Category Archives: Paganism

Paganism, Religion

Someone should help him before he hurts himself — or others

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Sometime last week, I ran across this entry by a young Christian blogger. I decided to leave him a comment, though I get the impression he completely missed my point. I left him a second comment, hoping that maybe it’ll clarify what I’m getting at.

Now, I’m going to set aside my personal feelings about his theology for the moment. I’m going to set aside the natural defensiveness some part of me feels over his comments about my religious practices. After all, at least on an “intellectual level,” I can respect his right to hold his opinions on these things. I can even respect his right to express those opinions.

But at the same time, I can only feel that this is a young man without any practical direction, and that spells disaster in my mind. In all of his statements, I don’t see even the slightest hint of a sense of how he’s going to go about living a more “visible” relationship for God. Well, at least not beyond spouting off catchphrases and buzzwords like a motivational speaker.

Of course, part of me wonders if that’s not part of the problem. I find myself wondering if he’s been to one too many “revival meetings” of a certain sort. You know, those meetings where someone stands in front of a crowd, gives a number of compelling speeches designed specifically to stir everyone’s emotions and get them “worked up for Jesus,” but then leave their “revived” people to wonder what happened once the emotional high is over and real life set in. All because while said speaker(s) got them all worked up, they didn’t do a very good job of keeping things going. (And let’s face it, there’s only so long you can keep an emotional high going. It’s one reason churches don’t have “revival meetings” every Sunday.)

What really worries me — and what should worry all Christians out there — is what kind of bridges this young man might burn in his current state. He’s so hyped up that he almost seems to be looking for a “glorious confrontation.” (Read his other two entries and you’ll see more of what I’m talking about.) And while that sounds great in theory, it’s a pretty good way of making some enemies. And you know, it’s rather difficult to share any message, let alone the gospel message, with an enemy.

And as much as it bugs me, I have to admit that we witches and Pagans tend to be grudge-holders. We tend to look at someone like this young man who, in his sincere exuberance, tends to put a chasm between himself and those he wants to “save” by his poorly chosen words and deeds, and we tend to see all well-meaning Christians through the filter of our experiences with him. So we quit listening to all of them. The rude, the well-meaning but ill-prepared, the sincere and wise, they’re all seen through the lense of past experience. And when that lense has the most confrontational of the lot embedded in it, it can create quite a distortion. (Natureally, those of us who have gained wisdom try to overcome this “filtering process,” but even we can have our difficulties from time to time.

Hopefully, someone will take this young man aside and teach him some wisdom and compassion to go along with his enthusiasm and conviction. Otherwise, I suspect this will end badly. For everyone involved.

Deep Thoughts, Paganism, Religion

Tax Breaks for Dutch Student Witches?

I’ve run across several rposts of an AP article about a court ruling to allow students attending a “school for witches” in the Netherlands to write off the cost of tuition for tax purposes. Having seen it, I thought it would be a good idea for me to post my own thoughts.

First of all, I expect there to be a huge fuss over this. As the article indicates, there’s already those who are of the opinion that this is little more than a government “endorsing witchcraft.” And I suspect we will be hearing more of the same as the news gets out. (I can just hear the howls of outraged 700 Club fans now.) Of course, I find myself wondering why no one complains about the number of “church owned projects” that are being “endorsed” by the government due to the fact that the church can extend their tax exempt status to those projects. (Even my evangelical and rather conservative father is becoming disgusted with how American churches are — in his opinion, at least — abusing their tax exempt status by the things they claim as “church owned.”) In my mind, all of this outrage underscores the deep-seated belief that Christians have the right to decide what constitutes a “religion” deserving of Constitutionally protected status.

Now, having said that, I have to admit that I have my own concerns about this decision. For example, according to the article, the court ruling indicated that scholing costs can be declared if said schooling increases their likelihood of employment and personal income. I find myself wondering how attending a school for witches reasonably does either. Unless the Netherlands actually allows for professional witches to hire out their services — and for all I know, they do — I don’t see how this improves their employability. I’ve never seen a job opportunity where my circle casting or chanting skills have been all that relevant, let alone something that would give me a “leg up” on my competitors for the position. I might be able to argue that there are subtle life skills I have learned as I’ve practiced my Craft that have contributed to my effectiveness as an employee. However, that would be tough to argue. And it would be nearly impossible to argue that I’d specifically learned those skills thanks to a school in witchcraft. I’m just not sure how someone can reasonably demonstrate that an “education in witchcraft” has improved their employability except in very rare cases. (The other possibility that comes to mind is that one could become a professional tarot reader. But again, I can think of alternative — and cheaper — routes to get set up in that line of business.)

