The world is frozen at Winter solstice and, in nature, little is happening on the surface. Deep in the Earth, however, the roots are putting out shoots ready for the push toward life when the weather warms in spring. This is the season of rebirth, and many religions celebrate the birth of a Sun King. In Christianity, it is the child Jesus, the "Light of the World".
The Fruition of Dreams
The ideas, dreams and visions you begin to connect with at Samhain can now be born. They will grow in power and strength -- in parallel with the waxing of the Sun's strength and nurturing warmth as it begins its journey toward the Summer Solstice.
In Wiccan lore, the power of the winter Holly King is at its maximum now, but the summer Oak King has been born. He will gain in ascendancy from this point on, showing that the Wheel of the Year always turns.
Yuletide in the Modern World
In Christian countries, Winter Solstice, or Yuletide, is replaced by Christmas. The stillness of this time of year is felt, but rarely acknowledged. Most people have exhausted their energies in the preparations for Christmas Day celebrations, when they instinctively know it's time to stop--and eat!
The Feast of Fools
The ancient Yule rituals still predominate today. The Lord of Misrule, who originated in the wild Roman Saturnalia festivals (that ended on the Winter Solstice), presided over a time of chaos, which is still echoed in some of today's Christmas office parties. normal behavior is replaced by people acting like fools. Yule has also always been a time of feasting and plenty, hopefully setting the pattern of abundance for the year to come.
Yuletide Celebrations
Celebrate the Yuletide traditions of old, such as kissing under the mistletoe and making Yule logs, as the Wheel of the Year turns around the Winter Solstice
Ancient Pagan Roots
Many of the customs you may observe at Christmas are rooted in Pagan ritual. Evergreens, for example, have always been brought indoors at Yuletide to symbolize everlasting life. This ritual survives in the traditional Christmas tree. Other aspects of the festivities, such as kissing under the mistletoe, also hark back to ancient beliefs.
Fertility Rites
Holly and mistletoe were used in fertility rites to ensure the coming of spring. Red holly berries represent the life-blood of the female, while white mistletoe berries represent drops of male semen. The Yule's holly wreath also referred to the Wheel of the Year, as Yule means "wheel".
Making a Yule Log
The Yule log was traditionally cut from oak, because of its connections with the Oak King of summer. It burns slowly and with great heat, redolent of the Sun. Make your own Yule log by following these steps:
1. Get a piece of wood, preferably oak, approximately 4 inches thick and 10 inches long.
2. Drill three holes in the top of the log. then wrap tin foil around the bottom of three red candles and wedge these in the holes in the log.
3. Decorate the log with holly, ivy and mistletoe, and light the three candles to welcome the rebirth of the Sun King.
Welcome the Sun
Many of the customs surrounding the Winter Solstice involve honoring the return of the Sun and celebrating the birth of the Sun King -- or Oak King, in Celtic circles. As a change of pace from the usual rush of social activity, Christmas parties, and festivities surrounding this time of year, you many wish to find a moment of solitude to welcome back the Sun.
A meditative Ritual
Se the atmosphere for your private Winter Solstice ritual by darkening a room in your home and kneeling at a small table where you have placed a red candle. Reflect on all the things that you hope for the New Year, and visualize the Sun rising up out of darkness to a position high above the Earth. Light the candle and say, " I welcome back the life-giving light of the Sun."
Tribal Gathering
An ancient need stirs within the human soul at this time of year for contact with the tribe. On the eve of the Winter Solstice, gather with friends and family, and watch the Sun set for the last time under the rulership of the Holly King. Then invite everyone home and light the Yule log.
Community
Sit everyone around the fire and let people tell their hopes and dreams for the following year. You can also have fun making a hot punch with plenty of spices and apples, then drink together from a communal cup -- traditionally called the wassail bowl.
You gathering may wish to spread their good cheer and visit your neighbors with gifts of food, to share the festivities of Yuletide in this very traditional way.
The Real Story of Christmas-- click here
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Cleansing Ritual for a Sick Friend
When a friend becomes ill, help speed his or her recovery by performing a cleansing ritual.
Performing a cleansing spell will help to cleanse your sick friends of their illness, and of any problems that might interfere with their recovery, such as feelings of vulnerability and depression.
Allowing time to recover
Before beginning, be mindful of your intentions; a person may need to go through a period of illness before he can be well again. Say "for the highest good" or " by divine will" before performing healing spells to show that you are honoring the process of the illness, as well as wishing for your friend's recovery.
Circle of Salt
Whenever you set up a spell, it is important to form some kind of circle around your activities. This defines the space, allowing you to focus your attention and helping to contain the energies you are channeling. This is called "binding" your spell the best way to bind a cleansing ritual is with a circle of salt, into which you can visualize the illness dissolving.
Performing your Ritual
You will need:
1 pale blue pillar candle
Flowers
A memento of your sick friend- such as a photo or a piece of their jewelry
Natural sea salt.
You may perform this ritual up to three times a day.
1. No Disturbances---Find a quiet place to perform your ritual.
2. Healing Flowers---Place the flowers in a vase and set them down beside the candle.
3. Remember the Sick---Place the memento of your friend that you have chosen beside the candle.
4. Bind your Spell---Sprinkle a loose circle of natural sea salt around the group of items you have set up in order to define your magical area.
5. Candle Magic---Light your candle, and watch it slowly burn.
6. Thinking of You---Sit quietly for 15 minutes and imagine your friend's pain or sickness dissolving into the salt.
7. Ground the Spell---Blow our your candle, sweep up the salt, and dispose of it into some earth (away from plants, as salt can damage them.)
Every item used in your cleansing spell has a specific purpose, although you may choose to make slight variations depending on the particular situation.
A Personal Item
The personal item you use will focus your thoughts on your friend, and clear any other concerns from your mind. By placing it at the center of the spell, you are showing that your friend's well being is your primary concern.
If you don't have a recent photo of your friend, use an item of her jewelry instead. Something you gave as a present will help strengthen the bond between you.
Wish for the outcome that is best for your friend-- not just for you. People need time to recover slowly more than you need your social life back!
Flowers for Life
Flowers are filled with the Sun's golden energy, making them an ideal ingredient in healing spells and a perfect gift for a sick friend even when you aren't casting a spell. Good flowers to use include:
Marigolds----represent and remind us of the life giving Sun, promote rest, recovery and renewal.
Red Geraniums---generally associated with strong and courageous Mars, the God of War, aid a speedy recovery.
Cyclamen---offers protection from setbacks during sleep and convalescence.
White Roses---promotes peace of mind and tranquility. White is the color of purity, washing away our worries and ills.
Potted Plants---those who watch the living, breathing plant grow will gain strength as they recover and their health blossoms.
Candles for Change
Candles represent fire, which gives out the heat and light necessary for life. Candles also symbolize transformation--our problems dissolve along with the wax.
* Use a pale blue candle to bring serenity, happiness, and protection.
* Use a wide or pillar candle so that it can be lit and re-lit throughout your friend's illness. A slow-burning candle is best, as recovery takes time.
* If your friend is undergoing surgery, use a violet candle, as this represents success and victory over the challenge.
* Use a black candle if your friend has been emotionally hurt, or is depressed.
Focus on the candle's flame as you imagine your good wishes flying toward your friend, carried by the smoke.
Crystals for Focus
Crystals send out subtle vibrations that affect the atmosphere. If you use an item of your friend's jewelry in your spell, the crystal set into it can help the spell to work.
* Amethyst clears headaches, stress and anxiety
* Citrine eases emotional states such as depression
* Turquoise is a master healing stone that strengthens and protects during illness
* Quartz harmonizes environments
As well as using crystals in spells, you can give your sick friend a small crystal touchstone to put under his or her pillow.
Performing a cleansing spell will help to cleanse your sick friends of their illness, and of any problems that might interfere with their recovery, such as feelings of vulnerability and depression.
Allowing time to recover
Before beginning, be mindful of your intentions; a person may need to go through a period of illness before he can be well again. Say "for the highest good" or " by divine will" before performing healing spells to show that you are honoring the process of the illness, as well as wishing for your friend's recovery.
Circle of Salt
Whenever you set up a spell, it is important to form some kind of circle around your activities. This defines the space, allowing you to focus your attention and helping to contain the energies you are channeling. This is called "binding" your spell the best way to bind a cleansing ritual is with a circle of salt, into which you can visualize the illness dissolving.
Performing your Ritual
You will need:
1 pale blue pillar candle
Flowers
A memento of your sick friend- such as a photo or a piece of their jewelry
Natural sea salt.
You may perform this ritual up to three times a day.
1. No Disturbances---Find a quiet place to perform your ritual.
2. Healing Flowers---Place the flowers in a vase and set them down beside the candle.
3. Remember the Sick---Place the memento of your friend that you have chosen beside the candle.
4. Bind your Spell---Sprinkle a loose circle of natural sea salt around the group of items you have set up in order to define your magical area.
5. Candle Magic---Light your candle, and watch it slowly burn.
6. Thinking of You---Sit quietly for 15 minutes and imagine your friend's pain or sickness dissolving into the salt.
7. Ground the Spell---Blow our your candle, sweep up the salt, and dispose of it into some earth (away from plants, as salt can damage them.)
Your Cleansing Ritual Ingredients
Every item used in your cleansing spell has a specific purpose, although you may choose to make slight variations depending on the particular situation.
A Personal Item
The personal item you use will focus your thoughts on your friend, and clear any other concerns from your mind. By placing it at the center of the spell, you are showing that your friend's well being is your primary concern.
If you don't have a recent photo of your friend, use an item of her jewelry instead. Something you gave as a present will help strengthen the bond between you.
Wish for the outcome that is best for your friend-- not just for you. People need time to recover slowly more than you need your social life back!
Flowers for Life
Flowers are filled with the Sun's golden energy, making them an ideal ingredient in healing spells and a perfect gift for a sick friend even when you aren't casting a spell. Good flowers to use include:
Marigolds----represent and remind us of the life giving Sun, promote rest, recovery and renewal.
Red Geraniums---generally associated with strong and courageous Mars, the God of War, aid a speedy recovery.
Cyclamen---offers protection from setbacks during sleep and convalescence.
White Roses---promotes peace of mind and tranquility. White is the color of purity, washing away our worries and ills.
Potted Plants---those who watch the living, breathing plant grow will gain strength as they recover and their health blossoms.
Candles for Change
Candles represent fire, which gives out the heat and light necessary for life. Candles also symbolize transformation--our problems dissolve along with the wax.
* Use a pale blue candle to bring serenity, happiness, and protection.
* Use a wide or pillar candle so that it can be lit and re-lit throughout your friend's illness. A slow-burning candle is best, as recovery takes time.
* If your friend is undergoing surgery, use a violet candle, as this represents success and victory over the challenge.
* Use a black candle if your friend has been emotionally hurt, or is depressed.
Focus on the candle's flame as you imagine your good wishes flying toward your friend, carried by the smoke.
Crystals for Focus
Crystals send out subtle vibrations that affect the atmosphere. If you use an item of your friend's jewelry in your spell, the crystal set into it can help the spell to work.
* Amethyst clears headaches, stress and anxiety
* Citrine eases emotional states such as depression
* Turquoise is a master healing stone that strengthens and protects during illness
* Quartz harmonizes environments
As well as using crystals in spells, you can give your sick friend a small crystal touchstone to put under his or her pillow.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Ivy Moon: September 30- October 27
The Ivy Moon coincides with the end of the harvest season when successes and losses must be accounted for. In ancient times, intoxicating ale was brewed from ivy and was used to induce visions of the battlefield.
The plant teaches us that restrictions are necessary to help us hone our skills. During this month, remember that your enemies are your teachers and that opposition is a blessing in disguise. Focus on magic that strengthens your resolve.
Prepare for the future
Spells that boost your sense of responsibility will make you ready for what lies ahead. Be prepared to take the long-term view and accept and celebrate your life as it is right now. Trust that the Ivy Moon will prepare you to receive an answer to your prayers at exactly the right time.
The Ritual of the "Ivy Girl"
Ivy grows in a spiral formation reminding us that each cycle of the seasons brings us closer to the center, to the spirit. The last harvest sheaf to be cut in the village was once bound with ivy and called the "Ivy Girl". This was given to the farmer whose harvest was last, as a reminder of his responsibility to the spirits of the land.
IVY MYTHOLOGY
Ivy is ruled by the planet Saturn and is often linked with horned gods such as Pan and Dionysus, and as such is a plant of protection, sexuality, property and faith. Ivy was also believed to protect from alcoholic intoxication. For this reason, intertwined vines of grape and ivy, representing balance, were depicted in ancient images of Dionysus.
IVY MOON MAGIC
House Protection Spell
Utilize the magic of ivy to protect your home from negative influences. You will need:
A black candle
Lots of ivy stems
--Light the candle and say," I call upon the spirits of this place, come in peace."
--Make a circle of ivy stems on the floor and step into the center.
--Turn to the north and recite, "Spirits of the Earth protect me."
--To the east say, "Spirits of air protect me."
--To the south say, "Spirits of fire protect me."
--To the west say, "Spirits of water protect me."
--Place the stems that formed your circle at the boundaries of your property.
Women's Ivy Charms
Ivy is a feminine plant and it is particularly lucky for women. Use the following ivy charms all year around to utilize ivy's powerful magical properties.
*Brides who carry or wear ivy will have a long, committed and prosperous marriage. Sew an ivy leaf into a small pocket of white linen, and give this to a bride to slip into the hem of her wedding dress for luck.
*To guard against accidents while driving, carefully secure an ivy leaf on your car's dashboard.
*Grow ivy vines around the front door of your house to prevent negativity from entering your home.
Facing Challenges
Performing this ritual during the Ivy Moon will help you to learn from difficult circumstances and move on. To perform this ritual you will need:
A piece of paper
A pen
A white candle
A fireproof dish
*Write a list of the troubles that you are experiencing.
*Next to each one write what you have gained from it, for example "It made me stronger."
*Light the candle saying, "This flame represents my faith in the universe. I give thanks for the lessons I have learned."
*Burn the paper and feel yourself grow stronger.
Ivy Spell Bags
Use the magic of ivy to strengthen your willpower.
--Ivy leaves, ginger and echinacea (pronounced eck-can-ay-sha) placed in a yellow spell bag will guard against addictive behavior.
--Ivy leaves, chicory, sea salt and sage in a navy blue bag will guard against overspending.
--A charm of ivy leaves, hawthorn leaves, and red chili seeds placed in a white spell bag will help to keep you faithful to your lover.
--Placing ivy leaves lily petals and lilac flowers in a blue spell bag will prevent you from returning to a destructive relationship.
The plant teaches us that restrictions are necessary to help us hone our skills. During this month, remember that your enemies are your teachers and that opposition is a blessing in disguise. Focus on magic that strengthens your resolve.
Prepare for the future
Spells that boost your sense of responsibility will make you ready for what lies ahead. Be prepared to take the long-term view and accept and celebrate your life as it is right now. Trust that the Ivy Moon will prepare you to receive an answer to your prayers at exactly the right time.
The Ritual of the "Ivy Girl"
Ivy grows in a spiral formation reminding us that each cycle of the seasons brings us closer to the center, to the spirit. The last harvest sheaf to be cut in the village was once bound with ivy and called the "Ivy Girl". This was given to the farmer whose harvest was last, as a reminder of his responsibility to the spirits of the land.
IVY MYTHOLOGY
Ivy is ruled by the planet Saturn and is often linked with horned gods such as Pan and Dionysus, and as such is a plant of protection, sexuality, property and faith. Ivy was also believed to protect from alcoholic intoxication. For this reason, intertwined vines of grape and ivy, representing balance, were depicted in ancient images of Dionysus.
IVY MOON MAGIC
House Protection Spell
Utilize the magic of ivy to protect your home from negative influences. You will need:
A black candle
Lots of ivy stems
--Light the candle and say," I call upon the spirits of this place, come in peace."
--Make a circle of ivy stems on the floor and step into the center.
--Turn to the north and recite, "Spirits of the Earth protect me."
--To the east say, "Spirits of air protect me."
--To the south say, "Spirits of fire protect me."
--To the west say, "Spirits of water protect me."
--Place the stems that formed your circle at the boundaries of your property.
Women's Ivy Charms
Ivy is a feminine plant and it is particularly lucky for women. Use the following ivy charms all year around to utilize ivy's powerful magical properties.
