white witchcraft

pictures of witchcraft themes pics associated with the craft

2012-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

so here is a bit of a montage of pictures of a witchcraft theme, these are pics usually associated with the craft of wicca or witchcraft, this is a selection of images you might expect to find when researching witches and the items they use and the symbols they believe in or worship.

in this witches style image you can see the pentagram or five pointed star a favourite wicca symbol.

wiccan pentagram 5 pointed star

5 points of a pentagram witchcraft

witches magic wand with crystal tip

here the witch one with nature belief the goddess is in nature

the element of fire is used by witches

fairies and elementals in wicca

do witches celebrate christmas in 2011?

2011-11-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

here is a interesting one, do witches celebrate christmas 2011?, well we know pagans do celebrate christmas but what about witches in general?, will they be celebrating xmas 2011?.

pagans celebrate the seasons in similar ways that witches do and so around christmas time there is celebrations to do with the sun, and how the seasons have turned, at around christmas time there is celebration in how yule or winter solstice the longest night of the year, after that the return of the sun and summer is known to follow.

but i think anyway there is no problem in witches celebrating christmas as well as there more witchcraft style beliefs, some witches believe in christ and mary magdalene also and it being part of the mysteries.

the question might be best answered a lot of witches do celebrate christmas.

complete witchcraft wiccan herbology and herbs list for the witch

2011-02-15T04:51:00.000-08:00

Acacia, gum

(Acacia senegal): also called gum arabic. Dissolved in water to make a mucilage which is edible and soothes irritated mucous membranes, so is used in cases of coughs, sore throats and catarrh.

Alfalfa

(Medicago sativa): can be drunk as a tea to improve the appetite. Is supposed to aid in cure of peptic ulcers. Considered a diuretic - will rid the body of retained water.

Allspice

(Pimenta officinalis): the dried berry is supposed to have anaesthetic effects when used in baths. Allspice water is helpful in cases of flatulence.

Aloe vera

(Aloe vera): the juice from the fresh leaves is an ideal soother for sunburn and other minor burns, insect bites, and minor irritations. Also said to draw impurities from a wound and hence speed its healing. A tea made from the dried juice can be used as a wound wash.

Angelica

(Angelica archangelica): Drink the tea to stimulate the appetite, relieve flatulence, and as a diuretic to stimulate kidney action. Also a general tonic for weakness and nervous headache. The tea is supposed to bring on menstruation and dispel afterbirth. The powder of the root is useful to prevent infection when fasting (3/8 tsp at a time) and a tea or decoction of the root can be useful for stomach and intestinal problems, including ulcers and nervous vomiting. In large doses can have adverse effects on heart, blood pressure and respiration, so use with caution. Externally, a decoction of the root can be used for scabies or itching skin.
Elements of Sun and Fire. The root carried in a blue cloth bag is a protective talisman. Was considered to be under the guard of angels and therefore a good preventative charm against the plague. Put the whole root in a blue or white cloth bag and hang in the window as a protection against evil.

Anise

(Pimpinella anisum): Internally, relieves colic, stomach cramps, nausea and flatulence. Promotes digestion and improves the appetite. Is said to aid milk production in nursing mothers. Externally, makes a soothing eye compress. Can also be used for coughs. A few seeds in a glass of hot milk before bed is said to be beneficial for insomniacs and to promote sleep.
Elements of Jupiter and Air. Used for protection. A pillow stuffed with anise seeds is reputed to keep away nightmares.

Apple

(Pyrus malus): Elements of Venus and Water. Used in love spells for hundreds of years. Cider can be used in place of blood or wine where called for in ancient spells and rites. The wood is made into wands used for love spells and rituals. In Cornwall, a large apple was given to each member of the household to be eaten at Samhain (Halloween) for good luck.

Arnica

(Arnica montana): For external use only as it can be an internal irritant. A salve or very dilute tincture of arnica helps to promote healing of bruises and bumps. Tincture must be very dilute (1 or 2 tablespoons to a cup of water) as neat it can cause inflammation. Lotion can be made by heating equal quantities of arnica flowers and olive oil over a low heat for several hours, then straining through several layers fine cheesecloth.

Ash

(Fraxinus excelsior): Elements of Sun and Water. A protective tree used to make brooms and healing wands. Ash leaves beneath the pillow are reputed to induce psychic dreams. In England, is believed to be a dangerous tree to shelter under during storms, as it draws lightning. The winged seeds of the ash, ash-keys, can be carried to prevent overlooking or ill-wishing. Ash leaves are considered lucky, but an even ash leaf (one with an equal number of divisions on either side) is especially lucky. An even ash leaf should be gathered with the following rhyme: 'Even ash, I do thee pluck/ Hoping thus to meet good luck/ If no good luck I get from thee/ I shall wish thee on the tree'. Carried in a buttonhole or in the pocket, the leaf is supposed to bring good fortune.

Balm

(Melissa officinalis): Should be used fresh rather than dried. The tea is useful for all kinds of nervous complaints, hysteria and being over-emotional. Also induces mild perspiration and therefore relief to the feverish. Also helps relieve sleepiness of colds and flu. Will attract bees to the garden where it's grown. In earlier times was drunk to ease melancholy, comfort the heart and make the drinker merry. The crushed leaves or the juice thereof can be applied to wounds, sores and insect bites.

Balm of Gilead

(Populus candicans): Element of Saturn. The buds can be carried to mend a broken heart. Can be added to love and protection charms.

Basil

(Ocimum minimum or O. basilium): Internally can be used for headache, stomach cramps and general pain, and nausea. Externally, can be used as an antiseptic.
Element of Mars and Fire. Used in wealth and prosperity rituals. Carrying basil in your pockets is supposed to attract money into them. A wife can supposedly stop her husband being unfaithful by dusting her upper body with powdered basil.

Bay Laurel

(Lauris noblis): Elements of Sun and Fire. The leaves can be burned or chewed to induce visions. Worn as an amulet to ward off negativity and evil. Leaves under the pillow are supposed to induce prophetic dreams. Can be used in protection and purification rituals. Growing near a house, it was supposed to protect those within from infection and storms. Z. Budapest gives a spell using bay laurel for use in games of chance: take three laurel leaves and three pieces of parchment. Write on each paper the names of the Triple Goddess: Diana, Isis, Hecate. Keep the leaves and parchment in a red flannel bag in your pocket, and before starting your game of chance say: 'Isis of the Thousand Breasts, make my chance the best one yet'.

Benzoin

(Styrax benzoin): Elements of Sun and Air. Used in purification incenses. A few drops of tincture of benzoin helps to preserve oils and preparations.

Betony

(Stachys officinalis): Elements on Jupiter and Fire. Add to incenses of protection and purification. Sleep on a pillow stuffed with betony to prevent nightmares.

Blackberry

(Rubus villosus): A tea or decoction of the leaves and roots has been used for centuries as a home remedy for diarrhoea. Also drunk for colds, flu, sore throat, and anaemia. Leaves can be chewed for bleeding gums.

Borage

(Borago officinalis): Good for reducing fever and for convalescing from illness. The tea is drunk for feverish colds, to increase milk for nursing mothers, and to treat minor lung problems.

Burdock

(Arctium lappa): A decoction of the leaves can be used to cool and heal sores, acne, swellings and irritated skin. A decoction of the root and seeds is used as a blood purifier.

Calendula

(Calendula officinalis): Also known as pot marigold. A tea of the flowers can be used for gastro-intestinal problems such as ulcers, cramps and diarrhoea. Also taken internally for fevers and to reduce vomiting. A salve or dilute tincture made from the flowers is also useful for bruises, bumps, sprains, sore muscles and boils. The fresh juice can be applied directly to get rid of boils, warts and pimples. Press a fresh bruised leaf on a pimple several times a day to make it go down.

Camomile

(German - Matricaria chamomilla, Roman - Anthemis noblis): If drunk before bed, the tea will aid sleep. Used to soothe nightmares and nervousness, for hysterical conditions, and to quiet fever and restlessness in children. Also drunk for colic, stomach ache, diarrhoea, heartburn. Aids digestion. Can be used as a gentle healing wash for sores and wounds. The oil, diluted in a carrier oil, or a salve made from simmering the flowers in oil, can also be used as a rub for rheumatism, painful joints and strained muscles. Externally camomile makes a soothing bath additive and can be used in a footbath to relieve sweaty feet.
Elements of Sun and Water. Use in prosperity charms and rituals. Induces sleep. The tea brings peace and tranquility for those times when you need to do a ritual but are seething with anger or hurt. If you wash your face and hair with camomile, it will attract a lover.

Caraway

(Carum carvi): The oil can be used as an anaesthetic for toothache - soak a tiny bit of cotton in the oil and place in the cavity. Can also be used for flatulent colic and to settle the stomach after taking medication.
Elements of Mercury and Air. Used in love charms to attract a lover.

Carnation

(Dianthus caryophyllus): Elements of Sun and Fire. Once worn by witches to prevent capture and hanging. Produces added energy in ritual when used in incense.

Carrot

(Daucus carota): Carrot juice can be drunk to ease heartburn and stomach acidity. A soup made of carrots is supposed to be an effective and easily digested remedy for diarrhoea.

Catnip

(Nepeta cataria): The tea is used to treat colds, chills and fever, as it produces mild perspiration and induces sleep without increasing the fever. Also soothes nervous headaches, and will promote sleep. Can be taken for stomach pain and flatulence. Believed to bring on menstrual flow. Good to treat nervousness and restlessness, especially in children, and can also be used for colic.
Elements of Venus and Water. Creates a psychic bond between cat and 'owner'. Used in love charms and incenses.

Cayenne

(Capsicum minimum): Can be used to relieve colds and coughs, and is a local stimulant. Mrs Grieve recommends it in cases of alcohol addiction, as it reduces the dilated blood vessels.

Celandine

(Chelidonium majus): Elements of Sun and Fire. Helps the wearer escape unfair imprisonment and entrapment. If worn, cures depression.

Celery

(Apum graeolens): Helpful in the prevention and treatment of arthritis, especially when cooked in milk. Also useful for alcoholism, as celery sodium is a neutraliser in the body. Can be eaten as a nervine and a diuretic. Eaten as a salad vegetable or drunk as a tea, is supposed to help clear up acne and other skin conditions.

Cinnamon

(Cinnamomum zeylanicum): In tea form, makes an excellent digestive aid. Will check nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. Is a mild stimulant. Externally, can be used as a skin astringent and antiseptic.
Elements of Sun and Fire. Use in incenses for healing, clairvoyance, high spiritual vibrations. Reputed to be a male aphrodisiac. Use in prosperity charms.

Cinquefoil

(Potentilla canadensis): Elements of Jupiter and Earth. Hang on house entrances as protection. Use in spells and charms for prosperity, purification and protection.

Clary Sage

(Salvia sclarea): Carminative, can be used to improve appetite and for cases of digestive disorder. Also used in cases of hysteria.

Clove

(Eugenia caryophyllus or Caryophyllus aromaticus): The oil can be inserted in a tooth cavity as a local anaesthetic and is purported to stop vomiting if a few drops are taken in water. The oil is also antiseptic. In tea form, aids digestion and relieves nausea and flatulence, is stimulating and carminative, and makes a good expectorant for colds.
Elements of Sun and Fire. Worn to drive away negativity and stop gossip. Cloves strung on a red thread can be worn as a protective charm.

Clover

(Trifolium spp.): Element of Mercury. Associated with the Triple Goddess. Used in rituals for beauty and youth. Four-leaved clovers are carried to see fairies, heal illness, avoid military service, avoid madness, and as a general good-luck charm. To dream of clover is considered very fortunate, especially for young people.

Coltsfoot

(Tussilago farfara): Long used for diseases and infections of the lungs. Used in many herbal cough mixtures, as it can both soothe a dry, irritated cough and encourage the expulsion of phlegm trapped in the lungs. Also reputed to help expel dust, tar and other pollutants from the lungs, and a weekly dose of coltsfoot tea can be beneficial to smokers, people with dust allergies or anyone who works in a polluted environment. the leaves and flowers have been used in herbal tobacco.

Comfrey

(Symphytum officinale): A demulcent and astringent with great healing qualities. Contains allantoin, a cell proliferant which helps wounds heal and bones knit back together. As a poultice it may be applied to wounds, sores, cuts, bites and burns to allay infection and aid healing. May also be eaten, steamed, as a vegetable.
Elements of Saturn and Earth. A herb of Hecate, used in rituals to honour the Goddess in her Crone aspect.

Coriander

(Coriandrum sativum): Elements of Mars and Fire. Used in love spells and charms. An old coriander spell is to take seven grains of coriander and grind them in a mortar, saying 'Warm seed, warm heart, let them never be apart' three times. Drop the seeds into wine and share with your lover.

Cowslip

(Primula veris): Element of Venus. Cattle were once hung with cowslips to encourage healthy milk production. Cowslip flowers were believed to bring luck in love to the wearer. In Suffolk, milkmaids would wash their faces in milk in which cowslip petals had been infused on Beltane, believing that it would make their faces glow and attract their beloved during the Beltane celebraations. Were traditionally woven into funeral wreaths to be laid on the deceased one's grave at the full moon, for thirteen moons after his or her death. Posies of cowslips, placed under the pillow, were said to allow contact with the dead in dreams.

Cypress

(Cupressus spp.): Elements of Saturn and Earth. Connected with death in all its aspects. Cypress smoke can be used to consecrate ritual objects.

Daisy

(Bellis perennis): Daisy leaf tea is drunk as a spring tonic, an expectorant, and to aid circulation. The leaves may be moistened, crushed and used as a poultice for bruises. Daisy flower infusion with a little honey added is reputed to whiten and clear the skin.
Decorate the house with daisies on Midsummer's Eve to bring happiness to the home and to win the favour of the faeries. Daisies should also be worn on the person at Midsummer for luck and blessings.

Dandelion

(Taraxacum officinale): A diuretic which can aid kidney infections, constipation and jaundice. Also drunk to increase the appetite. The leaves are good in a green salad. The juice of the stem, applied several times a day and let dry, will remove warts and corns.
Element of Jupiter. A herb of Hecate, used in Samhain rituals. It is said that if you rub yourself all over with dandelion you will be welcome everywhere and all your wishes will be granted.

Dill

(Anethum gravolens): The seeds are used to make dill water, a soporific and carminative syrup used to treat colic in babies.
Element of Mercury and Fire. Used in love charms. Hang in childrens' rooms to protect them.

To make dill water: Crush 25 grams dill seed, and soak in 500 ml hot water for 3 - 4 hours. Strain, sweeten with 1 tablespoon honey. Give a small amount to be sipped.

Dragon's Blood

(Daemonorops draco or Dracaena draco): Element of Mars and Fire. Used in love and protection spells. A piece under the bed is reputed to cure impotency. Place in drawers and cupboards you don't want people looking in, with the incantation: 'Dragon's blood, watch and ward, as the dragon guards its horde'. Carry a piece with you for good luck. Dissolve a little in the bath for a strong purification bath.

Echinacea

(Echinacea angustifolia): The root is used as a blood purifier. Aids to build up immune system and increase body's resistance to infection. Useful for all diseases such as boils which are due to impurities in the system. Also good for fevers in tea form.

Elecampane

(Inula helenium): Elements of Mercury and Earth. Was said to have sprung from the tears of Helen which fell to the ground when Paris abducted her. Called elf dock in Denmark. Once used to raise and sustain the spirits. As an incense, can be burned as an aid to meditation.

Elder

(Sambucus canadensis): Elements of Venus and Air. Branches can be used for wands and staves. Stand beneath the elder to be protected from lightning; sleeping under the elder tree will bring drugged and dangerous dreams of faeryland, from which one might awaken either mad, or not at all. In the Middle Ages it was considered unlucky to burn elder, or to bring it into the house. It was only considered safe to cut an elder tree if one had first asked permission; the tree dryad would grant consent by keeping silence. Elder leaves gathered at Beltane Eve and attached to the door are said to keep away evil.

Eucalyptus

(Eucalyptus spp.): Leaves and oil are a powerful antiseptic and stimulant for fevers and colds. Used in a poultice, or as diluted oil, on wounds as an antiseptic. A useful expectorant for bronchitis. The oil can be used in a vapouriser to inhale for chest colds and bronchitis.
Elements of the Moon and Air. Used in healing rituals and charms of all kinds. Surround blue candles with the leaves and burn for healing vibrations. Hang green pods around the neck to cure colds and sore throats.

Eyebright

(Euphrasia officinalis): elements of Sun and Air. Anoint eyelids with the infusion daily to induce clarivoyant visions.

Fennel

(Foeniculum vulgare): A digestive aid, relieves flatulence. The tea is a safe, effective diuretic. Sometimes employed as an appetite suppressant.
Elements of Mercury and Earth. Connected with mother's milk and breastfeeding; traditionally brought for new mothers and hung near the cradle to keep away flies.

Fern

: ELements of Saturn and Earth. Extremely powerful protectants; grow in the house and include in vases of cut flowers. Are supposed to protect any house that contains them from damage by storms.

Feverfew

(Pyrethrum parthenium): A tea of the flowers is useful to relieve nervous headaches, migraine and hysterical conditions.

Frankincense

(Boswellia carterii): Sun, Fire. A very powerful scent which aids meditation and induces a spiritual fram of mind. Burn as a general protective incense.

Garlic

(Allium sativum): Used for thousands of years to increase immunity, ease colds, lower tension, improve circulation, prevent intestinal worms and increase the healthy bacteria in the system. If nothing else is available the juice of garlic, heavily diluted, will disinfect wounds (but it stings!) A stimulant and carminative, and natural antibiotic.
Elements of Mars and Fire. Extremely protective herb. Carry the bulb with you on trips over water to prevent drowning. Hang in the home to protect. Also used in exorcisms.

Ginger

(Zingiber officinale): Hot ginger tea can be sipped for the relief of colds and flu, and can also be used for upset stomach, menstrual cramps, and diarrhoea.

Golden seal

(Hydrastis canadensis): Non-toxic, non-irritating antiseptic, both internal and external. Used to treat alcoholism, esp. in conjunction with cayenne. Can be used as a wash for sore mouths and skin irritations such as eczema. Used as a tonic for disorders of the digestive system.

Hawthorn

(Crataegus oxyacantha): Elements of Mars and Fire. Used in protection sachets. In ancient Greece and Rome, was associated with happiness in marriage and carried by brides; the Romans put hawthorn leaves into babies' cradles to proteect them against evil. Sitting under a hawthorn tree on Beltane, Midsummer's Day or Samhain supposedly puts one in danger of being abducted by fairies. It is considered ill-omened to fell a hawthorn. Burn hawthorn berries as an incense when you feel the need for energy and dynamism in your life, and meditate on the areas of life that need changing.

Hazel

(Corylus spp.): Elements of Sun and Air. Good wood for all-purpose wands. Forked branches can be used as divining wands. Tie two hazel twigs together with red or gold thread to make a solar cross as a good-luck charm.

Henbane

(Hyoscyamus niger): Elements of Saturn and Water. Poisonous! Carried to attract the love of a woman.

High John the Conqueror root

(Impomoea purga): Elements of Saturn and Earth. Add to candle anointing oils, charms and sachets to increase their potency.

Holly

(Ilex aquifolium): Elements of Mars and Fire. If planted around the house acts as good protection. Leaves and berries can be carried to heighten masculinity.

Honeysuckle

(Lonicera caprifolium): Elements of Jupiter and Earth. Use in prosperity spells and charms.

Hops

(Humulus lupulus): Elements of Mars and Water. Used in healing incenses and charms. Hops in a pillow will induce sleep. It is unwise to use hops if depressed, since they are believed to engender melancholy.

Hyssop

(Hyssopus officinalis): In tea form, used as an expectorant for colds and catarrh. Said to expel intestinal worms. The fresh leaves, or a decoction of them, can be applied to wounds to cure infection and promote healing.
Elements of Jupiter and Fire. Use in purification baths and protection spells. Was a common strewing herb during the Middle Ages, and used in the consecration of Westminster Abbey. Associated with serpents and dragons, and can be burnt as incense or thrown on the fire to tap into dragon energy.

Ivy

(Hedera spp.): Elements of Saturn and Water. Guards and protects the houses it grows over. Often given to newlyweds, in conjunction with holly, as good-luck charm.

Jasmine

(Jasminum officinaleor Jasminum odoratissimum): Elements of Jupiter and Earth. Used in love spells and charms.

Juniper

(Juniperus communis): Elements of Sun and Fire. If a sprig of juniper is worn it will protect the wearer from accidents. The berries can be dried and strung as a charm to attract lovers. Can be used in anti-theft spells, and grown at the doorstep as protection from thieves.

Lavender

(Lavendula vera or Lavendula officinale): Elements of Mercury and Air. Used in purification baths and incenses. Thrown onto fires and Midsummer as tribute to the Gods and to bring visions and inspiration. Add to healing baths and sachets, carry to attract men. The scent will induce sleep. Excellent for bringing clarity and coherence to magickal workings and for focusing visualisation.

Lemon Balm

(Melissa officinalis): Drink as an infusion to soothe away the emotional pains after a relationship break-up; considered useful in recovery from trauma and sexual assault. Has long been considered to drive away melancholy and low spirits. Is said to increase fertility, and has been used in love potions and aphrodisiacs.

Lemon Verbena

(Lippia citriodora): Elements of Venus and Air. Wear as a love charm, and to increase one's attractiveness. Add to charms to increase their power. Hang a sprig around your neck to stop you from dreaming.

Linden

(Tilia europaea): Element of Jupiter. Associated with conjugal love and longevity.

Lovage

(Levisticum officinale): Elements of Sun and Water. Add the root to cleansing baths. Carry to attract love.

Mandrake

(Mandragora officinarum): Elements of Mercury and Earth. A powerful protective charm for the home. The root can be carried by women who want to concieve, and men who want to cure impotency. In the Middle Ages it was thought to give off a shriek when it was pulled up that was so unearthly all who heard it went mad or died. To charge a mandrake root with your personal power, sleep with it in the bed for three nights during the full moon. Carry it for courage.

Marigold

(Calendula officinalis): Elements of Sun and Fire. In a vase, renews energy of everyone in the room where the vase is placed. Symbolises constancy and endurance in love. To dream of marigold flowers is supposed to presage coming wealth. It was said that if you wore marigold flowers, you would be able to tell who had stolen from you.

Marjoram

(Origanum majorana): Elements of Mercury and Air. Add to love charms. Place a bit of the herb in every room in the house for protection.

Meadowsweet

(Filipendula ulmaria): Elements of Jupiter and Water. A sacred herb of the Druids. Arrange fresh meadowsweet on the altar when mixing love charms or performing love spells. Strew around the house for love and peace; a garland of meadowsweet will protect the house from evil influences. Wear garlands of meadowsweet at Lammas to join with the essence of the Goddess.

Mistletoe

(Viscum album): Worn as a protective amulet, or to help conceive. An anti-lightning charm.

Mugwort

(Artemisia vulgaris): Elements of Venus and Air. Put into the shoe for protection and to prevent fatigue on long journeys. Mugwort tea will induce clairvoyance. Rub fresh leaves on magick mirrors and crystal balls to strengthen divinitory powers. Add to scrying, clairvoyance and divination incenses. In the Middle Ages it was considered one of the strongest protective plants. Hanging it in the house is reputed to protect against lightning, while putting it under the doorstep is supposed to ensure that no unwelcome person will enter. A pillow filled with mugwort will induce vivid dreams. The name, Artemisia, refers to the goddess Artemis, who was a protector of herbal practitioners.

Mullein

(Verbascum thapsus): Elements of Saturn and Fire. Has been called hag's tapers, Jupiter's staff, our lady's candle. Wear to develop courage and as protection from wild animals. Was believed to have power to drive away evil spirits. Mullein can be used to clear a psychic space after work, by washing tools, floor and altar with mullein infusion. Used on crystal balls for scrying.

Myrrh

(Commiphoria myrrha): Elements of Sun and Water. Purifying and protective incense. Can be used to consecrate tools.

Myrtle

(Myrica cerifera): Elements of Venus and Water. Sacred to Venus and used in love charms and spells of all kinds. If grown indoors it brings good luck. Carry myrtle leaves to attract love, or the wood to preserve youth. Make magic charms from the wood. Wear fresh leaves whilst making love charms.

Nettle

(Urtica dioica): Elements of Mars and Fire. Stuff a poppet with nettles to send bad vibrations and curses back to the sender. Sprinkle around the room as protection, or add to protection charms. Considered to instill courage if carried. Was once considered an antidote to many poisons. Builds up the fire element in an individual, used to thaw frozen emotions and connect with the fiery warrior aspect.

Nutmeg

(Myristica fragrans): Elements of Jupiter and Air. Carry a nutmeg to strengthen clairvoyant powers and to prevent rheumatism. To dream of nutmegs foretells changes in the dreamer's life.

Oak

(Quercus alba): Elements of Sun and Fire. Sacred tree in many, many cultures, long associated with royalty; rites were often performed in groves of oak trees, and mistletoe that grew on oak was considered the most powerful. It has long been considered unlucky to fell an oak. Burn oak leaves as purification. The wood is used for all-purpose wands. Acorns are carried as fertility charms, to preserve youthfulness, and to ward off illness. Hang in windows to protect the house. Men can carry acorns to increase their sexual attractiveness and prowess.

Olive

(Olea europaea): Sacred to Athena. Regarded as a symbol of peace and wealth, and a sign of safe travel.

Onion

(Allium cepa): Elements of Mars and Fire. Used in protection and healing. Place cut onions in a room to absorb illness, leave overnight and throw away in the morning.

Orange

(Citrus sinesis): Elements of Sun and Water. The dried peel is added to love and fertility charms and used in Solar incenses. A traditional Chinese symbol of good luck and prosperity.
Orris root

(Iris florentina or Iris germanica): Elements of Venus and Water. Add to love charms, baths and incenses.

Parsley

: In ancient Greek and Roman times, parsley was considered symbolic of death.
Patchouli

(Pogostemon cablin or Pogostemon patchouli): Elements of Sun and Earth. Both sexes can carry as an aphrodisiac and to attract lovers.

Pennyroyal

(Mentha pulegium): Elements of Venus and Earth. Put in shoe to prevent weariness; once it was carried by seafarers to prevent sea-sickness. Used in protection rituals. Under no circumstances use Pennyroyal while pregnant.

Pepper

(Capsicum spp.): Elements of Mars and Fire. Use in protective charms.

Peppermint

(Mentha piperata): Elements of Venus and Air. Use in healing incenses and charms; good in a healing bath. Burn as a winter incense. Any mint infusion can be sprinkled around the house as a cooling-off influence after arguments.

Periwinkle

(Vinca major): Elements of Venus and Water. Hang on house entrances as protection.

Pimpernel

(Pimpinella magna): Elements of Mercury and Air. Wear to detect falsehood and prevent others lying to you.

Pine

(Pinus spp.): Elements of Mars and Earth. Burn as a purifying winter incense. Pine nuts are eaten and carried as fertility charms. Pine needles can be added to healing or cleansing baths.

Poppy

(Papaver spp.): Elements of Moon and Water. Eat poppy seeds as a fertility charm. Carry the seeds or dried seed-pod as a prosperity charm.

Rose

(Rosa spp.): Elements of Venus and Water. Carry roses to attract true love. Drink a tea of rose petals for divinatory dreams. Add to charms and incenses for sleep, love and healing. To dream of roses is fortunate, foretelling success in love, unless the roses are white. Drink the tea to promote beauty without and within, and mix the petals with regular tea to attract love.

Rosemary

(Rosmarinus officinalis): Elements of Sun and Fire. Use in protection charms, incenses and baths. Used to be thought of as preventative against the plague. Wear to aid memory and learning. Is used in sea rituals and sea magick. Wash hands with rosemary infusion before performing magick, as a substitute for a ritual bath. Drink the tea before exams or interviews to make the mind alert. Can be made into a protection wreath. In mediaeval times was worn at weddings, as it was linked with fidelity, love and happy memories. Brides often wore a chaplet of rosemary. sometimes gilded. Placed under the pillow, was supposed to ward off bad dreams. Smelling rosemary is supposed to keep a person merry, young and in good spirits.

Rowan

(Sorbus aucuparia): Elements of Sun and Fire. Tie two twigs together with red thread as a general protection and luck charm. Use as divining stick. The berries are used as a good luck amulet. A necklace of the berries can be used as a healing charm.

Rue

(Ruta graveolens): Elements of Sun and Fire. Was once worn to guard against plague. Added to charms designed to keep illness away. The smell of the fresh herb clears the mind of emotional clutter. In mediaeval times rue was considered an antidote against all kinds of poisons; judges carried it as a precaution against jail fever. A sprig of rue can be dipped into water and used to sprinkle an area for magickal purification.

Saffron

(Crocus sativus): Elements of Sun and Fire. Used in prosperity and healing rituals, charms and incenses.

Sage

(Salvia officinalis): Elements of Jupiter and Earth. Used in healing and prosperity charms. Regarded as a great safeguard of health, and has a reputation for promoting longevity. Is supposed to grow best in the gardens of the wise.

