In the Day of a Witch: The Little Things

This morning I awoke to news that one of my Craft Elders had departed through the veil last night. He is my great-great-grandfather in lineage. Though I have never met him, I honor him; his Craft, work, time, and sacrifice contributed to forming the Craft I have received and been initiated into. So I think that I will light the candles on my ancestor altar and make an offering of wine to the Host of the Mighty Dead, asking them to share it in welcoming him to their ranks.

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The last time I took my kids crabbing, for blue crab, the two of them decided that they would conspire to use magick to draw the crab to our pots. They would close their eyes, link arms, and talk each other through visualizing large crab, “As big as your head”, crawling into the pots. Needless to say my wife and I were highly amused and approved of their activities. So later today, I’m suppose to get off work early, we are all going to go out and set some pots and otherwise sit around talking and enjoying the sun and breeze. As my son has been into the Greek Gods and Goddesses lately, see my post on Percy Jackson, I think I might have an offering to Poseidon, and include my kids, asking for bounty in the catch.

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According to the Gregorian calendar, tonight is a blue moon. I don’t know if it is true according to older lore; I ran across this yesterday. It doesn’t matter much to me, most of the moon lore I use in my Craft concerns either associations with trees or devotional information. Either way is good with me, for our Lady is full. What I do know is that because of the extra emphasis put on the moon being blue tonight by those within our community, it makes the night special culturally speaking. Using that bond someone magickally inclined can use tonight’s moon for extra umph in their magick or devotion via this key.

For example, one could set up a stang (or broom/staff/wand/sword/just a large stick) vertically, place a cauldron (or large bowl/chalice/coffee mug) about half full of water at its base, and when the moon is high cast a bit of silver into the cauldron. This is called Silvering the Well and draws a line between the celestial heavens and chthonic below by way of the axis, represented by the stang, and opens a portal in the cauldron by which the quintessence of the celestial and chthonic moon is simultaneously reflected into the space. At this point, a Witch could use that energy magickally to bless or charge items if they so wished; make sure to note the planetary hour. Or they could say a prayer to the Lady of the Moon and tie the symbols of womb and moon unto Her, allowing them to act as a gateway for Her presence. After which it would be an appropriate time to make offerings, chant, give prayers, or turn to divination for a lesson. Either way when all is said and done, the water from the cauldron is blessed by Her light and can be used as Holy Water for cleansings, blessings, bathing, or any number of other things.

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This morning I was going through my morning devotional as is usual. I gave simple offerings and anointed Their brow upon my own. Then I started to say my morning prayer unto the Sun and our Lord, at which point the clouds parted, literally, and the Sun shown forth brightly upon me.

This instance and the rest of today’s blog is about the little things. It is in the small moments of everyday living that our Craft is a catalyst for the Eternal Now. Take a pause and enjoy them.

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."

The Song of Community: Supporting One Another

Over the past couple of days several things have transpired, in the larger Contemporary Pagan community, in the Eastern NC community (where I am), and in my personal life. All of which have one commonality—one axis round which they go. Each one of them is about supporting the community.

For those that do not remember, several years ago L. Galadriel, one of the founders of the Unicorn Tradition, was diagnosed with a failing liver. Sadly she did not have insurance and could not afford to pay for the transplant herself. BUT… then something amazing happened. The entire Contemporary Pagan community united. No arguing, fighting, or bickering; okay maybe just bit. We as a community forked up the bill, and she got her transplant. In an unfortunate turn of events, her body rejected the new liver and she departed our company for the Mighty Dead. Whereas I am saddened by the turn of events that transpired, within them I saw something that at the time I thought impossible. I didn’t think that our fledgling community, and believe me when I say we are still in the beginning phase of transforming ourselves from being a New Religious Movement into whatever is to come, but I digress. Our greater community is pockmarked with in-fighting and Witch Wars, after all we are fiercely independent and not afraid to voice our disagreements. Yet somehow we set that all aside when one of our Elders needed us and answered the call for help.

