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of the Dead, Arawn. Cuchulain the Champion of Ulster gets his name from
replacing the Hound of Cuchul that he kills. He is called the "Hound
of Ulster" from this event. The hound is also his totem animal.
(2-21,O'Dubh) <a slight pause>
There are many other Magickal totemic animals in Celtic Magick and
history: the Eagle (Iolair), Crow (Badb), Raven (Bran), Sow (Airc), Boar
(Bacrie), Cat (Caoit), Otter (Balgair), Bear (Arth), Badger (Breach) and
the Eel (As-chu).
The Dragon is another mighty Magical animal that appears in British and
Welsh stories. It is, of course, a creature of fire but is also related
to the Power of the Land. Another word for Ley Lines is Dragon Lines.
Another name for raising Power is to invoke the "Eye of the Dragon". The
whole Earth was viewed by the Druids as the body of the Dragon. Menhirs
and stone Circles were located at great Power nodes. The Celts called
Dragons "Fire Drakes".
(2-21,O'Dubh) The importance of these animals is in their use as
Spirit Guides in the Otherworld and their aid as a familiar in working
Magick. To find your totemic animal will require you to experience a
shamanistivc trance. This is usually accomplished by "drumming" and
meditation. (You'll need someone to drum or a "drumming tape" to allow
yourself a chance to really meditate). Open youself up to the God of the
Hunt as you meditate upon the Tree of Life. He will come to you while
you are in trance (usually after 10 to 40 minutes of drumming). Your
totem animal will apear running from the Great Forest. When the animal
appears, let its essence fill you. Become your totem. Dance its dance
and sing its song until you are one in the Spirit. You should repeat
this ritual as often as necessary to have a close rapport with your
Spirit Animal guide. Much of what you are told and given will be from
the perspective of the Animal and will be difficult to understand unless
you are truly One with it.
(2-4,Nan) does one usually only have a single totem animal or is
it possible to have more than one? ga
(2-21,O'Dubh) It's possible to have more than one. You might have a
clan totem as well as a personal totem animal.
(2-21,O'Dubh) Ok I have one more topic to cover "The Transmigration
of the Soul"
I would like to start this discussion by quoting an ancient Celtic
Culdean verse:
"Out of a Timeless World
Shadows fall upon time.
From a beauty older than earth
A ladder the soul may climb.
I climb by Fionn's Stair
To a whiteness older than time."
The above verse is referring to Aradach Fionn, a listing of the Oghams.
Each rung of the ladder or stair represents a lesson learned or a new
life of continuing perfection. Such a series of lessons and rebirths are
a manifestation of the Druidic concept of the Tramsmigration of the
Soul.
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A few quotes about Druids:
"The principal point of their teaching is that the soul does not perish,
and that after death it passes from one body into another." .....Julius
Caesar.
"Among them the doctrine of Pythagoras prevails, according to which the
souls of men are immortal, and after a fixed term recommence to live,
taking upon themselves a new body."....Diodorus
According to some sources, this transmigration of the soul was done in
an upward fashion, with each incarnation bringing the Being closer to
the True Spirit. According to others, we are reincarnated into future
lives of our progeny...thus Mongan is The Spirit of Fionn reincarnated
in the Seventh Century CE (Fionn himself was said to be Cumhail reincar-
nated). As we have seen previously, the Spirit of Tuan mac Carill is
reincarnated several times as a variety of animals until he is reborn
in the sixth century and relates his history of Ireland from the time of
Partholan forward, St. Finnen is the Irish monk to whom the story was
related. This story was eventually recorded in the Eleventh century
manuscript, "The Book of the Dun Cow". No record exists to indicate that
the Druids believed in "karma", duality (as seen in the concept of "good
and evil"), original sin (actually they believed man was inheritly
good), nor a heaven and hell afterlife.
Where did one's soul reside then ? Many stories were told and written of
the Otherworlds that awaited the Spirit between incarnations, These
stories are called immrama or "wonder voyages" and usually involve
taking ship to a Magickal Isle. The voyages of Bran and St. Brendan
generally fit into these catagories.
When one arrives at an Otherworldly island, time can pass extremely
slowly compared to the Physical world. Oisin the son of Fionn went to
such a faery world for a few days only. When he returned for a visit
upon one of those Magickal White Horses, he discovered that many
hundreds of years had passsed. Although he had been cautioned not to
dismount during his visit, he did so and was immediately transformed
into an extremely elderly man. St. Patrick was brought to him and heard
his many stories of the exploits of Fionn and the Fianna as well as the
lands of Tir na Og. Oisin was eventualy rescued by his Sidhe princess
and returned to the Land of Eternal Youth. Some of the other Lands are
called:
Tir fo Thuinn - Land under the Wave.
Tir na mBan - Land of Women.
Tir na mBeo - Land of Life.
These four Tirs or lands make up the Celtic Underworld where Souls
reside until reborn. There are also Plains above that are generally the
habitations of the Gods.
Thes are:
Sen Magh - Old Plain
Magh Argetal - Plain of Silver Clouds
Magh Mell - Plain of Delight
Magh Ionganaidh - Plain of Wonder
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The Irish Celts felt that the Being had the following attributes or
divisions:
Delph - The appearance or Outer form
Duile - The Body Elements
(flesh, bone, blood, etc)
Ana'l - The breath or anima
Menma - The Mind and the Will
Cuimhne - The Memory
Fein - The Self
Pu'ca - The shape-shifting Shadow
Enaid - The Soul.
I would like to finish my remarks on Reincarnation and Transmigration
with another ancient verse. This verse is from the Fifth Century CE and
is the translation by Kuno Meyer:
"I invoke the seven daughters of the sea
Who fashion the threads of the sons of
long life.
May three deaths be taken from me!
May seven waves of good fortune be dealt to me!
May no evil spirits harm me on my circuit!
In flashing corslet without hindrance!
May my fame not perish!
May old age come to me, may death not come
to me until I am old!"
"I invoke Senach of the seven periods of time,
Whom fairy women have reared on the breasts
of plenty.
May my seven candles not be extinguished!
I am an indestructable stronghold.
I am an unshaken rock.
I am a precious stone.
I am the luck of the week.
May I live a hundred times a hundred years.
Each hundred of them apart!
I summon their boons to me.
May the grace of the Holy Spirit be upon me!"
That's the Celtic view of life! To live but to have variety and
passion, while reincarnating over and over!<G>
Celtic Workshop #7
"In Between Times and Places", "Need Fires" or Days of Imbalance,
Portals, Dolmens, Passage Graves and Stone Circles"
Tonight the Magickal nature of "In Between Times and Places" will be
discussed and examples will be given for their use in Magickal "wor-
kings". The Druidic concept of "imbalance" in Magickal workings will be
introduced and discussed. The nature and use of the stone megalithic
sites will also be presented and discussed.
Tonight we undertake a journey to the lands that are between the worlds.
This is the same place where anything can happen that Rod Serling
referred to as the "Twilight Zone". The ancient Celts sought out this
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Magickal place to aid their Magickal Power and to seek the Otherworld.
Before we can undertake this journey of the Spirit as well as the Mind,
a brief review and synopsis of our previous discussions on the Celtic
Otherworld and Magick are in order.
"In Between Times and Places"
As we noted previously, the Celts believed that Reality actually
consisted of multiple worlds. As a minimum, they believed there was a
World of the Stars or Gods, a Middle World (the Earth) and an Under-
world. All these worlds were connected in some way, with events and
Magicks from one affecting events occuring in a different world.
The Celts believed that these Worlds were closer at certain times. These
are the "In Between Times" that we are going to speak about tonight. It
should also be no surprise that the Celts and Druids practiced their
most important Magicks during such times of transition as the sunrise,
sunset,the moonrise, moonset and the transitions of the seasons
(Beltaine and Samhain) and the extremes of the Sun (Mid-Winter and
Mid-Summer) or the great "Fire Festivals". Later during our discussions
of stone circles and passage graves we shall see one way that this
desire to do Magick at the optimal times was possibly implemented.
"The Magickal Laws of Druidic Power"
Celtic tales of Magick are filled with events that are linked to "in
between states". This could be a mysterious fog, a time of dusk or next
to the edge of water. All of these conditions have one state in common,
they represent imbalance. Any student of the physical sciences can tell
you, that all forces can be resolved into the sum total of the in-
dividual forces. One of the factors that must be overcome when moving
anything is inertia. During times of change, when imbalance occurs
naturally, is the time chosen by Druids for their Magicks. This is and
example of the Law of Magickal Association, the Law of Similarity and
the Law of Contagion as stated by Issac Bonewits in his book "Real
Magick". Here is a listing of those three laws of Magick:
Law of Association.
If two things have anything in common that thing can be used to control
both, and they have a mutual influence on each other, depending on the
size of the thing shared. The more they have in common, the more they
influence each other.
Law of Similarity.
This is the basis of "Sympathetic" magic and basically says that effects
resembles causes. "Lookalikes are alike".
Law of Contagion.
It states that once things come into contact, they continue to interact
after separation. "Power is contagious".
These three Laws of Magick basically say that if you want to do Magick
pick a time when Magick occurs that is similar to the kind of Magick
that you want to accomplish. There is a very similar belief held by
modern Wiccans. Wiccans normally do creative or "positive" magick when
the Moon is in its waxing phases. Banishing or "dark" Magick is done
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during the waning phases of the Moon. Druidic Magick took advantage of
the times when the Sun or Moon "touched" the Earth (Sun/Moon rise/set).
At such a time, some of the Power inherit to these heavenly deities
could be "borrowed". This is the Law of Contagion at work. At Sunrise
and Sunset is when the mists "Magickally" appear, making fog or mists a
time of Magickal workings. The area of transition between states of
matter such as the edge of a river or lake was also thought to be a
Magickal location. This could have been due to the belief that all
knowledge flowed forth from the Well of Segais or Conla's Well but I
believe it is more closely associated with the belief that where
different worlds met was also a place where entry to the Otherworld was
the easiest. This also explains why they favored divination by the edge
of water. Fire scrying is another example of this "Magick" in transition
states. Fire is the ultimate transitory state of matter and leads us to
the next topic of discussion, "Need Fires" and "Days of Imbalance".
"Days of Imbalance"
As you will recall, another time of greatest imbalance was when the
change of the seasons and the extremes of the Sun. This is, of course,
Beltaine, Samhain, Mid-Winter's and Mid-Summer's Solstices. Great fires
were kindled during these festivals for two reasons: To encourage and
enhance the energies of the Sun and to create conditions favorable to
Tramsmutation of Power.
These "need fires" were used to scry, to purify and to sacrifice as
well. Animals and other offerings were cast into the flames. As we have
seen in a previous Workshop, cattle were driven between the fires and
youths engaged in jumping through the flames. (It has been conjectured
that this practice of flame jumping had its origins in earlier practices
of human sacrifice. I personally have not seen a single valid
reference to Druidic human sacrifices.) The thought was also held that
"like attracts like", so that the Power of the flames would also attract
the Magickal Power of the Sun.
Being periods of imbalance, the Druids also took advantage of the flows
of power to perform divinations. These great fires also served to
signal the Power of the Druids to all people, as well as to unify their
control over the minds of the Celtic nations.
"The Otherworld, Portals and Domans"
Although the Celts did not build the megalithic structures found within
their lands, they were certainly aware of them. Without exception these
monuments were attributed to the God/dessess, heroes and/or to the
Tuatha de Dannan. The many dolmens were thought to be passage ways or
portals to the Otherworld. Many myths and tales surround trips made to
and from the realm of the Sidhe by passing through a dolmen archway when
the Moon was full. Modern archeology has determined that these dolmens
are actually neolithic burial sites.
"Bru'gh na Bo'inne (Newgrange)"
One of the oldest structures in the Western world is found in Ireland
upon the banks of the Boyne river. This is the Bru'gh na Bo'inne, the
burial place of Irish kings and the legendary palce of the Dagdha and
Angus mac Og. The area is also known, in English, as New Grange. This
structure was erected by the original inhabitants of the land around
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3500 BC, predating Stonehenge and being contemporary with the Sphinx and
the Pyramids of Egypt. The structure was covered with white stones in
ancient times and would "shine' in the Sun when seen from great
distances. This is very similar to the way the Great Pyramid was also
described when seen in the sunlight with it's reflective coating.
Many ancient Irish legends and tales are associated with this structure
and the passage of time. Most of these tales are about time standing
still or seeming to pass without notice. Their stories center around
Angus mac Og (the Young God), his birth in a day, his attaining the
ownership of the Bruig for "only a day and a night" (lasting forever in
endless cycles), and his arrangement of his foster father Midir's
marriage to Etain (who is the subject of many stories of shapeshifting
and transformation).
"Spirals, Symbols and Carvings"
This theme of timeless days and transformation is very important when
one considers that one possible use of this structure was the taking of
shamanistic journeys. (Angus himself was visited by an aisling or "dream
woman" who played for him upon a timpan and eventually they are
transformed into white birds of enchantment).
Martin Brennan, an Irish-American, was the first person to note the
relationship between the carvings at New Grange and the rays of the Sun.
Using the discoveries of Brennan and our previous information about
Celtic Shamanism, I am going to suggest that the interior chambers of
this structure were used for shamanistic ceremonies and journeys.
Let me describe the geometry of Bru'gh na Bo'inne that a Draoi' priest
might have encountered when appraoching the structure for religious/Mag-
ickal ceremonies. The first thing that would be noticed is a brillant
white bowl or hemisphere shining amidst a sea of green. This mound is
surrounded by 97 kerbstones and the entire structure is then encircled
by a ring of standing stones. At the entrance is a stone that one walks
around to enter the inner chambers. This stone is covered with spirals
that have been carved into the stone. The stone is divided by a line
that is aligned with the Mid-Winter Sunrise, the right hand spirals
being counter clockwise (tuathal or widdershins) and the left hand
spirals going clockwise (deosil). This is exactly the same type of path
through the sky that one would observe for the sun during the year. (In
fact, if you take a lens and focus the Sun's light on a board and leave
it in place for a year, a track will burned upon the board in the shape
of an interconnected double spiral. This experiment was done in the
early 1970's by American artist Charles Ross.) The entrace to the
interior chambers, beyond the entrance stone, is 70 meters in length.
One must pass beneath three large stones that are thought to be symbolic
of the Celtic Cosmology, the Sky World, the Middle World and the
Underworld. Once past this Otherworldly entrance, one encounters a large
chamber with four smaller side chambers that are oriented to the four
cardinal directions (North, South, East and West). The inner walls are
covered with spirals and symbols, among them is an eight-rayed sun
symbol (depicted within a circle). This symbol as well as the rest are
selectively illuminated by the Sun's entrance through a small hole in
the roof box that is oriented directly to the Mid-Winter sunrise. A
finger of light would shine within the chamber to illuminate the
carvings, shining in golden flecks upon the chamber walls. Within the
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main chamber were great stone bowls that were possibly filed with water
and arranged to further enhance the solar display within by acting as
mirrors. The seemingly hap-hazard arrangement of carvings upon the walls
are organized and transformed by the rays of the Sun.
"A Night with Angus mac Og"
Now that the stage is set, imagine yourself to be a seer of the fourth
millenia BC. You have fasted for days and have spent the long dark night
of Mid-Winter meditating within the inner chambers of Angus mac Og. You
have performed your rituals you have attained a trance-like state and
you await the rising of the Sun, the new God of Light to return to the
world. What far journeys or estatic visions will be triggered within
your Sacred Space by the new Sun's first rays? A sudden thin ray of
white light pierces the blackness of the inner chamber with an il-
luminating shower of images as the inner darkness explodes! Your mind
reflects the brilliance of the new born Sun as your inner consciousness
expands into infinity! Your brothers and sisters would follow the dark
shadow the standing stone to the carn's entrance to find you and the
inner chamber reborn within the rebirth of the Mid-Winter Sunrise! What
stories you could tell! What prophecies you could make! I sometimes
think that Bru'gh na Bo'inne is really the Hyperborean " ...temple of
the Sun..." mentioned by the ancient Greek writers, rather than
Stonehenge.
"The Land of the Hyperboreans"
Perhaps the British Isles are the Islands of the Hperboreans after all?
Where else is found such a system of large scale, megalithic structures
all centered around the Sun and the Otherworld? One has only to step
within any of these raths to be transported to another time or another
age. Bru'gh na Bo'inne is only one among many such locations. Three
great mounds exist in this area of the Boyne river, New Grange is the
most elaborate but the nearby mounds of Dowth and Knowth are also
fascinating. Dowth is oriented to receive the rays of the setting Sun
on Mid-Winter while Knowth has two passages and is oriented to receive
the rays of the Equinoxes. These chambered passages are not limited to
Ireland, but are found throughout the British Isles and even in
Brittany. Two noteable sites are located at Maes Howe in the Orkney
Islands and at Gavrinis in Brittany. The interaction of carvings and
site orientation is also wide spread and not limited to just the rays of
the Sun. Many sites also used the beams of the Moon to illuminate
passages and special formations. Although these sites could be called
observatories by those of a purely scientific viewpoint, that would be
in direct contradiction to the aims and worldviews of their creators. To
fully appreciate the beauty, majesty and wonder of these Magick sites,
requires us to use our entire mind. Perhaps we should now consider the
other great location that has equal claim to being the Hyperborean
Temple of the Sun? That location is called Stonehenge.
"Faery Rings"
Who has nor heard of the mysterious lights that are seen within faery
rings when the Sidhe dance within the Moon ways? Such lights have also
been observed within Magickal Circles constructed by Wiccans and modern
day Ceremonial Magicians. The crop circle phenomena has also been
associated with light displays and formations. All these phenomena have
been reported and seen by reliable witnesses (although , as with all
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such events, there have been cases of fraud as well). The fact is that
such circlular formations have all been associated with light displays
and other unexplained phenomena. It is no coincidence that all of the
previously mentioned Magickal phenomena are also associated with the
oldest such locations, the stone circles. Many hundreds of these sites
are found in Britain, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The two greatest of
these are Stonehenge and Avebury. I will discuss Stonehenge tonight. I
may discuss Avebury in the future if it is of sufficient interest to the
other members of the workshop.
"Stonehenge"
Has there ever been a place to fire the imagination such as Stonehenge?
What secrets does it hide as it sits amid the many other marvels to be
found upon the Salisbury Plains ? This question and thousands more like
it have passed through the minds of mortals for at least the last 3000
years. Why was it built? Who built it? How was it used? Can it be used
again? I'm sure you many have a few questions of your own!<G> Before we
get to the questions, let's go through a few of the details we know
about the site and some of the more recent discoveries that have been
made regarding its possible uses.
"Stonehenge I"
Stonehenge was built in three phases, starting with the construction of
Stonehenge I around the year 1900 BC. This is about a thousand years
after the Pyramids and the tombs of the Bru'ghna Bo'inne and a few
hundred years before the fall of ancient Troy and the Oddessy. The
first phase of construction was a great circular ditch with banks being
piled upon either side. The people building it were late Stone Age
people, Not much is known about them except that they were hunters. An
opening was left on the northeast side with four holes being left at the
entrance that may have contained wooden poles. Two other holes inside
the enclosure may have held upright stones. A third hole was dug that
still contains the "heel stone", over which the sunrise is observed. A
variety of other features are associated with this first phase of
construction. I shall refer you to "Stonehenge Decoded" by Gerald S.
Hawkins and John B. White for a more indepth discussion of these or
other Stonehenge details. The entire structure was about 320 feet in
diameter and about 6 feet high by 20 feet wide with the heel stone and
possibly two other standing stones being visible. The entire bank would
have been glaring white since most of the surrounding surface region is
composted mostly of chalk. The heel stone rises about 16 feet into the
air and is about 8 feet thick by 7 feet wide. Around the inside of the
bank was a series of 56 holes called "Aubrey" holes. These holes contain
the created remains of men and women from that period. Even in its first
phase, I'm sure you'll agree, it must have been an imposing structure.
"Stonehenge II"
Work upon the second phase of Stonehenge was begun about 1750 BC by
another race of people known as the "Beaker People". These people built
two concentric inner stone rings consisting of 82 bluestones on about a
70 foot diameter around the center of the mound. The entrance was
widened in the ditch bank by about 25 feet and a double row of 10
bluestones was placed in the entrance to the stone circles. This work
was done during about a hundred year period and was never finished due
to some unknown interruption. With their departure, the Stone age closes
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in Britain and awaits the coming of the Bronze Age.
"Stonehenge III"
The third and final phase in the construction of Stonehenge was
undertaken by the "Wessex People" in about the year 1650 BC. These
people were much more highly skilled than the "Beaker People" and
carried on commerce with the peoples of the Mediterranean area. So many
artifacts are found from these areas that some scientists have developed
the theory that Stonehenge was finished under the auspices of a "Master
Builder" from the Mediterranean. Since this is the only large megalithic
structure attributed to the Wessex People, they may well be correct. The
previous double ring of bluestones were removed and set aside for later
use. They were replaced by a single row of huge sarsen stones coming
from Marlborough Downs. A horseshoe shaped structure consisting of
"trilithons" was placed inside of the sarsens and aligned upon the
northeast opening and the center of the new stone ring. These "tri-
lithons" are not found in other stone circles and are further evidence
of the sophistication of the builders. The cross pieces are held in
place using a woodworking technique called "mortise and tenon" construc-
tion. All of these stone pieces were hand-worked. The uprights are very
close together (about a foot or less). The outer circle is 97 feet 4
inches in diameter. The outer stones are about 14 feet high by 7 feet
wide by 3 1/2 feet thick. The inner horseshoe is formed by stones
ranging from about 20 to 25 feet high. A temporary structure which was
oval shaped was constructed around the sarsen horseshoe that used the
previously removed bluestones. This oval was removed and the stones were
later used to form a horseshoe of bluestones inside of the sarsen
horseshoe. A number of holes was also dug outside the sarsen circles
called the "Y" and "Z" holes. These are in a pair of roughly circular
rings around the entire structure. One stone remains to be described
and that is called the "altar stone" though no hole has been found for
it and no use has been clearly defined. It is of a different material
from the sarsens or bluestones. It came from a quarry 30 miles away and
is of fine grained green sandstone with mica flakes. If clean, it would
glitter in the sunlight. Stonehenge III was completed about 1600 BC and
now we are left with the Mysteries of its construction and use.
"A Quick Word about Construction"
The construction techniques would take an entire Workshop to cover and
will not be discussed tonight. I refer you to "Stonehenge Decoded" for
details. An estimate was made of the effort required using the
conjectured techniques and and estimate of 1,500,000 man days was
determined to be the level of effort required to build Stonehenge. These
techniques were demonstrated using modern day men to determine how many
were actually required for each task. I believe the estimate to be
realistic and accurate. The question remains, "Why undertake such a
truly monumental effort ?" Although the "Hows" of Stonehenge are
fascinating, I am much more mystified by the "Whys"!
"A Quick Word about Uses"
I can classify the "Uses" into five categories:
1. It was used as a Calender to predict the seasons, the phases
of the Moon, and the times of the Sun Festivals.
2. It was used as a site for performing Ceremonies (everything
from sacrifices to Season fesitivals).
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3. It was used as a Computer to determine Solar and Lunar
eclipses. (The use as a celestial observatory also fits in here).
4. It was used as a place to work Magick, take shamanistic
journeys (similar to a Native American Medicine Wheel), and was used to
initiate new shamans or priests into the order.
5. It was used for some other purpose that is subject to
conjecture and awaits the revelations of our own "illuminations".
I will attempt to provide details about the site that have been
determined by computer analysis and let each of you decide for yoursel-
ves what you think, since tonight we are very limited timewise. We may
return to these topics for additional details in the future.
"The Computer Analysis"
How well did Stonehenge predict the Mid Summer/WInter sunrises and/or
moonrises? When the stone alignments were analyzed by Hawkins in 1961,
using a digital computer borrowed from Havard University. The analsis
showed a TOTAL correlation of all major Sun alignments and an almost
total correlation with alignments of the Moon as well. The accuracy of
these correlations was within 1.5 degrees. The calculations were based
upon the positions of the Sun and Moon circa 1500 BC. When the various
phases of Stonehenge were considered, it was found that Stonehenge I had
11 key positions that pointed to ten of the twelve extremes of the Sun
and the Moon and Stonehenge III pointed 8 times to 8 of the same key
positions! Needless to say, the position and day of the key Solar/Lunar
days could be easily determined using Stonehenge as a calendar. (I will
construct and upload GIFs showing these alignments to Library 16). The
computer was also used to determine a method where the 56 "Aubrey holes"
were used to predict eclipses. (BTW 56 is also the number of years that
the moon takes to complete its entire cycle through the skies). These
facts have been used to support the arguement that the priests using
Stonehenge could have reinforced their apparant "power" over the
elements by not only predicting the "dreaded" eclipses but also to
"miraculously" cause them to disappear. I personally couldn't say if
this speculation is valid. It seems rather cynical to me. Another very
interesting fact about the location of Stonehenge is that it is almost
EXACTLY at the right lattitude (51 degrees 17 to allow the Sun and Moon
azimuths to be separated by 90 degrees. It would seem that the site was
NOT chosen at random.
"Shamanistic Flights of Imagination"
Before starting, I'd like to quote the ancient Sicilian historian,
Diodorus about Britain in 50 BC:
"The Moon as viewed from this island appears to be but a little distance
from the Earth and to have on it prominences like those of the Earth,
which are visible to the eye. The account is also given that the god
visits the island every 19 years, the period in wish the stars to the
same place in the heavens is accomplished. ....There is also on this
island both a magnificient sacred precienct of Apollo and a notable
temple.... and the supervisors are called Boreadae, and succession to
these positions is always kept in their families."
(BTW the Moon rises farthest to the North every 18 to 19 years as seen
from the center of Stonehenge).
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I would like to speculate upon some of the possible Magickal aspects of
Stonehenge:
1. The site is situated in the midst of a lot of so called
"crop circle" activity. Could the energy of these verified phenomena
also be harnessed by Stonehenge? Could an outbreak of crop circle like
marks have sparked the neolithic people to have constructed their own
more permanent circles?
2. Is there an Earth power that is yet to be discovered by
modern science. Is this power related to "orgone" as postulated by
Wilhelm Reich from his work with "bions"? Reich said that this energy
could be seen spiralling into the air through tubes made from organic
matter. His "accumulators" were like batteries for orgone and were made
of alternating layers of organic and inorganic substances (like the
roofs of the great chambers at Bru'gh na Bo'inne). Guy Underwood was
also a proponent of what he caled "earth force" (also described as being
spiral in nature). Underwood used divining rods to locate pockets of
such energy within Stonehenge.
3. Is there a "Dragon" or "Serpent" power waiting to be
harnessed within the Earth? Many of the ancient tombs have such a mark
above their entrys. The Druids certainly believed it was so. Could
ancient kings have married the land here as suggested in Marion Zimmer
Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon"? I know the area is surrounded by the
burial mounds of many ancient kings. Is the "Dragon Power" awaiting a
new infusion of energy from a group of dedicated Magickal practitioners.
Does the Dragon sleep?
4. The many solar/lunar occurences at Stonehenge suggest it may
have been associated with shamanistic practices and initiations in a
manner similar to the areas of the Bru'gh na Bo'inne. Such a practice is
suggested in Douglas Monroe's "The 21 Lessons of Merlin". Is Stonehenge
a portal to the Otherworld?
"Ley Lines"
One cannot discuss "earth force", "orgone" or the Earth Power nodes such
as Stonehenge without discussing ley lines. These lines are geomet-
rically located by standing at a Power node and sighting towards other
power nodes. Using such techniques, "ley hunters" have determined that
most of southwestern England is criss crossed by such lines. Are ley
lines "power conduits" between "power nodes"? To answer this question I
read "Earth Memory" and "Shamanism and the Mystery Lines" by Paul
Devereaux, the editor of the "Ley Hunter" magazine and the Director of
the "Dragon Project". Devereaux has embraced, investigated, evaluated
and rejected more theories about the "ley lines" than anyone else (as
far as I know). He acknowledges that "death roads" do exist near many of
these sites but rejects them as being solely responsible for all ley
lines. (NOTE: death roads are straight roads leading to such ancient
centers for the express purpose of burials and funerary processions.
They are well documented and universal to mankind). His own personal
theory is that the ley lines are the result of shamanistic OOBE
conducted at the so called "power nodes". The ley lines are the result
of marking in this reality the patways that the shamans take in their
altered reality from one sacred site to another. He suggests that these
"traces" of the Earth's Spiritual Pathways are the means by which we can
become re-attuned to the Earth's Power and ancient knowledge.
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Well there we have it, a discussion of Druid Power and Power centers. I
know from my own experience that Magickal Power is stored within my own
Solitary home Circle. How much greater can the True Power be at a site
as special as Stonehenge or Bru'gh na Bo'inne?
Celtic Workshop #8 - The "Rite of 3 Rays" and the "Gift of Awen"
As usual, we gathered slowly, in fact I was late. After some brief
initial hellos, we got started. Freepowder was still trying to live down
an experience with Coyote (the Trickster) from early in the day!<G> I
discussed the book "The 21 Lessons of Merlin" by Douglas Monroe as an
example of a work produced by "Awen". I wanted to give the Workshop
members a perspective on the pluses and minuses involved with such
works. I also went over some formal and personal rituals and meditations
I do to receive "illumination". All in all, a very stimulating evening
of presentation and dialogue......Searles O'Dubhain
Tonight I would like to do things a little differently than I had
planned. Before we discuss the "Rite of 3 Rays" or the "Gift of Awen",
let's talk about one of the references that I have used and some of you
may have read, "The 21 Lessons of Merlin".
As we have previously discussed, not much was written down about the
Druids by the Druids. The best we can get is the ancient writings of the
Irish Celtic Culdean Monks who may have been Druids in disguise. Our
next best sources are oral traditions found in Celtic families, legends
and Bardic lore. Comparative analysis between the other ancient In-
do-European traditions of the Brammans, Greeks, Persians,Egyptians and
the Siberian Shamans may yield some of the hidden Druidic secrets. A lot
of the time we are making some educated guesses based upon how similar
peoples worked Magicks and conducted rituals. Sometimes we have biased
"eye-witnessed" accounts such as Caesar's or the other Roman historians.
When a gap exists in our knowledge of Druidic or Celtic practices we
must do what the ancients did......we must ask that we receive the "Gift
of Awen". I'll mention some ways that this can happen and what we can do
to aid our quests for "illumination" a little later in our discussion
tonight.
What does all this have to do with "the 21 Lessons of Merlin" you ask?
..... The answer is that this is precisely the approach that Douglas
Monroe seems to have taken in his book. He fills in the gaps with
concepts that have come to him as illuminations and also uses the
illuminations of the "Bardic Mysteries" of Wales (also arrived at by the
aforementioned methods). Since we are all humans, some mistakes can
occur when we interpret our "illuminated" thoughts and concepts. This is
precisely why ALL SOURCES should be viewed critically and questioned
(even as our very own Freepowder is prone to do!<G>). I know I constan-
tly question and compare. Monroe's book has some very good concepts in
it and some that I dispute. My primary dispute with him is over his
concepts regarding the sexual polarities and workings of Magick.
He states that Druids were segregated in their Magickal workings because
men and women cannot work together in a symbiotic manner Magickally. He
says that women receive Magick from men but do not return it when a
working is done. This is directly opposite my own experiences where I
have found the presence of women to Powerfully enhance the working of
Magicks. He also states that male Druids did not marry and were
celibate. That may be true in Wales, but the Irish Druids married and
3213
had many children. Abstaining from sex would have severely depleted the
Magickal "gene pool"! The Druids were not stupid! I doubt seriously if
they abstained from sex or procreation! Sex Magick is Big Magick! (As
I'm sure we will all agree!<G>). So Monroe does make mistakes....so do
it.<G> Time and experimentation are the two best tools to evaluate any
system and the systems of this book will be analyzed fully before we are
done in this series of Workshops.
Now I would like to briefly summarize what is in "The 21 Lessons of
Merlin":
1. The 3 Rites of Assumption
This lesson refers to the manner in which a student can
first develop the ability to tap Power and to receive inspirations from
the Higher Consciousness that exist around us. Monroe uses the "Song of
Amergin", "The Song of Taliesin" and the "Song of Blue Star" to
introduce us to Druidic imagery and visualization.
