Wicca

Wicca History, Lesson 1

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.

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Wicca 101

PostalPagan March, 2010

Round in a Circle

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

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HearthBeats: Notes from a Kitchen Witch

Hearthkeeper February, 2010



Kitchen Wicca

I recently received an e-mail from a group I belong to that stated that a Kitchen Wicca was a Witch who practices his/her art mainly thru cooking and common household skills. Or one who uses common everyday items in his/her art, like in times of old, when it was necessary to hide your working tools from those who would persecute you for their possession. While these images are certainly true ones, Kitchen Witchery goes far beyond magical cooking or using ordinary items as magical tools, it is a way of life, one that incorporates every aspect of your life. And because it is utilized mostly at home it is classified as “kitchen” Wicca.  But as it was in the past, the “old ways” or “ ancient ways”  it is a life ritual, one that you start when you wake for the day and you close as you go to bed, often even in your sleep if you astral travel. It is not a thing you do just when you are in the kitchen or at home. It is what you do as you are walking , driving to work, sitting down for a meal, talking to friends online or on the phone. Your energy is always connected to others and the God/dess and your actions always mindful of that connection.  You are ever prepared to help, either others or yourself, and the tools you used are the everyday. The “kitchen witch” is one that does not NEED specialized tools; they will pick up a branch as quickly as a wand, or a bowl as cauldron. They know it is the deed not the items that make the work they are doing. A Kitchen Witch’s sacred space is their home. His/Her magickal tools consist of the flame of the stove, the tap water, the food from the earth, the aroma of the meal. These all come together, representing the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

Kitchen Witchery is a form of Witchcraft, but by no means a formal one. You won’t find Kitchen Witchcraft Covens, degrees, Priests or Priestesses. A Kitchen Witch may hold ritual, but doesn’t necessarily have to. S/he will do small spells, or may do none at all. Kitchen Witches, Hearth Witches, Cottage Witches run the spectrum of chaos magick to ceremonial magick; but there isn’t a lot of information regarding Kitchen Witches, because this path has been passed down orally from parent to child through the ages. A Kitchen Witch is all about the home, and not just the kitchen. S/he sews, gardens, cares for the family, and is able to do all s/he needs from within herself and her home. The Kitchen Witch draws from the power of the Goddesses of the Ancient World, Hestia, Janus, and Athena, just to name a few.

Now I am not saying that other forms of Wicca or Witchery are bad or wrong, but as this is my affiliation I can only speak for that which I know.  I also am not saying that we do not used specialized tools as well. I have my kitchen ritual space that is ever ready and up and running, but I also have my Altar area that I have my “tools” for those times I wish to do a special ritual, or have a group ritual, one that others may be participating in. Here is where my Wand, Athame, crystals, Statuary, etc live. Now it is also somewhere I visit every day and often incorporate in my everyday as it is situated in my Dining room and has people in it for most every meal.

A Kitchen Witch is skilled many things such as Cooking, Sewing or Weaving, herbalism, Washing and cleansing, Teaching, and Time management, Healing and First Aid, Counseling. Do not let this fool you for a minute.. a Kitchen Witch is much much more than this.

But unfortunately in this day the Kitchen Witch is a dying breed. With everyone racing around with fast food, and everything you could ever grow for sale at the market, wal-mart to the rescue; the Kitchen Witch art is disappearing fast. But we can save this way of life, by teaching our children the ways we live, by working as a family unit to create instead of keeping to ourselves. We much learn to adapt our ways and incorporate the old with the new. If you do not have a garden, grow in pots on the sill. If you cannot be home as much as you wish, at least try to eat dinner as a family, and do something craftwise on the days off.  Be mindful of the Magick when you clean up, infuse your home with your energy even if it is only a few minutes a day.

Well I will stop as I do not want to lecture or sound like I am up on my soap box..

Until next time

Blessed Home and Hearth



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Wicca 101

PostalPagan February, 2010

Altared States

Last month, I wrote about tools for magick and referred to them as props in a play.  In a similar way, an altar is the stage.  On the surface, an altar may appear to be nothing more than a place to leave your tools and photos of them may look to you like something from an antique shop.  As with tools, there are reasons to have an altar as well as a system behind their use and arrangement.

The basic reason for an altar is to have a location to place your tools in a functional way.  Secondly, it also serves as a place of focus, a trigger for the emotional state for ritual, a way to honor deities and ancestors as well as an expression of both your individuality and magickal path.  Over time, with repeated use, it will become a place of power; the physical focus of your magick and ritual.

There are no hard and fast rules regarding the size, shape or placement of an altar.  It does need to be large enough to accommodate tools and other items you would normally use such as representations of deity, candles and possibly your book of shadows without being cluttered.  I would recommend at least 30 inches across.  An inexpensive solution is the three legged assemble it yourself accent table.  I have used surfaces that were round, oval and rectangular.  Some magickal practitioners advocate facing an altar to the east to face the rising sun or moon or the north because they begin casting a circle in that direction, but unless you have a reason to do otherwise, placing it in the middle of the space available leaves enough room to easily walk around it to cast and take down the circle.

