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In the 1980′s it was fashionable to be interested in the New Age. This is now a dreadful faux pas within the alternative scene, and in order to be accepted in the 1990′s metaphysical social set, one must have an interest in Witchcraft or Paganism. Of course, you don’t have to actually belong to a coven in order to be thought of as a Witch, you can bluff your way into being accepted as a fully fledged Witch simply by knowing a few terms and dressing accordingly. This brings us to…

Rule # 1: Image is Everything. After all, what’s the good of being a Witch if nobody knows you are one? You must therefore wear black at all times. If possible, stay out of the sun until you become really pale, as this makes the effect even better. For women (and adventurous males) dark eyeliner and black nail polish can enhance this look. Also wear crystals and cheap occult paraphernalia at all times, and make sure that these are as gaudy and bizarre as possible, as this can only help your image. Wearing a pentacle around your neck is an absolutely necessary accessory – the bigger the better! Capes and cloaks are optional around town – it depends on how much of a visual impact you want to make, but either of these are also crucial apparel at any ritual or gathering that you may attend.

Rule # 2: Name Dropping is Good. Every serious student of The Craft (and I’m talking here about the term for Witchcraft, not macrame) knows the name Gerald Gardner. This man revitalised Witchcraft in the mid 1900′s with his book about the true history of The Old Religion (some have called this book pure fiction, but only those picky few who like books to be based on facts). Real Witches however, never let historical accuracy get in the way of their spiritual path, so in conversations with other witches, quote his name as often as possible (in tones of awe) and you will always be rewarded with smiles of acceptance.

Rule # 3: Past Life Name Dropping is Even Better. Tell everyone about the past life memories that have been surfacing since you began studying the Black Arts. It is especially useful to remember a past lifetime as a Witch who was killed during the Inquisition, or at least recall a lifetime as a famous occultist. My past lives have included Aleister Crowley, Cagliostro, Mandrake the Magician, and most of the cast of “Bewitched”.

Rule # 4: Behave Strangely. Never forget why it was that you wanted to become a Witch – yes, so that you have an excuse for strange behaviour. Previously labelled eccentric behaviour patterns can now be accepted by others if they have a reason to explain it, even if that reason for howling at full moons while naked is simply, “He/she is a Witch, that’s normal for them evidently.” So, don’t let your friends down, behave strangely, you can get away with it now.

Rule # 5: Watch Occult Movies. Make sure that you watch the movie “Warlock” lots of times to perfect those soft landings after over-indulging with the flying ointments (read as mead and weed).

Rule # 6: Ready Yourself for Sex, Money and Power. Wasn’t this the other reason you were drawn to Witchcraft? In the past, adepts of the occult were known to possess charismatic, lusty and powerful personas – when people find out that you are a Witch, they may automatically assume (and therefore empower you) with these same qualities. This may sound pretty good, but unfortunately in today’s world, another group of people have become even more established within the realms of kinky sex sessions and unlimited power – yes, the politicians! Beware of this elitist group of power-brokers… they don’t want any competition to their manipulative monopoly over the gullible public – hence the laws against Witchcraft and divination that have remained unchanged for centuries. So, if calling yourself a High Priest doesn’t lead you to unlimited sex, money and power – or if it does, but you then find yourself as the target of political and legal harassment – you may have to put aside your cloak and broomstick and pick up a pin-stripe suit and a back-bench in Parliament. If you can’t beat them, try bribery, then if that doesn’t work… join them!

Rule # 7: Atmosphere is Essential. Your home must reflect your Witchy nature. Incense must burn continuously. It’s important that visitors see clouds of incense smoke billowing from a spluttering censer in the corner of your dim, dank and dusty home, so dismantle the smoke detectors and start collecting strange little bottles of exotic looking ingredients (use your imagination and label them with names like powdered bat’s eyes, or dried dragon’s gonads). And if you don’t like housework, you can explain that the layer of dust that covers your floors and furniture helps to neutralise the highly charged psychic energy that results from your magical spells, thereby protecting your home and possessions from electromagnetic disintegration.

Rule # 8: Be Patronising to Christians. In social discussions don’t forget to make plenty of derogatory remarks about fundamentalist Christians, but remember to save your most biting comments for other Witches that you don’t get along with.

Rule # 9: Brag About Your Psychic Powers. Any self-respecting Witch will tell you that after their initiation to Witchcraft, their psychic powers awakened and their tarot cards (which they always carry with them) are now much easier to read (they now get something right once in a while). They will also tell you that they can now sense energy fields (in other words, they don’t bump into things as often as they used to). Follow this example and brag about the rapid development of your psychic abilities since your initiation. If asked about your initiation ceremony, simply state that you were sworn to secrecy about it, then quickly change the subject by mentioning your newly awakened ability to detect Ley-lines, but try to remember that a Ley-line is not a queue for the after-ritual orgy!

Now you know how to pass yourself off as a real Witch, so place that broomstick in a conspicuous corner (one that is not clouded by too much incense smoke); pull on those black clothes; give everyone that you meet a sinister look – and your social status will improve overnight. If you do all of this successfully, you may even find yourself with enough adoring acolytes so that you can start your own coven! Good luck and Blessed Be!

