Just sharing a picture

This was taken at the Ostera Ritual 2013. My sister and I are the keepers of the Portal. It was such a beautiful day. We had quite the turn-out and everybody went through the portal.
We are members of The Liquid Moon CUUPS in Monte Vista, CA, USA.

The Basics of Being a Witch

 

 Principles

The only law of Witchcraft is The Threefold Law.
Everything you do comes back to you three times.
Earth Magick works threefold:
The Work is stated and performed in the World of Form.
It goes out into the Invisible World, and comes back to
manifest in the World of Form.

All work is for the good of all only
And according to free will
thus harming none.

One cannot be a Witch "part-time." By definition, Witchcraft
is a way of life and permeates all of life. A Positive Witch
lives by these principles all through every chosen Witchcraft
lifetime, awake and asleep, in work, in deed, in thought, and
in intent.

This means no cursing, no harming. This means no stated
negatives, and all negatives taken out of The Law (The Law
of Cause and Effect).

This does not mean to deny negatives or the Dark. We
acknowledge it, use it positively, strip it of all negative
power, transcend it, and turn it to good.

The Two Worlds

The two Worlds in which we live are: The World of Form and
the Invisible Realm. In this case, the World of Form is
manifest as our planet, Earth. The Invisible Realm includes
everywhere else. The Witch's magick is accomplished with
the conscious use of both Worlds. Our goal is to move and to
live perfectly and easily between the Worlds - always.

Earth Magick

The magick of the Witch connects the Cosmic to the Earth.
Witch magick is visible, tangible, and practical. But the overview
is essential.

Thus, we work in linear time, using The Law of Cause and
Effect. We work with linear time, knowing full well that time
is not necessarily linear, but actually all at once. All time
coexist, and it is because we are aware of this overview that we are
able to see the future, and to work magic forwards (and backwards)
in linear time.

We work with the World of Form, and in it our magick
manifests to the five senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste.
Our techniques also employ the five senses - even though
we know full well that space is not defined by what we touch,
see, hear, smell, or taste. We know that all space coexist, limited
only by perception. With the overview, our perception is
the sixth sense - Spirit, represented in the pentagram by the Circle,
which encompasses All.

Words of Power

For Earth Magic, we used words, thoughts, images, ideas,
and rituals to activate our work. We employ the basic, standard
magickal principles to connect the worlds. We follow the
basic Words of Power technique:

1.  There is One Power.
2. The Power includes All.
3. We are all perfect microcosms of the Power (thus we are linked to all beings).
4. Every being has Free Will and all work is for the good of All.
5. As microcosms of the One Power which includes All, we draw upon whichever aspect of the Infinite Power we wish to use, for whatever goals we state.
6. We affirm that the work goes out into The Law of Cause and Effect, and that it is done.

We follow this sequence of ideas, with one important
difference: the use of Alignments. An Alignment is the
direct connection that can be drawn between Deity and
Witch. This powerful link, in effect, combines steps 2,
3, and 5 above. Blessings, spells, and chants are based
upon Words of Power.

The Power of Words

As Witches, we believe that all of our words come true,
not only when we are specifically working magick, but
throughout all of our lives. We also believe that everyone,
including every non - Witch, is continuously creating life
experiences by means of the words that are spoken.
So we may use the following antidotes if we ever hear negative
words spoken by anyone - even ourselves.

• I take that out of the Law (meaning the Law of Cause & Effect)
• No harmful power, turn it to good.
• Goddess (and/or God) forbid.
• This is dissolved, released, and turned to good.

 By: Marion Weinstein

Prayers, Chants, and Invocations of and to the Goddess & God

These prayers can be used to invoke the Goddess and God during ritual, just after the circle casting. Of course, any that you compose or are inspired to say can be used as well.

A few chants are also included to raise energy or to commune with the deities.

Some of these invocations rhyme, and some do not. This simply speaks of my ability to compose ryme, I suppose. But recall the power of rhyme--it links our conscious mind to the unconscious or psychic mind, therby producing ritual consciousness.

Invocation to the Goddess

Crescent one of the starry skies,
flowered one of the fertile plain,
flowing one of the ocean's sighs,
blessed one of the gentle rain;
hear my chant 'midst the standing stones,
open me to your mystic light;
waken me to your silver tones,
be with me in my sacred rite!

Invocation to Pan

O great God Pan,
beast and man,
shepherd of goats and lord of the land,
I call you to attend my rites 
on this most magical of nights.
God of the wine,
God of the vine,
God of the fields and God of the kine,
attend my circle with your love
and send your blessings from above.
Help me to heal;
help me to feel;
help me to bring forth love and weal.
Pan of the forests, Pan of the glade,
be with me as my magick is made!

Isis Invocation

Isis of the moon, you who are all that ever was,
all that is, and all that shall be;
come, veiled queen of night!
Come as the scent of the sacred lotus charging my circle
with love and magick.
Do descend upon my circle, I pray,
O blessed Isis!

Prayer to the Horned God

Horned one of the wilderness, 
winged one of the shining skies, 
rayed one of the splen'drous sun,
fallen one of the Samhain cries --
I call amidst the standing stones
praying that you, O ancient one,
will deign to bless my mystic rites --
O fiery lord of the blazing sun!

New Moon Chant to Diana

Waxing, waxing, growing, growing
Diana's power is flowing, flowing.
(repeat)

Call to the God

Ancient God of the forest deeps,
master of beast and sun;
here where the world is hushed and sleeps
now that the day is done.
I call you in the ancient way
here in my circle round,
asking that you will hear me pray
and send your sun force down.

