point
where they will place their views not only in public view but to
enforce them upon others not of their beliefs 'for their own
good'. These positions are important, as they help show where we
stand and also explain a bit more of what we are really about. These
views are not forced on the membership of the Laos, but are t h e
official accepted policies, beliefs and viewpoints of the
organization in today's world - based on the overall religion.
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1. Contraceptive Devices.
We realize the importance of life, as most nature-oriented
religions do, and have a high respect for it and for the right
of all to live. On the other hand we strongly believe in the
right to choose one's path and actions in life. Thus, because
of these factors, and in consideration of the high risk of
disease in today's social circles, we support the use of all
non-destructive Contraceptive means to prevent the spread of
disease and the possibility of unwanted children being
conceived Wedo notsupport, on theother hand, operative
contraceptionthrough vasectomyor sterilization- sincethese
cause an actual mutilationof the bodyand because theyare
both questionablein recent studies ascauses of increased
cancerrates. We have astrong belief in taking responsibility
forour actions, and to utilize contraceptivedevices is to
take responsibility in ones sexual activities.
2. Homosexuality/Bi-Sexuality.
These concepts in Sexuality are not nor ever have been in
our beliefs or those of the original Myceneaens anything but
Natural. To call such actions and feelings perverse, or worse,
is to deny the realities of nature and of the human condition.
We areborn bi-sexual and makeour choices based on
environmental enforcement. We accept Homosexuality and
Bi-sexuality as true parts of life, not something to be
encouraged nor discouraged, but accepted as normal.
3. Public Nudity.
This one is obvious and simple, throughout most of the
Neo-Pagan community it hasalways been :if you feel
comfortable and won't be making too many others uncomfortable
then feel welcome to any level of dress or undress that suits
you. It is suggested that among a Damos that a full level of
acceptance and knowing each others bodies, at least by sight,
be eventually accomplished to improve the ability of the Damos
to work as a true group bound in the love and trust they have
declared (if you can't trust to be nude in someone's presence
you probably can't trust them entirely). This will be
difficult for some, it is suggested that if a member seems
uncomfortable with this that they be introduced to it slowly
by the rest of the group so they become more comfortable. Not
only does this build trust, but it can also help in keeping
tension levels down and to improve health of the group overall
in some ways.
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4. Smoking.
The smoking of tobacco in today's society is deeply enmeshed,
but slowly people are bring the realization of the damage of
utilizing this herb as an addictive substance regularly. We
also understand the difficulties of eliminating the effects
of it upon the body in withdrawal. Considering all this, there
shall be no usage of such materials within ritual or within
a celebration's public confines (the exception is the use of
pure, natural, un-chemically treated indian tobacco for use in
American Indian smoking rituals - which are rare and very
limited in scope or exposure). If a smoker chooses to do so at
a celebration they must go off away from the Damos and Guests
to a secluded area where their second-hand smoke cannot affect
anyone else in the group. The Damos should join in on trying
to help the smoker get past the addiction and back to a sense
of personal worth where such is unneeded (all addiction is
caused by a sense of personal inferiority and incompleteness).
5. Ritual Drugs.
The use of these substances should only be within certain very
controlled circumstances, under extreme supervision by people
who are experienced and obviously personally balanced in the
matter. The use of illegal or highly controlled drugs is not
encouraged and anyone choosing to do so are doing so as an
individual, not as a representative of the Laos. Again, the
mainword iscaution withalldrugs ifyoudon't understand
all the risks then don't use the substance.
6. Alcohol.
The Myceneaens were the inventors of Beer and several other
naturally fermented acholic drinks, and so we cannot
deny this part of the past nor the religious aspects of it.
Any naturally fermented alcohol is acceptable for libation in
Ritualand incelebration, butthe takingof distilled
alcoholsshall not bewithin Ritual (itsalright for
celebration though). Unless a ritual is specifically to
Dionysus, the taking of enough alcohol to be considered
'Drunk' in circle is to be frowned upon and felt offensive.
Becoming drunk in a celebration if so wished is acceptable, so
long as one maintains the rules of hospitality and does not
attempt to do such morally wrong things as driving intoxicated
(Hosts be warned that if a guest is so intoxicated you are
under obligation to make sure they either have a ride home
with a non-intoxicated person or that sleeping space, at least
upon your floor, is made available to them). Alcohol in small
amounts acts as a natural remover of the mental shields that
can block ones ability to perceive the powers of nature and
oneself, thus being useful in this way.
7. Abortion.
This is for many groups one of the most discussed area of
personal choice. In Myceneae belief, ones spirit is not found
within an embryo until the finish of the third month, and so
we support the right of a woman to choose whether or not to
take such an action, but do want her to consider all of the
available options before doing such. Life is precious, both
thatof amother andthat ofa child,but anexisting life
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will hold priority overa yet-to-be born, since ifan abortion
doesoccur the spirit of the child will find another bodyto
gain re-entranceinto the life-cycle. We do support the use of
all natural abortifacient herbs and drugs over physical
operations, but again this is the choice of the mother and not
for the religion to enforce.
8. Pornography.
We believe that the true pornography in the world is depictions
of humanities cruelties unto itself for the purpose to glorify
it and encourage it. This means we label books and movies of
a purely violent nature to be Pornographic (Examples of such
are 'Faces of Death', 'The Green Berets' or any of the numerous
'slasher' films). Additionally we feel that films of a sexual
nature that show women as inferior, mere sex objects or actually
depict violent rape as something its not to be pornographic
(ex: The Story of O). We have no objections to sexuality in
books in films, displays of nudity or love within such. We
also oppose Child-pornography, bestiality and slavery of any
kind.
9. Sexual Responsibility.
Myceneaen beliefs have nothing in opposition to group sex or
group marriages, from Menage-a-trois to full multi-faceted
tribal families. We do have a strong ruling of community to
regulate ourselves, and to reduce the risks of disease and other
related problems. Any member of a Damos who has a sexually
transmutable disease should warn all other members of the Damos.
When a person enters into a Damos they must expose such info
to the members, to protect all. If a member of a Damos is in
a relationship withsomeone outside theDamos they should
refrain from sexual contact with members inside the Damos,
unless sure that they are clear of such afflictions.
Relationships within the Damos should be encouraged, as this
will prevent an influx of diseases from outside unknown sources.
Members of a Damos who are sexually active in any way should
seek out a medical check for such problems routinely and should
share the results with the members. Keeping everyone within the
Damos healthy is of import to all members of the Damos. Remember
a Damos is more than just a group of friends and acquaintances
as is common in most Neo-Pagan groups, it is an extended family
and community.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
-----------------
The Mycenaean Era is not the Greece of Homer, and has many of
its own unique differences that set it off from that Era. It is
sometimes known as the Golden Age or Heroic Age of the ancient
land we call Greece. Fledgling borne from migrants coming into
the area from Syria and Persia during the Empire of Crete, the
Mycenaeans were a willful folk, who accepted the rule of Crete
until the Minoans fell from power by a complex series of events
that caused them to abandon the Mainland and Isles of Greece
and vanish back into the mists of History. Neither The Minoans
nor the Mycenaeans were remembered, until our own 1840's (AD)
when the ruins were discovered and slowly excavated (a process
still uncompleted to this day).
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Egypt, it has been said, introduced government to the world
(and Bureaucracy and all that goes with it). Minos introduced the
concept of Laws governing all equally (which Homer's Greece would
rediscover in its own era) and the value of colonization & trade.
Each had its religions and cults, but it was in Mycenaean that did
rise truly human gods and goddesses - those who could weep or
laugh, who did not simply hold themselves aloof from the majority
of the population but who were close and intricately associated
with their people.
In concept, and in Mycenaean Myth, we are all descended from
the gods. We are all their children, and we are all working
towards learning what we must to take our proper places beside
them one day in a future existence. We all have within us the
ability to perform feats of wonder, magic as we call it, through our
own ability of will and perception.
