컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 PAGANISIM : AN OVERVIEW FOR THE UNINFORMED Written and given to the Public Domain by Ravensong of the Shadow Weaver Grove Paganisim is a revitalized version of the numberous ancient and often forgotten or misrepresented Religions that were once predominant throughout the world. These each break down into specific sects or pantheons of gods and beliefs, but all have the following vital similarities: 1) All pagans believe in a multiplicity of beings refered to as Gods or spirits or deities or Higher life forms or Entities, not the single god of the Judeo-Christian religion. 2) All pagans have a high respect for nature and natural ways, and a dislike for anything that ultimately disrupts the biosphere for any length of time (AKA Enviromentalists)! 3) No pagan worships the Devil, Satan, Lucifer or any other Christian or Jewish demon/devil figure. These are concepts of other religions and their subdivisions (Satanists are Christians with a diffrent viewpoint on who exactly is the power behind the reality). No pagan would worship a destructive force outside of nature, as the power inherant in nature is far too obvious (take a look at a hurricane, earthquake or tornado sometime!) We might not all be what Christians would consider morally perfect people, but we are careful to keep ourselves attuned to how nature works and avoid self- destructing thru improper use of power and knowledge (it can corrupt, but those that become corrupted fall by the wayside in the pagan community, unlike those within goverment or other religions who simply cause more harm as they grow in power). 4) Although we are hardly unified in our thoughts or beliefs, pagans are a living breathing community that tries to help its members pull themselves up by their own bootstraps thru various activities, we band together as needed and drop our in-squabbling when one of us is in danger from those outside the community. Pagans, in other words, will guard each others backs! 5) Pagans are open minded to others, so long as those same others are tolerant to them. We don't claim our ways or ideas are for everyone, but ask that we not be attacked or insulted for our openess in belief and need for certain factors in our lives. We are not perfect, we are trying to overcome a feeling of being the down-trodden that is hundreds of years old - dating back to the times when Christians burned everyone for heresey in their dogmatic closed minds, some of us fully resent the past and refuse to deal civilly with Christians while others of us say 'you believe what you want anbd let me believe in what I want'. We do ask that you at least do the intelligent thing and study all sides of the equation before claiming to know the one solution...most equations contain comp[lex variables, and philosophy is no excuse. 6) We believe in 'magic;' that is, we believe in forces and natural laws to the universe that science has not yet discovered. The universe is a big place and mankind is a young race. Magic is the easiest term for the extra laws that scientific theory has yet to explore. If you can understand science and physics you have the potential to become a pagan without even trying. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 This article is excerpted from the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal. Each issue of the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal is published by High Plains Arts and Sciences; P.O. Box 620604, Littleton Co., 80123, a Colorado Non-Profit Corporation, under a Public Domain Copyright, which entitles any person or group of persons to reproduce, in any form whatsoever, any material contained therein without restriction, so long as articles are not condensed or abbreviated in any fashion, and credit is given the original author.! THE MEN'S CIRCLE Here are are some thoughts, not particularly original, on the nature of Paganism, and some beliefs common to most modern Pagans. This is part of what I teach to beginning students. Any additions, comments, criticisms or outright disagreements are welcome. Pagans view the entire universe, Seen and Unseen, as a seam-less unity with structure inherent throughout. This structure is often expressed simply: "As Above, So Below". A fundamental tenant of Paganism is love of ourselves, of others and all of Nature. We feel that the natural world is inherently good. A Pagan does not believe that human beings are born innately sinful and holds that the concept of "sin" is harmful to human nature. Nevertheless, we do recognize the reality of specific acts that are evil, and by extension identify attitudes and patterns of behavior that we consider wrong. We consider ethics to be an important part of our philosophy of life, but do not try to impose a morality on others. A fundamental ethic espoused by almost all Pagans is "Do as you will, so long as none are harmed". By implication, Pagans are expected to exercise thoughtful good judgement, as well as being loving people. We are aware that many of the powers of the universe are persons, we call them Gods, and they are not only "out there", independent of us, but are equally within us and part of us. Ours is an experiential religion; by living in harmony with ourselves and the universe we can get in contact with the Gods and benefit from the experience. When we do this through prayer or ritual it is called worship. We hold that there are natural cycles in the universe that directly affect our lives, the evolution of humanity and the course of direction of all that is manifest. We celebrate, through regular rituals, the lunar cycle and the seasonal cycles of the year, and through them other less obvious cycles, thus attuning ourselves to the ebb and flow of the tides of Nature. Pagans recognize and harmonize themselves with those fundamental patterns of the universe that we call polarity and complementarity - masculine/feminine, light/dark, positive/negative, force/form, etc. Through training, study and ritual we bring ourselves into harmony with the great natural forces of the universe and can effect changes in the world and ourselves at need. This is called magic. Paganism is not fixed or dogmatic. Our ideas are constantly evolving, and we learn from one another. In our differences is our strength. We recognize that the Gods are ultimately beyond our understanding and respect the different aspects that others worship. Most Pagans believe that our essential selves, the core of the spark of life that is within us, shares divinity with the Gods and does not end with our deaths but returns into incarnation again and again, learning from each lifetime's experience. .....Robin ........from R.M.P.J. 8/86 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS OF WICCA Not every Wiccan will subscribe to all of these points, but generally they are representative. 1. The divine Spirit is present in all creatures and things: people, animals, plants, stones... 2. The ultimate creative force manifests in both feminine and masculine modes; therefore it is often symbolized as the Goddess and The God. 3. In some covens, both are celebrated equally. In others, The Goddess is given precedence or even celebrated without reference to the God. 4. All Goddesses and Gods are aspects of The Goddess and The God. The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of the Moon (Maiden, Mother and Crone) and the Horned God of death and rebirth. 5. Reincarnation and karma are valid concepts. Upon death one goes to a state of rest and reflection, and eventually chooses where and when s/he will be reborn. 6. Magick is practiced for positive (helping) purposes: spiritual development, healing, guidance, safety, etc. 7. Rituals are generally performed outdoors when possible, at the New and Full Moons, and at eight Sabbat festivals which mark the progression of the seasons. 8. Magick and celebration are performed in small groups, usually 3 to 13, called covens. These are basically autonomous -- there is no central church authority or hierarchy. 9. There is no holy book, or prophet, no equivalent of the Bible or Jesus or Mohammed. Individuals have access to the divine, and do not require an intermediary. Every initiate is regarded as a priest/ess. 10. The central ethic is "And ye harm none, do as ye will." Whatever energy you send out returns threefold, so it is wise to be kind to others. 11. We should live in harmony with the Earth and Nature, and not exploit them. 12. Though Wicca is a valid spiritual path, it is not the only one. There is no recruiting, and people should be free to choose the path that best fits their needs. 