Day: January 13, 2013

Trail Magic: Creating an incense trail

Trail Magic: Creating an incense trail

Author: Incense Dragon

Everyone knows what incense is, don’t they? It’s the little sticks and cones you get at the grocery store that smell like Apple or Musk, right? Well, it hasn’t always been that way.

Incense is one of the oldest tools of magic and ritual but its lore, history and modern hobbyists are virtually unknown to much of the Pagan community. The incense “trail” represents an ancient incense burning technique that is highly applicable to modern magic practices and ritual. I should also mention it’s a great deal of fun.

An incense trail is simply a line of incense powder that is burned. A trail can be as simple as a line of powdered sandalwood on a rock. While this is not the preferred method, you can make it work with practice. This is likely the first form of incense trail, but ancient practice eventually elevated the incense trail to a critical role in society.

Before the availability of high quality, spring-powered clocks there were many different methods employed to keep track of time – especially at night. Among the many devices created were clocks powered by dripping or running water. Although some were fairly accurate, they were no good in freezing conditions or on a swaying ship. There were also candles used to mark the time, but environmental conditions could greatly affect their accuracy. The incense “clock” was another attempt to mark time.

In a bed of pure ash, a line can be pressed into the surface. That depression would then be carefully filled with a powdered incense mixture. When used for timekeeping, a special incense blend was used since its burning times were well known. Special markers were then inserted along this trail of incense. The markers could be used to signal a changing of guards, mealtimes or working hours, but their primary use was to mark times to pray.

Eventually incense clocks were developed that used incense sticks to give even more consistent timing. Incense alarm clocks were eventually created. These sometimes used bells hung from the incense stick with thread. When the stick burned to the thread it would break and the bell would clang to the floor.

This is an extremely condensed look at a fascinating topic. If you have more interest in the ancient use of incense clocks read Silvio Bedini’s book The Trail of Time. It is a rare look at this amazing lost art form.

The good news about all of this is you can start using incense trails yourself. You will need ash, incense powder (powdered sandalwood works great), a heat resistant dish or large incense censer and a match or lighter. It’s best to put your censer where it will be used before you begin to minimize movement.

What should you draw? Just think of the magical possibilities. Symbols are an important part of magic. You can draw symbols for deities, astrological signs, runes or geometric shapes. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. Think of the energy of the slowly burning shape as you raise power in your circle. Use trails to time rituals or to cleanse a space. Trails can elevate your incense from being a part of the magical background to a central part of any ritual.

You might have everything you need in your house except for the required amount of ash. You can harvest ash from some other activity if you wish. Never use ash from your charcoal grill or ashes containing synthetic “fire logs.” Ash from incense censers, campfires and fireplaces can be used but I don’t recommend them. If you use such recycled ash, be certain to sift it through a fine screen and then bake the ash in a warm oven for 20-30 minutes to remove as much scent as possible.

A better solution is to purchase ash specifically for incense use. Ash is an important part of Asian incense traditions (such as the Japanese Kodo ceremony). As a result, many shops that sell Asian incense sell pure ash as well. That’s the best possible source if you plan to make incense trails. The pure white ash is scentless and ready for use.

Simply fill your dish or censer with ash and lightly tamp the censer (you can tap the censer lightly a few times on a sturdy table, but pressing down on the ash with something solid works even better). This is to level the ash and make it a bit firmer. You can then make shallow impressions on the surface of the ash. For this, you can use simple stamps (complex designs don’t work very well) from your local craft store, cookie cutters (insert the cutter about 1/8 of an inch deep and move it very slightly from side to side) or simply draw in the ash with a skewer or toothpick. The edge of a paper card will work as well.

No matter what tool you choose, keep the impressions no more than 1/8 inch deep and try to move the excess ash to the sides of your impressions. Especially when using a toothpick or skewer, the ash might try to build up in front of your tool making it more difficult to draw. Push the ash side to side instead. Just try and create a smooth impression – you might need to trace the shape several times to clear the entire trail.

You are not limited in what you can draw. The important thing to keep in mind is that every one of the lines you draw needs to be connected to another line. You might think of it as a line of dominoes you want to topple. If they don’t touch, the chain will stop. It’s the same with incense. Unlike dominoes, burning incense travels in multiple directions. If you draw a circle of incense, when you light it the incense will burn both directions around the circle. Every junction of lines will be lighted at the same time. I have a pentagram stamp that I made that would originally burn in eight different places at once.

While you can use those burning characteristics to your advantage, in general you want only one point on the line of incense to burn. Otherwise plumes of smoke result. The simplest way to control this it to put “blocks” in place. Use your drawing tool to break the lines of incense with a barrier of ash. You can also place small pieces of metal (in a pinch, a penny will work) in the trail of incense. Once the burning incense reaches the metal, it will go out.

Once you have made an impression in the ash and established any ash blocks you might need, fill the impression with incense powder. This is the trickiest part, although it’s not as tough as it seems at first glance. I’ve experimented with a lot of techniques but have found one to be the easiest. I was actually inspired to it while watching Tibetan monks making a sand painting. They use long metal tubes, tapered at one end, which they fill with colored sand and then gently rub to release the sand from the narrow end. It gives them great control over where every grain of sand goes. I tried this with tubes and met with some success, but when I transitioned to paper cards I found the method I prefer.