As children of the gods and goddesses, we are imperfect only
in that we have not yet learned the ways to best utilize our own
abilities and to work with nature thoroughly - as Neo-Pagans we
can work towards this goal, unlike those who refuse to open their
eyes to their own ability and instead falsely believe that nature
is a force to be battled and conquered instead of one that we are
part of and must work with in order to survive. We are not in
any way perfect, we do not have 'the one true path' or the 'one
way to enlightenment', we have simply chosen a path in this belief
system and religion that serves our personal growth (some may even
walk this path and then later chose another closer to their own
hearts in some way). We ask that others accept the fact that we
have chosen this path of our own free will, if they ask for any
information we shall give it freely, and that we ask that they be
tolerant of us in our every day lives and not show bigotry against
us for our belief path.
The Mycenaean Era, historically lasted from approx. 1700 BC, as
the Minoan Empire collapsed inward, and prospered through till 1120
BC when the last shreds of it fell beneath the onslaught of the
invading Dorians, who were the ancestors of Homer's Greece. The
fall of Mycenaea brought with it a terrible 400 years of what has
been called the 'Greek Dark Age' for the invaders destroyed all
the knowledge of writing, and much of the culture and technology
of the people of the land that was then Greece. They had come down
out of the Northern parts of Central Europe, outnumbering the
Mycenaeans and being experts at large scale war, still it took
them from 1190 BCE to 1120 BCE to fully conquer the Mycenaeans.
When the Dorians invaded and conquered the people, they
destroyed what was then the most advanced civilized people in
Europe. Mycenae had the benefits of the technology of the Minoans
and the advantages of a widespread sea-trade with Syria, Italy,
Sicily, Spain, Egypt, Rhodes, Persia and even possibly the Isles
of Britain. This widespread trade made them one of the richest
people, and their willingness to exchange knowledge and goods
made them welcome in many ports. Mycenae had colonized villages
in many lands, to serve as trading posts with native peoples.
Their only major war was, that which we know now as the Trojan
War, in 1200 BC (approx), was a successful enterprise supposedly
based on principle instead of greed.
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Mycenae, like the native peoples of the Americas, were slowly
worn down and defeated by an enemy they had sought to not war
with but to trade with. The Dorians came first as raiders, then
in larger numbers as they fled south from either hostile weather
conditions or an unknown northern invader, and were not to be
appeased with simply the lands of the neighbors of the Mycenaeans,
such as the Hittites, but wanted the rich trade of the Black and
Mediterranean Seas. They did not have a written language, but
were evidently of similar stock of that which the Mycenaeans had
once come from centuries before and spoke a similar tongue. They
destroyed the citadels, palaces and shrines, burning many to the
ground in their fury. They slew the learned and enslaved the
poor and agricultural people to serve their own economy - they were
not the peaceful folk that Homer first tries to show them to
be, in Homer's day, after the ages, Mycenae was forgotten and
Minoan Empire a wispy memory of long ago.
Parts of the culture and its gods and goddesses were still so
strongly enmeshed in the people that remained that the Dorians
adapted it into their own rather than try to fight its existence,
changing it to fit their own values and warlike natures. Thus the
Mycenaean Age faded away in history and memory until the 1840's AD
when the ruins of Mycenae were discovered and the Archaeological
Society of Greece began to recover its forgotten past.
Much of what we have to work with in our beliefs are based on
the records of archaeological findings, the eventual deciphering
of the few tablets and inscriptions in the ancient language of
the people (Many of which were simply old accounting records)
and the myths that have survived even the purging and nature of
the Homeric era. Vocal records always change tales with the
telling, and thus it has been painstakingly difficult to produce
what these pages attempt to do. Much has had to been assumed in
my research as the information is not available, and some has been
modified to suit our modern times and needs. Thus this is not a
recreation,no more than Ar nDracht Fan can claim an absolute
reconstruction of Celtic Druidism, but a new view for the present
and hopefully the future.
Each Wanax is responsible for seeing that their Damos sits
down and somehow develops a name for their Damos, and it is by
this name that they will be known to other Damosi. It is
suggested that Greek names or ones related to the places they
choose to name sacred or to the local Native American Indian names
be used (We, as members of the Myceneaen belief must realize the
rights of the natives of the lands we presently live in and also
respect and honor their gods, goddesses and local nature spirits
and beliefs, for like the original Myceneaens we accept the validity
of local deities as much as our own, some being our own known by
other names and some being local powers like the dozens of river
gods and nature spirits found in ancient Greece). If a name is not
to be in Greek or in line with a Native American group then it
should in some way reflect the nature of the people involved and
their own goals together. Names, preferably, should not be more than
ten words in length and not less than two. At the end of each name
shall be added the word Damos, to identify it as a part of the Laos.
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For the present I have chosen to act as the Basileus of the
'organization', that is I wish to be a personage who will be the
arbitrator (if requested by all sides) in disputes between any
two or more Wanaxi or Damosi dealing with the material in my
structure or in a gathering of Damosi. I will also, for the
moment, hold the position of a communications point between any
of the further spread Damosi. I hold this position only until
we have someone who can serve better for either position and who
is willing to take on the duties - the position holds no true
power over other Wanaxi or the greater Damosi unless they choose
to have me arbitrate. This position I will hold no longer than
ten years, and preferably much less. Once a hundred Wanax are
established they will have the power, by a majority decision,
to decide when to replace the Basileus and with who (the who
must be willing to take the office).
I also ask that all Wanaxi record their record of activities
(which we will call, for lack of better terminology your Damosi's
Book of Records) in photocopy, ASCII text file or to be
Handwritten/typed/carboned and pass this duplicate on to me to
keep and utilize for communicating with all the members of the
Laos (the people, in greek) of the Mycenaea faith, either within
newsletters, computer files or whatever - based on the needs of
each individual of the faith. This is a matter of choice of the
Wanax personally, if they feel they need secrecy for some reason
that is their choice and they may choose not to send such to me.
I am not in a position of power in this path, simply a guide for
part of the way and then it is up to your own selves to decide
where you will go dealing with the path, your Wanax, your damos
and your life-cycles.
Many of the ancient titles and positions within Mycenae are
no longer of great import in today's society, but might one day
become of import. The E-qe-tai (ee-kay-tie) were the liaison
between the temples and the military, I suggest that this be a
position given by each Wanax to a member of their Damos when
they feel the need for someone to act as a Liaison between the
Damos and any other Damos, a messenger of sorts between groups,
and also to serve as such if the group comes into contact with
the press or other public media. This position need not be a
permanent one, and several may be bestowed this title at one
time if more than one series of liaisons are necessary. The
Ko-Re-te (kowe-ray-tay) were military commanders within a Damos,
we have no need of such at present, unless the Wanax of a group
chooses that members of their Damos should learn a martial art
or weapon skill for personal growth - then the Ko-Re-te will be
the title given to a teacher within the group (You should not
expect members of your Damos to be taught in such things by a
person outside the Laos, nor can teaching be forced or required,
only requested or suggested).
The Lawagetas was in ancient times the 'Leader of the Host',
a military leader for a collection of the Laos from more than
one Damos for a particular purpose. Obviously this is not a
needed position within our present structure. The Pa-si-re-u
was the official responsible within a Damos responsible for the
bronze smiths, again a title I cannot see the need to restore
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(If anyone is skilled at this art and wishes to offer it as a
teaching to members of your Damos, then grant them the title).
The klawiphoroi were the key-bearers, always female, of the
temple. Since our temples, shrines, groves and altars will be
most likely within other buildings or outside and there is no
plan to purchase buildings at present for this purpose (for we
are a poor folk) this title will remain among the unused.
Each individual of the Laos, including those not of a Damos,
may consider themselves Mycenaean Priests and Priestesses as long
as they choose to follow this path of Neo-Paganism. There are no
paian (non-clerical followers), though there may be members of
other faiths present at a ritual, celebration or gathering -
so long as they are willing to accept the rules of hospitality.
Due to legalities, children are brought into ritual rarely -
they are not yet on this path and should not be forced upon it
like some religions do. We must not make the mistakes that many
mainstream religions have before. They can be present at an open
celebration, but should not be brought into ritual until they
are old enough to understand the beliefs and concepts, say
not before their 16th birthday (this will be an arbitrary
choice between the Wanax and the parents).