While it is beneficial to have an altar that can be left set up on a permanent basis, this may not be possible due to space limitations as well as privacy.  It’s wonderful to have a room dedicated to your craft, with a spacious permanent altar, boxes of supplies and books within easy reach, but for most of us, that is not feasible.  Those with small homes or large families usually find it more practical to set up an altar only when needed.  If you are in the broom closet with those with whom you live or have someone in your household, especially parents, who forbid you to have a permanent altar, it is necessary to take it down as soon as you are done with it.  However, it may be possible to leave a partial altar on a dresser or shelf in the form of candles, incense, crystals, shells, feathers and figurines that would not attract attention such as a dragon, fairy or Kwan Yin.  A storage tote or foot locker can serve dual purpose as a storage place for your tools and supplies as well as an altar.  Another solution would be to use an outdoor location such as a stump or large flat rock, which gives the added benefit of proximity to nature, but the inability to leave it as a permanent set up, with the exception of garden statuary or a wind chime, even if space or privacy are not issues.

For eleven years, I practiced Wicca with a wife who at first did not know of my beliefs, then frowned upon them when I came out to her.  I kept my tools and altar cloth in a bag, setting up on an outside glass table when weather permitted and on the kitchen table when it did not, always in secret.  Once this marriage fell apart, I continued to use the same locations, even though secrecy was no longer an issue, especially when I fell in love with a woman, now my wife, who shares my beliefs.  After I moved into my current home, I was able to have a permanent altar on the top of a no longer used entertainment center in the basement.  Last year, I was over a thousand miles away vacationing at the home of a relative when he had a crisis needing magickal help in the form of protection and banishing a bad spirit.  I was able to help using supplies at hand and a makeshift altar on a card table that consisted of two white candles, one black candle, a clear quartz crystal and a depiction of the Morrighan as well as a poem to Her.  Sometimes necessity requires “making do” under the circumstances, but I believe that it helped to be able to connect magickally to my altar back home.

Once you have decided upon your altar, you should cleanse and consecrate it before use.  Information on this can easily be found online or in basic books.  The first item to place upon it is a cloth to decorate it and protect the surface from candle wax and spills.  Some Wiccans use a second cloth of a color or pattern which signifies the sabbat or type of magick being performed.  There are two systems for placement of tools.  One assigns some tools to the God to be placed on the right, namely:  athame, wand, incense, and boline, while those associated with the Goddess including:  chalice, cauldron, pentacle and bell are set up on the left. 1  The other distributes tools and items among the five directions/elements so that the pentacle (altar tile) goes in the north (earth), incense and wand in the east (air), athame in the south (fire), chalice in the west (water) and deity representation in the center (spirit).  2  Although a besom is associated with air, all but the smallest are more practical leaned against the altar.  Any physical representations of the elements such as salt, rock, feather or shell would then be located in the corresponding section.  Some Wiccans place candles only in the south to represent fire, while some put them in the middle for central illumination or to honor the Lady and Lord with a silver and gold candle respectively, and others feel that an appropriately colored candle in each quarter honors the elements.  Use your own judgment, but remember fire safety by always using candleholders, snuffing candles before leaving the area and making sure that nothing else touches the flame, including your sleeve.

Depending on your path, there may be other items on your altar such as a scorge (Gardernian) or hex sign (Braucherie).  Traditionally, the book of shadows occupies a place at least during ritual, but if space is a concern, memorize what you are going to say or have brief notes.  I’ve found that the less I look down at something written, the smoother the ritual flows and the more power in my words.  Any items used during magick such a herbs, poppets, cords, photos, etc should be on the altar during ritual and can be left for a while afterwards if it does not have to be taken down.  You may have a temporary second altar for a specific purpose such as remembering your ancestors at Samhain or showcasing fruits and vegetables of the harvest at Mabon.   Avoid clutter as it makes it difficult to reach and use items, interferes with the flow of magick, as well as showing a lack of discipline and seriousness (OK, we don’t have to be serious all the time) regarding your practice.   3  Like your tools, your altar will change over time, but it should always be a place that speaks to you and helps to put you in the mindset for magick and ritual.  You can find examples online and in books, but remember that it is your altar and as such is a reflection of your beliefs, practices and tastes.  4

1  The Wiccan Altar  http://blessedbe.sugarbane.com/altar.htm

2  What Goes on a Wiccan Altar   http://www.wicca-spirituality.com/wiccan_altar.html

3   How to Set Up Your Wiccan Altar for the First Time

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Set-Up-Your-Wiccan-Altar-For-the-First-Time&id=1971127

4   Altar and Tools   http://webspace.webring.com/people/nt/the_spiral_oak/altarandtools.html

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Wicca 101

PostalPagan January, 2010

Tool Time

Wicca 101

In the TV sitcom Home Improvement, the father Tim Taylor was obsessed with tools and “more power.”  We Wiccans use tools in our spiritual practice and magick and they are means of representing and channeling power.  But, there are misunderstandings as far as their necessity, cost and purpose.

I met one of my online friends because of a message she posted on a board regarding tools.  She asked if it was necessary to have every tool in order to be a Wiccan and if it was necessary to spend a lot of money on them because someone told her both things were true.  I posted a reply explaining that she did not have to have every tool upfront, paying more for them did not make them better and when all was said and done, the magick was in her and the tools were just props.  We are still in contact and she has returned the favor by giving me advice at a difficult time in my life.

It has been said that it is possible to practice magick without any tools but yourself and I have found that to be true.  I have conducted rituals and raised power strictly in my head, but I prefer it with tools and find it more fulfilling that way.  Seeing tools, especially on an altar, sets the mood and tells your subconscious that it is time for ritual and all the emotions and focus involved in it.  I have participated in a group ritual only once and there was an altar and tools as well as a candle for each participant.  I imagine that it would be quite difficult to have an effective group ritual without tools because it would not be likely that everyone could have the same focus and imagination that it takes to perform a ritual without tools.