*Brides who carry or wear ivy will have a long, committed and prosperous marriage. Sew an ivy leaf into a small pocket of white linen, and give this to a bride to slip into the hem of her wedding dress for luck.
*To guard against accidents while driving, carefully secure an ivy leaf on your car's dashboard.
*Grow ivy vines around the front door of your house to prevent negativity from entering your home.
Facing Challenges
Performing this ritual during the Ivy Moon will help you to learn from difficult circumstances and move on. To perform this ritual you will need:
A piece of paper
A pen
A white candle
A fireproof dish
*Write a list of the troubles that you are experiencing.
*Next to each one write what you have gained from it, for example "It made me stronger."
*Light the candle saying, "This flame represents my faith in the universe. I give thanks for the lessons I have learned."
*Burn the paper and feel yourself grow stronger.
Ivy Spell Bags
Use the magic of ivy to strengthen your willpower.
--Ivy leaves, ginger and echinacea (pronounced eck-can-ay-sha) placed in a yellow spell bag will guard against addictive behavior.
--Ivy leaves, chicory, sea salt and sage in a navy blue bag will guard against overspending.
--A charm of ivy leaves, hawthorn leaves, and red chili seeds placed in a white spell bag will help to keep you faithful to your lover.
--Placing ivy leaves lily petals and lilac flowers in a blue spell bag will prevent you from returning to a destructive relationship.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wishing Spells
Wishing magic utilizes the natural sources in the world around you. You can call upon the four elements of earth, air, fire and water; using wishing crystals, flowers, herbs and spices; or find a wishing tree for your spell. Use images of the things you desire to focus the intent of your spell. Your timing is another important factor to consider.
For drawing something to you, such as a work opportunity, wish when the Moon is growing, from new to full. The new Moon begins when you can see a silver crescent in the sky.
To release something, such as an illness or a bad relationship, work with the waning Moon phase. This begins on the third day after the full Moon.
A simple wishing spell:
Turning your dreams into reality takes only a little time and effort where magic is concerned. Start practicing your wishing magic with this simple wishing spell to be cast in alignment with the full Moon.
1. Magic Ribbon
Purchase one yard of thin, silver ribbon from a craft or fabric store.
2. Wishing Tree
Choose a tree under whose branches you will wish. You should make your wish during the phase of the full Moon to draw the object of your dreams to you.
3. Give Thanks
When you have made your wish, tie the ribbon loosely but securely around a branch of your wishing tree. Stay for a while to commune and give thanks to your tree.
Each one of the four elements has its particular associations with types of wishes:
Earth symbolizes growth and fertility. It represents stability as it "grounds" the qualities you possess. Focus on the earth when your wishes include:
Financial security
Practical areas of life
Fertility and fertile opportunities
Work and career
Home and garden
Children
Outdoor Wishes-- When working with the earth element, write your wish on a piece of natural paper and "plant" it outside. Bury your wish beneath a plant or a tree that draws your attention. (Do not dig it up once you have buried it.)
Indoor Wishes-- Light a green candle every evening at the start of a full Moon phase and keep relighting it until the Moon is full. Repeat your wish three times each time you relight your candle.
Wish upon a new Moon
For drawing something to you, such as a work opportunity, wish when the Moon is growing, from new to full. The new Moon begins when you can see a silver crescent in the sky.
Wish upon a waning Moon
To release something, such as an illness or a bad relationship, work with the waning Moon phase. This begins on the third day after the full Moon.
A simple wishing spell:
Turning your dreams into reality takes only a little time and effort where magic is concerned. Start practicing your wishing magic with this simple wishing spell to be cast in alignment with the full Moon.
1. Magic Ribbon
Purchase one yard of thin, silver ribbon from a craft or fabric store.
2. Wishing Tree
Choose a tree under whose branches you will wish. You should make your wish during the phase of the full Moon to draw the object of your dreams to you.
3. Give Thanks
When you have made your wish, tie the ribbon loosely but securely around a branch of your wishing tree. Stay for a while to commune and give thanks to your tree.
Elemental Wishing
Each one of the four elements has its particular associations with types of wishes:
Working with Earth
Earth symbolizes growth and fertility. It represents stability as it "grounds" the qualities you possess. Focus on the earth when your wishes include:
Financial security
Practical areas of life
Fertility and fertile opportunities
Work and career
Home and garden
Children
Outdoor Wishes-- When working with the earth element, write your wish on a piece of natural paper and "plant" it outside. Bury your wish beneath a plant or a tree that draws your attention. (Do not dig it up once you have buried it.)
Indoor Wishes-- Light a green candle every evening at the start of a full Moon phase and keep relighting it until the Moon is full. Repeat your wish three times each time you relight your candle.
Working with Air
Air represents intellectual pursuits and our minds. It also symbolizes our spirit flying high, striving toward new goals and experiences. Focus on the air when your wishes involve:
Travel
Success in exams
Job interviews
Mental stability
Stress relief
Medicine and health
Outdoor wishes-- When working with air, visualize a gentle breeze blowing through your wish- perhaps by hanging a ribbon from a window or from a branch of a tree.
Indoor wishes-- If you can't work outside, light a yellow candle on a windowsill every evening for seven nights, starting on the first night of the new Moon. Repeat you wishing spell three times every time you relight your candle.
Air represents intellectual pursuits and our minds. It also symbolizes our spirit flying high, striving toward new goals and experiences. Focus on the air when your wishes involve:
Travel
Success in exams
Job interviews
Mental stability
Stress relief
Medicine and health
Outdoor wishes-- When working with air, visualize a gentle breeze blowing through your wish- perhaps by hanging a ribbon from a window or from a branch of a tree.
Indoor wishes-- If you can't work outside, light a yellow candle on a windowsill every evening for seven nights, starting on the first night of the new Moon. Repeat you wishing spell three times every time you relight your candle.
Working with Water
Water represents our emotions and the flow of our lives and relationships. Draw on the water element when wishing for:
Healing illness
Emotional issues
Relationship harmony
Dreams and trust
Outdoor wishes-- When working with the water element, you could visit a lake, river or stream. Hold a crystal (aquamarine and mother-of-pearl have particular associations with water) and visualize your wish as a spark contained within it. Then cast your crystal into the waters.
Indoor wishes-- Starting with the waning of the Moon, light a pale blue candle every evening for seven nights. Repeat your wish three times when you relight your candle.
Water represents our emotions and the flow of our lives and relationships. Draw on the water element when wishing for:
Healing illness
Emotional issues
Relationship harmony
Dreams and trust
Outdoor wishes-- When working with the water element, you could visit a lake, river or stream. Hold a crystal (aquamarine and mother-of-pearl have particular associations with water) and visualize your wish as a spark contained within it. Then cast your crystal into the waters.
Indoor wishes-- Starting with the waning of the Moon, light a pale blue candle every evening for seven nights. Repeat your wish three times when you relight your candle.
Working with Fire
Fire represents change and transformation and also the spark of life within us - consider such terms as "fire in your heart" and "fiery temperament". Call upon fire in wishes for:
Courage
Confidence
Removal of conflict
Dynamic energy
Psychic protection
Passion and desire
Outdoor wishes-- When working with the fire element, you could hang up a garden lantern containing a red or orange candle as you recite your wish. Or simply watch the sunrise and make a wish.
Indoor wishes-- When working fire magic indoors, always begin when the moon is full. Light a read candle every evening for seven nights, repeating your wish three times every time you relight your candle.
Courage
Confidence
Removal of conflict
Dynamic energy
Psychic protection
Passion and desire
Outdoor wishes-- When working with the fire element, you could hang up a garden lantern containing a red or orange candle as you recite your wish. Or simply watch the sunrise and make a wish.
Indoor wishes-- When working fire magic indoors, always begin when the moon is full. Light a read candle every evening for seven nights, repeating your wish three times every time you relight your candle.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
How to Charge Crystals
When you start working with crystals, you also need to think about their care. As you use your crystals regularly, you'll build up a personal link with them, attuning them to your body's unique energies. You can also charge them up from other sources of magical energy, such as the Moon. As you use the gems, the energies they've built up will be dispersed. You'll need to recharge them from time to time to keep them working at optimum levels.
Drawing energy to you
Regular charging will ensure your crystal acts most effectively as a magnet to positive and healing energies. Recharging your stones regularly keeps them working effectively and also keeps the energies they affect focused on you.
Once your crystals have been charged to your specific energy signature, it's best not to let anyone else touch them, as they will work most efficiently for you alone.
When to charge crystals
You should charge your crystals during the waxing Moon, between the new and full moons when natural energies are growing with the increasing moonlight.
Prior to charging your crystal, carry it in your pocket to strengthen the link between the stone and your body's own magical energies.
Follow the simple steps below to charge your crystals with the magic of the Moon:
You will need
* A joss stick (the smoke represents the element air)
* A red candle (which represents fire)
* A small bowl of water (a shell makes an excellent container)
* A small bowl of soil (try to use an earthenware or wooden container)
* A bottle of an appropriate essential oil, such as frankincense or sandalwood
Place the bottle of oil in the middle of the items representing the elements with the bowl of earth above (north), the joss stick to the right (east), the candle below (south), and the bowl of water to the left (west) of the oil. This arrangement of the elements has magical associations of its own and will strengthen the spell.
1. Begin your ritual
Light your joss stick and candle. The joss stick's smoke represents the element of air; the candle's flame represents fire. (Light the candle first, then light the joss stick from the flame)
2. Charge with Air
Pass your crystal through the joss smoke, saying, " I charge you with the powers of the winds of air." Then simply blow the smoke all over the crystal.
3.Charge with Fire
Next, pass your crystal over the candle flame, saying, " I charge you with the power of the flames of fire." Visualize fire energy rising into your crystal.
4. Charge with Water
Sprinkle water over your crystal, saying, "I charge you with the power of the waves of water." Visualize the energies of rain and ocean spray in the drops of water.
5. Charge with Earth
Put your crystal in the bowl of earth, saying, " I charge you with the power of earth, from whence you came." Imagine the crystal absorbing the earth's energy.
6. Anoint your crystal
Now, anoint your crystal with oil, saying, "I charge you with the power of the spirit of life, harmony and truth." Visualize energy passing through you into the crystal.
7. Storing your crystal
Your crystal is now charged. To prevent it from becoming contaminated with unwanted energy, keep it in a silk bag until you need to use it again.
Your crystal will need to be cleansed regularly and should be recharged after every cleansing.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
The Blessing Moon
This is a time for Magic.
In the calendar system, this moon may often be known as the the Blessing Moon in reference to the blessings of the sacred marriages of earth and sky, or dark and light, or the King and Queen of summer.
In many other belief systems there are already time-honored traditions for the establishment of a calendar.
In the Celtic Tree Calendar the name of this moon is Duir (Oak) which runs from June 10th to July 7th.
The Runic Calendar of Nordic traditions, (which is governed by half months rather than full months), divides this moon of the year by Odal (Home or Heritage) from May 29th through June 13th, and Dag (Daylight) from June 14th through June 28th.
The Goddess Calendar names this moon of the year after Hera and runs from May 16th through June 12th.
The American Backwoods Calendar refers to this moon of the year as the Hot Moon or the Strawberry Moon and is determined by whichever full moon falls in June.
However this moon is known to you, as the Hot Moon, the Strawberry Moon, or the Honey Moon, it will surely be known in some ways that call to mind the first honey dripping from wild hives, or the sweet ripeness of fruit orchards because this moon is the moon of ripening fullness.
In many cultures and in many beliefs, this is seen as the time in the Wheel of the Year when the goddess in her mature aspect of Earth Mother, is wed to the god in his mature aspect of Summer King. Together they will reign over this peaceful season of growth and abundance.
This is a time of maturing development when the greatest power of summer will be revealed on the Summer Solstice as the longest day of the year signifies light overcoming darkness.
It is said that on the eve of the Summer Solstice, when the shortest night of the year yields to the longest day, the veil between the fairy world and this world is stretched thinnest and so springs the belief that all wishes are granted on midsummer.
So, with all that information to guide you, it may be that you see this moon as the doorway of the year which opens to the power of light and the beneficial growth and expansion associated with the longest days of the year.
If you select a personal name for this moon, allow it to be one that calls to mind the rich fullness of fruit ripening on the vines and the heady sweetness of a season in which all desires may come to fruition and all wishes may be granted.
The Blessing Chant
May the powers of The One,
the source of all creation;
all-pervasive, omnipotent, eternal;
may the Goddess, the Lady of the Moon;
and the God,Horned Hunter of the Sun;
may the powers of the Spirits of the Stones,
rulers of the elemental realms;
may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
bless this place, and this time, and all who are with you.
In the calendar system, this moon may often be known as the the Blessing Moon in reference to the blessings of the sacred marriages of earth and sky, or dark and light, or the King and Queen of summer.
In many other belief systems there are already time-honored traditions for the establishment of a calendar.
In the Celtic Tree Calendar the name of this moon is Duir (Oak) which runs from June 10th to July 7th.
The Runic Calendar of Nordic traditions, (which is governed by half months rather than full months), divides this moon of the year by Odal (Home or Heritage) from May 29th through June 13th, and Dag (Daylight) from June 14th through June 28th.
The Goddess Calendar names this moon of the year after Hera and runs from May 16th through June 12th.
The American Backwoods Calendar refers to this moon of the year as the Hot Moon or the Strawberry Moon and is determined by whichever full moon falls in June.
However this moon is known to you, as the Hot Moon, the Strawberry Moon, or the Honey Moon, it will surely be known in some ways that call to mind the first honey dripping from wild hives, or the sweet ripeness of fruit orchards because this moon is the moon of ripening fullness.
In many cultures and in many beliefs, this is seen as the time in the Wheel of the Year when the goddess in her mature aspect of Earth Mother, is wed to the god in his mature aspect of Summer King. Together they will reign over this peaceful season of growth and abundance.
This is a time of maturing development when the greatest power of summer will be revealed on the Summer Solstice as the longest day of the year signifies light overcoming darkness.
It is said that on the eve of the Summer Solstice, when the shortest night of the year yields to the longest day, the veil between the fairy world and this world is stretched thinnest and so springs the belief that all wishes are granted on midsummer.
So, with all that information to guide you, it may be that you see this moon as the doorway of the year which opens to the power of light and the beneficial growth and expansion associated with the longest days of the year.
If you select a personal name for this moon, allow it to be one that calls to mind the rich fullness of fruit ripening on the vines and the heady sweetness of a season in which all desires may come to fruition and all wishes may be granted.
The Blessing Chant
May the powers of The One,
the source of all creation;
all-pervasive, omnipotent, eternal;
may the Goddess, the Lady of the Moon;
and the God,Horned Hunter of the Sun;
may the powers of the Spirits of the Stones,
rulers of the elemental realms;
may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
bless this place, and this time, and all who are with you.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Ribbon Magic
The age-old tradition of playing with colored ribbons and tying them in knots is rooted in folk magic.
Ribbons are a basic ingredient of most spells, and ribbon magic is one of the simplest ways to literally weave magic. Ribbons are easy to obtain, and it is worth buying a variety of different colored ones for use. An old custom that still persists into modern times is the Maypole---men, women and children hold colored ribbons and dance between each other, weaving them together in a fertility rite to ensure good harvests.
Healing Waters
Tying colored ribbons to trees near ancient springs or lakes honors the healing spirits of the waters and so represents a wish that these healing spirits will cure an ailment.
Tying knots
A knot secures something, be it a shoe or a boat. In magic, knots fix your spell and focus your intent. To secure your wishes, repeat your intent every time you tie a knot.
Binding (protection)
Just as ribbons bind your hair, protecting it from the wind or dirt, they also bind negative influences and prevent them from affecting you.
Timing
If you have allowed a time frame for the spell to work in, be sure not to untie any knots in the ribbon before this time.
Wearing Ribbons
For a period of time prior to casting your spell, wear your ribbon in your hair or on a belt loop. This charges it with your own energy, increasing the power being put into the spell.
Storage
When you've performed your ribbon spell, be sure to keep the ribbon somewhere safe. Wrapping it in a piece of natural silk is ideal.
Ribbons are a basic ingredient of most spells, and ribbon magic is one of the simplest ways to literally weave magic. Ribbons are easy to obtain, and it is worth buying a variety of different colored ones for use. An old custom that still persists into modern times is the Maypole---men, women and children hold colored ribbons and dance between each other, weaving them together in a fertility rite to ensure good harvests.