Finances are the choice of the to deal with, and whether they
will handle the finances of the Damos or have a separate person
appointed treasurer or choose to keep no finances for the group
but run the group as a 'donate anything but money' operation. I
would like to hear from the Wanaxi on how they are handling their
finances and the operations herein, especially any who set up
their Damos as a physical communal household or farm site.
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THE LAWS OF HOSPITALITY FOR MYCENEAENS
---------------------------------------
1) A Guest always has the right to leave a Host's home, lands,
celebration or gathering when they wish (this is not possible
always in the middle of a ritual and can only be done when the
officiary of the ritual grants it magically etc), without
harm or threat of harm, with all that they brought with them
into the locale.
2) A Host always has the right to ask a Guest to leave their home,
lands, celebration, gathering or ritual without conflict of
a physical or verbal nature, and to take with them all they
brought with them into the locale.
3) A Host has the right to request an armed guest to peace-bond,
remove from the locale or to take a weapon of any obvious
nature, unless necessary for a ritual taking place, until it
the guest is ready to leave without argument or conflict.
4) A Host has the right to request a guest not utilize or even
bring into their home, lands, celebration, gathering or ritual
any substance or device that may be legally questionable or
outlawed or physically harmful to the Hosts health or that of
other guests or members of the Damos. (this may be anything
from drugs, alcohol, poisons, cigarettes, flamethrowers etc.
all by the Host's discretion).
5) A Host may ask the following of a personal rule of hygiene or
social concept be followed by a guest while within the home,
celebration, ritual, lands etc (EX: the removal of shoes before
entering the house, the washing of hands, maintaining a low
level of noise due to someone else sleeping, sharing in the
breaking of bread, etc by the host's discretion).
6) Both Host and Guest are bound by a rule of trust - none shall
carry out violence of a physical or psychic nature against
those present or they shall be in violation of the rules of
Hospitality and nullify all such rules at that point.
7) Neither Host nor guest shall steal from the other - either
doing such shall be in violation of the rules of Hospitality
and they shall be annulled at that point.
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8) The Host may ask one service of the guest if they are to
share meal, sleep within the hosts area, or in other words
impose on the host in any manner. This service cannot require
the leaving of the hosts area, nor be of an illegal, personally
distasteful or harmful way, but will most probably be of a
simple manner (and not the tasks set out historically in legend)
such as assisting with the setting of the table, chopping of
wood for the fire, etc. This is not mandatory, simply suggested
in conceptual context of the original Mycenaean Society.
9) The Host and guest, if of different religions, will not seek to
force their beliefs upon the other - discussion is allowed, but
not obvious attempts to convert or proselytize.
10) The Host and guest (and members of the Hosts Damos) will not
seek to force their affections on each other sexually - this
does not rule out flirtation, involvement or seduction, but
does rule out harassment, forced sex and rape. If a person
says they are not interested then their word is final and any
further consideration should be personally curbed. Violation of
this rule invalidates the rules of hospitality in the
situation.
11) The Host may request of a Guest reimbursement for any supplies
that have been used in the feeding or entertainment of the guest
that are considered excessive. Additionally a guest is expected
to repay any bills of an excessive nature (such as those of
long distance telephone calls) that they are responsible for.
12) A Guest at Ritual is expected to accept the Authority of the
officiaries within the ritual area as absolute, and shall not
question their authority or actions while within the ritual area.
Nor shall a Guest seek to disrupt a ritual from within or from
outside of it while it is being carried out.
13) A Guest is expected to provide a gift for a host or the hosts
Damos when visiting for ritual (A food dish or libation is the
common practice) or celebration. This is waved if not more than
one days notice has been given or if the Guest claims a truly
impoverish condition in their own life.
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The above may seem simplistic, obvious or unnecessary, but I feel
it is important that we have a set of rules for those who cannot
see the obvious and to protect all involved. Further, I'd like to
request that any member of the Laos who has had the Rules violated
by a Host or Guest (especially those rules dealing with violence,
Forced affection, theft etc) to report them by name to me, anyone
who has been found in such violation with witnesses by members of
any three Damosi will be reported as such and publicized by us
internally to be avoided as Guest or Host (and of course, if a
legal violation occurs any Host is welcome to report them as such
to the authorities).
Remember that a Guest or host cannot be considered held by the
rules of Hospitality if they have not seen them and agreed to them
beforehand. Feel free to suggest that other Neo-pagan groups
accept these rules themselves - this does not have to be just a
Myceneaen only concept.
ETHICS & CONCEPTS OF CONDUCT
----------------------------
You take, by using this work and collection of beliefs and the
title of Myceneaen Priest or Priestess, the responsibility for
your own life and actions in it. Every time you make a decision
in life you are exercising your freedom and are responsible for
your actions. With knowledge and power come great responsibility,
to yourself, your Damos, your Waxan, the Laos, your homeland,
your birth family, the human race and that of the entire planet.
There are no 'evil' forces manipulating you or your actions, no
devils or demons exist save in the minds of others (and if any do
exist in your own mind then you must cast them out). No amount of
alcohol, drugs or influence shall change the fact that you are
still responsible for what you choose to do and not to do.
Yes, we recognize that there are forces beyond our ability to
fully conceive in this reality, that at times the gods and the
goddesses might interfere with our lives, remember that there is
something to be learned from each success and every failure, that
they do not wish you to suffer - they simply wish you to learn
and advance to one day rise above the need for the state of being
what you are at present - bound within a limiting fleshly body
for this cycle and for each you have and will have given to you
until you have learned all this existence can teach and advance
to a level where you may enjoin with the gods and see beyond our
present.
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376
OPEN CIRCLE ETHICS
by Brandy Williams
Event organizers and open-circle coordinators have, I think,
a responsibility to participants to provide a safe and comfor-
table environment. The Pagan community here in the Pacific
Northwest seems to be evolving an ethical standard governing
organizers. Althea Whitebirch calls it choice-centered, and I
offer my perception of it here as a model and a basis for dis-
cussion.
HISTORY: A few years ago, the Seattle/ Vancouver/ Portland
area had no ongoing festivals. As I write, August '86, organi-
zers are planning next year's schedule -- the second annual
Spring Equinox Mysteries festival, the first Summer Solstice
Gathering, the third annual Solitary Convention, the fourth
annual Fall Equinox Festival. Many of the attendees are new --
either to Paganism or to the northwest, and the events draw
people from a wide geographical area, including British Columbia,
Montana, Idaho, Oregon, California, and all of Washington state.
We're growing. We're growing very rapidly, and dealing with
a disproportionate influx of people inexperienced in group
rituals. As a result we're starting from scratch in developing
organizer ground rules, and developing solutions to problems
being discussed in the Pagan net nation-wide.
In the Pacific northwest, the circle of organizers is very
small, almost familial, and we're working from a basis of friend-
ship and trust. We're concerned about each other and pay atten-
tion to caring for one another. I think the combination of a
small group handling a lot of newcomers has allowed us to gene-
rate a uniquely compassionate set of attitudes and guidelines.
This outline is my own. I'm going to phrase this is strong,
definitive terms, with this qualifier: I call it Northwest Ethics
because it has evolved out of discussions with other organizers.
However, it isn't offered as a group consensus and any given or-
ganizer might disagree with some of these points or the language.
This is intended as a starting point for discussion and not a
presentation of a set-in-concrete consensus.
My own experience: I've staffed a number of events in and
out of the community. My most recent experience was heading the
SolCon '86 staff, so I'm using it as my most frequent example.
RITUAL CHOICES: Althea Whitebirch and I facilitated a dis-
cussion at the '85 Fall Equinox Festival that has borne substan-
tial results in the local community. We argued that closed
circles can do what they like, but those of us in charge of open
circles should lay down some ground rules to ensure everyone's
comfort and safety.
Explain The Ritual. I'm personally finding it necessary to
make some very basic announcements, like circle boundaries
shouldn't be indiscriminately crossed, and people should only
walk clockwise within them. Again, we're dealing with a lot of
newcomers.
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No Pressure To Physically Touch. I've never seen anyone ob-
ject to holding hands, but a lot of people have commented that
they cringe at kisses. No kissing spirals in open circles.
