Tag: God

When Your Pet is More Than A Pet – Familiars and Avatars

Author: Bronwen Forbes

As a prologue to this, you need to know that Herne has been my patron God since I was nine years old. You don’t need to know, but you’ll probably figure out by reading this (if you haven’t already) that sometimes I’m a little slow to notice the obvious.

A few months after adopting my red and white beagle mix Herman, I was trying to sleep in one Saturday morning when I began to idly wonder, “There are so many Goddesses with dogs as part of their symbolism. I wonder what Gods are associated with dogs, too?” And then it hit me like a two-by-four to the forehead. Herne, Lord of the Wild Hunt, is very much associated with dogs, especially red and white hunting dogs, than you very much. (I warned you I’m a little slow sometimes) .

Needless to say, sleep was no longer an option. I sat up and looked at Herman (who had spent the night, as he usually did, asnooze at my side) who was already staring at me with a definite, “took you long enough to figure it out” expression.

And just like that, I not only had a familiar, I had an avatar.

I’m defining “avatar” here not as a recent hit movie or a small picture that represents you on various blogs or discussion boards, but as the earthly representative of a deity. And for the love of me, I hadn’t a clue what to do with mine.

Four months later, we adopted a German Shepherd mix named Katie – and lo and behold, she was also what my husband likes to call a “God-touched” dog. But unlike Herman who was also my familiar (notice the past tense; I still miss him) , Katie let us know pretty quickly that she had no interest whatsoever in being my husband’s familiar, but would happily attend her Goddess Nehelennia’s tasks of safe travel, healing and commerce. Period.

Since acquiring Herman and Katie in 2001, I’ve alao gotten the clue what to do, not just for my special dogs, but for anyone else who may wake up one morning and see deity shining through the eyes of their pet.

First and foremost, and I know this sounds obvious, you have to keep treating your pet like a, well, pet. Your animal companion is your spiritual and or magickal support (familiar) or a little bit of deity (avatar) but he still needs proper food and water, adequate shelter, regular veterinary checkups, exercise, training, vaccinations, etc. After all, it’s not like the Gods can or will take care of your pet for you.

But once the regular, responsible pet ownership duties are taken care of with your familiar or avatar, there are still some things you need to think about to keep your relationship with your animal companion – and your deity – as smooth and fulfilling as possible.

1. Remember that, despite her spiritual role in your life, your pet is still going to act like an animal. Herman used to drive me crazy with this. He was a daily reminder of my relationship with my patron deity, helped me work through some serious ritual issues, was a whiz at helping new students ground and center simply by sitting in their laps during ritual – and he was also a master escape artist. He could climb or dig under any chain link fence, and did so on a pretty regular basis.

Katie, a born healer, is also a big dog and an unrepentant counter-surfer. I can’t begin to count how many times I packed my lunch, left the kitchen to get dressed for work, and came back to find my lunch bag and food containers in Katie’s crate and my ex-lunch in her stomach. She may be God-touched, but she’s still a dog!

2. Give your familiar and/or avatar full autonomy regarding ritual attendance. This includes personal workings, small group rituals, festivals, and rites of passage. Shortly after my Saturday morning revelation about Herman, my husband and I took him with us to visit my parents for the weekend. While we were there, I helped my parents bury the ashes of our old family cat in the side yard garden – an understandably emotional activity. Herman was in the back yard, separated from me by a picket fence. He could see me through the fence, but couldn’t get to me. As my father dug a hole for the ashes, Herman went nuts, for want of a better word. Instead of pursuing squirrels (his usual pastime in my parents’ backyard) , he was throwing himself against the fence and barking frantically, trying to get to me. I should have stepped over the fence, opened the gate, and allowed Herman to join the small ritual. After all, he only wanted to do his job.

There have also been instance and rituals where Herman or Katie did *not* want to attend a particular ritual, and we quickly learned to “listen” to their opinions – rather like knowing that it doesn’t feel right to take a certain tarot deck with you when you go do readings at a community event. We learned this lesson the hard way when we took Katie to a ritual she clearly didn’t want to go to and she had a seizure.

3. Give your pet enough down time. Just as you can’t be in ritual 24/7, it’s unrealistic to expect your pet to be “on, ” i.e. actively acting as a divine representative or helping you with your spiritual work all the time. Don’t bug him to help you if he clearly doesn’t feel like it – the fact that he’s asleep or ignoring you are clear signs that he “doesn’t feel like it.”