More recently Isaac Bonewits entered into a fight with cancer. For those who don’t know, the man pretty much made American Druidism into a viable and working religion. If you call yourself a Druid and use a three realm based cosmology, vice the four elemental system common to British Druidry, then you have this man to thank. Again the community at large extended what help we could in order to ensure he had a livelihood… it’s very hard to make a living off traveling to festivals as a guest speaker when you can’t travel. Isaac eventually closed his eyes and was initiated into the ranks of the ancestors.

In both these cases, any hope of success came about as a result of the community giving back to our Elders. Since then, I have seen an increase in the manners in which we support. I can say this is particularly true of my local community. Y’all got your heads on right in this thing. I have lived in several states, thanks to my employer, and nowhere else can compare.

So back to what has me thinking about all of this:

Recently a prominent Contemporary Pagan blogger, Star Foster, entered into some tough times. Read all about it on her blog. I met Star back before there was a blog, when I lived in Atlanta. She is good people and truly cares for our community. Her blog is a labor of love. I don’t know exactly how much help has been given, but I do know that when the call went out, the community responded.

Yesterday, I received an invite to attend the Wiccaning for a local couple’s daughter. The invite took me by surprise. I know the couple and have talked with them briefly at Mayfaire and Shadow Harvest, but don’t regularly run in the same circles as them. Nothing against them, our paths just don’t cross often. For those that don’t know. I am a huge fan of showing support to our community and increasing the bonds therein via Rites of Passage. This blog sums it up very well.

In Greenville, NC, where I ran a successful Coven for several years before having to move away due to employment, there is a local shop suffering from the down turn in the economy. When I lived in Greenville, the Tipsey Teapot was the hub for our community. Several groups met there. Though most don’t know it, our Coven held our interviews there. Now several years later, the community has other centers but the Tipsey is still a common stomping ground. The local community recognizing the threat towards one of their beloved establishments has united and is doing what they can to assist. I applaud them and give them my support in this endeavor.

The third thing that has my mind on this issue of communal support is the rush of volunteers. I am one of the organizers for a local festival, Shadow Harvest, and I am amazed at the offers of support and help that I have received. Unlike other festivals, Shadow Harvest (and Mayfaire, its compliment) is completely free and exists solely because of volunteers and donations.

Yesterday, this blog went up on the Wild Hunt. HERE. In the spirit of it, and having already thought a lot about supporting the community, I have decided to make a short list of ways that Contemporary Pagans can help each other out.

THE LIST:

New Age Store: By ALL your supplies from them. Maybe it takes some creative planning but they need the support; and without these stores our community has no actual building and places by which to organize. Here is what I do. I stock up when at a store attending an event. Or I place a bulk order to be exchanged in person at a later date. Almost everything I use in my Craft is supplied this way. There are times when I see something online, that I must have, but before I buy it, I see if a shop I support can get it. Pay a little extra for what you want; you’d spend the same in shipping anyway. On that note, once you have built up some repertoire, you might even get a discount. Help them help you.

Crafts Folk: Need something made or want to learn a new skill. Support your local Contemporary Pagan crafts folk by purchasing your wares from them, or hiring them to share (even if in barter) the how to.

Festivals: Volunteer. They are a lot of work and do tremendous good for uniting our community.

Give: Sometimes the best say to support the community is to just give, whether it be time, cash, or skill. I know it’s not always possible, but when it is, lend a hand.

Encouragement: Our path is not an easy one. There is a lot of hard work and struggle that goes into it. Especially for the inexperienced and new to the path, they may be working through hardship from previous paths and ways. Offer them encouragement. If we are to grow as a healthy community, it is gonna take everyone. That whole ‘it takes a village’ thing applies here as well.

Rites of Passage: The Rites of Passage for others are yours too. They strengthen the bonds of everyone, socially speaking; also when you attend someone else’s, your re-experience the rites yourself via proxy.