Why? Newcomers tend to go along with group activities, even
ones they're uncertain about. Maybe they should be assertive,
but more often they're not, and organizers are their voice.
Choice: every event in this area includes space for people to put
together their own circles, some of which can be more touching-
oriented -- and are identified as such. Or we might experiment
with providing an Intimate Circle, which would include a lot of
hugs and kisses.
The rule is: you don't have to touch anyone you don't want
to, anytime. That should be clear to newcomers.
Choice In Participation. In open circles, if the dancing
gets too rapid or wild, participants can step back. Just bring
your neighbors' hands together and move out of the way. I've
also seen some ritualists allow people to cut themselves out of
the circle -- the procedure was clearly explained in advance.
Effective ritual evokes response. Novices are at different
tolerance and skill levels than experienced ritualists, and some
rituals can be overwhelming. Also, the 'boogie till you puke'
crowd exhausts the older folks and the kids in the group.
Experiment note: I recently separated a circle into two
groups, the 'keep on dancing' people, and the 'sit down and rest'
folks. Some rhythm is traded off for comfort. I've also seen
two rituals staged consecutively, one quiet and one 'dance all
night.' Suggestion: we can try a novice ritual, and a more power-
ful one for skilled people.
Also note: one northwest organizer disagreed with these sug-
gested choices, feeling those who participate in a circle should
be committed for the duration of the experience. It's a point.
In that case, I think a clear understanding of what's to come
would be essential.
STIMULANTS
In PANEGYRIA Vol. 3 No. 4, Althea Whitebirch argued for
informed choice in using stimulants. If alcohol is used in a
communal cup everyone should know, and a fruit juice or other
substitute should also be available.
Drugs: NOT AT EVENTS I COORDINATE! At least, not with my
knowledge or approval. Private drug use hasn't been a problem so
far. My concern is that if anyone is caught, it's not private
any more. I'm the one who gets to deal with the police and the
press, and the whole community's image suffers.
If problems arise in the future, I'd consider banning drugs
altogether. Organizing is tough enough -- I have a right to
limit my risks. Call a closed circle and do it at home.
MINORS: Young children supervised by Pagan parents are a real
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joy. Teenagers with absent, non-Pagan parents or guardians are
becoming a problem, even with signed in advance waivers. Some of
us are leaning toward a 'no minor without attending parent'
policy. How do you keep them away from the wine? Think of the
issues surrounding sexuality with under-age kids. The 'what-ifs'
are frightening to contemplate.
I haven't made a firm decision because I know how important
the contacts and support can be to our younger friends. On the
other hand, they do grow up. In two years, a 16 year old can
sign her own waiver. Maybe we could set up a gentle, first con-
tact network to provide them with 'one on one' support, starting
slowly.
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SOLOMONIC DECISIONS
I was asked to kick out two people who wanted to attend the
last SolCon, and I burned one request for a registration.
I know, I know. The word 'blacklist' leaps immediately to
mind. This is a tough issue. The request I burned was from a
person who was suspected of having responded violently to a cri-
ticism. The other two revolved around sexual ethics: men accused
of coercing women into intimacy.
Help.
The problem, as always, is that none of the cases were clear-
cut. How do I substantiate an accusation? Do I kick someone out
on a suspicion? I don't want violence or sexual coercion at an
event that has my name on it. I also don't want to mediate
personal conflicts; that's not my job.
At the moment, one well-placed person can ruin another's
reputation. I've seen three people kicked from the community on
ONE person's request. I've also seen people with a lot of con-
tacts survive a number of complaints. Neither situation seems
fair.
We have a lot of options. This is an essay question: pick
one and list the pros and cons.
1. Anyone at all can attend any event.
2. Each organizer must individually choose who to deny attendance
to. (In practice, we do pass names to each other.)
3.�Any person who has been accused by one person of one of the
following things should get flagged. That is, every event orga-
nizer should be notified:
-Theft or destruction of another's property.
-Violence against people -- assault.
-Sexual coercion or abuse.
This seems to me to be most workable:
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4.�In one case I had three complaints a man had made weird sexual
phone calls to women. I called him and offered him probation:
find someone to sponsor you, to be willing to act as liaison be-
tween you and the community. As with minors, the sponsor should
be with you at each event you attend. Then I would put the word
out that you are one probation, and the sponsor should be
contacted if you contact anyone on your own and misbehave. The
probation would last for a year. Any repetition of the unde-
sirable behavior would get you kicked from my events permanently,
and I would notify other organizers. Failure to accept the
probation means getting kicked immediately.
I haven't had a chance to use this procedure because the per-
son decided the effort wasn't worth it (a statement in itself).
I notified other organizers.
I'm aware this issue is extremely hot. Personally, I'm in-
troducing a lot of people to the community, AND vice-versa.
There are a lot of weirdos out there. I don't want to let a mass
murderer loose among us (as it were). I also don't want to
blacklist someone because of a personality conflict.
Bottom line: some novice assertiveness training seems to be
in order.
CARETAKING
Some of us have had good experience with 'greeters' or
ombudsmen. (Ombudspeople?) It's a staff position, the sole re-
sponsibility of which is to be available for participants'
support, to solve problems, hold hands, and be a liaison with
staff.
I didn't have greeters at SolCon '86 and regretted it. Even
with 30 people, the event coordinator (me) didn't have time to
personally check in with everyone.
I like very much that northwest events coordinators show
visible concern and caring for everyone. A friend of mine said,
"I love these events because I always feel so cherished." I'd
like to see that become a community standard.
ORGANIZER'S MAGIC
SolCon '86 has a staff conceptualizer who renamed the
position. An organizer is the focus, he said, of the energies
coming into, and generated by the event.
A festival isn't just about magic. It IS magic, and the
focus has the pleasure of shepherding what another friend of mine
calls the magical child through its inception, and allowing par-
ticipants to share in its direction. (Rearing?)
This outline is a suggestion, a template, for focusing event
magic. These are the major focus points:
-Conception. When the event is scheduled/sited. I saw a staff
group hold a circle at the actual site several months before the
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event, asking for: safety, to have enough registrants, what the
event was designed to accomplish for the attendees, the staff,
and the community.
-Presentation. I don't know about anyone else, but for me, put-
ting a flyer together is casting a spell.
-Orientation. Somewhere in the first few hours of the event, ask
the participants to help focus on the event's parameters --
safety, joy, solvency ...
-Major or parting ritual. Of necessity the ritual coordinators
will set the structure, and almost always the nature of the
working as well, but eve here the attendees can have some space
to give feedback.
-Post-event focus: a thank-you circle.
FEEDBACK
It might be suggested that an organizer has a right to do
whatever works, and event participants must fend for themselves.
I argue that event sponsors represent the community -- create the
experience of the Pagan community for many who have no other con-
tacts, and as such, they are accountable to their participants
and to other event organizers and community elders.
Aside from the issues already discussed, there are financial
ones. This year I distributed a financial accounting to SolCon
'86 attendees. That was scary -- laying out the bottom line of
the decisions and mistakes I made! The thing is, a lot of people
asked for that kind of accounting, and I've wondered myself when
I attended events.
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The other issue is proceeds or profits. SolCon '86 didn't
make any. I had, however, planned to pay my staff some salary,
thinking we should be compensated for our work. Some people dis-
agreed, feeling event funds should be channelled into projects
the community benefits from. Since teeny SolCon is becoming a
formal organization (for legal purposes) and I'm putting myself
on the Board, I won't personally be in a position to take any
money out. However, I'd still like to pay the staff -- even a
small amount -- because they sacrifice some of their own fun and
do a lot of work to make the thing possible.
Finally: organizing is a pretty heavy responsibility and a
lot of work. I think we have a right to ask for hugs.
I hope to see lots of discussion on these issues. Because
our value is maximum tolerance for diversity, doesn't have to
mean that anything goes. I think it's possible for us to reach
consensus about some ground rules, to safeguard our community and
everyone in it. We ask for perfect love and perfect trust. I
think we need to provide a safety net to ensure it.
As always, I welcome feedback.
Brandy Williams
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STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS--LIFEWAY SHAMANIC FELLOWSHIP
By Usen's grace, Ho-dah....