13. The concepts of original sin, sacrifice, redemption, 둩onfession, the divinity of Jesus, sinfulness of sex, Judgment, Heaven and Hell, denigration of women, bodily resurrection, and the Bible as divine revelation are not part of Wicca. Neither are Satanism, the Black Mass, desecration of cemeteries, the sacrifice of animals, etc. EARTH-RITE / Mission San Jose, CA / 415-651-9496 Copyright (c) 1983 Amber K., Our Lady of the Woods. Used by Permission ---------------------------------------------------------------- HOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT NEO-PAGANISM (pulled from a computer BBS. Author's name deleted) First of all, find some good books: REAL MAGIC, by P.E.I. Bonewits. It's a pretty good overview of magick and has thumbnail sketches of the belief structure of most pagan religions. It also has an EXTENSIVE bibligraphy, after reading the book, you should be able to figure out from it what you want to read next and possibly what pagan religious traditions fit you best. It also has contact addresses for pagan groups. Get the latest edition! (contact addresses go out of date REAL fast.) DRAWING DOWN THE MOON (Adler) is a description of the pagan community. Get the latest edition! More contact addresses for pagan groups. SPIRAL DANCE (Starhawk) Wiccan beliefs / practices / magick ... some good psychic exercises... See if you can find an occult (if you're REAL lucky) / metaphysical / New Age bookstore in your town... I don't know your area, check the bookstore listings in your phone book (you MIGHT have to go to the nearest major city to find one, depends on what part of the US you're from.) Mail order sources for these books are: Llewellyn Publications 1-800-THE MOON (ask for their mail order catalog... wide range of books, etc.) Abyss RR1 Box 213 Chester Rd Chester, MA 011011-9735 (recommended to me as a place with a better selection.) Find some good people. Warning regarding placing ads to make contact: Never put your home address in this kind of ad! Get a P.O. Box. or a box at a private mailbox company Never meet someone you don't know in a private place. Meet in a public place like a cafeteria or restaurant or library. If you're responding to a post on a pagan/magick/occult sub/conference/newsgroups (name to fit whatever network you got this from), see who's posting from there locally and E-mail them, find out what they're into. If there aren't any and you know the sysop/sysadmin (e.g. if he's a member of the Religious Right, ask someone else!), ask for one or ask for a list of available subs/conferences/newsgroups/echoes and figure out which ones you want and ask for them. Check (paper) bulletin boards at occult/New Age/metaphysical bookstores. Add your own contact advertisement. Also, subscribe to some pagan magazines: CIRCLE NETWORK NEWS is a good place to start. $9.00 bulk mail, $13.00 First Class (USA & Canada) $17.00 other countries, US funds only. Adress: Circle Network News, PO Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI, 53572 (608) 924-2216 1-4 pm CST Mon- Fri GREEN EGG is $4.95 per issue US. Subscriptions $13 per year US, $18 Canada [and also I believe US first class, in an envelope], $24 per year trans- Atlantic [air], $26 per year trans-Pacific air. Address: Green Egg, P.O. Box 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482 USA. THE BELTANE PAPERS is back! A journal of Women's Mysteries, with the most fantastic calendrical ifo from many cultures. 60pp magazine, published twice a year. Women's wisdom, scholarly articles, myth, ritual, dreams, poetry, women's history, music, letters, reviews, calendars, herbs. Write: THE BELTANE PAPERS, 1333 Lincoln St. #240, Bellingham, WA 98226 (2x/yr./$13, 2 yrs. $21, sample $7) MORE PAGAN PUBLICATIONS (note: some may no longer be publishing and adresses may no longer be valid. Send a letter of inquiry before sending money!) Ancient Ways: "Ireland's Pagan Alternative magazine." Articles, editorials letters, poetry, magic, herb lore, seasonal celebrations, sacred sites. 75p/issue. Write for currect subscription price. Address: Ancient Ways, c/o The Alachemist's head Bookshop, 10 East Essex St., Dublin 2, Ireland. Awen: "A new magazine of Keltic-Pagan poetry." Named after the primal Kymraeg Goddess for poetic inspiration, the magazine is devoted to publishing the rich stream of modern-day Celtic and Pagan poetry. Published by Kaledon Naddair, who publishes 'Inner Keltia'. $5 for each issue. Address: Kaer Eidyn, 8 Annandale Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4AN, Alban (Scotland). Cainteanna na Luise: A quarterly journal of modern Druidic arts. "The concern of Cnl, is the multiplicity and mutability of reality, linked with ancient Celtic mythopoetica. Cnl, believes that most 'druidism' today has nothing to do with ancient form, but that much can be learned by going to scholars and Irish sources. Cnl, emphasizes the study of Irish (Gaelige), as a thaumatergic--liturgical language, believing a person's language determines his/her reality.: Articles, linguistics, discussions, book reviews. 16-24 pages. Subscriptions $9/year in U.S and Canada: $11/year overseas; sample issue: $3 in the U.S; $4 elsewhere. Checks must be made out to John Kellinhauser. Address: Cainteanna na Luise, 805-85 Wellesley East, Toronto Ontario, M4Y 1H8 Canada. The Cauldron: "An independant pagan journal of the Old Religion founded in 1976." Articles on Wicca, Paganism, earth mysteries, sacred sites, book reviews, history, festivals. This is one of the most respected British Craft publications. The journal is dedicated to presentind a broad spectrum of Pagan belief. It has a wide reasership throughout the Pagan movement. Published four times a year. Subscriptions: $6/year U.S (bills only). Address: M. A. Howard, 4 Llysonnen Cottages, Llysonnen Road, Carmarthen, Dyfed, SA 33 5ED Wales, United Kingdom. Circle Network News: One of the largest, best, and best-known Pagan newspapers--filled with articles, rituals, illustrations, invocations, contacts, news, photos, herbal formulas, reviews, magical development exercises, chants, and other material contributed by newtwork members. Emphasis on Wicca, Shamanism, Goddess-Worship, positive magic, and related Pantheistic ways. Published quarterly. At this point Circle can lay claim to being the largest, most visivle, and most important Pagan networking organization around. Circle has taken on the responsibility for being a contact center for Pagan folk throughout the United States and around the world. Subscriptions: $9/year bulk mail in U.S.; $13/year first class in U.S. and Canada; $17 airmail elsewhere (U.S. funds); $3 for sample copy. Address: Circle, Box 219, Mt Horeb, Wisconsin 53572. The Druid's Progress: The journal of Ar nDraiocht Fein ("Our own Druidism") edited by P. E. I. Bonewits. Scholarly emphasis. Bonewits is creating a Pan-European reconstructionist tradition of Neo-Pagan Druidism. The journal is opinionated, intellectual, fascinating. The organization is hierarchial-- or at least not democratic to the point of overthrowing the Archdruid (Bonewits) himself-but really good for people searching for a structured form of study on the Druidic path. Discusses beliefs, linguistics, training, history, research, art, music, ritual. Subscriptions: $20 for four issues minimum donation (Canada $30; overseas $40). All subscriptions start with the first issue. Checks payable to P. E. I. Bonewits. Address: P.O. Box 9398, Berkely California 94709. The Faerie Folk Newsletter: A quarterly Wiccan publication published by Lady Eillonwy and the Children of the Moon Grove. The grove is part of Y Tylwyth Teg (The Faerie Folk), an ancient Welsh tradition. Articles, poetry, rituals, herbs. Subscription: $5/year; $1 for sample copy. Checks payable to Mary Santangelo. Address: The Faerie Folk Newsletter, c/o Lady Eillonwy, P.O box 100585, Ft. Lauderdale Florida 33310. Inner Keltia: "The Leading Journal of the Keltic Renaissance." A well produced, illustrated journal devoted to "re-animating virtually every aspect of Keltic-Pagan culture and spirituality." Each issue is more than 100 pages, with articles, poetry, reviews, news, designs, music, history, festivals, symbolism, rituals. Each issue is $6 in the U.S.; $7 in Canada. The editor is Kaledon Naddair, who believes that the "Ancient Shamanistic Wisdom of the Druids is being re-born, and it is taking many Native Pagans very much deeper into Initiation than Wicca or Crowley-Mania ever could!" Naddair also publishes two other journals. The first is The Pictish Shaman, a magazine which " focuses on the Initiatory Wisdom of the Primal Kelts--the Kruithni/Ffichti/Picts." Approximately 80 pages, illustrated. Same prices as Inner Keltia. The second is Awen, a poetry magazine featuring religious, mythological, erotica, and romantic poetry from the leading Celtic-Pagan poets. Approximately 80 pages, illustrated; $5 an issue. Address: Kaer Eidyn, 8 Annandale Street, Edinburgh, Eh7 4AN, Alban (Scotland). The New Celtic Review: "The Quarterly Journal of the Golden Section Order Society for the Preservation of Celtic Lore." This Druid revivalist group puts out a beautifully produces journal, many pages are hand-lettered. Celtic news, festivals, philosophy, poetry, bardic lore, artwork. Subscriptions: $6/issue in U.S. Address: The G.S.O. Society, BM Oak Grove, London WCIN 3XX England, United Kingdom. Paganspoof: This is a one-time only spoof on Pagan periodicals. If you're getting bored with most of the journals listed here, this will give you a chuckle. Cost: $3. Write to Moonstone Publications, Our Lady of the Woods, P.O. Box 176, Blue Mounds, Wisconsin 53517. Find out if there is a generic pagan group for networking purposes in your area. The shop or magazine can help here too. Also write to nationally recognized groups like: Covenant of the Goddess PO Box 1226 Berkeley, CA 94701 They can help you find other like-minded folks. I wish you the best of luck in your search for yourself. Another contact resource is the on-line computer bulletin boards and services such as Genie, Compuserve, etc. All of the above generally carry on-line bulletin board listings, either as transfer text files or set up for online viewing. BBS listings are carried in computer tabloids and other computer publications (preferably local for finding local systems), check paper bulletin boards at computer stores, once you find ANY local computer bulletin board, you can start calling the BBS numbers in the listings until you either find a BBS with pagan discussions, either local or networked or a sysop/sysadmin/friend in the computer room you are comfortable enough with to ask to carry networked pagan discussions from whatever source Pagan discussions are carried on networks such as Icenet, VBBS-Net, Fido-Net (rare), WWIV-net, Usenet where you can find the alt-magick and alt-pagan newsgroups, (good luck on finding locals THERE, though) and PODS is mostly occult/pagan... if you find a local BBS that carries PODS Net, you're in business. See if any BBS in your area carries a BBS list file called OCCULTnn.ZIP (nn is revision number) If you have access to the Internet and would like to get files with magick / pagan info via FTP, here's where: Slopoke site: slopoke.mlb.semi.harris.com [132.158.82.36 ]:/pub/magick(1) Wicca site: gcnext.gac.peachnet.edu [131.144.54.201]:/pub/wicca(2) Astrology site: hilbert.maths.utas.edu.au [131.217.60.1]:/pub/astrology(3) Another contact resource (not personally familiar with this one, consider that a disclaimer) to check is with the local Unitarian Universalist society/fellowship/church. Some may have a chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS). Others may not yet be that organized, but have small groups that celebrate the full moon, etc. UU offers an interesting workshop in feminist and goddess thealogy called Cakes for the Queen of Heaven. Check out the local pagan festivals. A weekend in an environment of co- religionists can provide a great number of contacts, though many will be from some distance away. East Coast fests that come to mind are Pagan Spirit (near Boston at spring equinox), Free Spirit (Baltimore, midsummer) and maybe Starwood (Southern NYS Lammas). Included here also should be some of the the 'Cons' of a more conventional fannish structure with magical leanings, Ecumennicon for instance. Check out groups with higher than average pagan membership. A few reasonably well known are the SCA, SF Fandom and some radical ecology groups. If you like structured rituals, try the Rosecrusians, Spiritualists, or the ADF. Practice what you find in the books and see in the on-line posts. If it doesn't work, keep trying. If it doesn't fit you, try something else. Don't be afraid to ask for help, learning magick, like learning computing means asking lots of "stupid" questions, we all have to start somewhere. Parts of this document are from an anonymous contributors. Bright Blessings and the Goddess Blessing go with you -------------------------------------------------------------------- SPENDING MONEY ON YOUR BEHALF -Brad Hicks As I have recently made clear, I feel that funding defense of magical and earth religions is so critical now that we must put aside scruples about spending and fund-raising practices which we would DEMAND in less critical times. I cannot attest to the skill, finese, or accountability any of these groups except for one thing: I know that all of them are spending money on your behalf. They are undertaking financial efforts that I believe must be made if you as a Magical Person hope to keep your religous freedom. NAME: Covenant of the Goddess ADDRESS: P.O. Box 2216, Berkeley, CA 94704 PROJECTS: Provides legally-upheld clergy credentials to qualifying Neopagan ministers, regardless of doctrine. Well-oiled, smooth-running public relations effort. Their Public Information Officers, in particular Don Frew, are miracles of skill and intelligence. ACCOUNTABILITY: Financial statements and budgets are approved by the membership at an annual meeting. I do not know if these statements are available more often, or generally. TAX-EXEMPT: Yes. NAME: Circle Sanctuary ADDRESS: P.O. Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 PROJECTS: Pagan Strength Web maintains a mailing list for emergency action alerts. Holds law-enforcement seminars. Frequently interviewed on behalf of Craft. Excellent interface with national ACLU. Has a small list of lawyers willing to work on Pagan Rights cases. ACCOUNTABILITY: Financial statements not available at all. Will not account for any income or expenditures, but make frequent fund-raising appeals. If their work wasn't so essential, I'd recommend against them. Too bad they're the ones doing it and doing it best. TAX-EXEMPT: Yes. NAME: CultWatch Response ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1842, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 PROJECTS: Publishes a journal which has gotten good reviews from some law enforcement officers. Collecting for two different legal funds for Pagans being persecuted for their beliefs. ACCOUNTABILITY: Unknown. TAX-EXEMPT: Yes. ----------------------------------------------------------- W.A.R.D (Witches Against Religious Discrimination) New Jersey Chapter of W.A.R.D.; Norm Vogel, Director is located at: Norm Vogel, c/o AMC 1 Centennial Plaza Piscataway, NJ 08855 If you live outside NJ, you need to contact Rosegate Coven: Rosegate P.O. box 5967 Providence, RI 02903 This Organization was formed by Joyce Siegrist, HPS of Rosegate Coven, in Providence, RI. (They obtained "legal"/tax exempt status for Witchcraft as a valid religion several years ago.) "Despite the gains that Witchcraft has been made over the past quarter- century, bigotry & ignornace are still stumbling-blocks which must be reduced significantly, and eventually eliminated, if Witches are to take their rightful place in American Society. That is where W.A.R.D. comes in. Our members are encouraged to act as "societal watchdogs" and note derogatory stories, articles, or commentaries on radio, TV, & in print, or actual instances of harrassment and report same to their regional W.A.R.D. office or nat'l HQ, as well as to register their own complaints as effectively as possible. W.A.R.D. will research the law & take action on personal levels when assistance is needed & requested. Help and advice will be offered, as well as legal referrals." Also... "There are no dues, no membership fees, and no membership requirements other than a desire to be active in the cause of religious freedom. You should not have to pay for the privilege of fighting for your religious freedom. Of course, running an organization such as this is not inexpensive, and so we do not turn away contributions - but we do not solicit them. But be assured that W.A.R.D. will not ask it's members or prospective members for money. Rather, we want your efforts." ----------------------------------------------------------- A WICCAN DICTIONARY ATHAME (also ATHALME): A dagger used to cast a circle and perform other witchcraft rituals. Sometimes found in pairs, one white handled, one black handled. May be a sword. THE CRAFT: Witchcraft. CIRCLE: The