This is Lesson Three of a year-and-a-day instruction program in becoming a witch.

Finding magical tools and supplies is much less onerous than it once was. The internet is lousy with sites that will eagerly supply herbs, stones, athames, chalices, jewelry and amulets of every description, powders, and potions to the neophyte. How to choose, how to choose?

One way to choose is swiftly. Buy an “altar kit,” which will usually include an athame, a ready-made wand, possibly a chalice, often an altar cloth, some herbs, and usually a candle and holder or two. Drop fifty bucks, often what a chalice or athame can cost to begin with, and off you go.

Another way is slowly. Wait until a particular athame or chalice speaks to you. It need not be labeled that, of course, and will often be cheaper if it is not. Determination and a willingness to haunt pawn and thrift stores can often provide these tools very cheaply. (My chalice happens to be a $2.99 20-oz. iced-tea glass I found at Tuesday Morning. I’ve simply never seen any other cup that reminds me so strongly of what Water is than that chunk of blue and green glass.)

Do be aware that not every “athame” described as such is, in fact, an athame. Technically, an athame has a double-edged blade. Like many (but not, alas, all) traditions, this one has a practical underpinning: a double-edged blade allows energy to flow more easily through it.

Many of us have two athames, or more properly an athame and a boline, usually one black- and one white-hilted. Which of these is kept sharp to use, and which kept only to cut energy, varies by tradition.

Chalices are ideally of silver, a metal associated with the Moon, traditionally the most watery of the planets. This is not to say that a cup of other material which calls you back to pick it up three or four times should not be your chalice, but you will sacrifice that easy association with the element, and the power which comes with it. If your chalice is silver, on the other hand, you will make an ongoing sacrifice of the time and effort needed to keep it polished. If you have sufficient skill to throw or build a ceramic chalice, or create one of wood, while it will lack the association with Water, it will gain a great deal of power through your creation of it, provided you are mindful of its function while you do so.

Most of us cannot craft our own athames or chalices. We can and should, however, craft a wand.

The default wood for witching is willow. However, if you are given wood by having it fall in front of you, by all means accept the gift of the tree. (Be sure to leave a gift in return: a coin, a hair. Also, thank the tree.)

Wand material is as big around as the tip of your little finger, the length of your forearm from funny bone to tip of longest finger, and straight throughout that length. Sycamore wood, for instance, is rarely straight enough to use for a wand.

Fashioning a wand from raw wood will require several months of drying, followed by hours of sanding with increasingly fine grits, as well as much effort put forth to remove knobs, burls, and branch ends. This work is best done by hand as the meditative state entered into will give your wand life. Also, the electricity used for running power tools is enough to overwhelm the personal energy that would otherwise accumulate within the wand.

Once it’s finished, you will have felt it come alive in your hand. Really. It’s an unmistakable experience, and you will know that you are in the presence of the Other. Wand-selves are not human-selves.

At that point you will also become aware whether it is appropriate to carve it with symbols or add decoration: crystals, feathers, windings of silk thread, silver charms. This is not solely your own decision to make, and you should reach agreement on what is to be done with the wand itself, unless you are bound by a tradition. (Wand-wood which consents to come into the possession of a tradition-follower also consents, in my experience, to the constraints of that tradition.)

There is no rule that says a wand has to be wood. My primary wand is a seven-inch quartz crystal which refused to let me leave the shop until I had parted with most of my then-week’s income for her (she has also insisted throughout our decade of working together on remaining skyclad: staying completely undecorated). My first wand is of wood, and I am experimenting with creating a copper wand for use in energy workings, that is, spells which will not have a direct physical manifestation. Although knowing me, I’ll get curious and try him for other things, too, if he consents.

A staff is a very large wand, usually the height of the bearer. Often a staff-bearer will use a branch of the staff as a wand, which is much handier in small spaces and far less likely to take out a fellow-worshiper’s front teeth when gestured with!

My wands are all completely different, energetically. The wood wand is shy, but still unalterably Other; the crystal is of course a her own being, with very strong opinions and a will to match. The copper is reticent, somewhat unwilling as yet to work with me, but I have just begun to craft him (his male-ness is the one fact I know of him). If that does not change, I shall make a Working to send him on to be with the person he needs.

Altar cloths are another tool of which many witches have multiples. They can vary by color, adding that hue’s power to a spell when chosen wisely. Those of Celtic persuasion may use green for all their work; white and black are also often chosen if a single cloth must suffice. My finding has been that either solid color or tie-dye works best. (Tie-dye, being essentially a random manifestation, seems to have some associations with the deep mind. Possibly that’s only true for those of us who lived the sixties, or wish we had.) There is nothing to say against using an ancestor-created cloth, either: great-grandma’s embroidered tablecloth, for instance.

Candleholders, cauldrons, and incense burners are elemental tools: Fire, Water, and Air respectively. A sword, the super-sized athame, is like it a Fire or Air tool, generally owned by a coven rather than the individual witch. (Some traditions view the wand as Fire and the blade as Air, some the reverse.) Many witches have a besom (broom) which they use to sweep energy clean, and a platen engraved with a pentacle for the Earth tool. Safety note: resin candleholders are flammable, and therefore a Bad Idea if your spell requires allowing a candle to burn down and out.

Anything can be made into a magical tool: mezzaluna, stand mixer, computer, pen, Tarot deck, meditation cushion, trowel, lock, set of scales. In general, you will find it more difficult to charge a plastic object than one which is made of wood, glass, plant fiber, stone, or metal. Plastic also does not hold a charge, although as this material becomes an increasingly familiar part of our lives, that may change. My money’s on the stuff becoming an artifact of Earth, eventually.

Ritual clothing is also a tool. Resist the urge you will inevitably feel toward long, flowing sleeves, as they have a magnetic attraction to candle flames and staining liquids. If they pursue you in your dreams, make gathers in the material, or alternatively sew ribbons to the sleeve to tie it close to the wrist. A robe can be consecrated just as other tools are. (And, erm, I’ve gone so far as to have magical underwear and socks.)

Magical tools are of necessity a possession of the Goddess (arguable exception: ritual wear), so they should be cleansed of prior associations, even those of manufacture unless you made the tool yourself, and dedicated to Her. The easiest way to do this is with incense, and salted water or motherwort tea.

A word of caution on the acquisition of used blades: a blade used to shed blood will prove extremely difficult to clean energetically. Think hard about using it at all, because blood, even very old blood, attracts many low-level entities who may not harm you (or at least I’ve never heard of that happening), but crowd around the space and time in which you are working, and may dissipate or use for their own ends the energy you generate.

Incenses bear the energy of three Elements: Earth, from which all incenses come whether they are of plant or animal material; Air, their method of dispersal, and Fire, which gives them life. Frankincense and myrrh, combined, make an excellent cleansing and dedication incense. If you wish to conduct those operations separately, either lavender incense or smudge sticks can perform the cleansing.

