A PLEA FOR INITIATION STANDARDS
I'm full of radical ideas. I think the terms "Priest, Priestess,
High Priest and High Priestess" are more than titles. I think
being a member of the Priesthood means more than status. I think
a coven is more than a study group, or a social gathering. I think
being a Witch is more than a protest against the patriarchy.
I think receiving a First Degree should mean you have worked and
studied and grown and dedicated yourself to your path and your
Gods. I think an initiation should mean something.
I know of a young man who received a third degree after having
proved he could lead a ritual. That's all he had to do, lead a
ritual.
I know of a woman who claims third degrees in both the English and
American traditions of a well-known tradition. She shows
absolutely none of the qualities by which one usually recognizes a
High Priest or High Priestess.
I know of a woman who refused to accept the standards set by her
High Priestess, who threw a fit when she didn't get her First on
demand. She went to another teacher, secretly received her First,
and a year later, her Second. Considering her attitude toward her
first teacher, I have absolutely no faith that she did any work to
earn her second. Yet she calls herself a High Priestess.
When two members of Sothistar received their first degrees last
year, they had: studied and worked with the five magical
elements, worked at developing personal relationships with the
Gods, studied astrology, symbology, qabala, Tarot (both as a
divinational and meditational tool), several forms of divination,
writing rituals, leading rituals, drawing down the Moon, basic
spell-casting and various methods,ethics, the Egyptian deities and
mythology, ritual etiquette, the laws of the coven, the use of
stones and crystals, meditation, conducting rituals, the meaning
and duties of the priesthood, and the use of chants and songs.
Both had chosen (or been chosen by) deities to whom they wished to
make a special dedication. Both had proven their loyalty to the
coven and the Craft. Both had served as vessels for both the God
and the Goddess, and both had led rituals. After all of this,
they received First Degree.
Am I saying that mine is the only way--that if your coven does not
study these subjects your initiations aren't valid? Certainly
not! I am saying that our tradition has standards for initiation.
Many other covens have standards--some more stringent and some
less demanding than mine. What I am saying is that I wish
everyone had standards.
Why? Because when you have standards, the initiations you give
mean something.
908
When we took the two mentioned above around to the four quarters and
pronounced them Priest/ess, they could not have been prouder of their
achievement. Nor could we. We had no doubt they could serve as
competent dedicated Priest and Priestess in a ritual. In the time
since, they've proved it over and over. When they make Second
Degree, and Third, and eventually have a coven of their own, they'll
continue to make us proud. When they represent the coven other
places, they do so in a manner that reflects well on the coven.
I've met many First Degrees of other covens who did not reflect well
on their teachers. (I've also met many who have.)
You ask again, Why? I'll give you a personal reason--because it
irritates the hell out of me that the people mentioned at the
beginning of this article can put their noses in the air and claim
a higher status in the Craft than my two dedicated, hard-working,
sincere students.
Once upon a time, a high school diploma meant something. You
couldn't get a decent job without one. These days, it means
nothing. These days, a Bachelor's Degree doesn't mean much. I
don't want that to happen to initiations!
Perhaps I should discuss what I think initiation is. A true
initiation is not a ritual, it is not entrance into a club,
it is not just a dedication. An initiation is a spiritual step to
a higher stage in spiritual growth. There are many such steps.
Such "initiations" are not given by High Priest/esses. They are
given by the Gods. An initiation ritual is an acknowledgment by a
coven leader that the Initiate has, in that leader's opinion,
reached a certain stage in spiritual growth.
Coven leaders are not omniscient. Although I'm sure such leaders
strive to serve as worth representatives of the God and Goddess,
they (the coven leaders) are not the God and Goddess. All of them
must find their own ways of determining whether their students
have achieved this growth. They must also give what guidance they
can to those attempting to achieve it. Our study program includes
many things not mentioned above, exercises and spiritual work
that, we hope will help our students reach that goal. If our
students apply themselves to all they are given to do, it is
possible for them to reach that stage. When we give a first
degree initiation, we are saying that the Initiate is *already* a
Priest/ess of the Goddess.
I do not ask that all covens adopt our particular standards. I do
plead with you to *have* standards beyond simple attendance at
ritual for a year and a day. Insist that they work hard, that
they learn and grow, that they struggle, that they strive, that
they become, in your opinion, worthy servants of the Gods.
Some months ago, I mentioned this to two leaders of a newly-formed
group north of here. Their eyes lit up and they said "You can
help us. We were just talking about setting standards!" No true
standards had been set for their initiations, and they felt the
lack. Oh, they had third degrees from their teacher, but they
wanted more meaning for those they gave than was given to their
own. Bravo! There's hope for the Craft yet!
Ellen Cannon Reed
AN OPEN LETTER TO A WITCH
909
I do not know what Tradition you follow. That does not matter.
Indeed, for all I know, you may not follow any of the traditions. You
may be one of those many lonely ones who, for whatever reason, must
worship by 'feel' rather than through any formal coven training or
participation. But whoever you are, and however you worship, all that
matters to me is that you hold
true to the God and the Goddess. My purpose in writing this letter is
to enjoin your aid in destroying that which cripples our Craft.
Dissension is the disease. It is not a cancer,
for it can be cured; and, as with most herbal cures, the best
treatment is that administered internally.
Friend,help spread theBrotherhood andSisterhood ofthe Craft.
do not seek to establish a scale of Wicca purism, (for no two Witches
will ever agree on the relative positions on the scale of even their
own tradition.) There is no one religion for all people, and THERE IS
NO ONE TRADITION FOR ALL WITCHES! Let this be understood, and
accepted. Choose your own path and
leave your neighbor to choose his. Remember the primary tenet: "AN
IT HARM NONE, DO WHAT THOU WILT."
Yetnever forget:"An it harmnone..." If your pathleads to sex
rites, to homosexuality, to phallic-initiation...do not pt it foreward
as "THE WICCAN WAY". It is only A Wiccan way, one of MANY. And by
the same token, if a path so presented is not your way, do not decry
it simply because it is not your way. Who are you to say another is
wrong, so long as it harms none.
Strive for honesty, friend. Do not make false Craft claims,
whether of position, heredity, lineage, or whatever. If you have a
quarrel with someone, seek out the one you disagree with, rather than
utilize perhaps unreliable intermediaries. do not spread unfound
rumors and question those who do so. News of battle makes more
exciting reading than news of peace. Why, then, provide battle news
for publication when the serenity of the Craft is what we should be
showing?
We have come along way, myfriend, in a fewshort years. Let
us move on along our chosen paths till we emerge - as we will -
accepted and respected by ALL as a religion in our own right.
Help usbring anend to washingour dirty linenin public. There
will always be disagreements, there will always be those who cannot
tolerate others, but they are in the minority and so they should
remain, if you wish. But do not deny them their right to those
differences.
Friend, weare Children ofthe Universe, andChildren ofthe God
and the Goddess. Let us try to remember that, and live in Peace.
Blessed Be, and Merry Part!
910
MAY DAY CHANT ONE
Here we come apiping,
In Springtime and in May;
Green fruit aripening,
And Winter fled away.
The Queen she sits upon the strand,
Fair as lily, white as wand;
Seven billows on the sea,
Horses riding fast and free,
And bells beyond the sand.
Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985
MAY DAY CHANT Two
The High Priestess and High Priest lead a ring dance around the
bonfire. Start out with "A Tree Song" from Rudyard Kipling's "Weland's
Sword" story in "Puck of Pook's Hill".
"Oh, do not tell the Priest of our Art,
Or he would call it sin;
But we shall be out in the woods all night,
A conjuring summer in!
And we bring you news by word of mouth
For women, cattle and corn
Now is the dun come up from the South
With Oak, and Ash and Thorn!"
Farrar, Janet and Stewart; "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert Hale
1983
STAG CALL also MAYCHANT THREE
The men gather around the fire, next to their partners, and they say
in unison:
"I am the stag of seven tines;
I am a wide flood on the plain;
I am a wind on the deep waters;
I am a shining tear of the sun;
I am a hawk on a cliff;
I am fair among flowers;
I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke."
Graves, Robert; "The White Goddess"; Farrar 1970
Transcribed to computer files by Seastrider
911
CRYSTALS & STONES
Gemstoneshave beenusedforcenturiesas meditationalaidsand
magical magical foci. Each individual type of stone has different
properties. Here are some healing and spiritual properties from a
list I have. These descriptions are based on ancient legend and lore:
AGATE: Moss Agates considered to be most powerful. Aid in
restoration of energy, used in healing, and believed to bring wearer
happiness, wealth, health, and long life. Increases
ability to ward off self-induced anger and inner bitterness.
Carnelian-gives protection and energy. Moss green-balances emotional
energy. Moss red-balances physical energy. Blue lace-gives
tranquility.
Amber: Powerful healing stone with large amount of organic
energy. In ancient times, ground to a powder and mixed with honey or
oil of roses for various physical problems. Filters germs and
infections and has the power to disinfect. Worn around the neck to
help fight infection and respiratory diseases. Lifts the spirits.
Apatite: Promotes communication and mental clarity.
Amethyst: Increases spiritual awareness, has a calming and
soothing influence, has the ability to transmute negative into
positive, and is very effective as a healing stone. Warmed and placed
on the forehead and temples, it is good for headaches. Has the
ability to draw through it forces directed towards the body and repels
vibrations which the body doesn't need, thus releasing only the energy
patterns beneficial to the body. Best worn in healing near the heart
center. Opens up spiritual and psychic centers. Helps prevent
drunkeness.
Aquamarine: Calms nervous tension. Calming effects of the sea.
Used to help banish fears and phobias. Means seawater.
Soothing and cleansing.
Adventurine: Increases perception and creative insight.
Stimulates opportunity and motivation.
Azurite: Powerful healing stone, invokes spiritual guidance,
opens psychic eye. Good for dreams and improving psychic ability.
Bloodstone: Stimulates flow of energy for healing blood
circulation, stops hemorrhaging. Removes emotional blockages.
Citrine: Stimulates openness and accelerates the awakening of the
mind. An aid to the digestive system. Helps eliminate
toxins. Encourages tremendous healing on the emotional and mental
levels, helps unblock subconscious fears, and serves as a natural
relaxant.
Coral: Balances physical energy and relaxes tensions. Carries
the creative vibrations of the sea.
912
Emerald: Promotes creativity, stimulates perception and insight,
and strengthen memory. Beneficial effect on the eyes.
Garnet:Balances hormones, goodfor mentaldepression, enhances
self-esteem, alleviates bad dreams, and encourages success in
business. Thought to assist in seeing into past incarnations.
Hematite: Calmingto the emotions. Worn as an amuletto confer
strength and procur favorable legal judgements. In Egypt, used to
reduce inflammation and treat hysteria. Considered to be a grounding
stone. Helps maintain balance between body, mind, and spirit.
Ivory: Spiritual protection.
Jade:Stimulates practicality,wisdom,and universalattunement.
Thought to provide a link between the spiritual and the mundane. Most
revered by the Chinese.
Jasper: For energy balancing of emotions and stress.
Flourite: Opens andsoftens the wayfor the useof otherstones.
Excellent used in aquariums-provides needed minerals.
Lapis Lazuli: Stimulates wisdom, truthfulness, & psychic
experiences, healing and strengthening when worn next to the skin.
Strengthens mind and body to spiritual awareness.
Malachite: often used asa child's talisman to sleepsoundly &
protect from bad dreams. Stimulates clear vision and insight,
represents hope and inner peace, believed to protect from danger.
Increases abundance in all areas of life.
Moonstone: Bringsgood fortune. Reflects the wearersbeing and
feelings. Promotes unselfishness. Opens the heart to humanitarian
love and hope. Good for protection while travelling on water. Gives
clarity to spiritual understanding. Good for pre-menstrual symptoms
and balancing to the reproductive system. Used to ease childbirth.
Pearl:Stimulates feminine qualities,used to focus attention,
helps pull together mental and spiritual forces, peace of mind.
Represents purity, modesty, & gentleness.
Peridot: Dispels fears, guilt, and depression. Used to
counteract negative emotions and healing of the spirit. Affects top
three chakras. Once worn as a means of gaining foresight and divine
inspiration.
QUARTZ: Amplifiesthe healing energyof the one usingit. Used
to help draw out pain. Able to tap into the energies of the
universe. A good stone for meditating on. Works primarily with the
Third Eye center, also relates well with the heart center. To be able
to tune into the quartz promotes clarity while concentrating on it.
Also affects the crown chakra. Very potent and often worn to protect
from negative vibrations. Cleanse regularly. Rudilated-rutile
needles help focus attention. Smoky-good for calming the mind.
Rose-vibrations of universal love & inner serenity.
Ruby: Increases vigor, renews vitality and cleanses the blood.
The stone of courage.
913
Topaz: Calms emotions, protects against external stresors. To
restore physical energy & quiet emotional nature.
Tiger Eye: Very powerful protection, clarity of thought.
Tourmaline: Causes the wearer to be more flexible, more
understanding and more objective in purpose and reason. Calming.
Each person has a different response to this stone. Causes a
reaction in the intestinal tract. Black and Crystal-removes
negativity and cleanses. Some say it should not be worn as jewelry.
Electric and magnetic properties.
Turquoise: Vibratescalmingradiations, protective,andrestores
healthy mental attitude. Stone of friendsship. Balancing and
healing. Great strength and vitality. Takes on characteristics of
the wearer.
914
CRYSTALS & STONES
NAME COLOR CHAKRA USES
AMETHYST Violet Crown Calming,grounding, a
cleanser and spiritual
stimulator, yin/yang
balance, strengthens
heart, cleanses liver of
toxins, excellent for lung
problems.
ADVENTURINE Green Heart Soothes emotions,
used for the heart and
heartache, for acceptance o f
self and others, for inner
peace.
AGATE Varied Solar- Compelstruth, promotes
Plexus, good manners, happiness,
intelligence, prosperity.
Heart
longevity, fertility,
and
good
health,
affects stomach,
throat, heart.
AZURITE- Blue-green Heart, Allpurpose healing
stone, affects
MALACHITE Crown ethericbody,parathyroid
glands, nerve, spleen,
pancreas, used to release
repressed emotions and f o r
physical detoxing.
BLOODSTONE Green-red Root Offers courage,
endurance, harmony, used t o
stop bleeding, helps i n
making decisions, used f o r
iron deficiency, in t h e
blood, for moving kundalini
energy, and to invoke
peace in all who are drawn
to it.
CITRINE Golden Solar- Generates radiant, happy
Plexus vibrations, helps
thoughts to be clear and
emotions controlled,
raises thinking to
intuitive levels, on a
physical level it can be used
to help eliminate
toxins from the colon, gall
bladder and kidneys a n d
entire eliminative
system.
915
CHRYSOPRASE Green Solar- Has a quality of
compassion and a
Plexus,
capacity
for
fine
attunement works
Heart
on
the
solar
plexus
and
heart areas to sooth
emotions, will help
tranquilize many forms of a n d
neurosis, also used t o
absorb or deflect unwanted
energies.
FLOURITE Clear, Crown, Multi-dimensional
stone, balances
Blue,
3rd
Eyeandintegrateslower
(human) self
Purple withhigher(spiritual)
self, good for meditation over
3rd eye chakra, works well
with virulent diseases.
GARNET Red Root Stimulates happiness,
peace, balance, patience,
inspiration, persistence, good
for rebirthing,
menstruation and life
passages, disorders,
fertility, eases arthritis
pain.
HEMATITE Grey-black Root A verygrounding stone,
very cooling to the
physical body, use for
fevers, alleviates worry a n d
anxiety as it allows f o r
mental clarity, often known
as the "worry stone".
HERKIMER Clear Crown Very balancing special
variety of quartz crystal
"DIAMOND" works with yin/yang
energies,
often
known
as
the "Dream Crystal", aids
in bringing teachings of
the dream state into
conscious awareness, very
highly attuned
spiritually.
KYANITE Blue, Crown, Aligns all chakras,
if so directed
Black
3rdEye
can
openchakras(energy
centers in the body),
dispells frustration and
anger, excellent attunement
stone, good for meditating,
aids in p a s t l i f e
regression.
LAPIS Blue Throat, Used over 3rdeye
916
(brow) chakra,
LAZULI 3rd Eye assists in opening
and clarifying
(Brow)
inner
vision,
provides
strength, vitality and
self-assurance, used for
disorders of the throat,
heart,spleen, blood, skin a n d
to counter effects of
stroke and epilepsy, also good
for dream work.
LITHIUM Lavender Crown, Helps to reduce stress
and ease depression,
with Pink Solar- relates to cycles of
Tourmaline
Plexus
birth
and
deathand
eases
transition, good
preparatory stone inner
spiritual work, on physical
helps with digestion.
MOONSTONE White Crown Has avery calming effect
on the emotions,
Pastel stimulatesthe pineal
gland, assists in
stimulating the feeling
(intuitive) nature, eases
menstrual pain, alleviates
many degenerative
conditions in the skin,
hair, eyes, and body fluids
(tears, digestive juices).
OBSIDIAN Black- Used tosharpen both the
internal and external
Snowflakevision,oneofthemost
important "teachers" of
the New Age stones,
teaches one the truth of
oneself in relation to ones
ego, depicts the contrasts
of life-day and night,
darkness and light, truth
and error.
PERIDOT Green Heart, Promotes digestion,
eases ailments
Yellow/ Brow inthedigestive
system, used for
Green forprotection,
prosperity, emotional
calming, purifies,
balances.
PHANTOM Clear All Very powerful tool
for the New Age,
Redor used togroundand
center while
917
Yellow attuning to higher
spiritual energies, in
healing work used to
disperse congested energies.
PYRITE Gold Solar- Hasa very protecting,
shielding aspect which
Plexus
works
on
the
physical,
mental, emotional levels.
Shields from many forms o f
negative energy, strengths
circulatory system, clears
oxygen in the blood.
QUARTZ Clear Trans- All-purpose, all
healing, amplifies
personal
thought-forms,
transmutes energy
point
and
forms
protective
shield around auric
field, excellent for
meditation stone, color work,
aura work, very
energizing.
IRRADIATED Very Absorbs all formsof
negative
QUARTZ Black energy,placed on or
near
electrical
equipment
(T.V., microwave,
computer) to absorb
harmful energies.
ROSE QUARTZ Pink Heart Comfortsheart from all
wounds, helps heal emotional
pain, enhances l o v e ,
self-love, positive
outlook, joy and oneness,
helpful for heart, throat,
ears, nose, hypertension.
918
SMOKEY Black Root, Eases depression,
fear and panic,
QUARTZ Grey Solar- clears aura, very
grounding,
Plexus enhances positive
attitudes, tranquilizes, works
well with root chakra to
release negative blocks
emotional and physical,
used for menstrual
cramps,intestines, stomach
and digestion.
TOPAZ Yellow Solar- Draws negativity from
chakras,
Plexus
protects
against
insomnia
and depression, mood
elevator, revitalizes, very
stimulating to the
creative thinking processes,
eases death.
TOURMALINE Varied Root, Works as a protective
shield, consumes negative
energy without releasing i t
into the atmosphere, h a s
to do with visions a n d
"seeing" with compassion,
good for the eyes, teaches
to expand l i m i t e d
concepts of
thinking, relates to
aspirations for higher love,
very complete stone.
TURQUOISE Aqua Heart, Known as"The Sky
Stone", is
Throat excellent for both
Spiritual attunement and
healing of the energy
centers and the physical body,
valuable for grounding as
well as for vision quests
and astral t r a v e l ,
purifies all levels of
being and is capable of
handling strong negativity,
also used for wounds and
for damage to bones.
919
920
M O D E R N P A G A N I S M :
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
To promote community harmony and freedom of religious practice.
Distributed by : The Committee for Religious Freedom, Salt Lake City,
Utah.
Thanks to LesleyPhillips andLinda Pinti ofThe Covenantof
Unitarian Universalist Pagans for original material.
Contemporarysociety isexperiencingaresurgence ofinterest
in earth- and nature-centered spirituality. Modern Paganism is a rich
and diverse religious movement drawing the attention of the media,
law-makers, and spiritual seekers. This pamphlet attempts to answer
some of the questions frequently asked about modern Pagan beliefs and
practices.
What is Paganism?
Theterm"Pagan" comesfrom aLatinword for"country dweller"
first used in early Christian times to refer to those not yet
converted to Christianity. "Pagan" was an epithet that cast aspersions
on those not seen as "true believers." Today, it refers more general
to the faith of those whose spiritual center is drawn to native and
natural religions, usually pantheistic or polytheistic, and almost
always earth-centered.
What then is "Modern Paganism"?
ModernPaganism,orNeo-Paganism, isamodern, Earth-centered
religious perspective which borrows and adapts from pre-Christian
paganism as well as from contemporary religious thought. While
reconnecting with ancient wisdom, it speaks eloquently to the needs
and concerns of the present.
What is meant by "The Old Religion"?
The term describes the pre-Christian religion of much of
western and northern Europe, which was based on the agricultural
cycles and other natural rhythms of the Earth. It coexisted with
Christianity for centuries, from the so-called "Dark Ages" up until
the Inquisition and the "Burning Times" (witch hunts) of the late
Middle Ages. It also can refer more generally to other
native and tribal religions of the world.
