Category Archives: The Basics

Can Witchcraft Be Taught?

Posted on by
SOLITARY WITCH by *RareEarthGallery

SOLITARY WITCH by *RareEarthGallery

This is a loaded subject and one for which there is a lot of debate and controversy. It will probably be highly unpopular with many who follow neo-pagan philosophies but, I felt it had to be said.  My opinion is purely my own and based on real life experiences of myself and my family.

First of all, let me state unequivocally that most occult practices, tenets, foundations and principles CAN be taught. Through studied research, discipline in practice and experimentation and perseverance, most any occult or magical practice can be instilled in a devoted student.

All things that are PRACTICAL in nature and deal with physical aspects of working with the Web are highly teachable and beneficial for most. The time frame may be different for each person depending on maturity, discipline and focus, but really, just like any science, the ‘technical’ aspects of Witchery are fairly standard with variances primarily due to culture, geographic region and nature of the Working.

But then, there is the other side of Crafting; the psychic, intuitive, clairvoyant, necromantic and premonitory side that can NOT be taught – that eccentricity and phantom side of Spirit; the obsessive component of a Worker’s personality that knocks her to the left of center, renders her mostly insane and drives her to distraction.  She is haunted and tormented by the Old Ones and the Old Ways and there is no escape.  This ‘possession’ and solitary pre-occupation with Witchery is what cannot be taught.  One is born with it, or not. It cannot be cultivated.

I love to paint. I have yearned to be an artist on the same level as the old masters with flawless techniques and breathtaking skill. I have to admit however, that I will never attain that level of adeptness. I am not a ‘born’ painter. I paint for enjoyment and self-gratification, but I am not ‘painterly’ in mind and Spirit. I am not obsessed with colour and form.  I read that Van Gogh was so in love and obsessed with colour, that he actually ‘nibbled’ on his oil paints¹, taking them in and trying to ingest their beauty.  That is the quirk, the plague and the torment. That incredible desire for complete surrender to one’s passion is what makes someone a true musician, a true painter, a true writer and a true Worker. Insanity is useful and I maintain, even necessary, to the Adept of any science, art or philosophy.

I have to be truthful and say that sometimes, I wish I could ‘unknow’ some of the things I know and change what I am.  There have been times in my life where I tried to shelve my practice and deny who I was. I did this to fit in, to make others around me happy and to conform to society’s ideal of the perfect wife and mother. My denial of self cost me dearly and destroyed much of what I was trying to protect. So it goes.  I am wiser for that experience, however, it has scarred me deeply and in that wounding, I hold my tradition and my practice all the more sacred.

If you feel you are ‘called’ to this Path, please be aware – those who enter the Way to dabble, just to ‘see what happens’ or those who are bored and looking for a distraction may find themselves in serious trouble. The Ancient Powers are in no way kind; They don’t forgive easily, nor do They suffer fools gladly. When you take that leap of faith and dive off into the deep end, you will be embraced, but not as a prodigal son or daughter, but as one of the Dark Faith. This is no watered down Craft, practiced by urban yuppies once a month on the Full Moon. This is serious business. This is the life-blood of the Ancients, the eternal hum of Aether.  It will cost you.  But did you really expect less?

What do we all hope to attain at the end of our lives? When the twilight comes for us, what will we have accomplished at our life’s end? I believe our paths, no matter how learned, no matter how gained, will all end at the same place – to remember ourselves in Death and to recall our life’s lessons; to have honoured our callings as given and our Gods with passion and devotion – to have always been ready to speak the truth and be honourable, even when not in fashion.

We are all called to be ourselves without reservation and to strive in our Spirits for unity with the Divine. Ultimately, THAT is the course of true learning and that is a calling for all.

As our will and intent is expressed, so may it be blessed by the Gods.  May our lives ever be an honour to Their presence.

¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh’s_health

Image: SOLITARY WITCH by *RareEarthGallery

http://browse.deviantart.com/art/SOLITARY-WITCH-99985338

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013

Tiny Gods on the Desert Plain – Finding Moisture in the Spiritual Desert

Posted on by
Image: loadpaper.com

Image: loadpaper.com

Like any sojourner on a spiritual path, I have found my walk at times joyful, painful, exhilarating and excruciating. Any religious or spiritual practice is bound to have peaks and valleys. All of life is cyclical change. Our spiritual paths are no different. You know what I am speaking about; those times of spiritual dryness where the Gods seem distant and silent, where our most heartfelt and sincere petitions and prayers seem to shatter as they leave our lips. Rituals are rote and crusty, hope withers and faith seeps from us, drop by drop, finally pooling, puddle-like, at our feet.