Use a 3” X 5” paper card. Fold the card in half in line with the long edge. This gives you a 1 ½ X 5 card. Open the card partially and you have a large cavity you can fill with incense powder. Fill the card about 1/3 full with powder (as I said before, you can just use powdered sandalwood and get great results). Push some of the powder away from one end of the card, so that only a thin line is left at the edge of the card. You can then use that end of the card to fill your impression in the ash.

Put the end of the card just above the impression with the folded edge of the card down. That will make the card a large V-shape with the incense powder held in the center. I like to hold the card in my right hand with the two folded up edges touching the palm of my hand. I then extend the “drawing” end of the card slightly past the palm of my hand. With the end of the card just above the ash and the card at about a 25 degree angle, I tap the end of the card with my left hand. Each tap causes a small bit of incense powder to fall precisely where I want it to go. By gently tapping the card and moving it over every part of the impression in the ash, I can fill the impression to the exact depth I desire.

Once the impression is filled, you can tap or press its surface lightly to get perfect contact, but that’s an optional step. With practice you can fill the impression very well without the need to press it together. The trail looks better without pressing, since that process “blurs” the shape you draw in the ash.

After you’ve drawn an impression and filled it with powder, the incense trail is ready for use. Once the impression is filled, you should move your censer as little as possible. Each time you move it, you could displace the trail and make it harder to see or break the line. If the trail won’t be used immediately, consider covering the censer to keeping wind or drafts from disturbing it.

To light the trail, you can simply apply flame directly to the lighting point you’ve chosen. It’s usually best to light the trail at one end, but you can get a great effect from starting in the middle of the trail. You will need to hold the flame in place for at least 30 seconds to get it burning well. You might notice that where ash and flame meet, the ash becomes discolored. The same will happen as the incense trail burns past the ash. Once the flame is removed, the incense will continue to burn along the path you’ve set for it.

A more elegant way to light the trail is to use stick or cone incense. You can use the stick or cone as a fuse. Set the incense cone directly atop the lighting point on the trail. If using a stick, break off a small section and insert it into the starting point of the trail. If you use so-called “masala” incense sticks (the kind with a wooden rod in the center of the stick), make certain you break off a piece that is completely covered in incense material. The top two inches of stick is best. If you’re using a “joss stick” of incense, any two-inch section will be fine.

Put the cone or stick in place at the starting point (the trailhead, if you will) and light it as you normally would. As the stick or cone burns down to the incense trail, the trail will light. You can also light an incense stick and place it atop the powder parallel to the trail. Some traditions call for lighting an incense stick and then inserting the burning end into the powder.

Incorporating incense trails into your rituals, both large and small, is not only rewarding magically, it’s also a lot of fun. Like any skill, it requires practice to get the exact effect you desire but even first-time trail makers will find it easy and enjoyable. Bring an ancient form magic to your next circle and you won’t be disappointed.

Footnotes:
Bedini, Silvio A. – The Trails of Time: Time measurement with incense in East Asia – Cambridge University Press, 1994

Neal, Carl F. – Incense: Crafting and Use of Magickal Scents – Llewellyn Worldwide, 2003

Seeing Through Symbols

Seeing Through Symbols

Author: Lady GoldenRaven

In my twenty-plus years of practicing, I have tried many forms of divination. Over these years, there are only four types of divination I use on a regular basis. These are: my pendulum, nature, my scrying mirror/bowl, and runes.

Before I continue though, I want to make it clear, that as Wytchs, shamans, and other holistic health workers: We are not allowed to diagnosis illness, etc. But after many years of experience, you can format your opinion and do what is needed. I have the ability to work in conjunction with many physicians who are open-minded about holistic health. Let them make a diagnosis, and go from there.

My pendulum is my goddess pendant which I wear around my neck. I use it more for healing practices. If the dis-ease of the person is unknown, I take my pendulum and hold it over the five points of the pentagram. Depending on the speed and direction of rotation of the pendulum over the five points, I determine what this person needs as far as treatment. As you know, the points represent Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit. Each of these rule specific systems of the body. When one is overabundant in or lacking in one or more areas, you can figure out what the problem is.

I also use it in my Reiki practice at times. I will hold the pendulum over each of the chakras. If it spins deosil, it means the person is either at normal “rotation” or possibly too fast, depending on the speed of the pendulum’s rotations. If it spins widdershins, this person is depleted in energy in that chakra. Although I am a Reiki Master/Teacher and do not need to do this, I will in cases of severe illness or certain “emergency” works. I have used it over poppits of those I am helping “in absentia” as well.

In both instances, I use it to “divine” the problem so that I may know what to utilize in their therapy. I also use it as any other would for divination. I have held it over parchment with questions written on it. I have held it over poppits in order to find answers to questions such as “Is this person faithful?” or “Is this person pregnant?” You get the idea. This is one of the most accurate forms for my purposes as far as divining for others.