What is the difference between Paganism and Witchcraft?
SomecontemporaryPagans callthemselvesWitches.The termhas
many meanings, some carrying rather heavy negative baggage.
"Witchcraft" or "The Craft" is most properly applied to three broad
categories: Descendants of the European witches of the Middle Ages,
practitioners of the "reconstructed" Witchcraft of the 20th century,
and "feminist Witches" whose religion and politics center in the
contemporary womens' spirituality movement. It can generally be said
that all modern Witches are Pagans, but not all modern Pagans are
Witches. At least one writer, Aidan Kelly, has begun to use the term
"Neo-Pagan Witchcraft" to describe the largest portion of the
contemporary Pagan community.
921
What is meant by the term "Wicca"?
Oftenused asa synonymfor Witchcraft,"Wicca" isthought to
derive from an Anglo-Saxon root meaning to bend or to turn. It is more
properly applied only to those Witchcraft traditions which originated
in or derive from practices in the British Isles.
What about Shamanism?
Shamanismisnot areligion, butaset ofspiritual techniques
used for healing and the acquisition of knowledge through forays into
non-ordinary states of consciousness. Now gaining increasing
attention in the counseling profession, this journeying is usually
aided by sonic driving (such as repetitive drumming or chanting) and
often involves interactions with totemic and archetypal figures. These
techniques are used in virtually every tribal society and are widely
used by contemporary Pagans.
What do modern Pagans believe?
The centralbeliefs ofmodern Pagansdiffer in specificsyet
share many fundamentals. Deity is seen as immanent rather than
transcendent. Experience is preferred over doctrine. It is believed
that there are and should be multiple paths to the Divine. There is
no prescribed creed, but there are a number of beliefs shared by most
contemporary Pagans, summarized at the end of this pamphlet.
Isn't this just Humanism by another name?
Noand Yes.Likereligious Humanists,modernPagans havealove
and reverence for this world and the physical plane generally. The
rational is seen as important. Great emphasis is also placed on the
intuitive, however, and the belief that the physical and non-physical
worlds are equally real, and are interconnected, interpenetrating
manifestations of nature. This means that spiritual work, whether
called meditation, prayer, or magic, and whether done as ritual,
worship, or celebration, is efficacious and can result in changes in
the physical world. The majority of Pagans also believe in the
survival of the consciousness or soul after physical death.
How do modern Pagans worship?
Some groups have formalworship services or similar group
meetings. Others conduct rituals that have varying degrees of set
forms. Some Pagans worship by themselves without formal ritual. Most
contemporary Pagans hold rituals corresponding to the turning of the
seasons and the phases of the moon. Rituals are often performed in a
sacred space defined by the demarcation of a circle, within which the
celebration and worship take place. Celebrations include eight major
seasonal holidays, sometimes collectively referred to as "Sabbats".
These Sabbats, as most frequently observed by North American and
European Pagans, follow the agricultural cycles of the northern
temperate zone, and include the solstices and equinoxes as well as
four intermediate festivals which fall in between, sometimes called
"cross-quarters," on or near the first days of February,
May, August, and November. Regular public Sabbat rituals, reflecting
a variety of contemporary Pagan styles, are held in many communities.
Rituals may include meditation, chanting, drumming, myth- and
story-telling, ritual drama, dance, and so on. Deeper ritual work is
most often practiced at private gatherings, which for many traditions
coincide with the phases of the moon. The work may include more
intense raising of energy, healing work, and personal spiritual
development.
922
What about Satanism?
Contrary to the claims of ill-informed Christian
fundamentalists, the practices of modern Pagans are in no way related
to Satanism. Most Pagans do not even believe Satan exists. As a
profanation of Christian symbolism, Satan worship is a Christian
heresy, not a Pagan religion.
Do Pagans proselytize?
No,Pagansdo notproselytize.Most modernPagantraditions do
welcome newcomers. Most modern Pagans also do not discourage other
Pagans from integrating other religious and spiritual practices and
beliefs into their practice.
WHAT CONTEMPORARY PAGANS BELIEVE
while there is no set of beliefs shared by all Pagans, most would
agree that similarities far outweigh differences. There are a number
of beliefs held by the vast majority of modern Pagans. Some of these
are:
1. Divinity is seen as immanent.
2. Divinity is as likely to manifest itself in female as male form,
the God or the Goddess, in the interconnectedness of all life.
3. Multiple paths to the divine exist, as symbolized by many goddesses
and gods. These are often seen as archetypes or gateways to the
unconscious.
4. We respect and love Mother Earth as a living being, Gaia, of which
we are a part.
5. The physical world, as an emanation of the divine, is good and to
be enjoyed by all living beings in love and harmony.
6. Ethics and morality are based on avoidance of harm to other beings,
including Earth as a whole, which mandates environmental activism as a
spiritual responsibility.
7. Human interdependence implies the need for community cooperation.
8. The solar and lunar cycles and the cycles of our lives are
celebrated. This leads to the maintenance and revival of old customs
and the creation of new ones.
9. A strong commitment to personal and planetary growth, evolution,
and balance are vital.
10. One's lifestyle must be consistent with one's beliefs. The
personal is political.
11. A minimum of dogma and a maximum of individual responsibility in
all things are goals to strive for. Thus a healthy skepticism is to be
fostered, and ideas are not to be accepted without personal
investigation of their validity.
12. Messiahs and gurus are to be avoided. The mediation of another
being is unnecessary for an individual to commune with Deity.
Power-from-within is preferred to power-over.
13. All beings are personal emanations of the Divine. Thou art
Goddess, thou art God.
923
A Booklist of Pagan/Magickal Titles
I. Tarot:
A. The Tarot - Paul Foster Case (f)
B. The Qabalistic Tarot - Robert Wang (a,f)
C. The Book of Tokens - Paul Case (f)
D. TheBook ofThoth - Crowley(a,f)
II. The Qabalah:
A. The Mystical Qabalah - Dion Fortune (f)
B. The Kabbalah Unveiled - MacGregor Mathers (f)
C. The Sepher Yetzirah - W. Wynn Westcott (f)
D.APracticalGuideto
QabalisticSymbolism-GarethKnight
(a,f)
E. The Ladder of Lights - William Grey (f?)
III. Magick in general:
A. The Tree of Life - Israel Regardie (a,f)
B. Magick in Theory and Practice - Aleister Crowley (a,f,b)
C.TheGolden Dawn;TheComplete Golden DawnSystem of
Magic- Israel Regardie (c)
D. Magick without Tears - Crowley (c)
IV. Meditation
A. The Training of the Mind - Alan Bennett (a)
B. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism - Chogyam
Trungpa(d)
C. Book 4 - Crowley (a)
D. The Experience of Insight - Goldstein (d)
V. Crowley
A. The Holy Books of Thelema (a)
B. The Vision and the Voice (a)
C. The Eye in the Triangle - Israel Regardie (c)
D. The Equinox, esp The Temple of Solomon the King (a)
E. The Book of Lies (a)
VI. Paganism, historical
A. The Golden Bough - Frazer
B. The Mystery Religions - S. Angus (b)
C. Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism - F. Cumont (b)
D. The God of the Witches - Margaret Murray
E. The Golden Ass - Apuleius, transl. Robert Graves
VII. Paganism, modern
A. Drawing Down the Moon - Margot Adler
B. The Meaning of Witchcraft - Gerald Gardner (g)
VIII. Eastern Mysticism
A. Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines - Evans-Wentz
B. Shakti and Shakta - Arthur Avalon (a)
C. The Serpent Power - Arthur Avalon (a)
D. The Tibetan Book of the Dead - Evans-Wentz
IX. Egyptian religion (all b)
A. The Gods of the Egyptians - E.A. Budge
B. The Egyptian Book of the Dead - Budge
C. Egyptian Magic - Budge
D. The Leyden Papyrus - Budge
924
X. Miscellaneous
A. The Chaldean Oracles - Westcott (f,e)
B. The Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Philostratus
C. Prometheus Rising - Robert Anton Wilson (c)
D. Cosmic Trigger - Robert Anton Wilson (c)
Sources
(a) Samuel Weiser, Inc
Box 612
York Beach, Maine 03910
-EXCELLENT source for books of all sorts, all high quality.
Especially good source for books by Crowley & on ceremonial
magick. Highly recommended.
(b) Dover Publications
31 East 2nd St.
Mineola, NY 11501
-reprints manyold books,most notably Budge'sclassic egyptian
series
(c) Falcon Press
3660 N. 3rd St
Phoenix, AZ 85012
-small press specializing in Crowley, Israel Regardie,& the
Golden Dawn. Also carries Robert Anton Wilson's latest works,
such as PROMETHEUS RISING, THE NEW INQUISITION, and the reprinted
classic COSMIC TRIGGER.
(d) Shambalah Publications
314 Dartmouth St.
Boston, MA 02116
-mainly Eastern religion & Buddhist, but also some western
magick, and recently lots of high-quality New Age works. Recently
reprinted the classic series HERMETICA by Sir Walter Scott.
(e) Heptangle Books
Box 283
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
-small specialty printing house issuing one volume per
year, beautifully typeset. Issued the classic ENOCHIAN
INVOKATION by Geoffrey James, which was still in print in April.
(f) The Best of Cards Catalog
Division of US Games Systems
38 East 32nd St
NY, NY 10016
-sells every Tarot pack in existence, & also has a
surprisingly extensive booklist of occult books. Good source for
Eliphas Levi & tarot material & carries many of the books issued
by the above publisher. Catalog is $2. Delivery is the fastest I've
ever seen.
925
(g) Magickal Childe
35 West 19th St.
NY,NY 10011
-excellent listing; carries Gardner's books & assorted
paraphanalia such as Abramelin oil. Carries many more books than
listed in their catalog; reportedly if you call them they can get
ANY occult book, if it's available anywhere. No, I don't have their
phone #.
(h) Llewellyn Publications
P.O. Box 64383-873
St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
-not so good a source these days,but carries reprints of
many of Israel Regardie's classics. Their catalog resembles the
National Enquirer; caveat emptor. Interesting to read for
entertainment purposes, occasionally one will find a good book there.
(i) Circle
P.O. Box 219
Mt. Horeb, WI 53572
-apagan organizationpublishinga newsletter& sellssome books,
most notably Circle Guide to Pagan & Wiccan Resources, for contacts.
(j) Dharma Publishing
2425 Hillside Ave
Berkeley CA 94704
-sellsbooks onBuddhism, posters of Tibetan Thanka paintings;
much more hardcore Buddhist than Shambalah.
These opinions are my own, & where I recall purchasingthese
books in the past. They may no longer be available.
926
TALESPINNER'S NEOPAGAN READING LIST
by J. Brad ("Talespinner") Hicks
THE BEST FIVE:
(Read these five first,they are by themselves thebest possible
introduction to Neopagan Witchcraft and practical magic that I've
found anywhere.)
Starhawk, _The_Spiral_Dance_. (San Francisco: Harper & Rowe, 1979).
Paperback, $10.95
This isthe essential firstbook fora newwitch, Neopaganor
otherwise. In fact, many new covens have been formed with no other
sources than this book. Starhawk details the myths, legends, and
magic of the Craft in a beautifully elegant, easy-to-read way. Often
found in bookstores on the "Women's Studies" shelf, Starhawk's vision
of the Craft emphasizes the Goddess as the source of inspiration, with
secondary emphasis on the Horned God. Perhaps a bit too Feminist, but
still the best introduction yet.
Margot Adler, _Drawing_Down_the_Moon_. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1979).
Paperback, $9.50
Althoughit isnow 7yearsout-of-date, thisis stillthe best
history of the modern, Neopagan Craft that has been published yet.
Includes many valuable interviews with some of the people who gave
shape to the Craft as we know it. While the book does include some
instruction in magic, its primary thrust is philosophy and history.
Keep an eye out--there's an updated second edition due out some time
in late 1986.
Marion Weinstein, _Positive_Magic_. (Surrey, B.C.: Phoenix
Publishing, revised 1981). Paperback, $8.95
I see-saw betweenthis book andthe next onefor 3rd and4th
place. Both are good, detailed texts on magic and spell-casting. At
the moment, I recommend _Positive Magic_ first for the following
reasons:
1) it is more practical, teaching actual techniques before
tackling theoretical justifications, and 2) the language is a bit
easier to follow for non-scientists. The topics covered include the
karmic effects of magic, astrology, divination with tarot cards and
the I'Ching, and general spell-casting. Its strongest point is the
section on tarot, which is the best I've seen yet. Its weakest point
(in my opinion) is that it under-emphasizes poetry and ritual.
P.E.I. Bonewits, _Real_Magic_. (Berkeley: Creative Arts Publishing,
revised 1979). Paperback, $8.95
Thisis theother"best" bookon magic. Itcovers amuch wider
variety of topics, including ritual, psychic self-defense, and many
other psychic phenomena. Isaac's approach is scientific and rational,
not "religious," and his language is often more that of a scholar than
a witch, but this is nevertheless an essential book for any student of
magic. WARNING: Make sure that you get the second edition (1979) or
later, as the 1971 edition includes much material that is misleading,
extraneous, and sometimes just plain false--the 1979 edition was
heavily edited.
927
Scott Cunningham, _Earth_Power_. (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications,
1983).
Paperback, $6.95
Agood, reliablevolumeof spellsandcharms, compiledfromthe
Family Traditions and other witchcraft sources. The magic in this
book consists entirely of what scholars call "Low Magic"--the magic of
village herballists, midwives, and healers--and as such, it is very
practical, simple, and unpretentious. Missing is much of the ceremony
of Neopagan Witchcraft; in its place, a huge vocabulary of magic that
can be used easily and quickly, regardless of where you are and what
you have for tools.
THE BEST OF THE REST:
(Onceyou have a good background, from the previous five books,
you will find the following all make good reference books, worth
having on your shelf.)
Stewart Farrar, _What_Witches_Do_. (Custer, WA: Phoenix Publishing,
revised 1983). Paperback, $8.95
Thisbook isso goodthat it ALMOSTmade itinto thetop five,
displacing _Earth Magic_. When its first edition came out in 1971, it
was the only book on modern Witchcraft that was written for outsiders.
It is surprisingly well-written, and very thorough. Its only serious
problem is that it is very specifically Alexandrian Witchcraft (named
after Alex Sanders, its first High Priest), and some of it doesn't
generalize well. Nevertheless, it has the best-written chapter on
initiation, among other things, that I've seen yet.
Herman Slater (ed.), _A_Book_of_Pagan_Rituals_. (York Beach, ME:
Samuel Weiser, 1978). Paperback, $8.95
This is thecomplete Bookof Shadows ofa Neopagantradition
called The Pagan Way. It includes complete, very well-written rituals
for all eight of the High Holidays (both solo and group ritual), plus
a mixed bag of rituals for healing, trance work, and so forth.
Requires some basic knowledge of the Craft and its symbolism, so its
not for beginners, but it is definitely useful to any worthwhile
fully-initiated witch.
Ellen Cannon Reed, _The_Witches'_Qabala_. (St. Paul: Llewellyn
Publications, 1985). Paperback, $7.95
So far, only Book 1, "The Goddess and the Tree" has been
published, but it's already the best book on the Qabala that I've een
yet, and the only one I would recommend to a new Neopagan Witch. The
Qabala and its commentary to date contain a lot of sexist material,
reflecting their Judeao-Christian origins. Ellen Reed strips all of
that away, but in a way that is truer to the Qabala's origins and
meaning than was the offensive material. Where she changes the
traditional attributions, she documents it, and includes the
traditional ones as well.
This book is almost a "must-read."
928
Jack Schwarz, _Voluntary_Controls_. (New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978).
Paperback, $7.95
Jack Schwarzis NOTa witch,but don't letthat stopyou from
profiting from the single clearest, most practical book on kundalini-
style meditation that has been published in the West. If you are
having trouble meditating, or wish to do serious trance work, turn to
this book first.
Camden Benares, _ZEN_Without_Zen_Masters_. (Phoenix: Falcon Press,
1977). Paperback, $6.95
Outof printfor almost 7years, Iam VERYhappy to beable to
recommend it again. This book is, among other things, proof that
there is more to the Discordian branch of Neopaganism than just
practical jokes. It is also the best practical book on Zen for the
western world that I have seen yet. All of the best zen koans,
including these, are also humorous (and therefore memorable). The
book also includes MANY valuable exercises. As Robert Anton Wilson
(see below) says in the Commentary at the beginning, "If you don't
laugh at all, you've missed the point. If you only laugh, you've
missed your chance for Illumination."
Robert Anton Wilson,
_Cosmic_Trigger:_The_Final_Secret_of_the_Illuminati_.
(New York: Pocket Books, 1977). Paperback, $3.95
Inthisautobiographical work,Wilson detailshis initiation
into and experience with almost every form of shamanic magick that is
still practiced today, and draws some very surprising conclusions.
Strongest point: this is a fantastic synthesis of magick, psychology,
and physics. Weakest point: its central theme--that all of the great
mystical societies and movements in history have been in contact with
aliens from Sirius--is not taken seriously by Wilson (no matter how
serious he seems in this book), and should not be taken seriously by
the reader.
929
W I T C H C R A F T
the Magic of Ancient Celtic Beliefs
in a Contemporary Society
===================================
The purpose of this listingis to helpthe novice sortout the
reliable from the sensational in the wealth of material that is
now available on Witchcraft. I have left out old historical
treatises (records of the Inquisition and such) which are of little
value to the modern student, and have concentrated instead on
contemporary sources. This also yeilds a much more objective
perspective.
- Michael Nichols
THE TEXTS:
'Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and
Other Pagans in America Today' - 2nd ed. - by Margot Adler. Beacon
Press trade paperback.
You may have already heard Margot's voice, as shewas once
hostess of National Public Radio's news program, 'All Things
Considered'. This book is the end result of five years of research
and interviews. (The 2nd edition is an update published eight years
after the original.) This landmark study focuses on the rise
of the Neo-Pagan movement (which includes Witchcraft, of course)
especially as it relates to the values and beliefs of the
counterculture of the mid-60's, hippies, flower children, et. al.
It is the single most comprehensive study of modern American
Witchcraft in existence.
'What Witches Do: The ModernCoven Revealed' - 2nd ed. - by Stewart
Farrar. Phoenix trade paperback.
If Adler's book gives a comprehensive overview of modern
American Witchcraft, Farrar's is a complimentary look at
traditional British Witchcraft. Concentrating on the
Alexandrian tradition (which is only marginally different from
Gardnerian, easily the largest Craft tradition extant), Farrar
lays stress on the actual working of Covens and the integration
of novice Witches into them. Also included is much of the
Gardnerian (via Alexandrian) Book of Shadows. So there is plenty
here for someone who wants to begin practice.
'The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great
Goddess' by Starhawk (pseud. for Miriam Simos). Harper & Row trade
paperback. This book shifts back to America again, this time with a
slight emphasis on feminist Witchcraft, arguably the fastest growing
branch of the Craft. Starhawk is herself High Priestess of two
California Covens and her book is insightful, genuine, and beautifully
poetic. This overview also contains specific instructions for
Circles, chants, spells, invocations, creating rituals and, in
short, everything you need to get started. And it is a
delight to read.
930
'Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft' by Raymond Buckland.
Llewellyn trade paperback.
British-born Ray Buckland can, with some validity, be
considered Gerald Gardner's American successor. Not only did he
introduce Gardnerian Witchcraft to the United States, but he also
founded his own tradition of the Craft, called Seax (Saxon)
Wicca, which has grown to worldwide practice. His early books, like
'Witchcraft from the Inside', did much to dispel negative
stereotypes of Wicca in the 60's. And 'The Tree: Complete Book
of Saxon Witchcraft' remains one of the best published Books of
Shadows to date. The present volume has a practical orientation,
with chapters set up as 'lessons', covering every imaginable aspect of
modern Wicca. The book is Traditionalist in approach, making a nice
counterpoint to works by Adler and Starhawk.
OTHER SOURCES:
'A Witches' Bible, Compleat' by Janet & Stewart Farrar. Magickal
Childe trade paperback tandum edition of 'Eight Sabbats for Witches'
and 'The Witches' Way', respectively, also called 'A Witches' Bible,
Vol 1 & 2'.
The first book is an examination of thefestival Holidays
of the Old Religion - the Solstices and Equinoxes and the
cross-quarter days - together with the rich folk customs associated
with them. The second book contains the long-awaited remainder of
the previously unpublished portions of the Gardnerian Book of
Shadows. In both of these books, the Farrars had the invaluable
help of Doreen Valiente, who actually wrote parts of the Gardnerian
liturgy. The three Farrar books taken together form the most
complete system of Witchcraft currently available. Their more
recent book 'The Witches' Goddess' focuses on the feminine
archetype, and contains a gazetteer of Goddesses that is
mind-boggling in its thoroughness.
'Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex, & Politics' and 'Truth or Dare:
Encounters with Power, Authority, and Mystery' both by Starhawk.