Unlike mainstream religions, I have no scripture to fall back on during these times. I have no ‘written, holy reminders’ of my faith; no gilt-edged texts to pick up and from those glorious pages, glean wisdom and renewed hope. My path is one of illiterate farmers. Even if it could be captured on paper, it never was, for fear of repercussions from the church or damaging gossip from bigoted, superstitious neighbours.

I have nothing but memories; distant, sometimes foggy memories of my dad, puttering around his massive vegetable garden, muttering Mexican blessings on all the plants he grew there. His constant anger at people (especially his family) and the frailty of our human condition as a whole was always abated by the Earth Mother.  Her healing Elements bathed him in repose and in time, his demeanor changed.

When dad taught most anything of a spiritual nature, he typically used a ‘gardening’ analogy. He said that our spiritual lives were like the jalapeño peppers growing his garden – a desert-like, dry environment was necessary if you wanted the peppers really strong in taste and heat.

If you want the peppers mild, you keep them well watered, never allowing them to dry out or wilt. You keep them well-fed, making sure to fertilize them well and see they want for nothing.  This type of care will make the pepper mild tasting, full, fat and soft.

However, if you want really robust jalapeños, you withhold water for a time. You let the plants dry out completely, almost wilting, and then and only then, you water them. You water them deeply and fully, reviving and rejuvenating them…and the cycle repeats.

Dad called this dry period, ‘the little death’. In this way, the pepper grows in power, strength and hardiness, searching for moisture and nutrients. Over time, the ‘little death’ is what makes the Fire Spirit of the pepper. This is what scorches the tongue and burns the belly. This is also what creates the Medicine in the pepper; that strong capsaicin chemical compound that is so beneficial for the circulatory system and heart. This Fire Spirit cleans the veins, scrubs the mouth and opens the chest.

This is life; this is experience, growth and maturity. These dry, dark times of the soul are when we ripen, mature and produce our own Medicine. We are continually being cultivated for our own Fire Spirit; that burning and lusting after the Old Gods and the Old Ways, that obsession over knowledge, wisdom and Power.

The Desert experience separates the mature from the immature, the Powerful from the weak. How we use and approach the Desert is up to us, but approach it we will. Our Gods have no use for our weakness; our portly, pampered states of neediness and constant complaints. They want us strong. They want honour and worship from a people with Fire in their mouths and sparks in their eyes. They want bodies taut with experience and endurance, a people burnt by their own cravings for the Mysteries, self-combusting from the longing; sunburned, pulsating, glowing. We become tiny gods on the desert plain, mortal replicas of the Great Ones.

I find myself now approaching these arid times with gratitude. After the initial fear and resentment of being ‘left alone’ to my own devices has subsided, I reflect and enter a self-made retreat, my own ‘little death’. I speak little, think much, and offer thanks even though I believe no One is listening. I keep working even though I think I am alone. I wilt and wither …and just when I’ve about given up….

my Gardener, She comes.

 

Image: Loadpaper.com

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013

Is Paganism Built on Shifting Sand?

Posted on by
Shifting Sands by EidolonWeasel

Shifting Sands by EidolonWeasel

I recently read an article on a well published website, where a noted blogger was discussing her crisis of faith with modern paganism and its many derivatives. I respect this author and have read her writings for some time, but felt a bit annoyed by the tone of the piece. Now, don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed her honesty and ability to thoughtfully convey her doubts, and readily admit, that even pagan die-hards like myself have periods of dryness, of heartache, of questioning our thoughts and convictions. However, what disturbed me most about the article was the fallback of the author on the ‘spiritual sanctuary’ and ‘inspiration’ of ‘Abrahamic’ religions to offer support that paganism was unable to provide. Really? In the interest of animistic polytheists like myself, I would like to offer a rebuttal….and I hope one as equally thought out and well-written as that of my doubting, searching sister.

The background, the foundation and the infrastructure of monotheistic religion is pagan in origin. In his 1878 Essay on the Development of the Christian Doctrine, John H. Newman wrote:

“The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees, incense, lamps and candles; votive offerings on recovery from illness; holy water; asylums; holy days and seasons, use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the east, images at a later date, the ecclesiastical chant and the Kyrie Eleison are all of pagan origin and sanctified by their adoption into the Church.”

From the dying god mythos to current holiday celebrations of Oestre and Yule, the ‘Abrahamic’ religions felt a need to incorporate the strength, endurance and the longevity of the pagan culture into their own to attract converts and to stabilize a religion that was only gaining followers with bullying tactics and torturous threats.

To me, these examples symbolize the strength and stability of the pagan path and its origins. It deeply resonates with humanity and is not a path of shifting sand, but rather, so strong that its own symbols and ancestral tenets were adopted by a religion grasping for solidity after a sloppy, sophomoric start.

If one is not religious or has no firm anchor on which to attach, then during the buffeting winds of life, one may find oneself battered and bruised and left wondering what the hell happened. Paganism is no different. It is my belief that one must have something greater than oneself to call upon; be it the Gods, Mother Earth, the Cosmos, the Cosmic Web, or the Fates.

