Witchcraft Journal Blog

A resource for information and opinions on the beliefs, practices, customs, and magic of Traditional Witchcraft of the British Isles.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Tips for Solitary Witches ~ Part III

Part III concludes this series, which was based on Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 1998. Adrian]



9.) Solitary work is ideal for self-transformation and healing. - You can focus on building up your self esteem, creating new habits, and modifying your lifestyle to suit your spiritual outlook. As a solitary practitioner, you can build your sabbat and esbat rituals around your goals and needs in ways that a group could never do. As you progress, as healing occurs, as changes take place, you will find your practice likewise changing. Consider this a form of sympathetic magic. As you become more fully integrated and whole, your rituals will become more balanced and holistic as well. The Craft is a healing path, so why not approach it as such?

10.) We all learn at different rates and in different styles. - Working alone makes it possible to modify everything to suit your schedule, circumstances, and requirements. Creativity and sincerity can guide you in making your Craft practice a viable and vital part of your life. No matter what disabilities, hindrances, or restrictions you may have in your life, you can practice Wicca--if you truly, honestly desire to do so.

11.) Be yourself. - Don't try to be something you're not. Remember the words of the "Charge of the Goddess", "...if you do not find it within you, you shall never find it at all." The established traditions--Gardnerians, Alexandrians, Algards, Sheba, Georgian, and so on--have specific rites they have developed. Established traditions have stuctures, essential teachings, practices, customs, and shared history that provides a collective context that cannot be accessed by the power of your will, no matter how hard you try. You can access many of the same truths, learn the same secrets, celebrate the same rituals, and experience the same mysteries, but you cannot initiate yourself as a Gardnerian or Mason. Think about it. Why on earth waste your time trying to be something you're not? There's precious little room on the path of spiritual development for self-deceit. Those who truly are drawn to the Craft value honesty. It is absolutely required of you if you have any spiritual aspirations whatsoever. You can lie to yourself, but you'll never fool the gods.

[I hope you agree that this article has been of benefit. Comments and questions are invited. Adrian]

Tips for Solitary Witches ~ Part II

[We continue with Part II, the second part in this three part series. This is from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 1998. Adrian]



5.) Draft a statement of your core beliefs. - Sign it, date it, and place it in your journal or Book of Shadows ( BOS ). Choose a time each year to re-examine it, meditate upon it, and amend it if desired. Sometimes this is a good thing to do during the winter months, perhaps at Candlemas or Imbolc. You decide.

6.) Document all of your sources wherever possible. - Give credit where credit is due. You have nothing to gain by trying to pretend that you wrote Gerald Gardner's books. Keep yourself honest and avoid the ego-inflation that comes with plagiarism. Given time, and effort, you will develop your own rites. When you do, you don't want to dilute the meaningfulness of the moment by that nagging little voice that reminds you that you didn't really do it. Respect your creativity, maintain personal integrity, and let things develop naturally. You'll be glad you did.

7.) Remember that degrees refer to experiences, and not rank. - Too many readers of books assume that the various degree systems refer to the rank and level of power of an individual, and so they strive to get to the top of the ladder as fast as possible. Don't. The degrees are a system of landmarks to allow us all to identify those who have also undergone similar experiences. When you are working alone, there's little to be gained by initiating yourself into the third degree, assuming the title of elder, or even calling yourself a Witch queen or magus. These things all have very real meanings, and claiming what is not rightfully yours is the surest way to bar your ever attaining it for real. Take your time. Learn all you can, and work with the gods and mighty ones.

8.) One big advantage you have as a solitary practitioner is the lack of politics and disagreement. - You decide what to do and just do it. This is impossible in group situations where you must deliver cues, explain what you are doing, and accommodate multiple interpretations and viewpoints. As a solitary you know exactly what you are attempting to do, how you want to do it, and you are free to do whatever you will--it's just you and the gods.

[Not done! -> This is continued to the next blogging.]

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Tips for Solitary Witches ~ Part I

[I located this article and I think it is quite good. It is written from a Wicca point of view and with Wiccan references, however a new solitary Trad Witch would do well to pay heed to this important list. This is from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 1998. Adrian]



There are a lot more self-initiated Witches out there than practically any other variety. While it is a valid and legitimate spiritual path, self-initiation also poses a few unique challenges to those who would seek the Old Gods on their own. If you are contemplating self-initiation and the building of your own version of spiritual practice based on the Wiccan model, here are some tips to help make the process go a bit more smoothly.

