Yvonne Moore-Singh September, 2010

Malleus maleficarum (The Hammer of Witches)

Nothing is more linked to hunting of Witches than the “Malleus Maleficarum” therefore we must look at this handbook for hunting witches.

The handbook follow on the earlier “Canon Episcopi” Pope Innocent VIII issued a papal bull “Desiring with Supreme Ardor in 1484 stating that witch hunts were a necessity and emphasizing the realities of witchcraft. The “Malleus maleficarum was published in 1486 taking from “Canon Episcopi” and rather than saying that the “Canon Episcopi” was wrong the church stated that there now a far more dangerous army of witches than before!

It was to become the most influential and widely used handbook on witchcraft. Namely because the handbook enormous influence  because of impact owing to its authoritative appearance but also to its extremely wide distribution that the church gave it

It is interested to note that it was one of the first books to be printed on the newly invented printing press and appeared in no fewer than 20 editions.The Malleus Maleficarum is debatably one of the most infamous books ever written, due primarily to It serveing as a handbook for Inquisitors during the Inquisition, and was indeed designed to aid them in the identification, prosecution, and dispatching of Witches.

It also more importantly set forth, as well, many of the modern misconceptions and fears concerning witches and the influence of witchcraft that the media still has today!

The questions, definitions, and accusation it set out in regarding witches, which were reinforced by its use during the Inquisition, cameto be extensively regarded as unquestionable truth.

These beliefs are held even today by a mainstream of Christians in regard to practitioners of the modern  religion of Witchcraft, or Wicca. And while the Malleus itself is largely unfamiliar in modern times, its effects have proved long lasting and is still echo in films and popular newspapers.

At the time of the writing of The Malleus Maleficarum, there were many voices within the Christian community  such as scholars and theologians who doubt the existence of witches and largely regarded such belief as superstition.

By writing the handbook it was stated if you did not believed in witches than you were not a proper Christian.  It made very real the threat of one being branded a heretic, simply by virtue of one’s probing of the existence of witches and, thus, the weight of the Inquisition.  It set into the general Christian consciousness, for all time, a belief in the existence of witches.

The estimate of the death toll during the witch craze  worldwide range from 600,000 to as high as 9,000,000 (over its 250 year long course); either is a chilling number when one realizes that nearly all of the accused were women, and consisted primarily of outcasts and other suspicious persons.

The Malleus itself cannot be held responsible for the witch craze; it certainly played an important role in that its existence toughened and validate Catholic beliefs which led to the prosecution, torture, and murder, of tens of thousands of innocent people.

Homework

After lesson 4 there will be exam on the Witchcraze.

Tags: history, Wicca

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Yvonne Moore-Singh July, 2010

Lesson One

Welcome to the course, we will start looking at the basis of Wicca and try to found origins from facts that we know.  The main reason why it is so hard to find the true origins of Wicca is that very little was ever written   down or have been lost to us.

So let’s look at what we know:

The term Wicca as a Celtic origin wicce, “wise” the Celtics are a very important part of Wicca, which has somewhat been overlook.  The Celtics   social order was one that women could hold power in their own right such Boudicca, Wicca being a strong feminine base belief is important to remember.

The Celtic people were artisans who believed in many gods and goddess, most importantly the Great Mother, from 500 BC they came the major force in Europe and found the many festivals that Wiccans and pagans still honour today Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain which we will look at in a later lesson.

Celtic mysticism understood that all of existence has a repeated nature, and that there is a direct connection between the material world and the otherworld.  Everything exists on several synchronized levels. Human beings can understand things as having three levels: the physical, the spiritual, and the symbolic. Therefore Celtic culture was integrated with nature, and expressed itself through the various possibilities of life itself. Celtic religion taught the reincarnation of all individual souls, and the appearance of divine beings on Earth.  Making very much the bases of the Wicca belief, will the modern founders of Wicca have carried forth in there writing such as Gerald Gardiner .

Before I g on about history that lead on from the Celtics I want us to look at main steams that we have today in Wicca?