St John's Wort

(Hypericum perforatum): Elements of Sun and Fire. Used in protective charms of all kinds. Wear to ward off fever and illness. Burn as a banishing or exorcism incense. Gather on Midsummer's Eve, pass through the smoke of bonfires to purify, and hang in the house as protection. Wear to instill courage and strengthen the will, and drink a tea of the herb to cure melancholy. Hang bunches of the herb over the bed or by the bedroom door to drive away nightmares.

Sandalwood

(Santalum album): Elements of Moon and Air. Used in purifying, protective and healing incenses.

Sunflower

(Helianthus annus): Elements of Sun and Fire. Brings the blessings of the Sun into any garden in which it is grown. The seeds can be eaten by women who wish to conceive.

Thyme

(Thymus vulgaris): Elements of Venus and Air. Burn as a purifying incense. Use in magickal cleansing baths. Inhale the scent for refreshment and renewed energy. Wear to protect oneself from negativity and grief at funerals. Is thought to inspire courage when worn.

Valerian

(Valeriana officinalis): Elements of Mercury and Water. Use the herb in love charms and spells, and in purification baths.

Vanilla

(Vanilla aromatica or Vanilla planifolia): Elements of Jupiter and Fire. The bean can be carried in a love charm, and the oil worn as an aphrodisiac.

Vervain

(Verbena officinalis): Elements of Venus and Water. A herb sacred to the Druids and used by the Romans as a ritual cleansing plant. Used in magical cleansing baths, purification incenses, safety amulets. Hang above the bed to keep away nightmares. Used in love and protection charms. Burn for a good purification incense. Use in prosperity charms. In incenses it brings good luck and inspiration.

Violet

(Viola tricolour): Elements of Venus and Water. Mix with lavender for a powerful love charm. A violet compress can aid headaches. Carry the flowers as a good-luck charm. To dream of violets foretells a change for the better in the dreamer's circumstances. Violets are supposed to absorb ill-will and evil spells. The scent is said to soothe and clear the mind.

Walnut

(Juglans regia): Elements of Sun and Fire. Carry the nut as a charm to promote fertility and strengthen the heart.

Willow

(Salis alba): Elements of Moon and Water. Willow wands can be used for healing. The Willow will bring the blessings of the Moon upon those who plant it or have it on their property. Willows can be used to bind together witch's brooms.

Wormwood

(Artemisia absinthum): Elements of Mars and Air. Was once burned to raise spirits. Used in divinatory and clairvoyance incenses. Burn on fires at Samhain to gain protection from roaiming spirits. Used in initiation rites and for tests of courage and endurance. Should not be used by those suffering from grief or shock, as it has affinity with the world of the dead; give to the dying to enable them to let go and find peace.

Yarrow

(Achillea millefolium): Elements of Venus and Water. Used in love and marriage charms, and reputed to keep a couple together for seven years. Was once given to newlyweds as a charm. Wards off negativity when worn. Drink yarrow tea prior to divination to enhance the powers of perception. In ancient China yarrow had a reputation as a very spiritual plant, hence its use in casting the I Ching.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Infusion: This is made like a tea. Cover 30 g of dried herb, or 60 g fresh, with 500 ml of boiling water. Cover and leave to steep.

Decoction: Instead of leaving the herb to steep, simmer it gently in the water.

Poultice: Bruise the plant matter and pour just enough boiling water over to wet it. Apply the botanical to the affected part and cover with a cloth or piece of gauze which has been wrung out in hot water. When the cloth cools, replace it with a hot one.

Please see your health care practitioner before making any changes to your method of health care.

The elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water, spirit, witch pagan magic

2011-02-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

The elements are are the sources of borrowed energy. There are five elements, four are common: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The fifth is Ka, others call it Ether and Akasha. The elements provide energy to the Witch and specific elements are more appropriate to specific forms of magic.

Each Witch will discover, in the course of their training, a specific element that they identify with more closely and can utilize more effectively. This is the element that the Witch will find that they will specialize in these forms of magic.

EARTH

Earth is the element of the Goddess, the Mother. It is the fertile and nurturing as farmland; as moist as soil and as dry as sand. In it's physical representation as stone, it is the densest of elements.

BASIC NATURE: Fertile, moist, nurturing, stabilizing, grounding, and gravity.

TYPE OF ENERGY: Receptive.

COLOR: Green

PLACES: Caves, canyons, chasms, forests, groves,valleys,fields, farms, gardens, arboretums, parks, plant nurseries, farmers markets, kitchens, baby nurseries, basements, mines, and holes.

RITUALS: Money, prosperity, fertility, stability, grounding, employment.

RITUAL FORMS: Burning, planting, making images in the soil or sand.

HERBS: Patchouly, vetivert, mosses, lichens, nuts, dry and stiff plants, low growing plants, and root vegetables.

STONES: Heavy an opaque, as in coal; Green as in emerald or peridot

METALS: Lead and Iron

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Drums and percussion instruments.

CREATURES: Dog, horse, earthworm, gopher, ant, cow, burrowing animals.

SEASON: Winter.

DIRECTION: North.

TIME: Night.

TOOL: Salt.

POINT IN LIFE: Advanced age.

SENSE: Touch.

NATURAL SYMBOLS: Salt, clay, fresh soil, rocks, wheat, acorns.

TYPES OF MAGIC:Gardening, magnet, image, tree, stone, knot, binding.

AIR

Air is the element of movement, intelligence, invisibility, and it is vital to human survival.

BASIC NATURE: Flying, movement, freshness, intelligence, suspending, and sound.

TYPE OF ENERGY: Projectile.

COLOR: Yellow.

PLACES: Mountaintops, wind swept plains, cloudy skies, high towers, airports, schools, libraries, offices, travel.

RITUALS: Travel, instruction, study, freedom, knowledge, recovering lost items.

RITUAL FORMS: Tossing objects into the air, suspending tools in high places, fanning, visualization, positive thinking.

HERBS: Fragrant, as with flowers and pungent herbs.

STONES: Light stones, such as pumice, and transparent stones such as mica.

METALS: Tin and Copper.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Flute and all wind instruments.

CREATURES: Spiders, most birds, winged insects.

SEASON: Spring.

DIRECTION: East.

TIME: East.

TOOL: Incense.

POINT IN LIFE: Infancy.

SENSE: Hearing and Smell

NATURAL SYMBOLS: A feather, incense and smoke, fragrant flowers.

TYPES OF MAGIC: Divination, concentration, visualizations, wind magic.

FIRE

Fire is the creator and the destroyer. It is the element of change. It warms our homes, cooks our food, and fuels our passions Fire exists at the expense of other elements, those which it consumes.

BASIC NATURE: Purifying, destructive, cleansing, energetic, sexual, forceful, heat.

TYPE OF ENERGY: Projective.

COLOR: Red.

PLACES: Dessert, hot springs, volcanoes, ovens, fireplaces, bedrooms, weight rooms, locker rooms, saunas, athletic fields.

RITUALS: Protection, courage, sex, energy, strength, authority, banishing negativity.

RITUAL FORMS: Burning or smoldering, heating.

HERBS: Stinging, thorny, and hot.

STONES: Red or fiery, as in Jasper; volcanic, as with lava, clear as with quartz crystal.

METALS: Gold and Brass.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Guitar and all stringed instruments.

CREATURES: Snake, cricket, lizard, praying mantis, lady bug, bee, scorpion, shark.

SEASON: Summer.

DIRECTION: South.

TIME: Noon.

TOOL: Knife.

POINT IN LIFE: Youth.

SENSE: Sight.

NATURAL SYMBOLS: Flame, lava, a heated object.

TYPES OF MAGIC: Candle, storm, time, sex and star.

WATER

Water is the element of love, cleansing, healing, and psychic forces. It is the element that washes over us, supports us, and gives us life.

BASIC NATURE: Flowing, purifying, healing, soothing, loving.

TYPE OF ENERGY: Receptive.

COLOR: Blue

PLACES: Lakes, springs, streams, rivers, beaches, oceans, wells, swimming pools, bath tubs, showers, sleeping chambers, health spas, steam rooms, fountains.

RITUALS: Purification, love, psychic awareness, dreams, sleep, peace, marriage, friendships.

RITUAL FORMS: Dilution, placing into water, washing away, bathing.

HERBS: Aquatic, such as water lilies; Fleshy, such as succulents and lettuce; loving as a rose.

STONES: Transparent and translucent as with amethyst and aquamarine, and blue stones.

METALS: Silver, Quicksilver, copper.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Cymbal, bells, resonant metals.

CREATURES: Fish, cat, frog, turtle, dolphin, whale, otter, seal.

SEASON: Autumn.

DIRECTION: West.

TIME: Dusk.

TOOL: Cup of water.

POINT IN LIFE: Maturity.

SENSE: Taste.

NATURAL SYMBOLS: Shells, a cup of water.

TYPES OF MAGIC: Sea, ice, snow, fog, mirror, magnet.

KA (SPIRIT)

Ka is the element from which all elements arise, the immutable, changeless source of all energy. This is the realm of potentiality: of promise, paths not yet taken, the outer realms. This is the energy that is the spark of life, and forms the soul. It is the energy that Personal power is derived from. It is the divinity within each of us.

BASIC NATURE: Unknowable.

TYPE OF ENERGY: Projectile and Receptive.

COLOR: Purple and Black.

PLACES: Outer space and dreams.

RITUALS: Religious in nature.

RITUAL FORMS: None.

HERBS: None.

STONES: None.

METALS: Meteoritic.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: None.

CREATURES: All.

SEASON: All.

DIRECTION: All.

TIME: Starlight.

TOOL: None.

POINT IN LIFE: Preconception, soulness.

SENSE: None.

NATURAL SYMBOLS: None.

TYPES OF MAGIC: Religious.

The Elements - Part 1

Part 1 of a series of videos on the elements as they are regarded in Wicca, modern Witchcraft and Western ceremonial magical traditions.

The Elements - Part 2

The Elements - Part 3

The Elements - Part 4

The Elements - Part 5

FULL MOON RITE (DRAWING DOWN THE MOON)

2011-02-09T16:33:00.000-08:00

FULL MOON RITE

(DRAWING DOWN THE MOON)

FULL MOON LORE

Once every 28 days, the cycle of the moon reaches fullness, and Witches meet to celebrate. The Moon and its cycle is associated, by members of the Craft, with the Woman's Mysteries, Being those of the Woman's reproductive cycle. Many Witches eventually have their cycle aligned with the cycle of the Moon, but to do so does not mean you are a "better Witch," It is just a coincidence of Nature.

The Full Moon represents the monthly cycle, and the fertility, of the Goddess. We come together on these times, to celebrate in this fertility of the Goddess and of the World.

Full Moon Ritual

FULL MOON RITE

Cast the Circle.

Invoke the Goddess.

Say the Following;

O Gracious Goddess

Full on this night

And resplendent in your fertility

We come together this night

To Draw Down the Moon

and express our love for thee.

The selected female Witch Draws Down The Moon with the Following;

O Gracious Goddess

Beautiful and radiant in the night sky

We your servants have gathered here

To show our love for thee.

I ask you

O Gracious Goddess

To enter into me

At this time that we may show our love for thee.

The selected Witch then Lifts up the Moon disk and and raises it high above their head, and, while saying the following words, draws it down and places it to her heart, then returns it to the alter.

My Beautiful Goddess

I Draw you down

Out of the night sky

And into my Heart.

The rest of the Coven, at the same time, Clasps hands and circles Deosil, and says the Following;

O Gracious Goddess

We thank thee for coming among us

That we may express our

Love for thee.

The Coveners then, one at a time, each Give a loving Fivefold kiss to the Goddess.

The selected Witch then Says the Following:

O Gracious Goddess

I am thankful that you have allowed me

To be your vessel

This night.

Thank the Goddess for her attention

Release the Circle.

Esbatt working general meetings of the witchcraft Covener

2011-02-09T16:27:00.000-08:00

Esbatt are the working general meetings of the Coveners. It is at these meetings that group work takes place: be it teaching, Magic, or working out interpersonal problems among the Coveners. These meetings are held weekly on a day to be determined by the Coveners, as the Coven of the Fyrie Skies, and all of Wicca, has no specific Esbatt day. It is customary to hold a small Rite to the Gods at the Esbatt meetings.

The Witches Esbat

The Witches Esbat - is a collaboration in celebrating the Full Moon Esbat between a number of Witches from several local Sydney Covens - Nuit's Veil and Babalon's Rising.

ESBATT RITE

Cast the Circle.

Invoke the Goddess.

Invoke the God.

Say the following:

O Gracious Goddess

O Wondrous God

We come together here

once again to show our love for thee

and for each other

We thank thee for the Blessings bestowed upon us

since we were last together

and ask thee to watch over us

alone and together

From whence we depart until we meet again.

Works of Magic, if needed are accomplished.

Thank the Gods for their attention.

Release the Circle.

MABON pagan witchcraft witch calendar date of importance

2011-02-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

An ode to the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) "She is dying"

(video description)
"I wanted to make a video to honour the Autumn Equinox, also known to some as "Mabon". However, the history of Mabon is somewhat hazy, it seems that while the Autumn Equinox celebrations go back before the written records, Mabon itself is a relatively new name for the old festival.

So rather than cause controversy on the facts, I decided to write something myself instead to honour the change of the Season.

"She is dying", was written specially for this video, but after asking my friend Lily (youtube LilyAz) to proof-read it for me, she encouraged me to submit it to "The Unicorn" a Pagan Publication. I was very shocked to hear that it had been accepted and is featured in the current issue (Mabon Issue).

This video is not meant to promote religion in any way, just to honour the changing of the seasons, if its not your cup of tea, then just click off :) No obligations to watch...

It has been made for DVD so the quality is not as great on youtube, I hope you can read the words ok ...

Thank you, I hope you enjoy... Lisa"

(MABON pagan witchcraft witch calendar date of importance)

Mabon, circa September 21, is the equinox, is the celebration of the full bounty of the harvest and the sacrifice that the Horned God is making to preserve the Earth. The Goddess is gathering to her that which will sustain her during the Gods absence. The Earth is preparing for the little death of winter and the God is preparing to sacrifice himself so that the world may be reborn to his self/son, in the next cycle.

As we approach the night of Mabon, we are standing at a threshold: we are about to leave the summer months of light and abundance, and step into the Winter months of darkness and Spirit, To our ancient ancestors of hunter gatherer times, this surly meant that the physical abundance of fruits and vegetables, grains and berries, was coming to an end, and the time when animals would have to be hunted to again supplement the food supply, was about to begin. This night when the hours of the light and the dark are equal is a night to honor the balance of the Goddess and the God and the balance of matter and the spirit because we celebrate not only the spiritual life, but the physical life as well. There is no better way to celebrate this aspect of our lives than with the feast, and the enjoyment of the abundance that our God Provides.

MABON RITE

Prior to the ritual, write down a Baneful habit that you would like to rid yourself of. The alter is adorned with the acorns, oak sprigs, pine cones, and fruits and nuts. Also place a basket of brightly colored leaves, a candle, and a censor of incense should be lit.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess

Invoke the God

Stand before the alter and hold aloft the basket of leaves, and slowly scatter them as they cascade upon the to the ground within the circle, say the following;

Leaves fall,

The days grow cold.

The Goddess pulls her mantle of Earth around her

as you, O Great Sun God, sail toward the west

to the lands of eternal enchantment,

wrapped in the coolness of night.

Fruits ripen

seeds drop,

the hours of the day and night are balanced.

Chill winds blow in from the North wailing laments.

In this seeming extinction of natures power, O Blessed

Goddess I know that life continues.

For Spring is impossible without the second harvest,

as surely as life is impossible without death.

Blessings upon you, O Fallen God, as you journey into

the lands of winter and into the Goddess' loving arms.

Put down the Basket and say:

O Gracious Goddess of all fertility, I have sown and

reaped the fruits of my actions, good and bane.

Grant me the courage to plant the seeds of joy and love in

the coming year, banishing misery and hate. Teach me the secrets

of wise existence upon this planet,

O luminous one of the night!

Light the fire and begin to burn the papers with the baneful habits and say;

Wise one of the Waning Moon,

Goddess of the starry night,

I create this fire within your cauldron

to transform that which is plaguing me.

May the energies be reversed

From darkness, Light!

From Bane, Good!

From death, Life!

Works of magic, if needed, may follow.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the Circle

white witchcraft rituals Lammas Day Love of the Goddess and the Horned God

2011-02-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

white witchcraft rituals Lammas Day (loaf-mass day) Love of the Goddess and the Horned God.

Lammas, August 1, is the celebration of the first fruits of the union of the Love of the Goddess and the Horned God. This is a celebration of the power of life and the fertility of the Goddess and the God. It is a celebration of thanks for the fruits of the Earth, that sustain us throughout the year. It is the celebration of the sacrificing of the Horned God to sustain his children.

In this time we are thinking of the story of Balder. Balder was the shinning son of Odin and Sif, he was the God of the Sun to the ancient Nordic peoples. Balder was immortal and, as the God of the Sun, was befriended by all of the Natural plants and animals of the Earth, but their was one plant that was accidentally ignored by the God, that was Mistletoe, which thrived in Winter. Mistletoe was the only thing in all creation that could cause harm to Balder. Now Loki, ever the jealous bastard son of Odin, managed to arrange a contest of skill for the Gods to take turns throwing their weapons at Balder until the God Uller was slipped a special arrow by Loki, one that was tipped with a mistletoe arrowhead. Uller's ever true aim carried the arrow straight through Balder's heart, striking him dead on the spot. He, like the Great Horned God, was dead until he also was reborn.

This tale recalls the old game of the harvesters, who would set up a sheaf of wheat, and each throw their sickle at it until one of them struck it down, and was declared the winner. The harvest time is a time for the celebration of the bounty of the Mother Goddess and the sacrifice of the God, whose work to provide for his children and sacrifices all his work, and later his life, to provide for their continuance.

The Witch's Sabbat - Lammas/Lughnasadh

LAMMAS RITE

The alter is adorned with the wheat, barley, oats, and bread. Fruit and vegetables are also appropriate.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the alter touching the gifts of food and say;

Now is the time of the first Harvest

when the bounties of nature give of themselves

so that we may survive.

O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,

Grant to me the understanding of sacrifice

as you prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the

Goddess and journey to the eternal summer.

O Goddess of the waning moon

teach me the secrets of rebirth

as the sun losses its strength and the nights grow cold.

Take up the Fruit from the alter and bite it, savoring its flavor and say;

I partake of the first harvest, mixing it energies

with mine that I may continue my quest for the starry

wisdom of perfection

O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun

gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses,

I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth

May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in

the Mother's breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth

of the coming spring.

Works of magic may follow if needed.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the circle.

Lammas Day according to wikipedia

For the Norfolk village, see Lammas, Norfolk.

In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year.

On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop. In many parts of England, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is referred to regularly, it is called "the feast of first fruits".

The blessing of new fruits was performed annually in both the Eastern and Western Churches on the first or the sixth of August (the latter being the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ). The Sacramentary of Pope Gregory I (died 604) specifies the sixth.[citation needed]

In mediæval times the feast was known as the "Gule of August", but the meaning of "gule" is unclear. Ronald Hutton suggests that it may be an Anglicisation of Gŵyl Awst, the Welsh name for August 1 meaning "feast of August", but this is perhaps an overly-complicated extraction. Most etymological dictionaries give it an origin similar to gullet; from O.Fr. goulet, dim. of goule "throat, neck," from L. gula "throat,".

One can see why Hutton feels differently as this Welsh derivation would point to a pre-Christian origin for Lammas among the Anglo-Saxons and a link to the Gaelic festival of Lughnasadh. 'Gule' could also come from 'Geohhol' (Old English form of 'jule') and thus Lammas Day was the 'Jule of August'.[citation needed]

There are several historical references to it being known as Lambess eve, such as 'Publications of the Scottish Historical Society' 1964 and this alternate name is the origin of the Lambess surname, just as Hallowmass and Christmas were also adopted as familial titles.

Pre-Industrial

In The Every-Day Book by William Hone (published: 1838), he speaks of a festival common among Scottish farmers near Edinburgh that happens on August 1, or "Lammas Day." He says that they "build towers...leaving a hole for a flag-pole in the center so that they may raise their colors."

When the flags over the many peat-constructed towers were raised, farmers would go to other's towers and attempt to "level them to the ground," which, if successfully attempted, would bring great praise. However, people were allowed to defend their towers, and so everyone was provided with a "tooting-horn" to alert nearby country folk of the impending arrival of unwelcome guests. They were also allowed to then physically defend their towers, and the battle would turn into a "brawl."

According to Hone, more than 4 people had died at this festival, and many more injured. At the end of the day, races were held, and prizes were given to the townspeople.

[edit]Neo-Paganism

Lammas is a Neo-Pagan holiday, often called Lughnasadh, celebrating the first harvest and the reaping of grain. It is a cross-quarter holiday halfway between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon).

In the northern hemisphere, Lammas takes place around August 1 with the Sun near the midpoint of Leo in the tropical zodiac, while in the southern hemisphere Lammas is celebrated around February 1 with the Sun near the midpoint of Aquarius. On the Wheel of the Year, it is opposite Imbolc, which is celebrated on February 2 in the northern hemisphere, and late July / early August in the southern hemisphere.

[edit]Other uses

Lammas is one of the Scottish quarter days.

Lammas leaves or Lammas growth refers to a second crop of leaves produced in high summer by deciduous trees in temperate countries to replace those lost to insect damage. They often differ slightly in shape, texture and/or hairiness from the earlier leaves.

See also

Harvest festival
Harvest Home
Ould Lammas Fair
Leyton Marshes
[edit]References

The Stations of the Sun, Ronald Hutton, Oxford 1996
(1.3.19),Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, "Come Lammas Eve at night shall she [Juliet] be fourteen." Since Juliet was born Lammas eve, she came before the harvest festival, which is significant since her life ended before she could reap what she had sown and enjoy the bounty of the harvest, in this case full consummation and enjoyment of her love with Romeo.
'Publications of the Scottish Historical Society' 1964
[edit]External links

Pretanic World Pre-Christian Holidays & Pre-Christian Traditions of Christian Holidays from Britain and Ireland
Gule of August
Observations on Popular Antiquities

BELTANE lore fire festival pagan witchcraft ritual celebration

2011-01-22T15:13:00.000-08:00

May is he time when nature comes alive and the spirits of Nature are most active, and the time when the Fairees are most active. Beltane, May Eve, is the wedding day of the Goddess and the Horned God. It is the celebration of the Goddess and the Horned Gods' discovery of their love, and of their sexuality. This is one of the most important of the Sabbats, for it is the time of the year when the couples in the Coven reaffirm their commitment to each other and to the relationship.

Often the old Pagans would crown the May Queen and King on this night, these two were the symbolic representation of the Goddess and the God. The most popular right of Beltane is the May Pole. This was originally a Fir striped of its branches, and could be as tall as 100 feet. The May Pole is a phallic representation of the Male Aspect of the divine marriage, as the Witches broom in Samhain is the symbol of Death in Life, the May Pole is the symbol of Life, rebirth, in Death. There is significant sexual representation in burning this end of this pole into the Earth (Mother). At this time we celebrate the season of growth that is ahead of us.

All about us Nature flourishes. The hens in their pen preen and dust bathe in the afternoon sunlight, and a falcon hovers above a newly planted field of corn. A gentle breeze blows the last of the blossoms from the apple trees in a shower of pink and white petals. Slowly, seeds sprout and fruits swell, and slowly our Lord, in his aspect of the Sun God, moves toward the zenith of his path and the height of his power.

Beltane video

BELTANE RITE

The alter is adorned with the wildflowers and symbols of male and female sexuality. Also a single large Red Candle should be lit.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the lit candle and say these words;

O Mother Goddess

and Father God

Tonight we celebrate in your union

As nature celebrates with the riotous blaze of color

From your mating shall spring forth life anew

and a profusion of living creatures shall cover the lands,

and the wind will blow pure and sweet.

O Ancient Ones, we celebrate with you.

Take your partner and share with them, inside the cast circle, the joys and loves of the wedding night. Go slow and celebrate in your sexual relationship throughout the night, and into the dawn.

Due to the nature of the celebration, works of magic are discouraged, except in the form of a rite of fertility, to bring forth a child from the union.

Celebrate the feast, during restful moments in the celebration.

With the dawn, Release the circle.

Beltane Ritual

Beltane Ritual by the Correllian Nativist Church International and the Temple of Astral Light at Trinity Temple in Albany, New York on May 5, 2007.

Beltane according to wikipedia

"Beltane or Beltaine (in English pronounced /ˈbɛltən/) is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltain (Irish Bealtaine Irish pronunciation: [ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠənʲə], Scottish Gaelic Bealltainn [ˈbʲal̪ˠt̪ˠənʲ]), the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on first day of May.

Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Bealtaine and Samhain were the leading terminal dates of the civil year in medieval Ireland, though the latter festival was the more important. The festival regained popularity during the Celtic Revival and remains observed in the Celtic Nations and the Irish diaspora.

In Irish Gaelic, the month of May is known as Mí Bhealtaine or Bealtaine, and the festival as Lá Bealtaine ('day of Bealtaine' or, 'May Day'). In Scottish Gaelic, the month is known as either (An) Cèitean or a' Mhàigh, and the festival is known as Latha Bealltainn or simply Bealltainn. The feast was also known as Céad Shamhain or Cétshamhainin from which the word Céitean derives. Beltane was formerly spelled 'Bealtuinn' in Scottish Gaelic; in Manx it is spelt 'Boaltinn' or 'Boaldyn'. In Modern Irish, Oidhche Bealtaine or Oíche Bealtaine is May Eve, and Lá Bealtaine is May Day. Mí na Bealtaine, or simply Bealtaine is the name of the month of May.

In Neopaganism, Bealtaine is considered a cross-quarter day, marking the midpoint in the Sun's progress between the spring equinox and summer solstice. The astronomical date for this midpoint is closer to 5 May or 7 May, but this can vary from year to year.[1]

Etymology

Since the early 20th century it has been commonly accepted that Old Irish Bel(l)taine is derived from a Common Celtic *belo-te(p)niâ, meaning "bright fire" (where the element *belo- might be cognate with the English word bale [as in 'bale-fire'] meaning 'white' or 'shining'; compare Anglo-Saxon bael, and Lithuanian/Latvian baltas/balts, found in the name of the Baltic; in Slavic languages byelo or beloye also means 'white', as in Беларусь (White Russia or Belarus) or Бе́лое мо́ре [White Sea]). A more recent etymology by Xavier Delamarre would derive it from a Common Celtic *Beltinijā, cognate with the name of the Lithuanian goddess of death Giltinė, the root of both being Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- "suffering, death".[2]

According to Dáithí Ó hÓgáin[year needed], the term Céad Shamhain or Cétshamhainin means "first half", which he links to the Gaulish word samonios (which he suggests means "half a year") as in the end of the "first half" of the year that begins at Samhain. According to Ó hÓgáin this term was also used in Scottish Gaelic and Welsh.[citation needed] In Ó Duinnín's Irish dictionary[year needed] it is referred to as Céadamh(ain) which it explains is short for Céad-shamh(ain) meaning "first (of) summer". The dictionary also states that Dia Céadamhan is May Day and Mí Céadamhan is May.

History

In medieval Ireland, the main Bealtaine fire was held on the central hill of Uisneach 'the navel of Ireland', one of the ritual centres of the country, which is located in what is now County Westmeath.[citation needed] The lighting of bonfires on Oidhche Bhealtaine seems to have survived to the present day only in County Limerick, especially in Limerick itself, as their yearly bonfire night and in County Wicklow in Arklow[citation needed], though some cultural groups have expressed an interest in reviving the custom at Uisneach and perhaps at the Hill of Tara.[3]

In Irish mythology, the beginning of the summer season for the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians started at Bealtaine. Great bonfires would mark a time of purification and transition, heralding in the season in the hope of a good harvest later in the year, and were accompanied with ritual acts to protect the people from any harm by Otherworldly spirits, such as the Aos Sí. Like the festival of Samhain, opposite Beltane on 31 October Beltane was also a time when the Otherworld was seen as particularly close at hand.

[edit]Gaelic folklore

In Gaelic folkore, the village's cattle was driven between two fires to purify them and bring luck (Eadar dà theine Bhealltainn in Scottish Gaelic, 'Between two fires of Beltane'). This term is also found in Irish and is used as a turn of phrase to describe a situation which is difficult to escape from. In Scotland, boughs of juniper were sometimes thrown on the fires to add an additional element of purification and blessing to the smoke. People would also pass between the two fires to purify themselves.

The festival persisted widely up until the 1950s, and in some places the celebration of Beltane continues today.[4][5][6]

Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season when the herds of livestock were driven out to the summer pastures and mountain grazing lands. Due to the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, Bealltainn in Scotland was commonly celebrated on 15 May while in Ireland Sean Bhealtain / "Old May" began about the night of 11 May.[citation needed] The lighting of bonfires on Oidhche Bhealtaine ('the eve of Bealtaine') on mountains and hills of ritual and political significance was one of the main activities of the festival.[7][8] In modern Scottish Gaelic, Latha Buidhe Bealltainn or Là Buidhe Bealltainn ('the yellow day of Bealltain') is used to describe the first day of May. This term Lá Buidhe Bealtaine is also used in Irish and is translated as 'Bright May Day'. In Ireland it is referred to in a common folk tale as Luan Lae Bealtaine; the first day of the week (Monday/Luan) is added to emphasise the first day of summer.