Of course, given where my interest lie, the idea of a “school” where you “learn witchcraft” — and pay for it, no less — just makes me bristle. The taking of money implies that anyone who can pay the almost $3000 and attend all the courses will become a witch. As I understand witchcraft, that’s not how things work. Being a witch is learning more than the “right stuff.” It’s as much about attitude and the ability to see things in a certain way as it is about knowing the right things — or even knowing how to do the right things. And these are things that one cannot guarantee a student will learn.

Now having said that, I’m sure that the people going to this school all learn something. And whatever they may be learning might be valuable. I’m just not sure it’ll always be “witchcraft” that they’ve learned. And I certainly don’t think it guarantees that every student who completes the course of study will attain “witchhood.”

Deep Thoughts, Paganism, Religion

Religion: Moving from memory to life application

I was just reading one of the liberal Christian blogs I like to keep up with, and discovered his recent entry about his son’s confirmation in the Lutheran church. First of all, I’d encourage everyone to check out his son’s “personal profession of faith” which he wrote. Personally, even though I don’t necessarily share his views, I thought it was an excellent attempt by the young man to grapple with his own faith and what it means to him. I think that more young people should be encouraged to do this.

The (rightfully) proud father prefaces this by pointing out that this practice of encouraging confirmands to write their personal statements of faith as a part of the confirmation process is a relatively new one. He compares this practice to “back in the day” when he himself was confirmed, in which the confirmation process involved memorizing a number of various pieces of information (such as the Apostles’ Creed and the ten commandments) and then being quizzed on it. He briefly mentions the anxiety he and his peers felt during this process and confesses that he wasn’t sure how it really demonstrateded they were “ready to assume the rights and responsibilities of adulthood in the church’s eyes.”

I’m inclined to agree with the blogger’s point of view on that one. The confirmation process that his son recently went through strikes me as much more reasonable, not to mention valuable. This is based on my own firm belief that one’s faith must be more than mere rote memorization of certain creeds, laws, and other doctrinal points and “bits of information” deemed “worthy.” As I mentioned in my commemnt to the blogger, it seems to me that faith essentially requires the understanding and wisdom to apply all of that knowledge, lest said knowledge remain little more than “useless trivia” tucked away in some recess of the memory.

Towards the end of my time in church and involvement with my church’s Sunday School program, I became more aware of this problem. Too often, our program would rely on rote memorization without actually teaching the kids much about what it means to live out one’s faith. (Oh sure, we went over the ten commandments and told everyone that they shouldn’t lie, cheat, steal, or the other assorted sins young children are most likely to be presented with, but a faithful life needs to be more than these things.) We filled those kids with our “head knowledge” and gave them little else. So it’s nice to see that at least some churches are coming around and trying to correct that error.

Now if only today’s pagans and witches would also catch wind of that idea. After all, we still too often rely on “head knowledge.” What’s the first thing we tell everyone who says they’re interested in Paganism/Wicca/witchcraft? “Read, read, and read.” We encourage them to fill their heads with information (and let’s not forget that 99% of the information they’ll probably find is bad.) But we don’t talk about the practical, “living the faith” kinds of things.

So “newbies” become “collectors of things.” They collect the various snippets of lore and poetry that have made it into the public domain (both legitimately and illegitimately), the lists of “healing crystals and their uses,” the lists of “elemental correspondenses,” the lists of “gods and their functions,” and all kinds of other things.

But where’s the serious contemplation of what it means to honor the old gods? Where is the deep searching of what it means to live “in tune with nature”? (Actually, I think “living in tune with nature” isn’t as big a part of Paganism as some would suggest, but if people are going to bandy about that phrase, I think it a good idea to start talking about how to practically go about accomplishing it.) Where is the deep discussion of how the Wheel of the Year affects us on a deep, personal level?