1.) PURPOSES:
Thisis aneraofdecision.Dowe allowourselvestocutthe
throatoftheMotherWhohasnourishedus asaspeciessince
we "came down from the trees"? Or do we work to walk in
Beauty and Harmony with Her, and cherish Her, and work to
see Her healed? The resurgence of Shamanism, the primal
Earth Religion of practically all of the Earth's
pre-Agrarian cultures, is an important thing, foretold by
the Paiute prophet Wovoka and in the Hopi Prophecies. It
was said that both the Red Man would return to the Ways of
the Old Ones and that the non-Native would also embrace the
Lifeway.
Therearenon-Nativeswho
respectfullyhavechosen
these Ways, and are carrying them on in a reverent way. If
the Lifeway was only given for the Native peoples, it would
die out within our lifetime. There are simply not enough
traditional Elders left.
Ithasbeenshown tosomeofus thatOurMotherThe Earthis
not willing to die quietly. She has demonstrated this by
the increase in natural disasters of the past decade, which
continue day by day. The Hopi prophecies state that, when
the "bowl full of ashes" (most interpret this as the
Thermonuclear Bomb) is overturned, that Our Mother shall
rise up in Her righteous anger and destroy humanity. This
prophecy is coming true, although it may yet be reversible.
Perhaps it is we who reverence the Ways and walk in harmony
with Our Mother that may stay Her hand.
The Lifeway Fellowship is here for those who wish to honor
Our Mother and Our Father, Earth and Sky, and to honor The
Giver Of Life, from whence all things flow in the Universe.
Our world-view is primarily allied with that of the
Navajo/Dineh, Apache/Teneh, and Hopi peoples. However we do
not represent ourselves as the keepers of those ways. The
secrets of those Nations are for them alone, unless Usen'
wishes to reveal them to us. Our mission is to help heal
OurMother,TheEarth,andtohelpeachotherwalk incloser
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harmony with Her. We also exist to provide a way for urban
andsub-urbanpeopletolearnandpractice
therootShamanic
techniques that aid us in finding our True Vision and True
Way of Power, and following that Vision and that Way.
We identify ourselves as Pagan (Webster's New World
Dictionary"1.b)...apersonwhoisnota
Christian,Moslem,
orJew (byfaith);heathen.Paganspecificallyreferstoone
of the ancient polytheistic (or pantheistic) peoples.") and
as unashamed Pantheists and Polytheists. The Lifeway
is trulyareligious commitment. No-onecan makea
commitmenttothe Lifewayandtothe worshipofLifeGiver,
TheEarth Motherand TheSky Father andremain aworshiper
of other Paradigms of the Deity,much as one cannot be a
Christian and worship the Greco-Roman pantheon. However
this does not imply the condemnation of other Paradigms, nor
impel a duty to "convert" others.
WestandbyotherPaganswhodonotshareour paradigms,IE.
Wiccans,Asatruans, Hellenists,and otherShamanic
traditions, (African and neo-African(Santeria & Voudoun),
Australian, Siberian, Traditional Native American, and
Polynesian, to name a few) and even though we may disagree
with some or all of their practices and beliefs, they are
Brothers, Sisters and Cousins, and in times of persecution
as well as times of goodwill we must defend them. We may
even share in their open rituals and allow them to share in
our open ceremonials. But that which is ours must remain
ours, just as that which is theirs must remain theirs.
2.) THE(A)OLOGY:
AsourFellowshipisinherentlyreligious,
wemustdeclarea
The(a)ology. (The strange spelling refers to the fact that
we acknowledge a Goddess as well as a God)
This is summed up very easily. There are three main powers
we worship, Usen' the Life Giver, The Earth Mother, and The
Sky Father. The latter Two are emanations of the First, as
all, including the God and the Goddess, are emanations from
Usen', which is the primeval First Cause.
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Usen':OnecannotlookuponTheLifeGiveras eitherMaleor
Female, for The Life Giver is beyond those distinctions.
Usen', and The Life Giver, are names for this First Cause,
this Force that pervades all and caused all to come into
being. From Usen', the God, Sky Father, and the Goddess,
Earth Mother, emanate, as the lesser Deities emanate from
Them.
The Earth Mother: We live and walk and are sustained from
The Earth Mother, which is our Earth. She is alive, and we
all exist within Her as part of Her structure. Science,
through the Gala Hypothesis, has finally acknowledged Her
existence, and some even have learnt the lesson that our
duty in this life is to care for and honor Her. This is a
lesson that all must learn, for as long as we despoil Her,
we risk Her wrath. She is expressed through the faces of
White Painted Woman, Who is The Woman Warrior, through Corn
Mother, Who is The Nourishing Mother, and through Spider
Woman,WhoisTheWiseWoman,TheAncientOne,TheCustodian
of Wisdom. Women are acknowledged as being human represent-
atives of The Earth Mother.
The Sky Father: Just as among we Humans, there is both Man
and Woman, so there is no Earth Mother without Sky Father.
Sky Father is the air we breathe, the flame that gives us
warmth and cooks our food, and brings forth the rain that
fertilizes Our Mother and allows Her to provide us with
the crops and animals that sustain us. Sky Father is also
expressed as The Hunter, The Warrior, and First Shaman, and
is also expressed in Killer Of Enemies and The Child Of
Water. He is also present and acknowledged as being present
in every Man.
There are other spirits that exist in the Universe, some
beneficent, some maleficent. But most important is Usen',
EarthMother,andSkyFather.Bywalkinginharmonywiththe
God(esse)s, one can tell the Good from the Evil, welcoming
in Good, and protecting each other from Evil.
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3.)ETHICS:
We have our code of Ethics. It is neither lengthy nor
overly restrictive. We do not include ancient taboos in
this list, such as Mother-In-Law avoidance or the taboo
against Fish, because they may not apply nowadays. If you
wish to not eat fish or to avoid your Mother-In-Law for
religious reasons, it is your prerogative. But it is not a
requirement.
1.) If the action does not harm yourself, other people or
intelligentbeings,orOurMotherTheEarth,youarefreeto
do as you wish.
2.)Tochargeforhealings,sweatsorceremonials
istotally
wrong and extremely offensive. Also, to charge excessively
for teaching is equally offensive, but a modest fee
over expenses is allowable. Your conscience is the best
guide, that and the Will of the Deities.
3.) Magick should be limited only to protection of Self and
Loved Ones, and to healing and helping those in need,
provided that permission is given by the patient and that
help other than healing does not interfere with the Will of
others. Magick that is used in a coercive (IE. Love spells)
or destructive (harming or killing magick) way is patently
wrong and is considered Black Magick.
4.) Contact of spirits by any means other than Shamanic
journeyingor
theVisionQuestisveryrisky,andPossession
is a real possibility. The practice of mediumship, or
"channeling" has no place in the Lifeway, and exposes not
only Self but others to danger.
5.)Permissionmustalwaysbeaskedofthespiritsofplants
and/or animals before taking them for either sustenance or
for medicine.
6.) One's visions and one's personal ceremonies are one's
own. Personal visions should not be spoken of, but shared
visions are for all of the group.
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7.) It is wrong to criticize another within the group or
outside the group. Racism, sexism, xenophobia or general
disrespect of others has no place in the Fellowship.
Individual decisions about lifestyle and other ethical
issues not covered here are an individual's own affair.
4.):GROUP STRUCTURE AND INITIATION PRACTICES
There is only one Initiation, which is the Initiation that
makes one Kin within the group and in the sight of The
Deities.Itisgivenafterone hastakentheirfirstVision
Quest, has found their Power Animal(s) and has met the
Shaman Within. It can only be denied to those who have met
theserequirements,isyoungerthanthe
legalAgeOfConsent
(in most places, 18 years) is not of sound mind, and/or is
under suspicion of being a Law Enforcement Officer or other
person antipathetic to Pagan and/or Shamanic belief
who requests initiation for fraudulent purposes (usually to
infiltrate to either sabotage or publicly discredit the
Fellowship) Initiation must not be denied on account of
physical disabilities, blindness, deafness, or sterility,
nor on account of sex, race, nationality, political belief,
or sexual preference.