Edward Dwelly in Bealltuinn (1911) describes a 1 May custom of his day, practised in the Scottish Highlands, where young people met on the moors, lighted a bonfire and made an oatmeal cake toasted at the embers. The cake was divided, one of the pieces marked with charcoal, and, drawing the pieces blindfolded, the person who got the marked piece was compelled to leap over the flames three times.

Another common aspect of the festival which survived up until the early 20th century in Ireland was the hanging of May Boughs on the doors and windows of houses and the erection of May Bushes in farmyards, which usually consisted either of a branch of rowan/caorthann (mountain ash) or more commonly whitethorn/sceach geal (hawthorn) which is in bloom at the time and is commonly called the 'May Bush' or just 'May' in Hiberno-English. Furze/aiteann was also used for the May Boughs, May Bushes and as fuel for the bonfire. The practice of decorating the May Bush or Dos Bhealtaine with flowers, ribbons, garlands and coloured egg shells has survived to some extent among the Gaelic diaspora, most notably in Newfoundland, and in some Easter traditions observed on the East Coast of the United States.[7]
[edit]Brythonic festival

In Brythonic culture, i.e. in Wales, Brittany, and Cornwall, there are festivals similar to it at the same time of year such as the Padstow 'obby 'oss. In Wales, the day is known as Calan Mai. A cognate term in Continental Celtic may have been Gaulish Belotenia.[9]

[edit]Toponymy

Place names in Ireland that contain remnants of the word 'Bealtaine' include a number of places called 'Beltany' - indicating places where Bealtaine festivities were once held. There are two Beltanys in County Donegal-- one near Raphoe and the other in the parish of Tulloghobegly. Two others are located in County Tyrone, one near Clogher and the other in the parish of Cappagh. In the parish of Kilmore, County Armagh, there is a place called Tamnaghvelton/Tamhnach Bhealtaine ('field of the Bealtaine festivities'). Lisbalting/Lios Bealtaine ('fort or enclosure of Bealtaine') is located in Kilcash Parish, County Tipperary. Glasheennabaultina ('the Bealtaine stream') is the name of a stream joining the River Galey near Athea, County Limerick.

Revival

[edit]Edinburgh festival

A revived Beltane Fire Festival has been held every year since 1988 during the night of 30 April on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland and attended by up to 15,000 people (except in 2003 when local council restrictions forced the organisers to hold a private event elsewhere).

[edit]Gaelic diaspora

The lighting of a community Bealtaine fire from which individual hearth fires are then relit is observed in modern times in some parts of the Gaelic diaspora, though in the majority of these cases this practice is a cultural revival rather than an unbroken survival of the ancient tradition.[4][7][10][11]

Neo-Paganism

Beltane is observed by Neopagans in various forms, and by a variety of names. As forms of Neopaganism can vary largely from tradition to tradition, representations can vary considerably despite the shared name. Some celebrate in a manner as close as possible to how the Ancient Celts and Living Celtic cultures have maintained the traditions, while others observe the holiday with rituals taken from numerous other unrelated sources, Celtic culture being only one of the sources used.[12][13]

[edit]Celtic Reconstructionist

Like other Reconstructionist traditions, Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans place emphasis on historical accuracy. They base their celebrations and rituals on traditional lore from the living Celtic cultures, as well as research into the older beliefs of the polytheistic Celts.[14]

Celtic Reconstructionists usually celebrate Lá Bealtaine when the local hawthorn trees are in bloom, or on the full moon that falls closest to this event. Many observe the traditional bonfire rites, to whatever extent this is feasible where they live, including the dousing of the household hearth flame and relighting of it from the community festival fire. Some decorate May Bushes and prepare traditional festival foods. Pilgrimages to holy wells are traditional at this time, and offerings and prayers to the spirits or deities of the wells are usually part of this practice. Crafts such as the making of equal-armed rowan crosses are common, and often part of rituals performed for the blessing and protection of the household and land.[14][15][16]

[edit]Wicca

Main article: Wheel of the Year

Wiccans and Wiccan-inspired Neopagans celebrate a variation of Beltane as a Sabbat, one of the eight solar holidays. Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing). Some Wiccans celebrate "High Beltaine" by enacting a ritual union of the May Lord and May Lady.[17]

Among the Wiccan Sabbats, Beltane is a cross-quarter day; it is celebrated in the northern hemisphere on 1 May and in the southern hemisphere on 1 November. Beltane follows Ostara and precedes Midsummer.[17]

[edit]See also

Calendars
Celtic calendar
Coligny calendar
Irish calendar
Wheel of the year
Holidays
Lughnasadh
Samhain
Imbolc
Other
Beltane Fire Festival
Walpurgis Night
Welsh Holidays
[edit]References

^ Dames (1992) p.214
^ Delamarre, Xavier. Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise, Editions Errance, Paris, 2003, p. 70
^ Aideen O'Leary reports ("An Irish Apocryphal Apostle: Muirchú's Portrayal of Saint Patrick" The Harvard Theological Review 89.3 [July 1996:287-301] p. 289) that, for didactic and dramatic purposes, the festival of Beltane, as presided over by Patrick's opponent King Lóegaire mac Néill, was moved to the eve of Easter and from Uisneach to Tara by Muirchú (late seventh century) in his Vita sancti Patricii; he describes the festival as in Temora, istorium Babylone ('at Tara, their Babylon'). However there is no authentic connection of Tara with Babylon, nor any know connection of Tara with Beltane.
^ a b MacKillop, James (1998) A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-280120-1 pp.39, 400-402, 421
^ McNeill (1959) Vol. 2. p.63
^ Campbell, John Gregorson (1900, 1902, 2005) The Gaelic Otherworld. Edited by Ronald Black. Edinburgh, Birlinn Ltd. ISBN 1-84158-207-7 p.552-4
^ a b c Danaher, Kevin (1972) The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs Dublin, Mercier. ISBN 1-85635-093-2 pp.86-127
^ Chadwick, Nora (1970) The Celts London, Penguin. ISBN 0-14-021211-6 p. 181
^ MacKillop (1998) p.39
^ Dames, Michael (1992) Mythic Ireland. London, Thames & Hudson ISBN 0-500-27872-5. p.206-10
^ McNeill, F. Marian (1959) The Silver Bough, Vol. 2. William MacLellan, Glasgow ISBN 0-85335-162-7 p.56
^ Adler, Margot (1979) Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today. Boston, Beacon Press ISBN 0-8070-3237-9. p.3
^ McColman, Carl (2003) Complete Idiot's Guide to Celtic Wisdom. Alpha Press ISBN 0-02-864417-4. p.51
^ a b McColman (2003) pp.12, 51
^ Bonewits, Isaac (2006) Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York, Kensington Publishing Group ISBN 0-8065-2710-2. p.130-7
^ Healy, Elizabeth (2001) In Search of Ireland's Holy Wells. Dublin, Wolfhound Press ISBN 0-86327-865-5 p.27
^ a b Starhawk (1979, 1989) The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess. New York, Harper and Row ISBN 0-06-250814-8 pp.181-196 (revised edition)
[edit]Further reading

Carmichael, Alexander (1992). Carmina Gadelica. Lindisfarne Press. ISBN 0-940262-50-9
Chadwick, Nora (1970) The Celts. London, Penguin ISBN 0-14-021211-6
Danaher, Kevin (1972) The Year in Ireland. Dublin, Mercier ISBN 1-85635-093-2
Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1966, 1990) The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. New York, Citadel ISBN 0-8065-1160-5
MacKillop, James (1998). Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-280120-1
McNeill, F. Marian (1959) The Silver Bough, Vol. 1-4. William MacLellan, Glasgow
Simpson, Eve Blantyre (1908), Folk lore in lowland Scotland, London: J.M. Dent.
[edit]External links

Edinburgh's Beltane Fire Society
Extract on The Beltane Fires from Sir James George Frazer's book The Golden Bough - 1922
Gatherings celebrating the cycle of the year held on Tara

MIDSUMMER witchcraft pagan summer solstice rituals celebrations

2011-01-22T15:02:00.000-08:00

Midsummer, circa June 21, the solstice, is the celebration of the peak of the life energies in the world. It is a time for the purification of the self and the sharing of the essence of life. It is the time of the Great Rite, the explosion of human sexuality along with the explosion of all the worlds sexuality, and the renewal of the life energy in the world. From this point on the life energy begins to wane, and it will continue to wane until next Yule.

It was at this time that the old Pagans worked magic to insure the fertility of the farms, the most popular way was for two of the villages young people to go forth into the field, and make love. This sympathetic Magic was designed to cause fertility among the crops of the fields, and thereby supply the village with the necessary food to survive the upcoming Winter. Midsummer is the time when charm and spell to protect the fertility of the fields and herds as well as the barns in which they live. This is also the time to celebrate the fertility of the world, and of the fertility of the Goddess and the God.

Litha - Summer Solstice

Hi, Welcome to a long awaited video for Litha, hope you all enjoy it. The Summer Solstice is one time of the year that we all seem to be as one, more of you are finding the Pagan path. More are greeting the old ways with open mind and arms. As always a cracking song from my man Damh he lifts us so very high - cheers for all the music hope the new cd is soon. Blessings, Lee

MIDSUMMER RITE

The alter is adorned with the flowers and things of the Summer, a censor of incense should be lit. Have a Goblet of wine at the ready.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the alter and gaze upon censor as you say;

We stand before you tonight and celebrate the wiles of your love

that has led to the profusion of life upon the Earth.

We share this cup of wine, the fruits of your unions,

to celebrate the life you have passed to us.

Pass the goblet of wine through the celebrants, Deosil, and each member is to drink deeply of the wine. By the time it returns to the beginning the person beside the person who started the Cup should drain it completely.

Works of magic may follow if needed.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the circle.

Dusk Till Dawn - Summer Solstice at Stonehenge (2010)

wiccan witchcraft goddess OSTARA christian easter

2011-01-21T12:11:00.000-08:00

This is the celebration of the Goddess' reawakening, circa 21 March, the equinox, and reemergence into the world, as the Maiden, after the long dormancy of winter. This is further the celebration of the reawakening of the world itself. The plants are turning to green and the spring is coming on quick. The old Pagans had a custom of giving offerings of cakes and colored eggs were made at the vernal equinox, and was adopted by the christians. The use of eggs is a symbol of rebirth and at this time the world is being reborn.

The frosty nights of March warm into April mornings, the misty mornings that promise sunny afternoons, and the gray mornings that promise rainy days. But the gentle rain of April forces the herb garden into luxurious growth, and brings the promise of flowers in May.

OSTARA is also a pagan ritual that is also a christian celebration as well with the christian easter, so a important month for most religions, from the pagans at the start of summer in some ways.

OSTARA RITE

The alter is adorned with the flowers and potted plants and a small bowl of spring water.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the alter and gaze upon the potted plant as you say;

O Great Goddess, you have freed yourself from the icy prison of winter. Now is the greening, when the fragrance of flowers drifts on the breeze. This is the beginning. Life renews itself by your magic, Mother Goddess. The Goddess rises, sensual in her budding womanhood and the God stretches and rises, eager in His youth, and bursting with the promise of youth.

Touch the plant and connect with its energies, allow the energy to flow through the fingertips and into the body, allow the body to rejuvenate with the spring. After a time, still touching the plant say.

I walk the Earth as her friend,

with Mother Goddess and her new found lover the Horned God

Through this plant remind my body it is spring

And revitalize my body.

Meditate on the reawakening of the energy of the body in the spring.

Works of magic may follow if needed.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the circle.

"Ostara" Celebration of Ostara (The Goddess brings us flowers)

OSTARA according to wikipedia

"Old English Ēostre (also Ēastre) and Old High German Ôstarâ are the names of a putative Germanic goddess whose Anglo-Saxon month, Ēostur-monath, has given its name to the festival of Easter. Eostre is attested only by Bede, in his 8th century work De temporum ratione, where he states that Ēostur-monath was the equivalent to the month of April, and that feasts held in her honour during Ēostur-monath had died out by the time of his writing, replaced by the "Paschal month". The possibility of a Common Germanic goddess called *Austrōn- was examined in detail in 19th century Germanic philology, by Jacob Grimm and others, without coming to a definite conclusion.

Linguists have identified the goddess as a Germanic form of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European goddess of the dawn, *Hausos, some scholars have debated whether or not Eostra is an invention of Bede's, and theories connecting Eostre with records of Germanic Easter customs (including hares and eggs) have been proposed.

Ēostre derives from Proto-Germanic *austrō, ultimately from a PIE root *au̯es-, "to shine" and closely related to a conjectural name of Hausos, the dawn goddess, *h2ausōs, which would account for Greek Eos, Roman Aurora and Indian Ushas.[1]
The modern English term Easter is the direct continuation of Old English Ēastre, which is attested solely by Bede in the 8th century.[2] Ēostre is the Northumbrian form while Ēastre is West Saxon.[3]

Bede states that the name refers to a goddess named Ēostre who was celebrated at Eosturmonath, one of the months of the Anglo-Saxon calendar. In the 19th century Hans Grimm cited Bede when he proposed the existence of an Old High German equivalent named ōstarūn, plural, "Easter" (modern German language Ostern). There is no certain parallel to Ēostre in North Germanic languages though Grimm speculates that the east wind, "a spirit of light" named Austri found in the 13th century Icelandic Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, might be related.

Bede's account

Eástre (1909) by Jacques Reich. Directly derived from Gehrts' image (above), with the Germanic worshipers replaced by a picturesque landscape.
In chapter 15 of his work De temporum ratione, Bede describes the indigenous month names of the English people. After describing the worship of the goddess Hretha during the Anglo-Saxon month of Hrethmonath, Bede writes about Eosturmonath, the month of the goddess Eostre:

Original Latin:
Eostur-monath, qui nunc Paschalis mensis interpretatur, quondam a Dea illorum quæ Eostre vocabatur, et cui in illo festa celebrabant nomen habuit: a cujus nomine nunc Paschale tempus cognominant, consueto antiquæ observationis vocabulo gaudia novæ solemnitatis vocantes.[4]

Modern English translation:
Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated "Paschal month", and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance."[5]

Writing in the late 20th century, Rudolf Simek comments that, despite doubts, Bede's account of Eostra should not be completely disregarded, and that a "Spring-like fertility goddess" must be assumed rather than a "goddess of sunrise" regardless of the name, reasoning that "otherwise the Germanic goddesses (and matrons) are mostly connected with prosperity and growth." Simek points to a comparison with the goddess Hretha, also attested by Bede.[6]

Writing in the late 19th century, Charles J. Billson notes that scholars prior to his writing were divided about the existence of Bede's account of Ēostre, stating that "among authorities who have no doubt as to her existence are W. Grimm, Wackernagel, Sinrock [sic], and Wolf. On the other hand, Weinhold rejects the idea on philological grounds, and so do Heinrich Leo and Hermann Oesre. Kuhn says, 'The Anglo-Saxon Eostre looks like an invention of Bede;' and Mannhardt also dismisses her as an etymological dea ex machina." Billson says that "the whole question turns [...], upon Bede's credibility", and that "one is inclined to agree with Grimm, that it would be uncritical to saddle this eminent Father of the Church, who keeps Heathendom at arms' length and tells us less of than he knows, with the invention of this goddess." Billson points out that the Christianization of England started at the end of the sixth century CE, and, by the seventh, was completed. Billson argues that, as Bede was born in 672, Bede must have had opportunities to learn the names of the native goddesses of the Anglo-Saxons, "who were hardly extinct in his lifetime."[7]

Jacob Grimm and Ostara

In his 1882 Deutsche Mythologie, Jacob Grimm cites comparative evidence to reconstruct a potential continental Germanic goddess whose name would have been preserved in the Old High German name of Easter, Ôstarâ. Grimm is willing to take Bede's account at face value with the reasoning that "it would be uncritical to saddle this father of the church, who everywhere keeps heathenism at a distance, and tells us less of it than he knows, with the invention of these goddesses. There is nothing improbable in them, nay the first of them is justified by clear traces in the vocabularies of Germanic tribes."[8]

Specifically regarding Eostra, Grimm continues that:

We Germans to this day call April ostermonat, and ôstarmânoth is found as early as Eginhart (temp. Car. Mag.). The great christian festival, which usually falls in April or the end of March, bears in the oldest of OHG. remains the name ôstarâ [...], it is mostly found in the plural, because two days [...] were kept at Easter. This Ostarâ, like the [Anglo-Saxon] Eástre, must in heathen religion have denoted a higher being, whose worship was so firmly rooted, that the christian teachers tolerated the name, and applied it to one of their own grandest anniversaries.[9]

Grimm notes that "all of the nations bordering on us have retained the Biblical 'pascha'; even Ulphilas writes paska, not áustrô, though he must have known the word [...]." Grimm details that the Old High German adverb ôstar "expresses movement towards the rising sun", as did the Old Norse term austr, and potentially also Anglo-Saxon eástor and Gothic áustr. Grimm compares these terms to the identical Latin term auster. Grimm says that the cult of the goddess may have worshiped an Old Norse form, Austra, or that her cult may have already been extinct by the time of Christianization.[10]

Grimm notes that in the Old Norse Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, a male being by the name of Austri is attested, who Grimm describes as a "spirit of light." Grimm comments that a female version would have been Austra, yet that the High German and Saxon tribes seem to have only formed Ostarâ and Eástre, feminine, and not Ostaro and Eástra, masculine. Grimm additionally speculates on the nature of the goddess and surviving folk customs that may have been associated with her in Germany:

Ostara, Eástre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing, whose meaning could be easily adapted by the resurrection-day of the christian's God. Bonfires were lighted at Easter and according to popular belief of long standing, the moment the sun rises on Easter Sunday morning, he gives three joyful leaps, he dances for joy [...]. Water drawn on the Easter morning is, like that at Christmas, holy and healing [...]; here also heathen notions seems to have grafted themselves on great christian festivals. Maidens clothed in white, who at Easter, at the season of returning spring, show themselves in clefts of the rock and on mountains, are suggestive of the ancient goddess [...].[11]

Hares and Freyja

In Northern Europe, Easter imagery often involves hares and rabbits. Citing folk Easter customs in Leicestershire, England where "the profits of the land called Harecrop Leys were applied to providing a meal which was thrown on the ground at the 'Hare-pie Bank'", late 19th century scholar Charles Isaac Elton theorizes a connection between these customs and the worship of Ēostre.[12]

In his late 19th century study of the hare in folk custom and mythology, Charles J. Billson cites numerous incidents of folk custom involving the hare around the period of Easter in Northern Europe. Billson says that "whether there was a goddess named Eostre, or not, and whatever connection the hare may have had with the ritual of Saxon or British worship, there are good grounds for believing that the sacredness of this animal reaches back into an age still more remote, where it is probably a very important part of the great Spring Festival of the prehistoric inhabitants of this island."[7]

Some scholars have linked customs and imagery involving hares to Ēostre and the Norse goddess Freyja. Writing in 1972, John Andrew Boyle cites commentary contained within an etymology dictionary by A. Ernout and A. Meillet, where the authors write that "Little else [...] is known about [Ēostre], but it has been suggested that her lights, as goddess of the dawn, were carried by hares. And she certainly represented spring fecundity, and love and carnal pleasure that leads to fecundity." Boyle responds that nothing is known about Ēostre outside of Bede's single passage, that the authors had seemingly accepted the identification of Ēostre with the Norse goddess Freyja, yet that the hare is not associated with Freyja either. Boyle writes that "her carriage, we are told by Snorri, was drawn by a pair of cats — animals, it is true, which like hares were the familiars of witches, with whom Freyja seems to have much in common." However, Boyle adds that "on the other hand, when the authors speak of the hare as the 'companion of Aphrodite and of satyrs and cupids' and point out that 'in the Middle Ages it appears beside the figure of Luxuria', they are on much surer ground and can adduce the evidence of their illustrations."[13]

See also

Mōdraniht, the Anglo-Saxon "Mothers night," also attested by Bede
Notes

^ Pokorny (1959), s.v. "au̯es-
^ Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), "Eástre, the goddess of the rising sun, whose festivities were in April. Hence used by Teutonic Christians for the rising of the sun of righteousness, the feast of the resurrection," noting Bede and Grimm, Deutsche mythologie 1855 (on-line text)
^ OED
^ Giles (1843:179).
^ Wallis (1999:54).
^ Simek (2007:74).
^ a b Billson (1892:448).
^ Grimm (1882:289).
^ Grimm (1882:290).
^ Grimm (1882:290—291).
^ Grimm (1882:291).
^ Elton (1882:408).
^ Boyle (1972:323—324).
^ Schmadel (2003:44).
^ Simek (2007:255).
^ Hubbard (2007:175).
^ Diesel, Gerten (2007:136).
References

Barnhart, Robert K (1995). The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology: the Origins of American English Words. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-270094-7
Billson, Charles J. (1892). "The Easter Hare" as published in Folklore, Vol. 3, No. 4 (December, 1892). Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises Ltd.
Boyle, John Andrew (1974). "The Hare in Myth and Reality: A Review Article" as published in Folklore, Vol. 84, No. 4 (Winter, 1973). Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises Ltd.
Diesel, Andreas. Gerten, Dieter (2007). Looking for Europe: Neofolk und Hintergründe. Index Verlag. ISBN 3-936878-02-1
Grimm, Jacob (James Steven Stallybrass Trans.) (1882). Teutonic Mythology: Translated from the Fourth Edition with Notes and Appendix Vol. I. London: George Bell and Sons.
Hubbard, Benjamin Jerome. Hatfield, John T. Santucci, James A. (2007). An Educator's Classroom Guide to America's Religious Beliefs and Practices. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 1-59158-409-4
Giles, John Allen (1843). The Complete Works of the Venerable Bede, in the Original Latin, Collated with the Manuscripts, and Various Print Editions, Accompanied by a New English Translation of the Historical Works, and a Life of the Author. Vol. VI: Scientific Tracts and Appendix. London: Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane.
Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, fifth edition, illustrated. Springer. ISBN 3-540-00238-3
Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer. ISBN 0-85991-513-1
Wallis, Faith (Trans.) (1999). Bede: The Reckoning of Time. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 0-85323-693-3
Watkins, Calvert (2000). The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-618-08250-6"

LUPERCALIA Imbolc start of february driving out the wolves of winter pagan ritual

2011-01-20T17:54:00.000-08:00

LUPERCALIA Imbolc start of february driving out the wolves of winter pagan ritual.

Also called Imbolc, Lupercalia, February 2, is the time of the year when the Great Horned God, newly born of the Goddess and grown to his youthful strength and bravery, begins his role as the Protector of Life. The Horned God rises up and drives the wolves of winter from the world, bringing in with him the springtime, that will once again bring the green back to the world. It is here that the Horned God makes way for his future love, the Maiden to begin her frolics in the fields and hills of the world.

video below is information on all the pagan holidays.

The Pagan Past of Modern Holidays Pt. 1 of 2

The Pagan Past of Modern Holidays Pt. 2 of 2

(video description)

"By Megan Christensen through Professor Rev. Dr. James Kenneth Powell II, opensourcebuddhism.org. Nice thesis statement: the pagan past is not dead. I like the definition even of the word holiday. You describe the old Celtic calendar as the source of our north European holidays nicely. New Year's is a good place to start for the natural holidays. Past and future meet here -- nice Janus discussion. I had no idea about Groundhog's day and Imbolc. Valentine's Day and the Lupercalia were vaguely familiar, but now, I know more! Easter too, I did know basically the origins and there is even a Sanskrit Aryan original "Usras" -- the Dawn Goddess. The egg in fact goes back to ancient Egypt I understand. I had no idea of April Fool's day and Loki et. al. I like how you tie in the Roman with the Celtic along the way. Beltane sounds like one to bring back. Looks fun and the origins of the Maypole -- interesting. Halloween as you say, is the one that is most clearly "pagan". The trick-or-treat origins were new to me. Yule and All Saints Day and the connection with sun worship was also a new one for me. And that caroling came from Romans -- wow! You definitely made your case, and one as you know with which I would agree: the religions never die, they just fade away...a bit."

LUPERCALIA RITE

The alter is adorned with the wildflowers and a fire is set with incense burning in it.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the lit cauldron and say these words;

O wondrous God

Strength and power flowing

through the rippling muscles of your back

your wide horns and sharp spear

attacking and wolves

and driving them from our doors

We thank thee!

The Maiden Goddess may

now frolic upon these hills

and bring forth with thee the new life

that will come to us this spring

May you run free

across this world of yours

and reclaim it from the death that wraps

around it

Your Power is great

and we revere it and you

this night.

Works of magic may follow if needed.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the circle.

LUPERCALIA according to wikipedia article below

"Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman pastoral festival, observed on February 13 through 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Lupercalia subsumed Februa, a possibly earlier-origin spring cleansing ritual held on the same date, which gives the month of February its name.
The Lupercalia by name was believed in antiquity to have some connection with the Ancient Greek festival of the Arcadian Lykaia (from Ancient Greek: λύκος — lykos, "wolf", Latin lupus) and the worship of Lycaean Pan, the Greek equivalent to Faunus, as instituted by Evander.[1]

In Roman mythology, Lupercus is a god sometimes identified with the Roman god Faunus, who is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan.[2] Lupercus is the god of shepherds. His festival, celebrated on the anniversary of the founding of his temple on February 15, was called the Lupercalia. His priests wore goatskins. The second-century Christian apologist Justin Martyr mentions an image of "the Lycaean god, whom the Greeks call Pan and the Romans Lupercus,"[3] nude save for the girdle of goatskin, which stood in the Lupercal, the cave where Romulus and Remus were suckled by a she-wolf. There, on the Ides of February, a goat and a dog were sacrificed, and salt mealcakes prepared by the Vestal Virgins were burnt.

The celebration during the Late Republic and Empire

Plutarch described Lupercalia:
Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.[4]

The Lupercalia festival was partly in honor of Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled the infant orphans, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome,[5] explaining the name of the festival, Lupercalia, or "Wolf Festival." The festival was celebrated near the cave of Lupercal on the Palatine Hill (the central hill where Rome was traditionally founded[6]), to expiate and purify new life in the Spring. The Lupercal cave, which had fallen into a state of decay, was rebuilt by Augustus; the celebration of the festival had been maintained, as we know from the famous occurrence of it in 44 BC. A highly decorated cavern 50 feet (15 m) below Augustus' palace in the correct approximate location was discovered by archeologists in October 2007, which may prove to be the Lupercal cave when analyzed.

The religious ceremonies were directed by the Luperci, the "brothers of the wolf (lupus)", a corporation of priests of Faunus, dressed only in a goatskin, whose institution is attributed either to the Arcadian Evander, or to Romulus and Remus. The Luperci were divided into two collegia, called Quinctiliani (or Quinctiales) and Fabiani, from the gens Quinctilia (or Quinctia) and gens Fabia; at the head of each of these colleges was a magister. In 44 BC. a third college, the Julii, was instituted in honor of Julius Caesar, the first magister of which was Mark Antony. In imperial times the members were usually of equestrian standing.
The festival began with the sacrifice by the Luperci (or the flamen dialis) of two male goats and a dog.[7] Next two young patrician Luperci were led to the altar, to be anointed on their foreheads with the sacrificial blood, which was wiped off the bloody knife with wool soaked in milk, after which they were expected to smile and laugh.

The sacrificial feast followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the victims, which were called Februa, dressed themselves in the skins of the sacrificed goats, in imitation of Lupercus, and ran round the walls of the old Palatine city, the line of which was marked with stones, with the thongs in their hands in two bands, striking the people who crowded near. Girls and young women would line up on their route to receive lashes from these whips. This was supposed to ensure fertility, prevent sterility in women and ease the pains of childbirth. This tradition itself may survive (Christianised, and shifted to Spring) in certain ritual Easter Monday whippings.
[edit]The Lupercalia in the fifth century

By the fifth century, when the public performance of pagan rites had been outlawed, a nominally Christian Roman populace still clung to the Lupercalia in the time of Gelasius (494–96). It had been literally degraded since the first century, when in 44 BC the consul Mark Antony did not scruple to run with the Luperci;[8] now the upper classes left the festivities to the rabble.[9] Whatever the fortunes of the rites in the meantime, in the last decade of the fifth century they prompted Pope Gelasius I's taunt to the senators who were intent on preserving them: "If you assert that this rite has salutary force, celebrate it yourselves in the ancestral fashion; run nude yourselves that you may properly carry out the mockery."[10] The remark was addressed to the senator Andromachus by Gelasius in an extended literary epistle that was virtually a diatribe against the Lupercalia. Gelasius finally abolished the Lupercalia after a long dispute.
[edit]References in art

William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar begins during the Lupercalia, with the tradition described above.

Mark Antony is instructed by Caesar to strike his wife Calpurnia, in the hope that she will be able to conceive:

CAESAR (to Calpurnia)
Stand you directly in Antonius' way,
When he doth run his course. Antonius!

ANTONY
Caesar, my lord?