Healing Waters
Tying colored ribbons to trees near ancient springs or lakes honors the healing spirits of the waters and so represents a wish that these healing spirits will cure an ailment.
Weaving Magic with Your Ribbons
Tying knots
A knot secures something, be it a shoe or a boat. In magic, knots fix your spell and focus your intent. To secure your wishes, repeat your intent every time you tie a knot.
Binding (protection)
Just as ribbons bind your hair, protecting it from the wind or dirt, they also bind negative influences and prevent them from affecting you.
Timing
If you have allowed a time frame for the spell to work in, be sure not to untie any knots in the ribbon before this time.
Wearing Ribbons
For a period of time prior to casting your spell, wear your ribbon in your hair or on a belt loop. This charges it with your own energy, increasing the power being put into the spell.
Storage
When you've performed your ribbon spell, be sure to keep the ribbon somewhere safe. Wrapping it in a piece of natural silk is ideal.
Basic Ribbon Spells
Attraction Spells
Spells to attract a partner are frequently done with ribbons. Use two ribbons to bind yourselves together.
1. Male/Female
Take two ribbons, one red (male) and one white or pink (female).
2. Weaving Together
Weave the two ribbons together while visualizing the desired partner coming into your life and their path entwining with yours.
3. Added Magic
Use complementary candles and essential oils to anoint the ribbons, such as rose oil for a woman and frankincense for a man.
Weave your ribbons together to symbolize your life and your lover's becoming entwined. Rub romantic oils into your plaited ribbon to strengthen the magic associations with love.
Spells to attract a partner are frequently done with ribbons. Use two ribbons to bind yourselves together.
1. Male/Female
Take two ribbons, one red (male) and one white or pink (female).
2. Weaving Together
Weave the two ribbons together while visualizing the desired partner coming into your life and their path entwining with yours.
3. Added Magic
Use complementary candles and essential oils to anoint the ribbons, such as rose oil for a woman and frankincense for a man.
Weave your ribbons together to symbolize your life and your lover's becoming entwined. Rub romantic oils into your plaited ribbon to strengthen the magic associations with love.
Ribbon Colors
Use the magic of color to find the most appropriate ribbon for strengthening your spell.
White-- purity, healing, blessing, wisdom, innocence.
Red-- energy, passion, vitality, willpower, success.
Orange-- creativity, prosperity, emotional strength.
Yellow-- mental power, wealth, communication, travel.
Green-- growth, fertility, harmony.
Light blue-- healing, serenity, peace, security.
Dark blue-- success in long-term plans, clarity
Purple-- spiritual development, luck, psychic abilities.
Pink-- gentle love, romance, friendship, tranquility.
Brown-- grounding, stability, endurance.
Black-- binding, depression, absorbing negativity.
White-- purity, healing, blessing, wisdom, innocence.
Red-- energy, passion, vitality, willpower, success.
Orange-- creativity, prosperity, emotional strength.
Yellow-- mental power, wealth, communication, travel.
Green-- growth, fertility, harmony.
Light blue-- healing, serenity, peace, security.
Dark blue-- success in long-term plans, clarity
Purple-- spiritual development, luck, psychic abilities.
Pink-- gentle love, romance, friendship, tranquility.
Brown-- grounding, stability, endurance.
Black-- binding, depression, absorbing negativity.
Number of Knots
(1) The number of unity. For focus, single-mindedness, acceptance.
(2) The number of duality. Balance in partnerships and relationships.
(3) Number of Saturn. For solidity, timing, acceptance.
(4) Number of Jupiter. For dealing with authority, general health.
(5) Number of Mars. For energy, passion, courage, willpower.
(6) Number of the Sun. For success, wealth, charisma.
(7) Number of Venus. For love, fertility, emotional growth.
(8) Number of Mercury. For mental clarity, healing, communication.
(9) Number of the Moon. For the emotions, tides, glamour.
(10) Number of the Earth. For endurance, perseverance and grounding.
Remember to repeat your intent every time you tie a knot to secure your wishes, and be sure not to untie any knots in the ribbon before enough time had passed for your spell to work properly. A couple of minutes is usually not sufficient, some spells and magical workings require days or weeks to complete. It is sometimes best to start on the night of a new moon and allow the knots to remain until the full moon in order to get the best affect for your spellwork.
(2) The number of duality. Balance in partnerships and relationships.
(3) Number of Saturn. For solidity, timing, acceptance.
(4) Number of Jupiter. For dealing with authority, general health.
(5) Number of Mars. For energy, passion, courage, willpower.
(6) Number of the Sun. For success, wealth, charisma.
(7) Number of Venus. For love, fertility, emotional growth.
(8) Number of Mercury. For mental clarity, healing, communication.
(9) Number of the Moon. For the emotions, tides, glamour.
(10) Number of the Earth. For endurance, perseverance and grounding.
Remember to repeat your intent every time you tie a knot to secure your wishes, and be sure not to untie any knots in the ribbon before enough time had passed for your spell to work properly. A couple of minutes is usually not sufficient, some spells and magical workings require days or weeks to complete. It is sometimes best to start on the night of a new moon and allow the knots to remain until the full moon in order to get the best affect for your spellwork.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Casting Simple Candle Spells
The light and warmth of a candles' flame is one of our most powerful connections to fire--the element of creativity, life and health.
Remember the first time you made a wish as you blew out the candles on a birthday cake? As a child you believed your wish would come true and had an innocent faith that something magical would happen. You probably didn't realize it, but as you visualized the end result (made a wish), concentrated upon it (blew out the candles), and hoped your wish would be granted, you were casting your very first candle spell.
Getting Started
Candle magic is very simple---but highly effective. From the tea lights that warm your essential oil burner, to the romantic candles on your dinner table, you probably have everything you need in your house already. All that needs to be added is the knowledge of how to choose the appropriated candle for your purpose and how to use it to weave magic.
Choosing the Appropriate Color
As candles give out light, their power lies partially in the visual realm of the color spectrum . As colors have strong magical associations, choosing these the appropriate one for your candle can help to strengthen the power of your wish.
Red-- passion, energy, vitality, success
Orange-- stimulation, courage, creativity, prosperity
Yellow-- change, mental strength, travel
Green-- fertility, harmony in relationships, money
Light Blue-- healing, spiritual harmony, peace
Dark Blue-- removal of obstacles, long-term issues
Purple-- good luck fortune, legal matters
Pink-- friendship, love loyalty, romance.
Black-- absorption of negativity, depression, and other dark states
Casting Your First Simple Candle Spell
1. Choose your candle
Choose the candle most suited to your wish. Before you start, make sure you will not be disturbed.
2. Set your intent
Decide on the exact wording of your wish. This is known as your "intent" and focuses your mind on exactly what you are asking for.
3. Get it straight
You can write your intent down, speak it aloud, or just think it silently.
4. Meditate
Light your candle and sit quietly beside it, contemplating your wish.
5. Focus on your wish
As your candle burns down, visualize the energy of your will being released by the candle flame.
6. Release your intent
If you wrote your wish down, at this stage you should hold the piece of paper it's written on in the candle flame, until it has completely burned away.
7. Bind your spell
To "bind" your spell, you may wish to recite a suitable incantation: "I call on Earth to heed my spell. Air to speed its passage well. Bright as fire shall this spell glow. Deep as tide of water flow. By my will, this spell is done." Say this out loud or recite it silently.
8. Finish the rite
Some traditions discourage blowing out candles, as it can scatter the power of the spell. If you can do so safely, it is best to allow the candle to burn itself out. If you cannot, extinguish the flame using a snuffer or cup placed directly over the flame of the candle until it goes out. Keep your wish secret, and make sure to keep a journal of your magickal workings so you can track your spell's success!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
The Magic of Crystals
Virtually every culture and religion throughout history has used stones symbolically or decoratively. Their beauty and scarcity as well as the feelings they inspire makes them very valuable.
Many crystals also have practical uses that we can incorporate into our daily lives. They can gather and direct magical energy that exists all around and within us. Like ancient mystics, we can learn to use them for protection, luck and healing.
Each crystal has its own magical abilities and attributes, but all work in the following way:
Vibrational Balance
The magic of crystals is in their color, which is determined by the rate at which their atoms vibrate. These vibrations can be matched to the energy given off by your body's aura and your energy centers.
Channel Energy
Just as light can be focused and refracted through crystals so too are all kinds of psychic energy, from healing energies to divine communications.
Using Crystals in Spells
When using crystals in spells, combine them with magical objects that have complementary color associations.
Healing with Crystals
Crystals can be used in a variety of ways to aid healing:
Clear Quartz Crystals
Quartz acts as an amplifier of energy, and is good for healing and communication. Quartz's clarity and purity give it magical similarities to water and glass. It can be used to "wash away" negative energies from your body and environment. In crystal ball gazing, it acts as a window onto other worlds, a portal through which, for instance, the cause of an illness can be revealed.
Many crystals also have practical uses that we can incorporate into our daily lives. They can gather and direct magical energy that exists all around and within us. Like ancient mystics, we can learn to use them for protection, luck and healing.
Each crystal has its own magical abilities and attributes, but all work in the following way:
Vibrational Balance
The magic of crystals is in their color, which is determined by the rate at which their atoms vibrate. These vibrations can be matched to the energy given off by your body's aura and your energy centers.
Channel Energy
Just as light can be focused and refracted through crystals so too are all kinds of psychic energy, from healing energies to divine communications.
Using Crystals in Spells
When using crystals in spells, combine them with magical objects that have complementary color associations.
- You can use crystals to channel the magical energies your spell manipulates.
- Rub or "anoint your crystals with complementary essential oils to boost their healing and protective abilities.
- Crystals can help you to chart the future, including the ancient art of gazing into a crystal ball.
- Crystals have been used as lucky charms for tens of thousands of years. They are even mentioned in the Bible.
Healing with Crystals
Crystals can be used in a variety of ways to aid healing:
- Crystals influence the energy vibrations of your aura, balancing energy flow to, from, and through you body.
- You can make gem remedies by soaking a crystal in a glass of clear water. This imbues the water with the healing properties of the stone, which are taken into your body when you drink it.
Clear Quartz Crystals
Quartz acts as an amplifier of energy, and is good for healing and communication. Quartz's clarity and purity give it magical similarities to water and glass. It can be used to "wash away" negative energies from your body and environment. In crystal ball gazing, it acts as a window onto other worlds, a portal through which, for instance, the cause of an illness can be revealed.
- You can use it to aid psychic traveling and dream journeys.
- Wearing quartz in your jewelry can make you more perceptive to your friends' moods.
- Quartz can also deflect energy away from you. Your crystal can purify your environment by dispelling negative energies from the air.
- Placing quartz on your computer will help to keep it running smoothly. It protects the machine against the negative energy you give out when you're in a bad mood.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Celebrating the Blue Moon
On May 31, 2007 at 20:04 CST the moon will enter it’s full stage for the second time in a month. This is called a Blue Moon and occurs roughly once every 2½ years. ( In Europe and England, this will occur June 1, giving them a Blue Moon on June 30th)
Full Moon Ritual
This is a VERY powerful ritual. I have had great results from this. If done correctly, the presence of the Lady can be strongly felt!
You will need:
Two white candles
A bell
Wine or lunar liquid
Your chalice (or cup)
Spell material if you are doing something afterwards
Cast your circle.
Stand before the altar facing North and say:
This is the time of the full moon, a time of great power for positive manifestation, a time of increasing and gaining.
The tide of Moon-power is strong.
I am of the Goddess.
I stand before You at Your altar, in love and adoration.
Be with me Goddess.
Let me feel your presence here tonight."
Go to the east with the bell.
Ring it once and say:
"Hail Selene. Help me feel the Lady's power and presence within my mind."
Go to the South.
Ring the bell once and say:
"Hail Cerridwen.
Help me feel the Lady's power and presence within my spirit."
Go to the West.
Ring the bell once and say:
"Hail Athene. Help me feel the Lady's power and presence within my emotions."
Go back to the North. Ring the bell once and say:
"Hail Aphrodite. Help me feel the Lady's power and presence in my body."
You will probably have an amazing wave of feelings come over you. Let them sink into your body and soul. When you are ready, return the bell to the altar, turn to the North, and raise your arms high above your head.
Say:
"Hail Goddess! Moon Mother, Lady of Light, Mistress of Magick and Animals.
You are the white light of the Moon upon the Earth, the brilliant rays of sun upon life.
You are the beginning and ending, the One who creates and takes away.
Within You, I see myself and all women.
In this time, You come to me and fill me with your presence."
Communicate with Her now. Tell Her your problems, wishes and anything you wish to tell her.
When you are finished say:
"All honor and love to the wonderful Goddess, for She is the power behind all powers,
the Goddess behind all gods,
the Eternal Life behind death.
I see Her loving face within the moon and rejoice.
All Hail Queen of the heavens and the earth, the eternal on of Wisdom!"
Raise the chalice to toast her and say:
"To Diana and all the Goddesses!"
Now is the time for divination, meditation, and spell work of any kind.
(Special Note: a Blue Moon holds double the power of a normal full Moon. Make wishes and cast spells under a Blue Moon if you want long-term results, like at the start of a long period of study or the setting up of a new business.)
Close the circle when done.
Full Moon Ritual
This is a VERY powerful ritual. I have had great results from this. If done correctly, the presence of the Lady can be strongly felt!
You will need:
Two white candles
A bell
Wine or lunar liquid
Your chalice (or cup)
Spell material if you are doing something afterwards
Cast your circle.
Stand before the altar facing North and say:
This is the time of the full moon, a time of great power for positive manifestation, a time of increasing and gaining.
The tide of Moon-power is strong.
I am of the Goddess.
I stand before You at Your altar, in love and adoration.
Be with me Goddess.
Let me feel your presence here tonight."
Go to the east with the bell.
Ring it once and say:
"Hail Selene. Help me feel the Lady's power and presence within my mind."
Go to the South.
Ring the bell once and say:
"Hail Cerridwen.
Help me feel the Lady's power and presence within my spirit."
Go to the West.
Ring the bell once and say:
"Hail Athene. Help me feel the Lady's power and presence within my emotions."
Go back to the North. Ring the bell once and say:
"Hail Aphrodite. Help me feel the Lady's power and presence in my body."
You will probably have an amazing wave of feelings come over you. Let them sink into your body and soul. When you are ready, return the bell to the altar, turn to the North, and raise your arms high above your head.
Say:
"Hail Goddess! Moon Mother, Lady of Light, Mistress of Magick and Animals.
You are the white light of the Moon upon the Earth, the brilliant rays of sun upon life.
You are the beginning and ending, the One who creates and takes away.
Within You, I see myself and all women.
In this time, You come to me and fill me with your presence."
Communicate with Her now. Tell Her your problems, wishes and anything you wish to tell her.
When you are finished say:
"All honor and love to the wonderful Goddess, for She is the power behind all powers,
the Goddess behind all gods,
the Eternal Life behind death.
I see Her loving face within the moon and rejoice.
All Hail Queen of the heavens and the earth, the eternal on of Wisdom!"
Raise the chalice to toast her and say:
"To Diana and all the Goddesses!"
Now is the time for divination, meditation, and spell work of any kind.
(Special Note: a Blue Moon holds double the power of a normal full Moon. Make wishes and cast spells under a Blue Moon if you want long-term results, like at the start of a long period of study or the setting up of a new business.)
Close the circle when done.
Monday, May 14, 2007
What made me question Christianity?
From Midnight Moonchild
Mythology surrounding the ancient god Attis clearly predates those of Jesus Christ. Before and during the years the Christian Gospels were written (from the reign of Claudius, AD 41to 54) a celebration known as The Festival of Joy, celebrated the death and rebirth of Attis. In the mythos, Attis was born of a virgin named Nana. He grew up to become a sacrificial victim and savior slain to bring salvation to mankind. His body was eaten by his worshipers in the form of bread. He was crucified on a pine tree, "from which his holy blood poured down to redeem the earth." A Christian writer of the fourth century AD, recounted ongoing disputes between Pagans and Christians over the remarkable similarities of the death and resurrection of their two gods. The Pagans argued that their God was older and therefore original. The Christians admitted Christ came later, but claimed Attis was a work of the devil whose similarity to Christ, and the fact he predated Christ, were tricks of the devil intended to confuse and mislead men.