The Alexandrian tradition founded by Alexander Saunders

The Celtic tradition

The cymri tradition

The Druidic tradition

The Gardnerian tradition

All these traditions are base in Wicca, and will be looking at them in a later lesson.

Homework.

What I would like you to do is write me a short essay with the title Why Wicca is important to you and we will have a group discussing on your essays in the forum.

Tags: history, Wicca, witch

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Kerry Morgan October, 2009

On the History of Ireland

History of Irish Myths

Well this author was thoroughly impressed to discover that Ireland has a rather rich historic mythological background. I also suspect that it wouldn’t be considered “myth” had Christian monks not been the ones recording everything. The fact that they are of a tradition, caused me to hesitate, but then again, if it had been my own tradition doing the recording, then, maybe I wouldn’t feel that way. This will mark the beginning of a series of articles studying the different periods of the history of Ireland. If you would like to read about the history of your own tradition please feel free to email me the suggestion.

The monks of the time listened to elders telling their families of the history. As they recorded what they heard, they intended to entertain the royals and thus decided to tweak the stories just a bit to a Christian lean.  They did this by removing the divinity of key players and rewrote epic events into simple tales. Despite this discovery there are a couple of manuscripts we can look back and read such as The Book of Invasions. With that in mind, let’s go back in time, and visit what the history of Ireland may have entailed.

Apparently there are four different historical cycles. The first historic cycle is called the Mythological cycle. This period of time is specifically called the Mythological cycle because it deals with many “Otherworld” type beings. The monks couldn’t exactly say these beings are completely real, and their tales true, because of their own tradition. I suspect this is one of the areas where they changed the characters from glorious powerful players, to regular human beings. This is also considered the time of the Invasions.

It is this time period where we learn about all the different types of beings that tried to rule the island. I found it extremely interesting to learn that the Partholonians were considered the first inhabitants of Ireland. This group landed on Beltaine, fought with the next group to try to rule and were said to be wiped out by a plague.

The next group to attempt to rule Ireland, were called the Nemedians, also said to have lived on Ireland for many years. They fought with the Partholonians who fought with the Fomhoire’. The Nemedians were also killed by the plague, and any left living were defeated and run off by the Fomhoire‘.

The Fomhoire’ were next and means “come from the sea.” These creatures were said to haave come from the “evil or dark fairy” race and were terribly misshapen. They were said to be the gods of death and cold. These creatures were said to be worshiped by the Fir Bholg or Men of Bags. The Men of Bags were also known as the men of the Goddess Domnu, a Goddess I hadn’t heard of before. Though they lived and worshiped the Fomhoire’ The Tuatha De’ Danann defeated them in battle and took over Ireland at that time.

The Tuatha De’ Danann were considered the race of the gods of the goddess Danu. They rules the powers of Light, life and warmth. According to the Book of Invasions this race came upon Ireland by surprise inside clouds. From the cities they settled in after battling the Fomhoire’ many sacred objects were said to have been created. The stone of Destiny, The Spear of Lugh, as well as the Sword of Naudhu, and the Dagda’s Cauldron. The Dagda being the God to Danu’s Goddess.

The Tuatha De’ Danann were defeated by the Milesians the first human ancestors of Ireland. Here the book of Invasions states that an agreement was reached between these two forces. The humans would get to rule the upper regions of Earth and the Tuatha the lower regions or underground. This is where the name Sidhe came from, eventually dwindling to the name of the Faerie Folk.

Source: http://www.sacredfire.net/peoples.html#Partholonians

In next months article we will study the second period called Fenian Cycle.

Tags: history, Ireland, myth

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Kerry Morgan September, 2009

What do you think it meant to be a witch back in “the old days”? Well, in Europe as well as the east coast it meant a death sentence for one thing. If you were caught practicing what the authorities considered to be witchcraft, you were arrested, and most, hanged or burned. Sad Times. Sadder still were some of the things which could label you as a witch. Aside from actually healing someone, or helping someone with their crops, you could be assumed a witch just by the shape of your chin, or lies told by your neighbor.

That was the usual way you were declared a witch. More sorry, usually the person accused was not in fact a witch. Most of the time, the person was a healing woman, a wise woman who knew of certain herbs simply because it had worked in her family and the information handed down from generation to generation. Does that make a person a witch?

