Odd Man Out – Conservatives in Paganism

It’s a real pet peeve of mine – that all pagans are stereotypically uber-liberal, Birkenstock-wearing, coop-shopping, commune-living eccentrics whose every idea flies in the face of the mainstream. Certainly there is nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned activities, but they are not criteria for inclusion into Pagandom. And they’re certainly not to be associated with Paganism. Paganism is a belief system, something you live, an intangible abstract which isn’t necessarily obvious to others.

One of the most beautiful things about the pagan community is its diversity. We see the eyes of the God and Goddess in everyone – regardless of gender, orientation, preferences, ideologies or anything else. That’s why I become dismayed when I see my erstwhile tolerant pagan brethren look askance when other pagans don’t share their points of view.

Paganism is not a contest to see who can be “freakier than thou”. The fallacy is believing that you can judge a good pagan by how left-of-center they are; or conversely, can become a good pagan by espousing behaviors which may not be considered commonplace in our society. The pagan community is one of the most tolerant faith-based groups on this planet. You will find people of every color, sexual persuasion and type welcomed. Because of this, sometimes we may forget the silent minority in pagandom – the conservative. Conservative is a relative term, too…because it doesn’t necessarily mean conservative on a political level, but people who are less likely to choose behaviors which might be new and avant garde.

While it is perfectly ok to embrace a plethora of lifestyles, it’s also ok to NOT partake of them. Let me give you an example which I have experienced. Those who know me know that I am unabashedly straight and monogamous, though that often makes me a minority in many pagan circles. I cannot count the number of times I’ve been accused of being a prude, or elitist, or even a “bad” pagan because I choose not to be polyamorous or partake of a plural relationship, or embark on a relationship with another woman.  It’s simply not my thing. I like being straight and I like being with one man.Apparently, being “vanilla” to some equals being closed minded. Let me assure you, nothing is further from the truth.

And there are many pagans who feel they must – or are sometimes pressured into – partaking in plural relationships (also known as polyamory), or BDSM, or other non-mainstream behaviors, in order to be a good pagan. If they’re not a part of something “freaky”, then they’re not really pagan because they’ve sold out. We as pagans need to make sure to change this misconception within our own community.

In my travels, I have met pagans of all types: straight, gay, transgendered, polyamorous, republican, democrat, monogamous, bisexual, omnisexual, and more. Imagine me trying to tell one of my lesbian friends that they’re being closed minded because they choose not to be intimate with men? Crazy thought, huh? Yet people seem to think it’s ok to do the same to a pagan who chooses to be a little more circumspect, a little less “out there” than some. Personal preference is personal preference. No matter how convincing you think you are, it’s not your job to “turn me” into something I’m not.

I will admit that I am a little more conservative than most of my pagan friends. I don’t have tattoos, no multiple piercings, and really the only thing that separates me from my neighbors is that I have a few more Deities than they do. Like many, maybe most pagans, I think that as long as you don’t intentionally hurt others, what you do in the privacy of your own home is your own beeswax. I don’t need to know about it, nor do I need to feel guilty because I don’t partake in it. In spite of my boringness, I am a good pagan. I write, I teach, I learn, I share what I know with others, I participate in my local pagan community. I don’t need to prove my “pagan-ness”. I’ve seen new pagans feel that they need to take part in activities they wouldn’t normally indulge in, only to prove that they’re not “closed minded” or too square to be a pagan.

There are people in the community who sometimes feel that their activities outside paganism are what paganism is. Paganism is not being a vegetarian, it’s not BDSM, it’s not your sexual practices, it’s not your gender preferences, it’s not the clothes you wear or the political causes you take up. They are not part of your pagan practice – they are part of your personal practice, which is different for everyone. What makes one a pagan is actually very simple: do you connect with Deity? Do you recognize the cycles of the earth as sacred? Do you honor every person you meet as an aspect of the God and Goddess? The Gods don’t care what you do when you close your bedroom door. Nor do they care what style of clothes you wear, or what political candidate you are backing this year. They care about your integrity, your spiritual evolution and whether or not you are true to yourself (and others).

Over a decade ago, I met a woman who was beaten severely at the hands of her “high priest” (non-caps intentional). He was into bondage/discipline/sado-masochism and incorporated it into his practice. It made me a little sick to my stomach to think that there are people out there who define paganism by the use of these behaviors. What consenting adults do is not my concern…but it isn’t my faith either, and I resent people trying to tell me that it is.

Yep, this is my pet peeve and though most pagans are not guilty of it, the ones who are guilty of this have affected my interactions with pagans to a great extent. As a rule, there’s a “live and let live” mentality in pagandom. But there are a handful of folks out there who continue to view more conservative folks – or perceived conservatism (as I’m pretty liberal when compared to mainstream folks) – as an attack or judgment against them. They look at people like me with derision, as if we are elitist or have some sort of superiority complex. When more conservative pagans say “It’s not my thing”, they sometimes hear “I don’t do it because it’s a bad thing and you’re bad for doing it.” That is not the case at all.

Being a pagan is about honoring our spiritual Selves and connecting with our own Divine nature; it’s about recognizing and respecting our unique differences and needs. It’s not about who is a “better” pagan or making an assumption about someone’s spiritual evolution based upon the person they choose as a partner, what they choose to wear or what causes they wish to champion. The way to be a better pagan is to transcend these petty fallacies and to be the best person you can.

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 7

What’s all this mean?

On a spiritual level, we are all potential recruits being evaluated by the Gods. 2009 was all about culling – transformation and change. It is about cutting away those things which keep us from our goals. I know have had to do that with a lot of my spiritual work and those who were keeping me from it (even unintentionally). I had to get over the fact that sometimes “newagers” and “fluffy bunnies” carry kernels of truth that my own personal bias would have otherwise dismissed, and that whether you see Spirit as “Cerridwen” or “Angels” or “Fairies” or “Dragons” or whatever name you wish to put on it – it’s still a part of the Divine. This realization, change and transformation is sometimes painful. Sometimes it makes us cast a critical eye upon ourselves. But there is no growth without pain, and growth is all about change. You can’t have one without the other. It is a testament to our own Divine Selves to endure the difficult times, so that we might discover Wisdom.

In 2010, the trees of our lives have been pruned and are ready to grow in a more productive manner. I anticipate the Universe giving me many opportunities to get my act together by making me set aside any resentment, residual elitism, or other negative behaviors which might put me out of whack with where my Gods want me to be.

Once I feel comfortable with that change, 2011 will show me the skills I need to cultivate in order to “do the Work”, as my Sire Priest used to say. I wonder what that will mean. Am I to be positioned as a teacher? A writer? An observer? An energy worker? A diviner? Or will I be called upon to do something completely new & different?

2012 will be about receiving, but the question is: Receiving what? New responsibilities, benefits, change? Is it a judgment of sorts, where we will reap what we sow?

At the risk of sounding cliché, time will indeed tell. My meditations only gave me a brief glimpse into the possibility of what’s out there, out of many possibilities available.

I will say this: the next few years will be interesting to see how my meditation plays out. I don’t even know if it’s a message for me, or for people in general.

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 6

Aligning, Positioning and Receiving

Once the executive has identified potential recruits (weeding the crummy ones out), he puts his candidates in strategic positions to ensure they have the appropriate attitude and viewpoints which support the mission. This is the time for the candidate not only to learn about the executive who hired them, but more importantly to learn about the company, its philosophies, ethics & methodologies – and decide to either join forces, or part ways and find something more suited to them.

The executive then sees which recruits have embraced his (read: the company’s) methodologies and mindset of the organization. Essentially, he determines which people will play well in his sandbox. At that point, the recruits are put in positions and given responsibilities which will prepare them for the team’s mission and their part in it. This includes training and further evaluation.

At this point, the executives and the rest of the team evaluate each other until they are relatively sure that every other person on their team has a similar commitment and purpose. They are relatively sure that each person is a viable & productive team mate; who will be committed to furthering the mission and goals of the team and the organization as a whole. They are now peers, and given the full responsibilities and respect due to them. They are now part of the greater whole.

Next post: Meditation, part 7 – What does this mean?

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 5

Culling is a term most often associated with animal husbandry. If I got to www.wikipedia.org, it says: “Culling is the process of removing animals from a group based on specific criteria. This is done in order to either reinforce certain desirable characteristics or to remove certain undesirable characteristics from the group.” My understanding of this is that culling gets rid of any animal that is detrimental to the whole. If you have a sick animal, you need to make sure it doesn’t infect the rest; if you have a disruptive animal (one that bites, is aggressive), you remove it before it harms the rest of the group.

From a spiritual viewpoint, however, culling is about removing those things / behaviors / people which harm you as a whole person.