Similar arguements have been sparked concerning the Zoroastran god Mithras. When the Christian mythology was new, Mithras and Mithraism were already ancient. Worshipped for centuries as God's messenger of truth, Mithras enjoyed a lengthy reverence by the Persians (Zoroastrianism) as well as followers in India (as referenced in Vedic literature).
Historical texts indicate Pompey imported Mithraism into Rome around 70 BC, and statues of Mithras were present as late as 101 AD. According to the mythology, Mithras was born in a cave, on December 25th, of a virgin mother. He came from heaven to be born as a man and to redeem men from their sins. He was known as "Savior", "Son of God", "Redeemer", and "Lamb of God". As with Attis, writings of Christian apologists denounce the devil for having sent a God so similar to Jesus... yet preceding him.
In other mythology of India, Krishna was born while his foster-father Nanda was in the city to pay tax to the king. His nativity was said to have been heralded by a star.
Krishna died pierced by an arrow while hanging on a cross, descended into Hell from which He rose again on the third day, and ascended into Heaven. It is written that He will return on the last day to judge the quick and the dead.
In Christian mythology there is the story of Jesus. Born of a virgin in a stable (some texts have translated this to mean a cave), He traveled widely, doing good works. He was betrayed, sacrificed and buried, his body placed in a tomb.The record of the roman army's execution date of Yeshua Ben Nazareth (later known as Jesus Christ) has been lost, however the mythology avers that he arose on the third day and ascended into Heaven.
Among other things he has been called "Savior", "The Light of the World", "Only Begotten Son", "The Lamb of God", "The Prince of Peace", or "The Son of Righteousness".
Finally, we would like to give you Dionysus the god of wine and the son of Zeus and Semele, a mortal woman. Zeus promised Semele anything she asked of him. The pregnant Semele asked only to see him in his splendor as the god of gods, a sight no mortal could witness and live. She died and Zeus took their baby from her body and hid it within his own until the child was born. Dionysus was raised by nymphs, and when he grew up he travelled to faraway lands, performing feats that proved he was a god. What he longed for most was the mother he never knew, so he journeyed to the underworld to find her. Defying death he escaped with his mother and brought her to Mt. Olympus where she was allowed to dwell with the gods.
The worship of Dionysus was unique in that it did not occur in either temple or wild places, but, rather, in theatres. Followers would perform plays about him as acts of worship and it is thought that these were the forerunners of today's "Passion Plays". Dionysus descends into the underworld, overcomes death, and rises again. As the god of the vine he dies each year and is then resurrected in the following spring. For this reason his rites were held in spring, when the vines put forth new shoots.
As you can see the common thread in all the Deity names having to do with Springtime is resurrection. The return to life from apparent death
Mythology surrounding the ancient god Attis clearly predates those of Jesus Christ. Before and during the years the Christian Gospels were written (from the reign of Claudius, AD 41to 54) a celebration known as The Festival of Joy, celebrated the death and rebirth of Attis. In the mythos, Attis was born of a virgin named Nana. He grew up to become a sacrificial victim and savior slain to bring salvation to mankind. His body was eaten by his worshipers in the form of bread. He was crucified on a pine tree, "from which his holy blood poured down to redeem the earth." A Christian writer of the fourth century AD, recounted ongoing disputes between Pagans and Christians over the remarkable similarities of the death and resurrection of their two gods. The Pagans argued that their God was older and therefore original. The Christians admitted Christ came later, but claimed Attis was a work of the devil whose similarity to Christ, and the fact he predated Christ, were tricks of the devil intended to confuse and mislead men.
Similar arguements have been sparked concerning the Zoroastran god Mithras. When the Christian mythology was new, Mithras and Mithraism were already ancient. Worshipped for centuries as God's messenger of truth, Mithras enjoyed a lengthy reverence by the Persians (Zoroastrianism) as well as followers in India (as referenced in Vedic literature).
Historical texts indicate Pompey imported Mithraism into Rome around 70 BC, and statues of Mithras were present as late as 101 AD. According to the mythology, Mithras was born in a cave, on December 25th, of a virgin mother. He came from heaven to be born as a man and to redeem men from their sins. He was known as "Savior", "Son of God", "Redeemer", and "Lamb of God". As with Attis, writings of Christian apologists denounce the devil for having sent a God so similar to Jesus... yet preceding him.
In other mythology of India, Krishna was born while his foster-father Nanda was in the city to pay tax to the king. His nativity was said to have been heralded by a star.
Krishna died pierced by an arrow while hanging on a cross, descended into Hell from which He rose again on the third day, and ascended into Heaven. It is written that He will return on the last day to judge the quick and the dead.
In Christian mythology there is the story of Jesus. Born of a virgin in a stable (some texts have translated this to mean a cave), He traveled widely, doing good works. He was betrayed, sacrificed and buried, his body placed in a tomb.The record of the roman army's execution date of Yeshua Ben Nazareth (later known as Jesus Christ) has been lost, however the mythology avers that he arose on the third day and ascended into Heaven.
Among other things he has been called "Savior", "The Light of the World", "Only Begotten Son", "The Lamb of God", "The Prince of Peace", or "The Son of Righteousness".
Finally, we would like to give you Dionysus the god of wine and the son of Zeus and Semele, a mortal woman. Zeus promised Semele anything she asked of him. The pregnant Semele asked only to see him in his splendor as the god of gods, a sight no mortal could witness and live. She died and Zeus took their baby from her body and hid it within his own until the child was born. Dionysus was raised by nymphs, and when he grew up he travelled to faraway lands, performing feats that proved he was a god. What he longed for most was the mother he never knew, so he journeyed to the underworld to find her. Defying death he escaped with his mother and brought her to Mt. Olympus where she was allowed to dwell with the gods.
The worship of Dionysus was unique in that it did not occur in either temple or wild places, but, rather, in theatres. Followers would perform plays about him as acts of worship and it is thought that these were the forerunners of today's "Passion Plays". Dionysus descends into the underworld, overcomes death, and rises again. As the god of the vine he dies each year and is then resurrected in the following spring. For this reason his rites were held in spring, when the vines put forth new shoots.
As you can see the common thread in all the Deity names having to do with Springtime is resurrection. The return to life from apparent death
Thursday, May 10, 2007
The Honey Moon
This is a time for Love.
In pagan lore the Summer Prince and the Maiden of the Moon meet, and find delight in each others company, hence, this is known as the Honey Moon. In fact, in many cultures and beliefs this is seen as the time in the Wheel of the Year when the goddess in her mature aspect of Queen of the May is coupled with the god in his mature aspect of Summer King. Together they will reign over this peaceful season of growth and abundance. This tradition of courtship under the sixth moon is so strong that even today you will find references to spring as the time when everyone's attention turns to matters of love.
In the Celtic Tree Calendar the name of this moon is Saille (Willow) which runs from April 5th to May 12th.
The Runic Calendar of Nordic traditions, (which is governed by half months rather than full months), divides this moon of the year by Ing (Expansive Energy) from May 14th through May 28th, and Odal (Home or Heritage) from May 29th through June 13th.
The Goddess Calendar names this moon of the year after Maia and runs from April 18th through May 15th.
The American Backwoods Calendar refers to this moon of the year as the Flower Moon and is determined by whichever full moon falls in May.
However this moon is known to you, as the Hot Moon, the Strawberry Moon, or the Honey Moon, it will surely be known in some ways that call to mind the first honey dripping from wild hives, or the sweet ripeness of fruit orchards because this moon is the moon of ripening fullness.
This moon heralds the customary time for revelry and traditional love sport as represented by the May Pole where the dancers around the pole weave closer to the center of the circle and in that way they are also drawn closer to one another
In this unashamed celebration of the physical pleasures of attaining womanhood and manhood the seed of new life, (planted symbolically or in actuality), is celebrated all through the night of May 1st, known as May Day or Beltane, and the world revels in the sheer joy of being alive.
So, with all that information to guide you, it may be that you see this moon as the doorway of the year which opens to the power of light and the beneficial growth and expansion associated with the longest days of the year.
In pagan lore the Summer Prince and the Maiden of the Moon meet, and find delight in each others company, hence, this is known as the Honey Moon. In fact, in many cultures and beliefs this is seen as the time in the Wheel of the Year when the goddess in her mature aspect of Queen of the May is coupled with the god in his mature aspect of Summer King. Together they will reign over this peaceful season of growth and abundance. This tradition of courtship under the sixth moon is so strong that even today you will find references to spring as the time when everyone's attention turns to matters of love.
In the Celtic Tree Calendar the name of this moon is Saille (Willow) which runs from April 5th to May 12th.
The Runic Calendar of Nordic traditions, (which is governed by half months rather than full months), divides this moon of the year by Ing (Expansive Energy) from May 14th through May 28th, and Odal (Home or Heritage) from May 29th through June 13th.
The Goddess Calendar names this moon of the year after Maia and runs from April 18th through May 15th.
The American Backwoods Calendar refers to this moon of the year as the Flower Moon and is determined by whichever full moon falls in May.
However this moon is known to you, as the Hot Moon, the Strawberry Moon, or the Honey Moon, it will surely be known in some ways that call to mind the first honey dripping from wild hives, or the sweet ripeness of fruit orchards because this moon is the moon of ripening fullness.
This moon heralds the customary time for revelry and traditional love sport as represented by the May Pole where the dancers around the pole weave closer to the center of the circle and in that way they are also drawn closer to one another
In this unashamed celebration of the physical pleasures of attaining womanhood and manhood the seed of new life, (planted symbolically or in actuality), is celebrated all through the night of May 1st, known as May Day or Beltane, and the world revels in the sheer joy of being alive.
So, with all that information to guide you, it may be that you see this moon as the doorway of the year which opens to the power of light and the beneficial growth and expansion associated with the longest days of the year.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Beltane (May Day) May 1, 2007
Once more, the Wheel turns and now brings Beltane. This is one of the most important holiday observances in many pagan beliefs and may be seen as an unashamed celebration of the pleasures of life with a focus designed to highlight the physical joys of womanhood and manhood. The goddess and god, now the May Queen and her beloved Sun Prince (the sun child now grown to manhood) are wed. The seed of new life that they planted together at the Vernal Equinox is celebrated all through the night and the world revels in the joy of being alive.
A sabbat of love, unity, and the creation of new life. The return of vitality, passion, and hope. The veil between this world and the fairy world is thin.
"Protect this child and guard her aim
"Simple hands weave simple threads
"Windborn sprites of mystic air
"Firelit fairies magic spark
"Water nymphs of fountains blessed
"Brownies, elves and earthly wards
"Sun Prince grown now to Sun King
"Maiden, Mother, Shining Queen,
"The circle is cast and we stand between the worlds
"Silver and Gold
"Blue and Red. Water and Fire.
"Green and Yellow, Earth and Air.
"All that be,
"All that be
"Spirit within my spirit I thank you for your help and guidance.
"Maiden, Mother, and Beltane Bride,
"Sun Prince, Husband, and Father to be,
"Brownies of the earthen stone,
"The circle is open
Beltane
(May Day, Festival of Tana, Whitson)
(May Day, Festival of Tana, Whitson)
A sabbat of love, unity, and the creation of new life. The return of vitality, passion, and hope. The veil between this world and the fairy world is thin.
Wheel Legend: The Sun Prince and the Moon Maiden are wed.
Purpose: To celebrate the union of the Sun and Moon by celebrating the blessed unions in our lives.
Needful Things: Flower petals to cast the circle. Ribbons to weave around the maypole (Silver, Gold, Green, Blue, Yellow, and Red). Champaign or Wine and Cakes for the simple feast. Candles to make a bonfire in the cauldron (White, Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green). A crown of flowers for the May-Queen
Decorations: Early Summer blooms in rich scent and colors.
Cleanse: With the rich scent of summers full bloom.
Quarters and Aspects: Call Eastern Sprites, Southern Fairies, Western Nymphs, and Northern Brownies. Call the magical aspects of the Summer King and the Moon Mother.
Hearthkeeping matters: Keep the Maypole ribbons on the Broom until Mabon. If you have made offerings to the quarters, pour them out onto bare earth.
Here is an example of a ritual you may use in your own Beltane observance
Shield Envision the same bubble that protects "Glenda the Good" witch in The Wizard of Oz. Allow it to encircle and protect you.
"Protect this child and guard her aim
from any evil, harm, or bane."
Center When ready, step into your ritual space.
Cast Circle Envision a circle of blooming flowers and fairy lights. Use flower petals, if you have them, to outline your circle. Use the tip of your hand, wand, or athame as you cast from your projective hand beginning at the eastern quarter and moving deosil (clockwise).
"Simple hands weave simple threads
and so make stronger twine.
Now celebrate this union
and the blessings of those joined"
Call Quarters Facing east
"Windborn sprites of mystic air
be with me now, be with me now.
And bring your clarity to bear
be with me now, be with me now
Spirit of the air, Welcome."
light the yellow candle.
Call Quarters Facing south
"Firelit fairies magic spark
be with me now, be with me now
your purity to me impart
be with me now, be with me now
Spirit of the fire, Welcome."
light the red candle.
Call Quarters facing west
"Water nymphs of fountains blessed
be with me now, be with me now
your empathy bring to my quest
be with me now, be with me now
Spirit of the water, Welcome."
light the blue candle.
Call Quarters Facing north
"Brownies, elves and earthly wards
be with me now, be with me now
stabilities enchanted guards
be with me now, be with me now
Spirit of the earth, Welcome."
light the green candle.
Invoke the Sun raising projective hand in the symbol of the sun (first finger and Little finger extended, like horns, other fingers folded beneath thumb)
"Sun Prince grown now to Sun King
fullness, warmth, and pleasure bring.
Attend my rite and leave your mark
upon my spirit and my heart.
Between the worlds I welcome you"
light the gold candle
Invoke the Moon raising receptive hand in the symbol of the moon (hold your whole hand in a "c" shape like the crescent moon)
"Maiden, Mother, Shining Queen,
fertility and bounty bring.
Attend my rite and leave your mark
upon my spirit and my heart.
Between the worlds I welcome you"
light the silver candle
Invoke your Guardian tracing a pentagram in the center of the sand censor or in the air before you
"Spirit within me, Guide me as I celebrate this turn of the wheel and awaken me to the joys of this unity and its promise of fullness."
light the incense
Complete the circle with your purpose sit or stand as you please
"The circle is cast and we stand between the worlds
beyond the bounds of time where
life and death, future and past
laughter and tears, the first and the last
meet here as one. Blessed be.
I come now between the worlds to celebrate creation through unity and the return of vitality, passion, and hope with this turn of the wheel"
Take the silver and gold ribbons and weave them around your broom stick which will serve as your maypole.
"Silver and Gold
Moon and Sun
He and She
Combined as one."
Now weave Blue and Red around the broomstick/Maypole.
"Blue and Red. Water and Fire.
Strength and Courage and Will to survive
Peace and Patience, and Wisdom abide
combine to bring my hearts desire"
Now weave yellow and Green around the Broomstick/Maypole.
"Green and Yellow, Earth and Air.
Prosperity, Growth, Abundance to share
with Travel, and Movement, and Confidence there
unite and bring my hopes to bear"
Place all five candles in the cauldron and light them in the following order saying...
(Yellow)
"Spark to ignite travel and movement"
(Red)
"Spark to Ignite Strength and Courage."
(Blue)
"Spark to ignite Patience and Wisdom."
(Green)
"Spark to ignite Growth and Prosperity."
(White)
"Spark to ignite that which is within."
Take your crown of flowers and place it in your hair, or on the altar.
"All that be,
unite in me."
While the cauldron burns, pass the "Maypole" over the cauldron to symbolize leaping the bonfire. Drum, sing, or dance to keep the energy raised until the cauldron begins to burn out and then release that energy with the last wisp of smoke from your bonfire.
"All that be
united in me
And no reverse
to bring a curse.
Harming none
this be done."
Ground (touch something from the earth with your projective hand, or just feel the excess energy drain from your body back through your feet to replenish the earth below you)
Simple Feast sweet treats and champaign or dessert coffee. Make liquid offerings to the elements.
Thank the Guardian Make the sign of the pentagram with smoke from the incense stick (if it is still burning) or trace it in the air before you with your wand, hand, or athame.