space within which Wiccan rituals are held and where it is believed contact with greater spiritual forces can be achieved. COVEN: A group of people who convene for ritual magic or pagan worship. Though usually numbering 12 or 13, a coven may range from three to a score or more. DIANIC: In Margaret Murray's "The God of the Witches," published in 1933, the Dianic cult worshiped a two-faced, horned god known to the Romans as Janus or Dianus, who represented the cycle of the seasons. This was supposed to be the ancient religion continued by covens of witches. Today the Dianic tradition refers to the ritual worship of the triple goddess (maiden, mother, and crone). ESBAT: Meeting of a coven held at regular intervals, such as once a week or at some phase of the moon. The word appears to have been invented by Margaret Murray. Sometimes called "circle." GROVE: A group of covens. (not always used) OLD RELIGION: This term for the alleged universal pre-Christian goddess religion first appears in "Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches," published in 1899. The author, Charles G. Leland, claimed to have met a woman in Italy who was descended from a with family that practiced "la Vecchia Religione" (the Old Religion). PENTAGRAM: A continuous line that crosses itself to form a five pointed star. Shown with one point up, it is a symbol of the Old Religion. Two points up are supposed to indicate devotion to Satan. SABBAT: Meeting of a coven to mark the eight major annual festivals of the Old Religion. These are Samhain (Halloween), the Celtic religious new year; Oimelc (Feb. 1), a festival of winter purification and the approach of spring; Beltane (May 1), the great fertility festival; Lughnasadh (Aug. 1), the festival of first fruits and, in some traditions, the time of the death of the sacred king; the vernal and autumnal equinoxes; and the winter and summer solstices. SATANISM: The worship of the devil, often employing inversions of Christian rituals. (Witchcraft is non-Christian, and does not invert nor mock the Christian rituals, and therefore is not regarded as "Satanism"). WICCA: The Old English word for a male witch; today widely used by followers of the Craft to refer to wisecraft, that is: WITCHCRAFT: The craft of the wise. ON MODERN PAGANISM -Thyagi Morgoth NagaSiva (Annotated and commented on by The Whyte Bard) PART ONE: Witches and the Western Mystery Traditions Introduction This essay concerns paganism, the Western mystery traditions, and Witches. I make no claims regarding orthodoxy or truth here. I'm only telling a story that I have learned which is meaningful to those as skeptical and imaginative as myself. There are certainly more fantastic accounts regarding these social traditions which I enjoy, yet for me they do not hold the same level of credibility. These tend to be more mythical and meaningful to the subconscious mind, and are therefore of perhaps MORE value than a story of the type you are about to read. The Western mystery traditions, comprised of their mystical and occult threads, are impossible to define in any concrete fashion. Several people have of course attempted to do this, yet in each case their bias and short- sightedness hindered a complete description. Besides this, the traditions themselves form a complex, arising as they do from numerous sources, locations and time periods. To isolate one tradition within this complex and attempt to understand its origin and character is not only difficult, it is a mistake. In writing about paganism and witches here I therefore do you a disservice. I can only provide a small glimpse, a micro-view of the entirety. It is the equivalent of attempting to understand your nose. Without you and some understanding of the rest of you, my attempts will be minimal and perhaps futile. Given all of this, I will nonetheless proceed... A Rough Historical Basis of Paganism In the ancient world there were two major types of society: the nomadic or wandering tribes and the stable homesteading tribes. Families tended to hold together in clans, at times joining and separating based upon need or individual difference, respectively. These tribes developed their own forms of language, government, religion and philosophy. Their lifestyle contributed greatly toward their societal constructs. For this reason the most popular ideas and practices (those which have been preserved in their art and tools) included such themes as tool-making, hunting, and the Mysteries of birth, sex, power and death. The stories and mythical artwork of ancient times portray someone immersed in a world of great powers. Sun, Moon, Clouds and Night often rivalled or combined with influential plants and animals as religious foci. Some of these became associated with individuals as symbols of personal identity and power. There is little known regarding the actual practices of ancient peoples. What is commonly referred to as 'Paganism' in today's society is really a fabrication of fantasy, dreams and theory -useful for those who wish to create their own path, yet difficult to substantiate in anthropological terms. The Developing World Out of these family clans two major societal traditions developed in line with the types of tribes mentioned above. These were the nonmobile communities that settled in rich, comfortable environments near sources of water and food, and the pioneering explorers who roamed freely through sometimes quite inhospitable regions. Without getting into too much detail, let us say that most of the ancient civilizations took root in what we today refer to as the 'East' or 'Middle East'. Those in China, India and Egypt/Mesopotamia are quite possibly the oldest large communities known. The pioneers scattered in clans throughout the world, crossing the ice-bridge into the North Americas, and spread throughout Africa and the rest of the world. Some parts of these peoples are known as the 'Indo-Europeans', and the common heritage of both the Indus Valley Civilization (India) and the nomads of Europe (Celts, Teutons, etc.) is sometimes overlooked. The religious practices were comprised of the same elements as in ancient times with variation based on lifestyle. Those who were nomadic tended to focus more on courage, stability and the figure of the Hero/ine. Those who were stationary tended to focus upon bounty, life, and the figure of the Mother or Father (depending on region and time). Again, while more is known about these civilizations and pioneers, ideas concerning their lifestyle is speculation and projection, assembled from pottery, statuettes, tools, buried cities and mass graves. A Rough Historical Overview of the Western Mystery Traditions With greater and greater numbers of people vying for use and control of resources, and given the nature of humans, warring became inevitable. Tribes focused the advantage of group power toward their own ends, often at the expense of individuals and/or smaller communities. This group identity and force concretized many times in the course of time and, in the area of Europe and the Mediterranean, reached its height in the form of the Roman Empire. Founded upon pagan fertility rites and martial Mystery schools, the Romans sought to bring unity, through force, to the decentralized tribes of Europe, driving the last rebellious factions into the British Isles (chiefly Ireland and Scotland) and northerly reaches (Scandanavia, Finland, etc.). During the rule of the Romans a wave of religious fervor spread from the Middle East. It was a martyrdom cult, given life by the Mystery traditions of Osiris and other heroic figures, and centering on the concepts of indwelling authority, the resistance to oppression and the sacrifice of one's life in the cause of freedom. When first attempts to stamp this out only inflamed its growth, the Romans took the only reasonable action in response, taking its mantle and co-opting the movement through deception. This was the Roman response to the threat of 'Christianity' and the beginning of the 'Holy Roman Empire'. comment: this is a gross over-simplification, and seems to gloss over the destruction of the actual power of Rome, which event marks the beginning of what historians call the "Dark Ages." The snide remark about the HRE being neither 'Holy' nor 'Roman' nor an 'Empire' has more truth than snippiness in it. Centuries rolled by, during which the social factions of the country farmer, the warrior, the creative artisan/merchant and the lawyer, or priestly, clerical (scribe) castes developed along an age-old system of Indo-European, tribal stratification. In each of these social