One tradition holds that
Witchcraft began more than 35 thousand years ago, when the last great sheets ice
began their journey across Europe. Legend holds that small groups of hunters
followed the free-running game and bison across the tundra. Armed only with the
simplest weapons, these tribes depended on the extraordinary gifts of their
shamans. These shamans could attune themselves to the herds, the animal mind,
and the spirit of the herd. As they became an integral and interactive part of
the energy all life forms share, they were able to call those of these herds who
were willing, to pits, cliffs or traps that allowed the clans or tribes to be
fed. This was an ongoing cycle of life, in which both the herd animals and the
humans understood and regarded as a sacred gift the life of the food animals.
Other traditions hold
that “25 thousand years ago in Paleolithic Wo/Man depended upon hunting to
survive. Only by success in the hunt could there be food to eat, skins for
warmth and shelter, bones to fashion into tools and weapons…. Nature was
overwhelming. Out of awe and respect for the gusting wind, the violent
lightning, the rushing stream, Wo/Man ascribed to each a spirit; made each a
deity … a God. It was at this time that magick became mixed in with these
first faltering steps of religion.” (Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft,
Raymond Buckland, p 2-3)
“Male shamans dressed
in skins and horns in identification with the God and the herd; but female
priestesses presided naked, embodying the fertility of the Goddess. Life and
death were a continuous stream; the dead were buried as if sleeping in a womb,
surrounded by their tools and ornaments, so that they might awaken to a new
life.” (Spiral Dance, Starhawk p3). The power of Woman to bring forth life was
one of the greatest mysteries, and women were revered. Through new life, came
the survival of the clans, and provision for children and the elderly. When
these were provided for, there was new strength and the wisdom of the elders,
which allowed all to thrive.
The first true example
of what we consider sympathetic magick took place, when those early people put
on the antlers and robe of their prey, invoked the power to draw that animal
into the dance of life and death, and played out the hunt they sought to occur
in future days. “The Penobscot Indians, for example, less than a hundred years
ago, wore deer masks and horns when performing rituals for the same purpose.”
.” (Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft, Raymond Buckland, p 2-3) The
rituals and processes we use for magick today appear to be similar or the same
as those used by our ancestors. Models found of life-size prey were found,
complete with spear marks in the clay.
Human psychology is
blessed with the gift of imagination, of visualization. And there is little
practical difference between creative visualization and spell work. The same
steps, procedures, preparations, focus and energy are present in both. Only the
name and the respect given the process differs.
The primary difference
between these early magickal practices and later, more formal, religious
practices has to do with who performs the acts related to the desired outcome.
In the tribal system, the entire clan performed the dances, the sacred plays of
the hunt. Sometimes there was a leader considered a specialist, a shaman. Many
times, the entire group was part of the process.
. Difference between
Religion and Magick
The differentiating
factor between religion and magick seems to be whether or not there was a
specialist assigned the role as intercessor to the Gods or Elemental Energies.
This is also one of the key issues in present day Witchcraft - whether or not
each person is a direct link to the energy and can meet their needs without
assistance, or if we need those persons who have the time, talents, interest,
etc. in being a full-time conduit between these energies and those who consider
themselves as Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, etc.
While the jury is still
out, the majority of Witches think it would be a travesty if we allowed any
third party interpretation or mandatory access to that natural energy we are all
heir to as humans and part of the interactive Sacred Play that is Gaia, our
world and our spiritual world. Many early religions that began as a one-on-one
link with the divine later came to a formal, procedurally bound, mockery of our
Divine nature. The power in Paganism is that we claim our power by right, and
will never give or dilute it by channeling it through others. We are as much a
mirror of the Gods, as they are a reflection of us.
The nature of deity is
that we have created a personalized representation of those forces, which are
awe-inspiring and important to us, and given them characteristics and names so
that we may refer to them amongst ourselves handily. Those outside this rich
interactive style came to believe that these forces were indeed outside of us,
and labeled them as transcendent, or other. As Luke was taught by Obi Wan and
Yoda, there is a life force, which all beings naturally have. We are part of it,
have need of it, and can learn to listen and use it. Only recently did we forget
as a race, that it is our birthright and the nature of our being. Life, death,
rebirth, creation, beauty - these are all a natural use of the energy so readily
available.
Religion
and Magick
There is a wonderful
book called When Santa was a Shaman (1995 Llewellyn Publications) Tony van
Renterghem makes a basic and fascinating distinction between types of religions.
He breaks down the major religions into either supplication or celebration. The
rituals and ceremonies associated with these religions, also divides up into
those categories.
If one is a member of a
religion that is supplicate, you would appeal to this God for assistance, you
would bargain with them - perhaps appropriate behavior for benediction of some
sort. However, the overall character of the relationship is that this God, good
or bad, is completely in charge of the relationship and must be deferred to and
placated in order to achieve happiness and success - perhaps even ongoing life.
This is not an equitable relationship; the God is totally in charge. Typically,
they are not bound by any rules of behavior, either. So, it is a somewhat
perilous relationship.
Magick to appease the
gods is not uncommon. Folks try to figure out what precisely it is they have to
do in order to avoid a bad storm, too much rain, too little rain, etc., etc. The
one thing we don't seem to have a good handle on is that we are a part of
Nature, and that the ultimate confluence of many, many events brings into
concert those components, which make it rain. There is much evidence which shows
that we can influence and encourage these situations, but in general, we are
part of the entire system and cannot create nor beg for Nature to turn on Her
head for our benefit. Always keep in mind that when one intervenes for somebody,
then there are other places, which may now be lacking in those things you have
called to you. Be certain to do all workings for the good of all - otherwise you
may find you have created strife and hardship for others to satisfy a minor
whim. Besides, appeasing and placating gods is a loosing battle for control over
one's life. Because we cannot see the larger whole, and there is no way to grasp
all the intricacies and complexities of a situation, we cannot foresee all the
detail that would allow us to forecast success in providing whatever ritual,
ceremony, sacrifice, or other action that would make a God/dess smile on us, and
bring good fortune. To be honest, one would have to be incredibly confident, or
deluded, to ever be comfortable in a religion that required you to constantly
attempt to reading the changing will of the deity.