CAESAR
Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,
The barren touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.
[edit]See also

Roman festivals
Roman mythology
Valentine's Day

yule wiccan traditions winter

2011-01-17T15:02:00.000-08:00

From Samhain to Yule, the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer. The darkest times are from Samhain to Imbolc, and in this dark time, the spirits walk on the Earth. Charles Dickens spoke of this, as the Witches always have known. The last of Dickens spirits was the ghost of christmas future, and this is the ghost of Yule. Yule is the time we look to the future and the rebirth of the world. Yule is the time of the year that marks the rebirth of the God, with the rebirth of the sun, after Solstice, circa 21 December. The night of Yule is the longest night of the year, hereafter, the days grow longer and the influence of the sun, and therefore the God, grows more powerful with each passing day. Yule is the end of one solar year and the beginning of the new one.

The practice of bringing evergreen into the home was originally forbidden by the church; this in itself is an excellent argument for the belief that this is an old Pagan Practice. The ritual of decorating the tree with fruits, nuts, and berries is a form of old sympathetic Magic that worked to ensure the continuing cycle of the seasons. This is the Anglo-Saxon new year. As the days shorten and the night lengthen, the homes of Witches are recreated into into winter wonderlands.

It is still common practice to bring the evergreen into the home and decorating it with representations of fruit, nuts, and flowers. Though it is no longer commonly recognized as the sympathetic Magic, it is a common practice. This magical act is designed to bring about the return of the flowers of the spring and the rebirth of the Earth. The Pine cones of the season are symbols of the Fairee, and there is an old German tale of the Fairee and the pine cones, and the Winter Season. Further, the wrapping of color around the candy cane is an old hearkening to the Maypole and the Tinsel is an old representation of icicles and rain. These are all old symbols of fertility, and of rebirth. Also think of the oldest top to a Yuletide tree, the star. Notice that these old stars are traditionally five pointed, a penticle.

Perhaps one of the oldest of all Pagan Yuletide traditions is the burning of the Yule log. At this, the oldest and darkest time of the year, the burning of the Yule log, expressed in the simplest Magical terms what was needed most: warmth and light. The power of the Yule log gave its strength to the new born Sun when the new solar year was born.

When the animals have been fed, and are warm and safe in their shelter, we gather by the evening fire to gaze into its flames and reflect on the day that is done. Outside, in silence, the snow falls, and beneath its frozen crust the Mother sleeps, and awaits here lover.

YULE RITE

During Yule, on the winter solstice, the alter is adorned with the evergreens and dried leaves. The cauldron is filled ignitable alcohol or a red candle. In an outdoor ritual, lay a fire near the alter.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the cauldron and say these words;

I fear not the cold

As the world is wrapped in sleep

Though icy winds blast

And the winter rages unabated

I know this to shall pass

I know that now the God is reborn

That the Mother Goddess

Has Borne you forth from her womb

And you are now healthy

And you are growing stronger with each passing day

Welcome back, O blessed Horned one

The sacrifice you made

Has carried us through

The dying of the days

And into the time of rebirth

Thank you, O great Goddess

For the power of your womb

That brought forth from the sacrifice of the God

A new life among us

And a new world before us.

Light the Cauldron , Candle, or fire, and circle about it, slowly, deosil, and chant the following while focusing on the reawakening of the world. "As the wheel turns, the power burns."

Works of magic may follow if needed.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the circle.

Samhain rituals in wicca and witchcraft

2011-01-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

Samhain, October 31, is the Night that the Horned God Dies, and passes through the veil of life into the land of death. This is the night when the veil separating the land of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, and the spirits of the dead walk in the lands of the living. This is the celebration of the death in life, to support the continuance of life, and the celebration of the sacrifice of the Horned God. It is a time to name the loved ones who have passed and talk of them. Leave an offering to the spirits on the doorstep, a bowl of milk and a bit of meat and bread, to sustain them on their journeys.

The most symbolic item of this season, for the Witch, is the broom. In the old time the broom was the sacred symbol of Womanhood, as it was the tool of the Woman within the house. To those outside the Craft the broom may be the symbol of drudgery but the members of the Craft know it for the symbol of the mysteries of women and the Goddess, and that makes this the most potent symbol of the Craft. Within the Craft, this symbol of womanhood is the symbol of the woman's mystery, the symbol of birth, death and rebirth.

When the Sabbat fire has flickered and died to embers, and the wind sighs down the chimney in the wake of the Crone, and as the Moon climbs high shedding Her silver Light on the rooftops, we bank the fire and bid good-night to the silent spirits who have gathered all about us. Warmed by the love they had for us in life, and the knowledge that they are not really gone, we bid farewell to the season that has ended.

SAMHAIN RITE

Arrange the alter with a burning bowl, censor, candles, and a sun dish, and a natural knife, and some pomegranates.

Cast a circle

Invoke the Goddess and the God

Stand before the alter and lift a pomegranate, pierce the skin, and pull forth several seeds, and say;

On this night of Samhain I mark your passing,

O Sun King, through the sunset into the Land of the Young.

I mark also the passing of all who have gone before,

and all who will go after.

NAME THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED

O Gracious Goddess

Eternal Mother, You who gives birth to the fallen,

teach me to that at this time of the greatest

darkness there is the greatest .

Taste the Pomegranate seeds, burst them in your teeth, and savor the bittersweet flavor. Look to the sun plate and think of the wheel of the year, the cycle of the seasons, the continuing rebirth of all that is, the end and beginning of all creation.

Magic works may follow, this is the perfect time for divination works. But leave the dead in peace-if those souls have been reincarnated, you will have trouble, but the to contact those not yet reincarnated may invite hauntings.

Celebrate the feast.

Release the circle.

what is the magic used in witchcraft and wicca?

2011-01-17T11:54:00.000-08:00

Magic is a tool used by witches to accomplish changes to the self and /or the environment. It is the single most powerful tool of the followers of the Goddess and God, and it is a simple tool to use. There are practitioners of magic that dwell through thousands of pages of archaic terms and full and fanciful rituals that teach essentially nothing. There is only one magic, that of the your own self. Magic comes from the self. Magic is only the personal energy positively directed to achieve a predetermined end. Magic is the needing a change, creating a change catalyst, and knowing the change will occur. These three portions of magic are examined in detail below.

Need for change is the first step of magic. The practitioner of magic must realize there own subconscious feelings and beliefs, for this is where need is truly understood. The practitioners magic will fail if there is no true need felt by the subconscious. This requires that the practitioner have a clear channel of communication between the subconscious and the conscious mind. If this communication is not established then it is impossible to separate between the true need and the simple desire.

Desires are simple and passing, but are often caught up by the conscious mind and clung to with such voracity, that they can easily be interpreted as needs. This is why the practitioner is required to understand their innermost thought processes and have a clear understanding of themselves and have a clear handle on themselves and their relationships. This understanding is the responsibility of the Initiate practitioner and is assisted to be accomplished by her chosen Mentor. This will be further discussed later.

The use of ritual in the creation of magic serves a single purpose. That purpose is to create for the practitioner a physical representation of the required change to assist the practitioner in knowing the change will occur. Further, in the use of ritual, the practitioner accepts that the Goddess and the God will also assist in the empowerment of the change, lending faith to the knowledge that the change will occur, thus reinforcing the empowerment of the change. Ritual is the tool a Witch uses to create the needed change. Ritual is used to empower the spell. Spells are the formula to create the desired change. A Ritual is used to raise power to empower the spell, and to guide that power, through the use of visualization, into the desired end.

Knowing the change will occur is the final step of successful spellcasting. You have to know that the change will occur. Otherwise it won't. This is the single most important purpose of the Initiate's Mentor. By assisting the initiate in the process of coming to terms and accepting themselves the Mentor teaches the initiate to accept their own power and believe in themselves and help the initiate to progress into a Witch.

witchcraft is not really new age but its own teaching and ways

2011-01-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is a remarkable time for Witches and Witchcraft. Not since the times before the christians assimilated all of Europe has Witchcraft been so open and accepted by the society at large. Our craft can finally be practiced in the open again. And as our Craft flourishes, so do many other paths to enlightenment and personal transformation. Unfortunately, it makes this a confusing time for the Witch. As a Brother or Sister in the Craft we need to be on guard for those "New Age" ideas that are illusionary. It is a time when personal enlightenment is easily sold to a starving populace, but just as saw dust bread may taste good but provide no nourishment, there are people out there trying to sell us ideas that sound good but turn us away, without seeming to, from our goal of worshiping the Goddess and the God, and from our real path to personal transformation.

There are several New Age ideals that are being practiced that are potentially detrimental to the Witch. First among these are the 'Channelers.' I am leery of any person who states the spirit of this or that long dead Master is speaking through them. How can a Witch, a believer in reincarnation, communicate with a dead spirit when that spirit would have been reborn to continue on the spiral path.

I would question those that would teach us of the ancient powers of the Atlantian. Though I know not if there ever were any such people, I do know that no person or people should be effectively deified.

And what of those who would limit you to Crystal Power. While we all know that Crystals are an excellent source of borrowed power, for specific Magical Uses, they are not some all powerful source to cure all mans ills, as others would have us believe.

Further, I would ask, what of groups that mix Witchcraft with christianity. Can these to truly be mixed. A religion that honors life and self transformation like ours mixed with the manipulation of others and the giving up of self to a higher power, can this truly be mixed?

Finally, what of 12 step programs that require the individual to admit personal defeat and accept the need of a higher power to cure them of their addiction. I know they work by transferring an addiction to a substance to a more socially acceptable addiction to a higher power. Our Goddess and God demand that we accept ourselves and our work is to perfect ourselves. This cannot be done by giving up our responsibility for our own action.

In the end, I say to the Witch, Beware, the whole of the world does not respect each other as we do. There are times to be wary of your less honorable fellows, but never give up hope on these people, we were once them.

advice for the witch and pagan in you

2011-01-17T09:37:00.001-08:00

Each of us is called to follow a road. We would offer you some tips to make your way smooth and straight.

Follow your road not someone else's.
Close your ears to the voices of those that clamor to teach you. True teachers do not seek students.

Listen to the voice within yourself and when your moment of destiny comes...surrender to it absolutely.

Be skeptical of books on religion and philosophy. Everything you need to know is written in your wyrd.

Be honest with yourself. If you are here to be taught then do not seek your teacher...you will know when you find her/him. If you think you are here to teach...you probably aren't. Only hubris believes itself ready to take responsibility for for a human spirit.

You will enjoy only about 25,000 days in this existence...make each one precious and memorable. Even suffering is preferable to apathy.
Be Passionate...it will give you life.

Pagan Religion Beliefs

2011-01-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

There is a diversity of belief within the Pagan community.
Often the differences are semantic...sometimes it is semantics that causes difference.

There are many who would like a homogenous, formal, 'orthodox' Paganism
and are quick to claim that anything outside of there approved list is not Pagan.
Many people have worked hard to try to make it seem that there is no controversy within Pagan beliefs this is far from true.

Many of the things that are being widely disseminated as 'the Way' of Paganism are not necessarily traditional and are not shared by all Pagans.

In these pages we hope to introduce you to some of the definitions and ideas that have become blurred as Paganism, neo-Paganism, and the New Age have collided in the 20th Century.

how to do witches spells and magic

2011-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Spells are kind of hard to include on a web page, since (in my tradition of Wicca) each spell is designed for one occasion; when we want a spell, we make a new one.

Spells can be very simple: burn a candle, and ask the Goddess for what you need - choose the color of the candle to go with the spell (your heart knows the right color better than I could tell you - use the color that feels right). Or leave an offering under a tree (leave a flower, or a coin, or pour out a little wine), and ask for what you need.

Things to Keep in Mind

Ask for what you need

If you don't need it, don't ask for it. The magical power of a spell is driven by a true need; if you're asking for a second yacht, you probably won't get any results that you would like.

Don't fence yourself in

The most likely reason for a spell to fail is if you're asking for something too specific - you want to give yourself and the universe as much room to maneuver as you can. Don't focus on details, focus on the feeling you want to have when things work out right. Close your eyes and try to find that feeling "out there"; if you find it, either move toward it or reach out and bring it toward you.

Pay attention to the tides

The second most likely reason for a spell to fail is if the time is just wrong. Remember that spells work within the bounds of nature, and sometimes the wind and the tides are working against you. When that happens, the best thing you can do is to put a finger to the wind and figure out where you can go, working with the natural flow of things; or just wait it out until the tides shift in your direction. If you read the Runes, this situation is usually indicated by the "ice" rune coming up.

Give something back

If you're asking for something, it's a good idea to offer something in return, at least as a token gesture - a flower, or a bit of food, or a coin, for instance (no live animals, please).
Remember that other people are using magic too, whether they know it or not
Most people have some natural magical ability, whether they know it or not, and an instinct for taking care of themselves. If you try to cast a spell that is inherently detrimental to another person, you will meet resistance from that person's magical energy. The magical universe is a crowded place, and things will work out best for you if you manage to navigate a path that avoids direct conflict with your fellow beings.

Follow up with mundane action

Another important point about spells is that it's very important to follow up with mundane action. If you cast a spell for money, don't expect a check to just show up in your mailbox the next day; get out and look for a job, or at least buy a lottery ticket (magic doesn't work terribly well with those, by the way, because everybody who buys a lottery ticket throws a bit of magic into it, whether they know what they're doing or not). The idea is to make a point of putting yourself into situations where the magic has a chance of working.
On Love Spells

Love spells are tricky; if you do a love spell aimed at a specific person, things will always turn out badly. I say this based on many, many first-hand stories I've heard over the years. What you want to do is concentrate on the feeling you're trying to capture, but don't think of the particular person you want to have that feeling with. Give the universe a little leeway to find what's right for you - if there's a chance of things working out in the long run, you might find that the person you have in mind will take an interest in you; but it's important to leave the door open for the possibility that your true love is someone you haven't even met yet. If you hang on to your fantasy too tightly, you might miss out on someone really special.

Spells and Wicca

I've found that the longer I practice Wicca, the less often I feel inclined to use spells. There are severeal reasons for this. For one thing, it's easier for me to take a longer view of things now; in a lot of the situations that I might have wanted to use a spell once, I can now see that things will work out acceptably without any magical interference, and what appears to be a crisis is just a natural part of the process. Another reason is that I'm much better at feeling when a spell just wouldn't stand a chance of working, so I save my breath until the tides are right. And perhaps most important, by working at it over the years both magically and in mundane ways, I've gotten my life much closer to the way I want it, so there are fewer reasons for me to want to shake things up.

I actually think spells are sort of peripheral to Wicca; it's something most of us know how to do, more or less, but it isn't central to the religion. After a few years, the steady, cumulative magic of the seasonal rituals turns out to be much more important than one-off spells.

The Art of Scrying in Witchcraft

2011-01-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

Scrying can be done with a number of different surfaces, from tea leaves to crystal balls to shag carpets; the basic technique is similar in all cases. Gaze steadily into the scrying surface (feel free to blink or allow your point of focus to wander a bit; this is not a method of self-inflicted torture). Eventually, you should be able to pick out shapes or images in the scrying surface; these may appear as crude sketches, or occasionally with the clarity of a photograph. You will actually see these images with your eyes.

Once this happens, images may begin to form in your mind, no longer projected onto the scrying surface. When this happens, allow your attention to focus on these mental images. From this point forward, the scrying surface is irrelevant; do not be distracted by it.

As the images become clearer, you will find that you know things about what you are seeing – background information will come to the surface of your mind. Pay attention to what you know about the images you are seeing.

Surfaces which provide a random, high contrast visual texture, such as black tea leaves in a white cup or orange sparks in a black ember, are particularly good for the first stage of the scrying process. However, the vividness of the visual images formed in this way may tend to pull your attention back from the purely mental images that should follow, thus disrupting the natural flow of ideas. Smooth, neutral surfaces, like the surface of a dish of water, a crystal ball, or a black mirror, provide relatively few visual cues to get you started, but if you can make the transition to mental imagery quickly, the visual surface will obligingly fade into the background.

Scrying exercise

Cast a circle. Seat yourself comfortably, breathe deeply a few times to relax and center yourself. Gaze into the scrying surface for a while. Write down:

What you saw
What images came to mind
What you found you knew about the images
Ground. Close circle.

Tea leaves: Use black tea leaves (peppermint works reasonably well if you're decaffeinated) in a white tea cup.

Embers: Use embers (a wood fire outdoors or in a fireplace) at night.

Water: Use a dish of water in a darkened room, lit from the sides by two candles. The dish should be a solid, neutral color.

Crystal ball: Use a crystal ball, as above (or a mirror, turned slightly so you are not reflected in it -- try to fill the view with a blank wall)

what is the Witches PENTACLE?

2011-01-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

The Pentacle is the symbol of the Craft. It is used as a working surface for the consecration of tools, where it represents the solid foundation upon which all magical work must be built. It is also used as a plate for the Cakes, representing the idea of sustenance which is again built upon a foundation of conscientious work, and upon the solid ground of the fertile mother Earth. The points of the Pentagram represent the four Elements plus the fifth 'element' of Spirit, which represents the essence of the other four elements working together, beyond the sum of their qualities considered individually. The lines of the Pentagram represent the interconnections between the Elements and between all things in nature, and the Circle enclosing the Pentagram represents the wholeness and underlying unity of the World.

The Pentacle also acts as a Shield, and is a tool of protection, especially when used in conjunction with the Sword. It is the emblem of the Armor of the Craft, a powerful protective ritual.

The Pentacle is a feminine tool of Earth, and it is paired with the Sword.

The Working Tools
in the Circle

-N-
(F) (M)
EARTH
Pentacle Wand

(F) Chalice Cord (F)
-W- WATER AIR -E-
(M) Scourge Athame (M)

Censer Sword
FIRE
(F) (M)
-S-

The SWORD Witchcraft Magical Tools

2011-01-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

The Sword represents the magical Authority of the High Priestess, who wields and directs the united Will of the Coven. It serves the same functions as the Athame, but on the level of the Coven rather than the individual Witch.

The Sword's edge represents the balance between Life and Death, and the constant choice between the two. The Sword also represents truth, and justice. "With the Sword in your hand, you are the ruler of the Circle"; metaphorically, this means that when you grasp the truth firmly and resolutely, you control your own destiny.

The Sword is a masculine tool of Fire, though some traditions associate it with Air; it is paired with the Pentacle, the Shield of the Craft.

The CORD used in Witchcraft Ritual Tools

2011-01-14T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Cord worn around the waist represents the Circle, as a symbol of focus and containment, and also the circle of life, death and rebirth. It is a badge of initiation; the binding of the Initiate symbolizes the Law of Return, and the knots in the Cord bind the Initiate's Oath.

The Cord is used in Cord magic, where it expresses the balanced tension between polarized forces, and generally represents the magical and emotional bonds between yourself and those whose fates are linked to yours. Tying a knot in a cord can be used to make something permanent or to stabilize moving forces into a steady pattern; untying a knot can release a connection or free the energies in a pattern of thought or action which has outlived its usefulness.

In conjunction with the Scourge, the Cord is used to contain and focus a Witch's attention for purposes of gaining the Sight or leaving the body.

The Cord is a feminine tool of Air; it is paired with the Scourge

The SCOURGE in Witchcraft

2011-01-14T19:27:00.000-08:00

The Scourge is a tool of purification; of refinement and distillation. Like the grain flail, it is used to draw out the kernel, the essence of a person from among the chaff of mundane thoughts and emotions. The Scourge is traditionally used in conjunction with the Cord to focus a person's thoughts, and to induce a deep meditative state. This method is used to gain the Sight, and also to leave the body.

The scourge represents a willingness to feel, and to experience our feelings; it is the understanding that we must be able to feel pain if we are to feel love. The key to this understanding is to experience the point where pain and pleasure meet; this is why the scourge and the kiss are represented by the same symbol. The gift the scourge offers is an appreciation for the value of all experience; we cannot learn from pleasant experiences alone, thus the tradition, 'To learn you must suffer'. There is no need to seek suffering; but you will suffer from time to time, and your choice is to learn something from it, or to suffer in vain.

The Scourge is also the symbol of discipline in the Coven, and of the authority of the High Priestess. The symbolism here is more subtle than it appears at first; the strands of the Scourge show how many may act as one. The Scourge represents the joint Will of the Coven, and also the importance of developing a thematic unity among the interwoven threads of an individual Witch's life; for the challenge of becoming a cohesive and effective working group is a macroscopic reflection of the challenge of becoming a well integrated and effective individual.

The Scourge is a masculine tool of Water; its meaning lies in the image of waves breaking upon the shore. It is paired with the Cord.

What is the Witches WAND?

2011-01-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

The Wand, which was once a living being, is used in place of the metal Athame for opening a portal in a living person for a Goddess or a God to manifest through. It represents a channel for the powers of the Earth, and is used for the manifestation of magical forces into solid life. It suggests action at a distance and directed energy flow.

The Wand can also be used to return a Priestess or Priest from invocation by striking the person on the shoulder with the Wand and speaking the person's name; its connection with the Earth gives it a natural grounding action.

The Wand can also be used for dowsing or sensing energy flows; if used properly, it can increase a person's natural sensitivity to local changes in energy fields. Hold the wand lightly but securely, keeping the wrist relaxed, and move it horizontally across the region of interest; take note of any place where the wand seems to pull downward or upward.

The Wand is a masculine tool associated with Earth, from which it grew; some traditions associate it with Fire or Air. It is paired with the Censer; together they are used for invocation.

The CHALICE in Witchcraft

2011-01-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

The Chalice is the symbol of regeneration and nurturing; it represents the gates of birth and death, and is a symbol of abundance.

The wine in the Chalice represents blood. Menstrual blood indicates a woman is of childbearing age, therefore blood is a sign of the power to give life. Loss of blood leads to death; thus blood is the emblem both of the beginning and of the end of life.

The blood of the Dying God of the vine is wine, which has the power to give inspiration. By altering the senses, it can suggest new ways of looking at the world; by reducing inhibitions, it can sometimes bring forth hidden poetry. In wine is the danger and the promise of divine ecstasy.

In the Chalice it returns to the womb of the Mother, and is shared by the community. The Chalice joined with the Athame in the Wine Blessing represents the quickening of new life in the womb of the Goddess, and imbues the wine with divine inspiration.

The Chalice is a feminine tool associated with Water; its counterpart is the Athame.

what is an athame?

2011-01-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Athame, or ritual knife, represents the Will and the magical Power of the individual Witch, and is the primary working tool of the Craft. The edge represents the ability to make clear distinctions and to reach a firm conclusion; the point represents the power of focused action and the will to act decisively. With the Athame in your hand, you cannot be bound against your will.

The Athame is used to cast the circle, and to cut various sorts of openings in the circle: doorways for the coveners to enter or leave by, pentagrams for the invoking or banishing of elemental forces, portals for the passage of the astral body. To use the Athame, first attune your own energy field to the energy of the metal blade, then let the metal resonate to your will. This allows you to use the energy of the metal for casting the circle and cutting the openings, reserving your own personal energy for those things which only you can do.

It is also used in the Wine Blessing, where it is held by the Priestess to represent the power of the God, which she can call forth.

The Athame is a masculine tool associated with Air, representing freedom of action, though in some traditions it is associated with Fire to represent the Will. Its counterpart is the Chalice.

Wiccan Witchcraft

2011-01-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me give you the usual caveats and disclaimers that set the context for any discussion of the Wiccan religion. Wicca is a decentralized religion; there is no central authority that can dictate what Wiccans should practice or believe. Each coven is autonomous, and in the case of solitary practitioners, each individual is autonomous. Therefore, the identity of the Wiccan religion is based on mutual recognition - that is, groups and individuals are Wiccan to the extent that they can recognize each other as practicing more or less the same religion. Because of this relative definition, the actual beliefs and practices tend to change and evolve over time.

Having said that, there are some practices and beliefs that are fairly common among Wiccans. The occasions of the major rituals are pretty universal, though the details of how the rituals are performed vary tremendously. Major ritual occasions include the Sabbats (eight seasonal festivals, spaced evenly throughout the year), Full Moons (sometimes called Esbats, though the word Esbat is also used in other ways), and Rites of Passage.

Ritual occasions

The eight Sabbats are usually observed as celebratory rituals marking the changing of the seasons. The Wiccan year starts at sunset on October 31 (Samhain or Halloween), though there is a great emphasis on the year as an unbroken cycle, so the status of the New Year festival is only slightly elevated above the other sabbats. Each sabbat technically extends from sunset on the eve of the sabbat to sunset on the day of the sabbat, though we usually don't take the exact timing too seriously - since it's rare to get Wiccan holidays off from work, most of us hold our rituals as near to the date of the sabbat as our schedules will allow.

Full Moon rituals vary considerably; some groups use the Full Moon as a time for working magic (for healing, or personal growth, or encouraging difficult situations to work out okay). Some of us use the Full Moons as a time to invoke our gods to speak to us directly. For some groups, the Full Moon is a time for teaching and learning.

Rites of Passage include rites specific to the religion (i.e. initiations) and rites that mark other major events in the course of a person's life. Initiation rituals may formalize an individual's dedication to the Wiccan religion, or acceptance of a new level of responsibility within the religion. Initiations may or may not confer membership or rank in a particular coven or group of covens. The number of initiation rituals depends on the tradition, three being most common. Some groups emphasize the basic equality of their members by having only one initiation; others have added more grades as they refine and extend their body of teaching material.

Other rites of passage include the usual sorts of things you find in any culture - child blessing, coming of age, marriage (we call it "handfasting"), and funeral (or "requiem") rites. Again, details of the rituals vary considerably, and may be tailored to the needs and desires of the individuals involved.

Beliefs

Wicca is primarily an experiential religion; our rituals and training techniques aim to produce a consistent body of experience, but different people will draw different conclusions about what those experiences mean. Thus there are several sets of beliefs, some of them contradictory, that are available for consideration within a Wiccan framework.

The Gods: Wiccan literature and rituals often make reference to The Goddess and The God, or to The Gods generally, or may mention any number of Goddesses and Gods by name. So a Wiccan may be a polytheist, worshipping many gods and goddesses. On the other hand, many Wiccans are of the opinion that all the goddesses that have ever been worshipped are really a single Goddess known by many names, and likewise all the (male) gods are really manifestations or aspects of a single God. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for Wiccans to continue this line of thinking by saying that the Goddess and the God are two halves of a single, universal divine force.

So Wiccans can be polytheists, duotheists, monotheists, and pantheists, all at the same time. Opinion also varies as to exactly how "real" the gods are - some see them as nothing more than psychological archetypes, others see them as very real beings capable of physical manifestation. Some take the middle ground, saying the gods are real, in the sense that they are transpersonal, but they are not physical beings; so their effect on the world only comes through their ability to indirectly influence the actions of living things.

Nature: In addition to anthropomorphic images of deity, Wiccans also speak in more abstract terms of the sacredness of Nature. To some extent, this is the spiritual corollary of the scientific "Gaia hypothesis", first proposed by James Lovelock in the 1960's, which basically states that in order to fully understand geological, meteorological and oceanological processes, it is necessary to think of the entire ecosphere of the Earth as a single living organism that exhibits some kind of intelligence. As far as I know, no scientist has seriously suggested that this "intelligence" is anything like human intelligence; what they have in mind is more like the intelligence of a thermostat. On the other hand, they haven't really ruled out a more complex sort of global intelligence, either. Wiccans universally think of the natural world as sacred, and worthy of respect. Some go farther and worship Earth as the Great Mother Goddess, from whose body all living things have emerged, and to whom all will return when they die. Earth is also sometimes spoken of as Mother of the Gods, from whom all other gods and goddesses descend (this idea comes by way of ancient Greek religion).

Magic: The Wiccan religion is permeated by the idea of magic. However, the word magic remains largely undefined. For some Wiccans, magic is nothing more or less than a set of psychological techniques that have stood the test of time: the use of inborn psychological archetypes, associative thinking, and meditative techniques to marshall the mind's powers, focus the attention for effective problem solving, and promote communication between different parts of the brain. Other Wiccans believe in more miraculous sorts of magic: action at a distance, clairvoyance, precognition, things that non-Wiccans might describe as "supernatural" (to a Wiccan, if these forms of magic exist, then they are part of nature, and thus they are not supernatural). People who are unfamiliar with the magical worldview may think of magic as simply not-science, but that is a gross oversimplification. The magical worldview and the scientific worldview overlap to a considerable extent; the apparent contradictions stem from a difference in priorities. Science is concerned with objectively observable phenomena, which can be validated by predictably reproducing an effect. Magic, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with subjectively experienced phenomena, and unique events may be highly significant in a magical context. Therefore, magic and science, when properly understood, should complement each other nicely. The confusion comes when magic appears to make truth claims about objective physical phenomena, or when science crosses the line into interpreting subjective experience.

Reincarnation: Much of the imagery and symbolism of Wicca revolves around an implicit acceptance of the idea of reincarnation. Natural cycles are equated with the cycles of our lives: as midnight is followed by sunrise, and winter is followed by spring, so surely death must be followed by some form of rebirth. And in between dying and being born, Wiccan legend speaks of the Summerland, a place where the souls of the dead find rest and renewal, and reunion with those who have gone before, and eventually, the strength to return again. That's the legend. Do Wiccans actually believe this? Well, some do, taking the legend more or less at face value. Others see it more philosophically, taking the idea of reincarnation to mean that nature wastes nothing: the atoms of our bodies will return to the Earth, and will eventually be incorporated into other living things. Still others are inclined to believe that there is some essence of a person that survives death, and all of our religious ideas about the afterlife are clumsy metaphors for something that cannot be described plainly, because our minds and our senses cannot quite comprehend the reality of it.