If you find yourself needing extra protein, water or sleep after a working or ritual, offer some to your familiar or avatar as well.

If you have a pet that also enhances your spiritual practice or connection with your deity, you have been given a gift beyond price. Very few animals, at least in my experience, can do this, and if you get one or even two in a lifetime, you have truly been blessed. It’s also not something you can actively look for; it’s like love (actually it *is* love) – the more you try to find that special animal, the less likely you are to succeed.

Be patient. If and when you’re ready, the right animal will come.

Responsible Witch


Author: Donna Caldwell aka Scarlette Winter Rose

What is a witch? Is it, as by common definition, a sorceress, a person bent on evil doings, who casts spells and worships the devil? Is it someone to fear and therefore ostracize, imprison and execute? My answer to these questions is both yes, and no.

Why am I qualified to answer these questions? Because I am a witch, and have been all of my life.

So let’s get those questions answered.

First, a witch is many things. She, or he, as men are witches too, may or may not be a sorceress. Some witches practice no spell craft, but choose only to focus on the worship of nature, and the Goddess and God, providers of all that we are blessed with on this earth.

There are those like myself, who practice sorcery, or magick. And you will find that among witches, those terms, along with numerous others, intertwine for many, while some insist that the term sorcery only applies to black magic. I do not agree, because to me there is no “black” or “white” magick. There is only magick, and it is the intent of the practitioner that determines the direction of the energy used.

When one decides to follow the path of the witch, they are making a commitment that holds many responsibilities, and will find that there is much to learn before any actual casting of spells should be approached.

To quote High Priestess Ly de Angeles, from her book “Witchcraft Theory and Practice”, “Once initiation has occurred, there is no turning back…you will quest all of your life; it is not a thing to do thoughtlessly.”

This is, in part, because our spiritual path, unlike others, states that we are immediately responsible for all of our actions and the results that follow. We cannot lay blame elsewhere for our harmful deeds, whether toward ourselves or to others.

Witches do not believe in the devil, so the idea of our worshipping one is meaningless. If we have acted in a baneful manner, we will not be judged after our body dies, before a single god, but will reap the sowing of our intent while in the present life, and sometimes beyond it, in accordance to the laws of the universe.

This is known among witches as the Threefold Law. It states that any one baneful act by a witch shall be returned upon them three times.

Some, myself included, do not hold strictly to the Threefold Law, but believe that negative use of witchcraft returns upon those liable however many times the universe deems necessary, in order to teach that which must be taught to the practitioner. Think of the old saying “What goes around comes around.”

So witches do have rules? Hell yes!

We abide by that which is known as the Wiccan Rede, a hefty list of guidelines. The most basic and important of these is “And it harm none, do what thou wilt.” Now, just what does that mean?

It means a lot.

We must take care with everything and everyone on this earth, be it the people, the animals, nature, and the planet itself. All is a gift from the Goddess. We must not lie, steal, cheat, or raise war, either with nations, or other people who would condemn us for our beliefs because they differ from their own.

We must work magick responsibly. This means we must prepare for ritual with great thought and patience, being precise, and making sure our efforts do not impose upon another’s will, as that would be baneful.

We must not use mind-altering drugs of any kind before or during ritual. To do so would be against the Rede, as we could bring harm to others and ourselves due to our lack of clear focus.

There are strict rules for summoning energies or “watchtowers”, as we in the Craft refer to them. They are called upon to join and assist in ritual, and must be dismissed at the ritual’s end, in a certain way. Failing to do this can, and most often does, result in negative occurrences long after the ritual is over and those in the circle have gone merrily on their way.

Being in a drugged state would leave those practicing within the ritual circle completely vulnerable to the energies and spirits that have been summoned. To perform spell work correctly, successfully and safely, one must have complete control over their faculties.

Now, how about our reputation?

It has taken hundreds of years for witches to partially recover from the labels placed upon us, and whether we like it or not, our chosen path is one which is looked at by others who still hold to the opinion that we are not following a true spiritual path, but one of pure evil. We must show them differently.

We must act responsibly, respectfully, and never fall into the trap of believing that we are “right” and others “wrong” in their differing beliefs.

We must not boast of powers, or play upon another’s fear of us, thus falling prey to the ego and thereby promoting our own demise, either through personal fault, or by those who would seek to destroy us.