Mugwort tea is often used for dedication. Salted water (the salt drives out any energetic impurities) must be wiped from metals quickly, as it is likely to tarnish or pit them.

When to dedicate a tool? The day of the Full Moon is best, but the ceremony should be completed before the Moon begins to wane. Void-of-course Moon is not a good time for the work.

Once you have set a date, write your dedication. In my experience, rhyme and rhythm work very well to lube up the subconscious, and notify it that yes, Work is going to be done.

Sample:

“Mother Great, Mother Divine,

“Lend to me this tool of Thine.

“From this day, from this hour,

“I use this tool to wield Thy power.”

You can probably do better than that. But you get the drift.

Preparations: clean the area and the altar itself. Brew the tea if used. Set the tea or salt and water, the incense, incense burner, lighter or matches, lighting candle in holder if used, on the altar, and tool(s) to be consecrated nearby but not on the altar itself. (Have you thought about consecrating your altar table or surface? Wipe it down before you begin.) Fill your chalice if you will be using it; place the water in a bowl if not. If you are using salted water on a metal tool, you will need an absorbent cloth to wipe the tool clean.

Cast your circle, sweep it clean, call in the elements/quarters, call in the Goddess and God (in whichever order you feel appropriate).

Light the lighting candle if you use one. Fire the incense, and allow the smoke a couple of minutes to build.

Take up a pinch of salt, and cast it into the chalice or bowl, saying, “O thou creature of Earth, Thee I call upon to cast out any impurities from this water.” If you’re using tea, pour it into the chalice or bowl, and say, “O thou creature of Earth and Water, be thou cleansed of any impurities.”

Take up the incense stick or holder in your dominant hand, and the tool to be consecrated in your non-dominant hand. Wave the incense over and around the tool four times, chanting as you do so.

The first time, face East and chant, “O creature of Air, I ask of Thee to cleanse this tool, and consecrate it to magical use.”

The second time, face South and chant, “O creature of Fire, I ask of Thee to cleanse this tool, and consecrate it to magical use.”

The third time, face West and take up the salted water or mugwort tea and sprinkle the tool with it lightly, chanting, “O creature of Water, I ask of Thee to cleanse this tool, and consecrate it to magical use.” If you used salted water on a metal tool, wipe it clean immediately.

The fourth time, face North and chant, “O creature of Earth, I ask of Thee to cleanse this tool, and consecrate it to magical use.”

Place the tool on the altar, in its appropriate quarter according to your tradition’s elemental associations. Bow to the North, the Goddess’ direction, and say, “Great Goddess, to Thee and Thy purposes I dedicate this tool.”

Repeat as desired. End the ritual by taking down the circle and dismissing the Elements and deities.

Have you dedicated your very own self to the Goddess? If not, consider it. Consider it heavily before you do so, though, because if you carry through with it, you will become Her tool. This is not usually a very comfortable function, but believe me, it has its rewards.

Supplies are a bit different from tools, in that they do not require consecration. A “supply” is something that is not merely used but also used up: incense is a supply, the incense burner a tool. Herbs, essential oils, and candles are the commonest supplies. Ready-made oils, potions, and powders also qualify.

Upon purchase, take an herb, oil, potion, or powder into your non-dominant hand, and feel, and appreciate, its power. My very favorite incense in the entire world is nag champa, which feels quite different energetically from my second-favorite, dragon’s blood.

Once you’ve done that, put the supply into your dominant hand, and raise your non-dominant hand. Pull that power down into yourself, and push it out into your supply, “charging” it. Repeat before use.

You can do the same with essential oils. Candles are basically blank slates waiting to be programmed … although you can feel the energetic difference among soy, paraffin, and beeswax candles.

Wrapping a tool or supply in silk will insulate the charge. (I buy old stained silk shirts from thrifts for a dollar or two, and use the pockets for pouches and the sleeves to store wands, candles, and incense.)

Candles of disparate colors should not be stored in contact with one another, as the colors will leach. I use tissue paper a lot in crafting sigils, so that’s available in my home. I wrap figure and reversing candles with it. Other than those specialized types, my candles are all of five colors, and each has its own box inside a drawer.

(Five colors? Yep. Orange attracts, black banishes, shrinks, or negates, green asks for personal growth, gray disperses [not the same as banishing], and white purifies, heals, and increases. Those five functions cover every spell, or at least I’ve seen none yet which fall outside one of those categories. — If I were going to add a sixth color, it would be magenta, which speeds up the work of any spell.)

Once a tool or supply is consecrated, there are opposing opinions on whether it should be used in daily life. “A consecrated tool should be reserved only for spiritual functions!” snaps A, whereupon B puts fists to hips, scowls, and snarls, “A consecrated tool used for mundane purposes sanctifies all parts of life!” Which seems more logical to you? As with so much of life, there is no universally correct answer. Choose one, and live it.

Consecrated tools on my altar: shell-rattle, mini-cauldron, chalice, platen, pentacle, flint and steel, candleholder, essential-oil diffuser, incense holder, feather smudge fan, Book of Shadows, fountain pen and ink, Tarot deck, Goddess and God figurines, offering bowls, lighting candle, black- and white-hilted knives, two wands (the crystal stays at the top of my keyboard), and God and Goddess candles and holders (while supplies, the candles are also consecrated). Of these I created the God figure, the shell-rattle, the feather smudger, the platen, and the wands; I also modified the Goddess figurine.

There’s an ashpot too, for whatever a spell might generate in the way of physical waste. While necessary, it’s not consecrated.

Consecrated tools not on my altar: chef’s knife, breadmaking bowl, yoga props (mat, strap, blocks, practice journal, and meditation wrap), gardening tools.

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Overview: Creativity is a gift from the Goddess. If, while creating any of these tools, you have a Wild Idea, go for it.

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How to Create a Shell Rattle

Needed:

cowrie shell 3+” long

13 dried soy or other small beans or grains

scissors

length of leather or fabric fringe 2-3 times the length of the opening in the cowrie shell; instructions for using braided cord below

glue if necessary

Cut the fringe free of its header. Knot one end of each strand; pull as tight as possible. Cut the fringe to random lengths if you like.

Put the beans into the cowrie.

Thread the knotted end of a fringe into the cowrie through the large opening at one end. Gently tug on the fringe until the knot is seated at the far end of the opening. Repeat until the opening is filled very full indeed. When you cannot insert any more fringe, pull the last one you were able to get in toward the large opening, seating it as securely as possible.

Use glue to seal the opening if you lose any beans upon test-shaking.

It is possible to make a shell rattle of fabric fringe, although most such fringes will be subject to fraying and should not be cut free of their header. Should you prefer fabric to leather, cut carefully, and stabilize the ends of 2-3 cowrie-opening lengths of the fringe (whipstitch or melt. Don’t double). Apply glue to one side, and glue two lengths together. See if that fills the opening. If not, glue on a third length. Fill cowrie with beans. Apply glue to both sides of multi-ply fringe header, and insert into opening.