Beacon Press trade paperback and Harper & Row hardback, respectively.
If we have gained new religious insights from Pagan and
feminist philosophy, how are we to incorporate those insights into
our daily lives? Starhawk, the author of one of our principal texts,
pulls together a wide range of materials to answer this question
in two books as beautifully poetic as her first. Some of these things
have waited a long time to be said - and they couldn't have been
said better!
'The White Goddess' by Robert Graves. Farrar, Straus, &
Giroux trade paperback.
A rather weighty and yet poetic book, tracing the female
deity of Witchcraft - Goddess of Birth, Love, and Death; of the
New, Full, and Old Moon, worshipped under countless titles.
Fascinating for the advanced student. Know your Celtic
mythology (particularly Welsh) before you start, though! (If you need
a quick intro to this book, check out the feature in the Reviews SIG.)
931
'Witchcraft Today' and 'The Meaning of Witchcraft' byGerald B.
Gardner. Magickal Childe trade paperbacks.
GeraldGardner hasthe distinction ofbeing thefirst practicing
Witch to write a book about Witchcraft. He was initiated into
one of the surviving traditional British Covens, and onto the tattered
remnants of magic and ritual inherited from them, he grafted
elements of ceremonial magic. The synthesis that emerged came to be
called 'Gardnerian' Witchcraft, and it became the major cause
of the Witchcraft revival of the twentieth century. Because
Gardner was the first to deal with this material in written form, it
sometimes seems very disorganized, but its historical importance is
immense 'An ABC of Witchcraft', 'Natural Magick', and 'Witchcraft for
Tomorrow' all by Doreen Valiente. Phoenix trade paperbacks.
British Witch Doreen Valiente isperhaps best known for her
work with Gerald Gardner in creating the Gardnerian canon of
liturgy. However, in her own books, she really shines as an amateur
folklorist, managing to convey a sense of Witchcraft as a folk
religion, tied very much to the locality, the land, and the oldest
strains of folk wisdom and nature. Her sense of history and
tradition is rich and deep, and she often presents fascinating
historical tidbits about the Craft. From no other author can one gain
such a rich sense of heritage.
'A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, & Pagans' by
Jeffrey B. Russell. Thames and Hudson trade paperback.
This bookrepresents theapproach of agifted Cornellhistorian.
Although Russell doesn't always adequately cover modern sources, he
has become famous for his ability to integrate a sensible approach to
the evidence of medieval Witchcraft with an acceptance of modern
Neo-Pagan Witchcraft.
'Magical Rites from the Crystal Well' by Ed Fitch.
Llewellyn trade paperback.
A book ofrites, simple celebrations of land and water, wind
and fire. Rites of passage, seasonal celebrations, magical
workings, healings, and many more. Ed Fitch (one of the founders of
Pagan Way) is truly in his element here. And it is one of the
most beautiful books on the Craft ever published. The art work alone
is worth the price of the book!
'A Book of Pagan Rituals' by Herman Slater. Weiser trade paperback.
Originally published in two volumes as the 'Pagan Way
Rituals', this extremely beautiful book is just what it says it is:
a book of rituals. Not authentic Wiccan rituals, but very nearly so,
these rituals are often used by Covens in the training of
neophytes. Like a good Catholic missal, the words are printed in
'sense lines' using BOLD PRINT (easier to read by candlelight).
Anyone who is at least part animist or nature-lover is going to
cherish this beautiful book.
'Celtic Heritage' by Alwyn and Brinley Rees. Thames and
Hudson trade paperback.
A good deal ofmodern Witchcraftcan be tracedto ancientCeltic
sources. This book, based in comparative religion, mythology, and
anthropology, gives one a clear picture of the Celtic world-view.
Drawn mainly from Ireland and Wales, the study focuses on the
interplay of Light and Darkness, Day and Night, Summer and
Winter, and all the seasonal myths and rituals that make up the great
Celtic yearly cycle.
932
OTHER USEFUL BOOKS:
'The Politics of Women's Spirituality: Essays on the Rise of
Spiritualist Power Within the Feminist Movement' by Charlene
Spretnak. Doubleday trade paperback.
Ahuge (and, oneis tempted tosay, thedefinitive) anthology of
feminist and Pagan theology. Many familiar authors here: Starhawk,
Weinstein, Daly, et. al. Subjects range from Amazons to the ethics of
magic. A real bargain!
'Sex in History' by Reay Tannahill. Stein & Day trade paperback.
It has oftenbeen said that Witchcraft grew outof an earlier
'fertility religion' and, although 'fertility' is probably the
wrong word here, it is undeniable that the history of Witichcraft is
irrevocably bound up with the history of sexuality. Like
Tantrists and many others in the East, Witches tend to view sex as
sacramental. Since this is quite contrary to the prevailing
attitudes of our own culture, it may be helpful to understand how
our culture acquired such negative ideas about sex in the first
place. Ms. Tannahill's unique landmark study will not only answer
this question but also indicate the many options other cultures
throughout history have chosen.
'When God Was A Woman' by Merlin Stone. Harcourt, Brace, &
Jovanovich trade paperback.
At the foundations of the religion of Witchcraft is the
religion of the Goddess. Ms. Stone's book is an archeological
tour-de-force of that religion, which is found at the beginnings of
virtually every known culture (yes, even the Judeo-Christian culture).
In this book, one learns about the worship of Astarte, Isis,
Ishtar, and many others. Also recommended is her 'Ancient
Mirrors of Womanhood'. Both are splendid books!
'A Different Heaven and Earth' by Sheila D. Collins. Judson
Press trade paperback.
Byone ofthe leading feministtheologians of ourday, this book
asks what are the psychological and social implications of
worshipping a male deity exclusively, while ignoring the feminine
principle in religion. This is one of the most influencial books I've
read in the last ten years. It changed my way of thinking (for the
better) and I dare say it will change yours.
'The Way of Wyrd' by Brian Bates. Harper & Row hardback.
What Carlos Castaneda didfor Native American tradition, this
author does for ancient Pagan Anglo-Saxon tradition. Subtitled 'The
Book of a Sorcerer's Apprentice' and based on authentic manuscripts
found in the British Museum, it is the chronicle of a young Christian
monk sent into the wilds beyond Mercia in 674 to record the heresies
(beliefs) of the Pagans. He is lucky to have as his guide the
Anglo-Saxon shaman Wulf. Throughout this documentary novel, the
Christian and Pagan beliefs are juxtaposed for abetter understanding
of both. Not since 'The Mists of Avalon' has a book accomplished this
task so neatly.
933
'Positive Magic' - revised edition - by Marion Weinstein.
Phoenix Publications trade paperback.
Although a book about how to use magic to changeyour life
could be extremely tedious, this one is far from it. While it is true
that Marion uses a simple and direct style of writing, it is used on
such difficult and subtle questions as the ethics of magic. She
draws upon her own experiences to create a book that is
truely positive. If I had to recommend one book on magic, this would
be it!
'Earth Power' by Scott Cunningham. Llewellyn trade paperback.
Scott is arguablythe strongest of the young writers in the
immensely popular 'Llewellyn's Practical Magick Series'. This is,
in fact, a book of spells. Practical, down-to-earth, useful,
everyday, garden-variety spells. It is the only such book in this
bibliography. Although I do not recommend a 'cookbook' approach to
magic, this book will be extremely helpful when used as a guide for
creating your own spells. Also, Scott concentrates on 'natural' or
'folk' magic, as opposed to 'ritual' or 'ceremonial' magic. This is
the type of magic (involving Sun, Moon, stars, trees, rocks,
springs, etc.) that is the natural heritage of Witchcraft. An
excellent starting-place for the novice spell-wright. His
many other books, especially 'The Magical Household', are all
highly recommended.
'The Medium, the Mystic, and the Physicist' and 'Alternate
Realities' by Lawrence LeShan. Ballantine paperbacks.
Dr. LeShandoes not deal with magic orWitchcraft per se, but
what he has to say about the nature of the cosmos is magical
indeed. He is an experimental psychologist, an Esalen veteran,
director of ESP research, psychic healing, and other projects.
His is a synthesis of philosophy, parapsychology, and
Einsteinian physics. His other books, especially 'How To Meditate'
(Bantam paperback), are also of great value.
'Seth Speaks' and 'The Seth Material' by Jane Roberts. Bantam
paperbacks.
Yet another startlingly clear (albeit less scientific)
look at metaphysics. This is probably the cream of the crop of all
modern mediumistic data: Seth is the communicant, and the late Jane
Roberts is the medium. The other 'Seth' books are also of value.
'Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science' by Edgar Mitchell,
edited by John White. Putnam trade paperback.
This anthology serves as an excellent introduction to the
scientific field of parapsychology. Each chapter is an extensive
review article on laboratory work carried out in one particular
sub-genre of the field: telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition,
psychokinesis, OOBE's, apparitions & hauntings, etc. These
excellent articles will bring you up-to-date on virtually
everything that is currently known about the topic in
question. Other chapters deal with the history of the discipline,
social & psychological implications, military applications, etc.
This book could open the mind of the severest skeptic. But at the
same time, it could serve as a necessary check on those
too-credulous souls who have a tendency to 'believe everything'.
934
BOOKS ON RELATED SUBJECTS:
ASTROLOGY: For the absolute beginner, 'Chart Your Own Horoscope'
by Ursula Lewis. Pinnacle paperback. The find-at-a-glance tables
and charts are worth their weight in gold. For the more advanced
students, Michael Meyer's 'A Handbook for the Humanistic
Astrologer' is highly recommended for its 'humanistic' (a la Dane
Rudyar) approach. If you want to really learn to do astrology, try
'The Only Way To Learn Astrology, Vol I-IV' by March & McEvers. Books
by Linda Goodman, Grant Lewi, Ronald Davison, and Liz Greene are
also recommended.
TAROT: 'Secrets of the Tarot' by Barbara Walker is the best of
the newest books on Tarot. You may know Barbara as the author of the
amazing 'Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets'. Bill Butler's
'Dictionary of the Tarot' is a wonderful reference book which
encompasses works by such authors as Case, Crowley, Douglas, Gray,
Huson, Kaplan, Mathers, Papus, Waite, et. al.
ESP: Any and all books by J. B. and Louisa Rhine, Gertrude
Schmeidler, Thelma Moss, Charles Tart, D. Scott Rogo, J. G. Pratt,
Raynor Johnson and Lawrence LeShan would be highly recommended.
PALMISTRY: 'The Palmistry Workbook' by N. Altman is clearly the
leader here. The book actually has hand-prints, not just line
drawings!
GHOSTS: Firstly, I'd recommend 'An Experience of Phantoms'
and 'The Poltergeist Experience' both by D. Scott Rogo (Penguin
paperbacks), who is a kind of historian of psychical research. Also,
'The Poltergeist' by William Roll, director of the Psychical
Research Foundation, and this country's leading authority on ghosts.
And most importantly, 'Conjuring Up Phillip' by Iris M. Owen, the
account of a group of Canadian researchers who 'created' a ghost!
This last title is now out of print, but if you can find one in a used
book store, it's well worth it.
SURVIVAL: 'At the Hour of Death' by Karlis Osis is exceptional.
Books by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross are adequate, but not as good. And, if
you can find it, the out-of-print 'Life Is Forever' by Susy
Smith is perhaps the best introduction.
OUT-OF-THE-BODY EXPERIENCES: 'Journeys Out of the Body' and 'Far
Journeys' both by Robert A. Monroe. The narative of a much-researched
psychic, he only
one of its kind. Also, 'Astral Projection' by Oliver Fox, and any
early works
by Sylvan Muldoon and Hereward Carrington, if you can find them.
MEDIUMSHIP: Firstly, the 'Seth' books by Jane Roberts, listed above.
Any and all books by Eileen Garrett. Plus, 'Here, Mr. Splitfoot' by
Robert Sommerlot, 'Singer in the Shadows' by Irving Litvag, and 'She
Spoke to the Dead' by Susy Smith.
CABALISM: Introductory works include 'The Magician: His Training
and Work' and 'Magick: Its Ritual, Power, and Purpose' both by W.
E. Butler. Later, works by Dion Fortune and Aleister Crowley
(definately not for the novice).
935
BOOKS OF LORE & MYTHOLOGY:
'The Mists of Avalon' by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Ballantine trade
paperback.
This Arthurian fantasy novel,which reached the N.Y. Times
best-seller list, is truly superlative. It is narrated by Morgan le
Fay and so we finally understand that strange antipathy that exists
between her and Arthur. The religious and philosophical
conflict between the Old Religion and the newer one of Christianity is
beautifully portrayed. An excellent choice.
The Prydain Chronicles of Lloyd Alexander, a pentology on Dell
paperbacks: 'The Book of Three', 'The Black Cauldron', 'The
Castle of Llyr', 'Taran Wanderer', and 'The High King'.
These award-winning children's fantasies are based on
ancient Welsh mythology. Alexander admits that the two authors who
most influenced him were J. R. R. Tolkien and T. H. White. The books
are also the basis of the recent animation feature from Disney
studios. I'm often asked about pagan books to recommend for children.
These are them.
The Deryni Chronicles of Katherine Kurtz: 'Deryni Rising', 'Deryni
Checkmate', 'High Deryni', 'Camber of Culdi', 'Saint Camber',
Camber the Heretic', 'The Bishop's Heir', 'The King's Justice' and
'The Quest for Saint Camber', all Ballantine paperbacks.
Set in the landscape of ancient Wales, the Deryni are a race
with magical powers which must fight for its life against a
medieval Church Militant. Kahterine is someone who knows what magic
is all about.
'The Once and Future King' and 'The Book of Merlyn' both by T.
H. White. Berkely paperbacks.
Sparkling books, and my own personal favorites. The final
crystalization of centuries of Arhturian romance. The books on which
'Camelot' was based.
'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen', 'TheMoon of Gomrath', 'Elidor', and
'The Owl Service' by Alan Garner. All Ballantine paperbacks.
Garner isone of thebest Britishfantasy authors, witha superb
sense of local 'color' and folklore. The first two (related) titles
are in the heroic quest mold, the third is a story about the four
'hallows' of Arthurian legends, and the fourth is an eerie modern
re-creation of the fourth branch of the 'Mabinogi'.
'A Wizard of Earhtsea', 'The Tombs of Atuan', and 'The Farthest
Shore' by Ursula K. LeGuin. A trilogy on Bantam paperbacks.
This isthe chronicle of ayoung boy who isan apprentice mage.
LeGuin, a leading science fiction and fantasy author, has some
fascinating things to say about the light side and dark side of magic,
and how they're related. And she says it very well, indeed.
'Lammas Night' by Katherine Kurtz. Ballantine paperback.
In this case, theauthor of the important Deryni fantasies
turns her attention to a historical setting: England in World
War II. There is a long-standing tradition that Hitler's thwarted
plans for invading England owed a certain something to the many
Covens throughout Britain who combined their efforts to stop him.
There is even a hint that the Royal Family itself was involved.
Ms. Kurtz's historical research is, of course, impeccable.
936
The Charge of the God
Listen to the words of the Horned God, the Guardian of all
things wild and free, and Keeper of the Gates of Death,
whose Call all must answer:
I am the fire within your heart...
The yearning of your Soul.
I am the Hunter of Knowledge
and the Seeker of the Holy Quest
I - who stand in the darkness of light
am He whom you have called Death.
I - the Consort and Mate of Her we adore,
call forth to thee.
Heed my call beloved ones,
come unto me and learn the secrets of death and peace.
I am the corn at harvest
and the fruit on the trees.
I am He who leads you home.
Scourge and Flame,
Blade and Blood -
these are mine and gifts to thee.
Call unto me in the forest wild
and on hilltop bare
and seek me in the Darkness Bright.
I - who have been called;
Pan,
Herne,
Osiris ,
and Hades,
speak to thee in thy search.
Come dance and sing;
come live and smile,
for behold:
this is my worship.
You are my children and I am thy Father.
On swift night wings
it is I who lay you at the Mother's feet
to be reborn and to return again.
Thou who thinks to seek me,
know that I am the untamed wind,
the fury of storm and passion in your Soul.
Seek me with pride and humility,
but seek me best with love and strength.
For this is my path,
and I love not the weak and fearful.
Hear my call on long Winter nights
and we shall stand together guarding Her Earth
as She sleeps.
937
Shamanic Binding
By: Gaffer Maccluiunn
There are many "heaven"s, as I see it...
One of these, which I go to for information, is the Realm of Spirit
Animals. I do the usual preparations for a journey, then halfway up (I
use a ricketywooden ladder: my teacher suggested a ladder when I was
very young, and I haven't rebuil it yet...It's had many years of
almost constant use, and I think that it's time to repair this mental
tool...), and though the ladder continues (both up, down, several
other ways...) I swing through a little hole and come up underneath an
enormous tree. The place is filled with animals (of course) and I can
find out from them, generally, whatever I need to know. There's
usually something I do in return; I was taught (and believe, since it
works for me) that there are essentially five (5) KNOWN ways to relate
to a spirit. The first rule, as I believe it, is that no matter what,
in any dealing between entity and entity, the relationship MUST be
made clear for there to be useful communication. It doesn't matter as
much WHAT the relatioship is (although I have preferences), so long as
it is clear. The five ways I am aware of are:
1. Binding by Gift.
2. Binding by Love.
3. Binding by Trade.
4. Binding by Spirit.
5. Binding by Weapon.
Since the last one is, in MY way of thinking, least desireable, we'll
start there: Binding by weapon, for me, is only used when a spirit or
entity comes to me with something nasty planned, and only if there is
no other way. It is kind of like putting the genie in the bottle (the
old Arabian Nights Genies were very tricky, and would just as soon
devour someone who lets them free as grant them wishes...): first,
you must have superior force, and superior will. And Plenty of
Reasons...
Binding by Spirit is MUCH more preferable: This is the link you have
with your spirit animals: A link from like to like, regardless of
form. It usually HAPPENS to you, rather than you CAUSING it to
happen.
Binding by Trade is offering something in return for what you wish to
receive. Not as wonderful an experience as Binding by Spirit, but
still worthwhile. It is necessary to find some entity willing to
trade, however, and for this the Realm of Animals is where I use it
most. After a while, you can get into a routine, whereupon in becomes
Binding By Gift:
938
Binding by Gift is when the shaman leaves a gift or gives a gift, in
expectation of needing a favor later. This can be considered the case
when a spirit comes to you for help, but generally I classify that as
Trade, since it is the same as trade, just the other way around.
Binding by Gift, you do the thing first: If I need information that I
think the Squirrels, for instance, in the Animal Realm can offer, I'll
leave out a selection of nuts underneath the pine tree in the fron
yard, for I know that there are squirrels which frequent it. Then,
later, I'll go up to the Animals and ask for what I need. This
originally started as Binding by Trade, where they'd tell me the
information I needed to know, and then say, "In Trade, you can leave
nuts for the Little Brothers." Now, I do it aforehand, knowing. This
is a much more comfortable relationship than Trade, as Trade is
generally a one-or-two-time thing, while Gift is something much more
meaningful and long-lasting.
Binding by Love is actually entering into a friendship (or deeper)
with a spirit. Most of the shamans to whom I speak agree with me that
the relationship they have with their Spirit Helpers/Guides is a love
or lover relationship. Some explain that they are soul-mated to their
guides. This makes sense to me, and is the last form of relationship
of which I am aware in this context.
Hope this was interesting. Let me know.
Tapadh Leibh.
Gaffer.
939
SPIRITUALITY
In order to facilitate clearer communication in an area that very
often becomes very "fuzzy" because of specialized or unclear
definitions, let us now define the term Spirituality and the sense of
its use here. The term "spirituality" (as used here) is reserved for
situations that involve personal experiences of unique dimensions of
reality that give one's life and general existence a numinous quality.
Jung used the term "numinous" for the description of experiences that
feel sacred, holy, or out of the ordinary (in the sense of a special
feeling of ultimate meaning or reality). Therefore, spirituality
characterizes individual relationship to the universe and does not
necessarily require a formal structure, collective ritual, or
mediation by a priest or other external authority figure.
Religionis a form of organized groupactivity that may or may
not be conducive to (or even supportive of) true spirituality,
depending on the degree to which it provides a context for personal
discovery and experience of the numinous dimensions of reality. While
at the root of most great religions are the direct visionary
revelations of their founders, prophets, seers, and saints, in many
instances religions have lost their connection with this vital core
over time.
Experiencesand mentalstatesinvolving personalencounters with
the numinous dimensions of consciousness are of two different types.
Included in the first are experiences of the "immanent divine", or
perceptions of divine intelligence expressing itself in the world of
everyday reality. All of creation - people, animals, plants, and
inanimate objects - seems to be permeated by the same cosmic essence
and divine light. A person in this state suddenly sees that
everything in the universe is a manifestation and expression of the
same cosmic energy and that separation and boundaries are illusory.
In theology, this is called Monism. This is also the core experience
of the "all is illusion" claim in some belief systems.