Invocation to the Goddess

Gracious Goddess,
you who are the queen of the gods,
the lamp of night,
the creator of all that is wild and free;
mother of woman and man;
lover of the horned God and protectress of all the Wicca:
descend, I pray, with your lunar ray of power upon my circle here!

Invocation to the God

Blazing God,
you who are the king of the gods, lord of the sun,
master of all that is wild and free;
father of woman and man,
lover of the moon goddess and protector of all the Wicca:
descend, I pray, with your solar ray of power upon my circle here!

Goddess Chant

Luna, luna, luna, Diana
luna, luna, luna, Diana
bless me, bless me, bless me, Diana,
luna, luna, luna, Diana (repeat)

Evening Chant to the God

Hail fair sun,
ruler of day;
rise on the morn
to light my way.
(to be said while watching the sunset)

Evening Chant to the Goddess

Hail fair moon,ruler of night
guard me and mine
until the light.
(to be said while moon-gazing at night)





By: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Scott Cunningham

Mabon & Modron Holiday

The holiday associated with the autumn equinox is usually called Mabon by Wiccans, named after a Celtic god. Not many clear stories are left about Mabon. The one I know that is usually told at the equinox is a modern reconstructed version, focusing on his mother, Modron.

Modron is one Celtic name given to the great Earth goddess. She had a beautiful son named Mabon, who was a force of light and life.

Mabon went wandering off without his mother and fell into the underworld, lost in the darkness, yet shining like a light. Modron in her pain of losing a son, withdrew her power from the land and created the seasons of fall and then winter. Animals of the underworld came to Mabon to help him, including the wise salmon who led Mabon's rescuers to him.

Although one version says that Arthur, fabled king of Camelot, rescued the child, others say Modron found Mabon in the dark of the underworld, and together they returned to the world, created the season of spring, destined to repeat this cycle with every turn of the seasons.

Those familiar with Greed mythology sometimes call Mabon the Celtic male Persephone, as Persephone is a goddess who spends half the year in the underworld during the winter months, and the other half with her mother, Demeter, the goddess of grain and harvest, during the growing seasons. Like Modron, Demeter's sorrow causes fall and witner. Her joy brings spring and summer.

Unlike Persephone, who reaches a sense of adulthood and a loss of innocence in her tale, Mabon's relationship with Modron is one of eternal youth. He is like the image of the child on the Sun tarot card, eternally youthful, and full of bright optimism.

His light provides his mother with the inspiration to renew the land and provide the harvest. Modron is the protective mother, while her son seeks to journey on his own path. Their tale reminds us to have our own adventures. We all need time away, and often we have to face our own personal underworld alone, but don't forget the nurturing and support of the family is there when you return.

Mabon Prayer

(Chant)

Autumn colors of Red and Gold

As I close my eyes tonight

Such a wonder to behold

I feel the God/dess hold me tight.

Watch leaves turning one by one

Though it grows dark I shall not fear

Captured bits of Autumn Sun

For Divine Love protects us all here.

Soon they'll fall and blow away

Through the night until the morn

The golden treasures of today.

When the shining Sun's reborn

When the trees are bare.

Time to sleep, time to dream

And ground grows cold

Till wrm gold rays upon me stream

These warm memories I'll still hold.

Elements Poem by: Nestor Rocca Flores

 

 

ELEMENTS

By:
Nestor Rocca Flores

Imperative spirit at heartbeat of dawn

Puts Alpha in motion when ready to spawn

Its web of soul likewise and interconnected

Preparing to separate no more protected

Bright light and hot fire new psyche of pith

Heat scorching with spirit establish herewith

Creative bold forces in luminous core

Contagious warm sources delight days of yore

Cool air blows and blazes red fire awaking

Then ego is born its existence keepsaking

Rainwater poors softly dim fire now sizzling

Terrestrial sphere absorbs ashes when drizzling

The spirited star mix spreads rich on earth soil

For fertile and dark clay provide future coil

Life green grows like magic while witches are singing

Omega is spirit sun pleasingly stinging

On bare skin of naked men build great endeavour

The elements did their work love them forever

--End

Created by Magick Spells

Witchcraft Oath

Dedication Of The Tools

These are suggestions for dedicating the tools prior to their first use or formal consecration, if any. Perform these with proper visualization and ritual intent.

The Magick Knife or Sword

Rub the blade with fresh basil, rosemary or oak leaves, at sunrise, outdoors where you will not be disturbed or seen. Lay the sword or knife on the ground with its point to the south. Walk clockwise around it thrice, scattering bay leaves (preferably fresh) over it. Take up the sword or knife, stand facing east and, holding it upward but with arms lowered, invoke the God to infuse you knife or sword with hes strength. Point it to the sky, invoking the Goddess to charge your blade with her love and power.

Wrap your knife or sword in red cloth and take it home It may be stored in the cloth, if desired.


The White-Handled Knife

Early in the morning, go to a forest (or park, garden, or your indoor garden). Choose the most beautiful and vibrant plants. touch the point of the white-handled knife gently to these in turn, forging a connection between your knife and the plants (and, thusly, the earth).

Next, sit on the earth. Ensuring that you are quite alone, draw a pentagram with the white-handled knife's point on the ground. It is done.


The Wand

If the wand is of wood, take it outdoors at sunset and rub it with fresh lavender, eucalyptus, or mint leaves. Raise it in the air toward the east (or the moon, if it is visible) and invoke the Goddess. At sunrise, take it again outdoors, rub with the fresh, fragrant leaves, and invoke the God by raising it to the east.


The Cauldron

Take the cauldron to a stream, river, lake, or ocean, Gather the leaves of some plants growing nearby (at the sea, perhaps seaweed). Dip the cauldron into the water to fill it. Place the leaves in the cauldron, then set it on the water's edge where it is on both eater and sand. Place your hands on the cauldron and dedicate it to the Goddess in any words you like. Empty and dry the cauldron, and return home. The charge has been made.