"Spirit within my spirit I thank you for your help and guidance.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
Thank the Moon raising receptive hand in the symbol of the moon (hold your whole hand in a "c" shape like the crescent moon)
"Maiden, Mother, and Beltane Bride,
my thanks for your presence at my side>
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
quench the silver candle
Thank the Sun raising projective hand in the symbol of the sun (first finger and Little finger extended, like horns, other fingers folded beneath thumb)
"Sun Prince, Husband, and Father to be,
my thanks for your presence here with me.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
quench the gold candle
Thank the Quarters facing the appropriate directions as you thank and release them and quench each candle as you bid them farewell.
"Brownies of the earthen stone,
Nymphs of waterfalls and seas,
Fairies of the candleglow,
Sprites of air and summer breeze,
my thanks for your attending me.
stay or go as you shall please.
hail and farewell, and blessed be."
Release the Circle beginning at the Eastern quarter and moving widdershins (counterclockwise) draw the energy into your receptive hand, wand or athame. When you have finished re-calling the energy, compress it into a little ball in your receptive hand and absorb it into your body.
"The circle is open
yet still unbroken
merry met, and merry part, and merry meet again."
Ground (touch something from the earth with your projective hand, or just feel the excess energy drain from your body back through your feet to replenish the earth below you)
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Use of Wiccan Symbol on Veterans’ Headstones Is Approved
To settle a lawsuit, the Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to add the Wiccan pentacle to a list of approved religious symbols that it will engrave on veterans’ headstones.
The settlement, which was reached on Friday, was announced on Monday by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, which represented the plaintiffs in the case.
Though it has many forms, Wicca is a type of pre-Christian belief that reveres nature and its cycles. Its symbol is the pentacle, a five-pointed star, inside a circle.
Until now, the Veterans Affairs department had approved 38 symbols to indicate the faith of deceased service members on memorials. It normally takes a few months for a petition by a faith group to win the department’s approval, but the effort on behalf of the Wiccan symbol took about 10 years and a lawsuit, said Richard B. Katskee, assistant legal director for Americans United.
The group attributed the delay to religious discrimination. Many Americans do not consider Wicca a religion, or hold the mistaken belief that Wiccans are devil worshipers.
“The Wiccan families we represented were in no way asking for special treatment,” the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, said at a news conference Monday. “They wanted precisely the same treatment that dozens of other religions already had received from the department, an acknowledgment that their spiritual beliefs were on par with those of everyone else.”
A Veterans Affairs spokesman, Matt Burns, confirmed that the “V.A. will be adding the pentacle to its list of approved emblems of belief that will be engraved on government-provided markers.”
“The government acted to settle in the interest of the families concerned,” Mr. Burns added, “and to spare taxpayers the expense of further litigation.”
There are 1,800 Wiccans in the armed forces, according to a Pentagon survey cited in the suit, and Wiccans have their faith mentioned in official handbooks for military chaplains and noted on their dog tags.
At least 11 families will be immediately affected by the V.A.’s decision, said the Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, a Wiccan church in Wisconsin.
In reviewing 30,000 pages of documents from Veterans Affairs, Americans United said, it found e-mail and memorandums referring to negative comments President Bush made about Wicca in an interview with “Good Morning America” in 1999, when he was governor of Texas. The interview had to do with a controversy at the time about Wiccan soldiers’ being allowed to worship at Fort Hood, Tex.
“I don’t think witchcraft is a religion,” Mr. Bush said at the time, according to a transcript. “I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made.”
Americans United did not assert that the White House influenced the Veterans Affairs Department. Under the settlement, Americans United had to return the documents and could not copy them, though it could make limited comments about their contents, Mr. Katskee said.
Americans United filed the lawsuit last November on behalf of several Wiccan military families. Among the plaintiffs was Roberta Stewart, whose husband, Sgt. Patrick Stewart, was killed in September 2005 in Afghanistan.
Ms. Stewart said she had tried various avenues to get the pentacle approved. Late last year, Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada, her home state, approved the placing of a marker with a pentacle in a Veterans Affairs cemetery in Fernley, east of Reno. But Ms. Stewart said she had continued to pursue the lawsuit because she wanted the federal government to approve the markers.
Other religious groups that have often opposed Americans United supported the effort to have the government approve the pentacle.
“I was just aghast that someone who would fight for their country and die for their country would not get the symbol he wanted on his gravestone,” said John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, which litigates many First Amendment cases. “It’s just overt religious discrimination.”
The settlement, which was reached on Friday, was announced on Monday by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, which represented the plaintiffs in the case.
Though it has many forms, Wicca is a type of pre-Christian belief that reveres nature and its cycles. Its symbol is the pentacle, a five-pointed star, inside a circle.
Until now, the Veterans Affairs department had approved 38 symbols to indicate the faith of deceased service members on memorials. It normally takes a few months for a petition by a faith group to win the department’s approval, but the effort on behalf of the Wiccan symbol took about 10 years and a lawsuit, said Richard B. Katskee, assistant legal director for Americans United.
The group attributed the delay to religious discrimination. Many Americans do not consider Wicca a religion, or hold the mistaken belief that Wiccans are devil worshipers.
“The Wiccan families we represented were in no way asking for special treatment,” the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, said at a news conference Monday. “They wanted precisely the same treatment that dozens of other religions already had received from the department, an acknowledgment that their spiritual beliefs were on par with those of everyone else.”
A Veterans Affairs spokesman, Matt Burns, confirmed that the “V.A. will be adding the pentacle to its list of approved emblems of belief that will be engraved on government-provided markers.”
“The government acted to settle in the interest of the families concerned,” Mr. Burns added, “and to spare taxpayers the expense of further litigation.”
There are 1,800 Wiccans in the armed forces, according to a Pentagon survey cited in the suit, and Wiccans have their faith mentioned in official handbooks for military chaplains and noted on their dog tags.
At least 11 families will be immediately affected by the V.A.’s decision, said the Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, a Wiccan church in Wisconsin.
In reviewing 30,000 pages of documents from Veterans Affairs, Americans United said, it found e-mail and memorandums referring to negative comments President Bush made about Wicca in an interview with “Good Morning America” in 1999, when he was governor of Texas. The interview had to do with a controversy at the time about Wiccan soldiers’ being allowed to worship at Fort Hood, Tex.
“I don’t think witchcraft is a religion,” Mr. Bush said at the time, according to a transcript. “I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made.”
Americans United did not assert that the White House influenced the Veterans Affairs Department. Under the settlement, Americans United had to return the documents and could not copy them, though it could make limited comments about their contents, Mr. Katskee said.
Americans United filed the lawsuit last November on behalf of several Wiccan military families. Among the plaintiffs was Roberta Stewart, whose husband, Sgt. Patrick Stewart, was killed in September 2005 in Afghanistan.
Ms. Stewart said she had tried various avenues to get the pentacle approved. Late last year, Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada, her home state, approved the placing of a marker with a pentacle in a Veterans Affairs cemetery in Fernley, east of Reno. But Ms. Stewart said she had continued to pursue the lawsuit because she wanted the federal government to approve the markers.
Other religious groups that have often opposed Americans United supported the effort to have the government approve the pentacle.
“I was just aghast that someone who would fight for their country and die for their country would not get the symbol he wanted on his gravestone,” said John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, which litigates many First Amendment cases. “It’s just overt religious discrimination.”
Sunday, April 1, 2007
The Pagan Origin of Easter
March 21 -- Ostara -- Spring or The Vernal Equinox
Also known as: Lady Day or Alban Eiler (Druidic)
As Spring reaches its midpoint, night and day stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. The young Sun God now celebrates a hierogamy (sacred marriage) with the young Maiden Goddess, who conceives. In nine months, she will again become the Great Mother. It is a time of great fertility, new growth, and newborn animals.
The next full moon (a time of increased births) is called the Ostara and is sacred to Eostre the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility (from whence we get the word estrogen, whose two symbols were the egg and the rabbit.
The Christian religion adopted these emblems for Easter which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. The theme of the conception of the Goddess was adapted as the Feast of the Annunciation, occurring on the alternative fixed calendar date of March 25 Old Lady Day, the earlier date of the equinox. Lady Day may also refer to other goddesses (such as Venus and Aphrodite), many of whom have festivals celebrated at this time.
Traditional Foods:
Leafy green vegetables, Dairy foods, Nuts such as Pumpkin, Sunflower and Pine. Flower Dishes and Sprouts.
Herbs and Flowers:
Daffodil, Jonquils, Woodruff, Violet, Gorse, Olive, Peony, Iris, Narcissus and all spring flowers.
Incense:
Jasmine, Rose, Strawberry, Floral of any type.
Sacred Gemstone:
Jasper
Special Activities:
Planting seeds or starting a Magickal Herb Garden. Taking a long walk in nature with no intent other than reflecting on the Magick of nature and our Great Mother and her bounty.
Copyright © 1997-99 Akasha, Herne and The Celtic Connection wicca.com. All rights reserved.
Also known as: Lady Day or Alban Eiler (Druidic)
As Spring reaches its midpoint, night and day stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. The young Sun God now celebrates a hierogamy (sacred marriage) with the young Maiden Goddess, who conceives. In nine months, she will again become the Great Mother. It is a time of great fertility, new growth, and newborn animals.
The next full moon (a time of increased births) is called the Ostara and is sacred to Eostre the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility (from whence we get the word estrogen, whose two symbols were the egg and the rabbit.
The Christian religion adopted these emblems for Easter which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. The theme of the conception of the Goddess was adapted as the Feast of the Annunciation, occurring on the alternative fixed calendar date of March 25 Old Lady Day, the earlier date of the equinox. Lady Day may also refer to other goddesses (such as Venus and Aphrodite), many of whom have festivals celebrated at this time.
Traditional Foods:
Leafy green vegetables, Dairy foods, Nuts such as Pumpkin, Sunflower and Pine. Flower Dishes and Sprouts.
Herbs and Flowers:
Daffodil, Jonquils, Woodruff, Violet, Gorse, Olive, Peony, Iris, Narcissus and all spring flowers.
Incense:
Jasmine, Rose, Strawberry, Floral of any type.
Sacred Gemstone:
Jasper
Special Activities:
Planting seeds or starting a Magickal Herb Garden. Taking a long walk in nature with no intent other than reflecting on the Magick of nature and our Great Mother and her bounty.
Copyright © 1997-99 Akasha, Herne and The Celtic Connection wicca.com. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Ostara---Spring Equinox
Vernal Equinox
(Eostara)
The Wheel turns again and with this turn comes the Vernal Equinox or Eostara. At this time the hours of daylight and night are balanced against each other. After this time, and until the Autumnal Equinox, daylight will have the ascendent influence. The goddess awakened from her deep winter slumbers and returned from the underworld, now wears the aspect of the Maiden of Spring and meets the young god, now the Youth of Spring, who was born into the world at Yule. Together, the coupling of masculine and feminine energies will plant the seeds of life and growth upon which all the continued survival of the world depends.
Whatever your path, you will welcome the balance of the light against the dark as an indication that longer days, required for greater growth and productivity are soon on the way. The theme of renewal has not been lost throughout all the changes this world has seen and this is a traditional time for people, pagan and non-pagan alike, to look toward those things they would like to renew in their own lives and to nurture the things they would like to see grow stronger.
Ostara, Spring Equinox
A sabbat of balance and beginnings. A traditional time to prepare for future planting and bless the seeds of physical, spiritual, and ritual gardens.
Wheel Legend: The Sun Prince meets the Young Maiden.
Purpose: To celebrate the meeting of the Sun Prince and the Young Maid through celebrations of all that is youthful, innocent and new. To bless the seeds of future new beginnings.
Needful Things: A painted eggshell. Garden seeds and written "seeds" of hope for the future. (penned in spring green ink on light yellow paper, or choose colors that rule the type of magic charged in each "seed" [Yellow=education, green=money etc...]). Fruit Juice or Herbal Tea and muffins for the simple feast. Spring flowers for decorating.
Decorations: Spring blooms in fresh, new, pastel colors.
Cleanse: With fresh herbal or light floral scents.
Quarters and Aspects: Call Spring Breezes, The Warming Sun, Morning Dew and Fresh Green Earth.
Hearthkeeping matters: Keep the painted eggshell no more than one month, then bury it. If you have made offerings to the quarters, pour them out onto bare earth. Keep the ritual "seeds" with the garden seeds and bury them also in the garden when you plant.
Shield Envision a protective "egg" around you in spring colors of green, pink, blue, and yellow. Use your projective hand.
"Protect this child and guard her aim
from any evil, harm, or bane."
Center-- When ready, step into your ritual space.
Cast Circle-- Envision a circle of new budding flowers and fresh spring grass following the tip of your hand, wand, or athame as you cast from your projective hand beginning at the eastern quarter and moving deosil (clockwise).
Call Quarters Facing East
(light the yellow candle)
Call Quarters -- Facing South
(light the red candle)
Call Quarters -- Facing West
(light the blue candle)
Call Quarters -- Facing North
(light the green candle)
Invoke the Sun raising projective hand in the symbol of the sun (first finger and Little finger extended, like horns, other fingers folded beneath thumb)
"Child grown to Sun Prince
the wonderment of youth
between the worlds come now to me
and lend my rite your truth."
(light the gold candle)
Invoke the Moon raising receptive hand in the symbol of the moon (hold your whole hand in a "c" shape like the crescent moon)
"Maiden of the springtime
innocent delight
between the worlds come now to me
bring wisdom and bring light."
(light the silver candle)
Invoke your Guardian tracing a pentagram in the center of the sand censor or in the air before you with the incense stick
(light the incense)
Complete the circle with your purpose sit or stand as you please
Lay the painted egg on the altar.
Visualize a small creature, maybe a butterfly or a dragon, or Pegasus emerging from the egg spreading it's tiny wings to dry. Let it take it's first uncertain steps onto your cupped hands. Infuse it with all the love, laughter, hopes and dreams you had as a child. When ready blow this fledgling into first flight.
Lay your seeds for this years gardens on the altar.
Visualize the garden as it grows, ripens, flourishes and reaches harvest.
Take the written "Seeds" for your spiritual garden and place them upon the altar.
Visualize achieving these goals. Do you have more tools? Are you able to wield with greater ease? Do you feel stronger connections? Picture yourself at the peak of your desired power.
Meditate on the new beginnings that have come to successful fruition in the past. Thank the elemental powers for these past successes. Visualize a growing spring herb like willowbay or dandelion unfurling from the earth, blooming, blossoming, and seeding in a sudden gust of astral wind. Blow or fan these seeds onward yourself and release energy!
Ground (touch something from the earth with your projective hand, or just feel the excess energy drain from your body back through your feet to replenish the earth below you)
Thank the Guardian-- Make the sign of the pentagram with smoke from the incense stick (if it is still burning) or trace it in the air before you with your hand, wand, or athame.
"Spirit within me, my thanks for
the blessing of your attendance
at my simple and solitary rite.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
Thank the Moon-- raising receptive hand in the symbol of the moon (hold your whole hand in a "c" shape like the crescent moon)
"Gentle Maiden, my thanks
for the blessing of your attendance.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
(quench the silver candle)
Thank the Sun -- raising projective hand in the symbol of the sun (first finger and Little finger extended, like horns, other fingers folded beneath thumb)
"Young Sun Prince,
My thanks for the blessing
of your attendance.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell"
(quench the gold candle)
Thank the Quarters -- facing the appropriate directions as you thank and release them and quench each candle as you bid them farewell.
Release the Circle -- beginning at the Eastern quarter and moving widdershins (counterclockwise) draw the energy into your receptive hand, wand, or athame. When you have finished re-calling the energy, compress it into a little ball in your receptive hand and absorb it into your body.
Ground (touch something from the earth with your projective hand, or just feel the excess energy drain from your body back through your feet to replenish the earth below you)
(Eostara)
The Wheel turns again and with this turn comes the Vernal Equinox or Eostara. At this time the hours of daylight and night are balanced against each other. After this time, and until the Autumnal Equinox, daylight will have the ascendent influence. The goddess awakened from her deep winter slumbers and returned from the underworld, now wears the aspect of the Maiden of Spring and meets the young god, now the Youth of Spring, who was born into the world at Yule. Together, the coupling of masculine and feminine energies will plant the seeds of life and growth upon which all the continued survival of the world depends.