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Originally posted 2011-04-08 08:39:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Yule is named for the little-known Celtic goddess Yulie, who is in charge of gifts, alcohol, fertility, and cold nights. As a Celtic goddess, of course her worshippers were peaceful Wiccans, accepting of everyone including homosexuals. Also, since the Celts created the religion that was utilized the world over, she corresponds to the Roman Yulinius, the Greek Yulinex, and the Norse Yulo, as well as the Native American Yu.

The origin of the holiday Yule dates back to prehistoric times. Yulie and the other gods and goddesses would visit the earth once per year in their spacecraft on the Winter Solstice, and a large log would be set ablaze to guide the spacecraft to the villages. This is the origin of the traditional Yule log. Often the pumpkins left over from Samhain would be dried enough by this time to be used as kindling for the Yule log. The villagers would stand around the Yule log chanting “An it harm none, do what you will,” until the spacecraft arrived. The spacecraft had spiny landing gear with small round globes on them, and the plant mistletoe, representing the landing gear, would be hung up as a symbol of the wishes of the faithful that Yulie would visit them with gifts. Often trees would be knocked down by the landing of the space ship. It was considered very beneficial to take one of these trees, decorate it and place it around your home to demonstrate your love of Yulie (obviously, as these were a very environmentally-conscious people, they would never dream of cutting down trees. That would be as bad as eating meat!).

The visits were time of even more love and peace than usual, as the gods and goddesses would exchange gifts with the mortals, using a complex system that was the basis for the modern “Chinese auction.” Songs would be sung such as “Away in a Spacecraft,” (later to become “Away in a Manger,” as we will see), the “12 Days of Yulie,” and the “Little Drummer Boy” (who originally banged out counterpoint to the chanting of “An it harm none, do what you will.”)

Once she had landed, Yulie would take the role of high priestess in the Winter Solstice rituals. The actual ritual has been passed down from generation to generation, and is now available in any Llewellyn book, with the appropriate cultural alterations.

Yulie one year became enamored of a mortal, and gave birth to Yesus, a story which greatly affected a group of Jews. Unfortunately, the story became garbled over time, and the spaceship became a beacon star which marked the place of Yesus’s birth. Great wise ancient tolerant pagans who practiced Wicca hastened to the site, with gifts for the baby Yesus.

Unfortunately, as Christianity became more and more confused about Yesus’s nature, they turned on the peaceful Yulie worshippers, and forced them to worship their own mean version of Yesus. Yulie was demoted to a minor supporting character, supposedly simply being a virgin, sometimes depicted on a donkey. The ancient Wiccans (being a peace-loving people who accepted everyone) had no way to fight back, and either became Christians or went underground, keeping their secrets until Gerald Gardner arrived on the scene. Yulie’s role as a bringer of gifts was transferred to a older fat man with a beard, because of the patriarchal nature of the new religion, and the spacecraft was called a sleigh, which, although it still flew, had no life support systems to maintain life in space.

by Mike Devlin

Originally posted 2010-11-15 12:16:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

or 13 Reasons Air Should Be In The North
by Mike Nichols
fondly dedicated to Kathy Whitworth

INTRODUCTION

It all started 20 years ago. I was 16 years old then, and a recent initiate to the religion of Wicca. Like most neophytes, I was eager to begin work on my Book of Shadows, the traditional manuscript liturgical book kept by most practicing Witches. I copied down rituals, spells, recipes, poems, and tables of correspondences from every source I could lay hands on. Those generally fell into two broad categories: published works, such as the many books available on Witchcraft and magic; and unpublished works, mainly other Witches’ Books of Shadows.

Twenty years ago, most of us were ‘traditional’ enough to copy everything by hand. (Today, photocopying and even computer modem transfers are becoming de rigueur.) Always, we were admonished to copy ‘every dot and comma’, making an exact transcription of the original, since any variation in the ceremony might cause major problems for the magician. Seldom, if ever, did anyone pause to consider where these rituals came from in the first place, or who composed them. Most of us, alas, did not know and did not care. It was enough just to follow the rubrics and do the rituals as prescribed.

But something brought me to an abrupt halt in my copying frenzy. I had dutifully copied rituals from different sources, and suddenly realized they contained conflicting elements. I found myself comparing the two versions, wondering which one was ‘right’, ‘correct’, ‘authentic’, ‘original’, ‘older’, etc. This gave rise to the more general questions about where a ritual came from in the first place. Who created it? Was it created by one person or many? Was it ever altered in transmission? If so, was it by accident or intent? Do we know? Is there ever any way to find out? How did a particular ritual get into a Coven’s Book of Shadows? From another, older, Book of Shadows? Or from a published source? If so, where did the author of the published work get it?

I had barely scratched the surface, and yet I could already see that the questions being raised were very complex. (Now, all these years later, I am more convinced than ever of the daunting complexity of Neo-Pagan liturgical history. And I am equally convinced of the great importance of this topic for a thorough understanding of modern Witchcraft. It may well be a mare’s nest, but imagine the value it will have to future Craft historians. And you are unconditionally guaranteed to see me fly into a passionate tirade whenever I’m confronted with such banal over-simplifications as ‘Crowley is the REAL author of the Third Degree initiation,’ or ‘Everyone KNOWS Gardner INVENTED modern Witchcraft.’)