Being a business professional in the mundane world, my mind (or was it again Spirit explaining things to me using concepts in my ken?) came up with this scenario: An executive (I’m gonna call it a HIM, just for ease of writing), looking to build the right team first approaches, say, a college or other organization to recruit prospective folks. Those people meet with him and he interviews tons of folks. Then he divides the people he’s interviewed into 2 groups – those with the qualities he’s looking for, and those who just “don’t get it”.

This is culling – the separation of those individuals who are not healthy to preserve the integrity of the greater whole.

Next post: Meditation, part 6 – Aligning, Positioning & Receiving

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 4

Ok, back to the meditation. The gentleman in the clearing sits down and I do the same, facing him. He said, “The current Wheel is about culling” and in my mind I could see forest fires, and then a large refuse bin (you know, those big ones about the size of a boxcar) outside my house, filled to the brim.

He continued, “The next Wheel will be about aligning; the following Wheel will be about positioning. Then the Wheel will allow us to receive.”

He stood up and walked out of the forest, leaving me to ponder on what he just said. I knew it was important, so I sat there and thought about the 4 words he used:

Culling

Aligning

Positioning

Receiving

This would correspond to the 4 years in question: 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. I began to meditate on each of these terms in a more macroscopic view.

Next post: Meditation, part 5 – Culling

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 3

Let me segue into what I think about this “2012 stuff”. (Current note: Yes, I know I already did a whole post on it, but work with me here)

I will start by saying that I believe the human race will be here to see 2013. I am a prophecy buff by nature. Nostradamus, Cayce, Casteneda, Mother Shipton, Hogue, etc., I believe the Mayans. Like many other civilizations before (and unlike) us, they were incredibly spiritual. I do not believe that the end of their calendar and the date when the earth goes through the galactic center is a coincidence. But I also know that prophecy, like most spiritual things, should rarely be taken literally.

Like our meditations, the Universe converses with us in a symbolic language unique to the viewer, and it is as difficult to decipher and interpret prophecy as to understand it.

Do I think something is on its way? Absolutely. Do I think it will be the literal “end of the world”? Not so much. At the risk of sounding too much like a “newager”, I think it will be a time when we will change our understanding of the world. I am hopefully optimistic that it will herald an age of tolerance, peace and spiritual evolution.

Or so I hope.

Next post: Meditation, part 4 – back to the meditation

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 2

I am walking along the edge of my familiar forest – the one I frequent when I meditate. Everything seems in order, nothing is out of place or strikes me as odd. I venture into the forest, into a small clearing within the grove. This is where I usually interact with Spirit in whatever guise it chooses to take (usually as a patron God or Goddess or other spiritual entities).

Standing there was someone I had never seen before. He was an older gentleman, not aged, but definitely not young. As this meditation happened in December, it could have been the Holly King who was about to reach his apex, so it wasn’t particularly strange to me.

A truism in my meditative experience is that the Gods don’t show up without a reason. Not being one to offend, I approached the gentleman in the clearing. He said, “What do you wish to know?”, which in my experience means “Ask me something, but I can’t promise you’ll like the answer.” Being the end of the mundane year, I said, “What things are coming up for me?” I was expecting something direct like “It will be a year for you to concentrate on [whatever my focus should be]” or indirect like “The red duck flies at midnight” and leave me to figure out what the heck he meant. I received neither type of answer.

He said, “I kknow you don’t believe in all that 2012 stuff, but the next few wheels will be very important.” In my world, a Wheel is a year cycle.

Next post: Meditation, part 3 – a segue into the 2012 conundrum

Open My Eyes – A Meditation in Many Parts – Part 1

I am a firm believer in meditation. It doesn’t have to be the uber-spiritual, hyper-mystical kind either. Just a chance to give the Gods / Spirit / Universe a few minutes of your day to help you reconnect, recharge & renew.

I spend about ½ hour a day in meditation, and not always at the same time. I know, there are purists out there who are aghast at my non-conventional methods, but there it is. I guess you can call me an “opportunistic meditator”. To me, meditating can be as simple as focusing on some issue in my life or just being grateful. But it is more often spent in the Shadowlands – what other might refer to as the Spirit World or Astral / Akashic Realms. Rarely do I share my experiences with others; these times are intensely personal – and to be honest, they’re rather boring.

However, a recent meditation late last year was the exception. I shared it with two people whom I trusted, and both told me the same thing – I needed to share this with others. Well, I have this here blog, so here I go!

Please remember that this is my meditation, and the Universe / Gods / Spirit speak to me in the language & symbology I understand. It might not make sense to anyone else – hell, most of the time it doesn’t make sense to me either!

Next post: Meditation, part 2 – the Beginning

2012 –One Pagan’s Perspective

So, I’m thinking about 2012 a lot, mainly because it’s become a part of so many conversations lately. I watched the 2012 movie when it came out in November 2009 – it was a lot of fun, but that’s about it. I watch the documentaries, but no one can agree on anything more than “The Mayans Said it”. And there are eleventybillion books out there, each contrary to the one before it. /sigh  

The New Age / Metaphysical / Alternative Theology / Pagan communities have long been fascinated with prophecy. Rattling off names like Nostradamus, Carlos Castaneda, Mother Shipton, and Edgar Cayce seems to have become commonplace, and most people are familiar with at least one of these names. Even whole cultures have prophecies, such as the Hopi Nation and the Maya.

It’s funny to think that the general populace knows more about the 2012 prophecies than about almost any other set of prophecies throughout history. We also know frighteningly little about those same prophecies. I guess what I’m saying is that we know just enough about these words to cause a great deal of fear and not a lot of empowerment. Media, television, movies, books, and the internet give us both information and DISinformation on the topic. If we believe the hype, December 21, 2012 will be filled with (a) fire and brimstone, (b) earth pole shifts, giving way to cataclysms, (c) the end of the world on a physical level, (d) alien visitations, (e) humanity being brought kicking & screaming to a higher / fifth dimension either through extraterrestrial intervention or through vibrational evolution, (f) the Elite (whoever they are) will finally control the world or (g) absolutely nothing.

So confusing! So hyped! So scary! So mysterious!

So what!

I am the first person to admit that I’m fascinated by prophesy. But as a tarot reader / intuitive and a teacher of divination, I understand that the future is never set in stone. I, like many of my more spiritually minded friends, know that visions of the future are sometimes shrouded in allegory or symbolism. Sometimes visions of the future are nothing more than a warning; someone saying, “If you continue doing what you’re doing, this is the most likely outcome”.

Back to 2012 and the hysteria that has been going along with it. The bottom line is that no one knows what is going to happen. The Mayan long count calendar ends, but that might means something other than “OMG we’re all gonna die!”. Like most other civilizations (and unlike our own), the Mayans seems to have viewed time as cyclical, not linear. It’s not as if their concept of time is like one big ol’ version of “Groundhog Day”, but about evolutionary cycles. If you look at other civilizations, you will find that time as a series of spirals or cycles is commonplace and this understanding makes up a fundamental tenet in paganism today. Maybe the Mayan grand cycle was ending and they wanted to make sure people knew that this was a time to embark on a new cycle. This new cycle would share some of the same qualities as the old but because of our experiences, it would be evolved. So, and please pardon the pun, why reinvent the wheel?

Maybe the Mayans believed that we as humans are going to change in a fundamental way and their calendars would be superfluous? Maybe it was beyond their understanding at that time to consider whether humans would still be around this long!

But don’t mistake my skepticism for disbelief, either. Anyone who is even vaguely aware of what is beyond their 5 senses realizes that something odd has been brewing for the past few decades. Like a pot of water ready to boil, there’s something afoot on a spiritual and psychic level. I don’t know what it is precisely, but I do listen to theories and speculation – everything is within the bounds of possibility.

I sincerely hope the changes which do come are positive – but that result is wholly dependent on how mature we as a civilization are. We as a society need a good kick in the pants – ethically, socially and spiritually. Continuing in our current way is not going to help us as a whole. But as of right now I don’t think that some of the cataclysmic earth changes are going to happen in the way some people fear it will. What I’d love to see is a moment of spiritual enlightenment for the peoples of this planet, which might mean an end to wars & strife. Maybe that’s my overactive idealistic side rearing its ugly head. Either way, I’m excited to think about the possibilities and to see how this will manifest. So many civilizations have pointed to this time when something significant will manifest – it can’t be coincidence, can it?

I’m sure I’ll be tackling this subject again in the next two years, but I think I’ll still be saying “see you all in 2013”!

Male Witches or “Are you a Warlock?”

Oftentimes I meet people who aren’t sure how to approach this Wicca, Witchcraft, paganism, and Witches thing, other than what they see on television or through folklore and stories. Most of the time, I look at it as an opportunity to educate cowens (non-pagans) about what it is we do. Last year, I attended a pagan wedding which – because it was held on Samhain – attracted the attention of a large local newspaper. The print and photojournalists were really nice folks who seemed genuinely interested in our world and were very respectful and kind of our beliefs. How refreshing!