Whatever your path, you will welcome the balance of the light against the dark as an indication that longer days, required for greater growth and productivity are soon on the way. The theme of renewal has not been lost throughout all the changes this world has seen and this is a traditional time for people, pagan and non-pagan alike, to look toward those things they would like to renew in their own lives and to nurture the things they would like to see grow stronger.
Ostara, Spring Equinox
A sabbat of balance and beginnings. A traditional time to prepare for future planting and bless the seeds of physical, spiritual, and ritual gardens.
Wheel Legend: The Sun Prince meets the Young Maiden.
Purpose: To celebrate the meeting of the Sun Prince and the Young Maid through celebrations of all that is youthful, innocent and new. To bless the seeds of future new beginnings.
Needful Things: A painted eggshell. Garden seeds and written "seeds" of hope for the future. (penned in spring green ink on light yellow paper, or choose colors that rule the type of magic charged in each "seed" [Yellow=education, green=money etc...]). Fruit Juice or Herbal Tea and muffins for the simple feast. Spring flowers for decorating.
Decorations: Spring blooms in fresh, new, pastel colors.
Cleanse: With fresh herbal or light floral scents.
Quarters and Aspects: Call Spring Breezes, The Warming Sun, Morning Dew and Fresh Green Earth.
Hearthkeeping matters: Keep the painted eggshell no more than one month, then bury it. If you have made offerings to the quarters, pour them out onto bare earth. Keep the ritual "seeds" with the garden seeds and bury them also in the garden when you plant.
Here is an example of a ritual you may use in your own Eostara observance
Shield Envision a protective "egg" around you in spring colors of green, pink, blue, and yellow. Use your projective hand.
"Protect this child and guard her aim
from any evil, harm, or bane."
Center-- When ready, step into your ritual space.
Cast Circle-- Envision a circle of new budding flowers and fresh spring grass following the tip of your hand, wand, or athame as you cast from your projective hand beginning at the eastern quarter and moving deosil (clockwise).
"In balance now the day and night
are matched in darkness and in light
we bless the seeds of future plans
greet spring again in heart and hands"
are matched in darkness and in light
we bless the seeds of future plans
greet spring again in heart and hands"
Call Quarters Facing East
"Spirit of the spring breeze
stirring new growth
bring now your clarity,
fragrance and hope
Spirit of the air, Welcome."
stirring new growth
bring now your clarity,
fragrance and hope
Spirit of the air, Welcome."
(light the yellow candle)
Call Quarters -- Facing South
"Spirit of the warm sun
encouraging seedlings
bring now your purity
softly revealing
Spirit of the fire, Welcome."
encouraging seedlings
bring now your purity
softly revealing
Spirit of the fire, Welcome."
(light the red candle)
Call Quarters -- Facing West
"Spirit of the soft rain,
gentle and new
bring now your empathy
fresh morning dew
Spirit of the water, Welcome."
gentle and new
bring now your empathy
fresh morning dew
Spirit of the water, Welcome."
(light the blue candle)
Call Quarters -- Facing North
"Spirit of the greening land,
fresh new earth
bring now stability,
richness, and worth.
Spirit of the earth, Welcome."
fresh new earth
bring now stability,
richness, and worth.
Spirit of the earth, Welcome."
(light the green candle)
Invoke the Sun raising projective hand in the symbol of the sun (first finger and Little finger extended, like horns, other fingers folded beneath thumb)
"Child grown to Sun Prince
the wonderment of youth
between the worlds come now to me
and lend my rite your truth."
(light the gold candle)
Invoke the Moon raising receptive hand in the symbol of the moon (hold your whole hand in a "c" shape like the crescent moon)
"Maiden of the springtime
innocent delight
between the worlds come now to me
bring wisdom and bring light."
(light the silver candle)
Invoke your Guardian tracing a pentagram in the center of the sand censor or in the air before you with the incense stick
"Eternal spirit within me,
bless this rite with truth and light
and fill me with your charge as I plant
the seeds of my future."
bless this rite with truth and light
and fill me with your charge as I plant
the seeds of my future."
(light the incense)
Complete the circle with your purpose sit or stand as you please
"The circle is cast and we stand between the worlds
beyond the bounds of time.
Birth and death, dark and light
joy and sorrow, day and night
meet here as one.
Blessed be."
beyond the bounds of time.
Birth and death, dark and light
joy and sorrow, day and night
meet here as one.
Blessed be."
"I come now between the worlds
to celebrate the fresh wonderment
and innocence of youth and
to bless the seeds of the future
which begins anew with
this turn of the wheel."
to celebrate the fresh wonderment
and innocence of youth and
to bless the seeds of the future
which begins anew with
this turn of the wheel."
Lay the painted egg on the altar.
"This is a new beginning filled
with the hopes and dreams
and goodness and laughter of childhood."
with the hopes and dreams
and goodness and laughter of childhood."
Visualize a small creature, maybe a butterfly or a dragon, or Pegasus emerging from the egg spreading it's tiny wings to dry. Let it take it's first uncertain steps onto your cupped hands. Infuse it with all the love, laughter, hopes and dreams you had as a child. When ready blow this fledgling into first flight.
"Find a child like me.
Bring her these hopes,
dreams, love and laughter
and make your home
within her heart.
Harming none, this be done."
Bring her these hopes,
dreams, love and laughter
and make your home
within her heart.
Harming none, this be done."
Lay your seeds for this years gardens on the altar.
"These are new beginnings
filled with life, health,
vigor, and abundance."
filled with life, health,
vigor, and abundance."
Visualize the garden as it grows, ripens, flourishes and reaches harvest.
"Bring to my gardens this life,
health, vigor, and abundance
that it may sustain my hearth and home.
Harming none, this be done."
health, vigor, and abundance
that it may sustain my hearth and home.
Harming none, this be done."
Take the written "Seeds" for your spiritual garden and place them upon the altar.
"These are new beginnings filled
with success and satisfaction
and growth and knowledge."
with success and satisfaction
and growth and knowledge."
Visualize achieving these goals. Do you have more tools? Are you able to wield with greater ease? Do you feel stronger connections? Picture yourself at the peak of your desired power.
"Bring my ritual garden this success,
satisfaction, growth and knowledge
that it may sustain my spirit.
Harming none this be done."
satisfaction, growth and knowledge
that it may sustain my spirit.
Harming none this be done."
Meditate on the new beginnings that have come to successful fruition in the past. Thank the elemental powers for these past successes. Visualize a growing spring herb like willowbay or dandelion unfurling from the earth, blooming, blossoming, and seeding in a sudden gust of astral wind. Blow or fan these seeds onward yourself and release energy!
Ground (touch something from the earth with your projective hand, or just feel the excess energy drain from your body back through your feet to replenish the earth below you)
Simple Feast---
Herbal tea or Fruity Juice
and cookies or crackers.
Make liquid offerings to the elements.
Herbal tea or Fruity Juice
and cookies or crackers.
Make liquid offerings to the elements.
Thank the Guardian-- Make the sign of the pentagram with smoke from the incense stick (if it is still burning) or trace it in the air before you with your hand, wand, or athame.
"Spirit within me, my thanks for
the blessing of your attendance
at my simple and solitary rite.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
Thank the Moon-- raising receptive hand in the symbol of the moon (hold your whole hand in a "c" shape like the crescent moon)
"Gentle Maiden, my thanks
for the blessing of your attendance.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."
(quench the silver candle)
Thank the Sun -- raising projective hand in the symbol of the sun (first finger and Little finger extended, like horns, other fingers folded beneath thumb)
"Young Sun Prince,
My thanks for the blessing
of your attendance.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell"
(quench the gold candle)
Thank the Quarters -- facing the appropriate directions as you thank and release them and quench each candle as you bid them farewell.
"Earth Spirit of greening land,
Water Spirit of soft rain,
Fire Spirit of warming sun,
Air Spirit of gentle breeze.
My thanks for your attending me,
stay or go as you shall please,
hail and farewell, and blessed be."
Water Spirit of soft rain,
Fire Spirit of warming sun,
Air Spirit of gentle breeze.
My thanks for your attending me,
stay or go as you shall please,
hail and farewell, and blessed be."
Release the Circle -- beginning at the Eastern quarter and moving widdershins (counterclockwise) draw the energy into your receptive hand, wand, or athame. When you have finished re-calling the energy, compress it into a little ball in your receptive hand and absorb it into your body.
"The circle is open
yet still unbroken
merry met,
and merry part,
and merry meet again."
yet still unbroken
merry met,
and merry part,
and merry meet again."
Ground (touch something from the earth with your projective hand, or just feel the excess energy drain from your body back through your feet to replenish the earth below you)
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
10 Things About Being Wiccan
1. No conversion or recruitment is necessary.
Wiccans have no insecure compulsion to convert everyone to their way of thinking. People come to Wicca when and if they are ready/interested. Furthermore, you are not required to accept or do anything that you're not comfortable with.
2. No artificial code of morality.
Out of all of the creatures of this Earth, only humans are forced to live under unnatural moral codes. Wiccans believe simply: "An It Harm None, Do As Ye Will."
3. Progressive Reincarnation.
Wiccans believe we are here to learn and to progress, not suffer eternal damnation if we 'slip-up' in someone else's eyes.
4. No Discrimination.
There is no such thing as being the 'right' race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national, or ethnic origin to be Wiccan; ALL ARE WELCOME!
5. No middle man (or woman)
Once you know all of the basics, you can be your own "minister" or "priest", you need never bow before (or rely upon) some religious dictator for spiritual guidance, you go straight to the source.
6. Be yourself.
By sharing a common interest with others in Wicca, you do not lose your identity as an individual. You are unique and can and should stay that way without becoming a blob in a homogeneous mass.
7. No repression.
Wiccans are not forbidden from reading, learning, eating, drinking, or saying anything. You can actually even disagree with someone without being "excommunicated".
8. Contribution
NO!! Not money, but knowledge. The craft has always, and will always be an experimental religion. If it works, we use it. Then share it so that all in the Craft may benefit.
9. No rigid Dogma
Wiccans DO NOT believe that their path is 'The One and Only Path'. The only 'true' path is the one that works best for you. All paths are valid as long as they HARM NONE.
10. Self-empowerment.
Wicca allows you to truly feel your own power, if you will, and a true sense of self. You are 'allowed' to be the best person that you wish to be with all of the love and support that you can possibly hope for. Wicca allows you to take your hopes, dreams, and most heart's desires and manifest them in this reality. All is possible. All is real.
Wiccans have no insecure compulsion to convert everyone to their way of thinking. People come to Wicca when and if they are ready/interested. Furthermore, you are not required to accept or do anything that you're not comfortable with.
2. No artificial code of morality.
Out of all of the creatures of this Earth, only humans are forced to live under unnatural moral codes. Wiccans believe simply: "An It Harm None, Do As Ye Will."
3. Progressive Reincarnation.
Wiccans believe we are here to learn and to progress, not suffer eternal damnation if we 'slip-up' in someone else's eyes.
4. No Discrimination.
There is no such thing as being the 'right' race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national, or ethnic origin to be Wiccan; ALL ARE WELCOME!
5. No middle man (or woman)
Once you know all of the basics, you can be your own "minister" or "priest", you need never bow before (or rely upon) some religious dictator for spiritual guidance, you go straight to the source.
6. Be yourself.
By sharing a common interest with others in Wicca, you do not lose your identity as an individual. You are unique and can and should stay that way without becoming a blob in a homogeneous mass.
7. No repression.
Wiccans are not forbidden from reading, learning, eating, drinking, or saying anything. You can actually even disagree with someone without being "excommunicated".
8. Contribution
NO!! Not money, but knowledge. The craft has always, and will always be an experimental religion. If it works, we use it. Then share it so that all in the Craft may benefit.
9. No rigid Dogma
Wiccans DO NOT believe that their path is 'The One and Only Path'. The only 'true' path is the one that works best for you. All paths are valid as long as they HARM NONE.
10. Self-empowerment.
Wicca allows you to truly feel your own power, if you will, and a true sense of self. You are 'allowed' to be the best person that you wish to be with all of the love and support that you can possibly hope for. Wicca allows you to take your hopes, dreams, and most heart's desires and manifest them in this reality. All is possible. All is real.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The Spiritual Laws of Witchcraft
Witches know that no truths are absolute. There is no one absolute truth for anything. There is no one way to interpret reality, behave, think, or live. Therefore there is no single way to practice magick, pray, celebrate the seasons or spirituality. The idea that there is only one truth to any question leads to fanaticism, compulsion, and persecution.
Witches understand that the Universe is in perfect harmony and balance. Therefore, everything has an equal and opposite, not necessarily equated to a negative. For example: male and female, light and darkness, up and down, positive and negative, left and right.
Witches realize that for every action there is a reaction. Most of us view this as the Law of Karma. Therefore, if you create evil, you will receive evil in return, create good and receive good in return. Harmony begets harmony, evil begets evil, and balance begets balance.
Witches know and realize that we are all one. We are connected. Everything that you do to another, influences yourself either directly or indirectly.
A Witch should never close his or her mind to knowledge of any kind. It is through the continuous process of learning that we raise our personal vibration and our attunement to Deity.
A Witch acknowledges the Magickal Circle as Holy Ground. Therefore, a Witch shall purify him/herself before entering or casting a Circle. All notions of hatred, arguments, or prejudices of any kind have no place within the Circle.
Witches use the energies around themselves to effect change within their lives and the lives of others. These energies are manifest as the 5 Elements---Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. The Witch becomes a conduit for the Divine and Earthly energies used during Magick and Ritual.
Witches use common sense and wisdom and do not share the Mysteries with common fools. The Mysteries are not to be wasted in this, or any other manner.
Witches understand that the Universe is in perfect harmony and balance. Therefore, everything has an equal and opposite, not necessarily equated to a negative. For example: male and female, light and darkness, up and down, positive and negative, left and right.
Witches realize that for every action there is a reaction. Most of us view this as the Law of Karma. Therefore, if you create evil, you will receive evil in return, create good and receive good in return. Harmony begets harmony, evil begets evil, and balance begets balance.
Witches know and realize that we are all one. We are connected. Everything that you do to another, influences yourself either directly or indirectly.
A Witch should never close his or her mind to knowledge of any kind. It is through the continuous process of learning that we raise our personal vibration and our attunement to Deity.
A Witch acknowledges the Magickal Circle as Holy Ground. Therefore, a Witch shall purify him/herself before entering or casting a Circle. All notions of hatred, arguments, or prejudices of any kind have no place within the Circle.
Witches use the energies around themselves to effect change within their lives and the lives of others. These energies are manifest as the 5 Elements---Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. The Witch becomes a conduit for the Divine and Earthly energies used during Magick and Ritual.
Witches use common sense and wisdom and do not share the Mysteries with common fools. The Mysteries are not to be wasted in this, or any other manner.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Principles of the Wiccan Belief
1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity--as masculine and feminine--and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds--sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.--and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We see religion, magick and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it---a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccna Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch---but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it.
10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way," and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan", or the "Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity--as masculine and feminine--and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds--sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.--and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We see religion, magick and wisdom-in-living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it---a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft, the Wiccna Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch---but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well, without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness, that gives meaning to the Universe we know, and our personal role within it.
10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or toward any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way," and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan", or the "Devil", as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Jesus tomb found, says film-maker
Jesus had a son named Judah and was buried alongside Mary Magdalene, according to a new documentary by Hollywood film director James Cameron.
The film examines a tomb found near Jerusalem in 1980 which producers say belonged to Jesus and his family.
Speaking in New York, the Oscar-winning Titanic director said statistical tests and DNA analysis backed this view.
But Mr Cameron's claim has been attacked by archaeologists and theologians as unfounded.
Archaeologists said that the burial cave was probably that of a Jewish family with similar names to that of Jesus.
But Mr Cameron said the combination of names found on the tombs convinced him of their heritage.
Samples tested
Israeli construction workers building an apartment complex in Jerusalem's East Talpiot district first uncovered 10 of the 2,000-year-old ossuaries - or limestone coffins - in a tomb in March 1980.
According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, six of those coffins were marked with the names Mary; Matthew; Jesua son of Joseph; Mary; Jofa (Joseph, Jesus' brother); and Judah son of Jesua.
Another grave said by producers to be of Mary Magdalene convinced researchers of the truth of their find, Mr Cameron said at a New York news conference.