Each tool and other items on your altar serve as a visual/physical representation of an element and/or purpose.  Besides, it can be fun to find and use them and you don’t even have to grunt, “more power.”  It is easier to focus on calling the elements to your circle when you are looking at and touching objects that represent them.  Many Wiccans purify the ritual area with the elements at the start of ritual and in my experience it is more effective to have an object at hand, such as a broom to sweep negativity out of the area, than to just visualize it.  Candles definitely add to the mood of a ritual and can be used for candle magick.  There are items that may not be considered tools in the strict sense, but are quite useful in magick. It would be impossible to work cord magick without a piece of cord or yarn or to use crystals and herbs without having them in front of you.  Traditionally, we have images or representations of the Lady and Lord and it is easier to connect with a particular god or goddess when you have an image of them.  There could also be items related to a type of magick you practice such as scales for justice or a hex sign for Braucherei.

While it is fun to shop for tools at a metaphysical shop or online, especially if you can afford the fancy, pretty ones, it is not necessary and spending more does not make them one bit more effective.  I agree with the statement that when you make something you use in ritual, it is embedded with your own personal power, making for a stronger link.  While it is not practical to make your own athame unless you are a blacksmith, it is easy to make your own wand and depending on your skill, you could make your own chalice (ceramic or wood) or pentacle altar tile out of wood, wax or ceramic.  If you are skilled at sewing, you could also make your own ritual gown.  I paid at total of about $65 for all the tools on my altar and spent about eleven years accumulating them.  My altar cloth is 3/4 of a yard of a fabric with a moon and stars pattern that appealed to me.  My broom is a cinnamon broom that is commonly used for decorative purposes and my wand is a stick from a maple tree in the front yard of a house where I lived at the time that I whittled.  The chalice is a green glass goblet with a gold rim that I bought at a fast food restaurant one Yule for 99 cents and my athame is a bone letter opener purchased at a Native American pow-wow.  I found my brass cauldron at a yard sale and the glass candle holders I favor can be found at any store for about a dollar each.  The images of the Lady and Lord that are placed on my altar are small prints purchased for about $10 each from a Pagan artist.  There are things that cost me nothing such as a black raven feather representing air but also a gift from the goddess Morrighan which fell at my feet as I was mowing the yard and a rock I found that represents earth.

The important thing when you are acquiring tools is that they appeal to you, mean something to you and fit your magickal practice.  I did not purchase a traditional steel bladed athame because I like to work with the fae and iron negatively affects their energy.  Two years ago, I was at a local pow-wow where Native American craftspeople were selling their wares and spotted a bone letter opener.  I picked it up and held it as I would an athame and it felt right, so I bought it.  If you follow a Native American influenced path you will probably want to focus on tools with that theme, but if you are Celtic or Norse, your tools will likely reflect that in some way.  If you can’t afford a tool, pass on it and maybe you will have the money another day or something else will come along that you will like better.

It is not necessary to have a complete collection of tools to call yourself Wiccan.  Until I found the right athame, I used my hand by curling back my ring finger, little finger and thumb like the Boy Scout salute and never had a problem casting a circle.  You can use a cup you already have until you find one you want to set aside as a chalice and you could use two candles (which are cheap) to represent the Lady and Lord.  I found the process of finding the right tools to be an adventure and learning experience, not to be rushed.  You may find over time that your selection of tools changes.  My first wand was also a stick from a tree in my yard, but I carved characters in it and stained it.  I just didn’t like the way it turned out and it did not feel right in my hand, so I whittled another stick and left it plain, which suited me much better.  At one time, I had a Barbie doll in a witch outfit that I used to represent our witchy “ancestors”,  but I decided that the image of Barbie was not appropriate.  Someone to whom I delivered mail gave me a pewter miniature of a wizard, probably from a Dungeons and Dragons game, which served the same purpose and I felt much better about using it in that manner.

Lets briefly review the purpose of the common tools.  The broom or besom is used to sweep away negativity and is a symbol closely associated with witches.  The athame is used to direct power, particularly in casting and taking down the circle, as well as cutting a door in the circle when necessary.  It is not used for cutting anything physical.  The wand is used as an instrument of communication, particularly when calling or speaking to entities.  The cauldron is an instrument of transformation as well as a place where things come together to make something new.  Candles provide illumination as well as having a magick of their own.  Incense also sets the mood as well as representing air in the circle.  The important thing to remember about tools is that they are a means to magick and a representation of something in ritual.  The real magick is in each of us and we channel energy through us and our tools to accomplish our ends.  If you think of ritual as a play, our tools are props in that they make it easier to perform the play and make it more meaningful, but they are not the play.  Happy hunting in seeking out your tools and may it be as rewarding and educational an experience for you as it was for me.

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New to the Craft

Witch1979 October, 2009

Symbolism of the Pentagram

Symbols have held a special place with humankind across all cultures and ages.  Our brains are wired for language, itself a symbolic system substituting words for objects and concepts we know from experience.  The object you are sitting on is not inherently a “chair” anymore than it is a “chaise” or “silla”.  The individual words are arbitrary, but they serve the important purpose of allowing people to reference the same idea without constantly having to point to it in the physical world.  Imagine trying to have a conversation where the only things you can allude to are “this” or “that”!  Language allows us to advance from the concrete to the abstract – to ideas that transcend the physical world and speak to the interior human experience.  Herein lays the true power of symbols in any religion as tools which can represent that which is both intangible and universal.