Maybe like the Christian blogger I mentioned, these are things that will only be sorted when my own children start down the Pagan paths. Maybe it’ll be longer than that. But I hope that we start thinking about these things now, so that this essential shift in focus happens some time.

Books, Paganism

Fairy Tale Musings: Snow White

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This morning, I decided to watch Disney’s animated rendition of “Snow White” while I ate breakfast. It’s your typical sweet and sappy Disney movie. We all know the pattern of these tales fairly well. The heroine starts out in rags, finds herself in a position of threat, hides away, makes some friends, is discovered by her nemesis, is “destroyed,” is avenged, and is then revived by true love.

As I sat watching it, I had an idea. “Hey, let’s read the original version out of our copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales.” So after the movie was over, I rand upstairs, located my cherished book, and began to read it.

Man, I always knew Disney liked to change things, but I didn’t realize how much they changed things until this reading. I had usually assumed they tended to just make things less gory (or to be faux witty about it, remove the most grim parts of Grimm). But man, they even changed the natuere of the seven dwarfs. In the original tale as told (or recorded, as is more accurate) by Jacob ad Wilhelm, the dwars were actually quite meticulous in their own housekeeping. In their written tale, Snow White (who it might also be noted was originally called Little Snow White, as she was only nine) found a spotless house in excellent order. Yes, the dwarfs do tell her that she has to cook and clean if she stays, but in the tale, it’s apparently not because they need her services. Knowing that dwarfs in Teutonic mythology and lore are generally seen as the embodiment of industriousness, it seems to me that the original interpretation of the seven dwarfs’ conditions to Snow White have more to do with the idea that one must make oneself productive in some way in order to stay in the realm of the dwarfs.

The other thing that stuck out to me is that in the written tale, it’s not the Prince’s kiss that awakens Snow White from her slumber. In fact, the Prince doesn’t kiss her at all. Instead, when he comes to stay with the seven dwarfs and sees the beautiful maiden asleep in her coffin, he begs the dwarfs to allow him to take her back to his castle as “his most treasured possession.” (We’ll try to keep the inner feminist from barking too loudly about that poor choice of words on the tale-spinners’ part.) While he is transferring Snow White and her coffin to his castle, the wagon hits a bump which dislodges the bit of poisoned apple from her throat. That is what revives her, not love’s first kiss. Quite a difference, eh?

Now, I don’t mean to bash Disney for these changes. Disney’s animated movie is a work of beauty in its own right, and I’ll hopefully enjoy it many more time times in my life. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s very different from the tale as written down by the Brothers Grimm, and I’m glad I read their version as well. It just seems to be packed with so many details. In fact, I hope to explore why the story-tellers of old (those who actually recounted these tales to the Brothers) would have mentioned them. After all, these are folk tales, (and folk tales that come from the same cultural groups that developed the myths of my gods no less, so they’re likely of value to me)and that means that they likely have much symbolism that would’ve been understood and seen as important. So some of the little details I hope to look into and find possible signficicance include:

1. The repitition of “splitting things” over the seven dwarfs (such as when Snow White eats a little from each of the seven plates she finds upon entering the house “so as to not clear any one plate” or when the seventh dwarf who gave up his bed to Snow White sleeps one hour with each of his six brothers in their own bed).

2. The three methods that the Queen uses to try and kill Snow White.

3. The fact that the Queen asks the huntsman to bring back Snow White’s lung and liver so she can eat them.

4. The seven hills our mountains past which the seven dwarfs live.

I also find the introductory paragraph to the tale interesting. In this paragraph, the story-teller introduces us to the first Queen, Snow White’s mother. This paragraph tells of the snowy morning where she pricked her finger so three drops of blood fell. It is upon looking at these red drops of blood, the white snow, and the black ebony of the window frame that the Queen suddenly wishes for a chile “white as snow, red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window-frame.” It leaves me wondering if this is merely to describe the eventual beauty of Snow White, or if there’s some deeper signficicance to these events and their resulting wish.

So now, I need to find a good commentary on this tale as well as the rest of those recorded by the Brothers Grimm.