Attend Events: Go to community events. Festivals, Pagan Pride Days, and those sponsored by shops.

So that’s what I got. Care to add to this list?

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."

Crafting Possibility and the Probable: Life of a Witch

I was thinking about the archetypal image of the Witch. I recently read about how different motifs of Paganism can act as a guide for individuals seeking which path is right for them. At this point, I would love to be able to provide a link to the article I read, but I can’t seem to find it. So if you happen to have an article talking about such, please post it in the comments.

Whereas I believe that there is some truth to this, and can very much see how a certain romanticized idea of being a Witch, Magician, or Druid could lead someone to further research that path, I can’t say it is universal. I’m not even really sure what the typical Witch is supposed to be. I guess that depends on whom you ask.

In mainstream Western society, from what I can tell, Witches fall into one of the following categories: demon seductress worshippers of Satan, harmless hippy-like nature worshippers, or poor disillusioned believers in fairytales. I fully understand these are gross over stereotyping, but I provide them because I have been accused of being each. Truth be told, I don’t think that any of these images really attract that many to the Witching Path.

I think it is the image of the Witch as being free that is alluring to so many. The new found ability to shape one’s own spirituality without the need to have validation from others, presents an almost infinite realm of possibilities. Combine that with the overwhelming control and Western emphasis on orthodox (right belief) that has been put upon the individual, and the freedom of Contemporary Paganism in contrast seems vast. Most often the first glimpse of some form of Witchcraft that new Contemporary Pagans encounter is a form of eclectic religious Witchcraft derived from Traditional Wicca. This should not be surprising since Traditional Wicca helped to usher in our New Religious Movement of Contemporary Paganism. Granted, it is not solely responsible. Also on that note, Witchcraft is not the only path that I believe offers such freedom within Contemporary Paganism, but you write what you know, so I'll leave it up to others to give discourse on freedom within other forms.

To explain the freedom of the Witch, I will use a brief and rough analogy. Think for a moment about the fairytale Witch getting ready to brew some magickal concoction in a large empty cauldron. The Witch herein is the individual and the cauldron is the life of the Witch. While still empty the cauldron is the potentiality of possibility. What life will the Witch brew for herself? Will it be a life of poison, one of magickal transformation, or perhaps just a hearty stew? At this point, no one can say for sure. Yes, there are some probabilities involved. Surely the person the Witch has been up until this point, the environment/culture, and many other things all make the likelihood of the essence of the brew more probable. Also the skill of the Witch in shaping the flavor and taste of the development is a factor. Will they add ingredients from a cookbook, pick and choice from what they think smells nice, or perhaps go by trial and error? Who can say at this point! But once the fire is lit and the work begins, the Craft takes form.

Did any particular image/archetype help lead you on your path?

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."

When Myth, Ritual, and Pop Culture Combine: Musings of a Pagan Parent

Today I was going to write a bit about some of the lessons to be learned from the archetypal image of a Witch at the cauldron. I, however, have changed my mind. Maybe I’ll write on that in due time. Instead I have decided to briefly talk about some of the different books and other forms of media that as a Contemporary Pagan Parent I have found extremely useful in making the world of myth and the practice of Contemporary Paganism assessable to my children.

I got to thinking about this topic, after reading this article. I will also add, that none of these are inherently meant to be themed for Contemporary Pagan children. Feel free to add to this list.

My wife, kids, and I have a small nightly devotion ritual of giving a portion of our evening meal as offerings. We also celebrate the eight-fold year as full day events with a small ritual, occasionally have a family oriented Esbat, attend festivals, and mark significant parts of life with rites of passage. Combine all of this ritual enactment with the availability of myth in pop culture, has explained more to my kids about Contemporary Paganism than I think I alone could. It has brought the myths to life in their cultural socialization as well as their home and hearth daily routine. Just thinking about it, amazes me.