In the instance of
placating the Gods, it is in our interest to invest our energy only in those
areas we wish to encourage development in, rather than to spend a lot of energy
trying to avoid the ill effects from a trickster God/dess or a God/dess of
destruction. Do not devote a lot of time to a God/dess of chaos, or other poor behaviors.
You would concentrate instead on the God/dess you prefer prevail. Lots of energy
to justice, to success, etc. Just be very careful what you ask for. As far as
praying or performing magick to a God/dess for prosperity, we do far better to
bend our will and make as many of the arrangements as we can through our own
efforts.
Magick for luck and good
fortune is always considered fair, if you back it up by contributing as much of
your daily efforts as possible to your goals. If you want a good job, you must
read the papers, respond to inquiries, be prepared to interview, go to work on
time each day, etc. All the spells in the world will not work, if your personal
actions work in opposition, i.e. you do a love spell, but you never bathe, or go
out to places where you might meet someone, or, you do a spell for success, but
all you ever do is whine and make excuses, rather than put effort into attaining
the type of lifestyle you say you desire. If you actions and stated desires are
not in concert, then your internal focus and will are not working on your goals,
and the magick or energy working is too diffuse to have any effect. Magick is
not simple, not easy, not a panacea for the lazy person.
Separation of
Magick from Religion
“…Ceremonial
Magic…is probably best described as a process of enlightenment and
illumination of the Universe by stimulating the intuition, imagination, and
"psychic faculties" through the use of rituals and ceremonies. A
"magic ceremony" is not necessarily "Ceremonial Magic."
Richard Cavendish, in his book The Black Arts (1967), writes: "Many magical
ceremonies are deliberately designed to summon up and unleash the animal driving
forces from the deeps of the human nature" (p. 11), the purpose of this
magic being "hunger for power" with an "ambition to wield supreme
power over the entire universe, to make himself a god" (p. 1). This
description neatly fits into what Waite would probably describe as Ceremonial
Magic, although this magic is, as the subtitle of his book, The Book of
Ceremonial Magic, states "The Secret Tradition in Goetia [witchcraft],
including rite and mysteries of Goetic theurgy, sorcery, and infernal
necromancy."
"Ceremonial Magic;
by the study of which, a man...may become a recipient of Divine Light and
knowledge" (p. xvi, xvii). According to Barret, the Kabbalah is the
"secret mysteries" of Ceremonial Magic. Eighty year later, the
ceremonies and doctrine of the Golden Dawn would heavily rely on what its
members called "Kabbalah."
An examination of the
Knowledge Lectures of the Golden Dawn reveals a great deal of use of Kabalistic
terms and ideas. However, what is Kabbalah to these magicians? Regardie (1970)
recognizes the traditional meaning of the term: "the Kabala is the Jewish
mystical teaching concerning the...interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures"
(p. 17).
However, he continues to
say that the Kabbalah "contains as its ground plan... that geometrical
arrangement of Names, Numbers, Symbols, and Ideas called 'The Tree of
Life'" (p.18). Regardie, and the magicians before him, regard Kabbalah as
"a guide, leading to comprehension both of the Universe and one owns
self" (p. I) by providing "a set of symbols... necessary when
undertaking a study of the Universe" (p. iii). Ultimately, it is used as a
framework to categorize all phenomena and relationships in the Universe.
By interpreting the
Torah, or discovering its hidden, true, meaning, the Kabbalist hoped to acquire
"immediate personal contact with the Divine"
Ceremonial Magic, being
mostly a blend of Christian and Jewish religious thought, this existence or
being is typically called "God," although other terms, such as
"Bornless One," "Higher Genius," and "Ain Sof,"
are occasionally used. The highest goal of the Ceremonial Magician is "to
purify and exalt my Spiritual Nature so that with the Divine Aid I may at length
attain to be more than human, and thus gradually raise and unite myself to my
higher and Divine Genius" (Regardie, 1986; p. 230)… Therefore, it is
reasonable to label Ceremonial Magic as a type of mysticism
("Christocentric", I would suggest) especially influenced by the
Jewish mystical traditions of Kabbalah. Several aspects of Kabbalah in
Ceremonial Magic will be examined in Part II, and the origin of the idea or
practice traced to at least one early Kabbalistic source.