As for that last question, I think I’ll let you, the reader, decide. You have heard from me, a practicing witch, concerning some or our basic beliefs and ways in which we live our lives.

So, what do you think? Should I be feared? Ostracized and imprisoned? Executed?

Some would still answer, “Yes.” My neighbor is one. She has stated on more than one occasion that anyone who practices witchcraft, or her idea of witchcraft, should, in fact, be burned at the stake, twenty – first century or not. With the giant wooden cross she has erected in her front yard, I guess she is preparing for her own ritual….

There will probably always be those who will hate us, out of ignorance and fear. Or perhaps just because we have the courage some of them lack, to follow our own path rather than go along with what is most acceptable in society for the sake of fitting in.

As for myself, I shall continue on the journey my Goddess has provided me, and I shall remain a responsible witch.

Shielding Method 1: Pagan Grid of Protection

Author: Nita

I want to share a protection method for those who practice a religion that is not oriented towards angels. I hope this will be a big help for people who are learning how to shield themselves from harmful energies and vibrations.

I have felt that many people who begin in magic pick up what others think, and do not understand their abilities and talents. The most difficult talent is being an empath where others feelings are sent to you. Many people have problems because they do not know the difference between their emotions and others.

I hope this shielding method helps everyone to keep balanced, centered and grounded. Blessed Be.

Arianhod, Goddess of Heaven, I ask that you send a grid of energy that nothing harmful may pass. May I be defended from the East, in the realm of air by your beauty and might. May this day go well with no slander, communication problems, misunderstandings, quarrels or arguments. May your mighty shield deflect all energies of air meant to harm me or cause discord and may I be sealed and contained from all harm through the element of air. Let me be protected in my body, mind, and soul. May all the positive spirits, Gods, Goddesses of air and the east bring the positive effects of wisdom, thought, and communications to be glorified this day in service to the light and goodness of life.

Lugh, God of the light, may your innovations, defense, and fiery nature defend me from all harm through the element of fire and the direction of the South. I ask that a grid of energy be sent to me so I will be protected from all accidents, war, terrorism, acts of violence or cruelty, May all energies of fire meant to harm me or cause discord, hatred and jealousy be deflected by your mighty shield of energy and may you add this grid around the grid of air so I may be protected from all combinations of fire, and air this day. May I also be protected from all harm through the direction of east and south or any combination of those directions and elements. Let me be protected in my body, mind and higher self. May all the positive spirits, Gods, and Goddesses of the south and east bring the positive effects of fire and air to be glorified this day in service to the light and goodness of life.

Morrigan, Lady of the Lake, may you send an invincible grid of the element of water to surround the elemental shields and grids of air and earth. May nothing use the emotions, thoughts, fears, and upset that can be sent through the element of water and west against me. May no combinations of air, fire, and water harm me or influence me negatively in any way.

May no harm come through the directions of East, South, and West or any combinations of these directions and elements. May I be protected in my body, mind and soul. May all of the positive sprits, Gods, Goddesses of Air, fire and water bring the positive effects of these elements to be glorified this day in service to the light and goodness of life.

Danu, Mother Goddess of all, may I be shielded from all harm from the North and through the element of earth by your might and loving protection being sent to me in an invincible grid of protection that goes around the grids of air, fire and water. May it protect me from all harm through the elements of air, fire, water and earth. May no single element or combination of elements be able to harm me in any fashion.

May I be freed of poverty, problems through metal and wood, inertia, and any other harm that links to the negative powers of the earth and the north. May all of the positive spirits, Gods, Goddesses, bring the positive effects of the elements of air, fire, water, and earth to be glorified this day in service to the light and Goodness of Life.

I ask that this grid be sealed by all the Gods and Goddess with an impenetrable energy shield so that no harm may come to me in any way. Be it simple energies of life or others emotions, harmful magic, or evil spirits, ghosts, hexes, curses or harm. Nothing shall past these shields. Nothing may use the energies of spirit, life, or elements against me. The Gods and Goddesses protect me and keep me safe this day and every day.

Face each direction and say:

Arianhod seal the grids completely from the East and the element of Air.
Lugh seal the grids completely from the direction of South and the element of fire.
Morrigan seal the grids completely from the direction of West and the element of water.
Danu seal the grids completely from the direction of North and the element of Earth.