Philosopher and historian, Mircea Eliade, in his book, “The Myth of Eternal Return”, views the sacred as ‘….a construct of human consciousness.’ ‘All things reveal and all things conceal, the Nature of Being”. This ambiguity is echoed in doubts of Pagans and Christians, Jews, Hindus and Muslims all over the globe. Doubt is not wholly the pagan’s playground. It is the Nature of things to Change. Change is the only constant and nothing is set, but only our belief makes it so. No religion or belief system holds the key to stability, to sanctuary, to firm foundation, to doubt-free existence. However, I agree with Eliade on the point that the “…Earth herself is intuitively a religious form”. The Earth Mother and the Divine Feminine historically have been ‘anchors’ for pagans; that port in the storm to which we cling.

She is our source of protection, nourishment and Power from which we all draw. We are taken out of ourselves and thrown about the Cosmos on Her whim. She is life to us, She is faith to us, She is mother and destroyer to us. She is not shifting sand. She is mountain, ocean, elemental and solid. There is nothing ‘weak’ or ‘shifty’ abiding here. The Christian and Jewish patriarchs who claim ‘dominion’ over Her must surely be jesting. Dominion?  I see no evidence of man holding dominion over his own paltry life, let alone the most Ancient Gaia. We are ruled by Her moods, Her weather, Her changes and now, our ignorant destruction of Her. We shall pay for our disregard and narcissism.

All of mankind occasionally finds themselves careening through rolling waves of doubt. This is nothing new, nor is there any belief system that will eradicate it fully. I myself rest on the oldest of religions; the primitive, powerful, magical system that has sustained humanity for thousands of years before the birth of an Abraham or Jesus. I need no scapegoat god to hold up my ceiling of faith. I have my ancestors, my Deities, the Earth Mother and the magic of the spheres. I have the elements, the Spirits, the Dark Arts which tap into the Unknown. I shiver in anticipation of my faith. What will it bring? What will be the ending? Doubts there may sometimes be, but faith pervades and ultimately remains sure on a mountain of history, on an ocean of evidence, on a personal decision to return to the archaic and ancient; on all the history and legacy that transcends the shifting sands of time.

References:

Sjoo, Monica and Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother. New York: Harper and Row, 1987.

Eliade, Mircea. Patterns of Comparative Religion. New York: Skeed and Ward, 1958.

Eliade, Mircea. The Myth of Eternal Return or Cosmos and History. New York: HarperTorch Books, 1954.

Image: http://eidolonweasel.deviantart.com/

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013

Self – Combusting: On Fire For Our Gods

Posted on by

Image: pxleyes.com

Like any sojourner on a spiritual path, I have found my walk at times joyful, painful, exhilarating, and excruciating. Any religious or spiritual walk is bound to have peaks and valleys. All of life is nothing but change. Our spiritual paths are no different. You know what I am speaking about; those times of dryness where the Gods seem distant and silent, where our most heartfelt and sincere petitions seem to shatter like glass as they leave our lips. Rituals are rote and crusty, hope withers and faith seeps from us, drop by drop, finally pooling, puddle-like, at our feet.

Unlike mainstream religions, I have no scripture to fall back on during these times. I have no ‘written reminders’ of my faith; no gilt-edged texts to pick up and from that time-worn book, glean wisdom and renewed hope. My path is one of illiterate farmers. What was taught to my Father and then to me, was never written, for fear of repercussions from the church or damaging gossip from some bigoted, superstitious neighbour.

I have nothing but memories; distant, sometimes foggy memories of my Father, puttering around his garden, muttering Mexican blessings on all the plants he grew. Dad said that our lives were nothing more than microcosms of gardens; we are the plants, the Great Mother the Gardener. ‘You can complicate it all you want’, he said, smiling, ‘but in the end, you are no different than a chili pepper’.

I think about that, when my spiritual life is dry and lifeless. One of Dad’s favourite peppers was the jalapeño. He said we were exactly like those jalapeño plants; that if you wanted that pepper hot, strong and forceful, a desert-like environment was necessary.

If you want the peppers mild, you keep them well watered, never allowing them to dry out or wilt. You keep them well-fed, making sure to fertilize them really well during the formation period. You make sure they want for nothing. This type of care will make the pepper mild tasting, full, soft and sweet.

However, if you want really hot jalapeno, you withhold water. You let the plants dry out, wilt, and then, right on the point where you think there is no hope, you water them. You water them just enough to keep them from dying, then, you leave again.

You do this repeatedly, during the life cycle of the pepper. You fertilize sparingly letting the plant seek its own sustenance. Dad called this “the little death”.  In this way, the pepper grows in power, strength and hardiness.