Experiences in the second category do not represent a different
perception of what is already known but reveal a rich spectrum of
dimensions of reality that are ordinarily hidden from human awareness
and are not available in the everyday consciousness. These can be
referred to as experiences of the "transcendent divine". A typical
example would be a vision of God as a radiant source of light of
supernatural beauty or a sense of personal fusion and identity with
God perceived in this way. Visions of various archetypal beings, such
as deities, demons, legendary heroes, and spirit guides, also belong
in this category. Other experiences do not involve merely individual
suprahuman entities but entire mythological realms, such as heavens,
hells, and purgatories, or various sceneries and landscapes unlike
anything known on earth. This seems to be the nature of many reports
of Native American "Shamanic Journeyings".
940
What interests those studying practical magic are the practical
consequences of personal encounters with spiritual realities. For the
people who have had them, the existence of the immanent and
transcendent divine is not a matter of unfounded belief but a fact
based on direct experience - much as our attitude toward the material
reality of our everyday life is based on fist hand sensory
perceptions. In contrast, a belief is an opinion about the nature of
reality based on a specific form of indoctrination, or reading of
religious literature; It lacks direct experiential validation. Yet
once again we are brought up against the very
difficult problems of integrating personal realities with consensual
reality, or at least in integrating them closely enough that they can
be discussed in a meaningful manner.
Oneof thepractical consequencesof thesespiritual experiences
is permanent physiological change in the one experiencing them. There
are usually also a set of perceptual changes, as well as (often) an
ability to experience more of these episodes and not always with full
control over when they will occur. In other words, the whole
mind-body-spirit linkage takes on new dimensions and depth, and can
become very difficult to understand and manage! To be sure, no one
has an experience of this type and remains the same person they were
before.
A common physiological change that results from these types of
experiences is a change in the individuals general state of health.
Allergies and allergic type reactions are a typical area of change.
Someone who had few allergies may find that they suddenly react
strongly to a number of substances that did not bother them
previously, and (more often) the reverse also happens. There have
also been cases of "spontaneous remission" of long-term ills such as
arthritis and rheumatism as well as even one case of cancer known to
the author.
Theperceptual changes that happencan also be very confusing.
People seem to experience a whole new "tone" and new levels of meaning
to their everyday perceptions. There is often an increase in the
sensitivity in their sight, hearing, smell, taste, and tactile senses,
as well as what one person described as a new "depth" to the
sensations, i.e. they felt as if all of their senses previously had
been muffled or distorted, and now those distortions were removed.
Anothercommon phenomenonthat resultsfrom directexperience of
the numinous is that further experiences become more likely, and
"shifts" in consciousness become facilitated. Some people who do not
have a good background in self analysis and "taking charge" of their
lives, find that it is very easy to lose control and quickly become
unable to deal with the every day world. Even those who are actively
seeking and working hard to achieve personal growth and are used to
dealing with their innermost thoughts and psychological functionings
find these experiences causing a lot of hard work!
941
Monotheism vs. pantheism
By: Dan Holdgreiwe
The primary meaning of "pantheism" is "the belief that the Divine is
identifiable with the forces of nature and with natural substances,"
and it is this meaning of pantheism which is properly contrasted with
"panentheism" (the belief that the Divine is within the natural world
but not limited to it). This pantheism *denies* all Gods and
Goddesses, at least to the extent that They are understood as anything
more than natural forces. Thus if you believe that the Goddess is
something more than the physical planet Earth, you are NOT a
pantheist; you are a panentheist.
A secondary meaning of "pantheism" is "worship that admits or
tolerates all gods." As this meaning directly contradicts the primary
meaning, persons using the term should be careful to specify which
meaning they intend. (Under this meaning, if there is any god whose
existance you do not acknowledge -- Satan, for example -- you are NOT
a pantheist.)
Within the pagan community, the term pantheism is used even more
sloppily as a synonym for polytheism and/or animism. This had led
many people who don't meet either of the above definitions to
mistakenly call themselves pantheists.
P> By that, I mean that I believe the Christian God exists, but
P> don't necessarily worship that particular deity. If all gods
P> and goddesses exist, you can worship one of them (Monotheism),
P> without excluding the existance of the rest of them
That's not monotheism, that's henotheism. Monotheism is the belief
that only one "God" exists. Note, however, that monotheism does not
deny the existance of lesser beings (saints, angels, etc.) who might
also be called "gods" in a polytheistic system. Note also that
Christianity is not truely monotheistic, as it has the top job shared
three ways.
942
Modern Pagan Persecutions
By: Jonathan Hutchins
I wonder about this whole big deal of how unrealisticly paranoid
people can get about Paganism. I live here in the real Bible Belt.
People get pretty extreme here about religion, although there are
places where it's worse. They even refused to install the statue of
Ceres that was commissioned for the Kansas State Capitol building
because she was a Pagan Goddess. (There followed the three worst
grain harvests since the dust bowl.)
Still, we have a thriving Pagan community, and not a small share of
misguided fundamentalist teenagers rebelling into holywood satanism.
We have had a lot of trouble with cases of religious persecution - but
not the kind you might think. What has happened has been that a
borderline Pagan has imagined or misunderstood something, and started
telling all their friends that _somebody_ was being hassled for being
a Witch.
We have a Rennisance Festival here, and the rumor mill there is
boringly predictable. Every year, two stories are guaranteed to make
the rounds:
One goes that a knife was stolen from a participant, and used by a
parton to stab someone. Therefore you can't carry live steel. Funny
thing, no one ever seems to actually know either the participant, the
patron, or the victim. And responsible people still carry their
knives.
The other story varries a little; either the adminstration is hassling
participants for wearing pagan jewlry (ridiculous - 1/3 of the jewlry
sold out there is "pagan"), or someone was planning a circle on the
grounds and got hassled about it, or someone actually _had_ a circle
and was raided. (How do you do a circle of 100 or so people, and get
raided, within 200 yards of all the people camping on site, and not
make a single noise?)
We've had problems with the Heartland Pagan Festival too. One year,
someone started a rumor that there was an objection to our beliefs and
practices on the part of the people who owned the camp we'd used. One
of the people who was peripherally involved with the planning group
took it upon himself to do something. Unfortunately, that something
didn't involve checking out the rumor first - he just called the Camp
offices and gave everybody who would listen to him holy hell <sorry>
for being religious bigots.
Fortunately we were able to explain that he was not an official of the
organisation, and we were able to mend things sufficiently that we
were allowed to use the camp untill it was sold last year.
Unfortunately, we were never quite as well trusted as we had been, and
the camp staff lost their new found belief that we weren't all just a
bunch of nuts.
943
Why does this happen with so often with Pagans?
Those of us who've studied the history of the Christian Church may be
aware of the power the church found in being persecuted. It gave them
a binding common enemy. It gave them a reason for extremism. It gave
their persecutions of heretics legitimacy. It made people willing to
sacrifice everything for the church.
When true persecution ended, they found goals for the Crusades that
carried on the tradition of holy war. Even today, if you watch
Fun-D-TV, you will find that they use the false story that the church
is a persecuted minority to drum up support an dcontributions, and to
justify their actions.
Is this what we're after? Do those of us who come from these
traditions find it so hard to leave the old habits behind, even when
we've dressed them in new forms? Do some of us even see this kind of
activity as legitimate?
Gods save us from Jehova in drag.
We do ourselves more damage with false, imagined, and exagerated
claims of persecution than is done against us by all the fundies
combined.
If we are to be credible, if we are to be taken seriously by the
mundane world, if we are ever to be able to mount a real defense
against those who would persecute us because of our beliefs, we must
refrain from crying wolf.
We must be vigilant to apply our critical minds to the accounts we
hear, to track them down, and to explain to the people who start and
spread them that we are held to a higher standard of truth because we
are in the minority.
Jonathan.
944
Magick Christians
By: Alfgar Maharg
Greetings from BaphoNet. Apparently, I fall into the
"Non-Traditional Christian" box. I shall now proceed to confuse
everybody by refusing to fit into any pigeonhole.
I have been for some ten years a member of the New Church
("Swedenborgian").
The 18th century revelations found in the voluminous writings of
Emmanuel Swedenborg, renowned scientist, theologiand and visionary,
overwhelmed by MAKING SENSE. However, we have yet a considerable way
to go in conveying the news to the public at large. On announcing that
one is a Swedenborgian, approximately 62% of the population respond
with "What church is that?" 29% ask "Is that the Swedish Church?" The
rest simply stand there with mouths open.
When asked what he was teaching, Swedenborg replied "Two things:
that God is one, and that faith is inseparable from charity."
Point 1 means that the Lord Jesus Christis the SAME God who made
Heaven and Earth and no nonsense about it. Worship is always addressed
to Christ, not to any "trinity".
Point 2 represents arepudiation of salvation "by faithalone". We
hold most emphatically the truth of James: "Faith without works is
dead".
Naturally, things could not be left so simple. I look forward to
discussing the immoderately abstruse issues involved.
Just in case you are not confused enough already, I found myself
drawn into the pursuit of the so-called "high" occult. This led
directly to the formation of the Third Order of St. Michael, which
coalesced from the set of esoteric Christians collected around
Katheriine Kurtz, and who found the "Deryni Christian" archetype a
valid spiritual expression. The principal result so far has been
liturgical expression pursued wherever enough of us can be found.
Locally I amaffiliated with atemple of the SangrealSodality, a
non-sectarian, decentralized, and frighteningly eclectic organization
following the broad tradition of the Golden Dawnand its successors,
and drawing inspiration and initation from the work of William G.
Gray.
945
Polarity and Single Sex Covens
By: Marios
M> Here's my latest question for theological debate:
M> Given the emphasis on male/female polarity within the
M> structure of Craft mythology, can a group that is entire
M> same sex gay or lesbian legitimately claim to be
M> practicing Wicca? Or is it something else pagan, that
M> is not Wicca? Please give reasons for your answer...
M> I've found this to be a really sticky one.
In a word, "YES". Try this on for size:
1. Craft as an immenentalist religion, recognizes the "fact" that
individuals contain both "male" and "female" parts. Polarity work
takes advantage of this situation. After all, we recognize solitaires
as practicing Wicca, so we have already accepted that polarity work
may involve only one person. As a logical extension of this:
2. Given that polarity work includes immanent "male" and "female"
components, we must assume that a group situation will take advantage
of this fact in their workings. But, since polarity work may take
place within an individual, the actual genders of the group are
unimportant. However:
3. While it can be argued that polarity work is possible, and off
necessity, takes place in same sex groups, can we state that they are
practicing Wicca? That must depend on how one defines Wicca.
Personaly, I would say "Yes", however, the central mysteries of the
Craft can be interpreted as demanding a heterosexual couple.
4. I suspect that certain rituals (e.g. the Great Rite) can easily be
reworked from their current, heterosexist, form. However, if
"practicing Wicca" is defined by a strict adherance to the LITURGY of
Gardnerian derivation, then a same sex coven cannot be practicing the
TOTALITY of Wicca (or certain of its main rituals). They may, on the
other paw, be defined as practicing PART of Wicca.
946
Some Thoughts on the Evolution of Wiccan Ritual
By: Paul Hume
Undoubtedly (insofar as anything in this mish-mash of magick can be
undoubted (g)) the "convergent evolution" thing has a place in the
development of the various trads.
ie. hitting on similar manifestations of one True Thing. An algorithm
stays the same, no matter how you code it.
Some of the interesting divergences, f'rinstance...
The Quarters: Always a lively discussion (g). Air's in the East.
No, it's in the North, etc. The traditional post-GD attributions stem
fgrom a system attributed to Egypt, and Egyptian climate. The
traditional Wiccan ones make sense in the context of Northern Europe,
esp. Britain. (At least the Brit-Trad ones do).
The ceremonial (solar variety) magician concentrates on the Equinoxes
and Solstices as his major milestones in the wheel of the year,
whereas Wicca sticks with the Cross-Quarters as their main events.
Again, the solar calendar is an Egypto-Sumerian bugaboo, and more
important to agricultural peoples (or so it is suggested) whereas the
Cross-Quarters fit the rhythm of birth and growth in herd animals, and
thus suggest a tradition that evolved in the herding cultures of the
early Celts and Britons (who did not succumb to the siren song of
agro-economy until much later).
How rigorous these arguments are is open to dispute - they may just be
attempts to correlate anthropology and tradition. But they suggest
areas of emphasis that separate the two paths, and suggest further the
different aspects of Reality that drive them.
Paul
947
BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS OF WICCA
Not every Wiccan will subscribe to all of these points, but
generally they are representative.
1. The divine Spirit is present in all creatures and things:
people, animals, plants, stones...
2. The ultimate creative force manifests in both feminine and
masculine modes; therefore it is often symbolized as the Goddess
and The God.
3. In some covens, both are celebrated equally. In others, The
Goddess is given precedence or even celebrated without reference
to the God.
4. All Goddesses and Gods are aspects of The Goddess and The God.
The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of the
Moon (Maiden, Mother and Crone) and the Horned God of death and
rebirth.
5. Reincarnation and karma are valid concepts. Upon death one
goes to a state of rest and reflection, and eventually chooses
where and when s/he will be reborn.
6. Magick is practiced for positive (helping) purposes:
spiritual development, healing, guidance, safety, etc.
7. Rituals are generally performed outdoors when possible, at the
New and Full Moons, and at eight Sabbat festivals which mark the
progression of the seasons.
8. Magick and celebration are performed in small groups, usually
3 to 13, called covens. These are basically autonomous -- there
is no central church authority or hierarchy.
9. There is no holy book, or prophet, no equivalent of the Bible
or Jesus or Mohammed. Individuals have access to the divine, and
do not require an intermediary. Every initiate is regarded as a
priest/ess.
10. The central ethic is "And ye harm none, do as ye will."
Whatever energy you send out returns threefold, so it is wise to
be kind to others.
11. We should live in harmony with the Earth and Nature, and not
exploit them.
12. Though Wicca is a valid spiritual path, it is not the only
one. There is no recruiting, and people should be free to choose
the path that best fits their needs.
13. The concepts of original sin, sacrifice, redemption,
confession, the divinity of Jesus, sinfulness of sex, Judgment,
Heaven and Hell, denigration of women, bodily resurrection, and
the Bible as divine revelation are not part of Wicca. Neither are
Satanism, the Black Mass, desecration of cemeteries, the sacrifice
of animals, etc.
Copyright (c) 1983 Amber K., Our Lady of the Woods. Used by
Permission
948
The Wiccan Faith
I cangive youa briefoverview ofWicca. (Idon't speakfor
all Wiccans, only myself. There are some differences in the different
Traditions.)
We believe that the ultimate godhead is unknowable. This
doesn't make for a good working relationship with the diety, however.
So, we break it down into a Goddess and a God. Different Wiccans
worship different Gods/Goddesses. We can utilize *any* pantheon.
Some worship Pan/Diana, some Cernnunos/Aradia, Isis/Osiris, and many
others.
We see our Goddess as being Triple Aspected -- Maiden, Mother,
and Crone, and she is reflected in the phases of the Moon -- Waxing,
Full and Waning. We see the God as the Lord of Nature, and he is
reflected in the seasonal changes. Like Jesus Christ, he dies for the
land and the people, and is reborn.
In general, we believe in reincarnation and karma. What you
call Heaven, we call the Summerlands. We don't believe that Hell
exists (or Satan either.) We believe that there should be balance in
all things - when the balance is disturbed, that's when 'evil' occurs.
Fire, for example is not 'evil'. It could be considered such when it
becomes out of balance, as in a forest fire, or house fire.
Controlled fire is a useful tool. Anger is not 'evil', but when
unbridled can't help but lead to negative things. When properly
expressed and balanced with constructive working to correct that
which invoked the anger - it, too, can be a useful tool.
We regard the Earth as our Mother, and try to have respect for
Her by not polluting her and try to live in harmony with Her and Her
ways.
Women reflect the Goddess, Men reflect the God, so the Wicca
have a Priestess and Priest to 'run' the religious services. We call
our services circles.
This was sort of an "Reader's Digest Condensed Version" of Wicca.
Blessed be >>Phoenix<<
949
Origins of The Mandan
By: Madoc
As a direct lineal descendantof Madoc ab Gwynedd, Princeof Wales
and alleged founder of the Mandan tribe, I'd like to shove my two
cent's worth in...
Madoc (or Madog) was born about 1150, one of four sons of the King of
Wales. He and his brothers did not get along at all, and after the
King died, Wales was divided 4 ways among his children. Madoc chose
not to rule his domain directly, having developed the wanderlust that
consumes so many Celts. He was a well-regarded sailor, such that his
sea-faring exploits were recorded less than 100 years later by a
French historian, and again by Dr. John Dee in the 1500's.
Madoc is said to have left Wales with 5 ships, and to have arrived in
the New World about 1172 or '73. He landed twice, once in Central
America, where he is alleged to have been the "God" that the locals
later mistook Cortez for. He then backtracked through the Gulf of
Mexico and landed around New Orleans. He packed his men and equipment
up the Mississippi, finally stopping due to sickness in his men. He
and his able-bodied crew floated back downriver and returned to Wales.
Madoc left Wales again around 1176, and returned to the Mississippi
river. He supposedly found that his surviving original crew had
intermarried with the local Native American populations, and most
chose not to return to Wales. Madoc himself may have stayed, as there
is no record of his returning to Wales again.
Years later, Lewis and Clark heard fantastic tales of "white Indians"
who supposedly built forts, spoke Welsh, and fished from "coracles,"
which are leather boats totally unlike canoes. They were unable to
substantiate those claims, although they found many "light-skinned"
Native Americans, some of whom had blue eyes and blond or blondish
hair and spoke a mish-mash of Souix and something that resembled Welsh
in some aspects. These people claimed, unlike their compatriots, that
they were descended of a "race of giants" who built their tipis of
logs and came from "across the sea" (a sea which they had never seen,
by the way) and whose leader (Madoc?) had promised to return for them
one day. The local Native Americans whom they lived with supported
their claims.
The Mandan as a tribe still exist. They speak Souix and live mostly on
reservation land in Wisconsin and up into Canada. They traditionally
build log cabins and fish from leather coracles.
The Mandan claim that they were seperated as an independant tribe
because of disease and wars with settlers. They have largely become
Souix, and the US government lists the Mandan as Souix.
My family traces its roots directly to Madoc through Ireland, where
his offspring settled after being evicted from Wales by the British.
As the King of England said at the time, "They can go to Hell or go to
Connaught." My father is the direct lineal descendant of the Crown,
and I am his first-born (and only) son. My father is the legitimate
Prince of Wales, and Charles is a Pretender.
950
Documentation:
AUTHOR(s): Deacon, Richard, 1911-
TITLE(s): Madoc and the discovery of America; some new light
on an old controversy [by] Richard Deacon.
[1st American ed.]
New York, G. Braziller, 1967 [1966]
AUTHOR(s): Armstrong, Zella.
TITLE(s): Who discovered America? The amazing story of Madoc.
Chattanooga, Lookout Pub. Co., 1950.
AUTHOR(s): Burder, George, 1752-1832.
TITLE(s): The Welch Indians; or, A collection of papers
respecting
a
peoplewhose
ancestorsemigrated
from
WalestoAmerica
inthe
year1170,with
PrinceMadoc,
(threehundredyearsbeforethefirstvoyageof
Columbus),and whoaresaid nowtoinhabit a
beautifulcountry onthe westsideof the
Mississipi[!]DedicatetotheMissionarysocietyby
GeorgeBurder. London, PrintedforT. Chapman
[1797] 35 p. 21 cm.
Consists
chiefly
ofextrats
fromthe
Gentleman's
magazine,
1789-1792,
the
Monthly
magazine,
December,
1796, and letters from missionaries and traders.
AUTHOR(s): Pugh, Ellen, 1920-
TITLE(s): Brave his soul; the story of Prince Madog of Wales
and
hisdiscoveryof
Americain
1170,
byEllen
Pugh,
with the assistance of David B. Pugh.
New York, Dodd, Mead [1970]
Summary: Discusses the validity of the claims that an obscure
Welsh prince landed in Mobile Bay in 1170 and
established a settlement that resulted in a tribe of
Welsh-speaking Indians.
---
951
The Burning Times, Some "Facts"
By: Marios
Okay, let's try "another subject". "Facts", a term which derives
from the latin factum meaning to make or to do, are constructs. If you
"change" history, you automatically change the "facts". Let's take an
example: during the so-called Burning Times, aprrox. 200,000 - 500,000
people where executed by either mob action and/or legal action. We
will neven know how many people were arrested, sentanced and executed
for crimes of witchcraft (and please note that there were several
different "crimes of witchcraft" at this time).
In the late 1940' and early 1950's, several British Witches and
occultists started talking about 9,000,000 "witches" killed. This
number appears to have derived not from any research, but rather from
an attempt to "one-up" the number of Jews exterminated by the Nazis in
WW II. In order to support this contention, the definition of the
Burning Times was changed. First, the period of the major whitch hunts
was extended from its peak, 1550 - 1675, backwards to the founding of
the Inquisition (early 13th century). Second, the figures for judicial
executions of heretics, notably the Cathari and the Waldensians, were
included in the total. Finally, all judicial executions which took
place during the Catholic "civil war" (the Avignon Papacy) were
included. In effect, the definition of "witch" was changed to include
"heretic".