So here is the list with a bit of commentary:

The Percy Jackson Books

This is by far the biggest, in my opinion. The author, according to the introduction he wrote for the rerelease of Robert Graves’ The Greek Myths (which I am currently reading), said his writing of these stories came about as a result of helping his son come to terms with struggling with dyslexia. As a scholar of Greek mythology, he took the struggles of the myths, and his son’s problems, and related the two so as to show how myth can help, even kids, to better understand the issues of life. The resulting bed-time stories were about a modern Demi-God/Hero. Years later the author took these stories he told his son and wrote the Percy Jackson books, wherein the main character is a Demi-God, with dyslexia, and goes on epic hero journeys in the modern world, a modern world where the Gods, Goddesses, and various monsters from the Greek myths are real.

These books have turned my son into a little polytheist. During our meal devotional, previously mentioned, everyone has a part. My wife lights the candles, I light incense, my daughter offers water, and my son a small dish with a portion of the evening meal. He has never really said anything at this part, mainly because we have never instructed him to; the rest of the small rites’ format handles all that. However, he has taken up the habit of saying, “And this is for all the Gods and Goddesses.” He has, without prompting, connected the myth of the stories with our ritual life. Ask him and he will tell you who his favorite God or Goddess is, Zeus by the way, and can carry on basic seven year old level conversation about them. All thanks to Percy Jackson.

Thor and the Avengers:

With the recent making of the Thor and Avengers comics into movies, although my kids have not seen them, has put the basis of Norse mythology into the fore of pop culture. My kids have from this learned who Thor is. Though it was not intended by Marvel in anyway, they have made this recreation of Norse myth a part of modern culture and completely assessable to my kids. Whom by the way, love themselves some Thor.

Avatar (Both the Movie and the Series):

Talk about teaching the different associations with the elements. Combine this with my kids knowing the element of their astrology sign, and bam, instant teaching.

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So this is what I can think of off the top of my head, but I am sure there are many more. Please feel free to add to this list in the comment below.

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."

The Cycle of Now

Life works in cycles. That I mention this is nothing new to my readers. After all, I’ve pointed this out more than once, and in all probability it is likely to be brought up many more. It is important for anyone delving into either spiritual or magickal endeavors to come to know their own ebb and flow and patterns within in life. As a Witch is upon a path that is counted as both, it is of particular importance.

Every cycle exists as a pattern whereby all cycles have a family resemblance. The most basic of which mirrors the birth, death, and transformation of the Self. It is the most basic of patterns that is observable in the world in which the Witch, and everything else for that matter, is counted amongst.

The next level down is less of a summation of one’s Higher Self, but includes the singular ‘I’ of a lifetime. At this level the pattern of life is again the same; childhood, adulthood, parenthood, old age, and once more the descent into the cauldron of death. The ‘I’ that is the ego only knows this cycle once, and as it is happening. Making informed decisions becomes much harder when there are no remembered past experiences in regards to a particular cycle. Intellectually it is known that one day the individual will grow old, but until it begins happening, it is simply a notion without the self-validation of having done it.

Becoming informed of the ‘I’ teir of the circle, happens in several different ways. Through myth and culture are individuals given the keys to the patterns of all those that have gone before them along that same mythic Hero’s Journey. The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes that have involved themselves in a particular society demonstrate, through the actions of their stories, the nuances of living and the way unto the next step of the path.

In Witchcraft, the cycle of our Lord and our Lady, amongst others, are revealed through the ritualistic enactment of their mythos in alignment with one’s life stages, holy days, the seasons, the sun & moon, the plants and cosmos, initiations, and the everyday actions of one’s immediate life. For the Witch, studying the ritual year and attuning oneself with the seasons and continuous weave of life and death around oneself is the informant of the Witch; it speaks both logically and symbolically, intellectually and intuitively, of known and unknowns, and of the theoretical and experiential. It is the task of the Witch to learn to listen, see the cycles, and apply the lessons there from upon their own Being.

