Diakonissa Sr Pamela March, 2009

The Anointer of the Sacrificial King

Springtime will soon be upon us, for some sooner than others.
At this time of the Pagan/Heathen feast of Ostara and the Christian feast of Easter, we think of the resurrection of all life.
Life on Mother Earth and life within ourselves are yearly renewed with each blossom that pops through the soil and each new leaf budding on a delicate tree branch. Islands of ice begin to melt in the brooks revealing cold, fresh bubbling water flowing gracefully on its merry way through-out the awakening woodlands. The last of the winter snows refresh the ever greening grasses newly springing up to greet the mild southerly winds. Robins reappear in backyards pecking for elusive worms and the glorious sun shines ever more brightly with each new day, as the promise of summer approaches, yet again.
Before the resurrection of life, there must be the sacrificial death. We see this in Nature with each autumn and winter season. Trees fall into a deep slumber while seeds fall into the earth waiting to give fruitful re-birth in March, April and May.
We also see this life and death cycle reflected in the Pagan myths of the Sacrificial King who offers his life for the fertility of the land which will in turn, nurture his people for the coming year.
The Sacrificial King cannot perform this holy task on his own, however. He must be anointed by the priestess of the Great Goddess. It takes a royal partnership of the Sacred Union, a partnership of the Divine Male and the Divine Female acting through their incarnated representatives on Earth, to produce this Great Sacrifice of renewal. In acts of fertile sacrifice resulting in acts of new creation there must be the precious Sacred Balance of the Male and Female Energies which spark and sparkle into existence the Spiral Dance of the Universe.
Mary Magdalene was the High Priestess of the Great Goddess (Barbelo/Sophia/Isis/Astarte) who anointed the Sacrificial King of Christianity. The significance of this anointing, faithfully recorded in every Christian bible on Earth as fore-told by Yeshua/Jesus, Himself, has gone unnoticed and unrecognized for centuries upon centuries upon centuries.
The earliest Christians, many of whom were emerging from the great ancient Pagan and Mystery religions, recognized this act for what it truly was. However, within just a few hundred years from the infancy of Christianity, the true meaning behind the anointing and the real identity of the Anointer became buried beneath unbalanced male-dominated dogmas and rituals.
The evidence for the marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene will be borne out in a future article. Suffice it to say for now, that Yeshua/Jesus was of the Jewish royal blood-line. Mary Magdalene was His Royal Bride. As Her initiated priestess, I believe that Yeshua was an incarnation of the Divine Male.  I also believe Mary Magdalene, His Consort, was an incarnation of the Divine Female.
This is the true Myth of Christianity, the myth that was drowned beneath waves of one stifling doctrine after another. This myth is now coming to light thanks to the scholarship of people like Margaret Starbird.
The Divine Sacred Union was never lost to us rather, it was hidden from us like a precious jewel which had been dropped, trampled upon and deeply embedded in the mud beneath mindless feet, waiting to be re-discovered by those who persistently sought for it.  Those who sought for and found this jewel of Sacred Union within Christianity have graciously raised it to the Light, revealing it’s shining luminescent glory for all to see and rejoice.
Like the Pagan and Mystery religions of old as well as major religions like Hinduism, Christians also have a Divine Couple, a Sacred Balance, a Royal Bride and Bridegroom, a God and Goddess to honor and worship.
The Royal Bride, Mary Magdalene, anointed the Sacrificial King with her costly spikenard which was carefully sheltered within the swirling earth-toned colors of the alabaster jar. Without this anointing, Yeshua would not have been truly King, He would not have been the Messiah. A King must be anointed. Indeed, messiah means ‘anointed one’.
As Margaret Starbird states in her book, The Goddess in the Gospels, “The anointing of Jesus in the Gospels is an enactment of rites from the prevailing fertility cult of the ancient Middle East. In pouring her precious unguent of nard over the head of Jesus, the woman whom tradition has identified with ‘the Magdalene’ (the Great) performed an act identical to the marriage rite of the hieros gamous- the rite of anointing the chosen Bridegroom/King by the royal representative of the Great Goddess”.
She goes on to say, “Highlights of this story recounted in the four Christian Gospels are reminiscent of myths celebrated in pagan fertility cults of the Middle East, those of Tammuz, Dumuzi and Adonis. In the Pagan rituals surrounding the ancient myths, the Goddess (the Sister-Bride) goes to the tomb in the garden to lament the death of her Bridegroom and rejoices to find him resurrected.”
One has to wonder how differently Christianity would have evolved, both as a religion and within our own psyches, especially  the psyches of countless generations of young girls and women, had the significance of this story and the true identity and role of Mary Magdalene not been lost to us over the aeons.
It was when I was Russian Orthodox that I first learned the legend of Mary Magdalene and the red egg. It is a tradition within the Orthodox Church to give red eggs as gifts during the feast of Pascha/Easter after the long winter-ending Fast of Great Lent.
The legend, as it was explained to me by a Russian priest, states that Mary Magdalene traveled to Rome and had an audience with Tiberius Caesar. A gift to the emperor was expected at the time of the visit. Mary Magdalene brought, as her gift, a simple white egg.  The purpose of Her visit was to protest the death of an innocent man, Yeshua/Jesus under Pilate. She greeted Caesar with the words, “Christ is Risen”. Caesar replied with the disbelief that no-one could more rise from the dead than a white egg could turn red. As he spoke those words, the white egg held in Mary Magdalene’s hand slowly turned a deep crimson red. Mary Magdalene explained to Caesar that the red egg symbolized life rising from a sealed tomb. The Pagan emperor would have recognized the meaning behind life arising from a sealed tomb.
Each year, priestesses and devotees of Mary Magdalene place a red egg upon Her altar at Easter time in memory of this ancient miracle.
The rites and rituals of spring may include a reading or recitation of the tale of the Anointing and Sacrifice of the Great King by His Royal Bride. A story, in and of itself, that stemmed not just from the ancient Pagan rites but also within the true, inner tradition of Christianity. A story that has been long buried beneath the winter-snows of time and is now being resurrected amongst the lilies and lilacs of the spring of our century. A story that has been faithfully transmitted through legends, images and stonework.
In her book, The Holy Book of Mary Magdalene, the author, Jennifer Reif, has a beautiful spring ritual entitled, Day of the Verdent Magdalene, Grail of Earth and Heaven. Other rituals might possibly include a self-anointing of spikenard and myrrh as well as an offering of these precious ointments to Mary Magdalene, Herself. These sacred oils and ointments as well as candles and alabaster jars are available from www.abbaoil.com as well as other sources from Jerusalem.
Spring is a great time to plant an outdoor sanctuary garden in Her honor.  Roses, lilies and fragrant herbs planted beneath an arbor covered in grapevines would create a tranquil surrounding for Her statue or the statues of the Christian Royal Couple.
Green is both the color of fertility and the color Mary Magdalene wears in many of the paintings and icons that have been drawn in Her honor.
Of course, hot cross buns, braided egg breads and roasted lamb are favorite feast foods at this time of year.
Without the Sacrifice of the Divine Father incarnate, there could be no Life. Without the Blessing/Anointing of the Divine Mother incarnate, there could be no Sacrifice. Such is the myth and story of Spring. Our Story. The Earth’s Story.
Along with our offerings this coming season, let gratitude and appreciation be the greatest amongst them. No matter what trials we may be currently under-going during this troubling economy, spring ever returns, the sun warms our hearts, blue skies form an heavenly horizon above our heads, gentle breezes kiss our cheeks, the Creative Pair’s artistry colors anew our daily surroundings, the full moon rises every month and lakes, streams, rivers and forests await our visit in order to soothe our anxious spirits.
Everyone, everywhere can plant a simple plot or potted garden  of flowers, herbs and vegetables, tending Mother Earth and She tends us.
The Great Sacrifice of the Royal Couple, He, in the sacrifice of His very life, She, in the sorrowful anointing of and subsequent loss of Her Beloved, eternally begets the Great Resurrection and revival of all life everywhere.
Christians through-out the world remember and honor the sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua at Easter-tide. Now, it is time to also remember and honor the One who anointed Him for His sacrifice, His Royal Bride, the One Who stands at His left-hand, Mary Magdalene. There is and always has been a Sacred Balance within Christianity’s core myths of sacrifice and resurrection. We just didn’t know.  We didn’t remember.
At last, after hundreds of years of being labeled as a penitent prostitute, the Lost Bride, the Royal Anointer is rightfully being restored to Her Beloved, the Sacrificial and Resurrected Bridegroom/King of Easter.
“I am the first and the last. I am the honored and the scorned. I am the whore and the holy. I am the mother and the daughter. …Do not banish me from your vision….in no place, in no time, be unknowing of me. Be alert. Don’t be ignorant of me.” (excerpts from Thunder, Perfect Mind, a Gnostic text. Author, unknown.)
Diakonissa Sr. Pamela Lanides.