2. The Pelen Tan
In this lesson, Monroe says that the "Pelen Tan" or a
kind of glass globe with a candle or light inside of it was used to
create a lighted space under trees that literally caused the area to
glow with a "blue light" (used by male Druids). He also says that the
white robes of the Druids emphasized the "black light" effect of these
fire globes. He says that the female Witches of Avalon used "red lights'
when performing their ceremonies, giving rise to the association of "red
light" districts with prostitution in later ages.
3. The 4 Symbols of Mastery
This lesson is concerned with the development of Magickal
symbols, arch types and correspondences. The concept of "Mastery" over
the elements is introduced and the need to be creative and original in
all occult work is emphasized.
4. The Summoning
A complete rite of Magickal evocation is described here.
Monroe tells how to call the shades of the dead from their graves. He
introduces the use of herbs and incense into ritual. The specific shade
being evoked in this ceremony is that of Merlin.
5. The 4 Signs of Portal
This lesson shows how to form a Magickal Circle, to call
forth the Guardians of the 4 portals to the Otherworld. Symbols are
given for each Quarter (Air, Fire, Water and Earth) as well as the
symbols for the "Sign of Three Rays" that represents Spirit or Akasha
(similar to the Pentagram). The Old ones called are Uscias, Semias,
Esras and Morfessa of the Magickal cities of the North. The God in the
form of Herne is also invoked.
6. The 4 Sacraments of the Earth
The concepts of sacrifice to the elements upon a "Sun" day
is presented. (Not human sacrifice BTW).
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7. The 8 Grove Festivals
The eight major grove festivals of Samhain, Imbolc,
Beltaine, Lughnasadh as well as the Mid-Winter, Mid-Summer Solstices and
the Equinoxes are described. Some of the special items associated with
each festival are given.
8. The 16 Leeches of Diancecht
The use of herbs in Druidic ceremonies and practices is
introduced. A discussion of Reincarnation is given and a Magickal
journey is undertaken using these herbs.
9. The Rite of 3 Rays
A means of achieving protection is described. The rite is
likened to the Ceremonial Magick rite of the Banishing Rituals of the
Pentagram as practiced by the Golden Dawn.
10. The Battle of the Trees
The Oghams are discussed and the "Battle of the Trees" is
described. A battle between wizards occurs and the Magick of the trees
is used to defeat Merlin's adversary, just as the tree Magick was used
to defeat invaders during the Cad Goddeu (circa 400 BC). One of the nine
draughts of inspiration is described that will allow the Druid to
commune more thoroughly with the spirits of the trees.
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11. The 8 Songs of Cycle
The correspondences of the Oghams to music and the use of
music in Magickal acts is presented. The use of musical instruments is
described for the various elements and a tie between the Druids and
Atlantis is suggested.
12. The Herbs of Continence
This lesson centers around Monroe's belief that Druids
segregated by sexes for education, Magick and workings. He describes a
concept called "Duality". He uses a trip to the Sisterhood of Avalon
(Glastonbury) to present his case. He also advocates celibacy for male
Druids but not for the Sisters (beyond Maidenhood). Four herbal concoc-
tions are presented that enhance male sexual powers.
13. The Gateway Rite
A visit to Stonehenge is described. The history and lore
of the site is mentioned with references to Atlanteans, Hyberboreans and
even the Tuatha de Dannan. A method of merging with the consciousness of
inanimate objects is also described.
14. The Dragon's Eye
The act of creating Druid fire is mentioned during a visit
to the Isle of Wight. The ley lines and the Power of the Land are called
Dragon Power during this lesson. A rite that allows one to "call the
Dragon" is presented and the symbol for the "Dragons Eye" is drawn.
15. The Rite of Inspiration
The use of meditation and Magickal Circles is described to
allow one to receive enlightenment to the Awen (the inner spirit that is
illuminated). Two rituals are given and the connection between the Sun
and Awen is given.
16. The Wild Hunt
The use of the Mandragon herb is described during a
shamanic contest between the Druid and the forces of Nature (usually
done during Samhain). The gains and losses of such a competition are
mentioned.
17. The Life Board
A Magickal symbol for the Three Circles of Existence
(Ceugant, Gwyned and Abred) is given. Fionn's ladder is discussed. The
use of such an empowered Magickal Symbol for makings and pathworkings is
described.
18. The Rite of Libation
A variety of Druidic draughts is given.
(2-10,Trailstalker) RE #16: I thought that Druids were in alignment
with Nature. What are they contesting?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) This particular lesson is about being in the Woods
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during the Wild Hunt of Gwynn ap Nudd when the raw primal forces of
Nature heighten one's inner fears.
(2-22,O'Dubhain) It's a rite of Mastery whereby the young Druidic
Initiate masters himself and faces the power of Nature, the winds, the
Darkness, the lightnings and such. So it's really a test to see how in
tune you are with Nature.
19. The Threshold Rite
The use of herbs and incense to enhance a journey to the
Otherworld is given.
20. The Triscale Stones
Divination using stones is presented. A pathworked trip to
the Otherworldly city of Caer Idris is made to show the origins of the
technique. The suggestion is given to find one's personal "oracle tree"
under which divinations will be optimized.
21. The Rite of the Active Door
The secrets of color and the concepts of invisibility are
given along with a ritual that opens all occult knowledge to the Druid.
This Ritual is the rite of passage to the Inner Mysteries.
If you read this book, you'll see that the Druids are presented doing
Magicks that harm others at times. Some of the Druids even do battle!
This certainly violates the Wiccan Rede that states "Do what you will if
you harm none"> The fact is that Druids were not Witches and they
frequently did battle as well as aiding their clans and kings in war.
The great Druid Amergin aided the Mileseans in their battles with the
Tuatha de Dannan. Many other examples exist of Druids harming plenty,
least of all none. Druids were definitely not Wiccans. Monroe's book
follows this philosophy, so some may call it "unethical". He also
advocates the use of a variety of naturals drugs to aid in Magicks,
meditations and Illuminations. I personally think these practices are a
matter of individual judgement and neither recommend nor reject them. Do
what you will. The choice is yours.
"The Rite of Three Rays"
This Ritual is similar to the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the
Pentagram and the Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram performed during
Ceremonial Magick and Ritual by the Golden Dawn as outlined by Donald
Craig or Israel Regardie. Monroe gives his version of this ritual in his
book "the 21 Lessons of Merlin". I haven't found any historical support
for it in my Celtic references but it seems to be typical of what I
think a Druid might do. (The Ritual smacks of Egyptian/Thelemic Magickal
practice IMHO). Monroe likens the 3 Rays or gestures in this ritual to
the first 3 Rays of the Mid-Summer Sun over the horizon (the Celts
called this Awen as well).
This ritual is primarily used to generate Power within the Druid
for protection or receiving "illumination" according to Monroe. It uses
the vibratory energies of sound coupled with the physical act of deep
breathing and communing with the Sun to create an "altered state" within
the Druid.
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Here's the basic steps of the ritual:
1. Stand in direct sunlight (noon if you can do it).
2. Close your eyes and breathe deeply to relax and start
the path to a meditative state.
3. Once you are relaxed, exhale then breathe in deeply as
you raise your hands above your head.
4. Slowly lower your arms while intoning loudly,
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" or "I" (The name of Isis in CM or Golden Dawn, this is
the invocation of the Goddess Power). Bring your arms to your sides.
5. Repeat this step while intoning "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" or
"A" for Apophis the Destroyer. Monroe calls this the "Crystal Ray" or
Ray of Balance and Separation. He says this represents both Male and
Female energies and also neither (sounds a lot like the Book of the
Law).
6. Repeat again while intoning "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" or "O"
for the Male God Osiris. This invokes the God Power to your aid.
7. repeat the arm gestures a final time while intoning
"IAO" or "EEEEEEE-Ahhhhhhh-OOOOOOOO!" Then open your eyes.
At this point the energy has been raised and the work is to be
done. One could shield from Magickal attack or seek the "Gift of Awen"
or some other Magickal act. Monroe doesn't state this but I recommend
"grounding" afterwards and if possible. Do this by eating and drinking
a lite meal. (I never recommend doing any Magick on a full stomach).
Wiccans do similar rituals using athames, wands and swords to draw
Circles and/or Pentagrams for protection and Ritual. This ritual is nice
because the 3 movements are tied to the 3 Rays of Awen. (As with all
Magick, ritual is very personal, if it feels right do it!<G>). Monroe
says that one could reverse the direction of the arm movements and the
intonations to "banish" energies that are directed at you. He also says
that one could only do the "male", the "female" or the "crystal"
movements depending on what is needed or banished. He suggests
experimenting as do I. I'd next like to discuss some ways that I achieve
"illuminated states".
(2-24,Nan) how would you describe the basic differences/simila-
rities between Wicca and Druidry? (25 words or less <g>)
(2-22,O'Dubhain) The Druids use the Sun and the Moon. And the Druids
were more political back then. Nowadays I'd say that the Druids tend to
be more left brained than the Wiccans and they tend to be more bilateral
with their Deity worship.
(2-24,Nan) a point of clarification for me .......Wicca doesn't
use the sun?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) Most of the major Wiccan celebrations are done under
the Moon. The Sun is also used but does not play as great a role as in
Druidry.
(2-6,Heather & Michel) We have both Wiccans & Druid here, so perhaps we
can clarify...
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(2-22,O'Dubhain) good
(2-6,Heather & Michel)
Wicca uses the sun as much as Druidism. Moon is primarily for
esbats... Wiccans don't tend to be culturally specific with their
worship, while Druids go for mostly celtic stuff and only share 4 of...
Wicca's 8 festivals. (At least how we do it.) ... ga
(2-22,O'Dubhain) ok!! seems to be a diversity of opinions and
practices as usual! thanks
(2-10,Trailstalker) Where would "shamanism" fit in with all of this? We
do ceremony under the Sun, the Moon, the Stars,... in swamps, forests,
deserts, living rooms, ... you get the picture... and what's an
"esbats"?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) Shamanism comes in when you seek assistance from the
Spirit world or you seek to control the elements. Esbats are Full Moon
Wiccan Rituals held every month Sabbats are Major festivals like we
outlined previously
(2-10,Trailstalker) I've found that with shamanism if you are seriously
working the path, there comes a time when rather than you working it and
using medicine items, you more or less become a medicine item for a
Greater spirit power. And it works through you.
(2-17,Freepowder) I remember, Druids are left brain based on Bonewits?
or others too?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) Actually Druids are both sided. I think some Wiccans
tend to reject the left side approach at times Bonewits seems to be left
brain heavy!<G> IMHO!
(2-17,Freepowder) modern druids, as previously cited?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) yes.... Modern Druids.
The ancients were a lot more in tune with their entire minds They
didn't really draw a line as such. To receive the "Gift of Awen"
requires us to achieve heightened or altered states of consciousness.
First let's describe what an altered state is. An altered state of
consciousness is just that, a different state from that which we
normally experience. This can be anything from a heightened awareness of
our physical surrounding to a totally different way of perceiving
all of reality. I have basically recognized the following states in
myself:
1. Sensing the mood or spirit of the land around me,
the trees, the streams, animals, the wind, the soul of the Earth. This
state is achieved by quieting the spirit and/or the mind. Being at peace
allows the world around us to communicate and touch us. I do this by
relaxing and releasing my thoughts and emotions. I float and accept. I
observe what IS. Not what I expect to see. Reality is as it is and not
filtered by my conditioning.
2. Having access to the Akasha for inspiration and
divination. (Usually coming in flashes.) I blank my mind in a manner
similar to the above process but usually do this in a secluded room
without light and external distractions. I fix my purpose in my mind and
seek for an answer. I do not allow anything to distract me. When my
answer comes, I can immediately recognize it.
3. Being out of "time sync" with others. Being
slightly in the future of what's happening around me. This usually
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happens to me without trying and sometimes accompanies other heightened
states. It also happens when I've taken anything with codeine in it.
4. Seeing "visions", things that are happening in the
future or the past as if they are happening right now. This state comes
on me when I have a quest that requires me to see through a different
set of eyes or a different point of view. I actually let myself just
look into another world or time through the eyes of a native being
(sometimes me or a relative, sometimes an artificial construct.)
5. Sensing people from previous lives. I usually have
no control of this. It just happens and can be triggered by some
familiar gesture word or other similar event. I just feel very at ease
and comfortable (or hostile at times) with the person I've known before.
6. Reading minds. (This also just happens). This is
not in words. It is in images and feelings. I just know what someone is
thinking or feeling.
7. Going out of the body. I have to relax totally,
isolate all external distractions. I start at my extremities and work
inward. (Did I mention that I am lying down on a comfy surface?) I
release all the tension in my physical body first. I next calm my
emotions, then my thoughts. Once I only exist within my head, I start
releasing all external inputs. I shut down all my creative centers. I
turn off all the monitoring that goes on. I relax and float. If Thoughts
or emotions enter in, I sink them into the Earth away from me. I banish
them. I float. Once I am completely isolated and floating in total
darkness, I try to see behind me and in front of me at the same time.
This is not possible while embracing the normal physical existence. It
can only be done in our Spirit forms. This takes total concentration and
practice. Not force, just persistence and release. I liken this process
to what happens when one is born. A long persistent pushing through the
birth canal surrounding us. The physical barriers thin out before our
efforts and suddenly we are born anew on the Astral plane. I can then
see in all directions at the same time I am aware of all around me.
Physical barriers are only thought forms to be ignored at Will. I can go
anywhere I desire to go. (However I am only a child in this existence
and am also very aware of the far greater Powers around me). I exercise
extreme caution when traveling the Astral. It is very easy to be
"noticed" and to become the object of unwanted attentions. My conscious
mind distracts me continually as I maintain a hold on my physical
existence. When i return to me body, I actually have to struggle back
into it! Part of me wants to stay on the Astral. The barriers that
separate and protect us from Astral Intrusions are tough to penetrate
even when we hold the keys! Be careful and cautious and you can learn a
lot. Slip for a minute and you can be trapped, possessed or lost.
8. Communing with the God/esses.
I commune with the God/esses in several ways. I recognize that all
things have life and Power within them. I especially feel a closeness to
trees, plants, rivers and lakes. The ocean just overwhelms me with it's
Power. The clouds constantly change in their forms and interactions.
Celts believe that places have Spirits. I am a Celt ,by birth but also
because I feel this Oneness and connection to Nature. You can be a
Brother or Sister the same way. Birth is unimportant. Who we are in the
Spirit is very important. The first way to commune with the Spirits
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is through Nature. When in this state my physical senses are extremely
heightened.
The next way to commune with the God/desses is through Ritual. In Ritual
we open the Pathways within us to be filled with the One Power. We
invite It within and share Its Touch. Magick is nothing more than
specialized Ritual and is a focusing of the Power. We can actually
become the God or the Goddess or some Other at these times. They can
have a physical body through us. I have sat back at such times and been
amazed at the words pouring forth from my mouth from the Energy that
possesses me. This Power is benevolent and will vanish anytime we
reassert ourselves. I caution those who would try this to be CERTAIN
that they are within a Sacred Space and are Protected before opening up
to a Spirit Entity. All Spirits are not benevolent and some WILL try to
violate your presence and assume complete control of your body. It
happens all the time. Watch the news and see for yourself. When out of
the body and feeling no constraints, it is possible to experience the
touch of the God/desses. I have felt Their Wonderful Presences filling
me. I usually feel Their approach as a feeling of tremendous anticip-
ation. I sense that something monumental is going to occur. Something
coming to me. The space around my spirit begins sparkling in golden
crystals. Then I experience a thrill of Joy and Happiness. I am
completed and embraced by the Knowledge of the Ages and The Love of my
Fellow Spirit. It's beyond words but so very uplifting, comforting and
peaceful. I feel that I am where I should be. My sense of my life's
purpose and my need to finish my work on this plane pulls me back. I
also feel that I need to share myself with those on the physical plane
I love. I cannot yet abandon the world of form. I bid Them adieu in
Perfect Love and struggle back into my body. I carry Their Blessings and
Love within. I try to share this in my life with others.
9. Working with Power.
I always work within a Circle when using Power. This can be a Circle
surrounding my person in an emergency. I prefer to use traditional
methods to create Circles more formally. Circles tend to hold residuals
of the Spells of Protection that are cast for them. My Circle at home is
such a place. Anyone can enter it but only those that are invited may
work with Power there. Sleeping within this Circle is guaranteed to make
you travel and have the strangest of dreams!<G>
To use Power I merely open myself to it. No meditation is necessary,
though it helps me to be more sensitive to the nuances of Power. All I
really need is a Magickally isolated place, a Circle. Once I am open, I
reach for the Power of the Earth and the Sky. I let the Energy flow
through me. (It feels like it comes into my feet and out of my hands and
head! This is similar to the way lightning flows.) I leave the stream
open and charge myself as full as I can get. My hair usually stands up
a bit and I get all "goose pimply"! I keep in mind the goal of my
working and I release the Power I've stored. (At the same time the Power
leaves me, I see it going as a beam of energy. If the Working is large
or systemic, I tie the beam to the same source I've tapped. This permits
it to continue after I've released it. (I actually visualize the beam
remaining and pumping the energy out.) I leave the beam with a spell
that allows it to quit when the Work is done. I release the Power back
to the Earth and Sky and thank the God/dess for their help. It helps to
eat or drink or something equally grounded in Physical Reality after
such an effort.
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10. Dying.
This is the Ultimate altered state. I myself have never actually died in
this lifetime yet. I have been at the Portal many times. I have sensed
the Ways to Tir na Nog. Always when I am close I sense a peace and a
surrender within me to the call of the Guardian of the Door. I actually
laugh from happiness. I have been told to return to this life because my
Work is not yet done. I have spoken to members of my own family about
their near death experiences and they are remarkably similar. A
releasing and a faith in what will come. A sensing that all is right and
that the Ultimate Will Accomplishes Its Purpose. I have read many books
and accounts of the experiences of others who have gone through that
door and returned. My belief in the Afterlife is strengthened by their
revelations. The ancient Celts and Druids believed so strongly in such
an afterlife that they sometimes chose to voluntarily accompany their
loved ones through the Door. Druids would even borrow money to be repaid
in another life! Needless to say their strong beliefs in another Life
after this One caused the Celts to have no fear of Death!<G>
I have watched the Spirits of those I love leave their bodies and have
seen the Light that surrounds them in Happiness. I have seen their
smiles to have finished their Work and receive their New Lives. Death is
no End, Death is an Accomplishment and a Release.
How do we tell when these states occur? We don't have to!!! We are in
them! They happen to us and we react to them!! We can't mistake them!!
They are beyond all Time and Space!
Seriously, If you are in one of these states, you feel very "charged up"
and full of energy. You sense an Exaltation of the Spirit. You are
extremely "Alive"! You will know and You will enjoy!<G>
How do we induce altered states of consciousness? The answer to this is
that we "open" ourselves up to them. We release our grasp on the Normal
state of Consciousness. We expand ourselves to the limits that are
actually there and not the ones we are conditioned to accept. Seeing
things that can't exist in Normal Reality helps sometimes. It shakes us
out of our conditioning. This can be as simply as seeing a glorious
Sunset or as strange as seeing a UFO or a Demon. I have achieved altered
states through meditation, drugs, Circles, Rituals, Drumming, Singing,
Reading, Dreaming, Involuntary or accidental occurrences, sickness and
by being Possessed. I don't recommend narcotics or heavy drugs, sickness
or Possession. Incenses and herbal drinks are ok though. (We'll discuss
these next week).
"Practical Meditation for Awen"
I'll try to elaborate a little here on the practical side of meditation.
I usually meditate lying down with my head to the North and my body
relaxed. If I am in Ritual I can Meditate while standing or kneeling.
The most important aspect to remember is to relax each part of your body
and mind. I usually start at my extremities (feet and hands). I tell
myself, "Relax your right foot, relax your left foot, relax your.... and
so on. I release all the tension in each part and let it flow out. I do
this several times until I don't feel my body any longer. Next I start
on my breathing and my heartbeat until they are automatic and transpar-
ent. Then I quiet my thoughts until only Darkness persists. Next I try
to ignore the Darkness until I am floating. To go further requires
3222
additional techniques. At this point I am a blank tablet and can just
rest or I can receive "messages" from Others. It's very important to be
where you are absolutely secure from unwelcome intrusions of the Spirit
or the Physical at this time. Without such a safe place, you will always
be slightly on your guard. It helps if another Being you trust will
watch over you at this time. This can be anyone from an elemental, a
totemic animal, a Spirit Guide, a person to a God/dess. Just thinking
about how it feels to meditate and then writing this answer, makes me
meditate.<G> I guess that remembering how it felt to meditate makes it
easier to meditate the next time you try! Practice makes Perfect!<G>
"Druidic Meditation"
Some of this material was covered previously but I repeat it here for
clarity and the benefit of those that may no have seen that particular
Workshop yet!<G> Druidic meditation was usually done for divination and
foretelling the future. This was called by the names: Tenm Laida,
Dichetal Do Chennaib and Imbas Forosna.
Tenm Laida (Illumination by Song) is an altered state usually achieved
by chanting or singing of a repetitive pattern. This can also include
drumming and dancing. These activities synchronize the body and mind to
an external rhythm allowing us to cast off the chains of normal
existence. This allows you to float at peace within the song (dance,
beat, mantra, etc.) This is a strictly Druidic or Shamanistic practice
even though it may look like TM.
Dichetal Do Chennaib (Cracking open the Nuts of Wisdom) is a state
achieved by relaxation and clearing the mind in a Ritual environment. It
usually involved using some Magickal implement such as a knife, a sword
or a staff to touch a subject (usually upon the head) or by handling an
item to discover what secret knowledge was contained within it. This
information could be events from a person's past life, a detailed
history of who and what had happened to an object or how and why the
subject was being hexed or spelled. I know this sounds like ESP but it
was enhanced through Ritual and relaxation techniques.
Imbas Forosna (Illumination) was a form of altered state used by seers
and bards to create or see visions. The Druid would be totally isolated
from all sensory inputs, sounds, lights and feelings. This was usually
a very dark room or a covering of hides. The Druid would attempt to
float and relax. When in the proper state he would signal for the hides
to be removed or he would open the door out of the Darkness. The sudden,
instantaneous transition from Darkness to Light would cause them to see
visions or to spontaneously utter poems, prophecies or achieve a total
Awareness of the secret Knowledge of their Surroundings. This sensory
deprivation It was their Ultimate Meditation technique.
The Druids also used music, colors, trees and numbers to alter their
consciousness. They were familiar with the Pythagorean Mysteries and may
have actually been the source of them!<G>
Druids shared IndoEuropean roots with the Indian Brahmans but I don't
have any hard data to support any similarities in their practices.
"Drugs"
I have experienced Magickal states from drugs but I don't think the
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technique is sufficiently controllable or repeatable. It's like playing
your Steinway with a sledgehammer. Sure you can play a song but at what
cost to the instrument? Plus I find that the songs are usually more
sophisticated if I don't use the sledge!<G>
I would caution anyone using drugs to know their track records, side
effects and purity before starting. Then do them under gradually
increasing controlled and supervised conditions. Never experiment with
drugs.
There is always a documented lab record of their effects. Know your
suppliers and don't get the wrong ones! The best recommendation is don't
do drugs. Your Mind, Body and Spirit can achieve better and more lasting
results. (As I mentioned previously, some natural herbal drinks and
incenses seem to aid meditation and ritual. We'll discuss those next
week). Well there we have it! All the different ways to achieve
illumination to Awen!
(End of Celtic Workshop #8 - The "Rite of 3 Rays" and the "Gift of
Awen")
"Celtic Workshop #9 - The use of Herbs and Potions"
The role of herbs in healing, Magick, ceremonies and rituals as well as
in mind alteration were presented and discussed in detail. The effects
of the most popular Druidic herbs and potions were detailed and
discussed. Some reformatting was done on the transcript for clarity's
sake as well. A final note!!!! Please exercise caution around most of
these herbs!! Some of them are considered to be POISONS! The effects of
some of the others are very powerful in areas of "mind alteration". The
author of one of the texts, used as a reference, presents his suggested
methods for how the Druids used these herbs (they are ONLY used in a
greatly dilluted state!). Once again I urge caution and good judgement
before proceeding. All in all, the Workshop participants evidenced a
very thorough respect and understanding of the use and effects of these
herbs.
Entering Workshop/Seminar 1 room...
"Druidic Use of Herbs"
We must look at many sources to determine how the Druids used drugs and
herbs. Some of these sources are historical (such as the Greek and Roman
historians). Other sources are the traditions of the Bards and Seanchai.
Still others are the folk remedies and fables of the major Celtic areas
of the world (Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Britain). We can also look
to information that comes from the inspired "Awen" of others (such as
Llewellyn Sion of Glamorgan and Douglas Monroe). Archaelogical evidence
is also being found (the bodies of sacrificial or other burial victims
have been recently discovered). Each of these types of sources will be
matched against the others (where possible) to give us the best possible
idea of how Druids worked with drugs and herbs.
A quote from one the ancients, Pliny, a Roman, referring to the Druid
veneration of mistletoe:
"Seldom was the Mistletoe found growing upon the Oak, but on such
occasion, the Druids gathered it with due religious ceremony, (if
possible on the 6th day of the new Moon-when the influence of the orb
was waxing, and said to be at its height. Following an elaborate
3224
banquet, a white-clad priest cut the plant from the oak tree with a
golden sickle, while another Druid held out a white cloak for its
reception. They believed that the Mistletoe, immersed in water within a
cauldron, would impart fecundity to barren animals, and that it is the
antidote for all poisons - its name meaning 'all healing.'"
I recommend acquiring the following books to aid in your tree and herbal
work:
Scott Cunningham's "Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs".
Llewellyn Publications. ISBN 0-87542-122-9.
Medicinal and Other Uses of North American Plants
by Charlotte Erichsen-Brown. Dover Publications,
ISBN 0-486-25951-X.
Peterson's Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by
Lee Allen Peterson, Ho0ughton Mifflin Co.,
ISBN 0-395-31870-X.
The Book of Forrest and Thicket by John Eastman,
Stackpole Books, ISBN 0-8117-3046-8.
Trees for Healing by Pamela Louise Chase and
Jonathan Pawlik, Newcastle Publishing, ISBN
0-87877-157-3.
Many of the herbs can be had from your local health food store as well
or can be ordered from the
New Forest Gardens,
P.O. Box 491,
Westfield,NY 14787.
(This is Run by Douglas Monroe I believe.)
(2-1,Freepowder) there are 2 varietys of Mistletoe.... american and
european, the effects of them are almost opposite... european lowers BP,
american raises.... the *berries* of either are deadly poisonous. GA
(2-11,Rhianna) Foxglove is another example - Digitalis (which
comes from (foxglove) is a poison, yet it's used for treating heart
patients.
(2-28,cherokee) my gt grandma used mistle toe to bring prople out
of fevers and unconsciousness. aspirin bark is poisonous too. its all
in how you prepare it
"The 16 Leeches of Diancecht"
Diancecht was the physician of the Tuatha de Dannan. He healed their
wounded during and after their Battles with the Fomorai and the
Firbolgs. He is the God of Herbs and Medicines.
The following list contains herbs listed in "the 21 Lessons of Merlin"
and contains their correspondences to the four elements as well as their
applications. How to prepare a suitable "store" of these medicines is
also given. The recommended dossages are also given. Note: Some of
these herbs can be considered "POISONS"! I heartily recommend using
extreme caution with them. I have attempted to identify those that may
be considered harmful. Please proceed at your own risk. I must say that
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generally Monroe stays away fron poisonous herbs in topical or internal
medicines. He does use some very dangerous substances in some of his
recommended incenses. a long list will follow please bear with me!<G>
"The 16 Leeches of Diancecht"
Spirit
Mistletoe Uchelwydd or All-Heal vertigo, dizziness, headaches, hear-
t/problems/palpitations, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, nervine.
Preparation
one ounce of dried herb, in a jar with twice it's volume of vodka. Leave
for two weeks, strain and place in labeled dropper bottles.
Dosages
1 drop for every 10 pounds of body weight every 3 hours.
Earth
Phu (Valerian) sedative, cramps, pain, coughs.
Hoodwort (Skullcap) nerves, fevers, coolant
Nerve Root(Lady Slipper) nervine, indigestion, headache
Absinthe(Wormwood) digestion, liver/gall bladder, worms, topically for:
insect bites,sprains, rheumatism, bruises.
Air
Golden Pipes(Chamomile family) stomach aches/digestion/gas, calamative
vs insomnia in children, eye wash and open sores, kidneys.
Holigold (Calendula) Marigold. topical application for sores, burns,
bleeding hemorrhoids & wounds, in oil for ear aches, vaginal infections.
Eerie (Yarrow) internal bleeding (especially lungs), gas, diarrhea,
fevers(measles, colds,flus). also antiseptic.
Brittanica (Vervain) colds, flus, coughs, upper respiratory inflam-
mations, stomatic, insomnia, pneumonia, asthma.
Water
Catwort (Catnip/Catmint) digestion/stomach ache or cramps, calmative,
fevers, headaches, bronchititis & diarrhea.
Beerflower (Hops) Sleep aid, liver/digestive/gas/cramps. externally for:
boils tumors swellings & skin inflammations, refrigerant.
Withe (Black Willow) pain, fevers, arthritis, kidney/bladder troubles,
antiseptic, gargle, tonsilitis, refrigerant.
Coneflower (Echinacea) antibiotic (immune system stimulant), tooth/body
abscesses, lymph node swellings, digestive aid.
Fire
Goldenruthe (goldenseal) Antibiotic, general purpose internal/external,
eye-wash, female infections, sores, skin conditions, colds/viruses/infe-
ctions
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Amber (St. John's Wort) nerves, bed-wetting, liver tonic, insomnia, mix
with olive oil: use externally for skin conditions, tumors, wounds,
ulcers, burns, swollen glands, bruises and muscle pains.
Sacred Bark (Buckthorne) Constipation/laxative, digestive stimulant,
gas, liver, gall bladder/ stones.
Quercus (White Oak) internal bleeding, vaginal infections, antiseptic
for all wounds/bites/skin conditions, poison ivy/oak, gum problems,
lymph node swellings, varicose veins.
To activate these drugs, the Druids would include a small amount of
Mistletoe preparation to each before use. Since it was considered "all
heal".
"Draughts of Inspiration" (Only one is given)
These drinks are thought to instill the correct state of mind required
for "Awen". According to Monroe, nine exist in total, though only one is
given in his book. Perhaps we can discover the others? I suggest that
the other tree barks that were used are from the red chestnut, white
chestnut, Elm, Beech, Larch, Oak and Fir trees. I would guess these
based upon Hints contained in "Practical Celtic Magick" by Murry Hope.
I also would guess that ivy was used in a draught based upon information
from Scott Cunningham's "Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs".
5 tablespoons of spring water
1 pinch Evening Primrose Flowers
1 pinch Black Willow Bark
1 pinch Thyme
sit in Glass bottle (closed in the Sun) for 3 days strain/ add 1 tsp
apple cider vinegar before use add 1 tsp chlorophyll (alfalfa) take 3
drops subligually prior to Magickal Workings with trees/plants.
"Threshold Smoke"
These concotions are used to aid one in having an Otherworldly ex-
perience. They are cast upon the flames of a fire. Please note that some
of the ingredients are POISON! and that another one of them is con-
sidered "illegal". The use of these herbs are indicated to aid solitary
meditations in the deep woods. Be aware that they will induce "Dark
Visions" and reveal your inner fears. According to Monroe, the Druids
required one to master such fears to be in tune with Nature and to
achieve "Balance"..I recommend that none of them be tried when unsuper-
vised and I also recommend extreme caution.
To make the incense:
Blend and compound the following plants:
Neckweede (Hemp)
Nightshade (Belladonna) (poison)
Ghostflower (Datura)
Keep in a dark (light free) box.
Burn as an incense to facilitate "threshold"
and "traveling" works.
3227
"The Spirit of the Mandrake"
This incense is used to attain a state of altered consciousness for
resolving one's inner fears and becoming one with the Spirit of the Land
and its animal Nature. I caution anyone considering using it to be aware
that Mandrake is considered a POISON! This herb is used during the Night
of the Wild Hunt that we discussed last week.
Toss dried Mandrake (poison) root upon a bed of hot coals or embers and
let the smoke cause you to travel within the darkness of the night. May
apple, Peony; Ginseng or Briony roots may be substituted (also con-
sidered poisonous!).