The Law of Return: This bit of Wiccan lore says "What you send out will return to you threefold". It is presented as a law of nature, and expresses a deep belief in the interconnectedness of all things. On one level, this is common sense: if you're mean to people, people will be mean to you. If you're nice to people, people will be nice to you (after they get over the surprise). If you poison the land and the sea, you poison yourself. If you tend the land with care, the earth will send up life-giving fruits to nourish you. On the other hand, it's fairly easy to think of apparent counterexamples: cases where villains prosper while good-hearted people suffer. But no one said the return would be quick.

Wiccan Religion

2011-01-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

What attracts people to the Wiccan religion?

Well, lots of things, depending on a person's background. For one thing, Wicca is a very tolerant religion in general, so people who feel that they aren't accepted for who they are by more mainstream religions may find that Wicca is an attractive alternative. I think we have to assume that, unless a person was raised Wiccan, they would only turn to Wicca if the religion they were raised in seemed unsatisfactory in some respect; tolerance and acceptance seem to be major issues in many cases.

Another closely related issue is gender - how many religions have a strong feminine representation of the divine? Some branches of Wicca focus primarily or exclusively on the Goddess; others see the Goddess and the God as equal and indispensible partners in the ongoing process of creation. Even those of us who emphasize the equality of male and female principles still acknowledge that the Mother came first - Earth is the source and support of all life. Some of the mainstream religions may say, if cornered, that God really is without gender; but given the historical background, that concession may be too little too late for some people.

And of course that brings us to the issue of deep reverence for nature, not just as God's creation but as the living, breathing body of the Goddess. I think that the vibrant and concrete immediacy of that image is very attractive for people who feel that connection strongly.

There's also the matter of the sacredness of the body, and of physical pleasure; for some people, this is a welcome relief from religions that promote spiritual exaltation through physical deprivation, or that preach that sex is sinful, that sort of thing.

And that ties in with a common-sense approach to morality; our highest law, and perhaps the one thing nearly all Wiccans agree on, says "And it harm none, do what you will". I think some people find that preferable to a long-ish list of more specific commandments, where the only rationale is "Because I said so".

Some people have always had strange experiences that people around them couldn't understand or accept - seeing ghosts, or dreaming the future, or knowing that something has happened far away - and Wicca is fairly unique in its acceptance of such things as a normal part of human experience, to be taken more or less at face value but always with a small grain of salt. Some people are very happy to find a group that doesn't think they're crazy, or possessed by the devil, or whatever. (Yes, some of them are crazy, and Wiccans will likely tell them to get professional help; but "paranormal" experiences are not, in and of themselves, a sign of insanity.)

There's another, more subtle, factor which I think operates on a subconscious level; that is that Wicca appears somewhat exotic - it seems very different from the mainstream religions, and someone who, for whatever reason, has rejected mainstream religion, is likely to be attracted to something that looks very different. At the same time, Wicca is firmly rooted in European traditions, so the ideas and the lore and the practices are all subtly familiar; and, more importantly, a Wiccan framework casts new light on songs and stories and nursery rhymes we learned as children. I think that has a lot to do with the sense of "coming home" many of us felt when we first encountered Wicca; the sense that this is not a conversion, this is what I've always believed, I just never knew it had a name.

be a healthy witch eat some garlic very good for health

2011-01-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

be a heathy witch eat some garlic very good for health, i found this article about garlic and i think it is worth reading, though i do not believe in eating garlic raw like some suggest as i think garlic is too strong a herb to eat raw, but cookedin food garlic is fine, just do not eat garlic if yoou have to go some where important etc a day or so after.

this is the article about garlic and it is quite comprehensive, i always find i feel healthier when eating garlic!, and garlic also is said to ward off vampires as well, and herbs in general are very important in witchcraft.

you can read up on the magical properties of herbs in witchcraft, but there is often little said about being a healthy witch from the use or eating of beneficial herbs.

"Garlic: The Great Protector
By Sly Holladay

Herbs are plants which possess some of the qualities of food and some of the properties of drugs. A perfect example of this is the well-known culinary and medicinal herb Garlic (Allium sativum). Garlic has been used since the days of the Egyptians to treat wounds, infections, tumors, and intestinal parasites. In addition, this pungent plant is a common ingredient of soups and stews, as well as Italian and Greek dishes such as pesto and spanikopita.

Modern scientific research confirms these ancient uses for garlic, including the ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) as well as elevated blood pressure increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in western countries. Garlic's sulfur-containing compounds, which lend the herb its pungent, spicy aroma, are responsible for many of its healing properties. Specifically, these compounds lower cholesterol by stimulating the release of bile by the gall bladder (bile contains cholesterol and related compounds) and by decreasing the production of cholesterol in the liver. In addition, garlic compounds gently lower blood pressure by slowing the production of the body's own blood pressure raising hormones.

Garlic also possesses the ability to stimulate the immune system. The bulb stimulates the activity of macrophages, white blood cells which engulf the foreign organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and yeast. Furthermore, garlic increases the activity of the T-helper cells, immune cells which are central to the activity of the entire immune system. Garlic may be particularly effective in treating upper respiratory viral infections due to its immune-enhancing properties and its ability to clear mucous from the lungs.

Garlic also possesses the ability to inhibit the growth of parasites in the intestines, including amoebas which cause dysentery. It should be noted that amoebic dysentery is a potentially serious condition which requires the assistance of a trained physician. Garlic has also been used in folk medicine in many parts of the world to treat pinworms, an annoying but generally harmless intestinal parasite.

This amazing herb has also demonstrated the ability to protect against a variety of environmental and other toxins. Garlic's sulfur compounds, in addition to selenium containing compounds, are potent antioxidants which protect cell membranes and DNA from damage. Furthermore scientific studies have shown that garlic stimulates the production of the liver's own detoxifying enzymes which neutralize carcinogens and other toxins. The question often arises: What is the best form of garlic to use? Raw or lightly cooked garlic contains a potent array of sulfur compounds which are responsible for many of garlic's healing properties; however, these same substances are also responsible for garlic's often unwanted aroma. On the other hand, a recently observed bumper sticker offers a different point of view: Eat Garlic--It's Chic to Reek! (I swear I'm not making this up). Furthermore, liberal consumption of raw garlic may shorten the stay of unwanted houseguests. Despite these considerable advantages, those wishing to maneuver through life in a more discreet fashion should consider the use of dried garlic which is enterically coated and has the important sulfur compound, allicin, in a stabilized form. Whichever form you choose, I say, "Go for it!" and let the chips--or house guests--fall where they may.

Sources:
Garlic, the Miracle Nutrient, by Dr Earl Mindell
Garlic, Nature's Organic Remedy, by Stephen Fulder & John Blackwood

witches book of shadows spells ideas on how to make

2011-01-10T15:32:00.001-08:00

Book Of Shadows

CHARMED BOOK OF SHADOWS (REPLICA)

with the book of shadows start out by blessing your book of shadows something like this blessing below gives you a idea of how to put together your own blessing for a book of shadows.

"Beautiful Goddess of many faces...
Bless this book that it may enhance
All who choose to read its pages
Bless this book as my relationship
with you may continue to grow.
I pray to you that you will grace me
with your love and your blessing."

next you will need the The Wiccan Rede in your book of shadows.

"Bide the Wiccan law we must,
In perfect love, in perfect trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An Ye Harm None,
Do As Ye Will.
Lest in thy self-defense it be,
Evermind the Rule of Three.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet,
And merry ye part."

the following are all the kind of information you can put into a book of shadows, but a witches book of shadows is personal, and so you should try to make the book unique to yourself and useful and practical for your magical workings as well.

but here are some topics and themes you can find in books of shadows, basically information you choose that is important to you and to be used from your book when necessary.

The Charge of the Goddess

"Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Demeter, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Brigid, Hecate, Isis, and by many other names...

I am the beauty of the Green Earth and the White Moon, and the Mysteries of the Waters. From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return. Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, mirth and reverence within you. And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: If that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."

Moon Phases related to
Magickal Workings

"Successful magick depends on many factors. One of the most obvious things to consider is the timing of your spells and rituals with the phases of the Moon. When the Moon is waxing, it is growing larger in the sky. This phase lasts until the exact time of the Full Moon. From Full to New Moon, is the waning phase, where the Moon seems to disappear until finally it is not visible to the eye for three nights. For this reason. this time is sometimes called the Dark of the Moon or the Black Moon. Then the Moon starts once again to grow toward fullness.

The waxing Moon is the best time to do a spell for growth, beginning new projects, initiation and enhancement. During the waning Moon, do spells to banish evil influences, lessen or remove obstacles or illness, neutralize enemies, and to remove harm. The three days after the New Moon are the most powerful times to work spells for growth and beginnings which should manifest at the Full Moon. The days just before the Full Moon are the most powerful times for fruition and completion. The Black Moon is the most auspicious time for banishing and neutralizing spells.

Remember that even though the Moon looks full in the sky for two or three nights, when the EXACT time of the Full Moon is reached, anything after that time is a waning influence. Do your Full Moon spell before the exact time listed.(The Fourth Quarter is the mid-point between the Full and New Moon. The Second Quarter is the point between the New Moon and the Full Moon.

Many other astrological aspects may affect your magickal workings, such as the sign the moon is in, the relationships between the various planets, etc. I would suggest that all Witches invest in a good calendar, such as any of Llewellyn's Magical Almanac. I also recommend any of the Llewellyn annuals."

The Witches' Pentacle
(The Five Point Star in a Circle)

"The Pentacle, the symbol of Witchcraft, is a bold and fascinating statement about our place in the Universe. The pentagram represents an ancient concept that can be found in philosophical thought in both East and West. Although over 8,000 years old, the image of the pentagram is applicable in our modern world. The pentagram tells us that we have the ability to bring Spirit to earth; this applies to every area of practical day-to-day living, as well as spiritual thought. The ability of bringing Spirit to Earth is what makes us whole.

The origins of the pentagram go far back, to remotest historical antiquity. As far back as pre-Babylonian Sumer. It has been venerated by many other civilizations. To the Jewish peoples, it symbolically designated the Pentateauch, the Five Books of Moses. It has survived under a variety of titles, such as "The Druid's Root" and "The Witches Star".

To the followers of Pythagoras, it was called "The Pentalpha" being composed of five interlaced A's or Alphas. The Alpha being the first word of the alphabet, we can perhaps view it as showing forth unity in the midst of multiplicity. The individual is part of the Whole.

It is the ruling of the higher mind over the lower elements of our being. It signals the awakening of cosmic consciousness and the beginnings of our own human psyche moving beyond the realms of physical form and the perceptions limited to the five senses. It allows the infinite possibilities that exist within the Universe and frees us to explore and to grow.

Traditionally, each of the five angles has been attributed to the five metaphysical elements of the ancients:

EARTH: (lower left hand corner) represents stability and physical endurance.
FIRE: (lower right hand corner) represents courage and daring.
WATER: (upper right hand corner) represents emotions and intuition.
AIR: (upper left hand corner) represents intelligence and the arts.
SPIRIT: (at the topmost point) represents the All and the Divine.

The circle around the star represents the God-Goddess; it refracts and reflects all light, bringing to the wearer total intelligence, universal wisdom and protection.

This becomes a graphic portrayal of Spirit ruling over the five elements.When the pentagram is placed within a circle, it's energy is focused and directed. The pentagram upright, to those of spiritual perception, represents the redemption of Spirit from matter by ruling over it."

Casting the Circle

"Athame
Chalice
Charcoals
Beverage (usually wine or juice)
Wand
Censure Cauldron
Cake (or other food item)
Water in dish
Incense
Altar
Candle
Bell
Salt
Matches
4 Corner Candles
Libation Dish
Any other items specific for your work during this rite.

Before casting a circle and performing magick, your work will be much more effective if you first bath yourself in purification herbs, or other herbs specific to your workings.

Be sure to cast your circle properly before practicing any magick ritual.
(you never know what may wander in!)"

Clearing the Circle Closing the Temple

"Stand in front of the Alter facing East.
Ring bell three times, hold arms up and say:
"I thank the Gods for their attendance, as I came here in my love for them.
My thanks for watching over me and guarding me in all things.
Love is thy law, and Love is thy bond.
Merry did we meet, merry do we part,
Merry may we meet again.
This temple is now cleared,
The circle is open, but never shall be broken."

Color Associations

"COLOR ASSOCIATED WITH:

White Purity, Truth, Sincerity, Protection

Red Strength, Health, Vigor, Sexual Love

Light Blue Tranquility, Understanding, Patience

Dark Blue Impulsivness, Depression, Changeability

Green Finance, Fertility, Luck, Hope, Health

Gold/Yellow Attraction, Persuasion, Charm, Confidence, Comprehension

Brown Hesitiation, Uncertainty, Neutrality

Pink Honor, Love, Morality

Black Evil, Loss, Discord, Confusion

Purple Tension, Ambition, Business Progress, Power, Spirituality

Silver/Grey Cancellation, Neutrality, Stalemate

Orange Encouragement, Adaptability, Stimulate, Attraction, Health"

Spell to Break a Spell

"Sometimes, something goes wrong with a spell, and you need to reverse the effects.
The following spell will break a spell gone awry.

Your magickal items/tools should include anything representing protection, balance, centering, and perhaps an object from the original spell.

Be sure to cast your circle properly before practicing any magick ritual.
(you never know what may wander in!)

"On the Eve of [date] I cast a spell,
The effects I created, I now must quell,
Specifically [what it is].
May this spell be lifted, And I now be gifted
With [what it should be]."

what is angel wicca angels in witchcraft occult?

2011-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

what is angel wicca angels in witchcraft occult? it is new tradition that has now become a popular form of worship in the Wiccan/Pagan circles. It is the practice of calling in the Angels as well as the other elements you might normally invoke during a gathering. Many people are finding out that the Angels can bring much power and unity into a circle.

(help on ways to meet angels) Ways You Can Meet Your Guardian Angel youtube video

Many people think that the Angels are a Christian belief. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Angels are a gift given to us by the Goddess and the God for us to use in our daily lives. Not just only for those of a certain religion.

Angels have been around since the beginning of time. Supernatural winged creatures have been found in the ancient Mesopotamia and Sumeria. The Assyrians had their "kabiru" (the source of the word cherubim), winged beasts possesing features both animal and human. The role of the angel as protector can perhaps be traced to these ancestors, which acted as guards in Babylon and Sumeria.

The Greeks had "Hermes", the winged messenger. Hermes is often credited as being the source of the Archangel Michael. (Many of the Greek gods were molded into angels by the church in an attempt to covert the pagans.) The Greeks also had "daimones", spirits who came in both good and evil forms, the good ones being protectors. Diamones evolved into "demons" in Christianity, and in the process lost their good-natured bretheren.

The Aryans who came to India and Persia around 2500 B.C. believed in "devas", meaning "shining ones". Perhaps it was from this that the angels inherited their characteristics-the ability to shine, or radiate light. The "el" suffix so common in many of the angels' names is understood in several languages to mean "shining" or "radiant."

The devas made their way into the Veda, a collection of early sacred Hindu writings. They were closely aligned with the elements of nature, earth, air, fire, and water. (Starting to sound familiar?)

Devas also found their way into Zoroastrianism. It was through this religion that the devas evolved into angels. They represented the concepts of wisdom, truth, immortality, deserved good luck, piety, salvation, and obedience. Each angel acts as the guardian of something-fire, for example.

Zoroaster's brand of angels took hold, and was handed down to Judaism, Christianity, and finally Islam. Islam's "malaika" (again, "messengers") are androgynous beings made of light who act as guardians of humans.

So you see, angels do not belong solely to one religion and therefore can be invoked, no matter what religion you happen to be.

Many have their own ways of calling in the deities and elements into their circles. The Angels have their own elements, qualities and energies to be called upon as well. The best way to call an Angel in is to study them and find out their qualities to best incorporate them with the other elements you may call.

I call Archangel Michael in the North. This is the direction of Earth. Michael is the protection Archangel, patron of policemen and bringer of the gift of patience. Angel of careers, achievements, ambitions, motivation, and life tasks. He is the great prince charged to defend the people. Michael is the spirit of the planet Mercury, Governor of the North and the element of Earth. He is ruler over Sunday and Thursday. He is the alchemy of motivation, activation and achievement. Michael's candle colors are orange, white and gold. Invoke Michael in the North for motivation and empowerment in your work. Call on him to protect you from day to day.

In the East I call Archangel Uriel. He is the Archangel of salvation. The ruler over magick, devotion, alchemy, sudden changes, astrology, universal cosmic consciousness, divine order, distribution of power and universal flow. Uriel rules over Monday and Wednesday, the planet Uranus, and is the alchemy of universal order. He is the Governor of the East and the element of Air. Uriel's candle colors are violet, white and indigo. Invoke Uriel to help you with the Winds of Change.

In the South I call Archangel Raphael. Raphael is charged to heal the earth. He is the regent of the sun, Chief of the order of virtues and overseer of the evening winds. Angel of prayer, love, joy, light, science, and knowledge. Above all, he is the angel of healing. Raphael rules over Mercury, Wednesday and Saturday. He is the governor of the South and the element of Fire.Raphael's candle colors are yellow, white and gray. Invoke Raphael for healing of your body and soul.

In the West I call Archangel Gabriel. Gabriel is the angel of the moon who brings man the gift of hope. He is the spirit of truth and the prince of justice. He is the alchemy of psychism, intuition, and receptivity. Gabriel is the Governor of the West and the element of Water. Ruler of Monday, psychic gifts, intuition, visions, magick, clairvoyance, scrying, astral travel, herbal medicine, the cycles of women, and female aspects of men. Gabriel's candle colors are silver, white and blue. Invoke Gabriel in the west for stronger powers of intuition and psychic gifts.

Continue calling in any other deities or elements as normal. By calling in the angels as well as the other elements, you will have more energy and power than you could ever imagine helping you in your work.

This is a personal choice. I use white candles, or the specific candle colors for the angels that I am invoking. I put a statue of an angel or two on the altar as a point of focus. I also have my candles for the Goddess and God as well as other ritual items. I use angel food cake as cakes in the "cakes and wine" ceremony.

Leaving Witchcraft catholic views on witches dianic craft

2010-12-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

Leaving Witchcraft catholic views on witches dianic craft, this women is thinking to go back to catholic religion, from witchcraft, i am actually not judgemental on other peoples choices of going between religions, though these people get mixed up on which religion or choices they should make, but it is there decisions to make.

i actually think you can learn a lot from christianity though some witches seem to be 100% any christian ideas.

i like to keep a open mind and keep researching without being judgemental on the various religions and do my own kind of witchcraft anyway, you are best self teaching yourself as best as you can if you can.

Leaving Witchcraft youtube video description

""Catholic Answers speaker and former New Age teacher Sharon Lee Giganti gives advice to a former practitioner of Witchcraft on how to avoid pitfalls on her way back to the Catholic faith, and what tools are available to help her in her journey.

Former New Thought "insider", Sharon Lee Giganti is committed to exposing the hidden dangers of the New Thought Movement and its' widely spreading philosophies.

After suspecting that her New Age influence and teaching might have unwittingly played a part in such horrific tragedies as murder and suicide, Sharon finally realized how life threatening their occult methods could be, and returned to the Catholic Church.

Now a certified Catholic Catechist and postulant of The Holy Family Institute, Sharon's eye-witness testimony reveals the hazardous aspects of recent New Thought block-busters such as, "The Secret", "A Course in Miracles" and Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth"— and, in doing so, actually reinforces the saving Truths of our Catholic Faith.

Order Sharon Lee Giganti's CD Set - Oprah: Televangelist Of The New Age Deception from Catholic Answers

Is Oprah Leading People Away From Christ?

Oprah has totally transformed herself and her media empire. She is no longer a microphone-toting interviewer of tearful guests and cheering audiences. Believe it or not, she has become...a spiritual icon.

Because of her , New Age teachings are being pitched to millions of our fellow Catholics -- many of whom are being taken in by the mega-popular Oprah Winfrey and her promotion of three key books in the New Age Movement: The Secret, A New Earthand A Course In Miracles.

Now that Oprah has become a New Age propagandist, we have a duty to expose her and her "guru" guests so that we can rescue Catholics and other Christians from this dangerous ideology... and prevent further damage from being done to her audience.

Oprah: Televangelist Of The New Age Deception is a fascinating 3-hour interview with Sharon Lee Giganti -- a former New Age teacher who went through a dramatic realization that the ideas and the principles of the New Age Movement can have deadly consequences in peoples lives.

Catholic Answers Live"

witchcraft covens coven of witches what are they about?

2010-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

witchcraft covens coven of witches what are they about? personally i think being a solitary witch is better it avoids arguments competition falling out and disagreements among other things when it comes to practicing witchcraft.

There are some real issues that should be discussed right at the beginning of this section. The first thing that the seeker should know is that much of the "knowledge" that we possess today about Witchcraft and its origins is a combination of archeological data, the myths and legends that have been passed down and some historical documents that have been translated. The rest is conjecture and the "best guesses" of scholars who are working on "bringing it all together." In other words, no one can say for certain what the Ancestors really did or why.

That does not mean that we have NO knowledge-we certainly DO!- just that we do not have THE historical knowledge of the origins of the Modern Craft. Different interpretations will continue to abound both in written materials and in any teachings that you may encounter. There will never be only one Way of practicing Witchcraft. Get used to it. No one has the "one true answer"...and any teacher worth his or her salt will tell you this up front.

The above is your first introduction to what is involved in following the path of Witchcraft. You are expected to do a LOT of research on your own. This is actually a very healthy way to approach the beginning study of any Path you are considering. Read many, many books on the subject-both scholarly and those that some would consider in the "fluff' category. Why? Because this is your first foray into unknown waters. You should approach it with an open mind-ready to question and probe and ponder. I cannot overestimate how useful this first step will be. It can help you to formulate your own ideas about what this Path may mean to you.

Do not try to incorporate all that you read into one cohesive whole at the beginning. Look at whatever material that you are reading as a "theory" or "hypothesis" of Witchcraft. Some things will appeal to you right away. Others will seem "off the wall" or too fantastic to be of use. Accept or reject nothing at this stage; just keep on gathering information. You are doing "research". The more you read, the more a "coming together" of certain aspects will begin to form within yourself. Then you will have a foundation from which you can take the next step.

Part One-The INTEREST PHASE:

You saw a movie (which shall remain nameless!), you read a few books, you stumbled onto a website, you talked to someone who said that he/she was a Witch-and now you want to know more! You have an "interest" in the Craft.
Many seekers at this point rush into the nearest message board area and cry out, "Teach me everything you know!" The reaction of others to this plea may range from the semi-helpful, "Do more research" to the out and out rude, "Those Wannbees!"

Either one of these responses will probably will leave you feeling unsatisfied (If not hurt!) and discouraged. Why can't you get the help that you are asking for? Well, perhaps you did not phrase your request in a way that would elicit the sort of assistance that you were really looking for.

Witchcraft is a Path with depth. It can not be summed up in "25 words or less". You need to learn how to ask SPECIFIC questions. This is where your previous research comes in. An intelligent and thoughtful question about a specific topic will generate an intelligent and thoughtful answer or opinion in return. Cite your sources. "This author writes that this is the way to cast a circle, yet this other author states it this way. Can anyone give me their opinion or experience on this? Does it matter?"

Interest Phase Do's and Don'ts...
DO... Read as many books on the subject as you can-on History, Myths, Poetry, Psychology and Science as well as books on Witchcraft or Magick.

DO... Make yourself a research library. Take notes or highlight passages that particularly interest you. If you have a question on what is written, place a question mark next to that passage. You should enjoy what you read at this stage-the enjoyment will actually help you to retain what you read better than struggling through dusty tomes on alchemy (unless you happen to love alchemy, that is!).

DO... start a journal. You can even call it a "Book of Shadows" if you want to. (It can just be a loose leaf notebook, These are handy for creating different sections.) Write down both the things that you have found to be of interest and the things that you would like to know more about.

DO... Look at Nature. Witchcraft and most other Pagan paths are called "earth or nature based" religions. What is Nature saying to you? Bring home rocks, sticks, leaves or other things you find that attract your attention. Now ask yourself-WHY did you bring that home? Write it down.

DO... get organized. Concentration is an important skill in Magic. Disciplining yourself to make regular entries into a journal and writing things down will help you to develop concentration.

DO... learn to ask SPECIFIC questions of other Witches or Pagans when you need help. And ask yourself some questions, too. "What do I think Witchcraft is? What do I find here that has meaning for me?"

DO... tell the truth. Can seasoned Witches tell if someone is "full of it"? Yes, they can and rather quickly, too! Be honest about what you know and what you don't.

DO... spend time alone to think carefully about how you feel and what you want for yourself. Some people think at the onset that Witchcraft will allow them to change other people or circumstances. But YOU will be the one who changes as you explore this Path. Do you really WANT to change?

DON'T... take it too fast. You have not made any commitments yet. You are doing research into a subject that interests you on a personal level. Jumping into a group situation at this point may hinder your development more than help it. You need to find out where YOU are going before you hit the trail with someone else.
DON'T... get discouraged. Sometimes it is very difficult to "go it alone." But the Craft is made up of individuals who bring something of value to the Path-as well as receive benefits from it. Many "old timers" have the "Grampa attitude". You know, the "When I was your age, I had to walk three miles to school every day...in the snow...with no boots...carrying my little sister...and a load of firewood..." Well, in a way that is true. It WAS much harder to be a Witch only a few decades ago. So be forgiving if they are not ready to hand you all their hand gathered "firewood" on a silver platter....you may have to walk a mile or two by yourself....in the snow...with no boots.....

DON'T... ask about joining a terraspace coven just yet. A coven is a close knit group working together. It is a difficult process to create an effective magickal unit. Most covens are not actively looking for new members, as each time a new person is added to the group, it takes time for the unit to re-adjust. There are some cyberspace "covens" that readily accept new members. If you look on it as a "training exercise", you could learn a few things. Ask around the Internet.

DON'T... be afraid because you are not part of a group. Many, many Witches find out after much trial and error that they actually PREFER to work alone. Traditionally the Witch WAS a loner...and many still are by choice. Often solitary Witches get together to talk and exchange information and then happily go back to their solitary practice. You CAN do a little bit of both.

Part Two-The "EXPLORATORY PHASE":

You have read quite a few books, taken tons of notes and written faithfully in your Book of Shadows or journal. You have found some resources on the Internet and may have even asked a Pagan a few of those pesky questions that have been bothering you lately. Now what?

This is where you begin to exercise your discretion a bit. As you start weeding out the things that you have decided are not for you and embracing what DOES feel right, you are also making decisions about what sort of group you may eventually be comfortable with. (And many seekers still feel at this point that they DO want to find a group.)

Does the whole circle casting with sword, smoking incense and flickering candles appeal to you? Or would you rather simply sit quietly and let your heart speak?

Are you more introverted than extroverted? All grand dreams of leading a large public ritual aside, do you feel comfortable right NOW speaking to large groups of people? Or do you prefer the company of a few close and intimate friends?

Do you like to mull things over before making a decision? Or are you spontaneous and always dashing off to go rock climbing or roller blading?

Asking yourself these and similar questions will help you to make decisions. What are the reasons that you would want to be part of a coven or group-and what sort of group may that be?

You may also begin visualization techniques at this time. You begin to see yourself in the tales of mythic heroes and heroines. You may visualize actually doing the rituals and circles that you have read about. You imagine what it may be like to be a member of a coven-laughing as you all run through the woods on your way to the bonfire. How do these images and scenarios make you feel? Be honest. No one is looking over your shoulder at this point.

Most importantly, how comfortable are YOU with this Path that you are researching? Does it fit who you are? Not who you would like to be...not who you would like others to think that you are...but you as you are right now. Think about this a lot. It will save you much disillusionment in the future.

You may begin to collect a tool or two or think about setting up an altar area. You start buying lots and lots of candles and incense. You browse the herb shops and look through catalogs for magickal items. You may even buy some things. You are beginning to actually make some outward decisions about what you feel inside. You are "exploring" new possibilities.

Explorer Phase Do's and Don'ts...
DO... Continue to read, study and record notes in your journal or Book. Why did you choose this athame over that wand? Why do you prefer sandalwood to jasmine? Should you hide your altar when Granny comes to visit?

DO... Begin to think about which Way appeals to you...Celtic? Egyptian? Druid? Can't decide? Maybe you are the Eclectic type?

DO... Understand that you will be challenged as you begin to speak and interact with other Pagans. It's our hobby. And it makes you think about what you say you believe in. It will tell you a lot about your commitment to the Path that you have chosen for yourself.

DO... Keep a sense of humor. It puts things into perspective. You will be laughing at yourself for a lifetime as you look back on your early days. We all do. We were just learning when we began and we weren't always very good in our first attempts. (I'm laughing right now just thinking about the first time I cast a circle by myself!) But we did learn and you will, too. And since we all are continuing to learn each day, you will never run out of things to laugh about!

DO... "Talk little and listen much". Lurk around the chat rooms. Peek in on a cybercircle. Check out your local area for open circles or workshops. Keep your eyes and ears open...opportunities for learning are everywhere.