I use the forces and critters of nature on a daily basis. I am not employed at the moment, so I have most of the day to watch and learn. Many times, I have no question to ask, but the powers that be will send signs which I note for future reference. Where I live, it is not uncommon to see eagles soaring on the wind. However, to have one swoop down to me, almost landing on my balcony, was a sign to me. I recently went through a period of major crises. This is when the eagle swooped down. I was literally on the edge of sanity. I am a very strong woman, but for some unknown reason, this time, I felt like I was losing my grip. I could not even bring myself to do Sabbats, Esbats, or other workings. After seeing the eagle, I knew things would be okay eventually. Within one week, three out of five of my crises were over.

I also have a hawk which will land on a tree branch right off from my balcony; we do communicate quite frequently, like old friends. She has also given me many words of wisdom for use at a later time.

I am so closely attuned with nature, it amazes even me. So, I took that to the next level. One day, I was standing in the middle of the woods, a beautiful sunny August day, no clouds, slight breeze. I decided to do a Drawing Down the Sun ritual. I stood there in the star position and did my thing. I also asked the Sun God a question. It was around my daddy’s birthday, who by now, had been on the other side for seven years. Did I ever get an answer! As I stood there, I felt a cold wet sensation on my left fingers. I slowly opened my eyes and turned my head. Was I surprised to see a doe and her fawn. She had touched my hand. They both stood there as I turned my head. Now this is rare for deer. Most of you know they are gone in a flash at the first notice of movement, and especially human scent. There we stood, eye to eye. It seemed like a lifetime that we stood together in the clearing. After a few seconds, though, they scampered on their way. I looked back to the Sun, thanked Him for His answer to my concerns. My ex-husband and his best friend watched in awe from camp. I was only back a few feet from the treeline, so they had a perfect view. My point: I took the signs given to me from the Sun God in the form of the doe and fawn as my answer. Now, why a doe and fawn and not a buck? Maybe due to the nature of my question.

It is not just animals from whom I seek answers. I also look to the winds, the flames of fire, and the trees as well. We all know what it means when the winds blow from a specific direction. The same with the flickering of a candle flame or campfire. You can also find answers from talking to the trees. Depending on which gift is given will determine the answer to your question. An acorn finds its way to you; a symbol of strength, the Mighty Oak. Also birch, willow, ash, all give answers in their own unique ways.

The scrying bowl/mirror and runes, I use for those people “seeking” answers. Similar to tarot readings, the answers can be found through the runes in the same manner. These I use more for mundane problems.

Over all, when I seek spiritual answers, I tend to look to nature and my pendulum first. When looking for answers to mundane questions, I use the other divination methods. Do I take the answers I receive and apply them to the question/problem at hand? The answer is: It depends. I will take the advice given, combined with knowledge of the subject already understood. Then I make my decision. For spiritual answers, yes I tend to act on the signs/omens received, but for mundane topics, no.

Learning To Walk Alone

Learning To Walk Alone

Author: Mistress Ravenfyre

Requests. Requests. Requests.

Is this all the Gods and Goddesses ever hear? Over and over again they listen to us who worship them tell of our woes, tales of sorrow, our despair. In times of sorrow, stress and loneliness, we reach out for them. Calling their names individually, seeking their guidance. Pouring out our trials and tribulations hoping to be heard. Hoping to have some kind intervention. Will there be a miracle to save us from whatever is going on in our lives that is making us call them in this manner? Are we seeking instant gratification instead of taking the long road ourselves?

Do the Gods and Goddesses ever tire of these requests placed upon their shoulders? When they know that they are unable to intervene even in a small way, do they hang their heads and say a silent prayer for us? Do the thoughts run through their heads that certain people only call upon them when they are in trouble but no other time? Knowing that the reason that there will be no help from them is because these people have to learn to help themselves. Just as we parents must let go of our toddlers, letting them experiment. Using trial and error. They too do the same for us.

I am sure that they do tire of all this. Hearing it from thousands upon thousands, day in and day out. This can be wearisome. Not to mention – do these same people give thanks to the Gods and Goddesses when times are good? Or simply when the going gets tough? Hearing the pain in their voices, seeing the tears cascade down their faces. Holding their heads in hands, weeping. No, I am not talking about us, mortals. I am speaking of our Gods and Goddesses. Are we so selfish and wrapped up in our lives and ego that we forget that they too feel these pains from us? They feel our despair. Yet they at times know that it is our job, here on our planet, to solve our problems without their help.

They are giving their help. They are helping us by not helping. Letting us make mistakes, solve these mistakes and pave the road smoother for our travels. Each individual, as they know, has a path to walk. This path may be filled with ruts and holes, but it is the path we must travel. To learn to fill in these ruts is our job. Not the Divine Ones. We need to learn to fill these ruts with concrete. Filling one hole at a time. Once we do this, our travels are not as burdened.

Our Gods and Goddesses, whoever they may be, know that we must learn to solve our own problems. Solving our own problems alone teaches us those life lessons that are needed for us to grow inside. Each time we solve these problems we have laid another new section on our road.