Paganism

Witches Weekly — Clergy

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I’ve not been keeping up with Witches Weekly. However, I decided to take a peek at this week’s questions. Having looked at them, I decided they were well worth answering.

1. What do you think the role of pagan clergy is in our society/communities?

To e honest, I’m not big on “clergy.” I personally have no use for them. Furthermore, a part of me would rather encourage the Pagan community as a whole to avoid them altogether.

However, this is because of the form of witchcraft that I practice. I am looking to join a priesthood, and become a direct priest and servant of the gods. As such, I don’t expect to need or want the help of clergyperson. Sure, I might need some advice or assistance from time to time, but I can get that from a sister or brother witch.

Some people aren’t interested in the kind of service I’m looking to take on, though. And I’m starting to understand that some Pagans still need and want trained clergy to offer pastoral, counseling, and similar services to them. I can respect that. However, as that’s not something I’m entirely interested in having or offering, I’ll leave that to those who are interested.

2. If there was a pagan temple in your community like the Temple of Sekhmet, would you use it for a place to hold handfasting, naming, and coming of age rituals?

I don’t really know, to be honest. My initial reaction is to say no, however. For example, not being a devotee of Sekhmet, I would find it inappropriate to use a temple dedicated to her for my services. (Just as I’d personally find it inappropriate to get married in my old church.)

If it was a “general” temple not dedicated to any specific deity, I suppose I might consider it. But even then, it would depend on a large number of factors and circumstances. I think of the specific rituals mentioned and I’m not sure I’d have any of those events be a public rite anyway. If I were to have a handfasting, it would be a magical ceremony that woudl be held with my covenmates as a private affair. As such, we would probably have a private temple or workspace we would use instead. Even if we chose to use a public temple for some reason, we would probably work the rites ourselves and not involve those who run the temple.

Specifically on the subject of the handfasting, I should note that I do not intend to have a public handfasting. If my lover and I decide to have a public ceremony at all, it will be extremely simple and mostly civil. To be honest, the majority of my family wouldn’t show up just because I’d be marrying another man. I don’t need to add the complication of throwing a lot of “Pagan mumbo jumbo” at them. (Besides, they’re not welcome to my spiritual and magical rites, anyway.)

3. Would you feel comfortable getting counseling from a member of the pagan community?

This is not an easy yes or no question, in my book. To be perfectly blunt, if I am lookig for a counselor, that counselor’s religious practices are not my primary concern. I’m not sure they’re even in my list of concerns at all. Sure, I might want a counselor who is “Pagan friendly” — or at least doesn’t see my belief in Pagan gods and magic as something that needs to be “cured.” If I can find a counselor I can work with, though, I don’t care if she or he is Pagan, Buddhist, atheist, or even a fundamentalist Christian. The primary concern is “can I work with this person to work through the healing process I’m here for?” Nothing else.

Paganism

Charge of the Bunny Goddess

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I don’t normally cut and paste other people’s stuff in my blog, but this really gave me a chuckle.

The Charge of the Bunny Goddess
by Gwen Wolfrose

Listen to the words of the Great Fluff she who of old is known as Amethyst MoonPixie, Mosscovered Rosequartz, Moonwater Firedancer, Keltic Dragondream, Lady Mooncrystal HPS, Lady Raven, Malibu SparkleBarbie, and Wiccan MacMorrigan, and by many other names, most of them made up by an online name generator:

Whenever you have need of anything once in the month, and better it be when the bookstore is still open, then shall you gather and adore me, who am Queen of all Bunnies. There shall you gather, you who desire to learn the true Art of Bunnycraft, yet have not grown in your furry undercoat; to these I will teach the esoterism of true fluffiness. And you shall be free from anything that is not white light goodness; and as a sign that you are truly free, you shall quote Scott Cunningham as gospel, put curses on those who call you names, bless everyone with white light happiness, redefine everything so that it fits your way of thinking, and demand that the so called dark gods are just misunderstood, never again the burning times… except for Satanists, we can still burn them since they aren’t pagan anyway. For I am covered with fur behold my cuteness. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it and if anyone tries to stop you, change your screen name and rejoin their list to teach them a lesson. For mine is the determination to stomp out darkness wherever it may be whether they like it or not.