"The Song of Bluestar"
Another herb used to achieve altered states was the Bluestar flower or
the Blue Morning Glory. This plant is considered poisonous! Do not eat
or drink anything made with it and handle it with care. Monroe suggests
drying the flowers and seeds to make an incense for a rite of assumption
or tapping into Powers. This might also be called "mind expansion".
(The same plants have been used to create LSD in recent times, so I am
not surprised that they are used here). I'm not advocating that anyone
of you try this incense, but Monroe says the Druids did. I'm not
surprised.
Here is the essence of the trip or rite of assumption:
"I will be as a Bluestar upon a field of Green, circling upward towards
a golden Sun."
.... translation by D.W.Nash
The Druids believed all life was interrelated from the lowest forms to
the highest. This quote from the ancient Welsh document, the Mathnawai,
shows their philosopy:
"I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as a plant and rose to an animal,
I died as an animal and I was a man.
Why should I fear?
When was I ever less dying?
Yet once more I shall die as a man,
to soar in the Blessed Realm;
but even from godhood
I must pass on...."
One further quote from "The Gorchan of Maeldrew": "Each atom an
evolving life, each blade of grass a potential soul."
"The Draughts of Oblivion"
I give here the "fast" (meaning quick to make) version of Celtic drinks
and libations from the "21 Lessons of Merlin" as well as the festivals
at which they are used:
May Mead for Beltaine
Add a half ounce of each of the following to 1 gallon of your favorite
white wines:
heather flowers, meodowsweet, woodruff
3228
leaves. Let sit for about 6 hours. Filter
and chill before serving.
Midsummer Ale
Add a half ounce of each of the following to 1 gallon of your favorite
red wines:
fresh oak leaves, chamomille, red rose
petals. Let sit for about 24 hours. Add
9 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of
vanilla. Filter and chill before serving.
Samhain Absinthe
Add a 2 teaspoons of each of the following to 2 pints of your favorite
port wines:
wormwood, dried apple/mint leaves, dried
pumpkin blossoms. Let sit for about 1
week. Filter through muslin and bottle.
Garnish with raisins and cloves before
serving.
Midwinter Mulsa
Add a half ounce of each of the following to 2 quarts of your favorite
dry white wines: crushed juniper berries, wintergreen,
Elder Flowers. let sit for about 6 hours.
Filter and chill before serving. Garnish
with a sprigg of green pine or hot with
a cinnamon stick
Now these are drinks I can get excited about! I think we can all see
that Druids used a variety of herbs in their work....from "visions" to
partying.
(2-24,Trailstalker) Before we break up for our "free-for-all" I wanted
to share a couple of addresses.
1) Natural Labs in Sedona, AZ.
They make great herbal tinctures. Pure and powerful. The man who runs
it is very knowledgeable about herbs and remedies. They can be reached
at:
602-284-9551.
45 Castlerock Road, Suite 2,
Sedona, AZ 86336.
(2-24,Trailstalker) The other is Winter Sun Trading Company in
Flagstaff, AZ. It is run by Phyllis Hogan who is the ... head herbalist
in AZ. She's at:
602-774-2884.
18 E. Santa Fe,
Flagstaff, AZ 86001.
(2-24,Trailstalker) BTW the man's name is Don Hall.
Celtic Workshop #10 - The Act of "Becoming" and The Charm of "Summoning"
How to actually influence your surroundings. How to perform Weather
Magick, to call animals to you, to improve your crops and to influence
the outcome of events. How to discover your past life, find your Inner
Teacher or Self and how to summon "Spirits" to your presence.
3229
Our Cyber Tuatha gathered upon the moors and among the raths once more.
This night was a night of Magick and the Power of the Moon Goddess in
her full glory. We engaged in some prelimenary greetings and then the
presentation begain .....
(2-8,O'Dubhain) Celtic Workshop #10 -
The Act of "Becoming" and The Charm of "Summoning"
Tonight's workshop is advertised to cover the following topics and I
intend to give them all my best efforts at explanation. Tonight's
topics are:
How to actually influence your surroundings.
How to perform Weather Magick, to call animals to you, to
improve your crops and to influence the outcome of events.
How to discover your past life, find your Inner Teacher or
Self.
How to summon "Spirits" to your presense.
I am being ambitious in talking about these topics!<G> I trust we can
cover them all tonight and I also hope to have many contributions by all
of you regarding your own personal experiences in these areas. We will
learn from our "Inner Druids"! <G>
The key words to remember tonight are "Becoming" and "Summoning". They
along with "Will" and "Authority" are the basis of most Druidic and
Celtic Magicks.
What do I mean by "Becoming"? What does this act have to do with Magick?
How did Druidsdo this? I asked myself all of these questions before
making this act a topic for tonight's workshop. The inspiration for the
act of "Becoming" is the "Song of Amergin" from the ancient Irish
manuscript the Leabhar Gabha'la (Book of Invasions). Hear now the words
of the Druid Amergin:
" The Mystery
I am the wind which breathes upon the sea.
I am the wave of the ocean.
I am the murmur of the billows.
I am the ox of the seven combats.
I am the vulture upon the rocks.
I am a beam of the Sun.
I am the fairest of plants.
I am a wild boar in valour.
I am a salmon in the water.
I am a lake in the plain.
I am a word of science.
I am a point of the lance in battle.
I am the God who created in the head the fire.
Who is it who throws light into the meeting
on the mountain?
Who announces the ages of the Moon?
Who teaches the place where couches the Sun?
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(If not I)"
This was the translation by Dr. Douglas Hyde from his work "Literary
History of Ireland". This poem was once as well known in the Celtic
world as the "Lord's Prayer" is in today's world. It is said to be the
first verse made by the Mileseans as they arrived in Ireland (circa 1000
BC). This is also an incantation by a mighty Druid and is a good
illustration of the act of "Becoming". Amergin is using the Magickal Law
of Identification that is given by Isaac Bonewits in his book "Real
Magick":
"The Law of Identification ...states that by maximum association between
your metapattern and that of another entity, you can actually "become"
that entity and wield its power."
Bonewits is a Neo Druid and the founder of the group A'r nDrai'ocht
Fe'in (ADF for short though it really means "Our Druidic Magick" in
Gaeilge). This act of "Becoming" is one that is not lightly undertaken.
The danger exists of being trapped within the other entity (whether
natural, human or spiritual). I suggest you not actually try this sort
of thing until you know your True Will (exactly who you really are
without self delusion). This was also true of the Greek and the
Egyptian Mysteries. Their first and major requirement was "Gnothi se
auton", literally "Know thyself"! The ability to control and return to
one's being is linked directly to one's knowledge of Self. Sometimes
this process goes the otherway as well, as when a Wiccan "Draws Down the
Moon". The threefold Goddess actually Manifests within the High
Priestess (HPS) in such a ceremony. She who has no Name is benevolent,
usually, so that this possession results in the HPS afterwards being
returned to control of her own body. "Becoming" is a two way street and
a matter of "Will".
Now that we know a little about the act of "Becoming", I think you can
appreciate just how great a Druid that Amergin was....he "became"
multiple entities at the same time in his Invocation of the Mystery. He
controlled all of these elemental powers and made them his own. This act
of Power allowed the Mileseans to land upon Eireann though they were
opposed by the Magicks of the Tuatha de Danaan. He also lived to do
other Magicks (though I must say that his invocation of Ireland is
rumored to have caused him to marry and join the de Danaan within the
spirit world of the Sidhe). We must remember that Amergin was a Druid
and so had studied his arts intensivly for anywhere from 12 to 20 years
as a minimum. He was able to return to hinself after such Magical
Working because he knew his True Self and Will. This strong connection
is the Way of Return for us all. I urge that you all exercise due
caution when "Becoming". Know yourself first.
Another saying worthy of note while discussing the act of "Becoming" is
a common saying of the ancient world that I quote from Doreen Valiente's
book "Natural Magic": "Ten measures of magic were given to the world.
Egypt took nine. The rest took one."
I include this saying here to establish one other connection....that of
the Druids to the Egyptians. The lineage of Amergin and the Gaels
includes his mother Scota (daughter of the Egyptian Pharoh) as well as
Mile and Niall "of the Languages" a Scythian prince from Syria. No small
wonder then that Pliny, a noted ancient scholar, says of the Druids in
his work "Natural History" that the Druids practiced Magick with such
elaborate ritual that it would almost appear that it was they "who had
3231
taught the Persians". These are none other than the Magi or "wise men"
from whom the word Magick is derived. Another ancient historian, Dio
Chrysostum groups the Druids together with the Persian, Hindu and
Egyptian priesthoods regarding their use of magical powers. While I'm
connecting Magical schools, I may as well say that Liber Al vel Legis
(The Book of the Law) is the channeled revelation of the Egyptian
dieties Nuit, Hadit and Ra-Hoor-Khuit (Otherwise known as Isis, Osiris
and Horus) Horus is two in one, Horus and Harpocrates or Set/Apophis).
We have already seen the use of these three godnames in the "Rite of
Three Rays" from a previous workshop. This was the intonation of the
sounds "IAO" used when invokiing the One Power. In Thelemic Magick the
Book of the Law is the basis for the revelation of a "New Aeon" or "New
Age". It was channeled in 1904 by Aleister Crowley 90 years ago this
month. "Do what thou wilt is the whole of the Law". "Love is the Law,
Love under Will". (caps are mine).
I have digressed quite a bit here but I think the time is well spent.
Celtic Magick is tied through the Druids to the Egyptians and the
Persians to a far older Magick arising out of Summeria and from there
beyond time. It is true and powerful Magick and I give the same caution
to you that I gave about herbs last workshop....think long and hard and
with great deliberation before undertaking this journey. Once the path
is taken, the journey must be completed.
Now I finally get to my first topic of the night! <G>:
"How to actually influence your surroundings"
The key to any act influencing the world around us is to be in tune and
in touch with it first. You must hear the tune before you can change the
music or even write your own song. I suggest a lot of meditation in
Nature. Find a spot that "speaks" to the Pagan within you. Be at Peace
and "feel" the pulse of Nature, the God and the Goddess. Once this
rapport has been established, one is ready to influence the surround-
ings. The Druids left us few writings concerning their spells and
Magicks. We must "rediscover" these Works by looking at the Magicks
that are done in the world today and by Using our "Druid filters" and
"Celtometers"!! <G> I have included examples of such "Natural Magics"
from my own experiences, the experiences of other Witches and Druids as
well as those that I found in the writings of Doreen Valiente, Bonewits
and Scott Cunningham.
"How to perform Weather Magick"
For weather Magickal examples I turned to our very own Thunder Being,
Shadow Hawk, shaman and wizard extraordinaire!<G> He obliged me with a
few examples:
The first example involves the control of weather fronts and rain.
Our favorite shaman uses the techniques of dancing and drumming to
attain a higher state. He invokes the Lightning beings and they join the
dance with him. By being so in tune with them he can ask that they do
his bidding. If he must act upon an existing weather front, he sends his
"power animal", Dragon into the clouds. Dragon is a manifestation of
this Shaman in the power planes. Dragon then interacts with the clouds
and controls the storms. When the work is done, he is recalled to his
shaman. The use of such a "power animal" or Magickal construct allows
the wise shaman to "become" one with the elements of the storm and
3232
influence them without "losing himself" in their wild natures. The
connection is retained with the Self (Shadow Hawk) back upon the ground
while the power animal (Dragon) works among the clouds. The use of such
Power has its price.... Shadow Hawk suffers sever headaches for three
days following these episodes.
The second example of how our Dark Shaman uses the weather for Magick is
in charging his Magickal tools: his sword, wand and athame. During a 200
MPH hurricane, he faced the Power of the storm, shouting out the
invocation of the Quarters, forming a Magickal Circle and calling the
storms Power into his sword, his wand and his athame. He also captured
the storm's rain in a cauldron for later magickal workings. Can't you
see him with the storm's winds lashing at his cloak? Sword upraised as
lightnings crash all around him, exploding in sparks and reflecting in
eerie blue lights off the steel of his blade and the aura of his
Magick!!! He has used these tools in many Powerful workings.
"How to call animals to you"
This is a matter of "becoming" the animal in your mind and "willing" it
to come to you. Actually the "Beastmaster" movie illustrated this
technique quite well. Most good hunters do this subconsciously and
naturally.
"How to improve your crops"
In this Working, invoke no other spirits than your own. Burn no fires
nor incenses. Carry four stones with you that have been blessed by you
in a previous ceremony. Set these stones to define the area that is to
be planted. Cast a Magickal Circle within this field. Sit upon the
ground and place both hands upon the earth at your sides. Feel the
earth, it's dampness, its fertility, its calm. Reflect upon your needs
and the crops you are about to plant. Next recite a suitable chant or
poem. I like this one:
"Go maith raibh agat, na mBande'.
Go maith raibh agat, na De'.
Go maith raibh agat, talamh me'ith.
Cuirim fad beannacht na greine thu.
Cuirim fad beannacht na gealai thu.
Cuirim fad beannacht mo chroi' thu.
Go me'adai Bhri'de do sto'r san
ba'isteach de earrach.
Go me'adai Danu do sto'r san
greine te de tsaamhradh.
Go me'adai Dagdha do sto'r
san gaoth ple'isiu'rtha fo'mhar."
As I sit and reflect upon the bounty that the Land has given me I give
back to the earth of my own personal Power. I remember the blessings it
has bestowed to me and my pleasure in its well being. After a suitable
amount of reflection and meditation, I arise to do my plowing and to
plant my seeds for another turn of the Wheel.
"How to influence the outcome of events"
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I try to create a feeling of Positive Magick within me. I banish all
negative thoughts. I surround myself with a glow of positive golden
energy. I tap the flows of the earth and the sky and "project" a
creative field all around me. I find that this works well in casinos and
just before having important meetings. It helps to strongly visualize
the outcome that is desired and to see the results occur and not the
actions that cause them. Let events sort themselves as they may. Let the
Magick work. Be patient and await the rewards.
"How to discover your past life"
Some people use tapes and hypnosis to do past life regressions. Perhaps
some of you have and can share those experiences with us tonight. I find
that what works best for me is to read about a time to understand the
events of that period and to set the stage for my Work. I then allow
myself to "daydream" and reflect about that time and to see myself
within it. What usually happens next is that no revelation comes to me
immediately. I maintain my focus over perhaps as long as three days
constantly checking to see if my "dream" search has produced any
results. When I least expect it, sudden revelation will show me a scene
from a past life and my part in it. It's like seeing a photograph from
an album for me.
"How to find your Inner Teacher or Self"
This is the start of all real Magick, finding your True Will. Many
techniques exist for doing this in a variety of books, everything from
"the 21 Lessons" to Donald Michael Kraig's "Modern Magic". I will relate
how it happened to me. I studied the works of Magick, Science and
Religions (as many as I could find). I sought for the Truth that was
external to me. I was a bulldog chasing down many paths and wrestling
with many concepts. The Truth eluded me, always constantly out of mu
grasp....the fox and the grapes. I was incredibly frustrated. One night
I gave it all up. As I lay in the Silence of my mind, I left all of the
mundane world behind and suddenly I was surrounded by Spirit in a place
not a place. It was not within me...I had ceased to exist I was the
student and the Spirit was the teacher. Since then, if I have need of an
answer, I create a sacred space for me to be silent and I await
enlightenment. I listen to my Inner Guide. Sometimes the lessons are
easy and othertimes I have to learn the hard way. (Frequently I get off
of My Path and am "guided back" with many "object" lessons kicking me in
the seat of the pants<G>)! I would be interested in hearing how anyone
else found their True Will. Mine search was long and hard and I still
stray in confusion at times!<G>
"How to summon 'Spirits'"
I will give an example of how to summon the Spirit of Merlin as found in
the book "The 21 Lessons of Merlin" by Douglas Monroe. Before we begin
there is a chant we must learn in old Welsh:
"Bedd Ann ap lleian ymnewais fynydd
lluagor llew Ymrais
Prif ddewin Merddin Embrais."
the meaning:
"The grave of the nun's son on
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Newais Mountain:
Lord of Battle, Llew Embrais,
Chief Magician, Myrddin Emrys."
the pronunciation:
"BETH AHN ahp T-Lay'in, eem-NEW-ais
FEEN-ith
T-loo-AH-gor T-loo EEM-rais
Preeve DEW-in MEER-thin EHM-rihs."
I find that using an unusual language in a chant helps me to free myself
from the chains of the mundane and allows me to focus upon the Working.
After memorizing the above chant one must search for a suitable
site....a grave yard or burial ground that is isolated from prying eyes
and situated upon a hill. This sounds hard but is not impossible to do.
I know of such a place where my great, great grandfather and grandmother
are buried upon a hill beneath a copse of trees in a farmers fields.
Many such spots exist... though work can find them (and hopefully also
permission to use them).
Pick a suitable night for the ritual, Samhain being the absolute best
night. Gather nine pumpkins that are carved with faces (though candle
holders will do...just not as spooky). Set the circle up the day before
the ritual as you don't want any distractions from your Work. Arrange
the pumpkins with candles around you in a circle (about arms width) with
the faces looking outward. Always light the candles from within the
circle. Pick a suitably soulful dirge (for meditation and mood setting)
from your favorite songbook (Monroe suggests his but you know what you
like better). Sing this song as you meditate and reflect upon the
Working. Place an iron cauldron within the circle upon a bed of coals.
Into this cauldron place a mixture of an herb, a flower and a tree
(Monroe suggests using 1 part wormwood, 2 parts Ghostflower (Datura) and
3 parts Yew (juniper or cypress) as an incense mixture. (Store bought
incenses work just as well and can be burned in an incense burner
instead of a cauldron). Start the entire ritual at 30 minutes before
Midnight. At precisely Midnight throw additional incense on the coals
and recite the above invocation nine times without stopping. "Become"
one with the chant! See into the Darkness! Expect the coming of Myrddin
Emrys! Sit quietly and await the coming of the shade of Merlin! You may
ask for the answers to three questions. Release the shade by extinguish-
ing the fire and incense completely, then extinguish the 9 circling
fires of the pumpkin heads. You can now pack up and leave. The key to
successfully working this Magick is setting the mood, performing the
meditations and reflections and reciting the invocation properly. The
ritual can be adapted to allow you to invoke other Spirits as well to
equal effect.
The ancient Gaels would do similar rituals to communicate with the dead.
They would usually lay and sleep upon the grave of the person to be
summoned while fasting, until the shade appeared. This process was not
lightly undertaken by them, as the dead could be quite dangerous to the
living, wanting to regain the pleasures of the flesh (hence the need for
the Magickal Circle of pumpkins and light). In a previous workshop I
told how the Ta'in Bo' Cuailnge was recovered by a young Druid sleeping
upon the grave of Feargus Mac Rioch. I'd like to caution you all once
more to do these rituals only when in dire need. That's why it's
important to do two things...
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1. Always work within a Circle.
2. Have someone there that can aid you if things
get out of hand. This means severingthe
connection and banishing the entity.
This is also why it's so important to know your True Will. When you have
that anchor you can come back from anywhere. I know... because I have
done it. It's like climbing a hill though...
(2-28,cherokee) Rhianna, I think as od said it's important to
remember that you are working with very powerful energies. You must be
pure and centered before doing the work. The indians believe it is not
possible for an animal to take over a human because the animals are here
as guides who keep us close to our source.
Celtic Workshop #11 - "Walking between the Worlds" and "Journeys on the
Wheel"
We met on Tuesday evening because the online Bealtaine Ritual was on
Monday. The topics of discussion were Out of Body Experiences (OOBE),
Astral Travel and Inner Journeys. An example of a "pathworking" on
Fionn's Wheel was given.
Tonight's workshop discusses Astral Travel and Inner Journeying.
Tonight's topics are:
Out of Body Experiences
Astral Travel
Example Inner Journey on Fionn's Wheel
Tonight we talk briefly about the subject of Out of Body Experiences
(OOBE). Thisexperience is the means by which one can effect or achieve
Magick. It is central to the methods behind the Magickal Law: "As Above,
So Below". A complete workshop will be offered here soon by another, so
I touch briefly on these techniques tonight.
Three excellent books on these subjects are:
Astral Projection by Denning and
Phillips.
Journeys Out of the Body by
Robert A. Monroe.
Traveling With Power by Ken
Eagle Feather.
I will present the results of an Inner Journey later, using Fionn's
Wheel as a guide to the Astral Archtypes within each of us.
The basic techniques of OOBE are these: "disassociation" and "release".
Another word for "disassociation" is "meditating". Meditating allows us
to break free from the conditioning forced upon our thoughts by the ever
so mundane, so-called "normal" world. It places our mind into a rhythm
that allows it to "vibrate" in resonance to other realities (some might
say other dimensions or even other worlds). I achieve this state by
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going through a process of literally forcing myself to "relax". I relax
my extremities first, then my legs, arms, trunk, head, breathing, heart
and lastly, my mind. The body is calmed by physically lifting, then
releasing a body part and "feeling" the waves of relaxation flow inward
and up the body. This is done in succession until only the mind is
active.
Once totally within the mind, relaxation of thought must occur. I
achieve mental quietness by visualizing a totally "Black" void into
which all thoughts, feelings and flickers of thoughts and feelings are
fed. This process continues until all is "black". I float before a sea
of Darkness. I see nothing, I feel nothing , I am nothing. Once this
state is achieved, one may proceed to "travel" or have an OOBE.
"Leaving the Body"
To leave the body requires an additional two steps: an increase in the
vibratory rate of the Spirit and a "pushing" out of the body. I am lucky
that I seem to have discovered these techniques while experimenting on
my own. The proper level of Spiritual vibration or "ecstasy" is achieved
by further relaxation and through belief or "Will". I totally believe
that my Spirit can leave my body and do anything. This focused and
concentrated belief through Will is the essense of all Magick. It is
absolutely necessary to achieve results. Some might call this process
"faith". It is the stuffby which mountains are moved and with which
entire worlds and even universes are created. It is also the basis of
Love and it is through Love that most of us discover the Power that we
all have to create and perform Magick.
Everyone from Ahura Mazda to Jesus to Crowley says the same thing about
this process. Love is Power. It is the fundamental requirement for
creative Work. Let us soar upon the wings of eagles and fly on the wings
of doves into the Astral. I "key" the process of leaving my body to
seeing in every direction at the same time. This is impossible for me to
visualize or to consider in my "normal" existence while contained within
the physical shell of my skull and the confines of my body.
The "Darkness" I have achieved by relaxation of the mind is seen as a
balloon. I see only one side of it. As my Magick squeezes this balloon,
it expands toward me and through me until I am surrounded by the
Darkness. While this process of transformation and metamorphesis occurs,
I maintain constant contact with all aspects of the Darkness that I
encounter when the passage is complete, I see the inside and the outside
of the Dark Bubble. I see in two directions! This is one step. I take
as many steps as are necessary, piling belief upon work and work upon
belief until no direction is unseen. I see myself from without and
myself from within. I float and I create. I "travel" and I do anything
I can conceive. My existence is a "waking dream". I am the master of
Reality. I am a new creation! This is the essence of OOBE. Where one
goes from here is for a more advanced workshop. I trust the New Age
forum OOBE Workshop will be just such an experience for all of us. I
plan to be a part of it and I trust you will all join me there.
"A Journey Through the Veil at Bealtaine"
In the spirit of this Bealtaine season and to Honor the Mother of Summer
and the Lord of the Greenwood, I took out a copy of Fionn's Wheel to use
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as a focus for my reflections and musings. I found a quiet spot with no
distractions and I gazed upon the Magickal Oghams of the Wheel. I sought
guidance about the world around us and clarity as to my purpose. As I
gazed upon the symbols, a mist began to form and I slowly began to
journey. The veil between the worlds is thinnest on the spindle of the
Wheel this night. What follows is the story of my journey upon the
pathways of the Wheel: (A voice within my mind spoke to me.)
"Tonight is a night of Magick. Come with me into the rath ..enter the
home of the Sidhe. Let us walk the moonways and take the path of the
journey within:"
"The Mists of Draiocht"
<The mists arise in the meadow and gather in whorls and spirals. The air
is filled with mystery. A strange call sounds...
can you hear it?...shivers and silvers..
bells?... or ... harp strings and laughter?
We are called...called are we....called...
we must go....we must go...we must go...
Wrapped in wraiths of shimmering silver..
flowing, ever flowing from without..
time is not here...reality dissolves...
consciousness journeys within.
Into the night i must go...on spirit wings,
leaving this world behind!! I must go!
Billowing fog and music calls to me!
I have no legs...the mist rises! ...
I ride the waves...no arms..none! The
Power flows within always within.....
within...always......always..........
within......I float I float I float..
Only me in the silence and the drums...
Only me...the spirit me survives!
And my heart lives on in echoes! It
calls to me across the void as I journey.
Hear the beat of my heart's drum...hear
the beat of life's blood...my thoughts
are a rhythm...a drumming, a rhythm of
life and thought across the shimmering
moonways....come within .....within..
Feel the energy in waves as it comes
...in waves and we float..we float as
the waves...the waves...the waves...
come to us ..... we are...not
we are not...we are not..we are not! Not!
It comes!! The darkness comes!
Darkness.
"The Point of Light"
One point of light...one point of life!!
Only that ...only that...and the drum...
the drum as we journey...mists of silver...
we are mist and we float to the light..
the Silver wheel turns on mists of...
mists of...silver and light...a moth...
drawn...the light beckons..to the wheel...
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swirling in light and darkness....how
can this be? Where can we be? How?
How? The Wheel turns and we turn as
we spiral....spirals of life within...
within....no drumming...the silence is
all...Nothing and ALL!! We are!!
Nothing.
The journey begins:
"The Hallway of Music"
(Who is it that speaks?)
"Come to me my children...come within!
It is time... your time..our time...all
of time...and no time...We are here!
We are! We rejoice!
Rejoice!!"
"Let us laugh and play the old songs!!
Let us sing and discover!! Dance the
dance and travel!"
<Arms surround me and sweep me across
a floor that was not there a moment
ago. Laughter fills the air. I am happy.
I smile with lips I do not have. I am
me but I am theirs as well!>
(How can this be?)
The colors are every color!! Multicolored
hues and rays abound!! They are many and
they are one !!! They are one and they are
many! The colors! The colors are all one!
The signs of mystery...abound...the Mystery
is in the signs ... The signs of Mystery!
All is Pefect ...all is Beauty...and...
I choose the first sign. ...."Huath"
<The flames engulf me!! I burn and I
am gone!! Into the Dark!! and the Light
beckons...Death and Life!! ....Love and
Sex!! I am steel!! I am a sword!!!
Goibhnui hammers upon his forge!! I was
steel and now I am a sword!! I am a tool!!
I am a use!! Knowledge is upon me!! Waves of
sex lap upon the shores of death!! I am the
Crane walking the waters edge. I am Life
and Death .... endlessly ... endlessly ...
until the Beginning. I must be shaped and
molded. I must burn the impurities! I must
sacrifice them to the Holy Fires! Purity!
Into the Twin Fires!!! Flames of Purity!!>
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Purity!
<I have been remade!>
"The Endless Sea"
<The fires are gone!! The world is a Sea!
Deep Waters! Holy Waters! Healing Waters!
Awash in cooling , soothing waters
of forgetting and solitude...I am not here.
I am a wave upon a sea of stillness....
I am the reflection of the moon in
pathways of silver!! I am an endless sea.
A sea that flows around a Great Tree....
A Shining Tree of Light! A Tree within
the Light...a Tree that has been and
is always. It is the way!! It is a doorway!
A doorway to purpose!! A purpose that endures!!
Enduring for all time!! A White Tree of many
branches...many branches of life! Each branch a
gathering of silver ... silver leaves in the
moonlight. Moonlight and songs of Magick!
The music begins!!! The music of the
leaves sing to me! Each note...a lifetime
of purpose...attempted and tried....
gained and lost....melodies of song...
life's song....the call of the wren...
each small note builds with the others!!
a symphony of souls...a multitude....
all the same...It is I!! They are me!!
I am them!!! I lust and I long for me!!
All of me....The sound gathers and the
music swells!! It is the call!! The call
is made and we/I/us/they/I gather to BE!>
The doorway is open yet the door itself
is closed! Pass within with me:
"The Oaken Door of the Greenwood"
<I pass through the Oaken timbers of the
door itself! I step into a vast room...
the Great Hall of the God...the Grove!!
It is the Green Man...It is He!!
The forest is alive and sings the song!
He sits in Giagantic Majesty...humanlike
in shape upon a living throne of evergreen
and Holly!! His flaming eyes gaze upon a
burning bush!!>
(Hear the words of the God:)
"Come sit at my fire!!! Look within and
SEE!! SEE!! SEE yourselves!!! See them all!
Your lives and your deaths!! See your travels!
See your loves!!! I am HE! I am Lord of the
Greenwood!! I am life reborn from the womb
of the Mother. and You are a seed...you are
a forest!! You are remade!! Be One!! Be
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a part of the All!! Live with me and my
children!! We are life...your life and
the forest...all souls in the green song.
We are verdent...green upon green...
upon green... Let us wed the Bride and be
ONE as we are always...you and I! We wed
the Land!!"
<I am a vine of flowers blooming upon
a canvas of green...painted against
a sky filled with grey...green birds
all flocking together...as one bird...
a giant creature of the Air... and I
soar through the beams and boughs of
the Holly King's Hall and into the Sky!>
Join me upon the wings of Air:
"The Flight of the Starling"
A lush green earth spreads in fields
below me as I soar upon the winds.
I journey through and above a garden.
Many blooms...many flowers...many scents.
The air is filled with sounds and scent
and I see Forever across the World of
the Living even unto the Hill in the
Center. The Center of all things. A great
stone temple arises within a grove of hazel
and is framed against a golden light. White
and grey stones surround a crystal well
that sparkles within the mote of the always
seeing eye! The Crystal Light shines forth!
It guides me to the spring!! The Waters
of Life!! The Wellspring of Knowledge!!
Crystal twinkles of light play music upon
my mind's eye and cascade in fountains of joy!
The Song of the Ages of Man and Woman ....
so Many and so Right...the temple is filled
by the Song and the Dance ...step and sing!
Brothers and Sisters! Are we all here? What
is this place? Am I here? Are you here?
We are within... I am AWARE.
"The Fountain and the Field"
<I approach the fountain within the temple.
The roof is open to the sky and many birds
can be seen...yet only two are with me..
and they stand within the waters. One is the
white Crane from the Dead Sea.. I am speared
upon the point of his eye. I am pierced!!
I am lifted to a ledge of stone that surrounds
the inner temple...Here ther are many artifacts.
The spoils of war...the fruits of labor...the
ancient Magicks and Alchemies!! Tools of
Magick!! Tools !!! >
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"Choose wisely....do not waste this spin upon
the spindle of life!! Now is the time of
change!! One choice only can you have!! Choose
wisely.... or be gone!"
<A rounded shield fashioned from hazelwood ....
gilded and bronzed with a covering of symbols
catches my eye...and I choose...wisely...
wisely...wisely I trust!!! Guide me!! I cry
out....Guide me my Guide!!! Aid me now!!>
This is the answer that appeared:
"The Fruit of the Tree"
<A small voice croons to me..the voice of the
querc....small and brown ...common....yet..
It is Beautiful!! and it sits in a tree of White.
White Blossoms above the Eternal Fountain.
Perfect Beauty and Promise!! I approach the
querc and the Tree.>
I ask,"What is this Tree that grows within
this Sacred Place oh small brown one? What
is this Tree and why am I here? Guide me!
Let your Spirit show me the way!"
<The bird hops along a branch to where a
fruit of greens and pinks swells forth in
its ripeness.>
"Take...eat...SEE...and know life!!!Here
are the five points of Eternity!!! Here
are the seeds of Life itself!! Eat only
if you are wise! Live only if you are pure!
Endure only if you are strong and return
to choose wisely once again!! Now is the
time of the Five Pointed Star!! You must
become a Star child and grow!!! Be a
Point of Light in the Darkness!! Be the
Darkness and the Light!"
<I reach up and take the fruit. I split
it into two halves...one more pink than
green ... the other more green than
pink. Within are the star shaped seed
chambers of life. The Star is born!!!
I bite into the Quert, the fruit of Life!!
I am BECOME!>
The World Beckoned to me once more:
"The Light in the Darkness"
The point of light recedes rapidly into
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the night, a shooting star across the skies.
I am alone once more looking at the wheel,
wondering about myself...Who am I? What
does this mean? What awaits me? What awaits
us all? We are alone and the Wheel turns.
Once more I gaze upon Fionn's wheel...
and know my journeys continue....It's
knowledge is my shield. I am a sword and
the fires of summer beckon to us all.