If performed inside, place the cauldron in a large vasin of water or the bathtub, in a candle lit room. Add a bit of salt to the water, which should be cold. Proceed as above.

Salt water corrodes metal. Thoroughly wash the cauldron after immersion in sea or salt water.


The Cup 

Anoint the base with gardenia, rose or violet oil and fill with pure spring water. Then set afloat a sprig of ivy, a small rose, a fresh gardenia, or some other appropriate flower or herb. Gaze into the cup and invoke the Goddess to bless it. You might also wish to take it outside at night, filled with water, and catch the moon's reflection within it.


The Broom

It can be fashioned from an ash staff, birch twigs and a willow binding. Brush the broom with chamomile, willow, lemon balm, elder, or mallow stalks and branches,, then bury these with due solemnity. You might also wish to carve a crescent moon upon its handle.


The Crystal

On the night of a full moon, rub the sphere with fresh (or dried) mugwort, then take it outside. Hold it up so that it drinks in the light and energies of the moon. Gaze at the moon through the crystal by holding it before your eyes. Repeat at least thrice yearly for the best benefits.


The Book of Shadows

Sew into the cover of the Book of Shadows leaves of the sacred herbs vervain, rue, bay, willow, or others, if you wish. They should be well dried and secretly placed by the light of the moon. The covers of the Book of Shadows should, of course, be covered with cloth for this purpose.


The Robe

If you choose to wear one, lay it among sachets filled with lavender, vervain and cedar when not in use. Sew a bit of rosemary or frankincense into the hem while fashioning it, if desired (and if any resulting stains won't show after washing).



By: Scott Cunningham

Q: How Can I Learn to Trust in Love Again?

A:  When you've been badly hurt in love, you may feel that you'll never trust anyone again. It is only natural to want to take some time out of relationships in order to heal and regain a proper perspective on life. However, if you need a little help with the healing process, try this gentle potion.

Checklist:
Best to use on a Monday, at the New moon.
How often; This wonderfully soothing rite can be used whenever it is needed.

You will need:

• Almond Oil
• Wheat germ oil
• Rose, bergamot, and geranium essential oils
• A dark glass bottle with a cover
• A sheet of paper and a pen
• A green candle
• 2 White candles

Mix together two tablespoons of almond oil and two drops of wheat germ oil in a bowl, to form a base oil.

Add three drops of each of rose, bergamot, and geranium essential oils and mix by stiring them clockwise with your finger, saying the following three times:

Potion mix, potion start
Potion blend to heal my heart.

Decant the oil into a dark glass bottle but leave the cover off. Next, draw an upward pointing pentagram on some paper and place on your altar.

Put the bottle of healing oil on top. Form a triangle around the bottle with one green candle at the back and two white candle at the sides. Light the candles and envision spiraling golden energy being drawn from above and below into the triangle and into the bottle.

Chant:
Healing come, healing start
Mend the break across my heart
Magick powers, below and above
Restore again my trust in love, 
For as long as the candles burns,
Let this mill of magick turn.

Let the candles burn out. Put the cover on the bottle. label it, and store in a cool place. every night before you sleep, anoint your heart chakra with the oil and say:

I heal my heart and trust again.

The oil can also be used as a massage oil, or a few drops can be added to your bath.

The Full Moon Rite

Perform this at night, in view of the moon, if possible. It is appropriate for crescents, white flowers, silver, and other lunar symbols to be present on the altar for this ritual. The quartz crystal sphere can be placed on the altar as well. Or, if you prefer, use the cauldron (or a small white or silver bowl) filled with water. Place a piece of silver into the water

Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the circle of stones.

Stand before the altar and invoke the Goddess and God, with the Blessing Chant and/or any other invocations.

Now gaze at the moon, if possible. Feel its energies sinking into your body. Feel its cool Goddess energy wash you with power and love.

Now say these or similar words:

Wonderous lady of the moon
You who greets the dust with silvered kisses;
mistress of the night and of all magicks,
who rides the clouds in blackened skies
and spills light upon the cold earth;
O lunar Goddess,
Crescented-one,
shadow maker and shadow breaker;
revealer of mysteries past and present;
puller of seas and ruler of women;
all-wise lunar Mother,
I greet your celestial jewel
at the waxing of its powers
with a rite in your honor.
I pray by the moon,
I pray by the moon,
I pray by the moon.

Continue chanting "I pray by the moon" for as long as you will. Visualize the Goddess if you so desire, perhaps as a tall, robust woman wearing silver jewelry and white, rippling, draped clothing.

A crescent moon may rest upon her brow, or she may toss a glowing, silvery white orb in her hands. She trods the starfield of eternal night in an eternal round with her lover, the sun God, spreading moon rays wherever she goes. Her eyes laugh, her skin is white and translucent. She glows.

Now is the time for magick of all types, for the full of the moon marks the height of its powers, and all positive spells cast then are powerful.

Full moons are also excellent times for meditation, mirror magick, and psychic workings, for such are often more successful within the circle. Crystal scrying is particularly recommended; flood the crystal with moonlight prior to the ritual. If you have no crystal sphere, use the cauldron filled with water and the piece of silver. Gaze at the water (or at the moon glinting on the silver) to awaken your psychic awareness.

Lunar liquids such as lemonade, milk, or white wine can be consumed during The Simple Feast that follows. Crescent cakes are traditional as well. Thank the Goddess and God and release the circle.

It is done.

Prayer With Blessing

With the help of the Goddess, I will always have anything I need.

Goddess bless my wallet so that it is open to receive 

and also give to the needy.