The ‘little death’ is what makes the Fire Spirit of the pepper. This is what scorches the tongue, burns the belly and lips. This is also what makes the Medicine in the pepper; that strong capsaicin chemical compound that is so beneficial for the circulatory system and heart. This Fire Spirit cleans the veins, scrubs the mouth and opens the chest.

This is life; this is experience, growth and maturity. These dark times of the soul are when we ripen, mature and Grow our Medicine. We are being cultivated by the Fire Spirit; that burning and lusting after the Old Gods and Old Ways, that obsession over knowledge, wisdom and Power.

The desert experience separates those who wish they were Workers to those who Are.

How we use and approach the desert is up to us, but approach it, we will. That, is a given.

Our Gods have no use for our weakness; our pampered states of neediness and constant desire. They want us strong. They want honour and worship from people with fire in their mouths and desire in their bellies; people burnt by their craving for the Mysteries.

They want us self-combusting from the longing; sunburned, pulsing, glowing.

We are tiny gods on the desert plain. We are Plants with strong Medicine.

I find myself now approaching these ‘dry’ times with gratitude. After the initial fear and resentment of being ‘left alone’ to my own devices has subsided, I reflect and enter a self-made retreat, my own ‘little death’.

I speak little, I think much, I offer thanks even though I believe no One is listening. I work even though I think I am alone. I wilt and wither and almost die, awaiting my rescue.

But always, just in time, She comes.

My Gardener, always, just in time.

Image: pxleyes.com

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012

The Ways of the Witch: Communication with Spirits Part 1

Posted on by

The way of the Witch, the Shaman, the Worker of the Ancient Ways is the way of Spirit; communication and veneration of the Unseen and Those who dwell within it.  Spirits are the Life Force of the galaxies. The Universe hums and vibrates with Their presence.  They are all around us. They are the voices in our head, the daggers in our hearts and the joys of our lives.  They existed long before man and They will exist long after we are gone.

For people like me, the Spirits and Gods I venerate are what give my life purpose.  I am consumed by Them.  I am hopelessly and eternally lost in love for Them. Because of this devotion, my life is not my own and I am grateful it is not.

As I have grown older, my life’s journey has taken a turn and now, instead of just living for myself, I live and breathe to ensure  They are not forgotten.  There are not many True walkers on the Witching Road.  Many profess to walk, many profit from selling useless trinkets and vague promises, but few actually take the time to travel it; to feel the ruts of those Ancient roads, carved in the Earth by our venerable Ancestors who often gave up their lives for their Gods.

There is much misinformation regarding Spirits. It is no wonder so many of us feel that Spirit communication is difficult or that one must go through a series of complicated initiations and rituals to ensnare the attention and favor of these difficult Beings.  This is the ‘command and compel’ school of thought.  You don’t forge a relationship with the Spirit; you order It to do your bidding.  You protect yourself with sigils, circles, emblems, ceremonial garb and magical tools of all kinds to keep the aggravated Spirit from harming you.  You work in fear, because you know, deep down, one day, your luck will run out.  You will misplace a protective sigil or fail to close the circle entirely, and the very Thing that you have bullied and coerced through discourteous and ungrateful means will finally get you. And They will. And They do.

This practice is an anathema to true Workers who know, that really, Spirits are like humans.  There is nothing complicated here. To get the best out of Them and to get the best out of ourselves while working with Them, we need to forge a relationship.  This takes time.  No ritual, no working, no sigil, no herbal incense or commanding incantation can take the place of spending time with your Spirits and Gods, building that trust, that bond, that communication that only the True Worker knows.

There are kind Spirits and malevolent ones. They are Those who adore us and Those who are not so fond. There are Those who wish to help with very little prompting and then, there are Those who require bribery (grand offerings, sacrifices).  The Spirit mentality is like ours; there is much self-interest. They are grander than we. They are Ancient; Their wisdom timeless and Their vision stretches through the Universe, seeing and taking in all.  Remember your place.  Always treat Them with respect, honour and reverence.  Remember your place. You are mortal; you are requesting Their assistance and aid. Never take Them for granted or treat Them in a callous manner. You will pay for this disrespect.

To me, building a relationship with a Spirit is rather like dating or courting. You meet, you exchange glances, you sense Their interest and They sense yours. You take an interest in what pleases Them, what offends Them, what causes They feel passionate about.  Like us, Spirits have moods, favourite foods, desires, lusts and emotions to express.

Time and attention is what is needed. You need to take the time to get to know the Spirit, because hopefully, your relationship will grow and flourish for years. My Goddesses are my best friends. When I hurt, They are my solace.  When I am frightened, They are my bodyguards. When I am mistreated, They are my avengers.  No human takes the place of the Divine in my life.