Sources:

The Goddess in the Gospels by Margaret Starbird.
The Holy Book of Mary Magdalene, The Path of the Grail Steward by
Jennifer Reif.
Thunder, Perfect Mind, Gnostic text, author, unknown.

Tags: christian, witch, witchcraft

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Monique Cooper February, 2009

SYDNIE’S NEW HAT

More of Monique’s artwork can be viewed at: http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ID=20904

Tags: Art, artist, painting, witch

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Diakonissa Sr Pamela February, 2009

It might come as a surprise to learn that ancient Christians practiced magick.  In fact, they had elaborate systems of magick ranging from healing spells, charms, amulets and erotic love spells to revenge curses as varied as separating a man from a woman and a curse against a woman’s face and work.
These were mainly Coptic Texts dating from the first century C.E. to the eleventh or twelfth centuries.  Many of the texts invoke the Archangels. They include prayers, hymns, magickal words and involve chanting sacred vowel sounds while performing elaborate rituals.  Upon studying them, the reader quickly gleans that these must have been powerful spells, indeed.
From my own life, growing up as a Catholic, I look back now and realize that we practiced our own cultural form of magick.  This was a magick practiced by my ancestors for many centuries. And, yet, I could never see it as magick, until now.
We certainly didn’t consider our pious practices as being a form of magick.  Our faith, our belief was absolute. The outcome was certain in our minds. We foresaw the end result in our imagination. Those three things, belief, direction of will and visualization are the basis of magick.
The saints were our version of the Gods and Goddesses and the Blessed Mother was our Queen of Heaven, our own veiled Divine Feminine.  A crown of stars shone above her head and her feet eternally rest on a crescent moon.
There were many spells that we Catholics practiced, not realizing that they were spells. For example, place a dollar bill beneath a statue of the Infant of Prague and you will never lack for money.  Or, pray the blessing before and after meals and nothing you eat will ever make you sick.  Keep holy water at home to bless your house against demons, storms and evil and to bless yourself for health, grace and protection.  Light a candle at church for a particular intention and leave a small offering of money for the candle. Novenas are nine days of prayer to the Blessed Mother, Jesus or to a saint or archangel, nine being a magickal number.  I’ve never, ever known a novena to fail.
Pray the daily rosary and fifteen promises would be obtained. Wear a blessed medal and you will be protected.  Go to church the day after Candlemas on the feast of St. Blase and have a priest place two candles on your throat in blessing. The candle blessing will heal and protect your throat. Bring the blessed palms home from church on Palm Sunday and place them in your home for yearly protection and blessing.
The important thing to note is that the work depended, not upon the person performing it but, upon the deity or saint invoked.
The Traditional Catholic Church has maintained a beautiful ritual that was performed each year, in every parish, before the vast changes of the council of Vatican II occurred.  Every year, on May 15th, the parishioners would form a long, out-door procession in front of the church doors. The priest, carrying a silk pillow upon which lies a crown of fresh roses, lead the way round a winding path to a large statue of the Blessed Virgin which was flanked by meticulously trimmed shrubs shading pockets of marigolds and zinnias. A troupe of altar boys, the eldest carrying the processional cross, dressed in traditional white and black flowing robes, swung their incense from side to side while chanting the prayer responses in Latin. Girls followed along, dressed all in white, their heads were draped in white lace mantillas while a basket of rose petals graced their wrists. Garlands of flowers crowned their mantillas.
A long parade of the faithful, women and girls in skirts and long mantilla veils, men and boys dressed smartly in their Sunday suits and ties, followed along behind the statue of Our Lady with deep reverence and heart-felt love.  They clutch rosaries and wear the Miraculous Medal, in honor of Our Lady.
Forming a ring around the statue of the Virgin Mary, the crowd sung sweet, uplifting hymns and devoutly recited the prayers, heads bowed low or eyes gazing hopefully at Our Lady.
Sweet, exotic smelling incense wafts towards the statue and billows over the crowd.  The priest ascends a small step-ladder and places the precious crown of roses upon the statue. Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, is now also Queen of the May, as the hymn pronounces Her.  This can be performed as a solitary within the home sanctuary.
How magickal, how Goddess-honoring, how beautiful is this ritual? It’s an ancient, yet still living, unbroken tradition held within the remnants of today’s Traditional Chapels.
Modern day Esoteric Christians (and anyone else who would find this of interest) inherit the ancient Judaic-Christian tradition of a wide array of magick and ritual.  Kabbalistic magick both esoteric and practical, kabbalistic tarot along with esoteric meditations on The Sphere, the Fiery Spear, The Grail and The Lance of Light all figure greatly in the Esoteric Christian tradition. Other Christians, including many clergy, are attracted to Enochian magick.
A potent form of healing and protection magick may be practiced by anointing the forehead with a biblical oil while praying specified psalms.  There is also the Templar Tradition and other  magickal Orders from which to choose and learn.  Mojo bags accompanied by psalms or prayers fit quite nicely within the Christian magickal tradition.
Novenas remain a powerful source of help no matter what the need.  Each saint is the patron of a certain cause. St. Lucy is the patron saint of eyes.  St. Gerard Majella is the patron of expectant mothers and young children while St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless cases. There are hundreds of saints all with a particular area of specialty. At the beginning of the novena, one may light a blessed and consecrated glass-encased novena candle with appropriate herbs floating beside the wick.
The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 spells by Judika Illes contains many saint-oriented spells including a number of spells invoking Mary Magdalene.
Wanding, by Evan Twede remains a form of magick that can be practiced by anyone of any faith or tradition.  The wand is named and undergoes a special consecration ritual. A few simple words invokes your spirit ally into the wand.  Sometimes, when performed against a white background, a blue aura can be seen as soon as the spirit of the wand is called into the world, the wood, the wand.  The wand becomes much more than a tool, it becomes your closest ally. Wanding is simple, easy and effective.
For those who join certain Gnostic or Esoteric Orders or schools, many powerful rituals become available.
A mystical magician is one who works in harmony with God (the Father and Mother) and is able to become a link between the outer and inner creations or worlds.  A Christian Witch strives to become the mystical magician.