This definitional change is most interesting, since it parallels
the definitional change that took place in the Catholic churches
construction of demonic witchcraft (see, for example, Ginzburg's
"Ecstacies"). The "facts" of the situation where "changed" when the
definition of the term "witch" was changed. "Witch" was defined as
"not-orthodox" and, as such, included all heretics and non-Christians.
To me, the interesting point is that this definition was created not
by the Catholic church, but by Gerald Gardner in an attempt to prove
that "witches" had suffered more than Jews.
What does this say about the idea of "facts"? First, it means that
what is a "fact" changes with the definition of terms... in other
words, a fact is a human, and therefore inherantly biased, construct.
Second, while agreement between opposing biases may be reached on
certain "facts", such as the date of a battle, I doubt whether
agreement can be reached on the motivations or causes of the battle.
Finally, history is basically mythology that is constructed around
certain quasi-religious disciplines, e.g. Marxism, positivist science,
etc. It is a story that is told and, in the telling, it changes the
"facts".
Bright Blessings M
952
ASATRU
Rathulvf Jamieson
+-
| Asatru is a term virtually unknown outside pagan circles. It's
| the pagans who have no idea what Asatru is that believe that it has
| any connection with the Nazis. Maybe you need to explain in more |
detail what Asatru is?? I'd be interested in that myself.
+-
Greetings, Adrienne. I know that Grendel will answer this, however
maybe a literal translation won't hurt either. Simply put from a
historical view, Asatru is a combination of two words:
Ase, pl. Ases [pron. `ace']: The gods and goddesses of
consciousnessintheTeutonicpantheon, governingthepowers
of sovereignty and physical force (ON Ass; AEsir).
troth: Religion, being loyal to the gods, goddesses and
cultural values of the ancestors (ON tru, OE treowth).
true: Adjectiveform of"troth," canmean "loyal."A "true
man" is a man loyal to the gods and goddesses of his
ancestors.
The word is a compound of asa-, "of the gods (aesir)," and -tru,
usually translated as "faith." But this can be misleading. Tru is
derived from the same root (deru-) that gave rise to "troth," "truth,"
"trust," and "true" in English. The root word "deru-" really has to
do with something firm, solid, and steadfast. The fact that the word
"tree" also comes from this word is significant as well. Therefore it
is clear that originally the term had more of the connotatins of our
"true" (loyal), "trusting," and "troth" than with the connotations of
"faith" or "belief."
Belief is the acceptance through an external authority that a given
thing is true, and perhaps that some form of "salvation" is dependent
on this belief. Troth is based on experience. One trusts that the
sun will come up tomorrow because this recurring phenomenon has been
experienced in the past. The things that one is commanded to believe
in Christianity,
Judaism, Islam, Marxism, etc., are precisely those things one cannont
experience, or those things known only to pastors, popes, rabbis,
imams,
commissars, etc. "To trust" therefore is to gain personal experience
of the
truth of a thing. The term asatru therefore most literally means
"gaining experience of the ancestral sovereign gods."
Thorsson, Edred. "A Book of Troth." St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1989
This is what I based my belief on, even before I discovered
Thorsson's books. I just didn't know the "historical" meaning of the
word. I did, however, know the beauty of Asatru (the Troth) even
though it was twisted by others. I hung in there, and enjoy one of
the greater "freedoms of religion" today because of it.
Urdhr, Verdhandi, Skuld!
So is was, so it is, so it shall be!
- Rathulvf -
953
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.!
THE FORTUNE
by Richard Myers
I've seen them before at carnivals and flea markets -- dark
complexion, colorful scarves around their heads, crow's marks around
the eyes, often a babe balanced on the hip. They're harmless enough,
and I'd never before paid them any mind. Oh sure, storekeepers
complain about petty thievery, and a farmer may lose an occasional
chicken. But I'm no easy mark for Gypsy women. They leave me alone.
So it was strange when I saw two of them near the pawn shops on
Larimer Street; and the older woman said, "There's a man on a
dangerous journey."
I pointed to a newly purchased camp stove under my arm. "Good guess,"
I said. "Into the wilderness. So what else?" She stretched forth her
hand. "For three coins in the palm I shall tell what else."
I dug out three quarters and, wishing they'd been dimes, dropped
them into her hand.
"I see a difficult journey to a remote place where few travel."
"Wilderness," I repeated with an edge to my voice. "What else?"
"A high place. Very cold."
"Winter in Colorado. Another guess. Tell me what I don't know."
She dropped the coins into a pocket in her ragged old coat and turned
away. As she rounded the corner she paused. "I see death", she said
quietly. She was gone.
An empty feeling in my belly turned suddenly to laughter when I
realized that me and Chester were counting on a little death this very
weekend. We were after high-country Wapiti, the majestic Colorado elk
that roam the flat-tops. With any luck we'd put death to a couple of
'em before sundown.......
I saved the question til we'd packed the gear to a high meadow just
below Retribution Peak. I didn't want to seem too anxious for an
answer. "Chester, you believe in fortune tellin'?"
Chester kept right on settin' up the tent as he chuckled, "That what's
got you so quiet? You ain't said a word all the way up the mountain.
Someone musta told you a bad one."
954
"Gypsy woman said something about dying in the wilderness."
Chester fell silent for the briefest moment before he answered, "Hell,
you ain't dead yet, so start drivin' stakes!" "Chester, you don't
believe in nothin'" I laughed, "In any case, I'm sleepin' with my
rifle to-night."
By Saturday afternoon we'd scouted Three-Elk meadow without seeing any
sign, so we climbed the high ridges above the beaver ponds to scan the
area. It was almost dusk when we headed back through Medicine Spring
a ceremonial ground where the Cheyenne once danced the ceremony of the
sacred arrow. The Cheyenne were long gone, but in our sights were a
pair of the biggest, proudest Wapiti we'd ever seen. The bull had
already picked up the swish of our snow shoes when we topped the rise,
but Chester brought down the cow with a single shot. Grandpa Elk got
away, but we had all day tomorrow to track him down.
You might not think a Gypsy woman can see the future; and you might
not expect an elk to seek revenge for a lost mate; and I admit that in
the dark of the tent I never really saw the instrument of our
destruction. But we awakened to a bellowing like a steam train and we
fired our rifles in every direction before the tent finally collapsed.
I didn't dare move until the morning light showed Chester's skull was
cracked, and a Gypsy woman's words were ringing in my ears. ...from
RMPJ 12/86
955
THE OMNI EXPERIENCE
POWER TRIPS: CONTROLLING YOUR DREAMS
Release Date: Thursday, 19 March 1987
A number of techniques facilitate lucid dreaming. One of the simplest
is asking yourself many times during the day whether you are dreaming.
Each time you ask the question, you should look for evidence proving
you are not dreaming. The most reliable test: Read something, look
away for a moment, and then read it again. If it reads the same way
twice, it is unlikely that you are dreaming. After you have proved to
yourself that you are not presently dreaming, visualize yourself doing
what it is you'd like. Also, tell yourself that you want to recognize
a nighttime dream the next time it occurs. The mechanism at work here
is simple; it's much the same as picking up milk at the grocery store
after reminding yourself to do so an hour before.
At night people usually realize they are dreaming when they experience
unusual or bizarre occurrences. For instance, if you find yourself
flying without visible means of support, you should realize that this
happens only in dreams and that you must therefore be dreaming.
If you awaken from a dream in the middle of the night, it is very
helpful to return to the dream immediately, in your imagination. Now
envision yourself recognizing the dream as such. Tell yoursel, "The
next time I am dreaming, I want to remember to recognize that I am
dreaming." If your intention is strong and clear enough, you may find
yourself in a lucid dream when you return to sleep.
Even if you're a frequent lucid dreamer, you may not be able to stop
yourself from waking up in mid-dream. And even if your dreams do
reach a satisfying end, you may not be able to focus them exactly as
you please.
During our years of research, however, we have found that spinning
your dream body can sustain the period of sleep and give you greater
dream control. In fact, many subjects at Stanford University have
used the spinning technique as an effective means of staying in a
lucid dream. The task outlined below will help you use spinning as a
means of staying asleep and, more exciting, as a means of traveling to
whatever dream world you desire.
956
Before retiring, decide on a person, time, and place you would like to
visit in your lucid dream. The target person and place can be either
real or imaginary, past, present, or future. Write down and memorize
your target person and place, then visualize yourself visiting your
target and firmly resolve to do so in a dream that night.
To gain lucidity, repeat the phrase describing your target in your
dream, and spin your whole dream body in a standing position with your
arms outstretched. You can pirouette or spin like a top, as long as
you vividly feel your body in motion.
The same spinning technique will help when, in the middle of a lucid
dream, you feel the dream imagery beginning to fade. To avoid waking
up, spin as you repeat your target phrase again and again. With
practice, you'll return to your target person, time, and place.
When spinning, try to notice whether you're moving in a clockwise or
counter-clockwise direction.
- Stephen LaBerge and Jayne Gackenbach
Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D., of the Stanford University Sleep Research
Center, is also the author of LUCID DREAMING, Ballantine Books, New
York, (C) 1985. LUCID DREAMING is a 305 page book which costs $3.95
and is available in the "Psychiatry" or "Self-Help" section of most
major bookstores.
957
CHECKLIST FOR A WELL-WORKING GROUP
1. We are clear about our goals and how we intend to achieve
them.
2. We know and respect each other well enough to feel very
comfortable and attuned working together.
3. Our magickal is ethical, designed for our growth and
fulfillment and the benefit of those who request help, and it
never used to harm others.
4. We share the responsibilities of making the group work; every
individual's contribution is important.
5. We see each other socially outside the group, and support
each other through difficulties.
6. We enjoy. there is fun and laughter at our meetings.
7. We work at learning magick. We dig deep, compare different
sources, try new techniques, ask pointed questions, do it until
we get it right.
8. We keep ourselves healthy and fit in order to more readily
channel power and receive insight.
9. We keep our ritual area and tools orderly and clean.
10. We constantly seek knowledge from many sources -- people,
books, workshops, other paths...
11. We do not make a virtue of authority and obedience, but treat
each other as respected equals (regardless of the formal
structure of the coven).
12. We raise genuine power and channel it; our rituals are not
tame readings or rote gestures, but filled with energy, vitality,
will and purpose.
958
A basic love spell.. (be careful how you use these)
Take three cords or strings of various, pleasing pastel colors-
perhaps pink, red, and green- and braid them tightly together.
Firmly tie a knot near one end of the braid, thinking of your need
for love.
Next, tie another knot, and another, until you have tied seven
knots. Wear or carry the cord with you until you find your love.
After that, keep the cord in a safe place, or give to one of the
elements- burn and scatter the ashes in the ocean or in a stream.
959
The song is sung to the tune of Amazing Grace. Enjoy!
Verna Knapp
Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore a witch like me!
I once was burned, now I survive,
was hung and now I sing.
T'was grace that drew down the moon
and grace that raised the seas.
The magic in the people's will
will set our Mother free.
We face the East and breathe the winds
that move across this earth.
From gentle breeze to hurricane
our breath will bring forth the change.
Turn towards the South and feel the fire
that burns in you and me.
The spirit's flame will rise again
and burn eternally.
We greet the West, our souls awash
in tides of primal birth.
Our tears and blood, our pain and love
will cleanse and heal the earth.
Reach into the North and know your roots
down deep ancestral caves.
We find the wisdom of the Crone,
Of circles we are made.
Amazing earth, enduring life,
from death into rebirth.
T'is earth I am and earth I love
and earth I'll always be.
Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth
that bore witches like we.
We once were burned, now we survive,
were hung and now we sing.
Goddess bless, so mote it be,
Our magic spirals on.
Merry meet and merry part
and merry meet again.
960
The Hermetic Summoning of The Elements
By: Marios
OK, here it is. This was originally developed by an old friend and
working partner of mine.
.
(Cirlce area should be completely dark. All people should be inside
the circle. A central altar is used with five candles on it: a source
candle of gray or pearlescent white or emerald green; a form candle of
black; a force candle of white; a fire quarter candle of red; and a
lighting taper.)
(The HP and HPS should face each other over the central altar)
HP: First there was nothing, and the Womb of the Void begat Light
(light Source candle)
HPS: And that Light gave form to the Void, the form that we call
darkness, and that was the first Goddess. (Light Form candle)
HP: And the darkness gave to the light potency, power, and that was
the first god. (light force candle).
Both: From the union of these came Fire, least tangible and most
active of all the elements. (light fire candle, hand to 3rd person in
the south. they then circumambulate a full 360 degrees and place fire
candle in the south, picking up air candle there.)
HPS: Fire calmed and made more tangible became air. (light Air candle,
circumambulate 270 degrees to the east.)
HP: Air flowing with solid form, became water. (light water candle (in
east) (circumambulate 180 degrees to the west)
HPS: And still, solid water, is earth. (3rd person goes directly to
the north side of the altar)
All: Thus does all come from the Void, and so shall all return to the
Void when creation's day is done.
(HP faces east, then south, then zenith. while facing shouts "Fiat".
at the same times, HPS faces west, north and nadir and shouts "Fiat".
HPS raises both hands from nadir to the centre above the altar, HP
lowers arms from zenith to the centre above the altar)
Both: Fiat, voluntas mea. (hands should be touching in the centre.
961
Notes:
1. The third person who carries the quarter candles acts as the
channel for the energy of the HP and HPS during their invocation. S/he
should visualize constructing a ribbon roadway that has landing stops
at each elemental area.
2. The "Fiat"s at the end should include a visualization of
either an invoking pentagram, or a door opening, or something similar
(I have modified the invoking pentagrams to follow the descent lines
-- e.g. invoking air would be from fire point to air point).
The effort of building the road and the landings is form with
minimal force. It is the "Fiat"s at the end which generate the force
flows to balance the system.
The road itself can be useful for visiting the various elemental
kingdoms, but you might find them different from what you expect.
Following the road from nadir up to and beyond zenith in an ascending
arc is quite good for either deep meditation or projection work.
Anyhow, 'nuff stuff for now. I hope you find this useful.
Bright Blessings M.
962
LEARNING
(K) 1987 by Jehana.
Disseminate freely if copied in entirity
The learning process can be examined as a three-tiered model
(remembering
that, as always, the map is almost always not the territory). The
three tiers
I shall examine are:
* Absorption
* Integration
* Expression
Forany reasonableapproximation offull andcomplete learningto
have occurred, all three stages are necessary. One might argue that
there are different types of learning, and that each of these types
have their own requirements; or that science must be learned
differently than philosophy, but I think there are fundamental
similarities governing the learning of all types of things -- the
emphasis and mechanisms may change, but the underlying principles
apparently remain.
Absorption isthe actof takingthe externaland bringingit into
the internal. Absorption may involve the cramming of information for
final exams; it may involve the day-to-day experiences of life; it may
involve the shattering emotional impact of traumas. However, this
emotional impact is not reacted to at this stage of the learning
process. Absorption is the coming aware of information, whether for
short or long term, from the whole body of constant information
bombarding the physical senses at all times. Not all that is
witnessed or studied becomes absorbed -- the human mind needs a
filtering agent.
Integrationis aninternal process,where theknowledge recently
gained is integrated with what is already in the mind. No mind ever
starts out as a vacuum, despite the efforts of generic television to
assume this. Not all that is absorbed is integrated -- that which
falls into short-term memory is not; nor is material that is studied
simply to know for the knowing's sake. A deep and thourough internal
integration of material is not necessary in all fields of study,
although to some extent this takes place in all devotees of a subject,
whether it be mathematics, engineering, art, or philosophy. This
integration leaves its touches upon the person, and will affect
his/her filtering for material to absorb in the future. Be advised
that some integration is voluntary; while other integration is
involuntary. The actual process of integration bears no relation to
what Other People Are Doing (although one may integrate a dependency
upon others, for instance.) A conscious awareness of integration is
fostered in the study of certain religious paths (such as the Craft)
and in many of the philosophies, as well as in many of the arts. The
necessity for the stage of integration is one reason why the learning
of anything of internal value generally takes time -- there are no
Instant Philosophies which work.
963
Expression is essential for communication. It is a step
shallowly expressed in the regurgitation of information on a
quickly-studied exam, but when dealing with philosopy, art, or
livelihood, it should be of more durable quality -- in other words,
expression should be tempered with the fires of Integration.
Expression may be involuntary (the fright reaction from a phobia), or
it may be voluntary -- but the most fervent Expression is rooted
within the internal regions of the being, and is not the shallow sort
of expression related to acting the way other people expect you to
act; for simply the purpose of scratching that itch of satisfaction
(gaining or giving satisfaction). The most useful forms of Expression
occur in taking that information which one has both Absorbed and
Integrated, and then Expressing it. However, needless to say, some
forms of Expression (ie, phobias) may be well-integrated and absorbed,
but are counterproductive to happiness. The true conscious learner
must therefore take a hand in what he/she decides to learn/unlearn
(the steps involved in the process of Unlearning are the same as those
in the process of Learning.)
*Absorption and Expressionwithout Integration ismindless and
empty reading/living. One may as well be a parrot. Absorption and
Integration without Expression is hypocritical and/or schitzophrenic.
*Integration and Expression without Absorption permits no
external influences to have any bearing on thought -- one may as well
be autistic.
*Expression without Absorptionencourages fallacies,untruths,
and easy answers.
All portions of the Absorption, Integration, and Expression cycle
are necessary for true learning to take place. While much of the
current school system as set up in today's society emphasizes the
Absorption and the Expression stages, leaving the Integration process
to be assumed, children still do grow up learning to emulate and
integrate the values that impinge upon them. (Not all these values
are necessarily beneficial -- the learning process does not always
rely on those values externally professed, but does pick up on those
implied on a deeper level.) Therefore, say, a geography lesson need
not be Integrated within the student, as a study of values or personal
transformation should most definitely be. A student has, through life
experiences, already Integrated a system of functioning; of viewing
the world. (Indeed, the student may have Integrated a varying set of
systems -- this often leads to internal conflicts, which really should
be resolved. Within certain alternative Philosophies, Integration of
other ways of viewing the world and the person is done in a more
purposeful manner. The student learns that true learning is not in
rote memorization but in the acceptance and the working with of all
three stages of learning. Also, the student learns to realize that
Integration is a personal stage, wherein the information absorbed
interacts with that he/she has already Integrated during life --
therefore this Integration may definitely not resemble the Integration
process of another student in the same class. Nor should Expression
be forced (at least when dealing with the momentous events of a
life-philosophy -- it should come from the heart -- in other words, it
should come from the Expression of the Absorption and the Integration
the student has undergone, rather than from what someone else has
decreed to be Proper).
964
THE HEART &WINGS JOURNAL,P.O. Box 574Lebanon Springs,NY,12114,
6/issues yr. $12.00 - a publication of the Sufi Order of the West.
HIGH TECHNOLOGY MEETS THE ANCIENT WISDOM
By Kenneth Reese
Ifyou're like me, you've probably succumbed to some level of
consumer electronics mania. Maybe it started innocently with a digital
watch or calculator and then worked its way up to a VCR and then to a
personal computer. You might even have felt some twinge of guilt when
you suddenly realized these gadgets had become indispensable (when one
of them breaks!). Perhaps you've felt all this runs counter to your
commitment to humanistic values. However, as I see it, new age values
and technology are inextricably bound together.
Thefact thatmany peoplefirst involvedwith thehuman potential
movement were later drawn into the world of high-tech (and vice versa)
is a measure of the affinity the two worlds have for one another.
Futurist John Naisbitt identifies it as a high tech/high touch
polarity. For the majority of people who have feet planted in both the
worlds of advanced technology and human potential the affinity has
long been obvious, but perhaps not well articulated.
Exactlyhow the interests of thetechnology enthusiast and the
person on the path merge is not in any way readily obvious. The
relationship between the two can be better revealed by considering the
various tools of high technology as artificial devices which magnify
the human senses and human experience. With such a comparison several
observations easily follow.
Aclassic example of thismagnification of thehuman senses can
be seen in the home video revolution. Technology is used in a
straightforward fashion as an extension of the human senses of sight
and hearing. This results in a thousand-fold increase in an
individual's power to receive impressions. This has been made possible
by television combined with more recent inventions -- the
communication satellite, back-yard dishes, cable, videocassette
recorders, laser discs, and other breakthroughs in video and audio
technology. In short, for the person in front of the enormous increase
in video and audio choices, there has, in effect, been an
amplification of that individual's capacity to experience reality
through the medium of sight and sound. And, of course, all this choice
is delivered by the exploding global network created by the news,
communications, and entertainment industries.
Similarly, withthe personalcomputer revolution therehas been
an amplification of the mind. An individual using a personal computer
has a level of technological power that rivals that once available
only to large corporations and governments. This magnification of
power may be used to accomplish a variety of directed tasks or in more
playful and creative ways. The net result is that the individual may
greatly increase personal productivity and expand mental and creative
powers by using an electronic tool.