classes there arose a different type of religious practice, given substance by a common ancient heritage, yet formed within the values and lifestyles of those who created them. The clerical caste, often sharing political and social power with the warriors, developed a form of Christianity focussed on literature and the skills of language, sometimes becoming dogmatism. The warrior and merchant classes pursued a mixture of the ancient Mystery schools (which the warrior class would perpetually retain), Christian symbology (much of which originated from within the Mystery schools in any case), and a type of social and personal alchemy, inspired by the work of the pyramids in Egypt and other created world wonders of the time. This developed into a fraternal artisan guild structure known as Masonry. comment: This is purest BS, and cannot be substantiated. The peasants and farmers pursued variations of older, regional practices, largely agricultural and fertility rites. It was the variation both in literacy and in economic status which would stigmatize the lower classes as 'primitive' in the eyes of 'scholars' for many years. The Current Western Mystery Traditions Human civilization is an ever-renewing flower, a recurrently-erupting volcano of art, politics, religion and philosophy. We might compare the development of the human brain with the development of 'civilization' (society). The deeper, more central and less obvious elements of the brain are its oldest parts, and this is true also for Western society and its religious traditions. Today's purely Western sects include the complex which is called Christianity, the ripe material objectivism which is called modern Science, the Masonic tradition, and what can reasonably be called neo-paganism or neo- shamanism. Christianity is largely the result of enforced conformity, and its doctrines and practices, while retaining an essentially (as from the essenes, 'those who are') valuable teaching, are now geared more toward the simple of mind or extremely intelligent than to anyone between the two. Modern Science is a renegade sect of philosophers and engineers, often disconnected from their roots in Christian and Masonic traditions. Much of it has become for the West what Christianity once was: an orthodoxy of intellectual stagnation, producing specialists and elitists. They now wield authority in the field of 'objective knowledge', supplanting Church doctrine. Masonic traditions are, at their worst, social indoctrination schemes that effectively disempower the individual and diffuse rebellion. At their best they are mechanisms of preserving important pscho-social symbols and concepts. The form and meaning of these symbols may have a profoundly transformative effect upon those who use them as a foci of meditation. Setting the Stage: The fragmentation of paganism It ought be said that none of the aforementioned social, religious developments took place in a vacuum. Just as there is an incredible mixture among economic classes by virtue of a shared society, so has there been a weaving of religious traditions in the West. Ancient roots of unknown form gave way, through civilization, to an agrarian and fertility-based religious expression amidst peasantry, the farmers in much of Europe. This was dissapated by war, plague and the oppression of upper class fear (exemplified by the Inquisition). Many, if not all, of the ancient rites have been forgotten or lost, only preserved in form by a co-opting 'Christian' social tradition (e.g. communion and the concept of the Dying Sun-King), or by those who have seized upon times of old as some sort of some of 'Golden Age', free from the pressures and trials of civilized, citified life. Whether or not any remnants of an agrarian, fertility-religion somehow managed to be preserved by such a non-literary, ravaged culture as was peasant Europe, it did not likely retained the same form over hundreds of years, especially given the pressures from the upper classes to dissolve it. It has been popular to assume that if indeed this did occur, then it would most likely have found shelter within places which withstood the onslaught of the Romans, British and other imperialists bent on unification through force. With all this history behind it, and given inspiration by an orthodoxy which berated and condemned it, when tides of political and social restriction began to recede, it is no wonder that a renewal, a resurgence, began to develop. Much of this rejuvenation has taken place very recently. A New Religion: Gerald Gardner and the Craft Controversy has raged during the latter half of this century concernng the origin and history of neo-paganism. The term itself derives from a new version (neo) of the religion of the country-dweller (paganus). It is a similar descriptor to the 'heathen' or, 'one who dwells within the heaths', the shrubland. Until 1951 many countries had laws against Masonry and Witchcraft, a holdover from earlier times. England was among them, and in that year it repealed restriction of Witchcraft. In immediate response to this, a man by the name of Gerald Gardner published several books on the subject, claiming to have had dealings with an extant 'family tradition' of Witches in England. In so doing he revealed details of their lives and religious expression. Much of the resultant history of Wicca, or Witchcraft, is available in written form by such notable authors as Margot Adler. I shall not repeat their words here except to say that there are important relationships between today's organized Witches and traditions outside the peasant class, notably Masonry. comment: quite true. Much of modern Wicca's so-called 'ancient trads' are a direct rip-off from Masonry, due to Crowley and several others' adapting Masonic ritual and phraseology. Terms such as 'craft', ritual forms such as 'initiations', and social delineations like 'degrees' are indicators to me of the similarity of origin between modern Wicca and Masonry. For this reason and because I personally find its seemingly rigid structures distasteful, I consider the religion of Wicca to be different than the Way of the Witch. This is largely as a result my own experience and the prevalence of this attitude among many of those whose vision I respected greatly. I would distinguish between a Wiccan, who is a member of an organized and tax-exempt tradition with many sects (such as Gardnerianism, Alexandrianism, Faerie, etc.), and a witch, who needs no social tradition yet may or may not engage society and group rite. A Wiccan may be a Witch, but a witch need not be a Wiccan. My Meaning for the term 'Witch' 'Witch' appears to derive from the root 'wicce', which means 'to bend'. I like to play with the ambiguity of this definition. A witch bends like the reed in the wind. She also is one who bends or shapes hir world. Witches are healers. This varies, however, among those who engage the healing of individuals, those who work for the healing of all, and those who seek both, or see no essential difference between them. In this way witches may be identified as shamans. Here my bias becomes blatant... Witches TEND to focus more heavily upon certain mythic images than on others. Usually this is the imagery which common society has shunned/repressed. For this reason I say that modern witches focus more on the wrathful, repulsive, and/or aged aspects of any deities which enter hir practice - the Crone, the Old King, the Underworld Lord, the Demon Queen. Witches are often ecologists and may apply the principles of ecology in their lives where they feel able. Many are engaged in political activities designed to awaken a sensitivity to issues surrounding plant and animal, the balance of nature, and one's place in nature. Witches are individualists. Most are solitary workers. It is rare that I meet a witch who says she's a member of an organized religion. Those who do often work for social change, harmony, and a global consciousness without doctrinal or moral sectarianism. I find that most witches are open-minded and focus on actions rather than words and ideas, many having studied other cultures and acquired a broader view of social issues, and are generally accepting of all those whom they meet. I would say one more thing about witches. They have a sense of humor. They don't seize on details and ostracize, they don't require the seriousness of others, they often don't take themselves too seriously, understanding the Great Cosmic Joke in which they live. Conclusion In conclusion, I would further note there is absolutely NOTHING which separates a witch from a Christian, a