This re-building of our paths seems to be never-ending. Obstacles seem to be placed in front of us. Making us stop, not being able to go around whatever is there. Sometimes we must open our mind’s eye to see the solution. Causing us to bring out our inner strengths and trust. Worry, doubts, fears are those main obstacles that, in any given situation, prohibit us from coming up with a viable solution. Once we are able to overcome the fears, doubts and worries, we are able to free our mind and let the soft inner voice caress us with the answers. Listening to this voice can be all the help that you need. For you have opened up to see and hear the signs that are leading you to the solution. You are now able to walk straighter and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Nobody said that life was easy all the time. If it were easy what would we learn? Would we in fact have our faith?

If we did not have these opportunities to overcome obstacles would we recognize a Divine Intervention? Would we appreciate it? The awe would seem to be gone.

Our Gods and Goddesses may revel in our accomplishments. For they know that even by the tough love that they sometimes send out, we have survived another passage. Instead of tears of sadness, they shed tears of happiness in our advancements.

We will grow each time by learning to be strong, independent and happy individuals.

They see us and smile, knowing that we are doing fine alone most of the time. Our faith guides us. Our intelligence and perseverance to face the hardships are only stepping stones on the way to enlightenment.

You know and feel that their eyes and hearts are never closed to us. They are doing us a favor by allowing us “free will.” Their silent prayers are our answers to our requests. We just have to learn to open our minds and listen for them. They have done more for us by doing nothing.

After the hardships are behind you, please remember to thank your Gods and Goddesses for the blessings that you have in your life. One should do this daily. Whether in time of need or not. Don’t just call upon them in times of sorrow or hard times. Share your happiness with them. Your love and faith should be shown to them continuously by the things you do each day. Use personal words or prayers created just for them. Speak to your chosen Gods and Goddesses as if they are with you, because they are. Choose to do whatever makes you feel closer to them.

While you are alone, look again at the path you are traveling. See where you have been, where you are and where you are going. See how far you have come. See the things that brightened your life.

Finally, raise your eyes and arms to the heaven; say a silent prayer of love and gratitude to your Gods and Goddesses for their safe travels.

Magical Thinking

Magical Thinking

Author: Levi

Many times when people find the Pagan community we hear that children display many unique abilities, unlike their adult counterparts who have been conditioned to our modern mundane world. How do children view the world of seeming superstition and magick? What can we learn from this and apply to our lives as modern Pagans? It is with the tools of skeptical thinking, psychology and a dash of good old fashioned pondering that I would like to explore with you these topics.

First of all children take things for face value; while observing, they soak in every comprehensible detail unknowingly. Yet their actions are based more on what they have been instructed to do, not what they observe independently. If you were to throw a notion or better a devout law into their thought process, and couple that with the respect they feel for the notion-dropper, that child is capable of believing in any possible thing. Think about Hansel and Gretel, Harry Potter, God, the bogeyman, any of the archetypal “make-believe” characters, and you know what I mean. Their level of belief in the characters, and/or magickal thinking, depends greatly on which level of cognitive development the child currently maintains. Aside from that, social learning plays an important role because parents are the children’s first and foremost teachers and the sheer scope of their job is extensive. “Therefore if children are to learn to walk, to speak, and to take care of themselves, adults cannot simply wait for a time driven process of cognitive development to unfold, neither can they wait until a child exhibits desirable behaviors by chance, and then lavishly reinforce the lucky episode.” (Vyse pg. 157) As the years pass from pre-operational thinking, ages 2-7, to concrete operational thinking, ages 7-11, so declines their susceptibility to superstitious beliefs and irrational concepts of reality. Skepticism is an adult characteristic and is acquired, if at all, with age. Which brings us to formal operational thinking, over 11 years of age, which starts to incorporate logical thinking over the more fiction-based, directly-handed-down method of learning. The pre-adolescent begins to put together abstract thoughts and construct its own views on its reality, and other realities. After the pre-adolescent stage the child therefore begins to seemingly take on a more what we would term adult view of reality and reason. Though conformity can be seen as the destroyer of intellectual thinking, it nonetheless steps in around this age. It works as your individual observations weigh less as your understanding of social interaction and acceptance begin to affect more and more of your decisions.

What exactly does all this mean, you may ask. Well all of these facts show that in our increasingly modern world we are slowly conditioning our children to no longer think with imagination and creativity. Nevertheless a starling array of what are termed as old wives tales, warnings and magickal thought still survive till today and are reflections of many preoccupations and/or human fears that have been passed on over time. But it is my thought that we need not view these things in such a light, as it would be much wiser to view them as a part of oral tradition to pass on. It is also interesting to note as a parallel that sometimes science has demonstrated that certain beliefs relating to various plants and foods that hold magical powers do in fact have a basis in reality and have been proven to work. On the other hand people still avoid walking under ladders and knock on wood and cross their fingers in order to guard there luck. With this in mind, of all things this teaches us that it is not only important to instill our traditions into our youth if they are to survive, but to instill these traditions as a way of love, if the world and intelligent humanity is to survive.