It is also possible to use a twisted-braid cord instead of fringe. Untwist the braid. Cut braid strands to length desired + 2″ (about 5 cm) – err on the side of “too long.” Do be aware, however, than if the fringe is very long, it will tangle incessantly. Knot one end of each strand, and proceed as for leather fringe. If you wish the fringe to lie straight, and not in the waves resulting from being braided, wet thoroughly after mounting to shell, comb strands straight, and allow to hang down until dry.

My cowrie, made using leather fringe, did not require glue. As I’ve only made one with leather, I can’t say whether this was luck or not; three fabric-fringe rattles did need it.

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How to Create a Feather Smudge Fan

Needed:

Feathers

Thin strong string

Wider material in color of choice, to wrap “handle” of fan

Scissors

Possibly glue

Find out where the crows hang out in your town. In spring and fall, you will have a plethora of shed feathers to choose among, but any time of year you’ll find some. If you don’t want to use crow feathers, which are universally black, you’ll have to choose feather colors, too.

Assemble 10-15 feathers.

Put feathers into one hand. Tap ends gently on a level surface, until they are aligned. Arrange into a “fan.”

Wrap feather quills (the “root end”) with thin strong string and knot securely. (I used 20-lb. nylon fishing line.)

Overwrap with wider material in Air color (yellow, pastels) or color to match the feathers. Tuck the end of the wrap material inside. Glue to secure, if needed.

Alternatively, you can purchase an inexpensive paper fan, and glue feathers to it. You won’t need wrap material, but you will need smaller feathers to cover the quills of the larger at the bottom of the fan. Once you’re finished, the fan will no longer shut.

My crow feathers are wrapped in black and did not require glue. I chose to use it on two smudge fans I made as gifts.

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How to Create a Paten (Altar Plate)

Needed:

Material

Design

Engraving tool

Patience, or bandages and 3AO (Triple Antibiotic Ointment)

Acquire a slab of metal, stone, glass, or other scribable material of the size and shape you wish. If you work in fired ceramics, you have absolutely got this one sacked; you’ll inscribe your paten when it’s either wet or at the leather stage, and after that you don’t need instructions from me!

Draw, print out, or copy design(s) to be inscribed.

Transfer the pattern onto the material using carbon paper; trace with thin-line permanent marker.

Using an engraving tool appropriate to the material of the slab, carve the pattern. Remember that using a lot of force to scribe a line only makes any error big, deep, and hard to get out. Be patient; go gently multiple times.

Keep in mind that bleeding all over the paten because you cut yourself while engraving it is not required. However, be prepared for that eventuality; stock up on bandages and 3AO before you start.

Polish if necessary.

If desired, apply clear protective coating.

My paten is round, of copper, engraved with a pentagram, and was a stern teacher of patience who gave me a scar to remember the lesson by.

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How to Make a God Figure

Acquire the action figure of your choice, and dress as desired, creating the clothes yourself. Make a wig of your own hair clippings if possible. Fingers from gloves make great medieval-or-earlier shoes if leather, and pants or hose if cloth.

TOS Spock is dressed as Otzi the Iceman on my altar, and Elderly Spock is dressed as Odin and keeping watch over my books. Karl Urban’s McCoy is Mercury-in-boots on top of my desktop computer. How did you guess that I’m a Star Trek geek? However, my athames are not bat’leths. One can go too far.

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How to Make or Modify a Goddess Figure

Acquire the Goddess figure of your choice. Thriftshop Barbies work well; their former owner imbued them with great girl-energy. ist’s wooden figure models may also be used. Replace any jewelry She wears with the best you can make or afford, and use paint judiciously to make Her more awesome. Pearlized or silvery transparent wash always works. Consider diluting blush and lipstick color with the wash before applying Her makeup. You can also make a wig for Her of your own hair clippings, or other cordage if that is not feasible. If She is clothed, consider making replacement garments yourself of the best quality fabric you can find – you’ll need, at most, a yard of it.

Bast got a real lapis-lazuli earring and gold leaf on Her collar and base, as well as emerald-green eyes with ebony pupils, and all of Her except Her eyes was washed with pearl. Venus, my other Patron, wears heavyweight embroidered silk paisley sold as a placemat and bought for a buck at a yard sale. She got the pearly-makeup treatment, two coats of pearlization on top of it, and an embroidery-silk wig; She looks much more “Goddess” than “Barbie.”

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Next month: How to move your mind from everyday consciousness into magical consciousness. Blessed be!

The fabulous Jenn ( round of applause for the hard working staff here- they deserve it and more!) has promised me that the pictures from our last installment should be up this time around so please take a look at that so that you don’t think I’ve been doing imaginary projects!

So for my first Samhain (or for those of you out there who go a bit more secular- Halloween) edition of Thrifting the Witchy Way I thought I would keep it light and bring you one of my favorite crafts –Miniature Witchy Brooms!

Now this project is a ton of fun for witchlets of all ages (This time of year certainly makes me feel like a kid again!) and is absolutely fantastic for hostess gifts, party favors, kids craft time, or just to decorate your own witchy pad!

So here’s what you will need:
A. Wooden dowels (1/4inch thick, about 12 inches long- you can get them in a package at your craft store)
B. 3yrds of ribbon (This is where your hunters eyes at the thrift store can score you large bags of ribbon for a couple dollars, or keeping a keen eye on the sales at craft stores like Micheals or JoAnn’s can get you some awesome deals on designer ribbon)
C.  A package of pre-dried corn husks (I use the ones that you get from the grocery store for making tamales usually about a dollar for a large bag)
D. A bowl of water  large enough to soak the corn husks in ( I sometimes also soak the husks in a nice tea blend or, especially if I am having an attack of autumn, I throw a couple of packets of apple cider mix in so that the husks soak up the scent and get a subtle aroma)
E.  A drying rack (I use a cookie sheet with paper towels on it)
F. Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Now here’s how you do it:
Step 1:

Soak the corn husks in the bowl of water until they are soft and pliable.
Step 2:

Take one of the corn husks and tear it into thin strips (you will need 2 husks per broom, more if you want it really full)

Step 3:

Start wrapping the corn husks around one of the dowels with the thin end lined up to the end of the dowel, leaving the wide end laying along the length of the dowel.

Step 4:

Using one of the thin strips of husk; tie the strip around the thin ends about 1/4 of an inch from the end of the dowel.

Step 5:

Push the dowel down until about another 1/4 inch is showing below the husks.

Step 6:

Now begin to fold the husks down over the tie, until the other end of the dowel is now clear of husk and the end that you just pulled down in Step 5 is now hidden in the husks. This is a good time to tear the husks so that they seem fuller and more broom like.

Step 7:

You’ll use your other thin strip and you will tie the strip around the husks about 1/2-1 inch below where they meet the dowel. This will really make it look like a broom.