Geometric figures are some of the most common symbols found in spiritual symbology.  Wicca adopted one of these early on and is now commonly associated in popular thought with the pentagram.

pentagram New to the Craft

In the ancient world the five points of the pentagram were determined to represent the five classical elements of fire, water, air, earth, and spirit, thus symbolizing the whole of the cosmos as shown by its constituent parts.  This meaning was kept by magical practitioners down the ages and explains its presence in Wicca today.  The specific orientation of the elements and the points were most likely adopted from ceremonial magicians.  Eliphas Levi, a 19th century writer and magician, determined that the upright pentagram should be used to symbolize spirit as ruling over the other four elements (or matter).  Conversely the pentagram with spirit below would indicate matter ruling over spirit, which Levi considered evil.  These ideas became popular, and the downward facing pentagram is commonly taboo today because of them.  Yet it is important to remember that any symbol’s meaning is somewhat arbitrary.  Evil is not intrinsic to a pentagram with its point down anymore than it is to a fylfot cross (twisted by the Nazis into its swastika but actually an ancient symbol of the sun).  History and our experience can taint certain images by association, but any group or solitary must ultimately define a symbol by what is meaningful to them.

The pentagram is also significant in magic based on its proportions.  Each line exhibits what is known as the golden ratio, or phi, where it intersects with the others.  The ratio of the longer segment to the shorter segment is a constant 1.6180339887.  This ratio corresponds with the famed Fibonacci sequence and select occurrences in nature such as shell spirals and certain plant branching patterns.  It has been intentionally incorporated into works of art by painters and architects based on its aesthetic appeal.  Some claim that Da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man exhibits these proportions.  Phi also connects the pentagram with the goddess of perfect beauty, Venus.  For Wiccans, it can symbolize the Goddess in this aspect, and for all practitioners it serves as a fitting symbol of idealized power defining the quarters of the magical circle.

Journal for the Month of September:

Since Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol came out recently I couldn’t get the topic of symbols out of my head.  There’s an extremely sadistic and messed-up bad guy this time around who is a practitioner of black magic.  The balance to that negative stereotype is a discussion of Noetic theory, which amounts to a scientific inquiry into the extraordinary powers of the mind.  The main protagonists promote the concept that the ancients knew how to harness the mind through intention and focus to perform magic and miracles, abilities we are only “re”-discovering in the modern age.  Wicca even gets a one-line mention in the book, woohoo!  It was a good read, although not my favorite of Brown’s books, and without giving anything away I was slightly annoyed at the ending – rather anti-climactic in my opinion.

A happy Celtic New Years to all at this approaching Samhain!!!

Until next month, blessed be! )O(

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Making Circles

Blacksun September, 2009

A lot of what goes on in our faith group seems at first glance to have little to do with religion or magic; it most often is a social activity.  It’s not uncommon to call a meeting for no reason other than to get together with people we enjoy being around.  In fact, this sort of thing is usually where newcomers get interested in Paganism.  For those who have taken on the mantle of the priesthood, this may seem almost frivolous.  Why waste time with coffee hours when there’s ‘real work’ to be done?

Well, let’s see…

  1. First off, these ‘coffee hours’ are where most of our growth comes from.  They provide a safe and interesting place for people who are curious to explore, ask questions, and to judge what kind of people we are.
  2. Exactly how important is this ‘real work’ that’s going to keep us from spending time with newcomers?  Remember how it was for us when we first became interested?  Do you recall the dry mouth and nervous feelings when you first ‘dared’ to approach someone and ask questions about this weird group?
  3. Do you realize that a lot of these small gatherings also attract people who are more than willing to take advantage of the people who come to such things?  This presents an opportunity to thwart those people before they and their ilk give all of us a really bad name.  None of us are ‘authorities’ concerning our religion, but that’s no reason to stay home or remain silent while Sam Sleaze or Sally Slavedriver milk the wide-eyed for all their worth in the name of our spirituality!

Almost everybody who is now an ‘old hand’ in the Pagan world started out as a starry-eyed newbie.  We didn’t know much of anything and our questions were really kind of ‘dumb,’ right?  This is how it all began for 99% of us.  Thank the gods, somebody was kind enough to give us some answers and suggest something, someone, or somewhere that proved even more interesting for us.  And, as they say, one thing led to another…

Over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate more and more how I was drawn to Wicca (my particular version of Paganism).  Call it fate or luck or the work of the gods, but I was fortunate enough to meet some very wonderful people who spent time with me and answered the really nutty questions I had.  That was my path and I’m sure it isn’t exactly like anyone else’s path.  But it hasn’t been long enough in the past that I don’t remember the trepidation I had or the thousands of questions I wanted answered.  I see the same cautious actions and hear the same naïve questions from many who come to festivals for the first time or who enter into the coffee shop discussions each week.

I was surprised a couple of years ago when I was visiting some former coven members who had move to Texas.  They took me to one of their local weekly meetings at a small sandwich shop that was open until late at night.  The newcomers were almost carbon copies of the people I had met in similar situations in Seattle.  The discussions were very familiar with the exception of the Texas drawls and I heard a variety of answers, some of which showed a surprising sophistication and learning from a few who had many more years in Paganism.  Since then, I’ve been increasingly aware of some of the nuances and dynamics of these sorts of meetings.  What follows are my unscientific observations and unsolicited advice concerning gatherings of this kind.