Buddhist, a Taoist, or even a Satanist. One reason this is the case is that being a witch's life doesn't necessarily have anything to DO with social religious tradition, though it may include it. Another is that there is a place where all paths converge and this 'place between' is where the witch spends the bulk of hir time. Afterward My definitions and descriptions are by no means the last word on the subject of witches. I urge you to develop your own ideas if you have not done so already. There are no false paths in the amusement park of the imagination. Create fabulous stories about your origin and the origin of groups to which you belong. Witches are more about fantasy than about fact, more about imagination than about knowledge, more about ambiguity than about clarity. I hope you will take what I've said here and chew on it, mash it up, destroy it, then create your own stories with the combined mastications of all the stories you have found inspiring. There is no truth but what we discover. Thank you for your time and your attentions, PART TWO: Wiccan Theoretics Introduction This information is gleaned from books, personal instruction with Wiccan elders, ritual work with Wiccans, and from social interaction over a period of 5-10 years. It is not meant to represent the opinion of anyone but myself, makes no claim to objective truth, and is mostly a projection of my imagination beyond the very limited philosophical framework I found within the Wiccan/Pagan community. I imagine that the influence I've experienced from many Eastern traditions, along with my limited readings in Western philosophy and occultism, must have contributed in great part to my understanding of the following key terms and phrases: Merry Meet and Merry Part (mm/mp) Traditional Wiccan ritual derives from a very common structure. It may be seen in many indigenous religions, is a basic formula for Vedic rites, and can be seen as a pattern for most Western social events - 'secular' and 'religious'. It is comprised of the following steps: a) Cleaning, preparation or creation of ritual space This varies from as little as a change in attitude or focus to an entire process of physical and/or symbolic 'purification', designed to alert the participants (especially their subconscious minds) to a change of atmosphere in preparation for the rite. In traditional Wicca this usually includes creating a 'Circle' of ritual space (actually a sphere) and purifying the area and participants with incense (fire and air elements) and salt water (water and earth). The exact sequence of the Circle, cense, and aspergation may vary. b) Calling of energies/entities Though at times this calling will precede the preparations, depending upon the custom and timing of an event, it is the equivalent of inviting guests and/or guardians. Sometimes this is seen as a necessary precaution. At others it is seen as an important element in and of itself. The energies/entities vary among traditions. In Wiccan ritual it is often the 'Guardians of the Watchtowers' or 'Quarters' and these are summoned from the planar four directions (North, East, South and West), usually associated with elemental energies of the world (Earth, Air, Fire and Water). Often also 'the god and goddess' are welcomed to the Circle, sometimes through the personality and form of a 'Priest' and/or 'Priestess' who may happen to be officiating. More a focus of group energies than any social authority, the Priest/ess is said to 'channel' or 'manifest the energies of' the God/dess during the rite. c) Raising of power This is the build-up before the climax of the social event. It is emotional and 'psychic' in nature and in Wiccan tradition will often involve the creation of what is called a 'Cone of Power'. This is a three-dimensional psychic energy funnel, designed to direct those 'raised energies' toward a group focus. Sometimes this focus amounts to a physical change within or outside the Circle (often delayed so as to account for the will of the gods). Sometimes this focus is an energy/entity within or outside the Circle that is perceived to be lacking and in need of such aid. Sometimes the Cone is raised with the intent that those present will take what they need of its power and that the rest may be 'grounded', directed toward Mother Earth for Her use/healing. d) The Great Work/Rite This is the Main Event, though at times it is coincident with and may be inclusive of the build-up. This may be the central reason for the rite (if there is one) and, in those traditions which define it in any way, usually involves some procurement of knowledge (science) or expression of inspiration (art). In Wicca, like in most tantric traditions, it either takes place physically or symbolically. The more complex and socially controversial form of this is the physical unification of the Priestess and Priest (coitus). This is symbolically represented by the 'blessing of the cakes and wine' (the seed of the god is symbolized by the grain of the cakes, the blood of the goddess by the wine). This is typically done using magical implements and is further symbolized by the unification of the magical dagger (or 'athame') and the chalice (or 'cup'). Once the god and goddess have made love within the Circle, their fruits (the cakes and wine) are consumed by the participants. Traditionally, and within the symbology of the rite, this is a time for social announcements and information to be exchanged by the group. Not only does it provide a modicum of secrecy for the Wiccan network, it also symbolizes the real unity between the 'world beyond' the Circle and the 'ritual space' which it contains. note: if the "Great Rite" is performed in actuality, the members of the coven will usually leave the room or area to give the High Priest and High Priestess privacy. It is more often done symbolically, by placing the athame within the cup. To call Wicca a "tantric tradition" is not really accurate, as it's magic is not necessarily sex-based or sex-oriented. e) Departures and resolution Once the Main Event has taken place and some time has passed for an appreciation of its beauty/meaning, then it is time to call the rite to a close and return to everyday life. In Wicca this may be very simple or complex, depending upon the group (coven). It usually includes the 'dismissal' or 'departure' of the guests/guardians, including the god and goddess. It also involves 'taking down' or 'opening' the Circle; bringing down the dividing line between the outside world and ritual space and/or extending the Circle to include the entire universe (somewhat like the ripples that a pebble makes when dropped into a pond). At the beginning, when preparations are made and ritual space is created, many Wiccans exchange the greeting 'Merry meet'. At the conclusion of the rite, when the Circle has been opened, an extension of this greeting ('The Circle is open yet unbroken.... Merry meet, merry part, and MERRY MEET AGAIN!') is sometimes used as a resolving seal upon the entire event. It is often pleasantly echoed by joyful hugs and shared warmth. When used in the context of a greeting outside such rites, the words 'Merry meet' or 'Merry part' are an acknowledgement of the sacred space that we live in and the coming together and separation of each of our individual Circles. Each seemingly separate person is a Circle (and Point) of consciousness. We are a sacred space-time-consciousness and our acts are magical acts (especially those which are consciously recognized). Through the use of these traditional greetings we invoke the balanced centeredness of ritual and acknowledge the interpenetration, the unity, of our life and its magick. The Wiccan Rede: 'An it harm none, do as thou wilt' A rede is a piece of advice or counsel, and to this extent the Rede is used as a guideline for one's life. Each person considers it carefully and thoughtfully before she meaningfully calls hirself Wiccan, analyzing all of the ramifications and subtleties of the words 'harm none' and 'as thou wilt'. The meaning of this advice is not agreed upon by the majority of Wiccans, nor is it important that it be so, for Wicca is not a doctrinal religion. Since most Wiccans recognize no official priests/esses there is little to move the rede into the status of a 'law' (a required constraint). One interprets it as one wishes and associates with others of like mind or those whose way is acceptance. Therefore be reminded that the following ideas are my own interpretation and no other (along with the subsequent description of the 3-fold Law). 