Such is the nature of an Inner Journey. I continue to see this journey
and to reflect upon its meanings to me and to who I am. I recommend that
each of you also undertake such journeys for yourselves. Go within to
your Inner Guide and travel the Wheel. Journey the pathways of Fionn to
Wisdom and Knowledge. Beannacht libh! That was my experience in an
Inner Journey.
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Celtic Workshop #12 - The "Outer Darkness", the "Dragon's Eye" and the
"Many Speckled Rainment"
This Workshop was presented and hosted by Searles O'Dubhain. We covered
the basis of Druid Magick or Drai'ocht. We discussed the "Dragon" or
"Serpent" Power that is inherit in the Land. We touched on the many
different areas of knowledge and discipline necessary to be a Druid. We
also discussed the Mysteries of "Death" and "Rebirth". Some preliminary
socializing soon gave way to the formal presentation and discussion:
Here is what I hope to cover tonight:
The Road to the Grove.
The Druidic concepts of Being.
The use of the Power of the Land
in the Rite of the "Dragon's Eye".
The "ley lines" and the "death roads".
The attainment of Druidic enlightenment
(Initiation to the Inner Mysteries)
Authority and the "Many Speckled Rainment"
"The Road to the Grove"
There are many paths to Magick though only One True Magick IMHO. The
Grove is a home to this Power as is the Circle and the Temple. How do we
attain the Power to do Magick for ourselves and for all of humanity? Let
us look to see what the Pathways were for others.
"The Ancient Druidic Orders"
I have discussed the Ancient orders or levels of Druids in a previous
workshop. I include them here for the sake of our current discussion.
Druidic Bards studied for 15 to 20 years to learn the epics, chants,
spells and histories of their peoples and clans. These works were
memorized exactly and were a requirement for advancement to a higher or
inner level of the Druidic ranks. The works had to be rendered with
feeling so that the listener would be spell bound and consequently could
relive the event. The Irish Druids had the following classes of Bards:
Class # of Epics
__________________________________________
Driseg 20 (the Beginner)
Foclaic 30 (Advanced beginner)
Cili 100 (Journeyman)
Anraid 175 (Master/Warrior)
Ollomh 175+ (Doctor/Judge)
It is to be expected that the lawyers, seers, scientists, judges, and
clergy of the Draoi underwent similarly lengthy training periods.
"The Cloak of Many Colors"
In the Christian Bible, Joseph was awarded a cloak of many colors by his
father because he was beloved among all of his brothers. Due to the
jealousy and greed of his brothers, Joseph was also sold into slavery in
Egypt and suffered a "death" to his old way of life. Because he was
open to wisdom and could perceive the meanings within signs and dreams,
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he became the chief counselor to the Pharaoh and rose above his death to
"new life". Just as the history of the Gaels is tied to Egypt, so the
rites of Druids are tied to this idea of "many colors" and rebirth.
Please recall that the Mileseans descend from the Pharaohs of Egypt and
that their Druids were said to be better Magi than the Persians. To be
as good a Druid as Joseph, one must learn the art of interpreting
dreams, divination and eloquence. This is a mighty job and worthy of us
all!
"My Own Personal Paths"
When I embarked upon the quest for my roots and for the nature of
Drai'ocht, I was immediately impressed by two things:
1. The Druids were acute and patient observers
of Nature.
2. The Druids were the scholars and scientists
of their day.
Using these two ideas, I created a color-coded series of educational
levels for myself in my quest into the secrets of the Draoi.
I believe there are five areas of knowledge in the Mysteries:
Knowledge of Self,
Knowledge of the World,
Knowledge of the Spirit,
Knowledge of Magick,
Knowledge of the ONE.
The entire process of learning and growing never stops. As a minimum I
have required myself to know the following:
Knowledge of Self (The Blue Level)
__________________________________________
The Student must be able to meditate until he/she can know their inner
voice. The Student must know truth and abstain from lying. The Student
must be able to love and be loved. The Student must know the limits of
self. The Student must identify their Sexuallity. The Student must
know their life goals. The Student must know their bodies and how to
maximize and maintain their health.
Knowledge of the World (The Green Level)
__________________________________________
The Student must know the physical world. The Student must know how the
laws of Nature work. The Student must be Holistic with Creation. The
Student must be able to shape the forces of Physics and Chemistry. The
Student must know the ways of Botany and Zoology. The Student must
study animals, plants, insects, birds,fish,trees and rocks. The Student
must hear the voice of the Waters and the Winds. The Student must SEE
within the Fires, The Student must be connected with the Earth. The
Student must know the history of civilization. The Student must know
the laws of man. The Student must learn Music. The Student must learn
Poetry and Writing.
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The Knowledge of the Spirit (The Yellow Level)
______________________________________________
The Student must know the Spirit within. The Student must study the
Religions of Humanity. The Student must make a Spiritual Journey. The
Student must leave the body and walk the Moon Ways. (OOBE) The Student
must see the origins and travels of the Spirit within. (PAST LIFE
REGRESSION) The Student must Know the Spirit in Music, Colors, Symbols
and Life. The Student must hear the Akasha.
The Knowledge of Magick (The Orange Level)
__________________________________________
The Student must read the Great Works (Cayce, Crowley, Enoch, Fortune,
Hermes, Jung, Ogham, Pythagorus, Qabalah, Science, Solomon, Thelema,
etc.) The Student must learn to "See." The Student must learn to
"Divine". The Student must learn to "Shield." The student shall learn
to "Speak." The student shall learn to "Heal." The student shall learn
to "Travel."
The Knowledge of the ONE (The Red Level)
__________________________________________
The Student must create and lead a Ritual. The Student must focus the
three Powers (Earth, Self, ONE). The Student must perform the Great
Rite. The Student must change Reality. The Student must perform the
rite of "Making." The Student must be reborn and become ONE.
After passing through all levels successfully, the Student then becomes
the Teacher and can wear the White, Multi-speckled or the Dark Robes of
their choice. This is my path to Drai'ocht. You alone can choose the
proper path to your Inner Light of Whiteness or Darkness. All colors are
one color. All Drai'ocht is ONE DRAI'OCHT!
"The Druidic concepts of Being"
-------------------------------
I would like to quickly touch on some Druidic concepts about states of
being. These states of being correspond to the previous cosmology that
we discussed in workshop 5. (Time does not permit me to make a complete
discussion of these topics tonight. I may add another workshop to cover
them more completely in the future.)
"Barddas and The Circles of Being"
----------------------------------
The Welsh Bardic work "Barddas" contains a description of the three
Circles of Being:
1. Abred or the Realm of Matter
(The physical world of form)
2. Gwynyd or the Realm of Blessedness
(The Magickal Astral world of Spirits)
3. Ceugant or the Realm of Infinities
(That which is the home of the
God/desses and the Blessed)
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These states of being are separated by three veils that must be passed:
1. Annwn or "Dark Forgetfulness"
(This is the gap or veil that must be passed to achieve birth and
rebirth in the Physical World.)
2. Cythraul or "the Ghost"
(This is the veil that must be passed to achieve enlightenment.)
3. Lyonesse or "the Isle of the Blest"
(This is the final veil that is passed when one has achieved
complete enlightenment and complete growth.)
"Awen" or "illumination" is like a lightning bolt that can come to us
across these veils and bring us knowledge and understanding.
The key to our Power and true wills is how well we are able to pass
between these states of being. I will discuss some of these techniques
next.
"Circles of Thought" or, "The Cyclatron of the Soul"
One of the marvels of modern science is the atom smasher or particle
accelerator. Another name for these powerful devices is a "cyclatron".
This is basically a phased arrray of electromagnetic devices that take
charged particles and accelerate them to tremendous speeds around a
circular field until they approximate the speed of light or at least
they approach relativistic velocities. The particles are then smashed
into a target and the history of the mutual destruction is observed and
recorded so that humanity may unlock the secrets of the Gods. I trust
that most of us here tonight have experienced this acceleration effect
within the vortex of our thoughts and Spirits. We strive mightily to
increase the relativistic mass of our thoughts so that we may observe
their behavor as they approach God-like reality in their manifestions.
Whirr and strive as we might, we are doomed to the universal restraints
of our own humanity in much the same manner as nuclear physicists are
limited by the unvirsal limits of "C" or light speeds (warp Factor 1,
Mr. Sulu!<G>). Such are the limits of thinking.
"The Salmon Leap and the Shaman's Death"
I have gone through the process of questing for ultimate meaning in life
many times. Most of this effort has been exhausting as well as futile.
Only through extraordinary efforts have I actually attained results.
These results came about through quantum leaps of the mind and spirit
across the "void". Since the salmon is the totem of knowledge, I call
this leap the "Salmon Leap". It is very approprite to name it thus since
the "void" is actually "death" and the salmon "leap" up the streams of
it's birth to spawn new life from it's own death struggle. The ancients
also refered to mighty feats as a "Salmon Leap". We must experience the
"Shaman's Death" in order to attain our new life and knowledge. The
"Salmon Leap" brings us to a New Reality and altered state of Being.
Included in the initiation rites to all of the Great Mystery Schools was
just such a rite of Death and Rebirth. Anyone care to reveal their
secrets now?<G> OTO'ers? GD'ers? Druids? Wiccans? AMORC? Freemasons?
Templars? Illumatti? Assassins? Channellers? Others? The floor is now
open. Let's hear the words of Life and the words of Death. Josey Wales
faces Ten Bears in the moment of Truth. The gauge is cast...the
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challenge is issued. The floor is open to all comers!
"Enlightenment"
Coming through the "dark night of the soul" or the "Shaman's Death"
purifies and releases us so that we can experience illumination and
enlightenment. Our "darkness' and ignorance are burned away in the
flames of the Phoenix as we are reborn into the Light! Such a wonder!
The Akasha and all knowledge are there to be received! Our training and
our quest are rewarded. We are a new creation!
"The Dragon's Eye"
The "Dragon's Eye" is another word for Earth Magick or the Power
inherent to the Land that is at the root of the Celtic Soul. This is the
power of Excalibur or Caliborn, the sword of Arthur. It is the "Dragon's
Breath" that Merlin works with to create a Magickal Mist while using the
charm of "Making". We have already seen the "Eye of the Dragon" in a
previous workshop ritual. I would like to now open the floor for a
further discussion by everyone here as to how we sense this Power in the
Land and particularly how we sense it at many sacred sites such as
"Stone Circles", Raths, Menhirs, Hills, "Ley Lines", "Stonehenge",
"Avebury" or any other site of your experience. The floor is now open
for Magickal discussion!
Anyone else have a good story for how they've sensed the Power of the
Land? How it just is laying there waiting for the call?
(2-10,Freepowder) Some time, when you can be alone for a while..
climb up into the moutains, my mountains are the Sierras get up high,
above treeline, and sit there, find a rock... where the wind blows all
the time and just sit. it may take a while maybe an hour, maybe a day...
but you will feel it.. strength more than power, but power just the same
coming up form the rocks... singing in the wind... when you have got it
right.. the animals will come you may not see them, the conys and the
birds but you will feel them too if you are lucky. they will talk to
you not in words but in thoughts. if you are ready your totem will make
itself known I have found that no great preparation is neccesary but for
an open heart and mind it happens for me everytime I go there which is
not nearly often enough oh! don't do this in a lightning storm <G>
(2-8,O'Dubhain) Beautiful Freepowder! A hymn to the Mother!
We can all sing the song of the Health of the Earth! She is beautiful
still in some places and will be again in others as we....and I do mean
we.... all get together to release the Power of the Dragon! THAT has
been safeguarded for us by our ancient Shamans within the Earth. I sense
that the keys for this Work are soon to be given to us all once more.
(2-15,Nan) Well, I can think of many times that I've felt
the Power of the Land but I'll offer just a simple recent example:
Last week I gave my ankle a nasty sprain, I knew that one thing it
needed for healing was to walk barefoot on the land, so that's what I
did <g> in general I find that going barefoot on almost any ground
allows me to feel the power of the land......I don't do it long in the
snow though <g>.
(2-8,O'Dubhain) I'll bet!!!<G> Many of the ancient sacred sites
are no longer in active use. I think that the day is rapidly approaching
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where the Land will call us to Work Magicks at such sites. We will
re-establish the "ley lines" of Power that are now just echoes of their
past. These lines and sites require a Human/Dragon magickal connection
to re-Power the grids that exist all across this planet. Many events
occur today that point to this Work.
(2-15,Nan) I just wanted to comment that a few years ago I
visited a more obscure stone circle and noticed by items left behind
that it had been recently used..... so not *all* the ancient sites are
inactive and I'm glad!
(2-8,O'Dubhain) That's true! I believe Shadow Hawk told about
feeling serpent lines of Power beneath Avebury's Circles during a visit
there as well, though Stonehenge seemed inert. He told me recently that
he sensed that it could come "alive" again for the right combination of
persons working there. If that happened, it would have to be tended on
a regular basis. Too much of the Dragon sleeps at that site. Myrdin
Emyrs sleeps nearby himself! Anyone else have a "Dragon" sense?
(2-17,cherokee/wwc1) Many of the american indians have the same
legends only we call it the serpent my great grandmother taught me to go
out at night and to feel the serpent move beneath my feet and to listen
to the song it made in the wind. We believe the time for the serpent to
rise is here [it is in the] spirit of the people and the land. I have
been a healer in my past lives we used the crystals to awaken the
serpent when it was time. That time is soon and I feel the serpent
singing to me.
(2-8,O'Dubhain) Thank you My Princess!<G> Some legends say that
crystals were used at Stonehenge as well. They were placed upon the tops
of the lentils there to provide a Power connection. Perhaps the crystal
skulls will provide an answer. I hope to see one in Miami next month.
(2-15,Nan) All this talk of serpents reminded me of
Australia, where the Aborigines have the story of the rainbow serpent (I
think it may be part of a creation myth) there they call the ley lines
songlines. Bruce Chatwin wrote a wonderful book by that name that covers
a lot about the Aborginal beliefs
(2-8,O'Dubhain) I want to check into that some more. Isn't it
also amazing that everyone connects the serpent to wisdom ....even the
Christians do it!<G> Though I must say they try to make out like it was
a bad thing to get smart!<G>
(2-17,cherokee/wwc1) All peoples have stories of serpents many of
them have head cult legends where the skulls were used as resonators to
focus energy and to sing to the serpent to wake it up the aborigines
believe this as did the mayans and the cherokees and other native
peoples
(2-17,cherokee/wwc1) ga
(2-8,O'Dubhain) Thanks!! ok Trailstalker M'lady ga!
(2-1,Trailstalker) Sorry... I'm coming in late on the conversa-
tion...
are we talking about snake/kundalini power?
ga
(2-8,O'Dubhain) we are talking about the power in the Land
ga
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(2-1,Trailstalker) ok I just needed a ref. pt. for the conversa-
tion.
(2-1,Trailstalker) ga
(2-8,O'Dubhain) ok Freepowder ga
(2-10,Freepowder) The serpents are everywhere, but watch out! some
of
them are snakes <G> couldn't resist, sorry <VBG>
"The Many Speckled Rainment" "The Song of Amergin"
This translation by Dr. Douglas Hyde from his work "Literary History of
Ireland" was as well known to the Druids as the "Lord's Prayer" is to
todays priests. It is a perfect example of the many different Magickal
skills used by the Druids. It is one of my personal favorites as
well!<G> I would like to use it to discuss the "many-speckled" rainbow
of Drai'ocht! Once again I give you the words of the Bard:
The Mystery
I am the wind which breathes upon the sea.
I am the wave of the ocean.
I am the murmur of the billows.
I am the ox of the seven combats.
I am the vulture upon the
I am a beam of the Sun.
I am the fairest of plants.
I am a wild boar in valour.
I am a salmon in the water.
I am a lake in the plain.
I am a word of science.
I am a point of the lance in battle.
I am the God who created in the head the fire.
Who is it who throws light into the meeting
on the mountain?
Who announces the ages of the Moon?
Who teaches the place where couches the Sun?
(If not I)"
Let's just go down the line and list the Druidic attributes used in this
one spell by lines and in order (I also assigned colors to each
attribute):
Attribute Color
_________________________________________
The Powers of: Wind, (Red)
Sea, (Grey)
Fire. (White)
Persistence. (all)
Death in battle. (Black)
The Power of the Sun. (Golden)
The Power of the Green World. (Green)
Courage in extremis. (Red)
Infinite Knowledge. (Yellow)
The resting place of the soul. (Purple)
The Knowledge of Science. (Yellow)
Focus through Discipline. (White)
The Gift of Awen. (Orange)
*Drai'ocht*. (White)
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I could write an entire page on each of these attributes but not
tonight!<G> "Fire in the Head" is the name of an excellent book by Tom
Cowan on the subject of Celtic Shamanism. "The 21 Lessons of Merlin" by
Douglas Monroe agrees with my assignments for most of the above colors.
A true Druid worn the Cloak of many Colors for festive occassions, White
or Black robes to conduct Magick and during ritual and a bull's hide
when in battle.
"Authority"
This the source or result of working with Magick for Druids. It is a
measure of their Power and the strength of their "True Wills". In the
"21 Lessons" Monroe states that the students of Drai'ocht were awarded
colored glass beads (called Gleini na Droedh) that were strung on
leather cords for necklaces. These multicolored necklaces were kept
secret by each Druid and produced only to demonstrate their Authority to
other Druids. Magick knowledge, discipline and practice determined the
level of Authority thus attained.
"Into the Light"
Fionn's Wheel can also be multicolored. I have made the one in the
library that way!<G> (Make it so Number One!<G>) Seriously, to become a
Master Druid, one must transcend the separation of colors and walk into
the Light. This involves knowing the many fold paths of the Wheel and
primarily the Inner Mystery of the relationship of Life and Death, White
and Black, Balance and Action, Being and Not being. The Initiations into
most of the Great Mysteries included this Dualism of Transcendancy. (An
excellent book on this topic is "The Great Initiates"by Edouard Schure,
translation by Gloria Rasberry.)
What does this mean?
What is this Initiation?
What is the Mystery?
What follows is what I envision COULD have happened during such an
initiation. Hear the words a modern day Druid might hear as he
achieves his full Knowledge:
<the Initiate will have been fasting and meditating within the total
darkness of a cave or a dark room for at least a night. Just before the
rising of the sun or the lighting of the fires he/she would hear a loud
female voice cry out!>
"I am Arianrhod, Queen of the Heavens! You who approach me must
now ask yourselves these questions:
How can you achieve the Inner Knowledge?
Where can you find the Signs that show you the Way?
Heed My Words!
I am Arianrhod, Queen of the Stars,
I am She of the Silver Wheel!
My crown spreads across the Vault of the Heavens!
Your dreams shall be filled with the Secret Ways of the Night!
It is I that will show you the Paths of Knowledge!
It is I that will fire your Spirit in sparkling crystals of
Wonder!
I am Arianrhod! Come to Me My children!
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Be filled with Expectancy for what is yet to come!"
<The chief Druid could follow these words with the following caution.>
"Hear the Words of the Ard Druis:"
"You who seek the Ways of Power must dare to approach the
Queen of the Stars!
You who seek the embrace of Wisdom must approach Her Presence
without fear!
You that seek for Love must first know your True Selves. What
is your Authority?
Are you truly Human? Speak now if you dare!"
<Then the Initiates should ask for entry to the Inner Mysteries.>
"Oh Arianrhod of the Silver Wheel!
Bless us in Your Mysteries!
Fill us with Your Spirit!
Let us place no limits upon Your exalted Being!
You are Infinite!
You are the Unknown! The Darkness!
Admit us into Thy arms!
Grant us Your Blessings!
Our speech is confounded!
Chaos is upon us!"
<Once again, the Ard Druis would charge the Initiates.>
"Now is the Great Re-awakening!
Now is the time of enlightenment!
Those who are untrue shall be cast out
into the depths!
Cleanse yourselves through trials of fire
and fasting! The way is long,
Only the strong shall attain Knowledge!"
<A flame or beam of sunlight should be produced to shine upon an open
doorway, admitting the Initiates into the Inner Sanctum.>
"Behold the Flaming Door!
Behold the Burning sword of Gorias!
Enter if you dare the halls of Lugh!!
Wear the many speckled cloak of Samildanach!"
"Hear the words of the Sun!"
<A male Druid dressed in Robes of Gold and bearing a torch should
address the Initiates.>
"I am Lugh Lamfadagh!!! I am Samildanach!
I am thy burning desire for Knowledge!
I am the Power that illumes the Heavens!
Life is my gift to you, even as your Death is the Mother of Life.
To know Me is to know yourself completely, even beyond Death!
Enter if you dare!
Approach the fires of Life!!!
Die and live again!"
"I, Lugh am the focus of the Power and you My Druid are its
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Manifestation!
Enter the Flaming Door!
Cead Mile Failte!
Maith an Drui!"
<At this point the Initiate should be robed in the multispeckled robe
and presented with a golden sickle and a staff fashioned from the wood
of the tree that is his "soul tone". Standing before the gathered
assembly,He should recite his geneology and the many achievements of his
necklace of Gleini na Droedh. The ceremony should then be completed by
the conducting of the Initiate's personal ritual (from his work on the
Red Level).>
Such is the end of a long journey.
An Fhi'rinne Roimh an Saol!
We must awaken the Dragon Power within us all!!
DRAI'OCHT LIVES AGAIN!
TA' ME' DRAI'OCHT!!
Celtic Workshop #13 - The "Charm of Making"
This Workshop was presented and hosted by Searles O'Dubhain. We covered
some concepts touching upon the beginings of all things. We also covered
how symbols are used to describe reality and Magick. We discussed the
necessity for *belief* in performing Magick. I led a discussion about a
ritual that was centered around the Charm of "Making". The arch[e]types
and the Quarters used in Celtic Magickal systems were also discussed.
Some preliminary socializing soon gave way to the formal presentation
and discussion:
Opening Remarks
Tonight I attempt to tie together the beliefs of the Celts in Cos-
mologies and Magick or Drai'ocht to what we know of the world and
reality through the study of modern science and more recent Magickal
systems and their resulting Cosmological models. It is my hope that all
of this discussion will clarify the history of the Celts and the
workings of the Druids. The highest form of Drai'ocht was the Charm of
"Making". This is the essence of creation by the use of the Will. It is
into the Cauldron of Primodial Creation that I plunge tonight as a
Midwife to Magick. Drai'ocht shall live again! The Dragon will once
again be reborn!
"Chaos"
In many mythologies and some philosophies, Chaos is the void that
existed in the begining of all things before even time existed and from
which all things have arisen.
"The notion that creation came from nothing (creatio ex nihilo) appears
in several accounts of creation. The biblical story of creation
contained in the Book of GENESIS begins with a formless, watery chaos
that God shapes into the ordered world. The hymn of creation from
India's epic Rig Veda (see VEDAS) describes the primordial situation as
one of neither existence nor nonexistence and further states that no
one, not even the gods, knows who produced the universe. In marked
contrast is an Egyptian myth attributing creation to the deity khepri.
In this myth Khepri states that when he came into being, being itself
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came into being; all other beings were then produced from his actions
and his body; but before him there was only nonbeing. Among the
Polynesians, creation myths emphasize the dimensions of void space and
the qualities of darkness as the primordial structures of creation. In
these myths, the initial state of darkness and void in which the deity
dwells is later transformed and the forms of the universe then emerge.
Creation is thus predicated on a void or a nothingness--a reality
totally different from any form or substance of the created order. In
addition, the deities who create from nothing or emerge from this void
are given a new and special kind of power; for though creators of the
world, they remain distinct from it in their originative form."
.......quoted from The Online Edition of GROLIER'S ACADEMIC AMERICAN
Encyclopedia, Copyright (c) 1993, Grolier Electronic Publishing.
Magick is the ability to cross the void of Chaos and to create order in
the universe that surrounds us. The primary way in which this creation
occurs is through the focus of our own Wills.
"The Void was without Form"
"Chaos theory, a modern development in mathematics and science, provides
a framework for understanding irregular or erratic fluctuations in
nature. Chaotic systems are found in many fields of science and
engineering. The study of their dynamics is an essential part of the
burgeoning science of complexity--the effort to understand the prin-
ciples of order that underlie the patterns of all real systems, from
ecosystems to social systems to the universe as a whole." ..quoted from
The Online Edition of GROLIER'S ACADEMIC AMERICAN Encyclopedia,
Copyright (c) 1993, Grolier Electronic Publishing.
The BIG BANG theory of the creation of the universe is widely accepted
by astronomers. "It holds that the universe began with the explosive
expansion of a single, extremely condensed state of matter. A further
development of this model, known as INFLATIONARY THEORY, describes the
original condensed matter as arising from virtually empty space. Whether
the universe will expand forever, slow to a halt, or contract again and
continue to oscillate indefinitely from one big bang to the next is the
subject of ongoing speculation....." Charles Long .......quoted from The
Online Edition of GROLIER'S ACADEMIC AMERICAN Encyclopedia, Copyright
(c) 1993, Grolier Electronic Publishing.
"Order"
Out of Nothingness was Reality formed. The diversity of Reality is due
to the two great forces of separation: projection and reception (the
male and the femine aspects of Power). From this duality of all things,
the rest of Creation is manifested. This manifestation can be described
and modeled in many ways. I have chosen to limit myself briefly to two
such descriptions during tonight's workshop. The first such model or
description is the science of "quantum mechanics". According to this
area of science, everything is composed of waves and the interaction
between wavefronts. With two primary and distinctly different sources of
waveforms, we get interference patterns. These lines of intersection
have their own "nature" and give rise to other "quantum effects" in
their own localized area of the space/time continuum. This ongoing
process of interaction and manifestation can create Infinite Combination
in Infinite Diversity (IDIC). I will discuss this concept later.
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The other way in which two differing states can create their own
"reality" is through the laws of Boolean Logic and Algebra. In digital
design and simulation techniques, this fact is well known. I work in
such areas and can reduce any system to a series of "min" and "max"
terms of inputs and "truth tables". This Boolean discipline of using
"min and max terms" has given birth to the CyberSpace that we currently
inhabit. I suggest that our present existence is no more than a
"real-time" simulation in a greater system and that our creative/destru-
ctive interactions are constantly birthing new realities and new
creations. We are each a "star" as some Magickal systems teach.
All Physical and Magickal systems have hidden controls that operate from
outside the program flow (another word for this flow might be called
"life"). This outside intervention might be what appears in the form of
"Magick" to an internal observer of that system. The operating system
for the host platform, such as DOS, determines the form of the relation-
ships between all programs, files and other processes. A magickal way of
stating this might be, "As Above, So Below". Tonight, I have discussed
only two ways that some realities are postulated and created. In the
wide variety of the Infinite Cosmos, Diversity is carried to the
extremes. Anything CAN and DOES happen!
"Symbols"
One way man has attempted to understand and quantify his universe is
through the use of symbols. The most often used symbols are numbers,
letters and sigils. The Jewish Kabbala, the Celtic Oghams and the other
Magickal alphabets are good examples of the use of such symbols to order
and understand most physical, spiritual and Magickal relationships. I
have talked about Oghams and Fionn's Wheel/Ladder in previous workshops.
I have also talked about the Celtic Cosmology. Tonight I will briefly
touch on numbers and math. Please refer to the previous Celtic Workshops
#1, 2, 3, 5 and the Online Wicca Kabbala Threads for more information in
those areas. Another kind of symbol that can describe our reality is a
relatively new form of mathematics called Fractals.
"Fractals"
"A modern mathematical theory that radically departs from traditional
EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY, fractal geometry describes objects that are
self-similar, or scale symmetric. This means that when such objects are
magnified, their parts are seen to bear an exact resemblance to the
whole, the likeness continuing with the parts of the parts and so on to
infinity. Fractals, as these shapes are called, also must be devoid of
translational symmetry--that is, the smoothness associated with
Euclidean lines, planes, and spheres. Instead a rough, jagged quality
is maintained at every scale at which an object can be examined. The
nature of fractals is reflected in the word itself, coined by mathe-
matician Benoit B. Mandelbrot from the Latin verb frangere, "to break,"
and the related adjective fractus, "irregular and fragmented."
The science of fractals has been found to exist within many natural
formations . Fractals are found everywhere we look, from the shape of
coastlines to the geometry found in cellular divisions. Most dynamical
systems that change their behavior over time become CHAOTIC in nature
and can also be described using fractals. The reason I mention fractals
tonight is twofold. First, fractals show us mathematically how reality
and life are manifested. As I said earlier, fractal geometry and
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mathematics are a fairly recent discovery. One important type of Fractal
that is found in nature is called a Mandelbrot set. This particular set
of fractals becomes inheritly unstable as one looks closer at it's
component fractals. What is so interesting about this fact and study is
that FRACTALS in the FORM OF MANDELBROT SETS have been appearing as CROP
CIRCLES on the Salisbury Plains. This is the same area that is located
close by both Stonehenge and Avebury. What is the source of these
symbols? Where is this information coming from? Are these crop circles
some sort of Magickal alphabet or symbols? Are they communicated to us
across time and space from other Magicians or other Entities? If they
are such symbols, has this phenomena occurred before in the past? Did
the Druids observe, record and understand this type of information
during their times?
My second pointis that our knowledge of Magick is itself like a fractal.
With each piece of information we receive from our searches into the
nature of Magick, we discover more and more questions. This gives rise
to more and more associations and consequently more questions and
disorder. Our attempts to totally understand Magick by close inspection
consequently results in chaotic thinking. We see fractals everywhere
when we look at the world. This world seems to be a fractal. Everything
from shorelines, earthquakes, cell structure to computer graphics have
been found to obey the laws of fractals. Perhaps Magick and the heavenly
cosmologies are fractals of the Higher Will? Perhaps our True Will is a
fractal? Maybe fractals are the new Ogham, the new Wheel of Fionn?
"Transformations"
If an idea can be reduced to mathematical or Magickal symbols, then it
can also be manipulated or transformed. These relation-ships are called
"veils" or "pathworkings" in Magickal works. In mathematics, such
transformations occur frequently. What is complex in one domain is
simple in another. Engineers use such techniques as vector and
tensor analysis to handle complex systems all the time. Magicians use
the principle, "As Above , So Below" to aid their Magickal Workings.
Sometimes this Magickal work is also done while using symbollic logic to
aid in the act of manifesting or "making" a new creation. We will next
discuss how some of these Magickal transformations are done.
"Vibratory States"
The addition of external energy to a molecule or the introduction of
additional molecules into a solution causes its electron configuartion
to change. The electron "jumps" across an energy barrier to obtain a
different orbit or geometry. The Molecule changes its behavior,
sometimes with amazing results. This change in electrons through levels
or states of energy is directly analogous to the levels or states of
vibration that a Magician goes through to "resonate" with other
spiritual forces. These principles of resonance and vibration are the
keys to the techniques of OOBE and energy transfer in Magickal systems.
To discover how we as Magickal/Spiritual entities can go through these
types of transformed states, I looked at my own experiences, once again.
"Personal Experiences"
The keys to working Magick are BELIEF, DISCIPLINE and FOCUS. Focus is a
matter of personal ability and is sharpened through practice and effort.
Discipline is inherit to our very natures. Belief is absolutely
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necessary to any Magickal Work. I have had three types of personal
experiences that are the foundation of my BELIEF in MAGICK.
"The All from the None"
This experience I have discussed before. It is the first veil that must
be passed to obtain BELIEF in Magick and the resulting Powers. Briefly
stated, I was able to detach from the ordinary (while conscious) and
encounter Spirit and Magickal Beings. These experiences have reinforced
my ability to work Astrally and Magickally. The secrets to this
experience are meditation, inner quietness and the increased vibrational
level of the spirit or "ecstasy".
By going into the "void" of Nothingness, I was touched by the Power of
the Akasha! Anyone can do this, if they are willing to put in the time
and effort to meditate to achieve inner "quietness". The "Void" is the
place where the Will can focus to create and produce all Magick!
"The None From the All"
These are experiences I have had from "lucid dreaming". I have basically
been able to go anywhere and do anything in my dreams. I have had many
revelations and Super Normal experiences in these dreams. I guess the
most outrageous experience was experiencing "death". Some deaths were
just an abrupt end to one existence while manifesting into another body
and another existence. One particular "death" was at the center of an
exploding sun or bomb. I was literally blown into Nothingness and
Non-Existence. I "floated" there in endless time without thought or
being. I just was. Only my Will still existed and through the exertion
of my Will I was able to awaken into my body once more. This was not and
ordinary dream. In fact, I'm not really sure this is the Reality I
started out in! <GGG> A Powerful incentive to learn more about Magick
(to prevent such a thing from ever happening again)!!!!!