Although quite a few new people show curiosity, very few will remain interested for more than a couple of meetings.  My guess would be about one out of ten will last much more than five or six meetings.  Some might find something else that attracts them about our faith group and go there, but most will either go away because we’re either too ‘normal’ or too ‘weird’ for them.  That’s okay… don’t push it.  There’s a really good reason we don’t proselytize: we’d just wind up with people who don’t really share our interests.  Of the one-in-ten, there will be an even smaller number who remain interested enough to stick around longer than a year.  Don’t be surprised or disappointed by these low numbers; it isn’t a popularity contest… or at least it shouldn’t be.

There are no DUMB questions… except the ones that weren’t asked.  Anyone new to our community will not have the information base to ask really sophisticated questions.  I know that the questions – and the assumptions behind them – that I asked at first weren’t very good.  But we should try to answer as best we can and then help the person understand what you believe might be a flaw in their understanding (based upon your interpretation of the question).

For a community to grow, you need to go beyond mere acceptance, you must learn to enjoy and value differences.  Any group that accepts only a narrow range of opinions will destroy itself.  Take a look at Nature: species that have no way for diversity to enter in will be ruined by the first strange factor it encounters.  Also, methodology and results aren’t very important; values, goals, and heart are.

Don’t try too hard to control the meetings; a little bit of chaos isn’t a bad thing.  It’s surprising what can be created by simply sitting back and letting the group reach its own level.  If the meeting needs an agenda, fine.  But don’t get your hopes up about it all going to plan.  The best things usually happen by accident.  Besides, this is a group of Pagans we’re talking about… herding cats and all that stuff, y’know.

Anywhere there is a gathering that attracts new people to us, you’ll probably also find folks who are out to find ‘followers.’ Let me make a clear distinction here.  There is a great deal of difference between those who hope to find somebody who will fit well into their own group, someone who will help their group grow in spirit and understanding and those who simply wish to add another body to their group for the sake of making it bigger.  Unfortunately, it’s not easy for new people to know the difference.  Those who are interested in the number of people they can ‘command’ will often make themselves and their group look pretty appealing to those who aren’t experience.  If you know that such a person or group is actually dangerous, you might be justified in trying to keep them away.  But be very careful about making such a judgment.  Will it ‘ruin’ a newcomer’s chances of finding a suitable association or group if they go off with this person?  Yes, possibly.  But it’s almost impossible to know.  I wouldn’t presume to know the right or wrong path for another.  In all probability, the ‘right’ people will show up at the ‘right’ time.  Call it karma or fate or whatever you like, but being anxious about gathering ‘enough’ people is only going to give you problems.  Try looking at each person as if they were the very best example of themselves!  The gods have made each of us a little different from the rest because any other way would be a crashing bore.

Perhaps the only constant in the universe is change.  Expect conditions to change and expect people to change.  Whatever we do in the local Pagan community will make changes, good or ill, to the entire Pagan scene.  Whether we like it or not, those of us who are less ‘green’ will be viewed as representatives of all of Paganism at any festival or meeting.  Everything we say and do will be considered as ‘typical’ for Pagans by those most who are new to our faith community.  Let us offer them the best of us.

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New To The Craft

Witch1979 August, 2009

The Ritual Connection

From time immemorial we have desired guidance from the God/dess, and sought ways in which we can connect with and honor those powers we hold in reverence.  Many in the mainstream find prayer or meditation to fulfill their needs in this area, or they attend services where they can participate to a limited extent in the ceremonies led by the priests of their congregation.  The purpose of such rituals is to enact symbolic events that the observers understand to hold a deeper meaning than the actions themselves.  Realization of that meaning on the mental, emotional, and spiritual levels unites the individual with the divine.  But while churches tend to leave most of the actions to the clerics and expect their constituents to connect passively, Wicca invites all of its members to participate directly in its ritual workings, whether solitary or as part of a coven.

If you are working as a solitary there is no one to direct the course of a ritual for you.  As a matter of fact it can be difficult to make a start as a beginner.  What do I do?  Am I doing this right?  These are common questions that pop up when working rituals on one’s own instead of in a group setting or coven.  Several good books will provide a basic outline for common sabbat or esbat ceremonies, but even then it can sometimes feel as if you are reading a script more than invoking a deity.  Yet part of the beauty of Wicca is that you do not have to follow a script!  Witches celebrate spontaneity, as is fitting for an earth-based spiritual practice.  Many Wiccans create their own rituals based solely on the inspiration of the moment and their setting.  It is the feeling and intent they put into their words that matters, not the phrases themselves.  Knowing this takes the stress out of solitary ritual – What do I do?  Do what you feel is right!  Am I doing this right?  If it feels right then yes!  That may sound a bit glib, but the point of the matter is to just let go and forget about making mistakes. It is next to impossible to connect to a deity if you are wound up with worry.

That being said, just as most Wiccans share a common language of symbols and tools, most also follow a general structure in their rituals to identify it as Wiccan.  While no part is mandatory to an individual, these steps would be part of most group rituals, and each part has its purpose and place.  An excellent book that explains the reasoning behind the stages of a Wiccan rite is The Elements of Ritual by Deborah Lipp.  Before adding or omitting any steps it would be wise to study each part to know how those changes might affect the overall working.