Before you decide to embark on the Spirit Road, make sure you’re ready. For once They enter, your life will be forever changed.  Your heart, your perceptions, your priorities, your entire existence will be altered. It is a grand thing. It is the Shaman’s Path that beckons. It is the Way of our Ancestors. It is the Way of the Witch.

Image: http://faithundscience.tumblr.com/post/22438685143

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012

Basics of Smudging

Posted on by

Image source: ArtSimply

Smudging is nothing more than burning herbs, flowers or grasses to cleanse and sanctify a space. I was taught to do this from an early age and have been fortunate enough to witness Medicine Men of the Navajo and Cherokee Nations do the same.

The premise behind smudging is simple: energy is supposed to move. It is supposed to circulate and transfer. When energy becomes stagnant, it can become unhealthy. Everything in Creation has an energy field about it; a vibration, a type of awareness. People, animals, Spirits, plants, water, air, even stones all have energy fields and inherent vibrations in their physiological makeup. The purpose of smudging is to cleanse an area from stagnant, unhealthy, unfruitful and unjoyous energy remnants.

Have you ever walked into someone’s house or office where there had just been a disagreement of some sort? You can feel  the tension in the air. The energy has become unhealthy and detrimental. The focus and balance have been lost. Smudging helps to ‘re-balance’ an environment and all those that dwell within that environment.

The sick and the elderly can also benefit from a smudging.  I have performed healing smudge sessions on the ill to help move the negative energy out and away from them. Even animals can benefit from this practice. My dad used to burn Sage in our chicken coops and barns to cleanse and purify the air and to sanctify the living environment of the animals in our care.

I use White Sage or Mesquite for my cleansing.  Some use Lavender, some use a mixture of many herbs, flowers or grasses. For me, I like the strength and potency of one herb to permeate my environment. Sage is the most traditional in my path and I feel most familiar with its Spirit for cleansing purposes.

A smudge stick is nothing more than the selected herbs rolled together to form a cylinder and typically wrapped with a coloured cord or thread. You can align the colour of the thread with your smudging purposes as well. For example, green to bring prosperity, red or pink to ignite passion or to ‘warm’ up your surroundings and relationships.

While the most common technique of smudging involves sticks, I have seen others merely ignite the herbs in an incense burner. This is also highly beneficial and effective. The purpose of the stick is to allow you to ‘wave’ the herbs and make more smoke, but I have seen incense burners perform the same task just as well. Use whatever method you prefer and feels most comfortable to you.

Once you have your selected herbs, you light them and walk slowly and thoughtfully around the space. I usually say a prayer of cleansing as follows:

‘Great Mother, cleanse this space, cleanse my heart.
All evil and discontent depart.
Only Your love and Your peace remains
Make my life pure and whole again’.

I walk around each room, each corner, each closet, uttering the prayer and waving the lighted smudge stick in the air. If you have carpet, please be careful as some embers can drop.  I have seen people use plates or trays under the sticks to keep any embers from touching the floor.

I try to smudge regularly, usually when the Sister is full. It brings me closer to the Great Ones and I feel pure and clean after. If you have had many visitors to your home or workplace, or have illness or depression, you may need to smudge more frequently. Your intuition will guide you.

After a smudging, you should feel a lightness in your environment; a purer, healthier feeling. Be sure to thank your Deities or Spirits for Their assistance.  Dress and light a candle in Their honour after your session. Be thankful for They are with you and your home, thanks to Them and the purifying presence of beautiful plant Spirits, is pure and healthy once more.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013

Why I am not an Atheist

Posted on by

The Dark Witch by nebelelfenaemy.deviantart.com

There really is no true reason for a Pagan to believe in Deity. I mean, if one is persuaded by a staunch, fundamentalist monotheist, it is imperative that you believe, because if you do not, the future looks rather bleak for you; fire, brimstone, gnashing of teeth, burning with intense heat and breathing in smoke for all time.  I can see why the fear of being damned would make so many choose or even force themselves to believe in a religion or philosophy that they may find illogical or even downright unbelievable.

For a Pagan though, no such pressure exists. I have no fear of eternal damnation. I have no worries of being chained and tortured by the fallen ones. I do not  even have to live a ‘good life’. I can be nasty; I can be selfish, mean, stingy, greedy, and sexually immoral. I can be a liar, a fraud, a thief, a murderer and it matters not, for to be a Pagan means there is no hard and fast dictates of morality, behavior or conformity. In fact, the opposite is truer.  I have never seen such a bunch of free thinkers, individualists, self-expressionists and non-conformists as in Pagan or Heathen circles. I am honoured to be in their ranks.