Step 8:

Let them dry. I suggest over night, sometimes longer if you have a particularly thick set of husks.

Step 9:

Usually, as soon as they are dry, use a hot glue gun to glue the upper (folded over) part of the broom to the dowel ensuring that it won’t move around.

Step 10:

Decorate! I use ribbon to wrap around the dowel and the “broom tie” so that mine end up looking like this:

This one I used 2 different colors on (orange and purple) in the Halloween spirit. Or they can look like this:

This one I used a patterned ribbon on and it looks a bit more country witchy.
If I’m going to use this as a gift or a decoration I also like to add a little folded envelope(you can find a great tutorial on the one I use here) and stuff the little pockets with protective symbols or small stones, or anything that sets my purpose. I then punch holes in the top and string a ribbon through it and hang them from the brooms.
These can be just simple decorations, or you can charge them with intent and hang them as charms, or you can even use them as home made altar besoms for those of us who have limited ritual space. Also herbs or potpourri can be put into the envelope or can be hung from inside the “bristles”.

Painting or drawing on the bristles is also a great way to customize them.

It’s one of those multi-purpose crafts that I, and my pocket book, love!

And keep your crystal balls tuned in for our next installment of Thrifting the Witchy way as I’ll show you one way to make your very own Thrifting Journal for all those prowls through the thrift shops.

So see you next time- same witchy time, same witchy channel!

How to Use Magical Oils
One of the common question I receive as a practicing WITCH is: Are these Magickal Oils for Pagan use only. This article briefly puts ritual oil use into a historical context, outlines the types of oils available in the marketplace and describes common methods of using magical oils.  Magical Oils have been used for spiritual undertakings since ancient times:
The Bible speaks clearly of oil being used for spiritual purposes. Additionally, recipes are given for creating magical oil, perfume and incense. Ancient Egyptians used oil to anoint their Kings and Queens for protection, health and power in life and also in many afterlife rituals. Historical texts document the use of ritual oils in every culture since the beginning of time.
Magical Oil Use Today
Today, oils intended for spiritual purposes are widely available online and in botanical, occult shops and spiritual supply stores. Within the spiritual oil market, there are wide differences in price, quality and manufacturing practices. Consumers can now purchase  pre-     prepared oil combinations or the base materials (like herbs and essential oils) necessary to create their own magical oil. recipes for formulas are widely available in many books and on the Internet.

Spiritual oils readily available today can be easily categorized into three types based on the oil components or ingredients:
Mass Produced Spiritual Oil – An Exercise in Truth in Advertising Condition Oil When Spiritual Products became widely available In the early 1930′s by mail order catalogs, Root Workers, “Doctors” and Pharmacists, created Condition or Dressing oils based on time tested recipes. Thanks to good, old fashioned commercialism, large manufacturing companies saw an opportunity for profit with spiritual consumers and in the 1970′s began producing oils for the botanic market.For manufacturers’, the old style Condition Oil recipes had a very short shelf life. The ingredients necessitated being mixed in small batches, and required a heavy amount of essential oil and plant material to scent the base oil (usually almond, olive or mineral oils).

Somewhere along the line, manufacturers discovered that they could substitute a liquid plastic byproduct called Dimethyl Phthalate (or DP) as the base or carrier oil for magical blends. DP works well in scented oil manufacturing for numerous reasons. Because it is a chemical, it never goes rancid. It is inexpensive and picks up a scent and holds it for a very long time. Therefore, it requires fewer drops of expensive essential oil to create a very fragrant concoction, lowering the overall cost of manufacturing these oils. More importantly, it dissolves essential oil and evenly distributes it throughout the base. This means there is no separation between the essential oil and the base oil. If you have ever made your own oil formulas, you are probably aware that you have to shake the bottle of oil vigorously in order to redistribute the bottle contents each time you use it. The base oil, herbs and essential oil seem to separate very quickly when using all natural oil ingredients. This is not necessary with DP-based products. Unfortunately for consumers, DP and the whole family of Phthalate chemicals have come under much scrutiny in recent years. Animal studies have shown that DP can stifle male hormones, sperm production and may cause male infertility and birth defects – especially when burned (as on candles or incense). There are also some links to cancer. A quick search on Google will reveal many studies the reader can peruse for more information. I call DP-based oils No Oil Spiritual oil. The fact is that these manufactured oils may or may not contain any essential oil. Who knows? It is very hard to get a clear answer from their producers. I do sell a line of DP based oils in the shop from the Hysteria manufacturing company. I am going to be brutally honest here. The price point is the sole reason for carrying these oils. I cannot manufacturer hand made oil at this price. Many retail shop customers insist on purchasing their ritual oils at under $2.00 a bottle. Thanks in large part to my main local competitor, many poor, uneducated but highly spiritual folks feel that a 1/2 oz bottle of Condition oil is $1.99. If it’s more, you are trying to get over on them. Or they feel they cannot afford to pay anymore for Spiritual oils. The under two dollar price cap has stood for years. As a practitioner, this has proven quite a moral predicament for me. I want to do the right thing, but I am also running a business. If I do not carry the cheaper oil, I end up losing the candle, herb and powder sales to my competition. I have tried addressing this issue from a spiritual work perspective by instilling a need for herbs and/or powders in candle dressing with my client base. My logic being that if folks fully dress their candles, at least some herbal material is present and that’s better than nothing! I have weaned several long time customers off of the DP oils. I have many customers – especially old workers who resented that for a long while in New Orleans no other condition oil was available except DP based oil. However many of my normal every day candle burning clients, still buy DP-based oils and insist they work for them. Maybe one day I can eliminate DP-based oils in the shop and convince all of my customers to spend a couple of extra dollars to get a decent bottle of mid-priced Condition oil that consists of real herbal material. God only knows!

Doing Things the Old Fashioned Way
As previously mentioned, old time old manufacturers and spiritual workers made small batches of spiritual oil using real herbs, roots, bark, flowers and minerals. Most added these herbs to either olive or mineral oil depending on the purpose of the final blend. Typically Olive Oil was used as the base or carrier oil for formulas designed to bless, anoint or draw positive things. Mineral Oil was used for formulas that command, compel or destroy. Mineral oil was also used for mineral-based oils like Magnet and Lodestone. In recent years, Sweet Almond Oil has become a popular base oil for drawing positive blessings as it is light in texture and scents more easily than heavy Olive oil. The techniques used for instilling the base oil with herbal properties are quite varied. Some times plant material is simply steeped in the (cold) oil for an extended period time. This is common for white, pink , yellow and other light-colored Condition oils. This steeping method is used in the creation of many (REAL) Branded Spiritual Oils. The herbs soak in oil for 30 plus days in a cool, dark location. They may be strained out (termed cold pressed) through a fine cloth or just left to float in the bottle.