I am the Queen Mother Fluffer, Who can give the Gift of Joy unto the heart of man or woman so long as you are life affirming and positive ONLY. On Earth, I give the Knowledge that honesty is a crime if I do not agree with it; and beyond death, we will not discuss since death is a negative concept. I do not demand sacrifice, for behold; opening up a book does not require that much effort.

Hear ye the Words of the Bunny Goddess: She Whose Feet are fuzzy and soft, Whose Body encircleth the book store especially the Llewellyn shelf.

I, Who am the Fluffy Queen of the Earth and the White Light amongst the Internet, and the Mystery of why BTW’s don’t like it when I say Wicca is anything I want it to be because Scott said so, and the Desire to make up lies about them to make myself look like a hero to the other fluffers. I call unto thy soul, all ye who would be Bunnies: Arise! And come unto Me!

For I am the Soul of the Bunny, Who giveth Only Positive Life Affirming White Light to the Universe: from Me all things proceed, and unto Me nothing must return because it’s your bad karma not mine so there. And before My Face, which is fuzzy and soft and known to all gods who are all benevolent, thine innermost Bunny Self shall be enfolded in the Rapture of the Infinite Bunny.

Let My Worship be within the heart that tolerates no darkness, for behold: all acts in the name of white light goodness and fluffiness are my rituals especially if Scott wrote it. And therefore let there be white light and fluff within you.

And thou who thinkest to seek for Me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou knowest the Mystery: that if thou do not own a Scott Cunningham book and seekest Me, then thou shalt never find Me unless you google Me or join an email list full of my Children which are many because I am a Bunny after all…

For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am That which is attained at the end of Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner or the middle if you can’t be bothered to read the whole thing.

Copyright 2004 Gwen Wolfrose, all rights reserved.
May be reposted anywhere so long as this copyright is included.

Paganism, Rants

Web research is crap

You know, the Internet is a wonderful thing. The World Wide Web is a spectacular thing. It’s a medium for the creative process that is available to many people far and wide. Diary sites like this one is a testament to that great fact. All of us on here can express our innermost thoughts, our most outrageous opinions, the fruits of our research on our favorite topic, and even our favorite cake recipe. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

The problem is, that’s also the greatest weakness of it all. The truth is, any slob can write something and throw it up on a webserver for the world to see. It doesn’t matter how ill-informed his opinion is, how disturbing his thoughts are, how uncritical his research is, or how disgusting his idea of the perfect cake tastes. Reasonably intelligent people figure this out quite quickly.

So why the hell is it that when a newbie wants to find out about Paganism and Wicca, the first thing they do is use this dubious resource as their primary — or worse, sole — source of information on the topic? Why is it they’re willing to accept whatever someone who learned how to submit a link to www.witchvox.com says without a second of critical thought? Oh wait, I know! Because Wicca and Paganism is comprised of “anything goes” philosophy. I say “Phooey!” And that’s being polite!

I’ll be honest. Half the crap out there is just that, crap. Half of the sites are put up by someone who read one or two books (and I’ll get into how crappy some of those books are some other time), decided they had it all figured out, and decided to share their “wisdom” with the world. Of course, half of them are really just sharing the “wisdom” some other author (book or web) already shared, often by copying their exact words. (We won’t go into the number of times I’ve found certain things online that were copied directly out of one of Scott Cunningham’s book without so much as a citation.)

I’m sorry, but if you’re too cheap to actually go out and buy a book on the religion you’re interested in (or here’s a crazy idea, see if you can borrow a copy through a library), you don’t have nearly enough dedication to follow it. Pick up a hobby instead, and start looking to explore your spirituality when you can put some real work into it.

Paganism, Rants

“The Gardnerian BOS”?

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You know, it’s really quite ironic. After Artharaja and I talk about the Sacred Texts website and the supposed “Gardnerian BOS” they have on there, I find someone posting about that very thing on a message board. I think I managed to express amusement about the whole thing rather than annoyance. Though to tell you the truth, I’m both amused and annoyed.