"IDIC"
IDIC is borrowed from the Vulcan, Mr. Spock. It stands for Infinite
Diversity in Infinite Combinations. This basically means the Universe
is filled with possibilities and that anything can (and will) happen.
This is all those strange events that can be dismissed if taken one at
a time but will stagger you if you keep a log of them. This includes
such things in my life as: Flying or "floating" in the air by myself,
reading minds, seeing the future, seeing creatures that are in another
plane, hearing the music of the Sidhe and incredible feats of strength
and speed (that could not possible have happened). All these many events
taken together point to a variety of techniques that people can do. The
secret is in remembering how we did it!!! Or maybe in finding a really
excellent teacher. I am the worst of students but I am very persis-
tent!<GGG>
"The Charm of Making"
The following is the merest sketch of an outline for performming the
Charm of Making, the very same chant that Merlin was heard to use in the
movie "Excalibur". Much of this ritual comes from the following works:
"The 21 Lessons of Merlin", "Celtic Magic', "Witta", "The Irish Celtic
Magical Tradition" and the "Sacred Cauldon". Some of it is changed to
suit my personal (*Irish*) preferences!<G>
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"Circles of Drai'ocht "
Druids' Circles are very similar to other Magickal Circles. Each
direction should have a candle and color associated with it. (I use Red
for East, White for South, Grey or Blue for West and Black for North).
I also have candles for the God and the Goddess. these are usually
Green and Red respectively. I light the candles as the Spirits are
invoked.
"The Guardians"
"Air"
The Guardian of the East Quarter is Esras associated with the Power of
Air. The sacred city of this Spiritual realm is Gorias. The Celtic
Deities usually associated with this Quarter are Nuada and Scathach. The
sacred treasure or weapon is the invincible sword. The Magickal Deity
for the elemental Powers or the wind singers and sprites is Paraldas,
ruler of the Sylphs, Zyphyrs and the Winged Sprites. This direction is
most often associated with ideas, thoughts, inspiration and psychic
powers. Ritual work for this direction is associated with dawn, sunrise,
Spring, harmony, travel and freedom. A suitable invocation of the
Guardians might be:
"Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de Soir!
Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Gaoth!
Tugaim cuireadh do Esras de Gorias!"
Translation:
"I give invitation to the Guardian of the East!
I give invitation to the Element of the Winds!
I invite Esras, Master of Inspiration!"
Pronunciation:
"TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu SKULL!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu GWA!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu ES-rah gu GOR-ah!
"Fire"
The Guardian of the South Quarter is Uscias associated with the Power of
Fire. The sacred city of this Spiritual realm is Findias. The Celtic
Deities usually associated with this Quarter are Lugh and Bridgit. The
sacred treasure or weapon is the flaming spear. The Magickal Deity for
its elemental Powers or Salamandes and Firedrakes is Djinas, ruler of
the Consciousness and flames. This direction is most often associated
with Action, Passion and Change. Ritual work for this direction is
associated with Summer, noon, sexuality and purification. A suitable
invocation of the Guardians might be:
"Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de O'Dheas!
Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Tine!
Tugaim cuireadh do Uscias de Findias!"
Translation:
"I give invitation to the Guardian of the South!
I give invitation to the Elements of the Fire!
I invite Uscias, Master of Conscious Action"
Pronunciation:
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"TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu OWE-yass!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu CHIN-e!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu ISH-kah gu FIN-jah!"
"Water"
The Guardian of the West Quarter is Semias associated with the Power of
Water or the Sea. The sacred city of this Spiritual realm is Murias. The
Celtic Deities usually associated with this Quarter are Mannanan and the
Cailleach. The sacred treasure or weapon is the cauldron. The Magickal
Deity for its elemental Powers or Nymphs and Undines is Niksas, ruler of
the depths of the Sea and the spirits of the waters. This direction is
most often associated with Emotions, healing and Marriage. Ritual work
for this direction is associated with Fall, sunset, plants, the
subconscious mind and dreams. A suitable invocation of the Guardians
might be:
"Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de Siar!
Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Muir!
Tugaim cuireadh do Semias de Murias!"
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������
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Translation:
"I give invitation to the Guardian of the West!
I give invitation to the Elements of the
Mystical Sea!
I invite Semias, Master of the Mind's Deep
Waters!"
Pronunciation:
"TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu SHEER!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu MWIRR!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu SEM-ahs gu MUR-ahs!"
"Earth"
The Guardian of the North Quarter is Morfessa, associated with the Power
of Earth. The sacred city of this Spiritual realm is Falias. The Celtic
Deities usually associated with this Quarter are the Morrigan and the
Dagdha. The sacred treasure or weapon is the Stone of Fal. The Magickal
Deity for the elemental Powers or Gnomes and Dwarfs is Ghobas,ruler of
the inhabitants of the Earth and a crystal spirits. This direction is
most often associated with Destiny, Prosperity and Fate as well as
Magick. Ritual work for this direction is associated with Winter,
night, midnight, self will and treasures. A suitable invocation of the
Guardians might be:
"Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de O'Thuaigh!
Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Talamh is Cloch!
Tugaim cuireadh do Morfessa de Falias!"
Translation:
"I give invitation to the Guardian of the North!
I give invitation to the Elements of Stone and
Earth!
I invite Morfessa, Master of Destiny and
Magick!"
Pronunciation:
"TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu owe HOO-ee!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu TA-loo is KLOKH!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu MOR-fes-ah gu FAL-ah!
"Spirit"
The Center of the Circle is protected by the Power of the God and the
Goddess and the balance and diversity that They each manifest and
control. This is the province of the Goddess of Sovereignty, Macha, and
the Horned God or the Hunter, Samhan. The center is protected by the
combined Powers of the Quarters and their Masters. A suitable invo-
cation of the Spirit might be:
"Tugaim cuireadh do Ana'l Fein!
Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Anam!
Tugaim cuireadh do Grian agus Geala!
Beannachtai' DE' agus mBANDE' againn!"
Translation:
"I give invitation to the Souls of our Ancestors!
I give invitation to the Element of All Spirits!
I give invitation to the Sun and the Moon!
The Blessings of the God and Goddess be upon us!"
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Pronunciation:
"TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu AN-aal FINN!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu AN-um!
TUG-im KIR-oo gu GREE-un AG-us GYAL-a!
BAN-uck-ta JAY AG-us BAN-jay UG-een!"
"The Words of Power"
After the Guardians have been called, then the Words of Power Are Spoken
and the Rite or Sign of Three Rays is performed for each of the
Quarters.
"IAO"
This is the name of the God/dess of All and is intoned three times while
making the appropriate hand gestures,
"EEEEE-Ahhhhhh-OOOOO".
"EEEEE-Ahhhhhh-OOOOO".
"EEEEE-Ahhhhhh-OOOOO".
"Threshold Experiences"
If a portal to another plane or place is to be opened then the following
Charm of Making is to be said three times (this Charm uses the Power of
Sea and Stone):
"A ELFNTODD DWYR SINDDYN DUW
CERRIG YR FFERLLURUG NWYN;
OS SYRIAETH ECH SAFFAER TU
FEWR ECHLYN MOR, NECROMBOR LLUN"
"Dragon's Breath"
If something is to be caused to happen or prevented then the following
Charm of Making is intoned three times (this charm invokes the Powers of
Fire and Air):
"ANAIL NATHROCK
UTHVASS BETHUDD
DOCHIEL DIENVE"
At this point the Power has been raised. The Will of the Draoi' should
be directed and stated forcefully in the direction of greatest Power
using the sign for that Quarter. Once the work, is completed, the
God/desses and Guardians should be thanked and the Power Earthed by
lowering both hands to the ground while kneeling. The Circle is opened
in the reverse of its creation and the bounty of the Land and Tuatha
should be enjoined and enjoyed by all.
This is the end of the prepared presentation on the Charm of "Making".
This and "Pathworking" are the two most powerful abilities of a Druid.
Celtic Workshop #14 - "The Wheel of Elements or Seasons"
Forum member Freepowder noted similarities between the Plains Indian
Medicine Wheels and Fionn's Wheel from Celtics sources. His analysis and
presentation on these topics led into a discussion of other cross
3261
cultural similarities. I added some info from a study of the indigenous
peoples of the world as well as Celtic topics.
Tonight our man of many names, Freepowder, O'Ba'n,John White, Sir Freep,
etc. will give us his thoughts on the wheel and the directions as
compared between the Plains Indians and the Celts. It looks to be
good!<GGG> I may have a few comments of my own. I also have some info on
thses directions compiled by a noted anthropologist, Angeles Arriens,
for the indiginous peoples of the world. I hope we can discuss the use
and meanings of directions to all of us in our magical work.
"The Wheel of Elements or Seasons"
The world over, aboriginal religions have used the circle as a symbol of
the world, the cosmos and the spirit. Tonite I will attempt to draw
some parallels between the Celtic version, Fionn's wheel or window and
the Plains Indian version, the Medicine wheel. Both of these wheels are
pictured as a circle bisected by two lines, one vertical and one
horizontal. In Plains Indian (PI from here on) the circle represents the
cycles of the earth, of learning and of life.
The lines represent the 'roads' one must travel to achieve enlighten-
ment. The points at which the lines intersect the circle signify the
four directions, east to the right, south at the bottom, west to the
left, and north at the top. There are qualities and totems (animal
spirit guides) assigned to each direction. The totems and qualities
vary somewhat, tribe to tribe, and the following is an attempt to
combine several, mostly Lakota (Sioux) and Tsisistis (Cheyenne) .
East:
red, illunination, child, the sun, spring, the source of life,
eagle, hawk and birds generally
South:
yellow, innocence, youth, daylight, summer, fullness of life, snake,
lizard, mouse, horse, elk
West:
black or blue, introspection, maturity, sunset, autumn, waning of life,
thunder beings, Bear, buffalo
North:
white, wisdom, old age, night, winter, death, wolf, raven, buffalo
The PI speak of the guardians of the quarters as 'Grandfathers' or
'Grandmothers'. Animals in mundane life are refered to as 'Little
Brother or Sister.' At the center of the wheel is,in Lakota, 'Wakan
Tanka', the Great Mystery. The source of all life, of all that is.
Although Wakan Tanka is refered to as Grandfather, it has no sex, no
body, it is at once the creator and all of creation. Also at the center
is White Buffalo woman (or Sweet Medicine to the Cheyenne), the
personification of the earth, and the female aspect of Wakan Tanka.
The cycle of life as illustrated by the Medicine Wheel starts at the
east. The PI believe that as an infant a person knows all things, thus
the connection with enlightenment. As you grow into youth these things
are forgotten so you may learn, and grow, symbolised by the south and
innocence. When you are mature you move to the west and introspection.
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Here you take your vision quest. As you approach old age you achieve
wisdom in the north and, if you survive you return to the enlightenment
of the east.
On to the Celts!
The Celts use either a four spoked wheel, identical to the medicine
wheel in apearance or enhance the image with 'cross quarters' making an
eight spoked wheel. One differnce in the Celtic version of the Wheel, is
probaly due to the variation in weather patterns between the Britsh
Isles and the Great Plains. The Britsh Isles are around 1000 miles north
of the Plains causing several things to happen. The sun, even at
midsummer will rise far further to the north in Britain. Britain's
proximity to the trade winds cause the prevailing winds to come from
differnt directions. Therefore the Celts start their journey of life in
the north. The qualities of the quarters areremarkably similar if
somewhat skewed as to direction. (Note: the animals assigned to quarters
and cross quarters are approximate and individual impressions as to what
animal goes where are most important IMHO)
They are:
North:
black, winter, wisdom, clarity, death, earth, animals, minerals,
fallowness, darkness, winter solstice, salmon, wolf, the Morrigan,
East:
red, spring, inspiration, life, birth, renewal, air, birds, smell,
dryness, germination, spring equinox, otter, crow
South:
white, summer, spirit, humanity, change, power, fire, sun, light,
vegatables, summer solstice, bear, hawk,
West:
grey, autumn, creativity, ripeness, fertility, compassion, love,
emotions, hearing, water, moon, twilight, fish, autumn equinox, stag,
hound
The cross quarters mark the seasonal festivals, have associated animals
and are used to represent the ages of mankind:
Imbolc: 31 Jan, child, eagle
Beltaine: 30 Apr, youth, sow
Lughnasadh: 31 Jul, adult, horse
Samhain: 31 Oct, elder, heron
The Celts assign Gods and Goddesses to the quarters as well. The
following courtesy of O'Dubh, and subject to interpretation. God/esses
are directional <G> as follows:
North:
Master Morfessa of Falias, The Morrighan, Goibhniu, The Dagdha, Epona,
Eriu, Macha (The Land, the Lia Fal, Magick, Soveriegnty)
East:
Master Uscias of Findias Danu, Anu, Lir, Lugh, Bridget, Scathach, Ogma,
Nuada (The Invincible Sword, Wisdom, Strength, the Winds)
South:
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Master Esras from Gorias The Dagdha, Lugh, Bridget, Danu (The Flaming
Spear, Action, Fire, the Sun or Shining One)
West:
Master Semias from Murias, Manannan mac Lir, The Dagdha, The Cailleach,
Cerridwen, Danu, Dianecht, Arianrhod (Rebirth, the Undry, the Sacred
Cauldron, the Sea, Water)
Many of these God/desses are assigned to more than one direction because
they have more than one aspect (The Dagdha, Danu, Bridget, Lugh, the
Morrighan). The best way to associate them with a particular direction
is to base their direction upon their role in your Working or upon their
use of the magickal tool involved.
The Celts have this multi-faceted diversity in the nature and directions
of their God/desses due to their travels across Europe and their
incorporation of the local Deities into the Deities of their respective
clans. When they finally stopped their travels, these Deities were then
more fixed in their associated directions and attributes. As modern day
Celts, we have the use of all of these Archetypes to aid or worship and
to enrich our Magicks!
(2-21,cherokee) the cherokee say that all ancient cultures
descend through the plieades and that the druids and the cherokee have
origins in atlantis the cherokee calendar as are most medicine wheels
are based on the mayan system of time. The Dogon of W. Africa say the
same. which is very similar to the celtic most ancient cultures say
they got the wheel from the stars
Also some of the first sailors to come in contact with North American
Indians were Welsh and they could converse with some of the tribes!
Seemed the Indians were speaking Welsh!<G>
(2-21,cherokee) the cherokee also claim twelve tribes came out
of atlantis when it was destroyed and populated the areas of the earth
bringing this ancient wisdom to other cultures like the 12 tribes of
israel there are 12 clans in the cherokee matrilieage. There was
contact betwweeen the nordic vikings and the indians after contact with
the celts too.
(2-9,M&J) As to the NA Indians speaking Welsh, I attended
a Celtic League symposium a year or two back, and this was one of the
talks. I'll have to go back and review my notes, but as I recall this
is heavily debated. The accounts go back to a Welsh prince who
supposedly sailed to America. Whether or not this is true is highly
uncertain.
(2-8,Freepowder) The Welsh Prince was Madoc, and I believe...
he was supposed to have sailed in the 11th century.... there were
records of his sailing away.... but nothing on where he ended up....he
most certainly never returned to wales.... One possible explanation for
the 'Welsh' Indians is the occurance of grey eyes in some of the
southern tribes, notably... the Choctaw and Cherokee.... There are some
similarities in the languages, but it is possible.. that this is due to
some wandering Celt .... heading east from the orient. <G>
Ok Thanks FP!<G> There are many other similarities...notably the common
belief among both sets of peoples, the Cherokees and the Celts, that
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springs were doorways to the Underworlds and possessed their own
spirits. There are other similarities... The Irish have legends about
the first settlers coming from the west after a flood.
This was later Christianized to be the daughter of Noah Ceasir....but
it was first thought to be Atlantis. Also some of the alignments of the
stone circles are on the Pleides. In fact, The two major hubs of the
Celtic year are connected to when the Pleides first ascend into the
constellation of Taurus That is when Bealtaine and Samhain actually
occur.
As to use in your magickal workings, given the eclectic nature of most
American Mages, introduction of the Plains Indian version of the
attributes of the quarters is allowable. Perhaps even justified given
our geographical location. I personally use the Indian colors and
animals in conjunction with the Celtic God/esses. As they used to say in
the Toyota comercials, 'It just feels right.' <G>
Ok I have another set of values for directions. Then a brief discussion
of future topics. I know everyone is suffering from too much Holiday!!-
!<GGG>
Here's my blurb on directions: The "Four Fold Way" by Angeles Arrien
a survey of sacred directions and paths of the indigenous peoples of the
world gives the following characteristics to the directions:
North:
The Way of the Warrior, Direction of Power, Element is Air, winged
creatures, Standing Meditations, Right Actions, Dancing, instrumrnt is
the rattle and season is the Winter.
East:
The Way of the Visionary, Direction of Vision, Element is Fire, dessert
and no legged creatures, Walking meditations, Truth telling, Singing,
instrument is the bell and season is Summer.
South:
The Way of the Healer, Direction of Love, Element of Earth, All four
legged creatures, Meditating while laying down, Right Speech is the way
of living, Paying attention, Story telling, instrument is the drum and
the season is Spring.
West:
The Way of the Teacher, Direction of Wisdom, Element of Water, All Water
creatures,Sitting meditations,RightTiming in life's actions, Being Open
minded to outcomes, Silence is the best wisdom, instruments are sticks
and bones and season is Autumn.
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������
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"HOW TO USE MAGICK with a Straight Face"
(C) 1989 by Scot Rhoads, all rights reserved
MYSTIC MOON Metaphysical Books, NEW MOON RISING journal & BBS
8818 Troy St., Spring Vly, CA 91977 (619) 466-8064; BBS: 466-5403
"People that eat blowfish are stupid.
People that do not eat blowfish are also stupid."
--Japanese proverb
With the advent of the New Age, many people are airing great
new ways to change your life for the better. These ideas are
based on the premise that we have total control of our lives on
some level. All we need do is reach that level with our desires.
This is, of course, the big challenge. You can read millions of
words on that subject. Why is there so much information? Because
achieving this kind of control is a very individual thing. There
are so many different ways that each person could write his own
book. To succeed, each must find his own path. The reason there
are instructions at all, though, is because each can find
guidance in the successes of others. Magick is one of these many
guides.
This file is relatively short because it concentrates less on
the myriad details of magick and more on how to find your own
path. The task is never as easy as it sounds, but it is not
complex, either. With straight forward exercises (good, honest
work on your Self) you will achieve whatever you desire. We all
have this power. The way we use it is not by gaining a new
ability, but by getting out of the way of the ability we already
have. This book outlines the basic blocks and the kinds of things
to do about them. But, as with any advice, it is up to you to
honestly assess your own situation and discover what works best
for you. Remember, achieving your personal Power is everyone's
path in life. You will succeed, it is only a question of when.
This book is designed to bring that success more quickly and,
overall, more easily.
Many people these days still appeal to the "booga-booga"
aspect of magick: "We will grant you incredible powers to use on
whomever you please if you send us money." As we enter into the
New Age of understanding, people are learning that occult powers
are actually a natural part of everyone's life. It is our goal to
help this process along. We hope to teach newcomers what magick
is about. This book is written not only to inform, but also to
circumvent the psychological barriers set up by living in a
mechanistic society. The mechanistic paradigm (the idea that each
person and object is totally separate from the rest of the
universe except through physical interaction) precludes magick
(non-physically affecting one's environment). The magickal
paradigm states that your beliefs create your reality. This
choice is like contemplating eating blowfish-- when you analyze
it, you can conclude that adopting either paradigm is stupid.
Since you can't please everyone else, pick the one that you like
best. If (and only if) the magickal paradigm appeals to you, then
choose it. Then the trick is to get out of the mind-set that says
that magick is impossible. We hope that you will try some
exercises to prove to yourself that magick works. Once you have
3266
done so, then you are on the way to achieving anything you
desire.
POWER
Power can be a very misleading term. The way most people mean
it is in the sense of "power-over." People recognize power as the
ability to get others to do what you want, especially when these
others have different ideas. This is not Power (with a capital
'P') at all. When you rely on someone else to do something for
you, you give your Power to him. This is very different from
doing something *with* someone, then both parties gain. But, to
believe that you must force or trick another is to say that you
need this person to do something that you cannot. You may steal
their power (lower case) but you give away your Power.
Power is, among other things, the innate ability to bring
whatever you truly desire into your life. When you "make" others
manifest them for you, you create blocks in your own mind. These
blocks say "I cannot do this myself," which obstructs your Power.
This is "giving away your Power."
When you "take your Power," you accept responsibility for your
life. This is not guilt or martyrdom, it is honestly assessing
your life and recognizing your successes and failures. Give
yourself credit for even the smallest success and recognize that
you can overcome every obstacle. Then you allow your Power to
express itself. What you need comes to you; projects work for
you.
We often think of many obstacles as insurmountable. For
instance, many believe the lottery to be their only desperate
hope of escaping poverty. Such people give away their Power. And
why shouldn't they? Everything they've experienced tells them
this. Our whole society is rooted in the mechanistic paradigm
(all causes and effects have a physical link), which precludes a
belief in Power. How is one to know that this concept works? How
can this be real when it is so different from what we are used
to?
Our society has a concept of "Reality" as an objective
existence of which we are all a part. When two people have
different ideas of the nature of some detail, then at least one
is Wrong. We all have a fear of being Wrong. When we are Wrong we
miss out on things and people don't like us as much. Therefore we
desperately strive to be Right. It turns out that Right is what
ever those around you happen to feel that it should be. It's as
if they all took a vote when you were out of the room. But
"Right" changes all the time: from preservatives are harmless, to
preservatives cause cancer; from Stalin is a great leader, to
Stalin was a monster; from Ptolemy explains the forces of the
universe perfectly, to Newton explains the forces of the universe
perfectly, to Einstein explains the forces of the universe
perfectly. The philosophy of science this calls this evolving
better (or at least different) explanations. Yet, while these
ideas hold sway, people call them "Reality."
Just how reliable is Reality? We all live our lives using our
3267
individual concepts of Reality to get along. We update them as we
see fit. But few will fundamentally change their concepts. We are
sure that, although we may not have the details, we certainly
have a feel for the basics. Anyone who disagrees with the
mechanistic paradigm, for instance, must be missing at least a
few marbles. Such a person is irrational in a universe that we
know to be rational.
But is the universe truly rational? Science has pursued the
mechanistic paradigm down to the smallest scale, particle
physics; here it fails to explain the universe. The building
blocks of Reality do not behave rationally. If you drive a car
from one side of a mountain to the other and you have a choice of
two tunnels, you will drive through one of them. If a single
electron has a choice of two holes in a plate to pass through, it
will go through both. You can plot the speed and position of your
car to the limit of the accuracy of your instruments, but you
will never be able to do both to that electron.
When you observe this mythical car, it is a solid object. If
it were not, it would not be a car. If you drove it around, then
tested to see if the car were not solid and discovered that it
wasn't, what would you think? Around the turn of the century,
scientists figured out that light acts like a wave when you test
for a wave, and like a particle when you test for a particle. In the
regular world it must be one *or* the other. The two are as
mutually exclusive as a non-solid car that you can none the less
drive. Mysteriously, light was behaving like both. Eventually,
scientists concluded that light doesn't work like the universe we
are used to. The act of observing light defines its character.
This is called wave-particle duality. Later in the century,
scientists found that atomic particles, the building blocks of
all matter, behave this way, too.
Now imagine that you can find no evidence that this car
crosses the space between where you see it and where you saw it
last. Suppose the car isn't actually "there" when you're not
looking-- the act of looking brings it into "existence." What
would you think if noticed that your expectations seem to have an
effect on where it turns out to be? This is awfully strange, but
it is the kind of universe that particle physicists find.
"Looking at" a subatomic particle "brings it into existence."
Also, scientists are finding that whatever kind of particle they
expect to find in an experiment, tends to be there. This is
starting to look less like brilliant theory and more like an
effect of the observers. They are no longer separate from their
experiments. It turns out that the universe doesn't actually work
the way we've always assumed it does.
This is the nature of matter on the smallest scale, and it
doesn't make sense in every day life. This does not mean that we
should abandon our present ideas of how to live. Keep what works
("If it ain't broke, don't fix it"). Particle physics won't
affect how you drive through tunnels, for instance. But, if you
accept physics, the epitome of the mechanistic paradigm, this
means that our mechanistic ideas of how the universe works are
fundamentally incomplete. In other words, the mechanistic
paradigm is not the whole story.
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Big deal. What does this mean in a practical sense? The world
seems to work just the same as it did when the mechanistic
paradigm was unchallenged. But what if our preconceptions dictate
what we are aware of? It is a common trick to set up a group of
people for startling event and see how many will overlook a
strange inconsistency. In one instance, a teacher took a student
off into an adjoining room on a pretext. There was the sound of
an argument and a crash and the student ran out through the room.
One of the other students suspected a set up and she was the only
one who noticed that the teacher's accomplice was carrying a
bone. A much more dramatic example is the story of Magellan's ships.
When the explorer landed on a particular island, the natives, who
had never seen europeans before, recognized them as funny looking
men in funny looking little boats. But Magellan soon found that
the natives were unaware of the large ships that carried them
there, though they were impossible to overlook. The natives had
seen men and small boats before, but they had never seen a large
ship. Such a thing was outside of their experience and therefore
outside of their comprehension. Their eyes must have seen the
ships, but their brains did not. The natives gathered to try to
see them, staring intently at where they supposed to be anchored.
Soon the local shaman could discern the barest outline which he
described to the others. Eventually they could all perceive
ships.
Who can say what we make ourselves unaware of? It is only
after we've expanded our perception that we learn how limited it
was before. But we can't go around indiscriminately "expanding
our consciousness." What we choose to believe is based on our
desires. If you are happy with what you believe, the is no reason
to change. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Change is
challenging and even if you succeed, it may well be unpleasant.
But if you feel unable to overcome obstacles in your life (and
you *really* want to), then you have nothing to loose. Magick
will only expand possibilities. If it's all a crock, you've lost
nothing. If it's true, you can do anything you're willing to work
for. It is a draw-win situation. The only way you can lose is to
make your choice out of fear. Don't let the opinions of others
influence what you choose to believe. Don't give away your Power.
Everyone else is in the same situation you are, so when it comes
to your own life, there is no greater authority than yourself. If
you're interested in magick, try it and see for yourself if it
works for you.
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WHAT MAGICK IS
Magick is a way of using your Power. More technically, magick is
the process of non-physically affecting your environment through
messages consciously impressed on the subconscious with a system
of symbols. (This will become clear later.) This is the broadest
definition and it can include such things as prayer, meditation,
chanting, positive thinking, subliminal tapes, programming and
hypnotism.
Some think that magick is unnatural and evil. It is no more evil
than any tool. A knife, for instance, is "good" or "evil"
depending on its use. It can be invaluable in many beneficial
projects, yet it can also harm. Nothing is immune to misuse.
People even try to use prayer against others. Such potential is
not a reason for fear, but for respect. The idea that magick is
unnatural is a modern misconception. Magic has only recently come
to mean Hollywood special effects or pulling rabbits from hats.
It is often spelled magick in order to distinguish it from this
new meaning. For millennia magick has been a path to
enlightenment and self mastery or just plain getting what you
want. It is nothing supernatural. Magick uses natural powers and
the natural flow of the universe to bring about the changes you
desire. We are so immersed in magick that, like still air, we are
unaware of it. We all use this power without thought, like
breathing. Magick is using these powers with awareness.
Magick involves placing a message of your choosing into your
subconscious. This is all that is necessary to achieve any goal.
The power of the subconscious is awesome. When you unite it with
your conscious will, you can do anything you want. Remove the
internal barriers and the external barriers melt away. Oriental
philosophy would call this "following the Tao." Achieving this is
the challenge of magick.
HOW MAGICK WORKS
How can programming the subconscious affect the world around
us? What are the mechanisms involved? According to the occult
view, it works because that is the nature of the universe.
In the West, we use the mechanistic paradigm. A paradigm is a
pattern or model, in this case describing the way the universe
works. We use paradigms to function, usually without even
realizing it. The mechanistic paradigm is one of the most basic
that underlie our culture. This model states that there is an
objective reality in which objects interact solely through
physical contact. Science has updated this to include fields like
gravity and magnetism, but the principle is the same. The result
is a universe in which the individual is nearly powerless. You
can only make real change through physical action. Magick is the
act of making such changes non-physically, so it does not fit in
with the mechanistic paradigm.
Most westerners are unaware that the magickal paradigm
represents a majority view among the world's cultures. Basically,
it is the antithesis of the mechanistic view. It states that
there is no objective universe, only subjective universes. These
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universes are the perceptions of each individual. You couldn't
possibly do any experiment that would show your universe to be
either subjective or objective. You must be an objective observer
in order to tell the difference. You are automatically a
subjective observer because you are in the universe. That's life.
At this point, there is no practical difference between these
views. The universe looks the same either way. But the magickal
paradigm also states that the universe is an expression of your
perceptions and your perceptions are that part of yourself over
which you have control. When you change your own attitudes and
preconceptions, the universe will follow. This gives an
individual as much power over the universe as he has over
himself.
Metaphysics
We obviously don't exercise infinite power. There is more to
magick than merely having a desire or belief. That is because we
have many conflicting desires and beliefs on many levels. There
is a level called, among other things, the Little Self. This
roughly corresponds to the subconscious and the super ego. The
ego, the part of ourselves which we think of as "I," is called
the Middle Self. The Little Self is the gateway to the High Self,
our connection with godhead and the universe. Infinite power lies
with the High Self, but our access is through the Little Self
which has its own ideas. The Little Self is aware of and accepts
everything around it and everything you think, even when you are
not aware. These perceptions build up very strong ideas in the
Little Self. When these ideas are different from yours (those of
the Middle Self), your ideas loose. To succeed, you must unify
your will.
Of course, people rightfully complain that even if we do
create our universe, it's still tough to make changes. That is
because there is quite a bit of inertia to ideas that have been
strongly supported since childhood (or before, if you accept
past-lives). In an extreme example, the original "Peter Pan" had
to be changed to keep from harming children. In the original
version, the characters flew because "they believed." Many
children attempted to fly and discovered the hard way that their
Little Self did not agree. Things like a belief in gravity may be
possible to overcome, but no one will argue that it's commonly
done.
This example sounds silly because our experience of gravity is
so compelling that it seems ridiculous to consider it to be
"merely a thought construct." But another belief that is nearly
as widespread is that of poverty. This is a significantly less
daunting belief which many have overcome. As long as you believe
you are poor, you will be. This is often a very strong belief.
Many cannot even genuinely imagine themselves as being wealthy.
But, because it is not beyond reasonable comprehension, it is
possible to reprogram your Little Self-- much as it's possible
for left-handers to learn to be right-handed. Magick is an
effective way to do this.
If you are unconvinced, consider how many little messages you
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heard when growing up, which you now believe on some level.
Frequent messages, especially with children, usually become true.
If you have heard all your life that you are poor or dumb or
unsuccessful, eventually you believe it and eventually it's true.
You probably know many people with an unjustifiably poor self
image. This is an image which their Little Selves accepted,
probably during childhood when they couldn't protect themselves.
That is how messages to the Little Self work against you. And the
Little Self is aware of everything, even when you are asleep. It
also believes everything it hears. So the next time that you hear
that you're not good or that you need to buy a product that you
don't really want, consciously give your Little Self a different
message. Talk to it and tell it what you want to believe. This is
what makes your universe, so make it the way you want it. When
you have a particularly powerful belief to overcome, then you
must send a powerful message. That is the role of magick.
Religion
The religious rendition of magick is prayer. Although they are
different things, the principles are similar. Techniques that are
effective for one will work very well in the other. In fact, they
use many common symbols. One could say that magick is secular
prayer.
Prayer works when "God answers it." This is entirely in line
with the metaphysical explanation. You can say that the Higher
Self is God or your connection to God. This is simply a different
way of expressing the same ineffable principles. You can adapt
anything here to fit into your views. Don't let the way these
concepts are phrased put you off. Feel free to interpret this as
much as you like in order to make it acceptable and usable to
you.
Psychology
The explanations so far require new way of thinking about the
universe, but those entrenched in the mechanistic paradigm need
not miss out. Psychology has enough respect as a science to offer
hope. If you replace Little Self with subconscious, the principle
is the same. Although there is no longer a source of infinite
power or non-physical change. But influencing the subconscious is
the next best thing in a mechanistic world.