CONFLICTING TRADITIONS

The first time I noticed conflicting ritual elements was when I was invited as a guest to attend another Coven’s esbat celebration. When the time came to ‘invoke the Watchtowers’ (a ritual salutation to the four directions), I was amazed to learn that this group associated the element of Earth with the North. My own Coven equated North with Air. How odd, I thought. Where’d they get that? The High Priestess told me it had been copied out of a number of published sources. Further, she said she had never seen it listed any other way. I raced home and began tearing books from my own library shelves. And sure enough! Practically every book I consulted gave the following associations as standard: North = Earth, East = Air, South = Fire, West = Water.

Then where the heck did I get the idea that Air belonged in the North? After much thought, I remembered having copied my own elemental/directional associations from another Witch’s Book of Shadows, her Book representing (so she claimed) an old Welsh tradition. Perhaps I’d copied it down wrong? A quick long-distance phone call put my mind at ease on that score. (When I asked her where she’d gotten it, she said she THOUGHT it was from an even older Book of Shadows, but she wasn’t certain.)

By now, I felt miffed that my own tradition seemed to be at variance with most published sources. Still, my own rituals didn’t seem to be adversely affected. Nor were those of my fellow Coven members, all of whom put Air in the North. Further, over the years I had amassed lots of associations and correspondences that seemed to REQUIRE Air to be in the North. The very thought of Air in the East offended both my sense of reason and my gut-level mythic sensibilities. There are good REASONS to place Air in the North. And the whole mythological superstructure would collapse if Air were in the East, instead. If this is so, then why do most published sources place Earth in the North and Air in the East?

RITUAL TAMPERING

Suddenly, I felt sure I knew the reason! Somewhere along the line, someone had deliberately tampered with the information! Such tampering is a long and venerable practice within certain branches of magic. In Western culture, it is most typically seen among Hermetic, Cabalistic and ‘ceremonial’ magic lodges. It is common among such groups that, when publishing their rituals for public consumption, they will publish versions that are INCOMPLETE and/or deliberately ALTERED in some way from the authentic practice. This prevents someone who is NOT a member of the group from simply buying a book, and performing the rituals, without benefit of formal training. It is only when you are initiated into the lodge that you will be given the COMPLETE and/or CORRECTED versions of their rituals. This is how such groups guard their secrets. (And it is a telling postscript that many scholars now believe modern Witchcraft to have ‘borrowed’ its directional/elemental correspondences from ceremonial magic sources! What a laugh if this was Crowley’s last best joke on his friend Gerald Gardner!)

I remember the first time I became aware of such deliberate ritual tampering. A friend of mine had been making a study of the so-called ‘planetary squares’, talismans that look like magic squares consisting of a grid of numbers in some cryptic order. There are seven such squares — one for each of the ‘old’ planets. While making this study, he began colouring the grids (more for his own pleasure than anything else), making colourful mini-mosaics, using first two colours, then three, then four, and on up to the total number of squares in the grid. Six of the planetary squares yielded pleasing patterns of colour. Then there was the Sun Square! Against all expectation, the colours were a random jumble, with no patterns emerging. Thus, he began his quest for the CORRECTED Sun square. And I became convinced of the reality of ritual tampering.

THE WATCHTOWERS

All that remains, then, is for me to assemble all the arguments in favour of the Air-in-the-North model, which I have now come to believe is the CORRECTED system of correspondences. The remainder of this article will be devoted to those arguments, each with its own name and number:

1. AIRTS: This is perhaps the strongest argument. In Celtic countries, the four elemental/directional associations are referred to as the ‘four airts’. And it is a known fact that this tradition associates Air with North. While it is true that some writers, familiar with ceremonial magic (like William Sharp and Doreen Valiente), have given ‘tampered’ versions of the airts, it is a telling point that folklorists working directly with native oral traditions (like Alexander Carmichael and F. Marion McNeil) invariably report the Air/North connection.

2. PARALLEL CULTURES: Although arguing from parallel cultures may not be as convincing, it is still instructive to examine other magical aboriginal cultures in the Western hemisphere. For example, the vast majority of Native American tribes (themselves no slouches in the area of magic!) place Air in the North, which they symbolize by the Eagle. (Aboriginal cultures lying south of the equator typically have different associations, for reasons I will discuss next.)

3. GEOPHYSICAL: If one accepts the insular British origins of elemental directions, then one must imagine living in the British Isles. To the West is the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean (i.e. water). To the East, the bulk of the European land mass (earth). South has always been the direction of fire because, as one travels south (toward the equator), it gets warmer. Which leaves North as the region of air, home of the icy winds of winter. (These last two associations would be reversed for cultures in the southern hemisphere, for whom north is the direction of the warm equatorial region, and south is the land of ice.)

4. HYPERBORIAN: In fact, an ancient name for the British Isles was ‘Hyperboria’, which literally means ‘behind the north wind’, thus associating north and wind (air) once more. The inhabitants were themselves called ‘Hyperborians’, and the phrase ‘at the back of the north wind’ (the title of one of George MacDonald’s faery romances) is still current. Of all the winds of the compass, it is unquestionably the north wind (Boreas), bringer of winter, which is perceived as the strongest and most influential (cf. Robert Grave’s goddess fantasy ‘Watch the North Wind Rise’). You don’t hear too much about the other three cardinal winds.

5. SEASONAL: Many occultists associate the four seasons with the four cardinal points, as well. Hence, winter = north, spring = east, summer = south, and autumn = west. (To be precise, it is the solstice and equinox points which align with the cardinal points.) Again, in most folklore, winter is associated with air and wind, as the icy blasts that usher in the season. In spring, it is the earth which arrests our attention, with its sudden riot of blooms and greenery. Again, south relates to summer, the hottest season (fire), and west relates to autumn.