The journalist I spoke with wanted to know what the protocol and etiquette was of using the word “Warlock” to identify a male Witch, innocently of course. Couldn’t blame her for asking, since we’ve all been taught since we were little babes that a guy who practices magick was a Warlock. It got me to thinking, as I spent a few moments clarifying why that term is not widely used in the pagan community.

According to Wikipedia, the commonly accepted etymology derives Warlock from the Old English wǣrloga meaning "oathbreaker" or "deceiver". It is considered in polite Witchy society to be a bit of an insult, and those who choose to call themselves are looked at a bit askance. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still used in pagandom, but usually by Luciferians, Satanists or simply uneducated Wiccans who are looking for a bit of a shock value.

It is said that during the period we pagans refer to as “The Burning Times” – what historians refer to as the Inquisition – Warlocks were those who would trade information for safety. They would happily divulge names, times & places of worship and real or made up details to keep the Inquisitors neck deep in Witches to torture, under the guise of God’s Grace. Today, we Witches still use the term “Warlock” as both a noun AND a verb. A Warlock refers to a person who has broken their oaths and has betrayed their coven and/or Tradition. It also refers to the act of the formal banishment of that individual from his or her coven or Tradition. If you hear of someone having been “Warlocked” from their tradition or group, it usually means they have been deemed an oathbreaker by a Council of Elders (or a similar tribunal) and it’s a hint and a half that this person has some significant baggage. I don’t know of many Witches who traffic with Warlocks. Certainly I don’t have high opinions of those who have been Warlocked, and give a wide berth to those who freely call themselves that.

Warlocks do exist but not in the definition of the mainstream. I’ve heard of pagans new to the Craft, especially males, who choose to refer to themselves as Warlocks. Some of these folks change their self-affixed labels when they are educated about the etymology of the word and the baggage behind it, but some hold onto this label. I’ve tried to be openminded about this, and understand that my way is not the only way to practice. Maybe the word “Warlock” is a name male Witches want to reclaim as their own. If that is the case, I think it would be a herculean task to change perceptions both within and without the pagan community.

Maybe this begs the question – do we as a pagan community need to come up with a word which describes a male Witch? Witch – as a word – often connotes a female, most likely through lore and common (mis)beliefs of the past centuries. While I like names to be gender neutral, it seems to me that our pagan men may feel like they are getting lost in a rather gynocentric religion. The desire to affix a label or moniker to separate themselves from the women of the Craft suggests that men wish to maintain their masculinity. I think it’s not a bad idea to consider. Unfortunately, the term “Warlock” in its current definition does not apply to 99.9% of male Witches in the Craft.

In Witchcraft today, a guy who is a Witch is just that – a male Witch. An argument can be made to simply use one name all the way around. A Witch is a Witch is a Witch. Male, female; straight, gay, bisexual, transgender; carnivore, vegan; what other labels you choose for yourself is your own business. Being a Witch is not about what plumbing you have, or what you prefer in this life. It is about identifying yourself with this particular belief system. The Gods don’t care very much about your gender. Come to think of it, they could care less about labels either!

So, I continue to tell people who ask that when they refer to a make Witch, they should simply say “Witch” or “Wiccan” if that is appropriate. Until such time when the term Warlock has better connotations within our own community, I think I’ll continue using the term Warlock as I was taught.

And what of that news story? The journalist didn’t call anyone a Warlock. Mission accomplished!

What’s so Important about a Lineage, anyways?

A lineage is a complicated thing. In anthropology it is a descent group that can demonstrate a connection or evolution from a common ancestor. In evolution, one’s lineage connects us to our relations from a common forebear. In Buddhism, lineage is the line of transmission of Buddhist teachers. In martial arts, a lineage is a line of teachers within a particular discipline. But in Traditional Wicca / Witchcraft, a Lineage is a direct line of power within a Tradition. This line of power is passed at one’s Initiation.

Initiation means “to start”. That’s what it is…no matter how much you’ve learned, studied, experienced, your Initiation is the beginning of a new spiritual life. On my own Initiation night, my High Priest said to me, “Now your training really starts.” Much as it chagrins me to say it, he was right.

When a person is Initiated in Traditional Witchcraft, it is more than a ritual recognizing that they’ve put in a certain amount of time or have completed the Tradition’s curriculum. An Initiation shows that a person has demonstrated mastery of the concepts of the Tradition – on an academic and practical level – which shows that they are now ready to connect to the Tradition group mind/soul. The Initiator passes on that Power to the Initiate.

In Traditional Witchcraft, your Lineage is sacred. It details the unbroken line that your Tradition had from its founder to you, and then to those you’ve Initiated in turn. In it, you see the evolution of your Tradition and how you and your Tradition have grown throughout the years.

This is not only seen in Traditional Witchcraft, although you will see it more often than not in that dynamic. Eclectic Witchcraft/Wicca can have their own type of lineage, where they connect the group Egregore to their members. The individual then takes part in the creation, development and maintenance of that Egregore. What’s an Egregore? Well, it’s an occult term which represents a thoughtform or collective group mind – it is the entity of a coven, Tradition, or other type of magickal working group which is greater than the sum of its parts. An Egregore is why each coven/Tradition/working group has a “personality” apart from any of the participants, including the leaders.

Sometimes people don’t understand this need for a Lineage. Non-Traditionalists might misconstrue our need for Lineage as a way for Traditionalists to show off or exhibit elitism. But it is very important, and vital to the growth and survival of pagan Traditions.

So, why is a lineage so important to Traditionalists?

Traditions can consist of dozens of covens strewn all around the world, with thousands of members. Not all of us know every person in our Tradition. For us, a Lineage assures that the person who is claiming to be part of our Egregore is who they say they are. If they have a verifiable lineage, we can know who is responsible for their teaching and know what they’ve been taught and by whom. It’s a way for us to vouch whether a person is for real or just making up claims which are untrue.

Lineages are also a way for us to make sure that our Initiates are acting in accordance to their Initiatory oaths – if they are acting in a prohibited fashion, we have a way to make sure that their upline is aware of it and can take the steps necessary to make things right. This is very true of Oathbound Traditions – Traditions who have sacred/secret information that they reserve for those within their Tradition – and to keep that information from falling into hands who have not earned the right to know.

Traditionalists require Lineages because it helps us obtain vouches from a person’s upline. A vouch is someone who will verify that a person is in good standing in the Tradition. For example, if I say I’m Lady Silkysoft of the FloofyPoof Tradition, and I was initiated by Lord Pomegranate Bronzescramble, you can go to him and verify if I’m legit or not. This can be important to retain Tradition integrity, especially if Lord Pomegranate says, “OMG she’s a flake and we kicked her out of the coven 3 months after joining because she was so disruptive!”. You can bet that other Elders will not be sharing anything with me!

Lineages are also important because they show a family tree and the history of your tradition. They allow others of the Tradition to have a better idea of the type or focus of training and experience a person has had – for example, if you know that Lord Pomegranate was a dedicated herbalist and worked strongly with Poseidon, you’ll know that his Initiates will probably be well versed in herbalism and have a better understanding of Poseidon than others might. It’s also a way to identify oneself within a Tradition. They might not know me, but they might know Lord Pomegranate and say, “Oh, you’re one of Bronzescramble’s family? Well, you’re welcome to come and circle with us tonight!”

One’s Lineage should never be used to belittle others or brag. In fact, most Traditionalists rarely recite their Lineage outside their own Traditional boundaries because it doesn’t matter if I’m downline from Lord Pomegranate if you don’t know who he is! But it also isn’t a tool that Traditionalists use in order to set ourselves apart or be elitist with. Most of all, a Lineage isn’t as nefarious as some people might want to believe.

Have Athame, Will Travel – Making a Traveling Witch Kit

Most pagans have a set of ritual tools and articles they keep in their home, whether under their altar, in a closet or in a special room dedicated for magickal/religious use. But sometimes we are witches on the move. There’s something beautiful about finding yourself in a secluded patch of woods and being inspired to commune with the Gods. It’s not unusual for a few pagans to get together, and a ritual breaks out – wouldn’t it be nice to have a secondary, portable set on hand to augment your impromptu ritual or spellwork?

Now, I am the first person to say that the most important tool a pagan has is located between his/her ears. Your mind is all you need to connect to Spirit and have a positive and strong ritual. In fact, I teach my own students that they should be able to conduct a ritual without their tools first, and then they can bring in their fancy shmancy stuff. A pagan should be comfortable with casting Circle with their mind and finger to direct the energy…tools are helpful, but they’re not necessary. But…we are human, and as humans we have a tendency to want things to make our sacred rituals that much more special to us.