Unveiling his documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus, Mr Cameron said the chances of finding that combination of names together was like finding a grave marked Ringo next to others marked John, Paul and George.
"Mariamene is Mary Magdalene - that's the Ringo, that's what sets this whole film in motion," he said.
Christian contradiction?
The documentary asserts that tests on samples from two of the coffins show Jesus and Mary Magdalene were likely to have been buried in them and were a couple.
The film-makers used this finding to claim that the coffin marked "Judah son of Jesua" contains the son of Jesus and Mary.
But they said the discovery of the tomb does not undermine the key Christian belief that Jesus was resurrected three days after his death.
Academic Stephen Pfann, a scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said he did not expect Christians to accept the film's findings.
"I don't think that Christians are going to buy into this," said Mr Pfann, who was interviewed by the film-makers.
"But sceptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear."
Findings refuted
Israeli archaeologist Amos Kloner, who was among the first to examine the tomb when it was first discovered, said the names marked on the coffins were very common at the time.
"I don't accept the news that it was used by Jesus or his family," he told the BBC News website.
"The documentary filmmakers are using it to sell their film."
Mr Cameron showed two of the coffins at the news conference.
"It doesn't get bigger than this," he said in an earlier press release.
"We've done our homework; we've made the case; and now it's time for the debate to begin."
Local residents told the BBC News website they were pleased with the attention the tomb has drawn.
"It will mean our house prices will go up because Christians will want to live here," one woman said.
The film examines a tomb found near Jerusalem in 1980 which producers say belonged to Jesus and his family.
Speaking in New York, the Oscar-winning Titanic director said statistical tests and DNA analysis backed this view.
But Mr Cameron's claim has been attacked by archaeologists and theologians as unfounded.
Archaeologists said that the burial cave was probably that of a Jewish family with similar names to that of Jesus.
But Mr Cameron said the combination of names found on the tombs convinced him of their heritage.
Samples tested
Israeli construction workers building an apartment complex in Jerusalem's East Talpiot district first uncovered 10 of the 2,000-year-old ossuaries - or limestone coffins - in a tomb in March 1980.
According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, six of those coffins were marked with the names Mary; Matthew; Jesua son of Joseph; Mary; Jofa (Joseph, Jesus' brother); and Judah son of Jesua.
Another grave said by producers to be of Mary Magdalene convinced researchers of the truth of their find, Mr Cameron said at a New York news conference.
Unveiling his documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus, Mr Cameron said the chances of finding that combination of names together was like finding a grave marked Ringo next to others marked John, Paul and George.
"Mariamene is Mary Magdalene - that's the Ringo, that's what sets this whole film in motion," he said.
Christian contradiction?
The documentary asserts that tests on samples from two of the coffins show Jesus and Mary Magdalene were likely to have been buried in them and were a couple.
The film-makers used this finding to claim that the coffin marked "Judah son of Jesua" contains the son of Jesus and Mary.
But they said the discovery of the tomb does not undermine the key Christian belief that Jesus was resurrected three days after his death.
Academic Stephen Pfann, a scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said he did not expect Christians to accept the film's findings.
"I don't think that Christians are going to buy into this," said Mr Pfann, who was interviewed by the film-makers.
"But sceptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear."
Findings refuted
Israeli archaeologist Amos Kloner, who was among the first to examine the tomb when it was first discovered, said the names marked on the coffins were very common at the time.
"I don't accept the news that it was used by Jesus or his family," he told the BBC News website.
"The documentary filmmakers are using it to sell their film."
Mr Cameron showed two of the coffins at the news conference.
"It doesn't get bigger than this," he said in an earlier press release.
"We've done our homework; we've made the case; and now it's time for the debate to begin."
Local residents told the BBC News website they were pleased with the attention the tomb has drawn.
"It will mean our house prices will go up because Christians will want to live here," one woman said.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Veterans rally for right to show their faith
Wiccans and pagans gathered in St. Paul to get the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department to use the pentacle on military gravestones.
Hensel, 53, of Minneapolis, who served in the Marine Corps from 1971 to 1973, was among about 150 pagans and Wiccans who rallied Saturday to urge the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to add the Wiccan pentacle to the list of 38 religious symbols approved for use on military-cemetery gravestones and other markers. Participants -- women and men, old and young -- came from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.
"We have served our country, too, and everyone should have the right to have their religious symbol on their gravestone," said Hensel, who follows the Wiccan faith, a set of traditions that is in turn part of the diverse and eclectic Earth-based spiritual tradition called paganism. "This is my church, and I love it."
The armed services do recognize the Wiccan religion and permit its listing on soldiers' dog tags, participants pointed out.
Hensel and fellow veterans Don Ament, Jim Mosser and Corinne Ravenwald were prominent in a ritual that ended with formation of a human pentacle.
The pentacle, a five-sided star set in a circle, is "as important to us as the cross is to Christians and the Star of David to Jews," Mosser said. It symbolizes the integration of body and spirit and the five elements -- earth, air, fire, water and spirit -- and must be pictured with one point up, two down, participants said.
An upside-down pentacle is sometimes associated with Satan-worshipers, a group that Wiccans and pagans want no part of, several Wiccans said.
In 2001, the American Religious Identification Survey identified 274,000 Americans who call themselves Wiccan or pagan. Minnesota has several thousand, observers say.
Courtney Morton, 28, of South St. Paul, came with friends from the Circle of Phoenix, which she described as a Twin Cities "Wiccan teaching circle." Morton said "it's only fair" that the pentacle should be on the department's list. "It's a matter of religious freedom," she said.
The nationwide effort to have the pentacle approved began a decade ago, said Penny Tupy, spokeswoman for the Upper Midwest Pagan Alliance. Most recently, Wiccan widows of veterans sued the agency to force it to address applications for approval of the pentacle. A U.S. District Court judge in Madison, Wis., recently denied the agency's request for a delay and set a trial date for June.
The issue gained national prominence when Sgt. Patrick Stewart, a Wiccan from Nevada, died in combat in Afghanistan in September 2005.
Jill Medicine Heart Combs told the crowd that her Wiccan husband, Gerwin Dee Combs, who served in the Army from 1979 to 1986, lies gravely ill in an irreversible coma in an Ohio hospital. Combs wept as she spoke, saying that her husband would want an emblem of his faith on his gravestone. "We must speak out against religious prejudice," she said. "I know Gary would want me to be here."
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Which Super Hero Are You?
Your results:
You are Mystique
Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...
You are Mystique
| Sometimes motherly, sometimes a beautiful companion, but most of the time a deceiving vixen. |
Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...
Pentacle Quest Continues
VA Proposed Rules and Regulations: The Top Ten Reasons Why They Should NOT Be Accepted
Author: Paula Johnson
Posted: February 18th. 2007
The Soldiers’ Standards Book issued in January 2006 is 21 pages long and it details the mission, standards and policies of the Third Army, U.S. Army Forces Central Command, and Coalition Forces Land Component Command. This manual addresses Army Values, Military Customs and Courtesies, Soldier Conduct, Wear and Appearance of the Uniform and Safety and Force Protection.
The letter on page one of the manual signed by Franklin G. Ashe, CSM, USA, Third Army Command Sergeant Major and R. Steven Whitcomb, Lieutenant General, USA, Commanding “serves as a basis for challenging and demanding performance that meets the standard and establishes a basis for challenging and demanding performance that meets the standard and establishes a basis for on-the-spot corrections and performance counseling.”
The standard of performance for military personnel who have voluntarily enlisted dictates they must follow the command to “respond at a moment’s notice when needed.” All soldiers are required to follow the list of seven core Army values;
•Loyalty
•Duty
•Respect
•Selfless Service
•Honor
•Integrity
•Personal Courage
This manual, published just over one year ago requires that soldiers “Bear true faith and allegiance to the United States Constitution.” And cites an obligation to support and defend the Constitution by adhering to the “spirit as well as the letter of the law.” Soldiers must fulfill their obligations because concept of duty is a moral obligation. Soldiers are REQUIRED to “treat people as they should be treated.” Respect is defined by the Army as showing regard for someone or something and the willingness to show consideration and appreciation for others and extends specifically to the area of religious beliefs. In living up to this code, soldiers are expected to serve selflessly with honor and integrity. Personal integrity should be maintained without legal or other obligations and honor is further defined by doing what is right both legally and morally. Soldiers are expected to be the embodiment of personal courage. “It takes moral courage to stand up for one’s belief in what is right, particularly when it is contrary to what others believe. It is courage to preserve in what we know to be right and not tolerate wrong behavior by friends, peers, subordinates, or superiors.”
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs would do well to read and observe the values required of our soldiers and outlined in the above referenced manual. The agency charged with caring for the widows and orphans of war, has consistently failed to display courage, morality and respect for the spirit as well as the letter of the law in doing right by Wiccan and Pagan soldiers who served their country honorably in life and want only to be memorialized with the same rights and privileges as the adherents of other religions when they die.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs posted its new and revised "Proposed Rules and Regulations for the Headstone and Marker Process" on January 19, 2007 for review and public comment. The VA would like to update their “ordering procedures for headstones and markers and to clarify its policy for addition of new emblems of belief to the VA’s existing list of approved emblems. The proposed new rules and regulations do not provide even a glimmer of hope that the VA has seen the light and plans to live up to the standards set by the United States Army as outlined in their list of the seven “Army Values” our brave soldiers are expected to embody. It is clear by the way that these proposed rules and regulations are written that the VA is looking for ways to continue the selective exclusion of religious groups who do not meet a very narrow definition of the Judeo-Christian model of religious belief and practice.
According to the VA, “Congress has authorized the VA to promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to ensure that these cemeteries are maintained as ‘national shrines as a tribute to our gallant dead and that the graves are appropriately marked.” The VA cites their own rules as a basis for the perpetuation of their rulemaking procedures. The VA states, “When ordering a government-furnished headstone or marker, an applicant may request that the VA also inscribe an emblem of belief that represents the belief system of the decedent.”
My “Top Ten List for why the VA’s Proposed Rules and Regulations Should NOT Be Implemented" is as follows:
1. The proposed rules do not permit the enlisted soldier or veteran to apply for the religious emblem that most represents their belief system before their death. The VA wants to establish a rule that simply does not meet the requirements of their own mandates. All enlisted military personnel and veterans are given the opportunity to declare their religion at the time of enlistment and this declaration is evident on their military ID, also known as “dog tags.” Those who serve their country should be able to trust that their government will honor and protect their Constitutional right to freedom of religion. There is no need to leave this matter to an “applicant” of the deceased. Clearly the matter of reflecting a soldier or veterans belief systems in the event of death on their memorial should be easy to implement prior to the event of the death either in the military records of the deceased, through a notarized statement or valid ‘Last Will and Testament.’
2. The VA proposes to update ordering procedures, and intends to do so by clarifying their policy for requesting new emblems. If the VA policy permits the selection of a religious emblem that represents the belief system of the deceased, it would appear any attempt to establish a criteria for regarding the legitimacy of a religious belief system should occur at the time of enlistment and not at the time of death when it is most important that a soldiers sacrifice be appropriately marked as a national shrine and the soldier is the least able to explain his or her belief system. Leaving this issue to the grieving selectively exacts a cruel and unusual punishment on all of the families of deceased war dead and veterans who adhere to any belief system that is represented by a symbol not on the list of the 38 religious emblems already approved by the VA.
3. The VA states in its proposed rules that recognition as a church in the award of 501 (c) (3) status is generally sufficient for purposes of appointing military chaplains. It states that 501 (c) (3) status is determined by court decisions and existing criteria already established by the Internal Revenue Service. The VA states that IRS 501 (c) (3) recognition is sufficient for some of the policies administered by the Department of Defense but wants to add additional obstacles or criteria to their approval process making IRS 501 (c) (3) status only one of the factors considered.
4. The VA claims it would make no attempt to distinguish among the doctrines of various churches or other groups holding a system of belief provided the beliefs are genuine and not frivolous…or contrary to public policy. It points out that the IRS makes no attempt to "evaluate the content of whatever doctrine a particular organization claims is religious, provided the particular beliefs of the organization are sincerely held by those professing them." The VA would like "a concise written description of the main tenets of the affiliated organization's belief system."
The VA's request for a written description of a religions tenets does nothing more than provide a basis for the VA to determine whether or not a religious belief is in fact actually religious. The burden of proving the legitimacy or sincerity of religious belief should not fall on the shoulders of those who serve their country fighting for the integrity of the Constitution. The burden of proof should not fall on the shoulders of the families that grieve their loss. It is immoral and blatantly unconstitutional and this process appears to have been invested in finding non-mainstream religion guilty of not being legitimate until proven legitimate.
5. The VA would like to preclude "the addition of any emblem that would have an adverse affect on the dignity and solemnity of cemeteries honoring those who served the Nation." If the United States government was not embarrassed to accept the life’s blood of those who later desire to be memorialized in death with a religious emblem not on the VA list, then the VA should not be embarrassed or concerned about the evidence of their beliefs undermining the cemeteries dignity or solemnity.
6. In considering an application for the addition of a religious emblem, the VA would like to give its representatives the power to evaluate the religion of a deceased soldier or veteran and in doing so would like to "consider information from any source." Denying the legitimacy of the Wiccan religion based on information from any source could have far reaching implications. Faith-based organizations are eligible to receive federal funding for the community work they participate in. The VA should not have the right to consider information from any other source in its process of determination for adding a new religious emblem to its list of approved emblems. This rule is so broad that virtually any religious organization in existence with a vested interest in receiving federal funding could undermine the legitimacy of any application and thus the religion it represents. This rule could set a dangerous precedent for further discrimination against adherents of the Wiccan religion.
7. The provision of a government issued headstone, plaque or marker is an employee benefit afforded to military personnel and thus it is subject the 1964 Civil Rights Act compelling employers to accommodate the religious practices of their employees. Wiccan and Pagan soldiers are not creating an undue hardship on the military in asking for what they were promised upon enlistment. Numerous VA requisitions for headstones show that the VA has negotiated a pay-one-price arrangement with the contractors who supply them with headstones, markers and plaques. All requisitions include provisions that permit the addition of new symbols at no additional cost to the VA. In other words, it does not cost the VA one penny more to inscribe a Pentacle as opposed to one of the existing 38 symbols. The VA states in the rules and regulations that it is Department of Defense policy to accommodate the free exercise of religion provided it does not interfere with the military mission. The inclusion of the Pentacle on the list of VA approved religious emblems will not interfere with the military mission and the VA can show no compelling interest and has offered no explanation why they have not approved the Wiccan emblem of religious belief. The new rules and regulations are just one more attempt by VA officials to continue their pattern of discrimination against Wiccan soldiers and veterans.
8. The VA's "Proposed Rules and Regulations" do not indicate the length of time it can hold an application for a religious emblem in limbo simply by choosing to not make a decision at all. In fact, the new rules and regulations do not even require that the VA ever make a decision in response to an application for a new religious emblem, thus potentially placing Wiccans and Pagans in a position to spend another decade waiting for an answer that will never arrive.
9. The proposed rules and regulations state that in order to add a new emblem there must be an immediate need and good cause must be shown in order for an application to be considered. This could mean that Wiccan families who have been waiting for years would be denied the opportunity to at last receive a headstone with the emblem of the Wiccan religion on it.
10. The new rules and regulations indicate that once the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs makes a decision, it is final. There is no appeals process built into the rules and regulations. The publication of the newest list of proposed rules and regulations by the US Department of Veterans Affairs is a legal maneuver and not a genuine attempt to rectify a long standing injustice with respect to adding the Pentacle to the list of approved symbols eligible to be included on government issued headstones, markers and plaques.
Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister of Circle Sanctuary, one of the Plaintiffs in two lawsuits filed against the VA shared her opinion regarding the new proposed rules and regulations, "These proposed rules do nothing to correct the flaws in the VA's emblem of belief addition process that has prevented the Pentacle from being approved for nearly a decade! There is no timeline for VA decision-making and no requirement that the VA decide at all on an emblem request! Furthermore, the wording of the criteria is such that it can be used to authorize the VA to continue its discriminatory pattern of picking and choosing what religions to accommodate and what symbols to permit on the grave markers it issues -- and decisions made are final, with no appeal except through the courts.