1.) You have every right to initiate yourself and to follow your own, unique path to the gods. - No one has a monopoly on wisdom, nor on the Mysteries. Anyone who approaches the gods with sincerity, respect, and integrity can and will discover their own way to commune with these essential forces of nature. It requires creativity, persistence, and determination--it is a challenging path to take.

2.) Clarify your intent. - Ask yourself "Why am I doing this?" It is wise that you examine your motivations--pursuing such an intensive path as solitary Wicca is not something to do on a whim, nor is it a "fun" hobby. It's work, and plenty of it. You don't get to take advantage of someone else's previous efforts, except for what you can get out of books. You have to build your own foundation, and establish a mythos and context within which to work. You can just declare yourself a member of your own tadition, but what will it mean?

3.) Gather your resources. - You need to establish a set of ground rules--guidelines for what you want and what you plan to do. This will require reading everything you can get. Try to read a diversity of authors, and don't read just about Witchcraft--broaden your horizons as much as possible.

4.) If you find something that you like, adapt it. - Don't just lift it out of its context. Once you have basic framework within/upon which to work, rewrite everything to fit your emerging vision. Don't be worried about perfection--you will re-write things many times as you develop and grow. The more you learn, the more you'll be enhance, refine, and desire to modify your first attempts at ritual. When members of a tradition refer to basic things such as their oaths, the creed of their sect, whatever degree they may have been initiated into or whatever, these things all mean something within that tradition. When you are self-initiated, it's all up to you what it all means to you--in as far as it applies to you and you alone. Develop your own unique versions of those elements of the Craft that you choose to adopt. It's perfectly fine to toss out all the old stuff and start out on your own path. If you do, there's a lot of baggage to deal with, and you might not want to toss the baby out with the bath water. Take some time and reflect upon these things. Make no hasty decisions. Seek to understand your impetus and motivation for removing or including the various bits and pieces of Craft material. Personal creativity is a vital part of the Craft. There's not much room for dogma in an ecstatic, experiential religion.

[This is continued to the next blogging.]

It's remarkable how true this is. Adrian.

"History has shown that what might at one time be considered occult may eventually become science.
" -Gwydion


Tuesday, August 01, 2006

An Essay on the Importance of Intention in Magick -= Part 6 =-

[This is the 6th and last instalment of the article by Aquilius Cattus. It appeared in Witches' Voice. Adrian.]





Now some of this may deviate from how these four powers are originally taught, but there are some good reasons for this. In Levi’s work, he defines each power as an intelligence illuminated by study (To Know); an intrepidity which nothing can check (To Dare); a will which cannot be broken (To Will); and a prudence which nothing can corrupt and nothing intoxicate (To Keep Silent). While correct from the perspective of the more domineering magician, I feel that it leaves much to be desired in that it does not explore the subject in greater detail. It teaches from only one position, the position of acquiringThe Great Secret, he writes, “The great secret of magic, the unique and incommunicable Arcana, has for its purpose the placing of supernatural power at the service of the human will in some way.” This is true; however, this is not the only way to look at it. One is not limited to merely directing their will to force or compel supernatural powers under their dominion. One can also take the path of opening their heart (the combination of mind and will), and allowing the will (i.e. the intention) to become one with the Divine itself. Thus, the magician embodies all of the Divine forces of nature, both the seen and the unseen, and the known and the unknown. This is quite often the path of the mystic, and not that of the magician; however, the magician can utilize these same techniques to excel at their Great Art. If the magician were able to learn how to work their magick through less force by simply purifying their intentions, and opening their hearts to the source of the supernatural forces they wish to command, the results of their workings will have greater potency. In simpler terms, the magician cuts out the intermediary in their magickal workings (i.e. the force exerted in bending the supernatural forces to the will of the magician). They take the road of cultivating these powers through a variety of spiritual trainings and mental purification rather than manipulating them through sheer force of will. Nevertheless, even if one was comfortable with the more direct and forceful magickal disciplines, these lessons can still have unimaginable benefits for the skilled magician. With more refined, purified, and better-understood intentions, the magician has greater control over their workings on a whole, while minimizing the amount of force exerted towards their desired goal.