For darker oils (brown, purple, black), herbs may be wrapped in muslin or cheesecloth and cooked in the oil to extract their essence. I have seen and heard of workers employing a double-cooked method for making oil. The herb materials are simmered in oil for two-three hours, strained out and the resulting oil is allowed to cool. Then the process is repeated, cooking a new batch of herbs in the same oil – therefore double-infusing the properties into the base. The resulting oil is then colored for intent and scented with perfumed or essential oils. The cooking method is also used in the creation of (REAL) Branded Spiritual Oils.

Macerate Herbs in Oil Maceration is an age old method for creating magic oils. Herb materials are ground and placed in a mortar and pestle. Enough base oil is poured over the ground herbs to cover them. The worker then begins pounding the herb and oil mixture while praying over it – infusing the base with herbal and spiritual properties. The herb material is strained out of the oil base with cheesecloth and topped off with more base oil. The oil may be colored for intent and new, whole herbs added to each bottle. This is the method used for Holy Spirit Brand Roots in Oil.

New Times, New Ways
During the late 1980′s and early 1990′s, the philosophies of Wicca, Earth Magick and Paganism
developed at an unprecedented rate. Publishing houses and film studios jumped on the hype and public interest in witchcraft and neo-paganism flourished. As the Internet blossomed, by the late 1990′s, Wicca, Witchcraft and Paganism became downright trends. During the Clinton-era, a spiritual renaissance began. Many folks felt stifled and unsatisfied with the offerings of mainstream religion. A great interest in holistic medicine, vitamins, alternative healing methods and alternative spirituality developed. As the Internet made its way into a vast number of households, people worldwide found new forums and avenues to discuss, research and practice spirituality. It was during this period that Aromatherapy became an area of interest for those seeking alternatives. Small companies that had produced Essential Oils for perfume houses, began advertising their wares on the Internet. Rare essences, tinctures and absolutes became readily available to spiritual merchants and sole practitioners. Likewise books were published at a rapid rate, touting the medicinal and spiritual benefits of herbal aromatherapy. A natural progression occurred that encouraged the use of Essential Oils in magical blends. These “essential oils” were either steam distilled or cold pressed (mechanically squeezing the oil from the material) essences of the individual plant. Many stated the obvious – if you wanted the best results magically, than what better ingredient to use than the essence of the plant?

The challenge for Spiritual Merchants was that many of the flowers that had been used in the magical oils did not produce an oil through steam distillation or cold pressing. Flowers like Rose and Jasmine however would yield oil if soaked in a solvent (a quick evaporating liquid that is vacuumed from the mixture) – leaving an Absolute. This is a very expensive process but yields the most desired aroma therapeutic grade material. All Natural, Organic, 100% Pure, Additive Free became the marketing campaign words of the day. As a result, high end magical oils emerged on the marketplace as a new phenomenon. Made from only the highest quality, food grade essential oils and absolutes a new breed of ritual oil was born. Combining traditional European herbal folk magic with aromatherapy and perfumer’s art these Boutique Oils became the hottest seller in the spiritual marketplace.

HOW TO USE MAGICKAL OILS

There are also many oils and blends, which may be used for more than one purpose.The power of the blend is in the direct ratio of the specific oils for a set magickal purpose.

NEVER take an Essential oil INTERNALLY.

Essential oils do not mix with water, and in an undiluted form they may damage the lining of the digestive tract. In addition, some essential oils are toxic if taken internally.  Store in dark bottles, away from light and heat, and well of our reach of young children and pets! Light and heat cause the chemical ingredients in the oils to break down and become less potent.  In general, essential oils should not be applied neat to the skin always dilute them in a carrier oil or cream first. There are exceptions to this however, such as the use of neat lavender for cuts, spots, burns, etc. and certain perfume type essential oils such as sandalwood and ylang ylang. Always do a patch test first. What is not irritating to one person may be irritating to another!!

Patch Test: ( Before applying any new oil to the skin, even as a perfume, it may be wise to do a patch test. If you have had allergic reactions to substances on your skin before, DEFINITELY do a patch test first. ) Put a few drops of oil on the back of your wrist, cover with a plaster (what they call a ‘plaster’ in merry old England is called a ‘band-aid’ by us Americans) or cheese cloth and leave for an hour or more. If irritation or redness occurs, bathe the area in cold water. For future use reduce the concentration level by half or avoid altogether.  Most of these recipes are for the pure oil which is usually far too strong to use directly. They are usually cut, or decreased in concentration, by adding them to a neutral substance – in this case,
another oil that will not react with it and will not alter the fragrance. Making an oil blend is simple; follow these directions; Start with a base of 1/4 ounce of olive, almond, or jojoba oil. To this base, add appropriate essential oils with an eye dropper, one drop at a time until the mixture is just the right strength for you. If your oil recipe calls for herbs or gemstones add them first. These extras add energy and help the oils blend when I shake them. After mixing your blend, raise energy and charge the oil with your intent. No matter what type and quality of magical oils you select, I strongly recommend you charge them to increase energy and shape it to best carry out the tasks you want to perform. Handmade magic oils are already loaded with the power of the herbs they contain and many blends are imbued with energy put into them during their creation. But, once you have purchased a premade oil blend, you want to make it yours – as it will be your tool to use in magic.Obviously, magical oils are most commonly used in magical work. Decide which number is relevant to your spiritual work and add that many drops to your spiritual bath or on top of your incense. Next month I will be giving you recipes for several old and some new Magickal oils. Until next month Blessed Be!

One of the most difficult concepts for me to understand when I was new to Wicca was the casting of a circle.  Most religions have a designated place, usually a building, set aside for worship, but we have the ability to create our own.  Some books tell you to cast a circle and how to do it, but do not always explain how to move the necessary energy.  Some Wiccans don’t cast a circle and still have meaningful rituals and effective magick.  Like many other elements of our practice, there are aspects that are standard and those that reflect personal tastes and spiritual path.  Let’s put aside any confusion and look at what a circle is, how it is set up and taken down and what it does.

A circle is a magickal space created by the witch or coven in which ritual takes place.  By this act, we are effectively erecting our own sanctuary and taking it down when we are finished.  We start fresh every time, yet as with other workings, there is a residual energy left which can enhance future workings.  A circle is more properly a sphere or bubble.  When created, it touches the ground or floor in a circle but the web of its energy arcs above us like a dome.  It is also a place where we can meet the gods and goddesses and other magickal beings.  It is said to be a place out of space and time.  By that, I do not mean that it is some kind of fourth dimension, but it is a place where we leave our worries and mundane life at the door, instead concentrating on our spiritual life and being at ease.  It is a sort of transparent curtain; marking off a place for ritual, but not cutting us off from  the world.  The physical process of creating the circle shifts our mood into our working so that we mentally and emotionally put behind the day to day routine and stress, giving us a break and enabling us to better focus on what we are doing in the circle.