My personal experience with the topic of traditions could be viewed I guess in part as a long legacy if you will, which everyone has, if a little thought has been put into it. First off I come from an Irish/Sicilian descent; both cultures have been steeped in magickal and superstitious thinking for millennia. Ever since I was a small child I remember a figure or wall plaque of the triskele in my home. The triskele is a symbol of Medusa surrounded by three legs representing the three magickal nymphs. In essence the story of this symbol dates back to the times and stories of the goddess Diana within ancient Italy. Still today many Sicilian people have this symbol within there home to guard the home from negativity and yes today here in my home, hanging over the front door, is a triskele symbol. Somehow throughout my childhood I have taken on this simple traditional superstition, accepted it and have woven it into the workings of my own life. But this is typically how family traditions or what may be termed superstitions seem to work.

Thrown into this mix I was born and raised in Kansas. Now the Midwest doesn’t seem like it is much of a magical place, but actually it is a place filled with local traditions and legends, mostly belonging to the Native Americans that once lived there and other people known as God fearing Christians! In addition to this I can remember as a child being told by my grandmother to stay close to the house because of the Gypsies who at one time were known to be in the area. But moreover she taught that they would kidnap me and never let me come home. Actually and generally these Gypsies were immigrants that would travel through the area from time to time, but were long gone before my days on the prairie. What I do know now is that this was her way of protecting and keeping me close to home as was also her way of keeping me in bed at night with tales of the bogeyman and his nightly rampaging of the land in search of children! “But don’t worry; he might let you lose when the sun comes, if you’re lucky, ” she would always say, ever so wisely.

Over the years as I grew up and have (unfortunately) gone far beyond my stages of development I have later learned that these fictional creatures have served as a tool for elders throughout time as means of safeguarding children. Even though I still may think of Mr. Bogeyman from time to time, and maybe I’ll pass that one on. I believe that because of these experiences that I have had in the past, my upbringing and the fact that I am the product of two old hippies, this has led me to where I am today. It has led me to my view upon the world as a much more magical place than what the average may think. Witchcraft and the study thereof, is an earth-based religion passed on from our Pagan ancestors that looks to the divine within the aspects of nature, therefore working and following closely with the waxing and waning seasons of the year. It is heavily involved with ecology and moral issues in addition to environmental issues. Witchcraft also teaches us to be open-minded and at the same time to think very wisely of the world, and the issues within it. It also teaches you to value the people around you and your future of this world, remembering not to take everything for granted or at face value, thereby devaluing one’s own self and worth.

It is suggested these traditions are that of false superstitious behavior and are abnormal in nature. Probably no other aspect of psychological behavior is more challenging to understand than that of the abnormal because it is thought of as kind of working hand-in-hand with mental disorders. In everyday life, people often talk about “mental illness, ” a term which echoes of medical asylums and twisted and cruel mental health practitioners, so in turn this view has given a negative view or stigmatism upon the subject of abnormal behavior. In hand this is placing a negative view upon traditions, which may be viewed as abnormal, because they do not fit into the mainstream. The reality is that public understanding of true abnormal behavior is fairly limited and right now we still don’t have all the answers when it comes to understanding and treating disorders. But is abnormal behavior by itself really a disorder? When you think about the word itself all abnormal behavior really is the fact that when someone may act in a manner that does not fit society’s expected view of normal behavior, they are viewed as abnormal. Does the behavior make them mentally ill? I think not, in fact to me this sounds a little reminiscent of what we now term as The Burning Times. Truer things to consider or to ask when deciding if someone is abnormal are: Is this person suffering? Is her or she seemingly maladaptive? Are they irrational or unpredictable? Or are they violating morals or society’s standards? The thought is that when a person displays a couple or more of these conditions then we could label one as abnormal or as having a mental condition with some confidence. I also think this is a good approach and also say as long as the person is not harming him or her self, others, or the surrounding area then there may really not be a problem at all. Maybe the person is very creative or there could be a long list of other possibilities that do not fit under the heading mental illness. When real thought is put into it maybe the real problem lies in the observer of this “abnormal behavior.” It may in fact be touching on some of observer’s own personal fear, bias and or issues on an unspoken or hidden level. Or simply it may be a behavior that the observer has never been exposed to before.

This also works within the realm of Magickal traditions. Because of the mainstream views upon Magickal traditions as irrational in nature it is thereby simple to label someone as irrational. This type of labeling can be very tricky and or harmful, as history has shown us. But again we tend to view irrational behavior within the context of the extreme, which leads us back to that old abnormal behavior. Are my beliefs or traditions abnormal and/or irrational compared to that of a Christian or a Jewish person or are theirs compared to mine? I think not, because as we can see every faith and/or culture around the world has its own set of values, traditions, and thoughts on belief, magick and superstition. It’s how we think that is really important because when we think in a linear way opposed to a more creative way we tend to push our personal views and/or perspectives upon others and in the long run can lead to conflict, maybe even harm. We see these downfalls and issues working everyday within the media alone.