It is also unwise to simply want something and then work towards it without considering the subtle intention and reasoning that might be lurking behind the scenes. That is why I feel that many of the great magicians of the past often ended up in very bad situations. The history of magick is full of these tragic tales. They understood almost everything about magick except for this one seemingly minute and yet important lesson. They unfortunately allowed their desires to become corrupted by their own unskillful intentions. It was certainly no mistake when Lord Acton once said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The magician must be ever mindful and vigilant to make sure that they remain pure of heart, pure of speech, and pure of deed. It is only in this way that they can assure their magickal workings can remain pure as well. We must not forget the unimaginable grandeur, and awe-inspiring nature of the power that we might wish to use, control, or tap into for whatever reason. The magician is like a child playing with fire, and it can be a deadly game of chance if the child is completely unaware of the potential danger he holds in his youthful hands. One wrong intention, one wrong action based upon that intention, and one wrong result of that action based upon that intention and the child is dead. It would not be because the fire was evil, or that the child deserved his fate, but it would simply happen because he made unskillful decisions based upon unskillful intentions. There was simply no wisdom involved in the motivation to play with the fire, and the power he held corrupted him into being intentionally blind to the very real and very serious consequences—fire burns.

Magick demands respect. Magick also demands that we be able and willing to use our own ingenuity and intuition so that our practice does not become stagnant and lifeless. If we simply follow the steps dictated to us by others without illuminated intelligence and intrepidity, we are merely cloning a lifeless ritual and not making the practice our own. This is not to say that we should not listen to or respect our teachers, but it is saying that we must know when to question what we may find questionable, and that we should explore all of the infinite possibilities in a responsible way. The Great Mysteries are not meant to be a cookie-cutter model of blind obedience steeped in ritualistic dogma, but a process of learning how to commune with the Divine aspect present in all of our lives. The only protection that we truly have in this endeavor is to have a strong yet flexible will with the ability to remain firmly rooted in wisdom. Moreover, the only way to have that is to train ourselves to observe, understand, and ultimately purify our own intentions.


[This was the 6th and last instalment in this series. I think you would agree that this was a sensational series. Adrian.]

Monday, July 31, 2006

An Essay on the Importance of Intention in Magick -= Part 5 =-

[This is the 5th of 6 instalments of an article by Aquilius Cattus that appeared in Witches' Voice. Adrian.]


To answer this question, we must realize the results of acting upon each of these motivations. If we are motivated by greed, we will intentionally act with thoughts centered on the fulfillment our own needs. These actions are often characterized by selfishness and pettiness. There is no understanding of self-sacrifice when under the sway of greed, and self-sacrifice is a very powerful lesson indeed (i.e. the story Yeshua). You must give in order to receive. Nothing in this world comes without a price. The magician, therefore, cannot afford to allow his or her magickal workings to be motivated by greed alone (and not at all if possible). If we are motivated by hatred, we will intentionally act with thoughts centered on anger and malice. These actions are often characterized by aggression and violence. These truly destructive influences have the potential for an unimaginable amount of harm to be inflicted upon the magician as well as others. The magician, therefore, cannot afford to allow his or her magickal workings to be motivated by hatred. If we are motivated by delusion (or simple not knowing), we will intentionally act with no real directed thought whatsoever. These actions are often characterized by randomness and mindless. The magician, therefore, cannot afford to allow his or her magickal workings to be motivated by delusion because there is no directed thought to power or guide the workings. It is almost a mindless act with no real substance; it is, in essence, hollow. If we are motivated by wisdom, however, we will intentionally act with strong and clear thoughts that focus around the most skillful way to fulfill our needs. We are even willing to give in order to receive if necessary. We are calm, centered, and fully aware. The magician, therefore, is encouraged to allow his or her magickal workings to be motivated solely by wisdom when at all possible. These first three motivations belong to the realm of animals and animalistic thinking. While we are animals, we also have the potential to be something more, hence the fourth possible motivation.