Of course, whenever someone says “Look, I got the Gardnerian BOS,” I first have the urge (and gave into it this time) to ask, “Really? Which one?” I mean, really, the idea of the Gardnerian BOS makes about as much sense as the idea of the paper towel. There’s a bunch of them. It’s my understanding that Gardner rewrote his BOS a few times himself — or at least had each High Priestess he trained copy a slightly different version of it. And it’s also my understanding that each High Priestess added to it as they passed it on to their own initiates. And that’s the way it’s been going ever since, though it’s my understanding that some lines are more likely to add than others. So at best, any Gardnerian BOS would be one version of the Gardnerian BOS as received and possibly appended by a particular initiate. In this case, the culprit would be Aidan Kelly. And to be perfectly blunt, considering the smear job he attempts to do on his tradition’s founder (and what I understand to be his shoddy research), I’d be dubious of any claims he makes.

Of course, the other thing that always gets me is that I don’t see why people get all excited over finding a copy of “the Gardnerian BOS” anyway? Hello? This is (supposedly) the BOS of the tradition that most eclectics think is just a bunch of “arrogant elitist bastards,” anyway? Remember that? Do they remember how they spend all this time justifying themselves by saying “well, Wicca has evolved beyond that, now.” Well, if it’s evolved beyond that, then why give a fuck about the BOS you’ve evolved beyond? Or is this just a case where deep in their hearts, they still believe that those “elitist bastards” might actually have something they want?

Honestly, people turn their nose up at Gardnerians and covet whatever they think they might have at the same time. It’s sad, amusing, and annoying all in one.

Paganism

“A Year and a Day”

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Every now and then, I hear various eclectics throw around the phrase “a year and a day.” And to be honest, I somewhat cringe when I hear it. It’s one of those cases where they’ve taken a phrase that came out of Traditional Wicca, taken it somewhat (if not completely) out of its original context, and changed what it’s all about.

In the context most eclectics use it (and I suspect it can be traced back to some author somewhere, though I’m not sure which one), the idea is that one must study for a year and a day to become a Witch. It’s also often assumed that one must study at a certain degree for that amount of time when for a year and a day before you can move on to the degree. In either case, it’s not entirely correct.

First of all, “a year and a day” was not originally a hard and fast rule. In fact, I’m not sure it’s a hard and fast rule today, but more a “rule of thumb.” But before a certain time (sometime in the 1980’s, if I’ve pieced together my information correctly), it wasn’t even that. You see, back in the hay days of the 1950’s, 1960’s, and possibly even the 1970’s, it was not unheard of to initiate new Witches on the spot. It also wasn’t unheard of to Initiate new Witches into all three degrees in the same weekend. This was done for various reasons, all of which I doubt I’m even aware of. However, the basic reason boiled down to the fact that those who were doing these initiations felt it was the necessary, correct, and proper to do things at the time. (At the time, I believe it was primarily motivated by the feeling that it was necessary in order to ensure the survival of Wicca.)

At some point, the various High Priests, High Priestesses, and Elders slowly came to the conclusion — both individually and collectively — that this was not such a good idea anymore. They found that it didn’t give New Witches the chance to truly come to grips with the Mysteries they were being introduced to, nor were they getting well prepared to run their own covens before being thrust into the position of High Priest or High Priestess. In effect, they got “fly by the seat of your pants” style training. Also, as they felt that the survival and continued propagation of Wicca was now assured, they decided that it would be more appropriate to slow down the training process and give Initiates a chance to truly grow in the Mysteries before thrusting them to the third degree and all of the responsibilities it entails. So Witches, covens, lines, and traditions began to set up systems of training to guide their Initiates (and in some-cases, their candidates for Initiation) through what they needed to properly experience the Mysteries of Wicca and work its magics (both big and little).

In addition to this, some of those Witches, covens, lines, and traditions considered the Mysteries. Recognizing that (1) a Witch’s experience of the Mysteries gets deeper in each degree (or in some traditions, each degree involves slightly different Mysteries) and (2) to experience the full range and subtleties of the Mysteries requires the observance of the full Wheel of the Year, they decided that it would be wise for each Witch to experience the full spectrum of Mysteries at each degree by spending a minimum of one turn of the Wheel before moving on to the next degree. And hence, “a year and a day” was born.