965
All this potential amplification of the power of a single
individual by use of these human-made artifacts greatly increases the
need for a center or focus around which unprocessed information can be
organized in a meaningful fashion. In other words, the individual
requires more than ever a sense of purpose simply because the
personal capacity for experience and action has been greatly enhanced
by these new technologies. At this point, the tie-in to the new age
becomes more obvious. There is no more exact a science for the
processing of impressions and the discovery of purpose than the
ancient spiritual traditions and their modern expressions in
transpersonal psychology and the human potential movement.
It is no accident that new age people often find themselves
thickly involved with new technologies. There is a real void in the
midst of the silicon chip revolution for knowledge which can balance
one of the effects of the information age -- a communications
explosion which threatens individual and cultural stability with an
overload of raw, unprocessed information. This overload confuses both
individuals and, more dangerously, nations and their political and
military institutions. Spiritual traditions have long taught ways for
maintaining a center in the face of chaos and offered time-tested
techniques for controlling the senses, disciplining the mind, and
discovering purpose and right action.
Thisknowledge isnow applicableat bothan individualand global
level. Ancient wisdom has never been more relevant than it is today,
to help guide and focus the tremendous power unleashed by the
electronic awakening of the planet. Esoteric knowledge has been sought
throughout the ages by a select few as a response to an inner call to
discover personal meaning in life. Today, the growth of a planet-
wide communications network both enerates the need and provides the
means for the spiritual quest to become of vital global importance.
The enthusiasm ofsome futurists(such as JohnNaisbitt whoends
his international best-seller 'Megatrends' with the line 'My God, what
a fantastic time to be alive!') is a reflection of the tremendous
Power for Good inherent in technological advances. But high technology
is without a mind or a soul unless it is guided by an intelligence
more powerful and compassionate than simple human cleverness. Ancient
wisdom provides the vehicle for such an Intelligence.
Three decades after the threat of planetary annihilation was
delivered to humanity on a silver platter of scientific achievement,
it is gratifying that at least the instruments for planetary salvation
and evolution have been delivered by the same means. However, this
possible salvation is a process which can only be achieved by each one
of us using the power of our lives and all the tools at our disposal
in positive, creative, and purposeful ways. The myth of technology
saving us from ourselves was long ago proven false. Salvation for
humanity is not a scientific formula but a very human one -- the
individual heart in its search for God multiplied by the number of
people on this planet.
966
Helpful Hints for a Nearly Extinct Species
Submitted satirically by Haragano
Let's get down to basics. Being the leader of a group is more than
just the hard work of raising dust devils in the back yard or zapping
a friend's TV antenna so they can get HBO. Leading a group offers a
lot of perks. You get a lot of ego strokes, you get to divide up
babies just like Solomon and you even get to keep the leftovers from
the potlucks at moon feasts. After all you have put in a lot of long,
hard hours and cashed in a lot of empties to win the coveted title of
"High Poop-di Ha of the Infinite Invisibility". And you want to keep
it! The bottom line, the final word in keeping your position on top
of the heap is spelled P-O-W-E-R. These hints are concerned with
helping you keep it.
In the busy modern craft of today there are many ways that your
power base can be erroded. The two most likely ways you can end up
preaching to an empty circle are through the insiduous inroads made by
INFORMATION and DISCUSSION. These twin curses have upset more High
Poop-di-Has than Carter has little liver pills.
Information is the worst threat. The more a follower is acquainted
with history, anthropology, psychology, socio-dynamics ... really, any
area that requires an individual to exert himself mentally, you are in
for questions you don't really want to answer. The very best way to
deal with this sticky situation is to avoid it. Recruit the immature
and the fanatic. They don't bring really tasty goodies to feasts, but
they are good ego boosters. They are expendable and feircely loyal
for no particular reason.
If you find you are being pestered by an "intellect" (they should
have never gotten through your screening) you have to quickly learn to
manage information more effectively. Don't worry. Managing
information is easier than it seems. Newscasters do it every night.
First, Adopt an attitude of "ask me anything", then make sure you
don't have any answers and don't know where to get them. Create a
vacuum! Yes, nature abhors a vacuum but it is your strongest weapon
in the war for ignorance. Second is the wild goose chase, atried and
true method of dealing with anyone who persists in asking questions.
Send a troublesome individual on a few of these. Tire them out, and
they will go away sooner or later. When they leave, the stage is set
for you to shake your head solemnly and expound at length on how they
were not ready to learn what you had to offer. This act is very
impressive to newcomers.
Reassure your followers that they don't have to keep up on current
thoughts in and about the craft. After all, books and magazine
subscriptions are expensive. Imply that they will learn all that they
need from you by hinting at the "secrets of the craft" that yet await
them. If they are adamant about reading, call their attention only to
those items that reinforce your point of view (you need all the backup
you can get). The Xian (as in Xmas) fundamentalists have developed
this sort of information management into an art form. "Information
Management is next to Godilness". I'm sure Mr. Falwell has that
embroidered on a pillow slip somewhere. You might want to write him
for a needlepoint kit.
967
ON TO DISCUSSION...
Discussion with other groups must be limited. If they don't share
your point of view, all contact with them should be eliminated. After
all, your immature followers do mature and fanatics mellow out. The
free exchange of differing ideas has a justifiablely bad reputation
for expanding an individuals craft viewpoint. And THAT is deadly to
the sacred position of High Poop-di Ha.
There is an effective means of terminating troublesome contacts with
other groups, while at the same time confirming your position as the
center of attention. It is the practice of the "Fine Art of
Self-Righteous Indignation"! The premier example of this was the
medieval Church. When it met with a conflicting view, such as a
scholar pointing out that the Church was rewriting history or physics,
the Church would denounce him as a "minion of Satan". Usually the
scholar was hauled off and put to the
Question. What's the truth, more or less, compared to the self
Righeous
Indignation of God's Chosen....right?
Remember, you haveto slam the door tightly on any new ideas! This
takes dramatic measures. You don't want conflicting information
coming in, and you certainly don't want your s/h/e/e/p/ followers
wandering off.
Pick a public occasion and invade a circle or burst into a study
group. Most importantly, make sure your group is around you. After
all, the coming performance is really for them. Rant, pound your
breast, whatever you need to do, to get across the idea of YOU as the
poor, persecuted victim. Make this crystal clear to your group and
they will stick to you like you were dipped in crazy glue. If anyone
in your group has ever had a course in group dynamics, send them on a
wild goose chase that evening. They might tumble to what you are up
to, and besides they are probably asking too many questions anyway.
When facing the m/i/n/i/o/n/s/o/f/S/a/t/a/n/ opposing group, be
personally offensive if you can. Call them picky, heretical,
egotistical, perverse, etc. Anything you can get away with (wailing
in the background is a nice touch). To keep your group successfully
insulated from differing ideas, you have to clearly label the
opposition in the minds of your followers. People just LOVE tags!
Now, this next point is important, so listen up! You must make it
clear that you want no further contact with the opposing group. Try
to affect a tone in your voice that conveys "this is a regrettable
decision but it just has to be", like the tone Billy Graham takes on
when he talks about sinners. This gives you a twofold bonus. First,
it gets the word to "them" in no uncertain terms and, second, it gets
the word to your people that it would not be wise for anyone who wants
to remain a part of your group to have any contact with "those" you
have just judged unacceptable. This sort of frontal assault generally
alienates both groups as well as every individual in them. There will
be no information exchange, no open discussion and very little growth.
But what do you care, you're safe.
968
One warning though; If for any reason you think the other group will
simply laugh at your overacting, don't chance a face-to-face
confrontation. Keep the performance within your own group. If you
have been a good information manager that should be effective enough.
Although you are one of the last "High Poop-di-Ha's of the Infinite
Invisibility" in the craft, you belong to an ancient society that can
be traced through most of the world's major religions. You exemplify
rigidity, closed-mindedness and religious manipulation. You have a
lot to be self-righteous about! In order to pervent your kind from
dying out completely, you have to remember to stringently restrict the
information flow to your group and terminate all open discussions with
outsiders holding differing views. If you take to heart these few
pointers you won't go the way of the Great Auk and the Passenger
Pigeon.
969
Channeling
By Jast
Channeling has become a popular phenomena in the last several years.
We see it featured in News-Magazines and on talk shows. We read
articles about it, and bookshelves everywhere now hold volumes of
books written by channeled entities, with more appearing every month.
Some channeled sources have gained a great deal of notoriety, drawing
large crowds for seminars and workshops, often at a steep price.
.
How can we better understand this sudden outpouring of information?
Webster defines "channel" as: " a means of access, a route". In the
context of New Age work, channeling provides an access-way through
which communication can be achieved between planes of existence.
Channeling is a route through which those who are NOT focused in
physical reality can give information to those who ARE focused in
physical reality.
.
Though it may seem to be a fairly recent phenomena, channeling in
various forms has existed as long as humankind. The most common form
of channeling, in fact, is one we all have experienced: That sudden
helpful insight that occasionally comes to us from "out of the blue".
This form of channeling has created many works of art and has helped
us find solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. Unlike other forms
of channeling, this inspiration is always available to us and whether
we receive it rarely or often may simply depend on our receptivity and
openness.
.
Dreams are another avenue through which channeled information can
reach us. In the dream state we are open and spiritually attuned,
creating an un-obstructed gateway through which Universal knowledge
can flow. While the dream channel and inspiration are both valid
routes of channeling, dreams, for many people, are more easily
ignored. We tend to respond to and use those insights which inspire
us.
.
The most spectacular form of channeling is, of course, "Trance
Channeling". In this technique, the channel gives up the use of his or
her body by entering a trance state, allowing the "source" to speak
directly to a third party.
.
Although most trance channels work with only one source, sources can
be a number of things or beings. Many believe that channeled "sources"
reflect the channel's subconscious mind or a "collective unconscious".
.
Channeled material may also flow from one's "Higher Self".
Information communicated to us through this Source definitely "counts"
as channeled material, for our "Higher Selves" are not focused in
physical reality. Others may channel material from the Cosmic Mind or
from the God -Goddess-All-That-Is.
.
Most channeled material, however, comes to us from spirit guides or
Masters and, ultimately, it is the material which is important
regardless of who or what we believe our source to be.
970
Another way of communicating with ones "source" is through "Automatic
Writing". In this form of channeling, the channel first meditates then
sits with a pen and paper or a typewriter and allows the source to
write. Meditation should be practiced each time before automatic
writing since meditation puts us at peace and makes us more receptive
to true spiritual sources.
.
The technique for automatic writing is fairly simple: After
meditating, sit in a comfortable position holding a pad of paper and a
pen, resting the point of the pen on the paper. Keep the body relaxed
and ask if there is a "source" present. Stay relaxed and just wait for
writing to begin.
.
At first the writing may be unreadable, just fine little scribbles
that mean nothing. After some practice, however, the scribbles will
become readable words and phrases which allow the source to identify
themselves and discuss whatever subject we wish. Success may not be
achieved in the first few sessions. It may take time and daily
practice to develop a strong connection but it is well worth the
effort.
.
No matter what technique we use to channel our information, it is
very important that we not follow blindly. Until we are satisfied with
their believability, each of our sources should be regarded with a
certain amount of healthy skepticism. We should examine all channeled
material with a detached and questioning mind.
.
Although the material may vary in content, there are certain
qualities which will always be present in information which is
"channeled" by a true spiritual source. Such information will be
positive in outlook and will always direct us toward the spiritual
path. Since our sources will always try to help us as much as they can
by giving us sound and usable advice, sources who attempt to dazzle us
with incomprehensible garbage should be regarded with suspicion. A
true source will not lie nor will they gossip. Our guides will not
tell us to do things, and they cannot predict the future because the
future is always changing.
.
When we attempt to channel our spirit guides, it is important to keep
these points in mind. Non physical entities have "personalities" just
as physical ones do. Someone whose attitudes were negative, or
depressed, in LIFE, might carry remnants of these qualities into
spirit life. Edgar Cayce was once quoted as saying: "The only
difference between a LIVE Episcopalian and a DEAD Episcopalian is
that one is DEAD and one is ALIVE."
.
In reality, there is no such thing as communication with the "dead".
We tend to see life in physical terms but LIFE is a SPIRITUAL reality
which, for us, is presently housed in a physical form.
.
Though misguided entities can not harm you physically, their
influence could produce negative side effects which could make your
experience of channeling less fulfilling or pleasant, just as being
around ANY negative personality might tend to do. For this reason it
is important to establish a secure system of protection and awareness
when attempting to channel. Observing and following these giudelines
can protect us from the inevitable confusion which results from
contact with these misguided "sources".
971
A certain amount of preparation is also necessary if we hope to be a
clear and responsible channel. With this as our goal, it is probably
not advisable that we attempt any form of channeling until we have
attained some degree of proficiency at meditation.
.
Meditation makes us more centered and loving. It also acts as a
shield against contact with negative spirit personalities. Meditation
should be practiced daily, for besides facilitating our ability to
channel clearly, it is the most important thing we can do to expand
our spiritual lives.
.
Your spirit guides can become life-long friends and advisors as they
have a wonderful outside view of our lives and life in general. They
have access to information that we could not otherwise obtain. They
help to deepen our understanding of ourselves and help us through our
times of crisis. Contacting these spirit friends is not difficult.
There is no loss ofcontrol of our bodies and nothing to fear for we
can quit any time we choose.
.
Spirit friends, just like our friends in the physical world, should
always be treated with respect. They should not be expected to
entertain our friends or answer a lot of trivial questions. (If it is
important to us, then it is not trivial.) Probably the most serious
mistake we can make, however, is to become too dependent on our guides
as this is the one thing that will cause us to lose them. Like any
true friend, our guides do not want us to count on them too heavily.
.
The process of channeling our spirit guides is truly a great
adventure. It may take weeks or months to develop but it is an amazing
process and will bring invaluable results to those who persevere. Good
luck and happy channeling.
972
Research on porn, Pagan ideals
By: Russell Williams
Because several people in this discussion have cited unnamed studies
to support their views, I'll just throw in a few research results
here. I've been researching the topic of societal attitudes toward
sexuality, with an emphasis on the religious origins of sex-negative
attitudes. Apropos the current discussion, here's some info from
*Pornography and Sexual Aggression*, Ed: Malamuth & Donnerstein. Like
virtually all such research, it is focussed on hard-core pornography,
violent pornography, and violent films (e.g. Friday the 13th, Straw
Dogs, etc.)
Donnerstein is a leading researcher in the field, and his fndings were
loudly misrepresented by the Meese commission. He found that the key
variable in increasing violence toward women *in a laboratory setting*
was violence, not sex. The findings on violence are consistent with
other findings on behavioral modeling Q behavior depicted as
acceptable becomes more acceptable to the viewer. Some studies have
not controlled for the content of portnographic material used in the
research: was it somewhat violent? Did it have a plot or was it just
scenes of sex? One study found that after viewing non-violent portn,
men exhibited a slight increase in aggressiveness toward men and a
slight decrease in aggressiveness toward women
Several studies have demonstrated that individuals with a negative
sexual-socialization history rate their affective and evaluative
responses to erotica as negative while those with a positive history
of sexual experiences express positive affective-evaluative responses
to sexual stimulation. Individuals found to rate high on the trait of
sex guilt react to erotica with more negative emotions, including
disgust, than those rating low on sex guilt. Likewise,
authoritarianism is positively related to negative emotions, higher
judgements of the pornographic character of sexual stimuli, and the
placing of legal restrictions on their availability. Erotophobes
(those reacting negatively to explicit sexual imagery of coitus and
oral sex) have more negative sexual-socialization experiences, more
limited sexual experience, and more conservative sex-related attitudes
than erotophiles.
Interestingly, only the erotophobes reported an increase in sexual
activity from the pre- to post-exposure periods (it is unclear whether
the activity or the reporting increased). In the standard
experimental setup for media / aggression research (subjects watch
film, are then placed in artificial situation designed to anger them,
then given an opportunity to express agression at the focus of their
anger), people who enjoyed and saw porn films less were more likely to
increased aggression after viewing porn. (This is one of those studies
that didn't specify what films they were using).
Note that A=>B does not mean that B=>A, and we are talking about
correlation coefficients significantly less than 1.0. In other words,
do not interpret these studies to mean that individuals expressing
negative attitudes toward Playboy, here or elsewhere, are high on
sex-guilt scales.
973
Donnerstein notes that instead of using research on the behavioral
effects of sex and violence in media to inform public policy, it is
usually just grist for a propaganda mill. It's twisted to suit
someone's purpose when convenient, and ignored otherwise. Some have
also argued that "if it's shown to cause harm, it should be banned,"
or even "if some women feel it harms them, then it shouldn't be
viewed". Several caveats should be kept in mind:
1. Virtually all research on pornography is based on "laboratory
experiments", but some of these have been several months long and have
includeed reporting of non-laboratory behavior. There is good evidence
that some of these results *can* be applied to real-world behavior.
2. Very few of the research results cited on "pornography" apply to
Playboy, whether you personally would classify Playboy as pornography
or not.
3. Demonstrating the harmful nature of violent pornography and
deciding to ban it are two separate issues. No society bans things
strictly based on a cutoff level of "amount of scienti^cally provable
harm" done. In the U.S., we tend to be biased toward allowing any
speech or writing except for that proved directly harmful to someone.
Major restrictions on speech fall in the areas of national security,
fraud, and slander or libel. The major exception to this is sexual
speech, which has been suppressed without regard to its measurably
harmful effects or lack thereof. There has been much more call to ban
"Lady Chatterley's Lover", "Devil in Miss Jones," or even Playboy than
"Mein Kampf" or material that demeans women in a non-sexual way.
As for my own biases, I completed a college major in Women's Studies
and am a former member of Women Against Violence in Pornography and
Media. I am a Witch, a worshipper of the Goddess, and consider myself
a feminist. I became disillusioned with WAVPAM after discovering that
they seriously misrepresented the character of most pornography. I
also met many women who felt that WAVPAM and women like Andrea Dworkin
were just another group of authoritarians trying to tell them what
they should think and what "acceptable" sexual feelings were. The
denouncements of S/M women by feminists in the 1980s sound almost
identical to the denouncements of gay women by straight feminists in
the 1960s. Fifteen years ago, I tried to read everything Robin Morgan
wrote. Today I try to read everything Susie Bright writes. I now
believe that attempted enforcement of "correct " sexual feelings and
attitudes is a much greater threat to the freedom of women (and men )
than is sexually explicit material. I feel no obligation to cease
practicing my religion because some people believe it is harmful,
and I feel no obligation to refrain from viewing sexually explicit
material because some people think it is harmful.
974
The Wiccan Rede says "an it harm none, do as you will," but of course
there is a huge gray area in trading off perceived harm against
personal freedom. Since becoming a Pagan my requirements have gone up
for demonstrating concrete and signi^cant harm before removing someone
else is freedom. Cult hunters who rail against Satanism and Witchcraft
but say "of course they're protected by the first amendment" are
really trying to restrict our religious freedom. They increase
intolerance toward non-traditional religions and try to pass laws
restricting them. So too do many who crusade against pornography but
say "we donUt favor censorship" try to restrict our sexual freedom.
They increase intolerance toward alternative sexual lifestyles and
often try to pass laws restricting sexuality. Is Jesse HelmsU
well-being or freedom in danger from Pagans, or are we in danger from
him? He thinks heUs defending himself and other God-fearing people
from the evils of Witchcraft. Is Andrea Dworkin in danger from Susie
Bright, readers of porn, and S/M practitioners, or is their freedom in
danger from her? She thinks sheUs protecting herself from the rapists
generated by pornography. To put it more colorfully, my right to swing
my arm stops at your nose, but I reject convoluted theoretical
definitions of your nose.
975
A Minister Speaks Out on the Psychic and the Devil
by J. Gordon Melton
In the late 1960's, the psychic truly came of age as a major
competitor of some forms of Christian faith. No longer could it be
dismissed as foolishness and because of this new realization the
1960's also saw the birth of a new type of literature in which
fundamentalist Christians attack the psychic as being "of the Devil."
Asa minister of theGospel I often amcalled upon to evaluate
this "antipsychic" literature. My interest in psychic and spiritual
healing, as well as church history, is well known and laymen, having
added a new depth to their faith through experiencing psychic reality
are concerned that their fellow Christians should speak so harshly
of them. At the same time, my non-Christian acquaintances in the
psychic community consider the literature a 20th-Century form of
witch-hunting and ridicule it as an expression of "Christian love."
Theliterature of which Ispeak consistsof numerous pamphlets
and a few books, some claiming to be written by former mediums or
psychics now converted to conservative evangelical Protestantism. A
few of these booklets are from Reformed or Baptist writers but by far
the greatest number represent the Protestant Pentecostal perspective.
(Pentecostals are those Protestants distinguished by a belief that
speaking-in-tongues, or glossolalia, is prima facie evidence of the
baptism of the Holy Spirit.)