Sources not cited:
Experience of the Inner Worlds,  by Gareth Knight.
Magical Christianity by Coleston Brown.
Ancient Christian Magic by Marvin W. Meyer and Richard Smith.

Tags: christian, magic, magick, witch

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Michele Burke February, 2009

Courtesy of Orion Foxwood
“The Tree of Enchantment”, by Orion Foxwood is a gleaming light shinning in a world where it is sorely needed, granting the reader a well-defined path leading to an accumulation of astonishing magnitude. “The Tree of Enchantment”, is not just another mystical new age book it is a piece of literary genius, which offers the reader a glimpse into the profound knowledge of an authentic spiritual tradition.
Excerpt from the Tree of Enchantment
May you know and remember the truth and beauty that is your
Essence… and your birthright.
May you receive and claim it when it is revealed.
May the forces of fear and atrophy tremble before your power.
May the Vision keys open the doors most profound.
May the Holy Fire sear the shadows and lights your way.
May you find joy and contentment in knowing that you are a
Member of the family of creation, bound in spirit and in truth
and thus…
You are always loved and you never walk alone.
Blessed be the seeker and the Holy Tree.
For all as one, so shall it be”.
While working on this interview with Orion I have come to the understanding that one must open their eyes and their hearts to the Ancient One.

Interview with Orion Foxwood

Courtesy of Orion Foxwoo

Pagan Pages (PP): How did you come about writing the book, what was the inspiration behind it?
Orion Foxwood (OF): I have been working with the spirit world all of my life. I grew up in a very agricultural community in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, which is an area rife with folklore and practices. My family is known for having the “veil”, which is a folk term for the “caul”, a placental sheath that falls over the eyes of the newborn indicating a propensity for “the blessing” also known as the second sight or ESP. My sister and I were both born with it. Please understand that though this gift can be a true blessing it is also a frightening thing when you are a child getting visitations from the dead. Mt first “token” as we call signs or communications from the spirit world was of my father hanging from a rope. When my mother took me to confirm her fears (which were that my “veil” had parted and this was a token), it was indeed quite real. From then on I was visited by spirits of the dead, of the “soon to be born”, of the woods and rivers and all other forms. In short, my world was and is teaming with spirit life. My first book (The Faery Teachings, RJ Stewart ) was prompted by my love of the Faery and Ancestral spirit realms and a desire to assist humanity (as a embodied spirit type) and the other spirit beings (noncarnate / Faery and elemental and discarnate/ ancestral) to come back to its place at the metaphorical table of creation. It was my desire to give insights, both ancient and contemporary, on the living nature of our world animated by a core vision and a creation family of which we are a part. My second book called “The Tree of Enchantment: Ancient Wisdom and Magic Practices of the Faery Tradition” (Weiser ) was to provide a visionary roadmap with insights and techniques that would assist the human seeker to find their way back into communion and co-creative partnership with the attending spirits of creation. My hope is that this book will help the readers understand and embrace their sacred presence as individuals and as a member of the human and earth-based vision of creation itself. In short, I call the insights “the re-sacredizing of life” through: alignment, attunement and agreement of the three souls that comprise us and which interface with the attending spirits in the ancestral, Faery, elemental, natural and stellar realms.
(PP): I have heard that you come from a very diverse background, would you like to elaborate on these diversities?
(OF): Yeah, I guess I have been blessed to be exposed to and mentored by diverse streams of wisdom and training. I am very grateful for these opportunities and the many teachers that have guided and mentored me. My cultural and familial life exposed me to some Appalachian and Southern folk practices specifically focused on the second sight, healing practices, spirit communication, and conjures. I met two traditional witches from Brentwood Essex England in the early 80s while being a bus boy at a restaurant in Winchester Virginia. They gave me some old lore and practices that were the first “witchcraft” teachings I ever received. These teachings are at the core of my work as they work with the “Witches Mill” that taps and channels power resident in the Faery Paths/ trods (ley lines) and wells (gatherings of this power) innately in the earth. Then I found a book on Witchcraft that fit with everything I understood to be true and this lead me to seek training in Wicca and later in traditional witchcraft. I moved from Virginia to Maryland where I studied with several Wiccan style teachers and was initiated into a Welsh tradition and later into Alexandrian Wicca and a form, which my teacher called Celtic Wicca. The Celtic Wiccan studies introduced me to my Queen named the Lady Circe in Toledo, Ohio. She was a hereditary witch who later incorporated Wicca and other occult practices into her work. I really feel that all of my studies in Witchcraft culminated in meeting and working closely with this incredible witch, elder, wise woman, and friend. Before her transition into the Summerland’s, myself and two other people (Lady Meshlamthea of Toledo and Lord Malachi of Indiana) were honored to become her mantle bearers. All three of us carry her mantle with pride, love, honor and commitment.  I have also studied some Voodoo, mostly New Orleans practices and is part of a house founded by Mary Milan in New Orleans. Mary or “Bloody Mary” as she is known is as far as I am concerned the premier tour guide and poet priestess for New Orleans and its mystical and magical world (past and present). I have also studied closely with RJ Stewart who majorly influenced my Faery work. He is such a wise and ethical man! I have also studied closely with Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, who I consider to be one of the most anointed and sacred teachers I know.  I founded a coven in Maryland (along with my then life partner and a few of my initiates) called Foxwood temple of the Old Religion in 1990 and co-founded the Alliance of the Old Religion, a network of covens and elders committed to preserving the lineage and teachings of Lady Circe. I am so grateful to these teachers and friends for being such fine examples of sound spiritual and magical practices. In the professional world I have been trained in addictions counseling, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy and public health program development. I hold a Masters Degree in Human services. I really feel that all of these mystical, magical and mainstream education opportunities have formed the “me” I am today and the helpful impact I hope to provide to fellow seekers of truth and healing.
(PP): How are you connected to the Celtic Appalachian tradition?
(OF): I pretty much answered that above. Though, I would add that the culture and traditions I grew up in were not purely Appalachian though it was influenced by it. Rather, it was a culmination of slave magic and lore, Celtic and Native American practices as well as just plain old family traditions.
(PP): How does Faery magic come in to this tradition?
(OF): This is a good question. My family and the people I grew up with would have rarely used the words “Faery” or “Magic”. Sometimes they would refer to the “Little People” or other more localized terms like “Woods Folk”, “Water Men”, “Green People” and other terms. Occasionally someone would say “Faery” but that was usually someone who read about them in books or who descended from Irish heritage more recent in immigration to America than those who had been in the Valley for more that 2-300 years. However, the “veil” was always intimately connected to three types of tokens: 1) signatures that would come to the seer such as a knock at a door, which would then be opened and a vision would appear; 2) “dreaming true” or simply having foreknowledge of events, which my mother called “the knowing”; or 3) direct communication from ancestral and other types (usually nature ones) of spirit beings that would bring messages. My mother had the #1 and #2 types of tokens, while I have #2 and #3. Because of this type of “blessing”, I have always been able to be a “bridge for the spirits”. There was a significant amount of lore about approaching the ancestral and nature spirits in the family, shared with my mother by Ms. Granny and given to me in informal chats etc and other social settings by elders in the community. “Faery Tradition” as I understand it in a cultural context is not a body of tightly woven material, but rather stories, parables, practical techniques and suggestions for avoiding these beings, placating them or gaining their favor. I always had a particular affinity with the unseen company. In fact, many elders in the community said to me that I had an uncanny way with the spirits…one which they either rarely seen or never saw in their lifetimes. Occasionally, someone would simply clutch their children and cover their eyes when my mother or me walked by. Thank the Goddess; this was a rare occurrence, indeed…LOL!