Typically the first stage involves purification of both the participant and the area where the ritual is to take place.  Purify in this sense is another way of saying clearing one’s head and getting in the right frame of mind to connect to the God/dess.  This can be as simple as a grounding and centering exercise or as elaborate as a perfumed bath.  Most practitioners find a routine specific to them that they can rely on to trigger the correct mental state.  Purifying the space is the act of setting an area apart from being just an ordinary room and clearing it of any negative energy in preparation for ritual.  A besom or broom, sprinkled salt water, and/or incense are common ways to accomplish this.  The area you are working in will be host to the temple you create while there, and should be an outer reflection of your inner centered state.

A Wiccan’s ritual temple is held within the magic circle.  Such a circle is formed by the will and imagination of the participant, forming a barrier against outside intrusions and also serving to concentrate any energy generated within.  Covens and traditional forms of Wicca have very specific methods for circle castings, with the High Priestess using her athame or sword to project a visualized blue-white flame while pacing the outlines of the circle in a clockwise direction.  The representations of each element upon the altar are often brought around the circle as well, always in a clockwise or deosil direction.  Once the circle is established many Wiccans “call the quarters”, which is to say they invoke the energies associated with each of the cardinal points.  All of these actions reinforce the equilibrium maintained within the sacred space that is necessary to connect to the higher spiritual planes.  In a sense the witch is projecting their centered state into the area around them and calling upon forces within or beyond themselves to bless the work they intend to do.

Now the way is prepared for the main purpose of the ritual, which is the invocation of the God/dess and any magical or ceremonial work to be done.  Invocations can be anything from spoken prayers to words uttered while in self-induced trance states.  To invoke deity is to ask for guidance and blessing.  What we feel we cannot accomplish or realize on our own we ask to be aided with.  We can also invoke the divine out of simple reverence and a desire to honor that which is greater than but also part of ourselves.  Acknowledging the God/dess in our rituals makes the work we do sacred and set apart from the everyday.  We call upon what is highest and best to witness our endeavors.  And each time we do we hope to bring a bit of that spirit into our awareness to enrich our lives as a whole.

If the occasion calls for any magical work or special observance (for instance if it is a sabbat or esbat) it is typically performed after the invocation.  When all practical work has been accomplished it is time to reverse the process and deconstruct the sacred space.  This serves to bring the witch back into a more ordinary consciousness.  First the participant should ground any left over raised energy.  Visualizations can be used, as can the tradition of Cakes and Ale.  Eating a bit of food helps bring your focus back to your body and the material plane.  Any deities invoked or energies called upon should be thanked for their aid and released.  This is not so much a dismissal as a courteous farewell.  If you invite someone in its rather rude to have them show themselves out!  Traditional Wiccan practice has a variety of ways of circle deconstruction, but in its basic form the energy used to create the circle is reabsorbed either into the witch or his/her athame for future use.  With that the ritual is complete!

With this basic outline a solitary Wiccan has a tool to create any custom ritual for their own purposes.  The heart of the ritual is the invocation and practical working, which is only limited by the imagination of the individual.  I have a simple candle ceremony I have worked into my sabbat rituals to honor the Goddess in her triple aspect of maiden-mother-crone.  On my altar I keep a white, a red, and a black candle, and at the appropriate point in the year when the Goddess’s phase changes I transfer the flame from one to the other.  This is done with a silent prayer of welcome for the new aspect that has arrived and I meditate for a bit to try to connect with the new energies.  Such an observance is not elaborate or accompanied by eloquent poetry, but it works for its purpose which is to help me connect with my deity.  This is the true function of all religious ritual.  It just takes a bit of experimentation to help the new witch find out what works for them.

Journal for the Month of July:

I’m reading two new books this month, Progressive Witchcraft by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, and Goddesses in Everywoman by Jean Shinoda Bolen.  The first is a very interesting read after having read A Witches’ Bible which was written by the Farrars a couple of decades ago.  It definitely reflects an evolution of Wicca and witchcraft over the decades, at least from one person’s perspective.  I am currently on a chapter that relates aspects of witchcraft to the Eastern chakra system.  I found it extremely interesting in that it draws parallels between the blue of the throat chakra and the blue flames visualized in traditional rituals and circle castings.  In my last ritual I connected each quarter call to the opening of the chakra connected to that element and was pleasantly surprised by the results.  It helped me connect my visualizations to the energy I was projecting, a stronger macrocosm-microcosm connection if you will.

The second book has been extremely interesting not just in learning more about classical goddess archetypes, but also more about myself.  The author makes a distinction between three classes of goddesses: the independent virgins, the vulnerable relationship-orientated wives/ mothers/daughters, and the transformative Aphrodite (in a class all her own).  Each of these archetypes is a potentiality in every woman, and the book goes into the challenges, strengths, and weaknesses of each in turn.  It’s given me a new perspective on the particulars of each goddess’ qualities and which I may chose to call on for a particular working.  It’s been a fascinating read and I highly recommend it to all.  Once I’m done with this one I’m moving on to her other book Gods in Everyman for some perspective on the guys!