Say this shielding spell every day. It will keep you safe and help you to build your energies and have a permanently strong shield of safety and protection.

You may substitute any Gods or Goddesses from any practice with these Gods and Goddesses. This method will seal the elements and directions that should keep you safe and well.

I know the basics for any grid of protection using the elements and the directions is to pick God’s and Goddesses that correspond to those directions and abilities. Ones of Earth for earth, water for water, air for air, and fire for fire. You then can assign them to the directions or find if they are present or known to defend a certain element or direction.

It means that any pantheon of Gods or Goddesses can be used for these methods. The sealing of the directions and elements is useful in most forms of magic. It will contain and seal off the direction the person who is sending the negative magic is living in or doing their magic in a certain area.

The elements are important because all of them cover every method that can be used to harm others. Earth is the elements of spell casting equipment. Air is the element of the spoken word and spirit connections. Fire is the light of the fire or candle. Water is any liquids or oils. So all of the elements combined to seal the person and protect them are very powerful. It can also be used on vehicles, houses, and places of business to protect everything that needs to be protected from harm.

I always encourage people to improvise and add in sentences or variations that fit their needs. Inspiration is important but always write down what you said and what you do. It is the only way to be sure that your method worked and to verify the results.

Get Back Up

All of us have had traumas in our life. Granted, some seem much bigger than others and we can all sing the “Somebody Did Me Wrong” song.

I believe these challenges are sent so we can learn how to get back up. They are to show us how much courage we do already have within us.

Some people have huge stumbling blocks or traumas at a young age, some in later years. If you look back in your life and see darkness, I implore you to look more closely.

You are able to look back – aren’t you?
You are still here,
living, breathing PROOF that you were ABLE to Get Back Up.

Bless the dark areas and thank them for the strength that you now have within you to face the next one. Without darkness we cannot recognize the light. Walk in the light and bless the darkness. This way the new light will touch everything past and everything yet to come…

Burdens can weigh you down if you let them engulf you – so don’t.

Always remember you Are Still Here so
YOU
Are Able to Get Back Up.

— Copyright © 2006 Vicki Muller

Your Charm for May 15 is Egyptian Gnostic Talismans

Your Charm for Today
 
 

The Gnostic Talisman
 
Today’s Meaning:
This aspect will be tested morally. This test is may be well hidden and the solution a mystery to you. You will have to make your way through it blindly. Have faith in yourslef and you will do fine.General Description:
The Egyptian Gnostic talisman is engraved with their hawk-headed and frog-headed deities, the winged uraeus, and the ankh, the symbol of life. The inscription is a supplication to Bait, Hathor, Akori, and ends with Hail, Father of the World! Hail, God in Three Forms! This amulet was worn as a protection against both physical and moral evil. The religion of the Gnostics was a strange intermingling of pagan and Christian ideas. It was a system of complicated symolism made purposely obscure and mysterious.

Wishing You A Very Blessed & Happy Saturday!

Good Afternoon my dearies! I know it is late in the afternoon but I am going to do things a little different today. I am going to just put on the horoscopes, tarot, I Ching and Runes. Then after that I am actually going to put on some interesting and useful info. That’ll be a first, lol! If you can’t poke fun at yourself, then no one can.

Hadn’t talked to everyone in a while, so I thought I would give you all a quick up-date. You know when I asked for your prayers for my son, his family and everyone else suffering from the flooding??? The water stopped 2 foot from getting into his house. I don’t want to toot your horn to soon because we had rain yesterday and it is also raining now. But I do have faith in you that as long as you continue to pray for him and everyone else, we will make it. May I ask you one more thing, there is a little boy who is in one of our hospitals about to die. The reason, his mother let him play in this nasty water, while she cleaned up some. I wish I knew the child’s name but I am not even suppose to know about this. So please pray for him and also pray for these parents around here that they exercise good judgement. The CDC came through here and tested the toxic levels in this nasty stuff. All the levels were off the chart. I believe if I had a kid right now about 5 or 6 and I had cleaning to do, I would nail him to the wall  by his drawers.