So why would a Pagan with all these freedoms actually tie themselves down to the honour and worship of a Deity when they don’t have to?  Why go to all that trouble? Because, make no mistake, believing in a Goddess or God isn’t the lazy man’s way. I hold rituals to honour the Great Ones regularly. I make offerings, I create prayers and songs. I read of Them, I learn of Them, I meditate and dream of Them. They take up a lot of my time. Why do I do it?  The reason is because, I have no choice.  I cannot choose NOT to.  I am a natural born polytheist. I am a natural born religionist. I am a natural born believer in the realms of the Unseen.

I cannot choose to be an atheist. There is something either psychologically or physiologically within me that makes it impossible. I have tried in my earlier years to ‘not believe’. I have read many books on atheism and the resulting ‘scientific’ proof that reportedly shows that Divine intervention and guidance stems purely from my own overactive and emotional imagination. I have tried to put those beliefs and thought processes behind me.  But, I always fail because I know deep down in my heart and where my most private and intimate thoughts grow, that They are with me and that, as long as I take breath, They will always live in me.

Perhaps it is true that religion or belief in the Gods is unscientific, illogical or even irrational. That may be. I just know that for myself, I see Them, I hear Them. To deny what I know would be lying and would make me a fraud. I believe more strongly in that which is Unseen, in that which is illogical, in that which baffles and confuses and unhinges us much more strongly and deeply than in any statistic or scientific notation or hypothesis.  My body sings for the Unseen. My whole existence is one of thankfulness and the resultant overflow of gratitude and acknowledgement for the presence of the Gods and the Spirits in my life.

I can’t prove it. I can’t prove that the Gods exist. I can’t prove to a skeptic that I have heard Their voices or that I have seen Spirits of the Dead or that I walk between the Worlds, going back and forth like a commuter to work.  I have no proof. I don’t feel I have to. You are either called to this Path or you are not.  I believe one is born knowing. Teaching the Craft is impossible if the basic makeup of the person is one of doubt, and in only believing what one can see or touch with their physical eyes and hands. Just as I cannot be taught or persuaded to believe any differently, I believe the atheists  and agnostics among us cannot either. They cannot help how they are, any more than I can help how I am. It is set.

I may be insane. I may be the most irrational, confused and demented person on the Earth, but I know what I know.  I know what I believe and I know that at the end of it all, I have been true to my heart and to Them. And in this peace I go on, walking between the Worlds, proud to be Pagan, proud to be polytheistic and deeply religious, proud to be me.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012

Playing at Paganism – I Want It and I Want It Now

Posted on by

It would appear, in our western modern age, that Paganism is experiencing a revival. It is now ‘hip’ to be heathen, and many who were once unfamiliar with Pagan teachings are jumping on the bandwagon, to make sure they ride this tide of popularity.

While I am glad of the resurgence of the Old Religion and elated that Paganism and Occult practice in general is becoming more ‘accepted’,  there is another worrying trend that seems to go hand-in-hand with all things that come easy; that characteristic mood of nonchalance; a lackadaisical, careless, laid-back Spirit that feeds apathy, laziness and a sense of entitlement.  It is the “I Want It and I Want It Now” syndrome; playing at Paganism like a game at recess and then crying when we lose.

The Way, costs. It is not meant to be easy, it is not meant to be taken lightly. People in the past have died for this very belief, for the Earth Mother, for the Old Ways, the Old Gods. The Pagan’s Path of the past was a dangerous, sometimes deadly road.  Our Elders paid dearly with their lives and livelihood, and our current level of popularity and acceptance rests on the skeletal foundation of these honoured Dead.

What I was taught as a girl and what I am learning now, costs me.  When I was younger, it cost me peer acceptance, friends and childhood ‘normalcy’.  I wasn’t out with chums going to parties or joy-riding. I was studying plant Spirits and trance techniques.  I was being taught to be silent, to meditate, to be happiest when alone with only the Spirits as confidantes.  I was isolated.  Even now, as an adult, I still spend most of my time alone. Many so called ‘friends’ don’t really understand that trait. I need that solitude to keep learning, to keep growing and to increase in wisdom and knowledge.  The Way still costs me.  It always will.

I have had people ask me to teach them, saying they are eager to learn what Witchcraft and Occultism are about. I have spent much time on these enthusiastic ‘players’, until I realized that they really didn’t have the discipline or heart-felt commitment to actively pursue this type of study. They were of that genre  who think that magic or Spirit communication is something you can pick up in a weekend. These same people never completed one single assignment, yet whined later that their Walk  just seems ‘weak’ or that the Spirits just won’t talk to them.

They pout like rowdy toddlers, upset that their desires have been thwarted. They treated the whole thing as a lark, as a hobby, as something to do between internet posts, text messages and the latest episode of “True Blood”.  Their light-hearted attitude saddens me and eventually, closes off my compassion towards them.