There are no set offices within the Fellowship. Ideally,
leadership should be by consensus, with true leaders being
temporaryandpurpose-oriented.
Facilitation
ofrituals
may
be done by any Initiate of the Fellowship. ANYONE WHO
REPRESENTS THEMSELVES AS A HIGH PRIEST/ESS OF THE LIFEWAY
SHAMANIC FELLOWSHIP IS A FRAUD, AND IS DOING SO CONTRARY TO
THIS STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS.
Support of the Fellowship is done on a purely voluntary and
mutual basis. No tithe or dues should be assessed unless
they have been agreed upon by all members, initiates and
non-initiates alike.
Membership is extended to all. But initiation is reserved
for those who meet the criteria mentioned above.
Non-initiates can participate in open ceremonials and in
basic workshops, but may be denied participation in certain
ceremonials and advanced workshops.
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5.) THE QUESTION OF RECOGNIZING SHAMANS
In traditional societies, the title Shaman was not just an
honorific, or recognition of talents. Nor was it the
highest initiatory level in a Shamanic society. The Shaman
was,inmostcases,abovetheChiefin
decision-makingpower
and was judge, doctor, father-confessor, and intercessor
withtheDeitiesforthetribe.SomeShamanicsocietiesare
now providing their membership with "Shaman training
seminars" and "Shaman apprenticeships" that can be had for
an exorbitant price. This implies that the cost of being a
Shaman can be paid in money and in a set amount of time.
This is not the case. Many tribes believe that the office
of Shaman is not one that is earned, but one that one is
borninto.Certainly,theskillsareneversomethingoneis
born with, and this is not merely hereditary. Rather, when
achildisborn,thecurrentShamanwouldrecognizethatthe
child had the POTENTIAL of being the next one, and the
child'straining
wouldbeginwhenthey
wereconsideredready
by theShaman.At adulthood,theywould betested. Ifthey
passedthetest, theywould becomethenext Shaman.If they
failed, usuallythe testwas suchthatthey wouldeither die
outright, or they would go insane. Many "heroic quest"
tales,andmostnotablytheArthurianlegendshave
echoesof
this practice within the ancient Shamanic traditions of
Europe.
But the point that is being made here is that we should not
goback tothatsortofwayof doingthings,becauseinthis
society it is nigh on impossible. The stand I am offering
here is that recognition as a Shaman can be conferred only
through shared vision, and signs from the Deities. It is
not my place to say what the signs are...it will be obvious
to the Fellowship. I am not Shaman myself, and will not
brook anyone calling me that. This is something I place in
the lap of the Deities to decide. I cannot do anything
more. It is a mockery of those people that can truly be
called Shamans, who are respected, powerful people of
traditional tribes, to do anything less. In any event, to
claim such a title is definitely not enough, and is
punishableby
withdrawingFellowshipfromthe
onewhoclaims
to be Shaman falsely.
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6.) FESTIVALS AND WORSHIP DAYS
The festivals are reckoned as they have been for centuries
by most Southwestern tribes, by both the Sun and the Moon.
Theseasonsbeginonthefirst fullmoonafteraSolsticeor
an Equinox. The Solstices and Equinoxes themselves are
times
ofcelebrationaswell,andperhapstheperiodbetween
the two (which usually works out to be no more than a week
or so) could be considered a time of Holiday. Lesser
ceremonialsareheldonNewMoonsandFullMoonsbetweenthe
first Full Moons of the seasons. Optionally certain Pagan
festivals could be celebrated in conjunction with other
groups, but they are not to be adopted as official Lifeway
Fellowship ceremonial days.
There
areotherceremonialsthatarepersonalinnature,and
can be held at any time, although synchronizing them with
the Festivals and the New and Full Moons is advisable. They
are Naming, where a newborn child is named in the presence
of the group and their Life-beads given; Coming Of Age,
where the child's physical maturity is acknowledged, and
where, for a short time, they become Child of the Water (if
aboy)orWhitePaintedWoman(ifagirl);Initiation,where
a person becomes a full-fledged member of the group, given
after a person becomes a legal adult; Joining, where a man
and a woman consent to be married; Unjoining, where a man
and woman who are married consent to have the bond
dissolved, which is to be done only after four reconcili-
ation attempts fail or after evidence of marital infidelity
or abuse is given before the group; the Moonlodge, which is
a special sweat for women in their Moon-time; and Release,
whereaceremonyforadead memberoftheFellowshipisdone
to guide their soul Back Home. Other ceremonials that are
dreamed or envisioned by a person or group are also
encouraged.
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7.) SUMMING UP
A few quick ones: One can be either clothed or unclothed at
ceremonies, but it should be known that none of the
Southwestern tribes did ceremonies in the nude. However,
one should disrobe for the sweat lodge, as clothes are not
only uncomfortable within the sweat lodge, but interfere
with the cleansing process of the lodge.
This Statement can be accepted or rejected by individual
groupsthat
federatethemselves
withLifeway
Fellowship.But
federation can be denied to those groups who stray too far
fromsomeofthebasicguidelines,ordoanythingthatwould
sully the reputation of the Fellowship in general.
Hi-dicho...this is finished.
May these proceeds please Life Giver Usen', and the Mother
and the Father.
ENJU!
Chihacou White-Puma, 1988.
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The Pantacle - a teaching story
(c) Gary Dumbauld, 1988
Michael came, walking slowly, purposefully, to the stone
circle deep in the woods. Stripped of clothes he came, naked to
the wind the moon and the stars, a cord of red twice his height
tied round his waist, a black-hilted knife at his left hip. He
tried to still his mind, remember his lessons, push his thoughts
to the back of his mind, and just feel; the feel of the Earth on
which he trod, the feel of the wind on his body, the feather-
weight touch of the moonlight on his skin. He tried to put
himself in harmony with the grand design of the Universe, the
purpose of the evening, he willed himself sternly to master his
emotions, listen and look with sacred intent.
He came, bearing the pantacle before him, balanced firmly on
his hands. Silver, it was, silver like the moon, carved and
etched, polished, burnished and blackened with signs and symbols.
How he had sweated over it, this past year, with hammer and
chisel, graver and burin, acids and wax, the tools of the
silversmith. A year and a day it had been, since he was judged
worthy to become a Priest, and given this task. His to carry,
this silver shield, but not his to own, till the rite was over
and he, like his father and mother before him, his aunts and
uncles and grandparents for generations, inherited by solemn and
sacred ceremony the High Priesthood of the Wise.
The High Priestess' athame pressed to his chest, her low,
clear voice as she asked him the ritual questions, roused him as
from a dream, of forest dark, and woods enchanted. He answered
her with a voice not quite fearful, but not as steady as he would
have wished.
"I come to this Circle seeking knowledge. I am Michael; my
face you well know; I have been sworn and initiated into the
Third Degree, but I would now seek the Priesthood of the Wise. I
come, bringing as my key this sacred Pantacle, over which I have
labored for a year and a day; I wish to be instructed in it's
true meaning; to this end I present my self, the work of my
hands, and two passwords: Perfect Love and Perfect Trust."
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"All who bring such words are doubly welcome" the High
Priestess replied, "and I give to you a third password, a kiss",
And so saying, kissed him on the lips and whirled him sunwise
into the sacred space. He gazed about himself, his eyes sliding
easily over the usual implements on the altar, the candles and
wands, censer, bowls of incense and salt; he looked at the High
Priestess expectantly.
The High Priestess spoke again, her voice reverberating
through the circle, echoing back from the sacred boundary stones;
"A seeker comes; this his purpose. The purpose of the Wise--to
teach! As it has ever been, let it now so be done! Who shall
begin?"
The Priest in the North stood forward. "I shall begin. Young
High Priest to be, step to the North."
Michael walked to the North, handed the Priest his Pantacle, and
stood silently while the Priest examined it, hoping that his work
would be judged as correct, hoping he had made an accurate
rendering of all the signs and symbols that he had been shown, a
year and a day previous.
The Priest carefully examined the pantacle, turning it about to
catch the light of the central fire, then handed it back to the
boy.