It could. But what really makes a person a witch? Is it the certain religious path they take? Whether Wiccan, solitary, Gardnerian? These are all paths to practice the Craft, yes, but does following a path make you a witch? What actually makes a person a witch, what defines them?

I would offer, that what makes a person a witch, is what is inside the person’s heart. How they choose to “fix” things, heal things, what they choose to be important in their lives. Being a witch isn’t about how many crystals you have, or how many herbs you’ve decided to put in a tea, or even how many people you’ve healed. It isn’t even which school you attended to receive your witch degree.

No, to define a real witch, is to define a person’s heart. When your child comes to you ill with the flu, whether you know it’s the flu or not, what is your first reaction? Grab the Tylenol you just purchased at the store, or cleanse the child’s chakras? When your neighbor raises that awesome crop, full enough to last all winter, do you thank the store that sent you the seeds or do you look to the sky and whisper thanks be to the Sun, Moon, Weather and Earth?

A Witch is a Witch by what is inside their heart. Whether you lived in the 1600’s and had to hide it, or whether you live in the 2000’s and could openly go to your metaphysical store and buy hand made beeswax for the ointment you planned to heal the rash of your next door neighbor. It doesn’t matter, what matters is your first instinct. Where your heart goes and what your mind first thinks in times of decision making.

Tags: history, old ways

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Kerry Morgan June, 2009

Spirituality happens to be one of my most favorite subjects. The history of our Craft is an important subject to help build on the foundation of our current practices. Whether it is to remember something, so as not to repeat it, or if we need to keep it close  to keep it safe, it is important to take the time to remember. I thought we would start with some popular if not controversial topics, such as when did the actual Wicca religion start?

The first real question is define Wicca. Wicca is first, an earth based religion. The US Supreme Court has never actually ruled in a Wiccan case, but many use the case of The Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Ics (Santeria), and Ernesto Pichardo against The City of Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 (1993) Mr. Pichardo used animal sacrifice which is not practiced in Wicca, to define what can be considered a religion, as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Many people believe that Wicca was started by Gerald Gardner who wrote a series of books on it as a British Civil Servant, in the 1940’s. Others believe it is an extension of “The Craft” also known as “Craft of the Wise” dating back before Christ. These books reference the different practices of a Wiccan which include but are not limited to, Celtic Deities, symbols used, The Wheel of the Year and its celebrations, as well as ceremonial magic adopted from the Masons.

It is the opinion of this author, that Wicca started as a religion, when it was recognized as such with the help of the Civil Rights act. A religion in general, is an organized approach to human spirituality based on documents or writings, symbols, and practices that give meaning to the person’s life through reference to a higher power or truth. Whether or not you practice Dianic Wicca, Gardnerian Wicca, or an eclectic mix, you are a Wiccan. It is also the opinion of this author, that the Craft, and its traditions and practices existed long before anyone ever wrote about it.

Before there were even courts to consider such things, back when the only church around was a Christian one, and even before the time of church buildings to go to, people who were close to the earth, itself, were considered to be a part of The Craft simply because, they were close to the patterns of the earth. In order to survive, you needed food and water. People planted crops, harvested, and distributed that harvest, according to when it was ready to be gathered. Farmers would plant their crops according to the patterns of the seasons, so their food would grow. This promoted a recognition of The Wheel of the Year, because it was necessary to be able to eat during the winter. People needed to pay attention to when that was coming, and celebrate each change.  It simply made sense, and was completely dependent on the earth. Hence, Earth Based religion.

Not all farmers were or are Wiccan, and not all Wiccans are farmers. No matter whether you are, or participate in another form of spirituality doesn’t really matter; whether you consider yourself part of a modern form of Wicca, or part of something less organized but practicing similar traditions, just doesn’t matter. What does matter, is that you practice a form of spirituality which works for you.

If you would like to comment on anything I’ve written, or would like more information in general, please feel free to email me at km@kerryamorgan.com.