It is accepted magical
doctrine that to know the name of a certain power, be it an angel, spirit
(typically evil), or intelligence (typically good), is to control that power:
"the 'real' name of a god or an idea contains the essence of the god or the
idea, and therefore enshrines its power. Using the name turns this power on
automatically, the same way that pressing the light switch turns on the
light" (Cavendish, 1967; p. 123). In a similar fashion, Crowley (1976)
remarks that the names of God are really names for the forces of nature, which
can then be used. (Aspects of Kabbalah in Ceremonial Magic
(http://rana.usc.edu:8376/~gellerma/kab.html, David M. Gellerman, 1989)
At another website, I
found a similar, if more concise, definition:
“CEREMONIAL magic is
the ancient art of invoking and controlling spirits by a scientific application
of certain formulae. A magician, enveloped in sanctified vestments and carrying
a wand inscribed with hieroglyphic figures could, by the power vested in certain
words and symbols, control the invisible inhabitants of the elements and of the
astral world. While the elaborate ceremonial magic of antiquity was not
necessarily evil, there arose from its perversion several false schools of
sorcery, or black magic. ( http://www.brotherblue.org/libers/manly.htm, Brother
Manly P. Hall, 33¡ , Ceremonial Magick and Sorcery, An Holy Excerpt from his
Greate Alchymeckal Worke of 1928: The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An
Encyclopaedic Outline of
Masonic, Hermetic,
Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy)
Witches do not come in colors
- racial or philosophical. Although we assign various meanings to colors and use
those in our spells, Witches are people. Some of them are less gifted in various
types of magick or divination, and some of them may slip and do magick without
considering all the implications of that which they ask for. Love spells in
particular are always treacherous for the newcomer. If Terry is convinced that
Pat is the only lover that will do, then any magickal working will focus on that
pair as a couple, not allow for better matches, and compromise Pat's free will -
which will backlash on Terry in time.
Many of us become so
focused on a particular goal, we miss out on all the other options. If so-and-so
wants so much to go to a particular college, and puts together a success spell
aimed only at State U., then other options such as private schools,
scholarships, etc. may go unnoticed.
It is rare that people
actually do old-style magick to get even with another, or to do harm. People
don't poke pins into dolls, and modern Witches were raised on TV, they would not
be impressed with elementary strategies. Real witches focus on what they want to
accomplish, not on deterring others from their paths. Each path a person follows
is unique, and specific to them. And in keeping with the basic principles we are
as much a reflection of the gods, as they are a mirror of us. We are part and
parcel of the whole interactive system we live in. If all people are considered
a reflection of the gods, then we are honor-bound to assume that they are
following their own paths for their purposes, and it would be inappropriate and
rude to interfere with their choices. And none should ever interfere with our
paths and goals, unless there is serious cause.
As
you can see this includes all the types of efforts you would include toward
accomplishment of a specific goal. Let's say you do a spell for a new lover. You
would put all your best effort into the spell itself, and then follow-up.
Follow-up might include lighting a candle every night and focusing on calling
your perfect love. It also would have to include going places where you would be
likely to encounter your perfect love. You would need to dress and act in the
way you believe your perfect love would find attractive. Remember, these spells
bring about the right circumstances, but especially when doing magick that
involves others, with their will, talents and skills, you have to become that
which you would expect them to be attracted to - or all bets are off.
Like
success or job spells. After you do the working, if you don't get up and go to
interviews, then there is very little chance of getting that perfect job. The
follow-through was inconsistent with the spells energy, and that will dilute the
power of your spell. You also have a good idea of what people you want to work
for would expect our of a new employee. If you don't put that together
consistently, then the magick is diluted, and ineffective.
Do
you want a better world? Great!! Do the energy working, spell or ritual. Then,
do something! What are you willing to contribute? If you do not personally put
your energy into it, then you must have expected to motivate others in some way.
If you are not part of that process, then you are just being hopeful that your
spell will motivate others to do better, to contribute more, etc. And that is a
violation of their choices and pathwork. You didn't ask if that was OK with
them, you have tried to impose your will on another. Under the Threefold Law,
you will incur that type of energy on yourself. Your life will become more and
more run over by the will of others. Be very careful, your actions and magick
must be clean, or there will be debts incurred.
Starhawk
says, “Any viable religion developing today will inevitably be concerned with
some form of magic, defined as “the art of changing consciousness at will.”
Magick has always been an element of Witchcraft, but in the Craft its techniques
were practiced with a context of community and connection. They were means of
ecstatic union with the Goddess Self - not ends in themselves. Fascination with
the psychic - or the psychological - can be a dangerous sidetrack on any
spiritual path. When inner visions become a way of escaping contact with others,
we are better off simply watching television. When “expanded consciousness”
does not deepen our bonds with people and with life, it is worse than useless:
It is spiritual self-destruction.
If
Goddess religion is not to become mindless idiocy, we must win clear of the
tendency of magic to become superstition. Magic - and among its branches I
include psychology as it purports to describe and change consciousness - is an
art. Like other arts, its efficacy depends far more on who is practicing it than
on what theory they base their practice. Egyptian tomb painting is organized on
quite different structural principles that twentieth-century Surrealism - yet
both schools produced powerful paintings. Balinese music has a different scale
and rhythmic structure from Western music, but it is no less beautiful. The
concepts of Freud, Jung, Melanie Klein, and Siberian shamanism cal all aid
healing or perpetuate sickness, depending on how they are applied.
Magickal
systems are highly elaborate metaphors, not truths. When we say “There are
twelve signs in the Zodiac,” what we really mean is “we will view the
infinite variety of human characteristics through this mental screen, because
with it we can gain insights”; just as when we say” there are eight notes in
the musical scale,” we mean that out of all the possible range and variations
of sounds, we will focus on those that fall into these particular relationship,
because by doing so we can make music. But when we forget that the signs are
arbitrary groupings of stars, and start believing that there are large lions,
scorpions, and crabs up in the sky, we are in trouble. The value of magic
metaphors is that through them we identify ourselves and connect with larger
forces; we partake of the elements, the cosmic process, the movements of the
stars. But if we use them for glib explanations and cheap categorizations, they
narrow the mind instead of expanding it and reduce experience to a set of
formulas that separate us from each other and our own power. “ ( The Spiral
Dance, Starhawk, p 192,, Harper & Row: New York, NY, 1979)
Amber
K uses the words of many to define the subject. “Stewart Farrar puts it this
way: “The stage-by-stage development of the entire human being is the whole
aim of magic.” According to Weinstein, magick can help “get your entire life
in harmony - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually and psychically….