"It is well done, all is correct. Look upon the symbol at
the top of the pantacle--the upright triangle. This sign is the
symbol of fire, the flame straining upwards, and stands for the
three-fold salute, by which I now salute you, recognizing the
fire within you, the fire of will, the will to accomplish, the
will to dare. A year ago you knew nothing of the craft of the
silversmith, and yet you have taught yourself to make this pan-
tacle. I say again, well done!", and so saying, the Priest
touched Michael with his athame on the right shoulder, the top of
his head, the left shoulder, and again on the right shoulder.
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Putting his arm around Michael's shoulder, the Priest brought
Michael around sunwards a few steps, then faced him again.
"The next symbol on the pantacle is a pentagram. This
pentagram stands for the five-fold salute. In the form of a
pentagram with one point up, the five-fold salute symbolizes that
which is the best man has to offer, ascending to the Gods, being
enriched, expanded and augmented, and returning to enrich the
life of mankind. Thus, the five fold salute symbolizes the
microcosm of man containing the macrocosm of the Universe." So
saying, the Priest touched Michael with the wand, on the right
hip, head, left hip, right breast, left breast, and right hip.
A priestess stepped forward, saying, "Now, with your
permission, I will carry on this candidate's instruction." The
Priest bowed to her, and returned to his place in the North. The
Priestess took Michael by the hand and walked with him farther
around the circle, still moving sunwards. She stopped, released
his hand, and faced him, taking up a bowl of blue paint.
Stepping closer, she reached out her blue-daubed hand, and made
the sign of the labrys on his chest.
"The next symbol on the pantacle is that of the Goddess in
her aspect as the two moons, monthly waxing and waning. The
waxing moon symbolizes that which is outgoing and constructive in
mankind, the waning moon that which is hidden and withdrawn. The
waning moon also reminds us that for every accomplishment there
will be failures, that for every gain in our lives there will be
setbacks; we are not to weep and wail against the Gods, or fate,
or karma, but we should accept that there is a balance, and the
balance will be maintained, whether we will it or not.
Constructive and destructive, life and death--this is the way the
world is made; that which dies paves the way for the next round
of life."
The Priestess linked arms with him then, and they moved farther
sunwards about the circle. She turned to him, and kissed him
firmly on the mouth, saying "The next symbol on the pantacle is
the kiss. I kiss you, Michael, because we are human; the Gods
have created us male and female. I also kiss you in token of the
perfect love and perfect trust I have for you, and for the
perfect love and perfect trust you declared for us when you
entered this holy space. That is why you were greeted by the
High Priestess with a kiss."
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Michael stood, blushing. He could still taste the sweetness of
her mouth, and his body wanted to respond to her as man to
woman--it was well he was carrying the pantacle in front of him;
then he got himself under control, realizing the importance of
this lesson; the ritual kiss would always be more than a
handshake between equals, but never quite a sexual overture; an
acknowledgement, not a demand. He sighed, composed himself, and
looked at the next sign on the pantacle.
A stern-looking Priest came towards Michael, his face set in grim
lines, carrying something Michael could not quite make out. The
man faced Michael, then walked behind him, carrying what could
now be clearly seen as a cat o'nine tails. Michael flinched in
anticipation of being struck; surely the Priest was not going to
whip him? Ouch! Yes he was!
"Michael," the Priest said, between strokes, "the next sign
on the pantacle is the scourge. The scourge of memory. Stand
tall, now, and be still, it will hurt worse if you try to avoid
it."
Now he had stopped striking Michael with the scourge. The welts
on his back stung and burned, but Michael tried to ignore the
pain and concentrate on the Priest's voice as he continued.
"Michael, you told us at your First Degree initiation that
you were willing to suffer to learn. This scourge will not be
applied to your back again in a physical sense, but I want you to
learn to look back upon your life; and take power from the
foolish stupid things you have done. The mistakes, the petty
jealousies, the little hurts you've inflicted on your friends,
your parents, the people around you. Remember, Michael, and as
you remember, allow yourself to feel sad, to feel the pain and
embarrassment you've caused. Feel it, take the power from it,
then let it go! Go onward, take strength from your past, don't
dwell on it, but don't pretend the past never happened."
The Priest again stepped behind Michael, this time carrying a pot
of something in his hand. Michael flinched again as something
touched his back, but this was cool and soothing, drawing out the
pain. The Priest waited a few moments, till he saw that the
cooling balm had done its work, then took Michael gently by the
hand and drew him along, ever sunwards, to explain the next
symbol.
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"The next symbol on the pantacle is the sign of the God, the
horned circle. The horned circle represents, among other things,
the Cretan bull, annually sacrificed by our ancestors. The bull
symbolizes the wild magic of the God, the intuitional magic, the
magic that springs from the instinct. The Cretan priests
sacrificed the bull, thus indicating the triumph of reason and
intellect over instinct and intuition. We, however are not
Cretans, and we do not immolate the bull of intuition on the
altar of reason. Logic and reason are fine in their place, but
never neglect the way you feel; never forget that the universe is
a mixture, a combination, a melding of the tangible and the
unreal, instinct and logic. Now I must retire, your instruction
will be completed by the High Priestess."
The High priestess approached Michael, walking slowly,
deliberately, each foot placed with purpose, her upright carriage
reminding him of her status, first among equals, High Priestess
of the Coven, the Circle of the Wise.
She stepped closer. "Michael," she said, "the last symbol on the
rim of the pantacle is the inverted triangle, the alchemical
symbol of water; representing the number three, the number of
life. It is a gate, a gateway of life, a gateway of time, for
time is past, present, and future; life is body, mind, spirit. I
am about to bestow upon you, the three-fold kiss, to bring your
body, your past, your mind, the present, your spirit, and the
future to bear on this moment."
So saying, she bent and kissed him, first on the right shoulder,
then the left; kneeling she kissed him just above the phallus,
and then on his right shoulder again.
"Michael, you have now passed around the rim of the
pantacle, let us now move to the center, and I will instruct you
in the meaning of the central pentagram. The pentagram in the
center of the pantacle is the sign of mankind. If I stand thus,
with feet apart, hands stretched to the winds, head erect, the
pentagram will enclose my body. We therefore can observe that
the pentagram in the center of the pantacle represents mankind in
the center of the universe, surrounded by Goddess and God;
blessings and reminders; past, present and future; good memories
and bad; light and life, love and law. The central pentagram
therefore can serve as a reminder to us, that the Universe was
NOT made for man, man was made for the Universe."
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396
She knelt at his feet, smiling, and kissed him, first on the
left foot, then the right, saying, "I bless your feet, Michael,
that have brought you in these ways, reminding you to be ever
ready to go on foot, to help, protect, and defend the brothers
and sisters of the Wise."
She kissed his knees, saying, "I bless your knees, reminding
you to ever go on bent knee in humility when supplicating the
Deities, that one who knows his own worth will gladly kneel in
order to learn."
She kissed his phallus, and said, "I bless and consecrate
the organ of generation, that in time you may know that love is
the great teacher of equality; love is the prime example of man
and woman as equals; two beings, alike in all ways, equal in all
ways, but totally different; one incomplete without the other;
forever opposite, but forever complimentary. Indiscriminate sex
will gain you nothing, Michael, for though sex is magic, love is
the magician."
She kissed his right and left breast, saying "I bless your
breast, and remind you to keep within the safe repository of the
breast, the secrets of the Wise, as if under lock and key."
Then she kissed him on the mouth, and said, "I bless your
mouth, Michael; henceforth, as a High Priest, you will be a
teacher, and the words of your mouth, based in knowledge,
leavened with intuition and instinct, uttered with magical will,
shall live in the memory of the Wise. Go forward, make your
progress, High Priest and Magus!
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397
Defining Chaos
By: Mark Chao
Introduction
*
Chaos, according to the `Oxford English Dictionary' means:
1. A gaping void, yawning gulf, chasm, or abyss.
2. The `formless void' of primordial matter, the `great deep' or
'abyss' out of which the cosmos or order of the universe was evolved.
There are a couple of additional definitions, but they are
irrelevant
to this discussion. When chaos is used in magic, there is no place
for
confusion or disorder.