(PP): How has Lady Circe affected you and your teachings?
(OF): Honestly, Lady Circe…my Witch Queen, was everything I ever hoped the Craft would be. She was honest, direct, ethical, practical and intensely regal. She was adamant about the Craft being a way of life and not a hobby, political statement. I truly feel that my whole life’s journey in the Craft was to find this incredible woman and carry her wisdoms forward. We would spend hours in her dining room drinking wine, staying up late while she shared incredible information and teachings with me. Also, for her, no one…Male or female was replicable and all were a part of the mystery of life. In fact one of her wonderful sayings was thus:
“Ever are we mindful that She (the Lady) is the truth He (the Lord) upholds, and He is the pillar on which She stands.”
She absolutely loved my Faery work. In fact, she still does. If you look at the first edition of my book entitled “The Faery Teachings”, her face is the image for the Weaver Goddess in the vision key cards that accompany the book. The vision keys are the major inner contacts, threshold points/ beings etc. in the Faery Seership work I teach. This use of her image was so in line with her wisdom for she taught “the invisible connections between visible things” and working with “the laws of nature”. For lady Circe, we witches are here to lead humanity to the light and the glory of the Goddess. As she once said, “we are here to cast light not shadows”. She considered the God and Goddess to be our parents and the Watchers, ancestral and Faery spirits to be our family.  For us, the Craft is a secret society bound by tradition and spirit contacts and in the end “if blood is thicker than water, tradition is thicker than blood”. However, in keeping with my Queen’s wisdom, “tradition and the teachings of the Old Craft are banks for the river and the spirit of the seeker is the river”. We all know that the primary difference between a river and a flood is the banks and their capacity to guide water from its source to its destination and back again. I am hopeful that I do my spirit mother honor in the way I carry the Craft and the Faery Teachings forward to those who seek to be one with the “Ole Power” that pulses throughout all levels of life and in and before all time. Blessed Be!!!!
(PP): How does the whole system work and why does it work?
(OF): The “Tree of Enchantment” book really lays out a detailed and hopefully clear approach to the system, which I call “Faery Seership”. By the way, those seekers who eventually work with me in the apprenticeship program become part of what I call “the House of Brigh”. Brigh is the name of my otherworld Faery wife and the primary contact for the inner lineage of teachings I share. She assists with insuring that the information is contacted material and true to the actual nature of the Faery and ancestral forces as they exist now. She also guides my outer form (the surface walker) as a conduit or “bridge” for introducing and cultivating the co-walking inner contacts that eventually comprise the team of each seership student. The book gives a grounded introduction to this work without over-exposing the student to forces that require the monitoring and mentorship of an advanced seer. The lore, images and poetic interpretations in the book introduce the seeker to concepts and contacts as well as energetic patterns that are already known to us on many levels. The intent of the material is to re-introduce the seeker (in this case reader) to the overall living spirit world and their place in it. The system starts where all things start for us incarnate beings…in the physical or “surface” world. It begins with working with the ancestral forces (blood, genetic and societal/ familial) and the elemental and nature-based forces that form our bodies and the bodies and patterns all around us on which we all depend for sustenance. Once these re-introductions occur, then the system leads the seeker inward to: 1. the river of blood and the redemption of paradox, followed by a systematic and sequential re-introduction to: 2. the web of life and fate (the Weaver and her attending spirit women; 3. the visionary purpose within self and the earth herself (the Dreamer and his Faery beings); 3. fulfilled destiny (the sacred stone); and then upward to the stellar realms where the seeker is tuned into the river of stars, which is the universal rhythm of which our beautiful earth and all her children are a part. There are other vision keys beyond that point, but that is advanced work and it is addressed in The Tree of Enchantment. This is an oversimplified summary of how the system works but I hope it gives you a good taste of a very deep well of wisdom and mountain of vision. The system serves to answer what I call the three sacred questions which are as follows: 1) who am I? 2) what is it (the creator, god all-that is, or whatever you call the source)? and 3) what is my role (personal vision) in it?   It is also aimed at cultivating a sacred approach to all life filled with enchantment and wonderment or what I call “the hidden heart of blue flame”.
(PP): How does your Faery Seership effect you’re life and how you teach others?
(OF): This work has absolutely transformed my life and this is consistent with the experiences of my students and many seekers who have worked with my published material. The teachings are very personal, non-hierarchical and familial when shared with others. In so many ways, it is very humble and folk based which is important in this age of lofty intellectual concepts and illusionary power maneuvers. I am always overcome with the sacred as it flows out of each student’s discovery of magic and truth through this work. In my personal life, working the material (and being worked by it) was often challenging because it forced me to “unbind the threads of illusion” and, we all have these threads to address in our spiritual development. Faery Seership is not for any seeker who avoids truth and transformation. It offers very real healing and spiritual growth benefits, but it is not an escape from reality…it is an emersion into it! I am overwhelmed with the number of people who have said this material gave their lives more meaning and tangible sacredness than they ever imagined possible. All I can say is that the Tree of Enchantments, the Vision Keys and the attending spirits are very generous and clearly, patient with humanity especially when we earnestly seek re-unification with the family of life as opposed to futile attempts to exploit or wage war on it. In the process of development through the Faery work, seekers begin to know that they are not outside the sacred (inherently flawed) and that they never walk alone through this “earth-school” where we live embodied and expand the realms through our discoveries.
(PP): When did you begin the Faery seership apprentice program?
(OF): About five or so years ago, I think. I currently have training houses in Florida and Maryland and have done some initial work for establishing a house in Northern Ireland. There are people in several other geographic areas in the U.S. and U.K. that have voiced interest in this work.
(PP): Who initiated you into the old traditional craft?
(OF): Again, though there are some overlays, the Craft is separate from the Faery Seership material. Many of the names of my initiators simply cannot be shared in such a public forum out of respect to them. I was originally initiated into a coven that practiced Welsh Witchcraft with some Native American Influences, then into Alexandrian Wicca up to the third degree High Priesthood.  My last initiator was an Elder in what she called Celtic Wicca where I attained the third degree as well. Her lineage was two generations from Lady Circe, who was my most influential teacher. Lady Circe was very much a public witch, so it is appropriate for me to disclose her name. Traditional Witches and Wiccans adhere to the Law of Secrecy for many reasons and I must honor our ways. Lady Circe along with her High Priest raised me to the Eldership through our most sacred rite called “the Bridge of Light”, in a public ceremony on Beltane 2002, Lady Circe the mantle of her lineage and tradition to Lady Meshlamthea, Lord Malachi and myself. Without a doubt, this was greatest honor of my life as a witch. I will always revere Lady Circe as my Queen, mentor and role model for what it means to be a witch of the highest standard.