DO... Continue to ask SPECIFIC questions. It is easier now that you have some real information under your belt, isn't it? Instead of a broad-based "I dunno anything about this!", you can ask "Well, what about THIS?" At last those answers are beginning to make some sense!

DO... begin thinking about Deities and ritual structure. Who of the Old Ones speaks to you? What sort of relationship would you have with the Deity of your choice-or the One who has chosen YOU?! What are the symbols associated with these Deities? Learn Their stories.

DON'T... Get ahead of yourself. All worthwhile lessons take time to become integrated into your spirit. The mind is usually the last to know! That is because your subconscious is learning through dreams and visions and symbols while your conscious mind is still struggling with the words. Continue to spend time alone to allow all your new feelings and thoughts to become clear. Take a walk and enjoy your life!
DON'T... Put all your spiritual eggs into one basket. Even though you may have a favorite author, continue to read other viewpoints. Even though you may respect a Witch or Pagan, continue to listen to other voices. Read about the latest "conspiracy theory". It may be ridiculous, but it does train the mind to be on the look out for alternatives. (However do know that if you are abducted by aliens, they didn't hear about you from us!)

DON'T... Tell all that you know and don't pretend to know about something that you don't. Complete honesty may be difficult with other people, but it is essential to be honest with yourself. Lies waste energy.

DON'T... get frustrated because you STILL haven't found out how to contact a coven. That will come later...if it is still what you want to do.

There is Ironic Intolerance of the Supernatural in Pagan Society

2010-11-30T16:22:00.000-08:00

There is Ironic Intolerance of the Supernatural in Pagan Society!, It just had to be said: many modern Pagans do not really believe in the supernatural. I will freely admit it: I began my study of the occult (I use occult - the practice of magic -- to distinguish from Wicca - a religion that practices magic) because i believe in the supernatural not because i want to be a "pagan".

the tarot the celtic cross spread meanings readings for the tarot cards usage

2010-11-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

The Celtic Cross

In Tarot, the layout of cards is called the spread. There are many different spreads. Readers often have personal preferences as to which spread or spread serves them well. Also, people experienced in having their Tarot read, may also find a spread that works best for them personally.

Each spread guides where the cards are placed. Each position in the spread has a unique meaning. This meaning affects the interpretation of the card that falls in that spot.

The Celtic Cross is one of the oldest and most popular spreads. The layout is simple but powerful. The Celtic Cross is divided into two sections: the Circle/Cross (six cards on the left) and the Staff (four cards on the right).

The first section simulates the Celtic cross found throughout Ireland. It symbolizes the joining of spirit and matter, and the unity of all events in time. This section, in unison with the masculine energy of the Staff section, reflects the spiritual and physical aspects of reality.

The Celtic Cross is an excellent choice for when you would like to examine current issues. It is used to make you aware of the events leading up to today's options and possibly the consequences surrounding a particular issue or issues.

The Tarot basics history usage and magic of the cards

2010-11-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

The Tarot basics history usage and magic of the cards!

The Tarot

The Tarot deck has 78 cards in total. They are dealt in spreads. The positions of the cards, and their values, are all interpreted according to the skill and philosphy of the card reader. The basic theory rests on a fundamental assumption of magic: the entire universe is connected in a great design or pattern.

Tarot beginnings are obscured in ancient history. Theories of origins include Moroccans designing cards and The Tarot interpretations perhaps around 1200 A.D. Fez, Morrocco was at the time a scientific and literary capital of the world. The Tarot represented a culmination of thoughts and ideas at the time how daily lives were influenced by primary forces and our own attitudes. Another theory holds ancient Egyptians invented The Tarot as a repository of occult lore. The translation of Tarot from ancient Egyptian means Royal Path of Life.

Even earlier is the connection of The Tarot to the Cabala. This is a body of occult doctrine by various anonymous authours. The most important work in the Cabala is the Sepher Yetzirah (Book of Formation). This book was written in Hebrew, probably in Babylonia between the third and sixth centuries A.D. There are many links between the numeric symbolgies in the Cabala and the cards of The Tarot.

Whatever the origin, it is known for certain The Tarot was introduced to Western civilization at the end of the fourteenth century, during the reign of the French King, Charles VI.

Use of The Tarot for fortunetelling continues uninterrupted to this day.

now i fancy goddess styled tarot deck instead as they can have good illustrations

2010-11-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

now i fancy goddess styled tarot deck instead as they can have good illustrations, it is very difficult to choose what tarot deck to go for really, the thing i find most important is very good illustrations on the particular pictures on the tarot deck, you want the tarot pictures to inspire you.

some examples of the goddess tarot deck and tarot items from google shops, i need to go around a lot of websites to work out what style of tarot i want to get.

£9 new
from 11 sellers

Goddess Tarot Deck [Book]
by Kris Waldherr - U s Games Systems (1998) - Paperback
As rich in symbolism as it is in beauty, the 78-card Goddess Tarot deck is an instrument for personal growth and an essential tool of empowerment and transformation for women ...
Add to Shopping List

£14.95 new
eBay
Tarot Cards, Deck, The Goddess Tarot Feminine Oracle
Find Tarot Cards, Deck, The Goddess Tarot Feminine Oracle on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £14.95.
Add to Shopping List

£12.00 new
Divination Station
The Goddess Tarot
The Goddess Tarot. As rich in symbolism as it is in beauty, the 78 card Goddess Tarot deck is an instrument for personal growth and an essential tool of ....
Add to Shopping List

£17 new
from 12 sellers

The Triple Goddess Tarot: The Power of the Major Arcana, Chakra ...
by Isha Lerner, Mara Friedman, Vicki Noble - Bear & Company (2002) - Paperback - 248 pages
A new tarot based on the divine feminine that utilizes the power of chakra healing and archetypal consciousness to restore vital life-source energy. • Contains 22 major arcana, ...
Add to Shopping List

£13 new
from 11 sellers

Universal Goddess Tarot [Book]
by Maria Caratti - Lo Scarabeo Edizioni d'Arte (2006) - Paperback
Add to Shopping List

£17.84 new
Hogglewick
The Goddess Tarot
As rich in syblolism as it is in beauty, this 78 card Goddess Tarot deck is an instrument for the personal growth and an essential tool of empowerment and ....
Add to Shopping List

£26.99 new
shivaemporium.co.uk
Goddess Tarot
As rich in symbolism as it is in beauty, the 78-card Goddess Tarot deck is an instrument for personal growth and an essential tool of empowerment and ....
Add to Shopping List

£13.95 new
Higherheart
Pocket Goddess Tarot
Rated as a five star deck, the Pocket Goddess Tarot incorporates Goddess images ... Somehow, the Pocket Goddess Tarot deck 'feels' magickal, and its small ....
Add to Shopping List

£19 new
from 2 sellers

Universal Goddess Tarot Deluxe Edition [Book]
by Maria Caratti - Lo Scarabeo Edizioni d'Arte (2006) - Paperback
Add to Shopping List

£6.99 new
Earth Spirit Tarot
Purple Velvet Goddess Tarot Pouch
"Purple cotton velvet tarot pouch with golden spiral goddess image embroidered. Size approx 5"" x 8"".".
Add to Shopping List

£5.94 new
Mystic Paths
Purple Velvet Goddess Tarot Pouch
Purple cotton velvet tarot pouch with golden spiral goddess image embroidered. Size approx 5quot; x 8quot;.
Add to Shopping List

£6.99 new
discountchoices.co.uk
Purple Velvet Goddess Tarot Pouch
Purple cotton velvet tarot pouch with golden spiral goddess image embroidered. Size approx 5 x 8.
Add to Shopping List

£6.99 new
eBid - Spiritual
Purple Velvet Goddess Tarot Pouch
Purple Velvet Goddess Tarot Pouch Purple cotton velvet tarot pouch with golden spiral goddess image embroidered. Size approx. 5 x 8 .
Add to Shopping List

£17.99 new
Spirit Adventures.co.uk
The Goddess Tarot Deck
As rich in symbolism as it is in beauty, the 78-card Goddess Tarot deck is an instrument for personal growth and an essential tool for empowerment and ....
Add to Shopping List

£12.99 new
Spiritual Books
Pocket Goddess Tarot
Take the beauty of the best-selling Goddess Tarot with you wherever you go. Now available in a convenient smaller size, the Pocket Goddess Tarot deck is an ....
Add to Shopping List

£6 new
from 4 sellers

The Goddess Tarot [Book]
by Kris Waldherr - U.S. Games Systems (1999) - Paperback - 208 pages
From award-winning author and artist Kris Waldherr, "The Goddess Tarot is an indispensable guide to mastering the language of feminine symbols and ancient mysticism used in the ...
Add to Shopping List

£6.99 new
Buy Mystical Charms and G...
Purple Velvet Goddess Tarot Pouch
Purple cotton velvet tarot pouch with golden spiral goddess image embroidered.
Add to Shopping List

£12.99 new
www.tarotchest.co.uk
Goddess Tarot Pocket Edition
The Goddess Tarot uses goddess stories and imagery to update traditional tarot symbolism, addressing women's contemporary needs. ....
Add to Shopping List

£16.20 new
Legends of Avalon
Goddess Tarot by Waldherr, Kris
The Goddess Tarot uses goddess stories and imagery to update traditional tarot symbolism, addressing women`s contemporary needs. 3 1/2" by 4 3/4".
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
Pagan Magic
3 seller ratings
Universal Goddess Tarot
Use this exquisite deck to seek out the wisdom of Goddesses from mythologies around ... Tarot Tarot was not widely adopted by mystics, occultists and secret ....
Add to Shopping List

£8 new
from 7 sellers

Pocket Goddess Tarot [Book]
by Kris Waldherr - U s Games Systems (2003) - Hardback
Drawing inspiration from the many goddesses honored throughout history and all over the globe, the Goddess Tarot is an essential tool of empowerment, personal growth, and ...
Add to Shopping List

£17.99 new
eBay
Tarot Deck Goddess Tarot. & Sealed Cards
Find Tarot Deck Goddess Tarot. & Sealed Cards on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £17.99.
Add to Shopping List

£8.49 new
Shamans Crystal, Crystal ...
Triple Goddess Tarot Bag
Purple Velour Tarot Card Bag, with embroidered Moon Design. Bag Size 20cm across the bottom and 19.5 cm from top to bottom.
Add to Shopping List

£7.52 new
Holisticshop.co.uk
Purple Velvet Triple Goddess Tarot/Angel Card Bag
Suitable for all our Tarot cards and Angel cards, velvet with satin lining.
Add to Shopping List

£23.50 new
Folio Gothic Hippy
TAR1066. The Goddess tarot set.Part of our large range of Premium ...
The Goddess tarot set.Part of our large range of Premium Quality Tarot Cards. The divinatory system of Tarot, at face value, is quite simple. ....
Add to Shopping List

£24.99 new
Spirit Adventures.co.uk
The Goddess Tarot Set
... award-winning author and artist Kris Waldherr created The Goddess Tarot. ... imagery and ancient myth used in the Goddess Tarot deck combines image and ....
Add to Shopping List

£17.90 new
eBay
Goddess Tarot, Deck
Find Goddess Tarot, Deck on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £17.9.
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
Pagan Magic
3 seller ratings
Goddess Tarot
The Goddess Tarot uses goddess stories and imagery to update traditional tarot symbolism, addressing women's contemporary needs. 3 1/2" by 4 3/4". ....
Add to Shopping List

£17 new
from 8 sellers

The Lover's Path Tarot Set [Book]
by Kris Waldherr, Inc. U. S. Games Systems, The Goddess Tarot - U s Games Systems (2004) - Paperback - 162 pages
Lovers Path Tarot Set features classic romantic and tragic love stories and myths from around the world. Readers are taken on a journey where emotional and spiritual wisdom are ...
Add to Shopping List

£14.50 new
eBay
- Goddess Tarot
Find - Goddess Tarot on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £14.5.
Add to Shopping List

£14.99 new
eBay
Pocket Goddess Tarot Cards 78 Card Deck (new & Sealed)
Find Pocket Goddess Tarot Cards 78 Card Deck (new & Sealed) on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £14.99.
Add to Shopping List

£10 new
from 8 sellers

Motherpeace: A Way to the Goddess Through Myth, Art, and Tarot [Book]
by Vicki Noble - HarperSanFrancisco (1994) - Paperback - 288 pages
For over a decade, Motherpeace has been an inspiration and oracle for women all over the world. Motherpeace recovers the positive, nurturing peace-oriented values of ...
Add to Shopping List

£4.99 new
eBay
Tarot Reading With Bella, Goddess Tarot, Celtic Cross
Find Tarot Reading With Bella, Goddess Tarot, Celtic Cross on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Clairvoyance & Readings for £4.99.
Add to Shopping List

£10 new, £6 used
from 3 sellers

Mysteries of the goddess: astrology, tarot, and the magical arts [ ...
by Ffiona Morgan - Daughters of the Moon Pub. (1995) - Paperback - 179 pages
Add to Shopping List

£15.99 new
eBay
Goddess Tarot Deck Wicca/pagan/witchcraft/kris Waldherr
Find Goddess Tarot Deck Wicca/pagan/witchcraft/kris Waldherr on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Spells, Charms & Magic for £15.99.
Add to Shopping List

£14.50 new
Holisticshop.co.uk
Goddess Tarot - CARDS
A deck that celebrates beauty and womanhood.
Add to Shopping List

£18.68 new
eBay
Triple Goddess Tarot : The Power Of The Major Arcana, C
Find Triple Goddess Tarot : The Power Of The Major Arcana, C on eBay in the category Books, Comics & Magazines>Non-Fiction>Mind, Body & Spirit>Other for ....
Add to Shopping List

£18.43 new
eBay
The Triple Goddess Tarot: Using The Pow - Lerner, Ish B
Find The Triple Goddess Tarot: Using The Pow - Lerner, Ish B on eBay in the category Books, Comics & Magazines>Non-Fiction>Mind, Body & Spirit>Astrology ....
Add to Shopping List

£15.99 new
Astral Aspects
Goddess Tarot Cards
The Goddess Tarot uses goddess stories and imagery to update traditional tarot symbolism, addressing women's contemporary needs as well as a mythic past. ....
Add to Shopping List

£19.90 new
Plodit Books Store
Universal Goddess Tarot: Tarot de Las Diosas [With Velvet Bag]
Universal Goddess Tarot: Tarot de Las Diosas [With Velvet Bag].
Add to Shopping List

looking for witches tarot have you tried google shops?

2010-11-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

was looking for tarot for witches and thought what about trying google shops also brings up a load of books as well about the tarot, here is a example of some of the witches tarot and books to help with the witches tarot available on google books.

i might actually be able to find what i am looking for here found one called "witchy tarot" that looks promising, and one called Tarot of the Old Path as well looks promising, but to find what tarot is right for you can take a lot of searching sites like ebay and other auction sites, various websites and with what i have seen google shops can be a good place to find witchcraft items as well, has a lot of different witch style tarots to choose from.

Tarot of the Old Path of the old path looks pretty good as well for a witch themed tarot deck also feminine energy inspired, might have to look at that one as well.

£11.99 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches Tarot Cards 78 Card Deck
Find Tarot Of The Witches Tarot Cards 78 Card Deck on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £11.99.
Add to Shopping List

£12 new
from 12 sellers

The Witches Tarot [Book]
by Ellen Cannon Reed, Martin Cannon - Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd (2002) - Paperback - 32 pages
The art of this Tarot is amazing, brilliant and intense. It follows the form of a traditional Tarot and is able to blend the Qabalistic Tree of Life with Pagan symbolism. The ...
Add to Shopping List

£8 new
from 5 sellers

The Witches Tarot Book [Book]
by Ellen Cannon Reed - Llewellyn Publications (1989) - Paperback - 320 pages
Here is Ellen Cannon Reed's clear and concise companion to The Witches Tarot, an innovative deck that blends Qabalistic symbolism with modern Pagan beliefs. This book provides ...
Add to Shopping List

£18 new
from 6 sellers

The Witches Tarot [Book]
by Ellen Cannon Reed, Martin Cannon - Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd (1996) - Paperback - 320 pages
The Ultimate Tarot Set for Witches Everywhere If you are new to Paganism or the Tarot, this is the set for you! The art is amazing, brilliant and intense. It follows the form ...
Add to Shopping List

£12.99 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches Tarot Cards
Find Tarot Of The Witches Tarot Cards on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £12.99.
Add to Shopping List

£19.99 new
Higherheart
The Witches Tarot
The Witches Tarot deck is specially designed for Pagans, ... The Witches Tarot illustrations are beautiful, with characteristically Wiccan symbols ....
Add to Shopping List

£18.50 new
Folio Gothic Hippy
TAR6653. Tarot of the Witches Tarot Deck. Just of our range-A ...
Tarot of the Witches Tarot Deck. Just of our range-A Stunning & Comprehensive Tarot Deck.Spreads, of which there are hundreds, vary widely as well. ....
Add to Shopping List

£6.49 new
Shop of Legends
Tarot of the Witches - Tarot Card Deck by Fergus Hall - Includes ...
These tarot cards depict dreamlike fantasies with bold colors and fanciful paintings by Fergus Hall. Includes 78 cards with instruction booklet (in English) ....
Add to Shopping List

£13 used
from 4 sellers

The Secrets of Ancient Witchcraft With the Witches Tarot [Book]
by Arnold Crowther - Kensington Pub Corp (1987) - Paperback - 218 pages
Two British witches of the Gardnerian tradition, explain the secrets, rites, powers, and ceremonies of the Old Religion and answer questions concerning witchcraft's beliefs, ...
Add to Shopping List

£12.00 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches Tarot Cards Fortune-telling Medium
Find Tarot Of The Witches Tarot Cards Fortune-telling Medium on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £12.
Add to Shopping List

£9 new
from 15 sellers

Tarot of the Witches Deck [Book]
by Fergus Hall - U s Games Systems (1976) - Hardback
/U.S. Games Systems, Inc. A beautiful 78-card deck with mystical symbolism by Fergus Hall. The imagery on the cards depicts dream-like fantasies in a style similar to the ...
Add to Shopping List

£35.00 new
eBay
Witches Tarot Kit Ellen Cannon Reed
Find Witches Tarot Kit Ellen Cannon Reed on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £35.
Add to Shopping List

£14 new
from 16 sellers

Tarot of the Witches: Premier Edition [Book]
Gardners Books (2009) - Book
Add to Shopping List

£2 new
from 14 sellers

The tarot of the witches book: the only complete and authentic ...
by Stuart R. Kaplan - Body, Mind & Spirit - U.S. Games Systems (1981) - Paperback - 96 pages
This Book traces the background of the Tarot of the Witches deck designed by Fergus Hall and features in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
shivaemporium.co.uk
Tarot of the Witches
The Tarot of the Witches card deck is by Fergus Hall, printed in Belgium.
Add to Shopping List

£22.50 new
The Gothic Catwalk
Tarot of The Witches
... secrets of the universe with this colourful look at the dream-like world of witches. A surrealist fantasy" A pack of tarot cards with stylised artwork, ....
Add to Shopping List

£11.99 new
paganwebshop
Tarot of the Witches PWTD004
This tarot deck consists of bright colours and wiccan images. Tarot cards are an aid to meditation and to divination, the images they hold help to tap into ....
Add to Shopping List

£19.25 new
Overstock.com
5,650 seller ratings
Tarot de las brujas/ The Witches Tarot (Hardcover)
Presents a unique Tarot, firmly rooted in the European cartomancy tradition, which supports 28 cards for the 28 days of the lunar month.
Add to Shopping List

£17.99 new
Mysticminds.co.uk
Tarot of the Witches Deck
Product detailsLanguage EnglishISBN-10: 0913866539ISBN-13: 978-0913866535Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.2 x 10.8 cmPublisher: US Games.
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
Pagan Magic
3 seller ratings
Tarot of the Witches
Tarot Tarot was not widely adopted by mystics, occultists and secret ... Gébelin further claimed that the name "tarot" came from the Egyptian words tar, ....
Add to Shopping List

£24.99 new
Shamans Crystal, Crystal ...
Tarot of the Witches Set, Tarot cards and book set
This excellent set of tarot cards comes with a book of instructions and help the ... the spreads used in reading tarot cards, as well as tarot card meanings.
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 used
eBid - 0ctavias0fferings
64 seller ratings
The Tarot of the Witches as used in 007 Live or Let Die
The Tarot of the Witches as used in James Bond 007 Live or Let Die movie.Printed by AG Muller, distributed by US Games Systems.This is an excellent Tarot ....
Add to Shopping List

£18.99 new
The Witch and the Wardrob...
Tarot of the Witches
sealed pack of 78 cards with instruction booklet Unravel the secrets of the universe with this colourful look at the dream-like world of witches. ....
Add to Shopping List

£24.95 new
greekshops.com
The Witches of Smirna Tarot Cards with Guide
Known as the deck of Katina (I trapoula tis Katinas), this is the tarrot cards used by the witches in the book the Witches of Smyrna. ....
Add to Shopping List

£16.20 new
Legends of Avalon
Tarot of Witches by Hall, Fergus
A beautiful 78-card deck with mystical symbolism by Fergus Hall. The imagery on the cards depicts dream-like fantasies in a style similar to the surrealist ....
Add to Shopping List

£17.99 new
Shamans Crystal, Crystal ...
Witchy Tarot, Tarot of the Teen Witches deck of tarot cards
Ostensibly a Wiccan-oriented Tarot cards, The Witchy Tarot is full of ... There are plenty of pointy hats and broomsticks in this Tarot deck for teenagers.
Add to Shopping List

£14.50 new
Higherheart
Tarot of The Witches
The Tarot of the Witches designed by Fergus Hall became famous through its appearance in one of the 007 films, 'Live and Let Die'. The simple, yet colourful ....
Add to Shopping List

£12.57 new
Holisticshop.co.uk
Tarot of the Witches - CARDS
Surrealist style, which may not be for beginners.
Add to Shopping List

£16.00 new
eBid - The Witches Cauldr...
Celestial Tarot Deck
by Kay Steventon and Brian Clark Celestial Tarot interweaves mythic images, ... Celestial Tarot is both a handbook of the heavens and an oracular guide to ....
Add to Shopping List

£13.10 new
Forbidden Planet
15 seller ratings
Tarot: Witch Of The Black Rose: Volume 6
... one-shot stories "Digital Demon," "The Goblin Queen", "Haunted Hairball," and the Tarot/3 Little Kittens crossover 2-part story arc, "Witches-n-Kittens! ....
Add to Shopping List

£5.99 new
Earth Spirit Tarot
Witches Cauldron Incense Holder
"Small glazed ceramic witches cauldron with wire handle for burning incense. Sand is supplied do you can also use incense sticks. Size is 3"" across, ....
Add to Shopping List

£12.99 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches 78 Card Tarot Deck And Booklet
Find Tarot Of The Witches 78 Card Tarot Deck And Booklet on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £12.99.
Add to Shopping List

£2.75 new
The Gothic Shop
86 seller ratings
Flying Witch Wiccan Tarot Card or Rune Bag
... on a celtic carved wooden crescent moon holding her witches broom. This bag comes in 2 sizes: a large tarot bag (20x24cm) and rune bag (10x13cm). ....
Add to Shopping List

£13.99 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches By Fergus Hall. Bn And Sealed.
Find Tarot Of The Witches By Fergus Hall. Bn And Sealed. on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £13.99.
Add to Shopping List

£14.99 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches, 78 Card Deck (new & Sealed)
Find Tarot Of The Witches, 78 Card Deck (new & Sealed) on eBay in the category Home & Garden>Metaphysical & New Age>Tarot for £14.99.
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
eBid - Natural Spirit
2 seller ratings
Tarot of the old path**wicca/pagan/ta rot/spells/altar
Tarot Of The Old Path Deck Created by the artist Sylvia Gainsford with the help of eight witches and representatives of the traditional Wicca Path. 78 Tarot ....
Add to Shopping List

£19.96 new
Spiritual Books
Tarot of the Witches
Tarot of the Witches.
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
Spirit Of ISIS Crystal Sh...
Tarot Of The Old Path (Cat No. TARO-0004)
Tarot Of The Old Path Deck Sylvia Gainsford and Howard Rodway Tarot of the ... with the help of eight "witches" based on the traditions of the Wicca Path. ....
Add to Shopping List

£14.99 new
dawnshealinglight.co.uk
Tarot of The Old Path
... 'witches' and representatives of the traditional Wicca Path.78 Tarot cards designed with psychic insights using modern approach to the magical Old Path, ....
Add to Shopping List

£13.99 new
Spirit Adventures.co.uk
Tarot of the Old Path
The Magic tarot of female energies and wisdom. 78 Tarot cards designed with ... with the help of eight "witches", based on the traditions of the Wicca Path.
Add to Shopping List

£13.99 new
www.tarotchest.co.uk
Tarot of the Old Path
The magic tarot of female energies and wisdom. Created with the help of eight "witches" based on the traditions of the Wicca path. ....
Add to Shopping List

£17.98 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches Deck Book 0913866539 Gdn
Find Tarot Of The Witches Deck Book 0913866539 Gdn on eBay in the category Books, Comics & Magazines>Non-Fiction>Mind, Body & Spirit>The Occult & Mythology ....
Add to Shopping List

£19.05 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches: Premier Edition Fergus Hall 97815
Find Tarot Of The Witches: Premier Edition Fergus Hall 97815 on eBay in the category Books, Comics & Magazines>Non-Fiction>Other for £19.05.
Add to Shopping List

£5.00 new
eBay
Tarot Of The Witches S.kaplan Occult Wicca Pagan
Find Tarot Of The Witches S.kaplan Occult Wicca Pagan on eBay in the category Books, Comics & Magazines>Non-Fiction>Other for £5.
Add to Shopping List

£3.47 new
eBay
The Tarot Of The Witches Book | Stuart R. Kaplan
Find The Tarot Of The Witches Book | Stuart R. Kaplan on eBay in the category Books, Comics & Magazines>Non-Fiction>Other for £3.47.
Add to Shopping List

£11.99 new
Earth Spirit Tarot
Witches' Rune for Elemental Power
"Viking Runes spell Power Strength Freedom on one side and Earth Air Fire Water on the other. An alphabet and magical system, the Runes, in a circle of ....
Add to Shopping List

£21.99 new
Folio Gothic Hippy
TAR5754-Tarot Cards~Tarot Of The Angels (scar)~Fair Trade By ...
Tarot of the Angels (scar)TAR5754 Tarot Cards~Tarot Of The Angels~The Tarot of the Angels is illustrated with angels and guardians and are easily ....
Add to Shopping List

£16.99 new
Pagan Magic
3 seller ratings
Witchy Tarot
Tuan and Platano show us young Witches who move among us, ... Tarot Tarot was not widely adopted by mystics, occultists and secret societies until the 18th ....
Add to Shopping List

£17.55 new
Legends of Avalon
Witchy Tarot
Tuan and Platano show us young Witches who move among us, with their ponytails and jeans, in a contemporary context. Undeniably cute, charming ....
Add to Shopping List

£17.99 new
www.tarotchest.co.uk
Witchy Tarot
A bright and breezy deck depicting young, beautiful witches in a multitude of playful ... (10): 8883952286ISBN (13): 978-8883952289halloween - Tarot Decks item.
Add to Shopping List

£13.99 new
Spirit Adventures.co.uk
The Tarot of the Witches Deck
Unravel the secrets of the universe with this colourful look at the dream-like world of witches. A surrealist fantasy!
Add to Shopping List

£19.99 new
Earth Spirit Tarot
Real Magick Witches Tool Kit
Contents of the Witches Tool Kit: Book of Shadows. Wand. Chalice. Pentagram. Talisman. Two White Candles and Holder. Salt from the Dead Sea. ....
Add to Shopping List

£12.50 new
Higherheart
Tarot of the Old Path
The 78 card deck Tarot of The Old Path, was designed with psychic insights ... with the help of eight 'witches' based on the traditions of the Wicca Path. ....
Add to Shopping List

£28.99 new
Pagan Magic
3 seller ratings
Well Worn Path Tarot Deck
Specifically designed for Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans, this uniquely Pagan system ... Tarot Tarot was not widely adopted by mystics, occultists and secret ....
Add to Shopping List

£20.46 new
Walfords UK
17 seller ratings
Tarot of the Witches
Cards Pap/CrdsTarot of the WitchesStuart R. Kaplan.
Add to Shopping List

£18.00 new
CQout
"Tarot of the Witches- Stuart R. Kaplan"
"Find Tarot of the Witches- Stuart R. Kaplan on CQout where you can also browse through other great bargains on Books, Comics, Magazines - Uncategorised".
Add to Shopping List

£23.98 new
Book Depository
290 seller ratings
Tarot for Hip Witches by Antonella Platano
Free Worldwide Delivery : Mixed media product : Lo Scarabeo : 01 May 2027 : 9788883958397 : 888395839X.
Add to Shopping List

£11.99 new
Waterstones.com
80 seller ratings
The Real Witches' Craft (eBook): Magical Techniques and Guidance ...
The Real Witches' Craft moves on from the simple spells and rituals of The Real Witches' Handbook ... Use divination and scrying – tarot, runes, fire, etc. ....
Add to Shopping List

£22.50 new
Bangzo
Tarot of the Witches
Tarot of the Witches.
Add to Shopping List

£14.34 new
Book Depository
307 seller ratings
Tarot of the Witches by Stuart R. Kaplan
Free Worldwide Delivery : Mixed media product : US Games : 14 May 2009 : 9780880794183 : 0880794186.
Add to Shopping List

witches tarot cards deck meanings review ellen cannon reed

2010-10-31T04:12:00.000-07:00

now this is meant to be a good tarot system for the witch, called the witches tarot cards, i doubt they will be ideal for every witch really but probably might be of interest to some witches they do have a slight look of the rider waite tarot though, but most tarot decks do i guess.

but if you are looking for a deck that seems to have been crafted for witches the the witches tarot might be the way to go.

i have found some reviews from aeclectic.net website that help shed some light on these cards.