My closing thought on growing up learning and passing on magickal traditions and in effect living one’s life with the belief in these ways is not something to be shunned. The point is no matter how odd society would like to view us and our magical ways of thinking or what labels they would like to put upon the subject, in actuality under some circumstances it can prove to be very rational, therapeutic and/or a combination of the two. Our beliefs in Magick as well as our traditions will continue to flourish as a natural human expression around the globe even in the most technologically advanced societies, and probably as long as there are humans to utilize these tools… The fact is, is it above irrational to bring comfort to the modern human condition? Which the magickal traditions can and do provide. With this in mind learn once again to think with the imagination of a child and create new beautiful realities for our future to come.

Footnotes:
Vyse A. Stuart (Oxford university Press 1997) Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition
Pickering, David (Cassell 1995) Dictionary of Superstitions

 

Solitary Misconceptions

Solitary Misconceptions

by Sylvana SilverWitch

I used to be a solitary many, many years ago now. After I moved to  Seattle — away from my first priestess and  coven — I looked for a new coven, thinking it would be easy to find one. In the  early 70’s, there was not much pagan activity in Seattle. As I became familiar with  the area and got settled, I ran into a number of people who claimed to be  practicing the Craft but were not into anything  like what I had been taught.

One guy I met ended up getting arrested a few years later for  luring young girls into a “coven,” only to  ply them with drugs and take advantage of them. I was very happy that I wasn’t  taken in by his charm and promises of third degree initiation into his  made-up tradition.

I read the submissions for this issue with interest because I always  wonder why one would choose to be a solitary, foregoing the rich tapestry of  learning and practicing with a group. I feel truly blessed to be a part of my coven,  Sylvan Grove, and I wouldn’t trade the last 16 years with the evolving group  for anything. As I read, I noticed a theme of misconceptions about working in  a group and/or being part of a coven. Misconceptions, that is, from my  point of view. Having been in a couple covens for a number of years each as well  as having been a solitary for over 10 years, I feel well-equipped to address  some of these issues.

Seemingly common misconceptions I have come across, and my  perceptions about them are:

1. That you can just find and join a coven.

Finding covens is not easy. It’s not like we advertise in the phone book  and you can simply call us up and come on over. In most cases, you cannot just  join the coven the next day, week or month. It takes training, discipline  and elementary knowledge to begin working with an existing group. Not to  mention social skills, responsibility and basic compatibility with the tradition and  the people.

2. That working alone is somehow better than working in a group.

There is a limit to how much you can learn and grow on your  own. Whether it’s getting a new perspective or opinion or having support in  times of need, We all need other people.

I have found value in working alone, but I can do that and still be part of  a coven. We get together on the new and full moons and the Sabbats,  and sometimes socially. But we don’t all live together. We have separate lives.

Also, I have found nothing to be as wonderfully challenging, stimulating  and rewarding as working magick with a group of intelligent, inquisitive, bold  and progressive people. The coven I am now HPS of has some of the brightest  and most amazing people I have ever come across in the Craft. The energy  we generate when we do magick is palpable. We are a focused and powerful  entity and our magick works well because of that.

3. That groups follow some “Sacred Book of Shadows” that was  passed down from Old Gerald, and that they duplicate the rituals  absolutely religiously.

This is true in very few covens I have been exposed to. More often,  when a written tradition hands down a book of shadows, it is passed from the HP  or HPS to the initiate. Initiates then expand on or change what they do to  suit themselves. Very few covens, in my experience, go by the letter of the  book for every ritual. In fact, most of the people I have done ritual with are  artistic, creative witches and have written and performed some remarkable  rituals. Maybe that’s a comment on who I tend to gravitate to, but it can’t be only  that after all these years.

4. That groups don’t allow for individual personal creativity.

If my coven is any indication, this cannot be true. Andy recently wrote  a paper for the Sylvan Outer Grove class and in it he mentioned the Sylvan  Grove Random Moon Generatorä in which we look at what astrological sign the  sun and moon are in and what that means. With this information and  group consensus about what we want or need at the time, we decide what magick  to do. I know other covens invent rituals as they go — during several years  as the New and Full Moon coordinator for a Northwest pagan organization,  I watched it in action.

5. That they somehow won’t “fit in” to a group.

This is one of the most obvious fallacies I have heard expressed.  Anyone can fit in if they find the right group or coven. It does take some social  skills to work with others successfully, but a coven is a lot like a family.  Everyone does not get along all the time, everyone does not always agree. There  are conflicts from time to time, but we are committed to working things out.

It is important to find common ground in philosophies and styles  of working, but you don’t have to agree with everything or like all things  about someone to work magick successfully with them. If you find people you  like and are compatible with, and you like the tradition, a year should be  long enough to figure out whether you can commit to a long term  working relationship.

Also, people come and go as part of the natural order of things.  Everyone grows at their own rate. You don’t have to dedicate the rest of your life to  a coven. If it doesn’t work for you in the long term, you can always ask to  be released from your obligations.

6. That people are “solitaries” when they aren’t a formal part of a coven,  even  though they work with some group or even just one other person on a  regular basis.