Allow me to use this money wisely Goddess, and let all roads be open to me..

If I should need something, please Goddess show me the way to obtain it.

As I have faith

Oh Goddess and God, you who have the power to give, 

help me to resolve my problems and grant me enough money

and health to be comfortable.

So mote it be!

Affirmations, Prayers, & Blessings Before Meals

Before meals is an excellent time for affirmations, prayers and blessings. Use this one to bless your food before you eat. When you are with a group of people, substitute the "me" for "us" and "I" for "we".

Goddess, bless this food you have given me
Let it be filled with your divine energy
So that I will be healthy 
And live a long life. 
Goddess Bless! Blessed Be!

The next affirmation is best done before breakfast. I call it "my goal for the day" affirmation because it focuses on the day at hand and can be changed daily, or you can keep the same one for as many days as it takes to reach you goal. The first part asks for the Goddess's help, and the second part states the goal. As an example I put the goal 'more understanding of other people,' but you can insert any goal you want, such as 'Today, I see myself becoming more healthy in my eating habits,' or ' Today, I see myself becoming more loving toward my partner.'

Goddess, help me attain my goal for the day.
Today, I see and feel myself becoming more
understanding of other people.

Repeat the lines several times, while imagining and feeling yourself becoming more understanding of people.

In conjunction with this morning breakfast affirmation, do the following affirmation before dinner. They work together to reinforce your overall goal for the day.

Goddess, thank you for helping me attain my 
goal for the day. Today, I felt myself becoming
more understanding of other people.

The next affirmations can also be done before breakfast. The are designed to put you in a positive frame of mind for meeting the day, remembering that the power of the Goddess is with you no matter where you go.

With the help of the Goddess, my progress is 
constant and positive. Each day small miracles 
happen, and I become who I imagine myself to be.

This morning affirmation can be used in conjunction with the previous one.

Every step I take is with the Goddess at my side.
We are constantly moving forward. Together we are invincible. 




By: Sirona Knight

Midsummer

Item needed: A yellow candle.

The Summer Solstice has arrived. All of nature is busy growing and blooming,
but in the summer months thunderstorms also rip across the land.
Working with Zeus, Greek king of the gods, is a great way to bring wisdom,
power, and success to your magick.
The oak tree, the eagle, and the metal gold are all associated with Zeus,
and so is the lightning bolt. Ask oak trees are prominent in classic Summer
Solstice rituals, take a few oak leaves and scatter them across your altar.
Add a yellow candle for the Sun and carve a lightning bolt for Zeus into the candle.
Place the candle in the holder, light it, and work this spell to create positive change.
Magick in the air tonight.

"Zeus I ask for your blessing on this enchanted night,
I see your mighty power in the lightning that strikes.
These green oak leaves bring wisdom and prosperity,
May these gifts come swiftly and surely now to me.
Grant success, happiness, and knowledge to me I pray,
As I celebrate the magick of the longest day.


--Ellen Dugan

The Origins of Halloween

copyright © 1989, Rowan Moonstone

In recent years, there have been a number of pamphlets and books put out be various Christian organizations dealing with the origins of modern-day Halloween customs.

Being a Witch myself, and a student of the ancient Celts from whom we get this holiday, I have found these pamphlets woefully inaccurate and poorly researched. A typical example of this information is contained in the following quote from the pamphlet entitled "What's Wrong with Halloween?" by Russell K. Tardo. "The Druids believed that on October 31st, the last day of the year by the ancient Celtic calendar, the lord of death gathered together the souls of the dead who had been made to enter bodies of animals, and decided what forms they should take the following year. Cats were held sacred because it was believed that they were once human beings ... We see that this holiday has its origin, basis and root in the occultic Druid celebration of the dead. Only they called it 'Samhain', who was the Lord of the Dead (a big demon)".¹ When these books and pamphlets cite sources at all, they usually list the Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana, and the World Book Encyclopedia. The Britannica and the Americana make no mention of cats, but do indeed list Samhain as the Lord of Death, contrary to Celtic scholars, and list no references. The World Book mentions the cats and calls Samhain the Lord of Death, and lists as its sources several children's books (hardly what one could consider scholarly texts, and, of course, themselves citing no references).
In an effort to correct some of this erroneous information, I have researched the religious life of the ancient Celtic peoples and the survivals of that religious life in modern times. Listed below are some of the most commonly asked questions concerning the origins and customs of Halloween. Following the questions is a lengthy bibliography where the curious reader can go to learn more about this holiday than space in this small pamphlet permits.