And what is the ultimate purpose of the work? To fulfill the self on an even
higher level. To transform, uplift, and so fully develop the self that the whole
Universe may benefit thereby.”
William
G. Gray, another will-known occultist, says: “Magic is for growing up as
Children of the Light. Sane, sound, healthy, and happy souls, living naturally
and normally on levels of inner Life where we can be REAL people as contrasted
with the poor shadow-selves we project at one another on Earth.”
Thus
magick exists to expedite, guide and enhance change. Wiccans might say it is the
work of the God within: “Everything She touches, changes…”” In her book
True Magick, Amber addresses the subject from a unique perspective. She sees all
life and our endeavors as related to reclaiming a consciousness of our greater
selves - the all-connected life form which we comprise as a whole. Only humans
can make this journey. Perhaps because other life forms so effortlessly inhabit
the whole without confusion, or perhaps because we, of all the creatures on
Earth, have the capacity to analyze our selves. We have the capacity to change
our thought processes, our behaviors and to make permanent change within and
without our selves.
“We
are part of All That Is. With magick we can experience existence from the
perspective of the other parts, and know that we are One…Such a quest requires
us to change, and magick is an effective tool for defining new goals and
reaching for unknown limits and bring ourselves into new territory.
“Magick
requires daring. It brings the “little death” [giving up oneself] which is
part of rebirth. Not to change is to stagnate and die; but to willingly offer up
the life we know, is to find a greater Life. To the conscious mind unaware of
the immortal Spirit within, this kind of sacrifice, the loss of the isolated,
little person-self. Seems terrifying indeed. Yet through it one regains the lost
wholeness of the Greater Self, which is all of us, which is The God/dess.”
(True Magick, Amber K, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN 1990.)
Raymond
Buckland is emphatic that magick in the Wiccan religion is secondary to the
practice of Wicca as a religion. However, magick is a large part of the religion
and the practice of WitchCraft. “In itself, magick is a practice. If all you
want to do is work magick, then you don't need to become a Witch to do it.
Anyone can do magick, or, at least can attempt to do it. such a person is a
magician. ….. But what exactly, is “Magick”?… Aleister Crowley defined
magick as “the art or science of causing change to occur in conformity with
will”. In other words, making something happen that you want to happen. How do
we make these things happen? By using the “power” (for want of a better
word) that each of us has within. Sometimes we must supplement that power by
calling on the gods, but for most things we can produce all that we need
ourselves.” (Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft, Raymond Buckland,
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN 1989)
What
is the Nature of the Gods?
Our
Gods are a combination of all that we need from them. In the Jungian philosophy,
Karl Jung talks of the Collective Unconscious - this amounts to a racial mind,
which holds all the information, energy, and patterns we use to view our world,
and create social communities. This has many implications - and although not an
accurate picture perhaps of what is happening, it is a solid start.
Imagine
many centuries ago, it is a quiet calm day. You were out walking. it was early
afternoon, the sun became obscured by clouds rolling in. You were on the side of
a mountain in the early foothills. Suddenly, there was a great, loud, CRACK of
thunder. It was so near, so powerful, that you almost weren't frightened so much
as in complete awe. So you went home, and you spoke to your friend and told him
about the experience. He says, “Yeah! I know what you mean, that happened to
me once. It's incredible!” And together you find a reference in common to
explain the awe and wonder that the experience held for you - Thor - God of
Thunder. And Thor contains within its definition all the meaning that the
experience held: Power, Male, Overwhelming, Strength, all the hidden and
apparent meaning that went with the experience. Now every time you mention Thor,
you are calling on that common definition and all its ramifications, to convey
your meaning to another. It has become a shorthand for those values and
emotions. It does not mean that there is a broad shouldered male standing up in
the clouds somewhere, it is a way to call upon that experience to convey the
experience verbally. Now, that does not mean that Thor does not exist, either.
Based on the common experience, the acceptance of Thor as a God and a force
within our lives, and the power we grant and call on through His name, Thor
becomes a repository and a source for energy working within our lives. Through
our use of this reference to Thor, we have created an archetype, a symbol for
this power, and that symbol is now part of the Collective Unconscious and all
the race can access it as a common referent point for their needs. Their name
for it may differ, but there is no doubt that even among far distributed
cultures, there are very similar gods, religious beliefs, and mythology.
Religion
and Worship. “Almost from their beginnings, magic and religion have been
intermingled. ” (Believing in Magic The Psychology of Superstition, Stuart A.
Vyse, Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford, 1997) The root of the word
religion means relinking. And as the Pagan religions are the only religions that
I know of that insist that the interaction of the worshipper with their deity be
direct and personal, and that the rhythms of our world are the signals and
timing for most interaction, we may well be the only religion that has a primary
accomplishment of relinking our people with our selves, our Gods, our world, and
Nature Herself. Most of the standard definitions for religion specifically refer
to the Christian God, or another monotheist deity. Our dictionaries and encyclopedias
are so inherently Christian it is difficult to find a non-Christian definition
of religion or worship. Raymond Buckland insists that the first call of a Witch
is the worship of the Gods. But there is little definition of that process of
worship that is not also the process of ritual magick - it is hard to discern
wherein the difference lies. I have read through many of these books looking for
a concise answer. That answer seems to lie in the interactive responsibility of
the Witch to focus their awareness and responsibility for the consequences of
their magick on the entire system, which is comprised of the Gods, Our world,
our community and all the other Children of the Gods. This comprehension of
their role within the entire scheme is in line with my definition of a Witch,
“One who knowledgeably undertakes through their vows to their Gods the
obligation to further growth and harmony.” What that definition also implies,
yet does not outright state, is that that obligation also includes personal
growth and development. The Witch never promotes growth and success in the
system without offering themselves the same opportunities. There may be rare
circumstances where a Witch will spend so much of their energy for a particular
outcome, that they compromise their own success and health - but offhand, I
cannot imagine what would demand such a sacred gift - sacrifice. It is not
healthy or reasonable to demand things of any teacher, healer, priest/ess which
lessen that person's own path and powers. We are not victims or martyrs because
we have decided to enrich our entire community, we are simply responsible
members of our community. And much like the goose that laid the golden egg, if
you overtax those who have the gift, you will loose all that it offers. You must
always priorities your health and well being, for if you are lost or in failing
health, then what do you have left to offer.