In late night B horror movies as well as old artwork of witches and wizards, we see circles painted on the floor, often surrounded by astrological symbols or containing a pentagram.  I have never heard a reliable account of this happening, nor has anyone with whom I have spoken.  Perhaps this has been done in film and art to provide a physical representation of the circle so that the viewer can see it or maybe it is just one of those things like the pointed hat that is associated with witches in the popular imagination.  1

Stone circles are found at widely separated locations.  Whether they were meant for astronomical observations or religious purposes, they have been found in the UK, Ireland, France, the American west, western Africa and Turkey.  In this spirit, some modern Pagans have erected stone circles as ritual and meeting areas. 2 3

The casting of a circle follows a sequence of events, although there is room, as with many things in Wicca, for individual variations.  First, the area is cleansed to remove negativity.  This is traditionally done by adding salt to water and sprinkling around to incorporate the elements of water and earth, then passing around burning incense which incorporates the elements of fire and air.  It is certainly acceptable to pass each element around the area separately.  Also, a besom can be used to sweep the ritual area at this time, keeping the bristles just above the floor.

When projecting the energy to create the circle, it is important to ground and center.  If you are just using your personal energy, it will be draining on you.  You become aware of your own energy and pull it compactly around you (center), then send down roots into the earth, finding energy there and pulling it up inside you (grounding).  I would recommend finding information on this to better understand it, then practicing just grounding and centering until you can do it easily.  It is necessary to move energy through you to create the circle.  Most witches do this by starting at a certain point, usually north or east, then walking around the path that is to be the perimeter of the circle in a clockwise (deosil) direction while sending energy out through their athame or hand to form the bubble.  Some walk the circle once, while others do it three times, once each for the Lady, Lord and the All.  If you do not have an athame, holding your hand with your third, fourth fingers and thumb on your palm, like the Boy Scout salute, works just fine.  If you cannot walk the circle, it is possible, although taking more concentration, to cast the circle moving the athame above your head in a circle, projecting the energy out to the desired location or forming it as a bubble inside you, then expanding it out until it reaches the desired size.  It is important to feel the energy and “see” the circle.  In a group situation, especially when there are enough people to form a human circle in the area, it is also possible to cast a circle “hand to hand”.

Once the circle is formed, it is best not to cross it, because this can weaken and disrupt it.  If you must leave the circle or let someone inside, the usual method is to cut an arc, like unzipping a tent flap, with your athame, then reversing the direction to close the opening.  4  It is best to check that everything you need for ritual is within the area of the circle before anything starts.  If you touch the circle with your hand, you may feel tingling or warmth.

Once the casting is complete, it is time to call beings to your circle.  Normally, something corresponding to each element is called to each quarter to guard the circle.  This can be the guardians of the watchtowers, who personify each element, fae representing each element, or the energy of the elements themselves.  Some witches also draw an invoking pentagram in the air at each quarter at this time.  There are plenty of different chants for this which can be found online or in books, or you can write your own.  Then, you call any other beings you wish to include which are not deities.  Finally, you call the Lady and Lord and any particular deities you wish to invite to your circle.  Once this is complete, continue with your act of magick, celebration, divination or whatever else you have planned.

When your working is over, it is preferable to take down the circle.  This is done as a mirror image of the steps involved in erecting it, except that you do not do a cleansing and it will probably go faster, as the mind can come out of an altered state quicker than it can go into one.  First, you thank the Lady and Lord, then any other beings you have invited, and finally dismiss the elements in the reverse of the order in which you called them.  Some Wiccans say, “Go if you must, stay if you will,” at this point, but that leaves the door open for them to stay around which can make you feel unbalanced, ungrounded or cause magickal mischief.  If you drew invoking pentagrams, draw banishing ones at this time.  Earlier, you invited “guests” to your “party”, now is the time to let them know it is over and thank them for coming.

Some feel that simply ending the ritual or walking through the circle, takes it down, but usually it is done as a conscious step.  Traditionally, this is done by walking the circle in a counter-clockwise direction (widdershins) holding out your athame and drawing the energy of the circle back through you, returning it to the ground.  It is important at this time, to remain grounded and centered in order for the energy to flow properly.  In her book The Elements of Ritual, Deborah Lipp makes an argument that taking down the circle in a widdershins motion is disruptive and irreverent, so it should (in her opinion) be done deosil.  5  If you created the circle by expanding it outward from you like blowing a bubble, logically you would take it down by drawing it back into you.  Once the circle is gone, ground any excess magickal energy within you, then pull up the roots you put down earlier or else you may feel spacey, unusually bouncy or like you have had too much coffee.  I speak from experience here.  Again, I would urge you to do research into finding or writing appropriate words for these actions.

Since there are witches, especially of the non-Wiccan variety, who do not use circles, you may be wondering why you should go through the work of casting then taking down one.  A circle serves a multitude of functions namely:  altered consciousness, temple/sacred space, protection, magickal filter, power concentrator (cauldron for energy), place between the worlds, representation of the cyclical nature of the universe, redefining reality in space and time, crucible and catalyst for change, and an extension of your personal aura.  6  I have conducted ritual and performed magick, especially that of a folk variety without casting a circle, but find that it is more fulfilling and usually more effective when I do so.  The steps, both words and actions involved, build up to a spiritual experience and have a familiar feel when done repeatedly, much as a Catholic following the stations of the cross or praying the rosary.  May your circles be your groves and temples where you meet the gods, find peace, energy and inspiration in this place that is not a place in the time that is not a time.

1   Magic Circle  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_circle

2   Rending the Veil, Circles of Stone and Dancing Rings http://www.rendingtheveil.com/the-magic-circle/

3   Stone Circle  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_circle

4   Circle Casting 1: Cutting a Doorway  http://www.controverscial.com/Circle%20Casting%201.htm

5   The Elements of Ritual, Deborah Lipp, Llewellyn, 2003, pg 244

6   What is a Magick Circle?  http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/an_introduction_to_paganism/what_is_a_magic_circle.asp

Back say in the 1600’s those who practiced witchcraft didn’t have the local metaphysical shop to run down to for purchasing their needs. The tools of the trade, were found in the way they were first intended, first by need, then by intuition.

Often a practitioner could be found walking amongst the trees of a forest, just enjoying the sun filtering it’s way through the leaves above. Maybe the witch is thinking about how lonely they feel. Maybe the thoughts running through their minds were about how to heal a particularly bad cold, or some other need stealing their attention.

Often these thoughts would guide them directly to the object which would fulfill their need or desire. We will begin this series on The Tools of the Trade with Wands in the “Olden Days”.

As said practitioner walked through that forest, their sight might be drawn to a stick laying on the forest floor. This witch, would not break off a piece of a living tree unless their intuition guided them to do so. If that were the case, the witch would quiet their mind, lay their palms against the roughened skin of the tree, and ask the spirit living within the tree, if they might remove the branch.

The same would occur for a stick laying on the ground. Before just removing it from the forest floor, the witch would offer a prayer and ask the Earth and forest if they might take the stick. If they felt within themselves, that it would be okay to take the stick, they would do so, and usually offer something in return to thank the spirit of the tree or the Earth.