1. Where does Halloween come from?
   Our modern celebration of Halloween is a descendent of the ancient Celtic festival called "Samhain". The word is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with "cow".
2. What does "Samhain" mean?
   The "Irish-English Dictionary" published by the Irish Texts Society defines the word as follows: "Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalling the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troop swere quartered. Fairies were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it, the half-year is reckoned. Also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess)."² The "Scottish Gaelic Dictionary" defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Souls. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."³ Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. Eliade's "Encyclopedia of Religion" states as follows: "The Eve and day of Samhain were characterized as a time when the barriers between the human and supernatural worlds were broken... Not a festival honoring any particular Celtic deity, Samhain acknowledged the entire spectrum of nonhuman forces that roamed the earth during that period."⁴ The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the British and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "Lord of Death" as such.
3. Why was the end of summer of significance to the Celts?
   The Celts were a pastoral people as opposed to an agricultural people. The end of summer was significant to them because it meant the time of year when the structure of their lives changed radically. The cattle were brought down from the summer pastures in the hills and the people were gathered into the houses for the long winter nights of story-telling and handicrafts.
4. What does it have to do with a festival of the dead?
   The Celts believed that when people died, they went to a land of eternal youth and happiness called Tír na nOg. They did not have the concept of Heaven and Hell that the Christian Church later brought into the land. The dead were sometimes believed to be dwelling with the Fairy Folk, who lived in the numerous mounds, or sidhe, (pronounced "shee" or "sh-thee") that dotted the Irish and Scottish countryside. Samhain was the new year to the Celts. In the Celtic belief system, turning points such as the time between one day and the next, the meeting of sea and shore or the turning of one year into the next, were seen as magickal times. The turning of the year was the most potent of these times. This was the time when the "veil between the worlds" was at its thinnest and the living could communicate with their beloved dead in Tír na nOg.
5. What about the aspects of "evil" that we associate with the night today?
   The Celts did not have demons and devils in their belief system. The fairies, however, were often considered hostile and dangerous to humans because they were seen as being resentful of man taking over their land. On this night, they would sometimes trick humans into becoming lost in the fairy mounds where they would be trapped forever. After the coming of the Christians to the Celtic lands, certain of the folk saw the fairies as those angels who had sided neither with God or with Lucifer in their dispute and thus were condemned to walk the Earth until Judgment Day.⁵ In addition to the fairies, many humans were abroad on this night causing mischief. Since this night belonged neither to one year or the other, Celtic folk believed that chaos reigned and the people would engage in "horseplay and practical jokes".⁶ This also served as a final outlet for high spirits before the gloom of winter set in.
6. What about "trick or treat"?
   During the course of these hijinks, many of the people would imitate the fairies and go from house to house begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the owner of the house. Since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the steps of the house so the homeowner could gain the blessing of the "good folk" for the coming year. Many of the households would also leave out a "dumb supper" for the spirits of the departed.⁷ The folks who were abroad in the night imitating the fairies would sometimes carry turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of our modern Jack-o-lantern.
7. Was there any special significance of cats to the Celts?
   According to Katherine Briggs in "Nine Lives: Cats in Folklore", the Celts associated cats with the Cailleach Bheur, or Blue Hag of Winter. "She was a nature goddess, who herded the deer as her cattle. The touch of her staff drove the leaves off the trees and brought snow and harsh weather."⁸ Dr. Anne Ross addresses the use of divine animals in her book "Pagan Celtic Britain" and has this to say about cats: "Cats do not play a large role in Celtic mythology ... the evidence for the cat as an important cult animal in Celtic mythology is slight".⁹ She cites as supporting evidence the lack of archaeological artifacts and literary references in surviving works of mythology.
8. Was this also a religious festival?
   Yes. Celtic religion was very closely tied to the Earth. The great legends are concerned with momentous happenings which took place around the time of Samhain. Many of the great battles and legends of kings and heroes center on this night. Many of the legends concern the promotion of fertility of the Earth and the insurance of the continuance of the lives of the people through the dark winter season.
9. How was the religious festival observed?
   Unfortunately, we know very little about that. W.G. Wood-Martin, in his book "Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland", states: "There is comparatively little trace of the religion of the Druids now discoverable, save in the folklore of the peasantry and the references relative to it that occur in ancient and authentic Irish manuscripts are, as far as present appearances go, meager and insufficient to support anything like a sound theory for full development of the ancient religion."¹⁰ The Druids were the priests of the Celtic peoples. They passed on their teachings by oral tradition instead of committing them to writing, so when they perished, most of their religious teachings were lost. We do know that this festival was characterized as one of the four great "Fire Festivals" of the Celts. Legends tell us that on this night all the hearth fires in Ireland were extinguished and then re-lit from the central fire of the Druids at Tlachtga, 12 miles from the royal hill of Tara. This fire was kindled from "need fire" which had been generated by the friction of rubbing two sticks together, as opposed to more conventional methods (such as the flint-and-steel method) common in those days.¹¹ The extinguishing of the fires symbolized the "dark half" of the year, and the re-kindling from the Druidic fires was symbolic of the returning life hoped for and brought about through the ministrations of the priesthood.
10. What about sacrifices?
    Animals were certainly killed at this time of year. This was the time to "cull" from the herds those animals which were not desired for breeding purposes for the next year. Most certainly, some of these would have been done in a ritual manner for the use of the priesthood.
11. Were humans sacrificed?
    Scholars are sharply divided on this account, with about half believing that it took place and half doubting its veracity. Caesar and Tacitus certainly tell tales of the human sacrifices of the Celts, but Nora Chadwick points out in her book "The Celts" that "it is not without interest that the Romans themselves had abolished human sacrifice not long before Caesar's time, and references to the practice among various barbarian peoples have certain overtones of self-righteousness. There is little direct archaeological evidence relevant to Celtic sacrifice."¹² Indeed, there is little reference to this practice in Celtic literature. The only surviving story echoes the tale of the Minotaur in Greek legend: the Fomorians, a race of evil giants said to inhabit portions of Ireland before the coming of the Tuatha Dé Danann (or "people of the Goddess Danu"), demanded the sacrifice of 2/3 of the corn, milk and first-born children of the Fir Bolg, or human inhabitants of Ireland. The Tuatha Dé Danann ended this practice in the second battle of Moy Tura, which incidentally, took place on Samhain. It should be noted, however, that this story appears in only one (relatively modern) manuscript from Irish literature, and that manuscript, the "Dinnsenchus", is known to be a collection of fables. According to P.W. Joyce in Vol. 2 of his "Social History of Ancient Ireland", "Scattered everywhere through our ancient literature, both secular and ecclesiastical, we find abundant descriptions and details of the rites and superstitions of the pagan Irish; and in no place -- with this single exception -- do we find a word or hint pointing to human sacrifice to pagan gods or idols."¹³
12. What other practices were associated with this season?
    Folk tradition tells us of many divination practices associated with Samhain. Among the most common were divinations dealing with marriage, weather and the coming fortunes for the year. These were performed via such methods as ducking for apples and apple peeling. Ducking for apples was a marriage divination. The first person to bite an apple would be the first to marry in the coming year. Apple peeling was a divination to see how long your life would be. The longer the unbroken apple peel, the longer your life was destined to be.¹⁴ In Scotland, people would place stones in the ashes of the hearth before retiring for the night. Anyone whose stone had been disturbed during the night was said to be destined to die during the coming year.
13. How did these ancient Celtic practices come to America?
    When the potato crop in Ireland failed, many of the Irish people, modern descendants of the Celts, emigrated to America bringing with them their folk practices which were remnants of the Celtic festival observances.
14. We in America view this as a harvest festival. Did the Celts also view it as such?
    Yes. The Celts had 3 harvests. Aug 1, or Lammas, was the first harvest, when the first fruits were offered to the Gods in thanks. The Fall Equinox was the true harvest. This was when the bulk of the crops would be brought in. Samhain was the final harvest of the year. Anything left on the vines or in the fields after this date was considered blasted by the fairies ("pu'ka") and unfit for human consumption.
15. Does anyone today celebrate Samhain as a religious observance?
    Yes. Many followers of various pagan religions, such as Druidism and Wicca, observe this day as a religious festival. They view it as a memorial day for their dead friends and family, much as the mainstream US does the national Memorial Day holiday in May. It is still a night to practice various forms of divination concerning future events. It is also considered a time to wrap up old projects, take stock of one's life and initiate new projects for the coming year. As the winter season is approaching, it is a good time to do studying on research projects, and also a good time to begin handwork such as sewing, leatherworking, woodworking etc., for Yule gifts later in the year. And while "satanists" are using this holiday as their own, this is certainly not the only example of a holiday (or even religious symbols) being "borrowed" from an older religion by a newer one.
16. Does this involve human or animal sacrifice?
    Absolutely NOT! Hollywood to the contrary, blood sacrifice is not practiced by modern followers of Wicca or Druidism. There may be some people who think they are practicing Wicca by performing blood sacrificing but this is not condoned by reputable practitioners of today's neo-Pagan religions.