Tags: history

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Nicholas Haney April, 2009

Some Myths of Witchcraft

Before we can set out on the journey ahead, we must first set a foundation on which to build. Thus we shall define some concepts that are relevant.
-  Witch – A person who uses (being real or perceived) natural powers or forces to influence the order of things.

- Witchcraft - The practices of a Witch

- Magic(k) – The use of natural energy to achieves ends

Thus by the above definitions, magic and witches are connected and intertwined.
There are many common myths associated with witchcraft. We shall discuss some common myths in depth, and then analyze why they incorrect.

Myth: A witch uses supernatural powers.
A false myth. Since everything that exists is part of the natural order, everything is thus natural. So any power a witch claims to wield, is thus natural. While it may be argued that there are different levels or “planes” of the natural order, these “planes” are still natural and thus do not represent anything above (or below) the natural order.

Myth: Witchcraft is the oldest religion in the world.
A false myth. Witchcraft has only in the last century gained status as a religion, under the name of Wicca. Practices that may be considered witchcraft date back tens of thousands of years, but as an established, formalized religion, witchcraft is less than a century old.

Myth: Modern witches can trace their heritage back to the dawn of time.
False. Modern witchcraft or Wicca, can only trace its history back as far as the early 20th century. However, Wicca is largely INFLUENCED (and therefore not directly connected) by far older practices, being those of the Ancients (Greek, Rome, Celt, Egyptian, Ect.) It is important to remember that witchcraft in its modern form (as distinguised from older forms of belief that may be considered witchcraft) is largely eclectic, taking roots from many different sources, these from many different time periods, both older and more modern.

Myth: Witchcraft means “craft of the wise”
False. The word witch derives from the old English word wicca (prounounced witcha), which is a derivative of the word wiccian (prounounced witchan) which means ‘to cast a spell’. Thus the word has no connection to the old English witan that means ‘to know’.

There is an old saying that goes something like “to gain wisdom, one must let go of cherished allusions”. So remember, whether something is true or false, it does not keep it from having power. Like modern Wicca, whether it be a fabrication or a survival of an old religion, it still has power in the modern world. Learn from the old ways, but live in today.

Tags: history, magick, myths, witchcraft

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Nicholas Haney March, 2009

Ostara is the pagan holiday that falls upon the spring equinox, that normally falls between March 20th and the 23rd. An equinox is a time of the year when the amount of light and darkness are equal, at approximately 12 hours each. It is widely held that the name for the holiday comes from a Germanic spring goddess by the name of Eostre, or Ostara. She was a goddess of spring, of renewal and rebirth.

There is much history and lore associated with the spring equinox. Several ancient cultures were aware of the Equinox, and had special ceremonies and rites attributed to this special day.   Sadly, due to time and space constraints, I will not be able to touch upon any one of them in any great detail.

For neo-pagan groups, Ostara is a time for rebirth and fertility.  It is a time to prepare crops and gardens for the coming spring, even though actual planting may not be able to take place until at least a month later. If weather allows, this is a great time to prepare the soil for planting.

From a spiritual standpoint, this is also a great time of year to do a ritual intended for spiritual and aura cleansing. Spring cleaning shouldn’t just be limited to the house after all. A simple meditation can be used, on a nice day, open a window and just sit in the room. Feel the fresh clean air move through your body and spirit and notice how much cleaner and lighter the airs feels. It is very refreshing and can help you feel less stress and more energetic.

One of the earliest known celebrations of the Spring Equinox comes from ancient Mesopotamia. In a festival called ‘Akitu’ it is said that the patron god/goddess of a city would leave their temple and parade around the city. The deity would travel, in processional, to a special religious building outside of the city walls. Later in the day, another procession would occur as the city-deity returned to their temple within the city. It is widely thought that this festival was originally associated with the equinoxes, but in later (ca. 1st Millennium BCE) Mesopotamian history is a celebration for the new year, which began in spring. However, it is impossible to say with any certainty whether or not this celebration was intended as a celebration of rebirth.

There are tales and myths of an Ancient Roman God by the name of Mithras. The tales of Mithras are similar in many ways to the tales of Jesus Christ. Being that he would die and be reborn again, and thus lead his followers into the light after they had died. He was said to have died in winter and to be resurrected again in spring.