Solitary implies alone. My personal definition of a solitary is a person  who does not work with, or belong to, a group. If you are working  magick regularly with a coven or group, whether or not you are formally dedicated  to the group, in my opinion you are not a solitary.

To find an appropriate coven or group, you must be persistent. Keep  your eyes and ears open. Go to whatever public rituals you can attend.  Take classes on different traditions if they are available in your area; if not,  read books on different traditions to find what you most resonate with. My coven only advertises  the Outer Grove class in one issue of the paper per year and there is a  deadline to get into the class.

When you do find a group you are interested in, ask if you may  attend something that might be appropriate. If you get invited to a ritual, ask what  you can bring or contribute. Make yourself useful, help out where and when  you can. Be on time. Be good listener. Keep an open mind. Remember, you are  asking to become a student — don’t come across as if you already know it all.  Be open to letting others get to know you and let your interest be known. If  in doubt, ask!

In the Sylvan tradition, you must ask many times before you are invited to  be part of the inner circle. This assures us that you are serious and  committed; that’s what we are looking for.

Good luck finding a coven, if you want to be a part of one. If you do  join one, you will find the group magickal experience to be profoundly  rewarding, fascinating and an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth  beyond compare. Blessed be.

Confessions of a Solitary

Confessions of a Solitary

by Lisa (Wild Rose) Harris

I contemplated the full moon from my position under the “Triple  Goddess” tree. The mountains seemed to glow from the magick of her light. The  sounds of the night filled the air: the river’s gentle yet powerful sound  enveloping the canyon, the haunting sounds of a great horned owl and coyotes  singing from the ridge. The tree in the pasture we had chosen for our site was like  no other I had ever seen. She was composed of three trunks of separate trees  intertwined, which over the years had grown together to become one, rather  than three, trees. I could feel her energy, and anytime I needed to meditate,  contemplate or ground myself, I would go to her. Yes, the time and place was  right, and there was true magick in the air.

The chilly autumn air of the Sierra Nevada foothills penetrated every  part of my body, yet I did not shiver. I looked at my companion, my friend Pauline,  who was the only other practitioner of the Craft I knew of in our small  mountain town. She was bursting at the seams with energy. We shed our robes,  letting them fall to the ground. Neither one of us made a habit of public nudity, yet  we wanted to pledge ourselves to the Goddess, naked and unashamed, as we  had come into this world. The pasture was well out of view of the road and  the few houses that were around. That Samhain midnight, under the full  moon, with the animals as witness, was the night I pledged myself to the  Goddess and to the Craft.

Seven years later, I am still a solitary. I have met friends, teachers  and organizations along the way, but none that I could dedicate myself to with  “perfect love and perfect trust.” One  self-proclaimed “teacher” from New York, whom I met through the same  pagan pen-pal listing where I found my friend Pauline, was obviously interested in  using the Craft to manipulate young, innocent pagans into sexual situations,  long distance if need be.

When I broke off contact, after catching on what this guy was about, I  was deluged with creepy dreams, ravens at my back door and other  phenomena that I could only interpret as psychic attack.  I did some research on protection spells. Finding nothing I  liked, I created one of my own. The object I made and buried  near my front door was so strongly charged that the energy it radiated caused  a buzzing in my hands that reached up through my arms and into my chest.  The words I spoke came from a place somewhere inside myself I was not  familiar with. They were powerful and they actually rhymed (which is surprising  since I have no poetic talent whatsoever).

Two weeks later, I received a letter from him asking for help. He told  me that he was in jail after being lured into a sting operation and arrested  because of his religion and his very high-profile promotion of the Craft. He told me  that all of the pagan leaders had “turned  their backs on him.” I knew that his own energy had turned on him and brought him to justice for what I suspect  was some sort of sex-related crime. I burned the letter.

My first experience with magick was swift and strong. I vowed never to  misuse power, because when bad energy turns back the power is amplified. I  was lucky on two counts: first, that I had recognized the psychic attack,  because I had experienced psychic phenomenon ever since I was a child, and  second, that I realized there are those who would manipulate others in the  name of their god in any religious movement, not just the Craft. I continued on  my path, a bit wiser than I was before.

As I have continued, the magick I have created on my own has been  so powerful that it has frightened me on occasion. Knowing the power that  one can raise and direct has made me ever vigilant about only doing magick for  the right reasons. I won’t even send healing energy to someone with out their  explicit permission. I also teach my daughter that magick should  not be done for selfish reasons, as what we set in  motion tends to take on a life of its own. Karma works.

There have been times when I’ve wished that I could become part of  a coven and do great magickal and celebratory works with others. There  are other times when I am grateful that I have chosen a path that frees me of  hierarchy and dogma. To me, the thought of earning degrees and having  someone else “bestow titles” on me is  too much like the Christian faith I was raised in. I entered the Craft as a spiritual  quest, a way to connect with something that I understood, rather than trying to fit  into someone else’s religion or dogma. My beliefs would put me at odds with  some traditions. Some people may want and need a specific structure and  system; I do not do well in such a system. I can’t  bring myself to profess to believe in something  unless I honestly believe and agree with every fiber of  my being. That’s difficult for me to do in anything organized.