6. DIURNAL: Occultists also often associate the cardinal points of a single day to the four compass points. Thus, midnight = north, sunrise = east, noon = south, and sunset = west. (Please note that we are talking about TRUE midnight and TRUE noon here, the points halfway between sunset and sunrise, and between sunrise and sunset, respectively.) These associate nicely with the seasonal attributes just discussed. It is easy to see why sunrise should equate to east, and sunset to west. And, once again, from the prespective of the British Isles, the sun rises over land (earth) and sets over the ocean (water). South is related to noon because it is the moment of greatest heat (fire). Leaving the ‘invisible’ element of air to be associated with the sun’s invisibility, at midnight.

7. MYTHOLOGICAL: In Celtic mythology, north is invariably associated with air. The pre-Christian Irish gods and goddesses, the Tuatha De Danann, were ‘airy’ faeries (later versions came equiped with wings, relating them to sylphs). The Book of Conquests states their original home was in the north, ‘at the back of the north wind’. And when they came to Ireland, they came in ships, THROUGH THE UPPER AIR (!), settling on the mountain tops. (It has always struck me as odd that some modern writers see mountains as a symbol of earth. The crucial symbolism of the mountain is its height, rising into the air, touching the sky. Virtually all Eastern traditions associate mountains, favorite abodes of gurus, with air. A CAVE would be a better symbol of earth than a mountain.) In Welsh mythology, too, Math the Ancient, chief god of Gwynedd (or NORTH Wales), is specifically associated with wind, which can carry people’s thoughts to him.

8. YIN/YANG: Many occultists believe that the four elements have yin/yang connections. Both air and fire are seen as masculine, while earth and water are seen as feminine. If air is associated with the north point of the magic circle, and earth is east, then one achieves a yin/yang alternation as one circumnambulates the circle. As one passes the cardinal points of east, south, west, and north, one passes feminine, masculine, feminine, masculine energies. This alternating flux of plus/minus, push/pull, masculine/feminine, is the very pulse of the universe, considered of great importance by most occultists. That it was equally important to our ancestors is evidenced by standing stones in the British Isles. At sites like the Kennet Avenue of Braga, the tall, slender, masculine, phallic stones alternate precisely with the shorter, diamond-shaped yoni stones.

9. GENERATOR: This argument flows out of the previous one. Practicing magicians often think of the magic circle as a kind of psychic generator. Witches in particular like to perform circle dances to ‘raise the cone of power’. Hand in hand, and alternating man and woman, they dance clockwise (deosil) around the circle, moving faster and faster until the power is released. This model has an uncanny resemblance to an electrical generator, as man and woman alternately pass each of the four ‘poles’ of the magic circle. These poles themselves MUST alternate between plus and minus if power is to be raised. This means that if the masculine fire is in the south, then the masculine air MUST be in the north. If the feminine water is in the west, then the feminine earth MUST be in the east. If any adjacent pair were switched, the generator would stop dead.

10. MASCULINE/FEMININE AXIS: When you look at a typical map, north (the cardinal direction) is at the top. Any north-south road is a vertical line, and any east-west road is a horizonatal line. Likewise, a ‘map’ of a magic circle makes the vertical north-south axis masculine (with air and fire), while the horizontal east-west axis is feminine (earth and water). This makes logical sense. When we look at the horizon of the earth, we see a horizontal line. Water also seeks a horizontal plane. Feminine elements, considered ‘passive’, have a natural tendency to ‘lay down’. Fire, on the other hand, alway assumes an erect or vertical position. Air, too, can rise upward, as earth and water cannot. Masculine elements, being ‘active’, have a natural tendency to ‘stand up’.

11. ALTAR TOOLS: In modern Witchcraft, there are four principal altar tools, the same four tools shown on the Tarot card, the Magician. They also correspond to the four Tarot suits, the four ancient treasures of Ireland, and the four ‘hallows’ of Arthurian legend. And, like the four elements, two of them are feminine and two of them are masculine. The pentacle is a shallow dish inscribed with a pentagram, representing earth, and is here placed in the east. The womb-shaped chalice, symbolizing water, is placed in the west. They form the horizontal feminine axis. The phallic-shaped wand, representing fire, is placed in the south. And the equally drugs online without prescription phallic-shaped athame is placed in the north. They form the vertical masculine axis. (The gender associations of cup and blade are especially emphasized in the ritual blessing of wine.)

12. AXIS SYMBOLISM: In nearly every culture, the vertical line is a symbol of yang, or masculine energy. The horizontal line is yin, feminine energy. When the vertical masculine line penetrates the horizontal feminine line, forming the ancient Pagan symbol of the equal-armed cross, it becomes a symbol of life, and life-force. Place a circle around it or on it, and you have a circle-cross or ‘Celtic’ cross, symbol of everlasting life. (Please note the importance of the EQUAL-armed cross. If one arm is longer or shorter, then the four elements are out of balance. The Christian or ‘Roman’ cross, for example, has an extended southern arm. And many historians have commented on Christianity’s excess of ‘fire’ or zeal. Some versions actually show a shortened northern arm, indicating a dearth of ‘air’ or intellectual qualities.)