Until next month, blessed be! )O(

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The Christian Pantheon at Yuletide

Diakonissa Sr Pamela December, 2008

Years before I rather, due to unforeseen circumstances, fell under the potentially incendiary term of becoming a Christian Witch, I was intrigued by the concept of the Triple Goddess.
The subtle beckoning of both the Triple Goddesses Bridget and Hecate tugged at my heart, yet I felt hesitant about calling upon Them or inviting Them into my life.
In many ways, I was quite drawn to Hecate, but I harbored a bit of fear or should I say a deep respect regarding her Dark Mother/Crone aspects. I wasn’t sure I could safely handle those aspects.
The Goddess Bridget had been turned into St. Bridget by the Catholic Church.  Try as I might, I couldn’t separate the two in my mind.  So, for me and in all un-fairness to Her, Bridget was ‘too Catholic’. The desire for the Triple Goddess to enter my life and to join in my rituals lingered within the misty yearnings of my soul, but I gave up my search for Her.
About a year after I became a Sophian Gnostic nun and an Esoteric Christian deaconess and priestess, I sat before my altar and fell into contemplative thought, a kind of meditative trance.
My altar is graced with statues of  Holy Sophia, the Blessed Mother and Mary Magdalene. Living devotional flames illumine the feet of each Goddess.  Their iconic images, believed by Orthodox Christians to be literal windows to Heaven, hang on the wall above my altar breathing jasmine incense and receiving warmth from the olive oil nourished icon lamp, a hanging sentinel of light.
As I gazed upon my statues, a revelation struck me, soared through me and melted the phoenix-fired core of my soul. Actually, it was a ‘duh’ moment.  I have the Triple Goddess! She has already entered my life!  Her triple reflection, Her triple images are right before my eyes.  She’s been with me for a while now, yet I hadn’t recognized Her.
Her maiden aspect is the Holy Mary Magdalene, High Queen, priestess. The Mother aspect is Blessed Mary, the Queen Mother. As Grandmother Wisdom She is Sophia, the Divine Source of the Feminine.
When you know something is right, you just know it. This form of the Triple Goddess is right for me. She was and is my Truth. This Triple Goddess resonates and echoes through-out all the auras of my being.  Her, I could believe in with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. They are one and are all manifestations of the Barbelo. The Triple Goddess of all Christian Witches and Esoteric Christians who so choose to honor Her as such.
But what about the male aspects of my Christian pantheon? It had been a while since I had considered myself a Christian. I wasn’t sure about my relationship with Jesus. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go back to Jesus.
The Big Book of Near Death Experiences, by P.M.H. Atwater, made a deep impression on me. Initially, I had hesitated to buy it. The title struck me as one of those books you’d be embarrassed to purchase. However, my curiosity overcame my false sense of pride. I’m glad it did. The title is both misleading and accurate at the same time. This almost 450 page book includes both sides of the question of near death experiences. It includes the side which claims through science that near death experiences are a phenomena of dying neurons in the brain alongside the opposing testimonies of those who have died and come back. The book also includes the writings, with thirty years of experience behind them, of many experts in the field
One of the main things my soul and psyche soaked in from this book was the reality of the Divine Light. This Light is described as brighter than a million suns, yet It doesn’t harm the eyes. It is described as being pure, unconditional love, intelligent, caring and non-judgmental.
Yes, I could believe in the Divine Light, the All-Source.
When I began, after more than a decade, to re-read the Bible, both Gnostic and Church-ordained canon, the passages about the Light appeared to highlight themselves before my eyes. Flying arrows of thought, rushing messengers of understanding between my Higher Delta Self and my beta brain, acting in the manner of the Tarot eight of wands rushing towards their destination, pierced their way through my consciousness. These verses aren’t just metaphors! They are describing a literal Divine Light which we encounter in the next realm! Those who have died and come back to life have seem It! They have experienced It! They have learned from It!
The book goes on to describe the next level which, after the All-Source-Million-Suns-Light, many describe a bright, Father-male Light and a dark, Female Light, both of which emanate from the All-Source.
Great by me. This all confirms both my Wiccan and my Esoteric Christian beliefs in that a Divine Masculine and a Divine Feminine emanate from the All-Source.
Sigh, but what about Jesus?
I simply couldn’t go back to my old beliefs and my old practices. I had fought too hard for many years and had come too far in my spiritual life and freedom to retreat back into my old fear-based belief-system and accompanying mindset. This mindset equated Jesus with its own self.
“My leaving the Christian Church wasn’t because of Jesus. I left it because of the Church system and the way the Church portrayed Jesus,” I continually reminded myself.
At this point in my internal struggle, I entered the whole mythic vs historical Jesus debate. In searching for the absolute Truth about Jesus, I participated in online arguments through my Gnostic forum, I surfed every pertinent website I could find and I poured over countless books authored by biblical scholars.  The search was head-spinning and mind-numbing.
My ending determination was that both sides have entirely valid points and neither argument is stronger than the other. I did notice, in all aspects of my reading, that those on either side of the fence are firmly entrenched in their opinions.
Slowly, it began to dawn on me that it doesn’t matter who or what Jesus was or whether He was historical or mythical. Mythical, in this case, meaning an underlying Cosmic Reality beneath the stories.  Rather, I became drawn to the enigmatic Jesus of the Gospel of Judas, the Hero of the Cosmic Mysteries in the Pistis Sophia and the magickal Jesus of the Round Dance of the Cross.  This is the Jesus Who invited me to see Him in a New Light. He is the Twin Aeon of Sophia, the Logos of St. John and the Divine Christos of Humanity.
It is His teachings which are important, both exoteric and esoteric, not whether He was pre-ordained to die on the cross for our sins, whether or not the resurrection really happened or if He truly physically ascended into Heaven. For many, these things are important and help to define their faith and that is fine. I had to come to terms with these questions for myself. And so, I realized that the Sophian/Christos Light-Spark dwells within me and within all.
The Gnostic Jesus is the Jesus I could accept.  My Christian pantheon now consists of the All-Source/Divine Light/Father, the Gnostic Jesus/Son and the Triple Goddess, Herself.
Yuletide is both a Pagan Mythic Holiday and a Christian Mystery Play. As Pagans, we welcome the birth of the Sun and witness the triumph of the Oak King over the Holly King.  As Christians, we celebrate the birth of the Son and witness the triumph of good over evil.
This Yuletide I will be celebrating the birth of the infant Sun beneath the stars and moon, with my cakes and wine, my songs, prayers and poetic myths.  This Christmas I will be celebrating the birth of the infant Son beneath angelic choirs and Heaven, with my cakes and wine, my carols, prayers and poetic scriptures.  For you see, the essence of the Eternal Story ever remains the same for All is One.
As we ignite our candles during this great Festival of Light, may we remember that we are all birthing our own Sun/Son within and as the Season of the Wheel continues to turn, so must the Sun/Son within continue to wax larger and brighter until It bursts through our representative personality masks which populate this incarnational matrix game and blazes forth as a thousand suns, yet never harming the eye.  The message is simple.  Love God, find your Divine Sun/Son Spark within and bring it without, love others and harm none.