The more we inspect our intentions, the more we will see them in this framework. Incidentally, at this point, much of the work to purify our intentions will be done on its own. We will actually have to put forth very little effort towards this because we will automatically become more aware of the advantages of acting upon more skillful intentions rather than unskillful ones. This happens on its own because basic human nature already desires happiness, fulfillment, and success. It also wants to achieve this without giving more than needed. Therefore, once we begin to internalize these lessons, when we truly begin to notice the interconnectivity between these things, we will naturally gravitate towards purifying our intentions by choosing the most skillful ones available. From there, we can consciously refine our intentions to an even greater degree. Once all of this has been perfected, or at least practiced to a reasonable level, we can then work on incorporating these lessons into our magickal workings.

In Eliphas Levi’s Transcendental Magic, we find one of the earliest (if not the first) mentions of The Four Powers of the Sphinx, also known as The Four Powers of the Magus. The Third Power of the Sphinx (or Magus) — To Will — holds the key when it comes to incorporating these lessons into our actual practice. The force of the human will is an extraordinary thing. While it is not unlike electricity, in that it often follows the “path of least resistance”, it has the amazing capability to go “against the current”. This is not without some amount of inherent stress and discomfort for the willer, but quite often, it produces results that are well worth the effort if done in the proper way. The bottom line is that our intention is our will, and when we have impurities in our intentions, we can expect to have impurities in our magickal workings as well. This could also be said to correspond to the First Power of the Sphinx (or Magus) — To Know — in that we should never begin any magickal working with unknown intentions lurking behind our actions. Not only must we know how to will (through study, practice, etc.), but we must also be aware of why we will because this motivation colors the result of what we will. To perform any magickal working without such care and knowledge is haphazard at best.

[The last instalment will be posted here tomorrow. Adrian]

Please Note:

A mistake was made yesterday and Part 4 of An Essay on the Intention in Magick was published before Part3 was published. We have now published Part 3 and it is located below Part 4. Sorry for any strange wonderment.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

An Essay on the Importance of Intention in Magick -= Part 4 =-

[We continue with the 4th instalment of this fascinating an article by Aquilius Cattus that appeared in Witches' Voice. Enjoy! . Adrian.]

Library (c) 2003 J.B. Hare

The second factor involved is to gain an awareness of the fact that we can at least have some control over this process through various techniques of mental cultivation. First, we have to work constantly at strengthening our mindfulness so that we can become increasingly more aware of what is actually going on within the vast, complex structure of our minds. In simpler terms, we must flex our mental muscles to keep them in shape, and exercise effort to keep our mindfulness sharp and alert at all times. Simple breath meditations or some other form of mindfulness training can be done to help develop this. Next, we need to observe these mental processes in action. We have to be as aware of our intentions as we can be (i.e. know why we are about to do something), and then observe the consequences of the actions that follow. Even after the fact -- when we believe the outcome of our actions to be good, bad, or neutral -- we still need to be aware of possible changes, since the full results can take time to mature. Quite often, the way that it usually works is that the mind intends, we act according to those intentions, and then we simply forget about it. This is just plain sloppy. We need to remain continuously alert and sensitive to what we are doing at any given time. The power we will eventually learn to wield is not a toy by any stretch of the imagination.

The third factor involved is to refine the first two factors until they are able to be preformed effortlessly. This means that we have to practice each factor everyday, and constantly be aware of whatever arises in our experience regardless of the outcome. We must remind ourselves to pay close attention to these mental qualities, and what effect they have on our actions. If things are going well, we simply note that and try to learn why they seem to be going well. Conversely, if things are not going well, we simply note that and try to learn why they seem not to be going well. Sometimes we may learn that the reasons why things turned out the way they did were completely out of our control, but other times we may learn exactly what it was that we did to influence the outcome. In essence, we are becoming mindful of precisely how our intentions influence our actions, and how those actions produce results. In this way, we will learn to have more control over our magickal workings in the future. This is not the end of the training, however, because we still must work on the intentions themselves.