'An' is a contraction of 'And if'. This form allows it to be appended to the advice one might give to another. The Rede is designed to EMPOWER people, not disempower them. It suggests that one take a careful look at oneself and one's actions to evaluate if any harm may be caused in their doing, and if not, to complete them to one's satisfaction. The Rede centers upon one's INTENT. It is not only impossible but unreasonable to evaluate the ends of one's actions. We can never be sure that they have come to complete fruition. All we can do is learn from the past, be aware of the present and plan for the future. 'And if it harm none' is a deceptively complex phrase. If harm included any type of injury or damage then we would find ourselves straight-jacketed into suicide. Life depends upon death and injury for its very existence. We displace and destroy countless microscopic organisms with every breath and movement. In order to feed ourselves we must kill some form of life in order to absorb its nutrients. It is sometimes important that minor injury take place so as to prevent an eventual calamity. Surgery and self-defense are good examples here. For this reason we may accept a less expansive meaning for the word 'harm'. It need only include the cause of unnecessary pain and suffering. To interpret this further and define what is 'necessary' would be to DISempower our fellow Wiccan, forming a doctrine that is ethically contrary to the Rede. Each individual discovers this line for oneself and acts accordingly. For this reason no absolute association may ever meaningfully be applied to 'good' and 'evil' or 'bad'. We each have our individual reactions and evaluations of an action taken by another. If we think that another's action will lead to harm then we may oppose it (not the person, the action) so as not to bring about harm through our INaction. Again, we can never know who is objectively 'correct' in any conflict. BOTH are correct as we follow our emotions and intuitions, act with pure intent, express our respect for another's feelings and power, and remain aware of the present circumstance. In social circumstances only consensus (without the force of rule) conforms to the Rede and its important protections. 'An it harm none, do as thou wilt' is a subjective guideline, not a moral imperative. Those who would judge us, saying that they know we are not living by it, fail to do so themselves by disrespecting the innate divinity of our experience and conscience. The 3-fold Law As an extension of the Rede, the 3-fold Law is an explanation of a law of nature. It deals with action and how this affects the cosmos and the apparent source of this action. As an explanation, it ought to be tested by the skeptical and disregarded by those who feel it inaccurate. Many continue to claim its accuracy (in whatever detailed form), so perhaps it is not so easy to dismiss. The Law, as mentioned above, is not a moral judgement or a social constraint. It is a principle of nature which has been observed and described. Action (karma) produces suffering based upon its nature and our evaluation of its result. Intent and our view of this intent are central to this principle's function. Our actions affect us in the following 3-fold manner: a) Energy goes through us as we manifest it. We suffer or benefit according to its nature. If an energy is intended to harm another then it harms us as we manifest it. b) Our actions affect others directly, and to the extent that we are one with all so do we suffer again if our intent was harm. c) Our deep mind compensates us for our harmfulness and our beneficence. If we see that we harm, we punish ourselves; if we see that we help/heal, then we reward ourselves (more carefully and thoroughly than any jailer). This may tie in to psychological models about the 'Superego' and its prohibitive function, ariding from the programming of our parents and other influential authorities. This a very deep self-judgement process, inspired in us by society, the compensation carried out via subconscious processes too complex to explore here. It ought be mentioned, however, that those who transcend or grow beyond compartmentalizing their actions are also beyond the compensation of this Law, especially with regard to the reactions of the deep mind or Superego. There is much speculation as to whether this growth actually occurs, however (see Hinduism's 'moksha'/release or Buddhism's 'nirvana'/extinction for other explanations). comment: this might very well be purest BS too. Blessed Be This simple phrase is a rough equivalent of the Christian 'amen' or the native american 'ho', perhaps with subtle differences. It is sometimes used in greeting or parting and general well-wishing. It is also used in ritual to seal or provide support for a magical act. At its most esoteric, 'Blessed be' is an acknowledgement of the divinity of all present being. It is an affirmation of the rightness of all and/or the conferment of one's blessings upon another in warmth and love. Conclusion As with most religious traditions, the esoteric concepts associated with each of these words and phrases has not become apparent or has been diluted or lost by many who comprise Wicca. Social dynamics and communication failures work to separate wisdom from compassion and ideas from feelings, even in the best of situations. Little regarding Wiccan philosophy has been written and much of this is one- sided or moralistic. Perhaps this essay shall provide some of the fuel for the debate that these issues really deserve, rather than simply add to the endless drone of judgement and small-mindedness that has become popular. Reviews, comments and questions welcome. Thyagi Morgoth NagaSiva Tagi@Cup.Portal.Com 871 Ironwood Drive San Jose, Kali Fornica, 95125 ------------------------------------ MONISM, One Wiccan Perspective -Durwydd MacTara "Henotheism n. Belief in one god without denying the existence of others." (American Heritage Second College Dictionary) "Monism n. philos. A metaphysical system in which reality is conceived as a unified whole." (American Heritage Second College Dictionary) "Monotheism n. The belief or doctrine that there is only one God." (American Heritage Second College Dictionary) "Pantheism n. 1. The doctrine identifying the Deity with the various forces and workings of nature. 2. Belief in and worship of all gods." (American Heritage Second College Dictionary) "Polytheism n. The worship of or belief in more than one god." (American Heritage Second College Dictionary) "To witches, deities manifest in different ways and can be worshipped and contacted through any form suitable to local conditions and personal needs. Wicca does not believe, as do the patriarchal monotheisms, that there is only one correct version of God and that all other God forms are false: the Gods of Wicca are not jealous Gods. We therefore worship the personification of the male and female principles, the God and the Goddess, recognizing that Gods are aspects of the One God and all Goddesses are different aspects of the one Goddess, and that ultimately these two are reconciled in the one divine essence." (Vivianne Crowley, WICCA: The Old Religion in The New Age,pp. 11-12) Vivianne Crowley, a very capable spokesperson for British Traditional Wicca, identifies the core belief of Wicca (at least BTW) as Monism in the piece quoted above. However, she also opens the door to defining Wicca as duotheistic in principle with the subdivision of the monist reality into the praxis of worshiping both Lord and Lady. However, there is yet a THIRD level of obscurity in Wiccan Praxis! Most Wiccans worship a threefold Goddess (Maid, Mother, and Crone) and many also worship at least a twofold God. So, are the Wicca REALLY polytheists or perhaps pantheists or even modified Henotheists as some have claimed? Or, perhaps, a new category altogether needs to be invented to accurately describe Wiccan belief and practice. One suggestion has been made to add a word to our Thea/Theo-logical lexicon, perhaps "Cthonotheism" (provided we MUST have a "Theism") to describe "Theistic Wicca". One advantage is that it makes the assumption of worshipping that which was there to be found and worshipped, NOT a Deity or deities invented in 1939! (More on this later.) The following is the only published copy of the (Gardnerian) Blessing Prayer that I know of. "In the name of Dryghtyn, the Ancient Providence, Who was from the beginning and is for eternity, Male and Female, the Original Source of all things; all-knowing, all-pervading, all-powerful; changeless, eternal. "In the name of the Lady of the Moon, and the Lord of Death