Ethics & Etiquette

Hello,

I would like to contribute the attached article, written by me, to the IBOS. This article may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes, providing that this original copyright notice stays in place at all times.
Thank you,
Morgaine
© Morgaine 2001

When we speak of ethics and etiquette in relation to pagansim what are we referring to? Are we speaking of outdated rules and actions that no longer have meaning and we only give lip service to? I don't believe so. Ethics and etiquette are living, breathing codes of life, shaping our actions in relation to each other, and ourselves. They are a guiding force in the way we live our lives.

Let us first look at ethics. Ethics are defined as --a set of principles; moral philosophy; rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession; human duty; a particular system of principles and rules concerning duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; motivation based on ideas of right and wrong; the philosophical study of moral values and rules.

When we begin to speak of ethics, we need to realize that this can be a very touchy subject. We are human after all, and we want to think our ethics are the correct ones. While there are generally accepted community ethics, it is personal ethics that make up who we are. And these are not the same for each person.

Before we begin to discuss in depth community and person ethics let us first look at the Rede, the most common code of conduct among Wiccans.

Bide the Wiccan law ye must, 
in perfect love and perfect trust;
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill;
'An ye harm none, do as ye will';
Lest in self-defense it be, 
ever mind the rule of three;
Follow this with mind and heart;
And merry ye meet and merry ye part.

Every Wiccan knows the Rede. Our passwords into the sacred circle are in here. Our major rule of ethic is here. And the reason for breaking this ethic, as well as the consequences of breaking it foolishly. When we extract the line most popular --An ye harm none, do as ye will' and begin to dissect it, we have to wonder "Is this an ethic we can every achieve?"

I believe the Rede is a standard of living, like all ethics, and one that is an impossibility to achieve. The goal is to live as closely to the Rede as possible. In the attempt to do this, we begin to analyze our actions. We follow the path of LEAST harm. Thus, we begin to live conscious of our actions, and how they effect the world around us. And here comes the REAL lesson of the Rede. It forces us to have personal responsibility.

Once you have acknowledged that the Rede is a goal to work for and not a given situation, and have taken of the blinders that let you go around smug and happy that your religion is so sweet it makes your teeth itch, you can get down to the work of making your life an ethical one. What this involves is considering each decision in the light of the Rede before you decide upon a course of action. You do this by looking at all the possible consequences of that action and whether that will cause harm to any, choosing the path that causes the least harm and, (THIS IS THE KEY) accepting the responsibility for the consequences of your actions whether intentional or unintentional. -Lark, HPS of Tangled Moon Coven.

Wicca, as well as most Pagansim, is a religion and spiritual path of personal responsibility. We strive to live in an aware state. When we do this, we recognize our free will, and the free will of others. If we ignore the lesson of personal responsibility, we fail to realize our true spiritual potential and our true spiritual will.

As we begin our path, we must develop a set of personal ethics, while maintaining a respect for the ethics of the community we are becoming a part of. Some community ethics are very well defined.

-Don't practice black magick, or follow the left-hand path.

-Don't attempt to harm another or interfere with their free will.

-Always act in a way that will reflect well upon your path. Never do anything that will bring harm to the Craft.

Since Wicca, and Pagansim, are very open paths and for the most part do not seek to make anyone follow 'ONE RIGHT WAY', most of the ethics defined by community are concerning harm to others, and harm to the Craft.