Witches Tarot

A Pagan/Witch-friendly deck, the Witches Tarot has substitutions such as Pan for the Devil, and the Seeker as the Hermit. Knowledge of the Qabbalah would help interpretation, as each of the major arcana correspond to a place on the tree of life. The cards are painted and borderless.
See card images of the Witches Tarot
By Martin Cannon & Ellen Cannon Reed
Tarot Deck - 78 Cards - Published by Llewellyn 1992Published by Llewellyn 2007

Review by Kathleen Meadows

There are many things about this deck that make it attractive to those who follow the Wiccan/Pagan path and/or the Cabala. Reed and Cannon have made an extensive study of both traditions to create a deck that successfully blends both, making them both much easier to grasp. If you are better versed in one of these traditions, then you'll grasp the other with ease using the Cannons method of interpretation.

The deck itself is comprised of what looks like a series of perfect, borderless little paintings. The images are rich in colour that is starkly contrasted with a plain black back illustrated with a simple silver pentagram. I think using this deck for clients would undoubtedly convey mystery, magic, and titillation. They wouldn't be bored, I can assure you! That Strength card is particularly arresting; depicting a stunningly beautiful, dark-haired, naked, young woman, sensuously, and dreamily engaging a lick from a tiger - it's a powerful, and memorable image.

The Hanged Man was another card that froze me in mid-shuffle. The card depicts a defined, muscular older man (why he isnt naked too...?) with a bushy full head of grey hair, and beard placed upside down on a wooden cross with rune symbols lined up on each side of his head. This image is representative of Odin hanging on the Yggdrasil Tree. The colours in this card are simply beautiful, featuring vibrant red half disks, one below Odin's head, and one up at his feet, and in between these brilliant red disks, is a dark, star speckled, indigo sky. I could name many other cards that gave me pause, such as, the Horned One, representing the Devil Card, or the Death card, but it would take me pages and pages to go through them all.

This is the first deck I've seen which depicts the people cards as all the same except for their clothing and associated objects. The Cups Court cards are holding cups, the Swords Court cards, swords, etc. and their clothing is representative of the climate and lifestyle they are depicted living in.

The accompanying text is well written, easy to understand; a remarkable accomplishment in light of the complex concepts presented. Certainly no one could say this was a lightweight or superficial investigation into these traditions, yet I found the book well organized, easy to comprehend, and down to earth. The order in which the Majors are presented follows the Tree of Life rather than the numbers on the Majors themselves which take some adjustment, but I doubt there was a better way to relate the two, since the Majors are obvious in their order placement due to the numbers on the cards themselves. I recommend this set to all serious students who are especially interested in understanding the Tarot through the lens of these two traditions.

Kathleen Meadows com, M.A, is a Certified Tarot Grand Master with 20 years reading and teaching the Tarot from a feminist perspective.

Review by Sharpchick

I was initially drawn to this deck by the stunning use of color in the artwork, which is crisp and clean. As I took my first look at the deck, I could tell it was one that would be easy to read intuitively, without the LWB or the companion book, also by Ellen Cannon Reed, as the imagery on each and every card is quite evocative.

This is not a Rider-Waite clone, and in my opinion, not a deck for a beginning reader. Those who have used RWS style decks extensively will find this deck quite different, as it combines tarot imagery with pagan and Qabalistic symbolism. Most of the Minor Arcana cards (along with a few of the Majors) are interpreted very differently from Rider-Waite style decks. I do not think one would need to be a master of the Qabala to read with the deck, although some basic knowledge of the Tree of Life would add to the reader’s full use of the deck.

As with many pagan styled decks, the element of air is associated with Wands and fire is associated with Swords. The Devil has been replaced by The Horned One (the masculine force of deity) and The Seeker has taken the place of The Hermit.

The biggest challenge for me personally, and one of the only drawbacks to the deck I have identified in my limited use is interpretation of the Courts. Court cards in this deck have no interpretation that stands on its own instead, they are used to modify the card immediately after the Court card. For me, that means laying a spread face up something I do not like to do. I prefer to lay a spread with all cards face down, and turn them over one at a time, forming an initial impression of the spread as a whole, then going back to interpret each card in sequence. Still, this is certainly not a fatal flaw, and in time, I’m sure the Witches Tarot will number among my favorites of my modest collection.

The deck I own has borders, while the initial release of the deck was with borderless cards, which, in my opinion, would make the eye-catching art even more stunning.

Review by Bonnie Cehovet

This deck came to me through my participation with an on-line tarot list. The deck was presented as having Pagan origins and Qabala oriented -- I have a Pagan background and am in the process of getting deeper into the Qabala -- perfect fit!!

Reed presents the Qabala in a very interesting manner -- concentrating on the Paths, rather than the Spheres (which she presented in her book, "The Witches Qabala"), and presenting them in reverse order, so that you work your way "up" the Tree of Life. At the end of the book she presents guided meditations for each path, which appealed to me, having worked with meditation, visualization, crystals etc., from the beginning of my Tarot experience.

One thought that I had concerning this deck was how to present it to my clients. (I allow my clients to choose from among several decks for their readings.) The back of "The Witches Tarot" is black, with a silver Pentagram inside a silver circle. I thought that this might be "off-putting" to some people. Then I read a comment from another reader, whose complaint was that you "knew" when a card was reversed because of the placement of the Pentagram, which is slightly to the top of the card. I laughed -- I had missed this completely!! I no longer had any concerns about presenting this deck.

The meanings of the cards, especially the major arcana, are very similar to the traditional meanings. And they are presented in a very interesting manner in the accompanying book -- descriptions of the Waite, Golden Dawn and Witches Tarot cards are given, followed by upright and reversed interpretations for the Witches Tarot.

The illustrations themselves are done in a beautiful, muted color format. There is some nudity, but it is presented in context. In the Nine of Cups we see a very modern woman, dressed in blue, sitting before a table. On the table are nine cards, face up, with cups on them. For some reason I see me as a reader in her.

In the Wheel of Fortune (The Cycle of Life) is presented by showing the stages of life from babyhood to the aged crone. Again, I see myself and my life in this card.

I highly recommend this deck for anyone wanting to understand the Qabala better, whether you have a Pagan background or not.

Bonnie Cehovet web is Certified Tarot Grand Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has had articles appear in the 2004 and 2005 Llewellyn Tarot Reader.

tarot of the witches cards deck review

2010-10-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

did not know that the tarot used in the james bond film was a witches tarot, but according to reviews it is called the tarot of the witches.

i have found a decent review of tarot of the witches, though it says do not confuse this deck with the witches tarot which is far different and much better, so i better check that one out as well.

"Tarot of the Witches

The Tarot of the Witches was featured in a James Bond film, Live and Let Die, and so is also known as the James Bond 007 Tarot. It's rather ugly.. and not to be confused with the Witches Tarot, which is far different and much better.
See card images of the Tarot of the Witches
By Fergus Hall
Tarot Deck - 78 Cards - Published by US Games 1976

Review by Christopher Butler

I have usually found that this deck doesn't provoke a lukewarm reaction. You either love it or hate it. Hot or cold. End of story. I personally love it and it is one of the most frequently used decks for my personal readings. I love the fact that the cards were painted with oils on canvas; the colours are incredibly rich and vibrant and there is a depth and solidity to the images that is rare. There's something psychological here for me as an artist - these feel like the sort of images I would encounter in an art gallery rather than straightforward commercial illustrations. To me this is as much of an art tarot as it is a working deck which makes me feel good when I handle the cards.

Unlike many of the esoteric decks which are imbued with either breathless solemnity or an almost religeous conviction, this one manages to do full justice to the depth and meaning of the age old symbols while somehow not taking itself too seriously. The characters on the cards have a dark, almost camp wit with a slightly sinister edge too them. Everything is wildly out of proportion and etherially coloured yet somehow it all works. If anyone asked me why, I really couldn't say, but the humour in the pictures seems to conceal but invite you to look deeper in the same breath.

On a practical level, the numbered cards of the minor arcana are pip cards only, which I know will deter many from this deck. Whilst I love the richness of the Rider and similar decks I will always have room for the more traditional approach. Often it can be an advantage. A card may have one particular emphasis in the Rider system while having another in the Crowley Thoth system. Many non-standard decks give their own particular slant, adding further to the confusion. With traditional pip cards such as these and an overall knowledge of other systems the pips can mean whatever your intuition tells you. The possibilities are greatly enhanced.

I would thoroughly recommend the accompanying Tarot of the Witches book by Stuart R. Kaplan. This gives detailed descriptions of the Major cards and the artist's thinking behind them. Reading this greatly enhanced my appreciation of the deck and its sheer originality.

Downsides: The name! This was the deck used in the film 'Live and Let Die' and was originally marketed as the '007 Tarot Deck'. Who takes credit for the present marketing concept I do not know for this seems to have little or nothing to do with witchcraft. If that's what you want, see Ellen Cannon Reed's wonderful deck. Secondly, the dreaded U.S. Games generic tartan back design. The artist may be scottish but the pink and beige tartan on the back of the cards does no justice to what's on the front of them. Change it, please!

To sum up, don't let any minor quibbles such as those mentioned put you off. This is a highly original and I think very beautiful deck. See for yourself. I can guarantee you will either love it or hate it!

** TRIVIA **

Next time you see 'Live and Let Die' look closely at Solitaire's cards. Her deck had a couple of illustrated minors that weren't published with the commercial issue - a lovely six of swords complete with boat and a verdant seven of wands with warrior. You may also see a few Rider and Albano Waite cards from time to time!

Chris Butler discovered the Tarot in his teens whilst watching a James Bond movie. Now, almost thirty years later, he has illustrated three oracle decks and five Tarot decks. He is the illustrator for the Quantum Tarot website , published by Kunati Books.

the review is from aeclectic.net website
aeclectic.net website

witchcraft tarot cards Tarot for the Green Witch

2010-10-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

been looking for some witchcraft themed tarot card decks for 2011 just found this one called Tarot for the Green Witch, but no pictures so far, i will have a look for some pictures tomorrow, here is a review that might be of use though and has some witchcraft information woven into it.

"Tarot for the Green Witch

A primer on the use of tarot for divination, that looks at all cards of the major and minor arcana. Aimed at practitioners of Wicca and Green Witchcraft.
By Ann Moura
Book - Published by Llewellyn

Review by Bonnie Cehovet

"Tarot For The Green Witch" is part of the Green Witchcraft series from author Ann Moura - a solitary practitioner whose heritage was passed down from her Mother and Grandmother. She encourages everyone to take what they will from her writings - to add whatever they find helpful to their own personal spiritual journeys. I found this book to come from a very caring heart - a heart that wants to share her legacy with all who will listen.

My feeling about this book is that it was definitely written for the Green Witch practitioner - exactly as the title states. I feel that a reader not on the Wiccan path may not understand this version of Tarot, as Tarot takes second place to the Craft. There is one teensy thing that occurred throughout the entire book that irritated me no end. And yes - it is a foible of mine, but here it is - the word Tarot is written as tarot - no capital letters. I realize this is a choice centered issue - but in a book about Tarot, this was a major irritation for me.

This book is intended to be a primer on the use of Tarot for divination. Moura discusses the meaning of the Major Arcana, and how the cards relate to the reader and to their lives. She discusses the four suits, their meanings, and the meanings of the cards within them, how to read the court cards, how to prepare for and do a reading, and issues such as multiples of the same card number within a reading, what to do with reversals and how to read the Aces as timing. In her presentations on the cards, she uses black and white scans from five different Tarot decks: the Nigel Jackson Tarot (Nigel Jackson, Llewellyn Publications), the Sacred Circle Tarot (Anna Franklin and Paul Mason, Llewellyn Publications), the Robin Wood Tarot (Robin Wood and Michael Short, Llewellyn Publications), the Witches Tarot (Ellen Cannon Reed and Martin Cannon, Llewellyn Publications) and the Buckland Romani Tarot (Raymond Buckland, Llewellyn Publications).

In the introduction, Moura states that she views the Tarot as a Pagan form of divination. Personally - I see the Tarot as a form of divination - period. Pagan, feminist, mythical - there are many overlays on current Tarot decks - but they are all using Tarot as a form of divination. She also differs from most Pagan practitioners in that she assigns the element of Fire to Wands and Air to Swords, where the Pagan Tarot world usually assigns Fire to the Swords and Air to the Wands. Neither way is wrong - as she emphatically states, it is up to the reader which system that they use, and that they are better off coming to an understanding of one system or another and staying with that, regardless of which deck they are using.

From the book:

"My method of reading cards draws upon the influence of the natural theme of Witchcraft, so the archetypes reflect the seasons of the earth, the Sabbats and mythic pattern of the story of the Goddess and God of nature. because my path is Green focused, that is to say, grounded in Nature and the immanent Divine (not dealing with deities of law, rulers, priesthoods or warriors), the way that I read the cards is centered on the energies of the earth."

Moura encourages the reader to think about what Tarot reading is to them, and to develop a Creed before beginning their studies.She does present a short section on Tarot history, so that the reader has some idea of how Tarot developed. I cannot agree with all of the presentation, but it is well researched and well presented.

Moura also discusses how to consecrate a new deck, meditations and Pathworking and reader related issues, such as charging for a reading. She lays excellent groundwork here for a beginning reader - not overwhelming them, but giving them a gentle "heads up" as to issues that they may want to pay attention to in their studies and practices.

Before I start discussing the card presentations - I have another small quibble: Moura does not include astrology, Qaballa or numerology in her presentation. She does deal to a slight extent with numerology, in that she discusses multiples of cards, but neither the mundane nor the esoteric meaning of the numbers is ever discussed.

Moura also downplays the role of the Fool's journey in the Tarot. She agrees that the Tarot is cyclic by nature, but she feels that although the archetypes that make up the Major Arcana are valid, they occur in our lives on a random basis. This is of course true - but how can you know where you are without a thorough study of the entire journey?

In her presentation of the Major Arcana, she allots one page to each card. Included in the presentation is a black and white scan of the card from one of the five decks being used, a short general discussion of the card, the upright and reverse meanings and keywords. There is really no discussion of the archetypal qualities of any of the cards. It is also confusing to me that she has renamed the Major Arcana - but there is no specific deck to go with the names. They are as follows:

0 The Greenman/The Fool
1 The Witch/The Magician
2 Drawing Down The Moon/The HighPriestess
3 Earth Mother/Empress
4 The Horned God/The Emperor
5 Drawing Down The Sun/The Hierophant
6 The Lady and The Lord Of The Wild Wood/The Lovers
7 The Battle Wagon/The Chariot
8 The Crone/Strength
9 The Holly King/The Hermit
10 The Wheel Of The Year/The Wheel Of Fortune
11 The Standing Stone/Justice
12 The Oak King/The Hanged Man
13 The Lord Of Shadows/Death
14 The Sidhe/Temperance
15 Nature/The Devil
16 The Wild Hunt/The Tower
17 The Star/The Star
18 The Moon/The Moon
19 The Sun/The Sun
20 Harvest/Judgment
21 The World Tree/The World
The presentation of the four suits is the same as above: one page per card, a black and white scan, a short discussion of the card, upright and reversed meanings and keywords. It is interesting to see the emphasis put on assigning elemental qualities and their positions on the Wheel Of The Year - the cycles of of the seasons.

The interpretation for the Aces is a bit different from the traditional Tarot interpretation. They are still seen as seasonal, butt he discussion around them is a bit confusing. Moura also reads the Aces for timing, as do many readers. She does one thing a bit different: if the Ace is upright, the timing is assigned to the first month of the season. If the Ace is in the reversed position, the timing is for the second two months of the season indicated by the suit.

Court cards remain very much the same as in traditional Tarot: King, Queen, Knight and Page. They may be interpreted as people in the Seeker's life, or they may represent qualities or traits inherent in the Seeker.

Moura does not read reversed cards as such, although she has included interpretations for them. She encourages the reader to intuit the meaning of the cards from surrounding cards. She also has an interesting take on Tarot spreads - that once the meaning of the position for the card drawn has been determined, that the spread is not necessary - that the cards could well be laid in a linear manner and the reading would be what it should be. My thoughts on this are that once in a spread, the cards relate to the other cards in the spread - not just the ones directly around them. A difference of opinion is all this is - but it is a strong one!

Moura really has put a great deal of effort into making this a book that can be used as a tool for the study of Tarot. Aside from well done explanations of each card, she has put together charts with keyword meanings - and blank charts of the same so that the student can copy them out and fill them in with their own keywords as they develop them.

Moura does a great deal of Tarot interpreting by reading the cards in pairs. To simply show the student how to do this is one thing, but she has spent an enormous amount of time on a section devoted to showing how each card in the deck (Major Arcana, Court Cards and Pips) relate to every other card in the deck. I do not believe I have ever seen this done before - it is an absolutely amazing section of this book.

There is a short section at the back of the book where several different spreads are show: the Celtic Cross, Moura's own Tree of Life spread, the Wheel Of The Year, Mystic and Need A Change spreads, and a new version of the Elemental Spread (my personal favorite amongst all spreads) using cards representing the Elemental energies and cards that represent hidden influences on these energies.

The very last pages show how to use numerology in conjunction with the Major Arcana to reveal certain influences in your life.

While I may not agree with everything in this book (nor should I!), I feel that the presentation was well thought out, that the book was well written and that a Wiccan/Pagan student of Tarot could learn much here. A non-Wiccan/Pagan student would also find wisdom here, but might have a harder time taking it out of the context it is written in.

A last word ... I really enjoyed seeing the different cards from the different decks used as examples in this book. I love the Witches Tarot and the Buckland Romani Tarot, and got to see scans from decks that I don't currently own. Moura also makes the suggestion that the student place the card they are studying from their deck over the scan on the page - and that works wonderfully well!

Bonnie Cehovet is Certified Tarot Grand Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has had articles appear in the 2004 and 2005 Llewellyn Tarot Reader".

that was a review by bonnie cehovet http://bonniecehovet.com/

where to go for big halloween parties cities towns or trick or treat?

2010-10-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

well for adults there are big halloween party's like going out to pubs or clubs and outdoor events, but for children there is more the trick or treating, so obviously people with children should stay in and supervise children on halloween night, so they can do there trick or treating safely.

but for those adults that don't have responsibility of children on halloween or are the age to go out like 18, then there are lots of fun options for a halloween night like going out drinking, partying at friends, or going to night clubs and party's.

there are also big halloween party's put on in big cities as well.

here are some i have found by having a quick search on google, the annual big bash halloween party in houston usa.

Saturday, October 30, 2010 8:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m.
Halloween Party Location: BUS by Minute Maid Park
1800 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77003

back to the uk some halloween party options.

Halloween - Fun by Day, Scary by Night
Halloween Festival
Saturday 23rd October -
Sunday 31st October 2010

"The BIG Sheep site is transformed into a Halloween Haven for the month of October every year. Known as one of the best events in North Devon in October there is something for all the family, from the tiny tackers who want to have a fun day out to the adults and teenagers wanting to be scared whitless."

halloween by big cities in the world!

Copenhagen, Denmark
Building on the success of the Christmas Markets at Tivoli, the old amusement park introduced Halloween celebrations which has proved equally popular with visitors.

Louisville, Kentucky
Each Halloween, Louisville Zoo is made over into a world of ghouls, costumed characters, superheroes, fairies and talking pumpkins for this fun, family-orientated event.

West Hollywood, California
The world-famous costume party on Santa Monica Boulevard Halloween night is the largest Halloween street party in the United States.

New York City, New York
This is the country’s biggest Halloween celebration and the only major one taking place at night.

Atlanta, Georgia
Little Five Points has been called Atlanta's answer to Greenwich Village, and it is in this eclectic, free-spirited business neighborhood that one of the best Halloween festivals and parades in the South takes place every year the weekend before Halloween

Long Beach, California
The Grim Reaper and his monster fiends are back from the crypt searching for blood as they stalk the mortals who dare to walk the haunted halls of the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

now onto some other different ideas to have fun on halloween night night club nights!.

Fri Oct 29
Subsonic and Live105 presents
Spookfest

Cow Palace
2600 Geneva Ave.
Daly City, CA 94014 map
cross street: Santos St.
district: Daly City

Fri Oct 29 (6pm)
Description
Subsonic / Live105 presents Spookfest - Underworld, MSTRKRFT, Moby, DJ Shadow, Booka Shade, Classix, Steve Aoki, Blaqk Audio, Uffie, Wolfgang Gartner, Dada Life, DJ Kid Lightning, LA Riots, The Limousines, Felix Cartel, Aaron Axelsen
Oct 29, 2010 @ Cow Palace

get into halloween listening to top dj's?, or how about listening to live acts and bands play?.

Fri Oct 29
blasthaus presents HALLOWEEN 2010 with
Fake Blook

Mezzanine
444 Jessie Street
San Francisco, CA 94103 map
cross street: between 5th & 6th, between Mission & Market
district: SoMa

Fri Oct 29 (9PM doors)
Description
Halloween is back and this year we can hardly wait! FAKE BLOOD , the boy wonder who sold out Mezzanine at his last SF performance, returns for an all out Halloween bash! Fake Blood, the artist also known as DJ Touche, and half of The Black Ghosts, one of the industry's most prominent new bands, hit the music scene with his massive track, Mars and has gone on to create remixes for the likes of Little Boots, Underworld, Dan Le Sac, and the Gossip.

what about rap and hip hop nights on halloween 2010?

Fri Oct 29
Ninja Tune 20th Anniversary

1015 (Ten 15)
1015 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103 map
cross street: between 6th and 7th
district: SoMa

Fri Oct 29 (9pm - 4am)
Description
More Information

Converse, Sunset Promotions & AnTenNae and XLR8R proudly present....

Ninja Tune XX 20th Anniversary Celebration at 1015 Folsom on Friday, October 29, 2010

A FREE EVENT CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF INCREDIBLE NINJA TUNE MUSIC.

Featuring exclusive performances by Ninja Tune artists:
Amon Tobin, Kid Koala, DJ Food & DK, Toddla T & Serocee, DJ Kentaro, Eskmo and Ghostbeard.

Plus support from local heroes like
An-ten-nae, Motion Potion, Ripley and more...

Featuring:
Amon Tobin
Kid Koala
DJ Food & DK
Toddla T & Serocee

Special Guests:
DJ Kentaro
Eskmo
Ghostbeard
An-ten-nae
Motion Potion
Kid Kameleon
Ripley
more tba

okay back to the uk what about london for halloween 2010?.

Alice Cooper Halloween Night of Fear London
The Roundhouse plays host to a night of Halloween madness, as rock star Alice Cooper is joined on stage by Jim Rose, Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction to keep your Halloween night pumping.

Ghost Stories London
Spend your Halloween getting scared silly at the stage show devised by Derren Brown collaborator Andy Nyman and The League of Gentlemen’s Jeremy Dyson.

Halloween Party at London Aquarium
The Lost Souls party delivers all kinds of Halloween thrills at the London Aquarium, complete with a ghostly abandoned shipwreck and marauding pirates.

London Ghost Festival
Spend Halloween 2010 with some ghostly apparitions at the London Ghost Festival, which features special tours and spooky events.

PhoboPhobia at London Bridge Experience
One of the most spooky attractions around, the London Bridge Experience invites you to a seriously scary show for Halloween.

Lynx Halloween All Nighter London
Alexandra Palace hosts a Halloween super gig for 2010, with 15 DJs and live acts providing some ghoulish entertainment.

Last Tuesday Society Halloween Ball London
The Danse Macabre is the perfect dance to celebrate this most spooky time of year.

Torture Garden Halloween Ball London
Guaranteed to leave you seriously spooked this Halloween, the Torture Garden Halloween Ball features the best body art and fetish acts around.

Halloween at the London Dungeon
This Halloween freak yourself out at the London Dungeon with Jack O'Lantern and the Sounds of Hell.

Hollywood Forever
Dress up as your favourite dead movie star and going the Hollywood immortals this Halloween.

Union Chapel Horror Fest London
Another chance to frighten yourself stupid comes with three nights of classic horror films at the Union Chapel.

Alaween II London 2010
If you fancy raving somewhere spooky this Halloween then you can't find too many more atmospheric places than Hidden.

Freeze does Halloween London 2010
The Freeze winter sports and music festival is hosting a fancy dress Halloween party on Saturday night.

just reading in gaelic halloween is called samhuinn (like samhain) and means hallow tide or season the feast of all souls, where as we know the souls of the dead are free on that day, according to halloween legend.

though all that being said what kind of night is halloween really like for witches?, what are the rituals to observe on halloween, basically a more series version of what everyone else is doing and more in depth.

for witches the time around halloween not just halloween night itself is very spiritual as it is also a gradual event over the days, where there is better spiritual connection to the other side.

halloween samhain sowan is not satanic or evil

2010-10-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

sometimes people think halloween is satanic or evil due to all the imagery and the way it is portrayed sometimes, but the real meanings behind halloween are not satanic or evil, but more spiritual and natural.

halloween comes at the time of the year when in old religions it is believed that the vale between two realities this world and the spirit world is at its thinnest and most easier to communicate between both sides of those realities.

it is basically the end of summer on halloween and then starts the new year on november the 1st for pagans and in the old celtic world.

and this can be seen by the change in the seasons around halloween and the nights getting darker and the weather colder.

halloween

halloween also called sowan or samhain pagan night of spirits video

2010-10-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

halloween is fast upon us the pagan celtic night of when the vale between two world's this world and the spirit world is at its thinnest, when the spirits and dead people can interact more easily with the living people.

just been watching the youtube documentary about halloween and it seems very accurate as well, and will clue you up on the pagan origins of halloween, back to a time of the celtic people and there druids and witches.

sowan, halloween is also known as samhain as well in old ways words, and also a newer name all hallows evening or eve, where the word halloween comes from.

good video in 5 parts.

The Haunted History Of Halloween 1/5

The Haunted History Of Halloween 2/5

The Haunted History Of Halloween 3/5

The Haunted History Of Halloween 4/5

The Haunted History Of Halloween 5/5

US Politician Christine O'Donnell witchcraft as teenager

2010-09-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

on a tv interview from some years past, Christine O'Donnell was talking to the interviewer how she dabbled in witchcraft when she was younger and was around witches covens and witchy type people.

since these old interview tapes of Christine O'Donnell have come to the media attention she has made light of what she had said and like she said in the interview it was something she did as a fad while young.

she said these things happened in her high school days and that she never actually practiced witchcraft, Christine O'Donnell is famous as a big star in the tea party movement of american politics and standing up for christian values.

who knows what she got up to as a teen, but it is a interesting story none the less as there have been rumours over the years of witchcraft type goings on in the whitehouse and politics in general.

what kind of witches Christine O'Donnell was hanging around with could be of a worry as in the video clip she mentions having her first date on a satanic altar and there being some blood about, now this does not sound like the kind of witchcraft i know and more like some kind of satanic practices.

you do not need things like blood or satanic altars in white witchcraft or witchcraft in general for that matter!.

Christine O'Donnell is a republican party nominee and plays on the christian religion card and that she is a devout christian, and so these kind of revelations from her past have not helped her favour with voters, especially after she had been on such a high in the tea party movement and now will lose steam with the voters.

this story kind of gives bad publicity for witchcraft and christianity in one, as christine o'donnell with her mistake thinking satanic altars and blood are witchcraft when in fact they are not, and also her christian beliefs now being put in doubt also with all this.

christine o'donnell has probably just been totally naively caught out by mentioning what she did as a teenager and it being a fad or meeting witch types when a teen and her being a christian politician, she has probably just had her past not mix well with what she is doing now.

christine o'donnell witchcraft?

where does white witchcraft come from?

2010-09-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

here are some exerts i have found, but do not necessary agree with, but are some peoples views on where witchcraft has come from or been influenced by, i think that witchcraft grew naturally out of the land and spirit and did not need no real influence, but there you go.

i am using some exerts from "the superstitions of witchcraft" book, though i do not necessary agree with them it is interesting to see some peoples views on what witchcraft is and where it comes from.

"Dreams, magic terrors, miracles, witches, ghosts, portents, are some of the various forms superstition has invented and magnified to disturb the peace of society as well as of individuals. The most extravagant of these need not be sought in the remoter ages of the human race, or even in the 'dark ages' of European history: they are sufficiently evident in the legislation and theology, as well as in the popular prejudices of the seventeenth century."

dreams and magic and miracles linked with witches and ghosts there.