Psychologists would say that magick directs all your
unconscious efforts toward your goal. It also eliminates those
unconscious efforts keeping you from your goal. This may not
sound like much, but it is primarily these efforts that determine
success or failure. It is easy to overlook because, for the most
part, the conscious will is the same as the unconscious will.
Thus, we succeed at endeavors such as waking up, getting to work
on time and fixing dinner. This may seem silly, but when your
subconscious doesn't share a goal, even simple tasks are
exceptionally difficult. The power of the subconscious can either
fight you or help you. Where ever you succeed, it's almost
certainly helping. Where ever you fail, it's almost certainly
fighting.
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The subconscious represents everything the mind does that we
do not think about. This involves a most of what we do. When you
are driving on a familiar freeway in good conditions, you are
usually thinking about the music on the radio or salient
problems. At such times it is your subconscious driving. If you
notice something strange in the road, it was your subconscious
that brought it to your attention. This is very helpful, but that
isn't necessarily the case. The subconscious can throw up all
kinds of barriers, preventing even the simplest tasks. It can
make you late for work when it doesn't feel like going-- you can
wake up late, feel ill, misplace car keys or even have an
accident. This influence sometimes goes to the extremes. People
can even be paralyzed by hysteria, a condition that lies entirely
within the mind. Pathological fears are another example. An
agoraphobe, for instance, can have such an extreme reaction to
being outdoors that he cannot leave his house no matter how badly
he wants to.
The subtle action of the subconscious can be almost as
profound. Even when the influence of the subconscious is
indistinguishable from chance happenings, on larger scale the
effect is dramatic. Psychologists try to ensure that experiments
are "double blind" for this reason. They must set up an
experimental group and a control group. In the latter, there is
only the single element, the target of the experiment, that is
different.
In drug testing, experimenters use placebos on a control
group. The act of administering a substance can have a profound
mental effect, even when that substance is inert, a placebo. When
they expect effective drugs, people can have great results with a
placebo. But the "placebo effect" is purely psychological. If
either the experimenter or the subject think that they know which
is being administered, that is enough to throw off the results.
The subconscious of the subject reacts to what the subject
expects. If the experimenter knows what he is administering, then
the subject's subconscious reacts to cues from the experimenter's
subconscious. This is sometimes called the "Clever Hans effect"
after a horse which seemed to be able to do math. In reality,
clever Hans but was reacting to cues from the people around him.
When someone near him knew the answer, the horse could sense that
person's expectation. It was sometime before researchers even
considered these nearly invisible clues. Although such
subconscious actions are very subtle, they can dramatically
change the results of an experiment.
The subconscious similarly affects results in your life as
well. Magick programs the subconscious to work for you. This is
not as potent as the metaphysical concept, but it will make you
as effective as you can possibly be in a mechanistic world. A
unified will directs all your efforts, conscious and otherwise,
toward your goal. Since the subconscious can present
insurmountable barriers, working out these barriers is all it
takes to be on the road to success.
Some may be disturbed to think that magick may be
misrepresenting how it works, but that should not be a problem.
In one experiment, scientists gave placebos to a group of
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subjects. After the placebos "took effect," the scientists
explained what they were. Even when the scientists made it clear
to the subjects that the placebos had no biochemical action, many
subjects still wanted a prescription for them. (It would be
interesting to see how much more effective prescription placebos
are versus over the counter placebos.) Were these people stupid?
Or were they wise to stick with something that worked?
New Science
Those that cannot extricate themselves from old mechanistic
views need an excuse to allow the placebo effect to bring them
success. Ironically, the same discipline which made magick so
difficult can now provide this excuse. Scientists are exploring
some new ideas which depart from the founding mechanistic
paradigm. Ideas consonant with the magickal paradigm show up in
Jung's synchronicity, quantum physics, the Gaia hypothesis and
the morphogenetic field hypothesis (see Rupert Sheldrake's "A New
Science of Life"). When these views obviously challenge the
traditional mechanistic paradigm, they are a source of hostility
or amusement. When the challenge is more subtle, people ignore
it. Never the less, the West is gradually turning toward a view
more in tune with magick. With greater frequency, people are
willing to consider the idea that we affect our universe on more
than just a physical level.
Scientific evidence now supports the idea of non-physically
affecting your environment. Quantum physics suggests that an
experimenter's goals seem to create whatever particle he's
looking for. The morphogenetic field hypothesis suggests that
actions affect all other actions to the degree that the
circumstances are similar. This explains why it becomes easier to
grow a certain type of crystal over time and how new animal
behaviors "jump" from one isolated population to another. Science
is continually finding support for things that metaphysicians
have said for millennia.
If your respect for science is such that you cannot take
magick seriously, do some research into these areas. If you can
find an acceptable explanation, then you can respect magick. This
respect is essential for success. But don't look for "proofs."
The concept of magick is nebulous. It's designed to explain the
way things are. "Contrary evidence" only shows that you
misunderstand. Change your definition to include the new
evidence.
Magick can never be proven wrong because it can't be pinned
down. Since it explains a subjective reality, it can never be
proven right, either. The magickal paradigm will confirm any
preconceptions, so the mechanistic paradigm will look "true" if
that is what you expect. Since it also postulates so many
unknowns in the mind, this paradigm states that what you get is
what you expected. As with so many things, you will believe if
you want to and you won't if you don't want to. But when you're
on the fence, the right explanation can help you accept the
possibility. Only then you can honestly try magick. If you
experiment with a negative attitude, it is the nature of magick
to confirm this. Magick works best for those practical enough to
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be skeptical, but open minded enough to give it an honest try. If
a part of you is genuinely interested in magick, work to become
comfortable with it. Start with simple and harmless work. Leave
the embarrassing stuff for later, after you've seen it work and
you don't care so much if your friends find out.
Avoid getting too involved in the "explanations." If you need
one, pick whichever you like. It doesn't have to be any of those
here. Each has to build his own models. In any case, reality
transcends the understanding of waking-consciousness, so any
expressible explanation is "wrong" in the traditional sense,
anyway. For a good illustration, try to "understand" wave-
particle duality in any but a mathematical sense. It's as
impossible to picture as a four dimensional cube.
However the universe "actually is," always act in a manner
that is responsible in an objective universe. If this were not
essential, people would have abandoned the objective universe
long ago. Objective or subjective, there are many empirical rules
of behavior that we all know. Magick doesn't change these rules.
Don't drive crazily because you've done a protection spell. Don't
spend unwisely because you've done a prosperity spell. Don't jump
off a building because you've done a flight spell. Remain within
these rules and you loose nothing by acting as though the
universe is subjective. You should not be doing anything you
don't want to do in the first place, because such acts are
pointless in either universe. If the universe is objective, then
you have had some harmless fun. If the universe is subjective,
then you have the chance to get anything you want. If you
approach it properly, you can't lose.
THE EMPIRICAL RULES OF MAGICK
Karma, the golden rule
So far you have read a few possible explanations of how magick
works. This is to open your mind to the fact it *can* work. But
any explanation puts a limit on the possibilities. The
possibilities which a model rules out are much harder to achieve
while you use that model. Please don't limit yourself
unnecessarily. But remember, no matter how much you may try to
believe that you can fly, it's not likely you'll succeed. The
obvious lesson here is, be careful: test the waters of your
subconscious, act responsibly (but not over cautious). Don't jump
off a cliff after your first flight spell. Don't quit work after
your first job spell. Start slow and find out how your Little
Self works before you do any life changing work.
There is a hazard so universal that you should treat it as
fact: Karma. This is the old saw of, "what goes around, comes
around." You attract things of a similar nature to what you
concentrate on (similar to morphogenetic fields). And remember,
when you concentrate on something, your Little Self does so at
least as much. The mechanistic reason for this may be "the
subconscious mind directing subtle actions to bring about
circumstances in tune with its thoughts." Metaphysicians often
explain it as "like vibrations attracting like."
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Everything has a "vibration." This is similar to the vibration
of musical notes, though obviously not the same. As with musical
notes, one vibration can start a sympathetic vibration. One
vibrating piano string will start similar strings vibrating.
Karma is the word for this principle in magick. There is a
certain vibration associated with any act. If you hit someone,
the emotions and actions involved are of a certain vibration.
This will tend to attract things of a similar vibration,
primarily violent acts. You will tend to attract someone to hit
you. It turns out that everything you do to others you
essentially also do to yourself, and vice versa. It sounds trite,
but being nice to others and yourself truly makes the world a
better place for everyone.
It doesn't matter how you understand karma, or even if you
believe in it-- you are warned. Many people don't believe. The
action of karma, particularly on such people, is often too slow
to notice. It can easily take lifetimes for a soul to work
through karma. But the soul will, so avoid bad thoughts. This is
impossible, but you will get better with practice. Each
unpleasant thought has a negative effect on you and others. This
brings negative things into your life. This is pretty rotten, but
remember that each positive thought brings positive things-- that
can be pretty good. In any case, you needn't respect karma to
find yourself a happier person for trying to live this way.
If you are just learning about karma, you will probably find
that it is now a little more obvious in your life. But sometimes
it's difficult to figure. If you do a spell to heal someone, you
would expect to be attracting good things. But what if
immediately afterward you receive a transfer back home to live
near your scummy relatives? Hardly fair! Yet that's the kind of
result you can expect if you do anything to a person without
permission. People have enough difficulty with their own Little
Selves, it's nearly impossible to divine the desire of someone
else's. The most beneficent act could violate someone's will on
some level. If the person asks you, then you are free to act.
But, even if you are absolutely sure that the person would want
it, if he hasn't asked you, don't do it.
Another fantastic example is the love spell. Do a spell to
attract the kind of person you want, not a specific person.
Exercising your will on others without their consent is always
nasty-- doing so magickally has an even higher cost. Watch
yourself. Many people working with magick do so under a
"threefold law." This means that any karmic response is tripled.
This is to keep people particularly scrupulous when they are
fooling around with this stuff. Take it seriously.
Know Thyself
Karma is best described by the golden rule, "Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you." The other major rule of magick
is just as common place, "Know thyself." This is essential
because of the Little Self. Magick is the science of expressing
your will. Because there are many aspects to your will, it
follows that you must be aware of all these aspects to be an
effective magician.
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"Know thyself" means be aware of the thoughts and feelings of
your Little Self. Learn how it feels about the things you want.
Learn it's beliefs. You must know your starting point to
effectively change negative beliefs. To do this, you have to pay
attention to all the subconscious cues that your Little Self
gives you. Explore your feelings, keep track of your dreams, look
at your past. One of the best clues is your own life. If you
create everything on some level, then part of you "wants" each
thing in your life. You must not deny this, but work with it. The
goal is healing because destruction is at best temporary.
Different desires on other levels interfere with your
conscious desire. Your Little Self picks them up everywhere. You
must be aware of this so that you can counteract it. Every ideal
commonly in the mass media impresses itself strongly. When
Madison Avenue spreads the word that young and thin are the
ideal, your Little Self will accept this if you are not careful.
If you are not young and thin, this message undermines your sense
of self worth. The resultant sense of undeserving works against
your success. There is so much exposure to these messages that it
is a real battle to avoid them. Particularly in childhood, when
we can't protect ourselves, others deeply ingrain ideas that can
be with us for life. You must work hard to discover these
feelings and counter act them. If part of you feels undeserving,
genuine success seems impossible.
There are other aspects to this problem. Not only might you
feel undeserving, but you could even desire failure. There are
many reasons for this, usually based in childhood. Whatever the
cause, you must look at your failures to see if there might be
some reward. Many people are subject to chronic illness, for
instance, because of the attention they get or an unpleasant
situation they avoid. If you really want to succeed, you must
consciously release your desire for the rewards of failure.
You must also look at the fear of success. Many times we do
not consider the problems associated with what we are striving
for, but the Little Self does. It may be afraid of the
responsibility of a better job or a new spouse. Think through
your goals very carefully. What would life be like if you had
what you desire? You will have to address any new tasks and
responsibilities. You will have to be aware of any sacrifices.
Once you are sure that you want not only your goal, but the
sacrifices and responsibilities that go with it, then release
your fears. People fear change, because it is unknown. You must
be aware that you are taking a leap and welcome it. Have faith in
your Self. When you know your Little Self well enough, you will
be able to trust that it will bring you what you desire. When you
don't know it that well, work on that. If you fail, it's time to
work harder.
When you and your Little Self have the same goals, and you
have healed all the blocks to your success, you *know* that what
you want is coming. When you know, you do not feel desperate. If
you are feeling desperation, you are blocking. In that case, back
to work! When you have worked hard enough, then you are ready for
the easy part, the spell or ritual. When you enter ritual you
should know what you want and why you want it. You should have
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healed all feelings of failure and undeserving and you should
know that your spell will bring it. Work to cultivate this
feeling of calm expectation, it is an important key. When you do
a ritual, you will release all the power you have built to do its
work on the universe. You should not even have to think about it
again.
Once you achieve this, though, there is another caveat. Many
people have something unpleasant happen to them and later
realized that they had asked for it. "Be careful what you ask
for, you just might get it." Always think carefully about what
you want and how you ask for it. Once again, solid background
work is the key.
USING MAGICK
Magick is a field with many different disciplines. There is
sympathetic, Earth, Ceremonial, Enochian, Celtic, Egyptian and
Kabbalah magick just to begin. These are occasionally different
in their basic techniques, but mostly they differ in the symbols
they use to achieve their goals. The principles are the same,
however. Whichever form you prefer, it is how you observe these
principles that determines your success. Beyond that, it is only
personal preference.
Preference is very important, too. It is your Little Self that
you are addressing, and it is as individual as you. You must
learn what works best for you. The first clue is what appeals to
you most. Once you find the best methods for you, you build your
own personal magickal system. It is up to you to find these
methods, through research and experimentation. There is so much
information that it is impossible to give more than a sample
here. The information in this book is enough to get started. It
is your work that will complete it. If you are happy with what
you get on your own, you need never open another book. But you
must at least pay constant, careful attention to your work to
fine tune it. As with anything, the more work you put in, the
better your success.
The first principle is to take what you're doing very
seriously. This is not so easy when you're struggling with
society's negative attitudes. Ignore any intrusive thoughts you
might have. Concentrate on what you are doing. You must passively
avoid any distractions. Do not try to actively avoid them for
that usually becomes an even bigger distraction. As long as you
enter with the right attitude, the rest will come with practice.
Magickal ritual is a very special thing. You must set it apart
from your ordinary functions. When you do this, your Little Self
is aware that you have that an important message to give it. Not
only is the message less cluttered by stray thoughts, but it
proceeds more directly to the Little Self. The more special
things you have surrounding your ritual, the more effective it
is. (As long as you don't have so much that these things become a
distraction in themselves.)
Pick a time when you are relaxed and awake and not under the
influence of any drugs (e.g., alcohol or medication). Take the
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phone off the hook and see that you are not disturbed. Create a
"sacred space" that is only for ritual. If you can set up a
regular time or place which you use for nothing other than
ritual, this is ideal.
Before you begin, take a bath or at least wash your hands and
use this to symbolically wash away all other thoughts and
distractions in your mind. Relax your body and mind. Remove
watches and tight clothes. Make sure the time of the ritual is
clearly separated from your usual day. Use a symbolic act like
knocking three times to open and close the ritual. Anything that
you can add to the ambience will help: incense, special or no
clothing, candle light, silence or meditative music (or whatever
music is appropriate to the spell-- be careful of any lyrics!).
If you know a second language that you don't ordinarily speak,
such as hebrew or latin, you may want to use this. Alternatively,
you can use the Thee's and Thou's of archaic english.
During the ritual, concentrate on your goals. Make sure that
your ritual is not so long that you can't keep your mind focused!
It is better to repeat a ritual over days or weeks than to have
an enormously long one in which you spend most of your time
thinking about balancing your checkbook. Know what you will do
before you start. You may ad lib, but your purpose must be
completely clear before you start. Don't be surprised, however,
if a ritual goes differently from expected. You may, for
instance, gain an insight as you work that seems unrelated to
your goal. It is important to consider this! It may be the key to
what you are trying to achieve. It may also be a distraction, so
be aware.
The Attitude
Since magick is the science of controlling your Self, the
entire key is in attitude. Not only must you take it seriously,
but you must also cultivate the right feelings. You must want and
expect your goal.
Wanting seems easy, but this is deceptive. That is because the
many facets of a personality often want different things. You
must unify your desire just as you must unify your will. A person
who grew up abused may learn, on some level, to associate this
with love. That person's Little Self will seek out abuse as an
expression of love. It will want abuse even if the individual
does not. Changing the desire of the Little Self to that if the
individual is the challenge.
An even bigger challenge is that of expectation. According to
the magickal paradigm, you not only get what you want, but you
get it in the way that you expect it. Thus, if you do a spell for
money and you think "I'll never win the lottery," the money
cannot come that way. If the spell is to work, the money must
come from another source, such as finding a better job. Too often
we rule out all possibility. When you do a spell, you know that
has already worked. If you do not know this, it has not worked.
This is the ideal. It may well take some time before you work up
to this point.
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For these reasons it's usually best to start slow. Remember,
to be completely successful, you have to want and expect on every
level. Begin with a project easier than levitation! Work your way
up to something life changing only after you have proven
yourself. And don't look for dramatic results. Don't rule them
out, of course-- you can win the lottery or even have ET hand you
a suitcase of money. But remember, this is dealing in what you
believe, and people rarely believe that dramatic things can
happen to them.
Look at magick as an extra push-- something to make the random
events break your way. In addition to magickal means, strive for
your goals on the earthly level. Preliminary results usually tend
toward things like improved success in your ordinary pursuits:
business picking up, a bonus, getting that job interview. Also,
the energy you put into these mundane efforts also supports your
magickal work. Even if you concentrate on winning a lottery, you
must at least buy a ticket. All your efforts help to build
expectation and gives a very strong message to the Little Self.
Affirmation
The message you give to your Little Self is the most important
aspect of Magick. The whole process is communicating the right
message. Desire and expectancy are the two most important
messages. But often these do not get across. The Little Self has
the understanding of a child. There are certain messages that
work well and quite a few that work disastrously. You must learn
how to talk to your Little Self.
The Little Self understands images and feelings; it does not
understand negatives or time. When you say "I will not fail," the
image in your mind is that of failure. The message to another
person would be what you mean, because they understand the
negation, "not." The message to the subconscious is "I will
fail." Never, never, never use a negative when talking to your
Little Self.
If you change your message to, "I will succeed," you still
have a problem. Since the Little Self does not understand time as
we do, it will perpetually see success as being in the future.
Success will never arrive. The proper message would be, "I
succeed." This is not the way we are used to thinking, but it is
necessary for magickal work. Always formulate your goals this way
when you begin a ritual or spell. In addition, the more you think
in this way in everyday life, the more powerful will be the
positive messages to your Little Self.
Visualization
The images which you give your Little Self are even more
important. It is the images which your words conjure that
actually do the communicating. When you choose your goal, you
should try to choose one or more images to represent it. The
image must include you in it, either see yourself in a scene or
picture it as if looking out of your eyes. The scene should
represent to you exactly what you desire.
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The more you imagine in your scene, the better. Details,
smells, sounds and textures all help enormously. The scene is
most effective when it brings up all the emotions that you would
feel if you were actually there. A drawing or picture is a good
aid. Surround yourself with as many things you can find that make
you think of your goal. Imagine you have what you want and know
you have what you want. That is a successful ritual.
Symbols
Over the millennia, people have discovered symbols which speak
to the Little Selves of nearly everyone. Various sets of symbols
form the foundation of the many different schools of magick. They
are often culturally oriented. Because our culture is far removed
from its magickal symbols, each must discover his own. There are
myriads of occult books that offer as many different symbols as
you could want. If you are interested, research them. Look first
to your religion or ethnic background for your symbols. Mythology
and astrology are also good sources.
One kind of symbol is the magickal tool. This is a physical
object which you have consecrated for magickal work. If you have,
for instance, a cross or star which you want to use for
protection, you must empower the object for that purpose in a
ritual. You will direct you will, through statement and
visualization, into to object. From then on it is a constant
tangible reminder to you and your Little Self. Treat it with the
greatest respect.
When you want to use a symbol, first explore your feelings as
you look at it. If it conjures the feelings you want, then use
it. With symbols from a source, try do this before you read what
the "authentic" meaning is. Sometimes you can get new information
by not prejudicing yourself. Be careful if the meaning is very
different, though. If you are not entirely in tune with your
Little Self (and few beginners are), you may be missing something
that will affect your spell.
Chakra
To give you an idea of what to look for and a sample to try,
here is a simple set of symbols based on the Chakra. Chakrum
(singular) is Sanskrit for wheel, although vortex would be a
better word. Chakra refers to points in the body where certain
energies localize. These types of energies correspond to many
different things: herbs, stones, times, planets, moods, political
beliefs. It is possible to relate anything to a chakrum. This
chart gives points on the body, one of the many color schemes and
how one experiences these energies. This becomes useful when you
seek a reinforcing energy. You can use this chart to decide where
to apply a magickal oil or what color is best to use in a given
project.
RED ROOT Physical Health and Energy
ORANGE SPLEEN Sexual and Reserve Energy (Second Wind)
YELLOW SOLAR PLEXUS Mental and Emotional Energy
GREEN HEART Love, Prosperity, Fertility, Growth
BLUE THROAT Command, Creation, Will, Expression
INDIGO BROW Magick, Psychic Energy
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LAVENDER CROWN Spirituality
WHITE Positivity, all colors combined, the Universal Deity (God)
BLACK absorbs negativity
PINK Filial Love, "Agape" (look it up)
BROWN Earthiness, Grounding, Hearth & Home
GOLD Wealth
TEMPLES Thoughts, mind
The blue is a very light blue. Indigo is a very dark blue, like navy
blue. Lavender is a mixture of the colors and the energies of red,
indigo and white. It is a very light color which you might be able to
see at the edge of a gas flame. The root chakrum is at the base of the
spine. The spleen is a few inches higher and to your left or along
the spine (your choice). The Solar Plexus at the navel (there is a
major nerve nexus here). The Brow or Third Eye Chakrum is associated
with the pineal gland. On the skin, the point is on the brow between
the eyes. The crown is the top of the head, associated with the
fontanelle (soft spot). If you use something black (like obsidian) to
absorb negativity, be sure to wash it occasionally to get rid of the
negativity. When you burn a black candle, this creates a vacuum.
This may be filled by for negativity unless you also burn a white
candle to bring in positive energy.
EXERCISES
Magick is not just an occasional exercise to bring what you
want, it is a way of life. It requires a certain kind of
relationship with your Self. This does not preclude any kind of
life style or religion, it is entirely separate. It isn't what
you do but why and how you do it. Magick demands that you love
and respect your Self and that you accept your Power. This is the
goal. "Getting what you want" is a small bonus.
Building a magickal relationship with your Self is much like
building one with a best friend. You learn all you can about its
beliefs and feelings. You help heal it and it helps you. You
achieve this through communication and love. You love through
learning acceptance. You communicate by learning and listening to
the language of the Little Self.
Dreams
The Little Self expresses itself most clearly in dreams. You
should keep a regular dream diary. Have a journal handy by the
bed. As soon as you wake up in the morning, write down as many
details as you can. If you scribble down notes, transcribe them
into a clear, coherent text. If you remember no dreams, write
this down. You should have an entry for every day that you sleep.
It is best to record them in present participle (e.g., "I dream
that I am writing in my journal").
Once you have a dream recorded. Consider it and write down
your impressions. How does it make you feel? To what does it
pertain? What symbols are there? What does it tell you about
yourself and your life? After you have considered these things,
you may choose to look up the possible meaning in a dream
dictionary. It is best to do this afterward because someone
else's interpretation could prejudice your own. The advantage is
that many dreams are "contrary." Such dreams actually mean the
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opposite of what they seem to on the surface. A dictionary can
help jog your awareness. Once you've tried on your own, it's not
a bad idea. Remember, though, your impressions are the most
significant.
You can make great progress during your dreams as well. The
more control you have in your dreams, the more Power you have in
your life. Try to develop this control. Remind yourself each time
before you go to bed that you will remember your dreams and
exercise your will in them. The ideal is called a waking or vivid
dream. In this you are consciously aware that you are dreaming
and everything, especially color, is very clear. The most
important thing to remember in a dream is to defeat everything
that attacks you. Attackers represent those things afflicting you
during the day. Don't let them beat you in your dreams. If you
need help, call for it. When victorious, make the attacker give
you a gift. The gift is the benefit that you can gain from any
situation. Defeat your dream monsters and you gain power to face
your real monsters.
From your dreams you can learn what your Little Self desires
and fears. You can also gain powerful symbols for your work.
These are all highly personal and it is up to you to divine this
information. But, don't try to interpret too much. Much of what
you dream is reviewing the events of the day and other items of
no great insight. Look at all your dreams and discover which ones
hold meaning for you. Don't worry when you don't understand. Your
Little Self will keep trying when it has something important to
tell you. As long as you keep listening, you will progress.
Diary
You should also keep a daily diary. It too, is a line to your
Little Self. Use this to record the events of the day and your
thoughts and feelings. These will reflect what is going on inside
you. Use it also for introspection. You must do a lot of soul
searching to learn about your Little Self, this is most effective
when written.
It is even more important to track the progress of your
magickal work. Each time you do a spell or ritual record your
goal, your feelings before and after and your methods. Before you
get to this point, you should also have explored all your
feelings associated with it. Then pay careful attention to all
that happens to you (part of the reason for the daily diary).
Often, a spell will work and we will not even notice.
Since magick works with what we believe, things come to us in
the way we expect or allow. When you do a healing, it will tend
to look entirely natural, rather than miraculous. If you do a
prosperity spell, receiving a tax refund check the following
month could be the universe's response. Keep an eye out for any
hint of possible results. Even the weakest indication is very
positive. It may not be enough to satisfy, but it means that you
are being effective. If you keep working, you will be able to
improve until you achieve the result you desire. When you give
yourself credit for even the smallest success, you build the
relationship between you and your Little Self.
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Pendulums
Another good way of communicating with your Little Self is
through pendulum work. You can use any object on a string, but if
it holds significance for you, so much the better. Hold your arm
steady and think about the pendulum swinging forward and back. It
should eventually begin to do so without you *consciously* moving
your arm. Next change the movement to left and right by thinking
about it. Once you can do this with facility, assign "yes" to one
direction and "no" to the other. If you choose forward and back
as "yes," alternate thinking the direction and thinking the word.
Eventually, even when you start cold, the pendulum will swing
forward and back when you think "yes." Repeat with the word "no"
for the opposite direction. Now you have a way of talking with
your Little Self. You can ask it questions directly.
Eventually, you can even get your Little Self to spell words
by holding the pendulum over a semicircle with the alphabet on
it. The direction of swing will indicate each letter. Another
method is automatic writing. With this you hold a pen and relax
and let "it" do the writing. (This may sound like an Ouija board,
but it is not. Do not try to use one for this purpose or vice
versa.) Whatever method you use, be careful. Your Little Self
wants to please you. It will tend to give you the answer you
want. Make sure you want the truth and that your Little Self
understands this. Always be friendly, as you would with a child.
Praise success and don't berate failure. After all, it is only
trying to please. As usual, this requires regular work over time,
but eventually you can have such a good understanding that you
need no tools. You will simply "know" how your Little Self feels.
This is the ideal.
Meditation
Another way to achieve this awareness is through meditation.
This is a method of calming the conscious mind. There many
physical benefits from the stress reduction alone. It also allows
your inner thoughts and feelings to express themselves. All the
skills you learn in meditation are very useful in magick. Not
only is it a line of communication with the little self, but it
teaches you to quiet the conscious mind which is essential in
ritual. You would do well take instruction in a meditation
technique such as yoga or self-hypnosis.
If you are learning this on your own, observe these rules:
Relax your body consciously and completely. You must be in a
comfortable, calm environment to do this properly. Starting at
your feet, think about each part of your body and let it relax.
It may help to tighten the muscles first. Use a cue to tell your
mind to relax. This can be something like mentally going down
stairs or counting backwards. [Do not use a common cue. For
instance, "three, two, one" is something that you might encounter
on the radio while driving. This could be dangerous. It would be
better to use, "three, three, three, two, two, two, one, one,
one." This is less likely to cause a problem. It is dangerously
easy to get into a meditative state during automatic tasks like
driving. This you must avoid.] Once relaxed, you can use this
state to allow subconscious thoughts to float to the surface, or
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you can use it in ritual to give a powerful message to your
Little Self. This mental state is another key to magick.
You will find that it is very difficult to focus your
conscious mind at first. See how long you can hold one word or
picture in your head without any other thought. It is probably an
astoundingly brief time. Watch commercials to see how many
seconds they show one unchanging scene. This represents the
average attention span. This is one of the reasons that magick is
so difficult, you must remain focused for the entire ritual. Be
aware of you concentration span. While it is short, you should be
working short rituals. It is better to have three five-minute
rituals than one half-hour ritual if you spend twenty minutes of
the latter thinking of other things.
In order to improve your concentration, spend some time each
day trying to hold a word or picture as long as possible. Another
good exercise is to pick a word and try *not* to think of it for
a week. Count how many times you think the word in your head, if
you think it again when counting it, count that instance, too.
This is very difficult, but eventually you will even be able to
hear or see the word without thinking it.
These skills immediately become useful in communicating with
your Little Self. You will want to hold positive thoughts, such
as "I am a loveable, successful person." You will want to dispel
negative thoughts, as when the T.V. tells you, "I was very
unpopular until I started using Crealm Toothpaste!" When you are
trying to reprogram your Little Self, feel free to use aids such
as subliminal tapes. Another good one is colored cards. Place
your simple, direct message, such as "I succeed," on a colored
card where you will see it each day. Put small pieces of the same
color where you will encounter them throughout the day. Each time
a bit of card comes in your field of view, your Little Self will
notice and remember the message, even when you don't.
Symbolic acts are also very powerful. When you clean out your
house and get rid of everything that you don't *need,* you make
way for new things to come into your life. This is a good thing
to do in concert with a major change in your life, quitting
smoking or graduation, for instance. It helps to tell your Little
Self that your old life is over and your new one has begun. The
more you can eliminate the symbols of your old life, the more you
can shape your new life to your liking. Be aware of all that you
do, for you can use ordinary acts to give messages to your Little
Self. Your morning shower can be a ritual to "wash away" all your
stress or yesterday's mistakes. If you do this, however, you must
*make* it a ritual. Develop a routine and concentrate on the
purpose of the act throughout. This is true of all magickal
works.
Once you have begun this work to focus your conscious mind and
reprogram your Little Self for success, then you can begin some
small works of magick. You want to start small because most
people have difficulty accepting a great success on a deep level.
If start with a spell to win one million in the lottery and you
are not ready for this, your failure will set you back. If you do
prosperity spell and you get a small raise or win $10 in the
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lottery, that is a start that you can build on.
One of the better starting goals is manifesting an
insignificant object. Manifesting means bringing it into your
life. Things tend to manifest in unremarkable ways, so keep a
look out. The blue feather is a classic. Set up a ritual in which
you concentrate on a blue feather. See it, feel it, smell it,
want it, then let it go. Then pay attention for the following
week (and keep track in your journal). You may find a blue
feather on the side walk. You may notice one for the first time
on a billboard that you pass every day. You may see one on T.V.
All of these are successes.
It is best to start with insignificant, uncommon (but not
rare) objects. An uncommon object gives you a good indication of
success. A rare object is a challenge you can work up to. An
insignificant object is easier because you do not have
interfering desires or fears. You have to be relaxed and
confident and let go of your desire as you complete the ritual.
You should be able to manifest such an object before you proceed
to a greater challenge. It is valuable to repeat this exercise
every so often in any case.
Another good spell to start with is a spell to do good spells.
That is, you can use magic to help remove blocks and fears. For
instance, if you have discovered that you feel unworthy, this
will seriously impair your ability to manifest what you want.
But, you can use your desire for self worth to empower magickal
work toward feeling worthiness. You can also do a spell to
support your ability to concentrate on your goal. This is just an
extension of all the other methods of getting messages to your
Little Self.