But to begin a spiritual path, and to follow it every day of your life, you must develop your own set of personal ethics that define the way you live. No one can tell you what your personal ethics should be. Your teachers, mentors, HPS, HP can all recommend both in word and deed, ethics that work for them.

You may be given a 'Book of the Law' that governs your group or tradition. If you are a solitary, you may read on the net, or in a book, acceptable codes of conduct, or ideals. But you cannot take someone else's ethics and make them your own. You must do some soul searching, and decide how you feel about things.

Now I am NOT suggesting that you ignore your HPS or HP, or your teachers and mentors. I am suggesting that you should always temper wisdom with personal experience. You must come to a point that you are willing to question what you are taught, to grow in your own self. Through this, your own sense of ethics and morals will come.

Now, here comes the biggie. What do you do when your personal ethics are in direct conflict with accepted community ethics? For example-it has become a phenomenon in the pagan community to love everything white and full of light, and shun everything dark and full of shadow. It has become unacceptable to speak of negative emotions like anger and envy. It has become unacceptable to feel hate towards another person, which that a murderer would get the death penalty, which that rapist would get castrated by a bunch of angry women.

Some of us fondly refer to this a fluffy, bunny Wicca, no offense to anything fluffy, or bunnies. We are taught to love unconditionally because we are all brothers and sisters, connected to each other and every living thing. We are taught that if we experience these emotions, maybe we aren't all that spiritual, and especially not as much as Miss crystal love and light.

We are often looked down upon if we say something like 'I am so damn mad at my ex husband I could smack him'. The response I myself have heard to such comment is 'my my, now THAT wasn't very positive'. Well, guess what. It WASN'T. Now I am not saying that you should indulge in these emotions. They can be deterrents to developing a sound spiritual identity because they are 'negative' in the sense that they are base emotions that do not vibrate on the spiritual plane. But they also teach us lessons that can lead to spiritual epiphanies.

Life is a balance between light and dark. Nature is both beautifully creative and frighteningly destructive. Inside of a single human there is light and shadow, and to be totally balanced we must learn to face both, experience both and therefore learn from both.

So back to the original question. Let's say you don't feel that you are evil if you feel anger at another person or what have you. What do you do when community ethics conflict with your personal ethics? In my opinion, as long as what you are doing does not come into direct conflict with the good of the general community, or does not manipulate or purposefully harm another person, then your personal ethics should come first.

 You should not do something maliciously to another person. When you do this, you are not only harming yourself, but you are harming that person, AND the whole of the community. It is very important that our community not be sullied, and the reasons are obvious. But beyond this, your personal ethics should prevail.

Do ethics change over time? Do you think that the ethics of our ancestors of 100, 200 or even 1000 or more years ago are the same as what they are now? I believe that ethics are a revolving and ever changing system. Some become outdated, and some we should always keep. For instance, it has only been in the recent resurgence of Pagansim in the last 50-60 years or so that the belief of 'An ye harm none, do as ye will came about'. In times past, a witch who could not curse, could not heal.

 Societies have not always believed that you should not harm another person, or that interfering with someone life was a bad thing. The old wise woman of a village was sought out for every reason from fertility, to love, to revenge. It has been in our time only, with the resurgence of beliefs and the discrimination that we face, that we have adopted some of the common ethics we now have.

 I am NOT saying this is wrong, or that we should go back to the 'Old Ways'. In a society that we now living in, and the information is available for spiritual purposes, there is no longer a need to seek out the crone of the village and ask her to grant you revenge on your enemy. But this is the perfect example of how ethics change with time. At one time it was ethical for old men to mate with young girls. In our culture, it is no longer ethical. So ethics change, and so they should.

Change is the only constant in the universe, and without it, we grow stagnate and our lives become filled with rot and decay. Change blows in new life to help recreate our lives, our beliefs and yes, even out ethics.

The other common code of conduct that we hear of in the Pagan community is 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law, love under will.' This comes from Aleister Crowley, from his book entitled 'The Book of the Law'. Now knowing some of the things that we do about Crowley, it's almost humorous to think of him in a discussion of ethics, except to point to what not to do maybe! But, this is a very powerful outlook on developing your own set of personal ethics.

In my understanding 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will' does not mean you may do as you wish and that is it. It is speaking of your TRUE will, your TRUE purpose in life. And if you are following your true or higher will and purpose you will not come into conflict with another's will so therefore you do not have to worry about stepping on anyone else's toes. So you don't have to worry about harming another, because you are in touch with the divine and you are following your own spiritual path and will, which will not cause harm or conflict with another.

 Of course, we still have conflicts with people. One way to look at this is as a spiritual lesson for either you or the other person. But if you are seeking to control another or harm another, this is not your true will. This is based upon the belief that every person is an individual, and as an individual you should be true to your own nature or consciousness. You must find your true will and make all of your actions subservient to the one great purpose. This again leads to conscious living.

If ethics are codes of personal and community conduct, then etiquette is a code of social conduct. Etiquette is defined as --the practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority; forms of conduct prescribed by polite society; code of correct conduct; also decorum denotes conformity with established standards of manners or behavior; the forms required by good breeding, or prescribed by authority, to be observed in social or official life; observance of the proprieties of rank and occasion; conventional decorum; ceremonial code of polite society; rules governing acceptable behavior.

Just like Emily Post and polite society, we in the Pagan community have behavior that is expected from us in how we interact with that community. In my opinion, etiquette is something sorely lacking in many Pagans. They are not taught certain things about how we interact with each other. This could be because maybe you didn't have a teacher, or your teacher didn't know them either. Or it could be because you or those who taught you just didn't care, it wasn't important to them. But I feel that etiquette is VERY important. It keeps us civilized, it aids us in how we interact and it shows the outside world that we know how to act.