Just be. Allow the cycle in the now to open the inner doorway to the eternal knowing and the love of all existences.

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."

The Freedom of a Witch!

One of the core precepts of the theology that is prevalent in Witchcraft is that the Gods are not the drivers of our lives. This is a very important distinction as compared to other religious traditions. Don’t get me wrong, the Gods and Goddesses do influence and have an impact upon us, but we are the makers of our lives. So much so that whether or not we choose to build a relationship with the Gods is ours to make. Yes, Gods and Goddesses may call, but the option is there to refuse to answer. We are free. Whether one’s practice leads them to believe in Gods or not does not change this either.

Due to this freedom, the life of a Witch is their sole responsibility. There is no divine scapegoat upon which to place the consequence of the decisions made throughout life. Ethical or unethical behavior belongs to the Witch alone, as does the impact that behavior has. It is popular amongst new Contemporary Pagans to often cite the Three-fold Law of Return (TLR) as a tenet of reward/punishment much like karma. This interpretation is not how the TLR is used in Traditional Wicca, where this piece of lore originates.

The TLR is about metaphysics. The individual’s actions impact the world around them, manifesting affect, and this reverberates some form of impact unto the person from which the original action began. It was best put by Sir Isaac Newton, “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” In other words, the Witch acts and the world around them responds accordingly, albeit sometimes in complete opposition. How the world reacts is not a part of the freedom of the Witch, it is outside of our Being. However, the manner of response is and will be influenced by the manner of the action taken by the Witch; choosing to commit theft garnishes much different worldly responses than say making a donation to a local animal shelter. Both, however, illicit reactions. The various possibilities of existence’s actions and reactions manifest in one of three ways; mentally/emotionally, physically, or spiritually. Until something has been fated to the realm of the past, freedom is ours. I will also add, choosing no action is still the exercitation of a decision unto which we were free to make.

Taking into account the level of freedom that a Witch has over their lives, the Witch becomes the master of their path. Granted, there are some restrictions upon freedom. No matter how much a Witch may desire and might make the ridiculas yet conscious decision to grow wings, it just isn’t happening. Though the decision to write that last sentence, and this one, were mine; how the world responds is not. The writing of such will have some impact upon existence, and somehow, though not necessarily directly, the result of that impact will in turn affect me. The life of a Witch is the sum total of all of their decisions and actions. They may not be able to decide for existence but they can shape it, and the responsibility of doing so is theirs alone. A Witch pays their proverbial coin for all of their decisions.

The famous eight words from the Wiccan Rede, “An it harm none, do what ye will,” also originating in Traditional Wicca, is about freedom. The most common interpretation of the Rede is that it denounces any behavior that harms. I cannot speak for all of BTW, but I’m gonna anyway. The Rede traditionally is not taught this way. It grants freedom, recognizes responsibility, and does not confine. The Rede tells the Wicca not to worry about any action that does not harm, they are free to act. Beyond that, everything is for the Witch to decide. It is their responsibility to consider potentially harmful actions. Now, there is a lot of other lore that ties in here (such as being a proper person), but I’m not going there. The complete freedom to decide and make choices can cause anxiety as a result. The Rede acts as a buffer helping to alleviate some of that from forming by creating a framework upon which to weigh our freedom.

We are free.

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."

Naming of a Child

Names are power. They convey meaning and with it a reservoir of associated symbolism attached to that name. Not to get into too much detail but this is what I have been thinking about this morning. Yesterday, my wife and I found out that our third child will be female. Already the topic of possible names has arisen. Let’s just say I am feeling the responsibility of this task; more so than I did with my first two children.

I don’t really have much to say today. So I leave you with the thought of the metaphysical impact our naming and tying to energetic reservoirs potentially has upon others. Food for thought.

Boidh se!

-Spanish Moss

"Lost in a thicket bare-footed upon a thorned path."