This
is also a religion that by its very nature would never demand you harm another.
That is not the point. “I am the Mother of all things, and My loved is poured
out upon the world.” And She who is the mother of all things, never demands
that you harm any of her Children. (Charge of the Goddess)
Is
this a Goddess religion? Do we have male Gods? Yes. I think the primary reason
that we are considered a Goddess religion, is that all other religions have male
gods. Thus, in explaining our differences, people take the prominent diverse
feature, the female divinity, and focus on it when explaining our beliefs. But
the male aspect of our world is a partner and consort of the Goddess. Without
the God, we would not have the balance and creative interaction that allows for
the Wheel of Life. Do we value men in this religion? Absolutely. We could not be
who we are without male and female aspects to balance and provide all the parts
to our Sacred World. Why is there any question about the importance of the God?
“The image of the Horned God in Witchcraft is radically different from any
other image of masculinity in our culture. He is difficult to understand,
because He does not fit into any of the expected stereotypes, neither those of
the “macho” male nor the reverse-images of those who deliberately seek
effeminacy. He is gentle, tender, and comforting, but He is also the Hunter. He
is the Dying god - but his death is always in the service of the life force. He
is untamed sexuality - but sexuality as a deep, holy, connecting power. He is
the power of feeling, and the image of what men could be if they were liberated
from the constraints of patriarchal culture.” (The Spiral Dance A Rebirth of
the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess, Starhawk, Harper & Row, San
Francisco, CA, 1979.
“The
primary figure for “That-Which Cannot-Be Told” is the Goddess. The Goddess
has infinite aspects and thousands of names - she is the reality behind many
metaphors. She is reality, the manifest deity, omnipresent in all of life, in
each of us. The Goddess is not separate from the world - she is the world, and
all things in it: moon, sun, earth, star, stone, seed, flowing river, wind,
wave, leaf and branch, bud and blossom, fang and claw, woman and man. In
Witchcraft, flesh and spirit are one.” “The image of the Goddess inspires
women to see ourselves as divine, our bodies as sacred, the changing phases of
our lives as holy, our aggression as healthy, our anger as purifying, and our
power to nurture and create, but also to limit and destroy when necessary, as
the very force that sustains all life. Through the Goddess, we can discover our
strength, enlighten our minds, own our bodies, and celebrate our emotions. We
can move beyond narrow, constricting roles and become whole.
The
Goddess is also important for men. The oppression of men in Father God-ruled
patriarchy is perhaps less obvious but no less tragic than that of women. Men
were encouraged to identify with a model no human being can successfully
emulate: to be minirulers of narrow universes. They are internally split, into a
“spiritual” self that is supposed to conquer their baser animal and
emotional natures. They are at war with themselves: in the West, to
“conquer” sin; in the East to “conquer” desire or ego. Few escape from
these wars undamaged. Men lose touch with their feelings and their bodies,
becoming the “successful male zombies” described by Herb Goldberg in The
Hazards of Being Male: “Oppressed by the cultural pressures that have denied
him his feelings, by the mythology of the woman, and the distorted and
self-destructive way he sees and relates to her, by the urgency for him to
“act like a man,” which blocks his ability to respond to his inner
promptings both emotionally and physiologically, and by a generalized self-hate
that causes him to feel comfortable only when he is function well in harness,
not when he lives for joy and personal growth.” (The Spiral Dance, Starhawk,
pp 8-10).
It
has been said that a religious view that focuses on the male is exclusive, while
a religious view that is matrifocal tends to be inclusive since it includes not
only women, but their most magickal talent - production of life, of children -
male and female. These basic shifts in viewpoint bring a very different set of
rules for social interaction. If we focus on the ability to create as the most
powerful image in a religion, then we drop the terrible emphasis on destruction,
strength, terrifying and intimidation as admirable. Destruction is simple,
anyone can easily destroy what it has taken others hours, days, years to create.
That act of creation, of building, of bringing into reality the dreams and plans
of a mind, a community - Now, that is impressive. Cowards destroy. Men and Women
of power and character create, bring thoughts to reality. What a gift that is!
And
the view of the world from the Goddess' eyes is one of depth and breadth. Men
are not restricted to any one skill, talent or role - nor are women. Both can be
leaders, teachers, craftsmen, ditch diggers, carpenters, healers, leaders. There
are no absolutes to deny anyone the path they choose. Each to her own time,
talents, skills, and preferences.
And
do we worship these Gods? Male and Female? Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
says that worship is the “reverence offered a divine being or supernatural
power: also: an act of expressing such reverence 3 : a form of religious
practice with its creed and ritual. 4: extravagant respect or admiration for or
devotion to an object of esteem.” By this definition, we worship the Goddess
and God every time we acknowledge their presence in our lives, every holiday we
observe, every full moon, every quarter day and cross quarter day which marks
the turn of the season, is an acknowledgment of the importance of the Gods in
our lives. Each time we speak of our values, we are acknowledging those values
through our Gods. Every reverence we offer our Gods simply echoes the depth of
our devotion to those ethics and morals our culture is made of.