Another difficulty I have with working groups is just that, that  they’re groups. My personal philosophy on paganism is that most “witches” were  solitaries, doing kitchen magick and healing. I believe that this magickal  work and connection with the natural world was an everyday way of life, and  that witches got together mainly for seasonal festivals and rites of passage. I tend  to agree with the theory that coven structure, as we know it, did not enter  into the picture until later, during the Inquisition and the like. Since none of  us were there at the time, we can only do our best to follow the path as we see it.

Now that I have a family and want a spiritual community for my daughter, I’ve addressed the group aspect of the  Craft differently. We belong to a Unitarian Universalist Church in Tacoma, which  has no dogma, only basic principles that I can wholeheartedly support, and  which give my daughter the freedom to find her own path. When I arrived at  the church, I immediately asked who ran their Covenant of Unitarian  Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) chapter. “Where are  your pagans?” I asked the board president. He  explained to me that the group had gone defunct  and that there wasn’t anyone who had the energy to reinvent  the group.

I couldn’t abide by the idea of a Unitarian church without a strong  pagan presence. Earth-centered spirituality is one of the many traditions  the church’s practices are based on. The first thing I did was to write an article  responding to a sermon given by the staunch humanist minister who  was serving at that time. It was a pagan view on humanism, which challenged the  congregation to find magick and sacredness in their lives, rather than just  intellectual stimulation.

Once I stirred the pagan political cauldron, I found myself planning a  winter solstice service, and soon people began saying that my energy was just  what was needed to get things going again. One day I noticed that I was being  introduced to new members as the “chief pagan,” and I was being  referred to as “priestess.” I now facilitate  the church’s Earth Centered Spirituality Group, which leaves  me in the odd position of being a solitary leading a group.We  get together to study and celebrate seasonal festivals and rites of passage, as  I believe our ancestors did. We also reach out to the congregation and  community to teach them about the wheel of the year and to dispel myths and  propaganda. I didn’t set out to lead a group; it just happened.

My solitary work has taken a back seat, now that I spend so much  time and energy facilitating meetings and rituals. Most of my personal practice  involves cleansing, purifying and healing, while the seasonal celebrations  seem to fall in with the group. I also recently began networking with other groups  in  the area. Since I have been thrust into a position of leadership and most of  my “knowledge” and practice comes from books and personal experience, I  feel that it is important to go out and learn from others. I was afraid that I  didn’t have the right to lead a circle or study group. What I found in the  community was wonderful people to celebrate with, and a feeling of belonging. I also  found the rituals I wrote and organized weren’t any different than  anyone else’s. I watched other groups spill, trip,  forget words, read from cards and make the most of  it just like we do. It didn’t hurt the rituals; it made them real.  The Goddess loves a good laugh.

My practices have changed over the years. Rather than chanting under  the Triple Goddess tree as a rural pagan, I find myself working indoors as a  Northwest city pagan. I do healing work for family and close friends, honor the  seasonal cycles with a family altar in the living room and occasionally find  time for divination. Much of my time is spent at my computer researching and  writing our next ritual. Since I never seem to be able to find a ritual from written  sources I like, I write them myself.

For me, working ritual that I have created myself or with the help of  others gives me more of a sense of connection than reciting something from  a book. My wonderful, supportive husband, who is just now embracing  his inner pagan, likes to tease me by calling me “Hemingway” when I write. I  decided a long time ago that I am looking forward to becoming a very eccentric  old woman, and so as not to shock anyone, I’m starting early. I like to write  ritual, articles and homilies naked while drinking a glass of Merlot.

And so the wheel turns. It begins under a tree in the mountains and  is continued at a keyboard in the city. Some things stay the same. I still ritually  purify the house after an illness or argument. I still infuse candles with  herbs, oils and energy to use in healing or personal and spiritual growth. Most of all,  I try make spirituality a part of my day-to-day life, not just something I do at  the full moon or at a Sabbat.

Although part of me still hopes to someday meet that group of people  with whom I fit perfectly, I guess I have the best of both worlds, my own  personal relationship with the Goddess and wonderful new friends to celebrate with.  As I close this article, I raise my glass to the goddesses and gods  everywhere, and to those who explore, celebrate  and honor them in whatever way they see fit. So may it be.

Daily Feng Shui Tip for January 13th – ‘Rubber Duckie’s Birthday’

Today is ‘Rubber Duckie’s Birthday,’ and if you want someone to think that you’re ‘the one’ and to make your own bath time much more fun, then you could use a duckie or two. Feng Shui says that a pair of mandarin ducks placed with loving intent into the ‘Romance/Relationship’ area of main floor or bedroom (or both) will quickly bring a perfect partner to you. And who doesn’t want a perfect partner to help feather their nest? If it walks like a perfect partner and talks like a perfect partner, well then it is the perfect partner! Thanks for the love, mandarin duckies — we’re awfully fond of you.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com