When you discover blocks and fears, when thoughts intrude and
your mind wanders, or when you find yourself thinking exactly
what you're supposed to avoid, don't worry! This happens as you
learn to control your will. The idea is not to avoid these
problems, but to *learn* to avoid them. You can't do this by
trying to force yourself. There are no instructions on how to do
this, only exercises. Just do your stuff and the rest will
follow. When problem surfaces, recognize it and go on. Don't try
to stop it and don't dwell on it, just continue. You may know
that you have "spoiled" a ritual with a stray thought, but
complete it anyway-- it's a good exercise. Sometimes you can deal
with stray thoughts by *trying* to think about them. Concentrate
on these thoughts and let your mind tire of them, then go on with
your work.
Work steadily, but not overly hard, on these exercises and
make magick a part of your life. Unify your will. Take and prove
your Power. Only after you have done this are you ready to do
magick. When you feel you are ready, develop the messages and
visualization which will be the most powerful for you. Decide how
you are going to set up your ritual area and how you will
orchestrate your spell. Whatever you feel best with is what will
be the most powerful. If you need an idea of how to start,
consider the examples that follow.
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SPELLS
Once you have discovered and addressed your blocks, you are
ready to do a spell. This is only a little different from what
you have already been doing. In a spell you do nothing new, you
do it differently. A spell is a ritual, an act carefully planned
to have the greatest effect. You must do the planning, for only
you know what will be the most effective ritual. Plan carefully
and completely. You may want to use a script (it would be best to
memorize it). You can ad lib once you're more experienced. At
this point, you have enough information to develop more powerful
rituals than you are likely to encounter in any book. However,
since this is so different from what most of us are used to, here
are some samples to give you a starting point. Feel free to use
and change these rituals as you please. They are here to give you
an idea of how you may want to approach things.
The ritual starts in a special place. It could be out in the
woods or in a special room. Ideally, you would never use this
place for anything but ritual, but this may be impossible. If in
the home, choose a quiet time and unplug the phone. Make sure
that you are not disturbed.
Before the ritual, carefully clean and arrange the area and
take a bath or wash your hands. Think about washing away the days
thoughts and cares. You are now ritually purified. You should not
engage in any mundane activity until after the ritual. Enter your
ritual area and knock three times, to mark the beginning. From
this point all your thoughts are on the ritual. Don't do anything
automatically. No matter how familiar, think about every action
and what it means.
Light candles and incense (only if there is no danger of
fire!). Imagine the ritual area surrounded in a circle of white
light. You may physically trace this circle to reinforce it.
(Traditionally, all such movements are clockwise when invoking
and counterclockwise when dispelling.) Repeat an act of
purification. This is like the bath only more symbolic. You can
hold your hand in the incense smoke and touch water from a ritual
cup to your forehead, for instance. Next, relax and aum-- that is
chant the mantra "ohhmmm" (or whatever works for you) to bring
your mind to the proper state of alert relaxation, ready for
work.
At this point you will state your will. Tell your Self and the
Universe how you choose it to be. This is not merely
verbalization, during ritual your word is law. What you say, is.
Feel your statement with your entire being, with every sense. Use
all the techniques that you have found effective. Then, let the
feeling go. It is going out into the universe to do its work. End
your expression with a statement like, "According to free will
and for the good of all." This helps to avoid problems with
karma, as long as you mean it. Do not allow other thoughts to
intrude at this point, it is now time to close the ritual.
Imagine removing the white light circle (counterclockwise).
Knock three times to end the ritual. Put out the candles, clean
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each item and put it carefully away in a special place. The
ritual is only finished once you have completed all of these
steps. Only then can you resume thinking about what's on the T.V.
and how big a jerk your boss it. As a beginner, you should always
be prepared to go through this entire procedure before you start.
Even in an emergency, you should at least remove the white circle
and knock (very quickly, perhaps, but do at least this much when
possible). Nothing in a ritual is mundane, so it must be clearly
delineated from your mundane actions. Otherwise you will dilute
your spell and give the wrong messages to your Little Self. When
ritual is obviously separate, your Little Self will know when to
pay close attention.
Once finished, do not talk about your work. Silence is another
important key to magick. If you discuss it with anyone else, they
cannot help adding their thoughts. This is almost always
detrimental. It is fine to work with people, then your energies
multiply. But never talk about specific spells that you have
done.
Destroying Your Enemies
This is one aspect of magick that attracts many. It is a big
mistake! Karma will get you every time. Don't try to rationalize.
Though you may be able to put it off, you will not escape karma.
In the mundane world, you might justifiably do violence in order
to defend yourself or another from physical attack. In magick,
this justifies only defense, never attack. Don't imagine yourself
to be an agent of karma or a martyr saving others at your own
expense. Who ever has done you wrong will get his. It's
frustrating to wait and we all want to be there when it happens,
but it is never worth trying to make it happen.
When you have any kind of relationship, particularly a
magickal one, you develop a karmic tie. You will want to avoid
such ties with people you don't like. Even if you get the best of
such a person, he will still drag you down. It's difficult to
resist when you feel that the person owes you. If you have been
swindled and left with no legal recourse, it's tempting to use
magick to get your money back. Trying to get even will develop a
tie with this person and probably set you up for some bad karma.
Don't worry about the money, either. You can get that from
anywhere (see "Prosperity"), In seeing this swindler as your only
source you give your Power to him. If you are brave, you can
demand justice in such a situation. This incurs no karmic debt,
but you, too, can expect justice. Not very many people genuinely
want this. Most prefer mercy because we have all done plenty of
things that we would rather not have to pay for. If you want
mercy, you must extend it to others. When you ask for justice,
all your debts present themselves. If you survive, great, but it
won't be fun. There are much safer ways of dealing with nasty
people.
Protection
Psychic attack can be a real problem because it is so
prevalent. When you make someone angry, the person is attacking
you. Simply directing angry thoughts is a psychic attack. (This
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incurs bad karma, so learn to avoid this yourself!) We all have
natural defenses, so these attacks seldom have an effect. But if
someone has ability, or if he concentrates a lot of energy, you
are likely to suffer. Psychic attack usually comes in through the
neck and manifests as a headache. As you become a better
magician, you will be more sensitive to the energies around you.
You become more vulnerable to psychic attack. You also become
better able to defend yourself as long as you remain alert. This
work will also help protect you from physical threats. Keep in
mind that, though magic may help, you must still act responsibly!
Affirmations: I am now safe and secure. All negative influences
are reflected off me into the Earth to be healed. I allow only
the positive into my life.
Visualizations: See an egg of white light around you-- because
this keeps in negative energy, also see it filled with violet
light, which will turn the negative to positive. Another good
visualization is three concentric circles around you (or whatever
you wish to protect) of white (outside), blue (middle) and pink
(inside). Also, you can imagine a mirror at the back of the neck
or encasing the whole body, reflecting outward.
Other: Religious symbols are especially good for this work.
Purification
Remember that the things you have in your life are those that
you have drawn to you. When someone upsets you, he usually has a
lesson to teach you. If you can learn this lesson, you can escape
the situation. If you escape without learning your lesson, you'll
probably be in a similar situation soon. Sometimes people often
make us angry by reflecting a part of our personality that we are
unhappy with. Also, the negative vibrations we pick up during our
everyday lives attract negative things. The purpose of the ritual
bath is to remove such influences. It is also a good idea to do
an entire spell for purification. This is not only good to do on
yourself, but also your home and wherever else you spend much
personal time.
Affirmations: The white light cleanses me of all negative
thoughts and energies. Only positive feelings remain in me. I
release all negative vibrations into the Earth to be healed.
Visualizations: See yourself being washed clean by white or
violet light from above you (your High Self). Each time you
inhale, take in pure white light. When you exhale, release all
your negativity. See this negativity go down into the earth to be
healed.
Other: Place a piece of rock salt under your tongue. Use incense
smoke or water to cleanse yourself. Again, religious symbols are
very effective.
Love
You must take love spells very seriously, for they are quite
dangerous. Never, never, never do a love spell on an individual.
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This is often a great temptation, but don't even risk the
possibility of imposing your will on another. The karmic results
are severe. Even if you succeeded, you would still lack real
love, for you would have to continually renew the spell to keep
the person. What you want, among other things, is someone to help
express your love for yourself. As you will often hear, you must
love yourself first. This isn't a problem, for you already love
yourself-- that is the main reason you are alive. The problem is
when you block that love. Eliminating these blocks is the Soul's
goal. But don't despair, you needn't actually remove them to draw
love to you. Just beginning the work can attract that special
someone who will help.
Affirmations: I am a perfect manifestation of love and I draw
love to me. I now allow love to come into my life. I feel and
express perfect love and draw other loving people into my life.
Visualizations: Picture yourself as a magnet, feeling and drawing
love. Imagine yourself bathed in green or pink or orange light,
depending on your goals. Pink is for filial love (agape) and for
that of a lover. Orange is for the sexual aspect (spleen
chakrum). Green is for both (heart chakrum). But the distinctions
are somewhat blurred, for love is a combination of all of these.
Other: Friday is the day of Venus and the waxing to full Moon is
a time of increase, so these are good times for ritual. The
ubiquitous heart symbol can be useful.
Prosperity
Money is not all there is to prosperity. What do you want the
money for? What kind of life do you want to live? What do you
want to have? Keep these goals in mind. You may get them instead
of the money.
As you work though your blocks to prosperity, you will
probably find that one of the biggest is guilt. Our society
functions under the assumption that a person can only gain at the
expense of others. Don't try to get money by taking it from
others through force or fraud, magickally or otherwise. That is
giving your Power away. In the magickal paradigm, you create.
When you understand this, there is no greed because you can have
whatever you desire and without taking from others. It is not
money that is a root of evil, but the love of money. It doesn't
matter how much you get, but how you get it. When you do a
prosperity spell, it should be a joyful expression of the
infinite supply available to you. If you are begging or hopping
to be rescued, you have more background work to do.
Another aspect to remember is that money, like all other kinds
of energy, flows. In order to get it, you have to spend it. There
must be an outflux for there to be an influx. This is not an
excuse to be irresponsible! It is easy for the flow to be too
much in either direction (especially out!). Don't be miserly or
wasteful, remember the flow. Use each bill you pay to remind you
that you've drawn the money to pay it and that more money will
come to take its place.
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Affirmations: I allow prosperity to manifest itself in my life in
great abundance. I draw from the infinite source all the money I
need and more. In my life, I now express the infinite supply of
wealth around me.
Visualizations: Imagine yourself bathed in green light (heart
chakrum). This is a situation where visualization works
particularly well, because it's a tangible object. You can even
use a picture or model of the new home or car you want.
Other: Good times for a prosperity ritual are Thursday, the day
for increase, and during the waxing Moon. The $ (or approriate
regional symbol) has a great deal of power-- consider using it.
Health & Self Improvement
Your body is the most direct expression of your Little Self.
It is one of the most accessible, yet challenging things to
change. If you can find and address the root causes of health
problems, like heat disease, it is often relatively easy to do
something about them. But self image problems can be very
difficult because of the way our society approaches the subject.
Over weight is a good example of a self image problem. Madison
Avenue bombards us with an ideal of beauty. It is almost
impossible to escape. If you are over weight and unhappy about it
for other than health reasons, you are probably a victim of this.
It is dangerously easy to make self love or approval contingent
upon losing weight. Until you've lost it, you may feel
undeserving and thus fail. You may succeed, only to have old
habits or new crises can throw you back into old eating habits.
You have made no fundamental change, so the cycle reinforces
itself. So many different problems manifest this way.
You will certainly want to deal with eating habits and
exercise, but this is often insufficient. People have different
metabolic rates and different body types. Do not make liking
yourself contingent upon your having a different body type! If
you dislike your body, you dislike your Little Self. You must
love yourself unconditionally. This is the same transcendent
spirit expressed in wedding vows: for better or worse, richer or
poorer, in sickness and in health. Love yourself not regardless
of how you look, but because of how you look. Wanting to improve
doesn't mean that you must dislike yourself as you are. If you
were given $900, you wouldn't despise it because it wasn't $1000.
Rejoice in your Little Self's expression of being alive. Until
you do, this lesson will hang over your head. Ironically, you are
most able to change your looks when it matters to you least.
Remember to be responsible. Always get good health care. When
trying to lose weight, follow a sane plan under a doctor's care.
But in addition, work to love yourself unconditionally. Strive
constantly to fight the messages from the media and those around
you. You are a loving, loveable person and your looks reflect
this. Make yourself aware of that. When you succeed, you may
eventually look like your ideal, but even if you don't, you will
see the beauty in yourself. You will be more able to defend
yourself from those small minds unhappy enough to attack you for
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not conforming to their ideal. You will also draw those who can
see your beauty. As an extreme example, anorexics always feel
that they are too fat. They cannot lose more weight, for that
would kill them. The answer lies with truly seeing themselves.
Any time your goal is self improvement, the principle is the
same. In order to better yourself, you must first realize that
you are loveable, now and always. Never try to better yourself to
become loveable-- it doesn't work. The goal of magick is to heal
those things you do not like in yourself, not destroy them. You
better yourself by first bettering your self image. You change
your behavior by healing the hurts that cause you to do harmful
things. Recognize that all unhappy things are in response to
pain. Your Little Self can hurt you, much as a favorite pet may
bite you because it is in pain. Do not feel anger or misery but
love and healing.
Affirmations: I love myself completely as I am now. I surrender
to love. I know that I am a loving and loveable person. I heal
all hurts. I now express perfect health in my life. I bring
complete health into my life. My body is now a beautiful, healthy
expression of my Self.
Visualizations: Imagine yourself so close to the sun that you can
see nothing else. Visualize the area you want to heal bathed in
blue-green light. Listen to or imagine the note F#. Concentrate
on the heart and throat chakra (green and blue, respectively).
The root chakrum (red) is another good focus for physical well
being. When healing someone not present, put a photo next to a
candle. Put the name of the subject on the candle and use this to
focus your concentration.
Other: Rituals to increase energy and health are most effective
during the waxing moon and at high noon. Rituals for eliminating
disease or losing weight are best done during the waning moon.
The five pointed star (symbol of Man) might be a good symbol (if
you do not have any negative associations with it).
Good Luck!
At this point you are on your own. It takes forty days to make
or break a habit, so you should concentrate on daily exercise for
at least this long. Magick is not a quick, easy way of getting
what you want. It is a long, hard road. Though it's quite
possible to have instant success, visible results can take
months. Real rewards can take years. But we all must travel this
road some time. Be cautious of those promising an easier path.
Though it may appear slow, magick is one of the fastest ways of
taking your Power. The difficulty lies not in feats of physical
or mental prowess, but in steady diligence. Do not try too hard,
or you will not last long. If you are not happy with the way your
life is going now and you desire to take your power, then commit
to the life changes which magick demands. If your commitment is
genuine, then everything will fall into place over time. Above
all, be patient.
Best of luck and stay on the path.
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________________________________________
"HOW TO USE MAGICK with a Straight Face"
(C) 1989 by Scot Rhoads, all rights reserved
MYSTIC MOON Metaphysical Books, NEW MOON RISING journal & BBS
8818 Troy St., Spring Vly, CA 91977 (619) 466-8064; BBS: 466-5403
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3293
Nine Noble Virtues
(Written by Lewis Stead from the Raven Kindred's ritual book)
The Odinic Rite lists the 9 Noble Virtues as Courage, Truth, Honor,
Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-Reliance, and
Perseverance.
It would be hard to get much argument on any of these values from
anyone. They simply and briefly encapsulate the broad wisdom of our
Gods and ancestors.
Courage
In virtually every statement of values applied to Asatru, Courage is
listed first. As Stephen McNallen has said, courage and bravery are
perhaps the values which the Vikings are best known for. However,
despite our history, few of us face such turmoil as a literal battle
for ones life. In fact, I believe it might be easier to manifest
courage in such a situation than to do so in the many smaller day to
day occurrences in which courage is called for.
The most common of these occurrences for modern Pagans, is the courage
to acknowledge and live ones beliefs. It is also, sadly, the one that
we most often fail at. While we may often be full of the type of
courage that would lead us to face a shield wall, many of us quake at
the thought of the topic of religion coming up at the office or a
friend asking what church we attend. We won't offer easy answers, but
we ask this: if you toast the courage of your ancestors to fight and
die for what they believed in, can you trade away your religious
identity for a higher salary or social acceptance?
In an essay on values there is also the question of moral courage.
The way of Tyr is difficultto lose ones hand for ones beliefsbut,
Tyr thought the price worth paying. In a million ways modern society
challenges our values, not just as Asatruar who are estranged from
mainstream religious practice, but for religious people in an
increasingly not just secular, but anti-religious culture. Values are
also not in favor in modern society. Breaking or getting around the
rules is encouraged to get ahead. Living honorably is simply too
inconvenient. I think most people, Asatru or otherwise, find this
repugnant, but the only way to change it is to have the courage to
refuse to take part in it.
Truth
The second virtue, that of Truth, is the one that most led our kindred
to embrace the Odinic Rite's statement of values as our own. Early in
our discussions, we decided that no matter what values we chose to
hold out as our own, truth must be among them. It is a word that
holds so much in its definition, and includes such a wide variety of
moral and philosophical beliefs that we were all drawn to it as a
simple statement of what we stood for.
At least one of the reasons we wanted to adopt it was the simple issue
of honesty. As Bill Dwinnels said at a recent sumbel while toasting
truth and honesty: if you don't want people to know about something,
don't do it. Truth, in the sense of honesty, is essential to personal
honor and also to any system or morality that is not based on rigid
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legalism. If one is to uphold an honor code, one must be brutally
honest with oneself and with others.
Truth is also the Truth that comes with a capital Tthe kind of Truth
that one talks about in terms of religion or morality. It's common to
talk of different peoples having different "truths," but it's equally
important to remember that while we acknowledge that each person or
people has their own belief as to what Truth is or where to find it,
there finally is a single Truth. This is not the Truth as we believe
it, but ultimate Truth. While we may respect other people's truths
and seek our own, we must never forget our search for The Truth. Like
the Holy Grail of Christian legend, it may never be ours to reach, but
when we cease to search we perish.
Honor
Honor is the basis for the entire Asatru moral rationale. If anything
comes out in the Eddas and Sagas it is that without honor we are
nothing. We remember two types of peoples from ancient times: those
whose honor was so clean that they shine as examples to us and those
who were so without honor that their names are cursed a thousand years
after they lived. Good Asatruar should always strive to be among the
former.
However, honor is not mere reputation. Honor is an internal force
whose outward manifestation is reputation. Internal honor is the
sacred moral compass that each Asatruar and God should hold dear. It
is the inner dwelling at peace which comes from living in accordance
with ones beliefs and with ones knowledge of the Truth of what one is
doing. It is something deeply personal and heartfelt, almost akin to
an emotion. It's a knowing that what one is doing is right and
decent and correct.
In many ways while the most important of all the virtues it is also
the most ephemeral in terms of description. It is all the other
virtues rolled together and then still more. The best way I have
found to describe honor is that if you are truly living with honor,
you will have no regrets about what you have done with your life.
Fidelity
Fidelity is a word that is far too often defined by it's narrow use in
terms of marital fidelity. By the dictionary it simply means being
faithful to someone or something. In marriage this means being true
to ones vows and partner, and this has been narrowly defined as
limiting ones sexual experience to ones spouse. While I have found
this to be great practical advice, many treat fidelity as if there
were no other ways in which one could be faithful or unfaithful.
For we Asatruar fidelity is most important in terms of our faith and
troth to the Gods. We must remain true to the Aesir and Vanir and to
our kinsmen. Like marriage, Profession (the rite in which one enters
the Asatru faith, similar to Christian confirmation or Wiccan
initiation) is a sacred bond between two parties; in this case an
Asatruar and the Gods. In order for such a relationship to work, both
must be honest and faithful to each other.
Asatru, although currently being reborn, is at its roots a folk
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religion and we also uphold the value of fidelity to the ways of our
ancestors. This is why historical research is so important to the
Asatru-folk: it is the rediscovering of our ancient ways and our
readoption of them.
Discipline
In any discussion of the values of Asatru, discipline is best
described as self-discipline. It is the exercise of personal will
that upholds honor and the other virtues and translates impulse into
action. If one is to be able to reject moral legalism for a system of
internal honor, one must be willing to exercise the self-discipline
necessary to make it work. Going back to my earlier criticism of
society, if one rejects legalism, one must be willing to control ones
own actions. Without self-discipline, we have the mess we currently
see in our culture.
Looking at discipline in terms of fidelity, we see a close connection.
Many Pagans go from faith to faith, system to system, path to path.
Asatruar are much less likely to do this. The discipline of keeping
faith with our Gods and the ways of our ancestors is part of our
modern practice. In this way, we limit ourselves in some ways, but we
gain much more in others.
Hospitality
Hospitality is simply one of the strongest core values at the heart of
virtually every ancient human civilization. In a community/folk
religion such as our own, it is the virtue that upholds our social
fabric. In ancient times it was essential that when a traveler went
into the world he could find some sort of shelter and welcome for the
night. In modern times it is just as essential that a traveler find
friendship and safety.
In our modern Asatru community, we need to treat each other with
respect and act together for the good of our community as a whole.
This functions most solidly on the level of the kindred or hearth
where nonfamilial members become extremely close and look out for
each other. It can mean hospitality in the old sense of taking in
people, which we've done, but in modern times it's more likely to mean
loaning someone a car or a bit of money when they need it (that's
need, not want).
Part of hospitality is treating other people with respect and dignity.
Many of our Gods are known to wander the world and stop in at people's
houses, testing their hospitality and generosity. The virtue of
hospitality means seeing people as if they were all individuals with
self-respect and importance. Or perhaps from time to time, they are
literally the Gods in human form. This has profound implications for
social action in our religion. Our response to societal problems such
as poverty (that's poverty folks, not laziness) is in many ways our
modern reaction to this ancient virtue.
In terms of our modern community as a whole, I see hospitality in
terms of frontier "barn raisings" where a whole community would come
together and pool their resources. This doesn't mean we have to
forget differences, but we must put them aside for those who are of
our Folk, and work for our common good.
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Industriousness
Modern Asatruar must be industrious in their actions. We need to work
hard if we are going to achieve our goals. There is so much for us to
do. We've set ourselves the task of restoring Asatru to it's former
place as a mainstream faith and by doing so reinvigorating our society
and culture. We can't do this by sitting on our virtues, we need to
make them an active part of our behavior. Industry also refers to
simple hard work in our daily vocations, done with care and pride.
Here's a few concrete examples. If you are reading this and don't
have a kindred, why not? Stop reading now. Go and place ads in the
appropriate local stores, get your name on the Ring of Troth, Wyrd
Network, or Asatru Alliance networking lists, and with other Pagan
groups. Put on a workshop. Ok, now you're back to reading and you
don't agree with what I'm saying here? Well, be industrious! Write
your own articles and arguments. Write a letter to the editor and
suggest this material be bannedbetter that than passivity. Get the
blood moving and go out and do it. That's how it gets done. The Gods
do not favor the lazy.
The same holds true for our non-religious lives. As Asatruar we
should offer a good example as industrious people who add to whatever
we're involved in rather than take from it. We should be the ones the
business we work in can't do without and the ones who always seem to
be able to get things done. When people think of Asatru, they should
think of people who are competent and who offer something to the
world.
This doesn't just apply to vocational work, but to the entire way we
live our lives. It is just as much a mentality. The Vikings were
vital people. They lived each day to its fullest and didn't wring
their hands in doubt or hesitation. We should put the same attitude
forward in all that we do whether it is our usual vocation, devotion
to the Gods, or leisure time.
Self Reliance
Industry brings us directly to the virtue of Self-Reliance, which is
important both in practical and traditional terms. Going back to the
general notion of this article, we are dealing with a form of morality
that is largely self-imposed and thus requires self-reliance. We rely
on ourselves to administer our own morality.
Traditionally, our folkways have always honored the ability of a man
or woman to make their own way in the world and not to lean on others
for their physical needs. This is one of the ways in which several
virtues reinforce and support each other. Hospitality cannot function
if people are not responsible enough to exercise discipline and take
care of themselves. It's for those that strive and fail or need
assistance that hospitality is intended, not for the idle who simply
won't take care of themselves.
In terms of our relationships with the Gods, self-reliance is also
very important. If we wish the Gods to offer us their blessings and
gifts, we must make ourselves worthy of themand the Gods are most
pleased with someone who stands on their own two feet. This is one of
the reasons for the Asatru rule that we do not kneel to the Gods
3297
during our ceremonies. By standing we acknowledge our relationship as
striving and fulfilled people looking for comradeship and a
relationship, rather than acting as scraelings looking for a handout
from on high. It takes very little for a God to attract a follower,
if worship simply means getting on the gravy train. We, as Asatruar,
are people who can make our own way in the world, but who choose to
seek a relationship with the Gods.
In mundane terms being self-reliant is a simple way to allow ourselves
the ability to live as we wish to. In simple economic terms, if one
has enough money in the bank one doesn't need to worry as much about
being fired due to religious discrimination. We can look a bigot in
the face and tell him just where he can put it. It's also nice to
have something in the bank to lay down as a retainer on a good lawyer
so we can take appropriate action.
On the other side of this is self-reliance in the sense of Henry David
Thoreau, who advocated a simple lifestyle that freed one from the
temptations of materialism. Again, here we are able to live as we
wish with those things that are truly important. Religious people
from all faiths have found that adjusting ones material desires to
match one's ability to meet them leaves one open for a closer
relationship with deity and a more fulfilling life. While our
ancestors were great collectors of gold goodies, they didn't lust for
possessions in and of themselves, but for what they stood for and
could do for them. In fact, the greatest thing that could be said of
a Lord was that he was a good Ring Giver.
Being self-reliant also means taking responsibility for ones life.
It's not just about refusing a welfare check or not lobbying for a tax
exemption, but also refusing to blame ones failures on religious
intolerance, the patriarchy, or an unfair system. The system may, in
fact, be unfair, but it's our own responsibility to deal with it.
In societal terms, we have become much too dependent on other people
for our own good. As individuals we look to the government or to
others to solve our problems and as a society we borrow billions from
our descendants to pay for today's excesses. Most problems in this
world could be solved if people just paid their own way as they went.
The final virtue is Perseverance which I think most appropriate
because it is the one that we most need to keep in mind in our living
of the other values. Our religion teaches us that the world is an
imperfect place, and nothing comes easy. We need to continue to seek
after that which we desire. In this imperfect world there are no free
lunches or easy accomplishmentsespecially in the subjects we have set
before ourselves. If we truly wish to build an Asatru community that
people will hold up as an example of what committed people can do,
then we must persevere through the hardships that building our
religion is going to entail. We must be willing to continue on when
we are pushed back. If one loses a job for ones religion, the answer
is not to go back and hide, but to continue until one finds a vocation
where one can more forward and live as an Asatruar should.
Finally we must persevere when we simply fail. If one's kindred falls
apart because of internal strife, one should go back and start over.
Pick up the pieces and continue on. If nobody had done this after the
disintegration of the Asatru Free Assembly, this would probably never
3298
have been written. We must be willing to continue in the hard work of
making our religion strongnot just when it is convenient and easy to
do so, but when it gets hard, inconvenient, or just plain boring. To
accomplish without striving is to do little, but to persevere and
finally accomplish a hard fought goal brings great honor.
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3299
DARK MOON
by Magus and Ariel
Chanting before and while entering circle. Soft background music when
ritual starts.
Priest: We are gathered here in recognition of the dark, to celebrate
the dark mother, the crone of time, grandmother of us all!
All ears hear! The circle is about to be cast, let none be present
but of their own free will! Be it known that we are in the
presence of the dark Goddess.
Priestess: circles deosil with the salt, casts the first circle.
I cast the circle thus! With salt, deep from the womb of the mother!
From oceans deep and cold! I consecrate this space! So mote it be!
Priest: circling deosil with water.
I cast the circle thus! With water, ancient and old; with the
life blood of the world! I consecrate this space! So mote it be!
Priest: circling deosil with censor.
I cast the circle thus! With fire and air, clean and hot!
I consecrate this space! So mote it be!
Priest: And ever it was thus!
All: So mote it be!
Calling of the quarters:
Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Air! I call and summon thee by
name!
Raphael of the wide ranging air! Sylph of the endless skies! We
bid you come! Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast.
So mote it be!
All: So mote it be!
Priest: Ancient one of elemental Earth! I call and summon thee by name!
Oriel of the fertile plain! Gnome of forests deep! We bid you
come! Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast!
So mote it be!
All: So mote it be!
Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Fire! I call and summon thee by
name!
Michael of flickering flame! Salamander of scorching fire! We bid you
come!
Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast! So mote it be!
All: So mote it be!
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Priest: Ancient one of elemental Water! I call and summon thee by name!
Gabriel of oceans and streams! Undine of pools and ponds!
We bid you come! Stand in our presence and guard our circle cast!
So mote it be!
All: So mote it be!
Priest stands in the east, Priestess stands in the west.
Together with outstretched arms begin chant A U M !
<invoking Spirit pent>
All: So mote it be!
Priestess: And ever it was thus! From the beginnings of the world,
air and earth, fire and water weaved together with spirit and love!
All CHANT
We all come from the Goddess
And to her we shall return.
Like a drop of rain,
Flowing to the ocean.***
Isis, Astarte, Diana,Hecate,
Demeter, Kali, Inanna **
Priest: Dark Mother!! Crone of time!! We ask your presence and your
blessing! All things to you must go, though darkness and death
are your domain, you promise peace and rest! Thy gift is life!
Yours is the hand that turns the wheel and cuts the thread.
Be with us this magickal night! Give each of us your wisdom
and bless our rite! So mote it be!
All: So mote it be!
Priest and Priestess circle while chanting:
Hecate, Hecate of visage dower,
Dark Mother, Dark Mother come in power.
Hecate, Hecate of visage dower,
Dark Mother, Dark Mother crone of time.
While Priest and Priestess chant, everyone else can chant
also if the mood strikes.
Each person will take a sheet of parchment paper and write down
that which they have outgrown and want removed.
They will keep the paper with them until later when
this petition will be burned and tossed into cauldron.
Priest and Priestess:
And ever it was thus!
Priest: As God
Priestess: To Goddess
Together:
So woman to man
From the beginnings of the universe
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The energies joined and co-mingled
whereby we are sustained and carry on.
Priestess takes chalice:
Dark Lady, Mother of night, we thank you for your presence and
wisdom. (pouring liquid into libation bowl) as the fruit of the
vine was plucked and pressed, it came to know the touch of death
and thereby we are sustained and carry on!
Priest takes cakes:
Likewise as the grain of the field ripened and fell beneath the
scythe it came to know the touch of death, whereby we are
sustained and carry on!
While cakes and wine are passed around all will chant:
<in retrospect this works better if you've got the music.
Hebrew is hard>
Hine matov umanayim
Shevet akim gom yokad
(Happy are they that dwell
together as brother and sister)
Priestess: And ever it was thus!
All: Blessed be!
Priestess stand in the west with cauldron in front of her.
Priest kneels and silently draws down . While still kneeling
Priest says:
Dark Lady of the waning moon!
We thank you for your presence
and your blessing, and in silence we turn within
and willingly offer
to thy realm that which is old and outdated,
that which no longer has life and no longer grows.
We offer to thy Blade that which
we no longer need.
(Priest stands and lights cauldron)
Priestess draws invoking earth pentegram in front of Priest saying:
Of the Mother darksome and divine
Mine the scourge, and mine the kiss;
The five-point star of love and bliss -
Here I charge you, with this sign.
Priest: Here ye the words of the Dark Lady; we who of old was called
among men Hecate, Persephone, Kali, and many other names.
Priestess: Worship me as the Crone! Tender of the unbroken cycle of
death
and rebirth. I am the wheel, the shadow of the Moon.
I rule the tides of women and men and give release
and renewal to weary souls.
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Though the darkness of death is my domain,
the joy of birth is my gift.
Everyone in turn ignites their petition off the cauldron and
tosses it into the cauldron.
Priestess embraces each person as they go by.
Priestess: And ever it was thus! That which falls to the hand of the
crone finds regeneration and new life!
All circle and CHANT:
She changes everything she touches and
everything she touches changes!
Priestess: Grandmother! Blessed thou be! Depart to thy realms .
Thank you for the lessons learned this dark night! Blessed be!
All: Blessed be!
Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Air! Thank you for your vigil here!
Leave with us a renewed mind as clear as air! Blessed be!
All: Blessed be!
Priest: Ancient one of elemental Earth! Thank you for your vigil here!
Leave with us steadiness and patience! Blessed be!
All: Blessed be!
Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Fire! Thank you for your vigil
here!
Leave with us swiftness and action, a flaming soul to always do
what is right! Blessed be!
All: Blessed be!
Priest: Ancient one of elemental Water! Thank you for your vigil here!
As you depart leave with us the fluidity of water that we may
have compassion for our fellows as well as our selves!
Blessed be!
All: Blessed be!
Priestess: Let all ears hear! The circle is open but remains
unbroken!
Brothers and sisters, we are children of the Lord and Lady!
May they always dance within our hearts.
Merry did we meet, merry do we part, merry we meet again!
All: Merry did we meet, merry do we part, merry we meet again!
Blessed be!
Prayers to Brighid
These are some prayers to Brighid that I adapted from prayers to the
Irish Saint Brigid. Comments are welcome.
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"KINDLING THE FIRE"
This morning, as I kindle the flame upon my hearth, I pray that the
flame of Brighid may burn in my soul, and the souls of all I meet today.
I pray that no envy and malice, no hatred or fear, may smother the
flame.
I pray that indifference and apathy, comtempt and pride, may not pour
like cold water on the flame.
Instead, may the spark of Brighid light the love in my soul, that it may
burn brightly through the day.
And may I warm those that are lonely, whose hearts are cold and
lifeless, so that all may know the comfort of Brighid's love.
"COVERING THE FIRE"
Brighid, preserve the fire, as You preserve us all.
Brighid, may its warmth remain in our midst, as You are always among us.
Brighid, may it rise to life in the morning, as You raise us to life.
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House Cleansing
By: David Piper
************************************************************************
_Banishing And Sealing Ritual For The Home_
To be performed during at the New Moon, but may be performed at any time
in need.
You will need a new white Candle (any size with holder), small bowls for
Water and Salt, and a large bowl of water as well, and the censer and an
appropriate incense. (Choose one that brings to your mind qualities you
wish to have in your home.)
Banishing Ritual:
Meditate for a few moments on the task ahead; then make a brief
invocation to the Goddess and the God, asking for Their Aid and Power in
the Work you will do.
Light the white candle in its holder, and charcoal in the censer (or an
incense stick may be used instead).
Consecrate Water and Salt in the usual way.
Consecrate the water in the bowl in the same manner, but do not add
Salt; place this bowl in the center of the room.
Take the consecrated Water, elevate it to North, and say,
"In the name of (Goddess) and (God)
I banish with Water and Earth."
Sprinkle the Water lightly widdershins around the perimeter of the room.
Bless the incense, then elevate the censer (or incense stick) to North,
and say,
"In the name of (Goddess) and (God)
I banish with Fire and Air."
Cense the perimeter of the room widdershins.
Take the Candle and cast a Banishing Earth Pentagram at North. (Draw
the Pentagram with the censer or incense stick, starting from the bottom
left point up to the top point, and so forth.) As you cast the
Pentagram say,
"With this Sign I banish ye, foul shades of the (Quarter)!
Let this home be freed of your baneful influences!"
Then go widdershins around the perimeter of the room, casting a
Banishing Pentagram at each Quarter beginning at the West and ending
back at North, repeating the above at each Quarter. (Do not repeat it
again at North.)
Now turn and face the center of the room, where the bowl of water sits.
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With your hands, draw any negative energy or vibrations remaining, and
cast them into the water in the bowl by flicking or snapping your
fingers at it. Repeat this action until you are satisfied the room is
cleansed. Do not touch the water in the bowl, as it is being filled
with the negative forces you are eliminating.
Move the consecrated Water, the Salt, the Incense, the Candle, and
the bowl of water (being careful not to spill it) into each room in
your home and repeat this ritual.
After banishing every room in the home (including bathroom, closets,
pantry, etc.) you have finished. Empty the large bowl of water into
running water (a sink or toilet will do). Wash the bowl thoroughly
with cold water, scrubbing with some of the consecrated Salt.
Sealing Ritual:
Take all the Elemental substances used in the Banishing Ritual (Salt,
consecrated Water, wax drippings from the Candle, and ashes from the
Incense) and mix them into a paste.
Using your forefinger, use the mixture to draw an Invoking Fire
Pentagram at each opening leading outside the home (the doors and the
windows - and even the water pipes, if you should feel the need) while
concentrating on the Intention of protecting your home from outside
influences. (Draw the Pentagram from the top point to the bottom right,
and so forth. Form the Star so that it is point up, or point out, as
appropriate.) You may make two Stars at each opening if you wish - one
on the sill or threshold, and the other on the door or window itself.
Remember that Intent is the key to success in this, as in all magickal
operations; going through the motions without Will brings no results.
The Center Point (Celtic)
By: Airmid
The methods that I use involve putting oneself in the center of the
Three Realms, constructed as a triskele. The first is a movement
meditation that I call "The Center Point." It involves both movement and
a breathing pattern used to time the movement. Breathing is, ideally,
timed to the heartbeat. Three each beat is one count. Breathing pattern
is to inhale for 3, hold for 1, exhale for 3, hold for 1.
Movement is slow, rhythmic and deliberate. Each movement has its own
meaning.
Start standing erect, arms relaxed at your sides.
Close your eyes and relax. Clear your mind, concentrating on your
breathing, and listening to your heart beat. Breathe in and out in the
3-1-3-1 pattern three times as you allow yourself to relax.
As you breathe in the fourth time, raise your hands from your sides and
cover your heart with your palms, one over the other -- you are at the
center of the world.
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Exhale, moving smoothly to one knee, placing your palms on the ground in
front of you -- you stand firmly upon the Land.
Inhale as you rise to your feet. As you stand, move your hands behind
you as far back as you can comfortably reach at waist or hip height.
Your hands should be cupped as though you are holding liquid.
Breathe out, moving your hands in an arc around you until they meet in
front of you at about the level of your navel -- the Sea always
surrounds you.
Breathing in, move your hands back to your sides, holding them slightly
away from your hips with your palms flat, facing forward and your
fingers spread open.
Exhale as you raise your arms above you in a smooth curve over your head
until the tips of your thumbs and index fingers touch --the Sky spreads
itself above you.
Inhale again, lowering your hands in front of you until they are once
again cupped over your heart -- you are at the center of the Three
Realms.
CANDLE BLESSING
===============
Coven of New Gwynedd
Blessings be upon thee, O creature of light! Thrice blessed
little herb! Herb o' grease, with thy waxen stem and thy blossom
of flame! Thou art more potent against spells and terrors and the
invisible menace than fennel or dittany or rue. Hail! antidote to
the dealy nightshade! Blossoming in the darkness, thy virtues are
heartsease and quiet sleep. Sick people bless thee, and women in
travail, and people with haunted minds, and all children.
<to be spoken when a new candle is annointed with oil, or when
candles are being made -- when wax is being poured or the candle
dipped -- preferrably on Candlemas>
Blessed Be,
Gwydion
The Coven
By: Julia Phillips
Greetings All!
This article was written by me several years ago, but I thought it might
be of interest here, as it discusses several issues relevant to modern
Witches. Any thought or feedback most welcome! Please remember, that
although the historical stuff is pretty general, the other parts of the
article are my own ideas, and not necessarily applicable outside of my
own tradition :)
Covens and Witches
In 1662, Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne made four separate confessions of
being a Witch, and in the process, gave the word "Coven" to the world.
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Although there is no other historical evidence for this word, it has
proven to be one of the most lasting facets of Witchcraft - ask anyone
today what Witches do, and the answer will almost certainly include the
fact that they meet in groups, called "Covens".
So given that a number of modern Witches do, in fact, either run, or
belong to, a Coven - just what is its purpose in 20th (and 21st) century
Western Civilisation? Why has this word of such dubious historical
veracity survived over three hundred years? Is there a place in our
modern world for a social group which, as far as we know, occurred only
in 17th century Scotland?
The very fact of its survival for over three hundred years argues that
there is a place for such a group. In my own case, I have been a member
of, and run, Covens of Witches for a number of years, and it is a social
model which fits extremely well within modern society.
The structure of a coven varies, but generally has one or two leaders,
and a number of members of varying levels of experience. In a sense, the
modern Coven has replaced the tribal family, and its members often
fulfill familial roles, which are no longer available to them in the
family in which they were born.
Some researchers have commented that many modern Witches come from a
background which was disrupted; i.e., did not provide a safe family
environment during their formative years. As I know a great many Witches
for whom this was not the case, I think this is only a partial reason,
and only for some people.
Humanity itself seems to be inherently tribal; any common bond between
people will generally result in the creation cults or sub-cultures,
where those of a like-mind will bond together. They will evolve their
own social order (generally hierarchical), have their own common
language, and often are identifiable by their demeanour and appearance.
Witches gather together in Covens for very much the same sorts of
reasons; we are apart from general society by virtue of our beliefs and
practices. Meeting with others who think and feel similarly to ourselves
gives us the opportunity to share ideas and skills, as well as being
able to practise our Craft.
A modern Coven provides a family-style environment, where the "Elders"
can, by virtue of their experience, give encouragement, support, and
advice to those seek to learn about Witchcraft. As with all families,
Covens have very unique and individual ways of approaching this. Just as
no two families are the same, neither are any two Covens.
Some Covens are run by people with an academic bent, and as would be the
case in any family, this characterises the way in which their "children"
are brought up. Other groups are oriented towards a more simple
approach, and the oral traditions play an important role in the way in
which the Coven is structured. Some combine the these two approaches,
and the variations upon the basic themes are endless.
For any "family" to exist harmoniously, everyone within the group must
feel a part of the group, and wish to learn and grow within that group
environment. With a path such as Witchcraft, with its emphasis upon
personal growth and development, it is likely that individuals who may
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at one time have been happy within their family group, will change, and
wish to move away. This is a perfectly natural process, and the wise
coven leaders will send those people off with their love and blessing.
Trying to keep them would be like trying to keep your sons and daughters
tied to your apron strings forever!
Ultimately, and despite the popularity of the word "coven", I do believe
that most Witches are solitary in nature, and will generally spend at
least part of their lives without being a member of, or running, a
coven. I think the inward exploration during these periods is vital to
self-development, just as we believe it is important to encourage
social-awareness in children. However, I also believe that at some stage
it is important to learn the practices of Witchcraft from another
person; to be an apprentice, if you will; because the act of passing
knowledge from one person to another cannot be replicated by books,
correspondence courses, or be self-taught. This may seem an almost
impossible task to some people, but as all the magical traditions teach:
when the student is ready, the teacher will appear! What's more, it's
true!
B*B Julia
Group Ethics Rules: Opening Suggestions!
By: Raven
Too often I had seen the Craft used as a personal power-trip, or with a
disregard for the effects on others. This time it happened in my home.
I introduced two guests, acquaintances of mine, to each other. One was
interested in learning about the Craft; the other offered to teach him.
The would-be teacher went on about his skills, describing the would-be
student's aura and psychic shields; leaned back in his chair, said,
"I really shouldn't do this, I really shouldn't" -- then leaned forward
and, with no warning or other preliminary, SLICED the student's shields
"open" (as he said), leaving the student feeling naked and exposed.
To prove a point, I suppose, but what point I can't guess.
I was outraged. Guests in my home are not to be abused -- by anyone.
Even to a complete materialist, it would be clear that the student had
had his personal space invaded, his emotional consolation removed, with
no informed consent involved, and with no feeling of other protection.
I already knew the would-be teacher himself was taught by people of
no great concern for ethics. His was chiefly a fault of poor training,
added to which he had never stopped to think that "occult" dealings with
people might involve the same ethical issues as "mundane" dealings.
One of the several outcomes of that event was that I wrote the following
guidelines for those two specific people, and suggested (NOT ordered)
that they adopt these -- if they did still decide to work together.
After that, well, several other people did express an interest.
Note! This was written as a PROPOSAL; no-one has enacted it as a LAW.
The hope is for it to be used by, and among, those who like the ideas.
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(Really, all it does is put the concept of "Harm ye none" in practice.)
RULES OF THE CIRCLE
THE RULES OF INFORMED CONSENT:
1. Tell everyone participating what to expect, before the circle is
closed or anything else begins.
2. Give everyone participating the chance to say NO and to withdraw,
before the circle is closed or anything else begins -- and then
respect that decision.
3. Be open, honest, and fair: spring no surprises, trip no traps;
NEVER use what you learn or do in circle to manipulate or compel
any other person, or diminish anyone's dignity and free will.
THE RULES OF PRIVACY:
4. Encourage people not to wander in and out of any session between
its beginning and ending, or cross the circle while it is closed.
5. Protect every session from interruption by (or intrusion on) any
outsiders -- by closed or locked doors, a fence, or some other
clear marking outside the circle.
6. While proceedings may not be secret, they ARE always private; keep
silent about who and what you see or hear in circle, unless you
have each other participant's specific consent.
THE RULES OF SHIELDING:
7. ALWAYS, ALWAYS close the circle and raise your wards before
beginning, or continuing after a break.
8. ALWAYS, ALWAYS dismiss your wards and open the circle after ending,
or to allow passage across the circle.
9. Conduct yourself with mutual respect and due courtesy, without
malice or ill will toward anyone, or else ask that the circle be
opened and that you be dismissed from the session.
COVENANT
THE TEACHER PROMISES THE STUDENT:
1. I will abide by the Rules of the Circle.
2. I will ask from you no more than you can give.
3. I will not expect you to read my mind.
4. I will not hide from you my limits or gaps in knowledge; if I just
don't know, I'll tell you so.
5. I will explain, to the best of my ability, not only what to do and
how, but also why.
6. I will not push you beyond your ability or willingness to proceed.
7. I realize that I may be tempted to become dominating, a "leader" --
and I will do my best to resist this temptation.
8. Because I received from others without payment, I will give to you
without payment.
9. As I can, I will learn from you in turn.
THE STUDENT PROMISES THE TEACHER:
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1. I will abide by the Rules of the Circle.
2. I will ask from you no more than you can give.
3. I will not expect you to read my mind.
4. If I have questions about what you show me, I will ask you.
5. If I fail to understand anything, I will mention it.
6. If I feel unready to proceed, I will tell you.
7. I realize that I may be tempted to become dependent, a "follower" --
and I will do my best to resist this temptation.
8. Because I receive from you without payment, I will give to others
without payment.
9. As I can, I will teach you in turn.
A CIRCLE IS NOT A LINE: IT HAS NO BEGINNING AND NO END.
A CIRCLE IS NOT A PYRAMID: IT HAS NO TOP AND NO BOTTOM.
A CIRCLE IS NOT AN ASTERISK: IT IS NOT RUN FROM JUST ONE POINT.
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3310
Wiccan Ethics And The Wiccan Rede
By: David Piper, Sat 21 May 94 12:16
Part I: What Sayeth The Rede?
=====================
The "archaically worded" construction "An it harm none, do what ye
will," rendered into modern English is literally, "if it doesn't harm
anyone, do what you want."
Many modern Wiccans "reverse" the construction, however, taking the
first part and putting it after the second to read: "Do what ye will an
it harm none," or in modern English "Do what you want if it doesn't harm
anyone."
Many people give the word "an" or "if" a value of "so long as" - which
is acceptable substitution, because it doesn't alter the meaning of the
Rede itself. However they then proceed to read "so long as" as "only
if," and that is *completely different*, because the Rede has ceased to
be a "wise counsel" [anyone checked the meaning of "rede" in the
dictionary lately?] and become an injunction: prohibitive commandment,
rather than permissive advice.
In other words, the original archaic construction actually says "if it
is not going to hurt anyone, it is ok to do" - this is *not* the same as
"if it hurts anyone it is *not* ok to do."
What is the significance of the change? A larger one than you might
see, at first glance.
The "actual construction Rede," or AC Rede, says it is ok to do
something that won't harm anyone, but it *does not say anything* about
those things which do cause harm, except to set an ethical standard of
harmlessness as the criteria to judge by.
The "modern reconstruction Rede" or MR Rede, explicitly says that any
and all actions that cause harm are forbidden.
The two constructions do *not* mean the same thing at all. And it
should be obvious that this has implications on our thinking, and
discussions of the possibility of "obeying" the Rede.
Most of you will have heard or read, as I have, people saying the Rede
is something to strive to live by, even though mundane reality makes it
very difficult, if not impossible, to do so to the letter. *This is
only true of the MR Rede, not the AC Rede!* As examples, they cite
situations such as self-defense; *this violates the MR Rede*. Period.
But it does *not* violate the AC Rede. Period.
Earlier, I stated that the AC Rede does not rule on actions that do
cause harm - and this is true. It only rules on those actions which do
not, by saying that they are acceptable. This is relevant to "victi-
mless crimes" for example - civil "crimes" may in fact be "ethical," by
the judgment of the AC Rede.
What the AC Rede *does* do, in terms of actions that cause harm, is
state an ethical value by which an individual must judge the results of
her/his actions before acting. In other words, by stating that a
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harmless action is ethical, the AC Rede sets harmlessness as the
criteria for evaluation. Acting to prevent greater harm - but in the
process causing lesser harm - may then be ethical, if there is no
harmless, or more harmless, method of preventing that greater harm -
because *not* acting to prevent harm is to *cause* it, by an act of
*omission* rather than *commission*.
In short the difference between the AC Rede, and the MR Rede, is that
the AC Rede is a perfectly-obeyable ethical standard, but the MR Rede is
not, as so many people have pointed out. Do we take as our ethical
standard a "counsel" which *can* be obeyed, or one which *necessitates
rationalizing in some instances*? Which is truer to the Wicca, and to
the *real* Rede?
"rede: n. [Middle English rede < Old English raed < base of
raedan, to interpret] [archaic] 1. counsel; advice 2. a plan; scheme
3. a story; tale 4. an interpretation"
(from Webster's New World Dictionary)
Part II: "Do good, an it be safe..." (from the Ordains)
===========================
The MR Rede is the most common interpretation in Wicca today; so much
so, that not only do many Wiccans not realize there's a difference in
the two constructions, but they *deny* it when it is pointed out to
them, holding firmly to the MR Rede as what the original has always
meant.
At first the change of language was only an attempt to bring the
language up from archaic, to modern English; but in doing so - especial-
ly with the public relations campaign, to convince people that Wiccans
are "not black magick/not devil worship/not evil nasty curse-casters"
the "harmlessness" aspect of the Rede was stressed, over the personal
responsibility aspect. And in essence Wiccans became the victims of
their own PR campaign.
An additional result is the injunction that one may never work magick
for others, even to heal, without their knowledge and consent. Of
course, we are allowed by this injunction to ask "Can I pray for you?"
as a means of obtaining the consent. From "a love spell aimed at one
particular person is unethical because it violates their will only to
serve our lust" we've moved to an extreme: to the prohibitive injunction
against ever doing any magick for another without permission, since it
violates their free will. Does anyone *really* believe the Gods will
judge them ill, for attempting to heal someone?
What of the case of an unconscious accident victim and family unavail-
able to ask - are we forbidden to work? No, of course we're not - but
we *do* have to accept the karmic consequences of such acts. Do you
really think that a neurotic who uses an illness as a crutch wouldn't be
better healed of that neurosis as well as the illness? Of course that
may call up some karma if the person isn't strong enough to give up that
crutch yet. Once again the real criteria is *personal responsibility*
and consideration of the consequences of one's actions *before* one acts
rather than the "thou shalt not" prohibitive commandment.
There is however another reason for the "prohibitive form" of these
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redes - one which has some validity. The teacher bears a karmic respon-
sibility for the student. There was a group whose teaching was, "No
magick may be done for another, even to heal, without their consent; any
exceptions may be decided only by the High Priestess and the High
Priest." The point of this is that a student is not yet experienced
enough, not yet wise enough (since wisdom is the harvest we reap of our
experience and knowledge), to have that kind of decision, and the
resulting karmic burden, left to rest fully upon her/his shoulders -
hence, some teachers and some Trads do not allow neophytes to have
responsibility for that kind of decision-making.
It is far better, however, to teach a student the essential importance
of personal responsibility, the need to look ahead for possible
consequences before they act, than to lay "thou shalt not's" upon them
despite Wicca's insistance that we have none.
I received a comment about the last sentence in part I, paragraph 3,
that said "Ack! Welcome to the One Wiccan Commandment! Any 'thou shalt
nots' lurking around?" Food for thought, my fellow Wiccans! Food for
thought!
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Charge of the God 1
By: Siobhan
Tue 12 Jul 94 10:33
Here's something I picked up recently. The writer felt that there should
be a Charge of the God to go with The Charge of the Goddess.
*****
Listen the the words of the Great Father, who of old was called
Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Lugh and by may other
names:
"My Law is Harmony with all things. Mine is the secret that opens
the gates of life and mine is the dish of salt of the earth that is the
body of Cernunnos that is the eternal circle of rebirth. I give the
knowledge of life everlasting, and beyond death I give the promise of
regeneration and renewal. I am the sacrifice, the father of all things,
and my protection blankets the earth."
Hear the words of the dancing God, the music of whose laughter
stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:
"I who am the Lord of the Hunt and the Power of the Light, sun among
the clouds and the secret of the flame, I call upon your bodies to arise
and come unto me. For I am the flesh of the earth and all it's beings.
Thru me all things must die and with me are reborn. Let my worship be
in the body that sings, for behold all acts of willing sacrifice are my
rituals. Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and
peace, awe and longing within you. For these too are part of the
mysteries found within yourself, within me, all beginnings have endings,
and all endings have beginnings."
So Mote It BE!
Charge of the God 2
By: Siobhan
Tue 12 Jul 94 10:33
This is the second Charge of the God I have.
****
THE CHARGE OF THE GOD
Listen to the words of the God, who is the son, brother, lover, and
consort of the Lady:
I am the fleet deer in the forest, I am the beach which receives the
waves, I am the sun which warms the earth. I am the Lord of the
Spiral Dance of Life, Death and Rebirth, the gentle reaper, the
Winter stag and the Spring fawn. All things are of me, for I am of
the Goddess, opposite, yet not opposing. I bring birth forth from the
womb that is a tomb, for I am the seed which fertilizes. I am
abundant Life, for I am the grain that grows and I am death, the
harvest in the Fall. And I am rebirth after darkness, for I am the
seed that springs forth anew.
I am fertility, the spreader of Life, and I am the Lord of Death,
which adds value to life.
I am the Guardian of the gate between Life and Death. I am King of
the Underworld, where no living being may venture, but I am also
the King of Rebirth, turning the tomb into a womb.
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I bring love and strength, peace and passion, hope and joy, for I am
the gentle lover in the night.
All that I am comes from the Great Mother, the Divine Star
Goddess, who is Mother of us all.
**********
Feel free to use this one as is, or to adapt it in whatever way feels
right to you.
Blessed Be!
-- PattiMom --
The Crazy Lady in the Wheelchair
(Pattimom and Ariadne wrote this one)
If you like it, snag it and use it. :-)
Blessed Be!
Siobhan
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3315
For a Few Myths More
by Aries
"...Aries shows us how modern images (albeit set in 19th century
America)..." Julia, Web of Wyrd No. 7.
For me, that "albeit" sounded like a gauntlet being slapped down. Can we
show the presence of myth in films other than Westerns? We don't plan to
go on in great detail, but we suspect that what we're trying to get
across is the suggestion that maybe "The Mythic" is not the stories or
rituals, but the substrate out of which our tales and trials grow.
When we talk about myths we are really referring to ancienct stories,
and not every ancient tale grew out of "The Mythic". More than enough
were for entertainment, propaganda, satire or pornography _ to see
everything that is old as also being venerable is to fall into the
Confuscian Heresy. In much the same way our modern literature/film
culture produces works serving as varying purposes as moral tales, epic
adventures, pulp and hardcore porn, but also produces work that grows
direct from "The Mythic".
In the rubric of science, "The Mythic" can be seen as being non-local;
it stands outside of space-time, being here, there and everywhere; now,
then, and everywhen. Our tales do not grow out of the ancient tales/myt-
hs, but draw afresh from the same wells as they did (do/will?).
In the printed media a good many SF novels are based on the inner/und-
erground journey; all that Phillip K Dick and Edmund Cooper wrote seemed
based on this theme, in the same way "Metropolis" is of the "descent"
type story. One of the great advantages of film is the way it can make
the sensations of the "descent" seem "real"; possibly by a species of
autohypnosis into a state that Robert Anton Wilson refers to as virtual
reality in his book, Cosmic Trigger 2. For us other examples of the
descent theme are Orson Welles' films; Touch of Evil and The Trial
(based on Kafka's book), giving a long shot of the journey.
The classic "Casablanca" we suggest is the story of the "descent" from
a viewpoint inside the underworld itself. That Casablanca is the place
of death is always suggested by the comment that Rick makes to Elsa when
she says that Victor Lazlo will die in Casablanca; "What of it? I'm
going to die in Casablanca. It's a good place for it." Full of refugees
(lost souls). Rick exists in his own emotional limbo awaiting the
descent of his own Inanna to set him free.
"Apocalypse Now" and the Conrad novel it is based on, "Heart of
Darkness", gives a great example of the same story set at both ends of
the century; the parallel of the inner and outer journey, especially as
Conrad went through his inner journey whilst writing the book, and
Francis Ford Copolla and crew went through theirs while making the film.
I would strongly suggest that "The Mythic" emerges into our lives first
and formost; through tales we make sense of the patterns, and warn those
who follow on from us.
Another great advantage of film is its ability to show us inside the
underworld in such a way that we may lose track of where the boundaries
lay, and become uncertain of what is real and what is illusion. If the
previous films can be seen as "descent" themes, the following, we
suggest, can be called "Chapel Perilous" themes. In "The Maltese Falcon"
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we have the characters chasing the elusive bird, crossing and double-cr-
ossing each other, unconcerned by anything but possession of the
miraculous object, which we discover at the very end is nothing but;
"The stuff that dreams are made of".
With "The House of Games" _ Mamet's six year-old cult movie _ we enter
the image of the labyrinthe, a subterranean night world of confidence
tricksters, who lead a lady psychiatrist along until she, and us (the
viewer) have problems distinguishing between what is real and what
isn't, until it all becomes part of the game.
That is the nature of "Chapel Perilous", its existence can be denied, we
can believe we're somewhere else (watching a movie?), but all the time
we're trapped in it, unable to discern what is really going on.
Another cult movie that gives a beautiful experience of Chapel Perilous
is Orson Welles' film "F for Fake", except this time we are the targets
of the con. A documentary film about two fakers, itself really a clever
montage of existing film clips put together to give the impression of a
series of interviews. At some point the film moves into the realm of
total fantasy, and the beauty of it is that we don't notice _ that is
the Chapel Perilous experience. From here it is logical to move onto the
ascent, or what could be called the "Promethean" theme. The film
"Frankenstein" is the classic promethean film, but is full of timid,
anti-Luciferan morality; i.e. to steal the "fire" from the gods
instantly incurrs punishment; as a myth, that is no longer useful to us.
All of the above examples are tales based in the twentieth century. For
a promethean theme we feel we should be looking forward; "2001 A Space
Odyssey" is wonderfully symbolic in that it is based in the first year
of the next millenium. There are four stages in the film: the first is
"The Dawn of Man", taking place in prehistoric Earth, where "the slab"
appears _ the promeathean gift, but what is the gift? fire? tool use?
weapon use? the ability to kill? We would suggest that it is the gift of
imagination; the apre man looks at the bone and "sees" a weapon; he has
the ability to manipulate images in his mind.
In the film the image cuts instantly to a space craft on its way to the
Moon. This journey between the worlds we feel signifies that we have
entered mythic space. In the next stage of the film, "The Moon", we meet
"the slab" again, where it dispenses its next gift, the awareness of
something beyond. In Qabbalistic terms we have moved from Malkuth to
Yesod; the following stage of the film, "Journey to Jupiter", has us
ascending the sephiroth to Chesed.
On the approach to Jupiter, Dave has to disconnect the higher functions
of the computer, Hal. We would suggest this can represent a distrust of
reason; a return to child-like ways, or a stepping away from the
constraints of language. As Hal closes down, it is language that
deteriorates; i.e. it is language that constructs the world we perceive.
So to go into the infinite beyond, to take the Next Step, we have to go
beyond language, hence all the descriptions of mystical experiences end
up sounding like gibberish.
For the final stage of the film, "Jupiter and beyond to Infinity", we
have the leap across the Abyss to the Supernals; Chokmah, Binah, Kether.
Because language fails us at this point, Kubrick relies solely on the
visual image; the sequence seems baffling, but we wonder if he is trying
to explain something that is also suggested by Ken Wilber in his book,
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"The Atman Project"; i.e., we evolve by changing how we translate the
incoming information of our senses. We go from looking through to
looking at each developmental stage. For most of us, we construct the
world by looking through a semantic framework or grid; when we transcend
this stage, we will be able to look at our semantic structure. Likewise
in the film, Dave sees the next stage from outside and then becomes it:
the outsider, the astronaut, the urbane man, the old man on the death
bed, and finally rebirth as the Star Child. Or as Crowley puts it in
"Magick" when describing the grade of Adeptus (Exemptus); "Completes in
perfection all these matters. He then either (a) becomes a Brother of
the Left Hand Path or, (b) is stripped of all his attainments and of
himself as well, even his Holy Guardian Angel, and becomes a Babe of the
Abyss, who having transcended the Reason, does nothing but grow in the
womb of its mother."
So we contend that "The Mythic" is everywhere, everywhen, and despite
our cultural estrangement from myths, "The Mythic" still emerges through
our media in many guises, which includes, but is not exclusive to,
Western movies.
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Handfast Ritual
This is adapted from "Magical Rites from the Crystal Well" by Ed Fitch
and is a combination of their handfast ritual and american indian
ceremonial prelude. I'll skip over the consecration as it is a standard
one and get straight to the ritual itself. We had a Priestess only, so
this was written with that in mind but could easily be adapted for a
Priest and Priestess.
At this time and in this place
Do we call upon the Spirits of the Land
As well as the Mighty Ones of the Skies.
We call upon the Gods of our own distant past
From lands far away.
We call upon the Gods of our spiritual brethren
Who once called this place
Their own.
Witness and rejoyce with us in this moment
As love is affirmed.
__Groom's name__ and __Bride's name__ step forward
Stand before the Gods and those who witness on Earth
__Groom's name__, if it is your wish to become one with this woman
Will you pledge your love through all that may come
As long as love shall last?
<Groom replies: I so pledge>
__Bride's name__, if it is your wish to become one with this man
Will you pledge your love through all that may come As long as love
shall last?
<Bride replies: I so pledge>
Does any say nay?
As the Gods and the Old Ones are witness
With those of us present now,
I now proclaim you man and wife1
Thus are thy hands fasted...
The Two are now One,
This work is done
And joy is yet begun!
There is also a portion for the rings using a wand that was left out of
ours but is normally placed immediately after the vows and is as
follows...
The rings are placed upon the wand before the ritual and the wand upon
the altar. (This is written for bot Priest and Priestess present)
The priest picks up the wand and holds one end before him in his
right hand, the priestess likewise holds the other end in her left hand.
Place your right hands
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Over this wand...
And your rings...
His hand over hers.
Above you are the stars
Below you are the stones
As time passes, remember...
e a star should your love burn brightly,
Like the earth should your love be firm.
Be free in giving of affection and of warmth.
Have no fear, and let not the ways or words
Of the unenlightened give you unease.
For the Gods are with you,
Now and always!
The rings are exchanged during the vows.
Handfasting (Celtic)
This is a copy of a Celtic handfasting I found in the book _Finn Mac
Cool_ by Morgan Llywelyn.
Bride and Groom repeat the following together:
You cannot possess me for I belong to myself. But while we both wish
it, I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me for I
am a free person. But I shall serve you in those ways you require and
the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand. I pledge to you
that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night, and the eyes into
which I smile in the morning. I pledge to you the first bite from my
meat and the first drink from my cup. I pledge to you my living and my
dying, each equally in your care. I shall be a shield for your back,
and you for mine. I shall not slander you, nor you me. I shall honor
you above all others, and when we quarrel, we shall do so in private and
tell no strangers our grievances. This is my wedding vow to you. This
is the marriage of equals.
The Priest or Priestess says:
These promises you make by the sun and the moon, by fire and water, by
day and night, by land and sea. With these vows you swear, by the God
and Goddess, to be full partners, each to the other. If one drops the
load, the other will pick it up. If one is a discredit to the other,
his own honor will be forfeit, generation upon generation, until he
repairs that which was damaged and finds that which was lost. Should
you fail to keep the oath you pledge today, the elements themselves will
reach out and destroy you.