Many pagans have a Traveling Witch Kit, a portable set of magickal tools they keep in their car or in a separate tote/suitcase. Pagans use these Traveling Witch Kits when they go camping or hiking, attend pagan festivals or simply as an impromptu set if Spirit moves them. This can also be your main supply kit if you’re concerned about space (such as a dorm or apartment environment). It also makes a beautiful Yule, Birthday or Wiccaning gift for your pagan friends!

What is a Traveling Witch Kit? Well, it obviously consists of items which you use in sacred space and/or in Circle. What you put into it is up to you – you can make it as comprehensive or as minimalistic as you wish. The most important thing is that it is portable; some people have Witch Kits which can fit in a purse, and some are a little larger. You can use a basket, tote, wooden box, a plastic bin, or even use an extra ritual robe to wrap the whole caboodle up in. Think about when you will use this kit and that should determine how large or small you need to make it.

Remember that all the tools you put in this Traveling Witch Kit will be used in sacred space – therefore your tools should be consecrated and treated with the same amount of honor and dignity as you give any of your other magickal tools. When I talk about consecration, what that means is to formally make an item sacred to be used the presence of the Gods. Some people do this through smudging the items with incense (traditionally sage), or with oils (though you have to be careful about what you’re anointing with oil so you don’t muss it up). You can also consecrate your items with energy work or through a formal ritual.

It’s not hard to find small versions of what needs to be in your kit – thrift stores, small items in your home, yard sales are all good resources to find items. Certainly you can put whatever you want into your own Traveling Witch Kit, but some of the most common items you will want in your kit are:

Athame (this can be a letter opener or small knife)

Boline (penknife, or other small blade)

Pentacle

Four small quarter candles – tealights or votives are best (blue, green, red and yellow for each of the elements/directions)

God & Goddess candles – tealights or votives (silver & gold if you can find them, but whatever colors you associate with the God and Goddess are appropriate)

Cone incense & holder

Lighter (I always forget this one)

Small bowls for salt & water – don’t forget a small jar of sea salt!

Altar cloth (a nice sarong or silk bandana works great)

Of course you can also put in some optional items if you feel the need:

Sash for yourself (instead of a robe, put it over your clothes to denote your sacred persona)

Jewelry

Bottled water – in case you might not have water handy, or in case chanting makes you thirsty!

Divination tools (small Tarot decks, pendulums, runes, crystal balls, Ogham, etc.)

Special sacred items like feathers, stones, crystals, decorations

Herbs that you might use in Circle

Small bottle of wine and crackers for cakes & ale.

That’s it! You really can put in anything you feel is important to you in ritual, but those are just a few ideas for making your own Witch Kit. You can always make your own tools and add them, or find the appropriate tools while you’re there, making an ad hoc ritual. It’s all up to you!

I would like to note that Athames can be a tricky thing, especially if you are traveling along checkpoints, attending pagan gatherings with strict prohibitions or have checked luggage. I’d suggest finding a suitable substitute for an Athame (a wand, perhaps). As benign as our Athames are, it’s a big pain in the keister to have to explain our ritual tools to Joe LawEnforcement.

Switching Roles

I do a lot of teaching – whether I’m teaching Tarot, Divination, Wicca a la Carte, or even topics in Information Technology. I spend much of my time in front of people teaching them what I know. To me it is a way of giving back to the community and to repay Spirit for the some of the blessings I’ve received over the years.

There are times, however, when I want to be the student again and to learn new things. I enjoy that – the excitement of adding to my repertoire, of experiencing things through the eyes of someone else. So, I’m embarking on a new journey of discovery. My most recent subject to tackle: the Runes. I’ve been interested in them for years, but have never had the time or opportunity to sit down and really get to know them. Maybe I am drawn to them via my own Germanic biological lineage, and maybe it’s just because I’m a divination junkie. Either way, I’ve managed to convince a local heathen (read: a practitioner of the Norse religion) who I trust that I am a worthy student to teach, and he’s generously agreed to teach me.

For disclosure’s sake, I’m not completely unfamiliar with the runes – I have done self study on them before. But I have never had any sort of formal training by a practitioner who incorporates this tool into their spiritual practice. I am very excited!

At first it was strange to prepare myself to be on the other side of the teacher/student dynamic. I am so used to preparing for my class, having handouts, being well versed in the subject. This time, I just have to show up – what a treat! Ok, that’s not entirely true. I’ve already started pre-studying. I’ve gotten about 15 pages of hand written notes in my rune notebook to familiarize myself with the tool some more.

I am really looking forward to this new period of learning and adding this tool to my divinatory cache. I want to be more than simply acquainted with the runes, but become proficient with them as well. Perhaps even so much as to be able to incorporate them into my Tarot readings!

Well, here’s to happy learnings!

Tarot Cards & Oracle Cards

Throughout the past 30+ years of teaching and reading Tarot, I’ve been blessed to have met so many people who have an appreciation and love for the cards. In all that time, however, one topic seems to be the most common source of confusion – Oracle cards versus Tarot cards. New readers find it difficult to choose which system to choose. They want to know which one is better, or why there are different types of cards. Understandably, Tarot and Oracle cards are often found in the same area of most establishments that sell them which further suggests that they’re similar.

Let me first say this: neither type of divination is better or worse than the other. They might both be printed on cards and used similarly (shuffle and lay them out on a flat surface), but they are two different styles of divination. I use both Tarot cards AND Oracle cards, and they each have their place in my divinatory life. I’m sure once you recognize the differences you too will keep both in your divination toolbox and love them as much as I do.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the difference between Tarot cards and Oracle cards boils down to two fundamental factors: structure & purpose.

Understanding the structure of the Tarot and an Oracle deck is important, and you will see some important differences. The traditional Tarot deck consists of 78 cards in total, and it is broken up into the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are 22 cards of higher wisdom, numbered in ordinal fashion from zero (The Fool) to 21 (The World). These cards are often categorized by a roman numeral and a title, such as XIV Temperance, XII The Hanged Man, and VIII Strength. The Major Arcana are cards of higher / karmic wisdom. They point to the big issues in our lives. The other 56 cards in the Tarot are considered the Minor Arcana – the Minors tend to be more about details within a reading. The Minor Arcana has 4 suits (Cups, Wands/Rods, Pentacles/Coins, Swords/Staves). Each suit consists of cards numbered Ace through 10, and has 4 court cards (King, Queen, Knight, Page).

The Oracle cards are a little less structured. There can be as many or as few as the author intends. I’ve seen as many as 90 cards, and as few as 10. Oracle decks often follow a theme, whether it is about Fairies, cultural systems, shamanic practice, animals, Gods/Goddesses, angels, or affirmation/self-help.

The purpose of each style of divination is important in choosing which one to use. Unless you choose to use the Major Arcana only, the Tarot tends to give much more detail and less spiritual/karmic/life lesson information in the reading. This can be useful when you want specifics on a particular situation. The symbolism in the Tarot is also important, as particular colors, items and numbers are part of the meaning of each card. Oracle cards, on the other hand, are like a big ol’ deck of Major Arcana – they are all about life lessons and abstract ideas. They require less interpretation and are very straightforward. The symbology tends to be less vague, which sometimes makes it easier for the reader to decipher.

Again, one type of deck is not better than the other, they are simply different. To say that Tarot decks and Oracle decks are identical is like saying that an amethyst crystal is the same as a lapis lazuli stone. Sure, to the untrained eye, they’re both physically rocks. However if you look at them structurally through a microscope, you will find that they are composed different and energetically they are VERY different! Still, you can use each stone in your spiritual practice, both for energy work and for spellwork. Neither is better or worse than the other, but they are suited for different things.

So, when do you use a Tarot deck and when do you pull out your Oracle cards? Personally, I rely upon the situation and the person I’m reading for to determine which kind of deck to use. Remember that Oracle cards are good for big ideas, and give you a 30,000 foot bird’s-eye view of things, and Tarot cards can get very granular in scope. Where Oracle cards can be very “big picture”, Tarot can help you tease out details and specifics. Who and what are you reading for? Is it a topic that deals more with the mundane or is it a deeply spiritual reading? Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which tool is right for what you need to do.

The best way to learn more about the tools so you can choose the best method for the situation at hand is to work with the cards – both kinds. Practice with them; use them on yourself and your friends. See what kinds of messages they give you and how your intuition responds to each system. You can take different situations / people and do both Tarot and Oracle readings – see how each deck speaks to you about the situation. Note your own feelings and what you feel is more appropriate.

Again, there is no system that is better or worse than the other. But a good reader understands his or her tools and uses the best tool for them based on their needs. Don’t shy away from the Tarot or Oracle cards because of misinformation. They are both lovely systems that can be the perfect tool!

The Cubicle Goddess – Paganism in the Workplace

One of the most difficult things for the modern pagan to accomplish is how to incorporate their spirituality into their work lives.