If a religion is accommodated for the troops through the US Department of Defense (DOD) , as is the Wiccan religion, then the VA should follow DOD's lead and put that religion's emblem on the grave markers it issues to honor veterans after death. To do otherwise not only causes incongruity within the executive branch of the federal government, but it is an insult to veterans and their families as well as is against the US Constitution troops are sworn to uphold."
The VA has posted their proposed new rules and regulations online. Please follow the link to the instructions on how to review and comment on the rules before March 20, 2007.
INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME
Help us to reach our goal of 1, 800 comments by March 20, 2007. This represents one comment for each Wiccan and Pagan soldier estimated to be serving in the military at this time. Information on how to review and comment can be found at: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/VARuleComment.htm
Veteran Pentacle Quest Call to Action
VA Proposes Emblems of Belief Procedures that Violate First Amendment Religious Freedom Rights
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been discriminating against the Wiccan religion and related forms of Paganism for nearly ten years. Despite repeated requests to do so, the VA has not added the Wiccan symbol, the Pentacle, to its list of emblems of belief that the VA permits to be included on the memorial markers, headstones, and plaques it issues to honor deceased veterans. The VA has 38 symbols on its list, and of those, sixteen are variants of the Christian cross.
There are no Pentacles on VA-issued headstones of Wiccan veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere. Some graves of Wiccans and Pagans in public and private cemeteries are unmarked because of this discrimination by the VA.
More information about this issue has been published elsewhere on Witchvox and is detailed at the Veteran Pentacle Quest website: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle
On January 19, 2007, the VA proposed new procedures for adding new emblems of belief to its list. These proposed procedures were published in the Federal Register and the public has until March 20, 2007 to review and critique them. The VA will consider comments, possibly make revisions, and then publish the final version of the procedures in the Federal Register. Thirty days later, they will go into effect.
These proposed procedures are a violation of our fundamental First Amendment rights to freedom of religion. These new procedures will allow the VA to continue its discriminatory practices that have kept the Pentacle from being added to the list and from being included on the grave markers of deceased Wiccan and Pagan veterans.
Some of the problems with the procedures include:
Take Action Now!
Here's How:
(1) Learn More - get a copy of the proposed rules on-line, as noted below, or contact Lady Liberty League (liberty@circlesanctuary.org) and request a
copy.
For instructions on how to get a copy of the proposed procedures and make a comment, see http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/VARuleComment.htm
(2) Identify Problems - make notes as you review the proposed procedures. Feel free to incorporate any or part of the objections we've listed hereand/or detailed in Paula Johnson's article.
(3) Speak Out - submit your complaints to the VA in writing on-line, by fax, or by postal mail before MARCH 20. Be sure to send a copy to the Lady Liberty League for use in its work on this issue with Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
For detailed instructions on submitting your comments, see
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/VARuleComment.htm
(4) Spread the Word - tell others and urge them to speak out.
(5) Support the Veteran Pentacle Quest - Join in local and nationwide actions on Pentacle Quest Day, Saturday, February 24. If you can, join others in a public ceremony forming a living Pentacle on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul in the afternoon as described: http://www.UMPaganAlliance.com
Veteran Pentacle Quest Team
Lady Liberty League
liberty@circlesanctuary.org
PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507
Phone: (608) 924-2216
Fax: (608) 924-5961
Author: Paula Johnson
Posted: February 18th. 2007
The Soldiers’ Standards Book issued in January 2006 is 21 pages long and it details the mission, standards and policies of the Third Army, U.S. Army Forces Central Command, and Coalition Forces Land Component Command. This manual addresses Army Values, Military Customs and Courtesies, Soldier Conduct, Wear and Appearance of the Uniform and Safety and Force Protection.
The letter on page one of the manual signed by Franklin G. Ashe, CSM, USA, Third Army Command Sergeant Major and R. Steven Whitcomb, Lieutenant General, USA, Commanding “serves as a basis for challenging and demanding performance that meets the standard and establishes a basis for challenging and demanding performance that meets the standard and establishes a basis for on-the-spot corrections and performance counseling.”
The standard of performance for military personnel who have voluntarily enlisted dictates they must follow the command to “respond at a moment’s notice when needed.” All soldiers are required to follow the list of seven core Army values;
•Loyalty
•Duty
•Respect
•Selfless Service
•Honor
•Integrity
•Personal Courage
This manual, published just over one year ago requires that soldiers “Bear true faith and allegiance to the United States Constitution.” And cites an obligation to support and defend the Constitution by adhering to the “spirit as well as the letter of the law.” Soldiers must fulfill their obligations because concept of duty is a moral obligation. Soldiers are REQUIRED to “treat people as they should be treated.” Respect is defined by the Army as showing regard for someone or something and the willingness to show consideration and appreciation for others and extends specifically to the area of religious beliefs. In living up to this code, soldiers are expected to serve selflessly with honor and integrity. Personal integrity should be maintained without legal or other obligations and honor is further defined by doing what is right both legally and morally. Soldiers are expected to be the embodiment of personal courage. “It takes moral courage to stand up for one’s belief in what is right, particularly when it is contrary to what others believe. It is courage to preserve in what we know to be right and not tolerate wrong behavior by friends, peers, subordinates, or superiors.”
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs would do well to read and observe the values required of our soldiers and outlined in the above referenced manual. The agency charged with caring for the widows and orphans of war, has consistently failed to display courage, morality and respect for the spirit as well as the letter of the law in doing right by Wiccan and Pagan soldiers who served their country honorably in life and want only to be memorialized with the same rights and privileges as the adherents of other religions when they die.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs posted its new and revised "Proposed Rules and Regulations for the Headstone and Marker Process" on January 19, 2007 for review and public comment. The VA would like to update their “ordering procedures for headstones and markers and to clarify its policy for addition of new emblems of belief to the VA’s existing list of approved emblems. The proposed new rules and regulations do not provide even a glimmer of hope that the VA has seen the light and plans to live up to the standards set by the United States Army as outlined in their list of the seven “Army Values” our brave soldiers are expected to embody. It is clear by the way that these proposed rules and regulations are written that the VA is looking for ways to continue the selective exclusion of religious groups who do not meet a very narrow definition of the Judeo-Christian model of religious belief and practice.
According to the VA, “Congress has authorized the VA to promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to ensure that these cemeteries are maintained as ‘national shrines as a tribute to our gallant dead and that the graves are appropriately marked.” The VA cites their own rules as a basis for the perpetuation of their rulemaking procedures. The VA states, “When ordering a government-furnished headstone or marker, an applicant may request that the VA also inscribe an emblem of belief that represents the belief system of the decedent.”
My “Top Ten List for why the VA’s Proposed Rules and Regulations Should NOT Be Implemented" is as follows:
1. The proposed rules do not permit the enlisted soldier or veteran to apply for the religious emblem that most represents their belief system before their death. The VA wants to establish a rule that simply does not meet the requirements of their own mandates. All enlisted military personnel and veterans are given the opportunity to declare their religion at the time of enlistment and this declaration is evident on their military ID, also known as “dog tags.” Those who serve their country should be able to trust that their government will honor and protect their Constitutional right to freedom of religion. There is no need to leave this matter to an “applicant” of the deceased. Clearly the matter of reflecting a soldier or veterans belief systems in the event of death on their memorial should be easy to implement prior to the event of the death either in the military records of the deceased, through a notarized statement or valid ‘Last Will and Testament.’
2. The VA proposes to update ordering procedures, and intends to do so by clarifying their policy for requesting new emblems. If the VA policy permits the selection of a religious emblem that represents the belief system of the deceased, it would appear any attempt to establish a criteria for regarding the legitimacy of a religious belief system should occur at the time of enlistment and not at the time of death when it is most important that a soldiers sacrifice be appropriately marked as a national shrine and the soldier is the least able to explain his or her belief system. Leaving this issue to the grieving selectively exacts a cruel and unusual punishment on all of the families of deceased war dead and veterans who adhere to any belief system that is represented by a symbol not on the list of the 38 religious emblems already approved by the VA.
3. The VA states in its proposed rules that recognition as a church in the award of 501 (c) (3) status is generally sufficient for purposes of appointing military chaplains. It states that 501 (c) (3) status is determined by court decisions and existing criteria already established by the Internal Revenue Service. The VA states that IRS 501 (c) (3) recognition is sufficient for some of the policies administered by the Department of Defense but wants to add additional obstacles or criteria to their approval process making IRS 501 (c) (3) status only one of the factors considered.
4. The VA claims it would make no attempt to distinguish among the doctrines of various churches or other groups holding a system of belief provided the beliefs are genuine and not frivolous…or contrary to public policy. It points out that the IRS makes no attempt to "evaluate the content of whatever doctrine a particular organization claims is religious, provided the particular beliefs of the organization are sincerely held by those professing them." The VA would like "a concise written description of the main tenets of the affiliated organization's belief system."
The VA's request for a written description of a religions tenets does nothing more than provide a basis for the VA to determine whether or not a religious belief is in fact actually religious. The burden of proving the legitimacy or sincerity of religious belief should not fall on the shoulders of those who serve their country fighting for the integrity of the Constitution. The burden of proof should not fall on the shoulders of the families that grieve their loss. It is immoral and blatantly unconstitutional and this process appears to have been invested in finding non-mainstream religion guilty of not being legitimate until proven legitimate.
5. The VA would like to preclude "the addition of any emblem that would have an adverse affect on the dignity and solemnity of cemeteries honoring those who served the Nation." If the United States government was not embarrassed to accept the life’s blood of those who later desire to be memorialized in death with a religious emblem not on the VA list, then the VA should not be embarrassed or concerned about the evidence of their beliefs undermining the cemeteries dignity or solemnity.
6. In considering an application for the addition of a religious emblem, the VA would like to give its representatives the power to evaluate the religion of a deceased soldier or veteran and in doing so would like to "consider information from any source." Denying the legitimacy of the Wiccan religion based on information from any source could have far reaching implications. Faith-based organizations are eligible to receive federal funding for the community work they participate in. The VA should not have the right to consider information from any other source in its process of determination for adding a new religious emblem to its list of approved emblems. This rule is so broad that virtually any religious organization in existence with a vested interest in receiving federal funding could undermine the legitimacy of any application and thus the religion it represents. This rule could set a dangerous precedent for further discrimination against adherents of the Wiccan religion.
7. The provision of a government issued headstone, plaque or marker is an employee benefit afforded to military personnel and thus it is subject the 1964 Civil Rights Act compelling employers to accommodate the religious practices of their employees. Wiccan and Pagan soldiers are not creating an undue hardship on the military in asking for what they were promised upon enlistment. Numerous VA requisitions for headstones show that the VA has negotiated a pay-one-price arrangement with the contractors who supply them with headstones, markers and plaques. All requisitions include provisions that permit the addition of new symbols at no additional cost to the VA. In other words, it does not cost the VA one penny more to inscribe a Pentacle as opposed to one of the existing 38 symbols. The VA states in the rules and regulations that it is Department of Defense policy to accommodate the free exercise of religion provided it does not interfere with the military mission. The inclusion of the Pentacle on the list of VA approved religious emblems will not interfere with the military mission and the VA can show no compelling interest and has offered no explanation why they have not approved the Wiccan emblem of religious belief. The new rules and regulations are just one more attempt by VA officials to continue their pattern of discrimination against Wiccan soldiers and veterans.
8. The VA's "Proposed Rules and Regulations" do not indicate the length of time it can hold an application for a religious emblem in limbo simply by choosing to not make a decision at all. In fact, the new rules and regulations do not even require that the VA ever make a decision in response to an application for a new religious emblem, thus potentially placing Wiccans and Pagans in a position to spend another decade waiting for an answer that will never arrive.
9. The proposed rules and regulations state that in order to add a new emblem there must be an immediate need and good cause must be shown in order for an application to be considered. This could mean that Wiccan families who have been waiting for years would be denied the opportunity to at last receive a headstone with the emblem of the Wiccan religion on it.
10. The new rules and regulations indicate that once the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs makes a decision, it is final. There is no appeals process built into the rules and regulations. The publication of the newest list of proposed rules and regulations by the US Department of Veterans Affairs is a legal maneuver and not a genuine attempt to rectify a long standing injustice with respect to adding the Pentacle to the list of approved symbols eligible to be included on government issued headstones, markers and plaques.
Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister of Circle Sanctuary, one of the Plaintiffs in two lawsuits filed against the VA shared her opinion regarding the new proposed rules and regulations, "These proposed rules do nothing to correct the flaws in the VA's emblem of belief addition process that has prevented the Pentacle from being approved for nearly a decade! There is no timeline for VA decision-making and no requirement that the VA decide at all on an emblem request! Furthermore, the wording of the criteria is such that it can be used to authorize the VA to continue its discriminatory pattern of picking and choosing what religions to accommodate and what symbols to permit on the grave markers it issues -- and decisions made are final, with no appeal except through the courts.
If a religion is accommodated for the troops through the US Department of Defense (DOD) , as is the Wiccan religion, then the VA should follow DOD's lead and put that religion's emblem on the grave markers it issues to honor veterans after death. To do otherwise not only causes incongruity within the executive branch of the federal government, but it is an insult to veterans and their families as well as is against the US Constitution troops are sworn to uphold."
The VA has posted their proposed new rules and regulations online. Please follow the link to the instructions on how to review and comment on the rules before March 20, 2007.
INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME
Help us to reach our goal of 1, 800 comments by March 20, 2007. This represents one comment for each Wiccan and Pagan soldier estimated to be serving in the military at this time. Information on how to review and comment can be found at: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/VARuleComment.htm
Veteran Pentacle Quest Call to Action
VA Proposes Emblems of Belief Procedures that Violate First Amendment Religious Freedom Rights
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been discriminating against the Wiccan religion and related forms of Paganism for nearly ten years. Despite repeated requests to do so, the VA has not added the Wiccan symbol, the Pentacle, to its list of emblems of belief that the VA permits to be included on the memorial markers, headstones, and plaques it issues to honor deceased veterans. The VA has 38 symbols on its list, and of those, sixteen are variants of the Christian cross.
There are no Pentacles on VA-issued headstones of Wiccan veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery and elsewhere. Some graves of Wiccans and Pagans in public and private cemeteries are unmarked because of this discrimination by the VA.
More information about this issue has been published elsewhere on Witchvox and is detailed at the Veteran Pentacle Quest website: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle
On January 19, 2007, the VA proposed new procedures for adding new emblems of belief to its list. These proposed procedures were published in the Federal Register and the public has until March 20, 2007 to review and critique them. The VA will consider comments, possibly make revisions, and then publish the final version of the procedures in the Federal Register. Thirty days later, they will go into effect.
These proposed procedures are a violation of our fundamental First Amendment rights to freedom of religion. These new procedures will allow the VA to continue its discriminatory practices that have kept the Pentacle from being added to the list and from being included on the grave markers of deceased Wiccan and Pagan veterans.
Some of the problems with the procedures include:
- They do not require that the VA ever make a decision on a request.
- Even when making a decision, there is no time limit for decision-making, and therefore, the VA can put off decision-making forever.
- The vague wording in the procedures can be used to permit the VA to select without objective criteria what symbols it wants to authorize and which it wants to reject.
- And, according to these new procedures, once the VA makes a decision, it is final, with no provision for appeal.
Take Action Now!
Here's How:
(1) Learn More - get a copy of the proposed rules on-line, as noted below, or contact Lady Liberty League (liberty@circlesanctuary.org) and request a
copy.
For instructions on how to get a copy of the proposed procedures and make a comment, see http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/VARuleComment.htm
(2) Identify Problems - make notes as you review the proposed procedures. Feel free to incorporate any or part of the objections we've listed hereand/or detailed in Paula Johnson's article.
(3) Speak Out - submit your complaints to the VA in writing on-line, by fax, or by postal mail before MARCH 20. Be sure to send a copy to the Lady Liberty League for use in its work on this issue with Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
For detailed instructions on submitting your comments, see
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/VARuleComment.htm
(4) Spread the Word - tell others and urge them to speak out.
(5) Support the Veteran Pentacle Quest - Join in local and nationwide actions on Pentacle Quest Day, Saturday, February 24. If you can, join others in a public ceremony forming a living Pentacle on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul in the afternoon as described: http://www.UMPaganAlliance.com
Veteran Pentacle Quest Team
Lady Liberty League
liberty@circlesanctuary.org
PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507
Phone: (608) 924-2216
Fax: (608) 924-5961
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