Another tale from Ancient Rome is the tale of Cybele and her consort Attis. He would die each winter only to be reborn again each spring around the time of the vernal or spring equinox.

There is a common theme in all these stories, the rebirth of life with the return of the sun. So rejoice, pagans and nonpagans alike, in the glory of the return of life after the winter’s thaw.

Tags: history, holidaby, Ostara, sabbat, witchcraft

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Nicholas Haney February, 2009

Hello, welcome and Merry Meet dear readers! My name is Nicholas, and I have been honored with the privilege of writing for PaganPages. My topic is Witchcraft History and Morals. It is my hope that you, my dear readers, will find enjoyment and enlightenment within my work..

As this is my first piece, I would like to tell you all a little about myself. I am currently in the second decade of my life on this plane. I am currently working towards my Bachelor’s degree in History. I have also accomplished much self-study on paganism, magick and the occult. I have been a pagan almost as long as I can remember, have always had a strong connection to nature. About the time I turned 18, I encounter the Wiccan religion. The Wiccan path was my gateway to the greater pagan world. Even though I no longer consider myself Wiccan, I am still pagan and have studied a wide range of material. A little over a year ago, some like minded friends and I put together a coven known as the Black Mist Order. I have been teaching and training new pagans ever since.

As this is an introduction, I wish to present some topics I will cover in the near future.

- Witchcraft has existed in nearly every culture throughout the mists of time and history. As long as witchcraft has existed, it has been tied almost inseparably to magic. We will examine the nature of witchcraft, and how it has been pictured, past and present.

- Myths, Legends and Folklore are an essential part of any culture, and the culture of the witches is no different. I shall take you through the stories and legends that define our beliefs and ideals. Common witchy myths will be examined in depth to help teach lessons. I shall also examine what makes a good myth, and what doesn’t. Are myths true or are they false?

- How did ancient cultures influence modern witches and Wiccans? For this topic we will discuss certain beliefs, practices and ideals of modern witches and study how these pieces have been influenced by our ancient past.

- Morality, such a wide topic in itself. This topic will cover common ethical beliefs of the witchcraft community. Sources for ethics and morals will include the Wiccan Rede, the Threefold law, and Karma in all its various forms. How do we determine what is right and what is wrong? What separates a good witch from a bad one? How do our actions influence others? All of these questions are in the realm of morals and ethics.

Blessed be dear readers, and I hope you will enjoy our adventure together. Let us have an enjoyable journey together.

Tags: history, morals, past, witchcraft

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Rebecca Sommers November, 2008

Skara Brae

What makes a site sacred?

When I started visiting Pagan sacred sites I knew they would be places of great beauty, spiritually, and ancestor worship. Places that would make us feel as though we are a part of something greater than ourselves. My search was for a link between then and now.

While in the Orkney Islands, we walked in the footsteps of an ancient people. We saw the places where these people lived and where they buried and honored their dead. What did we have in common, how did they live and survive?  They tell us their stories preserved in stone, evidence of tradition and a link to their beliefs.

What is a sacred site? It’s what transcends us.

It is in that sense that I consider this month’s selection to be a sacred place. It’s not what you might consider the typical site. The selection is a village, a community of people, perhaps even the builders of the nearby passage tomb at Maeshowe. Located in the islands of Orkney, it shares the stark landscape with other Neolithic sites. Amongst the standing stones and burial cairns there is a place called Skara Brae.

The Land Itself  – The Geography

Once buried in sand until a storm in 1850 unearthed it, Skara Brae is one of the best-preserved Neolithic sites in the U.K.  The land is desolate and the wind roars in your ears. You can hear the nearby ocean with the waves crashing on the rocks. There is a sense of the timeless nature of this ancient landscape, over 5000 years ago the ocean was miles away from where it is today, it has slowly crept in with time and is eroding away the edges of the Neolithic village. Soon the earth and water will take back its secrets, but for now it stands against time.