Let’s face it, while the popularity of paganism has increased, it is still a marginalized belief system today. We’ve come a long way, but certainly do not enjoy the freedom of displaying our religion as other mainstream beliefs do. Most people’s only experience with Paganism is limited to what they’ve seen in the movies and on TV. These people may not understand what we do, and might respond with fear, prejudice and sometimes even hostility to open displays of our theology. We might even work at a place where religious displays are not permitted. For those reasons and more, it’s not always appropriate to advertise or be open about our religious proclivities.

Spirituality is a very sacred and private thing. You don’t need to display a trashcan lid sized pentagram on your wall to bring the Gods into your office space or cubicle. Personally, I’d refrain from including anything overtly pagan, such as pentagrams and other obvious symbolism that might attract negative attention to you. You will find that little things can transform a very mundane space into an extension of your Sacred Self. It’s all about incorporating sacred items into our environment in a subtle and loving manner.

If you’re interested in bringing the Gods into your office space, here are some ideas which might help you integrate your pagan life into your work life with a minimum of disruption to all involved.

Create a God/Goddess basket on your desk. Find a small basket and line it with a silk cloth. Fill it with crystals, trinkets, herbs (legal, of course), and festoon it with ribbons and other items in colors that are associated with your Gods and Goddesses or the current season or Sabbat.

Color your work world. Decorate your workspace with colors appropriate to the day, Sabbat or season. For example, each day of the week has a color associated with it. Change your computer’s desktop wallpaper (if you’re allowed to do so), or wear certain colors to work on the appropriate day. You can use this also if you’re working on a spell and want to give it a bit more oomph away from home. Create colored cards – index cards work well for this – and display them next to your monitor as a subliminal input to your mind during the day. Here’s a quick list of days of the week and their correspondences. Note that this is just one perspective; research to find more on the Internet and in books. Be creative and find the correspondences most appropriate for you.

Sunday – Gold, Yellow

Monday – White, Silver, Light Blue

Tuesday – Red, Black, Orange

Wednesday – Purple, Orange

Thursday – Purple, Green

Friday – Pink, Aqua

Saturday – Black, Purple

The Gods in the Machine. Passwords are difficult to come up with, especially if you’re required to change them at specific intervals. Why not make them pagan passwords? Try this on for size: Choose your favorite pagan chant or saying and make the password based on the first letter of each word. Add a sacred number and character. For example, if you like the saying, “So Mote It Be” and your sacred number is 472 you can make your password Smib472* (asterisk representing the star). You can choose the ( or ) characters for the crescent moon, or the )O( characters for the goddess. Again, use your imagination and practice, but you can make a pretty fail-proof password this way!

The Secret of your Scent-cess. Most places will not allow you to burn incense or candles at your desk, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have sacred scents near you at work. Make a small potpourri sachet of sacred herbs pertaining to the time of year, your Gods, the current Sabbat, or whatever makes you feel more spiritual. You can even dab the potpourri sachet with some essential oil for more of an olfactory punch. You can also create a sachet designed to bring harmony & peace to your workplace. Add crystals and other sacred additions to attract these qualities and hang it on the wall of your cubicle.

Mantras on the Monitor. Create a mantra or chant and write it on a post it note. Affix it to your monitor. Every time you look there, you’ll see the mantra, reinforcing the power and keeping the power moving.

Hiding in plain sight. Small figurines of deities are nice, or if you’re not comfortable with that, find an animal that is associated with that Deity. Only you need to know that Owl picture on the wall represents Athena, right? Some people might look askance if you had a statue of Ganesh on your desk, but if you have a small elephant figurine, they’ll just think you are into pachyderms. And don’t forget to offer some candy to him!

Bless your candy bowl. Speaking of candy, many people have a candy dish they keep on their desk. Use a little Florida water or blessed water to anoint the outside of your candy bowl and draw in kindness. Say something like “May all who partake of the contents of this bowl find love and joy”.

Crossing the threshold. Thresholds have always been a magickal part of any house or internal structure. This is where we get the custom regarding marriage and the bride being carried over the threshold. When you walk over the imaginary line into your workspace / cubicle, visualize it being bathed in white light as the Gods protect you during your workday. Just like you would do in your home, create a bubble of energy that allows only positive energy to be comfortable within your workspace. When you leave for the day, allow that threshold to keep any negativity you might have gathered up throughout your day and return it to Mother Earth so you don’t take that work stress home with you.

Marking the days and nights. Many of us have multiple calendars up on our walls. Daily calendars, project calendars, etc. Post a lunar calendar with them to remind you of the Moon’s travels across the sky. If anyone asks, just tell them you’re just into astronomy!

Little touches mean a lot. There are so many little things you can bring into your workspace – provided they are allowed by your company – which mean more than they let on. It’s common to find mouse pads, coffee cups, pens, calendars and other office supplies with fairies, dragons, elves, angels and similar images on them. These can make your workspace uniquely yours – and remind you that you are not just an office hack, but a spiritual being as well.

It doesn’t take much to bring the God and Goddess into your office space. With a little imagination and creativity, you can live your pagan life in the office as well, secure in your sacred secret!

The Polite Pagan – What’s In A Name?

When you frequent a pagan-friendly shop, go to a pagan gathering, or even attend ritual at someone’s house, it is always a good idea to purport yourself in an appropriate fashion. Acting in a courteous way is not only the right thing to do, but it increases your personal capital within the pagan community. People will come to know you as someone they want to be around and include in their activities. You really do want to be known as a Polite Pagan.

One of the things that befuddle pagans who strive to interact with the community is the many naming conventions which abound. This can be really confusing to pagans new to the community. You will learn quickly that pagans can have many names. There are magickal names, mundane names (also known as Christian or given names), honorifics, inner court names and outer court names, to list but a few. Which one do you use? How do you use them without insulting someone?

The first thing to understand is that many pagans use a magickal name when interacting with other pagans. Please note that not all pagans choose to use a separate name – some will continue to use their mundane name and are completely comfortable associating their sacred persona with this common name. A magickal name is a special moniker a pagan finds for themselves which identifies them as a magickal person to others. While not everyone will uses a magickal name, pagans who have chosen a sacred name tend to introduce themselves that way.

The reasons to use a magickal name are as varied as there are pagans who use them. Pagans oftentimes feel their magickal name is something which resonates with them on a spiritual level more than their mundane name does. In addition to being a sacred and special name for people, magickal names can help those who require a level of anonymity due to circumstances in their real life. Perhaps they can’t divulge their real names because of their jobs or their families. Perhaps they’ve chosen a magickal name because it makes them feel more secure in a world they are unfamiliar with. And sometimes, magickal names are taken simply because people didn’t like the name they were given as a child. Everyone has their reason why they choose a magickal name, and a Polite Pagan respects that without question.

There are many kinds of magickal names. Inner Court names are sacred names that people use primarily within the context of their own private Circle/Coven, and are usually only used between covenmates, very close magickal partners or within a Tradition. It is the name by which they directly connect with their Gods and is an incredibly private thing. The majority of pagan practitioners do not have an Inner Court name, mainly due to the fact that their practice does not require it. If someone shares their Inner Court name with you, consider yourself extremely honored, for that is one of the deepest magickal secrets one can share. If you know someone’s Inner Court name, you should never use it in a public setting without their express permission.

An Outer Court name is the magickal name a pagan uses with the world. It is their public name. Most magickal names would fall under the Outer Court designation, and are ok to use in pagan settings.

An Honorific is a title a pagan practitioner earns through years of work and progression within their Tradition, and is heard most frequently within the Traditionalist community. The most common Honorifics are “Lord”, “Lady” or “Elder”, but there are other lesser known honorifics, such as “Squire” or “Consort”. Usually an honorific is only valid within one’s own Tradition and reserved for the High Priest or Priestess and high level initiates. Titles are not usually used among mixed groups, that is, groups which consist of different Traditionalists and/or Eclectic practitioners. You will rarely see these used in large public gatherings. Most pagans will not expect nor require you to use their honorific, but it’s good form to use their title when first addressing the individual, or when introducing them to others. Nine times out of ten, the person with the honorific will instruct you to just use their Outer Court name. Those who do insist upon the use of their Lady or Lord title by those outside their Tradition should raise a red flag with the Polite Pagan – these people might be suffering from an overinflated ego.

How a fellow pagan introduces themselves to you is really how you should address them. Even if you know them by another name, follow their lead. If you’re not sure, there’s nothing wrong with pulling them aside and asking them privately how they wish to be addressed. If your best friend is named Mary, but wants to go by Malibu Sparklebunny for pagan gatherings, kindly honor her wishes and do everything you can not to trip up. Do not feel the need to tell others that Malibu Sparklebunny’s real name is Mary. If Malibu wants to share her mundane name, she should be afforded the courtesy of choosing who she shares it with.