Even today, with metaphysical and Craft stores popping up not only in the local neighborhood, but online as well, we can still use this tired and true method to find our own wands. Take that walk out into a local forest. Feel the trees, the sun, and the Earth underneath you. Listen for any feelings or even voices that might be guiding to in one particular direction or another. See what you can find, offer thanks, and cherish what the Earth has given.

One of the most rewarding things you can do is
make your own magickal tools which you use.
Your own personal energy begins to be imbued with your
own personal energy as soon as you start making it.
And making a wand is a pretty simple thing to do if you
are handy with glue and have a bit of imagination.

Choose a length of wood (remember to ask the tree if you
want to cut a branch… and listen for the answer!)
The traditional length for a wand it the length from your
elbow to the tip of your middle finger, but you can make it
any size that feels comfortable.
During this stage remember how you will be using it and
choose a size that won’t be cumbersome.
Different trees have different magickal correspondences,
so you might like to look these up and choose an appropriate
wood. As always though go with your personal feelings.
Some examples are apple for love magick, elder for fairie
magick, oak for nature magick or willow for general magick.

You will probably want a crystal point for the tip, which you
can buy fairly cheaply from your local metaphysical shop.
These also have correspondences, so either look these up and
choose an appropriate one, or select one that you are drawn to.
To fix your crystal to the wand gouge a bit of wood out of the
tip of the wand to help hold the crystal. Glue with high temp
hot glue gun or a strong hold glue then let set.

Now use glue on bottom sides of crystal and top inch or
so of wood. Wrap a little bit of the crystal and a section
of the wood with leather strips, cord or embroidery thread
in a color that goes with the purpose of the wand. This helps
to secure the crystal. Now wrap the base end of the wand by
gluing wood and wrapping with leather or yarn to make a hand hold.
Use the same color as on top and cover about 4 inches.
(You might like to practice wraping the leather or yarn
around the wood before you glue it.)

You may decorate the shaft of the wand with symbols that
relate to the purpose of the wand, such as runes and other
symbols that have meaning for you. You can use a knife,
water proof marker, paint, woodburning tool, etc. You could
decorate the end of the top yarn with gemstone beads,
metalbeads, wood beads and tip it with feathers if you like.
Use your imagination when it comes to your decorations.
After all it is your wand.

Cleanse and consecrate as with any tool.

Well it has come time for the first cumulative test. This test will be a review of the first two lessons.

1. How does the (Elder) Futhark get its name?

2. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?

3. What is the equation for the creation of the universe?

4. Which modern letters does the Elder Futhark lack?

5. With which season is the Berkana (Beorc) rune associated?

6. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?

7. Who governs the section of the runes associated with forces beyond human influence and understanding?

8. Which rune governs the Christmas/Yule half month period?

9. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?

10. Name two runes suggesting affliction and suffering which are found side by side

11. Which two runes do some authors feel should have their positions transposed?

After taking the cumulative test copy and paste your answers to the questions into a word doc. Or directly to the body of the email and email them directly to ma at Micheleb@paganPages.org for grading. Upon completion of this course students will receive a certificate of completion of the Runic.

Coming in the Month of August

We will be studying the art of using runes as a tool for divination.

Bountiful Blessings

Instructor: Michele Burke

There has always been a natural association between the Craft and herbal work.  Before the advent of modern medicine, it was typically the village wisewoman or midwife whom people consulted when they were in need of cures for their ailments.  Witches learned the properties of the plants growing in their environments and put them to good use.  Brews and potions were used to extract the essence of each herb for consumption, while poultices could be created to apply to wounds or rashes.  Many modern Wiccans and witches draw on this tradition in their own practice, as a more earth-centered alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Of course as a magical tradition the Craft sees more in herbs than just their medicinal qualities.  The choosing of herbs for spells and magical work is based on the idea of “vibrational resonance.”  Most systems of magical correspondences are derived from similar theories.  Basically, all matter is acknowledged to vibrate at a particular rate specific to its composition.  An amethyst crystal would vibrate at a different frequency than, say, the petals of a sunflower.  If it seems strange to think of inanimate objects as vibrating, consider the amazing properties of quartz which allow it to be used as a time-keeping device in modern-day watches.  While unseen by our basic senses, the effects are indeed visible.  Resonance is the principle of harmony between different substances.  If two separate objects vibrate in a harmonious pattern, they can then be brought together to amplify their effects.  This is the basis of using certain stones, herbs, colors etc. when designing a spell.  If the different elements vibrate at similar rates, they enhance the working.  To use herbs in magic, one typically uses the dried or fresh forms to be burned with incense or within the cauldron.  Bundles of sage are one example and are burned to purify sacred space.  Small sachets can also be made to carry herbs with you for a specific purpose, much like a talisman.  There are many published books listing the properties of various herbs and to what purposes they are best suited.  My particular favorite is Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.  These are wonderful guides, but it’s important not to discount one’s own intuition in choosing herbs for your purpose too.  After all, if it doesn’t feel right for what you are doing, you will just be working against your own intent.

Learning the uses of every herb out there could fill a lifetime.  Though it can seem tempting to skip the reading and dive right in, it is important to learn about each herb you use thoroughly before doing so.  This is especially so if you plan to use any herb medicinally.  “Natural” does not equal “harmless” as the existence of countless poisonous and toxic plants demonstrates.  A smart witch researches the herbs s/he plans to use and knows how to identify the plant, what parts are to be used, what it is suited for, and what it is not suited for.  A medical professional or licensed herbalist should be consulted if taking herbs internally to avoid interactions with medication.  Wicca calls for the utmost respect of Mother Earth and for all of nature, which includes our own bodies.  Learning the proper use of herbs in both healing and magic is a wonderful way to honor that commitment.

Journal for the Month of May:

Beltane was a wonderful day!  I had the opportunity to attend a local festival held in the park, complete with May Pole dances and a potluck feast!  I think I’m starting to feel less like an outsider as I attend public events.  When I’m at home reading I feel like I am only scratching the surface of the knowledge available, and that everyone else must be light years ahead of me.  But we all have to start somewhere, and it’s not like it’s a race.  Plus it’s hard to feel unwelcome when everyone I’ve met in a public setting is so open and friendly!  I think maybe we all share a sigh of relief knowing we are in a place with like-minded folks and we don’t have to put up the walls that we may have to in our daily lives.

I made the discovery of a Wiccan congregation in my area.  They offer classes and I’m seriously thinking of attending some to meet more folks.  I still plan to remain a solitary in practice if only because to me my spiritual and religious ideas are a very personal matter and I don’t necessarily think I want to pursue them with a group.  It’s hard to explain, but when I attune with the God or Goddess, I want it to be just me and them.  I want to talk to, study with, and meet others on these paths, but I think I’ll always practice on my own.  It’s all a personal choice and we all have different paths to walk in order to grow as we need to.