"Those (comparatively few) whose reason and humanity alike revolted from a horrible dogma, loudly proclaim the prevailing prejudice. Such protests, however, were, for a long time at least, feeble and useless—helplessly overwhelmed by the irresistible torrent of public opinion. All classes of society were almost equally infected by a plague-spot that knew no distinction of class or rank. If theologians (like Bishop Jewell, one of the most esteemed divines in[8] the Anglican Church, publicly asserting on a well known occasion at once his faith and his fears) or lawyers (like Sir Edward Coke and Judge Hale) are found unmistakably recording their undoubting conviction, they were bound, it is plain, the one class by theology, the other by legislation. Credulity of so extraordinary a kind is sufficiently surprising even in theologians; but what is to be thought of the deliberate opinion of unbiassed writers of a recent age maintaining the possibility, if not the actual occurrence, of the facts of the belief?

The deliberate judgment of Addison, whose wit and preeminent graces of style were especially devoted to the extirpation of almost every sort of popular folly of the day, could declare: 'When I hear the relations that are made from all parts of the world, not only from Norway and Lapland, from the East and West Indies, but from every particular nation in Europe, I cannot forbear thinking that there is such an intercourse and commerce with evil spirits as that which we express by the name of witchcraft.... In short, when I consider the question whether there are such persons in the world as those we call witches, my mind is divided between two opposite opinions; or rather, to speak my thoughts freely, I believe in general that there is and has been such a thing as witchcraft, but at the same time can give no credit to any particular[9] modern instance of it.'4 Evidence, if additional were wanted, how deference to authority and universal custom may subdue the reason and understanding. The language and decision of Addison are adopted by Sir W. Blackstone in 'Commentaries on the Laws of England,' who shelters himself behind that celebrated author's sentiment; and Gibbon informs us that 'French and English lawyers of the present age [the latter half of the last century] allow the theory but deny the practice of witchcraft'—influenced doubtless by the spirit of the past legislation of their respective countries. In England the famous enactment of the subservient parliament of James I. against the crimes of sorcery, &c., was repealed in the middle of the reign of George II., our laws sanctioning not 130 years since the popular persecution, if not the legal punishment."

that section there seems to be saying all witches are evil, which i think is bad representation of witchcraft considering true witchcraft is not evil.

"The origin of witchcraft and the vulgar diabolism is to be found in the rude beginnings of the religious or superstitious feeling which, known amongst the present savage nations as Fetishism, probably prevailed almost universally in the earliest ages; while that of the sublimer magic is discovered in the religious systems of the ancient Chaldeans and Persians. Chaldea and Egypt were the first, as far as is known, to cultivate the science of magic: the former people long gave the well-known name to the professional practisers of the art. Cicero (de Divinatione) celebrates, and the Jewish prophets frequently deride, their skill in divination and their modes of incantation. The story of Daniel evidences how highly honoured and lucrative was the magical or divining faculty. The Chazdim, or Chaldeans, a priestly caste inhabiting a wide and level country, must have soon applied themselves to the study, so useful to their interests, of their brilliant expanse of heavens. By a prolonged and 'daily observation,' considerable knowledge must have been attained; but in the infancy of the science astronomy necessarily took the form of an empirical art which, under the name of astrology, engaged the serious attention and perplexed the brains of the mediæval students of science or magic (nearly synonymous terms), and which still[11] survives in England in the popular almanacks. The natural objects of veneration to the inhabitants of Assyria were the glorious luminaries of the sun and moon; and if their worship of the stars and planets degenerated into many absurd fancies, believing an intimate connection and subordination of human destiny to celestial influences, it may be admitted that a religious sentiment of this kind in its primitive simplicity was more rational, or at least sublime, than most other religious systems.

It is not necessary to trace the oriental creeds of magic further than they affected modern beliefs; but in the divinities and genii of Persia are more immediately traced the spiritual existences of Jewish and Christian belief. From the Persian priests are derived both the name and the practice of magic. The Evil Principle of the Magian, of the later Jewish, and thence of the western world, originated in the system (claiming Zoroaster as its founder), which taught a duality of Gods. The philosophic lawgiver, unable to penetrate the mystery of the empire of evil and misery in the world, was convinced that there is an equal and antagonistic power to the representative of light and goodness. Hence the continued eternal contention between Ormuzd with the good spirits or genii, Amchaspands, on one side, and Ahriman with the Devs (who may represent the infernal crew of Christendom) on the other. Egypt,[12] in the Mosaic and Homeric ages, seems to have attained considerable skill in magic, as well as in chymistry and astrology. As an abstruse and esoteric doctrine, it was strictly confined to the priests, or to the favoured few who were admitted to initiation. The magic excellence of the magicians, who successfully emulated the miracles of Moses, was apparently assisted by a legerdemain similar to that of the Hindu jugglers of the present day.5

5 The names of two of these magicians, Jannes and Jambres, have been preserved by revelation or tradition.

In Persian theology, the shadowy idea of the devil of western Asia was wholly different from the grosser conception of Christendom. Neither the evil principle of Magianism nor the witch of Palestine has much in common with the Christian. 'No contract of subjection to a diabolic power, no infernal stamp or sign of such a fatal league, no revellings of Satan and his hags,'6 no such materialistic notions could be conformable to the spirit of Judaism or at least of Magianism. It is not difficult to find the cause of this essential dissimilarity. A simple unity was severely inculcated by the religion and laws of Moses, which permitted little exercise of the imagination: while the Magi were equally severe against idolatrous forms. A monstrous idea, like that of 'Satan and his hags,' was impossible to them. Christianity, the religion of the West, has received its corporeal[13] ideas of demonology from the divinities and demons of heathenism. The Satyri and Fauni of Greece and Rome have suggested in part the form, and perhaps some of the characteristics, of the vulgar Christian devil. A knowledge of the arts of magic among the Jews was probably derived from their Egyptian life, while the Bedouins of Arabia and Syria (kindred peoples) may have instilled the less scientific rites of Fetishism. It is in the early accounts of that people that sorcery, whatever its character and profession, with the allied arts of divination, necromancy, incantations, &c., appears most flourishing. The Mosaic penalty, 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,' and the comprehensive injunction, 'There shall not be found among you that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer,' indicate at once the extent and the horror of the practice. Balaam (that equivocal prophet), on the border-land of Arabia and Palestine, was courted and dreaded as a wizard who could perplex whole armies by means of spells. His fame extended far and wide; he was summoned from his home beyond the Euphrates in the mountains of Mesopotamia by the Syrian tribes to repel the invading enemy. This great magician was, it seems, universally regarded as 'the rival and[14] the possible conqueror of Moses.'7"

quite a lot of ideas thrown around in that last section of interest, from ancient magicians and sorcerers, the medieval practice of science and magic, persian priests and magicians.

this book looks like it will be quite a interesting read.

white witchcraft

moon phases in wicca and witchcraft magic

2010-08-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

well it is important to have some knowledge of the moon phases when doing wicca and witchcraft and it can also be important for certain witchcraft spells and rituals with your magic as a wiccan or a witch.

you have the NEW MOON, which when you look for the moon there is not really a moon in site this is because the moon does not have hardly any light reflecting on it from the sun, the new moon phase is one of the best phases to do your plans for the coming month and your wishes.

the new moon is probably one of the most important moon phases there is, so it can be important to keep track of the new moon phase.

new moon lasts for about 3 days or so.

next is the WAXING MOON, the waxing moon is the next important cycle for your moon magics, you have the waxing quarter moon first then the waxing half moon, then the waxing gibbons moon, all important for your spell casting and to also see how your new moon spells are progressing.

FULL MOON this is the most obvious of the moon phases when you see a full moon it is not missed easy, and when the moon is fully lit up, the full moon can bring you extra power, and especially any extra power needed for your magic and spells.

WANING MOON this is getting near the end of the moons cycle of phases and good for cleaning up and getting rid of any negativity.

DARK MOON, this can be a dark time for thoughts on what is wrong in ones life and how to deal with problems and bring justice where it is needed, the dark moon is the end of that moons cycle and a good time for thinking over the previous month as well.

each of the 4 phases of the moon highlighted upon above roughly work out at 4 lots of 7 day periods between each, which amounts to about 28 days, so this is a good way of working out your moon times between each moon phase.

the moon gives i think a 13 months a year calendar, and is said to be more accurate then the current 12 months a year calendar of the sun we use each year.

this diagram bellow is excellent for seeing how the sun and the moon and the earth effect each other to bring about the various moon phases discussed in this post.

the moon phases wicca

witchcraft and its past, laws against witches

2010-08-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

yes it is true that in the past there was laws against witches and witchcraft in most countries, and so witchcraft in the past had to be practised in secret, nowadays witches cab a bit more open, and especially with the internet witchcraft can be talked about a lot more easily and researched to learn about what witchcraft is really about.

i was reading about the witchcraft acts in england, scotland and ireland.

these acts where used to govern witchcraft and provided penalties for the practice of witchcraft.

on wiki there is a run down of these witchcraft acts.

if you read the segment from 1542 it is interesting to look at the words used back in those days and how they are spelt and pronounced differently then today, for example words like "Invovacons", "cojuracons", "Sprites", "witchecraftes", "enchauntementes", "sorceries", "thentent", "fynde money".

there's some real oldy type words used there, makes some strange reading, looking at how things where described in the past.

but it just goes to show how it is different for witches today compared to in the past when witchcraft was against the law.

Witchcraft Act 1542

It was not until the 16th century that religious tensions resulted in serious penalties for witchcraft in England. Henry VIII's Act of 1542 was the first to define witchcraft as a felony, a crime punishable by death and the forfeiture of the convicted felon's goods and chattels. It was forbidden to:

... use devise practise or exercise, or cause to be devysed practised or exercised, any Invovacons or cojuracons of Sprites witchecraftes enchauntementes or sorceries to thentent to fynde money or treasure or to waste consume or destroy any persone in his bodie membres, or to pvoke [provoke] any persone to unlawfull love, or for any other unlawfull intente or purpose ... or for dispite of Cryste, or for lucre of money, dygge up or pull downe any Crosse or Crosses or by such Invovacons or cojuracons of Sprites witchecraftes enchauntementes or sorceries or any of them take upon them to tell or declare where goodes stollen or lost shall become ...

The Act also removed a right known as benefit of clergy from those convicted of witchcraft, a legal loophole that spared anyone from hanging who was able to read a passage from the Bible. This statute was repealed by Henry's son, Edward VI, in 1547.

Witchcraft Act 1562

England's most notorious Witchcraft Act was passed early in the reign of Elizabeth I. This act of 1562 provided that anyone who should "use, practise, or exercise any Witchcraft, Enchantment, Charm, or Sorcery, whereby any person shall happen to be killed or destroyed", was guilty of felony without benefit of clergy, and was to be put to death. This law was broadened further by Elizabeth's successor, James I, who himself wrote a treatise on Dæmonologie and as James VI of Scotland had taken a personal interest in the trial of some accused witches at Berwick on Tweed.

Witchcraft Act 1563

The Parliament of Scotland passed a Witchcraft Act in 1563. This Act made not only the practice of witchcraft a capital offence, but those consulting with witches were also subject to the death penalty if found guilty.

Witchcraft Act 1604

In 1604, the year following James' accession to the English throne, the Elizabethan act was broadened to bring the penalty of death without benefit of clergy to any one who invoked evil spirits or communed with familiar spirits. The new act's full title was An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and dealing with evil and wicked spirits. It was this statute that was enforced by Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witch-Finder General.

The acts of Elizabeth and James changed the law of witchcraft in two major respects.

First, by making witchcraft a felony, they removed the accused witches from the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical courts to the courts of common law.

This provided, at least, that the accused witches theoretically enjoyed the benefits of ordinary criminal procedure. Burning at the stake was eliminated, except in cases of witchcraft that were also petty treason; most convicted instead were hanged.
Secondly any witch who had committed a minor witchcraft offense (punishable by one year in prison) and found themselves accused for a second time would be punishable by death if found guilty.

After the 17th century, witch hunting gradually died down as the influences of the Age of Reason began to take hold on the population.
Witchcraft Act 1735

This statute was replaced under George II by the Witchcraft Act 1735,[9] marking a complete reversal in attitudes. No longer were people to be hanged for consorting with evil spirits. Rather, a person who pretended to have the power to call up spirits, or foretell the future, or cast spells, or discover the whereabouts of stolen goods was to be punished as a vagrant and a con artist, subject to fines and imprisonment.

In 1944, Helen Duncan was jailed under the Witchcraft Act on the grounds that she had claimed to summon spirits. It is often contended, by her followers, that her imprisonment was in fact at the behest of superstitious military intelligence officers who feared she would reveal the secret plans for D-Day. She came to the attention of the authorities after supposedly contacting the spirit of a sailor of the HMS Barham, whose sinking was hidden from the general public at the time. After being caught in the act of faking a spiritual manifestation, she was arrested during a seance and indicted with seven punishable counts: two of conspiracy to contravene the Witchcraft Act, two of obtaining money by false pretences, and three of public mischief (a common law offence). She spent nine months in prison.

Although Duncan has been frequently described as the last person to be convicted under the Act, in fact, Jane Rebecca Yorke was convicted under the Act later that same year. The last threatened use of the Act against a medium was in 1950. In 1951 the Witchcraft Act was repealed with the enactment of the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951, largely at the instigation of Spiritualists through the agency of Thomas Brooks MP.

It is widely suggested that astrology may have been covered by the Witchcraft Act. From the 1930s onwards many tabloid newspapers and magazines carried astrology columns, but none were ever prosecuted.
The Witchcraft Act remained legally in force in the Republic of Ireland although it was never actually applied. Most old English laws were repealed in Ireland on 16 May 1983.

The British law is still in force in Israel, having been introduced into the legal system of the British Mandate over Palestine and with Israel having gained independence before the law was repealed in Britain in 1951.
Article 417 of the Israeli Penal code of 1977, incorporating much legislation inherited from British and Ottoman times, sets two years' imprisonment as the punishment for "witchcraft", defined as "Pretending to perform an act of witchcraft with the intention of material gain"; the law excludes the acts of a stage magician who expects no gain other than admission fees.".

witchcraft

white witchcraft samhain or halloween 2010 a full year turns

2010-08-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

white witchcraft nearly had a full year turn again with samhain or halloween 2010 fast approaching, which is the new year for witchcraft, and samhain halloween being one of the most magical parts of the year in witchcraft.

in witchcraft tradition samhain or halloween is when the veil between the spirit world and the physical world is at its thinnest, on halloween there can be better spirit contract and also better dreams as well when you sleep around this time.

so you might find up and around the times of halloween that you have much more deeper and realistic dreams and yourself dreaming much more as well.

samhain is the witches new year because it is when they class the year ending, this is due to the movement of the seasons and the end of summer.

thisis why there is the tradition on halloween as of dressing up as witches in costumes, pumpkins, monsters, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and all the other halloween style things that go on, is to symbolise the vale being thin between the two worlds.

halloween 2010

samhain 2010

white witchcraft films the craft?

2010-08-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

i do not think there has been any specific films made just about white witchcraft alone, usually when a film is made with a witchcraft theme it is just about witchcraft as such and not specifically about white witchcraft.

the craft film had some elements where it talked about the differences between white and black magic, saying true magic is neither white or black, and also, whether a witches magic is white or black depends upon the heart of the witch.

online psychic's readings?

2010-08-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

been having a look at a lot of the online psychic's, it is difficult to say if they are good for everyone though, and who is a good online psychic and who is not.

obviously the best way is to learn how to be your own psychic, but this is something some people have naturally more then others, the good thing is you can train yourself in psychic arts to improve abilities anyway.

or you can do some research and use some intuition to work out who is a worthwhile online psychic to do a reading for you, using intuition and research is one way of improving your own psychic abilities, funnily enough.

online witchcraft magic spells and wishes

2010-08-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

a lot of people nowadays get spells via online websites, whether these work or not is difficult to say, but they are very popular getting wishes and spells via online magicians.

i do not know how these online witchcraft style magic websites work, but you can basically pay for a wish to come true i think, thus, then online witches who read your order will make your wish happen.

i guess these modern online witches are a modern version of just meeting a witch face to face, or a gypsy style mystic women who would grant wishes to people.

the magic power of white witchcraft

2010-08-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

there is strong magic power to white witchcraft, but you also have to have a understanding of how black magic or black witchcraft works as to not be walking naive with these powers.

but true magic is neither black or white it is dependent on the heart of the witch, how the magic is directed, but there are black magic witches and white magic witches, so you still need a understanding of both types of magic, as not to be naive, and make mistakes.

the craft movie witches and manon

2010-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

in the hollywood movie the craft the 4 witches in the movie worship a deity called manon, i did a little research and this power the girls worship in the craft movie was made up for the movie.

though manon does have a good sound to it, it is said from the research i was reading the manon or mano is not a real entity.

though the girls call mannon like you would say the force from star wars or the tao from the chinese religion, in the end they are all just names and it is the feeling of power that you are probably looking for when doing these rituals, and the names of these gods are probably just a means to a end.

from the perspective of witchcraft it would be the all powerful power, that is in everything, as is said in the craft, the name manon would be a way of giving this power a name.

so as well the craft movie could be hinting that the power the 4 girls use in the craft is a dual force of male and female energy or god and goddess, but this is a supposition on my part, the fun is to also work out your own ideas as well.

the craft manon

The Craft - Manon Invocation Video

white magic witchcraft and controlling your destiny

2010-06-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

with using white magic and witchcraft to control your destiny, the results are still in your destiny, white witchcraft and white magic can bring you good fortune, but still it will be within your own destiny.

also the results if you are looking for results which can be the wrong way to go about witchcraft and creating good fortune in some ways will be dictated to how well studied and learned you are in the magic you are trying to use.

so more practice and research is more productive then just looking for results from your white magic practice, and looking for good fortune with magic.

also when learning how to tell your own fortune and read your own future, it will obviously take practice and learning to get better at these white magical arts.

you can learn with practice in white witchcraft and broad learning to be your own magic fortune teller.

magic fortune teller online

magic fortune ball

white witchcraft herb for astral projection dreaming obe

2010-05-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

witches herbs for astral projection and or dreaming is called mugwort and a herb with a good reputation for working for most people, though some people get mixed results.

a good thing with the mugwort dreaming herb aid is that it is relatively cheap to buy and can be picked up quite easily on the internet.

all you basically do with the mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) also known as common wormwood, is make a tea or drink out of it.

you basically put a few spoons of mugwort in a cup then add boiled water and allow to stand and stir for a while until it has mixed with the water to create a drink tasting of the mugwort, drink the liquid not the herb itself, close to bedtime.

you can also find mugwort growing in most areas, like the side of roads and on waste ground etc.

this astral projection dream drink can create more vivid dreams and possible chanced of astral projection.

mugwort is a classic herb of witchcraft one that witches also use for other rituals as well, but a effective use of mugwort is in a dream tea for astral projection.

mugwort

white witchcraft lucid dreaming astral projection obe

2010-05-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

white witchcraft dreaming techniques, i am going to have to do some posts about dreaming, when it comes to dreaming there are a few types of dreaming for example lucid dreaming, this is when you know you are dreaming i.e. conscious in a dream.

then there is astral projection and out of body experiences or obe, which is of course associated with witchcraft and witches, for example witches flying could be looked at a form of obe or astral projection.

so these will be some good topics to cover about the basics of lucid dreaming and astral projection with the energy body.

witchcraft spells magic

2010-04-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

usually with witchcraft spells you need to learn complicated recipes and techniques for enacting a witchcraft spell or magic, but there are also just the simple easy but not necessary less potent way of just using your mind and a simple pointing tool or just your mind alone.

by using your mind when doing witchcraft spells you are using a kind of focus and thought, instead of ritual tools and potions and various magic ingredients for the witchcraft spell.

neither are mutually exclusive it is just a different way for you to do your witchcraft magic, either using the various witchcraft ritual tools and potions herbs and magical items or also just using your mind and minimal to zero magical ritual tools to do your witchcraft spells and magic.

just takes practice and learning to work out the ways you like to use magic or how magic works for you in witchcraft on a more personal level.

if you are specific spells like love spells and love magic then potions and some items may be needed, but not always necessary, if you was doing a love spell for yourself, a picture of the person could help for focus of magical power when doing a love spell for example, using the mind in witchcraft magic and spells can also be advantages as a option when you do not have any magical items or potions around either.

witches athame for spells and magic

Magic Spells and potions and Witches

2010-04-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

found this video on Magic Spells and potions and Witches in a the sim 2 apartment game setting, it is a video of computer generated witches in the sim's 2 game making magic spells and potions, quite a funny video to watch.

Sims 2 Apartment Life: Magic Spells and Witches

white witch magic spells

2010-04-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

white witch magic is traditionally seen as the best kind of magic to look for or learn as it is about not hurting others or go against some else's will, white witch magic is also more attuned with nature and pure style magic powers and forces.

white witch magic is usually a positive force, but also the white witch has to understand and have knowledge of all forces to be more effective and better at there witchcraft.

white witches can do all manner of spells from white witch love spells to white witch protection spells and white magic healing spells with white witch craft.

white witchcraft summer solstice 2010 is on date 21st june witches spells and magic

2010-04-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

white witchcraft summer solstice 2010 is on the 21st of june 2010, summer solstice is a important day for witches, with summer solstice rituals and witches spells.

midsummer is a day of magic, it is a bit like halloween in that the veil between 2 worlds is very thin, and is a good day for the witch to use vision and see into the future.

summer solstice midsummer spells and rituals, one is for girls and women to see into the future and who they will marry or potential lover, using various divination techniques.

the summer solstice has lots of witchcraft spells and rituals associated with it, it is a day when witchcraft energy and spell and magic energy is stronger.

white witchcraft spells some witch magic spells basics free witch spells advice training

2010-03-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

white witchcraft spells basics is to use your mind and energy, but also to only do positive magic, do not look to do magic that harms others or attacks others, like martial arts, the way around problems with white witchcraft is to use white magic spells for protection and defense not attack if you have problems.

with magic you do not necessary have to try anything major just little things when doing your spell casting, but more then using magic, think and learn more so that when you use magic you will be prepared to use white magic in the best possible ways and more effectively.

for the most part have the mind to use practical means as well, as to the trained white wicth everything is magic to begin with, and also to think of magic of being not just about spells but also in the way the witch lives there life.

magic spells witchcraft pentacle

free magic spells advice blog

white witchcraft spells, white witch spells, white witches spells

2010-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

white witchcraft/witches spells, to do white witch spells you do not necessary need items or magical objects like candles and mirrors, white witchcraft spells can be kept very simple to just using intention and thought for the white witch learning to do spells.

white witchcraft spells are not pushed or forced but worked on as well as using magic but also using practical means as much as possible and not just relying on magic or spells for the white witch spells.

witchcraft and pagan celtic new year samhain

2010-02-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

the witches new year is called samhain, samhain is the time of halloween or All Hallow’s Eve, and is the pagan celtic new year.

in witchcraft the new year is called samhain.

witchcraft

2010-02-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

witchcraft comes under many names and styles but what is real witchcraft, can it be found, real witchcraft cannot probably be found as such like in some book or video etc, witchcraft needs to be learned by the witch, by themselves for the most part.

you have to take what you learn about others on witchcraft and try and find your own witchcraft, that is probably the best way to learn true or real witchcraft.

this means that you make it up as you go along as such but take the information you learn and try to make it your own to find out what works best for you and what makes sense.

as there probably is not one direct written source as to what true witchcraft is, though to follow witchcraft in the white version is the best option and also with a belief in god like in a christian sense is also a good option, though most will say these things are not compatibly, but you need to work out what is best compatibly through your self mostly with witchcraft.

white witchcraft spells

2010-01-04T07:21:00.000-08:00

this video gives some ideas on how to set up a spell casting for white witchcraft spells, but these are just ideas, as there is a lot to learn about spells and how to do them, especially white witchcraft spells.

though knowing how to do spells, does not actually mean you have to do spell casting, but it is something that can be learnt even if not used.

how to basically set up a basic altar and what you need for your witchcraft altar, a altar is used in many religions and is a place to focus and do spells.

witchcraft new year witches new year samhain - halloween oct 31and new years eve 2009 blue moon and partial lunar eclipse

2010-01-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

was a bit of a witches new years eve this year with full moon, blue moon and partial lunar eclipse on new years eve 2009.

this event was said to be very rare especially due to the partial lunar eclipse falling on new years eve 2009.

samhain is the witches new year which is halloween night oct 31, and is the old celtic new year, there is also magic in samhain as a time when the veil between the spirit world is very thin.

witchcraft: white witch the 10 sacred trees of witchcraft witches white witches wicca pagans and wiccans witches rhyme and druids sacred tree

2009-12-14T01:37:00.000-08:00

trees are important in witchcraft for example there are 10 (and probably more) sacred trees in witchcraft as the list below shows some of there meanings to the witch.

Birch represents The Goddess, or female energy
Oak represents The God, or male energy
Hazel represents knowledge and wisdom
Rowan or Mountain Ash represents life
Common Hawthorn represents purity and fairy magick
Willow represents death
Fir represents birth and rebirth
Apple represents love and family
Vine represents joy
Elder represents a lady (or something like that).

here is the rhyme of the witches about trees, rhymes used to help remember and pass on knowledge.

"Nine woods in the Cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes
To represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might,
In the fire it brings the God's insight.
Rowan is a tree of power,
Causing life and magic to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand
Ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify
And to draw faerie to your eye.
Hazel - the tree of wisdom and learning
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree
That brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine
Giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen
To represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady's tree
Burn it not or cursed you'll be."

trees also play a important role in druid's religion as well, with druids having sacred groves just like how witches have sacred groves as well.

one of the most sacred trees to the druids is the oak.

witchcraft chants witchcraft music wicca wiccan chants wiccan music chanting in witchcraft ceremony and witches rituals witchcraft lyrics spells

2009-12-14T00:58:00.000-08:00

witchcraft chants or witchcraft chanting music is a important part of witchcraft and is used in cerenomy and for personal energy rising in the witches ritual on a individual bases.

this is a wicca witchcraft music chat done by a group in this video, of witches chanting, the witchcraft lyrics are also written on this video as well, the witchcraft lyrics also being similar to witchcraft spells.

white witchcraft: witchcraft songs, the witch song lyrics, witches chants, witchcraft chant, witch chanting, wiccan chant, wiccan music

2009-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

white witchcraft, a selection of witchcraft songs, with wiccan witch style chants as well.

start off with this wicth song by Bonnie Lockhart, has good lyrics a kind of explanation about witchcraft with the lyrics of this witch song, also has the lyrics to this song in the youtube video description which i will post below:

"The Witch Song
The Witch Song

Bonnie Lockhart

http://www.bonnielockhart.com/

Chorus:
Who were the witches, where did they come from?
Maybe your great great grandmother was one.
Witches were wise, wise women they say,
And there's a little witch in every woman today.
There's a little witch in every woman today.

Witches knew all about flowers and trees,
How to use all the roots and the bark and the leaves.
People grew weary from hard-working days,
Witches made them feel better in so many ways.

Chorus:
Who were the witches, where did they come from?
Maybe your great great grandmother was one.
Witches were wise, wise women they say,
And there's a little witch in every woman today.
There's a little witch in every woman today.

Women had babies, the witches were there,
To feed them and help them and give them some care.
Witches new stories of how life began,
Don't you wish you could be one? Well maybe you can!

Chorus:
Who were the witches, where did they come from?
Maybe your great great grandmother was one.
Witches were wise, wise women they say,
And there's a little witch in every woman today.
There's a little witch in every woman today.

Some people thought that the witches were bad,
Some people were scared of the power they had.
The power to heal and to help and to care
Isn't something to fear, it's a treasure to share!

Chorus:
Who were the witches, where did they come from?
Maybe your great great grandmother was one.
Witches were wise, wise women they say,
And there's a little witch in every woman today.
There's a little witch in every woman today".

"Witch song By Bonnie Lockhart"

really good witches song there gets into the idea about witchcraft a bit with some theories on the past of say old fashioned village witches, helping people etc.

the next song is a earth goddess type witchcraft song, witches chant:

"The Earth is my Mother(witches chant)"

"The Earth is my Mother witches chants of old time
Music is from side 1 of Libana The Circle is Cast".

song and witches witchcraft chants are a part of witchcraft and something to learn for the aspiring witch, chanting is part of magic, and also spell casting etc.

i will put up some more witch and wiccan chant chanting videos on here, just need to have a look for some more good ones on youtube.

modern witchcraft like wicca and witchcraft history like traditional witches

2009-11-14T06:53:00.000-08:00

how much is modern witchcraft like traditional or old witchcraft?, you would first either need to know what is old witchcraft and what is new witchcraft so that you could compare the two, though nobody really knows what is old witchcraft, so you have to work out your own understanding and piece together what information you can find about witchcraft.

modern witchcraft is usually called wicca, and modern witches call themselves wiccans.

wicca was said to have been started around the 1950's with books about witchcraft published by Gerald Gardner around that time.

but witchcraft is what you make it so labels are not really necessary more a learning of the knowledge to the individual, that is how one becomes a witch by learning and researching and evaluating what you learn as you go along.

a lot of wicthes might get over taken by how they label themselves, so one should learn but not get too bogged down with labels like pagan or wiccan or a new ager etc, just learn from those areas.