Chaos is the creative principle behind all magic. When a magical
ritual is performed, regardless of `tradition' or other variables in
the
elements of performance, a magical energy is created and put into
motion to
cause something to happen. In his book, `Sorcery as Virtual
Mechanics',
Stephen Mace cites a scientific precedent for this creative principle.
I quote:
"To keep it simple, let us confine our example to just two
electrons,
the pointlike carriers of negative charge. Let us say they are a part
of the solar wind--beta particles, as it were--streaming out from the
sun at thousands of miles a second. Say that these two came close
enough that their negative charges interact, causing them to repel one
another. How do they accomplish this change in momentum?
"According to quantum electrodynamics, they do it by exchanging
a "virtual" photon. One electron spawns it, the other absorbs it, and
so do they repel each other. The photon is "virtual" because it
cannot be seen by an outside observer, being wholly contained in the
interaction. But it is real enough, and the emission and absorption
of virtual photons is how the electromagnetic interaction operates.
"The question which is relevant to our purpose here is where does
the photon come from. It does not come out of one electron and lodge
in the other, as if it were a bullet fired from one rock into another.
The electrons themselves are unchanged, except for their momenta.
Rather, the photon is created out of nothing by the strain of the
interaction. According to current theory, when the two electrons come
close their waveforms interact, either cancelling out or reinforcing
one another.
Waveforms are intimately tied to characteristics like electric charge,
and we could thus expect the charges on the two electrons to change.
But electron charge does not vary; it is always 1.602 x (-19)
coulombs. Instead the virtual photons appear out of the vacuum and
act to readjust the system. The stress spawns them and by their
creation is the stress resolved".
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Austin Spare understood this principle in regard to magical phenomena
long before scientists discovered photons or began experiments in the
area of chaos science.
Austin Osman Spare-some history
*
Austin Spare was born at midnight, Dec. 31st, 1886 in a London
suburb called Snow Hill. His father was a London policeman, often on
night duty.
Spare showeda natural talent for drawing at an early age, and in
1901-1904 left school to serve an apprenticeship in a stained-glass
works,
but continued his education at Art College in Lambeth. In 1904 he won
a
scholarship to the Royal College of Art. In that year he also
exhibited a picture in the Royal Academy for the first time.
In 1905 he published his first book, `Earth Inferno'. It was
primarily
meant to be a book of drawings, but included commentaries that showed
some of his insight and spiritual leanings. John Singer Sargent
hailed him as a genius at age 17. At an unspecified time in his
adolescence, Spare was initiated into a witch cult by a sorceress
named Mrs. Patterson, whom Spare referred to as his "second mother".
In 1908 he held an exhibition at Bruton Gallery. In 1910 he spent a
short time as a member of the Golden Dawn. Becoming disenchanted with
them, he later joined Crowley's Argentum Astrum. The association did
not last long. Crowley was said to have considered Spare to be a
Black Magician. In 1909 Spare began creation of the `Book of
Pleasure'. In 1912 his reputation was growing rapidly in the art
world. In 1913 he published the `Book of Pleasure'. It is considered
to be his most important magical work, and includes detailed
instructions for his system of sigilization and the "death postures"
that he is well known for. 1914-1918 he served as an official war
artist. He was posted to Egypt which had a great effect on him. In
1921, he published `Focus of Life', another book of drawings with his
unique and magical commentaries.
In 1921-1924 Spare was at the height of his artistic success, then,
in 1924 he published the `Anathema of Zos', in which he effectively
excommunicated himself from his false and trendy artistic "friends"
and benefactors. He returned to South London and obscurity to find
the freedom to develop his philosophy, art and magic.
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In 1947 Spare met Kenneth Grant and became actively involved with
other well-known occultists of the period. In 1948-1956 he began work
on a
definitive Grimoire of the Zos Kia Cultus, which is referred to in his
various writings. This is unfinished and being synthesized from
Spare's papers by Kenneth Grant, who inherited all of Spare's papers.
Much of this information was included in `Images and Oracles of Austin
Osman Spare' by Kenneth Grant, but there are some unpublished works
which Grant plans to publish after completion of his Typhonian series.
References for this section are mostly from Christopher Bray's
introduction to `The Collected Works of Austin Osman Spare' and from
`Excess Spare', which is a compilation by TOPY of photocopied articles
about Spare from various sources.
The Magic of Austin Osman Spare
*
Spare's art and magic were closely related. It is reputed that
there are messages in his drawings about his magical philosophy. One
particular picture of Mrs. Patterson has reportedly been seen to move;
the eyes opening and closing. Spare is best known for his system of
using sigils. Being an artist, he was very visually oriented.
The system basically consists of writing down the desire, preferably
in your own magical alphabet, eliminating all repeated letters, then
forming a design of the remaining single letters. The sigil must then
be charged. There is a variety of specific ways to do this, but the
key element is to achieve a state of "vacuity" which can be done
through exhaustion, sexual release or several other methods.
This creates a `vacuum' or `void' much like the condition described
in the introduction to this discussion, and it is filled with the
energy of the magician. The sigil, being now charged, must be
forgotten so that the sub-conscious mind may work on it without the
distractions and dissipation of energy that the conscious mind is
subject to. Spare recognized that magic comes from the sub-conscious
mind of the magician, not some outside `spirits' or `gods'.
Christopher Bray has this to say about Spare's methods in his
introduction to `The Collected Works of Austin Osman Spare':
"So in his art and writing, Spare is putting us in the mood; or
showing by example what attitude we need to adopt to approach the
`angle of departure of consciousness in order to enter the infinite.
What pitch of consciousness we need to gain success.
"One must beware making dogma, for Spare went to great pains to
exclude it as much as possible to achieve success in his magic;
however a
number of basic assumptions underpin chaos magic.
"Chaos is the universal potential of creative force, which is
constantly engaged in trying to seep through the cracks of our
personal and collective realities. It is the power of
Evolution/Devolution.
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"Shamanism is innate within every one of us and can be tapped if
we qualify by adjusting our perception/attitude and making our being
ready to accept the spontaneous. Achieving Gnosis, or hitting the
`angle of departure of consciousness and time', is a knack rather
than a skill."
There are other methods to utilize the same concept that Spare
explains for us. Magicians since Spare have written about their own
methods and explanations of his method quite frequently in occult
magazines, mostly in Great Britain. Spare is certainly not the first
person in history to practice this sort of magic, but he is the one
who has dubbed it (appropriately), Chaos.
Chaos since A.O.S.
*
Austin Spare died May 15, 1956, but his magic did not die with
him. There have been select groups of magicians practicing versions
of Chaos
ever since, especially in Northern England and Germany. In 1976, a
couple of dozen Chaos Magicians, including Peter J. Carroll and Ray
Sherwin, announced the formation of a new magical Order, the
Illuminates Of Thanateros. The intention of the group was to have an
Order where degrees expressed attainment rather than authority, and
hierarchy beyond just organizational requirements was non-existent.
There are those who say that this lofty ambition has failed and that
the Order has since slipped into a hierarchical power structure; Ray
Sherwin "excommunicated" himself for this reason, but the Order
continues and is identified as the only international Chaos
organization to date.
The IOT has since spread to America. There are smaller groups
of Chaos practitioners, as well as individuals practicing alone.
Chaos since Spare has taken on a life of its own. It will always
continue to grow, that is its nature. It was only natural that
eventually the world of science would begin to discover the physical
principles underlying magic, although the scientists who are making
these discoveries still do not realize that this is what they are
doing. It is interesting that they have had the wisdom to call it
chaos science...
In the abovw part of my series on Chaos, I've made scant reference to
the IOT due to lack of information, however, in typical Murphy's Law
fashion, a letter just arrived filling in some blank spots and
pointing out to me that I made one mistake in chronology. The story
goes;
In 1977/78 Ray Sherwin was editor and publisher of a magazine called
`The New Equinox', which Pete Carroll was a regular contributor to.
Unsatisfied with the choices of available magical groups in England
at the time, they formed the IOT. They advertised in `New Equinox'
and the
group formed and progressed as previously explained. Ray Sherwin
dropped out before Pete Carroll went on to form `The Pact'. They are
still friends, and Pete has graciously consented to write an
introduction to Ray's newest edition of `The Book of Results' which
will be available through TOPY soon.
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