Their major argument is that the Bible condemns all psychic
activity and they cite a number of both Old and New Testament passages
(Deuteronomy 18:9-12;I Samual 28;Acts 8; I Timothy 4:1) to make their
point. The material is accompanied by the warning that these devices
of Satan shall increase in the latter days and are signs of the end of
time.Satan is a major figure in the literature, especially in the
writings of Hal Lindsey, author of several popular books on prophecy,
who seems determined to prove Satan's existence. The Church of Satan
of Anton LaVey, although a minor force even in occult circles, always
is given a large coverage and the remaining psychic community is
wrongly associated with him and his antiChristianity.
One is tempted to dismiss this literature as the ravings of
people who know little or nothing about their topics. Even the
converted mediums seem to be the ones who flunked their training
courses in basic psychic development. In fact on a theological level
the material is all but worthless.
Whenthe Pentecostal says that something is "of the Devil" he
really is saying in the strongest possible way that he does not like
it and disagrees with it. But for someone who does not accept this
world view, there is no common standard to judge the Devil's tastes. I
personally think that cooked carrots are the Devil's favorite food
(with boiled okra running a close second). Who is to prove me wrong?
Certainly not those Devil-worshipping carrot eaters. Satan's deceit is
manifested by his inclusion of vitamin A in carrots so people will
think they are "good" food!
976
There is noappeal then frompersonal taste,just as thereis no
appeal from divine revelation. One can only hope that a new dislike
will arise to replace the psychic as the "Devil's" main manifestation.
On apastoral level, however, theantipsychic literature takes
on some importance. Almost weekly I hear from laymen who have been
victimized by well meaning if fanatical acquaintances who challenge
them with their devil theology. It's one thing to read a book. Its
quite another to have a friend or relative say that something you
are doing is satanic and draw a line that places you outside the
church.
Such wellmeaning but misguided concern is reminiscent of the
Inquisition that tortured people out of loving concern for their souls
and then killed them quickly lest they turn again to their sin. It is
for these victims that I write. Hopefully, by discovering answers
which will blunt the major points of the attack on the psychic, they
will find a shield from the barrage of their Christian brethren.
* * * * *
If any central charge can be leveled at the Pentecostal
devil-psychic theory, it is shallow Biblicism. As one of my Bible
teachers warned me, "A text out of context becomes a pretext." The
antipsychic literature is rife with texts out of context. Typical is
the constant repetitions of the Deuteronomic prohibitions against
certain kinds of psychic activity.
"When thouart come into theland which the Lordthy God giveth
thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those
nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his
son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth
divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a wizard, or
a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto
the Lord thy God doth drive tham out from before thee."
(Deuteronomy 18:9-12.)
Two problems immediately arisein any modern use ofthis text.
First it contains several Hebrew words which appear nowhere else in
Hebrew literature and are untranslatable. They were translated during
the rule of England's James 1 when witchcraft trials were popular and
terms useful in those trials were inserted into the text. While we
know the prohibitions are against certain forms of divination, we do
not know specifically which ones. These prohibitions must, however, be
set within the context of "accepted" means of divination: dreams
(Genesis 41), the Urim and the Thummin, a Quija board-like device
(Exodus 28:30), precognition (Judges 4:4), casting lots (Acts 1:26)
and the psychic experience (I Samual 9, particularly verse 9).
Incertaincontexts, suchas theconflict withCanaanite religion
(particularly the blood-sacrifice cult of Moloch), practices
associated with divination are prohibited. But in a differing context
(Israel's own religion and in the early church) divination was an
accepted practice (Numbers 27:21, Acts 1:26).
977
The secondproblem with theuse ofthis textconcerns itspresent
binding force on the church. While it may be a matter of argument
whether or not the text is binding, it seems for anyone who accepts
the "whole Bible" the commands surrounding the prohibitions are as
relevant as the divination prohibition.
Thus anyone whowishes to usethis text asliteral commandtoday
should also be prepared to stone stubborn children (Deuteronomy
21:18), keep the feast of booths (Deuteronomy 16:13) and accept
polygamy (Deuteronomy 21:15).
Asthese versesshow, thiswhole section ofDeuteronomy consists
of legalisms which have little or no relevance today and were only
valid in the context of Israel's struggle with the Canaanites.
* * * * *
A major complaint of conservative Christians is that liberal
Christians see them as being all alike, failing to recognize
significant differences of doctrine and lifestyle exist amoung
Holiness people and Pentecostals, Billy Graham and the Reverend Ike,
Baptists and Plymouth Brethren, Wesleyans and Reformed. Conservatives
strongly deny any association with the weird and radical fringe that
is part of their movement, such as those fundamentalists who espouse
bigoted racial theories of the donning of ascension robes or free sex
practices.
Likewise the psychic communityresents the naive and ignorant
lumping of psychic research and parapsychology with healing,
meditative practices with witchcraft, yoga with hypnotism, astrology
with the tarot, or Spiritualism with satanism and black magic. Such an
approach to the psychic is the lowest form of the polemic.
While interests in the psychic often lead to exploration of a
number of areas, most people in the field have one or two central
concerns. (My own interests are psychic and spiritual healing,
prayer and meditation.) While one learns about many things one's
involvement usually is in the specific area that is most rewarding
personally.
Pentecostal claims that involvement in the psychic leads to
possession are plainly false. Such involvement by people who are
emotionally unstable or who have immoral motives can lead to
possession-like phenomena, especially when such people dabble with
automatic writing, Quija boards or seance activity. But such phenomena
are no more prevalent than those caused by speaking-in-tongues which
also affects the deep levels of the psychic. Any kind of psychic
activity -glossolalia included- can and does lead to possession
phenomena in the unprepared and unstable (see "The Dangers of
Psychic Development" by Harmon H. Bro, October-November 1970 Fate.)
978
Finally, thecentral problem ofthe antipsychic materialis its
orientation towards the negative, toward evil and the devil. Such a
book as Hal Lindsey's "Satan Is Alive and Well" and Derek Prince's
works on the demonic are psychologically dangerous literature. They
are major causes of the phenomena they seem most to abhor. A simple
psychological principle is at work. As Aldous Huxley explains in
"The Devils of Loudon", "No man can concentrate his attention upon
evil or even upon the idea of evil and remain unaffected. To be more
against the devil than for God is exceedingly dangerous. Every
crusader is apt to go mad. He is haunted by the wickedness which he
attributes to his enemies; it becomes some sort a part of him.
Prince, Lindsey and cohorts are pouring their energy into
fighting Satan. They are creating an atmosphere in which it is the
"in thing" to be freed from a possession. Lonely, bored and highly
suggestible people are only too happy to respond with the called-for
symptoms. At a mass meeting if you produce a paper bag, someone will
be happy to regurgitate a "demon" for you.
Theologically, Isympathize withthePentecostals. Theirleaders
and writers certainly recognize the theological attack the psychic
represents for them. For years they have been telling their
followers that tongues and healing "miracles" represent a direct
supernatural activity and are a self-authenticating sign of the Holy
Spirit. Considering tongues an outward sign of the baptism of the
Holy Spirit within is crucial to the Pentecostal position. And psychic
research applied to the "supernatural" activities often results in
a denial of their supernaturalism. If non-Pentecostals and even
non-Christians can do these things, their value as a sign of baptism
is ended.
Pentecostalistsdenouncenon-Christianphenomenonas"counterfeit
miracles." Discussing healing, one Pentecostal writer says, "We can
see that this gift, like all the other gifts of the spirit, can be
either from God or from Satan. The counterfeit must be in appearance
as good as the real thing, otherwise it would not fulfill its aim."
When Jesus was accused of working satanic miracles (see Mark 3:20-26)
his reply was that a house divided cannot stand, a rejoinder that
still is valid.
The ideaof "counterfeit miracles" is asmuch a problem to the
Pentecostals as it is to the psychic, moreover. If counterfeit
miracles exist, than no instance of speaking-in-tongues can be
considered a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit until it has been
tested. Like all Christian experience the baptism is signified only
if the fruits of the spirit follow. Anyone can speak in tongues or be
a channel for miraculous healings. Only those persons filled with the
Spirit can bring forth love, patience and kindness (Galatians 5:22).
Pentecostals have no corner on the fruits-of-the-spirit market.
In conclusion, involvement inthe psychic clearly isvalid for
the Christian, provided that involvement is done in a sane
self-conscious context. I bid my Christian brethren cease their harsh
words and uninformed polemics. Let us unite against our mutual
psychic enemy, the perverted phenomena that can wreck a life as surely
as can alcohol or narcotics. Allegiance at any particular
theological principle should not keep us from that fellowship we all
desire.
Reprinted with permission of FATE Magazine.
979
THE ELEMENTS
TheElements havebeen apart ofman'sancient andarcane lore
since its inception in pre-historic times. Different traditions
associate them with various things. The following list of
correspondences comes from Starhawk's "The Spiral Dance."
AIR: Direction: East.
Rules:Themind,allmental,intuitiveandpsychicwork,
knowledge, abstract learning,theory, windswept
hills, plains, windy beaches, high mountain peaks,
high towers, wind and breath.
Time: Dawn.
Season: Spring.
Colors: White, bright yellow, crimson, blue-white.
Signs of the Zodiac: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
Tools: Athame, sword, censer.
Spirits: Sylphs, ruled by King Paralda.
Angel: Michael.
Name of the East Wind: Eurus.
Sense: Smell.
Jewel: Topaz.
Incense: Galbanum.
Plants:Frankencense,myrrh,pansy,
primrose,vervain,
violet, yarrow.
Tree: Aspen.
Animals: Birds.
Goddesses: Aradia, Arianrhod, Cardea, Nuit, Urania.
Gods: Enlil, Khephera, Mercury, Shu, Thoth.
FIRE: Direction: South.
Rules:Energy, spirit,heat,flame,blood, sap,life,
will, healing and destroying, purification, bonfires,
hearth fires, candle flames, sun, deserts, volcanoes,
eruptions, explosions.
Time: Noon.
Season: Summer.
Colors:Red,gold,crimson,orange,
white(thesun'snoon
light).
Signs of the Zodiac: Aries, Leo, Saggitarius.
Tools: Censer, wand.
Spirits: Salamanders, ruled by King Djin.
Angel: Ariel.
Name of the South Wind: Notus.
Sense: Sight.
Jewel: Fire Opal.
Incense: Olibanum.
Plants:Garlic,hibiscus, mustard,nettle,onion,red
peppers, red poppies.
Tree: Almond, in flower.
Animals:
Fire-breathingdragons,
lions,
horses(when
their
hooves strike sparks).
Goddesses: Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta.
Gods: Agni, Hephaestus, Horus, Vulcan.
980
WATER: Direction: West.
Rules:
Emotions,feelings,
love,courage,
daring,sorrow,
the ocean, the tides, lakes, pools, streams, and
rivers, springs and wells, intuition, the
unconscious mind, the womb, generation, fertility.
Time: Twilight.
Season: Autumn.
Colors: Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, black.
Signs of the Zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
Tools: Cup.
Spirits: Undines, ruled by King Niksa.
Angel: Raphael.
Name of the West Wind: Zephyrus.
Sense: Taste.
Jewel: Aquamarine.
Incense: Myrrh.
Plants: Ferns,lotus,mosses,rushes, seaweed,water
lillies, and all water plants.
Tree: Willow.
Animals:
Dragons(asserpents),dolphinsandporpoises,
fish, seals and sea mammals, water-dwelling snakes,
all water creatures and sea birds.
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat.
Gods: Dylan, Ea, Llyr, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune,
Poseidon.
EARTH: Direction: North.
Rules:Thebody,growth,nature, sustenance,material
gain, money, creativity, birth, death, silence,
chasms, caves, caverns, groves, fields, rocks,
standing stones, mountains, crystal,
jewels, metal.
Time: Midnight.
Season: Winter.
Colors: Black, brown, green, white.
Signs of the Zodiac: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
Tools: Pentacle.
Spirits: Gnomes, ruled by King Ghob.
Angel: Gabriel.
Name of the North Wind: Boreas, Ophion.
Sense: Touch.
Jewel: Rock crystal, salt.
Incense: Storax.
Plants:Comfrey,ivy,grains:barley,oats,corn,rice,
rye, wheat.
Tree: Oak.
Animals:Coworbull, bison,snakes(earth-dwelling),
stag.
Goddesses: Ceres, Demeter, Geae, Mah, Nephthys,
Persephone, Prithivi, Rhea, Rhiannon.
Gods:
Adonis,Athos,Arawn,
Cernunnos,Dionysus,Marduk,
Pan, Tammuz.
981
SPIRIT
/ETHER: Direction: Center and circumference, throughout and about.
Rules:
Transcendence,tranformation,
change,everywhere
and nowhere, within and without, the void, immanence.
Time: Beyond time, all time is one.
Season: The turning wheel.
Colors: Clear, white, black.
Tools: Cauldron.
Sense: Hearing.
Plant: Mistletoe.
Tree: The flowering almond.
Animal: Sphinx.
Goddesses: Isis, the Secret Name of the Goddess, Shekinah.
Gods: Akasha, IAO, JHVH.
982
CANDLES
Candleshavebeenusedfor
morenaturallightinginritual
work as well as focal points and concentration aids for centuries.
Each different color has a different meaning for both internal and
external uses. Here are a list of uses put together by Charles
Butler.
Outer Works Inner Works
RED:ENERGY RED:COURAGE
ORANGE:GENEROSITY ORANGE:PLENTY
YELLOW:THE UNKNOWN YELLOW:CENTERING
GREEN:PROSPERITY GREEN:HEALING
BLUE:LOVE BLUE:EMOTIONS
PURPLE:INSPIRATION PURPLE:SPIRIT
PINK:REVELATION PINK:JOY
BURGUNDY:PASSION BURGUNDY:REKINDLING
BLACK:COMFORT BLACK:AUTHORITY
WHITE:VISION WHITE:PROTECTION
983
GREEK FIRE INITIATION
Cast of Characters
Tiresias:____________
Hephaestus:____________
Artemis:____________
Apollo:____________
Hestia:____________
Prometheus:____________
Seeker:____________
Incastingthecircle,whencalling theQuartersyouare
free to use your own words but we ask that you use Greek styling and
personify with the names of the four Greek winds:
North: Boreus
East: Eurus
South: Notus
West: Zephyrus
Tiresiasseatednorthofaltarrises,goesaroundtoface
altar, and invokes God and Goddess in a Greek style using these two
triumverates:
GOD
Zeus: Strength
Hades: Knowledge
Poseidon: Emotion
GODDESS
Hera: Power
Athena: Wisdom
Aphrodite: Love
He then stepback andsays: "We havebeen calledforth fromthe
edges of Time and Space by one who seeks entry to the Halls of
Olympus. I am Tiresias, Prophet of Thebes, who, though blind, shall
be his guide. Seeker, come forth!"
984
Seeker approaches circle at north-east point of Circle.
Tiresias: "Who seeks entry to Olympus?"
Seeker: "I, __________.
Tiresias: "Beforeyou enter,gaze uponone whosought whatwas
not rightfully his. Do you still desire entry?"
Seeker replies.
Tiresias: (If no,he leaves and circleis closed. Ifyes):
"Then enter and ask passage of the Guardians of the Gods."
Seeker enters and they travel 1 1/8 to North.
Tiresias: "Hail, MightyHephaestus, Craftsman of the Gods.
With me is one who seeks entry to Olympus."
Hephaestus: "How are you known, Seeker?"
Seeker: "I am called __________."
Hephaestus:"By whatright seekyoupassage throughthe North?"
Seeker: "I haveendured ayear of thepath ofEarth andlearned
of my own mortality."
Hephaestus: "Pass with the Blessings of the Earth."
They travel around 1 1/4 to East.
Tiresias: "Hail,Vigilant Artemis,Virgin Goddess. Withme is
one who seeks entry to Olympus."
Artemis: "How are you known, Seeker?"
Seeker: "I am called __________."
Artemis: "By what right seek you passage through the East?"
Seeker: "I have endured a year of the path of Airand have
learned the need for focus of will."
Artemis: "Pass with the Blessings of the Air."
They travel around 1 1/4 to South.
Tiresias: "Hail, Bright Apollo, Lordof the Sun. With me is
one who seeks entry to Olympus."
Apollo: "How are you known, Seeker?"
Seeker: "I am called __________."
Apollo: "By what right seek you passage through the South?"
Seeker has no answer.
Apollo: "Youhave not yetearned theright topass through the
South. To win this right, you must seek Fire from he
who first gave it to Mankind, Prometheus. Tiresias, guard
him upon his path of Fire that he learn what he needs to
face the Titan."
They travel around 1 1/2 to North.
Tiresias: "Icome with __________, whonow seeks Prometheus
that he may gain the right to Fire. What can you teach
him that will ease his path?"
985
Hephaestus: "Knowthat Iam Hephaestus,Craftsman andSmith of
the Gods. In my labors, I use Fire as a purifying
agent, seperating the metal from the stone, and
for the actual forging of my Art. But remember that
creativity requires forethought. Daedalus w a s a
Master of my Craft, yet rarely considered t h e
implications of his creations. He created the
Labyrinth of Minos, who then imprisoned him within i t s
intricacies. He crafted wing that he and his s o n
might escape, yet in their flight Icarus died.
Always consider the consequences of the which you
create."
They travel 1 1/4 around to East.
Tiresias: "I come with __________,who now seeks Prometheus
that he may gain the right to Fire. What can you teach
him that will ease his path?"
Artemis: "Knowthat I amArtemis, VirginHuntress. Through my
will, no man has ever known me. Yet will must be
tempered by intellegence. Remember Otus and
Ephialtes, twin giants who were arrogant enough to think
themselves better than the Gods. They continued their
ill-wrought plans, even after Poseidon warned
them. Through supposed desire, they chose to pursue
me. They seperated in pursuit of what they saw as a
white hind, and, with simultaneous throws, slew each
other. Thus blind will caused the death of all they
truly loved."
They travel 1 1/4 around to the South
Tiresias: "Icome with __________, whonow seeks Prometheus
that he may gain the right to Fire. What can you teach
him that will ease his path?"
Apollo: "Know thatI am Apollo, Godof the Sun andKeeper of
Knowledge. Knowledge of Fire has allowed Man to forge
a civilization. But seeking to advance without
can lead to catastrophe. Witness Phaethon, who
attempted to drive the Sun Chariot without proper
knowledge, nearly causing the incineration of the
Earth. Action without knowledge will often lead to
ruin."
They travel around 1 1/4 to the West.
Tiresias: "I come with__________, who now seeks Prometheus
that he may gain the right to Fire. What can you teach
him that will ease his path?"
Hestia: "Know that I amHestia, Goddess of Hearthand Home.
The warm glow of emotion in balance is vital for
proper growth and life. But when emotions are
allowed to rule above all else, tragedy is soon to
follow. Consider Paris, who upon seeing Helen, bowed
to an all-consuming desire for her, kidnapping her
without thought of the consequences. Thus began the
Trojan War. Do not bury your emotions, but
neither should you elevate them to the level of
Ruler.
986
Theytravel 1 3/4around to theSouth. Tiresiasalone goes to
altar and faces Seeker.
Tiresias: "Seeker,are youprepared toface Prometheushimself
with your request?"
Seeker: "I am."
Tiresias: "Then come forward and call him forth."
Seeker goes to altar facing North.
Seeker: "From the depths of Time, I call you forth. Arise
Prometheus, Lightbringer."
Fromwithinthe membersin theCircle,Prometheus risesand goes
to north side of altar.
Prometheus: "I am Prometheus. Who summons me here?"
Seeker: "I am __________."
Prometheus: "Why haveyou brought me herefrom the depths of
Time?"
Seeker: "I seek the Gift of Fire."
Prometheus: "And by what right do you ask it?
Seeker: "By the right of perfect love and perfect trust."
Prometheus: "Thenknow thatyou are wellmet. I willgrant you
Fire and its path for a year and a day that you
might learn its lessons. The most important
lesson it can teach you is the need for thought
before action of any kind. You must always consider
the consequences of all that you do or say. At the
end of your time on this path, you will be judged
on your fitness to continue your search."
Prometheus gives Seeker a token of Fire.
Prometheus: "With my service done, I bid you farewell."
Prometheus leaves, blending into Circle.
Tiresias: "Welldone, mostnoble Seeker.Pleasejoin usfor the
remainder of our revels."
Seekeris given seatin Circle. Tiresias faces frontof altar
and dismisses Deities using Greek styling and the following names:
GOD
Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon
GODDESS
Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite
Each Quarter dismisses its element in a Greek style and
dismisses the appropriate Wind:
NORTH: Boreas
EAST: Eurus
SOUTH: Notus
WEST: Zephyrus
Tiresias: "Our workis completed fornow. Letus rejoice and
enjoy this company, remembering that though we may go our seperate
ways, we are alway united as one. Merry meet, merry part, and merry
meet again!"
GREEK FIRE INITIATION
987
Seeker's Copy
Seeker approachescircle atnorth-east pointof Circle when
summoned.
Seeker: "I, __________.
Seeker replies to question.
Seeker enters and they travel 1 1/8 to North.
Seeker: "I am called __________."
Seeker: "I haveendured ayear of thepath ofEarth andlearned
of my own mortality."
They travel around 1 1/4 to East.
Seeker: "I am called __________."