(PP): What is it you do (Teach, write, etc…)?
(OF): I recently retired as the High Priest of Foxwood temple of the Old Religion though I continue to advise it as the Founding Elder.  I continue to advise and teach the Council of Elders for Foxwood temple in the tradition and practices of my teachers in Lady Circe’s lineage. I used to teach a lot more as I developed Priests and Priestesses to ensure the continence of our tradition and lineage. I could talk to you at length on these practices in another interview in the future if you like. Foxwood continues to teach seekers and if folks want more information they can go to Foxwood-temple.net.
The primary material I teach in the public arena is Faery Seership and Southern Conjure magic. I already provided information on the Faery work. In the Southern Conjure material I teach crossroads, candle, and graveyard magic primarily. I do a lot of work with the ancestral spirits including the creation of what we call “soul or (soil) pots, entering and exiting graveyards, finding live graves (haunted ones), and other work within the confines of ethics and legality of course. From time to time I teach a series I call “The Ways of the Witch” where I share lore, practices and techniques. I also teach some material on the “veil” (second sight), its development, genetic components and use.
(PP): How do your guided visionary processes work?
(OF): The techniques I teach are focused on attunement, alignment and agreement of the threefold life (the three walkers) then I teach approach, engagement, exchange and mediation techniques with the inner contacts and attending spirit beings associated with the Tree of Enchantment. I have detailed a comprehensive seven-stage visionary process that forms the core of the visionary work as follows: 1) Anchoring (grounding and centering in the starting point); 2) attunement/ alignment of the walkers; attunement of the walkers to the “power of place” (the soul of the land where you are working; and alignment and attunement of the working space; 3) Opening the way between the worlds; 4) induction of the “rapture” (working trance/ luminal state); 5) traveling to the other world; 6) interaction with the inner-world presence/ spirit being; and 7) return and fusion (transference of the exchange or pattern to the outer world also known as “bridging”). The processes follow a specific formula though the exchange may differ depending on the beings encountered and the need of the partners or team (human and other). For clarity, the three walkers are as follows: a) the surface walker (the soul that “is” your physical form); b) the dream-walker (the subjective/liquid and underworld soul/body); and c) the star-walker (the transpersonal, stellar and electric/ energetic body/ soul). The visionary processes, as they work through the system works with all three of these in their realms and with the redeemed and helpful beings encountered there.
(PP): When was your coven the Foxwood Temple founded?
(OF): April 29, 1990. We have daughter covens in Utah, Virginia and Maryland and one aligned one in Oregon.
(PP): Can you tell us about the alliance of the old religion?
(OF): The Alliance of the Old Religion was spearheaded by Lady Circe and the three mantle carriers with the support and partnership of many of the Elders in the line and even with support and honorary membership of Elders from other lines such as Alexandrian Wicca, Strega and New Orleans Voodoo. When we had the original vision to form the Alliance for solidarity, support, cohesion and preservation of Lady Circe’s teachings we had no conscious idea that she would be transitioning into the Summerland’s soon thereafter. Our Goddess works our spirits in mysterious and perfect ways, doesn’t She? Because of the formation of the Alliance and the deep bonds between Lady Circe, the mantle carriers and Alliance membership, her lineage and teachings are assured to pass on and on to the generations of witches to come. We continue to meet, share, exchange and do magic and reverence of the Old Gods in the ways of our beloved Queen…Lady Circe. Long live the Queen!
(PP): How important is family tradition and ancestral magick in the work and teaching you have done?
(OF): In my Craft work it is central since we are preserving and teaching Lady Circe’s ancestral practices. Ancestral work is central to old-line witchcraft and is one of the hallmarks of authentic traditional Craft, as I understand it. I encourage my students and initiates to know the traditions of their blood too. Too much old lore and wisdom is being lost in our fast past post-industrial human life. This is sad because we are getting wings from new technology and intellectual approaches but too often losing the roots provided by tradition and heritage. These roots offer deep wisdom, cross-generational context, shared heritage and soulful meaning. In the Faery work, ancestral work is the first level of work and no other level can be approached without it with any exceptions EVER.  We were all born to carry forward our ancestors in the fulfillment of the vision of humanity and the planet. No one is exempt from this work. We were born to resolve ancestral paradox, heal ancestral pain, re-enchant the world and free the magical power of our world to bring the stars here and “heaven” (though we are not Christian in approach) here and now.
(PP): How do you see Faery seership in America?
(OF): I am astounded by the level of interest in this work. I am also honored to be a conduit and servant to the Tree of Enchantment. At the moment I have more interest than I can currently keep up with. In the near future, I hope to be teaching this work full-time as my way of life and career. Faery Seership offers important answers to the human quest. It re-introduces the seeker to the sacred presence of humanity (ancestral and living) to the whole creative spirit world. It helps to heal the abandonment pain of a species imbued with the free will to step outside the balance. If we humans can truly grasp our role in the vision and destiny of the planet(s) and the stars, it will hopefully see the sacred presence and role in all things and stop being a frightened, lonely war-mongering and parasitic child. Nature (inner and outer) has been patient and will embrace us. I only hope (and I truly believe) that we will awaken in time to become partners with the rest of life. This is the aim of The Tree of Enchantments and Faery Seership.
(PP): In terms of the future of our community what do you view as most important?
(OF): I have a lot of thoughts on this. Like so many minority groups, we suffer from internalized Pagan phobia” and “Witch phobia”. It is time to celebrate our diversity and put away the childish need for absolute rightness. Too often we are our worst enemies. I do believe we must keep each other ethical and accountable. I believe that the earth religions movement and eco-spirituality offers serious insights and answers as long as we stay focused on the spirit of our work. Also, too many of our teachers and Elders are dying without their lore, techniques and insights being preserved. We almost lost a lot of Lady Circe’s. Please folks, if you love and respect your teachings and your teachers…. take the time and make the commitment to preserve them (not literally your teachers mind you…mummies are out of fashion). We all know that the Goddess and the Old Ones before Time will replace what is not needful. Lest claim our needfulness in the world and let our wisdoms flow into a world that badly needs it.
(PP): If people want to learn more about what you do or perhaps even contact you how would they do that?
(OF): I do not have an Orion Foxwood or Faery Seership website as of yet though it is planned. Seekers can email me at Foxwood-temple.net or write me at P.O. Box 5128 Laurel MD 20726.
(PP): Do you have any other works in progress?
(OF): I continue to refine the material for the apprenticeship program. I have a bunch of new material I am developing and anticipate writing some more Faery work, ancestral magic and even one on what I call “the Living Goddess”. I have some other works in progress but as we say in the Craft, “Speak not lest the spell be broken”. LOL!!!!! I thank you and the readers for your time and interest in my work and that of my Elders. May we all find our place in the sacred circle!!!
Bountiful Blessings and Thanks go out to Orion Foxwood, for his compelling insights into “The Tree of Enlightenment”, and the magick of the Faery tradition.
Works of Orion Foxwood:
- The Tree of Enchantment: Ancient Wisdom and Magic Practices of the Faery Tradition
by Orion Foxwood
October 2008, Paperback
-  The Faery Teachings by Orion Foxwood
February 2007, Paperback