According to Historic Scotland’s Guide to the Orkneys, “Radiocarbon evidence indicates Skara Brae was occupied from about 3100 BC, for about six hundred years. Around 2500 BC, the climate changed, turning much colder and the settlement may have been abandoned by its inhabitants”. There are many theories as to why the people of Skara Brae suddenly left, but there is no solid evidence suggesting why this occurred.

Skara Brae used to sit inland a bit more and there had once been a fresh water loch. Gradually the cliffs were eroded by storms and the loch drained out into the sea. Not much has changed from then to now, if you took away the houses and the rock walls, little would be different.

Community

Skara Brae was a well integrated closely knit community. Connecting the houses in the village was a series of passageways from the main entrance to the other buildings. The evidence speaks of a people who worked closely together for survival. When excavated the findings suggested that there was a freestanding structure separate from the houses and it was designed as a workshop. Archaeologists found chert fragments left from making stone tools. There was no metal at this time so people used chert (a local stone) to fashion animal bones into tools.

Here is a picture of one of the Houses, clearly visible is the dresser and the fire, with the beds on either side of the hearth.

In the Midden

Skara Brae is built on top of an older village. The people living in the earlier village had collected their refuse on a nearby site where after gradual decomposition, midden formed. Midden is refuse; essentially it is the trash that these people piled up at the edge of their settlement. This was a huge compost heap containing ash, shells, bones, stone and other waste from everyday activities. The midden became the glue that held together the walls of their homes, adding much needed wind proofing and weatherproofing.

They began building Skara Brae by carving into the midden, forming the new houses and passageways. Once completed, flagstones were brought in and placed along the interior walls giving structure to the rooms.

Their furniture was made of stone because Orkney then as now, was almost without trees. Flagstones were readily available in Orkney and you see them used in everything from beds and dressers to doors and hearths.

The design of the entry required a guest to bow down as they entered, perhaps in a gesture of humility or respect to the host. What they displayed upon entering the house seems important to them based on the placement of the dresser and the position of the door.
Preservation of the Houses

The houses have survived because the midden it was built into protected it. After the village was abandoned, a sand storm buried the village and the sand settled into the foundation and between the flagstones giving everything a stabilizing factor.

Because of the way the houses have been preserved, we must look down into them to view them. It’s hard to imagine these houses were once roofed. Timber and whalebone were more than likely used for the roofs depending on what was available at the time. It is thought that the roofs were made of turf, weighted down with a network of ropes made from twisted heather.

Heating

A central hearth would have heated the house as well as providing the fire for cooking. The lighting would have been poor, the only light would have come from the fire and there is no evidence to suggest any lamps existed. There would have been little ventilation, (possibly a hole in the roof) and the houses would have been very smoky.
Farming

They grew crops, chiefly barley and some wheat. Fishing was coastal, mainly cod and saithe. Evidence from refuse tells us that they ate fish, shellfish, sheep or goats, and pigs. Eggshells found in the midden tell us that they collected eggs from bird’s nests.

Clothing

No tools related to spinning or weaving have been discovered and no clothing survives. Jewelry has been found mostly in the form of beads, pendants, and pins, almost all were made from bone, stone, or teeth from marine mammals.

Their Religion

It is uncertain what these people believed in. But as evidenced by the nearby passage portal tomb at Maeshowe it leads us to believe it was some form of ancestor worship. It is during this time period that our ancestors were spending a considerable amount of time and energy constructing tombs, an estimated average of 10,000 working hours on each tomb. Once again indicating that this was of great importance to them.
Skara Brae Abandoned

Some speculate that the village was abandoned because of some disaster, others believe that it fell into disuse, people moved away in the greater interest of farming and better lands.

With the beginning of the Bronze Age new ideas and concepts were spreading through Britain. Construction moved away from the large monuments such as Maeshowe and clustered designs such as Skara Brae were abandoned in favor of individual stone houses in small, dispersed communities.

Skara Brae is a World Heritage Site. Inscription on this list confirms the exceptional universal quality of a cultural or natural site, which deserves protection for the benefit of humanity

Reference:

Historic Scotland – Skara Brae – Official Guide

http://www.orkneyjar.com

Tags: history, power site, sacred site, Skara Brae

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