May the Gnostic Jesus continue to dwell and grow within my own soul.
May the True Sun/Son of All dwell and grow within yours.
A Joyous and Blessed Yule/Christmas to all.

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New To The Craft

Witch1979 October, 2008

Earth-Air-Fire-Water

To some outside the Craft the idea of the four classical elements can seem quaint – an outdated theory constructed before the advent of modern science.  We now have the periodic table to explain the “true” elements that compose matter, so what use are the concepts of the ancients?  It can be easy to dismiss older beliefs and practices if one takes the point of view that we have since replaced them with newer and better discoveries.  But that is awfully presumptuous as well.  So let us take a closer look at what wisdom may lay behind the elements of earth, air, fire and water to explain why they form one of the basic cornerstones of Wiccan thought and practice today.

In ancient Greece philosophers debated over what the things in the universe were composed of and if everything could be reduced to one essential element from which all else was constructed.  Some thought that basic essence was fire, others water or air.  What arose out of their debates eventually became the theory of the four classical elements, sometimes featuring a fifth as well (quintessence).  All could be explained by seeing the world as composed of a mixture of these substances in various quantities.  Without microscopes and our other modern technologies they obviously could not know much of what we have since learned about the composition of matter.  Yet it was not the literal correctness of what they proposed that was important.  Characterizing objects in the world as a combination of earth and water, or fire and air, was a description of the qualities of those objects.  Therein lies the key to understanding the wisdom of these ideas, and why it would be foolish to throw out the baby with the bathwater by dismissing them.

Earth to us represents solidity, stability and grounding, as well as things associated with our planet such as fertility, wealth, etc.  It is our body or our physical being.  Air symbolizes the intellect and the mind, or intangible thoughts that have are formless in the material world.  It is also literally the air we breathe to live.  Fire is change, transformation, passion, and our will or drive.  Some also associate fire with the spirit.  And finally, water is associated with those tidal aspects of our nature, such as our emotions and subconscious mind.  The blood that flows through our veins is the most obvious instance of water within us.  There is an infinite list of further associations for each element, and Wiccans make great use of these correspondences in their rituals and magical workings.  One may ask, why?  Understanding the elements as metaphor for the qualities of things is all well and good, but why the emphasis on them across so much of Wiccan practices?  As someone who is still trying to learn my correspondences I can appreciate the desire to figure out why we put so much effort into learning these things.

What I believe is that learning the elements teaches a very basic and very important concept: balance.  We all strive to be in balance for our own peace of mind.  Justice itself is represented by scales because it is balance in the world that brings us this peace and a sense that all is well.  When we see the world as composed of elements what we are trying to say is that this is the framework through which we choose to see a particular area of our lives so that we can bring it into balance.   For instance, when I am not in balance with regards to taking care of myself I frame it in terms of the elements.  To be healthy I need to eat properly and exercise (earth), continue to learn and expand my mind (air), socialize and maintain my relationships (water), and make time for my spiritual practice (fire).  Those correspondences are my own, and the point is that any individual can create such a structure to put areas of their life into perspective and achieve the balance they need.  When I neglect any of those areas I feel the repercussions, but when I remember to include each one I am more happy and whole.  As a religion that takes its lessons from the natural world, Wicca recognizes that to emphasize the harmony of the elements teaches us how to live better lives more in tune with our natural functioning.  We represent all on the altar without exclusion; and in so doing imprint upon ourselves the wisdom of equilibrium.

Journal for the Month of September:

You know how when you first start learning a new subject you can get carried away and read all day and all night in your excitement trying to absorb as much as possible like a sponge?  It’s kind of like a new crush you can’t stop obsessing over and you spend all of your spare time on it.  Then after a while you are still studying all the time but it’s a little more like work and you stop and say to yourself hey where’d the fire go?

Well, I kind of hit that wall this month.

I had my first major gut-check where I had to honestly ask myself if I was still interested now that the honeymoon fever had worn off.  The good news is for myself and for those reading this column, I am!  Something can’t feel “new” forever I suppose, but now that I am past that I have a feeling that it’s not a bad thing.  Just as with a relationship it may not be fresh but that only expands the opportunities for making my explorations deeper and more meaningful.  If finding one’s spiritual path were easy and involved only flirtation with the externals it certainly would not be rewarding.  So this month I can say I found my commitment to continue on, and in a way I’m more excited than ever to see what the coming months will bring.  I hope you will continue to follow this journey with me as well.  Until next month, blessed be! )O(

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