So,
did we invent the Gods? Yes. Or have they always been there? Yes. Are they
reflections of us, or are we a mirror of them? Yes. Are our Gods external to us,
or an internal representation of our own essence. Yes. Do we worship the Gods,
or recognize that they are but a complex anthropomorphization we use to give
meaning to our lives? Yes. All of the above. Every race of humankind views
God/dess in their own image; racial features, social behaviors, etc.. And each
race chooses how they will view the Gods. Those who must analyze their world
into component parts will find more technical answers. Those who are content to
enjoy the mysteries in our lives, simply use the magick inherent in the belief
system. There is no conflict in saying that we worship the Gods, even though we
are also scientifically based in our world. A rational individual can choose
what they intend to do, even if that chosen behavior is irrational. So long as
you know it, you acknowledge it and you accept the consequences, there is no
conflict. The ability to explore your world rationally only provides greater
meaning to the method you implement in its exploration. There is always a
structure, a paradigm through which we make decisions. And the Pagan paradigm,
which honors each individual as their own best authority, brings honor to all of
us, and provides a base culture which works by recognizing everything and
everyone's potential: everything and everyone's right to their own path and
decisions.
d.
Physiological changes based on magick use. Use of magick has other effects
besides those not tangible or measurable by the average person. Training in
magick has high demands on our mental and intellectual capacities. Earlier I
mentioned that magick is weak unless your goal, ritual, and behavior all
reinforce each other. That internal consistency is the product of a mind that
has learned to examine itself and make rational, reasoned decisions on what its
thoughts and behaviors will be. Recent scientific studies have shown that not
only is this considered a plus for your in your social interactions, but it also
has a physical effect on how your physical mind works. They did studies of
individuals involved in Rational Emotive Therapy - a branch of psychology which
teaches this internal decision making and consistency - and discovered that with
time (three months, I think) the chemical makeup of the brain changed. There was
more efficiency and different brain functions were enhance in information
take-up. So magick is not only a great way to express your interaction with the
divine, but it will literally change you.
e.
Psychological changes based on magick use. The way you choose to view your world
also has monumental effects on how successful and happy you will be within it. I
worked for a very nice lady, named Rose. She had an odd tendency to go from an
isolated negative incident to an assumption that everything was bad. If one
person was five minutes late to work, she would dress us all down at staff
meetings, cautioning everyone to be on time. Any isolated misbehavior became the
model and assumption for future speeches. I tried to talk to her about it a
couple time, but she just did not seem to understand, that it was only one
person, one time. To her each incident was everyone, all the time. She - as I
later discovered - was Catholic. The Catholic belief system is based on the idea
that we are all horrible sinners, and without direct and frequent intervention
and supervision, we would all tumble down that long hill to indulge in the very
worst of our natures. With those beliefs as a starting place, it was a normal
progression to believe that someone else was just about to demonstrate even
worse behavior unless she was responsible enough to intercede now.
My
view was very different. With a belief that each of us is a mirror of the Gods
and much as they are a reflections of us, I believed the best of each person,
unless it became necessary and obvious that their behavior was going to effect
others. So, I might mention to the single offending individual that their behavior
was not acceptable in this environment, but it would never occur to me to offend
everyone else by assuming their behavior would also be negative.
How
does this affect our daily lives? I like to illustrate it this way: if you were
expecting your significant other to show up, and they not only don't show, but
they don't call - ALL NIGHT! - you would very likely go past unhappy, concerned
and worried, and proceed over to becoming really angry! If your view of the
world is that we are all just bad behaviors waiting to get loose on the world,
then it is not hard to see how you would easily assume that your significant
other was rude, thoughtless and probably not worth your time.
Now,
what if the next morning, you discovered that your SO's mother had a heart
attack, your SO had to go to the hospital with her, and was the only family
member available to give blood - since Mom had a rare blood type - so your SO
had to stay overnight, and was tanked out on drugs to increase blood production
and not coherent.
Now,
what would your assumption be? Most of us would understand under those
circumstances. Now let's look at the Pagan paradigm and review this incident.
Same instigating factors, of course. No SO, no call. Now you are worried and
concerned. But since you know that your SO is a responsible person, who would
not deliberately inflict harm, and who values you as a person innately divine,
there has to be something else going on. See, with an assumption that this
person is innately divine and a reflection of the Gods, it takes more for you to
assume that they are rude and scummy people. It would take actual proof.
So,
from the Wiccan paradigm, you are more likely to treat others, their decisions,
and behaviors with respect. And you will incur that level of respect in their
reactions to you. A definite Win-Win situation.
First
off, I will talk about what Pagans believe and are - and are not.
Marble
Street Agreement
Pagans:
1.
Do not have any requirement for use of Drugs and Alcohol.
2.
Do not have any requirements concerning sex, or sexual activities.
3.
Value and honor life, thus we do not believe in the practice of necromancy.
4.
Respect and honor the earth.
5.
Respect and honor other's rights to make decisions concerning their personal,
private and sexual preferences.
6.
Respect each individual's rights to religious preference.
7.
Do not condone/promote proselytizing.
8.
Value free will and independent thought.
9.
Respect and honor people at all ages of life.
10.
Encourage personal power, not power over.
Self-integrity,
self-responsibility and responsibility for consequences of action are all
aspects of the path we provide for spiritual exploration.