Tags: faery, fairy, magic, magick, orion foxwood, the tree of enchantment, witch

• Interviews

Hearthkeeper October, 2008

Bewitchin’ your Kitchen

It does not take a lot of work, time, or money to transform an ordinary kitchen into a magical workplace. To begin with a sunny kitchen windowsill filled with pots of magical plants not only looks good, but releases magical energies into the room.
Even common culinary herbs that are found in the cabinets or nearly every kitchen possess strong magical properties. For instance, basil is traditionally used for exorcism, love, protection, and purification. Parsley is used for fertility, passion, and protection. Sage is used for healing, protection, and prosperity; and thyme is used for clairvoyance, courage, and love.

Hang a “kitchen Witch” doll for good luck, and add magic to your cooking by drawing an invisible pentagram inside your pots and pans with a wand or athame. (A wooden spoon, fork, or knife can also be used.) , other  simple, yet effective, charms (such as a rope of garlic, a sun-catcher, or pentagram symbols) that can be placed in the kitchen for protection.

A well-stocked Witch’s kitchen has all it needs in it, from pots as cauldrons, wooden spoons for wands, and cleavers for athames/bolines.

Smudge your kitchen with a sage bundle if you sense negativity.
Anoint utensils and appliances with cooking oils saturated with herbs to bless and charge them with powerful vibrations.
Note: never use essential oils on things which will touch food.
Always stir food in a clockwise direction, and be sure to invite the Goddess and God into your new magical workplace.

A WITCH’S KITCHEN BLESSING
Blessed be this Kitchen of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.
Be warmed by the sacred light of Deity (God/dess).
May all that is created here by means both magical and mundane,
Bring nourishment, healing, and sustenance, and cause harm to none.
So mote it be!

Tools of A Kitchen Witch
BLENDER: Mingling with others, stirring up energy
COOKBOOK: Book of Shadows, Excellence, Virtue
FORK: Piercing, Penetrating, Perception
FUNNEL: Flow, Unhindered order, coaxing energy along
KNIFE: Cutting away, Sharpness of mind, Separation
MEASURING CUP: Evaluation, Allotment, Caution
PITCHER: Abundance, Invigoration, Refreshment
ROLLING PIN: Discipline, Moderation, Control
SIFTER: Sorting out confusion, Organization, Filtering negativity
SPATULA: Sensibility, Recycling, Changing directions
STEAMER: Slow processes, Even temperament
TEA KETTLE: , Alertness, Kinship, Health
WHISK: Excitement, Increasing bounty
borrowed from and modified from “A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook”

MORE KITCHEN TIPS
Take time each morning to reflect on the blessings of the new day before you. Even if it’s only for a few minutes this reflection is a way to draw positive energy around you and send out gratitude.
When you go about your daily household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, weeding the garden, etc., be aware of the ways that these everyday tasks connect you to life and recognize the sacred in these actions.
As a beginning ritual, light a candle or sprinkle some fresh water around the kitchen. Cleaning your workspace, both physically and spiritually, is a good habit. Say a small prayer. Like .. “with my will and my desire and I cleanse this kitchen and make it my own.”

A quartz crystal placed on or near the stove when cooking makes food taste better.

A pot of basil herb grown in your kitchen keeps the area safe from negativity.

Always try to grow your herbs yourself and concentrate on their magickal purpose while tending to them. This will increase their energy – and add a lovely smell to your kitchen!

A witch’s kitchen should be aware of the lunar cycle and have on hand a lunar calendar or chart showing the phases of the moon .

Negativity should be kept away from the kitchen when cooking or preparing magickal recipes,       It is absorbed into it and then served to others.

An aloe Vera plant should be kept in the kitchen, as its juices are an instant cure for minor kitchen burns. Be careful as some may be allergic.. test small area before using on your skin.

Candles keep their shape better and burn longer when chilled thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Homemade incense always should be stored in tightly capped or corked jars.
Keep your life full of the freshest ingredients and at least once a week explore something completely new: A new recipe…a new book…an unfamiliar song…a new quote for your journal…dance outdoors…take a walk somewhere you have never been before…kiss a baby…write to someone you admire and include a favorite recipe
. Before casting spells or preparing potions, always keep in mind the Wiccan Rede!

Here is an idea, a Kitchen Altar. Not always workable in every Kitchen.. but A great Idea.. and something to plan for.
A Kitchen Altar

Kitchen magick has simple tools. If you think of it in terms of your
Normal altar you’ll see that they all have about the same role. All
that’s needed are some bowls, spoons, a mortar and pestle, and a tea
Kettle or cooking pot. The first step is to choose which cupboard
you will dedicate as your altar. Just don’t choose the one above as the
Refrigerator as it makes getting to your altar hard to do..

Now on the back of the cupboard, you could place a picture of your
Deity, a pentacle, or what ever reminds you of Divine Energy. Charge
the object in whatever way feels best for you. Next your altar Cloth,
You can use any type of cloth here but be sure that its
washable. This is where you will keep your tools.

Once you have chosen your altar spot and dedicated it its time to
dedicate which tools you use most in your kitchen magicks. Now you
can purchase new tools, or just cleanse and consecrate some that you
already have. Below are a few kitchen tools and what correspondences
they resemble on a regular altar.

Wooden Spoon = Wand.
Remember that most wooden spoons are made of balsa wood or pine.

Bowl = Cauldron, Cup, or Bowl.
Glass is easy to clean, and it won’t absorb any of the oils, water,
Or whatever you are working with. Glass also comes in many different
Colors. If you don’t want glass, there are also several inexpensive
Ceramic / porcelain mixing bowls.

Tea Kettle = Cauldron.
While copper kettles are the best you can also use I have read that
Porcelain coated steel. Copper kettles can get expensive and are a
High maintenance item.

Mortar and Pestle:
They represent the joining of the cup and wand. These come in all
sorts of materials. Choose a set that meets both your physical and
spiritual needs.