But the water is starting to receded slowly but surely and I am sure life will return to normal. Now for my fun around here and oh, brother, has it been fun! NOT!  Should I start with the idiot that is killing cats or the other idiots shooting coyote? Hmmmm……whatever is a Lady to do??? Let’s start with the cats. I had two cats that I was obviously crazy about. Either one of them were afraid of humans and now I wish they were and had never met me. I feel responsible because they lost their fear of humans. If they had just been kept wild then no one could have ever hurt them. The one that was pregnant was found dead in the field this morning. She had given birth to the kits several weeks ago and I was scared to death they would harm the momma cat. Sure enough, when they didn’t need her anymore they killed her. The big one that I wanted to keep so bad he was found dead in the field also, shot. I know who is doing it. I heard them talking one night while I was outside brushing KiKi. But hubby says without proof we can’t do anything. I don’t know what kind of proof I need? Get my camera and follow them out into the field. Then ask them to smile for the camera? That wouldn’t work at all. I would want to beat the hell out of them, then they would call the Law. But having dumped so many animals, I am sure they wouldn’t call the Law at all. I might end up like one of those animals out in the field.  Now on to the people shooting coyotes. They move a trailer way out in the middle of the field. Right in the middle of every animals’ path you can imagine. Well I have been going out in the afternoon and looking at the coyotes with my field binoculars. (Yes, I hunt.) On the horizon, I saw pups a playing. It was hard to tell if they were coyote or wolf. Momma Whatever would never come up to see her babies play and check on them. But she wasn’t too far away, they all took off in a hurry. I asked the man who was doing the coyote hunting if he ran across a den of young coyotes/wolves, to let me know. I also asked him not to shoot all of them please. If it wasn’t too much trouble for him to bring me one. He did one better and made my day. He told me if they ran across a den he would send his boy over to get me and I could go with them to the den. I asked if I could take all of the pups with me. He looked at me like, “Why?” I told him I knew of enough Rescues that would take the other. There was no need to kill them all. He agreed with me. He even asked me if I wanted to go out in the future and collect the pups (if any) and turn them over to a rescue. I love animals, so what could I say, lol! But that did make my day. The man doing the coyote hunts use to come over while Mocha was alive. She was more Wolf than dog and she was a beautiful animal. But she was very protective of me and when the man came over, he always wanted to pet Mocha. I would tell her it was ok and she would let him pet her. So he knows I miss her and why I would want a coyote or wolf pup. Kiki would have to get use to it.  Especially her not ruling the roost anymore, lol!

Have a great Saturday,

Lady A

I Was Never Promised


I Was Never Promised

I know as I sit here, I was never promised an easy life.

I was never promised happiness or comfortability.

I was never promised a roof over my head or food to eat on a daily basis.

I was never promised that my family or I would be healthy and I was never promised that I would develop friendships that I hold dearly.

I was never promised that today would be free and that I would have to exchange a day of my life for it.

I was never promised that I will make a better tomorrow and with the utmost humility, make a difference in many people’s lives.

I was never promised clothing to wear on a daily basis and a washing machine and dryer to clean and dry them.

I was never promised a direction in life and I certainly was not afforded a road map to get to where I belong.

I was never promised the luxury of an automobile or the money to put gas in it.

I was never promised that I would live in a modest home and fill it with the essentials to make a house, a home.

I was never promised, but I do promise, to never take for granted the things that have been so graciously given to me in my life…

I will give thanks on a daily basis for everything and everyone I touch and that touches me.

I, as I sit here writing this to you, I know in a blink of an eye, that all of these things that I have can be gone.

Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude…

— Copyright© 2010 Rich Barnes

Tuesday’s Prayer – Prayer for Pagan Children

Prayer for Pagan Children

O God, O Goddess, you have created all

people, all races, all traditions, and all

faiths. You have taught us to worship you

each in our own way. This can be very

confusing at times, and to a small child,

often traumatic.

Mankind has created much discontent,

and prejudice is everywhere.

My prayer is for all children, but espe-

cially the Pagan children. Give them and

their families the strength and endurance

needed to survive these times. help them

to grow and understand that ignorance

and greed is the cause of all suffering, so

that one day we can be united as one

 family again.

So Mote It Be.

Cleansing Your Candles

Cleansing Your Candles

This is a very important step and should not be omitted. Cleansing removes all the negative energies that the candle has picked up along the way. As with all supplies you want your candles to to be as free of psychic debris as possible. Submerge the candle in sea salt and the ask The Lord and lady to bless it. I could give you the phrasing but I think it is better when it comes from your own heart.