While
this list addresses very specific items, it reflects the values, the ethics of
the Pagan culture. If these don't fit in with your self-image or goals - this
may not be the right path for you. Witchcraft is not for the lightweight, not
for those who are unwilling to put effort into their magick and religion. If
these things make sense, then you will probably fit right in. There are many
folks, even those who are not Pagan, Wiccan or Witches, who readily understand
and agree to these ideals.
There
are so many ways that our world imposes its views and preferences on us, we
developed a set way of reasoning through questionable situations - it is just
called a decision making tool. It is not something that you must do, or adhere
to, it is simply a tool to use if you find yourself in uncertain waters and need
a format to assist you in reaching your decision. Let's look at some of the
areas that might make you uncomfortable or be confusing. One of our new students
is very intrigued with a man at work, and wants to know how to perform a love
spell. A coven mate knows a friend who is sick, and wants the group to put
together an energy ritual for healing. A friend wants to borrow $5.00. You
decide you want a new job, and there's one open at work that looks good. The
couple next door fight all the time. I really want the weather to be clear for
our next outdoor ritual and decide to look at weather magick as an option to
standard wait and hope. These are all very common events. Is it OK do just go
ahead and do magick for these people? At some point and under some circumstances
we limit the magick we will perform. How do we do that honestly, and in such a
way that we are certain that our decision was valid? How do we set limits in
such a way we are not unnecessarily harsh? These are fellow adults, whom we
consider inherently divine. It is within our values never to impose restrictions
unless brought to it through necessity.
In
the magickal community we have been very careful for years to caution each other
not to limit or bring about unwanted actions. "That could never happen,
don't say that - don't even think it", "I take it out of the
law", "be careful what you wish for", etc. On an instinctive
level, we know what we think and say has power. So we caution ourselves, but
worry about others. There are cultural prohibitions against speaking outside of
our own areas and groups.
Cultural
limits are powerful things. When I went to marry, my friends did not warn me
that they knew it was a bad idea; they hinted, and then were quiet. When my
friend became interested in a woman, I did not caution him that she had been
unstable in other relationships. I hoped for the best. We have a cultural
prohibition against saying anything bad, even if experience is a strong
indicator against allowing the situation to continue. We have to be able to
establish a cultural format that allows us to provide information, or at least
options, to that which we consider questionable, unfortunate, unlikely to work,
or dangerous.
When
is it allowable, even honorable, to say no, to refuse to be involved, or to
speak the truth even if it is unpleasant? The following guidelines are working
rules.
We
as honorable individuals can set limits on our endorsement or involvement when
the following values may be compromised or involved:
1.
When safety issues dictate.
2.
When health issues dictate.
3.
When public laws would be violated.
4.
When it effects a person's community participation negatively.
5.
When it interferes with another's preferences or rights.
6.
When it does not maximize a person's independence.
7.
When it contributes to dependent behavior.
So,
let's look at the situations we laid out before: If my friend wants to borrow
$5.00 to go out to lunch, no problem. If instead he wants to buy cigarettes, no.
I will not lend the money. Why? Health issues, smoking interferes with other's
rights and preferences, there might be some safety issues – fires in the
forest, that kind of thing. What if he wants the money for drugs? Whoa!!! Right
out. Now we can add safety issues, public laws, and community participation;
perhaps the drug use would lead to dependent behavior and not maximize
independence.
The
couple next door – any magick I can do would interfere with their rights and
preferences unless they asked for counseling or energy work. The person who is
ill – is it OK to do a spell for them? Maybe, maybe not. Does that person want
to heal? Did they ask for help? Or are they learning a life lesson of some sort
I do not comprehend? Am I interfering with another's preferences if I perform an
unsolicited spell, love or otherwise? Yes, absolutely!
These
are not the best examples. Only examples that actually apply to your life really
make sense. But they give a clue as to how we use the tool. I could offer to
listen to my neighbours' problems, give feedback, stand as a friend, but cannot
ethically do unsolicited magickal working. If they were to ask, that would be
different. OK, let's say we have a teacher who does not want their students to
talk to any other covens. Is this ok? No. Not by these standards. It does not
maximize a person's independence, it contributes to dependent behaviour,
community participation is negatively impacted and it interferes with another's
rights and preferences. It does not lead to informed choices. And it would
violate our standards of valuing free will and independent thought.
Next?
You have to wear a tie to work. Yes or No? Yes, this interferes with your rights
or preferences, but it's up to you how badly you want to work here. That sounds
flippant, but I know several people over the years who refused to take a
management job that would have required them to wear a tie, on the grounds that
they would not be themselves if they wore a tie. Personally, decorative strips
of cloth at the neck might be worth a few more thousand a year. But different
things bother people differently.
As
with all tools, this is only a tool and can, like a good blade, be used to
create or destroy. It is proposed only as a tool to assist our community in
making consistent decisions regarding certain preferences, practices or
behaviours that concern members of that community. Inherent in our consideration
of the rights and obligations of teachers, students and members of the Pagan
community is an assumption that those members also are earnest in their
responsibilities. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
offering preferences, maximizing independence, making informed choices, becoming
informed, choosing to do for themselves, fulfilling daily responsibilities of
living.
In
order to bring about a goal, you might user sympathetic magick. This is the
process where similar things have similar effects: like attracts like. This is
one of the oldest popular magicks. Cave men threw on a skin and antlered mask
and called the energy of the hunter and the hunted into a sacred play to improve
the success of their hunt. Development of the Goddess figures was similar in
nature. The Goddess figures were of clay, and had exaggerated features of the
female sex, large breasts, hips and pronounced vulva. It is believed that these
figures were present during a ritual, and members of the social group would
copulate. In a culture where birth was such a mystery, and new members could
spell continued survival for the group, sex was the ultimate mystery. The tribe
would benefit through the fertility and sexual features of the Goddess figure.