Cooking Pot = Cauldron.
The nice thing about this correspondence is that, with a little
Effort, you can find full sets of cast iron cookware.

Cutting board = Altar tile.
If you are skilled enough, or know someone who is, you could have a
Pentacle carved or etched into a wooden board. You could also put
your creativity to work with paint and paint a pentacle on a cutting
Board.

For a broom, you may want to use a small whisk broom, or basting
Brush. If you can wait until Halloween, you will be able to find
Miniature besoms for sale in the craft stores and departments of
Larger stores.

~author unknown

And here I end this. I hope to see you all back here next month.
Blessed Kitchen and Balanced life

Tags: hearth, kitchen, witch

• Articles

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(

Tags: New, Wicca, witch

• Articles

Administrator August, 2006

Quick & easy hints to get you through your busy day

The Poor Pagan’s Guide to Altar Care

Did you hear the one about the girl with the wooden altar? Sad but true–and an altar cloth can only cover just most signs of neglect and abuse, not all. To keep your fellow covenors from snickering behind your back, follow these simple rules & suggestions:

Avoid excess. Don’t stash your altar up in the attic or downstairs in the fruit cellar when your Presbyterian Aunt Petunia comes visiting–extreme temperatures, dryness or humidity can damage wooden furniture. And watch what you toss over it, too, since plastic or rubber mats can stain or soften polish unless labeled safe for wood.

Speaking of polish… Everybody knows what big spenders Pagans are, right? Avoid becoming a stereotype (and incidentally save a few shekels) by raiding your kitchen instead of Home Depot. Toothpaste rubbed on gently with a damp cloth removes water marks. A soft cloth can apply an equal mixture of salad oil & lemon juice onto scratches. Unfinished wood can be polished with a soft cloth and a little (very little) mineral oil. (For lemon oil polish, just dissolve one teaspoon of lemon oil into one pint of mineral oil.) Mahogany can be polished with a mixture of equal parts warm water & white vinegar. Wipe on and polish with chamois cloth.

Washing up. Dampen a cloth with a solution of mild soap (like Ivory) and water. Wipe down each section of your altar with that cloth, then immediately dry said section with a different (and dry) cloth.

Don’t overdo. Don’t polish more than three or four times a year, unless your altar gets heavy use. (Like if you’ve got a colony instead of a coven.) Don’t mix different types of polish. Too much polish can build up an unsightly cloudy film. And always remember to wipe off the polish before it completely dries.

Hold your applause. Sure I’m a genius (just ask me!), but even I can’t be expected to know it all. I grabbed the above info from a pamphlet titled On Your Own: Stain Removal, from On Your Own Publications.

***

author bio:

Two kids! Two cats! A little brunette with a big attitude! Plus dragons & fairies & darklings, oh my! And oh yeah, Weyland lives there too! They call the new apartment the Lanterns ’cause Morgan won’t let Wey name it the Busted Flush! (Did I mention the brunette with attitude yet?) Send your spare cash and condolences to weylandsmith@verizon.net Mizpah!

Tags: tips, Weyland Smith, witch

• Articles

Administrator August, 2006

I was speaking with a friend the other day who told me that when she went religion shopping a few years ago she came extremely close to becoming Pagan. Paganism had almost everything she valued—the Goddess, respect and reverence for nature, the choice to worship with a group or be solitary, amazingly beautiful rituals, a deep, rich mythological history with such a strong connection to the ancient, primeval forces so as to be almost synonymous with the life force itself.

There was one problem and for her the problem was insurmountable.

Just as there was no room for Jesus at the inn in Bethlehem, it also appeared there was no room for him in Paganism. To my friend, this was a sad state of affairs because there was so much she did not like about Christianity and so much she adored about Paganism. In the end, Christianity won because, as she put it, "Jesus was just far too important to me to leave out."

This made me think: Is this statement true? With its pantheon of gods and goddesses from cultures the world over, is there in fact no room for Jesus? Or is that the point—that Jesus does not qualify as a god? And even if he does, does that mean that he must, as many of his followers believe, be the only god?

Or is it more that there is plenty of room for Jesus but no room for his followers— the Jerry Falwellites and Pat Robertson clones who have hijacked the open, accepting, embracing religion of Christ and morphed it into the judgemental, "kill them all, let God sort them out" variant we have today?

I have my opinions on this matter but what I’m really hoping for this month is to hear yours. Do you think there is no room for Jesus in Paganism? Do you feel that he already has his own religion so why in god/dess name should Pagans add him to theirs? Do you think that people like myself are little more than fence straddlers—folks who are Pagan wannabees who are unable to surrender our "Jesus Safety Blankets"?

I really want to hear your thoughts. I’m encouraging any one who reads this column to email me at aine@sang-reaita.com to let me know how you feel on the whole idea of Jesus in Paganism. If you consider yourself Pagan, do you ever include Jesus in your practice? Or does the whole idea just seem anathema to Paganism?

I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

***

author bio:

R.A. Áine Laisrén, a novelist and psychic practitioner for over twenty years, is devoting her life (and the life of her pet chinchilla Fionnghuala) to restoring the Goddess and all Her gifts to Christianity. She will absolutely lose her mind if you refer to the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender, so please just don’t do it! More information about Áine’s writing and practice may be found at www.sang-realta.com

Tags: christian, R.A. Áine Laisrén, witch

• Articles

Administrator July, 2006

Later this month, on July 22nd, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast Day of Mary Magdalene. In honor of what I like to think of as her “birthday”, this month’s column is devoted to her.

What we know about MM comes primarily from three sources: the Bible, the Gnostic texts, and legends.

Let’s start with what the Bible says about her. Actually, let’s start with what the Bible DOESN’T say about her. No where, absolutely no where does the Bible state that MM was a prostitute. As a former Bible quotin’, Bible totin’, Bible knowin’ fundie, when I first heard this (courtesy of Margaret Starbird) I thought, “Somebody’s obviously not done her Bible homework.” It was true; someone hadn’t—me! I quick look at any Bible Concordance reveals a simple truth: there is no mention whatsoever of MM in connection with prostitution.

The prostitution view is an invention of early Christian leaders. Beginning in the 200s Tertullian associated the unnamed “repentant sinner” who anoints Jesus’ feet with her tears with Mary Magdalene. After this, St. Jerome and Pope Gregory the Great took this association a bit further, giving Ms. Maggie her status as prostitute extraordinnaire.

On to what the Bible does say. Without any interpretation, guesswork, theory, or radical conjecture the Bible credits MM as: the woman from whom Jesus cast out 7 devils, one of several devoted female disciples who attended Jesus during his crucifixion, and as the 1st person to whom the Christ appeared after his resurrection. Isn’t it odd that the Bible credits NONE of Jesus well publicized Twelve with standing by him during the crucifixion? And isn’t it especially odd that the first person Christ wants to see after coming home for a while is Mary Magdalene?
Students of mythology and all good pagans won’t find it odd. The myth of the dying, resurrected god predates Christ. In many cultures the myth is basically a play in five acts: god is born or conceived through some type of extraordinary means, god is selected by goddess and anointed by her, god grows in power, god is sacrificed, god returns—usually to his goddess, oftentimes in a garden.