13. ASTROLOGICAL: The astrological year is divided into four equal quadrants, each beginning at a solstice or equinox. And each quandrant is governed by one of the four elements. Which element can be discovered by examining the exact MID-POINT of the quadrant. For example, the first quadrant, beginning at the winter solstice (north) is governed by air, which rules 15 degrees Aquarius, sybolized by the Man or Spirit. The second quadrant, beginning at the spring equinox (east) is governed by earth, which rules 15 degrees Taurus, the Bull. The third quadrant, beginning at the summer solstice (south) is governed by fire, which rules 15 degrees Leo, the Lion. And the fourth quadrant, beginning at the fall equinox (west) is governed by water, which rules 15 degrees Scorpio, here symbolized by the Eagle. Thus, north, east, south and west correspond to air, earth, fire, and water, and to man, bull, lion, and eagle, respectively. If the last four symbols seem familiar, it is because they represent the four elemental power points of the astrological year, and their symbols appear in the four corners of the Tarot cards, the World and the Wheel of Fortune. (The same figures were later adopted by Christians as symbols of the four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.)

If those are the arguments in favour of Air-in-the-North, where are the counter-arguments in favour of Earth-in-the-North? Surprisingly, I’ve heard very few. The most common by far is ‘But we’ve always done it this way.’ Not too convincing. However, no matter HOW persuasive my arguments may be, many have countered that magic doesn’t lend itself to rational arguments. It’s what FEELS right that counts. True. And there’s no denying that many practitioners do just fine with earth in the north. Granted. Still, if they’ve never tried it the other way, how would they really know?

My challenge to my fellow practitioners then is this: give Air-in-the-North a shot. Just try it on for size. See what it feels like. And not for just a single ritual. It’ll take several tries just to overcome your habitual ritual mindset. And nothing is as habitual as ritual! So in order to give this a fair shake, you’ll have to do a whole series of rituals with air in the north. And go into it with an open mind. Like all magic, if you decide ahead of time it won’t work, it won’t. Then, once you’ve tried it, compare it to your old method. Ask yourself what’s different, if it worked any better, and why or why not. And let me know. I’d enjoy hearing about your experiences.

Document Copyright © 1986, 2002 by Mike Nichols

This document can be re-published only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others.

Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by Mike Nichols.

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Originally posted 2011-02-14 03:38:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Occult community is becoming increasingly divided over a controversial development in modern magick – Astral Advertisements. In their recent Yuletide broadcast to all Witch Queens, Magi, & Gurus, the Secret Chiefs departed from their usual message of world peace and harmony to urge the heads of all magical Orders to make voluntary cutbacks in the level of astral advertising. One of our reporters interviewed a recent ‘victim’ of astral junk mail; The High Priestess of the New Reformed Orthodox High Church of Wicca (Wymeswold Branch), Marjorie Pebble.

“It’s awful. Why only last week we invoked the Goddess, and instead of getting the advice I wanted to heal our Sharon’s bad knee, all I got was a repeating message to subscribe to ‘Occult News Monthly’ or something. It’s getting so bad that every time I meditate I get all these jingles running through my head selling Aeon-share holidays or ozone-friendly Demon-repellant.”

Last month, a public meeting of occultists at Conway Hall was thrown into chaos when, following a Pathworking, several members of the audience complained about seeing 359 formation-dancing Angels advertising the new Qabalistic treatise by ‘Z’em Bang Hafesh Wang’. Visitors to Glastonbury have also reported feeling a strange ‘empty’ sensation when climbing the Tor, which can only be assuaged by visiting Russell Wobble’s Astral Health food and Orgone-free Wine Bar. The problem appears to become particularly bad during the festivals, full moons, and in the run-up to Yuletide.

But some occultists, notably those in the business sector, are fully behind astral advertising. We spoke to Angel Moonflower of the ‘Have A Nice Day’ New Age Centre, Stow-on-the Wold:

“Well, I prefer to think that it gives consumerism a spiritual dimension. All our crystals have been charged with the messages “buy me” and “buy one more”. But really, you know you can never have too many crystals. I think that little blue one in the corner likes you…”

After a long and arduous ritual (including intermission & commercial breaks) we managed to find the inner-plane adepts masterminding astral advertising in the UK, the shadowy A… A…, Inc. They were out to lunch, but we left a message with the Guardian of the Threshold. Later, in a channelled interview through their solicitors, Shem, Ham & Phorash, the A… A… said:

“This is only the beginning. We can train a good neophyte in six months to project an image & soundtrack, and thanks to the Butterfly Effect it’ll stay coherent on the astral for months. Of course, whenever someone picks receives the advert, their contact feeds more energy into the thought-form. Our first takers were a consortium of Chaoists doing a special offer ‘try our Chaosphere on the astral for 90 days before you buy’. Then the OTTO hired us to project an advert of Crowley endorsing one of his own books. Anyone doing the Gnostic Mass for the next few months should be able to pick it up. That’s the beauty of it – not only is it cheap, but you can target your audiences. And it’s not only occultists who are taking advantage of our services. A major soup company has offered us a substantial amount to market ‘Olive online pharmacy prescription drugs Twitch’s Instant Cook-in-a-Cauldron Noodles’, using a dopple-ganger of Gerald Gardner and the New Forest Coven. In the next few months we’re to begin beaming out a series of coffee ads starring several members of the Greek Pantheon. It’s amazing what some of those old deities will do for a bit of media attention. We’re particularly pleased with the one featuring Zeus, 2 Nymphs, several goats and a jar of Nescafe Gold Blend.”