As I have stated before, the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion often color our intentions, and it is imperative for the skilled magician to be able to purify his or her intentions before, during, and after any magickal working. Therefore, once we have trained our minds to become more aware of the intimate relationship between our intentions, our actions, and their results, we can then focus on purifying those intentions. As we are training ourselves to become more aware of our intentions, our actions based upon those intentions, and the results of those actions, we will also become aware of the various factors influencing those intentions. For example, an intention influenced by the mental poison of greed will produce actions of a selfish and often petty nature. In our Great Art, we do not want to lower ourselves to such base motivations. It is an offense to the very nature of the Great Mysteries themselves. There shall always be needs (needs we should not neglect), but those needs do not, and must not, be based upon the foundations of selfish, low-minded, and base desires. There should always be wisdom involved first. For example, we have a need for food. All beings must subsist on nutriment. Now, our desire for that food can be colored by four main influencing factors, or a combination of any of the four, and we will then act based upon that intention. While the act may appear to be the same, the motivation behind it has already colored it in some way. The first main influencing factor is greed: the sheer want for it, for a pleasant taste, full belly, etc. The second main influencing factor is hatred: a reason influenced by a degree of ill will, an overwhelming desire to prevent someone else from having it, an eating disorder (violence to the body) , etc. The third main influencing factor is delusion, or the simple fact of not knowing: the desire to eat with no discernable reason (i.e. not hungry, not wishing to taste, not trying to keep someone else from eating it, etc.). The fourth main influencing factor is wisdom: the knowledge that nutriment is required to sustain life. Out of these four main influential factors for us to desire food, which appears to be most worthy of acting upon, and how does that relate to our magickal workings?

The answer will come tomorrow.

An Essay on the Importance of Intention in Magick -= Part 3 =-

[Sorry, it appears that we published Part 4 before Part 3 in this series. So, now we present Part 3, below. This comes from Witches' Voice. Adrian]

The second factor involved is to gain an awareness of the fact that we can at least have some control over this process through various techniques of mental cultivation. First, we have to work constantly at strengthening our mindfulness so that we can become increasingly more aware of what is actually going on within the vast, complex structure of our minds. In simpler terms, we must flex our mental muscles to keep them in shape, and exercise effort to keep our mindfulness sharp and alert at all times. Simple breath meditations or some other form of mindfulness training can be done to help develop this. Next, we need to observe these mental processes in action. We have to be as aware of our intentions as we can be (i.e. know why we are about to do something), and then observe the consequences of the actions that follow. Even after the fact -- when we believe the outcome of our actions to be good, bad, or neutral -- we still need to be aware of possible changes, since the full results can take time to mature. Quite often, the way that it usually works is that the mind intends, we act according to those intentions, and then we simply forget about it. This is just plain sloppy. We need to remain continuously alert and sensitive to what we are doing at any given time. The power we will eventually learn to wield is not a toy by any stretch of the imagination.

The third factor involved is to refine the first two factors until they are able to be preformed effortlessly. This means that we have to practice each factor everyday, and constantly be aware of whatever arises in our experience regardless of the outcome. We must remind ourselves to pay close attention to these mental qualities, and what effect they have on our actions. If things are going well, we simply note that and try to learn why they seem to be going well. Conversely, if things are not going well, we simply note that and try to learn why they seem not to be going well. Sometimes we may learn that the reasons why things turned out the way they did were completely out of our control, but other times we may learn exactly what it was that we did to influence the outcome. In essence, we are becoming mindful of precisely how our intentions influence our actions, and how those actions produce results. In this way, we will learn to have more control over our magickal workings in the future. This is not the end of the training, however, because we still must work on the intentions themselves.
----------------------------------------

Don't forget to read Part 4 which is below, or located in our Archives in 07/30/06. Part 5 will come soon.
Again, sorry for the mix-up. Adrian
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WITCHCRAFT BANNED FROM MASON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY IN MAYSVILLE, KY

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From Moon Fire Lady's Blog we learn of this rank example of disregard for the rights of others and the Bible Belt fear of things that are different.

THE MASON COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD, OF MAYSVILLE, KY HAS BANNED WITCHCRAFT FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. WE CAN NO LONGER GO INTO OUT PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT WE PAY TAXES ON AND LOOK UP SITES OF OUR INTERESTS. WE CANNOT EVEN LOOK UP PSYCHIC AND TAROT SITES. THE COMPANY I WORK FOR I CAN'T EVEN BRING UP. THIS IS A TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE DISGRACE. WE MUST MAKE A CHANGE AND PUT A STOP TO THIS. PLEASE HELP US IN OUR ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU.