South Central Iowa Pagan Association

Looking For Community?

2011-06-11T17:36:00.004-04:00

I have been a member of the Iowa Organization of Witches and Neo-Pagans (IOWAN) for almost 8 years now, and I invite you to look them up if you are interested in meeting with a long-standing pagan friendly group (16 years!) that celebrates Sabbats and meets once a month to teach and discuss a wide variety of Pagan topics and religions in the "other" column. The South Central Iowa Pagan Association may yet be revived at another time, in another location, when enough interest is gathered in the region. Leave a comment if you are one of those seekers, and I will do my best to guide you to the organization closest to you in Iowa, and you are welcome to check out IOWAN as well. We generally meet in the Des Moines area, and we have camp outs in the summer as well. Blessed Be! )o(

Celebrating Beltaine (May Day)

2009-04-27T18:34:00.001-04:00

Since ancient times the May season has been a time of celebration and merriment. The appearance of flowers after a cold winter season signals the promise of warm summer days to come. Many of the modern celebrations of May are rooted in ancient pagan traditions that honored the earth and the forces that renewed life. In many pre-Christian European regions, Nature was perceived as a goddess and from this ancient concept evolved the modern "Mother Nature" personification.

May Day celebrations are a time to acknowledge the return of growth and the end of decline within the cycle of life. The rites of May are rooted in ancient fertility festivals that can be traced back to the Great mother festivals of the Hellenistic period of Greco-Roman religion. The Romans inherited the celebrations of May from earlier Latin tribes such as the Sabines. The ancientRoman festival of Floralia is one of the celebrations of this nature. This festival culminated on May 1 with offerings of flowers and garlands to the Roman goddesses Flora and Maia, for whom the month of May is named. Wreathes mounted on a pole which was adorned with a flowered garland, were carried in street processions in honor of the goddess Maia. Various aspects of May celebrations such as the blessing of holy wells are traceable to the ancient Roman festival of Fontinalia, which focused upon offerings to spirits that revived wells and streams. Even the Maypole itself is derived from archaic Roman religion.

The Maypole is traditionally a tall pole garlanded with greenery of flowers and often hung with ribbons that are woven into complex patterns by a group of dancers. Such performances are the echoes of ancient dances around a living tree in spring rites designed to ensure fertility. Tradition varies as to the type of wood used for the maypole. In some accounts the traditional wood is ash or birch, and in others it is cypress or elm.

May festivals commonly incorporate elements of pre-Christian worship related to agricultural themes. In ancient times a young male was chosen to symbolize the spirit of the plant kingdom. Known by such names as Jack-in-the-Green, Green George, and the Green Man, he walked in a procession through the villages symbolizing his return as spring moves toward summer. Typically a pretty young woman bearing the title "Queen of the May" led the procession. She was accompanied by a young man selected as the May King, typically symbolized by Jack-in-the-Green. The woman and man, also known as the May Bride and Bridegroom, carried flowers and other symbols of fertility related to agriculture.

Among the Celtic people, the celebration of May was called Beltane, meaning "right fire," due to the bonfires associated with the ancient rites of this season. This festival occasion was designed as a celebration of the return of life and fertility to a world that has passed through the winter season. Many modern Wicca Traditions celebrate Beltane on May 1st or May Eve. Along with its counterpart of Samhain, Beltane divided the Celtic year into it's two primary seasons, summer and winter. Beltane marked the beginning of summer's half and the pastoral growing season.

The Maypole Dance

In the traditional Maypole dance, men and women form an alternating circle around the Maypole. Red and white ribbons hang loosely from the top of the pole. Each person takes a ribbon--the men holding the white and the women red. Then, everyone stands facing the Maypole. On cue, the women turn to their right and remain in place. The men then turn facing left and take one step out away from the pole, thereby creating two circles of dancers facing one another. As the music begins, the dancers move forward, starting a weaving dance. Each person positions their ribbons to cross over and then under each person they meet next in the dance. The alternation of weaving ribbons over and under continues until the ribbons are too short to allow the dance to continue.

The Beltane Fire

In ancient times, it was reportedly the Celtic custom to light bonfires on the first of May. In the central Highlands of Scotland, such fires were known as the Beltane fires. The Beltane festival included feasting and lighting bonfires on hills or eminences. On May Eve, all the fires in the country were extinguished. The people of each hamlet arose on May morning and prepared the materials for igniting the sacred fire of the new Beltane. The people dug out a trench and placed a pile of wood in the middle, which they kindled with need-fire. One of the oldest traditions involved using a well-seasoned plank of oak with a hole bored in the center. A wimple ( a hand tool used for boring or drilling holes), also made of oak, was then fitted to the hole and furiously manipulated to cause heat friction. As soon as sparks appeared, handfuls of agaric gathered from old birch trees were tossed in. This material is reportedly extremely combustible and the fire burst forth as if by magic. According to lore, the Beltane fire prevented or cured malignant diseases, particularly in cattle. It was also said to neutralize any poisons.

Money Drawing Spell

3 green candles
1 Aventurine stone
1 Lodestone
Patchouli incense
Patchouli oil
A small pouch containing cinnamon, peppermint, and comfrey

This spell should be worked when the waxing crescent of the moon can be seen in the night sky. Begin by anointing the candles with the patchouli oil. then place them in holders, setting them to form a triangle surrounding the aventurine stone and the lodestone. Next, anoint yourself on the solar plexus with patchouli oil. Light the candles and take three deep breaths through the closed herbal pouch. As you inhale, close your eyes and imagine a green sphere of energy pass into your solar plexus.

Now, pick up the lodestone in your left hand and the aventurine stone in your right. Then speak this affirmation:

All obstacles are gone and I draw prosperity to myself.
I attract gain and increase. I draw the abundance.
To me comes now the money that is needed and to spare.

Sit quietly in front of candles and visualize yourself looking into your purse or wallet and having lots of cash. Next, see yourself writing checks to cover your bills and having a nice balance left in your checkbook.

Extinguish the candles and incense. Repeat the spell for three days in a row.
----------------

All this information can be found in Raven Grimassi's book, "Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore & Celebration"

The Magic of Moonstone

2008-10-26T14:37:00.002-05:00

The beautiful sheen of moonstone seems to wax and wane like its namesake - and this crystal has featured in much lunar folklore.

Moonstone is considered a sacred link to the Moon in many cultures. In ancient India, people thought that the stone grew under the rays of the Moon and absorbed its mystical qualities, while a curious Sri Lankan belief recounted that every 37 years waves influenced by the Moon hurled opalescent moonstones onto the seashores.

Lunar Associations

Many qualities are attributed to this crystal in connection with the Moon. It is thought to protect those traveling by moonlight and is sometimes known as the Traveler's Stone. Moonstone was used in the Middle Ages to treat consumption (on a waxing moon), for divination (on a waning Moon), and to reconcile lovers (on a full Moon). The Romans also believed that the stone had the power to endow love, wealth and wisdom.

Moonstone in the Mouth

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that placing a moonstone in your mouth improved your memory. The stone was rinsed in water and placed on the tongue. You would then think about your affairs, while the stone fixed important issues in your mind and let more trivial problems slip away.

Oral divination

This is similar to the Indian belief that placing a moonstone in the mouth during a full Moon would enable lovers to divine their future together.

Another old legend says that if a person is unsure about a situation he should hold a moonstone in his mouth and concentrate on the matter. If attempted during a waning Moon, a solution will come to him.

Using Moonstone

The benefits of moonstone are many fold: use its powers to divine the future, strengthen you psychic abilities and relieve the discomfort of water retention.

Moonraking

Moonraking is an old technique used in magic to charge water for scrying or spells. Under a full Moon, a silver or crystal bowl is half filled with dew or spring water. A moonstone is then placed in the water.

Charge the Water

Using hand gestures, imagine you are "raking" the rays of the full Moon into the water in the bowl. Visualize silvery light filling and charging the water. The "moonwater" may then be used for scrying, cleansing your crystals or casting lunar spells.

Psychic Work

Use moonstone to help develop your psychic abilities. During meditation or attempts at astral projection, place a moonstone over your third eye Chakra. This will enhance the energies of your mind and sharpen your focus. It is best to practice this exercise with the Moon's light shining on you.

Lunar Lens

Imagine the moonstone acts as a lens, focusing the Moon's rays into your mind to enhance your intuition and psychic abilities.

Gardening Spells

Moonstone is associated with the growth of plants through its connection with the Moon. It is a good stone to use to help your garden bloom.

* To boost plants and trees that refuse to grow, place a moonstone at teh base of the stem or hang it from the branches. The crystal will draw the energy of the Moon to encourage growth.

* You can also water plants with the 'moonraked' water to promote growth.

Easing Water Retention

With its lunar connections, moonstone is a good crystal to use for relieving the discomfort of water retention.

* Carry a moonstone in your hip pocket or attach it to a hip chain. This will allow the crystal's lunar influence to easily reach the stomach area and help encourage the body to release excessive water stored there.

* During the waning phase of the Moon, take a moonstone and place it on a windowsill. The Moon's rays will recharge the moonstone and attune its energies to the receding tides.

The Ivy Moon-- October

2008-10-06T09:18:00.000-04:00

The lunar month of Ivy offers the opportunity to give thanks for life's blessings and to prepare for a period of spiritual growth.

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

You can use the month of the Ivy Moon for spells and rituals for protection, or harness its energy to make charms that will strengthen resolve and help you face challenges.

House Protection Spell

Utilize the magic of Ivy to protect your home form negative influences.

You will need:

*A black candle
*Lots of ivy stems

1. Light the candle and say, "I call upon the spirits of this place, come in peace."

2. Make a circle of ivy stems on the floor and step into the center.

3. Turn to the east and recite, "Spirits of the Air, protect me."

4. To the south say, "Spirits of Fire, protect me."

5. To the west say, "Spirits of Water, protect me."

6. To the north say, "Spirits of the Earth, protect me."

7. 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

1. Write a list of the troubles that you are experiencing

2. Next to each one, write what you have gained from it, for example "It made me stronger".

3. Light the candle saying, "This flame represents my faith in the universe. I give thanks for the lessons I have learned."

4. 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 (ek-in-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 Autumn Equinox and Mabon September 21st

2008-09-18T15:00:00.002-04:00

From the book "Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox" by Kristin Madden

What is Mabon?

Mabon is a relatively recent term for the neo-pagan festival celebrated on the Autumn Equinox, generally around September 21. This is the second of the three harvest festivals; a cross-quarter day midway between Lughnasadh (Lammas) and Samhain (Halloween).

In many modern Wiccan traditions, this is considered to be a Lesser Sabbat, along with the Vernal Equinox and the solstices that were the only annual celebrations of the early Recreationist Druids.

This is the Pagan Thanksgiving: a time of reflection, sharing balance, and celebration of the bounty of life. While our modern lives may not revolve around an agricultural way of life, this is one of the eight times each year that we consciously attune ourselves to natural cycles.

Mabon is the time to meditate on the fruits of our own labors as well. What have you sown in this year? Are you reaping healthy and constructive fruits or are you paying the price for not nurturing your seeds, or for attempting to plant them in poor soil? This is the time to begin to consider what we want to change and the gardens we plan to sow in the coming year. This is a time of community and kinship with the land and all creatures. Many modern pagans will volunteer their time at soup kitchens or bless and donated wild animal food as part of their Mabon rites. It is also a time of community with all beings in all worlds. As such, we offer special honor to the dead and our spirit allies during this time.

Myths and Deities

Egyptian

Osiris has been associated with Dionysus (Roman) and Bacchus (Greek). He taught the Egyptian people agriculture and the making of beer and wine, among other things. He is the god of vegetation, who is killed and resurrected by the goddess, in this case his sister and daughter of the earth god, Isis.

Isis, the Great Mother and goddess of magic, beer, life, agriculture, and beauty, she has also been associated with Demeter, for reasons that are obvious after reading the story of Osiris. She has also been identified with Persephone (Greek) and Aphrodite (Roman)

Sumerian

Dumuzi was a vegetation god, ruling over fertility and the Underworld. He was called "the Shepard" and is the patron god of Shepherds and their flocks. Dumuzi is a gate-keeper at the doors of Heaven. His marriage as a human king to Inanna, Queen of Heaven, ensured the fertility of the lands and the people, an association we find in many other cultures. He was chosen to rule over the Underworld for half the year. His time below was during the hot, barren summer and he returned to the earth on the Autumnal Equinox which marked the Sumerian New Year.

Inanna is without question the most important of the Sumerian goddesses. She is the Queen Moon, Queen of the Universe, Mistress of Heaven and Earth. She personified the planet Venus. She presides over love, fertility, grain, the natural world, and war, among a wide variety of other things. Inanna's descent into the Underworld is known throughout literary, psychological, and neo-pagan circles across the world. It is said that the original Dance of the Seven Veils told the story of Inanna's descent, where an article of clothing or jewelry was removed at each of the seven gates, until she arrives completely naked. While Inanna was in the Underworld, all fertility and procreation ceased on Earth. When she returned to life and passed back out through the seven gates, her lover Dumuzi was sent to replace her for half a year to appease her sister Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Underworld. This is similar to the myths of Ishtar/Tammuz (Babylonian)

Norse

Freyja presides over love, marriage fertility, and childbirth. She offers protection in battle and peace. She also watches over the dead along with her brother, Freyr. Freyja has been associated with Ishtar and Inanna, not only due to her role as a goddess of both love and war, but because her greatest treasure, the necklace Brisingamen, has been linked to one of the famous pieces of jewelry Inanna had removed at the gates to the Underworld. Brisingamen brings protection and fertility to the world.

Freyr is known as the Harvest God, among his many titles. He rules over the rain and sunshine, which are vital to growth of the land. When Freyr rode his golden boar across the skies, the light penetrated the shade, increasing the bounty of the land. Freyr and Freyja are of the Vanir race of gods, peaceful keepers of gentle rains, mild winds, and fertility.

Celtic

The most recognizable myth involved in this festival is that of the Mabon, the Child of Light and the son of the Modron, Great Mother. It is from this Welsh myth, found in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, that the neo-pagan Mabon festival receives its name. Mabon son of Modron was stolen from his mother only three nights after his birth at the beginning of time. Her light disappears as she grieves for her lost child. The autumn equinox begins the seasons of cold and darkness in the northern hemisphere, paralleling the grief of the Modron.

Cernunnos is the god of fertility, animals, and the Underworld. he is our guardian in this world and the Otherworlds. He is the lover and often the son and protector of the Great Mother. In many myths, he is born at the winter solstice and dies at the summer solstice. Yet in many agricultural areas, he is one and the same as the spirit of vegetation that dies with the end of the harvest, often around the autumn equinox. In many neo-pagan artwork and experiences, he is another aspect of the Green Man and of Herne the Hunter.

Ceridwen the barley goddess, is the brewer of the cauldron of wisdom that enlightened Gwion Bach and turned him into the great bard, Taliesin. She is the Autumn Crone, the Nurse of Seeds, and the visionary sibyl. An older form of the Great Mother, Ceridwen is the dark Mother of the Mysteries as well.

Symbols of the Season

Acorns

Each acorn holds within its small shell all the potential of the great oak tree. This is an ideal symbol of the cycles of life, the seasons, and immortality. The Oak King may be defeated by the Holly King in the winter to come, but he is reborn, replacing the Holly King in the coming spring.

Apple

The apple is one of the main symbols of this season and there is a rich folklore surrounding this simple fruit. The well-known story of Johnny Appleseed recounts how the real-life John Chapman planted a great number of seeds throughout Ohio and Indiana.
Like many historical people, early settlers used apples for food and drink, as well as for fun and medicine. Healing superstitions from England include this one from Devonshire: To cure warts, cut an apple in half, rub it on the warts, tie the apple back together and bury it.

Fun Apple Facts:
* Apples are members of the rose family
*Apples float because they are 25% air
*Placing an apple in a bag of potatoes will prevent the potato from sprouting
*Eating raw apples eliminates more than 95% of the bacteria that cause tooth decay

Apple Superstitions:
* If an apple contains an even number of seeds, marriage is not far off. If the apple contains an odd number of seeds, marriage is not in the foreseeable future.
* Rub an apple before eating to remove evil spirits that may be hiding inside.

Corn

The Corn Mother is a goddess of fertility throughout the world. Corn is associated with the planet Venus and has been called the Giver of Life and Sacred Mother. The first of the Egyptian corn harvest was given to a local deity known as Wapwait. It is used in blessing ceremonies and as an offering to the spirits.

Corn superstitions:
* Pick an ear of corn at random. Count the kernels and divide by twelve to find out how long you'll live.
* An ear of corn in the cradle will protect a baby
* Cornstalks hung over the mirror will bring good luck to the household.

Mabon Cornbread

Cornbread is customary for this time of year and it is the perfect addition to a meal of stew. It is also traditional native bread and as such honors the original peoples of several lands. If you can get blue cornmeal, try that in place of the everyday cornmeal we find in all grocery stores. You might also try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or sage for a distinctive autumn taste.

You will need:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbs baking powder
2 cups cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup general purpose flour
1/3 cup melted butter or bacon fat

Heat oven to 425 degrees

Mix all ingredients together, beat for 30 seconds.
Pour into a round 9-inch greased pan (1 1/2 inch deep). Cut a sun symbol into the center of the bread. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown, checking at 10 min to recut sun symbol if necessary.

A Magical Mabon

While some may feel that magick should be avoided during the equinox times, most of us work toward balance, harmony, protection, and prosperity during these periods. The Autumn Equinox is the beginning of the dark half of the year, and as such, it is beneficial to begin turning within during our magick and meditations.

A Protection Bottle

Protection bottles are either kept in a windowsill or buried, either outside the front door or at the four directions around one's home. If you have a young child, a protection bottle in their window or kept under the bed may be just the thing to keep nightmares and bedtime fears at bay.

You will need:

--A clean, clear glass bottle with a cap
--sand
--herbs, such as angelica and rosemary
--other items that symbolize protection, such as salt, specific stones, broken glass, etc.

Fill the bottle part of the way with sand.
Add the protective herbs or items you have chosen and fill to the top with more sand before sealing the bottle with its cap.

As you add each of these items, visualize it keeping negativity away or destroying destructive and fearful energies. Once it is filled and capped, offer it to the Great Spirit, or God and Goddess. Ask that all the ingredients work together to keep you safe and sound. Thank them for their protection and place it in your windowsill or bury it. If you choose to bury it, carve a pentagram or spiral into the earth above it and ask that the Earth ground and purify all negativity drawn in by this bottle. Be sure to periodically offer water sacred herbs or cornmeal to the earth and the spirits of your land as thanks for their grounding and protection.

The Vine Moon--September

2008-09-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

The lunar month of the Vine offers the opportunity to bring your plans to fruition before the winter begins.

The Autumn Equinox, when night and day are of equal length, occurs during the month of the Vine Moon. It helps you realign your energy to prepare for the dark half of the year.

The month of the Vine Moon is a time to value input from others and any networks that are made may prove useful in the future.

Time to Consolidate

Focus on magic that resolves; cast a peace spell to end an argument or use prosperity magic to help you settle bills and pay off existing debts. Magic must be balanced with action now, so use nature's last burst of energy, visible in the vibrant fall colors, to inspire you to complete projects that you started earlier in the year.

Invest in your health during this month by eating foods packed with vitaminC to stave off colds as the weather declines, and boost your energy leveles with herbal drinks.

Fertility and Concentration

The vine is the only plant in the Celtic Tree Calendar not native to northern climes, although it features in much Bronze Age art. It was cultivated by migrants from southern Europe. The name vine comes from the word "viere," meaning "to twist." This refers to the Druidic concept of spiritual development.

Fruits of the Vine

In the colder north, the vine was substituted with blackberries. Both are used in wine, in money spells, and are linked to fairies.

Pictures of grapevines were painted onto garden walls in ancient rome to ensure the fertility of the household.

Eating grapes and blackberries is a magical remedy that aids memory and concentration.

Vine Moon Magic

Use magic during the month of the Vine Moon to restore peace to troubled relationships and to bring prosperity and fertility into your life.

Fall Magic

Try the following charms, remedies and spells to stay in tune with the magical powers of the season.

*Catch a falling leaf and make a wish

*Place a grapeseed in a glass of red wine and drink on the night of the full moon to attract riches.

Equinox Peace Spell

Use this spell to bring peace to a troubled relationship or to help heal any dispute.

You will need:

*A white candle
*A white ribbon
*Pen and paper

1. Hold the candle and say, "I dedicate this candle to peace."

2. Write a list of the grievances that caused the conflict.

3. Light the candle and focus on sending love to the other party.

4. Burn the list in the flame saying, "For the sake of peace, I let it go."

5. Light the candle for a few moments each night and focus on peace.

6. Tie the ribbon to a bramble or vine. When the leaves have all fallen, peace will be restored.

Fertility Charm

Use this ancient spell to help you to be fruitful at this time of the year.

--Place a bunch of grapes in a bowl in your bedroom (or office, if its a project and NOT a baby you're delivering)

--Next, say: "Spirit of Vine, I open myself to your powers."

--Take some time to collect your thoughts and then make your wish.

--Finish the charm by eating a grap and saying: "So let it be."

Prosperity Pie

Use this prosperity pie recipe to bring financial fortune into your life.

You will need:

*Pastry
*Sugar
*Blackberries
*Pie Dish
*Spring Water

1. Gather a basket of blackberries, leaving one of your hairs on the vine as an offering of thanks.

2. Wash the fruit in spring water, saying, "Water of life, take my strife."

3. Roll out the pastry and visualize the prosperous life you desire. Line the pie dish with a sheet of pastry

4. Put the fruit into the pie dish, add sugar and say: "Life grows sweet." Try to imagine all golden light entering the fruit mix.

5. Top the pie with more pastry and decorate with vine patterns, saying, "The spell is complete."

6. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 min. and share with friends.

The Witches of Red Haw

2008-08-11T19:52:00.001-04:00

Recently we gathered at Red Haw State Park for a Full Moon Ritual. We chose the largest shelter house at the end of a turn around loop. We were hoping for privacy, and chose this location because of its closed brick walls on two sides facing the roadway. Passers-by could see that the shelter was occupied, but could not see sufficiently inside to know what was going on. We soon realized that this was not going to work out very well when we got a visit from the local DNR officer. He came into the shelter as we were sitting at a lone picnic table, candles lit in votive holders and birdseed poured out in a circle around us. “What’s going on in here, ladies?” he half-demanded. I explained to him that we were gathered for a simple candlelight ceremony, and that we had spread birdseed as a treat for the barn swallows occupying the rafters above us. He also noticed the very small fire burning in the fireplace, and my dutch oven sitting on top of it. So I let him know that I was just baking some dinner rolls in it, and showed him. He then proceeded to take his time cleaning and squeegee the cement floor while listening to our meeting. We talked about donating money to the local animal shelter, or to the Red Cross, we spoke about the lore and traditions of the Holly Moon, and he quietly left without giving us further hassle. I prudently decided to leave out some parts of the discussion so he wouldn’t have anything to munch on.

Now we have decided to move our rituals to an open-air shelter house on a single lane driveway. This way we can avoid the cruisers gawking and straining to see “what’s going on in here”, and we won’t be interrupted by anyone seeking to mop floors at 8 pm like its an IHOP or something.

When we left that night, we drew pentagrams (using sticks and our feet) in the gravel parking lot where we had parked our cars. We worked on them so they would stand out and be noticed in the morning. I hope that DNR officer enjoyed it!

The Hazel Moon: August

2008-08-11T12:30:00.002-04:00

The Celtic name for the hazel tree is "coll" meaning "nine", and the Hazel Moon is the ninth month of the Celtic Tree Calendar. A myth tells how nine nuts of wisdom fell from the hazel tree into a river where a magic salmon ate them. The salmon then became a prized catch, gifted with shape-shifting powers and infinite wisdom.

A time for learning

The Hazel Moon offers you an opportunity to connect with your inner reserves of wisdom and intuition. Study of all kinds is blessed during the Hazel Moon, so magic that uses ancient knowledge is most effective now.

This is also an excellent time to learn to read Tarot Cards or Runes because lunar energy will enhance your memory and psychic powers. Maintain an optimistic approach and follow your enthusiasm.

Protection and Renewal

Rods made from the wood of the hazel tree have traditionally been used for divining water and earth energies. The wood is pliant and supple and is immediately responsive to subtle change.

Fertility Charm

As well as being an excellent source of protein, hazelnuts have long been used as a magical fertility charm. Carry one with you if you wish to conceive or collect a small bag of nuts as a gift for a bride.

Good Fortune

Hazelnuts are also a symbol of good luck; if you find two hazelnuts in the same shell,eat one and throw the other over your left shoulder to make your wish come true.

Hazel Moon Magic

You can used the qualities of hazel in a variety of ways in your magic working:

* Make an all-purpose magical wand from a straight twig of hazel wood the length of your forearm. Charge under the full Moon.

* Draw a circle around your bed with a hazel stick to keep nightmares away.

* Eat a feast of salmon and hazelnuts before an exam to heighten your powers of concentration and boost your memory.

* Make an equal armed cross of hazel wood tied with ribbon as a good luck charm.

Hazel Energy in Your Life

Bring the creativity and inspiration of the Hazel Moon into your life, both at work and at home:

1. Enroll in an evening class. Now is an auspicious time to learn a new skill--try painting, learning a language or dance.

2. Keep a journal. Just writing down your wishes and experiences will help you tune into your inner wisdom.

3. Go outside at night and look at the Moon. Staying connected to nature will bring powerful insights and help you remain grounded.

4. Feed your mind: buy a book of inspiring quotes and read one each day to stimulate your intellect and sharpen your thinking.

Meditation

Practicing this meditation will help you to move through creative blocks, get inner guidance and develop intuition.

+ Approach a hazel tree from the north. When you are within the circumference of its branches, introduce yourself and ask permission to come closer.

+ If it feels right to proceed, circle the trunk clockwise.

+ Try to sense the spirit of the tree and open your heart.

+ Sit with your back against the trunk and breathe deeply. Empty your mind and try to attune to the tree's energy.

Make a Divining Rod

You can use the magical powers of the hazel tree to make your own divining rod:

*Cut a forked twig, less than a yard in length.
*Give thanks to the tree by pouring nourishing water onto its roots
*Pass your rod through incense smoke and state your intention to learn about the mysteries of nature.
*Hold a fork in each hand and pull them apart so that the twig is under constant pressure. As you walk over a water source or energy line, the rod will twitch in your hand.
*Use your divining rod to explore the energies of sacred sites, old buildings and even your own home.

The Holly Moon-- July

2008-07-13T17:56:00.001-04:00

The Celtic lunar month of Holly is the perfect time to celebrate your achievements and to focus on your future dreams.

The eighth Celtic Moon month ushers in the shortening of the days. The power of the Sun is transferred to Earth, highlighting our practical needs and desires. The Celtic fire festival of Lammas begins the harvest on August 1, so the month of the Holly Moon is a time to give thanks for the good things in your life. Focus on your own "harvest' during the month of Holly---on what you wish to achieve and why.

Share your successes

Traditionally, the first grain harvested was baked into a loaf that represented the spirit of the crop, or "John Barleycorn" as it was called in England. This bread was shared in a ceremony to ensure the wealth of the community.

Use this month to celebrate your successes with family and friends and to consider sharing your good fortune with others.

Protection and Renewal

The holly is magically imbued with powers of protection. In England, it was believed to protect against witchcraft and to guard homes against being struck by lightning. Its evergreen leaves symbolize renewal and recovery during the dark half of the year and ward against envy and the misuse of power.

Restoration

The planetary ruler of holly is Mars, which bestows upon the tree the ability to restore direction in your life, to rebalance and align energy, and to help you gain a sense of purpose.

In Pagan tradition, men carry sachets of holly leaves and berries, which will enhance their masculinity due to the tree's restorative and energizing powers.

Holly Moon Magic

Use the magical blessings of the Holly Moon to celebrate and share the good things in your life and to increase your future fortune and success.

Holly Harvest Loaf

During the Holly Moon month, invite the blessings of John Barleycorn into your home by baking your own magical harvest loaf. Simply follow the steps below:

1. Prepare some bread dough from flour, yeast, oil, honey, water and salt, and leave it to rise in a warm place for an hour.

2. Sprinkle seeds and nuts on top of the dough to symbolize each blessing in your life, such as a comfortable home or supportive family. Focus on these positive things as you knead the dough.

3. Shape the dough into a roundish loaf and place on a baking sheet.

4. Before baking it, place your hands on top of the dough and try to visualize golden light channeling into it.

5. Then say, "John Barleycorn, I give you thanks for all I have received, Blessed be."

6. When baked, bury the first slice of the loaf in the ground and whisper your wishes for the future.

7. Share the rest of the loaf with your friends and family and celebrate your abundance.

Holly Money Spell

On the full Moon hold up some paper money to the moonlight and recite the spell below.

Lady Bright, Lady Bright
Harvest abundant dreams tonight
Three times Three times Three times Three,
Prosperity return to me.

Give the money to charity (may I suggest your local no-kill animal shelter or the American Red Cross) and in return, the positive energy of the holly will provide you with the funds you need over the coming months.

Time to Re-Energize

The spirit of renewal in the month of the Holly Moon makes it an excellent time to re-energize your life.

*Tune into the energies of your environment by eating energy-rich seasonal foods, preferably foods that are produced locally.

*Use holly's influence to rise to physical challenges and overhaul your personal fitness by joining a gym or taking up martial arts.

Harvest of Friends

Celebrate the harvest of the season and of the things that enrich your life during the Holly Moon by inviting friends to dinner.

Meals to Share

Ask everybody to bring a dish that they have prepared, and cover the table with a gold cloth to signify the wealth in your life. For the centerpiece, place an arrangement of holly and wheat around a candle to represent the harvest spirit.

Harvest blessing

Once your guests have arrived, give thanks to Mother Earth for the food that she has provided:
"Let us eat that none shall no hunger. Let us drink that none shall know thirst." During the meal, discuss what it is that you wish to harvest in your life.

Celebrating Litha (Summer Solstice)

2008-06-08T23:11:00.001-04:00

From the book, "Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice" by Anna Franklin.

Midsummer--A Natural Time of Celebration

Every culture has, at some point in its history, marked the time of Midsummer and held it to be enchanted.

The Celts, the Norse, and the Slaves believed that there were three "spirit nights" in the year when magic abounded and the Otherworld was near. The first was Halloween, the second was May Eve, and the third was Midsummer Eve. On this night, of all nights, fairies are most active. As the solstice sun rises on its day of greatest power, it draws up with it the power of herbs, standing stones, and crystals. In the shimmering heat-haze on the horizon, its magical energies are almost visible.

The Cold, darks days of winter and blight are far way, and the time of light and warmth, summer and growth, is here. We naturally feel more joyful and want to spend more time in the open air. The crops are planted and growing nicely, and the young animals have been born.

Midsummer is a natural time of celebration.

Midsummer Customs

The Bonfire

Midsummer fires once blazed all across Europe and North Africa. As far east as Siberia, the Buryat tribe jumped over fires to purify and protect themselves. Such ritual fires had the power to protect the revelers from evil spirits, bad fairies, and wicked witches. They also warded off the powers of bane, blight, dark, death, and winter. At one time no self respecting village would be without its Midsummer fire, while in towns and cities the mayor and corporation actually paid for its construction, and the jollities accompanying it were often very elaborate.

The Midsummer fire had particular characteristics. It was constructed in a round shape on a sacred spot near a holy well, on a hilltop, or on a border of some kind. Such liminal sites were sacred to the Celts, who counted any boundary a magical place between places, giving entrance to and from the Otherworld. The fire was lit at sunset on Midsummer Eve, either with needfire kindled by the friction of two pieces of oak, or with a twig of gorse, itself a plant sacred to the sun.

In parts of England it was the convention on St. John's Eve to light large bonfires after sundown to ward off evil spirits. This was known as "setting the watch". A Tudor poem declared:

When midsummer comes, with havens and bromes they do bonefires make,
And swiftly, then, the nimble young men runne leaping over the same.
The women and maydens together do couple their handes.
With bagpipes sounde, they daunce a rounde; no malice among them stands.

Divination at Midsummer

Midsummer is a time for magic and divination, when the Sidhe and the spirits are abroad. Young girls would use the magic of the season to divine their future husbands. According to one charm, a girl should circle three times around the church as midnight strikes, saying:

Hemp seed I sow,
Hemp seed I hoe,
Hoping that my true love will come after me and mow.

Looking over her shoulder, she should see a vision of her lover following her with a scythe. Placing nodules from the root of mugwort under her pillow would enable her to dream of her lover instead. Other less pleasant secrets could also be learned: If you stand in the churchyard on this night, a vision of all those who will die this year will pass before your eyes.

The Midsummer Tree

You might think that the erection of the maypole is a tradition associated exclusively with May Day (Beltane), but you would be wrong. The raising of the Midsummer tree is an authentic Midsummer custom found in many areas, including Wales, England, and Sweden.

The custom was called "raising the birch" in south Wales, and "the summer branch" in the north, and the dancing around it "the dance of the birch". It was decorated with ribbons, flowers and even pictures. A weathercock with gilded feathers surmounted it. The cry of the cock at sunrise indicates the end of the darkness and the start of the day. Celtic festivals were held from dusk till cock crow of the next morning.

Sometimes one village would try to steal another village's pole, and it was considered very ill fated and a disgrace to one in this fashion. The bereft village was not allowed to raise another until they had succeeded in stealing one from elsewhere, and the poles were guarded all night by groups of youths and men.

Stones

An image many people associate with Midsummer is that of modern druids practicing their rites at Stonehenge. It is not known whether the ancient druids used this Neolithic temple of the sun, but its power remains intact today, even when surrounded by fences and tourists.

Stonehenge has been describes as an astronomical observatory. It is oriented to the sun at the Summer Solstice, which rises above the heel stone. Some say this should be "heal stone", as the circle was associated with healing at Midsummer.

The Wand

The most propitious time in the year to make a magic wand is at Midsummer. The wand is the tool that joins the physical and spiritual realms and transmits energy from one to the other. The wand relates to the element of fire, creativity, life energy, and the spirit. It focuses and directs the magical will to make it manifest in the world. It is the magical tool connected with the season of summer, noonday, and the direction of the south.

You should cut your own wand from living wood. This is the subject of misunderstanding. Some say that the wood must be taken in such a way as to capture the dryad of the tree, but this is a kind of shorthand for something much more profound. Every plant has its own spirit, which embodies its character, its magical vibration, its lessons and its complex connection within the Web of Life.

You should go out before dawn on Midsummer Day and seek your chosen tree as the sun rises. the wood should be virgin--that is, one year's growth only--and the wand should be cut from the tree at a single stroke. It should measure from elbow to fingertip. If you wish, you can smooth and polish the wand with glasspaper, but do not varnish it.

Consecrating the Wand

The wand is consecrated with incense of bay, cedar, frankincense, hazel and pine, with the following words:

God and Goddess, deign to bless this wand, which I would consecrate and set aside.
Let it obtain the necessary virtues for acts of beauty and love in the names of the Lord and Lady.

Pass it through the elements in the following manner: Push the tip into the earth, through a candle flame, into the dish of water, and through the air in the sign of the pentacle, and then say:

God and Goddess, I call upon you to bless this instrument, which I have prepared in your honor.

Hold it high in the air and say:

Let blessing be.

Midsummer Spells

Sweetheart's Blossom Spell

Take a lily bulb and plant it in a clean pot that has never been used before. While you plant it, repeat the name of the one you love, and then say:

As this root grows
And as this blossom blows,
May his (her) heart be
Turned unto me.

Midsummer Candle Spell

For a general well-being and prosperity spell, take a yellow or gold candle and anoint it with marigold oil, saying:

In honor of the Lord and Lady on this Eve of St. John, grant me fruitfulness and profit of my planting and my work. In the name of the Lady and her Lord. So mote it be.

Burning away Negativity

Throw into the fire all things that represent things that have negative associations for you. You might take the opportunity to give up smoking, for example, by throwing a pack of cigarettes into the flames. Old magical tools and books that are no longer needed or that are broken can be disposed of in the Midsummer fire.

Eostre's Eggs and the Legend of the Easter Bunny

2008-03-23T13:16:00.000-04:00

From the author, Edain McCoy, and her book~>
Ostara: Customs Spells, and Rituals for the Rites of Spring

The Anglo-Saxons hailed Eostre as the Goddess of Spring, The Greening Earth, and Fertility. Her name means "moving with the waxing sun." Around the time of her festival, on the day when light and dark are equal, the local animals began giving birth or going into their sexually receptive cycles, named "estrus periods" after the goddess. From the fiercest to the most humble, the woodland animals--who also worshipped and loved Eostre--would play in the warmth of spring light and feast on the new vegetation Eostre provided.

One of Eostre's devotees was a small hare who wished very much to give a gift to his goddess, but he didn't know what he could possibly offer that would be of any value to her. Then one day while foraging, the hare came across a fresh egg, a very prized commodity indeed. The little hare wanted very badly to eat the egg, as it had been a long time since he'd feasted on anything finer than dry grasses. Before he could take a bite of his prized, he realized this egg might make the perfect gift for Eostre. But, he pondered, Eostre could have all the eggs she wanted, anytime she wanted them. She was a goddess, a creator, the embodiment of life itself. Giving her just any egg would never do. How, he wondered, could he make this egg a fit offering for his goddess?

The little hare took the egg home and pondered how to make it as beautiful and new as Eostre made the world each spring. He began to decorate the egg. He painted it in the hues of Eostre's spring woods and placed upon the shell symbols sacred to Eostre. When he felt he could not make the egg any more beautiful, he took it to Eostre and offered it to her.

Eostre was so pleased by the little hare's sacrifice of his egg to her, and by the manner in which he decorated it for her, that he wanted everyone--especially children, who are themselves symbols of new life--to enjoy these representations of her bounty. Since that Ostara day long ago, the descendants of that hare have taken up the task of delivering decorated eggs tot he world's children at spring. They are called Eostre's bunnies or, more commonly, the Easter Bunny.

Rebirthing Spell

Gently place one egg in a pan that is half-filled with boiling water. As you watch the egg boil in the steaming pot, concentrate on something you feel is gone from your life that you wish to have manifest back into it. Conceptualize this desire as living within the egg, a need that will be birthed into being with the egg's assistance. Visualize this miracle happening with as much clarity and detail as you are able. Do this for at least five minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and allow it to coo.

When the egg is able to be handled, take crayons or felt markers in any color or colors you feel best represents your desire and draw a symbol or some other representation of your wish on the egg.

Bury the egg near your front door, as deep as is reasonable. Each time you walk past the place where the egg is buried, be sure to remind yourself of its purpose by restating to yourself an affirmation of your desire.

In a short time the egg will break down, the shell cracking open and the yolk decomposing. This symbolic life, death and rebirth of your wishing egg is linked by magic to your life, and it will help your desire to be rebirthed soon.

Celebrating the Spring Equinox (Ostara)

2008-03-18T19:30:00.002-04:00

The Spring Equinox is the traditional celebration of the new life that bursts forth with spring.
It has given us the modern celebration of Easter.

Spring Equinox traditionally falls on March 20-21, and is the exact midpoint between the winter and summer solstices. Starting at sundown on March 20, there are exactly 12 hours of night and 12 hours of daylight.

This is a time of huge energy. Nature is waking up after its long winter sleep and everywhere you look there is evidence of new life: trees are in bud, seeds are germinating and animals are preparing to bear their young.

Celebrating New Life

In Wiccan lore, the Oak King, the god of light, wins a victory over the Holly King, god of darkness. As light conquers dark, the great mother Goddess conceives a child. Nine months later, at Winter Solstice, the child will be born and the cycle begins again.

Easter: Spring Equinox in the World

The Easter festival we think of as a Christian celebration is the church's appropriation of this traditional Pagan festival. The resurrection is a tale of new life, but where do the Easter eggs and rabbits feature in the Bible?

Even the name, Easter, has Pagan roots--Eoestre is the goddess of light, who brings the spring. The root of the work comes from "estrus"--the time in an animal's sexual cycle when it is fertile. Eoestre's festival was held on the Spring Equinox full Moon; thus Easter is on the first Sunday after the first full Moon following the Spring Equinox.

Fertility and Rebirth

The Spring Equinox is often represented by a Spring maiden carrying a basket of eggs, the symbol of rebirth. The maiden is accompanied by a hare or rabbit, representing abundant fertility, from which comes our modern symbol, the Easter Bunny.

How to Celebrate the Spring Equinox

There are many simple ways to celebrate the season of rebirth--from spring cleaning your body and your home to cooking up traditional Easter treats for family and friends.

1. Spring Clean Your Home

In springtime, gardeners clear away the debris of winter from the base of plants, allowing room for new growth. So we, too, can make space in our homes for fresh ideas and projects to emerge.

Renew your Home

As the growing light shows up the accumulated dirt of winter, remove it.

*Go into those hidden places, under the sofa and behind the refrigerator, letting in the light and leaving everything fresh and new.

*Clear out any clothes you no longer wear from your closets.

*Wear green to symbolize the shoots of spring;this will remind you of the new beginnings spring represents.

2. Special Spring Food and Drink

Make a celebratory meal to share with your friends--perhaps a picnic outdoors, or inside, if the weather is bad.

Dishes for Spring

Create the following dishes for a symbolic spring meal:

-> Nettle Tea--The first edible green leaves of spring, nettles are rich in minerals such as iron

-> Quiche, the eggs in which are reminiscent of new life.

-> Hot cross buns are reminiscent of the Sacred Marriage. The arms of the cross are of equal length, which in some cosmologies represents the union of male and female.

3. Make Your Own Easter Egg

Traditionally, eggs were painted bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, or colored scarlet to represent life blood.

Spring Resolutions

As part of your ceremonies, you can paint an egg:

+ Decorate a hard-boiled egg with bright colors, symbols, or affirmations.

+ Write about a new project on the shell. If you are with friends, you can take turns to talk about what your eggs symbolize. Passing the eggs around the group will help to energize them and fill them with positive intent.

+ Absorb the energy you have invested in the egg by ceremonially shelling it and eating the contents.

+ Crush the painted eggshell and bury it--to sow you new hopes into the earth.

4. Spring Clean Your Body

After you have spring cleaned your home and it is clear of the previous season's old, stale energies, you can then cleanse yourself. Spring clean your body's systems by drinking a purifying tea of dandelion leaves and nettle tops.

New Beginnings

Then make a spring altar, preferably in your garden to fully benefit from the new air of the season. On it, place spring flowers and fresh greens . Prepare an incense of purification herbs and spices, such as hyssop and juniper. As these offerings burn, meditate on the new projects you are ready to start--the seeds of new plans you wish to sow.

Making your own Sleep Charm

2008-03-03T12:10:00.001-05:00

A couple of years ago, I found myself tormented by horrifying nightmares. I would avoid going to sleep at night because they terrified me so much. And, it was always the same theme, the same feeling of doom and no escape, leading into a terrifying leap from a building or falling from a ledge just to get away from the demons. I started sleeping with a very large amethyst geode on my headboard, and positioned it so my hand could rest on it. Then, I placed various gemstones in bed with me, touching my skin. I chose Tiger Eye, Amethyst, Sodalite, Moonstone, Hematite, and Rose Quartz. It was a strange site to be sleeping on purpose with rocks in my bed, but it worked for me. I fashioned a bracelet out of amethyst and moonstone to wear whenever I have bad dreams, and I have lavender scented air fresheners in my bedroom. (Can't do the candles as much anymore, now that I have cats). I found this Sleep Charm in my Book, and I am posting it with the hopes of helping others get through these times of unrest and fear.

Sleep charms offer you magical protection through the night, warding off demons--psychological ones as much as any other kind-- and stimulating your mind to produce peaceful dreams. Even the act of making your own sleep charm can help you to feel relaxed.

An inability to sleep well is often caused by daytime worries and anxiety that we fail to shake off before bedtime By making a charm and reactivating it every night, we make a clean break between waking and sleeping hours--a psychological change that will help us to relax.

Natural Aids to Sleep

There are many natural aids to help us sleep. Soft colors, such as pale blues and lilacs, help to soothe our mind and spirit, as do gentle aromas, such as lavender. By including these in our sleep charms, we can help to soothe ourselves to sleep and awake in the morning feeling spiritually and physically refreshed.

Your Sleep Charm Equipment:

*Sprigs of rosemary, thyme and lavender
*A white feather
*A blue ribbon
*A white candle
*A blue pen
*A sheet of white paper

Blue Magic

Blue, used for the ribbon and pen, is the color of a spring or summer sky. It is the gentle color of spiritual harmony and symbolizes peace.

White Magic

White, used in the feather, the candle and the sheet of paper, is the color of purification and cleansing. This significance means it is a good color to include in many spells and rituals.

Herb Lore

Rosemary, thyme and lavender can encourage restful sleep. Rosemary is thought to prevent nightmares, thyme can help to relieve disturbing dreams, and lavender can be used for protection.

Making your Sleep Charm

This step-by-step ritual of making a sleep charm can help, psychologically, to prepare you for sleep. Climb into bed ready for a tranquil slumber.

1. Sleep Visualization

Holding the white candle, imagine yourself sleeping easily and peacefully.

2. Light the Candle
Light it while saying out loud, "I light this candle in honor of the spirit of peace."

3. Make your Wish
Using the blue pen, write your wish on the paper--for instance, "I will fall asleep easily."

4. Parcel of Herbs
Place the herbs and the white feather on the paper and roll up these
ingredients so that they are contained inside the tube of paper.

5. Bind your Wish
Knot the ribbon three times around the roll while saying,
"By the power of three, so let it be.
Bring healing deep sleep here to me."

6. Seal you Wish
To secure your wish safely within the charm,
drip some candle wax over the ribbon knot to seal it.
Once you have done so, blow out the candle.

7. Place your Charm
Place the magic charm under your bed to encourage restful sleep.

8. Activate your Spell
Relight the cancle as you prepare for bed each night. This will help to charge the charm.
After a week or so, when the candle has expired, the charm will be fully activated and your sleep will be sound.

Celebrating Imbolc (Candlemas) February 1st

2008-01-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

The fire festival of Imbolc brings the first thaw of winter. It is a time of rebirth, fertility and nurturing under the auspices of the Virgin Goddess.

Imbolc brings the very first whisperings of spring. Early spring flowers peep up through the cold earth and the tiniest buds begin to form on the trees. Winter is by no means over--in fact the worst is often still to come--but there is a glimmer of hope. Candles are lit to represent the return of the Sun and the divine spark of creativity.

The Virgin Goddess

In the Celtic Triple Goddess tradition, the Crone of winter is reborn as the virgin at Imbolc. Known to the Celts as Brigid, she was a fire goddess and one of her main aspects was as a healer.
The Celtic image of a virgin was of inherent sexuality and fertility. As the thoughts and ideas incubated over winter emerge at this time., it is necessary to heal old, outmoded ways to allow new ideas to be born.

Imbolc in the Modern World

The Pagan fire festival of Imbolc is still present in the modern world. At the beginning of February, the returning light is celebrated by the Christian church as Candlemas. Traditionally, the candles are blessed and taken home to use in times of trouble. The festival also recognizes the Purification of the Virgin Mary, when she went to the temple for 40 days after giving birth to Jesus.

Weather Forecast

Old country lore claims that the weather at Candlemas forecasts the climate for the next six weeks; if the day is sunny the remainder of the winter will be stormy, but if it rains, the next six weeks will be mild. This aspect has been taken up in North America where the emergence, or not, of the hibernating groundhog is believed to be a spring weather predictor. This is known as Groundhog Day.

Imbolc Celebrations

Celebrate the lengthening of days and the warming of the earth at Imbolc, with rituals of purification, fertility and renewal.

A Purifying Bath

The Romans named the month of February after a word signifying purification, as this was the time when ritual cleansing would prepare a person for a fresh start. So take a ritual bath at Imbolc in your own homemade "healing well".

**Collect some early spring flowers (in the U.K., snowdrops are often used) and then set the scene in your bathroom with lit candles around the bath tub to signify the burning away of old ideas as well as the coming of the light. Choose white candles for purity and green to recall and welcome the spring.

**Burn juniper oil and put a drop or two in the bathwater. This oil is chosen because it is a very powerful auric cleanser.

**Summon the goddess Brigid by scattering flower petals in the bath.

**Relax in the water, using an apple green soap.

Planting Seeds

Just as the seeds are germinating in the earth, Imbolc is a time when you should imagine your thoughts and ideas starting to warm up after leaving them to hibernate through the winter. Combine the correspondences of new life and light to perform this simple ritual for Imbolc.

1. Choose a quiet spot outdoors, in your garden or a local park, perhaps beneath your favorite type of tree or bush.

2. Plant a seed or bulb in the ground to make this place more special to you, choose the seed of your preferred plant or perhaps one associated with your Zodiac sign.

3. Now, light a small, white candle (to represent the Virgin Goddess's purity), sit and watch it burn down. As you do so, imagine that the seed you have planted represents the thoughts and ideas you have sown in hope for the year ahead.

A Brigid's Cross

At Imbolc, it was traditional to make a Brigid's Cross to welcome the goddess into the home. These were hung over doors or windows for the year, then burned and replaced at next Imbolc. You can make your own Brigid's Cross:

-> Bind two sticks of equal length to form a cross

-> Imagine your cross is made of four sticks and number them 1-4, from the top counting clockwise

-> Tie a silver ribbon around stick 1, close to the center of the cross, then take it to the right of stick 2 and wrap it around the back. From the left of stick 2, take the ribbon round to the right of stick 3 and wrap it around the back; take it from the left of stick 3 to the right of stick 4, and so on. Continue weaving in this way.

-> When it's complete, adorn your cross with other decorative items.

(My Simple Brigid's Cross, made with incense sticks and ribbon)

The Birch Moon: December 24th - January 20th

2008-01-08T20:23:00.001-05:00

The Celtic calendar begins with the month of the Birch Moon, a time of new beginnings and making plans for the future.

The first of the 13 months of the Celtic calendar is the month of the Birch Moon. It begins just after Yuletide and runs through most of January.

Starting just after the Winter Solstice---the shortest day of the year---the month of the Birch Moon marks the period of the year when the hours of daylight start to increase over the hours of darkness. Its associated color is flame red; from this comes the red candles that we burn at Yuletide.

New Year's Resolutions

The month of the Birch Moon falls into the "quiet time" during the bleakest period of winter. None of the eight major witchcraft festivals occur in this month. There is little to do but wait for warmer weather.

This month is therefore primarily a time of contemplation, of looking to the future and starting to make plans for the year ahead--hence the tradition of making New Year's resolutions.

The Lady of the Woods

The silvery bark that covers the trunk of the birch tree resembles the silver of the moonlight, wich it reflects at night giving it a magical look.

With its long, slender branches that stretch up to the sky, the birch symbolizes the female aspects of nature and isoften known as "the Lady of the Woods." Growing up to 100 feet high, it has also been thought of as a ladder that shamans can climb to reach the gods.

Cleanse your home during the month of the Birch Moon by lighting a red candle or by burning rose potpourri.

Birch Moon Magic

The month of the Birch Moon is the ideal time to weave magic focusing on new beginnings and purification, or to cast spells for support, shielding and cleansing.

Resolution Blessing Spell

The birch is the first tree to grow back after a forest has been cut down or razed, reinforcing its association with new beginnings. It is a tree of extreme hardiness, thriving in places where the oak cannot. When you make a New Year's resolution, increase your chances of sticking to your guns by performing this blessing spell.

You will need:

*Red Candle
*Red Ribbon
*Birch Wand
*Frankincense, rose and benzoin essential oil

1. Go for a walk in your local park and collect a birch twig no more than 12 inches long. As birch is a very common tree, you should be able to find one easily, even in urban areas and parks.

2. Mix a few drops of rose, frankincense and benzoin essential oil into the palm of your hand and rub the mixture into a red candle.

3. Light the candle, and stand in front of it for a few moments visualizing your resolution. If you are planning to learn to play guitar, for instance, visualize yourself happily strumming your favorite song. You may want to state your intent aloud, saying, "I will learn to play guitar."

4. Holding your birch twig at one end, pass it through the candle's flame. Then turn around, counterclockwise, holding the twig in front of you to draw a circle around youself.

5. Repeat the incantation, "I manifest new chances for good fortune, clarity and insight, I open myself to new experience and allow change to manifest in my life."

6. Now sit down for a few minutes and quietly contemplate your wish. When you have finished. Blow out the candle.

( To bind your spell, draw a magic circle around yourself with your birch wand.)

Purification and Cleansing

The silver color of the birch's bark is associated with purity and cleansing. Criminals and naughty schoolboys were often beaten with birch twigs- "birched"- in order to purify them and drive out any evil influences.

This is a good time to cleanse your mind of negative thoughts or attitudes , such as anger and jealousy, or addictive behavior, such as smoking. a full Moon that falls within the month of the Birch Moon is called the Cold Moon; you can strengthen your intent by performing the following ritual at this time.

A Simple Cold Moon Ritual:

* Light a white candle beside a small bowl of natural spring or rain water.

* Stand over the water and pray for the strength to let go of your vice.

* Write down you negative behavior nine times on a piece of paper.

* Fold up the paper, place it inside a freezer bag, and pour in some of the prayer water.

* Place the bag inside your freezer to "freeze" your bad habits--putting them behind you forever.

Birch throughout the Year

--Birch is used for purification, exorcism and protection. A red ribbon tied to a birch twig will help ward off the evil eye.

--Witches' brooms are made of birch twigs tied around an ash branch with strips of willow. The purifying birch sweeps away evil spirits, as well as dirt.

--At Beltane (May Day), birch twigs are used to light the fires that signal the beginning of the new season.

Celebrating the Winter Solstice

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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

Cleansing Ritual for a Sick Friend

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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.)

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.

The Ivy Moon: September 30- October 27

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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.

Wishing Spells

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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.

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.

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.

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.

How to Charge Crystals

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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.

The Blessing Moon

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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.

Ribbon Magic

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Casting Simple Candle Spells

2007-06-16T23:21:00.001-04:00

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!

The Magic of Crystals

2007-05-29T22:10:00.000-04:00

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.

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.

Celebrating the Blue Moon

2007-05-22T13:47:00.001-04:00

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.

What made me question Christianity?

2007-05-14T18:52:00.000-04:00

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

The Honey Moon

2007-05-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

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.

Beltane (May Day) May 1, 2007

2007-04-27T10:33:00.000-04:00

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.

Beltane
(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)

Use of Wiccan Symbol on Veterans’ Headstones Is Approved

2007-04-24T20:48:00.000-04:00

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 Pagan Origin of Easter

2007-04-01T12:53:00.000-04:00

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.

Ostara---Spring Equinox

2007-03-20T09:28:00.000-04:00

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.

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"

Call Quarters Facing East

"Spirit of the spring breeze
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."

(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."

(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."

(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."

(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."

"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."

Lay the painted egg on the altar.

"This is a new beginning filled
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."

Lay your seeds for this years gardens on the altar.

"These are new beginnings
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."

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."

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."

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.

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."

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)

10 Things About Being Wiccan

2007-03-14T13:47:00.000-04:00

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.

The Spiritual Laws of Witchcraft

2007-03-11T19:43:00.000-04:00

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.

Principles of the Wiccan Belief

2007-03-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

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.

Jesus tomb found, says film-maker

2007-02-27T23:12:00.000-05:00

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.

Veterans rally for right to show their faith

2007-02-25T21:05:00.000-05:00

Wiccans and pagans gathered in St. Paul to get the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department to use the pentacle on military gravestones.

By Pamela Miller, Star Tribune

Oblivious to an icy, spitting wind, Vietnam veteran Al Hensel held high an American flag as he and three fellow vets marched Saturday into a circle of birdseed laid out in front of the State Capitol in St. Paul.

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."

Which Super Hero Are You?

2007-02-20T10:49:00.000-05:00

Your results:
You are Mystique

Mystique		94%
Apocalypse		90%
Dark Phoenix		82%
Poison Ivy		78%
Venom		77%
Magneto		74%
Two-Face		70%
Catwoman		68%
Dr. Doom		65%
Lex Luthor		59%
Juggernaut		54%
The Joker		50%
Mr. Freeze		48%
Kingpin		47%
Green Goblin		46%
Riddler		37%

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

2007-02-20T10:20:00.000-05:00

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:

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

Were You Born On a Cusp?

2007-02-17T22:18:00.000-05:00

Today (February 19th)is my birthday, so here's a little bit about me:

Aquarius/Pisces
February 19 to February 23

Aquarius is the 11th sign of the Zodiac. Aquarians are humanitarians and philanthropists, the visionaries of the zodiac. Aquarians value friendship and often have many acquaintances in addition to their close friends. Pisces is the 12th and final sign of the Zodiac. All that is learned by the first 11 signs comes together to help Pisces reach the pinnacle of their potential. Aquarius/Pisces are selfless and spiritual, often strongly intuitive and receptive to the collective unconscious.

The astrological symbol of Aquarius is the Water Bearer. The astrological symbol of Pisces is the Pair of Fish. Those born on the Aquarius/Pisces cusp reflect the dual nature of life, reality and nonreality, consciousness and the unconscious. They represent consciousness through the flowing of ideas. They work hard to bring their ideas to fruition, stubbornly refusing to give up their causes. In this way, the Fixed Quality of Aquarius is the Fixed exemplified. However, the Mutable Quality of Pisces shows itself equally by deeming these individuals as people without a strong agenda; they tend to go with the flow and move where life takes them. They are peace loving and friendly, and are the chameleons of the Zodiac, receptive to the needs of others but sometimes getting lost themselves.

Aquarius is ruled by the planets Uranus and Saturn. In ancient Roman mythology, Saturn (and his Greek equivalent, Cronus) was the father of many gods, including Zeus. Uranus, the oldest god, was associated with Earth. When the planet Uranus was discovered, astrologers assigned it as the modern ruler of Aquarius. It is from this planet that Aquarians receive their visionary nature. Uranus is associated with progress and technology -- anything that is radical -- and it rules electricity and astrology.

Pisces is ruled by the planets Jupiter and Neptune. In ancient Roman mythology, Jupiter (and his Greek equivalent, Zeus) was the king of the gods. Neptune (and his Greek equivalent, Poseidon) was the god of the sea. When the planet Neptune was discovered, modern astrologers assigned it to be the ruler of Pisces. Neptune is about everything that isn't quite real: illusion and disillusionment, fantasy, drama and art, and spirituality. All of these are important to those born under Pisces. Aquarius/Pisces tend to be strongly spiritual (not necessarily religious) and artistic. They are idealistic, but sometimes their dreams are vague and impractical. When reality intrudes, they can become pessimistic or lethargic, but they are very adaptive and broad-minded, so they can rework their ideals when necessary.

The element associated with Aquarius is Air. Air Signs are intellectual, and they tend to respond to the world through intellect, rather than physical action or practicality. The element associated with Pisces is Water. Because Water Signs are emotional, they tend to respond to the world through emotion. Aquarius/Pisces are tolerant and open-minded, but tend to stick to their beliefs. They are compassionate, sensitive, imaginative and sympathetic to the feelings of others. They tend to be romantic and sentimental, but they may give in to escapism. They are devoted to their goals, but they can be disorganized or procrastinate when faced with difficulties. Their intellect makes them logical and self-confident, but it may also makes them aloof from people around them. They are original, offbeat and even eccentric, but they are also rather bored by detail. Reformist and experimental, Aquarius/Pisces may seem cold toward people who don't share their intellectual orientation to life. Those born on the Aquarius/Pisces cusp may become timid if their emotions are abused too often.

Aquarius/Pisces are often multi-talented, both in scientific and creative endeavors. They are unique and rebellious people who are driven to change the world. However, they can be shy, quiet and sometimes elusive, refusing to show their true selves. They are modest and thoughtful, sometimes displaying remarkable musical talent. Their freedom is important to them, and they are often driven to help others become free, as well.

In their leisure time, Aquarius/Pisces are social animals. They may work to alleviate their emotional stress through contact with others and exercise. They greatly prefer team sports to solitary athletics, and they often have a fondness for swimming or water polo. In love relationships, Aquarius/Pisces is flirtatious, caring and romantic. Aquarius rules the ankles. People born under Aquarius may be more susceptible to sprains than those of other signs. Aquarius's colors are the colors of the water they carry: turquoise, aqua and silver.

The great strength of the Aquarius/Pisces is in their visionary nature and their compassion. They are the people who take the world to the next level; they make others see things in a new light. Their ability to break the rules and help others reach their fullest potential makes them one of the most understanding characters of the zodiac.

Supporters Gather at the State Capitol for Wiccan Veterans Religious Rights

2007-02-15T21:46:00.001-05:00

Veteran's Pentacle Rights Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Upper Midwest Pagan Alliance
1595 Selby Avenue o Suite 204
St. Paul, MN 55104

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, February 13, 2007 - The Upper Midwest Pagan Alliance, a Twin-Cities-based religious tolerance organization, will be sponsoring a community ceremony at the State Capitol mall in St. Paul on February 24, 2007 at noon to raise awareness about religious discrimination at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department of Veteran's Affairs has been actively pursuing policies that are discriminatory and harmful to veterans and infringe on the religious freedoms guaranteed by the US Constitution. The VA has been denying religious designation to adherents of the Wiccan faith by not allowing the emblem of their faith to be placed on the headstones and memorial markers of deceased veterans. Although the VA has approved the emblems of 38 other religions and belief systems to be included on the headstones of deceased veterans, including symbols for the Tenrikyo Church, Eckankar, Izumo, Taishakyo, Sufism Reoriented, and even Atheism, it refuses to approve the use of the Wiccan symbol, the pentacle, an interlaced five pointed star within a circle.During the public ceremony at the Capitol, participants will add cloth ties to a pentacle sculpture, which will be later displayed in regional businesses. Afterward, those present will form a large, pentacle design, as a symbol of the importance of this issue to Veterans, and dedication to the issues resolution, and in support of religious freedom.Participants representing many different faith groups and organizations from around Minnesota and other states will be present to help support the religious freedoms for all our veterans. The Pentacle Rights Ritual is open to the public. All who honor our veterans and the rights they have guarded with their lives are invited to attend.
The Upper Midwest Pagan Alliance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting religious tolerance and accommodation through public education and grassroots community activities.For more information, contact:Dr. Todd Berntson o (952) 220-2633 todd@UMPaganAlliance.com http://umpaganalliance.com/

Here's a list of approved symbols:
http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp

This is the story of the pentacle quest:
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/veteranpentacle/QuestStorySummary.htm

Astarte Moonsilver: MIA

2007-02-12T16:52:00.000-05:00

I finally made it to an IOWAN meeting, after not being around since a wedding back in October. It's not that it's far, far away; it's just that schedules between what goes on in my kids' lives and starting a new job since then, I haven't made the time to go and participate. But this year, I resolved to be a good attendee, and actually contribute something to the group. They even chose to allow me to make a presentation later in the year on Gnosticism, a subject I find very interesting, and I hope to make it at least SOUND interesting.

The weirdness of being gone for so long soon vanished as I was welcomed back, (although more than an hour late), it was as though I had never gone missing. I took the teasing pretty good naturedly when I was told back in October, "see ya next spring". It seems like a lot of the folks we see in the warmer months never quite make it to the indoor activities during the dark half of the year. I was really glad to be back. I have missed all of them, and I didn't even realize it.

So strange to consider myself a solitary practitioner, and yet crave the connection of a group. I am grateful for the opportunity to gather together with folks who "get me". But it is so NOT like church. Everyone is much more careful to validate others views, participate in other traditions, ritual themes and be tolerant of those members who have a little more 'flair'. I enjoy taking it all in and belonging, not because I conform to a formula, but because I chose to find what works for me, and really learn to be accepting of those who have different paths to follow.

In the old days, I would have been compelled to try to convince others why my way is superior, and why their way makes no sense. But I find myself actually considering other's views and trying out new ideas. Any time we can hold a ritual, it's very loose and free, but still has a structure and reverence about it. I hope to be brave enough in the coming year to volunteer for leading a ritual, maybe by Lammas or Mabon I can muster up enough within me to voice it.

I would really like to hold a ritual at my home, have the group come here in my backyard and maybe have my family observe, or participate if they wish. I feel the need sometimes to share my experience, even if only to dispel the fear and let them know my intentions. Everyone says they enjoyed my Wiccan-Celtic wedding, and I had a circle cast, quarter-calls, and two officiators, male and female. I incorporated elementals, blessings of earth, air, fire and water, and some incense and candle use. It was thinly veiled, but still enough to speak to me and my husband, without being outwardly in-your-face to our Christian relatives. I have never received a hate-mail yet.

Right now, I am studying Christopher Penczak's Temple of Witchcraft series. His next book is due out in fall of this year, and I can't wait to get it. I also have been reading Deborah Lipp's Elements of Ritual, and trying to finish my personal Book of Shadows, which is about 3/4 done. Scott Cunningham, of course is one of the great ones, and something all newbies should read. And Edain McCoy is a good place to start as well.

I am also heavily into Elaine Pagels, her books on Gnosticism really answered lots of open-ended questions I had in my Christian life.

So, let's see, I've talked about myself for once, and let some readers know what I'm about. And I am still interested in getting SCIPA off the ground, even if it takes years for others to find me. Oh well, I'm here now anyway, and since I don't really have all kinds of free time on my hands, it's probably better if it does take a while to find some local pagans to connect with. Until then, and even after, I will still be glad about the day I walked into the Atlantean and met Barb for the very first time.

What Mythological Creature Are You?

2007-02-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

You Are a Mermaid

You are a total daydreamer, and people tend to think you're flakier than you actually are.
While your head is often in the clouds, you'll always come back to earth to help someone in need.
Beyond being a caring person, you are also very intelligent and rational.
You understand the connections of the universe better than almost anyone else.

What Kind of Soul Are You

2007-02-08T13:45:00.000-05:00

You Are a Dreaming Soul

Your vivid emotions and imagination takes you away from this world
So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time
You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all...
But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult

You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you.
Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses.
Underneath it all, you have a ton of passion that you hide from others.
Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life.

Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

What's Your Element?

2007-02-08T13:35:00.000-05:00

Your Element Is Water

A bit of a contradiction, you can seem both lighthearted and serious.
That's because you're good at going with the flow - but you also are deep.

Highly intuitive, you tune in to people's emotions and moods easily.
You are able to tap into deep emotional connections and connect with others.

You prefer a smooth, harmonious life - but you can navigate your way around waves.
You have a knack for getting people to get along and making life a little more peaceful.

What's Your Element?

So, what do I know?

2007-02-05T12:33:00.000-05:00

I've been pondering this question for months now. So many times I've been asked why I have spent so much time and energy refuting a religious belief that I was raised in. If I'm so glad that I found my way out of it, why am I not happy yet?

I think that part of this journey is becoming comfortable with NOT KNOWING. I spent so much time (20 years) saying, "I know this church is true" over and over, I guess now I want to refrain from saying that I know anything to be certain. This has been a time of great exploration for me, and I haven't been willing to share it with anyone, because I don't want to defend my beliefs. I don't want to become a Pagan Apologist. I don't want to belong to a coven where I have to subscribe to a list of views and opinions in order to belong. Most of all, I don't want to create an exclusive club for people who must believe everything that I believe in. I don't think I'll ever subscribe to a tradition.

One thing that has happened is I have definitely been reading books. And websites. And email newsletters. And web bulletin boards. I love the job I have now, because I only have to work on Saturday, and I still get paid as much as I did working my former 40 work week. So, I have a lot of time to read. And write. I've been doing plenty of that at my other site, and I've managed to garner a little negative attention from my immediate family. Which can only lead to two things, either acceptance or denial. But, I feel it's worth that initial estrangement to get my final point across. It's the only thing that has worked in trying to convince them that I am never coming back into that world again. And the consequence of that has been limited or no contact between us. Of course, there were other reasons, but I won't go into that.

So, where am I going? Most people assume that when you go away from something, you're running towards something else instead. In my case, I have just been dealing with the void that is left after you realize you can't trust in "all knowing powers" to run your life for you. And I've learned A LOT about what makes people believe in weird things. I even spent some time away from the group I attend from time to time. (not on purpose, just $$ and time constraints, + bad weather :-) All of this space gives me a chance for renewal purposes, and some hibernation time, and to rediscover what it is that I choose to believe in.

I started out full-fledged Wicca. I purchased all the books, did lots of research on the traditions, tried to make my life into a copy of Mormonism complete with all the handbooks and lists of beliefs. And the more I learned about each tradition, the more complex it became and the harder it was to subscribe to any one system and stick with it. So, I took a break. Which is NOT a bad thing. It is perfectly sensible to step back when you feel overwhelmed, not duck your head down and 'put problems on the shelf'. I learned from others what ideas move them, what motivates them to pursue a path and explore it to the fullest. The big mistake I made was in thinking that you HAVE to pick one. And now I know that validating all paths is the key.

I became an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church on July 15, 2006. I thought it might come in handy if I have to step in as an officiator someday. I have the credentials and I'm even toying with taking a couple on-line study courses. I did this because of an upbringing that only men could be ordained as ministers, so I bucked the system by becoming a legally recognized minister. I think I will ask for a Spiritual Priestess designation on my certificate.

I guess what I know is: I don't have the answers. And I also think that the mere belief that you have to have a set of answers is in itself the great lie. People can't let themselves just exist, they have to control every event in their lives and know the outcome before the game starts. I'm okay with discovering along the way, what it all means. And I'm also okay with changing my mind. I have probably changed my beliefs and views about religion 6-8 times since leaving Mormonism. I am currently studying Gnosticism, not because I am inclined to take up Christianity again, but more so I can understand the founding ideas behind it. It's fascinating really, just discovering how much things can be altered and erased to fit the molds you force them into. I've learned a lot about fanaticism this way, and I am resolved to keep from that as much as possible.

Do I consider myself Pagan? You bet. I've always felt connected with elementals, the moon cycles, the water and the earth, wind and flame. I get much more out of meditations than I ever did singing in a choir. My intuition guides me better than scripture. This is my way to receive knowledge and understanding. This is what being pagan is to me. Recognizing the divine spark in myself has given me the strength to turn away from those that would manipulate me and who continue to manipulate those I love.

Do I think I can lead others? That's a tough one. I'm a mom first of all, and sometimes I wonder if I can even lead them. But I know that I have a voice and I can use it. I know that I have an understanding of how power can corrupt people, and those in a leadership position are susceptible to that. I haven't set out to organize my own religion or anything, I guess I would just like to find some folks who get me, and create a place where everyone can be validated on the paths they choose. And I'd like it to be a little closer to home. Maybe there will be a time when people won't have to keep their views a secret, and can meet together freely to share their thoughts with others who won't condemn or judge. I'd like that very much.

I'm not attempting to break away ties from those that I've met so far by any means. On the contrary, I'd like to be able to attend more gatherings and become more connected. It's tough sometimes, because you have to be a mundane person too, work-raise kids-attend sports and band activities, etc.

I'm really excited about this year because I finally got the nerve up to volunteer to share my small education about Gnosticism with the Iowan group. I will be gearing up for that for the next 7 months, to be sure. I hope not to sound like a complete retard but also not like a complete know-it-all jackass. Wow, that's tough to find the middle ground.

Well, that's a lot about me personally. I will probably post some more stuff I find interesting from The Witches' Voice, or elsewhere on the web, especially the Sabbats and Full moon stuff. I am also working on a short book of quarter-calls and ritual practices so I can carry it around with me and share at meetings.

CANDLEMAS, The Light Returns

2007-02-04T09:40:00.000-05:00

[Link is embedded in the title above]

by Mike Nichols

Candlemas is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. Imbolc means, literally, "in the belly" (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows. Oimelc means "milk of ewes", for it is also lambing season.

The holiday is also called "Brigit's Day", in honor of the great Irish Goddess Brigit. At her shrine, the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, a group of nineteen priestesses (no men allowed) kept a perpetual flame burning in her honor. She was considered a Goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, poetry, and healing (especially the healing touch of midwifery). This tripartite symbolism was occasionally expressed by saying that Brigit had two sisters, also named Brigit. (Incidentally, another form of the name Brigit is Bride, and it is thus she bestows her special patronage on any woman about to be married or handfasted, the woman being called 'bride' in her honor.)

The Roman Catholic Church could not very easily call the Great Goddess of Ireland a demon, so they canonized her instead. Henceforth, she would be "Saint" Brigit, patron saint of smithcraft, poetry, and healing. They explained this by telling the Irish peasants that Brigit was really an early Christian missionary sent to the Emerald Isle, and that the miracles she performed there misled the common people into believing that she was a Goddess. For some reason, the Irish swallowed this. (There is no limit to what the Irish imagination can convince itself of. For example, they also came to believe that Brigit was the foster mother of Jesus, giving no thought to the implausibility of Jesus having spent his boyhood in Ireland!)

Brigit's holiday was chiefly marked by the kindling of sacred fires, since she symbolized the fire of birth and healing, the fire of the forge, and the fire of poetic inspiration. Bonfires were lighted on the beacon tors, and chandlers celebrated their special holiday. The Roman Church was quick to confiscate this symbolism as well, using Candlemas as the day to bless all the church candles that would be used for the coming liturgical year. (Catholics will be reminded that the following day, St. Blaise's Day, is remembered for using the newly blessed candles to bless the throats of parishioners, keeping them from colds, flu, sore throats, etc.)

The Catholic Church, never one to refrain from piling holiday upon holiday, also called it the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (It is surprising how many of the old Pagan holidays were converted to Maryan feasts.) The symbol of the purification may seem a little obscure to modern readers, but it has to do with the old custom of 'churching women'. It was believed that women were impure for six weeks after giving birth. And since Mary gave birth at the winter solstice, she wouldn't be purified until February 2. In Pagan symbolism, this might be retranslated as when the Great Mother once again becomes the young Maiden Goddess.

Today, this holiday is chiefly connected to weather lore. Even our American folk calendar keeps the tradition of Groundhog Day, a day to predict the coming weather, telling us that if the groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of bad weather (i.e., until the next Old Holiday, Lady Day). This custom is ancient. An old British rhyme tells us that 'if Candlemas Day be bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year'. Actually, all of the cross-quarter days can be used as inverse weather predictors, whereas the quarter days are used as direct weather predictors.

Like the other High Holidays or Great Sabbats of the Witches' year, Candlemas is sometimes celebrated on its alternate date, astrologically determined by the sun reaching fifteen degrees Aquarius, or Candlemas Old Style. Incidentally, some modern Pagan groups have recently begun calling the holiday itself Brigit, presumably as shorthand for "Brigit's Day". This lexical laziness is lamentable since it confuses a Deity name for the proper name of the holiday. The same disconcerting trend can be seen in the recent practice of referring to the autumnal equinox as "Mabon", which is more properly the name of a Welsh God-form.

What's in a Name?

2007-01-10T22:35:00.000-05:00

[Link provided in the title]

Astarte is also known as Astarat and Astoreth. She is an incarnation of Ishtar and Inanna. This Semitic Goddess was worshipped by the Syrians, Canaanites (today called Palestinians), Phoenicians, Egyptians and other Semitic Tribes. King Solomon built a Temple to Her as Astoreth, near Jerusalem.

Astarte was worshipped as many things, to the Egyptians, She was honored as a Goddess of War and tenacity, to the Semites, She was a Goddess of Love and Fertility. Among the Greeks She was transposed into the Goddess of Love Aphrodite. In the Bible, She is referred to as "the abomination". Considering Her widespread devotion in Biblical times, the attempts to discredit the Goddess are not surprising.

The Bull and the Dove are especially sacred to Astarte and Astoreth. The Goddess is often pictured wearing horns. Astoreth is sometimes pictured wearing the head of a Bull. The Dove is associated with many Middle-Eastern Goddess rites. A Dove perches atop many Asheras, (tall moon poles) that marked the "High Places" were outdoor Goddess rituals were frequently held.

The bountiful qualities of the Great Goddess are reflected in all the principle Goddesses of the Meditteranean and Middle-East. Homage was paid to the Goddesses in the form of honey, beer, wine, incense, and animals. These offerings were an important part of honoring the Goddess and insuring future blessings for self and the community.

The Egg is a sacred symbol of Astarte, representing fecundity, new life and the powers of the Goddess. The Pomegranate, the "fruit bearing eggs" is an important part of Her sacred rites. Pomegranite is also central to the rites of Kore-Persephone, as well as other Goddesses.

The worship of Astarte spread far and wide, and in time, She was worshipped by the Phillistines, the Greeks, the Romans, the Sicilians, and in many parts of Europe and Africa. The Great Goddess Astarte was also worshipped as Freya by the Norse, Indrani by the Hindus, by the Celts as Danu, and by the Egyptians as Hathor.

Like Artemis & Diana, She often carries a bow and arrows, and is the center of many millenia of devotion.

[Information was gathered from: spiralgoddess.com]

What Is Wicca?

2007-01-07T19:25:00.001-05:00

What is Wicca?

There are probably as many definitions of Wicca (also known as "the Craft", Witchcraft, or the Old Religion) as there are practitioners --one of the joys of this path is that there is no "one, true way"; intuition is as valuable as teaching. This then is my personal definition of what Wicca is to me.

First, because there are so many misconceptions about Wicca, let me define that what Wicca is not is Satanism or devil-worship. Wiccans don't believe in an all-evil entity.

Wicca is a religion based on experience of Deity as male and female. It is panentheistic--seeing all things as part of God/dess, and seeing the Earth Herself as a living organism of whom we are part. It is also a religion of immanence--seeing God/dess present here and now, within all things, not "out there somewhere" but part of daily life.

Wiccans reverence Nature in all her forms, and often are active environmentalists. Wiccans celebrate eight major holidays, the beginning and midpoint of each season. Wiccans also celebrate the phases of the moon. Each of these rituals or observances helps us attune with the ever-changing cycles of Nature.

Wicca is also a Craft. We practice magic using meditation, chants, visualization and spells to help focus our will on what we want to happen. Wiccans believe that everything we do, good or ill, comes back to us tripled, which is why we don't hex or curse anyone. We also believe that many psychic talents are real and simply haven't been studied enough by science to be catalogued as such.

Wiccans for the most part accept reincarnation, not as dogma to be believed, but as fact based on personal experience. Many of us remember past lives. As one who has studied science, I know that every atom of my body once was part of something else, and I am continually losing atoms that become part of others. Knowing this, it makes sense that my soul also is "recycled".

Wicca is a positive philosophy. The only law is "An it harm none, do as ye will": Enjoy life to the fullest, and remember to help everyone else enjoy it as well. Wiccans don't preach; Wiccans don't evangelize. Everyone has to find his or her own path, and we welcome the diversity this brings.

So the next time you hear someone called a "wicked witch", think instead of Wiccans all over the world, celebrating the cycles of Nature through the dance of the Lord and the Lady, trying to brighten the world we all share through our cauldron fires in the darkness. Know we are not out to convert you; know we mean you no harm. All we ask for is tolerance, understanding, and the freedom to practice as we choose.

For more information contact
Pagan Pride Project – www.paganpride.org - (317) 916-9115.
PO Box 441422 Indianapolis, IN 46244

I am a Chimera

2007-01-02T12:43:00.001-05:00

You Are a Chimera

You are very outgoing and well connected to many people.
Incredibly devoted to your family and friends, you find purpose in nurturing others.
You are rarely alone, and you do best in the company of others.
You are incredibly expressive, and people are sometimes overwhelmed by your strong emotions.

What Mythological Creature Are You?

Elemental Tools and the Working of Magic: A Paradigm

2007-01-01T16:13:00.000-05:00

(From the Witches' Voice:)

Author: kodama 93
Posted: December 31st. 2006

Disclaimer: Anyone can walk into a high-end bookstore, pull out any Wicca 101 book and read practically this same thing about the tools of Wicca:

The Wand is for directing energy. The Athame is too. (WE DO NOT EVER CUT ANYTHING WITH THE ATHAME!) The Pentacle and the Chalice are used to serve the Cakes and Ale (respectively). Also, some other tools Wiccans use are incense, candles, statues, crystals... (continued digression) It is also perfectly okay to use no tools at all. (My own paraphrase)

This paradigm is completely accurate and useful, particularly in training the would-be clergy to perform community-oriented Wiccan rituals. This is, also, not at all what this article is about.

The Groundwork

Before I begin with the main thrust of the article, there are a few important distinctions that must be made. First, the difference between the tools and the four “Elemental Tools, ” which sometimes are referred to as the “Elemental Weapons.”

For those on a Warrior's Path, the term Weapon may be a useful one, but in this article I will refer to them only as Tools. The Wand, Athame, Chalice and Pentacle are considered the Elemental Tools because of their close association with the Elements. The use of other tools such as incense, candles, cauldrons, etc. is outside the scope of this article.

Secondly, I would like to make a distinction between the physical elements and “The Elements.” Within this article, when I refer to the Element of Earth, I will not be referring to physical dirt, mud, sand, rock, etc. but instead the mysterious force which causes those things and others to exist.

For example, permanence, the fact that something can be the same from one moment to the next, comes from Earth. Variation, the fact that something can be different, comes from Air. Growth comes from Fire. Decline comes from Water. The list of things can go on and on from the most foundational things to the most specific.

When I refer to the Elements I am talking about non-physical forces foundational to both physical and non-physical aspects of reality. Although I will not go into a description of the attributes of the Elements, the clearer you understand the Elements, the clearer your understanding will be of the Tools.

Now, with these distinctions in mind, I would like to make the claim that just as the Elements are more than just their physical manifestations, the Tools can be seen as more than just their physical materials. The Tools are the abilities (derived from the Elements) that are inherent within all people.

Just as Earth is all that is still, quiet, dark and heavy, the Pentacle represents the ability of a person to be still, silent and unmovable. It is my belief that true magical power is derived from understanding and learning how to wield these “internal” Tools in a skillful, elegant way.

The Wand and the Athame

The Wand and the Athame are very peculiar because in Ceremonial Magic and Tarot they are associated with Fire and Air, respectively, while in a Wiccan setting they trade places being Air and Fire, respectively. There is an over-hang, if you will, although I will concern myself predominately with the Wiccan association. There is no doubt, though, that they are both masculine in nature. They both are physically phallic-shaped and concern themselves with powers historically considered “male” (although the Tools represent abilities which all people can and do wield, regardless of sex or gender).

The Wand’s nature is best revealed by some of its more well-known manifestations: the conductor’s baton, the royal scepter, and the old wise-man’s staff. The Wand represents the individual’s ability to communicate, to lead/guide, and to know.

When I was in honors band in high school, I remember playing under the best conductor I’ve ever met. I forget his name, but every mistake I made he knew, somehow, no matter how great or small. I would look up and in an instant our eyes would meet, and in that one moment, in that one gesture he would say, “I heard that, and I want you to fix it next time.” I don’t know how he did it, but once he raised his baton, every person in the orchestra was merely an extension of his will. That is the power of the Wand mastered. Speaking without words. Guiding without coercion. Knowing without asking.

There is one thing that everyone says about the Athame: WE DO NOT EVER CUT WITH IT!! Why do you think people say this? The most obvious answer is its purpose truly isn’t to cut physical things, but also I believe it is to disclaim against troubled teens who want a reason to cut themselves and to distance us from the claims that we perform blood sacrifice. But nonetheless the Athame is a blade, and blades are for cutting.

You cannot travel too far from its essential nature before the Athame transforms from a blade into a mutilated form of Wand. The Athame is principally associated with the act of separation, mirroring the Chalice whose principal action is union.

I want you to do an experiment, right now. Pick up a knife right now, and point it at someone. Not a very sharp knife, and not very close; a butter knife pointed at someone from across the room would be sufficient. (I don’t want you to have an accident.)

What just happened to you emotionally? To the recipient of your pointing? Most likely, you drew back, and they did too. You just created a rift between you and that person. A very small one, but a rift nonetheless. You just cut something with your Athame!

The ability to set limits and boundaries is a powerful skill which some people neglect, especially because of our emphasis upon community and union, trust, love and connection. There are times, though, when we must pick up the Athame and cut things out of our lives or protect our families. Also, when the Athame is seen as the power to separate, the fact that many use the Athame to cast the circle becomes clear. We are literally cutting this place and time off from mundane life.

Before I go on to the other Tools, I would like to touch on the Wand and Athame flipped. Fire is associated with growth, which doesn’t really resonate with the blade symbolism. In that respect I would associate the Wand with Fire; working together and creating new things would be a good example.

Also, when the Athame is seen as Air, we remember that words can cut just as deeply as any sword.

The Chalice and the Pentacle

The Chalice and the Pentacle are more distinctly different than the Wand and Athame, but they too share some things in common. Particularly, many people don’t really know what to “do” with them, other than use them as tableware (and of course, in the Great Rite). Also, where the Wand and Athame are considered masculine, the Chalice and Pentacle are seen as feminine and associated with what are historically considered “women’s powers.” (Again, the Tools represent abilities which are wielded by all people, no matter how sexually dichotomous the language is which describes them.)

The Chalice, in layman’s terms, is a cup. It holds things and it mixes things. Let’s have another experiment. Go find a cup and hold it out to someone (without spilling any of its contents, please).

What happened here? Did the simple act of offering create a desire to give? Did the other person take it? Where the Athame created a rift, the Chalice created a bond. The Chalice is our ability to desire, to give and take, to unite. Love and trust are two of the greatest powers of the Chalice. (Of course, don’t forget obsession and dependence.)

One of the hardest lessons to learn is how to wield both the Athame and the Chalice; to be a Warrior and a Healer.

The Pentacle is by far the most unappreciated Tool of all. What do you do with it? Nothing, it just sits there, and that’s the point. Where the Wand speaks the Pentacle is silent. Where the Wand does, the Pentacle does not. Where the Wand reveals, the Pentacle shields. The Pentacle is silence, self-control and protection. The Athame and the Pentacle work very closely sometimes, especially in the hands of the Warrior. They are the Warrior’s sword and shield. The Pentacle is also the student waiting for the teacher (a Wand figure) to appear.

In Closing

I hope you have noticed that, although I have been focusing on the virtues of the Tools, they also can be used “badly.” Do you try to lead by metaphorically “beating people over the head?” That’s childish use of the Wand.

Do you go around with your Athame metaphorically clutched in your hand at the ready to strike out at anyone who might hurt you? You might need to put it down and work with the Chalice for a bit.

Do you offer yourself to anyone and everyone who may give you some small bit of attention, like a beggar with a cheap tin cup? Do you play Frisbee with your Pentacle? (Of course, I’m asking in a metaphorical sense.) Is your Pentacle 500 pounds and chained to your foot? Use your imagination to learn how to best use your own individual abilities to their fullest.

In the light of this particular paradigm concerning the Tools, the common beginning Wiccan’s exclamation, “I haven’t collected my tools yet!” becomes nonsense. You already have your Tools; you always have and you always will.

No one can give your their power, and no one can take it away from you. When you raise your Wand and call upon the Elements to hear you, you are exerting your will. When you raise your Chalice to the heavens and ask the Gods to fill it with their blessings, you are opening yourself to trust them and connect with them. When you take up your Athame, point it at a criminal on TV and command, “Do not come here, ” you are creating a boundary that cannot be crossed. When you give your daughter a Pentacle to wear, you are giving her a shield to protect her.

These are the true tools behind all magic, from the greatest most wondrous spectacle to the simplest perfect nudge. I hope that you will develop your own understanding of the Tools and how they can be used. My descriptions have only been cursory, and are only my own thoughts derived from what little training I have had.

Author: kodama 93
Posted: December 31st. 2006

2006-12-09T21:21:00.001-05:00

Which Tarot Card are You?

You are The Tower

Ambition, fighting, war, courage. Destruction, danger, fall, ruin.

The Tower represents war, destruction, but also spiritual renewal. Plans are disrupted. Your views and ideas will change as a result.

The Tower is a card about war, a war between the structures of lies and the lightning flash of truth. The Tower stands for "false concepts and institutions that we take for real." You have been shaken up; blinded by a shocking revelation. It sometimes takes that to see a truth that one refuses to see. Or to bring down beliefs that are so well constructed. What's most important to remember is that the tearing down of this structure, however painful, makes room for something new to be built.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

A logo for SCIPA

2006-11-28T12:44:00.000-05:00

I was researching lists of totem animals when I came across one that really feels most like the one that should represent this group.

The Dragonfly

No bird or insect has the flight maneuverability of the Dragonfly. They can twist, turn, change directions in an instant, hover, move up or down, and even fly backwards. The power that dragonfly brings to the tapestry of life is skill. They are experts at what they do and do it relentlessly.
Dragonflies spectacular colors sparkle with iridescence in the sunlight. These colors take time to develop reflecting the idea that with maturity our own true colors come forth.
As newly hatched nymphs, dragonflies live on the bottom of ponds and streams. As they mature and go through metamorphosis they move to the realm of air. Since water represents the emotional body and air represents the mental, those with this medicine will often find themselves trying to maintain balance between their thoughts and emotions.
Children with dragonfly medicine are often very emotional. They feel things deeply and respond to situations with great passion. As they reach adulthood, and through experience, they learn how to balance their emotions with greater mental clarity and control. This gives them the compassionate quality necessary for any type of work relating to healing or counseling.
Dragonfly has the ability to reflect and refract light and colors and is often associated with magic and mysticism. Just as light can bend and shift and be adapted in a variety of ways, so can the archetypal forces associated with dragonfly. It conveys the message that life is never what it appears to be.
By helping a person see through illusion dragonfly awakens ones true vision. Flying at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour they can spot movement forty feet away. Flying into and around things from different angles, they challenge rigid awareness and prompt the energy of change for anyone who holds this medicine.

I am currently developing a logo suitable for this site, one that will incorporate a circle with colors representing the elements and the four watchtowers, dragonflies around the circle, perhaps each colored according to element, or maybe just one dragonfly on a pentagram somehow, but I have to take into account that the Pentacle is mainly a symbol of Wiccans, not all Pagans. I might come up with something else entirely, but I think a dragonfly as a symbol of change, of new awakenings, and intelligence.

Wiccans Unite!

2006-11-23T09:47:00.000-05:00

This story has appeared numerous times in the last six months, and it's time that it was brought out of the shadows and into the forefront. This is an inexcusable case of religious discrimination and it needs to stop RIGHT NOW! http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/11/13/widows.suit.ap/index.html There is no reason why the VA should hinder this request for one more second.

Here is a short list of "excuses" they have come up with so far:

1. Wicca has no central headquarters, and no national spokesperson for the faith. The VA cannot be reasonably sure that the pentacle will be acceptable to all Wiccans.
2. The VA has revamped its proceedures for the application process and simply hasn't gotten around to the request yet.
3. Wicca isn't considered to be a religion because their are so many variants Wiccan tradition, it is hard to define what exactly their basic tenets are.
4. (and my personal favorite) Other families of soldiers who have died would be offended at having to see a Wiccan Pentacle on a gravestone next to their loved one.

Ok, here are my answers to each:
1. Athiests have a symbol. It is an atom with a letter A in it. Where exactly is their national headquarters, and who voted in their spokesperson?
2. Other religious organizations have had their symbol approved since the Wiccan request was first received OVER NINE YEARS AGO. They seemed to have made it through the "application process" just fine.
3. Wicca has been a protected and recognized religion since 1985. It has tax-exemption status with the IRS and First Amendment protection. At least a couple thousand soldiers practice Wicca in the armed services, and have it chosen as their religious preference on their dogtags. Many more thousands decline to name themselves as affiliated for fear of persecution and discrimination within the ranks.
4. I'm sure that alot of Christians are buried next to Muslims, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and many various believers of different religious philosophies. Being buried next to someone who is not a fellow believer of your faith doesn't "infect" you with their belief system, and I'm sure the VA isn't going to start segregation based on religious preference within the cemeteries all over the U.S. And, in the CNN poll, a whopping 76% of those voters uphold the rights of Wiccans to have the symbol of their faith on the headstone.

What is the damn problem over there at the VA? Is their a right-wing nut-job at the decision making desk? Is he the guy that admitted Eckankar and some other very little known religious emblems to the list? Did they have to prove to him that they were ligitimate religions first?

Completely infuriating, folks. That's all I have to say about it.

Merry Meet and Welcome

2006-11-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

This site shall serve as the forum for Pagans and Witches of South Central Iowa to meet and greet, connect with each other through blogs and comments and maybe, (gasp!) meet in person on occasion(weather permitting of course).
I have jouneyed to DSM for meetings on several occasions in the last couple of years, but I find it difficult to make every meeting or celebrate every Sabbat and Full Moon ritual there. That is why I have decided to go out on a limb and set up a virtual meeting place for Wiccans, Witches, and Pagans in our local area, fanning out from Madison, Warren and Marion Counties southward to the border of Iowa. If we ever do get to the point that there is enough interest, then physical meetings will be announced and moved about from town to town so that travel is dispersed as equally as possible.
There have been no officers appointed to this organization, and I am the only one who knows about it so far. I will consider myself to be the founder, but not President or High Priestess, or any of those uppity titles. I am just interested to find some folks out there who are already calling themselves pagan, or who may be just looking into some other alternative paths besides Christianity.
You can read all about me in my profile, and I am listed on Witchvox under my magical name. If you don't know what I am talking about, then you need to visit a couple of basic Wicca 101 info sites to help you on your way. These are listed on the sidebar under Pagan and Wiccan Sites to Visit. Please leave a comment if you even read any of this, and I promise I won't contact you unless specifically invited to do so. I will honor anyone's request for anonimity, and I wish the same courtesy extended for me.
Basically, the intention of this group will be to celebrate the Wheel of the Year, share with each other elements of our individual paths, and discuss various types of Pagan religions, such as Asatru, Druidism, Hoodoo, Wicca, Gnosticism, and many others yet to be discovered. Anyone with an open mind is invited to participate, and I would strongly urge setting up a site on blogger in order to make communication more productive. All you need is internet access and a yahoo or hotmail account.
This site will be updated almost daily, so keep checking back to see if we have enough interest to set up meetings in person.
Blessed Be.

South Central Iowa Pagan Association

Looking For Community?

Celebrating Beltaine (May Day)

The Magic of Moonstone

The Ivy Moon-- October

The Autumn Equinox and Mabon September 21st

The Vine Moon--September

The Witches of Red Haw

The Hazel Moon: August

The Holly Moon-- July

Celebrating Litha (Summer Solstice)

Eostre's Eggs and the Legend of the Easter Bunny

Celebrating the Spring Equinox (Ostara)

Making your own Sleep Charm

Celebrating Imbolc (Candlemas) February 1st

The Birch Moon: December 24th - January 20th

Celebrating the Winter Solstice

Cleansing Ritual for a Sick Friend

The Ivy Moon: September 30- October 27

Wishing Spells

How to Charge Crystals

The Blessing Moon

Ribbon Magic

Casting Simple Candle Spells

The Magic of Crystals

Celebrating the Blue Moon

What made me question Christianity?

The Honey Moon

Beltane (May Day) May 1, 2007

Here is an example of a ritual you may use in your own Beltane observance

"Protect this child and guard her aimfrom any evil, harm, or bane."

"Simple hands weave simple threadsand so make stronger twine.Now celebrate this unionand the blessings of those joined"

"Windborn sprites of mystic airbe with me now, be with me now.And bring your clarity to bearbe with me now, be with me nowSpirit of the air, Welcome."

"Firelit fairies magic sparkbe with me now, be with me nowyour purity to me impartbe with me now, be with me nowSpirit of the fire, Welcome."

"Water nymphs of fountains blessedbe with me now, be with me nowyour empathy bring to my questbe with me now, be with me nowSpirit of the water, Welcome."

"Brownies, elves and earthly wardsbe with me now, be with me nowstabilities enchanted guardsbe with me now, be with me nowSpirit of the earth, Welcome."

"Sun Prince grown now to Sun Kingfullness, warmth, and pleasure bring.Attend my rite and leave your markupon my spirit and my heart.Between the worlds I welcome you"

"Maiden, Mother, Shining Queen,fertility and bounty bring.Attend my rite and leave your markupon my spirit and my heart.Between the worlds I welcome 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."

"Silver and GoldMoon and SunHe and SheCombined as one."

"Blue and Red. Water and Fire.Strength and Courage and Will to survivePeace and Patience, and Wisdom abidecombine to bring my hearts desire"

"Green and Yellow, Earth and Air.Prosperity, Growth, Abundance to sharewith Travel, and Movement, and Confidence thereunite and bring my hopes to bear"

"Spark to ignite travel and movement"

"Spark to Ignite Strength and Courage."

"Spark to ignite Patience and Wisdom."

"Spark to ignite Growth and Prosperity."

"Spark to ignite that which is within."

"All that be,unite in me."

"All that beunited in meAnd no reverseto bring a curse.Harming nonethis be done."

"Spirit within my spirit I thank you for your help and guidance.Stay or go as you shall please.Hail and farewell."

"Maiden, Mother, and Beltane Bride,my thanks for your presence at my side>Stay or go as you shall please.Hail and farewell."

"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."

"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."

"The circle is openyet still unbrokenmerry met, and merry part, and merry meet again."

Use of Wiccan Symbol on Veterans’ Headstones Is Approved

The Pagan Origin of Easter

Ostara---Spring Equinox

10 Things About Being Wiccan

The Spiritual Laws of Witchcraft

Principles of the Wiccan Belief

Jesus tomb found, says film-maker

Veterans rally for right to show their faith

Which Super Hero Are You?

Pentacle Quest Continues

Were You Born On a Cusp?

Supporters Gather at the State Capitol for Wiccan Veterans Religious Rights

Astarte Moonsilver: MIA

What Mythological Creature Are You?

What Kind of Soul Are You

What's Your Element?

So, what do I know?

CANDLEMAS, The Light Returns

What's in a Name?

What Is Wicca?

What is Wicca?

I am a Chimera

Elemental Tools and the Working of Magic: A Paradigm

You are The Tower

A logo for SCIPA

Wiccans Unite!

"Protect this child and guard her aim
from any evil, harm, or bane."

"Simple hands weave simple threads
and so make stronger twine.
Now celebrate this union
and the blessings of those joined"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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"

"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"

"Silver and Gold
Moon and Sun
He and She
Combined as one."

"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"

"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"

"All that be,
unite in me."

"All that be
united in me
And no reverse
to bring a curse.
Harming none
this be done."

"Spirit within my spirit I thank you for your help and guidance.
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."

"Maiden, Mother, and Beltane Bride,
my thanks for your presence at my side>
Stay or go as you shall please.
Hail and farewell."

"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."

"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."

"The circle is open
yet still unbroken
merry met, and merry part, and merry meet again."