Beyond the mundane world and it's social etiquette, lets take a look at some things that are common among Pagan paths, especially the Wiccan path.

1. You should never touch someone else's magickal tools and items without their express permission. If you see something you like and want to touch, then ASK. Don't just hold out your hand for it, or just pick it up. A person leaves an imprint of their energy on what they touch, and they may not want someone else's energy on their magickal items. This includes athames all the way to stones and jewelery. And do not take offense if you ask and are told no.
2. The way you live reflects on our whole community. You should always respect others, no matter their path. Inside your own religion thee is a certain higher respect given each other, as Children of the Goddess. This comes from a basic understanding of the hardships of the path, and the process we all go through in some way to evolve. It can be equated to any secret society and it's initiation process and path of self-discovery. This path is not for everyone, and if you take it seriously, will change your life in ways you could never imagine. Any path that causes growth can be difficult. And we link with others that are going through the same thing we are and take strength from and learn from them.
3. We endeavor to hold ourselves to a high standard of living our spiritual lives that the mundane world does not. Therefor we support each other, lending a hand when the pitfalls of the world come about.
4. When someone gives of themselves to teach or guide, we recognize that person's giving, and respect it. Not all of us are called to teach, and those who are offer a valuable service that should not be taken for granted.
5. When you are called to teach or guide, you have been given a very serious part to play in your community. You should never abuse it in any way. It also does not mean that you may use it as a way to gain power over, or look down upon any other person. We are all where we should be onour path, and it does not mean a thing that you have 10 or 20 years of service and someone else has 1. We are all equal in the eyes of the Gods. And if you are a teacher, you are held to an even higher state of conduct. You must never involve yourself in anything that could cause harm to your students or to the Craft. You should never do anything that would bring a bad light on us. For instance, you should never become romantically involved with one of your students. You should not condone the use of illegal drugs, or alcohol if the person is not of age. You should not use your position to control your students, or make them dependent on you. The goal is to aid a person on this path. You supply the seed as a teacher. You cannot take them by the hand and learn from them, or be easy on them when you should be honest.
6. In that same light, those who would be considered an elder in our faith are given a large amount of respect. The wisdom that is gained from following this path for 10, 20 or 30 years is an asset to our community, and we should respect the Elders of the community for what they have learned and what they teach us.
7. Due to the advent of the internet, there is a phenomenon growing among new seekers that is very disturbing. It involves not understanding the hard work it takes to learn the Old Ways, or the dedication and self sacrifice those who follow, and especially those who teach and guide give to the path. From this lack of understanding, new seekers think they can go to any page on the net, learn what they can and be done with it. It also leads them to think that they can ask for what they want, and someone will just hand it over. For example, I have been asked to send someone a copy of my BOS. This shows me that the person requesting this has no idea of what a BOS is, what it stands for and the process that is gone through to acquire it. This is flat out rude to begin with. This person is wanting their religion hand fed to them. They want to skip the hard work, the dedication, the pitfalls and the trials, and get right to the reward. This is simply not how it's done. This person wants the secrets and mysteries handed to them on a silver platter, without having to leave the comfort of the computer chair and work for them. This isn't possible. And I am here to say STOP. Be mindful of what you are asking. You can't go to the net, read a page or two, then go ask someone for their BOS, or even ask them to teach you. There must be effort on your part. You are not an adept after reading a page, or a book, or even ten books. The mysteries cannot be handed to you on a silver platter and you are a master of the universe. This is what I call lazy Wicca, and through lazy Wicca you will never come to experience the mysteries, because they come through dedication, hard work and a personal dedication to the Gods.
8. Those who are out of the closet must NEVER give away the secrets of their brothers and sisters. You should never give any personal information. You should never tell the secrets of a coven, who it's leaders are, who the members are or any other information. We must honor our vows and protect those who for whatever reason have chosen to remain hidden from the eyes of the world.
9. For those who are out of the closet, your life and your actions must be above reproach in the eyes of the world. As an open pagan, you may be the only one that a non pagan every sees. They will see every Pagan in you. So in all things you must be truthful. You must live with dignity and honor.

In our discussion of ethics and etiquette the point I was trying to impress upon you is this. We have become a society who thinks that we may do as we please, act as we please and there are no consequences.

When I meet a fellow priestess, I treat her with respect as a person, and doubly so as a priestess, since I know how hard that path can be, to have dedicated your life and your service to the Gods and the Old Ways. If I meet someone who has been walking the path for 20 or 30 years, I respect that person because of the knowledge they have obtained in that time. That is not to say my 10 years is less, or they are 'more spiritual' than me. It is saying that this path is not an easy one all the time, and to have lived it every day for that amount of time is deserving of respect.

I was taught as a child to respect my elders, and I believe that is still a valid lesson. The elders of this path can teach us things that we have never even thought of. At the same time, as an elder, you should always remember what it was like to take your first stumbling steps on this path, and how you may have longed for some guidance. It is just as wrong to be an elder, and act as if you know everything, or someone who is only 20 or whatever age could never be a spiritual person. We all must remember our ethics and etiquette, and encourage each other every day.

We have forgotten to practice our personal ethics, and have thrown etiquette out the window. We have forgotten Emily Post and Miss Manners, and have went on about our merry little way to fight like cats and dogs, without even offering basic human respect for those with diverging views, and this troubles me. It is a plague that is infecting our community. The Witch Wars continue. We struggle to make our way the right way, even if we don't realize we are doing this. We forget the very basic teaching that we are all connected, and that all paths are valid, as long as they fulfill our spiritual needs.

Let us remember our ethics.
Let us live our lives with honor, treating all of life with respect.
Follow your own path, without interference into another's.
Work hard, study hard and receive the blessings of a life well lived.