“But” we said, “Isn’t this getting a bit out of hand?”

“Not at all. The occult needs to move with the times, and we’re using 1% of our income to help general spiritual enlightenment with sponsored pathworkings for minor demi-gods; posting ‘Keep the Planes Tidy’ notices at all major portals, and computerising the Akashic Records.”

But some traditionalists are not convinced. Hercules Wobble of the Order of the Nine Blades; head of the Surbiton Branch of the ‘Clean Up the Astral’ campaign told us:

“It’s bloody disgraceful. Yesterday we performed a full evocation of Asmodeus and his 99 legions for a Channel 4 Astral Broadcast Unit, and all the little buggers turned up wearing ‘Norse Gods Comeback Tour’ T-Shirts!”

Despite the controversy, it looks as though Astral Advertising is here to stay. Since we complained on behalf of suffering readers, the A… A… have generously offered a simple astral ‘noise filter’ meditation. It costs a mere £500 and is available from Mammon Investments direct. Simply visualise the A… A… logo – a dollar sign inside a triangle, and, on hearing the astral bell, simply chant your name, address, and Karmacard number.

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Originally posted 2010-12-09 11:37:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

In Wicca the Goddess is the mother the female aspect of the divine and is referred to as the goddess in triple aspect. The aspect of the goddess are Maiden, Mother and the crone and these aspects are attributed to the aspects of the moon the maiden is the waxing moon, the full moon the Mother and the waning moon is the crone.

Although the truth to me is that there are four aspects of the goddess and the fourth being the new or dark moon this aspect of the goddess, which is the mystery of the goddess where she can appear in any form, Maiden, Mother or Crone. This aspect is also referred to as the Dark goddesses these are goddess in rage like Demeter when she lost Persephone or Goddess whose realm is death and rebirth.

In Wicca the Triple aspect Goddess is referred to as the Queen of Heaven and is seen as a complete goddess a huntress whose relationships with the horned god (her son and lover) are played out in the Wheel of the year.

Some not all Wiccan will use ancient names and call the lady by name this is basically because the deity they have chosen to “Call” the lady is an archetype that embodies the values that they stand for. When this is done groups move from pure Wicca and in to a developing off shoot.

Although I was trained many years ago as Wiccan the Triple goddess imagery has changed for me her aspects have changed but she still remains the female force of the divine. I look back over many books of shadows and try to find the true Wiccan Idealist view of the goddess. But even in my notes and meditations the Lady was forming into a personal archetype.

The Triple Goddess is the archetypal Woman and her Mysteries the Maiden an Innocent young Girl filed with potential The Mother filled with child and the Procter and the crone baron but filled with knowledge.

The Triple Goddess is both a protector and a devourer she can be cruel and kind she is all women and all Goddess, as is old or young depending on here aspect she is considered to be a moon Goddess, All moon goddesses.

The origins of the Triple Goddess can be found in the writings of historian [wikipedia]Robert Graves [/wikipedia], Graves states that his Triple Goddess is the Great Goddess “in her poetic or incantatory character”, and that she has an incestuous relationship with her son, who is the God of the waxing and waning year, an idea that was to become central to initiatory Wicca.

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Originally posted 2010-07-04 14:26:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Skyclad is a term in Wicca and Paganism/Neo-paganism used to describe being naked during rituals and rites. Although nudity in rituals is rare it is mentioned a lot in Wicca basically due to Gerald Gardner and a passage from Aradia, “the Gospel of the Witches” by Charles Godfrey Leland’s book.

The passage states:-
“And as the sign that ye are truly free,
Ye shall be naked in your rites, both men
And women also: this shall last until

The last of your oppressors shall be dead;”

Being Skyclad is a matter of choice and can be off putting to seekers of a pagan life. Although Skyclad rituals are rare it is a big topic in the pagan community and many books on the subject will have mention of being Skyclad so what does it mean to be Skyclad? The true idea is that a person should be totally naked, although many groups that work Skyclad will often be Skyclad under robes helping to keep the purity of the idea of being naked and keeping the dignity of the person intact.

The major problems of working Skyclad are a persons own body image issues, which can causes a person not to put their full consciousness into the ritual. The other major issue is location finding a place where you will not be seen or disturbed.

Working Skyclad is a matter of choice and when looking for a coven or group you should check to see if they work Skyclad, if you do not want to work Skyclad ask the Pagan federation if they can put you in touch with a group that does not work Skyclad.

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Originally posted 2010-10-28 21:35:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Handfasting was a traditional marriage agreement, which was the popular form of binding two people together based on marriages formed by mutual consent and subsequent sexual intercourse. This marriage arrangement fell out of fashion after the council of Trent decreed that no marriage was valid unless a priest was present.

The term handfasting comes from the Norse “hand-festa “to strike a bargain by joining hands” Or from German, “Hände fest halten” that is to hold hands firmly and fixedly.

The handfasting somewhere along the line became seen as a trial marriage it was A. E. Anton, in Handfasting in Scotland (1958), who finds that the first reference to such a “trial marriage” is by Thomas Pennant in his 1790 Tour in Scotland. This report had been taken at face value throughout the 19th century, and was perpetuated in Walter Scott’s 1820 novel The Monastery.