Working with candles is probably the most common form of sympathetic magick in
use today. You might burn a golden candle to encourage success in tomorrow's job
interview. You might burn a deep red candle to encourage sexual passion between
you and your lover. Perhaps you are concerned about your health - then a green
candle would do the trick. The main focus would be to prepare the candle, with
an appropriate goal. You might dress it with oil, or more simply, just see
yourself as being a success, being intimate with your partner, or being happy
and healthy. As you burn the candle, you release that energy into being. You see
it as manifesting. Obviously, this is the short and simple version of such a
spell, but you can probably get the idea.
Associative
magick is very similar to the sympathetic magick. Poppets for success and health
are one of the most common forms of associative magick. What happens to this,
will happen to that. So, I create a poppet by sewing together two parts of a
simple doll-like figure (looks a lot like a ginger bread man). I make the poppet
of green for healing, I sew up the edges visualizing each stitch as cementing
the spell's success and holding in all the energy we have for our friend in this
doll for that person's healing. Then, I stuff it full of herbs that should help
with the healing. Sometimes, we write on the doll all that we hope will come to
pass - sports, freedom from pain, whatever seems appropriate. If it is more than
one person, then the entire group can then charge the doll by focusing their
energies into the poppet. After that, the poppet can be given to the person it
was intended to assist. As you can see there are many forms of magic involved in
even the simplest working. Other forms of association, I keep coins or cash on
my altar, to encourage its development. One might put something spelled and gold
in a new wallet to encourage wealth. You might put a picture of the house you
have always wanted in a box with other items that represent success, to
encourage success in that endeavour.
Creative
Visualization - most spells are a complex form of creative visualization. This
process works not only for those who are involved in the magickal world, but is
a profound force in the day-to-day world of many within our culture. The trick
here is to bring into focus not just that you want this to happen, but that is
has happened and all is now accomplished. Again and again the human psychology
has shown that we work best when we can visualize the process and the outcome.
Our minds tend to fill in the blanks of what needs to be done when we have
established a definite goal and outcome.
Shamanic
- entering that other world, that space and bringing back knowledge of personal
interaction and sharing it with social group. Individuals new to the practice do
not typically perform shamanic magick. Some magick associated with Shamanic
practices, such as performing meditation or vision quest for totem or spirit
guides, is common. Within the shamanic belief system, they focus on the
attributes and lessons that each animal has to teach. Looking for a focus animal
can show what studies or personal development would be appropriate with a
spiritual path.
Elemental
- calling on the basic powers associated with the elements and blending their
gifts in with your needs to provide a solution. This magick can work in more
than one way. You can simply work a meditation on the element itself, Earth,
Air, Fire, Water and Spirit and explore the depths of what the meditation
brings. Or, you can use an element as a focus through which you examine a
particular situation in order to provide insight. Thus, you might look at your
life through Earth, and examine it for evidence of grounding, sensual aspects,
success and growth. If you looked at it through the lens of Water, you might
examine your emotions, your development, transitions and Tran formative
experiences. Etc. You may simply want to weave one or more of these elements
into another spell or working. If you are working on a spell for a new job, then
the Earth for abundance, the Fire for success, etc.
Colours
- actually a form of elemental magick. This one is also woven tightly with the
Creative Visualization within the process of acting in accordance with your
stated goals. Again, using colours within your rituals and spells will assist in
showing that inner symbolic mind consistent and meaningful messages related to
your goal.
Divination
is a mixed sort of magick. There are so many methods of divination, that I
cannot address them here. Some of the most commonly used methods are: Tarot
cards, Rune stones, Astrology, Numerology, Scrying, Palm Reading and even Tea
Leaf reading. As you begin in any of these arts, you will go through many stages
before you reach any true level of competence. Divination works even though you
are not any good at it, by providing you with information that allows you to
figure out what you really think. Let's say you are working with Tarot cards
(pronounced tuh row or tear oh - the last `t' is silent) and you have asked it
if you will find a new lover soon. And the cards come back all focused on travel
or some dark haired woman, when your new lover should be a man. Even this
seeming unrelated response has the potential to bring insights to your life.
What are your instincts concerning this information? Do you know the cards are
wrong? Listen to your intuition. Don't get too caught up in wishful thinking.
However, if the reading looked unrelated, but later things seem to be heading in
that direction, even though you never would have believed it, keep an open mind.
Thus,
divination can provide insights even if the person doing the reading is
completely cack-handed at it.
Over
time see if you have any consistent skills with a particular type of divination
tool. I have always been a fan of making my own Rune Stones. I felt that made
them more effective as a tool for me. I also have taken the time to sleep with
my crystal ball to allow it to become attuned to my power, my energy. I have
carried new decks of tarot cards with me for weeks, and properly consecrated
them by ritual before use. However, I am very lax in other areas. It does not
bother me if others (most of the time) touch my tarot deck. I have had the deck
for years, it knows who I am. I will also allow others to handle many of my
ritual items. There are some I will not share, however, and I don't know why I
feel that way. I just do. So I am polite, but firm on those issues. And if is
always polite to check with others prior to handling their tools.
Magick
is a both a process and an expression of our religion and personal power. It is
to help, not make miserable. Magick with others can greatly magnify the effects
of the combined energy, yet some of the most powerful rituals I have ever had
were solitary. This subject is so vast, that although this article is long and
only glosses over much of the subject, it is the bare beginnings of study on the
subject. But, that is what a Wicca 101 is, a taster, a place of beginning. From
this you will decide where you want your exploration to go.