Until next month, blessed be! )O(

After I wrote the last column, dreaming of a day when I could teach someone as I have been taught, it occurred to me that I have already done that.  I may not have conducted a class, lead a group or mentored someone, but I still have had teaching moments in which I helped another Pagan on their path or explained something about our ways to non Pagans.  On many occasions I have been an accidental teacher.

Soon after I started on this path, I noticed that some dictionaries included the word “devil” or “evil spirits” in their definition of the word witch.  I wrote to an organization called Pagan Educational Network when I found out they had embarked on a project to provide publishers of dictionaries and encyclopedias with accurate information on the meaning of the words “witch” and “Pagan”.  Even though they wrote back that the project had ended, I joined the group because they were involved in addressing misinformation.  This was the beginning of several years of me writing letters.

My pet project was the depiction of witches in the media. I would watch the TV listing and pore through magazines and newspapers for anything about witches, real or fictional.  At that time, witches were a popular theme in entertainment and we saw Sabrina and Charmed on TV and The Craft and Practical Magic at the movies.  (1) If a depiction struck me as particularly good or bad, I would write a letter praising, critiquing, or correcting depending on the situation.  The same reaction applied to news stories.  I was particularly pleased with a TV segment from Toledo where a high priestess talked about a dispute with neighbors over a backyard fire pit then answered questions from callers and an article in the Toledo Blade about two Pagan groups in nearby Ottawa County.  Someone from the Blade called to thank me for my comments and asked if I wanted my letter published as a letter to the editor.  Hopefully letters such as this encouraged the media to report on and depict us fairly and accurately.  Despite the growing acceptance of our ways, their were negative depictions.

I would of course point out the error of those who claimed we worshipped Satan or performed blood sacrifices.  I saw an article in a newspaper from Mississippi that matter of factly talked about African based Paganism, but next to it was an article that condemned Wicca as Satanic.  Undoubtedly the worst news story was in a weekly newspaper in suburban Toledo that used one of those “satanic cult experts” who Kerr Cuhulain used to write about in his column Exposing The Lies on www.witchvox.com as its source for information on Paganism.  It depicted our faith as a haven for psychotic teens bent on violence and destroying society.  I laughed at a quote from this supposed expert, “One minute they are rolling around on the ground naked, the next they are trying to kill someone,”  because a few weeks earlier on the spur of the moment during a late night Mabon ritual, I removed my clothes and lay skyclad on the dewy grass.  Killing someone was the last thing on my mind as I experienced spiritual bliss.  The letters I wrote to attack such lies at least let those responsible know we would not take it in silence.  I wrote to Pagan Educational Network as well so they could include my efforts in their newsletter so hopefully I inspired other Pagans.

I saw every letter I wrote as a learning experience both for the recipient and myself.  Also, I could be a voice for change.  Back in 1998, Camel cigarettes ran a magazine ad depicting three women around a table casting a revenge spell on the ex-boyfriend of one of them, with a poppet used as a pincushion and several books lying around, with the titles of two of them, both Pagan books, at least partially visible.  (2) I wrote a letter of protest joining about 5000 other Pagans which resulted in letters of apology from the company and the ad being pulled after only two weeks.  After a few years though, I became tired of letter writing and when I wrote to Nintendo complaining about a wicked witch in the game Banjo Kazooie, I knew I was taking this too seriously.  Who among us does not delight in the over the top portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West by Margaret Hamilton in the Wizard of Oz?

Not all my letters were concerning entertainment and news.  Before I had internet access, I wanted to communicate with other Pagans in other places, so I did it the old fashioned way, exchanging handwritten letters with pen pals.  I placed an ad in Circle Network News (now Circle Magazine) describing what areas interested me at the time.  I received almost a dozen responses, replying to every one.  Most never wrote me back, but I corresponded with three of them for a while.  As with each Pagan friendship, it was both a matter of teaching and learning.

There was a woman in Mississippi who went by the name Silver with whom I exchanged letters with ideas and stories of experiences for about a year.  I don’t remember much of what we talked about but she told me that when she used internet access at the local library, she was told that Pagan websites were inappropriate.  I encouraged her to find another way, and she was able to go to an Atheist friend’s home to use his computer.  The longest running pen pal was Deb from Virginia with whom I corresponded for about two years.  Besides exchanging ideas, we also taped Pagan music for each other, introducing each other to new bands.  Kurt was a Californian with whom I exchanged letters for about a year and a half.  When I met him, he was in prison, so I heard firsthand the difficulties that Pagan prisoners face trying to hold ritual, celebrate sabbats, obtain books, tools and supplies and receive visits from high priests.  A lot of people are wary of contact with prisoners, but my experience was rewarding and he was eager to learn and make a fresh start in life.  Just to be safe, I used a PO box, but I did that with all my pen pals.  The last time he wrote me, he was on parole in a halfway house and excited about the future.  We had intelligent discussions and I want to share an excerpt from a letter I wrote him.

“Your letter raised some interesting points and certainly has me thinking.  One of the challenging things about being Pagan is that it requires one to think and examine personal beliefs in the light of reality and experience, rather than memorize the “party line”.  The points you touch upon remind me of those who ponder what relevance a “fertility religion” can have in a day when family planning is the norm.  The problem lies in a literal definition of the concepts of harvest and fertility.  As you explained, in the past, a sufficient harvest was essential to the survival of the tribe, as well as having children and both farm and hunted animals having young.  No amount of technology will ever negate the fact that we still depend on the Earth for survival and what we do to the Earth eventually returns to us.  In 1988, we saw crops wither and die in the fields when it didn’t rain for about ten weeks and a few years ago, fields along Lake Erie and the nearby Sandusky River were flooded by sudden heavy rains.  While it is true that nobody starved because of these events, as would have happened in the past, Mother Nature will always have the last word.  It could even be argued that the marinas, resorts, condos, and Cedar Point amusement park in this area are dependant on a good annual “crop” of tourists.”

I have sadly forgotten what I discussed with Pagans I met via the mail or online, but I remember one well.  Deb from Tennessee posted a message on a board saying that she had been told that a witch had to buy all their magickal tools before attempting ritual and spend a lot on them.  She was asking if this was true.  I posted a reply that this was not true as it was not necessary to have all tools up front and the price had nothing to do with their effectiveness.  My chalice was a glass goblet I bought one Yuletide at a fast food restaurant for 99 cents, my wand a stick from my yard, and I had several items that I found or had been given to me.  I summed it up by saying,  “Your tools are merely the means, props as it were; the magick is in you, not them.”  She thanked me for my help and we have remained in contact, although infrequently now, ever since.  She returned the favor by offering my son and I advice when he informed me he was gay, as she is a lesbian.  She also gave me a shoulder to cry on when my son passed away and when my first marriage fell apart.  Pay attention in your day to day life and I bet that you too will find that you are an accidental teacher.

Footnotes

(2) Pagan Passion http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.03.98/pagans-9835.html