It is important to note that, to the best of my knowledge, this is not a unilateral requirement among all lines and traditions of Wicca. This is just what some — and probably even many — have determined is a good thing. It is also important to note that this is often considered a minimum. It is not unusual at all for the teacher or student to decide that more time is needed, for whatever reason. One common example of this is in a case where a student does no live close enough to the covenstead to attend all of the rituals in the year. In such a case, the student may find it necessary to take a few turns on the Wheel in order to experience all of the rituals and their particular aspects of the Wiccan Mysteries. Or there may simply be a matter in the Witch’s personal life that makes a longer timespan necessary.

You see, I think that’s what bothers me. Eclectics seem to think that “studying a year and a day” guarantees one’s Witchiness in some sense. It doesn’t. No amount of studying — either a year and a day or a decade and a year — will ever accomplish that. The only thing that does that is the processes that makes one a Witch.

I also balk at the idea that “a year and a day” is always associated with studying. It’s as if studying was what it’s all about. It’s not. Don’t get me wrong here. I think studying is extremely important. But studying alone accomplishes nothing. It is the process of experiencing the Mysteries that make Wicca what it is that is important. And that’s what “a year and a day” was originally all about.

Books, Health, Paganism

My evening and witchy thoughts

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I went for my walk this evening. I didn’t get out of bed or get laundry started early enough to commence my walk in the afternoon as has become my custom. And without clean laundry, my only other option was to walk in the nude. The chances of that happen are one in a google. Maybe even one in a google plex. Besides, considering the temperature out right now, that’s jut not an option.

Overall, I give my exercise effort a B this week. I’m half tempted to go with a B-, but I think that’s being too hard on myself. I actually managed to walk four days this past week. It’s only one less than the five that I’m aiming for. I missed yesterday’s walk because, quite frankly, I wasn’t feeling well enough to go for a walk. I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t get half way through it and suddenly find myself in dire need of a bathroom — which would be nowhere to be found.

After my walk tonight, I went out and bought some music. I bought a sampler of trance music. I’m checking it out now. It’s actually pretty good. I’d love to get more. Now I just have to find out who I might like. That’s always the fun part. I know absolutely nothing about music. And to be honest, I don’t have a huge desire to learn. I’m very superficial about my music. All I want to know is “this song sounds nice.”

I also ran to Friendly’s for supper. I had a lovely bacon cheeseburger. One of my favorite things. I was in a mood for some good beef. I probably had way too much, but it was worth it.

While there, I also read some. Friendly’s is my favorite reading spot, after all. Much less distractions than at home. I continued on in my reading of Huson’s book, “Mastering Witchcraft.” I’m still having mixed feelings about it. I still think the guy’s being more than a little pretentious. What gets me is that he always adds “of art” to the end of most things he’s talking about. “Using your brush of art, write these runes on it with your paint of art.” It just strikes me as being ridiculously wordy. I just have trouble imagining any of the witches I know and respect — all who seem to be rather down to earth and plain spoken — using such phrases.

Of course, the underlying reason for using such phrases also leaves me wondering. He’s one of these people who seem to think that every little thing that you use in magic should only be used in magic. It should never be used for anything else. Now, in many cases, I agree with him. I think that the major altar tools — such as the knife, the cup, and the censer — should usually only be used for those purposes for which they were consecrated. There are good and sound reasons for this. But I’m not sure that really applies to such things as paint and other supplies. These are not the “great tools.” These are “things a witch finds useful.” And it seems that the no-nonsense style of witch magic would call for just pulling whatever was needed from an already existing of “mundane items.” You need a piece of red thread? You go to your sewing kit, get the spool of red yarn that you bought to repair that dress, and you cut off what you need for your magic. You need to paint symbols on a tool or talisman? You grab the paint cans from when you painted the bedroom and you use a small quantity of it. Now sure, maybe the paint should be consecrated. So you pour out the small amount you will use into a smaller container and you consecrate it. You don’t consecrate the entire bucket, thereby risking wasting it if you don’t use it before it dries up. And I see no need to go buy something special for magic when you have a perfectly usable quantity of the same thing already.

I don’t know, I just see the idea of keeping two separate sets of supplies for “mundane” and “magical” uses as entirely impractical. And that goes against the nature of witchcraft, in my opinion.