Remember that you must never make fun of or criticize someone’s magickal name. You might secretly think that “Velveteen Starmuffin” or “Cinnamon Bearnugget” might be the silliest names in pagandom, but it might hold some sacred significance to these people. Part of being a Polite Pagan is respecting another’s choice whether you agree with it or not. It is not your place to tell someone that they have spelled their names wrong, or that their name is cliché, or that they shouldn’t take the name of a God/dess as a magickal name. Those are personal preferences and decisions and not for anyone else to judge.

If you meet someone who has a particularly lovely or unusual name, you may respectfully ask them about it. Saying something like “What a beautiful name! May I ask how you came up with that and what it means to you?” is appropriate and will be less likely to take your head off than if you said “Wow…that’s a weird name. How many beers did it take for you to come up with that?” Many pagans would be flattered if you complimented their sacred name and it can be a great way to break the ice and make friends. But please don’t take it personally if they choose not to divulge the origins of their name – some people are sensitive about that.

If you choose to use a pagan name yourself, make sure you introduce yourself as such. “Hey You” is not how you want to be addressed! Also, when choosing a magickal name to use in a public setting, you might want to consider a name which sets you apart from the rest of pagandom. Don’t believe me? Just jump into the middle of a pagan group and call for “Raven” or “Willow” or “Rowan” and see how many people respond!

Pagan names are as diverse and beautiful as pagans themselves. Polite Pagans know this, and show the quality of their character by being courteous and respectful when it comes to those names. Know about how to deal with pagan names, and you have another tool to make you a pagan other people want to have around.

Magickal Crafting

Arts and crafts and other similar hobbies are a great way to employ your creative spirit. It’s a popular pastime for pagans, and you will find many of us partaking in these activities. There are so many varieties of crafts to choose from: knitting, cross stitch, sewing, beading, scrapbooking, leatherworking, and woodworking to name just a few. I am an avid crocheter and love nothing more than to spend an evening in front of the television with a steaming cup of peppermint tea and my yarn & needles.

Crafting can be fun and rewarding, but did you know crafts and the Craft – as in Witchcraft – are not mutually exclusive? As an aware pagan practitioner, you can easily combine them to make your creations not only works of art, but Spirit gifts as well. There are several ways you can imbue your creations with your own personal energy and intent, which in turn gives them great power and blessings to share with others.

I often say a prayer or recite a chant while making a baby blanket. You can tailor what you say and how you say it depending on the energy you want to put into the piece. In one of the original Sleeping Beauty stories out of Germany, there were 13 fairies/wise women/Goddess-mothers who attended the christening of the princess (only 7 were in the French version). Each of these Goddess-Mothers gave the baby girl a special gift – one gave the gift of music, of health, of beauty, etc. When you are making something for a child, you get to be the fairy Goddess-Mother/Father! Infuse the item with wishes of protection, happiness, courage, wisdom, art and health. Or choose the energies you feel are most appropriate for the child.

But wait…these well wishes are not reserved only for the kids! Energies can be sent to all kinds of people for all kinds of situations!

For example, if you are making something for an elder, you can draw in peace, health and strength for them. When it comes to close friends and family, communication and support are important qualities. And if you’re stumped as to what energies to attract to your piece, love is a universally welcome energy.

And what if you’re making something for yourself? Well, you can focus on what you want that item to bring to you! For example, are you making a purse? Try focusing your intent and chants on abundance and wealth, include an adventurine into a hidden pocket, or dab the inside of the piece with some High John the Conqueror oil. Making a snuggly blanket for the TV room? Attract energies of peace, warmth and comfort into your working by singing a lullaby as you’re putting it all together. If you’re making a travel journal, saturate the book with energies for safe travel and clear memories. Focus your energies on having fun, celebrating life & attracting wonderful new friends if you’re making a special something for going out on the town. Are you a jewelry maker? Find a chant which enhances beauty and self-confidence to give those ornaments an extra sparkle. If you’re making something for sacred rites, you can call upon a favorite God or Goddess to bless the item.

One of the most popular ways to permeate an item with energy is to repeat a chant while you are doing your work. The power of the chant pushes your intent and energy into the piece you are working on and continues sharing that energy long after you’ve completed your project. There are many chants you can find on the web or in books that can fit your style, or you can create one of your own to say. Chanting doesn’t have to be a constant litany, but the more times you repeat the chant, the more you reinforce that intent and energy. I’ve actually seen people making items for a particular person, and sitting in a circle, chanting in unison together. It’s a very powerful thing! But don’t worry…you don’t have to chant aloud for this to work; chants can be said in your mind and heart and have the same effect.

Here are some other ways you can make sure your crafted items carry with them the energies you want. Keep your materials and tools in a safe and protected place so you know precisely what energies they are exposed to. You can create a prayer to say over your materials, smudge your tools with sage, or sprinkle them with sacred water (Florida water is also a good choice). I put a very small clear quartz crystal in the case that holds my crochet needles. If you choose to use specific herbs or sea salt to cleanse your tools, be careful, as this can get messy! Large tools and items which are hard to move, such as sewing machines or looms, can always benefit from a light smudging between projects. If you wish to imbue a finished project with Moon or Goddess energies, you can leave it by a window to soak up the power of the Full Moon.

You can also do some light candle magick while crafting a piece, which is something I’ve found very useful. One of the best choices for this is a candle in a tall glass enclosure. These are often called seven day candles and your local pagan shop will happily direct you to their supply. Choose a color which best corresponds to the energy you want to work with. Before you begin the project, visualize the person you are making the project for (even if it’s for yourself) and what you want them to have. Focus that visualization into the candle. You can carve the person’s name and the intent into the candle or write it on the outside of the glass if you so wish. Bless the candle and ask for the Gods’ blessing on your work. When you start the project, light the candle and as long as you work on the piece, keep the candle lit. Even if you finish the project before the candle is out, let the candle burn until it is spent.

Other ways to include energies into your crafts are by incorporating energy items in the piece. I know a seamstress who collects tiny crushed bits of gemstones for a bargain. She then sprinkles a pinch of the appropriate crystal dust into the hem of the item she’s creating right before she sews the hems closed. You will want to be careful about incorporating organic material such as herbs or oils into pieces which have a good chance of getting wet – these additions can rot or become rancid after washings! Also have a care if you choose to include metals into your pieces because they can have dangerous points and leech toxins if the item is worn close to the skin – not to mention, rust stains are pretty ugly. You can use herbs, metals, and most other magickal items in non-wearable crafts, however. Scrapbooks, photo albums/frames, and decorative pieces do well with almost any kind of item that doesn’t degrade easily! Just make sure to do your homework and understand what they bring to the magickal party.

You have the power to turn your beautifully created items into a magickal treasure. All it takes is a bit of imagination, some focused intent and a whole lot of fun. Your recipients will receive much more than a pretty piece; they will receive a gift of love and positive energy too. You can’t buy those at your local hobby shop! I hope this sparks your inspiration to include energy work and magick into your crafts!

Teach What You Know, Know What You Teach

One of the most frequent conversations I hear in the pagan community comes from people who think there aren’t enough teachers. I usually counter with the notion that anyone – even you – can be a teacher!

In the Tarot, we have the Major Arcana. These are 22 cards of higher wisdom which teach us great karmic and life lessons – and usually their lessons are multi-faceted. The Hermit is a card that I think works well to exemplify my point. On the card is a wizened old man who is leaving a cave and carries a lantern. A person on a spiritual journey must go within themselves and find their internal truth before that wisdom becomes a part of them. Sometimes that truth takes work; research, interviews, experience. But it is a truth that they have to process and learn. The other side of this wisdom tells us that it is not enough to seek our truth, but to share that truth with others, hence the lantern. It does no one any good if your “truth light” is used only to illuminate your own cave – you can share that light with others so they might find their own truths in turn.

I’m not a teacher by trade, but I’ve taught many people over the years in Tarot, Witchcraft, Divination and other subjects. In my decades as a public workshop leader as well as a teacher within my own Tradition / Coven, I have found an amazing truism. I have discovered more about the Craft, about the Tarot, about people, and about my own self through teaching than I ever learned from a book or from another person. Certainly books and teachers set me on the right path, but it was in the assimilating of knowledge and being able to impart it to others that gave me a special insight that I would have otherwise not have attained.

When you teach, you get a perspective that you might not have gotten otherwise. It may help you to see things in a different way and approach those topics from another angle. Even if you think you know a topic like the back of your hand, fresh eyes give you a renewed enthusiasm for the subject without allowing it to become stale or boring. The blessings I’ve received from my students are priceless to me and I thank my students for giving me the honor of sharing what I know with them.

In the giving is the receiving. In our coven, we strive to see our students excel and surpass us, using our knowledge as a platform to further their own growth. Hording information does not serve you, the community or our Gods. So, give your gifts freely! It’s not hard to share your light of knowledge with others. If you have done any research, even for your own personal spiritual growth, you can present your findings to others. You are then the expert.