My Walk is my life. I am not a hobbyist. It is my passion. It is my life’s driving force. It is the thorn in my side and the balm to my soul.  I eat It, breathe It, bathe in It and dream It. I consume It and It consumes me.  I was asked recently by a friend how many hours a day I spend on this ‘Spirit’ stuff. I answered, “24″.  There is no ‘on and off’ switch.  For those who are serious, for those whose feet walk the road less travelled, the way is oftentimes challenging, most times lonely and eventually, compulsively obsessive.

I am not saying that Paganism or Occult practice isn’t fun and isn’t something to be enjoyed. In fact, for me, my practice is the one and only constant that brings me true joy. The whole experience isn’t all work. But what I am stating is due to the staggering popularity of this revival, there is an overwhelming lack of discipline, reverence and respect regarding  Witchcraft in particular and Occultism in general.

These are Ancient Powers. These are Celestial, Infernal and Earthly Authorities that surpass our deepest knowledge or awareness.  The way we approach Them must be with the most reverent and grateful of hearts. Anything less shows a lack of maturity on our parts, a childishness that reeks of arrogance and narcissism. Is it any wonder The Great Ones would ignore that?

I have come to believe that really, deep down, there are few called to this life. There are few with the mentality or the courage to offer their lives in exchange for wisdom and self-knowledge.  The self-sacrifice is a prerequisite.  “To whom much is given, much is required”. {1}  Let it be so, and let the players at Paganism become bored and wander off.  There are other games for them, other sparkly toys for their eternally short memory spans.  Let them stay always at play. Let them forever remain spoiled, reticent children. And, let them stay, far, far away from me.

 

References:

{1} Bible: Luke 12.48

“True Blood” – HBO Series produced by Alan Ball

Image: Sheknows.com

 

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013

Speaking Through the Veil – Ancestor Veneration

Posted on by

The idea and practice of ancestral honour for modern pagans is one that has not found a huge following. This is strange when you consider that every continent and almost every country on Earth, practices or has practiced ancestor worship or honouring of the familial dead for thousands of years; Africa, Egypt, Rome, China, Japan, Korea, Burma, Mexico, South America, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Europe and North America.

It is sad that we as modern pagans, especially those of us who claim to communicate with Spirits regularly, ignore or neglect this basic tenet of paganism.

In my tradition, the Veil of Death is a reality; a thin gauze of perception that separates the ‘Living’ from the Dead. It can be breached, and Those on the other side can come to us, and we can go to Them. It is the Way of the true Worker to operate on both sides of the Veil, traversing back and forth with caution, care and courage.

Veneration of the deceased is based on the belief that souls of the Dead have an existence past this world and can help influence (for good or ill), the daily fortunes and circumstances of the living. Some people make propitiation to their angry Dead, trying to placate and appease. Some honour out of filial duty and consider it a cultural obligation, nothing more.

In many Egyptian, Eastern and Native American cultures, homage is paid to ensure the soul’s well-being in the land of the Dead; to ease their journey across the Death River and to help make them comfortable in their new home. In that way, the living help the Dead in the transition and hopefully, the Dead will return the favour when once safely across the River.

There is a difference between ancestor veneration and ancestral worship. While I honour my Dead, I do not worship them. They are not Deity. The veneration is a remembrance, an offering of gratitude for what they did for me when they were alive and hopefully, for what aid and guidance they can offer me through their deaths. In cases where the relationship may have been strained or tenuous while one party was alive, showing respect and honour after death can bring healing and reconciliation.

I have found this true in my own case, with my mother especially. There were things I meant to ask her and things I wanted to tell her before she passed. I have now told her those things and received of her the same. Even in Death, our relationship is one of constant change and shades of emotion. Death does not heal all wounds.

Ancestral veneration is neither difficult nor complicated. I have an altar with pictures of my father, mother and grandma (the three most influential people in my life). I have a bit of tobacco for mom and dad who were both smokers, snuff for grandma, a few candles and some vodka (mom loved vodka). For my aunt, who I stayed with often, I have a handkerchief (she cried very easily) and one fresh flower.

I usually honour them when the Sister is full, sitting in quiet thought, conversing with them. I remember their influence on my life; what they gave, what they took away, and how I can still learn from them. It’s interesting because often, during these meditative states, my memories are jarred and I recall things that I thought I had forgotten; plant Spirit workings with my dad, card reading techniques with my mother, jokes, stories….memories from the Shadows.

The Veil is thin. We tap into that unconscious state, where the living and the Dead are the same. This mortal coil cannot hold our Spirits back from our ancestral bloodline. Our family lineages provide us strength and stability in a world of constant change. I know that I too, one day, will be deceased. I hope to be a help to my bloodline, to my family tree. I hope to provide wisdom and a helping hand to my descendants as I am able.