History of Witchcraft (part 4)

History of Witchcraft (part 4)

As  Christianity  became  a part of this nation,  there  is  much

evidence to show where the Christians of the time, and the pagans

lived peacefully together.

In  theology, the differences between early Christians,  Gnostics

(members  –  often  Christian – of dualistic  sects  of  the  2nd

century  a.d.), and pagan Hermetists were slight.  In  the  large

Gnostic  library  discovered at Naj’Hammadi, in upper  Egypt,  in

1945,  Hermetic writings were found side by side  with  Christian

Gnostic  texts.   The  doctrine of the  soul  taught  in  Gnostic

communities was almost identical to that taught in the mysteries:

the soul emanated from the Father, fell into the body, and had to

return to its former home.

It was not until later in Rome that things took a change for  the

worse.  Which moves us on to Greece.

The doctrinal similarity is exemplified in the case of the  pagan

writer  and  philosopher  Synesius.  When the  people  of  Cyrene

wanted  the  most able man of the city to be their  bishop,  they

chose  Synesius,  a  pagan. He was able to  accept  the  election

without  sacrificing  his  intellectual honesty.   In  his  pagan

period,  he  wrote  hymns that follow the fire  theology  of  the

Chaldean Oracles.  Later he wrote hymns to Christ.  The  doctrine

is almost identical.

To  attempt to demonstrate this…let’s go to some  BASIC  tenets

and beliefs of the two religions:

Christian Beliefs

The 10 Commandments

1.) You shall have no other gods before me.

To the Christian, this means there will be no other God.  Yet, in

the bible, the phrase is plural.  I does not state that you  will

not  have another god, it says that you will have no  other  gods

before the Christian God.

In  the case of the later, it could be interpreted to  mean  that

whereas other gods can be recognised, as a Christian, this person

should  place YHVH ahead of all gods recognising him/her  as  the

supreme being of all.

2.) You shall not worship idols

Actually,  what it says in the New International Version is  “You

shall  not make for yourself an idol in the form af  anything  in

heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You

shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord  your

God, am a jealour God, punishing the children for the sin of  the

fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate  me,

but   showing  love  to  thousands  who  love  me  and  keep   my

commandments.

3.) You shall not take the name of the lord in vain.

This one is pretty self explanitory.  When a person is calling on

the lord he/she is asking the lord for guidance or action.  Thus,

the phrase “God damn it!” can be translated into a person  asking

the  lord  to comdemn whatever “it” is to hell.  The  phrase  “To

damn”  means  to  condem to hell.   In  modern  society,  several

phrases such as the following are common usage:

“Oh God!”, “God forbid!”, “God damn it!”, “God have mercy!”

Each  of these is asking God to perform some act upon or for  the

speaker with the exception of “Oh God!” which is asking for  Gods

attention.

4.) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.

Depending on which religion you are looking at (i.e. Jewish, from

which  the 10 commandments come; or Christianity,  which  adapted

them  for their use as well.) the Sabbath is either  Saturday  or

Sunday.   You  may also take a look at the  various  mythological

pantheons  to  corelate which is the first and last days  of  the

week…(i.e. Sun – Sunday.. Genesis 1:3 “And God said, “Let there

be  light,’  and there was light., Moon – Monday..  Genesis  1:14

“And  God said,”Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky  to

separate  the day from the night, and let them serve as signs  to

mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the

expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16

God  made two great lights – the greater light to govern the  day

and  the  lesser  light to govern the night.  He  also  made  the

stars.”  Thus the Sun was created first.  With the day of the Sun

being  the first in the week, then Saturday would be the  7th  or

Sabbath.

5.) Honor thy mother and thy father.

This  is  another that is fairly self explainitory.   It  is  any

parent’s  right  after spending the time to raise you  to  expect

that you respect them.

6.) You shall not murder.

This does not say “You shall not murder…except in my name.”  It

says YOU SHALL NOT MURDER. PERIOD. Out of the 10 commandments,  I

have found that over the course of history, this one has been the

most  ignored.   As we look as the spread  of  Christianity  from

around 300 A.D. forward, we find that as politics moved into  the

church  and  those  in charge of man’s “souls”  were  given  more

control that this one commandment sort of went out the window.

We  see  such things as the Crusades, the  inquisition,  and  the

dominating fear that was placed into the Christian “psyche”  that

one should destroy that which is not like you.