Christianity has promoted 3 and 1A of those acts. The birth, power, and sacrifice are undisputed. The anointing has been completely overlooked and the return, well he returns all right, but no one ever puts the spotlight on to whom it is he returns—to Mary Magdalene. Why? Is it maybe because of the mythological connection, the connection that implies that MM was his lover, if not his wife, or Lord forbid, a goddess?

Let’s look now at the Gnostic texts. The Gnostics state quite clearly that it was to Mary Magdalene, not Peter, that Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom. It was she who was to be ‘Apostle to the Apostles’. The reason for this has an historical context. First off, remember that Jesus was extremely egalitarian. Women followed him (men were not his only disciples) he ate with them, gave them positions of status in his ministry. Second, remember that Jesus preached again and again about his “return” or the “kingdom” coming. Now we all know how anxiously today’s fundies are waiting for the mushroom cloud that I guess Jesus will ride in on and put things aright. But back in early Christianity the followers were, believe it or not, much more zealous than today’s fundies in their belief that Jesus was coming back “pretty much any day now”. So when deciding who was doing what in the early church, gender roles didn’t much matter. Nothing much mattered. How could it? For crying out loud, it wasn’t like they were setting up a religion that might last a couple thousand years! Jesus would be back tomorrow anyway and then he could set things up like he wanted! So, if, as the Gnostics say, Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ choice as ‘Apostle to the Apostles’ so be it. When Jesus got home, a man would be in charge anyway! Of course, as Jesus’ return became somewhat delayed and as the delay extended and the church grew, the patriarchy got busy putting Jesus’ house in order for him. The keys to the kingdom were taken from MM and handed over to Peter.

Lastly, there are the legends. My favorite is the one about MM changing a white egg to red which contributes to our current tradition of dying Easter— Ostara—eggs. Then there’s the legend of her landing at Ste. Maries-de-la-Mer with her handmaid or daughter, St. Sarah, and of course, the legend of her marriage to the Christ.

I like the idea of MM being married to Christ, but I like it in the mystical sense, the sense that we are all, female and male, potential Brides or Partners of Christ. I like it not in the celibate nun way, nor in the purely physical sexual way (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) but in the sense that we can all be what Christ was and do what Christ did. Christ himself said that we would all do what he did.. .and more!

The entire message of Christ was one of completion, of wholeness. What better way to exemplify that teaching than by breaking all patriarchal tradition and make a woman his equal?

Happy birthday Mary Magdalene!

***

author bio:

R.A. Áine Laisrén, a novelist and psychic practitioner for over twenty years, is devoting her life (and the life of her pet chinchilla Fionnghuala) to restoring the Goddess and all Her gifts to Christianity. She will absolutely lose her mind if you refer to the Holy Spirit in the masculine gender, so please just don’t do it!

More information about Áine’s writing and practice may be found at www.sang-realta.com

Tags: christian, christianity, R.A. Áine Laisrén, witch

• Articles

Administrator June, 2006

I have been reading a lot lately about what it means to be a Witch. This is a topic very close to home and one that I now feel compelled to comment on.

I grew up on a small farm in rural Tennessee. When I was about seven or eight years old my grandmother explained to me that she was a Witch and by heredity so was I. To me, this didn’t seem like a great revelation but it was confusing because the only real concept I had of what a Witch was, was the either scary hags in fairy tales or the over the top witch called “Witch Hazel” from the Bugs Bunny cartoons. But as time went by, my grandmother tutored me in the ways of The Goddess and pretty soon I had a completely new concept of what being a Witch meant. It was someone who nurtured the earth and worshiped the divinely submerged power in nature and life. It was someone who looked to The Goddess with complete, unquestioning love. It was someone who healed wounds and tended broken hearts. It was someone who helped the needy and stood up to the bullies. It was someone who understood the divine gift of magic. It was someone who was filled with kindness, charity and warmth, even at times when others weren’t. Above all else, it was someone who devoted their lives to being a reflection of the Goddess. Someone who made every second of life sacred.

To this day, I live my life in accordance to the above. I will until the day I die. There is no question of why or how. My life is in devotion to my Goddess and I do it freely with all of my heart and soul. I can’t change who I am any more than a tiger can change its stripes. It defines who I am.

Being a Witch is a lifestyle not only and life choice. There are responsibilities, duties and obligations. It is not a life for everyone nor should it be.

When I first started calling myself a Witch, it was something only done it private. Back in the 1970s rural Tennessee had no tolerance for Witches, especially in Baptist country. I remember feeling so weird at school on holidays. I remember how I had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. I remember being forced to pray and worship something I did not hold sacred. It was a very scary and frustrating time in my life. But the thing I hated most was when people openly called me a Christian. It was brutal and it made me nauseous. I remember crying on the way home, jealous that I couldn’t be who I wanted to be. I prayed to The Goddess that someday I could be open and free with who and what I was. Little did I know, that day was not too far off.

Flash forward to the 1990′s. I was amazed how the Pagan/Wiccan community sort if just came alive. All of a sudden there were thousands of people calling themselves Witches. There were dozens of books at the bookstores on the topic. It appeared as if there was a rebirth of the old ways. I was a happy as I could be. It was nice to be able to say in public that I was a Witch.

But alas, I found that things were not as they seemed. It became obvious after a few years, that all these people who all of a sudden were calling themselves Witches, were not exactly what I had expected. It was a hard time for me. I wanted to help people understand. But it seemed as if there were dozens of theories on what it meant to be a Witch. There were stringent rules and rituals and processes and so on. This was all very different than what I had been taught. There were times when I wondered to myself, how can we all be Witches? There were groups diametrically opposed to each other. Rules, regulations and red tape seemed to more important than the root passion of our spirituality.

Then people started calling me Wiccan or Wicca. I was stunned. I had never in all my life been called that. So I studied up on this whole Wicca thing. It was in no way a reflection of who I was and how I worshiped. And frankly I didn’t like being associated with it at all. For many years I would glare at anyone calling me Wiccan. As the 90′s ended I became aware of the general debate of Witch versus Wiccan.

Now I am not going to debate the merits or academic ramifications of what the words Wicca or Witch means. I have an extensive scholastic background but I don’t feel this issue is something that should be debated that way. But let me say simply this. I am a Witch. I have been my whole life. That is the only label that I will accept. I have no problems with anyone else calling themselves Wiccans or Witches. But I do take issue when people try to label me something I am not. I respect everyone’s right to call themselves what ever they like. I also respect other’s limits and opinions. At the same times I expect others to respect my limits.

The Wiccan/Pagan community does need unity, but in the rush to create an all inclusive sense of unity, some of us have been trampled below. I love Pagans and Wiccans. They are my brothers and sisters. I support our cause but no matter how it’s all wrapped or presented, I am a Witch, above all else. I do not want to be labeled anything other than what I am. It is an insult to me, my family and everything being a Witch stands for. Please respect our choice to be who we are and who we are not.

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author bio:

Autum Witch

Tags: Autum Witch, witch

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