and Resurrection. "In the name of the Mighty Ones of the Four Quarters, the Kings of the Elements. "Blessed be this place, and this time, and they who are now with us." ("Witch Blood! The Diary Of A Witch High Priestess!" by Patricia Crowther in chapter four (paperback edition 1974, House Of Collec-tibles, Inc.).) Courtesy of David Piper Airmid (aka Erynn Darkstar), a contemporary craft scholar and researcher says of this new (to most of us) name of Ultimate Deity: "Dryghtyn is also the name used for JHVH in some old English bibles. I think that was where the term actually originated. I think I saw a passing reference to it in some boxed comparative translated text in "In Search of the Indo-Europeans." Grendel, an Asatruar from Seattle suggests the "Dryghtyn" may be an alternative spelling of the Teutonic "Drighten" meaning "Lord". I admit this is interesting, to me, as the closeness of the linguistic link between the Old English and Old German languages has been a scholarly "fact" widely known for many years. As a side issue, this might be some evidence that runs contrary to the thesis put forth by Aidan Kelly that Gerald Gardner "manufactured" Wicca in 1939. From personal experience, I have found that one unique distinction of the non BTW strains of Witchcraft (some times called "FamTrads" of Family Traditions) is the incorporation of old Christian Imagery, often including ArchAngels for the four directions or elements. Though this instance does not include Archangels, it DOES include archaic (and relatively unknown) Christian terminology. If Gardner did discover a remnant of the Old Religion upon which he based his modern reconstruction effort, it is this sort of linguistic "artifact" which would have survived. Perhaps a more scholarly investigation than Mr. Kelly's will "turn up" more evidence? Jim Taylor, an Eastern Orthodox Theologian, also makes two (to me) illuminat- ing statements, concerning "The Dryghtyn Prayer": 1. "'In the name of Dryghtyn, the Ancient Providence, Who was from the beginning and is for eternity, Male and Female, the Original Source of all things; all-knowing, all-pervading, all-powerful; changeless, eternal.' This would be, entirely, an acceptable way of describing God, both for most Jews and for most Christians." AND 2. "'In the name of the Lady of the Moon, and the Lord of Death and Resurrection.' The Lord of Death and Resurrection would seem, to any Christian to refer to Jesus Christ." This evidence of a possible mixing of an older (unrecorded) Christian Prayer may lend further credence to Gardners' claims of building on an older, hidden, traditional remnant. I, personally, also agree with Mr. Taylors' statement that "the idea of Wicca being 'manufactured' in 1939 is far too pat, and ignores a great deal which ought not to be ignored. At the very least, some degree of recognition should be accorded to the obvious fact that most Wiccan practices and attitudes predate Wicca by considerable periods of time--possibly even millennia". The existence of Monism, Duotheism, and Polytheism simultaneously in the belief structure of Wicca is one good example of one of the Five Mysteries of Wicca, that of Union. Wicca is a mystery religion, a PARTICIPATORY religion, and much of its symbology must be lived and practiced to have meaning because much of the real (some say hidden meaning is based on the knowledge of experience and not the intellectual knowledge of mere logic and conscious thought processes. I am an eclectic Wiccan with strong ties in my beliefs and practice to British Traditional Wicca. I am a Monist, yet I have had strong direct experience with Brigid, Danu, and the Morrigan as well as the Earth Mother and the Horned Lord of the Forests. So my personal answer to the question of "What kind of Theism fits Theistic Wicca?" is "several, or none; it is not really a valid question in those limited terms!" But perhaps the concept of "Cthonotheism" would give a better label to this concept when attempting to discuss the idea of the peculiar theism unique to Wicca? Blessed Be, Durwydd MacTara --------------------------------------------------------------------- - The balancing of the individual as a part of the balancing of the world around. People, ideally, are seen as being in balance between two or more outwardly-antithetical aspects. These aspects (ie night & day; generous & stingy, etc.) are not really antithetical -- each, as in the symbology of yin/yang, contains elements of the other. Individuals learn to explore their own particular balance, & try to harmonize & deal with things which may be out of kilter. (Being in balance doesn't mean being static, either. People are expected to evolve.) Because of this emphasis, shades of grey are important. - The macrocosm = the microcosm. A very important concept. This is one which allows us to see that concepts such as the balance between night & day may have value in our own lives. Wicca is a religion rife with symbolism. (Words are symbols, themselves.) On other levels, this expression means that what goes on in the world around us affects us; and what we do affects it. - Concepts of grounding & centering. Being centered is a quality one can find described in any good Eastern religious practice. Grounding is a way of "channelling" energy flow back into the Earth, much as a lightning rod dispells electricity. These concepts are more than semantics -- they are very useful in dealing with stress. - "An it harm none, Do what thou Wilt" -- the Wiccan Rede. This is more than an excuse for licentiousness. It contains several concepts discussed below (ethics, will, guilt). - Ethics: Not seen as being imposed from "outside", from external dogma. They are integral, however, because they are based on common sense & respect for others (see macrocosm = microcosm), including the environment around us. It respects the need for others to make their own choices in life, though we may provide guidance. Ethics means not hurting others unnecessarily, or for what we percieve as "their own good". The Golden Rule applies. - Will: The concept of doing YOUR magical "Will" involves finding out exactly what it is -- one of the things Wiccan exercises help for. Just any passing fancy is not necessarily your "Will". In one narrrow sense, it is finding that thing, that mode of being, which "centers" you. - Guilt: Guilt is being made to feel blame for something within. Guilt tends to be self-generated. Now, there are those in the Craft who say we should live a guilt-free life; but as with all things in human nature, people often end up feeling guilty over feeling guilty, which doesn't address the issue. (There should be no "shoulds" in the Craft -- Did you catch that??) Therefore, accepting that one feels guilt can be important, in order to work through it. - An acceptance of magic: In the most metaphorical sense, this is a belief that one can transform & be transformed. That one's own actions & the helpt of the energies one can call upon for aid -- whether they be seen by the individual as gods, goddesses, unnamed forces of nature, elemental energies, or etc., can be called upon & directly utilized in the search for transformation. (Wiccans are their own priests & priestesses in this regard.) - Concept of God/Goddess(es) (abbrv. as G.): G. is seen as immanent, not transcendent (as in other-worldly). G. is seen in every tree, leaf, star, planet, person & animal. Wiccans walk in balance with nature for this reason. (Some don't see G. in man-made things like skyscrapers -- I disagree.) Reading Jung will help you see the important archetypal aspects we find in G. Individual Gods are expressed in many aspects -- they are never omnipotent & seldom aloof to our concerns. They may have lessons to teach & not all lessons are sweetness & light. ("Beware of asking for Wisdom -- you may get it.") - Dedication -- there is a sense of internal goal-setting. Things don't all come easy, and the barriers along the way can be learned from -- indeed, it is important to do so. The Wiccan is dedicated both to her personal growth, & in co-operation with other, to the goals of the coven (if he/she is IN a coven), which she generally has input in. Mutual & uncohersed cooperation is the ideal signpost of whatever goals the Wiccan seeks to acheive. - Caring, support, love. Self-explanatory, I hope. - Karma: At its worst, a "you got what you deserved", is no better than a New Age substitute for guilt, and is a terrible attitude. At its best, karma is a realization that no action occurs in a vacuum. ---------------------------end of file-------------------------------