Even  though  we here stories about the “witch trials”,  and  the

“witch  burnings” etc….There were actually very  few  “Witches”

tried  or  burned.   Most  of  these  poor  souls  were  that  of

Protestant  beliefs  (Against  the  Catholic  Church)  yet  still

maintained that they were Christians. But…more on this later.

7.) You shall not commit adultery.

You  can  look  up the meaning in the dictionary,  and  this  one

becomes  pretty self-evident.  What it comes down to is  that  no

person who has ever been divorced can marry again, and you  don’t

have sex with someone that you are not married to.

8.) You shall not steal.

Again, enough said. However…don’t go looking at Constantine  to

be  obeying this one!  The Pagan temples were looted to make  his

coinage.

9.) You shall not give false witness against thy neighbor

Again,  during the times of the inquisition, this also  went  out

the window.  Such tools as torture were used to pull  confessions

from  these  poor  people who then  signed  statements  that  the

inquisitors  had written up saying that they freely  signed  this

document.   Of course…the inquisitors stated that  this  person

was  not tortured, but it was his clever wit that  had  extracted

this confession.

It  was  also  during this time that persons,  refusing  to  take

responsibility  for their own actions or accept that nature  does

in  fact  create strange  circumstances…(i.e.  drought,  flood,

etc.)  and  the resulting illness and  bug  infrestations.   Very

often,  as the Witch-craze developed stronger, the  one  neighbor

would  accuse another of Witchcraft and destroying the fields  or

making their child sick, or whatever.

10.)You shall not covet your neighbor.

On  the  surface, this one is pretty  self  explainitory.   Don’t

crave your neighbor’s possessions.  Yes…I can relate this  back

to  the inquisitional times as well since most of  the  accused’s

property   reverted   back  to  the  Catholic  church   at   this

time…there  were  several accused and convicted  of  Witchcraft

simply because they would not sell their property to the  church.

However…How  does  this effect persons today?  How  far  do  we

carry the “Thou shalt not covet…”?  This can be even so much as

a want, however is it a sin to want a toy like your neighbor has?

If so…we’re all in trouble.  How many of us “want” that Porsche

that  we see driving down the road?  Or how about that  beautiful

house  that we just drove past?  Do we carry this commandment  to

this extreme?  If so…I pity the person that can live by it  for

what that would say is “Thou shalt not DREAM.”

Wiccan Beliefs

Since the religion of Wicca (or Witchcraft) is so diverse in it’s

beliefs,  I have included several documents here  that  encompass

the majority of the traditions involved.  Again, this is simply a

basis…NOT the be all and end all.

Wiccan Rede

Bide ye wiccan laws you must,

in perfect love and perfect trust

Live ye must and let to live,

fairly take and fairly give

For the circle thrice about

to keep unwelcome spirits out

To bind ye spell wll every time,

let the spell be spake in rhyme

Soft of eye and light of touch,

speak ye little, listen much

Deosil go by the waxing moon,

chanting out ye baleful tune

When ye Lady’s moon is new,

kiss ye hand to her times two

When ye moon rides at her peak,

then ye heart’s desire seek

Heed the north winds mighty gale,

lock the door and trim the sail

When the wind comes from the south,

love will kiss thee on the mouth

When the wind blows from the east,

expect the new and set the feast.

Nine woods in the cauldron go,

burn them fast and burn them slow

Elder be ye Lady’s tree,

burn it not or cursed ye’ll be

WHen the wheel begins to turn,

soon ye Beltane fires will burn

When the wheel hath turned a Yule

light the log the Horned One rules

Heed ye flower, bush and tree,

by the Lady blessed be

Where the rippling waters go,

cast a stone, the truth ye’ll know

When ye have and hold a need,

harken not to others greed

With a fool no season spend,

or be counted as his friend

Merry meet and merry part,

bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind ye threefold law ye should

three times bad and three times good

When misfortune is enow,

wear the star upon thy brow

True in love my ye ever be,

lest thy love be false to thee

These eight words the wiccan rede fulfill;

An harm ye none, do what ye will.

One of the Pagan Oaths recognised nationally here in the U.S.

A Pledge to Pagan Spirituality

I  am  a Pagan and I dedicate Myself to channeling the  Spiritual

Energy of my Inner Self to help and to heal myself and others.