Expert? Yes, you – the expert. Experts are used in everything from academics to the legal profession. To qualify as an expert in a legal context means you fit the definition of someone who is a specialist in a particular subject, that is, you know more than the general populace. If you have studied a particular subject for a while and know it better than the average bear, you are the expert in that subject.

For example, if you were looking for a magickal name and did a lot of research on birds and mythology to determine which one fit you best, you could come up with a topic that explores the role of birds and the Gods in various myths. If you’ve researched a God or Goddess, pantheon, or other spiritual topic, write it up and share it. Draw from your own experience and knowledge. Of course, you wouldn’t want to share private or Oathbound information with the public, but you can share your own knowledge as you wish.

When you’re creating a presentation, whether written or verbal, there are some important things to consider. First of all, remember accuracy and check your facts. If you are doing historical research, you have to make sure your facts are verifiable. You can’t just say “I found it on the INTARWEBZ so it must be true”, and hope people will respect what you have to say. Wikipedia is a great place to start your research, but it shouldn’t be the reference itself. Its scholarship is tenuous at best, and is often added to by people who have not done their fact checking either. Use the same criteria a college professor would in evaluating a research paper. If you can’t prove it, don’t use it.

Another important consideration is attribution. Attribution is giving credit to someone else for their work. If something is your opinion, then say so. But if you got the idea from someone else, make sure you acknowledge that person. Not attributing properly is not only unethical, it’s also illegal to claim someone’s intellectual property as your own.

Now, I understand that not everyone is interested in teaching formal classes or workshops, nor is everyone interested in writing a book, but there are many other wonderful ways of sharing your knowledge with the community!

You can write up article and submit it to local newsletters and magazines. You’re reading this newsletter, right? Well, there are tons of newsletters and magazines in pagandom with readers just like you. And those readers might be very interested in what you have to say!

The Internet has given us a great forum for sharing our information as well. You can create a pagan blog or share your topic with your favorite blog out there. You can submit your presentation to various pagan websites who support the sharing of knowledge. A good place to start with is www.witchvox.com. Make sure that you know the criteria the website owners require and what they’re looking for before submitting your article. And remember to be gracious if they come back with “Sorry…we already have eleventybillion articles on Beltane this month!”

There are plenty of pagan online groups available to share your information with – a quick search on www.yahoogroups.com will provide you with many pagan groups eager to chat. Many even allow you to post your presentation – but kindly check with the moderators before you decide to spam them with your presentation or you might get the big ol’ ban-hammer. You can even share your knowledge on your Facebook or MySpace pages!

Another way to share what you know is offering to present your work to a pagan or pagan friendly shop; or if that’s not an option, look for pagan gatherings in your area who will allow you to present your information at their function. A word of advice, make sure you have a good synopsis of your presentation and know how long it will take, an outline of what you will be covering, and what supplies you’ll be needing (chairs, easel, etc) so they can plan around you. And always allow the participants of your work – the people who attend your presentations or read your work – to give you feedback. Give them time to assimilate what you’ve said and let them flow with it.

So you see, you too can be a teacher by Teaching What You Know – all that hard work you put into learning about a particular subject doesn’t have to lie dormant within you. Give it life and share it with other like-minded friends. Furthermore you must Know What You Teach – you can’t share a topic with others unless you know it inside out and are sure things are as accurate as possible. Put the two together and you will have the motivation and resources to be a vibrant part of our pagan community.

Paganism By The Book

One of the most difficult dilemmas for pagans - particularly pagans new to the Craft - is determining what place books have in their spiritual practice. For most of us, books were our first introduction to Paganism, Wicca and the Craft and it is where most of us started our journey.

But there are so many books! In fact, most of us lament the fact that there are so many wonderful books and not enough time to read them all. But never fear, my pagan friends! There are ways you can determine the legitimacy of an author before you shell out your hard earned cash.

The first question we often ask ourselves is how do we determine which books are "good" and which ones we should pass up? Certainly there are authors who are more favored in the pagan community than others. Most every pagan has their own favorite and least favorite authors. If you look at any purveyor of pagan books, you will find names and topics aplenty. You'll find authors who are liked, disliked and perhaps even unknown. You might hear about authors who have questionable scholarship, who might be surrounded by ethics issues, and who may seem to be more concerned with fluff over substance.

One of my first teachers taught me an invaluable lesson about the importance of separating wisdom from the vehicle it comes in. I recently had a discussion about this with Liz Draman, one of the many wonderful Mystickal Voyage practitioners. I think she recapped this idea beautifully when she said, "Focus on the message, not the messenger". What this means is that we must try to concentrate on at WHAT is being said, not necessarily WHO is saying it. Sometimes even a questionable author can write something in a way that resonates with you, or helps you understand a concept better. Remember that in the end, you alone have the final say whether you use the information in your practice or not.

With that being said, however, you have to be discerning when allowing authors to influence your spirituality. Before obtaining information about any author, you should have three very important tools in place. These tools will not only help you make better decisions about your source materials, but they will serve you well on your Pagan Path. These three items are:

1.  Critical Thinking Skills

2.  A Very Big block of Salt (as opposed to just a grain)

3.  A very well developed Bull Puckey Meter (to make sure people aren't trying to fool you)

The first thing you can do when researching an author is to ask pagans that you trust what they think of that person as a writer. You may find that there are authors who are resoundingly respected by pagans in the know, and others who they will steer clear of.  As an added bonus, you might even get turned on to similar authors to enjoy as well! Keep their opinions tucked in the back of your mind, but remember to temper their opinions with your own.

The next thing you will want to do is conduct some individual research. Just because Lady Pixie Moondrip has published a book, or has her own blog, or writes for a local newsletter / magazine, doesn't mean she is the Goddess's gift to Pagandom! Check out reviews of the author's work on the Internet - but please remember to employ your tools listed above. Amazon has a great feature to allow people to provide reviews on books they've bought, so too do other pagan websites. Getting multiple people's feedback can gives you an idea of the author's style and feel, so you can decide if that's the kind of writer you are looking for.

The next thing you may want to consider is the author's bibliography. Do they even have one? Which books do THEY draw from, and which books have influenced them? Do they only reference books which they themselves have written? Check to see who has written the book's foreword or testimonials. But do note that some publishers will request one of their more popular authors to write a glowing acknowledgment for a lesser known author in order to spur sales.

Now that you've researched the author, and have decided to buy one of their books...where do you go now?

First, choose the types of books you want to draw from - and you decide this by determining what you enjoy. The best ways to work this out is by starting with the broadest subjects and then focus on the specific topics which resonate with you. Not sure if you resonate with Celtic deities? Then choose a general book on Gods and Goddesses of all types before buying a detailed translation of the Mabinogion. Interested in the runes or the tarot? Try reading a book on divination before you specialize - you might find another medium better suited to you.

Another thing I would strongly suggest is to make your learning as diverse as possible. Mix information about theory with books about how to do something. It's important to understand pagan history and magickal theory as much as having a magickal cookbook full of spells for every occasion sitting on your shelf. Learn about how various groups do things - and perhaps just as important - WHY they do things. The more (w)holistic your knowledge, the better practitioner you will be, and the better you will be able to adapt your book learning to your own actions.

Try not to fall in the trap of seeking out just one perspective because you happen to like the particular author. There are many pagan authors who are almost universally loved and respected, but don't dismiss other writers because they might disagree with what your favorite author says. There is no "Wiccan Gospel According To <insert author here>". There are only perspectives of how each individual practices their faith. Understand that there is no cookie cutter methodology to paganism - and there are as many ways to practice our faith as there are practitioners!

Another way to broaden your knowledge is to obtain information from multiple sources. Books are fantastic, and I would be lost without mine. But they are a poor substitute for classes, workshops, Internet research, discussion with like minded pagans, or even actual practice. Books are but one part of a greater whole. 

So, now that you've decided what books you want to read, how do you use them in your own practice? There's a big gap between the written word and seeing those words in action. One of the most important things to understand is the WHYs of something. WHY does this author insist on using a particular herb/deity/word in this place? WHY do we need to chant at this point in the spell? WHY is a particular symbol important on the altar? Understanding WHY helps us to adapt these concepts to our own practice. If an author says to call on Athena to invoke the Goddess of Wisdom, but you're not familiar with Athena - you might find another Goddess of Wisdom more to your liking, such as Sophia, Cerridwen, Saraswati, or Freya. Conversely, if you're doing a money spell, and the author instructs you to use a green candle, it is better to know why green can be a better correspondence color than the blue or red candle your aunt gave you for your birthday.

Look at what the author has to say. Can you make their chant, prayer, tools, or accouterments uniquely yours? Remember, authors are only relating their experiences and understandings. You then can OWN the practice by flavoring it with your own personal energy. Use your creativity by incorporating things sacred to you, your Gods and your personal connection with the Universe. While their experiences should be honored, they give only one way to do things. Never allow someone to tell you that your practice is wrong because you're not following another's instructions 100% - provided you aren't harming anyone or being disrespectful, of course. 

Our pagan practice is about learning and then incorporating that knowledge into practice. Learn as much as you can, from as many sources as you can, and then put what you've learned into action.

Samhain – Walking Between the Worlds

Fire red, summer's dead,
Yet shall it return.
Clear and bright in the night,
Burn, fire, burn!

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Fire glow, vision show
Of the heart's desire,
When the spell's chanted well
Of the witching fire.

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Fire spark, when nights are dark,
Makes our winter's mirth.
Red leaves fall, earth takes all,
Brings them to rebirth.

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Fire fair, earth and air,
And the heaven's rain,
And blessed be, and so may we,
At Hallowstide again.

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

- Doreen Valiente

Samhain (pronounced "SOW-en") is one of the most popular, and often most misunderstood, Sabbats in the Witches' Calendar. You might know of it as Hallowe'en or All Hallows. Within the context of the Wheel of the Year, Samhain is a Fire Festival – this is a Sabbat which is not connected to either a solstice or equinox type solar event. Most people - pagans included - celebrate Samhain on October 31st, but you may find that some pagans celebrate this festival as early as the October full moon (also known as “Blood Moon”) and as late as 2 weeks thereafter depending on astrological variables. In some Traditions, this day marks the beginning AND the end of the Witches calendar year. Within the context of the Wheel of the Year, Samhain is a fire festival. A Fire Festival is a Sabbat which is not connected to either a solstice or equinox type solar event.

The word Samhain comes from both old Irish and Scots Gaelic meaning “summer's end”, which indeed it is. Look around you; the leaves are beginning to turn colors and fall to the ground and you can definitely feel a chill in the air. However it’s important to remember that Europeans don't have a monopoly on this date. In Latin America, specifically in Mexico, El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is the celebration. Although today’s pagans tend to focus more on the Indo-European version of this day, I recommend taking the time to learn more about El Dia de los Muertos to discover the beautiful symbolism and imagery there as well. Many pagans incorporate these Latin American themes into their own practice, especially if they have a personal biological or sociological connection.

There are three harvest celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. The first harvest is Lughnassadh (sometimes called Litha) which we celebrated at the end of July. Litha is a harvest of joy, when the berries are just becoming ripe and we are just beginning to experience summer’s bounty. The second harvest is Mabon (the Fall Equinox). This was on September 20^th, and is a type of Pagan Thanksgiving. Mabon is when the bulk of the harvest is reaped and is a harvest of thanks to the gifts of the Earth.

Samhain is the third harvest, and is sometimes called the Bitter Harvest. This is when we collect and preserve the last of the growing season- gourds and root vegetables, legumes and long lasting fruits like apples (ever wonder why people bob for apples or use gourds for jack o’lanterns at this time of year?). In years past, our agrarian forebears would take stock of their grain supplies and identify the animals not expected to live throughout the winter which would sustain their families throughout the winter. Some pagans refer to the time between Samhain and Imbolc (February 2nd) as the Dark Time. Not only is it when our ancestors would take shelter in their homes to survive the harsh winters, but on a spiritual level, it is a time for us to be introspective, to reflect upon our own spiritual year and see what kinds of harvests we have collected and what goals we wish to strive for in the next iteration of the Wheel of the Year.

Samhain marks the time of the Crone or the Dark Lady, which is one aspect of the Triple Goddess. Like many of my pagan brothers and sisters, I have a strong connection to the Crone. But why is the Crone so important to Paganism? In ancient societies, blood was the symbol of life, power and wisdom – and any cycle or ritual that included blood was honored and revered. Before we had science and medicine to explain the rhythms and cycles of our bodies, the concept of women's cycles was viewed as mysterious and powerful and often frightening. After all, how could a woman bleed regularly for so long but not take a wound or die? As a woman aged and became wiser, this cycle would end and that wisdom would then remain inside her. Due to this "holding of the wisdom", she then was allowed admittance into the council of elders of her tribe or community. She was the one who instructed her community about what would heal them and what would sustain them throughout difficult times; in doing so, she became the direct conduit to the Gods. The Crone was the one person allowed to be at births as midwife and healer, yet was also necessary to attend those whose lives were ending. She brought life into the world and when life was ended, she accompanied the dead across the Veil and entrusted the spirit of the deceased to the Goddess. In that lay her greatest Mystery.

You may often hear that this time is "when the Veil is thin"; this means that the boundaries between this world and the Otherworld - the spirit world, the astral, Akashic records, shadow realm - are blurred and it is much easier to communicate back and forth. Some say this is due to the fact that it is the end and beginning of the Wheel, others say it is because the Crone walks freely between those worlds, she grants us the same ease at Samhain. Many of our Hallowe'en customs come from the belief that the departed and the living could share the same space at this time of year. Jack o' Lanterns (originally carved from turnips!) are lit to guide our departed loved ones to their families in this world. Masks, costumes and carved gourds are placed in windows to frighten off malevolent spirits and keep away bad luck. “Trick or Treat!” was said to appease any spirit who got lost and happened to knock on your door – people would give treats (cakes, food, ale) to avoid accidentally offending a spirit who lost their way or didn’t have anywhere to go. Families would set out an extra place at the table for their loved ones, and some of these traditions turned into what is now called a Dumb Supper ("dumb" means “silent” in this instance, not “stupid”); a Dumb Supper is marked by the fact that one does not speak during the entirety of the meal. The silence is out of respect for the dead who are being honored.

Because the Veil is thin, it’s the perfect time for divination, to see what will come to pass over the next year and what you should be striving for. This is the time to appeal to the Crone for her wisdom and strength, to see the future, but more importantly, use that knowledge to make the best decisions for yourself and those you love. Of course, the Tarot and scrying (scrying is using a focus for divination) are both popular divinatory methods, but if you’re feeling adventurous, try using a mirror or even getting a bowl of water and dropping melted candle wax in it and seeing what shapes form. For others, runes and the ancient art of bone throwing is particularly appropriate divination activities. Bonfires are very popular at Samhain, and if you have access to one, it’s a magickal experience, when you can also use the embers/coals of the sacred fire to divine the future. No matter what oracle you use, it will be especially sensitive this time of year. Take advantage of having this strong connection to Spirit, and see what the Gods have to tell you!

Certainly this is a time when we are very aware of those who have crossed over this past year, and this is a very important part of our celebrations. Do remember that we’re not just talking about people– animals are as much family to us as any human, especially those who were our companions and friends in life. Pagans have many ways of honoring those who have passed away. Sometimes it’s as simple as setting a place for them at the table on Samhain evening; we will also fill a glass of wine for them and then give it back to the earth (pour it into the ground) when we’re done. This practice is known as “libation”. You can also create an altar for those who have crossed over who have made an impact in your life. Decorate this mini altar with pictures, items, candles and other things and spend some time there on Samhain thanking them for sharing their life with you and share some memories with those who might not have known them as well. Take a walk to a graveyard with some late autumn flowers or loaves of bread (or small rolls/cookies) and share them with the departed, letting them know they’re not forgotten.

It’s important for many pagan parents to be able to appropriately share Sabbats with their families, and our Little Witchlings can certainly participate in Samhain’s festivities. As a parent, only you can make the determination about what is right for your children, but know that although Samhain deals with some pretty heavy spiritual themes, it still can be made fun and educational for them too. If you choose to honor those who have died, allow your little ones to share what they remember of the departed person or pet. They can help with decorations and pumpkin carving, and parents can share information about Hallowe’en customs today hearken to our pagan past. Read stories about Crone goddesses from all kinds of cultures – from Hecate, to Cerridwen, Tiamat, Kali Ma, Baba Yaga, Nepthys, Tlazolteotl, Washer at the Ford, Elli, and more. There are even coloring books for pagan kids for Samhain (http://www.sacredspiralkids.com/color/Autumn/samhainCCB.pdf is just one of many) and activity books for them.

No matter how you celebrate Samhain – whether it be by a full Dumb Supper or giving out candy to the local kids with the knowledge that it symbolizes the bounty of the Gods – this Sabbat marks the time when we spend time inwardly to grow and learn from ourselves, from others (both those here and those who’ve crossed), and from the Gods. I wish you all an abundant harvest, and may the Crone give you all the knowledge and wisdom to take care of yourselves and your loved ones throughout the Dark Time.

Written in honor of Lady Sequannah, Lady Ellen and Caliban who were found worthy to serve the Universal Spirit, but in so doing had to leave us behind. We thank you for being part of our world, and honor your contribution to our lives and our community. Save a chair and mug of mead for me at the Sacred Flame!