During the reclaiming of the old ways Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente — searched for a non-Christian term for their wedding ceremonies. The decided to use the Celtic Handfasting. The modern pagan handfasting is seen as a more practical solution to the “Marriage agreement”.

The handfasting is a contact where two people are bound in love, which usually held in, secrete amongst coven members. Although nowadays the handfasting is used to join same-sex couples, polyamorus families, transgender couples, etc.

The handfasting can in someway be treated as a semi permanent agreement one that can be renewed each year or be broken with a hand-parting ritual. The idea that love does not last eternally in a permanent state and changes over time makes the handfasting a popular as people can understand that their love may change and before things get to difficult a couple may hand part and retain their friendship and love but part ways and continue on the life’s journey un hampered.

This does not make handfasting a simple arrangement it just makes it a fair understanding of the union between two people and the changes may occur during their journey together.

No one should enter a handfasting with the idea that one day it will end so many priests and priestesses will take time to council the couple and insure they understand what they are getting into.

The handfasting ritual should be created by the priest and the priestess with a large amount of in put from the couple in many cases couple will write their own words.

The standard ritual should be preformed at the new moon although many traditions will have their soma online without prescription own timings for the handfasting ritual often coinciding with Sabbats like Yule and Imbolc.

The standard ritual requires the place of the handfasting to decked with flowers. The altar to be place in the eastern area and arrange with the usual items and a willow wand and two white candles. The incense should be floral usually apple, rose or cherry blossom.

The dress code is up to the couple but traditionally the bride would wear a veil or net and have an article of red or scarlet about their person. The couple would wrap small gift, which are place on the altar along with the ale and cakes. The wedding bands are given to the priest how will place them over the wand and return them to the altar.

This is the basic handfasting (amend them to your own personal requirements).

The priestess and priest light the candles and incense. And turn and face the assembled group. The priestess is on the right with priest next to her with the backs to altar.

The priest holds his right aloft and says;

May the place of this rite
be consecrated before the Gods.
For we gather here in a ritual of love
With two who would be wedded
___________ and _________come forward
And stand here before us
and before the gods of nature.

The two to be wedded come forward at this time, the man to the right of the woman, and stop before the priestess and the priest. The priestess says:

Be with us here, O beings of air.
With your clever fingers tie closely the bonds between these two.

Be with us here, O beings of Fire
give their love and passion your own all-consuming ardour.

Be with us here, O beings of water.
Give them the deepest of love and the richness of body, of soul, and of spirit.
Be with us here, beings of Earth.
Let your strength and constancy be theirs for so long as they desire to remain together.

Blessed goddess and laughing god give these before us , we do ask, Your love and protection.
Blessed Be!

All Say Blessed Be!

The priest picks up the wand and rings and holds one end of it before him in his right hand, the priestess likewise holds the other end with her left hand, the rings on the exposed wand between them. The priestess then says to the two before her:

Place your right hand over the wand, and your rings his hand over hers.

The priest then says:

Above you are the stars below are the stones. As time does pass remember…
Like a star should your love be constant.

Like the stone should your love be firm.

Be close, yet not too close.

Possess one another, yet be understanding.

Have patience each with the other.

For storms will come, but they will go quickly.

Be free in giving of affection and warmth.

Make love often, and be sensuous to one another.

Have no fear, and let not the ways or words of the unenlightened give you unease.

For the Goddess and the God are with you.

Now and always.

After a pause of 5 heartbeats the priestess says:

Is it your wish (brides name) to become one this man?

(The bride gives the answer)

Is it your wish (groom name) to become one this woman?

(The groom gives the answer)    

Do any say nay?

Then as the Goddess, the God, and the Old Ones are witness to this rite.

I now proclaim you husband and wife!

As kiss is shared and gifts are opened and once gifts are open the ritual is concluded.

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Originally posted 2011-01-25 10:32:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Wicca is an ancient nature religion that teaches respect for others as well as responsibility for one’s actions. Conway emphasizes that it is not associated with cults, devil worship, or animal sacrifice. Wiccans believe in the sanctity of all life and recognize a dual deity, both a goddess and a god.

Wicca was used originally to distinguish the initiatory tradition of Witchcraft practised as a religion, but American popular television series have adopted the word to include what would once have been called natural magic or white witchcraft. When people in Britain describe themselves as Wiccan though, they generally mean that they are practising a form of religious Witchcraft. Media images often show Wiccans as teenage women, but it is practised by adults of all ages.

Wicca, sometimes called “The Craft” or “The Craft of the Wise” is one of many earth-based religions. The religion which is closest to Wicca in America is probably Native American spirituality. Traditional Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner, a British civil servant, who wrote a series of books on the religion in the 1940′s. It contains references to Celtic deities, symbols, seasonal days of celebration, etc. Added to this were components of ceremonial magic and practices of the Masonic Order. A more recent form is eclectic Wicca which involves a combination of Wiccan beliefs and practices, combined with other Pagan and non-Pagan elements. The various traditions of Wicca are part of the Pagan or Neopagan group of earth-based religions.

What about Wicca spells? Not all Wiccans practice witchcraft (which they call “magick” to set themselves apart from illusionists and magicians). Magick is to Wicca what prayer is to Christianity. Wiccans claim that the practice of magick is simply using their minds to control matter, while Christians call upon God to heal people and to intervene and work in their lives. Because the Rede forbids harming others and the Three-fold Law sets forth consequences for those who do, Wiccans view themselves as “white witches” or “nature witches.”