Seeker: "I have endured a year of the pathof Air and have
learned the need for focus of will."
They travel around 1 1/4 to South.
Seeker: "I am called __________."
Seeker has no answer.
They travel around 1 1/2 to North.
They travel 1 1/4 around to East.
They travel 1 1/4 around to the South
They travel around 1 1/4 to the West.
They travel 13/4 aroundto theSouth. Tiresiasalone goesto
altar and faces Seeker.
Seeker: "I am."
Seeker goes to altar facing North.
Seeker: "From the depths ofTime, I call you forth. Arise
Prometheus, Lightbringer."
Seeker: "I am __________."
Seeker: "I seek the Gift of Fire."
Seeker: "By the right of perfect love and perfect trust."
Seeker is given seat in Circle.
988
SCENTS AND OILS
It has long been one of man's beliefs that different scents
effect us on many levels including the spiritual One of the main
reasons for perfumes and colognes is this belief. Here is a brief
list of properties distributed by Connections Candles, a company the
makes candles and sells them at metaphysical gatherings.
APPLE: Peace of mind, relaxation, love, wisdom.
BAYBERRY: Luck to the home, money to the pocket.
BURGAMOT: Protection from harm.
CEDAR: Instills confidence, protection from misery and
misfortune.
CINNAMON: raise and enhance spiritual vibrations, stimulate
clairvoyance, aids focus and concentration, good for
personal protection.
CITRONELLA: Attracts friends and customers, protection from
insects.
CLOVE: Strengthens memory, protects from hostile negative forces.
EUCALYPTUS: Promotes healing of any hurt, depression or illness.
Especially good for colds or flu.
FRANKENCENSE: Frees one of obsessions and destructive habits, brings
spiritual blessings, protects, exorcises, purifies.
HELIOTROPE: Increases clairvoyance, assists meditation,
protects from physical harm.
HONEYSUCKLE: Aids in understanding non-physical realities, sharpens
intuition, brings prosperity.
JASMINE: Psychic protection, cleanses the aura, stimulates -
creativity and originality, attracts spiritual love.
LAVENDER: Frees from emotional stress, brings inner calm and peace,
gives increased awareness, brings stability and permanance,
good for headaches.
LEMON: Evokes protective spirits.
LILAC: Helps recall past lives, draws good spirits, helps
decision making, improves memory.
989
MUSK: Instills self assurance, confidence and strength,
heightens passions.
MYRRH: Guards against evil, brings peace, assists in understanding
personal sorrow.
ORANGE: Brings harmony, raises power.
PINE: Cleanses, ends useless recriminations.
ROSE: Unconditional love, peace, harmony, tranquility.
SAGE: Powerful clearing and cleansing, removes negative
energy.
SANDALWOOD: Stimulates clairvoyance, aids in seeing past lives,
healing, clearing, protection, calms the mind.
SWEETGRASS: Invokes spiritual blessings, aids transformation.
VANILLA: Vitalizes energy, brings happy occasions to the premises,
draws good fortune.
990
LANDMARKS OF THE CRAFT
A landmark is a prominent feature used to mark the boundaries of real
estate. Therefore, these landmarks of the Craft ar prominent features of
the American Rite, or Druidic Craft of the Wise. Just as departing from
the landmarks in real estate signifies that one has departed from that
piece of land, so does departure from the landmarks of our Craft signify
such a person or organization has departed from the correct defines of the
Craft. Other branches of the Craft sometimes call this their "Law".
THE LANDMARKS
The landmarks were given to man by The Great God, Pan,
In the dim, dark ages of the past
For the rule and regulation of the wise,
To advise and help them in their troubles
And relations, one with the other,
That all might work and love together.
They are the Bill of Rights of each member,
And the code of operation of the Coven.
And are to be honored by all
Or else they become meaningless and of little use,
And departure therefrom by any person or Coven
Shall be a departure from the rest of the Covens
Which constitute the American Rite.
And they shall be disfellowshipped, they from the rest of us,
And no further communication shall be established
Concerning things of the Craft
With either He or They until
They shall return to the fold of the Craft
In love and cooperation.
For the Gods love the Wise, the Brethren of the Way,
And so should we return that love.
But this can only be done and made manifest by love expressed
In deeds for the Brethren of the Craft,
Not in pride, but in cooperation and sincerity.
THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT
Any person, be male or female, who is of good mind
And free to decide for himself in good faith,
Who shall learn of the Craft and its Tenets,
And shall desire to follow the Way,
Shall be permitted to do so,
And none may say him "Nay".
And the Gods will love him and look after him,
And they shall bless him on all things,
And his needs shall always be satisfied,
As he shall show forth love and affection
For all the brethren and sisters of the Craft,
And he shall obey the Admonishments
Of the Craft as to secrecy and correct living.
991
THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT (continued)
And when he shall desire to join the Craft,
And to follow the Way to Perfection,
He shall make his desires known to any member
Of the Priesthood.
And they shall observe his readiness and sincerity,
And shall then administer the rites of
Secrecy, which is sacredness and brotherhood.
But a Priest shall accept the Sister,
And a Priestess the Brother,
As an eternal reminder of
The duality of the Universe.
And a new name and secret mark
Shall be given each new fellow.
By this name, and under this mark,
Shall they be known among the members
Of the Craft, in love and harmony,
And their old name and identity shall not be known
Even among the members of their own Coven,
And none shall inquire for his name or his house
And he shall inquire these of none.
But the Gods have decreed, that in joining the Rite,
Free Will and independence shall not be in jeopardy.
And he shall have the right to follow the Way.
Walking alone if he will it that way,
Or with a Coven of living brethren
If he so shall choose;
And he shall have the right
To withdraw from any coven at any time
Without the need to say why,
If he shall so choose.
And this either for the purpose of joining another
Or to become solitary for his own reasons,
And there will be none to censure;
And he shall have the right to remain
In a certain Coven, and none shall say him "Nay",
Or to attempt to force him to leave and depart;
Except that should he lose harmony with them
Then they may so decide
And he shall depart.
But no man shall have the right
To speak for the Craft,
And leaving one Coven does not mean
Leaving the Craft, or
Leaving the Way
And each is free, then, or at any time later,
To remain solitary
Or to seek admission to another Coven.
992
THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT (continued)
But let him and each other fellow of the Craft
Keep a book, and this shall be of the colors of the Craft,
That it may be readily recognized,
And here he shall keep all the Laws and Landmarks,
And the tenets of the Craft,
That he might not forget,
And if he do forget, that his mind might be
Renewed.
And in this book, all things shall be the mark
Of his own hand, and in ink,
That it shall be long lived.
Let each of the brothers and sisters
Copy what they will from the book,
Providing that they are of sufficient worthiness,
To receive it, and are of sufficient rank,
Or that the writings are of sufficient nature
As pertain to their own rank.
Never suffer this book out of hand or possession,
And never borrow the writings of another
To keep, but merely to copy.
And each shall guard and keep these writings,
As his most sacred possession
And destroy them when danger threatens.
However, should one be of sufficient power,
To remember his past as a wise man,
This book and other Craft artifacts,
May be buried in a stone box
Prepared for them from time to time,
And this in view of immediate death,
And the desire to save them for a future life.
Otherwise, on notice of impending death,
This book should be destroyed by fire,
As well as other things of the Craft,
Which one may posses.
But the wise man will have nothing around
Which has only a Craft use or meaning,
But only things which can be used in daily affairs.
If there is no reason to own a sword,
Then do not own one;
The white wand is just as powerful,
And less distinctive in the minds of the infidels.
If a white wand is too distinctive,
Then any old wand will do for the purpose
Of the ceremonies.
993
THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT (continued)
Have no names written and signs drawn
On anything permanently,
When necessary these can be written
In charcoal or chalk
And erased immediately without the telling of tales.
Let the knife have the shape of,
And be stored with the kitchen knives;
Let the cord be seen around the house,
And be used for a vulgar purpose,
In order to fool the infidels.
Never boast, never threaten, never brag
Of your powers; not even to the Craft,
Above all, never harbor ill thoughts toward another
For the power may make it happen for harm;
And never wish ill to anyone.
As it will Occur.
If anyone speaks of the Craft, to down it,
Remember: the Craft needs no defense,
For it has the Father and
All things will be as He wishes
In the end.
THE COVEN
And it shall be that any Fellow of the Craft,
Finding himself in a place where he knows of no Coven,
Or other Fellow of the Craft
Shall have the right, nay, even the duty,
To seek out such a Coven,
Or other Fellow of the Craft
Without censure.
Provided that he shall not reveal secrets to jeopardize
His former Coven or the members of it,
Or the Craft itself.
And two or three Fellows shall have the right
To meet and discuss subjects of Craft interest,
And to help each other along
On the Way to Perfection,
Except that Craft ceremonies
Must be done by the Priesthood.
Any five fellows who shall desire
To form a Coven may do so,
And they shall apply for a charter
To any High Priest or Priestess,
And they shall then select and choose
A man and a woman to lead them.
And their elected leaders shall be ordained by their High Priest,
And they shall choose two more,
A woman to be the deputy; to learn to be a priestess,
And a Scribe for their Coven.
994
THE COVEN (continued)
But these shall not be ordained to the Priesthood,
Unless also qualified for another reason.
And this Coven shall belong to the High Priest,
And shall be answerable to him in all their doings,
Because they did owe their Priesthood to him,
And he shall act at all times in their interest
As their Spiritual Father in the Craft
So that he may lead them as they walk
The way to perfection.
But the newly appointed Priesthood,
Should it be lacking in the knowledge and wisdom needed,
For the positions to which they have been set apart
Then it shall be his responsibility as their High Priest,
To lead and instruct them,
Or cause it to be done by another.
But should the new Coven refuse to follow
The teachings and instructions of their Spiritual Father,
Then he may, at his discretion and Judgement,
Recall their charter, and their right to work as a Coven.
For that which one can give he may also retrieve,
And they shall not again meet,
Unless they can find another High Priest,
Who will assume responsibility over them.
It is the bounden duty of the High Priest to preside,
For all things must be presided over by the High Priesthood;
And should any Coven desire to change,
Their allegiance from one High Priest to another,
For any reason, even the loss of harmony,
Or if, in their considered opinion, their Spiritual Father
Is no longer spiritual, or serving the Father
Then they shall be reordained in the Priesthood
By the New High Priest, and this shall then
Have superceded the original ordinations,
And there shall be for them
A new Spiritual Father.
And if any Priest or Priestess, or other member of the Priesthood,
Find themselves in a place wherein there is no Coven for them to lead,
Then it is their bounden duly to try to the extent of their Power
To find Fellows of the Craft
And organize them into a Coven.
And should they find that there are no other Fellows of the Craft,
In that place, but there are some of the same good bend of mind,
It is then their duty to teach them by word and deed,
Until there be sufficient to form a Coven,
And this shall be done under the supervision,
And with the knowledge of their High Priest,
Through which they received their ordination
And their Powers.
995
THE COVEN (continued)
And they shall obligate, teach and initiate all the members of their Coven,
And they shall be theirs and they shall be to them
As elder brothers and sisters,
And shall care for them in all their affairs,
And not just at meetings,
For it is in this that the Craft differs
From all man-made institutions.
Should any member be absent, and love of the Priestess is such
That she shall continue to contact them in any manner
And by any method possible,
To tender them her loving care
At all times of sickness or stress.
And should any member move to a far city
The Priestess will continue to care for them
In love, by whatever method is available,
Until such time as they shall,
Of their own free will,
Obligate themselves to another Priestess.
And the Priestess shall at all times remember
That she is the direct representative of the Goddess to her Coven,
And the Priest is the direct representative of
The unknown God, the Father,
And both must act as such at all times.
Yet the Priestess shall have whomever she shall choose
As her Priest, be he of that rank, or qualified to be,
Or else another Fellow, who shall be called
her Magister.
And she must remember at all times that the man provides the power,
For the woman to direct, and so it is,
That the Priest resigns all his power over to her,
Yet it is not his power, nor hers to keep,
It is the power of God to use in the performance
Of the Work.
The Power of God is only lent to be used,
Wisely and Justly.
Both the members of the Priesthood shall remember their Spiritual Father,
At all times with gratitude, love, veneration and cooperation,
keeping constantly in contact, and acting with him in utmost harmony,
For they must always remember that the power
And wisdom which they use,
Comes to them through him.
In the days of old, ere the coming of Christendom,
The Craft was free and open in its ceremonies,
And entire states and nations worshipped the Gods
Freely and without restraint;
996
THE COVEN (continued)
But in these unhappy days, we must remain secret,
And hold our rites and ceremonies in secret,
And there are those who will talk, even without torture,
Which loosens any tongue.
Then let it be ordained, heeded and supported by all
That no Coven shall know wherein
The next Coven shall abide, or who its members be,
Except only the Priestess, Magister and Deputy,
And even they shall not remember
Except for good and sufficient reason.
But, and if only, it should be safe, may the covens meet
In some safe place for festivals, and while there,
None may say whence they came, nor give their true names,
Or tell of where or when their meetings are, and
No secret things shall be spoken of
At these festivals for fear of Cowans and Eavesdroppers.
Let each Priestess govern her own Coven in justice and love,
Ever heeding the advice and instructions of her High Priest.
She will ever heed the complaints of the brethren
And strive to settle all differences between them with love.
But there are those who, in pride, will ever strive
To force their will upon others
But these are not necessarily evil
And will think that they do rightly.
Oft they have good ideas and such ideas
Should be discussed in council with their brethren.
But if they will not agree with their brethren,
Or if they say "I will not work under this Priestess",
Then they shall have the right to withdraw from that Coven,
And work Solitary.
Or if five or more of them shall withdraw,
They shall have the right
To form another Coven under another
Priestess.
Even as it shall be the right of any five or more persons of a Coven
To withdraw, and form a new Coven, for any reason whatever,
But they shall then utterly avoid the old Coven
In all things, as it shall then have ceased to exist for them.
997
THE BOOK OF SHADOWS
Let every Coven of whatever rank
Keep a record in a book of black and silver,
And it shall contain, first, the Landmarks and Tenets,
Then a collection of Wisdom of the Craft,
The Rites and Ceremonies of the Coven
As well as the History of the Coven,
And its charter empowering it to work.
And a record of every meeting shall be written therein,
Together with a record of the doings of any member thereof
With the other side, or the Father, or
Any other thing which is for the teaching of all,
Even unto the listing of herbs and medicines
Spells and incantations and Rites
Which contain power for the use of man.
This book shall be kept by the Scribe,
And it shall be kept and approved by the Priesthood
And also the High Priesthood, when it shall come,
But no names or Craft secrets shall be written therein
That he Craft should not be betrayed
Should the book be taken by force,
Or slyness, by the infidels.
And when the coven shall disband,
It shall be the duty of the High Priesthood
To secure this book and make suitable disposition
That it might not endanger the Craft
Or any brother within it
As if the Coven were a person or Fellow
And the book were his book,
So let it be burned.
THE PRIESTHOOD
The Mother, The seven Elder Children, and all the worlds,
Draw their power from the Father.
But the children of the Father are like the sands of the sea,
And He has ordained and set apart certain of his older children,
To help and assist Him in caring for the younger children,
And has given them the Power and the Wisdom to do so,
And these children constitute the Priesthood.
The Father will bestow this power upon whom he will, and none may say him
"Nay"
Yet also may the Priesthood choose workers and helpers
And shall share their power with them,
And this is called ordination.
The Power of the Priesthood is that of the Father
And it is love unfeigned and sincere,
Compassion and gentleness and meekness,
Persuasion and long-suffering and kindness,
And there is no authority over the free will of men
Inherent in the Priesthood,
Nor to be assumed by the members of it.
998
THE PRIESTHOOD (continued)
And the Power of the Priesthood is the Power of God,
And the Power of God can never be wielded by an ungodly man,
Nor an evil man; nor the love of God by an unloving man;
And when the man becomes evil, the Power of God is withdrawn from him.
Nor can a member of the Priesthood be inactive,
For inactivity without cause is lack of love for the Father,
And this man's priesthood shall depart from him
At the end of a year and a day,
For it is truth eternal,
That the thing which is unused will be taken away.
So if any Fellow of the Craft shall desire the Priesthood,
First let him learn to be a leader of men,
For a Priest with no following is no Priest,
And his Priesthood is in vain.
So therefore let the Fellow who would be a Priest
First learn the knowledge and wisdom he will need in the new appointment,
Then let him learn to lead men, and
When he shall either have been selected
As leader for his Coven,
Or when he shall have gathered up a Coven of his own,
Then let him apply for ordination.
And he shall apply to a High Priest, for it is written
That only the higher can ordain the lesser,
That there shall be an unbroken line
Of power and authority extending
Back through the line of ordination,
To the Father Himself.
And no man can ordain his peers,
For the Lord's House is not a house of confusion,
So let not the line be broken
For it is the cable tow by which
Men are drawn from the lower
Up to the greater;--
An impossibility without it.
And each must work within their line of ordination
In perfect love and perfect trust,
With perfect harmony in all things,
But should they find that they fall out of harmony
With their line of ordination,
Then let him seek another, to be ordained of him
To be their new spiritual Father.
Let the Priesthood be a leadership of fact; not of fancy,
For those who have no following to lead,
Why are they in the Priesthood?
999
THE PRIESTHOOD (continued)
And so it is that they who lose or give away their following,
Or they who through inactivity have lost their power,
Or they who are not in harmony and love with their Spiritual Father;
Shall be retired from a rank to which entitled
Other than by leadership of men.
But this can only be done by he who ordained them,
For only those who give can take away,
Yet each High Priest is responsible that this is done.
Should any Fellow fain the Priesthood, and use it wisely and well,
The Gods have decreed that those who serve them
Shall prosper and grow in this life,
And shall gain eternal perfection
To be freed from the Wheel of Life,
And to become like unto the angels
In that they should be perfect.
For perfection is to be gained by love,
And there is no greater love than to
Lay down one's life for his brethren
In their service and for their sake,
And the Father will reward them for
Their labor of love, because
He is not unjust.
FINIS
1000
A CULT-HUNTER LOOKS AT CHRISTIANITY
1- When you enter some Catholic churches, you are confronted by a graphic
representation ofJesus, nailed to a cross, bleeding, suffering, and
then you are told that He went to this death of His own free will!
You read about Saints that whipped themselves; that wore hair shirts to
abuse their bodies. You even see, in this modern age, the Penitentes
ofMexico and New Mexicowho continue this practice, evengoing so far
as to crucify themselves, men and women! People who walk to a "holy"
shrine on their knees, doing possible permanent damage to themselves,
are lauded for having performed a "holy" act! Children are beaten,
starved, tortured and otherwise seriously harmed by members of this cult
following the Biblical admonition "Speare the rod and spoil the child."
There are also innumerable cases of the denial of blood transfusions,
denial of public education, and denial of * any * modern medical
treatment, all in the name of this cult's beliefs. Does Christianity
preach a form of sado-masochism? If it does, it is a dangerous cult
indeed!
2- This ritual of "Holy Communion" or the "Lord's Supper" has some
overtones that bother any right-thinking person. After all, the
worshippers are told that they are eating the "Body and Blood of our
Saviour, Jesus Christ!" Can it be very far from * ritual * cannibalism
to * real * cannibalism? This cult seems more and more dangerous!
3- The pre-occupation of some sects of Christianity with "demons" and
"devils" and "evil spirits"that, in their minds, seem toinhabit the
whole Universe, ready at the slightest opportunity to "possess" the
bodies and minds of humans, reeks of Diabolism! The more extreme sects
even seem to believe that this "Devil" is some sort of anti-God that has
* all * power over the world. Can it be a very great step from being so
preoccupied with devils to the actual worship of them? One should worry
about this!
4- One sect of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church, actually LOCKS UP
young girls (and older women) and forbids them contact with the world,
forbids them marriage, and tells them it is a "sin" to think of men in
a sexual manner, and that they will "burnin 'hell' " if they do so.
Such single-sex, enforced groupings of people (similar to secular
prisons) are always hotbeds of deviant behaviour. The same sect forbids
marriage to its priests, and thereby perhaps encourages the many, many
DOCUMENTED cases of its priests molesting young boys. One of its major
past leaders (called "Apostles"), Saul of Tarsus, aka "Saint Paul," was
known for his hatred of women, and he seems to be the major theoretician
of many of the "Fundamentalist" sects of the cult. Can it be that
Christianity actually * encourages * homosexuality, while preaching the
opposite?
5- One sect, the "Jehovah's Witnesses," refuses allegiance to their
country! They will not salute the flag, nor will they serve in the
Armed Forces! The "Social Gospel," a take-from-the-rich propaganda
pitch, is preached all over Third World nations, subverting their
governments! Can it be that Christianity encourages the "One World"
viewpoint of certain radical political groups?
6- The sexual behaviour of its leaders has been well documented, from
"Popes" (the leader of the Roman Catholic sect) to Aimee Semple
Macpherson, to Jimmy Swaggert. One wonders about such leaders being
placed in positions of command over our young people. How many
innocents have been defiled by such persons? One wonders!