Often, many people won’t have a permanent altar, but will honour their dead on certain days of the year. For me, this day is Dia de los Muertos, (Day of the Dead), usually on November 1st. The night before (Halloween or Samhain), I prepare Mexican dishes that my family enjoyed and set out their portions on a table lit with candles and decorated with fruits and flowers. I ask for their presence, aid and guidance. I leave the food overnight. The next day, (November 1), I remove the food and return it to the Earth Mother.

This food has been ‘eaten’ by the Dead. We are not to eat it or throw it out as this is disrespectful. Laying the food outside allows the creatures of the Earth and the Mother’s own grounding capabilities to safely dissipate the energy of the Dead. I offer prayers and written petitions to them on this day. I keep a consecrated candle lit for all three of them. I feel gratitude, I feel honoured to have known them and I feel blessed that their presence is still in my life.

If you are not quite ready to commit to an permanent ancestral altar, please do take the time to remember your deceased, at least once a month, preferably when the Sister is full. Light a candle, burn some incense, make an offering, say a prayer. Just REMEMBER. Their blood pulses through your veins, their heritage is yours, their aid and assistance yours for the asking. The Veil is thin. We can communicate through it.

“We die with the dying:
See, they depart, and we go with them.
We are born with the dead:
See, they return, and bring us with them”.

T. S. Elliot – Four Quartets

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013

What are the Dark Arts?

Posted on by

The Dark Arts are certainly not for everyone. In fact, most people shy away from the term, preferring to ignore it, in hopes it will go away.  The dark is scary, unknown, and evil, right? No one who is good has any ‘dark’ traits. If you are nice, you are light and good. If you’re bad, you are dark and evil.  I think, however, that if these same people were being truthful, they would have to admit that even they too, have a ‘dark’ side to their cheery, nice personalities; that ‘naughty boy or girl’ who comes out, say, after a few drinks, or if someone cuts them off in traffic or if they’ve been gossiped about at the office.

The idea of mere ‘duality’ existing in the Universe is utter nonsense, fed to us by monotheistic religions who wish to control, dominate, subdue and persuade. There are, in fact, multiple shades of grey; progressing from the most blinding, eye piercing white to the dankest, most hollow, soul-sucking black. Nothing on the Web (in the created Universe), is ALL good or ALL evil. NOTHING. The christian mythos of an ‘all pure and loving god’ versus an ‘all evil and hateful devil’ is deceitful and a distortion of the truth. If it goes against the grain of monotheistic teachings, it is wrong, baneful and beastly, dark, sinful, unholy, unclean, negative and deserving of punishment and retribution.

The simple truth is the Universe just doesn’t work this way. It never has. No such thing as justice, fairness or morality exists in Nature. That is not how the macrocosm works and thusly, that is not how the microcosm works (as above, so below).

The Web is made of Strands (currents) which fluctuate second by second. The Web has no sympathy. It has no feelings of sorrow or pity. It moves by the dictates of the Mother and the Three Sisters of Fate; She who creates the Strand, She who weaves it and ultimately, She who cuts it. They work indiscriminately, without mindfulness of justice, love, peace, or forgiveness. They care not.  So-called ‘negative’ currents such as death, decay and destruction are as necessary to the running of the Cosmos as life, abundance, and construction. Life is cyclical, “What goes around, comes around”. The only constant is change; “This too, shall pass”.

When something bad happens to you, it is not ‘karmic punishment’. It is not a holy god’s retribution on you for being sinful. It is life. LIFE is happening to you. Illness, want, disease, heartbreak, despair, desire and ultimately death, come to us all. Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people. The Universe is not fair, just or kind. That is why, as Pagans, we cannot just embrace ONE side of life; we can’t just take the pleasurable things and never experience or acknowledge the painful. We can’t just take the light and never embrace the dark. That goes against the natural order.

For me, the only true Path can be that of acceptance and acknowledgement of dark and light and the myriad shades in between. The Power is always neutral, non-judgmental, and impartial. The goal then, for any Worker of the Old Ways, is achieving one’s own end; using the neutral Power of the Cosmos to attain personal and public goals and to influence outcomes; the Dark Arts.

Left, right, middle hand path, it doesn’t matter. The Web is being shaken by your motives, your intent, your spells, rituals and incantations. Every word you utter, every thought you think, every desire in your heart are co-creators of life, of destruction, of change. We influence the Web by our mind and our actions, and in return, It influences us.

The cost of accessing and using this Power can be great. Many fall to insanity, to ruin, to degradation of self and others. Every act of crafting, every curse or blessing, every petition, rocks the Cosmic Web. The Strands undulate, blowing with every exhale of the Mother. Each Strand; a soul, a current, a hex or a healing, a friend or a foe.

Be wary then, of asking for too little, of asking for too much, or really, of asking for anything at all. There is always a payment due. What the Gods give with one hand, they take away with another. There is always a reaction, a ripple effect, from the Web. Nothing is free. Even for the Dark Arts, this is true.