One Wiccan might consider God to be self-aware, another may not. It all depends on the angle that an individual Wiccan takes in his or her theological construction of what best works. It is a religion of self design. In Wiccan theology, because god can show different characteristics in different ways to different people, Wiccans can have different and even contradictory conceptions of God. This is not a problem to them because they maintain that it is only the limited aspects of individual perceptions of god that appear contradictory.

In modern days magick is used not only in ritual ceremonies, but also on a daily bases during spiritual communication with the Goddess and God. It is used daily for healing purposes and perhaps more frequently for personal purposes like reducing negativity, protection and improving the self. It can also be used for many other purposes as determined by the individual while bearing in mind The three fold law.

It should be obvious that Wicca is a religion of personal preference. In other words, you are free to invent, devise, and develop a religion that suits your personal wants and interests. Furthermore, in Wicca you may attempt to manipulate your surroundings and other individuals through spells and incantations. This combination of developing a religion that suits your personal preferences and trying to influence others is very appealing to a lot of people.

While modern Wicca is certainly not an exact duplicate of the ancient mystery religions, it does draw on some of the same methods and ideas. Every myth, every symbol, every ritual act, holds multiple layers of meaning, many of which are not easily put into words. The successive initiations within most Wiccan traditions expose the initiates to gradually deeper understandings of the teachings and lore of the tradition, thus encouraging spiritual growth.

Wiccans and Pagans are ordinary everyday types of people and come from all walks of life, from all spectrums of society and from all over the world. Most are individuals seeking a personalized practical religion that can be adapted to suit their own needs and criteria. Wicca is a wonderfully diverse religion that meets those needs.

Wicca is also a fertility religion, placing emphasis on sex as a sacred practice. This is one reason why the vast majority of Wiccans aren’t brought into the religion until they are at least eighteen. However, there is nothing to stop younger people from exploring the religion until then and finding out if it really is for them.

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Wiccan Traditions

For some of us Wicca is a solitary religion, something that we have taught ourselves through groups, books or even the internet. Whether you grew up in a Wiccan family or were initiated the traditional way through a coven, it is important to understand all of the Wiccan traditions.

Gardenerian Wicca

Gerald Gardener’s traditional way honors Cernunnos as the lord and Aradia as the lady. This path of Wicca is formal with skyclad worship and degrees of initiation with the covens having no more than thirteen members in each. The covens are led by a high priestess with a high priest. Gardenerians are not too impressed by self initiation in other forms of Wicca because they believe that it takes a witch to make a witch.

Alexandrian Wicca

Founded in the 1960′s by Alex and Maxine Saunders, Alexandrian Wicca is a formal, structured, neo-Gardenerian tradition. Both Gardenerian and Alexandrian Wicca are regarded as Classical Wicca.

British Traditional Wicca

This type of Wicca is similar to Gardenerian Wicca, also formal and structured but mixes Celtic deities and spirituality as well.

Celtic Wicca

Celtic Wicca incorporates Celtic Gods and Goddesses with spirituality, green witchcraft and faery magic.

Dianic Wicca

This tradition is centered around the Goddess Diana that doesn’t include gods. Dianic Wicca is often thought of as a feminist, even lesbian path, although there are male Dianic Witches. This path does not require initiations.

Faery Wicca

This Irish tradition is similar to Celtic Wicca focusing on green witchcraft and faery magic.

Teutonic Wicca

Teutonic Wicca incorporates deities, symbolism and practices from the Nordic tradition including Germanic and Norse cultures.

Family Traditions

Generations of witches having their secret practices and traditions.

Oxymorphic Groups

Satanic Wiccans and Christian Wiccans ARE NOT Wiccan whether they mean well or not. It is a contradiction in terms

Although some witches believe that each individual must have been taught the craft by a living relative before being considered as a hereditary witch, however, I believe that being a witch can be inherited from a grandparent who may or not be living. The natural gift to witchcraft appears to skip a generation in many cases. There are countless reports of young witches receiving spirit messages from their ancestors showing guidance on the witches’ path or discovering information that points to an ancestor being a witch.

Paganism

Paganism covers many faiths, one being Wicca. Wiccans respect others in their beliefs and value the freedom of worship for everyone. Wiccans are polythesists who incorporate various Gods and Goddesses into their rituals. Most witches believe in reincarnation, hence the representation of the seasons, birth, death and rebirth. Some Wiccans believe we rest in Summerlands before being reincarnated. Summerlands is the place where we are reunited with our families and loved ones.

Wiccans do not believe in hell or the devil. Wiccans choose to refrain from negativity by being positive. We hold an individual responsible for their own evil actions.

Many witches honor the lord Horned God, the Lord of Animals, the sylvan lord of the greenwood. He is otherwise known as Pan, Herne or Cernunnos, a man with horns who is a great god of herds and fertility.

Some witches believe in angels, some faeries and some also believe in dragons. Each to their own.

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Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill – an’ it harm none, do what ye will.

Blessed Be

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Paganism is really an umbrella term, which covers many paths and traditions and often used in historical context, referring to Greco-Roman polytheism as well as the polytheistic traditions of Europe before Christianisation.

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