*   I know  that I  am a  part of  the Whole  of Nature.   May  I

grow   in  understanding of  the Unity  of all  Nature.   May   I

always  walk  in Balance.

*   May  I  always be  mindful of  the diversity  of   Nature  as

well as its Unity and  may I  always be  tolerant of those  whose

race, appearance, sex, sexual preference, culture, and other ways

differ from my own.

*  May I  use the  Force (psychic  power) wisely  and  never  use

it   for aggression nor  for malevolent  purposes. May   I  never

direct  it  to curtail the free will of another.

*  May I  always be mindful that I create my own reality and that

I have the power within me to create positivity in my life.

*   May  I  always act  in  honorable  ways: being   honest  with

myself and others, keeping  my word  whenever I  have given   it,

fulfilling   all responsibilities and  commitments I  have  taken

on to  the best of my ability.

*  May I  always  remember  that whatever  is  sent  out   always

returns magnified to  the sender.  May the  Forces of  Karma move

swiftly   to  remind me  of these  spiritual commitments  when  I

have  begin  to  falter from them,  and may  I  use  this  Karmic

feedback  to  help myself grow and be more attuned  to  my  Inner

Pagan Spirit.

*   May  I  always remain strong and committed  to  my  Spiritual

ideals in the face of  adversity and  negativity. May  the  Force

of my Inner Spirit ground out  all malevolence  directed my   way

and   transform  it  into positivity. May  my Inner  Light  shine

so   strongly  that  malevolent forces can not even  approach  my

sphere of existence.

*   May I  always grow  in Inner  Wisdom & Understanding.  May  I

see  every  problem that  I face  as an opportunity   to  develop

myself spiritually in solving it.

*   May  I  always act out of Love to all other  beings  on  this

Planet — to other humans,  to plants,  to animals,  to minerals,

to elementals, to spirits, and to other entities.

*   May  I  always be  mindful that the  Goddess and God  in  all

their  forms  dwell  within   me  and   that  this   divinity  is

reflected through my own Inner Self, my Pagan Spirit.

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*  May I  always channel  Love and  Light from  my  being.  May my  Inner

Spirit, rather  than my ego self, guide all my thoughts, feelings, and

actions.

SO MOTE IT BE

In  the  Wiccan Rede above, and scattered in the  oath,  we  find

words  such  as Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.  What  are  these

strange words and what do they mean?

Before  one  can analyse the meaning behind the  phrase  “Perfect

Love  and  Perfect Trust”, one must first define the  words.  For

this  purpose, I will use the Webster’s New World  Dictionary  of

the  American  Language  1982 edition. Perfect:  adj.  [L.  per-,

through  + facere, do] 1. complete in all respects;  flawless  2.

excellent,  as  in  skill or quality 3.  completely  accurate  4.

sheer;  utter  [a perfect fool] 5. Gram. expressing  a  state  or

action completed at the time of speaking – vt. 1. to complete  2.

to make perfect or nearly perfect – n. 1. the perfect tense 2.  a

verb form in this tense – perfectly adv – perfectness n.

Love: n. [<OE. lufu]  1. strong affection or liking of someone or

something. 2. a passionate affection for one of the opposite sex.

3. The object of such affection, sweetheart.

Trust:  n.[ON,  traust]  1.  a)  firm  belief  in  the   honesty,

reliability,  etc.  of  another;  faith b)  the  one  trusted  2.

confident  expectation,  hope, etc. 3.  responsibility  resulting

from  confidence  placed in one. 4. Care,  custody  5.  something

entrusted to one….

Using  these  definitions,  we  come  up  with  “Flawless  strong

affection and flawless faith.

Is this possible?  Those that follow the religion of Wicca  often

give  excuses for this just being words.  When this is the  case,

they are not obeying their faith….thus..they are not  following

perfect love and perfect trust.  But to the rest…the answer  is

a  resounding YES.  This does not ask that you “like”  a  person.

It asks that you see the divine light and love within  individual

whether you like them or not.  Can this be done…YES. As to  the

perfect  trust…we  can always trust a fox to be  a  fox  right.

Therefore,  when we are entering circle, we can  honestly  answer

perfect  trust even if it is on shaky ground.  We may have  faith

that this person will act like any other human.

It  with these beliefs and doctrines that I state that  not  only

was   the  doctrine,  or  teaching  almost  identical,  but   the

vocabulary was extensively the same.